be dead So in two or three days all Contracts were confirmed and the Match was concluded with the approbation of all Friends of either side married they were and in a short time after he carried her to his House there made her Mistress of his Estate and whilst he governed his outward Affairs she governed the Family at home where they lived plentifully pleasantly and peaceably not extravagantly vain-gloriously and luxuriously they lived neat and cleanly they loved passionately thrived moderately and happily they lived and piously dyed The She-Anchoret THERE was a Widower who had but one Child and she a Daughter which Daughter he bred with Pious Devotions Moral Instructions and Wise Advertisements but he falling sick to death called his Daugher unto him and thus spake to her Farewell my dearest Child for dye I must My Soul must flye my Body turn to dust My only care is that I leave thee young To wander in the World Mankind among Few of them charitable are or kind Nor bear they in their Breast a Noble Mind To help the Fatherless or pity Youth Protect the Innocent maintain the Truth But all their time 's spent with laborious toil For to pervert to ruin and to spoil Flatter thy Beauty and thy Youth betray To give thy Heart and Virgin-flower away They will profess love vow to be thy Friend Marriage will promise yet they will pretend Their Friends will angry be or else they 'l say Their Land 's engag'd they first their Debts must pay Or else that they during some time of life Have made a Vow Not yet to take a Wife And twenty such Excuses they will find For to deceive the simple Female-Kind And if you marry Troubles you will find Pains Griefs and Cares to vex a quiet Mind But here I charge you lying in Death's Arms That you do stop your Ears against their Charms Live chast and holy serve the Gods above They will protect thee for thy zealous Love Daughter I will obey whatever you command Although you dye your will shall fixed stand Father Next I do charge thee Not to grieve nor mourn Since no redress will from the Grave return Daughter O do not so said she But give Grief leave to flow out of my Eyes For if it be supprest the Body dyes Whilst now you live great wrong y'uld think you have If I should sit and laugh upon your Grave Or with neglect should I your Grave pass by And ne're take notice where your Ashes lye Father You cannot hinder Destiny's Decree Daughter O no! but Nature Nature still will be Nature created Love within the Mind The Object dead the Passion still is kind Had I as many Lives as Nature make I 'de lay them on Death's Altar for your sake That single one I have O Heavens me hear Exchange it for my Father's Life so dear But when her Father found that Death drew on He bid her lay her Hand his Eyes upon Father Close up my Eyes said he and then receive Upon thy Lips my last Breath let me breathe When he was dead sh' amaz'd long time sate still At last bethought her of her Father's Will Then up she rose his Body did entomb And how she spent her Life rehearse I 'le soon The Description of her Life in Prose AFTER she had interred her Father's Corps although she had rich honourable and importunate Suiters yet she resolved to live like a kind of an Anchoret's Life living encloistered by her self alone vowing Chastity and a Single-life but gave leave for any to speak to her through a Grate When she went first into her solitary Habitation she thus spake Virtues are several Pathes which lead to Heaven And they which tread these Pathes have Graces given Repentant tears allay the Dust of Pride And pious Sighs doth blow vain Thoughts aside Sorrow and Grief which in the Heart doth lye Doth cloud the Mind as Thunder doth the Skie But when in Thundring-groans it breaketh out The Mind grows clear the Sun of Joy peeps out This pious Life I now resolve to lead Will in my Soul both Joy and Comfort breed She had not been long enclosed but she grew as famous as Diogenes in his Tub all sorts of people resorted to her to hear her speak and not only to hear her speak but to get knowledg and to learn wisdom for she argued rationally instructed judiciously admonished prudently and perswaded piously applying and directing her Discourse according to the several Studies Professions Grandeurs Ages and Humours of her Auditory The first that came to her were Natural Philosophers who asked her Opinion of Man's Soul of which she discoursed in this manner She said Man hath three different Natures or Faculties A Sensitive Body Animal Spirits and a Soul This Soul is a kind of Deity in it self to direct and guide those things that are far above it and to create by Invention and though it hath not an absolute Power over it self yet it is an harmonious and absolute thing in it self and though the Sensitive Body hath a relation to it yet no other ways than Jove's Mansion hath unto Jove for the Body is only the residing-place and the Animal Spirits are as the Angels of the Soul which are Messengers and Intelligencers All Animal Creatures have not this Soul but only Man for Beasts have none nor every Man for most Men are Beasts and have only a Sensitive Body and Animal Spirits as Beasts have but none know when this Soul is out or in the Body but the Gods and not only other Bodies and Spirits cannot know but the Body where it resides and the attending-spirits are ignorant thereof for this Soul is as invisible to the Body and the Animal Spirits as the Gods to Men for though this kind of Soul knows and hath intelligence by the Senses and by the Animal Spirits yet the Senses nor Animal Spirits have none from the Soul for as Gods know Men but Men know not Gods so this Soul knows the Senses and Animal Spirits but the Senses nor Animal Spirits know not this Soul Then they asked her Whether Souls were Immortal She answered That only the Life was Immortal from whence all Souls are derived Then they asked her What Deities she thought there were She answered She thought but one which was the Father of all Creatures and Nature the Mother he being the Life and Nature the only Matter which Life and Matter produceth Motion and Figure various Successions Creations and Dissolutions Then they asked her What she thought Time was She said Time was only the Variation and Alteration of Nature for Time is only in respect to Creations Alterations and Dissolutions Then they asked her What Eternal was She answered An endless Succession Then they asked her What Infinite was She said A Numberless Succession but said she Eternal is in respect to Infinite as Infinite to Eternal Then they asked her Whether she thought there were fixt Decrees or all were governed by
love her so As love her best or at least he might know How well she lov'd him for she wish'd no more Than love for love as Saints which do adore The Gods in Heaven whose love is wholly pure And nothing can of drossy flesh endure At last she and her Thoughts in Councel sate What was best to be done or this or that They all agree that she her Love should own Since innocent and pure and make it known By her Epistles and her Pen to write What her pure Heart did dictate and indite No forfeit of her Modesty because She had no Ends but only Virtuous Laws Then took she Pen and Paper and her Wit Did tell her Love the truth and thus she writ Sir You may wonder much that I do send This Letter which by Love doth recommend It self and suit unto your judging-ear And that it was not stopt by bashful fear But let me tell you This pure Love of mine Is built on Virtue not on base Design It hath no dross nor proudly doth aspire A Flame inkindled by immac'late Fire Which I to th' Altar of your Merits bring From whence the Flame to Heaven high may spring Your glorious Fame within my Heart though young Did plant a Slip of Honour from whence sprung Pure Love and Chast Desires for I do crave Only within your Heart a place to have I do not plead hoping to be your Wife Nor 'twixt you and your Mistress to breed strife Or wish I that her Love you should forsake Or unto me a Courtly Friendship make But only when I 'm dead you would inshrine Within your Memory this Love of mine Which Love to all the World I may proclame Without a blush or check or spotted-fame 'T is not your