Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	ancient_a	company_n	great_a	79	3	2.1256	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20028	The defence of contraries Paradoxes against common opinion, debated in forme of declamations in place of publike censure: only to exercise yong wittes in difficult matters. Wherein is no offence to Gods honour, the estate of princes, or priuate mens honest actions: but pleasant recreation to beguile the iniquity of time. Translated out of French by A.M. one of the messengers of her Maiesties Chamber.; Paradoxes, ce sont propos contre la commune opinion. English. Selections	Estienne, Charles, 1504-ca. 1564.; Munday, Anthony, 1553-1633.; Landi, Ortensio, ca. 1512-ca. 1553. Paradossi.; Duval, Jean-Baptiste, d. 1632, attributed name.	1593 (1593)	STC 6467; ESTC S105222	52,873	110

to affirme that this worlde is a very Cage or mine of such people And if all they which holde of that race would suffer themselues to be written in the rowle or paper belonging to the Prince of fooles or bee registred in the Abbey of these happy people there should not neede so much strife and lawe for calling one another sot or foole For in sooth it is a name that may beseeme the very greatest and wisest in the worlde yea were it to the great king Salomon who albeit he only among the Hebrewes bare the title of wise yet beside that hee well deserued the name of a foole when he sacrifised to Idols and entertained so long such a great number of Concubines Also of this name were capable the seuen Sages whom ambitious and lying Greece vaunted to bring forth and nourish their actions and behauior Cicero affirmeth that whosoeuer will lightly runne ouer and cull them out shall finde them to be more full of follie then wit How many haue beene seene since the Creation of the worlde that haue escaped infinite daungers only by counterfeiting folly What might they more haue doone if they had beene fooles indeed when the onlye shaddowe was to them the cause of such good How many haue we knowne and heard of that haue beene absolued of theftes murders and other misdeeds by supposition that they indeed were fooles Thinke yee that heauen dooth customablye giue so faire and excellent priuiledges to others as to people diuine and celestiall The farther I wade in contemplation of follie the more pleasing I finde it and garnished with all faire commodities See howe a foole troubles him selfe with a kingdomes affaires or fortifiyng of a Cittye See what paine he puts himselfe to in gouerning an housholde or pertaking with one Prince or other yet notwithstanding we see such as are esteemed the wisest to iniury themselues heereby and wexe very olde with such molestations of the minde May it please ye to vnderstand the difference which I finde betweene the foole and wise man Regard the passions and affections in them both First of all the foole is not any thing curious in his meate or drinke neyther cares for fine decking and clothing himselfe they whom we call wise neuer haue enough and neuer are satisfied with the goods of this world neither can all humane industry or the very goddesse aboūdance with hir great Cornet suffice their insatiable desires Now iudge hereby which of these two come neerest the obseruation of Gods commandement who forbiddeth vs in his Gospell not to be carefull for our food or raiment Beside the foole makes no esteeme of honours and worldly dignities he contemns great preheminences refusing the places and seates honourable in magnificent companies Contrariwise they that holde themselues so wise seeke nothing at this day but worldly honour And to attaine superiour dignities they feare not to endure heat or cold they forget the discommoditie of great trauaile as also losse of rest by day and night to the hazard oftentimes of their liues so deerely beloued and by them held in such pretious account The foole feeles not himselfe prouoked with so many pricks of Fortune he meddles not with sights or combats he hath no Lawe-pleadings nor quarrels wherby to get or defend his goods he hath not such paine in attending on the Court as others haue to be entertained by one or other he yeelds not him self for the miserable requital of two or thre crowns a buckler to ten thousand bullets of shot musquets or harguebuzes he breaks not his neck in riding post after offices benefices or confiscations he languishes not in pursuing the loue or fauour of Ladies hee paies no taxe or tribute lastly he is not subiect to any one but liueth in perfect franchise and liberty He is permitted and licensed to speake what himselfe thinks good touching the dealings of Princes priuate persons without encurring thereby any danger of imprisonment or corporall punishment He hath no need of Rhethoricall cunning to make him selfe attentiuely listened vnto but bestowes on each one the ioyous pastimes of his meriments I stand in need of a whole sourse of eloquence wherewith I might thorowlie paint foorth and discipher the honest vertues of most