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
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
the Inhabitants for what profit will it be to destroy numbers of defenceless and powerless Persons only to satisfie your fury which will be satisfied with Time better than with Blood for though our blood may quench your present Rage yet it may afterwards clog your Consciences and cause a sorrowfull Repentance which may disturb the Peace of your Minds wherein your thoughts will be in a perpetual Warr for to Kill us after our Submission and when we have made a Satisfaction for our faults in yielding up our City and Goods without any further resistance our Deaths will be but Murders so that you will blemish your Conquest from being Noble and Generous Conquerers to be Cruel and Inhumane Murderers whereas the sparing of our Lives will be acceptable to God Nature and Mankind and the Trumpet of your Fame will sound sweetly and harmoniously in the Ears of After-ages where you will get as much love and praises for your Clemency and Mercy as admiration and renown for your Valours and Conducts whereas your Cruelty will sound so harshly with such discords as it will beget dislike and so much hate as to bury all your Valour and Wisdome in Fortunes partial and unjust favours ascribing that to her She had no right to Challenge A Common Souldiers Oration to take the City by Force Fellow Souldiers VVE have been long at the Siege of this City where we have not only been obedient to our Commanders carefull watchfull and laborious as also Valiant in assaulting regarding not our Limbs nor Lives but we have patiently indured want of Victuals and yet for all this the Town being ready to be taken our Commanders intend to rob us of the Spoils which by the Law of Arms ought to be ours as a Reward for those that Venture most ought to have the Greatest shares in the Conquest and the Common Souldiers venturing more than the Commanders ought to have the Spoil For though they Direct yet it is we that Fight and win the Victory Wherefore let us not suffer them to make a Composition but enter the Town by Force and plunder it otherwise the Commanders or rather the General alone will be the only gainer and all the rest losers and shall one man go away with the Wealth when as the poor Common Souldiers are naked and almost starved for Want Shall our sick and wounded friends that cannot remove or be removed nor help themselves be left as a prey to those which they have holpen to Conquer with the loss of their Blood and Limbs For no doubt but those new-made Friends will be their deadly Enemies and cut their Throats when we are gone and left them Thus we shall betray our friends and lose our shares if they make Peace and enter not the Town by assault for to take a Town by Force is a gain to the common Souldiers but little or none to the General or great Commanders but to take a Town by Composition is a gain to the General and chief Commanders but not to the Common Souldiers for we shall lye without the Gates whilst they are receiv'd in Triumph where they will Feast whilst we do Fast and will be inriched with Treasures but we remain in Want An Oration to those Souldiers that are against an Agreement with the Citizens Fellow Souldiers LEt me tell you that you speak against your own Profit when you speak against compounding and agreeing with the Besieged Citizens for it is not only Human and Charitable Generous and Noble to spare the Lives of Yielding and conquered Enemies but Profitable for their Lives will serve you and their Industry maintain you wherefore it is better to spare their Lives and make Peace with them also to take their Money and spare their cumbersome and combustible Goods which will trouble your carriage and hinder your march Neither can you make so much profit of them as they will give you for them And as for their City and Lives it were a great folly to Kill and Destroy them to no purpose unless to satisfie your Bloody minds and furious Rage for Death and Destruction will bring you not any Profit but if you give them their Lives and let their City stand they will give you a constant and setled Contribution towards your maintenance also they will be Surgeons Physicians and Nurses to our sick and wounded Souldiers by which means they may recover their former health and strength again and be able to do their Country more Service but if they be left behind us and none to take care of them nor Men to help them nor Houses to lodge in they must of necessity perish in great misery and we have no reason to fear they will be Cruel to them because they know we shall Return to revenge their Cruelty Besides they will be very carefull of them and kind and helpfull to them to keep Peace and to Merit our favours for Conquerers are alwayes flattered obeyed and served with ceremony industry and fidelity so long as Fortune favours them Thus you know by what I have spoken that it is the best for the Common Souldiers and Commanders to spare the City and Citizens And now give me leave to tell you that you are Unjust Judges of me your Generals actions and evil Censurers and malicious Accusers to accuse my Prudence for my Souldiers of Covetousness for my self and my carefull love for my Sick and wounded Souldiers of an insensible and cruel Neglect whereas you might more truly accuse me for using too much Clemency to my Mutinous and Rebellious Souldiers wincking at their faults and pardoning their crimes when they ought to have been severely punished by which they would have been better taught and I obeyed for Severe Generals make Humble Obedient Industrious Laborious Patient and Couragious Souldiers whereas a Compliant General quite spoils them But I have shewed Mercy to offenders Love and Care to the wounded sick tyred and weary and I have been Bountifull to the well-deservers all which I am forced to remember you of because you have forgotten at least are unwilling to take any notice thereof Yet I perceive it is the nature of most of Mankind especially Mean births Low fortunes and Brute breedings to be Ungratefull Malicious Revengefull and Inhumane An Oration to Souldiers after the Loss of a Battel Fellow Souldiers I Perceive you are dejected at your ill fortune for Fortune is a Thief robbing some to give partially to others wherefore we Souldiers whom She busies her self most with to shew her power and agility ought to be so carefull and watchfull as to lock and barricado out Fortunes malice giving her no advantage if you can possibly hinder her from taking any Yet was it neither for want of Conduct or Valour that we wonn not the Victory but Heaven and Earth was against us for the Sun Wind and Dust beat on our faces for you indeavouring to get the side of the Wind went against the Sun-beams so that with the
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
Violence and the Cruelty of these Inhuman Unnatural Destroying Laws Plaintiff Most Reverend Judges This man who is Nature's Lawyer and Pleader ought to be Banish'd from this Place and his Profession of Pleading out of all Civilest Governments for he Talks he knows not what of Nature's Laws whereas there is no Law in Nature for Nature is Lawless and hath made all her Creatures so as to be Wild and Ravenous to be Unsatiable and Injurious to be Unjust Cruel Destructive and so Disorderous that if it were not for Civil Government Ordained from an Higher Power as from the Creator of Nature her self all her Works would be in a Confusion and so their own Destruction But man is not all of Nature's Work but only in his Outward Frame having an Inward Celestial and Divine Composition and a Supreme Power given him by the Gods to Rule and Govern Nature So that if your Honours submit to the Plea of this Babler you will make the Rulers and Governours of Nature the Slaves of Nature Wherefore if you be Celestial and not Natural Judges and will give Divine Judgement and not Judge according to Brutal Senses you will Condemn this Notorious Thief and Wild Robber to the Gallows that his Life may be the Satisfaction for the Wrongs and his Death an Example for a Warning to Prevent the like Crimes A Cause Pleaded before Judges betwixt two Bastards Most Reverend Judges Plaintiff THere be Two Laws in this Kingdom which seem to be very Unjust the One is that if a VVoman be Got with Child by One Man and Marries an Other before her Child is Born that Child must Inherit her Husbands Estate if it be a Son so that One mans Son comes to be an Other mans Heir by the Law The Other is that if a man Begets a Son before Marriage and he Marries not the VVoman till After his Son is Born and though the Marriage cancels the Fault of Adultery and is an Attonement for the Sin or Crime both to God and the Law yet the Innocent Child that was in No Fault is put by the Inheritance by the Law indeed the Son so Born Inherits only the Disgrace of a Bastard but not his Fathers Estate and thus if the VVoman be Incontinent a mans Own begotten Son shall not Inherit and an Other mans Bastard be his Heir The same Case is brought to be Pleaded before your Honours for two Sons of One VVoman but not of One Father the Eldest being her