The DESIGNE of the FRONTISPICE Loe DEATH invested in a Roabe of Ermiâ—â— Triumphant sits embellished with Verminâ— Vpon a Pile of dead-men's Skulls her Throne Pell-mell subduing all and sparing none A scrutinous judgement will the Type ressent You may imagine 'T is DEATH's Parlement Vpon the World it 's pow'rfull Foot doth tread For all the world or is or shall be dead One hand the Scepter t' other holds our MIRROVR In courtesie to shew poore flesh its errour If men forget themselves It tells 'em home They 're Dust and Ashes All to this must come To view their fate herein some will forbeare Who wave all thought of Death as too severe But know Death is ' though 't be unknown how nie A Point on which depends ETERNITIE Either to live Crown'd with perpetuall Blisse Or howle tormented in Hell's darke Abysse With winged haste our brittle lives doe passe As runnes the gliding Sand i' th' Houre-Glasse If more you would continue on your Looke No more upon the Title but the Booke THE MIRROVR which Flatters not O that they were Wise that they vnderstood This that they would Consider their latter End Deut 32.29 MORS sola fatotur Quantula sint hominum corpuscula Iuvenal THE MIRROUR WHICH FLATTERS NOT. Dedicated to their MAIESTIES of GREAT BRITAINE By Le Sieur de la SERRE Historiographer of FRANCE Enriched with faire Figures Transcrib'd ENGLISH from the FRENCH by T. C. And devoted to the well-disposed READERS HORAT OMNEM crede DIEM tibi diluxisse SUPREMUM LONDON Printed by E. P. for R. Thrale and are to be sold at his shop at the Signe of the Crosse-Keyes at Pauls Gate 1639. TO THE KING OF GREAT BRITAINE SIR IF the Greatnesse of Kings derive its value and lustre from the number of Vertues which they possesse I render you now the homage of my observance and submissions as to one of the greatest Monarchs of the World since you are the Majestie of all Vertues together What an agreeable compulsion is this to see a man's selfe powerfully forced to become the subject of a foraine Prince by the soveraigne authoritie of his merit To this point am I reduced SIR your all-royall perfections impose upon me so absolutely such sweet lawes of servitude that I have no more libertie but to accept its yoake And in this my inclination and dutie make a fresh injunction o're me which dispute preheminence with all the rest for who can keepe himselfe from rendring homage to your Majestie the onely fame of whose Renowne captivates through all the Vniverse instructing us that you are as absolute over your Passions as over your Subjects and that you reigne as Soveraigne in the esteeme of men as in your Royall Estates And the Truths of this set your glory at so high a worth that the felicitie on 't may perhaps be envied you but the like Merit not to be reacht by others because Nature is very sparing of the like gifts and Heaven does not every day such miracles For me I am but one of the Admirers not of the greatnesse of your Dominion although onely the vast extent of the Ocean markes out its limits but of all the divine qualities which you onely possesse in proper as a Good which Time Fate nor Death can take from you Nor is this the all in all to be Wise Valiant and Generous in the height of Native deduction All these Titles of Honour have degrees of eminence which marke out to us the gradations of their severall perfections and whereof your Majestie shewes us now the onely patterne having in possession all admirable Vertues with so much puritie and luster as dazles its very envyers and forces them to adore that in your Majestie which elsewhere they admire not And 't is my beleefe that you stand thus unparallel'd even amongst your semblables since besides the Crownes of your Cradle you carry above them others and such as shall exempt you from the Grave I avow that I have studied long time to speake condignely of your Majestie but although my paines and watchings are equally unprofitable my defect yet is still glorious howsomever that it is a shadow from your Light It sufficeth me to have taken Pen in hand to publish onely that I am SIR Your MAIESTIES Most humble and most obeysant Servant P. De la SERRE TO THE QUEENE OF GREAT BRITAINE MADAME I Could not approach but with a MIRROVR in my hand before your Majestie the splendour of whose magnificence dazles so powerfully all the world that I am not able to behold the immediate presence on 't but by the reflection of its Rayes Without fiction MADAME your Glory is arrived to the point of rendring your perfections so unknowne as being so above the commune that I beleeve most men honour you now by observance and example onely as not able otherwise to reach the depth of the just reasons they might have for it Nor is this All to say that you are solely faire and perfectly chaste but it is necessarie beyond all this to intimate secretly in the Language of Thought all the divine qualities which you possesse of Super-eminence in all things since their puritie cannot discend to the capacitie of our discourse without suffering a kind of prophanation From hence is it that if I should call you THE COMPLEATLY-PERFECT I might well say in effect that which you are but never thus should I represent the greatnesse of your merits since every of them in it selfe has such particular perfections as might challenge Altars from us if your humilitie could permit it These are such Truths MADAME as hinder me from praysing your Majestie not knowing how to expresse my selfe condignely Well might I perhaps suggest it to remembrance that your particular inclinations are the publike Vertues which we adore and that of the same temperament of humour Nature composed heretofore the Sages of the World But of all these discourses notwithstanding I cannot frame one onely prayse sufficiently adaequate to your worth seeing 't is elevated beyond all Eulogiums Insomuch that if Admiration it selfe teach not a new Language to posteritie wherein to proclaime aloud the favours and graces wherewith Heaven hath accomplisht you it must content it selfe to reverence your Name and adore your Memorie without presumption of speech of your actions as being ever above all valuation as well as imitation To instance the immortalitie of your AuGUSTICK Race although it be a pure Source of Honour which can never be dry'd up yet all these Titles of a Kings Daughter Sister and Wife can never adde to your Renowne which derives its value rather from the admirabilities of your Life then the greatnesse of your Birth Insomuch MADAME that the Scepters and Crownes of your Royalties are the meanest Ornaments wherewith your Majestie can decke it selfe since the least glympse of the least of your Actions duskes the luster of all the other magnificences which environ you And I beleeve had those Wonders of the World
fury and rage have assassinated even Natures-selfe and that we now alone remaine in the world to celebrate its funerals by our lamentations and regreets Fathers Mothers Death is a severe Iudge and pardons none Children Nobles and Plebeians Kings and their subjects are all pell-mell in this stacke of rotten wood which Time like a covert but burning fire consumes by little and little not able to suffer that ashes should be exalted above dust Proud Spirits behold here the dreadfull reverse of the medall All these sad objects of mortality and yet actively animated with horror affright by their own silence enjoyne the same to you thus to amuze your Spirits in the contemplation of their deplorable ruines If you be rich See here those who have possessed the greatest treasures of the world are not now worth the marrow of their owne bones whereof the wormes have already shared the spoyle If you be happy The greatest favorites of fortune are reduced to the same noysomnesse as you see the filth that enrounds them If you be valiant Hector and Achilles are thus here overcome behold the shamefull markes of their overthrow If you be men of Science Death may be contemned but not avoided Here lyes the most learned of the world 'T is the Epitaph on their tombe Reade it I grant more-over you may be the greatest Princes of the earth An infinite number of your companions are buried under these corrupted ruines Suppose in fine that your Soveraignety did extend it selfe over all the Empire of the world A thousand and a thousand too of your semblables have now nothing more their owne then that corruption which devoures even to the very bones Ambitious Heart see here a Mirrour which flatters not since it represents to the life the reality of thy miseries Well maist thou perhaps pretend the conquest of the Universe even those who have borne away that universall Crowne are now crowned but with dust and ashes 'T is no wonder the Miser ne're thinks of Death his thoughts are onely taken up for this Life Covetous wretch behold the booke of thy accounts calculate all that is due to thee after payment of thy debts learne yet after all this that thy soule is already morgaged to devils thy body to wormes and thus notwithstanding all thy treasures there will not abide with thee one haire upon thy head one tooth in thy chops nor one drop of blood in thy veynes nor ne're so little marrow in thy bones nay the very memory of thy being would be extinguish't if thy crimes did not render it eternall both here and in the torments of hell Pride is but like the noone-flourish of a flower which at Sun-set perisheth Proud arrogant man measure with thy bristled browes the dilatation of the earth Brave with thy menacing regards the heavens and the flarres These mole-hills of rottennesse whereof thy carkasse is shap't prepare toward the tombe of thy vanity Seneca Epist These are the shades of Death inseparable from thy body Quotidie morimur quotidie enim demitur aliqua pars vitae since it dyes every houre If thou elevate thy selfe to day even to the clouds to morrow thou shalt be debased to nothing But if thou doubt of this truth behold here a thousand witnesses which have made experience of it Luxurious Wanton give thy body a prey to voluptuousnesse deny nothing to thy pleasures but yet consider the horrour and dreadfulnesse of that Metamorphosis when thy flesh shall be turned to filth and even that to wormes and those still to fresh ones which shall devoure even thy coffin and so efface the very hast markes of thy Sepulture How remarkable is the answere of Diogenes to Alexander What art thou musing on Cynicke says this Monarch to him one day having found him in a Charnell-yard I amuze my selfe here answers he in search of thy father Philips bones among this great number which thou see'st but my labour is in vaine for one differs not from another Great Kings the discusse of this answer may serve you now as a fresh instruction to insinuate to you the knowledge of your selves You walke in triumph to the Tombe followed with all the traine of your ordinary magnificences but being arrived at this Port blowne thither with the continuall gale of your sighs your pompe vanisheth away your Royall Majestie abandons you your greatnesse gives you the last Adieu and this your mortall fall equals you now to all that were below you The dunghill of your body hath no preheminence above others unlesse it be in a worse degree of rottennesse Corruptio optimi pessima as being of a matter more disposed to corruption But if you doubt of this truth behold and contemplate the deplorable estate to which are reduced your semblables Their bald scalps have now no other Crowne then the circle of horrour which environes them their disincarnated hands hold now no other Scepter but a pile of worms and all these wretchednesses together give them to see a strange change from what they were in all the gloryes of their Court These palpable and sensible objects are witnesses not to be excepted against The serious meditation of his miserable condition is capable to make any man wise Let then your soules submit to the experiment of your senses But what a Prodigie of wonder 's here doe I not see the great Army of Xerxes reduced and metamorphosed into a handfull of dust All that world of men in those dayes which with its umbragious body covered a great part of the earth shades not so much as a foot on 't with its presence Be never weary of thinking of these important truths In Hercule Octaeo Seneca in the Tragedie of Herculeâ— brings in Alcmena with grievous lamentation bearing in an urne the ashes of that great Monster-Tamer Ecce vix totam Hercules Complevit urnam quà m leve est pondus mihi Câ—i totus aether pondus incubuit leve And to this effect makes her speake Behold how easily I carry him in my hand who bore the Heavens upon his shoulders The sense of these wordes ought to engage our spirits to a deepe meditation upon the vanity of things which seeme to us most durable All those great Monarchs who sought an immortalitie in their victories and triumphs have miss't that and found Death at last the enjoyment of their Crownes and splendours being buried in the same Tombe with their bodyes See here then a new subject of astonishment The Mathematicians give this Axiome All lines drawne from the Center to the Circumference are equall Kings Princes abate your haughtines The world is a Game at Chesse where every of the Sett ha's his particular Name and Place designed but the Game done all the Pieces are pellmell'd into the Bagge and even so are all motrals into the grave your subjects march fellow-like with you to the Center of the grave If life gave you preheminence
