SECURUS

When I do seriously consider the world's present condition: And that we which converse abroad with all sorts of people are subject to so many mistaking, censures, and un ure reports, that it passes the skill of any man to Can y himself uprightly, & without blame, I begin to judge you, and your Like only happy, who chuising to leave the world, have procured quietness to your life. But Sir Her mito, I marvel what hath removed you from your cave to the country. Are you as weary of private living, as I am of too much company? The news must needs be great, and strange which brings you hither. Sir, I am right to have intercepted you (when her you be travailing to or from the Court) because this day is appointed for hearing and determining many controver sies, and censuring sundry sorts of people: And some of these differences beyond my learning. You therefore come very fitly to aid me. And this whole affair being princi pally for peace making, and ending debates without suit of Law you may not refuse to join with me in a work of so great charity. Sir, for your authority and acquaintance it shall not skill. All that I have both those ways, S albe confer read upon you equally with my self. If they despise you, they shall contemn me also. Only I entreat your come pany pany this day, and then I cease troubling you further what soever need require hereafter. No servant of mine Sir, but my friend upon equal earmes. How think you by this S. Hermito? would you have imagined that such plain fellows as these be, should call a business of this nature in question? By this you may may guess what stirring heads we have to deal withal, and how easy a matter to keep them in order. The controversy is beyond my skill, it being mat ter of divinity; but mine opinion is, they ought still to be kept. For I persuade my self, that our Ancestors (which did all things well) had special reasons for these days to be kept holy. What their reasons were, I take not upon me to set down: there its a Religious man, he is more Like to quench your thirst, and resolve your doubts then I am. It is much to be feared that this greedy griper will utterly spoil this poor man both of money and land, h mind is altogether upon dece and ruin of others. 'Tis pity any onest body should have to do with him that dieth nothing but mischief. What is your opinion sir Hermito of this men di sposition? Do you call him poor, who is reckoned very rich, and full of money to put out for gain? such men are nowadays highly esteemed, much sued unto, and among their praises that is chief, that he excels others in money at use. And in the country among plain fellows it is a special mark or token that he is a good man (as they call him) if he have 100 1. or tow at use, and without that he is not counted found, or out of debt. Marry Sir, these are vices enough. And except you were guilty of all the deadly sins, and breach of every commandment, I know not what you could add to these. To deal plainly with you all, mine opinion is, that the world is generally more wronged and abused by the Lawyer and merchant, then by the Farmer, who though he have faults, yet gets he his living more honestly, and is of necessity to be harboured. But Sir Hermito I must refer the full decision of their cause to your censure. I think the air is infected, that such contagious caterpillars swarm abroad in this age to destroy vouth, that scarce one fruit among 100 comes to be ripe but is first rotten. Such as this broker is are nourished by the Devil for no cause but to waste young men in old prisons. And these cormorants which set them awork to entice youth to these pestilent adventures me thinks they can have no hope that he which receives so little money upon great bonds, does e ver mean to pay them. For he deals not with one of these gripers, but with as many as he can find will be content with his own security. Therefore when he comes to be are stead he is buried alive for all, and payeth none. Sir Hermito If you be no . I am weary with hea ring such variety of vice. The soldier that was wont to be the honour of every country he came in, and a glory of his own, is now become odious abroad, and intolerable at home. The intelligencer might do good service if you could devise to keep him from doing hurt, which is as hard as to restrain a man of war having letters of Mars from robbing his own country men. The Musician that ought to present nothing evil foum ding, is now the setter of all unsavoury sonnets. His office was to teach the measures and dances of order and come lines, not the lofty L valto and tricks of ntemperance. Thank your master, we have dined already, and can eat nothing: another time we will see him if we have oh business. Truly he shall have no hand of m ne to any wri king nor to any purpose, nor for my credit sake will I come n his company. I do agine what it is. He knoweth that to e hear so m changed evil of him that he worser ubts we will speak S we find. And therefore he would have us give comme ̄ ations of him to some friend of our in some small request which he never means to sue for. But this our good repor he will keep by him par lie to stop our mouths (hoping we will not speak contrary to our testimony in writing, and pa tly for his credi to be showed upon every oh case on against all that have cause to speak evil of him. Let him content him self we ref see to come near him. Sum ely Sir it is hard upon the sudden to deliver rue sentence upon so many contrarieties as this day we have herd. But b eefly I think they oh ght all to du ced unto two main heads of Good and Bade. and of the worst to choose the least: and of the be to take the most.