pretious follie the contrary whereof hath beene cause of the punishing of an hundred thousand iniuries and of ouerthrowing the intelligence and actions of many great personages I find that Fortune hath euermore beene very carefull in bestowing perticular aide vpon fooles and defended them as her most deere children frō infinite perils and dangers Likewise wee see by experience that the greater part of fooles liue longer and more happily then the wise doe Wherefore should we thinke this to be so but because they giue not themselues to any melancholie neuer meddle with Lawe-causes debates or quarrels neither mollest themselues with matters publique or priuate which makes me say and affirm vnto ye that folly euen as Poesie is somewhat celestiall and filleth the hartes of her children with a certaine spirite of prophesie and diuine furie by meanes wherof they seeme agreeable to euery one and purchase very great esteeme and fauour in the eies of Princes You shall finde by experience that many great wealthy Lords turne their faces from company and conference with wise men yea such as are saide to haue the greatest learning that they may intertaine pleasure with a foole and commune familiarlie with him yea sometimes they will leaue their best and most auncient seruantes or fauorites to delight and bestow countenance on the first foole that comes before them Is it not maruellous that we shall neuer see a man of great knowledge indeede but hath some part of this pretious folly in him Though ye woulde produce neuer so many learned men or of what profession else so euerye please be they Philosophers Orators Painters Statuaries Musitians Builders yet they haue some tast heereof and generally all people of learning whatsoeuer Where shall yee finde one singular Poet at this day that doth not participate in this folly Euery one knoweth that the Poet deepest skild therein is accounted most excellent And if the greate Philosopher Plato had not had more then a reasonable portion of this diuine folly thinke yee that he had deliuered so many faire excellent matters which we haue at this day after his maner And yet you are ashamed to be accounted or called fools The inuenter of the Italian Cardes whereat they haue a play or pastime called Tarault did in my cōceit very ingeniouslie when he put the Deniers or monyes and Bastons or clubs in combate togither as the very encountring of force and iustice But yet he deserued more praise for giuing in this play the most honourable place to the foole as we do to the Ace which we should rather call Nars that in dutch signifieth a Foole. This deuiser well noted the great seruitude whereto they most commonly are subiect that couet a place

was slaine by the people of his owne countrey If I would stand to number all I shoulde vndertake one of Hercules labours specially to recite the misery of them that haue beene and euen nowe are to theyr paine glad to go seeke their fortune onely through the cause of learning Wherefore is it that a Cooke a Horse-keeper a Gardener or a Peazant shal be receiued more honorablie and better prouided for in the Courts of princes and great Lordes then shall a man of great wisedome It is because they receiue more profit by such fellowes then they do by curious students or labourers in letters the countenance and slender seruice of whom makes them in the Court so little regarded as they are but mocked at for euery worde so that if any one of them thinke to aduance himselfe in company by pronouncing three poore words of latine hardly can he haue opened his mouth but one is ready to call him maister of the Towne or School-maister of the Colledge which are wordes of no more regard by the report of themselues that vtter them then if one should call him poore and miserable wretch for that is vnderstood without the speaking as vnder the name of an vnthankefull man are comprehended all the faults that may be alleaged against him Did not one make a law that whosoeuer shoulde speake of letters should be greeuously punished and corrected And hee that shoulde touch a booke of what science soeuer shoulde haue his handes either burnt or cut off with perticuler forbiddings to euery one vnder the paine of hanging no more to vse paper inke pennes or inke-hornes with vtter abolishing of the artes of impression cutting grauing or other kind of stamp in what manner soeuer it should be to the end that learning being by this edict driuen forth of the sight and beholding of men by the same meanes might be preuented the vnhappinesse that from thence dailye ensueth aswell through the greeuous afflictions that learninges followers suffer in themselues as also in respect of the great daunger and losse in those places where the Academies are assembled of learnings schollers Better it is then to be ignorant then skilfull better to hate letters then so deerely to cherishe and loue them Moreouer our poore ignorant people shew not themselues astonied or confounded of whome God be praised I see a sufficient competent