Theo. Such a man, as you speak of, is hardly to be found among the sons of men. They be black Swans in the earth, they be white crows: they be rare birds. For there be very few that will speak the truth from their heart: yet some such I hope there be. But, for the most part, & amongst the greater sort, lying, dissembling, and fraud, do bear all the sway. There is no truth, no honesty, no conscience, no simplicity, no plain dealing, amongst men in these most corrupt times. Faith and truth are parted clean away. And as the kingly prophet saith: The faithful are failed, from among the children1 of men. They speak deceitfully every one with his neighbour; flattering with their lips, and speak with a double heart. Men now adays study the Art of lying, flattering, ⟨p. 152⟩fawning, glossing and dissembling: they have a heart and a heart. They have honey in their mouth; and gall in their heart. Their tongues are as soft as butter and oil: but their hearts are full of bitterness, poison and wormwood. They are full of outward courtesy and civility, full of court holy water, when there is no truth nor plainness in their inward affection. They will speak you fair, when they would cut your throats. They will show you a good countenance; when they would eat your heart with garlic. In outward show, they will carry themselves plausibly, when their hearts are full of venom & malice. This viperous brood do but watch their times & opportunities, till they can get a man upon the hip: and then they will sting him, & work their malice upon him. These fanning curs will not bark till they bite. They will lurk, and lie close, till they spy their vantage, and then they will show themselves in their kind: then they will hoist a man, and turn him over the perk, if they can. These men are like the waters, which are most deep, where they are most calm: like a dangerous rock, hid under a calm sea; or, as the Heathen say, like the Sirens song, which is the Sailors wreck; like the Fowlers whistle, which is the birds death; like the hid bait, which is the fishes bane; like the Harpies, ⟨p. 153⟩which have virgins faces, and Vultures talons; or like Hyena, which speaketh like a friend, and devoureth like a foe; or, as the Scripture saith; like Joab, the captain of the2 host, which spake kindly to Amasa an other Captain, & kissed him, when presently he stabbed him;
Theo. Such a man, as you speake of, is hardly to be found among the sonnes of men. They be blacke Swans in the earth, they be white crowes: they be rare birds. For there be very few that will speake the truth from their heart: yet some such I hope there be. But, for the most part, & amongst the greater sort, lying, dissembling, and fraud, do beare all the sway. There is no truth, no honesty, no conscience, no simplicity, no plaine dealing, amongst men in these most corrupt times. Faith and truth are parted cleane away. And as the kingly prophet saith: The faithfull are failed, from among the children1 of men. They speake deceitfully euery one with his neighbour; flattering with their lippes, and speake with a double heart. Men now adayes studie the Arte of lying, flattering, ⟨p. 152⟩fawning, glosing and dissembling: they haue a heart and a heart. They haue hony in their mouth; and gall in their heart. Their tongues are as soft as butter and oile: but their hearts are full of bitternesse, poison and wormwood. They are full of outward courtesie and ciuility, full of court holy water, when there is no truth nor plainenesse in their inward affection. They will speake you faire, when they would cut your throats. They will shew you a good countenance; when they would eate your heart with garlicke. In outward shew, they will carry themselues plausibly, when their hearts are full of venome & malice. This viperous brood do but watch their times & opportunities, till they can get a man vpon the hip: and then they will sting him, & worke their malice vpon him. These fauning curs will not barke till they bite. They will lurke, and lie close, til they spie their vantage, and then they wil shew themselues in their kinde: then they will hoist a man, and turne him ouer the perke, if they can. These men are like the waters, which are most déepe, where they are most calme: like a dangerous rocke, hid vnder a calme sea; or, as the Heathen say, like the Syrens song, which is the Sailers wrecke; like the Fowlers whistle, which is the birds death; like the hid bait, which is the fishes bane; like the Harpyes, ⟨p. 153⟩which haue virgins faces, and Uultures tallons; or like Hyena, which speaketh like a friend, and deuoureth like a foe; or, as the Scripture saith; like Ioab, the captaine of the2 hoast, which spake kindly to Amasa an other Captain, & kissed him, when presently hée stabd him;
- 1Psal. 12.
- 22. Sam. 20. 10.
