Liberty by Rebellious Actions yet you may be Deceiv'd and in the end thrust your selves in Absolute Slavery but it seems you had rather be Base Slaves than Loyal Subjects or else you would not be so apt to Mutiny as you are yet if you once Rebell I will indeavour to Destroy Every man that Opposes me or Stands Neuter and if I cannot Destroy you with that Power I have I will call in Forein Nations that shall Devour you for believe I will not be Ruined Alone but the Ruine of the whole Kingdome shall Accompany me A Recantation of the Poor Petitioning Subjects Most Dread Soveraign YOur most Sorrowfull and poor Petitioning Subjects hearing your Majesty was Displeased at their Complaints and Angry with them for coming in a Company together imploring your Majesties Favour and Redress of their Poor Condition not imagining that their Complaints would be taken as Factious and Seditious Murmurings or their Desires of Redress as Presumptuous Demands or that their Petitioning in a Company together would be taken for a Rebellious Insurrection they have sent Me a Poor man not daring to Come Together as they did to let your Majesty know how much Afflicted they are for your Displeasure which Displeasure they are more Grieved for than for any other Affliction that could come either upon their Lives Bodies Goods Wives or Children for they do Assure your Majesty and call Heaven to Witness for them that they came not for any Evil design to your Majesty nor your Majesties Government but only out of a Good Intent believing your Majesty did not Know what they did Suffer but if they had Known or but Imagined it had been your Majesties Will and Pleasure they should Suffer they would never have Complain'd and rather have Starved or Indured any Torment than Opposed your Majesty in any thing and if your Majesty thinks their Ignorant Fault is beyond a Pardon they are ready and willing to Indure any Punishment or to Dye at your Majesties Command Repenting Subjects to their Soveraign Most Gracious Soveraign VVE your most Penitent Subjects crave Pardon for our Faults not only with Tears in our Eyes but Sorrow in our Hearts for our Murmuring Speeches and Rebellious Actions for which we confess we Deserve to Die or worse as to indure great and grievous Torments but if your Majesties Clemency Spare our Bodies from Pain and our Lives from Death we are doubly nay trebly bound to your Majesty first by our Duties next for your Mercy and last for our Pardon to be not only your Majesties Loyal Subjects but Loyal Slaves And since there is no man so Perfect but is Subject to Offend and not in Light or Small Offences but Great and Grievous as not only against Man and man or against Nature but against God himself We hope your Majesty will Consider our Frail Natures and will rather blame Nature for Making us so than Us for Being so But since Repentance is the way to Forgiveness and Absolution follows Contrition we with Contrite Hearts and Humble Spirits crave your Mercy A Kings Speech to his Good Subjects MY Beloved and most Loving Subjects for so you are I have required your Assembling together that I may see You and you Me for I do not Love to be as a Stranger to my Subjects nor I would not have my Subjects as Strangers to me and if it were possible I would be acquainted with their Faces Degrees Qualities and Professions and not only be their King but their Friend not to Govern them in General but to Counsel and Advise in Particulars Indeed I have Reason to give you often Publick Visits as also Publick Thanks for your Loyalty and Love for your Obedience seems such as you seem to Watch for my Commands and your Love is such as you seem to prefer my Safety before your Own Lives and my Pleasures before your Own Profits in so much as you seem you did Desire only to Live to Serve me for which I Thank the Gods for making me so Happy to be a King of such Subjects whose only Strife is for my Favour who are Ambitious only for my Fame and take a Pride in my Glory whose Valours Inlarge my Dominions whose Industries Inrich my Treasuries whose Delights are my Pleasures whose Love Protects my Person and whose Prayers are for my Health and Long Life I can only say that your Loyalty Obedience and Love is not to a King that doth not Regard it nor to a Tyrant that had rather be Fear'd than Loved but assure your selves my Affection to my People is such as a Fond Fathers to his Only Son who had rather Die for his Sons Good than Live to his Own Pleasure and that all the Indeavours of his Life are for his Sake as to make his Son Rich Noble and Powerfull that he may have Respect Renown and Fame amongst Strangers The like do I for my Subjects Indeed a King is the Common Father of his People and I Rejoyce to See you as a Loving Father doth his Children and so I Pray the Gods to Bless you SPEECHES OF Dying Persons PART VII A Kings Dying Speech to his Noble Subjects FAithfull Counsellours Just Magistrates Loving Friends