whom he would haue abused was to hard for him For the traines and pathes of pickthankes are not for wise men to fall in but for grosse heads and simple people Tullie in his Inuectiue that he made against Salust hath these wordes I haue seene saith he many that in telling of other mens faultes haue more offended the hearers then did they that committed the faultes And therefore Backbiters whether their accusations bee false or true are not to be suffered Since as Tullie saieth They more offende the mindes of such as heare them with their spitefull and euill speech then doe those that commit the euill in deede And therfore wise men ought greatly to shunne to stop their eares against all Clawbackes taletellers and backbiters and not only to banish them but all vaine and idle talke as Saint Bernard writeth in an Epistle touching the gouernment of a house to a gentleman called Raymond wherein he sheweth what wayes hee ought to vse to auoyde all Parasites and gesters saying Whensoeuer thou art troubled with Coxecombes counterfaits or gesters make as if thou diddest heare them and let thy minde be vpon other matters for if thou once answere them and seeme to take pleasure in them thou shalt neuer be rid of them thou shalt shewe thy selfe to be but a light fellowe in seeming to take pleasure in any such follyes shalt be forced to giue them rewards loosing and casting away in so doeing whatsoeuer thou giuest 8. Assuerus if he had not heard eche part with equall eare Had greatly abusde the sword that he for iustice due did beare And into errour fallen which straight he would haue wisht vndone So had the guiltlesse creature died that no offence had doone The Paraphrase of the Marques ASsuerus was a man of so great power amongst the heathen that he was accounted for a Monarch or ruler of the world and as it is written in the Booke of Hester Haman beeing in speciall fauour with the King taking a displeasure against the Iewes who liued vnder the gouernmeÌ„t of Assuerus procured the Kings displeasure greately against them but especially against Mardocheus so as hee appointed him to be hanged And as it was a custome that Assuerus alwayes vsed to haue many times read vnto him a Booke wherein was contained the seruices that any of his subiects or any other had done vnto him where happely he chaunced to heare a speciall seruice that Mardocheus had done vnto him what seruice it was I leaue here to speake off beeing a matter commonly knowne to all such as haue beene studious in the scriptures This being vnderstood of the king and at the earnest request of Hester hee commaunded that Haman should bee trussed vppe vpon the same Gallowes that hee had prepared for Mardocheus whereby according to the saying of Dauid Hee fell into the same pitte that hee had digged for other With this Prouerbe agreeth the saying of Solon That euery well guyded common wealth standeth vppon twoo feete the one the right foote is the bountifull rewarding of those that haue doone good seruice the other the left foote is the punishment and correction of all disordered persons and offenders What Prince soeuer wanteth either this bountie in rewarding or iustice in punishing his common wealth shall alwayes be lame and halting and the good deedes and seruice of the subiectes ought euermore to bee recorded and many times read to the Prince and the parties them selues continually to bee examined The Doctour IN this prouerbe the Marques sheweth by examples that which he hath taught in the prouerbe before and to this intent he bringeth in the story of king Assuerus which story is written at large in the Booke of Hester which is one of the Canonicall bookes of the holy Scripture Of which to make you here a shorte relation you shall vnderstand that this Assuerus was one of the greatest mightiest Princes that was in the world and as it is written was Lord of an hundred and xxvii Prouinces who toke to wife Hester a Iewish woman and of the linage of the Iewes whom hee very entirely loued This Queene had an vncle with whom shee had been brought vp called Mardocheus who vsed to come dayly to the Court to learne and vnderstande how the world weÌ„t with the Queene his Neece and as the story telleth the Queâ—ne beeing so aduised by Mardocheus did not discouer what country man he was neither was it knowen that he was her vncle This King Assuerus had one that was very great about him called Haman who bare all the sway in the Kings house and as the whole company aswell the greatest as the meanest gaue honor and reuerence to Haman beeing so commanded by the King only Mardocheus would neither honor him nor doe him any reuerence notwithstanding that the Kings seruaunts had many times blamed him for not honouring of Haman nor making obeisance to him as the rest of the Court ' both did and the king had commanded and because they sawe that he would take no warning they complained to Haman of him who casting his eye vpon the Iewe and perceiuing plainely that he vsed no reuerence towardes him conceiued a great hatred against him and for the displeasure that he bare him deuised howe he might procure the destruction aswell of all the Iewes as of Mardocheus and therevpon tolde the King that throughout all his dominions there swarmed a lewde and a contemptuous kinde of people beeing authors of new sects and Ceremonyes and dispisers of his Maiesties lawes and ordinaunces which was a thing not before seene that such a kinde of people should be suffered to liue within his dominions made humble request to the King that hee might haue licence and authoritie from him to destroy them promising thereby to bring to the Kings cofers an infinite masse of treasure The King answeared him that he freely gaue him the treasure that he spake off and for the people hee bad him doe with them what he thought good and gaue him his ring from his finger that he might send out letters for the execution of his commaundement Whervpon Haman in great haste caused letters to be directed to all the Prouinces and Cities within the Kinges dominions that they should at a day appointed set vpon the Iewes and destroy them taking all their goods and not leauing one of theÌ„ aliue which newes when they came to the eares of Mardocheus were not very pleasant vnto him whereupon he hied to the Queene and perswaded her to goe with great spede to the King and to sue for pardon for her woful countrymen which at the first she refused to doe by reason of a law that if any should presume to enter the Kinges chamber without licence or speciall commaundement except the King did holde out in signe of clemencie the goldeÌ„ scepter that he held in his hand should presently dye for it Notwithstanding at the earnest request of Mardocheus after that she al the
