is made vnto them so though wee haue a little shew of pleasant entertâ—inment in this world yet at our deaths wee must render a seuere and strict account for the same Steâ—a de contempâ—u mundi As no man doth maruell that that is molten which might bâ— melted 〈◊〉 or burnt which is combusâ—ibâ—e so to be dead is not to be maruâ—llâ—â— at because we are mortall Plâ—t As borrowed money is willingly to be paide againe so our life which God hath lent vs is 〈…〉 to be rendered to him againe when he cals for it idem No man taketh it in ill part to haue a candle lighted but euery one misliketh to haue it put out so we reioyce at a birth but sorrow at death Idem He that beyond measure is giuen to wine doeth also sucke vp the dregs so there are many that loue their liues so well that they would not die no not in old age Seneca As hee is more prosperous whom a speedy wind bringeth into the hauen then he that is in a calme wearied vpon the sea so hee is more fortunate whom speedy death taketh out of the miseries of his life Seneca As fire burneth fiercely when it hath store of fewell but dieth of his owne accord when it lacketh matter so great is the difference betweene the death of young men and old men Sene. A sword-player fearefull in all the fight smiteth home and growes valiant or rather desperate when he seeth no way but death so death is fearefull being farre off but lesse dreaded being at hand Seneca As Swans seeing what good is in death doe end their liues with singing so ought all good and honest men to do Cicero lib. 1. Tusc. quaest Vnripe Apples are hardly pulled from the Tree but being ripe they fall of their owne accord so force doth take life from young men but maturity and ripenes from old men Idem de senectute They that speake euill of the dead are like vnto dogges that bite at stones cast at them but doe not touch them that hurt them Aristoteles in Rhetoricis ait Platonem huius similitudinis authorem esse As Croesus with all his wealth so Aristotle with all his wit and all men with all their wisedome haue and shall perish and turne to dust As Aristippus searched how to porlong his life so Socrates sought how he might yeeld to death As life is the gift of God so death is the due of nature and as we receiue the one as a benefit so must we abide the other of necessity As the bud is blasted as soone as the blowne Rose and as the wind shaketh off the blossome as well as the fruit so death neither spareth the golden lockes nor the hoarie head As a Bee stinging a dead body takes no hurt but stinging a liue body oft times looseth both sting life together so death so long as it stung mortall men onely which were dead in sinne was neuer a whit the worse but when it stung Christ once who is life it selfe by and by it lost both sting strength As the brasen Serpent was so farre from hurting the Israelits that contrariwise it healed them so death is now so farre from hurting any true Israelite that on the other side if affliction as a fierce Serpent sting vs or if any thing else hurt vs presently it is helped and redressed by death Those which will needs play the hobgoblins or the night walking spirits as we call them all the while they speake vnder a hollow vault or leape forth with an vgly vizard vpon their faces they are so terrible that he which thinkes himselfe no small man may perhaps be afrighted with them But if some lusty fellow chance to step into one of these and cudgell him well fauouredly and pull the vizard from his face then euery boy laughes him to scorne so death was a terrible bulbegger and made euery man afraid of him a great while but Christ dying buckled with this bul-begger and coniured him as I may say out of hâ—s hollow vault when as the dead comming out of the graues were seene in Ierusalem and puld the vizard from his face when as hee himselfe riâ—ing left the linnen cloathes which were the vizard of death behind him Doctor Playfer As that Asse called Cumanus Asinus â—etting vp and downe in a Lyons skin did for a time terrifie his master but afterwards being descried did benefit him very much so death stands now like a silly Asse hauing his Lyons skin puld ouer his eares and is so farre from terrifying any that it benefits all true Christians because by it they rest from their labours and if they be oppressed with troubles or cares when they come to death they are discharged All the while Adam did eate any other fruite which God gaue him leaue to eate hee was nourished by it but when hee had tasted of the forbidden tree hee perished so death had free leaue to deuoure any other man Christ onely excepted but when it went about to destroy Christ then it was destroyed it selfe Those barbarous people called Canibals which feed onely vpon raw flesh especially of men if they happen to eate a peece of rosted meate commonly they surfeit of it and die so the right Caniball the onely deuourer of all mankind death I meane taking of Christs flesh and finding it not to bee raw such as it was vsed to