amorous daughters for whilest they are prouiding dowries to bestow them in marriages of such as they like and thinke fittest for them they prouide themselues of Paramours such as they list to fancie But for him that should take to wife her that hath beene her fathers wanton were not such a one well sped he should be sure to haue Gaule to his Sugar sowre soppes to his sweete meate he were better to marrie a milke-maide then to marrie a fathers fondling one that is called her fathers ioy his iewell his dearling that is brought vp in pleasure in pride in idlenesse in audacious boldnesse for that is growne to a fashion and this is the cause that women in these dayes haue forgotten to blush It may be that such a one will bring a great portion but let him that shall marrie her make full accompt that her vanitie will farre exceede her marriage good And for euery hundred poundes in money she brings a thousand vanities a thousand fitts a thousand follies a thousand fancies a thousand new-fangles To day she must keepe her chamber sicke of a quotidian fitte of follie to morrow the Coach must be made readie she must amongest her acquaintance to listen out for new fashions the third day alas she breedes child and then we must looke about for dainties and farre fet and deare bought they say is fit for Ladies the Prouerbe is olde and it may be true that as knights grow poore Ladies grow prowd But this foolish nicitie that is in this common request amongst women it is got into the bone and it will neuer out of the flesh and let it sticke there still for a nice conceit best becomes a pretie soule She did well expresse it that wept so bitterly to thinke how much ashamed she should be at the day of iudgement when shee should stand starke naked before so great an assembly as she heard say would be there present I haue runne my selfe beyond my bounds my purpose was but to haue spoken a litle of these faults that are committed in knitting vp of these wicked and vngodly marriages and that in such a generall sort as almost there are no other made I haue a little glaunced by the way at the folly of those fathers that doe loue their children with more affection than wit If I should now take vpon me to speake of the ingratitude of children towards their parents I might write a greater volume then my leysure might well permit But they say it is a wise childe that doth know his owne father I say againe that in many places he is a wise father that doth know his owne child And there is not a better Item whereby to discern a Bastard then to see a brat vnnaturall and vnkind to him that is taken for his father Nature her selfe hath taught this and Nature cannot erre And therefore that sonne that both against the law of God and the law of Nature becommeth vngratefull to him whom he supposeth to be his father if he be not a Bastard I say he is worse and pittie the earth should beare so vngracious a burthen I will conclude with this caueat to carelesse parents beware of those that doe gape for your lands after your death and desire the managing of your goods during your life But it is true Nature may be peruerted and there is no knowledge in the world which is not corrupted nor any learning art or science which is not abused It were too great a presumption in me to meddle with Diuinitie no it is too high a stile for a Souldiers penne and I haue learned long since Ne sutor vltra crepidam Yet to speake a little with humilitie and reuerence I will not implore the assistance of the Muses or Apollo but of the high and most mightie God Whatsoeuer is certaine of it selfe needeth no demonstration then in Diuinitie the dignitie of the subiect may suffice for where the obiect is God the ground-worke is infallible still permanent and irreuocable Diuinitie hath beene from the beginning yea the word was before the world for the worde was God Diuinitie is a heauenly law confirmed by antiquitie sealed by God the Law-giuer written and set downe by the finger of God and deliuered by those that were inspired by his holy spirit It hath pleased God from the beginning to raise vp Patriarkes and Prophets to teach and gouerne his people and after in the Kingdome of our Sauiour he ordeined the Ministrie of the Gospel appointing it perpetuall to the end of the world and hath further taught vs to pray that labourers might bee thrust into the haruest But I am sorie now to speake of our Ministrie and but according to the trueth how manie doe make themselues blind by seeing too much such as can set the holy Scriptures at a iarre who curiously searching out the vertue of words doe carelesly subuert the words of the truth What is it that they cannot vtterly ouerthrow with their fierie blasts of thundring words by Ingins of Definitions Distinctions Diuisions Silogisms Figures Allegories then they haue so many Generals and Specials with such glosing and expounding that they will presume euen to measure gods worde and his workes with their Logicall Sophismes One holds of the Letter an other would haue vs to search out the meaning contained in the letter another stands vpon the bare worde another of the sense another of I know not what but it is a miserable vngracious studie that doth nothing else but learne how to erre The puritie of diuinitie is enspired from aboue and not to be comprehended by diuiding defining compounding