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
cease Mishaps and paines are the fruits of the garden of our life the poorenesse of our way of birth may stead us as a rudiment in the first Classe the cryes and teares of the cradle are our Grammar the creeping weakenesse and pittifull infirmities of Boy-age like soe much Rhetoricke and now can there be a more subtile Philosophy then that of â—he consideration of the calamities which are destined to youth Is it not â—asie to become a great Naturallist by vertue of meditating the fruitfulnesse of our nature in the production both of ils and paines which continually afflict us and what better Metaphysicks He which goes out Doctor in the knowledge of himselfe is ignorant of nothing then contemplations of our Beeing ever rowling to â—ts ruine Let us draw then the conclusion of this Argument and joyne with as much reason as interest to these two Voâ—umes so renowned the Bible and the â—ace of Heaven where al sorts of Scienâ—es are in their source Death and immortality are only separated buâ— with the length of an instant This also of our â—ortall and decaying nature since it intructs us the Art to pry our selves in our Corruptions that wee may recover our â—elves in immortality When I consider that the Earth was â—eated of nothing Man of nothing and Man made of this nothing and the greatnesses which environs him are nothing at all and all the pleasures which hee idolatrizeth are also of the same stuffe The world subsists not but upon the foundation of its continual revolution I remainâ— all confused with astonishment nor eâ—ver able to conceive the subject of his vanity nor the reason of his arrogance poore corrupted Vapour with advancing it selfe A vapour Man elevating himselfe too high measures the depth of the Abysses of his Precipice is soon transformed into a Cloud to conceale its noysomnesse but yet by way of this elevation iâ— resolved into Lightnings and Thunder and afterward retumbles into the ditcheâ— from whence first it had its beginning A Puffe of wind which tumbles in its ownâ— violence A B last angry perhaps that it cannot subsist but in flying and that the action of its continuall flight is the beginning of its ruine Smoake A smoake which with 〈◊〉 vaine assault will needes scale the Heavens and yet hardly can one well distinguish the intervall betweene its firsâ— beeing and extinction Worme Wee are all already but rottennesse fince already wormes begin to devour us A streamâ— a poore glistering Worme which dazles none but purblinâ— spirits and gives light to those wormes which devoure it in private a streame alwayes murmuring alwayes trilling away And now why shall all these goodly nuâ—litie and all these pleasant Chimeraes insinuate to us the vanity which they are of shall these cozening appearances bestablish'd here below with Soveraignty bee it then onely in desire or in dreame Every thing corrupts the very eye which now reads these truths shall not be exempt for with what gilded rine so ere they bee out-sided Corruption is their Forme and Dust their Matter I am astonished that Man should be capable to mistake himselfe even to the point of forgetting what hee was then when hee yet was not what he is now whilst he enjoyes the beauty of the day and what hee must one day bee at the Sun-set of his life Assuredly yes I am astonisht at it Nature exhibites us so many Mirrours of Jnconstancy as she hath produced objects since all created things may serve him for a Mirrour to contemplate therein apparantly the verity of his miseries The Heavens though whirling about with a Motion alwayes equall in the same spaces of their carreere Since that Nature it selfe is mortall this second cause ceasing the ruine of these effects is infallible doe not cease to wax old even their age represents to us naturally our decay Though the Starres shine with a sparkeling Iuster as cleare as at the first Day of their creation yet as they are attached within those circles of Ages whose continual motion is limited they approach by little and little to their last West where their light must be extinct and the pace of their course shewes us the way of our life since time conducts us all together though diversly to our end The Fire so greedy that it devours it selfe when finding no more fuell to nourish it is it not a Mirrour of the Lampe of our life whose kindled weeke goes out when the Oyle of the Radicall moysture failes it The Aire which corrupts continually is it not an Image of our corruption and without doubt the Waters transparent body represents us the fragility of ours and its liquid crystalline alwayes rolling away makes us see in its gliding Every thing flees away from us and in running after them wee runne to Death our flitting nature The earth could not have figured us better then shee doth since wee are to day of the same matter and to morrow of the like forme What fairer Mirrour then that of Flowers where we may see in one day the whole course of our life for at Sun-rise the buds resemble our Infancy at noone the same now full blowne our youth The world is a Nose-gay of flowers which by little and little wither all together and at Dayes-end themselves now quite withered our last age I will not speake of all the other Species of creatures animate how every one in its selfe though living is an Image of death It sufficeth me to cherish this remembrance and leave to you thereof the meditation What shall I tell yee of Fortune of honours riches Fortune hath nothing more her owne then her Inconstancy and all these glorious qualities of valour Beauty and a thousand other besides which vanish away with us This blind Goddesse hath a Mirrour under her feet whose round figure shewes us at once both her instability and our inconstancy as for greatnesse and riches the ashes of those which have possest them are as so many fresh Crystalls of a Mirrour which flatters not wherein we may see the vanity both of their enjoyment and of their possessors Those other qualities of faire and valiant are of the same nature as those sensitive and vegetable soules There is nothing immortall in maâ— but vertue which dye together with the subject which they animate without leaving ordinarily so much as one smal memoriall for marke that they have had a beeing otherwise and in sequell to these truths can you find a truer Mirrour Man is the Mirrour of Man so that by due contemplation of one part he may save the whole then this of our selves since every part nay what say I every action and every sigh is an animate pourtrait of Death Insomuch that wee draw the breath of so many continuate Gaspes without ability of dispose of one onely instant to give internall to this exercise How is it then possible that
