THE School of Policy: OR The arraignment of State-abuses.  
Directing Magistrates, adorning the Court, and beautifying, the whole Commonwealth.  Nascimur pro Patria 
¶ Printed at London by Valentine Sims for Nathanael Butter, dwelling in Paul's Churchyard near unto Saint Austin's gate. 1605.   

To the courteous Reader.  
WHen I had brought this poor labour of a few idle hours to a full period (gentle Reader) I was purposed to have sent it to the world like an Orphan, without a father (being so untimely borne) yet considering it was not altogether unprofitable for this last age, wherein iniquity doth so much abound; and so much the rather, being so instantly urged thereunto by such as have an absolute interest in me & my labours, I was content to send it to the Press, and cast myself upon the general censure. I must confess it is very unscholler-like handled, being huddled up in haste without the rule of order, wanting time Decies castigari ad unguem, to correct again and again: and therefore I was almost dissuaded from this desperate attempt; and that chief because reproof is grown so headstrong, as she will buckle with Virtue: yet in this hope I rested, that although Momus and the whole brood of Sycophants, bite and snarl with their venomous and spiteful tongues, though it be not in my power to stop their mouths, yet it is in my own hands to stop my own ears, & let them bark at the Moon, with the Wolves of Assiria: yet if thou wilt distinctly read, & not rashly judge, thou shalt find matter worth the noting. Here is Virtue leading the way to honour: Vice and Ignorance exaulted with vainglory: Learning and good littrature wrapped in with poverty: Machavile, writing books against honesty: Idleness, drunkenness, & the gross errors of these days earnestly reprehended. But if thou dost patiently bear with my rudeness, it will animate a gross conceit to set upon some thing that may show a further testimony of my grateful mind toward thee hereafter. In the mean time let this my first labour be one little step, whereby I may ascend into thy good opinion, and that that is weak and inauthenticke, correct with thy pen, or gently pass it over, so shalt thou recompense my travel, and bind me to requite thy favour. But if thou art so auspicious, as with narrow critic eyes to look a squint at every thing, thou wilt dismay a young beginner, and turn my Alpha, into Omaega.  
Henry Cross.   

virtues Commonwealth: or the highway to honour.  
THe same eternised Tully, in his book of duties setteth down, that the teaching of any doctrine, which is to be taken in hand in due form, the exordium must begin with a definition, that the life of the subject whereof the discourse doth run, may the better be understood. Virtue, is an elected habit, or a settled quality, consisting in a mean, & that mean standeth in the midst of two extremes, the more, & the less, 
Virtue, defined.  and this that some laudable action, which by no other name can be termed but by the only title of Virtue. Vice is opposite to Virtue, a habit of the mind annexed to nature, not striving with reason, an inconstant desire in the whole life: rebelling against honesty: which two affections, grow up to a habit by degrees, through use and exercise, 
Vice defined.  chosen by the rational parts, and when by custom the will is settled in the course of either, the whole disposion is carried to good or bad.  
The stoics, call Vice and Virtue, Animalia, 
Ex viro, dicitur virtus.  living creatures, because by them a man is discerned, for in respect of Virtue, a man is said to be a man, which is the Etymology of the word, and in respect of Vice, to be a beast, because he wanteth those faculties, and dimensions, only proper to a virtuous and good man.  
Virtue, is divided into two parts, the Intellective, and the Moral, the former is begotten and nourished by good tutors, reading good Books, and exercise, from this floweth wisdom, science, prudence, memory. The latter cometh by custom and use, for these two are so forcible, as by it a man may get him a second nature, and this worketh this thing called Actus, 
Actus.  in the extreme parts, and is the mother of Liberality, Fortitude, and of all good manners.  
The divine essence of the soul, beholdeth nothing with contentment, but the perfect Idea of Virtue, being so pure and excellent, as she only aimeth at perfect happiness, if the corruption and disobedience of the body, did not contaminate & defile her. And therefore the Philosophers say, when she is in the company of good men she possesseth joy, but among evil, is evermore in heaviness: for the soul is occupied in heavenly contemplation, and delighted to know her Creator, his omnipotent majesty and power, the works of nature: but being imprisoned follows the body's inclination, and by that means is kept back from the haven whereunto it would most willingly arrive. 
The Christian Virtue.  But according to a Christian exposition, the very faculties of the soul, are so essentially defiled with Adam's transgressions, that it hath no power to think one good thought, or beget an acceptable motion, before it be regenerated and borne anew; for Christian Virtue standeth in Faith, Hope, and Charity, not fashioned according to Philosophy; but to have him the Author, which is both truth and righteousness.  
We must not rest then upon the moral virtue, and make that the chief good, which are but steps to climb up thereunto, as the wise Heathen taught: for all their doctrine, was but to fashion the outward man to civil obedience, making that the end which are but motives to the end. For it is not all one, to be a moral wise man, and a good Christian, a great proficient in human Sciences, and a great Clerk in divine mysteries, here is a main difference, let no man repose himself, upon such a sandy and shallow foundation, if he will stand sure: but build on Christ the Rock, the bright star of the immortal majesty, on him to cast Anchor, purify the inward parts, and dig up that dunghill of filthiness, derived from original corruption. Man's happiness standeth not in pleasures, honour, nor in the goods of Fortune: but only in those holy Virtues which proceed from a pure heart. This is the plain pathway to sanctity, and immortality, Vice sinking down to hell, the one, with Eagle-winges mounts up to heaven, the other, clogs the soul with leaden thoughts, benumbing her dexterity, for so high a flight.  
But to prosecute my intent, which is to handle the moral Virtues, and lay open the parts of humanity, it will not be amiss to touch by the way, the four chief and principal Virtues, called cardinal Virtues, as Prudence, justice, Fortitude, and Temperance, which are distinguished one from the other by their several properties, all conjoin in one, and make a union: For though Virtue be subsisting in one single being, yet because of divers works, she is devidable, and albeit many sprigs grow out of these four branches, yet is she called Virtue in the singular number.  
Prudence, 
Prudence.  is a certain brightness shining in the mind, by which the light of truth is descried, foreseeing what is fit to be done, a true affection, labouring by reason to find out the quality, and to judge what is just, fit, honest, profitable, equal, and good, not only advisedly looking to the first motive cause: but also to the consequent and final ends, by this the present felicity, and infelicity of this life, is sweetly tempered, and all things ordered in comeliness.  
Whosoever rashly setteth upon his business without her, rusheth upon the rocks of error, and by his own heady opinion cometh soon to ruin: because it is impossible to effect any thing well, unless he be guided by her light, neither can he be able to discern good from evil, things profitable, from things prejudicial: but as a blind man doth venturously travail without a guide, and at every step ready to stumble: so he that is ignorant in plotting his affairs, wadeth in darkness, wherein every storm of trial doth overturn his policy.  
A prudent man, is so cautelous and vigilant, as well in the consideration of forepassed dangers, as in prejudicating perils to come, that he meeteth with every mischief, and is not overtaken, with non putavi, had I witted, for having set his rest on a firm ground, doth not doubt but expect, not repent in the end, but rejoice in the whole action: so that she regardeth things past, present, and to come, and bendeth her force to that part that is needful, to defend the weakness of reason, and when she hath drawn out the plot, which honesty doth require, committeth it to Sapience, which as a handmaid, is ready to execute that in the outward work, which before was determined. The main difference between these two, is, the former is a general comprehending and knowledge of things; the other an experience of that in action. For as by reasoning, reading, and conversing with wise men, a man may understand much: yet without practise all is nothing. Before a Physician doth minister to his Patient, he searcheth into the nature of the disease, and acquaints himself with the state of the body, which having once found out, it is to no end if he apply not himself in outward means, to benefit the sick person with his potion: So if there be but a defused knowledge of things, 
Scire tuum nihil est: nisi te scire, hoc sciat alter.  and as it were such a collection, as by it the understanding is bettered, and no outward demonstration, it is as treasure hid in the earth and serves for no use: for there be marks to know a prudent man by, if he be unjustly vexed, troubled, 
Ennius.  or in poverty, sickness, and tossed too and fro in misery, if he rejoice in these afflictions, 
Notes of a wise man.  and patiently bear the cross, the same is a prudent man, and his suffering maketh it a mean to him: but when a man is chastised either in body or goods, and will not suffer without grief and muttering, the same is a vicious and imprudent man. To be brief, she is the right disposer of all things, an enemy to ignorance, the key of knowledge, which openeth the rich treasure of divine and human things; doing nothing but that which is right, just, and praiseworthy.  
justice, 
justice.  is a virtue that giveth to every man his own, the first and principal part whereof is, and ever was, to do God that honour which is due to his divine majesty, consisting in fear, love, & reverence, for as justice will equally render to every man his own, & bring discording things to an equality, by considering the difference between them: so much more and most of all, it is most just, to love God, of whom we have all that we have, and being perished by original corruption, were eftsoons recovered, by the sufferings of his son: this part of justice, aught to be embraced with other affection than the Heathen, who wandering in the darkness of ignorance, know not God as he is. A just man coveteth not that that is an others, but rather neglecteth his own for the good of the Commonwealth, nor with a greedy humour, doth encroach upon his neighbours possession. Without justice, no estate can subsist, for all virtues are comprehended under the name of justice, of which a man is said to be a good man, for all the other virtues cannot make a man good, if justice be absent. Tully calleth her the Lady & Queen of all other virtues; by her is the society of man preserved, the most excellent blessing that ever God gave to man was, to be governed by justice, which bridleth the hot fury of the wicked, comforteth the innocent, & equally decideth between Meum, & Tuum. And he that is exercised herein, his mind is lifted up to the apprehension of greater wisdom. For howsoever the world is troubled with hurly burly, yet the quietness of his mind is no whit distracted, but resting in security, smileth at the world's turbulent state. Finally it is a blood in the vain, giving life to the whole body, the head of all virtues: for of herself she may do many things, but without her the rest can do nothing rightly.  

Fortitude.  Fortitude is a greatness of mind, which without furious or rash resolution, feareth not to hazard itself in the greatest perils, and with eager pursuit to hunt after honourable actions, thirsting after glory, not respecting the tedious difficulty of the passages thereunto, to encounter with dangers, wade through the misty clouds of darkness, & willingly endure all bitterness of fortune, for the safeguard of the country, such were Scipiones, Fabiuses, Alcibiades, Hannibal, etc. who by their valour & great prows, reached to the top of honour. Neither is true Fortitude measured by the compass of a great body, nor by doing great enterprises, in respect of the huge stature, but by a fierce and courageous spirit, striving in a good cause, the cause is all, 
The cause maketh a Martyr.  it is not the torment that maketh a Martyr, but the cause for which he suffereth. So that to speak properly, Fortitude is that which is granted upon good cause, & possible to be achieved, such true valour was in David, who could not abide to hear the name of God blasphemed by such a monster as Goliath, & therefore knowing God would aid his enterprise, he relied not upon his own strength, but cast off all vain glory, for when matters are rightly attempted, many strange adventures proceed, even as it were by miracle: a just & honest cause maketh a man bold, hardy, and venturous, to strive against one of greater force; as King Alexander, being of small body, sought hand to hand with Porrus, which was a more mighty man: it is not then any great person or huge Colosse, that can triumph over a good cause.  
The Roman Scipio was wont to say, no man ought to levy war, or fight with his enemy without just cause offered: but if he were provoked by an injust intrusion, it booteth not to tarry till they come, but intercept them in coming, for such cause giveth encouragement to set upon them freely.  
As when our common enemies in 88 with their Spanish braves meant to have invaded our Territories, 
The Spanish bravadoes.  and came armed with instruments of tyranny to insult over our nation, and to bring our necks into a Spanish yoke, it pleased God to abate their pride, and turn their cruelties into their own bosoms. Hear was cause to make a coward valiant, and the fearful forward to fight, because he was compelled to take up weapons for his own safety; and he that will not defend himself, is not worthy to live in peace, especially when his wife, children, father, mother, brothers, sisters, yea the whole Country is in danger ro be torn and rend in pieces by savage and merciless tyrants. When it is for a common defence, is not he a wretch that will sit still and see his mother's throat cut? What if he die in the conflict? were he not better to die honourably like a Martyr and soldier of Christ, then live to see the ruin and desolation of his whole Country? wherefore no man ought to stagger or faint at a good cause, but be the more emboldened, because it giveth good encouragement. We may call to mind, and we cannot remember it too often, the overthrow they then had, not simply in respect of our own prowess, but by the assistance of a higher power, we being but a poor handful to their great multitude; they came like Briareus, threatening the heavens, and casting mountains at jupiter; yet their glorious title of invincible was confounded, to their shame, 
God gave the victory.  and our glory: this we may think upon with reverence, but ascribe the honour of the victory to him by whose means it was wrought. If war be levied without cause, or if one man shall be so foolhardy to attempt things impossible, and presume on his strength to assail a great many, beyond hope to vanquish, it is no marvel, if the success fall out against his desire, for Ne Herculus contra duos. First Hercules himself held it odds to deal with two: but when for the common good of the Country (as I said before) any man shall undertake some hard adventure to free it of some imminent peril (if sent, though by imperial command) he lose his life in the action, yet for that he is endued with true Fortitude, doth win immortality as the three Romans called Deccis, who for the safeguard of their Country avowed to die, and with resolute and undaunted courages, pierced the host of their enemies, and though they lost their lives, yet by their stout example gave such audacity and courage to the rest of the Romans' by provoking them forward, as they easily obtained the victory, which was thought to be unconquerable. I might speak the like of Codrus, Marcarius, Curtius, Marcus, and Regulus, which died most willingly for their Country. I might recite here also a Catalogue of those valorous English Knights, that have honourably yielded up their lives in the field of Mars, for their Prince and Country: but that I intent not now to make an Apology of this Virtue, but refer it to a Treatise of justice, which I suppose shall succeed this work, especially upon the improvement of this, God giving me time and quietness of mind to perform that.  
This manliness is a Virtue that fighteth in defence of equity and just dealing: but we never find that any man got true praise and honour by rash fury, for nothing is honest that is void of justice. He that is hasty to surprise a man, & soon moved to impatiency without just cause cause doth rather merit the name of lewd boldness, then manly courage, because this Virtue standeth in honest deeds, and not in vain glory, and being truly carried, serveth as a hammer to beat down those Vices, that oppose themselves to the beauty of Virtue, which chief doth appear, when preferment doth lift a man aloft, by embracing humility, and overcoming pride, which soon creeps upon the advanced: or if tossed in adversity he be vigorous, and bear an invincible courage, to combat against the passion of the mind, which is ready basely to decline: for whatsoever falleth out crookedly, is turned to the better part, she enableth to undergo damage, to bear injury, to be patiented, and not to stir, but for a common good, or his private defence, when a violent intrusion is made unto his person.  
Many hide themselves under the wings of this Virtue, that never seek to apprehend her aright, and would seem valorous and magnanimous, 
True valour standeth not in vain quarreling.  when they are but white livered cowards and miscreants: as many of these brawlers and swashbucklers, whose hot blood once stirred, cannot be cooled without revenge and field-meetings, which for every light cause they undertake, and so violently swayed with fury, that they rush forward into all desperation, without reverence of the laws of God, the law of nature, love, charity, & which is above all, care of their own salvation, do arrogant to themselves glory, by defacing and spoiling the Image of their Creator. The sons of Cain thus mastered with wrathful fury, murder and dismember their brethren, and as caitiffs and slaves, bend the will to such inhuman cruelty, and so become branded to everlasting destruction. Now if all Virtue doth consist in obeying God, keeping his laws, mastering wicked anger, and holding concord, how can that be praised which is against such a blessed assembly of virtues? or how think they, that that offence can be remitted, which is abhorred, detested, & so expressly prohibited in the sixth Commandment? men ought to live in Christian amity, and leave all revenge to him, who saith, Vengeance is mine, and I will repay it. The poor Cynic, when one had hit him on the ear, 
The patience of the Heathens memorable.  I thought (quoth he) I had left one place uncovered.  
Socrates being told one spoke many railing and evil words of him, was no whit moved thereat: and being asked why he would bear so great indignity, answered; if he spoke truth, I have no cause to be grieved, being justly blamed; if false, I have less cause to be angry, because that which he spoke pertained not to me. O that men would learn patience! and not so often fight and murder one an other, for verbal and idle quarrels: for now if one amongst a hundred be patiented, quiet, will carry coals, and meekly suffer rebuke, he is noted of cowardice, and devoid of manly parts.  
Now last followeth Temperance, 
Temperance.  as a sad and sober Matron, a provident guide and wise Nurse, awaiting that voluptuousness have no pre-eminence in the soul of man, the most glorious Virtue in any kind of estate, she ordereth the affections with continency, an enemy to lust, and a mediocrity in the pleasures of the body, whose office is to covet nothing that may be repent of afterward, nor to exceed the bounds of modesty, but to keep desire under the yoke of reason. Of the lineaments of her perfection, the whole world doth subsist and abide, even from the lowest to the highest, without whom our lusts would overthrow our understanding, and the body rebel against all good order, and the habit of reason wholly suppressed: for she tempereth and keepeth in frame the whole body of man, without whose aid many enemies would creep in, 
This little imcrocosmie is upheld by Temperance.  and infect our best parts, and utterly ruinated and cast down the bulwark of reason, and walls of understanding: but he that doth sacrifice his endeavours to so divine an essence, swimmeth safe between two Rivers devoid of danger. Extremes are ever hurtful; for if a man eat too much or too little, doth it not hurt the body? so is it of too immoderate labour, or too much idleness, of too much boldness, and too much cowardness: these extremities are vicious and evil, but the mean doth temper them both.  
No man is wise, happy, or any thing worth, if Temperance square not out the course of his life. And herein the benefit of old age is to be honoured, for that it hath this pre-eminence over youth, time hath weakened their affections, abated their courage, and stayed the intemperate blasts of unbridled liberty, and by long experience have gotten a more large portion than they, whose affections being strong, and discretion weak, set themselves against this Virtue, eclipse her brightness with the fogs of ignorance. And for this cause have wise men so joyfully embraced old age, which Tully so highly applauds in his book De Senectate.  
This is guided by Prudence, which doth govern the life of man with such reason, as she is ever careful for the welfare of the body, by curbing those passions of the mind, which are vehement and unruly: by her the mind is made capable of honest actions, and beautiful demeanours, and like a provident governess, ruleth over concupiscence & floods of lusts, which would else surround the purity of the mind. A potion to purge the soul, an Antidote against pride, and a valiant tryumpher over flaming desires, not like Aetna, too hot, or Caucassus too cold: but is content between both, and rejoiceth in it.  
If the body be not dieted with moderation, it will prove a stubborn servant to the soul, unfruitful, fit for nothing but thorny cogitations, the greatest enemies to the spiritual powers that can be, for the flesh pampered in delicates, or kept short of her natural needments, is effeminated, corrupted, and weakened, and many diseases be gotten, which are all stayed by a mean and temperate diet and the boiling lusts of the body assuaged.  
Thus far of these Virtues: more might be added, if I meant to entreat of them at large: but this brief recapitulation, may serve as an introduction, to our following discourse. Omnis virtus, una virtus absoluta, All Virtues, are but one simple Virtue, 
Plato.  being chained and linked so near together, as one cannot be sundered from the other, without disparagement of the whole. Fortitude is a noble Virtue, but if destitute of justice, she is hurtful to the good; if Temperance keep not her under she will turn into rage; and if Prudence be absent, they all fall into error. There is a mutual league, a proximity, and near acquaintance, which doth conglutinate and join them all in one, one must have relation to an other, and follow by degrees; Piety, Truth, and Temperance, must march before Fortitude; In a word, Virtue is no other but Vitium fugere: hating Vice, and loathing evil, and we better know her by her contrary, then by herself, which doth make the imagination guess at Virtue a far off: so that knowing Vice, is a good ground of Virtue, whereby the inward powers are held in, with unspotted simplicity, far more better than such as cunningly seek to know what Virtue is, then willingly betake themselves to follow it in their life, so that knowledge is not enough alone, unless it be practised by outward action: for it is better to do wisely, then wisely to devise.  
So that in general, Virtue rightly carried, comprehendeth whatsoever, is conducing and leading to a good and holy life, and he that once hath tasted the sweetness of one, is drawn with much desire to an other; one good thing begetteth an other, and taking once a deep impression, his estate is thereby preserved incorruptible without change: whereas if a man taketh hold on external goods, and lean to the mutability of Fortune, doth often stumble upon many dangerous Rocks, and fall into wretchedness, when Virtue will firmly uphold a man in the midst of all calamity.  
Horatius.  vilius argentum est auro, virtutibus aurum. 
Silver is cheaper than Gold, and Gold of less price than Virtue. She is of great moment and most inestimable value, although a carnal and gross mind, cannot equally deem the price of so rare a jewel, for where ignorance doth cover the mind, she is rejected and held of base esteem: as a simple peasant trampleth many wholesome herbs underfoot, which a skilful herbalist would carefully gather up, & extract some rare quintessence out of their hidden secrets. Wilt thou build thy safety upon a sure foundation? then here is the rock that no tempest can shake; here is a shelter to defend thee from perils, a safeguard to preserve the purity of the soul, from being polluted by the concupiscence of the body, and though never so many storms of adversity and showers of persecution, beat upon thee (being in this world as in a wilderness of woes) yet shrouding thyself under the Cannapie of Virtue, thou ioyest in the midst of all sorrow, and though the whole world be of an uproar, yet what is that to thee? thou art no whit moved thereat, for Animo caelestia tangit, thy affections are mounted up to heaven, & thy mind advanced above all earthly weakness.  
It is not only hard, but very difficile to find out, which of the Virtues are most predominant, that the victory may be imputed to her, because they are all knit in one single union, for the good of the soul. For as one link of a chain draweth an other, and an other after, till it come to the last, the Antecedent the Relative: so one Virtue is an Adamant that draweth an other Virtue unto it.  
And though she take up her lodging in a crooked and deformed body (as she is ever ready to dwell where she findeth the heart yeeldable to honesty) yet penetrating with inward desire, and bringing the straggling powers of the mind to a uniformity, doth make up the want of nature, with a supply of grace, causing him shine like Crystal, for when the life is laudably lead, there appeareth so great a glory, that it is not only admirable to the eyes of man, by reason of formal carriage in humanity; but also high pleasing to God, by the intellectual goodness, Virtue, is the spur of Honour. It is not the abundance of wealth and great dignity, that maketh a man truly noble: but the possession of Virtue, which is true honour and ancient riches, and is not gotten by loitering Idleness; but with industry and much labour, for Ardua virtutis via est, labours force that carrieth a man to Virtue, a hard entrance, a continual perseverance, because he must encounter against his passions, and stop the floods of intemperance: for such high and admirable things cannot be had without effectual endeavour, and by how much the more straighter the passage is thereunto; by so much the more careful must he be, lest it slip away through arrogance or vainglory: for in Virtue, pride gins to swell, or some Vice or other to creep in, which if not beaten back at the first, will hazard the whole frame of Virtue; or being mastered by some overweening thought, or singularly carried away with self-love, a passion of the mind disquieting reason, doth wholly estrange himself from her Beatitude: losing those compliments which formerly he was possessed of.  

