Sun-beams and the glittering Dust that flew up by the motion of the Wind we could not see neither to assault our Enemies nor to defend our selves nay we were so blinded as to mistake our friends for our foes and our foes for our friends which tempestuous wind had it been before we begun to fight we might have prevented the mischief it did us some way or other but the wind did rise when we were so ingaged as we could not help our selves the truth was it blew so fully against the main part of our Battalio and with that violent force as it press'd the former ranks so much back that they did disturb the hinder ranks and so disorder'd them till at last it blew them quite away for they were forced to turn their backs and to flye for their Lives and when that part of the Army fled others had no hearts to stay but do not mistake so as to believe that the Divine power was against us but only the Elements and they were against us more by chance than malice Wherefore take courage again and rowse up your dejected Spirits and repine not for that we could not fore-see to avoid for I make no doubt but the next time we encounter our Enemies we shall not only get the reputation you think you have lost but we shall add to what we formerly had and pull down the haughty pride of our Enemies that now seem to insult on our Misfortunes An Oration to Souldiers in necessity My good Souldiers I Cannot much blame your murmuring and complaining words and speeches by reason our Camp is vexed and tormented with scarcity sickness and inconveniences and although we cannot tell how to mend or help our selves in these Extremities yet it troubles our Patience and somewhat alters your Natures at least divulges them more making you Froward Testy Cholerick and froward minds and testy thoughts are apt to send forth out of the mouth lamenting words and complaining speeches Yet give me leave to tell you it expresseth you have partaken too much of your Mothers natures which is not so well for Souldiers who should be no wayes Effeminate for Women naturally are impatient fretting chafing and complaining without cause I do not deny but you at this present have great cause and therefore some reason for what you speak yet I hope though you speak like your Mothers you will act like your Fathers Wherefore give me leave to remember you of Caesar ' Souldiers for surely you could not choose but hear of them their Fame being so great and sounding so loud for their Patience Sufferance Hardiness Industry Carefulness Watchfulness Valours and Victories yet were they no more than men and I hope you are not less than men But there are two sorts of Courages and they as the Story says had them both as Fortitude in Suffering and Valour in Acting which made them so fortunate in overcoming as to Conquer the most part of the World and though I cannot hope you will Conquer All the World yet I hope you will have Victory over your Enemies so shall you be Masters and not Slaves An Encouraging Oration to Fearfull Souldiers Fellow Souldiers and Dear Country-men I Perceive by your Dejected countenances and Drooping spirits you are afraid of your Enemies but I am more afraid of your Fears than of the Enemies Power for fear makes powerfull Armies powerless and a Little Body with a Great Spirit is stronger and more vigorous than a Great Body and a Little Spirit so a Little Army with Great Courages is more forcible than a Great or Numerous Army full of Faint hearts and Cowardly fears Wherefore consider there are but three wayes the one is to Run away but remember you cannot run from Shame or Disgrace though you may run from your Enemy An other way is you may Yield up your selves to the Enemy but then you must yield up your Liberties with your Persons and become their Slaves in which slavery you live in Scorn are used as Beasts and die as Cowards The third and last way which is the best is to Fight your Enemy which if you Overcome you will have the honour of Victory and the profit of the Spoils and if you be Kill'd you dye Unconquer'd for Courage is never Overcome nor Gallant Heroick Actions never Dye and their Fames will be their perpetual Triumphs which may last Eternally Wherefore my good Souldiers fight Valiantly for Life Victory and Glory An Oration to Souldiers that fled from their Enemies VVHat shall I call you for I cannot call you Fellow souldiers because you have degraded your selves of that Honourable title by Running away which shews you have but Effeminate Spirits or Souls though Masculine Bodies Nor can I call your Dear Country-men for you have Unnaturaliz'd your selves by Betraying your Country with your Cowardly fears to the power of their Enemies Nor can I call you my good Friends for you did forsake me in Danger and left me to Death had not Fortune rescued me So that you cannot challenge nor I cannot give you any other names but base Cowards and Traitors which words cannot but sound grievously sadly and scornfully to your Own