LETTRE COMPOSEE DE PROVERBES, Lesquels vont tres-tous, Enchainez a un sens congru, envoyée a un Gentilhomme, Qui se mettoit en train pour aller en France.

APres avoir jettè l'oeil sur la presente qui va toute farcie de Proverbes, de Dictons, & de vieux Quolibets, dont quelques uns s'usoient du temps de hauts bonnets quand on muchoit a la manche, vous direz, par avanture, que l'Autheur ayt quelques tintouins, ou grillons en la teste, qu'il ait de sable Mouvant, ou du Mercure, ou plustost un quartier de la Lune en la cervelle; Mais Vous qui avez la cabo che si bien timbrée en passerez un autre jugement.

Le bruit court, que vous avez dessein de voyager, & tracasser le monde pour quelque temps, & particulierement de faire, le tour de France, sil vous estes fichè en telle re∣solution permettez un vieux routier qui est madrè es affaires du monde ayant pisse en beaucoup de neiges, qui sçait bien son entregent, & plus que son pain manger, de vous donner un mot d' advis touchant le Genie de ce pays là.

Quant a la conversation, vous y trouverez des gens y gens; vous y trouverez autant de testes, tant de sentimens, & plus souvent en France qu'en aucun' autre Region, ou la plus part du peuple semble avoir mangè de la biche blanche, ou de la vache enragee, Estant impatient de la paix, jus∣ques à tant qu'l ait reparè les bresches de la guerre; Mais par tout, il faut prendre les gens comm' elles sont, & le temps comm' il est: sur tout observez ces trois monosyllabes, Oy, voy, & tais si tu veux vivre en paix, car il vaut mieux glisser du pied que de la Langue, & l'Espagnol vous dit, En bouche serrée les mouches n'y entrent pas: soubs ce bovillant Climat vous rencontrerez quel∣ques fois de bravàches, de mangeurs de charrettes ferrées, qui faisans le Roland portent mine de tuer six de la chandelle, & saize avec le chandelier; Ils vous feront accroire que vesses sont Lan∣ternes, & les estoilles papillotes; soyez moderè, & discret parmi telles gens, mais nullement craintif, & lasche, poutce que celuy qui se fait brebis le loup le mange; Et le peuple voysin qui boutonne le pourpoint du bas en haut, vous dirà, que les François a la premiere bouffee sont plus qu'hommes, mais depuis moins que femmes.

Vous y trouverez mesmement de Je unes desbauches qui mangent leur bled en herbe, & bruslent la chandelle par les doux bouts, Il vont coiffez en l'opinion qu'on ne sçauroit estre gentilhomme parfa't sans avoir fait cinq voyages en Süerie, car en France (comme part tout) a la quenoville le plus f•rt s'agenouille; Gardez vous bien des camerades de ceste calibie là; Ce neantmoins trai∣tez les debonnairement, car, Belles paroles n'ecorchent par la Langue; En tout cas ne prestez pas vostre argent, car au prester cousin-germain, au rendre fils de put•in, Et vous y trouverez aussy (comm'en en Angleterre) Qui preste a l'amy perd au double: Ce neantmoius, A celuy qui a son paste au four, on pourrà bien prester un torteau.

Page  [unnumbered]Outre tout cecy, donnez vous garde de ne vous opiniatrer, & debatre des matieres de la Religion, mais laissez le Monstier on il est, pource que par trop debattre la veritè se perd, especiallemen es points de la Foy, vous y trouverex assez de gens de ceste farine là, qui seront prompts a sauter du coq a l'asne, & de treille en paisleux.

Le pays, & le peuple de France sont addonnez a toutes sortes de gaillardises, & divertissements, vous y trouverez des bons garcons, des Rogiers de bons temps, qui seront joyeux comm' Esmeril∣lons, ou rats en paille; Vous ne deuriez pas estre d'un humeur si Saturnin, & sombre, que de ne jovialìzer par fois avec eux, & avec le bon vin chasser le soin & le chagrin, Car un' once d'alegresse vaut cens livres de melancolie; s'il vous y avez envie d'entretenir un Laquay, vous y en trouverez a foison; mais gardez bien de n'en choisir un qui est trop officieux, car c'est un valet du diable qui faict plus qu'on ne luy commande.

