the rest for she made no more to cast out a devil, than a barber to draw a tooth, and with less pain to the patient. I never heard of a great feast made all of cordials: and it seems improbable, that miracles (which in Scripture are used sparingly, and chiefly for conversion of unbelievers) should be heaped so many together, made every-day's work, and by her commonly, constantly, and ordinarily wrought. And, I pray, why is the Popish church so barren of true works, now-a-days, here wrought at home amongst us? For, as for those reported to be done far off, it were ill for some if the gold from the Indies would abide the touch no better than the miracles.

However, Hildegardis was a gracious virgin, and God might perform some great wonders by her hand; but these piæ fraudes with their painting have spoiled the natural complexion of many a good face, and have made truth itself suspected. She died in the eighty-second year of her age, was afterwards sainted by the Pope, and the seventeenth day of September assigned to her

memory.

I cannot forget how Udalric, abbot of Kempten, in Germany, made a most courteous law for the weaker sex: "That no woman, guilty of what crime soever, should ever be put to death in his dominions;" because two women, condemned to die, were miraculously delivered out of the prison, by praying to St. Hildegardis.*

BRUSCHIUS, De Monasteriis; et CENTURIATORES, Centur. xi. col. 350.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE ELDER BROTHER.

THE elder brother is one who made haste to come into the world, to bring his parents the first news of male-posterity; and is well rewarded for his tidings. His composition is then accounted most precious when made of the loss of a double virginity.

MAXIM I.

He is thankful for the advantage God gave him at the starting in the race into this world.-When twins have been even matched, one hath gained the goal but by his length. St. Augustine saith, that "it is every man's bounden duty solemnly to celebrate his birth-day." If so, elder brothers may best afford good cheer on the festival.

*

II.

He counts not his inheritance a writ of ease to free him from industry. As if only the younger brothers came into the world to work, the elder to compliment: these are the tops of their houses, indeed; like cotlofts,† highest and emptiest. Rather, he laboureth to furnish himself with all genteel accomplishment, being best able to go to the cost of learning. He need not fear to be served as Ulric Fuggar was, (chief of the noble family of the Fuggars in Augsburgh,) who was disinherited of a great patrimony, only for his studiousness, and expensiveness in buying of costly manuscripts.‡

Thus the reference

Quæstionibus ex utroque mixtim, tom. xl. col. 8, 4. stands in all the editions of "the Holy State," original and modern, which I have examined. But as I knew that scarcely any impression of St. Augustine's Works extends beyond ten tomes or volumes, I was desirous to verify the quotation, and to give a correct reference. After a long search, I have discovered the passage in Quæstiones ex utroque mixtim, quæst. 127; which, in my edition, (Colon. Agripp. 1616,) forms part of the Appendix to tome iv. p. 58. The following is the connexion in which it is found :-Nam si ENCENIA celebrabantur Hierosolymis, id est, dedicationis templi Dei agebatur festivitas; quantò magis ipsius hominis celebrandus natalis est, qui magis templum Dei est, cujus etiam, ad agendum Deo gratias, · manibus templum est fabricatum. Itaque qui Deo instituente natum se novit, ut ei gratias agat, cognitum habens mysterium ejus, debet in natali suo gaudere, videns profectum esse nativitatis suæ.-EDIT.

monly written "cocklofts."-EDIT.

anno 1584.

+ According to modern usage, comTHUANUS, De Obit. Vir. Doct. in

III.

He doth not so remember he is an heir, that he forgets he is a son.-Wherefore, his carriage to his parents is always respectful. It may chance that his father may be kept in a charitable prison, whereof his son hath the keys; the old man being only tenant for life, and the lands entailed on our young gentleman. In such a case, when it is in his power, if necessity requires, he enlargeth his father to such a reasonable proportion of liberty as may not be injurious to himself.

IV.

He rather desires his father's life than his living.—This was one of the principal reasons (but God knows how true!) why Philip II., king of Spain, caused, in the year 1568, Charles, his eldest son, to be executed, for plotting his father's death, as was pretended. And a wit in such difficult toys,* accommodated the numeral letters in Ovid's verse to the year wherein the prince suffered.

1568.

FILIVs ante DIeM patrIos InqVIrIt In annos.

1568.

