Princeps rhetoricus or Pilomachia· ye combat of caps. Drawn forth into arguments, general and special. In usum Scholæ Masonensis : et in gratiam totius auditorii mercurialis.

The expression of the Mercuriall Coat-Armour.

1. THe Scutchion is also allusive every way; by the Plumed Rose in the Crest is declared, that fragrancy and celerity are the top-work of eloquence: swiftnesse, and sweetnesse, are the last and highest parts of this science: again, Invention must not drag low, language must fly high.

2. The 3 Golden Keys lay open this Conceipt; that Logick, Rhetorick, and Grammar, are by way of entrance, taught funda∣mentall in Schools; but the work is left to be crowned and matured in the Academies: therefore as we the 3 Keys, Oxford gives the 3 Crowns, which also decypher the 3 principall Scien∣ences, 1. Theology, 2. Law, 3. Physick: And why may not we here have a Key for them also?

3. By the Cube, Arithmetick; by the Triangle, Geometry; by the Circle, Cosmography are here intended, and stand Quartered under the 4 Stars, as taught in a different place and manner from the other three Arts before.

4. The Bend of Stars with eight Radii, represent the prime 4 Seniors or Ministers, each man being Keeper of 8 distinct Laws or Canons; Himself shining amongst his fellows as a Star in his place: Again, these Stars denote the 4 cardinall qualities here (under this Prince) professed, attained, kept, 1. Language, 2. Invention, 3. Manners, 4. Religion, each consisting of eight severall branches, cleare and starlike.

5. The Sun hath the chief influence, as the glory and light of the rest; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and stands mounted in the highest

angle above the bend of stars, locus Principis Rhetorici, the Princes place; but by the Sun is chiefly intended Religion, without which, all Arts are but meer darknesse, or at least, Ignis fatuus. Yet our Sol appears quartered in a sinister side, because the Pul∣pits doth challenge the upper hand of the Schools, and Theolo∣gy the wall of Philologie.

But if the Parson at any time shall lose his Cap, and turn Ti∣tyre tu patulae, a Coridon of our Arcadia; then will we Quarter our Sol upon the right, and his Cap upon the left; for then he is our Junior: his Sheep-hook hath done Homage to our Rod; Divinity hath struck Top sayle to Grammar, and the Liturgy in Syntacticall obeysance hath vayled his bonnet to the Accidence.

6. The two fields, Gules on the right hand, Azure on the left in a Philosophicall acception lively depaint the Will and the Wit, the Heart and the Brain, the two fixt seats of our fourfold learning.

Thus much for the Blazounrie in brief,

Sed aliquid latet, quod non patet, qui nucleum vult nacem frangat.

And now we come to the Argument in speciall, and Correla∣tive to each Act.