صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

GENERAL CONSTITUTION OF THE BODIES OF THE BRITONS.

51

bodies are rather deformed than commended? I have met with some of them in London so disguised, that it hath past my skill to discern whether they were men or women. Certes the commonwealth cannot be said to flourish where these abuses reign, but is rather oppressed by unreasonable exactions made upon rich farmers, and of poor tenants, wherewith to maintain the same. Neither was it ever merrier with England than when an Englishman was known abroad by his own cloth, and contented himself at home with his fine kersey hosen2 and a mean slop;3 his coat, gown, and cloak, of brown, blue, or puce, with some pretty furniture of velvet or fur, and a doublet of sad, tawny, or black velvet, or other comely silk, without such cuts and garish colours as are worn in these days, and never brought in but by the consent of the French, who think themselves the gayest men when they have most diversities of jags and change of colours about them.

4

5

2. OF THE GENERAL CONSTITUTION OF THE BODIES OF THE BRITONS.("DESCRIPTION OF BRITAIN," BOOK I., CAP. XX.)

6

Such as are bred in this island are men for the most part of a good complexion, tall of stature, strong in body, white of colour, and thereto of great boldness and courage in the wars. As for their general comeliness of person, the testimony of Gregory the Great, at such time as he saw English captives sold at Rome, shall easily confirm what it is, which yet doth differ in sundry shires and soils. As concerning the stomachs' also of our nation in the field, they have always been in sovereign admiration among foreign princes; for such hath been the estimation of our soldiers from time to time, since our ile hath been known to the Romans, that wheresoever they have served in foreign countries, the chief brunts of service have been reserved unto them. Of their conquest and bloody battles won in France, Germany, and Scotland, our histories are full; and where they have been overcome, the victors themselves confessed their victories to have been so dearly bought, that they would not gladly covet to overcome often, after such difficult manner. In martial prowess, there is little or no difference between Englishmen and Scots; for albeit that the Scots have been often and very grievously overcome by the force of our nation, it hath not been for want of manhood on their parts, but through the mercy of God showed on us, and His justice upon them, sith they always have be

1 i. e., certainly. 2 The old form of the plural for hose; similar instances occur in oxen, &c. i. e., trousers. 4 i. e., dark-coloured. 5 Brown, the colour of tanned leather, hence the name.

6 According to a well-known story, Pope Gregory, struck with admiration of the beauty of some captives set up for sale in the slave-market at Rome, asked them who they were; they replied that they were Angli (English); "you are well named Angeli (angels)," said the Pope, "for your beauty is more than mortal."

7 i. e., courage.

8 Isle is always in Holinshed spelled ile; as the spelling prevailed generally at the time, it will explain our omission in pronunciation of the s, which for etymological reasons we retain in the spelling.

gun the quarrels, and offered us mere injury with great despite and cruelty.

With us (although our good men care not to live long, but to live well), some do live an hundred years, very many unto fourscore; as for threescore, it is taken but for our entrance into age, so that in Britain no man is said to wax old till he draw unto threescore, at which time God speed you well cometh in place; as Epaminondas sometime said in mirth, affirming that until thirty years of age, you are welcome is the best salutation, and from thence to threescore, God keep you; but after threescore, it is best to say, God speed you well for at that time we begin to grow toward our journey's end, whereon many a one have very good leave to go. These two are also noted in us (as things appertaining to the firm constitutions of our bodies), that there hath not been seen in any region so many carcasses of the dead to remain from time to time without corruption as in Britain; and that after death, by slaughter or otherwise, such as remain unburied, by four or five days together, are easy to be known and discerned by their friends and kindred. In like sort the comeliness of our living bodies do continue from middle age, for the most, even to the last gasp, specially in mankind. And albeit that our women do after forty begin to wrinkle apace, yet are they not commonly so wretched and hard-favoured to look upon in their age as the French women, who thereto1 be so often wayward and peevish, that nothing in manner may content them.

