"Then Kain spake to Habell;" it is not sett downe what he said: yet some have adventured to say that he said Transeamus in campos, but whatsoever it was it is not here mentioned, but left to be conceived, as in iii. Gen. v. 22, least he put forth his hand [and] take alsoe of the tree of lyfe: it is left what he resolved. Not that yf Adam had tasted of the tree of lyfe that he should have liued for ever, noe more then he that receives the Sacrament vnworthily shall be a member of Christs body, but that was spoken ironice.
It is like he spake fayre words, being in the house in presence of his father and mother, and that he used dissembling flattering speaches to draw him to such a place where he might with aduantage execute his purpose. A common practise in this world, and an old one, you see, a Machiuilian tricke. They will match the diuel in this age, to carry fayre countenaunce to him whome they meane to overthrowe; to glose and insinuate, to offer hart roote and all, till he may take him at such a vantage that he may cutt his throate or breake his necke, a familiar fashion amongst the nobility in Court, not altogither unusuall amongst the Clergy.
And when they were in the feild Kain rose up against his brother and killed him, a pittifull and a wonderfull matter, will some say, that God will suffer the wicked thus to murther the good; pittifull indeed, but not wonderfull, for the synnes of the best have deserved greater punishment.
A strang thing those which were soe great frends, went arme in arme,
nowe mortall enimies upon the suddein. A maruelous strang fo. 89b.
Jan. 1602.thinge
that he should knowe he could kill his brother, that he could dy, for
he never sawe any man dye before; but manie things are done, both good
and evil, by a secret instinct whereof a man sawe no reason til after the
thing performed, as Moses when he slewe the Agyptian.
Murder an auncient synn, the first open offence after the fall that was committed in the world. Here a notable pollicy of the diuel to have dammed up Gods glory and mans relligion, both at once.
Noe murderer at this day but is guilty of this murder of Kain, and all since, since iniquity is sayd to be a measure which every synner in his kinde by adding his synne striues to make full, and soe assents to all before acted, like a conjuror that subscribes with his bloud.
"Where is Habel thy brother?" The Lord careth for the righteous.
"Whoe answered, I cannot tell." He flaps God in the mouth with a ly at the first word, a generall rule that after murder lying followeth, they are links togither, and commonly noe syn committed but a lye runnes after: for none is soe impudent to confesse it, euery one would have the face of virtue.
"Am I my brothers keeper?" See a Kings sonne, the heir of the world, what a lob140 it is! Howe like a clowne, a clunche,141 an asse, he aunswers. A synner is the verryest noddy of all. This Kain was the verriest duns in the world. He thought to have outfact God with [a] ly, and then would excuse it; "Am I my brothers keeper?" I marry art thou, as thou wast fo. 90.his brother in love, his elder in government, as the prince is the keeper of his people, the minister of the congregacion, every one of an other! The greate ones would keep the minister poore and beggerly that they might not tell them of their faults, but stopp the preists mouth with a coate or a dynner; "but," sayd he, "the diuel take dynners giuen to such a purpose!"
fo. 90b.
30 Jan. 1602.The Papists make a forril142 [?] of the Scripture; they soue up the
mouth of it. (Clapham the other Sunday, as Mr. Peter [?] told me.)
5 February.Mr. Asheford told me these verses under written are upon a picture of the nowe Lord Keeper, Sir Thomas Egerton, in the Lord Chief Justice Pophams lodging:—
A gentleman without monie is like a leane pudding without fatt. (J. Bramstone.)
Justice Glandville144 upon a tyme, when fidlers pressed to play before him, made them sing alsoe, and then askt them yf they could not cry too; they said his worship was a merry man; but he made them sad fellowes, for he caused them to be vsed like rogues as they were. (Ch. Dauers.)
There is best sport always when you put a woman in the case. (Greene.)
The Attorney Generall [Coke] put a case thus in the Kings benche;—"Yf I covenant to stand seised to the use of my bastard daughter—as I thanke God I have none"—and blusht.
fo. 91.
1 Feb. 1602.
[?]There were 11 Sergeants-at-lawe called this day; two of the Middle
Temple, Mr. Phillips and Mr. Nicholes; five of the Inner Temple,
Crooke the Recorder of London, Tanfeild, Coventry, Foster, and
Barker; three of Lyncoln's Inn, Harris and Houghton; one of
Grayes Inn, Mr. Altam.
When the Queene was moved to have called another to have made up twelve, she refused, saying she feared yf there were twelve there would be one false brother amongst them.