Husbands Begotten and Born before Marriage the other Begotten by an Other man but Born a moneth after her Marriage with the first Sons Father The Son born after Marriage claims his Mothers Husbands Estate as Inheritance by Law the Other claims the Estate as a Natural Right Defendant Most Reverend Judges The Son born to Inherit claims the Estate by the Right of Birth and hopes your Honours will not suffer his Birth-right to be taken from him Plaintiff Most Reverend Judges The Right Begotten Son doth not Challenge his Fathers Estate as his Right by Birth but as his Right by Gift for his Father by Deed gave him that which the Law took from him for his Estate being not Intail'd he might Give it to whom he would and he could not Give it more Justly Honestly and Lovingly than to his Own Son but had he not a Child of his Own to have given it to yet surely he would never have Left it if he had Power to Dispose of it to a Son of his Inconstant Wife or Friend which bore him to his Shame and Dishonour but the Case is so clear for his true-Begotten Son as it needs no more Pleading A Cause Pleaded before the Judges between an Husband and his Wife Most Reverend Judges Plaintiff HEre is a Woman Born of good Parents brought a great Portion and makes a chast VVife yet her Husband is so Unkind and so Cruel as he doth not only Beat her often but so Grievously and Sorely as she is weary of her Life and therefore she beseeches your Honours to take so much Commiseration of her Cause as to Bind her Husband to a good Behaviour or to Grant her a Bill of Divorce and some Allowance from him that she may Live Absent in Peace Defendant Most Reverend Judges A Husband Anger nor yet his Corrections is not a sufficient Plea for a Wife to Part from her Husband for a Woman when she Marries makes a Promise before God and his Divine Minister in the Sacred Temple that she takes her Husband to Have and to Hold for Better for Worse and that she will be Dutifull and Obedient as also Constant to him so long as Life lasts and so plights her troth Wherefore it is against the Laws of God and his Church to sue for a Divorce also it is against her Duty to Complain Wherefore she ought by the Laws of God and consequently by all Other Laws to suffer Patiently did she give her Husband No cause to use her so Severely Plaintiff Most Reverend Judges A Wife is not bound by any Laws but Religion to Hazard her Life and she fears he will Kill her in his Fury and therefore for the Safety of her Life she desires your Honours will quit her of the Danger Defendant Most Reverend Judges A Wife is bound both by the Law of Nature and God to Hazard her Life not only for her Husbands Safety Honour and Pleasure but for his Humour for a VVife is bound to Leave her Parents Country and what else soever to go with her Husband wheresoever he goes and will have her go with him were it on the Dangerous Seas or into Barren Deserts or Perpetual Banishments or Bloody VVarrs besides Child-birth all which is more Dangerous and Painfull than blows but howsoever it is as Lawfull for an Husband to Govern Rule and Correct his VVife as for Parents to Rule Govern and Correct their Children or for Masters to Rule Govern and Correct their Servants or Slaves Plaintiff But Parents ought not Strike or Cruelly use their Children nor Masters their Servants or Slaves without Faults committed Defendant Parents Masters and Husbands in the Case of Ruling Governing Correcting Punishing or using their Children Servants Slaves and VVives ought to be their Own Judges and no other But Most Reverend Judges She is not free from Fault for though she be Chast yet she is a Scold she gives her Husband more unkind VVords than he gives her unkind Blows and her Tongue provokes his Hand to strike her but as she is Lavish of her VVords so she is of his Estate not so much with what she Spends as with that she Spoils and though he can keep her from the One he cannot hinder her from the Other for she is not only Unhuswifely and Careless of the main Stock but she Breaks Rends and Spoils all his Goods out of a Malicious Revenge and Evil Nature Yet howsoever were she the Best VVife that could be and he the Worst Husband the Law
your Condemned Subjects at your Council-bord their last Refuge in Extremity appealing to your Majesties Self where your Majesty sits in Person to Hear not only Counsels but Complaints I shall answer this Privy-Counsellour whose Judgement is more Severe than I hope your Majesty will be in your Sentence He says it is Inhuman Uncharitable Unnatural and Impious for neer Allies to Kill each other but neither your Majesty nor your most Loyal Subjects should nor would think nor believe so if your Majesty had a Civil Rebellious Warr which I Pray the Gods to keep you from yet in all Civil Warrs neer Allies Fight against one an other and Kill one another believing they do not only their King but God Good Service in so doing for what Pious Men or Loyal Subjects would not Kill their Fathers or their Sons that Fight against their King or do but Oppose his Will and Pleasure nay those that Speak against it ought to be accounted Traitors and as for Honour which is said only to be an Opinion and Fancy of some men yet it is such an Opinion and Fancy that without it men would neither be Generous nor Valiant Just nor Gratefull Faithfull nor Trusty but all men would be Sordid Covetous Cowards False Cheats Unthankfull and Treacherous besides Wit and Learning would be quite Abolished or Buried in Oblivion and if men care not for Esteem Respect and Praise men would not care to do that which is Good but on the contrary would do all the Hurt and Evil they could for Praise keeps men from Evil more than Laws or Punishment and Praise is more Powerfull to Perswade and to Allure men to good than Strength or Authority hath Power to Inforce men to good and Honour Lives in Praise and Praise Lives in Worthy Acts which Worthy Acts Fame Records that After-ages may know what Just Valiant Generous Wise Learned Witty Ingenious Industrious Pious Faithfull and Vertuous men Liv'd in Former times which Knowledge will make Posterity Desirous and Industrious to do as their Fore-fathers have done Thus do Good and Honourable Acts beget their like in After-ages which is a Race of Worthy Deeds Wherefore your Majesty for the Good of the Present and Future times will Favour these men that Love Honour more than Life and Fear Disgrace more than Death which is the Cause of the two Brothers for whom I Plead and Beg your Majesties Pardon The KINGS Answer I Neither ought to Approve the Act of those two Brothers concerning the Death of their Sister nor to Obstruct or Oppose my Laws in their Condemnment Yet since their Act was to Take away Disgrace and not out of Malice and through a Hate to the Crime not to the Person I am not willing to leave them to the Punishment and the Laws being Satisfied by their Arraignment Judgement and Condemnment I will give them their Lives Lands Goods and Liberties which the Laws took from them and so leave them to Gods Mercy for Grace to Repent their Sin A Privy-Counsellours Speech at the Council-bord to His Soveraign Most Gracious Soveraign THis your City wherein your Majesty doth chiefly Reside grows Too big for the rest of your Kingdome indeed So big as it will be too Unruly and Unwieldy to be Govern'd and being fully Populated it will not only be apt to Corrupt the Air and so cause Often and Great Plagues which may Infect the whole Kingdome for where Many People are there is much Dung and Filth both within the Streets and Houses as also Foul Bodies and Corrupt Humours which of Necessity must be very Unwholesome but it will Devour the rest of the Kingdome for it is the Mouth and Belly that Devours the Fruitfull Increase of the Land yet Labours not to Husband the Ground Besides the Richest and Noblest of your Subjects Residing for the most part in the City as being the Chief City Rob the Country and Inrich the City for what they Receive in the Country they Spend in the City so that they Feed on the Labours of the Poor Country-men and are Inriched by the Vanities of the Nobles Thus they Thrive by Vanity and Live by Spoils Wasting the Plenty Beggering the Gentry and Ruining the Country and so the Kingdome Also too Great and Populous a City is not only a Head too Great for the Body of the Common-wealth but like a Head that is full of Gross Humours indeed a Great City is a Head fill'd with Evil Designs and not only a Head with Evil Designs but it is the Tongue of Detraction the Heart of Civil Warr the Magazin of Warring Arms and the Treasury to maintain Rebellious Armies for though they are more apt to Mutin than to Fight and more apt to Rise in Tumults than in Arms yet more apt to Take up Arms than to Keep Peace and though they have neither Conduct nor Courage yet they will Destroy with Force and Fury whosoever will offer to Oppose them and their great Plenty will make them more apt to Rebell than if they were Pinched with Necessity for their Wealth makes them Proud their Pride makes them Ambitious their Ambition makes them Envious their Envy makes them Factious their Faction makes them Mutinous and in a Tumultuous Mutiny