VERTVES ANATOMIE OR A COMPENDIOVS DESCRIPTION OF THAT late Right Honorable Memorable and Renowned Bedfordshire Lady the Lady CHEANY of Tuddington By CHARLES PIERSE LONDON Printed by William Iones dwelling in Red-crosse Streete 1618. TO THE MOST VERTVOVS AND TRVELY RELIGIous Lady the Lady CROFTS wife to that worthy Knight Sir IOHN CROFTS all health and prosperity in this world and eternall ioy and felicitie in the world to come RIGHT worshipfull or rather Right worthy Lady the title of the former being made more illustrious by the fruition of the latter For honours and dignities are not the precedent cause of vertue but vertue of them I haue I feare assumed too much vpon me and broken the bounds of that old prouerbe â—e sutor vltra crepitum yet worthy Lady on whose fauourable acceptance not on my owne deserts I altogether rely doe humbly craue your Ladiships most gratious protection to shelter me from those malignaÌ„t which might oppose themselues against me I know it wants that beautie hue and amiable aspect which should externally adorne it and make it pleasing in your eyes Yet if your Ladiship please to take a view of the inward truth and sincere deuotion of the heart it may proue as true begotten though not so fairely featured as the rest For as it is in nature so it is in arte much vice may lie hid in faire complexions and much hypocrisie in arte I speake not this good Lady to derogate ought from learned Arts or worthy wits inriched with eloquence whereby my impouerished and naked lines should bee clothed with their garments but that I feare the hard ceÌ„sures of these ill spokeÌ„ times as much as I hope to receiue some fauorable coÌ„struction froÌ„ your worthy selfe If any put out a Quaere and aske me why I wrote this booke I could alledge many reasons but I cease to erect too large a portall to so small a structure I had rather my booke should be abstracted then detracted Giue me leaue therfore rather in few words to expresse what I would then in many what I could speake Since so many whose loues depend vpon your Ladiships desarts doe offer vp gifts a testimony of the loue they owe which haue of long time knowne your most free and gentle dispotions and seene the vertuous inclinations of your minde I could not chuse nor in common Christianitie do any lesse if no other bound affection nor duetie had moued me but shew some thankfulnes with the rest though satisfaction I cannot giue with the best I haue therefore presumed to present vnto your Ladiship not such as your honor doth deserue or as I desire or as my duety and the subiect of my booke doe require but such as my small ability or rather inabilitie could prepare to offer vnto you for hauing no need of externall gifts I giue the internall gifts of the minde as a free thought a lame sacrifice not worthy to be recorded with those great ones which could cast aboue a widowes mite into the treasurie or offer vp vnto their master more then a cup of cold water Reade it most pious Ladie if ought be in it worthy the least respect or fauour it is not mine but her honors and your Ladiships from whose most pure eminent vertues this dimme and darke candle of mine tooke her first light Some may hold it a disparagement to her honor because est ab indigno others may iudge I write truely but not sufficiently both are right for silent duety though in it selfe it is commendable yet in respect of others it winnes more loue being actiue laus virtutis actio and for the other what my weake skill doth deny yet my vrging will supply vltra posse non est esse What should I speake of your Ladiships free and bounteous disposition What should I speake of those ornaments and graces you are both inwardly outwardly indued with which with as many tongues as Argus had eyes spread abroad your deserued worth that I cannot tel whether our soyle more iustly admires you or inwardly desires you Where vertuous life faire children happie state Doe all concurre to make you fortunate And whereas many will hereafter minde you Blest in the issue that you left behinde you In which most fruitfull buds as may out-liue you Your worth and yours a double life may giue you Where though your soule had reacht eternitie Your name on earth may liue and neuer die So thriue faire Lady and flourish euer in those faire pathes of vertue that as it was a blessing to Dauid that one of his seed did inherite his earthly Throne so it may be a greater blessing to your Ladiship that many of your seed should inherite the Throne eternall It was not so great a glory for Salomon to inherite his Fathers Kingdome as his Fathers holinesse and vertues Then how much Madam may you reioyce in eyther that yours enioy not onely much temporall honors and blessings but also are indued with many gifts and graces of the Spirit great louers of vertue and imbracers of true religion and piety Long may they so continue to your Ladiships full ioy Long may they all liue and grow old in honors and vertues and with that Poet euer wish Fortunati omnes si quid mea