Selected quad for the lemma: world_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	pomp_n	renounce_v	vanity_n	3,174	5	10.1762	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A60921	The comical history of Francion wherein the variety of vices that abuse the ages are satyrically limn'd in their native colours, interwoven with many pleasant events, and moral lessons, as well fitted for the entertainment of the gravest head, as the lightest heart / by Monsieur de Moulines, sieur de Parc ...; done into English by a person of honor.; Vraie histoite comque de Francion. English	Sorel, Charles, 1602?-1674.	1655 (1655)	Wing S4702; ESTC R2041	482,307	348

long as I can stand over you I hearing him speak to me as to those wretched and sordid Varlets from whose condition I was as far removed as Heaven from Earth did resolve with my self to shew him the error of his Judgement and addressing my self unto his ignorant and most senselesse Honour I shewed unto him that I was not offended at what he said for it had no reference at all to me There are none of quality who by your words will apprehend the little estimation you make of them For my self being in a condition more advanced than is theirs and peradventure as eminent as your own I find my self no ways concerned In this case the poor habit which covers me and which hath caused you to entertain a bad opinion of me might hold it self injured let that therefore decide the controversie by its self I will have no part in it These words being pronounced which without vanity give me leave to say were delivered with an extaordinary grace they were heard by a Gentleman who walked near unto us and perceived that such Reasons could not proceed from a vulgar Spirit although the Baron the greatest Asse in the Court had not the apprehension to conceive what the least of my words did mean The Gentleman therefore by little and little conjecturing that I had good parentage and education did take pitty of me and to draw me from the fury of those mercilesse Barbarians did advise me not to goe forth at that Gate at which I entred I followed his Counsel condemning a thousand times the Nobility of this age who are followed by such unworthy Creatures whose petulant rudenesse is so connived at by them that it doth excite them to commit outrages against all manner of Persons But alas it was not by these people alone that I was so undervalued and so ungently intreated I was in the same manner abused by those who make profession even of Honour and of Modesty In whatsoever place I was there was no Citizen would permit I should have so eminent a regard as himself In the streets they would sometimes thrust me from the wall with their Elbows to have me goe on the other side and would call me Begger if I testified my resentment by any sharp language to them Nay which is more observe but the extreme unhappinesse of poverty which is always believed to be the Companion of Vice a man one time having lost his purse in the Crowd it was suspected that I had pick'd it if by some words and actions I had not immediately caused every one of them to entertain a better opinion of me You will tell me that I cannot fall into those inconveniences but only among some vain Worldlings who passe their judgements according to the least apparences but understand that even those who had renounced the pomp and vanity of the world did by a strange unhappinesse entertain the same opinion of me A Frier not knowing who they were did suffer ten or twelve dissolute persons with plush Cloaks on their backs to enter into the Chapel and also did not refuse admission to their Grooms but as for my self who would have followed them he immediately did shut the door upon me I cryed out at the Grate My Father let me speak one word unto you When he came nearer to me I thus proceeded I am not come hither to admonish you neither am I in a capacity so to do neverthelesse I assume the boldnesse to speak unto you what I know which is that your Church ought to be the Image of the celestial house of our great God and that you ought to permit the poor to take the best place as it is in that happy mansion Well well said I and smiling did proceed I see when I would come into your Chapel the better in that place to entertain my Devotion I must buy me a Cloak lined with plush or take one up at the Brokers The Frier was ashamed and because he made hast to leave me he heard not my last words whereupon at the last I raised my voice higher which redounded more unto his shame for many who were round about me did perfectly hear and I found by their smiles that they did approve my words and mocked at him who so ill observed the rules of his Order in not cherishing the poor The Frier neverthelesse had committed a Sin which he could not expiate but by a severe Repentance Consider yet a misfortune greater than the former Those who even knew of what Family I was descended did not intreat me more respectfully The little Youths the Children of Citizens whō I knew in the College and had thē there at my own Law meeting me in the streets would look upon me as if they never saw me before and although in a great humility I did salute them to renew my antient acquaintance they would only put their hand unto their Hat and the proud resalutation did come with an ill will from them so presumptuous they were to see themselves covered with Silk and to have their Grooms better cloathed than my self I did go to visit some of them who seemed to be the most courteous and with whom I had been most familiar To speak the truth they entertained me well in their Lodgings being constrained to it by the Rules of Courtesie but they would none of them take the pains to see me themselves to recompence my visit with their own conceiving that they should debase themselves too much to visit a man so ill appointed as my self and that it would be a dishonour to them if I were seen in their Company If by chance I did meet with any who discoursed on some subject where I had the meanes to make the fruits of my studies more apparent I therein was still infortunate for I durst not open my mouth knowing that the ill opinion which already was conceived of me would cause all which I should speak to be misprised and when I began any discourse I was not listned unto and one or other would constantly interrupt me In the mean time my habit every day did grow worse and worse and I found so often such new Rents that I knew not which way to redresse them I had laid forth all my stock to pay my Pension to my Landlord I had owed it him a long time and the remainder was not enough to buy Stuff to piece my Doublet and my Breeches I made fast my skirts that were unsowed with pins and my Buttons being for the most part fallen off I made use of some broken points to perform their office The rest I covered with my cloak in the best manner that I could to the end that the other defects about me might not be perceived At the last I was enforced to wear again my mourning Doublet because it was better than my grey one I was infinitely sensible of the affronts which I received in that condition and to avoid them I was inforced