Sergeant Harris when he heard that Barker was called, "It is well," said he, "there should be one Barker amongst soe manie byters."
This day at dynner Mr. Sing tooke Mr. Nicholes by the hand and led him up from the lower end of the table, where his place was, and seated him on the benche highest at the upper end.
3.I heard by Mr. Hadsore the lawyers recusants are admitted to plead at the barr in Irland; that one Everard is preferred of late to be a Justice in the Kings Bench there, where there are but two, and yet he a recusant, but an honest man.
4.It is said Mr. Snig offers 800l. to be Sergeant, whereupon Mr. Sergeant Harris said that he doubted not but he should shortly salut his deare brother Mr. Snig.
Argent makes Sargent.
* * * * *155
His text, 59 of Isay, v. 12: "For our tresspasses are many before thee, and our synnes testify against us, for our trespasses are with us, and we knowe our iniquities."
He began with a commendacion of this prophet for the most eloquent and evangelique, in soe much that St. Jerome said he might rather be placed amongst the Evangelists then the Prophets.
All men are synners. "Our trespasses." When Christ taught his disciples to pray, it was one peticion, "Forgive us our trespasses:" to lett them knowe that they were his chosen disciples, yet they were not without synn.
Some may say they have liued sine crimine, sine querela, sed nemo absque peccato.
Hence we must learne not to be presumptuous, but to worke out our salvacion with feare and trembling, since all are synners. 2. Not to despayre, since the best haue synned.
Our synnes are before God, his eyes are 10,000 tymes brighter then the sunne, nothing hid from his knowledge. Synne is like a smoke, like fyre, it mounteth upward, and comes even before God to accuse us; it is like a serpent in our bosome, still ready to sting us; it is the diuels daughter. A woman hath hir paynes in travaile and delivery, but rejoyceth when she seeth a child is borne; but the birth of synn is of a contrary fashion; for all the pleasure [is] in the bringing forth, but when it is finished and brought forth, it tormenteth us continually; they haunt us like the tragicall furies.
"Lett him that readeth consider it." He said this chapter is not to be understoode of doomesday, but of the destruction of Jerusalem; and that the 28 v. "Wheresoever the dead carcase is, thither doe the eagles resort," cannot be applied to the resurrection and congregacion of the saints into state of glory with Christ, as some notes interpret, but of the gathering togither of Christes people in the kingdome of grace: for Christ in his kingdome of glory cannot be sayd a carcase, but nowe he may, because he is crucified. And the 29 v. "The sunne shall be darkened, and the moone shall not give hir light, and the stars shall fall from heaven," he expounded thus, That the temporall and ecclesiasticall state of the Jewes in Jerusalem, and the starres, i. e. their magistrates, shall loose their authority.
He expounded the opening the seven seales in the Revelacion to have reference to sundry tymes, and the 6. to the destruction of Jerusalem. 7 tymes 7 makes a weeke of yeares, the Jewes true Jubilee, wherein 7 trumpets should be blowne.
The best expositor of the Revelacion a nobleman in Scotland,158 whoe hath taken Christian and learned paynes therein, yet fayled in the computacion of the beginning of the yeares.
The Revelacion might be better understood if men would better studye it; and that it may be understood, and hath good use, he alledged the word, 1. 3. "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the wordes of this prophesy, and keepe those thinges which are written therein;" which were vayne unles it might be understoode.
Towards the end of his sermon he told his auditory howe it had bin bruited abroade, as he thought by some Atheists or Papists whose profest enemy he is, that this last weeke he had hanged himselfe, but some of his friends, he said, would not believe it, but said some other had done it; yet others that like him not for some opinion, said it was noe marvaile yf he hanged himselfe, for he had bin possest of the diuel a good while, "but I thinke rather," said he, "they were possessed that said soe, and yet not soe possessed as some hold possession now a dayes, that is essentially," and here he shewed his opinion that there can be noe essentiall possession: 1. Because the diuel can effect as much without entering into the person as yf he were essentially in him, and then it is more then needes. 2. Because there cannot be assigned anie proper token or signe to knowe that anie is essentially possessed. Which signe must be apparent in all such as are soe possessed, and not in anie others. This opinion of his, he said, he would hold till he sawe better reason to the contrary.
In his sermon he told a tale of the Jewes Thalmud, which, he said, was
as true perhaps as anie in the Papists legend of lyes, and it was howe
Rabbi Haley had conference with Elias in a caue, and would knowe of
Elias when Messias should come. Elias told him, Goe aske of the Messias
himselfe. Rabbi Haley required where the Messias might be found. Elias
told him he should find him at Rome gates amongst the poore; a verry
scoffe and a flout, he thought, to the Papists, to shewe that fo. 97b.
