The house-holder: or, Perfect man. Preached in three sermons lately by Ed: Topsell, preacher at Saint Buttolphs without Aldersgate

To the right Noble and Ho∣nourable House-holders, fee∣ders of the Poore: ANTHONY BROVVNE, Viscount Mountacute, at COWDREY. Sampson Lennard, Esquire, at Hurstmounseaux. Thomas PELHAM, Esquire, at Halland. Richard Blunt, Esquire, at Dedsham. AND TO all other wise, tem∣perate, prouident, and liberall House-keepers within the County of Sussex: EDWARD TOPSELL Parson of Hart∣field and Preacher, wisheth them continu∣ance of theyr HOSPITALITY, and reward of theyr CHARITY in the Worlde to come.

My LORD,

SEe and reade how impartiall wee are: our Pennes are like your house, open to all that are to bee praised, as that is open to all that are to be relieued. If they want, you ex∣amine not their Religion, for GOD hath made you a feeder, and not a cor∣rector; the faults of a vicious man in want, extenuate not the Charitie of the liberall.* 1.1 Your praises (without re∣spect of Religion) are cōmendable be∣fore vs al, for your charity aboundeth aboue many: and I thinke (if fame be no Lyer) aboue most of your ranke. I neuer saw your Lordship, and knowe you not, but by the Fame of your li∣berality, which I was glad to heare, for your owne sake, for the poore, but sorry, you haue no mo fellowes or fol∣lowers. Trust me, my Lord, I would

to God, you were ours, for why should the Christian-worke of such a hande, be lost and vnrewarded, for the want of true loue, or the loue of the truth? Oh, that your Honor had missed your instructors, and that your youth had not ben corrupted as fast as it increa∣sed: that good Nature, and studious Deuotion, sober minde, and Noble birth, had bin to your country a grea∣ter Ornament, and to your Familie and Soule, afar more assured meanes of the Heauen you desire, then the way you walke in. But I trust, nay, we all pray, with S. Austens mother, Ne harr̄ lachrimarū filius pereat. You are great & nobly born, discēded of a Grand-father, in all things like your self, iust, tēperat, wise, liberal, merci∣ful, prouidēt, a louer of his coūtry, but not of his Countries Religion. You are his true heire, he did Auizare his re∣ligion, you do the like in your religion and charity. Well, God hath made you

happie, in that you are able to giue: and I hope, that as one of your eyes is opened, & seeth the obiect of your mercie, and the true vse of your large Patrimony, so in time, he will open the other, to see the infallible obiect of a Christian faith, for the pos∣session of your farre greater Patri∣mony in heauen.* 1.2 To this I am sure, your second selfe, your noble, vertu∣ous, and truely sanctified wife, saith Amen, Amen. She is a true confes∣sor, she hath kept her owne as well as Queene Clotildis, the wife of Al∣maricus, shee is most like her,* 1.3 of all Ladies aliue, though your Lordshippe be a farre more kinde husband,* 1.4 then that Heretique King, and therefore I hope if you might with the Law, yet your noble nature (for your own par∣ticular) would not restraine her free liberty to visit the sacred meetings of the good Christians. In ••onfidence

whereof, I will honour you both, and euer pray that your Lordship may ne∣uer leaue off your charity, nor that Noble Lady change her Religion, the assured and vndoubted way to life eternall. Farewell.

Maister LENNARD,

YOu are a Housholder by birth, for your a∣ged and most proui∣dent Father, was the best that euer I knew, except yourselfe. You have truly per∣formed his last charge to you, which was to doe the like. You haue done it in two Counties, Kent hath missed you, Seuenoke (the place of my birth and education) hath wept for your ab∣sence: Sussex hath found you, and God prouided for you therein, the no∣ble Patrimony of the Dacres of the South. So that now, I cannot decide,

whether your worthy father your no∣ble wife (being a Baronesse by birth, and most louing to you) or your owne disposition, haue made you happiest. He blessed you as Isaac did Iacob, she enriched you, and ennobled you, as Acsah did Othniell. But your selfe is best to your selfe, obeying Father, honouring wife, feeding many, good to all. Let your latter end be late, and all your posterity possesse the same blessings, till the worlds end.

