her selfe happy and best beloued of her husband whom he most often graceth with correction The Moscouites doe commonly practice this kinde of Bencuolence on their wiues skinnes But whether our womens hides can brooke such fauours I doe much doubt For the truth is their skinnes in Moscouie are thicker tougher and buffe leather in comparison of our soft skind Creatures as also in all such cold Countryes Nature hath armed the very Fowle and Beasts with strong thick out sides to weather out and endure the blustring blastes and penetrable ioye cold the better Whereas in our Climate and from thence to the Tropickes the womens skinnes are tender and silken which makes mee somewhat to mislike that course except her Husband bee well assured by some skilfull Tanner that his Wiues skinne is as hard as the Serpents both in the temper and the superficiall toughnesse For then hee may beelabour her coat soundly without danger But if hee feeles her more smoothe then Beuer or softer then the Lambs let him suspend his passion and referre his lambs skin to his arbitrement that other whiles is forced to hold the Wolfe by the eares Neither yet am I so obsequious a Seruant to the Femal Sex nor care I to become an Idolist of a painted shrine for whatsoeuer earthly thing a man doth too much magnifie or to speake more significantly what hee dotes vpon is to commit Idolatrie with that thing but that I wish the Husband to esteeme Discretion more then debate Instruction more then Discipline and to doe as hee would bee done vnto Aboue all things I aduise him which lothes the brand of a Cuckold not only to looke into his wiues inward disposition with the warie eyes of Discretion and to obserue what companie shee affecteth but likewise that himselfe beware how hee glance and gad abroad after strange flesh Which because hee may the more easily performe let him fixe this rule in his imagination that his Soule combined with his wiues makes an harmonious vnion that all women specially other mens wiues haue many foule defects And if for all this his iudgement bee so crackt that another woman becomes his amorous Saint the onely Shee in the world and the very Paragon of Beautie with her haire as Democritus Iunior writes more yellow then Gold with black eyes a little mouth white teeth of a pure sanguine complexion soft and plump an absolute piece her head from Prague her paps from Austria her belly from France her back from Brabant her hands out of England her feet from Rhine her buttockes from Switzerland with the Spanish gate the Venetian Tire Italian complements and endowments let him neuerthelesse remember the continuall casualties of humane natures how that a little Sicknes a Feuer the small poxe a scarre losse of an eye or limme excessiue heat or cold child-bearing encrease of Age will riuell marre and dis-figure her all on a sodaine insomuch that he himselfe would scarce know her whom hee before did adore and admire Whereto let a man adde her wanton face and varieties of longing fits after those things which will alter farre stronger bodies then hers as sweete wines strong drinke spiced caudells slibber sauces Suckets Aqua vitâ— Balme or wormewood water being perswaded by idle-headed Midwiues and tattling Gossips that they are wholesome for the Bodie whereas indeed they destroy the true heat of life so that by the vse of these vnnecessarie drugs and liquors wherewith they glut themselues in corners you shall not finde one among a thousand women specially after Marriage but shee is diseased either with vnnaturall heat a stinking breath rotten teeth a withered face with a windie mattrie stomack casting vp whole gobbets of snottie flegme like rotten oysters with the dropsie or lothsome issue in her legs or else shee is inwardly possessed by reason of those inflammations with intollerable peeuishnesse haughtinesse of mind or with such rayling scolding moodes that shee is fitter to be cubd vp in Bedlem then to cohabit with a ciuill Gentleman I say nothing of the disease called Piâ—a breaking out to the Greene Sicknesse in the vnmarried and in both sorts to a monstrous stupendious lusting after such offensiues to nature that I blush to name them being fully assured by him that wrot the Treatise of the passion of the mind that a woman of a temperate sparing dyet wil hardly bee ouertaken with this Infirmitie What if this Goddesse of his bee not such beautie in very deede as hee beleeues but so fashioned by Art perhaps her face is painted done ouer with some curious lick as few of them are without it Or else it is her gaudie clothes that set her out so to beguile his eyes There be other circumstances which an vnderstanding man will muse vpon before hee yeeld himselfe a slaue to an vnconstant woman A puling Female Creature which hath smiles Like Sirens Songs and teares like Crocodiles As Withers exclaimes in his Satyres I haue spoken the more pathetically of this abuse because I know it is one of the chiefe Causes which makes our Gentlemen to linger at home degenerating from their Ancestors while the industrious Spaniard houers abroad and takes vp the principall Harbours of the Newfound World