The mysteries of love & eloquence, or, The arts of wooing and complementing as they are manag'd in the Spring Garden, Hide Park, the New Exchange, and other eminent places : a work in which is drawn to the life the deportments of the most accomplisht persons, the mode of their courtly entertainments, treatments of their ladies at balls, their accustom'd sports, drolls and fancies, the witchcrafts of their perswasive language in their approaches, or other more secret dispatches ...

CAP. 3. The Efficient, Procreant, and Conservant Cause.

Q. what is the Cause?

A. The Cause is that by whose force the thing is.

Q. What is the profit of it?

A. This first place of Invention is the fountain of all Know∣ledge: and he is believed to know, of whom the cause is held.

As the Poet saith worthily:

The man sure happy is, who cause of things doth know.

Q. How is the Cause divided?

A. Into two Kindes, Efficient and Matter, or Form and End.

Q. what is the Efficient Cause?

A. The Efficient Cause is that which the thing is.

Q. How many Kindes hath it.

A. There appeareth to us no true Kindes, yet the great plenty of it is distinguished by certain means.

Q. What is that which effecteth by the first me••ns?

A. That which procreateth or defendeth.

Q. Give me an example out of some Poet!

A. Ovid first, remedio amoris.

Therefore when thou shalt look in this our medsonal Art, My admonition do, set idleness apart. This causeth thee to love, this doth defend it still, This is the cause of Joy, as meat sometimes breeds ill. Take lastly sloath away, God Cupids bow is lost, His torches lose their light, contemn'd, away they'r tost.

Q. Give me a more familiar example?

A. The Father and Mother procreate, the Nurse defendeth.

Q. Give an example of this out of some Poet?

A. 4. Aeneid.

Th'rt no Gods child, ne Dardanus his son; Thou rather from the steep hard rocks didst come Of Caucasus, it seemeth of that breed, Hyrcanian Tigars thee with breasts did feed.

Aeglog. 8.

Now what this whorson love is I well wot. It is a little busie boy begot, Not of mans seed, ne sib to one of us, But farthest Garamants, and Ismarus. Or rockie Rhodope as it should seem, In their rough ragged hills ingendred him.

Q. Do not builders and governours of Cities come under this Head.

A. Yes, Romulus the builder of the City of Rome, also all other Kings, Consulls, and Emperours are defenders and keepers.