writing without choise or discretion and they that destroy all haue assured rewardes And this is not so much the fault of the writers which accordyng to the common custome of men do seeke after gayne as of studentes and those that are put in trust with publique gouerment who neuer had any care of such matter hauing forgotten what Constantinus gaue in charge to Eusebius of Palestine to wit that none should write bookes but such as were of skill and wel seene in the studie of antiquitie and very expert in the Art wherin they wryte Ioy. I haue good store of bookes Reason What yf thy mynde be not capable Dooest thou remember Sabinus in Seneca howe he vaunteth in the skyll of his seruantes What difference is there betweene thee and hym but that thou art the more foole and both of you bragge of that whiche is anothers he of his seruantes which in deede were his owne and thou of the learnyng of thy bookes whiche apparteyneth nothyng vnto thee There be some that wyl seeme to knowe what so euer is wrytten in theyr bookes at home and when there is mention made of any matter of learnyng that booke sayth he is in my studie supposyng that that were as muche to say as it is here also in my breast and so with a proude looke they say no more A ridiculus kynde of people Ioy. I haue abundaunce of bookes Reason Howe much rather had I that thou dyddest abounde in wyt and eloquence and learnyng and specially in innocencie and vertue Howbeit these thynges are not to be solde for money as bookes are and yf they were I knowe not whether they shoulde fynde so many buyers as those bookes doo Those furnysh the walles these the mynd whiche forasmuche as they are not seene with the eyes men regard them not But truely yf store of bookes made men learned or good then they that are the rychest men myght be the best and learnedst men the contrary wherof we see commonly Ioy. I haue bookes whiche are meanes and helpes to learnyng Reason Take heede that they be not rather impedimentes For as great multitudes of souldyers haue been vnto some an hynderaunce of wynnyng so plentie of bookes haue ben a let vnto some of learnyng and of store as it chaunceth commeth scarcitie but yf it be so that a man haue them they are not to be cast away but layde asyde and the best are to be vsed and diligent heede to be taken least perhaps they whiche woulde profyte in tyme may hynder out of season Ioy. I haue many and sundry bookes Reason The diuersitie of wayes many tymes deceyueth the trauayler and he that want assuredly in one path was in doubt when he came to a crosse way and the incertentie of three or foure wayes meetyng togeather is farre more great and so it happeneth often tymes that he that hath read one booke with effect hath opened and turned ouer many without profyte There be many thynges burdensome to them that learne but to the learned few woordes do suffice to much is hurtful vnto both but with strong shoulders it is to be borne vp Ioy. I haue gotten togeather a great many of excellent bookes Reason There is no man that I can nowe cal to remembraunce that was famous for his multitude of bookes besides the Kyng of Egypt of whom I spake before which honourable name he wan not so much by the number of his bookes as by his worthie transtation of certayne of them Doubtlesse a marueylous woorke of so many wittes vnlesse the wyt of one that came afterwarde had been a greater wonder but yf thou seeke glory by bookes thou must take another course for thou must not haue them only but know them neyther are they to be committed to the Library but to memorie and not to be shut vp in the ful studie otherwise no man shal be more glorious then the publique librarie or his owne studie Ioy. I haue many notable bookes Reason Thou hast many tyed in chaines who if they could breake away and speake they woulde bring thee to the iudgment of a priuate prison then wyl they priuily weepe and that for sundry thynges but specially for this one thyng for that one couetous person many tymes hath plentie of those which many that are studious do want Of the fame of writers The .xliiii. Dialogue IOY YEA what say you vnto it that I write bookes my selfe Reason A publique disease contagious and incurable Euery man taketh vpon hym the office of writing which belongeth but to fewe and one that is sicke of this disease infecteth many It is an easie matter to enuie and harde to imitate so that the number of the sicke encreaseth dayly and the strength also of the sycknesse waxeth more myghtie euery day moe doo wryte euery day woorse by reason that it is an easyer matter to folow then to ouertake Very proper and approued and founde true by experience is the saying of the wyse man of the Hebrues There is no ende of wrytyng bookes Ioy. I doo write Reason I woulde wyshe that men coulde keepe them selues within their boundes and that an order amongst all thynges were obserued whiche by the rashnesse of men is confounded They should write that haue skyll and are able and other reade and heare But nowe is it no small pleasure to the minde to vnderstande vnlesse the proud hand make haste also to pen and paper and whosoeuer doth vnderstand or thynke that he vnderstandeth some smal peece of a booke thinketh he hym selfe meete by and by to write bookes I woulde that this one saying of our countrey man Cicero in the very beginning of his Tusculane questions were engrauen in your memories so that it myght be knowen vnto all that are in high degree and place of lyght and knowledge It may be sayth he that a man may meane well but yet is not able eloquently to vtter that whiche be meaneth It foloweth also But for a man to commit his meanyng and thought to writing that is not able well to dispose and set it foorth in comly order neyther by any meanes to delyght the Reader is the part of one rashly abusing both his leasure and learning These woordes of Cicero are most true but this abuse is nowe growen so common that euery man taketh that to be sayde to hymselfe whiche sometyme was to that most holy banished man who wrote suche matter as he had learned out of the verie fountayne of trueth and not out of the dryed puddles sayde and oftentimes repeated this woorde Write Whiche commaundement al contemners of al preceptes doo obey for all doo write And yf as I haue sayd there be so great danger in those that write other mens bookes what shall we thynke of them that write their owne and them that be newe Whereby they bring into the worlde doubtful and damnable artes and opinions or that which is the least mischiefe that they commit they weerie men with theyr rude
swelleth the people are astunned his kinsfolk and friendes reioyce at hym He beyng wylled getteth vp into the pulpit ouerloking al from an high confusedly murmureth I can not tel what Then the elder sort of Strines extol him with praise to heauen as one that hath spoken like a god In the meane whyle the belles iangle the trumpets rattle rings flye about kysses are geuen and a peece of a blacke round cloath is hung on his shoulders When this is done the wise man commeth downe that went vp a foole A straunge Metamorphosis which Ouid neuer knew Thus are wyse men made now a dayes but a wise man in deede is made otherwyse Ioy. I am wyse Reason They that thynke very magnificently of themselues boldly do attempt thynges aboue theyr power and faylyng in the myddes of theyr indeuour do learne by their owne peryl or shame howe partial iudges they haue ben in theyr owne causes It were better beleeue me to reiect false opinions to behold a mans owne insolencie to wishe that thou neuer haue occasion to trie thy wisdome which may declare how that thou hast gloryed in nothyng This is a more direct safe meanes to seeke wisedome Ioy. I thinke that I haue atteyned to wisedome Reason But if thou wilt hearken vnto me thou shalt sooner atteyne therunto by rysing vp indeuouryng then by beleeuyng There is nothyng that ryseth higher then painful humilitie Of Religion The .xiii. Dialogue IOY I Glory in my perfect religion Reason There is but one most excellent and perfect religion whiche is established vpon the name of Christ and vpon that most assured rocke al other are vayne superstitions and goinges out of the right way and errours whiche â—eade vnto hel and death not this which is transitorie but the euerlastyng Howe many and what notable men thynkest thou haue suffered this miserable want of true religion who in al other thynges haue excelled the residue They haue cause to lament eternally and thou wheâ—â—â—â— to glory and reioyce not in thy selfe but in hym who hath vouchsafed to preferre thee in so great a matter before those that were far greater then thou then whiche thyng there can no greater nor better be geuen vnto thee in this lyfe Of whiche I would not sticke to speake somewhat more at large vnlesse it were now by heauenly illumination almost knowne to al. Ioy. I am entred into holy religion Reason Holy orders and ceremonies belong only to this religion and of all other they are madnesse and sacrilegious superstitions neyther is it sufficient to be entred Perhaps it is a greater matter then thou thynkest for although it be a pleasant trauayle to a deuout mynd neyther is it yenough to know God which the deuyls doo that hate hym Loue and worshypping are required whiche consist of those thynges whiche I woulde were by men sâ— well fulfylled as they are knowne Ioy. I please my selfe in my true religion Reason To please a mans selfe is to be proude As for this true religion which tyeth thee vnto God GOD vnto thee it engraffeth humilitie in godly mynds and rooteth out pryde In this maner therfore it is lawful for thee to reioyce that by how much the more mery and religious thou art by so much the better thou art more abounding in good workes geuing thanks vnto him who sheweth thee a direct path from this mortal life vnto the life euerlasting Ioy. I thanke God for it I haue obteyned true religion Reason Thou hast said wel god be thanked keepeâ— wel then froÌ„ erroâ—â—s from negligence from sinnes And perswade thy selfe thus if thou haue obteined it and exercise thy selfe therein as it behooueth thee to do then shal the controuersie cease wherof we contended erewhile forasmuch as it is written in holy scripture Godlynesse is true wysedome and by an other also The feare of God is the begynning of wysedome neyther is the same ouer past with scilence by prophane wryters Of which matter Lactantius maketh mention in the seconde booke of his institutions Hermes affirmeth sayth he that they that knowe God are not only safe from incursions of Deuyls but also that they are not tyed by destinie Only godlinesse sayth he is their keeper and defence For a godly man is neyther subiect to the wicked deuyl nor to destinie God delyuereth the godly from all euyll For godlynesse is the only good and felicitie of man And what godlynesse is he sheweth in an other place by these woordes Godlinesse is the science and knowledge of God. He affirmeth also that Asclepius dyd expounde at large the same saying in a certayne princely Oration Thus thou seest howe two most obstinate Paganes doo grope about your trueth Such is the force of trueth that oftentymes it draweth the tongues of the enimies vnto it Of Freedome The .xiiii. Dialogue IOY I Was borne in freedome Reason He is not free that is borne but he that dyeth fortune hath great power ouer hym that is commyng into the worlde but none ouer hym that is dead She ouerthroweth strong Cities She vanquysheth valya nt armyes She subuerteth mightie kyngdomes The graue is an impregnable castle there the wormes beare rule and not fortune Who so therefore haue stept into that lybertie of al men they are free from the insultes of this lyfe Thou boastest thy selfe to be free and knowest not whether thou shalt enter this bay a free man I say not into thy graue but into thy chamber Your libertie whiche hangeth by a weake threede as all your thynges els doo wherein ye trust is always waueryng and bryttle Ioy. I am a free man. Reason For this cause I suppose thou callest thy selfe a free man because thou hast no maister but heare what Annaeus Seneca sayeth Thyne age is prosperous sayth he perhaps it wyll so continue knowest thou not at what age Hecuba and Craesus and the mother of Darius and Plato and Diogenes came into bondage By these examples he admonishyth thee There be many other examples of Seneca eyther concealed or not knowne Dooest thou not remember how Attilius Regulus though vnworthy yet susteyned this reproche Hast thou forgotten Valerianus that was of latter yeeres whereof the one of whom I spake last was a captayne and the other a prynce of the people of Rome and anon the one made slaue to the Carthagians the other to the Persians and this man cruelly put to death the other consumed with long and miserable seruitude What shall I say of the kynges of Macedonia and Numidia Perses on the one side and Siphan on the other who both fell downe from the top of theyr kyngdomes into the Romanes fetters I omit the auncient fall of kynges and princes Thyne age hath seene some thrust out of the court into pryson and the same man also both first a kyng and last a bondslaue For euery one is by so muche the more miserable in bondage by howe much he was the more happy in freedome Be not proude therefore
