Liberty by Rebellious Actions yet you may be Deceiv'd and in the end thrust your selves in Absolute Slavery but it seems you had rather be Base Slaves than Loyal Subjects or else you would not be so apt to Mutiny as you are yet if you once Rebell I will indeavour to Destroy Every man that Opposes me or Stands Neuter and if I cannot Destroy you with that Power I have I will call in Forein Nations that shall Devour you for believe I will not be Ruined Alone but the Ruine of the whole Kingdome shall Accompany me A Recantation of the Poor Petitioning Subjects Most Dread Soveraign YOur most Sorrowfull and poor Petitioning Subjects hearing your Majesty was Displeased at their Complaints and Angry with them for coming in a Company together imploring your Majesties Favour and Redress of their Poor Condition not imagining that their Complaints would be taken as Factious and Seditious Murmurings or their Desires of Redress as Presumptuous Demands or that their Petitioning in a Company together would be taken for a Rebellious Insurrection they have sent Me a Poor man not daring to Come Together as they did to let your Majesty know how much Afflicted they are for your Displeasure which Displeasure they are more Grieved for than for any other Affliction that could come either upon their Lives Bodies Goods Wives or Children for they do Assure your Majesty and call Heaven to Witness for them that they came not for any Evil design to your Majesty nor your Majesties Government but only out of a Good Intent believing your Majesty did not Know what they did Suffer but if they had Known or but Imagined it had been your Majesties Will and Pleasure they should Suffer they would never have Complain'd and rather have Starved or Indured any Torment than Opposed your Majesty in any thing and if your Majesty thinks their Ignorant Fault is beyond a Pardon they are ready and willing to Indure any Punishment or to Dye at your Majesties Command Repenting Subjects to their Soveraign Most Gracious Soveraign VVE your most Penitent Subjects crave Pardon for our Faults not only with Tears in our Eyes but Sorrow in our Hearts for our Murmuring Speeches and Rebellious Actions for which we confess we Deserve to Die or worse as to indure great and grievous Torments but if your Majesties Clemency Spare our Bodies from Pain and our Lives from Death we are doubly nay trebly bound to your Majesty first by our Duties next for your Mercy and last for our Pardon to be not only your Majesties Loyal Subjects but Loyal Slaves And since there is no man so Perfect but is Subject to Offend and not in Light or Small Offences but Great and Grievous as not only against Man and man or against Nature but against God himself We hope your Majesty will Consider our Frail Natures and will rather blame Nature for Making us so than Us for Being so But since Repentance is the way to Forgiveness and Absolution follows Contrition we with Contrite Hearts and Humble Spirits crave your Mercy A Kings Speech to his Good Subjects MY Beloved and most Loving Subjects for so you are I have required your Assembling together that I may see You and you Me for I do not Love to be as a Stranger to my Subjects nor I would not have my Subjects as Strangers to me and if it were possible I would be acquainted with their Faces Degrees Qualities and Professions and not only be their King but their Friend not to Govern them in General but to Counsel and Advise in Particulars Indeed I have Reason to give you often Publick Visits as also Publick Thanks for your Loyalty and Love for your Obedience seems such as you seem to Watch for my Commands and your Love is such as you seem to prefer my Safety before your Own Lives and my Pleasures before your Own Profits in so much as you seem you did Desire only to Live to Serve me for which I Thank the Gods for making me so Happy to be a King of such Subjects whose only Strife is for my Favour who are Ambitious only for my Fame and take a Pride in my Glory whose Valours Inlarge my Dominions whose Industries Inrich my Treasuries whose Delights are my Pleasures whose Love Protects my Person and whose Prayers are for my Health and Long Life I can only say that your Loyalty Obedience and Love is not to a King that doth not Regard it nor to a Tyrant that had rather be Fear'd than Loved but assure your selves my Affection to my People is such as a Fond Fathers to his Only Son who had rather Die for his Sons Good than Live to his Own Pleasure and that all the Indeavours of his Life are for his Sake as to make his Son Rich Noble and Powerfull that he may have Respect Renown and Fame amongst Strangers The like do I for my Subjects Indeed a King is the Common Father of his People and I Rejoyce to See you as a Loving Father doth his Children and so I Pray the Gods to Bless you SPEECHES OF Dying Persons PART VII A Kings Dying Speech to his Noble Subjects FAithfull Counsellours Just Magistrates Loving Friends Noble Men and Loyal Subjects you see me here Death's Prisoner yet though I must part with my Subjects they shall not part with their Soveraign for I shall leave them a King though I Die I have been your Crown'd King this Thirty Years a Heavy Weight and a Long time of Trouble But a King hath more Title than Power and more Power than Pleasure for were all his Subjects Slaves and all did Obey his Will yet to Order and Govern them to his Will requires Pains Care and Study but my Desire and Will was to make my Subjects Happy to which end I bent all my Industry the which I wish my Successor may do the like for good Subjects deserve a good Soveraign Indeed all good Subjects have not at all times good Soveraigns nor all good Soveraigns good Subjects for all Soveraigns are not Wise nor all Subjects Loyal for though good men make good Subjects yet good men do not alwaies make good Soveraigns as being not Piety nor Moral Honesty that makes good Kings but Industry Observation Understanding Judgement Wit Prudence and Courage that makes Kings Wise Rulers also Counsels Experience and Practice which makes an Old King a Better Governour than a Young King and yet all Subjects for the most part grow weary with their Soveraigns Age and so consequently with their own Happiness but their Folly and Ingratitude is often Punished in having their Desires Indeed most of mankind through Ignorance and Inconstancy desire their own Hurt which when they Feel they are Displeased with the Gods for Granting that they were Earnest with the Gods to Give them so that they are seldome Contented But I wish they may have good Desires contented Minds and happy Lives and I pray the Gods they may Flourish with my Successors in
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
therein As for Moral Philosophy he knew well how to Compose Common-wealths and to Settle and Govern them also he knew well the Natures Humours Passions and Appetites amongst Mankind as also to Divide and Distinguish them and to Order Form and Reform them As for Natural Philosophy he did not only Study the Outward Forms of several Creatures but their Inward Natures In truth his Conception was so Subtil and Peircing his Observation so Dilative his Reason so Strong his Wit so Agil his Judgement so Solid his Understanding so Clear and his Thoughts so Industrious as they went to the First Cause of several Effects and he did not only Converse with the Body but the Soul of Nature indeed he was Nature's Platonick Lover and She rewarded him in Discovering to him her most Hidden and Obscure Secrets by which he begot Great Wisdome and Everlasting Fame for though his Body be Dead yet his Good Laws VVise Sciences Profitable Arts VVitty Experiences Graces Vertues and Eloquence will Live for the Benefit and Delight of Living men in all Nations and Ages and though we have great reason to Mourn for his Bodily Death yet we have more reason to Rejoyce for his Glorious Fame but leaving his Merits to Life and his Body to Death let us lay him into the Grave to Transmigrate as Nature pleases A Funeral Oration of a Dead Lady Spoken by a Living Lady Dearly Beloved Sisters in God VVE are met as Sorrowfull Mourners to attend this Dead Ladies Corps to the Grave She was in her Life the Rule of our Actions and will be in her Fame the Honour of our Sex She was Favoured of Nature the Gods and Fortune Nature gave her Wit and Beauty the Gods gave her Piety and Charity and Fortune gave her Wealth and Education She was Adorned by the Graces Beloved by the Muses and Attended by the Arts She was Sociable in her Conversation Just in her Promises and Generous in her Gifts She was Industrious in all Good Actions Helpfull to all Distress'd Persons and Gratefull for all sorts of Courtisies She was Humble in her Own Prosperities and full of Magnanimity in her Own Adversities her Mind had no Passage for any Evil nor no Obstruction against any Good But to repeat or summ up the Number of this Ladies Merits is beyond my Rhetorick or Arithmetick for certainly she was Composed of the Purest Effence of Nature and the Divinest Spirits of Heaven She had the Piety of Saints the Chastity of Angels and the Love of the Gods in which Love let us leave her Soul and lay her Body in the Grave till the time of Glorification A Foreiners or Strangers Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren YOu shew your Charity and Humanity and that they are not Bound up to Particulars or to your Friends and Country-men but that they Extend to Strangers in coming to see this Stranger who Died out of his Native Country Decently to be Buried in a Forein Land I mean Forein as from his Native Country although the truth is that all the World is Common to Mankind for Nature hath not assigned Men to any Particular place or Part of the World but hath given All the World freely to them as if she made the World and all other Creatures only for Man's sake for all other Creatures are not so generally Disperst or rather so Spreading and Branching throughout the World as Mankind is by reason they Belong Breed Prosper or Increase in Particular Climates as some in Cold and others in Hot and some in one Part of the World and some in Another for some Creatures will be so farr from Increasing in some Particular Climates as they cannot Live in them but in all Parts of the World that are Habitable there be Men. 