vigilant and watchful fearing that which after followed but Carthage being once razed and brought to destruction the youth of Rome being at liberty and freed from all feare and care of Warre set loose the bridle of pleasure and hauing no stranger against whome to exercise Armes they conuerted their weapons against their owne bowels arrearing ciuill warres and seditions amongst themselues which brought the Romaines liberty to ruine for which cause S. Augustine in his booke De Ciuitate Dei sayeth More hurtfull was the City of Carthage after her destruction then during the whole course and season of the warres which the Romaines had with her for whilst they had enemies in Affricke t hey knew not what vices ment in Rome Adrianus in the time of a generall peace would yet vndertake seuerall iornies sometimes into France somtimes into Germany otherwhiles into Asia but still causing his men of warre to march with him lest being idle they might likewise grow effeminate I might heape together a great deale of matter if I should speake of those miseries that do attend waite vpon warre but if I should enter into a particular description how many vices are hatched vp in the time of peace I might quickly spie out matter wherewith to beginne but neuer find time when to make an end we haue such dayly innouations aswell of Follies as of Fassions that our auncestors I perceiue were but bunglers at vice they had not the wit to grace a sinne nor to set it forth to the show their conceites were but dull and blunt they had not the frisking wittes of this our age but I will not intangle my selfe in that Laborinth to speake of those follies that are already past I am come to a fragment of the time present t◠a forward Sprigge that is already sprouted and sprong from this little prety moment of our calme and quiet peace The warres that were wont to stirre vp mens minds to striue who should march in the formost rank against the Enemy who should giue the first charge and who should make the first approch to enter the breach this litle time of peace hath conuerted to a base alteration for now all our strife and contention is who shall sit aboue the salte who shall goe next the wall who shall stand formost in the Herauldes bookes and who shall goe before and who shall come behind We call it a happy peace we blesse the time withall when our Armes are set apart when our Ensignes are fyrled vp and when our Drummes and warlike instruments do serue to fetch home May or are hanged by the wals but the warres of Westminster Hall are then in their greatest fury and the incounters there maintained and continued not against an open foe to our country not against a Traytor to the Prince or against a rebell or a spoiler of the common wealth but the neighbour against the neighbour the friend against the friend the brother against the brother somtimes the father against the sonne These warres are vnnaturall wars and these wars wil neuer bee dissolued but are like to grow euery day more violent then other and I wonder all this while we haue had no hote Alarmes about this precedence and taking of places for it is growne to a general controuersie not onely amongst the inferior forte of those that would faine be reputed to be Gentlemen but likewise amongst the better sort of those that be knowne to be Gentlemen by birth and others that by their places and professions are gentelized and worthy to bee so esteemed as hereafter shall be declared I will not meddle with those of the decayed order of Knighthood amongst whom there hath likewise fallen out some contentions the vnworthy somtimes comparing with those that bee worthy for I doe make a difference in reputation between Knight and Knight and I hope hereafter to shew a reason why But to come to those intruders that do extort to thēselues places and dignities that belong to others who neither by birth nor by discent can challenge the place or title of a Gentleman vnles perhaps countenanced by some petty office or otherwise haue raked together some yearely reuenue more then all their ancestors were euer able to leaue to their heires and not attained vnto by vertuous industry but gotten sometimes by deceiuing the Prince otherwhiles by preiudicing the common wealth most times by exacting oppressing as many as they had to deale withal but vnder these pretences they would vsurpe to themselus a kind of preheminence to throng thrust before those that are their betters both by birth and qualitie and this malipert sawcines maketh them to be the more hateful to as many as know from whence they are descended It is not the giuing or taking of places that either giueth or taketh away vertue nor euery man that is inuested with an office is not therefore by and by had in the better reputation but if they be so desirous of estimation they must indeuor by their own labor industry to heape to themselus so precious treasure when curtesie affability are known to bee the instruments whereby the hearts of the people are won And as this thrusting and striuing for places is a common sicknes amongst men so the infection is farre more violent amongst women and hath preuailed so farre as I thinke it be past cure for not one amongst them being willing to giue place but euery one endeuouring and striuing to take place they are ready to scratch for it and to take their roomes perforce will not let to render reasons to maintaine their right one makes her plea my husband is a Squire and I will giue place to none but to my Lady an other will say my husband is a Doctor and why should not I go with the formost one stands vpon her owne petigree and deriues her selfe from some ancient stocke or family another vauntes of her husbands office another of his wealth another of her chains iewels silken gowns and of so many other vanities besides that if their husbands should fal to dealing in those quarrels set abroch by their wiues they would neuer be determined without bloody noses But what women be those that doe most generallie stand vpon those termes or that will soonest presse to be thus forward but those that be of the basest birth or haue beene otherwise noted and detected of infamy I doe not meddle with Ladies all this while for although these vpstart women be ful of iniury yet Ladies that are descended of gentle parentage are full of curtesie they are not vengible the one against the other they are not proud they are not slanderous they are no tatlers to carpe at those thinges that belongs not vnto them now Ladies in these daies a great many of them are none of these great vaunters to brag of their worshipfull parents of their fathers of their grandfathers they would be much ashamed in any proud