nor by any other Sophisticall contending In a great part of the world euen at this day Mahomet is worshipped who was the Authour of a verie foolish Religion and the Iewes are yet looking after their Messias but amongst vs Christians it is strange to see what disagreement there is amongst our Cleargie-men about rites about ceremonies about worshipping about apparell about Discipline and about I cannot tell what Yet this is especially to be wondred at aboue the rest that they doe thinke by these contentious matters to ascend into heauen for the which in times past Lucifer was throwne downe into hell I might speake of others that can content them selues with knowing vntruths without searching out of the truth but he that will be a steward of much must yeeld an account for much and of him that hath receiued fiue Talents the Lord will looke for an increase of fiue Talents The Ministers of Gods worde are these Stewards of God appointed to dispense his holy Ministeries They are the Ambassadours vnto vs with glad and ioyfull tidings they bring vnto vs the worde of our saluation they are our fathers that doe beget vs vnto Iesus Christ by preaching the Gospel of peace they are the light of the world to shine before men in all godly example of loue of charitie of humility
consist in pampering the paunch to whom a fine conceipted Cooke in a kitchin is better respected than euer was Plato or Aristotle in the Academy of Athens I am glad I haue rid my hands of this beastly generation But what monster is this The hatefull pernicious detestable wretch Couetousnesse looke to your selues you that doe loue your selues for this beast dooth neuer come in place to doe any good This is the curre that thinkes nothing to be vnlawfull where either gaine is to be gotten or gold to be gathred This is the canker of the common-wealth that eateth and deuoureth the gettings of the poore This is the viper that poysoneth the eares of Princes teaching them to set aside all iust and honourable dealing it is Couetousnesse that maketh no conscience in gathering of gold nor in spilling of blood holding nothing to be vnlawfull that bringeth in gaine And how many haue we that be of the Trochiles kinde that doe cleanse the iawes of these deuouring Serpents that eates vp the meanes that the poore haue to liue by and that reues the sweat from the Labourers browes They heape together abundaunce of wealth with paine with trauell with periury with oppression with vsury with the wronging of neighbors with the curse of the poore which they leaue againe to vnthrifty heires no lesse prodigall in spending than their fathers were miserable in gathering by how much they are aduanced to greatnesse by so much the more they are cursed of the poore people and daily vengeance denounced agenst them by as many as doe but heare of their names The covetous miser is then most ready to deuoure when he makes semblance of greatest loue and amitie hee maketh no respect either of frind or foe with as little regard either of the vertuous or vicious When hee beginnes to giue precepts of good counsaile his aduice is then most daungerous for if it bring not poyson in the mouth be sure it hath a sting in the tayle But would you know my experience from whence it doth proceede I will not sticke to tell you It is nowe more than fortie yeeres agoe since there were some few that called me Landlord and I warrant you I was as prowd of that Lordly name as my yong Maister woulde be if his father were dead But so long as I was knowne by one foote of land of mine owne Lord how I was haunted with these gaping spirites that haue purses at commaund to purchase reuenues yet not one penny to lend an honest friend They came to mee with many good instructions teaching me to be wary of my expences and to take heede of vnthriftines and when they were in best hope to make purchase of my land then were they most busie to whisper in my eare principles of good husbandry Well they hadde it amongst them and much good do it them for me But I am taught to say Beware of these couetous purchasing fellowes take heede of these men that liue vppon Tenne in the hundred that will giue a man a whole thousand poundes woorth of good counsaile but will not lend him sixteene pence without such a pawne as they will be sure to gaine by they will stretch their tongues but they can holde their handes A man may sooner wring a thousand teares from such a misers eyes than one penny out of his purse but they are made wise too late that are made wise by their owne harmes But see now heere comes a Souldier for my life it is Captaine Swag t is euen he indeede I do knowe him by his Plume and his Scarffe he looks like a Monercho of a very cholericke complexion and as teasty as a Goose that hath yong Goslings yet very easie to please but with a handfull of Oates He lookes like Haniball the great Captaine of Carthage and good reason too for hee that should but heare his Table-Talke and how he will discourse among ignorant company would think that the Nine Worthies were but fooles in comparison of his worth He will talke of more proportions of Battels than ever Langius Vigetias or Machiauell did know of He will atchieve greater victories but sitting at a dinner or a supper than euer did Alexander when he conquered the whole world And he will discourse of greater exploits and more haughtie