To conclude It is not Force Feare faire words Gifts nor deeds of due beneuolence can keepe a woman honest if she bee borne and bred of a skittish Mother For Cat after kind shee will follow nature doe what you can To verifie this let Man and Wife looke on this Glasse of faire Susannaes education and by the modell of her nurture let man learne a Mate to chuse Vita piae Matris Susannae regula morum Qualis erat Mater Filia talis erat A cunis odit Miracula ficta Baalis Polluit indignânec simulachra prece Non Abrahae Mosi Samueli vota nec vlli Sanctorum soli fudit at ista Deo Vt scopulos fugit consortia vana malorâ—m Nunquam suspectos passa venire procâ—s Quando rebellantes quos rarò sentijt astus Hos ieiunandicum precemulsit aquâ Debita pensa suiper soluens muneris aequè Multiplici formâ lintea pinxit acu Mollia filatrahens fusis praestabat Arachnen Siue nouum tenui pectine finxit opus Nablia laeta sonis operis pertaesa Dauidis Increpat teâ—ero pollice filatrahit Psalmata saepe iuâ—at modulari voce recenset Gesta Creatoris Plasmata viua Dei. Nunc canit Aegypti Miracula Praeliâ— Mannam Nunc sonat Haebraei rudera clara soli Inter dum Diuina legit mox scribere tentat Ipsa quod exarat scribere tentat Opus Ne testudo domi videatur tetrica custos Alterna visit rura paterna vice Interbum cum Matre piâloca publica visit Nec sine Teste foris contulit illa gradum As Mothers are so will the Daughters be Chast was Susannaes Mother chaste was she Baals Miracles she from her Cradle knew As how vaines Tombes with Idols to eschew She honour'd Abram Moses and
temporall Power By his meanes shee got the Soueraigntie ouer all Emperours Kings and Christian Princes whereas before shee was kept vnder like a base maid seruant not only by the Emperour but by any Prince assisted by the Emperour To returne now to the other cause which augmented the Popes Greatnesse that he cannot erre in matters of Faith and therefore men are perswaded to beleeue in his Church as the onely Catholick in the world or indeed as if shee were equall vnto Christ in Puritie and therefore partaker of our Creede But the Truth auoucheth otherwise that all men are Lyers and full of Sinne euen from the beginning The most Righteous man sinnes euery day in the weeke The Apostles in Christs time contended for Dignitie After his death Peter and Paul varied in opinion Paul and Barnabas could not agree Liberius Bishop of Rome subscribed to the Arrian Heresie Honorius Bishop of Rome was a Monothelite and condemned for the same Heresie by the Generall Councell held at Constantinople Saint Augustine mentions of the Errour maintayned by Innocent Bishop of Rome that Innocents could not be saued except they receiued the Communion And as Popes erred thus in matters of Faith so did Generall Councels themselues most grossely erre The Councell of Arimine established the Arriaâ— Heresie The Councell of Nice decreed the Soules of Angels and men had bodily shapes The Councell of Ephesâ—s enacted Canons on the behalfe of the Nestorian Heresie The consideration of which Errors whereto all mortall Creatures are subiect while they soiourne in their earthly tabernacles moued holy Augustine to reiect the authoritie of a Generall Councell which Maximinus alledged against him Neither ought I said he to be tyed to try my cause by the Councell of Nice or the Councell of Arimine to better or preiudice one anothers cause but to decide the Question to the Holy Scriptures Testimonie which are indifferent to both of vs and not partially bound to either of vs. And indeed there may bee yeelded a reason of Policie for not standing to any Humane Positions In a Generall meeting all men are not of the same mind nor of the same opinion but euery particular man as hee hath his voice so hee hath his seuerall will Velle suum cuique est nec voto vinitur vno Commonly where many meet some are selfe opinionated some factious others ouer-swayed by the most voices so that the Godliest being the fewest are abandoned and then the Canons doe passe according to mens affections and very oftentimes in fauour of the Pope and his Cardinals in hope of worldly preferments dispensations or for feare of angring their Superiors in Authoritie which the Holy Ghost obseruing he withdrawes his powerfull presence from their Consciences and leaues them puris naturalibus to their owne naturall endowments and consequently to bee seduced by the world Which of the ancient Fathers liued free from Errours Iustine Martyr Irenaeus and Tertullian held the Millenarian Heresie Saint Cyprian erred in his iudgement of Rebaptization Why then doth the Church of Rome arrogate to her selfe such Holinesse as to condemne all other Churches because they conforme not themselues with her Doctrine and Traditions It is one thing to belieue that there is a Catholicke Church and another thing though blasphemous to beleeue in the Catholick Church And now for the concluding of this present difference betwixt the Church of Rome and the Aethiopian whereof the Patriarch of Alexandria challengeth the Primacie wee doe order that euery Nation be allowed their seuerall Iurisdictions As in like manner hath