set the Body on Fire or melts it as Metal in a Furnace producing an Unnatural Heat in the Arteries and inflames the Vital Spirits therein which produceth incurable Hectick Feavers The Effects of Sickness SIckness will destroy that in one Week that Time will not do in twenty Years for Sickness will make Youth look Old and Decrepid when Health makes Age look Young and Spritly Sickness burns up the Body Time wears out the Body and Riot tears out the Body Of the Senses AS all Objects and Sounds that go through the Eye and Ear must first strike and make such a Motion in the Brain before the Mind is sensible thereof so any thing that toucheth the Body goeth first thorow the Pores of the Skin and Flesh and strikes upon the Nerves which Nerves are little Strings or Pipes full of Brain those spread all over the Body and when those are moved as the Brain is in the Skull then the Body is sensible And that is the reason that when the Flesh is bound or press'd up hard close it is numb and hath no feeling because those Pores where it was bound or press'd are stopped and are no more sensible of touch than the Eye or Ear or Nose when they are stopped are sensible of Outward Objects or Sound or Sent. Thus stoppinig the Pores of the Body is as it were Blind or Deaf Sensless and Tastless and this is the reason that when any one is sick or distempered they cannot eat their Meat because the Pores of the Spungie Tongue are stopped either by Weakness Cold or Drought The Senses of the Body equalized with the Senses of the Soul AS the Body hath five Senses Seeing Hearing Smelling Tasting and Touching so hath the Soul for Knowledge is as the Sense of Touch Memory as the Sense of Sight Reason as the Sense of Hearing Understanding as the Sense of Tast and Imagination as the Sense of Smelling as being the most Acry Sense Of Objects THere are three Imperfections in Sight as the Dimness of Age or Weakness Purblind and Squint Age makes all things look misty as if there were a Veil before their Eyes and Purblind makes all things look level or plain without the distinction of Parts a Squint makes all things look double But to look perfect and clear is that the two Eyes make a Triangular Point upon the Object or else the Eyes are like Burning-Glasses which draw all the Lines of Objects to a Point making themselves the Center Of Touch. ALL Pleasure and Pain is Touch and every several part of the Body hath a several Touch for not onely the various Outward Causes give several Touches but every several part receives a several Touch and as the General Sense throughout the whole Body is Touch so every Particular Sense as all Objects touch the Eyes all Sounds touch the Ears all Sent toucheth the Nose all Meat toucheth the Tongue and all those strike and move and so touch the Brain And though all Touches are Motions yet all are several Motions according to the several Parts for all Pain comes by cross and perturbant Motions all Pleasure by even and regular Motions and every particular Sense may receive Pleasure or Pain without affecting or disaffecting or indeed a notice to the rest of the Senses for the particular Senses take no notice of each other And as I said every several part of an Animal hath a several Touch and a several Tast the Loyn doth not tast like the Breast nor the Breast like the Loyn nor the Shoulder like the Breast nor the Neck like the Shoulder nor the Head like the Neck So in Vegetables the Fruit not like the Leaves nor the Leaves like the Rind Thus the Objects as well as the Senses are different Of Pleasure and Pain THere are onely two General Pleasures and two General Pains all the rest are according to Delectation or Reluctation the two General Pleasures are Quiet in the Mind and Ease in the Body the two General Maladies are Trouble in Mind and Pain in the Body But Slavery can be no Bondage if the Mind can be content withall yet the Mind cannot be pleased if the Body be in Pain it may be Patient but not Content for Content is when the Mind desires not change of the Condition of the Life The Cause of Tears and Laughter ANY Extraordinary Motion in the Spirits causeth Tears for all Motions heat according to their Degrees and Heat doth rarifie and separate the thinnest Substance from the thickest as Chymists know right well and all very thin Bodies are fluent and as I may say agil and all that are fluent and agil seek passage and vent So as a Man in this may be similiz'd to a Still as the Atteries for the Furnace of the Still where the Fire which is Motion is put in the Heart the Pan of the Still where the several Passions as several Herbs are put in the Head the Cover of the Still where the Vapour of herby Passions ascends the Eyes the Spout where it runs or drops forth Laughter is produced as Tears are by Extraordinary Motions by which Extreme Laughter will cause Tears Of Tears SOme say Tears are the Juice of the Mind pressed with Grief But Tears proceed from Joy as well as from Sorrow and they are increased by the Moysture