his one day Sermon in a week wanting true life and spirit will not so much animate his Auditory to holinesse as will his six dayes example the Book that the people better understand lead them to dissolution and wickednesse God hath required that he be not outwardly much lesse inwardly imperfect and deformed and it is he who must make vertue visible and the visibility that will inflame our affection Scandall in others is error in him a monster no corruption being so bad as what proceeds from the best He cannot be fit for the charge of others Soules who is carelesse of his own and who will beget affection in others must first put it on himselfe Wee would hisse him from the Stage whose action were grossely dissonant from his words and part nor is he better then a cheater of God and the World who accepts of a spirituall living without performing the duties of the Spirit It is questionable whether an evill Minister be not inferiour to the holinesse of his Bels and much more miserable for he is like them in calling men to Religious performances in sounding to please their eares and in flattering and solemnizing the times but questioned upon a due accompt in this world or the next hee will finde himselfe much more unhappy But a truly Religious professor will abhorre the indecorum of being unsuitable to his Doctrine fearing lest thereby as much as in him lyeth he render both it and himself so seeming unprofitable that men if it were possible would become distasted of his calling and Religion it self He will rather shew himself Gods Minister in godlinesse and humility then the Devils Chaplaine in his first sin and impiety and therefore casting off all pride vanity ambition covetousnesse and the corrupt inventions of men he will conform himself to the purity and simplicity of the Primitive Church and become as awfull to wicked men in his presence as a Magistrate or Commissioner of God sent to take vengeance on their obliquities Hee will Preach God in sincere Devotion and not himself in vain affection and will seek the advancement of Religion more then of his own order and Hierarchy for it is the splendor of the good and sincere lives of the Clergy and not their pompe and state that must work upon our consciences He will be an obedient Child unto his Mother Church for she cannot think him worthy to live upon and serve at the Altar if he shall think unworthily of it to be observed by him He will feed his flock more with plain and sound Doctrine then with abstruse points of Divinity and janglings of controversies or the empty sound of language and conceipts which become not the gravity of the Pulpit and will value the peace of the Church before any particular conceited fancy of his own or others Subtilties and niceties he will confine to the Schooles and Assemblies of his own profession The mysteries of Religion once received being rather matter for faith then to be controverted and disputed especially among the vulgar who in no sort ought to be taught or acquainted to subject the transcendency of their Religion to the grossenesse of their reason He will not if he preach before the King ingratiate himself by an invective incensing him against his People much lesse in a popular Assembly be Satyricall against Magistrates but will better discharge his duty by instructing such as are present in theirs and forbeare his Castigation upon the absent He will be cautious of alledging in the Pulpit out of whatsoever Author their over bold and profane conceits of Religion as also of using especially insisting upon the plain and naked expressions which are found in the Scriptures concerning women for all that becommeth the Bible becommeth not the Pulpit and there is danger of leaving ill impressions in corrupt minds He will use his best judgement in tempering his Sermons to the best profit and health of our soules And considering it is naturall for the sweetest and pleasantest things to be the most nourishing he will discreetly season and order them as well to the good relish of attention as helpe of memory and remembring that the yoake of the Gospel is easie consisting of comfort and glad tydings and that a tender and wounded soule hath never leisure to heale with the continuall application of Cauteries and Corrosives he will feare to bruise the broken reed and beget more discomfort and despaire then faith and true consolation in the best and most attentive soules Briefly it is only such a good man that deserves preferment but he will rather goe without it then to buy it corruptly with the price of his Soule We expect no miracles from him nor can he expect good life and godlines from us except according to his profession he shew us the way Religion was planted and must be maintained by the Teachers holinesse and humility Si vis me â—â—â—re dolendum est prius ipsi tibi They have I thank them done much good upon me I would gladly make some requitall A Physitian A Good Physitian if any such there be forbad enough is the best in respect of the Arts uncertainty will more affect the life and health of his Patient then his own gain and living and will not minister Physick to him to do good to himselfe He will be sorry that by a surprize of his over-deeming election he findes himself imbarqued in a profession where it is hard to thrive and be honest in giving Physick only where there is reall need and a good confidence in himself that it shall doe good