and vnpleasaunt style insomuche as who so wanteth in them promptnesse of witte yf he lyst to loose his tyme and bestowe the traueyle of his yeeres he shall not want weerinesse This is the fruite and none other of your inuentions to infect or affect but seldome or neuer to refreshe Notwithstandyng all men wryte bookes nowe adayes and there was neuer suche store of wryters and disputers in any age and neuer suche scarcitie of those that are skylful and eloquent It chaunceth therefore that that hapneth vnto these mens bookes whiche Cicero sayth in the same place And therefore sayth he they reade their bookes with their freendes neither wyll any man touch them but such as woulde fayne haue the lyke libertie in writing graunted vnto them This was rare in Ciceroes age but nowe it is common And euery man medleth with them because all woulde haue the same libertie Thus these triflers and pamphlet writers commende exhort cheryshe and pricke foorth one another and arrogate vnto them selues falsly the prayses of other men in lyke cases Hereof commeth this boldnesse in writers and disturbaunce of matters and therefore please not thou thy selfe ouermuche in writing of bookes Ioy. I wryte bookes Reason Perhappes thou mayest doo better in readyng them and conuertyng that whiche thou readest into the rule and gouernment of thy lyfe For the knowledge of learning is then profitable when it is applyed to purpose and declareth it selfe in deedes and not in woordes onely otherwyse that is often founde to be true whiche is written Knowledge puffeth vp To vnderstande perfectly and speedily to remember many thynges and those great also exactly to vtter them comly to write them cunningly to pronounce them sweetely vnlesse all these be referred vnto our lyfe what be they other then the instrumentes of vayne braggerie and vnprofitable labour and foolysh ianglyng Ioy. I write bookes Reason Perhappes it were better for thee to goe to Plough to keepe Sheepe to be a Weauer to play the Mariner Many whom nature hath made Handicraftes men in despite of her haue become Philosophers And contrariwyse fortune hath kept vnder foote some whiche were borne in the feeldes or vnder hedges or vppon the shoppe boordes and staulles of Artificers or the nettyng of Shyppes whiche were apt to haue been Philosophers Whereby it commeth to passe that they that are ignoraunt of the causes doo woonder yf as in the myddes of the Sea or Countrey in the Wooddes and Shoppes there be founde sharpe and quicke wittes when as in the Schooles there be dull and blockyshe For yf nature be wonne she is hardly wonne Ioy. I write earnesty Reason Howe muche more earnestly haue some written in fore tymes whose heate is so extinguished that it were vnknowen whether euer they had written or noe vnlesse other had written so of them No humane woorke endureth alwayes and mortall labour maketh no immortall thyng Ioy. I wryte much Reason Howe muche more haue other written Who can recken the woorkes of Cicero or Varro Who can recite the bookes which Titus Liuius or Plinius hath written There is one Grecian who wrote as it is sayde sixe thousande bookes O feruent spirite if this be true O long and quiet leasure Truely if it be a businesse of great trauell to write well one or two bookes that one man shoulde wryte so many thousande it is not so easie to beleeue as strange to wonder at Howbeit writers of credite doo report it whom it were hard not to beleeue who say that they haue not onely hearde so but also seene them and that more is knowne it to be true for that them selues haue read the bookes whiche yf it be a maruelous matter that one man coulde reade so many is it not more marueyle that one man coulde write them all It were ouerlong to repeate what men amongst you and amongst the Gretians haue written and what they haue written among whom none hath been fully fortunate to the full accomplishment of his studie but that some part of the one and a great part of the other and some are wholy perished and therefore looke what thou canst prognosticate of thyne owne studies Ioy. I wryte that is myne onely delyght Reason If it be to exercise thy witte and in writing vnto others to instruct thy selfe yf to forget the tyme and to the intent that by the remembraunce of that whiche is past thou mayest auoyde the present weerisomenesse I doo excuse thee and yf thou doo it to the intent to cure thy secret and incurable disease of wrytyng then doo I take pitie vppon thee For there be some yf thou knowest not so much which would not write but because they can not leaue of and running as it were headlong downe an hyll and vnwilling to stay are forcibly caried away with that desire Ioy. I haue a great courage to write Reason They say there be infinite kinds of Melancholie Some cast stones some write bookes and to write so vnto one is the beginnyng of madnesse and to another the ende Ioy. I haue and doo write much Reason If it be to profiâ—e posteritie there is nothing better If to gette a name only there is nothing more vayne Ioy. I haue written muche Reason O notable madnesse and may we marueyle then yf paper be deerer then it was wout to be Ioy. I write and thereby I looke for fame Reason As I sayde erewhyle perhaps it were better for thee to digge and goe to plough and thereby to hope for a good Haruest for it is salfer sowing in the ground then in the winde For the studie of fame and earnest trauell in writyng as it hath aduaunced the renowme of many so hath it sent ouer innumerable to be fooles and beggers in their olde age and shewed them bare and babblyng spectacles to the common people For whyle ye be writing fyt tyme for better traueyles escapeth away and beyng rauished and forgetting your selues ye marke not so muche vntyll at last olde age and pouertie awake ye Ioy. Notwithstanding I write for desire of fame Reason A strange desire for paynes to seeke winde Truely A had thought that Saylers only had wished for winde Of Maistershyp The .xlv. Dialogue IOY BVT I haue taken the degree of a Maister Reason I had rather thou haddest gotten learnyng for there is nothyng more shamefull then rude and vnlearned Maistershyppe Ioy. I am woorthyly made a Maister Reason Thou canst not woorthyly be made a Maister vnlesse thou hast been a scholler and necessarie it is that thou haue shewed thy selfe duetifull lowly and willing to learne or els thou hast gone astray out of the way that leadeth to Maistershyp although I am not ignorant how that some haue risen to the highest degree of knowledge without a Maister whiche certaine excellent men of great name haue reported and written of them selues but their traueyle their wit their desire to learne their intent their diligence and continuaunce stoode vnto them in steede of a Maister
that remaine their faith is decaied the goodwil of men as that coÌ„mon maner is flyeth away with prosperitie so that thou art brought into a doubt which to bewaile first either the death of thy freends that are peryshed or the losse of their assurednesse that are liuing Now in the middest of these troubles there happened vnto thee a most desperate and dangerous sickenesse wherein thou wast brought so neare vnto death that when euery man supposed thou couldest not escape it was generally reported that thou wast dead Which sickenesse which pouertie which heape of troubles in that thou wast driuen out of thine owne countrey and farre from thine owne house in a strange lande and warre rounde about thee and thou on euerye syde oppressed gaue occasyon that in the meane whyle thou couldest haue no entercourse eyther of letters or conference with those thy frendes whiche eyther thy vertue had purchased or fortune had reserued There was no extremitie wantyng sauing imprisonment and death although we cannot say neyther that thou wast quite free from imprisonment whilest thy most faythful wyfe and al thy sonnes beyng part of thy bowelles and thy daughters also were taken prisoners by thine enimies and there was no comfort remayning vnto thee of so many chyldren Nâ—yther yet from death whilst thou thy selfe striuedst euery day with death and at that tyme also one of thy sonnes gaue vp his tender and giltlesse ghost in prison To be shorte we haue seene that fulfilled in thee whiche we reade of two most excellent personagies Caius Marius and the great Pompeius to wit that fortune hath seuerally expressed in thee and thy chyldren what good and euyl she is able to do and neuer mingle any prosperttie with aduersitie whose flatteries in tymes past although theu hast not casted so plentifully as many happie men haue done notwithstandyng thou hast abidden her threates and force of late dayes with so couragious and inuincible a mynde that in this respect thou hast geuen occasion vnto many who before hated thy name to loue thee and woonder at thee For vertue hath this propertie that it stirreth vp good men to loue it and astunnisheth the euyl Whiche propertie as it is common to euery vertue so is it peculier especially to fortitude whose tranquilitie and vprightnesse is the more acceptable and lyght more conspicable among the troublesome turmoyles of fortune and darkenesse of terrible thinges For vnto me thou hast not onely heaped vp much new good wyl vpon the auntient loue whiche I bare towardes thee whiche I thought to haue been impossible but hast also conuerted my quill whiche made hast towardes another matter to wryte this woorke in tyme not purposed both that thou mightest beholde the countenance of thy mynde in my wrytinges as it were in a lookyng glasse and also if herein there were any thyng that seemed vnto thee nothyng fine but rather rude and barbarous and whiche in deede dyd not lyke thee that in this manner thou order and take it that yf it shal chaunce that fortune hereafter varrie with thee in any strange manner or deuice whereof she hath great plentie yea innumerable in store that thou be not troubled at al with any hope But being prouided for al chaunces and redye for what soeuer may happen thou mayest despyse both the sweete