heeretofore beene enacted by the Councell of Nice in the yeere 325. Let the ancient custome bee still in vse that the Bishop of Alexandria haue the Iurisdiction ouer Aegypt Lybia and Pentapolis euen as the Bishop of Rome enioyeth the like libertie in his Parts And so let the Churches of Antioch and of other Prouinces haue their preheminences maintained as informer times CHAP. XIIII Scotus the Master of Subtile Questions connents Sir Geffrey Chaucer for calling the Pope Antichrist and comparing the Romish Church to the griping Griffon and the true Church to the tender Pellican SCotus that famous Schooleman for subtile quiâ—ks and quiddities hauing watched for these two hundred and sixtie yeeres opportunitie to insinuate himselfe into his Maiesties fauour by some notable exploit and â—ow seeing that the Church of Rome began to totter he repayred to the Delphick Hall vpon the sixteenth of Iune last 1626. Where after an eloquent Oration against the Lutherans hee complayned of Sir Geffrey Chaucer the English Poet that he about the latter end of King Edward the thirds Raigne had published in his Ploâ—-mans Tale most abhominable Doctrine which infected not only diuers rare wits of that Age but likewise wrought so much alteration in succeeding times that Iohn Wickliffe Iohn Husse Ierome of Prague Luther and others now stiling themselues Protestants had quite abandoned their Mother Church of Rome which had flourished in stately Pompe and Pontificalibus for many hundred of yeares before And particularly hee charged Chaucer for calling the Pope Antichrist and for comparing his Followers to the Griffon and the pretended Reformed Church to the Pellican Apollo willing now vtterly to abolish those Patrons of Equiuocations lyes and deceits was glad of this occasion which so fairely presented it selfe vnto him And to that end iudicially to proceed against them he caused the chiefe points of the said Ploughmans Tale to bee openly read by the Pronotarie of the Court who with a loud voice thus repeated the same Euen as I wandred in a wro In a Wood beside a wall Two Fowles saw I sit thâ— The falser foule mought him befall That one did plead on the Popes side A Griffon of a grimme stature A Pellican withouten pride To these Lollers laid his lure Hee mused his matter in measure To counsell Christ euer gan he call The Griffon shewed as sharpe as fire But falshood foule mought him befall The Pellican began to preach Both of mercie and of meeknesse And said Christ so gan vs teach And â—eeke and mercifull gan blesse The Euangelists doe beare witnesse A Lambe he likeneth Christ ouer all In tokening that he meekest was Sith pride was out of Heauen fall And so should euery Christian be Priests Peters Successours Both humble and of low degree And â—sen none earthly honours Neither Crowne nor curious couetours Nor Pillour nor other proud Pall. Nor ought to coffren vp great treasures For falshood foule mought them befall Priests should for no cattell pleade But chasten them in charitee Nor vnto battell should men leade For enhaunsing of their owne degree Not wilne sittings in high Sea Nor Soueraigâ—tie in house nor hall All worldly worship defie and flee For who so willeth Highnesse foule shall fall Alas who may such Saints call That wilâ—eth weld earthly honour As low as Lucifer such shall fall In balefull blacknesse ybuilden their bowre That eggeth the people to Errour And maketh
admonition Saint Paul giues vs that in the Church vnder Antichrist there should bee working of Satâ—â—n with all Power Signes and lying wonders The like doth Saint Iohn prophesie of Spirits of Deuils working wonders In the Primitiue Church when the Gospell was setled Miracles ceased Which made Saint Chrysostome to answer their curiositie which looked for such rare signes in this wise There be some saith he that aske why men now adaâ—es doe not worke Miracles as the Apostles did If thou beleeuest Christ as thou oughtest thou hast no neede of Miracles for these were giuen to vnbeleeuers and not to beleeuers Sometimes God permits men with iugling trickes and legerdemaine or by the Deuils deuises to deceiue them either to â—rie the soundnesse of their Faith or to confirme them in their Errors As heretofore he suffered the Israelites to bee deluded with Baals Priests and the Golden Calfe who assuredly produced the like Miracles as the Iesuites boast of The tenth marke of Antichrist whom Saint Iohn calls the Whâ—re of Babilon the mother of Harlots and abhominations of the Earth is that shee shall be drunken with the bloud of the Saints and the Martyrs of Christ Iesus Of whom may this bee more significantly spoken then of the Pope How many thousands haue beene murthered in France in the Low Countryes and other places of Christendome by his procurement euen those which acknowledge Christ Iesâ—â— for their onely Mediatour with the Father which confesse the euer-liuing God in Vnitie and Trinitie hath hee caused to bee burnt for Hereticks or made to row as slaues in Spaines Gallies O bloudy Tyrannie O poisonous Imposture which vnder the colour of the Catholicke Faith doth shed the bloud of Innocents like mercilesse Hâ—râ—d