beene of such a worth as every day you descry they had powerfully resisted against the assaults of Ages but as they had nothing admirable in them but the Name Memorials have preserved that and let them perish But yours MADAME which are too perfect for a sutable Name shall not cease to survive the revolutions of Times as being enlivened by Vertue which alone can exempt from Death Let it not seeme strange then if I hazard the perils of the Sea to render Homage to a QUEENE whose Greatnesse perforce humbles the most arrogant spirits being not able so much as in thought to reach to the first degree of her Glory The GRACES themselves are hers and the VERTUES have allianced their owne and her Name and all the adorable qualities which are found here below are admirable in her alone as in their Source I am constrained to be silent MADAME being over-charged with too much subject of speech The number of your Perfections astonishes me the greatnesse of your Merit ravishes me the splendour of your Vertue dazles me And in this dazle this transport this excesse of admiration wherein my senses and spirits are all alike engaged I am compell'd to cast my selfe at the feet of your Majestie and demand pardon of the boldnesse which I assume onely to enjoy the stile of MADAME Your MAIESTIES Most humble and most obeysant Servant P. De la SERRE TO THE QVEENE OF GREAT BRITAINE Vpon the Mirror which flatters not of Le Sieur de la SERRE SONNET PRINCESSE this perverse Ages glorious gemme Whose least of Vertues seemes a prodigie â—â—ustrious Sien of the fairest Stemme â—â—at Heaven e're shew'd this Vniverse's eye â—â—ough Fate with thousand hind'rances averse â—â—rres me the place to which my duty 's bent â—annot cheere my soule from selfe-torment â—â—it by designe to pourtray you in Verse But since that SERRES shew's in this true Mirrour The Vertues of your Mind 's eternall splendour As lively as your Body's beautious measure My heed to view you here lets others passe So well I here agnize all your rare treasure That I ne're saw a better Crystall-Glasse Par le Sr C. To the AUTHOR upon the same subject STANCES DIvine Spirit knowing Soule Which with lovely sweet controule Rank'st our soules those good rules under Which thy Pen layes downe with wonder Whil'st the sweetnesse of thy Voice Breathes oracular sacred noise All thy Workes so well esteem'd Thorough EUROPE proofes are deem'd Of thy Gifts which all admire Which such Trophies thee acquire And with these thy Muse invested ORPHEUS is by thee out-crested Also since blind Ignorance Makes no more abode in FRANCAE Seldome can wee meet with such As the workes of thy sweet t'uch Such immortall straines of spirit As doe thousand Laurels merit But although thy active Muse Wonders did before produce As wee seldome see the like This doth with amazement strike 'T is a MIRROUR that doth shine More with Fire then Crystaline 'T is a MIRROVR never flatters On my eyes such rayes it scatters That therewith I daz'led am Searching for thee in the same By some charme or stranger case I see thy spirit not thy face This strange fashion doth amaze me When I ne're so little gaze me I am streight all on a fire The more I looke more I admire 'T is a MIRROVR sure of flame Sparkling more wee marke the same Yet not every prying eye Shall it-selfe herein espie 'T is not for so commune use Free from flattering abuse None so clearely here are seene As King CHARLES and his faire Queene Therefore thus the AUTHOR meant To the World it to present Since it is a thing so rare And unparalelled faire That it should a Tablet bee For the fairest hee could see SERRES this thy worke-man-ship Doth my spirit over-strip With such judgement and such grace Thou do'st shew in little space Three strange Wonders without errour Two bright Sunnes in one cleare MIRROVR And by this thy rare composure Shall thy Name beyond enclosure Of this present Age obtaine Eternall honour for thy paine Writing to these Princes Graces Thou art prais'd in thousand places Par le mesme Vpon the BOOKE SONNET HEre undisguis'd is seene in this true Mirrour The glory or the shame of mortall storie As Reason or the misse-led Senses errour Doe winne the day or yeeld the Victorie SERRES doth here lively delineate Our every-dayes vaine wretched passages And what is destin'd after Funerall state To innocent purenesse or black wickednesse Such diverse subjects in this one enclosed Such various objects to the view exposed Thou little Monarch MAN small Vniverse Thy Soule it lessons thus and thee informes As thou art Soule with heavenly fires converse As thou art Flesh thou art a Bait for wormes To the READER IT may perhaps seeme strange that I treat so often in my Works of the same matter as of the contempt of the World and meditations of Death But if the importance of the subject be considered and the profit to be derived thence a Man will never be wearie of seeing such faire truths under different presentations Besides the conceptions of spirit upon the same matter are like the productions of Nature in the Species's of Tulips Every yeere shee gives a Change both to their Colour and Array And though they be still Tulips shee renders them so different from their first resemblance that they can hardly otherwise be knowne but by name The Mind doe's the same upon the same subject its Fancies which are its ornature and embellishment render it by their diversitie so different from it selfe that 't is hardly knowne but by the Titles which it beares to particularize each Conceit So that if once againe I represent unto thee the pourtrait of Vanitie and the Image of Death my spirit which hath steaded me for Pencill and colouring in this Worke hath rendred it so rare in its Noveltie and so excellent in difference from those which have preceded that thou shalt finde nothing in it commune with them but my name Thou mavest consider moreover that I dedicate Bookes to KINGS and QUEENES â—ot every day and that these objects of such eminent magnificence doe so nobly 〈◊〉 the faculties of my Soule that I could not have pettie thoughts for such high Personages 'T is that which without ostentation makes me beleeve that if thou buy once againe this Booke and tak'st the paines to reade it thou wilt regreet neither the Time nor Money which thou shalt employ therein ADIEU If thou bee'st of so good an humour to pardon the Faults excuse those of the Impression APPROBATIO LUTETIAE PARISIORUM QVi moribundam vitam qui edacem vitae mortem in hoc Speculo Liber exprimit te Lector tibi objicit tam felici veri specie tam clara sublimis styli Luce ut temet fugere nequeas Frequens contuere ne tetra haec tua species aeternûm tua sit Ita apprecor MART. LUENKENS Sanctae Theol. Lic Prof. Ordin Apost
Man should mis-know himselfe having such faithful Mirrours before his eyes where at all times hee may see apparantly the Truth of his Nature kneaded in Corruption formed by it and destroyed also by the same Strange thing he can see nothing in the World All the obiects of the world bid us Adten while we but regard 'em since they are alwayes fleeing away but Images of inconstancy and yet will not apprehend his owne change whatsoever shall smite upon his eare will resound nothing but the bruit of his flight and yet he will not thinke upon his retreat Lastly his other Sences and his fancy shall have no other object but this of the continuall vicissitude of all things and yet hee will remaine firme and stable in his vanity To muse alwayes of Death iâ— the way of Immortality till death ruine its foundation Thus in the deceitfull opinion wherein hee is of possessing all things hee looseth the possession of himselfe and having too much dreamed on his pleasures his Life is past as a Dreame without returne I must tell you one of my meditations I shall never be able to comprehend the meaning of those who moane themselves against Fortune A man may well complaine against Fortune these vaine regreetes exempt him not from the paine the World and all the pleasures of this life One forsooth will upbraid to this foolish Deity her deceipts without considering that he deceived himselfe in giving Trust to a Goddesse that nere had any Hee yet will accuse her to have conducted him still through craggy wayes and over-spread with thornes as if in following one that is blind a man should not hazard to run this danger Another will make yet fresh complaints against the Worlds detesting it's Sweetes The world may well bee the instrument of our destruction not the cause cursing it's charmes and calling it a Thousand times deceiptfull but why one would say to hear these plaints that the world began but now to receive its birth I meane were but now newly created that no man knowes it yet and that its first couzenages began but now to be discovered What folly is not this to cheat ones selfe to have commerce with a cheater the world never yet bore any other name or title why then ayme we to nourish our selves with its delights whose after-bitternesse empoysons sensibly our soules But if its charmes be powerfull enough to tempt reason The number of those whom the world hath deceived is so great that they that still trust it are now no more excusable they are yet too feeble to vanquish it provided that the will consent not so that a man remaine convict of all the crimes whereof he may be accused What seeming ground then have we to be enraged against those pleasures which we have received The will is so free that it cannot suffer violence but from it selfe if our selves only give them both being and forme the Fancies conceive these delights and the will gives them birth they are the workes whereof our imaginations form the Species and our desires make the Metamorphosis changing them into objects palpable and sensible which are markes of the seale of our depravednesse Let a man then abhorre pleasures instead of accusing them Pleasures are the greatest enemies of life for in casting flowers upon our heads they fill our hearts with thrones detest their vanity in lieu of complaining of their dedeitfulnesse But if they be criminall they onely beare the staine of their Fathers and if they be complices of our destruction t is we give them Birth to give us death Let men cease to lament of Fortune since the Mirror of its flying scarfe Fortune is stil her selfe he which trusts her takes delight to bee cheated and wings expresse to the life its lightnesse and our folly Let none Argue any more that the world is cause of our ruine since we cannot chuse but tread every houre over the dust and ashes of those who have too late repented to have followed it As for voluptuousnesse t is a vaine Idea to which our passions give a body to make it serve as a sensible object of their brutality insomuch that it can do nothing but by our first motions taking its vigour from our force and its power from our Soveraigntie and this renders us doubly culpable palleating our faults instead of acknowledging them Pleasure still takes its force from our voluntary weakenesse since laments rather than excuses might absolve us them Is it not that St. Iohn Chrysostome toucht with compassion of our miseries cries out in astonishment of our weakenesse ' Oh World how many hast thou deceived 'T is more then folly when the folly of others serves us not for example but this is its trade and profession O Fortune how many hast thou made to fall but even yet still while I am speaking shee gives employment to her treason and exercise to her Tyrannie O Pleasures comfitted in Sweetes and steeped in bitternesse how many have yee poysoned but yet their venome is so common that the whole earth is infected with it What remedy then to all these ils No other then this to pry into ones selfe in the MIRROVR of his owne Ashes Wee can no better contemplate any thing then in the Mirrour of our Nothing a MIRROVR alwayes hanging at the Girdle and which flatters not A MIRROVR whose glasse though more brittle then one of Crystall makes us yet to see that all the objects of the World are false but that of our Corruption a Mirrour which represents us more lively in our pourtraict then in our selves A Mirrour whose kind of shadow and Chimera makes us see in effect that which we are in appearance A Mirrour all miraculous which preserves certaine Species's of nothing to render them sensible to our knowledge A Mirrour all divine which metamorphosing our bodies into shadows yet expresses us so naturally that the most arrogant cannot mistake themselves A Mirrour lastly which Nature hath charmed with it's owne proper spels All the Mirrours of the World flatter except this of our miseries to the end that vewing himselfe herein a Man may be able to resist the charmes of the World's allurements I am greatly astonisht at those that preach us the Knowledge of our selves to be so troublesome and difficult since that at all times and in all places of all sides and all sorts of fashions wee are Nothing at all or if by an excesse of flattery and vanity If a man would still study himselfe he would become the wisest of the World I borrow some names to expresse truely what wee are it can bee no other then those of durt and mire whose noysomnesse takes away all doubt on it from the most incredulous In what then consists this trouble of studying to know one's-selfe since the most ignorant may in this goe out Doctors in the schoole of our miseries Selfe-knowledge onely