great griefe and mourning bewailed his offence Hee committed adulterie with the wife of Vrias who was mother to Solomon for the which greeuous offence the Lorde was more offended with him then for all that euer hee did as is to be seene at large in his life The Doctour SExtus Tarquinius was the sonne of Tarquinius the King as Liuie in the first of his Decades writeth The like is affirmed by Saint Augustine in his boke of the Citie of GOD Valerius Maximus and many other auncient writers No lesse was Lucretia famous for her vertue then was this Tarquine to be abhorred for his wickednesse Amongst many that haue written of the woorthinesse of this Ladie none doeth so greatly delite me as M. Iohn Galensis in a booke that hee wrote of the foure principal vertues whō I only determin to folow His words as I haue translated thē out of the Tuscan tongue are these Well woorthie of immortall and euerlasting remembraunce is the noble vertuous Lady Lucretia Who refusing to liue any longer did rip out the stain of the villany and violence done vnto her with the death of her owne person The maner wherof S. Augustine telleth in his boke of the citie of God saying that Sextus Tarquinius came with Collatinus the husbande of Lucretia to a house of his called Collatinū where they found Lucretia vertuously disposed amongst her maidens and women the only Paragon of her time most commended of all others was this Lucretia Whom when the sonne of Tarquinius king of the Romans had throughly behelde he was presently inflamed with disordinate and wicked loue towardes her whereuppon within a fewe dayes after accompanied only with one man he returneth vnknowne to Collatinus vnto the aforesaide place where he was honourably entertained and receiued of Lucretia who made him great cheare and lodged him according to his estate supposing that she had had her friende and not her enimie in her house Tarquinius being now a bed al a fire with the flames of beastly desire perceiuing that they were all fast a sleepe in the house taking his swoorde in his hande leapeth out of his bed and goeth directly to the chamber of Lucretia whom he founde fast a sleepe where laying his hande vpon her brest he said vnto her Lie stil Lucretia I am Sextus Tarquinius yf thou makest any noise thou shalt die for it Wherewithall the Lady beeing with great feare awaked and seeing no succour about her nor any waye too escape death Tarquinius beginneth to disclose vnto her his great affection and somtime with faire woordes intreating her and sometime againe terribly threatning her assaieth all the waies that he can deuise to bryng her to graunt to his desire But when he saw that she was by no waies to be remooued from her stedfast and chaste minde and that the terrour of death coulde nothing preuaile he casteth about againe and thinkeeth to boorde her on an other side and saith vnto her I will tel thee what I will doe if thou wilt not consent vnto me I wyll first kill thee and afterwards kill an euil fauoured knaue that I haue heere in the house and laye him in bedde with thee whereby it shal be reported to the worlde that thou wert taken in shameful and filthie adulterie And with this feare he ouercame the chaste minde of the vertuous Ladie and hauing obteined his desire with great disdaine departed Wherewith the poore Lucrecia beeing now ouerwhelmed with sorowe and pensiuenesse for her great and greeuous mishappe sendeth with al speede possible to her father her husbande and all other their friendes at Rome earnestly desiring them to come vnto her with as muche haste as they coulde VVho when they were come Lucrecia all heauie and sorowfull in her bedde at their entring into the house fell into a great weeping and when her friendes began to salute her and to bid her bee of good comfort Alas quoth she What comforte can there be to a woman that hath lost her chastitie and lookeing stedfastly vppon her husbande shee cried out and saide O Collatinus the feete of a straunger hath been in thy bed But I sweare vnto thee of a trueth only the body is defiled for the mind was neuer consenting and that shal my death presently declare And therefore I require you all to shewe your selues men and not to suffer this horrible act to remaine vnpunished Sextus Tarquinius was he whom I receiued not as an enimie but as a supposed friende who hath this laste night depriued me and you also yf you be men of al ioy VVhen shee had vttered these wordes they all beganne to comfort her and to tel her that her offence was nothing beeyng forced and constrained thereunto and that where there was no consent there coulde be no offence VVhereunto Lucrecia replied and saide As for that looke you to those thinges that concerne your selues I though I dooe cleare my selfe of beeing guiltie of any offence yet doe I not discharge my selfe of punishment There shal neuer chaste woman take occasion to be euyll by the example of Lucrecia And with these wordes plucking out a knife that she had secretly hidden and thrusting it to her hart she fell downe dead whereat both her husbande and Brutus her father makyng great lamentation presently drewe out the knife out of the wounde being al stained embrued with blood which knife Brutus takyng in his hande sware to reuenge the iniurie and the death of his daughter and to destroy both Tarquin the king his wife and his children either by fyer by swoord or by al the waies that he might and neuer to suffer any of the kindred to reigne in Rome VVith which he gaue the knife to Collatinus and so from one to another Whereby this mourning chaunged into wrath and desire of reuenge they all made promise to folowe Brutus and taking with them the body of Lucretia they brought it to Rome and laide it in the middest of the market place to the ende that the horrour of so strange a facte might stirre vppe the people to reuenge it At the sight wherof the people were straight in armes and folowing Brutus they thrust out of Rome Sextus Tarquinius who after miserably died in prison 4◠No lesse was worthie Scipio Commended for the deede That from his chaste and worthie mind Did worthily proceede Then for his valiant manly actes Esteemed in his daies By which he to his Countrey got A neuer dieyng praise The Paraphrase of the Marques COrnelius Scipio as Valerius rehearseth in his thirde booke hauing taken the Citie of Carthage was tolde by his souldiours that in the sacke of the Towne there was taken a young maiden of woonderful beauty great parentage who was affianced to a Gentleman of the nobilitie which as soone as he vnderstoode he commaunded that the Damsel her husbande and her parentes should be brought before him and caused the young maide safe and vntouched to be deliuered vnto them
thee And those that praise themselues because as Tullie sayth it seemeth to proceede of pride doe thereby bring themselues into hatred and euill will. So as if any man shall set soorth his owne doings to the ende to bee commended honoured and shall thereby be reputed to bee a man of great vanitie and folly his errour as the Prouerb saith shal appeare to be great 61. Such things as wonderfull do seeme but seld or neuer tell For all men haue not heades alike To iudge thy credite well And many wordes to vse doth shew no great perfection T is better for to shew thy deedes and let thy tongue alone The Paraphrase THe chaunces that are wonderfull are those that doe seldome happen which though a man hath seene with his own eies yet will not the common people who neuer beleeue more then is subiect to their grosse senses giue credite to him that shall report them but shall bee counted a liar and vaine prater for telling of them And therefore if a man be not driuen by necessitie to tell it it is much better for him to keepe his tongue For as Isocrates sayeth I haue manie time repented for woordes that I haue spoken but for keeping silence neuer And euerie mans perfection doeth rather stande in the proofe of his workes then in his words according as Saint Luke writeth in the beginning of the Actes of the Apostles touching our Sauiour where he sayeth that our Lorde Iesus Christ beganne to do and to teach where he placeth his workes before his woordes which is the meaning of the Prouerbe And manie woordes to vse doeth shewe no great perfection