attempts than euer were performed before Troy And what Towne so strong or Citydale so well fortified that hee will not surprize but with discharging some two or three volies of oaths for there is not a greater Testimonie of a Captaines courage than to sweare as if hee would make his Audience to tremble and heauen it selfe to shake but with the very breath of his displeasure At a word he will attribute the actions of a whole army to his owne vertue and worthinesse and will beare fooles in hand that neyther strong Sampson amongest his Philistins Nor valiant Hercules against his vgly Monsters were halfe so fierce and terrible Now he that hath but a weake faith and cannot beleeue these myracles must be terrified with the Stab as Caligula threatned the ayre if it rained vppon his Game-players and yet euery flash of lightning made him creepe vnder his bed for feare I haue almost lost my selfe in this intricate laborinth of abuses but he that should particularly discourse of these matters had neede to haue tongue enough but because we stand in greater necessitie of the truth then we doe of wordes we will proceede with the more breuitie if any man would seeke to accuse in taxing mens imperfections with too much seueritie I answere that he that will endeuour to wipe away blemishes must first lay them open The vnknowne disease is most doubtfull to be cured and the lesse it is sought into the more dangerous to be healed We doe seeke to couer vices which the lesse they are thrust out the more they eate and fester within But wayward children are rather brought asleepe with rocking then with rating we wil therefore interlard our sowre taunts with sugred counsaile But with what patience might a man temper himselfe to speake of these most execrable creatures that doe endeuour themselues in nothing but in lying and slaundering whose poysoned breath is more pestilent then the plague of pestilence it selfe whose deprauing tongues are more persing then the point of a sword are whetted stil with scandelous and lying reports It is holden more honest openly to reprehend then secretly to backbite for as the soule is more precious then the bodie so it is a greater offence to take away any mans good name which refresheth the soule than to defraude him of his foode that sustaineth but the bodie And as the Philosopher saith Men are not borne onely to liue but they must likewise endeuour to liue well He addeth further It is a iust thing that euerie one be aswell aduised what he saith as what he doth because amongest noble mindes an actuall wrong is more easilie tollerated
payeth them in the end with more grieuous punishment than that which is obiected to our eyes or that which is inflicted vpon the body But would you see one example of the secret iudgements of God Titus the Emperour had intelligence what Christ had prophecied of Ierusalem that one stone should not be left standing vpon an other see nowe the secret iudgementes of God that the same man that persecuted the Christians at Rome goeth now to Ierusalem to reuenge the death of Christ vppon the Iewes that had crucified him drawne heereunto without doubt by his owne passion but ouer-ruled by God to be the executioner of his Iustice who many times looseth the reines of bloud to runne vpon bloud drawing one sinne to doe execution on an other one murtherer to kill another one wicked Cittie to afflict another and one prowd nation to chase and persecute another For the seauen liberall Sciences Grammar Logicke Arithmetike and the rest if I should take vppon mee to speake in their commendations I might happen to speed as he did that would needs take vpon him to speake in the praise of Hercules and to that purpose had whetted the strength of his wit to haue made a long Oration But a Philosopher hearing this needelesse commendation very prettily interrupted him and asked him Whie who discommends Hercules and I doe thinke there is not a greater argument of folly then for a man to vndertake the praise of that which is more excellent of it selfe than any other commendation a man can render vnto it For those that are professours of the Artes if there be any that are of a contentious wrangling spirit they are vnto such a one like a sword in a madde mans handes more apt to doe hurt than good The Grammarian his subiect is but wordes teaching vs to bring the diuers partes of speach in one congruitie and to this purpose they doe many times tire and martire themselues more than needes Logicke teacheth how to sift out the troth from a number of falshoodes howe to frame an argument it setteth downe rules and precepts how to define distinguish diuide conclude and how to iudge and argue But there be too many that with this little mist of knowledge will seeke to peruert and deface all knowledge and sometimes by wresting the weapons of reason will mannage them to the confusion of Reason it selfe Rhetorike by her rules doth beautifie the speach with pollished words fine phrases and gratious colours whereby to stirre affections which is fitter to adorne a leasing than to set forth a serious troth which the Apostle well proueth where he saieth Christ sent me not to Baptize but to Preach and that not in wisdome of words lest the crosse of Christ might proue in vaine Which woordes the Apostle vsed to the end the Gentiles should not thinke his exhortation to