not sticking to wound Christ anew through his seruants sides CHAP. XVI Apolloes iudgement of Chauâ—ers Apologie concluding that the Pope is the great Aâ—tichrist AFter that Sir Geffrey Chaucer had ended his speech Apollo gaue his definitiue sentence in this wise Euen as all the lesser sicknesses in mans bodie doth grow and descend into the Plague when contagion raignes And as by reason of oppilations the shutting vp of the spirits passages and their want of transpiration through the veynes all other inferiour diseases fall into the miserable Seâ—râ—y and principally for want of the Sunnes presence in the winter So for want of the Holy Spirits illumination caused through the corruptions of mens depraued wills by little and little the Antichrist increased and grew as it were with an inundation into one great Sea the Romish Sea Euen as Mahomet composed his Alcoran of many Sects so the Romish Religion by the policie of the Pope is stuffed and stored with many Heresies which all meeting together in his ambitious spirit and transferred to his successours doe make him that great Antichrist From Elixay the Heretick hee borrowed his Doctrine of celebrating Diuine seruice in an vnknown language For such was his Heresie From Montanâ—s the Heretick he learned to prescribe his rules of Fasts For hee first limited times of Fasting From the Collyridians he was inspired to worship the Virgin Marie From the Caianes to inuocate on Angels From the Carpocratians to adore the Image of lesus and Saint Paul From the Manichees and the Aebionites he got that damnable precept to prohibit Marriage vnto the Clergie Euen as all true Christians haue a relation vnto Christ their Head being through Faith his ingraffed members like as also the Patriarkes and Prophets vntill Christ had a dependance vpon that great Prophet whom God promised to raise vp like vnto Aloses so on the other side all the lesser Heretickes depend vpon Antichrist through whose lying mouth they oppose the Truth and the Apostles Humilitie And as Machiauellian members they ioyne with one consent to aduance his Maiesticall power though many of them in their consciences are fully perswaded that such state and pomp in a Clergie man cannot but displease the Author of Humilitie who pronounced them blessed which are poore in spirit CHAP. XVII Apolloes sentence promulgated for the Impurity of the Church Militant D. Whitgift Arch bishop of Canterbury complaines against Cartwright Browne and other Puritane Separists for inuaighing against their Superiours Apollo condemnes thâ— Sect exhorting them to vnitie to return to the bosom of their Mother Church AFter Apollo had condemned the Arch-hereticks of the Christian Church he caused that saying of that Ancient Father to bee retorted against the like erroneous seducers Ecclesia non diâ— post Apostolorum tempora mansit virgo That the Church after the Apostles time continued not long a Virgin And this his Maiestie did to the end all mouthes should bee stopt which arrogate to themselues extraordinarie Holinesse as the Popes doe who as his Courtly Cardinalls affirme cannot erre or which ascribe to themselues a degree of greater puritie in calling and conuersation then others of their Brethren in Christ forgetting his neuer fayling prophesie All men are liers Another cause why his Maiestie aduised his Religious Christians to remember that saying was to the end that they should not become amazed nor troubled when any hot-spurs and busie braind people doe maintaine new opinions differing from the old but rather to call into their memories that many false Christs many fraudulent Sects must from time to time spring vp in the Church like taxes among the good seede to shewe likewise that no Creatures can bee long pure without some spots or taint and that God alone who created them is only pure No sooner had Apollo ended these reasons for the Churches Impuritie but the graue and learned Whitgift Archbishop of Canterburie informed his Maiestie that one Cartwright Browne and others stiling themselues Puritans Precisians and holy ly Separists inueighed against him and his fellow Bishops with Libels and defamations worse then Oâ—id against Ibis or any woman scold put in a Cuckinstoole because hee gaue order in his visitations to present refractaries and stubborne minded persons disobedient to Authoritie and kicking against things indifferent triuiall and indeed very bables in respect of Faith Humilitie Charitie and Diuine Gifts which they had now more cause to pray for then to spend their precious times in railing and withstanding those outward things tending only to distinguish the Leuits from the Temporall Tribes to the view of the outward man whose fancie must bee stirred by outward obiects aswell as inward Apollo at the report of these selfe-opinions like to breake into a schismatick combustion became mightily perplext Yet like himselfe recollecting his spirituall tempers and resuming his wonted Maiestie hee said to Cartwright Browne and the rest of the Pâ—ritâ—â—icall Sect How long will you persist by your peenish positions to minister scandall vnto your Christian Corporation I haue long since heard of your rash and turbulent oppositions against your Churches Canons But I hoped that the calme dew which awaites on the â—iluer and staid age of Maturitie had by this time cooled
