ANTHEOLOGIA, OR The Speech of Flowers.

THere was a place in Theſſaly (and I am ſorry to ſay there was a place in Theſſaly, for though the place be there ſtill, yet it is not it ſelfe. The bones thereof remaine, not the Fleſh and Colour. The ſtandards of Hilles and Rivers; not the Ornaments of Woods, Bowers, Groves and Banqueting-houſes. Theſe long2 ſince are defaced by the Turkes, whoſe barbarous natures wage warre with civility it ſelfe, and take a delight to make a Wil­derneſſe where before their con­queſt they found a Paradiſe.)

This place is ſome five miles in length, and though the breadth bee Corrivall with the length to equallize the ſame, and may ſo ſeeme at the firſt ſight; yet it falleth ſhort upon exact examimination, as extending but to foure miles. This place was by the Poets called Tempe, as the A­bridgement of Earthly happi­neſſe, ſhewing that in ſhort hand, which the whole world preſen­ted3 in a larger character, no earth­ly pleaſure was elſewhere affor­ded, but here it might be found in the heighth thereof.

Within this Circuit of ground, there is ſtill extant, by the rare preſervation of the owner, a ſmall Scantlin of ſome three Acres, which I might call the Tempe of Tempe, and re-epi­tomiz'd the delicacies of all the reſt. It was divided into a Gar­den, in the upper Part whereof Flowers did grow, in the lower, Hearbs, and thoſe of all ſorts and kinds. And now in Spring time earth did put on her new cloathes, though had ſome cun­ning Herald beheld the ſame,4 he would have condemned her Coate to have been of no antient bearing, it was ſo overcharged with variety of Colours.

For there was yellow Mari­golds, Wallflowers, Auriculuſſes, Gold Knobs, and abundance of other nameleſſe Flowers, which would poſe a Nomenclator to call them by their diſtinct de­nominations. There was White, the Dayes Eye, white roſes, Lil­lyes, &c. Blew, Violet, Iriſſe, Red Roſes, Pionies, &c. The whole field was vert or greene, and all colours were preſent ſave ſable, as too ſad and dolefull for ſo merry a meeting. All the Chil­dren of Flora being ſummoned5 there, to make their appearance at a great ſolemnity.

Nor was the lower part of the ground leſſe ſtored with herbs, and thoſe ſo various, that if Gerard himſelfe had bin in the place, upon the behold­ing thereof, he muſt have been forced to a re-edition of his Herball, to adde the recruit of thoſe Plants, which formerly were unſeen by him, or un­known unto him.

In this ſolemn Randevouz of Flowers and Herbs, the Roſe ſtood forth, and made an Ora­tion to this effect.

It is not unknown to you, how I have the precedency of6 all Flowers, confirmed unto me under the Patent of a double Sence, Sight, ſmell. What more curious Colours? how do all Diers bluſh when they behold my bluſhing, as conſcious to themſelves, that their Art can­not imitate that tincture, which Nature hath ſtamped upon me. Smell, it is not luſciouſly offen­ſive, nor dangerouſly Faint, but comforteth with a delight, and delighteth with the comfort thereof: Yea, when Dead, I am more Soveraigne then Living: What Cordials are made of my Syrups? how many corrupted Lungs (thoſe Fans of Nature) ſore waſted with conſumption,7 that they ſeem utterly unable any longer to cool the heat of the Heart, with their ventilati­on, are with Conſerves made of my ſtamped Leaves, reſtored to their former ſoundneſſe againe: More would I ſay in mine own cauſe, but that happily I may be taxed of pride, and ſelfe-flat­tery, who ſpeak much in mine own behalf, & therefore I leave the reſt to the judgment of ſuch as hear me, and paſſe from this diſcourſe to my juſt complaint.

