A Treasury of Similes, Part C · Part 168 – Part 170
Curioſitie.
1 AS the Phiſitions do ſpeak of the members of a mans body, that they are made and compoſed of forme, ſubſtance, ſtrength, and greatneſſe: and placed and diſpoſed very cōueniently, to ſhew their effects and operations: So likewiſe in eueryevery Commonwealth, God hath raiſed vp ſome men, either Ciuilians, or Diuines, & furniſhed them with ſuch graces and gifts, as are neceſſarie to effect ſuch things, as he hath before determined: now if the foote will take vpō him to execute the office of the hand, or that the hand wil needs walk as the foote: if the eare wil ſtriue to ſee, and the eye to heare, it would be a very vaine & fooliſh thing for them to enterpriſe ſuch things, ſeeing they hauehave not bene made and framed thereto: In like maner we ſtriue in vain, when as we endeuor to effect ſuch things whereto by nature we are not appointed and ordeined.
2 As men hauing heard a report of the fertilitie, pleaſure, and aboundance of any ſtrange Countrey, are neuer quiet vntill they hauehave ſeene it: but they hauehave not bin there a yeare, but they are in great diſlike with it, as euer they were with their owne natiue ſoile; for though they change their aire, they neuer alter their nature; their mindes are as full of fancies, and their heads of toyes, as euer they were: Euen ſo, ſuch as are poſſeſſed with wandring and ſtraying cogitations, who will needs occupie eueryevery Trade, and be of all Occupations, and change their opinions as often as they do their garments, hauing one foot in the Court, and an other in the Countrey; they do no ſooner vndertake any thing, but they are preſently wearie of it; and they hauehave not ſo ſoone giuen it ouer, but forthwith they would take it in hand againe.
3 As we ſee the diſeaſes of mans bodie, do bring ſuch vnquietnes & irkſomnes with thē, that the poore Patiēt diſliketh eueryevery thing whatſoeuer: yea ſuch oftētimes, as in his health & proſperitie, were moſt pleaſing vntounto him, as his wife and children, his bed, his meate & drink, & ſuch like. So likewiſe it is apparant in the affections of the mind, which being once diſtempered, we cannot long liue contentedly in any condition of life whatſoeuer.
4 As the Egyptian (who carried ſomewhat wound vp in his napking) anſwered (vntounto him that demanded what it was) that hee had couered it, to the ende, that no man ſhould ſee it: So likewiſe muſt we learne, that if there bee any thing hidden and laid vp in the workes of God, that it is of purpoſe kept from vsus, to the end that we ſhould not be too curious to inquire after it; and that it is farre better to be vtterly ignorant herein, then to hauehave all the knowledge thereof that may be. Deut. 29.29. 1. Tim. 4.7. & .6.20. Tit. 3.9.
5 Like as Courſers and Hunters, who leading their dogs into the fields, doo not let them ſlip at al aduentures, at whatſoeuer commeth next to hand, but hold them vntill their game be found, to the end they may be the more freſh & luſtie to maintaine their courſe: So likewiſe muſt wee hold and keepe in our Curioſitie, and not ſuffer it to follow after whatſoeuer it luſteth, but onelyonly that, which being once attained vntounto, bringeth with it both pleaſure and profit.
6 As they, who in reading ouer a booke, doo note nothing but the faults & errors therin contained: Or as ſuch, which take much more pleaſure in beholding a monſter, then a body which is perfectly made: Or to view an Antike picture, or ſome old counterfait, wherein there are ſtrange deuiſes: Euen ſo let one ſpeake to vsus of the wiſedome, Iuſtice, liberalitie, modeſtie, and temperance of another, and wee will ſcarcely giuegive any eare thereto: but let one tell vsus, that ſome young wench hauehave liued incontinently; or that ſome woman is taken in Adulterie; or that there is ſtrife & contention among brethren, or ſome diſcord among friends, wee are waking enough, and but too too curious and readie to heare.
7 As we ſee Serpents nouriſhed by venim, and liue in filthie, ſtinking, and darkſome Caues: So curious men, doo nouriſh themſelues, with wofull and ſorrowfull diſcourſes, and neuer take pleaſure in any thing, but in that which deſerueth pittie and commiſeration.