might walke on simply and sincerely towards the Feast of the Lamb. But this is not the first Easter which you haue disturbed For the common voice goes that your Sect vnder your name haue alienated one Neighbours loue from the other and done more harme in the Low Countryes then all their warres with Spaine Which inconuenience Affricke sometimes felt as an ancient Writer testified plus incommodi capiebat Africa ex Secta Arriana qua insecti erant Vandali quam ab auaritiâ corundem vel crudelitate ijs innata Africke receiued greater hurt from the Arrian Sect wherewith the Vandals were infected then by their griping couetousnesse or crueltie though the same were naturall vnto them In alledging that mans free will must aide and cooperate with the Grace of God you cannot but ascribe glorie vnto flesh and bloud which is fraile and honour vnto Nature which the Serpent wounded with a mortall sting For what is Free will but an Electiue power to deliberate and determine what it pleaseth In naturall things as to eate and drinke to sit or walke to sing or play I allow of such a Free will in humane affections But in heauenly matters it is sacriledge worse then Prometheus his flealth whom the Poets fabled feloniously to conuey away some of Iupiters fire It is indeed traitorous impietie to rob God of his Prerogatiue Grace is only his to conferre on his vessell of honor â—nto men shame only belongeth as the Prophet protested And as another confirmeth of more ancient writ The way of man is not in himselfe neither is it man to walke and to direct his steps meaning any power to make vse of in Godly Actions Man planteth Apollo watereth but when all comes to the vpshot it is God which giues the increase as Saint Paul confesseth How dare yee O bewitched Arminians attribute the least glorie to a putrifide carcasse How dare yee auouch that a man being called and iustified according to Gods purpose which neuer changeth may fall away from Grace wholy and finally To bring in a Decree respectiuely argues you are better seene in Tautologie then in Theologie in Sophistrie then in the Doctrine of Predestination This is to ecclipse Gods Sunne-shine of Grace and to set vp Phacton to pull downe his power and to set a beggar a horsebacke For in affording such excellencie to a man you must needes ascribe somewhat to his worth and merit which can bee no other then Damnation Though man hath Faith Loue and Charitie hee cannot say that God made choice of him for one of his Elect number because hee foresaw that man was able to take hold of these Diuine Gifts for these are not the causes but the effects of his calling but onely because of his owne absolute pleasure it seemed good vnto his wisdom to choose him without any such cause of merit foreseene in man though afterwards when he had called him hee bestowed vpon him these Heauenly gifts at the intercession of his Sonne who was to bee incarnate for mans saluation By this meanes and for this cause were sinfull men elected called iustified and glorified before the world began euen for his owne honour and for our Redeemers sake by whom and in whom we were to bee incorporated and ingraffed as bastard-slips quite salne from the state of innocencie by Adams succeeding fall which his all-seeing Maiestie saw as in a liuely Map alreadie come to passe as afterwards Adam and his whole Progenie sensibly perceiued And there by the way I signifie vnto you O heedlesse Armâ—nians that your too much regard of naturall causes and effects your humane calculating and intentiue computation of Time according to the errors of the outward man hath beene the prime cause of this absurditie For God seeth not as man seeth His foresight is eternall that is alwaies present There is no Time past nor future tense declined by his euerlasting Grammar though mortall race in respect of their limited capacities vse this manner of calculation A thousand yeares in his fight are but as yesterday Hee is Alpha Omega the beginning and last vncircumscribed infinite and without end So that hee which searcheth and diueth ouercuriously into this depth of Predestination hee may fall into the Gulfe of Scilla by seeking to auoide the danger of Charybdis Therefore the safest way for man is with Saint Paul to reioyce in his infirmities that the power of Christ may dwell in him His Grace is sufficient for him for his power is made perfect through mans weaknesse Let not your eyes gaze too long vpon the Sunnes beames lest they become dazeled or blinded with the glorious Maiestie thereof Content your selues with such nourishment as serues fittest for your tender constitutions and for the reach of your humane capacities I say as the Apostle said through the grace that is giuen vnto me I say to euery one that is among you that no man presume to vnderstand aboue that which is meet to bee vnderstood but that hee vnderstand according to Sobriâ—tie Leaue off your curious inquisitions and doe your best endeauours