to complaine vpon God for the shortnes of their life when as they themselues as short as it is doe through ryot malice murthers care and warres make it much shorter both in them selues and others Theophrastus hoc est Viuere bis vitâ posse priore frui Est nostra vno vita quam sâ—millima Acescit est quem reliqua parua portio Of the Soule Defi. The soule is a created substance inuisible incorporall immortall resembling the image of her Creator a spirit that giueth life to the body where-vnto it is ioyned a nature alwaies mouing it selfe capable of reason and the knowledge of God to loue him as beeing meet to be vnited to him through loue to eternall felicity THE greatest thing that may be said to be contained in a little roome is the soule in a mans body An holy vndefiled soule is like heauen hauing for her Sunne vnderstanding the zeale of iustice and charity for the Moone fayth and her vertues for the starres Euery soule is eyther the spouse of Christ or the adultresse of the deuill Chris. The minde is the eye of the soule The soule is compounded of vnderstanding knowledge and sence from which all Sciences and Arts proceede and from these she is called reasonable The soule is deuided into two parts the one spirituall or intelligible vvhere the discourse of reason is the other brutish which is the sensuall will of it selfe wandring where all motions contrary to reason rest and delighting onelly to dwell vvhere euill desires doâ— inhabite The actions of the soule are vvill iudgement sence conceiuing thought spirit imagination memory vnderstanding The incomparable beauty of the soule is prudence temperance fortitude iustice All the felicity of man as well present as to come dependeth on the soule Clement The soule is the organ and instrument of God whereby he worketh in vs and lifteth vs vp to the conteÌ„plation of his diuine power and nature The sweetest rest and harbor for the soule is a conscience vncorrupted The Philosophers set downe foure powers to rule in the soule reason will anger and concupiscence in which they lodged foure vertues to euery one one prudence iustice fortitude and temperance The soule payeth well for her hire in the body considering what she there suffereth The soule of the iust man is the seat of wisedome August The body is the sepulcher of a dead soule The soule is the breathing of God Ambr. If thy soule be good the stroke of Death cannot hurt thee for thy spirit shall liue blessedly in heauen Basil. As they that haue healthfull bodies easily endure both cold and heat so they that haue a stayed and setled soule haue the dominion ouer anger greefe ioy and all other their affections Plato It is not death that destroyeth the soule but a bad lyfe A sound soule correcteth the naughtines of the body All mens soules are immortall but the soules of the righteous are immortall and diuine Socrates It is good to haue a regard to the health of the mind that the body thereby may be preserued from danger The power of the minde is two-fold one part is in the appetite the other in reason which teacheth vvhat is to be followed and vvhat to be eschewed By this reason commaundeth and appetite obeyeth The diseases of the body are easie to be cured but for the malady of the minde no medicine can be found The pleasure of the minde excelleth the pleasures of the body By vvhat other name canst thou call the soule then God dwelling in a mans body It is as great charity to edefie the soule as sustaine the body Bernard The nobility of the soule is alwayes to be thought vpon The soule in the flesh is as amongst thorns Bernard The soule is the naturall perfection of the body Aurel. The body considereth nothing but what is present the minde conceaueth vvhat is past and what is to come The soule of man is an incorruptible substance apt to receaue either ioy or pain both heere and else where Solon The soule despiseth all worldly busines and being occupied onely about heauenly matters she reioyceth greatly vvhen she is deliuered from these earthly bands VVhile the soule is in the company of good people it is in ioy but vvhen it is among euill men it is in sorrow and heauines As the body is an instrument of the soule so is the soule an instrument of God The body vvas made for the soule and not the soule for the body Looke hovv much the soule is better then the body so much more greeuous are the diseases of the soule then the greefes of the body Diogenes By the iustice of God the soule must needs be immortall and therfore no man ought to neglect it for though the body dye yet the soule dieth not The delights of the soule are to knovv her Maker to consider the works of heauen and to know her owne state and being Tres vitales spiritus creauiâ— Omnipotens vnum qui carne non tegitur alium qui carne tegitur sed non cum carne moritur â—â—eâ—tium qui carne tegitur et cum carne moritur Primus AngeloruÌ„ secundus hominum tertius brutorum est Anima dum viuificat corpus anima est dum vult animus dum scit mens dum recolit memoria dum rectum iudicat ratio dum spirat spiritus dum aliquid sentit sensus est Of the Sences Defi. Sences are the powers of the soule body in number fiue seeing hearing smelling tasting and touching Of Seeing THe eyes vvere giuen to men to be as it were theyr vvatch-towers and sentinels the guiders and leaders of the body Of more validitie is the sight of one eye then the attention of ten eares for in that a man seeth is assurance and that he heareth may be an error The piercing power of the sight is able to reade Homers Iliads though they were written in the compasse of a nut-shell The sight the affection and the hands are instruments to gather bribes Sight increaseth compassion and compassion calleth vp care S. P. S. VVhat can saying make theÌ„ beleeue whom seeing cannot perswade S. P. S. Sight is the riches which nature graunteth to the poorest creature S. P. S. A wanton eye is the messenger of an vnchast hart Aug. Marcus Varro was surnamed Strabo for his quicke sight that from Libaeum a prouince in Sicilia he could tell the number of the saile of shippes vvhich came out of the Hauen of Carthage Hee that is borne blinde is wiser then the deafe or dumb Arist. Blindnes it selfe commends the excellency of sight Aug. The eyes are the iudges seat of the mind The eye is the most precious part of the body and therefore it is saide I vvill keepe thee as the apple of mine eye The eyes are the windowes of the body or rather of the soule which is lodged in it The sight is the chiefest sence and the first Mistresse that prouoked men forward to
The best reputed wit for quipping may be graueld by a wit more sharp though lesse esteemed One VVoolfe will not make warre against another neyther will one scoffer contend in scoffes willingly with another but when they doe it proues eyther fatall or witty He which is improuident whom he scoffes cannot but be mockt home vvith misaduenture There are more mockers then vvell meaners and more foolish quips then good precepts Mocking is an artificiall iniurie The fairest beauty may prooue faulty and the wittiest scoffe ridiculous It is better to play with eares then tongues for the one heares but the other bites It is better to haue an open enemie then a priuate scoffing friend It is better to be borne foolish then to imploy wit vnwisely The losse that is sustained with modestie is better then the gaine that is gotten with impudencie It is good to hold an asse by the bridle and a scoffing foole at his wits end To be accounted a noble mans iester is to be esteemed a mercinary foole Hee that makes an ordinary vse of scoffing shall neither be well thought of in his life nor finde happines at his death Qui pergit quae 〈…〉 t dicere quae non vult audiet Paruanecat morsu spatiosum vipera taurum Acane non magno saepe tenetur aper Of Phisicke Defi. Phisicke is that naturall Philosophie which tendeth to the knowledge of man and those causes which concerne the health and good estate of his body PHisicke is a continuall fountaine or spring of knowledge by vvhich vvee maintaine long life Hipocrates made certaine Phisitions sweare that they should not bewray the secret and hidden faults and euils The sicke man desireth not an eloquent Phisition but a skilfull Seneca VVee begin to be sicke as soone as wee be borne August The infirmity of the body is the sobriety of the minde Ambr. The strength of the body is the weakenes of the mind and the weakenes of the body the strength of the soule Hierom. All kindes of diseases are not in Phisitions bookes August Delicate fare is the mother of sicknes Phisicke rightly applyed is the repayre of health and the restitution of a weake or decayed nature Next vnto the glory of God vve ought to regard the profit of the Common wealth and then philosophy vvhich is phisicke nothing being more commodious Phisick being rightly vsed is an art to finde out the truth both of diuine humaine beginnings The scope of phisicke is to glorifie God in the workes of nature teaching men to lyue well and to helpe their neighbours A pratling Phisition is another disease to the sicke man Vnskilfull Phisitions flatter griefe til griefe become desperate The Orator doth not alwaies perswade nor the Phisition cure Arist. The temple of Aesculapius was in the olde time builded without the Citty To know the vse of phisick is sweete but to tast it is vnsauery It is requisite that hee be tormented vvith paine vvhich may and vvill not be eased by phisick Death holdeth a sword against our throats and phisicke a preseruatiue of health to our harts Death is most desired of them that bee miserable and phisicke most esteemed of them that be mighty The coÌ„forting of griefe is phisick to maintaine griefe They that be sound themselues are more ready in counsaile theÌ„ skilfull in knowledge to prescribe rules of phisick to the sick As a blind man cannot see the fault of anothers eyes so an vnskilfull Phisition cannot perceiue the defects of the body To take phisicke when the disease is desperate is to desire the Phisition to help to consume our substance Medicines be no meate to liue by The patient vnrulie maketh the Phisition more cruell The thiefe is commonly