Noble Men and Loyal Subjects you see me here Death's Prisoner yet though I must part with my Subjects they shall not part with their Soveraign for I shall leave them a King though I Die I have been your Crown'd King this Thirty Years a Heavy Weight and a Long time of Trouble But a King hath more Title than Power and more Power than Pleasure for were all his Subjects Slaves and all did Obey his Will yet to Order and Govern them to his Will requires Pains Care and Study but my Desire and Will was to make my Subjects Happy to which end I bent all my Industry the which I wish my Successor may do the like for good Subjects deserve a good Soveraign Indeed all good Subjects have not at all times good Soveraigns nor all good Soveraigns good Subjects for all Soveraigns are not Wise nor all Subjects Loyal for though good men make good Subjects yet good men do not alwaies make good Soveraigns as being not Piety nor Moral Honesty that makes good Kings but Industry Observation Understanding Judgement Wit Prudence and Courage that makes Kings Wise Rulers also Counsels Experience and Practice which makes an Old King a Better Governour than a Young King and yet all Subjects for the most part grow weary with their Soveraigns Age and so consequently with their own Happiness but their Folly and Ingratitude is often Punished in having their Desires Indeed most of mankind through Ignorance and Inconstancy desire their own Hurt which when they Feel they are Displeased with the Gods for Granting that they were Earnest with the Gods to Give them so that they are seldome Contented But I wish they may have good Desires contented Minds and happy Lives and I pray the Gods they may Flourish with my Successors in
before Judges a Cause betwixt a Father and his Son Most Reverend Judges Plaintiff against the Father HEre is the Son which ought to be his Fathers Heir whom for Marryig against his Fathers Consent his Father hath Dis-inherited which is against all Law or Right both of God Nature and Man Defendant Most Reverend Judges Disobedient Children ought to have no Part nor Parcel of their Parents Estate as Lands Goods or whatsoever for it the Parents have no Duty nor Obedience from their Child their Child can challenge no Part of their Parents Estate and since he hath Married Disobediently he ought to Live Poorly or to get his Living by his Own Labour or Industry Plaintiff Most Reverend Judges There is no Reason nor Law that if one man Commit a Fault to an other that man should Commit an other to be quit with him and put the Case the Son were unnaturally Disobedient must the Father be unnaturally Cruel to be Revenged of him Defendant Most Reverend Judges Parents are the Fittest Judges of their Childrens Faults and Crimes committed against them But howsoever Parents cannot be thought Cruel or Unnatural to Punish the Crimes of their Children no more than God can be said to be Cruel or Unjust to Punish Sinners for God who Made Creatures may do what he Pleases with them for being his own Work he may Dispose or Order them as he Thinks best or as he Pleaseth So Parents that Begot their Children may do the like in things concerning themselves Plaintiff But God is Mercifull wherefore Parents ought to be Natural Defendant God is Just and therefore Children ought to be Dutifull Plaintiff But if God Should Punish his Creatures according to their Desert no man would be Saved Defendant And if Children should do what they List there would be no Government for Parents would be made Slaves and their Children Masters so if God should not Punish Some of his Creatures All would be Damned and to make up the Fulness of their Sins they would Despise his Love and not Fear his Power and so they would neither Love nor Fear God so Children would have neither Duty nor Obedience to their Parents But to prove it a Clear cause his Estate is free from all Intails and wholly in his own Power to Dispose of it as he Pleases and to Give it to whom he will and therefore his Son can Challenge nothing by Law or Right SPEECHES TO The KING in Council PART V. A Privy-Counsellours Speech to His Soveraign Dread Soveraign HEre are many of your Noble Subjects chosen out to be I can not say Privy-Counsellours by reason there be too many to keep Secrets of State which shews we are rather Counsellours for Form than for Business Counsellours in Name rather than Counsellours in Nature Wherefore we shall not need to trouble your Majesty or our Selves the one to Hear the other to Speak long Orations or tedious Speeches for should we Speak we should rather speak like Fools than Wise men by reason we are not acquainted with your Majesties Cabinet Designs or Intrigues and so being your Majesties General and not Particular Counsellours must needs speak at Randome Wherefore we beseech your Majesty not to Censure our Judgements but our Ignorances in not knowing your Majesties most Private as Cabinet Desires Designs and Intrigues A Petition