And for your selfe, I will pray for your reward, that if it bee Gods will and pleasure, you may haue such re∣warde at one time or other, as had Miltiades.* 1.5 When the inhabitants of Hellesponte Chersonesus, were warned by the Oracle, that they shold chuse him for the Prince and restorer of their Country, who did first of all inuite them to his house after their departure out of the Temple, vvho

passing by this Miltiades, and hee by their apparrel knew them to be stran∣gers, hee called to them, and offered them entertainment in his house, which they accepted, and the next day they shewed him the Oracle, and in∣treated him to go with them, & pos∣sesse their Countries principality, which thing hee did, and happily en∣ioyed many yeares, the reward of his hospitality. Euen so, the Diuine Ora∣cles, I know, haue prouided for you, & your posterity (in Testimony that al∣mighty God loueth Hospitality) more honour on earth,* 1.6 and an incorrupti∣ble kingdome in Heauen.

Maister PELHAM,

WHo may in all your Country say better then you?* 1.7 My shep∣heard is the Lorde, his rod & his staffe

comfort me. My head he hath an∣nointed with Oyle, and my Cup doth ouerflow. My table is decked in the presence of my foes, I dwell by greene Pastures, and stil waters. You are seated in the Eagles nest,* 1.8 it is a regal Bird: you (if I be not decei∣ued) are descended of that race. Roy∣all thinges do therefore become you. (Good Sir) let me not slatter you, the fame and name of your Antecessours, haue long sounded in those partes. Honour of Armes commended your Father and Vncle:* 1.9 Loue of his Coun∣trey, your Brother; Hospitality in peace hath bin your honour, & I trust you haue not, nor will not giue ouer to feed. Your Patrimony hath beene by your thrift augmented, and there is no cause why your mind should not euer tast of her prime and most ho∣noured graces; mercy, liberality, and hospitality. These things brought me

first vnto you. And I confesse, as I had heard so I foūd, neither want nor wast, neither an euil eye, nor a sparing hand: and in that time of your grea∣test expence on your poore Countrey∣men, you increased most in fame and wealth. I cannot forget that note of a neighbour of yours,* 1.10 (the woorthiest, learnedst, iustest, & most ingeniously affable Gentleman, that euer I knew in all my courses, to whose noble me∣mory, Iowe a better Sacrifice then now I giue) that your house & hande were open, whē your mouth was shut, and other men had their mouths open, when their houses and handes were shut. You haue ennobled your family, by honorable alliance in marriage.* 1.11 I need not commend him, he honoureth your family, and none that knoweth him, but honoureth him, beeing a lo∣uer of the meanes of Honour, Lear∣ning, and Armes; without which, no

man is Noble or woorthy of Honour. It is the basest and vnworthiest mark of a Gentleman, to care for nothing, nor to dignifie his house, but by pur∣chases, gallant. Sutes, Rapiers, and Spurs, gaming and playing scores and hundreds, and neuer to doe any part of Honour, whereof he boasleth. A man may say vnto them, as Herodes Atticus did to Bradeas, his Wiues Brother, when hee had praised his race and descent, and yet beeing vn∣woorthy himselfe,* 1.12 Tu equidem in astragalis nobilitatem gestas. They haue no Honour, but in olde bones. I will pray that your Sonne may Patrizare,* 1.13 and that (if Heauen re∣sist not) you may liue to see him most happie, for you will make him Rich. And I will end, as Stra∣tonicus sayde of his Hoast, vvho receyued him kindly, and welcom∣med him most heartily, although

he knew him not, and after him, two or three in the same curteous maner. Discedamus ò puer, nam inueni∣mus pro columba, palumbum, & pro hospite pandocheum. Let vs bee gone and depart, for insteade of a Doue, we haue founde a Ring-Doue, and where we thought to find a speci∣all fauour, to bee receiued alone, wee finde a House-keeper that entertai∣neth all.