nūber and as it were infinite but they reioice and thanke God in their harts for the great Fortune happening to them by reason of their ignorance For they remember that when good Socrates was iudged generally and held by the Oracle to be wise then himselfe openly manifested to euery one that it was because he knewe nothing Likewise they forget not the goodly prouerbe of Saint Augustine that the simple are lifted on high and reioice the heauens but the learned with their curious lessons and sciences shall be ouerthrowne Lastly they call to mind that which was so highly said and reprooued to S. Paule by Festus the iudge that the multitude of Sciences and deepe knowledge in thinges oftentimes puts a man beside himselfe and carrieth him quite from all good sense For Blindnesse Declamation 4. That it is better to be blinde then to see cleerely IF we would in breefe compare the commodities of sight with the great hurts it brings to men we should finde on the one side all voluptuous delights and pleasures which daily ende in bitternes alienation of sense prouocation to enuie irritation and commotion against the heart and on the other side we should beholde the strength of spirit better imagination and contemplation of things high and heauenly with perfection of memorie which more excellently shewes it selfe to the blinde then to the cleerest sighted because that their light which is the force of mans vnderstanding is neither heere or there disorderly transported Now that memorie is the most noble part of the hart it is sufficiently made plaine vnto vs by the Testimony of Cicero in his Orator where hee calleth it the treasure of wisedome Also by the honour the Greeks haue doone thereto in naming it the mother of sapience Beside this that so many other persons knowing themselues to be depriued of naturall memorie in regard of the estimation they made therof inuented another called artificiall with very delicate and pretious oyles sundry emplaisters sirrops and drugs fetcht from very farre countries That the blinde are of farre better apprehension and imagination then the sharpest sighted it is too euident vnto vs if we woulde consider that the powers of the soule are in them more equallye assembled withall that they haue this speciall prerogatiue of not beholding so many deformed and dishonestactions which are daily to be seen in this world whereby their spirit might be alienated or turned from contemplation of high and heauenly matters First of all when a blinde man is led by his little lad along the streets he is free from beholding a multitude of counterfeited monsters people but halfe made by nature a thousand toyes on their heades their bellies all buttons holding vppe their nose and chins like puppets with other such like vaine heads so mishapen and deformed as Octauianus Augustus would call the very iestes and mockeries of Nature He is free from seeing so many troubled with palsies leprosies dropsies goutes falling euilles impotent with botches biles scabs blaines scurffes and such like What shall I say of the graces that blindnes brings to her children not suffering them to taste one only greefe or molestation but giues them leisure and commoditie of power at their owne ease to contemplate celestiall beawties and excellences diuine Heere of was the Philosopher Democritus so zealous that he made himselfe blind regarding firmelye and stedfastlie the sun that by the losse of his bodily eies he might recouer better vse of the eies of the minde and with more ease contemplate supernatural things which otherwise he coulde not so well intend when he vsed the obiects of this world which alwaies constrained him to continuall laughter Homer as blinde as he was was accounted held to be the most famous excellent Poet in all Greece Blindnesse neuer hindered Dydimus Alexandrinus but that most elegantly he attained the Greeke Latine languages and which is more a thing perhaps incredible he became very excellent in the mathematicall sciences Blindnes did no waie impeache Claudius Appius though he was very olde weak but he was daily seene in councell with the Senate of Rome where most prudentlie hee deliberated on the affaires publique and gouerned beside with great honour a mighty and innumerable family To be blinde no way offended Lippius albeit hee was a most perfect Oratour What was it the worse for Hānibal that he had lost one of his eyes did he therby loose one iote of courage but pursued the more furiously vpon the Romaines perswade your selues that if he had lost both his eyes he woulde haue beene a much more valiant Captaine