There is lately a Flower (ſhal I call it ſo? in courteſie I will tearme it ſo, though it deſerve not the appellation) a Toolip, which hath ingrafted the love8 and affections of moſt people unto it; and what is this Toolip? a wellcomplexion'd ſtink, an ill ſavour wrapt up in pleaſant colours: As for the uſe thereof in Phyſick, no Phyſitian hath honoured it yet with the men­tion, nor with a Greek, or Latin name, ſo inconſiderable hath it hitherto been accompted; and yet this is that which filleth all Gardens, hundred of pounds being given for the root there­of, whilſt I the Roſe, am negle­cted and contemned, and con­ceived beneath the honour of noble hands, and ſit only to grow in the gardens of Yeomen I truſt the remainder to your9 apprehenſions, to make out that, which grief for ſuch un­deſerved injuries will not ſuffer me to expreſſe.

Hereat the Roſe wept, and the dropping of her white tears down her red cheeks, ſo well becomed her, that if ever ſor­row was lovely, it then appear­ed ſo, which moved the behol­ders to much compaſſion, her Tears ſpeaking more then her tongue, in her own behalfe.

The Tool•p ſtood up inſo­lently, as rather challenging then craving reſpect from the Common-wealth of Flowers there preſent, & thus vaunted it ſelfe.

I am not ſolicitous what to10 returne to the complaint of this Roſe, whoſe own demerit hath juſtly outed it ſelf of that reſpect, which the miſtaken world formerly beſtowed upon it, and which mens eyes, now opened, juſtly reaſſume, and conferre on thoſe who better deſerve the ſame. To ſay that I am not more worthy then the Roſe, what is it, but to con­demne mankind, and to arraign the moſt Gentle and knowing among men of ignorance, for miſplacing their affections: Surely Vegetables muſt not pre­ſume to mount above Rationa­ble creatures, or to think that men are not the moſt compe­tent11 judges of the worth and valew of Flowers. I confeſſe there is yet no known ſoveraign vertue in my leaves, but it is injurious to inferre that I have none, becauſe as yet not taken notice of. If we ſhould exa­mine all, by their intrinſick va­lews, how many contemptible things in Nature would take the upper-hand of thoſe which are moſt valued; by this argu­ment a Flint-ſtone would be better then a Diamond, as con­taining that ſpark of fire there­in, whence men with combu­ſtible matter may heat them­ſelves in the coldeſt ſeaſon: and cleer it is, that the Load-ſtone,12 (that grand Pilot to the North, which findeth the way there in the darkeſt night) is to be pre­ferred before the moſt orient Pearle in the world: But they will generally be condemned for unwiſe, who prize things according to this proportion.

Seeing therefore in ſtones and minerals, that thoſe things are not moſt valued, which have moſt vertue, but that men ac­cording to their eyes and fan­cies raiſe the reputation there­of, let it not be interpreted to my diſadvantage, that I am not eminently known for any cor­diall operation; perchance the diſcovery hereof is reſerved for13 the next age, to find out the latent vertue which lurketh in me: And this I am confident of, that Nature would never have hung out ſo gorgious a ſigne, if ſome gueſt of quality had not been lodged therein; ſurely my leaves, had never been feathered with ſuch variety of colours, (which hath proclaimed me the King of all Lillies) had not ſome ſtrange vertue, whereof the world is yet ignorant, been treaſured up therein.

As for the Roſe, let her thank her ſelfe, if ſhe be ſenſible of any decay in eſteem, I have not am­bitiouſly affected ſuperiority a­bove her, nor have I fraudulent­ly14 endevoured to ſupplant her: only I ſhould have been want­ing to my ſelfe, had I refuſed thoſe favours from Ladies, which their importunity hath preſſed upon me: And may the Roſe remember, how ſhe out of cauſeleſſe jealouſie, maketh all hands to be her enemies that gather her; what need is there that ſhe ſhould gariſon her ſelfe within her prickles? why muſt ſhe ſet ſo many Thornes to lye conſtant perdue, that none muſt gather her, but ſuch as ſuddenly ſurprize her; and do not all that crop her, run the hazard of hurting their fingers: This is that which hath weaned the15 world from her love, whilſt my ſmooth ſtalk expoſing Ladies to no ſuch perills, hath made them by exchange to fix their removed affections upon me.