'T is true Different Climates may cause men to be of Different Complexions but what Complexions soever they have they are all of the same kind as Mankind and of the same sort of Animals for though all Beasts are of Beast-kind yet a Fox and an Ass is not one and the same sort or kind of Beast but there is no such different sort amongst Mankind for there is no difference of men in their Natural Shapes Proprieties Qualities Abilities Capacities Entities or the like unless some Defects to some Particulars which is nothing to the Generality for all the kind of Mandkind is all alike both in Body and Mind as in their Shapes Senses Appetites Speech Frowning Laughing Weeping and the like as also alike in their Rational Parts as Judging Understanding Conceiving Remembring Apprehending Considering Imagining Desiring Joying Grieving Loving Hating Fearing Doubting Hoping Believing and the like And therefore since not any man can be accounted as a Stranger in any Part of the World because he hath by Nature a Right as a Natural Inheritance to Inhabit what part or place of the World he will But all Mankind are as Brethren not only by Kind but by Inheritance as being General Sharers and Possessors of the World so this Dead man ought not to be accounted as a Stranger but a Brother VVherefore let us Mourn as we ought to do for a Dead Brother and Accompany his Hearse to the Grave with Religious Ceremony there leaving it in Rest and Peace A Post-Riders Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren YOu have Exprest your Humanity and Charity in coming to this Poor Unfortunate man's Burial which though he was a Poor man yet he was an Honest man and therefore is much the more Worthy to be Praised for Poverty and Necessity is a great Temptation to Knavery as much as Riches is a Temptation to Foolery which is Vanity nay Riches is not only Guilty of Vanity but Vice as Luxnry Pride and Wantonness whereas Knavery is Cheating Coosening Stealing and the like of all which this Poor man was Free And as he was an Honest man so he was a Laborious man for his Profession of Life was a Post-Rider an Unfortunate Profession for him for he Riding fast upon a Stumbling Jade fell down and Broke his Neck Thus we see that Misfortunes as well as Sicknesses bring many to their Lives ends and many times to a Miserable end for Misfortunes take Life away Unawares and sometimes Unprepar'd to Dye so this man did not Think when he got on the Horses back he should Ride Post to Death for had he thought so he would have Chosen to Run a-Foot a Safer though a Slower pace But could his Soul Ride Post on Death to Heaven as his Body Rid Post on a Horse to Death he might Out-strip many a Soul that is gone before him for though his Soul as all Souls are Light and of no Weight yet Death is no nimble Runner being Cold and Numb and nothing but Bare Bones a Hard Seat for a Tender Soul Besides the way to Heaven is so Narrow and Steep as Death cannot Get up for should he Venture his Soul would be in Danger to be Overthrown and cast into Hell which is a Deep Dark
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
Died in Child-Bed to be laid into the Bed of Earth a Cold Bed but yet she will not take any Harm there nor we shall not fear she will Catch her Death for Death hath Catch'd her the truth is that although all Women are Tender Creatures yet they Indure more than Men and do oftner Venture and Indanger their Lives than Men and their Lives are more Profitable than men's Lives are for they Increase Life when Men for the most part Destroy Life as witness Warrs wherein Thousands of Lives are Destroyed Men Fighting and Killing each other and yet Men think all Women meer Cowards although they do not only Venture and Indanger their Lives more than they do but indure greater Pains with greater Patience than Men usually do Nay Women do not only indure the Extremity of Pain in Child-birth but in Breeding the Child being for the most part Sick and seldome at Ease Indeed Nature seems both Unjust and Cruel to her Femal Creatures especially Women making them to indure all the Pain and Sickness in Breeding and Bringing forth of their Young Children and the Males to bear no part of their Pain or Danger the truth is Nature hath made her Male Creatures especially Mankind only for Pleasure and her Female Creatures for Misery Men are made for Liberty and Women for Slavery and not only Slaves to Sickness Pains and Troubles in Breeding Bearing and Bringing up their Children but they are Slaves to Men's Humours nay to their Vices and Wickednesses so that they are more Inslaved than any other Female Creatures for other Female Creatures are not so Inslaved as they Wherefore those Women are most Happy that Never Marry or Dye whilst they be Young so that this Young VVoman that Died in Child-Bed is Happy in that she Lives not to Indure more Pain or Slavery in which Happiness let us leave her after we have laid her Corps to Rest in the Grave A Souldiers Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren THis Dead man whom you attend to the Grave was whilst he Lived a Valiant Gallant man and an Excellent Souldier for that was his Profession in times of VVarr a Noble Profession for all Valiant Souldiers are Honour's Sons Death's Friends and Life's Enemies for a Souldiers Profession is to Destroy Lives to get Honour and Fame by which Destruction Death is a Gainer In truth Death is a Souldiers Companion Camerade and Familiar Acquaintance but not a Souldiers Friend though Souldiers be Death's Friends he is no Stranger to Souldiers for they see him in all Shapes Postures and Humours yet the most Terrible Aspects of Death could not Affright nor Terrifie this Souldier nor cause him to Remove an Inch back for he would Venture to the very Jaws of Death Thus Bold Adventurous Souldiers do more Affright Death than Death doth Affright them insomuch that Death for the most part Runs away from Valiant men and Seizes on Cowards and daring not Assault Valiant men in the Fore-front he Steals upon them as it were Unawares for he comes Behind Valiant men when he takes hold of them or else he Seizes on them by Treachery or Weakens their Bodies so much by Sickness as they are Forced to Yield Indeed there was no other way for Death to take this Valiant Souldier but by Sickness for he could never take him in the Field But Death is of the Nature of Ungratefull men who Indeavour to do those most Mischief that have been most Bountifull to them and are Ready to take the Lives of those they were most Obliged to for Valiant men give Death Thousands of Lives to Feed on yet he is like some Gluttons the more they Eat the Leaner they are nay Death is so Lean as to be only Bare Bones and by his Empty Scul he may be thought a Fool having no Brains though he be rather a Knave than a Fool for the Deceives or Robbs Nature and Time of many Lives taking them away before Nature and Time had Ordain'd them to Dye But leaving Death to Ingratitude Cheats and Robberies we must also leave him this Dead Souldiers Body for to Feed upon for all Heroick men are Death's most Nourishing food they make him Strong and Lusty and since there is no Remedy let us place this Dead Heros on Deaths Table which is to put him into the Grave and there leave him An Oration concerning the Joys of Heaven and Torments of Hell Beloved Brethren YOu have heard of Heaven and Hell Gods and Devils Damnation and Salvation and that you shall have a Fulness of Bliss in Heaven and be Everlastingly Tormented in Hell also you have heard Hell and Heaven described to you as that Heaven is Composed and Built all of Pretious Stones and Rich Metall as Gold Diamonds Rubies Pearls Saphyrs and the like as also what Degrees and Powers there be and for Hell it is described to be Dark as Night and yet great Elemental Fires in which the Damned shall be Tormented the like for other Torments that Devils use as their Rods and Scourges to Punish the Damned also that the Devils do Curse and the Blessed Sing and Rejoyce Moreover you have heard by your Teacher and seen Painted in Pictures both the Shapes of Devils and