upon these Thrones of magnificence but as it were to take leave of the assembly All the speeches of Men are but discourses of adieu leave-taking since every day be marches straight forward toward Death continuing still to give your last God-bwyes like a man who is upon point to depart continually since he dyes every moment Insomuch that all this Pompe which accompanyes you and which gives shadow to the luster wherewith you are environed vanishes away with you and all those who are its admirers and idolaters runne the same fortune being of the same nature Be it from me granted that the report of your glory admits no vacuity no more then the Ayre does and that your name is as well knowne as the Sunne and more redoubted then the thunder This voyce of renowne is but as the sound of a Bell To what purpose doth the renown of a Man make a noyse in the world the noyse â—eâ—seth the renowne passeth which redoubles a noyse to its owne detriment to advertise those that doubt on 't and this name so famous and dreadfull finding no memory here below to the proofe of ages buryes it selfe at last in the nothingnesse of its beginning Be it againe that all the Gold of the Indies can be valewed but to a part of your Estate and that all the world together possesse lesse treasure then you alone what advantage thinke you to beare away more then the most miserable of the world that in this you should be vaine Enjoyes not he the same Sunne which lights you hath not he the same usage of the Elements The tranquillity of tâ—e mind and the health of body are the only riches of the world whereof you make use But if you have more then he a gloriousnesse of apparell and a thousand other superfluous things which are altogether estranged to vertue as being imaginary goods whose appearance alone is the onely foundation hee may answere you with Seneca that with whatsomever coverture a Man hides the shame of his nakednesse he shall passe for well-clothed among wise men And to come to the point a Man hath alwayes enough wherewith to follow his way and to finish his voyage The surplus is but a burden of cares which are metamorphosed into so many bryars when Death would discharge us of them Besides Riches consists but in opinion though their treasures be palpable and sensible A man is Rich equall to that which he beleeves himselfe to be He is the most rich who is most conient And though hee hath nothing this Grace wherewith hee is treasured to finde rest in his miseries is above all the Gold of the world What difference thinke you there is betwixt the Rich and the poore both the one and the other are equally pilgrims and travellers and goe alike to the same place Then if the Rich passe through the fairer way they rencounter when they dye All Mortals togethâ—r make a dance of blind men who in dancing runne to death without sâ—â—â—g the way they passe all the thorns of those roses which they have past upon There is no arrivall to the Haven of the grave without being tempested sooner or later in the storme of those miseries which accompany us And me thinks it is a comfort to suffer in good time those evils which we cannot avoyd Rich-ones how miserable doe I hold you if the goods of the earth be your onely treasures Rich-ones how unhappy are you if your felicities be but of Gold The treasure of good workes only inriches us eternally and Silver Rich-ones how you compell my pity of your greatnesses if you have no other titles then those of your Lord-ships Rich-ones how frightfull only at the houre of Death are your names since the misery wherein you are borne accompanyes you in the sepulchre True it is that the Ayre of the Region where you dwell may be very temperate the Seasons of it faire and the lands fertile but you consider not that while you live you often sigh backe the ayre which you receive that this sweet time which smiles on you entraines you in flying to the season of teares The content of riches is like an odor ferous fume but it passes and so doth their enjoyment also and there is all and that very soone the dunghill of your bodyes shall perhaps render the lands yet more fertile The Rich Men of the world have done nought but passe away with the ages that gave them birth you are borne in this and this very same goes away and leads you with it and all the rest of Men without skilling what you are or in what fashion you are vested well may you possesse an infinite number of treasures you must alwayes trot and rise as soone i' the morning as others but if you play the slugs and sleep too long 'T is strange whether we shift place and sâ—at or no we yet runne incessantly to Death Death comes in the end to awake you and interrupt your repose with an eternall disquiet What will you say to this The fable of Midas comprehends in it important verities Apollo grants him all that hee demands he satiates the appetite of his unmeasurable ambition by the vertue which he gives to his touch to be able to turne all things into gold See him now rich for a day his hands are as new Philosophers-stones which make the grossest and most impure metals change both nature To what purpose is it to be environed with riches they are a strange kind of good whereof one can enjoy the usage but for a moment onely and price he sees himselfe enrounded in a moment with so great a number of treasures that he begins to apprehend the enjoyment of those goods which he desired with so much passion and from feare hee comes to astonishment then when prest with hunger all the Viandes which he touches with his hands lips or tongue are metamorphosed into Gold O inseparable amazement from a mortall griefe caused by a semblable regreet that hee could not limit his ambition but to the desire of his owne ruine Rich-men you are as so many Midasses since with all your treasures you never importune heaven for any other thing but to increase their number to which effect you destinate your cares your watchings and your labours But make no more imploring vows behold your selves at last heard The glistering of your riches dazles me your greatnesses and magnificences give you cheerefull tincture yet let us see the reverse of the Medall After your so many strong wishes for Gold and Silver The covetous growes poore in measure as hee growes rich since in encreasing his treasures encreases the famine of his insatiable avarice and thus of what he possesses he enjoyes nothing their treasures remaines to you for to satiate at least in dying the unruled appetite of the ambition of your life Riches I say environ you on all sides after your so passionate covetize
of them But in this last instant their possession is the saddest object which can be presented to your thoughts And notwithstanding 't is the onely nourishment which rests to you amid the hunger which torments you uncessantly as if for punishment of part of your crimes heaven did permit that the instruments of your pleasures A Man carryes away nothing with him at his Death but either a regreet or else a satisfaction of an evill or a good Life should also be the same of your punishments considering the greatnesse of your miseries by that of your unprofitable treasures for after all you must dye and though you carry with you this desire to beare away with you your riches into the tombe they remaine in your coffers for to serve as witnesses to your heires of the vanity of their enjoyment The Silke-wormes which have so much trouble to spin out their mouths their little golden threads thinke to stablish to themselves a shelter of honour to the proofe of all sorts of atteints and on the contrary they warp the web of their owne ruine Just so is it with the Rich-ones of the world who an ingenious industry To what effect is' t to seeke repose in this world 't is never to be sound but in God employ all their assayes to lay solide foundations here below of an immortall life and yet all their actions cannot but terminate in an end contrary to their designes since they search Eternity in the circles of Ages alwayes in revolution and repose in the perpetuall instability of all worldly things Insomuch that they trouble themselves to suffer much and all their cares and paines are but as fresh sowings of * See the ambiguity of the French word Soucies in the first Chapter Marigolds which dying in their gardens respring in their hearts there to dye never Behold the end of their jorney-worke Treasures to what effect serve you me if I must enter all naked into the grave Pleasures what becomes of your sweets if my last sighs are but bitternesse Grandeurs of this life in what stead you me if you cannot exempt me from the miseries of Death LORD I am rich enough in that I serve for an object of pity to thy adorable Providence whose o're-liberall bounty furnishes me for all my dayes nourishment enough to passe them what can I wish more on what side somever I take my way to goe the course of Death Heaven is an object of consolation to the most miserable I can never loose from view the heavens which are the Gates of thy Palace Insomuch as if any thing faile me I have but to strike there with my regards thou art alwayes upon a ready watch to succour the miserable Supply me then O LORD if it please thee with thy ordinary charities and since that hope dyes after me I will rather cease to be then to hope in thee These are the strongest resolutions of my soule We beg of God every day new favours every day we render our selves unthankefull for those we have received We reade of the children of Israel that having received of God and infinity of riches at their comming out of the red Sea by the wracke of their enemies they made of their treasures Idols and joyning in this sort Idolatry to Ingratitude they erected altars to their brutality since under reliefe of a brute beast they represented their God But leave wee there the children of Israel and speake of the Fathers of BABYLON I meane those wicked rich ones of the world to whom God hath done so great favours in heaping them with so many goods Are not they every day convicted of Idolatry in their unacknowledgement since the coffers of their treasures are the Idols of their temples Are we worthily Christians when idolatry is more familiar to us then to infidels since we make idols of all the objects of our passions More beasts then brutes in their voluntary depravednesse they offer incense to their brutish passions and no otherwise able but to erect them secret altars in their soules they there sacrifice every houre a thousand sighs of an unsatiable ambition Insomuch that the God of heaven is the God of their dissimulation and the Calfe of Gold the God of their beleefe