knowledge to accord Their wrathfull furious Passions euermore Plato the Gods immortall doth adore That they him reasonable made no Beast A Man no Woman But it glads him more That he knew humane Arts and heau'nly best By which he thought himselfe in life and death most blest The Emperour Traiane when his friends him blame As carelesse of imperiall Maiesty Because so mild sweet gentle he became And affable to all his company Said he would so be in high Sou'raignty To others as if else he priuate were He wish'd to find the royall Dignity With whom all good men ought be free from feare But cruell vile malicious neuer should come there Philip who had by Liberalitie Obliged as he thought to him a Nation Receiued nought but Scorne for Courtesie Wherefore his Courtiers mou'd with indignation Perswade their King vnto reuenge and passion Soft said the Prince if these men doe requite Our benefits in such a scornefull fashion They vs for iniuries will more despight True patterne of a prudent patient gentle Knight Is Iury barren then of gentle deed Because I onely of the Nations tell The liues of Abram Isaac Ioseph reade And see how they in Courtesie excell When as betwixt the Heardmen strife befell Abram leaues to his nephew Let the Plaine His Courtesie the Angels greetes so well Their errand gently they to him explaine Yea gracious God to him familiar talke did daigne Most gentle Iacob courteous like thy Sire Though Laban churlishly thee handeled Let all thy patient gentlenesse admire When thou didst see thy Dina rauished And for her Rape a Nation slaughtered Thy gentle Ioseph into Egypt sold Who when he sees his brethren humbeled Could not his heart and eyes from weeping hold The Dreames thus prouing true which he before had told Though Shemei barke Dauid forbids to smite Oh let him curse my sonne me seekes to kill The Lord with Blessings may his Curse require If in his fauour I continue still I shall returne else be it as he will Mephibosheth must haue his fathers land And at his Table eate of Bread his fill Chimham in old Barzellais roome shall stand And nothing be denide him at King Dauids hand But Kings and People all learne gentlenesse Of our most courteous gentle King of Kings Who when he walk'd on earth in lowlinesse And was the Lord and Maker of all things Neuer vs'd bitter words nor threatenings But was to meanest courteous gentle mild The Lord rebuke thee Michael onely sings When Satans malice would haue him beguil'd Of Moses body but he neuer him reuil'd As of the head so of the members learne Mildnesse Humanity and Gentlenesse Speeches morose and countenances sterne Neuer agree with worth and noblenesse Nor to the vessels of true holinesse And Dames that soft and tender are by kind Adorn'd with Natures goodliest gracefulnesse Be gentle humble soft and meeke in mind So you with God and Man shall grace and fauour find No vertue so adornes a valiant man Nor vertuous Dame whom valiant men doe loue As courtesie which best direct them can To beare themselues in all as doth behoue Whether them God hath plast to rule aboue Or wait below it them befits to know Their Duties that none iustly may reproue Their rudenesse in not giuing what they ow Who giues each man his due doth great discretion show Nothing more wins mens hearts than gentle words Nor their affections than sweet lookes delight If Men like Beasts should make the strongest Lords And be enrag'd one at anothers sight Societie of men would perish quight The rules of Policies and States would faile Mens liues should be in hazzard of each wight That them by force or cunning would assaile Yea sauage Beasts against their weakenesse would preuaile Rude manners those that haue them doe infest And grieuous are to all they deale withall But gentlenesse in Angels Man and Beast Is much commended and belou'd of all The Poets want the Gods in heau'n to call Most gentle bountifull and amiable But Fiends and Furies cruell tetricall To first they Temples build and prayers fable Counting th' other dreadfull and abominable If Socrates a froward wife would beare As men ride horses wild that they may know To rule them better that well tamed were Much more should Christians sweetly beare the blow Of proud and cruell worldlings heere below And not to grieue at their prosperitie Though heere they seeme in wealth and blisse to flow Alas such stand in places slippery And in their haughty pride shall perish suddenly Who that most wicked Sect doe imitate That would all friendship and acquaintance shun That they might heere enioy more happy