comfort and cherish him as a part of her owne body The third she must esteeme the maners of her husband to be the legall rules of her life The fourth she must not be too sumptuous superfluous in her attire as decked with frizled haire embrodery pretious stones gaudy raiments and gold put about for they are the forerunners of adultery But let her haue the inward man in her heart which consisteth in the incorruption of a mecke and quiet spirit that is before God a thing much set by For euen after this maner in time past did the holy women which trusted in God attire themselues and were subiect to their husbands The fift shee must not bee iealous or mistrust her husbands absence The sixt duty of a wife is carefully to ouersee her household and to bring vp her children and seruaunts in the feare of God The seuenth she must not discouer her husbands imperfections and faultes to any for by disclosing them eyther she makes her self a iesting stock or els she ministreth occasion for knaues to tempt her to villany The eight duty of a wife is that she gibe not nor flout her husband but beare with him as long as she may Of Diuorcement Whether the innocent party after a diuorcement made can marie againe during the other parties life Chap. 9. MAny mē now a-daies forgetting the plighted troth of man and wife are so deuoid of iudgement and vnderstandding that they make no conscience to proue them separated whome God hath ioyned together Yea some proceed further saying that a man hauing taken his wife in adultery may not onely put her away but also marrie another notwithstanding the first being aliue Which last opinion of theirs because it seemes somewhat probable I will as well as I cā discusse S. Paul saith that the Lord commaundeth the wife not to depart from her husband but and if shee do then be willeth her to remaine vnmarried or bee reconciled vnto her husband In which words might be made a doubt whether the Apostle meant the guiltlesse or guilty party Howbeit I find a defensiue aunswere namely that hee meant the guiltlesse wife for this commaundement let not the wife depart from her husband implieth not this sence to wit let not the wife be constrained as guilty to depart from her husband but rather let not the wife beyng guiltlesse be authour of diuorcement and so by order of law depart from her guilty husband Further if it were lawful for the guiltles to marie againe during the other parties life there would be made a way for infinite diuorcements yea and the commonwealth would be endaungered by reason of often dissentions cauillations and innouations whereas otherwise mē knowing that either they must liue singly or be reconciled seldome or neuer should we see diuorcements To knit vp this doubtfull and litigious question I resolue on this namely that we being Christiās should consider that the spirituall marriage which is betwixt Christ and his Church is now and then polluted by vs with spirituall fornication and that notwithstanding all this it pleaseth his Diuine maiestie to be at a new atonement with vs to comfort vs after this maner Returne O yee disobedient children and I will heale your rebellions For euen as a woman hath rebelled against her husband so haue yee rebelled against me In like sort it behoueth vs to forgiue one another and to imitate our sauiour Christ who mercifully pardoned the woman whom the Scribes Pharisees tooke in adultery saying vnto her Goe and finne no more To be short wee ought to thinke how troublesome second marriages are like to be both for the childrens sake and also for the guilty party who being out of all hope of reconciliation will fall to despaire and to greater vices and perhaps neuer afterwards will become reformed Of Iealousie Chap. 10. IEalousie is a malady of the mind ingendred of loue which will not admit a corriuall or copartner in the thing beloued To this passion the wild asse is most subiect for in a whole herd of females there is but one male and he is so iealous that he will not permit any other to come amongst them and when the female hapneth to haue a male colt the sire with his teeth wil bite off his stones as fearing he would couer his damme Among men the Italians bee most iealous for they if their wiues do but once commune albeit openly with men do presently suspect them of adultery The Germanes of all nations are lesse iealous although their womē be very faire Pope Pius the second otherwise called Aeneas Siluius in the yeere of our Lord 1461. being at the bathes in Germany wondred much at the boldnesse of the Dutchwomen who would euē with men step naked into the bathes whereupon he was wont to say that the Germanes were farre wiser then the Italians Our women here in England although they be in the power of their husbands yet they bee not so straightly kept as in mew with a gard as they be in Italy Spaine but haue almost as much liberty as in Frāce or in Germany and they haue for the most part all the charge of the house and household which is the naturall occupation and part of a wife In summe there is no nation vnder the cope of heauen lesse iealous then ours who tender their wiues so kindly and charitably that at their deaths they make them eyther sole or chiefe executrices of their last willes and testimēts and haue for the most part the gouernment of the children and their portions The second Plant. The duty of Parents towards their children Chap. 11. PArents must haue a carefull eye to their childrē because thereupon principally dependeth the glory of their house And that their duties towardes them may the more manifestly appeare I will set downe what they ought to do First of all Parents must teach their children to pray vnto God to rehearse the Creed and the ten Commaūdements and to catechize them in the chiefest points of faith Secondly they must beware that they come not among such felowes as sweare curse and such like and to that end they must place discreet tutours ouer them Thirdly parēts must breake them from their willes correct them sharply when they offend yet not in their anger for in smitting with the rod they shall deliuer their soules from hell Fourthly parentes must not permit their children to weare gorgeous attires or newfangled dresses but rather declare vnto them the vanity thereof Fiftly parentes must procure them wise and learned teachers when they are fit to go to schole Sixtly parentes must not marre their children by marying them during their minorities neither cause them against their willes to bee assured Seuenthly parentes must see that their children liue in vnitie peace and concord for if debate and discord be pernicious among al men how much rather betweene brethren Lastly parents
