III. In war he cuts out his fortunes with his own sword.-William the Conqueror, when he first landed his forces in England, burnt all his ships, that despair to return might make his men the more valiant. Younger brothers, being cut off at home from all hopes, are more zealous to purchase an honourable support abroad. Their small arteries, with great spirits, have wrought miracles; and their resolution hath driven success before it. Many of them have adventured to cheapen dear enterprises, and were only able to pay the earnest; yet fortune hath accepted them for chapmen, and hath freely forgiven them the rest of the payment for their boldness. IV. Nor are they less happy, if applying themselves to their book.— Nature generally giving them good wits; which, because they want room to burnish, may the better afford to soar high. V. But he gaineth more wealth, if betaking himself to merchandise. -Whence often he riseth to the greatest annual honour in the kingdom. Many families in England, though not first raised from the city, yet thence have been so restored and enriched, that it may seem to amount to an original raising. Neither doth an apprenticeship extinguish native-nor disenable to acquisitive-gentry; and they are much mistaken who hold it to be in the nature of bondage. For, first, his indenture is a civil contract, whereof a bondman is incapable. Secondly, no work can be base [which is] prescribed in reference to a noble end; as theirs is, that learn an honest mystery to enable them for the service of God and the country. Thirdly, they give round sums of money to be bound. Now, if apprenticeship be a servitude, it is either a pleasing bondage, or strange madness, to purchase it at so dear a rate. Gentry therefore may be suspended perchance, and asleep during the apprenticeship; but it awakens afterwards. VI. Sometimes he raiseth his estate by applying himself to the court.-A pasture wherein elder brothers are observed to grow lean, and younger brothers fat. The reasons whereof may be these: 1. Younger brothers, being but slender in estate, are easier bowed to a court-compliance than elder brothers, who stand more stiff on their means, and think scorn to crave what may be a prince's pleasure to grant, and their profit to receive. 2. They make the court their calling, and study the mystery thereof; whilst elder brothers, divided betwixt the court and the country, can have their endeavours deep in neither, which run in a double channel. 3. Elder brothers spend highly in proportion to their estates, expecting afterwards a return with increase; which, notwithstanding, never pays the principal: and whilst they thus build so stately a staircase to their preferment, the younger brothers get up by the back-stairs in a private, silent way; little expense being expected from them that have little. VII. Sometimes he lighteth on a wealthy match to advance him.-If meeting with one that is pilot of her own affections, to steer them without guidance of her friends, and such as disdaineth her marriage should be contracted in an exchange, where jointure must weigh every grain even to the portion. Rather, she counts it an act both of love and charity to affect one rich in deserts, who commonly hath the advantage of birth, as she hath of means; and so it is made level betwixt them. And thus many a young gentleman hath gotten honourable maintenance by an heiress, especially when the crying of the child hath caused the laughing of the father. VIII. His means, the more hardly gotten, are the more carefully kept. -Heat, gotten by degrees, with motion and exercise, is more natural, and stays longer by one, than what is gotten all at once by coming to the fire. Goods acquired by industry, prove commonly more lasting than lands by descent. IX. He ever owneth his elder brother with dutiful respect.-Yea, though God should so bless his endeavours as to go beyond him in wealth and honour. The pride of Jesuits is generally taxed, who, being the youngest of all other Orders, and therefore by canon to go last, will never go in procession with other Orders, because they will not come behind them.* Vide Preface to "The Jesuits' Catechism." X. Sometimes the paternal inheritance falls to them who never hoped to rise to it. Thus John, surnamed Sans-terre, or, "Without-land," having five elder brothers, came to the kingdom of England; death levelling those who stood betwixt him and his crown. It is observed of the Coringtons, an ancient family in Cornwall, that, for eight lineal descents, never any one that was born heir had the land, but it ever fell to younger brothers.* To conclude: there is a hill in Voitland, † (a small country in Germany,) called Feitchtelberg, out of which arise four rivers, running four several ways; namely, 1. Eger, east; 2. Mænus, west; 3. Sala, north; and, 4. Nabus, south: so that he that sees their fountains so near together, would admire at their falls so far asunder. Thus, the younger sons, issuing out of the same mother's womb and father's loins, and afterwards embracing different courses, to try their fortunes abroad in the world, chance often to die far off, at great distance, who were all born in the same place. "I rather think, that this • CAREW'S "Survey of Cornwall," fol. 117. name was given it by the Sclaves; who, finding it deserted, or but thinly peopled, at their coming thither, might call it by the name of VOID-LAND; from which the alteration unto Voitland is both plain and obvious."-HEYLIN. |