ROOME for a Gentleman OR THE SECOND PART OF FAVLTES Collected and gathered for the true Meridian of Dublin in Jreland and may serue fitly else where about London and in many other partes of England By BARNABE RYCH Souldier Malui me diuitem esse quam vocari LONDON Printed by I. W. for Ieffrey Chorlton and are to be sold at his shoppe at the great North dore of Paules Church 1609. TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull and Honourable dis posed Sir THOMAS RIDGEVVAY Knight Treasurer and Vice-Treasurer at Warres in his Maiesties Realme of Ireland ALthough I do not thinke these idle lines to be a fit present for your iudgment and wisedome whome the Arts haue adorned with knowledge and science but that I shall rather seeme to inioyne you to a pennance then giue you any manner of content yet sir hauing had former trials of your curtesies towards me I will number this amongst the rest of your fauours you see the best gratification my ability can afford is but a few paper wordes and betwixt kind wordes that be written and kind wordes that bee spoken the difference is small I would bee glad to arme them with some better merite and to endeuour any other thing that might be more acceptable vnto you in the meane time I shall acknowledge my selfe more beholding vnto you to vouchsafe me a reading then my little skill is able to merite by writing I will not make any further ostentation neither will I light a candle to the sunne but will rest Alwaies at your disposition BARNABE RYCH To all those Gentlemen that are worthily so reputed GENTLEMEN that you might the rather know your selues to be Gentlemen I haue endeuoured these lines wherein I haue distinguished of Gentlemen both currant and counterfeit I call them currant that are wel known to be Gentlemen by discent or haue been otherwise aduaÌ„ced by desert eyther by seruice in the field or by any other vertuous indeauour â—ending to the generall good of the common wealth I call them counterfeit that do vsurpe the name title of gentlemen that are lately crept out of a thatcht house or from the dunghil by scraping together alittle pelfe that haue neither petigree vertue nr honesty whereby to make claime and yet will intrude themselues and take more vpon them then becommeth basenes I hope I shall neither offâ—nd the honest nor discontent the wise for the rest if they be a little rubd ouer the gaule let them kicke in Gods name Hee that cannot endure the reprehension of Sinne let him neuer goe to Church and he that cannot abide to heare folly reproued let him neuer reade Bookes But as mistres Minx is many times sicke but shee cannot tell where so there be some would fame finde fault if they could tell how but for him that is of the reprehending humour here is matter for him to worke vpon My lines are like the Shoomakers leather that if a man complains of a straite shoo they will swear one daies wearing will make it retch againe if they be too wide they will say the leather will shrink in the wearing so my lines according to the disposition of the Reader may be made either too short or too long for although I haue fitted them to mine own fantasie yet I know I cannot fit them to euerie mans humor In the same pasture where the Bee â—â—eazeth on the flower the oxe feedeth on the shrub so readers some like Bees and some like Oxen do conuert things indifferent to particular qualities for what the one coÌ„uerts to honey the other turus to gall Xenophon was wont to say that if beasts could paint they would pourtray God himself like a beast so the ignorant sort that wil draw all thinges to their own appetites and but to what themselues do affect will make those expositions of any thing they read as the writer himselfe neuer thought vpon and as they will not let to dispraise those things that they could neuer conceiue so they wil praise that againe which they neuer vnderstood We haue too many of these expositors that can wrest generalities to priuate applications I wold bâ— glad to blesse my self from them but if I cannot escape them my â—â—re is the lesse because it is not my case alone when it is generall to as many as haue had to doe with the printing presse Roome for a Gentleman Or the Second Part of FAVLTES IT hath beene holden for a great blessing of God when the sworde and all other weapons of warre are turned into Plough-yrons but we doe not consider that war is the minister of Gods iustice either for contempt of himself neglect of his Religion or for the wicked life of worldlings it is the surfers of peace that hatcheth vppe war and it is the finnes of the people that draweth the Soldiers Sword for warres are but as a Corrector to the disorders of peace it is as fire to the mettell that wants refining as a phisition to a body ouergrowne with grosse and corrupt humors it is the scourge of Security the plague of Timeritie a miserable necessity in nature and a necessary Corrector of times infirmity Warre stirs vp the bloud it cals courage to the field and it is the Theatre where on Nobilitie was borne to shew himselfe Peace breedes Cowards it effeminates our mindes it pampers our wanton wils and it runs headlong into all sorts of sinne VVarres vpholds our right Peace will put vp wrong and what we honourably winne in war wee cowardly loose againe in peace Peace filles the world with pompe war abates the edge of pride Peace feedes Folly fat makes vertue lean and it armeth Cape a Pee all manner of inormity warre spends the pelfe that Peace hath miserably scraped for And what should I say warre like a storme that comes ratling in the skie doth clense and purge the aire infected with the misty fogs of peace war hath had his beginning with the world and it will neuer haue end so long as there is a world Valiancy hath an eye to warre and warre hath the like againe to peace and warre should not be vndertaken but to the end to haue peace and as peace is the parent of prosperity so it is the nurse of pride and draweth after it the very corruption of manners In the time of peace a fauorite shall ruffell it out with the wealth of a realme whilst Souldiours in the time of warre are ready to mutiny for want of pay In warre those are onely dignified that are found to be valiant or otherwise approued to be of worthy reputation peace preferreth Carpet Knights and such as will scratch at dignity without desert The Souldiour who in the time of warre sauoreth of sweat the true testimony of exercise and labour in the time of Peace is all to bee spiced with perfumes the witnes of effeminate and womanish nicite As long as Carthage waged warre against Rome so long were the Romaines in dayly exercise of Armes