to his Patient for he will have discovered that his title is but as of a Mountaine from not moving and that nature is the true Physitian placed by God in every man for his preservation and himself but a Professor of a most conjecturall Art so that who commits himself from nature to him takes himself from a seeing to a blind guide Though it be incident to his Colledge to be over peremptory as being used to the authority of prescriptions and prostrate sick Patients yet he will avoid it for a discreet plausible and winning carriage upon the Patients good opinion and affection is the one halfe of the Cure He will not contemn an honest Emperick knowing that his own Art grew but from experience often casuall and that Gods blessings are not restrained to their Colledge and old Books He will not bee sparing of his interrogatories nor of his attention to his Patients relation who being sick and paying ought to bee born with and humoured But an humorous Physitian is a most intolerable disease for all is but too little to effect a true information and to doe well he will often suspect that the disease may grow from the minde In case of which discovery he will no lesse industriously indeavour the Cure of the body by it and his good precepts and instructions thoroughly urged to that purpose then by any other means it being often
shall easily be seene effected from a harsh and rude though never so witty an expression for as in persons so in Verses some let them meane never so lovingly shall yet by their naturall verjuyce be ever out of the way of Bacchus and Venus But in point of obscurity in some sort to excuse my selfe with others I feare wee all often unwillingly incurre the errour of it by thinking our meaning as open to others as to our selves when indeed the Characters of our expression are fully supplyed by our owne understanding to our selves whilst to others they are lamely contracted and imperfect Thus much I have been bold to write not onely to excuse a poore Mother wit but somewhat to give a passe upon their strange and uneasie habit who I doubt not but they will have many a gird at my easie and naturall nakednesse I meane those lofty dimme shooting Archers whom I wish to remember that hee who shootes highest shootes not ever nearest the marke and hee that may walke in the light is to bee suspected for choosing the darke Now Madam I grant that all I can write especially what these lines containe is but vanity and a most idle vanity yet thus farre I will excuse both the writing and the reading that all the world is little better wee often condemn vaine pleasures and remember not that the most things the best of us most seriously doe have indeed no other end For God being served and nature sustained what fruit proceeds from our authority learning wealth policy and earnest intent to profit but to satisfie our impulsive affections which either propound to themselves a felicity whereof they faile in the possession or seeke to divert by such imployments the dulnesse and otherwise obtruding miseries of their condition which if you please to consider you will the more excuse many pursuers of lawful and naturall delights and value those pleasures at the better rate which are most perdurable and communicable May the following wanton but as modest Babes as their Mother Venus could produce though they cannot profit yet afford some delight light to that your Worthy well furnish't mind to which I wish all happinesse that ever Noble nature possest or can possesse I must yet bee so much longer as to crave pardon for my unintended and I feare unpleasant length it is the vice of writing to bee endlesse thus hath my enmity to obscurity brought forth tediousnesse yet not so much but that all this may bee sooner read then some one passage of our Night pieces understood they had need afford profitable stuffe who utter it at so hard a rate I wish your Ladiships authority would so abate the price that our poorer abilities might hold trade without straining And seeing I am upon the Theame of verses whither I meane not shortly to returne I humbly crave your favour after my fashion disorderly to say thus much more that howsoever some of the stricter sort approve onely of verses so close usefull and substantially woven that there must bee neither list loosenesse nor the least superfluity of words for my part I am not of that strict order nor ever yet saw it observed in any Author Nature hath mingled stalkes with flowers and Huskes with Corne and hath raised ornament from our excrementiciall haires conceits and matter over-crusht afford commonly as little grace as pleasure and to write all in abbreviations would take indeed lesâ—e room but much more time and trouble A Geneva print weakens the sight nor is it good to hold your bow ever bent or your horse streight rained Sometimes amongst pithy and tough lines I thinke it not amisse to interpose one of an easie â—traine like resting places in lofty staires to ease the Reader Some fluency of weak water helpes the better in nourishment to convey what is more solid Lamp-oile yeelds no good savour nor in sallet nor verse Difficilia quae pulchra is to bee understood of the attaining and not the exercising of faculties You know how it is said of Poems that they should bee such ut sibi quivis speret idem sudet frustraque laboret ausus ideâ— Strong lines may bee drawne on with Cartropes but the fairest have generally