t is better c. The sixth Chapter of Liberalitie and Franknesse 62. Be franke and free at all assayes with speede bestowe thy gift The goodliest grace in giuing is to be short and swift Well vnderstand the qualitie of that thou doest bestowe Which seene thou shalt be able soone the quantitie to knowe The Paraphrase AS Seneca sayeth in his booke of Benefites wee are not borne to liue onely to our selues but to benefite and profite our kinsmen our friendes our neighbours yea and euerie other person that we can Sith nature as the ciuill law saith hath linked all men in a consanguinitie and duetie eche to other And therefore we are bound being of abilitie to be liberall and bountifull to such as liue in wante and necessitie though as the Doctours say it ought to bee done by order and degrees as first to consider our parents next our children then our kindred and after them our friends and so thorowout as they be in degree And if so bee we haue some of our kindred that be of the householde of fayth and others that be not the Apostle willeth vs if our power be not sufficient to serue them both rather to relieue those that be of the fayth then the others and this great vertue Liberalitie hath as Aristotle writeth in the fourth of his Ethickes certaine circumstances As that hee that giueth ought to consider to whom he giueth and to what end he giueth and to looke that the things which hee giueth be not of the basest of his substance as Caine did who offered vnto God the verie worst and vilest of his flocke whereas Abel offring the best that hee had his Sacrifice was accepted Caines refused Likewise he is to consider to whom he giueth For to giue to such as haue no neede is to cast away that which is giuen It must also be knowne whether the partie to whom we giue be able to woorke and can by his labour sufficiently maintaine himselfe For to giue to such a one were to rob another that is not able to labour nor hath any meane to gette his liuing and yet as the lawiers say if a man be well borne and descended of a good house so as he cannot considering his parentage without great shame disparagement giue himself to anie base trade of life although he be of abilitie for bodie to trauell and labour yet is it a good turne to relieue him because he is in the same case with him that can neither labour nor hath means to get his liuing for with his honesty he cannot abase himselfe to any vile occupation and therfore is to be considered Moreouer we ought to regard the manner and intent of our liberalitie which ought not to bestowed for anie vaunt or vayneglorie as appeareth by the exāple in the Gospel where our Sauiour beeing present in the temple there cōmeth in together to offer a proude wealthy Pharisey and a poore vertuous widdowe The riche Miser offereth of his great substance great and precious presentes the poore widowe turneth out of the bottome her purse and her hart a poore sillie Farthing Our Lord demaundeth which of the twayne had offered most and gaue sētence with the poore widow because the mind of the giuer who onely gaue it in respect of the seruice of God not for anie vaunt or vaineglory as the riche man did Beside al this we ought to geue that which we geue with a willing a cheerful minde as the Apostle saieth For the Lorde doeth loue a cheerfull giuer and such a one as is not slacke nor slowe in the bestowing of his benefites For he giueth double as the cōmon prouerb is that giueth soone as Solomon saith in his prouerbs Say not vnto the pore man go come againe to morrow when it is in thy hand to helpe him presently For as Aristotle in the fourth of his Ethicks saith Liberality standeth not in the giuing of many sumptuous gifts but in the habit of him that giueth whatsoeuer it be that is giuē that is to say in the cheerfull bountiful mind of the giuer which all are here briefly comprehended by the Marques Be franke and free c. 63. By worthy liberalitie great Alexander wan His fame and high renowne when all the worlde he ouerran And likewise Titus for his frankenes great and actes of fame Amongst the worthy conquerours obteind a woorthy name The Paraphrase ALexander king of the Macedons and one of the 3. monarchies of the world was a Prince of great liberality and franknes of whom Seneca writeth in his Booke of Benefites That when as a poore minstrell came vnto him beseeched him to bestowe a pennie vpon him the king presently gaue him a whole towne and when the poore felow halfe astonied tolde that so greate a gifte was not fitte for him Alexander answered him hee did not regarde what was meete for suche a fellowe to receiue but what was seemely for so greate a Prince to geue Titus was Emperour of Rome a Prince of a noble minde and of greate liberalitie who as it is reported by Eutropius in his life and other auncient Authours had proclaimed that whosoeuer had anie sute vnto him what soeuer it were it should be graunted when some of his counsell misliking it had tolde him that it woulde
the race And moste approued perfect path of goodnesse and of grace O milde and honourable Age that doest abate the fire Of vicious youth and doest restraine eche lewde and fond desire The Paraphrase THE blessed Apostle telleth vs that as long as wee liue in this worlde we are Pilgrimes and straungers to the Lorde meaning that our true and naturall countrie is that of which Dauid speaketh saying I trust to see the glory of the almightie in the land of the liuing The land of the liuing is the glory of Paradise where who soeuer remaineth doe liue without any dread or daunger of death And as the Apostle sayeth all the while that we are absent from that place wee are aptly here called straungers and pilgrims meaning that as the pilgrim wandreth here and there forth of his Countrey So we are alwayes absent and out of our countrey as long as wee liue in this transitorie life And because that by the meanes of age we draw neare to our owne countrey when we drawe neare to death by which death as Plato saieth in his Phedro the soule atteineth vnto libertie and breaking out from the Gaole of the bodie being deliuered frō sorrow and miserie commeth to her owne quietnesse ioy and solace And therefore we ought not to be displeased at our olde age since that it is the race of goodnesse that is to say the plaine path way by which wee passe from sorrow and trouble to quietnesse and to rest And this is onely to be vnderstood of the modest and well gouerned age for that is shee that abateth the lustes and outrages of youth For there is an age as Aristotle sayeth in the first of his Ethikes that being destitute of all vertue and good behauiour is altogether doting and childish For there is no difference as Aristotle sayth betwixt him that is yong of yeeres and him that is young in behauiour so that the age which shall not be displeasant must be modest and furnished with good behauiour and vertuous exercises and that is the age that doeth abate the fire of vicious youth and doeth restraine eche lewde and fonde desire This age as Tullie in his booke de Senectute writeth doeth alay both lust pride presumption and doeth so enfeeble the force of the flesh as it bringeth a man to bee lowly milde and modest Of this kinde of age also speaketh the Psalme where it sayth When the time of meeknes mildnes shal come then shal we be reformed which time of mildnes is from the age of threescore to threescore and ten which season suffreth not a man to be prowd or disdainful but lowly milde and disposed to vertue And therfore the