they will indeavour to pull your Majesty from your Throne break your Laws and make Havock and Spoil of all the Goods and Lives of your Loyalst Ministers of State and Noblest Persons about you and for the most part the most Honest and Worthiest Persons they can come to they will Destroy Thus a great City is too Rich to be Obedient too Proud to be Govern'd too Populous to be Quiet and too Factious to Live Peaceably A Privy-Counsellours Speech to his Soveraign concerning Trade Dread Soveraign I Think it my Duty to inform your Majesty that Trade is so Decayed as it will in a short time Ruine your Kingdome if not Timely Repaired for this Kingdome being an Island Trade is the Foundation to Uphold it without which Foundation it will fall to Ruine and the Chief Persons of and for Trading in an Island are Merchants Adventurers which are both Forein and Home Traffickers These Merchants your Majesty should Assist and Defend to the Utmost of your Power As for the Advancing of Trade there be Three things the First is Easie Taxes for Customs the Second is to Secure them from Enemies at Sea the Third is Not to Suffer your Neighbour-Nations to Incroach upon their Privileges or to Take the Trading from them As for the first to Lessen your Customs will Lessen your Revenue and that ought not to be by Reason your Revenue is not so Great as to admit of any Diminution your Charge being Extraordinary Great but your Majesty may Secure them at Sea by your Shipping and Maintain their Privileges abroad and at home by your Power which Actions will not only cause your Neighbours to Fear you but your Subjects to Love you the One for your Force the Other for your Favour And
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
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
he shall have but a dark Lodging and cold Entertainment Thus Death is the most Absolute Conquerour that is for no Creature is able to Resist or defend themselves from Death whose Uncontroling Power makes him Dreadfull even to the most Valiant men not that they fear Death's Dart but Death's Oblivion for Valiant men love Life and fear Death more than Cowards or else they would not Venture their Bodies so often were it not out of Love to Life and Fear of Death Yet is it not that Life which Cowards are so Fond of nor that Death which they are so Afraid of but 't is the Life of their Fame and Death of their Name that Honourable and Valiant men so much Love and Fear insomuch that to gain the One and to shun the Other they will Sacrifize their Bodily Life and Imbrace their Bodily Death with more Delight and Pleasure than the Beautiful'st Woman that ever Nature made and they are to be Commended for it for it is Life that the Gods themselves take delight in for the Gods are pleased to Live in the Minds of their Creatures and are Angry if their Creatures Think or Speak not Of them as well as to Them So all Worthy men Desire and Indeavour to Live in the Minds of their own Kind and to be Praised at least Spoken of for they Desire and Indeavour to Live both in the Thoughts and Words of men in all Ages and in all Nations and by all Men if it were possible it being as Natural for Worthy men to desire to be Remembred as for all men to desire to Live and as Natural for men to desire to Live as to Love themselves But some say it doth a man no Good to be Remembred when he is Dead It may be answered that then it doth a man no Good to be Remembred whilst he Lives for Remembrance Lives in the Absent and Absence is a kind of Death but he is as Evil a Natured man that cares not to be Remembered by his Friends as those that never Remember their Friends also he is Unnatural to his Kind and it may be said that such men are Ungratefull Monsters or Monstrous Unnatural But this Noble Person was Remembred and and Spoken often of by his Absent Friends and did Remember and Spoke often of his Friends in their Absence whilst he was Living and his Worthy and Valiant Actions will be Remembred and Spoken of now he is Dead in which Remembrance and VVords he may Live so long as the VVorld lasts as being the only Reward this World can give to Worth and Merit as Piety Moral Vertue Valour and Generosity Wit and Learning for there is no other Reward in this World but Remembrance and Praise which Remembrance and Praise all Good men will give him as his due Thus will the Tongues and Minds of Living men Build him a Monument of Fame wherein all his Worthy Acts will be kept in Remembrance though his Body be Dead and Buried in Earth in which let us put it with devout Ceremony A judges Funeral Oration Dear Friends VVE are met together to see Judge N. N's Body laid into the Grave who in his Life-time was an Upright Judge for he Judg'd according to Truth and Right and not for Fear nor Favour he was free from Covetousness or corrupting Bribes he was both a Good and a VVise Judge for he would never Judge Over-hastily any Cause for or against untill he had Heard all Sides neither would he Retard or Delay Sutes Over-long but in All Causes he was very Attentive and in Doubtfull Causes very Cautious how to Judge and in all Criminal Causes or on Life and Death he would be very Inquisitive to Know the Truth for he would not Judge Rashly as to Judge Before he had Examined strictly and had sufficient Proofs and Witnesses or at least very Great Probabilities of the Truth Also he was neither a Temerarious nor an Over-bold Judge neither Cruel nor Foolishly Pittifull for as he would not Pardon so Much nor so Many as to Incourage men to Offend or Commit Crimes so he would not Condemn so Much nor so Many as to make a kind of a Massacre of Lives all which made him Live with a Good Conscience and Die with a Good Courage not Fearing a Condemnation neither in This World nor the Next but Desired to be Summoned to Gods Tribunal there to be Tried and Judged of the Course of his Life in This World to which Divine Judge we leave him bearing his Body to the Grave there to leave that but not to leave the Remembrance of Him nor the due Praise his Memory deserves A Sergeants or Barresters Funeral Oration Dear Friends YOu see the Body of Sergeant N. N. lies Dead ready to be put into the Grave which shews that he would not Plead for Life or else Death had no Ears to Hear his Sute but if he Pleads as well for Himself at Gods Tribunal as he did for his Clients at the Barr he will get Judgement on his side the truth is Nature as well as Education made him a Pleader for Naturally he had a Flowing Speech and a Fluent Wit to Turn Wind and Form any Cause as he Liked best for his VVit and Eloquence was such as to make a Doubtfull Cause seem Clear and had he not Known by Learning the Laws so Well as he did yet his Wit and Eloquence would have Covered his Ignorance and Supplied the Defect of his Learning but he was as Good and Learned a Lawyer as an Excellent Pleader and as Honest a man as Either for he took more Pains to Plead his Clients Cause than Pleasure to Take from his Clients Fees neither would he Prolong his Clients Sute to Drain their Purses nor yet make his Clients Cause more Doubtfull than it was to make them more Fearfull of the Success of their Sutes than they had Reason to fear and all this to get More Fees for Fears and Desires are Prodigal Givers as well as Promisers But rather he Pleaded Gratis for his Poor Clients wherein he shew'd more Charity to the Poor than Covetousness to the Rich. Thus he was a Good and Generous Lawyer a VVitty Ingenious Eloquent Pleader the truth is he did not only take Pains for his Clients but Pleasure in his Own Wit for he had more Delight than Profit by his Pleading and yet he did not take so much Pleasure in his Own Wit and Eloquency as Others did which Heard him insomuch as more went to Hear him Plead than those that had Causes to be Pleaded he Reproached not any man nor used Railing Speeches or Violent Actions in his Pleading as Many nay Most Pleaders do but his Behaviour was Civil his Wit Sweet and his Speech Gentle for though his Wit was Quick Ready and Free yet it was neither Salt Sour nor Bitter and though his Speech was Flowing yet it was not Rough for it ran in a Smooth though Full Stream and his Behaviour or Demeanour was
