The Character of a Country-Committee­man, with the Ear-mark of a Se­questrator.

A Committee man by his Name should be one that is possessed; there is number enough in it to make an Epithet for Legion. He is Persona in concreto (to borrow the Solecism of a Modern Statesman.) You may translate it by the Red-Bull Phrase, and speak as properly, Enter seven Devils solus. It is a well-truss'd Title, that contains both the Number and the Beast; for a Committee-man is a Noun of Multitude, he must be spell'd with Figures, like Antichrist wrapp'd in a Pair-Royal of Sixes. Thus the Name is as monstrous as the Man, a complex Notion, of the same Lineage with Accumulative Treason. For his Office it is the Heptarchy, or England's Fritters; it is the bro­ken meat of a crumbling Prince, only the Royalty is greater; for it is here, as in the Miracle of Loaves, the Voyder exceeds the Bill of Fare. The Pope and he rings the Changes; here is the Plura­lity of Crowns to one Head, joyn them together and there is a Harmony in Discord. The Triple­headed Turn-key of Heaven, with the Triple­headed Porter of Hell. A Committee-man is the Reliques of Regal Government, but, like Holy Reliques, he out-bulks the Substance whereof he is a Remnant. There is a score of Kings in a Com­mittee, [Page 73] as in the Reliques of the Cross there is the number of Twenty. This is the Gyant with the hundred hands that wields the Scepter; the Tyrannical Bead-Roll, by which the Kingdom prays backward, and at every Curse drops a Com­mittee-man. Let Charles be wav'd, whose con­descending Clemency aggravates the Defection, and make Nero the Question, better a Nero than a Committee. There is less Execution by a single Bullet, than by Case-shot.

Now a Committee-man is a party-colour'd Offi­cer. He must be drawn like Ianus with Cross and Pile in his Countenance; as he relates to the Soul­diers, or faces about to his fleecing the Country. Look upon him martially, and he is a Justice of War, one that hath bound his Dalton up in Buff, and will needs be of the Quorum to the best Com­manders. He is one of Mars his Lay-Elders, he shares in the Government, though a Non-confor­mist to his bleeding Rubrick. He is the like Secta­ry in Arms, as the Platonick is in Love; keeps a fluttering in Discourse, but proves a Haggard in the Action. He is not of the Souldiers, and yet of his Flock. It is an Emblem of the Golden Age (and such indeed he makes it to him) when so tame a Pigeon may converse with Vultures. Me­thinks a Committee hanging about a Governour, and Bandileers dangling about a fur'd Alderman, have an Anagram Resemblance. There is no Syn­tax between a Cap of Maintenance and a Helmet. Who ever knew an Enemy routed by a Grand Jury and a Billa vera? It is a left-handed Garrison where their Authority perches; but the more preposte­rous, the more in fashion; the right hand fights, [Page 74] while the left rules the Reins. The truth is, the Souldier and the Gentleman are like Don Quixot and Sancha Pancha, one fights at all Adventures to purchase the other the Government of the Island. A Committee-man properly should be the Gover­nour's Mattress to sit his Truckle, and to new-string him with sinews of War; for his chief use is to raise Assessments in the Neighbouring Wapen­take.

The Country people being like an Irish Co [...] that will not give down her Milk, unless she see her Calf before her: Hence it is he is the Garrison's Dry-Nurse, he chews their Contribution before he feeds them; so the poor Souldiers live like Trochi­lus, [...]y picking the Teeth of this sacred Croco­dile.

So much for his Warlike or Ammunition-Face; which is so preternatural, that it is rather a Vi­zard than a Face; Mars in him hath but a blinking Aspect, his Face of Arms is like his Coat, Partit per-pale; Souldier and Gentleman much of a Scant­ling.

Now enter his Taxing and deglubing Face, a squeezing Look, like that of Vespastanus, as if he [...]ere bleeding over a Close-stool.

Take him thus, and he is in the Inquisition of the Purse an Authentick Gypsie, that nips your [...]ung with a Canting Ordinance: not a murthered Fortune in all the Country, but bleeds at the Touch of this Malefactor. He is the Spleen of the Body Politick, that swells it self to the Consumption of the Whole. At first indeed he ferreted for the Parliament, but since he hath got off his Cope he set up for himself. He lives upon the Sins of the [Page 75] People, and that is a good standing Dish too. He verifies the Axiom, Iisdem nutritur ex quibus componitur; his Diet is suitable to his Constitution. I have wondred often, why the plundred Country­men should repair to him for succour; certainly it is under the same Notion, as one whose Pockets are pick'd goes to Mal Cut-purse, as the Predominant in that Faculty.

He out-dives a Dutch man, gets a Noble of him that was never worth six pence; for the poorest do not escape, but Dutch-like, he will be dreyning even in the driest Ground. He aliens a Delin­quent's Estate with as little Remorse, as his other Holiness gives away an Heretick's Kingdom; and for the truth of the Delinquency, both Chapmen have as little share of Infallibility. Lye is the Grand Salad of Arbitrary Government, Executor to the Star-chamber and the High Commission; for those Courts are not extinct, they survive in him, like Dollars changed into single Money. To speak the truth, He is the Universal Tribunal: For since these Times all Causes fall to his Cogni­zance; as in a great Infection all Diseases turn oft to the Plague. It concerns our Masters the Parliament to look about them; if he proceedeth at this rate, the Jack may come to swallow the Pike, as the Interest often eats out the Principal. As his Commands are great, so he looks for a Re­verence accordingly. He is punctual in exacting your Hat, and to say, Right is his due, but by the same Title as the upper Garment is the Vails of the Executioner. There was a time, when such Cattle would hardly have been taken upon suspici­on for Men in office, unless the old Proverb were [Page 76] renewed, That the Beggars make a Free Company, and those their Wardens. You may see what it is to hang together. Look upon them severally, and you cannot but fumble for some Threds of Charity. But oh, they are Termagants in Con­junction! like Fidlers, who are Rogues when they go single, and join'd in Consort, Gentlemen Musicianers. I care not much if I untwist my Com­mittee-man, and so give him the Receipt of this Grand Catholicon.

Take a State-martyr, one that for his good Be­haviour hath paid the Excise of his Ears, so suffer­ed Captivity by the Land-Piracy of Ship-money; next a Primitive Freeholder, one that hates the King because he is a Gentleman, transgressing the Magna Charta of Delving Adam: Add to these a Mortified Bankrupt, that helps out his false Weights with some Scruples of Conscience, and with his peremptory Scales can doom his Prince with a Mene Tekel. These with a new blew-stock­ing'd Justice, lately made of a good Basket-hilted Yeoman, with a short-handed Clerk, tack'd to the Rear of him to carry the Knap-sack of his Un­derstanding; together with two or three Equivo­cal Sirs, whose Religion, like their Gentility, is the Extract of their Acres; being therefore Spiri­tual, because they are Earthly; not forgetting the Man of the Law, whose Corruption gives the Hogan to the sincere Juncto. These are the Sim­ples of this Precious Compound; a kind of Dutch Hotch-Potch, the Hogan Mogan Committee-man.

The Committee-man hath a Side-man, or rather a Setter, right a Sequestrator, of whom you may [Page 77] say, as of the Great Sultan's Horse, where he treads the Grass grows no more. He is the States Cormorant, one that fishes for the publick, but feeds himself; the misery is, he fishes without the Cormorant's Property, a Rope to strengthen the Gullet, and to make him disgorge. A Sequestra­tor! He is the Devil's Nut-hook, the Sign with him is always in the Clutches. There are more Monsters retain to him, than to all the Limbs in Anatomy. It is strange Physicians do not apply him to the Soles of the Feet in a desperate Fever, he draws far beyond Pigeons. I hope some Moun­tebank will slice him, and make the Experiment. He is a Tooth-drawer once removed; here is the difference, one applauds the Grinder, the other the Grist. Never till now could I verifie the Po­et's Description, that the ravenous Harpie had a Humane Visage. Death himself cannot quit scores with him; like the Demoniack in the Gospel, he lives among Tombs; nor is all the Holy Water shed by Widows and Orphans, a sufficient Exorcism to dispossess him. Thus the Cat sucks your breath, and the Fiend your blood; nor can the Brotherhood of Witch-finders, so sagely institu­ted with all their Terror, wean the Familiars.

But once more to single out my emboss'd Com­mittee-man; his Fate (for I know you would fain see an end of him) is either a whipping Au­dit, when he is wrung in the Withers by a Com­mittee of Examinations, and so the Spunge weeps out the Moisture which he had soaked before; or else he meets his Passing-peal in the clamorous Mu­tiny of a Gut-foundred Garrison: for the Hedge­sparrow will be feeding the Cuckow, till he [Page 78] mistake his Commons and bites off her head. What-ever it is, it is within his desert: For what is observed of some Creatures, that at the same time they trade in Productions three Stories high, Suckling the first, Big with the second, and Click­eting for the third: A Committee-man is the Counterpoint, his Mischief is Superfoetation, a certain Scale of Destruction; for he ruins the Fa­ther, beggars the Son, and strangles the hopes of all Posterity.

The Character of a Diurnal-maker.

A Diurnal-maker is the Sub-almoner of History, Queen Mabs Register; one whom, by the same Figure that a North-country Pedlar is a Merchant-man, you may stile an Au­thor. It is like over-reach of Language, when e­very thin, Tinder-cloak'd Quack must be called a Doctor; when a clumsie Cobler usurps the Attri­bute of our English Peers, and is vamp'd a Transla­tor. List him a Writer, and you smother Geoffry in Swabber-slops; the very name of Dabler over­sets him; he is swallowed up in the Phrase, like Sir S. L. in a great Saddle, nothing to be seen, but the Giddy Feather in his Crown. They call him a Mercury, but he becomes the Epithet, like the lit­tle Negro mounted upon an Elephant, just such a­nother Blot Rampant. He has not Stuffings suffi­cient for the Reproach of a Scribler; but it hangs about him like an old Wifes Skin, when the Flesh hath forsaken her, lank and loose. He defames a good Title, as well as most of our Modern Noble-Men; [Page 79] those Wens of Greatness, the Body Poli­tick's most peccant Humours, Blistred into Lords. He hath so Raw-bon'd a Being, that however you render him, he rubs it out and makes Rags of the Expression. The silly Country-man, who see­ing an Ape in a Scarlet-coat, bless'd his young Worship, and gave his Landlord joy of the hopes of his House, did not slander his Complement with worse Application, than he that names this Shred an Historian. To call him an Historian is to knight a Mandrake: 'Tis to view him through a Perspective, and by that gross Hyperbole to give the Reputation of an Engineer to a Maker of Mouse-traps. Such an Historian would hardly pass muster with a Scotch Stationer, in a Sieve full of Ballads and Godly Books. He would not serve for the Breast-plate, of a begging Grecian. The most cramp'd Compendium that the Age hath seen, since all Learning hath been almost torn into Ends, outstrips him by the Head. I have heard of Pup­pets that could prattle in a Play, but never saw of their Writings before. There goes a report of the Holland Women, that together with their Children, they are delivered of a Sooterkin, not un­like to a Rat, which some imagine to be the Off­spring of the Stoves. I know not what Ignis fatuus adulterates the Press, but it seems much after that fashion, else how could this Vermin think to be a Twin to a Legitimate Writer; when those week­ly Fragments shall pass for History, let the poor man's Box be intituled the Exchequer, and the Alms-basket a Magazine. Not a Worm that gnaws on the dull Scalp of Voluminous Hollinshed, but at every Meal devour'd more Chronicle, than [Page 80] his Tribe amounts to. A Marginal Note of W. P. would serve for a Winding-sheet, for that man's Works, like thick-skin'd Fruits, are all Rinde, fit for nothing but the Authors Fate to be pared in a Pillory.

The Cook, who serv'd up the Dwarf in a Pye (to continue the Frollick) might have lapp'd up such an Historian as this in the Bill of Fare. He is the first Tincture and Rudiment of a Writer, dipp'd as yet in the preparative Blew, like an Al­manack Well-willer. He is the Cadet of a Pam­phleteer, the Pedee of a Romancer; he is the Em­bryo of a History slink'd before Maturity. How should he Record the Issue's of time, who is him­self an Abortive? I will not say but that he may pass for an Historian in Garbier's Academy; he is much of the size of those Knot-grass Professors. What a pittiful Seminary was there projected! Yet sutable enough to the present Universities, those dry Nurses, which the Providence of the Age has so fully reform'd, that they are turn'd Reformado's: But that's no matter, the meaner the better. It is a Maxim observable in these days, That the only way to win the Game is to play Petty Iohns. Of this number is the Esquire of the Quill; for he hath the Grudging of History, and some Yawnings accordingly. Writing is a Disease in him, and holds like a Quotidian; so 'tis his In­firmity that makes him an Author, as Mahomet was beholding to the Falling-sickness to vouch him a Prophet. That nice Artificer, who field a Chain so thin and light, that a Flea could trail it (as if he had work'd Short-hand, and taught his Tools to Cypher) did but contrive an Emblem for this [Page 81] Skip-Jack and his slight productions.

Methinks the Turk should license Diurnals, be­cause he prohibits Learning and Books. A Libra­ry of Diurnals is a Wardrobe of Frippery; 'tis a just Idea of a Limbo of the Infants. I saw one once that could write with his Toes, by the same token I could have wished he had worn his Copies for Socks; 'tis he without doubt from whom the Di­urnals derive their Pedigree, and they have a Birth-right accordingly, being shuffled out at the bed's feet of History. To what infinite numbers an Historian would multiply, should he crumble into Elves of this Profession? To supply this smalness they are fain to joyn Forces, so they are not singly, but as the Custom is, in a Croaking Com­mittee. They tug at the Pen, like slaves at the Oar, a whole Bank together; they write in the Posture that the Suedes gave fire in, over one ano­ther's heads. It is said there is more of them go to a Suit of Cloaths than to a Britannicus: In this Polygamy the Cloaths breed, and cannot deter­mine whose Issue is Lawfully begotten.

And here I think it were not amiss to take a particular how he is accourred, and so do by him as he in his Siquis for the Wall-ey'd Mare, or the Crop-Flea-bitten, give you the Marks of the Beast. I begin with his Head, which is ever in Clouts, as if the Night-cap should make Affidavit, that the Brain was pregnant. To what purpose doth the Pia Mater lie in so dully in her white For­malities: Sure she hath had hard Labour; for the Brows have squeezed for it, as you may perceive by his Butter'd Bon-grace, that Film of a Demi­castor; 'tis so thin and unctuous that the Sun-beams [Page 82] mistake it for a Vapour, and are like to Cap him; so it is right Heliotrope, it creaks in the Shine, and [...]aps in the Shade: whatever it be, I wish it were able to call in his Ears. There's no proportion be­tween that Head and Appurtenances; those of all Lungs are no more fit-for that small Noddle of the Circumcision, than Brass Bosses for a Geneva-Bible. In what a puzzling Neutrality is the poor Soul, that moves betwixt two such ponderous Biasses! His Collar is edg'd with a peice of peeping Lin­nen, by which he means a Band; 'tis the Forlorn of his Shirt crawling out of his Neck: Indeed it were time that his Shirt were jogging; for it has serv'd an Apprenticeship and (as Apprentices use) it hath learned its Trade too, to which effect 'tis marching to the Paper-mill, and the next week sets up for it self in the shape of a Pamphlet. His Gloves are the shavings of his Hands; for he casts his Skin like a cancell'd Parchment. The Itch re­presents the broken Seals. His Boots are the Le­gacies of two black Jacks, and till he pawn'd the Silver that the Jacks were tipp'd with, it was a pretty Mode of Boot-hose-tops. For the rest of his Habit he is a perfect Sea-man, a kind of Tarpaw­ [...], he being hang'd about with his course Compo­sition, those Pole-davie Papers.

But I must draw to an end; for every Charac­ter is an Anatomy-lecture, and it [...]ares with me in this of the Diurnal-maker, as with him that reads on a begg'd Malefactor, my Subject smells before I have gone thorough with him; for a parting Blow then. The word Historian imports a sage and Tole [...]n Author; one that curles his Brow with a sullen Gravity, like a Bull-neck'd [Page 83] Presbyter, since the Army hath got him off his Jurisdiction, who Presbyter-like sweeps his Breast with a Reverend Beard, full of Native Moss-Troopers: not such a squirting Scribe as this, that's troubled with the Rickets, and makes penny­worths of History. The Colledge-Treasury that never had in Bank above a Harry-groat, shut up there in a melancholick solitude, like one that is kept to keep possession, had as good Evidence to shew for his Title, as he for an Historian: so, if he will needs be an Historian, he is not cited in the Sterling acceptation, but after the rate of Blew­caps Reckoning, an Historian Scot. Now a Scotch­man's Tongue runs high Fullams. There is a Cheat in his Idiom; for the sence Ebbs from the bold Expression, like the Citizen's Gallon, which the Drawer interprets but half a Pint. In summ; a Diurnal-maker is the Antimark of an Historian; he differs from him as a Dril from a Man, or (if you had rather have it in the Saints Gibbrish (as a Hinter doth from a Holder forth.

The Character of a London-Diurnal.

A Diurnal is a puny Chronicle, scarce Pin-fea­ther'd with the Wings of Time. It is a Histo­ry in Sippets: The English Iliads in a Nutshel: The Apocryphal Parliament's Book of Maccabees in single sheets. It would tire a Welshman to reck­on up how many Aps 'tis removed from an Annal: for it is of that Extract, only of the younger. House, like a Shrimp to a Lobster. The Original Sinner in this kind was Dutch, Gallobelgi [...]us the [Page 84] Protoplast, and the modern Mercuries but Hans-en­kelders. The Countess of Zoaland was brought to bed of an Almanack, as many Children as days in the year. It may be the Legislative Lady is of that Linage, so she spawns the Diurnals, and they at Westminster take them in Adoption by the names of Scoticus, Civicus, Britannicus. In the Frontispeice of the old Beldam Diurnal, like the Contents of the Chapter, sitteth the House of Commons judging the twelve Tribes of Israel. You may call them the Kingdoms Anatomy before the weekly Kalen­dar; for such is a Diurnal, the day of the Month with what Weather in the Commonwealth. It is taken for the Pulse of the Body Politick, and the Emperick-Divines of the Assembly, those Spiritu­al Dragooners, thumb it accordingly. Indeed it is a pretty Synopsis; and those Grave Rabbies (though in the point of Divinity) trade in no lar­ger Authors. The Country-carrier, when he buys it for the Vicar, miscals it the Urinal; yet properly enough, for it casts the Water of the State ever since it staled Blood. It differs from an Aulicus, as the Devil and his Exorcist, or as a black Witch doth from a white one, whose office is to unravel her Enchantments.

It begins usually with an Ordinance, which is a Law still-born, dropt before quickned by the Roy­al Assent. 'Tis one of the Parliament's By-blows, Acts only being Legitimate, and hath no more Sire than a Spanish Gennet that is begotten by the Wind.

Thus their Militia, like its Patron Mars, is the Issue only of the Mother, without the Concourse of Royal Iupiter: Yet Law it is, if they vote it, in [Page 85] defiance to their Fundamentals; like the old Sex­ton, who swore his Clock went true, whatever the Sun said to the contrary.

The next Ingredient of a Diurnal is Plots, hor­rible Plots, which with wonderful Sagacity it hunts dry-foot, while they are yet in their Causes before Materia prima can put on her Smock. How many such fits of the Mother have troubled the Kingdom; and for all Sir W. E. looks like a Man-Midwife, not yet delivered of so much as a Cushi­on? But Actors must have Properties; and since the Stages were voted down, the only Play-house is at Westminster.

