Omnibus & singulis. Affording matter profitable for all men, necessarie for euery man; alluding to a fathers aduice or last will to his sonne. Now published for the vse of all men, and particularly of those that doe inhabit Great Brittaine and Ireland.

SECT. XII.

FOr the better mayntay∣ning this friendship, & at∣tayning to that perfection, that is demanded in the true vse of societie; you must haue diligent careb what you speak, and how you dis∣course. I doe confesse, it is an excellent thing to speake well, yet for auoyding of ha∣bituall Hypocrisie (I doe ad∣uise you) preferre good thoughts, before good words; speake what you think; and so your thoughts being good, you cannot but speake well; and thinke it e∣uer the safest way, toc speake little, and thinke more: wee doe see dayly basest things most plentifull.

In your silence auoid the censure of Affectatiō, of Sul∣lennesse, and Ignorance, and then care not how little you speake, but how well: it was a good saying, Not that which is much, is well, but that which is well, is much.

dAll discourse ought to be like a Field, without com∣ming home to any man; vse discourse of your selfe spa∣ringly, of others as sparingly, neyther speaking euill of o∣thers, nor good of your selfe.

Affect better discretion in discourse then Eloquence; and to speake agreeable to them you deale with, then in good words or good or∣der.

eVse not many circum∣stances

before you come to the matter, for that beget∣teth wearinesse, and for es∣chewing of bluntnesse, vse some preamble.

fPriuiledge euer from your Discourse, Religion, matter of State, great Per∣sons, any mans present bu∣sinesse of importance, and all causes that deserueg pittie, euer putting difference be∣twixth saltnesse and bitter∣nesse in your Discourse.

Notes

• b

  Nescit poeni∣tenda loqui, qui proferenda, suo tradidit exami∣ni, Quintilian.
• c

  In omnibus Timanthis ope∣ribus, plus in∣telligitur, quàm pingitur, & sa∣pientis est suam celare senten∣niam, Tynd.
• d

  Essayes Do. Fran. Ba. nunc Angliae Cancell.
• e

  Quintil. instit. Orac. l. 7.
• f

  Non est bonum ludere cum dijs, Ans.
• g

  Crudelis est animi a••••nis malis gaudere, & non miserere communem na∣turam, V. Max.
• h

  Nemo vide∣tur sibi tam vi∣lis, vt irrideri mereatur, Fast.