exposed to any of these Iniuries whatsoeuer neyther cares he how many darts of Malice or Contumelie are shot against him since he knowes that he cannot be pierced Euen as there are certaine hard Stones which Iron cannot enter and the Adamant will neyther be cut filed nor beaten to powder but abateth the edge of those Instruments that are applyed vnto it And as there are certaine things which cannot be consumed with fire but continue their hardnesse and habitude amidst the flames And as the Rockes that are fixt in the heart of the Sea breake the Waues and retaine no impression of the Stormes that haue assayled them so the heart of a wise man is solid and hath gathered such inuincible force that he stands as secure from Iniurie as those insensible Substances I made mention of Not that Iniuries are not offered him but that he admits them not so highly raised aboue all the attaints of worldly wrongs that all their violences shal be frustrate before a wise man be offended Euen as Arrowes or Bullets that are shot into the Aire mount higher then our sight but they fall backe againe without touching Heauen And as Celestiall things are not subiect to humane hands and they that ouer-turne Temples doe no way hurt the Godhead to whom they are consecrated So whatsoeuer Iniuries are attempted against a wise man returne without effect and are to him but as Cold or Heat Raine or Haile the Weather of the World And for words of Contumelie it is held so small and so sleight an iniurie as no wise man complaines or reuengeth himselfe for it therefore neither doe the Lawes themselues prefixe any penaltie thereunto not imagining that they would euer be burthensome Quis enim phrenetico Medicus irascitur For what Physician is angrie with a Lunatike person Who will interprete a sicke mans reproches to the worst that is vext of a Feuer Why the same affection hath a wise man toward all men as the Physician hath toward his sicke Patients not offended to heare their outrages he lookes vpon them as vpon intemperate sicke men therefore is not angrie with them if during their sicknesse they haue beene so bold as to speake iniuriously against him And as hee sets light by all their words of honor so torments he himselfe as little with all their despight insolencies For he that is displeased for an iniurie that is done him will likewise be glad to be honored at his hands that did it which a wise man is free from For he that reuenges a Contumely honors him that did it in taking it so much to heart respecting it Art thou angrie with thy Superior Alas Death is at hand which shall make vs equalls Doest thou wish him with whom thou art displeased any more then Death Although thou attemptest nothing against him he shall be sure of that thou losest thy labour then in offering to doe that which will be done without thee We laugh sayth the wisest of Philosophers in beholding the Conflict of the Bul and Beare when they are tyed one to another which after they haue tyred one another the Butcher attends for them both to driue them to the Slaughter-house The like doe we We challenge him that is coupled with vs Brother or Friend we charge him on euery side meane while both the conqueror and conquered are neere vnto their ruine Rather let vs finish that little remainder of our life in quiet and peace that our end may be a Pleasure to no man Thou wishest a mans death and there is alwayes but a little difference betwixt the day of thy desire and the affliction of the Sufferer Whilest we are therefore amongst men let vs embrace Humanitie be dreadfull and dangerous to no man let vs contemne Iniuries and Contumelies for but looking backe we may behold Death presently attend vs. Pisistratus that liued a Tyrant in Athens being for his crueltie mocked and reproued by a druuken man answered That he was no more angry with him then if a blind-fold fellow hauing his eyes bound vp should run vpon him Another said to his friend I prithee chastise my seruant with stroks because I am angry intimating thus much That a seruant ought not to fall into his power that is not master of himselfe But now the compounding of Quarrels is growne to a Trade And as a most worthie Father of Law and Equitie speakes there be some Councell learned of Duells that teach young Gentlemen when they are beforehand and when behind-hand and thereby incense and incite them to the Duell and make an Art of it the spurre and incitement false erronious imagination of Honor Credit when most