Angels the Angels with Wings and the Devils with Horns and Cloven feet like Beasts all which may be True for any thing we sensibly know to the Contrary and yet Perchance all these Relations may be False as the Relation of the Situation of Heaven and Hell and the Architecture of either or the Shapes of Devils or Angels or the manner and wayes of their Pleasures and Delights and their Pains and Torments all which may not be so as they are Usually Described to us but made by men's Fancies for no Mortal man is come either from Heaven or Hell to tell us Punctually of every particular Truth Yet a Heaven and Hell Good and Bad Angels Pains and Torments Joys and Pleasures there are for both Reason and Faith informs us also God himself tells us in his Holy Writs and by his Inspired Priests and Prophets that there is Reward for the Good in Heaven and Punishment for the Bad in Hell but if we will give our Imaginations leave to Work upon that we cannot Know whilst we Live here in this World let us Imagine what is most Probable and first for the Situation of Heaven and Hell or the Architecture of either or the Shapes of Devils or Angels it is beyond my Imagination yet some Imagination may beget a Belief at least some Probability of the Joys in Heaven and the Torments in Hell Wherefore I 'le begin with the Glorified Bodies in Heaven which Bodies in their Glorified Condition shall have their Senses more Perfect and their Appetites more Quick the Body being Purified into a Celestial Purity than when their Bodies were Clogg'd with a Terrestrial Grossness which made their Senses Weak and their Appetites Dull these Glorified Bodies shall have their Senses Fill'd and their Appetites
summ of Money to mend the one and to relieve the other who deserve not only Pay but Reward to encourage them An Oration for Contribution Noble Citizens and Dear Country-men IT seems you are Covetous but not Prudent that you are so loath to raise and so slow to pay Contribution-Money towards the maintenance of the Army which is to fight not only for your Lives and Liberties but to protect your Goods and that every man may without Disturbance injoy his own but you are so Covetous that rather than you would part with Some you will endanger the Whole and as you are Covetous so you are Fearfull for you will neither maintain poor Souldiers that are willing to fight for you nor yet go to the VVarrs to fight for your selves you Fear your Enemies and yet will take no care to Overcome them And give me leave to tell you that your Covetousness and Fear doth make you Treacherous for if you will neither help with your Purse nor your Person you betray your Country to the Enemies power also your old Parents tender VVives and young Children that cannot help themselves all which you betray to Slavery leaving them for a prey to the Enemy and not only your fertil Country and shiftless Friends and neer Allies but your own Lives for it seems by your Covetousness and Cowardliness that you had rather have your Throats cut than part with your Money or fight in your own Defence which is a strange Madness as to be afraid to Dye and yet to take no care to provide for your Safety nor to have Courage to fight for your Lives The best that can be said or thought of you is that you relie upon base hopes as that the Enemy may spare your Lives to inslave your Persons But I can only say this that either you must Fight your selves or Maintain others or else others will take what you have to maintain themselves to defend their Country An Oration to perswade a City not to yield to their Enemies Worthy Citizens I Do not doubt your Courage in Resisting and Fighting your Enemies nor your Patience in Sufferance nor your Care in Watching nor your Industry in Labouring nor your Prudence in Ordering and all for the defence of your City which is besieged by your Enemies which you indeavour to keep out by all possible means sparing neither your Limbs nor your Lives nor do I fear the power of your Enemies for whilst your Courages Strengths Patience and Industries be united together it is more probable you will raise the Siege than the Enemies take this City for though your Victuals be scarce and your Ammunition wasted yet your Temperance doth supply the scarcity of the one and your Courage the want of the other Only that I fear will make you yield upon any conditions is the Love to your Wives Daughters Mothers Kinswomen and femal Friends and not so much their safety for so long as your Lives last you will defend them but if you yield to your Enemies by yielding to the Womens Effeminate fears if your Enemies do not say or think you base Cowards they will say or think you facil Fools For give me leave to tell you that though men of Honour as Valiant men will Fight for the safety and protection of Women not only for those that are neer Allied to them but for those that are neither of their Country nor Kinn Yet no man that would keep the Reputation of Valour will quit that Honour for a Womans sake no although it be to save his Daughter Wife or Mother from their Enemies for a Gallant man dreads more the name of a Coward than any thing in the world and it is no dishonour to a Man to have his Wife taken and abused by his Enemy when he could not Honourably help her for Force is no Dishonour but a Base free Act for a man cannot be forced to be a Coward nor a chast Woman to be a Whore they may both have Misfortunes Injuries and Hatefull abuses done to them but not Wicked Base or Ignoble minds VVherefore let me perswade you for your own Honour's sake not to yield through the VVomens desires let not their tears move you nor their intreaties perswade you for if you yield though upon the assurance of your Lives and Liberties where will you wander to seek an Habitation for if you could not keep your own City and Wealth it is not likely you will get the like from other men alas your Neighbours will shut their Gates and Doors against you for Poverty and Misfortune hath not many Friends or Hosts for few are so Hospitable as to entertain either and you will not only find Charity cold but those that have envied you in your Prosperity will despise you in your Adversity and what Masculine spirits can bear such misery as Neglect Want and Scorn and the Infamy of yielding Courages Wherefore it is better to Dye in the Defence of your own City and be Renowned for your Valour and Constancy in after-ages wherein your Lives Acts and Deaths will be mentioned to your Honour and Renown An Oration for those that are slain in the Warrs and brought home to be Buried Worthy Citizens YOu lament over the Corps of your Friends slain in the Warrs shedding your tears and breathing your sighs on their Hearses 'T is true they are natural Showers and Zephyrus's airs of loving Affections and passionate Hearts yet give me leave to tell you you have more cause to Rejoyce than Grieve First that their Death begets their Renowns and is an Honour to their Memory to Dye in the Service of their Country for all men that have Worth and Merit would willingly nay gladly Dye to save their Country or for the Honour of their Country and all Wise men will gladly quit a present frail and uncertain Life to live Eternally in the memory of the present and future Ages in whose memories their Actions live like Glorified bodies and Purified souls for thus they become from Terrestrial to be Celestial The next cause you have to Rejoyce is that their Bodies are brought home as a witness of their Victory and their Deaths are their Triumphs which are adorned and set out with numerous and glorious Praises besides they have the happiness to be inurned with their Fore-fathers where by a natural Instinct or Sympathy they may mutually intermix and perchance transmigrate together and since they Fought Valiantly and Died Honourably they shall be buried Happily and will be remembred Eternally and have an everlasting Fame rejoyce with Musick Bells and Bonfires and offer unto the Gods Oblations of Thanksgiving ORATIONS IN THE FIELD OF WARR PART II. An Oration from a Besieged City ready to yield or else to be taken I Am come here to intreat you that are our Over-powerfull Enemies to be our Mercifull Saviours that though you are determined to destroy our City and possess our Goods yet you would be pleased to spare the Lives of
