and millions of other Sins besides but Death will stay no longer for Blessed Angels bear away my Soul Farewell A Fathers Speech to his Son on his Death-Bed Son I Have Lived a Long time so Long that were not you a Good Son you would have Wished my Death before Nature had Ordained me to Die but as Heaven hath blest me with Long Life so with a Good Loving and Dutifull Son which hath been a Help and Comfort to my Old Age and as Heaven hath given you Grace and Nature a Good Disposition to Love and Obey your Father so Heaven and Nature hath given you Health and Ability to beget Posterity in which I shall Live in Name and Fame though I Die in Body But Son as you have been a Helpfull and Dutifull Son so I have been a Loving and Carefull Father for I have been more Prudent for my Sons Good than Vain for my Own Pleasure I have been more Industrions to Advance and Inrich my Son than to Please or Delight my Self and I have thought my Self Happier in my Sons Life than I have done in my Own Thus Son I have and do Love You better than my Self and all the Desire and Request I have to you is that as I have been a Father to You so you to be a Father to Yours and so I Pray the Gods to Bless you Fortune to Favour you Wisdome to Help you Nature to Strengthen you Time to Prolong you and when your Time comes to Die that we may meet in the other World with Joy and Happiness The Gods have Mercy of Me and Bless You. Farewell FUNERAL ORATIONS PART VIII An Oration to the People concerning the Death of their Soveraign Dear Country-men and Loyal Mourners WE may see our Loss by our Love and our Love by our Grief and our Grief by our Tears but we have reason for our General Mourning and Sorrow in every Heart that our Dread Soveraign is Taken from us He was our Earthly God as our Protector Defender Assister Subsister Ruler and Governour he Protected us with his Justice Defended us with his Arms Assisted us with his Prudence Subsisted us with his Love Ruled us with his Power and Govern'd us by his Laws and such a Prince he was as he was Dreadfull to his Enemies Helpfull to his Friends and Carefull of his Subjects he hath Inlarged his Dominions with the Sword and Inriched his People with the Spoils and hath Increas'd his Power both by Sea and Land and so Strengthned and Fortified his Kingdomes as his Subjects have no cause to Fear any Forein Invasion but may safely sit with Pleasure under their own Vines And so Wise and Good a Prince he was that though he be Gone yet he hath left Peace and Plenty amongst his People and Power Dominion and Strength to his Successors with which Heaven grant they may Inherit his Wisdome Moral Vertues Divine Graces Heroick Spirit Good Fortunes and Great Fame that though our Old Soveraign is gone to the Gods above yet our New Soveraign may be as a God to us here for which let us pray to our Soveraign Saint to intercede for us to the Gods on High to indue their Deputy on Earth with Divine Influences and Humane Wisdome to Govern and Rule us as he did A young Noble man's Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren VVE are met together as Funeral Guests to a Dead man who died in the Flower of his Age and whilst he Lived was Favoured of Nature Birth Breeding and Fortune for he was Handsome of Body Understanding in Mind Noble of Birth Knowing in Learning and Rich in Wealth He was Generous Valiant and Courtly he had a Pleasant Speech and a Gracefull Behaviour He was Beloved of the Muses Admired by the Sciences and Attended by the Arts he was Entertained with the Pleasures of the World and Feasted with the Varieties of Pleasures yet all could not Save him from Death Indeed Death appears more Cruel to Youth than to Age because it takes Youth from the most Flourishing time of their Life although Youth Fears Death less than Age not that Youth hath more Courage but Youth doth not Think of Death so often as Age doth for if Youth had Death in their Mind they would Fear Death more than Age doth by so much more as they are Younger and know the World less but Youth thinks Death a Long time off from them although to many he is so Near as ready to Seize on them Wherefore if those that are Young did think they should Die Soon they would not be so Eager and Fond of the World as they are nor be so Vain and Intemperate as many Young Persons be the brave Gallants would take little Pleasure in New Modes Gay Cloaths and Fair Mistresses a Young Gallant would be but