see vnder him quick-sandes quag-mires downe-fallings and most fearefull deepe places when he shall meete to beard him his most mortall enemie when he shall see himselfe mocked scorned and railed at with all vnseemely gestures both of mouth and hands Poor eies of howe many euils are ye the cause through your owne curiositie How many follies doe ye deliuer to the most milde and simple spirit only to troble the gratious rest thereof What letters written or what wordes engrauen are by yee represented to the poore hart to fill him full of all bitternesse Howe many gests and motions doe yee shew to the natural sense which soone after are the cause that man liueth in no quiet in his conscience How many dissimulations do ye note aswell in the Court as elsewhere vnder a counterfeit smile with a calfe-like made courtesie an Italian reuerence a Iudas-like kisse and embracing and a bare voice offering seruice Do ye not then account them happy that haue beleeued and neuer seene any of these things Vpon these speeches and reasons produced on my behalfe I leaue ye Gētlemen to set downe such iudgement as to you shall seeme best assuring my selfe very confidently that after all considerations ye will not diminish any part of my due right or equity For the Foole. Declamation 5. That it is better to be a foole than wise ALbeit the like matter which I am now to proue and defende hath beene already by two excellent men deliuered in this honourable assemblie and by them deliberated on to their aduantage It may please ye yet not to thinke it strange if in regarde of the occasion which this day offers it selfe I come as now to gleane and gather after them gone before if so be I can finde any thinge by them left or omitted either as vnaduisedlie or else if perhaps they had not prooues sufficient readie at hand to exchange in the cause For the firste aduertisement I will vse the aduise and opinion of the auncient Philosophers which was that to liue securely in this world they thought it best to vse the counterfeit shadowe of a foole and they saide that euen as he who hath some meane to counterfeit well a Prince Lorde or Gentleman can doe no lesse for the whyle but enter into the same trauaile solicitude cares paines and greefes as the person he imitates is subiect vnto so hee that in this world will sometimes cunningly disguise himselfe with the masque of folly as one may perceiue nothing else by him but euen natural foolery cannot in so dooing but participate with the happy partes and conditions of a foole which are of such sort as the very richest and best pleased in this worlde are not in any thing like or to be compared to them Witnesse a braue Gentleman a younger brother who by mishap that his elder brother woulde not impart liuings reasonably with him became a foole during which Fortune he had this imagination that all the ships which daily arriued in the Port of Diepe were his owne By meanes of which perswasion so soone as he vnderstoode of their comming thither he would walke before them a mile and more on the land vsing such kinde and cheerefull gestures to thē as by his words he seemed to thinke and assure himselfe that all the marchandize on boorde in the Hauen appertained to himselfe The like woulde hee doe when any ships departed thence to Sea eyther for Flaunders Spaine Portugall England or any other countrey he would vaile his bonnet to them a farre of recommending them to God wishing them faire winde a good voiage and speedy returne His euill hap at length was such that his brother in this time of folly returning from the warres at Bologna and seeing his brother come thus before him with such new manner of salutations greeuing as I thinke at this his happy state of life hee deliuered him into the handes of the most skilfull Physitians he coulde finde in the countrey by whose industrie the happy foole returned to his former disposition of good sense which made him afterward offended with his brother because he had depriued him of so great recreation of spirit which he confessed he receiued in his pleasing folly whereof he yet hauing some small remembrance affirmeth that neuer before or since that time he liued more ioyfully nor better agreeing with his owne mind In like manner is it not a thing highly to be commended to see a man of meane and base condition among the inferiour and abiect sorte of people by vertue of this braue kind of folly to enter into such an humour as to weene himselfe to be a Pope an Emperour a King a Duke or some great Prince or Lord And withal to feele in his heart the self-same affections and contentment of mind as accustomablie are felt by such as truely are constituted in those high dignities Hereof may beare record the Lackey of a Gentleman of Aniou who by the aide and comfort of his fortunate folly imprinted in his minde the pontifical dignitie for the administration wherof at a certain hower of the day which he had obtained by licence of his maister he would locke himselfe apart into a chamber with his confederates and instructed companions who notwithstanding they mocked him yet tooke great pleasure therein and there after his owne mind would he appoint a Consistorie lyke vnto little children that in their pastimes doe counterfeit the actions of the very greatest personages dispatch Bulles giue benefices create Cardinals send embassades in briefe he would doe al that he imagined beseemed a Pope and when the