inquisitive and judicious Reader then much matter and conceit compendiously digested with sufficiency of perspicuity To conclude lines of a farre fetcht and labour'd fancy with allusions and curiosity and in similes of little more fruit or consequence then to ravish the Reader into the writers fine Chamaeleon colours and feed him with aire I approve not so much as heighth and force of spirit sententiously and weightily exhibited wit needs not rack it self where matter flowes embroderies become not a rich stuffe and art is best exprest where it least appeares A strong wing is to be preferred before a painted and good â—ense and matter elegantly delivered before extravagancy of fancy and conceit such unnaturall impertinency serves rather to shadow then illustrate to overwhelme then set forth the subject as well apposite as accurate writing is the Authorsglory Postscript upon occasion of the then young Princes pretended desire to have sight of the following Poems ANd here under pardon to conclude with this further defence of Love the subject of this little work but taking it more large and high I find love to be the most worthy object of the best and most generous dispositions and none but maligne natures that addresse not their thoughts towards it for what good and worthy mind hath its being that is not bent as upon its felicity either to the love of women the most naturall of men the most noble or above all of God the most happy and rewardfull Whither else tend all our studies of comlinesse of glory and noble actions of charity and good deeds Wherein can man so well resemble his great Creator as by worth and goodnesse to win love what more noble end can any man have to study vertue and perfection then thereby to win affection and praise the reward and food of vertue and tribute of God Nay love the essence of God the good spirit and wings of the soule the Mother Child and finall cause of Beauty the begetter and maintainer of the world the life of life by love the Sunne shines and the earth brings forth by love is society and commerce maintained by love the soule dwels with the body and God with the soule by love nature ever works for our preservation when the body and almost the soule are laid in sleep Admirable love without thee life is hatefull man but a wolfe to man the world a second Chaos For thy sake alone who affectest not a decaying Mansion I apprehend losse by growing old yet thus againe am I comforted by thy most divine power that thou never abandonest the dwelling of goodnesse and art successively fruitfull over all the good works of nature to the worlds period so that to the vertuous where the love of women failes the love of men begins and where that by the withering imperfections of age grows cold as the aire to a setting Sunne there for our supreame and infinite comfort begin to shine most clearly the beames of that divinest love which before were too much intercepted by the sensualities and passions of our younger yeares to make us therein eternally happy by that operation of love and contemplation of beauty which at the last must be our soules immortall food and joy Advertisement upon the first Verses I am not ignorant that who keepes the common road falls not into the incumbrances incurred by them who search or by or nearer wayes Writing is a by-path of life I am yet ingaged to it but hope shortly to get out and by the way I give you this Antidote and Rapsody of praecaution and true information concerning the following pieces The reason why I retaine and expose them with others is not so much that I esteem them worthy of view or life as that they were many yeares since Copyed and spread abroad beyond my knowledge then and are now beyond my power to recall they are more Chaffe then Corn fitter to bee ventilated blown away and play in the aire then vented in any Market and commerce of wit and censure they are incorrect if not incorrigible yet I consent to leave them and many other my pieces such as they are to represent unto me the difference 'twixt then and now To attempt to perfect them were to dispersonate their youth and hasty nature and fall into the much frequented stage Error of putting stronger lines and more conceited and elaborate elegancy into weake mouths and strong passions then well comporteth with them let their youth and genuine conception plead their pardon You shall mistake them if you often conceive them not rather the off-spring of fancy then passion But take them at the worst they have something of reason and serious in them and the errours of love are not so foule as the love of errour nor is it impertinent to perswade love in them who have constrained it in you and love may bee such as to become no lesse justifiable then naturall Love is in truth of divers kinds ever an Ebullition of the liver sometimes it is made and forced upon us sometimes wee weave and foole our selves into it sometimes it proceeds from gratitude and good nature of gratification It is generally the child of weaknesse as well as of idlenesse witnesse my selfe in my childish youth and Melancholy humour A vigorous gayety of the heart and mind taken up and busie in other affections and entertainments hardly admits it It is a sad confinement a disease like womens longing where the violent appetite of one object no better then the rest gives relish to that alone whilst a right and undistasted apprehension of every thing in the true kind is the much better and sounder constitution and as in longing after such or such a morsell the consideration is carried by the fancy and tast which have no rule but themselves or as at Table the hearty approbation of some one dish is a provocation to others appetites so in love And as most Dogs will often strive to get away anothers bone though otherwise little desired or when a morsell is offered to bee snatched from them grow greedy of that which before they neglected so in affections I leave the application Sometimes as love hath been tearmed a warfare so is brave Conquest made ambition too many make it their felicity and effeminately bend all their affections towards it Sometimes it is taken up for a fashion and to be in fashion is in idle times of no small importance to idle and gallant persons Sometimes like Coqualuchios and Epidemicall diseases it may much proceed from the disposition of the Ayre as in other kind wee may observe of quarrells that they seldome go alone Our poore volatile ayery affections are strongly wrought upon as well from outward as inward incentives winds and Aspects The first accesse of love is not ever by the eyes it hath often a strong foundation and preocupation begotten at the eare when a noble heart takes impression of a well lodged reputation eminent in fame vertue
especially of natures course and proceedings their true and reall motives springs and wayes are in most important effects secret concealed and disguised ordinarily hidden in their originall even from our selves that act we may take copies of others faces but not of their hearts with any assurance It hath been an honest advise to keep a corner of our heart to our selves and if an honest heart ought not in point of discretion to expose it self what truth is to be expected from hypocrisie and dissimulation One absurdity admitted a thousand follow and to the foundation of my disease laid in the excesse of Treacle infinite have been the effects and my sufferings which have flowne from that and other concurring circumstances I have at the entrance of my alteration been ready to sink at the Table I have many yeares since travail'd and slept with cordialls at hand to keep me alive nor left I them till a hearty friend told me the heart must comfort the heart which yet was lame and ineffectuall in my strongest resolutions till I had recourse to God the onely true spirit of courage and resolution to a curious and well-affected minde and a weather-beaten Soule there is no other refuge or harbor of safety satisfaction and tranquillity There are Climates where it seldome or never Raines others which clouds malusque Iupiter urgent In one and the same Country where the earth and heavens in their constant seasons should bee as constantly disposed yet doth the same time of the yeare prove sometimes cold and wet sometimes hot and dry the materials and circumstances appearing the same this must rise from secret Springs and combinations above the reach of our discourse The same diversity and contrariety of effects befals men in their fortunes howsoever in appearance equally constituted God is the cause of causes He hath in all times and Countries provided wonders above the ordinary course of Nature to humble and convince our humane presumption I had a body and a minde so strongly built that had not my spirituall and intellectuall parts predominated in me to withdraw me from a base vulgar abandoning my self to sensuality no man in probability could better have subsisted and maintained himself against ordinary course of dissolution and debauch I had a Spirit naturally tempered to contain and contract it self above all excesse but it s own And even that as well as another it might have bridled had not Melancholy and other adverse conditions surprised and mastered it betrayed unto them under colour of friendship The blood is said to be the bridle of all humours that I lost and much of my good spiâ—its with it in the conflict but God hath proved a better bridle a better spirit unto me Innocent and groundlesse blushings proceeding from the tenuity and waste of my blood and spirits have been none of my least importune and prejudiciall symptomes Such weaknesse joyned with a strong fancy hath made me subject to blush not onely to my self alone but upon any surprise of mention and conceit not only upon any reall occasion but upon what there might be so much as a possibility of in the apprehension of another I have taken my self blushing at the appearing or name of a woman who had shee been Eve and I Adam the humane race would have been in great danger of failing at length custome and complying with a conceited expectation of others produced it c. God hath by his extraordinary grace upon my humiliation furnished me with as strange meanes to subsist as I at the first found extravagant means to keep low and oppresse my self In the depth of Melancholy I have not found so much as a melancholy dream my spirits have taken root from above and have grown upon it Long since after a great disease I had such a tendernesse of spirits and humours that a thick cloud could not passe over me but I felt an alteration upon it It is strange how a transient thought will work and give a suddain stroak to a remote and ill-affected weakned part of the body the minde workes not alone by the heart and brain as is vulgarly conceived but the praecordia and all parts more or lesse contribute and are affected therein and God hath blessed me with a minde so strong that it ever discharged it self in its passions and errors more in my body then its own sufferings but they are still Hippocrates his Twins and must weep or laugh together I have now disburthened my self of all trouble but this of writing I am too inexhaustible therein weary me it doth satisfie me it cannot I will change the Scene and seeing I finde my self so ill a Companion I will seek better company I have ever been over-hard to please in conversation my present affections and habit make me now more dainty what shall I doe I have by Gods great grace recovered in great part those Jewels of peace and health which I had long lost Therefore I will no longer rake in this puddle nor abuse his grace in over-bold and indiscreet presumption Like the stranger belonging to another Country I will transitorily please my self and converse with the common passions and Interests of this world I will spend my time in search of goodnesse and will make much of it where I finde it I will wash my hands in Innocency my Soule in my Saviours blood and wrap my self in my own vertue and his merits relying on his neverfailing mercy Amen Amen March 1. 1637. THough friends be absent conversation lost My bating Soule oft labouring in it self By winds and fortune on the black Sea tost Thou present Lord I feare nor wave nor shelf Thou Father Brother art and Friends to me Be the world whose it list so thou be mine They ne're miscarry who rely on thee Grace stormes dispells more strong then they combine All thrives where thou the pruning Gardener art To thy Plants blastings frugall blessings prove Though Summer heighth and flourishing impart Winter gives strength and Timber to the Grove To thine all sufferings end in joy and rest And th' absence of a wicked world is best Forced delights and contentment are no delight or contentment dispose Oh Lord my affections and I am happy untill I had digested the tough morsels and crudities of this world I could never have had peace and quiet IOckey and his Horse were by their Master sent To honour him in hunting run and race To put in for the Bell and take content In honest sort fitting faire time and place In pride of nature fit for any sport Jolly and lusty both at first they were But shortly after both of them fell short What by mischance by ill-advise and care Soon he became engaged to a match Which cost him dear both on the By and Main He thought himself no easie peece to catch But knew not to resist so strong a train He now conceits he could not hope to win Except his horse were straightly dieted Such course
may bee a Rhetoricall sweetnesse in numbers spirit and proportion charming enough without it I little respect old rules further then reason Reason is the rule of rules they often a buse us and domineere in an usurped authority as if wee were lesse men and had inferiour or lesse faculties of soule then those from whom wee received them I could never find the found reason of subjecting Comicall representations to the Compasse of a day to tell mee that otherwise our conception becomes overstrained is nothing I can as easily stretch my fancy to a yeare as a day and to think my selfe at Rome in an instant from London or Paris as to imagine my selfe at White-Hall being in Black-Fryers I unwillingly lose a good story or any thing that is good upon nicenesse of form Non oportet destruâ—â—e substantiam propter accidens was a good rule I long since learnt of an honest Physitian in case of bestowing more time and paines in study then stood with health Fame is the farthest from my thoughts and yet you see how famous they prove in their production Crescunt eundo like Elias his cloud they unmeasurably spread I intended but a word or two I wonder I should bee so tedious and talkative in Penne and Inke who am nothing lesse in ordinary businesse and conversation I hate a long Tale especially dramaticall in the way of Dialogue and Scene yet if you take but a piece of mâ—e at once I hope you may at least as well indure the reading as I the writing this and all my longest peeces are of one Boutade performed at a breath part of a mornings exercise My sonnets of devotion howsoever versification bee of a more elaborate nature insomuch that most miserably it will sometimes fall out I beleeve with the best and most fluent that the subjection of a rhyme or measure shall cost more time and toyle then writing a Page in Prose and in conclusion matter it selfe must yeeld yet were they generally of a suddain birth they needed no Midwifery but what they found from above You finde also in them an irregularity of here and there a superumetary couplet at the end the peece is compleat without them It also requires your indulgence to matter beyond forme I naturally hate to bee clogd yet hath fortune manacled mee from my youth want of libertie in the free use disposing and ordering of my selfe and mine have infinitely prejudiced my contentment and fortune I take the boldnesse to say it in presumption of such a moderation to have ever accompanied mee and so much discretion as it may bee you will beare mee witnesse that had I not beene check't in the mastery of my selfe and mine I should have done much better in the world But I grow as well diffluent as tedious and therefore with desire of your pardon and constant profession of most sincere affection towards you I rest Your most faithfull Brother and servant Septemb. the 24. 