in the body of the Worlde Which mischiefe that worthy Romaine Captain who about the eight yéere of the raigne of Cassibelan Brother to King Lud my first Founder and 54 yéeres before the King both of Heauen and earth sent his Sonue to dwell amongst men entred this Land conquered it made it tributary to the people of Rome wisely looking into and obseruing that Princes Rulers and Great personages must of necessity being bound thereto by the ceremony of their birth or by their place in the state yéeld sometime to that which otherwise y t noblenes of their owne bloud would abhor did often wish that he could not know how to handle a Pen. And that Mirror of her Sexe both for magnanimity of minde inuinciblenesse of Spirit and which is to her the greatest part of her â—ame for the closing vppe of so long a raigne with so full and so grieuous a period that Goddesse vpon earth whilest she liued that our Good Mistris Eliza when shee was to signe any warrant for the death of any Péere would passionately yet with a Spirit equal to Ceaâ—ars say thus Would to God wee had neuer beene taught how to write And thus O thou that sittest crowned like an Empresse withall our riches and fairest Monuments haue I discharged the Office of a faithfull surueior by telling thée what part of thy goodly body is builded too high wherein my Counsell is that thou shouldest a little plucke downe thy Pryde And in what other part thou stanâ—est too low where I could wish thée to raise it vp to a more noble Eminence I haue likewise pointed with my finger at al those Cracks disioyntings Flawes and Flyings out which if they bee not repayred are able in time to shake into dust a Citty greater then thy selfe And in my Reall loue to thée haue I scored such plaine markes vpon thy hidden Ruines which like Treacherous Seruants receiue in stormes for euer to vndâ— thée that if in any fit season thou vnderprop them and take down whatsoeuer is amisse thou shalt in this thy old age growe strong and lusty againe and with an easie Rest saue thy selfe from Falling With a frée and vn-mercenary voyce haue I pleaded for thy good by discouering what is ill in thée so that my Lectures of Reprehention may serue as wholesom Councell Thou canst not blame me for opening thy woundes and searching them to the quick sithence thou séest I spare not mine owne My pils perhaps may séeme a little bitter in going downe but in the working thou shalt finde them as comfortable as Restoratiues Take courage therefore to thee and like a Prince that can commaund his owne affections which is the Noblest Soueraignty be bold not onely to strike off those sicke and infected parts about the body of the Weale-publicke whych threaten daunger to those that are sounde but also applie thou the same sharp medicines which I haue ministred to thée if hereafter as I often féele my self thou perceiuest me ready or subiect to fall into loathsome diseases We are now both of vs as Buildings belonging to one Land lorde so closely ioyned together in league that the world thinkes it a thing impossible by any violence vnlesse we fall to ciuill discention within our selues euer to be seperated our handes as if it were at a marriage are plighted one to another our bodies are still embracing as if they were Twinnes wee are growne so like and euerie day doe more and more so resemble each other that many who neuer knew vs before woulde sweare that we were all One. Sithence then we are held to be so let vs neuer bee taken to be otherwise But as sisters do if the one féel sorrow let the other mourne if the one bee lifted vp to honors let not the other repine And as stringes to an instrument tho we render seuerall soundes yet let both our soundes close vp in swéet concordant Musicke Arme thy selfe therefore with Mee to maintaine that Vnion without whych Realmes are builded vpon sande and On whych they are stronger then if they stood vpon Rockes And because al Citties were bound in common ciuility in pollicie and in honour to maintaine their Names their Callings their Priuiledges and those Ancient houses that Spring out of them I wil in thy presence Annatomize my selfe euen from head to foot thou shalt know euery limbe of me and into how many parts my bodie is deuided My birth may bringing vp and my rising shall bee as manifest to thy vnderstanding as to mine because by the wilfull ignorance of those that ought of duety to preserue my credit my good name is oftentimes and in many places abused taken from me Neither would I haue thée account mee insolent vain-glorious or ambitious in erecting these Trophyes of Fame to my selfe with mine owne handes for vpon them shall neither be ingrauen the Actes of my sumptuous Builders whych would be too great an ostentation nor the battels which my Citizens haue oftentimes fought and won in defence of my liberties which more to my glory might be rehearsed by others But passing ouer the Names of some which to repeate would be to me an euerlasting renown As to boast which lawfully without the blot of arrogance I could doe that Constantine the Emperor y â— builded Constantinople drew his breath from my bosome or that Maud the Empresse did honour to me as to the mother that gaue her life or that King Henry son to Henry 2 was begotten in my womb which Henâ—y at the age of 