CHARACTERS And ESSAYES By Alexander Garden ABERDENE Printed by Edward Raban Printer to the Citie and both Colledges 1625. TO THE TRVELY HONORED and worthily worshipfull SIR ALEXANDER GORDON Knight-Baronet of Clunie c. WHen these CHARACTERS curt and short ESSAYES Right Worshipfull vnworthie of Your view At some successiue Hours on ydle dayes My Pen for Pinsell Coale for Colours drew I stood and studi'd whose praeponed Name Should dye in Graine and Luster lend to Them My Wits conven'd and in my Braine combynd The free and friendlie Favours that I fand With th'ever-courteous Countenance and kynd That I haue alwayes at Your Honours Hand Advise mee onlie that Your Worship shall Giue Luster Life Dye and adorne Them all Deigne then t' accept Them with that wonted Grace Smoothe Front and Face that I did ever find Which perfectlie doth point out and expresse The Gen'rose Sprite the wise and worthie Mind Which doth before the Worke and Work-mans Skill In given-Gifts regard the Givers Will. Your Worships ever Devoted ALEXANDER GARDEN TO THE READER ENâ—… I and tenderlie entreat If you haue teasure and th'Effayres not great To take some tyme and to survey this Table VVhich well perused shall prooue profitable VVhere thou thy selfe in some of these shalt see Portrayd if eyther Good or Bad thoâ—… bee If good insist and make a Progresse still And if perverse pray and repent thine ill But I would wish that thou thy selse find foorth Amongst the best and worthie for thy worth Disdaine not then nor loathe thou for to looke Vpon the Tenor of this tabled Booke Nor scorne thy Misses mongst these Maps to marke Albeit they bee not cut in curious VVorke As these Apelleâ—… â—…o â—…he Lyfe had limm'd Or Hondius hand had them attyrd and trimm'd Yet sagely searched thou in These shalt see The not to please yet what may profit thee Even as justly you merit So AL GARDEN inherit CHARACTERS AND ESSAYES A worthie King A Worthie King of GOD OMNIPOTENT Is in the Nature of Governament The verie Figure and the Image Then Hee is the Chiefe and Quintescence of Men. The Champion of the Church next GOD is Hee And the Protector of the Policie The Lator of the Lawes and of the same The strength and force of those that hee doth frame The Sword of Iustice is the King to kill And Mercies Scepter too when ere Hee will The Glasse of Grace the eye of Honour and The Blessing of the LORD vnto his Land Lyfe vnto Loyaltie to Treason Terrour To Reason Rule and Arbiter to Errour His power Soveraigne is and his Command Most absolute and vncontroll'd must stand His frowne is Death keene as a killing Knife And in the favour of his looke is Life Hee is a Pilote and His Bounds the Barge And all His Subjects therein are His Charge Their Peace His Pleasure Qâ—…etnesse his Care And their kinde loue doth his content declare Hee hath no Paralele since in degree None is nor with Him in aequalitie His Royall Crownes praeâ—…ogatiue â—…one ever Can from his sole Sov'raâ—…gnitie dissever Hee is th' Anointed of the Lord and such None should therefore presume â—…t attempt to touch Hee of a Bodie is the heâ—…d heerefore As sacred should vnwrong'd reigne evermore Hee is the Scourge of Sinne the Rod of Vice And rateth Vertue at the highest price God His Vice-Roy Hee 's o're His people Supreme And vnder him whole Governour to them His Safetie must bee all his Counsels Care His Health and Honour all His Peoples Prayer His Pleasure must bee pleasant to his Peeres And His Content His Kingdomes glads and Cheares His Presence must with Reverence be respected His Person strongl ' attended and protected His Court must bee adorned and decor'd And still His State must b'intertain'd and stor'd None must presumpt'ouslie pry in nor peaâ—…so Into His Bosome nor his Secrets Search His Will none should with-stand nor it retard When hee directs but do 't with great regard Since hee 's tho not a God more than a Man And next to