sword-play whither more accepted â—or the show or profit of it â—s the furtherance of skâ—â—l in â—ighting For who can deny that skillfull art of striking with the â—word or auoyding the blowes which were aimed at him â—s a thing appertaining to the military arâ— this the Graecians the Romanes and euery Nation hardâ— in armes haue sought afteâ— with great intention But now they fâ—ght not as eâ—clâ—sed and 〈◊〉 in the preâ—â—e of an army as warâ—s are madâ— but as it were in the freedomâ— of an open theater they trauâ—â—se their groâ—nd â—hey shift their bodies with all agâ—lity and by safe proffers of the hand and gâ—ances of the eye they deceiue 〈◊〉 her 〈◊〉 doe rather as euery man may see enable â—heir mâ—â—deâ—ous cruelty vpo◠〈◊〉 hatreds then instruâ—t themselues in a pious 〈…〉 of thâ—â—r country and â—ow their rage â—uen betweene friends and kindred â—ulâ—â—leth the height of madnesse and all impiety Kinsmen and most familiar acquaintance vpon noe heinous iniuries but vaine exceptions at idle wordes or almost for nothing are engaged in quarrels and embrued in each others blood and which you may iustly censuâ— the highest degree of madnesse they fight not onely â—pon their owne iniuries but wickedly enterpose themselues into the quarrels of others and engaged in hatâ—eds which belong not vnto them they sacâ—iâ—â—ce themselues and the dearest of their friends For they freely goe when by these men which are to fight and aâ—e loth to die alone they are 〈◊〉 to thâ—s mortail play as it â—ere to a suppâ—â— recreation and there doe 〈◊〉 doubt to 〈…〉 should be neere and deare to man out of a most foolish desire of fame that they may bee sayd with a great contempt of life to haue gon into the field that is to â—aue vndertaken a most horrid cruelty out of a barbarous ignorance of true valour But these euils and whatsoeuer else haue crept into the dispositions of the French may be well excused for the vertues of those men whom the maturity of age or weight of iudgement doth soe temper as that they are not carryed away with their country-vices There is in them a wonderfull cuâ—tesie not feigned nor trecherous to ensnare them whom they court with friendship they are free from decâ—it and secret hatreâ—s they are free to entertaine all who desire their acquaintance aâ—d society and respectiue of all men according to their degrees and rankes It is enough for a forreiner which is admitted into their company to preserue their friendship if he keepe himselfe from open villay and too absurd foâ—y soe that in other places thou had'st neede haue a care of other men disposâ—â—ons least they â—urt thee but among true and accomplished Freâ—chmen to keepe thy selfe from giuing offence Nor is theiâ— any thing more happy in humane society then the maâ—ly sweetâ—esse oâ— such compleat company The Fourth Chapter BRITTAINE THe greatnesse of Brittaine though it bee an Island of large extent and exposed to many and different seas may be rather esteemed by the seuerall and vnlike manners of her inhabitants then by the names and harbours of soe many shores As if in the Ocean Britâ—aâ—â—e alone were another world all kinde of dispositions are to bee found in her inhabitants There is not a fayrer Island 〈◊〉 the whole world Sicily Crete and Cyprus though they haue all carryed the state and names of Kingdomes if they were all ioyned into one 〈◊〉 were not able eyther in circuit or wealth to equall Brittaine Being in former times a valiant Nation they gaue occasion of many fabulous stories which by forreyne wits and languages were commonly written and read as if nothing could be fained soe strange but might be atchieued by the people of Brittaine it was once diuided into nine Kingdomes But afterward by continuall warrs and frequent leagues those Monarchies and their bounds were often changed vntill at the last the whole Island became subiect to three Princes The colonyes of Saxony whom we call English are gathered together vnder the felicity of one sâ—epter the reliques of the old Brittaines which constantly cleare to the Cambrian Mountaines and are cal'ed 〈◊〉 Thirdly the Scots inhabiting the North part of the Island to whom a remnaut of the Picts who were almost â—ooted out haue ioyned themsâ—lues But Wales in a shoâ—t time vnable in warre to resist the strength of all England was ioyned to that scepter The Scots though despairing euer to bee able to conquer England yet disdaining to yeeld vnto it as an argument of lasting aemulation contended with the English not more stiffely by warre then by a different and auerse Nature from them vntill the fates condemning at last this peâ—nicious â—mulation conioyned them both vnder one King by whose spirit as it were the whole Island is now vnited in one body England abounding in rich pastures and ground fruitfull in procreation of diuerse and different trees doth euery where delight the eyes of the beholders with