eate but wholsome and heauenly meate indeed presently tooke a surfet of it and within three dayes died As when Iudas had receiued a sop at Christs hand anon after his bowels gushed out so death being so sawcie as to snatch a sop as it were of Christs flesh and a little bit of his body was by and by like Iudas choaked and strangled with it and faine to yeeld it vp againe when Christ on Easter day reuiued Sharpe frosts bite forward springs Easterly winds blasteth towardly blossomes so cruell death spareth not those whom we our selues liuing cannot spare as it spared not King Edward the sixt nor sir Philip Sidney who could neuer haue liued too long As madnesse and anger differ nothing but in continuance and length of time so neither doe death and sleepe The Deuill AS the Lyon that killed the disobedient Prophet returning from Bethel did neither teare his dead body nor hurt his Asse after the same manner is the power of the Deuill being a roaring Lyon restrained and kept within limits so that he can extend his furie no further then God giueth him â—eaue As they that would haue dogs come vnto them allure them with bread or â—lesh so the Diuell allureth soules vnto â—im with pleasures and riches Clemens Alexand. lib. 2. storm As a fish â—natching at the bait not seeing the hooke is taken so the Diuell hauing the power of death greedily carrying Iesus vnto death and not seeing the hooke of his diuinity included in him was caught and ouerthrowne himselfe Idem in Symb. Apost As one night is
seâ— a fire the whole world Hieronimus lib. 3. comment in Epist. ad Galat. cap. 5 As fowlers by craft catch birds so heriticks by subtilty surprise men Optatus Mileuitanus libro 6. ad finem contra Parmennianum As the children of Moab and Ammon descended of Abraham consanguiâ—itie and yet alwayes hated the kinâ—red and stock of Abraham so hereâ—cks say that they beleeue in Christ â—nd they alwaies endeuour to subuert â—he catholicke faith of the christians Rupertus lib. 2. in Sophoniam As Dathan Abyram conspired aâ—ainst Moses so doe heretickes against â—he Church Eugubinus in cap. 11. Deut As Nabuzardan the Chiefetaine of â—abuchodonosor did destroy Ierusaâ—m and profane the vessels of the temâ—e so the hereticks of our time being â—e Chiefetaines of the Diuell doe eneuour to subuert the Church of Christ â—nd to profane the holy vessels of the â—emple that is the Sacraments orâ—ined not of Salomon but of Christ. â—ntus in Ezechielem cap. 4. As the name of Nebuzardan signiâ—th the speech and message of a strange â—ord or of a strange iudgement so â—retikes doe not sound the idiome and â—me of Iesus Christ our Lord but of â—other Lord that is of the Deuill â—hom Christ calleth the Prince of this â—orld ibidem As Ismael the Sonne of Nathaniah did weepe with the friends of Godoliah whom he had slaine so heretickes anâ— so do hypocrttes weepe for that whicâ— they wish most harme vnto F. Iohanneâ— Ã S. Geminiano lib. 5. de aenimalibus tâ—â— restribus capite 72. A Panther by the beauty of his skinâ— and sweete smell of his breath doth alâ—lure other beasts vnto him but by thâ— fearefulnesse of his head he feareth theâ— away whereupon he hideth his head till hee hath laid hold on them thâ— come to see him so heretikes and hyâ—pocrites outwardly pretending greâ—sanctity and by the fame of theâ— doctrine which they colour with deâ—uotion and simplicity hiding the malâ—â—cious head of their corrupt intent theâ— draw many simple and ignorant audâ—tours vnto him and doe destroy theâ— with their poysonous doctrine ibidem As young Lyons doe teare and renâ— the wombe of their Dams in bringinâ— them forth so heretikes doe rend anâ— teare in peeces the vnity of the Churcâ— their mother who spiritually doâ— bring them forth Idem lib. 5. de animaâ— terrest capite 108. When the time approacheth of the â—ipers bringing forth her young ones â—oe not stay the operation of nature â—ut gnaw her sides in sunder and so â—ome forth with the destruction of â—heir damme so heretikes being bred â—n the wombe of the Church their mother not staying for nor sustaining â—er correction by rebellion doe depart â—rom her and whilst they gnaw in â—under her vnity as much as lyes in â—hem they labour to bring her vnto destruction Ibidem Yong Panthers hating their dams doe beate in peeces with their hooues â—he wombs of their dams because they resist their egresse and deliuerance whereupon a Panther bringeth not forth but once so heretikes with their nailes that is with their malignant doctrine doe teare in peeces the vnitie of the Church their mother because she doeth resist their perfidy ibidem A Wolfe infecteth the wooll of that sheepe he woorieth so that a garment made of it proueth lousie as saith Isidore so an hereticke by his biting doth corrupt the simplicity of mans conuersation and maketh it to abound with lice that is with corrupt workes ibid. Death AS he is to be called a skilfull Physitian that can so temper his medicine that it bringeth health which is