God for to bee honour'd than A Wall of Iasper and an House of Golde Hee is that doth an Heavenlie Treasure holde Whose strong foundations are of precious Stone That Gates and entresse bot of Pearle haue none And all is precious passing ev'rie Thing Into a Godlie Wise and Worthie KING An vnworthie King 2. A Wicked vitious and vnworthie King Th' Vsurper is of Power in governing Where Tyr noâ—…s rule into Authoritie Losseth the Glorie of true Majestie While dread and feare of Terrour frighteth hence In subjects hearts Loue from Obedience For when the Lyon Wolfe lyke liues the Lambe Murdred but mercie dyeth with the dambe Hee is a piece of too much pow'r and worth To ryot and to lavish Furie foorth Hee is the scourge of sinne altho the same Shall bee for sinne cast in the fierie Flame Hee th' Actor is clad with the Cloake of Law That all good Acts and Order doth orethraw Hee Fautor is and Father of th' offence Whereat hee winkes or doth therewith dispence His Reason in the acting of his furie Hee in the Bellie of his Will doth burie And in his Temper best and calmest Case Hee 's desperate and in a doubt of Grace His People and Kingdomes hee destroyes and wastes And all but Care to Ruine helpes and hastes Himselfe a Prey to 's Followers and Foes Hee makes and all in ende to Ruine goes Himselfes a â—…ortor to his loathsome lyfe And feares each keepes to cut his Throat a Knife Hee scorneth GOD and is to Him a Traytor And makes a God and Idole bot of Nature Hee vseth Reason bot to ruine Sense And speaketh faire vpon a foule pretence His Will his Wit it violenâ—…lie carries While Death and Wrong together mixt it marries And jugulates â—…ot with Injustice hand To bib their Blood the best Men of the Land Vnlimitable his Lust is and desires And to worke Tragicke Vengeance never tyres Inevitable is his Envie and Spight Hatcht in his hollow Heart both Day and Night That should bee best of Men the worst of Things Are tyrannous and cruell bloodie Kings His Blood-swolne Eyes Darts ire his banefull breath Breathes with the Basiliske vntimous death The hand of him is the vnrighteous Rod That smites the Godly in the spight of GOD. The Tyrants heart it is a Court of evill The dwelling and Divano of the Devill His feete as th' Eagle flies and spurs the post To execute his mall inventions most His Heaven his Pleasure is his God his Gold His face affâ—…ights and 's horrid to beholde The exercise that hee delighteth in It only is Iniquitie and Sinne. His words are wicked and vncomfortable And all his Actions are intollerable In summe hee hatefull â—…s and inhumane The Curse of Crowns of Royall State the Staine The Clogg of Court and all the Counsels Crosse. A publicke Plague and all the Kingdomes losse A worthie Queene 3. A Godly Queene a Gift is good and great
doth poyson spill and spoyle Her Ende is worse and bitterer by farre Than Worme wood Gall that tarte and bitter are Her Heart with Pride and with Deceit doth swell Her Feete to Death her Steps treade downe to Hell Her kynde Imbraces and her Kisses killes Her Breath for Balme bot bitter Venome stilles Her wav'ring Wit bot naughtie Fancies nowrish And all her Thoughts are wanton vaine all Whorish Her Life is lewde all Ydlenesse and Play Her Dyet is th' excesse of Dainteis aye Her Loue is Vanitie and still in Change And as her Eyes so her Affections range Her Excercise bot Rest and yet are whollie Busied about Inventions bot of Follie. Her Fancies are for Fashions Toyes and Showes Her VVeale in Colours and her VVealth in Cloathes To catch and cozin Men is all her Care Her House an Hell and all 's vnholie there Her VVayters on are Bauds for Beasts and Bables Her Friendship false and her Discourses Fables She is the Plague of Youth Repentance Storie Th' Abuse of Tyme and Ages Purgatorie A Quyet Woman 36. IS lyke a Winde low quyet calme and still That blowes no Dust nor doth the Bodie chill Whom nev'r Impatience