making me as a Parish-Priest as only to Talk and you to Run away for then I shall Curse you instead of Blessing you and though it be requisite you should be as meek Sheep in Ioves ' s Temple yet you must be as raging Lions in Mars ' s Field and the Prayers you make to Mars must be for Victory and Fame but let me tell you you must implore Pallas ' s help and Fortune ' s favour and therefore fight Valiantly and Fiercely and take your advantages Prudently stick Closely and fight Orderly and leave the rest to Fortune which if you do thus as I advise you your Actions will wipe out all former Faults and take away all your Reproach or Disgrace so clean as if they had never been especially if you have the Victory A Mutinous Oration to Common Souldiers by a Common Souldier Fellow Souldiers GIve me leave to tell you that although you have proved your Valours in the Battels you have fought and the Assaults you have made yet you have not proved your selves Wise to leave your Native Country and Peaceable Habitations only to fight with Foreiners who are as Industrious Valiant and Active to overcome and kill you as you to overcome and kill them and what do we fight and hazard our Lives for not for Riches for what we get we are subject to lose again and should we get Riches we should soon consume them having no setled abiding to thrive upon the Stock or to get out use of the Principal nor to have any returns by Traffick or Commerce but those spoils we can get are only Cumbersome Goods which we are forc'd to fling away in times or places of Danger or when we make sudden or long Marches and albeit we could easily and safely carry them along with us yet we should make but Small Profit of them and get Little ready Money for them although they were not spoil'd in the Carriage By this we may know the Warrs will not Inrich us and as for Fame Common Souldiers are never mentioned although they are the only Fighters but thousands sands of them when Kill'd are buried in Oblivions grave and no other Burial they have for their slain Bodies for the most part lie and rot above ground or are devoured by Carrion-birds or Ravenous Beasts but the Fame or Renown is given to the General alone some Under-Commanders may chance to be Slightly mentioned but not Gloriously famed And if you can neither get Wealth nor Honour in or by the Warrs why-Should you be Souldiers Wherefore let us return home and rather be Plowmen in our Own Country than Souldiers in a Forein Nation rather feed with our own Labours than starve at our Generals Command and rather choose to die Peaceably than to live in the Warr wherein is nothing to be gotten but Scarrs and Wounds where we may lose our Limbs and Lives but not make our Fortunes An Oration to stay the Souldiers from a Mutinous return from the Warrs Fellow Souldiers and Dear Country-men THe Souldier that spake to perswade you to mutiny as to leave the Warrs dishonorably by his speech any man of Courage would believe he were a Coward for no man of Courage would leave an Enemy in the Field for that would be as bad as Running away and will you who have gotten Honourable Renown by the Warrs quit that Renown for Disgrace Shall the speech of a Cowardly Idle Base man perswade you more than your Reputations can any man Live Act or Dye more honestly than in the Service of his Country besides it will not only be a Disgrace to You and also a Disgrace to your Country to leave the Warrs but you will indanger your Country for no question but your Enemies will follow you at the heels so that instead of carrying home Victory and Spoils you will carry home Danger and perchance Ruine betraying your Country by Faction Mutiny or Cowardly fears Thus although you came out of your Country Souldiers you will return Traitors But should they not Follow you they would Scorn you and your Friends would Despise you at your return and what is worse than to be Scorn'd and Despised of Enemies and Friends when as by your Gallant actions the one would be Afraid the other Proud of you And let me tell you to be a Souldier is the noblest Profession for it makes Mean men as Princes and those Princes that are not Souldiers are as Mean men and though Fame doth not mention every particular Souldier but generally all together yet the memory of every particular Souldier and their particular Actions never die as long as their Successors live for their Children mention their Fore-fathers Valiant Actions with Pride Pleasure and Delight and Glory that they descended from such worthy Ancestors and as for Scarrs gotten in the Warrs they are such Graces and becoming Marks as they Woo and Win a Mistress and gain her Favour sooner than Wealth Title or Beauty doth But I hope you will neither shew your selves Cowards nor prove your selves Traitors by leaving the Warr when you ought to follow it A Generals Oration to his Mutinous Souldiers Fellow Souldiers I Hear you Murmur Complain and Speak against me forgetting your Respects Obedience Duty and Fidelity to me your General for which I am sorry not for my Self but for my Souldiers for I am never the worse for my Souldiers being evil but I am sorry my Souldiers are not what they ought to be and though I do not wonder at the Disobedience of my Common Souldiers yet I cannot but wonder at the Baseness of my Officers and Under-Commanders for though Inferiour Men have inferiour Minds rude and wild Natures and barbarous Manners yet Men of quality usually have Generous and noble Minds gentle Natures and civil Manners and of all men Gallant Souldiers have the noblest Minds and ought to have the reformedst Manners for though Heroick men fight in Blood to kill their Enemies yet they will spill their Blood and sacrifize their Lives for their Friends Country or Country-men as also for Honour Generosity and Fame and they will rather choose to indure all kind or manner of Torments and to die a thousand nay millions of Deaths if it could be than to do one act of Dishonour or that is not fit for a man of Honour to do Indeed Heroick and Honourable men are petty Gods whereas other men are Beasts the one having Celestial natures the other Terrestrial But by your mutinous speeches I perceive I have not those Gallant Noble Generous and Valiant Souldiers as I thought I had in this my Army which I am sorry for especially that there is none like my Self for I utterly Renounce all Actions or Thoughts that ought not be to be done by Worthy men or to be inherent in Worthy men I hate Treachery as I hate Cowardliness and I hate Cowardliness as I hate Disgrace or Infamy and I hate Infamy worse than Oblivion for Oblivion is the Hell of Meritorious
against you your Acquaintance to shun you your Friends to Grieve for you your Posterity to be Ashamed of you and Disgraced by you for when After-ages shall mention you your Posterity if they have any Worth or Merit will hang down their heads for shame to hear of your Evil Deeds all which will be if you be Mutinous Conspirers Traitors or Cowards but if neither Honour Honesty Fidelity nor Love can disswade you from your Base Treacherous and Wicked designs or that your Design is against Me here I offer my Self to you to dispose of my Person and Life as you please for I am neither asham'd to Suffer nor afraid to Dye knowing I have not done any thing that a man of Honour ought not to do and as Fear hath no power over my Mind so Force hath no power over my Will for I shall willingly Dye An Oration to Souldiers who have kill'd their General BArbarous Souldiers or rather Cruel Murderers you that have inhumanely Kill'd your General your Carefull Painfull Prudent Valiant Loving and Kind General ought to be generally Kill'd but Death would be too great a Mercy and Happiness for such Wretches as you are for you deserve such Torments and Afflictions as are above all expressions and your Bloody Action hath made you appear to me so Horrid that me thinks Life is Terrible because you Live and Death is Amable since our General is Dead and Honour lives in the Grave with him and Baseness lives in the World with you Devils possess your Souls in your living Bodies when as Angels have born away his Soul from his liveless Corps to be Crown'd with Everlasting Glory You shall not need to Fear your Enemies now for surely they will Flye you not for fear you should Kill them but for fear you should Infect them they fear not your Courage but your Wickedness neither shall you fear Oblivion for you will be Infamous and the very report of your Murdering act will cause a trembling of Limbs and chilness of Spirit to all the hearers and you will not only be Scorn'd Hated and Curs'd but Prayers will be offer'd against you and Men will Bless themselves from you as from a Plague or Evil Spirit Thus your Enemies will despise you your Friends renounce you Honest men exclame against you men of Honour shun you good Fortune forsake you Heaven shut all mercy from you your Conscience torment you insomuch that you will be asham'd to Live and afraid to Dye An Oration to Souldiers which repent the Death of their General PEnitent Souldiers for so you seem by your Tears Sighs Groans and sorrowfull Complaints I cannot forbid you to Weep for your Fault requires great and many showers of Tears to wash away your Crime indeed there is no other way to purge your Souls and to cleanse your Consciences from the stains of your Generals Blood but by Penitent Tears Wherefore let me advise you to go to his Urn and there humbly on your Knees lamenting your Sorrow pray to Heaven for Pardon then make him a Statue and carry his Image in your Ensigns and set his Statue under your Banner Thus make him that was your General your Saint and let his Memory be famous by your Valour that his Enemies may know the power of his Name is able to Destroy them so will you make him Victorious in his Grave and appease his Angry Ghost An Oration to Distressed Souldiers Dear Country-men YOu know we are a people that have been Conquered and made Slaves to our Enemies which Slavery we did Patiently indure a long time but at last we had an Impatient desire of Liberty and had our