the end of his Physicke so is he to bâ— termed truely wise who hath so learned to lead his life that a good death may follow As the hearbe colloquintida is mosâ— bitter so is the memory of death to a rich couetous man F. Iohannes a Sâ— Geminiano lib. 3. de vegetabilib plant cap. 40. As Colloquintida doth stretch ouâ— her branches a farre off so death stretch out himselfe so farre that none can escape him ibid. As that Coiloquintida is most poysonous and deadly which growes alone so is that death most fearefull vpon which a pure conscience and true repentance doth not attend ibidem As that Colloquintida is good according to Macrus which is white so is that death which is religious ibid. As by a serpent the death of man came so by the death of man a serpent is ingendered that is of the marrow of his backe bone as saith Hippocrates The beast Hâ—ena hath the necke of a Viper the backe of an Elephant the greedinesse of a Wolfe the mane of a horse the voyce of a man and is sometimes male and sometimes female so death is likened to a Viper for his swiftnesse to an Elephant for his force and violence to a Wolfe for his voracity to a horse for his vnbridlednesse to a man for his deceiptfulnesse and to male and female because it takes away both kinds As the ashes of a Scorpion drunke in wine is remedy against the stinging of a Scorpion so the meditation of death is a remedy against sinne which is the cause of death Gemin lib. 5. de animal Terrest cap. 80. As in sleep there is no remembrance of labours so the Saints by the sleepe of death doe rest from their labours idem lib. 6. de homine Membr cap. 45. As a man whilest he sleepeth feareth the power of no aduersary so the Saints by the sleepe of death are taken out of the hands of all aduersaries and doe enioy the security of eternall safety ibi As a Waspe stinging a stone doth not hurt the stone but her selfe by loosing her sting so death lost his sting by running vpon life which is Iesus Christ. Athanasius de passione domini As water falling vpon the earth is swallowed vp of it so that it is no more seene so a man by death falling into the earth is so consumed and destroyed that hee is neuer found againe in the condition of his mortall state Idiota de contemplatione mortis cap. 10. As all riuers runne into the Sea so all they that come into this fluctuous life must enter into the Sea of death For death is the punishment of all the tribute of all the prison of all the conquerour of all and the receptable of all Ibidem cap. 13. As he that would conquer a Castle at the first doth make way to the ruine with his greater shot after hee doeth assault lnuade and possesse it so dealeth death who first sendeth his battering shot of great sicknesse and infirmity which doth so vanquish and breake the naturall strength of the body that the soule can no longer defend her castle and then death seiseth vpon it Ludo. Granat lib. 1. ducis peccat As for the biting of an aspe there is no remedy vnlesse the parts infected be cut away so certaine vices are healed onely by death Aristot. As Pilgrims are cheerefully welcommed into Innes or lodgings yet ere their departing some account of expenses
Nardus will onely grow in India Balsanum onely in Syria in Rhodes no Egle will build her nest no Owle liue in Creete so no wit will spring in the will of women Iohn Lily As Socrates Plato and Aristotle affirmed that women were â—icle and inconstant Pindarus Homer Hesiod Ennius and Virgil auerred that they were framed of contraries As Mantian doth rayle on women in his Eclogs so Euripâ—des doth exclame in his Tragedies As Martiall hath taunted women so Propertius hath quipped them As some for inconstancy compare women to Chameleons Polipes and whether-cocks so some for their alluring and inchanting cal them Sirens for crafe Calipsoes for subtilty Serpents and for cruelty Tigres As Daphne for nicenesse was turned in to a tree so Anaxarete for cruelty was transformed into a stone As Horatia with daintinesse did hurt her selfe so Phillis through too much loue did hang her selfe As Cleopatra at the death of her Anthony did sting herselfe to death with Serpentes so Hylonome did slay her selfe at the death of her Cyller As Alceste was content to loose her life to preserue her Admetus so were the Mynian wiues to preserue their husbands Vlisses though hee detested Calipso with her sugred voyce yet hee embrabraced Penelope with her rude distaffe so though one abhorre the beauty of a whorish Curtesan yet hee neede not abstaine from the company of a graue Maiden Though the teares of the Hart bee salt yet the teares of the Boore be sweet so though the teares of some women be counterfeit to deceiue yet the teares of many bee currant to try their loue Some one Rose will bee blasted in the bud some other neuer fall from the stalke the Oake will bee soone eaten with the worme the walnut tree neuer so some women will bee easily enticed to folly some other neuer allured to vanity As the Mint-master is not grieued