Maister BLOVNT,

YOu are my latest acquain∣tance, & therefore with you I must conclude, not as the least, but as the vpper most in my hart, and if I would praise you for houskeeping, you might giue me leaue to say as much of you as of the residue, and in your proportion equall to the best. For with the Cen∣turion, you haue euer loued our Na∣tion,

I meane the Preaohers: & vn∣to your commendation do al the Pro∣phets, and Children of the Prophets, giue Testimony. You and your nobly borne & minded wife,* 1.14 neuer refused him, that came vnto you in the name of a Prophet. Wherefore faint not, but expect a Prophets reward; a prophets rewarde, what is that? Nothing in earth but an empty Cup, Heathy and Barren Land? God forbidde: so the world rewardeth vs, and woulde ad∣mit vs but one foote before the Beg∣ger (viz.) we must stand in the Porch, & the begger without the doore, but a Prophets reward is to be partaker of all the good & labors of the Prophets. For the louers of goodnesse are respec∣ted (before God) with the Preachers. But especially, the reward of the olde Prophets, was the assured performāce of al that they had foretolde of Iesus Christ, and thereof they are not now

ashamed; no more, nor no lesse is the assurāce of those things, which you be∣lieue & hope, for they that trust in the Lord, shal not be ashamed. These lines (I mean the succeeding Booke) were written in Dedsham house, & how vnthankful should they be, if they did not leaue a long lasting Monnument vpon that Housholder, vnder whose roofe they had their first being in let∣ters. Beleeue me Sir, I was neuer bet∣ter pleased, nor had more cause of cō∣tent then in your house. Where besides Leuies large feast, we had Christ at the table euery day, I meane the holy scriptures, we wanted nothing fit for Christians, or fitting vs for heauē, on∣ly the prime part of your family, your owne worthy selfe was absent, & the hope of your name,* 1.15 your son: Oh, that you had more of such hope, so you had more inheritances for thē: and for the residue of your hapy issue, you are bles∣sed

in them al, & they for a father & a mother, are as happy as euer were any of their bloud, & yet by father & mother nobly discended. Now must I your latest Oratour, and as it were, a child of yesterday, blesse you all in the name of al my brethren the Prophets, your ancient & wel respected ghests, to whō with the Sumanite you haue giuē lodging and light, with the Sa∣repthian widdow, Oile & Meal, with Lazarus, Mary and Martha, meate drink, entertainment & obediēce, & with Onesiphorus sought them out, being not ashamed of their chains. So as Candala Q. of Panonia, & neece to Lewis the 12. of France, said to the Venetians, for her royall entertain∣mēt, that she neuer knew her selfe to be Queene, til she came to their teri∣tory: so may the Preachers say, they know not themselues to bee Christes Ministers, til they come to your house.

The Lorde shewe mercy to this house,* 1.16 and the peace of Christ (which the Apostles preached) and the sonne of peace rest in it to the worlds end. So be it.

FInally vnto al other Noble, wor∣thy, & Worshipfull Housholders, I present this Treatise, for you (like the Sheepe of Christ) are euerie way profitable. Who keepeth the Fa∣therlesse? the Housekeeper. Who re∣lieueth the Widdow? the Housholder. Who traineth vp children & seruants in the feare of God, and seruice of the Commonwealth, and common good? the Housholder. Who norisheth Arts, Learning, and them that serue at the Altar? but the Housholder that pay∣eth Tythes. Who maintaineth the world, and defendeth the Countrey? the Housholder; who hauing a poste∣rity, loueth it thrice so well as the

barren, & mariage-hating Inmate. Who is a monster among men? hated, of God, disdained of the angels, shame of his Parents, & burden to his coun∣trey, but he that liueth, by whom no other liueth; that is, no Housholder, and yet rich enough: no liker a Chri∣stian, then an Ape is like a man, whose flesh is not good for meat, as a sheepes, nor his back for burthen, as the horse and Asse, nor skins for warmth and Ornament, as the Conies, Squirrels, and Martins, nor good to keep a house as a Bandogge. Simia quam similis, turpissima bestia nobis.