houre was expired he would returne to his wonted seruice Thinke ye that he which walked thorow Paris notwithstanding he was all dirtie bedagled yet supposing himselfe to be a Cardinall or Legate deserued no esteeme in his owne conceit Hee that named himselfe to be a Prophet He that preached wrote himselfe the father of Caine He that saide he was of the lynage of Zabulon And another who with his Scepter Crowne of gold glistering thought himselfe to be an Emperour Thinke ye not I say that such as these are highly contented in minde more perhaps then if they were such as they ween themselues to be What thinke ye of Villemanoche whoe expected the kings daughter in marriage and would complaine in all companies where hee came what wrong was doone him in that they delaied his marriage so long Deeme yee not such fooles haue as much or rather more pleasure in these imaginations then such as rightlye are placed in those dignities They haue as much by these meanes in that they partake not in the molestations which ofte are found in the high estates of great personages being not trobled with gouerning the traine belonging to theyr huge houses I cannot well conceiue the cause why some are so suddenly waspishe when they are called fooles it may be said that they forget the number hath beene alwaies infinite wherby some haue dared

sought for in this world were to enuie one another who shoulde bee most liberall courteous and affable For this cause Dioclesian was praised esteemed among the wise men of his time when by his modestie he deigned to make refusall of the Romain Empire which then was farre greater and better prouided then euer it had beene before in imitation of whom many other great persons haue since beene moued to doe the like Such an one was the Vnckle to great king Charlemaine who became a Monke at Mont Cassin where hee liued the remainder of his yeares most holy and religiouslie drawing by his example to the like many Barons and great Lordes of the Realme of France Antiochus King of Syria being by the Romaines depriued and deposed from the iurisdiction which he had by the mountaine Taurus came and rendered sollemne thanks therefore to the Senate commending them because heereby he found himselfe well deliuered and disburdened of such a great weightie molestation Heracleus and Galerian in like manner eased discharged themselues from the superioritie rule they had ouer the people gaue their delight altogither to the pleasure of husbandrie And why hath not the like minde continued since then in the harts of our Noble men to this instant What mean our wise men that they disswade not the fansies of great Lordes from this endlesse heate and desire of rule which bringeth nothing else therewith but an ouer-feruent and ambitious will That it is so looke where such couetous and ambitious men beare sway there is slender iustice the rich eate the poore and the Nobles out-rage the Peasants The Inhabitants of the Isle Taprobane hadde in mine opinion a very worthye and commendable custome when they vsed to elect for their Prince and Gouernour such an one among them whom they had knowne and had proofe of a long time to bee a true desirer of the profit of their weale publique and him likewise by right and semblable order they would againe deiect and depose if by any meanes he swerued or changed from his right course I haue heard that they of Dace and Bohemia went very neere this custome but it came to passe that since those times they coulde not make choise of any better I could wish that such as deserue the gouernement of Signiories and common weales shoulde be drawne and compelled thereto as it were perforce and by the same meanes the gate to be barred against couetousnesse greedinesse ambition violence and deceipt But what makes me speake thus Marie because I haue knowne in Italie certaine Lordes gouernors of the people to lead their liues after a very strange course or manner bearing capitall hatred to their poore subiects Lords that haue had no other care but heere and there licentiouslie to reuell and dishonour the very honestest maidens in their iurisdiction drawing them violentlie by meanes of certaine ruffians which they entertaine as hounds onely for this vile purpose forth of the best houses in their townes and Cittyes Poore blinde men destitute of naturall sense is this the manner your elders taught ye whereby to rule and guide your subiects Was it thus that the good Lordes of times past the vertuous Princes as well Ecclesiasticall as secular whom Homer woulde so honourably call pastors of the people were wont to doe This so beast-like and dishonest custome doth it any iote sauour of true Christianity They are no pastors that commit such insolencies they are rauening wolues and destroyers of all humane societie Some are to be found in Italie and else-where to whom is publikely giuen this faire report that they dilligently enquire after their people not to chastise or reforme their vices and bad behauior but contrariwise to enquire