and Plea at the Council-Table before the King and his Council concerning two Brothers Condemned by the Laws to Dye May it Please your Most Sacred Majesty I Am come here to your Majesties Council-Table to Plead the Cause of two Brothers whose Cause hath been Heard Judged Cast and Condemned by the Judges of the Laws of this Land and must suffer Death unless your Majesty acquit or Pardon them Indeed their cause is Hard for they were Forced either to Offend the Laws of Government or the Laws of Honour the Laws of Government threatned Bodily Death the Laws of Honour threatned Infamy and being Worthy Persons they chose rather to Venture Life than to Live Dishonourably But their Crime or it may rather be called their Justice which the Laws of the Land have Condemned them for is for Killing or rather Punishing their Sister for the Impurity Immodesty Dishonesty and Dishonour of Inchastity which was an Offence to the Gods a Reproach to her Life a Disgrace to her Race a Dishonour to her Kindred and an Infamy to her Family As for the Sin they past that by to be Judged of by the Gods her own Reproach they regarded not the Disgrace of her Race they indeavoured to obscure But as for the Dishonour to her Kindred and Infamy to her Family her Brothers were resolv'd to Wash off the Dishonour with her Blood and to Rub out the Black spot of Infamy with her Death which Resolution they put in Execution forcing a Surgeon to open an Artery Vein through which she Bled to Death Besides had they let her have Liv'd the Laws of the Land would have Punished her which would have been a Double Dishonour and a Recorded Infamy receiving as much Dishonour by her Public Punishment as her Private Crime Wherefore to prevent as well as to take off all Disgrace they were her Executioners by forcing the Surgeon to strike an Artery a very Easie Death for so Great an Offender but the Natural Affections from Brothers to a Sister did desire she might Dye with as Little Pain as might be Now Dead she is and they Condemned to Dye for her Death unless your Majesty will Pardon them and it will be a Gracious Act to pardon VVorthy Men such men as preferr'd Honour before Life A Speech of one of the Privy-Counsellours which is an Answer to the former Plea and Petition May it Please your Majesty TO give me leave as One of your Council to Answer this man As for Parents to Kill their Children for Children to Kill their Parents for Brethren to Kill each other and Sisters their Brothers or Brothers their Sisters or Neeces or Nephews their Uncles or Aunts or Uncles and Aunts to Kill their Nephews or Neeces or Cousin Germans is Unnatural or to be the Cause of their Death is Unnatural I may say a Great Sin in Nature VVherefore these two Brothers that were the Cause indeed the Actors in effect of their Sisters Death have Sinned against the Gods Nature and the Laws of good Government for which they Deserve Punishment both in this VVorld and in the VVorld after this Life And as for that which is called Honour it is but the Opinion of some men a meer Fancy not any Real Good only a Name to perswade men to do Evil Actions as to Fight Duells to make VVarrs to Murder Friends nay to Murder Themselves all which is against Gods Mens and Natures Laws which is Inhuman Uncharitable Unnatural and Impious The Petitioners Reply Most Dread Soveraign SInce your Majesty is pleased to hear the Sutes of Humble Petitioners and the Causes of Pleaders and the Defences of Condemned Persons as
will Punish you for your Inconstancy But pardon this my Jealousie for Doubts proceed from Love and your Virtue is the Anchor of my Hopes and Haven of Security in which my Love lives safe Farewell A Sons Dying Speech to his Father FAther I have been an Unprofitable Son for I shall Die a Batchelour and so leave you no Posterity to keep alive your Name and Family which is a Double Grief both to your Self and Me indeed to Me it is a Treble Grief because the Fault is only Mine loving Vain Pleasures and Liberty so much as made me unwilling to be Bound in Wedlock Bonds believing that a Wife would be a Hinderance to those Delights that Pleas'd me besides I trusted to my Youth and Health thinking I had time Enough to Marry and Increase also I thought that very Young men's Children would prove but Weak and Sickly in Body and Mind thus did I bring many Arguments to Live a Batchelour untill such time as I had more Maturity of Years and then I did intend to Choose a VVife with your Consent or else Consent to Marry whom you Pleas'd but Death will alter that Design and you and I must both Submit to Heavens Decree Yet have I this to Comfort me that you did never Command me to Marry wherefore my Fault was not a Fault of Disobedience for I never Disobey'd you all my Life which makes me Die in Peace Farewell A Young Virgins Dying Speech Dear Friends I Do Perceive that Holy Angels hover about my Soul to Bear it to the Gods when parted from my Body a Virgin 's Soul it