You renowned Housholders, that loue this kind of life, purge out of your families, the Drones which eate and consume that whereuppon the Bees should liue; ô drunkennesse, the hor∣ror of Religion, the consumer of youth and strength, the deuourer of al good∣nesse, the bane of the Housholder, can

no iudgment of God or man, dry thee vp, but like Deucalions floude, thou must ouerrun and ouerslow all, except two onely: the Temperate, and the Religious? Stand vp ye worthies of the time, finde a remedy for this euil, or else your honor is in the dust, in the Kennell. For as when your best lande is ouerslowed, it yeeldeth nothing: so if you suffer your families to be dren∣ched in this vice, rottennesse & bar∣rennesse will deuoure you all. It ma∣keth your families like Fennes, & the ditches of Marish Land, wherein no∣thing but Snakes and Serpentes, and vgly Frogges doe ingender. It is the pit of hell, as out of hell no man can come againe; so out of drunkennesse are none recouered.* 1.17 Your Dogs and Beasts are better then your drunken Children and seruants. For saith S. Chrisostom,* 1.18 Ebriosus est volunta∣rius daemon, ruinae excusatione ca∣rens,

et comune generis nostri op∣probrium. A drunkard is a willfull Deuill, the shame of mankinde, and one that cannot be excused in his de∣struction. Neuer shall drunkard come to heauen, for as when the Shippe is sunke after a Tempest, the wares and lading are quickely washed out, but the barke is filled with sand and wa∣ter, so as all the strength of man can∣not weigh it vp againe, nor the best Nauigator, and sailes make it sayle againe: no more when a man is once sunke in drunkennesse (and sinke hee shall, for the Deuil wil not leaue him, till with the Swine in the Gospell, he drown thē:) al the perswasions of God & man cannot set him vpright again in the Sea of this worlde. For like to Bonosus the drunkē Emp. Nati sunt vt bibant, non vt viuant, they are borne to drink and not to liue. It hath bin lawfull to put away a mans wife

for drunkennesse among some Nati∣ons: but it is needfull that drunkards be excluded mens company, & with Nabuchadnezzar liue among beasts (who are neuer drunke) til they haue learned this abstinence from them. And belieue me, if you nourish drun∣kards, your families shall neuer want woe. From which, the Lorde deliuer you, and from Drunkards the Lorde deliuer vs. And so I end for your Li∣berality, and Hospitality, with the Praier of Nehemiah,* 1.19 Lord remem∣ber these Housekeepers in good∣nesse, according to all that they haue done to this people. Septem∣ber, 1609.

Your Honours, worships, and al that wil beleeue my report, EDVVARD TOPSELL.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Being a strā ger in Mid∣hurst, in Au∣gust this yeare, 1609 I hearde by one whome I beleeue, that at Cow∣drey were fed daily & relieued, wel neere 200. of all sortes.
• * 1.2

  Lady Moūtacute daughter of the late fia. of Dorset, &. Aunt to the now Earle.
• * 1.3

  Procop. de bell. Goth. lib 2.
• * 1.4

  Vxorem e∣untem adsa∣cra christia∣norum, ster∣coribus pro∣••ectis defoe∣dari cura∣uit, & ver∣beribus cam immanitur, tractau••••t.
• * 1.5

  Herod. lib. 6 They were Thracians, called Do∣lonci.
• * 1.6

  They shall be Barons of Dacres in the right of their Mother.
• * 1.7

  Psalme 23.
• * 1.8

  Gilbertus de Aquila, was the Lorde of Laughton.
• * 1.9

  Sir Nicho∣las Pelham. Sir William Pelham. Sir Iohn Pelham.
• * 1.10

  M. William Morley of Gliude.
• * 1.11

  M. Henrie Carey, son and heire to the Lorde Hunsdon.
• * 1.12

  Coelius. Erasmus.
• * 1.13

  M. T. P.
• * 1.14

  Mistris Blount was daughter to the Lorde La-ware.
• * 1.15

  M. W. B.
• * 1.16

  Luke 10, 5.
• * 1.17

  Aug. ser. de ehrlet. cauēd
• * 1.18

  Hom. 1.
• * 1.19

  Cap. 5, v. vlt▪