of the Brain in some the Spring is dryed But all Passions are apt to pump out Tears as Extreme Sorrow which contracts and congeals by drawing all inward and the reason why Tears be salt is because the Head is a Limbeck which extracts the thinner part from the thicker which thicker is purged by the Nose and Mouth But Tears which are the Essence of Spirits become a kind of a Vitriol Of Musicians being sometimes Mad. THE reason why Musicians are so often Mad is not alwaies Pride bred by the conceit of their rare Art and Skill but by the Motion of the Musick which is swifter than the ordinary Motion of the Brain and by that reason distempers the Brain by increasing the Motion of the Brain to the Motion of the Fiddle which puts the Brain so out of tune as it is very seldom tuneable again and as a Ship is swallowed by a Whirlpit in the Sea so is Reason drown'd in the Whirlpit of the Brain Comparing the Spleen to a Loadstone THE Spleen is like a Loadstone which draws Steel unto it and as the Loadstone is as it were nourished by Steel so the Spleen is opened and clensed Of Physick THE reason why most Men are addicted to the taking of much Physick is out of love to Life thinking that Physick prolongs it I Am about to publish an Additional Part to joyn with my Book of Philosophical Fancies which by reason some part treats of Diseases I recommend to Physicians I mean not Empiricks or Mountebanks such as take the Name and never studied the Science whose Practice is rather to kill than to cure which disgraceth that Noble Profession But
Governor of a Common-wealth And Wit is to be preferred before Beautie for there is as much difference as betwixt Soul and Body for Wit is as it were spiritual where Beautie is Corporal and Beautie is subject to the variations of several Opinions for Beautie is not Beautie in all Nations but Wit is Wit in all Languages Beautie wearies the Eye by Repetitions where Wit refresheth the Ear with variety of Discourse Wit is the God of Passion creating and disposing them at his pleasure Of Riches and Beautie RIches si to be preferred before Beautie though it be a gift of Fortune and Beautie a gift of Nature for Beautie incaptives where Riches inslaves all for were there a Beautie that had as much as Nature could give it joyned with an Angelical Mind yet it shall never triumph so long nor inthrall so many nor so constantly be served as Riches is for Riches hath no unfaithfull Lovers although she may have ignorant Servants whom she turns most commonly Weeping out of dores for she is a humersome Mistris and changeth often but seldom makes a good Choice And the Reason why Riches are preferr'd esteemed honoured and unweariedly followed is because she affords more variety which the Nature of Man delights and seeks after where Beauty is still one and the same but though Riches are fleeting yet many times the Carefull and Prudent have possest them long where Beauty no sooner shewes her self but dyes The Beauty of Mean Persons BEauty in Mean and Poor Persons is onely subject to Temptation not to Admiration as Beauty in Palaces is Famous in Historie but those Beauties as come from an Humble Birth and Breeding in a small Cottage are buried in their Poverty which shews it is not onely the Beauty which Nature gives but the Arts that adorn it which allures the Mind for Good Fortune gives Beauty a Lustre and makes it appear Divine so doth Rich Apparel Attendance and the like for it is the Trappings and the Ceremony which takes the Eyes of the Beholders whereas Ill Fortune and Poverty do cast a Shadow upon Natural Beauty and eclipse it from the Eyes of the World Thus Beauty is admired and divulged according to the Wealth and Dignity unless some strange and unusual Accident happens to the Beautifull to noyse it abroad otherwise we shall not hear of Poor and Mean Persons mentioned in many Ages but those which the Fancies of Poets make but of Beauties that were Great and Rich their Chronologies are full Of Imaginary Beauty SOme may imagine or think Beauty was framed and composed in the Opinions of Men rather than in the Lineaments and Symmetries and Motion of the Body or the Colour of the Skin for that which appeareth Beautifull to one Nation doth not so to another as witness the Indians the Ethiopians who think the blackest Skin stattest Noses and thickest Lips the most Beautifull which seem Deformed and Monstrous to the Europeans so particular Persons as in several Nations for to one Person shall appear a Beauty to enamour the Soul with Admiration to another shall appear even to a Dislike which shews that were there a Body never so exactly proportion'd or their Motions never so gracefull or their Colour never so Orient yet it will not please all I will not say there is no such thing as Beauty but no such Beauty as appears so to all Eyes because there is not Variety enough in one Beauty to please the various Fancies of Mankind for some fancy Black some Brown some Fair some a Sad Countenance some a Merry some