commonly those golden hopes end in a Halter That Folly and Vaine-glory should cast so thicke a mist before the eye of Gentry to fixe their ayme and only end-vpon Reputation and end most lamentably without it nay farthest from it first to hazard the eternall death of their Soules and the suruiuing Bodies to die the death of a Cut-purse A miserable effect and most horrid resolution when young men full of towardnesse and hope such as the Poets call Aurorae filij the Sonnes of the Morning in whom the sweet expectation and comfort of their friends consists shall be cast away and ruined for euer in so vaine a businesse But much more is it to be deplored when so much Noble and Gentle bloud shall be spilt vpon such Follies which aduentured in honorable Seruice were able to make the fortune of a Day to change the fortune of a Kingdome It is euident then how desperate an euill this is which troubles Peace disfurnishes Warre brings sudden calamitie vpon priuat Men Peril vpon the State and Contempt vpon the Law They pretend aboue all things to regard Honour yet chiefely seeke the dishonour of God and of Iustice and which is worse then Madnesse in those men that aduenturing to leaue this life in Anger presume to presse into the next to the Supper of the Lambe which is all Peace Loue without Peace Loue or Charitie O that Gentlemen would learne to esteeme themselues at a iust price how dearely they are bought how most precious their Redemption The root of this Offence is stubborne for it despiseth Death which is the vtmost of all Temporall punishments and had need of the Seueritie vsed in France where the Manslayers though Gentlemen of great Qualitie are hanged with their Wounds bleeding lest a naturall Death should preuent the example of Iustice This punctualitie of Reputation is no better then a Bewitching Sorcerie that inchaunts the spirits of young men like the Smoake of fashion that Witch Tobacco which hath quite blowne away the Smoake of Hospitalitie and turned the Chimneyes of their Fore-fathers into the Noses of their Children And by all Computation if Computation may be kept for Folly I thinke the Vapour of the one and the Vaine-glorie of the other came into England much vpon a voyage and hath kept as
IR DIEV ET MON DROIT HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE THE PEACE-MAKER OR GREAT BRITTAINES BLESSING Fram'd For the continuance of that mightie Happinesse wherein this Kingdome excells manie Empires Shewing the Idlenesse of a Quarrelling Reputation wherein consists neyther MANHOOD nor WISDOME Necessarie for all Magistrates Officers of PEACE Masters of Families for the confirmation of Youth and for all his Maiesties most true and faithfull Subiects To the generall auoyding of all Contention and Bloud-shedding LONDON Printed by THOMAS PVRFOOT An. Dom 1618. CVM PRIVILEGIO HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE ⧠To all Our true-louing and Peace-embracing SVBIECTS THE Glory of all Vertues is Action the Crowne of all Acts Perfection the perfection of all things Peace and Vnion It is the Riches of our Beings the Reward of our Sufferings the Musicke on our Death-beds Neuer had so great a Treasure so poore a purchaser for man hath the offer of it The God of peace sent it the Lambe of peace brought it the Spirit of peace confirmde it and Wee still seeke to practise it With what power then may the good purpose of this worke arriue at the hearts of all faithfull Christians and with what cheerefulnesse and freenes ought it to be embrast of all our louing Subiects hauing so many Glorious seales of Honor Power and Vertue to strengthen it all that is required of Vs from you is a faithful and hearty welcome and that bestowd vpon mans best and dearest Freind either in Life or Death For peace that hath beene a stranger to you is now become a sister a Deere and Naturall sister and to your Holyest loues we recommend her THE PEACE-MAKER The Booke it selfe in glory of its name is proud to tell from whence the subiect came PEACE be to you I greet you in the blessing of a God the salutation of an Apostle and the Motto of a King My Subiect hath her being in Heauen her Theory in holy Writ and her practique in England Insula pacis The Land of Peace vnder the King of Peace Like Noahs Doue she was sent out to seeke a resting place to see if the whole world were not yet couered with the perpetuall deluge of Blood and Enmity only here she found the Oliue Leafe Hitherto hath she been Pilotto the Arke