1638. MY really worthy friend It is my unhappinesse to misse your company at my returne to London and that which aggravates is the heavinesse of your occasion wherein I participate in the great losse of your most valuable brother such a gravitie such a soliditie such vertue and Pietie are too much wanting in men of your and his profession Pride covetousnesse licentiousnesse ingratitude hypocrisie usurpe the place of that sweetnesse meeknesse hospitalitie and good affections to God and goodnesse which were wont to bee more frequent in your calling as most incident and proper unto it and held before in coparcenere betwixt you he hath now resigned to your Primogeniture Gods judgments are to be feared when the world is not found worthy of such Inhabitants So young so suddainly dead under the practise of Physick ministers fresh occasion to continue my Invectives against that Caball of collusion calamitous to mankind and nature All the good wee usually get by relying on Physick is the neglect of other better meanes to subsist and presumption in evill diet and disorder I feare I shall hardly see you before I leave the towne and when I shall see it again I know not wee are not fit for one another Mihi jam non Regia Roma Sed vacuum Tibur placet atque imbelle Tarentum The civill pretiosa fames the maligne fires fitter for a Chasing-dish then a Chimney and yet as costly as a Bustum for a great Roman carcasse or Phoenix the Parrat heartlesse complements Gossipping discourse Petty censures of this mans seate house habit estaâ—e and the others last action Lawsuite child marriage entertainment purchase sale and bargaine which the walking spirits of Stowes Chronicle Journalists and Commentators of the time carry from house to house were I never so rich I could not now indure with patience It is enough if not too much to bee by vaine experience made to bee no Gull of ignorance The towne is for Professors Trades-men Officers Courtiers and such as feed on others tables to live in for pleasure and profit Others if they bee wise will not make themselves a silly prey to the proud Shopkeeper who playes the Spider in the Cobweb and is now become come as familiar as hee was wont to be humble and crouching Non tanti emo poenitere non tanti esurio I will not buy ill ayre strait lodging ill drinke and little good company so deare I could possibly finde as much pleasure and esteeme in the Towne as another if my mind were sutable but Quid decet ac verum est have long been my affectation the vanities idle visits Playes and pastimes of young men become mee not other mens tables appeare a kind of intrusion and importunitie nor is a solitary retirednesse pleasing unto mee Serious men are too busie and I am too serious for the lighter sort I will wish plentie and goodnesse of time and howsoever it pâ—ove will helpe it by feeding on my owne pasture and rather inrich then impoverish by dearth and high prices fâ—r the more they grow the more I will spare and contract nor will I dwell at the meâ—cy of exaction with choice of place Tenues luxuriantur opes I cole nunc urbes quicquid non praestat amicus Cum praestare tibi possit Avite locus When the Citie had most of my affection I conceived reason sufficient why a Countrey Gentleman might as I often found grow soone weary and distasted costly and ill lodging and dyet enforced neatnesse importunate visits perpetuall cap curtesie and complements ceremonious acquaintance tedious and chargeable businesse pastime to seeke his wonted healthfull exercise Ayre and command turn'd to a sedentary and servile observance and a sootie Ayre such as the thickest rined vegetables rather pine then live in this and much more may well occasion him to thinke himselfe out of his element when hee is drawne to towne where hee finds honesty and goodnesse accounted â—implicitie and that Rusticitie where not to weare his Beard Cap Cloathes and make his
For future times a pattern most exact Faire Ship most fairly fraught for VVar and Peace Untimely sunk scarce launcht into the seas Too glorious rising Sunne soon overcast That shin'st in Heaven for here thy beames were plac't On mould too dull cold worthlesse to beget An active fruitfulnesse answering thy heat Thy flames of vertue were more pure and high Then our weake state could foment with supply No vertue didst thou want or vice possesse That could make great thy worth or glory lesse Furnish't with all materials fit to raise A high superlative of Princely praise A true Minervian issue sprung from Iove Visible vertue forcing us to love As true a vertuous Cyrus naturall As Xenophons fain'd artificiall Faire fire receiv'd as from our Persian King Dead vertue once againe to life to bring Heroick off-spring of that English blood VVhich anciently hath so celebrous stood As faire a splendor to thy Fathers stem As or his Scepter Throne or Diadem If Troy lamented Hector Grecians scourge â—arre greater grief thy death to us doth urge Troy miss'd no Captaines though their Hector dead But whom hath now our Priam fit to lead VVith union and alacrity the Bands Of English Scottish Welsh and Irish Lands VVhose active well born spirits thirsted all To follow such a hopefull Generall VVhose pattern set the coldest mindes on fire VVith glorious thoughts and generous desire Sole able Engine t' have repair'd the fame Of th' once illustrious wither'd English name Such vertue could not actionlesse remaine VVhich made him fly our dulnesse with disdain VVherefore brave Spirits that do inward burn Loving true glory joine with me and mourn And with your slames make him a funerall fire And with him end each thought that did aspire Smother in his Ashes what began to flame And teach your thoughts to study peacefull fame Temper your most untimely ill faln hear VVhich may your ruine not your glory get Except that idle glory you esteem Vying who most effeminate shall seem Most proud affected and like weeds of worth VVhich our best soyles uncultivate bring forth Mourn and lament him Patron of all truth Nay him the soule and glory of your youth Nor never hope an active time to see Except enforc't to act our miserie Happy our Fathers warlike spirits we Haplesse though fortunate our Sons may be To whom this seven yeare retrograde hath brought A Prince with like faire promis'd vertues fraught To top his story with victorious bayes As Iames with sweet of Peace hath blest our dayes Adding as many Crownes as Iames hath done To Crowne his titles with possession Thus glorious Comet with more zeale then art In thy fames dirige I beare a part Which may it pardon finde though hoarsly sung And passe with favour 'mongst th' Elegiack throng As writ by him who having vow'd sword-service Can ill performe a Poets sacrifice Upon the death of Anne of Denmarke Queen of great Britaine and the blazing Starre appearing neere her death taken for the stellifyed spirit of Prince Henry dead not long before BRave soul thou hast prevail'd God hath his owne And wee ill debters were nor paid the loane Of such a Jewell bee thou Henries Star Pointing thy mothers way and not our war Heaven bee appeas'd and grant our prayers and teares Prevent thy further anger and our feares Say that our false hearts to our selves and thee Deriding goodnesse and true pietie Led by our vaine affections as our God Not charitie say this deserves thy rod Let not the Roman petty Gods surpasse Thy rulers mercies Marcus Curtius was To them a sacrifice their wrath to swage Our losse hath doubled his then slack thy rage And grant againe we feele no further paines But blesse our dayes with joy in what remaines Epitaph HEre lies Iames his rich gem the eyes delight The graces mansion our faire dayes good night Glory of the Court object no sooner seene But knowne the gracefull presence of a Queene Rich Jewels shee is said to leave farre more Rich was shee in her pretious vertues store Heaven grant her royall vertues transportation Breed not a dearth unto her sex our nation Vpon the death of my faire Cousin Drury SSay passenger and for her sake Who while shee liv'd had power to make All eyes that on her cast their sight To fix with wonder and delight Daine that these lines one sigh may borrow Breathed from thy heart with generous sorrow To see in this sad Tombe now dwelling The fairest Drury late excelling In vertue beautie and all grace That heaven in earthly mould can place And that which may your griefe increase Is that shee did a maid decease And all that wee in her admir'd With her is perisht and expir'd Matchlesse shee lived unmatcht shee dide Druries sole heire and Suffolks pride Vpon the death of the supereminent Lady Haddington Delineated to the life IMperious soule proud Quintessence of wit Union of natures beautie forcing love Faire Haddington farewell here dead with thee Lie Loves awe sweetnesse life and majestie Manly ambitious spirits hope possest By conquest of fierce beautie to be blest Change your desires for sweare ambition The glorious subject of your hopes is gone Alas nor verse nor picture can expresse The least of her heart-winning lovelinesse Happy who knew her for he knew perfection Such as henceforth hath freed him from subjection Another MOunt up to heaven free soul with Larke-like joy Scorning our earthly base condition Where no malitious envie can annoy Thy faire ingenious disposition There shew thy selfe in thy pure nakednesse Where all thoughts in their simple truth appeare To speake thy selfe with true borne simplenesse Is vertues habit out of fashion here To covet flatter lie bee politique Hunt gaine with greedy falshood and deceipt To bee a devill so an hypocrite Are vertues to gaine this worlds good conceipt Thou wert not such and therefore happy now If faith and truth may happinesse procure Thy life thy truth death doth thy faith avow These are the golden wings that mount thee sure To lasting glory glory bee thy due For being faithfull noble faire and true An Incentive to our Poets upon the death of the victorious King of Swedeland FIe slow Boötes brood what not a line To celebrate a vertue so divine See you not Perseus mounted in the skie Outdoing all the antient Chivalry Expect you till his Steed dash on your braines To make you flow into heroick straines Can your Electrian facultie in wit Raise nothing but meere trash and strawes to it Is brave Gustavus of too solid stuffe His great exploits for your sleight veine too tusse That like poore falsifyers you despaire To profit from a peece so rich and faire Whilst from more triviall subjects you will drive A trade shall make your reputation thrive By ransacking the mysteries of Art To set a luster on some low desert Rouze up at length your over stupid muse Unite all in one quire and bravely chuse No other rapture whereupon
common paraphrase of that nothing or if any thing rather a returne to then a forsaking our home Nor will I Pathetically end with the exaltation and flattery of that great universall Imaginary Monarch let wit and Philosophy flesh him cloath and paint him as they can his Sceleton Posture and dart will still appeare terrible to weake Spirits To mee by the grace of God and my Saviour hee shall bee an indifferent guest hee shall not find mee unprovided the continuall feast of a good conscience shall not I hope bee wanting unto mee it shall in despight of his all devouring bee my viaticum and goe along with mee Amen Iune the 6. 1640. An Essay concerning Musick LEt him that tafts not Musick beware of the Tarantula's sting which is cured by an affectation of some Geniall point therein And surely hee is so farre from a perfect quintessentiall constitution of the mind that I doubt whether in such minds some undigested lump of the Chaos bee not yet predominant It is to me an Argument of a soule well in tune to bee understandingly affected therewith nor is any one affectation more likely to be accompanied with a detestation of such vices as discord with the Law of nature and received vertue For a disposition once habituated in a delight of harmonious proportion must consequently distast such uncomely dissonance If earth afford any resemblance of the incomparable joyes of heaven it is not improbable to be in musick For I cannot name an earthly delight where the mind is so disjoyned from grosse and terrene objects nor so sublimed as it were to an upward center which surely is God the Center of the heavens and heavenly-spirits No small testimony thereof is exhibited in divine service where Musick hath been ever thought fit to elate and prepare the mind to celestiall contemplations But whatsoever it is to divinitie it hath ever beene a child of the most civill nations and times and they that like it not are in that point Brothers to the Savages It hath beene blamed to effeminate and over-soften mens minds which whence it is gathered my selfe could never conceive except in that substraction which it makes from inhumane barbarous and uncivill inclinations For it certainly heates cleareth sharpneth and erecteth the spirits making them dance in the veines with such disposition of activitie as when the Musick ceaseth the heat thereof yet remaines not much unlike that of wine in a Dutchman which Alarums him to be doing and fight though hee know not with what Allow it to heate and you can hardly make it seeme to quench courage whereunto heate is even the forme Alexander might bee a proofe or the severall sorts of Musick whereof some definitively exempt it from that Tax But Musitians are knowne generally fantasticall and light This indeed is a fault but in the Musitians not in the science which doubtlesse is often lodged in most judicious and grave spirits Of David you will not deny it Nor is it verely more to bee accused then the best wine for infatuating weake braines Divine Inspirations have beene generally seene accompanied with a transportation of the weaker spirit that received them They who least love it must at least allow it to bee a pleasing dreame and an innocent pastime wherein if the body and spirits receive no nourishment they may be yet after other defatigations be delightfully entertained without wast or expence in freshnesse and alacritie for the embracing imployment in either It is commonly as of women the worst are to bee had for money and often the pleasure scarce worth the tuning The haters of it thinke it but a noise who are the more brutish being uncapable of beautie whereto the intellectuall with the instrumentall part is requisite The Scripture hath assigned a great property and delight hereof to the time of banqueting for it is indeed a kind of banquet and like wine a moderation whereof pleaseth recreates and is allowed to the most austere but long set at and made too frequent destroyes both the receivers relish and good esteeme Nor are all banquets no more then Musick ordained for merry humors some being used even at Funeralls Aire So full of Courtly reverence So full of formall faire respect Carries a pretty double sence Little more pleasing then neglect It is not friendly 't is not free It bolds a distance halfe unkind Such distance between you and mee May suite with yours not with my mind Oblige mee in a more obliging way Or know such over-acting spoyles the play Song I Thought it much to be so fine So curious fitted every way Little suspecting the designe Of competition for the day Most amiable faire contest Song of three parts it should have been When you resolved of the best Spar'd your reserve and kept it in It was a confident deny To huswife your perfections so As not to win by â—vervy When all seem'd on your side to goe Yet not so cleare but each made good A faire retrait of Forces brought Though they had something hovering stood By yours in danger to be caught Each had her willing captive I Unto your triumph whole resign'd Will to no other Law comply But what shall flow from your faire mind No flattering beautie hath the powre To alience me a day or houre AMbitious Love farewell You are too troublesome a guest T' affect what doth excell And to be ever at a feast Is not the cheapest freest diet Lesse in joy and lesse in quiet I le take such as I find So it bee good and handsome drest Pretty looking freely kind To a good appetite is best If your usage doth not please you Change is neare you change will ease you Seeke not the highest place The lowest commonly is more free Lesse subject to disgrace Others eyes or your jealousie Bold freedome will improve your tast Where awe embitters a repast A doting fancy is a foolish guest The freest welcome makes the sweetest feast It is not natures way Shee made love no such busy thing Shee meant it a short play A Common-weal without a King Her love on every hedge doth grow Her fruits are best in taste and show Her sweets extend unto the meanest clown Often most faire though in a russet gown Aut virtus uomen inane est Aut decus pretium recte petit experiens vir Doth vertue then depend on time and chance it seemes it doth but God is the author of time and experience chance is not chance to him goodnesse growes not but where hee plants and waters it Pretious experience how much I have wanted thee how deerely art thou bought how slow thou growest with thee wee have enough to doe to finde and keepe our way but without thee wee are giddy wee are blind wee walke wee stumble wee fall as in the darke thou art called the mother of fooles they should have said of wisedome for wee are silly fooles without thee thence is said that every one is either