Maior nobilitas.  The reward of Virtue, is true generosity, and where it is joined with great possessions, and hath long continued in the house of a Gentleman, without corruption of blood, that nobility is most to be honoured, forasmuch as long continuance hath given it the badge of glory. Plato, divideth Nobility four ways, the first saith he, are those that rise from good and just parents; the second those whose parents were Princes, or great men; the third famoused for martial exploits; 
Quadri faria nobilitas.  the fourth which excel in any kind of learning, and for virtues sake only are seated in the place of honour; these latter verè nobiles, truly noble, 
Vera nobilitas.  made noble by Virtue. Yet if one shall stand upon his riches, parentage, office, place, dignity, and by these only suppose to win the place of true honour, he climbeth a rotten ladder: for what is all this world's pomp, or titulary preferments, if not achieved by Virtue? or what doth great birth avail if he debase it by his ill life? or a virtuous memory of his ancestors, if he follow not their example? are they not like smoke and vapours, which vanish with the Sun? can a man without offence brag of the Virtues of his ancients, if his own life be vicious? For hath he not broken off the succession of Virtue by wilful detraction? wherefore what worldly glory soever is otherwise had, is filched, and her chastity at no hand will be defiled with such bastardly plants. Praises and commendations wait ever on Virtue. And therefore Tully in his Tuscul: questions, defineth honour to be a union of praises of good men, which judge of Virtue without partiality, and not by the opinion of the multitude, which look more to a velvet jacket, the outward bravery, then to the mind how it is qualified: so that the nobleness of man is his virtue, and they ought to be called noble & honourable, which are most honest and virtuous.  
If I should enter into the wonderful account which the Heathen made of Virtue, I might show how Numa Pompilius, was taken from the plough, and chosen the second King of the Romans, what was the cause think ye? but his Virtue and wisdom, for which they thought him worthy of so high a calling; this they reckoned true nobility: likewise Quintius, a poor Husbandman, was made Dictator, which was a great office, and for three months had a Regal power, and when he had ended his office, went again to his old labour without indignity to his person, or derogating aught from his worthiness, of this high estimation was Virtue among them.  
He that is nobly borne, and descended of an ancient house, should bear in his mind the remembrance of his birth, and frame himself to imitate his parents in Virtue, as well as he looketh to possess their inheritance, and joining these two in one, is truly noble: for if his ancients were more noble than he, whose dignity he enjoyeth, his praise is diminished, and becometh a bye-word and a reproach, among them that have heard of the former Virtue; or if they were vicious and of evil life, then to avoid the scandal in himself, to abhor the like, and covet to live in Virtue: so shall he purchase true honour to his riches, and worthily be deemed to enjoy the inheritance. And there is great reason to induce him thereunto: for of such a one there is a general expectation of some notable Virtue; the eyes of all men are bend upon him as on a Comet or blazing star, prying narrowly into him how he liveth, what he doth, to what science he bendeth his mind, and what good he doth in the Commonwealth, for which he is borne, and as if his private actions should be openly done, no one word or deed of his can escape the common censure. It is the more behoveful, then to apply the mind to laudable actions, & to do good in the place where he is, for so much as he may appropriate to himself a good report for well doing, & by that means participate the hearty prayers, and many good wishes of the common people; gain their love, and induce them with more facility, by his good example, to trace in the wholesome path that leadeth to the house of honour.  
Likewise the unknown, the issue of a base stock, obscurely brought up, if he will be advanced to the type of honour, must addict himself to Virtue, which will be so much the more glorious at the last, by how much more obvious his estate was at first. And this I suppose, should be a spur or goad to push them forward, because they shall not only be admired by the praises of the good, which are the badges and simballes of Virtue, but also acquire perpetual fame and renown, as the surname thereof. What should I say? 
The commodity of Virtues is unspeakable.  Virtue is a peerless and precious jewel, so rare and excellent, that it can neither be sufficiently commended, nor worthily esteemed: all human things do faint, fail, sink down, and decay, when that only will abide for ever, an honour for youth, a crown to age, a comfort in prosperity, a succour in adversity, delightful at home, not burdensome abroad, & a pleasant walking-mate to accompany a man wheresoever he goeth. What a divine glory is here? that striketh the beholder in admiration, dazzleth his sight, and forceth the very abject to reverence him in whom it doth appear, for she is so beautiful a Lady, as she maketh many gaze at her a far off, that have no power to come nigh her, but striketh into wonderment at her incomparable majesty, are metamorphosed, as it were by Medusa.  
And howsoever it is that many are so blockish and senseless, that they wander up and down like vagabonds and base peasants, and make no account of Virtue and honesty: yet are they forced, will they, nill they, to fly to her for secure in time of want, and hide their misdeeds under her golden wings. And verily, no pretence or vain show can prevail against her, but that she will have the just victory and triumph over those that have despised her; and when they are on the top of their hateful envy, they shall wish her company, and desire to embrace her, though it be but with dull affection, which the Poet well noteth, Virtutem incolumen odimus: 
Hor. lib. 1.  sublatam ex occulis querimus invidi. When Virtue doth offer herself, we deny her, but afterward seek her greedily.  
If thou therefore, whatsoever thou art, dost neglect to follow her in time, thou shalt be taught by experience, when it is too late, what it is to cast off thy proffered happiness, a faithful teacher, but a severe and sharp corrector: seek her then while she may be found, and be as ready to entertain her into service, as she is willing to serve; possess thyself of her, and she will Register thy fame in her golden Book, of never dying honour.  
It is not the riches of Croesus, the triumphs of Caesar, 
Worldly honour is no true happiness.  the conquests of Alexander the great, or any worldly pomp, can make a man truly happy, or crown him with true honour, but only Virtue. For if we value men by outward prosperity, we deceive our judgement, and serve from equity.  
Touching wealth, it is like poison in a golden cup, and commonly where it aboundeth most, there Virtue is set by least, a labyrinth wherein many are lost, not only subject to chance, and infract fortune, but also to misgovernment, pride, ambition, and many other vices; for good manners oftentimes is corrupted by overregarding riches, and moderate dispositions turned into greedy desires; grant it lifts up a man's estate, to make his delight subject to his will, indeed he is somewhat the wealthier, but no whit the honester, unless as gotten by justice, so used in Temperance, and distributed in charity, and if the rich man be also a good man, let him take heed lest they be a sting to his conscience, and draw him to sinful pleasures.  
So that the verdict, must pass upon honesty, and the quality of Virtue, more precious than the quantity of money; for as a rich man covetous, gripple, and earthly minded, is not to be respected, so a poor man simple honest, and well qualified, is to be regarded, sith the one is as a craggy flint stone, the other a precious and princely Diamond, and this was the cause a Prince of Troy chose rather to marry his daughter to a poor man honest, than a rich man vicious: For it is better (quoth he) to have a man without money, than money without a man, for Virtue is great riches, when Vice is like a sheep with a golden fleece; and as the wise school master Isocrates, counseled his Pupil Demon. to make more account of a poor good man, than of a not so honest rich man.  
Pauper enim non non est, cui rerum suppetit usus. 
Hora. ad iccium.  He is rich enough that is content with his state.  
We must not measure men, by those things as are subject to the tottering wheel of Fortune, which as Meteors in the air vanish assoon as they seem: but for that which is permanent, 
Virtue abideth to eternity.  durable, constant, and firm, which is Virtue, only Virtue, and nothing but Virtue; and therefore least worldly regard should strive against reason, the immoderate care of this life, must be sprinkled with the water of provident respect, in considering those inconveniences that rise out of the root of abundance: Man's felicity, is not in riches, they are gotten with pain, and lost with grief; pleasures end in sorrow, vainglory, vanisheth; if we think it is in wit, that is perfect folly; for a wise man, ever esteemeth an other wiser than himself; Quoad Deum, touching God, and in this standeth the greatest point of wisdom, when a man doth neither exalt himself, above a stronger judgement, nor insult over those that be weak, but ready to submit his opinion, to a better information: and hath such a slender care of his own worthiness, that if he hap to possess some worldly honour, doth blushingly receive it, as a thing not deserved: so that we cannot find the perfect good we look for, but only and altogether, in the exercise of Virtue.  

A foolish opinion.  Yet now men hunt after Riches, as though there were no true honour without it, and that to be only rich, were to be only happy, and so set their felicity on a slippery foundation: but how false this opinion is, doth appear already. For be it that honour, be not given as our ancients did, only to the virtuous and good, yet shall the virtuous man be praised, be he never so poor, even of his most utter enemy, as Metellus Macidonicus, praised Scipio, for his Virtues, and wept for his death, though he were his mortal foe, for no man be he never so envious, can take that from him which Virtue hath merited: but must, and will, maugre his head, applaud and commend him for an honest man, even behind his back, and be forced to admire those good parts that are in him, when an other man being rich, and nothing within, but all without, shall be clawde and flattered before his face, but cursed and band behind his back, and this pre-eminence it hath, maugre the worlds malignity, that where this Christian verity doth shine, she forceth the gazer to break out into wonderment, and spread that glorious report which it justly meriteth: yet there be some so sottish and mad, that though they know themselves but flattered, suppose they be by & by praised, when he neither speaketh it with his heart, but for some carnal reason, and they themselves know it to be false which he speaketh. Believe no man therefore of your own goodness, better than yourself, if there be aught in you worthy of it, if you deserve it not, think assuredly they do but mock and deceive you, and with their tongues seem to be with you, when their hearts be against you. This is a sure token, for a man to see into his own Virtue, first he sueth not for honour, but honour followeth him; and secondly is not grieved, though he be unregarded, nor beareth indignation at others happiness, and this same thing is it that we call honour: now seeing this worldly honour is of so small price, 
A true virtuous ma.  it is the part of a base and vile mind, to believe glozing and fair words, and gross ignorance it is indeed, to build honour upon the brainsick and rude opinion.  
Now what are all the goods of this world? but a troublesome carriage & grievance, because they bring no assured comfort, but do rather with their weight, pluck down those minds, that be flying towards heaven, and hinder a man in the passage to glory.  
Nevertheless, this might somewhat dismay the weakness of man to strive for Virtue, because commonly it hath no reward in this world, but wandereth up and down naked, & forsaken: but this is no disparagement to a good man, for look what he possesseth, be it more or less, is so moderately expended, that it is competent and sufficient, and this is the very fountain, whence all contentment proceedeth, for being well composed within, regardeth nothing without, but a just applause for well doing: only covetous, to carry away a good report of his Virtues, which as Trophies are hung over his Tomb, for eternal monuments. Virtutis merces, eadem & labour, illa & trophum est.  
Touching such as are loaden with this world's dross, and moistened with golden showers, living in voluptuous and vain pleasures, and defile those blessings with their lusts, what should we think of this? but that the great and rich God, is content to throw and scatter about his goods, among a sort of pedegrant peasants, and insatiable horseleeches, which greedily scrape it up to fill their Coffers, and feed their lusts: not thinking one day they must reckon of the well employment.  

Riches puff up men in pride.  Riches, not rightly ordered, provoke many hurtful and wicked desires, the mother of pride, contempt, disdain, self-love, and the very fire that burneth up all good motions, if not quenched with moderation, for they puff up a man in opinion to be some body, when he is no body, and to think himself truly honourable, because he is honoured of the vain world: supposing that to be rich in costly suits, is the only glory. This makes them spurn at all good advertisements, and despise Christian admonitions; for how cometh it to pass, that so many great, rich, and mighty men of the world, are some Athists, Papists, Neuters, Nulla fidians, 
Vain honour.  etc. and so cold in charity? but only this, impatiency of good counsel, being hard to find a faithful man, that will boldly speak without partiality: but either is blinded with greatness, or driven to silence for outward respects, to keep in favour with smooth words, especially when his state depends upon great men, there is then a Film grows over the eyesight, and such a dimness, as he cannot see, no not the Sun at noon days, be it never so clear or splendidious, but be rather as clouds to hide their shame, or instruments to incite them to more lewdness. For if such a one fall into a gross error, and by his life be a scandal to the good, living openly in some vile crime, he shall not want trencher-flies, clawbacks, and Sycophants, that will cry peace, peace, when he is at war with his own conscience, and feed his humour with flattery, be his life never so sinful; such may be fitly called servingmen, for they never serve God, but sooth them up to serve their own turn, they pretend much love and great service, when 'tis nothing but superficial flattery, if these see but a small moat amiss, a wrinkle awry, how tentible they be to mend it! but though the mind be never so spotted with vice, the eye cannot pierce it, be it ner so visible, and indeed if the humour of their master, take it in ill part, they may chance for their intelligence to be turned out of all preferment; O how they will storm if controwlde in their course! and take it exceedingly ill, 
The malici-Athist never want slanders.  as though they had a dispensation to do what they list without reproof, because they are great. If Preachers cry out against vice in general, then is it specially applied, he meant me, he spite's me, and so goes about to stop their mouths, by accusing them of railing, sedition, or slandering: or if privately admonished, then are they busy, factious, and stray from their text: yet for all this, a good man will not be abashed to whisper into their ears privately, or inveigh against vice publicly, come what will come. Solon compareth (not unfitly) laws to cobwebs, for that great flies can break through at ease, when the lesser are entangled: in like manner great men can soon rush through the walls of law, and break down Iron Gates; when the weak must abide the extremity, and have no other defence but their own innocency. Thus doth might deceive them: but Auri sacra fames quid non? what cannot gold bring to pass? it can dim the clearest sight, and raise up an humble mind to a haughty courage is it not strange that a base pedantical parasite, in hope of a lease, or some small favour, should clap his hands at wickedness? and that a man endued with reason, and hath the use of his five wits, should be led by flattery, and made blind with plausible words, not to see his own faults, though they be as thick as the darkness of Egypt, to be felt with the hand and not seen with the eye? for be it he is so obdurate, that he cannot, or will not see them: yet must he needs be noted, pointed, at, live defamed, as a may-game to the worst, and a lamentable spectacle to the best.  
I remember I read once of Alexander, 
A memorable example of a Heathen king  if happily I can now repeat it, who on a time vehemently blamed his Steward, for that having served him so long, and been so conversant in his affairs, so familiar with his private doings, and lay as it were in his bosom, as if he had been his second self, that in all the time of his service could not spy aught amiss, to dim his glory: For it is impossile (quoth he) in so many years, and so much opportunity, that I should never offend and blemish my virtue, with some dishonourable action: deserving either prewarning in the beginning, or reproof in the end, and so expelled him his service.  
Here is a mirror of true honour, this noble Prince, cast off his Steward, because he concealed his faults amongst Christians, 
Obsequium amicos, veritas odium parit.  that should be inspired with higher wisdom; the contrary is daily practised, the servant shall be dismissed for telling truth, and honest minds purchase shrewd rebukes; this headstrong opinion is the downfall of all good order: for when men-pleasers, and clawbacks, do lead captivity captive in the fetters of vanity, a multitude of honest minds are in danger to be seduced, to imitate their course of life. 
Sycophants are dangerous enemies to Virtue.  For as the Mariners in a ship, have their eyes earnestly bend upon the Master, that sitteth at the helm, and ready at his beck to do his will; so such men as stand up in the Commonwealth, and hold the Rudder of direction in their hands, are duly watched, and attentively overseen, and according to their aim, the common sort bend their course.  
O how riches mock men with certainty, when nothing is more mutable and slippery, with perfect happiness, when nothing is more wretched, the nurse of pride, the school of abuse, and the guide that leads into many temptations, it is much better rather to shine in Virtue, then in riches. And therefore our Saviour Christ in the Gospel, compareth the felicity of a rich man, to an impossibility: saying, that it is as hard for him to climb to heaven, being loaden with dross, as for a Camel to creep through the eye of a Needle: and this made the Philosophers in their human wisdom, so much despise worldly honour, and undergo poverty with so great patience. 
Examples of contemners of money.  Annacreon, having a huge mass of money sent him by Polycrates, could never rest till he was rid of it again, his mind troubled, his sleep broken, returned it again to him that sent it: saying he never lived in so great fear and dread all his life long, as he had done those two days while the money was in his house. Photion, in like manner, when the king had sent him a great benevolence, he asked him that brought it, what moved his master to send him so much money, seeing the king did not know him? answered, it was in respect of the great fame he heard of his virtues: If that be the cause (quoth he) carry it back to him again, and let him leave me as I am, and not by increase of wealth to diminish my virtues. Diogenes refused all, and craved nothing, but the common benefit of the Sun, which Alexander had taken from him, by standing between him and it.  
Plutarch reporteth, that when Alexander upon a time came into a poor barren Country, thinking to have made some great conquest, found the inhabitants gathering roots & grass to eat, neither using force to repel and keep him back, nor any means to dissuade him from his warlike attempt, but as poor snakes, were altogether busied for their bellies. The King considering their poverty, and unfruitfulness of their country, had pity and compassion on their misery, and bade them ask what they would, and it should incontinently be granted. Quoth they (with one consent) give us everlasting life. Why how can I give that (quoth he) that am but a mortal man? Then why seek you to win the whole world, as though you were immortal, and should never die? Zenon, Crates, infinite were the examples of those that were ravished with the formossitie and excellent hue of Virtue, that they contemned money, riches, pomp, choosing poverty for the pure life of perfection, bearing the bitterness of fortune with an unconquerable courage. The ancient victorious Romans' sought after Virtue, and by their noble deeds and heroical spirits, got the palm of true honour, not sparing body or goods to advance the Commonwealth; 
The shadow of virtue was more esteemed among the Heathen, than the true body is now among the Christians.  in so much as many of them had not wherewith to endow their daughters, nor which was less, to defray Funeral charges, but what they had out of the common store, which by their conquests they had so greatly enriched, as Scipio, Sylla, and the great Pompey: for then Virtue was their chiefest riches. An example we find of a noble captain, who being offered a great reward by his General for his knighthood and valour done in service, with this gratulation thou shalt be paid in riches for thy valour, and not in honour for Virtue; he refused the one, and took the other, counting riches not worthy to be matched with the dignity of Virtue.  
The Martyrs in all ages are much to be admired, that being endued with true fortitude, did most willingly embrace their deaths, and suffer their bodies to be rend, torn, and cruelly burned, by the persecutors, for the profession of a good conscience, and by their meek sufferings, gained perpetual honour.  
And although it falleth out as for the most part it doth, that men endued with rare and singular virtues, are utterly forgotten, and scarce noted while they live; yet being dead, their fame mounts up to heaven, and is divulged and spread in the earth; for the want of a good thing, is then most precious when it is removed farthest off. Cato was scarce known while he lived, but after his death, was of great price; and all those famous Philosophers, Orators, schoolmen, that lived in darkness, and were so basely esteemed, yet we see by the memory of their goodly virtues, they now live again by being recommended from one age to an other. And here-hence sprung the multiplicity of Heathen gods, I mean from the notable virtues of singular men: for the foolish antiquity, honoured men as gods after their deaths, 
Cicero de nat. dear.  which either were of high dignity while they lived, of great birth, or had done some notable benefit for their Country: for honour and reverence is rehibited for some certain cause, rising of external things, framed by Virtue, for honour is compounded of honesty. 
Honour ex virtute oritur.  Hermes, or Mercurius, was of such fame among the Egyptians, as he was deified and made a god, calling him the Messenger of jupiter. Mars, a great warrior. Bacchus, the inventor of wine. Esculapius, a Physician. Pytho. was so reverently thought of amongst the Barbarians, for that by his singular wisdom he had withdrawn the inhabitants from their vices, that they made of his Cottage a Temple, giving him divine honour. What contumelies and strife was about the body of Homer, when seven Cities were at variance to possess his corpses when he was dead.  
Septem urbes certant, de stirpe insignis Homeri: 
Aulus bell.   
Smyrna, Rhodes, Colophon, Salamin, jos, Argos, Athenae.  
Diogenes lived beggarly, in contempt, but after his death was honourably interred in a monument of fame: so that the memory of these sprung from the root of Virtue, and from some notable exploit, which got the people's love, who thought the applause of this world was no sufficient recompense for their virtues.  
The flourishing state of the Romans', Athenians, Lacedæmonians, and other dominions, 
virtues hold up a commonwealth.  were all upheld by Virtue; for where Virtue is established, there Vice is detested: for as light and darkness, fire and water, cannot be put together but one will confound the others nature: so these two contraries, cannot jointly hold possession, but one will utterly extinct the other; and where Virtue is wanting in a general government, that Commonwealth is wholly overthrown.  
Oderunt peccare boni, virtutis amore, 
Hora.   
Oderunt peccare mali, formidine paene.  
The good hate to sin because of Virtue, the bad for law, but he is only good, that of his own will, and honest mind, escheweth evil more for conscience sake, than for dread of man's punishment: the evil and vicious contrariwise, are withheld by the rigour of justice, and for fear of penalty, the rebellion within is kept from outwardly working: so that nothing but the sword of the magistrate doth the hot rage of his fury, when the conscience lies vast and open to all wicked desires, he is not to be numbered amongst virtuous and good men. To conclude, where the Commonwealth is guided by godly laws of Princes, the lamp of Virtue shining in the hearts of subjects, laudable sciences embraced, justice without partiality administered, the good protected, the bad punished, & peace maintained, there is a happpie and blessed government, a sweet harmony of nature, and an earthly Paradise: for he that shall go about to counite and couple Vice & Virtue in one, putteth a man and a beast together: honesty admits no such knot, for the end of good, which ought to be after one sort, must not be mingled with any thing disagreeable in an other sort; for Virtue is no longer Virtue, if mixed with contrary qualities: we may then safely conclude, that there is no goodlyer possession than Virtue, and that it is perfect folly, to covet to be rich, mighty, and creep up to worldly honour, and make so small reckoning to be stored with Virtue, which is so certain, the title so glorious and permanent, whereupon one calleth it Dimidium animae meae, which is not unproperly spoken, for take away virtue from a man, which is the plain path to sanctimony, he must be numbered among those creatures that have only essence, and want understanding, sith he aimeth not at the purpose of his creation.  
The audacity and stout courage of the Heathen was such, that for moral virtues would cast themselves into dangers, many times deadly, abandon riches, endure poverty, abide tortures, desiring rather a poor quiet life to follow Virtue, then by a prosperous state to draw the mind into a troublesome stir: for poverty, performs that indeed, that all Philosophy goeth about to persuade.  
But this doth much shake the feeble conscience when we behold divers good men endued with rare virtues, and stored with good parts, 
Virtue dismayed by poverty.  notwithstanding oppressed, discarred, and as it were made the scorn and May-game of the world, finding no place of safety to rest upon, and the bad and vicious to sit in Fortune's lap. Now when we mark these unproportionable accidents, only with the eye of common reason, o how it distracteth the mind! accusing through ignorance the just and divine providence, because he permitteth the good to be punished with misery, and the bad to swim in prosperity: but if we bend our wits to find out a deeper reason, we shall see that the good are not afflicted for their hurt, but fatherly chastised for their better trial, the wicked not favoured, but severely punished; for God worketh all things for the good of those that are his: yet who can deny, but that the burden of poverty is importable, hunger, imprisonment, exile, intolerable persecution, and death insufferable? all which is enough to drive a man to despair of his own happiness, supposing God had utterly forsaken him: but the weight hereof is lightened & made easy to them that steadfastly believe God's promises, and cast their care on him, as Peter willeth: Cast thy care on him, for he hath care on thee. Moreover, though a man be poor, sick, diseased, and weighed down with a clog of misery: 
An honest man is not poor, for in adversity Virtue showeth her chiefest operation.  yet can he not say, he is so bare and naked, as utterly unable to help himself or an other; for admit he hath no temporal goods to help that way, yet can he harbour and show the rights of hospitality: if he hath neither of both, yet can he visit the sick, and cheer up his mind with good counsel: if he be poor, sick, lame, harbourless, and comfortless himself, yet can he help with his prayers, and communicate his love by his orisons and devout supplications: so that every one hath a rich fountain within, which upon every occasion may be powered out, and therefore no man can plead disability, and want of means to relieve.  
And what though a man have some casual deformity in his body, or be unhappily fallen into a wretched estate? yet so long as his virtue and honesty may be justified, he need not be ashamed of bruising the flesh, or feeling penury, but rather boast and glory in them, for it cannot be any shame or dishonour, to carry about him the visible tokens of such scars, neither doth it any whit impair his credit with the wise and virtuous, nor make him of less esteem with good men, much less with God, who putteth no difference between a king and a beggar, but only in obedience to his will: but here is the ignominy, to be branded with the hot iron of wicked conversation; as when a man shall have his ears cut from his head, 
The simbolls of vanity.  or marked in the hand for some villainy, and the spots of vice so pregnant on his body, or going under a hard censure, for a bad opinion justly conceived, in this case he hath small cause to glory or boast, but rather blush, be ashamed, and exile himself from common society, and strive with humility to reform those rebellious passions, that have so strongly lead him into such dishonesty.  
But where Virtue doth rule, the affairs and actions of this life are managed with wisdom, and those swelling thoughts kept back, which as a raging flood carry away all that is not ground-fast, that any outward grief is quietly suffered, and patiently endured: for what adverse fortune soever happens, is borne with contentment; in so much as neither poverty, sickness, crosses, afflictions, or what calamity soever come, cannot move or distemper a stayed mind: for being inflamed with a constant resolution, doth fit himself to bear the troubles of this life, with a valiant and immutable courage.  
Stilpo a Greek Philosopher, when the city where he dwelled was burnt to cinders, his wife and children consumed in the flame, and all that he had turned to ashes, himself hardly escaping with his life, was asked what he lost in the fire (quoth he) I lost nothing, 
Omnia mea mecum perto.  for Omnia mea mecum porto, all that is mine I carry about me; meaning his virtues, the only proper goods of a wise man, which no force of fire can consume, nor the fury of no enemy take away. In like manner an other being told his own son was dead, was no whit moved at the message; and being told again & again he was dead, why quoth he, what of that? I knew I begat a mortal creature, and being mortal, he must needs die: who could bear such great cause of grief without some show of sorrow? but such small reckoning did the wise Heathen make of worldly losses: for it is the nature of man to relent, deplore, and be subject to lamentations, yet their wisdom kept it under the yoke of reason: or who in these days would refuse such preferment as Diogenes? 
Riches rightly used, are great blessings.  or his load of gold, as Fabritius? or cast his treasure into the sea, as Antippus? I verily suppose few or none would be of that mind, neither is it so needfully required, Christian sorrow for worldly losses is sufferable: riches and wealth to a good man are comfortable, by reason he hath greater means to do good, for the danger lieth in the abuse, and not simply in the use: for to a bad man they are indeed the cause of more evil, because they minister more matter to his wicked and sinful desire.  
A man may warm him by a fire, though he burn not himself in it: so a rich man may moderately use his riches, though with them he stop not up the gap to happiness: but the deadly hatred they bore to external things, showed their love to Virtue, and the desire they had to dive into the depth of wisdom; o how they strove about the contemplative and active life! some choosing one, some the other, struggling who should come nearest under the wings of Virtue, and yet for all this they laboured but in darkness and blind ignorance, and never attained to that true joy, by which the heart is exalted to immortality: for the true and absolute Virtue is the true knowledge of GOD, the way to worship him aright, and true comfort in adversity, for nothing can be good without the sovereign good: if men be ignorant of that, all is false, and their intentions go awry, but the Philosophical summum bonum rested in this; namely, in the quiet apprehending of reason, and fashioning the outward man to civil obedience, and could never possess themselves of that heavenly felicity, under which all Virtue is comprehended.  
poverty ought not to move the mind with restless passions, 
poverty ought not to disquiet the mind.  but to allay the heat with contentation, and pacify the unstaid affections, which will more easily be done, if a man considerately call to mind, how many persons in the world are in as wretched, or more woeful estate than he himself is, yet the dear children of God too: but in adversity many lose themselves in discontentment, not patiently waiting, but greedily snatching, not content with that they have be it never so much, but adding goods to goods, and multiplying more to enough with never satisfied desire, tormenting the mind with unquiet motions, and by that means make the freedom of life a sharp and bitter bondage: for if their life were six times so long, as it may be by the invitable course of nature, yet the tenth part of that they have, were sufficient to maintain them well and honestly, and declare whereto they were borne, and enrich their posterity after; why should they then be so greedy and earthly minded to consume their days in such unreasonable cares? whereby they are never at rest, but in continual slavery, so greatly do they fear lest they should be poor: and so in the midst of plenty live in want, and thus become incaple of reason, and most miserable of all men: for no external thing can in themselves make a man unhappy, if immoderate desire creep not in to breed rebellion, so that still our former assertion must hold: In medio concistit virtus, Virtue stands between two extremes, in cooling the heat of desire with Temperance, not in feeding the belly so much as it will hold, clothing the back so far as the purse will stretch, and giving scope to pleasure, as though much wealth gave much liberty, for that is prodigality, nor in pinching & hoarding it up from necessary duties, nor that is illiberality, & overturneth the whole fellowship of mankind: neither must a man neglect his private state, but labour in his calling to supply his wants; the mean therefore is the safest path to walk in, in which whosoever goeth, is safe from stumbling upon extremities: If Ycoras had held his medium tutissimum, he had not so untimely fallen: 
In medio concistit virtus.  or Phaeton, observed the good counsel of his father, he had not been stricken with thunder; but presumption & arrogance, casteth men healong into woe and misery. So that if Temperance do not order the life, and dispose our human affairs, we fall into an insatiable desire of having, or into an utter neglect of our own wants, spending too much & that vainly, or sparing too much, & that too niggardly: But as the higher we climb, the less appearance those things seem to have that are under us, our sight being removed from the object and species of things: so the nearer we approach to God, and frame our obedience unto him, the less we value these base & transitory things. Now, if by this compendious course, our minds are abstracted & drawn backward, immediately our cogitations ascend up to heaven, as unto the country to which we are traveling, we must not the encumber our minds with so heavy a load, as the cares of this life, lest they hinder us in the pursuit to perfect blessedness. O what a burden of torments doth the covetous desire bring with it! a disease like the Dropsy, the more it hath, the more it would; thirsty as the serpent Dipsas, never satisfied till it burst, wanting that it hath, and hath that it wanteth; because the good use of those things present, are ever absent; o whither would the greediness of man run if Midas golden Wish were to be had? the covetous Lawyer would have the devil and all; the secular Priest, be sick of the golden dropsy; the Artificer, Alcumize his Instruments into gold; the ploughman weary of his labour: so that here would be Aurea aetas, a golden world. Thus would extreme covetousness bring a misery upon the owners, and though with Midas, they might turn any thing into gold with a touch; yet should they be starved with hunger, famish the body, and rob the soul of all true comfort. For these weight always on a covetous man, Impiety, perjury, thefts, rapines, treasons, fraud, deceits, and all kind of unconscionable and merciless dealings.  
Let a man than be content with his portion, and not seek to aspire unto terrestial honour, by tearing out the bowels of his brethren, with usury, extortion, and unconscionable brokery. For it is better to be contentedly poor, then miserably rich, and to surpass in rare Virtues, then in earthly treasure; for albeit a man be down in misery, yet if honest and virtuous, he is raised up to immortal glory: for the excellency of Virtue, makes him shine with such a grace, as he may soon be elevated to the top of true honour, and cannot go unrewarded for his honourable service; 
Post funera virtus.  for having valiantly fought under the banner of so noble a matron, his pay is fame in despite of death, and eternal felicity in the world to come; for Virtue enableth a man to enjoy the fruition of perfect happiness, and eternal life.  
Then let a poor man rejoice in affliction, and patiently bear adversity, and comfort himself with the hope of a better life, which assuredly he shall enjoy if so be he hold out to the end in a holy and virtuous course, 
The comfortable hope of a poor man.  and for sorrow here, have joy there; and for a hellish life now, a heavenly life then; when those that have their heaven here, and wallow in solace, joy, and carnal pleasures in this world, must with Dives be tormented in endless flames in the world to come.  
To what end then should a man be grieved at misery, and murmur, as though he were an abject, an outcast, and forlorn: when there shall be a supply of his wants, in abundant measure, and be crowned a king of that heavenly jerusalem.  
Upon a time Solon found a poor man sitting by the sea side, bewailing his misery in great despair, whom he comforted in this manner: Brother why weep you, what have you lost, is it want and penury that nippeth you? Alas for that you have small cause; for say you were in the midst of yonder great sea, loaden with treasure, in danger of drowning, would you not willingly lose your goods to save your life? Why think then you were once in like peril, and have escaped, and lost but your only goods, then now pacify yourself, be content with your state. Thus we see what danger a rich man is in, by the opinion of this wise Heathen.  

