о that prefers men, "The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong," but as the wise man said, Chance, and sometimes a ridiculous chance. *Casus plerumq; ridiculus multos elevavit. 'Tis fortune's doings, as they say, which made Brutus now dying exclaim, O misera virtus, ergo nihil quàm verba eras, atqui ego te tanquam rem exercebam, sed tu serviebas fortuna. Beleeve it hereafter O my friends! Vertue serves fortune. Yet be not discouraged (O my well deserving spirits) with this which I have said, it may be otherwise, though seldom I confesse, yet sometimes it is. But to your farther content, Ile tell you a † tale. In Moronia pia, or Moronia fælix, I know not whether, nor how long since, nor in what Cathedrall Church, a fat Prebend fell void. The carcasse scarce cold, many sutors were up in an instant. The first had rich friends, a good purse, and he was resolved to out-bid any man before he would lose it, every nian supposed he should carry it. The second was my Lord Bishop's Chaplain (in whose gift it was), and he thought it his due to have it. The third was nobly born, and he meant to get it by his great parents, patrons, and allies. The fourth stood upon his worth, he had newly found out strange mysteries in Chymistry, and other rare inventions, which he would detect to the publike good. The fifth was a painfull preacher, and he was commended by the whole parish where he dwelt, he had all their hands to his Certificate. The sixth was the prebendarie's son lately deceased, his father died in debt (for it, as they say), left a wife and many poor children. The seventh stood upon fair promises, which to him and his noble friends had been formerly made for the next place in his Lordship's gift. The eight pretended great losses, and what he had suffered for the Church, what pains he had taken at home and abroad, and besides he brought noble men's letters. The ninth had married a kinswoman, and he sent his wife to sue for him. The tenth was a forrain Doctor, a late convert, and wanted means. The eleventh would exchange for another, he did not like the former's site, could not agree with his neighbours and fellowes upon any termes, he would be gone. The twelfth and last was (a suitor in conceit) a right honest, civil, sober man, an excellent schollar, and such a one as lived private in the Universitie, but he had neither means nor mony to compasse it; besides he hated all such courses, he could not speak for himself, neither had he any friends to solicite his cause, and therefore made no suit, could not expect, neither did he hope for, Solomon Eccles. 9. 11. *Sat. Menip. Andream Apolog. manip. 3. apol. 39. +Tale quid est apud Valent. or look after it. The good Bishop amongst a jury of competitors thus perplexed, and not yet resolved what to do, or on whom to bestow it, at the last, of his own accord, meer motion, and bountifull nature, gave it freely to the University student, altogether unknown to him but by fame; and to be brief, the Academical Scholar had the Prebend sent him for a present. The newes was no sooner published abroad, but all good students rejoyced, and were much cheered up with it, though some would not beleeve it; others, as men amazed, said it was a miracle; but one amongst the rest thanked God for it, and said, Nunc juvat tandem studiosum esse, & Deo integro corde servire. You have heard my tale; but alas it is but a tale, a meer fiction, 'twas never so, never like to be, and so let it rest. Well, be it so then, they have wealth and honour, fortune and preferment, every man (there's no remedy) must scamble as he may, and shift as he can, yet Cardan comforted himself with this, " the star Fomahant would make him immortall," and that after his decease his Books should be found in Ladies' studies: "Dignum laude virum Musa vetat mori." But why shouldst thou take thy neglect, thy Canvas so to heart? It may be thou art not fit; but a child that puts on his father's shoes, hat, headpiece, brestplate, breeches, or holds his spear, but is neither able to wield the one, or wear the other; so wouldst thou doe by such an office, place, or Magistracy: thou art unfit; "And what is dignity to an unworthy man, but" (as Salvianus holds) a gold ring in a swine's snowt?" Thou art a brute. Like a bad actor (so P Plutarch compares such men in a Tragedy, diadema fert, at vox non auditur: Thou wouldst play