to see the coyner hanged nor the true subiect the false tâ—aytour araâ—gned nor the honest man thiefe the condemned so honest women ought not to grieue to see lewde women writ against and whores and curtesans to be railed at As hic Ignis is latine for fire in the Chimney and hoc Ignis latine for fire on the table so haec Ignis is latine for fire in the bed As there hath beene an vnchast Helleâ— in Greece so there hath beene also a chast Penelope As there hath beene a prodigious Pasiphae so there hath beene a godly Theocrata As some haue desired to be beloued as Iupiter loued Alcmena so some haue wished to bee embraced as Phrigius embraced Pieria As there hath raigned a wicked Iezabel so hath there ruled a deuout Dobora The sowre crab hath the shew of an apple as well as the sweete Pippin the blacke Rauen the shape of a Bird as well as the white Swan so the lewde wight hath the name of a woman as well as the honest Matrone There is great difference betweene the standing puddle and the running streame yet both water great oddes betweene the Adamant and the Pommice yet both stones a great distinction to be put betweene Vittum and the Christall yet both Glasse so there is great contrariety betweene Lais and Lucretia yet both women One may loue the cleare conduit water though hee loath the muddy ditch and weare the precious Diamond though he despise the ragged bricke so one may also with safe conscience reâ—erance the modest sex of honest Maidens though he forsweare the lewd sort of vnchast Minions As Spiders conuert to poyson whatsoeuer they touch so women infect with folly whomsoeuer they deale withall The petite Pallace of Pettie his pleasure As hee that toucheth Pitch shal be defiled therewith so he that vseth womens company shal be beguiled therewith Greene. As Iupiter Mars and Hercules for their valiant acts accounted Gods of the Paynims were ouercome and made slaues by the inchantment of women so strong Sampson holy Dauid and wise Salomon were ouerthrowne by women As Venus yeelded to her darling Adonis without any sute made on his part so the Dutchesse of Sanoy went on pilgrimage to the Knight Mendoza As Oenone pleaded her right with Paris so Dido let Aeneas vnderstand how deeply she desired him As Scilla made loue to King Minos so did Medea to Iason As Brysis besought the good will of Achilles so Adalesia made loue to Alerane As Portia the Danghter of Cato hearing of her Brutus death at Philipâ— swallowed hot burning coales to follow him as Plutarke Valerius Maximus and Martiall doe write so Gâ—â—nilda the Wife of Asmunda King of Danes hearing that her husband was slaine in the warres slew her selfe with a sword to accompany him in death whom she had dearely loued in life as testifieth Saxo Grammaticus in his first Booke of the Danish History As trusty Thisbe did goare her gorgeous body with the same sword wherwith princely Pyramus had prickt himselfe to the heart so true harted Iulietta did vpon the corps of her dearest Romeo As a rusty Rapier is no trustly Rampier to defend a man though the Scabberd be of fine Veluet so a women with foule conditions is coursely to be accounted of though her face be faire and body beautifull The Petite Pallace of Petty his pleasure As the yeare doth consist of foure seasons the Spring Summer Autumne and Winter And as mans body doth consist of foure complexions Choler Bloud Flegme and Melancholy so the comely parts of a Woman doe consist in foure points that is to bee a Shrew in the Kitching a Saint in the Church an Angell at the bourd and an Ape in the bead as the Cronicle reports by Mistresse Shoare Paramour to King Edward the fourth As the kinde Spaniall the more he is beaten the fonder he is so the women of Russia the oftner their husbands beate them the better they loue them They will not bee porswaded that their husbands loue them except they beate them Richard Hackluyt in his Booke of English Voyagers in the description of Russia As Aetna is too hot Caucasus too cold so it is naturally incident to women to enter into extremities they are either too louing or too loathing too courteous or too coy too willing or too wilfull too mercifull or too mercilesse too forward or too froward too friendly or too fiendly thâ— meane they alwayes meanely account of as it is reported of Maria Stuarta Queene of Scots in Astione contra Mariam Scotorum Reginnam The SOVLE EVuen as in a bright and cleare glasse the Sunne beames doe make the greater spendour so in a purified and cleare soule the beames of the diuine truth doe shine more clearely Lodouicus Granatensis in lib. de deuotione As twice in a day wee refresh our bodies that is at Dinner and at Supper so also twice a day wee ought to giue due nourishment vnto our soules Ibid. As ordinary nourishment is necessary for the body because the naturall heate doth alwayes consume and wast the substance and therefore it is