with a great impatience attended to understand the resolution what Raymond would doe with him The Steward assured him that on the next day he would bring him certain intelligence of it and he failed not to come unto him according to his promise and assured him that his Master had conceived so extreme a displeasure against him ever since he had spoken something to him on the day forgoing that he believed he was resolved to put him to death Francion a long time deliberated with himself what offence he had committed against Raymond and being not able to find it out he was the most amazed man in the world He was throughly recovered of the pain which he had in his head and now he had no malady but in his Soul only He would fain have put on his Clo●ths to address himself to Raymond to understand what was the wrong which he had done him and to assure him that if he would demand satisfaction of him in the way of Knighthood he was ready to fight with him in the field ●ut his cloaths were not in his chamber and it was told him that a grea● charge was given that he should not rise He was therefore constrained to keep his bed until the day following at what time the Steward early in the morning came unto him with one of the Grooms of Raymonds Chamber who told him they came to assist to make him ready Francion made answer that they should not take so much pains for he desired that not any but his own Man might come unto him but answer was returned that Raymond would not give way that he should speak unto him The End of the Seventh Book THE EIGHTH BOOK OF THE COMICAL HISTORY OF FRANCION THe Adventures which Francion incountred in his minority have been already rehearsed in the forgoing Books where I have always brought him in speaking in his own person what were the fortunes that did attend him It is now time that his Historian should speak for him and deliver the rest of his Adventures in the same strain and method And I am resolved to doe it without taking care what it is because I have undertaken it and it may suffice that I doe give upon it this particular advertisement that I have not found a more easie or more pleasing remedy against the affliction which a long time hath possessed me than to write a History which should be as delighfull as it is serious seeing a sad cause doth oftentimes produce a joyfull effect Neither shall I regard the reproofs of some foolish persons who will blame me for this work seeing the most ingenious Spirits that were ever known have vouchsafed to follow these studies and that our present life would appear too full of affliction and too tedious if we did nor take off the unpleasing severity of it with some delightfull interposure It is to be too desperately melancholy to imagin that he who makes a profession of Virtue ought not to take any recreation at all Let him act Heraclitus who hath a mind to it and weep at the follies of the world for my part I had rather personate Democritus the most important affairs of this world being but as an Enterlude unto me And seeing that laughter amongst all living Creatures is only proper unto man I believe it is not given him without great reason and that he is not only allowed to laugh himself but to make others to laugh also It is true that my first design was not to make this contentment vulgar nor to please a number of people whom I doe not know who may read this Comical History being printed My intention was only in particular to please my friends for I considered with my self that all the world esteemed not this liberty of jeering mirth not knowing that there is nothing more difficult than to be happy in it Moreover it did much trouble me to observe that as serious things were only read by learned men so vanities and follies were the proper studies of the vain and ignorant and that there is not so poor a Groom who doth not make it his businesse to be taken with them Neverthelesse men of sound Judgement have advised me to publish this Book and have so prevailed upon me that at the last I have obeyed their perswasions and I am of a belief that my Book may please as well the wise men in the world as the simple although they differ much in judgement And because it hath been approved by some who are the professed lovers of wisedom I will confesse with them that I have mingled pleasure with profit and that in deriding the vicious I have so handsomly reproved their Vices that there is some hope left that it will administer a good desire unto them to correct themselves being ashamed of their passionate actions But it may so fall out that I doe but flatter and deceive my self and I do entertain too high an opinion of my work and of the disposition of Men. I know there are a generation of people so stupid that they will not profit by it and will believe that all my discourse is for no other purpose but to give them pleasure only and not to correct their humours It therefore will be objected to me that to meet with all sorts of men it were my easiest and readyest course seriously to reprove all sorts of Vices so that I might perswade the wicked rather to repentance than to laughter but there was one reason which hindred me from taking that way which is that I must use a certain artifice to draw and allure all the world It is necessary that I should imitate the Apothecaries who with sugar cover their bitter potions to cause them to goe down the better A Satyr whose apparence had been fierce and wild would have diswaded men from the reading of it by its title only I shall only say that by similitude I do shew a fair Palace which on the outside hath the apparence to be filled with liberty and delights but within there is nothing to be seen but severe Censures unreprovable Accusers and rigorous Judges Here are Fables and Inventions to be seen which without all doubt will appear to the Ignorant to be full of simplicity who have not the capacity to dive into the depth of them Neverthelesse these Fables doe contain such Truths that no man yet had ever the boldnesse to represent them I include also in this book the evil actions of persons of authority because in these days we do not love to behold Truth stark naked and I do take it for a maxim That sometimes we ought to hold our peace that we might speak more freely for a longer time that is to say it is good to moderate our passionate language and to confine our selves to certain times for fear that the great ones should unresistably apprehend us and condemn us to a perpetual silence I had rather lose my good words than my good

