we in the presence of Men Angels Nature and of God himselfe endure somwhat that may shew we can accommodate our selues vnto the Lawes of the World and to the Will of our Soueraigne Pompey being Ambassadour for the Romanes was surprised by King Gentius that indeauoured to wrest from him Publique affaires but to shew him there was no torture that could draw it from him he put his owne Finger in the Fire and suffered it to burne vntill that Gentius himselfe plucked it away He sought torment to make shew of the strength of his fidelitie And shall we betray our Soule if torments befall vs And forget the duetie we owe vnto that that is Diuine in vs Shall we then beare a deiected minde and inthrall it to our body to condole and suffer paines equall with it Farre more generous was that braue Anaxarchus that halfe bruized in the Tyrants Morter would neuer confesse his minde to be touched with paine Stampe on quoth he the case of Anaxarchus for as for him you cannot hurt Hence came that faire resolution Hence as from a quick-spring did flow that Constancie whereby he had learned to despise the body as a thing that is not our owne nor in our power and vse it as a borrowed garment to make shew for a time of our minde vpon this low and transitorie Theater Now were not he ouer-nice that should howle and cry out because his Gowne were spoyled or a Hooke had grapled it or some one going by had torne it some base Broker that would make gaines of such Ware would complaine of it A Prince a great Man a wealthy Citizen would laugh at it and in comparison of the rest of his wealth would make no reckoning of it Let vs value our selues as we ought to doe let vs be curious of our Honour and quietnesse and we shall make little account of all our body can suffer in this World Yea but the paine will be so great we shall lose our Life by it and shall see the Thread of our yeeres cut off in the verie middle Who can free himselfe from the Feare of this blow that euen Nature her selfe doth abhorre for though Death comes in due time yet it is dreadfull How much worse will it be when it is hastened and gathereth vs vp fresh and greene in the very prime of our Youth We deceiue our selues our Death hath nothing dreadfull of her selfe more then our Birth Nature hath nothing that is strange and terrible Death is amongst vs euerie day and doth not scare vs We dye euerie day and euerie houre of our Life that is past is dead It is not the last drop comes out of the Bottle emptieth it but finisheth it and the last moment of our Life doth not cause Death but only sheweth it The chiefest part of Death consisteth in that wee haue liued the more wee desire to liue the more wee desire Death should gaine by vs but from whence comes this desire Euen from the Opinion of the Vulgar that measures all by the Yard and deemes nothing precious that is not great whereas exquisite and excellent things are commonly thinne and slender It is the part of a skilfull workman to enclose much in a little space and we may say that it is almost fatall to illustrious men to dye quickely great Vertue and long Life seldome meetes together Life is measured by the End so that it bee good all the rest hath its proportion quantitie auayleth nothing to make it more or lesse happy a little Circle is as round as a great it is Figure doth all Yet you will say one would wish to die quietly in his bed amongst his owne people comforting them and receiuing comfort from them againe It is a pittifull thing to bee killed in a Corner and be depriued of decent Funerals So many men that goe to the wars and take Post to bee present at a Battell are not of this Opinion They are going to die all aliue and burie themselues among their enemies Little children feare masked men vncouer their faces they feare them no more Euen so beleeue mee Sword and the flames of Fire terrifie vs in the manner as we imagine them take off the maske the Death wherewith they threaten vs is the very same whereof women and little children die But I shall leaue behinde little children without helpe or assistance as if those children belonged more vnto you then vnto God as if you loued them more then he which is the first and truest Father or as if you had more meanes to keepe them safe then hee No no they shall haue the common Father of all the world that shall watch ouer them and preserue them vnder the wings of his fauour as he doth all his creatures from the greatest to the least Euils then are neuer so great as our Ambitious Opinion setteth them foorth vnto vs shee doth fright vs by her guile But shee doth altogether marre and corrupt vs when as shee striues to perswade vs that in such occasions we must grieue and pine our selues Certainely if the sorrow it bringeth had nothing worse then the deformitie wherewithall it is accompanyed wee ought to flye from it with might and maine Obserue it as soone as shee getteth into vs shee filleth vs with such a shame wee dare not shew our selues openly nor so much as in priuate to our friends after we are once seized on by this passion we seeke nothing but an odde corner to lye dreaming in and shun the sight of men we will haue no witnesses to our actions the sight of our friends is troublesome to vs what is the meaning of this but onely that she condemneth her selfe and doth acknowledge how vncomely she is would not you thinke she were a woman that had been catcht in the act that hideth and concealeth her selfe and is afraid to be knowne or Terentius his Chaerea that hauing attired himselfe like an Eunuch to performe a peece of knauerie is ouertakē in the midst of the street or in a strange house It is indeed to apparell men like Eunuchs yea geld thē altogether as to suffer them to fall into that sorrow which bereaueth them of whatsoeuer they haue manly and generous and giueth vs all the countenances and infirmities of women So the Thracians put men that mourned into womens apparell either to make them ashamed of themselues or to cause them to giue ouer quickly such vncomely and effeminate behauior But what need was there of such clothes for that for it seemes to me their countenances and their actions might haue been a sufficient token to shew they were no more men It was in my opinion a publike disgrace the Lawes inflicted vpon them for their pusillanimitie a summons to remember themselues and put on againe their manly courage The Roman Lawes that were more generous haue not sought remedies by disgrace against these effeminate lamentations for they haue vtterly prohibited them by their first and purest ordinances
vpon vs conceiued great melancholy thereby insomuch that this sorrow ouercomming his health weakened already by age hee fell sicke vpon it During the time of his sicknesse hee was visited by the most famous men of the Towne and because I was his neighbour and that I loued and honoured him much I went thither often The day before hee died a great number of Learned men being about him and finding himselfe more at quiet then hee was wont to be many discourses and questions were mooued specially about the condition of good men that were called to great Places which is almost euer wretched their Vertue being rewarded with Rage and Enuy for the sweetest Recompences and Iniuries and Wrongs for the most vsuall Some one chanced to say That yet the Religion wee were brought vp in gaue vs much aduantage vpon the Ancients proposing to vs the remuneration of our Labours in the life to come and letting vs know that the best part of vs out-liueth our Body nay that euen our Body doth rot and putrifie to spring out and be renewed one day in a happier life wherein Vertue shal receiue the Crowne shee hath deserued Whether the others which had no knowledge but by the gloomie light of Nature could not reach nor stretch their hopes any further then Death nor consequently haue any other comfort but that of this World which certainely is very small This good Lord raysing his head from the Pillow and leaning on his Elbow I did quoth he entertaine my selfe some part of the Night with this Subiect and after long musing vpon it I concluded That the strongest and most certaine comfort wee can take is the assurance of a second and more happy Life And though our Faith giueth it vs and that the Spirit of God hath specially reuealed it vnto vs yet I doe not beleeue the ancient Philosophers haue beene ignorant of it and that so much Vertue as they had did want this consolation vnlesse they haue reiected it when as Nature with her owne hand hath offered it them And I thinke if I could rehearse vnto you all that ran in my minde this Night about it you would confesse it to bee so Then framing his countenance and speech according as hee was wont to doe when hee intended to continue a Discourse wee prepared our selues also with a great silence to heare him and hee proceeded much after this manner Amongst all the things of the World in the knowledge of whom wee may erre there is none whose ignorance is more pernicious and hurtfull then that of the estate of our Soules after this frayle and mortall life for thence is deriued a perplexed anxietie and miserable vnquietnesse which is the cause that men finding nothing happy in this world and looking for no certaintie after it thinke they are sent