bottome so concord doth hold vs vp but discord doth tumble vs downe Plin. lib. 36. cap. 17. The Salamander doth not come forth but in great showers in faire weather she sheweth not her selfe so some only shew themselues in time of sedition and insurrection when peace is disturbed but in time of quiet and concord doe lye as though they were dead As the members of a naturall body by consent doth helpe one another so the members of a politicke body by concord doe ayd one another Macar â—om 3 As no building can long be supported if ligaments bee taken away so the Church cannot grow to her perfection except it bee bound with the bonds of peace charitie and concord Basil. orat 1. de amore in dâ—um As one eye cannot bee turned about without the other be also turned but they are alwayes turned together one way so the body and the soule and the whole society of the righteous shall haue such concord and agreement in Heauen that they shall will no contrarieties but shall alwayes haue the same will Lodouicus Granatensis iâ— sâ—is septem Meditationibus Meditatione septima Decency AS one garment doth more become a wise man then any other albeit hee hate none so it is more seemely to liue in this place then in that Seneca The herbe Chamaeleon doth change the colour of the leaues according to the earth wherein it growes therefore in one place it is black in an other greene in an other blew and in an other yellow and so in other places of other colours so it is meete that a man order the frame of his life according to the place time and persons where when and with whom he liueth Hospitality THe Serpents of Syria haue no poyson for the people that are bred in the countrie with them neither doe they euer set vpon them but strangers they sting to the death so Ilanders are curteous inough to their owne countrimen but cruell to strangers As a Fisheâ—â—asteth his net into the Sea doth catch fishes and sometimes doth draw vp Gold and precious Margarites so Lot catching men with his net catched also Angels not knowing of it Which Saint Paul spoke to this mans prayses saying Be not forgetfull to lodge strangers for thereby some haue receiued Angels into their houses vnwares Chrysostomus concione 2. de Lazaro Many godlesse and profane Actaeons haue enough meate and lodging for their yelping hounds and bawling curres so thou professest godlinesse and religion be at the least as liberall to thy poore brother who hath the image of God in him as well as thou thy selfe hast and for whom Christ died as well as hee did for thee Isidorus Clarius oratione vndecima tom 1 As Crowes doe waite vpon and conduct Storkes from one place to another and doe fight against their enemies which I gather because when the Storkes doe depart out of our Country there is not any Crow seene with vs and afterwards they returne wounded an open signe of their helpefull ayde so men being not only reasonable but religious creatures let them at the least performe as much one to another Bafilius Hom. 8. exameroâ— As he is monstrously malicious that dammeth vp a flowing fountaine or forbiddeth the Sun-shining or will not abide that another should light his candle at his or that grudgeth to shew the high way to a traueller so is hee exceeding inhumane that will not proâ—it another and may doe it without his owne discommoditie Liberality AS the stone Siphnius doth wax hard being heated in oyle otherwise it is very soft so some are made worse by largesse and beneficence Almost it alwayes happineth that that which pleaseth the smelling discontenteth the tast as the figge is of sweete tast but of no smell but the hearbe Cotonea is of very fragrant sauour but of a most bitter and sharpe sapour so thou shalt hardly find in one man a faire tongue and a bountifull heart an alluring word and a liberall worke As that drinke doth more moysten the belly and asswage thirst which is let downe by little and little then that which is gulled and swilled downe altogether so that bountie doth restraine the importunate crauer which is giuen by little and little then that which is bestowed all at once The figge tree doth not flourish with blossomes and slowers when it beareth the sweetest fruit so some are very bountifull who make no large promises Plin. lib. 1. cap. 26. As the Sunne doth glad and cheare all creatures so liberalitie maketh all men merry Isidorus Clarius orationâ— 61. tom primi As all men hate a couetous man so euery one loueth a liberall man As vessels of a like bignesse one of which being full and the other empty being beate vpon doe yeeld an harmonious sound so a liberall rich man and a needy poore man doe make a good consent Erasmus in similibus Silence CRanes when they flye out of Cilicia they carry litle stones in their mouthes and so they safely flie ouer the mountaine Taurus which is full of Eagles and this they doe in the night that their noyse may not bewray them so silence and taciturnitie is safe euery where Plutarch in moralib Plin. lib. â—0 cap. 23. Arist. de natu lib. 9. cap. 10. As a skilfull Archer presently aymes at his marke so he is wise that speaketh few