a Dull Courtier a Melancholy Lover not Melancholy for his Mistress disfavour but at Death's approach not for Love but for Life neither would he take Pleasure in Musick or Dancing for the thoughts of Death would make him Dance false and put his Hearing out of Tune and the Musick would Sound to his Ears as his Passing Bell neither would he Eye Beauty but if he did the Freshest Beauty would appear Faded In truth all his Senses would be as Rough and troubled VVaters disturbed by the Storms of Fear raised in his Mind for the most Valiant minds are somewhat Disturbed with the thoughts of Death by reason the Terrors of Death are Natural to all mankind not so much to Feel as to Think of not only for the Parting of Soul and Body and the dark Oblivion in Death but for the Uncertain condition after Death for though Death is not Sensible of Life yet Life is Sensible of Death so that it is the Thoughts of Death that are Fearfull and not Death it self that is so Terrible as being neither Painfull to Feel nor Dreadfull to Behold because Invisible and Insensible having neither Shape Sound Sent Tast nor Touch But this Noble Person is past Thinking and therefore past Fearing also past Wishing for he doth not Desire to live in this VVorld again he Thinks not of the World or of any thing in the World he is free from all Trouble of Mind or Body in which Happiness let us lay him in the Tomb with his Forefathers there to rest in Peace and Ease A Generals Funeral Oration Beloved Friends THis Noble Person that lies here Dead was once our General a Valiant man he was a Skilfull Souldier a Wise Commander and a Generous Giver he Loved his Souldiers more than Spoil and Fame more than Life he was full of Clemency and Mercy he would give his Enemies their Lives Freely when he had Overcome them Valiantly and he was so Carefull of his Own Souldiers Lives as he would never Adventure or put them to the Hazard but when he saw great Probability of Victory Yet this Gallant man this Excellent Souldier whom his Enemies could never Overcome Death hath Taken Prisoner with whom
Terrible and Dreadfull Pit wherein is no Hope of Getting out The truth is Death carries many Evil Souls down into Hell but Good Souls he leaves at the Bottom of the Hill that leads up to Heaven from which those Souls Climb and Clamber up with great Difficulty for whatsoever is Excellent is Hard to Get or Come to whereas that which is Bad is Easie to be Had. But howsoever this Poor man is Dead and we shall see him Buried leaving his Soul in its Journey and his Body in the Grave A young Virgins Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren and Sisters in God VVE here meet not only as Funeral Mourners but as Marriage Guests to Attend and Wait upon a Young Virgin to see her Laid into her Nuptial-bed which is the Grave 'T is true her Husband Death is a Cold Bed-fellow but yet he makes a Good Husband for he will never Cross Oppose nor Anger her nor give her Cause of Grief or Sorrow neither in his Rude Behaviour Inconstant Appetite nor Lewd Life which had she Married any other Husband might have made very Unhappy whereas now she will know no Sorrow for there is no Whoring Gaming Drinking Quarrelling nor Prodigal Spending in the Grave for Death Banishes all Riot and Disorder out of his Habitations there is no Noise nor Disturbance in his Palace Indeed Death's Palace is a place of Peace Rest Quiet and Silence and therefore all are Happy that Dwell there for there is no Envy Malice Slander nor Treachery there Men are not Tempted with Beauty nor Women Flattered into Wantonness they are Free from all Tentation or Defamation neither are they Troubled or Tormented with Pain or Sickness for Death hath a Remedy for all Diseases which is Insensibility the truth is Death is not only Charitable to Help all Creatures out of Misery but Generous as to be so Hopitable that he sets Open his Gates for all Comers insomuch as the Meanest Creatures that are have a Free Entrance and the Same Entertainment with the Noblest for there are no Ceremonies of State All is in Common there is no Pride nor Ambition no Scorn nor Disgrace and Death's Palace is so Spacious as it is beyond all Measure or Circumference being sufficient to Receive all the Creatures Nature makes and since there is such Store of Company in Death and Death so Generous and Hospitable why should we Fear or be Loath to Dye nay why should not we Desire to Dye and Rejoyce