and ret orts upon it's own paces Man may be sayd to be happy in being subject to all mishaps But Man contrarily being setled upon the declining stoop of his ruine rouls insensibly without intervall to the grave his prison Death is a grace rather than a paine O deare ruine 〈◊〉 O sweet captivity since the soule recovers her freedome and this Sepulture serves but as a Furnace to purifiâ—â— his body The Aire although it corrupt is not for all that destroyed thâ— corruption of Man destroyes its materiall O glorious destruction since iâ—steades him as a fresh disposition to render him immortall The Fire thougâ— it fairely devoure all things is yet preserved still it selfe to reduce all thâ— World into Ashes But Man perceive himself to be devoured by Time with out ability ever to resist it Oh benâ—ficiall Impotence since hee findes hâ—â— Triumph in his overthrow The â—elâ—citic of man in this world consists in the necâ—ssity of death the Sunnâ— causeth alwayes admiration in its oâ—dinary lustre but Mans reason is impaired in the course of Times Oh weâ—come impairement since Time ruinâ— it but onely in an Anger knowing thâ— it goes about to establish its Empire beyond both time and Ages In find the Heavens may seem to wax old 〈◊〉 their wandring course How happy is man in decaying evermore since he thus at last renders himselfe exempt from all the miseries which pursue him they yet appear the same still every day as they were a thousand yeeres a'gon Man from moment to moment differs from himselfe and every instant disrobes him somewhat of his Beeing Oh delightfull Inconstancy since all his changes make but so many lines which abut at the Center of his stability A long life is a heavie burthen to the soule since it must render an account of all its moments How mysterious is the Fable of Narcissus the Poets would perswade â—â—s that Hee became selfe-enamoured â—â—ewing Himselfe in a Fountaine But 〈◊〉 am astonish't how one should become amorous of a dunghill though â—overed with Snow or Flowers A face cannot be formed without Eyes Nose â—nd Mouth and yet every of these â—arts make but a body of Misery and Corruption as being all full of it This Fable intimates us the repreâ—ntment of a fairer truth since it inâ—â—tes a Man to gaze himselfe in the â—ountaine of his teares thus to become morous of himselfe not for the liâ—eaments of dust and ashes whereof â—s countenance is shap't but rather of â—ose beauties and graces wherewith his soule is ornamented and all these together make but a rivelet If a man could contemplate the becauties of his soule in innocence he would alwaies be surprized with us love which leads him to the admiration of that source from whence they tooke their originall Oh how David was a wise Narcissus then when hee made of his Teares a Mirrour If a man would of en view himselfe in the teares of his repentance be would soon become a true selfâ—over so to become enamour'd of himselfe for he was so selfe-loving in his repentance that in this Hee spent both dayes and nights with unparelleled delights But if Narcissus ship-wrack't himselfe in the fountaine of his selfe-fondnesse This great King was upon point to Abysse himselfe in the Sea of his tâ—eres All the vaine objects of the world are so many fountaines of Narcissus wherein prying men may shâ—pwracke themselves for their liquid Crystalline shewd him to himselfe so beautifull that hee burned with desire thus to drowne himselfe Ladies vieâ— your selves in this Mirrour since you are ordinarily slaves to your owne selve love You will be faire at what price soever see here is the meanes The Crystall Mirrour of your teares flatter not contemplate therein the beauty of this grace which God hath given you to bewaile your vanities This is the onely ornament which can render you admirable All those deceitfull Chrystals Teares are the faithfullest Mirours of penitence which you weare hang'd at your Girdles shew you but fained beauties wherof Art is the work-mistresse and cause rather then your visages Would yee be Idolaters of the Earth which you tread on your bodies are but of Durt but if you will have them endeared where shall I find tearmes to expresse their Noysomnesse Leave to Death his Conquest and to the Wormes their heritage If Ladies would take as much care of their souls as of their bodies they would not hazard the losse both of one and to'ther and search your selves in that originall of Immortality from whence your soules proceed that your actions may correspond to the Noblenesse of that cause This is the most profitable counsell which I can give You It is time to end this Chapter Great Kings I serve you this Morning instead of a Page to awake You and remembrance You that you are Men I meane Subjects to Death and consequently destinated to serve as a Prey to the Wormes a Shittle-cocke to the Windes and matter for to forme an object of horror and astonishment to you altogether Muze a little that your life passeth away as a Dreame The meditation of our nothingnesse is a soveraigne remedie against vanitie thinke a little that your thoughts are vaine consider at the same time that all that is yours passes and flies away You are great but this necessity of Dying equals you to the least of your subjects Men are so neare of blood together that all beare the same name Your powers are dreadfull but a very hand-worme mocks at 'em your riches are without number but the most wretched of men carry as much into the grave as you In fine may all the pleasures of Life make a party in Yours yet they are but so many Roses whose prickles onely remaine to you at the instant of Death Man hath nothing so proper to him as the misery to which hee is borne The horror which environs You chaseth away your greatnesses the weakenesse which possesseth you renders unprofitable your absolute powers and onely then in that shirt which rests upon your backe are comprised all the treasures of your Coffers Are not these verities of importance enough to breake your sleepe If the earth be our mother heaven is our father I awake you then for to remembrance you this last time that you are Men but destined to possesse the place of those evill Angels whose Pride concaved the Abysses of Hell that you are Men but much more considerable for the government of your reason then your Kingdome That you are Men but capable to acquire all the felicities of Heaven if those of the Earth are by you disdained That you are Men but called to the inheritance of an eternall Glory if you have no pretence to any of this world Lastly that you are Men but the living images of an infinite and omnipotent one Though the body and soule together make up the man there is yet as