to let the world know that you are of Gods elected number by your Faith Loue Charitie and Humilitie And for you Arminius wee take it in ill part that you without acquainting vs with your theoricall Proiect would diuulge abroad your Theses and Problemes to confound the Intelligence of your yonger brethren How much better and safer had it beene for you to smother your profound doubts then to work confusion by the publishing of them vnlesse you thought by this improuident dispersing of the notions of your braine to goe beyond Erostratus who fired Dianaes Temple at Ephesus for no other intent then to be spoken of in after ages to haue done some Act worthy to bee recorded in the Chronicles as likewise Guy Faukes attempted in England to blow vp the Parliament house Wee doe now order that you for these presumptions do openly before our Congregation to bee held at Libethrum vpon the Mâ—nday following after Trinity Sunday next make a full recantation of your scrupulous Paradoxe and there penitently confesse that God called and elected sinfull man out of his owne free secret and vnquestionable pléasure without hauing any respect at all to maâ—s ensuing merit or free will but onely to his owne attribute of Mercie to the absolute power which his Deity hath ouer the workmanship of his hands as the Potter ouer his vessels and to the righteousnesse of his Sonne the vndefiled Lamb which redeemed Sinners out of the Deuils iawes And also you shall here protest that all men whatsoeuer though they were as iust as Henoch as faithfull as Abraham as meck as Moses as zealous as Phinehes as patient as lob as penitent as Dauid as constant as Elias as wise as Daniel as godly as Saint Iohn Baptist who wasmore then a Prophet yet all these notwithstanding were predestinated to bee saued not for any deseruing vertues which God foresaw in
content in some degree or other To this end I inuented this new Letany knowing that my gracious Mistresse liked pleasant raptures better then the graue and austere rules of the Stoicks As for the proâ—aâ—ing of the name of Letany while vnder the shadow thereof I couch matters of some moment I hope it redounds not so preiudicially infamous to your vertuous Court as for a Papist to be called a Catholicke or for a smatterer in Logick to be termed a Sophister or for a peeuish Diuine to be stiled a Puritane If my Letany be throughly scanned vnder that title Mâ— Broughton shall meet with as much substance to edifie the common sort of people as with his Hebrew Genealogies to enrich the learned It is not a Cowle or hood which makes a Monke Cucullus non facit Monachum nor is it a shauen or bald Crown which makes a Priest for a man may lose his haire with the Poxe or for want of radicall moisture in that part of the head as chanced to the Poet Aeschylus on whose bald pate an high soaring Eagle did let fall a shel-fish with intent to breake it as on a stone Nor doth along beard make a man aiudicious Socrates bar batum hoc crede Magistrum Dicere sorbitio quem tollit dira Cicutae whom a forc't draught of Hemblocks iuyce did kill We see the Goat stalking with a long beard Yet who will take him for a religious beast that climbes vp to the Altar and feedes on the sacred flowers Barbatus li 〈◊〉 Caper tamen esse negamus Hunc recta et purâ Relligione pecus It is not the baâ—e outside the vsurping of a naked name which can disgrace an honest Action If vnder the name of Letany I haue alluded to any lewd passage whereby youth may be corrupted or the state of Parnassus defamed I appeale to Caesar to your Maiesties iudgement Apollo after that Florio had thus defended his cause yeelded his censure in these few words Whosoeuer goes about to depriue men of all kinde of pleasure seekes to depriue them of freedome and of a cheerefull nature which God preferres before a sullen crabbed mind as was that of Cains Beeing tempred it consorts well in an ingenuous Scholler For thereby hee shall auoid the name of a laughing Democritus with his tickling spleene and also of a weeping Heraclitus with his melancholy passion The title of Letany derogates not froÌ„ grauity while it tends not to base scurrility but rather to a vertuous morality There is a time to teach to exhort and there is a time to fling stones against the wind There is a time of earnest things to write A time to talke of matters small light A time to walk to run to ride or praunce A time to sit and laugh or lead a Daunce There is a time for men to fast and pray And so a time to sing like Birds in May. CHAP. 6. Apollo asketh the Author of the Golden Fleece wherefore his Countreymen of Wales hauing the commodiousnesse of the Sea with a large scope of land are notwithstanding very much impouerished of late The Author imputes the cause vnto the multitude of Law Suites Vpon Thursday in the Easter weeke 1626 while the rest of his Maiesties Subiects of Great Brittaine consulted how they might repaire the decay of Trade lately hapned by Prodigality Excesse of Aparrell Tobacco and other enormities in this Iland fostred and cherished besides our losses a broad by the Mâ—â—rish Pirates and now of late by the Dunkirkes it was my