Quant a la santè, & les reiglements pour la diete, qui est la chose plus principale, car qui n'a santè n'a rien, vous ferez bien en ce pays vineux de marier la cave, & le puits; Toutes fois a morceau restif esperon de bon vin; mais le vin bois comme Roy, & l'eau comme taureau; Au matin bois le vin blanc, le rouge an soir; pour faire bon sang, observez aussy, qu'apres la poire ou le vin, ou le prestre; on dit que Boeuf salè faict trouver le vin sans chandelle; Ajoustez a cecy que si tu veux engraisser promptement, mangez avec faim, bois a loisir, & lentement.

Touchant les mangeailles, salade bien lavée, & salée, peu de vinaigre, & bien huylée; Des potirons, ou champignons les meilleurs ne valent rien; Faim faict dinner, & passetemps souper; veau mal cuit, & poulets cruds font cimitieres bossus; Cest un repas pour le Diable ou il n'y a point du sel; Fourmage est sain qui vient de chiche main; Des femmes, & des poissons le milieu est le meilleur; Un oeuf n'est rien, deux font gran bien, trois c'est assez, quatre c'est tort, cinq c'est la mort.

Touchant l exercice, pourmenez jusques a tant que la sang paroisse es ioües, non pas que la sueur roupie de nez; Au matin vers les monts, au soir vers les fonts; Quant au sommeil, & le repos de nuit, il y a un 'observation, que six heures dort l'ecolier, sept le Voyager, huit le Vigneron, & neuf, en demande le Poltron; Il y a un'autre Regle, que lever a six, manger a dix, souper a six, coucher a dix, font viure l'homme dix fois dix: En conclusion, tenez chauds les pieds, & la teste, au demeurant vivez en beste.

Touchant les occurrences du temps il y en a diverses sortes de relations, mais ce'st ne'st pas E∣vangile, tout ce qu'on dit par la ville, mais on le dit pour chose asseurée que Dunquerque (ce nid d'Harpyes) commence a Parlementer, & vous sçavez, que la Ville qui parle, & la fille qu' es∣coute, l'un se rend, l'autre se fou—A bon entendeur, ne faut que demy mot.

Ce'st tout ce que j'ay a vous dire pour le present, pource is veux couper le fil de mon dire, car courtes folies sont les meilleures, en vous priant de ne prendre pas en mauvaise part ces drolleries, pource qu'elles procedent de vostre ancien serviteur, & amy, & il n'y a meilleur miroir que le vieil amy; Durant vostre absence, s'il y a aucune chose imaginable, en quoy vous vous puissiez servir de moy, j'employeray verd, & sec, je mettray tous mes cinq sens pour vous rendre obeissance, car je suis du fin fond de mon coeur

A LETTER COMPOSED OF FRENCH PROVERBS, Concurring all to one congruous sense, and sent to a Gentleman that was going to travell abroad, And dedicated To the most accomplished Lord, ROBERT Lord WILLOVGHBY of Ersby, &c.

A personage, Who, besides other excellent perfections, is Great Master of the French Language.

WHen you have cast an eye upon this Letter which goeth stuff'd with all Proverbs, old Motts, and Adages, whereof some were used in the time of high bonnets, when men used to wipe their noses on their sleeves, for want of a napkin, you will judge perhaps, that the Author hath some strange freaks, or quinombroms in his noddle, that he hath quicksands, or Mercury, or rather one quarter of the Moon in his pericranium; But you Sir, that have a head so well timbred, will, I presume, passe another judgement.

The report is rife, that you have a design to travell, and range abroad for some time, and particularly to make the turn of France: If you are fixed in such a resolution, I pray give leave to an old soker, one that is well salted in the world, and knoweth more then how to eat his bread, one that hath pissed in many Snowes, to give you some few Mots of advice touching the Genius of that Countrey.

For matter of conversation, you shall find there, more then any where else, as many heads, so many several humours, and caprichios, as if most of the people had eaten of the white Hinde, or of the mad Cow (being impatient of peace any longer then they are recovering the ruines of the former war:) But every where, you must take the people as they be, and the season as it is: Above all, observe this short worded Rule, Heare, see, and hold thy peace, if thou wilt live in peace; for a slip of the toe is better then that of the toung, and the Spaniard will tell you that when the mouth is shut the flies cannot enter.

