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
Terrible and Dreadfull Pit wherein is no Hope of Getting out The truth is Death carries many Evil Souls down into Hell but Good Souls he leaves at the Bottom of the Hill that leads up to Heaven from which those Souls Climb and Clamber up with great Difficulty for whatsoever is Excellent is Hard to Get or Come to whereas that which is Bad is Easie to be Had. But howsoever this Poor man is Dead and we shall see him Buried leaving his Soul in its Journey and his Body in the Grave A young Virgins Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren and Sisters in God VVE here meet not only as Funeral Mourners but as Marriage Guests to Attend and Wait upon a Young Virgin to see her Laid into her Nuptial-bed which is the Grave 'T is true her Husband Death is a Cold Bed-fellow but yet he makes a Good Husband for he will never Cross Oppose nor Anger her nor give her Cause of Grief or Sorrow neither in his Rude Behaviour Inconstant Appetite nor Lewd Life which had she Married any other Husband might have made very Unhappy whereas now she will know no Sorrow for there is no Whoring Gaming Drinking Quarrelling nor Prodigal Spending in the Grave for Death Banishes all Riot and Disorder out of his Habitations there is no Noise nor Disturbance in his Palace Indeed Death's Palace is a place of Peace Rest Quiet and Silence and therefore all are Happy that Dwell there for there is no Envy Malice Slander nor Treachery there Men are not Tempted with Beauty nor Women Flattered into Wantonness they are Free from all Tentation or Defamation neither are they Troubled or Tormented with Pain or Sickness for Death hath a Remedy for all Diseases which is Insensibility the truth is Death is not only Charitable to Help all Creatures out of Misery but Generous as to be so Hopitable that he sets Open his Gates for all Comers insomuch as the Meanest Creatures that are have a Free Entrance and the Same Entertainment with the Noblest for there are no Ceremonies of State All is in Common there is no Pride nor Ambition no Scorn nor Disgrace and Death's Palace is so Spacious as it is beyond all Measure or Circumference being sufficient to Receive all the Creatures Nature makes and since there is such Store of Company in Death and Death so Generous and Hospitable why should we Fear or be Loath to Dye nay why should not we Desire to Dye and Rejoyce for those Friends that are Dead especially Considering the Unhappiness of Life wherein Man is most Miserable because he is most Sensible and Apprehensive of what he Suffers or what he may Suffer But this Young Virgin is Happier by Death than many Others are because she hath not Liv'd so Long to Suffer so Much as those that are Older Have done or as those that Live to be Old Will do Wherefore let us Rejoyce for her Happiness and put her into the Grave the Bed of Rest there to Sleep Quietly A Young New-Married Wif's Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren VVE are met together at this time to see a New-Married Wife which is here Dead to be Buried She hath made an unequal Change from a Lively Hot Husband to a Deadly Cold Lover yet will she be more Happy with her Dull Dumb Deaf Blind Numb Lover than with her Lively Talking Listning Eying Active Husband were he the Best Husband that could be for Death is far the Happier Condition than Marriage and although Marriage at first is Pleasing yet after a time it is Displeasing like Meat which is Sweet in the Mouth but proves Bitter in the Stomack Indeed the Stomack of Marriage is full of Evil Humours as Choler and Melancholy and of very Evil Disgestion for it cannot Disgest Neglects Disrespects Absence Dissembling Adultery Jealousie Vain Expences Waste Spoil Idle Time Laziness Examinations Cross Answers Peevishness Frowardness Frowns and many the like Meats that Marriage Feeds on As for Pains Sicknesses Cares Fears and other Troubles in Marriage they are Accounted as wholesome Physick which the Gods give them for the Gods are the Best Physicians and Death is a very Good Surgeon Curing his Patients without Pain for what Part soever he Touches is Insensible Death is only Cruel in Parting Friends from each other for though they are Happy whom he Takes away yet those that are Left behind are Unhappy Living in Sorrow for their Loss so that this Young New-Married Wife that is Dead is Happy but her Husband is a Sorrowfull Widdower But leaving Her to her Happiness and Him to be Comforted let us put her