Let such draw neer and view this Golden-groue Whereof the rootes are vertues of the mind The trunks stalks that grow these roots aboue Ioint vertues are to priuate rule assign'd The boughs the publick sway of kingly kind Vertue the root Rule priuate is the stemme The branches are the golden Diademe All which are done by learned Vaughans pen Thereby deseruing well eternall fame Who tooke great paines to benefite all men That would with singlenesse peruse the same Thus hath he got himselfe a golden name And thus we see this stately Golden-groue Whereof the motiue was his Brothers loue Samuel Powel Master of Arts. To the Authour THy selfe a tendrer of that Golden-groue To which thou send'st this golden Groue of thine How truly that so called was dost proue How truly this it needs no proofe of mine It is no gilt it is a golden booke Fit for that gemme thy Brother on to looke The gold whereof as pure as euer shone Let Enuie speake she can it not denie Feares not to touch the learneds Lydian stone Who buyes this Gold too deare it cannot buy It is refin'd in furnace of thy braine In fire then to trie it were but in vaine Some say Prometheus man of clay did make But beastlike passions put into his heart Vaughan beleeue them not for they mistake To make men was not his but is thine Art Thou hast effected what he ne're began Thou hast made maners maners make the mā Gold-gutted Crassus were he now aliue Might here find gold to find an host of men Rich-finger'd Midas might here learne to thriue Not by his owne rich touch but by thy pen Which Chimick-like I hope wil turn to gold Our iron times and make them as of old Iohn Raulinson Master of Arts. In praise of the Golden-groue moralized by master Vaughan AMid the vale of Iedas bushie groue Before a bribed Iudge such was their fate A Trinitie of Goddesses once stroue Gold caus'd their strife the cause of all debate Now a new Iudge their quarrell hath acquited Attoning this late-iarring Trinarie And sith in groues and gold they first delighted Hath built a Golden-groue for this faire three Where Pallas first vnfoldeth vertuous sawes Which Venus doth conuey to families Then Iuno tempreth both with rightful lawes And those themselues with heauenly policies So these whom Gold groues first set at strife This Golden-groue combines in blessed life Charles Fitz-Geffrey In commendation of this Golden-groue SOme write of th'isle of the Hesperides Where golden fruit in greatest plentie grew A pretie fiction and no doubt did please The Authour selfe although it were not true If by our dayes we measure those of old For now men loue if but to dreame of gold No more a fiction now no more a toy Vaughan hath made that true which they but faign'd By Vaughans Art it is that we enioy That which but onely they in shew obtain'd A Golden-groue a harbour of delight Against the storms of Fortunes weaker might What gracious gift can Sophia now bestow On Vaughan worthy his industrious paine Vnlesse of boughs which in his Groue do grow With goldē wreaths she crown his learned brain Fortune cannot reward desert of wit But honour onely she doth nourish it Thomas Michelborne The Arguments of the Chapters that are contained in these Bookes The first Booke The first part OF Gods nature Chap. 1. The knowledge of God chap. 2. Atheists chap. 3. The second part Of Man chap. 4. The soule chap. 5. That a man hath but one soule chap. 6. The immortalitie of the soule chap. 7. The third part Of Vertue chap. 8. Vice chap. 9. That a man must not delay to become vertuous chap. 10. Remedies against vice chap. 11. Iustice. chap. 12. Iniustice chap. 13. Whether it bee lawfull for one to kill himselfe chap. 14. That we should not patiently indure all iniuries chap. 15. The fourth part Of truth chap. 16. Lyes chap. 17. Swearing chap. 18. Periurie chap. 19. Cursers and blasphemers chap. 20. Deceite chap. 21. Whether a man be bound to performe that which hee hath sworne to his enemie either willingly or by constraint chap. 22. Heretike and schismatikes chap. 23. Iesuites chap. 24. The fift part Of Magnanimitie chap. 25. Ambition chap. 26 Remedies against ambition chap. 27 Of Fortitude chap. 28 Foolehardinesse chap. 29 Feare and pusillanimitie chap. 30 The sixt part Of Temperance and Cōtinence ch 31 Intemperance and Incontinence ch 32 Lecherie chap. 33 Gluttonie and Drunkennesse chap. 34 The discommodities of drunkēnes c. 35 Remedies against Intemperance Gluttonie and Drunkennesse chap. 36. Stupiditie or dulnes chap. 37. The seuenth part Of magnificence chap. 38 Liberalitie chap. 39. Prodigalitie chap. 40 The properties of a couetous man chap. 41. Remedies against couetousnes chap. 43. A dehortation from couetousnesse chap. 43. Whether the couetous man bee worse then the prodigall chap. 44. The eight part Of clemencie and courtesie chap. 45. Modestie and bashfulnesse chap. 46. Affabilitie chap. 47. Indulgence chap. 48. Pride chap. 49. Scurrilitie or scoffing chap. 50. Whether stage-playes ought to be suffered in a common-wealth chap. 51. Of crueltie chap. 52. The ninth part Of Patience chap. 53. Anger chap. 54. Remedies against anger 55. Remedies against aduersitie and losse of worldly goods The tenth part Of friendship chap. 57. How a man should knowe his friend chap. 58. Flatterie chap. 59. Ingratitude with a remedie agaynst it chap. 60. Hatred the punishment therof ch 61 Enuie chap. 62. Calumniation and slander chap. 63. The eleuenth part Of Art and whether Art be better then Nature chap. 64. Science or knowledge chap. 65. Vnderstanding chap. 66. Prudence chap. 67. Sapience or wisdome chap. 68. The ignorance of our times chap. 69. The second Booke The first part OF a familie and the diuision thereof chap. 1. That there be foure kinds of matrimony chap. 2. The causes why matrimonie was instituted chap. 3. How excellēt a thing matrimony is ch 4 After what maner the auncients solemnized matrimony chap. 5. Of matrimonie in England at this day solemnized chap. 6. The duties of the husband toward his wife chap. 7. The duties of the wife toward her husband chap. 8. Of Diuorcement and whether the innocēt party after a diuorcemēt made can marie againe during the other parties life chap. 9. Of Iealousie chap. 10. The second part The duties of parents toward their children chap. 11. The duties of children toward their parents chap. 12. Of Brotherly loue and whether a man should preferre his friend before his brother chap. 13. Of disobedient sonnes chap. 14. The third part The duties of masters towards their seruaunts chap. 15. Of the Sabbath day whether masters may set their seruaunts at worke on the sabbath day chap. 16. The duties of seruants toward their masters chap. 17. The fourth part Of Acquisitiue facultie chap. 18. Of money the chiefest part of the Acquisitiue facultie chap. 19. Of Bawdes and whether they ought to be
