Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

full of irregularitie and disobedience: ambitious above all measure; for of late dayes, in Portugall and the Indies, he rejected the name of Jesuite, and would be call'd disciple. In Rome, and other countries that give him freedome, he weares a maske upon his heart; in England he shifts it, and puts it upon his face. No place in our climate hides him so securely as a ladies chamber: the modesty of the pursevant hath only forborne the bed, and so mist him. There is no disease in Christendome, that may so properly be call'd The kings evill. To conclude, would you know him beyond sea? In his seminary, hee's a fox; but in the inquisition, a lyon rampant.

you

An excellent Actor.

HATSOEVER is commendable to the grave orator, is most exquisitely perfect in him; for by a full and significant action

will thinke

of body, hee charmes our attention: sit in a full theater, and you see so many lines drawne from the circumference of so many eares, whiles the actor is the center. He doth not strive to make nature monstrous, she is often seene in the same scene with him, but neither on stilts nor crutches; and for his voice, tis not lower then the prompter; not lowder then the foile and target. By his action

hee fortifies morall precepts with examples; for what wee see him personate, we thinke truly done before us a man of a deepe thought might apprehend, the ghost of our ancient heroes walk't againe, and take him (at several times) for many of them. Hee is much affected to painting, and tis a question whether that make him an excellent player, or his playing an exquisite painter. Hee addes grace to the poets labours for what in the poet is but ditty, in him is both ditty and musick. He entertaines us in the best leasure of our life, that is betweene meales, the most unfit time either for study or bodily exercise. The flight of hawkes and chase of wilde beasts, either of them are delights noble but some thinke this sport of men the worthier, despight all calumny. All men have beene of his occupation: and indeed, what hee doth fainedly, that doe others essentially this day one playes a monarch, the next a private person. Here one acts a tyrant, on the morrow an exile: a parasite this man to night, to morrow a precisian, and so of divers others. I observe, of all men living, a worthy actor in one kinde is the strongest motive of affection that can be: for when hee dyes, wee cannot be perswaded any man can doe his parts like him. But to conclude, I value a worthy actor by the corruption of some few of the quality, as I would doe gold in the oare; I should not mind the drosse, but the purity of the metall.

:

A Franklin.

IS outside is an ancient yeoman of England, though his inside may give armes (with the best gentlemen) and ne're see the herauld. There is no truer servant in the house then himselfe. Though he be master, he sayes not to his servants, Goe to field, but, Let us goe; and with his owne eye, doth both fatten his flock, and set forward all manner of husbandrie. Hee is taught by nature to bee contented with a little; his owne fold yeelds him both food and rayment: hee is pleas'd with any nourishment God sends, whilst curious gluttony ransackes, as it were, Noahs Arke for food, onely to feed the riot of one meale. He is nere knowne to goe to law; understanding, to bee lawbound among men, is like to bee hide-bound among his beasts; they thrive not under it: and that such men sleepe as unquietly, as if their pillowes were stuft with lawyers pen-knives. When he builds, no poore tenants cottage hinders his prospect: they are indeed his almes-houses, though there be painted on them no such superscription: he never sits up late, but when he hunts the badger, the vow'd foe of his lambs: nor uses hee any cruelty, but when hee hunts the hare, nor subtilty, but when he setteth snares for the snite, or pit-falls for the black-bird; nor

oppression, but when in the moneth of July, he goes to the next river, and sheares his sheepe. He allowes of honest pastime, and thinkes not the bones of the dead any thing bruised, or the worse for it, though the country lasses dance in the church-yard after evensong. Rocke Munday, and the wake in summer, shrovings, the wakefull ketches on Christmas Eve, the hoky, or seed cake, these he yeerely keepes, yet holds them no reliques of popery. He is not so inquisitive after newes derived from the privie closet, when the finding an eiery of hawkes in his owne ground, or the foaling of a colt come of a good straine, are tydings more pleasant, more profitable. Hee is lord paramount within himselfe, though hee hold by never so meane a tenure; and dyes the more contentedly (though he leave his heire young) in regard he leaves him not liable to a covetous guardian. Lastly, to end him; hee cares not when his end comes, hee needs not feare his audit, for his quietus is in heaven.

A Rymer

S a fellow whose face is hatcht all over with impudence, and should hee bee hang'd or pilloried, tis armed for it. Hee is a juggler with words, yet practises the art of most uncleanely conveyance. He doth boggle very

often ; and because himselfe winks at it, thinks tis not perceived the maine thing that ever he did, was the tune hee sang to. There is nothing in the earth so pittifull, no not an ape-carrier, hee is not worth thinking of, and therefore I must leave him as nature left him; a dunghill not well laid together.

A Covetous man.

HIS man would love honour and adore God, if there were an L more in his name: Hee hath coffind up his soule in

his chests before his body; hee could wish he were in Mydas his taking for hunger, on condition he had his chymicall quality. At the grant of a new subsidy he would gladly hang himselfe, were it not for the charge of buying a rope, and begins to take money upon use, when he heares of a privy seale. His morning prayer is to over-looke his baggs, whose every parcell begets his adoration. Then to his studies, which are how to cousen this tenant, begger that widow, or to undoe some orphane. Then his bonds are viewed, the well knowne dayes of payment con'd by heart; and if he ever pray, it is, some one may breake his day, that the beloved forfeiture may obtained. His use is doubled, and no one sixpence begot or borne, but presently by an untimely thrift

be

« AnteriorContinuar »