heere it first toucht shoare heere now it hath remained full Fifteene yeeres I am proud to report it Reioyce O England with thine espoused Scotland and let thy handmaid Ireland ioy with thee Let all thy seruant Islands be glad yea let in strangers to behold and tast thy blessings The disturbed French seeke succour with thee the troubled Dutch fly to thy confines the Italian leaues his hotter clymate These and many more all seeke shelter vnder the sweet shaddow of thine Oliue Branches O London blessed M rs of this happy Brittaine build new thy Gates ther 's peace entring at them The God of peace hath sent this peace of God ô euer loue her that she may neuer leaue thee salute her and inuite her Let White-Hall fit embleme for her purity be her chiefe Pallace and let it say Ades almasalus Peace and Contention lye heere on earth as trading Factors for life and death Who desires not to haue traffique with life who weary of life but would die to liue Peace is the passage from life to life come then to the factory of peace thou that desirest to haue life behold the substitue of peace on earth displaying the flag of peace Beati pacifici Let Contention enioy without ioy large Empires heere wee enioy with all ioy our happy Sanctuarie It was borne with him he brought it with him after Fiue and Thirty yeares increase and heere hath multiplyed it to Fifty with vs ô blessed Iubile let it be celebrated with all ioy and cheerefulnesse and all sing Beati Pacifici And are not the labours blest with the worke-man England Scotland though not malicious enemies yet churlish Neighbours are reconciled Feast loue liue and dye together are indeed no more neither what they were but a new thing betwixt them more firme and neere in their louing Vnion then euer deuided in their harty vnkindnesse and now both say with one tongue Beati Pacifici Ireland that rebellious Outlaw that so many yeares cried blood and death filling her Marrish grounds with massacres affording many preys of slaughtered bodies to her rauenous Wolues and in their wombes keeping the brutish obsequies would know no Lord but grew more stubborne in her chastisement till this white ensigne was displayed then shee came running with this hallowed text in her mouth Beati Pacifici Spaine that great and long-lasting opposite betwixt whome and England the Ocean ranne with blood not many yeares before nor euer truc'd her crimson effusion their Marchāts on either side traffiqu't in blood their Indian Ingotts broght home in bloud a commerce too cruell for Christian Kingdomes yet now shake hands in friendly amity and speake our blessing with vs Beati pacifici Nay what christian Kingdome that knowes the blessing of peace has not desired tasted this our blessing from vs Come they not hither as to the Fountaine from whence it springs Heere sits Salomon and hither come the Tribes for Iudgments Oh happy Moderator blessed Father not father of thy Country alone but Father of all thy neighbour Countries about thee Spaine her withstanding Prouinces long bruised on both sides thou hast set at peace turning their bloody Leaguers to leagues of friendship doe not those children now liue to blesse thee who had else been buried in their Parents wombes and say Beati pacifici Denmarke and Sueuia Sueuia and Poland Cleue and Brandenburg haue not these many more come to this Oracle of Peace and receiued their doomes from it If the members of a naturall body by concord assist one another if the politike members of a kingdome helpe one another and by it support it selfe why shall not the Monarchall bodies of many Kingdomes be one mutuall Christendome if still they sing this blessed lesson taught them Beati pacifici Let England then the seat of our Salomon reioyce in her happy gouernment yea her gouernment of gouernments and she that can set peace with others let her at least enioy it her selfe let vs loue peace and be at peace in loue We liue in Beth-salem the house of Peace then let vs euer sing this song of peace Beati pacifici Detraction snarles and tempts faire Peace to show the plentie of her fruits and how they grow SEd vbi fructus Where are all these rich and oppulent blessings that this tender white rob'd Peace hath brought with her Aetas parentum peior auis c. Our Grandfathers for the most part were honester men then our Fathers our Fathers better then wee and our Children are like ynough to bee worse then our selues Do's Peace keepe a Pallace where Charity may warme
