that comes betymes in the morning to a mans windowe to call him vp
before he hath any mynde to rise, and there standes scraping a long
tyme, till the window opens, and he gets a peece of syluer, and then he
turnes his backe, puts up his pipe and away; soe the diuel waites in
Gods presence till he hath gotten some imployment, which he lookt for,
and then he goes from the face of God.
[Sidenote: 2.]
Suspicion is noe proofe, nor jealousy an equall judge.
[Sidenote: 1.]
Dr. Withers, a black man, preached in Paules this day, his text Mark ix.
2, &c.
Of the transfiguracion of Christ: whereby, first, we learne to contemne
earth and the pleasure thereof, in regard of the heauenly glory wee
shall receiue. 2ndly. by the hope of this glorie the paynes of this lyfe
are eased. 3dly. by this transfiguracion of Christ wee are taught that
he suffered the indignitie of the Crosse not by imposed necessitie, but
of his owne good will and pleasure.
In that he tooke but three disciples it may be collected that all
thinges are not at the first to be published to all men, but first to
some fewe and after to others.
[Sidenote: fo. 56.
1 Nov. 1602.]
He tooke them vp into a mountaine, to shewe their thoughtes and hopes
must be higher then the earth; lifted vp to the heauens like a cloud.
The mountaine was high and alone. Two principall points of regard in a
fortificacion; that it be difficult of accesse, and far from an other
that may annoy it. The glory of Christ's kingdome is hard to be
attayned, the way is steepe and high, _facilis descensus Averni, sed
revocare gradum superasque euadere ad auras, hic labor, hoc opus est_,
and it can not be equalled by anie.
The lyfe of a Christian is like Moses serpent, which was terrible to
looke vpon in the forepart, but take it by the tayle and it became a
rodd to slay him; soe yf we consider onely the present miseries of this
lyfe, which usually accompanied a true Christian, it would terrifie a
man from the profession; but take it by the tayle, looke to the ende and
glory that wee hope for, and it is lyfe incomparably most to be desyred.
Paule sayth our body shall rise a spirituall body, not a body that
shalbe a spirit, for spirits are noe bodies: but a body glorious,
nimble, incorruptible as a spirit.
"At that day," sayth the Prophet, "the moone shall shine as the sunne,
and the sunne shall be seven times as bright;" the unconstant condicion
of man is compared to the moone, and Christ is the sunn of righteousnes,
&c.
[Sidenote: fo. 56^b.
Nov. 1602.]
Christ carried them into a mountayne apart, for commonly the multitude
is like a banquet whether every one brings his part of wickednes and
vice, and soe by contagion infect one an other.
It was a wonder howe the glorious diuinity could dwell in flesh, and not
showe his brightnes; but it was the pleasure of the Almightie to eclipse
the splendor with the vayle of our body, but here like the sunne out
[of] a cloud he breaketh forth, and his glory appeareth.
[Sidenote: fo. 57.
4 Nov.]
Barker told certaine gent. in the buttry that one of the benchers had
sometime come downe for a lesse noyse: "Soe he may nowe too, I think,"
said Whitlocke, "for I thinke he may finde a lesse noyse anie where in
the house then here is."
[Sidenote: 5.]
Mrs. Gibbes seing a straunger's horse in their yard, asked a thrasher,
"Whose horse?" He told hir. "Wherefore comes he?" "Wherefore should he
come," said he, "but to buy witt?" (_viz._ a clyent to the counsellor.)
(_Mr. Gibbes._)
* * * * *
[Sidenote: 5.]
Mr. Curle told me he heard of certaine that Mr. Cartwright[113] comming
to a certaine goodfellowe that was chosen to be Maior of [a] towne, told
him soe plainely, and with such a spirit, of his dissolute and drunken
life, howe vnfit for the office to governe others when he could not rule
himselfe, &c. that the man fell presently into a swound, and within thre
dayes dyed. Whether Cartwrightes vehemency, the manes conceit, or both
wrought in him, it was verry straunge. Happened in Warwickshire.