Suitable to their Plots are their Informers, Skip­pers and Taylors, Spaniels both for the Land and Water. Good conscionable Intelligence! For however Pym's Bill may inflame the reckoning, the honest Vermine have not so much for Lying as the Publick Faith.

Thus a zealous Botcher in Moorfields, while [...]he was contriving some Quirpo-cut of Church-Go­vernment, by the help of his outlying Ears and the Otacousticon of the Spirit, discovered such a Piot, that Selden intends to combat Antiquity, and maintain it was a Taylor's Goose that preserv'd the Capitol.

I wonder my Lord of Canterbury is not once more [...]ll-to-be-traytor'd, for dealing with the Lyons to settle the Commission of Array in the Tower. It would do well to cramp the Articles dormant, be­sides the opportunity of reforming these Beasts of [...]he Prerogative, and changing their profaner [...]ames of Harry and Charles into Nehemiah and Eleazar.

[Page 86] Suppose a Corn-cutter, being to give little Isaac a cast of his Office, should fall to paring his Brows (mistaking the one end for the other, because he branches at both) this would be a Plot, and the next Diurnal would furnish you with this Scale of Votes.

Resolv'd upon the Question, That this Act of the Corn-cutter was an absolute Invasion of the Cities Char­ter in the representative forehead of Isaac.

Resolv'd, That the evil Counsellours about the Corn-cutter are Popishly-affected, and Enemies to the State.

Resolv'd, That there be a publick Thanksgiving for the great deliverance of Isaac's Brown-antlers; and a solemn Covenant drawn up to defie the Corn-cutter and all his Works.

Thus the Quixots of this Age fight with the Windmils of their own heads, quell Monsters of their own Creation, make Plots, and then discover them; as who fitter to unkennel the Fox, than the Terrier that is part of him?

In the third place march their Adventures; the Roundheads Legend, The Rebels Romance; Sto­ries of a larger size, than the Ears of their Sect, a­ble to strangle the Belief of a Solifidian.

I'll present them in their order. And first as a Whister before the show enter Stamford, one that trod the Stage with the first, travers'd his ground, made a Leg and Exit. The Country people took him for one, that by Order of the Houses was to dance a Morrice through the West of England. Well, he's a nimble Gentleman; set him upon Banks his Horse in a Saddle rampant, and it is a great question which part of the Centaure shews better Tricks.

[Page 87] There was a Vote passing to translate him with all his Equipage into Monumental Gingerbread; but it was crossed by the female Committee, alled­ging that the Valour of his Image, would bite their Children by the Tongues.

This Cubit and half of Commander, by the help of a Diurnal routed his Enemies fifty miles off. It's strange you'll say, and yet 'tis generally be­liev'd, he would as soon do it at that distance as nearer hand. Sure it was his Sword for which the Weapon-salve was invented; that so wounding and healing (like loving Correlates) might both work at the same removes. But the Squib is run to the end of the Rope: Room for the Prodigy of Valour. Madam Atropos in Breeches, Waller's Knight-errantry; and because every Mountebank must have his Zany, throw him in Hazlerig to set off his Story. These two, like Bel and the Dragon, are always worshipped in the same Chap­ter; they hunt in couples, what one doth at the head, the other scores up at the heels.

Thus they kill a man over and over, as Hopkins and Sternhold murder the Psalms with another of the same; one chimes all in, and then the other strikes up as the Saints-Bell.

I wonder for how many Lives my Lord Hopton took the Lease of his Body.

First Stamford slew him, then Waller out-kill'd that half a Barr; and yet it is thought the sullen Corps would scarce bleed, were both these Man­slayers never so near it.

The fame goes of a Dutch Headsman, that he would do his office with so much ease and dexteri­ty, that the Head after Execution should stand up­on [Page 88] the Shoulders. Pray God Sir William be not Proba­tioner for the place; for as if he had the same knack too, most of those whom the Diurnal hath slain for him, to us poor Mortals seem untoucht.

Thus these Artificers of death, can kill the Man without wounding the Body, like Lightning, that melts the Sword, and never singdes the Scabbard.

This is the William whose Lady is the Conque­ror; This is the City's Champion and the Diur­nals delight; he that Cuckolds the General in his Commission; for he stalks with Essex, and shoots under his Belly, because his Excellency himself is not charged there; yet in all this triumph there is a Whip and a Bell; translate but the Scene to Roundway down, there Hazelrig's Lobsters turn'd Crabs, and crawled backwards; there poor Sir William ran to his Lady for an use of Consolation.

But the Diurnal is weary of the arm of flesh, and now begins an Hosanna to Cromwel; one that hath beat up his Drums clean through the Old Testament; you may learn the Genealogy of our Saviour by the names in his Regiment: the Muster­master uses no other List but the first Chapter of Matthew.

With what face can they object to the King the bringing in of Foreigners, when themselves en­tertain such an Army of Hebrews? This Cromwel is never so valourous, as when he is making Speeches for the Association; which nevertheless he doth somewhat ominously with his Neck awry, holding up his ear as if he expected Mahomet's Pigeon to come and prompt him. He should be a Bird of Prey too by his bloody Beak: His Nose is able to try a young Eagle, whether she be lawfully begot­ten. [Page 89] But all is not Gold that glisters. What we wonder at in the rest of them is natural to him, to kill without Bloodshed; for the most of his Tro­phies are in a Church-window, when a Looking­glass would shew him more Superstition. He is so perfect a hater of Images, that he hath defaced God's in his own Countenance. If he deals with men, 'tis when he takes them napping in an old Monument, then down goes Dust and Ashes, and the stoutest Cavalier is no better. O brave Oli­ver! Time's Voyder, Subsizer to the Worms, in whom Death, who formerly devoured our Ancest­ors, now chews the cud. He said Grace once as if he would have fallen aboard with the Marquess of Newcastle; nay and the Diurnal gave you his Bill of fare; but it proved a running Banquet, as appears by the Story. Believe him as he whistles to his Cambridge-Teem of Committee-men, and he doth Wonders. But holy Men, like the holy Lan­guage, must be read backwards. They rifle Col­leges to promote Learning, and pull down Chur­ches for Edification. But Sacrilege is entail'd up­on him. There must be a Cromwel for Cathedrals as well as Abbeys; a secure sin, whose offence car­ries its pardon in its mouth: for how shall he be hang'd for Church-robbery, that gives himself the benefit of the Clergy!

But for all Cromwel's Nose wears the Dominical Letter, compar'd to Manchester, he is but like the Vigils to an Holy-day. This, this is the Man of God, so sanctified a Thunderbolt, that Bur­roughs (in a proportionable Blasphemy to his Lord of Hosts) would style him the Archangel giving battel to the Devil.

[Page 90] Indeed as the Angels each of them makes a seve­ral Species; so every one of his Souldiers makes [...] distinct Church. Had these Beasts been to enter into the Ark, it would have puzzled Noah to have sorted them into pairs. If ever there were a Rope of Sand, it was so many Sects twisted into an Asso­ciation.

They agree in nothing, but that they are all Ada­mites in understanding. It is a sign of a Coward to wink and fight, yet all their Valour proceed [...] from their Ignorance.

But I wonder whence their General's Purity proceeds; it is not by Traduction: If he was be­gotten a Saint, it was by equivocal Generation, for the Devil in the Father is turn'd Monk in the Son, so his Godliness is of the same Parentage with good Laws, both extracted out of bad Manners; and would he alter the Scripture, as he hath at­tempted the Creed, he might vary the Text, and say to Corruption, Thou art my Father.

This is he that put out one of the Kingdom's Eyes by clouding our Mother-University; and (if this Scotch Mist farther prevail) he will ex­tinguish the other. He hath the like quarrel to both, because both are strung with the same Optick Nerve, Knowing Loyalty.

Barbarous Rebel! Who will be reveng'd upon all Learning, because his Treason is beyond the Mercy of the Book.

The Diurnal as yet hath not talk'd much of his Victories, but there is the more behind; for the Knight must always beat the Giant, that's re­solv'd.

If any thing fall out amiss which cannot be smo­ther'd, [Page 91] the Diurnal hath a help at maw. It is but putting to Sea and taking a Danish Fleet, or brew­ing it with some success out of Ireland, and then it goes down merrily.

There are more Puppets that move by the wyre of a Diurnal, as Brereton and Gell, two of [...] his Petty-toes, such sniveling Cowards, that it is a favour to call them so. Was Brereton to fight with his Teeth (as in all other things he resembles the Beast) he would have odds of any man at the weapon. O he's a terrible Slaughter-man at a Thanksgiving-Dinner! Had he been Cannibal to have eaten those that he vanguish'd, his Gut would have made him valiant.

The greatest wonder is at Fairfax, how he comes to be a Babe of Grace; certainly it is not in his personal, but (as the State-Sophies distinguish) in his Politick Capacity; regenerate ab extra by the Zeal of the House he sate in, as Chickens are hatcht at Grand Cairo by the Adoption of an O­ven.

There is the Woodmonger too, a feeble Crutch to a declining Cause; a new Branch of the old Oak of Reformation.

And now I speak of Reformation, Vouz avez Fox the Tinker, the liveliest Emblem of it that may be: for what did this Parliament ever go about to reform, but Tinker-wise, in mending one hole they made Three?

But I have not Ink enough to cure all the Tetters and Ringworms of the State.

I will close up all thus. The Victories of the Rebels are like the Magical Combat of Apuleius, who thinking he had slain three of his Enemies, [Page 92] found them at last but a Triumvirate of Bladders. Such, and so empty are the Triumphs of a Diur­nal, but so many Impostumated Phancies, so many Bladders of their own blowing.

A Letter sent from a Parliament-Officer at Grantham to Mr. Cleveland in Newark.

THough I have no reason to be guilty of much good meaning to your Garrison; yet I thought it not unfit to tell you, that on Fryday last, one Hill by name, in no other condition than my Servant, entred your Ark, and with him of my Monies 133 l. 8d. This precise Sum I was wil­ling you should know, supposing your Wisdom might own the moneys, though your Honesty could hardly allow the Act: which if so, and that hereafter we shall find it no Sin to violate your San­ctuary, and upon the Audit find the-Receipt, we may happily count it a Loan, and not a Loss, it be­ing in hands responsible for greater matters. And now, Sir, let me speak to you as a Judge, not as an Advocate. Give the Fellow his just reward; prefer him, or send him hither and we shall: if you dare not trust him, let him be Trussed; i [...] you dare, I shall wish you more such Servants; and for that only reason excuse me for the present, that I dare not say I am yours

Mr. Cleveland's Reply.

IS it so then, that our Brother and Fellow-la­bourer in the Gospel is started aside? Then this may serve for an use of Instruction, not to trust in Man, nor in the Son of Man. Did not Demas leave Paul? Did not Onesimus run from his Master Philemon? Besides, this should teach us to employ our Talent, and not to lay it up in a Napkin. Had it been done among the Cavaliers, it had been just; then the Israelite had spoiled the Egyptian; but for Simeon to plunder Levi, That! That! You see, Sir, what Use I make of the Doctrine you sent me; and indeed since you change Style, so far as to nib­ble at Wit, you must pardon me, if to quit scores, I pretend a little to the Gift of Preaching. Sir, I expected to hear from you in the Language of the lost Groat, and the Prodigal Son, and not in such a Tantivy of Language; but I perceive your Com­munication is not always Yea, Yea; now and then a little Harlotry-Rhetorick. You say that your Man is entred our Ark: I am sorry you were so ig­norant in Scripture, as to let him come single. The Text had been better satisfied, if you had pleased to bear him company; for then the Beasts had entred by Couples: But though he came alone, yet well lin'd it seems, with 133 l. 8d. Sure your Hue and Cry hath good Lungs, it would have been out of breath else, before it had reached the Eight pence. This is the Summ; but why you call it [Page 94] the Precise Summ, since it is thus fallen away, I understand not. But how come you to reckon so punctually? Did Ananias tell it upon the Table Dormant? What year of the Persecution of the Saints? I wonder you did not rather count it by the Shekels, that is the more sanctified Coyn. You mistake in the Sanctuary you speak of; for that which your Man hath taken in Welbeck, one of our Chappels of Ease, not the Mother-Church, our Garrison of Newark; but the best is, they are both without the reach of your Sacrilege. Whereas you account your Loss but a Loan, we shall grant it a Debt, but bearing the same Date of Payment with that which you borrowed on the Publick Faith. I suspect your hand was troubled with the Palsie, when you wrote of a Judge; your Man however shall find me an Advocate; for what say you to an occasional Meditation? Reflect but up­on your self, how you have used your Common Master, and I doubt not but you will pardon your Man. He hath but transcribed Rebellion, and co­pied out that Disloyalty in Short-hand, which you have committed in Text. Sir, I bemoan your Losses, and am sorry I cannot as easily repay that of your Money, as your Man, being resolv'd to sup­ply that place my self; and to make it appear by wearing the Livery of this Title,

The Officer's Rejoynder.

HAd not Indulgent Mercy provided for troub­led Spirits Sacred Oracles, how troubled had you been to contrive something worthy of Laugh­ter? How easie had the expence of your Wit been trussed up in an Egg-shell. I dare not trace in ho­ly Ground, it is not safe nibbling there. You see what Doctrine I make of your Use; but yet so far as yours is Profane, give me leave to nibble at Wit. Though I dare not undertake like a migh­ty Coloss (whose very motion doth Cleave Land, like [...]erram findere) to devour indigested lumps of Wit, as the Cyclops Men at a Morsel, and then retail it [...]ut, as a Juggler doth Inkle, by the Yard; yet al­low me to nibble, and I'll allow you the Gift in Preaching. Pity it is, the provision of so many sa­voury Lessons, wholesome Instructions, even so many pious Collections, as might worthily have entitled you to the comfortable Subsistence of a well-gleb'd Vicarage. Besides the Advantage of a Wit, which would require another Wit to tell [...]ow great; such a Divine Knowledge, as might enable you to profane every Leaf of Holy Writ; Unknown Sanctity, and a Conscience so tender I dare not touch. Pity it is, such accomplish'd Gifts and prodigious Parts, should be misemploy'd in Se­cular affairs. Such an Holy Father might have be­got as many Babes for the Mother-Church of New­ [...]ark, as our Party of late hath done Garrisons, and [Page 96] converted as many Souls as Chaucer's Friar with th [...] Shoulder-bone of the lost Sheep. But you say yo [...] expected (I thought you had had more than yo [...] expected) but however you expected Penitentia [...] Language and Humble Style, (the Groat I wi [...] not meddle with, 'tis Holy Coyn) an Addres [...] full of Complaints; Sir, we, like your selves, ca [...] speak big of our Losses, and yet with more Inge­nuity confess them; though I for modesty will no [...] ask you who stole from you of late a Fort-town? Or who run away with the King? but of that—For that precise Summ, I see you are willing to quarrel at Preciseness; it was to tell you, Revenge would have transferr'd it upon your very—How you quarrel at your good! Had you mistaxen him for a Tax-gatherer, and eased him of his Por­tage before he arriv'd at your Chappel of Ease. I would not you should have abated him a fourth part for his Forwardness, and put it upon the File of Contribution for his Majestie's good Garrsson of Newark; I should have liked the Security well and when your Works had fail'd to save you, ex­pected a return upon the Publick Faith; the Medi­tation whereof, putteth me upon this Advice: Think not Prophaneness can compact with Mud, to cast up a Trench of Security. Attempt not (though a Giant) to reach at Stars; to throw that Proverb at you,

Be wise on this side Heaven.

Mr. Cleveland's Answer.

THE Philosopher that never laughed but once, when he saw an Ass mumbling of Thistles, would have broke his Spleen at this Rejoynder of yours; for who would not take that to be an Em­blem of this, observing how gingerly, and with what caution you nibble at my letter, lest it should prick your Chops? But something must needs be replied. Repetitions are usual with the Saints at Grantham. I look upon your Letter as a Spittle-Sermon; Sallinger's Round, the same again. I per­ceive your Ambition, how you would prove your self to be a clean Beast, because you know how to chew the Cud; for the first Sentence where you speak of troubled Spirits and Sacred Oracles, you talk as if you were in Doll Commons Extasie. Cer­tainly your spirit is troubled, else your Expressi­on had not run so muddy; for never was Oracle more ambiguous, if possible to be reconciled to Sence. The Wit which you say may be truss'd up in an Egg-shell, I fear your Oval Crown hath scarce Capacity enough to contain. You disclaim being a Coloss: Content; I have as diminitive thoughts of you as you please. I take you for a Jack-a-Lent, and my Pen shall make use of you according­ly, three Throws for a penny: But you cannot Cleave Land like Terrain findere. What a charge­able Commodity is Wit at Grantham, where the poor Writer plays the Pimp, and jumbles two [Page 98] Language together in unlawful Sheets for the Pro­duction of a Quibble: But I applaud your Cun­ning, for the more unknown Tongue you jest in, your Wit will be the better. And why cannot you Cleave the Land? Tread but hard, and your clo­ven Foot will leave its Impression. You talk of Cyclops and Juglers (indeed hard words are the Jugler's Dialect:) But take heed, the time may come, when unless you can play Presto be gone, your Run-away King may cause you Jugler-wise to disgorge your Fate, and vomit a Rope instead of Inkle. But to eccho your Comparison, and to re­turn you an Inventory of your good Parts. Is it not pity, that the pure Extract of sanctified Emma­nuel, parboil'd there in the Pipkin of Predestinati­on, and since well read in the Sick-man's Salve and the Crums of Comfort, and liberally sed with all the Minced Meat in Divinity? Is it not pity, such a Goggle of the Eye, such a melodious Twang of the Nose, a pliable Mouth drawn awry, as if it were [...]fying the Ear in private, besides Cheverel-Lungs that will stretch as far as seventeenthly? Is it not pity, that these gallant Ingredients of Modern De­votion, which might justly have qualified you for a Tub Lecturer, and in time made your Diocess as large as that of Heidelberg; that these ineffable Parts which pass all understanding, should thus be sequestred from their Primitive Use, and of a god­ly Lancepresado in the Church Militant, be converted to a Brother of the Blade. Such a walking Di­rectory, such a zealous Roger as this, might have sa­ved more Souls than Sampson slew, and with the same Engine, the Jaw-bone of an Ass. Your Pen is coy, and you wave the Holy Ground and Holy [Page 99] Coyn with a squeamish Preterition. I am glad to hear you acknowledge there is Holy ground; for then I hope Hatcham—Barn is not as good a Congre­gation as St. Paul's. For the Holy Coyn, you must pardon me, if I suspect the Chastity of your Fingers. I am sure those of your Party have been troubled with Felons; witness the Church-Revenues, and the several Sacrileges which cannot be par'd off with your Nails: But there is another Reason why you abstain from the Idiom of the Saints. You were in hopes to retrieve your Mo­ney, and Verily, Verily, Ret never springs the Partridge. You would have your Man taken for a Tax-gatherer. Lord how the Clime alters the Man! When he was with you, he was one of the Scribes and Pharisees, and here he must pass for a Publican and Sinner. Sir, We cast up no Trench of Security, though we might have Dirt enough in your Language to do it; and yet we hope to be saved by our Works, for all the strength of your Faith, whereby you hold your selves able to re­move Mountains. For your Advice not to throw Stars at your head, I embrace it; for what need [...], so long as there is Goose-shot to be had for Mo­ [...]ey. My Wit shall be on what side Heaven you please, provided it ever be Antarctick to yours. For the appellation of Giant, I accept it, only I am [...]orry I am not he with the hundred hands, that I might so often subscribe my self,

An Answer to a Pamphlet written against the Lord Digby's Speech, concerning the Death of the Earl of Strafford.