and the sower crying out most confidently these verses of Virgil agaynst them O virgin there is no newe or suddeyne shewe of troubles can aryse vnto me I haue forethought vpon al matters and forecast them alredie in my mynde Neyther am I ignorant that as in the bodyes of men so also in their mindes that are affected with sundry passions the medicines of woordes wyl seeme vnto many to be without effect Notwithstandyng I knowe wel enough that as the diseases of the minde are inuisible so are there remedies inuisible also For they that are seduced by false opinions must be remedied by true perswasions that they that fel by hearyng may also ryse by hearyng Moreouer who so wyllingly offereth vnto his freende beyng in neede that whiche he hath to releeue hym withal howe smal soeuer it be he hath fulfilled the duetie of perfect freendshyp For freendshyp weigheth the mynde and not the thing whiche though it be but smal yet may it be an argument of great good wyl For my part as I wyshe vnto thee al honour so haue I nothyng at this present more conuenient to geue thee whiche yf thou thinke to be of any force the commoditie of it whiche maketh euery thyng to be regarded shal sufficiently commend it But if thou perceyue it to be of no force notwithstandyng thy good wyl towardes me shal excuse it And thou shalt come to reade it as though those foure most famous and coosinne passions of the mynde to wyt hope or desire and ioy feare and sorowe whiche the two sisters prosperitie and aduersitie brought foorth at equal byrthes lay on eyther side most fiercely assaultyng the minde of man howebeit reason whiche gouerneth the cheefe castle maketh answere vnto them al and beyng furnished with her shielde and head peece by her meanes and proper force but specially being assisted with most myghtie power from heauen defendeth of the weapons of the throngyng enimies But I conceyue suche hope of thy wysedome that thou canst soone iudge whiche part wyl haue the victorie I wyl nowe holde thee no longer but to the ende thou mightest vnderstand my purpose it was needeful for me to wryte this epistle as it were an argument to the booke whiche yf thou cause to be set before the woorke consyder thou of these both that an ouerlong preface trouble not a short booke none otherwyse then an ouer great head burdeneth a lytle body For there is nothing wel fauoured without due measure and proportion of the partes ¶ Of floorishing yeeres The first Dialogue IOY REASON MY yeeres are floorishyng I shall yet lyue a long tyme. Reason Loe this is the first vaine hope of mortall men whiche hath alredy and wyll hereafter deceiue many thousandes Ioy. My yeeres are floorishing Reason A vayne ioy and a short whyle we be speakyng this flowre withereth Ioy. My age is sounde Reason Who wyl cal that sound whiche wanteth much and when that whiche remayneth is vncertayne Ioy. But there is a certaine prefixed terme and lawe of liuing Reason Who made that lawe or what is the prefixed time of lyfe Surely it is a very vnequl law that is not indifferent vnto al men yea rather it is so variable that there is nothing more vncertayne in the lyfe of man than the terme of mans lyfe Ioy. Howbeit there is some terme and measure of life which the wise men haue defined Reason To appoynt the terme of lyfe it is not in his power that receiueth it but in his that geueth it which is god And I vnderstande howe that hereby you meane the terme of threescore ten yeres or if nature be somwhat stronger fourescore
Contrariwise too muche sleepe is the matter of vice and infamie which driueth many and throweth them headlong into perpetual sleepe For it nourisheth lust maketh the body heauie weakeneth the minde dulleth the wit diminisheth knowledge extinguisheth the memorie and breedeth forgetfulnes It is not without cause that wakeful and industrious persons are commended As for the sleepie we see not them praysed but puffed And therfore as some vs tearme sleepe death so other cal wakefulnesse life Take heede then of lyfe and death which thou choose It is best to wake which the wise do commend that the life may be the longer Ioy. I enioy a long vn interrupted sleepe Reason It is wel if it be not broken by pinching cares by couetousnes by ambition by feare by sorowe and by wicked loue but euyl if a mans sleepe be disturâ—ed by some care of dishonest stâ—die Truely while the people sleepe the prince waketh while the armie resteth the captaynes be vigilant which both experience declareth and Homers Ilias proueth to be true Vpon noble mindes vigilant cares do depende but such as are sober and hotsome It is credibly reported that Augustus Caesar of al Princes the greatest and best vsed but short sleepe and that also often interrupted And thou gloriest in the contrary Ioy. I sleepe profoundly Reason So do gluttons letchers wrathful persons togeather with bruite beastes but lyuing notwithstanding slâ—ggish persons and they that sleepe are only compared to the dead and as touching that part of tyme that happie men doo nothyng differ thereby from men in miserie thou knowest it to be a position of Philosophie Wherefore as that part is diligently to be eschewed whiche leaueth so small a difference of dreames onely betweene men and beastes so is the contrary to be pursued whiche offereth no hardnesse to them that are willing For yf in respect of a simple glory or small gaine both Warriours Merchauntes and Mariners do watch whole nightes abroade in the open ayre the one among ambushmentes of their enimies the other among the surgies and rockes more fierce then any enimie art not thou able to watche some part of the nyghtes in makyng prayers to God and among thy bookes for the true glory and a large gayne Ioy. Being weerie when I was awake I haue now wholly geuen my selfe to sleepe Reason Thus it is yee change not your copie ye deale in all matters after one maner and looke what thing God himselfe or nature or any art hath geuen you for recreation that ye turne to your owne shame and discommoditie â–ª your drinke to drunkennes your meate to surfeityng your leysure to sleepinesse your good health to voluptuousnesse your beautie to lasciuiousnesse your strength to iniuries your wit to deceitfulnesse your knowledge to pride your eloquence to harmfulnesse the brauerie of your houses and the apparell of your backes to pompousnesse and vayne ostentation your ryches to couetousnesse and riot your wiues and chyldren to feare and perpetual carefulnesse Goe nowe be astonished complayne of your fortune and lament your wickednesse of good thinges ye make euil of heauenly giftes ye make fetters and snares and chaines for your soule Ioy. I am delighted in pleasaunt sleepe Reason Not only Kinges Captaynes and Princes Philosophers Poetes Householders do watch vp and rise in the night which Aristotle sayeth to be auaylable for health for good husbandrie and philosophie but theeues also and pilferers and whiche is also more marueylous mad men and louers whom the remembraunce desire they haue to their trulles doth styrre forwarde and wylt not thou for the loue of vertue hate sleepe that is freende to vices and as Horace sayth excellently Seeyng theeues ryse in the nyght to kill true menne wilt not thou awake to preserue thy selfe Ye may be ashamed that filthie causes can so muche preuayle with you and most souereine can doo nothyng Ioy. I sleepe all nyght and no man troubleth mee Reason Aristotle seemeth whiche I haue touched before in this maner to deuide a mans lyfe attributing halfe to sleepe and halfe to waking And as touching the one halfe thereof he sayth that a vertuous mans lyfe differeth not from a fooles lyfe in whiche place he wyll haue he night to be vnderstoode for sleepe and the day for wakyng This I confesse is a good and true diuision for it equally deuideth tyme into the partes But if it be thus taken that the partes be of equal space truely there is an other great difference betweene them For there is no cogitation or discourse more sharpe or more deepe then the nyghtly no tyme more conuenient for studentes If he say that sleepe is the one halfe of our tyme it is a strange saying to come out of the mouth of so studious and learned a man God forbyd that a minde whiche is well instructed and geuen to studie shoulde sleepe halfe her tyme seeyng to some the fourth part and to voluptuous persons also the thyrde part is sufficient I would counsell a man to ryse in the nyght in euery part of the yeere God forbyd but that they which haue any great exployt in hande sleepe both the whole Winter and Summer nyghtes Howbeit it is sufficient perhappes to haue broken it once and as muche sleepe as is broken by watching so muche may be quickly supplyed yf neede so require by takyng a nappe after noone But the houres of the winter nyghters are often to be broken in them it were expedient to syng to studie to reade to write to thynke to contemplate by wit some new thing is to be deuised that which is wonne by studie is to be repeated in memorie Hearken also to S. Ierome wryting to Eustochius We must ryse sayth he twice or thrice a nyght and we must meditate on some part of Scripture whiche we haue learned without booke And at length when your eyes are weerie with this studie ye must eftsoones refreshe them with sleepe and beyng then recomforted with a lytle rest they must agayne be weeried with exercise lest that by sleeping all the night long and lying styl vpon the pillowe ye appeare to be as it were buried carkases By the often and coomely styrring of your selues declare that ye are alyue and geuen to vertue Of pleasaunt smelles The xxii Dialogue IOY I Am delited with sweete odours Reason These serue eyther for foode or apparrel concerning which thou hast hearde myne opinion Ioy. My studie is vpon sweete smelles Reason Of smelles some prouoke the appetite and some wantonnesse The desire of these incurreth the note of incontinencie especially yf it be vehement Others are desired for theyr owne sake The greedinesse of them is not reprooued of dishonestie but of folly Whereby it commeth that the smel of womens oyntmentes and of iunkets is more discommodable then the odour of flowres or apples The same reason is also in those pleasures whiche are receyued by the eares and eyes If euer thou hast applyed thy
