no such diuelish deuises when womens eyes will bewitch mens hearts and the breath of Tongues will poison a mans wits And for your rauishing delights it is a word that I well vnderstand not or at least as I haue heard this rauishing is a word that signifieth robbing of wenches of the inner lining of their linnen against their wills and if it be so it is a perilous delight that brings a man to the Gallowes if not to the Diuell for a little fit of pleasure but if there be any better sence in it I would be glad to vnderstand it though at this time I care not to be troubled with it Now for Princes Pallaces they are too high buildings for our Brickes plaine people are content with Cottages and had rather pay tributes to their maintenance then haue them too much in our view for blinding of our eies with their golden brightnes Now for life and death hee that liues at quiet and will not be contented may change for the worse and repent it when he cannot helpe it Oh Cousin I haue heard my father say that it is better to sit fast then to rise and fall and a great wise man that know the world to a hayre would say that the meane was sure better be in the middle roome then either in the Garret or the Sellor and an other of an excellent worlds wit that ranne the ring with him in the walke of the world would say that honour was but ancient riches and in high places where frownes are deadly and fauours are vncertaine there was more feare of the one then hope of the other and a laborious weekes wages well payde was better then a yeares hope in paper and therefore hee that would leaue possessions for promises and assurances for hope were more full of wit then vnderstanding and of conceipt then iudgement for though there is no seruice to the King nor no fishing to the Sea yet there are so many suitors for rewards and so many beaters of the water that delayes may be cold comforts of long hopes to the one and the other angle all day and catch a Gudgion at night and therefore though the world be like a Well with two Buckets that when one falleth another riseth yet the fall is much swifter then the rysing and good reason because the one goes downe empty and the other comes vp laden But to be plaine I haue so long beene vsed to a quiet life that I would not leaue it for a world Now for your notes of worth that you haue set downe in your Court commendations I allow that all may bee true and they that thriue in it may thinke well of it and hold it a kind of heauen vpon earth but for my selfe I remember certaine notes that I read in a Booke of my Fathers owne writing that shall goe with me to my graue there were not many but in my mind to good purpose as first for greatnes My minde to me a Kingdome is so that the quiet of the minde is a greater matter then perhaps many great men possesse Then for wealth Godlines is great riches to him that is contēt with that hee hath which many great men somtime perhaps haue lesse then meaner people Then for a good rule of life Feare God and obay the King which perhaps some doe not so well in the Court as the Country Then for the course of the Law Loue God aboue all and thy neighbour as thy selfe which if you doe in the Court as wee doe in the Country Enuy would worke no hatred nor malice mischiefe but loue in all persons would make a pallace a Paradise which in the best is more euident then in the meanest apprehended but God whose loue is the life of all bréed such loue in the liues of all that peace may euer liue among all Now for learning what your néede is thereof I know not but with vs this is all we goe to schoole for to read common Prayers at Church and set downe common prises at Markets write a Letter and make a Bond set downe the day of our Births our Marriage day and make our Wills when we are sicke for the disposing of our goods when we are dead these are the chiefe matters that we meddle with and we find enough to trouble our heads withall for if the fathers knowe their owne children wiues their owne husbands from other men maydens keepe their by your leaues from subtle batchelors Farmers know their cattle by the heads and Sheepheards know their sheepe by the brand What more learning haue we need of but that experienee will teach vs without booke We can learne to plough and harrow sow and reape plant and prune thrash and fanne winnow and grinde brue and bake and all without booke and these are our chiefe businesse in the Country except we be Iury-men to hang a théefe or speake truth in a mans right which conscience experience wil teach vs with a little learning then what should we study for except it were to talke with the man in the Moone about the course of the Starres No Astronomy is too high a reach for our reason we will rather sit vnder a shady tree in the Sunne to take the benefit of the cold ayre then lye and