must ordinarily vse equality amoÌ„g their children so neere as they may and not shew more affection to one then to another least thereby they prouoke theÌ„ to anger and desperation Of the duty of childrâ—â—â—â—wards their parentes Chapt. 12. THe first duty of children towards their parents is they obey them in all things for that is well pleasing vnto the Lord. Also they must remember that the earthly father is the true representer of God the vniuersall father and therefore next after God to be had in reuerence The second duty of children towardes their parentes is that they endeuour by all means possible to asswage their parents anger Thirdly children must helpe their parents in their old age and supply their wantes with all necessary complements Of Brotherly loue Whether a man should preferre his friend before his brother Chap. 13. NOthing is more acceptable vnto the Lord theÌ„ that brethren should loue one another The which vndoubtedly by his soueraigne maiesty is ingrauen at our birth for we see the first occasion of this amity to be bred euen from our natiuity Therefore it is the duty of a brother not to bee angry or discouer the faults of his brother Further it is the part of a brother to loue his brother aboue all other for he may daily get many of this friendly mould and more if these faile but it is no more likely to get a new brother then to get an eye which is drawn out or an hand which is chopt off Hence springeth that question whether a maÌ„ should preferre his friend before his brother To this I aunswere negatiuely that he should not and especially for these two reasons First we are bound to follow nature if she leades vs not astray for who so euer followeth nature followeth God by whome she is directed therefore we are bound to loue our brethren aboue our friends seeing that by nature wee are chained with our brethren and whatsoeuer we bestow on them we bestow on our selues Whereunto soundeth that saying of the Poet Take heed that thou make not thy friend equall with thy brother Secondly the loue of brethren is better then the loue of friends for it includeth in it more then the other as for example when friends be at variaunce we see nothing left betwixt them but if brethren chaunce to disagree the knot notwithstanding of brotherhood in despight of them remaines stedfast moreouer a man being forsaken of all his parasitical friends is neuerthelesse of his brother as it were by a natural instinct receiued and comforted To bee briefe I exhort all brethren to assist one another with mutuall loue not to beleeue any whispering make-bates whose onely drift is to shift for themselues and to oppose not onely friend against friend but also for their owne priuate good to put brother against brother This exhortatioÌ„ of mine if brethren will embrace let them assure themselues that they shall enioy the felicity of the celestiall Paradise which is already prepared for them Of disobedient Sonnes Chap. 14. THe very Turkes theÌ„selues according to the second commauÌ„dement contained in their Alcoran do require such dutifull obedience of children towards their parents that they expresly forbid any vpon pain of death to gainsay them either in word or deed Besides it is an article of their beliefe that God will neuer forgiue them who are accursed of their parents Yea they assure theÌ„selues that no sorrow nor penitent contrition of mind is euer able to wash or do away the foule burthen of the parents curse Likewise the Popish Canonists do condemne theÌ„ as infamous which rebell against their parents What then shal we do that are reformed Christians shall we suffer the sonne to abuse the father to commence suit against him approbriously to endamage him no. God forbid We wil rather lead him to the magistrate who shall impose on him what punishment soeuer the father demaundeth Wee will stone him to death for his vnnaturall disobedience But suppose hee were left vnpunished would he not thinke you be cut off as an vnprofitable member by the iust iudgement of God would not his daies be shortned Yea yea he shall not only die in this world but also his body in the world to come shall alway be tormeÌ„ted in hot scalding lead and his soule for euer shall endure the horrible paines of hell We read in our English Chronicles that the sonne of Henry the secoÌ„d king of this land by the instigation of the French King tooke armes against his owne naturall father betwixt whom diuers mighty battels being fought the victory alwaies inclined to the father so that the disobedient rebellious sonne was enforced to desire peace which the father mercifully graunted and forgaue him his offence Howbeit notwithstanding God the aueÌ„ger of such abominable factes punished him for his disobedience by causing him to die 6. yeeres before his father A meet punishment no doubt for him seeing that he could not tarie till after his fathers death Further we heare that there was of late daies a certain man that dwelt in a village neere to Cambray who in a great fury threw his owne mother out of his house three times in one day and the third time told her in anger that he had rather see his house on fire then that she should abide there one day longer But mark the end It fortuned that on the very same day according to his speech his house was strangely fired quite consumed to ashes An euident signe assuredly of Gods displeasure The exaÌ„ples wherof I would to God might serue for a warning to all children if not to mollify yet at least to terrifie theÌ„ froÌ„ dealing crookedly peruersly with their pareÌ„ts whom God himself coÌ„mauÌ„ded to honor left here in this world as semblable images of himselfe The third Plant. Of the duty of masters toward their seruaunts Chap. 15. THe duty of Masters toward their seruaunts I comprise in sixe points First I counsell masters not to keepe any seruaunts in their houses that are giuen to swearing gaming whoring drinking or to any such notorious crimes Secondly I exhort masters to haue a speciall care that their seruaunts be catechized and taught in the word of GOD. Thirdly they must not make them labour on the Sabaoth day Fourthly they must see that their seruaunts lie not abroad in the nights Fiftly masters must grauely correct their seruants according to the quality of their faults least being let alone they waxe bold and so fall into worse courses Lastly masters must looke that their seruaunts receyue their wages or hires at due times Of the Sabaoth day Whether a master ought to set his seruaunts at worke on the Sabaoth day Chap. 16. THe Sabaoth both in the old new testament is sanctified and hallowed and in it magistrates townesmen and all men oâ— what quality soeuer they be must surceasâ— from working chiefly for foure
