14.Impunity is the mother of contempt and impiety, and both those the subverters of all governement. (Lord Keeper.)
Qui in os laudatur, in corde flagellatur.
I heard that about this last Christmas the Lady Effingham,[162] as shee was playing at shuttlecocke, upon a suddein felt hir selfe somewhatt, and presently retiring hir selfe into a chamber was brought to bed of a child without a midwife, shee never suspecting that shee had bin with child.
The play at shuttlecocke is become soe muche in request at Court, that the making shuttlecockes is almost growne a trade in London.
Præstat otiosum esse quam nihil agere.
fo. 99b.
13 Feb. 1602.At Paules,
A yong man made a finicall boysterous exordium, and rann himselfe out almost dry before he was halfe through; his text; "He humbled himselfe to the death, even to the death of the crosse, wherefore God hath glorified him." He spake much of humility. Melior est peccator humilis, quam superbus justus. Peccare non potest nisi superbus, nec penitere nisi humilis. He first dilated of three meanes to knowe God; by his greatnes, by the prophets in the old, by his sonne in the newe Testament. Against pride in beauty; the diuel playes the sophister whiles he perswades women to paint that they may seeme fayrer than they are; which painting being discovered, makes them to be thought fouler than they are. Pride in apparell is pride of our shame, for it was made to cover it, and as yf one should embroyder a sheete wherein he had done pennaunce, and shewe it in bragging manner. It is said by some that St. John Baptist for his humility is rewarded with the place which the diuel lost for his pride.
He spake against duellisme, or single combat, and said that yf two goe into the field with purpose to fight an the one be slayne, he is a murderour of himselfe. He exhorted the judges to severity, telling them that there is more incouragement taken by one that escapes the punishment due unto him by the lawe, then there is feare wrought by the execution of an hundred.
fo. 100.
13 Feb. 1602.In the afternoone Mr. Clapham, at his Churche by Paules Wharf.
Text, Gen. iv. 13. "Then Kain said to the Lord or Jehovah, My punishment is greater then I can beare, &c." but he reade it "My synne is greater then can be concealed." He noted that translators did very ill to foyst their inventions into the text and sett the originall in the margent, as commonly the common translacions have "synne" in the margent for the word "punishment" in the text, as grosse an absurdity as yf one should shutt the master out of dores, and give entertainement to his attendants.