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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	advance_v	excellent_a	great_a	32	3	2.1265	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08566	The fiue bookes of the famous, learned, and eloquent man, Hieronimus Osorius, contayninge a discourse of ciuill, and Christian nobilitie A worke no lesse pleasaunt then profitable for all, but especiallye the noble gentlemen of England, to vievv their liues, their estates, and conditions in. Translated out of Latine into Englishe by VVilliam Blandie late of the Vniuersitie of Oxeford, and novv fellovv of the middle Temple in London.; De nobilitate civili et christiana. English	Osório, Jerónimo, 1506-1580.; Blandie, William.	1576 (1576)	STC 18886; ESTC S113632	145,792	234

at the first a great and glorious shewe yet doth it not reach vnto that absolute perfection of vertue that wee woulde gladlye attaine but wholye consisteth in the practise of Policie rather by the opinion of men vpholdē aduaūced then set forth through the true cleare and diuine light of perfect holines I haue thought good the grounde and beginninge thereof more deepely considered by diligent studye to search and trace out what is the full force and nature of true and perfect vertue that that beinge considered and manifestly knowen we might euidently beholde the figure and image of that noblenes whose substaunce is pure whose qualities perfite whose figure most delicate and excéedinge beautifull For séeinge that noblenes of birth procéedeth from vertue it standeth with good reason that we should take those to be the worthiest and noblest houses which hath spronge of that cōstācie inuiolate godlines which is not through vaine pompe and glorious ostentation ratified but through sinceritye of good life and vpholdinge iustice generally allowed and confirmed In this worke therefore distinguishinge that vertue which consisteth in opinion from that which is true and perfect wee purpose verily to describe the excellent qualities of that nobility which by the benefit and ordinaunce of Almighty God is geuen to them that professe Christianity But forasmuch as vertue in his right nature may not be knowen except it be fully agréed vppon what is that soueraigne good and chiefe felicity whereunto duringe our liues we direct all our deuises and dooinges forasmutch as vertue is nothinge els but a redie way guidinge vs to the chiefest and perfectest ende of all those thinges which possibly we can in mans life desire therefore whereas the last ende must bée knowen before we may vnderstande what vertue is first of all we w●ll endeuour to declare what is that last ende purposed to man vnto the which we are by nature ordeined and from whence all honour and dignity hath flowen and wherein chiefly is put the state of mans felicity For we cannot so mutch as by imagination seclude nobility from vertue and excepte vertue worcke to some good end and purpose it ought not to be called properly by that name It remaineth therefore that without the knowledge of mans felicity no kinde of nobility can in any wise be founde or perceiued Furthermore whereas it is the property of a Noble minde and excellent nature to clime higher and to aduaunce his minde to the beholdinge of thinges in Heauen and not regarde the vayne shéewe of transitory pleasures it is apparant that he is most noble worthiest of honour which desireth some one thing most principall and excellent Therefore I am determined in this first booke to declare what felicity is also to tret of the estate dignity of mā lastly of his decay fall great misery that by this meās I may haue occasiō to declare vnto what dignity worthines hee is restored what honour through Christianitie he hath attained But now I am instātly to besech you most renoumed Prince that you wil tēder these my doings with like gentlenes and clemencie as you haue alwaye most gratiously fauoured such which haue born towards you a faithful loial hart For I shall think my labour wel sufficiently rewarded if I may vnderstand that this my good will was vnto you acceptable offered in dilatyng this kynde of argument VVHerfore that wee maye repete this matter from the beginninge it is manifest that all menne hathe fyxed before their eies some certayne marke or end vnto which they direct their doinges whatsoeuer is intēded in this lyfe And al men with one voyce call this laste end a life blessed florishinge and happye deuoyde of all kynde of miserie and abounding with all kynde of felicity But wher in this felicitye consisteth there hath bene alwaies among mortall men a verye greate and a continuall dissention in so muche the most part of mē hath not accorded in one opynion For suche as euery mans Phantasie is suche an opynyon touchinge the chiefest and soueraigne good dothe he embrace For at the beginninge they that gaue themselues ouer wholy to carnall and sensuall delightes nether coulde withe their eyes beholde the moste excellente parte of theymselues they eyther in riches or lustefull pleasures ▪ supposed that last desired ende of man to be reposed For some of them did verely think that in aboundance of all external commodities felicitye was conteined and those commodityes which onelye their vnderstāding was able to reach vnto by store of welth they saw procured Some other when they were not able to conceyue any greater