good fortune to be present at Apolloes Court in Parnassus Where likewise his Imperiall Maiesty sate in Councell about the same affaires because there might bee a perpetuall correspondency betwixt his diuine Court our humane actions As soone as Apollo saw Orpheus Iunior it pleased him to demaund of him the resolution of 〈◊〉 Questions which he presently proposed Whereof the former was wherefore his natiue Couâ—◠〈◊〉 Wales being a Peninsula almost an Iland compassed about with the Sea in forme of an horse-shoo like little Brittaine in France from the riuer Dee and Chester round about to Glocester hauing aboue 100. Riuers running out into the Sea beside Seuerne and d ee yet for all this large Tract commodiousnesse they had not ten Ships whereas Deuoâ—shire alone our neighbour vpon Seuerne not contayning the tenth part of land flourished with 150. ships The other Question was wherefore their enclosed lands as also their mountaines and Commons lay desolate not halfe stockt and their Corne fields in most places so bare of Corne that a stranger would thinke eyther that the earth produced such graine naturally wild or else that the Locusts of Aethiopia had wasted and harried the same Vnto these demands hee craued an houres respit to answer At the end whereof he returned his resolutions in this wise I could haue wisht that these Questions had been askt of some iudicious Gentlemen of these parts whom pâ—â—tly by familiar acquaintance and partly by fame I know to be far better experienced and consequently more sufficient to yeeld your Highnesse satisfaction in these demands of import But seeing most vertuous Emperour the Fates that is your incuitable pleasure allotted this charge vnto my weake capacity I will not spare to display the causes according to that measure and taleÌ„t which God hath giueÌ„ me In the entrance whereof a Story comes into my mind out of an old Spanish Booke printed at Salamanca aboue one hundred thirty yeeres past entituled The causes of the pouerty of Spain dedicated to Fâ—rdinandâ— and Isabella before the conquest of Granata and the discouery of the West Indies by Columbus Among other reasons the Author imputes the breeding of Asses and the vse of barren Mules in stead of Bâ—ls and Oxen to be the prime and waightiest cause of their necessities For whereas in Hercules time the goodliest Kine of the world were found with Gerion and Cacus in that Countrey since the rearing of those vnprofitable Beasts and the Golden Mines of Bebellio in the Pâ—renean Mountaines and the graines of Gold in Tagus Sands were exhaustâ—d dry Spaine became the most miserable Region of Europe Now my Countrey of Wales appeares in my iudgement to haue some resemblance with Spaine as it stood in those dayes being like vnto it for situatâ—â—n and the vneuen â—esse of ground vp hill and downe hill yet enriched with faire vallies and a boue all with the benefit of the Sea as your Maiesty hath well obserued But our grieuance is that in stead of plentifull droues of Cattell which heretofore serued vs aswell for our sustentation as to supply our necessities abroad wee haue studied that fabulous Booke of Ouids Metamorphosis so much that our stocke is decayed and now-a dayes we reare vp two-legged Asses which doe nothing but wrangle in Law the one with the other By this meanes wee consume our precious time not to bee redeemed By this vngracious brood wee become so impouerished that our
to this end I require the Politicke Magistrates for their Countries good to punish all such common Tobacco-takers and because they may doe it with our warrantable authoritie let them proclaime these rules in euery place within their Iurisdictions Regna Britanna libras ter centum mille quotannè Expendunt morbos accelerando nouos Non opus Helleboro iam quisque Tobaccon ab Aula Principi◠ad caulam pauperis vsque bibit Vnde duplex vacuum sentit Respublica Nummi Et Cerebri vacuo gaudet vtroque Satan Cur tuba tardescit Cur non taratantara Martis Horrida crudeli vis nec ab hoste venit Corporis Belli neruos Gens Anglica per dit Deficit Argentum deficit humor alens Qui fumo gaudet pereat caligine fumi Pectoris arctati nec bene purgat aquam Hecticus hinc morbus crassisque mephitibus auctus Qui Climacterico tempore finit opus Finit opus Fatale facit quoque Prolis abortum Ah nimium Veneris perfidus hostis Odor Eius at Hyssopi substantia mixta liquore Conferat Asthmaticis vt medicina data Three hundred thousand pounds yee yearely spend In hastning griefes vnto a deadly end Yee need not Hellebore Tobaccoes fume From Court and Cottage wil expell the rheume Alas fond Fooles which spend your meanes and health With Sathans ioy and hurt to Common-wealth Why come not in your Foes to doe you harme The English faint if they but heare Alarme When Humors quaile the Spirits moue but dul When Subiects faile th' Exchequer is not full Let them that loue the Smoake fall with the smell T is true Tobacconists why do yee swell With anger at the truth Ere seuen yeeres end Tobacco will the banefull force extend It breeds a wheezing in a narrow breast The Hecktick Feuer or thick Fleame at least A bastard heat within the veines it