executed that killeth but one man and the Phisition scapeth that killeth a thousand Phisitions often-times doe vse vnder the showe of honey to giue theyr patients gall and by this meanes preserue theyr health vvhereas if they vvent plainly to worke the sicke vvould neuer take that vvhich vvere wholesome if not lothsome The number of Phisitions is in the increasing of diseases Great varietie of medicines dooth no good at all to a weake stomack Hipocrates aboue all other things recommendeth to a Phisition that hee should well aduise himselfe if in plagues ordinarie diseases hee found nothing which was diuine that is to say whether the hand of God were not the proper causes of the sicknesse of the party diseased Sicknes is not to be prouoked vvith phisick except the disease be most dangerous vehement Plato At thys day most of the Almaines and Zwitters refuse phisick and cure theyr diseases with good and spare dyet Some haue compared those vvhich vse often to take phisick to them vvhich driue the Burgesses out of the Cittie to place strangers in their roome It is recorded that the Romaines were sixe hundred yeeres together vvithout Phisitions Phisitions are happie men because the sunne makes manifest vvhat good successe soeuer happeneth in theyr cures and the earth buried what fault soeuer they committed Nicocles Aegri quia non omnes conualesâ—unt non id circo nulla medicina est Cic. Dat Galenus opes et Iustianus honores Ex alijs paleas ex istis colligegrana Of Paine Defi. Paine aduersitie or perturbations are but affections and inclinations which come froÌ„ our will corrupted by the prouocations allurements of the flesh and which wholly resist the diuine nature of the reasonable part of the soule fastening it to the bodie with the nayle of discontentment PAine is alwayes a companion of pleasure and danger the hand-mayde attending on delight To trouble a troubled man is to redouble his paine VVhere aduersities flow there loue ebbes but frendship standeth stedfast in all stormes Prosperity getteth friendes but aduersity trieth them Miserie is a malady that ought to haue no respect of medicine where necessity doth breede a sore foolish is that patient if hee make doubt to accept of any salue In paine and iudgement the qualitie vvith the quantitie must be considered It is lesse euill to suffer one then to resist many The greatest myserie that may be is to fall into vnknowne misery The vses of pleasure are set amongst sharpe pricking thornes of care and disquiet Misery can neuer be so bitter as eternall felicity is pleasant Erasmus Danger alwayes attendeth at the heeles of pride and ambition Aduersity quickneth our sleepy spirits by prosperity wee learne but ignorance but by aduersity we are taught knowledge Misery and life are two twinnes which increase are nourished liue together MenaÌ„ Hee cannot rightly iudge of pleasure that neuer tasted payne He deserueth not to possesse hys desire that is faint-harted in prosecuting his purpose As no fortune can dismay him that is of a couragious minde so no man is more wretched then hee that thinkes himselfe to bee vnfortunate In the time of calamity most men are more sory for that their enemies can speak of their distresse then for the paine
crazed shyp by drinking in of vvater not onely drowneth herselfe but all those that are in â—er so a Ruler by vsing viciousnes destroyeth not himselfe alone but all others besides that are vnder his gouernment As ignorant Gouernours bring their countrey into many inconueniences so such as are deuilishly politique vtterly ouerthrovv the state Themist As truth is the center of religion so contrary opinions founded on euill examples are the corruptions of this vvorld and the bringers in of Atheisme As it becommeth subiects to be obedient to theyr Soueraigne so it behooueth that the King be carefull for the commodity of his Common-weale Sigism As there is no deliberation good that hangeth on delay so no counsaiâ—e is profitable that is followed vnaduisedly As that kingdome is most strongest vvhere obedience is most nourished so the state is most dangerous where the souldiour is most negligently regarded As no Phisition is reputed good that healeth other and cannot heale himselfe so is he no good magistrate that coÌ„mandeth others to auoyde vices and will not shun euill himselfe M. Aurel. As honour consisteth in our knowledge ability to punish not in our power to enioy it with many perrils so pollicy dependeth as much on dissembling things vvee cannot remedy as releeuing them by daungerous leagues As mild aunswers reconcile displeasures so bitter â—ests when they taxe too neerely and too truly leaue a sharpe remembrance behind them As the greene leaues outvvardly sheweth that the tree is not dry inwardly so the good works openly testifie the zeale of the hart inwardly Like as a gouernour of a ship is not chosen for his riches but for his knowledge so shold the chiefe magistrate in euery Citty be chosen rather for his wisedome and godly zeale then for his wealth and great possessionâ—s As liberty maketh friends of enemies so pride maketh enemies of friends As the goodnes of vvise men continually amendeth so the malice of fooles euermore increaseth Pythag. As they vvhich cannot suffer the light of a candle can much vvorse abide the brightnes of the sunne so they that are troubled vvith smal trifles would be more amazed in waighty matters As fire cast into the water is quickly quenched so a false accusation against an honest life is soone extinguished As the canker eateth and destroyeth yron so dooth enuie eate and consume the harts of the enuious As the sauour of stinking carrion is noysom to them that smell it so is the speech of fooles tedious to wise-men that heare it Solon As the wicked malicious person is most hardy to commit greatest crimes so is hee most cruell and ready vvickedly to giue sentence against another for the same offence As men eate diuers thinges by morsells which if they should eate whole would choak them so by diuers dayes we suffer troubles which if they should all come together they would make an end of vs in one day As sinne is naturall the chastisement voluntary so oft the rigour of iustice to be temperate so that the ministers thereof should rather shewe compassion then vengeance whereby the trespassers should take occasion to amend their sinnes passed and not to reuenge the iniury present Hermes As the knowledge of God ought not to be vnperfect or doubtfull so prayer should not be faint or slacke without courage or quicknesse Though the VVood be taken from the fire and the embers quenched yet neuerthelesse the stones oftentimes remaine hote and burning so the flesh though it be chastised with hote and dry maladies or consumed by many yeeres in trauaile yet concupiscence abydeth still in the bones Antist In all naturall thinges nature is with verie little contented but the spirit and vnderstanding is not satisfied with many things As after great stormes the ayre is cleere so after the floods of repentant teares the conscience is at quiet Seruaunts when they sleepe feare not theyr maister and they that be bound forget theyr fetters in sleepe also vlcers and sores leaue smarting but superstition alone vexeth a man when he sleepeth As darnel springeth vp among good wheat and nettles among roses euen so enuy groweth vp among vertues Theopom As the leaues of a booke which is sildom vsed will cleaue fast together euen so the memorie waxeth dull if it be not oft quickned Like as an Adamant draweth by little and little the heauie yron vntill at last it be ioyned with it so vertue and vvisedome dravve mens minds to the practise thereof The man that bringeth an infirmed body to any kinde of voluptuous delight is lyke him which bringeth a broken shippe into the raging seas As a vessell cannot be knowne whether it be whole or broken vntill it haue liquor in it so can no man be knowne what hee is before he be in authoritie Isocrates They which goe to a banquet onely for the meates sake are like them vvhich goe onely to fill an emptie vessell As Phisitions with their bitter drugges doe mingle sweet spices that the sick patient may the more willingly receiue them so ought bitter rebukes to be mingled with gentle admonitions that the offender might be the better brought to amendement As it is great foolishnes to forsake the cleere fountaines and to drinke puddle vvater so it is great folly to leaue the sweete doctrine of the Euangelists and to study the dreames of mens imaginations As the body of man by nature is mortall lumpish heauie delighting in those things which are visible and temporall and alwayes of it selfe sinketh downward so the soule being of a celestiall nature violently enforceth her-selfe to flye vpwarde and with all her might striueth and wrastleth continuallie against the heauie burthen of the earthly body wherin she abideth despising those things which are mortall and onely desiring things permanent and immortall As sight is in the eye so is the minde in the soule Sophocles As desire is glad to embrace the first showe of comfort so is desire desirous of perfit assurance S. P. S. Vt ad cursum Equus ad arandum Bos ad indagandum canis Sic homo ad duas res intelligendum et agendum natus est quasi immortalis Deus Vt ager quamuis fertilis sine cultura fructuosus esse non potest sic sine doctrina animus Of Brauery Defi. Brauerie is a riâ—tous excesse eyther in apparrell or other ornament it is also a part of pride and contrarie to decencie and comlinesse EXcesse of brauery brings a man of much wealth quickly to pouerty Pride ioyned with many vertues choakes them all They that rather delight to decke their bodies then theyr soules seeme men rather created for theyr bodyes then theyr soules Excesse in vanity hath neuer end Theft or violent death euer waiteth at the heeles of excesse They neuer can be carefull to keep a meane in husbanding other mens wealth which are carelesse in bestowing theyr owne substance vpon excesse To spend much beyond power and hope much vpon promises make many men beggers which were