Vice & Virtue two ways.  Two ways are proposed and laid open to all, the one inviting to Virtue, the other alluring to vice; the first is cumbersome, intricate, untraded, overgrown, and many obstacles to dismay a passenger; the other, plain, even beaten, overshadowed with boughs, tapistred with flowers, and many objects to feed the eye; now a man that looks but only to the outward show, will easily tread the broadest path, but if he perceive that this smooth and even way, leads to a nest of Scorpions: or a litter of Bears, he will rather take the other though it be rugged and unpleasant, then hazard himself in so great a danger.  
The highway that leads to pleasure is very spacious, it lieth open like the sea, many tempting motions to invoke the mind, Lamea sitting by the way gorgeously decked, the Sirens with sweet melody, to entrap the passenger, if with Ulysses he bind not himself to the mast of provident respect; and many Lions, Bears & Wolves lie in wait for their prey. But the path leading to Virtue, though it be toilsome, laborious, difficult, a way uneasy to be tracked, hard to find, craggy, stony, thorny, and a sweeting turmoil, as the Poet describeth: 
Nam via virtutis, dextrum petit ardua callem,  
Dificilem que additum, primum spectantibus offered,  
Sed requiem praebet fessis in vertice summo.  
For virtues rugged path requires,  
a stout and painful mind:  
And dangers new are multiplied,  
to such as will her find.  
But in the end great joy she brings, etc.   
Yet seeing he goeth straight to his journeys end, shall arrive at the house of Fame, be crowned with honour, who will not undergo a poor labour, to gain so rich a jewel? for though the roots of Virtue be bitter, yet the fruits be sweet.  
Again, if in things dangerous and full of perils, 
Dulcia non meruit.  a man will not stick to hazard his life, run through fire and water, abide hunger, cold, and willingly bear a thousand miseries, incident to long and tedious journeys, to dive into the bowels of the earth for gold, traffic to Orinoque, the Indians, and far remote places to feed the long desire of this short life, as the Poet saith: 
Impiger extremos currit marcator ad Indos,  
Per mare pauperiem fugiens, per saxa, per igneis:   
How ought they them to hunt after Virtue, the bright son of prosperity, which can raise them up, tamquam ê pulvere & luto, out of dust and clay, to the high pitch of everlasting honour.  

Many ways leading to shame.  But as many ways cross the Queen's highway, so Virtue is wanted and thwarted, with many smooth paths, if by exact care they be not avoided, and though there be a spacious opposition an Antithesis, yet no such difference at the first seemeth, for long pacing breedeth content, by reason the mine is numbed and brought a sleep, with such variety of objects, as dazzle the senses, and fix the opinion so firm in an ill course, that he findeth himself enexorable to turn head, and set footing in the way of Virtue.  
Nevertheless, though Virtue is so noble, glorious, honourable, immortal, etc. (that neither my dull wit, rudeness of speech, or this little volume is able to express her infinite praises: but had rather need of prompt eloquence, and cunning most excellent, and much leisure thereunto) yet Vice is painted out with such goodly colours, and so gorgeously set out with pomp, that jumping with the natural impediment, a man is soon lulde a sleep in pleasures, and deluded by phantasma, a dream, a shadow: as it was with Calippus, that dreamt he was a King, and whenawooke he was a beggar: or the fool of Syracuse, who being oppressed with melancholy, thought all the ships that arrived in the haven, were laden with his merchandise; so doth it mock the imagination, with flattering allurements, and draw a man by little & little to his own destruction. O 'tis an amiable devil, a sweet sin, a liquorous poison, a smiling cut-throat, a weeping Crokidile: so that by this the mind is drawn from all celestial contemplation, and from that heavenly regard which the singularity of that divine sweetness doth require, and by that means become careless & negligent, in the pursuit of Virtue, and have no desire to be partaker of her utility and profit, but are wholly circumvented and carried away by Injustice, luxury, pride, covetousness, self-love, and such like; for this fleeting joy, is a sweet delight; but as the Poets feign, that drinking the water Lethaes, breedeth forgetfulness: so vice and pleasure, makes the mind obtuse and careless of all holy virtues, whereby the whole man is transported into all licentiousness. And for this cause are pleasures compared to the Syrins, that appear lovely in sight with golden locks, chirry lips, rosy checks, etc. and all that part above the water goodly, beautiful, and pleasant to behold: but the tail hide below is sharp, crooked, venomous, that she no sooner draweth a man unto her by a wanton countenance, but presently stings him to death; for pain & pleasure are two twins, for he no sooner letteth his mind slip to one, but the other is ready to cast him into a miserable estate. And therefore to shun pleasures, it is good to behold her behind and not before, to consider what trouble, torments, dishonour, and ignominy, waits upon her, for after her guests are surfeited with dainties, she makes the end as fatal and ominous as the Centauris feasts, a subtle Sinon, that tells a pleasing tale to breed security, dropping honey from her lips, but hath the poison of Asps under her tongue, a standing pond, clear above: but all filth and mud below: and therefore the wise schoolmaster, warneth his scholar to shun pleasures, for fear of smart; 
Iso. ad Demon.  sour things follow sweet, and joy heaviness. Voluptas esca malorum, saith he, Pleasure is the bait of evil: and hor. ad lollium.  Sperne voluptatis nocet empta dolore voluptas. 

