The Anatomy of Abuses, Part 2

The Anatomy of Abuses · Part 2

A particuler description of PRIDE, the principall Abuse: and how manifold it is in AILGNA.

PHILOPONVS.

YOu do well to request me to cipher foorth vntounto you parte of those great Abuses (and Cardinall Uices) vsed in AILGNA, for no man in anie Catalogue, how prolixe soeuer, is able to comprehend the summe of all abuses there in practise.The number of Abuses infinite. And whereas you woulde hauehave mee to speake of those Capitall or chiefe Abuses, which both are deadly in their owne nature, and which offende the maiestie of God moste. Mée thinke you shake hands with the sworne enemies of God the Papistes, who say, there are two kindes of sinne, the one veniall, the other lethall or deadly.All sinne in it owne nature is mortall. But you must vnderstand, that there is not the least sinne, that is committed eyther in thought, woorde, or déede, (yea, Vae vniuersae iustitiae nostrae, si remota misericordia iudicetur. Wo be to all our righteousnes, if merciemercy put away they should bee iudged:) but it is damnable, dempta misericordia Dei, if the merciemercy of God be not extended. And againe, there is no sinne so gréeuous, which the grace and mercy of God is not able to counteruaile withal, & if it bee his pleasure to blot it out for euer. So y^t you see now, there is no sinn so venial, but if the merciemercy of God, be not stretched out, it is damnable: nor yet anie sinne so mortall, which by the grace and merciemercy of God, may not bee done away. And therfore as we are not to presume of the one, so wee are not to despaire of the other. But to returne againe to y^e satisfying of your request. The greatest abuse,The greatest abuse which offendeth god most▪ is pride. which both offendeth god moste, & is there not a little aduaunced, is the execrable sinne of Pride, and excesse in apparell, which is there so ripe, as the filthie fruits thereof hauehave long since, presented themselues before the throne of the maiestie of God, calling and crying for vengeance day and nighte incessantly.

Spud.

Wherfore hauehave you intēded to speak of Pride the first of all, geuing vntounto it the first place in your tractation? Because it is euill in it selfe, and the efficiente cause of euill, or for some other purpose?

Philo.

For no other cause,Pride the begyning of all euill. but for that I thinke it to bee, not onelyonly euill and damnable in it owne nature, but also the verie efficient cause of all euills. And therfore the wise man was bolde,ECCLES. 10.Eccl 10 to call it Initium omnium malorum, the beginning and welspring of al euils. For as from the roote all natural thinges doe grow, & take their beginning: so from y^e cursed roote of pestiferous Pride do all other euilles sproute, and thereof are ingenerate. Therfore may Pride be called not improperly, Matercula & origo omniū vitiorū, What is it but pride dares attempt it.the mother and nurse of al mischief: for what thyng so haynous, what cryme so flagitious, what deed so perillous, what attemptso vēterous, what enterpriseso pernicious, or what thing so offēsiue to God or hurtful to mā, in all y^e world, which mā (of himselfe a very Sathanas) to maintain his pride withall, wil not willingly atchieue? hereof wee hauehave too muche experience euerye day, more is the pittie.

Spud.

How manyfold is this sin of Pryde, whereby the glorie of God is defaced, and his maiestie so gréeuously offended?

Philo.

Pride is tripartite, namely, y^e pryde of the hart,Pride is three fold, pride of the hart, pride of the mouth and pride of apparell. the pride of the mouth, & the pryde of apparell, which (vnles I bee deceiued) offendeth God more then the other two. For as y^e pride of the heart & mouth is not opposite to y^e eye, nor visible to the sight, and therefor intice not others to vanitie & sin (notwithstanding they be gréeuous sinnes in the sight of God) so the pride of apparel, remaining in sight, as an exemplarie of euill, induceth the whole man to wickednes and sinne.

Spud.

How is the pride of y^e hart cōmitted?

Philo.

Pride of the hart is perpetrate, whē as a man lifting him selfe on highe, thinketh of himself, aboue that which he is of himselfe: dreamyng a perfection of himselfe, when he is nothyng lesse: And in respect of himselfe, contempneth, vilefieth and reproacheth all men, thinking none comparable to him selfe, whose righteousnes, notwithstanding, is lyke to the polluted cloth of a menstruous woman:

Therfore, the Pryde of the Heart, maye bée saide,What pride of the hart is. too bée a Rebellious elation, or lyftynge vppe of the mynde, agaynste the Lawe of God, attrybutynge and ascrybynge that vntounto himselfe, whiche is proper to God onelyonly. And although it bee the Lorde, Qui operatur in nobis velle, & posse, who worketh in vsus both the wil and power to do good, Ne gloriaretur omnis caro, leaste anie fleshe should boste of his owne power and strength, yet Pride, with his Cosin germayn Philautia PHILAVTIA.which is Selfeloue, perswadeth him, y^• he hath néede of no mans helpe but his owne: that he standeth by his own proper strength & power and by no mans els, & that he is al in all, yea, so perfect and good, as no more can be exacted of hym.

Spud.

How is Pride of wordes, or pride of mouthe, committed?

Philo.

Pride of the mouth,How pride of wordes, or of the mouth is committed. or of wordes, is, when we boast, bragge or glorie, eyther of our selues, our kinred, consanguynitie, byrth, parentage, and suche like: or when we extol our selues for any vertue, sanctimonie of lyfe, sincerytie of Godlynes, which eyther is in vsus, or which we pretend to be in vsus. In this kinde of Pride (as in the other) almost eueryevery one offendeth: for shal you not hauehave all (in a maner) boast & vaunt themselues of their Auncetors, and progenitors? saying, & crying with open mouth: I am a Gentleman, I am worshipful, I am Honourable, I am Noble, and I can not tell what: my father was this, my father was that: I am come of this house, and I am come of that: Wheras, Dame Nature, bryngeth vsus all into the worlde, after one sorte, and receiueth all againe, into the wombe of our mother, I meane, the bowelles of the earth, al in one and the same order and manner, without any difference or diuersitie at all, wherof more hereafter shalbe spoken.