owne naturall subiects and continually goeth garded with a strong company As Vortiger sometime king of this Realme did when he brought in Hengist and the Saxons and gaue them the countreys of Kent and Essex to inhabit The fift if he without cause coÌ„mand his chiefest nobles to be cashiered branded with ignominy or to be imprisoned and put to death for feare lest they should waxe too popular and ouermighty Such a one was Frauncis Sfortia Duke of Millain that caused Alphonsus king of Naples villanously at a banquet to murther Earle Iames sonne to Nicholas Picinio whome he had sent Ambassadour to the sayd Alphonsus for no other cause then for that hee feared his might because the Braciques in Italy some of his subiects highly esteemed him The sixt token to know a tyrant is if he do away learned and wise men for no other intent then that fearing they should reproue him write against his depraued vngodly life As Domitius Nero that commaunded Seneca the Philosopher and the Poet Lucan to be slaine and Domitian that banished the Poet luuenal for the same cause But of this matter I haue spoken in another booke Whether it be lawfull for subiects to rise against their Prince being a tyraunt or an heretique Chap. 10. EVen as the Prince ought to remoue the causes of mislike which his subiects haue conceiued against him and to extinguish the flame that being nourished in one seuerall house would breake into the next and at last into the whole towne so in like maner subiects ought to please their soueraigne and to tolerat all rigour yea and to lay downe their neckes vpon the block rather then to coÌ„spire against his power which he hath from God It may be that he is raised as another Nabuchodonozor of the Lord for a scourge to punish the transgressioÌ„s and enormities of the inhabitants The dishonourable things which a Prince doth ought to be accounted honourable Men must patieÌ„tly for they can do no otherwise beare with an vnreasonable deà re yeere with vnseasonable stormes and with many blemishes and imperfections of nature Therefore they ought to endure with as constant courages the heresies and tyrannies of their soueraigne But thou wilt say subiectes must obey only iust and vpright Princes To which I answere that parents are bound to their children with reciprocall and mutuall duties Yet if parents depart from their duty and prouoke their children to desperation it becommeth not children to be lesse obedient to their parents But they are subiect both to euill pareÌ„ts and to such as do not their duty Further if seruants must be obedient to their masters aswel curteuos as curst much more ought subiects to obey not onely their gentle but also their cruell Princes This Didacus Couarruuias an excellent Lawier confirmeth saying If a Prince whether by succession or election he was made it skilleth not doth exceed the limits of law and reason he cannot bee deposed nor put to death by any subiect Yea it is hereticall to hold that paradoxe For God is he which chaungeth the times and seasons he taketh away kings and setteth vp Kings to the intent that liuing men might know that the most high hath power ouer the kingdome of men and giueth it to whomesoeuer hee will and appointeth ouer it the most abiect among men Hence is it that we seldome heare of rebels that euer prospered but in the end they were bewrayed and brought to confusion In the time of Henry the fourth there rebelled at one time against him the Duke of Exceter with the Dukes of Gloucester Surrey Aumarle Salisburie and at another time the Earle of Worcester the Archbishop of Yorke HeÌ„ry Hotspurre sonne to the Earle of NorthuÌ„berland all which were either slaine or beheaded To come neerer the state of this question we find that Leonagildus an auncient king of the Gothes in Spaine both a tyrant and an Arrian in the yeere of our Lord 568. pursued the true Christians and exiled his own sonne because he was of the true religion Whereupon this young Prince being moued at the persecution of the Christians in his countrey did twise raise armes against his Lord and Father At the first he was taken captiue and banished at the second he was put to death on Easter day By which example wee may note the effects of Gods iudgements and rebuke the rashnesse of this Prince that rebelled against his soueraigne Wherefore O yee that be subiect to cruell Princes refraine your fury learne to obey beware lest the same chance vnto you which is faigned to haue chanced vnto the frogs who being importunat on Iupiter to haue a king a beame was giuen them the fiâ—â—t fall whereof did somwhat affright them but when they saw it stil lie in the streame they insulted theron with great disdain praied for a king of a quicker spirit theÌ„ was sent vnto them a stork which tyraÌ„nized daily deuoured them In a word rebels in taking care to auoid one calamity do entaÌ„gle themselues in a whole peck of troubles as by this fable of y e frogs is euident And oftentimes it hapneth that the remedy is more dangerous then the malady it selfe for of one tyraunt they make three Hydraes or els in seeking to shun tyranny they reduce their gouernment to a troublesome Democracy Of an Aristocracy Chap. 11. THe rule of a certain and prescribed number of noblemen GentlemeÌ„ respecting the benefite of the common wealth is termed an Aristocracy if any ambitiously preferre their priuat coÌ„modity before the publick good and by coÌ„spiracies dispose of all matters appertaining to the coÌ„monwealth as it please theÌ„ it is named an Oligarchy For as iroÌ„ is consumed in time by rust although it auoideth al incoÌ„uenieÌ„ces so some peculiar dammage or other sticketh to euery commonwealth according to the nature therof as for exaÌ„ple this Oligarchy endamageth an Aristocracy TyraÌ„ny is opposite to a Monarchy sedition to a Democracy That Aristocracy is best allowed where the gouernment is allotted to a few noble vertuous men which bestow most in common seruices and make lawes for the rest directing their cogitations to no other scope then the publick good of their countrey The citizens of Venice do deliuer the discussing of their matters aswell ordinary as of importance to the Senate which are very fewe in number as not ignorant how few being made priuy of their matters they should bee the more priuily managed Neuerthelesse this kind of commonwealth being compared with a monarchy will be found imperfect farre inferiour True it is that siluer and tinne are good but yet imperfect metals in comparison of gold wherein the souerainety and perfection of all metals consist In like maner an Aristocracy well tempered may be good but seldome it so falleth out This Realme of England when it was diuided into prouinces as Mercia NorthuÌ„berlaÌ„d others ruled by