Prudence been according to our Desires no doubt but we should have Gain'd it but our Over-hasty Desires have put us into a greater Misery for now we are not only like to Lose our Liberties again but our Lives or to Live in worse Bondage than we did before which we had better Dye than Indure but since we were not so Wise for our selves to Prevent our Danger as we were Just to our selves to Indeavour our Liberty yet we must not leave Indeavouring our own Good so long as Life lasts Wherefore we must consider what is best to be done in this Extremity First we have of our selves a Great Body though not so well Armed as I wish we were yet so as we are not left Naked to our Enemies but though we have a great Number yet our Enemies have a greater Number and though we be Arm'd yet our Enemies are Better Armed the worst of all is that we are in a place of such Disadvantage as either we must Starve or Yield our selves or Fight it out at all Hazards As for Starving it is a lingring and painfull Death and to Yield will be a miserable and painfull Life wherefore to Fight it out at all Hazards will be best for us to choose for Death is the End of Misery and Pain is not felt in a Raging or Acting Fury and if we Resolve let the worst come to the worst we can but Dye and that we must do in time had we no other Enemies than what are Natural as Sickness and Age and these Hopes we have that Desperate Men in Desperate Adventures have many times Good Fortune and those that are Desperate want no Courage but they are apt to be Careless of Conduct Wherefore let me advise you to Listen to Direction and be carefull to Obey your Instructions for if we should Overcome our Enemies we should not only save our Lives which we give for lost but we should have our Liberties and also Honour Power and Wealth too whereas our Enemies only venture their Lives to keep us in Subjection which will cause them to Fight but Faintly for where there is neither Profit nor Honour to be gain'd they will sooner Run away than Venture their Lives in the Battel so that our Poverty will Defend us and our Necessity help to Fight for us Prudence shall Guide us and then perchance Fortune may Favour us Wherefore let us Assault our Enemies before they Expect us and indeavour to Overcome them before they are ready to Fight with us for if we take them Unprepar'd we shall find them without Defence and in such Disorder as we shall Destroy them without Hazard ORATIONS TO CITIZENS IN THE MARKET PLACE PART III. An Oration to a dejected People ruined by Warr. Unfortunate Citizens and Country-men YOu now seem to be as much cast down and dejected in your Misery as you were puft up with Pride in your Prosperity in which Prosperity you were so Confident and so Careless of your Security as you would neither believe your Danger nor provide for your Safety insomuch that you Murmured and Mutined against all Assessments and Payments although it were to keep the Kingdome in Peace and to strengthen it against Forein force but now you do not Murmur at small Taxes but Mourn for your great Losses not for your Security but
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
to Live on Also they do Rob the Subjects in General and your Majesty in Particular for though they take away Much from Us yet they pay your Majesty but Little in Comparison of what they take and they Use or rather Abuse your Majesties Name to the Ruine of your Subjects for they Extort by your Majesties Name and when we hear your Majesties Name we humbly Submit and Yield to all they Demand for not only your Person but your Name is Sacred to us But give us leave to tell your Majesty that they are so Unsatiably Covetous as all the VVealth of your other Subjects will not Satisfie them and their Covetousness makes them so Unbelieving and Hard-hearted as when they have taken All from us they put us in Prison because we have Nothing left to Give them and if we be not put in Prison we are put to Slavery and many times our VVives and our Children are Abused And this is the Lamentable Condition of your Poor Subjects for which we implore your Majesties Redress knowing it is not your Majesties Pleasure we should suffer so miserably A Kings Speech to his Rebellious rout Beloved Subjects VVHat is the Reason or Cause you gather together in such Rebellious Tumults Is it for fear of your Lives or Liberties which you have no cause to Fear for I am not your Enemy but your Gracious King or is it that you are my Enemies and throng to Dethrone me or is it that you would have the Absolute Power amongst you which Absolute Power cannot be Divided amongst Many for if every one hath Liberty to do what he list not any man will have Power to do what he would for Liberty will be lost if every man will take upon him to Rule and Confusion will take place of Government Thus striving for Liberty you will thrust your selves into Slavery and out of Ambition to Rule you will lose all Government and out of Covetousness to be Rich you 'l make your selves Miserably Poor for if there be no Government there can be no Order if there be no Order there can be no Justice and if no Justice there can be no Safety if no Safety no Peace if no Peace no Trade and if no Trade there will be no Riches VVherefore your best way is to Submit and Obey to be Content to be Ruled and not seek to Govern to injoy your Rights and to revenge your VVrongs by Law and Justice and not to make VVarr and Confusion to destroy your selves A Kings Speech to Rebellious Subjects I May call you Well-beloved Subjects but I cannot call you Loving Subjects for although I have been Carefull Watchfull Prudent and Just for your Safeties Peace Prosperities and Rights yet you regard not my Safety my Peace nor my Rights Neither can I call you Good for you are Factious Complaining and full of Malice nay it may be a question whether I may call you Subjects for you Disobey all Authority Resist the Laws and will Obey no Command unless you be Forced and though you have not Actually Rebell'd yet you are in the Way to it for you Dispute my Power and would if you could take away my Prerogatives but will not quit any of your Privileges which shews your Unconscionableness Ungratefulness and Unkindness to me your Soveraign Besides you are so Unreasonable and so Evil as you murmur at my Harmless and Lawfull Pleasures but will abate none of your own Vanities Vices and Wickednesses The truth of it is I have done like an Over-fond Father who through extreme Love and Tenderness to his Children hath given them their Wills and Liberties So much as they forget their Duties and become Disobedient through VVantonness but had I used Severity instead of Clemency and had Rigorously kept you in Fear and had Exacted More from you and had Yielded Less to you and had I Curbed your Liberties you had been more Obedient which would have been more Happy both for Me and for You for then you would have been Govern'd Easily and Obey'd Willingly by which we should have Lived Peaceably whereas now we are like to Ruine each other with Civil VVarrs unless Heaven open your Eyes of Understanding to see your Faults Errors and Dangers you are like to fall into but I hope Heaven will give you Grace to Reform your Lives and Conform your Manners to Live Peaceably A Kings Speech to Discontented Subjects Beloved Subjects I Perceive Frowning Countenances amongst my people which doth portend a Storm but let me advise you from raising a Storm lest you Ship-wrack the whole Kingdome and be Drown'd your selves in the VVaves of Rebellion The truth of it is Raging Men are worse than Raging Billows and worse more Devouring than the Sea Yet if you are resolve'd to make VVarr rather make VVarr in Forein Nations than in your Own Country and on Strangers rather than on your Friends for to make VVarr on Me your King and your Soveraign is against the Laws of God to make VVarr on the Protector of your Liberties and Father of your Country is Unnatural to spill your Friends Blood is Ungratefull and Inhuman to Ruine your Native Country is Barbarous by which Actions you will become worse than Beasts and as bad as Devils but if you be so possest with Fury as no Intreaties will dispossess you you must be Scourged with Misery the truth is you seem by your Rebellious Actions to be Mad and then there is no Cure for you but to be Let Blood in the Discontented Veins and I will be your Surgeon on whom I 'l try my Skil and Power to bring you into a Perfect Obedience besides I will Bind you with Bonds of Slavery and Whip you with Rods of Afflictions unless you presently Conform your selves to Peace Law and Government and humbly crave Pardon for your Faults A Kings Speech to his Rebellious Subjects PRoud Presumptuous Subjects for so you are that Dare bring your Soveraigns Prerogatives in question and to Dispute his Power but who Gave you that Authority not my Ancestors nor your Own for my Ancestors Conquered your Ancestors and made them Slaves in which Slavery you ought to have been Kept and not to have such Liberty as now you have in so much as to come so Near and so High in your Demands as to Justle me in my Throne only you cast a Veil of Pretence over your Wicked Designs the Pretence is your Rights and Privileges but what Rights had you when you were Conquered and what Privileges have you but what the Conquerour gave he gave you not the Privilege to Dispute my Power or to Bring my Prerogatives in Question neither have you Privilege to Disobey my Command to Resist my Authority or to Break my Laws and know rather than I will quit my Rights my Birth or my Power I will Die first but my Death will not serve your turn for I have Successors and though your Idle thoughts and Vain hopes perswade you you shall get more