Ornaments and bring a valuation to her Sex As shee neither loved nor needed flattery so was her worth so farre beyond it that what had beene such to the best of others applyed to her was but lame abatement and defalcation not onely they who knew her with any happy interest and relation but the very frame of vertue and the world that wants it suffer in her losse it hath been long sicke of a consumption of vertue Shee was of so sweet so winning so powerfull example so serene and temperate an Ayre that vice and venome were never so maligne and contagious as her admirable vertue and goodnesse would have proved cordiall and restorative to the worlds recovery But shee who was in a way of being the worlds Physitian is lost under the hand of Physick her memory is not more happy in her deservings then her losse sad and indigestible yet let us as there is just cause feele it to the quick to the heighth there is a kind of sweetnesse to sorrow to the death but more in the memory of her sweetnesse let that ever flourish never die in those that had the happinesse to know her let us continue our selves a kind of sacrifice unto her as well dead as alive As wee water her memory with our teares let us keepe it alive with our breath and still serve her in loving and serving whatsoever and whosoever hath relation unto her her worth and contemplation are infinite I should never finde a way to leave so full so pathetique a subject but by breaking off to fall upon her Physitians Shee is an object so excelling as confounds and oppresseth mee I would you could like mee as much as I love my selfe better for such confusion I hope I shall be clearer sighted upon my doctors I would for the sakes of the credulous that they could see as well into diseases and constitutions as I see into them and their common course and practise I would there were not as much mischiefe and murder as vanitie and blindnesse in their science and profession the Aruspices were not more fraught with imposture and delusion they applaud themselves and may justly deride us they must get and live though we lose and die for it they must bee still the same or nothing but shall the world and we grow still older never wiser The better sort should be the wisest shall wee still turne our wealth to our bane in feeding and feeing them to starve destroy and make us miserable shall wee never resent what hath beene long time said how there is more danger of the Physitian then of the disease doe we not daily see the poorer people fall sick and recover whilst the richer make themselves a sacrifice to the Physitians Art and tyranny Heu quam perfaâ—uae sunt tibi Romatogae Need we any other evidence then what they daily give in against themselves in their grosse detected mistakings and contradictions the one to the other Is any man who hath experience of their proceedings ignorant of the almost infallible fallibilitie of their Art and conjectures I have found it so frequent that excepting some few symptomes of death which they get by being about those whom they kill I might almost as in Kalender predictions and Prognosticks take more truely the contrary of whatsoever they affirme I have often paid for their counsell and assistance when my owne judgement and confidence hath proved farre truer then their threatnings and my feares then their hopes and comforts They may bee ashamed to bee so insolent and peremptory finding their errors and acknowledging their Art to bee so conjecturall as they doe What is more ordinary then for nature in such a disease and such a body to affect her discharge downeward when their operation is upward and so contrary shee to incline to a criticall sweat when they in stead of our disease draw out our best Spirits with our our blood and so forth what a distraction what an oppression what a disturbance and disease doth poore nature our sure and seeing Physitian suffer from them False friends true enemies they are unto us It hath been no ill Dilemma framed in natures behalfe that either shee is too strong for the disease or it for her in the first shee ever prevailes if the Doctor doe not hinder in the last have wee not howerly experience of the Physitian cal'd in time the Patient young and strong the disease common and knowne and yet death ensues where is the saving where the benefit where the advantage that their Art and they pretend even in their owne purses impassible incompassionate as they are How many have they antiently destroyed by cruell denying coole drinke in burning fits conspiring with the fire and malignitie of the sicknesse to possesse the spirits and vitall parts which might thereby have beene prevented intercepted allayed and temper'd They pretend to starve the disease when they starve the Patient How is it possible for nature to worke for her owne sustentation either by medicine or otherwise when you allow her not the least supply It were a miracle for her to subsist weakned by malady by blood-letting by purges and by substraction of nourishment shee is wiser then our Art and discourse and will refuse meate and drinke when shee cannot beare them and hold in her treasure of bloud many times in spite of the Chirurgion and give convenient effusion of blood without the Physitian If sometimes shee erre in her demands it is by accident and that lesse dangerous to satisfie then the Horseleech Doctor Experience hath taught them against their owne method that to give way to the violent appetite of Patients is ordinarily successefull contrary to rules nature never requires any thing but is respectively and in some sort good and fit for her howsoever otherwise bad where the Doctor runnes a course simply and absolutely destructive We are all borne with a Physitian in our belly Adam had no other if God had judged them as necessary helpes as a woman he would also have created one for him I have otherwhere with much lesse cause discoursed of this subject their Impatient I justly am their Patient I will never be I hold my life by Gods mercy and desire no longer to enjoy it then he shall please to give it and maintaine it in mee without becomming their Tenant They who will give themselves up to their conceited usurped authoritie Stultos jubeo esse libenter let them live as miserably according to the saying as medicinally It hath been observed of some Countries that sicknesse and complaint in that kind were never frequent amongst them till the profession of Physick brought it wee are gulled with their golden promises of health as Alchymists abuse many with the hopes of the Philosophers stone whereby like Aesops Dog they lose the substance for the shadow true gold for false hope and health and life by revolting from nature and relying upon false imposterous pretences Tuta frequensque
is all in all for the best of us is subject to be carryed away both against what we know and what we would Such a blindnesse steales us from our selves This Discourse which I have these many yeares at times bin inclined unto and have forborn in respect of the little credit or use which it might beare and the confused nature of it ill befitting my health and condition wrapping my self in an honest conscience to my self and having long since put off the world and worldly censure yet have I at last thus tumultuarily adventured upon it having not cost me much above two houres in one afternoon wherein though I cannot vindicate my self for alas who can against errors so seeming easy to have bin avoided yet I can be content that such of mine as love me and truth should find me here such as I have bin and not such as I may be traduced Iune the first 1637. I Must not forget to thank God that my fortune is not utterly ruin'd considering how all helpes and hopes have failed me in my cure and otherwise how costly diversions have bin unto me wherby to support my self and how unfit I have bin in the mean time to look to my estate Debauch and gluttony have spoyled many a body and fortune scrupulous abstinence and care mine Though I acknowledge my fortune and estate left me was such as by this time I could in likelihood have so improved as that my quality should not require a better yet this give me leave to make appear that being engaged to mariage before eighteen yeares of age I had my quality left unto me with an estate of revenew not above six hundred pounds per Annum de claro little improvement to be made of a long time by reason of long leases and Joyntures Parkes and Houses I had to betray me and I was left so barely as my Predecessor dying at Michaelmas I had nothing to sustain me till the next rent dayes This would trouble a tender spirit to know which way to turn especially with other crosse circumstances in fortune I must insert one vow made by me which cost me a great part of my estate having against my intentions intangled my conscience thereby upon an unhappy accident of the greater house at turned into my hands at such time when I was throughly resolved for thrift in a most private course a quite other way Though I have made alienations for great summes yet know that many thousands I laid out in building at London and buying in Lease and the wood which did but return to me in the sale and many thousands of the sale remained beyond the debts where with my sonne hath been enabled to make some purchases and by Gods grace will make more reparation with the monies remaining I thank God with all my necessities I have left my Sonne both his freedom of choice and Wives portion Whosoever shall take notice of great possessions passed through and away from our Family let them know that the most of them were but in Transitu by the way of Mart never intended to be kept I must be content to appeare the only unthrift howsoever my unthriftinesse had not its root from my self but rather from fatall mis-accident and Predecessors undue consideration The good God be pleased to blesse my Sonne and make him as happy as I have been unhappy For my whole life since I have been a man hath been but a conflict with the worst of diseases and a wearisom seeking for contentment plunged in an inextricable gulf of all misery another man possibly would not have come off so well in fortune body or minde Good God how vaine and miserable a thing is man without thy good Spirit to direct him by nature corrupt by Art Sophisticate and confounded how lost in the ignorance and inexperience of youth how short of the tranquillitie of other creatures how often ruin'd by accident by mistaken courses I by that which men call good nature yet happy in worldly account are they whose natures lead them not only to affect thrift which many by reason of other not bad affections imperfectly doe but to make it their pleasure their felicity which humor throughly possessing them pleaseth profiteth and advanceth them in fortune and reputation whilst others bred to more ingenuous and faire appearing waies and studies unthriftily miscarry How ill unadvisedly do Parents provide for their young Heires giving them Tutors for Learning and Arts neglecting their instruction in true Vertue and use of the world and their fortunes How lamentable it is to see many who if left to themselves would doe well enough in the world over-swaied by others and so turned out of their way as that they cannot recover themselves But alas why suppose I it would goe well with us if left to our selves who know nothing more assuredly then this that all humane wit and resolution are vaine without the powerfull Grace of God to assist us That I implore that alone is my comfort and support that sweetens all the bitternesse of fortune unto me and but for that I would a thousand times as resolutely and constantly have left this life as others fondly and dotingly imbrace it Christian Religion had need be maintained in our hearts by a strong hand from above seeing it abridgeth us not only of our generall liberty of this worlds delights but even of the freedome of leaving the world when it affordeth no delight unto us Iune the seventh 1637. MAny things concurred to make me melancholy as a Complection Sanguine inclined to delight and pleasure Yet withall a naturall scrupulosity of election sensible of faire reputation and thrift affected with knowledge and at length a consciencious tendernes of Faith and Religion working me the greatest happinesse but not without great perplexity I was young entred at Court and by accident quickly dis-heartned for that course The use of my fortune in the Country was by want of meanes to keepe a comely house and other many crosse respects not free unto me and though afterwards I was drawn to house-keeping against my will and Discourse yet both in my estate and disease by the care retirednesse incident thereunto especially in a short fortune it proved most pernicious unto me My disease likewise was much if not originally occasioned in my body by an over-using of new Treakle against a danger of the Plague which I fell into by Mr. Sanders his death thereof neere to me in his travell with me at his return from London the first of King Iames. As also by an overspare and evill diet who for long together fed on little meate of good nourishment but only fat dredgings Skinnes and such like and in truth scarce ever man of my strong constitution and health gave lesse way to himself in pleasing his appetite This and much more wrought an alteration upon my minde and made me seek a supply of former pleasures by entertaining my self with studies and
my importunate thoughts which by my ignorance how the minde might over-presse and wrong the body I made most mischievous unto me These oppressions cast me upon costly diversions and with disease and expence of spirits brought me so low as I could never recover So that all the effects of melancholy as weaknesse of memory countenance and faculties with oppression of minde which long and miserably afflicted me proceeded from nothing more then the waste of my spirits losse of blood and over-thinking with extraordinary obstructions of all my inward parts I contesse I have been a most intemperate man but it hath been only in the excesse of my thoughts else I think no man can charge me that any vain inordinate humour hath transported mee And so my minde as I have often been charged and that dangerous Master fancy and a naturall doubtfulnesse especially upon hard and questionable termes have afflicted me Thus may contraries breed the same effects ruine as well from undue care as carelesnesse I could in probability have preserved my self from much harme of any other disorder Iune the seventh 1637. OH God how great and just are thy judgements how wonderfull thy mercies how extraordinarily canst thou humble us by the one and relieve us by spirituall graces in the other how great a work it is and how many degrees are required to effect a firm conversion upon us I most humbly thank thee for the gracious effects I have found thereby such as hadst thou not sent mee temporall afflictions I must have been eternally miserable Let no man rely upon his own strength resolutions and precautions for when God hath a work in hand and leaveth us to our selves we shall finde our selves so dementated as that we shall bee able to make no use thereof to our good Wee shall finde our selves so imprisoned so way-laid against what we would or should do for our help that it will become impossible for us to make use of our selves and ordinary meanes c. It proveth as I apprehended that once entered in I should hardly finde the way out of this deep thorny thicket My health and life have been lately so desperate as it is little adventure to undergoe any thing and indeed my nature hath been too prone to put many things to the hazard The rule of quod dubitas ne feceris had been much better observed but alas what rules can be strong enough not to be overborn by our blinded precipitate passions and fate c. I neither must nor will specifie the numerous particularities of my mis-fortunes Only thus much I will say that from my comming from under the rod to this present I have successively met first with dangerous diseases in the University then with ingagements and accidents of consequence to my whole fortune and course then with such a melancholy as dasht all my spirits and countenance otherwise strong and bold then with extremity of divers sicknesses which more dejected me then with a ruinous vow then with losse of children and other heavy disgraces the effect of my disease then with desperate effects of mistaken powder and course of Physick and after all this and much more c. Though generally I so despaired of life as not to dare to venture any thing upon it to buy some place to support me in my fortune and against my disease by diversion yet I once attempted that course and was most strangely and causlessely put by Sometimes I have resolved for a course in the Warres as against the Turk and then came Peace and Truce In truth imployment in likely-hood would have prevented the weight of my disease Many things which appeared in mee affected courses of pleasure and vanity were in truth laid hold on by mee for diversions and supports of my oppressed spirits against the violence of my disease Iune the ninth 1637. WHen I think what my fortune hath been and how long and continuall the afflictions which I have indured as well in minde and body as in my estate I make question whether many yeares if not ages doe not passe in the whole world without paralleling my sufferings None but an extream melancholy man can conceive them which yet have been aggravated in me by a contrary and most sensible complection no body but of an extraordinary strong constitution could have undergone them How often have I thought my self at my end How often wished it and yet hath it pleased God miraculously to preserve me Oh that it might please him thereby to worke his glory and service Otherwise how long have I been and now am from desiring it I confesse my self infinitely faulty both towards God Man and my self but withall strangely unhappy in the occasionall circumstances and concurrencies of my mischiefes I have evidently discerned an extraordinary and high hand therein and I most humbly thank God who hath by degrees brought mee home unto him I have long subsisted only under the shelter of his wings and desire nothing but his favour to my end Nothing else hath supported me nor could nor can my minde and fancy were naturally active and for want of outward imployment besitting them and mee turned and wrought upon my spirits If I had notwithstanding all objections settled at at the first I had found that center and quiet the want whereof infinitely hurt me by giving way to my fancy to be over-much working upon it before I put such course in execution I at last gave way to prevent the like inconvenience of trouble of minde and cost which might befall my Son in a just affection of setling there I confesse that in projecting what concerneth us it is not unnecessary to be possessed of a summary disposition therein but to descend to an exact punctuality of perticulars in a precautious speculation before time and opportunity of acting and execution is commonly as vain as troublesome Fancy may please and infatuate it self therein but the present view and circumstance of things to be presently acted is that which gives the finall order and determination with a contradicting and retracting nullity to our prepensed conceits and resolutions Iune 11. 