Characters VPON ESSAIES MORALL AND Diuine WRITTEN For those good Spirits that will take them in good part AND Make vse of them to good purpose LONDON Printed by Edw. Griffin for Iohn Gwillim and are to be sold at his shop in Britaines-Burse 1615. TO THE HOnorable and my much worthy honored truly learned and Iudicious Knight Sr Francis Bacon his Ma ties Attourney Generall Increase of honor health and eternall happinesse WORTHY Knight I haue read of many Essaies and a kinde of Charactering of them by such as when I lookt into the forme or nature of their writing I haue beene of the conceit that they were but Imitators of your breaking the ice to their inuentions which how short they fall of your worth I had rather thinke then speake though Truth neede not blush at her blame Now for my selfe vnworthy to touch neere the Rocke of those Diamonds or to speake in their praise who so farre exceede the power of my capacitie vouchsafe me leaue yet I beseech you among those Apes that would counterfet the actions of men to play the like part with learning and as a Monkey that would make a face like a Man and cannot so to write like a Scholler and am not and thus not daring to aduenture the Print vnder your Patronage without your fauourable allowance in the deuoted seruice of my bounden duty I leaue these poore Trauells of my Spirit to the perusing of your pleasing leasure with the further fruites of my humble affection to the happie employment of your honorable pleasure At your seruice in all humblenesse NICH BRETON To the Reader READ what you list and vnderstand what you can Characters are not euery mans construction though they be writ in our mother tongue and what I haue written being of no other nature if they fit not your humor they may please a better I make no comparison because I know you not but if you will vouchsafe to looke into them it may bee you may finde something in them their natures are diuers as you may see if your eyes bee open and if you can make vse of them to good purpose your wits may prooue the better In briefe fearing the foole will bee put vpon me for being too busie with matters too farre aboue my vnderstanding I will leaue my imperfection to pardon or correction and my labour to their liking that will not thinke ill of a well meaning and so rest Your well-willing friend N.B. WHo reads this Booke with a iudicious eye Will in true Iudgment true discretion try Where words and matter close and sweetly coucht Doe shew how truth wit art and nature toucht What need more words these Characters to praise They are the true charactering of Essaies I.R. IN words of worth to speake of these Essayes Let this suffice the worke it selfe will prayse C.N. SOme haue an humor that to discommend They know themselues they know not how to mend Other correct what they doe thinke amisse While in their owne conceit the error is But true iudicious wits and honest mindes Will giue their censure in some better kindes And say but truth that cannot be mistooke Wit hath well labour de learning in this Booke R.B. Ad Authorem HE that shall read thy characters Nic Breton And weigh them well must say they are well written They taste the lampe much reading obseruation Art matter wit all worthy commendation Some weaue their lines of such a slender thred They will not last so long as to be read Thou hast so spunne so weau'd thy words thy lines They please vs most being viewd a hundred times W.D. In laudem operis WOrds are the pensils whereby drawne we sinde The picture of the inward man the minde Such thoughts such words such words such is the man Say is this Spirit a Plebeyan That like the singing Larke doth mount so high We cannot reach them with an earthly eye W.P. WHile I Essay to character this Booke And thâ—se charactered Essayes o'relooke I herein finde few words great worth involve A Lipâ—oâ— stile terse Phrase and so resolve That as a Stone 's best valu'd and best prised When best in knowne So this when best revised I.B. Wisedome WISEDOME is a working Grace in the Soules of the Elect by whom the Spirit is made capable of those secrets that neither Nature nor Reason is able to comprehend who by a powerfull vertue She hath from the diuine Essence worketh in all things according to the will of the Almighty and being before beginning shall exceede Time in an eternall proceeding She is a Light in the Intellectuall part by which Reason is led to direct the Sences in their due Course and Nature is preserued from Subiecting her selfe to Imperfection in the Creation Shee was of Councell with the Trinitie in the pleasing of the Deity in the Redemption the Inuenter of Mercy for the preseruation of the Elect and in the Glorification the