stare vpon the Starres to mark their walke in the Heauens while wee loose our wits in the Cloudes and yet we reuerence learning as well in the Parson of our parish as our Schoolemaster but chiefely in our Iustices of peace for vnder God and the King they beare great sway in the Country But for great learning in great matters and in great places wee leaue it to great men If wee liue within the compasse of the Law serue God and obey our King and as good Subiects ought to doe in our duties and our prayers dayly remember him What néede we more learning Now for wisdome I heard our Parson in our Church read it in the holy Booke of God That the wisdome of the world is but foolishnes before God And why then should a man séeke to befoole himselfe before God with more wit then is necessary for the knowledge of the world the wise man must dye as well as the foole and when all are the Sonnes of Adam wee haue a faire warning to bee too busie with tasting of the Tree of too much knowledge I haue read in the Booke of the best wisdome that the feare of God is the beginning of wisdome and surely he that begins his lesson there may continue his learneng the better and come to bee a good Scholler at last Salomon the wisest man that euer was said that all was vanity and vexation of the Spirit and why then should a man vex his spirit with séeking to be as wise as a Woodcocke in beating his braines to get the possession of vanity And yet I must confesse that least vanity turne to villanie it is good that the authority of wisdome haue power
borne vnder the climing climate but for mine owne part I loue not to play the flye with a Candle for feare of burning my wings but will leaue the ladder of honour to him that best knowes how to clim be and to sit fast when he is vp Now for your Occurrents what are they but newes sometime true and sometime false which when they come to vs they are commonly more costly then comfortable and therefore wee desire not to trouble our selues Now for disciphering of Characters I haue heard my father say in the old time that they were accounted little better then coniurations in which were written the names of Diuels that the Colledge of Hel vsed to coniure vp in the world and belong'd onely to the study of Sorcerers Witches Wisards and such wicked wretches as not caring for the plaine word of God goe with scratehes of the Diuels clawes into hell but how true it is God knoweth but that this is true euery man knoweth that it was a deuise of the Diuell at the first to put into the head of a deceiuing heart that hauing no true nor plaine meaning in conscience would write so that no man should vnderstand him but himselfe or like himselfe and onely to hoodwinke the world for looking into his wickednesse But what is the end of all wily beguily seeking to deceiue other deceiu'd himselfe most of all Now letters of darkenes deuised by the Diuell for the followers of his designes in the courses of his deceipt honest men in the Country loue to meddle with no such matters but so far as may be to Gods glory and the good of a State to find out the plots and to preuent the mischiefe of a villanie being done in Gods holy name and by his grace I hold it a fine quality to discipher a Character and lay open a knaue But for vs in the Country wee loue no such braine-labours as may bring our wits into such a wood that we know not how to get out of it Now for enditing of Letters Alas what neede wee much adoe about a little matter If we can write wee commonly begin and end much after one manner Trusting in God you are in good health with all our friends and so to the matter either to borrow or to pay or to know the prise of your Cattell or for a merry meeting or I thanke you for my good cheere And so with my hearty commendations I commit you to God From my house such a day Your louing friend to his power And then seale vp the paper and write on the outside To my louing Cousin Neighbour or Friend at his house in such a place with speed if the time require and so no more adoe Except it bee a Loue Letter and then a fewe idle words of Sweete heart I commend me vnto you and haue beene as good as my promise and haue sent you a paire of gloues by Meg your Brothers best beloued and vpon Friday God willing I will meete you at the Market and wee will be merry and talke further of the matter and if you be as I am say and hold I know my portion and when yours is put to it wee shall liue the better And so keeping your Handkerchiffe neere my heart till I see you I rest Yours during life in true loue W. T. Now for your Stiles of honour and worship to this Lord and that Lady on the outside and a deale of humility and ceremony on the inside me thinkes it is a wearying of the minde before you come to the matter And as I remember a great wise man that would dispatch many