a most beautifull verdancy the easie and free encrease of fruite doth nourish the sloth of the common people The fertile and fat grounds doe euery where yeild such abundance of pasture for horses and bullocks as sufficeth the perpetuall greedinesse of those beasts in other places where the ground is dryer and clothed with short grasse it feedeth innumerable flockes of sheepe excusing the barrennesse of the soile with an incredible profit which is made of wooll not the sharpnes of winter vnlesse perchance it prooue harder then vsuall doth driue their cattell which are euer accustomed to the open ayre into stalls or houses They are vsually contented with open sleepes in the cold fields and such pasture as the moderate warmth of the winter doth nourish For the winters are not there so sharpe as the climate and neerenesse of the North would make vs imagine when in France where it is neerely opposite to the coast of Brittaine the winters are extreme and much more rigid in the ayre of Holland In so great an indulgence and fauour of the ayre the grounds of Brittaine doe with great ease receiue and foster the seedes of all fruite They haue tall Baytrees and Rosemary which is precious in many countries by reason of the care in planting and preseâ—uing of it is there common and growing oftentimes in hedges as a fence for gardens The country is able to foster vines and bring grapes to full ripenesse For the pleasant fruitfull mountaines oâ— Kent and Hampsâ—ire with other places situated to the South or East had heretofore vinâ—yards which afterwards they omitted to cherish by reason of the commodity of 〈◊〉 there and the cheapnesse of wine transported from Aquitance Wolues also are rooted out of that part of the country and doe not vexe the flocks of Sheepe which freely graâ—e and often times without the guard of a dogge For the diligence of their forefathers when the rage of wolues was exceeding fierce and deceiued or wearied the care of the shepheards rooted out by great
call â—anizariâ—s discontinued from the exercise of true warre in idlenesse and city-delights are growne to a mutinous but 〈◊〉 boldnesse Hence the proud souldiers beginne to lose their discipline as not fit to endure 〈◊〉 labour or felicity There were the 〈◊〉 that made the Romans there to 〈…〉 But those of them which gouerne Aegypt especially the 〈◊〉 at Great-Caâ—re do with great praise exercise the glory of their old warfare for remooâ—ed farre from Court they are exercised to daily labours incurbing those troopes of robbers which from the mountaine-tops vse to make rodes into the valleyes But these souldiers valiant onely against a troope of flying theeues and yeelding enemies if they should fall vpon the strengâ—h of our armies would perhaps vse the 〈◊〉 of their horses in which they excell not so much for battell as for their owne safety by flight That vse of the bow the specâ—all strength of the Turke which was once so formidable to the world is now neglected I suppose because this art cannot bee attained without much 〈◊〉 and labour of the body and at this day the souldiers spoyled with â—ase and discipline ceasing will not buy valour at so deare a rate Their bowes are short and cannot be bent but by those that are skilfull but they discharge their arrowes with much more violence then our 〈◊〉 do their leaden bullets We saw indeed and could scarce credit our owne eyes a piece of 〈◊〉 three inches thicke pierced by a little arrow And no lesse wonder was it that a shalt wanting an iron head shot from a bow thorow the body of an indifferent tree appeared at both sides This art was taught to a man of great account among vs when hee was at Constantinople by an old souldier of Sclymans who confessed that skill by the slothfulnesse of his fellowes was quite lost and that there were scarâ—e three in that vast Empire which were carefull to preserâ—e in themselues that fortitude of their ancestours hee sayd the rest had weake bowes and onely dangerous to light-armed men If wee would make vse of the benefit of God and their vices what were more easy then at this time to 〈◊〉 those wealthy Prouinces out of their barbarous hands their oâ—dâ—ury which they accounted valour being now forgotten This do those poore Christians who groane vnder the yoake of their barbarous tyranny expect froÌ„ vs being a great multitude but destitute of armes and leaders this â—ur temples and rites of religion which they wickedly haue abolished and lastly humanity extinguished and countries once richly tilled now rude and desart nor euer vnlesse by our aide able to regaine their old lustre But if any be discouraged to thinke of so many attempts and so much wealth heretofore vainely wasted whilst our ancestours striued to redeeme Syria Palestine and Agypt out of the hands of Saracens and as often with great forces taking expeditions against the Turkes let him consider that they were more vanquished