Person I do so admire Nor yet your Wealth or Titles I desire But your Heroick Soul and Generous Mind Your Affability and Nature kind Your honest Heart where Justice still doth raign Your prudent Thoughts and a well-temper'd Brain Your helping Hand and your industrious Life Not to make broils but to decide all strife And to advance all those are in distress To help the weak and those are powerless For which my Heart and Life to Love is bound And every thought of you with Honour crown'd These are not feigning Lines that here I write But Truths as clear and pure as Heaven's Light Nor is it Impudence to let you know Love of your Virtues in my Soul doth grow Her Love thus innocent she did enroll Which was the pure Platonick of her Soul Though in black Characters the Envious may Call the sense clear as is the Morning's day And every word appear unto the sight To make her smoother Paper yet more white Thus she infolded Honour and more Truth Than ever yet was known in female-Female-youth Blush-colour'd Silk her Letter then did bind For to express how modest was her Mind And Virgins Wax did close it with her Seal Yet did that Letter all her Love reveal Then to her Nurse's Husband she did trust These loving Lines knowing him faithful just To all her Family he obey'd her will And would have done no doubt though 't had been ill For his Obedience never ask'd the cause Nor was he Casuist in Divine Laws But faithful and most trusty so was sent With this most Sacred Letter then he went In the mean time that she her Letter sent The Prince to her a Letter did present By a Servant in whom he put much trust As finding him both dextrous prudent just In all Employments he this Letter brought Which'mongst this Lady's Thoughts much wonder wrought Even so much as she could not believe But thought he did mistake and did conceive She was the Princess Whereupon said she I doubt this Letter was not writ to me But he confirm'd to her that it was writ She to her Closet went and open'd it With trembling hands the VVaxen Seal she broke And what he writ with a faint Voice thus spoke Fairest of all your Sex for so you are Unto all others as a Blazing-Starr VVhich shews it self and to the VVorld appears As a great VVonder once in many years And never comes but doth portend on Earth Either the fall of Princes or their Birth O let your influence only at me aim Not for to work my Overthrow or Fame But Love to make me happy all my life Then yeeld your self to be my Virtuous VVife But if you this Request to me deny The Gods I hope will grant me soon to dye She when she this had read was in a maze And senslesly did on the Letter gaze By which her Spirits discomposed were In quarrelling-disputes 'twixt Hope and Fear At last Hope got the better then did they Triumph with joy and in her Heart did play For when the Spirits mutually agree Both in the Eyes and Heart they dancing be Then to the Gentleman that came she went And told him civilly that she had sent Unto the Prince and that she could not fit So well an Answer to return as yet The Prince as Melancholy sate alone But all the while his Mistress thought upon Staid for the Messenger's return for he Till answer came refus'd all Company At last one of his Pages to him ran To tell him Without was an ancient Man That would not be deny'd for speak he must Unto the Prince or else must break his trust He was in charge with and rather than so Would venture life before he back would go And not his Message to the Prince to tell Whereat the Prince liking his Courage well Sent for him who came with Humility The Letter gave upon his bended knee The Prince the Letter read and pleased so As by his smiling-countenance did show Which made all Cloudy Thoughts disperse clears His Mind as in dark days when Sun appears Sure said the Prince the Gods our Loves decree And in our Unions they do all agree They joyn our Hearts in one our Souls so mix As if eternally in Heaven would fix Then soon he all delays for to prevent Another Letter writ which to her sent In answer of her own this Letter gave Unto her Foster-Nurse who was as grave As old bald Father Time of Courage stout A Rustick plainness and not eas'ly out Of countenance trusty to be employ'd And in her Lady's service would have dy'd The Prince commended her Fidelity And pleas'd he was at her blunt Quality But with the Letter quickly did return For she though old yet every step did run And then the Letter which the Prince had sent She to her Lady did in mirth present Who then the Letter broke with joyful speed And to her Foster-Nurse she did it read Sweetest You have exprest your Love to me With so much plainness and sincerity And yet your stile severely have you writ And rul'd your Lines with a Commanding-wit Heroick Flourishes your Pen doth draw Or executes as in a Martial-Law Then solemnly doth march in Mourning-trail And
play In th' Evening with the Bats doth dance the Hay Or at the setting of the Sun doth flye With Swallows swift to keep them Company But if she 's cross'd she straight malicious grows And in a fury Plagues on Men she throws Or other Sickness and makes Beasts to dye And cause the Marrow in the bones to fry But Creatures that with long time are grown old Or such as are of Constitution cold She nourishes and Life she doth restore In Flyes Bats Swallows many Creatures more For some do say these Birds in Winter dye And in Summer revive again to flye Of all the Four Seasons of the Year This Season doth most full and fat appear Her blood is hot and flowing as full Tide She 's only fit to be Apollo's Bride But she as all young Ladies in their prime Doth fade and wither with old Father Time And all their beauty which they much admire Doth vanish soon and quickly doth expire Just so the Summer dries withers away No powerful Art can make sweet Beauty stay The Autumn though she 's in her fading years And sober yet she pleasantly appears Her Garments are not deck'd with Flowers gay Nor are they green like to the Month of May But of the colour are of dapple Deer Or Hares that to a sandy ground appear Yet she is rich with Plenty doth abound All the encrease of Earth is with her found Most Creatures Nourishment to them doth give And by her bounty Men Beasts Birds do live Besides the grieved Heart with Joy doth fill When from the plump Grapes Wine she doth distill And gathers Fruits which lasting are and sound Her brows about with Sheaves of Corn are crown'd In those are Seeds whereof Man makes some Bread With which the Poor and Rich are nourished Yet 't is not Bounty can hinder Nature's course For constantly she change in one source For though the Matter may be still the same Yet she doth change the Figure and the Frame And though in Principles she constant be And keeps to certain Rules which well agree To a wise Government yet doth not stay But as one comes another glides away So doth the Autumn leave our Hemisphere To Winter cold at which Trees shake for fear And in that Passion all their Leaves do shed And all their Sap back to the Root is fled Like to the Blood which from the Face doth run To keep the Heart lest Death should seize thereon Then comes the Winter with a lowring brow No pleasant Recreations doth allow Her skin is wrinkled and her blood is cold Her Flesh is numb her Hands can nothing hold Her Face is swarthy and her Eyes are red Her Lips are blew with Palsie shakes her Head She often coughs and 's very rheumatick Her Nose doth drop and often doth she spit Her Humour 's Melancholy as Cold and Dry Yet often she in show'ring Rain doth cry And blustring Storms as in a Passion sent Which on the Earth and on the Water vent As Rheums congeal to Flegm the Waters so By thickning Cold congeal to Ice Hail Snow Which she spits forth upon the Earth they lye In lumps and heaps which makes the Plants to dye She 's poor and barren little hath to give For in this Season all things hardly live But often those who 're at the worst estate By change of Times do grow more fortunate So when the Winter 's past then comes the Spring And Plenty doth restore to every thing A Poet in the Company Said to his Lady YOur Fingers are Minerva's Loom with which Your Sense in Letters weave No knots or snarls you