an easie birth It is rare for anything to be well and hardly performed The French expression A Deliure implyes as well perfectnesse as facility and dexterity There may bee imployed such an extraordinary yet gentle finenesse of conceit and Conclusions so designed wrought limned and coloured touches so bold covert allegories and subtilties so neat Epithets so materiall Metaphors and ambiguities so doubly fine as shall bee more masterlike then more sententious sublime abstruse and strong appearing lines Worth of matter and conception supposed nothing more commends a piece then termes well chosen proper lively and significant with a free comming on and as free a close and conclusion Also a faire cleare and even thorough carriage with well wrought joints and connexions gives credit to the workman I love as much a great deale of force and depth couched in one word as I hate little in many VVe ordinarily write and speake the same things and notions and to the same purpose but infinitely differ in the delivery and expression some proceed in a stuttering confused obliquity groping as in a mist or darknesse some goe more directly and exhibit their Idea's and conceptions with so cleare and distinct a light illustrations instances demonstrations enforcements and arguments so pertinent perspicuous and concluding that the understanding and assent are captivate beyond evasion or subterfuge Sophistry and figures may appeare fine and witty but prevaile little upon the best judgements Reason must convince the intellectuall soule May I write clearly and strongly rather then finely and artificially hence is the difference of elocution hence of perswasion the one is light and aery the other weighty and solid most lovely and commanding is the beauty of a faire ingenuous and rich soule fairely mounted and armed upon well shaped and unanimously received vertue goodnesse and reason Verses are then good when turned to prose they hold a faire and currant sense and when translated into another language there is such mastery found in their conception by the advantage of what is genuine unto them that there will bee either more words or lesse conceit and matter The priviledge they have over common phrase consists in the warranted becomming ornament of a lofty well ordered spirit and wantonnesse such as shall make toyes passe for Jewels and give to what of it selfe is precious an acquisite lustre of workmanship beyond what prose can beare and that in little room Their voice is more constrained and consequently more shrill and piercing Nor is it in writing the least perfection howsoever it hath found little observation so to order and contract our expressions that one well adopted word may run into and govern many of diverse and strong sense for nothing gives more pleasure and satisfaction to a diligent
keep their credits treasure Where silly things that love vain glory Little respecting fame Make of themselves a blasted story Whilst others get the gain As mercilesse as is the Ocean Is wavering womans mind And to give reason of their motion Is full as hard to find VVho will their properties discern Like heav'ns joyes must know them VVhat they are never none could learn What they are not must shew them And as in heav'n no sin remaines Nor torment want nor passion So womans heart no good containes No firmnesse no compassion Nor doe I yet hereby condemn All women 't were too much But 't is too true that most of them Are over truly such I know they will themselves excuse And tax corrupting men But well they know a chast refuse Is seldome mov'd agen 'T is when we find they entertain And lend a gracious eare That wee pursue though they complain We hope whilst they will heare Sometime perchance to try their strength They 'l suffer siege and battery And sometimes too they 'l yeeld at length Such power have time and flattery Who Loves approaches once hath past As little need shee care In loves play to sit out the last Th' act where most hid they are But silly men why doe we show The paths of love to those That greatest Clerks doe overgoe And blind as they dispose Most expert Souldiers are they all With art to fight Loves field Nor better knows no Generall When to stand out or yeeld If they be strong they open march And brave the husband foe If weak they night and covert search All vantages they know Or by the confidence they claim In their good mans affection Or by example still they gain And colour their election And think not ever they are silly That many entertaine They are not ever the least wily Though often the most vaine They generally kind appeare And freeâ—ome use to all That those who they indeed hold deare In lesse suspect may fall As Keepers by familiar use Of feeding Deere at hand The simple herd doe oft induce To come unto a stand Where freely any one they strike So VVomen freedome use That unexpected when they like They their own game may chuse Such licence hath not ever been And foolish are we men Having had pow'r to keep them in To let them loose agen Faire VVomens love I doe confesse Is a supreame delight But whatsoever they professe 'T is hard to know them right Shee that pretends to love you best VVill now as well expect To see your love in gifts exprest As they that least affect They by the fruit will judge the tree Nor will beleeve you love Except they ample gifts may see Your love their worth to prove As men their wives love ne're the