by emulation among themselues then by those enemies To let passe the Grecian Princes who were alwaies ill affected to our Western soldiers how often haue wee by vnprofitable hatred wasted our owne strength against our selues It were not fit to shame this age with late examples nor curiously to rehearse old calamities The mortall dissensions of the French and English in those warres shall bee argument enough of griefe and caution Richard the first King of England surnamed Cor de-lion led an Army into Syria and hauing reuenged the wrongs which Cyprus had done him hee had driuen the Souldan to extreme feares who was aduising to deliuer vp Ierusalem and so make peace with the Christians when loe Philip King of France surnamed Augustus returning himselfe from Syria ill affected to King Richard marched with his army into Normandy Normandy was then vnder the crowne of England and assaulting his townes some he tooke by force others by feare and faction So King Richards intent on the publike quarrell of Christendome was called home into Europe to preserue his owne estate and the Saracens at that time were by meanes of the French deliuered from the Christian army who were afterwards beholding to the English for the like benefit For scarce an age after when Philip of Valois King of France with all the strength of his Kingdome was bent vpon this Pious warre there came to ioyne with him the Kings of Nauarre Arragon and Bohemia and many besides whom eyther the strength of their kingdomes or the holynesse of the warre had inuited Their Fleete lay at anchor which carried forty thousand armed men and victuall for three yeeres their army to march by land was 300000. men But this so great preparation and hope of the Christian world was quite hindered by Edward the third King of England who at that time began to lay claime to the crowne of France as the inheritance of Isabel his mother So haue we turned our strength against our owne bowels and vanquished by ourselues haue giuen triumphs to Turkes and Saracens These are most sad chances but great is the comfort that wee haue yet strength enough to destroy that barbarous Monarchy Nor need all the Christian Princes so 〈◊〉 in this there are many of them that are alone sufficient to gaine this victory Wee neede no innumerable Army nor a Fâ—eet to oreâ—pread the wide Ocean A man of singular iudgement and prowesse and by long experience well acquainted with the Turkish affaires was not affraid to promise to his King that if hee would giue him a Fleete and an Army of thirty thousand with pay for two yeeres and victuall for a yeere hee would reduce vnder his dominion Peloponnesus 〈◊〉 the greater part of Achaia which vnlesse he performed he desired that that Army which was committed to him should take punishment of him for deceiuing the King and by 〈◊〉 most cruell death reuenge the rashnesse of his vaine promise The same hope of victory there and scarce with so much charge not long since was giuen to a great King by a 〈◊〉 expert Captaine a man â—oth for dignity and blood worthy of the charge of so great an expedition But death 〈◊〉 his great designe and 〈◊〉 was whether by poyson or no. Both these Captaines grounded their hopes vpon the strength and warlike discipline of our souldiers the number of Christians there and their prayers imploring our armes to their reliefe and lastly the slothfulnesse of the Turkes who hold by no other title the fame of â—ortitude then 〈◊〉 memory of their ancestours not yet wholy expired But it was the aduice of those Captaines that this firebrand must be throwne into the enemies bosome and not stand to defend our owne bounds in which the greatest reward of victory is to remooue the enemy from our Countrey who will afterwards returne more fierce vpon vs But if subdued our owne bondage and our Countreyes is present and therefore they would not haue vs stay in Hungary but marching speedily to encampe our selues in
industry the whole race of them soe that the hardinesse of their cattell which are able to endure the open ayre in all seasons and the destruction of wolues doe bring vnto the people an inestimable wealth The inhabitants at ease and almost forgetting labour doe grow rich in victuals hides and fleeces as benefits which the ground of her owne bounty doth bestow vpon them They scarce take any paines at all in nourishing of saffron whereof they haue store and exceeding good the herbe it selfe not in reward of care and industry but of her owne accord opening and offering her treasure to them And that nothing might be wanting to soe prosperous a fortune they haue felt noe inuasion of forreyne souldiers for many ages home-bred commotions in this age are very seldome neither doe warrs euer long continue in England as in other Lands In the compasse of eight dayes many times are great insurrections begun and ended They warre with men not with houses and goods and commotions