and opinion Say wee then boldly that the objects of our passions are Golden Calveâ— to us since our hearts become their Idolaters One here will sigh for love of honours as well as for his Mistresse with designe to hazard a thousand lives and as many soules for the conquest of their vaine felicities and see here his idolatry making his God of these Chimera's of honour which vanish away like a Dreame at the rouzing up of our reason What folly is' t to seeke repose in the world which subsists onely in revolution Another there will lose quite and cleane all the peace wherein he is of a quiet life for to set up a rest purely imaginary in the amassement of treasures And of heaven hearing his votes with designe to punish him give some favourable successe to his cares and watchings hee becomes and Idolater now indeed an Idolater of those goods which as yet he adored but in hope and renders himselfe miserable for having desired too ardently felicities which onely beare the voyce to be so but their usage and possession may prove as dangerous upon the earth as Rocks within the Sea The goods of the earth are right evils and at Death each one shall so experiment ' em One will have his heart wounded and his Soule atteinted with a new tricke of ambition and as all his desires thoughts are terminated to the objects of his designes hee is never in health while the feaver of his passion is continuall I leave you to consider of what ratiocination hee can be capable during the malady of his spirit All sorts of wayes seeme equally faire unto him for to guide him unto the port whither hee aspires having no other ayme but this to acquire aâ— what rate somever that good whereof he is in Quest and of this Good it is where of he makes his Idoll after a shameful immolation of the best dayes of his Life to the anxieties of its possession Another will establish his repose in the turmoyle of the word turning his spirit to all winds to be under coverâ— from the tempests of fortune Blind as he is hee followes this Goddesse with the hoodwinckt eyes Wavering as he is he aspires but after the favours of this inconstant Deity of which he is secretly an idolater but if perchance she elevate him very high there is no more hazard of his fall the lawes oâ— this necessity are inviolable and one cannot avoyd the rigour of them if not avoyding their servitude Insomuch that after hee hath sneak't himselfe a long time amongst the grandeurs of the earth hee finds himselfe enlabyrinthed in the miseries wherein hee is borne without possessing any thing
only which shall serve very soone for a Beere to his carkasse See in what consists the profit of his rents after their account made Another will be rich onely in Medowes and changing his hay into Gold which is but Earth he fills therewith his coffers But Foole that he is hee thinks not that his life is a Medow his body the hay thereof and Time the Mower The World is a Medow and all the objects which therein we admire are flowers which fade every houre who by his example makes publicke trafficke of the same marchandize changing by little and litle the hay of his body into Earth And is not this to be very ingenious to cheat a man's selfe Anothers ayme is onely to be rich in buildings some ' the' Country some ' th' City and assuming vanity from the number as well as the magnificence of his Pallaces hee beleeves that they are so many Sanctuaries of proofe against the strokes of fortune or the thunders of heaven What a folly 's this to esteeme ones selfe happy for having diverse Cabbins upon earth to put himselfe under couvert from the raine and wind during the short journey of life The raine ceases the wind is past and life dyes and then the tempest of a thousand eternall anguishes comes to entertaine him without possibility of discovery even from hope one onely port of safety To be onely rich then in aedifices is to be rich in castles of paper and cards such as little children lodge their pety cares in We must build upon the unshakeable foundations of eternitie if a man would be sheltered from all sorts of stormes To what purpose steads it us to be richly lodged if every houre of the day may be that of our departure Men trouble themselves to build houses of pleasure but the pleasures fade away and we also and these houses remaine for witnesses of our folly and for sensible objects of sorrow and griefe in that cruell necessity to which wee are reduced to abandon them It is to be considered that wee are borne to be Travellers and Pilgrims and as such are wee constrain'd to march alwayes straight to the gist of Death without ever resting or being able to find repose even in repose it-selfe To what then are all these magnificent Pallaces Though we say the Sunne sets every night yet it rests not and so Man though he lay himselfe to sleepe rests not from his voyage to Earth when our onely retreat beats on to the grave To what end are all this great number of structures when wee are all in the way and point to end our voyage O how well is hee housed that lodgeth his hope in God and layes the foundations of his habitation upon ETERNITIE A good conscience is the richest house that one can have Another designes his treasures in numerous Shippings traficking with all winds in spight of stormes and tempests but be it granted a perpetuall calme as heart could wish and imagine we as himselfe does that hee shall fish with Fortunes nets all the Pearles of the OCEAN what can he doe at the end with all his ventures if he trucke them away hee can gaine but stuffe of the same price if hee sell them he does but change white purified earth for yellow which the Sunne purifies as well within the mines what will hee doe now with this new marchandise or this his gold behold him alwayes in trouble to discharge himselfe of so many burdens If gold were potable hee might perhaps nourish himselfe therewith for a while but as MIDAS could not doe it in the fable he will ne're bring it to passe in the verity he must needs keep watch then day and night to the guard of his riches and well may hee keep sentinell Death comes to robbe him of them since at his going out of the world she takes them away from him What apparence is there that the treasures of the Sea should be able to make a man rich since the possession of all the world together cannot doe it A hundred thousand ships are but a hundred thousand shuttle-cockes for the winds The treasure of good workes is eternall riches and a hundred thousand objects of shipwracke Suppose they arrive to the Port the life of their Master is alwayes among rocks for 't is a kind of ship which cannot arrive at other shore but at the banke of the grave And I leave you to consider what danger he may runne if there the storme of his avaricious passion cast him The sand-blind-sighted may foresee his ruine and the most judicious will beleeve it infallible Behold in fine a man rich to much purpose Our life is a Ship which loosing from the Haven of the Cradle at the moment of our birth never comes ashore againe till it run aground upon the grave that would have drayn'd by his ambition the bottomlesse depths of the Ocean and now to find himselfe ith'end of his carreere in the abysses of hell having an eternitie of evils for recompense of an age of anxieties which hee hath suffered during his life LORD if I would be rich in wood let it be in that of thy CROSSE and from henceforth let its fruits be my revenues and my rents If I would traficke in meads Let the meditation of the hay of my life be my onely profit If I set my selfe to build houses He which puts his trust in God is the richest of the world how poore somever he be let it be rather for my soule then for my body and in such sort that my good workes may be the stones and the purity of my conscience the foundation And lastly If I would travell the Seas to goe to the conquest of their treasures let my teares be the waves thereof and my sighs the winds and thy grace alone the only object of my riches Make me then rich O LORD if it please thee by the onely misprise of all the treasures of the Earth 'T is alreadie a sufficient enjoyment of rest and quiet to set up ones rest in God onely and teach this secret language to my heart never to speake but of thee in its desires nor of other then thy selfe in its hopes since of thee alone and in thee onely lies the fulnesse of its perfect felicity and soveraigne repose Let us not rest our selves in so faire a way I cannot comprehend the designe of these curious Spirits who goe seeking the Philosophers-stone in that Spitle where an infinite number of their companions are dead of regreet to have so ill imployed their time They put all they have to the quest of that which never was and burning with desire to acquire wealth they reduce all their owne into cinders and their lungs also with vehement puffing without gaining other recompence at the end of their labours but this now to know their folly The love of God is the onely Philosopher-stone since by it a man may
things which passe away and since the world hath nothing else 't is a long while that I have bidden adieu to it It had promised me much and though it had given me nothing yet cannot I reproach it finding my selfe yet too rich by reason of its hardnesse But I returne to the point Men of the World would perswade us that it is impossible to finde any quiet in it to say a firme settling of Spirit The onely meanes to be content is to settle the conscience in peace wherein a man may be content in his condition without ever wishing any other thing And for my part I judge nothing to be more easie if wee leave to reason its absolute power What impossibilitie can there be to regulate a mans will to God's And what contradiction in 't to live upon earth of the pure benedictions of heaven What greater Riches can a man wish then this to be able to undergoe the Decrees of his Fate without murmuring and complaint If Riches consisted onely in Gold Diamonds Pearles or such like things of like raritie those which have not of 'em might count themselves miserable But every man carryes his treasure in his conscience Hee which lives without just scandall lives happily and who can complaine of a happy life Riches are of use to humane life but not of necessitie for without them a man may live content But if to have the hap of these felicities of this life a man judge presently that hee ought of necessity to have a great number of riches This is to enslave himselfe to his owne opinion abounding in his proper sense and condemning reason for being of the contrary part I know well that a man is naturally swayed to love himselfe more then all things of the world Philautia that this love proceeds from the passion of our interests seeking with much care and paine all that may contribute to our contentments and whereas Riches seeme to be Nurses of them this consequence is incident to be drawne that without them is no contented living But at first dash it is necessary to distinguish this love into Naturall and Brutall and beleeve that with the illumination of reason When Reason reignes the passions obey wee may purifie the relishes of the first even to the point of rendring them innocent without departing from our interests and consequently the enjoyment of our pleasures giving them for object the establishment of our setled content in misprision of all those things of the world which may destroy it As for this brutish Love which estranging us from God separates us also from our selves the passion of it becomes so strong by our weaknesse that without a speciall grace wee grow old in this maladie of Spirit of contenting our Senses rather then obeying our Reason making a new God of the Treasures of the Earth But in conclusion these Gods abandon our bodies to the Wormes and our soules to the Devils And for all their riches the greatesâ— Great ones can onely purchase a glorious Sepulture Is not this a great advantage and a goodly consolation He whose will submits to Gods will lives ever content Maintaine we boldly that a man may finde quietnesse of life in all sorts oâ— condition with the onely richenesse of â—tractable Soule resign'd to take the time as it comes and as God sends it without ever arguing with his providence There is no affliction The Spirit of a Man will beare his infirmitie whereto our Soule cannot give us asswage There is no ill whereto it selfe is not capable to furnish us a remedie A man how miserable somever may finde his contentment amidst