your Friends and Enemies hearing And that which will highten your Reproach is that you were not forced nor necessitated to Flye as being Overcome or Overpower'd for you fled not only before you had tried your Enemies force but when in all probability you should have had the Victory having all the advantages of your side and against your Enemies that could be as Ground Place Wind Sun Form Order and Number of men and yet to run away O horrid shame to all Posterity The truth is I am so out of Countenance in your behalf and so Sorrowfull for you as I cannot choose but Blush for shame and Weep for grief when I look upon you to see so many Able and Strong yet Heartless men that have soiled your bright Arms with Disgrace instead of the Blood of your Enemies Wherefore you may now pull off your Arms since you have Coats of Dishonour to wear and break your Swords for the Tongues of Reproach are unsheathed against you which will wound your Reputations and kill your Renowns and your Infamy will live in after-ages Eternally An Oration to Run-away Souldiers who repent their fault SOrrowfull Penitents for so you seem by your Countenances and your Words the one being sad the other full of promises I must confess it becomes you well for you have been great Cowards and fearfull Run-aways which are Faults that cannot be enough lamented but your Actions may be amended and so you may have a Pardon and your Disgrace taken off with some Valiant and Couragious exploits against your Enemies where I your General who am one of Mars ' s high Priests shall guide and direct you the way and you may relie upon me for I am well Learned and Practised in the mystery of Warr. But pray be not as flock of Sheep
neither skil nor courage you cannot expect safety for should you chance to have Enemies you would not have abilities to help your selves having neither Experience by practice nor Courage by use and custom for custom and use work much upon the natures of men And as for Arms in times of Peace they lie like Garments out of fashion never worn but despised and laught at as ridiculous things and men of action like as arms they jear and make a mock of Thus Martial men and arms in time of Peace are scorned although in time of Warrs they only are a Kingdomes safety to guard it from their Enemies Indeed Peace spoils both youth and age it makes the one sort Covetous the other Wanton for aged men study only to get Wealth the young men how to spend it Besides it makes the Poor men Richmen's Asses and Rich men Poor men's Burdens Also peace makes old men Fools and young men Cowards for in long times of Peace grave Counsels are meer gossiping meetings rather idely to talk than wisely to advise they propound many things but resolve not any debate not but conclude and sometimes find faults but never help to mend them The truth is for the most part they rather make errors than help to rectifie defects and in Warrs they had rather suffer calamity than stir for necessity Neither will they believe they are in danger untill their Enemies be at their Gates And as for youth Peace quenches out their Heroick spirits and noble ambitions for their only ambition is their Mistresses favours and they will go to no other Warrs but Venus where Cupid is General where they only make Love-skirmishes and are shot through their hearts with glances from their Mistresses eyes Thus Peace makes men like Beasts for in peace they feed like Swine sport like Apes live like Goats and may be brought to the Shambles like silly Sheep Nay it makes men not only Live but Die like Beasts having neither spirits skil nor conduct to defend themselves or fight an Enemy And how should it be otherwise when as the young men are only armed with Vanity march with Pride intrench with Luxury fight with Bacchus and are overcome by Venus Thus we may observe that all which causes Peace and takes away the courage of young Vigorous men rots their Bodies with excess and corrupts their Blood with idleness by which their Spirits are quenched their Strengths weakned their Minds softned and their Natures become effeminate which makes their Lives vacant and when they die they are buried in Oblivion for Fame lives in Heroick actions And surely it is better for Noble men to have Fame than Wealth and for young Gallants to have Honour than gay Cloaths and more honour to have Scarrs than black Patches to fight with an Enemy than to dance with a Lady to march to a Battel than to tread a Measure And for the meaner sort it is better for them to wear honourable Arms than to bear slavish Burdens and how happy is that man that can raise himself from a low Birth to a glorious Renown Thus from the Noblest to the meanest Warr is the way to advance them to honour if the common Souldiers fight with courage and the Nobles command and direct with skil for which their Posterity will glory in their Valours Poets will sing their Praises Historians write their Acts and Fame keep their Records that