20 | June, 1601. 69 fo. 28 b . Dr. Buckridge, 70 at the temple Churche.
Compared the lawe of nature to the night, reason to the starres, the written lawe to the morning or dawning of the day, and the lawe of grace to the sunnshine of the day; the first to the blade, the second to the eare, the third to the seede of corne.
Synn must be like an hedge of thornes sett about, not within, our garden to keepe us in goodnes. In tymes past men were afeard71 to committ synn, but ready to make confession; nowe the world is changed, for nowe every one dares comitt anie synne, but is ashamed to make confession.
25 June, 1602.
fo. 29.Mr. Foster of Lyncolnes Inn told these jeastes of Sir Thomas Moore as we went to Westminster. One which had bin a familiar acquaintaunce of Sir Th. Moores in his meaner fortunes, came to visit him when he was in the height of his prosperitie. Sir Th. amongst other parts of entertaynement shewed him a gallery which he had furnished with good variety of excellent pictures, and desyred his frendes iudgment which he liked best; but he making difficulty to prefer anie Sir Tho. shewed him the picture of a deathes head with the word Memento morieris, which he commended as most excellent for the deuise and conceit. The gent. being desyrous to knowe what he conceiued extraordinary in soe common a sentence, he told him, "Sir, you remember sometymes you borrowed some monie of me, but I cannot remember that you have remembred to repaye it: it is not much, and though I be chauncellor I have vse for as little, and nowe me thinkes this picture speakes vnto you Memento Mori æris, remember to pay Moore his money."
After he was deprived of his place and dignity, whereas his gentlemen were wont after he was gone forth of church to signifie to their lady that his lordship was gone before, himselfe upon a Sunday came from his seate when prayer was ended, opened his ladyes pue dore, saying, "Madame, his lordship is gone before" (alluding to the losse of his place); and then, "Come wife, nowe wee may goe togither and talke."
* * * * *
13 March, 1601.
fo. 29b.
Mr. Watts and Mr. Danvers had fiery wordes.
Commonly those which speake most against Tullie are like a dog which comming into a roome where he espies a shoulder of mutton lying upon some high place, fells to barking at it, because he cannot reache it. (Watts.)
Vpon a tyme when Burbidge played Richard III. there was a citizen grone soe farr in liking with him, that before shee went from the play shee appointed him to come that night vnto hir by the name of Richard the Third. Shakespeare ouerhearing their conclusion went before, was intertained and at his game ere Burbidge came. Then message being brought that Richard the Third was at the dore, Shakespeare caused returne to be made that William the Conqueror was before Richard the Third. Shakespeare's name William. (Mr. Touse?)
14.Mr. Fleetewood the Recorder72 sitting in judgment when a prisoner was to have his clergy and could not read, he saued him with this ieast, "What, will not that obstinat knave reade indeede? Goe take him away and whip him." (Mr. Bramstone.73)
He imprisoned one for saying he had supt as well as the Lord Maior, when he had nothing but bread and cheese.
fo. 30.
2 Marche, 1601.This day there was a great Court of Merchant Adventurers; two were sent from the Counsell to sitt and see their proceedings at their Courtes, and to make relacion. At this Court two questions were moved. 1. Whether their Companie were able to vent all the clothes made in England yf they might choose their place in the Lowe Countries, and be ayded by hir Majestie for the execution of their orders? Resolved that they are able. 2. Whether they can continue a Companie to trade yf the Earle of Cumberlandes licence take effect, whereby he hath liberty to ship over what cloth he pleaseth, contrary to hir Majesties patents and graunts to the merchaunts? Resolved by handes that they cannot. (Mr. Hull nar.)
Their Courts consist of one Gouernor, one Deputy, a Secretary, and these sitt at a table raysed a little, and 24 Assistants sitt about; the autority of these continues but six moneths; these speake, heare, and iudge of other mens speaches in Court. The greater part of the present at any Court carries the iudgment. (Idem.)
fo. 30b.
3 May, 1602.Mr. Touse told that in the last cirquit into Yorkeshire the Vice President of Yorke would have had the upper hand of Justice Yeluerton, but he would not yeld. (Mr. Touse.)