Treasurer of life for the reward of the faithfull who hauing committed to her Care the cariage of the whole Motion finding the disposition of earth in all the Children of her Wombe by such a Measure as she findes fitting their qualitie she giues them either the grace of Nature or the glory of Reason While being the Mother of the Graces Shee giues them that holy Instruction that in the knowledge of the highest Loue thorough the pathes of Vertue makes a passage to Heauen Learning hath from her that knowledge without the which all knowledge is meere Ignorance while onely in the Grace of Truth is seene the Glorie of vnderstanding Knowledge hath from Her that Learning whereby she is taught the direction of her Loue in the way of life Vnderstanding hath from her that Knowledge that keepes Conceit alwaies in the Spirits comfort and Judgement from Vnderstanding that Rule of Iustice that by the euen waight of Impartiality shewes the hand of Heauen in the heart of Humanitie in the Heauens She keepes the Angels in their orders teacheth them the Natures of their Offices and emploies them in the seruice of their Creator in the Firmament She walkes among the Starres sets and keepes them in their places courses and operations at her pleasure She ecclipseth the light and in a Moment leaues not a Clowde in the â—kie in Her Thunders and Lightenings she shewes the Terror of the Highest Wrath and in Her temperate Calmes the patience of his Mercy in her frostie Winters she shewes the weaknes of Nature and in her Sunny Springs the Recouery of Her health in the Louers of this world liues no part of her purenesse but with Her beloued She makes a Heauen vpon Earth in the King she shewes her Grace in his Councell her Care and in his State her Strength in the Souldior she shewes Vertue the truest Valor in the Lawier Truth the Honor of his Plea in the Merchant Conscience the wealth of his Soule and in the Church-man Charity the true fruit of his Deuotion She liues
in the World but not the worlds Loue for the Worldes vnworthinesse is not capable of her worth Shee receiueth Mammon as a gift from his Maker and makes him serue her vse to his Glory She giues Honor Grace in Bounty and manageth wit by the Care of discretion She shewes the Necessity of difference and wherein is the happinesse of Vnitie Shee puts her Labor to prouidence her hope to patience her life to her Loue and her Loue to her Lord with whom as chiefe Secretary of his secrets she writes his will to the World and as high Steward of his Courts she keepes Account of all his Tenaunts in Sum so great is her Grace in the Heauens as giues her Glory aboue the Earth and so Infinite are her Excellencies in all the Course of her Action and so Glorious are the Notes of her Incomprehensible Nature that I will thus onely Conclude farre short of her Commendation She is Gods Loue and his Angells Light his Seruants Grace and His Beloueds Glory Learning LEarning is the life of Reason and the Light of Nature where Time Order and Measure square out the true Course of Knowledge where Discretion in the Temper of Passion brings experience to the best fruite of Affection while both the Theoricke and the Practicke labour in the life of Iudgement till the perfection of Art shew the Honor of vnderstanding She is the keie of knowledge that vnlocketh the Cabinet of Conceit wherein are laide vp the Labours of Vertue for the vse of the Schollers of Wisedome where euery gratious Spirit may finde matter enough worthy of the Record of the best Memory She is the Nurse of Nature with that Milke of Reason that would make a Childe of Grace neuer lie from the Dugge Shee is the Schoole-mistris of Witte and the gentle Gouernor of Will when the Delight of vnderstanding giues the Comfort of Study She is vnpleasing to none that knowes her and vnprofitable to none that loues her She feares not to Wet her feete to Wade thorough the Waters of Comfort but comes not neere the Seas of Iniquitie where folly drownes Affection in the delight of Vanity She opens her Treasures to the Trauailers in Vertue but keepes them close from the Eies of Idlenesse She makes the King Gratious and his Councell Iudicious his Clergie Deuout and his Kingdome prosperous She giues Honor to Vertue Grace to Honor Reward to Labor and Loue to Truth She is the Messenger of Wisedome to the mindes of the Vertuous and the Way to Honor in the Spirits of the Gratious She is the Store-house of Vnderstanding where the Affection of Grace can not want Instruction of goodnesse while in the Rules of her directions Reason is neuer out of square She is the Exercise of Wit in the application of Knowledge and the preseruer of the vnderstanding in the practise of Memory