lesse VVhere mony 's the match-making So women will not have you guesse They love the lesse for taking But love farewell since I perceive Such paines and cost you ask And are so giv'n to deceive I 'l seek some other task Nought but assured love alone Can my affection move And since assurance there is none To know when women love My fortunes faith and free estate Shall ne're themselves expose To plead for love and think we hate When w' are but gull'd with shows As they oft meet with the best fortune That carelesse are in play So they that least plain and importune And most neglect are they Who women oftner doe subdue Then pitifull complainers They ever fly from those that sue And make the carelesse gainers Poore wailing lovers cease your hope That teares though void of strength Will by persistance pierce that rock Your Mistris heart at length Your sighs tears vows and rhyming plaints VVith all fond shew of duty Your making of them Idols Saints Sole Empresses of beauty All doth but glory work and pride In their insulting hearts Their own affections women guide Not plaints nor yet deserts LEt worthlesse spirits feare unstedfast love Guilty of defects that cannot love deserve Such apprehension never me shall move My faith and merit shall your love preserve But if change-loving your complection be By nature subject to saciety My love shall slack as well as yours to me Answering natures lov'd variety And though your love most precious to me is Yet have I learn'd to tame affections so That none more constantly shall joy his blisse Nor none lose easier what he must forgo 'T were idlenesse to urge your constancy For future time above our powers extent The wisest knows not what next houre hee 'l be Love's nor by force nor resolution bent But to prevent malignity of time And permanency to our love to gain Give me your heart to keep as you have mine VVhich no pow'r can remove whilst you retain And yours in me such merit shall approve VVe both will fearelesse be of change in love You 'l say they are toyes the fitter are they then For such vain bubbles Fantomes as are men They profit not and wisemen you will say Pleasures foundation on profit lay To them that want not to give nature right Profit it self in truth is but delight Postscript Alasse I cannot love nor will I wrong So much your kind heart or mine own true tongue To play the cheater where no need compels By vowing that I love you and none els 'T is for base foolish minds to undergo To please themselves or others with a show Free spirits in reality delight Loving to give true nature its true right And yet I cannot say I cannot love But she who now can my affection move VVon to affect nothing but for perfection Must be a perfect object of affection She must be unaffected faire ev'n at first sight T' arrest beholders eyes with sweet delight Yet such again where looking you may finde A silent check to a presumptuous minde She must be such as can give due respect To every man without a rude neglect Yet not of such a light and easie strain That her own due respect she not retain She must possesse a wanton modesty Free affability with Majesty VVit without pride a freedome well confin'd Discreet discourse but most a worthy mind VVhereby her actions she must ever frame To paint her beauâ—y with a beauteous name For noblest natures generous and free VVill never build upon a blasted tree She must to this such ayre of face possesse As gives a life to what her words expresse Now calm and carelesse then with spirit bent In silent Rhetorick speaking her intent Shee must be neither fulsome sweet nor sow'r Of ordered yet of free behaviour Accomplished with all most courtly parts Yet not transported with her own desarts Using them only for her own defence Not greedy to bring them in evidence Such a fair Orange tree my love must be Compos'd of such a contrariety So she in private be as Venus free Minerva let her be in company Desir'd of all possest by me alone Guiding her love with such discretion As
not thorough sighted I would the very texts of Scripture and Aphorisms of State were not too frequently taken by halfs my writings are but parings and scrapings I mean in respect of matter for I neither skim nor copy others I dive not to the bottome of my selfe I had need gather something as I doe whilest I write and scatter for I lose much of my own fancy by the way I take not time to consider and digest I hope you will as hastily read me Time and the pillow are excellent Counsellors Sudden resolutions are subject to imperfection and repentance Serious deep and iterated ruminations are troublesome chiefly to impatient spirits and the lighter sort are incompetent and incapable to undergoe them even the most intent and solid minds shall be often occasioned to say Had I thought or knowne Men addicted either to delights or much employment have neither leisure nor patience to give weighty and implicate deliberations their full and due examinations how often have I tost a consideration as I thought on every side and in all its aspects and yet found new and important discovery upon return Though the Spaniard be often a loser in not taking the advantage of present opportunities yet his constancy and patience in timing maturing and pursuing his deliberations and designes makes much for them and their ends their severall bodies of Counsels for severall Kingdomes and affaires are of great effect Our late