will in no wise that the Souldier should bee a maintainer of Iustice for that they onely would arrogate to themselues but for the better credite of the matter I will salute my Maisters of the Law with a few wordes deliuered by S. Ambrose and thus they follow Valiant men that do defend their Country and protect the Weale from spoile and ruine doe the office of true iustice Souldiers do protect the common wealth and they defend it from all sorts of spoile eyther forraine or intestine but onely they cannot saue it from the spoyle of the Lawyers Hauing thus placed the Deuine and now the Souldier in the third ranke are to march those that doe compose and compound lawes and ordinances for the maintenance of right and ciuill society amongst these the venerable and reuerend Iudges and all other that are established in office and authority vnder Princes but especially if they execute their places with honour and honesty The Lawyers will neuer thinke mee to be a good Sariant Maior to martiall them thus in the Rereward that would ranke themselues with the formost especiall in the time of peace for they take themselues to bee the onely Agents of a happy gouernment It is our wickednes that maketh the Lawyer necessary so necessity is it that maketh him honourable therefore he is not to march in equall ranke neither with the Souldier nor with the Philosopher The principall office of the Law is in the time of peace to commaund thinges honest and vertuous and to forbid what is dishonest and vicious but what can the Lawyer doe with his prescriptions before there be a setled obedience which is first to bee established by the Souldier It is truth the Lawyer and the Souldier could neuer thriue both in one shire and therefore no maruell though they crie out with Tully Caedant arma togae for these doe not onely loue to sleepe in a whole skin and are afraid of knockes but vnder the pretence of honouring peace they would both excuse their cowardize and would arrogate to themselues a supreame authority to be the principall pillars to conserue and vphold peace and because Tully would haue it that weapons should giue place to the gown they would from hence conclude that the Souldier must giue place to the Lawyer but as good lucke would haue it Tully himselfe in the same booke of Officis hath bequeathed a double honour vnto those men who armed do make warre and robbed do gouerne the common wealth and the Poets haue fained Minerua to be armed signifying that Captains and Souldiers should be as wise in counsailing as couragious in conquering as politike in keeping as valiant in getting But to put all questions out of doubt and that the Lawyer should not thinke himselfe disgrast by giuing place to the Souldier I wil proue by sufficient instance that the profession of Armes is more honourable then the profession of Law and so by consequence the Soldier is of greater worth and excellency then the Lawyer The affaires of warre is a knowledge behoueful for the greatest Monarch when a king is not so much renowned for his crowne as for his skill in knowledge of Armes The nine Worthies of the worlde were Martiall men reputed honourable for their prowes not for their knowledge eyther in Law or Philosophy though the knowledge of them both be of great excellency Although all the gifts of Fortune are to be despised in respect of learning yet there is nothing so glorious as to bee called a great Captaine or a worthie Souldier and it was very neatly answered by him who being demanded by his friend whether hee had rather to be Achilles or Homer asked the other again whether he had rather to be a Captaine or a Trumpeter letters are but the ornaments of Armes and learning is more necessary for a man of Warre then for any other profession The aduentures vndertaken by warre the true prouocation is glory but he that sauoureth not the fruits of letters hath as little feeling in the greatnes of glory A man that is ignorant in Artes can neuer excell in Armes and as Plato sayeth Happy is that common wealth where eyther the Prince is a Philosopher or where a Philosopher is a prince so it may be called a fortunate warre where the chiefe Commander is a great scholler or a great scholler is the chiefe Commaunder What made the Romaines to become so famous but that their Captaines and Commaunders were as great schollers as they were warriours it is not exercise in warre that maketh euery man fit to be a Captaine though he follow the profession neuer so long especially if he be vnlearned yet there is none so vnapt for the warre but if he be lettered it so much the more helpeth his experience A man that is aged let his yeares be neuer so many yet he seeth but the thinges that are done in his owne time but the learned man seeth not onely his owne age and experience but whatsoeuer hath beene done many hundred yeares past yea since the first Writer tooke penne in hand and therefore aswell amongst Souldiers as amongst all other professions the vnlearned must giue place to the learned for no memorie can compare with writing And as amongst the vnlearned he that hath liued fourescore yeares must haue more experience then hee that hath liued but forty so hee that seeth by bookes the accidents of a thousand yeares knoweth more then hee that by liuing a hundred yeares is able to attaine vnto I might inferre examples of excellent Captaines of old time which all enioyed the ornament of letters with the prowes of Armes It is well knowne that Alexander had Homer in such reuerent estimation that hee laid his Iliades alwayes vnder his beds head and hee applyed diligently not those studies onely but also the speculation of philosophy vnder the discipline of Aristotle Alcibiades in like manner increased his vnderstanding aswel by letters as with the instructions of Socrates What diligence Caesar vsed in study his owne writinges doe sufficiently make manifest Scipto Affricanus would not goe without the bookes of Xenophon I might further speake of Lucullus Scilla Pompeius Brutus and of many other both Romaines and Gretians that were famous Souldiers and great Philosophers how conuersant a matter it hath been in times past for Arts Arms to march together in one ranke This might suffice to proue that the dignity of the soldier is not bestowed vpon him gratis or as it were without desert but that it appertaineth vnto him by property and right and but according to his owne merite then who is more fit to manage the affaires of peace as hee that hath an able iudgement to know what is fit both for peace and warre But it hath beene a former question disputation hath beene had many yeares sithens what profession might be thought to be most worthy and sundry men haue hereupon giuen their seuerall censures King Oridanias was wont