7. years was maried to Marg. y e French kings daughter being not two years old afterwards with her in the life time of his father were crownd at Winch. But burying this glory of mine to be forgotten in the Graues where these my children lye now consumed to nothing I will onely content my selfe it is but a poore ambition to tell thée how I came to be called a Citty By what Names London from time to time hath bin called and how it came to bee diuided into Wardes OBserue me therfore O my most ingenious Pupill and scorne not to cal me thy Tutor for I must heere and there speake of some matters that I was an Eye-witnesse to long before thou hadst any being Knâ— theÌ„ because time who alters all things may perhaps heereafter as hee hath done already giue me some other new vpstart name that Brute from whom I tooke my byrth after had broght me as thou séest to this day I abide close to the Ryuer of Thames did there bestow a Name on me called me Troynouant or Trinouant and sometimes Trinobant to reuiue in me the memory of that Citty which was turned into Cinders and that for all the spight of those Gods who hated it there should be a new Troy which was my selfe That was the style by which I was knowne for the space of more than one thousand years and then Lud chalenging me as his owne
tyrranized ouer Straungers and threatned to lead me and my Inhabitantes into Captiuitâ— and so bring vpon me vtter disolation The other in those tempestuous and variable tossinges of that vertuous but wretched King Henry the sixt in the handes of Fortune when a fire of commotion was kindled by Kentish-men whose flames euen beganne to burne in my owne bosome Or had that Sonne of thine perished betwéene the rage of those two great Families the Yorkists and Lancastrians that was nourished so many yéers together with the liues honors and ouerthrowes of so many Princes of the bloud Royall and with the fall of so many Subiects that in one batâ—aile were discomfited on both sides 35111. Persons then if thou hadst not lamented for him I should worthily haue blamed thee then would I my selfe haue borne a parâ— in thy sorrow A better and not so blacke a fate hath weighted vppon That Mirror of antiquity belonging to thee than euer since the first raâ—sing hath falne vpon the Goodliest the Greatest the Highest and most Hallowed Monument of mine His miseries haue béene so many and the top of his calamities is clymbed vp to such a height that I should do his sorrows wrong to set theÌ„ to the tune of my voyce whoÌ„ no notes but his owne are able to sing them foorth Lift vp therefore thy heauy head O thou that art maintayned by the Pillers of the Church and though thou hast a leaden countenance of which may be gathered the true and full weight of that which lyes vppon thée to presse thée downe yet with a voyce lower then theirs that are daily Singers of heauenly songs in thy hearing ring thou forth the Allarâ—â— of those passionate heart-breaking vlulations which like the ruptures of Thunder force a continuall passage through thy bosome Bee thou attentiâ—e likewise thou Nurser vp of all our English Nobility and as I haue lent an erected and serious eare to those Complaints which thou powrest forth in behalfe of thy Sonne So be thou I coniure thée a silent and obseruing Auditor of these Lamentations which I sée are already striuing to make way through the lips of this afflicted Child of mine Marke him well for now he begins Paules Steeples complaint WHerein O wherein haue I â—he most infortunate of all this Kingdome offended so highly that thus often and with such dreadfull blowes I shold be smote by the hand of heauen So cruelly haue I béene strucke that euen fire to my thinking hath â—lasâ—en out at mine eye and such â—éepe woundes haue I receiued on my head that instead of teares my vary batilements haue dropt downe and in their falling haue scalded my chéekes as if they had béene shewers of molten Lead Doth this hot Uengeance fly as if it were with the swiftest winges of Lightning from aboue to seâ—ze vpon me for my owne sinnes or for his that first beganne to set me vppe But alasse How ingratefâ—ll am I to haue of my Patron so vnrighteous and so godlesse a remembraunce Ethelbert King of Kent was my Founder out of the dust of the earth did he raise mée out of the hard Rock was I fashioned to a beautifull shape and by him consecrated to a most holy and religious vse For Ethelbert that good King was the first that gaue entertainment to Augustine Melitus Iustus and Iohn who by Saint Gregory were sent hither to preach the Misteries Diuine The deuotion of which men like foure streames caused the Christian Fayth to fly into this land and that princely father of moe was the first whom they conuerted In aduauncement of Religion and to make it spread higher did hee set mee into the earth planted mée and hadde a reuerend care to haue mee grow vppe in state and beauty It cannot be therefore that so good and meritoryous a worke in him should be so ill rewarded No no it is not for his sake that I haue béene punnished but eyther for my owne or some others wicked deseruing Howsoeuer it be or in whom-soeuer the fault lyes on mée are the plagues inflicted on my head are heaped the disgraces and dishonours mine is the smart mine is the Sorrow And though the eyes