VARIOUS READINGS AND VERSIONS FROM THE DURHAM MS.

A CHILDE.

1. "His soul is yet a white page" (paper).

AN ORDINARY PHYSITIAN.

4. After the words "take Physicke." "He drives away ye time if he cannot ye maladie, and is furnished with an hundred merrie tales for the purpose. He is no faithful friend for he leaves a man gasping, and his pretence is, death and he are enemies."

A SELFE-CONCEITED MAN.

10 (11 in Bliss). "A parasite is a stale to him," for "a flatterer is a dunce to him."

A RESERVED MAN.

26 (12 in Bliss). "Never speaks above the audit of a whisper," for "whispers you in the ear acts."

A DOUNE-RIGHT SCHOLLER.

20 (21 in Bliss). After "language of a falconer." "He is frigging up and doune, and composeth not his body to a settled posture. Gallants mock him for ushering Gentlewomen and indeed he hath not squired it in their Allies."

A POTT POET.

22 (28 in Bliss). After "patches," "yet their footemanshippe is not altogether shuffling." After "His other poems are but briefs." "At more leisur'd times he makes disticks on noblemen which are put under their twopenny pictures that hang in the bookbinders' shops."

A FORWARD, BOLD MAN.

30 (43 in Bliss). For "like a desperate soldier," read "like our north-west merchants, will venture where he cannot goe." Also "Saint Laurence" for "St. Maries."

A PLAINE COUNTRIE FELLOWE.

23 (22 in Bliss). After "sallets." "He will talk with his oxen very soberly and expostulates with his hindes, and then in the same language he guides the plow, and the plough guides his thoughts, and his bounde or landmarke is the very limitts of his cogitation."

A SERGEANT, (SERIEANT).

32 (52 in Bliss). After "Attempted and atchieved," "clubbes out of charity knocke him doune; next an hereticke he is the worst man to follow for he leads by the arme to destruction; his most dangerous place is Chancery Lane's end where he hansells now and then."

A PARTIALL MAN.

33 (37 in Bliss). After "colledge." "The Puritane is most guilty of this humour, for he takes the opinion of one Dutch commentatour before a legion of fathers; and, which is worse, his own before them both."

A TRUMPETTER.

34 (38 in Bliss). "In short he is a bubble and his life a blast."

A PAULES WALKE.

43 (41 in Bliss). "Properest," for "perfectest motion." After "a-foot." "It hath its tempests like the sea, and as violent, and men are ship-wrack't upon pillars like great rocks." And at the end after "could not"—"ffinally it is used for a church of these two only, sharkes and cut purses, the one comes thither to fast, the other to prey."

A DUN.

42 (53 in Bliss). After "shift in the world," comes "He is like a frivlous suitor, haunting, haunting (sic) those ..." (in place of the sentence in Bliss beginning "some chuse," which is transposed in MS. with very slight changes so as to follow the sentence ending with "find them within.")

A PLAUSIBLE MAN.

45 (29 in Bliss). "He supples all and discommends none, except where his commendations might crosse the company, and then he holds his peace,"—after the words "what is civil."

A BAKER.

16 in MS. (44 in Bliss). "His condition is the same with all other men, for he lives by bread which from a rude and undigested heape he putts into lumpe and forme. His kneading tub and his pavin are the two misteries of his occupation and he is a filcher by his trade, but the miller is before him. Thrive he cannot much in the world, for his cake is oft dow bak't and will never be a man of valour he is still so meall-mouth'd, he is observed for a great lyer for he is seldome true in his tale, though the score be many times on his pate for better reckoning, one vertue he hath that he is charitable, for his bread is often given to the poore. A clarke of the market he abhorres, and a pair of weight scales over-throwes him, yet he finds mercy in his offences, and his basket only is sent to prison. Many a pillery is his deadly enemie, and they never meete but they goe together by the eares."

The additional matter in the "Bright MS." is found here also.

AN HERAULD.[DZ]

(Almost identical with the version in the "Bright MS.")