fate And partners of no others losse become One burthen is inough for any one Oh! why should others losses them molest By this is all Humanity vndone And man made more vngentle than a beast The Heathen therefore did such beastlinesse detest The first and speciall Duty which we ow Is Loue to God which we call Piety Next is the Mercy we to men do show And this indeed is true Humanity This is the summe of all Diuinity And this to Piety doth Practice ioyne All loue the Lord in words but doe deny Their hearts and hands to Mercy to incline God grant they both in vs together may combine Chiefe Band amongst men is Humanity Which who would breake deserues eternall palne From one man all deriue their pedigree And therefore Kinsmen all in him remaine From one God we our soules doe all obtaine And so we brethren are and neerer ioyn'd In Soule than Body And we hope in vaine If all into one head be not conioyn'd And feele not all one Spirit working in our minde Inhumane cruell Beasts which take delight Without iust cause Gods image to destroy Torment kill torture cruelly despight When God would haue all liue in amity Oh measure others by thy misery No man without anothers ayd can liue He that denies helpe in aduersitie None at his need vnto him helpe shall giue As none shall be forgiu'n that doth not heere forgiue No man that doth obey Dame Natures hest Can hurt a man much lesse him spoile or kill Learne of the gentle meeke and harmlesse beast How he Society doth couet still The Shepheards gentle Flocks the Plaines do fill Wolues Beares and Tygres loue to Lord alone Where they their yong ones with the fat may fill And forrage all the Countrey for their owne Lo Mercy there is strange where Misery 's vnknowne Such in their Complement are onely kind And where they kindnesse may receiue againe Oh be mine heart to gentlenesse inclind Not for base recompence reward or gaine But for his sake who for my sinne was slaine But ouer-courteously I doe abuse My Readers patience with vngentle straine Yet if he gentle be he cannot chuse But my most willing mind though not my Verse excuse MEDITATION 5. Of Grauitie MY Muse now fares like some Geometrician That hauing view'd on Globe terrestriall The Earth and
PEACE WITH HER FOVRE GARDERS VIZ. Fiue Morall Meditations OF Concord Chastitie Constancie Courtesie Grauitie Eschew euill and doe good seeke Peace and ensue it LONDON Printed for Iohn Teage and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Ball. 1622. SOme loathing Peace wish Warre because vnknowne To them Peace is like Manna common growne I such doe wish to trauell out and see Their Countries Blisse by others misery Peace types vs out the Blisse of our Creation Warres shew our fall from Glory to damnation All Warriours since which seeke immortall fame Must fight for PEACE or merit Hell and shame Sweet PEACE to Subiects doth all blessings bring Immortall honour to a mortall King The Uertues foure which doe on Peace attend Her Body guard as still doth them defend For nothing sets a Kingdomes Peace so fast As Courtiers constant courteous graue chaste TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD IOHN LORD BISHOP of Lincoln Lord Keeper of the Great Seale and one of his MAIESTIES most Honorable Priuy Councell THou great Peace-Keeper whom the greatest King That our great God of Peace did euer bring To rule these Westerne Iles in happy Peace For Honours Arts and Piety's increase Thou whom this mighty Monarch doth intrust With his Great Seale as Prudent Faithfull Iust God to thy outward blisse adde inward Peace That Goodnes with thy Greatnesse may increase May but thine actiue Spirit now descend Frō high affaires and high-straind thoughts vnbend To walke in Muses gardens delicate Wisest Apollo thou shalt imitate And Martiall Pallas whom the Poets faine To leaue Olympus Mount for Tempe-plaine Thus Dauid leaues his Throne to sit with Graces The Preacher after Trauels Hymen paces These Precedents imboldned haue my Muse For Patron of the Graces thee to chuse Whom great Augustus with his Seale doth grace Oh be a true Mecenas in thy place Seale vp for euer Ianus Temple doore And let Bellona's voice be heard no more I of some Graces onely meditate But they are all in thee habituate Then my defects excuse when we oppose Darknesse to Light the day more glorious showes Your Lordships humble seruant Robert Aylet To the curious READER PRophaner Michols will be censuring Eu'n Dauid if hee doe but dance and sing Before the Arke Then how should holy Rimes Escape the Iawes of these Censorious times