to say to the Cicilians that to the sacrificing Priestes of the Temple most honour was due whereby it may appeare that the religious from the beginning were had in reuerent estimation it was not giuen them without some consideration for as it is recorded the Priestes of Diana were limited to their seuerall seasons the first wherein they might learn wisedom the second wherein to exercise it them selues and the third to instruct others Brias king of Argiues gaue most honor to the Philosophers that read in schooles Numa Pompilius amongst the Romains was of opinion that he was worthy of most reputation to whom had happened the victory of any famous battel and that was fortunate in warre But Anaxarchus the Philosopher ordained amongst the Phenitians that in a common wealth such shoulde be especially honoured who in the time of peace entertained the state in tranquility and in the fury of war was found to bee a valiant protector of the limites and liberties of his country concurring with that of Tully who likewise preferreth to the highest degree of honour those who armed doe make warre and robbed do rule and gouerne the common wealth but because this little pause of peace hath euen almostlulde vs in that security that now the souldier hath hanged vp his armor a rusting by the wals they would likewise hang himselfe a rusting with his Armes I thinke it not amisse therefore to giue him a litle furbushing though not to cast him into any counterfeit colour or so to vernish or gild him wherby to make him more bright by Art then he is of himselfe by Nature a litle therefore to rub out the canker that time hath already begun for to eate I will make him as well as I can to glister and shine in his own vertue Warre is a minister of Gods iustice for sinne God is not the author of ill but the chasticer of abuse he ordereth the will of Princes to punish or reuenge the Souldiers as obedient Subiectes are the Minister to performe if power were not to maintaine Princes proceedinges the Prince might sometimes bee dispossest of his Estate cruell handes woulde bee layed on the Ministery yea the Lawyers woulde bee pulde from the Barre and the Iudge pluckt downe from the place of Iustice so that in peace the name of a Souldier restreyneth the rebellions and in warre maketh subiect the proudest resister The Souldier referreth himselfe to the will of the prince the prince is not disposed but by the direction of God who since hee is the gouernour of euery actiō I dare auow they are not vicious It may be obiected that in the proud attemptes of Princes the Souldier is still present not respecting the cause so much as his owne profite This were a hard position to bee obiected against Lawyers but the Souldier being a subiect is tied to follow his Prince but in iniurious enterprises I know there are Souldiers that are as contrary to the warre as he that is most ready to reprehend who by proofe and not by gesse do conclude of the euent of the battel when the cause proceedeth from a wrongfull ground But let vs speake of Souldiers in their minorities when they first become to bee apprentises to Armes In the choice of a Souldier wee do not onely regard the ability of his body but the quality of his minde for if religion circumspection preuention counsell experience zeale fidelity resolution continency and care be not in him that should enter the profession the charge is ill lookt into neither is such a one to bee admitted that is not thus accomplisht then if a Soldier of iudgement be had when he is imployed how liues he in the field first in the feare of God not assured of his life from one houre to another surely tied to al vertuous actions abstinent in diet diligent to please carefull to correct dutifull to obey tired with trauell handes feet legges thoughts and all toyled occupied and employed so that neither leisure serues him to be idle nor the seuerity of his Captaine admits him to runne astray such Souldiers should be and thus they ought to be employed and if there were not some such the name and title were hardly bestead For those imputations wherewith Souldiers are charged to be rash rebellious cruell mutinous incontinent c. they are but scandals malitiously imposed for first if they were rash their successe would be more infortunate then commonly it falleth out If rebellious and not to bee gouerned without doubt Alexander had not conquered so many countries subdued so many kingdomes and ouercome so many nations and as it were but with a handfull of his Macedonians and Cretians If bloudy minded why then spared Caesar those Senators citizens of Rome when both by their own hand writing and often attempts hee well knew to be the followers of Pompei and his capitall enemies If murtherous how often might the Venetian Armies haue worthily spoiled the whole Iland of Create which not onely had murthered many of their families with the sword but also rebelled against them fiue or sixe seuerall times Ifincontinent what caused Scipio to redeliuer that noble young Virgin who for her passing beauty and great admiration of person was presented vnto him as a rare gift Scipio himselfe amased at the sight would yet deliuer her to Luceias to whome shee was espoused and gaue him also for a dowrie the gold that her parents had brought to redeeme her If couctous how fell it out that after L. Mumius had taken Corinth and adorned all Italy with the riches of that spoile he kept so little to his own vse that the Senate was faine for very need to giue dowry to his daughter of the common treasure But because Rome hath beene especially famed let vs see from whence shee attained to her greatnes we shall find that the Souldier was he that defended the estate the Souldier was hee that made Rome notable yea the Souldier was he that had the creation of the Emperour When the souldier had this sway peace was as plentifull at Rome as after it was the reuenews of Rome greater then now they be the abhomination of Rome lesse then now it is In the time of the souldiers gouernment Rome was renowned for her iustice and was reputed to bee the mistris of the world now the rule is in the hand of a counterfeit priest Rome is insamed for her idolatry and is accounted the scorne of the world In the dayes of Traian other countries sought their lawes from Rome now in the dayes of the Vicar of Christ Rome is accounted lawles of all the world In the losse of a souldier how mourned Iulius Caesar whome not onely he dignified with great honors being aliue but also buried with bitter teares being dead Pompei the great builded the city of Nicopolis to no other end but to harbour souldiers Alexander the Romaine would seldome giue giftes vnles it were to souldiers affirming it to be vnlawfull for