Peace and Plenty as they have done with Me to whom I leave You and Him to you Farewell A Daughters Dying Speech to her Father FAther Farewell and may that Life that Issues from My young and tender Years be added to Your Age may all your Grief be Buried in my Grave and may the Joys Pleasures and Delights that did attend my Life be Servants unto Yours may Comfort Dry your Eyes God Cease your Sorrows that though I Die you may Live Happily Why do you mourn that Death must be your Son-in-Law since he is a Better Husband than any you could Choose me or I could Choose my Self it is a Match that Nature and the Fates have made Wherefore be Content for it is not in your Power to alter the Decrees of Fate for Destiny cannot be Opposed but if you could you would Rob me of the Happiness the Gods intend me for though my Body shall dwell with Death my Soul shall dwell in Heaven and Holy Angels that are my Marriage Guests will Conduct it to that Glory for which you have cause to Joy and not to Grieve for all Creatures Live but to Die but those that are Blessed Die to Live and so do I. Farewell A Souldiers Dying Speech to his Friends Dear Friends YOu are come to see me Die but I am sorry you shall see me Die in the Bed of Sloth and not in the Field of Action for now I shall Die like a Coward whereas had I Died in the Field of Warr I should have Died as a Valiant man indeed the Field of Warr is the Bed of Honour wherein all Valiant and Gallant men should Die but Fortune hath denied me that Honour she hath spar'd my Life to my Loss for those that Die in the Warrs have Greater Renowns and Gloriouser Fame than those that Die in Chambers of Peace for whatsoever Heroick Acts men have done for the most part Die if they Out-live them for such Actions Live by the Deaths of the Actors I do not say Alwaies but for the Most part which makes me fear the Service I have done my King and Country will Die with me and be Buried in Oblivions Grave yet should the Service I have done be quite Forgotten I should not Repent my Actions for Honourable persons and Gallant men should do what they Ought to do although they were certain Never to be Rewarded for though few men are Rewarded according to their Merits and many have Favour that did Never Merit a Reward so Unjust is the World Fortune and Fame yet their Injustice must not make men Unworthy but I have done my Part and Death will do His. Farewell A Dying Speech of a Loving Mistress to her Beloved Servant SErvant This day I should have been your Wife and so Your Servant as you have been Mine but Death hath Robbed Hymen of his Rights and now he Fights with Life which he will Overcome for Death is Conquerour of All and Triumphs in his Spoils Yet Death by taking my Life Prisoner will set your Person Free to choose an other Mistress to make a Wife in whose Imbraces I shall be Buried and utterly Forgotten I speak not this in Envy to Her Happiness nor Yours for Envy dwells with Life and not with Death nor am I Loth to Die nor Grieve to be Forgotten no not by those that I Loved most and equal with my Soul for those I Love I would not have them Mourn in Melancholy thoughts and Sad remembrance of my Death I only wish that She that you Love next may return Love again with as much Truth Constancy and Purity as I have Loved you and may she be the Glory of her Sex and Honour of her Husband and may you Live to Love each Other and Love to Live for One an others Sake may Nature Time Fortune Fate and the Gods joyn in your Happiness Farewell A Forein Travellers Dying Speech Dear Friends I Have Travelled Farr and have seen Much of the World and have gone Round about the World but now I shall Travel Out of the World from which I shall bring no News I shall not come back to Relate my Journies or to tell you what Strange Creatures there are in the Other World or what Dangers I escap'd or what Adventures I have made or what several Countries there are and which is good for Plantation or what Commodities there are or what Traffick there is or may be for though all Creatures are Transported yet no Returns are Sent back in Lieu of them unless we believe New-born Creatures are sent out of the Other World into This but that is not Probable because they are Made in this World and of the same Substances of the World But howsoever those that are Sent thither as by Sickness Casualties Fortune and Age Return no more wherefore I must take my Last leave of you for though I have been at the Confines of Death and am Return'd to my Friends again yet I never was in the Region of Death a place I never was Ambitious or Desirous to go to for though I had the Curiosity to see the several Countries Kingdomes and Places in the several parts of the World yet I never had the Curiosity to Travel into Death's Kingdome no nor to see the Mansions of the Gods which may be Accounted a Sin Indeed Travellers are accounted Atheistical but if they were yet when they come to Die they would change those Atheistical Opinions and as Bad as they are thought to be yet they are not Afraid of Death for then they would not Venture their Lives so Often as they do indeed Travellers have as Great Courage as Souldiers have and 't is believed as Little Religion but not so much Hate Envy Malice Revenge nor Covetousness unless they be Merchants nor they are not Robbers and Murderers they do not Take away mens Lives nor Goods as Souldiers do but of all men Travellers have most reason to Adore and Worship God Best for they see Most of his Wonderfull works which shew his Power Might Wisdome and Majesty the which makes his Creatures Admire him Praise him Fear him Love him and Pray to him as the Great Omnipotent Infinite Eternal Incomprehensible and Everlasting God to whom I Resign my Soul and Leave my Body to Death Farewell A Lovers Dying Speech to his Beloved Mistress Dear Mistress THough I must Die I leave my Life to Live with You for You are the Life of my Love and the Love of my Life you are the Palace of my Soul wherein it Lives and will Remain though Death doth take my Body hence for Souls Live though Bodies Die yet do not Drown my Soul in Tears nor Cloud it with your Sorrows but give it Light of Joy and Please it with your Kind remembrance But O my Jealous thoughts do Torture more my Mind than Pains of Death do Torture my Weak Body lest you should Banish the Love of Me to Entertain a Stranger which if you do the Gods
will Punish you for your Inconstancy But pardon this my Jealousie for Doubts proceed from Love and your Virtue is the Anchor of my Hopes and Haven of Security in which my Love lives safe Farewell A Sons Dying Speech to his Father FAther I have been an Unprofitable Son for I shall Die a Batchelour and so leave you no Posterity to keep alive your Name and Family which is a Double Grief both to your Self and Me indeed to Me it is a Treble Grief because the Fault is only Mine loving Vain Pleasures and Liberty so much as made me unwilling to be Bound in Wedlock Bonds believing that a Wife would be a Hinderance to those Delights that Pleas'd me besides I trusted to my Youth and Health thinking I had time Enough to Marry and Increase also I thought that very Young men's Children would prove but Weak and Sickly in Body and Mind thus did I bring many Arguments to Live a Batchelour untill such time as I had more Maturity of Years and then I did intend to Choose a VVife with your Consent or else Consent to Marry whom you Pleas'd but Death will alter that Design and you and I must both Submit to Heavens Decree Yet have I this to Comfort me that you did never Command me to Marry wherefore my Fault was not a Fault of Disobedience for I never Disobey'd you all my Life which makes me Die in Peace Farewell A Young Virgins Dying Speech Dear Friends I Do Perceive that Holy Angels hover about my Soul to Bear it to the Gods when parted from my Body a Virgin 's Soul it is Cloth'd with white Innocency and so fitter for their Company as also for the Robe of Glory which the Gods will give me As for my Body though it be Young yet is it only fit for Death as being Due to him for that was made of Earth and Death is Lord of all the Earth doth Form Breed and Bring forth but Souls being of an other Nature those that are Celestial Proceeding from the Gods do to the Gods Return whereas Wicked Souls that are Damned and Proceed not from the Gods but from the Damned Spirits Return to the Damned crew again for all is Good that doth Proceed from God and though the Best of Souls doth Sin yet God doth give them Purging Grace that Cleanses them from Evil which Grace hath Purified my Soul and made it Fit for Heaven where I do wish all Souls may come Farewell A Husbands Dying Speech to his Wife