I might here add somewhat also of the mean2 stature generally of our women, whose beauty commonly exceedeth the fairest of those of the main. This, nevertheless, I utterly mislike in the poorer sort of them (for the wealthier do seldom offend herein), that being of themselves without government, they are so careless in the education of their children (wherein their husbands also are to be blamed), by means whereof, oftentimes, very many of them, neither fearing God, neither regarding either manners or obedience, do oftentimes come to confusion, which, if any correction or discipline had been used toward them in youth, might have proved good members of their commonwealth and country, by their good service and industry. Thus much, therefore, of the constitutions of our bodies.

3. STORY OF CANUTE AND HIS COURTIERS.-(HOLINSHED'S "HISTORY OF ENGLAND," BOOK VII., CHAP. XIII.)

This Cnute was the mightiest prince that ever reigned over the English people, for he had the sovereign rule over all Denmark, England, Norway, Scotland, and part of Sweden. While he was at Rome he received many great gifts of the emperor, and was highly honoured of him, and likewise of the Pope, and of all other the kigh

1 i. e., besides.

3 i. e., the Continent. Canute,

5

2 i.e., moderate, neither too tall nor too little.

4 So the Danes spell the name which we usually spell

5 Conrad, Emperor of Germany, is meant.

[blocks in formation]

princes at that time present at Rome, so that when he came home (as some write) he did grow greatly into pride, insomuch that being near to the Thames, or rather (as others write) upon the sea-strand, near to Southampton, and perceiving the water to rise by reason of the tide, he cast off his gown, and wrapping it round together, threw it on the sands very near the increasing water, and sat him down upon it, speaking these or the like words to the sea,-"Thou art," saith he, "within the compass of my dominion, and the ground whereon I sit is mine, and thou knowest that no wight' dare disobey my commandments; I therefore do now command thee not to rise upon my ground, nor to presume to wet any part of thy sovereign lord and governor." But the sea, keeping her course, rose still higher and higher, and overflowed not only the king's feet, but also flashed up into his legs and knees. Wherewith the king started suddenly up and withdrew from it, saying withal to his nobles that were about him," Behold you noblemen, you call me king, which cannot so much as stay by my commandment this small portion of water. But know ye for certain, that there is no king but the Father only of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom He reigneth, and at whose beck all things are governed. Let us therefore honour Him, let us confess and profess Him to be the Ruler of heaven, earth, and sea, and besides Him none other."

From thence he went to Winchester, and there with his own hands set the crown upon the head of the image of the crucifix, which stood there in the church of the apostles Peter and Paul; and from thenceforth he would never wear that crown nor any other. Some write that he spake not the former words to the sea upon any presumptuousness of mind, but only upon occasion of the vain title, which in his commendation one of his gentlemen gave him by way of flattery (as he rightly took it), for he called him the most mightiest king of all kings, which ruled most at large both men, sea, and land. Therefore to reprove the fond flattery of such vain persons, he devised and practised the deed before mentioned, thereby both to reprove such flatterers, and also that men might be admonished to consider the omnipotence of Almighty God.

XI. ROBERT GREENE.

ROBERT GREENE was born in 1560, and educated at Cambridge. He became a writer for the stage, and is supposed to have written some of those plays which were afterwards remodelled by Shakspere. After a very immoral life, he died of a surfeit in 1592. His works do not possess much literary merit, but from their casual allusions to the early career of Shakspere, they are much valued by antiquarians.

1 i.e., person.

2 Fond in our old writers means always foolish.

[ocr errors]

FORTITUDE IN ADVERSITY.—(GREENE'S "ARCADIA, OR MENAPHON.")