is Cloth'd with white Innocency and so fitter for their Company as also for the Robe of Glory which the Gods will give me As for my Body though it be Young yet is it only fit for Death as being Due to him for that was made of Earth and Death is Lord of all the Earth doth Form Breed and Bring forth but Souls being of an other Nature those that are Celestial Proceeding from the Gods do to the Gods Return whereas Wicked Souls that are Damned and Proceed not from the Gods but from the Damned Spirits Return to the Damned crew again for all is Good that doth Proceed from God and though the Best of Souls doth Sin yet God doth give them Purging Grace that Cleanses them from Evil which Grace hath Purified my Soul and made it Fit for Heaven where I do wish all Souls may come Farewell A Husbands Dying Speech to his Wife VVIfe Farewell for Death will Break our Marriage knot and will Divorce our Persons but not Dissolve our Love unless you be Inconstant for Death hath not that Power to Disunite our Souls for they may Live and Love Eternally but if you Marry a Second Husband you separate our Loves as Death will separate our Bodies for in that Marriage-bed you will Bury all Remembrance of me and so shall I doubly Die and doubly be Buried for your second Husband will be my second Death but if you Live a Widdow you will keep me stil Alive both in your Name and Memory where I desire to Live untill your Body Dies and then our Souls will meet with Joy Delight and Happiness till then Farewell A common Courtisans Dying Speech KInd Friends and Wanton Lovers when I was in Health you came to view my Beauty to hear my Voice and to Injoy my Person in Amorous Imbraces and all for your own Pleasures and Delights but I did Entertain such Visitors more for the Lucre of Profit than for the Pleasures of Love more for your Presents than your Persons the truth is I was more Covetous of Wealth than Amorously Affected not but that I took Pleasure in seeing my Beauty Admired and hearing my Wit Prais'd and took delight to insnare mens Affections with my Attractive Graces and was Proud of the Power I had by Nature's Favour yet that Power I only imploy'd to Inrich my Self that I might Live Bravely and Luxuriously or to Hord up to maintain me when I was Old But O those Covetous desires and Vain delights have Ruined both my Body and Soul in Grievous Pains I Live and should Despairing Die but that the Gods are Mercifull and Pardon Penitent Sinners for if I were to Live I would not Live that Life I have done not only for my Souls sake but for my Bodies for had I thought of Death or could imagine the Pains that now I feel the Pocky rotting Pains that Torture my weak Body I should have been less Covetous of Wealth and more Carefull of Health I should not have made my Beauty Wit and becoming Graces and Adornments to intice Customers to buy Sinfull Pleasures or had I thought of the Joys in Heaven I should have Despised all worldly Delights or had I fear'd the Torments of Hell I should have Spent my time in Prayers and not in Courtships But Life is almost Past with me for Death hath strucken me with his VVand so that I cannot Live to Mend but Die to be Forgiven for I do truly and unfeignedly Repent Farewell A Vain young Ladies Dying Speech Dear Friends YOu are Charitable in Visiting the Sick a Charity that I did seldome Practise for when I was in Health I was so taken up with Vanities and worldly Pleasures as I could never Spare so much time as to Visit a sick Friend neither was I Charitable to the Poor as to help to Relieve their Wants for I spent so much on my Braveries as I left not any thing to give unto the Poor indeed I did shun Visiting the Sick because they put thoughts of Death in my Mind which thoughts did disturb my Mind and obstruct my Delights but if I had thought of Death more and had Visited the Sick oftner I had never Liv'd so Idlely nor Spent my time so Unprofitably nor had been so Foolishly Vain as I have been for I regarded nothing but Beauty Fashions Dressing Dancing Feasting Courtships and Bravery I never thought of Heaven nor Read holy Books of Divinity but only lying Romances and my Contemplation was all of Wanton Love 'T is true I went Often to Church but not to Pray but to be Pray'd to not as a Saint but as a Mistress I may say as a Sinner for I went not to Church for Instruction but for Destruction more for to Shew my Beauty than to Reform my Life more to get VVanton Lovers than to get Saving Grace I listned not to what the Preachers taught but look'd which of the Gallants eyed me Thus did I increase and multiply Sins under the Veil of Devotion for which I deserve great and grievous Punishments but the Gods are mercifull and will Forgive me for now I do more Hate Vanities than ever I did Love them and all my Evil thoughts are Banished from my mind indeed Death hath frighted all such thoughts away and Pious thoughts do take their place and as the Gods come neer the VVorld shrinks from me as Guilty of these Sins