Regius L. C. The APPROBATION when Printed at PARIS THis Booke which expresseth to thee in a Mirrour a dying life and life-devouring Death layes thee open to thy selfe Reader in such a happie shape of truth and so cleare a light of a sublime style that thou canst not scape thy selfe Gaze hereon often that this ill presence of thine as now it is may not be so thine eternally Thus I wish MART. LUENKENS Licentiate of sacred Theolog. and Prof. Ordin Apostolicke and Regall L. C. The SCOPE addrest to the SERIOUS LEt merrier Spleenes reade Lazarill or laugh At Sancho Pancho or the Grapes-blood quaffe And tickle up their Lungs with interlace Of Tales and Toyes that furrow up the face With wrinckling Smiles But if they abusive be To slight these hints of their Mortalitie Urg'd by our Authour 't is a foolish way And weakely does become corruptive Clay If they doe meerely carpe and lye o' th' catch Harme be to them that onely for harme watch Solomon said it the deriding scornes Of fooles are but cracklings of flaming thornes Let them that will our sober sadnesse shun Goe to the merry Devill of Edmonton Or some such Plot whose Author 's drift hath bin To set the people on the merry pinne Here is no Scope for such as love to jeere Nor have we Theame for Panto-Mimicks heere They that are ravisht with each jygging Toy Let 'em laugh on and jolly mirth enjoy Fairely be this a warning here 's no sport And 't is all one if they be sorry for 't Or if they care not Sit they merry then Here 's for the Genius of more solide men SERRES salutes the serious who are such Their better-moulded intrals he doth twich With stirring truths and weigh 'em to the poize Of equall judgement without gigling noise Sad Meditations here compose the Looke Socratick-like with no flash-humour shooke Dust Earth and Ashes are the Epithites Here propriate to the best and all the Sights Expos'd in this True MIRROVR to the Eye Are Death the Grave and the World's Vanitie The frailtie of mankind and some have try'de Such pensive thoughts will lay the dust of Pride THE PARAGRAPHS so compriz'd in the Emblemes giving subject to the Author's Discourses following I. PHILIP the King of Macedon Dayly was rowz'd and call'd upon By a shrill Page whose Bon-jour ran Remember SIR you are a Man II. A Shirt is all remaines in fine To victorious SALADINE At Death a piece of Linnen is All that Great Monarch could call his III. ADRIAN slights Triumphall glory In the Grave founds his prime story Before all pompe hee doth preferre His Mausolaean Sepulcher IV. DIOGENES in Cynicke guise Puts ALEXANDER to surmise I' th' Miscellanie of the Dead Which is a King 's or Common's Head A Morallize on these Sieur SERRES writes Nor Comick Jeasts nor amorous toy's endites Their Paphian Dames whil'st others loosely sing The Knell of Death his solemne style doth ring Those subjects which whole heards of Poets use Thred-bare his nobler Soule disdaines to chuse While richly such a Reader These will fit Whose judgement prizeth wisedome above wit A PROLVSION upon the EMBLEME of the first Chapter or Tract RISE for a serene Morne brings on the Day The Sunne is mounted onward of his way The Anthymne's high among the feather'd Quires A lively breath the agile Aire inspires Draw-ope the Curtaines doe not close the Eye From the fresh beauties of the Azure-Skie Marke what a smart Bon-jour his Page did bring Each Morne to PHILIP Macedonia's King REMEMBER Royall Sir You ARE A MAN The houres are wing'd the length of life 's a span This pow'rfull hint stirr'd up the King to rise Whose name Heroick deeds immortalize Grosse-vapour'd heavie-headed sleepers wake In the bright Morne no more soft slumbers take For Action Man was made Our Life 's a Race He that would winne the Prize must runne apace Be not enchanted with the lulling Downe That charmes the senses in Lethargick swowne Leave the enclosure of Bed-Canopie And give the view more spacious libertie Forsake the grave-type Couch where Deaeth doth keepe His nightly Sessions imaged by Sleepe He that 's a Dormouse for the time is dead And is entomb d alreadie in his Bed Who knowes how soone that sheet whereon he lyes May single serve to enwrap him when he dyes How soone these lazie feather-bedded bones May Coverletted be with Marble-stones Where no joynt-suppling-warmth shall give refresh To high-fed veines or ease-improved flesh Where those puffâ— grossures which o're-curious cost Hath surfet-swolne are putrified and lost Who would be Epicurian since 't is thus Wee that eate all things else wormes will eate Vs Or who would be o're-haughtie since to Earth He must returne as thence he had his Birth Mean while ' though life's quick-sand doth hourely passe A sluggard sleepes our more then halfe his Glasse Be Active while you may for Time's post-haste Spurres on each forward Minute to the last Such Thoughts as these best fit the Morning 's prime To Rouze Men's Spirits to Redeeme the Time Let such our Mattens be ere Death's sad Knell Summon our wand'ring Soules to Heaven or Hell Sir Remember that you are a Man PHILIP King of MACEDON comanded one of his Pages to Awake him euery Morning Call aloud to him SIR Remember that You are a MAN THE MIRROVR WHICH FLATTERS NOT. CHAP. I. Homo ab humo MAN remember thou art Man never forget thy name if thou wilt not forget thy safety Thou art called Earth thou art made but of Earth Man is a thing of nothing onely in appearance son what but the Earth subsists and thou vanishest but the earth remaines firm and thy dust flyes away Study thy miseries meditate thy disasters thou art nothing in effect but if thou be any thing imaginable I dare not so much as compare thee unto a dreame because the frailty of thy nature hath something both more feeble and lesse constant an Apparition hath above thee the simplicity of the Elements whereof it is composed a shadow implies yet the advantage of the Noblenesse of its beginning since the light produceth it Nay lastly a very straw oâ— an Atome dispute against thee also with reason for the purity of substance since they are corruptible without infection but thy heape of filth gives horrour to thy owne thoughts One cannot give he description of Man but by misery nor of misery but by Man insomuch that I anâ— constrained to match thee to thy selfe for to suggest thee the truth of thy slightnesse What a goodly Schoole is the world and our condition a faire booke and all the sad accidents to which Naturâ— subjects it as so many gracious Lessons May not a man iustly say that the earth is a Colledge wherein the diversity oâ— Times and Ages signe out the diversit of Classes in which wee may equall make the course both of our studies anâ— dayes under the sway of those miseries which accompany us without