"Before the tIMe, the oVer-hasty son

Seeks forth hoVV near the father's LIfe Is Done."

But if they had no better evidence against him but this poetical synchronism, we might well count him a martyr.

V.

His father's deeds and grants he ratifies and confirms.-If a stitch be fallen in a lease, he will not widen it into a hole by cavilling, till the whole strength of the grant run out thereat; or take advantage of the default of the clerk in the writing, where the deed appears really done, and on a valuable consideration he counts himself bound in honour to perform what, by marks and signs, he plainly understands his father meant, though he spake it not out.

VI.

He reflecteth his lustre, to grace and credit his younger brethren. Thus Scipio Africanus, after his great victories against the Carthaginians, and conquering of Hannibal, was content to serve as a lieutenant in the wars of Asia, under Lucius Scipio, his younger brother.†

OPMERUS was the author thereof. FAMIANUS STRADA, De Bello Belgico, lib. vii. p. 432. +PLUTARCH, in the "Life of Scipio."

VII.

He relieveth his distressed kindred, yet so as he continues them in their calling.-Otherwise, they would all make his house their hospital, his kindred their calling. When one, being a husbandman, challenged kindred of Robert Grosthead, bishop of Lincoln, and thereupon requested favour of him to bestow an office on him; "Cousin," quoth the bishop, "if your cart be broken, I will mend it; if your plough [be] old, I will give you a new one, and seed to sow your land. But a husbandman I found you, and a husbandman I will leave you." It is better to ease poor kindred in their profession than to ease them from their profession.

VIII.

He is careful to support the credit and dignity of his family.Neither wasting his paternal estate by his unthriftiness, nor marring it by parcelling his ancient manors and demesnes amongst his younger children, whom he provides for by annuities, pensions, moneys, leases, and purchased lands. He remembers how, when our king Alfred divided the river of Lea (which parts Hertfordshire and Essex) into three streams, it became so shallow that boats could not row, where formerly ships did ride. Thus the ancient family of the Woodfords (which had long continued in Leicestershire, and elsewhere in England, in great account, estate, and livelihood) is at this day quite extinct. For when Sir Thomas Woodford, in the reign of king Henry VI., made almost an even partition of his means betwixt his five grandchildren, the house in short space utterly decayed; not any part of his lands now in the tenure or name of any of his male line, some whereof lived to be brought to a low ebb of fortune.* Yet, on the other side, to leave all to the eldest, and make no provision for the rest of their children, is against all rules of religion, forgetting their Christian-name to remember their sir-name.

• BURTON, in his "Description of Leicestershire,” p. 264.

CHAPTER XV.

THE YOUNGER BROTHER.

SOME account him the better gentleman of the two, because son to the more ancient gentleman; wherein his elder brother ,can give him the hearing, and a smile into the bargain. He shares equally with his elder brother in the education, but differs from him in his portion; and though he giveth also his father's arms, yet, to use the herald's language, he may

say,

"This to my elder brother I must yield;

I have the CHARGE, but he hath all the FIELD."

Like, herein, to a young nephew of Tarquin's, in Rome, who was called Egereus, from "wanting of maintenance," because his grandfather left him nothing.* It was, therefore, a mannerly answer which a young gentleman gave to king James, when he asked him what kin he was to such a lord of his name: "Please your majesty," said he, "my elder brother is his cousin-german."

MAXIM I.

He repines not at the providence of God in ordering his birth. -Heirs are made, even where matches are, both in heaven. Even in twins, God will have one next the door to come first into the world.

II.

He labours, by his endeavours, to date himself an elder brother. -Nature makes but one, industry doth make all the sons of the same man heirs. The fourth brother gives a martilet † for the difference of his arms; a bird observed to build either in castles, steeples, or ships; showing that the bearer hereof, being debarred from all hopes of his father's inheritance, must seek, by war, learning, or merchandise, to advance his estate.‡

• LIVIUS, lib. i.

+"Martlet, a swift little martin, a bird. In Heraldry, a pigeon, with its feet erased or torn off; it is also the mark of distinction in an escutcheon, for a fourth brother or family."-PHILLIPS AND KERSEY. In the text Fuller evidently alludes to the martinet, a bird of the swallow tribe, and not to a pigeon.-EDIT. GERARD LEIGH, in his " Nine Differences of Brothers'

Arms."