doth provoke and moue Bot with her Patience wins the Heart of Loue. Her VVisdome makes her VVill to bee preferd And worthilie to get a great Regard Shee feares the LORD flees Sinne and loveth Peace Shee walkes to Heav'n her Guyde thereto is Grace Shee helpes and aydes into Asperitie And takes a parte into Prosperitie Her Tongue is still vnto Discretion tyed Her Face with modest Shamefastnesse is dyed Shee is her Husbands Heart his Loue his Chose And Doane-Bed where his Spirites doe repose Her braue Behaviour is a Glasse where-by Her Children may their owne Miscarr'age see She treades vpon the Tortoys never strayes From Home nor ydlie walkes vpon the Wayes Her Vertuous Doings they doe her adorne Shee cares not Change and Fortune shee doth scorne A Turtle to her Husband in her Loue And meeke to him shee lyke a Lambe doth proue No nev'r what hee concludeth doth controule An Angell and a Sainct into her Soule Shee is a Pearle that is vnprizable A Pleasure great that is vnspeakable A Comfort too that is Incomparable And in the Worlde a Wyfe Inimitable An vnquiet Woman 37. SHee is a Thing much worse to keepe than Knaw A Beast that brooks Subjection to no Law The Mischiefe and the Miserie of Man That scarcely can descrybed bee and whan It is into the verie Hearts and Heads Of Law and Reason Detestâ—…aion breeds For her Demeanures they indeede are Theams Which aye and onlie stand into Extreams Her Words and Voyce the scrighing of an Owle That to affright Men on the Night doth yow le Her Eyes even as the Cockatrice doe kill Her Hands the Clawes are of the Crocadill Her Heart a Cabinet that doth containe All that is naughtie vicious and prophane Tyme shee abuseth and shee woundeth Wit No Reason shee regards bot wrongeth it Shee is impure her Pryde vnsupportable Her Malice matchlesse Will vnsatiable Shee doth respect nor anie person spares Defame shee fears not nor for Counsell cares Her Wit is Will Command is Must not No Her Reason Shall her Satisfaction So. Shee cannot loue lyke nor allowes no Lord And doth from Law and Order both debord Shee is a Crosse bot not of CHRIST a Crosse A Griefe to Nature and to Lyfe a Losse And from her Birth shee 's emptie of all Grace A Plague to Pietie a Foe to Peace A Wracke of Wealth a Wrangler full of Wrath Most Tarte in Taste and in Digestion Death A GOOD WYFE. 38. A World of Wealth a Iewell good and great And to her Lord a Kingdome in Conceat An Heavenlie Blessing and Mans Happinesse That nought not Death can minish nor make lesse Her Husbands Iewell and her Childrens Ioe Ever Vertues Friend and ever Vices Foe Her Conversation is solacious Her Count'nance graue yet ever gracious Her Tongue is temprate and her Eye is warie Her Carriage is kynde yet chaste and charie Shee 's gracefull graue a Mirrour to her Mayds Her Beautie naturall but Arte but Ayds Shee with no Pomate paints her Face nor fairds Nor doth not vse with Oyle to smooth't and smeard To make it show before the Sunne and shyne To helpe pure Nature wrong the Worke Divyne But shee doth count it well and best decor'd As fashion'd with the Finger of the LORD Shee 's Mistres of her Passions and her Tongue To Reasons Girdle it is tyde and hung Next Heaven her House shee holds her chiefest Care And that her good Houswyfrie doth declare Shee goes not gadding bot at Home shee dwells And when shee goes shee goes on Tortois Shells Shee in Apparell is and cloathed cleanlie Not too magnificke no nor yet too meanlie Her Words are wyse her Voyce is Musicall And alâ—… her Actions are Harmonicall An Effoeminate Man 39. IS lyke a Man to see in shape in sho That hath the Forme and in effect is no. Hee is a primped Piece and therefore than Is Womanish and bot a Chyldish Man Into his Relish hee is Liquorous In Loue and his Desires Libidinous Hee tryfles Tyme and bot with Puppets playes A-Wenching walks and ydlie dryues his Dayes Hee covets for to looke in Mirrours