Foolish wisdom.  Yet many repute themselves wise and excellently seen, though they are nothing daunted at such a hideous monster: and so are wise only in opinion, and with this sottish cogitation enterprise matters infamous, yea oftentimes to the utter ruin & overthrow of themselves, and by this means run headlong into all manner vice, not suspecting the monsterlike danger over their heads.  
He that follows pleasure, is as the spider that laboureth all day to entangle a fly, or like a wanton boy that blows up feathers into the air, and spends the time in running up and down after them; for what is pleasure but a puff? and what is all painful and ponderous labours but a copweb? If we shoot not at this mark, to cast anchor in the harbour of Virtue, for if we covet to be honoured, otherwise then by Virtue; we climb a rotten ladder sure to fall; for vainglory is a blaze which soon vanisheth, glistering for a while in some outward pomp, in the darkness of this world, carrying with it some show of Gentry, when 'tis but the scum of Vice, Pride, and swelling Ambition: for what gain is it for a man to win the whole world, and lose his own soul? to dance in pleasure for a while, and live in woe for ever? What great matter was in Darius and Alexander, Tamburlaine and Bajazeth, Caesar and Pompey, that strove for the monarchial government, and to be sole Potentates of the world? but that the after times might sing with Melib.  
Haec memini & victum, frustra contendere Thyrsin. 
Eclog. 7.   
Ex illo Coridon, Coridon est tempore nobis.  
What was their happiness, but unquiet & perturbations? and never attained to that their ambition sought after, but snatching at uncertainty, like Esop's dog, lost that they were sure of before: so that all this worldly strife was but to satisfy the hungry desire of a few days, to purchase such honour as sinks into oblivion, leaving no happy memory behind of any notable virtue.  
But the only warfare is striving for Virtue, 
The best warfare.  by resisting the passions of the mind: this is both a valiant and an honourable expedition, a true Martialist he is indeed, that by strong hand labours to suppress his rebellious lusts, and is ambitious of nothing but only Virtue, as Themistocles, that said, the monuments, Trophies, glory, and great fame of Miltiades, would not suffer him to take his rest, for that exceeding desire he had to imitate him in Virtue, that so he might rise up to like honour. 
Plutarch.  Former precedents are spurs to quicken the mind, to embrace that Virtue portrayed out by our ancients, and a means to make us vigilant and watchful, least by sloth we become blind, ignorant, and grope in the dark with Polephemus: and this is most evident, that so long as we live in pleasure, the mind is never illuminated with divine moisture: for while the time is spent in voluptuousness, a blast of vanity, a bubble of water, the excellent faculties of the soul are depressed and weighed down with base & servile designments.  
But having thus rudely run over the profitable study of Virtue, in this homely manner, as the dullness of my wit, and shortness of time would suffer, it now remaineth to blaze out her enemy Vice, & more lively to paint out those capital evils which oppose themselves against honesty. And in this the method of the ancient Philosophers is to be observed, 
A diometrical opposition betwixt Vice and Virtue.  who were not content to explain the moral virtues, with a bare and simple demonstration, but also set to every one her contrary and repugnant vice, that by due considering both, we might embrace the good and shun the evil; and that by the glory of one, the other might be more ugly and loathsome: for when Virtue is visibly painted out, environed with Vice, we have her in greater admiration, and her excellencies in higher regard, & therefore Fortitude hath audacity on the one side, & timidity on the other side, science, ignorance, & sinister persuasion, and so every one, the more & the less, whereby we see not only the Image and reflection, but the very abstract and essence of them both, & although one would think that Temperance, a heavenly Virtue, were enough to move to sobriety, yet if the many enormities that come of the contrary be omitted, a man is hardly dissuaded. Therefore Diogenes being demanded how one should keep himself sober, by beholding (quoth he) the beastliness of drunkards; for it is manifest, that when a crabbed visage and a misshapen body, shall stand by an amiable & lovely parsonage, the deformity of the one doth much illustrate and beautify the other. Venus was ever fairest when she stood by Vulcan: so that viewing this Antithisis, honour and shame, perfect bliss & never dying sorrow, & looking to the final ends, & the reward that they both yield at last, we may be stirred up with an ardent zeal, to destroy Vice, & master that cumbersome servant passion.  
Now the chief motive hereunto, is diligent education & training up youth in discipline, 
Good education is the happiness of a kingdom.  whereby a universal good is attained; for this is the main pillar that holdeth up & underprops the government, without which no Commonwealth could stand & peaceably continue. And therefore it is in the power of parents, to make or mar the world, for if children be not well nurtured, how shall they bequeath that to posterity which they never derived from their ancestors? or if superiors and magistrates, give not good example in their places, how should they induce other to piety? for as Atlas is feigned to support the heavens with his shoulders, so must the world be held up by discipline, & those vices cut off with the sword of reformation, that fight against honesty; for her valour and courage will soon weaken by impunity and evil example; but as the cutting off the head of a serpent killeth the body, so the immoderate passions of the mind rooted out in the beginning, the whole body of this hideous monster voluptuousness is destroyed, and the tranquillity of the mind possessed with greater joy; for being once taught to loath Vice, & traded in well doing, from the cradle, is thereby so well qualified, as it doth not easily change any good course it undertakes, but upon well grounded reasons. For having some knowledge of it own inward good, findeth nothing without of so equal rate, for which it should alter and turn, but being firmly settled in an honest course, keepeth a sweet concord between the intellective and the moral, and yieldeth itself suitable, to the virtuous disposition of the mind, the excellencies whereof, is manifested with such rare demonstrations, that it never subjecteth itself to base inconstancy and feeble hazards, expelling Vice, as an enemy to all good endeavour.  
To proceed, Virtue cannot be gotten without employment of the mind and body in commendable arts. 
Hypocrites and deceivers creep under Virtue.  Security and ease draweth to Vice, if a man then will build upon a perfect assurance, and make his estate durable, he must bend his whole endeavours to honest labour, & not only do well, but continue therein to the end. But if a man suppose to be richly virtuous for one good deed; as in paying duties, impositions, tallages to the poor Church, or Commonwealth; if taxed according to his ability, and forcibly exacted from him, it is but the superficies and blaze of Virtue: for Intentio animi non actus perfecit actum: the willingness doth approve the act: or if a man do a good deed by accident and haphazard, to blind the opinion, and by a counterfeit show seek to insinuate into a good report, when otherwise the whole scope of his life be vicious and evil, what laud can he justly merit? but where entirely the mind is bend thereunto, and inflamed with her pulchritude, so that he persist and hold out therein. As for example, as he is not to be termed a Tailor, that only mendeth his garment, or he a shoemaker that only patcheth his shoe, unless he make it his whole art, and expose himself thereunto, as to his trade and occupation: so in like manner, he that stumbleth upon one good action by chance, is not by and by to be deemed a perfect man; but he only that doth well, and persisteth in so doing, and as his trade, be wholly occupied therein. For as the mind of the husbandman is ever upon cattle, tillage, and such things as belong to his calling, Sailors upon their ships, & soldiers on the wars, and scholars on learning, so must the whole disposition and carriage be occupied in Virtue, as on the day-star that guideth to the haven of rest.  
It is not therefore one or two good deeds, or such things as are done by chaunce-medley, or peradventure without a settled mind, that Virtue honoureth, for every man goeth so far in common honesty: but when the integrity of the heart is stirred up by devotion to stream out a continual store of good works, with a mind willingly disposed thereunto.  
Nevertheless, if our eyesight and understanding could pierce inward, or that we had the eyes of Linx, to penetrate the secrets of the mind, we might see many ravening wolves, covered with a sheeps skin, and the nature of a cruel and savage Tiger lurking in some, that outwardly carry a semblance of Virtue, a civil course, & an hypocrite clad with the mantle of honesty: for she carrieth a general good liking of all men, and (as Plato saith) if she could be visibly painted out to the eye, every one would be wonderfully ravished with her perfections, and therefore the evil seek to hide their vices under her shadow, and draw the curtain of policy in the portraiture of piety: for stand he never so obstinate in a desperate state, and be really possessed with wickedness, yet in no case will he willingly seem to be that in show which he is indeed, 
Hypocrisy is double impiety.  but labour to hide it what he may, and cover the shame of evil with a simple shadow, if it be but with figge-leaves, and deaurate and gild over his spots and sores with the tincture, and die of holiness. For the purity of Virtue makes men detest their own evil, and though Vice break out, and be never so pregnant, yet will they cunningly blind the opinion, and fly to her for secure: and albeit their eyes be dazzled with the splendour of Virtue, and cannot choose but admire her beauty, yet have they no power to follow her, but pine away, and give her no entertainment, 
Hor.  which the Poet well noteth, Virtus laudatur & alget.  
Virtue (saith he) is praised of many, but she may starve for cold before they will take her in, and warm her by their fire.  
These are right counterfeits, that have nothing but a cloud or skin of Virtue, which as a slender painting is washed off with every dash, a gloze, an Image, that they keep so long as they have pleasure or profit thereby: they may well be compared to vainglorious women, who because they want beauty, colour their faces with painting, to get that by art, that nature hath denied them.  
Yea there be some that seem the very Images of sanctity, lowly, courteous, modest, humble, their eyes fixed on their graves, their hair shorter than their eyebrows, 
Deceitful double dealers.  as though they were mirrors of religion and piety, and by robbing Virtue of her best apparel, deck themselves with the habit of honesty, and yet have nothing within but artificial knavery, fraud, deceit, and hypocrisy: for if outwardly stretched to show their inward good, they then appear as they are, and lay themselves open to their own shame: the touchstone of trial can soon distinguish them aright; o how such smooth fronted hypocrites can dally with the time, and cut out their manners to the best fashions, only to please those who measure others good by their own integrity, and as long as the Sun shines, go by the shadow of others, but their light failing, soon leave their earnest following, and is so hotly bend in his cold zeal, that he is never without a boult in his mouth to shoot through his simple neighbour.  
But because I will not be too Cynical, to anatomize particular imperfections, I will be sparing: I could nevertheless paint out some, that as long as gain hung on their profession, 
There be too many such cold Christians  were not slack to overtake the best men: but the world sliding, their means failing, and the gain they reaped by such their profession decaying, their hot love to piety melts away like snow before the Sun, and as dogs, turn back to their own vomit. So that here is the depth of policy, in sifting the carriage to the humour of good men, that tracing the path of counterfeit holiness, might gain both favour and advancement. For as I said before, if Vice should come in her own shape, few or none would give her entertainment, and though inwardly embraced of some, yet outwardly detested of all.  
These are like blades that have painted sheaths, but canker-fret and rusty within. And as the Chameleon hath all colours save white, so have they all parts save honesty.  
The fish Polipus (as some writ) hath this property, that it can turn itself into the likeness of a stone, or seem to be that which is next it, and so under colour of not seeming as it is, doth raven upon other fishes. So in like manner do cold Christians prey upon the simplicity of honest minds, and fit themselves to all companies. If among good and virtuous men, then is he like them, setting himself in his best properties, and seem to have that which every honest man ought to have, and so by that means hide great vices under a thin colour of Virtue, that by so fitting his habit to the time and place, is for the humour of every person, and thus by crafty and disguised dissimulation, live in outward happiness, by praying upon the good opinion of other men.  
But as Socrates said to an humble hypocrite, his pride might be seen through the rents of his cloak: so this false and double dealing cannot so long be hid, but it will break out at one rent or other, and detect his pilfery, according to the change of times.  
And albeit the purity of truth is not hereby any whit impeached, being ever one and the same: yet by this we may see the nakedness of old Adam, that will at no hand appear as he is.  
But this idle show and false appearance, o how dangerous it is to the truth! being possessed with nought but treachery and cozenage, a capital plague, it is for the wicked to make show of goodness, and may fitly be sorted to the Apothicaries' painted boxes, that have nothing within but poison, or some deadly compound: for which the pharisees were sharply reprehended by our Saviour in the Gospel, and as the Lord complaineth by the Prophet, They honour me with their lips: but their hearts are far from me. 
Virtue is not in vain words: but in conscionable works.  And therefore he is no good man that can reason of Virtue in words, but he that hath a true possession in deed, whereby the conscience is lead to deal justly, in a continued course of well doing: for it is no pain to give milky words, sweet terms, and make a vain flourish of honesty, to choke the hard opinion, which otherwise might justly be imputed: for this is but vainglory, which is ever gaping with open mouth for popular applause, for doing some thing that hath a show of Virtue, to get praise of the rude multitude.  
And though by prosperity a man be dignified with glorious titles, yet if it spring not from virtues root, it is but a bastard plant, a rotten carcase with a painted skin. And howsoever they mock the world for a while with the badge of honesty, yet the allseeing eye of heaven, 
God searcheth into the heart.  to whom darkness is light, perspicuously observeth all their deeds, and will bring them forth even as they are naked and uncovered: But as such fallacies, and dillusions, are incident to a base and servile condition: so are they evermore abhorred of an honest man.  
Nevertheless many there be that bind themselves apprentice to unjust collusion and fraudulent dealing: 
Lying is become an occupation amongst many men.  in so much that lying and falsehood is become an occupation, fair and smooth words carry away all their gains, increased by oppression, and by deluding the simple, make bad wares vendible, and that which is corrupt, unwholesome & nought, (with many protestations) utter for good and excellent, and that at unreasonable rate too. It is lawful for every man to maintain his charge, and by his calling in which he is set, which to omit is worse than an Infidel: but with this caution, evermore profit, must go with honesty, and not immeasurably carried with greedy affection, to multiply gain by unjust means; that that is constionably gotten is profitable; and nothing profitable, that is dishonest: but to pull away either by usury, extortion, bribery, or fraudelent dealing, is repugnant to honesty: or to increase a commodity by an other man's discommodity, ryveth asunder the common fellowship of mankind. Tully handling this argument in his offices to his son Mark, 
Lib. 3.  saith; If two run in a race, each one ought to strive so much as he can to win the prize: but in no case he must not trip his fellow, keep him back with his hand, or cast blocks to stumble on, for that is not equal: so in like sort (saith he) while we run a race in this world, it is good to get that may serve the turn, in an equal & just course: but it is neither right, nor honest, to rack, extort, and purloin from other, and by setting the conscience on the tainterhookes, to rise up by his fall.  
It was ordained by the Athenian Law, that the seller, should lay open the faults of the ware to the buyer, and seeing he selleth, to sell with the best advantage to him that buyeth, 
Lib. 3. office  with this or the like promulgation.  
Aduexi, exposui, vendo meum non pluris quam caeteri: fortasse etiam minoris, cum maior est copia, cui fit iniuria?  
Here is my ware, I offer it to sell, I sell mine for no more than other men, perhaps also for less, seeing I have more store, to whom is the wrong done? but he that should observe this in our days, would either be thought a mad man or a fool; so far is this griping covetousness rooted in the hearts of many, that they make no conscience to get gain; Fas, aut nefass, by hook or crook so they may come by it: in so much that this greedy desire hath eaten up all remorse of conscience, that labour all day with deceit, and rise up early to wealth, by the spoil & undoing of other. O how pleasant & sweet is the savour of gain to the carnal man, be it never so injuriously gotten! Vespasian the Emperor, delighted so in powling and pilling his subjects, that nothing was exempted from his tallage: not so much as the very urine made in every house, but he had tribute for a certain quantity, for which being maligned and ill spoken of, his son dissuaded him from it, as a thing base & dishonourable: 
Unlawful gain is sweet to a stinking mind.  but putting some of the pissing money in a perfumed napkin, held it to his sons nose, ask him how it smelled; meaning thereby, that though it was had of a filthy excrement, yet the money savoured well enough; suavis odor lucri ex qualibet, and that gain is sweet of whatsoever it cometh.  
All lying, in making bargains is utterly forbidden, false waits & measures abominable, and wealth gotten this way clogs the soul: for it is never profitable to do evil, because it is evermore hateful: and because it is always honest to deal justly, 'tis evermore profitable. No man by the ignorance of an other, aught to increase his own gain: and no greater injury can be used amongst godly Christians, then falsely to mock the understanding. Nothing covetously, unjustly, wrongfully, or waveringly, is fit to be done.  
He that is therefore set up in a trade, and hath to deal with men in bargaining, must be wary lest he be carried into unconscionable getting, and be content with a reasonable gain without exaction, for the ignorance of the buyer, cannot excuse the deceit of the seller.  
Nevertheless, many shopkeepers, keep small conscience in uttering their ware, their shops, shops of deceit, for now almost all men cry out, that there is nothing but cozenage in buying and selling, and not without cause: for let a simple man come to buy a piece of cloth, or what other thing he needeth in some of their shops (I will not say all, for no doubt some deal honestly) if he be ignorant and unskilful in that he buyeth, is sure to pay double the value, or at leastwise much more than it is worth: and yet will they swear and protest, 
Many live upon the simplicity of the poor.  and heap up a many oaths, that were it not to him he could not have it so, and that it is far better than the money he payeth; the buyer thus deceived, yet thinks himself greatly friended: but if he books that he sells, and that the buyer comes upon trust, then shall he pay well for Ink and paper, that in the end he must buy his commodity twice. Yea, craft is crept into the bosom of some, with such Foxlike subtlety, that they lay open their ware as nets, to catch young Gentlemen, who having good friends and assured possibility, shall have what he will upon trust: provided his lands be bound for payment; and so long feed his humour with coin and commodities, that they creep at last into his whole possessions.  
A man must not only use a lawful trade, but also use it lawfully, without deceit; and though it be never so base, yet if followed with diligence, will maintain his estate honestly, so be it that he always keep within the essential properties thereof: yet there be some that have such wandering wits and shuttle heads, that never rest till they have assayed all means, leave the limits of their calling, and run into by courses, and either fall into a loitering life, or attempt that wherein they have no skill, whereby their follies many times are made manifest to the world; for none can judge of an Art, but he that is an Artisan, hereby hindering his neighbour, who hath fitted himself to it by experience, deluding the commonwealth, and offending the law. Appelles' rule is quite forgot; Ne suitor, ultra crepidam. 
The painter spoke this so long since, that it is now forgotten.  The shoemaker must not go beyond his latchet, the ploughman meddle in matters of Art, nor scholars teach Coridon to hold the plough, but every man to keep within the compass of his own skill, and not like wild coultes to break into other men's pastures: But many busy fellows that have short arms, yet will clasp many things, supposing that to enterprise is sufficient to execute, and that to begin is only enough, though they never make an end, and thrust into many trades, and heap one thing upon an other, in so much that it often falleth out, that being Solicitus circa multa, busied in many things, prove unfit for any thing: 
One thing is necessary.  let the unum then be preferred that tieth a man in compass of good ability. For as a swift currant running in one kill, is very forcible, but if divided into small angles is less powerful: so in like case so long as a man holdeth out in that he was brought up in, it is effectual, but if he once straggle and scatter into other Arts, doth utterly weaken and disable himself, and is unfit for any notable enterprise, and by leaving his peculiar trade, is possessed with such a greedy discontent, as he repineth at the prosperity of his neighbour, which is the fruit of envy.  
Others there be so luskish and idle, that though they have both means, strength and ability, yet will follow none at all, but be better content with hunger and ease, than labour and profit, or else by unlawful shifts come to a shameful end: but as the grippleness of the one is to be avoided, so the security of the other is to be hated. It is meet that every man follow his own vocation, and being ordained for one thing, not to fall into an other: If fit for one, to hold that, and seek no other: 
So said old Father Latimer.  if apt for policy, to leave the Ministry: if fit for the plough, to leave the Pulpit, and use that for which he is most pregnant: for one of these require a whole man, and not the least part of a man.  
Three things uphold a Monarchy in peace & tranquillity, Scil: tu supplex, ora, tu protege, tuque labora, Pray thou, defend thou, and labour thou: these 3. employ the happiness of every state; 
Three things intended in policy.  the first the Ecclesiastical discipline: the second, the politic state: and the third, the state subjugate: so that by these, & in these, a peaceable government is maintained: and these are the employments of the particulars members of a politic body, within the limits of which, every one must keep and contain himself.  
But if any man fall into extravagant courses, he slippeth into those evils that flow from the complexion of nature. We see how many are rapt up with greedy desire of getting, and never satisfied with that they have, or can come too, either by violent extortion, brabbling suits, and unjust vexations, that they had rather spend ten pound in law to feed the malice of the mind abroad, then by losing ten pence, to have it quietly ended at home.  
I and now a days some are so mad & brainsick, that they fall together by the ears for the value of a straw, and make hard shift though they be never so poor, but they will be Termers, and troth to Westminster three or four times a year, though their wives and children beg in the mean while: and what get they in the end after their long suits, save a flap with a Foxe-taile (as the saying is) and come home by Need●ham cross, and fools acre, then cry they out, might overcomes right, would I had known thus much before, a vengeance take the lawyers, I am undone: they weep, the lawyers laugh, and the devils sings. 
If it were not for some honourable well qualified, and conscionable Lawyers, the generation of Fog, would eat out the bowels of the commonwealth.  The commonwealth is as a den of controversies, a man cannot brook a petty wrong, but by & by he runs to some makebate some petty fogger, who no doubt is forward enough to put fire to tow, and the bellows to blow the coals of contentions: filling the head with quirks & quiddits, who being hot before, is now of a light fire, till he be in law, the world shall not dissuade him. lawyers swarm as thick in England, as frogs in Egypt; they nourish strifes, beat down charity, and purchase to themselves great inheritance by the discords of brabbling clients.  
Again, some for a private gain, will murmur at a common good, and rather wish a dearth to benefit some few, than a plenty, that may bring profit all: if they have store of corn, they had rather keep it still in their barns, till it be musty and nought, or suffer vermin to spoil it, in hope of an excessive price, then by bringing it out in due time, to have a reasonable gain; and this is a true experiment, to that such moths are so avaricious and covetous, that they had rather keep their grain till it be corrupt and foistie at home, or send it to our enemies abroad, to starve and weaken our own state, then to relieve their brethren with the crop of their increase. Certainly though they would seem Christians, and men of good spirits, yet are they not equal, no nor any whit comparable to the Heathen, sith they thought nothing too dear for their country, neither life, goods, nor any thing else, and these think all too much, be it never so little. And to what end serveth this greedy desire of gain, but to make loggerhead the son, march before the cormorant his father in some worldly pomp, and to cover his fine daughter Sib, with Copweb-lawne to catch butterflies: this is not the highway to honour.  
We see that plain Corydon, that hath no more wit then to know the price of Satin and Velvet, 
Every miser's son must be a gentleman.  and toys to make him foole-fine, cannot be content to hold the plough, and be one of those Aratores optimos cives Reip: good commonwealths men, keep hospitality, and spend his revenues moderately, and do good in the place where he dwells: but being crept up to wealth by the death of his miserable old father, must instantly be dubbed a gentleman of the first head, and purchase arms, though it be at a dear rate, and be a smoky gallant in youth, though he beg his bread in age, and lash out that riotously, that his father got miserly; and as one well saith, tedding that with a fork in one year, that was not gathered together with a rake in twenty. And this jumpeth with that which is affirmed before, that the goods of a wretched miser holdeth not long together, but as it hath been badly gotten, so 'tis as lewdly spent. He is now of no esteem unless he be cut of the fashion, and can swagger and brave it out, swear himself into smoke with pure refined oaths, and fustian protestations, take Tobacco with a whiff, and be oddly humorous. And in no case it must not be forgotten he is a Gentleman, and therefore to shun the stab, you must provide a sackful of worshipful titles to cool his blood, when (God wots) his grandfather would have been glad of a crust of brown bread: but what should he be touched with base birth or bad life? is he not now a Gentleman, and hath wherewithal to hold it up? but such generosity is like a copper Ring new guilt over, that waxeth off with the least persecution.  
Now these cannot truly say that the honour of their house did first rise in them, 
Fortuna favet fatuos.  or that true gentility is derived out of their loins to succession, because they are neither possessed with any notable Virtue, nor created noble by accident, but have only a little pelf, which with swallow-wings, is flying away as fast as their riotous course can lay it on.  
Yet will their insolence arrogate to themselves honour, as though it stood only in riches and worldly glory, 
Honoured ignorance.  and many vain titles will they pluck by violence from the rude world: for simple ignorance giveth humble reverence to wealth and a gay coat: but though by the courtesy of wise men, and simplicity of fools, they have many fair titles, yet let them not think they are any whit the more honourable, unless they have the temperance of the mind & body before remembered.  
We have here in common use to buy and sell, divers pieces of silver and gold, which passeth from man to man as good payment, so long as the metal be currant, and the Prince's stamp upon it: but if we find a piece counterfeit, and the true stamp set upon base metal, we presently nail it to a post, and wish the coiner hanged, so that all the estimation is in the metal, and not in the print: so in like manner, though a man be never so rich, 
Counterfeit gentility.  & never so highly advanced, yet if Virtue hath not framed him fit for those places, wise, affable, temperate, but foolish, malicious, and vainglorious, he is no otherwise, but as the print of honour, set upon base bullion, and so commits horrible treason against the majesty of Virtue.  
There be some that hunt after honour, and some that be hunted after by honour: touching the first, they are such as by bribes or double diligence creep into a place or office of preferment, and never rest night nor day, till by money & friendship they have got it a hungry eye to spy out, and an impudent face to thrust in, and being warmly seated, strut up and down with swelling terms, as if they had risen by some degree of Virtue. The other sort are sought after by honour, and they be such that Virtue frameth fit for that purpose, that first grow excellent in some high desert, for these beg no place, nor foist into office, but if it come, they unwillingly hold it, and be no whit the more puffed up in opinion, but justly exercise the same, not so much for their own private gain, as for the general good.  
Liberality is a mediocrity in giving benefits, 
Liberality is the arteries, veins, and sinews of learning, and the world's Paragon.  the blood and strength of sciences, a Virtue divine; and to speak briefly of her properties, first and chief a liberal man is ready to reward honesty, his friend's alliance, and such are near him, to secure orphans, widows, bestow poor maidens in marriage, and raise up foundations, and mend decayed structures, for the good of posterity, & is still occupied in such memorable works: and he is only a frank man, that distributeth his substance measurably, and where it is fit, and must consider to whom he should give, that is, to the needy; how much? according to his own ability, and the others necessity: and when? in season and in due time, for liberality resteth not only in the quantity of the thing given, but in the natural disposition of the giver. And this is one of the chief species of justice, to follow the worthiness of the person in considering his good parts: for if gifts follow not Virtue, it is a great disparagement to her followers: 
A liberal man is a general good man.  nothing is liberal but that which is just, which is the ground of all; for justice is every Virtue, if her shoulders be bowed down with want, to be raised up again with gifts: for there is no Virtue, but too much misery destroyeth: in so much that if a man be as prudent as Cato, as just as Manlyus, as magnanimous as Scipio, and as temperate as Curius, yet nevertheless, if these virtues be not eftsoons cherished by benevolence, they will soon faint, grow feeble, and be daunted. Tolle gloriae cupiditatem, 
Osor. lib. 1.  & omne studium virtutis extingues, saith one. Take away the desire of glory, and all study of Virtue is utterly extinct: for true it is, that no man either for his private good, or common profit, will apply the mind to any Virtue, unless he be held up and comforted in adversity, or ravished with an immortal hope, because the faculties of the mind are wholly studious to hold up his poor dying life. Again, who would bend himself to Art, Science, Faculty, or any kind of learning, if there were not some glory? for what moveth the Lawyer to beat his wits on Littleton's Maxims? or to be so earnest to find out the differences of causes, to bring them to a head, but glory? the Divine to study the mysteries of God's wonders? or the Physician to dive into the secrets of nature, 
Honos alit arts.  if they aimed not at preferment? To conclude, honour nourisheth Art, and for the regard of dignity, do learned men strive to exceed in faculty; so that advancement is the mother of virtues Commonwealth; yet nevertheless is it not so tied within the limits of a circle, to keep there and go no further, I mean in respecting simply the virtues of the Donee, as to reward Virtue, and nothing but Virtue; for the vicious being in want, must be likewise cherished, though not for his own sake (having nothing in him of worth, yet because he is a Christian brother) & therefore the Apostle willeth us to do good to all, but especially to the virtuous.  
So that a frank mind doth as well march before and lead the way to Virtue, as nourish her in whom she is first set. 
Entisignations of Virtue to be cherished.  The substance of a rich man is not so to be shut up that liberality cannot open it, nor so unlocked to lie abroad for every body, but a measure to be kept, which must be referred to ability: for as it is not the part of a liberal man to be too pinching and niggardly, as to withhold from good duty, so is he prodigal that spendeth his faculties upon flagitious and vile persons, or upon bad and lewd courses, but only where there is a sign of Virtue present, or an introduction to a future honesty: for the employment of money is not honest, unless it be to some good end; neither is he a wise man that is so foolelarge in distributing his goods, to waste his patrimony, especially upon such vain things whereof a short memory or none at all doth remain, necessity not provoking, nor show of honesty inducing: such unaduaned mispence bringeth nought but ignominy and shame: for what credit is it for a man to lash out his money in feasts, plays, hunt, hawking, and such vain sports that soon vanish? It is the greatest folly that may be, that the thing that a man doth which is honest, to endeavour it may no longer be done: for as a wise man omitteth not to do good at all times, so he useth the matter with such moderation, that he keepeth a store by him to help with when occasion is offered.  
How infamous among writers is Comodus, Nero, Caligula, Heliogabalus, and other like monsters, which exhausted and devoured infinite treasures in banaquets, 
Prodigality is a raging fire.  brothelhouses, and such abominations, was this liberality? shall they not suffer reproach to the world's end? and shall not all prodigal spendthrifts, that wastefully consume their wealth, be partakers of the like shame? Surely yes, when they are not transferred with the rule of measure, to do that which they may continue to do, and sith they have means to do good, to raise up a happy memory by dedicating their benevolence to posterity: and this was the cause our ancients set forth the picture of a Gentleman with his hands open, to signify that liberality was the honour of a Gentleman, and that to give was always heroical.  
Now what advantage then hath a rich man, that by rewards may purchase immortality, and outstrip the fury of Vice with good works? if so be he abandon vain glory, and do that he doth with sincerity.  
From a good man, gifts pass with a free donation, not looking back for requital, nor blowing the trump when he giveth alms: yet can we not say, but gratitude as a handmaid, is ever attendant; for though a poor man cannot acquit again in measure, yet is he forced, will he, nill he, to confess a debt beyond measure; for a good mind doth always remunerate a good turn.  
Ennius.  Benefacta male locata, malefacta arbitro. Good deeds misplaced, become evil deeds. 
So that it is a great decay of Virtue, when the merits of the virtuous are carelessly overpassed, for when men are led by passion, not by reason, many worthy spirits run out their lives unprofitably, consume their days in condolement, and repent the time spent in science, when they might have gotten some adulterous trade. Now I say when Virtue doth knock at the door of liberality, and can have no entrance, no marvel though she be frozen with cold, & go a begging from door to door: but the iniquity of the time hatcheth many evils in advancing where Virtue doth not merit, in raising up such as are void of all good parts. Now when notable imploymen are unworthily bestowed, and given by corruption, the power of Virtue must needs be weakened and grow cold, and be feeble as the Orator saith; Malê enim se res habet, cum quod virtute effici debet, 
Offic. lib. ●.  id tentat ur pecunia. The matter (saith he) cannot go well, when the same that should bewrought by Virtue, is accomplished by money: this overturneth all, for no man will willingly embrace her, if she bring no advancement: so that in this there lieth a two-solde mischief, one in the discouraging of learning, the other in the corruption; for he that buyeth an office must needs sell it again, and by extortion wring the conscience with injustice: and therefore Cato would that no old officer should be removed till he die, 
Officers sought for with greediness.  or for some notable crime. For (saith he) new officers are as hungry flies, that never leave sucking till their bellies be full, whereas the old ones being full before, suck more faintly, so that the oftener they are changed, the more do they gnaw and sting the Commonwealth: and yet what is more common than buying and selling of offices? for there is almost now a days, no office, but is bought, sold, & offered to him that will give most, as a bankrupt sells his goods: for if he can but nickhornnize his name in some ordinary fac simile, he may step up to dignity: 
Hor. ad nun.  Nangenus & formam Regina pecunia donat, though he want all good properties & intelligible parts. If a hungry fly, a smatterer, 
Hungry flies bloodsuckers.  either for envy of the party that is already possessed of some office, or to satisfy his desire of private gain, (for by this it shallbe best known) do seek unjustly to aspire by crowding and wresting the other out, & therein lalabour, Omnibus neruis, by direct and indirect means, it may well be thought he hath opened the gate of his consciennce, to corrupt & false dealing. And therefore if a man be not lawfully called, it is a point of wisdom to stay & have an unworthy opinion of himself, & be pacified with his present state, until the vacancy of a place shall importune him to make suit.  
But it often otherwise cometh to pass, that money and countenance can promote men of no desert to preferment: for instance, one whose brain is all mud, that never put his ass-head into the Accademie, little wit, and less honesty, may notwithstanding climb up to office, and be highly seated, so that he sing sweetly with Menalcas: 
Eglo. 3.  Aurea mala decem misi cras altera mittam.  
And a base stigmatical Thraso, Fox populi, the scum and dregs of the people, that hath no commendable quality, as means to insinuate into favour, but garrulous prattling, unworthy chaste ears: yet shall he want no countenance, if so be he can but Ars adulandi, to feed the flame of wickedness, with the fuel of sinful foppery.  

Vice rides on horseback, when Virtue is feign to troth on footbacke.  And thus shall Vice be animated and borne out, be it never so brutish and uncivil, and be hugged in the bosom of charity, when a man honest, if poor, shall be scarce known of his neighbours, much less have any measurable allowance. O pitiful case when Vice shall be exalted, wickedness loved, and godliness hated! Hence it is so many dangers arise, when the meed of Virtue is ingratitude, and so many good wits injured in the justice of their merit, gulled by sycophants and flatterers, are not only hereby distracted in their studies, and dismayed to proceed, but which is worse, so great discontentment breed, that they often prove disloyal, revolt from obedience, and either fall into dishonest shifts at home, or bad achievements abroad: thrusting their weapons into the bowels of their mothers, either by open practices, or secret conspiracies. When with bribery and collatorall practices, men of no gifts leap up to preferment; & though they be never so weak and simple in judgement, yet will dare (being thus lifted up) to censure every man, as they were not meanly sighted in the deepest things, 
The ignorant is selfe-wise.  and by a malicious rage are ready to control others doings, when to back their carping tongues, put on a superficial habit of learning, whereas if they be nearly touched, they appear nothing else but empty bags, stuffed with vainglory, Nomine gramatice re Barbari, & seek what they can to bar the virtuous of their just reward, and darken their good names with scandals, that the memory of their labours may die. Thus when good deserts are neglected, liberality forgotten, and the bad countenanced, the common state is in great hazard: 
Fenaea aetas.  but this is that iron age Ovid speaks of, wherein Virtue should find cold comfort, and pass from door to door unregarded: which prescience of the Poet was never more verified than in these last times: for never was this sweet harmony of nature, the eye of world, the mistress of reason, of less price amongst men then now, for some are puffed up with pride & violence, that they had rather bury their coin with Euclio in Plautus, then impart a mite for the encouragement of laudable Sciences: in so much as this cold devotion, causeth many to leave trading for so excellent a jewel.  
And not only Covetousness is an obstacle and let thereunto: but Pride, Pride, devilish Pride, is crept into all states, every man is fallen in love with himself, either of his person or apparel, his qualities are so excellent in his own eye, a poor man's wife will be as trim as a gentlewoman, and every one studious to deck themselves in bravery, when their manners are out of all good order: like the Musician that is very careful to set his strings in tune, and let his manners be still out of order, the mind is set upon fashions, fangles, & gawish clothes, now one, and then an other, never content long with modest and soberattire, it is too mean, too base, too beggarly: for now he or she that can put themselves into a monstrous fashion, a singular habit, and be strangely dressed up, are in their own opinion very gallant, but in the judgement of wise men they are but a blown bladder, 
Pride as brief in England, as ever it was in Sodom.  painted over with many colours, stuffed full of pride and envy: the bravery without, showeth the arrogancy within; for as there is no fire without smoke, nor no visible grief, but an inward festering, so in whom so ever such badges of vanity appears, it is a sure token there is a stinking puddle of vain glory within. Some juggle their lands into gay apparel, and clap it up in a small room, that contained a great circuit, and hold it a point of policy, to put their lands into two or three trunks of new clothes, that wearing their lands on their backs, they may see that no strip nor waste be done by their tenants: but when they would juggle backward their clothes into lands again, alas and welladay they are so threadbare & out at th'elbows, that they will not match the former value, and so is dubbed Sir john Hadland; a knight of penny less bench. Thus to make Idols of their carcases for a while, beggar themselves for ever. And many such base peasants that have witless wealth, or wealth without wit, are puffed up with such presuming thoughts, as they ambitiously aim to trick up themselves in costly suits, and covet to match, nay to exceed men of good worth and place: but this is destined to such high minds, that when they are crept up to the top of such bravery, they often fall to great shame, being the first step to the downfall of beggary: but howsoever they encroach into vainglorious titles, yet wise men measure all estates by their virtues, not by pomp and outward bravery, and despise not him whom birth, time, place, or office, maketh worthy of such costly ornaments, but hold it lawful and commendable to fit their degrees in apparel, answerable to their callings: but if we should enter into the intolerable abuse of Pride, we might paint out some that are dying their faces with painting, to be more lovely and amiable, and stretch their wits above Ela to be the original of some new toy: but who is so foolish to count them the fairer for that? but rather the fouler: for that face that is slubbered & starched with so many ointments & dregs, is more liker a sore & scurf, than a natural face: God hath given the face, 
Painted faces abominable.  and thou defilest it with mire & dirt; wouldst thou be fair, to be more amiable? why, silence, sobriety, chastity, are beautiful ornaments, and richer than any orient pearl, and with wise men more inestimable: but indeed if thou wouldst entice the eyes of them that behold thee, nourish lust in young men, and draw them after thee, than this is the way: but in my opinion, it is impossible for thee to get a good & virtuous husband with whom thou mayst live quietly & well, by smering thy visage: for when he seethe that thy face was but flourished over, he shall find thee a deceitful crocodile, and so loath and hate thee more afterward, then ever he loved thee before.  
Now what are these thus patched up by their own workmanship, but the least part of themselves: they cannot be content to be as God made them, but as though they were huddled up in haste, and sent into the world not fully finished: and to this end serve their drugs, balms, ointments, 
The devil the inventor of starch, poking sticks, etc.  paintings, Lac virgins, & certere quid non? to mend the least mote amiss: fie upon these frownsing Irons, poking sticks, periwigs, embroided foretops, etc. which are all an evident token of that filthy kennel of mud wherewith they are possessed: for what is all this but to impeach the Creator, and disable the all omnipotent workmanship of nature? for when they have done what they can, they paint but a muddy wall, and set a gloss upon a counterfeit: for though they should bathe themselves in milk every day, as Cleopatra, yet will they cry out with Ovid, jam meos vultus Ruga semilis erat.  
And overtaken with time, the visage will be wrinkled, rugged, and hard-favoured, and the whole body crooked, infirm, weak, and bend downward, and force them, maugre their heads, to behold their graves, where under a clod, they and their gay clouts must be buried; the remembrance whereof should make them vail their plumes, and turn pride to humility: but the abundance they wallow in, like Epicures, drown the mind in sensuality, choke up the understanding, and keeps it back from the contemplation of future happiness. 
Cold charity now a days.  And notwithstanding they are so rich and sumptuously arrayed, and carry so much gold about their necks, and so hung with costly jewels, yet will deny to give a halfpenny to them that have need: o stony heart! that can suffer the poor to be in want, yea die for hunger, and thou stuffed full of delicates, clothed in silks and fine garments, and let them lie naked in the streets: or if the extreme necessity of some poor Lazarus move compunction, to give an alms, it must be done in the eye of the world, and set down in capital Letters, and commended to posterity, as a work of eternal memory. In like manner if we descend lower, 
Every base Tapster or Oastler, will be as fine as a Gentleman.  we shall see Pride ruffle in base Rustics, for every one will be in the fashion, howsoever they come by it; the servant cannot be known from the Master, the maid from the Mistress, nor scarce any man's estate distinguished by his apparel; but every slovenly servingman, and greasy scrape-trencher will exceed the bounds of his calling, and creep into acquaintance with velvet, satin, and such costly stuff, too high I wisse for their low estate, and lay all they can rap and rend on their backs, in swaggering and vain apparel, to seem a clout of lousy gentility, that proving bankrupts in youth, are feign to wear rags in age. And every Countrey-wench that hath but four nobles a year and shifts, must be trimly tricked up like maid Marryan in a Morris dance, and her ruffs set above the common size, and be in the fashion, though she get it with shifts; but the shifts that makes her laugh, sends her often home by weeping cross.  
But it is undoubtedly true, that such as are so curious, to dight up themselves in acquaint attire, forget to adorn the mind with humility, modesty, shamefastness, and such feminine virtues as becometh their sex, and utterly omit to deck the soul with the sparkling gems of sober-beseeming qualities. Consider what you are, and whereto you must, a painted post doth but deceive the eye, and a painted body the soul. Is there a new fashion come out? be thou then the first to put it down, follow not the guise of the world, but seek for those virgin virtues that will make you live admired, as a wise and sober matron; for the vanity of apparel shows the lightness of the heart, and the very badge of inconstancy, 
A fair whore is a sweet poison, and her love like a false fire soon out.  when many female serpents lie in wait to deceive young wits with trains of love, and set out their gay bodies to sight, as pleasing objects to entrap the soul, that tender youth may make annatomie of misery by their own woes.  
A beautiful strumpet is an Adamant that draws, a Panther that allures, and of the nature of quicksilver: for as this metal doth mingle itself with gold wheresoever they meet: so they respect nothing in a man but money, and on that set their love, and prise wealth before any internal Virtue. For as they are a painted continent of flattery, the Image of inconstancy, and the cabinet of evil: so the habitation of such scorpions, is likened to hell, Noctes atque dies patet atri janua ditis, night and day the gates stand open to receive all comers, and by their sweet words and lose manners, draw souls to Gehenna. These jest with heads aloft, hung with rich abiliments, costly jewels, and brave attire, when fetters for their feet, and manacles for their hands, were more seemlier for such shameless Courtesans.  
These are as baits to take men, as hooks do fishes, and as Hyena, flattereth when she meaneth to kill, and the Crocodile weep when she pretends murder: so do they embrace their lover with a dagger in his bosom, and feed him with sweet words, wanton toys, till they bring him into fools paradise: but when the storms of adversity begin to flow, their love doth ebb: and when my young novise his purse is dried up, the great show of love doth abate: And therefore these mermaids may be fitly compared to glorious flowers, that have stinking smells, puffed up with pomp & lightness, and contain nothing within but deceit and treachery: in sight lovely & saverous: but in taste most deadly & venomous.  
O vain mind! that buildest thy rest upon sinful sport, and makest shipwreck of chastity for gain, as though there were no God, or at least that he were idle and did not regard the action of men: shall they not one day they know not how soon, be convented before his seat, and give account for every idle word? much more for pride, covetousness, whoredom, and such like abominable deeds: and being convicted by their own conscience, will they not be daunted at the woeful sentence, Go ye cursed? etc. no doubt yes, their courage will quail, & their pride abate: filthy sports & sweet sins are short and soon vade: but the guiltiness tarrieth still behind, and clogs the soul to eternal destruction.  
Again, by riches is corrupted the judgement with partiality; for doth not the vain world value a man by money, by the outside not the inside, and judge him rich if possessed with some worldly honour? For let a poor man be never so honest, wise, temperate, and his mind never so beautiful, yet if his back be poor, in want, need, and out of fashion, and hath neither money nor friends, he shall have Tom Drum's entertainment: Si nihil attuleris, ibis Home for as, Why money is the sinews, the blood, and soul of man, without which all is nothing be it never so excellent: for unless the purse be well lined with crowns, neither Science, cunning, Art, honesty, or any Virtue, is available to advance to dignity (without some mechanical endeavour) for gold maketh a way to every thing, yea and openeth the gates of hell as the Poet saith: 
Omnis enim res,  
Virtus, fama, decus, divina, humanáque pulchris  
Divitijs parent: quas qui construxerit, ille  

