amorous daughters for whilest they are prouiding dowries to bestow them in marriages of such as they like and thinke fittest for them they prouide themselues of Paramours such as they list to fancie But for him that should take to wife her that hath beene her fathers wanton were not such a one well sped he should be sure to haue Gaule to his Sugar sowre soppes to his sweete meate he were better to marrie a milke-maide then to marrie a fathers fondling one that is called her fathers ioy his iewell his dearling that is brought vp in pleasure in pride in idlenesse in audacious boldnesse for that is growne to a fashion and this is the cause that women in these dayes haue forgotten to blush It may be that such a one will bring a great portion but let him that shall marrie her make full accompt that her vanitie will farre exceede her marriage good And for euery hundred poundes in money she brings a thousand vanities a thousand fitts a thousand follies a thousand fancies a thousand new-fangles To day she must keepe her chamber sicke of a quotidian fitte of follie to morrow the Coach must be made readie she must amongest her acquaintance to listen out for new fashions the third day alas she breedes child and then we must looke about for dainties and farre fet and deare bought they say is fit for Ladies the Prouerbe is olde and it may be true that as knights grow poore Ladies grow prowd But this foolish nicitie that is in this common request amongst women it is got into the bone and it will neuer out of the flesh and let it sticke there still for a nice conceit best becomes a pretie soule She did well expresse it that wept so bitterly to thinke how much ashamed she should be at the day of iudgement when shee should stand starke naked before so great an assembly as she heard say would be there present I haue runne my selfe beyond my bounds my purpose was but to haue spoken a litle of these faults that are committed in knitting vp of these wicked and vngodly marriages and that in such a generall sort as almost there are no other made I haue a little glaunced by the way at the folly of those fathers that doe loue their children with more affection than wit If I should now take vpon me to speake of the ingratitude of children towards their parents I might write a greater volume then my leysure might well permit But they say it is a wise childe that doth know his owne father I say againe that in many places he is a wise father that doth know his owne child And there is not a better Item whereby to discern a Bastard then to see a brat vnnaturall and vnkind to him that is taken for his father Nature her selfe hath taught this and Nature cannot erre And therefore that sonne that both against the law of God and the law of Nature becommeth vngratefull to him whom he supposeth to be his father if he be not a Bastard I say he is worse and pittie the earth should beare so vngracious a burthen I will conclude with this caueat to carelesse parents beware of those that doe gape for your lands after your death and desire the managing of your goods during your life But it is true Nature may be peruerted and there is no knowledge in the world which is not corrupted nor any learning art or science which is not abused It were too great a presumption in me to meddle with Diuinitie no it is too high a stile for a Souldiers penne and I haue learned long since Ne sutor vltra crepidam Yet to speake a little with humilitie and reuerence I will not implore the assistance of the Muses or Apollo but of the high and most mightie God Whatsoeuer is certaine of it selfe needeth no demonstration then in Diuinitie the dignitie of the subiect may suffice for where the obiect is God the ground-worke is infallible still permanent and irreuocable Diuinitie hath beene from the beginning yea the word was before the world for the worde was God Diuinitie is a heauenly law confirmed by antiquitie sealed by God the Law-giuer written and set downe by the finger of God and deliuered by those that were inspired by his holy spirit It hath pleased God from the beginning to raise vp Patriarkes and Prophets to teach and gouerne his people and after in the Kingdome of our Sauiour he ordeined the Ministrie of the Gospel appointing it perpetuall to the end of the world and hath further taught vs to pray that labourers might bee thrust into the haruest But I am sorie now to speake of our Ministrie and but according to the trueth how manie doe make themselues blind by seeing too much such as can set the holy Scriptures at a iarre who curiously searching out the vertue of words doe carelesly subuert the words of the truth What is it that they cannot vtterly ouerthrow with their fierie blasts of thundring words by Ingins of Definitions Distinctions Diuisions Silogisms Figures Allegories then they haue so many Generals and Specials with such glosing and expounding that they will presume euen to measure gods worde and his workes with their Logicall Sophismes