'TIS the wittiest Punishment that the Poets fan­cied to be in Hell, that one should continu­nually twist a Rope, and an Ass stand by and bite it off. I know not how this Noble Gentleman should ever deserve it, but such is his Fate; for while the Pamphleteer strives to tear his Speech, to ravel this Twist of Eloquence and Judgement, what doth he but make my Lord and himself the Moral of the Fable? The first word in his Penny­libel is ominous for a Duel. The Sand was always the Scene of Quarrelling, and so he calls the Speech. If this be Sand, I shall easily incline to Democritus his Opinion, who thought the World to be com­pos'd of Attoms, and shall be able to render a reason hereafter, why Iupiter, when he was most Oracu­lous, was called Iupiter Ammon, Iupiter of the Sand: but as Thomas Mason says, am I bound to find you Wit and History? Why the Sand? The Sand, that is, the Incoherent. You shall never take a Pamphleteer, one of these Haberdashers of small Wares, without his Videlicets, or his Utpotes. An ingeńious Metaphor needs no spokes-man to the Ap­prehension, but is entertain'd without a pimping Videlicet. A Videlicet is an Hic Canis, it argues a Bungling Writer, as that a Painter. But wherein Incoherent? Because it shews, wherein the same Man may both condemn and acquit the same Man. Why, is that such a Riddle? May not I commend [Page 101] you for a Single soul'd Rhymer, one that can Chime All-in to an Execution, and yet use the Scotch Proverb, and turn your Nose where your Arse was in point of State-policy. Though you have a pretty Faculty in Country-Tom and Cambery-bess; yet faces about in State affairs. A diverse Quatenus commends and vilifies, condemns and acquits. But a Pox of all English Logick. He hath found Idem qua idem somewhere Translated, and that's it which raises all this Dust, disturbs the Sand. Well, grant it be Sand; what becomes on't? Why, Captain Puff will blow it away. My Adversary, I perceive, has eaten Garlick, and wholly relies upon the Valour of his Breath; and indeed I question not the strength of that, I find it sufficiently in the Rankness of his Language. Cer­tainly he hath a great mind to be painted like Bore­ [...]s in the great Ship, with that ingenious [...]mpress, Sic Flo. But, hark you Gaffer; you that will tear the Speech and blow away the Sand; before you and I part, I shall so prick the Tympany of your Cheeks, and so mince your Pam­plet, that the least Sand shall be a Grave sufficient for the biggest peice of it. But, see the Prowess of our Domitian; he'l kill this Fly himself, and not with an Axe, or a Bill of Attainder. He scorns to [...]ry Clubs; he'l not oppugn it with the Votes of the Houses, with the Judges Opinions; nor are we so mad to enter the Lists of such a Comparison. But this is but one of his ordinary Solecisms. The Speech must be consider'd as when first made; then the Houses had not voted; then the Judges had [...]ot determined, and (what's as Material as any [...]hing) the Rabble had not yell'd for Justice and [Page 102] Execution then; and therefore to commit them with this Speech, what were it but to fancy a Prolepsis? to antedate Combatants, that were not yet in being? so that if any thing add to the strength of the Speech, beside its own Nerves, it is the weakness of the Confuter, not of the Reader. I make no question but your Reader is quit with you for that abuse. You say, My Lord steals his Affection; I dare purge you of that Felony: Mar­ry, if you will needs cry Guilty, it cannot amount to above Petty Larceny; so much as may ask the Banns betwixt your Shoulders and a peice of Pack­thread: for whereas you damn my Lord's Argu­ments to the Hospital; I am sure yours stand in need of Bedlam, and the wholesome Phlebotomy of a Whip, to fetch the Dog-days out of your Scull; and so, though you stand like Death over the Bel­frey, with a great Scythe comparing the Speech to Grass, the Event will disarm you of your Utensil; and in stead of a Scythe for Mowing, give you a Whetstone for Lying. Hitherto he hath been Tu­ning the strings, now he strikes up. Pray you mark the Lesson. Will you see an Argument of this Paper, and indeed a Paper-Argument? Did you ever hear the Changes better rung upon two Bells? I am perswaded the Author would dance well upon the Ropes, he keeps himself so equally poiz'd. Heads and Points; the Argument of the Paper, the Paper-Argument. Well, score up one in the Column of Quibbles. The Argument that he runs division up­on is this: It doth not appear to him by two Testimonies, that the Irish Army was to be brought over to reduce this Kingdom; Therefore the Earl of Strafford is not guil­ [...] of High Treason. Now he breaks the Neck of [Page 103] this Ergo thus: If three or four other Treasons be ob­jected and prov'd, though they be at a loss in one, this doth not straight evince his Innocence. To this Belief he will draw you (as he says) by a Comparison. Let him put himself in his Geers. Let him play his Tricks of Fast and Loose. In the Interim thus I gird up his tedious Quemadmodum. If one be tyed with three or four Cords, he is not at liberty, though one of them be loos'd, as being still bound with the rest. E­ven as, Even so. Philip writing to the Spartans, prefac'd every Sentence with If, If, If; they stu­dying their Laconical Brevity, and denying the Contents of the Letter, returned nothing but the same Monasyllable. The Objection runs in Phi­lip's fashion. If, is the Postilion of every Line; and I know not but the Answer may be as opposite. If three or four Treasons be prov'd; if he be tyed with three or four Cords; but if those Treasons prove but Misdemeanor, if those Cables be but Threads; if Sampson that was bound with them have twitch'd them in peices; then I must say your Cords come in very unseasonably, unless it be to put you in mind of your Mortality. But he dou­bles his Files. Faults in this Paper (he saith) go not alone; that's the Reason he bears the Author company to the end of his Speech; that if there be any Faults, his Answer may match them with Twin-brothers. Though this reducing the Kingdom by an Irish Army be not proved by Retail, yet 'tis Trea­son in the Lump. Rip but up the bowels of a former Testimony, and there you shall find it. His Majesty is absolv'd from all Rules of Government, and may do what Power will admit. So ho! Whither now? My Task is to justifie the Speech in what it treats, not to [Page 104] declame the Question at large. This is not to con­fute his Speech, but his Conscience that would not be convicted. I am not tyed to follow you in your Wildgoose-chase; yet I am so confident (whe­ther of the strength of the Cause, or your Weakness, I say not) that I wish you and I might plead it on a Pillory, and he that lost the day pay Ear-rent for us both. But there is danger in following an Ignis Fatuus whither it will lead you, especially when he makes up at the Throat of Majesty. He sees that Power will admit the use of an Irish Army, or any other which that Power can purchase. A Sus­picion which deserves to be answer'd with a Thun­derbolt; but 'tis out of fashion; and I am afraid I shall be laughed at, if I speak any thing in defence of the King: yet (thanks be to God) there's no great need on't. His Majesty's Vertues are his strongest Guard. A King, like a Porcupine, is a living Quiver of Darts; every Beam of Majesty is a Fulmen Terebrans to his Blaspheming Enemies. My Fellow-traveller stept aside a little to give his Brain a Stool, and now is return'd into the Road, His Lordship, he says, multiplies and is fruitful in Absurdities. 'Tis true by an equivocal Generati­on; for so he begat your Pamphlet, meeting with the putrid Matter of your Invention, as the Sun produceth Insect Animals. The Absurdity is, he hath no Notion of Subverting the Law Treaso­nable, but by Force; and here we must score up the second Quibble, for then (he says) This Argument will never subvert the Law, as having no Force. Tru­ly I am of a mind, that if my Antagonist were both to Dispute and Answer himself, he would have the best on't, and that's the Course he takes here. He [Page 105] frames an Argument where none is intended. His Lordship says he knows no other, nay and there is no other; but he doth notinfer the latter from the for­mer, therefore there is no other because he knows no other; so that this is a Brat of your own Brain, not drawn from his Lordship's Ignorance (as your scan­dalous Quill foam'd at the mouth) but from your own Impudence; and if it halt (as you say) it confesses its Father, it halts before a Creeple. You do well therefore to let Nature work to help your lame Dog over a Stile, to cast it, as you conceive, in a right Frame. There is no way of Subverting the Law but what I know; but I know no way of Subverting the Law but by forcé. You would be loath a man should say this is no Syllogism; and yet 'tis true. There's no Figure will give it a Tenement to hide its head in. I could give you a Remove now and set you upright; but I had rather you should take it asunder, and my Lord and you part Stakes; part Propositions; he the Major, you the Minor, because in the first you say there is so much Know­ledge, in the latter so much Ignorance. You see you are in a Bog; but I will throw my Cloak a­bout you, and dance you out; for lo, a most Elo­quent Si quis in quest of the Author of our Tenent. Who says this? Is it some ancient Iudge? No; I thank you as the Case goes; Or is it one that looks more into the Court than the Inns of Court? I perceive I must count Quibbles as they do Fish; thou art three; there he bounceth out with his [...] [A Young Gentle­man knows not the Law.] I do not wonder you writ it in other Characters; for 'tis a most acute Apo­thegm, (though I say it; that should not say it) and such on one as may well beseem the Rump-end of [Page 106] Licosthenes at the next Impression. But he makes a Transition from Common Law to Common Rea­son, and he hopes to be scored up for that Quar­ter-Quibble, but I cannot afford it. If nothing but Force can subvert Law, then Iudges when they pronounce false Iudgments, stop lawful Defences, let loose the Prerogative, and all that Rout of Instances which he hath rallied up, do not subvert the Law. Well, to do you a Courtesie, they do not. 'Tis one thing to stop a Pipe, to cut an Aqueduct and divert a Conveyance, and another to spoil a Spring­head. The Law in this Case suffers a Deliquium, but she is not dead. The Subversion of Laws is Root and Branch. A Castle may be dismantled, made unserviceable, and yet 'tis not said then to be quite overthrown. When you usurp'd the Chair of Logick and made a false Syllogism, were the Laws of Logick then subverted? No, but trans­gress'd; so that if our Author suffer by Injustice (as I hope you are more Historian than Prophet) he will not involve the Laws in his Ruin. Your Apostrophe to Tressilian is a true Apostrophe, for 'tis from the Cause; for will ye introduce a Parity in Offences too? Scan the Cases and you shall find them diverse. But give me leave by the way, to admire your Phrase of the Iron Laws. 'Tis a good Argument to me that there is no Alchymy, other­wise the Corruption of so many Judges, by this time had turn'd them into Gold: But my Lord must dispute again. Do you carry the Knapsack of his Arguments? My Lord hath a fine time on't, that you should feed him thus with a Spoon? 'Tis thus; The Earl of Strafford's Practices have been as high as any. The Practices of Tressilian have been as [Page 107] high as High Treason. I wonder where you got all this Logick; at Furnival's Inn? But I know the Reason of it, because Plutarch attributes Logick to a Fox, and King Iames maintains Discourse in a Hound, that's it which puts you upon Syllogisms. You would be loath to come short of any of your Fellows. For the words of the Major (which are only my Lord's, and which indeed I had as lieve he should justifie as I) you must know they are a Comparison: Now Comparisons are betwixt things of the same kind: As high as any, that is, in the rank of Misdemeanours. The Painter, when his Picture would not sell for a God, made a special Devil of it, and so he vented it. Though my Lord cannot yield, that the Earl of Strafford's Prac­tices should be sublimated into Treason; yet place them in the front of any lower Offences, and it seems he will pass it. This Similitude of mine doth not run of all four, no more must you think of that, As high as any. But to make few words; suppose I should grant you your Conclusion, that the Earl of Strafford's Practices were as high as Treason, yet if they be not specified by Statute for Treason, my Lord doth justly abstain his hand from his Dispatch. You ask how these words should sound in the Mouth of a Judge? Truly I have not the measure of your Ears, they are of too large a size for me. I being a Judge hold your Guilt to be as high as Treason; yet having no Law to give me Commission, I'll have no hand in your Sentence: so that supposing all Cases to be like this, I grant you the Assizes would be in vain; the Judges Circuit would be like the wheeling of a Mill, move continually, but never nearer their [Page 108] Journey's end: but when the Law hath provided sufficiently, unless in a Case as this extraordinary, the Vanity and Mockery, which you speak of, re­coils upon him that first discharged them. For your last, where you would have Sir Henry Vane's. Oath to be prefer'd before my Lords Suspicion, I would willingly answer as he did with Meditati­on; at the first time nothing, as much at the se­cond, and at the third Vouz avez Sir Henry Vane. You say his Oath gets an addition of Belief from the Speeches before, and from the Memorials that day; so that you imply what I dare not say, that it is not full of it self, but wants a Supplement of Credit to gain our Faith. As for the words, Re­corded whencesoever they had their Venom, it seems they were poysoned; (for to that, and not to their Pregnancy do I attribute it) that they swell'd into such a bigness, that one Testimony appear'd double: But that you should entitle Mr. Pym to this mistake, that he should look through a Multiplying Glass in a case so weighty as that of Treason; the Gentleman's known Integrity saves me the labour of his Defence. So that the Testi­monies being but such, though the Charges be ma­ny; be the Earl of Strafford as high in his Practi­ces, as it pleases my Lord to make him, yet my Lord's Dipthong, may easily be justified, and the Earl both at once Condemn'd and Sav'd. Thus I have entreated Patience of my self to Counterpuff your Pamphlet, when by the help of a Penny-worth of Pears I could (more sutably to your Defects) have confuted you backward. But I did it in hopes that you would muzzle your self hereafter; for though your Teeth be hollow and cannot bite, yet wanting Cloves they may Infect.

To the Protector after long and vile Durance in Prison.

RUlers within the Circle of their Government have a Claim to that which is said of the De­ity; they have their Center every where, and their Circumference no where. It is in this Con­fidence that I address to your Highness, knowing that no place in the Nation is so remote, as not to share in the Ubiquity of your Care; no Pri­son so close as to shut me up from partaking of your Influence. My Lord, it is my Misfortune, that after ten years Retirement from being engaged in the Differences of the State, having wound up my self in private Recess, and my Comportment to the Publick so inoffensive, that in all this time, neither Fears nor Jealousies have scrupled at my Actions. Being about three Months since at Nor­wich, I was fetch'd by a Guard before the Com­missioners, and sent Prisoner to Yarmouth, and if it be not a new offence to make an enquiry wherein I offended (for hitherto my Fault was kept as close as my Person) I am induced to believe, that next to my Adherence to the Royal Party, the Cause of my Confinement is the Narrrowness of my Estate; for none stand committed whose Estate can bail them. I only am the Prisoner who have no Acres to be my Hostage. Now if my Poverty be Criminal (with Reverence be it spoken) I implead your Highness, whose Victorious Arms have reduced me to it, as [Page 111] Accessory to my Guilt. Let it suffice, my Lord, that the Calamity of the War hath made us poor, do not punish us for it. Who ever did Penance for being Ravished; Is it not enough that we are strip­p'd so bare, but must it be made in order to a severer Lash? Must our Sores be engraven with our Wounds? Must we first be made Creeples, an [...] then beaten with our own Crutches? Poverty, if it be a Fault, 'tis its own Punishment, who pays more for it, pays use upon use. I beseech your Highness put some Bounds to the Overthrow, and do not pursue the chase to the other World. Can your Thunder be levell'd so low, as our Grove­ling Condition? Can your Towring Spirit, which hath quarried upon Kingdom's, make a stoop at us, who are the Rubbish of these Ruins. Methinks I hear your former Atchievements interceding with you, not to sully your Glories with trampling up­on the prostrate, nor clog the Wheel of your Cha­riot with so degenerous a Triumph. The most renowned Hero's have ever with such Tenderness cherished their Captives, that their Swords did but cut out work for their Courtesies. Those that fell by their Prowess sprung by their-Favour, as if they had struck them down, only to make them re­bound the higher. I hope your Highness, as you are the Rival of their Fame, will be no less of their Virtues. The Noblest Trophy that you can erect to your Honour, is to raise the Afflicted; and since you have subdued all Opposition, it now remains that you attack your self, and with Acts of Mild­ness vanquish your Victory. It is not long since, my Lord, that you knock'd off the Shackles from most of our Party, and by a grand Release did [Page 110] spread your Clemency as far as your Territories. Let not new Proscriptions interrupt your Jubilee. Let not that your Lenity be slandered as the Am­bush of your farther Rigour. For the Service of his Majesty (if it be objected) I am so far from excusing it, that I am ready to alledge it in my Vindication. I cannot conceit that my Fidelity to my Prince should taint me in your Opinion, I should rather expect it should recommend me to your Favour. Had we not been Faithful to our King, we could not have given our selves to be so to your Highness; you had then trusted us gratis, whereas now we have our former Loyalty to vouch us. You see, my Lord, how much I presume upon the Greatness of your Spirit, that dare prevent my Indictment with so frank a Confession, especially in this which I may so safely deny, that it is almost Arrogancy in me to own it: For the Truth is, I was not qualified enough to serve Him: All I could do was to bear a part in his Sufferings, and to give my self to be Crushed with his Fall. Thus my Charge is doubled; my Obedience to my Sove­raign, and what is the Result of that, my want of Fortune. Now whatever reflection I have upon the former, I am a true Penitent for the latter. My Lord, you see my Crimes; as to my Defence you bear it about you. I shall plead nothing in my Justification, but your Highness's Clemency, which as it is the constant Inmate of a valiant Breast, if you graciously be pleased to extend it to your Suppliant, in taking me out of this withering Du­rance, your Highness will find, that Mercy will establish you more than Power, though all the days of your Life, were as pregnant with [Page 112] Victories as your twice auspicious third of Sep­tember.

To the Earl of Newcastle.

THough to Command and Obey be the fittest Dialogue betwixt you and us; yet since your Lordship pleases to descend from your Right and only to Request, pardon us, if, by your Example, we intrench upon you, and presume upon an Answer. Sir, we are sorry our Duty is not phras'd in Action, nor can we determine, whether it was more grateful to us, that you requir'd our Service, or grievous, that at this time we could not express it; for no sooner were we inform'd of your pleasure, but so obligatory is your Will, that poysing your Let­ters with our Laws, we thought our Statutes were at Civil Wars. The Colledge, like an Indulgent Mother, entails her Preferments on her own Pro­geny. Your Lordship prefers a stranger, whom to adopt were not only to Bastard her present Issue, but disinherit all succeeding hopes. If it seem a De­linquency to be thus tender of her own, she will in­title her offence to your Lordship, who when you [Page 113] honour'd her with your Admission, taught her to set a greater price upon her Children. Thus ho­ping you will abstract our Will from our Power, we honour your Lordship, desiring that occasion may present us with some Service, whose difficul­ty may add a deeper Dye to the Observance of

To the Earl of Holland, then Chancellor of the University of Cambridge.

YOU have rais'd us to that height by writing unto us, that we dare attempt an Answer; in which Presumption, if we have dishonoured your Lordship, you must blame your own Gentleness, [...]ike the Sun, who if he be mask'd with Clouds, may thank himself who drew up the Exhalations. Sir, they that assign Tutelar Angels, betroth [...]hem not only to Kingdoms and Cities, but to each Company. Your Goodness hovers not aloft in a general care of the University, but stoops by a pe­ [...]uliar Influence to every private College. That Omnipresence which Philosophy allots to the Soul, [...]o be every where at once through the whole Man, [Page 114] your Noble Diligence exemplifies in us. There is not the least Joynt of our Body, but in its Life and Spirits confesses the Chancellor. Nor have we in special the least share of your Favours, as ap­pears by many pregnant Demonstrations of your Love; among which this is not the meanest, that you would deign to require our Service. To of­fend against so gracious a Patron, would add a Tincture to our Disobedience; yet such is the I­niquity of our Condition, that we are forced to defer our Gratitude. We, have many in the Col­lege, whose Fortunes were at the last Gasp; and if not now reliev'd, their hopes extinct: Where­as he whom your Lordship commends, gives us farther day of Payment by his green years. He is yet but young, but the Beams of your Favour will ripen him the sooner for the like Preferment; which if it please your Lordship to antedate, by a present Acceptance of our future Obedience, We shall gladly persevere in our old Title of.