hither as to a fatall Torment wherein they must liue and die in griefe and calamitie They hate Life and feare Death and least they should fall into what they feare they take what they despise As Vlysses did in Homer who to saue himselfe from drowning embraced a wilde Figge-tree not for any loue hee bore vnto it but for feare that forsaking it hee should fall into Charybdis which hee saw vnder him Contrariwise those which are fully perswaded that the Soule is here but in Pilgrimage on the way to a more happy place trifle not away the time in complayning of Thornes and Brambles that scratch them as they goe by nor in gathering and making Nose-gayes with the Flowers they finde but being carryed away with a liuely ardour to finde such a resting place they rush through and neglect whatsoeuer they meete so much excepted as is needefull for their Voyage Now I will neuer beleeue that this ordinary power of God which is commonly called Nature which in all other things hath beene so propitious to men hath denyed them at any time the knowledge of that which was most necessarie for their good and to get the perfection of their being Rather I will thinke that those which denyed this immortalitie bee of that number which the Word of God pronounced by Saint Paul declareth inexcusable in regard they had the degrees of things visible sufficient and able to reach to the inuisible if they had not imployed them rather to descend then to ascend Ambitious people to their owne ruine which haue taken away force from the discourse which might haue made them happy to giue it vnto that which will make them vnhappy It seemeth vnto me it were enough to confound them to bring forth against them the common opinion of all the Nations of the World which what Age soeuer they liued in what part of the Earth soeuer they did inhabite what Manners and Customes soeuer they obserued haue layd this Beleefe for a foundation of all their Actions Ciuill Gouernments and Societies That their Soule suruiued their Bodyes and was not subiect to death Otherwise why should they haue Deified the most famous men amongst them and ordayned so many honourable Ceremonies to their Memories The Indians and Draides were esteemed the wisest of all the ancient Heathens which more deepely searched into the Bosome of Nature and purchased the highest Secrets of Wisdome They had so certaine a knowledge of this Immortalitie that they ran headlong vnto this corporall Death that is the entrance thereof and did chearefully embrace all honourable occasions that could bring them to it This Opinion hath wrought diuerse effects in diuerse Nations but euery one hath had it And if any may be excepted which beleeued the contrary when as they came to frequent and resort vnto others they held againe the same Opinion Which sheweth plainely that this Beleefe is bred with man and therefore it is naturall right and true For the Vniuersall Nature that is not corrupted by our particular Vice doth not put in our minde any other but sound and pure Opinions As shee guideth our Appetite and that of other Creatures onely to such Meates as are fit to nourish them so shee doth not incline our Vnderstanding to any thing else but to comprehend the Truth and to consent and yeeld vnto it as to his true Obiect and Foode which being represented to it accommodates it selfe presently euen as an Image is fitted to the Mould it was first cast vpon But for as much as those men despise for the most part Popular Iudgements and thinke Truth dwelleth not amongst the Vulgar and beleeue rather that Nature hath buried it very deepe in the ground where it must be found with the Diuine Rod of Philosophy and draw it out with the labour of a great and painefull Meditation let vs put backe whole Nations and bring forth onely such as haue got the glory in all Ages to be the wisest and most learned Pythagoras Solon Socrates Plato Aristotle and such a number of others that to name them all one had neede to haue as much time as it is since they liued haue not onely
looked vpon or that that the publike robbery hath not hit and that howsoeuer hath not beene bereaued of his goods by the desolation of the countrey and sent way naked as a man escaped from a shipwracke It is here where one must shew himselfe a man and make appeare that Vertue doth not consist in words but in braue and generous resolutions It is needfull first for the good Cittizen to beare patiently his afflictions iudging well and religiously of diuine Prouidence without the which as you heard nothing happeneth in this world acknowledging his misfortune to be his iust share and portion of humane societie vnto whose common euill he ought to participate as hee hath done and should also haue his share of the good if it happened Secondly I desire that this patience should not be setled only in his heart but euen it should shine on his forehead as well to beare an honourable testimony vnto Vertue and shew what she can doe against misfortune as to be in stead of a faire and cleere mirrour on which his fellow Cittizens compose and dresse their actions as by an excellent perfect patterne It is at all times a thing worthy of prayse to serue his for an example of doing well but it is a thing very beneficiall and profitable in a time full of trouble and calamitie to be an example vnto them of patience As the first happinesse is to auoyd euill so the second is to beare it constantly But I will not vndertake here to set forth the reasons which mooue vs to this constancy that perswade vs yea that inforce vs to it if we will continue to be men That which Musaeus and Orpheus haue spoke of it before me is more then sufficient Neuerthelesse if all reasons were to be weighed I should thinke that which remained behind and which Orpheus did but point at should carry it away before all the others For those which are once fully perswaded that death is but a passage to a better life should neuer feare it Now if death beyond which reach neither the Empire of Fortune nor the threats of the Lawes frighteth them not what shall the iniuries and threates of men do that are but the hands of Fortune and the instruments of the Lawes And contrariwise those which beleeue it not what precepts may one giue them or what reasons alledge that may comfort them in their calamities for though you shew them that afflictions befall vs by a common right by the Law of Nature and not by the iniury of that supposed Fortune and that nothing happeneth but by the ordinance of diuine Prouidence that healeth not the wound they receiue in their hearts to see that innocency is a subiect of miserie and torment If you make them see nothing but that space that is inclosed betweene their birth and their death as within two bounds I doe not see why they should forsake the pleasures of the world to disturbe their life with that harsh and bitter Vertue I see no reason why man should not be offended with Nature for making him the most wofull wretched creature of all those the Sunne beholdeth and laugh Vertue to scorne that setteth forth so many toyles and labours without any reward Wee haue saith Plato two great Demons which put vs forward and backeward in our actions Reward and Punishment Now I doe not see how wee can finde them in this world wherein for the most part the good are afflicted and the wicked are comforted Wee must then set our hopes further and cause them to passe beyond the bounds of this short and wretched life and know that death is the first of all our true goods and the beginning of our happinesse felicitie Man is not onely mortall as one saith to the end there might be an end for his miserie and that the good may be praised without enuy and the wicked blamed without feare that riches may be despised as vnprofitable after it but specially to this end that the good may be eternally happie and the wicked vnhappie That is the consolation which doth allay our labours and feedeth our patience with the hope or rather assurance of a life eternall and without bound that waiteth for vs at our departure from hence Whereupon would to God wee could meditate euery day euery houre and euery moment wee should finde in this meditation a sufficient comfort to our aduersitie and a comely moderation in our prosperities But alas We keepe backe our thoughts from it as much as wee can and which is worst many beleeue it not at all and could wish willingly to be no more after death lest they should be as they deserue They doe what they can to cause their soule to die with their body and goe and borrow reasons of ancient Phylosophers to deny and ouerthrow the onely scope the onely reward and the last end of Phylosophy As for me I thinke they are punished enough with their malitious opinion that taketh out of their hands the chiefest hope that asswageth and seasoneth this tart and bitter life and could willingly say they should euen suffer them to be so miserable since they are willing to be so But it seemeth that you haue layd a charge vpon me to vpbraid them with their errour and condemne them by their owne reasons For you could not prescribe vnto mee vpon any other occasion to finish this discourse with the recitall of the last words of that good ancient man but onely thereby to conuict them of their blindnesse by the light of so rare a wisedome As for you I know you desire neither proofe nor explanation of this point you I say that beleeue it not only affirme and publish it but euen make it the Preface and conclusion of all your speeches and of all your actions So that the discourse of it would bee but vnprofitable and troublesome to you without you be accustomed to vse it as the Egyptians did their Sceletos and that you cannot rise from the table without you heare some talke of the immortalitie of the soule no more then they of the death of the body Of perhaps as the memory of this man is very deere vnto you you desire to renew it with the remembrance of so faire an end I will rehearse then as neere as I can what hee told vs vpon this subiect the day before God tooke him from hence as from vnder the ruine of this State This goodly ancient man had spent all his life in the Palace being then threescore and fifteene yeeres old He had seene many cōmotions in this kingdome that had disturbed the quiet of it but hee had seene none yet that threatned the ruine and dissipation of the State The king hauing sent for him from his house of Celi vpon weighty and and important affaires and which concerned the broyles that haue so much vexed vs since and hee hauing by the consideration of this businesse foreseene the miseries that were like to come