after ages may know what Heroick men they were and as for Kingdomes those are safest that are protected by Mars An Oration for Peace Noble Citizens THe Oration that was last spoken unto you hath stirr'd your spirits and incumber'd your thoughts with Warrs and your desire for Warr is such that you will not only seek for Enemies but make Enemies to fight with which is neither Heroick nor Just to fight with those that have done you no injury or wrong and what can be a more unworthy Act than to assault peaceable Neighbours it cannot be call'd an honourable Warr but a base Outrage like as Pirats at Sea so you will be Robbers at Land taking that from others which you have no right to But say you have some slight injuries done you If you were wise you had better wink at small faults than make Warrs which will exhaust your Treasures wast your Strength depopulate your Nation and leave your Lands unmanured Besides Warrs corrupt all good manners nay even good natures making the one rude and the other cruel and though long Warrs may make men Martial Skilfull and may highten their courage yet neither skil nor courage can alwayes bear away Victory especially from a powerfull Enemy unless Fortune be on their side The truth is Fortune is the chief Actor and decider in Warrs and who that are wise will trust their Goods Lives and Liberties to Fortunes disposal if they may choose Wherefore they are either fools or mad that will make Warr when they may live in Peace And give me leave to tell you that it is not the way to keep our Country safe to make Warrs abroad but to make our Country strong with Forts on the Frontiers and Ships on the Seas that beat on our shores and to practise our men with training not fighting and it is easier to keep out an Enemy than to Conquer an enemies Kingdome for at home we have all Provisions needfull and near at hand when in a forein Country we shall be to seek But say good fortune may inrich us yet ill fortune will absolutely ruine us I answer Warr inriches few for it makes spoil of all the truth is War is a great devourer for it consumes almost all that is consumable wheresoever it comes and is like a Glutton that eats much and yet is very lean for most commonly the under Souldiers are very poor and the Commanders only rich in fame yet not unless they have good fortune otherwise if they have ill fortune they are usually scorn'd at least but pittied but never praised Wherefore it is neither Courage nor Conduct that gets fame in the Warrs but Fortune that gives it and she many times gives glorious fame to Cowards and Fools and blemishes at least obscures the worth and merit of Wise and Valiant men Wherefore let me perswade you not to follow unjust and inconstant Fortune to the Warrs but to live at home in Peace with Minerva and Pallas the one will defend you the other will imploy you and both will make you happy in present Life and will give you Fame and Renown according to your desert that your memory may live in after-ages An Oration against Warr. Dear Country-men I Perceive all this Nation or the most part their minds are hot and their spirits inflam'd through an over-earnest desire to be in Warr which expresses you have surfeited with the delicious fruits of Peace which hath made your reason judgement and understanding sick and faint so that it desires a change as from rest to trouble from plenty to
will Punish you for your Inconstancy But pardon this my Jealousie for Doubts proceed from Love and your Virtue is the Anchor of my Hopes and Haven of Security in which my Love lives safe Farewell A Sons Dying Speech to his Father FAther I have been an Unprofitable Son for I shall Die a Batchelour and so leave you no Posterity to keep alive your Name and Family which is a Double Grief both to your Self and Me indeed to Me it is a Treble Grief because the Fault is only Mine loving Vain Pleasures and Liberty so much as made me unwilling to be Bound in Wedlock Bonds believing that a Wife would be a Hinderance to those Delights that Pleas'd me besides I trusted to my Youth and Health thinking I had time Enough to Marry and Increase also I thought that very Young men's Children would prove but Weak and Sickly in Body and Mind thus did I bring many Arguments to Live a Batchelour untill such time as I had more Maturity of Years and then I did intend to Choose a VVife with your Consent or else Consent to Marry whom you Pleas'd but Death will alter that Design and you and I must both Submit to Heavens Decree Yet have I this to Comfort me that you did never Command me to Marry wherefore my Fault was not a Fault of Disobedience for I never Disobey'd you all my Life which makes me Die in Peace Farewell A Young Virgins Dying Speech Dear Friends I Do Perceive that Holy Angels hover about my Soul to Bear it to the Gods when parted from my Body a Virgin 's Soul it is Cloth'd with white Innocency and so fitter for their Company as also for the Robe of Glory which the Gods will