1637. SApiens dominabitur Astris is a pretty saying but if not applyed and restrained to godly and divine wisdome as farre from truth as the Starres are short of God It is extraordinary that in all my course of a long life I should ever meet with hinderances and crosses even when I have most strived to avoid them and never with any thing of help and ease yet this for my comfort and to exempt me from envying others if I would but in an ordinary measure have digressed from my austerer wayes to my Sonne and mee there might have been a larger proportion of honor authority and fortune God knows what is best for us and I affect nothing but according to the fairest meanes and his good pleasure That noble friend of mine who upon consideration of the naturall strength of my body and minde
more it plungeth it self to incombrance and disease How easie are conveniencies to be found how hard it is to find them how easie it seems to please our selves how hard to please God and our selves how often have I opposed my fancy and affection by a way of abstinence and frugality which yet hath proved most improsperous unto me how often have I by Gods grace preferred him before all worldly delights and yet wanted the grace of constancy What shall I say if ever man plaid a long heavy unhappy part upon the stage of this world it is my self c. August 21. 1637. NO care is more naturall or necessary then for Parents to enter their young ones into a proportionable fortune and faire course to be able to live in the world the direction of a Father to his Childe therein is of main importance I was left young and greatly wanted it had I been left single young as I was I was resolved never to have marryed but so as to have set my self at ease for house-keeping and other charges which attend it according to my quality My minde was not so loose but that I could have contained my self in expence for till I was lost in my disease I gave many yeares proofe thereof That error hath been verifyed upon me which is said of fooles that they ever begin to live Time and necessity the great rectifiers of our courses have made me see my faults and accommodate that which I thought impossible August 22. 1637. MIserable condition of my fortune and the melancholy humor how one while for an evasion it diverts it self by a working imagination how there may be a bettering other-while it aggravates it self upon consideration how incurred mis-fortune might have been avoided both fruitlesse and perplexing September 26. 1637. THere is little commiseration due to such as entering upon a faire and full accommodation of house and fortune wastfully consume and abuse it With me it was farre otherwise yet young as I was had I been left with money in my hands or had raised moneys to my self by what I had I was not so loose fingred as not to have kept or imploy'd it to my advantage I am confident that many an Heire ruineth his fortune who did he enter upon Monies as well as Lands would thrive and do well To a nature not foolishly dissolute and prodigall money sets rather an edge of increase then dissipation Ignoti nulla cupido It was a rationall way to reclaim that prodigall which is recorded by shewing him those massie heaps that were to goe to discharge his wastefull debts the eye makes the most effectuall impression I have known a Prince who was insensible of giving great summes by word yet was tenacious of what once came into his hands as the hand naturally so money politically is the instrument of instruments without it like Ships without water the wisest and most active can make little use of themselves Gods blessing I ever imply for without that the builder buildes and watchman watches but in vaine How unhappy is the condition of an unquiet minde and how hard it is for a spirit sharpe sighted and sensible to inconveniencies and advantages to maintain a tranquillity amidst the unsound and humorous incidents of this life so little is the reality and so various the apparitions of humane contentment Fortune is to some a mother to others a stepdame some she humours some she crosses from their infancy and whatsoever is said of every mans forgeing his own fortune he knows little who findes not greater abilities miscarry when inferiour succeed We made not our selves nor the times and other circumstances we live in whose correspondencies shall in despight of us import us Good Mariners are often sunk at Sea when ill ones arrive at good Harbour for me I acknowledge in my self through my whole course many errors yet have I found such an unhappy constellation of fatality over-rule me that what course soever I had taken I can hardly perswade my self I could have had any better issue moderation sobriety care Religion it self preservatives to others have been to my fortune body and minde flayles and rocks yet all conducible and necessary to a better life c. I thank God for all and desire no more but his Grace in granting me either patience or a faire deliverance from this worlds miseries and corruption I have long hated and despised the world and all the fraile vanities that others dote upon I finde every day more and more the nullities the wickednesse of its pleasures c. September 27. 1637. HAd I my full strength and clearenesse of spirits had I much more knowledge and would and could conveniently bestow much more time in working these over-flowings of my heart and brain yet such is the obscure confusion of this sophisticated world and my naturall curiosity by melancholy much more hard to please that I should never satisfie my self in writing what belongs to this or any other Subject I would willingly by these evaporations impart with ease to my self some impressions to my friends how there hath gone as much fate as fault to effect my misery and to occasion them to resent and compassionate the wretchednesse of humane condition by representing my self none of the worst-endowed with parts of body minde and estate thriftily and temperately affected become neverthelesse most tediously miserable in them all such hath been Gods will and such in despight of nature and reason shal be his condition whom accident and circumstance conspire to afflict A Doctor of Physick told me long since that I had too much minde for my body but never advised me the moderation of the one and naturall improvement of the other I thank God towards him who is the chiefe good it is the better for me and good for me that I have been troubled I confesse I had naturally a strong active and sensible minde yet not such but if I had escaped accidentall melancholy I might well have tempered it but when that seizeth upon us things otherwise easily to be passed over become full of scruple and perplexity My over using of Treakle hot and dry in my youth first bred the alteration in my body and minde I knew not what I ayled nor whence it proceeded but enforcedly yeelded to melancholy effects such as retirednesse over-reading and over-thinking little as then conceiving how the body should become oppressed by so abstracted a thing as the mind My first studies in the way of morality and Scepticisme took off my edge from worldly delights Gods good Spirit afterwards was a check to me against them by whose mercy I was never free from perplexity till of late I will by his grace fix my self upon him and leave off to ruminate upon much more to enumerate my infinite past misgovernments and misfortunes God be praised my Sonnes beginnings are as well if not better then ever yet were any of our Family Crosse tydes they say make
the Irish Seas so troublesome and dangerous there is a proportion of bearing beyond which wee sink I was in my prime youth encountered with many unfavourable dysasters c. The great change of the Court and long greatnesse of them whom accident c. My absence in travaile hindering my falling in with those times my retirednesse by that course and over-exact study of language which certainly is proper only to children to whom it comes insensibly and is most troublesome to curious spirits these and much more conspired against me I would when my fortune was whole have matched my Sonne then very young and have assured my Lands upon him for a reasonable portion it could not bee My Predecessor after a long and desperate sicknesse lived just enough to marry me and many stranger things then these have befaln me in the Article of a Catastrophe to my fortune November 2. 1637. TO say something still of diverse ambiguities and perplexities incident to my condition and fortune which besides the accidentall melancholy bred in my body could hardly saile to work an alteration and disease upon a minde curious of avoiding inconveniencies and choosing the best my nature was bent to ordinary pleasures yet morally withdrawn to an observation of decency vertue moderation and improvement of knowledge with an acquisite affectation of Philosophicall Morall Civill and Christian perfection wherein as well for vogue fashion and reputation as truth I could not willingly consent to come short of the best When I grew towards manhood being of myself disposed to forbeare marriage untill I should be thirty yeares old and then not to marry without great choyce in fitting my self and obtaining a fulnesse of fortune to set my self at ease in my quality and that estate â— c I saw the inconvenience but Wife Children and my disease made me unfit for another mans house and though I wished yet I could not resolve a change which to me who could never easily admit a resolution with inconveniencies attending it was ever abhorrent my naturall curiosity whose minde was never quiet till all circumstances and conveniencies were run over and over and accommodated by me made all things especially in a seat of my own most troublesome To the melancholy tainted spirit nothing is more unfit then idlenesse nothing more troublesome then its curious discoursing upon resolutions nothing more unfit then confinement to one place yet nothing more hard then to resolve and digest change and alteration Once marryed I was set to seek how to live where to live my birth and breeding was in the City my affection and chiefe seat in Cambridgeshire but many strong considerations diverting mee from it The Court where I was young entred followed might have kept me from that depth of melancholy whereunto travaile study and retirednesse in care and fancy of what belonged to a house drowned mee but that also by accident was unfit for me yet at length for a strong diversion and under so brave a patronage as that of Prince Henry I readventured upon it but his immature death and much sicknesse of my own following upon it with other disproportions finally aliened me from that course Thus and much more hath my life been a conflict with disease and fortune I have formerly touched many more particulars yet not all nor the worst It is one of the greatest in satisfactions of writing to an ingenuous spirit in most important matters to have least freedome there are many Noli me tangere's The contrast of Gods grace and Religion against the impetuosity of naturall affections hath been many yeares my greatest combat I have fought resolutely but received many foiles yet by the infinite goodnesse of my Saviour I have received such most unexpected succour that to my unvaluable comfort I triumph c. I have dedicated my self next to God wholly to my Son and have many years endevoured his good beyond my own I have now made my self his Pensioner and I wish no worldly happinesse more then his prosperity thus with a running pen I ease my minde which though with no serious exactnesse yet with little prejudice to my health for otherwise the strength of my disease would not suffer me to beare the strength and curiosity of my own discourse He who is subject to melancholy let him shun as a Rock at Sea over-studying or tyring of his thoughts and when he finds conclusions come not off cleerly and that a restinesse of discourse grows upon him let him give over for the present not admitting the least tumultuation till such a good and fit time after as he may return new and fresh to work by this meanes shall hee avoid much hurt of his spirits and attain better to his ends In reading also little and little at once shall dispatch more and that without inconvenience of health then much together to the oppression of the soule Ne quid nimis in all things is an excellent instruction How many a man hath tyred his horse by riding a little too fast who might otherwise have come well to his journies end The like is seen in expence a very little contracting would often have given ease and thrist where a very small overspending hath bred continuall want and ruine By my miserable experience I could give many rules upon this worlds course and melancholy Moderation is good but Gods grace is above all and without it nothing can prosper How lustily doth the root feed a tree whose branches are few and small in respect To the all-seeing God be glory for with us but through him dwels nothing but darknesse errour frailty and ignorance November 4. 1637. MY gracious God the support and guide of us and all our actions since thou hast vouch safed to grant mee a firme and happy faith in Christ and love of thee with a contempt of all earthly and carnall joyes confirm unto me I most humbly beseech thee thy heavenly graces and the comfort of thy good Spirit for I abhorre my self whensoever that joy faileth me or any worldly affections assault me none more then I knows their vanity their unsoundnesse their emptinesse of all true and perfect satisfaction such as left mee ever to seek ever unquiet till such time as I wholly resigned my self unto thee The world is a wildernesse of ravenous beasts there is no path no safety no contentment or protection but through thy favour Sweet Lord impart it unto me and I shall finde that quiet and joy of heart which I have ever wanted Helpe me for I shall hate my self if through the infirmity of my flesh and blood I reap not more joy and complacence in my surrender to thee and in thy grace then ever I did or could finde in the most full and flattering pleasures which this instable world affords I have often found thy most mercifull and miraculous reliefe and support beyond expectation beyond naturall conceit Let thy mercy and grace continue with mee to my end and