and Siluer to till the ground delights and pleasures to embrace labour and dsinties to feed vpon Bread and Onions What was it else but a voluntarie Pouertie It is a wonderfull thing when wee iudge of Pouertie in strangers she gaineth her cause she goeth away with prayse and reputation what is that but to declare that our priuate interest doth corrupt and hinder vs from iudging right when as it concerneth our selues Certainly amongst impartiall persons it is commendable but amongst any it is tollerable Now if we can endure Pouertie how much easier the losse of our dignities honors that are but a voluntarie seruitude by which we are depriued of our selues to be bestowed vpon the Common-wealth Honours that alwayes haue brought vnto great men that haue worthily managed them banishment and pouertie Remember the Histories of the Ancients and when you finde a Magistrate who boare any great sway with either Prince or Common-wealth and that desired to carry himselfe worthily speake freely I will hold you a wager that this man was banished that was killed another poysoned At Athens Aristides Themistocles and Phocion at Rome infinite whose names I spare for feare of filling Paper contenting my selfe with Camillus Scipio and Cicero for antiquitie Papinianus for the time of the Romane Emperours and Boetius vnder the Goths But why should wee fetch them so farre off whom haue wee seene in our time keepe the great Seale of France that hath not been preferred to this place with an intent he should be thrust from it with disgrace he that had seene my Lord Chancellor Oliuer or my Lord Chancellour de l'Hospital goe from the Court to retire themselues into their owne houses questionlesse would say that such honours are but as so many rockes and shelues of sand whereon Vertue may split her selfe Present vnto your memory those braue and venerable Ancients in whom all manner of vertues did shine in whom amongst an infinite number of exquisite parts you could not tell what to choose endowed with learning exceedingly well experienced in all affaires louers of their countrey and truly worthy of such places if the time had not been vnworthy of them After they had a long time tired out themselues in the common-wealth they pickt idle and sleight quarrels and false accusations to put them from affaires of state or rather depriue the state as a tossed ship of the directions of so wise and experienced Pilotes whereupon she might the sooner suffer wracke It is ambition at all times to desire publicke offices and faint-heartednesse to moane for them when they are gone in this time it is madnesse in this I say wherein the Magistrates authoritie doth humbly yea shamefully serue the passions of those that haue the power in their hands in a time where Freedome is capitall and Truth offensiue where publike Misery imploreth your helpe and the violence of the wicked stoppeth your mouth It was not counsell Cato gaue vnto his sonne but an oracle he vttered to men of our times when he aduised him not to meddle with affaires of state Because quoth he the liberty of the time will not afford thee to do any thing worthy the name of Cato nor Catoes name to do any thing vnworthy his generositie As for me I accuse them that keepe yet publike offices beleeue that if there be any thing wherein threatning Fortune may fauour vs it is to discharge good men of that burthen that presseth their shoulders so sore So it is that whosoeuer will reckon his honors among his losses like vnto those that are to be lamented and which may bee alleged for a iust cause of sorrow like vnto these we feare I esteeme him to be ouer-nice and censure him from this present vnworthy of the dignity hee feareth to lose But some one will say what will you answer concerning the losse of our friends our kins-folkes our children whereof we are threatned by such accidents as we feare I will answer you that although it were come to passe that the ruine of our towne had ouerwhelmed thē we should haue wherewithall to cōfort our selues for death would be very welcom vnto thē we are not discontented in my opinion for that they are borne mortall therfore they must die one day but only that they die at this time we are not to learn that since they be borne men they must be respected frō vs they must either go before or follow vs euen as well in peace as in war as soone by sicknesse as by sword howsoeuer it be they cannot auoyd the stroke of death but either sooner or later a little before or a little after is the matter troubleth vs so much Can death come to them in a fitter time then when as life is irkesome if they were to wish for it or we for thē what more conuenient season could they choose is not a harbor most to be desired whē we are extremely weather-beaten The true end of death is to put a period to our miseries if God had made life happier he had also made it longer We ought thē to bewaile their death for their sake to do it for our own were vnseemely for it is a kind of iniury to be grieued at the quiet of those we loue because we are disturbed thereby specially concerning the losse of our friends there is a remedy left to vs still which Fortune how harsh and cruell soeuer she be cannot take from vs for if wee suruiue them we haue meanes to get others As friendship is one of the greatest blessings of life so it is one of the easiest to bee obtained God maketh man and man maketh friends he that wanteth no Vertue shall neuer want friends It is the instrument wherewith they be made wherwith when the old ones are lost new-ones are procured If Phidias had lost any of his famous Statues what meanes had he to repaire that losse none but to make vp again such another Hath Fortune taken away our friends from vs Let vs make new-ones and so we shall not lose them but multiply them Those shall goe afore and stay for vs in the place prepared for faire and pure soules and the others shall make the rest of our way more delightsome by their company Perhaps you will say wee may take patiently those aduersities you told vs of for to speake truely that striketh but vpon the gowne and toucheth onely what is about vs goods honors friends childrē but if the euill cōmeth any further and doth penetrate our person how shall we doe that we may not feele it or feeling it we may not torment our selues for it Forasmuch as you foresee that if the fury of our seditious citizens be turned once vpon vs which they suspect already they will cast vs into prison put vs to the racke and rage against vs as they haue done against so many others from whom we haue not been otherwise distinguished then by our good Fortune or