To the Earl of Westmoreland.

IT were high Presumption in me, not to be proud of this Occasion; and I should be no less than a Rebel to Eloquence, if your Lines you sent me had not rais'd me above my ordinary Level; so that to express my Gratitude, I must renounce my Humi­lity, and purchase one Virtue at the price of ano­ther. And well may my Modesty suffer in the Ser­vice, [Page 115] when my Reason it self is overwhelmed with the Favour. To see a Person of your Lordship's Eminency, possess'd of Nobility by a double Te­nure, both of Birth and Brain, so to bend his Greatness as to stoop to me, who live in the Vale both of Parts and Fortune; is so high an Honour, that who justly considers it, if he be not stupidly sensless, will be stupid with Extasie. I, for my part, am lost in Amazement, and it is mine Inte­rest to be so; for not knowing otherwise how to give your Present a fit Reception, it is the best of my play, to be beside my self in the Action. You see, my Lord, how I empty my self of my Native Faculty, to be ready for those of your Inspirings, as the Prophets of old in a Sacred Fury, ran out of their Wits to make room for the Deity. I shall not need hereafter to digest my Love-passions, I shall speak by Instinct: For when your Honour deign'd to visit me with your lofty Numbers, what was it else but to make me the Priest of your Lordship's Oracle; Such is the Strength and Spirit of your Fancy, that methought your Poems (like the Richest Wine) sent forth a Steam at the opening. What flowed from your Brain fum'd into mine. [...]t was almost impossible to read your Lines and be [...]ober. You, You, my Lord, are the Favourite [...]f the Muses. Your Strain is so happy, and hath [...]he Reputation for so Matchless, as if you had a [...]ouble Key to the Temple of Honour, to let in [...]our Lordship's self, and exclude Competitors. [...]t's you, my Lord, have cut the Clouds and reach­ [...]d Perfection, who having mounted the Cliff, lends an [...]and to me, who am labouring in the Craggy As­ [...]ent. So tow'ring are the Praises you please to be­stow [Page 116] on me, and my Desert so groveling, that t [...] shew you my Head is not worthy your Height, i [...] is not able to bear them; it grows giddy with the Precipice. It pains me to be on the Laste of an Hy­perbole; you do but crucifie my tender Merits, t [...] distend them thus at length and breadth. Consi­der, I pray you, that the Leanest Endowment would be plump and full, thus blown up with [...] Quill; and that there are some so Dwarfish, who [...] the Rack will not stretch to a proper man. It i [...] an excellent Breathing for a puissant Wit, to over­bear the World in the Defence of a Paradox; an [...] a good Advocate will weather out the Cause, whe [...] there is neither Truth nor Invention. I perswad [...] my self you had never undertaken to write m [...] Panegyrick, but that you saw it was to comb [...] with the Tide, and to put your Abilities to the ut­most Test in so unlikely a Subject. Little do yo [...] think what store of Opposers your Opinion wi [...] breed you; for though you be so powerful in th [...] Art of Perswasion, that should you turn Apostat [...] there would need no more but to toll the Bell fo [...] Religion; yet this is an Heresie where you stan [...] alone, and like Scaeva in the Breach, with your sin­gle Valour duel an Army. Now, my Lord, I [...] be not mistaken, I have found the Motive that in­duced you to oblige me; you are tyed by your Or­der to give Protection to the weak and Succourless So I must change my Addresses, and thank you Reb Ribband for my Commendations. Such, a [...] so many are the Flowers of Rhetorick you ha [...] heap'd upon me, that I run the hazard of the O­lympick Victor, who was stiffed with Posies ca [...] upon him in approbation of his Worth; which Fr [...] [Page 117] grant Fate, if I should sustain, what is there more to make me enamour'd of Death, but that the same Flowers should strew my Corps in a Funeral Ora­tion? Could you think (my Lord) that your sup­pressing your Name was able to conceal you, when it is easie to wind you by your Phrase? The Sweet­ness of the Language discover'd the Author, like that Roman Senator, who hiding himself in time of Proscription, his Persumes betray'd him. But [...] shall not arrest your Lordship too far with a far­ther Interruption. My Lord, you have Enobled me with your Testimony, and I shall keep your Paper as the Diploma of my Honour. Yet give me [...]eave to tell you, that among all the Epithets you [...]ile so Artificially to raise my Fame, there is one [...]anting to accomplish my Ambition, and that [...]hich I beseech your Lordship I may enjoy for the [...]uture; that is, to be esteem'd

A Letter to a Friend disswading him from his Attempt to marry a Nun.

THough no man's Arms can be opened wider to receive you on shore, and give you possession of [...]s Breast; yet I know not, whether with the usual [Page 118] Complement, I may welcome you home, as doubt­ing your Country may have mewed that Relati­on in so long an Absence; she having exposed her Noble Issue, being Conviction enough to make you disclaim her. Besides, there is such a new Face of things since your Departure, that what was for­merly the Character of the Inhabitants, is now the Kingdom's, To be a Stranger at home: Insomuc [...] as were you design'd for a second Journey, it migh [...] be a part of your business to travel other Countries i [...] quest of your own. Indeed she is such an Alien i [...] her Look, that most of her Off-spring dare not as [...] her Blessing. Her Countenance is not Denizon o [...] her self: You would think she were some Floating Island, that had made a Voyage only to truck fo [...] an outlandish Visage. Some who have spell'd he [...] Lineaments say she copies out the Dutch, and t [...] make good the Parallel, they doubt not to instan [...] in our Hogan Governours. It is in a broke [...] Kingdom, as in a crack'd Looking-glass, where in­stead of one Face, that Monarch-like should repre­sent the whole, you may have Variety of lesse ones glimmering in its room, and the Aspects o [...] all of them fierce and frowning. Well then a Fo­reigner she is, and her Complexion borrow'd; [...] that as our new Philosophers would have th [...] Earth to move, and the Heavens to stand still, th [...] same may be said of this State of ours, and th [...] Royal Train that you were part of. It was th [...] Kingdom wandered, not you that left it, You a [...] fix'd, and England in Exile. When a Country ree [...] from its setled posture, there is no Defection i [...] him that quits it; it having first abandoned it sel [...] In this case, though it be a Fallacy in the Sense, [...] [Page 119] holds good in Reason, that the shore moves and falls off from the Sayler; whence you see, Sir, there is some possibility I might reverse your Tra­vels, were it not for one Argument which abun­dantly confirms them, The sage Experience you have treasur'd up in your Observations; for no sooner had you lost your Native Soil, but by way of Reprisal you took in others. The Dominions you visit you carry along with yóu, and by a Victo­rious Industry make them pay Tribute to your Understanding. Not like a number of our Roar­ing Gallants, who return so empty and without their Errand, as if their Travel (like Witches in the Air) were nothing but the Waftage of a de­luded Phantasie, perswading themselves that they circle the Globe, when the Card they sail by, is no­thing else but a slumbring Imposture. But me­thinks we are too Grave, Sir. What if we unbend a while, and presume to tell you, that in all your Errantry there is no Adventure so much affects me, as that of the Nun; where I cannot determine, whether your Love it self were more Exotick, or the form of accosting it: For although it be natu­ral for Jealousie to study Fornication, and every Cuckold within his own Precincts to be an Engi­neer; yet never before have I heard of a Mistress fenc'd with a Portcullice, or an amorous Visit manag'd with the Caution, which suspicious Kings use in an Enterview. This manner of Greeting may not unfitly be termed Cupid's Barriers; a breathing Exercise, rather than a Combat, where the Sporting Champions have a Rail to part them, that they may not fight it out to the uttermost. Had your old Romancing Spirit possess'd you, [Page 120] the Brandish'd Blade would have freed the Lady from her Enchanted Durance. Nor had you been less concern'd in the Rescue than the Fair Recluse; for who that blows short in expectation of his Love, and in the Heat of Impatience, should be severed from his Hopes by a few envious Barrs, would not feel himself (like another St. Laurence) broil'd on a Gridiron? But see how Customs vary with the Clime. As there are some Regions who salute one another, by putting off their Shoes instead of their Hats; so it seems, where you have been, there is as different a form of Imprisonment or Commitment. The Prisoner is at large and without the Grates, wishing for Admittance, and she at whose Suit his Soul is arrested, close clap'd up and abridg'd of Liberty. Sure at this Grate those Chrisom Lovers, call'd Platonicks, had their first Training. Those Queasie Gamesters that di­et themselves with the very Notion of Mingling Souls, without putting the Body to farther Bro­kage, than kissing of Hands and twisting of Eye­beams. For your part, Sir, you are none of those puling Stomachs: You have an Appetite for a whole Cloister. It is but Trifling Sport for you to pull down an Out-lyer, unless you leap the Pale and let slip at the Herd. I wonder what Exor­cisms the Abbess us'd to get quit of the Incubus; for had she not check'd your Hovering Temptations, I am confident by this time you had transform'd the Covent, and turn'd the Nunnery into a Seraglio. But in sober Sadness, why a Nun, Sir? How came you out of the Active Torrent into that Solitary Creek? Princes seldom Treat of Matches, but in foraign Dominions. Your Affection takes greater [Page 121] State, as fixing upon one of another World. Had your Passion been centred on the Beauty of her Soul, I had look'd upon it as the Act of your Con­version. Such a Love might justly have been Christned by the name of Zeal, being setled on a Person, with whom to be enamour'd is in a sort to take Orders. Hence it is, there want not some who suspect your Religion, lest equivocating from the Beauty of her Person to that of her Profession, you should turn Monastick. Others, who are better acquainted with the warmth of your Tem­per, are rather solicitous for the Church in Gene­ral, lest with Luther you should marry a Nun, and so with him make her a Joynture in a new Religi­on. If this be your Plot, Consider, I pray you, how difficult it is to innovate farther in this Age of Novelties, when the World is so spent in new Inventions, that for want of Gain, even Rust and Rottenness are flourished over with a seeming Ver­dure. Not one of all those Beldam-Heresies that did Penance formerly by the Doom of the Anci­ents, but hath cast her Skin since these Confusions, and giveth her self out for a Blooming Virgin. But I think I may spare this piece of Counsel, I dare be your Compurgator for meddling with Religion. That which fir'd your Spirits was the Ambition of the Enterprize; nor could you entertain a more Aspiring Phrensie, but by making Love to a Glori­fied Body. Tell me, I pray you, how many Beads did you drop in Wooing? By what Liturgy did you frame your Courtship? Laick Applications are here scandalous; nor will it avail to say, you languish without her Compassion. A Sensual Man is able to vitiate the Vestal Flame, even by his [Page 122] Martyrdom; other Lovers in the Jollity of their Trope are wont to canonize their Mistresses, as being of opinion that the Native Rubrick of their Cheeks hath hallowed them. Will you run Coun­ter to that Consecration, and degrade a Saint by Mortal Addresses? If you have no room in your Calendar for Persons upon Earth, yet do not pro­fane a Probationer of Heaven; as if the readiest way to rectifie Superstition, were, with our Mo­dern Reformers, to bow it into Atheism. Let me advise you, Sir, to retrieve your self back from this Carnal Sacrilege. Catch not at Herostratus his Fame, by setting fire on the Temple, and dispute not a share of Guilt with Lucifer, in causing a se­cond Fall of Angels. Nay, never start, Sir, not look about at the Expression: For I perswade my self, that those Divines who allot to each of us a Tutelar Angel for our Protection, would not pre­judice their Opinion, should they leave her to her own Tuition; as hardly knowing in such a Person, how to distinguish between the Charge and the Guardian. Sir, I was entreated by our Noble Friend, that what my Fancy suggested upon this Subject, I would mould into Number; but I must beg your pardon, it being a Request with which to comply were to be your Fellow-criminal, and by a Conformity of Guilt pervert a Votary: For even my Muse is vow'd and vail'd too, she is set apart for the Service of my Mistress, and what is that but entring Orders in the true Religion. The Truth is this; she is so chastly confin'd to that sole Employment, that should I in Verse attempt to yield you an account how much I honour you, not a whole Grove of Laurel would bribe her to a [Page 123] Distich: Whereas in Transitory Prose, were I a Master of all those Languages, which I make no question but you have gain'd by your Travels, I should hold them all too few to give you sufficient Assurance that I am,

The Piece of a Common-Place upon Romans the 4th. Last Verse.
Who was delivered for our Offences, and rose again for our Iustification.

THE Athenians had two sorts of Holy Myste­ries, two distinct times, November and Au­gust, for their Celebration: But when King Deme­trius desir'd to be admitted into their Fraternity, and see both their Solemnities at once, the People past a Decree, that the Month March, when the King requested it, should be call'd November, and after the Ceremonies due to that Month were fi­nished, it should be translated to August; and so at the second return of this new Leapuyear, they ac­complished his Request. Two greater Mysteries are the parts of my Text, the Passion and the Re­surrection; several times appropriate for either [Page 124] Good Fryday as Easter. But as the Athenian De­cree made November and August meet in March, so give me leave by a less Syncope of Time, to contract Good Fryday and Easter both to a day, as the Passi­on and Resurrection are both in my Text; Who was delivered for our Offences, &c. And I may the ra­ther link them both on a day, because the Text is willing to admit some Resemblance. The Even­ing and the Morning make the day, saith the Ho­ly Spirit; the Method of my Text observes as much: Here is the Evening, the Passion, when our Saviour strip'd himself of those Rags of Morta­lity, and lay down in the Bed of Corruption, where he stays not long; but the Morning breaks in the Resurrection, when this Corruptible shall put on Incor­ruption, and this Mortal shall put on Immortality. So then my Text is a Day from Sun to Sun, Soles occi­dere & redire possunt, from the Sun-set of his Passion to the Sun-rise of his Resurrection.

The Dew of his Birth is as the Dew of the Morning, There is a Morning-Dew, and there is an Evening Dew; the Evening Dew, the Tears that are shed at the Sun's Funeral, and they may justly decypher the Passion; the Morning-Dew, the Tears of Joy and Welcome at his new Return; and what is that but a Transcript of the Resurrection?

My Discourse then must be changeable, compos'd of a Cloud and a Rain-bow.

A Deluge of Grief showers down in the Passion, but the Waters will cease, and the Dove will re­turn with a Leaf in her mouth,

Nothing but Joy and Triumph, Pomp and Page­ants at the Resurrection. But methinks St. Paul puts new Cloth into an old Garment, mends the Rent of the Passion with the Resurrection. Can the children of the Bride-chamber weep while the Bridegroom is with them? While the Resur­rection is in the Text, who can tune his Soul to lament his Passion; again, by the Waters of Babylon is no singing the Songs of Sion. When Grief hath lock'd up the Heart with the story of the Passion, what Key of Mirth can let in the An­them of the Resurrection? Different Notes you see, and yet wee'l attempt an Harmony. Bassus and Altus, a Deep Base that must reach as low as Hell to describe the Passion, and thence re­bound to a joyful Altus, the high-strain of the Re­surrection.

I begin with the Evening, and so I may well style the Passion, since the Horrour thereof turn'd Noon into Night, and made a Miracle maintain my Metaphor. The Sun was obscur'd by Sympa­thy, and his Darkness points us to a greater E­clipse. The Sun and the Moon, what are they but Parables of our Saviour, and the Soul of Man? The Moon is the Soul; I am sure her Spots will not confute the Similitude. I might here slacken the Reins of my Comparison, and shew you how the Moon of her self is a dark Body, and what Light she partakes, she receives it from the Sun [Page 126] at second hand. How every Soul is by Nature sinful, and in the Shadow of Death, till the Light that lightens the Gentiles, till the day-spring on high visit us. I might pursue my Allegory in the Eclipse. The Shadow of the Earth intercepts the Beams of the Sun, and so the Moon suffers an Eclipse. Plea­sure and Profit, those two Dugs of the World, what are they but Earthly shadows that Eclipse the Soul, and deprive it of the sweet influence of the Sun of Righteousness. But I hold me to the Metaphor, my Téxt will warrant the Parallel. As the Moon is Eclipsed by the Earth, so she her self Eclipses the Sun. The Soul is not only sinful but makes God suffer; [...] is a Physick­word, and signifies the Labour of a Disease. Cure thy self, and there will be no Eclipse in him: Ap­ply but Salve to thy self, and thou'lt heal the Wounds that thy Sins have made. Passus est Deli­quium propter Delicta nostra. Deliquium and Delictum proceed both from a Root. He had never been delivered unto Death, but for the Goal-delivery of our Offences. See the Difference betwixt God's and Man's Eclipse. Man's sets God and him at odds; God's reconciles them. The Moon when she is Eclipsed, is always in Opposition with the Sun. The Soul will sin, though she be at En­mity with God for't: But the Sun, when he is E­clipsed, is always in Conjunction with the Moon. God will be Friends with Man, though he purchase the Union with his Passion, and seal the Covenant with his own Blood. But that all things which con­cern the Passion may be miraculous, wee'l proceed in Method, and restrain that to Order and Distincti­on, which put Nature out of Frame, and threat­ned [Page 127] the World with Confusion. Consider then my Text, like the Veil of the Temple rent in [...]wain [...] and [...], He was delivered for our Offen­ [...]es; nay 'tis rent from top to th'bottom; the same parts will serve for the Resurrection, He rose again for our Iustification.

And well may my Text be divided by the Tem­ple, since our Saviour shadowed both parts of it under that Notion. I will destroy this Temple, and within three days I will build it again. And now I be­gin with Simon of Cyrene, to bear his Cross, and labour, as he did, under the burthen. The Death of the Cross, all the Languages upon it cannot ex­press it: But we see the Sun better by looking into the Waters, than by affronting his Beams. The only way to comprehend the Sufferings of our Creator, is by feeling the Pulse of the Creature. What shall I say to the Convulsion of the Rocks? The Lapidary tells you, how the Compassionate Turcoise confesseth the Sickness of his Wearer by changing colour. The whole Rocks suffered with our Saviour, they were cleft; and shall not this rend our stony hearts? O that Deucalion's Men were not now a Fable! Caucasus is supple in com­parison of our Breasts. Marble can weep, whilst we are Pumices. Moses his Rod will sooner fetch a River out of a Rock, than a Tear from a Rebel­lious Sinner. The Earthquake is the next Mira­cle. Tremble thou Earth at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Iacob. She tottered un­der the Burden of so great a Sin. She had lost the Author of her being, and so might well be struck with a dead Palsie. 'Tis a good Observation of Aristotle, that among all the absurd Opinions of [Page 128] the old Philosophers; who held the Soul to be Fire; some Air, some Water; none ever had so gross a Soul, as to conceive it to be Earth. O that in this case we were Earthy-minded! That we were affected with this Religious Palsie! Then should we see that Motus Trepidationis, the Motion of the Heavens as well as the Earth. We must work out our Salvation with fear and trembling. But the Earth hath quaked so long till it hath awaken­ed the Dead: nor is it a wonder that the Dead live, when Life it self can dye. Heaven descends into the Bowels of the Earth, and, to make up the Anagram, the Graves open and the Dust ariseth. Thus were all things shuffled, and Nature rung the Bells backwards, as if every Creature desir'd to bear the Burden of our Saviour's Elegy. Atten­dite & videte—Behold and see, if ever there was sorrow like unto my sorrow. Cyrus to be reveng'd of a River cut it into so many Channels, that it lost its Name. This is the way to allay a Grief, to di­vide it into so many streams, to pour it into other Bosoms; but even this is denied to our Saviour. The Sons of Zebedee do not now petition to drink his Cup: They would not now be one on his right hand, another on his left; no, he is crucified be­twixt two Thieves. The Quality of his Compa­nions augments his Misery. He was born among Beasts, and doth he not dye so too? Man without Understanding is like unto a Beast that perisheth. Betwixt two Thieves. You see Vice to Vertue is two to one: Vertue is in the Centre, Vice in the Circumference; vast is the Circuit; Universus or­bis, the whole World lies in Wickedness, whilst Ver­tue, like the Centre, is but an Imaginary Point. [Page 129] Thieves, and well too, Barabbas was too good for him now; mark but their Election; Not him, [...]ut Barabbas. But methinks his Crown might command a Distance; but 'tis a Crown of Thorns: And if you consider well the Troubles annexed to [...] Crown, it may seem a Tautology. Every Crown [...]s a Crown of Thorns. See here Cruelty Quarter­ [...]ng her Arms with Division. Pseudo-Philippus, [...]hat Counterfeit of the Macedonian King, when [...]e was taken by the Romans, had so much honou­ [...]able Calamity indulg'd unto him; Quod de eo tan­ [...]uam de vero Rege triumpharetur. They Crown [...]im, but 'tis for Sacrifice. They never acknow­ [...]edge him King of the Jews, till upon the Cross, [...]hat so his Title might set off his Misery.