the chaunce whiche they would haue and others who otherwyse were couragious and vpryght of mynde at this game for a litle money to pray to be angry and in fine to be furious What and howe many thynges haue certayne valyaunt men doone at game for a small summe of money whiche in an other place they would not haue doone for a great treasure There is the kyngdome of al vices but especially of wrath and couetousnesse Thou remembrest howe Ouid in the same booke where in he teacheth the dishonest and superfluous art of loue yet sometyme intermyngleth some profitable matter He admonysheth the women louers that to conceale the vyces of theyr mynd they absteyne from this and such lyke games least beyng seene either swellyng with anger or greedy with couetousnesse they displease theyr louers How muche better were it for this commaundement to be geuen to men that they offende not onely the eyes of men but also of GOD that seeth all and loueth good myndes and curteous manners Ioy. I haue played I haue woon and am glad Reason A fylthy game and hurtful victorie a vayne pleasure Ioy. I haue wonne and am glad Reason All reioycyng in a mans owne euyl is foolyshe And therefore it was some Helhounde that fyrst deuysed this game the vnskylfull whereof are subiect to mockes and losse and the skylful to woonder and astonyshment For what is more marueylous then that whiche is commonly spoken in the olde prouerbe and is vulgarely founde to be true by experience That al the great players and maysters of this game are naked bare and poore Of Iesters The xxviii Dialogue IOY I Take delyght in the pastyme of Iesters Reason The delyght of Musycall Harmonie is more noble which is procured by a certayne lyberall art as for this it is ful of vanitie and impudency Ioy. I take pleasure in Iesters Reason I had rather thou tookest pleasure in poore folke in humble friendes and in carefulnesse Ioy. Iesters doo make me laugh Reason And what dooest thou make them doo Howe many tymes haue Iesters mocked theyr maisters that laughed at them How oftentymes wonderyng at the follie of those that wonder at them haue they feygned some other matter whereby they falsly delyght them truely delight themselues Ioy. I haue learned Iesters Reason Thou hast those that thou mayest laugh at that wyllaugh and gyrde at thee An auntient plague among the ryche which beginnyng among the Hetruscanes grewe so great at Rome and came to such boldnesse that Esope left a woonderful and very great patrimonie vnto his sonne whiche he had gotten thereby and Roscius geathered this distracted and vagraunt practise into an art wrytyng a booke of the Art of iestyng â–ª wherein he was not ashamed to compare it to Oratorie and to matche hym selfe with Tullie and that for this cause for that those sundrie affections and secrete conceyuynges of the mynd whiche Cicero was wont in eloquent speache diuersly to pronounce he could also expresse the very same after another fashion but to lyke effect by apt iestures And truely he was very cunnyng neyther doo I knowe what were so harde or sorowful whiche he coulde not easyly haue mollified I speake not howe by meanes of his wyt he purchased the friendshyp of the most curteous gentle Cicero and was founde woorthie for whom so great an Oratour shoulde pleade and of whom he shoulde leaue a woorke to the remembraunce of posteritie but that he qualified the cruel and proude mynd of Sylla and by hym that despised al men beyng receyued into fauour was rewarded with a ryng of golde who also as often as hym lysted coulde prouoke to myrth and laughter so many graue and seuere fathers and that Senate by whiche the whole worlde was gouerned Who enticed the people of Rome beyng so great and so many to geue to hym aboue a dayly stipende out of the common treasurie of an hundred pence besides his seruautes and assistantes A great rewarde although it were payde in sinal money and I cannot deny but that these thynges were handled by hym with wonderful and rare agilitie of mynde so that if there were a Roscius any where to be found perhaps it is not denyed to thee which was lawfull for Cicero not only to vse his pastime otherwhiles but also his wit and familiaritie For there is great agreement of wittes one with an other although they differ in studie and profession But where we seeke hym many notable artes haue in short processe of tyme peryshed not onely the arte of Iesting whiche is now come to this passe that it is certayne that they which now folow it are of a corrupt sense and false iudgement And truely hereof it foloweth that they to whom euyl thynges seeme good good thynges are vnknowne and that they are vnaccustomed to noble cares that are delyghted with vyle Ioy. Many iesters do frequent me dayly Reason They wyl leaue to frequent thee when thou shalt leaue to be ryche and liberal I shoulde rather say foolyshe and prodigall Ioy. I haue a great troupe of iosters Reason Thou mayest rather say of Flyes which folowe thee whyle thou art annoynted and when thou art drye wyl forsake thee and it is not sufficient that they doo forsake thee but that lyke infamie wyl folow this farewel There be some tongues to whom rest and quietnesse is a punyshment they haue no delyght but to talke of other folke eyther in falsly praysyng them or bitterly slaunderyng them and looke whose wealth they cannot byte they gnaw his fame This is one generall lawe among iesters and Parasites that they be both sorts of them armed with slatteries and folow fortune For the one sort it is sufficient to fyl theyr bellies the other sort hath another hunger vnto whom it is an iniurie to make mention of meate whose greedinesse must be fylled whiche hath no bottome Of the games of VVrestlyng The xxix Dialogue IOY I Am delighted with the games of wrestlyng Reason If to be a looker on thou art a foole yf to wrestle thou art mad Ioy. I vse to exercise wrestlyng Reason By euery one of thy woordes it appeareth vnto what maister thou art a slaue For these aswell as the abouenamed doo belong to the body and as I haue admonished a litle before there be thyngs that may be doone more honestly without force and noyce And there is also a more excellent mouing of the mynde which if thou knewest thou wouldest contemne and hate these bodyly endeuours But you esteeme of your mynde as a degenerate and hateful ghest and of your bodyes as some great and dearely beloued lorde for him you plowe for hym you sowe for hym you mowe Truely in so doing ye do well but in this ye deale vniustly in that ye referre al thynges to the body and not regarding the mynde for this ye spende whole nightes in wakefulnesse for this ye sigh for this ye vowe for this ye learne good artes this ye obey and serue
not the blemishes of kynges and although they feare them in presence yet priuily they vse their libertie they hisse in dennes and barke in darkenesse and sende foorth doubtfull voyces to the cloudes they disperse sharpe verses in the streetes they clappe vp papers vppon statues they speake by signes they crye out in silence they threaten with their eyes and strike with their tongues Thus oftentymes great infamie groweth vppon small causes and vile dye tearmes vppon honourable names If this coulde happen to so great a Prince what may priuate men hope for who ought to embrace mediocritie and abandon superfluitle Ioy. I take pleasure in vesselles of Corinth Reason If thy breast were shut vp against errour and thyne eyes agaynst bryghtnesse it myght easily appeare vnto thee howe muche Potters vessels are to be preferred before Corinthian and howe muche more easie to be gotten pleasant to be vsed safe to be kept and fyt to be employed both about diuine and humane vses And truely as touchyng securitie yf this note of the Emperour Augustus be true they whiche were proscribed and condempned should haue lyued in greater safetie yf they had been without Corinthian vesselles And as touchyng diuine seruice that God is as mercyful vnto men when he is worshypped with potters vessels it is not doubtful vnto me nor vnto Seneca But concerning humane vse although it be certayne that Tuberoes earchen vessels by blinde voyces or scrutinie did hurt theyr maister as a great rebuke and slaunder among the people and thereby he had repulse in the Pretorshyp in the iudgement of Valerius Maximus who doth popularly excuse this deede of the people they seemed vnwoorthy of such a publique function How be it I am of opinion in this poynt with Seneca who commendeth very much of them for they are most agreable to the auncient sparyngnesse and the manners of the Romanes by whiche as the pryuate familie of a modest housholder so ought also the honest common wealth of a wel gouerned Citie to be guyded that brydlyng theyr steppes they may keepe the boundes of a wel ordred and peaceable state vpon the earth And therefore yf Helius Tubero in brynging foorth his earthen vessels before the Chappel of Iupiter whereby he consecrated his frugalitie and sobrietie and as Seneca sayeth His pouertie in the Capitol dyd offende the eyes of the wanton people it was not the fault of the good Citizen but of the tyme for then al thynges be gan to declyne from the auncient strayghtnesse to this effeminate delicatenesse whiche fyrst began to wonder at and fall in loue with cuppes and dyshes of golde and of precious stone platters engrauen about the brym with braunches and â—oures Saltes with knottes and vynes round about vessels with tunnyng Iuie and suche lyke deuises whiche Galienus the Emperour sent vnto Claudius that shoulde be Emperour after hym Diuers other kyndes of madnesse also whiche are attributed to magnificencie but last of al nowe in these dayes not only running yuie or vyne braunches or other curious braunches but also the whole woods themselues with theyr in habitantes as all kyndes of trees and wylde beastes and foules mens faces and whatsoeuer the eye hath seene or the eare heard or the mind imagined are of long continuance nowe expressed and engrauen in gold and precious stone of which we haue entreated a litle before To be short pride so much encreaseth that gold waxeth vile Not long since these Corinthian vessels which thou praysest were not regarded and contempt which myght haue ben praysed concerning the true estimation of vyle thyngs is now made discommendable by the false admiration of worthy thyngs Ioy. But I am now in loue with Corinthian vessels Reason Corinth which was burned with your fyrebrands hath brent you agayne with her flanâ—e and hath reuenged the rasing of her walles vpon your myndes And this is no strange thing for oftentymes when ye haue ben the conquerers in forraigne wars ye haue also ben ouercome by forraigne vices Euen after this maner Scipio Asiaticus Manilius Volsio the conquerers of Asia did ouerthrow you with the Asian pleasures with beds of purple garments of gold and exquisite furniture for houshold and which is most vyle with banquets cookes so did Pompeius Magnus ouercome you with pearles and precious stones and Mummius with painted tables Corinthian vessels whyle your captaines triumphed ouer your enimies and your enimies triumphed ouer your affections Ioy. I am enamored with the vse of Corinthian vessels Reason The Corinthian or golden vessels make the meate neuer a whit the better neither the Samian the worse for this desire of yours riseth not from the qualitie of the things but from the sicknesse of your minds or rather is it selfe a sicknes of the mind which to the end thou mayest the better cure and so waxe whole in steede of the care for so many vnprofitable vessels take one most profitable holsome care vpon thee that â—hou maiest know how to possesse thyne owne vessell in honour and holynesse as it is wrytten not in the passion and desire of hauyng Of store of Bookes The .xliii. Dialogue IOY I Haue great store of bookes Reason The occasioÌ„ to speake of them is ministred in conuenient time For as some get bookes for learning sake so do some others for pleasure boastyng There be other some also which do furnish their chambers with this kinde of stuffe which was inuented to furnish the mynd withal and vse them in none other sort then they do theyr Corinthian vessels or theyr painted tables and images suche other lyke wherof we entreated last There be some also which vnder the colour of bookes do satisfie theyr couetousnesse these be the worst sort of men which esteeme not the true prices of bookes as they are in deede but as they may sel them A vyle plague and lately growne and whiche seemeth but newly to haue crept in among the practises of the richer sort wherby there is growne one instrument and art of concupiscence more Ioy. I haue great plentie of bookes Reason A painful but a pleasant burden a delectable distraction of the mind Ioy. I haue a marueilous multitude of bookes Reason Thou hast therewithal also great plentie of traueyl and scarcitie of quietnesse thy wit must be busied this way and that way and thy memorie be troubled with this matter that matter What wouldest thou haue me say Bookes haue brought some men to knowledge some to madnes whilst they draw out of them more then they can disgest As fulnes sometime hurteth the stomack more then huÌ„ger so fareth it with wits and as of meates so lykewyse of bookes the vse ought to be limitted according to the qualitie of him that vseth theÌ„ In al thinges that which is to litle for one is to much for another And therfore a wise man seeketh not plentie but sufficiencie in al thynges For the one of these is many times