suffred chap. 20. Of vsurers chap. 21. Of the particulars wherein vsurie is cōmitted chap. 22. Whether it be lawfull for an householder to ingrosse corne in the market to the intent hee may sell the same another time at a deerer price ch 23. The fift part Of Hospitality chap. 24. Wherein good hospitality consisteth chap. 25. Why housekeeping now-adaies is decayed chap. 26. Of Almes and the forgetfulnes thereof in these dayes chap. 27. Circumstaunces to be obserued in giuing of almes chap. 28. Of Fasting that an housholder should obserue fasting dayes chap. 29. Of the true fast chap. 30. The third Booke The first part Of a commonwealth chap. 1. The diuision of a commonwealth ch 2. Of a monarchy chap. 3. That hereditarie succession is better election chap. 4. The duties of a Prince chap. 5. Of the name of Emperour chap. 6. Of the name of a King chap. 7. Of a Gynaecracie or womēs raigne ch 8 Of Tyrants chap. 9. Whether subiects may rise against their soueraigne being a Tyrant or an Hereticque chap. 10. Of an Aristocracie chap. 11. Of a Democracie chap. 12. The second part The members of a Commonwealth chap. 13 Of Noblemen chap. 14. The properties of a Gentleman cha 15. That Gentlemen must not greatly respect what the common people speak of them chap. 16. Of Knights of honour chap. 17. Of Citizens chap. 18. Whether outlandish men ought to be admitted into a citie chap. 19. Of Marchants chap. 20. Of Artificers chap. 21. Of Yeomen their oppression ch 22. The third part Of Counsell chap. 23. Of Counsellours chap. 24. Of Parliaments chap. 25. Of Iudgements chap. 26. Of Iudges and their duty chap. 26. Of Bribes and going to law chap. 27. Of Magistrates chap. 29. Of the great cares and troubles of Magistrates chap. 30. Whether magistrates may receyue presents sent vnto them chap. 31. The fourth part Of the education of Gentlemen ch 32. The causes why so few Gentlemen nowadayes bee vertuously disposed chap. 33. Whether youths ought to bee corrected chap. 34. Of scholemasters their duties cha 35 That scholemaisters should haue large stipendes allowed them chap. 36. Whether it be better for parents to keepe their sonnes at home with a priuate scholemaister or to send thē abroad to the publike schole chap 37. Of Tutoures in the vniuersitie and how to discerne a good Tutour chap. 38. The fift part Of Grammar chap. 39. Of Logick chap. 40. Of Rhetorick and the abuse thereof in these dayes chap. 41. Of Poetrie and the excellency thereof chap. 42. Of Philosophie chap. 43. Of the Art magick chap. 44. Of Physick chap. 45. Of Law chap. 46. Of the cōmon law of England chap. 48. Whether alteration of lawes be good in a commonwealth chap. 48. Of Diuinitie chap. 49. Whether two religions may be tolerated in one kingdome chap. 50. Of simonie one of the chiefest ouerthrowes of religion chap. 51. The sixt part Of the alteration of a commonwealth chap. 52. The effects of al the Cometes and chiefest Eclipses which haue hapned in this last age chap. 53. The causes of sedition and ciuill broiles chap. 54. Of Treason chap. 55. Of Idlenes chap. 56. Of Dice-play chap. 57. Of superfluitie in apparell another cause of the alteration of a commonwealth chap. 58. The seuenth part Of the cōseruation of a commonwealth chap. 59. Of Taxes and subsidies chap. 60. Remedies against sedition and priuie conspiracies chap. 61. The felicity of a Commonwealth chap. 62 The eight part Of warre chap. 63 Whether it be lawfull for Christians to make warre chap. 64 What warres bee most lawfull chap. 65. That before wee beginne warres preparation is to bee made of sufficient necessaries thereto belonging chap. 66. The duties of a Generall chap. 67. Of the choyse of souldiers chap. 68. Whether the straunger or the home borne subiect is to bee preferred chap. 69. How the enemy is to bee vanquished chap. 70. The conclusion of Peace The first Booke of the Golden-groue moralized The first part Of Gods nature Chap. I. FOrasmuch as all the endeuoures of humane actions do proceed from God and except hee build the house and vphold mens enterprises their labour is but lost that build I hold it a requisite point of my duty that in these morall discourses and politique traditions I beginne principally of his Maiestie and search out some essentiall property flowing from his Diuine incomprehensible forme For the accomplishing of which and of all the rest which I write assist mee O thou great Gouernour of heauen and iudge of the world with thy sacred power graunt I beseech thee that my mind may ascend vp into the straight and noble seate of vertue where I may find the fountaine of goodnesse and reueale the same being found vnto thine almost lost astraied sheepe Gods supernatural nature I confesse being euery way infinite cannot possibly be contained by any limited creature Things subiect and familiar to sence are comprehended in the mind by an imaginarie resemblance of them but as for things infinite and not subiect to sence of which nature God is how shall I be able to imprint their likenes in my feeble and shallow braine No man hath seene God at any time yet we know him by his miraculous workes To come neerer his description I find that God is a most pure essentiall and actiue forme without mixture of matter forme or distinction of partes euery where alike and the very same And againe God is vncreate perpetuall that is he euer was and euer wil be he was not made of nothing for nothing according to the Philosophers saying is made of nothing The Gentiles albeit wāting the light to vnderstand perfect truth were yet all of them for the most part amazed at the excellēt glory power of God Pythagoras said that God was a liuely mind that pearced into al things of whom al liuing creatures receiued their being Thales esteemed him to be an vnderstāding that created all things of the element of water Chrysippus called him a naturall faculty endued with Diuine reason Thus we see that there is engrauen in the hearts of men a certaine feeling of Gods nature which cā neuer be rooted out And although swinish Atheists doe laugh at that which I haue written touching the Godhead yet that is but a laughter from the teeth outward because inwardly the worme of conscience gnaweth them much more sharply then all hote searing irons Finally to leaue the Gentiles opiniōs I iudge it not amisse if wee satisfie our selues to beleeue that God is almighty his might vnsearchable his power admirable And as the soule is wholy both in the whole body also in euery mēber of it so God is wholy both in the world likewise wholy in euery part of the same Of the knowledge of God Chapt. 2. DIagoras and Theodorus were not ashamed to dispute against the Deitie Neither as I