carmina possunt Nulla dies vnquam memori vos eximet aeuo Thus humbly intreating your good Ladiship to accept this my first and meane labour vnder whose wings it most hopefully trusts I rest Yours all too meane and farre vnworthy seruant but not least deuoted Charles Pierse TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE LORD THE LORD WENTWORTH WHen meannes speakes and honors balance weighes him Had need speake well for feare his tongue betrayes him Lest vndiscerning there discouered lies Some marke of folly to iudicious eies Euen so great Lord my timerous quill proceeds Much like a scholler that his lesson reades Before his awfull master trembling still Whether vnkind he said it well or ill So like that pupill I the lists doe enter More bold then wise to giue the perilous venter And cannot tell what dangers may ensue Did not I hope much honor lay in you Not like that Fortunes brood whose ayrie spirits Doe mount them Icarus-like aboue their merits Where when their flight's at highest rise of all The Sunne doth melt their wings and then they fall Or like Narcissus who did fondly looke On his owne shadow in a crystall brooke And doting on 't stept neerer to haue kist it Where he fell in and drown'd himselfe yet mist it Euen so this world which these faire streames behold Build their attempts vpon such hopes too bold Making the drossie substance of this earth The greatest cause of honor and of birth Some louing honors so buy them to make them Better contented they that can forsake them Yet our best natures faile in this and vse them Hee 's a rare man that proffer'd can refuse them But you great Lord descended of a race Which vertue
mourne Some of thy power into my brest infuse That my dim candle may the better burne And giue the clearer light vnto her honour Admird so much of all that e're heard on her A subiect far vnfit for such a quill But that I thinke some fatall hand doth guide it And carries mee away against my will Not suffering me within my breast to hide it Such fire as this doth seldome burne within me That hath such power thus from my selfe to win me Nor doe I thinke sufficient my weake skill So great a subiect for to entertaine Far be such thoughts from my vnworthy quill VVhich humbly writes and not for glory vaine No I doe know my selfe praise cannot tempt me Since Learning wit and all things else preuent me But for some stricter bond which neerer ties me And zeale vnto that honord house I owe VVhich far aboue my power doth seeke to trie me My duty in these humble lines to shew This mite of wit this little tallent lent me Which my boūd seruice al too meane hath sent thee For which I doe confesse Minerua might Haue cause to sing in memorable lines The Muses if they did her honor right Might haue sufficient worke for after times And all the learned wits that were of yore Might spēd some paines to grace her vertues more But this vilde age which for the most part graces The vitious nature and the hartlesse mindes And honors asses spring from golden races VVherein true merit seldome any findes For where there 's one such fit for honors place Ther 's ten for him which fils them with disgrace For gilded greatnesse sticke too much with prayses Whose swelling pride bears al things down before thē This age to greater fame and fortune rayses That like to Demigods the world adores them What pearles of prayses daily of them rings Blowne with the winde of adulations wings What armes what trophies haue they not erected What glory brought their vpstart houses to And in this world what persons more respected VVhat is' t so hard but that their power can doe Mamon their God can purchase all for them Lands fame renowne nay more the soules of men These like the Dragon carry with their tayle The third part of the starres and rule the earth Their pride and power with controule preuaile And eate vp poore men like a timelesse dearth These which their greatnesse keepe the world in awe Their will their reason and must stand for lawe For which great cause Dame vertue euer mourns That her owne heires are destitute of fauours And others worthlesse placed in their romes To feed vpon their true deseruing labors VVhilst they doe swell with honours she doth pine And must be forc'd to beg or serue the time Oh yee desired times reuerse your course Vnto those antient customes which were then And let not these preferments lighs of worse VVhich were ordain'd for wise and learned men For honor vertue wisedome worth and merit Are the true heires those places to inherit Oh pardon me if I mistake my pen And from my purpose doe a little swarue It is the great abuses of these men Which doe the time themselues and fortune serue That are vnto that height of greatnesse growne Masking in merits shape and not their owne Was this the first cause of gentilitie Or from what stocke or roote did it descend Was this the ground of true humanitie Their greatnes by their greatnes to offend Was this the race from whom all Gentles sprung Wherein that worthy name was