hurtfull the other alwayes profitable Ioy. I haue immoderate store of bookes Reason We cal that immoderate which hath neither ende nor measure without which what there is good and agreeable to it selfe in humane affayres do thou consider with thy selfe yea in those thinges which are accompted best vnmeasurablenesse and immoderatnesse is to be eschewed and this saying of the Câ—â—nicke Poet is alwayes to be had before our eyes Beware of to much Ioy. I haue an inestimable many of bookes Reason Hast thou moe then had Ptolomeus Philadelphus king of Egypt moe then the libraries of Alexandria wherin it is wel knowne were 〈◊〉 M. bokes gathered togither which being with great study diligence brought froÌ„ sundry places were hurut togither in one fire which Liuius tearmeth an excellent worke of the maiestie and dilygence of a kynges trauayl whom Seneca reprehendeth for that iudgement saying that it was not a woorke of the maiestie and didigence of a king but of his studious lasciuiousnesse and not so good neyther but of a Kyng vaynely boastyng hym selfe in spectacles and shewes sought of purpose And yet notwithstanding perhaps the ryches of a Kyng may excuse the saying of Liuius and the deede of Ptolomeus and the Kynges entent forseeyng and prouyding a farre of for publique vses whiche in this respect truely was commendable in that he caused the holy scriptures which are not only profitable for the worlde but also necessary with great trauayle and charge by choise men for that purpose to be translated out of the Hebrue into the Greeke tongue But what shal a man say when priuate men do not only match but surpasse Princes in sumptuousnes We reade how that Serenus Sammonicus who was a man of wonderful knowledge and yet had greater defyre of more learnyng but had farre many moe bookes to the number of threescore and two thousand who when he died gaue them al to Gordianus the youger vnto whose father he had been most freindly familiar Truely a great inheritance sufficient for many wits but able to ouerthrow one wit who doubteth what I pray you if this man had done nothing els in al his lyfe time yf he had him self neuer written any thing or taken the toyle to searche or had neuer gone about to take the payne to reade or vnderstand any matter that was comprehended in all those bookes Had he not businesse yenough to know the bookes themselues and theyr titles and the names of the aucthours and the formes and number of the volumes A woorthy occupation whiche of a Philosopher maketh a booke keeper Beleeue me this is not the way to noorysh the wyt by writinges but to ouerwhelme and kyl it with multitude or els peraduenture after the maner of Tantalus to torment the astonyshed mynde with thyrst whiche tasteth nothyng but gapeth after euery thyng Ioy. I haue an innumerable multitude of bookes Reason And also an innumerable multitude of errours some publyshed by the wicked some by the vnlearned And those of the fyrst sort contrary to religion godlynesse and the holy Scriptures the other repugnaunt to nature equitie and good manners the lyberall sciences or Histories and the trueth of thynges doone but al generally striuyng agaynst the trueth and in them all specially the fyrst where greater matters are handled and true thynges are myngled with false the discernyng of them is harde and daungerous And to admit that the integritie of aucthours were perfect absolute what writer is able to remedie ignorance and slouthfulnesse whiche corrupt and confounde al thynges For feare whereof many excellent wyttes haue geuen ouer sundry worthie workes and our most lewde age is deseruedly plagued with this punyshment whiche is careful of the Kytchyn and negligent of learnyng encourageth Cookes and not wryters And therfore whosoeuer can a litle blot paper with ynke and knoweth howe to holde a pen in his fyngers shal be counted a wryter yea although he be voide of all learnyng without wyt and destitute of knowledge I doo not seeke nowe nor complayne of Orthographie whiche is long since peryshed I woulde to GOD they coulde wryte by one meanes or other indifferently that whiche they be wylled then the weakenesse of the wryter woulde appeare and the substaunce of the thynges not lye vnknowne But nowe by meanes of their confused copies registers promising to write one thyng they wryte so another that a man cannot tell hym selfe what he wylled them to wryte If Cicero or Liuius and many other of the famous auncient wryters shoulde come agayne into the worlde but specially Plinius the seconde and reade theyr owne woorkes woulde they vnderstand and not in many places doubt whether these were theyr owne woorkes or some barbarous wryter Among so many ruins of humane inuentions the holy Scripture remayneth both by meanes of the more speciall care of men but chiefly by the expresse woorking of God the aucthour thereof who defendeth his holy woorde his sacred Histories and diuine lawes and geueth continuance vnto his inuentions The most principall of all other artes doo perysh and the greatest part of them are lost Thus of so great a losse there is no remedie because there is no perceyuyng of it which in this case is no strange thyng for the great losses of vertues and manners are neglected Nowe when ye prouyd for smal matters with such diligence ye accompt of the losse of learnyng among trifles and there be some that reckon it among gayne There was one of late not in the fieldes or wooddes but that which thou mayest the more marueyle at in a great and moste floryshyng Citie of Italie not a shephearde or a ploughman but a Noble man and of great credite among the people of the countrey where he dwelt who sware that he woulde geue a great summe of money vpon condition there woulde neuer any learned man come in and dwel in the countrey where he inhabited Oh wycked voyce of a stony hart It is reported also that Licinius was of the same mynd and loathed learnyng which as it is written he tearmed a common poyson and pestilence Howbeit perhaps his rude and clounyshe byrth may excuse his folly But surely yf he had ben aduaunced to the state of an Emperour he woulde not haue abandoned that nature For the saying of Horace is true Fortune changeth not a mans kinde But what shall I say of your noble men who doo not only suffer learnyng to peryshe but pray and wysh that it may so Truely this contempt and hatred of so most excellent a thyng wyll in short tyme drowne you in the deapth of ignorance And moreouer not to wander from the purpose the wryters are restrayned by no lawe and allowed by no examination and chosen by no iudgment there is not so muche libertie geuen to carpenters to Husbandmen to Weauers not almost to any artificers although in others it be but a small danger but in this a great peryl Neuerthelesse euery man runneth to
neither wanted they an inward Maister in silence Howheit I speake nowe of the common sort Ioy. I am called a Maister Reason The false name of Maistershyppe hath hindred many from beyng true Maisters in deede and whylst they beleeued euery body of them selues more then them selues and were counted to be that whiche they were not they happened not to be that which they myght haue been Ioy. I haue the tytle of a Maister Reason Thou hast seene a Tauerne wherein was sowre wine freshly decked foorth with Pictures and flowres where the thyrstie wayfaring man myght be deceyued But is the Vintener also deceyued by his owne craft Truely there be some so accustomed to deceitfulnesse that by long vse of deceyuing others at length they begin to deceyue them selues and that whiche long tyme they haue been perswading others in the ende they perswade them selues and that whiche they knowe to be false they beleeue to be true Glorie thou as muche in thy Maistershyppe as thou wylt But yf it haue chaunced vnto thee woorthyly it is no strange thing yf vnwoorthyly it bringeth these two mischiefes with it the one that it maketh thee ashamed to learne the other that it maketh thine ignoraunce the more knowen Of sundry titles of Studies The .xlvi. Dialogue IOY I Am adorned with many and sundrie titles Reason There is great vanitie of boughes but no fruite Ioy. I abounde with store of titles Reason If with true titles it is a painfull burden yf with false it is filthie and shamefull And what neede a man to seeke for suche titles in whiche there is eyther toyle or ignominie Vertue beyng contented with one or no title at all is a sufficient title to her selfe Ioy. I haue deserued to be a Maister of Philosophie Reason Philosophie promiseth not wysedome but the loue of wysedome Whosoeuer therefore wyll haue this he getteth it by louyng This title is not harde and paynefull as some suppose If thy loue be true and the wysedome true whiche thou louest thou shalt be a true Philosopher in deede For none can knowe or loue the true wisedome but pure and godly mindes And therefore it commeth to this poynt whiche is wrytten Godlynesse is wysedome Your Philosophers standyng in contempt and ignoraunce of this opinion fell vnto brablyng and bare Logike And therefore when Diuines rashly entreate of GOD and Philosophers of Nature they circumscribe his most mightie Maiestie with triflyng argumentes and prescribe lawes vnto God that laugheth and mocketh at their foolishe presumption but these dispute in such sort of the secretes of nature as yf they came lately out of heauen and hadde been of Goddes priuie counsayle forgettyng that whiche is written Who knoweth the Lordes meanyng or who was his counseller Not regardyng also or hearyng Saint Ierome who often and by many strong argumentes in the same booke wherein he bewayleth his brothers death very precisely and briefely Philosophers sayth he disputyng of heauen speake they knowe not what Ioy. I professe many Artes. Reason That is an easie matter but to knowe many is very harde for confessyng is more safe then professyng The one is a token of humilitie and repentaunce the other of lyghtnesse and insolencie For they that doo confesse deserue pardon more easily then they that doo professe knowledge Ioy. I haue obteyned the tytle of Diuine and Humane wysedome Reason Wysedome wanteth not tytles she is sufficiently knowen of her selfe Who euer lyghted a Candle to goe seeke for the Sunne Many with these tytles haue been obscured and without them haue become renowmed Oftentymes there hath been none for good but some notable signe hung foorth where haue been euyl wares to sell Ioy. What say you to this that I haue won a poeticall garlande about my head Reason There remayneth yet one labour to seeke the trueth and this traueile also is double to seeke and to set foorth and to feigne to the delight of the eare it is a great matter harde difficult and therefore very rare They that are woorthily called Poetes in deede doo apply them selues to both but the common sort neglect the first and are contented to vse deceite and colourable meanes Ioy. I haue obteyned the rare glorie of Poetrie Reason Thou hast found a meane in respect whereof thou mayest neglect the common wealth and thine owne priuate wealth likewyse thou hast sought also a way vnto pouertie vnlesse that dame Fortune of her owne voluntarie liberalitie wyl largely bestowe ryches vppon thee thou