MEDITATION I. Of Peace and Concord WHen first Worlds great Creatour fashioned This little Mansion for our Soules of Clay Man in his image he so ordered He had both Will and Power to obay Thus this sweet concord might haue lasted ay If to his Power had been ioynd his Will Which failing in Obedience to stay He brake the Peace whereby he all did fill With Fury Warres and Strifes which doe continue still Thus by mans wilfull fault Hostility Betweene him and his Maker first began Such breach hath Sinne made with the Deity As reconcile not all the creatures can Besides they all are Foes become to man For that he 'gainst their Maker did rebell Poore Adam guilty naked wo and wan The Noise of God to couert doth compell A guilty Conscience is more terrible than hell Adam eu'n then did feele a double paine One paine of Losse another paine of Sense And now against him Battailes all maintaine Heau'n Hell World Creatures Wife and Conscience Are out with him for Disobedience Till God who first elected Man in Loue For mercies sake now by Obedience From him doth paine of Losse and Sense remoue And brings to endlesse Peace and rest in heau'n aboue Of wondrous value is this Pearle of Peace Which to redeeme the Lord of Life was sold Most sweet peace-offring when for our release Christs precious bloud was as a ransome told Not that we heere should Peace and quarter hold With Hell World Lust true Peace's mortall foes Such Peace doth vs in dang'rous warres infold Except we these most valiantly oppose For seeming Peace on earth we doe the heau'nly lose Therefore the great Peace-maker did not come To send vs Peace on earth but Swords and Strife Debate betwixt the Father and the Sonne Mother and Daughter Husband and the Wife Perpetuall warfare is a Christians life With Armes and Weapons he must fortifie Against his foes which will assaile him rife Right end of Warres and all hostility Is gaine of happy Peace and sweet tranquillity Thou that before through warres and dread affray Hast for vs enter'd on true Peace and rest By thine owne bloudy wounds vs op'ning way And paines wherewith thy foes did thee infest Inspire sweet heau'nly peace into my brest That thence as from a Lymbick may distill Sweet drops of peace on hearts that are opprest And with true loue of heau'nly peace so fill As feeling her sweet Good they neuer faint for ill Peace may be call'd the minds serenity The concord of th' affections and the will The Band of Loue the hearts simplicity The Soules chiefe good the conscience free from ill Thus is she simply but if so you will Discerne her nature plainer we diuide Her by the friends to whom she beares good-will Thus we in Peace with God doe first abide Next with our selues and last with all the world beside And yet this peace with God our selues and men Is but one and the same true heau'nly peace That happy peace we haue with God is when We freed by Faith are iustifide of Grace True inward peace then in our hearts hath place When as our Consciences excuse within Then peace with men we rightly doe embrace When to haue peace with all men we begin Thus haue we peace with Iewes and Turkes but hate their sinne Eternall inward and externall peace Eternall Peace is that with God alone From which our inward Life hath and increase The third 's the peace we haue with eu'ry one No farther yet than it concernes our owne For when we wrong'd or iniuride behold Those that with vs in godly League are growne We breake our League if peace with them we hold For by such worldly peace our loue to God growes cold God is the Author Christ the King of Peace The Seeds of peace are by the Spirit sowne Which water'd by his Seruants heere increase Till they into abundant fruits are growne How beautifull the feet of them doe showne That Peace's ioyfull tidings to vs bring This Pearle of Peace where euer it is knowne Doth passe all vnderstanding Christ our King Did honour Peace on earth with his sweet publishing Health Quiet Happinesse Prosperitie All Concord Liberty and good successe Peace to vs brings with minds-tranquillity And frees our Soules from dismall heauinesse It is the doore to inward happinesse True inward Peace our hearts doth mollifie And make like Wax that Ioy on them may presse The priuy Seale whereby assuredly We sealed are to liue with God eternally The Gentiles that farre off and strangers were Peace by Christs precious bloud now maketh nic For he 's our peace whereby