matters in little time would thus euer read Letters in the beginning two words for the Stile and other two at the end for the conclusion so noting the treble aboue and the base beneath he would soone in the middest find the substance of the Musique and to tell truth few words and plaine and to the purpose is better for our vnderstanding then to goe about with words to tell a long tale to little end Now if wo cannot write we haue the Clerke of the church or the Schoolemaster of the towne to helpe vs who for our plaine matters will serue our turnes wel enough and therefore what neede wee trouble our heads with enditing of Letters Now for Orations they are fittest for Schollers to allure an audience to attendance but for vs wée haue more vse of our hands to worke for our liuings then of our eares to heare the sound of a little breath yet I allow it among you in such places as you liue in but where truth is the best eloquence we make but two words to a bargaine and therefore for your long discourses we desire not to be wearied with them but will leaue them to you that haue more vse of them and haue time to hearken to them Now for your Messages alas cannot we giue a Cap and make a Legge to our betters and deliuer our minds in few words without we learne to looke downe as though we were seeking of a Rabbets nest or that we had committed some such fault that we were ashamed to shew our faces or make a long congie as though we were making preparation to a Galliard when if a foote slip we may haue a disgrace in the fall and if a word be misplaced it is halfe a marring to all the matter and therefore for messages our matters being not great small instructiōs wil serue our turnes for the deliuery of our minds Now for congratulating of Princes God blesse them they are too great men for vs more then to pray for them and their matters too high for our reason to reach after it is enough for vs to giue a Cake for a Pudding and a pint of Wine for a pottle of Beere and when wee kill Hogs to send our Children to our neighbours with these messages My Father and my Mother haue sent you a Pudding and a Chine and desires you when you kill your hogges you will send him as good againe Now for great folkes they haue such great choyce of presents and of such great charge and such great care in the deliuery of them that Lord haue mercy vpon vs wee in the country cannot tell what to say vnto them but God blesse them that haue them and much good may they doe them Now for Ambassages and Ambassadors wee know not what the word meanes and therefore little care to be troubled with the men for when we heare of any man that comes from a strange Country wee say I pray God he comes for good and then hee is the better welcome Tush talke to vs of a Basket or a Basket-maker and not of an Ambassador nor Ambassages but make your selues that best know the meaning of them the best vse you can of them for vs wee care not to looke after them more then to pray for them that as they doe or as they meane so God blesse them Now
The Court and Country OR A briefe Discourse Dialogue-wise set downe betweene a Courtier and a Country-man Contayning the manner and condition of their liues with many Delectable and Pithy Sayings worthy obseruation Also necessary Notes for a COVRTIER Written by N. B. Gent. The Country-man The Courtier LONDON Printed by G. E LD for Iohn Wright and are to be sold at his shop at the Signe of the Bible without Newgate 1618. To the Worshipfull and worthy Knight the fauourer of all good Vertues and Studies Sir STEPHEN POLL of Blackmoore in Essex and to his worthy Lady Health Honour and eternall Happinesse Worthy KNIGHT BEing well acquainted with your true knowledge of the Honour of the Court and the Pleasure of the Countrey your iudiciall Obseruation in your Trauels abroad and your sweet retyred Life at home Finding my Seruice indebted to many of your vndeserued bountifull Fauours and willing in some fruites of my Labour to shewe the thankfulnesse of my Loue I haue aduentured to present your Patience with a short Discourse in the manner of a Dialogue betweene a Courtier and a Countriman touching the Liues of either What Matter of worth is in it I will leaue to your discretion to consider of with my bounden Seruice to the honour of your Commaund hoping that either heere or in the Country it will be a pretty passage of idle time with some matter of mirth to remoue melancholy And so in Prayer for your health and your good Ladies to whom with your selfe Dedicating this short Dialogue I rest Yours humbly deuoted to be Commanded NICH. BRETON To the READER AMong many Passages that I haue met with in the world it was my hap of late to light on a kinde Controuerfie betweene two Kinsmen a Courtier and a Countryman who meeting together vpon a time fell to perswading one another