[Footnote 113: _Qu._ Thomas Cartwright, the leader of the Puritans.
He was at this time master of a hospital at Warwick, where he died
in 1603.]
[Sidenote: fo. 57^b.
4 Nov. 1602.]
Mr. Hadsor[114] told Mr. Curle and me that he heard lately forth of
Irland, that whereas on Burke, whoe followes the Lord Deputy, had
obteyned the graunt of a country in Irland in consideracion of his good
seruice, and this by meanes of Sir Robert Cecile, vpon Sir Robert
Gardneres certificat vnder his hand, and all this after passed and
perfected according to the course in the courts in Irland. Nowe of late
an other Burke, one of greate commaund and a dangerous person yf he
should breake out, hearing of this graunt, envyed, grudged, and
vpbrayded his owne deserts, intimating as much as yf others of meaner
worth were soe well regarded and himselfe neglected, he ment perhaps to
give the slip and try his fortune on the other party. The Lord Deputy
having intelligence hereof, and foreseeing the perilous consequence yf
he should breake out, sent for the otheres patent, as desyrous to peruse
the forme of the graunt, but when he had it he kept it; and, upon aduise
with the Counsaile, cancelled both the patent and the whole record, to
preuent the rebellion like to ensue upon the graunt. A strange
president.
[Footnote 114: Richard Hadsor, of the Middle Temple, occurs
frequently among the State Papers of James I. and Charles I. as a
person in communication with the government on Irish affairs. We
shall find further particulars respecting him hereafter.]
Sir Robert commends none but will be sure to haue the same under the
hand of some other, on whome, yf it fall out otherwise. then was
suggested or expected, the blame may be translated. (_Idem._)
He told further that Mr. Plowden[115] had such a checke as he neuer
chancd [?] of, for saying to a circumuenting justice of peace, upon
demand made what were to be done in such a case, that by the lawe
neither a justice nor the counsell could committ anie to prison without
a cause, vpon their pleasure.
[Footnote 115: Probably Edmund Plowden, the author of the Reports,
whose connection with the Middle Temple is commemorated by a range
of buildings which bears his name.]
[Sidenote: fo. 58.
3 Nov. 1602.]
Mr. Gardner of Furnivales Inne told howe that Mr. King, preacher at St.
Androes in Holborne, beinge earnestly intreated to make a sermon at the
funerals of [a] gent, of their house, because the gent. desyred he
should be requested, made noe better nor other aunswer, but told them
plainely he was not beholding to that house nor anie of the Innes of
Chauncery, and therefore would not. He is greived it seemes because the
gents. of the Innes come and take up roomes in his churche, and pay not
as other his parishioners doe. He is soe highly esteemed of his
auditors, that when he went to Oxeford[116] they made a purse for his
charges, and at his return rode forth to meete him, and brought him into
towne with ringing, etc.
[Footnote 116: He was of Christ Church. The occasion alluded to was
perhaps on his proceeding D.D., which he did in this year, 1602.
Wood says that he had so excellent a volubility of speech that Sir
Edward Coke would often say of him that he was the best speaker in
the Star Chamber in his time. (Ath. Oxon. ii. 295.)]
[Sidenote: 6.]
6. I heard that the Earl of Northumberland liues apart againe from his
lady nowe shee hath brought him an heire, which he sayd was the soder of
their reconcilement; he liues at Sion house with the child, and plays
with it, being otherwise of a verry melancholy spirit.[117]
[Footnote 117: Henry, the ninth Earl of Northumberland, known as the
Wizard Earl, and remembered for his fifteen years' imprisonment in
the Tower. His wife was Dorothy, daughter of Walter Devereux, the
first Earl of Essex of that family, and widow of Sir Thomas Perrott.
The child here alluded to must have been Algernon, the tenth Earl,
who is stated by Collins to have been baptised on the 13th Oct.
1602. (Peerage, ed. Brydges, ii. 346.)]