Under that Ayrie clime, you shall rancounter sometimes with rambling bragadochians, or devourers of iron carts, who will make a shew as if they would kill six with the candle, and sixteen with the candle∣stick; they will make you believe that the Stars are but Spangles, and that Bladders are Lanterns: A∣mong such blades be moderate, and discreet, but by no means fearfull, or pusillanimous, for he that maketh himself a Sheep, the Wolf will devour him, and that Nation which button their dublets upward, will tell you, that the French at first puff is more then a man, and afterwards lesse then a woman.

You shall meet also there with debosh'd youngsters, who use to eat their Corn in the green blade, and to burn their candles at both ends; 'Tis a maxime amongst them, that one cannot be a compleat Gentleman, untill he hath been five times in Cornelius tub; For there, the stoutest of them will kneel to the distaff: Take heed of companions of that gang, yet treat them with civil Language, for fair words never blister the tongue: By all means lend them no money, for when you lend you are a cousin-german, but when you Page  [unnumbered] demand it again, you are the son of a whore; you shall verifie it there as well as in England, who lendeth to his friend exposeth himself to a double hazard, viz. the losse of friend and money: ye• notwithstand∣ing, one may safely lend a Cake to one that hath a Pastie in the Oven.

Mor•over, be carefull not to shew your self such a Bigot, or babe of grace as to raise disputes of mat∣ters of Religion, but leave the Minster where it is, and oftentimes in too much debate Truth is lost, especi∣ally in matters of Religion; You shall meet with many there of this cavilling humor, that will ever and anou leap from the Cock to the Asse, or from the Arbour among the stakes.

The Countrey and people of France are given to all kind of jollities, and divertisements, There you shall meet with boon companions, the Rogers of the good time, who will be as merry as Crickets, or Mice in malt: You must not be of such a dull Saturnin humour, as not to jovialize sometimes with such, and with a cup of good liquor to chace away all care, and cumber, for one ounce of mirth, is better then a whole pound of melancholy.

If you have a mind to entertain a Lacquay, you shall find enough in that Countrey, but take heed of choosing one who is too Officieux, for he is a Lacquay for the Devil who doth more then he is commanded.

For matters of health, and order of diet, which is the principal main thing, for who hath not health, hath nothing, you shall do well in that wine Countrey to marrie the Celler, and the Cistern, yet a jadish bitt will require a good cup of wine; But drink wine like a King, and water like a Bull; In the mor∣ning white wine is good, Claret at night to breed good blood; Observe also that after Peare, the Wine, or Priest (viz. to confesse thee,) salt Beef they say, will make one find out the wine without a candle: Adde hereunto, that if thou wilt batten, and be quickly fat, eat with hunger, and drinke leisurely and slow.

Concerning thy Food, take notice, that thy Sallet must be well washed, and salted, a little Vinegar, but well oyled; We dine to drive away hunger, we sup to pass away the time; Veal ill roasted, and rawish Poullets, they say, make the Church-yard full of hillocks: It is a repast for the Devil, where there is no salt: Take notice, that the cheese is wholsome which cometh from a misers hand: Of Fish, and Women the middle part is best; Touching mushrumps, the best are worth nothing; One Egg is no∣thing, two do some good, three is enough, four do hurt, five is death.

Touching exercise, walk till blood appear in thy cheeks, not untill sweat drop down at thy nose: In the morning seek the Mount, in the evening the Fount: Concerning sleep the chief repose of Nature, there is a saying, that the Scholler sleeps sixe houres, the Traveller seven, eight the Vigneron, and nine eve∣ry Poltron: There is another rule, to rise at six, to dine at ten, to sup at six, and bed at ten, will make one live ten times ten: To conclude, observe this general caution, keep thy head, and feet warm, and for the rest thou maist live like a beast (who never eats nor drinks to excess.)

Touching the occurrences of the present times, there be various reports of things, but all is not Go∣spel that is spoken up and down the Town; yet they say for certain, that Dunkerk (that neast af Har∣pies, and birds of English prey) beginneth to parly, and you know that the Town which parlie's, and the Woman which listneth, are half got, half a word to the wise.

'Tis all that I have to say unto you at present, therefore I will draw this threed no longer, for short follies are the best: And I doubt not but you will take these kind of Drolleries in good part, because they come from an ancient friend of yours, and you know there is not a truer looking-glass then an old friend.

During your absence, if there be any thing imaginable wherein I may steed you, I will employ green and dry, I will set my five sences on work to serve you; for I am from the center of my heart