MY Lord , my tongue , my penne , and my heart , are all your seruants ; when you cannot heare mee , through distance , you must see me in my Letters . You are now in the Senate of the Kingdom , or in the concourse of the City , or perhaps ( tho more rarely ) in the royal face of the Court. All of them , places fit for your place . From all these , let mee call off your minde to her home aboue ; and , in the midst of businesse , showe you rest : If I may not rather commend , then admonish , and before-hand confesse my counsell superfluous , because your holy forwardnesse hath preuented it . You can afford these , but halfe of your selfe : The better part is better bestowed ; Your soule is still retired , and reserued . You haue learned to vouchsafe these worldly things , vse , without affection ; and knowe to distinguish wisely , betwixt a Stoicall dulnesse , and a Christian contempt : & haue long made the world , not your God , but your slaue . And , in truth ( that I may loose my selfe into a bold and free discourse ) what other respect is it worthy of ? I would adore it on my face , if I could see any Maiestie , that might commaund veneration . Perhaps , it loues me not so much , as to showe me his best . I haue sought it enough : And haue seene what others haue doted on ; and wondred at their madnesse . So may I look to see better things aboue , as I neuer could see ought heere , but vanitie & vilenesse .

What is fame , but smoke ? and metall , but drosse ? and pleasure , but a pill in suger ? Let som gallants condemne this , as the voice of a Melancholike scholler : I speake that which they shall feele , and shall confesse . Tho I neuer was so , I haue seen som as happy , as the worlde could make them : and yet I neuer saw any more discontented . Their life hath beene neither longer , nor sweeter , nor their heart lighter , nor their meales hartier , nor their nights quieter , nor their cares fewer , nor their complaints . Yea , wee haue knowen some , that haue lost their mirth when they haue found wealth ; and at once haue ceased to be merrie and poore . All these earthly delights , if they were sound , yet how short they are ! and if they could be long , yet how vnsound ! If they were sound , the● are but as a good day betweene two agues , or a sunne-shine betwixt two tempests . And if they were long , their hony is exceeded by their gall . This ground beares none but maples , hollow , and fruitlesse ; or , like the bankes of the dead sea , a faire apple , which vnder a red side containes nothing but dust . Euery flower in this garden either prickes , or smells ill . If it be sweet , it hath thornes : and if it haue no thorns , it annoies vs with an ill sent . Go then , ye wise idolatrous Parasites , & erect shrines , and offer sacrifices to your God , the World ; and seeke to please him with your base and seruile deuotions : It shall be long enough ere such religion shall make you happy . You shall at last forsake those altars , empty and sorrowfull . How easie is it for vs Christians , thus to insult ouer the worldling , that thinkes himselfe worthy of enuie ? How easie to turne off the World with a scornefull repulse ; and when it makes vs the Diuels proffer , All these will I giue thee , to returne Peters answer , Thy siluer & thy gold perish with thee ? How easie to account none so miserable , as those that are rich with iniurie , and growe great by being conscious of secret euils ? Wealth and honor , when it coms vpon the best terms , is but vain ; but , when vpon ill conditions , burdensom . When they are at the best , they are scarce friends ; but , when at the worst , tormentors . Alas ! how ill agrees a gay coate , and a festered heart ? what auailes an high title , with an hell in the soule ? I admire the faith of Moses : but , presupposing his faith , I wonder not at his choice . He preferred the afflictions of Israel , to the pleasures of Egypt ; and chose rather to eate the Lambe , with sowre herbs , then all their flesh-pots : For , how much better is it to be miserable then guilty ? and what comparison is ther betwixt sorrow and sinne ? If it were possible , let mee bee rather in hell without sinne , then on earth wickedly glorious . But , how much are wee bound to God , that allowes vs earthlie fauours , without this opposition ! That GOD hath made you at once honourable and iust , and your life pleasant and holy , and hath giuen you an high state with a good heart ; are fauours , that looke for thanks . These must bee acknowledged , not rested in : They are yet higher thoughts that must perfect your contentment .