so Gracefull and Becoming as the One Delighted the Eyes of the Beholders as much as the Other the Ears of the Hearers but though his Body be Dead yet his Wit Eloquency Elegancy Honesty and Abilities are Living in the Memory of Living men which will Live by Tradition as Long as there are Men to Remember or Speak Wherefore let us Keep his Living parts in our Minds and Bury his Dead parts as his Body in the Grave there to remain in Peace as the other in Fame A Magistrates Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren VVE are met here together to Mourn for our Loss for the Death of This man is not only a Loss to every Particular man but to the whole Common-wealth for he was a Wise man and an Upright and Just Magistrate he did not Serve the Common-wealth to Inrich Himself as most Magistrates do but took Pains to Inrich the Common-wealth nor did he Sell Justice for Bribes but Punished Bribe-takers neither was he Partial either to the Rich or Poor but Judged according to Right and Truth at least to Great Probability also he kept the Rich from Riot and the Poor from Idleness and he took away Superfluities to help Necessities not that he Troubled any man for Living to their Degree and Quality but he would not Suffer any man to Live Above their Degree and Quality neither would he hinder men from their Lawfull Pleasures and Delights but he would not Connive at their Disorders and Misrules neither would he Pardon their Wickednesses He Regarded not the Slanders of his Enemies nor was he Revengefull for he Suffer'd not his Enemies to be Injured but gave them all the Justice he could neither was he Unjust to his Foes nor Ungrateful to his Friends he had a tender Regard to the Old Sick Poor and Shiftless Indeed he was such a Magistrate as he was a Father a Husband a Brother a Friend a Master a Servant a Slave for the Common-wealth all which adds to our Loss and Grief but not to his Happiness for his Happiness admits of no Addition he being as Happy as can be in which Happiness let us leave him after we have Interr'd him with his Forefathers A Funeral Oration of a Student Fellow Students VVE are met together to VVait upon the Dead Body of our VVorthy Brother in Learning to be laid in Peace into the Bed of Earth whose Life was so Studious as we may say he was Partly Dead whilst he Lived for the most of his Conversation was with Dead Authors and his Study was as his Grave so that our Learned Brother hath only Changed his Habitation and Lanlord as from his Study to the Earth from his Bodily Life to Death I confess his Lanlord Death is Covetous for Death Exacts or Extorts the Flesh from the Bones as his due yet the Body is more Happy dwelling more Peaceably with Death than with Life and as his Body hath made a Happy Change so hath his Soul but his Soul dwells not now with his Body for the Soul is an Fnemy to Death and Flies from it neither can the Soul live in the Body when as the Body is turned into Insipid Earth for the Soul being of a Celestial Nature cannot Live in a Terrestrial place but when Separated being Pure in it Self it is Light and being Free as having Liberty it is Agil through which Propriety it Ascends unto the Gods on High and Lives with them Eternally Thus our Learned Brothers Body Resting Peaceably and his Soul Living Blessedly both shall meet Gloriously and so Let 's lay his Corps into the Grave Humbly Ceremoniously and Piously A Funeral Oration of a Divine Beloved Brethren THis our Dead Brother was an Holy man both in Profession and Life as for his Profession he was a Divine and his Practice was as Pious as his Profession was Pure he was Bless'd of the Gods for they Indued him with Spiritual Graces Inspired him with Spiritual Knowledge and Inabled him with Spiritual Eloquence to Inform Reform and Perform the Church of God according to the Word of God amongst men but though his time of Life is Expir'd yet his true Doctrine will remain for the Satisfaction Comfort and Salvation of the Souls in Living Bodies Wherefore let us lay his Body into the Grave and leave it to the time of Glorification A Funeral Oration of a Poet. Beloved Brethren OUr Brother whose Body is Dead and is brought to this place to be Inurned was the most Fearfull man that ever Nature made not to Die but to be Forgotten also he was the most Ambitious man not for Wealth Title or Power but for Fame In truth he was so Ambitious as his Body and Mind was Restless indeavouring to Live like as Nature or the Gods of Nature which Live and are partly Known In their VVorks and By their Works which are their Creatures especially the Chief of their Creatures which are Mankind for we cannot Perceive but that the Chief Habitations of the Gods are in the Minds of men with which Habitations they are so Pleased and Delighted as they Punish those men that Neglect or Forget them nay the Gods Made Men or such kind of Creatures to Remember them as to Speak of them Think of them and to Admire them in their Praises Contemplations and Adorations also to have Visible VVorship to their Invisible Deities as to have Altars Priests and Sacrifices to Offer Praise Prayers and Thanksgiving So that the Gods are not Satisfied to Live only To or In Themselves but in their Creatures VVherefore those men Resemble the Gods most that desire Fame which Fame is to be Remembred and Prais'd by All Men in All Ages throughout the VVorld whereas on the Contrary those that Slight Neglect or Speak against Fame as being a Foolish Vain-Glory in that it doth a man No Good to be Remembered and Praised after the Bodily Life are Irreligious Ungratefull and Unnatural Irreligious not Desirous to Imitate the Gods Ungratefull not Divulging Natures Gifts and Unnatural caring not for the Memory of their Own Kind as not caring to Live with Them which is to Live in their Minds Also they are Unjust to Themselves not desiring their Own Good as their Perpetual Name Memory and Fame But this our Brother was not of that sort of Mankind as to be Contented to be Buried in a Terrestrial Oblivion but would have a Celestial Remembrance which the Gods Perpetuate for a Reward to his Merit So let us lay his Body in the Grave and let his Praise Ring out his Peal A Funeral Oration of a Philosopher Beloved Brethren THis our Dead Brother when he had Bodily Life he was a Close Student and had a Great Library wherein were more VVorks than he had Time to Learn and they were of more Several Languages than he was Capable to Understand but he Indeavoured and was Advanced far in Knowledge his Study was Natural and Moral Philosophy his Library the Universe and his Several Books the Several Creatures
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
Dead laid Decently and Ceremoniously into the Earth and it is an Happiness for the Dead to be Inurned with their Fore-fathers for who knows to the Contrary but that there may be a Natural Sympathetical Intermixing with their Dust and an Earthly Pleasure in their Mixture for certainly there is a mutual Society In the Earth as well as On the Earth and why may not the Earth have a Sympathetical Intermixing and Conjunction as well as the other Elements I Perceive no Reason against it but whether there be an Incorporating Associating and Friendship as Dust with Dust I know not surely there is a Peaceable Abiding having not a Sensible Feeling or Knowledge whereas Life wherein Sense and Knowledge Dwells is Restless full of Troubles Misfortunes Pains and Sicknesses to the Body and Perturbations in the Mind so that the Body is Seldome at Ease or the Mind at Quiet But Life hath tried the Patience and Death the Courage of our Friend for he was neither Impatient with Life nor Fearfull of Death he had such Great Experience living so Long as to Know there is neither Constancy Certainty nor Felicity amongst or with the Creatures in this World and Time had made him so Wise a man as he knew by Himself that there was no man Perfect nor truly Happy for Happiness and Imperfection cannot Associate together yet by his Wisdome he did Inform Reform Rule and Govern himself as well as Nature and the VVorld would give way or leave to for he would never Command any but those that were Willing to Obey and he did Obey those he Could not Command he would never make a fruitless Opposition but was free from Faction and Sedition Ambition and Covetousness for he knew there is not any VVorldly thing worth an over-earnest Desire nor any thing so Permanent as could be kept Long he would Temperately make use of what he Had and what he VVanted for his Use he did Honestly Indeavour for it and what he could not have Easily and Freely he was Content to be without Moreover he was so Moderate in his Desires as he did Scarcely desire what was Necessary and oftentimes he would Part from his Own Maintenance to Relieve the Distresses of Others believing he could Suffer want more Patiently indeed he had such a Power and Command of Himself as the Appetites of his Body and Passions of his Mind were as Obedient to his Will as Saints on Earth or Angels in Heaven are to the Gods and this VVise Government of Himself made him fit for the Company of the Gods with whom we Leave his Soul and will Interr his Body as we ought An Old Begger-Womans Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren THis VVoman that is here to be Buried was Old when she Died very Old and as Poor as Old and though she was Old yet she had Longer Acquaintance with her Poverty than Age being alwayes Poor from her Youth indeed so Poor as she was Forced to Beg for her Livelihood Thus she was a Double Begger but now she is gone to Beg at Heavens Gate both for Food and Raiment where if Heavens Porter lets her In she will be Fed with Beatifical Food and Cloth'd with Celestial Glory a great and good Change for here she was Fed with nothing but Scraps and Cloth'd with Raggs and much ado to Get them not without long Stay and earnest Intreaties so Hard are men's Hearts and Cold are men's Charities the truth is men in Prosperity feel not the Misery of Adversity and being not Sensible of their Want are not Ready in their Relief besides they think all that is given from their Vanities and Luxuries ' is a Prodigal