Spud.

How is Pride of Apparell cōmitted?

Philo.

By wearyng of Apparell more gorgeous,How pride of apparel is perpetrate & cō mitted. sumptuous & precious than our state, callyng or condition of lyfe requireth, wherby, we are puffed vp into Pride, and inforced to thinke of our selues, more than we ought, beyng but vile earth and miserable sinners.

And this sinne of Apparell (as I hauehave sayde before) hurteth more then the other two: For the sinne of the heart, hurteth none, but the Author, in whom it bréedeth, so long as it bursteth not foorth into exteriour action: And the Pride of the mouth (whiche consisteth, as I hauehave sayd, in ostenting and braggyng of some singular vertue, eyther in himselfe, or some other of his kinred, and which he arrogateth to himselfe (by Hereditarie possession, or lineall dissent) though it be meere vngodly in it own nature, yet it is not permanent, (for wordes fly into the aire, not leauing any print or character behinde them to offend the eyes.) But this sinne of excesse in Apparell, remayneth as an Example of euyll before our eyes, and as a prouocatiue to sinne, as Experience daylye sheweth.

Spud.

Would you not hauehave men to obserue a decencie,A decorum to be obserued. a comlinesse & a decorum in their vsuall Attyre? Doeth not the worde of God commaund vsus to do all things decenter, & secundum ordinem ciuilem: decently, and after a cyuile maner?

Philo.

I would wish, that a decencie, a comly order, and as you say, a decorum were obserued, as well in Attyre, as in all things els: but, would God the contrarie were not true: For most of our nouell Inuentions and new fangled fashions,Our apparell rather deformeth, than adorneth vsus. rather deforme vsus then adorne vsus: disguise vsus, then become vsus: makyng vsus rather, to resemble sauadge Beastes and stearne Monsters, then continent, sober and chaste Christians.

Spud.

Hathe this contagious infection, of Pride in Apparell, infected and poysoned any other countrey, beside Ailgna, suppose you?

Philo.

No doubt, but this poyson hath shed foorth his influence, and powred foorth his stinking dregges ouer all the face of the earth, but yet I am sure, there is not any people vnderunder the Zodiacke of heauen, how clownish, rurall or brutish soeuer, that is so poisoned with this Arsnecke of Pride, or hath drunke so deepe of the dregges of this Cup, as Ailgna hath, with griefe of conscience I speake it, with sorow I sée it, and with teares I lament it.

Spud.

But I hauehave heard them saye, that other Nations passe them,No Cuntrey so drunken with pride as Ailgna. for exquisite brauery in Apparell: as, the Italians, the Athenians, the Spaniards, the Caldeans, Heluetians, Zuitzers, Venetians, Muscouians, and such lyke: now, whither this be true or not, I greatly desire to knowe.

Philo.

This is but a visour, or cloke, to hide their Sodometrie withall: onelye spoken, not prooued: forged in the deceiptfull Mint of their owne braynes: For (if credit may be giuen to ancient writers,) the Egyptiās are said, neuer to hauehave chāged their fashion, or altered the forme of their first Attire, from the beginning to this day: as Iacobus Stuperius, lib. de diuer sis nostrae aetatis habitibus, Pag. 16, affirmeth: The Grecians, are saide, to vse but one kynde of Apparell without any chaunge: that is to wit: a longe Gowne, reaching downe to the grounde.

The Germaynes, are thought to be so precise in obseruing one vniforme fashion in Apparell, as they hauehave neuer recéeded from their first Origina: as the said Stuperius sayth, in these wordes: Non enim mores leuiter mutare vetustos, Germanus vnqnam consueuit incola: Whiche in Englysh Uerse, is thus muche in effect.

¶The Germayne people neuer vse,

lightly to chop and chaunge

Their customes olde, or els Attyre,

wherin abroade they range.

