The University his oath so uprightly; he never is forsworne, for His Yeoman S the hanger that a sergeant weares by his side, it is a false die of the same bale, but not the same cut, for it runnes some-what higher, and does more mischiefe. It is a tumbler to drive in the conies. He is yet but a bungler, and knowes not how to cut up a man without tearing, but by a pattern. One terme fleshes him, or a Fleet-street breake fast. The devill is but his father in law, and yet for the love hee bares him, he will leave him as much as if he were his owne child. And for that cause (in stead of prayers) he does every morning at the counter-gate aske him blessing, and thrives the better in his actions all the day after. This is the hook that hangs under water to choake the fish, and his sergeant is the quill above water, which pops downe so soone as ever the bait is swallowed. It is indeed an otter, and the more terrible destroyer of the two. This counter rat hath a taile as long as his fellowes, but his teeth are more sharp, and he more hungry, because he does but snap, and hath not his full halfe-share of the booty. The eye of this wolfe is as quicke in his head, as a cut-purses in a throng, and as nimble is hee at his businesse, as an hang-man at an execution. His office is as the dogs to worrie the sheepe The University of tuna Libidirek first, or drive them to the shambles; the butcher that cuts his throat, steps out afterwards, and that's his sargeant. His living lies within the city, but his conscience lies buried in one of the holes of a counter. This ecle is bred too, out of the mud of a bankerupt, and dies commonly with his guts ript up, or else a sudden stab sends him of his last errant. Hee will very greedily take a cut with a sword, and sucke more silver out of the wound then his surgeon shall. His beginning is detestable, his courses desperate, and his end damnable. S a creature mistaken in the making, for hee should bee a tyger, but the shape being thought too terrible, it is covered; and hee weares the vizor of a man, yet retaines the qualities of his former fiercenesse, currishnesse, and ravening. Of that red earth, of which man was fashioned, this peece was the basest; of the rubbish which was left, and throwne by, came a jaylor, or if God had something els to doe then to regard such trash, his descent is then more ancient, but more ignoble, for then hee comes of the race of those angels that fell with Lucifer from heaven, whither he never (or very hardly) returnes. Of all his bunches of keyes, not one hath wards to open that doore; for a jaylors soule stands not upon those two pillars that support heaven, (justice and mercy :) it rather sits upon those two foot-stooles of hell, wrong and cruelty. Hec is a judges slave, a prisoner's his. In this they differ, he is a voluntary one, the other compeld. Hee is the hang-man of the law (with a lame hand) and if the law gave him all his limbs perfect, he would strike those, on whom he is glad to fawne. In fighting against a debtor, hee is a creditors second; but observes not the lawes of the duello, for his play is foule, and on all base advantages. His conscience and his shackles hang up together, and are made very neere of the same mettle, saving that the one is harder then the other, and hath one property above iron, for that never melts. He distils money out of poore mens teares, and growes fat by their curses. No man comming to the practicall part of hell, can discharge it better because here he do's nothing but study the theoricke of it. His house is the picture of hell in little, and the originall of the letters patents to his office, stands exemplified there. A chamber of lowsie beds, is better worth to him than the best acre of corne-land in England. Two things are hard to him (not almost impossible) viz: to save all his prisoners that none ever escape, and to be saved himselfe. eares are stopt to the cries of others, and Gods to his and good reason, for lay the life of a man in His one scale, and his fees on the other, hee will loose the first, to find the second. He must looke for no mercy (if hee desires justice to be done to him) for he shewes none, and I thinke he cares the lesse, because he knowes heaven hath no need of such tenants, the doores there want no porters, for they stand ever open. If it were possible for all creatures in the world to sleepe every night, he onely and a tyrant cannot. This blessing is taken from them, and this curse comes in the stead, to be ever in feare, and ever hated: what estate can be worse? What a Character is. FI must speake the schoole-masters language, I will confesse that character Fa comes of this infinitive moodle χαράξω, which signifieth to ingrave, or make a deepe impression. And for that cause, a letter (as A. B.) is called a character. Those elements which wee learne first, leaving a strong seale in our memories. Character is also taken for an Egyptian hieroglyphicke, for an imprese, or short embleme; in little comprehending much. To square out a character by our English levell, |