and felicity and nothing but the perfect joyes of Heaven can satisfie the perfection and Summum bonum affecting soule When wee have said and done what we can we are in such a mist and confusion of things so short sighted through our false Perspective that there is much chance in discerning the truth and right way even of things within our reach and capacity in despight of all our search and circumspection God is all in all without him seeing we shall not see and understanding wee shall not understand who referres to nature and our naturall universality of faculties and not to his extraordinary influence is blinde to his grace and operation By him we live move and have our being and no thing or faculty workes but through his grace and providence FAntasie in us is like the saile of a Ship without it we want much of ornament and motion with a predominancy of it we are in danger of over-setting without it many things otherwise delightfull are dull and insipid and if it be over pregnant it ordinarily ruins and befooles us It is our Soules Perspective multiplying objects at one end and lessening them at the other it is a better servant then Master Happy they whose Steer and Balast can rule and command it It is a Horse that must be born with a hard hand if it get head it transports us to much inconvenience and hardly containes it self within any limits of judgement and reason All things take their tincture from it It is to be lesse then man to want it and more to bridle and over-rule it God alone can temper and moderate our inordinate fancies and affections he alone is commensurable to our vast desires Moderation hath ever been a hard vertue the most conscientious spirits have ever been subject to superstition and Idolatry strength of fantasie is apt to multiply it self beyond measure irreligious hearts cut the Gordian knot which they cannot unty to distinguish betwixt God and man must be from God and not from man Man may endevour and concurre but God alone can cleare and confirme My good God I will with thy good grace let my heart loose to no other object then thy self and what is pleasing unto thee so shall I have fulnesse of joy nor shall I regret or envy the most splendid employments or fantasticall delights where with this world Syren-like enchants the mindes of such as dote upon it smile thou upon me and let the world frown or scorn the worlds kisses are poyson the embraces confusion they carry their sting with them but thy favour is present and eternall felicity If the very enjoying of our fancies and feeding them be a kind of surfeit and oppression what is it to faile be crossed and miscarry in them Little saile and little fancy make the best and safest voyage To conclude these shreds and ejaculations which may weary but never satisfie either my self or any other for there is evermore and better to be said our artificiall infirme and perplexed condition is to a curious strong minde a naturall and strong distraction a large and various prospect works upon and divides the fancy and with a divulsion breeds a kinde of convulsion in the spirits and a solution of that sweet continuity and harmony which God hath ordained naturall unto us Originall and actuall sin inhabiting in us deserve that and much other punishment If God of his great grace and indulgence give us not a clew of his thred to guide us we are confounded and lost in this worlds Labyrinth he is ours and the worlds prop and if it had not pleased him wonderfully to assist and support me with extraordinary strength of resolution and his good Spirit I had a thousand times perished in my errors and confusion Wilde affections which lead grave reason by the nose had undone me a vertiginous spirit and my own weight and strength had oppressed me and well might I miscarry seeing the strongest spirits are in the multiformity of their discourse most obnoxious to finde reason to fortifie themselves in the grossest obliquities to us in propriety is all sensuality vanity foolish presumption Sophistication and corruption of truth with innumerable exorbitancies and follies But to God only good onely wise just mercifull and omnipotent be ascribed all honour and glory for evermore Amen Amen Good God I am the work of thy hands and now happily of thy good Spirit let thy mercy work with me and upon me to the end and Eternity Tot contra unum caput conspirantibus quis potuissetresistere nisi Dei optimi maximi speciali gratia aspirante There had need in truth be an extraordinary supply and support of reason and grace against the strange and strong fond impressions of the Melancholy humour November 25. 1637. IT is said that if a horse could be equally placed to provender on each side of him he would sooner starve then resolve I was ambiguously constituted balanced in disposition betwixt contemplation and action thrift and comlinesse pleasures of the body and minde vice and vertue Country Town and Court private or publique course of life and no wonder if Dubia torquent the world is a Riddle an entangled skaine vexatious to extricate to intend our mindes and affections much upon it is as well misery as vanity it payes us with a Cloud in stead of Iuno torment in stead of contentment we often lose substances for shadows and felicity by over-searching it There is a proportion of wit most conducible to this worlds resolutions and happinesse if we exceed or come short of that element either the heighth and finenesse of the Aire agrees not with our Lungs and subsistence or we are dampt and suffocated in an over earthly and flegmatique dulnesse As in squared paving stone such onely endure the earth and open weather as are neither over-hard nor soft so is it in the temper of mens spirits for the undergoing of this worlds incidents Happy such as most slightingly passe through it yea God himself requires that we esteem it as but a passage to Eternity a point a nothing in respect He only can fill and satisfie the curious soule I cannot be sorry that the pleasures of this life concern me neither in use nor affection when I consider their sting their molestations and emptinesse compared with the sweet comforts of Gods favour and the blessednesse of everlasting life There like the upper Region dwels all peace purity and glory Here all corruption Meteors of imperfect mixtion stormes and calamities There is our true Country and Region where when God shall have refined us wee shall live and shine more glorious then the Starres I Have promiscuously specifyed the causes and originalls of my Melancholy disease I was deeply ingaged in it before I suspected it and had given so much way to it to take root in me as made the Cure most difficult It is a Goliah but we must not like David fight against it with our own Armes
pleasure and profit whereof I might have been capable but for my self I regret it not for alasse how vain how transitory how full of vexation are the best of earthly commodities c. Truth hath been said to be the object of the understanding and good of the will Totus teres atque rotundus expresseth an honest man yet a bowle perfectly round except upon a ground exactly plain holds not well its straight line and way a strong byas better maintaines it self against whampes and unevennesse So doth a man byassed with some sinister affection often run a more constant and thriving course then he who hath constituted truth and true good his Mistresse but himself being round and his way uncertain and uneven he varies and fluctuates accordingly as I have often said Truthes to us are such obscure high twinkling Starres that we hardly fasten upon them what pleaseth us is only certain unto us I speak in a naturall way for supernaturally in Faith alone is all truth all good certainty and pleasure Till God gave me that happy gift I was a bowle without byasse a ship without steer or Starre I Were more then most miserable if my resentment my heart and affections were set upon this world but I humbly thank God it is farre otherwise with me and now as there ever hath been a difference made between such as cast themselves into open and eminent mischief and such as fall into unhappy consequences of evills unforeseen so hope I to finde favour and pardon from the better sort and the worst I respect not And as that Prince who plain in personage and habit was by mistaking set to drudge for his own entertainment and being discovered and demanded what he meant Answered that he did penance for his evil-favourednesse So am I contented to undergoe and submit my self to the not undeserved penance of my fate with an acquiescence of Fiat voluntas tua sed liber a nos a malo Ianuary 2. 1637. NEmo laeditur nisi a seipso never proved it self more true then in me I have been both agent and authour of my misery and sufferings I have been both Criminall and tormenter God made me strong I have made my self weak God intrusted me with many Talents of advantage above others I have mis-imployed and abused them and my self from my youth I have suffered his scourges and terrours with a troubled soule yet such is his mercy unto me that it is good and happy for me that I have been troubled As I have turned unto him he hath been graciously pleased to turn his countenance of favour towards me healing my wounds with the soverain balme of his grace and refreshing my Soule with his waters of life humbling me to exalt me and chastising mee in a Fatherly correction to prevent my eternall punishment How sweet Oh Lord are thy mercies beyond comparison beyond my expression the false and flattering joyes of sensuality are meer sowrenesse bitternesse and vexation in respect continue thy grace unto me perfect thine own work and make me an instrument of thy glory confirm me in the contempt of this worlds vanities and as on me so work upon the world by thy Almighty Spirit thy saving health that thy will may be done in earth as in Heaven nothing but thy all-powerfull Spirit can effect it draw us and we shall come and let it be through tribulations sorrows fire and whatsoever long or short a faire or rugged way so it lead to thee we shall be happy above measure Amen Amen Sweet Saviour let thy pretious wounds cure mine And save my Soule which is by purchase thine Ianuary 15. 1637. BEauty and the delight of the eye consist in well-ordered lustre of Colours proportion and motion yet forbeares it not to be extraordinarily affected in the enjoying of such objects as the appetite and fantasie have prescribed to themselves for a necessary or voluptuous satisfaction whereby appeares that we become most ravished and transported by the operation and co-operation of the minde whose truest and noblest objects are vertue and goodnesse Hence sprung the conceit that if vertue were visible it would beget in us most transcendent affections so beautifull so amiable it would be to a generous Soule God is the Author and Prototype of all beauty and goodnesse How infinitely then beyond comparison sweet faire and lovely must he be to such as apprehend and contemplate his glory and to whom he imparteth himself and his mercies As the sight of the body of the Sun so filleth the sense that for the present it can admit no other conceit so doth the glorious speculation of Gods essence and Majesty annihilate and expell all earthly affections How vain how mostly poore and beastiall are vulgar delights in respect of that tincture that rapture and eternity of blisse which flow from his Divine grace and knowledge how is it possible after such influence to relish the drossie pleasures of the world for the most part common with beasts fleeting molesting lame Miserable is the heart which he doth not season disconsolate the comforts which proceed not from his Grace who without that could live contented could be content to be one of Circe's beasts and live and die in a drunken fit I most humbly thank thee my gracious God and Saviour that thou hast vouchsafed to open my eyes to thy glory and the worlds vanity till then I never found solid or permanent comfort I have like others been apt to conceive that this worlds delights were our proper portion of thy assignment but thy great Grace hath enlightned me and with a strong hand taught me to chuse the better part I have since thy illumination affected above all things to set forth thy Grace Mercy and Glory but pardon me Oh Lord they surpasse my poore abilities I am an earthen vessell weak and crased as unable as unworthy to be a fit instrument to sound forth thy praise I was ambitious to have wrought thy Divine love upon others that they with me might constitute thee the sole scope and Lord of their Counsels their projects their actions but a fuller and richer Magazin then mine and a stronger health are required Pardon Oh Lord that I withdraw my self conscious of my weaknesse and inabilities but what my pen cannot attaine my tongue and actions shall by thy Grace indeavour to supply Ianuary 14. 1637. CHarity implies the love of God and man without it whatsoever we pretend we are Infidels objects of hatred to our Maker to our inferiours what condition can be more contemptible No delight is comparable to that which reflects upon a good minde from its own goodnesse extended upon others especially when our Consciences beare us witnesse that we doe it out of a true love and obedience to our most mercifull and Omnipotent God To pretend Faith and be without Charity is to mock God and our selves better were it for us to be like beasts without all knowledge of God then to play
your bounds Place forceth no man They have their severall advantages and disadvantages like other things and are to be embraced as discretion and affection shall lead Certainly the travailing course used of late especially in the most spirituall and Academicall mindes breeds a great partiality to the equall conversation of Townes but not without danger of being aliened from the knowledge of your own and as much abused therein by others as of abusing your self in being carryed away with the City vanities and unfruitfull idlenesse The Country life is assuredly most naturall pleasant setled and profitable to the English breed and course Doe but you care for your self as I have cared for you and all shall with Gods blessing goe well with your minde and well with your fortune seek your happinesse from Gods grace and bounty he will not faile to give it you make Christ your Rock and you have a sure foundation December 19. 1637. QUos perdere vult Iupiter hos dementat was a true saying applyed to a false God but my God hath often deprived me in some particulars of the use of my ordinary reason and discourse to act things against my knowledge my ends my resolution and my self he hath raised oftentimes strange and independent combining constellations against me I have evidently discovered his footsteps therein and he hath thereby led me to my salvation there was no redemption to mankind but in Christ nor can the wounded and troubled soule finde any other sanctuary he alone is the horn of our salvation the Cornueopia of a perfect plenty and felicity unto us in this and the eternall life I have been Master of a dogge whom when I have threatned in stead of flying he hath appeased me by a submisse fawning upon me Thou my God art in like manner mercifull to such as seek thee and humble themselves unto thee Praise to thy blessed name for evermore Amen Amen Ianuary 21. 