his miseries if he lives for his soule more then for his bodies behalfe God makes us to be borne where he will and of what Parents hee pleases if the poorenesse of our birth accompanie us even to death hee hath so ordained it what can wee else doe but let him so doe Can he be accounted miserable that obey's with good grace his soveraignes decrees 'T is a greater danger to be very rich then very poore for riches often make men loose their way but povertie keepes 'em in the streight path O how is it farre more easie to undergoe the burthen of much povertie then of great riches For a man extremely poore is troubled with no thoughts more important then onely how to finde meanes to passe his life in the austerities whereto hee is alreadie habituated without repining after other fortune as being estranged equally both from his knowledge and reach in which respects hee may well be stil'd happie But a man very rich dreames of nothing but to eternize the continuance of his dayes although this fancie be in vaine in stead of letting them quietly slide away insomuch that being possest with no passion more then love of life hee thinkes alwayes to live and never to die Death cannot be said to deceive any body for it is infallible and yet the world complaines of it But Death comes ere hee thinks on 't and taking from him all to his very Shirt constraines him to confesse that riches are onely profitable by misprision since by the contempt a man makes of them he may become the richest of the world O what a sensible pleasure 't is to be Rich say wordly men alwayes but I would faine know in what consists this contentment what satisfaction can there be had to possesse much treasure knowing what an infinit number of our companions are reduc'd to the last point of povertie Some in Hospitals where they lye in straw o'rewhelmed with a thousand fresh griefes Others at the corner of a street where a piece of a Dung-hill serves them at once both for bed and board Some againe in Dangeons where horrour and affright hunger and despaire tyrannize equally over their unfortunate spirits And others in some Desert to which ill fate has confined them to make their ills remedilesse as being farre removed from all sorts of succours There is no emptinesse in nature for miseries fill all How with the knowledge of these truths a man shall be able to relish greedily the vaine sweets of wordly riches it must needs be for want of reason or pity and consequently to be altogether brutish or insensible I shall have suppose a hundred thousand crownes in rents and all this revenue shall serve but to nourish my body and its pleasures without considering that a hundred thousand poore soules sigh under the heavy burden of their miseries every Day and yet men shall esteeme me happy in being rich in this fate O how dangerous are the treasures which produce these felicities 'T is a brave generositie to be sensible of other mens miseries Is it possible that the Great-ones of the world doe not thinke at all in the middle of their Feasts of the extreame poverty of an infinite number of persons and that in themselves they doe not reason secretly in
Kingdome of Pontus See Pliny's Nat. Historie 7 Bock 26 Chapter Armenia Cappadocia Paphlagonia Media Colchis the Hiberians the Albanians Siria Cilicia Mesopotamia Phoenicia Pride is the passion of fooles for what a senselesnesse is it to be proud having so many miseries about us which are incident to mortall man Palestina Iudea Arabia and the Rovers of all the Seas Who can be comparable to this proud Conquerour and yet I say it having conquered and subjugated the greatest part of the Earth Fate permits him not so much as to expire upon it and the Sea yet more treacherous prepares him shipwracke in mid'st of the Port. What resemblance and what correspondence can there be now betweene this Triumph so sumptuous so stately and magnificent and that whose presentation I show you where lowlinesse humilitie and miserie hold the first ranke and possesse the highest places How poore is the vanitie of men having no other grounds but humane frailtie Assuredly the difference is great but yet this inequalitie here is glorious since it brings along with it the price of that vertue whereof Pompey despised the conquest Hee in his Triumph rays'd wonder to the beauty of those two great precious stones But the Sepulchrall Marbles which appeared in this of ADRIAN were of another estimate because Prudence values them above all price putting them to that employment to which shee had destinated them Againe if he expose to view in vessels of gold Mountaines Animals Trees Vines Statues of the same matter This Herse covered with black which serves for ornament to this Funerall Pompe containes yet much more treasure since the contempt of all together is graven therein Hee makes ostentation of his Statue of gold enrich't with Pearles but our Monarch takes as much glory without them shewing in his owne bare Portraict the originall of his miseries That proud Conquerour had a thousand Garlands and golden Coronets as a novell Trophy Except the Crown of Vertue all other are subject to change But ours here crownes himselfe with Cypresse during his carreere of life to merit those palmes which await him in the end In fine Pompey is the Idoll of hearts and soules and his Triumphall Chariot serves as an Altar where he receives the vowes and Sacrifices But this Prince in stead of causing Idolaters during the sway of his Majestie immolates himselfe up to the view of Heaven and Earth dying already in his owne Funerals and suffering himselfe to be as is were buried by the continuall object which dwels with him of Death and his Tombe But if Pompey lastly boast himselfe to have conquered an infinite number of Realmes or all the world together * ADRIAN This Man having never had worse enemies then his passions hath sought no other glory but to overcome them and in their defeat a Man may well be stil'd the Conquerour of Conquerours for the Coronall wreaths of this Triumph feare nor the Sunnes extremity nor the Ages inconstancie Wee must passe on farther All the objects of Vanitie are so many enemies against which we ought to be alwayes in armes Isidore and Tranquillus doe assure us that to carry away the glory of a Triumph it was necessarily required to vanquish five thousand enemies or gaine five victories as it is reported of Caesar The consent of the Senate was also to be had And the Conquerour was to be clothed in Purple and Crowned with Laurell holding a Scepter in his hand and in this sort hee was conducted to the Capitoll of Iupiter where some famous Orator made a Panegyricke of his prowesse What better Allegory can wee draw from these prophane truths then this of the Victory which wee ought to have of our five Senses as of five thousand enemies whose defeat is necessary to our triumph Still to wage warre against our passions is the way to live in peace These are the five Victories which he must gaine that would acquire such Trophies whose glory is taken away neither by time nor Death This consent of the Senate is the Authority of our reason which alone gives value and esteeme to our actions and 't is of her that we may learne the meanes in obeying her to command over our passions and by the conquest of this sway triumph over our selves which is the bravest Victory of the World These Scepters and Crownes are so many markes of Soveraignty which remaine us in propriety after subjection of so many fierce enemies Heaven is the Capitol whither our good workes conduct us in triumph and where the voyce of Angels serves for Oratour to publish the glory of our deedes whose renowne remaines eternall 'T is not all to love Vertue 't is the practice These great Roman Captaines which made love to vertue though without perfect knowledge of it have sought for honour and glory in the overthrow of their enemies but they could never finde the shadowes of solid Honour which thus they sought from whence it came to passe that they have fashioned to themselves diverse Chimeras for to repast their fancy too greedy of these cheating objects Not that there is no glory in a Conquest but 't was their Ambition led them along in Triumph amidst their owne Triumphing What honour had Caesar borne away if hee had joyned to his Trophies the slavery of Cleopatra hee had exposed to view a Chaptive-Queene who otherwhile had subjected him to her Love-dominion But if the fortune of the warre had delivered him this Princesse He triumphs with an ill grace o're whom his vices triumph the fate of Love would have given even himselfe into her hands Insomuch that the Death of Cleopatra immmortaliz'd the renowne of Cesar Asdrubal according to Iustin triumphed foure times in Carthage but this famous Theater of honour where glory it selfe had appeared so often upon its Throne serves in conclusion for a Trophy to a new Conquerour insomuch that it buried at once the renowne and memory even of those that had presented themselves triumphant personages To day Memphis is all-Triumphant and on the morrow this proud Citie is reduced to slaverie To day the report of its glory makes the world shake and on the morrow Travellers seeke for it upon its owne site but finde it not O goodly triumph O fearefull overthrow What continuall revolution of the Wheele Marcellus shewes himselfe at point of day upon a magnificent Chariot of Triumph and at Sunne-set his glory and his life finish equally their carreere I meane in the twinckling of an eye Fortune takes away from him all those Laurell-wreaths which shee had given him and leaves him nothing at his death but the regreet of having liv'd too-long It may be some consolation in all our miseries to see all else have their changes as well as we Marius triumphed diverse times but with what tempests was the Ship of his fortune entertained Behold him now elevated upon the highest Throne of Honour but if you turne but your
memoriall of a Chimera and of a fantosme since it preaches nothing else to us but the ruine and non-entity of that which hath beene other-while O how glorious a Triumph is it These things ruminated on will make us wise when wee our selves are encharioted over our passions now enslaved and subjected under the Empire of Reason There is nothing so glorious there is nothing so magnificent For these Dromedaries these Elephants these Bulls these Horses these Hermaphrodite Mares these Lyons Stags and Tygres afore-mentioned are but brute beasts which draw along in traine after them others as brutish as themselves as suffering themselves to be transported with vanitie which onely reduceth them to this beastly-semblant vanitie Let us turne our face to another side SABELLICUS in his ENNEADS actively perswades us to beleeve that the Christians of Aethiopia doe carry in their processions great vessels full of ashes Let the fire of Divine Love glow upon our ashes to emblematize apparently the frailty of our nature But may not wee say upon too much reason that wee are earthen vessels full of ashes and what object more sensibly can be presented before our eyes to shew us the truth of our miseries then this of our selves From Earth is our production and the same serves us with nourishment and for sepulture also as if ashamed the Sunne should afford his light to our wretchednesse Make we then every day Funerall processions or at least visit in meditation every houre our Tombeâ— as the place where our bodyes must make so long abode Celebrate we our selves our owne Funerals and invite to our exequies The thought of our end is a soveraigne remedie against our passions Ambition Avarice Pride Choller Luxurie Gluttony and all the other Passions wherewith we may be attainted to the end to be Conquerours even by our owne proper defeate For when a Man yeelds to the Meditation of Death then reason commands sense All obey to this apprehension of frailty and feeblenesse Pleasures by little and little abandon us the sweets of life seeme sowre and wee can find no other quiet but in the hope of that which Truth it selfe hath promised us after so much trouble Proud Spirits be ye Spectators of this Funerall Pompe which this great Monarch celebrates to day Hee invites the Heaven and the Earth to his Exequies since in their view hee accompanies his pourtrayed gkeleton unto the Tombe his Body conducts thither its shadow the originall the painted figure in attendance till a Metamorphosis be made both of one and t'other O glorious action where the Living takes a