into the Grave there to Remain untill the day of Judgement which Day will Imbody her Soul with Everlasting Glory A Widdows Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren THis Widdow at whose Funeral we are met Lived a very Intemperate and Irregular Life all the time of her Widdow-hood for which not only Nature but the Gods might be Angry with her for though She did not Surfeit with Feasting yet She Starved her self with Fasting and though She did not Drink her self Drunken as many Women in this Age will do yet She did Weep her self Dry She grew not Fat and Lasie with overmuch Sleeping but became Lean and Sick with overmuch Watching She VVatch'd not to Dance and Play but to Mourn and Pray nor did She waste her Wealth in Vanities but She did waste her Life in Sorrow She Sate not on the Knees of Amorous Lovers but Kneeled on her Knees to God Her Cheeks were not Red with Paint but Pale with Grief She did not wear Black Patches on her Face but Black Mourning on her Body She was Adorned with no other Jewels than her Tears She had no Diamond Pendents in her Ears but Transparent Tears in her Eyes no Oriental Pearls about her Neck but Drops of Tears lay on her Breast Thus was She Drest in Tears She suffered not Painters to Draw the Picture of her Face but her Thoughts did Form her Husbands Figure in her Mind She hung not her Chamber with Black but her Mind with Melancholy She Banished all Stately Ceremonies and Ceremonies of State and set her self Humbly on the Ground She past not her time with Entertaining Visitors but Entertain'd her Self with the Remembrance of her Husband She did not Speak much but Think much In short She was so Intemperate in her Grief as her Grief Kill'd her it may be said she was Murdered with Grief and no kind or manner of Murder is Acceptable either to Nature or the Gods but some sorts of Murders are Hatefull to both Yet this Widdow howsoever she Offended in her Over-much Grieving She had Pardon for her Praying and to prove the Gods did Pardon her they Granted her Request which was to take her out of this World without Painfull Sickness and so they did for She was so free from Pains as She parted with Life with a Smiling Countenance and lay as Still as if She lay to Sleep She breathed out her last Breath
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
Warning for what is to Come As for Spending their Means they will spend so much as to make themselves Sick and Poor with Surfeiting Feasting Drunken Drinking Pocky whoring Covetous Gaming Vain Shews Idle Sports and the like and when they Spare they are so miserable as not to allow themselves Necessaries so that they make themselves Unhappy through Want and yet have more than enough to Spend also they fear Pain and Sickness but will not indeavour to Avoid either for men Drink so much as they are sure to be so sick as to Vomit and will Eat such Meat or Drink such Drinks as they are sure to have painfull fits of the Gout after them But it may be said that the inticing Appetite is so Perswading and Over-ruling as they cannot Forbear but some men will Drink when they are not Dry and Eat when they are nor Hungry or have any desire thereto but will Drink meerly for Company or being perswaded by Others or out of a Humour and so for Eating Which is strange that men should be perswaded to suffer and indure great pain for the sake of idle Company or through the perswasion of Fools or out of a foolish or mad Humour Likewise all men are loath to Dye and yet most Men will Venture their Lives unnecessarily or for very small occasions and all men are Afraid of Damnation and yet they will not Indeavour Salvation nay they will venture Damnation for a trifle yea for nothing as for Example they will Lie Swear and Forswear when they are not Provoked or have any occasion to Swear Lie and Forswear and for Worldly Riches men are so Covetous and Greedy as they will Extort Coosen Steal Murder and venture Soul Body and Life for it yet when they Have it they Spend it as if they did not Care for it nay as if they did Hate such Riches and not any man would willingly be Poor yet they will spend their Wealth so Foolishly as neither to have Pleasure Thanks nor Fame for it The truth is that by mens Actions it could not be believed that Mankind had Rational Souls for though many men will Speak Wisely yet most Act Foolishly or rather Madly so that mens Rational Souls Live more in their Words than in their Deeds But if you have Rational Souls and a Saving Belief you