Prouerbe saith It doeth abate the fire of vicious youth c. 94. This to the vertuous man alone doth giue authoritie And makes him perfite in the pointes of grace and honestie For who is he that in his youth can keepe the perfite way Or measure in his life obserueth or runneth not astray The Paraphrase IT is commanded in the lawe of God that whensoeuer we see an old ancient man we should rise and reuerence him And we finde in the Ciuil law that in the Citie of Rome in the olde time they vsed to worship and reuerence their aged persons and the people of those dayes did yeelde the same honour to suche as were olde as they did to their Iudges and Magistrates and this onely they did in respecte of the honour that their olde yeeres doeth giue them for no young man though his wit be neuer so pregnant or quicke is able to attaine to that vnderstanding that the olde man by his experience hath gotten For as Aristotle in the first and sixteenth of his Ethikes witnesseth the number of yeeres is it that giueth knowledge experience And therefore he sayeth that the yong man can neuer giue anie perfect iudgement of anie thing because he neuer hath had anie great experience And although that in naturall Philosophie and in the liberal artes learnings there needeth nought else but a sharp and quicke conceite and vnderstanding yet in morall Philosophie which is the knowledge by which we learne to liue vprightly and honestly it is not onely enough to haue a good wit capacitie to but also to haue the experience and knowledge of time and such thinges as are done by men of ripe yeares we alwayes presume that they bee done vppon great aduise and deliberation which is nothing so with yong men And therefore vppon great consideration our Sauiour being perfect God and man although in the verie instant that he was conceiued he was perfect in all knowledge vnderstanding did not grow with space of time to more ripe knowledge skill would neither preach nor publishe his doctrine in his yong yeares but at such time as he was come to his perfect age neither doeth the Church receiue for trueth and certaintie anie other things then those which we read to bee done at his full age Wherevpon all such Bookes as are written of suche thinges as hee did in his childehoode and youngest yeares the Church doeth take for Apocripha and counteth them not in the Canon of holy Scriptures And it is good reason that the thinges that are done in vnripe yeares should be of no authoritie since our Sauiour Christ himselfe woulde neither preach nor publish his doctrine till such time as hee was of ripe and perfect age 95. This made the Catoes so renoumed for wisdome great and graue this made the valiant Scipioes so great a name to haue This onely gouernes in the field and giues the victorie And this in peace doth coūtries keepe from all hostilitie The Paraphrase THere is no man as hath bene saide before that attaineth to anie perfection in his doinges and deuises but onelie by long experience of manie yeeres And therefore saieth Aristotle in the sixth of his Ethikes that young men ought alwayes to haue about them olde and auncient men whose counsaile they may vse and whom they ought in al things to beleeue and therfore age is of great account and estimation for it maketh as the Prouerbe here sayeth men to be wise meete to iudge and discrete in gouernment And therefore Trogus Pōpeius in his eleuenth Booke writeth that Alexander whensoeuer hee happened vpon anie desperate aduenture or sawe himselfe in great daunger in the field woulde neuer haue about him anie yong blooddes or hewsters but olde men that were of experience such as had serued his Father and his Grandfather in their warres to the end hee might haue in his companie not onelie Souldiours but directers he sayeth beside that when his old Souldiours had required of him leaue to goe home to rest and refresh their olde and weeried bodies and that they woulde sende in their places their sonnes that were yong and lustie and better able to doe him seruice He answered them that he made a great deale more account of the wise and skilfull
Brutus and Cassius as is more at large set foorth by Eutropius in his booke of the Emperours of Rome Valerius Maximus doeth also recorde the same and Iohn Boccace in his booke of Ladies where he entreateth of the vertues of women commending Porcia the daughter of Cato and wife of this Brutus The Paraphrase of the doctour IN this Prouerbe the Marques proueth by familiar example that which hee hath shewed in the Prouerbe before by naturall reason For as Aristotle saith in the second of his Rhethorikes In the workes and actions of men that which commeth after doeth commonly resemble that which hath been done before therfore it is a cōmon vse with writers when they woulde perswade or haue their doinges well thought of to bring in examples of thinges that in the like case haue happened And for the same cause the Marques hath in this Prouerbe made mention of that which happened to Iulius Caesar whose doinges are largely set out by Lucan in his booke that hee wrote of the ciuill warres This Iulius Caesar by force and tyrannie sought to aspire which nothing appertained vnto him to the gouernement of Rome and subdued and ouercame both Pompey and all his fauourers who fought for the lawes and liberties of their countrie In the prosecuting whereof Caesar slue manie disinherited a great sorte and iniuried a number And for the mainteining of this his tyrannicall iurisdiction hee was forced to make himselfe to be feared to the intent hee might keepe them from rebelling But for al that euer he could doe two gentlemē citizens of Rome whose names were Brutus and Cassius conspired against him and in the Parliament house where he mistrusted no such thing sette vpon him and siue him giuing him as it is written foure and twentie woundes whereof he presently died and therefore the Prouerbe sayeth Great Caesar as the stories tell and so saieth Lucan most cruelly was slayne Although hee was a mightie Prince and had a strong and a puysant garde yet at the time that Brutus and Cassius trayterously murdered him they found him without anie of his friendes or seruantes all alone It followeth Who on the earth so mightie is that when hee is alone can of him selfe doe anie more then can a seelie one That is to say though a man be neuer so mightie yea though he be a king of many landes and countries yet is he but a man and for his owne person can doe no more then a man maie doe And although we reade in the second booke of the Kinges that the person of a King in an armie is of more value then a thousand souldiers and that the death of a Prince or a Captaine is more hurtfull to an armie then the death of a thousand others because of the worthinesse of the Prince or Captaine yet as S. Hierom in one of his Epistles affirmeth though in the ordering of a battaile the worthinesse of a Prince or a Captaine is chiefly considered when it comes to the fight not the degree but the dooinges of euerie partie is respected for when it commeth to the shout the force and prowesse of euerie one is his safegarde be he King or Emperour If he fight not as he ought to doe he is of none account And though he be neuer so valiant being but one man he can as the Prouerb is do no more then an other man. 4. Howe many haue I seene by loue aduaunced hye But many more I haue beheld cast downe for tyranny For vertuous minds in bōdage brought will slacke no time but trie By all the force and meanes they can to come