At this ſtood up the Violet, and all prepared themſelves with reſpectfull attention, ho­nouring the Violet for the Age thereof, for the Prim Roſe alone excepted, it is Seignior to all the Flowers in the year, and was highly regarded for the reputa­tion of the experience thereof that durſt encounter the cold, and had paſt many bitter blaſts, whereby it had gained much wiſpome, and had procured a venerable reſpect, both to his perſon and Counſell.

The caſe (ſaith the Violet) is not of particular concernment, but extendeth it ſelfe to the life and liberty of all the ſocie­ty of Flowers; the complaint of the Roſe we muſt all acknow­ledge to be juſt and true, and ever ſince I could remember, we have paid the Roſe a juſt tri­bute of Fealty as our Prime and principall As for this Toolip, it hath not been in being in our Garden above theſe ſixty years: Our Fathers never knew that ſuch a Flower would be, and perhaps our children may ne­ver know it ever was; what traveller brought it hither: I know not; they ſay it is of a17 Syrian extraction, but ſure there it grew wild in the open fields, and is not beheld otherwiſe, then a gentler ſort of weed: But we may obſerve that all­forraign vices are made vertues in this countrey, forraign drun­kenneſſe is Grecian Mirth (thence the proverb, The merry Greek) forraign pride, Grecian good behaviour; forraign luſt, Greci­an love; forraign lazineſse, Gre­cian harmeleſsneſse; forraign weeds, Grecian Flowers. My judgement therefore is, that if we do not ſpeedily eradicate this intruder (this Toolip) in pro­ceſſe of time will out us all of our juſt poſſeſſions, ſeeing no18 Flower can pretend a cleerer title then the Roſe hath; and let us every one make the caſe to be his owne.

The gravity of the Violet ſo prevailed with the Senate of Flowers, that all concurred with his judgment herein; and ſuch who had not the faculty of the fluentneſſe of their tongues to expreſſe themſelves in large Orations, thought that the well managing of a yea, or nay, ſpoke them as well wiſhing to the generall good, as the ex­preſſing themſelves in large Harrangues; and theſe ſoberly concluded, that the Toolip ſhould be rooted out of the19 Garden, and caſt on the dung­hill, as one who had juſtly in­vaded a place not due there­unto, and this accordingly was performed.

Whilſt this was paſſing in the upper houſe of the Flowers, no leſs were the tranſactions in the lower houſe of the herbs; where there was a generall ac­clamation againſt Wormewood, the generality condemning it, as fitter to grow in a ditch ▪ then in a Garden: Wormewood hardly received leave to make its own defence, pleading in this man­ner for its innocency.

I would gladly know whom I have offended in this com­mon-wealth20 of Herbs, that there ſhould be ſo generall a conſpiracy againſt me? only two things can be charged on me, commonneſſe and bitterneſſe; if commonneſſe paſs for a fault, you may arraign Nature it ſelf, and condemn the beſt Jewels thereof, the light of the Sun, the benefit of the Ayre, the com­munity of the Water, are not theſe ſtaple commodities of mankind, without which no being or ſubſiſtance: if there­fore it be my charity to ſtoop ſo low, as to tender my ſelfe to every place for the publique ſervice, ſhall that for which I deſerve, if not praiſe, I need no21 pardon, be charged upon me as an offence.

As for my bitterneſse, it is not a malitious & miſchievous bitter­neſſe to do hurt, but a helpfull & medicinall bitterneſſe, whereby many cures are effected. How many have ſurfeited on honey? how many have dig'd their gravs in a Sugar-loaf? how many diſeaſes have bin cauſed by the dulcor of many luſcious ſweet-meats? then am I ſent for Phyſitian to theſe patients, and with my brother Cardus (whom you behold with a loving eye, I ſpeak not this to endanger him, but to defend my ſelfe) reſtore them (if temperate in any de­gree,22 and perſwaded by their friends to taſt of us) unto their former health. I ſay no more, but were all my patients now my pleaders, were all thoſe who have gained health by me, preſent to intercede for me, I doubt not but to be reinſtated in your good opinions.