sword or shield And leades him by the eye-lids to her snare Heau'ns from such subtill vile allurements shield All those that haue a Conscience and care Their hearts fit Temples for thy Spirit to prepare Purge vs with Hyssope and we shall be pure Wash vs we than the Snow shall be more white Our Soules and Bodies Temple shall be sure A holy house wherein thou mayst delight But I the vertue for the vice haue quight I purpos'd Chastity here to commend But Lust so fiercely with my Muse doth fight I scarce mine owne am able to defend Therefore with Prayer I my Meditation end Oh thou that mad'st my Soule a little King And in this little-world my-Body plac't It subiect making to the ordering Of Reason wherewith thou this King hast grac't Set first of all the Soueraignes Kingdome fast Whereby his Subiects he may rule aright That is affections keepe most pure and chast But most in spirituall chastitie delight To which adde Constancie of which I next do write MEDITATION 3. Of Constancy SO oft as I the Splendour do behold Of heau'nly Graces linkt in golden chaine Which them so firmely doth together hold That all they but as one seeme to remaine My Soule is so delighted with their traine That she desires to dwell with them for ay But oft employment pleasures cares and gaine Mine eyes and heart so draw another way I fleshly motions more than spirituall obay And as these Graces ioyn'd my soule delight So doth each singled out by Meditation Sing I of Loue I loue with all my might If Humblenesse she workes humiliation So Faith Repentance Hope Iustification By Righteousnesse imputed Mercy kind Ioy Patience Fortitude chast Conuersation Peace Meeknesse Prayer Zeale eu'n all I find Do alwayes to my Song both sute mine heart and mind But such are my Corruptions innate Hels malice and the worlds enticements vaine I can no longer hold that happy state Than I in Contemplation remaine This is the cause my Muse is now so faine To sing of Constancie that heau'nly Grace Which all the rest doth ay with vs retaine Most glorious Grace the lustre of whose face Both heau'nly Loue and all her Peeres for euer grace For without Her the rest are all but showes Like Corne by high-wayes side flourish awhile And seemes more glorious than that which grows Vpon best bottom'd dunged tilled Soyle But as that onely doth our eyes beguile With flourishes in calme and gentle spring But Summers heate and frosts it 's verdure spoile Eu'n so these rootlesse Vertues flourishing Aduerse or prosp'rous Fortune to confusion bring Thou that art from Eternity the same Without least shadow of Variety Like to the Sun heau'ns pure world-lightning flame Constant in beate course and serenitie Three yet subsisting in one Deitie Who though thou seem'st to change with things below Art farre in truth from Mutability Oh make mine heart in vertue constant grow That thence as from a Fountaine this Discourse may flow We Constancie a Perseuerance call In some good purpose for in eu'ry thing We vndertake right must be first of all Resolu'd of next our firme perseuering A vaine vnsettled idle wauering Without iust ground by Proteus Poets faine Who on himselfe as many formes will bring As he hath idle notions in his braine Or base desires and Lusts which in his heart remaine But in good purpose to stand fast and sound Not onely man-like is but most diuine Like God in whom no change was euer found For as the Sunne this worlds pure crystall eyne In heau'n doth alwaies with like glory shine Though by the varying Medium's here below It seeme more glorious in the Summer time Than when Eolian blasts darke clouds do blow So Constance is the same though alt'ring oft in show This Constance is with Patience a twin Begot by Iupiter of Fortitude Mother and Babes as like as neere of kin Who hath one with all three must be indude These lift vp to heroicall habitude And come from Iustice and a prudent mind If Fury Rage Wrong Rashnesse do intrude We them no vertues faire but vices find With whom Minerua nor the Graces euer ioyn'd Patience and Constancie in this agree Effeminate faint hearts ay to oppose And men relieue in all extremitie Vndanted resolute who will not loose That liberty they haue the Good to choose Thus seeme they one now marke their difference Patience all wrongs with courage vndergoes For without Suffering's no Patience But Constance is in ioy and paine a firme defence Without Compulsion free for Vertues sake Patience constrain'd oft by necessity Most cheerefull valiantly doth vndertake To beare what cannot well auoyded be One good end Constancie propounds which she Onely regards but noble patience Before her will all euils conquerd see Which her oppresse in flesh