Hee reputing dauncing to be a kinde of franticknes Sybilla the prophetesse neuer yeelding any Oracle except possessed first with a surie The same noble King hearing that Sciâ—io vvas vvont to recreate himselfe with dauncing sayd that a dauncer dyd differ nothing from a madde man but onely in the length of time the one being mad so long as he liueth the other whilst he daunceth Alphon. VVhen the same King was reprooued that albeit hee had so much abhorred dauncing yet was seene openly dauncing at the entertainement of Fredericke the third in the company of the Emperour and Leonorâ— Augusta he aunswered that hee that daunced beeing prouoked by lasciuiousnes and wantonnesse was worthily to be esteemed a foole frantick but if it was done for honours sake hee escaped some part of reprehension because some-times it seemeth a decorum to be franticke and doate with great estates The Romaâ—nes Lace dâ—monians and other well ordered Common-weales banished out of their Countries all vaine pleasures and aboue all dauncing as seruing to none other vse but to effeminate young men and to allure them to vice No man daunceth except he be drunke or mad Tully The vertuous Matrons by dauncing haue oftentimes lost theyr honours which before they had long nourished and virgins by it learne that which they had beene better neuer to haue knowne Petrarch Tully finding fault vvith an enemie of his called him in derision a braue dauncer They which loue dancing too much seeme to haue more braines in their wit then theyr head and thinke to play the fooles with reason Terence A lamentable tune is the sweetest musick to a wosull minde S. P. S. Musick is the sweet meat of sorrow S. P. S. Men of auntient time haue named daunces allurings poysonings and inticements of sathan who by these meanes corrupteth vs. In the Sea of histories mention is made of an Archbishop of Magdebourg vvho broke his neck dauncing with a damâ—ell Hee daunceth vvell to vvhom Fortune pypeth The Egiptians Thratians and Scythians accounted dauncing amongst theyr holy ceremonies first appoynted by Orpheus and Museus who excelled in that kind The Romaines had certaine priests called Salij vvhich daunced in the honor of Mars The Grecians learned to daunce of Castor and Pollux and vsed to dispatch theyr businesse dauncing Socrates which vvas pronounced by the Oracle of Apollo to bee the vvisest man in all Greece was not ashamed in his olde age to learne to daunce extolling dauncing vvith wonderfull prayses Dauncing by an old auncient custom may be vsed so as a man in the exercise therof behaue himselfe modestly and not like vnto a madde man The Sirians before they met their enemies woulde sing Ballades and solace themselues with dauncing It is necessary that our footesteps be aswell ruled as our words ought to be God threatned the daughters of Syon for that they went winding and prauncing making theyr steps to be heard againe Apud antiquos tanto in precio habita est saltatio vt populi presides et antesignani presaltatorum nomine honorarentur Saltatio non ad pudicas sed ad adulteras pertinet Of Man Defi. Man is a creature made of God after his owne image iust holy good and right by nature and compounded of soule and bodie of soule which was inspired of God with spirit and life and of a perfect naturall body framed by the same power of God MAn was created to set forth the glory of his Creator and to speake and doe those things which are agreeable vnto him throgh the knowledge of his benefits Man is nothing but calamity it selfe Hero Mans nature is desirous of change A man may be without fault but not without sinne Aug. Man was wonderfully created but more wonderfully redeemed Aug. Man is the example of imbecillity pray of time sport of fortune and enuy the image of vnconstancy and the very seate of fleame choller and rewmes Plut. Townes Boroughs and Villages are the retreats of mans miseries full of noysomnes trauaile and fortune Solon A good man alwayes draweth good things out of the treasure of his hart and a vvicked man that which is wicked Chris. Man is so excellent a creature that all other creatures were ordained for his vse The duty of man consisteth in knowing of his ovvne nature in contemplating the deuine nature and in labour to profit others Man is onely a breath and a shadow and all men are naturally more inclined to euil then goodnes and in their actions as fraile and vnconstant as the shadow of smoke The end of mans knowledge is humilation and glory Bonauen Man wilfully minded depriueth himselfe of all happines Miseries haue power ouer man not man ouer miseries To the greatest men the greatest mischiefes are incident VVhatsoeuer chaunceth to one man may happen likewise to all men Man by nature keepeth no measure in his actions but is carried away through violence of his sundry affections No creature but man hath any knowledge of God He ceaseth to be a man which ceaseth to be prouident and leaueth the rules of reason Men at the beginning builded Townes for society and for safety but novv are vvildernesses safer then popularity Man hath no power ouer his lyfe but liues ignorant of the certaine time of his death euen as a beast only comforting himselfe with confidence To euery man belongeth two powers a desire and an opinion the first body bred leading to pleasure the other soule bredde leading to good things Cicero Opinion and desire hold in man great controuersies for when opinion is victor then he is sober discreet and chast but vvhen desire ouercommeth he is riotous vvilde and vnsatiate All men naturallie haue some loue and lyking of the truth The perfection of a vvise-man is to ioyne the actiue life vvith the contemplatiue in a certaine expectation of an immortall most blessed life All thinges are resolued into those thinges whereof they are compounded the body of man being earth shall returne to earth and the soule beeing immortall shall enter into immortality All men are by nature equal made all of the earth by one workman and howsoeuer vvâ— deceaue our selues as deere vnto God is the poore peasant as the mighty Prince Plato Misery then seemeth to bee ripe for man when he hath age to know misery S. P. S. The Philosophers knevv mans imperfections but could neuer attaine to knowe the true cause of them Nonne vides hominuÌ„ vt celsos ad sider a vultus Sustulerit Deus ac sublimia finxerit ora Cum pecudes volucrumque genus form asque feraruÌ„ Segnem atque abscaenaÌ„ passuÌ„ strauisset in aluum Homo non vt á matre sed vt á nouerca editus est in vitam corpore nudo et fragili animo infirmo ad molestias anxio humili ad timores molli ad labores ad libidines prauo in quo tamen in est tanquam obrutus diuinus ignis ingenij et mentis August Of Choyce Defi. Choyce doth belong vnto the
being at a banquet he â—as so mightilie assailed by Rats that neither â—is guard fire or water coulde preserue him â—rom them Lying in doctrine is most pernitious Hee that dare make a lye to his Father or â—eeketh meanes to deceiue him such a one â—uch more dareth be bolde to doe the lyke â— another bodie A lye is the more hatefull because it hath a similitude of truth Quintil. A lyar ought to haue a good memory least he be quickly found false in his tale Plinie It is a double lye for a man to beleeue himselfe Stobaeus All Idolatry hypocrisie superstition false waights false measures and all cousonages are called lying to the end that by so deformed a name wee should the rather eschewâ— them Homer vvriteth of the great valiant Captaine Achilles that hee did more abhorre lying then death Si qui ob emolumentum suum cupidius aliquiâ— dicere videntur ijs credere non conuenit Falsum maledictum est maleuolum mendaciâ— Of Dronkennes Defi. Dronkennesse is that vice which stirreâ— vp lust greefe anger and extremitie of louâ— and extinguisheth the memory opinion aâ— vnderstanding making a man twise a chilâ— and all by excesse of drinke and dronkenneâ— THe auncient Romaines would not suffâ—â— theyr wiues to drinke any wine The crafty wrastler wine distempereth the vvit weakens the feete and ouercommeth the vitall spirits Arist. VVine burnes vp beautie hastens age Excesse is the worke of sinne and dronkennesse the effect of ryot Solon Alexander beeing dronke slew his friende which in his sobernes he mightily lamented Those things which are hid in a sober mans hart is oft-times reuealed by the tongue of a dronkard VVhere dronkennesse is Mistres there secrecie beareth no maisterie VVine and women cause men to dote and many times putteth men of vnderstanding to reproofe The Vine bringeth forth three grapes the first of pleasure the second of dronkennesse the thyrd of sorrow Anacreon Phillip King of Macedon making warre vppon the Persians vnderstood that they were a people vvhich abounded in all manner of delicate vvines and other wastfull expences whereupon he presently retired hys Armie saying It was needlesse to make vvar vppon them who would shortly ouerthrowe themselues Dyonisius the Tyrant by ouer-much drinking lost his eye-sight Nothing maketh dronkennesse to bee more abhorred then the filthy and beastlie behauiour of those men whose stomackes are ouer-charged with excesse Steele is the glasse of beauty wine the glasse of the minde Eurip. A dronken-man like vnto an olde man is twise a chyld Plato Dronkennesse is nothing else but a voluntarie madnesse The first euill of dronkennesse is danger of chastitie Ambrose The Lacedemonians woulde often shewe theyr chyldren such as were dronke to the end they should learne to loath that vice Romulus made a Law that if a vvoman were found ouer-come vvith drinke shee should die for her offence supposing that thys vice was the beginning of dishonestie vvhoredome Calisthenes beeing vrged by one to drinke as others dyd at Alexanders feast answered that hee would not for sayth hee vvho so drinketh to Alexander had neede of Esculapius Meaning a Physition The Leopard as many write cannot bee so soone taken by any thing as by wine for being dronke he falleth into the toyles VVine according to the saying of a late VVriter hath drowned more men then the sea hath deuoured Ptholomie who in mockery was called Phylopater because he put to death both his Father and his mother through wine