but fresh and newly risen are suddainly decided in set battells By reason of wealth so easily accrewing the carelesse and rich common people are not a little puffed vp Soe that neyther according to the vse of other Nations doe they humbly reuerence the dignity of their Nobles nor are they industrious or skillfull in handy-crafts by reason of their ease and plenty For those that are bound to any trade doe for the most part finish their apprentiship in seauen yeares after which time they are free of the company and then as if themselues were exempted from-labour they take other apprentices to be vnder them who after a short learning are employed as iourneymen They themselues not onely on solemne and festiuall daies but euery holy-day who would beleeue it doe freely take their ation and pleasure if it be faire weather in the fields adioyning or if it be rainy are merry in tauernes Which causeth a dull and vnskillfull trading trusted to the knowledge of their apprentices and the buyers are more peremptorily raised to greater prices that the worke of the apprentices and the idlenesse of the Masters may be soe maintained But yet notwithstanding some kindes of workmanship wrought both with industry and most exact skill and highly prized through the whole world doe sufficiently declare that in that country there is noe fault in the climate to dull their wits but too much abundance to make them idle For as for the stirring vp of wits and cherishing of Arts too cruell and rigorous a gouernment is not at all good too much depressing the mindes of the people and dulling them with despaire soe too plentifull and wanton a fortune which intendeth labour but onely as it were in recreation and sport can neuer raise the industry and ability of the common people to an exact diligence and skill in Arts. There are noe tributes payed any where in that great Kingdome nor stations of Publicans in Cities or the passages of bridges except only in those places where shipping is set forth into forreyne countries For they are strictly tyed to make acknowledgement vnto those who are fanners of the Kings customs of all Merchandise whatsoeuer is brought into the Kingdome or carried out But the pride of the common people is not more bitter and distastfull towards strangers then towards their owne gentry who account themselues equall almost to the best and ancientest of them By which pride of the clownes the gentlemen doe suffer in some sort for the richnesse of their country and are brought almost into an hatred of that pretious cause of their indignation They are all in generall greaâ— honorers of the Nobility which is confined within the small number of those whom they call Lords Those are Dukes Marquesses Earles and Barons all the sonnes of Dukes and Marquesses and the eldest sonnes of Earles in equall honour with these the piety of their ancestors hath placed Bishops To these Noblemen it is not thought a disparagement for any tostoope to the lowest seruice and the Nobles vnderstand well enough that the people seated as it were on the ground doe behold with admiration their height nor are those dignities bought by the common people for money but descend to their heires by right of inheritance or new Noblemen by the grant of the King are aduanced into those degrees and that you may not thinke it a vaine title many Lawes and priuiledges doe encrease the respect of those high names For if it happen that a Lord be in debt and not able to pay the creditours can haue no law to attach his body though the bodies of other debtors euen before iudgement are imprisoned in England But this is a greater and more glorious priuiledge that Noblemen being accused of the greatest crimes as namely treason to their country are notwithstanding free from the racke the maâ—â—ers of the law would not haue it imagined that truth if noâ— otherwise could bee forced from them by racking or torment The English for the most part graue of retired spirits and fit for counsell they admire themselues and the manneâ—â— wits and dispositions of their owne Nation When they silute or write letters they scorne to descend to complements of feined seruice which the flattery of these ages haue brought vp vnlesse it be these which are infected with forreyne behauiour The people are studious of sea-businesse nor is there any stronger defence of that great Island then the diligence of soe many saylers They are as good souldiers by land as by sea especially when they are accustomed to another ayre and haue tasted of forreyne diet which whilest it is nouelty to them they affect with too much greedinesse For those inconueniences of gurmundizing haue beene often the consumption of aâ—mies brought from Brittaine And when that Nauy which was sent by Queene Elizabeth arriued on the shores of Portugall and had wasted the country and defeated their enemies the immoderate heate and the sweetenesse