VVIfe Farewell for Death will Break our Marriage knot and will Divorce our Persons but not Dissolve our Love unless you be Inconstant for Death hath not that Power to Disunite our Souls for they may Live and Love Eternally but if you Marry a Second Husband you separate our Loves as Death will separate our Bodies for in that Marriage-bed you will Bury all Remembrance of me and so shall I doubly Die and doubly be Buried for your second Husband will be my second Death but if you Live a Widdow you will keep me stil Alive both in your Name and Memory where I desire to Live untill your Body Dies and then our Souls will meet with Joy Delight and Happiness till then Farewell A common Courtisans Dying Speech KInd Friends and Wanton Lovers when I was in Health you came to view my Beauty to hear my Voice and to Injoy my Person in Amorous Imbraces and all for your own Pleasures and Delights but I did Entertain such Visitors more for the Lucre of Profit than for the Pleasures of Love more for your Presents than your Persons the truth is I was more Covetous of Wealth than Amorously Affected not but that I took Pleasure in seeing my Beauty Admired and hearing my Wit Prais'd and took delight to insnare mens Affections with my Attractive Graces and was Proud of the Power I had by Nature's Favour yet that Power I only imploy'd to Inrich my Self that I might Live Bravely and Luxuriously or to Hord up to maintain me when I was Old But O those Covetous desires and Vain delights have Ruined both my Body and Soul in Grievous Pains I Live and should Despairing Die but that the Gods are Mercifull and Pardon Penitent Sinners for if I were to Live I would not Live that Life I have done not only for my Souls sake but for my Bodies for had I thought of Death or could imagine the Pains that now I feel the Pocky rotting Pains that Torture my weak Body I should have been less Covetous of Wealth and more Carefull of Health I should not have made my Beauty Wit and becoming Graces and Adornments to intice Customers to buy Sinfull Pleasures or had I thought of the Joys in Heaven I should have Despised all worldly Delights or had I fear'd the Torments of Hell I should have Spent my time in Prayers and not in Courtships But Life is almost Past with me for Death hath strucken me with his VVand so that I cannot Live to Mend but Die to be Forgiven for I do truly and unfeignedly Repent Farewell A Vain young Ladies Dying Speech Dear Friends YOu are Charitable in Visiting the Sick a Charity that I did seldome Practise for when I was in Health I was so taken up with Vanities and worldly Pleasures as I could never Spare so much time as to Visit a sick Friend neither was I Charitable to the Poor as to help to Relieve their Wants for I spent so much on my Braveries as I left not any thing to give unto the Poor indeed I did shun Visiting the Sick because they put thoughts of Death in my Mind which thoughts did disturb my Mind and obstruct my Delights but if I had thought of Death more and had Visited the Sick oftner I had never Liv'd so Idlely nor Spent my time so Unprofitably nor had been so Foolishly Vain as I have been for I regarded nothing but Beauty Fashions Dressing Dancing Feasting Courtships and Bravery I never thought of Heaven nor Read holy Books of Divinity but only lying Romances and my Contemplation was all of Wanton Love 'T is true I went Often to Church but not to Pray but to be Pray'd to not as a Saint but as a Mistress I may say as a Sinner for I went not to Church for Instruction but for Destruction more for to Shew my Beauty than to Reform my Life more to get VVanton Lovers than to get Saving Grace I listned not to what the Preachers taught but look'd which of the Gallants eyed me Thus did I increase and multiply Sins under the Veil of Devotion for which I deserve great and grievous Punishments but the Gods are mercifull and will Forgive me for now I do more Hate Vanities than ever I did Love them and all my Evil thoughts are Banished from my mind indeed Death hath frighted all such thoughts away and Pious thoughts do take their place and as the Gods come neer the VVorld shrinks from me as Guilty of these Sins
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
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
this Fault in Government was a great Grievance Also Monopolizers Ingross'd several and almost all Commodities in the Kingdome hightning their Price as they pleased which hindred the General Trade and Traffick and this was an other great Grievance Also there were great Taxes laid upon the People and Kingdome which was an other Grievance Moreover needy Poor Courtiers would Beg that which ought not to be Granted or Accuse some Rich men to Get some of their Estates at least to get a Bribe to be Freed all which begot such Dislike and Hatred that the whole Kingdome Rebell'd with such a Fury as they Pull'd down Monarchy and after much Blood was Spilt in the VVarr they Set up a Repulick in which Government the Commons Chose the Magistrate and Officers of State for which the Commons were grossly Flattered by the Nobler Sort which Vice of Flattery became a Studied and Practised Art by which the Chief men became most Elegant and Eloquent Orators every Man striving to Out-Speak each other but this Practice and Strife begat Ambition and Envy in the Better Sort and Pride in the Commons which Pride was hightned by their Power to make Peace or Warr to Choose Magistrates and Officers to Pull down or Advance to give Life or Death to Banish or Recall to Condemn or Reprieve and all this Power lay in their Voices O Powerfull Voice of a Headless Monster this Power caused the Brainless People to be so Proud and withall so Envious as also Malitious to those Men that had Merit and Worth having None Themselves as they would often Banish if not Put to Death their Generous Nobles Valiant Commanders and Wise Magistrates as also those that were more Rich than their Neighbours besides they would Advance Mean and Worthiless men such as were of their own Degree and Quality to Places and Offices of Dignity which Discontented the Nobles and that Discontent bred a Faction betwixt the Commons and Nobles which Faction being Increas'd by the Friends of the Banished or Executed Persons brought forth a Civil Warr long was the Strife but at last the Nobles got the Better and then the State or Government became Aristocraty in which Government for some time they Liv'd Agreeable and Govern'd Justly and Orderly but by Reason Aristocraty is a Government of Some of the Nobles and not of One they could not Long agree Every one Striving to be Chief and most Powerfull insomuch that through Envy and Ambition they would Cross and Oppose each other for some would keep Peace with their Neighbours others would make Warr and some would have such or such Laws made others would not some would have some Old Laws Abolished or Dissolved others would Oppose them neither was Justice Executed as it ought for some would Punish those that others would Save some would Reward those that others would Disgrace Thus every one was Striving for Supreme Power although they did hinder One an Other and by the means of Doing and Undoing Decreeing and Opposing the People could not Tell whom to Address their Sutes Causes and Grievances to for what one Spake For an other would Speak Against till at last by their Pulling several wayes the Aristocratical Government broke in Pieces and then those Nobles set up each One for Himself and so there became another Civil Warr Long was that Warr for some times one had the Better and then an Other and some times two or three Sides would Joyn against the Rest and then most against One but now at last they being weary with Warr yet know not how to Agree in a Peace insomuch as we have neither Warr nor yet Peace nor any Setled Government the truth is the Kingdome is like as the Chaos and Confused Substance and there is no way to bring it to an Orderly Form but to have a Native King to bring Light out of Darkness that we may See our own Errors and Reform our Faults and hereafter Live Happily under the Government of a Good and Wise King which I Prav the Gods to Send you An Oration to a Discontented People Noble Citizens and Dear Country-men AFter many Disorders Several Governments Cruel Warrs much Losses and almost Absolute Ruine we desire to Associate and Agree in a Peace with our First Government which was Monarchy a Government our Forefathers Chose for the Best But our Natures I may say Mankind are so Restless as never to be Contented with what we Have were it the Best for should the Gods Reign and Rule Visibly upon Earth we should find Fault and be apt to Murmur if not Rebell against them Wherefore I Fear we shall never Continue long in Peace if a Celestial Power cannot Perswade us a Terrestrial will never be able to Keep us in Order for if Mankind desire to be above the Gods a Fellow Creature will never be Satisfied with any Power nor the Rest of Men will never be Satissied with any Government so as we shall never Live in a Setled Peace in this World nor never Dwell Peaceably but in the Grave nor never be Happily Govern'd but by that Grim and Great Monarch Death An Oration in Complaint