One holds of the Letter an other would haue vs to search out the meaning contained in the letter another stands vpon the bare worde another of the sense another of I know not what but it is a miserable vngracious studie that doth nothing else but learne how to erre The puritie of diuinitie is enspired from aboue and not to be comprehended by diuiding defining compounding nor by any other Sophisticall contending In a great part of the world euen at this day Mahomet is worshipped who was the Authour of a verie foolish Religion and the Iewes are yet looking after their Messias but amongst vs Christians it is strange to see what disagreement there is amongst our Cleargie-men about rites about ceremonies about worshipping about apparell about Discipline and about I cannot tell what Yet this is especially to be wondred at aboue the rest that they doe thinke by these contentious matters to ascend into heauen for the which in times past Lucifer was throwne downe into hell I might speake of others that can content them selues with knowing vntruths without searching out of the truth but he that will be a steward of much must yeeld an account for much and of him that hath receiued fiue Talents the Lord will looke for an increase of fiue Talents The Ministers of Gods worde are these Stewards of God appointed to dispense his holy Ministeries They are the Ambassadours vnto vs with glad and ioyfull tidings they bring vnto vs the worde of our saluation they are our fathers that doe beget vs vnto Iesus Christ by preaching the Gospel of peace they are the light of the world to shine before men in all godly example of loue of charitie of humility
those Commonwealths euer prooued where those haue beene preferred that were better skilled in taking than in executing Alexander Seuerus both punished and deposed as many as had bought their offices saying they solde deerer by retale than they bought in the grosse I will not say that it is preiudiciall vnto the Common-wealth that Offices should be bought and solde for money But this is true that Princes ought to bee very circumspect by whom they are mannaged because being to continue in the same during their liues the holders are the lesse subiect to correction And being bought and sold for money they are the more subiect to corruption Offices that were wont to be painfull toiles for men of honestie and care to be heedefull of are now become gainfull spoiles executed by those that endeuour their owne commoditie exacting their owne gaine by the spoile both of Prince and Countrie But in that Common-wealth where Officers are made to do their dueties and no more than appertaineth to iustice and right they will giue as much to be rid of an Office as they will doe now to buy an Office Pollicie is a speciall parte of gouernement and the state and pollicie of the time is not for priuate men to deale withall and Pollicie that is legittimate first begotten by Wit and then fostered by Honestie is not to be neglected but that which more respecteth profit than it doth the soueraigne Pollicie prescribed by Gods lawe is it which the Apostle speaketh of The wisedome of the fiesh is enmitie to God He dooth not say an enemy for an enemy might be reconciled but enmity it selfe can neuer be reconciled and therefore he addeth further The wisedome of the flesh is death And although the name of Pollicie at the first sight doth carry a great and glorious shew yet being estranged from that Pollicie before spoken of commanded by God it doth not reach vnto that perfection of true christian gouernement that many haue seemed to perswade The drift of worldly Policie is to do litle good but to the end to doe a great deale of harme for Pollicie and Profite haue euer marched arme in arme in one ranke and how many Princes haue bin abused yea and sometimes dishonoured vnder those plausible pretences Profite being diuorced from Honestie begetteth but a bastardly progenie and it is a very dangerous doctrine to teach that Profite may be separated from honestie when there is nothing profitable vnlesse it be honest He therefore that maketh diuision betweene profite and honestie peruerteth Nature and hee seeketh but his owne shame that seeketh but his owne profite All Policie therefore is to be reiected that tendeth not to publique profite or that preferreth the vaine policies of men before the infallible policie reuealed in the worde of God for these Polititians for the most part doe neuer consider that the principal things that do bring miseries and disorders to whole Countries Kingdoms are such offences as are counted directly against the Maiestie of God Looke into histories and you shall find no states-men more pestilent to a Common-wealth then these Polititians that squared out their gouernment by the rules of their owne wits Looke into the two Catoes the one with his frantique accusations disturbing the whole Common-wealth of Rome and the other going about ouer-wisely to protect it did vtterly