leave Work Fancy's Thread in Golden Numbers rich Your Breasts are Helicon which Poets fits For though they do not drink If thereon they do think Their Brains are fill'd with high and sparkling Wits Your Tongue 's Parnassus Hill on high it stands Her Muses sit and sing Or dance in Fayrie's Ring Crown'd with your Rosie Lips and sweet Garlands Your Eyes Diana's Arrows and no doubt Your arched Brow her Bow Like Ebony black doth show From whence sweet gentle Modesty shoots out Your Hairs are fatal Threads Lovers hang by Your Brain is Vulcan's Net Fine Fancies for to get Which like to winged Birds aspiring flye The next a Man of Scholarship profest He in his turn this Tale told to the rest An Expression of the Doubts and Curiosity of Man's Mind THere was a Man which much desir'd to know When he was dead whither his Soul should go Whether to Heaven high or down to Hell Or the Elyzium Fields where Lovers dwell Or whether in the air to flie about Or whether it like to a Light goes out At last the Thoughts the Servants to the Mind Which dwell in Contemplation to find The truth they said No pains that they would spare To travel every where and thus prepare Each Thought did clothe it self with Language fit For to enquire and to dispute for it And Reason they did take to be their Guide Then straight unto a Colledg they did ride Where Scholars dwell and learned Books are read The living Works of the most Wise who 're dead There they enquired the truth for to know And every one was ready for to show Though every sev'ral Work and sev'ral Head And sev'ral Tongue a sev'ral path still lead Where the Thoughts were scattering several ways Some tedious long others like short Essays But Reason which they took to be their Guide With rest and silence quietly did ' bide Till their return who ragged and all torn Came back as naked as when they were born For in their travels hard disputes had past Yet all were forc'd for to return at last But when Reason saw their poor condition Naked of Sense their Words and Expedition And Expectation too and seeming sad But some were frantick and despairing mad She told them They might wander all about But she did fear the Truth would ne're find out Which when they heard with rage they angry grew And straight from Reason they themselves withdrew Then all agreed they to the Court would go In hopes the Courtiers then the truth might know The Courtiers laugh'd and said they could not tell They thought the Soul in Sensual Pleasures dwell And that it had no other Heaven or Hell The Soul they slight but wish the Body well This answer made the Thoughts not long to stay Among the Courtiers but soon went their way Then to the Army straight they did repair Hoping the Truth of Souls they should find there And of the Chief Commander they enquire Who willing was to answer their desire They said for certain that all Souls did dye But those that liv'd in Fame or Infamy Those that Infamous were without all doubt Were damn'd and from reproach should ne'r get out But such whose Fame their Noble Deeds did raise Their Souls were blest with an Eternal Praise And those that dy'd and never mention'd were They thought their Souls breath'd out to
nought but Air. With that the Thoughts were very much perplext Then did resolve the Chymists should be next Which they would ask so unto them they go To be resolv'd If they of Souls did know They said unto the Thoughts When Bodies dye Souls are th' Elixir and pure Chymistry For Gold said they can never wasted be Nor can it alter from its purity Eternal 't is and shall for ever last And as pure Gold so Souls do never wast Souls are the Essence and pure Spirits of Gold Which never change but shall for ever hold And as Fire doth the pure from dross divide So Souls in Death are cleans'd and purifi'd From grosser parts of Body and no doubt The Soul as Spirits Death exhaleth out It is the Essence of great Nature's store All Matter hath this Essence less or more After the Thoughts had mused long In fine Said they we think the Soul is more Divine Than from a Metal'd Earth for to proceed Well known it is all Metals Earth doth breed And though of purest Earth the true Gold be Being refin'd by Heat to that degree Of pureness by which it long doth last Yet may long time and labour make it wast To shew 't is not Eternal and perchance Some slight Experience may that work advance Which Man hath not yet found but Time said they May Chymists teach and so they went away But travelling about they weary grew To rest a while they for a time withdrew The search of Truth into a Cottage went Where liv'd an aged Cottage well content A Man and Wife which pious were and old To them the Thoughts their tedious Journeys told And what they went to seek the Truth to find Concerning Souls to tell unto the Mind For we desire said they the truth to know From whence the Soul proceeds or where 't will go When parted from the Body The Old Man said Of such Employment he should be afraid Lest Nature or the Gods should angry be For his Presumption and Curiosity If it be Nature's work there is no doubt But it doth transmigrate all things about And who can follow Nature's steps and pace And all the subtil ways that she doth trace Her various Forms which curious Motion makes Or what Ingredients for those Forms she takes Who knows said he the Cause of any thing Or what the Matter is whence all doth spring Or who at first did Matter make to move So wisely and in order none can prove Nor the Decrease nor Destinies can find VVhich are the Laws that every thing do bind But who can tell that Nature is not VVife To mighty Jove and he begets the life Of every Creature which she breeds and brings Forth several Forms each Figure from her springs Thus Souls and Bodies joined in one Gin Though Bodies mortal be the Soul 's divine As being first begot by Jove and so The purest part of Life 's the Soul we know For th' animated part from Jove proceeds The grosser part from Nature self she breeds And what 's more Animated than Mankind Unless his Soul which is of higher Kind Thus ev'ry Creature to Jove and Nature are As Sons and Daughters and their Off-spring fair And as their Parents of them do take care So they as Children ought not for to fear How they dispose of them but to submit Obediently to all that they think fit Not to dispute on idle Questions still But shew obedience to their Maker's will Man asketh blessing of his Father Jove And Jove doth seem Mankind the best to love And Nature she her blessing doth bestow When she gives Health makes Plenty for to flow The blessings which Jove gives unto Mankind Are peaceful Thoughts and a still quiet Mind And Jove is pleas'd when that we serve his VVife Our Mother Nature with a Virtuous Life For Moral Virtues are the Ground whereon All Jove's Commands and Laws are built upon Thoughts trouble not your selves said he which way The Soul shall go to Jove and Nature pay For Temperance wherein the Life is blest That Temperance doth please the Life the best Intemperance doth torture Life with pain And what 's superfluous to us is vain Therefore return and temper well the Mind For you the truth of Souls shall never find At last came Reason which had been their Guide And brought them Faith in her they did confide Taking their leave away with Faith they ride And Faith e're since doth with the Mind reside A Lady which all Vanities had left Since she of Youth and Beauty was bereft She said That Pride in Youth was a great sin Of which a Tale did tell thus entring in A Description of the Fall of foolish and self-conceited Pride THere was a Lady rich that sate in state And round about her did her Servants wait Where every Tongue did walk still in their turn But in the ways of Flattery they run You are said one the finest drest to day A Heavenly Creature did another say Your Skin is purer far than Lillies white And yet is clear and glassy as the Light And from your Eyes such splendrous rays do spread That they seem like a Glory round your Head Your Wit is such 't is supernatural And all that hear you speak straight Lovers fall The sound but of your Voice charms every Ear And when you speak your breath perfumes the air Thus by these flatteries