and women dyed like a beast Dronkennes is a monster with many heads as filthy talke fornication wrath murther swearing cursing and such like There are two kindes of dronkennesse one kinde aboue the Moone or a celestiall dronkennes stirred vp by drinking of heauenlie drinke which maketh vs onely to consider things diuine the reward of vertue is perpetuall dronkennes Musaeus Annother kinde of dronkennes is vnder the Moone that is to bee dronke with excesse of drinking which vice ought of all men to be carefully auoyded VVine is the bloode of the earth and the shame of such as abuse it VVine inflameth the lyuer rotteth the lunges dulleth the memory and breedeth all sicknesses The Nazarites abstained from drinking of any wine or strong drinke Arnutius a Romaine beeing dronke committed incest with his daughter Medullina VVine and youth is a double fire in a man Alexander after hee had conquered almost all the world was ouer-come himselfe vvith dronkennesse Quid non ebrietas designat oporta recludit Spes iubet esse ratas inpraelia prudit inermâ—m Sollicitis animis onus eximit addocet artes Faecundi calices quem non fecere disertum Contracta quem non inpaupertate solutum Of Gluttony Defi. Gluttony or surfeiting is the sworne enemie to Temperance daughter to excesse and immoderate appetite shee is healths bane humanities blemish lifes Cockatrice and the soules hell except mercy wipe out the remembrance of so great a guilt SVffise nature but surfeite not supply the bodyes neede but offend it not Moderate dyet is the vvise mans cognizaunce but surfeiting epicurisme a fooles chiefest glory To lyue well and frugally is to liue temperatly and shunne surfeiting for there is great difference betweene liuing well and lyuing sumptuously because the one proceedes of temperance frugalitie discipline and moderation of the soule contented with her ovvn riches and the other of intemperance lust contempt of all order and mediocritie but in the end the one is followed with shame the other with eternall prayse and commendation Plato It is not the vse of meate but the inordinate desire thereof ought to be blamed Aug. Continencie in meate drinke is the beginning and foundation of skill Socrat. VVe cannot vse our spirit well when our stomacks are stuffed with meate neyther must we gratifie the belly and entrailes only but the honest ioy of the mind Cic. The Hebrues vsed to eate but once a day which was at dinner and the Grecians in lyke manner had but one meale and that was at supper Plato beeing demaunded vvhether hee had seene any new or strange thing in Sicilia answered hee had founde a monster in nature that dyd eate twise a day meaning Dyonisius who first brought vp that custome in his Country Sobrietie retayneth that in a vvise mans thought vvhich a foole vvithout discretion hath in his mouth The belly is an vnthankfull beast neuer requiting the pleasure done it but craueth continually more then it needeth Crates VVhen we eate vvee must remember wee haue two guests to entertaine the body and the soule whatsoeuer the body hath departs away quickly but what the soule receiueth abideth for euer The wicked man liueth to eate and drinke but the good man eateth drinketh to liue Plut. A rich man may dine when hee list but a poore man when he can get meate Diog. The belly is the commaunding part of the body Homer It is a great fault for a man to be ignorant of the measure of his owne stomack Seneca
more worthie to be called vertuous theÌ„ noble or reuerend for that the one tytle descends together with dignitie and the other is the rewarde of the worke which wee vse So that it falls out in good experience that thys tytle of Vertue is of many men desired but of very few truly deserued Vertue maketh a stranger grow natural in a strange Country and vice maketh the naturall a stranger in his owne Country Vertue is health vice is sicknes Vertue is a stranger vppon earth but a cittizen in heauen Take away discretion and vertue will become vice Vertue is the beautie of the inward man Vertue laboureth lyke the sunne to lighten the world To forgyue is no lesse vertue in Princes when they bee offended then reuenge a vice in the common sort when they be wronged Vertue goes not by byrth nor discretion by yeres for there are old fooles yong counsellors It proceedeth of a more noble courage and vertue to conquer our owne vnlawfull affections then to gyue an onset vpon the Campe of an enemy Vertue is the Queene of labours Opinion the Mistresse of fooles Vanity the pryde of Nature and Contention the ouerthrowe of Families As by nature the Cedar will be tall the Diamond bright and the Carbuncle glistering so Vertue wil shine though it be neuer so much obscured Vertue maketh men on the earth famous in theyr graues glorious and in the heauens immortall Vertue is not obtayned in seeking strange countries but in amendement of old errors Vertue is more acceptable by howe much the more it is placed in a beautifull body Pythagoras compareth Vertue to the letter Y which is small at the foote broade at the head meaning that to attaine Vertue it is very paynfull but the possession thereof passing pleasant A good man though in appearance he seem needy yet by vertue he is rich Vertue is a thing that prepareth vs to immortality and makes vs equall with the heauens Socrates The first step to vertue is to loue vertue in another man Vertue while it suffereth ouercommeth Vertue cannot perfitly bee discerned without her contraryes nor absolutely perfect without aduersity Vertue is better and more certayne then any Art The actions of Vertue doe so much affect the beholder that he presently admireth theÌ„ and desireth to follow them A man endued with vertue merriteth more fauour then a man of much wealth Vertue maketh a man rich though hee be poore in worldly substance It is no lesse vertue to keepe thinges after they be gotten then to get them Vertue in generall is a Castle impregnable a Ryuer that needeth no rowing a Sea that moueth not a treasure endlesse an Army inuinsible a burthen supportable an euer-turning spye a signe deceitlesse a plaine way faile lesse a true guyde without guile a Balme that instantly cureth an eternall honour that neuer dyeth Mar. Aurelius Laudo factam de necessitate virtutem sed plus laudo illam quam elegit libertas non inducit necessitas Virtus medio iacet obruta caeno Nequitiae classes candida vela ferunt Of Peace Defi. Peace is the quiet and tranquility of kingdomes burying all seditions tumults vprores and factions and planting ease quietues and securitie with all other florishing ornaments of happinesse DEere and vnprofitable is the peace that is bought with guiltlesse blood They iustly deserue the sworde of VVarre which wilfully refuse the conditions of peace Peace florisheth where reason ruleth ioy raigneth where modesty directeth Peace is the end of warre honour the ioy of peace and good gouernment the grounde of them both As the lyuing members of the body vnited together maintaine lyfe and deuided hasten death so Cittizens in a Common-weale by their concord maintain the state but by their hatreds destroy it Concord in a Citty is lyke harmony in musicke Concord of many maketh one True peace is to haue peace with vertue and warre with vice Peace asketh no lesse wisedome to conserue it then valiantnes to obtaine it The colour of â—eace maketh the war more secure for who â—uspect least are soonest preuented The French samed for their incredible couetousnes haue often-times sâ—ld theyr country for brybes but â—ildom ratified their peace with honour Archidamia the Spartan Lady seeing her Countrey supprest by the couâ—tousnesse of the Magistrates and Pirrhus tryumphing in theyr myseries entred the Senate house with a naked sword in her hand and in the name of all the Ladyes chyd the hartlesse Lordes for suffering themselues to liue theyr Countrey beeing ouerthrowne and they lyke to loose theyr lybertie Pirrhus entering Sicily possessed with hope of some peace afterward surprised the countrey and inthralled the inhabitants thereof by tyranny Peace from the mouth of a Tyrant is oftener promised then performed The countenaunce declareth mans inclination to peace and the austeritie of Marius countenaunce being an Infant was ominous to Rome in his old age It is a poynt of godly wisedome to bee at peace with men at warre with vices To rule an estate is a heauie burthen but to vnder-goe peace is an easie carriage Concord maketh small thinges mightily to increase but discord maketh great things sodainly to decay To flye from peace which wee should earnestly pursue is to followe discord and our owne destruction That thing is more esteemed which is obtained by peacefull wordes then that which is gotten by forceable violence Nemo vires suas in pace cognoscit si enim bella desunt virtutum experimenta non prosunt Quas homini nouisse datuÌ„ est pax vna triuÌ„phis pax optima rerum Inuneris melior pax custodire salutem Et ciues aequare potens Sil. Ital. Of Truth Defi. Truth is that certaine and vnfallible vertue which bringeth foorth all goodnes reuealeth the creation of the worlde the power of our Creator the eternall crowne of blisse we hope for and the punishment allotted for our misdooings It is a vertue through which wee are inclined to speake no otherwise with our tongue then we thinke with our hart TRuth standes not vppon the tongues of men nor honour vppon the frownes of authoritie There is nothing so secretly hidden but time and truth will reueale it Truth seemeth somtimes at the first to bee very darke harde and displeasant but at the length it appeareth most bright louely and comfortable Plotinus Truth is the guide of all goodnes Truth may bee oft blamed but neuer shamed and vertue suppressed by slaunder will at last appeare without blemish The dissoluing of a doubt is the finding of the truth Truth is the law of all Arts. Truth hath two companions wisedom and constancie Truth is the messenger of God which euerie man ought to reuerence for the loue of her Maister Truth onely among all things is priuiledged in such wise that when the time seemeth to haue broken her wings then as immortall she taketh her force The purest Emerald shyneth brightest wheÌ„ it hath no foyle and truth delighteth most when it is apparailed
