Fonseca - Houston-Packer Collection. BX1756.F66 D5713 1629

IÓ2 The lifeofa Courtier, is wholly vpon hopes. Thecourts ofPrinces,like On the Friedayafter the Poole of Betheld& theend ofthirtie eight yeares was more benurnm'd than at firff ; and if our Sa- uiour Chriff had not helped him,it is probable hewould haue perifhed. Many come to the Court, to recouer themfelues of aninfirmitìc that foll owes them, calledPouertie ; andafter many yeares trauell , and pailies taking they prooue poorerthan before, andoft dieof thatdifeafe : whereas ifthey had bin conten- ted with their former meane eflate, they might perhapsnot haue died fo foone. And although they get the Office they pretend, yet doe theyneuer come to be rich, becaufe their profits doenot equall their charges. Seneca faith , That if thefe menwouldhaue taken councell of thofe whohaue tryed this poole fome few yeares, they would alter their mind. If he that applies himfelfe to the fer- uice. of Venus in his youth, would but follow the aduice ofhim who lies in his bed ladenwith the Pox,& hathnot abone inall his bodie that wifhcs him well, Vota mutap, Hee mouldhauechangedhis vetoes. Ifhee that delires to becomea Courtier, will but hearken to him,whobeing chap-fallenand toothleffe,andha- uing fpentall his life time in the feruiceofthe Court,goesaway at laft vnrewar- ded,ifnot ill requited ; Vatamutap,He wouldhaue alteredhidcourt. Befides,the difeafes inCourt are fo fouleand fòvncurable, that it is a miracle,to feeoneofa thoufand of them tobemade whole : who , when the wind ofAmbition and Pretenfion fitfaire andprofperous vpon him,will changehis Councellors robe, retyrehimfelfe frombufineffes of the world, put onanHermits Weed, and in fomefolitarie Cell betakehimfelfewholly to his deuotionr Who,beeing the Fauourite of aKing,will not rather loofe his life, than leaue the Court:' Who that is ticket (like himof the Dropfie) of that infatiable infirmitieof Couetouf- nefle, will, in his treafuring vpofRiches, fay at length , NowI haueenough r Secondly, In this Fifh-pooleall didhue in hope , Expeiiantiumaqua motum, Weightingfor themooning of the water ; Ledalong with this hope , they fuffered much miferie, but other good hadtheynone. By oft God raidto Ifraell,Dies multas expeflabis me, I willcaul thee, vt f erando, defperes, That thy hopes endin de- [paire. Thegreatell torment that theIewes fuffier in thislife,is,That al the types and figures oftheir hopes beingpaff, (letthem looke as long as they will for a Meffias) in reuenge of their vnbeleefe, their vnderftandings are fo blinded,that they(till remaine condemned towait vpon this idle hope. ByGod Efay bewaileth & lamenteththatcountrywhichhad placed herhopes in the naultitudeof herflips that fheput forth to fea, [Invafispapyrifireraquae.] perfuading themfelues, that theiroares, theirfailes, and their Veffells ( which were nobetter than boats of paper, inGods hands, which fnkes as foone as the waterfokes through them) fhouldbring them newesofcomfort. And uttering forth this hisforrow for them, he addeth, ¡teAngeliveloces adgentem dilaceratam, He wouldbanehis Angelis tobetake them to their wings togoe comfort this people; he fends them adGesotemexpeflantem, a peoplethat liuedall vpon hope. Rumie ouerthe houfes ofall your Courtiers, andaske euerie particular manoÉ them, How he liues rand he will tell you,That hehues vpon. hopes. The Pre- tender hopes,that hemay fee the water of theTub-poole, that thereby fame good fortune maybefall him : The Theefe, helikewifewould haue the waters mooue, that he might makeapurchafeto releeue his pouertie ; your youngwo- men, fome happieencounter, &c. Thofe that hauefome tohelpethem, make quicke difpatch of it; but hee that hath no bodie to ffand his friend, muff flay weightingfome thinteeightyeares, and then too in theendmuffhaue thehelpe of forcemiracle tohealehimof his fickenef e. Thirdly,In this Fifh-poole theyall weighteddiligently,andwere wonderful) careful

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