subuert it yea and Cicero with all his eloquence was as troublesome amongst the Romanes as Demosthenes was amongst the Athenians There be many other of these great polititians which might be named that with their peeuish disciplines haue disturbed the quiet of states so that in mine opinion there is not a more pestilent thing then this plague of policy which diuides it selfe from the policie prescribed by the rule of Gods word When the humour of preferring our countrie before any other thing was had in request there was no man so meane but if he could endeuour his Countries good his reputation was aduanced and his wisdom was not suffered to go away emptie-fisted then men might speake freely so they spake truly but after the Polititian he that hath but a Mammon for his God and Machiuell for his ghostly father had once gotten the mannaging of Common-wealth affaires they haue so prohibited this libertie of free speaking for their Country with their prescription of Quod supra nos nihil ad nos that the meanes whereby the Romanes the Grecians many other florishing estates wrought their greatest woonders in aduauncing their Common-wealths were long sithence taken away vnder the colour of Policie and pregnancie of wit We are priuileged by our Country and vnder the ensignes of her authoritie it is not onely lawfull for vs to spend our liues but it is like behoueful to vndertake any thing that may be for her safetie and the good of our Prince Curtius for the good of his common-wealth leaped into the Gulfe Sceuola burned his hand because he missed the killing of Porcenna Horatius fought against the whole armie of the Tuscans whilest the Bridge was broken behind his backe But these dayes are past for many that did then striue who should exceed in Vertue do now contend how the one might excell the other in Vice and that feruencie of zeale that we should beare to God to our Prince and to our Countrey it is growne cold and it is conuerted to this olde Adage Euerie man for himselfe and God for vs all as they would haue it but I say If euerie man be for himselfe the Diuell for vs all for so we shall find it I must here craue your gentle patience that you would please to giue me leaue to Lie a little and yet a little time would hardly serue my turne for if I should lie but according to the truth I meane if I should tell all that is reported a whole Resme of Paper would not suffice my little wit to set it downe at large but if they be lies they shall cost you no money you shall haue them cheape inough in conscience I will not aske with the Lawier for euerie lie a Fee no keepe your money till you haue need of Lawiers helpe For mine owne part I haue had little to doe amongst Lawiers but for those few that I do know and haue had to deale withall I dare protest them to be Gentlemen of that honest life and conuersation euerie way as there is no exceptions to bee taken against them The Text that I haue now taken in hand is to speake of Faults The innocencie then of those that be good must not be a shelter to those that be bad and all the ill that I haue to speake is but by report but Report is a lier and let him be so still A man for all that may tell a lie by report I wil proue it I hope the Lawiers themselues will vpholde the cause that are driuen in their proceedings at the Bar to vent a great number of lies but as
find such plentie of fraude linked together with violence as if one were brought into the world to subuert and roote out another and I thinke the world would suddenly perish if wrath were not by mercie appeased We speake of Honestie but it is with halfe a lip and for Vice we seeme to shut it out at the broade gate but we priuily take it in againe at the Wicket we make a gappe where the gate stands open and we seeke to enter by force where the high way lyes by fauour We desire to come to Christ by night with Nichodemus that no bodie might see vs for feare of worldly losses and it is a point of wisdome to take Christ in one hand and the world in another and to make some outward appearance a litle to satisfie the world if it be but with a dumb shew A man for fashions sake may inroll himselfe in the Muster booke of Iesus Christ but in the day of seruice he may ranke himselfe to fight in Satans campe It is enough for vs to cry Lord Lorde but not to doe any thing that is commanded by the Lord of Lords if we doe thinke of God we thinke him easie enough to be pleased we know how to driue him off and to gaine time till wee haue a more fit opportunitie Man is made of body and soule and the bodie is then in his most florishing estate when the soule is best obeyed but the body rebelling and waxing lazie and sluggish the soule then beginneth to faint but the soule being immured in the durtie prison of the body feeleth not her owne euill but in the euill that she there indureth Reason that shoulde rule is but inclosed in the narrowe compasse of the head all the rest of the partes of the body besides are