more Bashfull some more Bold For Stature some Tall some Low some Fat some Lean some Dislike some Motions some others some grey Eyes some black Eyes some blew Eyes and to make mixture of all these it is impossible and though there may be as great and as good a Harmonie in Beauty as in Musick yet all Tunes please not all Ears no more do all Beauties please all Eyes Of Natural Beauty BEauty is a certain Splendor which flows in a Line or Air of Lights from the Spirits and gives a shining Glory upon the Face which Light with Ill Complexions or not Lovely Features is darkned as the Sun with Clouds wherein some Faces have thicker Clouds than others that make a Beauty appear more Splendorous at some times than others But in Age Beauty seldom or never appears being in the Winter season of Life but in Youth the Air is alwaies Serene and Clear Some see this Splendor or Beauty in a Face which others do not as having a more discerning Spirit which makes some wonder at such as do fall in Love with those that they shall think Ill-favoured besides there is a Sympathy of Spirits to perceive that in one and other as Lookers on cannot find out Of Pride IF Pride seems Handsome and may be allowed in any it is in Women because it gives a Distance to Idle Pretenders and Corrupters of Chastity Neither is it so bad in Women to be proud of their Chastity and Honest Affection as Alexander in his Victories or Helen in her Beauty or Rome of her Spoyls and Royal Slaves for Honesty is their greatest Beauty and they may glory in it as their greatest Honour and triumph in it as their greatest Victory and though that Women are naturally Fearfull yet rather than they would infringe the least part of a Chastity either in Words to Inchant or Looks to Allure or Actions to Invite they would enforce Life and Triumph in Death rather than their Virtue should be overcome either in the Stratagems of Follyes or Treacherous Bribes or by force of wicked Appetites But a Woman should be so well instructed in the Principles of Chastity as no false Doctrine could perswade her from it neither Praises nor Professions nor Oaths nor Vows nor Wealth Dignity nor Example having alwaies Temperance and Sobriety in Friendship To the same BUT some are bred with such Nicety and in such Innocency as if they meant to marry some Deity But Modesty should dwell in Womens Thoughts Wit marshal their Words Prudence rule their Actions they should have a Gracefull Behaviour a Modest Countenance a Witty Discourse a Civil Society a Curteous Demeanour Men should be Valiant in War Temperate in Peace Just to others Prudent to themselves but Natures Extraordinary Works are not Commonly distributed THE EPISTLE THE Reason why I print most of what I write is because I observe that not only the weak Writings of men get Applause in the World but the infinite weak Translators of others Works thus there are many simple Books take the World by the Ears but I perceive it is not the wit or worth of what is written that begets a delight to the Readers and a Fame to the Writers but it must fit the Genius of the Age And truly if we will but note it there is as much difference in the wit or understanding of some Ages I mean for the generality of men as between
some Writers and others For some Ages are like old Nestor wise others like Ulysses eloquent some like Achilles valiant others like Paris amorous and effeminate some like Hercules striving to suppress Vice others like wicked Nero that alwaies strive to tyrannize over Vertue making War and Faction some like Orpheus Harp that charmes the spirits with Peace And as the Starrs have an Influence over every particular so they take their turns to govern and are predominant over every Age But I find I live in a Carping age for some sind fault with my former Writings because they are not Grammar nor good Orthography and that all the last words are not matched with Rime and that the Feet are not in just Numbers As for the Orthography the Printer should have rectisied that for I think it is against Nature for a Woman to spell right for my part I confess I cannot and as for the Rimes and Numbers although it is like I have erred in many yet not so much as by the negligence of those that were to oversee it for by the false printing they have not only done my Book wrong in that but in many places the very Sense is altered as for surfets sercutts wanting wanton like slaming sire to burn they have printed a sire Gunn and many other words they have left out besides and there is above a hundred of those faults so that my Book is lamed by an ill Midwife and a Nurse the Printer and Overseer but as for the Grammar part I confess I am no Scholar and therefore understand it not but that little I have heard of it is enough for me to renounce it for if I have any wit it is so little that it would be lost in scholastical Rules besides it were worse to be a pedantick woman than a pedantick man yet so ill it is in man that it doth as is were degrade him from being