or conscience Both haue braue resolution and sound confidence No fury of the headlesse Multitude No Tyrants rage a constant mind can shake Though all the world turne to a Chaos rude The ruines crush him may but can not make Him stagger nor Ioues thunder make him quake The Sea may roare the waues mount to the skies And threaten him to drowne in deepest Lake But Fury Rage Waues all he doth despise And when hopes outward faile his inward highest rise He constant perseueres vnto the end Like some good traueller who giues not in Till he attaine the place he doth intend And as the Souldier that the towne would winne Fights stoutly till he conquers all within Eu'n so in Buildings Arts or Merchandize In any Worke or Science we beginne It is the end where all our glory lyes He runs in vaine that faints before he wins the Prize Though all her meanes all her strength do saile Yet feares she not to hold out to the end She 's still the same and nothing can preuaile To alter any Good she doth intend To whom the heau'ns true Constancie do send Within their hearts to dwell on all occasions Effects most admirable thence transcend She fils the heart with such secure perswasions They it defend from all faint-hearted base inuasions A constant man the most disastrous fate With a most pleasing forehead entertaines Integrity so sweetens his estate As in a pleasant Calme he ay remaines With her he alwayes in his heart retaines Hope Prudence Fortitude Right Temperance And when him Troubles Losses Griefe or Paines Assaile so stoutly patience doth aduance He liueth most secure not subiect vnto Chance Braue noble Constance who art neuer sound Except dame Prudence thee accompany Thou on her counsels and aduice dost found Thy setled resolutions all whereby Thou standst most firme for Truth and Honesty Nothing can thee thus well resolu'd withstand In vaine and euill things no constancie But base peruersnesse we do vnderstand Iust honest profitable's all she takes in hand For perseuerance in a thing that 's ill Is to this Vertue no lesse enemy Than they that by affections guide their will With vaine inconstancy and leuitie
round with lightning dread With courteous countenance on his doth shine Oh gentle King me grant this Grace aright to line Gentlenesse Courtesie Humanitie Diuers in name in nature are the same Proceeding from the minds integrity And are as sparkes of Loues celestiall flame The outward shews which cōplements we name Are but as Symboles of her heart and mind If they be true she is a noble Dame If feign'd she is the shame of womankind And seekes to lye with all where she may fauour find I know not whether I may better call Her Sister or the Child of Grauity But sure I find these Graces all in all Delighting in each others Company The glory of all faire Societie Most reuerend and amiable Peeres In whom all sweetnesse shines with Maiesty Where not least ostentation vaine appeares Chiefe ornaments of Youth and grace of filuer haires Both doe proceed from one Dame Sanctitie And both employed are in reformation Of manners but in briefe Humanity A man humane like to his name doth fashion And this to Poets fables gaue occasion To tell how men were made of stocks and stones And Beasts turn'd men by Orpheus his perswasion And for she thus brought men to liue as one Amphions Harp is said Thebes wals to build alone Yea those that in Humanity transcended And others brought vnto ciuility Were deified when their liues were ended And euer honour'd of Posterity Ah! what more princely is than Courtesie Thus Kings to King of heau'n most neere do come When sauage men vnto Society They bring which else like furious Beasts would runne And eu'n more cruell to themselues than beasts become Thus Courtesie with adamantine band Men tyes in Friendship free from Enuies rents For no offence can part their ioyned hand Where gentlenesse interprets friends intents Where Kindnesse euer Courtesies preuents And gratefull alwayes striues to ouercome As Foes by Armes Friends by munificence The barbarous and insolentest groome Doth gentle kinde benigne by Courtesie become Man is the weakest creature God hath made For where all else by heau'nly Prouidence Haue bodyes arm'd 'gainst Foes that them inuade And rage of Times by Natures muniments Man onely Vertue hath for his defence This gentle vertue sweet humanity With louing kind and tender heart from whence Flow Pitie Mercy Loue Benignity Whereby we mutuall helpes to others heere supply For these Companions are to gentlenesse Which make her heere beloued vnto all Sweet