The academy of true wisdom:, or, The school of vertue. Wherein, one is your master even Christ ... : A work lately compil'd, and brought to its ultimate perfection, / by J.W.

To the most Virtuous, and Right Honourable Lord Henry Arundel, Baron of War∣der, and Count of the Empire, &c.

My Lord,

IF any of the Criticks of this Age should censure my Access to your Lordships ac∣quaintance now, being an absolute Stran∣ger to you before; I hope he will be through∣ly satisfi'd when I shall tell him, the Per∣fumes of your Vertuous and Pious Life, were so sweet, the Commendations given me of your most Illustrious and Antient Family, so great, and extraordinary Charming, that I soon was mov'd to purchase so great and bless'd a Treasure; for a Man must not, nor can he (if he would) be a Stranger to Vertue

whereever 'tis lodg'd; being it is that per∣fect good which makes the complement of a happy life, and it also has an attractive pow∣er to draw all mortals, even the most wick∣ed among 'em to its admiration and praise.

It's allow'd by all who pretend to a per∣fect knowledge of your Lordships Pedigree, that Fortitude (which we call the contempt of all hazards agreeing with reason) was the raising of your first Progenitour, and a wor∣thy Prerogative ever since entail'd on all his Posterity. Tradition which alone gives life to the best of Historys, and which alone can revive in our thoughts the memory and bra∣very too, of pass'd Transactions; will tell you that He was one of the greatest Hero's of his Age, a daring man, who fear'd no∣thing more than the weakness of being affe∣cted with Popular Glory; yet did the World extol very much the greatness of his Courage, the Wisdom of his Conduct, and the famous Renown of all his glorious actions in Hunga∣ry; where He was imploy'd by his Imperial Majesty against the Turks, against whom he often fought, and so often worsted, that their insulting Courage fail'd them in so great a measure, * 1.1 as his very name became as dread∣ful to them, as that of Talbot was formidable to the French; nay it was with them an effe∣ctual

means to quiet their unruly Children, to threaten them with the great Arundels coming.

His Valour purchas'd him so great an Esti∣mate with his General, that he was the only person of all his Field Officers, he reli'd up∣on to manage the most perilous enterprizes of War, and such Adventures as were suffici∣ent to terrify the most expert in Martial Dis∣cipline. He was no less in His Imperial Maje∣sty's favour, Who had on several Occasions made experiment of his wise Conduct, firm Resolution, and great Courage; * 1.2 and therefore having resolv'd in Counsel to lay Siege to a strong City which the Turks had possessed for several years before, He appointed him chief Commander of a considerable Army with Or∣ders to reduce it to his Obedience, which he most willingly accepted; for he was more ambitious of being reputed Loyal to his Ma∣ster, than made happy with all the Riches and Treasures of the World; whereupon he took leave of His Majesty, and immediately march'd towards the place; where he was no sooner arriv'd, after having drawn his Lines, and provided all other necessary things for the security and welfare of his Camp, but he rais'd his Batterys, planted his Cannons, and in a short time made a considerable breach in the

Walls; and then resolving upon a general As∣sault, he call'd a Council of War, and spake to them in this manner. Gentlemen, the War we have in hand is glorious because it is for our Religion, We fight against a People that are Gods enemys as well as ours; and the work we are up∣on is both honourable and meritorious, for we are certain that He is altogether as powerful to defend us from the annoiance of our enemies, * 1.3 and bring us off safe without the least harm, as He is bountiful to reward our Souls with an eternal weight of Glory, if we dye in so good a Quar∣rel; moreover our Blood spilt upon so Christian account, will undoubtedly move the Heavens to shower down the sweet influences of their conti∣nual Blessings upon all our respective Fami∣lies.

This short and efficacious Speech inflam'd the hearts of all his Officers and Soldiers so extreamly, that they all Vow'd unanimously to follow him; though they should lose their lives in the action; which he immediately began, and marching in the Front of them, gave the first on-set like a Thundring Jove in his greatest Storm; * 1.4 or like an angry Hector in his sharp Conflicts and Bloody Slaughters of the Grecian Legions before the Walls of Troy; * 1.5 or like a furious Hercules in the Lybian Forest beating down the lofty Cedars and the

aspiring Oaks that came in his way, so did he beat down to the very ground as many proud Turks and unbelieving Heathens as came within the reach of his dreadful strokes. He was the very first Person that enter'd the Breach, Seal'd the Walls, and with his own hands pull'd down the Half Moon, and planted the Spread Eagle in its place.