from their courses of Life the Courtier would faine haue drawne the Country-man to the Court and the Countryman the Courtier to the Country The reasons for their delights and loue to their manner of liues I haue set downe as I found them but whatsoeuer they alledged for their contentments it seemed they were resolued vpon their Courses for in the end they left where they begunne euery man to his owne humour and so brake off Now what Profit or Pleasure may arise by the reading of them I referre to their discretion that can best make vse of them Matter of state is not here medled with scurrillity heere is none no taxing of any Person nor offence iustly to any whosoeuer But passages of witte without the malice of any euill minde And in summe matter of good substance and mirth enough to driue away a great deale of melancholy and so leauing it to your Patience to read and to your Pleasure to esteeme of as you see cause both to Courtiers and Countrimen that are kinde and honest men I rest to wish content in the course of a happy life and so remaine Your well wishing Countryman N. B. The COVRTIER AND The COVNTRYMAN COVRTIER COUSIN Well met I see you are still for the Country your habite your countenance your footing and your carriage doe all plainly shew you are no changeling but euery day alike one and the same COVNTRY-MAN I am so indéede and wish that you were so too for then should you not be so great an eye-sore to your friends nor such an enemy to your selfe for I feare the place you liue in is more costly then profitable where for one that goes vp the weather a number goe downe the winde and perhaps the place not so truly full of delight as the passage through a meaner compasse COVRT Oh Cousin you cannot but confesse that blinde men can iudge no coulours and you that liue plodding to purchase a pudding cannot but distast any meat that may compare with it though in many degrées of goodnes it excéede it for should I tell you truly what I know of it you would soon after your opinion to a point of better iudgment Oh the gallant life of the Court where so many are the choices of contentment as if on earth it were the Paradise of the world the maiesty of the Soueraigne the wisdome of the Councell the honour of the Lords the beauty of the Ladies the care of the Officers the courtsey of the Gentlemen the diuine Seruice in the Morning and Euening the witty learned noble and pleasant discourses all day the variety of wits with the depth of iudgments the dainty fare sweetly dressed and neatly serued the delicate wines and rare fruites with excellent Musique and admirable Voyces Maskes and Playes Dauncing and Riding deuersity of games delightfull to the Gamsters purposes and Riddles Questions and Answers Poems Histories and strange Inuentions of Witt to startle the Braine of a good vnderstanding rich Apparell precious Iewells fine proportions and high Spirits Princely Coaches stately Horses royall Buildings and rare Architecture sweete Creatures and ciuill Behauiour and in the course of Loue such carriage of content as so luls the Spirit in the lap of pleasure that if I should talke of the praise of it all day I should be short of the worth of it at night COVNT And there withall you wak't or else you are like a Musitian that onely playes vpon one string but touch the Basse with the Treble the Meane with the Counter Tenor and then see how the strings will agree together and whether the Voyces doe not rather faine then sing plaine for feare the Ditty may disgrace the Note and so the Musicke be not worth the hearing But if all be as you say yet take the Euening with the Morning and all the weeke with the holy-day the sower with the sweet and the cost with the pleasure and tell me then if once in seauen yeares when your state is weakened and your Land wasted your Woods vntimberd your Pastures vnstored and your Houses decayed then tell me whether you find the prouerbe true of the Courtier young and old though sometime a Bell-weether may bee fat when many a better sheepe cannot hit on so good a feeding But since you speake so scornefully of the Country life if you were or could be so happy as to apprehend the true content in the course of it you would shake the head and sigh from the heart to be so long from the knowledg of it and neuer be at rest till you were gotten to it Oh the swéete of the Country life in which are so many and so true varieties of pleasures as kéeps the spirit euer waking and the senses euer working for the full content of the whole Creature in so much that if there may be a similie of heauen vpon earth it is onely in the precinct of the Country passage where both nature and reason behold and enuy that satiety of pleasure that is not easily to be expressed And to answer directly to some of your points of praise let me tell you though we sée