What God hath giuen you , is nothing to that he meanes to giue : He hath beene liberall ; but , hee will be munificent . This is not so much as the taste of a full cup. Fasten your eyes vpon your future glory , and see how meanly you shall esteeme these earthly graces . Here , you command but a little pittance of mould ( great indeede , to vs ; little , to the whole ) : there , whole heauen shall bee yours . Heere you commaund , but as a subiect : there you shall raigne as a King . Heere , you are obserued ; but sometimes with your iust distaste : There , you shall raigne with peace , and ioy . Heere , you are noble among men ; there , glorious amongst Angels . Here , you want not honour ; but you want not crosses : there , is nothing but felicity . Here , you haue some short ioyes : there , is nothing but eternity . You are a stranger , heere ; there , at home . Here , Satan tempts you , and men vexe you : there , Saints and Angels shall applaud you ; and God shall fill you with himselfe . In a word , you are onely blessed here , for that you shall be .

These are thoughts worthy of greatnesse : which , if we suffer either imployments , or pleasures to thrust out of our doores , wee doe wilfully make our selues comfortlesse . Let these still season your mirth , & sweeten your sorrowes , & euer interpose themselues betwixt you & the world . These , only , can make your life happy , and your death welcome .

SIr , God hath called you to a great and happy charge ; You haue the custody of our common Treasure : Neither is there any seurice comparable to this of yours ; whether wee regard God , or the world . Our labours , oft-times bestowed vpon many , scarce profit one : yours , bestowed vpon one , redounds to the profit of manie millions : This is a summarie waie of obliging al the World to you . I incourage you not in your care : you haue more comfort in the successe of it , then all Worlds can giue you . The verie subiect of your paines would giue an hart to him that hath none . I rather congratulate , with you , our common happinesse , and the hopes of posteritie , in that roiall and blessed issue . You haue best cause to be the best witness of the rare forwardnesse of our gratious Maister : and I haue seen enough , to make me think I can neuer be enough thankfull to God for him . That Princes are fruitfull , is a great blessing : but , their children are fruitful in grace , & more eminent in place then vertue , is the greatest fauour God can doo to a State . The goodness of a priuate man is his owne ; of a Prince , the whole worlds . Their wordes are Maximes , their actions examples , their examples , rules . When I compare them with their royall Father ( as I doo ofte and chearfully ) I cannot say whether he bee more happie in himselfe , or in them . I see both in him , and them ; I see & wonder , that God distributes to naturall princes giftes proportionable to their greatness . That wise Moderator of the world knows what vse is of their parts : he knowes that the head must haue all the senses that pertaine to the whole bodie : And how necessarie it is , that inferiours should admire them no lesse for the excellencie of their graces , then for the swaie of their authoritie . Whereupon , it is , that hee giues heroicall qualities to Princes : and , as he hath bestowed vpon them his own name ; so also he giues them speciall stamps of his own glorious image . Amongst all other vertues , what a comfort is it to see those yeares , and those spirits stoope so willingly to deuotion ? Religion is growen too seuere a Mistresse for yong and high courages to attend . Verie rare is that Nobility of blood , that doth not chalenge libertie ; and that libertie , that endes not in loosenesse . Lo , this example teaches our gallants , how wel euen Maiestie can stand with homage ; Maiestie to men , with homage to God .

Farre be it from mee , to do that which my next clause shal condemn : but , I thinke it safe to say , that seldome euer those yeares haue promised , seldom haue performed so much . Only God keep two mischiefes euer from within the smoke of his Court ; Flatterie and Trecherie : The iniquity of times may make vs feare these ; not his inclination .

For , whether as English , or as men , it hath been euer familiar to vs to faune vpon Princes : Tho , what do I bestow two names vppon one vice , but attyred in two sundry sutes of euill : For , Flatterie is no other than gilded treason ; nothing else but poyson in golde : This euill is more tame ; not lesse daungerous . It had beene better for many great ones not to haue beene , then to haue beene in their conceites more then men . This , Flatterie hath done : and what can it not ? That other , Trecherie , spills the blood ; this , the vertues of Princes . That takes them from others : This bereaues them of themselues . That , in spight of the actours , doth but change their Crowne : this steales it from them for euer . Who can but wonder , that reades of som not vnwise Princes , so bewitched with the inchantments of their Parasites , that they haue thought themselues Gods immortall , and haue suffred themselues so stiled , so adored ? Neither temples , nor statues , nor sacrifices haue seemed too much glory to the greatness of their selfe-loue ; Now none of all their actions could be either euil , or vnbeseeming ; Nothing could proceede from them worthy of censure , vnworthy of admiration : Their very spots haue beene beautie , their humors iustice , their errors wittie , their Paradoxes diuine , their excesses heroicall . O the damnable seruilitie of false minds ! which perswade others of that which themselues laugh to see beleeued . O the dangerous credulitie of selfe-loue which intertaines all aduantages if neuer so euill , neuer so impossible . How happy a seruice shal you do to this whole world of ours , if you shal stil setle in that princely minde a true apprehension of himselfe ; and shal teach him to take his owne height aright ; and euen from his childhood to hate a parasite , as the worst traytor : To breake those false glasses , that would present him a face not his owne : To applaud plaine truth , and bend his browes vpon excessiue prayses . Thus affected , hee may bid vice do her worst . Thus shal he striue with vertue , whether shal more honour each other . Thus sincere and solid glory shal euery where follow , and crowne him . Thus , when he hath but his due , hee shal haue so much , that he shal scorne to borrow the false colors of adulation . Go-on happily in this worthy and noble imployment . The worke cannot but succeed , that is furthered with so many prayers .