This no less brave than bold Attempt de∣priv'd the Enemy of Courage, made 'em quit their Posts confusedly, and brought so great a Consternation upon the Citizens that they all laid down their Arms, * 1.6 and beg'd for mercy, which he was as forward to grant, as they were desirous to obtain it; to let them know, that as he had the Courage to subdue them, he had also the Piety to spare their lives. O what unspeakable Joy did the News of the taking of this strong City create in the Emperours Court, and indeed over all Europe, but especially in all true English hearts? What an extraordinary sa∣tisfaction was it to them to hear and see their Noble Country-man so highly extoll'd by all the World for so great and so renown∣ed a Victory? His Imperial Majesty was no less joyful at the good success of his English Champion, neither was he remiss to gratify

him for so famous an Action, for at his re∣turn to Court he created him with all the Solemnity imaginable Count of the Empire, and entail'd the same Honour upon the Heirs of his Family for ever, with many other Priviledges and special Favours, which are inseparable from that Illustrious Title.

The eternal Wisdom of God declares o∣penly that such will be the Fruit as was the Tree, * 1.7 and the goodness of the one may be easily discern'd by th'other. My Lord, I have given you a true and faithful description of your most renowned Progenitor's great At∣chievements, Martial Exploits, Loyalty, Va∣lour and Courage; by which we may rea∣sonably conclude, that the whole Series of his noble and numerous Race were much of the same temper when occasion was offer'd; witness your raising a Regiment of Horse upon your own Cost and Charges for the de∣fence and supporting King Charles the First, and his Royal Prerogatives against the basest of Usurpers, * 1.8 the most cruel of Tyrants, and the very worst of Subjects; The several and perilous hazards you have expos'd your self to in manifesting your Loyalty, as well in Battels and Skirmishes, as in Storming and taking of Towns and Castles with as much Bravery as could be performed by the most

expert in the Stratagems of War, will be a convincing Argument to after-Ages of the greatness of your Courage, and also a per∣petual Evidence of your unspotted Loyalty, which was always reputed to be the chief ground of your happy Rise, the main sup∣port of your Noble Family, and will be in the other World a most glorious Flower to compleat the Beauty of your Eternal Crown.

But as Brave Men must expect to be tofs'd when they Steer their course against the Stream of Fortune, and work against Wind and Wea∣ther; Almighty God who disposes of all things to the best advantage of his beloved Servants has suffer'd your noble Family to be notably suppress'd for a time, and to groan under the heavy weight of great Persecuti∣ons and Troubles which were, in a manner, equal in number to the afflictions of Holy Job, * 1.9 for your Children were taken violently from you, and made close Prisoners, your Vertuous Lady was confin'd another way, your Plenti∣ful Stock of Cows, Horses and Sheep driven away by the Rabble, your Mansion house ta∣ken and plunder'd by the Enemy; your whole Estate expos'd to Sale before your Face, and your self after all was forc'd to Travel into Foreign Countreys for a subsistance, yet in all these disasters you were never heard to

repine at your ill Fortune, * 1.10 for you account∣ed all your worldly Substance to be only ad∣ventitious, and the temporal Blessings which you had from God, A Deo data, and there∣fore you were as willing to part with them as he was free to recal them, in order to ex∣ercise your Patience. How well the generous dispositions of your noble mind agree with the inbred inclinations of those innocent Crea∣tures of your Coat of Arms, appears in this, that you have perform'd by the light of Grace what they do only by the instinct of nature, for when any of their little ones happen to be afflicted with Blindness, they fly with all speed into a certain Island of the Sea, whence they bring a little Stone which they know has the vertue of restoring their fight, and you my Lord, in all your afflictions, have made your most humble and earnest addresses to Jesus, * 1.11 who is the tried and precious Corner Stone lodg'd in Zion for a foundation, and who alone has the power to make all our af∣flictions (tho' never so bitter) sweet and com∣fortable. The Swallows have another pro∣perty no less remarkable, they seem to touch the Earth with their Wings, yet the least grain of its Dust can't stick to their Feathers, because they are no sooner down, than up in the Skies out of all Mens sight, and this your

Lordship has always perform'd, for though your Fortune be considerable, and that you have a competent share of the World's wealth, yet nothing of its fleeting dross comes near your heart, already possess'd with the love of God who will not admit of a Rival, nei∣ther are you resolv'd to entertain any, and though your Body has endur'd a close and te∣dious Confinement for Justice, your Thoughts have been all the time sporting themselves within the enclosure of a vast Eternity, or ta∣king a fore-taste of the everlasting Joys and Pleasures of Heaven. 'Tis true, the manifold Calamities of those sad times were so sharp and terrible that many Catholick Families fell from their Religion, and went to Church ra∣ther than be depriv'd of their Estates and Li∣vings, but yours my Lord, was tied fast to the Anchor of Faith, and stood firm on Peters Rock, unmov'd with any external violence, or other∣wise, so little mov'd, that all the Commoti∣ons and Troubles, the Malice and Rage of their miscreant Foes could invent in order to remove their hearts from God, were no more to them than is a shower of Hail on the Roof of a House, that crackles and skips off again, without doing any damage to the Inhabi∣tants.