True it is, I am condemned for over ▪ hot, and too paſſionate in my operation; but are not the beſt natures ſubject to this diſtemper? is it not obſerved that the moſt witty are the moſt cholerick? a little over­doing is pardonable, I will not ſay neceſſary in this kind, nor let me be condemned as deſtru­ctive23 to the ſight, having ſuch good opening, and abſtergent qualities, that moderately ta­ken, eſpecially in a Morning, I am both food and Phyſick for a forenoon.

It is ſtrange to ſee how paſſi­on and ſelfe-intereſt ſway in ma­ny things, more then the juſtice and merit of a cauſe; it was ve­rily expected that Worm-wood ſhould have been acquitted, and re-admitted a member in the ſo­ciety of Herbs: But what will not a Faction carry; Worme-woods friends were caſually abſent that very day, making merry at an entertainment; her enemies (let not that Sex be angry for24 making Wormwood feminine) appeared in a full body, and made ſo great a noiſe, as if ſome mouths had two tongues in them, and though ſome engaged very zealouſly in Wormwoods de­fence, yet over-charged with the Tyranny of Number, it was carryed in the Negative, that Wormwood, alias abſynthium, ſhould be pluckt up root and branch from the Garden, and thrown upon the Dunghill, which was done accordingly, where it had the wofull ſociety of the Toolip, in this happy, that being equally miſerable, they might be a comfort the one to the other, and ſpent many25 howers in mutuall recounting their ſeverall calamities, think­ing each to exceed the other in the relation thereof.

Let us now amidſt much ſad­neſs interweave ſomething of more mirth and pleaſantneſſe in the Garden. There were two Roſes growing upon one Buſh, the one pale and wan with age, ready to drop off, as uſefull on­ly for a Still: the other a young Bud, newly looſened from its green ſwadling cloaths, and pee­ping on the riſing Sun, it ſeem'd by its orient colour to be died by the reflection therof.

Of theſe, the aged Roſe thus began.

Siſter Bud, learn witt by my woe, and cheaply enjoy the free and ful benefit of that purchaſe which coſt me dear and bitter experience: Once I was like your ſelfe, young and pretty, ſtraitly laced in my gree-Girdle, not ſwoln to that breadth and corpulency which now you be­hold in me, every hand which paſſed by me courted me, and perſons of all ſorts were ambi­tious to gather me: How many fair fingers of curious Ladies tendred themſelves to remove me from the place of my abode; but in thoſe daies I was coy, & to tell you plainly fooliſh, I ſtood on mine own defence,27 ſummoned my life-guard about me, commanded every prickle as ſo many Halberdeers, to ſtand to their Armes, defie thoſe that durſt touch me, proteſted my ſelfe a votary of conſtant virgi­nity; frighted hereat, paſſengers deſiſted from their intentions to crop me, and left me to en­joy the ſullen humour of my own reſervedneſſe.

Afterwards the Sun beams wrought powerfully upon me, (eſpecialy about noon-time) to this my preſent extent, the O­rient colour which bluſhed ſo beautifull in me at the firſt, was much abated, with an over­mixture of wanneſs and paleneſs28 therewith, ſo that the Green (or white ſickneſſe rather, the com­mon pennance for over-kept virginity ▪ began to infect me, and that fragrant ſent of mine, began to remit and leſſen the ſweetneſſe thereof, and I daily decayed in my naturall per­fume; thus ſeeing I daily leſſen­ed in the repute of all eyes and noſtrills, I began too late to re­pent my ſelfe of my former frowardneſſe; and ſought that my diligence by an after-game; ſhould recover what my folly had loſt; I pranked up my ſelfe to my beſt advantage, ſummon­ed all my ſweetneſſe to appear in the height thereof, recruit­ed29 my decayed Colour, by bluſhing for my own folly, and wooed every hand that paſſed by me, to remove me.