for those Friends that are Dead especially Considering the Unhappiness of Life wherein Man is most Miserable because he is most Sensible and Apprehensive of what he Suffers or what he may Suffer But this Young Virgin is Happier by Death than many Others are because she hath not Liv'd so Long to Suffer so Much as those that are Older Have done or as those that Live to be Old Will do Wherefore let us Rejoyce for her Happiness and put her into the Grave the Bed of Rest there to Sleep Quietly A Young New-Married Wif's Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren VVE are met together at this time to see a New-Married Wife which is here Dead to be Buried She hath made an unequal Change from a Lively Hot Husband to a Deadly Cold Lover yet will she be more Happy with her Dull Dumb Deaf Blind Numb Lover than with her Lively Talking Listning Eying Active Husband were he the Best Husband that could be for Death is far the Happier Condition than Marriage and although Marriage at first is Pleasing yet after a time it is Displeasing like Meat which is Sweet in the Mouth but proves Bitter in the Stomack Indeed the Stomack of Marriage is full of Evil Humours as Choler and Melancholy and of very Evil Disgestion for it cannot Disgest Neglects Disrespects Absence Dissembling Adultery Jealousie Vain Expences Waste Spoil Idle Time Laziness Examinations Cross Answers Peevishness Frowardness Frowns and many the like Meats that Marriage Feeds on As for Pains Sicknesses Cares Fears and other Troubles in Marriage they are Accounted as wholesome Physick which the Gods give them for the Gods are the Best Physicians and Death is a very Good Surgeon Curing his Patients without Pain for what Part soever he Touches is Insensible Death is only Cruel in Parting Friends from each other for though they are Happy whom he Takes away yet those that are Left behind are Unhappy Living in Sorrow for their Loss so that this Young New-Married Wife that is Dead is Happy but her Husband is a Sorrowfull Widdower But leaving Her to her Happiness and Him to be Comforted let us put her into the Grave there to Remain untill the day of Judgement which Day will Imbody her Soul with Everlasting Glory A Widdows Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren THis Widdow at whose Funeral we are met Lived a very Intemperate and Irregular Life all the time of her Widdow-hood for which not only Nature but the Gods might be Angry with her for though She did not Surfeit with Feasting yet She Starved her self with Fasting and though She did not Drink her self Drunken as many Women in this Age will do yet She did Weep her self Dry She grew not Fat and Lasie with overmuch Sleeping but became Lean and Sick with overmuch Watching She VVatch'd not to Dance and Play but to Mourn and Pray nor did She waste her Wealth in Vanities but She did waste her Life in Sorrow She Sate not on the Knees of Amorous Lovers but Kneeled on her Knees to God Her Cheeks were not Red with Paint but Pale with Grief She did not wear Black Patches on her Face but Black Mourning on her Body She was Adorned with no other Jewels than her Tears She had no Diamond Pendents in her Ears but Transparent Tears in her Eyes no Oriental Pearls about her Neck but Drops of Tears lay on her Breast Thus was She Drest in Tears She suffered not Painters to Draw the Picture of her Face but her Thoughts did Form her Husbands Figure in her Mind She hung not her Chamber with Black but her Mind with Melancholy She Banished all Stately Ceremonies and Ceremonies of State and set her self Humbly on the Ground She past not her time with Entertaining Visitors but Entertain'd her Self with the Remembrance of her Husband She did not Speak much but Think much In short She was so Intemperate in her Grief as her Grief Kill'd her it may be said she was Murdered with Grief and no kind or manner of Murder is Acceptable either to Nature or the Gods but some sorts of Murders are Hatefull to both Yet this Widdow howsoever she Offended in her Over-much Grieving She had Pardon for her Praying and to prove the Gods did Pardon her they Granted her Request which was to take her out of this World without Painfull Sickness and so they did for She was so free from Pains as She parted with Life with a Smiling Countenance and lay as Still as if She lay to Sleep She breathed out her last Breath
