Fouleneſſe is Lothſome: can that be ſo which helpes it? who forbids his Beloved to gird in her waſte? to mend by ſhooing her uneven lameneſſe? to burniſh her teeth? or to perfume her breath? yet that the Face bee more preciſely regarded, it concernes more: For as open confeſſing ſinners are alwaies puniſhed, but the wary and concealing offenders without witneſſe doe it alſo without puniſhment; ſo the ſecret parts needs the leſſe reſpect; but of the Face, diſcovered to all Examinations and ſurvayes, there is not too nice a Iealouſie. Nor doth it onely draw the buſie eyes, but it is ſubject to the divineſt touch of all, to kiſſing, the ſtrange and myſticall union of ſoules. If ſhee ſhould proſtitute her ſelfe to a more unworthy Man than thy ſelfe, how earneſtly and juſtly wouldſt thou exclaime? that for want of this eaſier and ready way of repairing, [7] ]to betray her body to ruine and deformity (the tyrannous Raviſhers, and ſodaine Deflourers of all Women) what a heynous Adultery is it? What thou loveſt in her face is colour, and painting gives that, but thou hateſt it, not becauſe it is, but becauſe thou knoweſt it. Foole, whom ignorance makes happy; the Starres, the Sunne, the Skye whom thou admireſt, alas, have no colour, but are faire, becauſe they ſeeme to bee coloured: If this ſeeming will not ſatisfie thee in her, thou haſt good aſſurance of her colour, when thou ſeeſt her lay it on. If her face bee painted on a Boord or Wall, thou wilt love it, and the Boord, and the Wall: Canſt thou loath it then when it ſpeakes, ſmiles, and kiſſes, becauſe it is painted? Are wee not more delighted with ſeeing Birds, Fruites, and Beaſts painted then wee are with Naturalls? And doe wee not with pleaſure behold the painted ſhape of Monſters and Divels, whom true, wee durſt not regard? Wee repaire the ruines of our houſes, but firſt cold tempeſts warnes us of it, and bytes us through it; wee mend the wracke and ſtaines of our Apparell, but firſt our eyes, and other bodies are offended; but by this providence of Women, this is prevented. If in kiſſing or breathing upon her, the painting [8] ]fall off, thou art angry, wilt thou be ſo, if it ſticke on? Thou didſt love her, if thou beginneſt to hate her, then ’tis becauſe ſhee is not painted. If thou wilt ſay now, thou didſt hate her before, thou didſt hate her and love her together, bee conſtant in ſomething, and love her who ſhewes her great love to thee, in taking this paines to ſeeme lovely to thee.
[9]
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3.
That by Diſcord things increaſe.
Nullos eſſe Deos, inane Cœlum
Affirmat Cœlius, probatq; quod ſe
Factum vidit, dum negat hæc, beatum.
So I aſſevere this the more boldly, becauſe while I maintaine it, and feele the Contrary repugnancies and adverſe fightings of the Elements in my Body, my Body increaſeth; and whilſt I differ from common opinions by this Diſcord, the number of my Paradoxes increaſeth. All the rich benefits we can frame to our ſelves in Concord, is but an Even conſervation of things; in which Evenneſſe wee can expect no change, no motion; therefore no increaſe or augmentation, which is a member of motion. And if this unity and peace can give increaſe to things, how mightily is diſcord and war to that purpoſe, which are [10] ]indeed the onely ordinary Parents of peace. Diſcord is never ſo barren that it affords no fruit; for the fall of one eſtate is at the worſt the increaſer of another, becauſe it is as impoſſible to finde a diſcommodity without advantage, as to finde Corruption without Generation: But it is the Nature and Office of Concord to preſerve onely, which property when it leaves, it differs from it ſelfe, which is the greateſt diſcord of all. All Victories and Emperies gained by warre, and all Iudiciall decidings of doubts in peace, I doe claime children of Diſcord. And who can deny but Controverſies in Religion are growne greater by diſcord, and not the Controverſie, but Religion it ſelfe: For in a troubled miſery Men are alwaies more Religious then in a ſecure peace. The number of good men, the onely charitable nouriſhers of Concord, wee ſee is thinne, and daily melts and waines; but of bad diſcording it is infinite, and growes hourely. Wee are aſcertained of all Diſputable doubts, onely by arguing and differing in Opinion, and if formall diſputation (which is but a painted, counterfeit, and diſſembled diſcord) can worke us this benefit, what ſhall not a full and maine diſcord accompliſh? Truely me thinkes I owe a devotion, yea a ſacrifice to diſcord, for caſting that Ball upon Ida, and [11] ]for all that buſineſſe of Troy, whom ruin’d I admire more then Babylon, Rome, or Quinzay, removed Corners, not onely fulfilled with her fame, but with Cities and Thrones planted by her Fugitives. Laſtly, between Cowardice and deſpaire, Valour is gendred; and ſo the Diſcord of Extreames begets all vertues, but of the like things there is no iſſue without a miracle:
Vxor peſſima, peſſimus maritus
Miror tam malè convenire.
Hee wonders that betweene two ſo like, there could be any diſcord, yet perchance for all this diſcord there was nere the leſſe increaſe.