SIr , besides my hopes , not my desires , I traueled of late ; for knowledge partly , & partly for health . There was nothing that made not my iourny pleasant , saue the labour of the way : which yet was so sweetly deceiued , by the society of Sr Edmund Bacon ( a Gentleman truly honorable , beyond al titles ) that I found smal cause to complain . The sea brookt not me , nor I it ; an vnquiet element , made only for wonder and vse , not for pleasure . Alighted once from that wodden conueyance , and vneuen way , I bethought my selfe how fondly our life is committed to an vnsteadie and reeling peece of wood , fickle windes , restlesse waters ; while wee may set foot , on stedfast and constant earth . Lo , then euery thing taught me , euery thing delighted me ; so ready are we to be affected with those forraine pleasures , which at home we should ouer-look . I saw much , as one might in such a span of earth , in so fewe months . The time fauored me : for , now newly had the key of peace opened those parts which war had before closed ; closed ( I say ) to all English , saue either fugitiues or captiues . All ciuill occurrences ( as what faire Cities , what strange fashions , entertainement , dangers , delights we found ) are fit for other ears , and winter euenings . What I noted , as a diuine within the sphere of my profession , my paper shal not spare in som part to report ; and that to your self , which haue passed a longer way , with more happie fruit of obseruation . Euen little streams emptie themselues into great riuers ; and they againe into the Sea . Neither do I desire to tell you what you know not : it shall be sufficient that I relate ought , which others shall think memorable .

Along our way , how many Churches saw we demolished ! Nothing left , but rude heapes , to tell the passenger , there had beene both deuotion and hostilitie . O the miserable foot-steps of war , besides bloodshed , ruine and desolation ! Furie hath don that there , which Couetousnesse would do with vs ; would do , but shall not : The truth within , shal saue the walles without . And , to speak truely ( whateuer the vulgar exclaime ) Idolatrie pull'd downe those walles ; not rage . If ther had beene no Hollander to raze them , they should haue fallen alone , rather than hide so much impiety vnder their guiltie roofe . These are spectacles not so much of crueltie , as iustice ; Crueltie of man , Iustice of God . But ( which I wondred at ) Churches fall , and Iesuites Colledges rife , euery where : There is no City , where those are not either rearing , or built . Whence commeth this ? Is it , for that deuotion is not so necessarie as Policy ? Those men ( as we say of the Fox ) fare best , when they are most cursed . None so much spighted of their owne ; none so hated of all ; none so opposed by ours : and yet these ill weedes growe . Whosoeuer liues long , shall see them feared of their owne , which now hate them ; shall see these seuen leane kine deuoure all the satte beastes that feede on the medowes of Tyber . I prophecie , as Pharaoh dreamed : The euent shal iustifie my confidence .

At Bruxelles , I saw some English-women professe themselues Vestalls ; with a thousand rites , I know not whether more ridiculous , or magicall . Poore soules ! they could not be fooles enough at home . It would haue made you to pitty , laugh , disdaine ( I know not which more ) to see by what cunning sleightes and faire pretences that weake sexe was fetcht into a willfull bondage ; and ( if those two canne agree ) willingly constrained to serue a maister whome they must and cannot obey : Whom they neither may forsake for their vow , nor can please for their frailty . What followes hence ? Late sorrow , secret mischiefe , misery irremediable . Their forwardnesse , for will-worship , shall condemne our coldnesse for truth .