¶The Muscouians, Athenians, Italians, Brasilians, Affricanes, Asianes, Cantabrians, Hungarians, Ethiopians, or els, what Nation soeuer, vnderunder the Sunne, are so farre qehinde the people of Ailgna, in exquisitnesse of Apparell, as in effect, they estéeme it litle or nothyng at all, so it repell the colde, and couer their shame: yea, some of them are so smally addicted therto, that settyng apart all honestie and shame, they go cleane naked. Other some meanly apparelled, some in Beasts skinnes, some in haire, & what euer they can get: some in one thing, some in another, nothing regarding eyther hosen, shoes, bands▪ ruffes, shirts, or any thing els. And the ciuilest nations that are, bee so farre estraunged from the pride of of apparell that they esteme him as brauelye attyred that is clothed in our carzi…s, frizes, ruggs, and other kinds of cloth, as we do him that is clad all ouer in silkes, veluets, satens, damasks, grograins, taffeties, and such like. So that herby you sée, that they speak vntruly that say, that other nations exceede them in brauerie of apparell. For it is manifest that all other Nations vnderunder the sun how strange, how new, how fine, or how comly soeuer they think their fashiōs to be, when they be cōpared with the dyuerse fashions, & sundrie formes of apparell in Ailgna, are most vnhandsame, brutish and monstrouse. And herby it appeareth that no People in the World is so curiouse in new fangles, as they of Ailgna be. But graūte it were so, and admit that others excelled them, (which is false) shall we do euill, because they do so? shall their wickednesse excuse vsus of sinne, if we commit the like & worse? shall not the soule that sinneth dye? wherfore let vsus not sinne of presumptiō, with the multitude, because they do so, least we be plagued with them because we doe the like. Moreouer those Cuntreyes are rich and welthie of them selues,Other countreyes not to be blamed though they, go in silk… veluets, and why: abounding with all kinde of preciouse ornaments, and riche attyre, as silks, veluets, Satens, damasks, sarcenet, taffetie, chamlet, and such like (for al these are made in those foraine cuntreyes) and therfore if they weare them, they are not muche to bee blamed, as not hauing anie other kind of cloathing to couer themselues withall. So if wee would contente our selues with such kinde of attire,Other Countryes esteme not so muche of silkes, veluets, as we do. as our owne Countrey doeth minister vntounto vsus, it were much tollerable. But wee are so surprised in Pride, that if it come not from beyond the seas, it is not worth a straw. And thus we impouerish our selues in buying their trifling merchandizes, more plesant thā necessarie, and inrich them, who rather laugh at vsus in their sléeues, than otherwise, to sée our gret follie in affecting of trifles, & departing w^t good merchandizes for it. And howe litle they estéeme of silkes, veluets, satens, damasks, and such like, wee maye easely see, in that they sell them to vsus for wolles, frizes, rugges, carzies, and the lyke, whiche they coulde neuer doe, if they estéemed of them as much as we doe. So that you sée they are forced of necessytye to weare such riche attyre, wanting other things (whereof we hauehave store) to inuest themselues withall. But who séeth not (excepte wilfullie blynde) that no necessitie compelleth vsus to weare them hauing abundāce of other things to attire our selues with, both hansomer, warmer, and as comlie as they in euerie respecte? But farre fetched, and deare boughte, is good for Ladyes they say.

Spud.

Doe you thinke it not permitted to any hauinge store of other necessary clothing… to weare, silks, veluets, taffeties, & other suche riche attyre, of what calling soeuer they be of?

Ph.

I doubt not,EueryEvery man may weare apparell according to his callinge. but it is lawfull for y^e potestates, the nobilitie, the gentrie, yeomanrie, and for euerye priuate subiecte els to weare attyre eueryevery one in his degrée, accordinge as his calling and condition of life requireth, yet a meane is to be keept, for, omne extremum vertitur in vitium, eueryevery extreme, is turned into vice. The nobilitye (though they hauehave store of other attyre) and the gentrie (no doubte)The nobility may weare gorgiouse attyre, and why. may vse a rich, and preciouse kynd of apparell (in the feare of God) to innoble, garnishe & set forthe their byrthes, dignities, functions and callings, but for no other respecte, they may not in any maner of wyse. The maiestrats also, & Officers in the weale publique, by what tytle soeuer they be called (accordinge to their abylities) may were (if the Prince, or Superintendent do Godly commaund) costlie ornaments and riche attyre,Maiestrats may were sumptuouse attyre & why to dignifie their callings, and to demonstrat and shewe forth, the excelency, and worthines of their offices, and functions, therby to strike a terroure & feare into the harts of the people, to offend against the maiesty of their callings: but yet would I wish, that what so is superfluous or ouermuche, either in the one, or in y^e other, shold be distributed to the helpe of the pore members of Christ Iesus, of whom an infynite number daylie do perish, thorowe wante of necessarie refectiō, and due sustentation to their bodies. And as for the priuat subiects, it is not at any hand lawful that they should weare silke, veluets, satens, damasks, gould, siluer and what they list (though they be neuer so able to maintain it) except they being in some kinde of office in the common wealth,Not lawfull for priuate subiectes to weare sump…ous attyre. do vse it for the… dignifying and inno…ing of the …ame. But now there is such a confuse mingle mangle of apparell in Ailgna, and such preposterous excesse therof, as eueryevery one is permitted to flaūt it out, in what apparell he lust himselfe, or can get by anie kind of meanes. So that it is verie hard to knowe, who is noble, who is worshipfull, who is a gentleman, who is not: for you shall hauehave those, which are neither of the nobylitie gentilitie, nor yeomāry, no, nor yet anie Magistrat or Officer in the common welth,Hard to know a Gentleman from another by apparell. go daylie in silkes, veluets, satens, damasks, taffeties▪ and such like, notwithstanding that they be both base by byrthe, meane be estate, & seruyle by calling. This is a great confusion & a general disorder, God be mercyfull vntounto vsus.

Spud.

If it be not lawfull for eueryevery one, to weare, silks, veluets, satens, damasks, taffeties, gold, siluer, preciouse stones, & what not, wherfore did the Lord make & ordein them?

Philo.

I denie not, but they may be worne of them, who want other things to cloth them withal, or of y^e nobylity, gentilytie, or magistery, for the causes abouesaid,Wherfore the lord made riche ornamentes▪ but not of eueryevery proud …xnet indifferentlie, that hauehave store of other attyre inough▪ And yet did not the Lord ordeane these riche ornaments and gorgiouse vestments to be worne of all men, or of anie, so muche as to garnish, bewtifie, and set forth, the maiesty & glorie of this his earthly kingdome: For, as cloth of gold, Arase, tapestrie, & such other riche ornamēts, pendices and hangings in a house of estate, serue not onelyonly to manuall vses and seruyle occupatiōs, but also to decorate, to bewtifie & become the house, and to shewe the riche estate and glorie of the owner:Wherto riche ornamentes do serue▪ so these riche ornaments and sumpteouse vestments, of the earthly territory of this World, do not onelie serue to be worn of them, to whome it doth appertaine (as before) but also to shew forth, y^e power, welth, dignity riches, and glorie of the Lord, the Author of all goodnesse. And here in, the prouidence and mercy of God appeareth most plainelye, for wher there is store of other clothing there hath he geuen, lesse store of silks, veluets, satens, damasks▪ and such like: and wher there is plenty of them, there is no clothing els, almost, & thus the Lord did deale, for that eueryevery cuntrey ought to contente themselues, with there owne kind of attyre: except necessytie force the contrarie, for than we are to vse our libertie in the feare of God.