The Answer to the Newark-Summons.

BUT that it argues a greater Courage to pass the Test of a Temptation uncorrupted, than [...]ith a timorous Vertue to decline the Trial; so [...]alous is this Maiden Garrison of sullying her [...]oyalty, that she had return'd your Summons [...]ithout perusal. Which rebound of your Let­ [...]r, as it were a laudable Coyness to preserve her [...]tegrity; so it is the most compendious Answer [...] what you propound. For I hope you intend it [...]ther as a Mode and Formality to preface your [...]sign, than with expectation of an Issue sutable [...] your Demands. You cannot imagine this un­ [...]nted Newark, which hath so stoutly defended [Page 130] her Honour against several intended Rapes, should be so degenerous from her Virgin Glory, as to ad­mit the Courtship of either your Rival Nations. Having therefore received a Letter subscribed with Competition of both Kingdoms, she wonders not at your busie endeavour to divert her Trent, since the Thames and Tweed with equal Ambition would crowd into her Channel. Which Letter, since it proceeded from a Committee, and was directed after the same Garb, as to a Committee-Gover­nour, by putting the Gentlemen and Corporation in equal Commission (though the joyning us toge­ther was with Intention to divide us) I shall in sa­tisfaction of yours, unanimously desire you to re­flect upon the King's Letter, lately sent to both Houses of Parliament; where, in a full Comply­ance with all their Desires upon the softest Terms, and gentlest Conditions that ever Prince propoun­ded, he offers to disband all his Forces, and disman­tle his Garrisons. To what end then do you de­mand that of the Steward, whereof the Lord and Master makes a voluntary Tender? In vain [...] you court the Inferiour Streams, when the Spring­head prevents your expectation. It is our Duty to trace his Commands, not to outstrip them. S [...] that if Honour and Conscience would permit th [...] Delivery, meer Manners would retard us, lest b [...] an over-reaching speed we frustrate his Majesty [...] Act of Grace, and antedate his Royal Disposa [...] I shall wave the Arguments, wherewith you ende [...] ­vour to evince our Consent. I am neither to [...] stroak'd into an Apostacy, by the mention of fai [...] Conditions in a misty Notion: Nor to be scar'd i [...] to Dishonour, by your running Division on the Fa [...] [Page 131] of Chester. For as I an no Huckster in the War, to measure my Allegiance by my Interest for the former; so I disdain that Poverty of Spirit, by a Resemblance of Chester to be executed in Picture. I shall be Loyal without that Copy, and I hope ne­ver to be the Transcript of their Calamity. You may do well, Gentlemen, to use your Fortune modestly, and think not that God Almighty doth uphold your Cause by reason of your Victories; perchance he fattens it with present Success for a [...]iper Destruction. For my part I had rather em­brace a Wrack floating upon a single Plank, than [...]mbarque in your Action with the fullest Sails, to [...]ance upon the Wings of Fortune. Whereas you [...]rge the expence of the Siege, and the pressures of the Country in supporting your Charge, there [...] confess I am touched to the quick: But their Mi­ [...]eries, though they make my Heart bleed, must [...]ot make my Honour. My Compassion to my Country must not make me a Paricide to my Prince. Yet in order to their ease, if you will grant me a [...]ass for some Gentlemen to go to Oxford, that I [...]ay know his Majesty's pleasure, whether, [...]ccording to his Letter, he will wind up the Busi­ [...]ess in general, or leave every Commander to steer [...]is own Course, then I shall know what to deter­ [...]ine. Otherwise I desire you to take notice, [...]hat when I received my Commission for the Go­ [...]ernment of this place, I annex'd my Life as a Label [...]o my Trust.

Oratio in Scholiis Publicis habita cum juni­nior Baccalaureus in Tripodem disputaret Cantab.

QUos ne videre possum citra, oculorum hyperbolen, quomodo vos compellarem? Et cum altissimus vester gradus sine scalâ occupari nequeat, quaenam Ora­tionis Climax vestram scandet dignitatem; Vestram dum suspicio in meo vultu invenio purpuram; & ingeniis curae quae praestandae observantiae me habet solicitum, no [...] novi subtilius argumentem quam stuporem. Quod au­tem Poetarum Princeps Deorum Senatum cogit ad suam Batrachomyomachiam, pari audacia liceat & mihi vo [...] ad ludicrum hoc certamen nostrum invitare. Umbr [...] est haec nostra contentio & Icon belli. Murium & R [...] ­narum pugna, quid aliud quàm Iliadis Brachygraphia! & in Pusillis istis animalibus Hector & Achilles (tan­quam Iliades in nuce) coarctantur. Ea siquidem e [...] pensi nostri conditio; ut hic etiam Mars & Venus im­plicati jacent. Pugna est, sed ludicra; Ludus, & tamen bellicus; ita ut nec bis cincta placeat Philosophia; nec nuda Cytherea. Qui virili toga indutus, nec dum reliquit nuces, sed totus jocos crepat, hujus eg [...] Palladem posthumam cerebri sui prolem existima [...] Qui in hisce Floralibus solus Cato, & inter Philosophi [...] spinas nullos admittit Rhetoricae flores, hujus Miner­va (ad Amazonis instar) alterâ mammâ destituiti [...]. Ille demum sit noster Miles, qui & sese praestet ingenii Velitem, & Philosophiae Cataphractum; qui & virili­ter audet disputare, & pueriliter cum Bipede Tripod [...] par impar ludere. Me quod spectat ita rationem a [...] agendum subduxi meam, ut utrinque munus moliar & [Page 133] subterfugiam, & pudibunda metum inter & officium Musa, & fugit ad salices, & videri cupit.

Oratio Salutatoria in Adventum Illustrissimi Principis Palatini.

Serenissime Comes Palatine.

SI Archetypam corporis vestri elegantiam possem trans­cribere, & Orationem meam tanquam venustatis Metaphoram à vestro vultu deducere, ita Imaginem vestram aemulis encomiis exprimerem, ut qui spectatum venias, venires spectandus & unicum esset Iohannen­se spectaculum teipsum tibi ostentare. Sed quoniam ad hosce solares radios caligat penitus Atheniensis Noctua, gratulor mihi meam inertiam, stuporem jacto: Ita enim cum Sacratissimo Principe in trutinâ quadam collocatus sum, ut in quantum me deprimit mea humilis facultas, in tantum sursum nititur vestra sublimitas. Salve igi­tur, desideratissime Princeps, hujus Collegii Anima, vel potius omnium animarum Collegium; ita tibi singuli devoti sumus, & in obsequium vestrum juncta phalange omnes ruimus. Ecce tibi Majorum tuorum Monumenta! Margaretae cocta maenia, quae Semiramis invideat Margaretae! Henrici Septimi, & nostrûm omnium Matris; quae uno partu enixa est quot Herculem fabu­lantur genuisse, quinquaginta Socios. Nec Tibi, Stem­matique vestro solam Margaretam, debemus, quin & paternae gloriae haeres esto; Fredericum volo beatissimae memoriae, qui viginti abhinc plus minus annis, una [Page 134] cum Augustissimo Carolo tunc temporis surgente Iulo, ad hanc Margaretae Sobolem, quasi Compaires d [...] & Susceptores accesserunt. O quam laeti meditamur istum natalem nostrum diemque adeo festum, ut muros hosce sacro quodam minio pinxisse videatur! Ecquid huic foelicitati superesse possit? Possit, ut quod Patris splendore semel tinctum vestro olim foret Dibaphum, Sequerisque Patrem [...]am passibus aequis. Euge specic­sum Principem! in quo omnium legimus Simulachra Autographa; Margaretae nostrae Palladium Frederici Patris Numisma aureum & Matris Corneliae Orna­mentum, Elizabethae dulcissimae, & in vestro vul [...] totam Deam confessae; cujus laudes ut hodiernum sae [...] ­lum effundi [...], ita Posteritatis Echo reparabit: cujus mase [...]la anima jam sexu vestitur masculo, Elizabetha Carolo. Carolo! O quam luxuriat dicendi Seges! Quam decies repeti [...]s placebit Carolus! Carolus Ca­roli Sobrinus & Caroli Avunculus. O Beatissi [...] Carolorum Climax▪ Macte esto gradibus Caroli [...] [...], ut cum p [...] [...] suâ supremus Rex Carolus Coelos scandat, novi subinde succrescant Caroli, qui­bus, quasi internodus distincta ejus aeternitas usq [...] & usque floreat; sic ipse sibi supe [...]stes Carolus, no [...] hominum (parum illud Nestoris) sed Carolorum [...] [...]ates vivat, Filii, [...], [...] Caroli.

A [...] Regem & Principem in Colleg. Iohan.

QU A [...] obriguit Academia, tanq [...] orba [...] Ni [...]s [...] saxea, si in pristinam Fa­cundiam resolvatur hodie agnoscit omen vestrae Praesen­tiae. [Page 135] Memnonis statua solaribus percussa radiis vocalem Musicam dedisse fertur: habent vel hi Parietes Chor­das Magicas, quas minima vultûs vestri strictura, qua­si plectro anim [...]it. Nec magis eloquuntur Lapides, quàm è diametro miraculi stupent Oratores. Quod in afflatis Numine fieri videmus; ita Deum recipere ut ejiciant Hominem, instinct [...] sapere, non intellectu; perinde vestra in nobis hospitatur Divinitas, cujus ni­mius splendor omnes omnium sensus sacrificat, & tam sanctam nostri jacturam in lucro deputamus. Ignosci­mus jam Fatis immodestiam suam, imminens Literarum exit [...]um ut favoris insidias gratulamur: scilicet, ambi­tiosae moriuntur Musae, quae ad vestros pedes efflabanut Vale. Lusit Archimedes Coelos in Sphaera? quid ni dicam Jovem in Carolo fabricatum? Adeo ut Orator ille qui, manu deorsum flexâ, O Coelum exclamavit, si istum ad modum perorâsset hodie, Soloecismum man [...] non commisisset. Enimvero cum Regem Optimum Maximum & Principem simul astantes videam, nescio quomodo Principis Natalis videatur redux; ubi Solem & Stellam fulgentes à Symbolis (licet non equis radiis) conspicati sumus. Caesare mortuo novum in coelis emi­cuit sydus, quod Julii Anima passim audiit. Caesaris Epilogus fuit Prologus Caroli; neque enim aptior Stel­la, quam Invictissima illius Herois Anima, quae vestrae soboli res gerendas ominaretur. Stellam dixi? Muto factum; crederem potius ipsum Solem fuisse, qui tunc temporis tibi religavit moderamen Diei, & ut Princi­pis cunas fortius videret, suum in stellam Contraxit ocu­lum. Ecce ut patrissat Carolus! ut ad vestras Virtu­tes anhelus surgit! Quod sub pientissimo Rege accidisse legimus Solem multis gradibus retro ferri, Principis atas pari portento conpensavit damnum, cujus festina virtus devorat Horologium, & Pueritia nondum libatâ [Page 136] Meridiem attigit. Parcatur mihi, si turgeat Oratio; si nihil praeter Solem & Stellas crepet; quippe in Princi­pis Natali ipsa Natura mihi praeivit Allegoriam. O foelicem interim Academiam, & Eternitatem quandam nactam! quae in Rege & Principe, & esse nostrum, & nostrum fore simul complectitur. Non est quod plu­ra expectentur saecula; viximus & nostram & postero­rum vitam. Sed vereor ne molestus fuerim importuno officio, quod in tam illustri praesentiâ in nescio quid ma­jus piaculo excrescit. Minima coram Rege Errata, tan­quam angustiores rimae, extenduntur lumine. Oratio itaque nostra pro genio temporum reformabitur, vel, quod tantundem est, rescindetur. Hoc unicum praefa­bor votum; Vivas Augustissime, Pietas tuorum & Tremor Hostium. Vivas, vel in hoc declivio, Litera­rum Stator. Vivas denique eam indutus gloriam, [...] Filium tuum Carolum appellemus Maximum, quia solo Patre minorem.

Oratio habita ad Legatum quendam Galli­cum, & Hollandiae Comitem, tunc tem­poris Academiae Cancellarium.

QUam Augusta sit vestra Praesentia, & quam sacro horrore nostros percellit animos, utinam Ora­toris vestri stupor non ita nimis testaretur. Quem enim alacritas officii modo accenderat ut vos salutarem, im­pedit jam eadem Religione in illas aures importunus rue­rem inquilinus, ubi Regum consilia habitarunt. Nec magis all [...]qui quam intueri nefas. Fulgura sunt in amborum oculis, quorum splendorem si quis aspiceret, bidental fieret. Si quis Persarum, qui veneratur Solem, vos intueretur, utrumque ratus Numen, suum divide­ret sacrificium. Nos quod attinet, fatemur lippitudine radiorum victoriam, & hoc geminum honoris jubar im­bellis nostra acies eo magis commendat, quo minus susti­neat. Salve igitur, Celeberrime Hospes, cujus gra­tissimi adventus, ut capacia essent nostra pectora, mag­nitudo gaudii nosipsos à nobis exclusit for as. Ecce quot Helluones oculi vos inspicimus! Quot in vestris vulti­bus Quadragesimam violamus! Sed nos indigui tantis dapibus. Margareta, & Regii illi Manes, quos in Fundatoribus nostris numeramus, per me, tanquam per Legatum suum (ut Titulo vestro superbire liceat) Adventum vobis gratulantur. Nec invideas mihi, cla­rissime Advena, Legati nomen; nam cum Celsitudo vestra ad gradum meum (quem suscepisti modo) dig­naretur descendere, Humilitas nostra (quod in bilance solet) ad vestrum apicem assurgebat. Scholas vidisti & illud unicum Sacellum, quorum alteri docu­isti Literas, alteri Pietatem. Et quid amplius studes [Page 138] apud nos invisere? Eccum Academiam integram, Can­cellarium dignissimum, qui quicquid Cantabrigia no­stra complectitur plenius epraesentat. Theatra & Scholarum Pyramides nos ludibundi Vitruvii aedificamus in chartis. Tu, Tu Architectus fortunae nostrae, cujus Magnificentia vel Pictoris nostri audaciam super abi [...] Multus sum, Honoratissime Orator, in Cancellar [...] debitissimis laudibus, ut scias qualis Heros, quantus aliorum Patronus honori v [...]stro bodie inserviat. Certè dum vos Majorum Gentium Nobiles simul adstantes videam; Nescio quis Isthmus videatur Galliam & Britanniam (inviro Oceano) conjunxisse. Q [...] perpetuus sit ille Regionum nodus, & ita Gordianus, ut neuter Alexander discindat gladio. Plura vellem, & usque pergeret votorum pietas, sed victus diviti argu­mento plusquam Demosthenis Anginam patior. Qua­re si aures vestras, Regibus assuetas, nimis detinendo sacrilegus fuerim; si quid deliquerim, hoc saltem sit subitae Orationis pro [...]ga temeritas; ut nè paratus ad peccandum prodiisse videar.

Oratio habita cum unus è Prelectoribus, de­ficiente Termino, pensum (pro more) imponeret.

HOdiernus intravi (Iuvenes Academici) tanquam Cato Floralia, ut exirem tantum. Conveni­mus fateor, sed ut dissiliamus: Siquidem hoc est longum Vale moribundi Termini, qui nollet (ut Iuridici lo­q [...]ntur) intestatus mori. Sed singulis vestrum Lega­tum tribuit, & ejusdem cerae cohaeredes reddit. Penso igitur vobis erit Aristotelis Liber primus de Anima Conscriptus. Et quidem vos scio unam vel alteram Authoris paginam posse transcribere: hoc autem à vo­bis non expeto. Neque est ut expectarem, ut Heauton­timorumenos & miserè Absyrtos veteres Philosophos in Cruciatus denuò redigatis. Ruente Quercu vel qui­libet Homuncio ligna colliget. Illius autem animosior est Spiritus, qui è triumphantis Philosophi Faucib [...]s eri­piat, & eorum aliquem sub Clientela sua patrocinetur. Obsoleta ista Democriti, vel etiam Thaletis opinio ingenio Vestro fiat Authentica. Neque tamen in ullas angustias vos redigam. Universas Naturae Panaectas habeatis vobis usurarias. Modo etiam placuerit, (eru­diti Iuvenes) liceat vobis leviter perstringere, & ex­esa ista Philosophorum Placita risui exponere. Quod si ita iis contigerit occumbere, habent quod Fatis imputent. Stuporem jactent, atque impotentiam suam in lucro pos­sunt deputare: Si pereant manibus vestris periisse juvabit.

Oratio habita in Scholis publicis cum Patris officio fungeretur.