delight then that which with a sweete pleasure moueth the sences supposed felicitie to be replete with all kynde of ioye and pleasure and therfore did with all earnest endeuoure seke to embrace the pleasure of the body But they which were afflicted with any greuous calamity eyther tormented and shaken with an incurable maladie of the body or weer vehementlye oppressed wyth aduerse fortune suche placed the whole perfection of blesed lyfe and chiefe happines in the sound and perfect health of the bodye and in suche meanes as coulde ridde and dispache them from all such distresse and misery But the intollerable errour and exceedinge folly of suche semeth rather with banninges and curses then with woordes and argumentes to be refelled as a thing more woorthy of cōdemnation then confutation For who seeth not their furious madnes who sith we consist of body and soule onely make accoūpt of one part of themselus and that truely which is in nature farre inferior to the other that which is common to vs with brute and sauage beastes But the other parte they do neglecte which is euerlastinge and hath in it imprinted the figure and true Charecter of the diuine nature Agayne other there are that wee leaue this abiecte and vile kynde of people who beeyng endued wyth more vnderstandinge and conceiuinge muche more of the woorkes of nature dooe couet wyth all care and industry to atchiue to the titles of honour and dygnyty for there is by nature ingendred in vs a certayne sparcle of excellencie and noble courage kindling in vs a desire of honoure and principality whiche in those men that are of a princely mynde doth most euidently appeare and shew it selfe And yet these in this one poynt are muche deceiued and greatly misse the mark for they frame theyr life accordinge to the opinion of the vnlearned people and repose the chiefe poynt of true praise and commendation on the vain brute and estimation of the foolish and rascall multitude Lastly they are greatly to be reproued for that they desire preheminence and auctority as the last reward of al their lyfe For that laste and soueraigne good wherunto wee should directe all our actes ought to be constante certain permanēt not variable britle of smal continuance neither suche as the common people shall determine or cōfirme by their sottish reason

Greeke that Vngi in latine whyche in oure tonge is to bee annoynted THere was in tyme past an oyntment of greate holines and vertue white wonderfull solemne ceremonyes made wherwith they that were ordeined Pryestes Princes and Prophets were wont to be annointed And that it was lawfull for no man to enter into priesthode eyther to take vppon him the maiesty and aucthority of a Kinge except he were anoynted with this holye oyntment it is a thinge more commonly known then that itne deth by any man more amply to be discoursed And how Prophets should haue the same poured vpō them it appeareth by the histories of kinges For ther God commaunded Elias to annoynt Ahael and Iehu and to create one king of Siria the other of Samaria Further he addeth Thou shalt anoynt Helizeus the sōne of Saphat and appoynt him a Prophet in thy roome It was not therefore at that time lawfull neyther to execute the office and dutye of a kinge nor to enter into holy orders of Pryesthode nor for Prophettes sometimes by diuine inspiration to foretel things to come or to enterprete any difficulte or secrete misterye except they had beene before with this oyle anoynted and consecrated Not truely because there was that vertue in Cassia or Cinamome or other sweet odoures tempered with oyle that without them wee should thinke no man able to attayne honour and soueragnetye But no doubte ther was another kynd of oyle secret and spyrituall wher of this compounde deuised by Moses was but a shadowe and outwarde signe without whiche no man could as his estate required gouern a kingdome no man vncorruptly exercise the most holy functiō of Priesthode no mā through the diuine spirite of Prophesie foretel things to come For no other thinge is this kynde of oyle but the ayde and assistance of the holy spyrite alwayes at hand and a heauenly gift by Gods gratious goodnes bestowed vpon pure and vndefyled myndes by the power whereof many abydinge here in earth haue after a sort obteyned the estate and condicion of heauenly wightes This is that oynment wherewith Christe was washed from top to toe as it is written The spirite of God resteth vppon me for that he hath anoynted me But Daniell doth not onelye Prophecye of the annoyntinge but sheweth that it is limitted within the space of iii. score and x weekes within which tyme it should come to passe that the stayne of sinne should be cleane washed away and the gilte of impyetye satisfied and the chefe of thē which are called holy should be annoynted not with any such oyle wherwith the bodye mought be for a shorte tyme through the swete smell and pleasant sauoure delighted but whereof the soule should receiue endles comforte euerlasting ioye and pleasure Which is more plainly in another place declared in this wise Whō God hath anoynted saieth hee with the holy ghost and vertue And whereas al those functions which haue bene of olde time in some signe signifyed bestowed on diuers men were after a most excellente order and all at ones to be bestowed on Christ For his euerlastinge kingdom his most high priesthode was