give me As for my Body though it be Young yet is it only fit for Death as being Due to him for that was made of Earth and Death is Lord of all the Earth doth Form Breed and Bring forth but Souls being of an other Nature those that are Celestial Proceeding from the Gods do to the Gods Return whereas Wicked Souls that are Damned and Proceed not from the Gods but from the Damned Spirits Return to the Damned crew again for all is Good that doth Proceed from God and though the Best of Souls doth Sin yet God doth give them Purging Grace that Cleanses them from Evil which Grace hath Purified my Soul and made it Fit for Heaven where I do wish all Souls may come Farewell A Husbands Dying Speech to his Wife VVIfe Farewell for Death will Break our Marriage knot and will Divorce our Persons but not Dissolve our Love unless you be Inconstant for Death hath not that Power to Disunite our Souls for they may Live and Love Eternally but if you Marry a Second Husband you separate our Loves as Death will separate our Bodies for in that Marriage-bed you will Bury all Remembrance of me and so shall I doubly Die and doubly be Buried for your second Husband will be my second Death but if you Live a Widdow you will keep me stil Alive both in your Name and Memory where I desire to Live untill your Body Dies and then our Souls will meet with Joy Delight and Happiness till then Farewell A common Courtisans Dying Speech KInd Friends and Wanton Lovers when I was in Health you came to view my Beauty to hear my Voice and to Injoy my Person in Amorous Imbraces and all for your own Pleasures and Delights but I did Entertain such Visitors more for the Lucre of Profit than for the Pleasures of Love more for your Presents than your Persons the truth is I was more Covetous of Wealth than Amorously Affected not but that I took Pleasure in seeing my Beauty Admired and hearing my Wit Prais'd and took delight to insnare mens Affections with my Attractive Graces and was Proud of the Power I had by Nature's Favour yet that Power I only imploy'd to Inrich my Self that I might Live Bravely and Luxuriously or to Hord up to maintain me when I was Old But O those Covetous desires and Vain delights have Ruined both my Body and Soul in Grievous Pains I Live and should Despairing Die but that the Gods are Mercifull and Pardon Penitent Sinners for if I were to Live I would not Live that Life I have done not only for my Souls sake but for my Bodies for had I thought of Death or could imagine the Pains that now I feel the Pocky rotting Pains that Torture my weak Body I should have been less Covetous of Wealth and more Carefull of Health I should not have made my Beauty Wit and becoming Graces and Adornments to intice Customers to buy Sinfull Pleasures or had I thought of the Joys in Heaven I should have Despised all worldly Delights or had I fear'd the Torments of Hell I should have Spent my time in Prayers and not in Courtships But Life is almost Past with me for Death hath strucken me with his VVand so that I cannot Live to Mend but Die to be Forgiven for I do truly and unfeignedly Repent Farewell A Vain young Ladies Dying Speech Dear Friends YOu are Charitable in Visiting the Sick a Charity that I did seldome Practise for when I was in Health I was so taken up with Vanities and worldly Pleasures as I could never Spare so much time as to Visit a sick Friend neither was I Charitable to the Poor as to help to Relieve their Wants for I spent so much on my Braveries as I left not any thing to give unto the Poor indeed I did shun Visiting the Sick because they put thoughts of Death in my Mind which thoughts did disturb my Mind and obstruct my Delights but if I had thought of Death more and had Visited the Sick oftner I had never Liv'd so Idlely nor Spent my time so Unprofitably nor had been so Foolishly Vain as I have been for I regarded nothing but Beauty Fashions Dressing Dancing Feasting Courtships and Bravery I never thought of Heaven nor Read holy Books of Divinity but only lying Romances and my Contemplation was all of Wanton Love 'T is true I went Often to Church but not to Pray but to be Pray'd to not as a Saint but as a Mistress I may say as a Sinner for I went not to Church for Instruction but for Destruction more for to Shew my Beauty than to Reform my Life more to get VVanton Lovers than to get Saving Grace I listned not to what the Preachers taught but look'd which of the Gallants eyed me Thus did I increase and multiply Sins under the Veil of Devotion for which I deserve great and grievous Punishments but the Gods are mercifull and will Forgive me for now I do more Hate Vanities than ever I did Love them and all my Evil thoughts are Banished from my mind indeed Death hath frighted all such thoughts away and Pious thoughts do take their place and as the Gods come neer the VVorld shrinks from me as Guilty of these Sins
