Afflictio pia magistra.—­Affliction teacheth a wicked person some time to pray:  prosperity never.

Deploratis facilis descensus Averni.—­The devil take all.—­Many might go to heaven with half the labour they go to hell, if they would venture their industry the right way; but “The devil take all!” quoth he that was choked in the mill-dam, with his four last words in his mouth.

AEgidius cursu superat.—­A cripple in the way out-travels a footman or a post out of the way.

Prodigo nummi nauci.—­Bags of money to a prodigal person are the same that cherry-stones are with some boys, and so thrown away.

Munda et sordida.—­A woman, the more curious she is about her face is commonly the more careless about her house.

Debitum deploratum.—­Of this spilt water there is a little to be gathered up:  it is a desperate debt.

Latro sesquipedalis.—­The thief {22} that had a longing at the gallows to commit one robbery more before he was hanged.

And like the German lord, when he went out of Newgate into the cart, took order to have his arms set up in his last herborough:  said was he taken and committed upon suspicion of treason, no witness appearing against him; but the judges entertained him most civilly, discoursed with him, offered him the courtesy of the rack; but he confessed, &c.

Calumniae fructus.—­I am beholden to calumny, that she hath so endeavoured and taken pains to belie me.  It shall make me set a surer guard on myself, and keep a better watch upon my actions.

Impertinens.—­A tedious person is one a man would leap a steeple from, gallop down any steep lull to avoid him; forsake his meat, sleep, nature itself, with all her benefits, to shun him.  A mere impertinent; one that touched neither heaven nor earth in his discourse.  He opened an entry into a fair room, but shut it again presently.  I spoke to him of garlic, he answered asparagus; consulted him of marriage, he tells me of hanging, as if they went by one and the same destiny.

Bellum scribentium.—­What a sight it is to see writers committed together by the ears for ceremonies, syllables, points, colons, commas, hyphens, and the like, fighting as for their fires and their altars; and angry that none are frighted at their noises and loud brayings under their asses’ skins.

There is hope of getting a fortune without digging in these quarries.  Sed meliore (in omne) ingenio animoque quam fortuna, sum usus. {23}

“Pingue solum lassat; sed juvat ipse labor.” {24a}

Differentia inter doctos et sciolos.—­Wits made out their several expeditions then for the discovery of truth, to find out great and profitable knowledges; had their several instruments for the disquisition of arts.  Now there are certain scioli or smatterers that are busy in the skirts and outsides of learning, and have scarce anything of solid literature to commend them.  They may have some edging or trimming of a scholar, a welt or so; but it is no more.