and millions of other Sins besides but Death will stay no longer for Blessed Angels bear away my Soul Farewell A Fathers Speech to his Son on his Death-Bed Son I Have Lived a Long time so Long that were not you a Good Son you would have Wished my Death before Nature had Ordained me to Die but as Heaven hath blest me with Long Life so with a Good Loving and Dutifull Son which hath been a Help and Comfort to my Old Age and as Heaven hath given you Grace and Nature a Good Disposition to Love and Obey your Father so Heaven and Nature hath given you Health and Ability to beget Posterity in which I shall Live in Name and Fame though I Die in Body But Son as you have been a Helpfull and Dutifull Son so I have been a Loving and Carefull Father for I have been more Prudent for my Sons Good than Vain for my Own Pleasure I have been more Industrions to Advance and Inrich my Son than to Please or Delight my Self and I have thought my Self Happier in my Sons Life than I have done in my Own Thus Son I have and do Love You better than my Self and all the Desire and Request I have to you is that as I have been a Father to You so you to be a Father to Yours and so I Pray the Gods to Bless you Fortune to Favour you Wisdome to Help you Nature to Strengthen you Time to Prolong you and when your Time comes to Die that we may meet in the other World with Joy and Happiness The Gods have Mercy of Me and Bless You. Farewell FUNERAL ORATIONS PART VIII An Oration to the People concerning the Death of their Soveraign Dear Country-men and Loyal Mourners WE may see our Loss by our Love and our Love by our Grief and our Grief by our Tears but we have reason for our General Mourning and Sorrow in every Heart that our Dread Soveraign is Taken from us He was our Earthly God as our Protector Defender Assister Subsister Ruler and Governour he Protected us with his Justice Defended us with his Arms Assisted us with his Prudence Subsisted us with his Love Ruled us with his Power and Govern'd us by his Laws and such a Prince he was as he was Dreadfull to his Enemies Helpfull to his Friends and Carefull of his Subjects he hath Inlarged his Dominions with the Sword and Inriched his People with the Spoils and hath Increas'd his Power both by Sea and Land and so Strengthned and Fortified his Kingdomes as his Subjects have no cause to Fear any Forein Invasion but may safely sit with Pleasure under their own Vines And so Wise and Good a Prince he was that though he be Gone yet he hath left Peace and Plenty amongst his People and Power Dominion and Strength to his Successors with which Heaven grant they may Inherit his Wisdome Moral Vertues Divine Graces Heroick Spirit Good Fortunes and Great Fame that though our Old Soveraign is gone to the Gods above yet our New Soveraign may be as a God to us here for which let us pray to our Soveraign Saint to intercede for us to the Gods on High to indue their Deputy on Earth with Divine Influences and Humane Wisdome to Govern and Rule us as he did A young Noble man's Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren VVE are met together as Funeral Guests to a Dead man who died in the Flower of his Age and whilst he Lived was Favoured of Nature Birth Breeding and Fortune for he was Handsome of Body Understanding in Mind Noble of Birth Knowing in Learning and Rich in Wealth He was Generous Valiant and Courtly he had a Pleasant Speech and a Gracefull Behaviour He was Beloved of the Muses Admired by the Sciences and Attended by the Arts he was Entertained with the Pleasures of the World and Feasted with the Varieties of Pleasures yet all could not Save him from Death Indeed Death appears more Cruel to Youth than to Age because it takes Youth from the most Flourishing time of their Life although Youth Fears Death less than Age not that Youth hath more Courage but Youth doth not Think of Death so often as Age doth for if Youth had Death in their Mind they would Fear Death more than Age doth by so much more as they are Younger and know the World less but Youth thinks Death a Long time off from them although to many he is so Near as ready to Seize on them Wherefore if those that are Young did think they should Die Soon they would not be so Eager and Fond of the World as they are nor be so Vain and Intemperate as many Young Persons be the brave Gallants would take little Pleasure in New Modes Gay Cloaths and Fair Mistresses a Young Gallant would be but a Dull Courtier a Melancholy Lover not Melancholy for his Mistress disfavour but at Death's approach not for Love but for Life neither would he take Pleasure in Musick or Dancing for the thoughts of Death would make him Dance false and put his Hearing out of Tune and the Musick would Sound to his Ears as his Passing Bell neither would he Eye Beauty but if he did the Freshest Beauty would appear Faded In truth all his Senses would be as Rough and troubled VVaters disturbed