most proud she grew And scornful looks on every Object threw All Men she scorn'd that did to her address And laugh'd at all did love to her profess Her Senses for to please she was so nice That nothing serv'd but what was of great price Thus did she live in Lux'ry Pride and Ease And all her Thoughts were still her self to please She never pray'd unto the Gods on high For she did think her self a Deity That all Mankind was made her to admire And ought her Favours most for to desire That every knee that bow'd not to her low Or whose demeanors did not reverence show She thought them Beasts that did not Merit know Or that her Frowns should work their overthrow Her Smiles and Frowns she thought such power had As Destiny to work both good and bad At last the Gods that always have an eye Upon the Earth who all things do descry Amongst poor Mortals they this Lady spy'd Whose heart was swell'd and thoughts were big with pride Begot by Pluto's Wealth and Nature's Paint Bred in the Soul which makes it sick and faint But Pride is nurs'd still by the Senses five VVhat from each Sense it sucks it keeps alive But if no Nourishment it gets from those As Touch Taste Sound sweet pleasant scent orshows It faints and pines a way as starv'd so dyes And in a Grave of Melancholy lyes But as I said when Gods poor Mortals view'd They for their sins with Punishment pursu'd Then with this Lady they did first begin Many ill accidents at her they fling First they did set her
House and Goods on fire Where her rich Furniture did soon expire Then Envy sought all ways to pull her down And tax'd her Land as due unto the Crown And in that Suit great Sums of Money vast Lawyers ingross'd which made those Sums to wast And when those Lawyers got all that she had They cast her Suit as if her Cause was bad By which her Lands she lost then only left Her rich with Beauty but of Lands bereft In which she pleasure took although but poor Of Fortune's Goods of Nature's Giftssh ' had store But when the Gods did see her still content At last they to her Body Sickness sent She patient was her Beauty still did last But when that they their Judgment on that cast Making a Grave to bury Beauty in Which Beauty once did tempt the Saints to sin Because her Face so full of Pock-holes were That none could judg that Beauty once dwelt there Then did she sit and weep turn'd day to Night Asham'd she was to shew her Face the light Time an Ingraver cuts the Seal of Truth And as a Painter draws both age and youth His Colours mix'd with Oyl of Health lays on The plump smooth Youth he pencils thereupon Shadows of Age he placeth with much skill Making the hollow places darkest still But Time is slow and leisure he doth take No price will hasten him his Works to make But accidental Chance who oft doth jarr With aged Time and then some Works doth marr But when her wealth was gon and state was down Then did her Friends and Servants on her frown So far now from professing Slavery As they did use her most uncivilly Would rail against her spightful words throw out Or had she been but guilty would no doubt Betray her life such natures have Mankind That those in Misery no Friends can find For Fortune's Favours only Friendships make But few are Friends only for Virtue 's sake In Fortune's Frowns Man will not only be A Neuter but a deadly Enemy Nay ev'n a Devil to torment the Mind If he no mischief ' gainst the body find But after she had mourn'd Three hundred days Consid'ring Nature's Fortune's various ways She did repent weeping for what was past Imploring Gods to pity her at last Good Gods forgive my Vanity and Pride Let not my Soul with sinful spots be dy'd Let your great Mercies scour those spots off clean That by your Justice no spots may be seen Consider Lord the Works that Nature makes The Matter Motion and the Form she takes The Grounds and Principles on which she builds The Life and Death in all things she distills Is various still in what she doth compose Nothing but wild Inconstancy she shows Nor is it only the substantial part That is compos'd thus by her Curious Art But what we call Immortal as the Soul Doth various passions appetites controul And as all bodies that are young want strength And wait for Time to give them breadth and length So doth the Soul want Understanding too And knows not what is best to think or do Wherefore great Jove I never shall despair Of thy sweet Mercy nor yet Devils fear To punish Ignorance Youth rash ways runs Which Age by long-experienc'd knowledg shuns But Age oft time 's as faulty as Youths be Corrupted with bad Principles we see That length of Time and Custom makes them shew As if in Man they naturally grew But to conclude the time she had to live She heartily unto the Gods did give Though young into a Nunnery she went Her Vows unto the Gods she did present Her Days not being long she soon there dy'd And now her Soul with Angels doth reside For with her Penance Tears and Contrite Spirit She wash'd away her sins and Heav'n did merit The next Tale when you read it will discover The fortunate or the unfortunate Lover A Mock-Tale of the Lord Duke of Newcastle which his Grace was pleased to say out of his great Civility That it would serve for Shadows to set off the rest He loving Truth so well that he was never good at telling Tales A Young and Lusty Cheshire-Lad did move In Venus Sphere and was so fill'd with Love When first he saw a lovely Lass at Chester Whose badg of Christianity was Hester So beautiful and fair she did appear Fresh as the welcome Spring to the New Year And Odoriferous as Flower 's birth As fair as new-born Lillies from the Earth This set the young Man's heart in Love's Flame Fire Struck dumb in Love turn'd all now to admire At last Love found a Tongue which did not fail To burst out violently and thus to rail Cursing now partial Nature that did give More beauty to her than elsewhere doth live Bankrupt in Beauty since her store is gone Mankind condemn'd to foul ones now or none Was Nature lavish or else made the Thest Upon her self since she hath nothing left Of what is handsom so I now do find He enjoys thee enjoys all Womankind For Beauty Favour and what 's height of Pleasure Since thou art Nature's Store-house her Treasure O love me then since all my hopes are crost If I enjoy you not I 'm wholly lost For what I can call Happiness nay worse My Life then to me 's but a fatal Curse But if you yeeld I 'le bless Dame Nature's Gift And Bounty to you since 't was all her drist To make her Master-piece in you and vex The envious Females angring all your Sex And if her bounty to you you give me I shall be Deifi'd in love by thee Here on my knees I beg thy Love thus low Until I have it my Knees here shall grow Therefore be kind She answer'd with sweet Eyes Which spoke not speaking for to bid him rise And then discours'd with modest blushes so As that did tell him all her heart did know Trembling and shaking with Love's Palsi'd Tung With broken Sighs and half Words it was strung Love's Comma's Full-Points and Parenthesis And this Love's Rhetorick Oratory is With Love's pale-difficulty then afraid She softly said O I 'm a tender Maid And never heard such language you 'l deceive me And now I wish I could wish you would leave me Why d' ye inchant a silly Maid alas I never saw such beauty in my Glass And yet I 've heard of flatt'ring Glasses too But nothing flatters like you Men that woo Your Tongue 's Love's Conjuration without doubt Circles me here in Love cannot get out By your Love 's Magick whispering Then did yield And said You 've conquer'd and have won the field Such Joy between them such new Passions rais'd Which made the God of Love himself amaz'd Since by no Tongue or Pen can be exprest Cupid and Hymen ne're hop'd such a Feast But see the Fate of business which doth move So cross For Business hath no sense of Love O thou dull Bus'ness Yet some States-men pry Into Love's Secrets with a glancing Eye But here