of sheeps wooll about her middle fastned with a true-loues knot the which her husband and must loose Herehence rose the Prouerbe Hee hath vndone her virgins girdle that is of a maide he hath made her a woman It is reported of some that the wife as soone as shee was come to her husbands house presented to her husband fire in one hand and water in the other which gaue to vnderstande that as these two elements were most necessarie of al others for conseruation of mans life so there could no societie be neerer linked together then that of the husband and wife The auncient Frenchmē had a ceremonie that whē they would marrie the bridegroome should pare his nailes and send thē vnto his new wife which done they liued together afterwards as man and wife In Scotlād the custome was that the lord of the soile should lie with the bride before her husband But because this order was not decēt nor tolerable amōg Christians King Malcolme the third of that name in the yeere of our Lorde 1095. abolished that wicked custome and enacted that euerie bride thencefoorth should pay to the Lord for ransome of her maiden-head fiue shillings Marriages among the Gentlemen of Venice were for the most part concluded vpon by a third person the bride being neuer permitted so much as to see her new husband nor hee her till their nuptial dowrie was fully treated of agreed which being finished they were married with great pompe solemnitie Concerning the ancient order of mariages in Turkie they held it an vndecent thing for the bride to bee brought home to her future husband with musicall instruments but they thought it meete that the married couple should present themselues before God with all humilitie and reuerence and after that these ceremonies were ended they were led to their bed-chamber which was prouided for them in a very secret and darke place the next morning at the dawning of the day the husband by Mahomets law is boūd to aske his wife whether she can read or no. If she cānot then must he learne her to reade In like sort if she can reade and her husband not then must shee teach and instruct him This was the old maner of marriages among the Turks Howbeit at this day they are growne to such excesse of voluptuousnesse that they rather resemble beasts then men Of Matrimonie in England at this day solemnized Chap. 6. MAtrimonie in England is accounted finished after that it is solemnized in presence of the minister and two lawfull witnesses Superstitious ceremonies there are none Onely the Priest is bound openly in the Church to aske the banes to wit whether any man can alleadge a reason wherfore they that are about to bee married may not lawfully come together Which being done and no exceptiō made they then are ioyned in the holy linkes of matrimonie Also in some shieres when the marriage day approcheth the parents of the betrothed couple doe certaine dayes before the wedding write letters to inuite all their friends to the marriage whom they desire to haue present Afterwards the mariage day being come y e inuited ghests do assemble together and at the very instant of the marriage doe cast their presents which they bestow vpon the new maried folkes into a bason dish or cup which standeth vpon the Table in the Church readie prepared for that purpose But this custome is onely put in vse amongst them which stande in neede Moreouer it is to bee noted that if the wife bee an Inheritrix and landed she is to let her husband enioy it during his life and hers the which afterward descendeth to her eldest sonne or in defect of sonnes it is equally parted betweene her daughters Howbeit neuerthelesse if she die barren without children the husband loseth all because landes euer by the common law of England follow the succession But if shee once had a child by him which was heard to crie the courtesie of our countrie is such that y ◠husband possesseth the said lands during his life If the wife haue only moueables as money plate cattell and such like all belong to her husband To knit vp this discourse If the husband haue any landes either by inheritance descended or purchased and bought and chance to die before his wife shee shall haue the vsufruit of one third part of his landes during her life as her dowrie whether hee hath child by her or no. The duties of the husband toward his wife Chap. 7. THe duties of a husband toward his wife are 7. The first that he giue honour to his wife as the weaker vessell for she is partaker of the grace of life The second hee must patiently brooke the hastinesse of his wife for there is nothing in the world more spitefull then a woman if shee be hardly dealt withall or egged to indignation Hence is the prouerbe Anger thy dogge and hee will bite thee The third dutie The husband in any case must not haue carnall copulation with any other but his owne wife for that is verie vniust by reason it dissolueth the girdle of faith and chastitie is the next way to cause her to hate him a woman is iealous and naturally suspitious and sith her husband breaketh with her she will not sticke to breake with him and priuilie borrow a nights lodging with her neighbour The fourth dutie the husband must not iniurie his wife by word or deede for a woman is a feeble creature and not endued with such a noble courage as the man shee is sooner prickt to the heart or mooued to passions then man and againe he that iniurieth his wife doth as if hee should spit into the aire and the same spittle returne backe vpon his owne selfe The fift the husband in disputations with his wife must sometimes confesse himselfe vanquished by her The sixt the husband must prouide for his wife and for her house-keeping according to his abilitie The seuenth the husband must suffer his wife to be merrily disposed before him otherwise a womans nature is such shee will by stealth find out some secret place or other to tattle in and to disport her self The eight and cheefest dutie is that the husband haue a special regard not to make two beddes for so hee may take away all causes of displeasure also if eyther of them chaunce to iarre by this meanes they may be soone pacified The duties of the wife towards her husband Chap. 8. BVt what shall the woman do shall shee do what seemeth good in her owne eyes no for S. Peter speaketh vnto wiues in this wise Let wiues be subiect to their husbands which is as much to say as they must not contradict them in any point but rather endeuour to please them by all meanes The second duty the wife must not forsake her husband in aduersity or deride him as Iobs wife did when shee bad him curse God and die but shee ought to