therein As for Moral Philosophy he knew well how to Compose Common-wealths and to Settle and Govern them also he knew well the Natures Humours Passions and Appetites amongst Mankind as also to Divide and Distinguish them and to Order Form and Reform them As for Natural Philosophy he did not only Study the Outward Forms of several Creatures but their Inward Natures In truth his Conception was so Subtil and Peircing his Observation so Dilative his Reason so Strong his Wit so Agil his Judgement so Solid his Understanding so Clear and his Thoughts so Industrious as they went to the First Cause of several Effects and he did not only Converse with the Body but the Soul of Nature indeed he was Nature's Platonick Lover and She rewarded him in Discovering to him her most Hidden and Obscure Secrets by which he begot Great Wisdome and Everlasting Fame for though his Body be Dead yet his Good Laws VVise Sciences Profitable Arts VVitty Experiences Graces Vertues and Eloquence will Live for the Benefit and Delight of Living men in all Nations and Ages and though we have great reason to Mourn for his Bodily Death yet we have more reason to Rejoyce for his Glorious Fame but leaving his Merits to Life and his Body to Death let us lay him into the Grave to Transmigrate as Nature pleases A Funeral Oration of a Dead Lady Spoken by a Living Lady Dearly Beloved Sisters in God VVE are met as Sorrowfull Mourners to attend this Dead Ladies Corps to the Grave She was in her Life the Rule of our Actions and will be in her Fame the Honour of our Sex She was Favoured of Nature the Gods and Fortune Nature gave her Wit and Beauty the Gods gave her Piety and Charity and Fortune gave her Wealth and Education She was Adorned by the Graces Beloved by the Muses and Attended by the Arts She was Sociable in her Conversation Just in her Promises and Generous in her Gifts She was Industrious in all Good Actions Helpfull to all Distress'd Persons and Gratefull for all sorts of Courtisies She was Humble in her Own Prosperities and full of Magnanimity in her Own Adversities her Mind had no Passage for any Evil nor no Obstruction against any Good But to repeat or summ up the Number of this Ladies Merits is beyond my Rhetorick or Arithmetick for certainly she was Composed of the Purest Effence of Nature and the Divinest Spirits of Heaven She had the Piety of Saints the Chastity of Angels and the Love of the Gods in which Love let us leave her Soul and lay her Body in the Grave till the time of Glorification A Foreiners or Strangers Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren YOu shew your Charity and Humanity and that they are not Bound up to Particulars or to your Friends and Country-men but that they Extend to Strangers in coming to see this Stranger who Died out of his Native Country Decently to be Buried in a Forein Land I mean Forein as from his Native Country although the truth is that all the World is Common to Mankind for Nature hath not assigned Men to any Particular place or Part of the World but hath given All the World freely to them as if she made the World and all other Creatures only for Man's sake for all other Creatures are not so generally Disperst or rather so Spreading and Branching throughout the World as Mankind is by reason they Belong Breed Prosper or Increase in Particular Climates as some in Cold and others in Hot and some in one Part of the World and some in Another for some Creatures will be so farr from Increasing in some Particular Climates as they cannot Live in them but in all Parts of the World that are Habitable there be Men. 'T is true Different Climates may cause men to be of Different Complexions but what Complexions soever they have they are all of the same kind as Mankind and of the same sort of Animals for though all Beasts are of Beast-kind yet a Fox and an Ass is not one and the same sort or kind of Beast but there is no such different sort amongst Mankind for there is no difference of men in their Natural Shapes Proprieties Qualities Abilities Capacities Entities or the like unless some Defects to some Particulars which is nothing to the Generality for all the kind of Mandkind is all alike both in Body and Mind as in their Shapes Senses Appetites Speech Frowning Laughing Weeping and the like as also alike in their Rational Parts as Judging Understanding Conceiving Remembring Apprehending Considering Imagining Desiring Joying Grieving Loving Hating Fearing Doubting Hoping Believing and the like And therefore since not any man can be accounted as a Stranger in any Part of the World because he hath by Nature a Right as a Natural Inheritance to Inhabit what part or place of the World he will But all Mankind are as Brethren not only by Kind but by Inheritance as being General Sharers and Possessors of the World so this Dead man ought not to be accounted as a Stranger but a Brother VVherefore let us Mourn as we ought to do for a Dead Brother and Accompany his Hearse to the Grave with Religious Ceremony there leaving it in Rest and Peace A