our Lover was arraign'd to stand Condemn'd to Bus'ness that in Ireland Necessity doth urge him That word Part So cruel was it struck each other's heart Which inwardly did bleed with sorrow's grief Since nothing now but hopes were their relief Sadly he goes aboard Love fills his Sails And Cupid with his wings fanns gentle Gales To waft him over he thus thought to please His wounded Lover o're those Rocky Seas Love would not leave him nor was he content Unless this dangerous passage with him went In the mean time his Mistress did commit Her self to sorrow and with her to sit As her close Prisoner this was all her end And grieved more than Widows do pretend Safely is landed now our Lover o're And Cupid with him on the Irish shore Love is so various which some Lovers see Now Love an Irish Cupid's turn'd to be And takes all memory thus from our Lover Of his first Mistress and doth now discover Love's new Plantation in the Irish Pale In Love's rich Island there which doth not fail To take our Lover and inflame him more Under an Irish Mantle than what 's store Of Gowns of Cloth of Gold Curls painted Art Cheats Love when simple Nature wounds Love's Heart This change of Love is blown so up and down By Fame's loud Trumpet through all Chester Town The Women gossip'd it and could not hold Till to his former Mistress they it told This was the first time that she smil'd to see Impossible Reports of him to be They might as well say Phoebus gives no light Or Starrs to fall or make a Day of Night As he inconstant was yet Love doth doubt Not doubting yet enquires all about And sets her Love-spies to enquire a-new But those reports each minute stronger grew So she resolv'd her self to know the truth And was disguis'd in Clothes now like a Youth And went in Cavalier The gentle Wind Did favour her and landed to her mind The Port was Dublin and could not forbear To make enquiries for her Love and there She found him at an Inn. He then began To take such liking to his Countrey-man All his Discourse enquiring for his Ends To know the welfare of his English Friends Which she so fully satisfied as he Was now enamour'd of her company And was so fond in her took such delight As supp'd and lay together too that night Never suspecting her his Mistress then Blindly went on and took her for a Man So full of Love and Friendship could not hold But to her all his Irish Love he told Desiring her to go along and see This Miracle of Beauty which was she And so she did Her Love turn'd now disdain To see his Falshood and no love remain So base unworthy and unconstant too As now began to think what she should do She quench'd her Passion which is wise and better Than Love's Complaints so writ to him a Letter Of her whole Voyage and Love's constant Hist'ry All her Designs disguises in Love's Myst'ry And left this Letter in the Window so Three or four days it was 'fore he did know Or found it out In the mean time she 's gone And shipp'd for England leaving him alone When found her Letter was such Passions grew Stronger upon him than e're Lover knew Resolv'd the foaming Billows to embrace Those liquid steps of hers he meant to trace And lay himself in pickled tears of Love Now at her feet to see what that would move But all in vain he thought too long had tarri'd When landed found the same day she was marri'd Fell in such extasies cursing his Fate The Ship and Winds that made him come so late With Love's new hopes his Sails he fill'd and then Invok'd God Neptune to go back again And all the passage as he went along Challeng'd the Mermaids in a loving Song With Love's assurances so over-joy'd As now his loving heart was not annoy'd But fill'd with Pleasure and with all Delight Thinking t' embrace his Irish Love that night No sooner landed so he thought to woo His Mistress but he found her marri'd too Cursing the Starrs of his Nativity Thus short of Wedlock at both ends to be Made him grow desperate and as they say Then in despair he made himself away Upon a Wench and some swear without doubt That there he knock'd the Brains of 's Cupid out So murther'd Love and there he did enroul Each one a Fool with a Platonick Soul And so despis'd and scorn'd the old God Hymen That with so easie words so long did tye men To make them Galley-slaves in Marriage so Ti'd in his Chains condemn'd for life to row In Wedlock's Galley Give me freedom then Thy Godhead I invoke whilst foolish Men To Love and Hymen's Prisons there do sit Justly committed for their want of Wit For he 's a Fool that 's ti'd when might be free And thus he rav'd and talk'd Non-sense you see As he that writ this Story you may mend it So for his sake and yours and mine I 'le end it A Lady said His Tale of Love did tell She with a Tale of Death would fit it well For Death said she unties the Lover's knot When deadly Arrows from his Bow are shot A Lady on her Death-bed panting lay She call'd her Friends and thus to them did say Farewel my dearest Friends for I must go Unto a place which you nor I yet know May be my Sp'rit will wander in the shade Of glimmering light which is by Moon-shine made Or in my Tomb in peace may lye asleep So long as Ashes in my Urn do keep Or else my Soul like Birds may have its wings Or like to Herc'les Flyes that want their stings But howsoever Friends grieve not nor cry For fear my Soul should be disturb'd thereby Clothe not your selves with Melancholy black Call not your Grief unto remembrance back But let your Joys a Resurrection have Call'd forth by comfort from the sorrowful Grave Let not Delight intombed lye In the sad Heart or weeping Eye Let not pale Grief my Soul affright Shrouded in Melanch'ly's dark Night But Death said she I fear him not So turn'd her head and Death her shot Then on a Cypress Hearse was laid forth dead As scorning Death aside was turn'd her head By cruel Death her arms were careless flung Her hands over the sides as strengthless hung Her eyes were clos'd as if she lay asleep Though she was pale her face did sweetness keep Her Elogie was thus Tears rain a-pace and so a River make To drown all Grief within a watry Lake Make Seas of Tears for Wind of Sighs to blow Salt Billows up the Eyes to overflow Let Ships of Patience traffick on the Main To bring in Comfort to sad Hearts again The next turn a Man And he thus began THE Silk-worm and the Spider Houses make All their Materials from their Bowels take They cut no Timber down nor carve they Stone Nor buy they Ground to build their Houses
who did nothing but sing Sonnets The Melancholy were Tragedians The Envious were Satyrists who describe the World a Hell and the Men therein Devils The Amorous run all into Blank-Verses putting them into such Numbers as to raise the Voice to a passionate whining folding their Arms fixing their Eyes But a Grave Moral Philosopher walking that way seeing a Company together out of a Curiosity went to them The first that he saw was blind Homer acting of Paris who hearing one come towards him imagined straight it was a Woman because his desire would have it so and would have him act the part of Helen The Philosopher told him He was not fit to make a Courtezan Why said Homer Pythagoras was one in his Transmigrations Whereat the Philosopher was very angry and left him and went to see who the rest were The next he met was Virgil acting of AEneas who as soon as saw the Philosopher would needs take him up for his Father Anchises The Philosopher desired to be excused for though said he I am old enough to be thy Father yet I love not the few remainder of my days so well as to have them be a cause to burthen my Son nor am I so uncharitable as he was to his Daughter-in-law to expose her to danger and so to be lost whilst he rid lazily upon his Son's Shoulders The third Person he saw was Ovid transforming Gods Men and Beasts As soon as he saw the Philosopher he would needs have him Europa and himself Jupiter and lay tumbling upon the Grass feigning himself like a Bull and would have him get upon him as Europa did and bid him lay hold upon his Horns The Philosopher said He thought them all Horn'd-mad and so left him The fourth he met was Lucan describing the Battel between Caesar and Pompey and when he saw the Philosopher he would have him stand for Pompey whilst he represented Caesar and so would have had them fight But the Philosopher told him He was a Man of Peace and not for Warr my study said he is To conquer unsatiable Ambition and not to fight and kill