secretlie who amongest them hath the best pursse and after knowledge thereof seeke some couerture to make them lose their goods subborning false witnesses against them who without any reason shal enforme false plaints or quarrels against them or else by greeuous iniuries and outrages prouoke them to vndertake Armes where likwise false villaines appointed for the nonce taking some intended cause of offence presently informe or complaine against them and hauing seazed on their bodies afterward by these means their riches comes into the Lordes hand who vnder coulour of iustice causeth them to be condemned by Iudges in greeuous paines and amercements so getting subtillie yet with some colour of excuse their goods by way of confiscation Crueltie well beseeming a Tragedie and which since the creation of the world was neuer the like heard of A Baron of Lombardie one day made this brag as for a great proofe and example of his singular vertue prowesse that not long before he had gotten the spoile of one of his mightiest subiects emptiyng his Garners seazing on his goods perforce proceeding euen to the imprisonment of his body The matter obiected against him by forged witnesses at the Lordes appointment was that he had runne the Hare and flowne the Partridge vpon his land albeit the poore honest Gentleman was more readie to chase a good piece of Beefe then Hares and had neuer run farre of neere after strange beastes or birds Yet notwithstanding this good deed the honest minded Baron which matter most of all displeaseth me would make profession of sanctitie religion and deuotion Lord God that thy patience is thus great nor is it without great reason that thou art called full of patience and longanimitie seeing that so sweetly thou endurest the dealings of these so cruel and insupportable monsters brought forth borne on the earth only to consume and deuoure thy poore people Assure ye that I haue seene in the kingdome of Naples many monsters of this fashion and nature hauing harts like Lions and nailes like Griffons to whome nothing seemed impossible concerning inhumanity and impietie And with these few examples I am constrained to content my selfe without spending time to bring ye other proofes for defence of this present occasion because the greefe I both find and feele in rehearsing these enormities driueth me into ouer great affliction making my hart so weake and feeble as all the residue of my vitall powers want their helping vse Now in truth let vs thus reason a while What is he who will denie that such deedes and behauiour of life is not sufficient to prouoke the anger of God against vs And to cause that those Lordes through long space of time that they haue thus ruled held their places should in a moment be elsewhere transported Thinke ye if the very greatest Lordes aswel spirituall as temporall woulde at this daye doe their endeuour and employ themselues night and day as best beseemes them to well gouerne and admonish their people wee shoulde finde such a number of men to couet and reach after kingdomes and Signiories as now we doe and such as are so mal-contēt to be depriued of their great charges and vexations as now with greefe we may behold It is then in

minding such matters For the poore sicke man considering that he is weake and diseased will preserue himselfe very dilligentlie from al manner of excesse and liue more soberly then can the stiffest and strongest composed bodies These kind of men are such to whom oftentimes it happeneth thorow the ouer-much fiercenesse of their good disposition and strength that boldlie or carelesly they oppose themselues againste a thousand greefes perils and daungers vsing meates prohibited for the health of man taking the corrupted ayre in the euening or else without any need will wander into tempests raine snow winde stormes and thus aduenture themselues from morning to night And the worse is their successe thorowe the confidence which they repose in their bodies which they feeling to be strong and lustie feare not without any discretion to fight heere with one there to smite an other spoile outrage and commit a thousand euils Then what recompence haue they for al these They fall into the rightfull hande of Iustice who without any regard of valour strength dexteritie parents or riches makes them miserablie and shamefully to finish their daies before their expected time It is then great folly to desire strength and health of body so earnestlie seeing it is the cause of so many mishaps were it not onely but in regarde of the warres which we should neuer beholde so cruell or fierce but by the confidence that men suppose to be in their health and bodily strength wherewith great and wise Lordes vse to iest at each other and make as small account thereof as of balles running along the pent-house of a Tennis court For Teares Declamation 11. That it is better to weepe often then to laugh at any time NOt without great occasion is it that I must assuredlie by good right confesse the mourner to bee