A gentlewoman which had bin to see a child that was sayd to be possessed
with the diuel, told howe she had lost hir purse while they were at
prayer. "Oh," said a gent. "not vnlikely, for you forgott halfe your
lesson; Christ bad you watch and pray, and you prayed onely; but, had
you watched as you prayed, you might have kept your purse still." (_W.
Scott nar._)
[Sidenote: 5.]
"I was muzeled in my pleading," said Mr. Martin, when he was out, and
could not well open.
"He will clogg a man with a jeast, he will neuer leaue you till he hath
told it." (_Of Mr. L._)
[Sidenote: fo. 58^b.
November 6.]
Mr. Overbury, telling howe a knave had stolne his cloke out of his
chamber, said the villeine had gotten a cloke for his knavery.
One said of a foule face, it needes noe maske, it is a maske it selfe.
"Nay," said another, "it hath neede of a maske to hide the deformitie."
I heard that Dr. Redman, Bishop of Norwiche,[118] Dr. Juel, professor at
. . . . .[119] in the Low Cuntryes, and Mr. Perkins of Cambridge,[120]
all men of note, are dead of late.
[Footnote 118: Dr. William Redman, Bishop from 1594 until his death
on 25th Sept. 1602. (Hardy's Le Neve, ii. 470.)]
[Footnote 119: Blank in MS.]
[Footnote 120: William Perkins, of Christ Church, Cambridge, and
minister of St. Andrew's in that town; the well-known Calvinistic
divine.]
The preacher at the Temple said, that he which offereth himselfe to God,
that is, which mortifieth and leaueth his pleasures and affection to
serue God, doth more then Abraham did when he offered to sacrifice his
sonne, for there is none but loues himself more dearly then his owne
children.
[Sidenote: 10.]
The embasing of the coyne for Irland hath brought them almost to a
famine, for the Queen hath received backe as muche as shee coyned; they
haue none other left, and for that none will bring anie victuall vnto
them. (_Mr. Curle nar._)
I heard that the French King hath reteined the Sythers [Switzers?] for
8,000_l._ present and 3,000_l._ annuall, [and] hath sold divers townes
to the Duke of Bulloine, whoe means to be on the part of the Archduke
for them.
"I was brought up as my frends were able; when manners were in the hall
I was in the stable," quoth my laundres, when I told hir of hir saucy
boldnes.
[Sidenote: fo. 59.
10 November.]
Mr. Curle demaunded of Wake a marke which he layd out for him when they
rede with the reader; his aunswere was he lived upon exhibicion, he
could not tell whether his friends would allowe him soe much for that
purpose. (_Sordide._)
Soe soone as they began to rate the charges at St. Albans awaye startes
hee. "He did justly, a dog would not tarry when you rate him," said L.
Mr. Blunt, a great gamester, marvellous franke, and a blunt cauelier.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: 8.]
Mr. Bacon, in giving evidence in the Lord Morleys case for the forrest
of Hatfield, said it had alwayes flowne an high pitche; _i. e._ hath bin
allwayes in the hands of greate men.
The first Lord Riche was Lord Chauncellor of England in Edward VI.'s
tyme[121] (_Bacon._)
[Footnote 121: Robert Lord Rich, Lord Chancellor from 1547 to 1551.]
* * * * *
[Sidenote: 12.]
In the Starr Chamber, when Mr. Moore urged in defense of attournies that
followed suites out of their proper courts, that it was usuall and
common; the Lord Keeper said, "_Multitudo peccantium pudorem tollit, non
peccatum_."
"Ha! the divel goe with the," said the Bishop of L. to his boule when
himselfe ran after it. (_Mr. Cu._)
[Sidenote: fo. 59^b.
November, 1602.]
"Size ace will not, deux ace cannot, quater tree must," quothe
Blackborne, when he sent for wine; a common phrase of subsidies and such
taxes, the greate ones will not, the little ones cannot, the meane men
must pay for all.