ought to Build a Church wherein you may Gather together to Repent your Sins to Pray for Forgiveness to Promise Amendment and to Reform your Lives also to Hear Instructions and to give good Examples to each other and to accustom your selves to Devotion so shall you become Holy men Besides Churches ought to be Built not only for the Souls of the Living but for the Bodies of the Dead wherein they may be inurned Decently Humanly and Religiously An Oration perswading the Citizens to erect a Statue in Honour of a Dead Magistrate Noble Citizens N. N. who is now Dead was the Wisest Justest and Honestest Magistrate that a Common-wealth could Desire or Have and as he Served the Common-wealth Justly so he ought to be Rewarded Honourably for he did well Deserve it But his Death must not be an Excuse for Ungratefulness for Honours are given to the Dead as well as to the Living for mens Good Works Live after them although their Bodies Dye and Living men are Benefitted thereby but should the Benefit cease with their Death yet men ought not to Forget the Good they have Received for those are very Unthankfull Unworthy and Base men that will not acknowledge what they Have had but only respect the Present good indeed such men are worse than Beasts and ought to live and dye like Beasts as to live in Slavery and to dye in Oblivion whereas Virtuous Worthy Honourable and Noble men ought to live Free and be Remembred after their Lives and those that have done Wise or Ingenious or Good or Profitable or Valiant or Great Works Deeds or Acts ought to be remembred in the Minds of men mentioned by the Tongues of men and figured by the hands of Art so as to Live in the Minds Ears and Eyes of Living men as for their Merits to be Praised their Acts Recorded and their Bodies figured to the Life not only Pencilled but Carved or cast in Moulds as Carved in stone or cast in Metal that all Ages may not only hear of their Name read of their Acts but see their Figures all which are due Rights and right Honours to the Memory of Worthy deceased men Wherefore this Worthy Deceased man who was a VVife and Just Magistrate ought at the Common-wealth's charge to have his Statue in Stone or Metal and to be set up in the most Publick place in the City that every Particular Person may think of Him and remember his Acts when they see his Figure which will not only be a due Honour to him that is Dead but an Incouragement to those that Live after him to imitate and follow his Example and that such Magistrates and Ministers of State that are imployed after him may do as he hath done as to be Just Prudent Carefull and Industrious which the Gods grant for the sake of the Common-wealth An Accusing Oration for Refusing the Office of a Magistrate and so Neglecting the Service of the Common-wealth Noble Citizens I Have assembled you at this time to make a Complaint against D. D. who being chosen a Magistrate as believing him to be one of the Ablest men for his Wisdome amongst us and so Fittest to be imployed in the Service and Affairs of the Common-wealth hath refused the Office and Imployment choosing rather to live Idlely than to take Pains and Labour to do Good for which he ought to be Punished either in Body or Estate for it is not only an Obstruction to the affairs of the Common-wealth but a Dangerous Example for if all the Wisest men should refuse the Imployment and Management of State-affaris leaving the Government only to Fools the Common-wealth would be quickly brought to Ruine in which Ruine the Wise men would suffer as much as other men Wherefore for their Own sakes as well as for the sake of their Country they ought to imploy their Bodies and Minds in the Service of the Common-wealth otherwise Foolish Statesmen and Magistrates will make such Disorder as no particular family or Man could live Safely much less Plentifully for Peace and Plenty would be utterly destroyed with Civil Warr were there no Forein Enemies whereas Wise men can keep Peace and make a Common-wealth or Kingdome Flourish for it is as difficult and hard to keep a Common-wealth in Peace and Order as it is easie to cause Warrs and Ruine and more difficult to make Peace when Warr is begun Wherefore the best way to keep a Common-wealth in Order Peace when Warr is begun Wherefore the best way to keep a Common-wealth in Order Peace and Plenty is to choose Wise and Able Magistrates and not to let the VVise men follow their own Pleasures