Hor. in sermon. li. 2.  Clarus erit, fortis, sapiens, etiam & Rex:  
Et quicquid volet, hoc veluti virtute paratum  
Speravit magnae laudi fore.   
So that a man hath all these properties in the vain opinion of the world, if so be he be rich, but if poor, notwithstanding he be stored with good virtues, yet is he not reputed as he is: hath he money? yea: is he rich, and hath he great possessions? yea: why then let him be honoured, and deemed virtuous, gracious, and what he will, though in truth and verity he be nor so nor so. Again, is he beggarly, hath he no money nor means? why then let him pack and walk along, no penny, no Pater noster: for he is as one dead, among the living; though indeed properly this peremptory sentence ought not to be so applied; but rather to Virtue, and littrature, without which the body is dead, although it live.  
What cannot this humpish element bring to pass? can it not cover a mass of ill humours? and cause the son to betray his own Father? 
A true speech of a Cannibal.  as a lewd fellow said once, If my Father were a hangman, my mother a harlot, & myself no better: yet if I have money, I am liked well enough, and never touched with their misdeeds: so that there is no vice that wealth doth not smother: a rich man as proud as Tarquin, as cruel as Nero, as doggish as Timon, as covetous as Dives, and as foolish as Lobellinus, yet all these vices are hid with greatness, and though counterfeit metal, yet with a true stamp may currently pass: but a poor man, in whom is great wisdom, and many good parts, Si res angusta domi, if coin be wanting, he is despised, rejected, and never used in exploiting weighty matters: so that a man is never thought wise, learned, unless he be rich, and swim in the stream of wealth: and though he speak well, and to the purpose, yet is he never gracious, as the Poet saith, Rara tenui facundia panno. 
Satyr. 7.  A poor man's speech is seldom pleasant, and wisdom under a ragged coat seldom canonical: which the Philosopher well found, 
Learning thrust out by head & shoulders.  when offering to press into the presence with his simple weeds, was shut out by a grim Cerberus, but shifting his clothes, was admitted without repulse: wherefore coming before the king, he turned all his obeisance upon his own clothes, saying: I must honour them that honour me, for my clouts brought that to pass which all my Philosophy could never accomplish. And thus is the rich beauty of the mind, measured by a beggars weed, and gay apparel preferred before a mind well qualified: so the rude opinion looks at nothing but the outward picture, and magnify an ignorant Ass, so he have a gay coat, & set him on a high seat, where by silence he may seem wise: for the wisdom of a man saith Solomon, is known by his speech. But as by knocking on a vessel, the crack (if any be) will soon be seen, so if touched with an argument, his cracked understanding will soon be manifest.  
Great places are possessed with men of weak judgement, 
Simple men climb to high places.  that have no jot of worthiness, but wealth and worldly fame, and can serve for no other use but for a Nomenmen to tell the clock, call a spade, a spade, and reckon up the proper names of things: yet if trimly sponged up in some formality (though he have little wit, and small honesty) it is enough to raise him up to some dignity: but when such an one is exalted into the imperative mood, how moody his mastership is, so toade-swolne with pride and ambition, that he is ready to burst in sunder, & so rapt up in conceit of his high place, that he utterly forgets his first creation. Oh it is a world of sport to hear how some such clouting beetles roll in their loblogicke, and intrinsicate into the mayor of the matter, with such hidebound reasons, that he makes a pitiful learned face, one spreads his arms, clears his throat, as who should say, attend, attend, for now he speaks, whose conclusions are unanswerable, but finding the proposition too deep for his shallow wit, suddenly starts back, and briefly huddles up his headless matter. An other shakes his empty head, and dives into the bottom of his bottomless brains, to find some intricate and tedious circumstance, into which when he is entered he cannot find a period and full rest, so many Tautokogies and iterations come into the way, that unless some Ariadne lend a thread to pull him out of Dedalus labyrinth, he must needs be lost; or at leastwise when he is gotten out, is so mired with his own slime, that he becometh a scorn to wise men, in laying open his own weakness: yet who more talkative, and ready to stop the mouths of men able to speak, than such insencible tattler? for drunken fortune hath this opinion of itself, that look whatsoever it speaketh is authentical, and droppeth from the mouth like the Oracles of Apollo. There is nothing therefore so holy, so pure, so honest, so chaste, but money will corrupt, violate, and batter down: so that these empty bottles, apish gestures, and antic faces, if wealthy, rich, & well moneyed, all gross imperfections are overshadowed. So that when men are sotted in the allurements of this life, & dedicate their whole labours to so wicked a saint, they soon lose the use of their goods, & become partially affected: if passion rule, & not reason, all goes to wrack; for if either prodigality rule the purse, whereby the mind is strongly carried into temporary joy, or so gripple and covetous as to do nothing but scrape in the dunghill of this world, why these extremes do so urge the opinion, that they headlong run at random into all licentious and lose living, in so much as they do not perceive to what end they are advanced above other men, and made so rich among a company of beggars.  
Many there be (the more is the pity) that although God hath abundantly multiplied his blessings upon them, that they cannot justly say they want any worldly thing, 
Hard-hearted Christians.  yet be they so near to hold fast that which they have, that they do as it were, single themselves from all common duties, and lay aside that regard of the public good, which their conscience and private ability doth instantly tie them unto; let us note them a little, who will sooner shift and wrangle off honest duties than they? will they not brabble and sophisticate for very small payments? and will they not wrest and wind laws to their own sense, if they may save but a penny? and bear the repulse of superior rebukes, them to part with aught shall contradict their froward nature: is this the duty of good subjects? do these seek the peace of the state? doth not the Heathen man say: Non solum nobis nati sumus: we are not borne for ourselves alone, but for our country also: shall Christians be worse than Pagans? Let this great duty therefore be considered, seeing thou hast store, withhold nothing that is due: is not he a caitiff that will see his mother die for hunger, and he hath bread to relieve her if he would? why, the Commonwealth is thy mother, every poor Christian is thy brother, wilt thou see them famished before thy face and not secure them, having enough? Thou hast thy wealth to that end, if thou couldst see it, and use it aright. Nevertheless, we see how men of good place and reckoning, will hide themselves in corners, live privately, only to keep their purses, that they may be liable to no imposition, 
The City is extremely pestered with Inmates and Idle families, when the Country lies waste & unpeopled.  and crowd into Cities, Boroughs, and privilege places, or like non-residents, roll up and down from one lodging to an other, to the intent that being uncertain where to be had, their states may be unknown, and by this means both overthrow hospitality, defraud the Queen and Commonwealth of necessary duties, and depopulate the country. Is it not a token of a covetous mind, that men of good possessions and fair livings, should break up house, and sojourn only with one or two servants, that they may hoard up their rents, when they are sufficiently able to keep a good house themselves? surely it is a sign of a base condition.  
Furthermore, many wealthy Yeomen, & rich Farmers that are risen up to goods enough, do tread the same path. For whereas erst when they dwelled upon their own, they kept good houses, and were no small stay to the places where they lived, are either covetous of some vainglorious title of gentility, or otherwise so miserly greedy of wealth, (for one of the two I know not which) thrust themselves in like manner, into Cities, Corporations, and Liberties, and yet hold their Farms still in their own occupying: for they have such long arms, that they clasp many great livings. And also lying upon the advantage, take Farms over their neighbour's heads, ten years before their Leases be expired: And what do they with these plurified livings? but place shepherds, herds, underlings, and such threadbare tenants in their stocks, and that at such unreasonable rents too, that the poor snakes that dwell under them are driven to weak shifts, to far hardly, live barely, moil and toil the whole year to scrape up their rent, not saving at the years end for all their pains, scarce the price of an old Frise jerkin: for their Lord knows better than they what profit will arise, and how every thing will fall out: and if he thrive under him, then doth he stretch and rack it to the uttermost, till at last he bring the whole gain into his own bag; and so by this means can hardly bear ordinary charges, much less do works of superrerogation, being kept down so cruelly by their greedy Landlords.  
Now these have not only their means brought in unto them by the sweat of poor men's brows, and sleep in peace and security when others watch and labour (a great blessing, if rightly weighed) but will closely and cunningly seek to shift off all duties by withdrawing them into odd corners. Oh that men of such ability should have such Iron rusty hearts, to hide their heads, shut their hands, and whip devotion from their doors! do they not seek to subvert and weaken the state as much as they can, by withholding that part of duty required by the law of nature? but the greediness of gain causeth unrelenting hearts, for one would possess all alone.  
O how are men deceived in their own estate, that being rich, are yet ever poor, because opinion is never satisfied: whereas if we only respect nature, no man can be poor, Natura enim ut ait Philoso. paucis minimisque contenta nature, is content with necessity. But to bring all this to a head, though some be carried with the stream of pride, some with the floods of desire, some prodigal, some pinching; and though the covetous man gape for more, more, and like hell mouth, never satisfied, yet will they hide their plough-sores under the carpet of liberality, as now and then to give an alms against a good time (as they call it) to beat down a hard opinion, intimating thereby to be good freehearted men, when all the year beside, they scrape and claw it from other by the excessive prices of their bad commodities, and by pinching them with many uncharitable gripes, and yet will they hide their want of love under Virtue and Religion: and why so? because it carrieth a general good liking of all men: for although many have no religion at all, nor one spark of a virtuous man, yet for all this will they seem to love and embrace it entirely, because of the unspotted simplicity they see in the true professors thereof: and that chief, because this outward show is some means to assuage the heat of sharp reprehensions; and that under colour of this, they may live in some good report of the common sort: for if they should not hide the malice within, with a show of holiness without, but permit the rebellion to rush forth, they would be hateful to others, and disquiet their own peace: to hold friendship therefore with the world, it is expedient for them to be hypocrites and deceivers, and therefore will they perform many Christian duties, and communicate with the Saints, yea and crowd to the Church door of true devotion, and both pray and use good exercises in their families, frequent Sermons, yea and ride and go six or seven miles to hear a good Preacher: are not these good things, 
Cunning deceivers.  and the very properties of a true Christian? yes verily: but all this is but done in policy to mock the world: how know you that? why look into their course of life; if any vain opportunity be offered, will they not follow it? if the wicked call to go, will they not run? will they not dice, card, swear, swagger, and be drunk? are they not usurers, extortioners, proud persons, and so cold in charity, that no Christian duty can heat their love? so it is an easy thing to see their hypocrisy, if a man but cast his sight upon their conversation.  
And in like manner, many at the end of the year (as a charitable work) will keep open house, and set open their gates, for all the rake-bels & lose vagabonds in a country, and fill idle bellies with their flesh-pots, when the poor, blind, lame, and sick, are feign to lie in the depth of misery, without comfort, help, or secure: and to what end is this great superfluity? forsooth, to rejoice for the blessed feast of Christmas: Indeed this feast doth bring great cause of joy, 
The false use of true joy.  for that being all lost in Adam, and heirs of damnation, are nevertheless by the coming of the Messias, the son of God, who took on him our flesh at this time of the year, to undergo the wrath of his father due to us, redeemed us from hell, and made us inheritors of heaven: here is cause of joy, what a happy memory is this? how ought this feast to be celebrated in magnifying the Almighty, and lauding his name for so great a benefit? but what a commemoration is here? when they turn true joy into carnal jollity: doth this true joy stand in eating, drinking, rioting, feasting, mumming, masking, dancing, dicing, carding, and such like, that taste wholly of Heathens superstition? is God honoured by this? nay rather is he not more dishonoured at that time of the year, than all the year beside? So that a counterfeit joy is set up in stead thereof, meditation and merciful works are pulled down, and Epicurism set up, which doth usurp and imperiously bear rule over all holy desires: for in this is their devotion, in unlawful and sinful pleasures, to gormandize and waste in excess the good blessings of GOD; and these men will not stick to lash out a whole mass of money, in dedicating feasts to devil Bacchus, and maintain Plays in their houses, as filthy as the Lupercalia in Rome, spend whole nights and days in reveling, and toast themselves by their great fires, 
Virg.  and as the Poet sayeth, Regifico luxu paratae epulae, have their Tables furnished at exceeding and princely charges, to stuff the guts and feed the belie, and wish with Polmixe, that they had throats as long as Cranes, so that they might taste their sweets with more leisure: In so much that by this unreasonable excess and gluttony, in a few days wast out that riotously, that would relieve many poor people if measurably bestowed. Thus I say like Epicures they consecrate the memory of this blessed feast, with such a joy, as savours altogether of the dross and slime of the earth: and this is liberality for sooth, charity, and Christian love, when it is but prodigality, vainglory, and hypocrisy.  
Moreover, although they be too too slack in honest duties, yet will they scotch at no charge may bring pleasure, or hold up some vainglorious memory, as in building great houses, to be christened by their names, when many of them are but as Absalon's pillar, a monument of folly, a spectacle of vanity, and a prey of time, many chimneys, little smoke: large rooms, wherein a man may walk and chaw his melancholy for want of other repast, and never be put to the charges to buy a tooth-picker. And to what end is this great building and cunning Architect? but to stand in the gaze of the world, and make the passenger cry out with admiration, O domus antiqua heu quam dispari dominari Domino! 
Ennius.  
O gallant house, full well do I see,  
How unlike a Lord hath lordship on thee.   
Indeed here is the twofold benefit it yields, not only in setting many poor labouring men a work, but also a Princely edifise and stately building, is a great honour to a kingdom. But such are worthy blame that overthrow their state by building, not being able to use one room well of those many they build: for if a man of reasonable wealth fall into this humour of building gay houses, if he did small good before, is now utterly unable to do any at all, his new foundation hath eaten up all his old means: this is the simple policy of some men that love to beggar themselves to please the eye. Again, how provident men are to graft their children into great stocks, that may not easily be stricken with the thunderclaps of adversity, & though the stock be never so rotten, infected, & blasted with Vice, yet if rich and mighty, it is enough: and surely this ethical policy were highly to be advanced, if so be that our continuing City were here: but seeing all things are frail, momentaine, short and transitory, that we cannot certainly number to morrow among the days of our life, what a mere madness is this, to be so in love with the flattering smiles of this life? and so mired in the dunghill of pleasures, as to dote so much upon it: for verily men seek their own danger, when they make the thing that is indifferent, to be unlawful: do they not with Orpheus catch the air? seek the shadow, & lose the substance? win earth, and lose heaven.  
Yet these aboriginies, earthbred worms, with high looks, and insolent brags, will stand upon terms of gentility, and derive their pedigree even from Cadwallader, the last king of the Britons, when in sadness they are not so much as sprinkled with one true drop of gentle blood, neither one property of a Gentleman, unless it should only stand in wealth & great possessions, which is contrary to our former assertion: for if true gentry be a mind excellently decked with rare virtues, not only by propagation of nature, but by integrity of qualities; not in beauty, but in Virtue; not in riches, but in honour; not in pride, but in comeliness; not in costly and curious diet, but feeding the hungry, and clothing the naked; not in sumptuous building, joining house to land, kin to kin (with respective marriages) but only in the true possession of Virtue: then albeit a man wallow in wealth, live in pleasure, far dainty, go princely, hung with pearl, sweetly perfumed, hawks, horses, hounds, and in a word, have whatsoever pomp & glory his heart can wish, or the world afford: yet if he be not noble in Virtues, but ignoble in vices, and have not those good parts that carry a union of good men's praises, he is but pirate & latro, a thief and a robber; and all his rich paintings & goodly buildings, are but monuments of shame and baseness. 
Virtue more honourable than riches.  Is not Virtue then more honourable than riches? doth it not raise a man to immortality? & doth not riches overthrow his happiness, if not duly over-watcht with Temperance? and if so be a rich man look narrowly into his state, and cast up his accounts well, he shall find himself a very bankrupt, and to owe more than he is worth: for why hath he more plenty of bastardly riches than other men, but that he is a bailiff, steward, & Feoffer in trust, to dispose & lay out in alms and charitable works? Now than if he apply them to his own use, what reckoning can he make, or how will he answer it at the great assizes, when it shall be objected by the king of glory, When I was naked, you clothed me not: when I was hungry you fed me not? etc. Go into everlasting fire, etc. And therefore these great rich men of the world, have objects before their eyes, and are hemmed in with poor on every side: here is one crying for bread, there an other for clothes, the sick to be visited, the lame and infirm to be comforted, the stranger to be lodged, so that they cannot turn their eyes no way, but they have motions to stir up charity, and woeful clamours sounding into their ears of want: and yet had divers of them rather do any thing then relieve their necessities, to give ten pound for a Hawk, than ten pence to clothe the naked. The Raven forsakes her young ones assoon as they are hatched, because seeing them of an other hue, thinks them of an other kind: so in like manner some rich men look aloft, snuff & fume at their poor brethren, and cast off all devosion & brotherly love, because seeing them humbled and brought low in the world, judge them utterly unhappy, when verily they are not only of lemma self-same issue & parent, but also more acceptable to God in their base estate, them they in all their royalty.  
Is it not lamentable, to see a number of poor winterstarued people lie pining in misery, which might be relieved, 
Cold charltie in these days, among many misers.  if it were but with the surplusage of their vain expenses, and comforted with that, which they wastefully consume? For do but view these kind of men, and you shall see they will spare for no cost to build fair houses (as I said before) though they impoverish themselves for ever: galleries, bowling-allies, walks, and whatsoever may bring delight; to ride with great retinue to show their pomp, and maintain their quarrels, to feed idle bellies with their flesh-pots, that are no sooner up but run to vain sports: but if a poor man be fallen into want, or an honest cause crave some relief, a penny is as hardly gotten from them, as fire out of a flintstone, or if it doth at last come, it is many times more for fashion to shun reproach, then for charity to the cause. But some perhaps will say, it is my own, and may I not do with mine own what I will? but 'tis neither so, nor so: for it is not thine, thou art put in trust to lay it out, to help and secure thy poor needy brother. Perhaps thou wilt say again, I brought him not to beggary: did I lame him? did I unparell him? or did I unhouse him? wherefore then should I recompense him whom I never wronged? Are Bees bound to gather honey for drones? and must I keep life in rats and mice, and such vermin as are bred by the infection of a plenteous year? Indeed they are made poor, but 'tis because thou art rich; that thereby thou mightest exercise thy love, for there shall be poor always to set charity a work: yet some are so far from love, as they fall into barbarous cruelty, that they had rather cut their throats, then cherish them with benevolence: as it is recorded of a B. B. of Constance, that under colour of giving alms, assembled all the poor in the country together, shut them up in a barn, set fire to it, and burned them up together, counting it a work meritorious: and no doubt for so doing, he was canonized a saint by the impiety of Antichrist.  
If one of these Bacchanals, deliver to his steward a great sum of money to lay out in domestic affairs, and he lavish it out in rioting, drunkenness, and lewd company, will not his master pull his coat over his ears? brand him for a knave, and turn him out at his gates? no doubt he would be as rigorous as so lewd a prank should deserve: why then how do they think to escape? being bailiffs and stewards, to the Lord of Lords, who hath committed his treasure to them, with a charge to lay it out in such merciful works as he hath appointed, and they run with it to the market of vanities, 
A note for belly-gods.  and expend it in prodigal uses. Surely it will be a mad reckoning when they shall come in with Item in Pheasants, Patriges, Woodcocks, sauces, sops, & delicates for the body, so much. Item in strange fashions, and new fangles for my back, so much: upon dogs so much: in vain building so much, and such like. I suppose this bill of Items will be scarce pleasing to their master that hath put them in so great trust.  
Then seeing God hath made thee rich, and thy brother poor, be never the more puffed up with pride and disdain, but study how thou mayest discharge so great a reckoning as thou hast to make: think this with thyself, he that made me rich, could have made me poor; it is in his bounty, not my deserving; I do but possess that of which an other is owner, who can disinherit me when he will: why then should I brag as if it were mine own? and though my brother be poor, yet peradventure he is richer to God than I; I see no difference between us, we are both of one mould, save that I have more chaff and rubbish than he, which is scattered with every gust of wind: so that if he well consider his state, and expostulate with himself in this manner, that load of riches that is now so heavy, will be more easily borne.  
The Poets feign, that Plutus the god of money is lame when he cometh, but hath wings swiftly to departed: signifying that as riches are long in getting, so they are suddealy lost: and therefore a man should be rich in charity and poor in desire, and impart the benefit to the needments and necessity of other.  
For as there is a divine coherence between the members of the body, though they have all a distinct and peculiar office, yet they all minister to the common society: so in like manner we being members of that body, whereof Christ is the head, aught to bend our activity for the health & welfare of the same, and to bear such a mutual conjunction and sympathy, as feeling members, to open the bowels of compassion on such as are in want: and this only is virtues Commonwealth.  
Nevertheless there be some well disposed and very forward to all good duties in saying, till it come to doing: but then they winch like a galled horse, o they cannot away with charge: If my ability saith one would answer my willingness, I would do this and that, or if I had so much wealth, I would relieve the poor better, they should not go empty handed; or if I had so much wit, and such means, I would countenance good causes with the beauty of honour: and so do they vaunt of that they would do, and yet do not that they should do. I demand what good dost thou with that little thou hast? thou art wise and politic, or at least thou thinkest so, how dost thou use it? if thou art unfaithful in a little, no doubt thou wouldst be so in a great deal: for as he is inconfident to whom money is delivered upon trust to pay to an other, & doth either keep it back all, or deliver but half: so he that hath much or little & doth not dispose it as he ought, is not worthy to be trusted with more. Perhaps thou wilt say, such a man is of great wealth and he doth little good or none at all, why then should I that am of lesser value do any thing? this is no excuse for thee, nor cause of suspense, for thou art to look to thy own duty, and not weaken thy own charity, by the negligence of other men.  
Another will boast of that little he doth, and be the trump of his own praise: saying, I give thus much weekly to the poor, and do this and that good: but he is to examine himself if it be according to his wealth and place or no, for otherwise an other man doth as much that is far behind in substance, and with whom he would brag without measure, in comparative terms: but some think if they do a little good, though it be nothing in lieu of their state, or if they do not a great deal of hurt by pilling, powling, strife, factions, and such like troubles, they have done so much good, that God is bound to pay them somewhat back again. But according to the Poet, Est quodam prodire tenus: si non datur ultra. 