wealthy Alexandria Europe representeth vnto you learned Athens triumphing Constantinople and Rome the miracle of all Citties and of all the world What reason do you thinke it were all these faire Citties haue so flourished but onely to be ouerthrowne And why haue they been ouerthrowne so often sauing that the Destinie seemed to stand out against Nature and vphold the frailtie of humane things How many times hath euery one of them seene their enemies ouerthrow their walles sack their houses kill their cittizens and burne their Churches Their necessitie to perish hath been so great that when they haue wanted forreine enemies to worke their ouerthrow they haue armed their owne Inhabitants to execute what was ordained about their end There is no remedy that is the Law you cannot goe against it when wee see or heare of others ruines that is a fore-iudgement for vs when our time is come what happeneth to one may happen to all the blow that hitteth the formost threatneth him that followeth Scipio he that ouerthrew Carthage seeing fire in it which deuoured such infinite richesse and stately buildings consumed the mightiest City of Africa moued with compassion for the frailty of humane affaires fell a weeping for the mischiefe he did and vttered two verses of Homer to this sense A fatall day will come wherein Troy so doughty With Priam and his subiects shall all be made a booty Meaning of Rome what the Poet had spoke of Troy but he was farre deceiued in his Prophesie for how many dayes and not one alone hath she been made a bootie how many times sacked how many times destroyed how many times burnt and yet shee hath raised her selfe out of her ashes and being obstinately bent to withstand her own mischiese seemeth to haue tired her ill fortune that she would not worke her ruine any more Notwithstanding the common Law teacheth vs shee must suffer as others haue done and though shee did escape some ages yet shall she not escape the end of all and the firing of the world Plato had much troubled his braines to lay the foundation of his Common-wealth so fast that she might be permanent and euerlasting and notwithstanding after you haue granted him all his dreames for true and you aske him whether this faire Common-wealth can bee made immortall with all his precepts hee hath freely acknowledged it could not he I say which maintained the world to bee immortall But being desirous to grace his workes and flatter his owne conceits he bringeth in the Muses discoursing of the continuance of states and proposeth certaine proportions of numbers by the obseruation whereof they might bee kept vp flourishing a long time and yet auoucheth plainely that as all States haue their birth and beginning so they must haue their end It is the common Law of Nature to which wee must bow and follow willingly least it should dragge vs away with violence obedience vnto it is sweete violence full of paine and shame In the meane time I vnderstand well enough what you would say it is as it seemeth wee hasten our selues our owne destruction and with our hands push forward the end of this poore Kingdome and doe not stay vntill old age carrieth it away that it may sweetly and without striuing passe from life to death You deceiue your selfe those creatures neuer die otherwise they neuer haue an easie end for as those which die of diseases whose causes lay in the sinewes and braines are troubled with great conuulsions afore they giue vp the Ghost the like haue Common-wealthes which commonly come to ruine because their Lawes that are as their sinewes are broken and violated Now if it bee as they vsually say that fore-seene blowes amaze not so much we haue as it seemeth to me great occasion to beare more patiently with more resolution the fall of our State seeing how long it is since it began to shake and the great tokens and apparent markes wee haue had heretofore of its ruine First it is very old and so old that there was neuer any one seene to last so long To waxe old is to be accustomed to die They vse to aske commonly of such as are exceeding old whether they be yet aliue we ought rather to wonder at their life then at their death when they are dead they say He is gone at last as if they would say He hath held out longer thē one would haue thought Besides his age he hath had two hundred yeares since great and irkesome diseases The quarrels of Orleans and Burgundy haue brought him to the brimme of his graue Being recouered of this great fall and growne healthy again he hath liued very loosely vnder Francis and Henrie the second in this disordered and lewd life he hath gathered many ill humours and farre worse conditions Vnder the youth of our last Kings he is returned to his infancie and hath wholly altered his complexion for since the fashions of strangers began to please vs ours haue beene so depraued and corrupted that we may say long agoe we are no more French-men There is no part of this State that hath not beene onely spoyled but euen made infamous with excesse and superfluitie for as touching our Nobilitie which is the chiefest pillar of our Kingdome and that hath raised it vnto the greatnesse we haue seene it and euer maintained the same and vnto which is truly due the glory the French name hath among forreine Nations they haue omitted no craft and guile to spoyle and driue it out of heart and drowne in luxury sensuality and couetousnesse that ancient generofitie they had hereditary from their fathers cause them to lose the loue they owed to the safetie of their state As for the church which ought to haue bin the mother of piety the pattern of good manners the bond of alother orders they haue dishonoured defamed her as much as they can making the greatest charges prelacies to be the reward of the vilest yea fowlest seruices of the Court. So that impietie and ignorance haue in many places sate them down vpon the throne of holines truth made the order odious by the lewdnes of such as were preferred thereto The officers of Iustice who alone might in some sort haue kept the rest in their dutie if they had bin honest true as they ought to haue bin haue suffered a maruellous chāge their principall authority hath bin withdrawne towards the soueraign not to be administred but peruerted by courtiers at their pleasure that were in fauour And to crowne so many disorders and heape vp mischiefe on vs ouer and ouer are falne out the quarrels about Religion vpon which occasion haue been raysed parties and factions by whomsoeuer it hath pleased which were easily entertained by the facilitie and lightnesse of our people and by the deuices of our neighbours which sought to shelter themselues vnder our ruines With these sparks hath bin kindled the fire that hath almost consumed vs
vertue of such Commanders so that I presume that the motion and change we feele is not for the extirpation of the State but onely an incision that is made with a painefull and rough instrument and in lieu of the branch God hath cut off hee will put on a graft vpon the royall stocke And therefore I hope God will finde when we looke least for it some conuenient meanes to saue vs all and specially this faire and famous Cittie wherein there is a number of men which call vpon him with a pure heart Neuerthelesse if it should fall out otherwise wee must take it patiently for such great accidents happening by the eternall prouidence it is no more lawful then possible to oppose our selues against thē say further that it is neither iust nor profitable to be vexed for them being most certain that whatsoeuer is ordained by that soueraigne Hand is for our good and his glory But since it is supper time and that this discourse may be better continued by those that hearken to me then by my selfe I wil leaue it to them seeing our miserie is common that they may affoord something to our common comfort There Musaeus ended and we rose with a more setled minde then wee sate downe This is not all quoth I Musaeus seeing you discharge your selfe from prosecuting the discourse you haue began you must choose some one that will finish it Wherupon he kissing a withered posie that he held in his hand presented it to Orpheus I giue it you quoth he against to morrow I accept answered Orpheus the posie but not the charge to come vpon the stage after Roscius as the Prouerbe is And so wee parted with a mutuall promise to meete there againe the next day at the same houre The end of the first Booke ORPHEVS OR THE SECOND BOOKE OF CONSTANCIE LONDON Printed by Bernard Alsop 1622. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND All-praise-worthy the Lord BARCKLEY YOur Lordships very name were there nothing else that did induce me might he argument enough to make me dedicate this and with it my owne selfe also to your Lordships seruice but when by the world which seldome giues Vertue her due is added to your Lordship such perfections as made the Heroes in former times so farre surmount the ranke of ordinary men euer knowing Vertue to be truly Noble I could not chuse but also inuest your Lordship in these titles from whence those famous men thought themselues to haue reapt no small honor and that was in patronizing studious endeauors Which interest in you if it may seemerather to be by me vsurped then iustly challeaged or rightly deserued blame therein not my presumption but rather your Lordships vertuous fame that imboldened me so farre as to present so small a thing vnto your view which if you vouchsafe to looke vpon with a gracious eye I shall thinke my selfe bound for euer to remaine Your Lordships most humble seruant ANDREVV COVRT OR PHEVS OR THE SECOND BOOKE OF CONSTANCY THE next Day presently after dinner there was an Allarum beaten in the towne because we were all foure of one quarter wee met together in the Court of Guard there we gazed one vpon another speaking with our eyes and faces saying to our selues what pittie is this we must stand armed against our owne good and driue in a manner our good fortune from vs for what good man is there who doth not wish euen with the sacking of the towne rather to get out of this extreme misery deliuer the kingdome from it then to sacrifice our liues thus to the rage and fury of a small number of seditious who desire to satisfie their cruelty and couetousnesse with our anguish pouertie What fatall sluggishnesse is this that all this people or at least most of those we see armed here know their euils and wish for its remedy may haue it if they will and notwithstanding haue not the heart so much as to complaine and maintaine those who shew