oft For to sleepe sound and to lye long and soft Hee loues to bee imbrac'd and to bee kist And then aboue the Best hee thinks him blest Hee'inanelie talks a Looke demure hee shoes Hee mirds too much and too-too nycelie goes Hee Iuncates loues and Dainties much desyres And for to Ball and Banquet never Tyres To bee his Mistres Man hee vrgeth still Bot to bee a Master to her Mayde hee will To frame lewde Lines and sing Loue Songs hee loues To smell Perfumes and haue sweete watred Gloues Hee coyneth Purposes and telleth Lyes Hee studies Daunces and Riddles doth devyse Hee loues Good-morrowes and yet doth delight To sleepe the Morning and to watch all Night Hee doates to heare and wandring Newes to chace And hunting for Them haunts the Market place Hee sighs for Loue and will for Kyndnesse greete Yea with each Humor will a Cadance keepe His Game with Girls is most at Barla-breakes And after on his Bed Tobaccho takes And then with Frictions and with Cloathes fyre hot Full of these Fumes breathes lyke a boyling Pot. This Ganimede soft nyce and Man-turn'd-Woman In verie deede and in effect is No-man A Parasite 40. HEE is the Picture of Impietie To gaine a Groat avowde to Villanie For with a flattring Tongue hee will not fayle To picke Mens Pockets and their Money steale His Face is Brazed that hee cannot blush Shame set asyde none hee regardes a Rush. And what hee lighteth on with both his Hands Hee holdes for they are lym'd and lyke Bird Wands His Tongue vntymous clinketh lyke a Bell And nought but Tryfling Truethlesse Tales doth tell Hee playes the Pandare and with Gracelesse Greetings Hee carries Messages for
meet Natures Perfection is an Holie Man And the best Good that Shee exhibite can For what hath Earth more perfect than that Spright In Sanctitie that serues his GOD aright Yet Nature perfects no such Peace alone But Grace and Fayth their working there-vpon The Holy Man is only hee that 's wyse For only Heav'n hee holds before his Eyes And what is heere Below and Earthly hee That vses only for Necessitie And so as that they finde him and afford To serue his Needs while that hee serues his LORD His Senses so hee tempreth and commands That they t' obey his Spirit readie stands Which in an Orbe Aethereall doth moue Stirr'd by a Strength and Power from Aboue And by observing Natures Course and Lawes The Arte of Reason hee acquires and knawes And Treads on the th' Earth and trav'ling doth remaine While hee turne Earth and bee trod on againe Altho his Soule inlarg'd from Carnall Stryfe Doe liue in Heav'n that gaue his Senses Lyfe Vntill the Resurrection of the Flesh That from the Earth shall ryse refynd and fresh When all the World is waltring vp-syde-downe When Fortune fawnes or when the Fates doe frowne Hee happie doth his Sprite possesse in Peace Because supported with the Power of Grace His Charitie and librall Handes declare Of Others Want his kynde and Christian Care Hee gladlie giues of what his GOD hath given Which shall to him redoubled bee in Heaven To liue to GOD his Practise all doth proue Heaven is through Fayth his Hope the LORD his Loue. His Exercise is Prayer his Studies bee Into the Volumes of Divinitie And There hee meditates admiring most Th'Vnit ' of the FATHER SONNE and Holie GHOST VVhich nev'r in all the numbers of his Dayes Enough can hee admire extoll and prayse His Heart to watch his Eye hee ordaines it And to his Mouth a Doore hee makes his Wit And both hee ordaines ev'r and doth direct His Sprite from sinfull Pleasure to protect Hee liues not lyke a VVorldlie VVorme that does For Permanent Things perishing heere choose No no his Loue is set on Thinges vnseene And ravished with VVares that are Divine His Loue is Heavenlie Holie and doth hold No Holie Dayes with Loue of Mundane Mold VVherefore hee 's lyable to manie Losses And oft incurres and combred is with Crosses Yet Heavenlie Helps and Hope vp-holds him so That