40 in MS. (46 in Bliss). "He gives armes himselfe though he be no Gentleman, and therefore hath good reason to dispence with other; his trade and profession is honour, and doth that which few noble can doe, thrive by the Title. You would think he had the Indian mines, for he tells of the fesse[EA] of gold and silver, but believe him not for they are but devises to get money: he seemes only to deale with Gentry, but his chiefest purchases are on them that are none, whose bounty he conceales yet blazons: his bribes are like those of a corrupt judge, for they are the prizes[EB] of blood. His traffiques are like children's gew-gawes, pendants, and scutchions and little daggars, and his penniworths are extraordinary deare ffor he holdes three Boares heads higher than three Brawnes in the market. He was sometime the coate of Mars, but is now for more mercifull battailes in the tilt yard where whosoever is victorious the spoyles are his. His is an art in England but nature in Wales, where they are borne with Herauldry in their mouthes, and each name is a pedigree."

A YOUNG RAW PREACHER.

2. "Till ye clocke stop him." "Little instructions shall you have though great store of doctrines and many uses to small purpose; he putts much zeale into his booke, and belabours his tongue exceedingly. The only thing he makes himselfe in his sermons is faces, his action is all passions, and his speach interiections. He hath an excellent faculty in crying 'ah!' and spits with a very good grace." "He will not, etc." "He cites Pastills for authors, Perkins for fathers, and some catechisme is his schoole divinity."

A GRAVE DIVINE.

3. "Arts his way." "He thinks he ought to become learned to learne so high a mystery, w^ch like ye dye of scarlet is not set well upon a raw cloath, but requires a former tincture."[EC] "He accounts, etc." For "ballast" read "last blast" (in the first sentence).

AN ANTIQUARY.

9 in MS. (7 in Bliss). "His life was in this age, his conversation long before, and his acquaintance of some thousand yeares before he was borne. He is a great enemy to the man of time, and fetches many a morsell againe out of his stomacke, when it is now all rotten and stinking. Old women should like him very well for he is much enamoured of wrinckles, and loves all things, as Dutchmen doe cheese, ye better for being mouldy and worm-eaten." "He is of our Religion, etc."

A PLAYER.

19 in MS. (23 in Bliss). "Upon him." "He hath reason to be experienced in the world, for he hath passed through more shapes then Pythagoras his soule, and knows all conditions from y^e King to the Cobler, he is qualified and hath many good parts, but he is condemned for one boasting humour, that he will speake them himselfe." "He hath one, etc." "Never con'd." "A true man he can hardly be, for he pleaseth the better he counterfeits, except only when he is disguised with straw for gold lace. His comings in are tollerable, yet in small money, and like Halifax great viccaridge most of it in two pences." "The waisting woman, etc." "Gentlemen," "and may become the bench in time as well they. He neadeth not feare death, for killing is but his sport, and his chiefe practice hath beene to dye bravely."

A YOUNG GENTLEMAN IN THE UNIVERSITY.

18 in MS. (25 in Bliss). "Spend next day." "If you speake to him as a Schooler, he telleth you you mistake him he is a gentleman and loath to marre his stile with that title. Sometime upon intreaty he vouchsafeth to be a Batchelour, and thinks he hath done the degree great grace in taking it." "His companion, etc." Above this, and after the word "misplacing." "He comes often to his bookes but seldome to his study, unless he be taken with Stepheus or Paris printe, which endeares the booke unto him. Yet sometimes he will...."

VICCARS (MS.)
SINGING MEN.

6 in MS. (47 in Bliss). "To sing catches." "In their election of a brother they are respectfull of his gifts, that is, of his bottles of sacke, and he that is most liberall to them heere makes them sure. If they get a church their faces are the richer, and they are men of more reckoning at the bush or read lattice." "Long lived, etc."

A SHOP-KEEPER.