pride to appeare Dead as dying alreadie by his owne choice as well as necessitie O glorious action where the Triumpher takes a glory in the appearance of his overthrow O glorious action where all the honour depends upon the contempt of the worlds honour O glorious action where Garlands of Cypresse dispute the preheminence with Laurell and Palme O glorious action where the Conquerour under-going the Lawes of Nature elevates himselfe above it making his puissance to be admired in his voluntarie weakenesse But I engage my selfe too farre in 't Herodotus remarkes that the Queene Semiramis made her Sepulcher be erected upon the entrances of the principall Gate of the * Babylon Citie to the end that this sad object of wretchednesse might serve for Schoole-master to passengers to teach them the Art to know themselves O blessed Lesson is that no better Schoole then the Church-yard which the Tombes can affoord us O gracious Science is that which they instruct us Strabo testifies that the Persians made Pipes of dead-mens bones which they used at Festivals to the end that the sad harmonie which issued thence might temper the excesse of joy But may not we say our Lungs to be to us such kind of Whistles and that our dolorous sighs which produce thence the harmonie are capable to moderate the violence of our contentments A strange thing it is that all the animated objects which are affected by our senses beare the image of Death and yet wee never thinke but of Life Let our eyes but fairely turne their regards on all sides All that lives they may see dyes and what ha's no life passes away before ' em Our eares are tickled with the sweet harmonie of Voices or Instruments or Tabors or Trumpets But these sounds are but Organs spirited with blasts whose borrowed wind is lost when the motion ceaseth and there behold the Faile of their life And for Instruments 't is true they warble delightfully yet their melodie is often dolefull to the mind The object of our nothingnesse ha's a grace and allurement capable to ravish the best spirits when it considers that it proceedes from certaine guts of dead beasts which Art hath so contrived Tabors being of the same nature must also necessarily produce the same effects and Trumpets also doe but sobbe in our eares since their clangor is forced onely by the violence of a blast of sighs Our Taste cannot satiate the hunger of its appetite but with dead and breathlesse things and all our other senses are subject to the same necessitie Insomuch that Death environs us on all sides though we be alwayes her owne and yet wee never thinke on 't Death is ever present and at hand to our heart but still absent from our memorie but in extremities as if wee were onely to learne at the last instant that wee are Mortall and the hard experience which wee make on 't were the onely Lesson which by Nature is given us LORD render me capable if it please thee of this Science which may effectually teach me the Art to know my selfe to the end that this knowledge may represent to me alwayes the realitie of my wretchednesse Make me that I may see my selfe may understand and feele my selfe to dye every moment but so that I may see it with the eyes of my heart perceive it with the eyes of my soule and feele it by the sense of my conscience therein to finde my repose and safetie I know well that Nature mournes uncessantly the death of its workes which are devoured every houre by time and though no where thus can I see but Sadnesse it selfe yet ne'rethelesse remaine I insensible of the horrour of these objects and though they be terrible my spirit not affrighted Render me therefore if it please thee render me fearefull and make me even to tremble in thinking of it since the thought of it is so important and suffer me not to live a kind of Death without meditating of that life which is exempt from Death and whereof Eternitie is the Limit All my votes doe terminate at this and all my wishes which I addresse to thy bounty that I may one day see the effects of my hopes Let us advance on our first proposiâ—ion O how celebrious and glorious is the Triumph over our selves Let us leave the Laurels and Palmes to those famous
Conquerours of Sea and Land A Man hath no greater enemy then himselfe Their Crownes are now metamorphosed into dust their renowne into wind themselves into corruption and for a surplusage of mishap after the conquest of the whole World they dye in the miseries whereunto they were borne Cyrus could not bound his Ambition lesse then to the vast extention of the Universe and yet a * TOMYRIS simple woman onely prescrib'd him an allay and placed his head in the range of his owne Trophies Arthomides playes Iupiter upon Earth his portraict is the onely Idoll of his subjects and yet one turne of the wheele casts him a sacrifice upon the same altar which hee had erected to his Glory his life glistering with triumphs but his death in such a ruine clouded even the memory of his name All those stately Triumphers There is nothing more vaine then Vaine-glory 't is a body without soule or life having no subsistance but in Imagination of whom Antiquity trumpets-out wonders have had no other recompence of their labours but this vaine conceipt that one day men would talke of them But what felicity is it to be praised in this world to which they are dead and tormented in the other wherein they live even yet and ever I care very little that men should talke of me after my Death the esteeme of men is of so small importance that I would not buy it so deare as with a wish onely It behooves to search reputation in the puritie of the conscience if a man would have the glory of it last for ever The renowne of a good man is much greater then that of Caesar or Alexander for this has no other foundation then the soyle where it was sowed and where the goodlyest things display themselves like flowers and like flowers also have but a morning-flourish But the other having for a firme stay Eternitie this object ennobleth it to perfection The renowne of a good man onely lasts alwayes and thus desiring nothing else but heaven it remaines to us at the end for recompence Blondus in his Treatise of Rome in its triumphant glory reckons up three hundred and twenty triumphs all remarkable but where are now these pompes these magnificences this infinite number of Trophies and a thousand other ornaments which rattled out their glory Where are I say these Conquerours where are their slaves their Idolaters their admirers These pompes have but flash't like lightning 'T is some comfort yet to a wise man though himselfe fade away to see that all things else doe so too and so passed away with the day that accompanyed their lustre These magnificences have beene but seene and so tooke their passage in flight These trophies being onely bravadoes of the time times inconstancy made them vanish in an instant all those other ornaments made but ostentation of their continuall vicissitude as being an inseparable accident of their nature These vanquishers onely had the name on 't since Death led them away also in triumph for all their triumphings Their captives were rather slaves of the miseries whereunto they were borne then so by the absolute power of him who captived theÌ„ Their Idolaters have beene immolated to the fury of yeeres which spare none and their admirers have incurred the same fate with the subject which they admired Insomuch that of all together remaineâ— nothing but a faint remembrance which as it waxeth old is effac't by little and little out of memory and scarcely will it subsist so much in the imagination as to be in the end buryed among fables Since Eternitie onely triumphs over Time wee should onely strive to attaine that Behold here the Anatomie of the glory of the world see the true portraict of its false Image Contemplate meditate you will avouch with me that All is full of vanitie O how stately and magnificent is the Triumph of Ages what trophies may a man see at their ever-rowling Chariot what Conquerours are not in the number of their subjection what soveraigne power can resist their violence what newer can Triumph then this of yeares Who can give in account the number of their victories and â—esse the captives which Death serves â—n for their trophies What newer triumph againe evermore then of moâ—eths of dayes of houres and moâ—ents For consider to your selfe how many Kings Princes and Lords die â—n one age in all the places of the world All these vanquishers are vanquisht â—nd led in triumph to the grave Every Yeare makes its conquest a part gives â—attell and carryes away the victory over so many A righteous man onely stands exempt from the terror of death and so many men that hardly can one conceive so lamentable a truth Months Dayes Houres and Moments triumph in their courses who can number all those who dyed yesterday out-right or are dead to day Nay more how many dye at this houre and at this very instant that I entertaine you with this discourse And all these defeats of mortalitie mark out to us the Triumphs whereof time onely beares away the glory But let us not pretend to share in 't 't is not worthy our Ambition Let Ages Yeeres Moneths Dayes Houres and Moments triumph over us A good conscience is ever under shelter from all the inconstant tempests of ages Vertue alwayes limits their puissance and with it wee may prescribe a bound to all these Triumphants Faire leave may they take to ruinate out-ward beauty but that of innocence is of proofe ' gainst all their strokes Well may they impaire outward graces but those of heaven contemne their assaults No doubt they may change the visage of all the marvels of Art and miracles of Nature Our Resolution is a rocke in midst of all their stormes and may remaine alwayes it selfe without undergoing other rules then its owne So that thus wee may lead Time it selfe along in triumph if wee live for nothing more then for Eternitie He which lives for eternitie dreads no death I scorne the Tyranny of Ages my ayme is beyond 'em all I despise the power of yeeres my Ambition raignes already out of their reach Let Months Dayes Houres and Moments entraile all things along with 'em I for my part franchise their carreere since my scope is much more farther yet Let them triumph fully my very defeat shall lead them in triumph at the end of their terme for the eternity whither I aspire already assignes out their tombe Let us stay no longer in so cragged a way The Emperour Trajan caused his Sepulcher to be enfram'd in the midst of Rome's greatest place as upon a stateâ—y Theater on which his successors were to act their parts Every man dies â—or himselfe Seriùs aut citiùs metam properamus ad unam sooner or later wee must â—rrive to the place to which uncessantly â—ee walke Be it to morrow or today â—t the end of the terme all 's equall Nor old nor yong can