QUam aequivocum sit Patris nomen, quota & quam discolor officii ratio, si non aliunde, ab hac va­ria frequentia (Severiores viri & Lepidissima proles) possem dignoscere? Si enim ad singula Auditorum inge­nia quiliber Orator componendus sit, ita ut cum Senibut t [...]ssiat, rideat cum pueris; quid ego hominis? Quale futurus sum Monstrum, gravitute & nucibus, Patre & puero interpunctum? Quod in dispertita & expan­sa Aquila fieri videmus unum corpus duplicem ostentare faciem: eadem est nostra ergo vos & filios bifrons con­ditio. Hos cum aspicio, sum senex Aquila pullos meos ad vestrum jubar exploratura; ubi vos è contra, nescio quomodo ipse in pullum redeo, & ad instar Aquilae ju­ventutem renovo. Duae igitur Dramatis personae susti­nendae sunt; vestrâ in scenâ acturus sum Filium, in vestrâ Patrem, alterum genu flexum, alterum stabit Elephantinam, oscillatione, quod aiunt, Ludam. Superam modo, modo inferam occupanbo partem; partim Senex, partim Puer, qualis Aethon ille in Aheno Me­deae semicoctus. Et quae quidem aptior via inveniri poterat, quam per ferulam ad fasces, per Filii scabellum ad culmen Patris assurgere? Serviendum ut imperes, Aulicorum methodus; à Vitulo ad Taurum Milonis progressus. Vobis igitur, Viri Gravissimi, primitiae nostrae sunt consecrandae; quod si nullo, vel, quod pe­rinde est, tralatitio tantum honore prosequerer, non di­co causam, quin filii mei improbitate erga me pari, in­juriam vestram ulciscantur. Neque tamen interea nos­cimus quali vos compellemus nomine, quorum Eruditio scribit Academiae Maritos, obsequium malit Filios. [Page 141] Perplexus fuit & tortuosus ille incesti nodus, quem de Oedipo suo fabulatur Graecia; major Maeander unus­quisque vestrûm, quorum eruditione cum Alma Mater gravida fiat, & quotannis parturiat; quorum praecep­tis & exemplari virtute; cum tenella pubes (quasi bi­nis uberibus) lactetur indies; non Oedipus majoricum aenigmate sceleratus, quam quilibet vestrum pius: Ma­tris Maritus, Uxoris Filius, & Fratrum Pater. Ne­que hic se sistit vestra divina indoles, cujus vel pictura est satis prolifica; siquidem Alma Mater ubi concipiat, speciem vestram ob oculos ponit, vestrum instar reprae­sentat animo, ut masculum magis, magis excultam s [...]bo­lem enitatur. Illi, illi estis, quibus si ante inventas li­teras contigisset vivere, Imagines vestras ab Aegyptiis expressas, hodie pro Artibus & Scientiis legeremus. Non ego sequax erroris illius qui nihil egregium ducit nisi quod vetustum, qui praesentia fastidit tempora, & ex hesterno jure panem atrum vorat. Senescit, si Diis placit, Natura; Majoribus quidem nostris dedit ani­marum jugera, nobis spithamas; Gigantes illi, nos Pusiones. Degeneres animae & verè minores in hac o­pinione: Lucrifecit haec aetas, non decoxit. Illi quidem Literarum Atavi, sed quota est familia? cujus primus fuit illud quod dicere nolo, secundus illud quod nequeo: Humilis principii nobilis progressus. Habeant quod su­um est Antiqui, sed nè in solidum fiant Domini: suas sibi laudes vendicent, sed vestras vobis nè praeripiant; quorum ego meritis tantum confido, ut veterum sicut ca­nitiem veneror, sic misereor impotentiam. Ructarunt illi glandes, vestrum est triticum: calceati eorum den­tes, & victus asper, vestrae dapes & ingenii gulae; quibus quod retro est seculum tantùm stravit mensam, erit à quadris futurum. Clari Convivae, quibus obso­nantur antiqui, minis [...]rant posteri. Sed quam effrons [Page 142] ego & devorati pudoris, qui dum vestra molior Encomia, Orationem meam foelicitatis tantae commensalem red­dam! Liceat tamen peccare, Auditores, ut ignoscatis; purpura elotis maculis est iterata murice; gloriabor de culpâ à vobis remissâ magis quàm de innocentiâ. Juli­us Sabinus; cum à Romano imperio defecisset, fusis jam copiis & afflictis rebus in monumentum quoddam se abdidisse dicitur, ubicum Uxore tamdiu latuerit, ut plures filios ex ea susceperit; tandem vero deprehensus, & pro Tribunali positus, filios suos in medium sistens, sic affatur Iudicem: Parce, Parce, Caesar; hos in monumento genui, hosce alui, ut tibi plures essemus sup­plices. Vestram fidem, Auditores, quicquamne uspiam rotundius dictum? Consulite quicquid est Rhetorum. O vanas spes tuas Cicero! O frustra susceptos labores! O inanes cogitationes! Tinnis, tinnis prae hoc Oratorum maximo, qui si cum Uxore tua Rhetorica tam diu in Musaeo conclusus esses, quam ille in Monumento, nun­quam Orationem hujus parem genuisses. Gratias tibi, Sabine, de excusatione mea, qui cum necesse sit ut de­linquam, habeo tamen deprecandi formulam. Habeo filios quos ostendam, hanc circumstantem Rhetoricam Magna, magna est Infantium Eloquentia, qui eò plus exorant quò non loquantur. Eorum illice tacendi Sua­dâ & ego in praesens utar; neque dubito quin plus favoris demerear silentio, quam ulteriori taedio.

Actus primi Scena secunda.

REdeo jam alter Sosia: Redeo cum annorum sar­cinâ. O quam tacito pede tempus labitur, & obrepit non intellecta senectus! Non est, quam videtis barbae desperatio, sed genarum calvities; non sum im­plumis puer, sed defloccatus senex. Prodite igitur in aciem, mei filii; non in aciem ingenii; nollem enim vos nimis ingeniosos in pueritiâ, ne Doctores sitis in senectute. Prudens Natura dedit Infantulis rationis somnum, ut in aetatis vespera lucubrentur. Cum ani­mae nimis vigiles in praetexta, dormiunt, ut videtis, in purpura. Festo die si quid prodigeris, pro festo ege­re liceat, modo non peperceris; si Iuvenes prodigatis cerebra, Senes capita eritis & nil praeterea. Sed non est quod de vobis metuam; pari modo nostra, quo Clau­diana familia est intertexa, aut Regem, aut Fatuum nasci oportet; aut lepidos & facetos Iuvenes, aut eo­rum Antipodas. Illos ita hilares & jocosos, ut ex Jo­vis cerebro jurares natos, alios ita hebetes & tardos, ut vel ex patris delirio, vel ex novissimo decreto. Non magis differunt illae primae sorores, Nox & Dies, quam hi Fratres. In hisce radiorum pompa & adulta lux; in illis spissae tenebrae vel, si qu [...]d Intellectûs lu­men, qualis è squamis piscium, aut putri ligno noctur­nus splendor. Hercules & Iphiclus fratres fuerunt indole dispares; Herculi fortitudo data est, Iphiclo pernicitas pedum, ac si illum Alemena ad bellum, hunc ad fugam peperisset. Est & nobis multiplex Hercules qui duodecim terminos totidem laboribus mensuravit: u­nus forsan aut alter Iphiclus, qui pocula sacra hibit & fugit; qui non aliàs se Herculis fratrem demon­strat, quam quod trinoctium illud quod ad procreandum [Page 144] Herculem continuavit Jupiter in Intellectu suo usque conservat. Nata est (quamvis novitia) de qu [...]dam fabula; qui cum agnum insidiis excepisset, & odora­nare persequeretur Pastor, ubi nullus pateret effugii lo­cus, tuguriam intrat, agnum fasciis involutum in cu­nas componit, quas huc illuc subinde quassat, ut balanti puero conciliaret somnum; sic scrutantium examen elu­sit, & astu non dispari Ulyssem vicit: Sunt & in nostra prole aliqui, quorum cunas si penitius excutiatis, illuc etiam reperire est illud simplicius animal, nihil prae­ter agninam pellem & innocentiam. Mortale ovum Castoris, immortale Pollucis; hic Iovem Deum imi­tatur, aeternus, viridis, & mutationis expers; ille Jovem Cygnum; nec diu erit quin senior factus canitie si­mulabit plumas; alter filius Jovis, alter [...]. Quis tantum componet litem? Quis concilia­bit inter sese tam multiformis foetus membra? Dei Pollux Castori immortalitatem mutuam, uterque vivet alternatim; dies nocti lucem accommodet, utrinque cre­pusculum fiet; spargantur in omnibus merita, quae in aliquibus fluunt mista, & mea fide omnes idonei ad res­pondendum questioni. Hi tamen sunt in quibus stabit hodierna hilaritas: cum enim penuria verborum sit Mater Rhetoricae, non video quin defectus ingenii sit Pater Iocorum. Sed esto quod non sunt agiles & ad ingenium prompti; nonne statutis magis morigeri? non sunt stupidi, tantum obtemperant Authoritati. Centu­rio cum à Proelio abesset, & Africanus Victor causam quaereret, respondit, se tuendis castris dedisse operam, ne caeteris in acie detentis diriperentur; suboluit Duci pusilanimis ratio. Non amo nimium diligentes. E­tiam & filii mei hisce lepidis Exercitiis interessent, ni­si quod tuenda sunt Castra, observanda Statuta, ne caeteris jocantibus violarentur. Euge mei filii! non fuit [Page 143] Militis ignavia, sed Castrorum cura; non Torpor in­genii, sed metus Statuti. Lex fuit antiqua in Tabulis Decemviralibus primum inventa, ad Justiniani Codi­cem postea progressa, in Iure qua Canonico, qua Civili receptissima; & tandem ad hoc Municipale nostrum delapsa. Siquis faxit plus quam possit damnus esto. Lex imponit Castitatis fibulam; nonne damnandus Eu­nuchus si committat stuprum? Cavet statutum ut fru­gi vivamus: nonne culpandus Mendicus si luxurietur? Pari modo plectendi sunt mei filii, si sint ingeniosi. Crudele Decretum quod mutis execuit linguas, caecis ex­tinxit oculos, filiis meis ingenio inter dixit.

Oratio Inauguralis, cum Praelectoris Rhetori­ci munus auspicaretur.

QUanta & quàm divina sit vestra benefaciendi In­doles, quam pauperrima gratitudinis nostrae talio, nescio an diutinum meum silentium, an hodierna Ora­tio luculentius fuerit testimonium. Imparem se fatetur modesta taciturnitas, & in tanto certamine maluit ce­dere, quam infantibus Gratiis humanitatem vestram bal­butire in minimis, & quae compensare possunt be­neficiis peccat silentium, quod in majoribus est religio­sum. Sed frigidè agnoscere tantundem ac tacere; & in hoc tamen scelere pietatem meam invenietis, quod e­nim sollicitis votis ambiunt alii, ut favori vestro p [...] ­ribus numeris respondeant, ut munus & Gratiae in [...]a­moebaeam quandam Eclogam coalescant: secus ego gra­tulor meam gratiarum ignaviam: quò enim magis infra muneris vestri magnitudinem subsido, eò infamiâ me [...] munus commendo. Gratiae cum beneficio in bilance posi­tae, & pro levitate suâ in sublime actae, ex proprio [...] dibrio gloriam addunt & pondus beneficio. Quod si elegantes magis velitis gratias, estote vos minus muni­fici, Gratitudo est beneficii Echo, quae ut singula verb [...] potest repetere, ita longam sententiam ne dimidian. Monosyllaba (ut ita dicam) beneficia facilè reverbe­ramus, cum grandioribus & vestris ne unam aut alte­ram syllabam rependimus: prodeo igitur in aciem cu [...] amore vestro, sed ut succumbam studeo. Contendu [...] gratiae cum beneficio, sed ut ex istâ pugnâ major appare­at vestra victoria. Qui in Hostis potestatem se luben [...] offert, invidet hosti honorem suum; plenior ex capi [...] quàm ex dedititio Triumphus; & major erit munificen­tiae vostrae Paean ex Oratore victo, quam ex imbe [...] [Page 145] silentio. Quorsum autem ego in haec subsellia ascende­rem, qui ita haereditarium à proavis meis praelectoribus accepi silentium, ut necesse habuerim quasi ex traduce, tacuisse? Erat enim, cùm Lectores legere Pleonasmus haberetur. Artis fuit apud illos dissimulare artem; munus suscipere, cum privilegio dormire; implere au­tem, (absit omen!) officium; ad industriam prodere, de posteris mereri malè. Crediderim sanè ego illud fu­isse muneris nostri ingenium, ut, quod Papae solent, il­larum virtutum à quibus maximè distant esse cognomi­nes; proinde Rhetores eligerentur illi, qui per integrum annum obmutescerent. Nec immeritò; tam rarae enim fuerunt, tam infrequentes praelectiones nostrae, tam se­culares denique, ut nescio quî possum melius praefari, quàm illis praeconis verbis; Venite ad Ludos quos nemo mort alium unquam videt, nec visurus est postea. Sed nova hoc anno exoritur Lectorum Religio, quî, aliter ac Lectores solent, ad Canones & Statuta revocamur. Stamus indies, loquimur quotidiè, & tam ancipiti pul­monum virtute, ut & Pulpitae ad vigiliam, & Audi­tores ad somnum adigamus. Ad somnum? ad horro­rem potius; tanto enim recentes hujus inusitati prodigii percussi sunt metu, ut verendum sit nè ad Paedagogos scripserint novitiam aliquam haeresin suppullulasse, Ba­bylonicam Meretricem in Rhetoricis Lenociniis esse redivivam, & in liberalibus Scientiis septicollem Besti­am. Ecquid amplius apud vos Papisticum? imo & quod pessimum est, noctu & interdiu horas Canonicas observare Procancellarium; quem non citius maximo cum honore nomino, quin eò deflectanda mihi videtur Oratio; cujus in laudes tam alacris est mea Rhetorica, ut si semel undarent lora, vereor quod habenas non au­diret denuo. Quotus enim est patronus noster? qui homines alioquin somnolentos, tanquam matutinus Sol, [Page 146] radiis suis ad laborem suscitat; qui otiari in officio, ac dormire in aprico pudendum ratus, non modo ipse labo­rat, sed & nostri laboris est Artifex: ita eandem quam ipse exercet diligentiam felici contagione nobis affricat. Qui denique (& quod ego palmarium duco) modestiam meam, nimis difficilem, in hodiernum vestrî obsequium rapuit. Vestrî intelligo, Senatus amplissime; quibus quicquid ego Praelectoris sum, refero acceptum; quo­rum nescio an me Rhetorem elegerunt Iudicia, aut Suffragia crearunt. Crearunt dico, & satis cum au­daciâ repeto; tot enim & tam foecundae voces in unum congestae, quem non Rhetorem fecissent? Quod igitur fabulantur Poetae ad Pandorae Natalitia universum De­orum Chorum fuisse à Symbolis; idem in Rhetorica mea, & unanimi vestro assensu, quasi Epimuthion nactum invenietis. Quare quos Eloquentia, si quae sit mea, ag­noscit compatres, non dubito quin usque habitura s [...] susceptores; ut eadem lubentiâ in aures vestras resili [...] quâ facilitate pectorum profecta est. Non causabor i [...] posterum imbecillitatem meam, qui onus dedistis, de­dist is humeros: & ut absint caetera, satis erit virium sub aquilâ vestrâ militare. Refert Seneca de pusi [...] & monogrammate (ut ita dicam) homunculo, qui palaestram ausus est descendere, quoniam pugiles mulos & strenuos servos domi aleret. Si servi tantum pot [...] ­erint, si vicarii roboris confidentia infirmum herum com­mas [...]ulare possit, quid Domini facient? Et ego in h [...] literarium pulverem possum irruere, non Mercurio meo, sed quoniam tam multos & tam facundos habeam Do­minos. Non enim ad hoc officium designatus sum à dex­tro aut àlaevo vulture, non à sitellâ aut sortibus, no [...] ab imperito vulgo, vel (quod idem est apud Persas) hinniente equorum armento, sed à Senatu vestro, scili­cet (ut sobriè audax possum dicere) ab oecumeni [...] [Page 147] literarum concilio. Quid enim non infra erit eorum dignitatem, quibus Artes omnes pro satellitio, & con­juratae veniunt ad Clientelam Scientiae? Impos hic sui Rhetorica, & laudes vestras nè anhelâ quidem eloquen­tiâ adaequare potest. Parcite, Auditores, si vos fre­quens compellem; ita enim subduxi mecum rationem ad agendum, ut ubi vos nominaverim, Troporum affatim, abundè Figurarum. Quod igitur artis Memoriae Pro­fessores solent per ea, quae sunt sibi ante oculos posita, alia quaecunque memoranda significare; idem Audito­res meos edoctos velim, ut in vos ora & obtutus figant, ut hunc Metonymiam, illum Hyperbolen, universam multitudinem pro continuatâ figurarum Allegoriâ imagi­nati, omnes colores, omnia Orationis lumina, integram denique Rhetoricae Supellectilem, per quandam oculorum Metaphoram ad sese transferant. Iamque, Auditores, [...]um eò deventum sit, ut vos omnes in volumen quoddam Rhetoricum compegerim, recipio in posterum me lectu­ [...]um: In praesens aliquid de Rhetoricâ dicendum censeo; [...]eque enim tam foelix Argumentum, quale vos reputo, [...]riùs reliquissem, quàm individuis praeconiis vos & Rhe­ [...]oricam semel simulque commendare. Ferunt Demost­ [...]enem, optimum licet Rhetorem, non potuisse pronuncia­ [...]e nomen Rhetoricae. Quae Demosthenis fuit impoten­ [...]ia, est Rhetoricae modestia, quae licet apud omnes lau­ [...]atissima sit & multi nominis, titulos tamen suos erubes­ [...]at proloqui. Quid igitur ego quàm ut veterem illum [...]edelae modum imitarer? lapides aliquos in os injiciam, [...]uos nisi favor vester, plus quam Chymicus in preciosos erterit, indigni erunt qui in auribus vestris tam diser­ [...]s pendeant. Age igitur Rhetorica, explica virtutes [...]as, quae Logicae, Philosophiae caeterisque tuis Sororibus [...]licem facundiae hederam soles praefigere. Si tibi in eo­ [...]em deesses officio, quid aliud quam foris saperes, domi [Page 148] insanires? Atque hinc quàm optimè Rhetoricae encomi­um auspicari possum, quòd nativa sit ejus Pulchritudo cum in caeteris nil nisi emptitium fucum deprehendas. Scitum est illud Phrynes Thebanae Commentum, qua cum Convivio inter aequales adesset, & probè jam satu­ratae omnes ludis operam darent; Lex lata est, ut quic­quid facto praeiret quaevis, subsequerentur caeterae. Ubi ad Phrynes vices deventum est, poscit aquam, faciem lavat, quod cum caeterae pro imperio Legis fecissent, Phryne pulchrior, ut quae sordes eluerat, deformes cae­terae, ut quae fucum deter serant, apparuere. Huc sum­ma redit denique, Autographa est Rhetoricae venustas, quae in caeteris est tralatitia. Fictitii sunt aliorum vul­tus, cum nesciat Rhetorica qualis sit illa nova Prosopo­poeia. Caeterae quidem Scientiae Magnates sunt Domi­nae; sed tanquam Dominae facies suas è Rhetoricae Pyr­ide mutuantur. Ut reliquas taceam; Quid Logica citra Rhetoricam? Contractus ille pugnus ad Colophos magis accommodus, quam ad aures demulcendas; ubi verò in palpam Rhetoricae extendatur, non opus est ut dicam quantum potue it, cum frater meus Logicus ex­emplo suo nuper ostenderit. Quae igitur alias Artes laudibus suis deaurare solet, aequum est ut suis superbiat, quae (tanquam Danista) Elegantiam suam foris locat usurariam, iniquum esset si non ipsam sortem cum am­plissimo foenore reciperet quanquam quidem Rhetorica non tam facultates suas foenori apponit, quàm, tanquam Missilia, in Scientiarum plebem Regina disseminat. Hactenus quàm dives Rhetorica in alienis loculis, nunc videamus quàm opulenta sit in suis. Quod ut faciliu [...] fieret, utinam Thesaurarius, ejus Cicero revivisce­ret; qui si toties de Rhetorica sua, quoties de Consula [...] gloriatus esset, & aeque indefessum argumentum hab [...] ­isset, & mitiùs ob superbiam vapularet. Hic ille At­ticae [Page 149] Helenae Rivalis, hic Palladii Graeci Ulysses; hinc illae Philosophi lachrymae Rhetoricam è Graecia trans­missuram. Quod enim Antonio Athenas proficiscenti Cives Minervam suam desponsarunt; ideoque pro a­dulationis poena Talentum, quasi pro dote, coacti sunt numerare: idem in Cicerone plenius ac vellent evenisse constat; qui ubi Athenis studuit Rhetoricam, praesidem Civitatis Deam, Uxorem duxit; & ubi à Pyraeo sol­veret, omnem ejus dotalem ornatum secum in Italiam transmisit. Euge redux Cicero. Salvete in Tuscu­lum Athenae. Opima magis spolia quam terna illa Iovi Feretrio consecrata. O qualis fuit Ciceronis co­pia! Qualis ejus dicendi Tyberis! imo Romanus Nilus! Quantum enim ejus Eloquentia excrevit, vel deferbuit, tantum foecunda vel sterilis, foelix vel mise­ra extitit Italia. Quot ille Coronas ob Cives, quot ob Provincias defendendas meruit? qui cum duos parrici­dio liberaret Roscium & Popilium, ob unum in aeter­num debuit vivere, teste omnium optimâ Oratione: ob alterum mori, idque Popilii manu, in ejus caede parrici­dium confessi. Hic tamen Cicero Facundiae Sponsus; hic (pace Bruti dixerim) Romanorum Rex; hic, plusquam Caesar, perpetuus Dictator, ut divinum Rhe­toricae numen sacro quondam horrore agnosceret, in O­rationum primordiis singultiit, ut ludit Comicus, victi­tavit Sorbillo. Vetus obtinuit Superstitio, ut ubi Lu­na pateretur Eclipsin, armorum strepitus, vel quilibet alius clangor parturienti (sic enim credebant) Numi­ni obstetricari possit. Ubi laborat Respublica, ubi de­liquium passura est Patria, intercedit Rhetorica ut Lu­cina Juno, & suavissimo tonitru tumorem sedat. Tu­multuatur Plebs, secedit in Janiculum. Ecquis pro­dit Jupiter Stator? Ecce Rhetor Agrippa, qui Fa­bulae cujusdam de ventre & membris tintinnabulo fugi­tivum [Page 150] apum examen ad praesepe redegit. Tantum Arti­ficis valet habitus oris. Senecam dum audiret Nero, quis aequavit ejus quinquennium? Ita facundus senex in­sidiatur Tyranno, & animum ejus ad vitia proclivam furtivâ Rhetoricâ in virtutem prodit, sanctissimè reus Majestatis. Neque enim Reges aut Imperatores Rhe­toricae jugum sub [...]erfugiunt. Tonat Rhetorica? frustra sub lecto cubat Testudo Caligula. Fulgurat Rhetori­ca? incassum lauro circundatur Tiberius, nec in iste circulo securus. Duplex enim est Rhetoricae Genius; bonus, qui innocentes praemiis afficit, & malus, qui sce­leratos exagitat; tam subtilis tamen est ejus Suada & hujus terror, ut tanquam fulmen terebrans, salvis cor­porum vaginis ipsas animas liquefaciat. Quid ego vo­bis Crassos, Curios, Loelios proponam? quorum il­lustrium Rhetorum tam numerosa sunt apud Historiam Exempla; quam apud nos nulla: nam siqua sit exilis & strigosa Oratio, sine sanguine, sine anima; senten­tiis ad tertium lapidem porrectis, haec (si placet) est Ciceroniana. Pudendum nominis Sacrilegium! & cu­jus in vindictam miror facundos manes non resurgere novas scripturos Philippicas. Sed ecce alius Cicero­nis insons! qui perspicuum & simplicem perosus styluin implicitè loquitur & in aenigmate, ac si Persii Carminae in Prosam Orationem per modum Anagrammatis resol­veret: anxiae ineptiae! Et quae neminem Oratorem prae­ter Sphingem Monstrum, neminem Auditorem praeter Oedipum admittunt. Tertius prodit uterque neuter, qui ambabus sellis sedet, qui omnia dicendi genera expe­ritur; cujus Oratio tanquam multiformis Luna secun­dùm varias mutat Quartas; modò gibbosa, modò falca­ta, plena, semi-plena, ac si Rhetorica Metempsychosin quandam instituerit, per omnes stylos pervagata. Ubi inte­rim Musarum Castitas? Adulter est ille Stylus, quire [...] [Page 151] habet cum pluribus, & maxima Oratoris laus est aequum & integritas. Sed proh stupor! Egone ut Rhetoricae [...]ncomia moliar, & Oratorem nostrum publicum cui omnes assurgunt, praetermittam? cujus nomen cum De­mosthene triplicare, est Rhetoricam ex omni parte de­finire. Peregrinatur in altis Rhetorica, hîc Incola est, non Hospes unde non magis illam divellas quàm Solem è Coelo, Iustitiam a Fabricio. Ille decus suae & do­lor nostrae Gentis, qui cum Orator sit & Graecus Profes­sor, pari jure quo Caesar, Consules, nominari potest Academiae Oratores. Ille enim verus Orator qui Am­bidexter, in quo binae linguae unum eloquentiae trahunt jugum. Refert Seneca de quodam, qui cum bis decla­masset in eodem die, Graecè, & Latinè, & sciscitare­tur quidam (ut curiosum sumus Literarum genus) quo­modo perorasset, responsum tulit, bené & [...], benè Latinè, perperam Graecè. Dictum non magis lepidum & rotundum quam hodiéque verum; quàm multi enim sunt Literati [...]; Quot Eloquentes [...]; Plures Cicerones (pauci licet) quàm Demosthenes. Incipiat sanè Rhetorica à Latinis, sed adolescat in Grae­cis. Graecia à Latio mutuetur Calendas; sed Nonas, sed Idus apponat suas: qui enim in solis Latinis est exercitatus, est Polyphemus monoculus, pene dixerim [...] Rhetoricus. Possem, Auditores, ad Cathedram ascendere, & ibi etiam quomodo Rhetorica pro Tribunali sedeat, demonstrare; sed pin­ge duos angues, sacer est locus: vel si fas esset laudes ejus attingere, attingere tamen est Peligio: ita enim in illo divino Professore conturbavit prodiga Rhetorica, ut nè unciam habeat unde cum posteris pro labore & vigiliis suis decernat. Huc usque eminus quasi verba feci; tempus est ut cum auditoribus meis cominus agerem: Moris enim est librum nominare, & sic pro hoc anno [Page 152] satisfecisse. Sed illud quicquid est numeris reliquum, in Termini proximè ineuntis exordium differam; u­bi tamen spero Auditores meos non affutores; nam si nullo alio modo vos deterrere possum, legam Arabice. O invidendam Praelectoris solitudinem! cujus in Indi­viduo, coelestem admodum, universa species Arabica, quantum ad nos spectat, conservatur. Quod si m [...]is ingratiis Auditores adsint, & Ego contra me sistam Rhetorem, uterque agemus quod nostrum est, usque vo­bis grati erimus. Rhetoricae & honori vestro pariter incumbemus: ita enim commodum nostrum & observan­tia vestri mutuo nexu alligantur, ut quo quisque erimus magis Rhetores, eò Munificentiae vestrae magis memores.