them the way how to saue themselues so far hath this poyson of sedition seuered their wils the feare which the wicked haue printed in the hearts of simple people hath frozen their blood and stifled their spirits Now being come neere one to another Well quoth I our meeting is put off as farre as I see we are like to want such a sweet afternoone as we had yesterday Neuerthelesse this shall not excuse you of that you owe vs rather the forbearance shall encrease the debt for as you see our euils waxe great so your reasons must be stronger I feare much quoth he this day wil scatter vs depriue vs perhaps for euer of so sweet delightsome a fellowship I can assure you that if death had taken me away yesterday when I came from you she had found me very content and had finished my life to my liking For I confesse that the discourse of Musaeus so asswaged my griefe and so setled my minde by the weight of his reasons and by the sweetnesse of his words that I could wish to be sad euery day if I were sure to be alwayes so well cheered vp It is a happy disease that is cured with pleasure oh how earnestly did I desire he should haue continued his speech yea vpon condition I had lost my supper nay vpon condition that I had not supped all the yeere Such discourses are nothing else but Nectar Ambrosia it is meat more necessary this day to the mind then bread wine to the body it is both nourishment physicke I sweare to you when I heard him me thought that the faire Helena of Homer with the same hand wherewithall shee stole the hearts of the Greekes and Troians powred into my mouth that sweet and gracious Nepenthes which lulled asleepe the sorrow of the afflicted restored thē their courage He hath quoth I turned ouer his charge into a good hand I hope what hee hath beganne well you will finish it farre better Thereupon it was told vs that the noyse was past and we might retire Then I tooke them all three by the cloake you must come said I where you promised yesterday it is lawfull for armed men to right themselues if the Roman law permitted to draw into Iudgement those who refused to goe how much more the right of armes Wee will not goe onely quoth Linus wee will runne thither After wee were come in and had put off our armes and walked a turne in the garden to gather our spirits I pray you quoth I let vs take our places againe and let vs prouide for rest and quietnesse for in my opinion wee shall haue time enough to stand And since that it belongs to you Signior Orpheus to continue this discourse looke for no more intreaties and vse no excuses for in a word we will not receiue them after some such summons Orpheus began thus It is indeed the greatest and surest comfort man can receiue and take
that humane viper to wit the peruerse will of the wicked which he doth so qualifie with many other Iuices he addeth vnto it and by the fire of the holy Charitie wherewith he loueth vs that there is nothing can be ill to vs but the taste which we thinke a little bitter as are all medicaments of great strength and vertue The effect of it questionlesse is euer good and the end is neuer otherwise then for our good and profit whether we be vertuous whether we be vicious whether we be innocent whether we be guiltie And as for the first what can a father doe more for his children that are to liue in a countrey vexed with warre then to bring them vp to labor and toile teach them to endure heate and cold hunger and thirst traine them vp to armes accustome them to feare nothing goe to the blowes as to a wedding Those that haue bin brought vp in this manner liue at libertie preserue their goods purchase honour and glory and are deemed happy Contrariwise those that haue beene kept daintily and haue bastardized their soules with delights and pleasures are made a booty to others serue humbly to the stronger endure all manner of iniuries liue and die without honour Man coms into the world as into a pitcht field wherin all sorts of euils beset him round about euen from his birth to his death hee hath no other exercise but fighting Doe you wonder if this good wise father will often exercise vs to harden vs to labour No no hee doth not flatter vs like a fond mother that spoyleth her children but reproueth vs like a wise father that vseth them seuerely He keepes vs in awe continually and doth exercise vs not onely till wee sweate but euen till wee bleede He knoweth very well that a souldier doth not become a Captaine but by working suffering bearing abiding enduring day and night hot and cold the raine and the Sunne The Sailor groweth to be a Pilote amongst tempests and stormes and man becomes not a man indeed that is constant couragious but in aduersitie It is affliction makes him know his strength it is shee which as the steele from the flint drawes from man that sparke of diuine fire he hath in his heart and maketh his vertue shine and appeare There is nothing so worthy of man as to ouercome aduersitie nor meanes to ouercome it but to striue with it nor meanes to striue with it but to meete it There is the first benefit affliction brings to a good man which is not small As that hath some labour ioyned with it so this which followeth hath very much comfort It consisteth in this that calamitie letteth him know what reckoning God makes of him for wee ought to thinke he doth not set vs out to perils and dangers but for a good opinion hee hath of our vertue and for the earnest desire he hath to see vs behaue our selues well A Captaine doth not picke out a meane souldier to trie a painefull and dangerous enterprise he chuseth the most valiant and couragious and whom hee respects aboue all the rest he setteth them formost It is an honourable iudgement is made of a man when a hard and troublesome place is committed to his charge Euen the heathen themselues made the like iudgement of aduersities and deemed them to whom they happened to be most beloued of their gods by such degrees they made Hercules clime vp to heauen And as for vs that are better taught then they we haue our lesson in writing that tels vs we shall not be crowned if we do not fight Ought not we to thinke that when we are inuited to the fight we are inuited to the glory What voyce do you esteeme to haue been more pleasant vnto those that presented themselues vnto the Olympicke games then that of the trumpets which called them into the lists Doe not you beleeue that euen in the heate of the fight the desire they had to please the people and get an honourable iudgement tooke away from them the feeling of the paine and made their wounds seeme vnto them gentle and easie Now besides the pleasure we receiue in our soule whilest that we are imployed about braue and generous actions and that constancy worketh in a maner and wrastleth with aduersitie there remaines afterwards vnto vs a greater taste of it when as wee are deliuered and are come into a safe harbour For there is nothing more pleasant in the world nor that giues a greater contentment to our soules then the testimony our conscience beareth vnto vertue and the remēbrance that is left to vs how we haue vndanted ly withstood ill Fortune We are filled then with an vnspeakeable pleasure and the splendour of a true and sound glory seemeth to shine about vs and giue vs some preeminence amongst men There is another benefit proceedeth from our patience that ought not to comfort vs lesse then the precedent It is the benefit which those that come after vs reape by our good example that is vnto them in stead of a Torch to lighten them to faire and glorious actions Wee owe vnto posterity most part of our best actions me thinke those that are borne to honor haue not any more earnest more vsual wishes then to sacrifise their liues for the publike good Insomuch that it seemes vnto me that the occasions which affoord vs meanes to each others to do well by our imitation and make vs illustrious in time to come by the commendation of our vertue should please vs exceedingly because they make vs very honourable and profitable vnto posteritie The sweating and bleeding of those that behaue themselues vertuously in their calamities are so many fountaines that are neuer dried vp from whence runneth a generous desire to resemble them There is no doubt then but good men get profit by the calamities that happen vnto them and the publike also reape by them many great commodities Let vs see whether those that fall vpon guiltie people that are farre greater in number then the others be of the same nature Yes certainly There is two sorts of those that haue strayed from the way of vertue and the obedience they owe vnto God which is the true and onely innocencie Some doe but beginne to swarue the others vtterly lost affliction is to both of them a wholesome and a needfull remedie It is to the first in stead of a gentle and fatherly correction it is as the rodde wherewithall God brings that man backe againe to his dutie that is swarued from it vsing towards vs the office of a wise father that chastiseth his children so much the more carefully as he loueth them deerely he correcteth them for small and light faults least being neglected they turne into custome custome into crime and imputation and fall into the hands of the publike Magistrate in regard they haue not suffered domesticall reprehension and endure a cruell and shamefull punishment for their
