Sayings of Wise and Learned Men, Part 5
Choice Examples, Apothegms, and Sayings of very Wiſe men.
CArdinal Wolſey providing as magnificently for his Inſtallation into his Arch-Biſhoprick of York, as a King ſhould do for his Coronation, improved thereby King Henry 8th's jealouſie to his ruin. For in the midſt of his Solemnities, he was arreſted by the King's order, whoſe Wrath was the Meſſenger of Death, and a while after breathed forth his Soul in theſe Words: If I had ſerved the God of Heaven as faithfully as I did my Maſter on Earth, he had not forſaken me in my Old Age as the other hath done. State Worthies, p. 19.
Plenty without Pomp, is Penury to Pride, which Kings may make humbled, God only humble; He being able to take away the Fire, the Luſt within; the other only to withdraw the Fuel, the State without, p. 21.
Men die unpittied, that Live feared.
How many a Man had ended better if he had not begun ſo well. It's the Emphaſis of miſery, to be too ſoon happy. Proſperity growing up with Experience, makes a Man in a firm ſettlement, inured to all events. I will always ſuſpect the ſmooth Waters for deepneſs. In my worſt Eſtate I will hope; In my beſt I will fear; in all, I will be Circumſpect, and ſtill.
Queen Elizabeth being to employ a famous Ambaſſage into France, made choice of two of the nobleſt Peers in her Realm, equal in Rank, equal in Vertue: but the one excuſed it by a defect in his hearing, and the other by his ignorance, and want of the French Language: To which the Queen ſmilingly replyed: That it was a miſerable Eſtate, when her ſpeaking Peers were Deaf, and her hearing Peers were Dumb.
We ſhould be very cautious in mentioning the Name of God in ſmall matters, according to that of the Poet,
Nec Deus interſit niſi dignus vindice Nodus Inciderit.—Name not God but in matters of great moment.
The Philoſopher's diviſion of men into three Ranks is obſervable. Some (ſaid he) are ſuch as know good, and are willing to teach it unto others; Theſe are like Gods among men. Others, tho they know not good, yet are willing to learn: Theſe are like Men among Beaſts: Others know not good, and deſpiſe ſuch as ſhould teach them: Theſe are as Beaſts among men.
Thoſe are the moſt miſerable among Men, who running their Head into a Buſh of Confident ignorance, ſuppoſe that none ſee their Weakneſs, becauſe they are not willing to take notice of it themſelves.
Integrity out-laſts Power, and Plainneſs ſurvives Policy. An honeſt Heart keeps the Head on the Shoulders. A noble and cleer Vertue is laſting.
A. B B. Cranmer uſed to ſay (as Victorinus) There is a time to ſay nothing: There is a time to ſay ſomething: But never a time to ſay all things.
Some of Sr. Thomas Moor's Apothegms were theſe. He is not always merry that Laugheth. The world is undone by looking on things at a diſtance. To aim at Honour here, is to ſet up a Coat of Arms over a Priſon Gate. If I would employ my Goods well I may be contented to laſe them; if ill, I ſhould be glad. He that is Covetous when he is Old, is as a Thief that ſteals when he is going to the Gallows. Bags of Gold to us when Saints, will be but as Bags of Pebble-ſtones when Men. The greateſt Puniſhment in the World were to have our Wiſhes. Puſillanimity is a great Temptation. Affliction undoes many; Pleaſures moſt. We go to Hell with more Pains than we might go to Heaven with. Who would not ſend his Alms to Heaven? Who would not ſend his Eſtate whither he is to be baniſhed?
Archer (King James his Jeſter) made him ſenſible of the danger the Prince was in, in Spain, by telling him that he came to change Caps with him. Why ſo? (ſaid the King;) becauſe thou haſt ſent the Prince into Spain from whence he is never like to return. But (ſaid the King) what wilt thou ſay, when thou ſeeſt him return back again? Marry (ſaid he) I will take off the Fools Cap, which I now put upon thy Head for ſending him thither, and put it upon the King of Spain's Head, for letting him return.
Sr. Thomas Wiat told King Henry 8th, that he found out a Living of an Hundred pounds in the year, more than enough, and pray'd him to beſtow it upon him: Why? (ſaid the King) we have none ſuch in England. Yes (ſaid Sr. Thomas) the Provoſt-ſhip of Eaton, where a Man hath his Dyet, his Lodging, his Horſe-meat, his Servants Wages, his Riding-charges, and a 100 Pound Per annum beſides.