much lesse to detect them There be many other Gentlemen both of name and bloud that I know are not to be detected amongst the which some I loue for their honesty some I reuerence for their quality and some I honour for their excellency many wayes expressed but especially in their liues amongst the rest that are now remainant in the realme of Ireland one that hath made himselfe more famous then the rest and therefore aboue the rest in that Region most worthy so to be famed I need not blaze his name for he that hath but learned to know himselfe hath heard of him I might say more but I need not for he hath said more for himselfe then I am able to say For a full conclusion of this I protest that I doe not know any man in Englād a professor of the law either one or other that I do malice there be a number that I do loue and I loue them for their owne vertue and worthines neyther can I speake any ill of any one particular person amongst them of mine owne experience neither haue I heard the abuses of these petty-fogging fellowes more bitterly reprehended then I haue heard amongst Lawyers themselues that are of the most worthiest sorte and best learned in the lawes And now to returne to the subiect that I haue taken in hand I say it is the best gentrie that is attayned by Armes or by learning but best of all by both and hee doth hardly deserue the title of a Gentleman that is not aduanced by one or both they are farre deceiued to thinke that a little wealth or a bare office may make a man worthy of estimation that is not attained vnto by desert or accomplished by vertue to gaine a reputation to bee accounted wise or vertuous many wise and vertuous acts are required but for a man to make himselfe to bee esteemed for a foole one foolish act sufficeth and therefore a man had neede to take heede how hee marries a wife that is of the flanting humour Some do think to aspite to gentility by their welth but that were a base foundation for riches are most cōmonly heaped together by corruptions by extortions by exactions by oppressions and by many other like seruile functions And a man would laugh to heare some of these Hogelings if they bee in company what they will attribute to themselues you shall see a fellow that was but lately digde out of a dung hill whose wit and honesty both doth onely consist but in compassing of crownes that will take more state vppon him then hee that is able to manage a princes Army in the field Some others doe thinke that the greatest grace of gentility doth consist in gawdy showes in foolish fashions and to be like Protenus the God of shapes Some their greatest vertue is to poure it in and to put it out againe some doe thinke to bee registred in the Heraldes bookes for wearing hayre of the new cut one will haue it short another will haue it long an other will haue his loue locke or his lady locke or call it what you will that shall hang dangling by his eare an excellent place of Ambuscado to sheltre Nits Lice There be some that in their actions do affect honour who in their ambition will protest of great wonders and what they would bring to passe if they had beene borne mighty which sort of men are commonly much talked of but little cared for when honour doth best show her selfe in him that doth rather seeke merite then hunt after fame yet I haue knowne of some of these aspiring potentates that were ashamed to confesse their own parentage but would challenge their alliance from some Lord or from some knight like the Mule that being demāded of his birth being ashamed to confesse that hee was the sonne of an Asse answered that he was cosen Germaine to a Horse In euery wel gouerned common wealth men of learning vertue honesty are aduanced and preferred for dignity in an vnworthy person is like a precious stone that is set in base mettell or like a rusty rapier in a veluet scaberd but opinion is a perilous fellow and I thinke there is not a more cosening thing in the world for it deceyueth Kings Princes Dukes Earles Lords and what is he that is not ouer reached by opinion It draweth most to great fortunes and it is bred and fostered by the breath of the vulgar It preferreth men to dignities to offices places of authority aswell in the time of peace as in the time of warre for where opinion beareth sway shee rules like a God she makes fooles to bee reputed wise cowards to be called couragious and silly ignorant men to be admired for iudgement and skill Opinion is a burre that still cleaueth to the mighty and it is more nice foolish to please then iudgemēt Opinion is the mother of hypocrisie it is blind it is lame it is selfe conceited and it hath preuailed so farre that we want but another Erasmus to deifie Opinion as one hath already writ in the prayse of Folly Opinion is most smoothed by those that doe affect and hunt after it themselues and that is commonly by men of the basest condition by such as doe thirst after promotion as tale bearers newes carriers and such other and some too thinke to creepe into the very guts of Opinion with drinking a health some to winne Opinion are excellent in discourse at a table they will talke of their owne actiuity how many fraies they made in Fleetstreet what Ladies and Gentlewomen came to visite them when they lay sicke of the tooth-ach and they will sometimes vaunt of a fauour from their mistres that were scorned by the maide and bar them from this or other like talke and they are as vtterly vnfurnisht as a chimnies end in a countrie house without a pudding or a peece of bacon I haue seene some of these fellowes that are of the ietting behauiour that do thinke to reach at opinion by complements and quaint deuises that will dispute of intricate matters that professe to bee seene in all faculties that will speake by distinct spaces and will refute all men by innouation of Method that can sometimes speake well and alwayes liue ill He that swaggereth and sweareth and speaketh not a word but it is full of terrour that threatneth the stabbe or some other deadly blowe that is able to dismember a man with the verie breath of his displeasure that can shake him all to tatters but vpon the point of his tongue that is as fearefull to beholde as the Gentleman that durst not looke in a glasse when hee was angry for affrighting himselfe with the terror of his owne countenance that scorneth to cut vppe the Goose-pie that scorneth to drinke to him that will not pledge him a full cuppe that scorneth sometime to pay his debts all this and more too is but to winne opinion and so from