I confeſſe in ſome ſort it of­fers rape to a Maiden modeſty, if forgetting their ſex, they that ſhould be all Ears, turn mouthes, they that ſhould ex­pect, offer; when we women, who only ſhould be the paſſive Counterparts of Love, and re­ceive impreſſion from others, boldly preſume to ſtamp them on others, and by an inverted method of nature, turn plea­ders unto men, and wooe them for their affections. For all this there is but one excuſe, and30 that is abſolute neceſsity, which as it breaks through ſtone­walls, ſo no wonder if in this caſe it alters and tranſpoſes the Sexes, making women to man it in caſe of extremity, when men are wanting to tender their affections unto them.

All was but in vaine, I was entertained with ſcorne and neglect, the hardned hands of dayly Labourers, brawned with continuall work, the black hands of Moores, which alwaies carry Night in their Faces, ſleighted and contemned me; yea, now behold my laſt hope is but to deck and adorn houſ­es, and to be laid as a propertie31 in windowes, till at laſt I die in the Hoſpitall of ſome ſtill, where when uſeleſs for any thing elſe, we are generally admitted. And now my very leaves begin to leave me, and I to be de­ſerted and forſaken of my ſelfe.

O how happy are thoſe Ro­ſes, who are preferred in their youths; to be warme in the hands and breaſts of faire La­dies, who are joyned together with other flowers of ſeverall kinds in a Poſie, where the gene­rall reſult of ſweetneſſe from them all, raviſheth the Smel by an intermixture of various co­lours, all united by their ſtalks within the ſame thred that bind­eth32 them together.

Therefore Siſter Bud grow wiſe by my folly, and know it is far greater happineſſe to loſe thy Virginity in a good hand, then to wither on the ſtalk whereon thou groweſt: accept of thy firſt and beſt tender, leſt afterwards in vaine thou court eſt the reverſion of fragments of that feaſt of love, which firſt was freely tendred unto thee.

Leave we them in their diſ­courſe, and proceed to the re­lation of the Toolip and Worm­wood, now in a moſt pitifull condition, as they were lying on the Dunghill; behold a vaſt Giant Boar comes unto them;33 that which Hercules was ſaid to kill, and which was accounted by ſome••e foreman of the jury of his Labours, was but a Pygmie, or rather but a Pig, in compari­ſon of this; and with his Tusks wherewith Nature had armed him to be his ſword as his ſhoulders are his ſhield he began to rend and tear the Toolip and Wormewood, who exclaimed un­to him as followeth.

SIR,

Pitty uſeth alwaies to be an attendant of a generous mind, & valiant ſpirit, for which I have heard you much commended. Cruelty is commonly obſerved to keep company with Coward­lineſſe,34 and baſe minds, to tri­umph in cruell actions, behold we are the objects rather of your pitty, whoſe ſufferings may rather render us to the commiſeration of any that juſt­ly conſider our caſe. I the Too­lip by a faction of flowers, was outed of the Garden, where I have as good a right and title to abide as any other: and this Wormewood, notwithſtanding her just and long plea, how uſe­full and cordiall ſhe was, was by a conſpiracy of Herbs excluded the Garden, and both of us igno­miniouſly confined to this place, where we muſt without all hopes quickly expire: Our35 humble requeſt unto you is not to ſhorten thoſe few minutes of our lives which are left unto us, ſeeing ſuch prejudice was done to our Vitals (whe our roots were mangled by that cruel eradication) that there is an impoſſibility of our long continuance: Let us therefore fairly breath out our laſt breath, and antidate not our miſery, but let us have the fa­vour of a quiet cloſe and con­cluſion.

But if ſo be that you are af­fected with the deſtruction of flowers and herbs, know the pleaſure and contentment therein muſt be far greater to root out36 thoſe which are fairly flouriſhing in their prime, whereof plenty are in this Garden afforded, and if it pleaſe you to follow our directions, we will make you Maſter of a Paſſe, which with­out any difficulty ſhall convey you into the Garden; for though the ſame on all ſides almoſt is either walled or paled about, yet in one place it is fenced with a Hedge only, wherein, through the neglect of the Gardiner, (whoſe care it ought to be to ſecure the ſame) there is a hole left in ſuch capacity, as will yeeld you an eaſie entrance thereinto: There may you glut your ſelfe, and ſatiate your37 ſoule with variety of Flowers and herbs, ſo that an Epicure might have cauſe to complain of the plenty thereof.