by the Storms of Fear raised in his Mind for the most Valiant minds are somewhat Disturbed with the thoughts of Death by reason the Terrors of Death are Natural to all mankind not so much to Feel as to Think of not only for the Parting of Soul and Body and the dark Oblivion in Death but for the Uncertain condition after Death for though Death is not Sensible of Life yet Life is Sensible of Death so that it is the Thoughts of Death that are Fearfull and not Death it self that is so Terrible as being neither Painfull to Feel nor Dreadfull to Behold because Invisible and Insensible having neither Shape Sound Sent Tast nor Touch But this Noble Person is past Thinking and therefore past Fearing also past Wishing for he doth not Desire to live in this VVorld again he Thinks not of the World or of any thing in the World he is free from all Trouble of Mind or Body in which Happiness let us lay him in the Tomb with his Forefathers there to rest in Peace and Ease A Generals Funeral Oration Beloved Friends THis Noble Person that lies here Dead was once our General a Valiant man he was a Skilfull Souldier a Wise Commander and a Generous Giver he Loved his Souldiers more than Spoil and Fame more than Life he was full of Clemency and Mercy he would give his Enemies their Lives Freely when he had Overcome them Valiantly and he was so Carefull of his Own Souldiers Lives as he would never Adventure or put them to the Hazard but when he saw great Probability of Victory Yet this Gallant man this Excellent Souldier whom his Enemies could never Overcome Death hath Taken Prisoner with whom
so softly as those that stood Close by her Bed could not hear her Sigh and when She was Dead her Beauty that all the time of her Mourning was Obscured in her Sorrows Appear'd in her Death only the Gloss of her Eyes were Covered with their Lids for Death had Shut her Eye-lids down and Seald up her Lips which Lips seem'd as if they had been Seal'd with Red Coloured Wax although Death had Kist them Cold for now Death is her Lover not an Amorous but a Deadly Lover to whose Imbraces we must leave her Body after we have laid it in the Bed of Earth An other Widdow's Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren VVE are met as Funeral or rather Marriage Guests of a Dead Widdow who is now Re-married to her Husband in Death and no question but their Souls will Joy in the Knowledge of each other for though Bodies Dye yet Souls do not but Live for ever Death having Power only over the Sensitive not over the Rational Life for Knowledge Lives though Senses Dye and if the Soul Lives no question but all that is Inherent in the Soul Lives as all the Passions Affections Thoughts Memory Understanding Judgement Conceptions Speculations Fancy Knowledge and the like which are the Parts and Ingrediences with which the Soul is Composed Form'd and Made Thus the Soul being made of such Thin Fine Pure and Rare Matter Death can take no hold of it for Death's Power is only on Gross Corporeal Substances or Matter not on Celestial Bodies but Terrestrial but this Widdows Soul was Purer than other Souls usually are for there are Degrees of Purity in Souls as well as Degrees of Grossness in Bodies The truth might easily be Perceived in her Life for there was as much Difference between her Soul and Other Souls as between Souls and Bodies at least as much Difference as between a Glorified Soul and a Soul Imbodied Nay her Soul was so Pure as it did Purifie her Body for it did Resine the Appetites which Cleared the Senses besides her Soul did Instruct the Senses which made them More Sensible so that they were kept Clean Clear and Healthfull by Temperance and made Apt Quick and Ready by Reason insomuch as Time had but a Little Power to Hurt them and was not Able to Destroy them without the Help of Death had she Lived Long but Death to shew his Power destroyed her Body without the Help of Time for she Lived not to be so Old as for Time to make a Trial yet her Body Lived Longer than she was willing it should have done desiring it might have Died when her Husband Died but the Gods Forbad it for though any Creature especially Man may Call Death when he Will and Force him to take his Bodily Life away yet the Gods are Angry if any man will not stay whilst Death comes of Himself without Inforcement Nevertheless Death did Favour this Widdow for though he did not take her so Soon as she would have Died yet he suffered her not Long to Live a weary Life for which Favour she received Death with Joy and a Smiling Countenance whereas Death for the most part is received with Fear and Sadness and since she Rejoyced at her Death we have no Reason to Mourn now she is Dead especially in that she Lived and Died Vertuously and Piously for which the Gods will Advance her to Everlasting Glory For this Glory let us Praise the Gods and Bury her Body in her Husbands Tomb or Grave that their Dust or Ashes may lye together A Young