of apples and berries which that climate afforded destroyed almost the whole army They contemne all dangers and death it selfe with more courage then iudgment and hence it comes that they are the best souldiers when they are gouerned by wise captaines but when they goe on of their owne accord possessed with the blindnesse of that desperate valour they haue reason after sad defeates to accuse themselues more then their ill fortune In the late warrs of the Low-countries some souldiers of the Spanish party were taken by the Hollanders and were to be hanged in requitall of the enemies cruelty who had vsed their prisoners in the like manner But the Hollanders did not intend to execute them all Of foure and twenty for soe many were taken prisoners eight onely were appointed to bee hanged and the rest to escape with life There were lots therefore throwne into a helmet and the prisoners were commanded to draw their fortunes whosoeuer should draw a blanke was to escape death but whosoeuer should draw a blacke lot was
in that spacious country are very many but the reâ—enewes diuided among the brothers or male kindred of a Family doe by that meanes grow many times â—â—e differences in diuiding Prouinces or Principalities and in parting priuate estates and patrimonies In that manner the Dukedome of Saxony was in this age diuided among many brothers and because it was a hard matter those that were skilfull in the lawes and customes of the country were by their command assembled together To whom as they sate in counsell and the brothers were contending about their right a fellow of somewhat a distracted minde but such a one as vsed to delight the hearers with his harmelesse and pleasant madnesse came in among them The eldest brother of the Saxon Duke looking vpon this fellow for hee had vsed his Court and waited at his table wâ—â—t thou also quoth he giue thy opinion concerning this diuision of the State why should I not answered the fellow vpon which they were all in expectation to heare some ridiculous and pleasant iest from the mad-man and entreated him earnestly that his counsell might not bee wanting in soe great a matter But he denyed to beare any part in the consultation vnlesse they would giue him such a gowne as the Lawyers vsed to weare saying that with that gowne hee should put on wisedome with that a merrier Genius possessed them all insomuch that his Lord laughing heartily commanded a furrd gowne to hee brought out of his wardrope and put vpon him Which when the fellow had fitted well hee walked twice or thâ—ice about the roome and began to aske his Lord whither that garment became him well or not excellent well answered the Duke but now it remaines that thy wisedome should determine the controuersies that are betweene vs. Hee told them hee would presently bee ready for them but first he must retire a little into the next chamber and there hee would call some spirits of better wisedome to counsell with him When hee was retired thither hee shut the doore presently that noe man might enter to interrupt his witty knauery and putting off the gowne with a little sword which was girded about him hee cut it from the shoulders to the lowest hemm into long and slender slashes Then putting it on all ragged as it was he opened the doore and comming out to his Lord asked him againe how well that gowne did now become him anger had curbed his Lords laughter for the gowne which was soe spoyled was of great price Thou wretch quoth the Duke I will haue thee whipt for presuming soe madly to spoyle thy Lords gowne The fellow not at all affrighted answered them thus how ridiculous is it in you tâ— be soe extremely angry witâ— me when your selues are farr more dangerously mad thâ—â— gowne which I haue put on is the representation of your fortunes and much more foolishly doe you goe about to rent and spoile the Dukedome or Saxony then I haue done this garment Whilst it was whole it become met well and you laugh at it now it is thus mangled Soe Saxony vnited in one body doth flourish and is puissant in armes and wealth but when you haue rent it into many peeces noe man can vphold the ancient dignity The wealth of the Germane Princes besides some taxes and tributes are for the most part arising out of flockes and heards of cattell as alsoe out of the fertilty of the soyle which commonly they exercise with the voluntary not hired labour of the Boores. By this meanes they cannot certainely define their wealth and annuall reuenew which is to be valued according to the changeable price of come The Nobility haue a great and superstitious caâ—e of their pedigree and thinke that ancient blood is stained if it be marryed into aâ— lower or vpstart Family nor is such a slaine washed away in many generations For to a cleare testimony of Noble birth are required eight descents of ancestors in both lines which haue not at all beene tainted with this vnequall