Oratio habita in Scholis Theologicis, cùm Moderatoris partes ageret.

QUae cum ità sint, Auditores, liceat tandem perora­re, Piladi dabo ut hodie insaniam, & tum fi­ [...]itus Orestes. Quod Reges solent, ubi satietas illos [...]undi ceperit, Coenobium intrare ut seipsos dediscant; perinde de nostro ingressu in hasce Scholas judicate. Poenitet nostrae nugacis facundiae, & in severiori hujus loci genio remedium quaero. Nec tamen sum ex illorum numero qui sapiunt in gratiis, qui gravitatem complect­untur, ut continentiam Senes, qui cum ulterius peccare nequeunt, resipiscunt. Spadonum est haec virtus; in­genia casta, quoniam non mascula; ac si Statuta nostra, sicut Turcarum Mulieres, non alios agno scerent Custo­des praeter Eunuchos. Pudet haec opprobria nobis dici. Sunt qui ingenio ingenium debellant, qui ex ferratis Stymphalidum pennis desumunt spicula, quibus ipsas aves, vivas illas pharetras, interficiunt. Hujusmodi cum audiam Tripodum Oracula, & ambiguos Vates, exemplo praeeuntes ingenium, quod Orationibus insectantur. Video Catonem sui ipsius lacerantem viscera; Video Demosthenem proprio Calamo pereuntem. Ad quid autem, dicit aliquis, hispida haec rerum facies? Ergó­ne defluet comptior Eloquentia, ut barbae squallor domi­netur? Absit omen! Regnet quidem Gravitas, sed citra straiatam frontem & Vultûs Tyrannidem, nè sit instar Sileni Alcibiadis, ita intùs Numen ut extùs ap­pareat Demogorgon. Qui in Oratore odit foeminae mollitiem, fastidit magis agrestes villos; qui denudat aures Rhetoricis cincinnis, extirpat radicitus genarum sentes: Neque enim illi accedo, qui consultus de opti­mo Rhetore, respondit, Statuta Academiae. Liber noster [Page 154] non stat in catenis reus eloquentis criminis, sed tanquam Tyrius Apollo ideo constringitur, nè suam gravatus servitutem mutaret Dominum. Facilis à libro ad Respon­dentem transitio, quos cum ambos simul cogitem, nes­cio an gemellos rectè nominarem. Gemelli; corpora si respicias sunt unius Divortium, si animas unio duorum, quasi vulnus à Natura factum amore mutuo erat coi [...] rum. O quam studet illam Naturae Diaeresin resarcirt, qui cum libro non indulserit Nasum; prohibere tamen nequit quin typis mandetur! ea enim est ejus cum lite­ris communio, ut literato ejus cumulo vel huno unicum librum addere, erant qui superstuum credidere. Vul­tis omnia? tam eruditus est noster Respondens, ut ve­reor ne tanquam Cataphractus miles, onustus potius quàm munitus literis videatur. Sed incassum ego mo­lior; surge tui ipsius Encomium; ego enim (tanquam pictum velum, aut expansum carbasum) spectaculum polliceor; tuum est, Scaligeri verbo, monstrum per­fectionis ostendere.

Oratio prior habita in Scholis Juridicialibus, Domino Doctore Littleton Respondente.

UNicum nostrum & captivum librum cum eodem obtutu quo numerosa tua conspiciam volumina, nescio quin disparis nostrae conditionis luculenta Icon videatur. Me quod spectat Eruditionis nostrae modu­lum satis unus, satis nullus liber repraesentat; cum tua grandiora merita vix integra complecti possit Bi­bliotheca. Ad quid autem librorum tantum; ubi ma­gis est literarum? Veteris picturae fuit opprobrium quòd hîc Canis, fuit adscriptum, cum viva effigies (tan­quam praeco domesticus) seipsam interpretetur. Cre­dimus te literatum, non propter Authorum, sed prop­ter tuiipsius testimonium. Optimus Nomenclator ima­ginis est loquax artificium. Propria virtus, non far­rago librorum te honestabit, & unicus tuus Orator erit Respondens. O quam superbit Alma Mater, quae fre­quentem nuper enixa sobolem in te uno duplicavit nume­rum! Refert de patre quodam Historia, qui inter filios divisurus bona, primo tantum tribuit, & Lucium co­haeredem facit; tantum secundo, & Lucium addit; tertio tantum, & usque Lucium fortunae suae rivalem: cumque in qualibet cerâ scripsisset Lucium, hoc addit Elogium, Lucius & Fratres sunt Gemini. Quid aliud Gemini quàm Naturae aequilibrium? quae cum unum fra­trem reliquos Triumviratûs regulâ, adaequare faciat, Quò tum te creavit virtus? Multiplexes in tuis Fratribus, & qua scunque laudes illi meruerunt, tu nasceris particeps. Certè si te unum tantum pepererit Academia, multos simul pariat necesse, ut duos dicatur peperisse. Neque tamen de Fratrum copia de sperandum est; si enim parturienti Acade­miae, ut laboranti Lunae, strepitu & sono obstetricandum sit, [Page 156] nullum facilius quam Iuridicorum erit puerperium [...] Crederem equidem vel in ipso utero litigare velle, ut ci­tius nascerentur. Hinc est quod tam universa prod [...] Cadmi seges, ut malè metuo ne vix satis sit litium ad omnes alendos. Quod si bono fato contigerit, arm [...] aristae se metent invicem & (piscium ad instar) [...] praedae deficit, vorabunt mutuò. Liceat mihi, Themi­dos Magnates, Causidicorum vulgus paulum perstringe­re, ut vestra magis internoscantur merita; cumque a­liàs modestia vestra non patiatur, in aenigmate saltem adulari liceat. Subdola furium scientia hanc inter reli­quas excogitavit fallaciam. Fures duo à jurgiis auspi­cati pugnam simulant, capita pro mutuâ Colophorum li­bidine probè demulcent, quod cum confertus hinc illius populus spectatum prodeat, usque praeliantur bellicosi A [...] ­cupes, dum à Collegis suis turbae commixtis, singulo­rum marsupia pertunduntur. Non in vestram pecc [...]o dignitatem, si nubat haec Similitudo. Sunt & in vestra gente Cauponantes belli, qui ita disputant, ut quaestio­nem in alienis loculis inveniant, & (quod pessimum est) in illis exercitiis nullum agnoscunt Moderatorem. L [...] ­diones sunt qui ob mercedem pugnant, vestra Disputatio sola retinet liberalitatem scientiae. Sed Infans encomi­um addendo detrahit; laudare quod satis nequis est sa­crilegium admittere. Age igitur, Doctissime Vir, & disputatio vestra quae praecidit mihi Orationis progres­sum, suo indicio, & vestris radiis magis eniteat.

Oratio posterior, eodem Respondente.

DE Gallis dicitur quod primus plusquam virorum impetus, secundus minor sit quam foeminarum. Digni profectò qui ab Uxoribus suis vapularent milites, cum (tanquam meticulosi lepores) fortitudinis suae sexum mutent. Non tu hujusmodi Tyresias Gallicus, [...]t virilis anima sit degener in foeminam, & novissimae [...]ebdomadae fortis Disputatio subsidat hodiè in sequiorem. Eccum vobis, Auditores optimi, eundem Responden­tem! virtutem parem! noster Hercules non Ancillam [...]nduit, nec nobilis ille clavae terror ad humile ministeri­um Coli emasculatur. Cestius Rhetor ita sibi & Elo­quentiae suae supervixit, ut discipulus ejus per cineres per­orantis Cestii juraret. Quotusquisque est qui suum ipsius stat Monumentum, cujus vigor igneus in flebile frigescit marmor, idem Eruditionis Cadaver & Sepul­chrum? Secus tua divina virtus, quae aemulos prius supe­rare contenta, nunc audaci conatu seipsam molitur; quae cum alios ita nuper vinceret, nunc ipsam Victori­am captivam ducet. Hoc habet quilibet generosus ani­mus, ut ne Solstitium patiatur, tantum abest ut agnos­cat Tropicum. Praestat aeternùm fuisse claudum, quam tandem retrogradum. Malo Mulier esse quam Eunuchus. Malo nasci quam fieri ignavus. Pristinae igitur vir­tutis memor iterum descendis in pulverem, & priori gloriâ, tanquam optimo tubicine, redaccensus instauras praelium. Proinde à Majoribus nostris cautum est, ut duos actus praestarent Iuridici; absque enim vobis & vestris litibus dualis numerus non esset inventus. Hinc est quod semel tantum respondeat Theologus, ut quos vestra jurgia duos effecerint, ejus Pietas reduces faciat ad unitatem. Si Theologia & Medicina cum Iurispru­dentiâ [Page 158] de forma concertarent, tam turbida est Facult [...] vestra, ut me Paride, vestrum esset Pomum Discordi [...] Sterilescit hoc anno Medicina, ut quae satis novit quod ingruente bello, citra Medicorum opem mori possumus. Deficit Medicina, redundat Facultas vestra, neq [...] mirum tamen quod binos alat ubere foetus, cum ad Ar [...] vestrae mulctram nos humanum pecus toties veniamus. Gens Amazonum alteram mammam solet exurere, [...] ad praeliandum magis sit accommoda; ambas habet Iu­risprudentia, & tamen plus quam Amazon est bellicosa. Qui solet omnia duplicare Bacchus à Poet is fingitur [...]is natus; duplex actus te peperit geminum. Ecce ti [...] Jovis & Patris mixtura dulcis, qui disputationis f [...] ­mine te primum genuit, in amoris femur nunc reconder. Epaminondas moriturus, cum ejus orbitatem defler [...] quidam, nihil de tam egregiâ stirpe reliquum fuisse: Leuctram & Mantinaeam, duas pulcherrimas filias se reliquisse dixit. Quid aliud tua disputatio gemin [...] quam Leuctra & Mantinaea? pulchrae quidem fili [...], quas ita desponsatas sibi velit posteritas aemula, ut qui in futurum seculum erit doctus, erit Gener tuus. Ag [...] igitur, & fortiter, cavendum enim est ab Achillis fa­to qui usque fuisti invulnerabilis, in Disputationis cal [...] occidaris.

Oratio itidem habita in Scholis Juridicialibus, cum Moderatoris partes ageret.

CUm vos intuear, Iurispiritûm Par, simulque re­ductis introrsum oculis imperitiam meam, Areo­ [...]agum esse in hisce Scholis duplex argumentum invenio, [...]estram in agendo solertiam, & nostras Iudicandi te­ [...]ebras. Fabula de Capro inter duos Arietes curs [...]s [...]rbitro, & ab hinc illinc procurrentibus utrinque con­ [...]so; fabula inquam haec utinam esset fabula, nec in Moderatore vestro hodiernum nacta [...]. Sa­ [...]urni aetas foelix magis, quod innocens, an misera [...]uod nullis Legibus instituta, digna vobis quaestio. [...]ratulor quidem ego primaevum scelus; qui pri [...] deli­ [...]uit, primus Solon & Lycurgus fuit, ita Ciconiae [...]d modum vitae damno Iura peperit, & tanquam Au­ [...]graphus Draco, suo sanguine Leges scripsit. Me­ [...]rcule peccandi Inventio, quae. Leges introduxit, cujus [...]i primus Author extitit, tanto beneficio redemit sce­ [...]s, ut facinus infra gloriam fuisse videatur. Nec [...]estra unius populi, sed Gentium superbia est Iurispru­ [...]entia; cujus in clientela Nationes omnes & Provinciae [...]rent, & de Iuris Civilis ac de Solis communione uni­ [...]rsae participant. Insulas, Urbes & singula Geo­ [...]aphiae frusta Ius Municipale occupat, cum Civile [...]iversum Orbem complectatur, & Regiones, ut ut [...]ssitas, suâ tamen sub ditione foederatas, vel invitâ [...]aturâ, jubet coalescere. Britannos ipsos, quos cum [...]ero Orbe in bilance quadam Natura posuit, Ius Ci­ [...]le (tanquam Isthmus quidam) conciliat, & ju­ [...]li quadam societate connectit. Neque magis Orbem [...]s vestrum colligit, quam illud alteram dividit & ar­ [...]ulatim comminuit. Est (quam vellem dixisse fuit!) [Page 160] legultiorum genus, quos artem nescias an pulmones pro­fessos; qui ambi [...]uitate vocis abusi, Forum in Empo­rium mutan [...], ubi quid vendant sat superque norint, qui tanti emunt poenitere. Quid turbae est apud Forum? Quid illic homines litigant; qui ita clangant, ac si cum Proavis suis Capitolium defenderent? Advertas modo, & audi [...]s. Damonis Caprum à Causidico quodam pari clamore quo olim surreptum; multum latrante Lycisca repetitum. Sed quid ego illos perstringo, quos vestra coelitus dilapsa scientia ipsâ comparatione satis arguit? satis per seipsam splendet vestra purpura, ut ne alieno rubore indigeat. Quod meum igitur est, Iudex assur­go, vultis, & qualis? qui causam nescio. Ais? Aio: Negas? Nego; tam dubia est nostra Modera­trix Trutina; ut ne pulvisculum habeat Doctrinae qu [...] vel hanc, vel illam prae [...]ravabit sententiam. Agite i­gitur Themidos Supreme. Flamen, tuque inferior Mysta, & dum vos tanto litetis Numini, ego (tan­quam Cereris Arcano) sacro excipiam silentio; neque enim alio concilio huc ascendi, quam quo Philippi puer, i [...] Argumenta vestra, si prolixiora, mortalitatis su [...] admonerem.

