THE FIGURE OF FOUR, OR A HANDFUL of sweet Flowers:  
Gathered out of diverse good Grounds, and set together in this little Garden within The Figure of Four.  
LONDON, ¶ Printed for john Wright.  
1631.   

To the Worshipful his Very good friend, the Favourer of Learning, and Lover of Virtue, Master Thomas Gardner, of Boram in Essex, N. Breton wisheth much happiness.  
SIR, the care of my affection, in regard of your kindness, hath made me (of late, walking thorough the Garden of many good Writers) together a few FLOWERS, which I here present to the good favour of your discretion: they are but few, the sooner looked over, but perhaps of such Virtue as may (well considered) be nothing to your dislike. Such as they be, I leave them to the perusing of your good leisure, and their use to your best liking: which, with myself, I wish to be happy in your good favour. And so leaving ceremonious Eloquence, I rest in more affection than protestation,  
Yours assured to command, N. Breton.   

The Figure of Four, OR A Handful of sweet FLOWERS.  
FOUR things above all things, most excellent to be thought upon: God, & his Word, Man, & his Soul.  
Four excellent notes in Divinity to be remembered: The Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, The Love of God is the joy of the Soul, The Mercy of God the Comfort of the Heart, The Grace of God the Blessing of the Spirit.  
Four other notes very necessary to be had in continual memory: Faith taketh hold of Mercy, Hope taketh hold of Comfort, Wisdom taketh hold of Grace, and Humility taketh hold of Love..  
Four other notes necessary for the Spirits observation: the Essence of God incomprehensible, his Power invincible, his Wisdom insearchable, and Goodness unspeakable.  
Four notes upon the names of the beloved of God. Moses, to whom God gave the Law; David, whom he chose after his own heart; Lazarus, whom he raised from dead; and john the Evangelist, that leaned in his bosom.  
Four chief Fools above all other to be noted: Adam, that lost Paradise for a bit of an Apple; Esau, that sold his Birthright for a mess of Porridge; Lot's wife, that lost her life for a look; and judas, tha: sold his soul for thirty pence.  
The Bible divided chiefly into four parts: the Law, the Prophets, the Gospel, and the Revelation.  
Four special notes out of these: the wisdom, the power, the mercy, and the glory of God.  
Four notes upon these: the Creation by the Power of God, the Government by the Wisdom of God, the Redemption by the Mercy of God, and Salvation by the Glory of God.  
The four Seasons of the Year: the Spring, the Summer, the Harvest, the Winter.  
The nature of the four Elements: The Fire, the Water, the Air, and the Earth.  
To apply them to the Body, the four Complexions: the Fire, Choler; the Air, Blood; the Water, Phlegm▪ and the Earth, Melancholy.  
Four other notes: Quantity, Quality, the Poverty, and Effect.  
Four chief creatures to be noted in Nature: Man, Beast, Fish, Fowle.  
Four things to be noted in the Nature of Man: Constitution, Disposition, Corruption, and Confirmation.  
Four notes of a good Eye: to see Quick▪ to see far, to see Clear, to see Long.  
Four notes of a strong body: to travel well, to feed well, to digest well, and to sleep well.  
Four chief notes of a good Spirit: Wisdom in Speech, Valour in Action, Mercy in Wrath, and Bounty in Reward.  
Four great blessings in Nature: to speak well, to write well, to ride well, and to swim well.  
Four chief passions of the Mind: Love, Hate, joy, and Sorrow.  
Four chief Governors of the Passion: Reason, Patience, Time, and Experience.  
Four chief Bridles of Nature: Want, Authority, Hope, and Fear.  
Four kinds of Governments: the Turkish, the Christian, the Protestant, and the Papist.  
Four kinds of wars: Foreign, Civil, Combat, and in the Conscience.  
Four chief Governors under the Prince: the Counsellor, the Judge, the Bishop, and Mayor.  
Four chief members in a Commonwealth: the Soldier, the Courtier, the Lawyer, and the Merchant.  
Four chief Upholders of the Commonwealth: the Ploughman, the Grazier, the Clothier, and the Fishermen.  
Four chief Sciences to be studied: Arithmetic for the Merchant, Geometry for the Traveller, Astronomy for the Mariner, and Divinity for the Scholar.  