Hor.  Here could I enter in a field of matter  
more then much:  
But guess that all is out of frame,  
and long it hath been such.   
Although it were better to be occupied in practising those books already written, then to write more, (this last age being so full, that it doth exceed all other): yet the necessity of times, by reason of controversies, do provoke the learned to spend their labours that way: and not only so, but in explaining the scriptures, and discoursing of Sciences, 
No end of making many books.  which work is not only necessary, but commendable; whereby a general good is brought in: this godly use of writing cannot be disliked of any virtuous man.  
But forasmuch, as some are diversly affected, they observe not this decorum before noted, but fall into vain jangling, and so conceited of their own wits, and have so many crotchets in their heads, that they publish great volumes of nice and curious questions, ambiguities, & doubts, as many of the Asse-stronomers, that are very inquisitive to know if the world were created in the Spring or Autumn, the night before the day, 
Curious star gazers.  and how Moses could write credibly of the world's creation, living so many years after; as though God could not as well tell him what was passed, as he did the Prophets what was to come, and such deep secrets, as though God had called them to counsel. In like manner some are busied in Nativities, Destinies, Dreams, Palmistry, and Phisiognamie: in a word, who is able to express the foolish curiosity of some men, that are never satisfied in these vain & idle studies, but spend whole years in searching after doubts and fallacies, and in the mean time overpass those things which he hath vouchsafed to reveal unto us, sufficient for us to know: Noli altum sapere, it is no time well spent to soar so high in things shut up from common understanding and reason, and chief seeing they are no ground of faith, nor means to edification.  
But by this, the Roman merchant hath fetched in his greatest gain, I mean by false revelations, 
The Pope looseth nothing by this.  and fond opinions, as Purgatory, the Econimicall government of the heavenly powers, the mansions and chambers in heaven, the degrees of Angels, and Archangels, Cherubins and Seraphins, and a thousand other fond imaginations, foisted in among them by their school dunces, which they falsely derive from Dionysius Ariopagita, one of the seventy Disciples: so that by these intricate fallacies, and subtle silogismes, wherewith they are maintained, many poor souls are ensnared, and cast headlong into a labyrinth of blind superstition. This curiosity therefore is a dangerous disease, and a sore that must be healed, lest it fester and run over the whole body.  
Others there be that have such a leprosy of wit, that they to disquiet and trouble the estate, seek for innovation, and displant all good order established, not only thereby amazing the weak Christians, but also alinating the hearts of many from their due obedience. Touching these that carp at the present discipline, I will say little, only this much by the way: that although many things may be misliked in a politic state, & not seem so precisely good to them that look a far off with slight imagination: yet may be well permitted and tolerated in policy, to keep peace and quietness: so be it the fundamental properties stand fast, which otherwise could not but bring much confusion and disorder: and therefore it is no sure opinion (as the learned suppose) to go about to change laws, and break down discipline, which is already established, lest all comeliness and good order be therewith overthrown.  
Some do nought else but scrape the puddle of contentions, to find matter to wrangle, though they have no cause to carp.  

Epist. 18. li. 1.  Alter rixatur de lana saepe caprina:  
propugnat nugis armatus.  
And these are so ambitious of their sophistical vain of wrangling, that they put their brabbles in print, to the view of the world, and out of the rancour and malice of their hearts, spew and belch out scandals, slanders, 
Busy controwlers.  rumours and false reports by that means kindle flames of contentions in a peaceable state, and distemper the quietness of men's affections, and this is chief bend against good men: for the quality of grudging envy is, to be sick with sorrow and virulent hate, at the prosperity of other: for he that is exhorted by the desert of Virtue, is subject to scandals, and the backbiting of the vious.  
But the haven I intent to harbour in, is to speak somewhat of those vain, idle, wanton Pamphlets and lascivious love-bookes, which as firebrands, inflame the concupiscence of youth: for in my opinion nothing doth more corrupt and whither green and tender wits, than such unsavoury and vituperable books, as hurtful to youth, as Machavile to age, a plaugh dangerous, and as common as dangerous.  
The lazy Monks, & fat-headed Friars, in whom was nought but sloth & idleness, bred this contagion; for lining in pleasure & ease, and not interrupted with cares, they had time enough to vomit out their doltish & ridiculous fables, & this was the subtlety of Satan then, 
Vain books the spoil of many young wits.  to occupy Christian wits in Heathens foolery; but now this age is more finer, men's wits are clarified, the dullness of that time is thrust out, an other method is brought in, fine phrases, Inkehorn-termes, swelling words, bombasted out with the flocks of sundry languages, with much polished and new-made eloquence: with these dainty cates they furnish and set out their filthy and vicious books; now what do they, but tie youth in the fetters of lust, & keep them in the thoughts of love? for do they not with glozing words tickle and stir up the affections to be conceited of some fond passion, to be more ungraciously subtle? and do they not labour in vain cunning to infect and poison delicate youth? are not there idle Poems of carnal love, lust, and unchaste arguments? the very nurses of abuse, by which the mind is drawn to many pestilent wishes. For when as young folks have licked in the sweet juice of these stinking books, their conversation and manners are so tainted and spotted with Vice, that they can never be so clean washed, but some filthy dregs will remain behind. I may liken them to fawning curs, that never bark till they bite: or a gay painted coffer, full of toads and venomous beasts: So in like manner many of these books have glorious outsides, and goodly titles: as if when a man took them in hand, he were about to read some angelical discourse: but within, full of strong venom, tempered with sweet honey: now while the mind is occupied in reading such toys, the common enemy of man is not idle, but doth secretly ensnare the soul in security. And some of good parts, and beautified with no common gifts, both of art and nature, 
Good wits vain writers.  not being led by the sunshine of Virtue, infect the purity of wit with profane invention, in some lose subject; as patrons of Vice, and nurses of impiety, and spend the blessedness of time in unnecessary babbling.  
Other base and servile wits run rashly into any sinful argument, and crowd to the press with might and main, not so much regarding the general hurt, as some sixpenny allowance: na●, every trivial mate and cashired Clerk, will bewray his folly in print, and with a tumultuous confusion of words, lay out a deal of amorous prattle, though he be as tedious to his reader, as a muddy way to a weary traveler. Now what is to be found in these books? but filthiness and gross ignorance; as for learning, there is none to be found in them, which never came near the shadow of learning themselves, and as little wit, but a few fine words of lust, which are chief meant to bend the mind to wantonness: yet are they led with this vain supposition, that if they have been lulled a sleep but one night on the Muse's lap, are able to publish any thing with well deserved commendations: and I must needs say, that I myself have read in them, and taken great delight in their foolish lies; but surely I could never find either goodness or wit, unless Vice be Virtue, or to tell a bawdy tale be wit.  
Nevertheless, I would not have any man think, that I inveigh against, or discommend Poetry; for in all ages it hath been thought necessary: but only against those abusers of Poesy, who under the name & title of Poets, foist in their wanton & lascivious verses. 
Modest Poetry commendable.  The true use of Poetry standeth in two parts; the one in teaching the way to Virtue; the other to move with delight thereunto: for honest delight stirreth up men to take that goodness in hand, which otherwise would be loathsome & unpleasant: so that when it is bend to a good end, and every thing laid out in his due annalligie, with some joy the affections are thereby invoked to a serious consideration, to imitate that goodness whereunto it is moved. Those books that both delight and persuade with learned discretion, & out of which some wholesome document may be extracted, though it be simple, yet is it praisable. Disdain not (saith the wise Heathen) the simple labour of an other, though thou be'st never so great; especially if he speak good words. Again, considering the diversity of men's minds, and how diversly they are disposed, all honest delight is not to be disproved, because every man may find both pleasure & profit: for as I say, by a pleasant discourse the mind is more cheerfully carried, both to read & meditate, to muse and study, & the memory more willing to hold that it hath conceived: So that Poetry is no other thing, but a lively presentation of things ingeniously disposed, whereby Virtue is painted out with such fresh colours, that the mind is inflamed with her excellent properties.  
Now whosoever shall descent from this true use, is no Poet, but a vain babbler: for what are all these scurrilous tales, & bawdy verses? do these move to Virtue with honest delight? nay do they not rather stir up bawdry and beastliness? for are they not full of Paganism and ribald speeches, to stir up the mind to shady idleness? is this Poetry? verily they are as unworthy the name of Poets, as Chirrillus, who had nothing to grace his verses by, but only the name of Allex.  
But if a man superficially & slightly glideth over these piebald Pamphlets, they are like a pleasing dream, that mocks the mind with silken thoughts: but if seen into with a sober judgement, he shall find in that fair beaten path, many Adders & Snakes lie in wait to bite him by the heel.  
For if a view be had of these editions, the Court of Venus, 
A Legend of lies.  the Palace of Pleasure, Guy of Warwick, Libbius and Arthur, Bevis of Hampton, the wise men of Goatam, Scoggins jests, Fortunatus, and those new delights that have succeeded these, and are now extant, too tedious to reckon up: what may we think? but that the flood-gates of all impiety are drawn up, to bring a universal deluge over all holy and godly conversation: for there can be no greater means to affright the mind from honesty, than these peddling books, which have filled such great volumes, and blotted so much paper, their sweet songs and wanton tales do ravish and set on fire the young untempered affections, to practise that whereof they do entreat: who by reason of their infancy and imbicillitie of wit, are soon seduced, and with wine-puft eloquence, do so artificially limb out the life of vanity, as they easily take the impression of that which is portrayed out unto them: and on this rock stands the ensign of their glory, if smoothly and pithily they can trick up a tale of some beastly prapus, of lawless lust, and rip up the genealogy of the Heathen gods, to carry the mind into wonderment: o how they will dive into the bottom of their brain! for fluant terms, and embossed words, to varnish their lies and fables to make them glib, and as we use to say, to go down without chewing, which as poison doth by little and little, disperse itself into every part of the body.  
From hence riseth so much foolish idle prattle, the serving-man, the Image of sloth, the bagpipe of vanity, like a windy Instrument, soundeth nothing but profaneness, and some are so charmed, as they spend their whole life in vain reading, because they see in them as in a glass, their own conditions: now such vain fragments as fit their humours, they suck in, and squeeze out again in every assembly.  
It is too true, that one such wanton to ye doth more breed Vice, than twenty godly treatises can induce to Virtue: nor twenty Sermons preached by the best Divine in England, doth not so much good to move to true doctrine, as one of these books do harm to entice to ill living: they corrupt good learning, & subvert all sanctimony, and by a tedious prattling oversway the memory from that good purpose whereunto it ought to be employed, not informing the judgement in matters worthy to be learned.  
From whence then creepeth in this pestilence, but out of these vain books; for every mischief by little & little crawleth upon the good manners of men, which under some show of goodness is suddenly received, which by a voluntary admittance at the first becometh habitual, especially when the spiritual faculties are defiled with much conversation: in so much that many that hold places in sacred assemblies, become affected to their phrases, Metaphors, Allegories, and such figurative and suparlative terms, and so much vain eloquence, as they yield no fruit at all to their auditors, but drive them into amazement with a multitude of Inkehorne-termes scummed from the Latin, and defused phrases, as they fly above the common reach, when the most profitable and best affected speech is that that is most congruable and fitly applied to the intendment & understanding of the hearers by familiar and ordinary terms, not sophistical, dark, and obscure, nor too base and barbarous: but such as are animated by their present ability to speak more than other men, and be addicted to affectation, have commonly a dearth of judgement, seldom edify, but gallop over profane writers to show their vain reading.  
Demosthenes' being called to declaim against the rude multitude that had assembled themselves in the Forum of Athens, answered he was not yet ready, if he that had Facaecia ingenij, the very soul of wit durst not speak in a serious matter without preparing himself before, how can such that come far short of him in promptness of natural wisdom, presume to handle holy things so rashly with human learning, for it is an impudent boldness for a man to take upon him to teach others that which he before hath not been taught: but I may speak as Tully spoke of the Orators of Rome, Sed tamen videmus quibus extinctus Oratoribus quam in paucis spes quanto in paucioribus facultas quam in multis sit audacia. We see (saith he) what noble Orators are put out of the way, and how in few a hope remaineth, in fewer a skill, but in many a boldness, that dare set upon any thing.  
To return, do not these idle pernicious books poison the well disposed manners of youth, and macerate and kill the seeds of Virtue that begin to bloom? for do they not use more vain eloquence than confidence in matters of wisdom? So that all that which they do, is but to make a mutiny. Men need not sow for weeds, for they grow fast enough: so we are polluted enough by kind, though we be not more defiled by custom: thus do they proceed like cankers to eat off the tender buds.  
Neither do they want some Maecenas to Patronize their witless works, and to have some applause, bend the scope of their argument to fit their dispositions; 
Vain works well rewarded.  yea, and many times thrust their dedications upon men of grave and sober carriage, who will not stick to recompense their idle labours.  
Now if the principal scope of all our actions and counsels, aught to be to some good end, and that it must needs pass as a Maxim, that nothing can be good but that wh●ch moveth to Virtue, them it must consequently follow, that all profane and lascivious Poems, are as an infectious air that brings a general plague, because they strive against honesty.  
And if Plato, saw so great cause to shut them out of his commonwealth, as noisome to the peace and tranquillity thereof, what ought our Platonists to do? sith they more abound here then ever they did there: or if we had but the zealous affections of the Ephesians, we would loath the price of so great iniquity, and sacrifice them at a stake, though they were of never so great value. But happily it will be demanded how Ladies, Gentlewomen, etc. should spend the time, and busy their heads, as though idleness were not a vice bad enough of itself, without fire to be added, and as though there were not a Bible, and many good books wherein they might be virtuously exercised.  
Of good wits well employed what good would ensue, by setting out the praises of the immortal majesty, that giveth hands to write, and wits to invent, what matter might they not find: both honest and necessary, in which they might first want words to utter, than matter worthy to be uttered: especially those that are not only by their outward felicity freed from troubles and perturbation of mind, embracing content in the bosom of peace, the nurse of Sciences, but are also enabled, and sufficiently gifted to publish any thing of worth, o how willing is Virtue to crown them with honour!  
But this contagion, ought seriously to be considered by men of riper judgement, and by such as have authority to suppress the abuses; for is it not lamentable? that a Pamphlet discoursing nought but Paganism, should be so vendible, and virtuous books want sale, the one bought up thick and three fold, the other lie dead, for there cometh forth no sooner a foolish toy, a lewd and bawdy ballad, but if sung in the market, by the devils quirristers, they flock to it as crows to a dead carcase, buying them up as jewels of price, be they never so ribald, filthy, or dorbellical; but books of Christianity, of modest argument, that tend to rectify the judgement, lieth still in the Stationer's hand as waste paper, not so much as looked after: so that by this we may plainly see, what a froward generation we are fallen into, where in such books as are most hurtful and dangerous, are most devoutly coveted.  
But if they would observe the Philosopher's rule, 
Pythagoras' rule.  to abstain from speaking five year, I doubt not but in that time, they would be fitted and fully established, to write with sober judgement, as men of understanding & reason: or if the Apostles rule were followed, Be swift to hear, and slow to speak, they would be more considerate, and not run out the course of their lives in such unprofitable study.  
But touching the defence some make, to approve this vain writing, it is too ridiculous, and not worth an answer, that they do by this means polish & refine our English tongue, and draw it from barbarism, into a more finer Cadence of words: but those books that polish the tongue, & deprave the life, are dangerous, and in the sentence of wise men, in no case to be allowed: for it were better for a man to be dumb, then by speaking to approve a wrong, and accuse the innocent: and better it were indeed that they had not only no learning at all; but also that they had no eyes to see, nor ears to hear: for as it is in the Gospel, it were much better for a man to go blind into heaven, then with two eyes to be cast into hell. Neither can I see but that they draw our language from the ancient tenor, by mixing it with so many strange countries, that it seemeth rather more artificial, then natural: and more base than the common law, which is compounded of French, English and Latin, etc.  
The harsh tooting of Pan's pipe, was more pleasing to Midas ear, than the sweet harmony of Apollo's harp, but this fault was in the judge, 
Vain men, judge vainly.  whose simplicity could not distinguish them aright: in like manner, many are better content with vicious books, bawdy songs, foolish and wanton ditties, then in the well seasoned writings of holy men, and this is for want of judgement, being as blind as he was foolish. It may be said of such, as Pythagoras said to a lewd fellow that soothed himself in conversing with bad company, I had rather quoth he be acquainted with bawds, then wise Philosophers. 
L. Max.  No marvel quoth he very sadly, swine delight more in dirt, then in pure and clean water.  
Of such books as move to good life, and bring a benefit to posterity, we have but too few, and can never have too many: but of such as follow their own fancies in spewing out their wandering imaginations, we have but too many, and it were to be wished we had none at all. Good men are not only otherwise employed, but also greatly discouraged, for if they set forth any notable book of divinity, humanity, or such like, they are in no request, but to stop musterd-pots, & what is the reason? but this, every Stationer's shop, stall, & almost every post, gives knowledge of a new toy, 
Good books lie dead.  which many times intercepts the virtuous disposition of a willing buyer: so that having time, and encouragement, labour what they can, to deface good men's works, with the multitude of their sinful fopperies.  
He that can but bombast out a blank verse, and make both the ends jump together in a rhyme, is forthwith a poet laureate, challenging the garland of bay, and in one slavering discourse or other, 
Many Poets shallow wits.  hang out the badge of his folly. O how weak and shallow much of their poetry is, for having no sooner laid the subject and ground of their matter, and in the Exordium moved attention, but over a verse or two run upon rocks and shelves, carrying their readers into a maze, now up, them down, one verse shorter than an other by a foot, like an unskilful Pilot, never comes nigh the intended harbour: in so much that oftentimes they stick so fast in mud, they lose their wits ere they can get out, either like Chirrillus, writing verse not worth the reading, or Battillus, arrogating to themselves, the well deserving labours of other ingenious spirits. far from the decorum of Chauser, gower's, Lidgate, etc. or our honourable modern Poets, who are no whit to be touched with this, but reverently esteemed, and liberally rewarded.  
Then seeing this naughty kind of writing doth pluck up the seeds of Virtue by the roots, and quench that little fire assoon as it beginneth to kindle, they ought to be shunned as Serpents & Snakes, and youth chief to be kept from reading them.  
The Libeler is punished according to the quality of his Libel, 
A fit comparison.  either by pillory, whipping, loss of ears, fine, imprisonment, and such like: the thief hanged, the traitor drawn, and every one punished in that kind he doth offend in: are not these filthy books libels? do they not defame, discredit, and reproach Virtue and honesty, by expounding Vice with large comments? do they not steal away all holy devotion, poison good wits, and corrupt young people? shall he be pardoned by course of law, that offends in the highest degree? and shall he be counted a master of wisdom, that teacheth nought but foolishness to the people? wherefore then should this so great mischief go unreproved?  
To conclude, he that can read, shall find books worthy to be read, wherein is both wisdom and learning, pleasant & witty, sober and chaste, that both profit the life, 
The profit of reading good books.  and joy the mind: but before all other, to read those divine books, that both lift the heart to God, and direct unto Christian duties: for such is Fomentum fidei, nourishing faith, Lexio alit ingenium, so the books be wise, virtuous, chaste, and honest: touching the former, they are but stinking infectious writings, which as mud and dirt defile the body, so do they pollute the soul.  
By reading good books, the mind is stored with wisdom, the life bettered and settled in quietness: so that still all reading be referred to the Bible, from whence all Virtue is derived. For this cause S. Paul admonisheth Timothy to give attendance to reading: for albeit he was trained up in the scriptures from a child, and had all Ephesus under his charge, yet he stirreth him to reading; for by reading more knowledge is not only gotten, but also the decays and breaches of the memory is again renewed; and unless there be both a pouring in of more, and a continual restoring of that which is lost, all will drop away, and leave a man empty: for the memory is like a ruinous house, ready to fall down, which if not eftsoons repaired, will soon become inhabitable.  
Touching Interludes and Plays, 
The grounded opinion of wise and godly men against Plays, must be authentic.  I will omit to speak how the best judgements conceive of them, their reasons being strong and manifold, to thrust them out as things indifferent, and make them simply unlawful.  
For although they are not simply forbidden in express words, yet if it once appear the true use be lost, and cleave to a bad report, it is the part of every man, to shun and avoid the same, and rather draw other to reformation, then violently suffer himself to be swayed with the like affection.  
And this agreeth with that of Paul, 
1. Cor. 8.  If indifferent things give offence to the weak, they ought to be removed: for the freedom of those things giveth courage to the defect of grace, to be more ungracious.  
Nothing is lawful but that which tendeth to the glory of God, and profit of man in comeliness: so that the end of all joy and mirth, must be to glorify the Creator.  
Those pleasures of the body & mind which are of good report, are indifferent if modestly used: honest exercise doth much relieve the debility of nature, and quicken the dull spirits, which would else be depressed and overladen with moderate labour. Idleness is to be condemned as the beldame of all evil: but idleness is not only in doing nothing, but also in doing things unprofitable. Eschew evil, and do good: it is not enough to abstain from evil, but we must do good also.  
Some Plays, as they are now in use, are scandalous and scurrilous, 
Lustful Comedies hurtful, Brief Chronicles honourable, if circustances, etc.  detract from Virtue, & add to Vice, and the very May-games of all sin and wickedness: for, for the most part, they have nothing in them but scurrility, or some gross show of doltishness, to make the sinful mouth of laughter to gape, and often sporting at that which should rather move pity and compunction: Stages of desolutenesse, and baits to entice people to lightness. For is not Vice set to sale on open theatres? is there not a Sodom of filthiness painted out? and tales of carnal love, adultery, ribaldry, lechery, murder, rape, interlarded with a thousand unclean speeches, even common schools of bawdry? is not this the way to make men ripe in all kind of villainy, and corrupt the manners of the whole world? And there wanteth no Art, neither to make these bawdy dishes delightful in taste. For are not their Dialogues puffed up with swelling words? are not their arguments pleasing and ravishing? and made more forcible by gesture and outward action? surely this must needs attract the mind to imitate such vices as are portrayed out, whereby the soul is tainted with impiety: for it cannot be, but that the internal powers must be moved at such visible and lively objects. And principally, youth are made pliant to wantonness & idleness, and the tender buds of good manners utterly rooted out. 
A sinful mixture.  And many times (which is most sinful) intermix the sacred words of God, that never ought to be handled without fear and trembling, with their filthy and scurrilous Paganism: is not this abominable profanation? is not that humble reverence of the oracles of God, hereby blasphemed, and basely scorned? is this fit to be suffered where Christ is professed? must the holy Prophets and patriarchs be set upon a Stage, to be derided, hist, and laughed at? or is it fit that the infirmities of holy men should be acted on a Stage, whereby others may be inharted to rush carelessly forward into unbridled liberty? doubtless the judgement of God is not far off from such abusers of divine mysteries: as we have an example in Eusebius, lib. 8. to this effect, of a certain Poet, who mixing the word of God in a Heathinish Play, was suddenly smitten blind for his profaneness.  
Furthermore, there is no passion wherewith the king, the sovereign majesty of the Realm was possessed, but is amplified, and openly sported with, 
The State many times is egregiously wronged, and the vulgar sort derided.  and made a May-game to all the beholders, abusing the state royal, mocking the ancient Fathers and Pastors of the Church; and albeit the holy Ghost vouchsafeth them many fair titles, and honourable Epithets, yet notwithstanding they are so impudent, as to traduce them on the Stage, and employ them in base offices: for look what part is more scornful than other, is imputed unto them. Must not this breed contempt to them and their places, and impeach so holy a function? no doubt yes. For when the faults and scandals of great men, as Magistrates, Ministers, and such as hold public places, shall be openly acted and objected to the senses, or feigned to be replenished with vice and passion, it must needs breed disobedience, and slight regard of their authority, whereof ensueth breach of law, and contempt of superiors: there need not be a quickening, or calling back again of the 'scapes of such men, to make them odious and contemptible, for every fault they commit, be it as small as a pebble, yet is it so big as a millstone, because they stand in the gaze of the world, and soon spied if they offend never so little.  
This Vetus comaedia 
Vetus comaedia.  was invented to good purpose, the subject, matter of moral documents, the assembly, the Senators and chief Citizens: and as Tully calleth them, Humanae vitae speculum, a glass of man's life: for when they represent the acts of virtuous men, time, place, and persons considered, they are (deemed by some to be) sufferable, 
Ancient Comedies, abstacles of Virtue.  and that for this cause, when as the comely deeds of good men are feelingly brought to remembrance, it cannot but move other to imitate the like goodness: or on the other side, when the spots and errors of our life, shall be acted to our own shame, it is impossible that we should be content to be such, and not loath our own evil, as when a bragging Thraso, a strutting Philopolimarchides, a double dealing Parasite, or such mad humours as reign in common disorder, dsplayed according to decorum, no spectator but is driven to pry into himself if he have the like faults or no: for I think verily that no man will allow such abominable actions in himself, when they are so visibly painted out in other.  
And albeit some benefit might come if circumstances were observed, yet now is it far otherwise, for these modern Plays, wherewith the world is now so pestered, are altogether made upon lascivious arguments, and serve as the very Organs & Instruments to vanity: the honour due to God, and reverence to man, is laid aside, Virtue disrobed, and Vice exalted; and in stead of morality, fictions, lies, and scurrilous matter is foisted in, and is cunningly conveyed into the hearts of the assistants, whereby they are transformed into that they see acted before them: for the rustic & common sort, are as Apes, that will imitate in themselves, that which they see done by other. Or if they stuff their Scene with some one good precept, or well-worded instruction, what power hath that to move to Virtue? when it is immediately profaned with their exorbitant foolery, as pure water in a foul and muddy cistern.  
The indicorum of Poets, & greediness of Historians, jumping in one sympathy, have changed the intendment of the former ages.  
For as Menander in Greece, which is thought to be the first inventor of Comedies, Aeschilus, or Thespis, 
Hor. in art poetica.  the deviser of Tragedies, aimed at Virtue in blazing out the deeds of honesty, with grave and sober terms, which indeed were rude & imperfect, by reason of the infancy of the time, until they were afterward adorned with the choice flowers of Sophocles and Euripides, 
Quintill. lib. 10.  of whom it is doubted whether is the better Poet.  
These did labour by modest delight, to draw men by example to goodness: neither can I imagine, but that they observed many particulars, as well in the choice of their Auditory, as of good matter, without greedy desire to multiply excessive gain, and no doubt were played privately in their Academies, at some set times, at which were present the chief Burgomaster's, Senators, and grave Fathers of the city.  
But if we oppose our quotidian Interludes to them of former time, and consider the multitude of ours, with the paucity and fewness of theirs, we shall see a great diversity as well in the method of writing, as in the time, place, and company: for now nothing is made so vulgar and common, as beastly and palpable folly: lust, under colour of love, abstract rules artificially composed, to carry the mind into sinful thoughts, with unclean locution, and unchaste behaviour, as groping, colling, kissing, amorous prattle, and signs of Venery, whereby the maidenly disposition is polluted with lust, and moved to impiety.  
Again, if a man will learn to be proud, fantastic, humorous, to make love, swear, swagger, and in a word closely do any villainy, 
The documents of Plays.  for a twopenny alms he may be thoroughly taught and made a perfect good scholar: so that public Sermons are made of all kind of naughtiness, and the bridle of wicked liberty laid on every man's neck: and herein standeth their glory, if by pleasing the vulgar opinion, they gain a plaudite, at which they streak their plumes, & spread their pride.  