so softly as those that stood Close by her Bed could not hear her Sigh and when She was Dead her Beauty that all the time of her Mourning was Obscured in her Sorrows Appear'd in her Death only the Gloss of her Eyes were Covered with their Lids for Death had Shut her Eye-lids down and Seald up her Lips which Lips seem'd as if they had been Seal'd with Red Coloured Wax although Death had Kist them Cold for now Death is her Lover not an Amorous but a Deadly Lover to whose Imbraces we must leave her Body after we have laid it in the Bed of Earth An other Widdow's Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren VVE are met as Funeral or rather Marriage Guests of a Dead Widdow who is now Re-married to her Husband in Death and no question but their Souls will Joy in the Knowledge of each other for though Bodies Dye yet Souls do not but Live for ever Death having Power only over the Sensitive not over the Rational Life for Knowledge Lives though Senses Dye and if the Soul Lives no question but all that is Inherent in the Soul Lives as all the Passions Affections Thoughts Memory Understanding Judgement Conceptions Speculations Fancy Knowledge and the like which are the Parts and Ingrediences with which the Soul is Composed Form'd and Made Thus the Soul being made of such Thin Fine Pure and Rare Matter Death can take no hold of it for Death's Power is only on Gross Corporeal Substances or Matter not on Celestial Bodies but Terrestrial but this Widdows Soul was Purer than other Souls usually are for there are Degrees of Purity in Souls as well as Degrees of Grossness in Bodies The truth might easily be Perceived in her Life for there was as much Difference between her Soul and Other Souls as between Souls and Bodies at least as much Difference as between a Glorified Soul and a Soul Imbodied Nay her Soul was so Pure as it did Purifie her Body for it did Resine the Appetites which Cleared the Senses besides her Soul did Instruct the Senses which made them More Sensible so that they were kept Clean Clear and Healthfull by Temperance and made Apt Quick and Ready by Reason insomuch as Time had but a Little Power to Hurt them and was not Able to Destroy them without the Help of Death had she Lived Long but Death to shew his Power destroyed her Body without the Help of Time for she Lived not to be so Old as for Time to make a Trial yet her Body Lived Longer than she was willing it should have done desiring it might have Died when her Husband Died but the Gods Forbad it for though any Creature especially Man may Call Death when he Will and Force him to take his Bodily Life away yet the Gods are Angry if any man will not stay whilst Death comes of Himself without Inforcement Nevertheless Death did Favour this Widdow for though he did not take her so Soon as she would have Died yet he suffered her not Long to Live a weary Life for which Favour she received Death with Joy and a Smiling Countenance whereas Death for the most part is received with Fear and Sadness and since she Rejoyced at her Death we have no Reason to Mourn now she is Dead especially in that she Lived and Died Vertuously and Piously for which the Gods will Advance her to Everlasting Glory For this Glory let us Praise the Gods and Bury her Body in her Husbands Tomb or Grave that their Dust or Ashes may lye together A Young Child's Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren VVE are the Funeral Guests to a Young Male Child an Infant who Died soon after it was Born and though all Men are Born to Live and Live to Dye yet this Child was Born to Dye Before it had Lived I mean in Comparison of the Age of men Thus this Child was Born Cried and Died a happy Conclusion for the Child that he had Finished what he was made for in so Short a time for he could not have had less Pain less Trouble nor less Desires to have left the World had he Liv'd longer for Life is Restless with Desires Sickly and Painfull with Diseases Troublesome with Cares Laborious with Labour Grievous with Losses Fearfull with Dangers and Miserable in all which Misery this Child hath Escap'd but had he Lived he could not have Avoided it besides he is not Guilty of Self-acting Sins and so Deserves no Punishment for neither Commission nor Omission can be laid to his Charge having no time for Either so that he is Free from Both as also from Suffering either in this World or the Next unless there be such a severe Decree as the Child shall Suffer for his Parents faults which Faults he could