1637. OUr Faith is well alluded to a Rock and our Saviour to the Corner-stone of a building for without them we are all tottering and infirme nor doth the sweetnesse of any earthly pleasure make amends for an unstable wandring minde Good God why didst thou not to frailty give One life to learn another life to live Why so it is who here doth thee regard Eternall life and joyes are his reward Suave mari magno turbantibus aequora ventis Eterra alterius magnum spectare laborem Unexpressible is that tranquillity ease joy and peace which I finde by having freed my self from this worlds common interests and incumbrances my Soule is like a bird escaped from the Fowlers net and I am as a free spectatour beholding the busie burthened Actors of this worlds Tragedies Comedies Farcies and follies Good Lord confirm me more and more and make me thankfull in such my joy Once belonging to the Alphabet Sonnet of the Letter E. BUt we like false-bred Eagles fly the sight Of thy to humane sense confounding light Bartas and Herbert led but flew so high Our flowry waxen wings dare not come nigh OR T is hard to see them harder to come nigh Verses I confesse though such are best which most resemble Prose yet as I am now affected especially in that measure which I had lately chosen are not so fitting to my present subject There are divers kindes and degrees of Faith the generality of such as call and think themselves Christians go on in a course childish kinde of Faith which gives little tincture to their affections and lesse to their actions yet according to their nature in some things they make more in others lesse conscience in a farther proceeding and consideration of Religion they lay hold on Christ and use him as a salve for their sins and sinfull propensions but when the good Spirit of God by meanes of affliction or otherwise throughly awakeneth them and workes upon their Soule then and not till then are we truely converted then are our eyes opened to see and feel the uglinesse of sin with the sweetnesse of his saving grace and favour And thus Oh Lord hath it pleased thee in thy infinite mercy to work upon me Now I see and pity the worlds vanity and corruptions Now as thou hast dyed for me I will rather dye a thousand deaths then to grieve thy good Spirit by my least consent to sin As thou hast done to me so vouchsafe to extend thy extraordinary hand of mercy upon others with-hold them from sophisticating thy sincere Religion with their poore and rotten policies we may say of it as some use it as is said of Tilt and Tourney that it is too much for jest too little for earnest it cannot be expected that the people will follow except their Teachers lead and in the sincerity of their lives shew the way their Tithes are substance their shows and ceremonies alone in thy service deserve them not Magistrates when they obey thee may more justly and exactly expect our obedience A grosse affectation of policy in Religion ministers too much occasion to weak Christians to judge and conclude of Religion rather as a humane Policy then Divine Truth If any sins were veniall such appeare most pardonable as carry with them a kinde of warrant from Nature and a gratification to others and thou O God art least indulgent to such as offend of malitious wickednesse They are like the Planets and Starres in the Heavens to guide and comfort us by their sweet influence when they prove maligne which the Starres seldome doe they are our mischiefes and our Plagues and as the Starres have their shining and influence more for our then their own good so ought they to exercise their power It is a soule unhappy fancy that pleaseth it self in displeasing others I Have of late been urged to work and am at this time working upon a peece of ground which hath long been designed for Gardening and so imployed it hath had much cost and industry bestowed upon it but the nature of the soyle consists of so stiffe a Clay that it hath ever rendred an ill account and return of such feeds and Plants as have been intrusted unto it lusty and fruitfull it hath shewed it selfe in grasse and rank in weeds There is an evill Herb they call Twitch which hath over-run it of such nature that having once possessed a ground the soyle must be wholly altered and over-come or no good thing will thrive committed unto it My Gardener to work a cure hath not only digged and manured but hath brought a new and better earth upon it so that now with a due industry and watering observed it can hardly faile to yeeld a gratefull and faithfull fertility Some soyles are cured by much breaking some by fire some by inundation frosts and hard weather make a good preparation All is happy that confers a bettering and improvement In the diseases of our bodies where an evill habit prevailes and ill humours abound some are rectifyed by purgation some
there may seeme to bee in part of their discipline and Tenents certainly there is little Christian wisedome and lesse devotion to admit corruption and falshood upon any policie Gods truth stands not in need of our simulation and lies a discovered Woolfe and Impostor let his cloathing be what it list shall never deceive mee and in a sincere way I can almost as easily consent to be of no formall Religion as of a false one But they will tell some of the wittiest amongst us that there is no assurance no alacritie in a Calvinist spirit Indeed their Clergy is very kind in charging their owne soules to seeme to ease ours by an implicite faith and absolution If I were to chuse a religion for my ease and libertie it should bee theirs but I know too much of Religion and them to be of that mind I cannot but make use of my owne eyes in a way that so much importeth mee nor can I yeeld to resigne them at their request Now as it is my prayer so will I endeavour to retaine a confidence against such apprehension and will persevere with you as well to judge as hope the best This discourse though I am more unfit for it then it for mee I have adventured upon in full discharge of my heart and soule nor will I forget to put you clergy men into my prayers for next to Christ and the King from your sinceritie of doctrine spirit and life must flow our peace happinesse and salvation If you preach Christ more then your selves and teach inward more then outward holinesse wee shall learne from you to become more truely Christian then hypocritically pharisaicall you may otherwise confound and ruine your selves and us from which mischiefe and misery may it please our mercifull God and Saviour to deliver us Amen Amen Septemb. 5. 1638. Habituall vertue insuperable THere is an admirable communication and intelligence as well as league and Colligence betweene the body and soule They Act the one upon the other they suffer the one from the other sometimes the one sometimes the other leads the dance If the mind be sad the body is heavy if rejoyced active and so contrarywise the sicknesse of the body dejects the minde and health gives it alacrity The Oeconomy of the bodies concoction and faculties is disturbed and hindred by the trouble of the mind So is the working of Physick Onely the vertuous temper of the soule maintaines it selfe incorruptible and firme in despite of all bodily infirmitie and distemper A mind habituated to valour and vertue will never degenerate to cowardise and basenesse from its ingenit and naturall Character The body may incline it cannot compell it offers to lead it forceth not to follow in our dreames a well-confirmed mind maintaines it selfe against vitious transportations Yet may the state and temper of the body be much conjectured from our roving and raving fantasies in our sleepe or sicknesse Rheume Choler and Melancholy may be concluded from waterish fierie or dismall representations or the intention and abatement of a paroxysme and disease from the suitable pleasing or unpleasing impressions and objects whereby they will finde meanes to impart themselves unto us I speake upon experience in the malignitie of a fit or humour wee are full of perturbation difficultie and unluckinesse in the decrease all goes faire and prosperous More wonderfull are the influences and impulsions of God upon the soule such as are rather to bee felt then related they are unexpressible and indemonstrable The leadings the with-holdings the comforts the relievings the deliverances how sweet how incomparable Our spirits are nothing but as inspired from him Hee is the incomprehensible Spirit of spirits and the world the giver and ruler of our thoughts True joy hath no other Spring or Center Hee is the uniter consolidator and commune viuculum of soule and body the heavens and the earth the elements and universe No creature is more indebted to his favour then my selfe I shall bee happy if he please to continue me thankfull and exempt from abusing it Which that I may not doe in further prosecuting this insatiable humour of writing I resolve by his good grace and assistance to make this my peece of farewell I know how short I come in matter how short of what my selfe could write I will not too much presume of his mercy and my owne strength and ordinary preservatives Subjects of writings are as various and endlesse as obscure If you will reade the Schoolemen or more full and Divine writings of our present Bishop of Salisbury upon originall and actuall justice it will abate our presumption and discover so the vast perplexed intricacy and nature of things and questions unto us as will beget a modestie and restraint as well to our contentious discourse as scribling God hath put me as well into a way of health for my body as my soule if I wrong not the one by the other Hee hath cleared my mists and confusion by the Sunshine of his grace God make me constant to my self and him Amen Amen To make mee also the rather consent to withdraw my selfe I finde that already in my wild diversitie I have falne upon so many notions that for the most part that I now take up is apt to enterfere with what I have formerly touched and the very avoyding would become neare as troublesome as the delivering of my selfe Septemb. the 28. 1638. If to be temperate and good 't is hard Will easie is and seldome failes reward But who nor is nor goes about to bee Shame may he reape his vices proper Fee Sweetnesse of Goodnesse VVEre the world as fit to heare as I durst bee free to communicate my most secret thoughts I could and possibly would use another manner of opennesse then I doe I often appeare profuse in respect of others when I am reserved in respect of my selfe I am full of vanitie and errour yet such as a good man and Christian may and for the most part must undergoe though not approve Absolution must proceed from God and he alone is idoneous for an entire and unreserved confession I have abounded in an exorbitant fancy passion and infirmitie Some men account tendernesse of conscience a silly weaknesse of mind I make it my glory as they their shame It was impossible for me to come off from so long a wrastle with God and not to beare his markes I am none of the miraculous three Children to come out of the Furnace and not have my body and garments savour of the fire Such a conquest and obduration had been my soules losse and would manifest it selfe in such a profligate wickednesse as I hope shall never be mine If I be not totally reformed and refined yet as farre as the condition of a fraile passenger admits I will as well endeavor as hope to give proofe of a bettering in my affections Hee is an evill Scholler to God and the world who learns not to
contemperament and heat strength goodnesse and sweetnesse of nature and supernaturall grace excited and maintained I finde the best companions and Physitians of body and soule you are witnesse how necessary they have been of late unto me in the sorrows and troubles I have undergone I thank you for your visit and spirituall comfort you imparted to my relapsed Son hee still needeth it hee hath not wanted naturall heat and courage temper moderation and a well concocted discourse as well as a thorow digestion to some peccant humours of his body I feare he doth Time and conflict with evills have not confirmed and wrought upon him exchange of liberty health and pleasures for disease restraint and paine with an apprehensive contemplation of imminent death this mortall yeare work a melancholick dejection upon his minde and meeting with his infirmity appeare at this time his greatest danger A little ease strength and alacrity of spirits animate his naturall presumption to his harm and a little cloud overcasting him as much exanimates If God had not furnished me with as strong a resolution to flight as I have ever been apt to apprehend the worst events I had a thousand times miscarryed there is no slavery like the feare of death no bravery like the contempt of the world and fortune I have lost possessions friends brothers children but I have found God and have not lost my selfe I have sowed kindnesse and reaped dis-respect my good intentions charity resolution and the grace of God are my reward and ever-relieving cordials I seek not my self abroad nor judge my self or others by the successe others weaknesse and distempers shall not be mine it shall rather fortifie and recollect mee if my exuberance of naturall heate and fancy breed my inconvenience I can make an oyle of the same Scorpion to help me not to have too much is not to have enough Aliquid amputandum is the best constitution luxuriance of Nature is the longest laster at least if violence accident and over-bold indiscreet adventure intercept it not heat is the vehiculâ—m of vertue hot natured plants have the strongest faculties and braveliest resist the vigour and extremity of weather and Winter Thus I play the Pedler with you to you I open my pack of small wares to the world I durst but will not they would but pry and smile and scorn not buy to use to weare and make their own You finde here a great deale of trash but no trumpery many bables and toyes yet some Gloves to weare Knives to cut Linnen to adorn cover and keep warme Looking-glasses to see and order your self Pedlers are not ever unwelcome sometimes they are required at least let my good will make not unwelcome unto you this my good morrow Yet to goe a little further and end where I begun There is a happy and just use to be made of naturall heate of our selves and of Gods creatures instituted as Oyle for cheerefulnesse of countenance and Wine to rejoyce the heart of man that use to finde that to practise without declining either to excesse or fantasticall superstition and rigidity of humane Sophistry prevarication and errour is that wee ought to endevour and pray for in the discreet exercise of a good conscience which God grant us Amen November 17. 1638. THus you see Animal vigilans semper laborat some more remisse some more intense according to the activity of their spirits and occasions but my voyage is well past over and I will not spread my sayles to every winde I will be a stone to my self against the wings of my thoughts sedation shall be my affectation I will spare my fuell and rake up my fire let them make publique bonfires and ring their Bells to warme and sport the world who finde matter and joy to publish mine is inward and shall serve my self till opportunity concurre accept in good part with your wonted favour this my pastime account and register never intended for a work or piece of worth Farewell SOules must have objects strong high-relished The strongest filling fair and permanent Such is Gods love wherewith not nourished Earthly and base must be their nutriment No other love can defecate a soule From wallowing in delights base empty foule THou Lord who first didst nip me in the bud From time to time dost humble mee Lest I should sin by heighth of blood And love the world more then the love of thee I gratulate thy favour confident That so thou doest my soule preserve To bee a well-tun'd instrument To sound thy praise and thy decrees to serve Nor will I envy this mans wantonnesse His honor or the others wealth Esteeming nothing happinesse But to possesse a soule in heavenly health All other joyes infatuate the minde Feeding it with a false content Oh let me still thy favour finde To keep me thine I grudge no chastisement Moderate health and fortune are the best A little fire close set unto And heat sufficient to digest Doe the same things that more abounding doe The more wee have the more we still presume Disordred mindes good states abuse The highest spirits most consume May I have nothing more then grace to use Great Farmes are seldome duely husbanded Ranke grounds abound in noysome weeds Wolves Foxes Goates in wastes are bred He feeds more foes then Friends who many feeds THough Friends be absent conversation lost My bating Soule oft labouring in it self By winds and fortune on the black Sea tost Thou present Lord I feare nor wave nor shelf Thou Father Brother art and Friends to me Be the world whose it list so thou be mine They ne're miscarry who rely on thee Grace storms dispels more strong then they combine All thrives where thou the pruning Gardner art To thy Plants blastings frugall blessings prove Though Summer heighth and flourishing impart Winter gives strength and Timber to the Grove To thine all sufferings end in joy and rest And th' absence of a wicked world is best EAse handsomnesse nor profit 't is to tread Your shooe awry like may of vice be said T is ever best to live and walk upright Things crooked grown hardly return to right May I enjoy a faire and quiet minde Soules work like troubled Seas long after winde GOdly content and quiet of the minde Constitute happinesse resembling Heaven Where soules nor strife nor thirst of action finde Reluctancy is conquer'd all goes even Vertue it self untroubled must proceed Howe're its Acts miscarry or succeed Devotions Et quoniam Deus ora movet Sequar ora moventem Introduction DIvinest Herberts Soule daign that I joyn In Hymns accorded to the heart by thine Unto our Masters glory and admit Mee for a Rivall in thy heighth of love For though thy lofty flight bee farre above My creeping Muse in spirit verse and wit My love both may and ought thy love exceed Since greatest pardons greatest love doe breed Thus living sing we Swan-like singing dye His Panegyrick our own Elegie Others I