sencelesse of eyther Wine or Water euer after Alexander inter epulas clitum charissimum transfodit the friend hath sprinkled his Wine-bolles with the deare bloud of his friend Oh brutish Sacrifice Oh Man vnman'd Oh absent Man where out of thy selfe dost thou remaine while this Fiend possesseth thee But why do we seeke Antiquities for proofe of a practice so present with vs Had Israel any sinne that England hath mist Was Noah drunke one of the Arke and one of the eight reeling there it is eight to one that seuen of eight do stagger here if not the whole Vessel It was a shame to one then but custome hath made it no shame for all now Did Lot commit Incest with his owne daughters Could we not wish Drunkennesse to excuse vs now Does not Lust her hellish handmaid challenge this Weapon hers The example was too soone found and yet too late to remember Oh would that had been the first and that we might neuer know a second Nec linguam nec manum continet ebrius how many bosom'd counsels haue been vomited out of the mouth of a Drunkard thogh to the ruine destruction of his former friend Oh Insania voluntaria Oh wilfull Madnesse of Man to depresse quench out all thy faculties of Reason with this puddle Drunkennesse Thou that armed in thine owne Lordly Fortitudes canst reach the Starres measure the Earths large Globe search and vnderstand the Seas profound Abysse yet in this sottish Ignorance canst not find the depth of thine owne stomack The Iewes old Prouerbe hath carried his full sence quite through Christendome Homets Ben Iin. Wine must needes acknowledge it selfe the Parent of Vineger meaning that a good Father may haue a different and sawcie Sonne But we haue from him the Daughter of a worse haire this common Strumpet Drunkennesse whom almost all sorts do sleepe with not Vinum egrum but aegrotum is our Issue a sick and vnholsome Harlot yet hath spred her selfe into large Off-springs in most lineall and naturall Children as Lust Enuie Reuenge Murder c. all impious and turbulent Peace-breakers Oh Peace shal we not feare thy longer abode with vs if we embrace thee with no better loue How many louing friends haue broke that Diamond of Amitie whose pieces once disseuered can neuer be reconciled for the embrace of a lasciuious Curtizan whose armes are like the Iron Idoll that crustht the cursed Sacrifices in pieces Enuie Oh what does that vlcus animae amongst vs That Aetna in a Man that continually burnes it selfe intus extra within and without that like the Cantharides found feeding on the fairest and flourishing Roses so Enuie is euer opposed against the most Sweet Noble Flourishing and Peacefull Blossomes Were she as rare as the Comparison I could call her Phoenix and wish that this day she would burne her selfe and leaue her ashes Issuelesse Reuenge Whence haue we borrowed thee Oh Salmoneus Terror shall we play with Thunder and Lightning and follow thy precipitated Fate Shall we snatch the Sword the peculiar Sword from the Almightie hand Haue we receiued wrongs on Earth Consider then if we haue done no wrongs to Heauen If we stand guiltie there as Quis non Doe we then reuenge No we stand disobedient and repugnant to our owne iust punishments We haue a milder Sister giuen in her stead Iustice the Arbitrer of our Iniuries but Vengeance is Gods alone which no man ought to take in hand but as deliuered from his hand nor so to imitate his Maiestie and Greatnesse that does it not but by Authoritie and in the way and path of his Goodnesse Murder Oh Cain-created Sinne Cursed Catastrophe of all the rest This is Summum opus Here is the full point and end of the Labour all the precedent Trauellers are here at home the end hazzarding the endlesse end Fearefull Spectacle Here is capitall Sacriledge the Temple of a holy Spirit robbed and ruined Here is Treason in the highest degree the Workmanship and Image of the Creator defaced vnhappie Passiue but more and most of all vnhappie Actiue Thou that doest Murder doest first deface him in thy selfe then in thy Brother God is the God of Peace of Mercie Meekenesse Long Suffering and Louing Kindnesse All these hast thou expulsed from thy self and lost thy shape with them there is neyther Peace Mercie Meekenesse Sufferance nor Loue in thee Then in thy Brother thou destroyest them His Bloud is Vox Clamans and he is enforced in Death from the many mouthes of his Wounds to crie out for Reuenge But is Heauen farre off and will not that moue vs Looke vpon the Deed then with Naturall Pitie or a