Of the Power of the Sword.
A Sword is a valiant mans friend, he will sooner part with Life than part with it, and courts it as his Mistriss, being as industrious and studious to know the Art and use of the one, as to know the nature, disposition, and inclination of the other: for a Sword is a defender and a mantainer of his Honour, it is a strength against Dangers, a shelter for Vertue, a protection to Innocency; it is the Key that opens the Gate of Fames great Court; it humbles the Proud, it advanceth the Low and Mean to the height of a Reputation it Civilizes Nations, it environs a Common-wealth, it decides quarrels, it divides spoyls; it is the Commander of the World, it is the Conducter to all no∣ble and Heroick Actions; it is the Vice-gerent to death, a Guard to life; it is the Bolt of Jupiter, the Trident of Neptune, the Cer∣berus of Pluto; It can do more than Vertue can do, for it can com∣mand, Vertue can only intreat or perswade; the very significa∣tion of a Sword is great, for it signifies both Power and Justice, Command and Rule. When I speak of a Sword, I mean any thing that performs the same function and office, as to affault and de∣fend, which all forts of Arms will not do.