words and those to the purposed Plut. As mysteries are beheld with silence so some things are better commended by silence then by speech Idem When wee make triall of a vessell wee powre in water before we commit wine vnto it so sometimes some light matter is to bee committed to our friends whereby wee may try the secrecy of their silence that if they blab be it forth it may not be greatly materiall Idem As they that are ouer burdened with wine cannot keepe in their meate so where wine a boundeth there is neither secrecy nor silence Seneca It is a wonder to see a dumbe Grashopper because this kind of creature is full of clatter and noyse and yet it is said that there is some such in the field Rhegium so wee doe wonder at constancy and silence in a woman because this kind is wauering and talkatiue and yet they say that there is some women constant and silent happy is that man lights on such an one Plin lib. 11. cap. 27. The Thrush neuer singeth in the â—ompany of the Nightingale Roscius was alwayes dumbe when hee-dined with Cato so fooles should keepe silence when wise men talke Mediocrity A Ship in a little riuer seemeth great but in the Sea it appeareth but little so they that are but meane in one place seeme great else where Seneca Too much fruitfulnesse doth kill â—ometrees so too high a gale of fortune doth spoile some The flow of Nilus being either in defect or excesse doth bring famine to the Egyptians that is if it flow aboue eighteene cubits or be vnder twelue so both too much and too little wealth doth
noble Syre for that hee obscureth the parents hee came of and discrediteth his owne estate The pure Corall is chosen as well by his vertue as his colour a King is knowne better by his courage then his crowne so a right Gentleman is sooner seene by the tryall of his vertue then blasing of his armes The Rose that is eaten with the Canker is not gathered because it groweth on that stalke that the sweete doth neither was Helen made a starre because shee came of that Egge with Castor so neither is he a true Gentleman that hath nothing to commend him but the nobilitie of his ancestours As it is a signe of true honour and nobility to reproue sinne so to renounce it is the part of honesty As no Thersites could bee transformed into Vlysses so no Alexander could be couched in Damocles A good name FIre once kindled is easily kept but being extinct it is hardly rekindleâ— so it is an easie thing to maintaine a good name but being once lost it is not so easily recouered Plutarchus in Moralibus Ships well repayred doe endure many yeares so wee must continually adde sometimes to the propagation of our good names least time and age eate them out ibidem As a shadow sometimes goeth before and sometimes commeth after so some forthwith doe get good report and some haue it not till after death but the later that it commeth it is wont to be the greater Seneca As the famous monuments called Obelisci were long time in making and reared with much adoe by reason of their hugenesse and exceeding waight but being once finished they continued many ages so it is a haâ—d thing to get a name of vertue and wisedome but being once gotten it is neuer extinguished As in very great Obeliskes almost as much is builded vnder the earth as is aboue that they may stand vnmoueable so a firme and sound foundation is to bee laid for the continuance of a perpetuall name As spices then doe smell more fragrantly when they are either moued broken or powned so vertues fame is then largely dispersed when it is exercised in serious imployments and waightie affaires As Physitions forbid to wash the teeth with the iuyce of the hearbe Alcakengy although it bee good to fasten them because the danger is greater then the commodity for at length it will bring madnesse so those things are not to bee dealt in that hurt the name and encrease the wealth nor that learning to be medled with which polisheth the tongue and infecteth the meanes As fire in a darke night is a farre off discerned but in the Sun-shine is scarcely seene so many a paultry rimer and bawdy ballad-maker seemes among base consorts of great esteeme but in the view of more glorious and splendent spirits they appeare none other then dunghill birds and alefied Groutnowls Tyrius Platonicus sermone 24. An ill Name AS some by the deformities of their body haue got vnto them a surname as of crooked Legges to bee called Vari of flabberkin lips Chilones of great noses Nasones of red noses Salamanders so many by their misdeeds doe purchase infamous and ill names as Nero for his beastlinesse to be termed the Beast of Rome Tamberlaine for his tyrannie The wrath of God and Attila for his crueltie The scourge of God c. As it grieueth a Father to see his Sonne deadly sicke or irrecuperably ouermatched in fight with his enemy so it grieueth any good nature to heare himselfe ill spoken of or to heare his wife and daughters termed dishonest Iouianus Pontanus de fortitudine lib. 2. cap. 5. As many Christians