Spud.

I praye you let mee intreate you, to shewe me wherefore our apparell was giuen vsus, and by whome?

Philo.

Your requeste is both diffuse and intricate, and more than my weake and infirme knowledge is able to comprehend:When, where, and for what cause our app…rell was geuen vsus. yet, least I might bee adiudged vnwilling to doe good, I will assay to doe the best I can.

When the Lord our God▪ a spiritual, intellectible vnderstanding substance, incomprehensible, immensurable, & inaccessible, had by his woord, and heauenly wisedome Christ Iesus, created and made y^e world, & all things therin contayned, y^e sixte day he created man, after his own similitude and likenes, in innocencie, holines, righteousnes, & all kind of perfection, he placed him in Paradise terestrial cōmaunding him to tyl & manure y^e same. Thā y^e deuil, an old maligner of mankind, who before was an Angel in heauē, & through sin of pride in arrogating to himselfe y^e seate & throne of Gods maiesty, cast down into y^e lake of hell, enuying… mans glorious estate, which he than had lost, came vntounto man in Paradise,The fall of man by the malice of the deuill. & inticed him (o… torteouse serpent) to eat of y^e forbidden fruite▪ wherof the Lorde God had forbidden him t… tast, on pain of his life: notwithstāding, Ada… condescending to his wife her perswasions, o… rather to the Serpent, hauing buzzed his venemous suggestions into their eares, tooke of the apple, & did eat, contrary to y^e expresse commandement of his God. This done their eyes were opened, thei saw their nakednes, & were not a litle ashamed (& yet before sin was committed, they being both naked, were not ashamed, but sin once committed, they became vncleane, filthie, lothsome, & deformed) & sewed them garmēts of fig leaues together, to couer their shame withall. Than the Lord pittying their miserie, & loathing their deformity, gaue thē pelts, & felles of beasts to make them garments withall, to the end that their shamefull parts might lesse appeare: yet some are so brasen faced & so impudent,Impuden… beasts. that to make y^• deuill & his members sport, will not sticke to make open shew of those parts, which God cōmaundeth to be couered, nature willeth to be hid, & honesty is ashamd once to behold or looke vpō.

Spud.

I gather by your words thrée speciall poynts. First, y^t sin was the cause why our apparell was giuen vsus. Secondly, y^t God is the author, & giuer therof. Thirdly, y^t it was giuē vsus to couer our shame w^t all, & not to féed y^e insatiable desires of mēs wātō & luxurious eies?

Philo.

Your collectiō is very true. Than seeing y^t our apparel was giuē vsusWherfor our apparell was geuen vsus. of god to couer our shame, to kéep our bodies frō cold, & to bee as pricks in our eies, to put vsus in mind of our frailties, imperfections and sin, of our backslyding from the cōmaundements of god and obedience of the highest, and to excite vsus the rather to contrition, and compunction of the spirit, to bewayle our misery, & to craue mercy at y^e mercifull hands of God, let vsus be thākfull to God for them, be sorie for our sinnes, (which weare the cause therof) and vse them to the glory of our God, & the benefyte of our bodies and soules, against the great day of the Lord appeare. But (alas) these good creatures, which the Lord our God, gaue vsus for the respects before rehearsed, we hauehave so peruerted, as now they serue in stead of the deuills nettes, to catche poore soules in: for eueryevery one now adaies (almost) couet to deck and painte their liuing sepulchresMens bodies lyuing sepulchres. or erthly graues (their bodies I meane) with all kind of brauerie, what soeuer can be deuised, to delight y^e eyes of the vnchast behoulders, wherby God is dishonored, offence is encreased, and much sinne daylie committed, as in further discourse shall plainly appeare.

Spud.

Did the Lord cloth our first parents in leather, as not hauing any thing more preciouse to attyre them withall, or for that, it might be a permanent rule, or patern vntounto vsus (his posterity) for euer, wherafter we are of force to make all our garments, so as it is not now lawfull to go in richer arraye, without offendinge his maiestie?

Philo.

Although y^e Lord did not cloth thē so meanly, for that he had nothing els, more preciouse to attyre them withall (for Domini est terra, & plenitudo eius, the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse therof, saith the Lord by his Psalmist: And by his Prophet. Gold is myne, siluer is myne, and all the riches of the world is my own) yet no doubt, but he would y^t this their meane & base attyre, should be as a rule, or pedagogie vntounto vsus, to teach vsus y^t we ought rather to walke meanelye,In our apparell we ought rather to oby necessity, than to feed vanity. and simplye, than gorgiously, or pompously: rather seruing presente necessitye, than regarding the wanton appetits of our lasciuiouse mindes: Not withstandinge I suppose not, that his heauenlye maiesty would, that those garments of lether, should stand as a rule or pattern of necessytie vntounto vsus, wherafter we shold be boūd to shape all our apparell for euer, or els greeuouslye to offende: but yet by this, we may sée, his blessed will is, that we should rather go an ace beneth our degrée, than a iote aboue. And y^t any simple couering pleaseth the Godly, so that it repell the colde, and couer the shame, it is more than manifest, as well by the legends both of prophane Historyographers Cronologers, and other writers, as also by the censures, examples and lyues of all Godly, since the beginning of the world: And if the Lord would not, that the attyre of Adam, should hauehave been… ▪ signe, or patterne of mediocritie vntounto vsus,Adā his meankind of attire was a …igne … mediocrity vntounto vsus …n our …pparell. h… both in mercy would, & in his almighty power could hauehave inuested them in silks, veluets satens, grograins, gold, siluer, & what not. But the Lord our God foresawe, that if he had clothed man, in rich and gorgiouse attyre (suche is our proclyuitye to sinne) he wold hauehave bene proude therof as we sée it is come to passe at this day (God amend it) and therby purchase to himselfe, his body and soule, eternall damnation.