waste and it is to be Observ'd that those that are Richest are the most Uncharitable whereas those that have but Little yet will give to those that have Nothing to Live on feeling in some sort what Want is And to shew the Hard Hearts of Mankind to their own Kind this Woman although she had Begg'd almost Fourscore Years yet she got so Little as she had nothing to Leave not so much as to Bury her But as she Lived on Cold Charity so now she Lies with Cold Death a Cold Condition both Alive and Dead the first Cold she Felt to her Grief this last Cold she is Insensible of to her Happiness in which Happiness we will leave her and put her into the Grave of Peace A Young Brides Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren THis Young Virgin that lies here Dead ready to be Buried this very day had she Lived she had been Married for so her Lover and She had Design'd at which designed time she little thought Death should have been her Bridegroom and that her VVinding sheet should be her Wedding Smock and her Grave her Bride-Bed there to lye with Death but doubtless Death was as far from her Thoughts as her Lover neer to her Heart for had she Believ'd she should have Died so soon or but Fear'd it she would not have made such Preparations as usually Young Maids do for their Wedding daies indeed Young Maids have Reason enough to Esteem much of That day for it is the only Happy day of their Life it is a day which is wholly Consecrated to Love Joy Pleasure Bravery Feasting Dancing Mirth and Musick on that day their Hearts are Merry and their Heels are Light but after their Bridal Shoos are off their Dancing daies are done I mean they are done in respect of Happiness for though Married Wives keep more Company and Dance and Feast oftner than Maids having more Liberty yet they are not so Merry at the Heart nor have they so Lively Countenances nor are so Galliard after they have been Married some time as they were Before they were Married or as they were on their VVedding day for their Mirth is Forced and their Actions more Constrain'd though not so much Restrain'd whereas Maids and Brides their very Thoughts as well as their Persons Dance Sport and Play in their Minds But this Young Virgin and Dead Bride can neither Dance nor be Merry neither hath she Cause to Weep or be Sad nor she hath no Amorous Thoughts towards her Bridegroom she takes no Notice of him his kind Imbraces do not make her Blush neither doth she Hate or Fear him she Grieves not for the Change nor Thinks she of her Living Lover that should have been her Living Husband but is now her Living Mourner whose Tears like Raining Showers have all Bedewed her Hearse and though she was not led with Bride-maids to the Church yet she is brought by Virgins to the Grave her Hearse is Crown'd though not her Head and Covered with white Satin like as a Marriage Gown and all her Tomb is Strew'd with Flowers sweet like to a Bridal-Bed in which Tomb let us lay her and then Sing Anthems instead of Epithalamiums and so leave her to her Rest. A Child-Bed Womans Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren VVE are met together to see a Young Dead Woman who
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
have Terrestrial Shapes why should they believe them to have Mens Shapes and not the Shapes of other Creatures it might be Answered the Belief Proceeds from the Son of God who did Take upon Him the Shape of Man but then we may believe that Angels are of the Shape of Doves because the Holy Ghost which is Co-equal and Co-eternal with the Son did Take upon Him the Shape of that Bird. Also what Reason hath man to Believe that the Devils Shapes are partly of the Shape of Beasts as to have Tails Horns Claws and Cloven feet do they believe that the Shape of Beasts is a more VVicked or Cursed Shape than any other Animal Shape But these Opinions or Beliefs proceed from Gross Conceptions made by Irregular Motions in Gross Terrestrial Bodies or Brains in Mankind who make Hell and Heaven God Angels and Devils according to their Fancies and not according to Truth for Man cannot Know what is not in his Portion of Reason and Sense to Know and yet man will Judge and Believe that which he cannot possibly Know which is Ridiculous even to Human Sense and Reason But to Conclude Dearly Beloved men's Thoughts are too Weak their Brains too Little their Knowledge too Obscure and their Understandings too Cloudy to Conceive Gods Celestial Works or Workings or his Will or Decrees Fates or Destinies Wherefore Pray without Forming Obey without Censuring Fear his Power Love his Goodness and Hope in his Mercy and the Blessing of God be amongst you An Oration to a Sinfull Congregation Beloved Brethren YOu Live so Lewdly Riotously and Wickedly as if you did not Believe there are Gods or Devils Heaven or Hell Punishment or Bliss and as if there were none other Life after this Life but you will find you shall be so Punished for your Wickedness unless you Amend as you will Curse your Birth Life and Death for so Bad and Wicked you are that the Seven Deadly Sins are not sins enough for you but Daily nay Hourly you Study to make more Deadly sins nay you are so Ingenious in Devising Sin as you are the most subtil Artisans therein that ever were you are a Vitruvius for Desigining Sins a Pygmalion for Carving out Sins an Apelles for Painting out Sins a Galileus for Espying out Sins an Euclid for Numbring and Multiplying Sins so that your Sins are now past all Account an Archimedes for Inventing Sins an Aristoteles to Find out Sins a Cicero in Pleading for Sins an Alexander in Fighting for Sins an Homerus in Describing Sins and your Lives and Actions are the Foundations and Materials the Stones and Chisals of Sins the Boords and Planks the Light Shaddows and Colours of Sins the Perspective Glasses of Sins the Figures of Sins the Instruments and Engins of Sins the Lines Circles and Squares of Sins the Bodies Parts and Lives of Sins the Tongue and Speech of Sin the Arms of Sin the Brains and Wit of Sin Thus you are nothing but Sin Within and Without for Life Soul Thoughts Bodies and Actions are all Sin Indeed you seem as if you were neither Made by Nature nor God but Begotten or Produced from Devils for Nature Exclames against you and God Abhorrs you the Devils will Own you but God of his Mercy give you Grace to Repent and Amend your Lives that what Sin is Past may be Blotted out and that your Lives Thoughts and Actions may be such as may Gain upon Eternal Blessedness and Everlasting Glory for which let us Pray An Oration which is an Exhortation to a Pious Life Beloved Brethren YOu come here to be Instructed but yet you do not Amend your Lives for you Live Idlely and Wickedly you make no Profit of your Instructions or Exhortations for it seems by you that the more you are Taught the more Ignorant you are like those that become Blind or their Sight Dazled with Too much Light Indeed you Live as if you had not Rational Souls or that you thought Souls Die as Bodies do but you will find you have Souls that shall Live to indure Torment if you do not Reform your Lives 'T is true many have Strange and some Atheistical Opinions concerning the Soul for Some have had Opinions that Man hath no other Soul but such as Beasts have and Others that the Souls of all Creatures Go out of one Body into an other and that Death doth but Change the Souls Lodging and Some have had an Opinion that there is no such thing as a Soul but that which is called a Soul is only Animal Life and Others believe there be Souls but they Die as Bodies do Others that there is but One great Soul which is the Soul of the World but the Right and Truth is that men have Particular Souls which not any other Creature hath which are called Rational Souls and shall Live for Ever either in Torment or Bliss according to their Merit But the Best and Wisest men make no question of the Rational Soul of Mankind though many Learned men Trouble their Heads to prove What the Soul is for some believe the Soul is Corporeal others it is Incorporeal Also many Trouble themselves to know When the Souls of Mankind Enter into their Bodies some think Before the Body is Born others hold it enters not Untill the Body is Born and some think that the Body receives the Soul so soon as it receives Life in the Womb and some think Before as when it is newly Conceived but those that are of an Opinion that Life and Soul enters into the Body together believe their Departs together by Death and those that think the Soul enters not into the Body untill it be Born believe the Soul is but a Weakling at first and grows Stronger as the Body grows Older Thus they Trouble their Heads and Exercise their Wits concerning the Soul to know What it is and How it is but never take Thought as how it Will be when they Dye like the Dog that left the Substance to seek for the Shaddow so men leave the Salvation and Dispute about the Creation But my Exhortation is that you would Pray more and Dispute less for what shall we need to Trouble our Minds whether the Soul be Corporeal or Incorporeal or if Corporeal of what Matter it is made of so that it be Capable of Glory nor shall we need to Trouble our Minds When it Enters the Body so it Enters Heaven Wherefore those that are Truly Wise and Wisely Devout will Indeavour with all their Power Faith and Industry of their Minds Thoughts and Life to Do such Charitable Deeds and to Think such Pious Thoughts in Holy Contemplations and Pray with so much Zeal and Faith Penitence and Thanksgiving as God may be so well Pleased with them as to Glorifie their Souls in Heaven where there is all Joy and Happiness which Joy and Happiness I Pray the Gods may give you MARRIAGE ORATIONS PART IX A Marriage-Oration to a Congregation and a Young Bride and