of euery Straunger and of euery starting Passenger be cast vp vppon mee all of them wondering at but none pittying my misfortune because to them it appeares sleight or else it appeares to them nothing at all yet let mee stand before a Iuditious cleéere and impartiall Censor and the condition of the most wretched will not séeme so miserable and base as mine When the Hawthorne and Low Bryer are cut downe the spoyle of them is not regarded for it moones not any But when the Prince of the Forrest the mighty and sacred Oake hath the Axe layed to his roote at euery blow that is giuen the very woods send out Grones Small Cottages beeing on fire are quickly either quenched or if not quenched the wound that a Common-wealth receiues by them is easily cured But when a body so noble So antient so comely for Stature so reuerenced for State so richly adorned so full of beauty of strength of Ceremonies so followes so kneeled vnto and almost so adored as my selfe am and euer haue béene daily is defaced by flames and shaken into dust by the wrath of the breath Almighty The very sight of this is able to bréede Earthquakes in Citties that behold it And euen from such a height such a happinesse and such an honor am I fallen My head was aduanced with the loftiest in the Kingdome and so tender a care had the heauens ouer it that it was taken vp and layde in the bosome of the Clouds My aking browes rested themselues vpon the Christall Chariot of the Moone and the Crowne of my head when I stoode on Tiptoe and stretched my body to the length touched that Celestiall roofe embossed all ouer with studs of golde I did not onely ouer-looke the proudest buildinges in thée O thou Land-lady to so many thousands of houses with those also that are the inheritance of her thy next neybour But mine eye at euery opening hadde the greatest part of the kingdome as a prospect The Marriner then called mee his Sea-marke for to him I stood as a Watch-tower to guide him safely to our English shore No sooner did y e Traueller by land sée me but his heart leaped for ioy and the wearisomnesse of his way seemed to go from him because he knew he was in sight of the most goodly Cittie which he loued But how often hath this glory of mine bin Ecâ—lipsed and at such times when it was in the fulnes whether my own ambition in aspyring too high or whether the Iustice of those aboue mee in punnishing my pride were the cause of my Fall I know not But sure I am that my head hath beene often laid to the blocke and many blowes giuen to strike it off The first blow was giuen me when I had stood vntaynted
and vnblemished 477. years after the beginning of my foundation for I was raised and intituled to the name honoâ—r of a Temple about the yeare after the Incarnation 61â— And in the yeare of Redemption 1087. was I with a great parte of thy body O thou Best of Citties consumed in Fyre But I was in a shorte time healed of those hurts by Mauritius thy Byshop who to defend me from after-burnings mounted me vpon Arches gaue me ribs of stone which was fetched from Cane in Normandy Frée from the mallice at least from the strokes of ruinating Tâ—me and the enuious blasts of Fortune did I continuâ— full 357. yeares together after this first blowe but in Anno 1444. heauen smote me with lightning yet did I presently recouer and held vppe my heade loftier then before for in Anno 1462. did my body carry in heigth 52â— foot the stone worke being 260. foot and the Spire as many In length was I 720. foot and in bredth 130. At the same time did I weare on the Crowne of my head as it hadde bin a Crest vnto it a Cocke or Eagle which beeing inconstant was I thinke destroyed for turning about with euery winde It carryed in weight fortâ— poundes being of copper gilded ouer the length from the bil to the taile four foote the breadth ouer the wings three foote and a halfe the crosse from the bole to the Eagle fifteene foote and sixe ynches of a size the length thereof ouer-thwarte was fiue foote and ten ynches The compasse of the bole nine foote and one ynch of which crosse which stood aboue my head as a rich Diadem the inner part was Oke the next couer was lead and a third vppon that of copper which with the bole and Eagle being of Copper also were al gilded ouer In this magnificence was I arrayed thus was I with Marble Towers and Pynnacles crowned the wonder of the world was I counted in the iudgement of all eyes that beheld mee and the onely marke that enuie of forraigne kingdomes shot at who did but heare of my Greatnes But alacke how momentary is all earthly happinesse Howe fading is our painted Glory Many yeares were not numbred but behold in Anno 1561. the hand of Heauen was once more filled with vengeance which in clouds of fire was there throwne vpon my headâ— so that in lesse than the space of foure houres I that was the Mirrhor of the world for beauty was made the miserablest creature in the worlde by my deformity Yet did that woorthy and my euer to be honoured Mistris bestow vpon me in Gold 1000. Markes to make good my losses and gaue besides warrant for a 1000. loades of Timber to repayre my ruines Thy Cittizens likewise O my dearest mother and the Cleargy of the Lande were euen Prodigall of theyr pursses to set me vp againe Some good was done vnto mee and much good lefte