be but a well cowched leasing such as their Orators were accustomed to perswade by the force of their Arte for those haue most neede of artificiall speeches who with pleasing words doe go about to couer dishonest deedes The country-man is more afraid of the serpent that lieth hidden in the grasse than of the wilde beast that feedeth openly on the mountaine The mariner is more endaungered by hidden shelues than knowne rockes and more perrill in a secret ambush than in a ranged battell A naked tale doth most truly set foorth a naked trueth and veritie then shines most brightly when she is in least brauery A good cause bringeth credite it needeth not the help of Art and to vse superfluous eloquence in a matter of sufficient excellencie is a greater shew of a pregnant wit than of a perfect wisedom yet eloquence is one of the greatest graces whereby the popular sort are best perswaded and thinke that a man hath much wisedome and knowledge if he can speake with great eloquence and hath a sweete tongue with pleasing wordes Aristotle writte with such slender ornament of wordes with such simple manner of deliuerance and with such obscuritie of stile but yet his Axiomes Problemes and all his sentences being opened they held such lineaments and proportions of rare admiration that some ignorant expositours would needes conclude that Aristotle had deliuered his writings in this sort but of sette purpose rendring this reason because hee would that his workes should passe with the greater authoritie he writ vnder Riddles They might haue saide the like by Plato who with no lesse harsh breuitie obscureth his reasons and many times darkeneth his writings by the ill placing of the parts of his tale but yet Cicero praising his eloquence saide That if Iupiter should haue spoken Greeke hee would haue spoken as Plato did Musicke hath his proceeding from the concordance and agreement of soundes I would I could praise it but halfe so well as I loue it but yet for all that for him that hath his head troubled with too many crochets I would rather wish to haue his cunning than his wit Arithmeticke proceedeth but from a vnite yet by addition multiplication and the rest of her partes it comprehendeth things that be infinite Geometry hath likewise his proceeding but from a pricke but the knowledge of it is excellent and serueth for diuerse purposes both for peace or warre But wee haue Geometritians in these dayes some that if they can but drawe three lines with a Compasse will vaunt themselues to haue as much cunning as euer had Euclides Astrologie for the Science it selfe it is a high mysterie Mary amongst the Professors there is great variety I will not speake of incertainty because there is one thing certaine which I my selfe can assure and that is whilest the Astrologian is calculating for others hee knowes not what is hanging ouer his owne head The Letters are the first instruments of the arts and Grammar Logicke and Rhetoricke are onely entries into the rest of the Sciences and may be called the Artes of well speaking Learning is the Ladder whereby to climbe to heauen it raiseth men from earthly vanities to the contemplation of things celestiall and diuine A man that is enlightned with knowledge grasps after vniuersalities and Science it is that stretches it selfe to the heauens it meditates of eternity and makes steppes whereby to ascend to the throne of Glorie A man without Learning is but an immortall beast he hath being with blocks life with plants and sence with beasts but as Aristotle saieth that the reasonable soule partaking of the same generall nature with the Angells is ashamed to behold her selfe placed in a body which hath but fellowship with beasts And as Socrates hath defined a man that is destitute of knowledge if hee be amongest the best hee may be saide to bee a man amongest beasts but amongst the learned the best you can repute of him is to be but a beast amongest men There is nothing then so much to be sought for as
am now to speake alittle of Courtiers and it is but according vnto that little experience I learned long agoe if I hit the trueth it can be but chance medley and then I hope I shall intreate a Pardon of Course if I faile of mine ayme it is time to leaue shooting for a good Archer is better known by his ayme than by his arrow A Princes Court is like a glorious gardin planted and replenished with seuerall sortes of pleasant flowers whereof some are spoiled in the bud by the Caterpiller some reserued in the blossome to content the eie of the beholder the Bee gathereth honny from the one the Spider draweth poyson from another euery one making vse but according to his owne nature It fareth so with Princes Courtes some repaire thither hoping of preferment by their vertuous indeuours and to growe in fauour by their good deseruings other incited by vanitie make their resort to satisfie their humors with alittle foolish brauery spending their time in voluptuous excesse So that as the Court is a Schoole of Vertue to such as can bridle their mindes with discretion So it is a Nurse of Vice to such as measure their willes with witlesse affection In the Courtes of Princes fauour preuaileth with many by occasion not by desert by opinion not by worthinesse where Gentlemen must be delicate Ladies amorous the Prince himselfe studious and though not seeing all enormities