Spud.

Than it seemeth a thinge materiall, and of great importāce, that we resemble our first Parēts in austerity, and simplicity of apparell, so muche as maye be possible, doth it not?

Philo.

I put no religion in goinge,No religion reposed in apparell. or not goinge in the like simple attyre of our parēts Adam, & Eua, (as our Papistes, Papists? no, Sorbonists, Sorbonists? no, Atheists, atheists? no, plaine Sathanists do, placing all thier religion in hethen garments, & Romish raggs) so that we obserue a meane and exceade not in pride. But notwithstanding, if we approched a litle nearer them, in Godly simplicitie and Christian sobrietie, both of apparell and maner of lyuinge, we should not onelyonly please God a great deale the more, and enritche our Cuntrey, but also auoyd many scandals & offēces, which grow daily by our excessiue ryot▪ and ryotouse excesse in apparell. For doth not y^e apparell styrre vppe the heart to pride?The fruite of Pride. doth it not intice others to sinne? and doth not sin purchase hell the guerdon of pride?

Spud.

But they say, they please God, rather than offend him in wearing this gorgiouse attyre, for therby the glory of his workmanship in them doth more appeare. Besides that, it maketh a man to be accepted, and esteemed of in eueryevery place: wheras otherwise, they should be nothing lesse.

Philo.

To think that the Lorde our God is delighted in the splendente shewe of outward apparell,The Lord accepteth no man after his apparell. or that it setteth forth y^• glory of his Creatures, and the maiesty of his kingdom I suppose ther is no mā (at least no perfect christian man) so bewitched or assotted. For that weare, as much, as to say, that stinking pride, & filthie sinne, tended to the glory of God, so that the more we syn the more we increase his prayse and glorye. But the Lord oure God is so farre from dilightinge in sinne, that he adiudgeth them to eternall Death, and damnation, that committe the same. Than who is he that will take pleasure in vayne apparell, which if it be worne but a whyle, will fall to ragges, and if it be not worne, will soone rotte or els be eaten with mothes. His wayes are not our… wayes, his iudgements, not our iudgements, as he sayth, by his Prophet: and wheras they holde, that Apparell setteth foorth the glory of his Maiestie in his creatures, makynge them to appeare fairer,No attyre can make the creature of God seeme fayrer. than other wyse they would of themselues, it is blasphemously spoken, and muche derogateth, from y^e exellency and glory of his name. For saith not God by his prophet Moyses, that after he had made all creatures, he beheld them all, & behould they weare (and especially mā, the excellentest of all other his creatures, whom he made after his own similitude & liknesse) excedinge good? And were all creatures good & perfect, & only mā not perfect nor faire inough? If these their speeches were true (which in the fulnesse of their blasphemie they shame not to speake) thā might we easily conuince the Lord of vntrue speaking, who in his sacred word, informeth vsus, that mā is the perfectest Creature, & the fayrest of al others, y^t euer he made (excepting the heuenly spirits, & Angelical creatures) after his own liknesse: as before. O mā who arte thou, that reasonest with thy Creator? shall the clay say vntounto the potter, why hast thou made me thus?EueryEvery one is to contente him selfe with his creation and to pr…yse God for it. Or can y^• clay make himselfe better fauored than the potter, who gaue him his first stamp & proportion? Shall we think that stinking pride, can make the workmāshippe of the Lord to seeme fayrer? Than why did not the Lord cloth vsus so at y^e first? or at least, why gaue he not commaundemēt in his will, & testament which he sealed with the price of the bloud of his sonne to cloth our selfes in riche & gorgiouse apparel to set forth his glory y^e more? But away with these dogs, & hellish haggs, who retaine this opiniō, that cursed pride glorifieth God, & setteth forth or bewtifieth his workmāshippe in his creatures. In vain is it, for me to expostulat with them, for doubtles nō hould this, but such as be misecreants (or deuills incarnate) & men cast of into a reprobate sence,The Lord ou… God is a consuming fire, to destroy all impeniten… si…ner…. whom I beseech the Lord in the bowels of his mercy, either speedely to cōuert that they perish not, or els confounde, y^t they hurte not, that peace may be vppō Israel. Thus hauing sufficiently (I trust) refelled their false positiōs, I leaue them to the Lord, beseechinge them (as they tender their own saluation linguas cōpescere digitis: to stoppe their sacrilegiouse mouthes with ther fingers, & not to spit against heauen or kicke against the pricke as they do, anie longer. For the Lord our God is a cōsuming fier, & vponupon obstinate sinners shal raine down fire & brimston, & consume them in his wrath. This is our portion acquired by sinne.

Spud.

But what say you to the other branch of their conclusion, namely, that Apparell maketh them to be accepted, and well taken in eueryevery place?

Philo.