vndone This last blow was to mee fatall and deadly for now am I both headlesse and honourlesse my shoulders â—â—ing daily troden vpon in scorne branded with markes and Letters and scoared vppon with the points of kniues and Bâ—dkins which howsoeuer the ignorant laugh at those that are wise know they are Characters of my infamy yea to so low a â—â—â—te am I brought that madmen and fooles euery ydle companion lay wagers in mockery onely to abuse mee Some séeing me so patient to endure Crowes and Dawes pecking at my ribs haue driuen tame Partridges ouer my bosome others euen riding ouer me and Capring vpon my backe as if they had bin curvetting on the horse which in despight they brought to Trample vpon me Who therefore that did but eyther knowe or hath but heard of my former prosperity would not gréeue to sée mée fallen into this basenes and most contemptible bondage but I haue deserued I confesse I haue most iustly deserued to haue these afflictions these dishonours and these open punnishmentes layde vppon mee albeit they were tenne times numbred ouer and ouer For whereas I was at first consecrated to a misticall religious purpose the Ceremonies of which are daily obserued in the better part of me for my hart is euen to this hower an Altar vpon which are offred the sacrifices of holy prayers for mens Sinnes yet are some limbes of my venerable bodie abused and put to prophane horrid and seruile customes no maruell though my head rotte when the bodie is so fâ—l of diseases no maruell if the Diuine Executioner cut mee off by the shoulders when in my bosom is so much horrible and close Treason practised against the King of the whole world For albeit though I neuer yet came downe all my stayres to bee Occuler witnesse-bearer of what I Speake and what is sometimes spoake openly and sometimes spoke in priuate committed in my Walkes yet dooeth the daily sounde and Eccho of much knauish villany strike vp into mine eare What whispering is there In Terme times how by some slight to cheat the poore country Clients of his full purse that is stucke vnder his girdle What plots are layde to furnish young gallants with readie money which is shared afterwards at a Tauern therby to disfurnish him of his patrimony what buying vp of oaths out of the hands of knightes of the Post who for a few shillings doe daily sell their soules What layinge of heads is there together and â—â—â—ting of the brains still and anon as it growes towardes eleuen of the clocke euen amongst those that wear guilt Rapiers by their sides where for that noone they may shift from Duke Humfrey bee furnished with a Dinner at some meaner mans Table What damnable bargaines of vnmercifull Brokery of vnmeasurable Usury are there clapt vp What swearing is there yea what swaggering what facing and out-fasing What shuffling what shouldering what Iustling what Ieering what byting of Thumbs to beget quarels what holding vppe of fingers to remember drunken méetings what brauing with Feathers what bearding with Mustachoes what casting open of cloakes to publish new clothes what muffling in cloaks to hyde broken Elbows so that when I heare such trampling vp and downe such spetting such â—â—lking and such humming euery mans lippes making a noise yet not a word to be vnderstoode I verily beléeue that I am the Tower of Babell newly to be builded vp but presentlie despaire of euer béeing finished because there is in me such a confusion of languages For at one time in one and the same ranke yea foote by foote and elbow by elbow shall you sée walking the Knight the Gull the Gallant the vpstart the Gentleman the Clowne the Captaine the Appel-squire the Lawyer the Usurer the Cittizen the Bankerouâ— the Scholler the Begger the Doctor the Ideot the Ruffian the Cheater the Puritan the Cut-throat the Hye-men the Low men the True-man and the Thiefe of all trades professions some of all Countryes some And thus dooth my
to stretch forth too imperious a hand Thou art contented to receiue in the Golden Haruest but loath to bee shaken with the breath of Autumne Thou likest it well to haue a Summer all the yeare but dost not consider that Winter is as wholesome for thy body This shewes thy indiscretion thy improuidence and indulgence of thy selfe to bee pampred like an Epicure Thou art gréedy as the Sea and wouldest deuoure all thinges but wouldst part from nothing thou art catching as â—â—re so thy self mayst be fed thou carest not who perish Uncharitable are thy wishes immodest are thy longings and most vnconscionable are thy aspyrings and most vnneighborly are thy fore-stallings That which thou wouldest haue done is not I graunt against all Law but it is with All Law for thou desirest to haue men go to Law all the yeare long which wish of thine is as dishonest as if it were to haue continuall warres and continuall wars are continual Slaueries It is as if thou shouldest wish to haue an euerlasting thunder for what are pleadinges of causes but noise without ceasing Thou sayest the foure Tearmes are vnto thée as foure great Feasts yet doost thou in bitternes of thy sorrow cry out vpon foure Vacations wherein thou behauest thy selfe all one as if thou shouldest complain because thou art not euery houre féeding If foure Tearmes should be without tearme and neuer come to an end those