true perfit friendship A friend is in prosperity a plesure in aduersity a solace in griefe a comfort in ioy a mery companion and at all times a second selfe A friend is a precious iewell within whose bosome one may vnloade his sorrowes and vnfold his secrets As fire and heate are inseperable so are the harts of faithfull friends He that promiseth speedily and is long in performing is but a slack friend Like as a Phisition cureth a man secretly he not seeing it so should a good friend help his friend priuily when he knoweth not thereof The iniury done by a friend is much more greeuous then the wrongs wrought by an enemie Maintaine thy frends with benefits to make them more friendly and doe good to thine enemies that they through curtesie may become thy friends Friendship is giuen by nature for a helpe to vertue not for a companion of vices Friendship ought to resemble the loue betweene man and wife that is of two bodies to be made one will and affection The property of a true friend is to perform more then hee promiseth but the condition of a dissembler is to promise more then hee meaneth to performe Great proffers are meet to be vsed to strangers and good turnes to true friends If thou intend to proue thy friend stay not till neede and necessitie vrge thee least such triall be not onely vnprofitable and without fruite but also hurtfull and preiuditiall The opinion of vertue is the fountaine of friendship Fained friends resemble Crows that fly not but towards such places where there is something to be fed vpon Hee that seeketh after a swarme of friends commonly falleth into a wasps-nest of enemies Friendship often-times is better then consanguinity A friendly admonition is a speciall poynt of true friendship It is best to be praysed of those friends that will not spare to reprehend vs when wee are blame-worthy He that will not heare the admonition of a friend is worthy to feele the correction of a foe That friendship is of a brittle mould which a little table talke will cracke He which goeth about to cut off friendship doth euen as it were goe about to take the sunne from the world Cic. It is perfect and vnsained friendship to think one and the same thing Salust There is no more certaine token of true friendship then is consent and communicating of our cogitations one with another Cic. Vnitie is the essence of amitie There is nothing better the a bosom friend with whom a man may confer vpon the iniuries that happen vnto him A true friend wisheth his friend health with happines honour without enuie and affluence without necessitie Hee that hath no friend to comfort him in his necessity lyues like a man in the wildernesse subiect to euery beasts tyrannie Beleeue after tryall iudge before friendshyppe The fault which thou sufferest in thy frend thou committest in thy selfe Shew saithfulnes to thy friende and equitie to all men Protog No wise man vvill choose to lâ—ue vvithout friends although he haue plenty of worldlie wealth Though a wise man bee contented satisfied with himselfe yet wil he haue friends because he wil not be destitute of so great a vertue There be many men that want no friendes and yet lacke true friendship Neuer admit him for thy friende whom by force thou hast brought into subiection He is not meete to be admitted for a faythfull friend which is ready to enter amity with euery one Admit none to be thy friende except thou first know how hee hath dealt with his other friends before for looke how he hath serued them so will he likewise deale with thee The agreement of the wicked is easily vpon a small occasion broken but the friendship of the vertuous continueth for euer Her As mightie floods by howe much they are brought into small riuers by so much they loose of theyr strength so friendship cannot be amongst many without abating the force thereof The more friendship fauoureth of the lesse force it is but the fewer the more faithfull Be slowe to fall in friendship but when thou art in continue firme and constant Socrat. Illud amicitiae quondam venerabile nomen Prostat et in quaestu pro meretrice sedet Of Temperance Defi. Temperance is that light which driueth away round about her the darknesse and obscuritie of passions shee is of all the vertues most wholesome for she preserueth both publiquelie priuatly humaine societie she lifteth vp the soule miserably throwne downe in vice and restoreth her againe into her place it is also a mutuall consent of the parts of the soule causing all disorder and vnbrideled affections to take reason for a rule direction TEmperance is the quallifier of all disorder and commotions Temperance represseth vice nourisheth vertue Solon Temperance calleth a man back froÌ„ grosse effects and carnall appetites and letteth him not exceed neyther in foolish reioycing nor in vngodly sorrowing A young man vntemperate and full of carnall affections quickly turneth the body into age and feeble infirmities Anaxag Hee cannot commend temperance that delighteth in pleasure nor loue gouernment that lyketh ryot Constancie and temperance in our actions maketh vertue strong Men must eate to liue and not liue to eate He that respecteth vaine pleasure is immodest but he that regardeth profit is discreet In priuate families continence is to be praised in publique offices dignitie Intemperance is the fountaine of all our perturbations The moderation of the minde is the felicitie thereof Frugality is the badge of discretion ryot of intemperance He that is not puffed vp with prayse nor afflicted with aduersities nor moued by slaunders nor corrupted by benefits is fortunatly temperate Bias. He that fixeth his whole delight in pleasure can neuer be wise and temperate Temperance by forbearing to bee reuenged reconcileth our enemies and by good gouernment conquers them There is nothing in the worlde better then moderation for by it the assaults of the flesh are subdued and the fruits of good life are retayned Temperance is rich in most losses confident in all perrils prudent in all assaults and happy in it selfe It is not temperate which is accompanyed with a fearefull minde but that is true temperance where the hart hath courage to reuenge reason power to restraine the hart Trim not thy house with tables pictures but paynt it guild it with temperance the one vainely feedeth the eyes the other is an eternall ornament which cannot be defaced Epictetus Temperance is so called because it keepeth a meane in all those thinges which belong to the delighting of the body Arist. Temperance cryeth Ne quid nimis Solon The parts of Temperance are modestie shame fastnes abstinence continencie honestie moderation sparingnes and sobrietie As a man cannot be temperate if hee be not prudent so no man can be strong or valiant if he be not temperat Iustice may not bee without temperance because it is the chiefe poynt
which vlcerateth the skinne eateth the flesh to the very bones Darius when in flight hee had drunke puddle water polluted with dead carkasses hee said that hee neuer dranke any thing more pleasant the reason was because he alwayes before vsed to drinke ere he was a thirst Artaxâ—rxes when as in a certaine slight hee had nothing to feede on but drie figges and browne bread good God quoth hee vvhat plesant food haue I neuer tasted on till now Neque enim cereÌ„que fameÌ„que fata coire sinunt Cibi condimentum est fames potionis sitis Of Ruine Defi. Ruine is the ouerthrow or vtter subuertion of all manner of estates making glorious things inglorious and bringing well ordered shapes into a chaos or old deformity WHen Law-breakers are restored and iudgements cancelled then euery one knoweth that his ruine is at hand without any hope of safety Souldiours get fame by ruine honour by skars and praise by clemency Back falling or falling againe is alwayes the deadliest infortune Ouer the greatest beautie hangs the greatest ruine Credite must be sought through perrils renowne from dangers One vnlawfull pleasure begetteth a thousand lawfull destructions A little vvater cannot quench a great fire nor a little hope ease a great misery The best deserts are commonly ruin'd by worst neglects and ill rewardings Hee that hath not tasted misfortune hath tasted no fortune Hee that hath but one eye must feare to loose it he that hath but one vertue must die ere he ruine it He that sees another mans ruine must feare his owne misery VVhen ruine will forsake thee make him a golden bridge to passe on VVhen the hart is inuirond with oppression then the eares are shut vp from hearing of good counsaile The ruins of tyme are the monuments of mortality Disease is the prison of the body but ruine the prison of the spirit Ruine is the friend to solitarines foe to coÌ„pany and heire to desperation The greatest ruine of the body is nothing to the least ruine of the soule Ruind harts liue with teares in their eyes and die with mirth in their lookes Security puts away ruine and feare hinders gladnesse Hee that will be reputed valiant must let neyther chaunce nor griefe ruine him The study of vvisedome is the readiest ruine of griefe and vexation Many friends asswage many misfortunes The length of tyme repayres the ruines of fortune Counsaile in trouble giues small comfort when help is past remedy It is good for a man in the midst of prosperity to feare a ruine and in the midst of aduersity to hope for better succeedings Of all creatures man is the most apt to fal because beeing weakest hee vndertakes the greatest actions Prosperity is more hurtfull then aduersitie in that the one may be more easily borne theÌ„ the other forgotten Omnia sunt hominum tenui pendentia filo Et subito casu quae valuere ruunt Suis et ipsa Roma viribus ruit Of Fortune Defi. Fortune is nothing else but a fained deuice of mans spirit and a meere imagination without truth EXterior actions are tyed to the vvings of Fortune No man is so perfectly grounded in any degree of estate but that hee may be made subiect to chaunce and alteration of life To a man whom fortune doth not fauour diligence can little