of the Day which with a continuall aspect We are all amourous of our selves not knowing for what for our defects are objects rather of hate then Love contemplates all created things cannot make reflexion of his beames to see himselfe as if his mother Nature had apprehended in making him so glorious that the Mirrour of his light might not be metamorphosed into a fire of love to render him amorous of his owne proper lustre But the Intellect this Sunne of our Soules has a faculty with which it can both contemplate out of it selfe all things A Man cannot stumble ordinarily but through perveâ—snesse since Reason enlightens him in the very worst wayes and repeale againe the same power to consider it selfe which makes a Man capable not onely of the Meditation of the miseries of the World but also of that of the afflictions and troubles which inseparably keeps him company to the grave We reade of Moses that God commanded him to frame the * The Laver which was before the Tabernacle Exod. 38.8 fore-front of the Tabernacle all of Mirrours to the end that those that should present themselves before his Altar might view themselves in this posture of Prayer O this excellent Mysterie Mortals it behooves you to view your selves in the Mirrour of your Ashes if you would have your vowes heard God hath taught us an excellent way of Prayer Give us this day our daily bread But why O Lord teachest thou us not to aske thee our bread for to Morrow There is nothing assured in Life but its continuall Death as well as for to day O how good a reason is there hereof This is because that life hath no assurance of tom-orrow besides that it is an excesse of grace that wee may be bold to crave of him the bread of our nourishment for all a whole day since every moment may be That of our Death Reader let this verity serve thee yet as a Mirrour 'T is not sufficient to muse of the necessity of dying but to consider also that every houre may be our Lost if thou would'st have thy prayers to pierce the heavens This is not all to know thy body is a Colosse of filth which is traild along from one place to another as it were by the last struggle of a Life alwayes languishing It behooves thee also to call to mind that every instant may terminate the course of thy troublesome carriere and that this suddaine retreate constraines thee to bid Adieu for ever to all the things of the world which thou cherishedst most Thoughts onely worthy of a noble spirit I have eaten Ashes as bread Psal 102. 9. Cinerem tan quam panem manducabam sayes the Royall Prophet but how is it possible I conceive his thought He entertained his soule with the remembrance of the Ashes of his body and this truth alone serv'd as object to his imagination for to satisfie the appetite of his Soule Lord give me both the same relish and desire to repast my selfe still thus of Dust and Ashes in remembrancing my selfe alwayes that I am nothing else A man to abase himselfe below that which he is being so poore a thing of nothing O sweet remembrance of my rottennesse since it steads me for eternall nourishment of my Soule O precious memorie of my Nothingnesse since able to satisfie the appetite of my heart Let this be the daily bread O Lord which thou hast taught me to aske thee to the end that all my desires together nourishment I recollect my selfe in this digression Having diverse times mused of the imbecillity and weakenesse of Man Si vitrei essemus minus casus timeremus S. Aug. I am constrain'd to cry out with St. Augustin What is there that can be more fraile in Nature If we were of Glasse pursues hee our condition might therein be better There is nothing more brittle than glasse yet man is more for a Glasse carefully preserv'd may last long time and yet what paine somever Man takes to preserve himselfe and under what shelter somever hee shrowds himselfe for covert to the storme hee breakes and is shattered of himselfe What reply you to these verities Great Princes Well may you now be arrogant The fragilitie of Glasse cannot admit of comparison with this of your nature what seat will you give to your greatnesse and what foundation to your vanity Man is fully miserable since his life is the source of his miseries when the wind alone of your sighs may shipwracke you upon the Sea of your owne proper teares what surnames will you take upon you for to make you be mis-taken That of Immortall would become you ill since every part of your body serves but as a But to the shaftes of Death Invincible A man may doe every thing with vertue without it nothing would also be no way proper since upon the least touch of mishap you are more worthy of pity then capable of defence Would you be called Gods your Idolaters would immolate you to their owne laughter Tread under foot your Crownes if rightly you will be crowned with them you onely thus render your selves worthy of those honours which you misprize for Glory consists not in the possessing it Heaven cannot bee acquâ—red but by the misprize of earth but in the meriting and the onely means to obtaine it is to pretend nothing at all to it How remarkeable is the custome of the Locrians at the Coronation of their Kings They burnt before them a handfull of Tow to represent unto them the instability of their grandeurs and the greedinesse of Time to destroy them In effect all the greatnesses of the Earth are but as a bundlet of Tow All the grandour of Kings is but as the blaze of flaming tow and then when Darius would make of them his treasure Mis-hap set fire on them and reduced 'em into Cinders and when hee had yet in his heart a desire to immortalize them a new fire seaz'd his intrals by the heat of thirst which burn'd him to the end to consume at once both the cause and the effect So true it is that the Glory of the world vanisheth away like Smoke Great Kings if you build a Throne of Majestie to the proofe both against Time and Fortune lay its foundation upon that of your miseries He which esteems himselfe the least of all is the greatest Humility takes her rise in low linesse from the lowest footing when she makes her flight into the heavens O how admirable is the Humility of Saint Iohn Baptist They would give him titles of Soveraignty in taking him for the Messias but call to you Memory how with an ejaculation oâ— Love and reverence hee precipitateâ— himselfe both with heart and thoughâ— into the Abysse of his owne Nothingnesse there to admire in all humility both Greatnesse and Majesty in his Throne I am but a voyce Vox clamantis in deserto Iohn 1.23