For giftes do blind the eies and peruert the words of the righteous No magistrates therfore must presume to take gifts vnlesse they be to be eaten or drunke vp within three dayes at the furthest that not of suters for they giue them to the intent they may corrupt their authority and so speed of their owne pleas and pursuites Let them rather imitate Cicero who as long as he was Pretour of Cilicia would neyther himselfe receyue nor permit any of his company to take presentes no not that beneuolence which by the law Iulia was due vnto him At Thebes the images of iudges were put up without hands wherby is meant that they ought not to receyue any rewards that were offered them There is at this present time a publique law amōg the Switzers that magistrates vnder paine of death should not take any thing eyther directly or vndirectly for iudging The fourth Plant. Of the Education of Gentlemen Chap. 32. MAn is by nature a gentle creature who with his happy nature getting good education becommeth diuinely disposed but if hee lacke this education he waxeth the most wicked of all creatures that are borne vpon the earth Many drops of water as wee see falling vpon the hard marble stone do pierce and make it hollow And the ground being well tilled and manured beareth goodly corne So in like maner a man well brought vp acknowledgeth his duty towards his Maker knoweth how to conquer his owne affections Whereas contrariwise Gentlemen being euill nurtured cā neuer vnderstand how farre the power and abilitie extendeth that God hath giuen them For they neuer read it themselues neither are they taught by them that know it Nay few that vnderstand it are admitted to their presence and if one bee yet dare he not instruct them in it for feare of displeasure or if happily at any time hee put them in minde thereof no man will abide him or at least he shall be accounted but a foole peraduenture also it may be taken in il part and so turne to his harme Howbeit the vertuous must not abstain from their godly admonitions seeing that they cannot benefite the common-wealth more then when they teach and instruct young mē especially in those times wherein they are so corrupted that they must needes by all well disposed persons bee refrained and restrained of libertie One saith I am an heire borne to a thousand pound land Another sayth I haue a fat farme and a house well furnished What cause haue I to feare Let the world chance as it will Another againe craketh and breaketh his lungs wel-nigh with windie bragges because he is a Knights eldest sonne fetching his pedegree by a thousand lines and branches from some worthie Lord and because some neere kinsman of his is made Censour Maior Iustice of peace or Lieutenant of the Shire to whom he may say Good morrow Cousin Infinite are the fooleries of youth which by due correction and diligent exhortation must bee rooted out I will therefore comprehend their education vnder foure lessons The first is instruction vnder which are cōtained foure rules The 1. wherof is to teach children the feare and loue of GOD and to shew them that they must not glorie too much in worldly goods Secondly to teach them how to bridle their tongues to bee modest and to embrace vertue for education properly is nothing else but a bringing vp of youth in vertue Thirdly to shew them the facultie of exercise which serueth to the maintenance of health and strength by ordering the body with light and gentle exercises Fourthly familiarly to declare vnto them examples as well of good men as of wicked men that thereby they may learne how the good are rewarded and the wicked punished The second lesson appertaining to the instruction of youth is prayse that is to commende them when they doe well that thereby they may bee incouraged the better to goe forwardes For youth is like vnto moyst and soft clay and for that respect is to bee egged on to glorie in well doing The third is counsell which must bee giuen by their sage Vncles or auncient men concerning their dutie towards their parents elders and teachers The fourth poynt of instruction is threatning and correction which is to bee vsed when they offend and neglect to follow the aduice of their teachers and when they beginne to bee headie stubborne and selfe-willed This the diuine Philosopher verie well noted saying that a boy not as yet hauing fully and absolutely giuen himselfe to vertue is a deceitfull cruell and a most proud beast Wherefore he must be bound with a schoolemaster as it were with a strong bridle The causes why so fewe Gentlemen no we adaies be vertuously disposed Chap. 33. I Find that there bee foure causes why so few Gentlemen in this age attaine to the knowledge of vertue The first is the corruption of the whole world for now are the abominations of desolation These be dayes of vengeance to fulfil althings that are written The minds of men are so peruerse and barren that they will not receiue the seed of true wisedome Their cogitations are too much bent to the pompes and follies of this transitorie world The second cause proceedeth of counterfeit and vnsufficient teachers whose onely occupation is couertly to woo yong scholers that come guidelesse and headlesse into the Vniuersitie and 〈◊〉 gotten them into their nets they afterward let them runne at randon But 〈◊〉 iudgement such youths as suffer 〈◊〉 to be snatched vp for haukes meate in this or the like maner do therin imitate sicke folkes who refusing the good Phisician by some braine-sicke mans counsell doe commit themselues to the tuition of such a one as by ignorance killeth them The third cause is the niggardize of parents who continually labour to gather the drossie and vnconstant pelfe of this world and in the meane time make no reckoning of their children but permitte them to grow old in follie which destroyeth them both bodie and soule The fourth and last cause is the indulgence and fond loue of the parents who take their sonnes from the Vniuersitie as fruite from a tree before it is ripe or rather as pullets without feathers to place them at the Innes of Court where as I haue written in my Commentarie vpon Persius they gad to Stage-playes are seduced by flattering coni-catchers Whether youths ought to be corrected Chap. 34. A Good huswife knoweth how hard a thing it is to keepe flesh sweete and sauorie vnlesse it bee first poudred and put in brine So likewise it is impossible for parents to reape any ioye of their sonnes except they bee first corrected Roses must needes wither when they be ouergrowne with briers and thornes and children that are assailed and ouertaken by whole legions of affections must at last fall if they be not accordingly succoured * Hee that spareth the