Ad Archiepiscopum Cantuariensem

QUos ad Aram vestram impulit pri [...]s. Hostium ma­litia, eò Numinis bonit as allexit denuó. Suppli­ces qui primum accessin [...]us, grati jam redimus; & ubi Asylum habuimus, eò sacrificium [...], sed quantum thuri nostro dissidimus, ubi [...] Jovem Statorem cogitamus? Beneficium quidem vestrum seriò gratula­mur, sed & dolenius pariter; cujus magnitudo gratias in [...]um provocat, [...] nos ad ingra [...]os necesse damnet: e­ [...]vero nos indigni qui s [...]s grati. Edvardus & E­lizabetha Virginei Reges conjugantur in gratiis; quo­rum numera suam ex traduce Castita [...]em non conservas­s [...], nisi quod Patrocinio vestro à Sacrilego raptu vin­dica entur. O quam fidelis erit ille erga Regem suum, cujus pertinax Pietas cineres Regios demeretur! Quam avida interim humanitas as vestra, quae non nisi tribus se­ [...]is contenta! quae retro aevum in [...]uetur, ut in futurum prospiciat; quae ad Proavos nostros ideo recutrit, ut ma­jori cum impetu ad Nepotes prosiliat. Ut Gratitudo i­gitur nostra coaetanea sit beneficiis vestris, qui tres aetat [...] beas, tertium hominum ae [...]em vivas. Gratulamur ig [...]ur Patronum nostrum, quem dum gratulamur fuisse, usque gratulamur sore: quicquid enim gratiarum hodi­erni Clientes non ab solvimus, posteris adimplendum re­linquemus,

Ad Episeopum Lincolniensem.

LIteras vestras ad Doctorem datas, & ad nos tan­quam haeredes secundae cerae delatas, ut amoris vestri clementiam gratulamur! Consulto siquidem Am­plitudinis tuae refringis radios, priusquam ad imbellem nostrum aciem pervenirent. Solem in unda spectamus faciles, quem in orbe suo non sine lippitudine sustinemus. Quae fuit scribendi; utinam eadem esset responsi metho­dus, ut excusatione ad alium traduce peteremus veniam, & vicario rubore delictum nostrum fateremur. Quan­quam si penitius causam excutias, peccamus magis quod deprecamur, & majori obsequio rebelles fuimus, quàm morigeri essemus. Quid enim aliud est peregrinum as­ciscere, quam sanguinem vestrum exhaeredem facere. Collegium mater abdicat suos, si adoptet alienos. Si Tros Tyrius (que) nullo discrimine, Tyrius, vel in propriis penatibus erit inquilinus. Ergóne degener tan­dem vestra familia, & desiderat indigenas honoribus pa­res. Erubescendum opprobrium! & dignum quod tan­tus Mecaenas experiundo refutaret. Habet igitur quod imputet Collegium, non quod defendat; si enim in hoc peccet, quod sobolem suam habeat charissimam, jussu naturae peccat, vestris peccat sub auspiciis! pertinaciori enim amplexu fovet filios, quia fatres tuos: Fratres dicimus, & satis cum superbia repetimus, ita enim cu­ra vestra profitetur Patrem, amor Fratrem; ut non Oe­dipus majori cum aenigmate sceleratus fuerit, quam tu pius Matris Maritus, & Fratrum Pater. Veneramur igitur Patris & Fratris mixturam dulcem. Solvimus [Page 163] quas debemus gratias, & magis debemus solutas. Est beneficii Mantissa gratias admittere, praesertim nostras quales receptas in damno potes deputare,

Ad Episcopum Lincolniensem tunc temporis ò carcere laxatum.

CUjus laborantes fortunas pari animorum deliquio diu expressimus, ne graveris si ejus redivivo ju­bare experrecti triumphemus: hodie enim est quod vi­vimus postliminio, & in vindiciis honoris vestri, quot­quot sumus, Virbii. Siquidem in moerorè vestro, quid aliud fuit vita nostra quam nocturna lucubratio, & occidenti tuo. superesse quam in gratiis Naturae vivere? Sed salva res est. Reddidit diem redux Phosphorus; & post tanta cum Astris jurgia, Collegium Mater jam tandém fatetur Coelos. Incassum Tubas fatigarunt Veteres, ut Eclipsin redimerent. Alma mater suspiriis suis magis sonoris prostigavit vestram; scilicet hic fuit foelicitatis vestrae somnus, qui tantum abest, ut illam extingueret, ut reficiat potius & alacriorem reddat. Eccum tibi majorem mundum tuum ad exemplar composi­tum; vel (si mavis dictum) luce & tenebris distin­ctum! Sol si perpetuus splenderet, nec Aram, nec Mystam haberet Persicam. Enimvero caligantes oculi nostri pacti sunt inducias cum fulgore vestro, quibus finitis ad pristinum redit seipsum. Aspicias quae sumus Clientum n [...]mina, & agnoscas tot radios à luminoso tuo corpore diffusos; nihil enim de nostro habemus. Percurras singulos, & videas teipsum exiliorem semper ad modum, sed modo plenius, modo angustius, pro va­riâ speculorum indole repercussum; atque hinc est quod Imaginem vestram, tanquam Collegii Palladium, inter Archiva recondimus; ut mater enixa sobolem ad pictu­ram sistat, vultus comparet, & ita umbrâ vestrâ, plusquam splendore Phoebi, distinguat pullos. Gratu­ [...]ur igitur vel nostro nomine novas hasce honorum in­duvias: [Page 165] Vivas in posterum fortunâ major. Ingens vester animus, tanquam illud aeternum jecur, indigne­tur vulturem, quo magis consumitur, augeatur magis, & inter ipsos invidiae molares crescat virtus. Ita vovemus,

Ad eundem jam factum Archiepiscopum Eboracensem.

USque & usque quod gratulamur si molesti simus, utinam indies cresceret peccandi materia. Pie­tas officii non metuit Cramben, sed vestri honoris aemu­la indignatur Non ultra. Quin placeat igitur nostris, in literis fortunas tuas ruminare, & prolixioris calami gutture (quod Philoxenus gruino voluit) repetere da­pum voluptatem. Neque retro tantum gaudemus, pren­samus sinciput, & in futurum gratulamur: providè factum & tempestivè; cò enim perrexit virtus vestra, ut si paulutum promoveat, humanos limites supergressus eris ineffabilis. At luxat nobis animos divinus horror, oum sacra facturis eminus, & splendor vester & subli­mitas obversentur. Nictat Religio quae veneratur So­lem, & tremore Luminum fatetur Deum. Eadem est nostra oculorum Conscientia, qui radios vestros non sine visûs crepusculo sustinemus. Nec minus sublimitatem vestram luimus; siquidem sacrificantium Zelus, tan­quam flamma Sacrificii, quò magis ascendit, eò magis trepidat. Sed Optimus emollis Maximum. Clementia vestra disputat cum Amplitudine, & hac amicissima lite, (quasi totius Naturae puerperium) officium nostrum est oriundum. Ignoscimus Fatis immodestiam suam, quicquid adversi contingit, ut favoris insidias imputamus. Scilicet recurrere videbantur fortunae vestrae, ut fortius prosilirent. Comprobavit exitus ingenium commenti. Militans Ecclesia jam triumphat in promulside; & fluctuans, ut olim Arca, tandem in montibus requiescit. Non amplius Collegium Mater Canos lacerat, nec facit suâ computat miserias. Musae, quibus vivere fuit Hy­perbole, nunc audent vigere; quippe Altitudo vestra [Page 167] (ut Niliaca Aegypti) fertilitatem Literarum omina­tur. Enimvero cum Astra sint foelicitatis nostrae con­di-promi; quid est quod à Superis non expectemus, Patrono nostro in hac Syderum vicinia collocato? Oran­dus igitur es, Archi-Praesul Dignissime, ut ambitionem nostram serò sisteres, ut honores vestros subinde catena­res, & cum supremum fortunae gradum conscenderis, nec dum terminetur Climax vestra, Coelum superest.

Epistola Gratulatoria ad Episcopum Dunel­mensem, qui in Bibliothecam Iohannensem saepius suit Beneficus.

QUamvis ea sic Liberalitatis vestrae divina indoles, ut prodesse malit quam agnosci, ea nostrae Talio­nis paupertas, quae nec illam debita gratitudine metiri valeat, nolumus tamen donis lacessiti alternas deserere, sed Amoebaeo gratiarum obsequio humanitati vestrae suc­cinere. Erubescimus quidem hunc imparem congressum, ubi tam frequentia volumina unico gratulatorio Indice colligimus; & quae Bibliotheca vix capit, exiguis Epistolii pellibus arctare cogimur. Quotus enim es Mecoenas noster? Quam atavis erga nos beneficiis e­ditus? qui ita annuus in teipsum redis, ita [...] beneficia repetis, ac si novissima quaeque munera recenti­ori fulgore castigares. Quotuplicem igitur veneramur eundem Patronum? qui ut caeteris omnibus praeripuit ae­mulationis secundas, ita nec sibi ipsi concedit primas; sed variatis subinde amoris indiciis seipsum vicit; nec diu erit quin ipsam victoriam captivam ducet. Esuri­ens modo Theca nostra ita benignitate vestrâ extendit fauces, ut si qua hujusmodi satius posset capi, à crapulâ proprior quàm à fame abesset. Solvimus igitur quas debemus gratias, & usque debemussolutas, dapibus tuis Helluones accedimus; Libris & Honori vestro pariter incumbimus; ita enim commodum nostrum & observantia vestri mutuo nexu alligantur, ut quo [Page 169] [...]que doctiores erimus, eo Munificentiae vestrae magis [...]ores.

Ad eundem Episcopum Dunelmensem.

TAm frequentia sunt erga nos beneficia vestra, [...] perpetuis Choreis in orbem acta, ut ducat ilia g [...] titudo nostra, nec anhela tamen Liberalitati tantae [...] pondere possit. Literae enim nostrae quid aliud sunt q [...] humanitatis vestrae Echo? ita dimidiata loquuntur [...] ce, nec nisi ultimas ejus syllabas possunt repetere. Q [...] sum autem meditamur gratias, quas ne impune usq [...] egimus, quin nova subinde in vindictam surgit M [...] ficentia. Nolumus tamen, nolumus inulti cedere, [...] qùe rebelles in obsequio erimus, & quo unico tam di [...] nam indolem ulcisci possumus, munera vestra agnos [...] mus. Desponsasti tibi Bibliothecam nostram (ut R [...] manis usus) per coemptionem, quae singulas libro [...] frontes mariti nomine inscripta, tanquam victuro g [...] Posteritati commendatur. Unum autem prae omn [...] Amplitudini vestrae debemus librum, illum volumus [...] morem Patronorum indicem, qui scriptus & in terg [...] nec dum finitus, nomen tuum, ut utramque ejus pag [...] nam summâ cum lubentiâ recordatur.

[...]mino Edvardo Littleton, Sigilli Custodi.

QUod fortunas vestras infimi homines eminus gratu­lamur, peccamus de industria, ut scias commu­ [...] laetitiam inde perceptam, vel ad Reipublicae talos [...]cendisse, Caput ubi lauro circundatur, triumphant pedes. Obtinet idem membrorum foedus, ut quic­ [...]d tibi accedit decoris, illud ut nostrum gaudeamus: [...] nostrum modò cum caeteris, habemus quod soli & [...]arivales gloriemur. Cum enim pro humanitate quâ [...]es maximâ, Collegium nostrum non it a pridem invi­ [...]es (parce dicto cui vestra Comitas fecit fidem) [...]ptasse tibi Matrem videbaris; sed privatam super­ [...]m interpellat publica, & Gratulatio nostra ad Patriae [...]um est annectenda. Quae ante fluitavit Delos [...]ula, nato Apolline stetit immota; olim fabula, [...]t olim Historia. Reservavit se tibi fluctuans [...]glia Tridente tuo componenda. Nec nobis diutiús [...]ngit animum Antecessoris fatum, quod in ignotâ [...]enâ jaceat Palinurus; alter erit jam Typhis; [...] decumanae quae illum absorpsit und [...] te propriús [...] Coelos [...]ollet. Blandius aequor nemo non facile [...]deratur, ut non nisi mare turbidum est periculum dignum. Enimvero placent discordiae hac merce­ [...], ut consilio tuo sopiantur; tanti enim est vestrum [...]egimen, ut majora pateremur. Macte igitur, [...]eros ter maxime, triplici omine, ut Militans Eccle­sia [Page 172] te agnoscat Scutum, nutans Academia Scipi [...] Laborans Britannia Statorem Jovem.

Edvardo Herbert, Domino Herbert de Cherbury.

QUod vestras graviores [...] as importuno officio inter­calamus, peccamn magis si deprecemur: rapis e­ [...]im ad illud obsequium tui plenos, & tanto afflati numi­ [...]e videmur nobis non posse delinquere. Enimvero [...]adem nobis agendi grati [...] quae tibi premer endi incumbit [...]ecessitas, & Gratitudo nostra, ut [...]t audacior, in hoc [...]altem erit innocen [...], quod à Liberali [...]te vestrâ fu [...] [...]dux. Accepimus libro [...] tuos & Tues, geminos [...]stos purioris Tue Minervae Filio [...]. O quam (ut ne [...]id amplius) fatentur Patrein! Be [...]ae, ad [...]culum, Musae, quod [...]itra Literarum decliv [...], cum Artium [...]gula moliatur Aetas, ipse emineas Scientiae Columen & Destina Veritatis. Libros dum legimus, legimus Unum Duos. Quàm pulchrè patrissant Volumina! Quàm gemellos tuos Honores referunt! Scilicet, Bilex est vestra nobilitas, Liceris & Stemmate intertexta. He­licon sanguinis tibi fuit in venis, non minor eruditio­nis quàm Natalium Claritas. Amplectimur igitur hos Fratres in anum, & parentem suum ut Unum nobiles [...]eneramur. Sed incassum gratias meditamur, quas magnitudo beneficii ita provocat, ut simul extinguat. Sic vidimus Solem ignem accendere, & fortiori radio sopire denuò.

Domine, Honori vestro quam Devotissimi.

Ad Doctorem Newall.

NEscimus enim quali compellemus nomine, que [...] maternus Collegii amor scribit Filium, misera [...] let patronum, penes tuam erit benevolentiam, & M [...] ­trem agnoscere, & Clientem reddere: Bibliotheca & Sacellum precantur à Symbolis, & jugali quadam cala­mitate vestram attrahunt liberalitatem. O quam ido­neum nactus es Argumentum, & doctum te profiteri & pium; nec in tuis ipsius virtutibus sistere, sed & nostrarum Artificem esse! Age igitur, Mecaenas. uni [...], & ubi divinam tuam benefaciendi indolem (cui [...] Epistola habet parem Suadam) perlegeris, nullus dubi­t [...] quin usque erimus, qui sumus Munificenti [...] vestra memores,

Ad Magistrum Wandesforth.

QUin & nos admittis ad hoc gaudii convivium? Commendat epulas rivalis Stomachus, quas soli­taria quad [...]a reddit insipidas. Liceat nobis commensa­ [...]es esse felicitatis tuae, & in cemmunis Triumphi cho­ [...]um accedere. Quorsum autem supplices eramus, quod jure nostro possumies exposcere? Ea gaudemus gratis quae [...]on solliciti ambimus: ubi vero vota nuncupavimus; [...]bi sedulis precibus Candidati fuimus, non immerito victoriae laetitiam arrogamus. Namque nupera est haec voluptas nostra; diu est quod extispices egimus virtu­ [...]um tuarum, & in illis meritis honores providimus se­cuturos. Nec dum clauduntur oculi: Mater Collegium [...]sque agit Sibyllam; perge va [...]cinium fortunâ indies [...]iridi comprobare; perge Johannensem Genium agnosce­ [...]e; perge denique eò assurgere, ut Mater tua nequent (quod Parentum erga Liberos conspicilla praestant) majori sub specie represemare filium. Sed ne nimii, ubi satis multi non possumus; inter virtutes tuos & recentes ho­ [...]ores perpetuas vovemus nundinas, qui serio tibi hoc no­ [...]issimum decus gratulamur,

[Page 176] UBi aurita satis est filii pietas, ibi vel tacitae ma­tris est loquax paupertas, ita alacris gratitudo non expecta [...] preces, sed in also silentio cognatae [...]dit ejulatum miseri [...]. Collegium quod vestrum [...]tavit a­dolescentium, vestra v [...]cissim desiderat ubera, & quem in [...]nu fovit juvenem, atatis agnoscit baculum, & pa­rente [...] Scipionem; Bi [...] perimus dum Squallorem repeti­mu [...], & alti [...] cogimur facere notius, quod ipse nesc [...]re mal [...]us: primitiae doloris nostri Deo sunt debit [...], eo scilicet angustiarum redigimur, ut Sacellum in Sacello qu [...]ramus, nec inveniamus tamen: Quod aliis igitur praesidiis contigit, ut ara [...] occupent, Sacellum sibi inter­dictum doler, nisi El [...]emosynas quas ipsum erogare solet ab aliis accipi [...]t? Habemus capsulam, penes [...] est [...] dicamus Bibliothecam. O Quantum hoc mane nostrum! [...] Augusta domus, tampaucos inquilinos? Quam pul­chrum esset araneas deturbare? Quam [...]e dignum [...] pu [...]amini congr [...]um adaptare n [...]leum Agat prout velit liber ali [...] [...], quod pressius à nobis dictum [...]uit [...] [...]ùs exponat, optimum enim ipse Oratorem ages, & simul tibi quam maxime devincies

Vinum est Poetarum Equus.

URbs Athenae cum fundaretur, Neptunus & Mi­nerva litigarunt uter Civitatem haberet cognomi­nem, pactum est ut qui majori beneficio humanum genus ditare posset, Urbem nominaret; Neptunus Equum, Pallas Olivam produxit, unde victrix Athenas nomina­vit. Quod si meo judicio stetisset lis, si Neptunus ta­lis Equi, qualis est vinum Author fuisset, dignus sanè qui matri Academiae dedisset nomen. Vinum Equus, à cujus ungula dulcior fons quam Hippocrene scaturiit. Equus, qui plures alas ingenio addit, quam Pegasus ad volatile remigium accommodavit, qui labra proluit hoc fonte Caballino, non mirum si in proximo versu Ebrius in bicipiti somniavit Pernasso. Vinum Equus, sed qui sessorem suum saepe excutit, & ad terram affligit, qui tanquam ille Diomedis herum suum devorat, Pitissant poetastri & longa quasi arundine equitant, cum Ennius ipse pater, nunquam nisi potus ad arma prosiliit dicenda. Horatius toties equitavit, ac si vinum tanquam Buce­phalus neminem praeter illum vectare debuisset. Deni­que ex hujus equi utero plures prodierunt Ingenii heroes quam ex Trojana, Vinum Equus, at Cervisia Musa­rum Mulus, majori ex parte Asinus, vel si Equus Suc­cessor potius quàm tolutarius, quam non citius nomino quin stupidus obmutesco. Sed tempus est ut Equus meus habenas audiat, huc usque Equo vestro paravi Ephippia tenui stupa, ut vos conscenderetis: Unicum est quod singulos velim praemonitos, ea est hujus Equi ferocia, ut sobrium illud Phoebi Consilium sit maturum, Parce puer stimulis & fortiùs utere loris.