Losse no Losse nor Crosse hee counteth no. An Olde Man 49. THe Instance of a Tract of Tyme of Yeares VVhere-in declyning Natures Power appeares VVhen by Defect of Senses see wee may The vse of Reason both restraind and stay Bot yet his Knowledge with his Tyme conferre And hee shall prooue Experience Kalendar Tho in the power of Action hee is not As 't were a Blanke extracted from a Lot Hee is a Subject bot of Sicknesse now And VVeaknesse Agent that the Backe most bow Crost with the Coagh and a corrupted Breath And so Praecursor to approaching Death An Olde Man â—…s bot halfe a Man and twyse Hee turnes to bee a Bairne and childish lyes Hee 's bot the living Picture of a Man And is a verie dying Creature than Beholde him well and in effect you 'll finde Him bot a Bladder blowne and stuft with VVinde Hee 's lyke a withred Tree and arride Root That buds not flowrisheth nor beares no Fruit. And lyke a VVeather-worne and Tyme-torne House Decaying fast and falling ruinous Tho in his dying and declyning Grouth Yet is hee Pepper in the Eyes of Youth Hee is the jest of Loue and for Infirmitie Hee may the Mirrour bee of Miserie Yet Aged Lockes and Silver Haires deserue That Youth should reverence regard and serue For Honour often tymes and VVisdome both Into an Olde Mans Gowne and Garment go'th Ag'd Gravitie and great Experience Doth challenge both Respect and Reverence His wyse Advyse his Counsell true and sage By Practise long oft proov'd from Youth to Age Should with all States and Persons bee respected And not in Honourable Age neglected His Wordes are Oracles they should bee Noted In Kalendars for Common vse and Quoted His Actions should bee imitate and choosed To bee there-after for Exemples vsed But as the Tyme and Torch of Waxe doth waste So liue hee nere so long hee dies at last A Young Man 50. THe Spring of Time when Nature mindes to vent Her Pride and best of Beauties excellent And to the Worlde show and exhibite will Her Arte Divine in-Imitable Skill Hee is the Loue and the Delight of th' Eye And well considred singular to see His Flesh and Sprite are at a Iust and Iarring And hee is all in Making or in Marring His Wit and Will stands at intestene Stryfe If This or That shall Lord and leade his Life His Vertues bee in Waxing or in Waining And all his Good in losing or in Gaining His Thrift is as hee guydes him and begins If Tentlesse sure hee tynes if Wisel ' hee wins His Credit is what ever bee his Calling And Honour in the Mounting or the Falling His Life is in th' Increasing or Decay And hee walks in the VVyde or Narrow VVay Hee is a Bloome that 's blasted in the Bud Or growes to bee a Fruite that 's faire and good Hee 's like a Bird that dies ere Nature brings Her to make vse and venture to her Wings Or like a Colt that is Fensce-fed and Ydle And None can breake without a Stryping Brydle Or Falcon-like must bee well Mann'd and Fram'd Els hee can nev'r or hardly bee reclam'd Hee is Dames Natures Darling and her Io And cheefest Charge of Reason is also His Exercise is Studie in his Youth Or it is Action in his elder Grouth His Studies are vnto his Pleasures most Or vpon Knowledge is bestow'd his Cost The Disposition marked of his Mynde Declares him Iade-lyke or of Iennet kynde His Carrâ—…age is a Trying Table or Touch. That proues him Gentle or degenred much For Youth is lyke to Lumpes of Lead or Waxe That at the Workers Will th' Impression takes Which being hardned and becomming cold Th' Indented Dints and forme it hath doth hold The Qualit of his Birth frames him perforce In his Vpbringing better bee or worse And while Experience fine and Reason fit His Vnderstanding hee 's no Man as yet No rather bot a Chylde and I may say With Flatterie to bee deprav'd a Prey And doth consist and stand in such a Case As eyther hee is in the Way of Grace To proue a Sainct or walking in his Evill And Path of Sinne shall doubtlesse grow a Devill FINIS