8 As Surgeons ſearch and ſeeke out the diſeaſe, with intention to heale it, and if it be a ſoare that ſhould bee kept ſecrete, they are both wiſe and faithfull enough to conceale and hide it: So contrariwiſe, curious men are deſirous to know eueryevery malladie, to the end they may make it knowne, and publiſh it, whereſoeuer they come.
9 As backbiters take pleaſure to heare euill of their neighbours: So theſe curious men take delight to report the worſt to the next companie they meete with, ſo that they are exceeding enuious, and reioyce in nothing but in other mens wants, imperfections, and miſchiefes.
10 As it were a fooliſh and an intemperate humour, for a man that hath a faire, beautifull, amiable, and vertuous wife, with whom hee might very lawfully enioy his pleaſure and delights, to reiect her and caſt her off, and to buy at a very great rate, with paine, ſorrowe, and ſhame, the louelove of an other moſt foule, and filthy Slut: So in like manner, it is a moſt ſottiſh and fooliſh thing, to deſpiſe ſo many godly hiſtories, and beautifull diſcourſes of this life; ſo many learned bookes; ſo many excellent Treatiſes and worthie examples, whereby wee may reape ſuch exceeding profit and pleaſure: Curiouſly to buſie our ſelues in enquiring after our neighbours matters; to open ſealed letters; to harken vnderunder mens windowes; or to whiſper in womens eares, and ſuch like abſurdities: whereto curious men are moſt commonly addicted.
11 As old Lamia (ſo much ſpoken of in ancient ſtories,) who had eyes like vntounto Spectacles, which ſhee might take out, and put in at her pleaſure, ſo ſoone as ſhee came home into her lodging, ſhee vſed to locke thē vp into her coffer, and ſet her downe to ſpinning, as blind as a beetle, and neuer ſaw what ſhee did in her owne houſe: but ſhee went no ſooner abroad, but ſhee put them in her head againe, and would very curiouſly behold what other men did. In like manner, we through a foliſh and ſottiſh ſelfe-louelove, do neuer viewe our owne imperfections, although they bee cleare as the Sunne, and as bigge as a milſtone: but on the contrarie, we can quickly eſpie other mens vices, though it be at midnight, and that peraduenture they be not ſo big as a peble ſtone.
12 As it is reported of Democritus, that walking abroad, he was wont to ſhut his eyes, leaſt by wandring regardes, his mind ſhould be turned from the contemplation of honeſt things: So likewiſe muſt we with all our endeuours, barre and ſhut vp this curious humour, to the end to keepe it in, that thereby wee may ſearch after nothing, whether it be touching God, nature, or our neighbours, but that which may profit vsus, and tendeth to our edification; reiecting al vnprofitable, vnpoſſible, and ſuperfluous things: about the knowledge whereof, we conſume our bodies, miſpend our time, and looſe our labours; all which ſhould be carefully & diligently imployed in the ſtudie and ſeeking after, of more commodious and more neceſſarie matters.
13 As Rebeccaes two twinnes did ſtruggle and wreſtle before they were borne, for hatred and mallice: but Elizabeths one child did ſpring and skip before he was born, for ioy and gladneſſe: So he that is curious, & buſieth himſelfe about more things then one, ſhall neuer proue ſingular in any thing; nay he ſhall find that ſtrife and reſiſtance in his head, which Rebecca did in her wombe: but hee that labours and trauels onelyonly about one thing, ſhal bring it to good perfection; and be as well deliuered of it, as Elizabeth was of Iohn Baptist. Phil. 3.14.
Curteſie.
1 AS the tree is knowne by his fruite, the gold by the touch, and the bell by the ſound, ſo is a mans birth by his beneuolence: his honour, by his humilitie; and his calling, by his Curteſie.
2 As the peg ſtraineth the Lute ſtrings, ſo Curteſie ſtretcheth the heart ſtrings.
3 As it belongeth to the Sunne to lighten the earth with his beames; ſo it pertaineth to the vertue of a Prince, to hauehave compaſſion, and be Curteous to the miſerable.
Courts of Princes.
AS it was a ſaying ſometime of Aſia, that it was no praiſe neuer to hauehave ſeene it; but to hauehave liued ſoberly and temperatly in Aſia, was praiſe worthie: Euen ſo it were no great matter, neuer to hauehave ſeene the Courts of Princes; but to hauehave liued Chriſtianly in thoſe Courts, were a ſpeciall worke of God in his children.