Post-Riders Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren YOu have Exprest your Humanity and Charity in coming to this Poor Unfortunate man's Burial which though he was a Poor man yet he was an Honest man and therefore is much the more Worthy to be Praised for Poverty and Necessity is a great Temptation to Knavery as much as Riches is a Temptation to Foolery which is Vanity nay Riches is not only Guilty of Vanity but Vice as Luxnry Pride and Wantonness whereas Knavery is Cheating Coosening Stealing and the like of all which this Poor man was Free And as he was an Honest man so he was a Laborious man for his Profession of Life was a Post-Rider an Unfortunate Profession for him for he Riding fast upon a Stumbling Jade fell down and Broke his Neck Thus we see that Misfortunes as well as Sicknesses bring many to their Lives ends and many times to a Miserable end for Misfortunes take Life away Unawares and sometimes Unprepar'd to Dye so this man did not Think when he got on the Horses back he should Ride Post to Death for had he thought so he would have Chosen to Run a-Foot a Safer though a Slower pace But could his Soul Ride Post on Death to Heaven as his Body Rid Post on a Horse to Death he might Out-strip many a Soul that is gone before him for though his Soul as all Souls are Light and of no Weight yet Death is no nimble Runner being Cold and Numb and nothing but Bare Bones a Hard Seat for a Tender Soul Besides the way to Heaven is so Narrow and Steep as Death cannot Get up for should he Venture his Soul would be in Danger to be Overthrown and cast into Hell which is a Deep Dark
Prodigal makes only Himself Poor and the Common-wealth Rich whereas a Miserable man makes only Himself Rich and the Common-wealth Poor 'T is true Riches is accounted a great Blessing and Surely it is so but I take Riches to be only a Blessing in the Use and not Barely in the Possession for Riches is not what we Have but what we Injoy for he that hath Delicious Fruits and will Eat Sour Crabs hath Reviving Wines and will Drink Insipid Water hath Stately Houses and will Live in a Thatch'd Cottage hath Store of Fuel and will Freeze with Cold and hath great Summs of Money but will Spend none those are Poorer than they that Have but a Little and will Spend according to their Estate yet these Miserable men that Live Starvingly Slovenly and Unwholesomely are Commended by the Moralists and Accounted Wise men as not taking Pleasure in that they call Vanities which is to make Use of their Riches as to Live Plentifully Pleasantly Gloriously and Magnificently if they have wherewithall to Live so pleasing Themselves with what Good Fortune hath given them I for my part I had rather Live Rich and Dye Poor than Dye Rich and Live Poor and leave my Wealth to those that will be so far from Acknowledging my Gifts with Thanks by Praising me for them as it is likely they would Rail on my Memory so that my Wealth would only Build me a Tomb of Reproaches and a Monument of Infamy which would be a Just Judgement for being so Unnatural to my Self But Miserable men believe they are Masters to their Wealth because they have it in Keeping when as they are Slaves not Daring to Use it unless it be in getting Ten in the Hundred I Confess if such men had Children being for the most part Childless there were some Excuse for them but yet Fathers should not make Themselves Miserable to make their Sons Prodigal for a Rich Son of a Miserable Father is commonly a Spend-thrist and as Fathers are bound by Nature to Provide for their Children in a Wise Proportion so they are bound by Nature to Maintain Themselves so Plentifully as to Injoy a Happy Life But to Conclude those that are Miserable Horders or Uncnscionable Usurers are like as Weesels or such like Vermin for as these Suck out the Meat of an Egg so they Suck out Silver and Gold and leave the Common-wealth like as an Empty Egg-shell which is a Penny-less Purse or Treasury An Oration concerning the Education of Children Fellow Citizens I Commend your Love and Care which you seem to have of your Sons as to have them Taught and Instructed in Arts and Sciences as also when they are Grown up towards Manhood to send them abroad to see Forein and several Nations for to be acquainted with their Fashions Manners and Behaviours and to Learn their several Languages all which is Profitable and will make them Worthy men if they Profit Yet though I Commend your Love I cannot Commend your Judgements for putting your Sons to be Instructed by Young Pedants and to be Guided by Young Governours which are but Boys themselves in Comparison of Experienced Understanding Knowing Wise men that is Aged men who have Seen Heard and Learned Much and so Know Much whereas Young men have not had Time to Hear See and Learn Much and so cannot Understand nor Know Much but must of Necessity be Ignorant Wherefore it is not to be Wondered at that Fathers Reap not the Profit or have not the Return of their Care and Expences in