Four thoughts to be excluded the Mind: the Secrets of the Heavens, the Wonders of the World, the Wickedness of Sin, and the Madness of Fools.  
Four chief persons to be regarded: an honourable Master, a loving Wife, a faithful Friend, and a trusty Servant.  
Four kinds of women not to be loved: a Wife full of words, a Maid full of sleep, a Widow proud, and an old woman wanton.  
Four men to be excluded all good Company: a Parasite, a Pander, a Thief, and a Lyar.  
Four ill shows in a House: a Table without meat, a Stable without Horse, a Chamber without Furniture, and a Purse without Money.  
Four things not to be meddled with: Meat when it is fire-hot, Friendship when it is stone-cold, Fish when it is too dry, and Herbs when they are too moist.  
Four things not to be numbered: the Sands of the Sea, the Drops of the Rain, the Stars in the Heavens, nor the Moats in the Sun.  
Four things to be eschewed: Idolatry for fear of the Devil, Treachery for fear of hanging, The every for fear of the jail, and Lechery for fear of infection.  
Four chief kinds of sickness: the Grief of the Mind, the Ache of the Heart, the Consumption of the Purse, and the Disquiet of the Soul.  
Four chief Contentments: a quiet Wife, a chief Friend, an obedient Child, and an honest Neighbour.  
Four great Treasures, a rich Possession, a fair House, a healthful Body, and a quiet Mind.  
Four necessaries to a fair House: a fair Garden, a fruitful Orchard, a pure Spring, and a rich Wood  
Four things to be much made of: a Horse that will travel well, a Hawk that will fly well, a Servant that will wait well, and a Knife that will cut well.  
Four true notes of a Fool: much Talk, often Laughter, Pide-Coats, and lavish Expense.  
Four other notes of a lewd person: a leering Eye, a fleering Look, a flattering Tongue, and creeping Courtesy.  
Four ill pieces of Music: the wawling of a Cat, the brawling of a Scold, the scraping of a Kettle, and the squeaking of a Cartwheel.  
Four terrible sounds to the Ear: Thunder from Heaven, the threat of a Prince, the shot of a Canon, and the roaring of a Lion.  
Four chief necessary wares in a City, Cloth, Leather, Linen, and Iron.  
Four ill things in a house: a Mouse in a cheese, a Cat in a cream-pot, a Dog in the Larder, and a Thief in the chest.  
Four chief persons in a Market: the Meal man, the Butcher, the Butter-man, and the Fishwife.  
Four chief Country victuals: Butter, Cheese, Eggs, and Apples.  
Four lasing Victuals in a House: Bacon, Ling, Butter, and Cheese.  
Four things necessary in a house, Oil, Salt, Vinegar, and Pepper.  
Four necessary herbs in a Garden: Rue, Rosemary, Thyme, and Parsley.  
Four good Physic herbs in a Garden: Mercury, Spurge, Pionell, and Tobacco.  
Four kinds of Grain most necessary for the City: Wheat, Rye, Barley, & Oats.  
Four best kinds of Provender for Horses: Beanes, Pease, Oats, and Veches.  
Four necessary things for a good Horse: sweet Hay, dry Oats, clear Water, and clean Straw.  
Four chief Furnitures in an Armoury: a good Sword, a good Pike, a good Corselet, and a good Piece.  
Four good things at Sea: a sound Ship, a skilful Pilot, a good Wind, and fair Wether.  
Four chief Beasts of State: the Lion, the Unicorn, the Horse, and the Stag.  
Four chief stately Birds: the Eagle, the Ostrich, the Goshawk, and the Crane.  
Four chief fruits of Commodity in a Garden: the Cabage, the Artiehoke, the Carrot, and the Parsnip.  
Four chief fruits for Dainties in an Orchard: the Apricocke, the Peach, the Quince, and the Warden.  
Four chief Services at a Table, Beef, Mutton, Capon, and▪ Rabbit.  
Four chief Salads in the Spring: Lettuce, Rocket, Taragon, and spinach.  
Four kinds of Poor men's physic, Onions, Garlic, Ale, and Grains.  
Four dangerous things in a high way: an Adder, a Slough, a Thief, & a Madman.  
The Earth divided into four parts: the Pasture, the Ploughland, the Meadow, and the Wood-ground.  