Delightfull Safe and Profitable Also one thing more I must advise you that you provide a Practick Judicious man to Instruct the Players to Act well for as they must have a Poet to make their Playes so they must have a Tutor to teach them to Act those Playes unless the Poet will take the pains to teach them himself as to Humour the Passions and to Express the Humours Naturally and not to Act after the French Fashion with High strained Voices Constrained Motions Violent Actions and such Transportation as is neither Gracefull Becoming nor Natural but they must make Love Soberly Implore Favour Humbly Complain Seriously Lament Sadly and not Affectedly Fantastically Constraintly Ragingly Furiously and the like all which in my Opinion they do Senselesly Foolishly and Madly for all Feignings must be done as Naturally as may be that they may seem as Real Truths SEVERAL CAUSES PLEADED IN SEVERAL COURTS OF JUDICATURE PART IV. Accusing and Pleading at the Barr before the Judges for and against a Woman that hath kill'd her Husband Most Reverend Judges The Plaintiff THis Woman who is Accused not only for Killing a Man but her Husband we have for this Grievous and Horrid Fact brought before your Honours to be Judged according to the Laws delivering her to your Justice and Judgement Defendant Most Reverend and Just Judges 'T is true that this Unhappy Woman hath unfortunately Kill'd her Husband but Heaven knows it was Against her Will and as I may say Against her Knowledge for her Husband and She being Lovingly together not Mistrusting any Danger on a sudden came a Man who as it seems was her Husbands Enemy for he assaulted her Husband with a drawn Sword this Woman seeing her Husband in Danger as being Unarmed and Defenceless was so afrighted as she knew not what she did Wherefore she having got a Dagger which lay in the Room they were in and thinking to thrust it into her Husbands Enemy Unawares thrust it into her Husbands Body wherewith he fell down and immediately Died which when she saw and perceived the mistake she was as Distracted and at last fell into a Trance but being Recovered out of that faint Fit she hath since remain'd a most Sorrowfull and Lamenting Widdow I Express her Sorrow to prove her Innocence from all Evil Constructions for the Death of her Husband was not Designed or Intended by her but by Fate and Fortune and it is the Duty of a Loving Wife to defend her Husbands Honour Person and Life with all her Indeavours and if the success of her Honest Loyal and Loving indeavours falls out unfortunately She ought not to be Punished for her Misfortune for Misfortune is no Crime but rather to be Pitied and Comforted either can Justice make Misfortune a Law to Condemn to Dye and shall Duty and Loyalty be made Traitors shall Honest Love be Punished with Torments and Death No Most Reverend Judges Love and Loyalty ought to be Honoured with Praise and Respect and not with Torments and Death and the Death of this VVomans Husband was caused by a maskered Fear proceeding from an Extraordinary Love Thus his Death was a Chance not an Intended Murder Plaintiff Most Reverend Judges there can be no Witness of the Intention but her own Knowledge and Conscience which are Invisible and not Proveable and therefore Insufficient to Acquit Her but that which is a Sufficient VVitness against her Intention and may lawfully Condemn her is her indeavour to Resist the Judgement and Sentence of Death for all Good Loyal and Loving VVives ought nay desire to Live and Dye with their Husbands when as they be free from all Suspect wherefore much more ought they to accompany their Husbands in Death who are liable to be Judged and Condemned for Treason and Murder for as it is Unlawfull and Irreligious for to Act her own Death so it is Dishonourable and Impious to Indeavour to resist the Judgement of Death by Lawfull Authority Pleading by her Lawyers most shamefully for Life Defendant Most Reverend Judges It is not that she Desires to Live but not to Dye Infamously as to Dye as a Murderer of her Husband for though her Husband was Kill'd by her Hand yet he was not Kill'd by her Intention but by Chance which misfortune makes her Life a Torment to her for being so unhappy as Unwittingly to Destroy him which her Life did most Delight with but yet she would if she could rather Live Miserably than Dye Dishonourably for in her Dishonourable Death both She and her Husband doth doubly Dye Plaintiff Most Reverend Judges It were better Two Persons should Dye Four times over than such a Crime should be Once Pardoned