Amongest the wicked, and ignorante Pezants, I must néedes confesse, they are the more estemed, in respect of their apparell, but nothing at all the more, but rather the lesse, amongest the godly wyse. So farre of will all wyse mē be,The wise will not accept of any, after apparell. from accepting of any for his gay apparell onelyonly, that (be he neuer so gallantly painted, or curiously plumed in the deceiptfull… fethers of pride) they wil rather cōtemne him a great deale y^e more, taking him to be a mā, puffed vp with pride and vaine glorie, a thing both odiouse, & detestable to God & good men And seeing it cānot stand with the rule of god his iustice, to accept or not to accept any ma… for his apparell, or any other externe shew … deceiptfull vanytie, it is manifest, that ma… doinge the contrarie, is a Iudas to the truth, … Traytor to iustice, & an enemy to the Lord … wherfore farre be that from al good christian… and if those that go richely clothed should b… esteemed y^e rather for their rich apparel, tha… à contrario must those that go in meane, an… base attire, be the more contemned, and despised for their pouertie. And than should Chris… Iesus our great Ambassador from the king … heauen, & only Sauiour, be comtemned: for … came in poore, & mean array: but Christ Iesu… is blessed in his pore raggs, and all others ar… cōtemned in their rich & precious attyre. U…der a simple cote, many tymes lyeth hid grea… wisdom & knowledg: & cōtrarely vnderunder bra… … somtime is couered great ydiotacy and folly.Wisdom not tyed to exteriour pompe of apparell. Hereof eueryevery daies successe offreth proofe sufficient, more is the pytie.

Spud.

Wherfore would you hauehave men accepted, if not for Apparell?

Philo.

If any be so foolish to ymagin, that he shalbe worshipped, reuerencedReuerence due to vertue not to attyr…. or accepted the rather for his apparell, he is not so wyse, as I pray God make me. For surely for my part, I will rather worshippe & accept of a pore mā (in his clowtes, & pore raggs) hauing y^e gifts and ornamēts of the mind, than I will do him y^t roisteth & flaunteth daylie & howrely, in his silks, veluets, satens, damasks, gold or siluer, what soeuer, without y^e induments of vertue, wherto only al reuerence is due. And therfore as any mā is indued, or not indued with vertue, & true godlynesse, so will I reuerence, or not reuerence, accept, or not accept of him: wherfore if any gape after reuerēce, worship, or acceptation, let them thirst after vertue, as namely, wisdome, knowledge, discretion, modestie, sobrietie, affability, gentlenesse, & suche like, than can they be without reuerence, or acceptatiō no more than y^e sonne can be w^tout light, the fire w^tout heat, or the water w^tout his naturall moysture.

Sp.

Thā I gather you would hauehave mē accepted for vertue & true Godlines, wold you not?

Ph.

I would not only hauehave mē to be accepted & reuerenced for their virtue (though the chiefest reuerence is onelyonly to be attributed to him,Wherfore man is to be worshiped and had in reuerence. whose sacred brest, is fraught with vertue, as it may well be called, the Promptuarie or Receptorie of true wisdome and Godlines, but also (in parte) for their byrthes sake, parentage and consāguinitie, and not only that, but also, in respect of their callings, offices and functions, whether it be in the Temporal Magistery a or Ecclesiastical presbitery (so lōg as they gouerne godly and well:) For, the Apostle sayth, that those Elders which gouerne wel amongst vsus, are worthie of double honor: But yet, the mā whom God hath blessed with vertue and true godlynes, thoughe he be neyther of great byrth nor callynge, nor yet any Magistrate whatsouer, is worthie of more reuerence and estimation then any of the other, without the ornaments of y^e minde & gifts of, vertue aboue said. For what preuayleth it to be borne of worshipfull progenie,Gentilitie without vertue is no gē tilitie. and to be destitute of all vertue, which deserueth true worship? what is it els, then to carie a golden Swoorde in a Leaden Scabbarde? Is it any thyng els, then a goldē Coffyn or painted Sepulchre, makyng a fayre showe outwardly, but inwardly is full of all stinche, & lothsomnes? I remember once I red a certaine storie of one, a Gentleman by byrth and parentage, who greatly reproched, and withall disdayned an other, for that he was come to great authorytie onelyonly by vertue, being but a poore mans child by byrthe: What? saith the Gentleman by birth, arte thou so lustie? Thou arte but a coblers sonne,The exordium of virtue, is the exordium of gentilitie, & worship, and want of the one, is the decay of the other. and wilt thou compare with me, being a Gentleman by byrth, and calling? To whome the other answeared, thou arte no Gentleman, for thy gentilitie endeth in thee and I am a Gentleman, in that my gentilitie beginneth in me. Meaning (vnlest I be deceiued) that the wante of virtue in him, was the decay of his gentility, and his vertue was the beginning of true gentilitie in him selfe: for virtue therfore, not for apparell, is euerye one to be accepted. For if we should accept of men after apparell onelyonly respecting nothinge els, thā shold it come to passe, that we might more esteme of one, both meane by birth, base without virtue, seruyle by calling, & poore in estate, more than of some by birthe, noble, by virtue honorable and by callinge laudable. And the reason is because eueryevery one, tagge and ragge, go brauer, or at least as braue as those that be both noble, honorable and worpshipfull.

Spud.

But I hauehave hard say, there is more holynesse in some kynd of apparell, than in othersome, which makes them so much to affecte varytie of fashions, I thinke.

Philo.

Indéed I suppose that the summe of their religion, doth consiste in apparell.No holynes in apparell. And to speake my conscience I thinke there is more or as muche holynesse in the apparell, as in them, that is iust none at all. But admit that there be hoylnesse in apparell (as who is so infatuat to beleue it) than it followeth that the holynes pretended is not in them, & so be they plaine Hipocrits to make shew of that, which they hauehave not. And if y^e holines by there attire presaged be in them selues, thā is it not in the garments, & why do they than attribute that to the garments, whiche is neither adherente to the one nor yet inherent in the other? Or if it wer so, why do they glory of it to the world, but I leaue them to their follie, hastinge to other matters more profitable to intreate of.

Spud.

But I hauehave hard them reason thus. That which is good in it own nature, cannot hurt:An argument trimly contryued. apparell is good, and the good Creature of God, ergo no kynde of apparell can hurte. And if there be anie abuse in it, the apparell knowethe it not. Therfore take awaye the abuse, and let the apparell remaine still, for so it maye (say they) without anie hurte at all.