hope will come and beare a part To hide my want of voyce my want of Art Corona Alphabeticall in imitation of the 119 Psalme AWay unhallowed spirits fleshly borne Unto the second birth these lines belong Your eyes are full of lust your hearts of scorn You cannot taste a supernatur'd song When in Gods furnace you shall prove refin'd Divinely transubstantiate from above Your Soules contrite your stony hearts calcin'd And him propound sole object of your love Then shall my inspirations finde applause And penetrate your soules as well as mine Then will you finde them both your meat and sauce And warm your spirits at such beams Divine God knows what preparations I have past Oft broken with this Plough to kill my weeds Down melted in a new mould to be cast Macerate fetter'd fitted for new seeds When his magnetique vertue draws you come Till then to what I write be blinde deaf dumb BLest Founder of this earthly Hospitall Sole daily Benefactor to mankinde Lord Paramount of Lords of Kings and all Soule of our Soules controller of the minde Transcendent Essence dazling more our sight Then Sun-beams Owles harder to comprehend Then 't is for Ants to judge and reason right Of men and know whereto their counsels tend Thou who giv'st Faith and Grace spirituall Hearts happiest Center food and notion Who truely art what falsely we doe call Instinct or Nature Father of motion Inspire my soule my spirit animate Thy working power and glory to expresse That these my lines may partly expiate My lives and pens past errors and impresse Thy stampe divine upon my readers heart Assisted by thy holy Spirits Art COntemne not Lord this humble sacrifice This Incense from the censor of my heart Heart which thy quickning Spirit mortifies To live and die to thee a true convert As in my heart so flow into my stile Untie tune cleare my soule that I may sing Thy saving grace and prove most happy while I may one sparkle to thy glory bring None but a power Almighty could create Yet greater wonder our redemption was Nor goes lesse mercy to regenerate That worke nor consummate nor Sabbath has To live fresh fishes in this briny Sea To swim by faith against strong natures streame Beyond our reason and our eyes to see And make thy soule transporting love our theame This Antedates the sweet fruition Of thy most beatifique vision DIspence O Lord that I polluted lame Presume thy power and mercies to display Thy Priest should perfect be and free from blame But thy projection workes on base allay The greatest graces thou hast summon'd all Thy creatures to thy praise their rent to pay Nor can I chuse but answer to thy call Accountable for mercies more then they But yet alas what fruite can I expect From these farre short of lines Apocryphall Since thine owne dictates finde so small effect And Isralites prov'd hypocriticall Yes thou hast wonders wrought on me and canst By thy assistance so my labours blesse Some one at least by me may be advanc'd To feele thy Spirits motion and redresse The course of sinne which flesh cannot withstand Without the succour of thy sacred hand ERect O Lord thy Trophees in my Verse Confound with shame th' Idolatrizing Muse Teach such with me thy praises to rehearse T is better write to save then to seduce Teach them thy beautie riches thou who art Riches and beauties donor cleare their eyes To admire the vertues which thou doest impart To the rich furnish'd earth and guilded skies Thou needst no strain'd conceits nor figures such As they imploy to shew wit and give grace Thou their Hyperbole's exceed'st so much They faint to see invention wants a place Oh that my Verse like Aarons rod had pow'r To overcharme what those inchanters sing And all their strong illusions to devour Or like the Brasen Serpent cure their sting Then might my Muse triumphant Lawrell weare Endu'd with grace no thunder blasts to feare FAther of beautie goodnesse power and love Vertue of vertues spring of eloquence By whom alone we are we live and move And exercise a happy confidence Whose love to us made thee evacuate Thy selfe and glory frailtie to put on Frailtie to hunger die degenerate To man in all but his corruption Oh let thy love like love in us procure And teach us to deny our selves for thee Change which to thee was losse will be our cure Thy hunger food thy death our life will bee Teach us to love and we shall learne to write In Characters of love our hearts will flow Love chafes benummed spirits to endite And ever carries light ' its flames to show Make mee Oh Lord to thee a perfect lover And love will both it selfe and thee discover No wonder else if we prove dull to write For 't is a wonder Lord to love thee right GRieve Oh my heart grieve that thou canst not grieve Grieve that thy streames flow counter to thy will Grieve that thy fraile propensions still survive And thy intemperate nature swayes thee still Shame oh my soule oh shame to see thy shame Shame that nor faith nor reason can prevaile Shame that thou knowest most savage things to came And that thy Art upon thy selfe doth faile Suffer thou doest and justly suffer too In selfe offending wilt thou still befoole Thy selfe in doing what thou should'st not doe And non-proficient prove in thy owne schoole Yes Lord it will be so except thy grace Continually prevent preside restraine In thy least absence nature will take place Nor can against it selfe it selfe containe Children from Nurses are nor safe nor quiet Without thee soule nor body can keepe diet Destroy Oh Lord what foments our annoy Or wild presumption will our health destroy HEaven wert thou no reward Hell but a tale Religion but a waking dreame begot Twixt policie and fancy to prevaile Over fraile flesh and hopes and feares besot Were conscience but a brat of Arts begetting As reall in ' its falshood as in truth A home-spun stuffe as false wrought as selfe fretting A brand impos'd upon our tender youth Yet hath it pleas'd my Lord to manifest So palpably his selfe and love to mee Were nature richer sweeter I le divest And strip my selfe of all for love of thee None more then I th'erroneous print can read Of melancholy and superstition Nor better all their subtile steps untread Distinguishing between Text and Tradition Beleeve me more hath gone me to convert Then either wit or nature can pervert HAbituate maladies are hardly cur'd Relaps proves often mortall worst in sinne To me relaps'd oft and to sinne inur'd Strange hath thy mercy Lord and patience been Insolvable I am for such great grace Yet I ambitious am to make returne What most is mine and others most embrace In gratefull sacrifice to thee I burne Obedience Temperance I here professe Worldly delights and wealth I abdicate No fetter'd votary yet ne're the lesse My selfe to thee I freely consecrate Power
but by a happy constitution and cleernesse of body maintained by daily exercise I thank God I fear not any violent or long continuance Nay I rather reckon it as an excellent medicinall Physick unto me cold ferments into a heat and heat digests and purifies stormes clear the aire agitation refines and subtilizeth the water and fire and stirring advantageth the earth Evills are said not to goe alone and distempers purge away more then their causes But it is good as well in state as soule and bodies to maintain themselves in such a freedome from over-abounding in evill humors that misaccidents when they come and there can be no security against them may not endanger the whole frame Thus much of cold but what shall we say in surprises of heat and fire wee have lately seen many misfortunes thereby shall we therefore not build or not make fire to warm our selves such resolution were to defraud our selves of the naturall commodities of our reason and discourse which teacheth us rather to confine and moderate the use of things then utterly to decline them It is the property of wilde beasts to feare and fly from fire and of men to use it And now to revert something to our other nights discourse of Love which certainly hath some Divinity in it or otherwise it could never as it doth become a fresh and infinite Theam of our best spirits Love and anger are the fires of the Soule if inordinate as well dangerous as vitious shall we therefore shun them as a Plague whose best antidote is to fly quickly farre and return slowly is love as incompatible with reason as is pretended and may not Religion though supernaturall admit of a naturall and free vertuous affection betwixt the two Sexes Religion saith Be angry but sin not and is rather a rule to rectifie then extinguish affections they are the wings of the Soule without an object they are nothing and without the use of them we fall flat to the ground like disfeathered birds The Lady and Nation of Ladies which your Ladiship mentioned are not reasonlesse not to bee without a servant especially such as are or have been beautifull for it is a commanding Character certainely instituted for a delightfull entertainment and admiration It is an unnaturall stupidity not to be affected therewith and a kinde of injury to its Authour not to exercise such affection I ever mean without abuse but this concludes for women not for men our affections have more fire in them matter more combustible and women are commonly as well in effect as in title too much our Mistresses Children and fooles are not allowed to play with fire it had need be a strong well-prepared and well-habituated Soule that entertaines it we are no Salamanders to thrive and be safe in the flames What now ought a man that would be wise to doe affecting to give as well his nature as Religion their right Platonique Love is exploded Love is corporeall and entreth at the eyes Lust cannot be excluded for an ingredient which yet admitted it follows not that it must be predominant as I discoursed unto you some other over-ruling affection may contain and represse it either in a Religious civill or other self-interessed consideration nay even in a divers prevailing respect towards the very subject of our love I can be affected with the objects of my palat and eye and yet forbeare them burn with a surprizing desire of mortall revenge and yet refrain Fear and awe will prevaile even with dogs and beasts and why not in Love but how farre this is to be allowed in discretion I submit with a good morrow to your Ladiships more refined discourse and judgement I send you the Verses humbly kissing your hands and end with my Paper Your Ladiships c. A promiscuous peece of three houres work in a morning to cleare from further writing Madam IF I deceive not my self there is somewhat of power from above urging my addresse unto you I have now by Gods grace finished that my designe of Verses which I had propounded to my self they are upon presumption of your Ladiships favour to goodnesse and your humble servant their Author at your command expect not the strong Master-pieces and quintessentiall lines which these curious times and the refined ambitious Spirits of our age produce in defiance of Critiques my births are naturall easie and hasty sometimes foure peeces to my breakfast in the beginning of a morning I am as impatient as any woman of a long and painfull labour I haste to my journeys end and can as little hope or goe about to remould any of my first births as your Ladiships your children once brought to light I love not Verses of the ragged staffe but wish them fluent and gentle which was wont to be a commendation If my walls want strength to support themselves in their naturall stuffe and scope they shall rather miscarry then borrow the supports of inwrought strange conceits and butteresses of Art if I would undergoe any affectation it should be to deliver over ingenious notions and materiall instructive rationall conceptions with an ingenuous and genuine elegance and some depth of prospective in my termes and expressions according to the capacity and perspicacity of my Reader But I am now too old and serious for Verses and have wholly given them over only these my late peeces I conceived my self to owe to my Maker and I am sorry they were not my first fruite which are more properly his due Autumnall fruits are neither the most pleasant nor wholesome I have in great retirednesse and confusion employed my time of late in the dissection of my self and fortune our observations in the Anatomy of the body grow from the opening of others but of the minde from our selves as the Starres of heaven and Globe of earth they are as yet in great uncertainty and undiscovered some rules we have attained and Eclipses we can foretell but for sound and infallible knowledge and judgement we daily finde our selves as erroneous as our common Almanack-makers whose prognostiques are as ridiculous as false And now finding my selfe in motion betwixt heaven and earth give me leave to impart a contemplation of Characterizing such a perfection as yours in relation to them in comelinesse and beauty like the Heavens in motion regulate in order faire powerfull in influence A well ordered minde resembles the clearenesse serenity peaceablenesse and harmony of the upper Spheres and Crystalline Heaven a faire built body the beautifull variety of the earth delightfull fruitfull well drest and correspondent to the Heavenly motions in season order and constancy yet such little worlds there are which seem to enjoy in some exemptions a priviledge above the lower heavens and the earth for they are free from storms scorchings of heat nippings of frost inundations and other disorders such Comets are sent sometimes to be admired and to awake the dying vertue and reputation of your sex Phidias an
excellent statuary is said to have composed such a Minerva and such a figure of himself in the center of her Target that the whole work bearing upon it it could be no lesse permanent then the main peece I have here presumed to place you as a precious peece of preservation unto me The abridgement of my story shall now follow like a cloudy storm after a faire Sun-shine that I have been most unhappily miserable more then the outward face of nature or fortune discover in me is known to all that know me but true and secret causes are so obscure that it hath been even to my self a most intricate disquisition to finde them Yet besides what may be attributed to the Starres Fate Complexion and an over-ruling hand as in former papers though disorderly I have made to appeare They may be partly reduced to an unseasonable and Marriage accidentall inordinate and indiscreet use of Treacle long and unfavourable dysaster in respect of the Court where I had my Introduction a fortune unproportionable to my quality spirit and ingaged condition A minde curious as well to its own furniture as election of course and no course obvious or faire unto me especially in the distracting ambiguous considerations of my seats and above all for without that I could as well as another have passed over all the rest a super-induced Melancholy from the abuse of such Treacle which wholly altered and disanimated me urging retirednesse study thoughts care and a distastednesse upon me Physick instead of releeving me was my bane over-drawing of blood and over-working my active minde brought and held me in such a lownesse and consumption of spirits whereunto also an over-slender dyet for feare of fatnesse much conduced that howsoever a free boldnesse of spirits and conversation was naturall unto me I have been forced to live so farre under my naturall rate and faculties of Soule that I wanted spirits to counterlook a Cat confusion of eyes memory and gesture with infinite other incident malignant symptomes were the pernicious effects of my disorder my naturall strength and violence of spirit aggravated my disease bred my continuall mischief and by the same strength and Gods better grace I as indefatigably resisted and subsisted long and dangerous Feavours took advantage upon the matter and occasion of my infirmity other desperate accidents in fortune I suffered and much more then all this in the contrarieties of my contracted condition and misgoverned errours It hath pleased God as extraordinarily to support me as by extraordinary and strange wayes to confound deject and bring me towards him No man ever became extream bad in an instant supernaturall goodnes is harder to effect Being now at length throughly conscious of my infirmitie and violence in all my affections and as throughly wrought upon by Gods good Spirit and grace that which I put in execution remained onely fit and necessary for me which is as this King of France hath lately in consideration of extraordinary troubles and in them as great protections of God towards him and his people solemnly committed and devoted himselfe and his kingdome unto the protection of our blessed Lady though somewhat preposterously so have I wholly resigned and consecrated my selfe to God having withall put off or made indifferent unto mee all common and worldly affections and ambitions by meanes whereof I am now as quiet as I have formerly been agitated and troubled abstinence is often lesse difficult then moderation diversion is a powerfull meanes of cure active affections must finde a subject and there is none so happy none so satisfactory as God not to bee affected with goodnesse is not to bee affected with him and to contemne or bee insensible of beautie were to slight one of his Master peeces such onely of my ancient concomitances I cast not off vertue is ever to be prised but most when fairest set Grace goodnesse and beautie are his brightest beames concurring they move to veneration and delight My thoughts