for the Example will be more Dangerous than to have an Innocent Condemned would be Grievous But it is most probable She is Guilty A Cause of Adultery Pleaded at the Barr before Judges Most Reverend Judges Plaintiff HEre is a Man and a Woman that were Taken in Adultery and brought hither to be judged that they may Suffer according to the Law which is Death Defendant Most Reverend Judges This Adulteress and Adulterer for so in truth they are although the Woman is ashamed to confess in Words only in silent Tears yet the man confesseth his fault publickly and asks pardon only he says it is a Natural fault for the desire of Procreation is Born and Bred in all Nature's Animal Creatures it is an Orginal Appetite but whether it be an Original Sin he says he doth not know yet if it be it may more justly be Pardoned than Gluttony which was the cause of Mans Fall witness Eve and the forbidden Fruit and that Damnable Sin Gluttony that destroyes many Lives through Surfeits the Law takes no notice of but Procreation that begets and makes Life is Punish'd by the Law which seems strange to Reason that Cursed Gluttony should be Advanced and Loving Adultery Hang'd Indeed it is a great Injustice at least a grievous Law and surely our Forefathers that made that Law were Defective either in Bodies or Minds or at least in Judgement and though I confess it is not fit we should break or dissolve those Laws howsoever Erroneous they are that our Predecessors made yet we their Posterities and Successors may Sweeten or Qualifie the Extreme Rigor of their Laws as in this Case of Adultery to Punish the Bodies but to Spare their Lives or to Fine their Estates and Spare their Bodies for if the Rigor of the Law should be put in Execution in all Cases and to all Persons there would no man be Free either in his Estate Person or Life but howsoever this Male-offender my Client sayes that if he must Dye yet he shall not Dye Basely or Dishonourably by reason he shall Dye Loves Martyr As for the Femal offender She sayes that she was seduced by Nature as Eve by the Devil and Women being of Soft and Tender Dispositions do easily yield to an Inticing Appetite besides men being Eloquent in Perswading Prevalent
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
Work as to Cleanse their Houses from Filth and let their Bodies be full of Foul Humours to Cleanse their Sinks and Gutters and let their Veins be full of Corrupted or Inflamed Blood Yet must the Bodies of men not be Cleansed until the City be Cleansed lest the Infected Air from Without should more easily Get Into them and Kill them But I hope I shall not need much Rhetorick to perswade you to take a Care of your Own Lives for Life is Sweet and Death is Terrible although I have Observed that Men though they Desire to Live nay are Afraid to Dye yet are so Careless Obstinate and Confident as not to Indeavour to Prolong their Lives or to Defend their Lives from Diseases which are Death's Sergeants for although all Creatures were made to Consume into other Forms and Men are Born to Dye yet no Creature was made to Dye and be Consumed or Transmigrated before their Natural time for Nature hath given her Creatures Defences and Remedies against the Spoilers and Destroyers of Life which Spoilers and Destroyers as also their Remedies and Defences are not easily to be Numbred but Men are often their own Lives Enemies Killing themselves with Riot and Excess or being Over-bold in Adventuring or Entring into Dangers or so Careless as to pass by Remedies Yet I hope you will be Carefull and Speedily Industrious to Prevent if possibly you can the Increase and Fury of this Plague An Oration against Idle Expences Fellow Citizens I Observe great Excess and Luxury in this City Prodigally Spending your Estates and Wasting your Lives with Riot which I cannot enough Wonder at that although men will Hazard their Lives to Get Wealth and to Keep it from those that would Take it from them yet will Spend it Lavishly as Extravagantly and Vainly nay more Readily to make them Sick than to make themselves Well when they are Sick for they will Spend it Freely in Luxury and be Sparing to a Physician which shews men Love Pleasure more than Health whereas Health is the Greatest Pleasure for Sensual Pleasures are alwayes Followed with Sickness and Pain which lasts Long even so long as many times they do Accompany them to the Grave and as Pains and Sickness follow Sensual Pleasures so Poverty and Scorn follows Vain Expences all which