The old Lord Treasurers witt was as it seemes of Borrowe Englishe
tenure, for it descended to his younger sonne, Sir Robert.
A nobleman on horsebacke with a rable of footmen about him is but like
a huntsman with a kennell of houndes after him.
* * * * *
The Dutch which lately stormed the galleys which our ships had first
battered, deserve noe more credit then a lackey for pillaging of that
dead body which his maister had slayne. (_Sir Robert Mansell._)
_Sequitur sua poena nocentem._
Bacon said that the generall rules of the lawe were like cometes, and
wandring stars. Mr. Attorney [Coke] said rather they were like the
sunne; they have light in themselves, and give light to others, whereas
the starrs are but _corpora opaca_.
The Attorney said he could make a lamentable argument for him in the
remainder that is prejudiced by the act of the particular tenant; but it
would be said of him as of Cassandra, when he had spoken much he should
not be believed.
A difference without a diuersitie, a curiosity.
Vennar, a gent. of Lincolnes, who had lately playd a notable
cunnicatching tricke, and gulled many under couller of a play to be of
gent. and reuerens, comming to the court since in a blacke suit, bootes
and golden spurres without a rapier, one told him he was not well
suited; the golden spurres and his brazen face uns[uited?]
[Sidenote: fo. 60.
November, 1602.]
A vehement suspicion may not be a judicial condemnacion: the Lord Keeper
said he would dimisse one as a partie vehemently suspected, then
judicially condemned [_sic_].
The callender of women saynts was full long agoe.
* * * * *
A womans love is river-like, which stopt doth overflowe,
But when the river findes noe lett, it often runnes too lowe.
[Sidenote: 14.]
An hypocrite or puritan is like a globe, that hath all in _conuexo,
nihil in concauo_, all without painted, nothing within included. (_Mr.
Curle._)
About some three yeares since there were certayne rogues in Barkeshire
which usually frequented certaine shipcoates every night. A justice
having intelligence of their rablement, purposing to apprehend them,
went strong, and about midnight found them in the shipcoate, some six
couple men and women dauncing naked, the rest lying by them; divers of
them taken and committed to prison. (_Mr. Pigott._)
_Posies for a jet ring lined with sylver._
"One two:" soe written as you may begin with either word.
"This one ring is two," or both sylver and jet make but one ring; the
body and soule one man; twoe frends one mynde.
"_Candida mens est_," the sylver resembling the soule, being the inner
part.
"_Bell' ame bell' amy_," a fayre soule is a fayre frend, &c.
"Yet fayre within."
"The firmer the better;" the sylver the stronger and the better.
_Mille modis læti miseros mors una fatigat._
* * * * *[122]
[Footnote 122: We have here ventured to omit seven pages of extracts
from an academical oration by Thomas Stapleton the controversialist,
"_An Politici horum temporum in numero Christianorum sint habendi_,"
printed among his works.]
[Sidenote: November, 1602.
fo. 64^b.]
Yf foure or five assist one which kills another, the lawe sayth they
shall all be hanged, because they have deprivd the Queene of a subject;
but is this a way to preserve the Queens subjects, when there is one
slayne already, to hang up four or five more out of the way? Is this to
punishe the fact or the State? (_Benn._)
[Sidenote: 16.]
Goe little booke, I envy not thy lott,
Though thou shall goe where I my selfe cannot.
[Sidenote: 18.]
One would needes knowe of a philosopher what reason there was that a man
should be in love with beauty; the other made noe other answer, but told
him it was a blind mans question. Soe one wondered what sweetenes men
found in musicke they were soe much delighted in, an other said it was
but the doubt of a deaf man, &c.
"_Flumen orationis, micam vero habuit rationis_," hee had a streame of
wordes, but scarce a drop of witt.
Beauty more excellent then many virtues, for it makes itselfe more
knowne: noe sooner seene but admired, whereas one may looke long enough
upon a man before he can tell what virtue is in him, untill some
occasion be offered to shew them.