their Sons Educations for Youth breeding up Youth makes many Men to be Boys all their Life-time and being not Instructed as they ought become Wild like Plants that want Manuring and Fathers mistaking the Cause through long Custom think it is the Incapacity of their Sons and not the Insufficiency of their Tutors and Governours if they prove not according to their Hopes and Expectations But most Fathers being Bred as Ignorantly as their Sons think their Sons Compleatly bred if they have been some time at the University and have made some short time of Travel although without Profiting either in Knowledge or Manners Thus it may be Thought that one Fool Begets an other but the truth is that one Fool Breeds an other for the Fault is not in Nature but in Education at least not so Generally and Constantly for Nature doth not Commit so many Errors and make so many Defects as Breeding doth An Oration concerning the Plague Fellow Citizens I Shall not need to tell you that the Plague is in this City or that it Increases Daily I may say Hourly or that this City hath been formerly Infested or Infected with this Disease in so much as sometimes it hath almost made a Depopulation but by Reason it is such a Deadly destroying Disease as to sweep Thousands into Oblivious Death and not only a Destroying but a Murderous Disease for it takes men Suddenly Unawares and Unprepared being in perfect Health and full Strength and Wounds so deadly as to be Past Remedy not to be Cured either by Medicines or Salve when it hath Strongly Seized on the Body Wherefore to hinder it from such a strong Affault and Ruine let me Advise you Citizens especially the Magistrates who have Power and Authority to Order and Govern this City as they shall think Good and Expedient for it First to set out a Declaration to all Housholders upon Paying Fine if Neglected and not Performed to Cleanse their Houses Pumps Springs Sinks Gutters and Privy-Offices also that Officers in every Parish and other Particular Person may be Authorized for that Imployment to see the Streets Lanes and Out-corners in and of the City Cleansed from Dunghils and Dung of Men and Beast and from Carrion Mud and such like filth also to have the Common Sewers Sinks Chanels Wells as also the Lakes Ponds and such like Places without the City near adjoyning well Cleansed and all this foul Filth Buried deep in the Earth that no Ill Savour or Vapour may Ascend therefrom for Foul Gross Stinking Vapours arising especially from several places as several Houses Streets Ditches Sewers and the like dispersing Corruption about Infect the Air which Spreads far and Enters into the very Bowels and Inward Parts of men nay it doth not only Poyson the Bodies of men but all other Animal Creatures as also the Fruits of the Earth and so Strong it is that it Bursts forth in Sores Ulcers and Spots on the Bodies of Men and Beasts Inflaming their Spirits and Consuming their Lives in a Moment Wherefore to help to Purifie the Air let there be Pitch and Tar burnt in the Open Streets and Frankincense Storax and Benzoin in the Houses or at least Juniper and after the City is thus Cleansed and the Air Purified you must indeavour to Cleanse and Purifie the Bodies of the Inhabitants by Commanding Every one to be Purged with Drugs or Simples and to be let Blood or else it will be a Vain
in a Short time besides Open House-Keeping in Christmas time All which makes Gentlemen Beggars and Beggars Gentlemen for the Servants and Tenants grow Rich but their Masters and Landlords become Poor the one sort Buyeth the other sort Selleth and the Title of a Gentleman is Buried in the Ruine of his Estate III. Noble Gentlemen THe Gentleman that Spoke last spoke rather like a Cottager than a Gentleman or rather like a Miser than a Noble Hospitable Person for he Spoke as if he would have Gentlemen rather to Follow the Plough than the Race the Cart rather than the Deer the Puttuck rather than the Hawk to Eat Cheese instead of Venison Sour Curds instead of Patridge Fried Pease for young Leverets Rusty Bacon for Chines of Beef Rye Bread instead of White Manchet all which is to Live like a Clown and not like a Gentleman Burying his Birth in the Dung of his Earth But Noble Gentlemen I have Observed that a Gentleman although of Small Fortune if he Live Wisely may Live Plentifully and Honourably without his own Personal Drudgery the Wisdome is to Look into his Own Estate Industriously to Know and Understand the Value of his Lands Justly to Indeavour to have his Rents Paid Duely and not Suffer his Servants to Coosen him either by Flattery or Excess all which will Cause a Country Gentleman to Live as the first Gentleman said like a Petty King yet not like a Tyrant but like a Generous Prince with Delight and Pleasure Generosity and Magnificence amongst his Tenants Servants and Acquaintance also he will be an Assistance to Travellers and a Relief to the Poor and his Fame and Name will not only Sound Loud but