commend musique when it is in a right key Againe we haue young Rabbets that in a sunny morning sit washing of their faces while as I haue heard beyond the seas there are certaine old Conies that in their beds sit painting of their faces wee haue besides Tumblers for our Conies and Greyhounds for our courses Hounds for our chases Haukes of all kinde for the field and the riuer and the wood so that what can reason conceiue that nature can desire but for the delight of both the Country doth afford vs. Furthermore at our meetings on the holydayes betwéene our Lads and the Wenches such true mirth at honest meetings such dauncing on the greene in the market house or about the May-poole where the young folkes smiling kisse at euery turning and the old folkes checking with laughing at their Children when dauncing for the Garland playing at stooleball for a Tansie and a banquet of Cords and Creame with a cup of old napyy Ale matter of small charge with a little reward of the Piper after casting of sheepes eyes and faith and troth for a bargaine clapping of hands are seales to the truth of hearts when a payre of Gloues a handkerchiffe are as good as the best obligation with a cappe and a courtsey hie ye home maides to milking and so merrily goes the day away Againe we haue hay in the barne horses in the stable oxen in the stall sheepe in the pen hogges in the stie corne in the garner cheese in the loft milke in the dairy creame in the pot butter in the dish ale in the tub and Aqua vitae in the bottle béefe in the brine brawne in the sowce and bacon in the roofe hearbs in the garden and water at our doores whole cloths to our backes and some money in our cophers and hauing all this if we serue God withall what in Gods name can we desire to haue more Now for some of you a man may take you many times in the nature of blind-men that you can scarcely see a penny in your purse and your lands growne so light that you beare them all on your backes and your houses so empty that in the cold of winter all the smoake goeth out at one chimney when if Brag were not a good dogge I know not how hee would hold vp his taile Oh the fine excuses of wit or rather folly late businesse ouer night makes you kéepe your beds in the morning when indeed it is for lacke of meate to dinner and perhaps no great banquet at Supper when a Crust and an Orenge a Sallad and a cup of Sack makes a feast for a Brauo then after all a strech and aâ—yaune and a pipe of Tobacco weare bootes for want of shooes or else that the garters and the roses are at pawne Now these are no Courtiers but hangers on vpon those that sometimes in great places haue an humor to fatten fleas Now for vs in the Country wee runne no such courses but are content with that we haue and keepe somwhat for a rainy day loue neither to borrow nor lend but kéepe the stake still vpright spend as we may spare and looke to the maine at the yeares end our meetings are for mirth and not mischiefe and for quarrells we haue none except the oyle of the malt worke vp into the head and so distemper the braine that the tongue runne out of order when a fit of fisticuffes will soone make an end of all matters so that wee haue pleasure with profit mirth without madnesse and loue without dissembling when the peace of Conscience is an inward Paradise Now if you can shew any better Cards for the maintayning of your oppinion I pray you heartily let me heare it COVRT Oh Cousin I am sorry to see your simplicity what a deale of adoe you haue made about nothing but I sée the prouerbe holds true in you He that liues alwayes at home sees nothing but the same and your education being but according to your disposition somewhat of the meanest manner of good fashion your witte rather being all in Coppy-hold then in Capite and your learning but to spell and put together it were hard for you that neuer studied Astronomy to speake of the nature of the Starres and therefore I can the better beare with your humour because it is more naturall then artificiall yet could I wish you would not so clownifie your wit as to bury your vnderstanding all vnder a clod of earth What is man but as a beast bred like a fore-horse to goe alwayes right on and rather draw in a cart then trot in a better compasse fie vpon basenesse it is the badge of a Begger No let me tell you if you were or could be acquainted with the life of a Courtier you would finde such bewitching obiects to the eyes and rauishing delights of the heart that you would hold the world as a wildernes to the Palace of a Prince and life but as a death that hath no tast of Court comforts Oh Cousin wee haue learning in such reuerence wisdome in such admiration vertue in such honour valour in such estéeme truth in such loue and loue in so rare account that there doth almost nothing passe in