left to affections Anger raigning in the fortresse of the heart Pride Lust Concupiscence and such other possessing all the partes of the body our eyes whose office should be to direct our steppes in a right course are they not our geratest stumbling blockes what enemies more malitious to vs than our eares that are still wide open to wickednesse The tongue is it not more apt to speake ill than good our hands our feete and all the rest of our other partes more nimble and ready to vanitie than vertue Euery Idea of folly is become our summum bonum our necessary and naturall members first created as the ministers to the Soule are now become the disturbers of our innocencie our braine in stead of wise precepts are cloyed with idle imaginations our eyes the dreamers of our discretions are made the blindnesse of the insight of our soules What is man a bodie subiect to a thousand diseases a thousand harmes a thousand daungers weake fraile fraught with miseries within wrapped with wretchednesse without alwayes incertaine of life euermore assured of death Againe who is so found or healthie of bodie but hath a diseased mind and then if he were put to his choise had not rather to haue a sound mind in a sicke bodie then to be tormented with continuall griefe of minde in a healthfull bodie The waues and stormes of our affections raised with euerie puffe of wind doth so tosse and turmoile vs vp and downe that the best Pilots are driuen sometimes to strike saile and Reason it selfe is well neere driuen to forsake the Helme The greatest things in the world doe climbe but to fall and hee that climbeth most high his fal is greatest they haue their times an age to win and an houre to loose we compasse the heauens the earth and the sea with our foolish thoughts compasse our selues whiles we liue in sixe foote of aire and being dead within an ell of ground and who hath beene so much admired for his might which hath not beene as much contemned in his fall See the change of times a man now happie strait happelesse now compassed with friendes now ouercome with foes this day rich that day poore at Morne a Prince at night a Peasant Our worldly honour hangeth on brittle Ballance and our reputation runneth as the conceit of the common people will affoord sometimes Caesar renowned in the Senate accounted a Pater patriae no small time Emperour beloued of Brutus saluted by Cicero now Caesar a Tyrant slaine in the Senate Hostis Patriae bereft of his Diademe no Pater but Predator from an Emperor to a dead carkasse gored with his friends owne knife vnkind Brutus exclamed on by the declaiming Cicero O strange mutabilitie Notwithout wisdome the world is reported to be Sphericall for it is still turning and with great iudgement Fortune is said to be blind for she is still flitting and when we thinke to haue the surest footing we are euen then most subiect to declining It were good if euerie man would mend one but that will not be performed for we imitate nothing but what we doe see and when we doe see setting vppe that light that might giue vs example Let thy Conscience bee Commaunder to call Reason to account whether she hath subiected her selfe to sensuall appetite and let Conscience examine thy Will whether her desires haue beene chaste or as a Harlot she hath lusted after her own delights He that could cal himselfe to this account and could aduisedly consider of that eternitie to the which the Soule is prepared he would neuer seeke to patch a peece and to lengthen out his hopes with such fraile and transitorie stuffe that he neuer thinkes of death till the one of his feete be alreadie in the graue Death it is that looseth vs from the chaines of bondage it onely setteth vs free from calamities and it bringeth vs to the harbour of happinesse God grant vs whilest we doe liue so to liue that our life might serue him and when we die our death might set him foorth that our life might die in him our death liue to him and that both life and death might glorifie him FINIS All things best in time and season Augustus wel pleased with fault finders Pasquils piller many restrained more for feare of the world then for feare of God Satyrists not inconuenient Those soonest find fault that tread most awry An example of great charitie We can espie other mens faults but not our owne Please all please none If men will misconster the fault is theirs A gauld Iade They haue found out new mines of new fashions Preuention Iestmonger Will steale other mens iestes Brode iesters Slouenly iesters No feast with out a foole or a flatterer Parasite Tabacco and Flattery both smoky vapors Men are willing to be flattered Fit to be flattered Too many in these dayes Alexander not free from flatterie A good requitall of an Emperour Floures of curtesie Better to hit a Parasite on the eare than to lend him thine eare Fashion-monger Fantasticke His head the store-house of wisedome Malecontent State Ape Trauailers may well speake of wonders The greatest Vertue A