first begun Was lands or large possessions the foundation That men vnto that reuerend title came Or this worlds largest rule or domination Whereon so many did their glories frame If these must be the cause what will you call Adam to be which first possessed all If what this earths great compasse forth could bring Whereof the least part makes a Gentile now Might neither be a Gentlle Lord nor King Nor to him honors nor renowne allowe Why should his broode with pride so much abound Possessing but a little peece of ground Wast wealth or all the riches of the earth Without the which the best are held in scorne That could compose a Gentleman by birth Being meerely from the loynes of Adam borne Oh no if I should craue that faire discent From that foule roote I feare I should be shent Wast might or some oppressing Nymrods hand Whose powerfull pride did awe the weaker creatures And sought by force and violence to command More then his owne and raise that name to nature No heau'ns forbid vsurping tyranny Should ere be sprung from true gentility What was it then from humaine birth deriu'd And had it her first being from that kinde The marke for which antiquitie long hath striu'd And which doth challeng the most fairest signe Oh how can nature I would aske this first Be gentle cald whom heauens before had curst No Adam if that these can title claime As none without them now liues in request And challeng to themselues this gentle name Which at the first was onely giuen the best Then was thy birth thy wealth and worldly store The most and great'st what man had euer more No these are but th' admired broode of time Blowne like a bladder vp with froth and winde Made worldly great by prouidence diuine When small gentility resteth in their minde Their fortunes rises but their vertues fall Poor'st in greatst plenty weake when great'st of all But why doe I to little purpose striue And make my selfe more curious far then wise This name from her beginning to deriue When euery vulgar worldling too precise Doe hold too little for his swelling pride Whom no boūds hold nor compasse true can guide Yet since my laboring pen so much doth craue To search the ground of this so worthy name I must attempt with that bare skill I haue For to define least that I purchase blame For all these foure rehearst can neuer doe it Although they lay hard claime and title to it 'T was vertue merit and an humble minde 'T was curteous qualities and most faire conditions 'T was true desart loue and affections kinde Grac't with the mil'dst and purest dispositions 'T was learned arts and honor which proceeds Not from rough might but weake boūteous deeds 'T was an assisting not oppressing hand That did extend to charitable vses Defending right and truth which could not stand Free in those daies from wrongs and some abuses Whose zeale did burne with vertue and made all Their end true honor not an others fall 'T was iustice piety and a sacred spirit Which first inforc'd that faire name to be giuen Ador'd with famous deeeds and noble merits Whose birth and being is deriu'd from heauen No carnall birth no wealth nor worldly honor Can well be said to haue affinite from her And yet the most this age so much bewitches Digresse from these or else my muse mustly Translated now to honor state and riches In
which most hold is tru'st gentility But let them haue it I will not contend Their honors may deceiue them all i' th end Great King of heauen and earth how shall I speake Which am but dust and ashes vnto thee When my soules faculties are all too weake Once to conceiue the meanest thought of thee And yet thou tearmst thy selfe but Sonne of man Which vild wormes scorne whose glorie 's but a span Ambitions age can Auarice blinde thee so To build such castles in vncertaine ayre What can your honors powers and riches doe For age and death thei 'le leaue you to despaire Where thou canst not redeeme an howers time Though al the goods in thousand worlds were thine Thinke yee to buy his fauour with a price Or fee him with so many golden mines Can any let sinne purchase paradise Or giue sufficient ransome for your crimes Oh no these dreames doe but your senses tickle For in that hower all that you hau's too little Reuerse your error let not these molest you Why should faire falshood blinde your mentall eies That it may once be said vertue possest you Wherein the truest fame and honor lies For smal's that greatnes poore weak's that glory Which hath his trust vppon things transitory Then seeke not to enrich posterity With an oppressing hand and cruell might Nor build your houses vp by tyranny Nor take possession of the poore mans right Lest Achab-like in buying so you sell Your house your soule and all you haue to hell VVhat profit shall your tired soules receiue Of all these riches you haue heap'd together VVhen in a moment you must take your leaue Of all your store and goe you know not whither Your childrē shew your wealth the world your shame And all doe hate the memory of your name Most odious