Long since, when Justice Manwood74 roode Somersetshire circuit with Lorde Anderson, there happened a great quarrell between the Lord Sturton and Sir Jo. Clifton, in which affray the Lord Anderson himselfe, onely with his cap in his hand, tooke a sword from a very lustie tall fellowe. Of such a courage is Anderson. (Idem.)
My chamberfellow75 told me of Mr. Long's opposition against him, and howe he had ouermatcht him; told me of his owne preferment to Sir Robert Cecile by the Lord Cheif Baron Periams and Lord Cheif Justice Pophams meanes, almost without his owne suite. By Sir Roberts fauour he obtayned the cancelling of an obligacion wherein his father76 stoode bound to Auditor Tucke not to vse that office or receive the profits for a certaine tyme.
4.Those which presume upon repentaunce at the last gaspe by [the] theeves example on the crosse, doe as yf a man should spurr his horse till he speake because wee reade that Balams asse did soe when his maister beate him.
This day Serjeant Harris was retayned for the plaintife, and he argued for the defendant; soe negligent that he knowes not for whom he speakes.
Soe many accions of Quare impedit in the Common Place, that it were well a Quare impedit were brought against the Quare impedit for hindering other accions.
fo. 31.
28 June, 1602.One that would needes be married in all the [sic] hast, though he were soe verry a beggar that the preist told him he would not marry him because he had not money sufficient to pay him his duty for that service, "Why then," said he, "I pray you, Sir, marry me as far as that will goe. Nowe I am here I must needes have something ere I goe."
* * * *
A Puritan scholemaister that taught litle children in their horne bookes, would not have them say "Christ crosse A. &c." but "Black spott A." Another being to invit his frend, desyred him come and take part of a Nativity pie at Christ tyde with him.
When a Puritan that had lost his purse made great moane as desyrous to haue it againe, another minister (meaning to try his spirit) gaue forth that he was able to helpe him to it by figur-casting; whereupon the Puritan resorted vnto him; and the day appointed for the purpose, the other told him that when he caste a paper into the chaffing dishe of coales which he placed before them, he should looke in the glasse to see the visage of him that had it; but the flame being too short for him to aduise well what face it was, he earnestly entreated to see it againe. "Oh," said the other, "I perceue well the cause why you could not discerne it was that you trust to much in God." "Whoe, I," said the Puritan, "I trust noe more in God then the post doth. Lett me see it once againe." Such hyppocrytes are those professors. (Ch. Dauers.)
fo. 31b.
May 4.Mr. Fleetwood, after he was gone from supper, remembred a case to the purpose he was talking of before he went, and came againe to tell vs of it, which Mr. Bramston said was as yf a reueller, when he had made a legg at the end of his galliard, should come againe to shewe a tricke which he had forgotten.
This day there was a strange confused pressing of souldiers, carrying soe to the ships, that they were thrust togither under hatches like calues in a stall.
6.When hir Majestic had giuen order that Spenser should haue a reward for his poems, but Spenser could haue nothing, he presented hir with these verses:
It pleased your Grace vpon a tyme
To graunt me reason for my ryme,
But from that tyme vntill this season
I heard of neither ryme nor reason.
(Touse.)
A gentleman whose father rose by the lawe, sitting at the benche while a lawyer was arguying in a case against the gentleman, touching land which his father purchased, the gentleman, more collerick then wise, sayd the lawyer would prate and lye, and speake anie thing for his fee: "Well," said the lawyer, "yf your father had not spoken for a fee, I should haue noe cause to speake in this cause to day." The posterity of lawyers hath more flourished then that either of the clergy or citisens.
fo. 32.
August 1602.Notes out of a copie of a letter written by way of dedicacion of Charles the Fifth his instructions to his Sonne Phillip: translated out of Spanishe, and sent to hir Majestie by Lord H. Howard.77
Hir Majesties affections are not carued out of flint, but wrought out of virgin wax, and hir royall hart hath ever suted him in mercy, whom hir state doth represent in Maiesty.
If anie sentence were mistaken by equivocacion of wordes, or ambiguity in sence, I onely blame the stintles rage of destinie, which ever carryeth the best shaftes of my unluky quiuer to such endes as are most distant from the white I aymed at.