Mercurie Trimegistus that thou hast reason to publish that Man is a great miracle The magnificence of man hath neither bounds nor limits since God is his end since God himselfe hath been willing to espousâ— his condition to shew us in its miseâ—ries the miracles of his Love I confesse Pythagoras that thou hast had no lesse ground to maintainâ— that Man was a mortall God Though a man still fade away hee is yet a lively pourtray of immortallitie since except this sweet necessitie which subâ—jects him to the Tombe hee has thousand qualities in him all immoâ—â—tall I should finally have beene 〈◊〉 advise with thee Plato then when thoâ— preachedst every where that Maâ— was of the race of the Gods since 〈◊〉 piece of work so rare and so perfect could not proceed but from a hand Omnipotent All the creatures are admirable as the effects of a soveraigne and independant cause but man has attributes of an unparalleld glory I meane this Rivelet of admiration could not proceed but from a source most adorable I am of thy opinion Plotinus henceforth will maintaine every where with thee that Man is an abridgement of the wonders of the world Since that all the Univers together was created but for his service pleasure Say we yet moreover that those wonders of the world so renowned are but the workes of his hands so that also the actions of his spirit can take their Rise above the Sun and beyond the heavens and this too now in the chaines of its servitude Great Kings Be it supposed that you are living pourtraits of Inconstancy Man flies away by little little from one part of himselfe shat hee may entirely into himselfe The perfection of your Nature lyes in this defect of your powers for this Vicissitude which God hath rendred inseparable to your condition is a pure grace of his bounty since you wax old onely that you may be exempted from the tyranny of Ages since I say you dye every moment only to make acquisition of that immortallity to which his love has destin'd you This defect of inconstrancie is the perfection of man since he ischangeable to day to bee no more so to morrow O happy Inconstancy if in changing without cease we approach the poinâ— of our soveraigne felicity whose foundations are immoveable O dear Vicissitude if row ling without intervall in the dust of our originall we approach by little and little to thosâ— Ages of glory which beyond aâ— time assigne at our End the beginninâ— of a better Carreere O Gloriouâ— Death since terminated at that crueâ— instant A man is onely happy in the perpetuall inconstancie of his condition which separates us from Immortality It is true I confesse it againe Greâ—â— Kings that you are subject to all thâ— sad accidents of your subjects The greatest miserie that can arrive to a man is to offend God Buâ— what happinesse is it if these misfoâ—tunes are as so many severall wayeâ— which conduct you into the Port. Bâ—â— it granted that you are nothing bâ—â— Corruption in your Birth Miserie 〈◊〉 your Life and a fresh infection 〈◊〉 many attributes of honour to yoâ—â— since you disroabe your selves in tâ—â— grave of all your noisomnesse for 〈◊〉 Decke your selves with the ornamenâ— of Grace of felicity and glory whiâ—â— belong in proper to your soules as being created for the possession of all these Good Things Heaven ' Earth Nature the very Divels are admirers of the greatnesse of man Who can be able to dimension the greatnesse of Man since he who hath neither bounds nor limits would himselfe be the circumference of it Would you have some knowledge of Mans power heare the commandement which Iosuah made to the Sunne to stop in the middest of his carreere Would you have witnesses of his strength Samson presents you all the Philistins buried together under the â—uines of the Temple whose foundations he made to totter Require you some assurances of his courage Iob offers you as many as he has sores upon his body In fine desire you some proofes of his happinesse Heaven has sewer of Starres then of felicities to give him Man may bee whatsomever hee will be What name then shall we â—ttribute him now that may be capable to comprehend all his glory There â—s no other then this of Man and Pilate did very worthily no doubt to turne â—t into mockage before the Jewes Iohn 19.5 hee â—hews them a God under the visage of Ecce homo Behold the Man a Man Let the world also expose the miseries of Man in publicke The name Man is now much more noble than that of Angels His Image of Earth is yet animated with a divine spirit which can never change Nature Well may they teare his barke the Inmate of it is of proofe against the strokes of Fortune as well as the gripes of Death The Man of Earth may turne into Earth but the Man of heaven takes his flight alwayes into heaven With what new rinds some-ever a man hee covered he beares still in his sorehead the markes of his Creator That Man I say fickle and inconstant kneaded and shap't from durt with the water of his owne teares may resolve into the same matter But this stable and constant Man created by an omnipotent hand remaines uncessantly the same as incapable of alteration Rouse then your selves from sleepe great Princes Hee that would alwayes muse of Eternitie would without doubt acquire its glory not for to remember Death but rather to represent unto your selveâ— that you are immortall since Death hath no kind of Dominion over youâ— Soules which make the greatest as being the Noblest part of you Awake then great Monarchs not foâ— to Muse of this necessity which draweâ— you every houre to the Tombe buâ— rather to consider that you may exempt your selves from it if your Actions be but as sacred as your Majesties Man ia a hidden treasure whose worth God onely knowes Great PRINCES Awake and permit mee once more to remembrance You that you are Men I meane the Master-pieces of the workes of God since this divine worke-Master hath in conclusion metamorphosed himselfe into his owne worke My feathered pen can fly no higher Man only is she ornament of the world Those which have propounded that Man was a new world have found out proportionable relations and great correspondencies of the one to the other for the Earth is found in the matter whereof hee is formed the Water in his â—eares the Aire in his sighes the Fire â—n his Love the Sunne in his reason â—nd the Heavens in his imaginations But the Earth subsists and he vanisheth 〈◊〉 Sweet vanishment since he is lost 〈◊〉 himselfe that he may bee found in is Creator But the Earth remaines â—â—me and his dust flyes away O hapâ—y flight since eternity it it's aime The â—ater though it fleets away yet returns â—e same way
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
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