neither Hinder nor Annul neither did he Approve nor Allow them nor Assist them in Evil But it is not probable he shall Suffer being Innocent and Death that is Accounted the Wages of Sin may rather be taken as a Gift of Mercy also Death might be said to be a Purifier from Sin as well as a Punisher of Sin Wherefore this Child is past the Purgatory of Death and is in the Heaven of Peace Rest Ease and Happiness in which let us leave him after we have Covered his Corps with Earth An Old Ladies Funeral Oration THis Old Lady was Favour'd by Nature Fortune and Time Nature in her Youth gave her Beauty Fortune gave her Wealth and Time and Nature gave her long Life She was Courted in her Youth for the Pleasures of her Beauty and Flattered in her Age for the Profit of her Wealth but being Chast and Wise She was neither Corrupted with the One nor Deluded with the Other not Tempted with Courtship nor Coosen'd with Flattery and as She was Chast and Wise so She was Pious for the Gods gave her Grace to bestow her Wealth to Charitable uses Thus what she Got by Fortune she Gave to Heaven indeed she Bought Heaven with Fortune's Gifts for none can get into Heaven but by Faith and Good Deeds and her Faith did Believe that her Good VVorks would be as an Advocate to Plead for her and no question but they have gotten her Sute and her Charity will Live here on Earth though she be Dead and those she Relieved will make her their Saint Thus she will be Sainted both on Earth and in Heaven which is as Great an Honour and a more Blessed Condition than the Emperours had with all their Conquefts Power Pride and Vanity for the height of their Ambition was to be Deified on Earth and to be Sainted in as much They were Worshipp'd for Fear She Pray'd to for Love They had Idolatrous Worshippers She Sanctified Petitioners Their Idols lasted but a time She shall be Blest for Evermore An Ancient Man's Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren AGe hath Ushered our Friend to Death and we are here met to attend him to the Grave it is an Human Charitable and Pious Service to see the
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
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
hath no Power to Mend him and Help her for the Law ought not to intermeddle in their Quarrel as having no more Power to take away the Prerogative of a Husband than the Prerogative of Parents and Masters for whensoever the Law takes the part of a Servant against his Master a Subject against his Prince a Child against his Parents or a Wife against her Husband the Law doth unjustly Usurp on their Rights and Privileges which Rights and Privileges they receiv'd from Nature God and Morality A Widdows Cause Pleaded before Judges in the Court of Equity Most Reverend Judges Plaintiff HEre is a Poor Widdow of a Rich Husband who in his Life-time did allow her Little and at his Death left her Less for he only left her a small Annuity during her Life which is so Small as cannot Maintain her neither Like his Widdow nor indeed in any Decent Fashion for she having no Joynture he to Bar her of her Widdows share gave her this small Annuity knowing that otherwise she should have had the Third part of his Estate during Life but he by a Deed and Gift of a Little hath cast out her Claim from the Common Law wherefore she doth Appeal to this Court of Equity and Conscience hoping to have Justice accordingly Defendant Most Reverend Judges There is no Reason Equity nor Conscience that the VViddow should carry away During her Life so Great a Part of her Husbands Estate as to Impoverish his Children and Ruine his Family besides it hinders the Paying of Debts and there be very few Families that have not Debts as well as Children which Creditors ought to be Paid as well as Children to have Portions and were there no Debts yet many Childrens Portions although but Small would shrink a Great Estate almost into Nothing but if a VViddow carries out the Third Part there will be little left for after Posterity when every Child hath had their Portion indeed so Little as after Posterity will have Nothing to Live on nor to be Bred up with which is the Cause there are so many Noble Honourable and Right VVorshipfull Beggers nay it makes them not only Beggers but Base and VVicked for having not Means according to their Births nor Minds according to their Means Despising their Fortunes they take Desperate Courses or else their Minds are