NICH.  BRETON.

Breton prefixed also this address—­

TO THE READER.

Read what you list, and understand what you can.  Characters are not every man’s construction, though they be writ in our mother tongue; and what I have written, being of no other nature, if they fit not your humour they may please a better.  I make no comparison, because I know you not, but if you will vouchsafe to look into them, it may be you may find something in them; their natures are diverse, as you may see, if your eyes be open, and if you can make use of them to good purpose, your wits may prove the better.  In brief, fearing the fool will be put upon me for being too busy with matters too far above my understanding, I will leave my imperfection to pardon or correction, and my labour to their liking that will not think ill of a well-meaning, and so rest,—­Your well-willing friend,

N.B.

CHARACTERS UPON ESSAYS,

MORAL AND DIVINE.

BY NICHOLAS BRETON.

WISDOM.

Wisdom is a working grace in the souls of the elect, by whom the spirit is made capable of those secrets that neither nature nor reason is able to comprehend; who, by a powerful virtue she hath from the Divine Essence, worketh in all things according to the will of the Almighty, and, being before beginning, shall exceed time in an eternal proceeding.  She is a light in the intellectual part, by which reason is led to direct the senses in their due course, and nature is preserved from subjecting herself to imperfection.  In the Creation she was of counsel with the Trinity in the pleasing of the Deity; in the Redemption the inventor of mercy for the preservation of the elect; and in the Glorification the treasurer of life for the reward of the faithful, who, having committed to her care the carriage of the whole motion, finding the disposition of earth in all the children of her womb, by such a measure as she finds fitting their quality, she gives them either the grace of nature or the glory of reason.  While being the mother of the graces, she gives them that holy instruction that, in the knowledge of the highest love, through the paths of virtue, makes a passage to heaven.  Learning hath from her that knowledge without the which all knowledge is mere ignorance, while only in the grace of truth is seen the glory of understanding.  Knowledge hath from her that learning whereby she is taught the direction of her love in the way of life.  Understanding hath from her that knowledge that keeps conceit always in the spirit’s comfort; and judgment from understanding, that rule of justice that by the even weight of impartiality shows the hand of Heaven in the heart of humanity.  In the heavens she keeps the angels in their orders, teacheth them the natures of their offices, and employs them in the service of their Creator.  In the firmament