perfection y t is not followed with great obseruation wher the fauour of a Prince maks a Begger a petty King the countenance of a Lord makes a clowne a Gentleman and the looke of a Lady makes a groome a gay fellow Oh Cousin aduancement and contentment are the fruites of Court seruice and the steps of hope to the state of honour furthermore for knowledge we haue the due confideration of occurrents the disciphering of Characters enditing of letters hearing of orations deliuering of messages congratulating of Princes and the forme of ambassages all which are such delights of the Spirit as makes a shadow of that man that hath not a mind from the multitude to looke into the nature of the Spirits honour Furthermore we haue in Court Officers of care Orders of discretion eyes of brightnesse eares of clearenesse hearts of purenesse brainesof wisdome tongues of truth mindes of noblenesse and Spirits of goodnesse which though they bee not in all yet are they examples for all and in the worthiest of all Oh Cousin to heare a King or Prince speake like a Prophet a Queene like an Angell a Councellor like an Oracle a Lord like a Councellor a Lady like a Quéene a Preacher like an Apostle and a Courtier like a Preacher and then to note the maiesty of the greatest the reuerence of the wisest the honour of the worthiest and the loue of the best to receiue grace from the one instruction from the other fauour from one countenance from another honour from one and bouuty from an other kindnes from one and comfort from another where for the good all loue goeth through all where exercises of wix are but tryals of vnderstanding and the properties of spéech are the proofes of iudgment
where peace is the practise of power iustice the grace of wisdome and mercy the glory of iustice where time is fitted to his vse and reason is the gouernour of nature where priuiledges are protections for the vnwilling offendant and sanctuaries are the fafety of the vnhappily distressed where the name of want hath no note basenesse no regard wantonnesse no grace nor wickednesse entertainement except the Diuell like an Angell of light come vnséene to the world where the qualities of vertue are the grace of honour and the breath of wisdome is the beauty of greatnesse where art hath rewarde of labour seruice the regard of duty nature the affect of reason and reason the respect of iudgement where idlenesse is hated foolishnes derided wilfulnesse restrayned and wickednesse vanished where wits refined braines setled bodies purged and spirits purified make a consort of such Creatures as come neere vnto heauenly natures Beléeue me Cousin there is no comparison betweene the Court and the Country for the sweete of conceit in an vnderstanding spirit which can truely apprehend the true natures both of pleasures and profit Alas let the Cowe lowe after her Calfe and the Eue bleat after her Lambe the Asse bray the Owle sing and the Dog barke What musique is in this medley let ignorance be an enemy to wit and experience be the Mistris of fooles the Stockes stand at the Constables doore and the Gallowes stand hard by the high way What is all this to matter of worth to see Laddes lift vp leaden héeles and Wenches leare after their Lubbers to see old folkes play the fooles to laugh at the birds of their owne breed and the young Colts wighie at their parting with their Fillies when Madge must home to milking and Simon must goe serue the beasts What conceite is in all these courses but to trouble a good spirit with spending time in idlenes Oh Cousin if thou wert once well entred into the life of a Courtier thou wouldst neuer more be in loue with the Country but vse it as a cleane shirt sometime for a refreshing though it be farre courser for wearing and little cleaner then that which you put off I could say more that might easily perswade you to change your opinion and alter your affection from the Country to the Court but I hope this shall suffice If not I pray you let me heare you speake to some purpose COVNTRY Say quoth you Let me tell you that all that you hauesaid or I thinke you can say doth nor will worke any more with my witte to incline my humour to your will then a Pill that lyeth in the Stomake and more offends nature then purgeth humour for where there is no corruption Phisicke hath nothing to worke vpon except by the trouble of nature to bring health into sicknes Doe you thinke so much of your strength as to remoue a Mil-stone with your little finger or are you so perswaded of your wit that with a word of your mouth you can take away the strength of vnderstanding No such matter no hast but good I pray you giue me leaue a little and if I speake not to your purpose I will speake to mine owne and I will say as one Dante an Italian Poet once said in an obscure Booke of his Vnderstand me that