leaues Which spoyles the Infant if the Wife conceiues Yet sipt with Hysops iuyce or held in mouth Or snuft it cures the Lungs and Tisickes growth CHAP. XVI Traiano Boccalini the Author of the Booke called the New-found Politick complayneth to Apollo that the Seuen Wisemen of Greece who were put in trust to reforme the World did deceiue his Maiesties expectation and that the World was worse then euer it was Apollo retires himselfe in discontent but at length by the Fraternitie of the Rosie Crosse he is comforted and walkes along with them in Procession TRaiano Boccalini the late Publisher of the Newes of Parnassus whether of Zeale or of Ambition or of enuie to see many of his equals promoted in Apolloes Court informed his Maiestie that the Seuen Wisemen of Greece and others whom he had deputed to reforme the World of their late corruptions had more theorically and scholastically discoursed of remedies then really found out any in substance to curbe or cure them The Wiseman Thales hee said would faine haue a Surgeon of the Fairy-land to open a little window in the heart of man whereby all his deceitfulnesse might appeare to one anothers sight But forsooth for feare of a greater perill in launcing a musckle or principall veine in this miraculous fabrick of mans body this speculatiue window must bee let alone Solon perswaded them to take away the inequality of Mine and Thine and to diuide the whole world anew whereby euery man the Begger aswell as the King might haue his iust share Chilon aduised to banish the vse of those Mettals of Gold and Siluer as the pestiferous root of all Euill Pittacus laid the fault of the moderne abuses vpon Rewards conferred on men of meane deserts who entring into the sacred seats of Iustice peruerted all the Blessings which God bestowed on Mankind and caused their Attendants and Officers to be nicknamed Leaches Butchers and Tyrants Periander would haue the imaginary vertues of Fidelitie and Secrecie restored and stampt in mens mindes Bias his Proiect was to hunt men into their ancient habitations where their old Ancestors inhabited a thousand yeeres past to giue elbow roome to the rightfull Owners Cleobulus pronounced his definitiue sentence that all the scope of the worlds reformation consisted in Rewarding the Good and in punishing the wicked Cato would haue the Catarrattes and windowes of Heauen opened and the whole World drowned againe excepting some few of the male Children to whom hee wished an ingendring and spreading power to bee giuen like Bees to continue the race of men without being beholding vnto any more women whose vnvnluckinesse pride and vanitie as he said occasioned all the villanies which deformed the present World In conclusion Traiano Boccalini accused these Reformers for their Hypocriticall suggestions and conspiracies against the sacred honour of Apollo in setting out Proclamations onely to please Fooles that no Hucksters should sell oaten meale or pease by a false dish and such like trifling matters And these friuolous Proclamations they divulged of purpose to blinde the eyes of the multitude to seeme to doe somewhat when as their Office and charge was to see a general Reformation of all the most notorious Vices which infected the Generation of humane kinde as Simony sale of Iudges places Bribery and the like Apollo knowing this to bee true which Boccalini with his too too lauish tongue had blabbed abroad and ashamed that euery common Citizen of Parnassus began now to smell out the drist of his Statesmen and could readily descant of those secrets which in ancient times as a diuine mysterie they concealed from vulgar minds he retired himselfe much discontented aswell in respect of this cause as for that it lay not in his absolute will to root out the knowledge of Euill from the Christian World The Lady Minerua and the nine Muses laboured to mitigate his Matesties griefe telling him that Sinne must raigne as long as men beare sway in the World vitia erunt donec homines But no perswasions preuayled No Company pleased his humour saue sad Melpomenes insomuch that many doubted lest some strange kinde of Melancholy which the Physicians neuer heard of would whirle about the braines of the vertuous and at the last eclipse the glorious light of their vnderstanding if the chiefe Lord of wisdomes Society should continue long in his retired Lodge While both the Head and members of this sacred Corporation suffered in this Labyrinth of sorrow and shame the Lady Mnemosyne brought his Maiestie word that foure graue personages were newly arriued at his Court Gate stiling themselues the Fraternitie of the Rosie Crosse. At the first hee seemed to slight the newes thinking they might be some of those Cabalisticall Mountebankes which went abroad selling of smoke and making credulous persons to belieue that they were of a Mathematicall fry and race of wise Philosophers to whom Mercurius Trismegistius had transferred the neuer erring Art of discerning Truth from falshood the meanes to vnite the variable will of man and that which Worldlings doe most prize to make the Philosophers Stone But when hee better vnderstood that this