for Power and Authority by Usurpation The fifth he met was Martial who was writing Epigrams and would needs write one of the Philosopher But he prayed him to forbear for said he my ways are so dull and sober that they will not produce such Fancies as must go to the making of Jestings-Epigrams The sixth he met was Horace who was describing in his Discourse a Countrey-Life and would needs have the Philosopher a Countrey-Lass he would have had him sit down upon a Bank by him that he might make love to him by repeating of Amorous Poems But after much strugling the Philosopher got from him and growing weary of their Company left them to their vain Fantasms and Fantastical Humours LOVE's CURE THERE was a Man Amorous by nature and of a Courtly Behaviour who made love to a young Lady and she returned him Affection for his kind Professions but after a while he forsook her and made love to another of whom he had also the good fortune to be beloved as oft-times Amorous Men have by reason they address their Suits to Credulous Women who are self-conceited and opinionated easily believe and soon perswade themselves That Men's Praises and Promises Vows and Protestations are real and that their Affections are unalterably fix'd when they address themselves as Suitors and Servants But this Gallant left her as he did the other and made love to a third for it is the nature of Amorous Persons to love variety and seek for change being soon weary of one and the same Object Whereupon these two forsaken-Ladies became very melancholy and though they were Enemies whilst he made love to either yet now became dear Friends since he made love to neither and every day they would visit one another to condole and bewail their Misfortunate Loves But the second forsaken-Lady having been some time in the Countrey and returning thence went to visit her Friend with a Face clothed in a sad Countenance and veiled with dull Eyes and seeing her Friend who had wont to have as mourning a Face as she to have now a merry Countenance a lively Behaviour and a healthful Complexion began to be jealous thinking her unconstant Lover had renewed his Love-suit to her for Friendships made by Loss dissolve when either get what they before did lose and think they had a right to or at least a share in it But to be resolved she asked her the reason she seemed so well disposed to be pleasant for when she parted from her last she seemed to be like one newly raised from the dead or like a Statue made of Stone that had no Life nor Motion Truly said she my Mind is in such peace that my Thoughts take a harmless freedom to sport and play and it gives also my Body leave to nourish Life The second Lady said Would my Mind could find the same tranquillity The first said Truly if your Mind be troubled still and finds no rest I pity you by what I have felt my self for when my Mind was troubled there was a Civil-Warr amongst my Passions such Factions Side-takings and Disputations with Anger Spight Spleen and Malice against Love Hope and Jealousie that it caused many Tears to be shed and Groans to be sent forth But how came you to be cured said she I tell you answered she After a long Civil-Warr amongst my Passions my Body became almost wasted to skin and bone for want of rest and nourishment for my Passions had devoured Sleep and banished Appetite whereby my Mind began to be infected with a Feverish Distemper which Reason perceiving came to the rescue bringing an Army of Arguments of which Understanding and Truth were chief Commanders and after many Skirmishes those Passions being often foiled and put to a rout they grew weak and so dispersed several ways But after these Warrs a dark Melancholy cover'd my Mind like a Cloud which eclipsed all the Light of Comfort and made it murmur against the Gods Decree and complain against Nature's Works and curse Fortune's Instability at which poor Virtue whom Education had put to be my Governess was very angry and said The Gods had been too merciful Nature too bountiful and Fortune too favourable unless I were more thankful Yet she commanded Patience and Charity who were two of her Handmaids to stand by me But as my Mind was musing in came my grave and sober Companions the Sciences and seeing me in that posture began to counsel me perswading me to follow their Studies for said they nothing can compose and settle the Mind more than we do My Mind bowing to them gave them thanks for their advice But as soon as they were gone in came my Domestick Acquaintance the Arts who offered me all their Industry and Ingenuity to do me service But I told them I was past the cure of any Art Whereupon they very
she commanded every Captain of a Company should place himself in the midst of their second Ranks for if the chief Commander said she in a Company be kill'd the Spirits of the common Soldiers soon dye and their Nerves grow slack with fear and all their strength will fail unless it be to run away The Lieutenants she ordered them to place themselves in their last Ranks to keep the Soldiers from flying for said she shame will cause Obedience to submit to Authority wherefore his Eyes will be as a Fort and his Breast as a Bulwark to keep them in Then she gave order that every Squadorn should be but five Ranks deep and fifty on a breast which number said she is enough to knit into a proportionable Body more makes it unweildy and is like a man over-grown with Fat whose bulk makes him unactive either to assault or to defend himself and Rands of Ten deep said she are not only unuseful and troublesome but so many men are lost as to employment for the hindermost Ranks come seldom or never to the Charge In every Troop of Horse she placed some Foot both Pikes and Muskets to gall and hurt their Enemy's Horse when they came to encounter for if once the Horse fails the Man is down After that she commanded her Army to marchin such a slow pace as not to break or loosen their Ranks but commanded them to join so close as if there were no Vacuum in their Troops and so to move as one entire Body or Piece Lastly She commanded all the Cuirasiers should stand in the fore-front to bear the shock or break the Ranks And thus she set the Battalia in order form and figure as the ground and places would permit to their best advantage The Prince ordered his Battalia as he was used to do making it thick as believing it to be the stronger which is questionless the best way if it were only to stand still for a defence but not to assault for in Action the half of those thick Bodies serve only as Cyphers without a Figure but never help to multiply the Numeration of Blows But the Armies being both ready to joyn the young General thus spake to his Soldiers Noble Friends Brave Soldiers and Wise Councellors WHO knows but this our meeting may produce good and great Effects and bring Peace to your Countrey which is molested with Warrs and Ruin to your Enemies that have almost ruined you Comfort to your sad Friends we have left behind Liberty to your imprisoned Friends We fight for Fame hereafter for Honour and Profit now presently but if we let our Enemies become our Masters they will give us restless Fears unreasonable Taxes unconscionable Oaths whereby we shall lose the Peace of our Mind the Conversation of our Friends the Traffick with our Neighbours the Plenty of our Land the Form of our Customs the Order of our Ceremonies the Liberty of the Subjects the Royalty of your Government and the Company and Rule of our Gracious Vertuous and Beautiful Queen And shall they have Courage to spoil and we none to right our Wrongs Shall they live by our hard Labour And shall we live by their hard Laws All Noble Spirits hate Bondage and will rather dye than endure Slavery Wherefore my Friends be you constant to your just Resolutions circumspect in your ways patient in your Labours Heroick in your Actions for What Man can remember such Injuries and let their Courages be cold Wherefore for your own sakes your Countrey 's sake your Royal Queen's sake go on with valiant Hearts and active Strengths and may Apollo be your Friend shooting his Darts dazling your Enemies Eyes May Mars the God of Warr direct you in your fight May Fortune give you