Conscience which is as inseparable as thy Soule that shall not leaue thee liuing Behold a Brother weeping ouer his Brother a distraughted Mother tearing her haire and rending her heart for her Childs losse a Friend with Teares embalming his deare Friends Bodie a rauing Father readie to send his Soule after his Sonne yea perhaps his onely Sonne his Name and Posteritie destroyed with him Then Brothers Friends Mothers Fathers all their Curses to be throwne on thee Are Heauen Earth both dull motiues to thee O beware the third place let Hell affright thee and let thy conscience describe it to thee I returne to that which I would wish thee neuer to passe and then thou canst not come to the vnblessed discouerie of it and it's Pathes before recited that lead thee to it Peace stay and abide with her and thou shalt neuer know her Enemies Gods Enemies and thine owne Enemies Let them that seeke Peace find Peace enioy Peace and haue their Soules layd vp in Eternall Peace Of Wise men I discourse by Iniuries neuer shaken What Reputation is I shew a thing so long mistaken IN this small Particle consists the ground of all Quarrels whatsoeuer either by suspecting false things or by aggrauating small things Now how farre these two are from the wayes of a Wise man and how ill becomming Reason makes manifest for Suspition and Aggrauation are the Off-springs of Passion and a Wise man is free from Passion Nor can there be a greater argument of defect and despaire of merit in man then Suspition and marke her Nutriment what strange food Passion hath prouided for it It feeds vpon false things for indeede true things are not to be suspected and how iust the punishment meetes with the offence in erring from the Truth it hath Falsehood for a reward But in peiora ruunt omnia the worse Deuill is behind The Aggrauation of small things when a sparke shall grow to a flaming Beacon a Word to a Wound the Lye to a Life when euery man will be the Master of his owne Reuenge presuming to giue Law to themselues and in rage to right their owne wrongs At which time the Sword is extorted out of the hand of Magistracie contrarie to the sacred Ordinance of the Almightie Now the wise and vnderstanding man is not subiect or
close together as the Report followes the Powder For when but in the laternesse of these times hath so much priuate and domestique Bloud beene shed Like the three Iewish Brothers in that perplexed Historie of Jerusalem who wanting Enemies still flew vpon themselues So these malicious vnthankfull Spirits fattened with the aboundant Blessings of a mellifluous Peace disgorge themselues vpon their Christian Brothers like those that surfet vpon too much Honey And well may this Vaine-glorie or opinion of Reputation bee called a Satanicall Illusion and Apparition of Honour against Religion Law Morall Vertue and against all the honourable Presidents and Examples of the best Times and valiantest Nations For hereby haue Gentlemen lost the true knowledge and vnderstanding of Fortitude and Valour For true Fortitude distinguisheth of the grounds of Quarrels whether they be iust and not onely so but whether they be worthie and sets a better value vpon mens liues then to bestow them idly which are not so to be trifled away but offered vp and sacrificed to honourable Seruices publike Merits good Causes and Noble Aduentures And behold here thy Folly thou attemptest a way freely to lose thy Soule eternally but not thy Reputation Foole that thou art in offering to saue that which indeed is nothing thou losest all For Reputation is but another mans Opinion and Opinion is no substance for thee to consist of For how canst thou consist of a thing that is without thee Which may be any mans at an instant as well as thine and when thou hast it it is but a breath And of what certainetie or permanence is it when they must die that giue it thee Perhaps because some haue said that Fame hath a perpetuitie thou hastenst to lose thy Soule to prouide for thy Name How much thou deceiuest thy selfe Why it is no more then the Eccho of a glory For as an Eccho no longer resounds then it is fed with a voyce no longer does Fame sound forth mans Prayses then it is supplyed and cherished with deseruings For when thy noyse ceases in it selfe it will quickly cease the noyse of thee How euer at the farthest a generall Dissolution will come when Fame that is next to nothing now shall haue no being then at all Happy is then the wise and vnderstanding Spirit for though he be