would become rude impudent aud vicious Thirdly they being in number few will be more diligently taught and informed which in a maner is impossible in a common schoole by reason of the confusion of so many scholers Howbeit notwithstanding these reasons publike teaching seemeth to bee of most force and that for foure causes First because the wisest sort of men haue preferred the publike instruction before the priuate Secondly a childe will get wit and experience by conuersing with many Thirdly when hee misseth in his lesson hee may in the common schoole speedily recouer that which is lost by conferring with his mates Fourthly if hee bee by nature melancholike crabbed or wicked hee will in a free-schoole bee reformed partly for shame to bee beaten in the sight of many and partly for feare in seeing offenders punished These bee all the reasons which I can coniecture on the behalfe of the publike scholemaster To knit vp this question of priuate and publike teaching this is my resolution that children from the first time they bee put to schoole vntill they bee at least thirteene yeres of age should be cloystered at home with a priuate teacher and then placed in the common schoole for two or three yeeres space till they bee readie and fit for the Vniuersitie Of Tutours in the Vniuersitie How to discerne a good Tutour Chap. 38. PArents in any case must not send their sonnes to the Vniuersitie before they bee at least foureteene yeeres of age whither being once come they must curiouslie hearken but not of vnlearned persons and boyes for they measure mens sufficiencie by their owne fancie after a good Tutour that will not onelie furnish them with necessaries but also reade himselfe vnto them otherwise the parents may one day repent them â—f their sonnes education For many Tutours now-a-dayes will not sticke to receiue a marke or twentie shillings a quarter for each of their scholers tuition and yet not vouchsafe once to reade themselues vnto them but to substitute young Bachelers of Art who albeit some of them can reade tolerably yet notwithstanding they cannot correct and prouoke the sluggish as wanting both discretion to iudge seueritie to compell It is therefore very prudently decreed although not alwaies executed by the Vniuersitie that none should be a Tutour vnder a Master of Arts yet not euery Master but such a one that for his integritie of life and sufficiencie of learning is admitted by the Vicechancelour the Head of the house whereof the Tutour the scholers are by the consent of two Doctours or two Bachelers of diuinitie to be a Tutour The qualities of a good Tutour bee tenne the first is that hee bee godly and vertuously giuen The second that he be well seene in Humanitie and Philosophie The third it is requisite that he be no lesse then seuen twentie yeeres of age and no more then fortie because the one lacks audacitie and grauitie to commaund and the other most commoÌ„ly is negligent The fourth a Tutour must be sober aswell in words as in deeds The fift he must not as many nowadaies do suffer his pupilles to be idle and to haue their owne willes The sixt he must chastise them seuerely if they play at dice sweare fight or such like The seuenth he must if hee may possibly haue them in his sight and chamber The eight thing required in a Tutour is that he be famous in the Vniuersity for his learning and also well friended that thereby he may both supply his scholers wantes and looke that they be not iniuried The ninth duty of a Tutour is that hee haue an especiall care and respect to his scholers battles lest that by permitting them to spend what they please he incurre the displeasure of the parents and so hazard his credit The tenth and last duty of a Tutour is that he keepe his scholers in awe and obedience and not too familiarly insinuate himselfe vnto them seing that according to the old adage too much familiarity breeds contempt And in conclusion whosoeuer giueth his scholers but an inch may be assured that they will do what he can take a whole ell The fift Plant. Of Grammar Chap. 39. GRammar is an Art that consisteth in speaking enditing truly It had the beginning of noting what is more fit vnfit in coÌ„munication which thing men imitating in their speech in processe of time inueÌ„ted this Art Although before Adams fall from Paradise learning was natural yet neuerthelesse no man can now of himselfe come to the knowledge of it without practize exercise and other mens inuention Charondas the lawgiuer extolled Grammar aboue all other Artes and that iustly for by meanes of it the chiefest things in the world are written as lawes constitutions willes and testaments and such like as concerne mans life Whereby we see that Grammar is many wayes profitable to mans life But alas the vse thereof is in these dayes not perfectly knowen Albeit we haue many that profes it yet for al that few there be that vnderstand it aright The reason is because nowadayes they thinke that whosoeuer can prattle in Latine make verses or patch a declamation is a substanciall Grammarian or as they terme him an Humanitian which God wot they know not what it meanes For a GraÌ„marian is he that can speake the vsuall tongues elegantly and expouÌ„d the mysteries of Poets with their tropes and figures and that hath some smack in Philosophy because sundry places in Poets are quoted out of the quintesseÌ„ce of the Mathematikes Of Logick Chap. 40. LIke as they that digge for metals do strictly and diligently search the veines of the earth and by earnest noting the nature thereof attaine at last to the perfect knowledge of the mine so they that will enioy learning aswell for the common good as for their owne profit must narrowly study this Art of Logike which is conuersant with vs in our daily conferences And no doubt but hauing studied it well they shall find it expedient three maner of wayes First for exercise Secondly for disputations And thirdly for the knowledge of Philosophy But thou wilt say it is obscure vnpleasant and therfore in no wise profitable Oh how weake is the connexion of this argument Admit that it is at first rough and irksome yet notwithstanding wheÌ„ thou shalt enter farther into it an insatiable desire of learning it foorthwith will cause thee to embrace it For without doubt God himselfe reuealed the knowledge of Logike vnto vs. And if we neglect this worthy and magnificent gift of his he will also for our ingratitude withdraw not onely this Art but all other Artes whatsoeuer from vs though wee haue both wit and learning together yet shall they litle auayle without Logicke What maketh youths to speake so boldly roundly Logike What maketh atturneyes to go so fast away with their words and pursuites Logick In al Artes therefore Logick is praise