they have made a good Book would perswade us withall that their persons are indued with excellent qualities not weighing with themselves that even loose and lewd Men do sometimes accomplish a good Piece Let the World then take notice that I take things at another turn of the Scale than these Men do and being attended with more Innocence than Vanity I cannot but with some reluctation affirm That if I confesse I write well it is because I find it to be so poor a perfection that it is no great glory to become Master of it if I find not my self withall to be Master of other perfections with it What is it for a Man to boast that he hath overcome and surmounted all Misfortunes and that he knoweth how to govern Nations but only to demonstrate that he is the Master of an insolent Spirit If there are any who will not be contented with this reason and will take distast at what I have said I do let him alone to believe what he pleaseth and that my Book being petulant all over all may be taken for railery which I have spoken That which maketh most for me and which clearly sheweth that I do not mind the reputation of a great Writer is That having not put my Name unto my Book the glory which I do give my self can convey unto me no profit at all I am a meer stranger to this Impertinence against which an Antient Writer hath so much cryed out who having made a Book upbraiding the vanity of those who by their Writings would purchase renown unto themselves did not forbear from naming himself the Author of it I have not been so vain as to commit the like fault after I have so much misprized that glory I am not ignorant of the subtilty of Phydias who being forbidden to write his Name at the foot of the Statue of Minerva which he had made did draw his own Pourtraict in a little corner of the Buckler of the said Goddesse that there it might be alwayes seen but if I should find room to set forth my self in some part of my Book wher it might be discovered who I am I do believe that I should not do it At the least I am most confident that I should never suffer to have my name printed in the Frontispiece or first Leaf of the Book much lesse to have it pasted on the Walls of the City for it is not my humor to take pride that on every Sunday my Name should afflict the Doors of the Churches and the Pillars in the corners of the Streets Nor should I glory to have it seen amongst the Titles of the Comedians or to see it on the Walls keeping Company with those who professe they cure the Pox and broken Bellies I doubt not but many seeing my resolution to conceal my self will have as great a resolution themselves to enquire after me and will importunately desire the Booksellers to acquaint them who I am I will therefore send them back with that brisk answer of the Lacedemonian who being demanded by a Friend whom he did meet with what he carried under his Cloak replyed to him The question which you propound unto me is in vain for if I had a Desire that you should know what it is I would not cover it With the same mony I must pay those who have too much Curiosity concerning this Book and I am content that they should take it to be as some Infant ●ound in the Streets who hath either made up himself or who hath no Father that can be found to take care for him Do the Readers believe that I am obliged to acquaint them with my Name when I can never learn their Names and when an infinite number of Men who are never to be of my Acquaintance shall read it in my Book If there be any to whom I shall be obliged to discover my Name it shall be to my intimate Friends who will take my pains in good part when those who do not know it will peradventure blame me finding that I did addict my self to such petulant and idle Subjects when I had so many serious Thoughts to deliver As Francion was speaking this Raymond was very attentive to him and said unto him I must confesse that you have the most noble and the most generous apprehensions in the world I should be never a weary to listen to you You exquisitely do expresse your self on a variety of Subjects which do all deserve to be recorded and it seems to me that the Readers of your books should be glad to find there the like advertisements which you now declare You do too much oblige me said Francion but I dare assure you That it is most necessary oftentimes to make an Advertisement or a Preface to the Reader for many particulars are there oftentimes contained which conduce unto the advancement of our Understanding neverthelesse most men are so carelesse that they seldom or never read the Preface not knowing That oftentimes there is more there than in all the rest of the Book and the Author there makes manifest with what spirit he is endued One day I demanded of a Gentleman of that humour wherefore he did not read the Prefaces He made answer because he believed they were all of one making and having read one of them in his life he conceived it was enough he conjectured also that the Contents and the Title resembled one another But let not those do so who shall have my Books within their hands if they will oblige me to have any esteem of them Let them be carefull to read all my Prefaces for I am most elabourate in them and insert not any thing which is not usefull I will be none of those Readers said Raymond that shall fail in that particular But tell me I pray you what is the Book which you composed last It is a pleasant History said Francion It is already made and yet not one word written of it It is a sharp and a pointed Satyre on the minds and manners of some men of whom I assume the liberty to speak most freely and because the stile is not ordinary and I cannot give such a Title to the Book as is able to expresse what it doth contain I will call it The Book without a Title That shall be the Title of the Book and if that shall not be the Title of it howsoever it will agree well enough with such a fantastical piece The Subject on which I will expresse my self shall be to decipher the life and the vices of many persons of quality who p●etend to be grave and serious and have nothing but Hypocrisie in their hearts And as the Book doth bear a Title and yet is without a Title so I h●ve thought upon another thing which is very agreeable to it It is to insert an Epistle Dedicatory which shall be no Epistle Dedicatory or at least to dedicate it without having of it dedicated at all