wherewithall our body staineth it should bee stript by that Soueraigne Physitian that commeth of himselfe to vs and doth nothing but for our good I perceiue by your countenances that out of the diuine fire of this Discourse there ariseth a smoake that makes your eyes to smart It is in my opinion a great inequalitie of proportion that is seene in punishment of the wicked that lesseneth the credit of that which we haue already sayd concerning Prouidence For we see dayly that amongst the wicked some are punished and some are not some that haue committed many grieuous offences endure much paine and others to the contrary That which I haue sayd heretofore might suffise me to answer this obiection to wit that the will of God is the supreame Iustice that sithence he will haue it so it is well The same reason wherefore he doth all things requireth also that no body should ask him the reason of them His counsels are deepe vnsearchable and bottomlesse depths and when our eyes that hardly can see that which lieth at our feete cannot reach and neuerthelesse if wee will follow his footsteps we finde it so iust yea so tollerable that it will giue vs a reason euen of such things for which it is not bound to yeeld any and shall finde his Iustice in most part of the things that torment vs euen like vnto himselfe And though for a time it hideth it selfe it comes foorth at last and appeares of the same colour in one place as well as in the other imitating therein diuers riuers that are lost vnder ground in some places but neuerthelesse spring vp againe and run when they come neere the Sea First in regard you esteeme there are some wicked vnpunished you are deceiued wickednesse and punishment are twins that are borne together and forsake not one another The sharpe and stinging remorese of conscience heauy and mournfull sorrowes bitter repentance are his domesticall executioners that are neuer wanting Do not thinke them Fables that the parts represented by the Furies with firebrands in their hands comming to terrifie the guiltie It is a liuely picture expressing naturally the passion indured by the wicked that are tormented by their owne conscience Esteeme not the paines of a Wheele or of Fire or any other humane torture to approch any wayes vnto the crueltie of Furies vexing the minde of the impious What torment could be inuented so great and that could haue racked so much that same Catulus which presented the Iewes as his owne conscience representing vnto him in his dreames a great multitude of men by him massacred whose dreadfull and bloody shapes vncouered their wounds and challenged him for their children whom hee murthered for their goods that hee ransacked and in the ende threatned and foretold him horrible calamities What torture doe you thinke it was to Herod to heare night and day the Ghosts of his Wife and Children that reuiled and vpbrayded him with his crueltie in regard hee had most barbarously and wickedly slaine them What richesse what magnificence what pleasure can cheere vp those that are troubled with such thoughts Is not all their life a continuall torture But I grant there be some that escape those torments in this world what nation was there euer so barbarous that made any question but there was a hell that waited for them after their death and where their paine should bee the more horrible and fearefull that it was put off vntill that time to be discharged and acquitted when as they shall be most sensible of it Their torment doth not beginne in this life least it should end with life it stayeth for them till they are come to that place where they shall keepe it for euer And this may be obserued in the wicked whereof also they giue tokens enough for how many do we see that seemed afore to liue in great tranquilitie and quietnesse of minde that approching neere their end began to despaire and tumble and tosse strangely vp and downe foretelling the miseries that attended them in hell The wicked then cannot flie from the hands of diuine Iustice But some say they are punished too late and that Prouidence is too blame to forbeare them so long for if they were chastised for the first faults they would not commit the second afterwards It is a very easie matter to answer this curious obiection For though Prouidence had no other occasion to be so slow in punishing but to giue vs an example not to be too hastie when wee are to Iudge of the life of men she had reason enough Would to God wee might make good vse of the instruction she giue vs in this place If she that knoweth all that searcheth the bottome of our thoughts proceedeth very slowly and by degrees to iudgement what should wee doe we that in the cleerest things can see nothing and are commonly deceiued in those wee esteeme most certaine If wee tooke as much leasure and care to iudge of Prouidence as Prouidence doth to iudge vs we should be better informed then we are and should finde she doth nothing but with very great iustice and wisedome But she hath yet another euident occasion of this slownesse shee will make those that are incorrigible inexcusable and take from them all reason to say they had no time to amend and giue leasure to the flexible and tractable to remember themselues and come backe to saluation There hath beene many men seene in the world whose first offences if God had strictly punished he had smothered great yea admirable vertues that haue since flourished in them The first boyling heate of Youth doth sometimes cast out the scum of it that makes euen old age more pure and moderate Which the Greeke Poet would signifie when he represented Vlysses that with a naked sword in his hand forced Circe to giue him his companions againe and restore them to their first shapes for hee sayth she rendred them to him againe fairer and purer then euer they were Meaning to let vs vnderstand that when Reason that is signified by the sword forceth Voluptuousnesse that is signified by Circe to restore men to their true nature and put them again into their first perfection they become fairer then if they had neuer been defiled by pleasures and are euen as scoured with the grauell and dregges of the world wherewith they had bemired themselues Would you haue another reason yet of the slow execution of Gods iudgements against offendours It is because his executioners are not alwaies ready He doth not punish the wicked he forbeareth sometimes to chastise a tyrant vntill that a cruell and bold murtherer be found that will vndertake to kill him Sometimes he stayeth for a more fitting season to haue the more beholders of his iustice and that the example may be the more obserued Sometimes hee will keepe in it solemnities and ceremonies to make the action more famous so it was his will and pleasure Caesar should be slain in the
see our State tottering it is in vaine wee offer to proppe it vp it is in vaine we endeauor our selues to resist them that vndermine the foundations of it it is in vaine that wee are troubled to know what side wee should follow Is it not the surest and wisest to take the partie of Destinie and follow Prouidence when wee know her inclination or howsoeuer were it not better for vs to lie still and rest then to rowle this stone ouer and ouer againe that will fall at last doe what we can I haue seene certainly the wisest of our age much troubled about it seeing the iuster ouerthrowne by the stronger partie Some haue with an vndanted courage withstood whatsoeuer seemed iniust vnto them and euen as of purpose wrought their owne ruine by it Some others like vnto Marriners haue tacked about when they could not go straight forward and going aside auoyded the dangers which they thought impossible to shun without shipwracke I would desire to know of you which of the two we ought rather to imitate and if we see the striuing of Vertue against Violence to proue vnprofitable to the publike and hurtfull to our selues whether wee ought to forsake all publike actions and withdraw vs wholly from businesse or whether Vertue ought euen amidst the greatest stormes keep on her course and rather suffer her selfe to bee ouerwhelmed then to goe backe or whether there bee euer a a middle path betweene an obstinate austeritie and a shamefull seruitude by the which an innocent prudence may bee saued harmelesse from these ciuill broyles and craged cliffes wherewith we are on all sides enuironed To the end that doing the Common-wealth seruice as farre as we are able we may passe away this mortall life waiting for the houre wherein we shall be called to the next that is immortall As I see quoth Linus it will be in this as it is in Princes feasts those that entertaine first doe it best cheape the charge and magnificence is euer greater for the last But since you come as vnbidden guests and that you take me vnprouided I shall giue you but course Fare which I would not doe at all were it not rather to giue you satisfaction and entertainment then for any hope I haue to handle worthily so troublesome a subiect being no manner of wayes prepared for it I haue beene in the like opinion my selfe heretofore as you are now and it seemed wiser and safer to me in the beginning to yeeld vnto