In briefe she makes Age honorable and youth Admirable the vertuous wise and the wise gracious Hir Libraries are infinite hir lessons without number hir instruction without comparison and hir Schollers without equalitie In briefe finding it a laborinth to go through the grounds of hir praise Let this suffice that in all Ages shee hath been and euer will be the Darling of wisdome the delight of wit the study of vertue and the stay of knowledge Knowledge KNowledge is a Collection of vnderstanding gathered in the grounds of Learning by the instruction of Wisdome Shee is the exercise of Memory in the actions of the Minde and the imployer of the Senses in the will of the Spirit shee is the Notary of Time and the tryer of Truth and the labour of the Spirit in the loue of Vertue shee is the pleasure of wit and the paradise of Reason where Conceit gathereth the sweet of Vnderstanding She is the Kings councellor the Councells grace Youths guarde and Ages glory It is free from doubts and feares no danger while the care of Prouidence cuts off the cause of Repentance shee is the enemy of Idlenesse and the maintayner of Labour in the care of credit and pleasure of profit shee needs no aduice in the Resolution of Action while Experience in obseruation findes perfection infallible It cleares Errors and cannot be deceiued corrects Impuritie and will not bee corrupted Shee hath a wide eare and a close mouth a pure eye and a perfect heart It is begotten by Grace bred by Vertue brought vp by Learning and maintainde by Loue shee conuerseth with the best capacities and communicates with the soundest Iudgments dwells with the diuinest Natures and loues the most patient dispositions Hir hope is a kind of Assurance hir faith a continuall expectation hir loue an apprehension of Ioy and hir life the light of Eternitie Hir labours are infinite hir wayes are vnsearcheable hir Graces incomparable and hir Excellencies inexplicable and therefore being so little acquainted with hir worth as makes me blush at my vnworthinesse to speake in the least of hir praise I will onely leaue hir aduancement to Vertue hir honour to Wisdome hir grace to Truth and to Eternitie his glory Practise PRactise is the Motion of the Spirit where the Sences are all set to worke in their Natures where in the fittest employment of Time Reason maketh the best vse of vnderstanding Shee is the Continuance of knowledge in the Ease of Memory and the Honor of Resolution in the effect of Iudgment Shee plants the Spring and reapes the Haruest makes labour sweet and patience comfortable Shee hath a foot on the earth but an eye at heauen where the prayer of faith findes the felicitie of the Soule in the fruit of Charity she shewes the nature of Devotion and in the Mercy of Iustice the Glory of gouernment Shee giues Time honour in the fruit of Action and Reason grace in the application of knowledge She takes the height of the Sunne walkes about the world sounds the depth of the Sea and makes her passage thorough the waters She is ready for all occasions attendeth all persons works with all instruments and finisheth all actions Shee takes Invention for her teacher makes time her seruant method her direction and place her habitation Shee hath a wakefull eye and a working braine which fits the members of the body to the seruice of the spirit Shee is the Physitians agent and the Apothecaries benefactor the Chirurgions wealth and the Patients patience Shee brings time to labor and care to contentment learning to knowledge and vertue to honour in Idlenesse shee hath no pleasure nor acquaintance with Ignorance but in Industry is her delight and in vnderstanding her grace Shee hath a passage thorough all the Predicaments shee hath a hand in all the Artes a property in all professions and a qualitie in all conditions in briefe so many are the varieties of the manners of her proceedings as makes me fearefull to follow her too farre in obseruation lest being neuer able to come neere the height of hir commendation I be inforced as