I talked there ( in more boldnesse , perhaps , then wisdom ) with Costerus a famous Iesuite ; an old man , more teasty then subtle , and more able to wrangle then satisfie . Our discourse was long & rouing ; & on his part ful both of words & vehemency . He spake as at home ; I as a stranger : yet so , as he saw me modestly peremptory . The particulars would swell my Letter too much : It is enough , that the Truth lost lesse then I gayned . At Gaunt ( a Citie that commaunds reuerence for age , and wonder for the greatnesse ) wee fell vpon a Cappucine nouice , which wept bitterly , because he was not allowed to be miserable . His head had now felt the razor , his backe the rod : all that Laconicall discipline pleased him well ; which another , being condemned to , would iustly account a torment . What hindred then ? Piety , to his mother , would not permit this which he thought piety to God : He could not be a willing begger , vnlesse his mother must begge vnwillingly . He was the onely heire of his father , the onely stay of his mother : the comfort of her widow-hoode depended on this her orphane ; who now naked must enter into the worlde of the Capucines , as hee came first into this ; leauing his goods to the diuision of the fraternity : The least part whereof should haue beene hers , whose hee wished all : Hence those teares , that repulse . I pitied his ill-bestowed zeale ; and rather wished , then durst teach him more wisedome . These men for deuoute , the Jesuites for learned and pragmaticall , haue ingrossed all opinion , from other Orders . O hypocrisie ! No Capucine may take or touch siluer : for , these are ( you knowe ) the quintessence of Franciscan spirits . This metall is as very an Anathema to these , as the wedge of gold to Achan ; at the offer whereof he starts back , as Moses from the serpent : Yet he caries a boy with him , that takes and caties it ; and neuer complaines of either metall or measure . I sawe , and laughed at it ; and , by this open trick of hypocrisie , suspected more , more close . How could I choose ? while commonly the least appeares of that which is ; especially of that which is loathsom in appearance , much more in nature . At Namurs , on a pleasant and steep hill-top , we found one that was tearmed a maried Hermite ; approuing his wisdome aboue his fellowes , that could make choice of so cheerfull and sociable a solitarinesse . Whence , after a delightful passage vp the sweet riuer Mosa , wee visited the populous and rich Clergy of Leodium . That great Citie might well bee dichotomized into Cloisters , & Hospitalls . If I might aduenture , I could here play the Critick , after all the ruins of my neglected Philology . Olde monumnts , and after them our Lipsius , call this people Eburones : I doubt whether it should not rather bee written Ebriones ; yet without search of any other Records , saue my owne eyes : While yet I would those streetes were more moist with wine , then with bloud ; wherein no day , no night is not dismall to some . No law , no Magistrate layeshold on the knowen murderer , if himselfe lift : For three dayes after his fact ; the gates are open , and iustice shut : priuate violence may pursue him , publique iustice can not : whence , some of more hote temper carue themselues of reuenge ; others take-vp with a smal pecuniarie satisfaction . O England , thought I , happie for iustice , happy for securitie ! There you shall finde in euery corner a Maumet ; at euery door a Begget , in euery dish a Priest . From thence we passed to the Spa , a village famous for her medicinall and minerall waters , compounded of yron & Copperice ; the vertue whereof yet the simple inhabitant ascribes to their beneficiall Saint , whose heauie foote hath made an ill-shaped impression , in a stone of his * * The name of the vpper Well of the Spa. Sauenir ; A water more wholsome then pleasant , & yet more famous then wholsome . The wilde deserts ( on which it borders ) are haunted with three kindes of ill cattell ; Free-booters , Wolues , Witches ; Although these two last are oft-times one . For , that sauage Ardenna , is reputed to yield many of those monsters , whom the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; they , Lougarous ; we ( if you wil ) Witch-wolues : Witches that haue put on the shape of those cruell beasts . Wee sawe a boy there , whose halfe-face was deuoured by one of them neere the village : yet so , as that the eare was rather out then bitten off . Nor many dayes before our comming , at Limburgh was executed one of those miscreants , who confessed on the wheele to haue deuoured two and fourtie children in that forme . It would aske a large volume , to scan this Probleme of Lycanthropy . The reasons , wherewith their relation furnisht mee on both parts , would make an Epistle tedious . This in short I resolued ; A substantiall change is aboue the reach of all infernall powers , proper to the same hand that created the substance of both : Herein the Diuell playes the double Sophister ; yea , the Sorcerer with Sorcerers . Hee both deludes the Witches conceite , and the beholders eyes .