aid and Pallas give you victory After she had thus spoke the Trumpets sounded to Charge and the young General sent some flying Horse to give the onset and then seem to run away which the other Army seeing thought it was out of fear and followed them as in pursuit which disordered and broke all their Ranks but the Queen's Army marched in good order to meet them at which the Enemy viewing their unexpected posture was so daunted as they neither had Spirits to fight nor power to run away and so a great number being killed and taken Prisoners the Queen's Army became absolute Masters of the Field The Prince with much difficulty retreated back about a days march with some few but with the prime of his Horse where he heard of a fresh Army coming to assist them for the King fearing they were not strong enough being forced suddenly away caused new men to be raised to follow them The news of this Army rejoiced the Prince much being at that time very melancholy for the great loss he received and for the disgrace as he thought by reason he despised the Enemies to the King and to be overcome by those he scorned did wrack his Soul But taking up fresh hopes with his new-come Army returned back to the Queen's Army again who when they heard of a new Supply were much amazed and dejected by reason they were weary and tired with three Fights and disordered with gathering up and carrying away their Spoils But the young General perceiving them to hang down their Heads thus spake Noble Friends I Perceive such a sadness in your Faces as if fear had taken possession of your hearts which if it hath except Courage beats it out it will betray your Lives unto your Enemies and to be taken by a timorous thought before your Strength hath grapled with your Foes were base and if Right and Truth be on your side as sure it is and Reason rules your Judgment as I hope it doth you have no cause to doubt but if you fear the Conduct of my Youth as wanting Experience to judg or direct the best then here are Aged men who with Ulysses and Nestor may compare their Counsel is your aid Let no vain suspition therefore quench your hopes but Courage set your Spirits on fire and with their heat consume your Enemies to Ashes With that they all aloud did say Go on we will dye or conquer In the mean while the Prince was encouraging his new-come Army who was struck with the news of the last Battel hearing nothing of it until they met the Prince the sudden Report like Thunder shook their Spirits which to appease the Prince thus spake Noble Friends You that have Humility to obey Love to unite Charity to redress have Hopes to obtain for Hope is the Ground on which Courage is built Let not the Enemy of Mistrust vanquish your Faith but perform your Loyalty through your Industry for obedient Thoughts are not sufficient without obedient Actions Wherefore take Courage to fight Let not your Enemies kill your Spirits Weep not nor condole at our Losses but let us regain our Honours either by Victory or Death And they that are sloathful or cowardly in this Army may
by rage confirms it by melancholy destroys it by desperate fury as self-murther Likewise as the Sun doth not only contract and dilatate it self but contracts and dilatates the several Creatures on and in the Earth the same doth the Mind the several parts of the Body it dilatates the Body into several actions postures and behaviours to strike to kick to stretch out the Body to spread out the Arms to fling out the Legs to stare to call or cry out to hoop to hollow and it will contract the Body into a silent musing close the lips shut up the eyes fold in the arms bow or bend in the legs and as it were wind up the Body by fear grief anger melancholy joy wonder admiration and the like and as the Sun doth suck and draw from the Earth and dissolve and expel the Creatures therein so do the Passions the Humours of the Body for as some Sun-beams suck moisture from the several Springs that rise in the Earth so divers Passions suck out moisture from the several Veins that run in the Body or as such Beams which pierce the Earth make the face thereof wither and pale so will some sorts of Passions and as some other sorts of Sunny-beams for all work not the like effect draw Sulphureous Vapours from the Bowels of the Earth towards the Middle-Region which flash out in Lightning so do the Passions draw from the Heart a flushing-colour to the Face which flushes in hot blushes And as the Sun-beams draw Salt Vapours from the Sea which fall in pouring showers so do the Passions draw Salt Vapours from the Bowels which fall in trickling tears for the Passions are the beams of the Mind and have as great an influence and power over the Body as the Sun-beams have upon the Earth and as the Sun 's bright Rays cause the Elements to appear clear and light so doth the Mind's tranquility cause the countenance to look cheerful and fair Then they asked her of the Four Cardinal Virtues She said That Prudence and Temperance were two Virtues which belonged more to the Wise than the Heroick Men for Prudence barrs Generosity and Magnanimity and doth not only forewarn dangers but restrains from dangerous actions when Heroick Honour is got in Danger more than Safety and Courage is made known thereby likewise Temperance forbids Magnificence but Fortitude and Justice belongs most to Heroick Men. Then they asked her If she thought Beasts had a Rational Soul She answered That if there could be no Sense without some Reason nor Reason without the Sense Beasts were as Rational as Men unless said she Reason be a particular Gift either from Nature or the God of Nature to Man and not to other Creatures if so said she Nature or the God of Nature would prove partial or finite As for Nature in her self she seems unconfined and for the God of Nature he can have no Biass he ruling every thing by the straight Line of Justice and what Justice nay what Injustice would it not be for Mankind to be supream over all other Animal-Kind or some Animal-Kind over any other Kind Then they asked her Why no Creature was so shiftless at his birth as Man She answered There were other Creatures as shiftless as Man as for example Birds are as shiftless before their Wings are fledged For as Infants want strength in Arms to feed themselves and Legs to go so Birds want strength of Bills to feed themselves and Feathers in Wings to flye Then they asked her Whether she thought there were a Heaven and a Hell She answered That in Nature there was a Hell and a Heaven a God and a Devil good Angels and bad Salvation and Damnation for said she Pain and Trouble is a Hell the one to torment the Body the other the Mind Likewise said she Health and Pleasure is a Heaven which gives the body rest and the mind Tranquility also said she the natural God is Truth the natural Devil Falshood the one seeks to save the other to deceive the good Angels are Peace and Plenty the evil are Warrs and Famine Light is the Beatifical Vision Darkness the natural Dungeon Death is the Damnation Life the Salvation and Moral Virtue is the natural Religion and Moral Philosophers are Nature's Priests which preach and seem to practise a good life Then they asked What Government for a Commonwealth was best She answered Monarchical for as one Sun is sufficient to give Light and Heat to all the several Creatures in the World so one Governour is sufficient to give Laws and Rules to the several Members of a Commonwealth Besides said she no good Government can be without Union and Union is in Singularity not in Plurality for Union is drawn to a Point when Numbers make Division Extraction Substraction which often-times brings Distraction and Distraction Confusions Then they asked her Whether she was of that Opinion That those that had good Understandings had weak Imaginations She said She was not of that Opinion for said she from the pureness and cleerness of the Understanding proceeds the subtilty and the variety of their Imaginations and the Understanding is the foundation of Imagination for as Faith is built upon Reason so is Imagination upon Understanding Then they asked her If the Faculties of the Mind or Soul had their uses or proceeded from the temper of the Brain