6 Feb. 1602.Christ neuer
came within their city, but they kept him out of dores, and that he was
not amongst their Cardinals, but the beggars, &c.
I will not believe it, because I will not, is Tom Sculs argument, as they say in Cambrige, and a womans reason, as they say here. (Clapham.)
Mr. Bodley which hath made the famous library at Oxeford was the sonne of a merchant of London: was sometymes a factor for the state: after maried a riche widdowe in Devonshire or Cornewall, whose husband grewe to a greate quantity of wealth in a short space, specially by trading for pilchers; nowe himself having noe children lives a pleasing privat life, somewhile at the City, somewhile at the University; he followed the Earl of Essex till his fall. (Mr. Curle.)
7.One came to the fyre and Mr. South gave him place; "You are as kinde," quoth he, "as the South-west winde." (Da.)
8.Tom Lancaster met Robbin Snig one day in the Court of Requests. "Howe nowe, old Robbin," quoth he, "what dost thou here?" "Fayth," said he, "I came to be heard, if I can." "I thinke soe," said he; "nowe thou canst be heard in noe other Court thou appealest to Cesar." (Dr. Cesar, Master of Requests.)
* * * * *
Two poore men being at a verry doubtfull demurrer in the Kings benche, the Justices moved that they would referr the matter to some indifferent men that might determine soe chargeable and difficult a controversy, and one demaunded of one of them yf he could be content to haue the land parted betweene them; when he shewed himselfe willing, "Doubtles," said Mr. Cooke, the attorney, "the child is none of his, that would have it divided," alluding to the judgment of Solomon.
* * * * *
Turner and Dun, two famous fencers, playd their prizes this day at the Banke side, but Turner at last run Dun soe far in the brayne at the eye, that he fell downe presently stone deade; a goodly sport in a Christian state, to see on man kill an other!
* * * * *
He that offers to violate the memory of the deade is like a swyne that rootes up a grave.
The towne of Manitre in Essex holdes by stage playes.159 And Rocheford, that they must come at a day unknowne into a field, where the Steward keepes Court at midnight, and writes with a cole, but the night he goes he must make knowne where he stays; those that are absent, and haue none to answer, loose theyr land; grewe upon tenants burn[ing] Lords evidences.
fo. 98b.
12 Feb. 1602.Ben Johnson the poet nowe lives upon one Townesend160 and
scornes the world. (Tho: Overbury.)
Sir Christopher Hatton and another knight made challenge whoe should present the truest picture of hir Majestie to the Queene. One caused a flattering picture to be drawne; the other presented a glas, wherein the Queene sawe hir selfe, the truest picture that might be. (Freewer?)
13.I heard by Mr. Hull, that, whereas heretofore the Lord Admiral used to have the tenthe of all reprisal goods, the State hath nowe thought good, for the encouragement of men to furnishe ships of war against the enimy, to forgiue that imposicion of tenth, but it is thought this indulgence comes too late, the Spaniard hauing growne soe strong in shipping that fewe dare hazard to venture in small company for incertaine booty.
12.The Maysters of the Court of Requests take their place aboue a Knight. (Whitlock.)
Mr. Hadsor, an Irishe gentleman of our house, was called to the barre, and tooke his oath to the Supremacy. He is shortly to goe for Ireland, there to be Chiefe Justice in Ulster, yf the troubles be pacified, as there is great hope they will bee, for the Rebbell Tyrone hath sent an absolute submission.
One Weston, a merchant of Dublin, hath bin a great discoverer.161
fo. 99.
15.The Papistes relligion is like a beggars cloke, where there are soe
many patches of pollicy sowed on, that none of the first clothe can
be seene. (B. Rud[yerd].)
"I will doe myne endeavor," quoth he that thrasht in his cloke. (E. Curle.)
"Non sic fuit ab antiquo" say the Papistes of ours; "Non sic fuit ab initio," say wee of their religion. (B. Rudyerd.)
14.Impunity is the mother of contempt and impiety, and both those the subverters of all governement. (Lord Keeper.)
Qui in os laudatur, in corde flagellatur.
I heard that about this last Christmas the Lady Effingham,162 as shee was playing at shuttlecocke, upon a suddein felt hir selfe somewhatt, and presently retiring hir selfe into a chamber was brought to bed of a child without a midwife, shee never suspecting that shee had bin with child.
The play at shuttlecocke is become soe muche in request at Court, that the making shuttlecockes is almost growne a trade in London.