Magnanimous and Heroick for one shall seldome sind a generous and valiant Heart and a pedantical Brain created or bred in one Body but those that are nobly bred have no Rules but Honour and Honesty and learn in the School of Wisdom to understand Sense and to express themselves sensibly and freely with a gracefull negligence not to be hide-bound with nice and strict words and set Phrases as if the Wit were created in the Inkhorn and not in the Brain besides say some should onebring up a new way of speaking then were the former Grammar of no effect besides I do perceive no strong reason to contradict but that every one may be his own Grammarian if by his natural Gramar he can make his Hearers understand his sense for though there must be Rules in a language to make it sociable yet those Rules may be strictor than need to be and to be too strict makes them to be too unpleasant and uneasy But Language should be like Garments for though every particular Garment hath a general Cut yet their Trimmings may be different and not go out of the fashion so Wit may place Words to its own becoming delight and advantage and not alter Langage nor obstruct the Sense for the more liberty we have of Words the clearer is Sense delivered As for Wit it is wilde and fantastical and therefore must have no set Rules for Rules Curb and Shackle it and in that Bondage it dies The Worlds Olio LIB II. PART I. The Vulgar Part of Mankind Allegory MOST Mens Minds are Insipid having no Balsamical Virtue therein they are as the Terra Damnata of Nature And their Brains most commonly are like Barren Grounds which bear nothing but Mossy Ignorance no Flowers of Wit The Course of their Lives are like those that dig in a Coal-pit their Actions as the Coals therein by which they are smucht and blackt with Infamy or else their Actions are like a Sexton which digs a Grave to bury the Life in Oblivion Allegory 1. THE Mind is like a Commonwealth and the Thoughts as the Citizens therein or the Thoughts are like Houshold-servants who are busily imployed about the Minds Affairs who is the Master Allegory 2. Quick busy Thoughts suck Vapour from the Stomach to the Head as Water through a Straw sucked by the Mouth But strong working Thoughts draw Vapours up as Water is drawn with Buckets out of a Well Allegory 3. THE Brain of a man is the Globe of the Earth and Knowledge is the Sun that gives the light therein Understanding is the Moon that changeth according as it receivs light from the Sun of Knowledge Ignorance is the Shadow that causeth an Eclipse the four Quarters are Infancy Youth Manhood and Age for Experience makes the full Moon Or Knowledge is the Brain and Understanding the Eyes of the Brain where all eyes do not see clearly some are purblind those can only perceive but not with perfect distinctions some Squint and to those all Objects seem double like a Fanus face some are weak either by Sickness or by Age and they see all as in a Mist thick and obscure some are starck blind and they see nothing at all Thus they that have clear eyes of Understanding in the brain of Knowledge have a good and solid Judgement the Purblinde is to be obstinate in an Opinion making no distinction of Reason a Squint is to be doubtfull which makes double Objects as whether it be or be not a weak Eye is to have a narrow Capacity to be blind is to be a very Fool. Allegory 4. THE World is the Ground whereon the Mind draws and designs with the Pencils of Appetite the actions of Life mixing the Colours of several Objects together with the Oil of Thoughts and Dislikes are the Dark Colours which shaddow the Light of pleasures Allegory 5. THE Mind is a Garden where all manner of Seeds be sown Prosperities are the fine painted Tulips Innocency the white Lillies the four Vertues are the sweet Gilliflowers Roses Violets and Prim-roses Learning is the tastable and savoury Herbs Afflictions are Rue Wormwood Rubarb which are bitter to the Taste but yet wholsome and beneficial to the curing the sick and distempered Soul purging the superfluous vanity thereof and serve as Antidotes against Vice as Pride Ambition Extortion Covetousness and the like which are Night-shade and Helebore Poppy is Stupidity Sloth and Ignorance are Weeds which serve for no use Allegory 6. THE Thoughts are like Stars in the Firmament where some are fix'd others like the wandring Planers others again are only like Meteors which when their Substance is wasted their Light goeth out their Understanding is like the Sun which gives Light to all the rest of the Thoughts Memory is like the Moon which hath its New its Full and its Wain Allegory 7. MAN is like the Globe of the World and his Head as the highest Region wherein Knowledge as the Sun runs in the Ecliptick Line of Reason and gives light of Understanding to all the rest of the Thoughts as