abstaine from much mischiefe least after this life Hell should bee their inheritaâ—ce so Tiberius Caesar kept himselfe from many outrages and misdemeanors after death an ill name should follow him Erasmus in Epistola ante Suetonium Tranquillum Albeit thou powrest water vpon the hearbe Adyanton or drownest it in the water yet it continues dry so infamy slander or an ill name will not cleaue to a good man albeit one endeuour to defame him A Courtly life AS the Moone the neerer the Sun it is the lesse light it hath so more fruit and dignitie is in them that are farre off from great Princes There is a certaine hearbe in India of an especiall sauour full of little Serpents whose stings are present death so the Courts of certaine Princes hath that which delighteth but vnlesse thou bee wary they harbour deadly poyson Ants doe gnaw that end of the corne which beginneth to sprout least it become vnprofitable vnto them so great men that they may alwayes keepe their seruants in seruice and slauerie doe hold them vnder least looking vp after liberty they should forsake the Court through the tediousnesse of seruitude As it is a very rare thing to see the birds called Halciones but when they appeare they either bring or portend faire weather so Bishops and Cleargie-men should seldome come to the Courts of Princes but either to preach manners or appease tumults There is a kind of pulse called Cracca which Culuers take such delight in that hauing once tasted of it they cannot afterwards be driuen from that place so they that haue once tasted of the honey and honour of the Court can neuer bee driuen from the Court Plin. lib. 16. cap. 16. A Mule ingendered of an Horse and an Asse is neither Horse nor Asse so some whilest they would bee both Courtiers and Prelats are neither Strange it is that the sound eye viewing the sore should not be dimmeâ— that he that handâ—eth pitch should noâ— be defiled so is it strange that they thaâ— continue in the Court should not bee infected Nylus breedeth the precious stone and the poysoned Serpent and as in all riuers there is some fish and some frogs and as in all gardens there bee some flowers some weeds and as in all trees there some blossoms some blasts so the Court may as well nourish vertuous Matrones as the lewd Minion Courtiers AS the Star Artopylax is brightest yet setteth soonest so Courtiers gloriâ—s being most gorgeous are dasht with sudden ouerthrowes As the Camelion turneth himselfe into the likenesse of euery obiect so Courtiers as Aristippus that fawnde vpon Dionysius ayme their conceits at their Kings humor if he smile they are in their iolity if frowne their plumes fall like Peacockes feathers The Indian Torteises in a calme doe delight to floote aloft in the noone-Sunne with all their backe bare aboue water vntill their shels hauing forgot themselues bee so parched with the heate of the Sunne that they cannot get vnder water and so they swimming aboue water become a prey vnto fishes so some allured with hope of great matters doe thrust themselues into the Courts of Princes and are so lulled a sleâ—pe with the pleasures of the Court that they cannot forsake it when they would and betake themselues to their wonted rest Plin. lib. 9â— cap. 10. As the hearbe Heliotropium is carried about with
houses and substance of debtors ibidem As Paederastie is vnlawfull because it is against kind so vsury and encrease by gold and siluer is vnlawfull because against nature nature hath made them sterill and barren and vsury makeâ— them procreatâ—â—e As he tha◠〈◊〉 â—tung of an Aspe falleth a sleepe 〈◊〉 delight and so dieth by the 〈…〉 of sleepe so he that taketh vpon 〈◊〉 for the time is delighted as one that had receiued a benefit and so by the sweetnesse of the benefit hee perceiueth not how hee is made a captiue Chrysost. hom 12. oper is imperfect As the poyson of an Aspe doth lurkingly run thorow all the members and so corrupteth them so vsury doth run thorow all thy wealth and doth conuert it into debt Ibidem As a little leauen sowreth the whole lumpe of dow and turneth it into the same nature so vsurie whose house soeuer it enters into it drawes vnto it all substance and conuerts it into debt Ibidem A Conie together bringeth forth and nourisheth other young ones and againe groweth great with yonug so Vsuries take vsery vpon vsury gaine vpon gaine they call for their lucre before it come to the birth Plut. in Moral As fire growing to power doth consume one thing after another so doth vsury Ibidem Vultures kill nothing themselues but seaze vpon it being killed of others so Vsurers liue vpon the sweate of other mens browes and enioy the fruit of other mens labours against the ordinance of God and man Erasmus in similibus As he that tumbleth in the mire becommeth more foule and filthy so they become more and more indebted that haue to doe with Vsurers Plut. Cholericke men that will not bee purged in time daily increase their humour till dangerously they be diseased so they that suâ—â—er