whole world what Courage is this to assaile and combate That which none could ever yet resist and what a power is it to tame That which never yet yeelded Echo her selfe hath not rebounds enow to resound aloud the wonders of this Victorie This is not the Triumph of Alexander when he made his entry into Babylon mounted upon a Chariot as rich as the Indies and more glistering then the Sunne In this we see no other riches but the rich contempt which ought to be made of them no other lustre but of Vertue This is not the Triumph of Caesar then when he was drawne unto the Capitoll by forty Elephants after he had wonne twenty foure battels In this we see nought else but a funerall pompe but yet so glorious that Death her selfe serves for a Trophie to it This is not the Triumph of Epaminondas where the glorious lustre of the magnificence sham'd the splendour of the day which yet lent its light to it The marvels which appear'd in this here seem'd as celebrating in blacke the Exequies of all the other braveries of the world since nothing can be seene more admirable then this To triumph over vice is the noblest Trophie This is not the Triumph of Aurelian where all the graces are led captive with Zenobia In this are to be seene no other captives but the world and all its vanities and their defeat is the richest Crowne of the Victor This is not the Triumph of that pompeous Queene of Egypt entring into Cilicia where shee rays'd admiration to her selfe in a Galley of unutterable value but in this wee contemplate the more then humane industrie of a Pilote who from the mid'st of the stormes and tempests of the world recovers happily to the Port the ship of his life though yet but in the way to approach to it In fine this is not the Triumph of Sesostris whose stately Chariot foure Kings drew Passions are the onely slaves of this and Death being here vanquisht this honour remaines immortall and the name of the Triumpher All the glory of men van sheth away with them Say we then once againe O how glorious a Triumph is this over Death O how brave is the victorie over our selves and the onely meanes thus to vanquish a mans-selfe is to bury his ambition before his body be ensepulchred preparing ne'rethelesse the tombe of both to the'nd that the continuall remembrances of Death may serve for temperament and moderation to the delights of life We reade of Paulus Aemilius that returning to Rome laden with wreaths of Laurell after the famous victorie over the Persians he made his entrance of triumph with so great pompe and magnificence that the Sunne seemed to rouze it selfe many times as if upon designe to contemplate these wonders Pompey desirous to expose to the view of day all the magnificent presents which Fortune had given him in his last conquests entred now the third time in Triumph into the City of Rome where the noyse of his valour made as many Idolaters as admirers gayning hearts and now conquering soules as well as before Realms and Provinces But it seemes that the glory which accompanyed him in this action had this defect not to be sufficiently worthily knowne even of those that were witnesses of it as surprizing by much all that they could possibly expresse of it There was seene advanc't before his Charriot in ostentation Vanitie is a dangerous enemie it flatters onely to surprize a Checker-worke composed of two sorts of precious stones whose beauty set them beyond all price But yet me thinks their sparkling might have in good time beene a light to him if by a feeling of fore-sight touching the inconstancie of his fortune hee had caused to have beene graven thereon the historie of his mishaps There was admired in sequell a Statue of the Moone all of Gold in forme of a Crescent and I am astonisht that this Image of change and Vicissitude made him not fore-see the deturning of the Wheele I meane the storme that was to succcede the calme of his happinesse He caus'd moreover to be caried before him a great number of Vessels of Gold never thinking that Death might soone replenish some part of them with his ashes There was seene to follow a Mountaine all of Gold upon which were all sorts of animals and many Trees of the same matter and this mountaine was enrounded with a Vine whose golden glittering dazled the eyes of all that considered its wonders Ambition is an incurable disease of the soule if in good time it be not lookt too This proud Triumpher was the Orpheus which to the Lyrick sound of his renowne attracted this Mountaine these Animals these Trees this Vine But as Orpheus so him also Fortune destinated a Prey to the fury of Bacchinals I meane the Eunuchs which put him to Death Three Statues of gold first Iupiters then Mars and then of Pallas came after These were his Gods and his Goddesse what succours could he expect from these Deities which had no subsistence but in statue and the copy of whose portraict had no principall There was had in admiration moreover over thirty Garlands all of gold and Pearles A man had need to have an excellent memorie not to forget himselfe among his honours but these Crownes were too weighty for his head from whence it came to passe that hee fell under the burden A golden Chappell followed after dedicated to the Muses upon which was a great Horologe of the same materials And as the Index still turned ought not he to have considered that the houre of his triumphing began to passe away and that of his overthrow would presently sound being sequell to the Lawes of that vicissitude to which Fate hath subjected all things His statue of gold enrich't with Diamonds and Pearles whereof nor hee himselfe nor hee that enwrought them knew the value followed in its course and in fine this his shadow was more happy then the true body as having never beene scuffled with but by time and the other was van quisht with miserie Then appeared the great Pompey seated upon a Throane where hee and Fortune seemed to give Laws to the whole world for his Triumphall Charriot was so richly glorious so magnificent in rarities so splendide in new and ne're-before-seene wonders that a ravishment surprized mens spirits elevating them at once from admiration to extasie not giving them leasure to make reflection upon the present realties Be it our constant meditation of the inconstancie to which all worldly things are subjected But this Triumphall Charriot still roul'd about and though the Triumpher remain'd seated in his place yet his Fortune turned about likewise Insomuch that in going to the Capitoll hee approach't by little little to the bank where his life and happinesse were equally enterred In fine for the fulnesse of Glory These proper names of the conquests which he had made were read in golden Characters The