of Fame with their Bills of Glory from thence they fly over the Groves of Eternity with their wings of Presumption but some Birds of Poetry light on the Ground of Recreation there hop through the paths of Custom made by the recourse of the peopled Thoughts through the Meadows of Memory in the Island of the Brain and sometimes skip upon a Stick of Conceit wagging their tail of Jests or else fly to the Forest of wild Phantasms but there finding little Substance to feed on return with weary Wings to their place of rest again but in the Spring time of Love the Nightingale-Poets sing Amorous Sonnets in several Notes of Numbers somtimes in the Dawny Morning of Hopes or in the Evening of Doubts and somtimes in the Night of Dispair but seldom in the high Noon of Fruition The Worlds Olio LIB II. PART II. Short Essayes 1. AS the Nightingale is the Bird of the Spring so the Fly is the Bird of the Summer 2. There would be no Twilight if there were no Clouds for the Clouds are like the Wieck of a Candle 3. Platonick Love is a Bawd to Adultery so Romancy and the like 4. If a Woman gets a spot in her Reputation she can never rub it out 5. It is the greatest study in the Life of a Chast Woman to keep her Reputation and Fame unspotted for Innocency is oft scandalized amongst the Tongues of the Malicious 6. Womens Thoughts should be as pure as their Looks Innocent Noble Honourable Worthy and Virtuous are words of Praises more proper for Women than Gallant Brave Forward Spirits these are too Masculine Praises for the Effeminat Sex 7. Men should follow Reason and Truth as the Flower that turns to the Sun 8. Pockholes take away the gloss of Youth from a Face 9. Some give Women more Praises than their Modesty dares countenance 10. True Affection is not to be measured because it is like Eternity not to be comprized 11. Those that would be Honoured must have Noble Civilities Gratefull Performances Generous Liberalities and Charitable Compassions 12. A Man may be as soon dishonoured by the Indiscretion of his Wife as by her Dishonesty 13. It is better to live with Liberty than with Riches 14. With Virtue than with Beauty 15. With Love than with State 16. With Health than with Power 17. With Wit than with Company 18. With Peace than with Fame 19. With Beasts than with Fools 20. There is no Sound so unpleasing as to hear Amorous Lovers or Fools speak 21. There is no Sight so unpleasant as Affectation 22. A Gracefull Motion sets forth a Homely Person and wins more Affection than the rarest Beauty that Nature ever made 23. Wit and bon Miene and Civility take more than Beauty and gay Clothing 24. Pride without State doth as ill as State without Civility 25. It is better to hear Sense in mean Phrases than Phrases without Sense 26. A Man should alwaies wear his Life for the service of his Honour 27. Men should have Variety in nothing but Gainfull Knowledge 28. It is proper for a Gentleman to have a bon Miene to be Civil and Conversible in Discourse to know Men and Manners 29. It is more proper for a Gentleman to be active in the use of Arms than in the Art of Dancing for a Gallant Man hath more use of his Arms than his Heels 30. It is more proper for a Gentleman to learn Fortification than Grammar But what pains will a Man take in learning several Languages wherein their Tongues are exercised and neglect that Learning that should maintain their Honour which is the Sword the one doth but trouble their Heads and overcharge their Memories the other gets Honour and saves their Lives the one is onely proper for Scholastical Pedants the other for Heroick Spirits 31. A Man should court his Sword as his Mistris and study to learn its Virtue and love it as his Friend which defends his Honour to revenge his Quarrels and guard him from his Enemies 32. For he is the more Gallant Man that hath a Generous Mind a Valiant Heart than he that hath only a Learned Head the first is Noble the other Pedantical the one gives the other receives 33. It becomes a Gentleman rather to love Horses and Weapons than to fiddle and dance 34. And he is not worthy the name of a Gentleman that had rather come Sweating from a Tennis-Court than Bleeding from a Battel 35. Men should never give Gifts but out of three respects either for Charity Love or Fame and it is a good chance when they meet all in one Subject not that one Subject should be all but all in one 36. All Civility hath a Natural and an Attractive Quality and like a Loadstone draws Affection to it 37. There is nothing more Noble that to overcome an Enemy by Curtesy 38. And there is nothing more base than to insult over an Enemy in Adversity 39. It is more Noble to win an Enemy to be their Friend than when they have them in their power to revenge their Quarrel for it is the part of Generosity to Pardon as well as to Exalt 40. It looks with a face like Generosity to be Gratefull 41. There is no greater Usury or Extortion than upon Curtesy for the Lone of Money is but ten twenty or thirty in the Hundred but the Lone of Curtesy is to inslave a Man all his life 42. Yet Gratitude is nothing but to pay a Debt for if one Man save another Mans life and he returns with the hazard of his own