by diuine oracles foretoulde and he was called many hundred yeares afore the excellent Prophet seyng therfore he was after a wonderfull order to bee magnified with all glory and to be aduaunced aboue all men to the higheste estate of honoure meete it was that aboue all other partakers of the same inheritance and glory he shoulde be annoynted As it is wrytten in the boke of Psalmes Thovv hast loued rightuousnes and hated iniquity therfore God euen thy God hath annoynted the vvith the oyle of gladnes aboue thy felows A drop of Myrrh and Cassia hath destilled from thye garmentes He therefore aboundinge with sweete smelles and precious oyntmentes and therefore called by the name of Christ beyng appoynted kinge of kinges and aduaunced to the higheste dignity of Priesthode partaker of all determinations and purposes of God being the dealer and worker in them so gouerneth all thinges that he obteineth for vs at Goddes handes peace attonement and inspyreth into our myndes all good lessons and precepts of wisedome things far beyond the reach and capacity of mannes knowledge Therfore all those worthy tytles of Power holines and spirituall perfection in this one name of Chryste are conteined Seeynge therfore of that whiche plenteously abounded in Christe or kinge some parte was also deriued vnto them that walked in his wayes and folowed his aucthoritye whom he calleth bretheren companions pertakers of all those good thinges that should be geuen vnto himself therefore of good right the name of Chryste was applyed to theym and they were tearmed Christians eyther because they worshipped Christe or because they weere partakers of the same annoyntinge For thus it is written in Iohn You haue the annoyntinge from the holye one and you knovv all thinges And agayne shortlye after hee sayeth The annoyntinge that you receyued of him remayneth in you no neede haue you of anye man to teache you but his annoyntinge shall teach you all thinges Wheras therefore the vertue and efficacie of this annointment is suche that it is able to creat kinges to make Priestes to inflame the harts of al men with heauenly motions it is no doubte but that al true Christians are partakers of the perfection of all those worthye and honourable functions for they are not onelye kinges or chosen to bee pryestes as Iohn wryteth in his Apocalipse but they haue also a wonderfull knowledge of the hidden and secrete misteryes of god For more iustly maye you cal hym a kinge that here I mought omitte to speake of the incomparable riches of that eternall and spirituall kingdome which vseth the restraint of the Law of God to moderate his lustfull desires and to brydle the euyll affections and vices of the minde and directeth all his actions to the princely precepts and royall rules of Christ then hym that liueth in Princely aucthoritye and lyke a vyle drudge is a bond slaue to shame and sin More iustlye may youe call hym a pryeste whose holye and deuoute prayers doth farre and by a great many degrees excell in respecte of the perfection of pure relligion the sacrifice eyther in morning or euening vsed in old time then Caiphas who wyth sinfull hands did celebrate most detestable and horrible sacrifices More iustly maye you terme him a prophete which by the instinct of God knoweth many things which are aboue mans capacitie and knoweth the ready and most certayne way to saluation then Balaam who being blinded with desire saw not destruction for him prepared Diuinely therefore was spoken that Godly saying of Moses when he disputed of the worthines of Christian men You are quoth he a chosen people a Princely or peerles Priesthoode See how he ioyneth wyth the dignitie of a kinge the authority of Priesthoode For hee by no meanes would haue those auctorities seuered For he cannot wyth a good conscience exercise

for that which is chiefely desired but also to centinue their studie further that they may with lesse paine labour be broughte to the attayning their intended purpose Now therfore whereas it is diligently discussed and tryed out that there is no mā esteemed or reckoned of except he doth endeuour with all studie to attaine thinges in their nature most excellente and commendable they are not to be aroused of boldnes which bestow their labour in the search of highe causes naye rather their lithernes and vnmanlye courage is greatly to bee reproued who dare not venture to do the like Neither their talke withdraweth me from wryting who peraduēture do looke for any other kinde of eloquence then that which the nature of the argumente wil require and the slendernes of my knowledge wil permit me in this dispute to follow For if no matter should be discussed entreated of but that which mighte be learnedly amplifyed plentifully enlarged and eloquently declared there should haue bin no monument extāt at all of any such thinges which I say not could be by any tongue vttered no not by reason comprysed or by the imagination of man but in part conceiued For there is no man endued wyth that excellencie of witte and iudgement wyth that wonderfull gifte of eloquence that can dispute worthely or exactly speake of pietie true religion of the holy hidden and secrete misteries of Christianity lastlye of the vnspeakeable Maiestie and omnipotencie of God almightie of which wee shall for the most parte entreate And truly there is no cause or reason that those should