A relation of ten years in Europe, Asia, Affrique, and America all by way of letters occasionally written to divers noble personages, from place to place, and continued to this present year / by Richard Fleckno.

Of Mocking, Ieering, and Derision.

Mocking, Ieering and Derision, may be de∣fin'd a malicious publishing of others Imper∣fections, with intent to render them ridiculous, (for if it be their Vices, 'tis Reproach and Con∣tumely, and done on purpose to render them odious,) and 'tis lawfull in no case, but only when Imperfections are affected, to laugh them out of them; whence 'tis good when us'd for Physick, but when only for poison, 'tis detesta∣ble. However, it becomes none but Buffoons, and under pain of becoming Ridiculous ones self, none is to endeavour to make others so. It tends to Enmitie, if it proceeds not thence; (for the faults of those we love, we seek to hide, and never seek to find fault with any, but those we care not for:) Mean time, whilst they imagin they shew their wits, they but shew their folly by't, and want of wit, none more foolishly purchasing Enemies, than they; it being as great a folly for a Iest to lose a Frend, as to sell ones Horse to buy him Pro∣vender. 'Tis a dangerous Vice too, being com∣monly the occasion of quarrel, (whilst it

touches men where th'are most sensible) and therefore none but Women may safely use it; which is the cause (perhaps) why now adayes more women ar tainted with this vice than men. And if you mark it, their Mocking and Jeering at others, is principally for not being fine Gen∣tlemen, and a la mode (forsooth) they learning by looking on their Glasses, to looke on nothing but superficial things; (having more regard to the discomposure of ones Garments, than of their manners, and the disorder of their hair, than of their mind) and for such as these, your blunt man marrs their mirth, his not be∣ing put out of Countenance by't, putting them out of countenance themselves: Such an one was our Countrymen Sir Roger Williams, an excellent Souldier, but a blunt Courtier, who coming to Court after the losse of Sluce in Flandres, and being jeer'd for it by the La∣dies, with Is this he that deliver'd up Sluce? Pray let's see him, a doughty souldier no doubt he is.

Answered them brusquely, Yes Ladies, I am he; and on so good conditions, there is none of you▪ but would have deliver'd up your Sluces too.

Nor did he spare Queen Elizabeth her self, when waiting long at Court to deliver a certain Petition for arrears of pay, and the Queen not willing to see him, he one day Encountring her where was no a∣voyding him, she, to put him out of counte∣nance, feign'd to smell some evil savour in the Room, crying nicely out, Fogh, What a stink's

here? Williams, I think it be your Boots (said she) that smell so. No by — said he, 'tis my Petition (Madam) I have kept it so long, e'r I could get it deliver'd. But to return to our subject. There are divers sorts of Deri∣sions and Mockery; Some by whisper, others more openly; some before ones face; others behind ones back; some finaly by laughing out-right, and others Ironically, and by dis∣sembled scorn: Of which, that of whisper is commonly the most offensive, which, whilst it takes away all place from Reply, leaves place to imagine the Injury greater than it is; whence, whilst the Affront perhaps regards but one, the Offence of it extends it self to all. Your publique way of Jeering is most dange∣rous, and your secret more base and cowardly; above all your Ironicall one does the least harm to those they mock, and the most to those who use it; it marring their Natures quite, and tea∣ching them falshood and dissembling. And generally those who are so diligent in marking others faults and Imperfections, must needs be full of Faults and Imperfections themselves; Since, whilst their minds are still abroad to ob∣serve others faults, they can never be at home to mark and amend their own. In fine, how∣ever light they make of it, they are to know, that no Generous spirit but can easilier brook Injury than Scorn, and the reparation of it too, is easier made: and that they but render themselves by it odious unto all, it being na∣tural

for men to love those who esteem them, as tis to hate all those who disesteem them, (as those who mock and jeer them manifestly de∣clare they do.) To conclude, I could with them only to observe this rule, Never to say any thing of others, but what they would say be∣fore their faces, or what they would others should say of them behind their backs.