Philo.

These be well seasoned reasons, and substantiall asseuerations in déed, but if they hauehave no better arguments to leane vntounto, than these, their kingdome of Pride will shortlie, fall without all hope of recouerie againe.

The apparell in it owne nature is good, and the good Creature of God (I will not denie) and cannot hurte except it be thorowe ouer owne wickednesse abused. And therfore wo be to them that make the good Creatures of God instruments of dampnation to them selues, by not vsing them, but abusing them. And yet not withstanding, it maye be said, to hurte, or not to hurte, as it is abused, or not abused. And wheras they would hauehave the abuse of apparell (if any be) taken away, and the apparell to remain still, it is impossible to supplant the one, without the extirpation of the other also. For it is trulye said, sublata causa, tollitur effectus: But not, subrepto effectu, tollitur causa. Vnpossible to take away pride, except sumptuouse apparell be taken away also.Take away the cause, and the effecte falleth, but not contrarylye, take away the effect, and the cause falleth. The efficiente cause of Pride is gorgiouse attire, the effect is pride it selfe ingenerate by attire: But to begin to plucke awaie the effecte (to wit pride) and not to take awaye the cause first (namelie sumptuouse attyre) is as if a man intendinge to suppl…t a Trée by the rootes, should begin to pull …he fruite, and braunches onelye, …or to pull downe heauen, should dig in the earthe, workinge altogether preposterouslie, and indyreclye.

And the reason is, these two collaterall Cosins, apparell, and Pride (the Mother and DaughterApparell and pride combined togetheas mother, & daughter. of mischiefe) are so combinate together, and incorporate the one in the other, as the one can hardlie be dyuorced from the other, without the distructiō of them both. To the accomplishmente wherof God graunte that those holsome lawes, sanctions, and statuts, which by our most gracious and serene princesse (whome Iesus preserue for euer) and her noble, and renoumed Progenitors, hauehave beene promulgate, and enacted hertofore, may be put in execution. For in my opinion, it is as impossible for a man, to were preciouse apparell, and gorgiouse attyre, and not to be proude therof (for if he be not proud therof, why doth he weare suche riche attire, wheras meaner is both better cheape, easier to be had, as warme to the bodie, and as decent, and comly to any chast christians eye?) as it is for a man to cary fire in his bosōe,Vnpossible not to be proud of rich attyre. and not to burne. Therfore would God eueryevery mā might be compelled to weare apparell, according to his degrée, estat, and condition of life: which if it were brought to passe, I feare least some who ruff… now in silks, veluets, satēs, damasks, gold siluer, and what not, shold be glad to weare frize cotes, & glad if they might get them.

Spud.

What is your opiniō? did the people of the former world so much esteeme of apparell, as we doe at this present day, without respect had either to sex, kind, order, degrée estat, or callinge?

Philo.

No doubt but in all ages, they had their imperfectiōs and faults, for Hominis est errare, labi, & decipi, it is incident to man, to erre, to fall, and to be deceiued.The Godly hauehave euer detested pride of apparell. But notwithstandinge as the wicked hauehave alwayes affected not onelie pride in apparell, but also all other vices whatsoeuer, so the chaste Godly, and sober Christians, hauehave euer eschewed this excesse of apparell, hauing a speciall regard to weare suche attyre as might neyther offend the maiestie of God, prouoke them selues to pride nor yet offend any of their Brethren in any respecte. But (as I hauehave said) not onelyonly the Godlie hauehave detested and hated this vaine superfluitye of apparell in all tymes since the beginning of the Worlde,The verie hethen hauehave cō temned sumptuouse apparell. but also the verie panims, the heathen Philosophers, who knew not God▪ (though otherwise, wyse Sages, and great Clarks) hauehave contemned it, as a pestiferouse euill: in so muche as they hauehave writ (almost) whole volumes against the same, as is to be seene in most of their Books yet extant.

Spud.

Are you able to proue that?

Philo.

That I am verie easilye,Testimonie… of hethen people who derided rich… attire. but of an infinyte number, take a taste of these few. Democrates béeing demaunded, wherin the bewtie, and comlie feature of man, or woman consisted? aunswered, in fewnes of speaches well tempered together, in virtue, in integrity of life, and suche like. Sophocles seinge one weare gorgeouse apparell, said to him, thou foole, thy apparell is no ornamente to the, but … manifest shewe of thy follie. Socrates being asked what was the greattest ornamente in a woman? answered, y^t which most sheweth her chastitie, and good demeanoure of body, and mind & not sumptuouse attyre, which rather sheweth her adulterate life. Aristotle is so district in this point, that he would hauehave men to vse meaner apparell, than are permitted them by the lawe: The Wife of Philo the Philosopher, Virtue is the comlyest ornamēt of all.being vppon a tyme demaunded why she ware not gold, siluer, and preciouse garments, said, she thought the vertues of her husbande sufficiente ornaments for her. Dionisius the king sente the richest garments in all his wardrobes to the noble Womē of the Lacedemonians, who returned them from whence they came, sayinge, they would be a greatter shame to them, than honore. Kinge Pirrus sente riche attyre to the Matrones of Rome, who abhorred them, as menstruous clowtes. The conceiued opinion amōgest the Grecians to this day is, that it is neither gold, nor gorgiouse attyre that adorneth either Man or Woman, but vertuous conditions, and such like. Diogines Dio…ines his …suerity.so much contemned sumptuous attyre, that he chose rather to dwell in wildernesse amongest brute beasts, all his lyfe longe than in the pompouse courts of mightie kings one daye to be commorante. For he thought if he had the ornaments of the minde, that he was than faire ynoughe, and fine inough also, not, needing any more.