makes a Discontented mind Wherefore what man if he were Wise would Destroy his Body Disquiet his Mind and Ruine his Estate for that which is called Pleasure which is nothing but Sensual Appetites that are no sooner Injoy'd but are Forgotten or Loathed with the Fruition and for Pleasures of the Mind those are only Opinions which are nothing in Substance and therefore not to be Truly or Really Injoyed But as Temperance is the Greatest Bodily Pleasure because it gives Health so Judgement is the Minds Physick Purging out Vain Opinions Idle Thoughts and Restless Desires which give it the Health of Peace and Tranquillity Thus your Body and Mind will Live Healthfully Happily and Honestly Imploying their Time and Labours in the Service of God their Country and Friends Living Wisely Parting with the VVorld Willingly Leaving a Good Fame behind them and Ascend to a Crown of Glory and Eternal Life An Oration for Men to Please themselves Fellow Citizens GIve me leave to tell you that Moral Orations are more Proper to be Spoken in Schools than in the Market-place where they will sooner Spoil Young Students than Reform Old Citizens But those that Speak against Pleasure Speak against the Darling of Life and therefore I do not VVonder at any for Taking his Pleasures but at those that Speak against it since it is the Quintessence or Elixir of Nature as we may Know by the Scarcity of it for Nature being Just in all her VVorks hath Ordered them so as what is Curious Excellent and Good She hath Sparingly made but what is Indifferent and Bad She hath made Plentifully Countervaluing the Worth of the One Sort with the Quantity of the Other as we may Observe She hath made more Iron than Silver more Silver than Gold more Stones than Diamonds more Weeds than Flowers more Beast than Men and of Men she hath made more Fools than Wise men more Cowards than Valiant men more Bad men than Good men more Enemies than Friends and so more Pains than Pleasures but because there is but a Little of that which is Good shall not we Injoy it Shall we refuse the Best because we have not so Much as we Would that would be Unreasonable but as Men will give a Great quantity of Led for a Little Gold so Men will Indure a Great deal of Pain for a Little Pleasure and they have Reason for a Little Pleasure is of Great Value being the most Delitious Sweets in Nature but you will ask What is the Delitious Pleasure I Answer all that is Pleasure is Delitious yet every man is to Judge of Pleasure by his own Delectation for Pleasures are as Different as Men for although all men are of Mankind yet every man is not alike neither in Mind nor Body so although all Pleasure is Pleasure yet not One and the Same An Oration against Vice-Actors Noble Citizens OUr City doth so Increase with Vice as I fear the Numerous Vices will be like as the Plagues of Egypt to Destroy our City if you do not use Speedy remedy to Punish the Vice-Actors But we are so far from Punishing them as we Admire Applaud and Advance such as have Most Vices or Least Honesty the truth is that Vice and Injustice is the only way or means to Advance men to Office Power Authority Respect and Credit in our City for those men that are Temperate Honest and Just are thought Fools and Unprofitable Drones and those that are Wisely Provident and not Vainly Prodigal are believed to be Miserable men which know not how to Live and as for our Grand Magistrates they have more Formality than Reality more Good Words than Good Deeds more Covetousness than Justice they Regard not the Poor man's Cause but the Rich man's Money for they decide Causes not according to Right but according to Bribes Humility and Honesty are Strangers to them they Study their Self-interest but Regard not the Publick Good all which will bring a Confusion and so a Dissolution to this Common-wealth if that you do not Carefully and Suddenly Choose Wise and Conscionable men for Magistrates to Wit such as will Punish Extorsions Wrongs and Injuries Suppress Pride Vanity and Luxury Banish Quarrels put away Idleness and Administer Right and Justice for Right and Justice's sake as also Do as they would be Done unto An Oration against a Foolish Custom Worthy Citizens HEre is an Unjust and Unhandsome Custom in this City and therefore ought to be Abolished which is that whensoever a Wife Beats her Husband the next Neighbour Rides through the City Disgracefully not only Striding upon a Horse with his Face towards the Tail or Sitting astride upon a Staff but having