euer hated of God and men Accursed riches which will waste in vsing Vnluckie and vnblessed issue then VVhen all you haue is purchas'd by abusing Your parents knew not that their goods ill gotten Their heires wold spēd whē they were dead rottē Oh what a ioyfull thing 't is to behold Heires to succeed their fires in vertuous lore And striue their houses honor to vphold VVith greater glory then it had before Studying by noble deeds t' inrich their name To their immortall praise and endlesse fame But ah I feare what I would not mistrust That heires to prodigall vices rather turne And leaue their honors trodden in the dust The losse whereof some ancient houses mourne Not liuing like themselues in birth but slaues Burying all vertue in their fathers graues The cause of which great waste and fall of heires I iudge the impious times of wretched fathers VVhose auaritious thoughts and greedie cares To fatten them and theirs vniustly gathers And waste their braines in studying day and night To purchase that which is anothers right Oh why should these be grac'd why should a pen Dip'd in the purest liquor of those springs Attend the earthly glory of these men VVhich shame vnto the truest honor brings As we doe see Fame none so much doth boast As those whose liues haue tyranniz'd it most If these vnto such fortunes haue attain'd Built on the slippery ground of fading Fame Then what great glorie shall thy honor gaine Or what sufficient pen can praise the same If Vice with Tombes and Epitaphes is renown'd VVherwith shal thy rare vertuous deeds be crown'd If out-side honor if vsurped greatnesse If painted pictures of Iniquitie Can haue their praises sung with wondrous sweetnesse Which nere deseru'd the meanest dignitie VVhat shall the true bred honor of the minde Adorn'd with vertues excellencies finde Did not thy ventures challenge from Fames wings One quill or pen t'immortalize thy name Is any enuious Serpent left that stings Or can with th'smallest tincture touch thy fame Are not thy vertues and thy honors blest VVith as great grace and glory as the rest Then why should not some worthy spirits vprise And with vndaunted quill her honor sing VVhy should they not her worth and vertues prise As high as theirs which from corruption springs Whose shame 's their glory their aime's their stain At nought but worldly things and glory vaine No worthy Lady doe not thinke a Tombe Can thy fresh memory from this world diuide Nor thinke that this earths all-deuouring wombe Within her bowels can thy vertues hide Nor wrong thy merits nor arrest thy worth Which spite of Time will spring and flourish forth That monumentall white faire marble Tombe Cannot containe thy noble deeds and merits When all the world is knowne too little roome To comprehend in bounds thy boundlesse spirit But still shall time with vs be euer telling Ages to come thy vertuous life excelling Nor doe not thinke though in corruptions bed Thy body lies interr'd at Tuddington That therefore thou art quite forgot and dead Or from our memories cleane exil'd and gone No no thy name and fame againe will raise thee And spite of death will make the world to praise thee No 't was decreed of euerlasting fate That vertue should endure and neuer die Made to out-liue Times rage and longest date Writ with a pen of sure eternitie Where if the Muses faile her worth to raise Then babes and sucklings will speak forth her praise Which hath induc'd my infant Muse to write My suckling wits which all too meane presumes Where if that learning cannot well indite How shall I doe with these impolish'd tunes But hope the best for euils come soonest then When least suspected and deseruing them Then launch into the Ocean of her honor So rare a Phaenix and our countries wonder Thy Muse I doubt much merit will take from her Or else her silly backe will split asunder Yet beare the sayles vp heauens may send a winde T' inspire me how to praise her vertuous minde Which they that true religion pure and blest Not mixed with Idolatrie nor defil'd Whose vertuous life and deeds did her professe An Israelite true in whom there was no guile Imbracing of the sacred truth in loue From which no worldly cares could her remoue That sought to know and learne those artes Diuine Which onely vnto true saluation tend And therein much did exercise her minde To profit by the truth which all defend Misplacing errors which doe seeke to blinde The way of truth in selfe-affected minde No verball but a mentall true profession Ingrauen in her honorable brest Wherein it tooke most sure and deepe impression That grace and honor heere did euer rest Making the one illustrious by the other As if they were both twins sprung from one mother And surely so they are as neere allyed Who wins their honors by their vertues first Can witnesse well their noble deeds haue tried Though Fortune now bestowes them on the worst 'T is but externall honor they doe winne Whose houses end before they doe beginne For thou Religion art a seely sound Accounted in these nice