marke the difference in their course being arrived to the end of their carreere for a hundred Ages when past and one instant make but the same thing 'T is onely necessary to muze of our last gist in the grave since thither we runne till wee â—re out of breath from moment to moment The Trojans would have the burying-places of their Princes to be in the most remarkable place of the City to the end Placâ—s of buriall are sad Theaters where every day are acted none but Tragedies that this sad object might serve as a fixt Memento to remembrance them that the Tragedie which had beene acted by these yesterday might againe be represented by some other to day The Philosophers know that objects move the faculties and that according to the quality of their impressions they worke upon the spirits which contemplate them Let us say now that of all the direfull objects which are presented to our eyes there is none more powerfull o're our apprehensions then this of Meditation of Death and the horrour of the grave The most couragious yeeld themselves to these assaults the most valiant resist nor their violences All droop at approach of an enemy so redoubtable But our defeat if rightly carryed is more glorious then our Triumph What successe is this by being overcome to beare away the crowne of victory such submission is a marke of Soveraignety If the meditation of death make not a sinner change his life nothing will doe it Petrus Gregorius tells us of the Emperour Charles the fift that hee caused his winding head-ketcher to be carryed before him for a standard in all his Armyes six yeeres before he dyed to the end that the continuall object of his greatnesse might not be too powerfull to tempt him to misconceive himselfe We doe the same every day without thinking on 't for our shirts are in a manner as so many winding-sheetes which wee carry alwayes with us in all places where we goe But if this sad object be not enough to moderate our ambition and rebate our vanity this voluntary is inseparable from paine we must needs undergoe the Law which wee impose upon our selves 'T is best to let Death be welcome to us since 't is inevitable LORD suffer me not if it please thee so farre to mistake my selfe as never to come to the point of meditating of this blessed Decree which thou hast imposed on me to dye one day But illuminate my spirit with the light of thy grace which may stead me as a Pharos to shew me the haven of the grave where the ship of my life must put ashore Make me also if it please thee to be ignorant of all things else but the knowledge to live well that I may also dye so and thus let the miseries which accompany me the mishaps that follow me and all the other afflictions which thy goodnesse hath subjected me to be the ordinary objects of my thoughts to the end that I stray not from the way of my salvation And now have have I no other passion but to see the effects of these prayers Let us goe to the end The Combat ought alwayes to precede the Victorie and the Victorie the Triumph Those that have averred that the world is to us an hostile Army composed of so many Souldiers as there are objects in nature capable to agitate the power of our passions had very good reasons to defend the truth of their Thesis These objects of it make warre against us continually with all the assaults inventions and stratagems of a cruell enemy Beautie that assaults our soules by the way of our eyes with as much cunning as force for at first view it amuseth the Sence with admiration by a slight of complacence to which its sweets and allurements insensibly engage it Afterwards the Sensus Communis receiving the faire Species of the Idea of this faire enemie presents them to the Fancie the Fancie to the Vnderstanding which after it hath examined them according to its capacitie offers them to the Will which by a naturall apprehension findes it selfe obliged to love the subject from whence these amiables doe proceed And now then it is the Cue of Reason ether to condemne or authorize this Love but most often that becomes charmed it selfe and wee vanquish't Not that Reason is not sufficiently strong and powerfull but whereas its force and vertue depends meerely upon grace Our passions are the flattering'st enemies of the world for they assault us with those semblant satisfactions to us as may seeme most agreeable and thus they are most to be feared the contempt which ordinarily it makes of this renders both alike unprofitable This is that which obliges us in all these conflicts to implore the helpe of heaven rather then to trust upon our strengths and evermore to have a jealous eye to this our subtile enemie which yet can never get other advantage upon us then that which our wretchlesnesse suffers it to acquire We cannot justly complaine of our defeat since 't is voluntarie The very fairest objects of the world may well enforce admiration but not love since love cannot be formed in our hearts but by a powerfull reflexion of the amiable qualities which are found in the subject and in this it is necessary that the understanding doe operate and the will consent And this cannot be done without a free deliberation which wee absolutely authorize Insomuch that we cannot be overcome if we rush not into 't with desire of our owne overthrow And this not so neither as if there were no trouble in the resistance but rather 't is a way to acquire much more glory in the victory over beauteous objects by the power of reason which is more troublesome and difficult then that which one gets o're an enemy by force of armes The rewards which God hath prepared after all our troubles doe infinitely surpasse our deserts But the honour also surpasseth alwayes the difficulty and what paine soever a man can possibly take the Prize and Crowne at last can admit of no comparison Wee must then bravely combate those proud beauties which make publick profession to enchaine our hearts in irons and put our soules upon the rack and let them see to their confusion that the naturall Magicke of their charmes is to us a new Art of Logicke which informes us to make Arguments both to give for granted their power and yet destroy their force Faire leave have they to expose to view their blandishments and graces the light of Reason produceth a livelyer Day whose luster duskes the midday-splendour for by the ayde of this light a man may see that all their quaintnesses are but dawbings their delicacies but artifice and their attractives but onely composed by distillatories And how can one Idolatrize them then after meditationall presentment of these verities Behold the onely meanes to prescribe a rule over these Soveraignes who would impose it on the
hand and by which himselfe weigheth his actions to the poize of his will and consequently to the measure of his Justice What objection can be made against this truth The envious man is never in health tortured with the Hectick Peaver of this ever-burning passion Envious Maligner adore that which thou can'st not comprehend and then instead of pining for the goods which thou enjoyest not give thankes to heaven for those which thou possessest and how small someover they be they are ever great enough to amuze thee all thy life-long to the study of thankefull acknowledgment The Passion of Detraction is easily overcome by a fresh consideration of our owne proper defects for of all the Vices whereof wee accuse one another our hearts may convince us If I call a man theefe am not I a greater theefe then hee since against the Lawes of charity I rob him of his honour by this injury Suppose he be a false villaine yet in calling him by this name I betray the secret which his fault should â—n charity impose upon me But if he be nothing so loe I my selfe am now a Traytor both at once of his reputation 'T is more important to learne to hold one's peace then to hold up the talke and mine owne conscience There is no fault more unpardonable then this of Obloquie and in regard that for a just expiation of the crime it is fitting that the tongue which did the hurt should give the remedy Thou Detractour if thou canst not moderate thy passion speake ill onely of thy selfe Study thine owne vices Meditate thine owne faults and Accuse thy selfe of them before heaven which is already witnesse of thy crimes and by this way of reproaching thou shalt obtaine one day to be praised eternally Behold mee now at the end of the Chapter He which often muzes of Death will every day learne to live well After all these particular remedies with which a man may learne easily to resist the tyranny of the Passions there is none more soveraigne then this of the Meditation of Death All the rest abbut at this onely as the most authorized by daily experience Great Kings suffer your selves to be led in triumph by your owne thoughts to the grave and by the way consider how your greatnesses your riches your delights and all the magnificence of your Court follow you step by step being brought along by the same fate whose absolute Tyranny spares none And since you may dye every houre think at the least sometimes of this truth to the end that that houre of your lifes dyall surprize you not Much good doe 't you to nourish up your selves deliciously yet all these Viands wherewith you repast your selves are empoysoned as containing in 'em the * Caliditas Frigiditas Humiditas Siccitas foure contrary qualities whose discord puts into skirmish your humours and this battell is an infallible presage of your overthrow wel may you chase away Melancholy by vertue of fresh pleasures these very contentments cheat away your life for though you thinke of nothing but how to passe away the time it passes ere you think on 't Death comes before you have forseen his arrivall Well may you cocker up your bodyes content your senses and satiate the appetite of your desires the Taper of your life has its limited course Pleasures make us grow old as well as griefes as well as that of the day Every man pursues his carreere according to the inviolable Lawes of heaven which hath asigned 'em out at once both the way and the bounds Suffer Time to lead you by the hand to the Tombe Fata volentem ducunt nolentem trahunt for feare he hale you thither But in dying muze at least of that Life which never shall have end All the felicities which you have possest are vanished with the flower of your age and all those which you will yet enjoy will flye away with the rest What will remaine with you then at the last instant of your life Those pleasures cost very deare which are worth nothing but repentance but an irksome remembrance to have tasted a thousand pleasures which are past and to have lost so many meanes of having had others which would have lasted eternally Disinvest your selves then for one houre every day of all your greatnesse and in the presence of your owne selves meaning in review of all your miseries mishaps which are proper to you confesse the truth of your nullitie and of your corruption by this search you shall recover your selves and by this confession thus shall you Triumph o're your selves A PROLVSION upon the EMBLEME of the last Chapter VIewing the Ranges of a Librarie Of Dead-men's bones pil'd in a Coemitarie Great ALEXANDER findes Diogenes And thus they Dialogue Alex. Cynick among these Ruines of fraile Mortalitie what do'st looke Diog. For that wherein I feare to be mistooke I seeke thy Father PHILIP'S Scull among This pell-mell undistinguishable Throng Alex. Let 's see which is it shew me Diog. Sure 't is that Whose nose is bridge-falne Alex. Dead-men's all are flat Diog. Why then 't is that where shrowds perpetuall night Cav'd in those hollow eye-holes void of sight Alex. Still all are so Diog. Why 't is yon' skinlesse brow Chap-falne lip-sunke with teeth-disranked row Yond' peeled scalpe Alex. Thus still all are alike Diog. So shall both You and I. and let this strike Thy knowledge ALEXANDER and Thy sence 'Twixt King and slave once Dead s' no difference L'envoy Mors seeptra ligonibus aequat Hor. THere is no diff'rence Death hath made Equall ' the Scepter and the Spade Noe Dreader Majestie is now I' th' Royall Scalp then Rustick brow Faire NEREVS has no beauteous grace More then Thersites ' ugly face Now both are dead odds there is none Betwixt the fair'st and fowlest One. Tell me among'st the hudled pile Of Dead-mens bones which was ere while The subtil'st Lawyer 's or the Dull And Ignoramian Empty Skull Was yond' some valourous Samsons arme Or one that ne're drew sword for harme Or winke and tell me which is which Irus the poore or Croesus rich What are they now who so much stood On Riches Honours and high Blood Ther 's now no Difference with the Dead Distinctions all are buryed Onely the Soule as Ill or Well Is Diffrenc't or in Heaven or Hell Alexander and Diogenes discoursing among the Sepulchers of the Dead the Cynick tells the King That in the Graue Monarchs and Meaner Men are all alike THE MIRROVR WHICH FLATTERS NOT. CHAP. IV. WHat a horrid spectacle is this what a frightfull object See you not this great number of Dead Mens sculls which heap'd one upon another make a mountaine of horrour and affright whose balefull and contagious umbrage insensibly invites our bodies on to the grave What a victorie is this over these but what an inhumanitie what a defeate but what a butchery May wee not say that