[Sidenote: 28.]
Captaine Whitlocke, a shuttlecock: flyes up and downe from one nobleman
to an other, good for nothing but to make sport, and help them to loose
tyme.[123]
[Footnote 123: See page 60.]
[Sidenote: fo. 65.
14 November, 1602.]
DR. DAWSON _of Trinity in Cambridge_, AT PAULES CROSSE.
His text, vii. Isay. 10. All the while he prayed he kept on his velvet
night cap untill he came to name the Queene, and then of went that to,
when he had spoken before both of and to God with it on his head.
Yf Godes words will not move us, neither will his workes. If _dixit_
will not perswade, neither can _fecit_ induce us.
A regall not a righteous motive.
Puts on the visard of hypocrisie.
_Omne bonum a Deo bono_, as all springs from their offspring the sea.
Judge the whole by part, as merchants sell their wares, the whole butt
by a tast of a pint, &c.
Jobs patience compared to Gods not soe muche as a drop to the sea, or a
mote to the whole earth.
Sinfull man approching Gods presence is not consumed as the stuble with
the fyre, because man is Gods worke, and Gods mercy is ouer all his
workes.
What will you make me like unto, or what will you make like unto me,
saith God.
_Scriptura discentem non docentem respicit_, and therefore penned in a
plaine and easie manner.
_Essentia operis est potentia creatoris._ Here he stumbled into an
invective against contempt of ministers, and impoverishing the clergy.
Pharoes dreame is revived, the leane kine eate up the fatt, and were
never the fatter. Laymens best liuings were the Church livings; yet the
gentry come to beggery.
[Sidenote: fo. 65^b.
14 November, 1602.]
_Magnum solatium est magnum supplicium a magno impositum_; but
intollerable when the basest make it their cheife grace to disgrace the
ministers.
Christ calls them the light of the world, and they are the children of
darknes that would blowe it out.
Pride is a greate cause of unthankefullnes, when he shall thinke _omne
datum esse tuum officium et suum meritum_.
Bishop Bonner made bonefires of the bones of saints and martyres in
Queen Maries days.
Praysd our happy gouernment for peace and religion; and soe ended.
[Sidenote: fo. 66.
21 November, 1602.]
Though a fashion of witt in writing may last longer then a fashion in a
sute of clothes, yet yf a writer live long, and change not his fashion,
he may perhaps outlive his best credit. It were good for such a man to
dy quickly. (_Of Dr. Reynolds; Th. Cranmer._)
Reynolds esteemes it his best glorie to quote an author for every
sentence, nay almost every syllable; soe he may indeede shewe a great
memory but small judgment. Alas, poore man! he does as yf a begger
should come and pouer all his scraps out of his wallet at a riche mans
table. He had done what he could, might tell where he had begd this
peece and that peece, but all were but a beggerly shewe. He takes a
speciall grace to use an old worne sentence, as though anie would like
to be served with cockcrowen pottage,[124] or a man should like delight
to have a garment of shreeds. (_Cra. and I._)
[Footnote 124: "Cock-crown. Poor pottage. _North._" Halliwell, Arch.
Dict. i. 260.]
The old deane of Paules, Nowell, told Dr. Holland that he did _onerare_,
not _honorare, eum laudibus_.
That which men doe naturally they doe more justly; subiects naturally
desire liberty, for all things tend to their naturall first state, and
all were naturally free without subjection; therefore the subiect may
more justly seeke liberty then the prince incroach upon his liberty.
(_Th. Cran._)
Lucian, after a great contention amongst the gods which should have the
first place, the Grecian challenging the prioritie for their curious
workmanship, though their stuff were not soe rich, the other for the
richnes of their substaunce, though they were less curious; at last he
determines, the richer must be first placed, and the virtuous next.
(_Th. Cran._)
[Sidenote: fo. 66^b.