Præstat otiosum esse quam nihil agere.
A yong man made a finicall boysterous exordium, and rann himselfe out almost dry before he was halfe through; his text; "He humbled himselfe to the death, even to the death of the crosse, wherefore God hath glorified him." He spake much of humility. Melior est peccator humilis, quam superbus justus. Peccare non potest nisi superbus, nec penitere nisi humilis. He first dilated of three meanes to knowe God; by his greatnes, by the prophets in the old, by his sonne in the newe Testament. Against pride in beauty; the diuel playes the sophister whiles he perswades women to paint that they may seeme fayrer than they are; which painting being discovered, makes them to be thought fouler than they are. Pride in apparell is pride of our shame, for it was made to cover it, and as yf one should embroyder a sheete wherein he had done pennaunce, and shewe it in bragging manner. It is said by some that St. John Baptist for his humility is rewarded with the place which the diuel lost for his pride.
He spake against duellisme, or single combat, and said that yf two goe into the field with purpose to fight an the one be slayne, he is a murderour of himselfe. He exhorted the judges to severity, telling them that there is more incouragement taken by one that escapes the punishment due unto him by the lawe, then there is feare wrought by the execution of an hundred.
fo. 100.
13 Feb. 1602.In the afternoone Mr. Clapham, at his Churche by Paules
Wharf.
Text, Gen. iv. 13. "Then Kain said to the Lord or Jehovah, My punishment is greater then I can beare, &c." but he reade it "My synne is greater then can be concealed." He noted that translators did very ill to foyst their inventions into the text and sett the originall in the margent, as commonly the common translacions have "synne" in the margent for the word "punishment" in the text, as grosse an absurdity as yf one should shutt the master out of dores, and give entertainement to his attendants.
Nowe Kayne was prest with the horror of his synn he confesseth, but
with a kinde of desperacion and repining, as Judas when he confest
and hanged himselfe. If a man will not confesse his faultes he shall be
prest till he confesse, and when his confession comes to late he may
confesse and be hanged to, well enough. For repentant confession must
come while grace is offered, while it is called to-day. God deales as the
debtor which tenders his money till sunne goe downe. When night is
come, up goes his money and a fig for his creditor. Yf men take not tyme
while grace is offered, but delay till the sunne of grace be gonne downe,
there remaines nothing but horrible desperat reprobacion. A vagabond;
an excommunicate person is a vagabond, turned out of the society of Gods
Churche both here in earth, and in heaven too, yf it were done by the
Spirit of Christ; and therefore lett not men soe lightly esteeme of this
greate censure, nor thinke to excuse themselves by fo. 100b.
1 Feb. 1602.saying it was for
trifles; but lett them take heede they deserve it not, and yf they which
gave the sentence abused their authority, lett them aunswere for it, but
always the censure is to [be] reverently regarded.
Ther be pasport-makers that are as verry rogues as any justice rogues, noble rogues; all that live out of the communion of the Churche are noe better than rogues and vagabonds in the eye [?] of God.
fo. 101.
15 Feb. 1602.Paradox. That paynting is lawefull. Fowlenes is loathesome;
can it be soe that helpes it? What thou lovest most in hir face is
colour, and this painting gives that; but thou hatest it, not because
it is, but because thou knowest it is. Foole, whom ignorance only
maketh happie. Love hir whoe shewes greate love to the by taking
this paynes to seeme lovely to thee.
Hee that weepeth is most wise. Wee come first unwitting, weeping and crying, into a world of woe, and shall wee not weepe and cry when wee knowe it?
The Reason of Reasons was seene divers tymes to weepe, but never to laugh.
Art thou a synner? Wilt thou repent? Weepe. Art thou poore? Wouldst thou be relieved? Weepe. Hast thou broken the lawes of thy prince? Hast thou deserued death? Wouldst thou be pittyed? Wouldst thou liue? Weepe. Hast thou injured thy friend? Wilt thou be reconciled? Weepe.
Laughinge is the greatest signe of wisdome. Ride, si sapis, O puella, ride. Yf thou be wise laugh, for sith the powers of discourse and reason and laughinge be equally proper to only man, why shall not he be most wise that hath most use of laughing, as well as he that hath most use of reasoning and discoursing? I have seene men laugh soe long and soe ernestly that they have wept at last, because they could weepe [laugh?] noe more. Laugh at a foolish gallant; soe shall he be knowne a man, because he laughs; a wise man, for he knowes what he laughs at; and valiant, that he dares laugh.
fo. 101b.