39 in MS. (48 in Bliss). "He examines the necessity of passengers, and beggs in the phrase of the giver 'with what do you lacke?'" "... abuse his brother. His prizes are like new playes, very dear at first view, but after you goe over them they still fall lower, and he is one who of all men you shoulde not take of his worde." "He is your slave, etc."

A BOWL ALLEY.

38 in MS. (30 in Bliss). "Say nothing." "It is their as it is at skirmishes the first man doth much, and no victory without a good leader." "It is, etc." After the first sentence comes in MS. "fortune is never pox't louder nor the Deuill oftener sent about errands; he is the companion that goes with every bowle, and with him the bowlers."

A SHE PRECISE HYPOCRITE.

(The Shee Puritane in the MS.)

36 in MS. (34 in Bliss). "Owne Parish." "And if her husband be so profaine that he will not carrie her on horsebacke to heare another preach shee will goe as far on foote to heare her selfe pray." "She doubts, etc." "Scruples." "Shee dareth not give a penny to a beggar for feare he be a reprobate, but shee thinkes usury lawfull upon strangers that be not her brethren." "Shee is more fierce, etc." "Shee is discovered though shee weare a vaile," after "Geneva Print." "Reads that shee hath noted, and applauds herselfe for a noble woman of Berea," after "comes home." After "gossippings," "unlesse to exercises." After "sampler," "save that once a year she workes a black-wrought night-cap for some reverend good man to weare, because it is against the cannon, and then she thinkes him a bishop's fellow." After "weapons" (weapon), "is the Practice of Piety, or else shee is armed with the sixt to the Ephesians." For "the Brownist" read "thinks that Amsterdam is erroneous."

THE WEAK MAN.

In the Bright MS. there are some important additions and variations in "The Weak Man." After the words "his brain stays behind," it goes on "He is for wit as your young travellers for languages, as much as will call for necessities and hardly that. He is not crafty enough to be a knave, nor wise enough to be honest, but the midway betwixt; a kind of harmless man. His whole vice is his indiscretion, and yet this makes him seem guilty of all." After the word "reserved" in Bliss, the MS. goes on: "He will part with anything in a humour, but in a good cause with nothing, and you may better entice him than persuade him. He is often perverse, never resolute and inexorable to nothing so much as reason. He loves wits and scholars to his cost, for he never has their company but invited. His friendships commonly are begun in a supper and lost in lending money. The way to gain his regard is to neglect him, for if he once be in good estimation, he grows proud upon it and contemns you." After the words "laid to his charge." "He puts in his verdict at all discourses, and whatsoever reason you urge, he holds his conclusion." Again, after the words "breaks forth with all." "His fear is his most violent persuader, which makes him do more upon the authority of one he hates, than the suit of his friend. He is one not to live in this world, for each man is his ambush, and his friend to abuse him. He has been long in contempt, and at last out of money, and then men cry 'alas!' and forget him."

A SCEPTICK IN RELIGION.

P. 99. This Character also is so varied from the printed copies in the Bright MS. that it is given from the latter entire. "He is defined by a genus without a difference; for he is a Christian at large, and no more. He uses the land's religion because it is next him; yet he sees not why he may not take the other yet he chooses this not as better, but because there is not a pin to choose. He is wondrous loth to hazard his credulity, and whilst he fears to believe amiss, believes nothing. The opinion of an over judgment wrongs him, which makes him too wise for the truth. He finds doubts and scruples better than resolves them, and has always some argument to nonplus himself. The least religion is enough to perplex him, and the best will not satisfy him. He hammers too much in general upon our opinion's incertainty, and the possibility of erring makes him not venture on what is true. He cannot drive into his fancy the circumscription of religion into our corner, and yet, the absurdity of Popery staggers him again. He could like the Protestant better were it not for the puritan, and the papist but for the Jesuit. He thinks we are more rational, and likes the life of the other. He thinks so many wise men would not believe but on good ground, and so many honest men cannot be on the wrong side; yet he sees not their reason notwithstanding, nor assents to their honesty without it. He is taken with their miracles yet doubts an imposture; he conceives of our doctrine better, yet it seems too empty and naked. He prefers their charity, and commends our zeal, yet suspects that for blindness, and this but humour. He sees rather what to fly than to follow, and wishes there were no sides that he might take one. He will sometimes propend to us upon the reading a good writer, and at Bellarmine recoils as far back again; and the fathers justle him from one side to another. His conscience interposes itself betwixt two duellers, and whilst it would part both, is by both wounded. He hates authority as the tyrant of reason, and you cannot anger him worse than with a Luther or Calvin's dixit, yet that wise men are not persuaded with reason, shall authorize his doubt. In sum, his whole life is a question, and his salvation a greater, wherein he is so long a disputing, till death make the conclusion, and then he is resolved."