Sephestia, thou seest no physic prevails against the gaze of the basilisk, no charm against the sting of the tarantula, no prevention to divert the decree of the fates, nor no means to recall back the baleful hurt of fortune. Incurable sores are without Avicen's1 aphorisms, and therefore no salve for them but patience. Then, my Sephestia, sith thy fall is high and fortune low, thy sorrows great and thy hope little, seeing me partaker of thy miseries, set all upon this, 'it is a consolation to the wretched to have companions in their sorrow."2 Chance is like Janus, double-faced, as well full of smiles to comfort as of frowns to dismay; the ocean at the deadest ebb returns to a full tide; when the eagle means to soar highest, he raiseth his flight in the lowest dales; so fareth it with fortune, who in her highest extremes is most inconstant; when the tempest of her wrath is most fearful, then look for a calm; when she beats thee with nettles, then think she will strew thee with roses; when she is most familiar with furies, her intent is to be most prodigal, Sephestia. Thus are the arrows of fortune feathered with the plumes of the bird halcyon, that changeth colour with the moon, which, however she shoots them, pierce not so deep but they may be cured. But, Sephestia, thou are daughter to a king, exiled by him from the hope of a crown; banished from the pleasures of the court to the painful fortunes of the country; parted for love from him thou canst not but love; from Maximus, Sephestia, who for thee hath suffered so many disfavours as either discontent or death can afford. What of all this is not Hope the daughter of Time? Have not stars their favourable aspects as they have froward opposition? Is there not a Jupiter as there is a Saturn? Cannot the influence of smiling Venus stretch as far as the frowning constitution of Mars? I tell thee, Sephestia, Juno foldeth in her brows the volumes of the destinies; whom melancholy Saturn deposeth from a crown, she mildly advanceth to a diadem; then fear not, for if the mother live in misery, yet hath she a sceptre for the son; let the unkindness of thy father be buried in the cinders of obedience, and the want of Maximus be supplied with the presence of his pretty babe, who, being too young for fortune, lies smiling on thy knee, and laughs at fortune. Learn by him, Sephestia, to use patience, which is like the balm in the Vale of Jehosaphat, that findeth no wound so deep but it cureth; thou seest already fortune begins to change her view, for after the great storm that pent our ship, we found a calm that brought us safe to shore; the mercy of Neptune was more than the envy of Æolus, and the discourtesy of thy father is proportioned with the favour of the gods. Thus, Sephestia, being copartner of thy misery, yet do I seek to allay thy martyrdom; being sick to

1 i.e., Avicenna, the famous Arabian physician.

2 Greene here quotes the well-known Latin line, "Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris." 3 The husband of Sephestia.

[blocks in formation]

myself, yet do I play the physician to thee, wishing thou mayest bear thy sorrows with as much content as I brook my misfortunes with patience.

XII. ROBERT SOUTHWELL.

ROBERT SOUTHWELL was born in 1560, and educated at Douay. He entered the order of Jesuits, and in England, where the order was viewed with much suspicion, he was frequently imprisoned on the charge of being concerned in plots against the Queen, and was at last executed at Tyburn 1595. He wrote "St Peter's Complaint," and other poems, and the "Triumphs over Death," to console the Hon. R. Sackville for the death of his lady. This last work is highly eloquent.

SUBMISSION TO DEATH.'-(SOUTHWELL'S "TRIUMPHS OVER DEATH.")

Nature's debt is sooner exacted of some than of other, yet is there no fault in the creditor that exacteth but his own, but in the greediness of our eager hopes, either repining that their wishes fail, or willingly forgetting their mortality, whom they are unwilling by experience to see mortal; yet the general tide washeth all passengers to the same shore, some sooner, some later, but all at the last; and we must settle our minds to take our course as it cometh, never fearing a thing so necessary, yet ever expecting a thing so uncertain. It seemeth that God purposely concealed the time of our death, leaving us resolved between fear and hope of longer continuance : cut off unripe cares, lest with the notice and pensiveness of our divorce from the world, we should lose the comfort of needful contentment, and before our dying day languish away with expectation of death. Some are taken in their first step into this life, receiving in one their welcome and farewell, as though they had been born only to be buried, and to take their passport in this hourly middle of their course; the good, to prevent change; the bad, to shorten their impiety. Some live till they be weary of life, to give proof of their good hap that had a kindlier passage; yet though the date be divers, the debt is all one, equally to be answered of all as their time expireth; for who is the man I shall live and not see death?" sith we all die," and like water slide upon the earth."2

66

Seeing, therefore, that death spareth none, let us spare our tears for better uses, being but an idle sacrifice to this deaf and implacable executioner. And for this, not long to be continued, where they can never profit, Nature did promise us a weeping life, exacting tears for custom as our first entrance, and for suiting our whole

1 This and the previous extract are taken from reprints of scarce works in Sir E. Brydges's. Archaica; the meaning of some expressions is rather obscure, and some typographical mistakes may be suspected, either in the original copies or in Sir Egerton's re-issue. 2 See 2 Samuel xiv. 14.

« السابقةمتابعة »