Bel-vedére, or, The Garden of the muses

Of Disdaine, &c.

Contempt and Scorne, are Wits infirmitie, Wherwith Disdaine and Scoffes keepe company.

FLint, frost, disdaine; weares, melts, and yeelds we see. Things long in getting, quickly are disdain'd. Present disdaine oft after-loue diuines Prayers preuaile not, where is coy disdaine? Better to die a thousand deaths and more, Than liue contemn'd, that honour'd was before. Disdaine deliuers a depraued mind. Griefe often-times giues place to nice disdaine. Too much precisenesse sauours of selfe-loue. Gibing demaunds deserue scornefull replyes. Neither can wit or Art take any place, Where aduerse scorne, with feare, strikes boldnesse dead. Presumption giues no guerdon, but disdaine. Despised men on earth, must liue in heauen. There must be some contempt, ere plagues ensue. Disdaine attends where greatest honour haunts. In high disdaine, loue is a base desire: And Cupids flames doe seeme but watrie fire.

Disdaine repines at all good things it sees. They others vertues scorne, that doubt their owne. Mocke none in need, beware thine owne mishap. Scoffes without feare, from foll••e doe proceed. The choice ••••hard, whe••e silence kills with griefe▪ O•• speech reapes no reward, but base contemp••. To mocke a friend, is held no manly part. Scorne can haue no reward, but like contempt. Ieasting is tollerable, but scorne most vile. Disdaine declares a proud presuming heart. Loues passions quenched by vnkind disdaine, Doth often times encrease the more desire. Scorning is artificiall iniurie. Who scorneth most, shall be but paid with scoffes. Scorne not thy wife, least scorn'd, she do thee s••athe. Better an open foe, than scornfull friend. Better be borne a foole, than wrong thy wit. No mocker, but at length did meet his match.

Similies on the same subiect.

AS hottest loue hath soonest cold disdaine, So greatest pleasures haue the greatest paine. As good and ill each other doe pu••••ue, So hate-full estimation scorne succeeds. As Adders keepe their venime in their tayles, So scoffers poyson lurketh in their tongues. As fairest beautie may deserue some blame, So wittiest scoffes prooue but ridiculous. As some things sweet in taste, are sowre going downe, So scoffes that like the eare, dislike the mind. As faire demeanour most commends a man, So scornes and scoffes as much dishonour him.

Examples likewise on the same.

CAligula did couet his owne ease, And yet disdain'd others should doe the like. Anthonie causde the head of Cicero In scorne, be set before him at his meat. Plato, Xenophon, and Demosthenes, Against each other were contemptuous. Geta and Antoninus, being brethren, Slew one the other through their priuat scorne. Among all perturbations, Tullie saith, Disdaine is most iniurious to it selfe. And Fabius Maximus holds like conceit, Affirming, nothing worser than contempt.