Child's Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren VVE are the Funeral Guests to a Young Male Child an Infant who Died soon after it was Born and though all Men are Born to Live and Live to Dye yet this Child was Born to Dye Before it had Lived I mean in Comparison of the Age of men Thus this Child was Born Cried and Died a happy Conclusion for the Child that he had Finished what he was made for in so Short a time for he could not have had less Pain less Trouble nor less Desires to have left the World had he Liv'd longer for Life is Restless with Desires Sickly and Painfull with Diseases Troublesome with Cares Laborious with Labour Grievous with Losses Fearfull with Dangers and Miserable in all which Misery this Child hath Escap'd but had he Lived he could not have Avoided it besides he is not Guilty of Self-acting Sins and so Deserves no Punishment for neither Commission nor Omission can be laid to his Charge having no time for Either so that he is Free from Both as also from Suffering either in this World or the Next unless there be such a severe Decree as the Child shall Suffer for his Parents faults which Faults he could neither Hinder nor Annul neither did he Approve nor Allow them nor Assist them in Evil But it is not probable he shall Suffer being Innocent and Death that is Accounted the Wages of Sin may rather be taken as a Gift of Mercy also Death might be said to be a Purifier from Sin as well as a Punisher of Sin Wherefore this Child is past the Purgatory of Death and is in the Heaven of Peace Rest Ease and Happiness in which let us leave him after we have Covered his Corps with Earth An Old Ladies Funeral Oration THis Old Lady was Favour'd by Nature Fortune and Time Nature in her Youth gave her Beauty Fortune gave her Wealth and Time and Nature gave her long Life She was Courted in her Youth for the Pleasures of her Beauty and Flattered in her Age for the Profit of her Wealth but being Chast and Wise She was neither Corrupted with the One nor Deluded with the Other not Tempted with Courtship nor Coosen'd with Flattery and as She was Chast and Wise so She was Pious for the Gods gave her Grace to bestow her Wealth to Charitable uses Thus what she Got by Fortune she Gave to Heaven indeed she Bought Heaven with Fortune's Gifts for none can get into Heaven but by Faith and Good Deeds and her Faith did Believe that her Good VVorks would be as an Advocate to Plead for her and no question but they have gotten her Sute and her Charity will Live here on Earth though she be Dead and those she Relieved will make her their Saint Thus she will be Sainted both on Earth and in Heaven which is as Great an Honour and a more Blessed Condition than the Emperours had with all their Conquefts Power Pride and Vanity for the height of their Ambition was to be Deified on Earth and to be Sainted in as much They were Worshipp'd for Fear She Pray'd to for Love They had Idolatrous Worshippers She Sanctified Petitioners Their Idols lasted but a time She shall be Blest for Evermore An Ancient Man's Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren AGe hath Ushered our Friend to Death and we are here met to attend him to the Grave it is an Human Charitable and Pious Service to see the
Sparing in Spending the Common Treasure and Severely Punish those that Indeavour to Coosen and Rob the Common Treasure and none should be Suffer'd to Hord up Riches but in the Common Treasure which is to be Spent Generally for the Good of all the whole Kingdome in time of Necessity as in the times of Plagues Famines and Warrs as also for the Strength and Power of the Kingdome for the Reward of Merit Advancing of Trade and such like wayes of Expences not in Gay Shews and Idle Pastimes nor in Vain or Unprofitable Buildings or the like But if we Suffer the People to be Impoverish'd by these Cheating Coosening Purloiners we shall never fill the Common Coffers for to Coofen and Rob the People is to Coofen and Rob the Common Treasure which is the General Store of the whole People Fill'd and Inriched By Them to be Profitably Laid out For Them An Oration for Taxes Fellow Citizens I Perceive a Discontent amongst you by your Murmuring at the Tax that is Laid upon you which Murmuring is Dangerous for many men's Murmurs may in a short time Amount to the Summ of Rebellion which will make a Civil Warr in which Warr you will Lose more than you are now Required to Pay But give me Leave to tell you that you are both Unreasonable and Unjust for you will Live in the Common wealth and yet not Help to Maintain or Uphold it also you are Ungratefull as not to Return a Small Gratuity to the Common-wealth for the Many and Great Benefits you have Receiv'd therefrom Indeed in Denying this Tax you seem as Unnatural to your Country as Children who should Suffer their Parents to Starve whilst they Surfeit which Causes Both their Untimely Deaths through Want and Excess So rather than you would Abate your Idle