practised peculiarity of delegations and Committees with a choice respect to the wits capacities and experience of selected persons and junto's are greatly to be approved Trades and professions must of necessity be more exact in such Countries where as we find it written they are lineally continued If the Art of Physick were distributed as to Oculists one part so other parts and diseases had severall professors particularly to attend them their Anatomy and cure though it savour of the Emperick it might be much more happy unto us But what make I then so busie out of my Province a Justice of Peace as some will think is the utmost of my calling Yes a Gentleman is a little of every thing and peaceablenesse in Gods service concernes every man Mountaines are as well surveyed and judged from below as vallies from above and an impartiall by-stander may often see more then the Gamesters It is more then time that I untie your attention from my importunity and trash it is to me lesse trouble to write as it were without thinking then to think without writing possibly an active life like yours would prove more easie and healthfull to mee then either of both but I must take my self as I am and as wee see little Birds in their Cages and Apes and other Creatures force an exercise in their restraint so Si fortuna negat facit indignatio I have both envied and emulated a Cat or Dog in the tranquillity of their spirit it shall still bee my aime and I hope to become no more troublesome to you my self or any other in this way of writing But I must stay my time in all things Farre better then my self have profest themselves subject to doe the evill which they would not and not the good they affected As I am informed you have wished I would bestow some further labour in polishing and better digesting what I have written but by that time you shall have read mee thorough I hope you will bee otherwise satisfied and I have as you may find bestowed too much wit in excusing the naturall deformity of my writings now to consent to lose and cast it away Though I know my Children as black as the Crow yet they are mine and I must like them never the worse for resembling me they were not made for the market and they are too frequent in devout conclusions for the vulgar I presume better of you and will conclude with you like the Letters of former and better times Committing you to the protection of that Omnipotent God whom I never cease to implore and who hath from time to time and even to this present miraculously supported me by his grace and favour to him be all glory to you all happinesse from Your most unfeigned though most unfortunate affectionate Brother This morning of the 22 of September 1638. STill to omit formality and compellations unnecessary and superfluous Since my last of the 22. it hath been intimated unto mee that you are not so well satisfied as I would in that I vary from my first taken measure and order of verse in some of my no long pieces I doubt not but it will be disapproved by some of the most strict and formall Criticks yet take I the boldnesse to like my self ne're the worse it is for Novices to write by line and rule words and lines are but the barke and cloathing of our minds so decency be observed my yeares and disposition have long dispensed with exactnesse of following the fashion challenging some gratefull priviledge therein Our modern fantasies in musick your Court masking tunes have taken up a change of aire and spirit are the better accepted you condemn not nor prove not offended with a beauty for want of precise symmetry affected forms of speech and complement are dis-affected and matter regarded Scribendi recte sapere est principium fâ—ns it is neither this nor that manner that makes it good in writing or other things good Judgement is the thing and never failes of order it hath an influence into all our thoughts lockes gesture language and actions and without it all will bee wilde and incomposed In my late dysastred entertainment ostentation and curiositie were so much avoided that I for bad all extraordinary festivall Pageants Aromatiques and Quelquechoses If you are grown to choose a Horse for true strength and usefulnesse accept of me in my mis-shapennesse my writings respect ease duty affection and profit not affâ—ctâ—tion fame perfection or delight I hate fetters and circumscriptions more then Religion government and reason cast them upon mee Magnas nugas as magno conatu is a double fault I am no wayes a Precisian yet in the Adiaphora according to the indulgence of our Church I can and doe dispence so it bee not with contempt Sometimes change of matter agrees to it sometimes as we have a Christian liberty I will as well as my leaders make use of a Poeticall licence VVhere is the law that restrains me VVhy not conclude with a longer proportion of lines as well as to intermingle a long and short I have sometimes pityed a serious and pious Author needlesly and wantonly fall upon a Quadruplicity of rhyme or affected variety of measure and number in verses If there bee any harmony in rhymes it is satisfied in two and not without danger of fulsomnesse as well as certainty of trouble in exceeding I have often wished our Poetry like the Latine and Greeke might be eâ—ercised without such subjection if not barbarism There
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
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