Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

+

>

17. The Count of Gondemore the day he tooke his leave of the King at Greenwich, to go home for Spaine, upon the occasion of the match, his last words were to leave an impression of the advantages that would arise from that happy conjunction to both Kingdomes in his maties breast, and therefore told what great things Spaine had done in Christendome, in the time of Phillip the Second, who in his latter dayes, being an infirm Prince, had at once to doc with the greatest Christian Princes, and how he of himselfe only, maintained wars in France, Germany, the Low Countryes, Hungary, and against the Turks, what a navy he sent into England, and after into Ireland, intending the totall conquest of them both, and yet he lost nothing of his own territories in all his life; so that England and Spaine being joyned by this match, might by the union of their powers give lawes to whole Christendome besides. The King made answer with a sober countenance, My Lord, it is true which you say, but it is a thing I have ever observed in every nation, each [have] their proper inclinations. Observe a Frenchman, and be he never so wise in his greatest affaires, within a short time he will fetch a slight frisk and be casting capriolls to shew himselfe a right Frenchman; and consider a Spanyard, be he never so wise, grave, and temperate in his treaties, before he leaves he will shew some odd rodomontado or other; and I take it, Sir,

(said the King) you are of Galatia. The Embassador comes to him and caught him in his arines transported with excess of laughing, and sware, per dies, he wold never forget that true and ingenious reply, and it should be the first thing he would aquaint the King his master with.

18. I should think it a signe that God loved me not, if I killed a man by chance.

19. I will not call those women whores that paint, I'le boldly say 'tis the badge of a whore.

20. There are two things that keep a woman chast, conscience and honour; the one within, the other without.

21. Men in arguing are often carryed by the force of words farther asunder than their questions was at first; like two ships going out of the same haven, their landing is many times whole countryes distant.

22. All that ever wrote of Christ, said he was an honest man, they had so much naturall sight as to see his civil goodness, but they wanted the super naturall gift to see his Godhead.

23. Any sinu done in jest, is a greater offence than when it is done in earnest.

24. King Henry the Eighth was an ill natur'd Prince to execute so many whome he had so highly favour'd: I can never hate the person I have once placed my affection upon; I may hate some vices of his, which may lessen my favour, but never bend

my heart against him, nor undoe him, unlesse he undoe himselfe.

25. God's decrees goes alwayes before his knowledge, for else would his knowledge exceed his power, but with man it is otherwyse; he must first know, and after decrec; the reason is, that which man knows is without him, and that which he doth is within himselfe, and is part of his own nature.

26. God hath called many from heresies to be teachers in the church, but never any of a bad life, but only to a particular salvation; for that is more against nature. Who denyes a thing he even now spake, is like him that looks in my face and picks my pocket.

27. In my conversation, there is two things which I ever took care of, I never in my life transgressed, to scandall a man's valour or honesty, nor a woman's chastity, unless I knew that by common fame.

28. To make women learned, and foxes tame, hath the same operation, which teacheth them to steale more cuningly, but the possibility is not equall, for when it doth one good, it doth twenty harme. 29. Iremember well the matter of a book, seldome the page; the first is the memory of the rationall, the latter of the sensative soule.

30. I wonder not so much that women paint themselves, as that when they are painted, men can love thein.

31. In clothes, I would have the fashion choose the man, and not a man the fashion.

32. The art of phisitians is very imperfect, for I doubt not but for every disease there is in nature a severall symple, if they could find it out, so that their compounds do rather shew their ignorance than knowledge.

33. He that writeth an history and giveth credit to all outward reports, the author may be wise, but the work shall be foolish.

34. Not only the deliverance of the Jewes 'till they came to the Land of Promise, but even their dayly preservation was miraculous, for there was never any noted plague in Jerusalem, though it stood in an hott clymate, which, had it been, would have endangered the whole nation, it being to assemble thither thrice every yeare of necessity.

35. God accepts the intent before the deed, for if I doe justice because I would be counted a just King, and not for God's glory, not because I stand answerable to God if I doe otherwise, or if I doe punnish a man rightly, but withall sattisfie my own malice, these are an abomination. If I give almes only for my reputations sake, these are wicked deeds, because there is nullum medium, whatsoever is without faith is sinn.

36. I never knew that Puritane that spake well of any man behind his back, or took delight to doe good to any, being naturally covetous of his purse, and liberall of his tongue, so that he is alwayes an ill neighbour, and a false friend.

1.

37. I would most unwillingly do that ill, which lay not in my power to mend.

38. God hath distributed his benefits so equally, that there is noe country which excelleth not all other in some things or other, so as it borrows, it lends; likewise in men there is noe one so excelleth in one thing, but hath need of anothers witt in some other, and from these two proceed all trafick and society.

39. God never failes of his word, but where he threatens ill to man, as in punnishing Ninevye; but alwayes performes where he promisseth good, that or better, as he promissed to Abraham and his seed, temporall, earthly blessedness, and instead of that gives them everlasting and heavenly benediction.

40. Most heresies have proceeded from mingling philosophy with religion, from that and policy have all the Papists errors risen; and Christ tells them that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdome of heaven.

41. Noe man shall do evill that thinks before he undertakes what the end will be, not what his passions would have it to be.

42. I have been often deceived, yet will I never leave to trust, neither shall the falshood of some make me think none honest.

43. Wisdome is moderation, and the goodness of things is the mean, a man may be over-wise and over-godly.

« AnteriorContinuar »