gracious lookes and speeches gracefulnesse Are to this courteous Lady naturall To which she adding Maiesty withall And comely Guize doth steale mens hearts away And free from sterne morosity and gall In sweet Tranquillity and Peace doth stay Immutable without base perturbation ay Farre from the base morose and cynnicall That to all others manners are auerse Who are so crooked crosse and criticall In their owne dispositions so peruerse No friend with them is able to conuerse Delighting to be conuersant with none But sullen truculent so sterne and fierce You easier may wring water from a stone Then mirth and gentle words or lookes from such an one Neighbourhood Countreys-Loue Affinity Kindred and Friendship are cold barren names Such neither like nor loue the Company Of honest equals nor of gentle Dames This Vice in eu'ry man eu'n Nature blames But most in Officers of Court or State For Courteous grauity her Courtier frames Sweet gentle facile pleasing delicate Faire Almas bounteous Peares in all to imitate As he is worthy Death who heere denyes His brother Water from a liuing Spring Or him Sunnes comfortable Beames enuyes Or from his Candles-light light-borrowing Or to direct aright the wandering So he is most discourteous inhumane Who when he profit may to others bring Without least Damage to himselfe or blame Yet to his brother churlishly denies the same Humanity's like fairest Iuly-flower With silken leaues which bud doth yet inclose Which faire dispreading by sweet Natures power As she doth waxe broader and sweeter blowes No flower in Loues fairest garden growes That more delights the smell affects the eye But as from roote bright hue and sweetnesse flowes So from the heart springs fairest Courtesie Else as the Flower fades so dyes Humanity For as a gentle heart it selfe bewrayes By doing courteous deeds with free delight Eu'n so base dunghill minde it selfe displayes In malice churlishnesse reuenge and spight Humanity is Friendships chiefest night Foes reconciler Bounty's greatest Fame Than to accept more ready to requite Gifts are to her like Oyle powr'd on the flame Which more and more her heart with friendly loue inflame As blowing on hot coales them more enflames But water on them powr'd extinguisheth So bitter words enrage but soft reclaimes One ire appeaseth th' other kindleth And as more safe on Sea he trauelleth That passeth on with soft and gentle blast Than whom full Sailes like arrow carryeth So stands the mild sweet gentle man more fast Than he whose furious mood beares all before in hast As lukewarme water cooles an inflamation So courteous language anger pacifies And as wild horse is tam'd by mild traction So cruell foes are wonne by courtesies We easier our most sauage enemies Subdue by Gentlenesse than cruelty Wild Hawkes the Faulkner surer to him tyes By handling gently and familiarly Than if he neuer suffer'd them from fist to fly The Bough by gentlenesse is easily bent Which handled boistrously would break in sunder Thus fiercest Bull is with the yoake content And gentlenesse brings cruell Tygres vnder Philosophers affirme that dint of Thunder Doth neuer hurt where it doth yeelding find It melts the blade and yet behold and wonder The scabberd's not consum'd it bones doth grind And yet the yeelding flesh is neither scorch'd nor pin'd Wisely said he that thought wise men below Should not be mou'd with those which do offend But where they vices find increase and grow Should striue and do their best them to amend Like good Physicians who when they attend Their Patients are not angry with their fit But to the cure best skill and cunning bend As all are sonnes of Eue we sinne commit But he is most like God that heere amendeth it Humanitie may haue a threefold sense Mans Nature Vertue and his education In humane Arts and pure Intelligence From whence she seemes to haue denomination And therefore Liberall Arts by eu'ry Nation Are call'd the studies of humanity And breed in man a courteous conuersation With gentle manners and ciuility Which onely heau'ns bestow on Muses Nursery And hence it is that rustique Boores and Clownes Who want the good of ciuill education So rude and rustique are in Countrey townes When those that haue with Muses conuersation Or neere to Princes Courts their habitation Become more ciuill sociable kinde Hence 't is that eu'ry rude and sauage nation Where gentle Arts abide not are inclin'd To rustique force and sauage cruelty of mind No greater Grace the heau'ns to man afford Than gentle breeding vp in heau'nly lore By thews and holy