to libertie The Paraphrase FOr the proofe and confirmation of that which goeth before the Marques affirmeth that he hath seene in his time great numbers aduaunced and set vp by loue and manie ouerthrowne and tumbled downe that haue sought to rule by feare which proofe in hauing had the experience is the truest and certainest that may be For easier shall we be deceiued by olde recordes or sooner erre in trusting our owne naturall reason then faile in knowledge of the truth in a thing that we haue had experience of And therefore is it commonly sayd that experience is the mother and mistresse of all things and as Aristotle in the first of his Phisickes sayeth If any that be wise doe erre touching their opinions in learning they may well be called backe againe and brought to the knowledge of the truth by natural reason and perswasion But he that denieth that which he seeth with his eyes heareth with his eares and knoweth by the triall of his other senses with suche a one we ought not to dispute For he that denieth his senses is altogeather without sense And therfore the proofe that is made by experience is most strong and assured The Marques saieth that in his time he hath seene many aduaunced by loue Loue bringeth with it vnitie Peace concorde where feare alwaies causeth hatred as is witnessed afore by the testimonie of Tullie in his booke of Friendship howe great the force of friendshippe and concorde is may easily be knowne by the harmes that arise of discention and discorde Which our Sauiour in the Gospel expresly sheweth where he saith That euery kingdome diuided within it selfe shal be destroyed and come to nothing suche as liue in peace and amitie do prosper and encrease And Salust in the conspiracie of Cateline saith that by loue and concord the smallest thinges that be encrease and growe to be great where by discorde great and mightie thinges decay come to nothing For vertuous minds in bōdage brought will slacke no time to trie by al the force and meanes they can to come to libertie It is lawful for euery man by the lawe of nature to defend his life his goodes and his good name by al the meanes waies that he may Insomuch as if any man will kill me it is lawful for me for the safegard of my lyfe to kill the partie that doth so assault me neither ought I to forbeare as the lawiers saie till I be stricken or hurt for it is yenough for me the feare that I am in to be murthered and that yf I kill him not I am sure to be slaine my selfe In so much that it hath been the opinion of some Doctours That if I stande in feare of a mightier man then my selfe and knowe that whersoeuer he meete mee he will kill me and am not able to stand vppon my guard nor to bande with him in this case I am not bounde to forbeare but may kill him at the best aduantage that I can take him The lyke opinion is of some Doctors that yf I be wrongfully deteyned in prison and stande in feare of some violence or vniustice that in this case I may lawefully breake prison and if a iudge shall wrongfullie condemne me whereby I shall greatly bee damnified in my person and that the execution be out against me it shall be lawfull
vpon him to suffer most cruel death for our saluation And to pay as Esay saith The price of our redemption Also by the Scriptures wee know what other benifites soeuer the Lord hath doone for vs Beside the scripture teacheth vs how we ought to loue God with al our hart with all our minde with all our forces that we ought rather to die a glorious death then to offend him with a sinfull life this he meaneth when he saith The dreame is forgottē quite that soone thou shalt forgoe For our life is compared to a sleepe which we shal leaue before we be aware as Innocentius saith in a booke that he wrote of the wretchednes of the state of man where he hath these words Tel me my brother what goodnesse doest thou finde in these worldly delights What doeth thy glory profite thee What doeth thy pleasures auaile thee These be not they that can deliuer thee from death nor defend thee from the wormes For he that late was lustie and glorious in his Pallace lieth nowe dead and stinking in his Sepulchre he that late was tickled with the delightes of the bed lyeth nowe torne a sunder with the wormes in his graue What meanest thou to be proude being but wormes meate and ashes Why moylest thou for riches that shall shortly be distributed to the poore As the Prophet saith They slept their sleepe those that were lately riche haue nowe nothing in their handes There true wisdome knowledge of God and skill in the scripture bringeth vs to this vnderstandyng by this a man knoweth how to serue God not regarding this transitorie life which passeth as a sleepe or a dreame 14. To Gentlemen it doeth belong To knowe the artes diuine Where knowledge chiefly floorisheth And learning best doeth shine Assuredly he well deserues To haue the vpper seate That garnished with wisedome is And deckt with learning great IN this Prouerbe the Marques sheweth what maner of men ought to seeke for learning and vnderstanding and for the better vnderstanding hereof we must consider that there be artes Mechanicall and arts Liberal Artes Mechanical are those that are vsed by men of base condition as Shoemakers Taylours Carpenters Smithes and all other that are handicraftesmen Arts Liberal are those learnings and sciences wherunto liberal or free men that is noble men or Gentlemen applie them selues as the seuen Liberal sciences therfore they are called liberal or free that bestow their time in these knowledges because they be not of base minde nor estate neither are they subiect or bounde to anie vyle occupation And therefore in the olde time there were none brought vp in learning but onely the children of noblemen and Gentlemen and therefore saith the Prouerbe To Gentlemen it doeth belong to know the artes diuine That is to say to suche men as are of good estate and condition Traian as Policrates in his sixth booke writeth who was a Spaniarde and Emperour of Rome in a letter that he writeth to the Frenche king perswadeth him to bring vp his children in the knoweledge of the liberall artes saying that a kinge without learning is like an Asse with a crowne therefore the kinges and Emperours in the olde time did commit their children to the best learned men that they coulde get Traian was brought vp with Policrates The emperor Nero with Seneca great Alexander with Aristotle To whom as Policartes in the forsaid booke saith King Phillip vppon the birth of his sonne Alexander wrote his letters in this sort Phillip the king sendeth greeting to Aristotle the Philosopher I vnderstande that I haue a sonne borne for which I geue thankes to the Gods not so much for his birth as that he hapned to be borne in thy time by whom I trust to haue him so brought vp that he shal be woorthie to succeede me in my kingdome and dominions The Prouerb saith further That he deserueth preheminence that is garnished with wisdome and learning And assuredly looke what difference there is betwixt perfection and imperfection and betwixt darknesse and light so great is the diuersity betwixt a learned man and an ignorant because we should vnderstande what great honour he deserueth that is beautified with learning and wisedome both Daniel in his seconde vision and S. Ierome in his preface to the Bible doe witnesse that the learned and the wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and those that haue instructed many in godlynesse shall glister like the starres for euer