Wisdom doth ever mistrust itself.  When Phosion had made an eloquent oration before the people, and seeing them clap their hands for joy, questioned such as were next him, if he had uttered any foolish and unseemly thing: teaching us by this, that we ought always to suspect the rude multitude, for that their weak judgements can hardly discern between Vice and Virtue, and their affections so dull, that they commonly embrace the evil in stead of good.  
In like manner Hippomachus hearing one of his scholars praised for his fiddling, bade him cease playing, for he was sure there was some great error in the fingering, that he was so applauded of the ignorant: what true glory than can they justly merit, that are praised by the witless and brainsick multitude? And as these copper-lace gentlemen grow rich, purchase lands by adulterous Plays, & not few of them usurers and extortioners, which they exhaust out of the purses of their haunters, so are they puffed up in such pride and self-love, as they envy their equals, and scorn their inferiors.  
Now the common haunters are for the most part, 
The common spectators and Play-gadders.  the leaudest persons in the land, apt for pilfery, perjury, forgery, or any rogorie, the very scum, rascallity, and baggage of the people, thieves, cutpurses, shifters, cozeners; briefly, an unclean generation, and spawn of vipers: must not here be good rule, where is such a brood of hellbred creatures? for a Play is like a sink in a Town, whereunto all the filth doth run: or a bile in the body, that draweth all the ill humours unto it.  
For what more fit occasion to summon all the discontented people together, then Plays? to attempt some execrable action, commotions, mutinies, rebellions, as it happened at Windhan in Norff. in the time of Ed. the 6. where at a Stage Play (according to a drunken custom there used) the horrible rebellion of Ket. and his complices, by a watchword given, broke out, to the trouble of the whole kingdom: and doth it not daily fall out in common experience, that there is either fight, whereof ensueth murder? robbing and theevering, whereof cometh hanging? or spotting the soul with wickedness, that he becometh the very son of belial? and are they not grown odious to good men, and ill reported of? are these indifferent to be used? nay verily, if a man love his own safety, he ought to withdraw himself from such vain spectacles.  
But especially these nocturnal and night Plays, at unseasonable and undue times, 
Plays in the night, very hurtful.  more greater evils must necessarily proceed of them, because they do not only hide and cover the thief, but also entice servants out of their masters houses, whereby opportunity is offered to lose fellows, to effect many wicked stratagems. In a word (as they are now used) they corrupt good manners, and set abroach the vessel of all uncleanness; the ear is tickled with immodest speeches, the mind imprinted with wanton gesture, and the whole affections ravished with sinful pleasure: in so much as many leave their honest callings, live idly, and gad to those places where the devil displayeth his banner, living so long upon the spoil of other men, till at last they are eaten up by Tyburn. Nay many poor pinched, needy creatures, that live of alms, and that have scarce neither cloth to their back, nor food for the belie, yet will make hard shift but they will see a Play, let wife & children beg, languish in penury, and all they can rap and rend, is little enough to lay upon such vanity. Nevertheless some will object they are necessary, and fit to be allowed in policy: and why so? because they are means to occupy idle people, and keep the worse sort from worse exercises: for if Plays were not (say they) some would to drunkenness, some a whoring, others to dice, cards, riotting, and such vile practices, which by Plays is all prevented. This proveth them as lawful in London, as the common Stews in Rome, or Venice: for is this a sensible reason, that of necessity one sin cannot be pulled down, but an other as bad or worse, must be erected in stead of it? it is no sound argument, to dispense with one to eschew the other, and so by shunning Carribdis, fall upon Scylla: but how shall we spend the time? as though there were no exercise to be used, but that that leadeth to mischief. Time flieth away apace, and therefore we are commanded to redeem the time, seeing we have but too much, when we wilfully lose and abuse it. Idleness is a sin great enough of itself, though it have no nourishment by sinful games and sports: but doubtless if the cause were removed, the effect would soon cease, and the time be spent in more honest endeavours, and by little and little (the law observed) the men would be waned from such intolerable abuses.  
Others will belch out this blasphemy, that a man may edify as much at some Play, as at a Sermon: this I easily grant, if so be when he goeth to Church, he leaveth his heart at home; or at least it is so flinty, that no good thing will penetrate, the devil sitting at the elbow, and either rocks him a sleeepe, or amazeth the mind with wandering thoughts: so that filling a place as a Cipher in augrime, heareth a buzzing sound in his ears, but is never truly touched in his heart. Beside, the affections are not alike: for at a Play the whole faculty of the mind is altogether bend on delight, the eye earnestly fixed upon the object, every sense busied for the time, the ear narrowly waiteth to catch that that is uttered, sending it to wit: wit to reason: reason to memory, which locketh it up in a closet, lest it slip out again: the devil in the mean time like a quiet fellow, doth not trouble the affections with strange delusions, and why so? because they are occupied in his work. Furthermore, a man is not wearied be it never so tedious, because they do not only (as I say) feed the ear with sweet words, equally balanced, the eye with variable delight, but also with great alacrity doth swiftly run over in two hours space, the doings of many years, galloping from one country to an other, whereby the mind is drawn into expectation of the sequel, and carried from one thing to an other with changeable motions, that although he were unacquainted with the matter before, yet the cunning Art he seethe in the conveyance, maketh him patiently attend the Catastrophae: when as at a Lecture and holy exercise, all the senses are mortified and possessed with drowsiness: so that by this then we may see our corrupt nature, and the sore that runneth over the whole body; for the mind is nothing so tentible at a good instruction, nor the ear so audible, as at a vain and sportive foolery: o how dull is the affections to the one, and how prompt to the other! how the tongue will itterate and repeat the one with great joy, and smoulder up the other in drowsy melancholy.  
Many well governed Commonwealths, did not only note them to be infamous persons that acted them, excluding them from offices, and giving testimony in causes crimminall, but also supplanted and beat down theatres and common Playhouses, lest any things should be imprinted in the people's hearts against honesty.  
Lycurgus banished all Players, pipers, Sophisters, etc.  
Ovid for his wanton Ars amandi, was exiled by Augustus.  
Iwinall, as an instrument of obscenity and bawdry, was driven out of his country, because by their wanton Elegies, they made the minds obsequies to lose living.  
A good old father being demanded what he thought of Plays and idle Poetry: answered, they were very good to infect young wits with vanity and needless foppery.  
The grossness of the Heathen was such, 
Fowl idolatry in the Heathen.  that they dedicated Plays, games, mummeries, masks, etc. to their Idols, to pacify their (supposed) displeasure. And although there is none but abhorreth such foul idolatry, yet the devil hath such a Heccatombe of sacrifices out of obscene and filthy Plays. To be short, men ought to recreate themselves comely and decently, and use exercises of better report, and less hurt: for what saith Saint chrysostom to the faithful of his time? In no case (saith he) frequent theatres, lest you be branded with infamy. It is no small offence (saith Cyprian) for a man to disguise himself in the garments of a woman, unless in cases of great necessity, to save the life, etc.  
And therefore it were to be wished, that all love-bookes, Sonnets, and vile pamphles, were burned, and no more suffered to be printed, nor filthy Plays rehearsed, which are the bellows to blow the coals of lust, soften the mind, and make it flexible to evil inclinations: unless first seen and allowed, by some of approved and discreet judgement.  
To conclude, it were further to be wished, that those admired wits of this age, Tragedians, and Comedians, that garnish theatres with their inventions, would spend their wits in more profitable studies, and leave off to maintain those Antics, and Puppets, that speak out of their mouths: for it is pity such noble gifts, should be so basely employed, as to prostitute their ingenious labours to enrich such buckorome gentlemen. And much better it were indeed they had nor wit, nor learning at all, then to spend it in such vanity, to the dishonour of God, and corrupting the Commonwealth: but he that dependeth on such weak stays, shall be sure of shame and beggary in the end: for it hath seldom been seen, that any of that profession have prospered, or come to an assured estate.  
Hast thou wit, learning, and a vain to write wickedness? add wisdom to thy wit, and covet to write goodness: so shalt thou in stead of cursing, be blessed, and immortally praised of the good and honest. The flood of witty foolishness, hath a long time overflown the banks of modesty, the world is full of idle books, and frivolous toys, never in any age was the like: turn thy pen, writ not with a goose quill any longer, cleanse thy wit of gross folly, and publish things profitable and necessary, new, and good, to the building up of Virtue and godliness.  
Again, is the mind and body wearied with unreasonable care and labour? rest, ease, and inoffensive pastimes, are then most fittest and in season: for we are not created to follow sports and pleasures, and sent into the world to play: but for grave and weighty studies, and to use honest mirth, when the body is tired and no longer able to endure travail unless it be again refreshed with some activity, and not otherwise: so that such as spend the time in vain trifles, gadding after Plays, and idly run up and down, break that strait injunction made by God to Adam: In the sweat of thy brows shalt thou eat thy bread. What whoredoms, drunkenness, swearing, and abominable Sodomy is daily practised? doth it not invite and call upon Magistrates to draw the sword of reformation? do they not cry for vengeance to heaven? surely there was never more filthiness committed then now, the word contemned, Preachers despised, and a direct opposition against all honesty, that were it not for some few that stand in the gap, fire and brimstone would fall from heaven & consume the wicked like Sodom and Gomorrah. For doubtless the sins of Sodom, are as rife here as ever they were there, pride, gluttony, cutthroat-enuy, self-love, unmercifulness to the poor, and such like, and those not private: but unuersall in all places, and amongst most men.  
The next enemy to Virtue is Idleness, 
Idenesse the root of all evil.  a burden of impediment, a vice so deeply rooted in some, that it casteth them headlong into infernal bondage: the toad out of which issueth nought but drunkenness, whoredoms, pride, ignorance, error, blindness, beggary, and a thousand more miseries. Time is like so many lighted lamps, that with care & diligence ought to be kept with oil: which with dampish idleness are soon put out, and by negligence let fall: for man's life of itself is not so short by nature, but it is more shortened by sin, and the length of time hastened on by iniquity. The soul is of too fine a metal and so pure a temper as to love to do nothing, but will be employed in labour; yet because she is imprisoned in the walls of flesh, followeth her sluggish inclination: the body by too much ease is like a pampered jade unserviceable, and her dexterity and faculties being made blunt and dull with sloth, becometh wholly unfit for honest labour: for if he remit and give his mind to idleness, ill corrupting motions creep into the soul, which polluting the purer parts, do by little and little carry him to all impiety, until the whole man become nothing but the son of Belial: by it a wide gap is opened, for adultery to enter in at, and therefore Diogenes was wont to say, by doing nothing we learn to do evil: and lust (quoth he) is the trade and occupation of loiterers: and as that grand-maister of wantonness Ovid, in his book De remedio aemors saith; Osia si tollas, periere Cupidinis arcus. And it being asked how the Emperor Aegistus became an adulterer, it is answered: 
ovid.  In promptu causa est desidiosus erat.  
It is a plain case he was idle. For if the body be not set on work, the mind goeth astray, whereby this little world is soon overthrown by the invasion made against it by concupiscence: as when a man doth fast long and abstain from bodily food, 
The cause of the plague or pestilence.  the emptiness of the stomach and passages, draweth into the body windy humours and infectious vapours, because according to Philosophy, there is no vacuum, but a present supply of air: so that often either by the disposition of the elements, or by reason of some accidental cause, the air is so infected and poisoned, as it pierceth into the vital powers, and either bringeth a universal mortality, or some lingering disease and sickness: so in like manner when the body is kept from corporal labour, and the mind from studious exercise, a fit mansion for don Satan is prepared, every room emptied, and the whole poors and faculties of soul and body really possessed with wicked impiety, wherein this grand-traitor to man's happiness, as in a workhouse forge, or common shop, doth stamp and coin a multitude of evils, and suggest abominable vices into the heart: for verily none are such fit instruments for him to work by, than such as live idly and do nothing: for where there is no defence to keep him back, there doth he rule so strongly over the affections, that there is no other fruits but a sinful life, and a shameful end: for such as occupy themselves in no commendable exercise, but misspend the time, no marvel though the mind be upon unhallowed actions.  
Idleness is a capital plague, a sore vexing the body with extreme torment, and loading the bones till they crack with weakness, poverty, impotency, and in the end leaveth old age naked and unprovided for. In a word, nothing is more unseemly in a Christian, nor more contrary to the law of God, which commandeth every one to get his living with the sweat of his brows, prejudicial to human society, and injurious to nature: and therefore Themistocles termeth idleness the grave and tomb of such men as are alive, 
An idle man is a dead carcase.  for that there is no difference between an idle man, and one that is dead, for that neither one nor the other doth any good.  
Every one is commanded to be industrious in that calling wherein he is set, and earnestly seek to apply himself thereunto, for he that worketh not, is not worthy to eat: but he that followeth his trade with diligence be it never so base or mechanical, is always sure of competency and saturity, when as the luskish and idle notwithstanding their great abundance, are in short time consumed and come to nothing, as the wise man saith: 
Prou. 14.30.  I passed by the field of the slothful, and lo it was overgrown with briars, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down, etc. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little fowlding the hands together, so thy poverty cometh upon thee like an armed man: and as it is in an other place, he that putteth his hand into his bosom, is like to fall into poverty.  
Some lur-daines that have wealth left by their ancestors, hold it a point of wisdom to rest their idle limbs and spare their bodies, and live in the hive upon the honey of others labour, and as vultures kill nothing themselves, but prey upon that which is killed by other, so like Caterpillars do they live by the fruits of other men's labours and sore travail.  
This kind of life was so much hated among the Aethenians, that who so was seen idle was severely punished. And for this use, was there Sophronistes and grave Fathers, that had the oversight and surveying of the Commonwealth, and most chief looked to the manners of youth. Tully reports that none durst walk the streets of Rome without bearing about him some sign of his profession, lest he should be impeached of idleness: and in his oration Pro Archita poeta, he saith of himself: What time other men spent in sports, plays, banquets, dice, cards, tennis, etc. that saith he, I bestowed in poring on my book: which is undoubtedly true, for surely had he been idle and given to pastime, as many students are in these days, he could never have been that notable and excellent summus Orator.  
There is nothing so precious as time, which being wilfully or willingly overslipped, 
The picture of time.  is impossible to be recalled, for that she is deaf and cannot hear, and therefore she is painted with locks before, but bald behind, because hold may be taken in the coming, but her back once past, is irrecoverable, and the louder she is called, 
Mora trahit periculum.  the faster she flieth.  
It were a world to note the idleness of many in these times, and what multitudes live with doing nothing; or at leastwise in doing things unprofitable and dishonest: yea, what numbers there be both in City and Town, that live like Drones & idle Grasshoppers, as a right wise and honourable Counsellor reported in the star-chamber, that in the city as he verily was persuaded, there were at least a thousand families that could give no honest reckoning of their life. Some like Aesop's labber, sit beating their heels against a stall, some frisk from house to house, as busy-bodies: others in curious observations and faultfinding with the gate, apparel, speech, and defects of other, and fat themselves with busy apprehensions.  
This peevish nature is derived from that old Witch Lamea, 
Lamea hath many children.  who as the Poets feign, had broad prospective eyes to pull out and in at pleasure, and at her going abroad, would put on and be very curious and circumspect in peering and poring about to see what was amiss in her neighbour's house; but at her return home, would lock them up in a cap-case, and sat down to spinning as blind as a beetle, and never saw what was amiss in her own house: so in like manner, many both sons and daughters she hath, that cram the forepart of the wallet with small defects, when the weight of their own behind, is ready to pull them backward into all contempt: and many female sinners frequent great assemblies for nothing else but to spy out new fashions, of which they make large comments at their return, never rest night nor day, till they be tricked up with like trumpery, and if they spy a hole in their neighbour's coat, a moat amiss, a wrinkle awry, then there is to do and to do, and turning it over again and again, as mented hay, with wots you what neighbour, such a man is too familiar with his maid, he is a bankrupt, an hypocrite, a busy-body; she is a muddle quean, a filthy beast, a lump of kitchenstuff, and such like: is not here good ware which they offer to sell, to every one's disgrace? and thus they pass away the time in vain and idle observations, and utterly forget to look into their own bosom, and prune and correct their own deformities, which no doubt they should find laboursome enough to reform.  
Every day offereth a new occasion to do good, and therefore no one hour ought to slip away without some profitable thing done: but as Caesar in his Commentaries setteth down his dicirnall affairs, 
Caesar Com.  every days business: so a man must exercise himself daily in such things as belong to his calling, and to live so that his company may be desired, and by his life to yield benefit to the place where he liveth, and not so to live, as if he were borne only for himself; but as Plato 
Plato.  saith, for our friends, parents, country, and such common duties, which are the final ends of every man's labour: but he that regardeth neither of these, his company cloyeth the stomach, and therefore to be spewed out as an unprofitable waster. Callings are distinguished into sundry professions, according to the necessity of the time, because every man may not only have wherein to employ himself, and to benefit others by his travel, but also to have help by the faculty of his neighbour: yet all come into these two, either in mind or in body, the Magistrate, Minister, and such as hold public and sacred places, do labour in mind with good counsel, in government and doctrine, which is the more excellent calling: others are manuel or mechanical, which is the more wearisome & toilsome: without these no commonwealth can stand; for as it is a great policy in maintaining discipline, so is it not a little cherished by other callings. The Husbandmen which Tully calleth the best citizens, in tillage, pasturage, and storing the Realm with grain. It is not equal nor agreeable to nature, for a man to live prowling and shifting by the labours of other men, and prey upon their earnings, but to labour himself in some calling, that his company may be enjoyed.  
The Philosopher did measure out their rest, and invent means to break their sleeps, and shaking off the drowsiness of nature, were content only to refresh the spirits, that the poors might be more pliant to perform duty.  
Cato repent him of nothing he had done in all his life so much as of two things; one in going by water when he might have gone by land: the other in passing over one day idly, and doing nothing.  