One thing I may not omit , without sinfull ouer-sight ; A short , but memorable Storie , which the Grephier of that Towne ( though of different religion ) reported to more eares then ours . When the last Inquisition tyrannized in those parts , and helpt to spende the Faggots of Ardenna ; one of the rest , a confident Confessour , beeing led farre to his stake , sung Psalmes along the way , in an heauenlie courage , and victorious Triumph : the cruell Officer enuying his last mirth , and grieuing to see him merrier then his tormentours , commaunded him silence ; Hee singes still , as desirous to improoue his last breath to the best . The view of his approaching glorie , bred his ioy ; his ioy breakes forth into a cheerefull confession : The enraged Sheriffe causes his tongue , drawen foorth to the length , to be cut off neere the rootes . Bloudie wretch ! It had beene good Musicke to haue heard his shreekes : but , to heare his Musick was torment . The poor Martyr dies in silence , rests in peace . Not many moneths after , our butcherly officer hath a sonne born with his tongue hanging down vpon his chinne , like a Deare after long chace ; which neuer could bee gathered vp within the bounds of his lippes . O the diuine hand , full of iustice , full of reuenge ! Goe now , Lipsius , and write the new miracles of thy Goddesse ; and confirme superstition by strange euents . Histoire et Miracles , &c. Iudge you that haue seene , if euer the Chappell of Halle or Zichem haue yielded ought more notable . Que le 8. iour du mois de Septembre an dict an. 1603. estant Feste de la Natiuitè de nostre Dame , le nombre de Pelerins a estè euuiron 20000. Pag. 35. We met euery where Pilgrimes to those his Ladies : two Ladies shall I call them , or one Lady in two shrines ? If two , why do they worshippe but one ? If but one , why doth shee that cure at Zichem , which at Halle she could not ? O what pitty it is , that so a high a wit should in the last be subiect to dotage ! All the masculine broode of that braine wee cherished , and ( if neede were ) admired : but , these his silly virgins , the feeble issue of distempered age , who can abide ? One of his darlings , at Louan , tolde mee from his owne mouth ; Virgo Hallensis . that the elder of these two daughters , was by him in ten dayes got , conceiued , borne , christened . I beleeued , and wondred not . These acts of superstition haue an inuisible father , and mid-wife : besides that it is not for an Elephant to goe three yeares with a Mouse . It was tolde mee in the shop of his Moretus , not without some indignation , that our King , when hee had well viewed the booke , and read some Passages , threw it to the ground with this Censure ; Damnation to him that made it , and to him that beleeues it . Whether a true story , or one of their Legends , I inquire not : I am sure , that sentence did nor so much discontent them , as it ioyed mee . Let mee tell you yet , ere I take off my pen , two wonders more , which I saw in that wonder of Cities , Antwerp ; One , a solemne masse in a shambles , & that on Gods day : while the house was ful of meat , of butchers , of buyers ; some kneeling , others bagaining , most talking , all busie . It was strange to see one house sacred to God , and the belly ; and how those two seruices agreed : The Priest did eate flesh , the butchers sold flesh in one roofe , at one instant . The butcher killed , and sold it by peeces ; the Priest did sacrifice , and orally deuour it whole : whether was the more butcher ? The like wee might haue seen at Malines . Mechlinia . The other , an English-man , One Goodwin a Kentish-man . so madly deuout , that hee had willfully mur'd vp himselfe as an Anachoret ; the worst of all prisoners : There sate hee pent-vp , for his further merite , halfe hunger-starued for the charitie of the Citizens . It was worth seeing , how manly hee could bite-in his secret want , and dissemble his ouer-late repentance . I cannot commend his mortification , if hee wish to be in heauen , yea , in purgatorie , to be deliuered from thence : I durst not pittie him ; because his durance was willing , & ( as he hoped ) meritorious : But , such incouragement as hee had from mee , such thanke shall hee haue from God ; who in steade of an Euge , which hee lookes for , shall angerly challenge him , with Who required this ? I leaue him now , in his owne fetters ; You , to your worthie , and honourable imployments .