and euer And therfore great preheminence doeth he deserue that is garnished with wisedome and learning 15 The head and spring of goodnesse al Is wisedome that doeth shewe The meanes for to discerne the trueth And vertue pure to knowe Who so beginneth in his youth In vertue to delight No doubt but when he comes to age Will leade his life aright The Paraphrase IN this Prouerbe the Marques sheweth that one of the principall causes of wisedome and knowledge is to feare God as Salomon in his prouerbes saith The beginning of wisdome is the feare of God and wisedome knowledge the foolish doe abhorre and therfore he saith That wisedome is more woorth then the weapons of the mightie of greater value then precious stones more fine thē pure gold For by wisedome we are able to discerne betwixt good and euill betwixt vertue and vice to which ende leauing to speake of the doctrine and rules of the holy Scripture whereby we are taught to flee from all sinne and wickednesse and to embrace and followe vertuousnesse Aristotle hath written three bookes In the one of them he entreateth of the rules and orders that are requisite for the guiding of a countrey and citie which booke is called the Politiques In the other he sheweth howe a man ought to gouerne his house his wife and his children this booke is called the Aeconomikes The thirde teacheth how a man shoulde gouerne him selfe wherein there is a medlie of rules obseruations by which a man may knowe the vertuous and discerne and seuere them from the vices And specially in this booke he sheweth that all maner of vertues are gotten by vse and custome and that a man by vsing a long time to liue vertuously it commeth at length to bee naturall vnto him and although a man be naturally enclined to vice yet yf he accustome him selfe to vertue he shall leaue his euill inclination and become vertuous And this is it that the Prouerbe sayeth Who so beginneth to liue well in his youth it is a signe that he shall not doe amisse in his age But it is not one vertuous act alone that can be called a beginning as Aristot saith no more then can one swallow shew a spring And the greatest presumption by which we may cōiecture as Aristotle in the second of his Ethickes sayeth whether a man shall proue vertuous or no is the pleasure or the heauinesse that he taketh in his
Valerius writeth in his first booke that the women of Rome to keepe themselues chast and sober did neuer drinke wine Of such sobernes temperance was the greate Alexander as Vegetius writeth in his booke Of the art of warres that he was so farre from setting his delight in eating drinking that he neuer vsed to eate but as he trauailed We likewise reade that hard by the campe of Hanniball there grew an appletree being as ful of apples as it might hang And so great was the continence and temperance of the souldiers that the tree after their departure remained as full of fruite as it was when they firste encamped For they counted it a greate shame and dishonour to eate any thing that was deyntie while they were in the fielde And of Iulius Caesar the Emperour wee reade that his dyet was grosse and common as herringes sprattes cheese and greene figges that he did eate at all times and in all places whensoeuer he was hungry and with this temperance and modestie he bridled the furie and disorder that followeth of to much eating and drinking For the bellie being stuffed with good meates and wines doeth presently yeeld to the rage of riot and Lecherie And therefore sayeth Solomon in his Prouerbes That wine ought not to be geuen to Princes For where drunkennesse hath place no secrete can bee kept And therefore the Prouerbe sayeth Temperance stayeth the raging lust of youth and of small and temperate feeding there ariseth neither disordinate lust nor other euill Saint Augustine did euer vse to saie that he liued not to eate but did eate for to liue and this is the Temperance which as the Prouerbe sayeth is woorthie of honour 36. But seeldome pouertie is seene such persons to molest As are of heedfull gouernement aud slouthfulnesse detest But idlenes and gluttonie where once they doe infect No vertue euer doe regarde nor honour doe respect The Paraphrase SAint Bernarde in an Epistle that hee writeth of the ordering and gouerning of a house to one Raimond a gentleman doth specially amongst other things exhort him to haue a careful eye to his liuing and to his expenses and to take heede that his receits be greater then his charges For if his expenses and his reuenues be one as much as the other hee shall bee sure to bee ouershoes and vndone before he be aware and therefore his counsell is that he that is wise shoulde alwayes set his bellie and his purse at discorde and vppon their strife be taught to knowe whose parte he shoulde take The belly proueth his purpose by the present delight that he feeleth and the purse prooueth his by the trial of the present harme and the miserie to come and farre better is it for a man to prouide and be carefull before hee come in neede then to seeke for helpe when hee is in miserie And this is it that is meant by the Prouerbe That pouertie is seeldome knowne to come to a person of good gouernement And gluttonie and sloth where they once come haue neuer regarde to Nobilitie For as Sainte Bernarde saieth The negligence and pouertie of the Maister of the house is as it were a burning and consuming fire in the toppe of it 37 His time he may not idlely spend that seeketh for to gaine For knowledge is not gotten but by industrie and payne So oughtest thou for to rule thy life and order such to keepe As thou preferre a gaineful watche before a harmefull sleepe The Paraphrase SOlomon in his Prouerbes willeth the slugard the loyterer that he go to the Emoth and consider her order and her tratrauayls which hauing neyther Captaine nor gouernour seeketh and prouideth in Sommer for her liuing and gathereth and layeth vp in the Haruest time as much as shall suffise hee to liue by in the winter And sayth that if a man will take paynes be diligent his haruest shal flow like a foūtayne and pouertie shal presently flie from him and therefore doth the Prouerbe bid To preferre a gaynefull watche before a harmeful sleepe For learning is not to be got without trauell for all men haue not knowledge by the inspiration of the holy Ghost But he that will atteine to knowledge must seeke and take paines for it and he that will come to be able to liue must as the Prouerbe saith preferre a good watching before an euil sleepe 38. For procreation onely and encrease of mortall kinde Forsake the chast virginitie with wise and sober minde Consider that this vaine delight was once the wofull fall Of Solomon for which he lost both wit and grace and al. The Paraphrase of the Marques THe perfection and profoundnesse of Solomon the king of Israel as wel in natural iudgement as in knowledge of the lawe is both at this day sufficiently knowne and shal be alwaies hereafter manifest who in his latter age being waxen effeminate and altogether ruled by women laied aside his obedience to GOD and became an idolatour as may be seene at large in the booke of the kinges The Doctour THe Marques hauing in his Prouerbs before declared the inconueniences that men fall into by gluttonie and excesse in eating and drinking doeth shewe vs in this Prouerbe and a fewe that folowe the inconueuiences and harmes that proceede of carnall and fleshly lust For where as men cannot liue for euer nor alwaies continue and that it is incident and