The Boar apprehends the motion, is ſencible it was advan­tagious for him, and following their directions, he makes him­ſelfe Maſter of his owne deſire. O the ſpitefulneſſe of ſome Na­tures! how do they wreck their their anger on all perſons: It was revenge for the Toolip and Wormwood, unleſſe they had ſpitefully wronged the whole Corporation of Flowers, out of which they were ejected as uſe­leſſe and dangerous Members: And now conſider how theſe38 two pride themſelves in their own vindicative thoughts? how do they in their forerunning fancy antidate the death of all Herbs and Flowers. What is ſweeter then revenge? how do they pleaſe themſelves to ſee what are hot & cold in the firſt, ſecond, third, and fourth degree, (which borders on poiſon) how all theſe different in their ſeverall Tempers, will be made friends in univerſall miſery, and compounded in a generall deſtru­ction.

Little did either Flowers or Herbs think of the Boares ap­proaching, who were ſolacing themſelves with merry and39 pleaſant diſcourſe; and it will not be amiſs to deceive time, by inſerting the Courtſhip of Thrift a flower-Herb, unto the Mary­gold, thus accoſting her, juſt as the Boar entered into the Gar­den.

Miſtreſſe, Of all Flowers that grow on Earth, give me leave to profeſſe my ſincereſt affecti­ons to you: Complements have ſo infected mens tongues (and grown an Epidemicall fault, or as others eſteem it, a faſhionable accompliſhment) that we know not when they ſpeak truth, having made diſſembling their language, by a conſtant uſage thereof: But believe me Miſtriſs40 my heart never entertained any other interpreter then my Tongue; and if there be a veine (which Anatomiſts have gene­rally avouched, carrying intelli­gence from the heart to the lips) aſſure your ſelfe that vein acts now in my diſcourſe.

I have taken ſignall notice of your accompliſhments, and a­mong many other rare quali­ties, particularly of this, your loyalty and faithfulneſſe to the Sun, Soveraign to all Vegetables, to whoſe warming Beams, we owe our being and increaſe: ſuch your love thereunto, that you attend his riſing, and therewith open, and at his ſetting ſhut41 your windowes: True it is, that Helitropium (or turner with the Sun) hath a long time been at­tributed to the Sun-flower, a voluminous Giant like Flower, of no vertue or worth as yet diſcovered therein, but we all know the many and Soveraign vertues in your leaves, the Herb generall in all pottage: Nor do you as Herb John ſtand newter, and as too many now adaies in our Commonwealth do, neither good nor ill (expecting to be acted on by the impreſsion of the prevailent party) and other­wiſe warily engage not them­ſelves; but you really appear ſoveraign and operative in your42 wholeſome effects: The conſi­deration hereof, and no other by reflection, hath moved me to the tender of my affections, which if it be candidly reſented, as it is ſincerely offered, I doubt not but it may conduce to the mutuall happineſſe of us both.

Beſides know (though I am the unpropereſt perſon to trumpet forth my owne praiſe) my name is Thrift, and my nature anſwereth thereunto; I doe not prodigally waſt thoſe Lands in a moment, which the induſtry and frugality of my Anceſtors hath in a long time advanced; I am no gamſter to ſhake away with a quaking hand, what a43 more fixed hand did gain and acquire: I am none of thoſe who in variety of cloaths, bury my quick eſtate as in a winding ſheet; nor am I one of thoſe who by cheats and deceits im­prove my ſelfe on the loſſes of others; no Widowes have wept, no Orphans have cryed for what I have offered unto them (this is not Thrift but rather Felony) nor owe I any thing to my own body; I fear not to be arreſted upon the action of my own car­caſſe, as if my creditors ſhould cunningly compact there­with, and quit ſcores, reſigning their Bill and Bond unto mine own body, whilſt that in re­quitall44 ſurrendereth all obli­gations for food and cloaths thereunto: Nor do I undertake to buy out Bonds in controver­ſies for almoſt nothing, that ſo running a ſmall hazard, I may gain great advantage, if my bar­gain therein prove ſucceſsfull. No, I am plain and honeſt Thrift, which none ever did, or will ſpeak againſt, ſave ſuch prodigall ſpend-thrifts, who in their reduced thoughts, will ſpeak more againſt themſelves.