Eat and Eat more than you have Appetite you are like Misers in your Feeding stuffing your Stomacks with Meat as they do their Trunks and Baggs with Money and the Superfluity of meat Destroyes the Gluttonous Eater with Surfeits Thirdly your Adorning or rather Deforming your selves in Antick Fashions and Toyish Vanities which sheweth your Heads to be Brainless and sometimes your Purses to be Moneyless for Spending so much on your Backs you cannot Keep any thing in your Coffers nor for your Necessary use Fourthly your Idle Visits and Unprofitable Discourses wherein is more Words than Wit and more Time lost than Knowledge gain'd for you become more Ignorant with Talking than Learned with Contemplating for Brains are not Manured with Foolish Discourses but Wise Considerations Lastly your Numerous Trains which are Unprofitable Servants being maintain'd for Shew and not for Use they Spending much and doing little Service is the Cause not only of great Disorders but the Ruine of many Noble Families The Short is you Drink to be Drunk Eat to be Sick Live to be Idle Spend to be Poor and Talk to be Fools Thus you Lose Time Waste your Estate Trouble your Minds and Shorten your Lives Living with more Cost than Worship and more Worship than Pleasure for you are Stewards for your Servants Hosts for your Guests and Slaves to your Vain Humours An Oration Contradicting the Former Noble Citizens THe Former Oration was against the Lawfull Delights and Pleasures of our Citizens nay of all Mankind which Expresses the Orator either to be so Poor of Means as he Cannot Attain to such Delights and Pleasures or that his Senses are Imperfect as not Capable to Receive them or that he is of so Evil a Disposition as to Desire all men to be Miserable or that he is a Fool as not Knowing how to Speak or Live wisely whereas had he Spoken against Hurtfull and Destroying Vices he had Spoken as a Good man ought to do for Vices are Vices no otherwise but that they are Hurtfull or Destructive to Mankind which makes them Vices for the Gods Forbid them because of the Evil Effects as Drunkenness which Disorders the Reason Distempers the Brain and Obstructs the Senses making men Senseless or to be as Mad and causes oftentimes Quarrels Wounds and Death at least Breaks Peace and makes Enemies of Friends besides Drunkenness makes men Sick and is apt to Shorten their Lives all which makes it a Vice and so a Sin But did Drunkenness cause no Evil Effect it ought not to be Forbidden nor could it be accounted a Crime The like I may say for Gluttony for would men Eat only to Please them and not so much as to Disease them it would be no Fault to Eat well or to Please their Palate but it is the Surfeits Sickness and oftentimes Untimely Death that makes Gluttony a Vice and for Adultery it would be so far from a Crime as it would be a Virtue in the Increase of Mankind were it not for the Loss of Propriety in that no man would Know his Own Child nor be sure to Injoy his Own Wife or that Woman he makes Choice of As for Theft and Murder they are not of that Sort to be named Vices only but Damnable Sins wherein can neither be Society Safety nor Security of Life for Thieves and Murderers indeavour an Utter Destruction without Mercy or Remorse Wherefore since Vices and Sins are Vices and Sins for their Hurt and Evil Effects those things that are call'd Vanities which produce Pleasure and Delight without Death and Destruction ought not to be Spoken against for Vanities are Profitable to the Poor and not Hurtfull to the Rich But yet Moralists and Divines Plead Preach and Write Rail and Exclame against all Honest Harmless Delights and Pleasures as if they were Sins to God and Nature as if Nature and the God of Nature should make Senses and Appetites in Vain or only to the Hurt and Dislike of the Creature and not for their Good and Pleasure as to make a Body for Pain and Sickness and not for Health and Ease and to make a Mind for Trouble and Discontent and not for Peace and Tranqullity to make Desires but not Fruitions Indeed Nature and the God of Nature is more Just to Mankind for as they have made Eyes and Seeing so they have made Light Splendour and Beauty to be Seen and as they have made Ears to Hear so they have made Harmony to be Heard and as they have made Nostrils to Smell so they have made Perfumes to be Smelt and as they have made Taste so they have made Relishes and as they have made Hunger so they have made Food and as they have made Appetites so they have given Satisfaction or Satiety Thus we may perceive that every Particular Sense is Fitted or Matched to Particular Pleasures but because Nature hath made some Aversion therefore Moralists and Divines would not have men Injoy the Pleasure in Nature whereas the most Rational men perceive that Aversions were only made to Highten and Re-double the Pleasures and Delights both of Body and Mind but these Men are so Rigid in their Doctrine I will not say in their own particular Practice as they would have men Choose the Worst part and Refuse the Better and would have all Mankind Struggle Strive and Oppose all Nature's Delights and Benefits the truth is they seem to Desire a Perpetual Warr between the Senses and the Objects as also between the Mind and the Body as between the Reason and Sense but in my opinion their Doctrine hath neither Sense nor Reason and their Authors would have as Little if they should Practise what they Preach Wherefore Noble Citizens my Advise is that you Take your Pleasures yet so as you may Injoy them Long as to Warm your Selves not to Burn your Selves to View the Light but not to Gaze out your Sight to Bathe your Selves but not to Drown your Selves to Please your Selves but not to Destroy your Selves with Excess An Oration against Usurers and Money-Horders Noble Citizens VVE have some Citizens amongst us that are Rich and yet Miserable they Covet Much yet Injoy but Little for they Hord up their Wealth and Starve Themselves and if they did Starve None but Themselves it were no great matter being fitter for Death than Life but their Hords impoverish the Common-wealth and so Starve the Poor for there cannot be a Greater Evil in a Common-wealth set a-side Warr than to have many Rich Usurers as Covetous Getters and Spare Spenders for their Great Wealth is like as a Great Dunghill which whilst it lies on a Heap together doth no Good but Hurt whereas if it were Dispersed and Spread upon the Barren Lands it would Inrich much Ground producing Increase and Plenty The like should Money or such sort of Riches be Spread equally to make a Common-wealth Live Happily Indeed a Prodigal is more Beneficial and Profitable to a Common-wealth than a Usurer for a
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
we are an Army of Clowns though not of Souldiers and our Commanders are our Landlords who often Deceive us of the Increase of our Labours as the Warring Commanders Deceive their Common Souldiers of the Profit of their Spoils also we have our Infantery and our Cavallry for all those that belong to the Keeping and Breeding of Beast as Shepherds Grasiers Herdmen Goat-herds Swine-herds and Carters are of the Cavallry but all they that belong to the Earth as Sowers Planters Reapers Threshers Hedgers Ditchers Diggers Delvers are our Infantery also we have Arms and Ammunition for we are Arm'd with our Beast Skins and our Arms of use are Pikes Forks Cutting Sickles Mowing Sithes Pruning Knives Thrashing Flails Plough-sherds Shepherds Hooks Herd-mens Staves and the like and our Match Powder and Bullets are Puddings Pease and Porradge and our Granadoes are Eggs of all Sorts and Sizes our Carts are our Waggons our Cottages our Tents and our Victuals and Country Huswives our Bagg and Baggage and the Lowing of our Herds and Bleating of our Sheep are our Drums and Trumpets not to Alarm us to Fight but to Feed also we have Enemies which are Unseasonable Seasons Rotting Moistures Drowning Showres and Over-flows Chilling Frost Scorching Heat and Devouring Worms all which we Fight against not with Force but with Industry And our Army of Clowns is more Skilfull to Destroy our Enemies than an Army of Souldiers is to Destroy their Enemies nay our Army is an Army wherein is Peace and Plenty whereas in their Army is Warr and Want we become Rich with Safety they become Poor with Danger we be Gentle to Beast they be Cruel to Men they Thrive by Blood we by Milk we get Health by our Labours and Long Life by our Temperance and they get Diseases in their Riots and Death in their Warrs Thus they Live Painfully Die Violently and