auaile Mar. Aur. Fortune hath no power ouer discretion Fortune is doubtfull and nothing on earth is certaine or assured He that turnes his wit after Fortune may repent his will at his iourneyes end To him that is fortunate euery Land is his Country Fortune guideth men in the rough sea but wisedome ruleth them in a strange Land Mortall creatures cannot resist that which the immortall Gods cannot redresse There can be no greater check to the pride of Fortune then with a resolute courage to passe ouer her crosses without care Fortune flyes and if shee touch pouertie it is with her heele rather dysdaining theyr vvants with a frowne then enuying theyr wealth with disparagement Fortune is so variable that she neuer staieth her vvheele or euer câ—aseth to be turning of the same Socra VVhen in the successe of worldly affayres fortune is contrary then little profiteth eyther force or policie Fortune sheweth her greatnesse when such as bee of small value are aduaunced to the possession of mightie things The gyfts of Fortune are transitory tyed to no time but the gifts of Nature are permanent and endure alwayes Smally aduantageth it that the minde bee generous and the body war-like if hee that taketh Armes be vnfortunate for that one howre of happy fortune is more worth then all the pollicies of warre Euery man is the worke-man of his ovvne fortune and fashioneth her according to hys manners Sâ—â—rat Fortune is the onely rebellious handmaide against vertues Plut. Fortune did neuer shew herselfe noble but vnto a minde that was generous noble Fortune is constant in nothing but vnconstancie Aurel. Fortune is like Ianus double faced as vvell full of smiles to comfort as of frownes to discourage Fortune euer fauours them that are most valiant and things the more hard the more haughtie Fortune is an accidentall cause and a consequence in those things which proceede from the counsaile of man The changes of fortune and end of life are alwayes vncertaine Pacunius Fortune delighteth not so much to keepe vnder the vanquished as to bridle and check the victors Fortune in no worldly things is more vncertaine then in warre A valiant man neuer looseth his reputation because fortune faileth him but because courage dieth in him No man is vnhappy but hee that esteemes himselfe vnhappy by the bace reputation of his courage There can be no man more vnhappy then he to whom aduersitie neuer happened In great perrils it is better that men submit themselues vnto reason then recommende themselues to Fortune To bee humble in the height of fortune stayes the deceit of her wheele in turning By the excessiâ—e gaine of welthy men Fortune was first made a Goddesse The higher that a man is in Fortunes fauor the neerer is he to his fall VVhen Fortune fawneth then shee comes to catch men Thou shalt sooner finde good fortune then keepe it Fortune is vnconstant and will quickly require againe what shee hath before bestowed vpon thee Thales Fortune is not fully pacified when she hath once reuenged Fortune is as brittle as the glasse vvhen she shineth then is she broken in peeces A thing is neuer well done if Fortune haue the doing thereof That is not thine own which Fortune hath giuen thee Socrates Fortune ruleth in feates of Armes victorie in warre is alwayes vncertaine Thou prouâ—â—est Fortune to anger when theu sayest thou art happy Fortune is to great men deceitfull to good men vnstable and to all that is high vnsure A happy man shall haue more Cosins and kinsfolke then euer he had friends eyther by his father or his mothers side Lampedo as Plinie writeth was iudged happie
for spight vvorke most iniustice for they bend theyr accusations against the mightiest persons Kings because they can doe most are in accusation the worst though they runne into ills by compulsion Great men too much graâ—st vse rigor and accuse humility of dulnes Minions too great in power accuse Kings too weake to rule Hee that accuseth himselfe is a iust man Chrisostom Good must not be drawne from Kings by force nor accusation by threats Fooles weepe when great men are accused as pittying the fall of honor Hee that accuseth himselfe and afterwards aunswereth not tempteth God August Generall calamity accuseth Princes of generall imbecility It is danger to accuse a wicked man Demo. VVhen great men are accused condemned guiltie vassailes are hopelesse and desperate No man may bee both the accuser and iudge Plut. Princes indangered seeke theyr peace by any meane priuate persons iniured seeke reuenge many times by false accusation The greatest wrongs that euer vvere effected were then performed when Princes feared to fall by surmize or accusation The accused is not guilty vntill he be conuicted Lactan. Leontius the Emperour after hee had put Iustinian to flight caused two of his tale-bearers to be burned Ex defendendo quam ex accusando vberior gloria comparatur Accusator nocere monitor prodesse reprehendendo studet Of Slaunder Defi. Slaunder is a part of enuie and euerie whit as vile and dangerous it is the superfluitie of a cankred hart which inraged with choller after an iniurie receaued or after some report thereof wanting other meanes of reuenge dooth with slaunderous and reprochfull speeches giue testimonie of his hate and malice FOule-mouthed detraction is his neighbours foe The nature of a slanderer is to call all things into question and to approue nothing VVe kill hurtfull Vipers if we spy them but we nourish slaunderers till they kill vs. Slaunder lying and flatterie are sworne companions together As Rats and Mise eate gnaw vpon other mens meat so the slaunderer eateth gnaweth vpon the life and flesh of other men A tale vnaptly told may be depraued He is a lothsome wretch worthy shame that vvrongs his louing friend behinde his backe He that hurteth his neighbour by his tong woundeth his owne soule by his words They that speake euill and slaunder the dead are like enuious dogges which bite and barke at stones Zeno. The corrupt hart breaketh out by the lewd tongue and such as speake euill by all men are monsters amongst good men VVhosoeuer vseth to listen much to misreport deserueth eyther to loose his hearing or his eares A common slaunderer striuing to bring other men into hate becoms odious himselfe Slaunder may blemish truth but truth will discouer slaunder Beleeue not euery report neyther be thou mooued by vaine suggestions least through light trust thou loose friends or vvhich is more bad be counted a foole There are three sorts of man-slayers they which kill they which hate and they which detract Itching eares doe swallow many wrongs Hee that trusteth to lewd tongues is eyther swolne with hate plagued vvith enuie consumed with thought endangerd by reuenge or lost in hope Nature hath giuen vs two eares two eyes and but one tongue to the ende wee should heare and see more then we speake Though the tongue be but a small member yet it many times doth more hurt then the whole body besides Pittichus A good tongue is the best member and an ill tongue is the vvorst member that a man may haue Keepe thy friend and keepe thy tongue for few words couereth much vvisedome and a foole being silent is thought wise Diuersitie of meates hurt digestion and changeablenes of reports beget slaunder Long promises are figures of crueltie and large slaunders the signes of great enuie The armes of Princes stretch farre but the scandall of report endureth from generation to generation Slaunder offends the liuing gnawes vppon the dead The slanderer doth euer vniustly accuse ought to be punished in the same sort as the party accused should haue beene if the accusation had been found true Slaunderers in auntient time haue beene marked in the fore-head with a hote yron The slanderer is compared vnto him which bloweth the powder that flasheth into hys owne eyes and hindereth his seeing Greg. Detraction is the poyson of frendship Aug. Patience is tryed by detraction Apelles after he had escaped a false slaunder hee thus by his Art described her in a table painted Hee pictured a Iudge with the eares of an Asse hauing on the one side two Ladies Ignorance and Suspition before him false Accusation with a countenance full of furie holding in the left hande a burning torch with his right hand pulling a young man by the haire who lifted vp his eyes and hands to heauen neere vnto him was a man looking pale earthly and a squint which was Enuy two damsels folowed false Accusation named Treason and Deceit behind whom stood a Lady wayling and mourning called Repentance which fastened her eyes vpon a very fayre Lady called Truth declaring by this that vvee ought not lightly to beleeue euery accusation slaunder that is brought vnto vs. Aut in infamia vulneribus aut morte desinit calumnia Detractor vno verbo tres simul iugulat homines seipsum aâ—scâ—ltantem et eum cui detrahit Of Scoffing Defi. Quips or scoffes are deprauings from the actions of other men they are the ouerflowings of wit and the superfluous skummes of conceits TO play the scoffing foole well is a signe of some wit but no wisedome All kinde of mockery ought to be shunned which is a reproch couered with some fault and which accustometh the mocker to raile and lye and mooueth more then an iniurie when it proceedeth from a will to outrage a malice without necessity An Adder keeps his venome in his taile but the poyson of a scoffer is in his tongue VVhat is sweet in the mouth is bitter in the stomack and scoffes pleasant in the eare are harsh to the best vnderstanding Tis too late to preuent ill after ill committed or to amend vvrong after indignitie receaued A fault wilfully committed by scoffing can not be amended by repentance Hee that mocks a vvise man with flatterie mocks himselfe with insufficiencie Scoffes haue no reward but disdaine nor prayse but ill imployment To haunt the company of scoffers is to be stained with scoffes Scoffes without feare proceed of folly To mocke the man which loues vs is monstrous villany Good and euill follow one another so doe scoffes and hatefull estimation It is a good horse that is not subiect to stuÌ„bling and hee is a happy man that lyues free from idle tongues The least man can doe some hurt and the obscurest tongue can disparage He which most scoffeth shall be most scoffed at for his reward To iest is tollerable but to doe harme by iests is insufferable Tis better to doe well then speake well but easier to reprehend then to amend