and most abused by folly He carrieth both the sworde and the scepter for the vse both of Iustice and Mercie He is present in all Inuention and can not be spared from Action He is the Treasury of Graces in the Memory of the wise and bringes them forth to the world vpon Necessity of their vse He openeth the windowes of Heauen to giue Light vnto the Earth and spreades the cloake of the Night to couer the Rest of labor He closeth the Eie of Nature and waketh the spirit of Reason he trauelleth thorough the minde and is visible but to the Eie of Vnderstanding He is swifter then the winde and yet as still as a Stone pretious in his right vse but perilous in the contrarie He is soone founde of the carefull Soule and quickly mist in the want of his comfort he is soone lost in the lacke of Emploiment and not to be recouered without a world of Endeuour he is the true mans peace and the Theeues perdition the good mans blessing and the wicked mans curse He is knowne to be but his being vnknowne but only in his being in a being aboue knowledge he is a Riddle not to be read but in the circumstance of description his name better knowne then his nature and hee that maketh best vse of him hath the best vnderstanding so him he is like the study of the Philosophers stone where a man may see wonders and yet short of his Expectation shee is at the Inuention of warre Armes the Souldier Maintaines the quarrell and makes the Peace Hee is the Courtiers Play-fellow and the Souldiers Schole-master the Lawyers Gaine and the Merchantes Hope His life is Motion and his loue Action his honor Patience and his glory perfection He masketh Modestie and blusheth Virginitie honoreth Humilitie and graceth Charitie In Summe finding it a world to walke thorough the wonder of his Worth I will thus briefely deliuer what I finde truely of him Hee is the Agent of the Liuing and the Register of the dead the direction of God and a great Worke-master in the world Death DEATH is an ordinance of God for the subiecting of the world which is limited his time for the correction of Pride in his substance he is nothing being but onely a depriuation and in his true description a name without a nature He is seene but in a picture heard but in a tale feared but in a passion and felt but in a pinch He is a terror but to the wicked and a skar-crow but to the foolish but to the wise a way of comfort and to the godly the gate of life He is the case of paine and the end of sorrow the liberty of the imprisoned and the ioy of the faithfull it is both the wound of sinne and the wages of sinne the Sinners feare and the Sinners doom He is the Sextons agent and the Hangmans reuenue the rich mans dirge and the Mourners merry-day Hee is a course of time but vncertaine till hee come and welcome but to such as are weary of their liues It is a message from the Physitian when the Patient is past cure and if the writ be well made it is a supra sedeas for all diseases It is the heauens stroke and the earths Steward the follower of sicknesse and the forerunner to Hell In summe hauing no pleasure to ponder too much of the power of it I will thus conclude my opinion of it It is a stinge of sinne and the terror of the wicked the crowne of the Godly the staire of vengeance and a stratagem of the Deuill Faith FAITH is the hand of the soule which layeth hold of the promises of Christ in the mercy of the Almighty Shee hath a bright eye and a holy eare a cleare heart and a sure foot shee is the strength of Hope the trust of Truth the honour of Amitie and the ioy of Loue shee is rare among the sonnes of men and hardly found among the daughters of weomen but among the sonnes of God she is a conueyance of their inheritance and among the daughters of Grace she is the assurance of their portions Hir dwelling is in the Church of God hir conuersation with the Saints of God her delight with the beloued of God and her life is in the loue of God shee knowes no falshood distrusts no Truth breakes no promise and coines no excuse but as bright as the Sunne as swift as the winde as sure as the rocke and as pure as the gold she lookes towards heauen but liues in the world in the soules of the Elect to the glory of Election she was wounded in Paradise by a dart of the Deuill and healed of her hurt by the death of Christ Iesus shee is the poore mans credit and the rich mans praise the wisemans care and the good mans cognizance In summe finding her worth in words hardly to be expressed I will in these few words onely deliuer my opinion of her Shee is Gods blessing and mans blisse reasons comfort and vertues glory Feare FEARE is a fruit of sinne which droue the first Father of our flesh from the presence of God and hath bred an imperfection in a number of the worse part of his posteritie It is the disgrace of nature the foile of reason the maime of wit and the slur of vnderstanding It is the palsie of the Spirit where the Soule wanteth faith and the badge of a Coward that cannot abide the sight of a sword It is weaknesse in nature and a wound in patience the death of hope and the entrance into despaire It is childrens awe and fooles amazement a worme in conscience and a curse to wickednesse In briefe it makes the Coward stagger the Lyer stammer the Thiefe stumble and the Traitor start It is a blot in Armes a blur in Honour the shame of a Souldier and the defeat of an Army FINIS