he hath paid him what he owed him but if he looks for it oftner than once its Usury than twice it is Extortion 43. It is Commendable to Censure like a Noble and Mercifull Judge not like a Wicked Tyrant 44. Who would esteem Fame when the Cruel and Wicked shall many times have Fortune befriend them so that they shall live with Applause which is Fame and the Virtuous and Well-deserving shall be stabbed or wounded with Reproach which is Infamy so that Fame is like a great King and Fortune the Favourite 45. Every one cannot be a Caesar or an Alexander but there must compile such Times Ages and Actions and Minds together to produce such Exploits 46. Humility is the way to Ambitious ends for few come to them by Pride but by Time serving or Bribery 47. For seeming Humility is the Tower whereon Ambition is bailt and Pride is the Pinnacle where Envy is an Engin to pull it down 48. Nature makes but Fortune distributes 49. God by Fortune doth not alwaies protect the Honest from the Envious of the World or Accidents of Chance 50. It is as impossible to separate Envy from Noble and Great Actions as to destroy Death 61. Power is like unto Love it is the strongest when it is drawn to one point for Power divided is weak so is Love or like the Sun when the Beams are gathered together into one point it burns 52. Kings
no Physician shall be allowed to study more than one Disease or at least practice the Cure but of one lest they make by their half-knowledge and understanding a Confusion in the Body for want of Experience Item That all Sutes shall be heard pleaded and decided in the space of half a Year Item It shall be Death for any to sell Land that is any waies engaged or entangled lest it should ruin the Buyer thereof Item That all Landlords and Freeholders shall be bound to plant Timber for Ships Hemp for Sails and Tow for Cordage if the Land be an Isle Item There shall be a set Stipend for Wages Fees Rewards Sales or Purchases also of all Merchandizes that Cosenages Briberies Extortions and the like may be eschewed Item That none shall execute the Function of two several Trades nor be imployed in more than in one Office lest they should perform none well Item That no Alchymy-Lace nor Stuffs nor Counterfeit Pearls Diamonds and the like shall be worn nor sold unless the Counterfeit be sold at as high a price as the Right or the Right to be sold at as low a rate as the Counterfeit and as different Sexes are distinguished by their Habits so different Habits should distinguish different Qualities Professions and Degrees Item That all degrees of Titles shall be distinguished by their Habits and Ceremonies as well as by their Arms Titles Patents and Creations Item No Men shall wear Swords in time of Peace but Gentlemen and in the Wars there shall be some differences of Arms to make distinction Item That no Officer neither in Martial Command nor Civil Government shall be chosen or imployed but such as have Abilities to execute their Authorities and able to discharge their Duties Item Rewards shall be as frequent as Punishments lest Industry should grow careless and the Flame of Heroick Spirits be quenched out Item None shall make Great Feasts and Sumptuous Entertainments but for Forein Persons of Quality or Strangers that travel to see the Kingdome where they may see the Plenty Riches and Magnificence thereof that they may not despise it when they return to their own Native Country but give cause to renown it in their Relations Item All Detracting or Slandering Tongues shall be clipt and the more the Detraction or Slander is the greater slices shall be cut therefrom Item That the People shall have set times of Recreation to ease them from their Labours and to refresh their Spirits Item That all Noble Youths shall be bred by Experienced Age to perswade admonish and correct by Grave Authority instructed by Virtuous Examples taught Honourable Principles and the practice of Heroick Actions their onely Play-fellows shall be the Muses the Grave and Sober Companions the Sciences the Domestick Servants and Acquaintance the profitable and usefull Arts for the Life of Man As for the generality of Youth they shall be bred to Silent Attentions Sober Demeanors Humble Obediences Handsome Customes and Gracefull Arts As for the meaner sort of Youth to Trades of Arts and Arts of Trades for the use and benefit of the Commonwealth Item No Children shall speak before their Parents no Servants before their Masters no Scholars before their Tutors no Subject before the Prince but either to answer to their Questions to deliver a Message or to know their will and pleasure to declare their Grievances to ask pardon for Faults committed or to present an humble request in the most humblest manner unless they command them to discourse freely to them yet not without a respect to their Presence and Authority Item For the Generality none shall speak but to ask rational dutifull and humble Questions to request just Demands to discourse of probable Arguments