increaseth and preserueth it selfe by a naturall facultie NAture in despight of Tyme will frowne at abuse Nature hath a certaine predominant power ouer the minde of man The man that lyueth obedient to nature can neuer hurt himselfe thereby Actions wrought against nature reape despight and thoughts aboue nature disdaine As Art is a helpe to nature so is experience the triall and perfection of Art As nature hath gâ—uen beautie and vertue giuen courage so nature yeeldeth death and vertue yeeldeth honour It is an old plague in mans nature that many men for the most part leaue the amendement of theyr liues farre behind them to sette theyr honors the more before them Nature is aboue Art in the ignorant and vertue aboue all thinges is esteemed of the vvise It is hard to straighten that by Art which is made crooked by nature Perian Nature is pleased in the eye reason in the minde but vertue in them both Consider what nature requires not howmuch affection desires That which is bredde in the bone vvill neuer out of the flesh and vvhat nature hath made Art cannot cure Nature guideth beastes but reason ruleth the harts of men VVhere in one man doe meete incertaintie of affection and malice of nature there is no other hope in him then distrust periurie words and reuenge Such as lyue according to nature are neuer poore and according to the opinion of men they are neuer rich because nature contenteth herselfe opinion doth infinitly couet Phillip King Alexanders Father falling vpon the sands and seeing there the marke print of his body sayd how little a plot of ground is nature content with and yet we couet the whole world The God vvhich is God of nature dooth neuer teach vnnaturalnesse S. P. S. Nature is higher prised then wealth and the loue of our Parents ought to be more precious then dignitie Fyre cannot be hid in the straw nor the nature of man so concealed but at the last it wil haue his course In nature nothing is superfluous Arist. Cineus the Phylosopher was of thys opinion that when the Gods framed Nature they went beyond theyr skill in that quoth hee the maker was subiect to the thing made VVhere nature is vicious by learning it is amended and where it is vertuous by skyll it is augmented There is no greater bonde then duty nor straighter Lawe then nature and where nature inforceth obedience there to resist is to striue against God Better is seueritie in nature then contempt in nature Liberall Sciences are most meet for liberall men and good Arts for good natures Nature without learning and good bringing vp is a blinde guide learning without nature wanteth much and vse vvithout the two former is vnperfit Nature beeing alwayes in a perpetuall motion desireth to be driuen to the better part or else shee suffereth herselfe to bee wayghed downe as a ballance to the worser Nature is our best guide whom if we folow we shall neuer goe astray Arist. Nature friendly sheweth vs by many signes what shee would what she seeketh and what she desireth but man by some strange mean waxeth deafe and will not heare what shee gently counsaileth Nature is a certaine strength and power put into things created by God who gyueth to each thing that which belongeth vnto it To striue against nature is lyke the monstrous broode of the earth to make warre against the Gods in heauen Quod satiare potest diues natura ministrat Quod docet infraenis gloria fine caret Hoc generi hominum natura datum vt qua infamilia laus aliqua forté floruerit hanc feré qui sunt eius stirpis quod sermo hominum ad memoriam patrum virtute celebretur cupidissimé persequantur Of Lyfe Defi. Life which we commonly call the breath of this worlde is a perpetuall battaile and a sharpe skirmish wherein wee are one while hurt with enuie another while with ambition and by and by with some other vice besides the suddaine onsets giuen vppon our bodies by a thousand sorts of diseases and floods of aduersities vpon our spirits LIfe is a pilgrimage a shadowe of ioy a glasse of infirmitie and the perfect path-way to death All mortall men suffer corruption in theyr soules through vice and in theyr bodyes through wormes Mans life is more brittle then glasse It is a miserable life where friendes are feared and enemies nothing mistrusted VVhose death men doe wish his lyfe they alwayes hate It is better not to lyue then not to knowe how to lyue Salust It is hard for a man to liue vvell but verie easie to die ill In lyfe there is time left to speake of the incombrances of fancie but after death no possible meanes to redresse endlesse calamitie If a good man desire to lyue it is for the great desire he hath to doe good but if the euill desire to lyue it is for that they woulde abuse the world longer The chyldren of vanitie call no time good but that wherein they liue according to their owne desire doe nothing but follow theyr owne filthie lusts Mans lyfe is like lyghtning which is but a flash and the longest date of yeeres is but a bauens blaze Men can neither inlarge their lyues as they desire nor shunne that death which they abhorre Menan A detestable life remoueth all merrit of honourable buriall It is better to lyue in meane degree then in high disdaine By lyfe grovveth continuance and by death all things take end Life and death are in the power of the tong The man that desireth life feareth death ought carefully to gouerne his tongue Life is short yet sweet Euripides Life to a wretched man is long but to him that is happy very short Menander Mans life is a warfare Seneca The mortall life which we inioy is the hope of life immortall Aug. An vndefiled life is the reward of age Aug. No man is so old but thinketh he may yet liue an other yeare Hierom. The breath that maintaineth life endeth it A good lyfe is the readiest vvay to a good name Aurel. Better it is to be carefull to liue vvell then desirous to liue long A long lyfe hath commonly long cares annexed with it Most men in these dayes wil haue precepts to be ruled by theyr lyfe and not theyr lyfe to be gouernd by precepts Mans life ought to be lyke vnto an image that hath euery part persit in it Our lyfe ought not to depend vppon one onely hope no more then a shyppe is to be stayed with one anker Fooles vvhen they hate theyr life will yet desire to liue for the feare vvhich they haue of death Crates Mans life is lent him for a time and he that gaue it may iustly demaund it when he will They liue very ill vvho alwayes thinke to liue To a man in misery lyfe seemeth too long but to a worldly minded man liuing at pleasure life seemeth too short Chilo VVhat a shame is it for men
Saint Augustine reproueth Varro Pontifex Scaeuola vvho were of opinion that it vvas very expedient men shoulde bee deceiued in Religion because that there is no felicitie or certaine rest but in the ful assurance thereof and in an infallible truth without diuinitie and the doctrine of GOD none can take any principle at all in the discipline of manners Polybius vvriteth that nothing so much aduaunced the Romaines as theyr Religion albeit it were not pure The VVorde is a medicine to a troubled spirit but being falsely taught it prooueth a poyson Bern. Religion is like a square or ballance it is the canon and rule to liue well by and the very touch-stone vvhich discerneth truth from falshood The auncient Fathers haue gyuen three principall markes by which the true Religion is known first that it serueth the true God secondly that it serueth him according to his VVord thirdly that it reconcileth that man vnto him which followeth it The true worshyppe of God consisteth in spyrit and truth Chrisost. VVhere religion is Armes may easily bee brought but where Armes are without religion religion may hardly be brought in There can bee no surer signe of the ruine of a kingdome then contempt of religion There can bee no true Religion vvhere the word of God is wanting Those men are truly religious which refuse the vain transitory pleasures of the world and wholy sette theyr mindes on diuine meditations Hee which is negligent and ignorant in the seruice of his Creator can neuer be careful in any good cause Religion doth linke and vnite vs together to serue with willingnes one God almighty It is the guide of all other vertues and they who doe not exercise themselues therein to withstand all false opinions are like those souldiers which goe to warre vvithout weapons The Romaines allowed the seruice of all Gods and to that end builded a Temple to all Gods called Pantheon yet woulde they neuer receiue the true God to wit Iehouah the Lord God of the Hebrues The principall seruice of God consisteth in true obedience which the prophets call a spirituall chastitie not to swarue there-from nor to thinke that whatsoeuer wee find good in our owne eyes pleaseth him The knowledge of true religion humilitie and patience entertaineth concord August If men dyd knowe the truth and the happinesse which followeth true religion the voluptuous man woulde there seeke his pleasures the couetous man his wealth the ambitious man his glory sith it is the onely meane which can fill the hart and satisfie theyr desire it serueth vs also for a guide to leade vnto God whereas the contrary dooth cleane with-hold vs from him No creature is capable of religion but onelie man Basil. The first precept that Socrates gaue to the Prince Demonicus was Tima ton Theon feare God The first law that should bee giuen to men should be the increase of religion and pietie The chiefest oath that the Athenians tooke was this In defending religion both alone with others will I fight against my foes The auncient Romaines through the instinct of Nature dyd so reuerently thinke of Religion that the most noble men of Rome sent theyr sonnes into Hetrurio to learne the manner of seruing God It is a very hard matter to change religion VVhere no religion resteth there can be no vertue abiding August True Religion is to be