common to them that some be borne and some die it is therefore of necessitie prouided by nature that men should haue the company and vse of women and so breake the bondes of virginitie And this ought to be doone with great modestie and consideration as the Prouerbe heere sheweth For a man to lie with any other then his owne wife though it be with intent of encreasing the worlde is hainous and deadly sinne Yea yf a man lie with his owne wife vpon a fleshly desire and not for procreation hee doeth offend For a man ought not to haue the vse of a woman for any other end then for the encreasing of posteritie Or for auoiding of whoredome he may vse his own wife And those that doe otherwise doe fal into that filthie sensualitie that brought Solomon to all his miserie wherof the Marques hath partly spoken aboue 39. And for the selfesame greeuous sinne Was Dauid brought full lowe And in the midst of mortall plagues was taught his fault to knowe ▪ The loftie Tarquin in his pride Was punished therfore And from the stately gates of Rome Was thrust for euermore The Paraphrase of the Marques DAuid that most holy Prophete and king of Israel after Saul was a man that did many woorthie and notable acts and a man of great wisedome hee doeth greatly set foorth the glory and Maiestie of GOD in his Booke of Psalmes Notwithstanding hee dyd greeuously fall and offende in fleshly and beastly affection committyng moste horrible adulterie howbeit hee afterwardes turned to GOD with great repentance and with
in And therefore the Prouerbe saieth that the woman is not vnprofitable nor vnperfect Neither ought we to thinke that because some women haue been to blame therefore they are all to be condemned For as the nurse sayth to Hippolytus as Seneca in his fourth Tragedie sheweth where Hippolitus saith that if there had neuer been other euill woman but Medea the wife of Aegeus her onely villanies were sufficient to cause all other women to be abhorred Wherto the nurse answereth that it were greatly against reason that the offence of one or two should be the blame of all the rest And therefore sayeth the Prouerbe that notwithstanding the faultes of a fewe the vertues of women haue been highly commended and set out with the pen. 47. For setting here aside that sweete and blessed worthie rose That ouer all the rest doth shine and farre beyonde them goes The daughter of the thundring God and spouse vnto the hiest The light and lampe of women all who bare our sauiour Christ 48. Manie Ladies of renowne and beautifull there bee That are both chast and vertuous and famous for degree Amongst the blessed holy saintes full many a one we find That in this cōpasse may be brought for liues that brightly shinde 49. What should I of Saint Katheren that blessed martyr tell Among the rest of Virgins all a flowre of preecious smell Well worthy of remembrance is her beawty and her youth And eke no lesse deserueth praise her knowledge in the trueth The Marques SAint Katherin was a virgin and a holy Martyr and among the whole company of Saintes of speciall commendation touching whose life and death beeing a thing so commonly knowne I refer the Reader to the booke called The Flower of Saints 50. We finde that Hester wanted neither beawtie great nor grace Whose noble minde was ioyned with the fauour of her face Of Iudith likewise doe we reade the bewtie great to bee And how she vertuously behaude her selfe in eche degree The Paraphrase of the Marques HEster the Queene was the wife of King Assuerus of whom it shall not bee needefull to speake much considering that in the Paraphrase to the prouerbe of Assuerus in the beginning of the Booke there hath been enough saide It is sufficient to knowe that she was a holy woman and a deuout seruaunte of God as appeared by her vertuous life and by the earnest Prayers that shee made vnto God in the case of Hamon and Mardocheus Iudith as her Booke testifieth which is one of the 24 bookes of the Bible was reputed among the Iewes for a woman of singular wisdom and of great honestie in life who slewe the great Holofernes that being sent by the King Nabuchodonosor with a great and puisant Campe had besieged the Citie of Ierusalem as her Booke at large declareth where it also appeareth by what great policicie after shee had slaine him shee conueyed his hed passing thorowe the watch of the Camp to the aforesaid Citie This only fact renowmed Prince strake such a feare and terrour to the harts of the enemies as they speedily and without order to their great losse brake vppe their siege So as shee is greatly commended in the Scripture for her beautie and for her noble and valiant stomacke 51. The famous worthy women that among the heathen warre No reason that of good reporte among the rest we barre For why their valure and renoume was woundrous in their dayes And therefore not to be depriude of due deserued praise 52. In Athens and in Thebes too wer Ladyes great of fame The Troians Sabynes Greeks Arge had many a worthy dame The Laurentines the Amasons may triumph for the same And Rome of vertuous women can remember many a name 53. No fairer creatures coulde be seene then Vagnes and Diana Daphnes Dido Anna and the vertuous Lucretia Nor vnrembred let wee passe Virginia the same Whose passing chastitie procurde her euerlasting fame The Paraphrase VAgnes as Statius in his Booke of the Warres betwixt the Thebanes and the Argians reporteth was the cheefe among the Argian Ladies that went altogether to King Creon with humble petition for the deliuery of the dead bodyes of their husbandes and kinsemen that were slaine at the battaile of Thebes fighting against Ethiocles the Sonne of Oedippus and nephew to King Layus who was of the linage and stock of Cadmus Who hauing receiued a flat denyal went altogither to Theseus that then was Duke of Athens declaring vnto him with great exclamation the great crueltie and extremitie that was showed vnto them Theseus who was then newly come from the warres of the Amasons as Iohn Boccace the poet of Florence in his Booke of Theseus at large discribeth vowed that before he entred the Citie he would go out of hand with his whole forces against Creon requiring him yet before by his Embassadours to graunt vnto the poore Ladyes this their so iust and reasonable request which when he disdainfully refused to doe hee made warres vpon him and slew him wherby the gentlemen of Argos by the industrie and diligence of the vertuous Vagnes came in the ende to bee honourably buryed At the ende of this battaile wherin Creon was slaine by the handes of Theseus beginneth the story of Arcyt and Palemon the seruants and great louers of Emilia the sister of Hypolitus which because of the tediousnes and that the matter maketh nothing to our purpose I heere passe ouer Diana was counted the goddesse of Chastitie a Lady that set all her delight vpon the feeld in the chase and hunting of wilde beastes Lucretia and other the famous Ladies of Rome are sufficiently mencioned as wel by Lyuy and Valerius in their storyes as by Saint August a man of more credit in his Boke Of the Citie of God and Iohn Boccace in the fall of Princes and commendation of woorthy women where it is shewed how she beeing the wife of Collatinus was violently forced by Sextus Tarquinius wherevpon with a knife or a swoord shee slewe her selfe saying I free my selfe from the faulte but not from punishement which I heere but briefely touch because I haue writen thereof before in the story of Sextus Tarquinius Daphnis was daughter to Peneus a Virgin dedicated to Diana the Lady of Chastitie who as Ouid writeth beeing greatly desired of Phebus and not consenting nor able to withstande the force of her furious louer commending her selfe to all the gods but specially to Diana whom shee serued was as the Poets faine transformed into the Laurell a tree of continuall greenenesse sweete of sauour and of a delectable shadowe The morall whereof beeing declared by diuers Authors as Fryer Thomas of Capua in his Moralls vpon the Metamorphosis Iohn Boccace in his Genealogie of the heathen gods and Maister Iohn the Englishman commenting vppon the same Booke I heere leaue to declare as a thing to long to entreate off It may suffice that shee was counted among the heathen for a mayden of singular beawtie Anna was