to defend Right and Truth to divulge Virtue to praise the Meritorious to pray to Heaven to ask Mercy to move Pity to pacisie Grief to asswage Anger to make an Atonement and to instruct the Ignorant Item All shall be accounted Wise that endure patiently that live peaceably that spend prudently that speak sparingly that judge charitably that wish honestly and that obey Authority Item All Men that may live quietly at home and travel to no purpose or that neglect their own Affairs to follow the Affairs of other Men or decide those Mens Quarrels they shall have no thanks for or live upon hopes of great Fortunes of high Favours when they may feed upon present Comfort and enjoy humble Delights in that Estate and Condition they possess shall wear a Fools Cap and a Motly Coat Item That none shall live at a greater Expence than their Estate will allow and maintain Item That all Spendthrifts shall be condemned for Fools all Gamesters for idle Miscreants all Drunkards for Mad-men a Bedlam provided for the Drunkards a Bridewell for Gamesters and an Hospital with Long Coats for Spend-thrifts Item All Men that beget Children shall strive to provide for them by their Thrifty Managements or Industrious Labours Item No Man shall Father a Whores Child or Children unless he were sure he were the Father which few can tell otherwise it makes a Wise Man seem a Fool as being facile Item It shall be accounted not only a double Crime but a Baseness equal to Cowardise and a disgrace equal to a Cuckold for a Gentleman to court or make love to a Common Whore who is an Alms Tub of Corruption but if a Gentleman must or will have a Whore let him have one of his own making and not feed upon Reversions Item That no Husband shall keep a Houshold Friend lest he should make love to his Wife and he become a Cuckold thereby Item No married man or Master of a Family shall kiss or make love to his Maid nor Serving-men to their Mistrisses lest they should grow idly Amorous impertinently Bold rudely Saucy neglecting their Duty to their Mistris or Master through scornfull Pride Item In all publike Company all Husbands shall use their Wives with Respect unless they dishonor themselves with the neglect thereof Item No Husband nor Wife although but a day married shall kiss each other in publick lest it turn the Spectators from a lawfull and wholsome Appetite of Marriage to a gluttonous Adultery or weakning the Appetite so much as to cause a Loathing or an aversion to the Wedlock Bed Item No Wife shall entertain an Admiring Servant lest her Husbands and her own Reputation be lost or buried in his admiring Courtships nor their Hearts to receive and return Love to none but their Husbands no not Platonick love for the Conversation of Souls is a great temptation to Amorous Friendship indeed the Soul of a Platonick Lover is a Baud to the Body Item That Dancing be commendable as a gracefull Art in Maids or Batchelors but shall be accounted an Effeminacy for married Men a May-Game for Old men and Wanton Lightnes for Married Women Item That no woman of quality should receive Visits or give Visits but in publick Meetings nor have any
whisperings or private Conference that her Actions might have sufficient Witnesse and her Discourses a generall Audience Item That none shall marry against their own liking or free choice lest they make their Marriage an excuse for Adultery Item It shall be allowed for Maids to entertain all Honorable as Matrimonial Suters untill such time as she hath made choice of one of them to settle her Affections upon for it is good reason one should take time and observe Humors before they bind themselves in Wedlock Bonds for when once bound nothing but Death can part them but when they are once married their Ears to be sealed from all Loves pleadings protestings Vows making high praises and Complementall phrases Item That none shall keep a Mistris above halfe a year but change lest she grow more imporious than a Wife made of a Widow Item All Lovers shall be licensed to bragg or speak well of themselves to their Mistris when they have done no meritorious Actions to speak for them Item All those that have Beauty enough to make a Lover if they have not wit to keep a Lover shall be accounted no better than a senseless Statue Item It shall not be as it is in these Daies accounted a prise or purchase amongst Ladies to get either by their Wit or Beauty admiring Servants especially if they be of amorous natures for then Nature drives them to her Beauty or Wit more than her Wit or Beauty draws them to it Item All those that are proud without a cause it shall be a sufficient cause to be scorned Item Eloquence shall not be imployed nor pleaded in Amorous Discourses nor to make Falshood to appear like Truth but to dress and adorn Vertue that she may be accepted and entertained by those that will refuse and shun her acquaintance if she be clad in plain Garments Item There shall none condemn another Language nor account another to be better if it be