only Leave their Bare Name to their Posterity and Beggarly Race we Live Healthfully Die Peaceably and Leave our Goods to our Posterity who by their Wealth come to be Gentlemen A Peasants or Clowns Oration Spoken in the Field of Peace concerning Husbandry Fellow Peasants I Must tell you we Live in a Happy Age where Peace Sows and Plenty Reaps for whereas VVarrs Destroy our Increase now Peace Increases our Stores also I would have you Know that our Profession which is Husbandry is one of the Noblest and Generousest Professions which is to Imploy our Selves like as the Gods and Nature for though we cannot Create Creatures as Nature doth yet we by our Industry Increase Nature's Creatures not only Vegetables that we Produce in our Fields and Store in our Barns but Animals which we Breed in our Farms and Feed in our Fields But as Nature Commits Errors and Defects in Producing her Creatures so we for want of Knowledge have not the Good effect of our Labours for though we are Bred up to Husbandry yet we are not all so Knowing in Husbandry as to Thrive and Grow Rich by our Labours for as all Scholars are not Learned that have Lived and Spent most of their time in Studies in Universities but are meer Dunces or as Artisans are not all Excellent VVorkmen although they have been Bound to their Trade and have Wrought long in it yet are but Bunglers So for Husbandry all Husbandmen are not so Knowing in their Profession as to Thrive but they Labour at Randome without Judgement or Observation and like those that Learn to Read by Rote may Understand the VVords or Letters but not the Sense and Meaning So we may be brought up to Labour but not Understand to make a Profitable Increase not Knowing the Nature of the several Soils as what for Pasture or Meddow or Tillage nor to Fore-see the Change of VVeather nor to Take the most Seasonable Times nor to Observe the Course of the Planets all which is very Requisite for the Breed of our Animals and Increase of our Vegetables VVherefore in my Opinion it were very Necessary for us to Choose the most Observing and Experienced men amongst us that Understand Husbandry best to be our Publick and General Teachers Instructers Informers and Reformers in our Profession of Husbandry For as there are Divine Teachers for the Souls of Men Moral Teachers for the Manners of Men Human Teachers for the Bodies of Men and Physicians for the Lives of Men so there should be Natural Teachers and Informers for the Profitable Increase for Men such as have not only Experience by Practice and Judgement by Observation but have both Learning and Conceptions of Natural Philosophy as to Learn and Search into the Causes and Effects of Natures VVorks and to Know and Observe the Influences of the Heavens on Earth and on the Diverse and Sundry Creatures In and On the Earth also the Sympathies and Antipathies of the several Creatures to Each other as also the Natures and Proprieties of every Kind and Sort of Creature so shall we know how to Increase our Breed of Animals and our Stores of Vegetables and to find out the Minerals for our Use for as Learning without Practice is of No Effect so Practice without Knowledge is of Small Profit yet many will Take upon them to Instruct Others that want Instructions Themselves but such Instructers Instructions are more in Words than for Use as Plutarch's Common-wealth or Virgilius Georgics two Famous Men the One a Moral Philosopher the Other a Poet the One did Form such a Common-wealth as Men would nor could not Live in it and so not fit for Use the Other could better set his Wit to VVork than his Hands for if Virgil had left his Husbandary in Verse to Practise it in Prose he had Lived Poorly and Died Obscurely as having more VVit and Fancy to VVrite of Husbandry in his Georgics than Knowledge or Experience to Practise it in his Farms Thus Poets get Fame and Farmers VVealth the One by their VVit the Other by their Experience the One by Imagination the Other by Practice for a Clown or Peasant Gains more Knowledge by his Practice than a Poet by his Contemplations but when Practice and VVit are joyned together they beget Wisdome and Wealth the One being Adorned with Gold the Other Inthroned with Fame for Emperours have Ascended from the Plough and Kings from the Sheep-coats Converting their Plough-sherds to Thrones their Sickles to Crowns and their Sheep-hooks to Scepters Thus Clowns Boors or Peasants by Name are become Princes in Power and Princes in Power are become Beasts by Name and Nature witness Nebuchadnezzar A Peasants Oration to his Fellow Peasants Fellow Peasants GIve me Leave to Tell you we are the most Unhappy People in the VVorld for we Live to Labour and Labour to Live and we are not only the Unhappiest but the Basest men in the World for we are not only Bred with Beasts and Live with Beasts and Dye like Beasts but we are the Bawds and Pimps too to bring Beasts to Act Bestially together also we
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
Errs more in their Rebellion for the Greatest Tyrant that ever was was never so Destroying or Cruel as a Rebellion or Civil Warr for this makes a Dissolution whereas the other makes but some Interruptions but now we have found our Errors we shall mend our Faults I in Governing You in Obeying and I Pray the Gods to Bless us with Industry and Uniformity Unity and Love Plenty and Tranquillity that this Kingdome and People may Flourish in all Ages and have a Glorious Fame throughout the World A Generals Oration to his Chief Commanders Fellow Souldiers and Gallant Commanders I Have Required your Assembly at this time to Perswade you to Practise both Riding and Fencing when you have Spare time from Fighting for it is impossible you should Atchieve any Brave or Extraordinary Actions by your Single Persons in the day of Battel unless you be Excellent and Skilfull in the Manage of your Horses and in the Use of your Swords for your Horses well Managed and well Rid shall not only Overthrow your Opposites as Man and Horse that are Ignorant in the Art but any One of you will be able to Disorder an Enemies Troop 'T is true an Ignorant HorseCommander hath less Assurance than a FootCommander besides it is a Double Labour and Requires a Double Art as to Manage a Horse and to Use a Sword Skilfully at one time but then he hath a Double Advantage if he can Ride well and hath a good Managed Horse that Obeyes well the Hand and the Heel that can tell how to Turn or to stop on the Hanches or to go Forward or Side-wayes and the like The truth is a good Horse-man although not so well Skill'd in the Use of the Sword shall have Advantage of an Ignorant Horse-man although well Skill'd in the Use of the Sword but to Know both Arts is best for a good HorseSouldier As for Foot Commanders they must Chiefly if not only Practise the Use of the Sword for it is the Sword that makes the greatest Execution for though neither Horse nor Sword is either Defensive or Offensive against Canon Bullets yet they are both Usefull against Bodies of men for all sorts of Bullets either from Canons Muskets or Pistols will Miss ten times for Hitting once whereas an Army when Joyning so Close as to Fight Hand to Hand the Sword is the Chief and Prime Executor insomuch that a Sword Skilfully or Artificially Used hath the Advantage over the Strength of Clowns or their Clubs or the But-ends of their Muskets Wherefore a Compleat Souldier should be as Knowing and well Practised in the Use of the Sword and the Management of his Horse as in Drawing up a Body of Men and Setting or Pitching an Army in Battel Aray for by the fore-mentioned Arts you will make a great Slaughter and a Quicker Dispatch to Victory and Gain a great Renown or Fame to each Particular Person that are so well Bred or Taught to be Horse-men and Sword-men SCHOLASTICAL ORATIONS PART XV. A Sleepy Speech to Students Fellow Students WHo Study to Think and Think to Dream As there are three Sorts of Worlds so there are three Kinds or Sorts of Life viz. the Material Poetical and Drowsie World and the Dreaming Contemplating and Active Life but of all these three Worlds and three Lives the Drowsie World and Dreaming Life is most Wonderfull for it is as a Life in Death and a Death in Life and this Drowsie World and Dreaming Life is a Type of an Unknown World and an Unknown Life for Sleep is a Type of Death and Dreaming is a Type of the Rewards and Punishments in the other World Good Dreams are like as the Rewards for the Blessed and Bad Dreams are like as Punishments for the Wicked the One Receives Pleasure and Joy the Other Fear and Torments and these Joys Pleasures Fears and Torments are as Sensible to the Senses and as Apparent to the Understanding and Knowledge as when Awake also Memory and Remembrance and the same Appetites and Satisfactions are as Perfect in Dreams as when Awake the Passions of the Mind as Forcible the Dispositions and Humours of the Nature as Various the Will as Obstinate the Judgement as Deep the VVit as Quick the Observation as Serious Reason as Rational Conception as Subtil Courage as Daring Justice as Upright Prudence as VVary Temperance as Sparing Anger as Violent Love as Kind Fear as