thence to steppe to preferment I neuer found lesse performance in deedes then in some of these prating fellowes that are so ful of words but for my part if I hit into their company when I heare their tongues beginne to wagge I listen to their talke as I listen to a Bagge-pipe that the lowder it squeyles the more abiect I hold the musicke Now for this insinuating basenes that dooth woo preferment as if she were a wench to bee wonne with presents with prayses and with flattery a faire worde a smiling looke or a flattering show were recompence good inough for those creatures of seruitude For mine owne part I haue euer scornd to purchase reputation or to seeke aduancement by ducking by crowching by deiecting and prostrating my selfe at mens feet to submit to a voluntary professed seruitude to daunce attendance sometimes three houres by the clocke and then to bee blest with a Nod commende it he that list I cannot like it neither do I loue to commit the idolatry of out age to make mortal men saints to worship to adore to creepe to crouch to make offerings if any of these interpreting fellowes will say I stand too much in my owne conceite therefore perhaps will not sticke to breake a iest or two behind my backe to get the start of such deprauers a litle to preuent them I befoole him a fore hand that doth thinke me so simple as not to bee able to distinguish betweene seruile flattery and beseeming curtesie but to submit my selfe to a base kinde of submission to begge a litle preferment let them winne that way those that list I hold the gaine to be more abiect and base then Vespasians gaine gotten by vtine But of all fortunes that might befall mee it woulde anger me to the heart to creepe into an office yea if it were into Knighthood it selfe more for my wiues sake then for mine own worth I will speake no more of my selfe but what indirect aspiring is this that to attaine to a little title of dignity we shall make our selues to be laughing stocks and to be holden contemptible in seeking a dignity not being able to vphold the reputation of the place It is a counterfeit fashion to face the outside with a litle satten or some other like stuffe of a glorious show and to patch and peece the inside with tatters rags of litle worth me thinkes there bee some that if they did but examine and looke into their owne dignities they should bee very angry because they should find them to looke with squint eyes wrie mouthes and flearing countenance as though they derided mocked at their masters This eye beguiling glory deceiueth none but fooles and it is like the Gloweworme that shineth a little in the darke but in the light of the day wee discerne it to bee but a paltry worme I haue hitherto but spoke of Gentlemen that do not know their owne places nor many times how to martiall themselues but with disorder iniuring and wronging others and some of them with such vnreasonable presumption as might turne to offence and so to a quarrell I hold it not vnnecessary now according to my promise to say something of Knightes amongest whom if there be not some mistaking by the Heralds there is some inequality and difference between them The time hath been when the Yeomandry of England did flourish and were had in some account but after the prouerbe began to grow in custome That euery lacke would be a Gentleman our Yeomandry beganne to faint and euen then to decay and now our Gentlemē are as farre out of date and this second prouerbe approued to bee in full strength and vertue that is Eyther a Knight or a knitter of Caps for wee are now so full of Knights that Gentlemen are had in little request the order of knighthood is auncient the dignity in ages past hath beene accounted honorable neither was it giuen but to such as were able to countenance the place and had ability both of wealth and wit to gratifie their country to benefite the common wealth yea and to be aiders and assistants to princes in all their affaires eyther in the time of peace or in the time of warre Such they haue beene and some such there be stil but amongst them there be as vnworthy as the others are worthy and here is the difference and inequality betweene them The one are knowne by their troupes of seruantes that are attendant and waiting vpon them the other are knowne by a poore Page or Lackey or if they cā get a pild fellow or two in a thred bare Liuerie it is a greater traine then some of their Fathers or other of their predecessors before them were able to maintaine The one are knowne by their hospitality and good house-keeping aswell in the City as in the Country the other are knowne by their frequent to other mens tables that are not able to giue a meales meate nor scarsly to eate a good one at their own costs and charges from one Sonday to another The one are knowne by the authority and gouernment they beare in the common wealth and are aduanced for their wisedom and renowned by their own desert the other are better knowne for their wiues vanity then for their owne vertue and not so much aduanced for their own wit as for their wiues wantonnes To be short the one are beloued of all for their wisedome and the other are scorned of al for their folly I cannot tell whether it be an inconuenience to a common wealth to haue so many vnworthy persons puft vp into prid◠but this I answere that a great number of the vnable sort must vphold their pride either by begging from the prince or by shifting or scambling in the common wealth for sir Giles himselfe must haue his satten suite and my good Lady his wife must needs haue her Coach for to see a Lady to walke the streetes without a Coatch is like my Lord Maior when he comes from Westminster without a Pageant or like a Shroue Tuesday without a pancake For as Knightes grow poore so Ladies grow proude and when a Lady is out of the new Fashion shee is like a shippe that is out of Trim shee will neuer steare well The Romaines would neuer admit any man to carry the name eyther of knight or gentleman that had not serued in the warres neither would they dignifie any man with any of those titles but such as had been famed for their seruice in the field or otherwise commended for some excellent vertue me thinks it were well if this were obserued in the institution of knights and that as good respect might be had to their ability of welth as to their ability of wit and although I doe here yoke wealth with vertue yet I do make wealth to be but the handmaid to vertue for the exercise of liberality is many times as necessary for a knight as chiualry but now