can I vnderstand my selfe And though my Country booke be written in a rough hand yet I can read it and picke such matter out of it as shall serue the turne for my instruction What is here to do in perswading you know not what to talke you care not how Is this Court eloquence Is not the Clownyfying of wit the Fooltfying of vnderstanding home spunne cloth is not worth the wearing water is a cold drinke and simplenesse is but basenesse and a Clowne is but a rich Begger Now truly Cousin you are quite out for let me tell you that good words and good déeds are the best tryals of good minds and make the best passages among the best people and so much for this matter Now to answer your prouerbs and as I can remember most points of your discourses First let me tell you that I hold it better to see something of mine owne at home then trauell so farre that I see nothing of mine owne abroad for I haue heard that roling stones gather no mosse And for my education if it hath béene simple and my disposition not subtle If I be not fashioned according to the world I shall bee the fitter for heauen And for my wit to deale truely with you I had rather hold it in a Coppy of a good Tenure then by the title of an idle braine to kéepe a fooles head in Frée-hold Now for my learning I hold it better to spell and put together then to spoile and put asunder but there are some that in their Child-hood are so long in their horne booke that doe what they can they will smell of the Baby till they cannot sée to read Now we in the Country beginne and goe forward with our reading in this manner Christs Crosse be my speed and the Holy Ghost for feare the Diuell should be in the letters of the Alphabet as hee is too often when hee teacheth od fellowes play tricks with their Creditors who in stead of payments write IOV. and so scoffe many an honest man out of his goods And againe when he teacheth trauellors that haue taken a surfet in the Low-countries to set downe H and O. to expresse the nature of their griefe and to ieast out the time with B and R. or to bite mens good names with those letters to auoyde actions of slander and when they write you R. and they B. Oh fine knackes of more wit then honesty But I hope there are none of these among you But I haue heard my father say that when he was young hee saw many such in such places as you liue in but it was a great way hence beyond the salt water Now for Astronomy I thinke it be fallen from the height that it was in former time for Starres were wont to bee in the heauens now Gallants hang them vpon their héeles so bright in their Spurres as if they were all young Phaetons that would ride Phoebus horses while the folly of pride should sit in the Chaire of ruine but let them sit fast when they are vp least they breake their neckes in their falls Now for your Nature and Art I thinke better of a naturall Art then an artificiall Nature And for your Fore-horse pace right on I hope he is better then a resty Iade that will not stir out of the Stable or a kicking Curtall that will sette his Ryder beside the Saddle and better draw soundly in a cart then be lamed in a coach or be sicke in a Foote-cloth better a true trot then a fidling amble But let these humors passe Now for your bewitching obiects I doubt they will make abiects of Subiects and therefore I loue
to bridle the folly of selfe will But for the great wisdome of Councellors of State Iudges of Lawes Gouernours of Citties Generals of Armies or such great People in such great places they go so farre beyond our wits that wee had rather be obedient to their wills then enter into the depth of their discretions and content our selues with that wisdome which is most necessary for vs to loue God aboue all our neighbours as our selues to rise with the day raies and goe to bed with a candle to eate when we are hungry drinke when wee are thirsty trauell when we are lusty and rest when we are weary feare God be true to the Crowne keepe the lawes pay scot and lot bréed no quarrels doe no wrongs and labour all we may to haue peace both with God and man speake truth and shame the Diuell pitch and pay say and hold trye and trust belieue no lies tell no newes deceiue not an enemy nor abuse a friend make much of a little and more as it may increase These are the points of wisdome that we runne the course of our Card by Now for valour it is seene best in the best quarrells and Saint Paul said that hee had fought the good fight to fight for the preseruation of a state the person of a King or Prince to keepe my house from thieues my children from dogs and my family from famine and my faith from fainting in the word of God this hold we the good fight and the true valour not to stand vpon puntos not to endure a lye without death challenge for a frowne and kill for a fowle word aduenture all