iniured hee can lose nothing thereby neither his Fame nor Reputation for a wise man entertaines nothing that is subiect to losse Fortune takes nothing but what she hath giuen she giues not Vertue nor Wisdome therefore cannot take that away The more thou thinkest vpon Reputation the farther off thou art from all contention vnlesse custome in Ignorance or wilfulnesse in Nature make thee throw an abuse vpon the Word For what is Reputation but Consideration A diligent weighing considering and reuoluing in the minde And that is quite opposite to Rashnesse Truth will shame thee if thou confesse not so much There can be then no Reputation in Rashnesse that is manifest And what are Quarrels but the fruits of Rashnesse There can be then no Reputation in Quarrels And as it is Consideration it were dreadfull to thinke that any man in the state of his best counsell and aduisednesse should attempt to destroy the Image of his Creator in the life of his Christian Brother And therefore diuinely haue our humane Lawes bent their hate punishments against the abhorred Act cōmitted in cold bloud which is as wilfull an opposition against mans life considering what he does as Blasphemy against the Word of Truth the Conscience knowing it offends of set purpose the only sinne against the Holy Ghost And as the body of euery true Christian is said to be the Temple of the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 3. 16. What does the accursed Man-slayer but in the bloud of his Brother destroyes the Temple as the Blasphemer wounds the Lord of the Temple Behold then not without a face of Horror the miserable condition the Sonnes of this Age runne into All they venture for is to bring the bloudinesse of their Action into the compasse of Honour as if Honour consisted in destruction Now what impossibilitie followes that labour euen the weakest may coniecture For Honour is the Rumour of a beautifull and vertuous Action which redoundeth from our Soules to the view of the World and by Reflection into our selues bringing to vs a Testimonie of that which others beleeue of vs which turnes to a great peace and contentment of mind Blessings which were neuer yet found in a Bloudshedder let his cause be neuer so glorious And where there is no Peace all other benefits haue a cessation It is the onely health of thy Soule and that once lost thy soule sickens immediately euen to death and can no more taste or rellish a Ioy after then a sick mans Pallet his Nutriment Is not this then a delusion of Honour Nay can there be any thing more delusiue Alas when it is at the greatest height of humane glorie it is of a small and slender efficacie vncertaine a stranger and as it were separated in the Ayre from him that is honoured For it does not only not enter into him nor is inward and essentiall vnto him but it does not so much as touch him A poore and miserable purchase at the best for so great and eternall a hazzard Flatter not thy Soule then to her euerlasting ruine in thinking Reputation consists in Bloudshedding Sanguis clamat as the Almightie speakes in the Letter of his owne Law Bloud cryes and with a lowder voyce to Heauen then thy Fame can sound on Earth Rumors tenne thousand tongues are hoarse to that they compasse but some Nooke or Angle of the World the other reaches from the Field to Heauen The voice of thy Brothers Bloud cryeth vnto me from the Earth Gen. 4. 10. And no sooner the Crye comes but the Curse followes in the very next words Now therefore thou art cursed from the Earth which hath opened her mouth to receiue thy Brothers Bloud from thy hand And immediately in the next AV agabond and a Runnagate shalt thou be on the Earth Which shewes the horror of the guiltie Conscience which after the deed done would faine flye from it selfe A distraction which followes all the Children of Wrath vnto this day Well may peace then haue the excellencie of her glorious name aduanced aboue all Titles and Inscriptions And so much the rather in that it pleaseth the Almighty Creator himselfe to bee called the God of Peace and the Author 1. Cor. 14. 33. Nay Loue it selfe delighting in the Name 1. Iohn 4. 16. GOD is loue and hee that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him And 1. Thess 5. 23. Now the very God of Peace sanctifie you throughout c. Christ the Sauiour of the World the Lambe of Peace Iohn 11. 29. Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the World There is Peace made in taking sinne away which is the only