Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A33390
|
Canterbury's vvill with a serious conference betweene his scrivener and him : also a loving admonition to his brethren the bishops.
|
|
1641
(1641)
|
Wing C461; ESTC R316
|
2,931
|
9
|
CANTERBVRY'S WILL WITH A serious Conference betweene His Scrivener and Him ALSO A loving Admonition to his Brethren the Bishops Printed in the Yeare 1641. CANTERBVRY'S WILL VVith a serious Conference between his Scrivener and Him Scrivener MY Lord did you send for me Laud Scrivener I did Yesterday in the morning finding my body not at ease I sent my water to the Doctor whose opinion concerning it was this that he could perceive nothing in it but grim Death with his unpartiall Dart. Scriv. My Lord the Fates me thinkes are too blame as yet to conspire your Graces Death Laud Friend doe not flatter me it is not the Fates but Justice which requires my Death doest thou not heare as thou walkest along the streets how each Schoole boys mouth is filled with a Give little Laud to the Devill Scriv. I must confesse my Lord that I have often heard the repetition of those words but never untill now knew they did concerne your Grace Laud Nulla dies sine linea ther 's no day passes without some scandalous Libell or other concerning me that Poet is accounted of no estimation whose faâ—sie cannot elevate it selfe so high as to breake my once stony heart Scriv. Why starâ—s your Grace Laud Because living so long I have had so little Grace Scriv. My Lord be not angry with me if I make use of an old saying apply it to your selfe Laud Speake your pleasure Friend Scriv. Once being in company each man was vaunting of his honesty one amongst the rest starts up and speaks thus I am a man which was borne with as much honesty as the best man here and have made as little use of it wherefore they all concluded that he had the more to come so although your Grace hitherto have made but little use of grace be comforted with this that the more grace is to come Laud So truely I hope But prethee friend tell me seriously what is the common report abroad concerning me doe not flatter but speak the truth Scriv. I hope your Grace doth not take me to be any of the Devils sonne in Laws for he is father of all lyes as for my part I could never indure him he hath such a damnable hot breath nay and he stinks as bad some say he had the Patent for Brimstone which was the reason that not long since Tiffenies were out of fashion Laud Thou art disposed to be merry but prethee come to the purpose Scriv. As the Priest said when he did you wot what but to answer your demand and if it please your Grace there are so many things reported abroad concerning you that I had need to have as many tongues as Argus had eyes to report them to your Grace but hoping you will take my will for the deed I thus begin Some say you are a Papist for setting up Altars others a murtherer for the death of Thomas Bensteed others a foe to young Gregory the hangman Laud Why to him a foe Scriv. Because your Grace hath sneakt your head out of the coller so long Laud I can have patience to heare no further Scriv. My Lord two yeares since what was he which durst so to have reviled you I am sure you had two or three by the eares for a lesse matter Laud Tempora mutantur nos mutamurin illis Oh vaine it is to say what I have beene The times are chang'd and I am chang'd therein But what Death doe they say I must die Scriv. Some say you shall be hangd others burnt not one will indure to heare you shall have the Honour to be beheaded Laud T is wonder some doe not say I will poyson my selfe Scriv. So they doe I went the other day to the Apothecaries for a little Ratsbane to kill the Ratts about my house and he would not let me have it because he knew I was one of your Graces favourites least I should bring it unto you and you should poyson your selfe with it and so save the hangman a labour Doth your Grace thinke now that I flatter you Laud I thinke thou dost not but now come and prepare thy selfe to write my Will Scriv. Most willingly my Lord Laud First I bestow my Miter with the appurtenances which have been upholders of my pride and causers of my downfall to some learned and pious Prelate which may make better use of it than ever I did Secondly my Crosses Beads Tapers Holy water and the like I bestow upon the Pope and all his cursed crew Scriv. My Lord I pray hold a little I have heard much talke of the Pope I pray tell me what manner of fellow is he Laud I will truely define him unto thee He is one which goeth about in sheeps cloathing but inwardly is a ravening wolfe his sole intention is to rob God of glory and man of felicitie he is the Antichrist the whore of Babylon the chiefe embracer of all ambitious thoughts wherefore let all men as they tender their own salvation beware of him and his cursed deeds his thoughts are bloody and his paths lead unto destruction Scriv. Say you so for that tricke I will never goe to Rome least like a roaring Lyon he should devoure me Now if it please your Grace to goe forward I am ready Laud Thirdly my Manuscripts I bequeath to the fire because they savour rather of Popery than sound Religion my Books to poore Schollers and best of my Chaplaines which are most free from the sect of the Arminians Fourthly the wealth which I have besides I bestow it freely with the leave of the Parliament upon all those which I ever wronged which my conscience tels me are too many that to think of it my heart is ready to breake A few more Legacies I have yet to bestow which are these My prayers for the whole Realme my admonition to future Judges that they forsake and contemne bribery and love and cherish equitie My counsell to the Hierarchy that they be humble minded tender hearted piously affected industriously to their studies bended preaching painfully and purely that it may prove to the edification and salvation of the people let my falling by sinne be a cause of their rising by grace but let those of the Episcopacy beware especially of pride which is a vice so horrid in the sight of God that for it he made Lucifer which was a shining Angel in heaven to be a damned fiend in hell Scriv. Hath your Grace finisht now Laud I have Scriv. I wonder you should send for me to write your Will no signe of Death being in your face Laud Thy Argument is of no consequence it is sufficient that I have deserved Death and how soone I may have according to my desert it is unknowne to me wherefore it is good to take Time whilst Time is Scriv. My Lord I can onely be sorry for your misfortune and that 's as much as I can doe Laud For thy sorrow I thanke thee but alas it can doe me no good it must be prayer of others and penitency of my own must lead me unto true beatitude and comfort Scriv. When Cedars fall what will become of us poore shrubs Laud Dost thou not daily see the lusty and tall Oake hewed downe and yet the Bramble still doth keepe its residence Scriv. If all our Oakes should be hewed downe the Bramble sure would much lament their fall Laud If that they old and hollow were they would not Scriv. All this Time you plead against your selfe Laud In so doing I act the part of a wise Lawyer whose cause being good it is ten to one if he have not the better of the sute If I should have taken an advantage of thy proposition and have pleaded for my selfe no man of what capacitie soever but that with great facilitie might have convinced me Scriv. O my Lord had your Grace been in this minde you now are in six yeares since you never had exchanged Lambeth Pallace for a Tower Lodging Laud Thou sayst too true my watry casement no longer will stand shut wherefore farewell Scriv. Farewell Yee Bishops which in Honours Poole doe swim Ayme not too high least that you sinke with him FINIS