A worthy privy councillor is the pillar of a realm, in whose wisdom and care, under God and the king, stands the safety of a kingdom.  He is the watch-tower to give warning of the enemy, and a hand of provision for the preservation of the state.  He is an oracle in the king’s ear, and a sword in the king’s hand; an even weight in the balance of justice, and a light of grace in the love of truth.  He is an eye of care in the course of law, a heart of love in his service to his sovereign, a mind of honour in the order of his service, and a brain of invention for the good of the commonwealth.  His place is powerful while his service is faithful, and his honour due in the desert of his employment.  In sum, he is as a fixed planet among the stars of the firmament, which through the clouds in the air shows the nature of his light.

AN UNWORTHY COUNCILLOR.

An unworthy councillor is the hurt of a king and the danger of a state, when the weakness of judgment may commit an error, or the lack of care may give way to unhappiness.  He is a wicked charm in the king’s ear, a sword of terror in the advice of tyranny.  His power is perilous in the partiality of will, and his heart full of hollowness in the protestation of love.  Hypocrisy is the cover of his counterfeit religion, and traitorous invention is the agent of his ambition.  He is the cloud of darkness that threateneth foul weather; and if it grow to a storm, it is fearful where it falls.  He is an enemy to God in the hate of grace, and worthy of death in disloyalty to his sovereign.  In sum, he is an unfit person for the place of a councillor and an unworthy subject to look a king in the face.

A NOBLEMAN.

A nobleman is a mark of honour, where the eye of wisdom in the observation of desert sees the fruit of grace.  He is the orient pearl that reason polisheth for the beauty of nature, and the diamond spark where divine grace gives virtue honour.  He is the notebook of moral discipline, where the conceit of care may find the true courtier.  He is the nurse of hospitality, the relief of necessity, the love of charity, and the life of bounty.  He is learning’s grace and valour’s fame, wisdom’s fruit and kindness’ love.  He is the true falcon that feeds on no carrion, the true horse that will be no hackney, the true dolphin that fears not the whale, and the true man of God that fears not the devil.  In sum, he is the darling of nature in reason’s philosophy, the loadstar of light in love’s astronomy, the ravishing sweet in the music of honour, and the golden number in grace’s arithmetic.

AN UNNOBLE MAN.