The expression of the Mercuriall Coat-Armour.
1. The Scutchion is also allusive every way; by the Plumed
Rose in the Crest is declared, that fragrancy and celerity
are the top-work of eloquence: swiftnesse, and sweetnesse, are
the last and highest parts of this science: again, Invention must
not drag low, language must fly high.
2. The 3 Golden Keys lay open this Conceipt; that Logick,
Rhetorick, and Grammar, are by way of entrance, taught fundamentall
in Schools; but the work is left to be crowned and
matured in the Academies: therefore as we the 3 Keys, Oxford
gives the 3 Crowns, which also decypher the 3 principall Sciences,
1. Theology, 2. Law, 3. Physick: And why may not we
here have a Key for them also?
3. By the Cube, Arithmetick; by the Triangle, Geometry; by
the Circle, Cosmography are here intended, and stand Quartered
under the 4 Stars, as taught in a different place and manner from
the other three Arts before.
4. The Bend of Stars with eight Radii, represent the prime
4 Seniors or Ministers, each man being Keeper of 8 distinct Laws
or Canons; Himself shining amongst his fellows as a Star in
his place: Again, these Stars denote the 4 cardinall qualities
here (under this Prince) professed, attained, kept, 1. Language,
2. Invention, 3. Manners, 4. Religion, each consisting of eight
severall branches, cleare and starlike.
5. The Sun hath the chief influence, as the glory and light of
the rest; ο παμφανησ ηλιος, and stands mounted in the highest
angle above the bend of stars,
locus Principis Rhetorici, the Princes
place; but by the Sun is chiefly intended Religion, without
which, all Arts are but meer darknesse, or at least,
Ignis fatuus.
Yet our
Sol appears quartered in a sinister side, because the Pulpits
doth challenge the upper hand of the Schools, and Theology
the wall of Phisologie.
But if the Parson at any time shall lose his Cap, and turn Tityre
tu patulæ, a Coridon of our Arcadia; then will we Quarter
our Sol upon the right, and his Cap upon the left; for then he is
our Junior: his Sheep-hook hath done Homage to our Rod;
Divinity hath struck Top sayle to Grammar, and the Liturgy in
Syntancticall obeysance hath vayled his bonnet to the Accidence.
6. The two fields, Gules on the right hand, Azure on the left
in a Philosophicall acception lively depaint the Will and the
Wit, the Heart and the Brain, the two fixt seats of our fourfold
learning.
Thus much for the Blazounrie in brief,
Sed aliquid latet, quod non patet, qui nucleum vult nacem frangat.
And now we come to the Argument in speciall, and Correlative
to each Act.