without cease The contentments which men receive here below Contentments causein their privation as extreme discontents are like the pleasures of the Chace which are onely rellish't running I draw to an end Belon in his Monuments of the Kings of Egypt sayes that they were enterred with such a splendour of pompe and magnificence that even those who had diverse times before beene admirers of it were for all that often in doubt whether the people went to place the corps in the Throne againe rather then in their Sepulcher O how ill to the eyes is the luster of this sad kind of honour For if vanitie be insupportable barely of it selfe these excesses of it put the spirits upon the racke Diodorus Siculus speaking of the Tombe which Alexander caused to be erected for his favorite Ephestion assures that the magnificences which were there to be admired were beyond as well all valew as example Marble Brasse Gold and Pearles were profusely offered to most cunning Artisans to frame thereof such workes wherein sadnesse and compassion might be so naturally represented that they might affect the whole world with the like Diamonds Rubies and all other precious stones were there employed under the Image of a Sunne Moone and Stars It seemes this Monarch blinded with Love thought to hold the Planets captive in the glorious enchainments of those faire Master-pieces A Man should never be angry with his 〈◊〉 fates the dâ—â—â—â—â— on 't are â—â—â—â—â—lable as if hee would revenge himselfe of them for their maligne influences which they had powred upon the head of his deare Ephestion But this conceite was vaine for the same starres whose captivity hee ostented upon this Tombe conducted him also by little and little to his grave The Romanes transported with passion to honour the memory of the Dictator Sylla caused his statue to be framed of a prodigious height all composed of perfumes and cast it into the funerall pile where his body whereof of this was also but a shadow was to be burn't to ashes Being desirous by this action to give to understand that as the odour of his statue disperst it selfe through all the City of Rome the much more odoriferous savour of his peculiar vertues would spred it selfe through all the world But to goe to the rigour of the literall sense it is credible they had not cast in this aromaticall statue into the stacke but only to temper the excesse of the stench of the body which was to be consumed with it And I proceed to imagine beside that the odour of this statue the cinders of his body and all the glory of the actions of Sylla had all the same fate since the winde triumph't o're 'em altogether Behold the reverse of the Medall of Vanitie 'T is remark't in the life of the Emperour Severus by the report of DION that hee made to be set at the gate of his Palace an Vrne of marble and as oft as he went in or out hee was accustomed to say laying his hand on it Behold the Case that shall enclose him whom all the world could not containe Great Kings have often the same thoughts in your soules if you have not the like discourses in your mouths the smallest vessell of earth is too great for the ashes of your bodyes which shall remaine of them after the wormes have well fed on them for the wretchednesse of your humane condition reduceth you at last to so small a thing that you are nothing at all But if I must give a name to those graines of corrupted dust which are made of your deplorable remaines I shall call them the Idea's of a dreame Man onely is considerable in respect of his noble actions since the memory of your being can passe for no other together with the time Behold a fresh subject of entertaine Some of our Ethnicke Historians report to us that the Troglodites buryed their kindred and friends with the tone of joyfull cries and acclamations of mirth The Lothophagi cast them into the Sea choosing rather to have them eaten of fishes in the water then of wormes in the earth The Scythians did eate the bodyes of their friends in signe of amitie insomuch that the living were the Sepulchers of the dead The Hircanians cast the bodies of their kindred to the Dogges The Massagetes exposed them as a prey to all manner of ravenous beasts The Lydians dryed them in the Sun and after reduced them to powder to the end the wind might carry them away Amongst all the customes which were practised amongst these strange Nations I find none more commendable then the first of the Troglodites looking for no hell they had good reason to celebrate the funerall of their friends and kindred with laughter and acclamations of cheerefulnes rather then with teares and lamentations For though that Life be granted us by divine favour There is moâ—e of temâ—â—ent in die thâ—â— to live if we â—â—nsider the end which man was created yet we enjoy it but as a punishment since it is no other thing then a continuall correction of our continuall offences Besides the sad accidents which accompany it inseparably even to the grave are so numerous that aâ— man may justly be very glad at the end of his journey to see himselfe discharged of so ponderous a burthen The body of Man being made of earth is subject to earth but the soule holds onely of its soveraine Creator Not that I here condemne the teares which we are accustomed to shed at the death of our neerest friends for these are ressentments of griefe whereof Nature authorizeth the first violences But neither doe I blame the vertue of those spirits who never discover alteration upon any rencounter of the mishaps and miseries of the world The living are more to be bemoned then the dead they being still i th' midd'st â—f this lifes tempest but these are aâ—â—eady arrived to their Port. how extreme soever they be And what disaster is it to see dye either our kindred or friends since all the world together and Nature it selfe can doe nothing else What reason then can a man have to call himselfe miserable for being destinated to celebrate the funerals of those whom he loves best since the divine Providence hath soveraignely established this order and since moreover in this carreere of Death to which all the world speeds the Present on 't being not distinguish't but by Time it will appeare when all is come to the upshot that one hath lived as long as another since all ages though different during their continuance are equall then when they are past Change wee the discourse I advow once againe There is no remedie more soveraigne to cure the passion of arrogance then this the of consideration of Caemitaries and Tombes The most vaine-glorious and ambitious are forced to yeeld themselves at the assaults of these sad objects For a spirit ne're so brave and valourous cannot but be astonish't when
the window and thou shalt see carryed to the grave some not so old as thy selfe If thou relye upon the health which thou now enjoyest 't is but a false going-dyall The calme of a perfect health Saepe optimus status corpotis periculâ— susimuuuml s. hath oftentimes ushered the Tempest of a suddaine Death What hopest thou for Hip. hope is deceitfull what stayest thou soâ— Sera nimis Vita est crastina vive hodie A wise man ought never to defer till to morrow what should be done to day Lastly what desirest thou The peace of conscience is the only desirable good Goe on then right forward thou canst not misse the way which I have chalk't thee FINIS PERLECTORI The TRANSLATOVR'S COROLLARIE SO Now 't is done although it be no Taske That did much Braines or toylesome Study aske The meaning I ' vouch good but Merit small In rendring English the FRENCH PRINCIPALL It is but a Translation I confesse And yet the Rubs of Death in 't nerethelesse May trippe some cap'ring Fancies of the Time That Domineere and Swagger it in Rime That Charge upon the Reader and give Fire On all that doe not as they doe admire Either their rugged Satyrs cruell veine Or puffe-paste Notes 'bove Ela in high straine Then in prevention quarrell like a curst Scold who being guilty yet will call Whore first When any dyes whose Muse was rich in Verse They claime Succession and prophane his Herse They onely are Heires of his Braine-estate Others are base and illegitimate All but their owne Abettors they defie And LORD-it in their Wit-Supremacy Others they say but Sculke or lye i' th' lurch As we hold Schismaticks from the true Church So hold they all that doe decline their way Nor sweare by Heaven Al 's excellent they say T were well they 'd see the fing'ring on these frets Can neither save their Soules nor pay their Debts Or would they they thinke of Death as they should doe They would live better and more honourd too T is base to doe base deeds yet for false fame To Keepe a stirre and bustle into Name Whilst each applauds his owne contemnes an others Becons his owne deserts but his he smothers They feare Fame's out of breath and therefore they Trumpet their owne praises in their owne way Or ioyne in Tricke of Stale Confed'racy Cal'd Quid pro Quo Claw me and I le claw thee Marry at others Tooth and Naile they flye That do not tread their Path but would goe bye Farewell to these my ayme not here insists Leave we these wranglers unto equall lists To Nobler Natures I my brest expose The Good I bow to in an humble Cloze To such as knowing how vaine this Life is Exalt their thoughts to one better then This. 'T is the best Method to be out of Love With things below and thence to soare above To which effect my soules integrity In L'envoy thus salutes each courteous eye L'ENVOY INgenuous READER thou do'st crowne The Morall active course layd downe By De la SERRE what is pen'd If thy ACTIONS recommend Relating to the first EMBLEME WHen haughtie thoughts impuffe thee than Dictate thy selfe Thou art but Man A fabricke of commixed Dust That 's all the prop of humane trust How dares a Clod of mouldring Clay Be Proud decaying every day And yet there is away beside Wherein may be a lawfull Pride When sly Temptations stirre thee Than Againe the Word Thou art a Man Rouze up thy Spirits doe not yeeld A brave resistance winnes the Field Shall a soule of Heavenly breath Grovell so farre its worth beneath Fouly to bee pollute with slime Of any base and shamefull crime Thou art a Man for Heaven borne Reflect on Earth disdainefull scorne Bee not abus'd since Life is short Squander it not away in sport Nor hazard heavens eternall Joyes For a small spurt of wordly Toyes Doe Something ere thou doe bequeath To Wormes thy flesh to Aire thy breath Something that may when thou art dead With honour of thy name be read Something that may when thou art cold Thaw frozen Spirits when t is told Something that may the grave controule And shew thou hadst a noble Soule Doe something to advance thy blisse Both in the other World and This. Relating to the second EMBLEME WEre both the Indias treasures Thine And thou LORD of every Mine Or hadst thou all the golden Ore On Tagus or Factolus Shore And were thy Cabinet the Shrine Where thousand pearles and Diamonds shine All must be left and thou allowd A little linnen for thy Shrowd Or if 't were so thy Testament Perhaps a goodly Monument What better is a golden Chase Or Marble then a Charnell place Charon hence no advantage makes A halfe-penny a soule he takes Thy heires will leave thee but a Shirt Enough to hide thy rotten Dirt. Then bee not Greedy of much pelfe He that gets all may lose himselfe And Riches are of this Dilemme Or they leave us or we must them Death brings to Misers double Woe They loose their Cash and their soules too Change then thy scope to heavenly gaines That wealth eternally remaines Relatory to the third EMBLEME BE not curious to amaze With glitt'ring pompe the Vulgar gaze Strive not to cheat with vaine delight Those that are catcht with each brave sight How soone will any gawdy show Make their low Spirits overflow Whose Soules are ready to runne-ore At any Toy nere seene before Rather thy better thoughts apply For to addresse thy selfe to dye Bee ne're so glorious after all Thy latest pompe's thy Funerall Shall a dresse of Tyrian Dye Or Venice gold Embroyderie Or new-fash'on-varied Vest Tympanize thy out-strutting brest There 's none of these will hold thee tacke But thy last colour shall be Blacke Bee not deceiv'd There comes a Day Will sweepe thy Gloryes all away Meane while the thought on 't may abate Th' Excesses of thy present ' state Death never can that Man surprize That watches for 't with wary Eyes Doe Soe And thou shalt make thereby A Vertue of Necessitie And when thy Dying-day is come Goe like a Man that 's walking home Heav'n Guard thee with Angelicke pow'r To be prepared for that houre When ev'ry Soule shall feele what 'T is To have liv'd Well or done Amisse Relating to the fourth EMBLEME LEt not the Splendour of high Birth Bee all thy Glosse without true worth Let neither honour nor vast wealth Beautie nor Valour nor firme health Make thee beare up too high thy head All men alike are buried Stare not with Supercilious brow Poore folkes are Dast and so art Thou Triumph not in thy worldly Odds They dye like men whom we count Gods And in the Grave it is all one Who enjoy'd all or who had none Death cuts off all superfluous And makes the proudest One of us Nor shall there diffr'ence then betweene The dust of LORDS or slaves be seene Together under ground they lye