And now it is in your power to accept or refuſe what I have offered, which is the priviledg which nature hath allotted for your feminine ſex, which we men45 perchance may grudg and re­pine at, but it being paſt our power to amend it, we muſt permit our ſelves as well as we may to the conſtant cuſtome prevailing herein.

The Marigold demurely hung down her head, as not over­fond of the motion, and kept ſilence ſo long as it might ſtand with the rule of manners, but at laſt brake forth into the fol­lowing return.

I am tempted to have a good opinion of my ſelfe, to which all people are prone, and we women moſt of all, if we may beleeve your — of us, which herein I am affraid are too true:46 But Sir, I conceive my ſelfe too wiſe to be deceived by your commendations of me, eſpeci­ally in ſo large a way, and on ſo generall an account, that other Flowers not only ſhare with me, but exceeed me there­in: May not the Daies-eye not only be corrivall with me; but ſuperior to me in that quality, wherein ſo much you praiſe me; my vigilancy ſtarteth only from the Suns riſing, hers bears date frō the dawning of the morning, & out-runs my ſpeed by many degrees: my vertue in pottage which you ſo highly commend, impute it not to my Modeſty, but to my Guiltineſſe, if I cannot47 give it entertainment; for how many hundred Herbs which you have neglected exceed me therein.

But the plain truth is, you love not me for my ſelfe, but for your advantage: It is Gold on the arrear of my name which maketh Thrift to be my Suitor: how often, and how unworthi­ly have you tendered your af­fections, even to Penny-royall, it ſelfe, had ſhe not ſcorned to be courted by you.

But I commend the Girle that ſhe knew her own worth, though it was but a penny, yet it is a Royall one, and therefore not a fit match for every baſe48 Suitor, but knew how to valew her ſelfe, and give me leave to tell you, that Matches founded on Covetouſneſſe never ſucceed: Profit is the Load-ſtone of your affections, Wealth, the attractive of your Love, Money the mover of your deſire; how many hun­dreds have engaged themſelves on theſe principles, and after­wards have bemoaned them­ſelves for the ſame? But oh the uncertainty of wealth? how unable is it to expleate & ſatis­fie the mind of man: Such as caſt Anchor thereat, ſeldome find faſt ground, but are toſſed about with the Tempeſts of many di­sturbances; theſe Wives for con­veniency49 of profit and pleaſure (when there hath been no fur­ther nor higher intent) have filled all the world with miſ­chief and miſery. Know then ſir, I return you a flat deniall, a de­niall that vertually contains ma­ny, yea as many as ever I ſhall be able to pronounce: My tongue knowes no other language to you but No; ſcore it upon wo­mens diſſimulation (whereof we are too guilty, and I at o­ther times as faulty as any) but Sir, read my eyes, my face, and compound all together, and know theſe are the expreſsions dictated from my heart; I ſhall embrace a thouſand deaths50 ſooner, then your Marriage-Bed.

Thus were they harmeleſsly diſcourſing, and feared no ill, when on a ſudden they were ſurprized with the uncouth ſight of the Boare, which had entered their Garden, following his preſcribed directions, and armed with the Corſlet of his Briſtles, vaunted like a trium­phant Conqueror round about the Garden, as one who would firſt make them ſuffer in their fear, before in their feeling; how did he pleaſe himſelfe in the variety of the fears of the flowers, to ſee how ſome pale ones looked red, and ſome red51 ones looked pale; leaving it to Philoſophers to diſpute and de­cide the different effects ſhould proceed from the ſame cauſes; and among all Philoſophers, commending the queſtion to the Stoicks, who becauſe they pretend an Antipathy, that they themſelves would never be an­gry, never be mounted above the modell of a common uſuall Temper, are moſt competent Judges, impartially to give the reaſon of the cauſes of the an­ger of others.