Since I began, each fruit hath answered his blossom, each grayne his seede, all eventes there hopes; my selfe onely, more vnfortunate then all the rest, have sowne with teares, but can reape with noe reuolucion.
I have presumed once againe (least the ground of my deuocion, by lying to long fallowe, might seeme either waxen wyld or ouergrowne with weedes,) to breake the barren soyle of myne vnfruitfull brayne, that prosperous successe may rather want at all tymes to myne endeuors, then endeuor to my loyall determinacion.
You are that sunne to me, whose going downe leaues nothing but a night of care.
The divel, like those painters which are skilfull in the art of perspectiue, taketh pleasure, by false colours and deceitfull shaddowes, to make those things seeme farthest of which are nerest hand (as death), and to abuse our nature with vayne hopes.
fo. 32b.
August, 1602.
As the glasse of tyme is turned euery hour vpside downe, soe is the course of our vncertaine lyfe; as that part which before was full is emptied, and that other which was emptied is replenished, soe fareth this world interchangeably.
As the highest region of the ayre is cleare and without stormes, soe hir minde free from all distemperes of affection.
Those that liue not in the safe arke of your gracious conceit, &c.
The sea can brooke noe carcasses, nor hir Majesties thoughts admit of castaways.
The fig-tree never bare fruit after it was blasted by the breath of Christ; noe plant can prosper that never feeles the comfort of the same; soe, &c.
In this the difference, Adam dyed because he eat of it (i. e. the tree of lyfe), but I shall dye before I looke on it.
Manie find frends to couer faults; my cloke is innocency. An eye may be cleare enough yet not discerne without your light; a course may be direct yet endles without your clewe. My dealings may be free from base alloy, but yet not currant amongst honourable persons without the liuely print of your cherefull countenaunce. What dangerous diseases breed in bodyes naturall by putrefaction springing out of the sunnes eclipse, the same, or rather greater by proportion, must growe in well affected myndes by the darke vayle of your discouragement.
fo. 33.
August, 1602.
Patience like a pill by continuall vse looseth his virtue.
I wonder at your matchles worth as they that are borne vnder the North Pole doe at the sunne, whose comfort they feele not at all, or without anie great effect.
Praye that since there is but one period and bounder, one high water marke both of your happie life and our countryes good, the same may be inlarged aboue ordinary termines, defended by all extraordinary meanes, and augmented with all speciall fauour which either death possesseth or heaven promiseth. That ever in the zodiack, our princely virgin may assend with assistance of all happie planets.
Such is my beliefe in your administracion of right, as with the faythfull daughter of Darius, while I live I will deeme me captum esse quamdiu Regina vixerit.
The world is governed by planets, not fixed starrs.
fo. 33b.
8 August, 1602.One Mr. Palmes told at supper that one Mr. Sapcotts, a Northamptonshire gentleman, married his owne bastard; had never anie issue by hir. After his death shee was with child, would not discover the father. Sapcotts left hir worth some 400l. yearely, yet none will marry hir.
October 1602.Mr. Kempe in the King's Bench reported that in tymes past the counsellors wore gownes faced with satten, and some with yellowe cotten, and the benchers with jennet furre; nowe they are come to that pride and fa[n]tasticknes, that every one must78 have a veluet face, and some soe tricked with lace that Justice Wray79 in his tyme spake to such an odd counsellor in this manner: Quomodo intrasti, domine, non habens vestem nuptialem? Get you from the barre, or I will put you from the barr for your folish pride. (Ch. Da: nar.)
9.Every man semes to serue himselfe.
October, 25.As the fox and the asse were travayling by the way, they overtooke a mule, a strange beast as they thought, and began to be verry inquisitive, like a couple of constables, to know whence he came and what his name might be. The mule told them his name was written in his foote, and there they might reade it yf they would; the foxe dissembling sayd he was not bookish, and askt the asse what he could doe. He like an asse, without feare or witt, went about to shewe his schollership; but, while he was taking up the foote to reade what was told him, the mule tooke him such [a] blowe with his foote that the asse paid for his cuning [?]. Such are meere schollers. (Ed. Curle.)
fo. 34.Maiores in sacris litteris progressus prœmia maiora postulant; et plures in vita necessitates plura vitæ necessaria subsidia requirunt: these causes of a plurality in a dispensacion.