so Dejected as they Degenerate from their Births and do Base Actions Plaintiff Most Reverend Judges It is against Conscience and Equity that the Mother that Bred and Bore her Children with Fear Sorrow Pain and Danger of her Life should be left Poorer than the Children that were Born from her Defendant Most Reverend Judges It is against all Reason Equity and Conscience that Parents should Get and Bring forth Children and not Provide for those Children for if they give them no Means to Live as neither by Education to Get Means nor some Allowance or Means to Live their Children will have Small Reason to Thank their Parents or Natural Affection to be Dutifull to them for giving them a Miserable Life which Deserves no Thanks nor can Challenge a Duty for as Children are Bound by the Laws of Nature to Assist their Parents so Parents are Bound by the Laws of Nature to Provide for their Childrens Subsistence and when the Bonds are Broken of one Part the othe Part is Free But Most Reverend Judges I do not Plead against the Mothers or Wife's Livelihood for it is not that Mothers and Wives ought not to be Provided for for a Man ought to be a Kind Husband as well as a Loving Father but a Wife ought not to be the Ruine either of her Own or her Husbands Children and if she be a Natural Mother she ought to Spare for her Children and not to Spend what her Children should have but most Women do not only Spend what their Children should have but Give it away to a Second Husband to the Ruine of the First Husbands Children and Family for this Reason Wise men that are Husbands not knowing what their Wives will do when they are Dead leave them as Little as they can Securing their own Estates and Familes as much as they possibly can from the Spoils and Ruins which Strangers as Second Husbands make for it were more Conscionable not to leave a Wife any Maintenance than Too much and better One should Suffer than Many Perish at least it is better that a Widdow should live Poorly all her Life than that an Honourable Family should be Poor to all Succession Wherefore this Widdow in Conscience ought to have no more out of her Dead Husbands Estate than what he hath Left her which is enough for Necessity though not for Vanity enoough to Live a Solitary Widdow as she ought to do although not enough to Inrich a Second Husband which a hundred to one but she would do if she had it but her Husband was a Wise Man a Carefull Father and a Prudent Husband in not giving his VVife the Liberty to play the Fool. A Cause Pleaded before Judges betwixt a Master and his Servant Most Reverend Judges Plaintiff HEre is a Poor Servant which Served his Master Honestly and his Master hath turn'd him out of his Service without his VVages which are due unto him by Right of Bargain and Agreement made betwixt them which Bargain and Agreement he hath broken and unjustly Detains his VVages Defendant Most Reverend Judges This Servant Accuses his Master Falsly and Challenges that which he ought not to have as so much for his Wages for the Bargain was that his Master would give him so much Wages to do so much VVork he did not Hire him to be Idle so that a Master is not bound to keep a Lasie Servant nor to Pay him his VVages unless he had Done the Work he was Hired to do and not only to Do it but to do according to his Masters Will and Good Liking Plaintiff Most Reverend Judges If a Masters finding Fault shall be sufficient to Barr a Servant of his VVages no Servants could Live by their Labours for Masters would find Faults a purpose to Save their Hire Defendant Most Reverend Judges If Servants should live Idlely or Disorderly or Disobediently or make VVast and Spoil of their Masters Goods and Estate and be maintain'd with Meat Drink Lodging and VVages their Masters would become Poorer than their Servants and Live in more Subjection rather than so the Masters would Serve themselves and keep no Servants for surely men will rather be their Own Servants than to be Servants or rather Slaves to their Servants so that Servants would not only want VVages but Food and Starve for want for if they gain Nothing by their Labour and have no Means of their Own they must upon necessity Perish and for Examples sake as well as Justice this Servant ought not to be Paid his Wages for he doth not Deserve it and therefore 't is not his Right nor Due to Have it Two Lawyers Plead
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