world I say the winning'st or the pleasing'st since they guard themselves onely with such kind of weapons whose hurtings makes us often sigh rather for joy then griefe Certainely the Victory of Reason over all the revolted faculties of our â—oules merits alone the honour of a Triumph and what advantage somâ—â—er a man has over his enemies hee â—imselfe is yet still vanquisht if his â—ices be not subdued I pursue my deâ—â—gne They which have enthronized Vertue in their breasts have laid their foundations upon the ruines of their passions to testifie to us that a Man cannot be vertuous with their predominancy And after essay of diverse meanes upon designe to vanquish them I have found none more powerfull then this The Meditation of Death but if any doubt this the tryall on 't will be profitable for him How is it possible that a Man should let himselfe be mastered with the passion of Revenge if he but muze of that Vengeance which his sins may draw downe every moment upon his head as being every houre in estate to dye Hee shall heare rumble in his eares the thunder of Divine Justice by the continuall murmur of his sighs which advertize him of the approaches of Death What courage can he have to avenge himselfe being upon point himselfe to suffer the torment of eternall vengeance Thou that art Vindicative wilt thou then quench the ardour of thy Choller feele thine owne pulse and consider that this pety slow feaver wherewith thou art stormed leads thee by little and little into the grave 'T is more honour for a man to avenge himselfe of his choler then of his enemie Who can be Ambitious if musing of Death since hee must quitt all with his life Let us ponder a while the fate of those arrogant spirits which ha' muz'd themselves to conquer the vaine greatnesses of the Earth What hath beene in fine their share at the end of the carriere They have had nothing but unprofitable regreets to have so ill employ'd their time finding themselves so poore with all their treasure as if they had beene borne the wreched'st of the world Thou Ambitious-one willt thou be cured of the disease of thy Passion think each houre of the day that that which thou now hearest strike may be thy Last Who would sigh for prophane Love after these objects of dust and ashes Mortall frailtie brings blemish to the fairest visages and mightily takes from their opinion being well considered if he often considered that hee himselfe is made of nothing else and that this noysome and corruptive matter seekaes nothing more then abysses of the grave there to hide within its loath somenesse in effect who would give his flesh a prey to pleasures if he would consider that the wormes do in expectation make their fees thereof already The Meditation of Death serves for temperament to all sorts of delights And if a Man bee capable of love in this muze it cannot be other then of his Salvation since this object is eternall but all others of the world perishable Infortunate Lovers search the solace of your immodest passions in the Anatomy of the subject whereof you are Idolaters Be assistant at that dead view Thinke of your owne Death Behold you are cured He which considers of that wretchednesse which is adjunct to Death easily mispriseth the riches of this life What wretched Rich man would be so much in love with his treasures if he would consider that Death robs him from them every day making him dye continually and that at the end of the terme of his life hee carryes along with him but the good or the evill which hee hath done to be either recompenc'd or punish'd but with a glory or a punishment whereof Eternity alone must terminate the continuance Covetous Misers the onely meanes for you to be so no more is to celebrate your owne funerals by your Meditations and often to consider the Account not of your riches but that which you must render one day of their fruition since your Salvation depends thereon Who in fine would make a God of his Belly seeking with passion all the delights which may tickle the sense of Taste if he represented to himselfe the miseries of the body which hee takes so much paines to nourish and the rigour of those inviolable decrees which destinate him a prey to the wormes and the remaines of their leavings to rottennesse This consideration would be capable to make him loose both appetite and desire at the same time to nourrish so delicately his carkasse O soules all of flesh repasting your selves with nothing else there is no invention to make you change nature but this to Heare your selves dye by the noyse of your sighs to See your selves dye by the wrinkles which furrow every day upon your visages and to Feele your selves die by the beatings of your pulse which indexeth this your hecticke feaver wherewith you are mortally attainted This is a Probatum-remedie the experience thereof is not dangerous May not a man then maintaine with much reason that the thought of Death alone is capable to cure our soules of the disease of their passions in doseing them both the meanes If a man should forget all things else but the miseries of his condition this last were enough to exercise the vastest memorie and the Vertue to triumph over them But if of this you desire an example call to mind that which I have proposed you in the beginning of the Chapter How marvellous is it that a great Monarch who is able to maintaine all manner of pleasure in his heart with all the delights which accompany it celebrates himselfe his Funeralls in the midst of his carriere of life beginning to raigne at the end of his raigne since that last object is alwayes present before his eyes His Passions doe assaile him but hee vanquisheth them they give him combate but he leads them in triumph and buryes them altogether in the Tombe which hee prepares himselfe Consider a little the glory which is relucent in this action We read of the Kings of Arabia that they triumphed upon Dromedaries the Kings of Persia upon Elephants of Croatia upon Bulls the Romanes upon horses and yet 't is remarkt of Nero that hee made himselfe be drawne in Triumph by foure Hermaphrodite Mares Camillus by foure white Horses Marke Antony by foure Lions Aurelian by foure Hearts Caesar by forty Elephants Heliogabalus by foure Dogges Moreover the Poets doe assure us that the triumphant Charriot of Bacchus was drawne by Tygers Neptunes by Fishes of Thetis by Dolphins Diana's by Harts of Venus by Doves Iuno's by Peacocks All these objects of pompe and magnificence whereof histories This Vanitie is a most contagious maladie and the onely preservative is the remembrance of Death and Fables would eternize the vanity have for all that done nothing but passe away and though a little remembrance of ' them stay with us 't is but the