21 Nov. 1602.]
Jo. Marstone the last Christmas he daunct with Alderman Mores wiues
daughter, a Spaniard borne. Fell into a strang commendacion of hir witt
and beauty. When he had done, shee thought to pay him home, and told him
she though[t] he was a poet. "'Tis true," said he, "for poets fayne and
lye, and soe dyd I when I commended your beauty, for you are exceeding
foule."
Mr. Tho. Egerton, the Lord Keeper's sonne,[125] brake a staff gallantly
this tilting; there came a page skipping, "Ha, well done yfayth!" said
he, "your graundfather never ranne such a course." (_In novitatem._)
[Footnote 125: Perhaps grandson, son to Sir John Egerton, the Lord
Keeper's eldest son and successor. Sir Thomas Egerton, the Lord
Keeper's eldest son, died in Ireland in 1599. It may be doubtful
whether the "Tho." in the MS. was not intended to be erased.]
"His mouth were good to make a mouse trap;" of one that smels of
chese-eating.
A good plaine fellowe preacht at night in the Temple Churche; his text,
lxxxvi Psal. v. 11, "Teache me thy wayes, O Lord, and I will walk in thy
truth."
1. Note David's wisdome in desyring knowledge before all things. 2. Our
ignoraunce that must be taught. 3. Our imperfection. David was an old
scholler in Gods schole, and yet desyred to be taught. 4. Thy wayes; not
false decretals, &c. nor lying legends, &c.
Soe soone as the Arke came into the Temple the idol Dagon fell downe and
brake its necke; when God enters into our harts our idol synnes must be
cast out.
AT PAULES CROSSE
[Sidenote: fo. 67.
21 Nov. 1602.]
MR. FENTON, reader of Gray's Inn. His text, Luke xix. 9, "This day is
salvacion come unto this house: insoemuch as this man also is become the
sonne of Abraham." This is an absolution, and a rule of it, 1. He that
pronounceth the absolution is Christ; 2. The person absolued is Zachee.
An example that may most move this auditorie to followe Christ; since
this man was rich and a ruler of the people, whereas the most of them
that followed Christ had nothing to loose; 3. The ground of his
absolucion, that he was the sonne of Abraham, which he proved to Christ
by his fayth, to the world by his works. He observed 5 parts: 1. The
nature of the absolution, that it is a declaracion of saluacion. 2. By
whom it is declared, viz. by Christ. 3. How far it extended, to Zachee
and his family. 4. Upon what ground, that is, his fayth and repentaunce.
5. Howe soone, "This day."
Saluacion is come; wee are not able to seeke it; therefore Christ sayd,
"Enter into thy fathers joy;" for wee are not capable that it should
enter into us; but enter into that joy as the bucket into the fountayne.
Yf he should endeauour to prefix a preface for attention, he could not
finde a better then to tell them he must tell them of saluation. None
under the degree of an angell was thought worthie to publishe the first
tydinges of it to a fewe shepheards.
[Sidenote: fo. 67^b.
21 Nov. 1602.]
Noe preacher able to giue his auditorie a tast of saluacion. It is one
thing to forgive, another thing to declare forgivenes of synnes; the
former is personall, and that Christ carried to heaven with him, the
other ministeriall, and that he left behinde to his disciples and
apostles; "Whose synnes you binde shallbe bound, whose synnes you remitt
shalbe loosed."
The raysing of Lazarus, a resemblaunce of absolucion. Lazarus had layen
three dayes when Christ came to rayse him; he bad him come out; here is
his voyce, which being seconded by divine power restored him to lyfe;
soe the word of God preached to a synner, being seconded with divine
grace, rayseth the synner.
Popishe priests and Jesuites play fast and loose with mens consciences.
Jesuites come into riche mens houses, not to bring them salvacion, but
because there is something to be fisht for. Jesus and the Church wee
knowe; but whoe are these? Soe they are sent away naked and torne, like
those presumptuous fellowes that would have cast out diuels in Christs
name without his leaue, and the God of heaven will laugh them to scorne.
[Sidenote: fo. 68.
21 Nov. 1602.]