hast moreouer sought out the meanes to seeme vnto some mad and vnto some insolent Ioy. I haue wonne the Baye garland vnto my selfe Reason The Baye is a most floorishyng and greene tree when it is first gathered and vnlesse it be watered with a pregnant wit and diligent studie it wyl wither immediatly Ioy. I haue gotten the Laurell garland Reason When a man hath taken paynes he hath wonne also enuie withall whiche is the rewarde eyther of studie or of warfare That slender bough hath purchased nothing to thy mynde but onely a vayne signe to thy head shewyng thee vnto many who thou haddest better had neuer knowen thee For what hath it doone other then layde thee open to the teeth of the enuious These notable tokens of knowledge haue hurt many both in peace and warre Ioy. I professe the Arte of Oratorie Reason This is strange which I heare For it seemeth that of late it is growen out of vse so great and innumerable are the thynges whereof it consysteth that there haue alwayes been fewer good Oratoures then excellent Poetes And therefore some haue sayde that it is the proper duetie of an Oratour to be able to speake copiously and trimly of euery matter that is proposed Although this opinion be reiected as most arrogant notwithstandyng of howe many thynges an Oratour ought to entreate of although not of euery thyng in applying a certayne artifitiall and sweete eloquence in euery thyng whereof he speaketh whiche of it selfe is a great matter yf thou consyder of it vprightly thou wylt be amazed and perhappes thou wylt repent thee of thy rashe profession least thou beware that whylest thou wylt goe about to seeme to knowe all thyng thou appeare to knowe nothyng and as it often chaunceth vnder the profession of great skyl thy hidden ignoraunce do necessarily appeare Ioy. I am a professour of the liberal Artes. Reason This matter many tymes conteyneth in it more boldnesse then learnyng A mans lyfe is too short for any one Arte and art thou sufficient for them all One Art sufficeth one wit with sweating and toyling to attaine to the toppe thereof To caste of many as much as necessitie requireth is not amisse and more modestie it is to knowe it then to professe it I wyll also adde this whiche hath seemed true vnto the best learned that it neuer yet happened vnto any of the most excellent and famous learned men to be throughly and absolutely perfect in any one Art. And as touching Rechorike only
away the sobrietie and modestie of thy mynde and thy plentie be bestowed vpon thy freindes and the poore there is nothing pleasaunt or sauorie to one that is alone Ioy. I husband most exquisitely fruitful lande Reason Man ought not to be seruant to the lande but the lande to man by meanes of mans transgression it is come to passe that the earth yeeldeth nothyng to the owner without trauayle yf it be not husbanded it bringeth foorth but a rough croppe Burres Thistles Bryers and Thornes the same to labour with the plough and by strange manuryng to make it soft and pliant mans neede hath enforced Hereof began husbandrie which in tymes past was the most holy and innocent lyfe but now subiect both to the auncient toyle and newe vices synce nothyng hath been left vnsearched by enuie and auarice Townysh vyllanies haue crept into Countrey cottages Truely it is lykely that husbandmen were the last that waxed wycked whereof it commeth that the Poet sayth When Iustice forsooke the earth she left her last footesteps among them But it is to be feared least they that were last euyl be nowe chiefe so that yf haply men shoulde one day generally returne to vertue and the auncient manners of olde tyme these men woulde then also be last But nowe I come to the Art of husbandrie whiche was sometyme had in great pryce and vsed by men of great callyng and wysedome wherein as in many other thyngs Cato surnamed Censorius possesseth an hygh roomth of whom when it was written and that most truely that he was an excellent Senatour an excellent Oratour an excellent Captayne and at length to the fyllyng vp of his commendacion it is added that without comparison or example he was the most excellent Husbandman of his tyme. Who wyl then be ashamed to tyll the grounde with Cato who wyl thynke that there is any thyng vnfytting for hym selfe whiche he thought seemely yenough for his person who besydes the gyftes of his body and mynde and the glory of his woorthy deedes had triumphed for conqueryng of Spaine Who would be ashamed to dryue foorth and cal to his Oxen whom that voyce draue along in the furrow whiche had sometyme hartened so many great armies to battayle and most eloquently defended so many doubtful causes Who woulde disdayne the plough and the harrowe whiche that triumphant and Philosophical hande touched whiche had purchased so many notable victories ouer so many enimies had wrytten so many excellent woorkes of worthie matter apparteynyng both to Philosophie Historie or common vse of lyfe as are those bookes which he wrote concernyng this matter whereof we nowe entreate He was the fyrst amongst you that geathered the preceptes of Husbandrie and brought them into the fourme of an Art and set them downe in wrytyng after whom there folowed many other whereof some haue aduaunced that poore and symple skyl in woorthy and excellent verses whiche nowe callyng to my mynde and not forgetful of mans necessitie truely I doo not nowe discommende of Husbandrie Notwithstandyng neyther the excellencie of wryters neyther the feare of pouertie shal euer constrayne me to iudge it meete to be preferred or matched with the liberal and commendable artes although the first age of the empire had those that were both valiant captaynes and good husbandmen but now by continuance of tyme the case is altered Howbeit it happeneth not now through the frailtie of nature that your wittes are not sufficient to atteyne vnto thynges of so diuers nature And therefore in this age I wyll permit that excellent personages geue theyr myndes sometyme to Husbandrie not to make it a toyle or theyr trade of lyuyng but rather for theyr recreations to put greater cares out of theyr heades as namely sometyme to graffe the tender twygge vppon the buddyng stocke or to correct the ranke leaues with the croked hooke or to lay quycksettes into the Dyke in hope of increase or to bryng the syluer streames by newe dygged furrowes into the thirstie mebowes I am content to geue these men licence after this maner earnestly to busie them selues to dygge and delue but wholly to apply the minde vnto the earth vnlesse necessitie constrayne thereunto I count it vnmeete and vndecent for a learned and valiaunt man who can not lyghtly want some matter of more noble exercise The good mother Nature when she gaue many artes vnto men she made a difference also between their wittes and dispositions that euery one should followe that where vnto he was most euclyned Thou shalt finde some one who beyng of an indifferent witte can so cunnyngly eyther tyll the lande or sayle ouer the seas that in this behalfe no Philosophers wysedome may be compared to his industrie It is a follie and a bootlesse thyng to contende with another man not in thyne owne but in his art wherein although otherwyse thou excell hym and be hygher as they say then hee by the head and shoulders yet thou shalt be founde his vnderlyng and where thou art superiour in the greatest matters thou mayest easily be ouercome in many small Ioy. This Summer my lande hath been verie fruitfull vnto mee Reason Marke the next for present plentie hath many tymes been a token of future scarcitie It is a rare matter to fynde prosperitie without intermission Ioy. I haue husbanded my lande diligently Reason It is well doone yf thou haddest nothyng els to doo Ioy. I haue trymmed my Vineyarde exquisitely Reason Perhaps thereby thou hast promised to thy selfe a plentifull vintage but hast thou also made an agreement with the frost and hayle Ioy. I haue sowed my grounde thicker then I was woont Reason Thou shalt feede the moe Cranes and Wildgeese abroade moe Mise and Rattes at home thou shalt be hoste to foules and woormes a picker foorth of Darnell a maker of thy floore a buylder of barnes and a seruant to thy reapers and thresshers Ioy. I haue sowed my fieldes plentifully Reason Be of good hope thou shalt reape that which thou hast sowed corne and carefulnesse vnlesse perhaps I may say this more truely that the come belongeth to many and the carefulnesse to thee alone and to speake as the trueth is the fielde is thy minde the tillage thyne intent the seede thy care the haruest thy traueyle these shalt thou finde most plentifull Ioy. I haue well husbanded my lande Reason I wyll tell thee a thyng that thou mayest woonder at Those auncient husbandmen those valiant men that tooke great glorie in Husbandrie were of opinion that it shoulde be well followed but not too well an incredible thyng perhaps to be hearde but by proofe of experience founde to be most true for the profite scarce counterueyleth the charge and among the auncient writers there is a comparison not vnfit made betweene a man and a feelde These twayne yf they be sumptuous although they be prifitable the remainder wyl be lytle or nothyng at all and therefore in that respect neyther is to be muche
for thy daughter a wyfe for thy sonne thou hast woon the peoples fauour with thy ambitious flatterie thou hast gotten theyr voyces thou hast prepared vnto thy selfe a redy way vnto ryches and honour there nowe remayneth nothyng but that thou reioyce in thyne owne felicitie This yf I be not deceyued is thy conclusion but myne is farre other wyse to wyt that thou dye It seldome happeneth vnto men to enioy long that which they haue gotten togeather with great diligence the toyle is long the vse is short Ioy. Nowe that my affayres goe forwarde prosperously I am in an assured state Reason Howe thou canst stande whyle thyne affayres goe forwarde see thou for I cannot perceyue Ioy. I reioyce nowe that my businesse proceedeth accordyng to my desire Reason Now therefore it is tyme to dye thynkest thou that there can any man lyue long meery heare Dye therefore while thou art meery before thou begyn to be sorowful I wyl nowe repeate agayne that whiche I haue sayde For the repeatyng of profitable thinges is not tedious but pleasant Dooest thou remember in Tullie what Lacon sayde to the auncient Diagoras Rhodius who at that tyme muche reioyced though vpon very lyght occasion whiche thou heardest before when we entreated of Palestrical exercises Die nowe Diagoras quoth he for thou canst not clymbe into heauen And truely it was grauely spoken For in this so great an alteration of thinges what can the mynde looke for more then to leaue to be mery and to begyn to be sorowful And therefore Diagoras very seasonably folowed his friendes counsel for in the sight and a middest the shoutyng and gratulation of the people in the middest of the embrasinges and kysses of his sonnes he gaue vp the ghost This Historie is written in the booke of the Attike nightes and in summe moe haue peryshed through ioy then sorowe Of all therefore that are wyse but specially that are in great ioy death is to be wyshed of whiche we ought alwayes to thynke but most of all in tyme of prosperitie and this cogitation wyll brydle al other Ioy. I haue taken payne and nowe I rest Reason Ye hope al for that but therein ye be all deceyued The course of your lyfe fareth otherwyse and the ende thereof answereth not your expectation This thy rest is eyther short or false or to speake more truely both and howe then carrye dreame any rest heare So dooth he that is in pryson dreame of libertie the sicke man of health and he that