a King's part, but actest a Clowne, speakest like an Asse. Magna petis Phaeton_& quæ non viribus istis, &c. as James and John, the sons of Zebedy, did ask they knew not what; nescis temerarie nescis; thou dost, as another Suffenus, overween thy self; thou art wise in thine own conceit, but in other more mature judgement altogether unfit to manage such a businesse. Or be it thou art more deserving then any of thy rank, God in his providence hath reserved thee for some other fortunes, sic superis visum. Thou art humble as thou art, it hadst thou been preferred, thou wouldst have forgotten God and thy self, insulted over others, contemned thy friends, been a block, • Stella Fomahant immortalitatem dabit. Qui induit thoracem aut galeam, &c. may be; *Lib de lib. propriis. + Hor. § Lib. 4. de guber. Dei. Quid est dignitas indigno nisi circulus aureus in naribus suis. In Lysandro. P Ovid. Met. Magistratus virum indicat. a tyrant, a tyrant, or a demi god, sequiturq; superbia formam: "Therefore," saith Chrysostome, "good men do not alwayes finde grace and favour, lest they should be puffed up with turgent titles, grow insolent and proud." Injuries, abuses, are very offensive, and so much the more in that they think veterem ferendo invitant novam, by taking one they provoke another: but it is an erroneous opinion: for if that were true, there would be no end of abusing each other; lis litem generat; 'tis much better with patience to bear, or quietly to put it up. If an Asse kick me, saith Socrates, shall I strike him again? and when "his wife Xantippe stroke and misused him, to some friends that would have had him strike her again, he replied that he would not make them sport, or that they should stand by and say Eia Socrates, eia Xantippe, as we do when dogs fight, animate them the more by clapping of hands. Many men spend themselves, their goods, friends, fortunes, upon sinall quarrels, and sometimes at other men's procurements, with much vexation of spirit and anguish of minde, all which with good advice, or mediation of friends, might have been happily composed, or if patience had taken place. Patience in such cases is a most soveraign remedy, to put up, conceal, or dissemble, it, to forget and forgive, "y not seven, but seventy-seven times, as often as he repents forgive him;" Luk. 17.3. as our Saviour enjoyns us, stroken, "to turn the other side:" as our Apostle perswades us, recompence no man evill for evil, but as much as is possible to have peace with all men: not to avenge ourselves, and we shall heap burning coales upon our adversarie's head." "For * if you put up wrong (as Chrysostome comments) you get the victorie; he that loseth his mony, loseth not the conquest in this our Philosophy." If he contend with thee, submit thy self unto him first, yeeld to him. Durum & durum non faciunt murum, as the diverb is, two refractory spirits will never agree, the onely means to overcome, is to relent, obsequio vinces. Euclide in Plutarch, when his brother had angred him, swore he would be revenged; but he gently replied, "Let me not live if I do not make thee to love me again," upon which meek answer he was pacified. X "Flectitur obsequio curvatus ab arbore ramus, to Ælian. * Idco boni viri aliquando gratiam non accipiunt, ne in superbiam eleventur ventositate jactantiæ, ne altitudo muneris negligentiores efficiat. * Injuriarum remedium est oblivio. y Mat. 18. 22. Mat. 5., 39, * Rom. 12. 17. * Si toleras injuriam, victor evadis; qui enim pecuniis privatus est, non est privatus victoria in hac Philosophia. + Dispercam nisi te uitus fuero: disperca Joach. Camerarius Embl. 21. cent. 1. F4 A branch nisi ut me deinceps ames effecero. A branch if easily bended yeelds to thee, Pul' hard it breaks: the difference you see. The noble family of the Columni in Rome, when they were expelled the city by that furious Alexander the sixt, gave the bending branch therefore as an Impresse with this motto, Flecti potest, frangi non potest, to signifie that he might break them by force, but so never make them stoop, for they fled in the midst of their hard usage to the kingdome of Naples, and were honourably entertained by Frederick the King, according to their callings. Gentleness in this case might have done much more, and let thine adversary be never so perverse, it may be by that means thou mayst win him; favore & benevolentia etiam