deserue the name of modest and discreete men which are through the greatnes of any argumente at the first discouraged therefore throughe such conceite fayntinge take rather in hand other matters then such which should concerne the worthines and honour of Christiā relligion there is not onely reason why they shoulde not purchase prayse of modesty but also whye they shoulde iustly incurre the blame of impiety And therfore al learned men who haue earnestly embraced true godlines and integrity of life hath fully accorded in this opinion that they haue thoughte it an intollerable offence to bestowe their study vppon any other thinge then that which should set forth the glory and dignity of true religyon when notwithstandinge they knewe for a certenty that no mans eloquence were it neuer so excedinge wonderfull coulde effectuously declare so highe knowledge most ample matter importinge They haue therfore wrot many bookes wherof some are finely curiouslye penned other in rude and barbarous Phrase yet greately to be had in estimation for the substance of profounde matter and most feruent zeale of piety and godlynes Furthermore many of those writers haue vtterly despised all manner of picked eloquence and figures of Rhetorique as triflinge and childishe toies and nothinge confine or agreable with the worthines and dignity of Christian religion Wherefore we must the rather be contēted if we do not perfit any thing as we would either may not attaine that with we haue longe desired Whereas the examples of other excellētly wel learned may in this case satisfy vs also the excéeding deapnes of knowledge may be vnto vs no smal occasiō of let impedimēt Neither is it any whit impertinēt to forewarn you that such matter happeneth in handlinge holy write in dyscussing whereof the purenes of the latine speach is not obserued especially amonge such which binde them selues to no streight lawe and had rather open the meaninge of any harde obscure matter playnly although not so smoothly as darckely elegantly Neyther doubte I at all if any thinge be set downe of vs in these bookes vnproperly or grosely which notwithstandinge shall be avouched out of holy scripture that I shall thereby deserue reprehension if men not affectionate may iudge therein But I shewe herein my imperfection Lewis most renoumed Prince in that I dooe at all feare the censure of other in these thinges which on your maiesty I bestowe alone For I do assure my selfe that your highnes will take in good parte these my doinges such as they are more for the greate good will which especially moued me to write then for any skil therein conteined And that I do so mutch presume the excellency of your good nature the noblenes of your boūtefull hart always to be remēbred doth geue me no small occasion For when I wrote vnto you my booke entituled of Nobility established by ciuill pollicie which was of me compiled nothinge learnedly wherein no elegancy or fine poinct of skill was shewed I founde that my good-will and earnest desier was vnto your grace acceptable not onely by the plentifull rewardes and great giftes aboūdantly on me bestowed but also by that whiche you spake very honourably soundinge to my great prayse commendation which I in deede haue more then of any other by a great deale accompted of For I assure you thoughe least of any thinge I desire praise yet I was therewith moued with exceedinge ioye wheras I holde this as an infallible truth that the good opinion of a prince so great and vertuous doth surmounte al titles of dignity which might redounde to mans glory I haue nowe therefore compiled a newe worke more ample of greater force then that which was in the other two bookes disputed principally moued thereunto through an ardente and earnest zeale which I beare vnto godlines then especiall to declare my diligence and dutifull harte to youre royall maiesty And albeit they haue one name and beare the like inscription yet the argument which we at this present do handle is farre differinge from that whiche was vttered in that our breife instruction For we disputed there howe some linages through a good disposition of nature embraceth vertue which if it happely grewe and by continuall and daily practise come to perfection it bringeth forth that excellencie of nature which we call noblenes of birth In which discourse truely when first after the manner and order of Logicians we defininge nobility and deuidinge the same into certaine partes endeuoured to expresse and declare the force and nature thereof then we spake of the firste beginninge and antiquitye thereof not omittinge whatsoeuer is in any olde monument reported of such who hath susteined any laboure or perill for the loue and true honour of vertue Lastly whereas the estate of Nobility as of all other thinges incidente and apperteyninge to the estate of man is variable and much subiect to alteration we haue there taught by what meanes honour is obteined and contrarywise by what vices it is blemished and bereued of his accustomed lighte and beautye And the dryfte of all our disputation and reasoninge was this to make it knowen vnto all men that nobility as vpon a chiefe Pyllour resteth on vertue and that the Pillour of vertue beinge shaken and ouerthrowen nobilitye it selfe falleth to the grounde But beecause all that vertue whereof then especiallye we did intreate although it haue