marriage In their discourses they haue certaine titles and formes of speech fitted to all conditions of man which they account it almost a sin eyther to neglect or came lesly confound nor doth any Nation vse more set formes ouerburdening euen the memory of those who from their child-hoods haue beene trained in that Art and superstitious distinction In that part of Belgia which is accounted in Germany are those Prouinces which heretofore by war marriages and successions were incorporated together vnder the house of Burgundy and afterwards transferred by marriage to the Spaniard and the chiefe strength of that Nation if they could as well obey the harsh commandâ— of their Prince being absent as they can honour him present in person with them Some of these people in this age complaining of hard vsage breaking the bonds of coÌ„cord by which they were tied both to their Prince and among themselues haue risen in soe great a storme as may well deserue to put all Europe into a feare In this commotion part of them by armes haue acquired their liberty the rest either mastered by power or detained by loyall reuerence of their ancient Lords continue still in obedience to their Prince Those that despising the Soueraignty of the Spaniard haue made themselues a free-State inhabite chiefly about the Ocean and are called by forreyne Nations Hollanders which was the chiefe Nation among them By a boldnesse necessary after their reuolt they haue giuen themselues to sea-affaires from whence they are growne to great strength and wealth searching all shores and infesting the Spanish Sea By this meanes their cities are encreased and their wealth by daily booties Auxiliary souldiers from France and England haue come vnto them by reason of that mutuall benefit which accrewes both to the aided and the aiders The other which remaine vnder the Spanish scepter taking also their name from one of then Proâ—inces are called through the world Flemmings But the people though thus distinguished into two Gouernements retaine the same Genius and dispositions Their wits are candid but made grosser as it were by the fault of the climate which yet they doe more depresse by the distemper of drinking whither this thirst bee kindled in them by the fortune of their situation and neighbour-hood of High Germany or by the manner of educating their infants For they giue to their infants to abâ—te their desire of milke whilst yet they hang at their mothers breasts bottles full of beere made after the fashion of a dugge That innocent and vncurious age oftentimes listing to the mouth the beere which comes soe slowly is delighted with the likenesse of sucking and keept from the wearisomnesse of idlenesse Nor is the thing without some profit if from their first growth onely you esteeme it For infants soe ordered are brought to haue strong bodies and full of cheerefull and wholsome iuyce But the perpetuall custome of drinking grows by soe vsing it into a perpetuall pleasure stirring
were both encamped against each other and the day appointed for fight when SCPIO the younger being sent by chance upon other businesse into Affrica came to the Campe of MASINISSA and enjoyed the sight of that great battaile he himselfe which way soever Fortune enclined was secure by the Majesty of the Roman name He went therefore up to the top of an hill to view the battell and there securely enjoyed the dangers of so many men And it seemed to him a matter of so ambitious a delight that he sayd none ever had had that fortune before him but onely IOVE from IDA and Neptune from Samâ—thracia who placed out of all danger beheld the battaile of the Greekes and Trejâ—nt The same may be sayd of this spectacle of the Courts Iudges than which nothing is more delightfull if thou stand without danger and have no need either to intreat or feare For thou mayst there grow pleasantly acquainted with the learned minds of Iudges as many of theÌ„ are such or else perceive their want of sence and eloquence in some causes and so give sentence upon the Iudges themselves Or if thou lovest to be among the trouble of the Court the very noyse of their running up and downe and different lookes some animated with feare some exulting with hopes wil so take up thy mind and eyes that thou wilt thinke thou beholdest a pleasant scene of humaine madnesse And especially the subtilty of the advocates whose eloquence is there at sale displaying it selfe in ostentation of Science and pompous language will be enough to give thee a delight sweet and not altogether idle which while thou enjoyest thou shalt notwithstanding with fearlesse sighes grieve sometimes for the miseries of others For the mindes and condition of the advocates as mankind doth turne even her aydes to her owne ruine are much changed from the first institution of officious Piety To pleade causes before the Iudges to accuse the guilty and defend poore Suppliants