is hungrie of dayntie cheere but behold the last day is at hand whiche wyll shortly dryue away these dreames But be ye not deceyued by dreames and false opinions wherof the lyfe of man is full promyse not vnto your selues rest heare Beleeue me death is all the rest that men haue after theyr trauailes Ioy. I haue al thynges most plentifully that I thynke to be necessarie forâ—ine Reason All thinges more then needeful are wast superfluous but this is the maner of mans minde that professyng and ascendyng vpward to heauen burdeneth it selfe with so great care and studie as it is scarce neuer able to disburden it self againe so that being wayed downe with a forraigne burden whyle it endeuoureth to ryse vpward it falleth downe the earth is vnto it in steede of heauen Ioy. I haue abundaunce of al thinges and they be nowe in the Hauen Reason Then are they in the end of their course For this present lyfe is lyke to the troublesome Sea. The end of the one is at the shore and of the other in death so that they may be both well termed Hauens And truely the most part of men while they be careful in heaping togeather necessaries to lyue by in the chiefest of their preparation they are cut of by death and there is nothyng nowe more common then for death to preuent the carefulnesse of this lyfe it happeneth but vnto fewe to obteyne their desire and from these the vse of theyr dayly gaine is so soone taken away that the shortnesse of theyr ioy is an encrease of their sorowe wherof it is knowne that many haue complained at theyr death Ioy. Now that I haue ended my trauayles I lyue in securitie Reason So doth the foule flie safe betweene the line and the grin the fishe playeth among the hookes and the wylde beastes among the toyles Oftentimes whereas is most danger and least feare it is fortunes cunning to take away distrust that she may strike the more freely Ioy. I haue toyled al my lyfe tyme to the end I might take my rest at last Reason Thou hast placed thy rest securitie vpon a daungerous downefal hast liued in sorow to die in mirth wherein thou hast folowed no absurd gouernment concernyng thy lyfe and death so that we agree about the qualitie of the securitie and rest sorow and ioy Ioy. I haue prouided al things to furnysh my selfe whyle I lyue Reason Nay rather to make thy death more greiuous Thou hast wel prouided for the Phisitions they will shortly come thicke vnto thee pratling about thy bed There wil come also some to make thy Testament some to loke for Legacies some that wil dissemble their ioy counterfeite teares secretly curse that thy life continueth so long thy death approcheth no faster some wil marke the crisis or determination day of the sicknesse some the signes and tokens some wyl watch the golden carkasse All these goodes whiche in al thy lyfe tyme thou hast scraped togeather wyl be the meanes onely not for thee to lyue the better but to dye the more accompanied Thou hast not altogeather lost thy labour for thou shalt not lacke companie when thou art sicke neyther money for thy lust and superfluities neyther pompe for thy buriall Ioy. Now that I haue gotten al things I may take my rest Reason I sayd erwhyle thou soughtest rest and comfort of lyfe but thou hast founde payne and tediousnesse of death Ioy. I haue disposed all thynges and attained prosperitie Reason Thou hast heaped togeather a nest of most deceitfull and transitorie hope which so soone as it groweth to any ripenesse wyl flee away leauing thy hart voyde and sorowfull and many tymes it perisheth before it be fledge Ioy. After my long traueyle commeth quietnesse Reason Perhaps it wyll be as short as may be possible For often the trauel of many yeeres perisheth in a moment when as for the most part al procedinges are by degrees the endes of thynges are not seldome sudden Ioy. By long cares at length I am come to the beginning of securitie Reason Humane curiositie is very careful of the beginninges but is so blynde that it cannot foresee the ende A thycke miste of the tyme to come hath bleared the sight of mortal mens eyes Let our deliberation be the accomplishment of our fortune But to speake more truely it is the wyl of God in whose hands are al mens chaunces not such as in your
the enimies countrey while vnto thee O Rome which art glorious and renowmed with thyne euerlasting Monumentes of victorie Hister foloweth with a more calme streame How thynkest thou dyd the Emperour Augustus Lorde of all the world expect the returne of so noble a young Gentleman whom in louyng he had made his sonne And howe Liuia Augusta vnto whom nature had made hym beloued but vertue more beloued and his brothers cowardice I suppose most dearely beloued Howe moreouer his brother hym selfe how soeuer he was vnto other yet most louyng of his moste excellent brother And last of al howe Rome it selfe and the whole common wealth which at that tyme depended so much vpon no man But what then what was the ende of so manyfolde expectations Sodayne death tooke away this long looked for Drusus and that by naturall sicknesse and as some approoued aucthours report by addyng therevnto the breakyng of his thygh so that he that was looked for to returne a conquerour into his countrey was brought backe thyther dead What shal I speake of his sonne Germanicus I thinke there was neuer greater expectation of any man It was not his father nor yet Augustus that expected him who were then both dead but it was the whole citie of Rome that with so wonderful desire as if the whole citie had had but one minde had ben a widdow and a mother that had but one childe And therfore at the fyrst report of his sicknesse al the citie was amazed and cast into heauinesse and al mens countenances apparrel were chaunged and there was sorowful silence throughout the whole citie But after that better tidings although by vncertayne aucthours reported that he was alyue and recouered immediatly a most happy loude noyse was in euery place raysed which also awaked Tiberius him selfe and there was great concurse of people into the capitoll hoâ—â—e to perfourme vowes and geue thankes to the goddes insomuche that the doores of the Temples were almost borne away with the throng the darkenesse of the nyght was ouercome with 〈◊〉 a plentie of Torches and other lightes and silence broken with the voyces of them that sung for ioy Rome is in safetie our counâ—â—â—y is in safetie Germanicus is in safetie But what at length was the ende of this matter Euen that whiche is most common in humane affayres For there came a more certaine messenger which reported that Germanicus was dead wherevpon arose a publique sorow and lamentation which could not be restrained by â—â—ictes holydayes or any consolations The historie is well knowen written in the fourth booke of the Emperours Hope I hope my young sonne wyll returne Reason Were not these young enough of whom I spake erewhile Then heare of a younger Marcellinus that was Nephewe to the same Augustus on his sisters side how much thinkest thou was he expected of his Vncle who loued him so tenderly that he could not heare without teares those most noble verses of Virgil wherein that most excellent Poet celebrated the remembraunce of that young Gentleman being but almost a chyld and when he was reading them commaunded the aucthour to holde his peace How much of his mother Octauia who loued him so dearely that she mourned for him continually vnto the last day of her lyfe as though he had but then dyed and dyd not onely contemne but also hate euery one that enduoured to comfort her What shoulde a man say to these matters and what thinkest thou other then all other men He returned not but was translated and as for Drusus he returned not to Rome as he went to Germanie neither dyd Antioche restore Germanicus neither Baiana Marcellinus There is a common destinie of your expectations but thou fansiest vnto thy selfe another and perhaps that chaunce may happen whiche thou expectest which peraduenture when it is hapned thou wylt begin to hope and wyshe that it were gone againe Hope I hope for the returne of my friende that is absent Reason Who wil marueyle yf they that are liuing be looked for to come agayne when some also that are dead as report goeth are expected It is reported that the Britaines looke for the comming againe of king Arthure And some do dreame that Nero the Emperour shal returne a litle before the ende of the worlde Your whole lyfe from the beginning to the ending is not only ful of vayne expectations but it selfe is also a vayne expectation If thou perceyue not that this is so thou hast eyther lyued too short tyme or too long or taken no regarde what is doone heere Hope I looke for my Farmer that should come out of the Countrey Reason Peraduenture eyther his House is burnt or his Haruest withered away or his Medowes ouerdried or his Oxen dead or his Vines hurt with the Hayle or his Trees ouerthrowen with the whirlewinde or his Cornefieldes drowned with sudden waters or his Bees flowne away or his Fruites eaten vp with Caterpillers or his Pigeon house destroyed by Crowes Mice and other vermine or his Poultry deuoured by the Foxe or his Lambes spoyled by the Woolfe these for the most part are the tumours that come out of the countrey Hope I hope for my Wiues comming Reason If thou hope for that then do I not know what thou fearest yet is it so notwithstanding for some looke for their wines and some for an ague Of looking for better tymes The Cxv. Dialogue HOPE I Looke for better tymes Reason All tymes are almost of a lyke goodnes for that the creatour of tymes is euermore of a lyke goodnes but you doo alwayes abuse good tymes and in this as al other thinges ye impute your owne faultes to the thinges If the men were good the times would be good enough Hope These times can not continue but more ioyfull shall succeede Reason No time continueth all passe away and when they are gone they returne no more through vertue and industrie and the studie of good artes they may be bridled not but that they shal passe away but that they do not perishe for there is nothing sweeter then the remembraunce of tyme wel spent But you not knowing how to vse any thing as it ought to be when ye haue bestowed all your lyfe tyme eyther in sleepe or idlenesse or in carefulnesse or vnprofitable businesse ye accuse the giltlesse time Doe I lye yf I say that you consume your infancie and chyldhood in vayne pastimes your youth and mans state in lasciuiousnesse and auarice your olde age in complaintes and lamentations What faulte is there heere in the times They passe away I confesse for it is their nature so to doo and you neglect them whyle oportunitie serueth whiche is not your nature but your faulte You accuse nature and excuse your owne fault which is no newe matter Hope I hope for a better worlde Reason The merrinesse or sorowfulnesse of the tymes as I haue sayde resteth not in the times but in your owne selues By this meanes thou shalt
