The holy court in five tomes, the first treating of motives which should excite men of qualitie to Christian perfection, the second of the prelate, souldier, states-man, and ladie, the third of maxims of Christianitie against prophanesse ..., the fourth containing the command of reason over the passions, the fifth now first published in English and much augemented according to the last edition of the authour containing the lives of the most famous and illustrious courtiers taken out of the Old and New Testament and other modern authours / written in French by Nicholas Caussin ; translated into English by Sr. T.H. and others.

TO LADIES.

LADIES,

I Should do an injury to sanctity, even in the HOLY COURT, if having undertaken to speak of piety of Great-ones in these Treatises, I should pass Ladies un∣der silence, who in all times have contributed to the glory of Christianity so much force beyond their sex, as virtues above nature. God hath employed them in the great affairs of all A∣ges, since the Word, which from all eternity acknowledged but one Father in Heaven, hath been pleased to acknowledge in later times, one mother upon earth: and that he who is able to cloath the meadows with the enamel of flowers, and Heaven with the beauty of lights, took flesh and bloud of a Virgin, to make himself a garment, and frame to himself a body. And as the chaste womb of a woman served him for a lodging at his first enterance into the world: so when he would issue out a∣mongst so many horrours, punishments, and images of death, when stones were rent asunder for grief under his feet, and Heaven distended it self with sorrow over his head, women

were also found near to the Cross, as witnesses of his last words, and survivers of his bloud.

Here, O Ladies, are eternal alliances, which you have con∣tracted with devotion; and he who would bereave you the sweetness of its repose, should banish you from your own hou∣ses. So many men as stir up quarrels, seem now adays to have no other profession, but to kill and die upon credit. Those, who are conversant with books, waste themselves in the plea∣sing tortures of the mind▪ Others, who are involved in the turmoils of publick affairs, oftentimes gain nought else but smoak and noise. But when I behold you under the title of the Devout Sex, which is given you by the Church, I find your blessing is in the dew of Heaven, and that you resemble Bees, which are born in honey, or rather those birds of the fortunate Islands, nourished with perfumes.

Believe me, those of your sex who have not true piety, had they a world of greatness and beauties, and were it that all the riches of this world had rendered it self tributary to their intem∣perance, would be no more esteemed before God, than the flower of grass, or scum of earth. But such as take the way of holy and solid virtues, enter into a life wholly Angelical, which forgetting sex and natural imperfections, furnisheth it self with the most perfect idaeaes of the Divinity.

Behold hereof a model, which I present unto you in this Treatise, where, after I have observed, rather by speculation than practice, some blemishes, which might varnish the lustre of so many celestial beauties, I reduce the piety of Ladies into such bright splendour of day-light, that it were to have no eyes, not to admire the merit thereof.

I have been willing to make this service suitable to my habit, and not unworthy of your considerations, thereunto invited by Ladies, who have happily allied virtue to the most eminent qualities of the Kingdom, and who might serve me for a mo∣del, were they in a much better Age than my self. If God, who hath inspired me with these contemplations, grant your per∣formance, I shall have the Crown of my vows, and you, that of your perfections.