of the Former Noble Citizens and Dear Country-men THe Former Orators Oration although it was Short yet it was Sharp for though it was but a Dagger for Length yet it was a Sword for Death for he partly Perswaded men to Dye Voluntarily to Dwell in the Grave Peaceably a Cruel Perswasion and a Wicked One for Death is the Punishment of Sin and shall we Imbrace our Punishment without Hopes of Redemption shall we Dye before a Repentance and Amendment but Surely he Believes after this Life there is none Other but that is more than he Knows or can Prove for I am Confident he hath no Intelligence from Death for Death is so Obscure that there is not any that Goes To him which ever Returns From him into this World But setting aside the Former Orator and his Oration give me Leave to Tell you that you are in the way of being Happy in that you are Resolved to agree Peaceably under a Monarchical Government and to have a King who shall have Absolute Government which Government King and Power is a Type of Heaven God and his Omnipotency and I Hope we shall all Prove as Angels and Saints for which I Pray God to Grant that we may Live in Unity Peace and Love A Kings Oration or Speech to his Subjects Beloved Subjects ANd I Hope you will Prove Such you are Return'd to your Obedience and I to my Rights after along Absence the One from the Other But since your Loyalty and my Royalty have been Parted we were never Happy nay we were never out of Misery and whose Fault was it that Caused such Miseries you in the Time of Rebellion laid the Fault on Me and I on You which was a sign we were of either Side Guilty but of your Side Most for though a King may Err in his Government yet a People
Retirement of Noble men Fol. 66 12 An Oration for Liberty of Conscience Fol. 69 13 An Oration against Liberty of Conscience Fol. 70 14 An Oration proposing a Mean betwixt the two former Opinions Fol. 71 15 An Oration Reproving Vices ibid. 16 An Oration concerning the Forein Travels of Young Gentlemen Fol. 73 17 An Oration concerning Playes and Players Fol. 75 PART IV. Several Causes Pleaded in Several Courts of Judicature 1 ACcusing and Pleading at the Barr before Judges for and against a Woman that hath Kill'd her Husband Fol. 78 2 A Cause of Adultery Pleaded at the Barr before Judges Fol. 81 3 A Cause Pleaded at the Barr before Judges concerning Theft Fol. 85 4 A Cause Pleaded before Judges betwixt two Bastards Fol. 89 5 A Cause Pleaded before Judges between an Husband and his Wife Fol. 90 6 A Widdows Cause Pleaded before Judges in the Court of Equity Fol. 93 7 A Cause Pleaded before Judges betwixt a Master and his Servant Fol. 96 8 Two Lawyers Plead before Judges a Cause betwixt a Father and his Son Fol. 98 PART V. Speeches to the King in Counsel 1 A Privy-Counsellours Speech to his Soveraign Fol. 100 2 A Petition and Plea at the Council-Table before the King and his Counsel concerning two Brothers Condemned by the Laws to Dye Fol. 101 3 A Speech of one of the Privy-Counsellours which is an Answer to the former Plea and Petition together with the Petitioners Reply and the Kings Answer Fol. 103 104. 106 4 A Privy-Counsellours Speech to the King at the Council-bord Fol. 106 5 A Privy-Counsellours Speech to his Soveraign concerning Trade Fol. 108 6 An Oration to his Majesty for Preventing imminent Dangers Fol. 110 7 A Privy-Counsellours Speech to the King of the Council-bord Fol. 111 8 A Privy-Counsellours Speech to his Majesty at the Council-bord Fol. 114 9 A Privy-Counsellours Speech to his Majesty at the Council-Table Fol. 115 10 A Privy-Counsellours Speech to his Majesty at the Council-bord Fol. 116 PART VI. Orations in Courts of Majesty from Subjects to their King and from the King to his Subjects 1 COmplaints of the Subjects to their Soveraign Fol. 118 2 The Subjects Complaint to their Soveraign of the Abuses of their Magistrates Fol. 119 3 A Kings Speech to his Rebellious Rout Fol. 121 4 A Kings Speech to Rebellious Subjects Fol. 122 5 A Kings Speech to Discontented Subjects Fol. 124 6 A Kings Speech to his Rebellious Subjects Fol. 125 7 A Recantation of the poor Petitioning Subjects Fol. 126 8 Repenting Subjects to their Soveraign Fol. 128 9 A Kings Speech to his Good Subjects Fol. 129 PART VII Speeches of Dying Persons 1 A Kings Dying Speech to his Noble Subjects Fol. 131 2 A Daughters Dying Speech to her Father Fol. 133 3 A Souldiers Dying Speech to his Friends Fol. 134 4 A Dying Speech of a Loving Mistress to her Beloved Servant Fol. 135 5 A Forein Travellers Dying Speech Fol. 136 6 A Lovers Dying Speech to his Beloved Mistress Fol. 138 7 A Sons Dying Speech to his Father Fol. 138 8 A Young Virgins Dying Speech Fol. 139 9 A Husbands Dying Speech to his Wife Fol. 140 10 A Common Courtisan's Dying Speech Fol. 141 11 A Vain young Ladies Dying Speech Fol. 142 12 A Fathers Speech to his Son on his Death-bed Fol. 144 PART VIII Funeral Orations 1 AN Oration to the People concerning the Death of their Soveraign Fol. 146 2 A Young Noble-mans Funeral Oration Fol. 147 3 A Generals Funeral Oration Fol. 150 4 A Judges Funeral Oration Fol. 152 5 A Sergeant or Barresters Funeral Oration Fol. 154 6 A Magistrates Funeral Oration Fol. 156 7 A Funeral Oration of a Student Fol. 157 8 A Funeral Oration of a Divine Fol. 158 9 A Funeral Oration of a Poet Fol. 159 10 A Funeral Oration of a Philosopher Fol. 160 11 A Funeral Oration of a Dead Lady spoken by a Living Lady Fol. 162 12 A Foreiners or Strangers Funeral Oration Fol. 163 13 A Post-riders Funeral Oration Fol. 165 14 A Young Virgins Funeral Oration Fol. 166 15 A Young New-married Wife's Funeral Oration Fol. 168 16 A Widdows Funeral Oration Fol. 170 17 An other Widdows Funeral Oration Fol. 172 18 A Young Child's Funeral Oration Fol. 174 19 An Old Ladies Funeral Oration Fol. 175 20 An Ancient Man's Funeral Oration Fol. 176 21 An Old Beggar-womans Funeral Oration Fol. 178 22 A Young Brides Funeral Oration Fol. 180 23 A Child-bed Womans Funeral Oration Fol. 182 24 A Souldiers Funeral Oration Fol. 183 25 An Oration concerning the Joyes of Heaven and Torments of Hell Fol. 185 26 An Oration to a Congregation Fol. 191 27 An Oration to a Sinfull Congregation Fol. 193 28 An Oration which is an Exhortation to a Pious Life Fol. 195 PART IX Marriage Orations 1 A Marriage Oration to a Congregation and a Young Bride and Bridegroom Fol. 198 2 A Marriage Oration to a Congregation and an Old Bride and Young Bridegroom Fol. 199 3 A Marriage Oration to a Congregation and a Young Bride and Aged Bridegroom Fol. 201 4 A Marriage Oration of two Poor Servants Fol. 202 PART X. Orations to Citizens in the Market-place 1 AN Oration against Excess and Vanity Fol. 204 2 An Oration Contradicting the Former Fol. 206 3 An Oration against Usurers and Money-Horders Fol. 210 4 An Oration concerning the Education of Children Fol. 212 5 An Oration concerning the Plague Fol. 214 6 An Oration against Idle Expences Fol. 217 7 An Oration for Men to Please themselves Fol. 218 8 An Oration against Vice-Actors Fol. 220 9 An Oration against a Foolish Custom Fol. 221 10 An Oration against the Liberty of Women Fol. 222 11 An Oration for the Liberty of Women Fol. 223 PART XI Containeth seven Femal Orations from Page 225. to Page 232. PART XII Nine Orations in Country Market-Towns where Country Gentlemen meet from Page 233. to Page 240. PART XIII Orations in the Field of Peace 1 A Peasants Oration to his Fellow Clowns Fol. 241 2 A Peasants or Clowns Oration Spoken in the Field of Peace concerning Husbandry Fol. 243 3 A Peasants Oration to his Fellow Peasants Fol. 246 4 A Peasants Oration to prove the Happiness of a Rural Life Fol. 248 PART XIV Orations in a Disordered and yet Unsetled State or Government 1 AN Oration against Taxes Fol. 251 2 An Oration contrary to the Former Fol. 253 3 An Oration against Collectors Fol. 256 4 An Oration for Taxes Fol. 258 5 An Oration to hinder a Rebellion Fol. 260 6 An Oration against Civil Warr Fol. 262 7 An Oration against a Tumuliuous Sedition Fol. 265 8 An Oration to Mutinous yet Fearfull Citizens Fol. 267 9 An Oration concerning Trade and Shipping Fol. 270 10 An Oration for the Disbanding of Souldiers Fol. 273 11 A Souldiers Oration for the Continuance of their Army Fol. 274 12 An other Oration against the Former Fol. 275 13 A Souldiers Oration concerning the Form of Government Fol. 277 14 An other Souldiers Oration Contrary to the Former Fol. 279 15 An other Oration Different from the two Former Fol. 280 16 An Oration which is a Refusal of an Absolute Power Fol. 281 17 An Oration concerning Disorders Rebellion and Change of Government Fol. 283 18 An Oration to a Discontented People Fol. 287 19 An Oration in Complaint of the Former Fol. 288 20 A Kings Oration or Speech to his Subjects Fol. 289 21 A Generals Oration to his Chief Commanders Fol. 290 PART XV. Scholastical Orations 1 A Sleepy Speech to Students Fol. 292 2 A Waking Oration of the Former Sleepy Discourse Fol. 298 3 Of Parte and Wholes Fol. 302 4 An other of the same Subject Fol. 303 5 Of the Soul Fol. 304 6 A Speech concerning Studies Fol. 305 7 An other of the same Subject ibid. 8 An other Concerning the same Subject Fol. 306 9 An other of the same Subject Fol. 307 FINIS