bee a meanes to discredite him when hee shoulde not be able to performe that which he promised He aunsweared them that it was not conuenient that any person shoulde departe from the face of a Prince with a discomforted and heauie hearte It is also reported of him that beyng set at Supper and calling to remembrance that he had not bestowed any thing vpon any man that day looking with a discontented countenaunce hee saide vnto those that were with him Alas my friends I haue vtterly lost this day meaning that the time is neuer well spente of Princes wherin they are not geuing to some bodie 64. But Midas with his masse of golde was had in great disdayne And he and al his treasures thought to be but fond and vayne The fowle vnprincely answeare of Antigonus the king With stayne vnto his state his name to infamie did bring The Paraphrase MIdas as Ouid in his Metamorphosis declareth was king of Phrigia who receiued with great interteinement the Gods Iupiter and Mercury as they happened to come by him who willing to make him some recompence for his good will towardes them bade him to aske of them whatsoeuer hee most desired Midas being a most miserable wretch and couetous as the Diuell desired of them that whatsoeuer he touched and whatsoeuer touched him might presently turne into golde which was by and by graunted him whereby he became in a short time to bee wonderfull riche but when the foole was in the middest of his Paradise the very drinke and meate that should sustayne him turning into gold he died as it is reported of famishment The moral of this tale I here meane not to meddle with because it hath been touched by many greate and learned Philosophers and Poets It suffiseth to knowe that it noteth and reprooueth the shamefull and most wicked vice of couetousnesse and filthie auarice Antigonus the king is greatly blamed of Seneca in his booke of Benefites of whom he writeth that when a poore man desired of him a great quantitie of golde he made answer that it was a great deale too much and not meete for him to require and when the poore soule desired him to giue him but a pennie he answered againe how that was too small a thing for a king to giue And thus not regarding how foully this dishonorable niggardlines pinchpining doth blemish the name of a Prince the couetous Antigonus made these answers to the poore miserable felow which deserue for euer to be recorded as a foyle counter shewe to the noble Emperours Alexander and Titus 65. I lyke not him that 's prodigal nor such I list to prayse And yet the man that well deserues I hurt not any wayes The troth is that I much mislike to liue in neede and want But ten times more a miser that is couetous and scant The Paraphrase THE Prodigall man as Aristotle in the fourth booke of his Ethikes sayth is he that spendeth more then is needefull where it is needelesse Who perceyuing the vertues of the liberall man that spendeth that which is meete and where it behoueth and that the couetuous miser is condemned for not spending that which hee ought taketh himselfe straightwayes for a liberall and a vertuous Gentleman and sayeth that hee vseth monie as it ought to bee vsed And this is a vice greatly to bee auoyded for the meane betwixte these two extremes of Prodigalitie and Couetuousnesse is the vertue Liberalitie Howebeit true it is as Aristotle sayeth the lesser vice of the twayne and more to bee borne withall is Prodigalitie For the prodigall man profiteth those to whom hee geueth although hee hurteth himselfe But the Churle and the miser neither profiteth himselfe nor anie man els Besides hee that is prodigall will sooner come to be vertuous and liberal thē the couetous for two reasons The one is that by reason of his greate expenses falling in to neede and want he will quickely see what hurt he receiueth by too much spending and will from that time forwarde learne to bee wiser and to keepe his money the better The seconde is that with the time of his spending hee waxeth aged and people in their olde yeeres be more sparing and thriftie then in their youth because the hope of gaming is nowe taken from them whiche in youth doeth alwayes encourage them But the couetous person cānot be brought to the vertue by neither of these reasons For the older he waxeth the more miser he waxeth and therefore if wee mislike a man that by reason of his prodigalitie commeth to be poore we ought a great deale more to detest a Misar that by couetousnes groweth to be rich For as Salust saith in his booke of Catiline Couetuousnesse hath vtterly banished both faith and honestie and cleane destroyed all artes and knowledges Whereby it hath brought in pride crueltie contempt of God and a generall Merchandise of suche thinges as shoulde freely bee geuen Couetousnesse is alwayes infinite and neuer satisfied with abundaunce nor diminished with want And therefore Though the prodigall bee to bee mislyked in necessitie and want yet ten times worse a miser that is couetous and scant 66. The great Darius easllyer was destroyde for all his might And of his valiant aduersary subdued and put to flight Then might Fabricius moued be with couetous desire Whose hart with filthy auaryce coulde not be set on fire The Paraphrase FRabricius beside a number of other his noble vertuous and worthie actes excelled in the vertue of liberalitie of whō it is reported by Valerius in his nienth booke that when he was presented by the state of Beneuento with a great masse of monie hee returned the embassadoures with their treasure home agayne as one that contented himselfe with the benefite of his Temperance and helde himselfe satisfied with that small wealth which hee had supposing it to bee a sufficient riches For hee did alwayes saie that riches consisted not in much hauing but in little coueting 67 To helpe a man in miserie our dutie vs doeth binde And not to doe it when we may is odious and vnkinde A noble minde will neuer stayne it selfe with such a blotte Nor suffer such a great offence nor such a filthie spotte The Paraphrase THE Prophet Dauid saieth in his Psalter Blessed is that man that hath compassion vppon the poore and the needie For in the time of his necessitie the Lorde shall deliuer him And Solomon in his Prouerbes sayth That who so hath pitie vppon the poore and relieueth them lendeth vppon vsurie to GOD who shall restore him with great gayne that which hee hath disbursed And therefore the Prouerb saieth To helpe a man in miserie our dutie vs doth bind Where Duetie is taken for a woorke of Mercie as Seneca accounteth it in his Booke of Dueties and farther it saith Not to succour when we may is odious and vnkind For as Solomon in his Prouerbs saith Whosoeuer stoppeth his eare at the crie of the poore shall crie