'Tis nothing my Lord, for a Man to hold up

his head in a Calm, but to maintain his Post when others have quitted their ground, and there to stand upright where others are beat∣en down, this is Divine and praise worthy, and this is what you have vigorously perform'd in your days; induc'd to it as well by the good instructions as the rare examples of your No∣ble Parents and Ancestors; for the one with th'other is very powerful to stir us up to He∣roick actions; nay the History alone of such large and masculine Souls is able to inspire any Man with generous Thoughts, and make him long to be in Action, and doing something that may be beneficial to the World, as protecting the innocent, upholding the weak, delivering th'oppressed, relieving the poor, cloathing the naked, cherishing the distressed Widows and Orphans; * 1.12 this was the only thing that the holy Job and the righteous Tobias did value themselves upon; It was likewise the pious and constant practise of your renown'd Ancestors, and the same is now settl'd in your Lordships Breast where it shines to all mens admiration, and no wonder, for your Table was never seen without Strangers no more than your Door without a number of Poor, whose several Necessitys were copiously supply'd in due time and good order; you have besides preserv'd Thousands of His Majesties Subjects

from Starving, and Hundreds of the Irish Na∣tion are oblig'd to your Lordship for their lives; this is Praise-worthy indeed, and the rather that they are a people which their Loyalty and their Zeal of Religion have de∣press'd to the deepest abyss of misfortune, for besides loosing all their earthly substance upon so honourable an account, they are hated, revil'd, and spit at, even by those, that should in all equity and Justice love, respect and che∣rish them, and bring others to do the same by their own Examples!

But as Abraham's liberality to Lot, * 1.13 with the greatness of his Faith, gain'd him the powerful Protection of Heaven, and the promise of a nu∣merous Issue, I hope the same favours will attend your Lordship, and be the reward as well of your Charitable Inclinations for the Poor in ge∣neral, as of the rare examples of Piety and De∣votion you give your Children, and which they are faithful to follow as well at home as abroad; * 1.14 and the rather, that they know them to be the es∣sential Ornaments of true Nobility, and that without them, a Gentleman born is no more, than he who is a Clown by his Extraction.

They know full well my Lord, that whoever converses with the proud shall be puft up, that a lustful acquaintance makes a Man lascivious, and the way to secure a man from wickedness is

to withdraw from the examples of it, it is too much to have them near us, but more to have them in us. They know likewise that ill exam∣ples, pleasure, and ease, are without doubt, great corrupters of manners; and as an ill Air may en∣danger a good Constitution, so may a place of ill examples endanger a good Man. There be some even of the highest rank who ought to influence their Inferiours with Piety and Devotion, that take a Priviledge to be licentious, so that the meaner sort are hurri'd on by their ill examples to all manner of dissolution. And this perfect knowledg of the present Corruption of this un∣happy Land, prevents them from hankering after such places or persons; and makes them take more pleasure in their Clossets than they can expect to find in their debauch'd Com∣pany.

'Tis this vertuous and godly disposition of your noble heart and Family which mov'd me to bring this pious work newly model'd, under the shadow of your gracious Protection. The very Title of the Book is able to make your Lordship affect the perusing of it, and I am cer∣tain the substance thereof will give a further in∣crease to your Devotion, and also contribute much to the reducing strai'd Souls to the right understanding of their Duty to God, which will

redound to your greater Glory, being it is by your means it appears to the World out of the obscurity of my Confinement, who am

Your Lordships most humble and most Obedient Servant Jo. Weldon. C.J.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Egesyppus Polouus in his Remarks of Hunga••y.
• * 1.2

  Epran on the South side of the Danube was taken by Sir Tho∣mas Arun∣del of Warder in the year 1595. for which brave Action the Emperour Rodol∣phus crea∣ted him a Count of the Empire.
• * 1.3

  Aeternum gloriae pon∣dus operatur in nobis. 2 Cor. 4.17.
• * 1.4

  Ovid Meta.
• * 1.5

  Ovid Epist:
• * 1.6

  Parcere subjectis, & debellare superbos, are two worthy propertys of a Chri∣stian Con∣queror.
• * 1.7

  A Fructibus eorum cog∣noscatis eos Math. 7.16
• * 1.8

  Oliver Cromwell.
• * 1.9

  Job 1.
• * 1.10

  In omnibus his non pec∣cavit Job labiis suis neque stul∣t m quid locutus est contra De∣um. Job 1.21.22. Pliny of the Proper∣ty of the Swallows.
• * 1.11

  Esay 28.16.
• * 1.12

  Job. 1.16.17.18. Tob. 1 20.
• * 1.13

  Gen. 22.16.
• * 1.14

  Moribus & vita nobili∣tatur homo.