Quint. Cur.  Alexander hated it so much, that lest it should abate the courage of his soldiers, and raise tumults, kept them occupied in appointing judges to try out such as had showed themselves most valiant in the wars, to whom he gave rewards due to their deservings. Himself delighted in the works of Homer, in so much as he would lay it under his head when he slept, to read in when he awaked.  
Domitian would spend the time in catching flies. Lucullus in building. Diogenes in rolling his Tub up and down. Marcarius in carrying heaps of stones from place to place. And if we consider the works, labours, and large volumes of the Fathers, Philosophers, Orators, Historiographers, Poets, and Schoolmen, we may see they made precious use of time, and by taking hold of opportunity, left a memory thereof to posterity.  
When Titus had misspent one day, and it was gone before he was aware, cried out; Amice diem perdidi. O my friend I have lost a day. Appelles would not lose a day without shadowing a phisnomy.  
It is remembered of the Emperor Octavian, that instructed his son in martial affairs, and his daughter in making cloth, as well to get their own living, if adversity happened, as to keep them from idleness.  
Every one therefore aught to apply himself to some honest business, and stir up his body and mind to some commendable science: for by labour and exercise, Virtue is purchased, when by dastardly idleness the poors become soft and delicate, through which they fall into sports, plays, and immoderate pleasures: and being empty of all good motions, the devil soon takes up his lodging, and keeps open house for all vices: the very rot and spoil of youth, the summons to beggary, which like a beadle doth scourge in the end with the whip of repentance.  
Hannibal after all his great victories, by idleness was was wrapped in delights, and lost his honour.  
Alexander at Babylon overthrew his glory and his further hopes by dalliance, and quenched that fortitude and valour with which he was so really endued.  
Sardinapalus was exiled his kingdom through idleness and careless government.  
Time flieth away with wings, and therefore a wise man will lay hold of her forelockes while it is to day, to enrich the mind with the experiments of those things that bring perfect blessedness. For it may be supposed that God would never have put a soul into that body which hath hands and feet, instruments of doing, but that it was intended the mind should set them on work, and employ them in action, and not to hold so divine an essence in the dungeon of idleness.  
We are borne to labour, as well as the birds to fly. Solomon sendeth us to the Emet to learn wisdom, to consider her industry, who like a good Econimist, provides in Summer for Winter, whereof Esope affordeth a pleasant conceited fable: The Ant & the Grasshopper (saith he) walking together on a sunny bank, the one piping and carelessly skipping, looked after nothing; the other circumspect in prying about what provision was scattered in the way, carefully gathered it up and carried it to her cabin, whom the Grasshopper seeing, scorned this needless thrift with many bitter taunts: now it fell out, that in short time these two parted, the one to her fair sweets which the season did yield, the other to her labour; the one respected the time present, thinking the Spring would last all the year; the other time to come, providing against the sharp storms of frost and snow. Anon cold winter grew on, and took from the Grasshopper her wont moisture, bereft him of his piping, and with his shackle hams weakly skips too and fro, and being pinched with hunger, and drenched with showers, went for secure to the Ant, her old acquaintance, and entreated some teliefe, but the little worm demanded what she had done all the Summer time, she could not provide for Winter? The Grasshopper answered with a hollow voice, she sung to delight the passenger: then now you may dance quoth she, to ease your hunger. With this the Grasshopper yielding to the weathers extremities, foodless, comfortless, and succourless, died without remedy: alluding by the alligorie to such idle and lazy meacocks, who spend the Summer of youth in wantonness, that when the winter of old age cometh, are forced to want and feel the storms of penury, and languish by inferred poverty. And therefore while time doth offer itself, and the body able to endure, it is good to seek for those things that may bring joy and comfort to old age. Nevertheless youth doth suppose that God keepeth a court of faculties for them to take up a dispensation, to run madding after every vanity, having as they think, so much time as they know not how to spend it: but as the Miller who having too much water, openeth his flood-gates and sluices to let it pass: so they think they have time plusquam satis, more than needs, and therefore use means to spend it by breaking up the flood-gates of their vain affections: and lest they should be penned up with too much time, let it unprofitably run out, and gather nothing by their own labour, but spoil house, land, and whatsoever is left, in banqueting, dicing, hunting, hawking, and carding, which like a bavin giveth a goodly blaze for a while, but is soon out, and in the end glad to warm their nails with their own breath, and when frosty age cometh on, the joints feeble, the blood dead, the body cold, and a quivering dropsy overspread the limbs: oh how feign would he be thrifty, and how nearly doth his want pinch him! he is forced with the lazy Grasshopper to bewail his state, and repent the loss of time. Oh what goods and possessions did my friends leave me, which are prodigally wasted? how often did they seek to reclaim me with good counsel if I had been gracious? and those vices that mustered about my young years, how soon might I have suppressed them? but then being young and foolish, am now old and beggarly: to whom shall I communicate my grief, that will yield succour? all my laments are bootless, relentless, and pitiless: what a heavy reckoning have I to make, wasting so many idle hours in eating, drinking, rioting in sports, games, and pastimes, and all my flourishing youth in idleness, not spending one hour in his service to whom all is due, & now I should find most comfort in that I have got so near my end, a hell of unquiet torments lie on my conscience ready to sink me down to hell. Let youth therefore be warned, and lay hold on the wings of Time while it is to day, lest by slipping the tide of opportunity they fall into a sorrowful lamentation when it is too late.  
And therefore such old men as are sorry their youth is gone, it is a sure token they were never wise nor gracious, for he is no wise man that repineth at the most profitable things, for age taketh away the delight of the flesh, the root of all evil: for there can be no greater plague to man's happiness then the will of the body, which by the privilege of youth is subject to so many indirect courses, destroying the judgement, and putting out the eye of reason, no community with Virtue, but a lively brotherhood with vice and vanity: yet some take great glory to crack of their youthful acts, and tell many stories of their pranks in former time; I did this and this saith one, I thus and thus saith an other, I holp the Priest to say Mass saith a third, and by bragging of their stinking rottenness, and reviving their own shame: Suppose they gain credit for such infamous practices, and commend themselves to posterity, as men endued with notable exploits, 
The vanity of some old men.  but howsoever they boast they glory but in their own shame, and by sporting at their wantonness, bewray their own guiltiness: for if thou hast committed any horrible offence in the time of ignorance, and not repent thyself of it in time of knowledge, thou hast given consent to thy lewdness, and so standest guilty before God: and therefore the Prophet David prayeth God to forgive the sins of his youth.  
Lycurgus by his laws forbade young men to play, or go idly up and down in the mart or common places, or to be nursed up in delights and pleasures, but in husbandry and tillage, that in their first years they might not taste of idleness.  
And Zenocrates did use to divide the day into parts, reserving one part for silence, that he might meditate how to speak: not only therefore the Realm is prosperously held up by business and labour, but a man's private wants supplied, and his domestic needements maintained: whereas idleness overthroweth all: and therefore wars in a kingdom are more profitable (saith one) then peace, for wars stirreth the mind to Virtue, when peace breedeth idleness. And as the Poet saith: 
Nam qui desidiam luxumque sequetur inertem,  
Dum fugit oppositos incauta mente labores.  
Turpis inopsque simul miserabile transiget ewm:  
At quisquis duros causus, virtutis amore,  
Vicerit, ille sibi laudemque decusque parabit.  
For he that gives his mind to sloth,  
to riotize and ease,  
And honest labours intermit,  
his idle limbs to please,  
Both naked, poor, and miserable,  
old age on him will cease.  
But if that he for virtues sake  
with labour hard exceed,  
Mortal fame he purchaseth  
for this his manful deed.   
How lamentable is it therefore for youth to be ignorant, and defeat their mind of the storehouse of knowledge, & so injuriously wrong themselves in the way to bliss? for ignorance is fearful, an inconstant passion, base and contemptible, and is soon seduced, because it knows not how to use that well it possesseth, but is rash and heady, taking falsehood for truth, Vice for Virtue, not being able to distinguish one from the other; and by this deceit is carried into errors, omitting all good examples and honest actions: for if the carriage of wise and grave men be not observed, the mind is clogged with ignorance, not only not able to direct others in any matter of doubt, but is forced to ask counsel for himself in every trifle. But a fool (saith Solomon) is wiser in his own conceit, than seven wise men that can render a reason: and drinking so much the water of self-love, doth get such a buzzing in his brains, that managing his business by his own wit, draweth upon himself speedy repentance.  
O how soon Vice creeps upon the affections of youth in the spring of their years, if idleness slip in: for being entangled in the net of liberty, doth chauke out to himself the way to trace in, affecting that which the multitude seem to allow, be it never so contrary to sound judgement: and therefore the best inheritance that fathers can leave to their children, is good bringing up, as a sure stock to live on in old age: for to put wealth into the hands of youth before he have wisdom to guide it, is as if he should set him on a young coults back that was never saddled, needs must he dangerously fall, having neither wit nor strength to rule him as he ought: or as if he should put his patrimony into a ship, and make his son Pilot, who for want of skill, needs must suffer shipwreck. And youth is no sooner capable of reason, but by idleness the mind is carried into a multitude of vices, like a standing pond that gathereth nothing but scum and filth.  
Those parents therefore that put their children to be serving-men, have small care of their education, for that they do not only misspend the time, but learn such vices as cleave fast to nature, 
A Serving-man's life an idle life unless he be employed in some office.  not easily to be shaken off, that many times they are forced to unlawful shifts in youth, or beg their bread in age. And Gentlemen encumber their houses with many vnqualified servants, which devour and eat much, but get little, and under pretence of service, do nothing less than serve without all contradiction; it is no charity to foster such an idle superfluity of servants, with that which might better be spent on the blind, lame, and poor people, then on such which serve for nothing but to beautify a house, and picture and show forth their persons. Honour and worship resteth not in keeping many servants, or riding with a great troop, but in his own virtue. For though wise men for courtesy, and fools for simplicity, do reverence and salute them, yet are they no whit the more honourable, unless they be just, temperate, affable, modest, and have such virtuous properties, & moral conditions, as that they may be used in the Commonwealth; for the service of their Prince & country.  
Many idle persons drop out of gentlemen's houses, who with a frown of their master, are turned out of all preferment, not able to get their own livelihood, but constrained through want to follow bad courses, & being out of service, fall into offence of law, and are many times eaten up by Tyburn.  
And yet some heirs of good possibilities, under colour of learning civility, humanity, and some commendable qualities, are by their parents made serving-men, and their young wits so pestered with vice, that they seldom prove good members in the Commonwealth.  
To conclude, every one ought to betake himself to some honest and seemly trade, and not suffer his senses to be mortified with idleness: for whom the devil findeth in that case, he soon possesseth, employing him in some damned work, and wicked practice, and for ever disabling him to be used in matters of good consequence.  
Sarge igitur duroque manus adsuesce labori,  
Det tibi dimensos crastina ut hora cibos.  
Raise up therefore thy lazy limbs,  
apply thy mind to pain,  
Both food and cloth, and all thing else,  
with ease thou shalt attain.  
Rioting and drunkenness doth both corrupt the body, and pollute the soul, and is such an extreme madness, as it transformeth a man into a beast, saving in form and portraiture, putting out the light of understanding, dulling the wits, breeding diseases, hatching whoredoms, uncleanness, quarrels, strifes, etc. which as a chain, draweth one link after an other, until the link of woeful wretchedness maketh his death timorous and fearful by his lewd life: yet notwithstanding so ordinarily practised in most places, 
Comunis error facit ius.  as it is scarce noted as a fault. An evil custom not contradicted, is made currant by long use. But as the schoolmen say, Bonum quo comunius eo melius: by how much the more common goodness is, by so much the more is it prized. So it holdeth in the opposition, the longer a beastly custom is in use, the more odious and loathsome it is. This cacoethes, or ill custom, usurpeth such a privilege, and incroacheth so upon the good manners of men, by coming in the habit of honesty, that they are not ashamed to hide their filthiness with glorious titles, and necessary colours, as a spur to quicken the wit, 
The benefit of drunkenness.  and set an edge on a blunt capacity, a whetstone to memory, a breeder of love, an enemy to melancholy, a cheering the mind, prompt the conceit, a readiness to pronounce, and many such: youth that are easily catched with these baits, and tasting the sweetness of this sin, are by manhood and age so deeply rooted, that they rather seek to nourish an ill custom, then to frustrate so abominable a practice, filling the body full of diseases, emptying the purse of all thrift, and cause them to stumble on their graves before old age come.  
Neither can these allegations imputed to this vice, excuse the dangerous effects which proceed of her monstrous deformity. For as the Poets allude that Medusa could turn men into marble pictures, Circe's into swine, so the excessive use hereof altereth reason, understanding, and all the poors of the mind, and wrap up many brutish conditions in a human shape; for he that is overladen with sensuality, looseth the use of all those graces and divine faculties wherewithal a modest and sober man is possessed. And as those properties may hold in part, that is, so long as moderation beareth sway, so once falling into the more, it can no longer stand: for as one may sharpen his knife with grinding, so by too much and often doing it, the edge and metal may be quite ground away and made blunt; and therefore Anacharsis, a great wine-bibber, w● was choked with a husk of a grape, did notwithstanding preach this doctrine: The first draft saith he, cherisheth the blood, the next comforteth the heart, but the third inflameth the brain, fumeth into the head, and breeds drunkenness.  
He said moreover, that the vine bareth three manner of grapes, the first of pleasure, the second of drunkenness, and the third of sorrow.  
O how far doth intemperance make a man differ from himself, and forget the final end of his creation, in procuring enemies against his own happiness! O what lamentable Tragedies is by this Vice acted among wine-bibbing companions! There be evils enough we bring with us into the world, and we have work enough to hold war with them, though we procure no more, which are always a temptation to our best parts.  
Drunkenness is no inbred nor inherent sin, but procured by custom and bad company, it corrupteth the soul, sucketh out the juice of the body, withereth the beauty, drieth up the sinews, and like a canker corrodeth and devoureth up all good motions, making that body which should be a holy temple, a habitacle and dwelling house for the devil: for being overladen with wine & gluttony, the body is so much broken, that as a holy Father saith, it i●● wonder that those bodies made of earth and clay, become not mire and dirt: it stirreth the mind to whoredom, for like twins they are never a sunder: Sine cerere & baccho friget venus, without wine and belly-cheer lust would be assuaged, incapable of conceit: for you shall never see a drunkard so well advised to ask counsel, or with patience mark good documents, but either fleer and laugh it out, or be furious and quarrelsome: and therefore Father Cato was wont to say, it was lost labour to talk of Virtue to the belly, for that it hath no ears to hear, because their lose life maketh religion loathsome to their ears. This wine-washing liquor giveth such scope and liberty to the tongue, as it rolleth up and down restless, annoying the whole world with unnecessary prattle, running into all degrees, censuring all men, and laying out that openly, which modesty would conceal, pouring it into the bosom of his pot-mate: for the tongue of a drunken man, is the closet of his heart; and that which a sober man thinketh, a drunkard speaketh. And as by a noise of crows, one may guess where carrion is, so a flock of drunkards may be found by their words, being so inflamed with the fume and strength of the liquor, as it is impossible to keep silence. Therefore as Cicero saith, there need no racking to procure confession of the truth, for it may with more ease be gotten by drunkenness.  
And as Homer saith, wine distracteth the wits of a wise man with voluntary madness, and his gravity is utterly quenched with indiscretion. A drunken man is so prolixious and talkative, as he molesteth all his hearers: if he be in company with a sober man, he wearieth him with talk: if he come to the sick, he grieveth him more than his sickness: if in a ship among passengers, he annoyeth them more than the waves of the sea: so that wheresoever he cometh, he is troublous and irksome.  
It were one of Herculus labours to describe their several humours, some apt to quarrel, if but crossed with a word, and not pledged as he would be, & ready to stab, and make work for the Constable: an other throws the pot about the house, breaks the glass windows with his dagger, and calls his hostise whore: some full of Apish tricks and toys, sing, hollow, whoop, swear, and swagger, with such confused disorder, that a sober man coming amongst them, would verily think he were in hell, carousing healths on their knees, at which great snuff is taken, if not duly pledged; and so great indignity offered, as many times the field is challenged, where the devils champions try their valour, which to some is untimely warning. Some like swine, wallow in their own filth, and forced to disgorge and cast up the superfluity and excess, which calleth for vengeance from heaven, for so monstrously abusing the good creatures of God.  
And though a drunkard recover himself again, yet the effect doth still remain, leaving such a slime behind, as defileth both body and soul: yet not a few are rocked a sleep in this brutish desire: but o beastly and sinful desire, to circumscribe a man's chiefest good within the compass of his belly, and destroy all those good parts that inhabit about the soul, and suffer the basest part of the body to overcome the five wits. What a madness is this, custom getting victory by little and little, prevaileth so much with some, that they become remediless, and have not only the map of drunkenness drawn on their visage by continual use, but the whole man polluted with the essential properties thereof. Oh how odious is this vice to God and good men? and how doth it putrefy and contaminate body and soul, and yet how plentifully doth it reign in most places without suppression? for now all good fellowship is in drinking, and he is a flincher that will not take his liquor, and be drunk for company.  
This riseth from sufferance and too much lenity: for if drunkenness be but a May-game, 
Alehouses the cause of much drunkenness.  and he accounted no good fellow unless he be a perfect drunkard, no marvel if it be so much practised. But the surplusage of Alehouses, especially those that are kept by unconscionable and irreligious persons, who make no scruple to open their doors to every drunken mate, is no small means to multiply a swarm of monsters in the Commonwealth.  
Is it not lamentable that a poor man who hath nothing to keep his charge but his sore labour, spendeth all he can rap and rend in drunkenness and rioting, and his wife & children want that which he lewdly wasteth, and where is the cause but in such base minded people, that for greediness of filthy lucre do suffer them to drink out their eyes, and swear out their hearts so they may gain: but let them be assured that hell mouth gapes to swallow up such greedy accursed monsters, unless they turn with speedy repentance.  
It is now grown an exercise and a game of activity, to swill and quaff much, and he that drinketh most winneth the prize, whereof he is as proud, as if he had carried an ox with Milo at the Olympian games. And by your leave, drunkenness is too gross a term, and deserveth the stab. For although all those fine terms and pretty Epithets, which are given to that sin, import as much, yet (forsooth) it must be covered with many sportive denominations; otherwise you shall incur no small displeasure, and bring yourself into a drunken danger. But let them blind it so long as they can with never so many fair attributes, yet sobriety and reason will unmask and lay them open, to their utter obloquy: and though they frame this naked excuse, which they allege as a poor shift to save their credit, that they are not drunk so long as they know what they do, can go, stand, hold their first man, and keep a just reckoning of their pots. But he that drinketh more than will content the want of nature, and falleth into the excess, though his brain be so well settled as he is not by and by bereft of reason, yet he deserveth no other epithet than a bowsie beastly drunkard.  
And when by coaction one shall be urged either being not a thirst, or his appetite not moving, the one offendeth in offering, the other in taking: and hence it is so great strife and quarreling ariseth, and so many frays and field-meetings grow.  
Drinking one to an other (accordingas I conceive) is no other but a participation of love, 
The use of drinking one to an other.  and a kind communication, as when a man saith, Sir, I drink to you with all my heart this cup of wine; being as much as if he should say, all the strength and good this wine shall minister to my body, I am ready to spend it in your service, which being gratefully requited by the other, is full of humanity.  
Many noisome detracting evils lie hid in the bosom of a drunkard, 
The often bibbing at feasts, breaks the bonds of modesty. Some are never well but when their nose is in the pot, and so are made drunk by accident.  which breaketh out upon every occasion, in so much as he can never be at peace, but one torment succeed an other; which as eating vulcers or sores, bite and gnaw continually, never suffering body or mind to have one hours respite for intolerable anguish.  
The body I say, is subject to so much pestilence and rottenness, as cannot in few words be expressed, the face blowte, puffed up, and stuffed with the flocks of strong beer: the nose so set out with pearls & diamonds, that by the reflecting beams which they cast from so glorious antiquity, the bye-standers may see to walk as by a lighted tapor: 
Thus doth God pursue them with his judgements: some the gallows knits up, the sword devours, the pox, marbles, etc.,  and the whole body so impaired and shaken with gouts, sciaticas, pangs, palsies, appolexies, etc. that for the most part lie under the physicians hand: who though they live, yet such life is a living death, for Medice vivere est miserè vivere. And being thus surfeited live disconsolate, and hasten their own destruction by casting themselves headlong into the bottom of endless wretchedness. For the excellency of reason being thrust forth of her cabin by wine-washing excess, they incidently fall into woe and misery.  
Lot being drunk, committed incest with his daughters. Noah was mocked of his sons. Holofernes had his head cut off by a poor woman: for it is an easy thing for the devil to accomplish his will, if the mind be bend to surfeiting. For this is that poisoned fountain out of which floweth so many maladies, grievous & long diseases, impostumations, inflammations, obstructions, ventosities, and what not, whereby the mildness of nature is disturbed.  
And therefore one of the Sages being asked why he refused a cup of wine when it was offered him, because (quoth he) I take it to be poison: for this other day when I was invited to a Feast, I saw that every one that drunk of it, soon after decayed, both in mind and body, having lost both reason and use of their limbs: and as the Poet saith, Vino forma perit, vino corrumpitur aetas.  
But these strange events happen not simply in respect of the wine itself, being in it own nature good, (for if it be moderately taken it comforteth the body, and cherisheth the mind, strengtheneth the sinews, and helpeth the eyes: and that was the cause Saint Paul counseled Tymothie to drink a little Wine) but only and altogether in the intemperate and immeasurable usage.  
So is it likewise in meats, when one doth gormandize and feed upon diversity and disguised dishes of manifold operations. Many accidences arise and diseases grow, and this is by reason of the contrariety and different natures of those meats, and in the superfluity and abundance as the proverb saith, much meat much malady: whereas in simple and uniform kinds, delight never exceeds the appetite: and he that feedeth but of one dish, liveth longer, and is more healthful than those accidental dieters & queasy stomachs that glut themselves with every kind artificially compounded, sometime of easy digestion, then of hard digestion, that many times before one can be concocted, the other putrefieth in the stomach, and this is very familiar in common knowledge, that the ploughman that lives by curds, bread and cheese, and such homely fare, works hard all the day, and lieth uneasy at night, is more sounder, healthfuller, and more free of maladies than those fine, nice, and curious dyeters.  
Now when the body is thus misdieted by surfeiting and drunkenness, it is not only subject to diseases, and afflicted with torments and incurable laments, whereby it becometh unwieldy & unfit for any virtuous exercise, but also draweth the horror and judgements of God upon both body and soul. How ought men therefore to live soberly and chastely, and stop the abuse of such abominable Epicurism: and as wise Cato saith, Eat to live, and not live to eat, like the Epicure, that putteth all his felicity in Bacchus his belly-cheer.  
By this the quick conceit of the spirit is dulled and made impregnable, the glorious sunshine of Virtue eclipsed, and all good motions quite extinguished, that a man cannot be said to be a man, but the trunk or carcase of a man, wherein an infernal spirit in stead of a soul doth inhabit.  
Hereby he becometh rash-headed and unadvised, doing that in haste, whereof he repenteth at leisure.  
As Alexander, who in his drunkenness would slay his dearest friends, and being sober, would be ready to kill himself for anger: and all those noble virtues and princely qualities wherewith he was endued, were all defaced by the intolerable delight he had in drinking. The famous City Persepolis in a drunken humour was burned to ashes, which was no sooner devised by Thayis the harlot, but was executed with great celerity: but recovering his wits, repent his folly: for with this spirit is a drunken man always possessed to attempt things rashly, to despise good counsel, to undertake great exploits, but never with mature deliberation, unruly, disobedient, and violating the laws both of God and man: and lastly, with the foolish Troyans', (sero sapiunt phriges) be wise when it is too late. If this Hydra infuse her venom into the tenderness of youth, and not crushed down when it gins to peep, by killing the serpent in the egg, but suffered to grow ripe, o how it distilleth into the soul, and pulls down the whole frame of Virtue, whereby he is cast down headlong from a high promentarie, into a deep ugly dungeon: it weakeneth the nature, and maketh them fools and meacockes, not fit for any employment.  

To give wine to youth, is olium igni addere.  And therefore the Spartans' and Lacedæmonians at their great festivals, would show unto their children drunken men, that by seeing their beastliness they might shun the like practice.  

Vinum est quasi remedium adversus duritiem senectutis largitus est.  It was a great shame among the Athenians, for a young man to haunt taverns or common tap-houses: in so much as on a time when a youth being in a tavern, and seeing Diogenes come towards him, shifted into an other room for fear he should see him. Nay quoth he, stay young man, the more you go in that way, the further you go into the Tavern. If Diogenes or Polemon lived in these days, they should have work enough to sweep youth out of Taverns and Alehouses, being now traded up in it, as in an occupation.  
If we see a man often frequent the physicians house, we by and by suspect his health, and suppose he is not well, his body out of temper, and some infirmity breeding: so when we behold one often to repair to such places of ill note, we may censure him, and safely conclude his wits are distracted, and dangerously infected with Opprobrium medicorum.  
Nevertheless, lewd company is the overthrow of many good wits, which otherwise be ingenious, and of a lively promptitude to Virtue, getting such vices in an hour, as tarrieth with them many days: for bad company is as a stench about a man that annoyeth the sense. And as clear crystal water is corrupted if it fall into a a stinking puddle, so a virtuous mind is stained with the lewd vices of lose livers: and therefore no man can be freed of the effect, till he shun the cause: for conversing with naughty people, the good disposition is sooner infected with their evil manners, than the bad reform with their good conditions. For as by a contagious air the soundest bodies are soon infected, so the tender and green capacity is soon violently carried away into all voluptuousness. For as it is impossible to hold the hand in the fire, and not be burnt, so can he not hold fellowship with bad company, but he must needs be the worse.  
Every creature keepeth a due course and order: the Sun like a ramping Lion, runneth about the world with a swift revolution: 
Sunt septem stellae, in humero tauro.  the Moon knoweth her sitting down and rising up: the Pleyades keep their stations: the Stars go their circuit: the earth, the sea, and every creature keep their time, only man is out of frame and temper too, and every part disjointed, the natural impediment is the very bane and putrefaction of the soul. O how hard is it then to pull out those weeds within, which like rebels hold a continual war against all good motions: a greater victory is it therefore to overcome a man's own self, then to conquer a city: for he that vanquisheth an enemy, mastereth but flesh and blood, but he that can humble his pride and rule his passions, overcometh the devil: the one is but the son of man, the the other the son of God.  
David could cut off the head of Goliath, yet was not able to tame his own affections.  
Samson could slay the Philistines with a jaw-bone, and yet was made a slave to Dalilath.  
In like manner the Poets ascribe to Hercules many incredulous labours, as in killing the snake of Learna, mastering the wild bull of Aramanthus, cleansing Domedes stables, killing the Centaurs, and such toilsome works, that his taske-mistresse juno was feign to cry out, 
Ovid Metam.  Defessa sum iubendo, and yet for all this was conquered by lust, and made spin on a rock by Omphila, with women's garments.  
So that by this we may see, that it is more difficile to quench the raging lust of concupiscence, and chase away the corruption of nature, then to do these wonderful labours. Which thing Cicero in his Oration Pro Marcello doth well remember, speaking to the Emperor: O Caesar (saith he) thou hast subdued kingdoms, subjecteth nations, tamed the Barbarians, and brought them under the Roman yoke, and by thy matchless and heroical spirit, hast made the Capitol ring of thy glorious triumphs: yet notwithstanding, to beat down ambition, to bridle fury, to temper justice with mercy, to be humble in majesty, and conquer the unruly passion of the mind, he that can do this, Non ego eum cum summis viris comparo, sed simillimum deo judico. I do not only compare him with the best men, but I think him rather a God.  
By this it is manifest, that this Annarchie, this rebellion that is in nature, cannot so easily be bridled and kept from rushing into disorder, but by execution of laws: and to this end is the Magistrate set up, and the sword of justice held out, to tame the unruliness of nature.  
Now therefore the whole felicity of man standeth in temperance, and in quelling those boiling lusts that set themselves against the nobleness of Virtue.  
Epictetus giveth two rules, to bear, and forbear; by the first, patiently to bear adversity, and the bitterness of Fortune: by the second to fly concupiscence, and abstain from the will of the flesh; and these are the two paths leading to Virtue. To conclude, there is no true joy without Virtue, this is perfect honour & true nobility: she offereth herself freely to every man, she denieth none, but is open and ready to all that will seek her, and doth neither require house, land, or worldly wealth, but is content with a poor naked man: and therefore seeing that all is vain without her, it is a shame to desire glory by riches or birth, and not rather deserve it by his own virtue. For he that is therewith possessed, is famous in earth, glorious in the grave, and immortal in heaven, according to the Poet: 
Omnia roscidulae quaecunque sub orb Dianae  
Vivunt, sunt fatis interitura suis  
Virtus sola, mori divorum munere nescit,  
Cumque suis musae vatibus usque manent.  
All things that under Diane's sphere doth live, or draweth breath,  
To fatal change are subject sure, and unto grisly death:  
But Virtue only with the gods remains immortal aye,  
Where her religious followers do live in happy stay.   
By Virtue the famous Camilli, Fabiuses, & Scipiones, are mounted up above all earthly weakness, & a memory of their noble virtues commended to posterity. For there is nothing in this world of so great price, and which causeth more to augment, than the trade of good manners. For by this means, not only fathers of families have taken a domestic form of regiment in their houses, by good order keeping, but also Kingdoms, commonwealths, and public affairs, do hereby flourish, and are happily maintained. And for this cause I have willingly adventured to move and stir the mind thereunto, and that with a zealous affection. And although I have taken upon me a thing very unfit for my rude and small understanding, yet I doubt not but the honest and virtuous will gratify and approve this my simple endeavour: especially because they more esteem the preciousness of Virtue, than the pompious glory of Vice: wherein they observe the counsel of the wise Heathen, who wisheth that no man should despise the simple labour of an other man, especially if he speak good words, and give no offence to the weak. And this was Plato's divine institution amongst many other sovereign decrees, that it is needful in every Commonwealth to prescribe and give order that it be not permitted to any man to publish any thing he hath composed, except it be first perused and allowed by indifferent judges thereunto assigned. If this injunction were duly observed, so many lewd books, vain pamphlets, and scurrilous ditties would not so easily pass, neither would idle wits bend themselves to write. For now through the abundance of naughty books, we are greatly endamaged, for by learning the sound doctrine of good men, the basest and blindest manner of writers is most-what approved. From this spring or fountain is risen this mortal and monstrous infection before noted.  
Neither is this all, for there is a natural rebellion, which like a sore runneth over the whole body: so that if the ground of the heart be not fallowed and ploughed up, and good seed sown therein, the happiness and felicity of man is choked heath weeds, and poisoned with Hemplocke, iniquity hath gotten the upper hand so far, that if we look into the monstruousness of sin in this age, we may see every abomination sport itself, as though there were no God. Drunkenness is good fellowship. Whoredom and adultery, youthful pranks: Swearing, the fire of manhood: Hypocrisy, deceit and cozenage, a common practice. In a word, there be too many whores, too many knaves, too many brothelhouses, too little labour, too much idleness, too many Alehouses, too little love, too much hate, too little devotion, and too much hard-hearted Christianity. But I speak not this to derogate aught from the diligence of any. Nevertheless, it were to be wished, that more care were had to execute justice on such grievous malefactors. If I have done well to note what is amiss, thou shalt do much better to mend the abuse.  
Or if it be ill and of little worth,  
If thou canst do better, I pray set it forth.  
Finally, the consideration of these abuses before named, aught to stir up both superior magistrates, and inferior officers, to advance Virtue, and reform Vice: because as the one begetteth most heavenly things in this earthly world: so is the other the overthrow of all happiness, both here and in the life to come. The Minister of the word therefore is not exempt from this labour, for as he is the Physician of the soul, so is he to watch over the sick patiented; not so much to attendere famae & corpori, as to negligere salutem ecclesie, to be old in years, and young in knowledge: to covet to be rich in purse, and poor in charity: to purchase pleasures, build great houses, and show no fruits by the sequel and event that they worthily enjoy their dignities: as many do in this age that stand in a spiritual place, are notwithstanding mere temporal men, and so rooted in the flesh, as they yield no fruits at all of the spirit: but they ought for care, conscience, and in a godly zeal, holding sacred places, to labour earnestly and officiously, to suppress those horrible evils that are so usual and commonly practised; that by this, sin and wickedness may be abolished, the true service of God maintained, to his own glory, the good of his Church, and the happy and peaceable government of this honourable City.  
FINIS.   

The faults escaped in the printing, I pray thee friendly Reader correct with thy pen: for by reason of some earnest business, I have not so narrowly looked to them as I would have done.