Long. IV. Noble Gentlemen THe Gentleman that Spoke last spoke well for those Gentlemen that can Content themselves in that Condition their Fore-fathers left them in but Gentlemen of great Estates desire great Titles Offices and Authorities which cannot be had in the Country but from the Court which Ambition perswades them to Leave the Country to Live neer the Court where they may be Seen and Known unto the Grand Monarch in which Courts are such Delights and Pleasures as the Country is not Capable to have as Masks Playes Balls Braveries and Courtships which Ravish and Transport their Thoughts beyond the Country Region indeed they are as if they were Transported into the Third Heaven untill such time as their Money is Spent their Land Sold and their Creditors are Numberless and then they are Cast out as Evil Angels into the Hell of Poverty and become Poor Devilish Sharks Living upon their Wits which is to Live upon their Cheats which cannot last Long. Thus Gentlemen in the Country are Proud in the Court Vain in the City Base and at last Unfortunate as being much Indebred and Miserably Poor V. Noble Gentlemen THe Gentleman that Spoke last Declares our Ambitions at Court but not our Luxury in the Country and though we have not Court Ladies and City Dames to our Mistresses yet we have Country Wives and Tenants Daughters for our Wenches and we Eat and Drink our Selves into Surfeiting Diseases and our Expences are far more in Riotous Hospitalities than the Courtiers in their Foolish Flattering Vanities for the Natures of Gentlemen and Noble men are for the most part Prodigal whether they be in Court City or Country and they will never Rest untill such time as their Money is Spent and their Land Sold and then they become Idle Drones for want of Stings which is Wealth to Imploy them VI. Noble Gentlemen VVE have Argued much of our Humours Actions and Estates of our Follies Vanities and Vices but we have not Concluded what is Best for us to Settle in as for the Course of our Lives there are but three wayes as to be either Meer Clowns or Perfect Gentlemen or Between both To be Meer Clowns is to be Drudges in our Estates To be Perfect Gentlemen is to be Careless of our Expences and to be Between both is to be Carefull Overseers and Moderate Spenders and of these three I judge the Last best as not to be so much a Gentleman as to be a Beggar nor so much a Clown as to be a Beast VII Noble Gentlemen VVE agreed to meet in this Town for Pastime and Mirth and not for Study and Disputation we came not hither to Learn Good Husbandry but to Spend our Money Freely our Intention was not to meet with Formality and Gravity but with Freedome and Jollity our Design was not to Return to our Dwelling houses with Heavy Hearts but Light Heads Wherefore Leave of Arguing and Settle to Drinking and let our Tongues Cease and the Musick Play and when we are Dead Drunk let the Fiddles Ring out our Knells and let our Coaches as our Hearses carry us to our Home-Beds as to our Designed Graves where after our Long Sleeps we may Rise and in our Resurrections be like either Saints or Devils In short let Good Wine and Good Brains be our Good Fortune VIII A Speech of a Quarter drunk Gentleman Noble Gentlemen YOu have made Eloquent Orations before you did Drink but let that Pass for now you must Speak only Witty Expressions and give me Leave to Tell you that Logick and Wine are as great Enemies as Poetry and Water Wherefore let the Orators Drink Water and Poets Wine for VVine begets Fancy and VVater Drowns Reason which is the cause Orators Speak so Much and Long untill they Speak Non-sense But O Divine Wine whose Sprightly Vapour doth Manure the Brain to a just Highth of VVit it is the Serene Air of VVit the Quint-essence of VVit the Sun and Light of VVit the Spirit and Soul of VVit for were it not for Wine the Mind would be as in a dark Hell of Ignorance and the Brain would be Lethargically Stupified for want of Lively Heat for Wine is the Food of Vital Life and Animal Reason IX A Speech of a Half drunken Gentleman Noble Gentlemen YOu have made Eloquent Speeches but of what I am a Rogue if I can Tell but that they were Full of VVords I did hear Many Words but I do not Remember any Sense or Reason in them the truth is that the Spirits of Wine have Burnt out the Sense of your Discourse and have Rarified my Memory so much as no Substantial matter will Remain therein so that your Oratory is Dead and Buried in the Vapour of Wine a Blessed Death and a Happy Funeral and may it Rest in Peace and Silence and not Rise to Disturb our Drinking to which Wish and Hope I begin a Health and Desire you all to Pledge it ORATIONS IN The Field of Peace PART XIII A Peasants Oration to his Fellow Clowns Fellow Peasants FOr we are all Fellows in Labour Profit and Pleasure though not Fellows in Arms Spoils and Danger and though we Live in the Fields of Peace and not in the Fields of Warr yet our Fields of Peace resemble the Fields of Warr for