Violence and giue way as you say to Destinie Because it is labour lost to be vexed for a thing you despaire to obtaine It is hope onely that giueth life and heart to our trauell He were not onely a foole but worst then mad that should hope to preuaile against Prouidence But as it fals out commonly that those obiects wee see a farre off appeare otherwise then they are when wee come neere euen so searching narrowly into this proposition which at the first sight seemed wise vnto me yea godly religious I found it vnaduised nay impious perceiued it was nothing else but a faint-heartednesse that seeketh to withdraw vs from the Sunne and labour to set vs in the shaddow and at rest Which she doth with such pretences as are easie to be discouered by any one that will boldly draw the Curtaine and behold the plaine and naked truth Why should wee say wee ought to bee idle in the time of publike calamitie lest wee should oppose our selues against Prouidence and Destinie There is a Prouidence it is true there is a Destinie I beleeue it and we cannot hinder their effects But I pray you how doe we know what Prouidence is minded to doe How can wee guesse at the intent of her counsels By how much shee is certaine and vnchangeable in her will by so much are wee vncertaine and ignorant what is her will God hath couered Time to come with a thicke cloud that cannot bee pierced with the eyes of our weake vnderstanding Wisely indeede and happily for vs. For if man had beene sure of the good fortunes that are to befall him it would haue made him so vnquiet and he would haue carried so high a minde that hee could not haue beene kept within the bounds of his obedience And on the other side the certaintie of future euils would haue driuen him into such a perplexitie and brought him downe so low that hee could not haue beene cheered vp by any meanes possible Seeing then that future things are so vncertaine and that our hopes and feares beguile vs alike what assurance can wee take to resolue our selues for feare of time to come to forsake our present dutie God is resolued will wee say to ruine our Towne wee see many signes of it There is a number of ambitious and wicked men that turne vpside downe all Order Lawes and politicke Gouernment I will let them alone for I cannot withstand them O faint and cowardly speech who made you so wise in a little time and acquainted you with Gods counsels to vnderstand his designes Hath not the vncertaintie of humane things taught vs yet how those wee esteeme surest are soonest ouerthrowne and those wee thinke ready to fall are set vp againe and strengthened on a sodaine And though we were sure that we were not able to saue our countrey should wee forsake it for all that Wee doe not forsake those that are stricken with incurable diseases It is no small smatter in my opinion to make death gentle and easie to them which cannot auoyde it and giue them lenitiue remedies when others can doe no good There is a kinde of comelinesse in dying handsomely and they esteeme it a friendly office to close vp their friends eyes and lay all the parts of their bodie in a decent and orderly posture at their death Though wee were not able to doe any more why should not we yeeld this last office vnto our country And farre lesse ought wee to forsake it in great commotions seditions and publike calamities the malady can neuer bee so desperate that wee ought to despaire of recouery But the difficultest thing to be resolued on in such a case is whether we be bound necessarily to take the better and iuster partie and follow it or keepe our selues quiet in that wherein wee are engaged expecting opportunitie of working the reconciliation of both and bring those that haue strayed from their dutie to the acknowledgement of their fault For it is not a question to be asked whether wee ought to further and helpe the partie wee know to be vniust but onely by those that haue neither Vertue nor Conscience The Law of Solon seems vnto me very prudent and wise which ordained that in ciuill diuisions euery one should presently chuse his side because of two factions the one being still in the wrong and that offers iniury to the other the subiect is inexcusable that forsaketh the party of the lawes and publike welfare to
striuing and contention of the Soule which laboureth as much as she can to repaire that weake mortalitie of the body by the participation of eternall things vnto whose fruition she draweth him as much as she can She would willingly eternize his life being not able to performe it by Nature shee imployeth Art and Industry therein and procureth him by Glory and Fame a continuation of life in the memorie of men And therefore wee see her vsually bent and turned vpon time to come preuenting with thoughts the time that shall be after the death of the body as wee doe here the next day to that we liue in and prouiding her selfe of Praise and glory as of conuenient store for a happie and glorious life vnto which she aspireth It is too easie to iudge that if our Soule did not foresee certainly her future being shee would not trouble her selfe with any designes that aimed further then this corporall life and would not howsoeuer to obtaine them venture so freely this temporall life after which she could expect nothing Certainly those which lost their liues in such occasions and there hath beene infinite in all ages which haue in a manner sacrificed themselues vpon the Altar of Glory did in so despising death giue an excellent testimony of the immortalitie of the Soule Neither can any one imagine they haue so shortned their life to encrease their honour without they were sure to enioy it after their death nor that they haue so cheerefully forsaken the pleasures of this world without they had some good token of the recompence they expected in the other When the Soule comes to raise her selfe vpon the wings of a generous desire and she passeth from this darke and cloudie region that compasseth the Earth vnto that higher purer and cleerer that approcheth vnto heauen shee doth obserue in her selfe many faire markes of her being and streakes of her great Workeman which created her according to his Image and hath imprinted therein the figure of his Diuine Essence Which I doe say onely in regard I learned it from the Oracle of Truth but say it after them which learned it onely out of the booke of Nature her selfe For Plato and many before him and many others discoursing of the creation of the World and of his parts haue sayd indeed that other creatures were created by the lesser gods that is in my opinion the Angels as by second causes which being something remote already from the first being could not perfectly communicate it vnto them Because this communication is but a loane of their Vertue separated and dis-vnited from the first Masse and consequently somewhat imperfect But as for the Soule of man they confesse God alone created her and therefore depending without a meane from the perfect Being she is partaker of his perfection and is free from corruption in her substance and consequently from death And certainly it was very reasonable and conuenient for that great Architect that after hee had built this faire peece of worke of the world worthy to beare the the name of Beautie seeing hee withdrew himselfe from the sight of his creatures hee should leaue behind him his Image as a liuing Statue to conserue exact frō those that saw her the honour reuerence due vnto that soueraigne Architect and Lord of the Vniuerse Now it is needfull that an Image wrought by a good workeman should haue some relation vnto all the parts of the subiect it imitateth Wherein could she imitate the Eternitie of God but in the immortalitie of her Soule Seeing she cannot be altogether like that is to haue had no beginning how can shee resemble him but only in hauing no end that is being immortall For sithence God made the World with two seuerall parts the one Intelligible the other Sensible the one Corruptible the other Incorruptible there needed a middle peece to knit and gather them together which should be partaking of the nature of them both Man by an excellent art hath been made the middle peece and therefore the perfections of both parts Intelligible and Sensible concurre in him He hath by the meanes of the body the excellentest qualities that are in things Sensible and Corruptible and by the meanes of the Soule the excellentest conditions that are in the Incorruptible and Intelligible And though by this mixture that which is Celestiall in him is depressed and euen as kneaded with earth and weighed downe nay sunke by the burthen of the flesh neuerthelesse he sheweth by a continuall striuing and endeauour of his nature the place of his beginning his inclination and the end of his desire which is bent certainely euermore towards diuine Essence and to possesse euen from this present life the happinesse we obserue in God Assuredly he should neuer desire this diuine Being and should not aspire to it if he did not comprehend it and should neuer comprehend it if that wherewithall he apprehended it were mortall and perishable For what proportion should there be from Immortalitie to Mortalitie Now let vs see a little how much mans Vnderstanding comprehends of it how