Significant Copious and Eloquent such as the English Tongue is Item All passionate Speeches or Speeches to move passion shall be expressed in Number Item That all Natural Poets shall be honored with Title esteemed with Respect or enriched for the Civilizing of a Nation more than Contracts Laws or Punishments by Soft Numbers and pleasing Phansics and also guard a Kingdom more than Walls or Bulworks by creating Heroick Spirits with Illustrious Praises inflaming the Mind with Noble Ambition Noble Souls and Strong Bodies THough Noble Souls and great Wits dwell not constantly nor are allwaies created in Strong Bodies yet if Nature did choose her Materials match her Works and order her Creatures rightly and Sympathetically Strong Bodies should have noble Souls large Capacities and great Wits for Weak Bodies many times are a defect in Nature as much as shallow Wits or irrational Souls But surely if the chief and first Nature would work methodically and not seem as if she wrought at randome and to produce by Chance as she doth if Education and Custome which is a second Nature had not such a prevalent power to disturb and obstruct her and though Education and Custome may and doth somtimes rectify some Defects and help Life yet it doth more often puzzle Life and incumber Natures Works putting Nature out of the right ways with False Principles Foolish Customes and ill Education this is the reason natural Wits are many times lost not having time or leasure to exercise them or use them as I may say or for want of variety of Subjects or Objects to better them or dull'd by tedious and unprofitable Studies or quenched out by base Servitude or Subjection Also clear Understandings are darkened sound and strong Judgments weakened and false Judgments given and vain Conceptions and erroneous Opinions Maintaind or Believed for want of the True and the Right Waies Likewise the streught of the Body oftimes is weakened and effeminated by Luxurie Curiosity and Idleness which causeth Noble Souls Large Capacities Clear Understandings Fine Fancies and Quick Wits to dwell many times nay most commonly in weak Bodies for the better sort have most commonly more Plenty than Health the one devouring the other when the Meaner sort have meager Souls and barren Brains Rude Dispositions and Rough Natures have strong Limbs strengthned by Exercise and maintained by Labour healthfull bodies kept in repair by Temperance caused by scarcity and Poverty contented minds bred by Low Fortunes and Humble Desires when Wealth and Dignity create Vain Glory and Pride yet many times small Fortunes and great Wits agree best together but Noble Minds and Great Estates do the most good But in this Age although it be the Iron Age yet those men that have Effeminate Bodies as tender Youth loose Limbs smooth Skins fair Complexions fantastical Garbs affected Phrases strained Complements factious Natures detracting Tongues mischievous Actions and the like are admired and commended more or thought wiser than those that have Cenerous Souls Heroick Spirits Ingenuous Wits prudent Fore-cast Experienced Years Manly Forms Gracefull Garbes Edifying Discourses Temperate Lives Sober Actions Noble Natures and Honest Hearts but in former years it was otherwaies for Heroick Spirits in Masculine Forms had double praise as is expressed in the Grecian and Trojan Warrs and Princes were bred to labour as much as Pesants for though their Labour might be different the one being Servile the other Free yet the Burthen and pains-taking might be Equal though they carried not Pedlars Packs nor Porters Burthens yet they carried thick and heavy Arms and if they handled not the Sithe Pitch-Fork and Flail yet they handled the Sword the Spear the Dart the Bow the Sling and the like and if they knew not how to Mow to Reap and to Thrash yet they knew how to Assault to Defend and to Fight and though they digged not the Gold out of the Mines yet they digged Fortisications out of the Earth and if they set not Flowers on Banks or sowed Seeds in Furrows or ingrafted Slips or planted Trees to grow yet they set Armies in battail Array and sowed Lives in Adventures ingrafted Honor to the Stock of their Predeceslors and planted Fame to grow high in after Ages and though they drive not the Asses yet they mannage the Horses and if they want the Art to Yoak Oxen they want not the wisdome to Yoak the Vulgar with strickt Laws and if they will not drive a Flock of Sheep to the Fold they can lead a Number of Men to the Warrs and if they cannot build a House yet they can storm a City Thus galiant labours may strengthen the Bodies of Honorable Breed and Noble Minds freely and industriously without a Bondage or Slavery nay they may Row in Gallies yet not be subject to the Whip or Chains But as Masculine Bodies and Heroick Souls had a double esteem so Effeminate Bodies and timorous Spirits or rather Natures had a double despising as witness Paris of Troy but most Nations in those Ages spent their time in usefull Arts not