we shall sooner meet with sir Dinnaden or sir Dagonet at a dinner then sir Lancelot du Lake or sir Trustrum de Liones in the field Some doe hold that amongst Knights he is to haue the first place that had his first creation and this is it that I haue laboured all this while to impugne for what a disparagement were this that a man that were first by birth a Gentleman discended of worthy parents trayned and fostered vp from his very infancy in knowledge and vnderstanding that is of able reuenew to keepe hospitality and to relieue the poorer sort that are inhabiting about him whose wisedom and experience hath beene both tried and well approued in his loue and seruice showne aswell to his Prince as to his country and such a one being worthily dignified to the order of knighthood for his vertue and well deseruing another that is but base by birth compassed perhaps with some measur of welth but not with an inch of wit some of them not greatlie pestered neyther with wealth nor wit his best complements a litle pride and a great deale of ignorance yet one of these little worthy creatures creeping into a knighthood whether by fauour whether by fortune perhaps by fraud but I am sure neither by merite nor by desert should yet shoulder the other from the wal because he had his creation an howre or two before him I could here find in my heart to chide and that extreamely but especially in the behalfe of Ladies I meane of those Ladies that may bee said to bee truely legitimate for there bee of Ladies as there bee of knightes some in substance and some in show but for those that bee Ladies aswell in nature as by name I reuerence those nay I honor them although I know their vertuous inclination to be more ready to pardon then willing to reuenge yet what gentle spirite would not be grieued in their behalfes to see a base borne Madam whose mother would haue beene glad to haue beene a good Ladies Landres and yet she will pranke and pearch yea and sometimes contend with her for place and superiority that hath had her betters to attend her in her chamber I did once know one of these femall kind that the best bringing vp she had whilst she dwelt with her owne mother I thinke was to study the Arte of Nauigation shee had dayly frequent amongst Saylers and Seafaring men and in continuance of time shee fell to practise the Iacobs staffe and I durst bee sworne she neuer so much as dreamte of a Ladiship but fortune they say is blinde and she alwaies fauours fooles The Prouerbe may be true for we haue some knights in this age that are not accounted the wisest men and amongst them shee was Ladyfied and very shortly after that she was numbred in this societie to become a fellow Lady she began to scorne this excrement of wormes this satten silke and veluet were to meane for my Ladies wearing vnles it were decked garded and garnished with the minerall of golde siluer and other ornaments of more pure and precious nature Martial maketh mention of one of these base born brats called Poppeia that after shee became a concubine to Nero had her horses shod with pure gold I woulde be ashamed of it but I would match Poppeias pride with as base borne as her selfe if I listed to picke out presidents though not in shooing of horses with gold yet in other superfluous vanities no lesse nice and foolish then that but let them passe and thus I will conclude that as there is no ambition so violent as that of the Beggers so there is no pride to be compared to the pride of one of these abiect creatures that is exalted lifted vp from a base estate to a litle prosperity But now to speake of knights I say that the dignitie was at the beginning giuen for seruice in the field and was proper onely to martiall men for there was the first institution but since it hath growne by custome that euery absolute Prince hath power to bestow that dignity aswell in the time of peace as in the time of warre but yet knights are of the more or lesse reputation according to the quality of the Prince or partie that giueth the creation for this is the opinion of the Heraldes the Venetian estate and the state of Genoa doe take vpon them to make Knights and so doth the Pope but with these wee will not meddle In the time of the first institution the creation was performed with many ceremonies and as many ceremonies again were vsed in the degradatiō of a knight There are three or foure sundry orders of knightes in England but I will onely speake of those that haue neither garment badge signe nor show whereby to be knowne from other ordinary Gentlemen but by the addition of sir Iohn sir Thomas sir Richard or sir Robert by which notes they are better known amongst our selues then they are to straungers and these knightes are called by the Heraldes knightes Batchelers These knights are made either by the king himselfe or by his commission and royall authority to his liuetenant especially in the time of warre who hath his royal and absolute power for the instant This order is giuen vpon diuerse considerations whereof the principall is for seruice in the field and to these especially belongeth the greatest honour and ought to take the first place for I haue knowne and I haue somtimes seen both Earles Barons that haue receiued the order of knighthood in the field haue thought themselues therby to be dignified for as the beuty of euery common wealth consisteth in the vertue of their Nobility so the wings of true Nobility wherwith to make her to flie hie are the deeds of chiualry for being inlightened with martial skil it maketh him to shine more cleare and bright In the time of Peace the dignity of knighthood is bestowed of many worthy Gentlemen who for their wisedome and ability euery way are fit to sway gouerne in the common wealth and these knightes are worthily honored are so to be reputed regarded After these in the thirde ranke let them march in Gods name whom the prince himselfe doth aduance perhaps in hope of their future seruice or for any other respect or consideration whatsoeuer for it wel beseemeth a king to make a knight thogh it be but for his pleasur because a prince may giue him maintenāce to hold his estate as he gaue him Knighthood at his pleasure whither any substitute may doe the like I will not dispute for if hee makes a Knight for his pleasure that is vnable eyther he makes a Begger that must bee still crauing of the Prince or such a burthen that of necessity must be a pester to the common wealth for those knights that are but poore bare and needy are like cyphers that do make figures rich but are themselues worth nothing I am sorry