The Realm divided into four parts: the Court, the University, the City, and the Country.  
Four Divisions of the Years of Man: his Infancy, his Childhood, his Manhood, his Age.  
Four things always necessary to be remembered: to serve God, to despise the World, to provide for Necessaries, and remember to die.  
Four things to be taken heed of, not to fall into: not to creep to a Dog, to consult with a Wolf, to trust to a Fox, nor to come in the claws of a Lion.  
Four things very dangerous: to look too long upon Beauty, is dangerous for the Eye; to hearken to Treason, is dangerous for the Ear; to cut a Purse is dangerous for the Hand; and to delight in surfeiting is dangerous for the body.  
Four old English Games: Trump, One and thirty, Doublers, and Be-you-pleased.  
Four old English Proverbs: the Hart loves the High-wood, the Hare loves the Hill, the Gentleman his Sword, and the Yeoman his Bill.  
Four toiling Pastimes: Football, Wrestling, Tumbling, and Dancing.  
Four chief horrible sins to take heed of: Pride, Lechery, Murder, and Drunkenness.  
Four chief weapons of the Soul: Faith, Prayer, Hope, and Patience.  
Four things to be hated of all Men: a faithless Friend, a malicious Woman, a proud Beggar, and a miserable Rich man.  
The four divisions of time: the Year, the Month, the Day, the Hour.  
Four Diseases incurable: the Falling-sickness, the Gout, the Frenzy, the Gangrene.  
Four excellent Medicines for all Diseases: Patience in the Mind, Peace in the Soul, the Fruits of the Earth, and the joys of Heaven.  
He that would do hurt, and dare not, hath more malice than valour; and he that can do hurt and will not, hath more taste of Heaven than of the world.  
He that is full of sorrow, hath no joy in the world; and he that feareth death, hath a weak faith.  
David was holy, and yet sinned grievously; Solomon was wise, and yet committed Idolatry; Peter denied Christ, but after wept bitterly; and Marie Magdalen was a great sinner, and yet loved Christ jesus entirely.  
Fear not to do well, for the threat of a frown; nor be enticed to do evil, by promise of reward.  
Have an eye to thy Purse, and an care to thy Door, a door to thy Lips, and a care over thy Soul.  
Pharaohs Pride was drowned in the Sea, Alexander's Greatness lieth in the grave, Sampsons' Strength fell into Dalila's lap, and Dines Riches kept reckoning in hell.  
Plato was a divine Philosopher, Aristotle a perfect Logician, Virgil an excellent Poet, and Diogenes adogged Companion.  
He that will follow a Multitude, may dance at a Maypole, and he that loves solitariness, may dwell in a Cupboard.  
He that spends more in one year, than he gets in two, may fret out his Heart, when he hath no Money in his Purse.  
He that useth Quarrel, had need be followed with a Chirurgeon & he that is given to Drinking, may make his Will in a surfeit.  
A gracious Prince is a blessing to the Realm, and a foolish Master is a grief to his Servant.  
Meet not a Lion alone in the woods, creep not into a cave to rob a Bear of her whelps, trust not a Wolf too near behind thee, and lose not thy time to play with an Ape.  
A fair City without people, a fair Stable without Horse, a fair Pasture without cattle, and a fair Ship without Mariners, are four pitiful sights to behold.  
A little Ground well tilled, a little House well filled, and a little Wife well willed, would make him live that were half killed.  
Words are alluring winds, Visions are vain thoughts, Hopes deceiving humours, and Love is a pretty Morris-dance.  
He that gapes after Flies, may be cho●●● with a Gnat; and he that trusteth to Dreams may be afraid of his own shadow: he that keepeth company with fools, loseth the benefit of time: and he that loveth to walk in the Dark, may break his shins for his labour.  
He that mourns for every trifle, is worthy of trouble, and he that conceals his sorrow, refuseth comfort.  
Early rising is wholesome for the body, spare diet maintaineth a good stomach, moderate exercise preserveth health, and a good purse makes a merry heart.  
Delaying of time is the loss of occasion▪ and late repentance doth argue indiscretion.  
Love virtue as thy life, it gets thee fame after death, and she sin as a Serpent, lest it sting like a Devil.  
Ignorance and Sensuality, Presumption, and Despair, are the four chief snares the Devil layeth for the soul.  