for nothing or perhaps worse then nothing loose lands goods life and soule and all in a murther or a bloody bargaine to please a Punke and to be counted a Captain of the Diuels army or a Gallant of the damned crew except some few howers before his end while the worme of Conscience bites him at the heart a sparke of grace enter into his soule and make him at the Gallowes make a repentant rehearsall of a lewd life and leaue a fayre example at his death to all behoulders perhaps with these good words at his departing All yee that heere bee take example to be hang'd by me Oh braue valour that makes many a weeping eye when my mother for my sonne and my sister for my brother or my wife for my husband or my father for my daughter or mine vncle for mine aunt sit and howle like dogs to see the workes of the Diuel in the wicked of the world Such kinde of valour I haue heard my father say that he hath mark't in some places where he hath trauel'd I know not where a great way hence when he was young where he found among a hellish company of accursed spirits they were called valliant fellowes that durst say any thing doe any thing or be any thing till they were worse then nothing durst quarrell with any man abuse any man strike any man kill any man and care for no man durst prate lye sweare and forsweare scoffe and swagger drinke and dice drab and stab durst be hang'd and damn'd for a horrible fit of a franticke humour and this was their valour I pray God there be none such among yee where you keepe I am sure there keepe none such among vs. Now for truth I hope there are more true hearts in the Country then there are tongues in the City in many places yea and in greater places then I will speake of but where they be God blesse them and where they are not God send them and that is all that I say to them But for ought I sée there is so much falshood in the world that I feare there is littletruth on the earth and in great places where protestations are without performances and excuses are better then lies Where is either truth of loue or loue of truth but a little I thinke I would there were more But with vs truth is so beloued that a Lyer is held little better then a theefe and it is a lesson we learne our little Children speake truth tell truth take heed you lie not the Diuell is the father of lies and little better be his Children deale truly with all men let your tongues and your hearts goe together Christ is truth in his holy name be true euer tell truth and shame the Diuell be true to God in your beliefe and obedience to his word bee true to your King in the loyalty of your hearts bee true to your wiues in the honesty of your bodies and bee true to your friends in performing your promises this is the loue we haue to truth if you haue it so it is a good blessing of God and makes a happy people And for loue if it bee in the world I thinke it is in the Country for where enuy pride and malice and Iealousie makes buzzes in mens braines what loue can bee in their hearts howsoeuer it slip from their tongues No no our Turtles euer flie together our Swannes euer swimme together and our louers liue and die together Now if such loue be among you it is worthy to be much made of but if you like to day and loath to morrow if you fawne to day and frowne to morrow if all your loue bee to laugh and lye downe or to hope of gaine or reward that is none of our loue wee loue all goodnes and onely for goodnes first God then our selues then our wiues and children then our family and then our friends and so hath loue his course in our liues and therefore if there be any obseruation in affection I pray you let it bee rather in the Country then in any place where faith is not so fast but fancy can alter loue vpon a little humour of dislike Now for your fauour when one Begger growes rich by it how many rich grow beggers through the hope of fortune and therefore in my minde better be Lord ouer a little of a mans owne then to follow a Lord for the bare name of a Gentleman and better with a little to bee counted a good man then with gaping after Gudgions to be thought I know not what Truly Cousin I thinke euery thing is best in his owne nature as one is bred so let him bée for as a Courtier cannot hold the plough but he wil be soone séene to be no work-man so a Country-man cannot court it but hee will shewe in somewhat from whence he comes And for a Ladies looke I thinke wee haue wenches in the Country that haue as faire eyes as finer creatures who when they list to looke kindly will make many glad though few gay fellowes And for apparell plaine russet is our wearing while pied coats among vs we account players or fooles except they be better men then the best of our parish except our Landlord Now for preferment and aduancement they be encouragements to some Spirits that are