now at last to speake of those that are a stayne to that honourable order of Knighthood that knowing themselues to be of no desert nor any waies able to merite will buy the dignity and purchase their knighthood with money a silly humour that loueth admiration and procureth laughter I haue known of these betrayers of vertue that whē hee had made his purchase of a knighthood the best that he was able after to performe was to take a place at the vpper end of the Table and all the vertue that was in him beside was this hee loued to pay the Fidlers I might inlarge a great deale of other matter aboute this contending and striuing for places this standing vpon precedence and superiority who is better and who is worse but to him that is not partiall it might very well appeare that aswell amongst Noble men as amongst Knights and Gentlemen the martiall man is first to bee preferred yea amongst Emperors kinges and princes hee is euer holden to bee most magnificent that is most martiall and this is not mine but the opinion of the Heraldes Now for a number of counterfeit Souldiers that wil be called Captaines some of them that neuer had charge vnles perhaps at the fetching home of a May-pole or sometimes preferred more for fauour then for any ability that was in them vnles to leade men to the slaughter Some other againe that haue beene a littleat the sea a pilfering that for the seruice or what belongeth to the sea are more simple and ignorant then the poore shippe boy and these bee they that are a slander and disgrace to the Art Militari for there is no greater inciuility no baser disorder nor more shamefull misdeameanor then is vsed by these counterfeit Souldiers that do march vnder the title of Captaines But what profession is free from counterfeites when Diuinity it selfe is sometimes made but a cloke for hipocrites And here if I might but craue a litle licence I might speake of a kinde and manner of affinity that is between the Deuine and the Souldier sympathizing and concurring so nearly together that both their vertues and their vices might bee saide to bee a kinne and to haue proceeding from one originall they are both warriours the one with the word the other with the sword the one fighting against the pride of sinne and against all enemies ghostly spirituall the other fighting against the ambition of Tirants and against all other oppressors eyther forreine or domesticall A good Captaine must haue training practise and experience before hee take vppon him to conduct in the seruice of his Prince a godly Deuine must haue learning wisedome and knowledge before hee take vpon him the cure of soules in the church of God The vnskilfull Captaine but leadeth men to the slaughter the ignorant Deuine leadeth soules to destruction A good Captaine fearing the attempts and sodaine surprises of the enemy is still vigilant and watchfull A good Deuine fearing the creeping in of vice the hote Alarmes of sinne is euer ready to make resistance The Captaine that sometimes buyeth his company and attaineth to his charge more by fauour of friends then by his owne vertue is more ready to poul pill his Souldiers then to performe any seruice the Deuine that creepeth into a Benefice by sinister practise more for the loue of the liuing then for loue of the liuing God will sooner fleece his flocke then feede it and will bee more ready to contend with his parishioners for those duties that are appertaining to himself then to teach and instruct thē in those duties that they owe vnto God Those Captaines that are too formal and in the prescribing of martiall Discipline are more nice then necessary are the disturbers of the loue and amity that should be amongst Souldiers and doe many times hinder the expedition of seruice that might be performed those Deuines that are more precise in the ceremonies of the Church then the worde it selfe doth warrant are the seedes men of dissention and by their too much curiosity they set abroach those strifes and contentions that are lets and hindrances to many godly proceedings that might benefite the church The careles Captain suffereth his Souldiers to spoile to rob to steale to bring in booties aswell from friendes as foes hee cares not from whome so he may haue his share the couetous Deuine suffereth his flock to wander in blindnes to follow idolatrie and to rob God of his glory he cares not how so it bringeth in beeues to his kitchen horse to his stable and money to his cofers I might be infinite in this comparison but let it rest and to conclude I say they are most detestable vices that are most desirous to looke like vertues An Heretique of good life saith Origen is much more hurtfull and hath more authority in his wordes then he that doth discredit his doctrine with the lewdnes of his life wee must therefore take heed of Papists that are of godly conuersation to the show The holy Hipocrite is more to bee feared then the Publican or Harlot yet beware of a woman that hath once marked her selfe with infamy let her afterwardes pretend neuer so much honesty I dare not vndertake to write an Apology in defence of his wit that in despight of gray hayres and wisedome too will intangle himselfe with one of those marked creatures but she may bring him children and teach him to sing with the summer bird I might haue liued merily if I had loued neuer But to conclude the Text that I haue taken in hand we contend about precedence and superiority wee striue who shall goe before and who shall follow after and wee do all make semblance to hunt after honour but in truth we hunt contrary and missing the right tract where honour is to bee found wee content our selues with a little vaine glory but it fitteth the time and letit doe so still for there is no amendment the world I see is growne to be like Frier Bacons brasen head The time is past and there is no hope of recouery Christ sweateth bloud whilst wee snort and sleepe Christ wrastleth and ftriueth with the world whilst we stand by and giue him the looking on Christ hath humbled himselfe to the Crosse wee dispute of dignities who shall sit on the right hand who on the left who shall goe before and who shall follow after wee are lifted vp in our owne conceites wee swell with pride and presumption the one of vs against the other we misspend this treasure of time which God in his mercy hath giuen vnto vs this blessed season of peace which by a gracious gouernement wee now enjoy which should bee conuerted to better vse and purpose In the time of peace Philosophie hath his peculiar exercise and when wee are exempt from the trouble of warre it is then time to settle religion to establish lawes and execute iustice to endeuour the knowledge of Artes and Sciences and in the time of peace it is thē high time to prouide for warre FINIS