HERMITO

No man better met here then your self. I was in great care for and Associate in the affair with this day, and almost every day I undertake. Sir my society will afford you small contentment, if my daily tasks required not my attendance, where by perpetual vow I have engaged all my hours until my death. For I am fit for no other employment but my beads Never thelesse if it please you briefly to let me know your desire, I will by my answer you reasonable satisfaction. No such matter, as that my intended course of dwelling with my self sequestered from all resort, should have and end so long as my abided in this world endureth. Far be it from my thought ever to wish the change of my estate. As now I am I trouble not others, nor any man of fendeth me. And where no mistake is, who can think of all teration? my resolution hath bred my contentment: the peace which I enjoy, counter-valueth all manner of wants. And my spiritual exercises take away tediousness. The cause of my coming hither (Sir Securus ) is a Proclamation late lie set forth by the king, that all his subject being men of 21 years, & upwards, living within 50 miles of the Court, shall appear there within 14 days after notice given them. And about three days passed, a pilgrim passing by my cell, told me of this Edict, and that it was upon allegiance. So I being his subject (though serving him to no other purpose, but praying for him) thought it my duty to make my ap pearance. and to depart without delay. In very deed Sir, every ought to yield his best help to such works. And although I have already recor dead my appearance at Court, and licenced to return to my poor home and would willingly spend some hours with you to so good a purpose; yet ( Alas Sir ) I am Like to pre veil very little with any body, wanting both acquaintance and authority among them whosoever they be: therefore I entreat my fruitless presence may be spared; but I will not be wanting to you with my prayers for your success. Sir I expect no intreaty, neither will I wrong you so much as to make further request to my poor self. I stay willingly and am at you service in all things. It is somewhat strange. And the more unlearned the men are, the harder to be satisfied. But he hope is, that as mad men do best service when some of their Like are most unruly, so these men being alike unskilful will soon confound each other, and so give over the business. You are welcome whosoever you are: no marvel though you be strangers to me, who have estranged my self from all the world: but what counsel can you expect from me, who am not Like to give wordly men any satisfaction, since I have already given the world with all his business and utter farewell. Your questio ̄ is not hard to decide, & fit enough for me to deliver mine opinion in. It is true, they were all work king days at the first. For which purpose it is said, such work as thou dost, work it in those six days, and not on the sea uenth day. Yet God did never forbid any of those six days to be kept holy And the Christian Church hath appointed many days to be kept holy in memory of Saints which suf feared dive see torments for Christ's sake, who suffered all for them, and for them all. And those to be kept to the world's end, that their facts and fame might never die, but enco rage others to tread their bloody but Heavenly steps. Therefore since the Church of God and custom of Christi and countries have so ordered it, let no men private rashness presume such alte ation, as to make away or put out the Holy-days, but with endue reverence to observe them. I am sorry to see so much wickedness in one man as appears in him, he is able to infect a whole country. And it were a happy thing if he were banished the come merce of all Christians. Alas, I could wish the poor man would consider better of his souls state. He seems to have a great wit, which he bendeth wholly to gather worldly wealth, not re guarding how he gets it. We that have put riches in the last place of our care, or rather fly from them as pernicious do indeed, condemn for folly all the carking and study to increase our own hurts as they will prove to be, especially got by indirect means. More is the pity. It was wont to be a thing odi ous among Christians, and used by none but Jews And therefore we call such men poor, as being needy of good nes and grace, have they never so great abundance so God ten as they make their owners beggarly for grace. The delights of hunting and hawking, as also of oh there exercises, were (no doubt) ordained by God to come fort man in his banishment here, and to give him a taste of the unspeakable pleasures in Heaven, (our own c untire) but the excess and abuse of any pastime, argues the receiver unreasonable, and turns the benefit into detriment. Of drunkards I say shortly and sharply; they deprave Gods blessings, rob and murder the poor, undo the Commonwealth, bring Gods curse upon the country; de prive themselves of Heaven, and merit Hell. The Courtier (who ought to be the square of the con try by his civil example) puls upon himself the ruin of millions, and sinneth much with doing little. That one of them is better then the other, I do not see; therefore me thinks the question should rather be which is the worst. The Farmer that deceives so far as his capacity will carry him, is condemned by his intention to do worse if his skill did enable him. The Lawyer is a necessary member of the commonwealth to find and determine every men right. But if willingly he oppugn right, and be enemy to peace, he is the Devils agent, and Christ's enemy. Likewise a merchant which causeth commerce and ami tie between severed nations is a man commendable. But if he use fraud, then is he pestiferous, and deserves banish meant where no society is. I assure you Master Securus those things are as dis tasteful to me as to any other. And I am so much the safer that I live from their sighed and knowledge. The Soldier, the Spy, and the Musician have their several abuses much degenerating from their first institutions; if any man can persuade them to repair unto my cell, I will do my best to reform them. I wish they were all so served. then the lose of the money on the one side, and the sharp rod of imprisonment on the other side, would bring both sorts to repentance, bethink themselves of using good conscience to deceive on neither partly. But if your Chancellor hold on his course I allowing the extortioner no more but the bore money made of such commodities that will shortly end the abuse. For this E ops dog will learn to hold the next piece better then to be deluded with a shadow of double Gam ne. Honest friend: I marv ll with what conscience rue one that is . Thou Wertenberg as good loose thy 100 l at first, as at la to for he will in the end deceive thee of it. By that means thou wilt accompany him to ell. But there he shall meet with his crafts master. Marry because at our baptism we vowed to r nounce the infernal Spirit. And now Pon our own expe rience and judgement we abandon all incarnate Devils. What do you judge of these passages M. Securum ? In partly I dissent from y u but in partly I ag ee. If we be constrained to choose among things whi h are best to permit the least: but if a man have freedom best choice is to refuse evil be it never so little. Among he several discourses this day acted. I note many vices vam l worser over with froth, and flourish of words, but the same again vnma ked with substantial matter, and laid naked to di grace. So it they are not propounded to imitate, but forth to be sha ed. They are pa nted in colour but in a map of some , but such as run to ruin. They are brought forth to be rued; but to manifest their ugliness. They come not here oh be liked, but loathed; not to be fau read, but derided. Not llowed in private, but in public to be condemned. S I open that all wise hearers will a oid the sins and abuse ere touched (which are many) and follow good counsel f they herd any. Which that they may do my partly is to ray to the g ver of wisdom. And so Sir, wishing much pro peritie to your charitable endeavours, I take leave and the ext way to my poor quiet Cell.