FIGURE OF SEVEN.  
Very Pleasant to Read, Plain to Understand, And Profitable to Practise.  
By M. P.  
Three, Four, Five, Six, sufficient proof have given Of their acceptance; what should hinder Seven?  PROV. 9.1. 
Wisdom hath built her an house, she hath hewn out her seven Pillars.  
LONDON, Printed by E. P. for Fr. Coles, dwelling in the Old Bailie, 1647.   

THE FIGURE OF SEVEN.  

1. THere be seven things which (especially) mode any Reader to buy (or read) a Book: 

Affection to the Author,  
Conceits of the Theme,  
A promising Title,  
Performance in the Discourse,  
The pleasure of the Fancy,  
The elegancy of the Style,  
And increase of Knowledge.    
2. There be seven excellent Motives towards the Government of the World: 

The People in good order,  
The Rich faithful,  
The Youth obedient,  
Clergy honest,  
The old folks wise,  
The Poor humble,  
And the Women shamefaced.    
3. By seven manner of means man is wisely taught to know God: 

Trust in God, and love him,  
Use prayer, and honour him,  
Deny the World for love of him,  
Rule rightly, and dread him,  
Sorrow discreetly, and seek him,  
Wake, weep, and please him,  
And even in trouble thank him.    
4. There be seven things incident to an old man who marries a young Wife: 

He hath a Toy to play with,  
A Child to nourish,  
A Ship to deck,  
A Windmill to keep,  
A Lute to string,  
A Colt to break,  
And a Servant to teach.    
5. There be seven things in which a man ought not to be rash or overhasty: 

In unnecessary words,  
In undecent swearing,  
In entertainment of Quarrels,  
In conceiving an ill opinion of his friend.  
In Barga●nes,  
In Marriage,  
Nor in giving Counsel.    
6. There be seven sorts of Creatures, that the more they are in company, the more trouble: 

Many Women much babbling,  
Many Geese much gaggling,  
Many Youths, much wanton fashion,  
Many Sects, much alteration,  
Many lewd Priests, much ill teaching,  
Many Gamesters, much o'r-reaching,  
Many Thiefs, much Hal●er-stretching.    
7. There be seven worthy Documents fit for every Christian to learn and practise: 

To think on the time past,  
To use well the time present,  
To provide for the time to come,  
To reveal things doubtful,  
To think on God and serve him,  
To think on Heaven, to obtain it,  
And to think on Hell, to avoid it.    
8. There be seven Lessoned which the Father ought to learn and teach his Son. 

To learn him laudable Customs,  
To give him good Education,  
To keep him under Obedience,  
To reach him Divine Duties,  
To correct him with discretion,  
To provide for his future welfare,  
To nourish (and feed) him with sobriety.    
9 There be likewise seven especial Duties which the Son doth owe unto his Parents: 

To bear them respect and reverence,  
To obey all their lawful Commands,  
To hearken to their good Counsels,  
Not to despise them in any thing,  
Not to slight them in old Age,  
Nor to scorn them in Poverty,  
But to provide for their Sustenance.    
10. There be seven Duties of a Husband to his Wife: 

To Love her as himself,  
To provide for her to his Power,  
To nourish her in Soul and Body,  
To Apparel her honestly,  
To avoid causeless Jealousy,  
To consider her as the weaker Vessel,  
And to give her due benevolence.    
11. There be also seven Duties of a Wife to her Husband: 

To love him above all other men,  
To hearken to his Say,  
To be patiented, and forbear Anger,  
To give no occasion of (& to shun) Jealousy,  
To be sober and temperate,  
To look well to his House, Children, and Servants,  
And to honour his person.    
12. There be seven things which every young man desireth when he intendeth to marry: 

That his Wife be young and beautiful,  
That she be modest and shamefaced,  
That she bear correspondent affection,  
That she be no tattling Gossip,  
That she be no Scold,  
That she order well his Family,  
And above all, that she be constant to him.    
13. There be also seven other things which a married man delights in: 

To be sure that his Wife loves him well,  
To see fine Children prosperous,  
To have them well instructed,  
To have obedient servants,  
To live in peace and unity,  
To thrive by his Calling,  
And (chiefly) to be Master of the House.    
14. There be seven things which keep a woman honest: 

Not to listen to Flatterers,  
Not to be too conversant with men,  
Not to use audacious words,  
Not to demean herself immodestly,  
Not to wear gaudy Apparel,  
Not to eat delicious Diet,  
And especially not to forget God nor her Husband.    
15. There be seven things which cause either man or woman to be well thought, and spoken of: 

Justice in dealing,  
Courtesy in behaviour,  
Modesty in speech,  
To abstain from Lying,  
To abhor Blasphemy,  
To loathe obscene discourse,  
And to be faithful in friendship.    
16. There be on the contrary seven things which make them odious to good society: 

Fraud in buying and selling,  
Rudeness in carriage,  
Churlishness in words,  
To be a noted Liar,  
To be a common Swearer,  
To use filthy talk,  
And to be treacherous in trust.    
17. There be seven things which a ●●n ought to consider of, when he is asked any question: 