yet compassed about with many that be enormious Let Trian prescribe good Laws for eternall memorie where are they sooner broken than in the Court of Trian Let Aurelius store his Court with wise men yet euen there they doe waxe dissolute The Court is fitter for Aristippus then for Aristides for Crisippus then for Cato for Damocles than for Calisthenes In Court euery man must be flattered in his foly euery great mans vaine shall haue a follower if Phaleris will torment Perillus will inuent if Aemilius will martire Paterculus will minister if Alexander will be stately Phocion will be humble if Domitius foolish Hippodamus will be frantike By these steps of soothing our Courtiers seeke to climbe and if a noble man doe but vouchsafe him a nodde he waxeth so drunken with ioy that he that should but marke his demeanour woulde thinke him to be new raised againe with Lazarus to liue another age in the world In the Court of a wicked Prince fornications Adulteries Rauishments and such other are yong Courtiers sports honest men are there oppressed Ribaulds preferred simple men scorned iust men persecuted presumptuous men fauored flatterers aduaunced Ahab being a wicked king was so ill attended that Eliah thought onely himselfe to serue God and that all the rest of the Kings seruants and followers were Idolaters and Worshippers of Baal If Honors were to be compassed by vices as in olde Rome they were by Vertues who should haue more aduaunced to honour in one yeare then Rome had of good men in a whole age In Court the itching eares of the Vaine-glorious must be scratched by Sycophants and he that cannot make the Diuell a Saint t is high time hee were with God for this is no worlde for him to liue in The meaner sorte of Courtiers must learne to creepe to crowch to flatter to make a scoffe at Vertue to buy and sell breath and to blush at no disgrace A prowde Court makes a leane Countrey and these Moathes of the Court they are the woorst vermin that can be in a common-wealth How many will Diue into a Princes eare and vnder the pretence of common good do obtaine those sutes that are but for their owne priuate gaine How many againe that liue perfumed in the Court sleeping in sensualitie secured vnder the protection of greatnes that are still gaping after sutes grasping at Monopolies the very plague soares of a common-wealth that doe oppresse a Comminaltie to maintaine the voluptuous pride of one priuate man to vpholde his inordinate expence with the purses of the poore Some will say That goods ill gotten will soone decay but that Prouerb is not true for they shall find that the goodes that are thus raked from the common-wealth will sticke close to the soule whatsoeuer they do to the body How many againe that doe poyson the eares of Princes that haue no other meanes to make themselues gracious in the eye of the Prince but by stirring him vp to wicked and vngodly acts as Lucane Curio stirred vp Caesar He that is fauoured by a Prince he must bee soothed in his pleasure praysed in his follies commended in his vanities yea his verie vices must be made vertues or else they will say we forget our duties we mallice greatnesse we enuie his fortune and how shall we be checkt by the Parasites that follow him And for those that are highly prized in a Princes fauour what cannot they effect they can flie without wings they can disguise the truth without controlment they can fight without hands they can conquer without weapons they can kill a man behinde his backe with a word that they durst neuer looke on the face with a sworde and they haue reigned more kings in their priuie Chambers with their smoothing flatteries then haue beene ouercome in the open field with their armed enemies Honourable Nobilitie are the fittest ornaments wherewith to garnish a Princes Court For Nobilitie is a most glorious and excellent Image of auncient progenie most commonly replenished with excellent vertues But Nobilitie in many places hath little left but the bare name and that is distained too by her owne deseruings Euerie stocke and linage is beautified by vertue but vertue is not beautified nor set forth by any linage It is true Nobilitie which as on a chiefe pillar is stayed vpon vertue but where that pillar is ouerthrowne there Nobilitie must likewise fall to the ground Wee followe not those steppes that bring vnto honour but we trace out those tracts that leade vnto pleasure or profite and we rather desire to be rich then to be wise If we were as couetous of our proper honour as we are greedie of other mens goodes the canker of Infamie could not so deuour our renowne and reputation Gaine and glorie did yet neuer march in one ranke no more did profite and honour We haue in these dayes varietie of Scutchins sundrie sorts of Armes multiplicitie of dignities and honourable titles but true Nobilitie is it that springeth from Vertue Salust writing to Cicero vpbraided him to be discended from a base kinde of people but himselfe was extracted from a noble progenie to whome Cicero made answer that Salust indeede was discended of noble rase but he was the first that had debased the Nobilitie of his house And for himselfe he was discended indeed from a people of obscure condition but yet he was the first Gentleman of his stocke There is nothing to counterpeise the ballance of a noble name but how many little worthy