play, sleep or wake, yet he is still going onward in his mortal passage. A SHIP is ever in need of repairing, so is a man either in body, mind or goods. A Ship is ever unsteady; a Man is always mutable : some SHIPS are hard to be steered; some men are harder to be guided. Some Ships bear so great a sail that they bear their masts by the board and make all split again: some Men do spread such a clew in a calm, that a sudden storm half sinks them and tears all. Some SHIPS are so favoured by the wind, that they make rich voyages and quick returns; some men are so fortunate, that wealth and promotions do fall in their mouths. Some SHIPS run through many a storm with much danger, and yet are so unlucky, that they never make a good voyage; some Men (being born under a threepenny planet) can neither by pains, watching, labour or any industry be worth a groat. Some SHIPS by being overladen have been cast away; some men by taking in too much have been forced to cast all away. SHIPS do wallow and heave, and sit upon the sea; Men do stumble, reel and stagger on the land. Some Ships have their cracks and imperfections gaily hid with painting: some Men have their bad intents covered over with hypocrisy, and their diseased carcases covered with good clothes. Some SHIPS do bring profitable commodities, and some bring baubles, toys and trifles; some Men do enrich

a kingdom with their wisdom, authority, and practice in virtue and some men do disgrace and impovish a monarchy by folly, ill employed power, and sottishness in vanity. Some SHIPS will run to leeward extremely if the wind be scant, some again will bravely beat it out to windward and weather it; so some Men will shrink from their friends or from themselves, in a storm, or trouble, or poverty; and some few again will bear up stiff, constantly, contemning and opposing the brunts of Fortune. Some SHIPS are taken by others and made prizes; some Men are captived by others and made slaves. Some SHIPS are commended more for their bulk and beauty, then for any good service; and some Men are more applauded for their fortunes, than for any good conditions. If I would insist longer on these comparisons, I could enlarge my induction to the bounds of a pamphlet: therefore I will conclude it with King Solomon's similitude, Wisdom 5. cap. 10. That man's life passeth as a SHIP that passeth over the waves of the waters: therefore I wish all men to be provided as good SHIPS should be, let HOPE be their cable, let charity and love guard and compass, till they come happily to the haven of GRAVES

END, and from thence to that

blessed Harbour which

hath no END.

The Lord-SHIP with her Regiment.

HE Lord-SHIP, a very ancient and honour

able vessel of mighty bulk and burthen,

being sufficiently furnished with victuals, munition, tackling and men, was under the command of the noble Don Diego de fifly Cankoemuskcod, who was Admiral or high Adellantado of the whole fleet. The captain of her was Signor Caco Fogo, (a Neapolitan of Civita Vecchia) a sweet affable gentleman, yet of so dainty a disposition, and so experienced in navigation, that he could not endure the scent of the pump, and for the more sweet keeping of the ship, he protested that he would have no more of those stinking pumps to sea with him: he came very honestly by his place, for he bought it with his money, besides the help of a lady's letter; and to give him his due, he was well skilled in the Ass-trolabe, and could take the elevation of the pole, as well with a batoon or a broom-staff, as with any Jacob's

staff in Africa. In foul weather he most constantly kept his cabin, giving himself wholly to fasting and meditation, often casting up his accounts as near as he could, bearing himself so equally betwixt well doing and ill-taking, that in all the whole voyage no man could tax him for taking any harm, or doing any good.

The Master's name was Petrus Vainglorious, his Mate Hugo Hypocrisy, men that have steered the course in the Lord-SHIP many hundred years: the boatswain and his mate were Scoff and Derision, with Gripe the Steward, Avarice the Purser, and Lawrence Delay the Paymaster; kinsman to Tom Long the Carrier: which three last are thought to be very arrant knaves, who have spoiled the government of the whole Ship. In brief, the Gunner, Coxswain, Swabber, and Ship-boys were plentifully stored with pride, flattery, and other the like gentleman like virtues.

The Ships that went in the same regiment or squadron, with the Lord-SHIP, were these that follow, namely,

I The Ambition, 2 The Presumption, two stout Ships of very lofty sail and great burthen. 3 The Oppression, a Ship of account and estimation.

4 The Costly, a Ship of great charge.

B

5 The Mutable, a brave Ship, but in no course steady.

6 The Self-love, a great Ship, but of small service.

7 The Delight, a fair Ship to the eye.

8 The Hopewell, a Ship of great expectation. 9 The Debt, a Ship of great burthen and much receipt.

10 The Satisfaction, a large long ship, a very cart, a slug and slow of sail.

II The Promise, a Ship very unsteady, yet her sails ever full.