much of it his Will desireth and then any one whatsoeuer hee bee must needes confesse they are immortall Let vs consider a little I say from this low and thicke darkenesse of the World with our Owleseyes the light of diuine Nature Let vs consider the perfections wherewithall shee is endowed and by the which as by her garments we know her and obserue her Shall not wee see presently they are all things which man runneth after naturally and worketh continually to get them and hath no pleasure but in the possession and fruition thereof God is the soueraigne goodnesse What desireth man what doth he labour for but for that which is good If euer his affections be misled and apply themselues to euill they giue vnto it the name good and protest they seeke it not but in regard they deeme it to bee good Take away from a thing the name of good hee will make no reckoning of it so well hee knowes himselfe to be borne for that is good So that whatsoeuer will intice him must haue it either reall or in apparance God is the soueraigne wisedome Who is the man that desireth not to be held wise that shunneth not the reputation of a foole who gouerneth not himselfe with as much prudence as hee can Who seeketh not for order and disposition in all things that reioyceth not in himself when he can find it that praiseth not esteemeth and admireth not those which are plentifully endowed with this wisedome as approching neerest to the excellent end for the which man is borne God is the soueraigne power What doth man desire more then authoritie and command Euery one aspireth naturally vnto it and those which can doe it well are honoured amongst men as a kinde of Demi-gods sent hither for the conseruation and direction of the inferiour world God is the soueraigne Truth What is the vnderstanding
Apprenticeship of our Soules which after the Time and Labours that are prescribed vnto them shall be relieued from their Watching set at Libertie and restored to Eternall Rest which will affoord them wherewithall to satisfie that desire of Diuine being whereof they haue cast forth the first Sparkes through this heauie and cumbersome Flesh From her wee learne furthermore that after this Life our Soules doe not onely finde another more happie but euen our Bodyes rotting heere as Seede in the Ground shall spring into a new Fruit and shall be raysed vnto an Estate of Glorie and Perfection Therefore Diuinitie descending from Heauen mingled her selfe againe with Flesh to mould and kneade againe our Humanitie disfigured and defaced by Sinne ioyned her selfe to vs that shee might draw vs to her humbled her selfe to exalt vs quickned her Humanitie after death to make vs liue in the hope of that glorious Resurrection whereof shee was pleased to bee the First Fruites and by the which wee shall bee brought into the Inheritance of Glorie receiuing in Body and Soule the incomprehensible Splendour of Eternall Light But the passage to arriue thereunto is Death Desirable Death seeing it makes vs change Liues with so much profit Death not Death seeing it is the beginning of true Life and that wee are in this Body onely as the Chicken in the Shell which must bee broken ere it can be hatched or like the Child in his Mothers Wombe which must bee left ere wee can see the Day Let vs suffer them to feare it who thinke that all perisheth with the Body or them which expect after it the punishment of their Wickednesse And seeing wee haue so many Testimonies and so certaine Tokens of our future Life and being sure that dying here in the feare of God in the Faith of his beloued Sonne and trust in his Goodnesse wee shall liue againe aboue and enter into Glorie with him in the Throne of his Diuine Maiestie Let vs passe chearefully and lay downe the Burthen that hindereth and stayeth vs as wee would doe prophane Garments at the entrance of a holy Temple As for mee my Friends I feele my selfe almost in the Harbour with a great comfort of my Afflictions past and immediately for the Felicitie I expect I haue floated in the World in great and dangerous Stormes They tossed my Soule but they could not thankes bee to God ouerthrow it I know very well that the Condition of Humane Infirmitie hath put mee backe as shee doth all others from the perfection God requireth in vs but howsoeuer it neuer made mee loose the certaine and constant desire to aduance his Honour and Glory nor abate any thing of the good affection a good Subiect oweth vnto his Countrey My Conscience beareth mee this Witnesse and this Witnesse makes Death sweete and pleasant vnto mee I could wish euen at the last Gaspe I might doe the Publicke some Seruice but hauing no other meanes for it I will returne vnto you which are my best Friendes and it s too and for the last Office I can doe vnto this so holy Friendship I will coniure you that since you remayne heere to shut vp the end of a most Wretched Age you settle your Mindes by braue and constant Resolutions to withstand vndauntedly the Violence of the Tempest that threateneth this State and your particular Fortunes For all the Ages past haue seene fewe Miseries and Calamities but that you are like to see in your dayes The inside the outside of the kingdome great and small are like vnto mad men bent to its ruine and desolation You shall bee amazed one of these dayes when as you shall see the Lawes ouerthrowne the Gouernment altered all put into confusion those that shall haue the Gouernement beare the intent to loose both themselues and their owne Countrey and good men shall not bee suffered to open their Mouth and giue good and wholesome Counsell Remember then you are men and true hearted subiects vnto this crowne Let not your courage run away from you with your good Fortune Stand fast vpon Right and Reason and if the Waues and Billowes must carry you away let them ouerwhelme you with the Rudder in your hand still Behold the the time that you must present your brest against Fortune for the defence of the State and couer your countries body with your owne Certainely this ruine cannot bee auoyded without a great and generous courage of such as shall oppose themselues against it which all good men in my opinion are bound to doe Neuerthelesse you must qualifie by Prudence what an obstinate austeritie would but exasperate and make worse and follow Destinie without forsaking Vertue Doing well you shall shall runne into great hazards and shall suffer many iniuries but what can there happen so strange and horrible that the hope of the soueraigne good wherein I shall preuent you doth not aswage There is well-neere the same words that were vttered vnto vs by that great and wise Personage I rehearsed them vnto you against my Will knowing full well that the weakenesse of my Memorie and harshnesse of my Tongue would loose much of the weight of his Reasons and of the grace of his Discourse But if you had heard him himselfe with his sweete and pleasing fashion hee had kindled in your soules so liuely and ardent a desire of eternall felicitie that there is no affliction in the world the sense whereof hee had not taken away from you There Linus ended his speech and I beeing heartened and cheered vp sayd Certainly this was a very fine Discourse seeing that you who in all other things giue mee such satisfaction seemed vnto mee in the recitall of this to goe beyond your selfe I beleeue the Idea and remembrance of that great personage that is yet fresh and present in your Memorie for the honour and loue you bore vnto him quickned your tongue and inspired into you some thing more then humane Would to God this speech might continue as long as our miseries I am sure I should haue my Eares full of such Discourses and my Minde free from Sorrowes I sweare vnto you that since the time this Calamitie fell vpon vs I found nothing that made this Life more tolerable vnto mee then what I heard from you three these three last dayes but specially to day It is reported That Ptolomaus was forced to forbid Egesias the Cyrenian to discourse any more in publick of the Immortalitie of the Soule because the most part of those which heard him hastened their death with their owne hands That makes mee beleeue hee was ill acquainted with the Subiect hee handled For I beleeue there is nothing in the World giueth vs more courage to endure patiently our Miseries then the Reasons I learned euen now from you which in few wordes represented vnto vs what is the cause and the end of our Afflictions and what recompence our Patience findeth when wee can perseuer in it vnto the end Wherefore I could wish for the comfort of my poore distressed Countrey contrarie to that which was done to Egesias you should bee constrayned all three to continue in publicke such a Discourse But for as much as it is a thing I cannot hope for I am resolued to preserue carefully in my Memorie all that I learned from you about it and at my first leysure if our fortunate Studyes can get any set it downe in Writing to leaue it vnto Posteritie for to instruct in like occasions those that shall come after vs and let them know that in a most corrupted Age and amongst men strangely depriued of all Naturall Affection wee haue liued with a great compassion of the publicke Miserie and yet with a farre greater desire to bee able to helpe it FINIS