Sr. Thomas Wiat's Jeſts were always confined to theſe Rules.
1. He never played upon a Man's unhappineſs, or Deformity: It being inhumane ſo to do.
2. Nor upon his Superiors, which is Sawcineſs, and undutifulneſs.
3. Nor on ſerious, or holy Matters: For that's irreligious, and profane: Applying upon this occaſion that of the Athenians, who would not ſuffer Pathus to play his Comedies, where Euripides repeated his Tragedies.
4. He had much Salt but no Gall: Often jeſting, but never jeering.
5. He obſerved Times, Perſons, and Circumſtances: knowing when to ſpeak, and when to hold his Peace too.
6. His apt, and handſome Reparties were rather natural than affected: Subtile, and acute; Prompt and eaſie, yet not Careleſs: Never rendring himſelf Contemptible to pleaſe others.
7. His gift was not an inſipid changing of Words, but a ſmart retort of Matters, which every Body was better pleaſed with than himſelf.
What is Prerogative but a great Name, when not exerciſed over a free People? And what is Priviledge but a fond imagination, when not ſecured under a a powerful King, that may keep us from being Slaves one to another by an Anarchy, while we ſtrive to be free from his Tyranny.
We ſhould not complain that we have little time, but that we ſpend much, either in doing nothing, or in doing Evil, or in doing nothing to the Purpoſe.
Three things (ſaid a Wiſe man) will ſettle a State. Good God-Fathers, and God-Mothers performing their Vows. Good Houſholders over-looking their Families: And good School-Maſters educating Youth. This laſt is the moſt uſeful, tho the moſt Contemptible Profeſſion.
Reward (ſaid the ſame Perſon when he was offered a ſum of Money) ſhould not empty the King's Coffers; neither ſhould Riches be the pay of worth, which are meerly the Wages of Labour. He that gives it, embaſeth a Man; He that takes it, vilifies himſelf: Who is ſo moſt rewarded, is leaſt.
Secretary Walſingham would ſay: Stay a little and we ſhall have done the ſooner. Secretary Cecil would ſay: It ſhall never be ſaid of me, that I will defer till to Morrow what I can do to day. Sr. Richard Moriſon would ſay: Give me this day, and take the next your ſelf.
He that knoweth to ſpeak well, knoweth alſo where he muſt hold his Peace, ſaid the Old Grecian. Think an Hour before you ſpeak, and a Day before you Promiſe, ſaid one of our Engliſh Sages.
The two main Principles which Guide humane Nature (ſaid Judg Dodderidg) are Conſcience and Law: By the former we are obliged in reference to another World, by the latter in Relation to this.
When the Lord Chief Juſtice Fitz-James came upon the Bench, he knew no more than Melchiſedech, or Levi, Father, nor Mother, neither Friend, nor Intereſt. For when a Couſin of his urged for a kindneſs; Come to my Houſe (ſaid the Judg) and I will deny you nothing; Come to the King's Court, and I muſt do you Juſtice.
Plato ſaid, That a Man's mind is the Chariot, Reaſon the Coach-man, Affections the Horſes, deſire of Honour the Whips, both exciting to go forward, and awing to be exact: Honour, always keeping up curiouſly the Honoured Perſon in an heigth of Action, that keeps an even Pace with admiration: Evenneſs, and Conſtancy being the Crown of Vertue.
The Lord Gray was the firſt that brought a Coach into England: And Henry Fitz-Alan, Earl of Arundel, when he was Steward at King Edward the 6th's Coronation, was the firſt that rid in a Coach in England.
William Pawlet, Marqueſs of Wincheſter▪ was Servant to King Henry the 7th, and for Thirty years together Treaſurer to King Henry the 8th, King Edward the 6th, Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth. Thus he ſerved divers Soveraigns in very mutable Times, being (as he ſaid of himſelf:) no Oak, but an Oſier. He had the rare happineſs of ſetting in his full Splendour, having lived ninety ſeaven years, and ſeen a Hundred and three that deſcended out of his Body.
Sr. Henry Sidney's Motto was, I will never threaten. For, to threaten an Enemy is to inſtruct him: A Superiour, is to endanger my Perſon: And an Inferiour, is to diſparage my Conduct.