Great Hopes and Doubts as Many Joys as Full Hate as Deadly Faith as Strong Charity as Pitifull and Devotion as Zealous in Perfect Dreams as Awake also they are as Uncharitable VVicked Foolish Cowardly Base Deboist Furious and the like in Perfect Dreams as Awake but Dreams in Sleeping Senses are Shorter than the Actions of VVaking Senses and not so Permanent for they Suddenly Fade and their Sudden Fading Oftentimes makes a Confusion and more Disorder than in the VVaking and Active Life But to Speak of the Sleeping Senses Generally and Particularly have we not the same Appetites and Satisfactions are not we Sensible of Dying Living Suffering Injoying Mourning Weeping Rejoycing Laughing are we not as Sensible of Pain and Ease of Accidents Misfortunes Dangers and Escapes in Dreams as in Active Life for if we Dream of Thieves and Murderers are not we Sensible of the Loss of our Goods and of our Bonds and Wounds do we not See our Loss Feel our Bonds and the Smarts and Pains of our Wounds as much as if we Saw and Suffered Awake and do not we Indeavour to Help our Selves and do not we Beg for Life Call for Help and Strive with Resistance as much in Dreams as Awake though not Vocally Verbally Locally nor Materially yet Spiritually for it is the Sensitive Spirits and not the Senses Gross Bodies or Parts that Travel into Forein Countries and Unknown Lands and make Voyages by Sea in Dreams do not we Hear and See in Dreams Lightning Thunder Wind Storms and Tempest Seas Billows Waves Ships Ship-wracks and are not we Drown'd in Dreams and do not we see Huge Precipices Barren Deserts Wide Forests and VVild Beasts and Serpents and other hurtfull Creatures and Indeavour to Escape and Avoid the Danger do not we feel Stinging Serpents and Flies Striking Tearing Clawing Biting Beasts as Sensibly in Dreams as Awake do not we see Flowry Meddows Low Vallies High Hills Corn-fields Green Meddows Grazing Pastures and Beasts Clear Springs Fruitfull Orchards and Small Villages Labouring Husbandmen Great Cities and Many People do not we see Light Colours Sun Moon Stars Clouds Rain Frost Snow Hail Shade Dawning Mornings and Closing Evenings in Dreams as Awake do not we see Fish Swim Birds Fly Beasts Run VVorms Creep in Dreams as Awake do not we see our Friends Living and our Friends Dying and those that be Dead in Dreams as Awake do not we feel Drought VVetness Heat Cold Itching Scratching Smarting Aking Biting Sickness in Dreams as Awake do not we hear all Warring Sounds and see all Warring Actions and feel all Warring
Miseries do not we see Courts Balls Masks Beauties Playes and Pastimes do not we see Musical Instruments and hear Harmonious Musick and Several Tunes Notes Airs Words Voices distinctly do not we see Feasts and Bankets and do not we Taste the several Meats distinctly not only Fish Flesh and Fowls but distinctly every Sort and Particular Taste of every Part also the Ingrediences of the Sauces and their Particulars in them and do not we Taste Bitter Salt Sour Sharp and Sweet distinctly in Dreams and the several Sorts of them and do not we Smell the several Perfumes that are by Art and Nature made as also the several Stinks in Dreams as Awake And for Desires and Ambitions would we have our Dead Friends Living have we not them in Dreams or can we See and Converse with Them or they to Us as if they were Alive but in Dreams nay in Dreams we may Rejoyce with Them Feast with Them Sport and Play with Them Ask their Advice or Give them Advice and the like would we have a Beautifull Mistress or many several Mistresses of different Beauties Behaviours Births Fortunes Wits and Humours have not we them in Dreams would we Injoy a Mistress do not we so in Dreams would we be Rich Noble Generous Valiant are not we so in Dreams would we see the Ruine of our Enemies do not we so in Dreams would we have our Enemies Dye or be Kill'd do not they Dye or are Slain in Dreams would we have Stately Palaces have not we so in Dreams would we Feed Luxuriously do not we so in Dreams would we Live Riotously do not we so in Dreams would we View our Selves as to see our Faces and Bodies do not we so in Dreams would we Ride Race Hunt Hawk and have the like Pastimes and Exercises do not we so in Dreams would we Win at Carts do not we so in Dreams would we Fight Duells and Battels and have Victory have not we Victory in Dreams would we Conquer all the VVorld do not we so in Dreams would we be Emperour to Rule and Govern all the World do not we so in Dreams But as I said that there are Pleasing and Delightfull Dreams so there are Displeasing and Fearfull Dreams and there is as much Trouble Disorder and Opposition in the Sleepy or Drowsie World and as much Discontent Faction Detraction Defamation Troubles and the like in this Dreaming Life as there is Method Order Agreement Praise Trust and the like therein yet for all that this Drowsie World and Dreaming Life is the Best of the three for can there be greater Pleasure in the Material World and Active Life than Rest to the VVeary Limbs and Sleep to the Tired Senses which have been Over-power'd with Gross Objects which have Laid Heavy Burthens on them or can we Injoy any thing so Easily Freely Suddenly without Actual Trouble as we do in Dreams or can we be Quit of all Sorts and Kinds of Trouble and Labour but by Sleep Wherefore if Dreams were but more Constant and of Longer Continuance and that we should alwayes Dream Pleasing Dreams the Greatest Happiness Next to the Blessed Life in Heaven were to Sleep and Dream for it would be much more Pleasant than the Elyfian Fields The Next VVorld and Life that were to be Preferr'd were the Poetical World and Contemplative Life but all the Senses are not Sensible in the Contemplative Life whereas all the Senses are as Sensible in the Dreaming Life as Awake the truth is the Poetical VVorld and Contemplative Life is rather a VVorld for the Thoughts and a Life for the Mind than the Senses yet if the Senses were as Sensible in Contemplation as in Dreams it would be the Best Life of all because it might make the Life what it Would and the Pleasures of that Life to Continue as Long and to Vary as Oft as it Thought Good and for the Poetical World or rather Worlds they would be a Delight to View as well as to Live in A Waking Oration of the former Sleepy Discourse Fellow Students OUr Brother in Learning or rather Dreaming hath Commended that which is an Enemy to Study viz. Sleeping and Dreaming wherefore in the Drowsie World and Dreaming Life there be no Scholars for they cannot Sleep to Study nor Dream so much as to be very Learn'd neither are there Poets for Poets Live altogether in their Own Poetical World and Contemplative Life neither are there Eloquent Orators for Dreams will be Faded before an Oration is half Spoken or else the Subject of their Oration will be Lost in the Variousness of Dreams neither can there be Pleaders at the Barr nor Preachers in the Pulpit for their Text and Cases may be altered in a moment of Time from Gospel to a Romancy from Law to Riot neither can there be Justice on Life and Death for by the Alteration of Dreams the Thief may Escape and the Honest man Hang or the Judge may Hang Himself neither can there be a Setled Government in Dreams for the Government may End in a Piece of a Dream or instead of a Common-wealth of Men be a Forest of Wild Beast neither can there be Wise Counsellours or Grave States-men for their Gray Faces and Gray Beards may be Chang'd into Monkies Faces and Goats-Beards and the Wise Counsellours in the midst of their Serious Advices may on a sudden Sing a Wanton Song or else there may Suddenly appear a Tumultuous Monster or a Monstrous Tumult where in a great Fright they will Run from their Council-Bord or Senate-House and as for School Arguments and Disputations they are quite Banished and for Lovers a Hundred to One that when a Dreaming Lover is Imbracing a Young Fair Lady she Suddenly turns into an Old Ill-favoured VVitch or for a Plump Smooth Smiling Venetian Courtisan he Chances to Imbrace Grim Death's Bare Ratling Bones which will Fright a Lover more than a Fair Mistress can Delight him And as for Dancing Balls and French Fiddles when the Gallants in Dreams are Dancing in Smooth Measures and with Fair Ladies and the Musick keeping Tune to the Dancing Time on a Sudden the Courtly Dancers or Dancing Courtiers turn Topsie Turvy Dancing with their Heads Downward and Heels Upward a very Unbecoming Posture for Fair-faced Ladies and as for the Musick that is quite out of Tune and the Fiddle-strings Broken and the Musicians as Mad as March-hares and many other such like Disorders Confusions and Extravagancies as Asses Heads or Bulls Horns set on Mens Bodies or a Wood-cocks Head to an Asses Tail as also Men turn'd to Beasts Birds and Fish also walking Woods and Trees but set aside the Extravagancies Deformities and Monstrosities in Dreams yet there are more Bad Dreams than Good more Fearfull than Delightfull more Troublesome than Quiet more Painfull than Easie Wherefore the Dreaming Life is a worse Life than any and the Drowsie or Sleepy World is only good for Dull Lasie Unprofitable Creatures and as the Dreaming Life is