Expences and Vain Pleasures to Pay Necessary Taxes you would Suffer the Kingdome to be Defenceless and Open for an Enemy to Invade and Destroy It and your Selves But if VVords cannot Perswade you surely your Rational Understanding VVife Prudence Carefull Providence Honest Minds and Natural Affections will not only make you Willing and Ready to Pay this Tax but any other Tax at any time you are Taxed which is for the Common Benefit Good and Safety of your Country wherein you Desire to Live Safely and to Dye Peaceably and to Lie in the Graves with your Fore-fathers An Oration to Hinder a Rebellion Noble Citizens and Dear Country-men I Perceive by your Humours Dispositions Factions and Speeches that you intend to Rebell against your King and Noble Governours Indeavouring to Alter the Ancient Government of this Flourishing Kingdome that hath Continued in and under the Reign and Rule of Kings these many Hundred years which time hath Confirm'd so strongly in the Monarchical Power as you Cannot easily make a Change yet if you Could the Action would be very Unjust Unnatural Wicked and Damnable Unjust to Force away the Rights of your King Unnatural as not to Live under the Same Government your Fore-fathers did Wicked to Spill the Blood of your Nobles and Damnable to Spill the Blood of your Soveraign Thus it will be Evil and Dangerous for you cannot Think they will Part Peaceably from that Power their Ancestors Left them they will not become your Slaves if they can Help it nay they will sooner Part with their Lives than their Honours and you are not sure of Victory for all Honest men will be of Their Party yet put the Case you should have Victory you will sooner make a Confusion than Settle the Kingdome into a Republick for the Nature and Constitution is not for it as having been Bred up a Long time to Monarchy so that you may sooner Change the Nature of Man into a Beast than the Government of this Kingdome into a Republick and could you make it a Republick you would not be so Happy as you are Now for now you are Govern'd Easily without Troubling your Selves but then you would be Troubled not Knowing how to Govern your Selves as also the Common-wealth for you must be Forc'd to set up Some to Govern you and is it not Better to be Govern'd by your Superiours than your Equals which Equals would Rule you by Corrupting Flattery or Terrifie you with Reports of Dangers and so Rule you by Fear Thus by Insinuations or Terrors you would be more Inslaved than you are now and Poorer than you are now for though you Commons have not Power to Rule as a King yet you have Wealth to Spend on what you Please witness your Luxuries and Vanities which if you were Poor you could not Exceed in Plenty as you Do insomuch as you can hardly Afford God some Fasting Daies Besides those Sycophants and Cheats which perswade you to this Change would not only Spend your Wealth but Waste your Lives for they would Perswade you to make Warrs Abroad to Keep you in Subjection for in VVarrs they Command You and in Time of Peace they are Afraid you will Command Them and rather than you should Live in Peace they would Corrupt your Neighbours with Bribes or Provoke them with Injuries to make Warr with you Thus you would be Inslaved by being Out-witted by Those that have more Brain than your Selves O Foolish People that will quit your Present Happiness for a Voluntary Slavery and as for a Monarchical Government which you seem to be Weary of it is the most Ancient and Divinest as being an Imitation of God and his Angels in Heaven wherein are Degrees as Higher and Lower from and to his Throne But as God had Evil Angels so our King hath Evil Subjects which ought to be Cast out of the Kingdome like Devils as they are An Oration against Civil Warr. Noble Auditors I Perceive this Kingdome hath two Faces like a Janus and Both Look with a Lowring and Frowning Countenance which doth Fore-shew a Storm and by your Accusations and Factions your Hearts seem full of Malice and your Heads full of Design as if you did Intend each others Ruine and so the Kingdom 's Destruction by a Civil Warr not Considering that a Civil Warr is far worse than a Forein VVarr for against a Forein Enemy the whole Strength of a Kingdome is United to Defend it Self but in a Civil Warr the Strength is Divided to Destroy the whole Kingdome and so much Difference there is Between each Warr that a Forein Warr is but like an Outward Sore on the Body but a Civil VVarr is as an Inward Disease even in the Vital Parts which Causes a Consumption Indeed I may Similizing say that in a Civil Warr the Kingdome doth as if it did Spit up its Lungs for Civil Warrs oftentimes cause Famine and Plagues which is to a Kingdome as a Hectick Leanness Heat and Corruption in a Man's Body which causes Death and Destruction But Dear Country-men what can you Propound to your Selves in a Civil Warr can any Man be Happy when Injustice Reigns and Force Rules or can any Man