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| I came not here, said she, to bear Fortune flattered, but
to hear the Cause decided between Fortune and the Duke;
neither came I hither to speak Rhetorically and Eloquently,
but to propound the case plainly and truly; and I'le have
you know, that the Duke, whose Cause me argue, was
and is my Foster-son; For I Honesty bred him from his
Childhood, and made a perpetual friendship betwixt him
and Gratitude, Charity and Generosity; and put him to
School to Prudence, who taught him Wisdom, and informed
him in the Rules of Temperance, Patience, Justice,
and the like; then I put him into the Univerity of Honour,
where he learned all honourable Qualities, Arts, and
Sciences; afterward I sent him to travel through the World
of Actions, and made Observation his Governour; and in
those his travels, he contracted a friendship with Experience;
all which, made him fit for Heavens Blessings, and Fortunes
Favours: But she hating all those that have merit
and desert, became his inveterate Enemy, doing him all
the mischief she could, until the God of Justice opposed Fortunes
Malice, and pull'd him out of those ruines she had cast
upon him: For this Go'ds Favours were the Dukes
Champions; wherefore to be an Enemy to him, were to be
an Enemy to the God of Justice: In short, the true cause
of Fortunes Malice to this Duke, is, that he would never
flatter her; for I Honesty, did command him not to do it, or
else he would be forced to follow all her inconstant ways, and
obey all her unjust commands, which would cause a great
reproach to him: but, on the other side, Prudence advised
him not to despise Fortunes favours, for that would be
an obstruction and hinderance to his worth and merit; and
He to obey both our advice and counsels, did neither flatter
nor despise Her, but was always humble and respectful to her,
so far as Honour, Honesty and Conscience would permit:
all which I refer to Truths Judgment, and expect her final
sentence. |
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