[From Bliss's annotated copy of Earle's Microcosmography.]

A GALLANT.

P. 57. (In the Bodleian, 2699, E. 21.) [This version is almost identical with that in the Durham MS. till the last few sentences.] The variations between the printed copy and Dr. Bright's MS. are so considerable, that the latter text is here given entire. "A Gallant is a heavy loader of himself, for he lays more upon his back than it is able to bear, and so at last breaks it. His first care is his clothes, and the next his body, and in the uniting of these two lyes his judgment. He is no singular man, for he is altogether in the fashion, and his very look and beard are squared to a figure conformable. His face and his boot are ruffled much alike, and he takes great delight in his walk to hear his spurs gingle. Though his life pass somewhat slidingly, yet he seems very carefull of the tyme, for he is always drawing his watch out of his pocket, and spends part of his hours in numbering them. His chiefest toil is how to spin out the day, and get a match for cards or the bowl alley, and his worst companion is himself, for then he is desperate and knows not what to do. The labour of doing nothing had made him long since weary of his life, if tobacco and drink did not out of charity employ him. He is furnished with jests, as some wanderer with sermons, some three for all companies, and when these are expired, his discourse survives in oaths and laughter. He addresses himself to ladies with the wagging of his lock, and complements like Euphues or the knights of the Sun; yet his phrase is the worst apparalled thing about him, for it is plain fustian.[ED] His thigh is always well apointed with a rapier, yet peaceable enough, and makes[EE] a wound in nothing but the scabard, yet[EF] rather than point the field, hee'l pull it out in the street. He is weaponed rather in the street, than the highway, for he fears not a thief, but a serjeant. His clothes and himself grow stale together, and the last act of his life is invisible, for he is buried commonly before he dies, in the jail or the[EG] country."

The following Character may serve as an illustrative commentary on part of Earle's character of an Attorney.

THE CHARACTER OF AN ATTORNEY.

P. 211. (From a MS. in the Bodleian, Sheldon Papers), circa 1642. An MS. Notebook of Bliss's in my possession, containing some 50 pages filled with the titles of books of characters, has this one among them, in 17th century hand-writing (pasted on to the page). When this was acquired he does not say. "An Atturney is a Broker at Law for hee sels wordes and counsell at the second hand, studies but one language that hee may not bee thought double tonged, and when vpon necessitie hee reades Latin, 'tis with a quaking hast soe feare fully you wold thinke him a fellon at his miserere. Hee speakes nothing but reports, statutes and obligations, and 'tis to bee thought wooes soe too; Lady I hold of you in capite and was by the fates enacted yours in decimo of the Ringe; his prayers are soloecismes for peace, and yet for contention; hee beleeues in Littleton or the present Cheefe-Justice and against this fayth hee thinkes the Chancery Hoeerticall, especially if he speake in a Rocket; his degrees are to proceed either a Court-keeper or an Under-shrieue and then a Judges nod qualifies him; hee may hold two or three Clyents the more; to conclude hee is a very noune adiectiue whom noe man dares trust to stand by himselfe, but requires a Counsellour to bee ioyned with him."—Deane.

TWO LETTERS OF EARLE'S.

[TANNER MS., vol. 48, No. 46.]