The summer hath her flies, and the winter her worm; so hath pride, folly, misery, and sorrow.  
Love is sweet, so it be governed with reason; and friendship is comfortable, when it comes unlooked for.  
Virtue is the beauty of wit, and Honour the joy of reason, love is the life of nature, and grace is the glory of wisdom.  
Time is the plotter of Experience, and Observation is the instrument of knowledge.  
Who reveals his secrets to his friends, hath his head under another's girdle, and he that scorneth the counsel of the wise, may shake hands with a fool.  
Let the world know thine honesty, thy friend thy kindness, thy wife thy love, and thine heir thy wealth.  
Relieve the distressed, it will be a fame to thy name: advance the virtuous, it will be an honour to thy spirit: favour the learned, it may benefit thy knowledge: and love the Religious, it may be a blessing to thy soul.  
Who hears much and says little, who gets much and loseth little, who hath much and spends little, may joy much and sorrow little.  
Marry not with Age, lest it dislike thee; nor Beauty, lest it deceive thee; nor wealth, lest it corrupt thee; nor poverty, lest it impoverish thee.  
Be not a Peacock in thy apparel, a Parrot in thy speech, a Gander in thy gate, nor a Herne in thy feed.  
Be a Niggard to a Fool, and take heed of a close wit, reward the virtuous in secrecy, and discard the idle as needless.  
Use music for recreation, play but for company, labour for exercise, and study but for knowledge.  
An angry spirit, and a weak body, do but trouble time, and make ready for the grave.  
A true heart and an honest mind, with a good tongue, make an happy creature.  
Love a Prince for virtue, a Magistrate for wit, a Judge for conscience, and a Divine for zeal.  
Pay truly that thou owest▪ keep warily what thou enjoyest, give frankly that thou givest, and God will bless what thou hast.  
Grieve not an afflicted spirit, nor boast of thine own happiness, trouble not a wounded conscience, and be patient in thine own misfortune.  
Follow the Noble, observe the Wise, accompany the honest, and love the Godly.  
Be not subject to any humour, nor obstinate in any error, nor absolute in thine own opinion, nor resolute without good advice.  
Learn variety of Languages for conference with strangers, variety of studies for knowledge of Arts, variety of governments to manage thy travels, and variety of knowledge to content the humour of thy spirit.  
Scoff not a wise Speech in a mean man, scorn not Virtue in a poor habit, refuse not good wine in a wooden cup, nor deny not to take currant money out of a course canuasse bag.  
Weary not your wits with study, your body with labour, your friend with entreaty, nor your servants with rebuke.  
Make not Religion the cloak of an ill Mind, nor a smooth countenance a cover for a subtle meaning, nor a fair word a shadow of an evil deed, nor a gilded pill the cover of poison.  
In a Town of war, mark Fortifications: in a royal Camp, mark the Government; in an honourable March, note the order of the Leaders; and in the day of battle, mark the Fight.  
Strive not with thy betters, for fear of Authority; quarrel not with thine inferior, for fear of Disgrace: but shoulder with thine equal, to maintain thy Reputation; and take the right on thy side, for fear of the Law.  
Love not a Tale of Robin Hood and his bow, beat not thy brains about the reading of a Riddle, listen to no Ballads of the Fox and the Crow, nor give credit to news till they be half a year old.  
Tell no news, and write fewer, play not upon a stranger, and abuse not a friend.  
Choose a good air for thy seat, a warm chamber for thy lodging, a fair way to travel, and an honest man for thine Host.  
Better is one good Horse than many Jades, one good Dog than many Curs, one good Servant than many Slovens, and one true Friend than many Flatterers.  
There be four miserable Plagues unto man: Sickness, Want, Imprisonment, and Wrong.  
There be four plagues to a good mind: to serve a Fool, to marry a Slut, to be beholding to a Churl, and not to requite a Friend.  
Learn by a Fly, not to play with the fire: learn by a Fish, not to snatch at a bait: learn by a Bird, not to fall in a snare: and learn by a Mouse, not to creep into a trap.  
Keep thy pocket from the Cutpurse, thy stable from the Thief, thy body from a Harlot, and thy hand from a Bond.  
Follow the Wars for Honour, the Court for Favour, the Law for Gain, and the Country for Health.  
Laus & gloria Deo.