and Heart She answered That the uses and faculties of the Mind proceeded from the Motions of the Vital and Animal Spirits which I call said she the Sensitive and Rational Spirits which is the Life and Soul and from the regular motions and full quantity thereof proceeds a perfect Memory a clear Understanding and a sound Judgment from the quick motions proceed a ready Wit and from the various and regular motions proceed probable Imaginations or Opinions from the scarcity proceeds dulness and stupidity or insensibility from the irregularity proceeds Extravagancies or Madness and where the Scarcity and Irregularity meets it produceth a stupid dull Madness The Fourth sort that visited her were Scholars that studied Theology and they asked her Whether she was of opinion that Man hath Free will She answered That she was not so proud nor so presumptuous as to think that Man had Free-will for said she if Jove had given Men Free-will he had given the use of one of his Attributes to Man as free Power which said she Jove cannot do for that were to lessen himself To let any Creature have free power to do what he will for Free-will is an Absolute Power although of the narrowest limits and to have an Absolute Power is to be a God and to think Man had it only and no other Creature were to think Jove partial but said she Man's Ambition hath bred this and the like Opinions But said they Jove might permit Man or suffer Man to do some things She said That was as ill or a worse Opinion for to think Jove permits Man to cross his
by Nature are bred therein or root out the Vices the World has sown thereon for if we do not leave out the World the Flesh and the Devil in our humble Petitions and earnest Desires we offer to Heaven it may be said we rather talk than pray for it is not bended knees or a sad countenance can make our Prayers authentical or effectual nor words nor groans nor sighs nor tears that can pierce Heaven but a zealous Flame raised from a holy Fire kindled by a spark of Grace in a devout heart which fills the soul with admiration and astonishment at Jove's incomprehensible Deity for nothing can enter Heaven but Purity and Truth all the gross and drossie parts fall back with greater force upon our Lives and instead of Blessings prove Curses to us and the Ignorant not conceiving the difference may be lost for want of instruction therein being most commonly taught the varieties of Opinions the Sayings and Sentences of the Fathers of the Church or exclaimed against natural Imperfections or threatned for slight Vanities and many by giving warning against Vices raises those that have been dead and buried with former Ages unaccustomed and utterly unknown to the present Auditory But one good Prayer that is directly sent to Heaven buries a multitude of Errors and Imperfections and blots out many a Sin I speak not this to tax any one here for I believe you are all Holy Men and Reverend and Grave Fathers of the Church who are blessed Messengers and Eloquent Orators for Heaven the true Guides to Souls and the Example of a good Life Then they asked How they ought to pray Whereupon in a Zealous Passion thus she said O Gods O Gods Mankind is much too blame He commits faults when be but names his Name This Name saith she that Deity hath none His Works sussicient are to make him known His wondrous Glory is so great how dare Man similize but to himself compare Or how durst Men their Tongues or Lips to move In argument his mighty Power to prove As if Men's Words his Power could circle in Or trace his ways from whence he did begin His mighty Works to make or to what end As proudly placing Man to be his Friend Yet poor proud ign'rant Man knows not the cause Of any Creature made much less his Laws Man's knowledg so obscure not so much light As to perceive the glimmering of his Might Strive not this Deity to comprehend He no beginning had nor can have end Nor can Mankind his Will or Pleasure know It strives to draw Him to expression low Let Words desist let 's strive our Souls to raise Let our Astonishments be Glory's praise Let trembling thoughts of fear as prayers be sent And not leight words which are by Men invent Let Tongues be silent Adoration pray And Love and Justice lead us the right way The Sixth sort that visited her were Judges who asked her about Justice I will divide Justice said she into three parts Human Moral and Natural These three into six Punishing Deciding Distributing Censuring Trafficking and Suffering In Punishing Justice there is Divine Piety and Human Pity and if a Judg leave out those two it is no more Justice but Cruelty for Temporal Judges ought to have as great a care of the Soul of the accused as of executing Justice on the Body For if a Judg threaten terribly a timorous nature or cruelly torture a tender Body the fear of Pain may make them be lye forswear or falsly accuse themselves which endangers the Soul not only by their Oaths Lyes and false Accusations but by self-murther for those that falsly accuse themselves commit wilful-murther As for the punishing of the Body they ought not to be condemned before they can positively prove them Criminals for Probabilities although they appear plain yet are often-times deceitful The second is Dividual Justice or Common Justice in deciding of Causes and what is Right and Truth as put the case two Men claim equal right to one piece of ground which piece of ground but one can have right to The Judg not knowing how to distinguish the truth from the falshood divides the ground giving one half to the one and the other half to the other which is unjust for he that hath right to all hath as much injustice done unto him in that part that is given from him as if he had lost all the whole nay one grain of dust wrongfully taken or given away makes the injustice the same for it is not the weight of the Cause makes Justice more or less but the truth of the Cause But Judges will say It is not to be helped by reason Truth lyes many times so obscure that neither Industry Ingenuity Subtilty long Experience nor solid Judgment can find it out So they think that by dividing they do cut off some Branches of Injustice although the Root will lye obscurely do what they can But I say Injustice hath no Branches but is all Root The last Act of Justice is in distributing Reward according to Worth or Merit wherein there may be as much Injustice to deal beyond or above Worth or Merit as to fall short of Worth and Merit and though the Actions are the visible Objects of Merit yet Merit is often-times buried for want of opportunity and many times good Fortune is mistaken and taken for Merit Now it is as great Injustice to give Rewards to Fortune as unfortunate for Merit not to be made known by some act for though Merit dwells in the actions yet it was born in the Soul and bred in the Thoughts The fourth is Censuring-Justice which lives meerly in Opinion for Who knows the heart of another since no Man can give a true or a right account of his own And though Misdemeanors ought to be punished in a Commonwealth lest they should cause the ruin thereof yet to judg the heart and condemn it for faults by the Actions Words or Countenance were very unjust for many evil Actions are done through a good Intention for the Design might be honest though the Effect prove evil nay the Design or Intention may not only be morally honest but divinely pious yet the Effect prove wicked Likewise many evil actions are produced by Chance or Misfortune and it were an injustice to accuse the heart of dishonesty for Fortune's malice and Chance's carelesness Again there are many evil actions produced from some infirmity of Nature or from the ignorance of Practice or want of Experience not from a dishonest nature and though Infirmities ought to be corrected by Admonitions and Ignorance rectified by Instruction yet it were an injustice to condemn Honesty for Infirmities Faults or ignorant Errors Also for Words although there is an old saying The Mouth speaketh what the Heart thinketh yet Antiquity cannot verifie it for a truth but most commonly the Tongue runs by rote and custom without the consent of the Heart or knowledg of the Thoughts for the Tongue doth