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
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
Death gives them now equality There is now no place of affectation or range to be disputed the heap of your ashes and their dust make together but one hillocke of mould whose infection is a horrour to me I am now of humour not to flatter you a whit We read of the Ethiopians that they buryed their Kings in a kind of Lestall and I conceive there of no other reason then according to the nature of the subject they joyned by this action the shadow and the substance the effect with the cause the streame with its source for what other thing are we then a masse of mire dryed and bak'd by the fire of life but scattered againe and dissolv'd by the Winter of Death and in that last putrefaction to which Death reduceth us the filth of our bodyes falls to the durt of the earth as to its center for so being conceived in corruption let us not thinke strange to be buryed in rottennesse 'T is well men hide themselves after death in the Earth or the enclosure of Tombes their filth and noysomnesse would else be too discovert Earth dust and ashes remaine still the same be it in a vessell of gold or in a coffin of wood or in a Mausolean Tombe of marble Great Kings well may you cover your wretchednesse with a magnificent Sepulcher they will for all this not alter condition the noysomnesse of your bones is never without the abhorrement and putrefaction proper to them And if suppose their masse be reduced into dust and the wind carry it away the very wings of the wind are laden with rottennesse and can scatter nothing else in a thousand places where ere they fall I will a little straggle out the way without loosing my ayme Fabius Paulus reports that upon the Tombe of Isocrates there was a Syren seared upon a Ram and holding a Harp in her hand And this gave to understand That this famous Orator charmed mens soules through their eares by the sound of his admirable eloquence But whereas no melodious ayre was heard from the mute Harp of this Syren it was required of the Spectators to take for granted in imagination the harmony of her sweet touches How unsufferable is the vanity of men who even is on their Tombes will have the display of their vaine glory as embleme of the sweetnesse of this great Orators voyce But Death imposeth silence on both and thus remained they a sad sight both in object and mysteries contained under since now of these passages remaines no more but a weake remembrance and whereof Time by little and little effaceth even the Ideas Iohannes Baptista Fontanus relates that upon the Sepulcher of Q. Martius there was ' graven a Ramme supported upon the two fore-feet and a Hare dead by its side The Ramme represented the generosity of this great Captaine in all combats and the dead Hare his vanquisht enemies But what honour now remaines him after their defeat This van quisher of an infinite number of miserable wretches is at the last overcome with his owne miseries Though Triumphant in a thousand combats one marble stone now containes all his trophies and glory O deplorable fate to have but seven foot-earth after conquest of the greatest part of the earth Plutarch assures us that upon the Tombe of Alexander there was represented in Embleme Asia and Europe appearing vanquisht and in the chaines of their captivity with this mot which served as a fresh Trophy The victorie of Alexander O poore victorie O sorry triumph for where are now its Laurels and Palms This great Monarch conquered the whole world but being never able to conquer his ambition This in the end hath taken away all the glory which it made him acquire Great Princes advance then on to the conquest of the Vniverse but I advertise you one thing The misprise of the world is more glorious then all its honours All those that are returned from the same action have much repented themselves to have taken so great paynes for so small a matter * Le jeu ne vaut pas la chandelle The Game 's not worth the Candle as the Proverb But if you love to Conquer and triumph your passions will furnish you with such subject every houre Let 's once see the end of our carriere We read of Cyrus that he caus'd to be engraven these words upon the stone of his Monument HERE LYES THE CONQVEROVR OF THE PERSIANS But what excesse of mishap could have reduced so great a Monarch to such an excesse of wretchednesse must it be said Here lyes of one that lately stood so triumphant Would hee have men admire his past glory in view of that vault where he was enterred would he have men adore the magnificences of his Life upon the same Altar where Death exhibits him as a victime Is not this a vanity more worthy of compassion then envy The History of the life of Themistocles was to be read upon the marble of his Sepulcher but 't was forgotten there to depaint also the story of his Death 'T is but a poore satisfaction to have for recompence of so much paines but the ostentation of a glorious Sepulcher Behold the high deeds of Themistocles this was the inscription But to us it may be of importance to consider that although the wonders which he had done were onely graven upon the port of his Monument yet for all that they also made their entrie into it and followed the fate of their author so that now rests nothing of Themistocles but Name for of all that hee hath done the wind hath carryed away the glory and the small remembrance on 't which sticks by us is but a portraict of vanitie There was represented upon the Tombe of Ioshua the Sunne with this inscription Iosh 10.12 Sunne stand thou still upon Gibeon True it is the Sunne stood still in the mid'st of his carreere to give full Triumph to this great Captaine over his enemies But after they were overthrowne this Planet jealous of his glory conducts him also to his grave as not enduring to see any thing upon earth as durable as it selfe So true it is that all things here flit away There is no course swifter then that of Life to Death with the swiftnesse of a Torrent though their flight to us seeme much more slow The Epitaph which some * Sit fides penes Authorem writings report us of Adam has not so much splendour and magnificence as the others Hee is Dead sayes his Epitaph speaking onely of him O excellent Epitaph Men shall say no more of you one day Great Kings Well may you with Q. Martius come off victorious from all combats and enter in triumph into Cities with Alexander Well may you cause to be insculp't the History of your Acts upon the marble of your Sepulchers like as Themistocles and may you Sub-poena the Sun for a witnesse of the reality of your triumphs like
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