immanis animus mansuescit, soft words pacifie wrath, and the fiercest spirits are so soonest overcome; * A generous Lion will not hurt a beast that lies prostrate, nor an Elephant an innocuous creature, but is infestus infestis, a terrour and scourge alone to such as are stubborn, and make resistance. It was the symbole of Emanuel Philibert Duke of Savoy, and he was not mistaken in it, for a "Quo quisq; est major, magis est placabilis iræ, A greater man is soonest pacified, A noble spirit quickly satisfied. It is reported by Gualter Mapes an old Historiographer of ours, (who lived 400 yeers since) that king Edward Seneor, and Leolin Prince of Wales, being at an interview neer Aust upon Severn in Glocestershire, and the Prince sent for, refused to come to the King; he would needs goe over to him: which Leolin perceiving, "went up to the armes in water, and imbracing his boat, would have carried him out upon his shoulders, adding that his humility and wisdom had triumphed over his pride and folly; And thereupon was reconciled unto him, and did his homage. If thou canst not so win him, put it up, if thou beest a true Christian, a good divine, an imitator of Christ, ("For he was reviled and put it up, whipped and sought no revenge,") thou wilt pray for thine enemies, and blesse them that persecute thee;" be patient, meek, humble, &c. An honest man will not offer thee injury, probus non • Heliodorus. *Reipsa reperi nihil esse homini melius facilitate & cle. mentia. Ter. Adelph. † Ovid. Camden in Glouc. Usq; ad pectus ingressus est, aquam, &c. cymbam amplectens, sapientissme rex ait, tua humilitas meam vicit superbiam, & sapientia triumphavit ineptiam; collú ascende quod contra te fatuus erexi, intrabis terram quam hodie fecit tuam benignitas, &c. Chrysostome, Contumeliis affectus est et eas pertulit; opprobriis, nec ultus est; verberibus cæsus, nec vicem reddidit. d Rom. 12. 14. vult; vult; if he were a brangling knave, 'tis his fashion so to do; where is least heart, is most tongue; quo quisq; stultior, eò magis insolescit, the more sottish he is, still the more insolent: "Doe not answer a fool according to his folly." If he be thy superiour, bear it by all means, grieve not at it, let him take his course; Anitus and Melitus "** may kill me, they cannot hurt me:" as that generous Socrates made answer in like case. Mens immota manet, though the body be torn in peeces with wild horses, broken on the wheel, pinched with fiery tongs, the Soul cannot be distracted. 'Tis an ordinary thing for great men to vilifie and insult, oppress, injure, tyrannise, to take what liberty they list, and who dare speak against? Miserum est ab eo lædi, à quo non possis queri, a miserable thing 'tis to be injured of him, from whom is no appeal: † and not safe to write against him that can proscribe and punish a man at his pleasure, which Asinius Pollio was ware of, when Octavianus provoked him. 'Tis hard I confesse to be so injured: One of Chilo's three difficult things: "To keep counsell, spend his time well, put up injuries;" but be thou patient, and leave revenge unto the Lord. "Vengeance is mine and I will repay, saith the Lord."-" I know the Lord," saith § David, David," will avenge the afflicted and judge the poor."-" No man (as || Plato farther addes) can so severely punish his adversary, as God will such as oppresse miserable men." ¶ Iterum ille rem judicatam judicat, Majoreq; mulctâ mulctat." If there be any religion, any God, and that God be just, it shall be so; if thou beleevest the one, beleeve the other: Erit, erit, it shall be so. Nemesis comes after, serò sed seriò, stay but a little and thou shalt see God's just judgement overtake him. "** Raro antecedentem scelestum Thou shalt perceive that verified of Samuel to Agag. 1. Sam. 15. 33.thy sword hath made many women childlesse, so shall thy mother be childlesse amongst other women." It shall be done to them as they have done to others. Conradinus, that brave Suevian Prince, came with a well prepared army into the f Contend not with a greater man, Pro. * Occidere possunt, Arcana f Psal. 45, • Pro. + Non facile aut tutum in eum scribere qui potest proscribere. tacere, otium recte collocare, injuriam posse ferre, difficillimum. Rom. 12. § Psa. 13. 12. Nullus tam severè inimicum suum ulcisci potest, quam deus, solet miserorum oppressores. **Hor. 3. od. 2, Arcturus in Plaut. Kingdom |