in better estate then the laugher seeing Salomon in his most holy Prouerbes hath lefte vs in writing that it is better to sleepe and repose in the house of sorrowe then in that of ioy and pleasure By laughter many soules haue beene seuered from their bodies to the infinite greefe of their good friends but by sadnesse not one only which I euer heard of at any time departed but well pleased Laughter hath euermore beene perticularlie proper to fooles mouthes or people without sence And it is not read in any one place of the holye Scripture that our blessed Sauiour euer laughed at any time but that he wept and sorrowed is to be found in sundry passages of the good and faithfull Euangelistes For this cause hath he promised eternall felicity to such as mourne and them that laugh he hath menaced with death To weepe is a signe of penitence and compunction whereto we are often inuited and exhorted by the voices of the holy Prophets but laughter hath beene the cause of mocking it selfe as the euident signe of ouermuch boldnes If we would make regard of the commodities ensuyng by teares howe many disdaines and howe many rages haue beene qualified by one little teare of the eie How manie poore louers haue they vnited and confirmed together that before liued not but in langour distresse How many storming hearts fierce and cruell one against another haue they brideled softened made gentle How many great and honest recompences haue beene obtained and measured by the waight of teares I am of this opinion that all the force and puissance of men assembled together cannot so soon winne or compasse what it would haue as one only teare can yea oftentimes it hath conqueringly obtained grace euen from obstinate and moste pittilesse persons For proofe heereof Heraclitus was alwaies more esteemed for his weeping then euer was Democritus for his laughing See how many thinges worthy of eternall memorie Crassus by this vertue accomplished purchasing the name of a scorner of vanities If we should need to produce the profit of teares often weeping Let vs consider that while our bodies are but young and tender they make them to grow and encrease Wherefore many Nursses in regard heereof are not very hastie to quiet their infantes when they lie criyng in the Cradle but by these meanes suffer them to dilate and stretch forth their members for so they come to the suddener growth And if proofes should faile me against laughter I would content my selfe with this only of good Hyppocrates who hath left written that the diseases which ensue by accident of laughter without any manifest cause are the most difficult to be healed Let vs then set laughing apart seeing it bringeth such offence to man and agreeth not with his honestie and grauitie beside we finde not at this daie among so many lamentable ruines where any place or oportunity for laughing indeed may be graunted or suffered And let vs conclude that laughter wrinkles and makes olde the face counterfeits the person makes the heart ake woundeth the lungs inwards of the bellie so that after long laughing many greefs doe follow whereof we neuer make doubt till wee feele them So that if laughter bee not refrained it makes the pallat of the mouth to fall the throte sore the voice hoarse and oft times shakes the body verie greeuously VVherfore very excellently said the wise man that the end of laughter was greefe and teares which ordinarilie endureth more space of time hath a longer taile behinde it than euer had mourning But the end of continuall teares after this mortall life is ioy and perpetual delectation which neuer hath ending and such as are promised by him who is onely truth it selfe For Dearth Declamation 12. That Scarsitie is better than aboundance ANy man of common sence and opinion will assure yee that for the ease and better estate of his person as also continuance of his pleasures aboundance or earthly goods ought well to be had in request But for one voluptuous man ye shall finde of this opinion I will furnish yee with an hundred of very singular spirit and perfect iudgement that liberally will maintaine the fertillitie and aboundance of goodes in this worlde is the mother and nursse of all euils enemie to all modesty and honestie and cheefe aduersarie to sobrietie The good Lady of Henault bemoned the great Dearth which the turbulence of the warres had caused and among other thinges she wept for the fertillitie of the former yeares past when as she called to minde what store of corne and wines she had and that before a weeke would be past both shee and all hir house shoulde scant tell where to gette foode or drinke once a day But the sober and frugal Solon-nist saith well to the contrarie that the lesse store of victuals are in a contrey the lesse is the insolence of the inhabitāts who in time of aboundance disdain the seruice of their superiors then hath a man greater paine to get a seruant how poore soeuer or bad disposed he be then a man of wisedome well skilde in good letters Moreouer what else