learned by fayth not by reason Religion is in truth not in falshood Religion is the stay of the weake the Mayster of the ignorant the phylosophie of the simple the oratory of the deuout the remedie of sinne the counsaile of the iust and the comfort of the troubled Pure religion vndefiled before God the Father is thys to visite the fatherlesse and widdowes in theyr aduersity and for a man to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world Philosophia pernosci non potest siue Christiana veraque religione quam prelucentem si tollis fateor ecce et clamo ludibrium illa vanitas delirium Oportet principem anté omnia esse deicolam Country or Commonweale Defi. Our Country is the region or clime vnder which we are borne the Common mother of vs all which wee ought to holde so deere that in the defence thereof wee should not feare to hazard our liues THere can bee no affinitie neerer then our Countrey Plate Men are not borne for themselues but for theyr Countrey parents kindred friends Cicero There is nothing more to be desired nor any thing ought to bee more deere to vs then the loue of our Country Children parents friendes are neere to vs but our Country challengeth a greater loue for whose preseruation wee ought to appose our liues to the greatest dangers It is not enough once to haue loued thy Country but to continue it to the end Plut. VVhere soeuer wee may liue well there is our Country The remembrance of our Country is most sweet Liuius To some men there country is their shame and some are the shame of theyr country Let no man boast that he is the Cittizen of a great Citty but that he is worthy of an honourable Country Arist. VVe ought so to behaue ourselues towards our Country vnthankful as to a mother The profit of the country extendeth it selfe to euery Citty of the same Stobaeus Our Country saith Cicero affoordeth large fields for euery one to runne to honor So deere was the loue of his Country to Vlisses the he preferred his natiue soyle Ithaca before immortality Our country first challengeth vs by nature The whole world is a wisemans country Necessity compelleth euery man to loue his country Eurip. The loue which we beare to our country is not pietie as some suppose but charity for there is no pietie but that which we beare to God and our Parents Many loue theyr Countrey not for it selfe but for that which they possesse in it Sweet is that death and honourable which we suffer for our Country Horace If it be asked to whom we are most engaged and owe most duty our Countrey and parents are they that may iustly challenge it The life which we owe to death is made euerlasting beeing lost in the defence of our Countrey Giue that to thy country which she asketh for nature will constraine thee to yeeld it Happy is that death which beeing due to nature is bestowed vpon our Country Happy is that common-wealth where the people doe feare the law as a tyrant Plato A cōmon-wealth consisteth of two things reward and punishment Solon As the body without members so is the common-wealth without lawes Cicero Peace in a common-wealth is like harmony in musick Aug. Men of desert are least esteemed of in their owne Country Erasmus Coriolanus beare vnkinde Armes against his Countrey Plut. Nascia was most woorthily renowned for the defence of his Country Appian Q. Mutius Scaeuola Curtius deserued euerlasting memory for louing their country Nescio qua natale solum dulcedine cunctos Allicit et memores non sinit
Empedocles because he could not learne the cause of the burning Aetna leapt into it Aristotle for that hee could not giue the reason for Euripus flowing drovvned himselfe As he which without licence breaketh a prison procureth his owne death so in the world to come shall hee be perpetually punished which contraâ—y to the will of God will set the soule at liberty Plato Vincitur haud gratis iugulo qui prouocat hostem Qui nil potest sperare desperet nihil Of Deuils Defi. Deuils are our temptours to sinne blasphemie and all other euills they that standing in feare of God take pleasure in that which displeaseth him THe deuill labours to deceaue men and greatly enuies that any should be saued The deuill was the first author of lying the first beginner of all subtile deceites and the cheefe delighter in all sinne and wickednes Philo. Diuers spirits were wont to deceaue people eyther by misleading them in theyr iourneyes or murdering them in theyr sleepes Psellus The more the deuills increase in theyr boldnes the more increaseth theyr punishment The deuils not able to oppresse GOD in himselfe assault him in his members Aug. The deuill intangleth youth with beautie the Vsurer with golde the ambitious vvith smooth lookes the learned by false doctrine The deuills oft-times spake truth in Oracles to the intent they might shadowe theyr falseshoods the more cunningly Lactan. The deuill vvith false miracles beguileth the world The deuills as being immortall spirits and exercised in much knowledge seeme to worke many thinges which in truth are no miracles but meere works of nature All the great power of deuills proceedeth from the iust indignation of God vvho by such whyps chastiseth the wicked and exerciseth the good The deuils haue diuers effects the one troubleth the spirit the other molesteth the body some insinuate steale into our harts where depraued desires are ingendered or els into our vnderstanding to hinder the vse and office of reason The power of God and not the deuill is to be feared Greg. The inuisible enemy is ouer-come by faith The deuils haue will to hurt but they want power Augustine The deuill is ouer-come by humilitie The deuill is strong against those that entertaine him but weake against those that resist him Aug. From euill spirits proceedeth Art-magick whereby the slauish practisers of that damnable Art by many false miracles deceiue the simple and confound themselues God many times suffereth the deuill to tempt the godly that by temptation theyr fayth might be tryed He that giueth his word to the deuill breaketh his bond with God Luther The deuill temptation and sinne vvere the occasions of mans fall He that makes a God of the world and vanitie is a deuill in the fight of heauen wisedome The harts of the rebrobate containe as many deuils as vnchast thoughts Greg. The deuill is to some a Lyon to some an Ant. Gregory The deuill ceaseth to tempt them whom he hath already wonne The worlde the flesh and the deuill are three powerfull enemies to prouoke men to wickednesse The deuill is the Father of lies the chiefe author of all deceit The deuil tempteth the righteous one way and the wicked another way Greg. The deuill presents before vs many vaine delights to the intent hee might the better keepe our minds from godly meditation VVhat sinne soeuer hath beene by man at any time committed was first by the deuill inuented The deuill first accuseth vs of our euill words next of our euill works lastly of our euill thoughts Greg. Vt cum princeps vult hospitari in aliquo domo praemittit nuncium et vbi ille recipitur ibi descendit Dominus sic diabolus praemittit malas cogitationes vt ei preparent hospitium vt vbi recipiuntur illuc declinat Christus Leo dicitur propter fortitudinem Agnus propter innocentiam Leo quod inuictus Agnus quia mansuâ—tus Ipse Agnus occisus vicit Leonem qui circuit quaerens quem deuoret diabolus leo dictus feritate non virtute Of Hell Defi. Hell is in all things contrary to heauen it is a place of torment misery and desolation where the wicked shall endure the endlesse iudgement of paine for their offences ZEno the stoick taught that the places of the reprobate were seperate from the righteous the one beeing pleasant delectable the other darksome and damnable Hell is the hold of horror distresse and misery the Cell of torment griefe and vexation The losse of heauen is to the damned more grieuous then the torments of hell Chriso Hell is the land of darknes Greg. In hell all torments are not alike Aug. VVoe be to him that by experience knoweth there is a hell Chrisost. Hell is in the center of the earth remote from all comforts replenished with endlesse horror where desolation raigneth no redemption may be expected Hel is the place of punishment which God hath reserued for the reprobates In hell is no order but a heape and Chaos of confusion The wretches in hell haue an end without end a death without death a defect without defect for theyr death liueth continuallie the end beginneth alwayes the defect can neuer faile Eternall death is the reward of sinne the plague of sinne hell and damnation Hell is euery where where heauen is not The torture of a bad conscience is the hell of a lyuing soule Caluine Good men haue theyr hell in thys worlde that they may knowe there is a heauen after death to reward the vertuous and vvicked men escape torments in this worlde because they shal finde there is a iudgement to come wherein the wicked shall haue punishment according to the number of theyr offences Lactan. They that beleeue in Christ haue alreadie ouer-come sinne and hell To them that are enamored of the worlde the remembrance of hell is bitter The image of our sinnes represent vnto vs the picture of hell Hell like death is most incertaine a place of punishment most assured Hell that is knowne no where is euerie where and though now neuer so priuate yet in the end it will be most publique Hell is compared to the Laborinth vvhich Dedalus made whose entrance is easie but beeing once in it is not possible to rerurne If thy minde bee not mooued with the fire of heauen take heede least thy soule feele the flames of hell Infernus lacâ—s est sine mensura profunditas sine fundo plenus ardoris incomparabilis plenus faetoris intolerabilis ibi miseriae ibi tenebrae ibi horror aeternus ibi nulla spes boni nulla desperatio mali Noctes atque dies patet atri ianua Ditis FINIS A Table of all the principall matters contayned in the former Treatise A. A Boundance 2. vide riches Absence 124 62 Abstinence vide Temperance Acts 125 94 Actions 4 6 42 91 103 113 182 228. Action 48 92. Accusation 153 Admonition 17 41. 64. Admiration 52 48 168 Aduise vide Counsell Aduersity 6 114 vide