feastes which they incite thée to would be to their incurable surfeits and so consequently thy destruction If the sounde of Lawyers tongues were but one whole twelue month in thine eare thou thy selfe wouldst euen loath it tho it were vnto thee neuer so delicate Musicke Nothing increaseth in vs as a delight in any pleasure but to haue that pleasure taken away for a time But that the night offends vs with darknes we should grow weary of the day So that foure Vacations if thou canst rightly make vse of them may be vnto thée as 4. seueral sawâ—es to sharpen thy stomacke against those great feasts are serued vp to thy Tables So goe to Law I confesse is necessary in a Republike So is it to haue a Plague for thereby the Superfluoâ—s numbers of people which otherwise if they increased would deuoâ—ure one another are swept away So is it to haue War for the Sword cuts off those idle branches that steale away the Sap from the profitable boughes of a Kingdome But to haue a Warre without end or a Plague without mercy is the vndoing of a Realme and so would it be if men were euer in brablings The 4. Vacations are like so many Soundings of Retreat after 4. Battailes in which breathing-times men renew their courages their forces and their manners of fight where else the Pleader neuer giuing ouer would grow too rich and so bee enuied and the clyent euer spending would be made a Beager and so gather into faction Uaine therefore idle sencelesse shapelesse and of no validity are those Encomiasticke honors with which thy rhetoricall cunning hath fethered a Pen so gaily An Idoll hast thou made of it whereas in the true nature it is a pyneon puld from the left wing of the deuill A Pen The inuention of that and of Incke hath brought as many curses into the world as that damnable Witch-craft of the Fryer who tore open the bowels of Hell to find those murdering engines of mankind Guns and Powder Both these are alike in quality in mischiefe yea and almost in fashion The Pen is the Piece that shootes Inck is the powder that carries and Wordes are the Bullets that kill The one doth onely destroy men in time of warre the other consumes men both in warre and peace The one batters downe Castles the other barters them away Cedant Arma Togae let Gâ—ns therefore giue place to Gownes for the Pen is the more dangerous weapon to run vpon Why then doost thou nay howe canst thou without blushing defend a cause so notoriously badde How darest thou hang a Trée so barren of goodnesse and so rancke of poyson at the roote with so many Garlandes of prayses Canst thou find in thy heart to write Ealogies in honour of that deadly double pointed Engine that hath béen the confusion of so many thousands Then let wreathes of Lawrell Crowne their Temples that shall sing the dishonorable Acts of those Swords which basely haue béen inbrued in the bowels of their owne Countrey for in what other tryumphes then in the afflictions of men are these warlike Instruments of writing imployed One dash of a Pen hath often beene the downefall of a man and his posterity By help of this Wiues practise to abuse their Husbands by the Witch-craft of Amorous passions which are coniurd out of a Goose-quill Louers intice young wenches to folly This is that which spreads abroad and sowes the Séedes of Schismes and Heresies This is that which marres all Learning and makes it contemptible by making it common It is the Weapon of a Foole and oftentimes his braynes drop out of the end of it in stead of Incke It is a sharpe Gâ—ade that prickes our young Gentry to beggery for in lesse than a quarter of an hower with a Pen doe they betray all the Landes and liuings purchased by their progenitors into the hands of Brokers Scriueners and Usurers What forten hand hath euer béen working in the forge of Treason for the deuastation of this Kingdome for the extirpation of the Religion in it or for the murdering of our Princes But Pennes like Hammers on an Anuile haue continually béene beating out the plottes and conueying them hither to bee made smooth and to passe currant What Libilles against Princes against Péeres against the State or against our Magistrates were euer like pricking Thornes thrust into the sides of this Empire to make it bléed of which a Pen was not guilty This by leauing a word vnpoynted was the death of Edward the second with this holding it but in his hand did Richard the second giue away all the royalties belonging to a Crowne and blotted out his owne name for euer any more to be found written with the name of a King In conclusion the Tragedie of so many of our Ancient Nobility were neuer acted on Scaffoâ—des but a Pen was chiefe Actor in their deaths and downefals So then you may perceiue that this Rauens bill draweth bloud where it once fastneth The Iawes of a Toade sweating foaming out poyson are not more dangerous than a Pen being filled with that banefull and venomous mixture of Gall and Copporas Accursed therefore be that Bird out of whose wing so pestilent and so malitious an enemie to humane creatures is taken offensiue to the stomacke be for euer the meat of it and apt to engender mortall surfeits sithence so small a part of it as a Quill hath bred from the beginning and til the dissolution of this Vniuersall Frame will be the cause of so much distemperature