was once a magnificent and liberall office performed by those men to whom the commonwealth committed the highest charges in the Campe or Senate house POMPEY the Great stood not ofter in battell than before the Iudges and the first CAESAR'S although they had all power yet sometimes they chose rather to aide the accused by way of advocation than by the suffrage of their high authority And that magnificent function was so far from having any hire but glory that when afterward that right Nobility began to decline and Orators beganne to sell their paines lawes were made to forbid and brand with infamy such dangerous hires and afterwards when the publike vice had broken downe those barres also yet there was a meane set downe and a certain pension appointed for that mercenary eloquence But now when the world grew mad and suites did exceedingly increase that thriving and numerous nation are scarce enow for their clients who spoyle themselves to feede their owne dissentions But as all lawyers have one aime euery where to get wealth and fame so according to the qualitie of the Countries there are different studies and degrees by which they come to that end The especiall part of their knowledge is to understand the lawes not with a cleare and candid Genius such as they had which made those lawes but as they are perplexed with innumerable troublesome poins of subtlety To finde out somewhat in them whereby to delude the simplicity of them that goe plainely to worke is now esteemed the most glorious thing Among most nations those lawes which the Romans made for themselves and we call civill are now in force And because those lawes were founded by skilfull Authors they have strong diversity of learning in them and therefore the studie of them doth not onely store the wits of students with deepe and hard cases of right and fact but bestowes upon them a faire knowledge of antiquity which is most precious for the adorning of humane life and strong at least in pleading for ostentation But in those nations among whom lawes were made not according to the Roman wisedome but their owne municipall and sometimes barbarous decretalls there the unpleasant art of lawiers containes scarse any thing of humanity in it and unlesse it promised them gaine would be hatefull even to those that are the most studious in it For there the Lawyers dresse not their wits with the Roman and Graecian science or eloquence but sticking upon certain termes and contemplating the lawes sometimes for caution sometimes for deceit they scarce ever adorne or raise theyr mindes with purer learning England which has entertained the Muses and all studies of Learning in most stately houses and enriched them with great and high revenues as it were to perpetuate learning to Eternity cannot therefore adorne her Students of the Law with the humanity of Philosophy and the Roman eloquence because in her lawes there are no tracts and footsteps of the Roman law or learned antiquity They are conceived in the French tongue even that old French which wee now eyther neglect or laugh at in ancient Authors If there be any words in it which are now currant even those wordes by changing the accents and errour of pronuntiation they have made their owne Those that are Students in this law doe seldome regard any greater Science and for the most part doe not learne the elements of the Roman language It is thought enough for the learning of a lawyer to be able to reade over those old bookes and corrupt them in pronunciation The young students live in colledges ordained for those subtleties and by long time by conference with the ancients and experience are instructed in them for it is no small part of their age that will suffice to make them learned in an art so laborious and amplified by so many wits There is no more certaine way to riches in that Countrey For England quiet now from forreine warres is with almost as great a destruction given wholly over to Law contentions and seeing that the greatest Offices and Magistracies are ordained as rewards for that kind of learning no marvell it is if the noblest young men be taken with the study of it insomuch as there is scarce any house of Gentry but in suites can finde Lawyers of theyr owne kindred Those Lawyers as a badge of their profession doe weare long Gownes downe to their feet faced with theyr owne Cunâ—ies skinnes This is their weare at home and their ornament abroad nor doe they make any scruple of going in publike Booted their Spurres tearing their Gowne that beates against them But France in other vertues and vices doth instruct her advocates Some time they spend in the Vniversity professing the study of the Civill law There some with a happie Genius doe follow their learning others as if they were borne in a Lethargie But both of them oh the Times are capable as a promiscuous reward of the same honours and the same titles For those who