shall at this time no further follow such an alluring subject what I would be and resolve I declare what I have been I cannot help possibly I could not many solutions are brought against the arguments of Fate which more confound themselves then avoid it Let Fate be as it will the understanding rises from the senses and the will from it sucâ— constituted causes must produce such effects right elections must needs bee as difficult as happy our passions give tincture to our judgement as a coloured pane of glasse to the Suns beames or as in the Jaundies we see all yellow they depend upon accidents and upon our complexion objects vary according as wee diversly approach them their very being consists often more in fancy and apprehension then truth they are involved in darknes and innumerable circumstances as hard to discerne as accommodate in such circumstances they hourely vary and wee as much It is hard for two ships in motion to hit the one the other it is true that some see clearer and are more circumspect then others yet old and long experienced counsellors are often rejected as the worst resolvers they apprehend too much chance and boldnesse give often the best successe chance according to us holds a predominancy but God is all in all Happinesse and tranquillitie have no other true center or circumference my Spirits naturally working and violent were incapable of rest had I not found it in his grace and favour to mee and my totall surrender unto him Faith is the sole Catholicon and generall Antidote against worldly perturbations Hee hath wonderfully exempted me from scorne from want and all great infirmitie He hath satisfied all my reasonable affectations even to this of writing wherein I have so disburdened my selfe that though it bee hard to write truely and not inconveniently or any thing to the full satisfaction either of others or my selfe yet I have done enough to resolve to withdraw my selfe from it confining my selfe hereafter to write nothing but necessary letters and subscribe my selfe Your Ladiships most humble and faithfull servant Noble Sir YOur late request which was to me an obliging command makes me send you that peece which you honored with your pretended conversion I never thought it any thing till now and now I make it yours that it may receive some further vertue of operation from you and seeing I finde you a proposition convertible I presume to lend you another peece of simple conversion It consists of a few begging verses if you find them blind impute it to their hasty and zealous production They beg a hand from God a favorable eye from you from him fatherly from you friendly correction they need it from you and the lesse you need from them the more your happinesse and their obligation I submit them and my selfe to you as Your faithfull servant TO you whose sincere Faith to God and Christian religion good affection towards mee and good discretion and judgement in all things are
and quiet retrait from the world and worldly cares hath long been as you know and still is all my ambition it is easier to wish then to finde my appetite to the world was never much howsoever I have appeared if ever it had been any thing it is now past My conversation is more in the other world then this and that the rather seeing if my distaste misleads mee not the generality of mens spirits is not possessed with that sweetnesse Courtesie Familiarity Indulgencie and love to goodnesse as was wont to bee But here my paper forceth mee to an end and to professe my self as you shall ever finde mee 1640 Your sincerely affectionate Friend and Servant Du. North sen. A sodaine free and opportune discourse to the present 28. of March 1641. OUr weather is said to have been much more gentle then in the more Southerly neighbouring parts the entrance of the Spring proves faire and more seasonable then of late yeares our stormes and distempers possesse our spirituall and politique part This Parliament is our Crisis and time of Physick which if unlucky our State is desperate and health in truth is never to bee despaired till the body cannot beare the remedy acute and pressing diseases hardly admit of long and preparative courses and often as little of violence the faire and just temper of our Spirits hath cast us upon more regular though longer wayes of reformation and punishment then the practise of former more tumultuous times but in the meane time our Physick and Physitians prove so costly as offends whilst it mends such may bee the Peccant humours as the body may be sooner overthrown then they extirpate to put off the present paroxysmes induce a good diet and abate predominant malignitie may possibly suffice to overcome danger and exempt the body from being obnoxious to every residing venome Our disease hath consisted in the troubles of our Church and liberties for Church matters as we have gone slowly on so still they stick in our own distractions God be praised our differences are rather about discipline then doctrine and certainly so far as the Scripture prescribes a competent generall rule therein it must and ought to prevaile where it leaves a latitude wee may respect our selves and the times not without charitie to others scruples and as farre as may bee an affectation of conformitie and harmony with other reformed Churches if our Bishops would have held the same course it might have been better for them and us we shall hardly attaine quiet without hearing all parties amongst our selves nor are there wanting divers learned Ministers of other Nations resident with us Judgement of private discretion holds a necessary sway in particular mens election to what Church they will incline nor doe I see why a considerable number may not bee admitted to the same libertie I meane the body and head of a Kingdome howsoever Layick The Clergy having ever overmuch assumed to bee judge and party in their owne concernings hath ever bred a great disturbance in the world Wee are now by Gods grace and the Kings in a happy way Peace and truth are likely to kisse may justice and mercy as well wee are upon an indissoluble conjunction of King and people Scotland and England reconcilement in Religion and a marriage with the young Prince of Orange and his Majesties eldest daughter And now as it hath pleased the Almightie miraculously to effect that Scotland and England severally within themselves have passed hitherto thorough their late great troubles as also their forces raised one against the other with an in consider able bloodshed how happy I say would it be if any expedient securitie could be found to save time cost and blood with a celebration of all these happy consummations in some other accommodation such as a submission to Fine Banishment exclusion from all publick businesses and advises to the satisfaction of justice upon transcendent misdemeanors and this to bee the better assured by manucaption of friends or otherwise Pitie it were that this expected Jubile should not passe if reasonably without staine of blood and surely His Majestie is too good and wise ever to readmit though it were left free unto him Ministers so hatefull prejudged and unhappy as they who now are questioned have been unto him But this is rather my wish then conclusion and hope I have in my hasty unaffected manner disburdened my selfe I have I thanke God no affection or passion but what is requisite to a good Christian Subject and Patriot so in despight of all prejudicacy and sinister misconstruction I will ever bee found and so I submit to better judgements March 1641. HAving as my preface lately mentioned adventured in a private way upon the Presse and that now neere an end with mee how censorious and tender soever the times are I cannot bee so stupid as totally to forbeare a resentment of our unparallel'd calamities Our sacred Anchor is come home our ultimate hopefull pacifique Treaty is dissolved ecstasie and despaire succeed Eyes turne to fountaines there is no Balme in Gilead Tantum Religio potuit suadere malorum No no it is not Religion it is nothing of sincere Pietie It is in the root the artifice the ambition the malice of prevaricating Jesuits and Priests Poore silly infatuated Laity they had a mission as of Sheepe among Wolves but they invert it upon you They drive you to their shambles nay they prevaile with you to slaughter one another Gladiators of their Theater to furnish and celebrate their feasts their festivalls And you unhappy often the best meaning though over-facile Princes of the Earth how grossely are you frequently intoxicated by them to your owne to your neighbours to your peoples funestious destruction they carry you irrecoverably by blinding degrees and traines to the precipice of their concealed disguised pernicious machinations They worke upon the weaknesse and corruption of your Favorites and Counsellors who Satanically tranfigure themselves into Angels of light to abuse your over credulous goodnesse Many times a superinduced preternaturall adventitious malice invadeth an otherwise well chosen Counsellor finding his conceited merits mis-received mis-interpreted by the vulgar All to your ruine to your subversion you mainely suffer and are the losers where they if they faile and miscarry in their maine proposed ends attaine no unacceptable satisfaction in revenge in blood in desolation For our Redeemers sake redeem your selves and us your private and the publique good and quiet can hardly bee over-bought our very being not onely our wel-being is now almost thorough all Christendom in question some proprietary goods are well thrown over boord to save a faire well-peopled Ship from perishing time may supply them Avoyd extremities as a Rock Gravissimi sunt morsus irritae necessitatis Take heed of permitting dangerous humours to settle overlong take heed of raysing the Billowes and the Feavour too high if water bee not now rather then oyle applyed inevitable ruine alone must
extinguish our devouring flames Professions and pretences have beene hitherto on all sides not unfaire O that they may be so contained And now you also on each side our soule and State Physitians looke upon God his truth and publique peace more then your passions selfe interest and policie streâ—ch not your strings too high trust God with the blessing his owne Truth and Oracles feare not the consequence of a truely orthodox assertion may truth and peace bee ever as well your object as pretence faire uniforme harmonious reformed discipline order and government your prudentiall and Christian ayme maintaine our foundations as entire and unshaken as an orderly candid well intended edifice will admit else may you pervert and destroy what you are bound to assert and maintaine Nor will I pretermit you Stars of the greater and lesser magnitude in the Oxford Firmament whose ennobled blood birth station constitute you Patrons and supporters of your Countreys preservation and welfare whose predecessors and progenitors are glorious in the Registers of time as happy advancers and dilaters of the English possessions name and honour Suffer not now our Annals to disgrace your name and memory as the impulsive active Engins to our Kings and Countreys lugubrious irreparable losse commiserate the sighs and groanes of our gasping exspiring defaced Nation Search home into the disguised caâ—ses and Authors of yours and our miseries undeceive disabuse your selves dispell the mists of your distemper'd bewildred spirits and lend at last a hand to save and rescue to stanch and cure our letiferous wounds Let no Roman recorded eterniz'd examples devoted as a willing ambitious sacifice for their Countries deliverance and redemption diffame you in what you owe and to procure can hardly over-doe or suffer Infinite matter you may discover would here offer and suggest it selfe the times require but will not well comport with ingenuitie much for caution much for cure might bee exhibited I have met with conjunctures to have been often versed and engaged in deliberations obnoxious and captious nor have proved my selfe destitute of some abilitie to tread by a line and cut by a thread I am at this instant not unfurnisht of a plentifull Magazin of specious flattering materialls for the present occasion somewhat I had conceived not impertinent to have farther alleaged for my selfe I silence and passe by all confining my selfe to what impremeditately falls and flowes upon my paper my wonted diffusive confusion would fit these troubled distracted times but I will containe if my lines have a propitious Genius though unhappily I have as much despaired as affected to bee able to serve my generation either alive or dead I may possibly with my little erudition prove an illiterate Author of some small fruite and edification at least to the seeking faire industrious mind such is my prayer such my desire How neere my end of writing of abilitie to comply with publique dutie and my lives period concurre I know not The disorder of the times consumes our fortunes and spirits consternates devasts and plunders our soules and consciences I have a long time conceived ordinary taken Oathes especially when multiforme of great and evill consequence and little effect Oathes of course as I was wont to say are coursly observed they passe at length insensibly they cauterize the vulgar they often ensnare when considered like over-iterated frequent Physick they lose their operation as well the tender conscientious as the libertine impatient finding themselves pent and constrained to disentangle they counterworke and perforate them like Sampson they breake their uneasie bands and by a depraved consecution carelessely sleight them letting out their soules to a subsequent dissolution and corruption Warre and custome turne blood and crueltie to nature necessitie of imposing and rigorous coertion render us incompassionate Yet however hee may appeare the honest good Chirurgion being by the inconsiderate ignorant unjustly censured of crueltie and hard-heartednesse by his incisions and other necessary operations of art will to the better judgements stand justified as having acted onely towards cure preservation health and recovery May it please God to overrule and rectifie our hearts blessing us in maintaining our Fundamentals of Faith Hope and Charitie and mee in supporting my selfe by faire and necessary subterfuges and diversions I am no Cabalist one of the open none of the closer Counsells I am neither wise nor good enough yet as the Scripture mentions of the over-wise and over-just am left alone to my solitary unjunctoed selfe my fate not my affections or lazinesse may bee the cause I confesse some unsutablenesse may bee in mee by my default and curiositie making mee in businesse more troublesome and lesse ductile and tractable then ordinary my mind is also too sofâ— and smooth for the questionablenesse anxietie obliquities hardnesse and roughnesse of the present I am naturally active yet daintie and scrupulous of resolutions and undertakings What shall I doe Stirring Spirits must be fomented if I finde no hope of doing good abroad if no evasion I will in all events endevour to make use of my experience to subsist not injurying my self within my self at home I have scarcely to this day become instructed how to forbeare to oppresse how to favour be charitable to and honestly indulge my self but am in a much cleerer light for my guide then formerly and even now which you see is hard for me to do to make use of it I most humbly implore the Grace and Mercy of the Omnipotent upon this disconsolate afflicted deplorate world and me and end Amen March 10. 1644. Un peu de tout Rien come il fault a la Francoise Chorus MAnkind cruell to thy self No beast of prey comes neer to thee Thou need'st no other Rock or Shelf For Shipwrack then thy cruelty Wolves thou destroyedst more wolf then they They never prey upon their kind Nor joy to kill and to betray Where faire subsistence they might finde Wolves in Sheeps cloathing are the worst Poore Sheep that with such Shepherds meet Our sins doe make us thus accurst Ensowring all that would bee sweet No warning nor forbearance could On our obdurate Soules prevaile Wee still doe all but what wee should Our fatall sufferings to entaile Bee wise at last by your own cost Exempt your selves from common scorn Else King and People all is lost All into blood and peeces torn God and your Neighbour take to heart God alone can help impart IF you are a Formalist one who does Stupere in Titulis Imaginibusque here is scarcely so much as a tittle for you exercise your severity somewhere else this doth neither invite nor defie you Master of it self and its own entertainment It rather forbids you as an unwelcome guest Non omnibus dormit what most by chance and something by designe as most things goe the most important peeces carry their Date you must accordingly distinguish the times like me they are no temporizers neither affectedly precisely following nor over Monsterlike