And now it is ſtrange to ſee the ſeverall waies the Flowers embraced to provide for their owne ſecurity; there is no ſuch52 Teacher as extremity; neceſſity hath found out more Arts, then ever ingenuity invented: The Wall-Gilly flower ran up to the top of the Wall of the Garden, where it hath grown ever ſince, and will never deſcend till it hath good ſecurity for its own ſafety; and being mounted thereon, he entertained the Boar with the following diſ­courſe.

Thou baſeſt and unworthieſt of four-footed Beaſts; thy Mother the Sow, paſſeth for the moſt contemptible name, that can be fixed on any She: Yea, Pliny reporteth, that a Sow growne old, uſeth to feed on her owne53 young; and herein I beleeve that Pliny, who otherwiſe might be ſtraitned for fellow-witneſſes, might find ſuch who will atteſt the truth of what he hath ſpo­ken. Mens Excrements is thy ele­ment, and what more cleanly creatures do ſcorn and deteſt, makes a feaſt for thee; nothing comes amiſſe unto thy mouth, and we know the proverb what can make a pan-cake unto thee: Now you are gotten into the Garden (ſhame light on that ne­gligent Gardner, whoſe care it was to fence the ſame, by whoſe negligence and overſight, you have gotten an entrance into this Academy of Flowers and54 Herbs) let me who am your ene­nie give you ſome Counſell, and neglect it not, becauſe it comes from my Mouth. You ſee I am without the reach of your An­ger, and all your power cannot hurt me, except you be pleaſed to borrow wings from ſome Bird, thereby to advantage your ſelfe, to reach my habita­tion.

My Counſell therefore to you is this, be not Proud be­cauſe you are Proſperous; who would ever have thought, that you could have entered this place, which we conceived was impregnable againſt any of your kind: Now becauſe you55 have had ſucceſſe as farre above our expectations, as your deſerts; ſhow your own moderation in the uſage thereof; to Maſter us is eaſie, to Maſter your ſelfe is difficult. Attempt therefore that which as it is moſt hard to performe, ſo will it bring moſt honour to you when executed; and know, I ſpeak not this in relation to my ſelfe (ſufficient­ly priviledged from your Tusks) but as acted with a pub­lique ſpirit, for the good of the Comminalty of Flowers; and if any thing hereafter betide you, o­ther then you expect, you will remember that I am a Prophet, and foretell that which too late56 you will credit and beleeve.

The Boar heard the words, and entertained them with a ſurly ſilence, as conceiving him­ſelfe to be mounted above dan­ger, ſometimes he pittied the ſillineſſe of the Wall-flower, that pittyed him, and ſometimes he vowed revenge, concluding that the ſtones of the Wall would not afford it ſufficiont moiſture, for its conſtant dwel­ling there, but that he ſhould take it for an advantage, when it deſcended for more ſuſte­nance.

It is hard to expreſſe the pa­nick fear in the reſt of the flowers, and eſpecially the ſmall57 Prim-roſes, begged of their Mo­thers that they might retreat in­to the middle of them, which would only make them grow bigger and broader, and it would grieve a pittifull heart to hear the child plead, and the mother ſo often deny.

The Child began; dear Mother, ſhe is but halfe a Mother that doth breed and not preſerve, on­ly to bring forth, and then to ex­poſe us to worldly miſery, leſſens your Love, and doubles our ſufferings: See how this tyran­nicall Boare threatens our in­ſtant undoing; I deſire only a Sanctuary in your boſome, a re­treating place into your breaſt,58 and who fitter to come into you, then ſhe that came out of you; whether ſhould we return, then from whence we came, it will be but one happineſſe, or one misfortune, together we ſhall die, or together be pre­ſerved; only ſome content and comfort will be unto me, either to be happy or unhappy in your company.