15 Feb. 1602.To keepe sheepe, the best lyfe. The Lyfe of Man was soe affected
to this lyfe, that he denyed not to crowne his deity with this title:
and by this he directed his especiall charge to his especiall disciple:
giving us men this best name of a beast, of the best nature of beastes.
They are innocent, they are patient, soe would God have man; they
love and live together, soe would God have man. God made thee
to behold the Heaven, and to meditate the wonders thereof; make
thyselfe a shepheard, and thou art still beholding, still meditating.
God commaundes thee to forsake the world: yf thou art a shepheard
thou dost soe, thou withdrawest thyselfe from the world. The private
lyfe is the sweetest lyfe; yf thou livest the lyfe of a shepheard,
thou livest the sweetest private. Wilt thou be a king? Be a shepheard,
thou hast subjects, thou hast obedient subjects, thou hast
sheepe, thou hast a scepter, thou hast a crooke; thy fold is thy
counsell chamber, and the greene field thy flourishing pallace.
Thy companions are the sunne, the moone, and the stars, of whom
thou makest continuall use, and from the vieue of their lights receyvest
thy counsell and advise. Thou art more happie then other
kings, thou art freed from hate and soe from feare, thou reignest
quietly, and rulest securely; thou hast but one enemie, and thou
hast an enemy for that enemie, the dog and wolf. He that
was Gods second best beloved was a shepheard and a king; yf thou
art a shepheard thou art a king, thou art happie, nay thou art
most happie, thou art a happie king, thy subiectes living onely to
lengthen thy life, and to shorten their owne, &c.
fo. 102.
Feb. 1602.One fee is too good for a bad lawyer, and two fees too little for a
good one.
Hee that will love a man he knowes not why, will hate him though he knowe not wherefore.
When Sir Edward Hobby heard of Sir Henry Nevils disaster with the Earl of Essex, he said that his cosen Nevil was ambling towardes his preferment, and would needes gallop in all the hast, and soe stumbled and fell. (Ch. Davers.)
The Bishop of Bath and Wells,163 being sent for to the Court and there offered the Bishopricke of Ely upon some condicions which he thought inconvenient, he said that Bishopricke was the onely mayden Bishopricke in England, and he would not be the first should deflour it. (Hooper.)
One being entreated to part a man and his wife that were togither by the eares, "Nay," quoth he, "I will never part man and wife while I live."
Dr. Rud made a sermon before the Queene upon the text, "I sayd yee are Gods, but you shall all dy like men;" wherein he made such a discourse of death that hir Majestie, when his sermon was ended, said unto him, "Mr. Dr. you have made me a good funerall sermon, I may dye when I will."
Giue the way to any that you meete; yf he have a better horse it is duty, yf a worse in pity; yf the way be fayre you are in, commonly it is foule hard by, and soe you shall haue power to durty him that you giue the way, not he you. (Burdett.)
Yf you put a case in the first bookes of the lawe to the auncients, you may presume they may haue forgotten it; yf in the newe bookes, you may doubt whether they haue reade it. (Bur[dett.])
fo. 102b.
Feb. 1602.Sir Henry Unton164 was soe cunning a bargayner for landes that
they which dealt with him were commonly greate loosers, whereupon
Mr. Duns of Barkshire said that he bought lands with witt
and sold them with rhetorick. (Chute.)
My taylor, Mr. Hill, a little pert fellowe, was upon a tyme brought before the Lord Chamberlaine, and accused that he had heard one Harlestone curse the Earl of Leister in his house. But Hill denying it, the Lord Chamberlain threatning him, called him rogue and raskall, that would hear noblemen abused, and yet justifie to. Hill replyed that he was neither rogue nor raskall, but a poore artificer, that lived by his labour. The Lord demaund[ed], "What trade?" "A taylor," said Hill. "O then a theife by profession," said the Lord, "and yet yf thou beest a theife thou art but a prettie little one. But, sirra, you rogue, what say you to the matter of my Lord of Leister?" "O, my Lord," said he, "I heard noe such matter." "I will hang you, you raskall," said the Lord. "You shall hang a true man, my Lord," sayd Hill. "What, and a taylor!" said the Lord. Soe leaving Hill when he could not force him to confesse, he went to the accuser, and told him he must not come and trouble him with such trifles, which were fauls to, and yf it had bin true, yet yf he should committ every one to prison that spake evil of Leister or himselfe, he should make as many prisons in London as there be dwelling houses.
fo. 103.
20 March.Laudo navigantem, cum pervenerit ad portum. (Ch. Da.)