vsury to increase and grow vpon them and doe not discharge themselues of it doe run into irrecuperable danger and perill Idem Plato doth forbid to aske water of neighbours vntill thou hast digged thine owne ground to see if thou maist find a veine for thine owne vse so wee should try all meanes to relieue and helpe our selues before wee borrow mony vpon vsury Idem As the fish Surgus doth alwayes follow the fish Alutâ—rius that hee may feed on the mud that the Alutariâ—â— raiseth so vsurers doe intrude themselues into other mens businesse that they may take the fruit and gaine of their labours As Tigres are swift in catching their prey so Vsurers are speedy in gathering of wealth F. Iohannes à S. Geminiaâ—o lib. 1. de coelo elementis c. 21 Plinie saith that Eagles feathers being put among other feathers doth deuoure and consume them so an Vsurers filthy lucre being put among an othermans wealth doth quite dououre and sume it Idem lib. 4. de natalibus volatilibus cap. 72. Pigmies are a cubite high for so their name signifies among the Grecians dwelling in the mountaines of India by the Ocean as sayeth Augustine at three yeares they are of a perfect and mature age they bring forth at fiue and grow old when they are seauen Therefore as Pigmies doe soone encrease and soone decrease so wealth got by Vsurie doth soone encrease and soone decrease as it 〈◊〉 soone gotten being the trade of an 〈◊〉 Merchant to tell out tenne and â—â—ake in eleuen so is it speedily lost and â—uddenly squandered De male quaesitis â—on gaâ—dettertius haeres Idem lib. 5. de â—â—nimalibus terrestribus cap. 122. As excommunication doth not onely â—ind them against whom it is denouâ—ed but also them that partake with â—hem in cases not permitted so vsurers â—hemselues are not onely odious and â—ursed but they infect others dealing â—n the action with them as Notaries â—nd Sâ—riueners that had wont to bee â—worne at the entring into their office neuer to draw any writ for any case of Vsurie Idem lib 8. de canonibus degibus cap. 76. As a vessell filled with water sinketh to the bottome and is there detained so an vsurer loaden with the burthen of vnrighteous Mammon is pressed down to the earth and there violently held downe of the Diuell for euer aspiring to heauen except the miraculous fauour of God vnloose him Idem lib. 9. de aâ—tificibus rebus artificialibus c. 90. As an Oxe is sold to the butcher for money so an Vsurer doth sell his soule to the Deuill for lucre Ibidem Heresie Heretikes AS they that are bitten of a mad dogge doe not onely runne mad themselues but doe infect others with madnesse so they that are infected with any pestilent and hereticall opinion do infect others by their speech and conference As a Wolfe cloathed in a sheepes skinne doth the greater harme so doth an heretike that hath his tongue tipped with the Scripture Ignatius in Epistad Heronem As Circe changed men into beasts so heresie turneth men into Diuels Clemens Alexandrinus lib. 7. strom As wicked scholers shut their masters out of doores so heretiks driue the Prophets from their conuenticles least they should reprehend them Ibidem As the Serpent deceiued Eue promising that vnto her hee had not so heretickes pretending great knowledge do bring death to their beleeuers Irâ—n prologo in lib. 4. As Pilâ—te would haue seemed innocent of Christs death by washing his hands so Heretikes pretend truth and Scripture when they are as deepe in iniuring Christ as Pilate was Athaâ—asiâ—s orat primâ— As the serpent Dipsas doth poyson al the waters he drinkes of so heretickes doe deadly poyson all the soules that beleeue them Epiphanius Haeresi 34. conâ—ra Macosios As the Serpent Drynas is like vnto the colour of an Oken leafe whence he hath his name so Heretikes seeme to bee like Christians when indeed they are as ill as Iewes Idem haeresi 65. contra Paâ—lum Samosatensem As an Ape is like vnto a man and yet is no man so Heretiks are like vnto a Christian Church and yet are no Christian Church Chrisostomus hom 19. operis imperfect As Serpents creepe vpon their bellies and feed vpon dust so heretikes do all for their bellies and for the vaine-glory of their hearts and doe feed vpon earth that is vpon earthly and carnall men Idem hom 45. operis imperfect As a member cannot liue being cut from the body nor a branch of a tree be greene being hewen from the stock so all heretickes being cut from the body of one Church neither can haue the life of Christ in them neither the greennesse and viriditie of spirituall grace but their Church is desolate and forsaken Idem hom 46. A sparke of fire at the first is scarcely seene but if it get nourishment it consumeth large Cities and great Countries so heresie and peruerse doctrine beginning at the first of one finding afterwards two or three auditours and being let alone creepeth like a canker by little little throughout the body The heresie of Arius at the first was a little sparke in Alexandria but because it was not forthwith smothered it