A certen other Philosopher, addressed himselfe towards a kings courte in his Philosophers attyre, that is in meane, base and poore aray: But soe sone as the Officers espied him, they cried awaie with that rogue, what dothe he soe nie the kinges maiestye courte.

The poore Philosopher seing it lighten so fast, retyred back, for feare of their thunderclappes, and repayringe home, appaireled himselfe, in riche Attyre, and came againe marchinge towards the court, he was no sooner in sight, but eueryevery one receiued him plausiblie, and with great submission, and reuerence. When he came in presence of the kinge, and other mightie potentats, he kneled down, and ceased not to kisse his garmēts. The king and nobles marueylinge not a litle therat, asked him, wherfore he did so?

Who aunswered,The example of a Philosopher deriding the pompe … World. O noble kinge, it is no marueyle, for that whiche my vertue and knowledge could not doe, my Apparell hath brought to passe. For I comminge to thy gates in my PHILOSOPHERS weede, was repelled, but hauing put vponupon me this riche attyre, I was brought to thy presence with as great veneration and worship as could be. Wherby is to be séene in what detestation he had the stinkinge Pride of apparell, takeing this occasion to giuegive the King to vnderstand the inormious abuse thereof, and so to remoue the same as a pestilent euill out of his whole dominion & kingdome. I read of a certen other Philosopher that came before a king,The exāple of a Philosopher who spat in the kings face. who at the same tyme, had inuited his nobles, to a feast or banquet, the Philosopher comming in, and seinge no place to spit in (for eueryevery place was hanged with cloth of gold, cloth of siluer, tinsell, arrace, tapestrie, and what not) came to the kinge and spat in his face, saying, it is méet (o king) that I spit in the fowlest place. This good Philosopher (as we may gather) went about to withdraw the king from taking pleasure or delight, in the vaine glistering shewe, either of apparell or any thing els, but rather to hauehave consideration of his owne filthynes, miserie, & sinne, not rysing vp into pride, and spitting against heauen, as he did, by dilighting in prowde attyre and gorgeouse ornaments. Thus we sée the verie painims, and heathen people, hauehave from the beginning dispysed this excesse of apparell, both in them selues, and others, whose examples heerin god graunt we may folowe.

Spud.

But you are not able to proue that any good Christians, euer set light by precious attire, but alwayes estéemed it as a speciall ornament to the whole man, As for these Heathen they were fooles, neyther is it materiall, what they vsed, or vsed not?

Philo.

I am able to prooue, that euen from the beginning of the world, the chosen and peculiar people of God, hauehave contemned proude Apparel, as things (not onelyonly) not necessarie, but also as very euilles themselues,Probatiō, that the former world hath contemned pompouse attyre. and hauehave gone both meanely and poorely in their vsuall attyre. What say you to our Grandfather Adam, and Eua our Mother? Were they not clothed in peltes, and skins of beasts? Was not this a meane kinde of Apparell thinke you? Was it not vnsitting to sée a womā inuested all ouer in leather? But yet the Lord thought it precious, and seemelie ynough for them.

What saye you to the noble Prophet of the world Elias, Elias.did hee not walke in the solitude of this worlde in a simple playne mantell or gowne, girded to him with a girdle of leather? Elizeus y^e Prophet,Elizeus. Samuell. did not he in a manner the verie same. And what say you to Samuell the golden mouthed Prophet, notwithstanding y^t hee was an Archprophet, and a chiefe seer of that time, did hee not walke so meanely, as Saul seking his fathers Asses, could not know him from the reste, but asked him, where was the séers house? This must néeds argue that he went not richer then the common sorte of people in his time.The children of Israell. The Children of Israell béeing the chosen people of God, did they not weare their Fathers attire fortie yéeres togither in the wildernes? was not Iohn the Baptist Iohn Baptist.clothed with a garment of Camels heare? girded with a thong of the skin of the same insted of a girdle or succinctorie about his loines Peter Peter.the déere Apostle of our Sauiour, was not distinct from the rest of his Felowes, Apostles by any kinde of rich apparel, for then the maid would not hauehave said I know thée by thy tung, but rather by thy apparel.

The Apostle Paul writing to the Hebrues saith, that the persecuted Church, bothe in his time, and before his dayes were clothed some in Shéep skinnes, and some in Gote skinnes, some in Camels heare, some in this and some in that, and some in whatsoeuer they coulde get, for if it would hide their shameful parts, and kept them from the colde, they thought it sufficient, they required no more: but to speak in one woord for all, did not our Sauiour Iesus Christ weare the very same fashion of apparell, that his Cuntrey-men vsed, that is a cote without a seame either knit or weaued? which fashions the Palestynians vse there,The humility and pouertie of Christe vppon earth. yet to this day, without any alteration or chaūge as it is thought. This his attyre, was not very hansome (one would think,) at the least it was not curious, or new fangled, as ours is, but as the Poet wel said, initimur in vetitum …ēper cupimus que negata, desired things forbid, and couet things are denied vsus, lothing the simplicitie of Christe, and abhorring the christian pouertie and godly mediocritie of our Forefathers in apparel, are neuer content except wée hauehave sundry sutes of apparel, one diuers from an other, so as our Presses crack withall, our Cofers bruse, and our backs sweat with the cariage therof: we must hauehave one sute for the forenoone,Superfluitie of apparell With dyuersitie of fashions. another for y^e afternoone, one for the day, another for the night, one for the workeday, another for the holieday, one for sommer, another for winter, one of the newe fashion, an other of the olde, one of this colour, another of that, one cutte, an other whole, one laced, another without, one of golde, and other of siluer, one of silkes and veluets, and another of clothe, with more difference and varietie than I can expresse: god be merciful vntounto vsus and hasten his kingdōe that all imperfectious may be doon away.