Who it is that demandeth? whether superior, eguall or inferior.  
What it is that he doth demand?  
The cause why he doth demand it,  
Whether his demand be to his benefit or detriment?  
What will be the issue, if he grant?  
What the end, if he deny?  
And to answer or not answer accordingly.    
18. There be seven things requisite in a judge: 

To hear patiently,  
To answer wisely,  
To declare intentively,  
To shun Partiality,  
To hate Bribery,  
To incline indifferently,  
And to Judge justly.    
19 There be seven things necessary for a Client's Instruction: 

To tell his Case punctually,  
To shun therein self-flattery,  
To Fee his Lawyer bounteously,  
To prosecute with equity,  
To use his opposite courteously,  
To seek no means dis-honestly,  
And to take the Issue patiently.    
20. There be seven things which most men desire, yet none can ever obtayn● in this World: 

Riches enough to suffice him; without wishing for more,  
To be perfect in all Sciences and Learning,  
To have his mind always permanent,  
To suffer no Cross nor Affliction,  
To have Ease and Rest continually.  
To enjoy constant Felicity,  
And to have Peace of Conscience perpetually.    
21. There be seven things that the more they be sought for, the less they be sound. 

The number of Friends,  
The peace of the Froward,  
The guilt of the Miser,  
The truth of a Flatterer,  
The ways of the Wind,  
The submission of the Proud,  
And wisdom in a Foole.    
22. There be seven things world then Death: 

Poverty in old Age,  
Desperation after Sin,  
Want of Patience in Adversity,  
Insultation of ones Enemies,  
Labour in vain,  
Sickness in Prison,  
And to lie continually in Fire.    
23. There be seven things to be had without buying, which being gotten, will sears be sold for Money: 

An evil Name,  
An evil Behaviour,  
An evil Custom,  
An evil Conscience,  
An evil Companion,  
An evil Disease,  
And an evil (Wife) or Husband▪    
24. There be seven things which bring a man to wisdom: 

Study of Sciences,  
Experience of many things,  
Observation of other men's affairs,  
Examples of the wise,  
Advices of the prudent,  
Enriching the intellect,  
And the marking of ambiguous Chances.    
25. There be seven duties required in a King or great Potentate: 

That he render unto God more than he expects from his subjects,  
That he remember whose Vicegerent he is,  
That he be ever mindful of his account to God,  
That he govern his people with Justice,  
That he utterly hate Covetousness, as the root of all evil,  
That he be courteous and affable to all people,  
And that he obtains friendship of neighbour Natio●●.    
26. There be (also) seven duties requisite in a Princely Heir Apparent: 

To remember his Creator in the days of his youth,  
To be exceedingly well Learned,  
To know al● Arts and Sciences,  
To exercise Military Discipline,  
To be liberal and bountiful,  
To be easily spoken withal,  
And to get favour of the common people.    
27. There be seven things necessary for all Nobles and Gentry: 

To put discreet and trusty men in Office,  
To order their Family with wisdom and credit,  
To be kind loving, and reasonable to their Tenants,  
To pay Servants ●heir Wages justly,  
To have no unpaid Tradesmen exclaim on them,  
To keep good Hospitality,  
And to secure the Poor with Charity.    
28. There be seven things incident to a good Governor of a City: 

To seek Peace, and pursue it,  
To gain the assistance of grave and honest Counsellors,  
To procure (to his power) plenty of Victual,  
To see Justice in Weights and Measures,  
To mix Mercy with Justice in all his actions,  
To punish Vice and cherish Virtue,  
And to procure the love of all people.    
29. There be seven things to be considered 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉: 

To have Money enough,  
To have able and willing Soldiers at command,  
To have experienced Commanders and Officers,  
To have plenty of Victual,  
To be well furnished with Munition,  
To have often intelligence from the Enemy,  
And especially to have a good Cause.    
30. There be seven things commendable in the Captain General of an Army: 

To have Nobilltie, of Blood,  
To have large Revenues,  
To have a faithful and stout heart,  
To have the four Cardinal Virtues in esteem,  
To have confidence in his Cause,  
To unite Clemency and Victory together,  
And to have the love of his Soldiers for his virtue.    
31. There be seven things requisite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Physician: 

To know the nature of the Disease,  
To judge the complexion of his Patient,  
To be well versed in Anatomy,  
To visit his Patient often,  
To give Medicines according to the Disease,  
To comfort his Patient with hopes,  
And to cure poor people for God's sake▪    
32. There be seven things to be observed by a sick Body: 

To obey the Physicians instruction in Diet and Exercise,  
To spare nothing for Health's sake,  
To be a true Patient, not only in name but in practice,  
To have confidence in the Physicians' Judgement,  
To be careful of breaking his Prescription,  
To be quiet and comfortable.  
And chiefly, to rely upon God for Cure, or calling away.    
33. To conclude, there be seven things which extenu●teth the credit of (otherways) wis● men: 

To commit error in Knowledge,  
To be overswayed by Opinion,  
To be partial in Judgement,  
To be lavish in Conjectures,  
To seek Justice for him who hath not deserved it,  
To dispraise others without cause,  
And to credit all things overlightly.     
FINIS.