so learned a man shoulde be of that opinion but that he was so it is out of all doubt There be some also that count fortitude to be the moste excellent and soueraigne vertue to receyue woundes with bent breast to stayne the fielde with gore blood and finally to goe vnto death with a bolde courage Some there be that ascribe all these thinges vnto extreame madnesse and iudge nothyng better then quiet and dastardly idlenesse There shall some come also that wyll esteeme iustice to be the gouernour of humane affayres the mother of vertues who shall beleeue that religion is the way vnto euerlastyng lyfe and the ladder to climbe vp by vnto heauen There shall other some come lykewyse on the contrary syde that shall count iustice cowardice and religion madnesse and superstition these are they of whom it is written They are able to doo euery thyng who affirme that all thynges appertayne vnto violent men And not only in this kynd of violent men and rauinous persons but also among the multitude of learned men home great aduersaries iustice hath it may easily be perceyued in the bookes of Cicero whiche he wrote of a common wealth There be some that with great and deserued commendations doo extoll the keepyng of fayth and promises There be othersome also that say it is no deceipt to breake fayth but that it proceedeth from more knowledge and a better wit. Whiche although it be the common opinion and saying of the most part of men at this present in Lactantius it is namely ascribed vnto Mercurie saying as he reporteth it That it is no fraude to deceyue but craftinesse this is that woorthy god of wyse dome and eloquence To be shorte there is no vertue so commendable but it shal finde some dispraisers as for thankefulnesse there is no nation so barbarus no manners so sauage which do not commend it and no man euer that dyd not disprayse vnthankefulnesse For admit a man be a theefe a murderer a traytour an vnthankeful person he shal not dare excuse his faulte but denye it whiche although it be so neuerthelesse there are innumerable vnthankeful persons Neyther is there almost any one vice by so many condemned in woorde whiche lykewise is by so many embraced in deede What shal I conclude Truely that it ought to be condemned not onely in woord but chiefely in mynde and iudgement and of euery good maneschewed in hym selfe and borne withal in another as other thynges whereof mankynde hath plentie wherewith the wicked do abounde and the good are molested Suffer therefore chose rather to tollerate an vnthankeful person then thy selfe to be one Sorowe I fynde many vnthankeful Reason Take heede there be no fault in thy selfe For there are many that whyle they wyl seeme to be liberal they become boasters and fault fynders whiche are an hateful kinde of men whose good turnes doo a man more hurt then helpe him And that is nothyng els then to procure hatred by expence which is a mad kynde of merchandize Sorow Hauing deserued wel I suffer many that are vnmindful and vnthankeful Reason Doest thou greeue thereat and wouldest thou change conditioÌ„ with them Do not so I pray thee where so euer the fault lye let vertue be on thy side Sorowe I haue many that are vnthankeful Reason What wouldest thou haue me say to thee that thou shouldest leaue to do wel and hynder thy selfe for another mans faulte Nay rather doo thou contrarie and where as thou hast many prouide that thou mayst haue mo whiche thou shalt haue yf thou doo good vnto many For there are alwayes many vnthankeful but most at this day and I feare me least that shortly it wiâ—be a monster to finde a thankeful person In suche forte dayly all thinges impaire and goe backe warde Suche is the importunacie of those that require them and the forgetfulnesse and pride of those that owe them and yet notwithstandyng men must not therefore leaue of neyther must we scratch out our eyes because the blynd can not see but rather the blindnesse of other ought to make vs loue our eyes the more deerely Sorowe I haue founde many vnthankfull Reason Thinke with thy selfe whether thou hast been so vnto many One vnthankefulnesse punisheth another as also in other thinges for oftentimes one sinne is punishment to another Sorowe I haue done good vnto many vnthankefull persons Reason It is better to doo good vnto many vnwoorthy then to be wanting vnto one woorthy person Goe forward therefore and lay not aside thy good maners in respect of hatred towarde the wicked neyther surceasse to doo good vnto others for that of some it is not accordyngly accepted Perhappes hereafter they shal know thee better but yf they do not it shall suffice thee to knowe God and thy selfe It is no true vertue whiche is not sufficed with the rewarde of it owne conscience Sorowe I haue had euill lucke by doyng good to many Reason Take heede that one mans fault hurte not anothers and which is more greeuous annoy not thee Trie others and perhappes it wyll fal out more fortunatly Moreouer some that haue been a long time vnthankefull at length when shame hath touched their mindes haue become most thankeful and the lost hope of them hath been returned with great vauntage And further that whiche a debtour hath many tymes denied being required one that hath been no debtour hath willyngly offered there was neuer any good deede lost Who so doth wet let hym thinke most of his owne estate Only vertue doth good vnto many but the greatest and chiefest parte of vertue returneth vpon the woorker therof And therefore although al men be euyll and vnthankefull a good man must not ceasse to do well for those thynges whiche he dispearseth among many he heapeth vpon many and is at leastwyse beneficiall to hym selfe for not being an vnthankeful person Sorowe I haue cast away benefites vpon vnthankeful persons Reason A couetous person wyl not sticke to giue somtime frankely but liberalitie is the greater the lesse there is hope of recompence Of euil seruauntes The .xxix. Dialogue SOROWE I Am besieged with euyl seruauntes Reason Nowe sayest thou truely that thou art besieged for before tyme thou seemedst to thy selfe to be furnished and adorned with them but in very deede thou wast besieged not onely with an army of thy familiars but also of thine enimies Sorowe I am oppressed with vnruly seruauntes Reason Thine owne armie fighteth agaynst thee whiche is an vnpleasant matter Sorow I am besieged with proud seruauntes Reason And yet thou art constreyned to feede them that besiege thee whiche is an extreame necessitie Sorowe I am besieged with very euill rauening theeuishe lying and vnchaste seruauntes Reason What needest thou to roule in so many termes of thy seruaunts Cal them seruauntes and then thou hast sayde al. Sorowe I am besieged with seruauntes and what counsel doest thou geue me Reason What counsel shoulde I geue thee or what
credite I woulde recite examples whereby to comfort thy heauie chaunce but that they are innumerable For who lyueth and is not deceyued What euer myscheefe befalleth to man is not so muche as one man suffereth by another And for that it is not possible nor needeful to recken al remember the historie of Caninius in what sort he was once coosined by Pytius at Siracuse Neuerthelesse Caninius hath wherewith to comfort him selfe for that being a knight of Rome he was deceiued by a stranger that was liuing when as Augustus Caesar that was Emperour of Rome was deluded by a meane ritizen that lay a dying The history is wel knowen how that a certayne man called Marius who through the freendship of the same Augustus had been aduaunced from the base estate of a common souldier vnto great honour and ryches was woont commonly to geue foorth in speeche that he would make him only his heire and leaue al his goodes vnto hym by whose meanes he had gotten al that he had whiche thing when as in woordes he had assured vnto the Emperour Augustus hym selfe the day before he dyed he gaue vp his deceitful ghost and at the length it was found howe that in al his wyl he had not once made mention of the Emperours name Truely he wel deserued to haue his dissemblyng carckase drawen with an hooke into the ryuer Tiber who at his very death was not afeard to deceyue his cheefe lorde and benefactour Of a streight and narow dwelling The .lxiii. Dialogue SOROWE I Owel to straightly Reason A narrowe house is profitable for many thinges and amongst other matters it is good agaynst theeues wherof thou complainedst erewhyle for that they can fynde no lurkyng corners in it as the contrary may be verified of large houses that they deceyue their owner and are conuenient for theeues I take an house to be litle or large according to the number of the inhabitantes and thou seemest now to thy selfe to dwel in to litle an house But how muche more narrowly doth thy soule dwel and howe muche more filchily among blood and matter and other loathsome substance and yet yf thou myghtest haue thy wyl thou wouldest neuer haue hym depart from thence Sorowe My house is narrowe Reason The house of claye doth not pynche the heauenly soule with the narrownesse thereof many tymes a lytle house hath been capable of great glory when as in the meane tyme a great house hath been replenished with great infamie The house conformeth not the minde but the minde conformeth the house and therefore as the blinde cottagies of the poore may be merry and vertuous so may the castles of princes and palaces of the ryche be sorowful and dishonest There is no house so narrow but the greatnesse of the tenant maketh it larger and meete to receyue a great ghest Sorowe My house is litle Reason Kyng Enanders litle palace receyued great Hercules Iulius Caesar that was afterwarde lorde of al the worlde was borne in a simple tenement Romulus and Remus that were the first founders of so great a citie were brought vp in a shepheards cottage Cato dwelled in no sumptuous house Diogenes soiourned in a rouling tub and Hilarion vnder a simple shead the holy fathers lead their lyues in caues vnder the ground and great Philosophers in litle gardeins mightie captaynes haue lyen in the open ayre and vnder poore tentes but Caius and Nero dwelled in gorgeous pallaces chose thee nowe with whiche of these thou haddest leeuest dwel Sorow I haue a narowe and homely and euil-fauoured house Reason The walles are able to keepe out theeues and the wynde and the tediousnesse of the people which is woorse then any of them both the roofe colde and heat sunneshyne and rayne as for the loftie towres they are dwellinges for foules of the ayre a large house serueth for pride a beautiful house for lasciuiousnesse a stoared house for couetousnesse but vertue thinketh scorne of no habitation vnlesse it be possessed with vices Sorow I dwell very narrowly Reason Wouldest thou that any house may seeme very large vnto thee Then thinke vpon the narrownesse of thy graue Of a prison The .lxiiii. Dialogue SOROW. I Am shut vp in an vnwoorthy pryson Reason Better is an vnwoorthy prison then vnwoorthy libertie and muche more better it is for a man vndeseruedly to suffer aduersitie for righteousnesse sake then through wickednesse to abound in prosperitie although those ought not to be tearmed euilles neyther nor these goodes but I speake as the common people speaketh who iudge payne to be the greatest euyl and pleasure the greatest good thing Sorow I am shut vp in prison Reason Who is not shut vp in prison or who departeth out of prison but when he dyeth This is thy destinye and the common destiny of al men why then should you commence peculier or newe complayntes For knowe this since the first day thou wast borne yea and before thou wast borne to thou wast inclosed in prison and hampered with fetters by his commaundement vnto whom al the compasse of heauen is a litle house and yf we wyl also beleeue the greatest Poet euen in a darke and blynd pryson The ende of whiche pryson yf thou desire to be plausible and fortunate thou shalt not abhorre the narrownesse thereof neyther punishmentes nor death nor what soeuer may befall vnto man vnto the pacient tollerating and contempt whereof vnlesse the mynde be prepared and armed at al poyntes in whatsoeuer fortune he wandreth in a verie perilous path Sorowe I am shut vp in a filthy and narrowe prison Reason There is no pryson more filthy none narrower then this pryson of the body wherein thou takest so great delight and from whiche thou fearest so muche to be dissolued Sorowe I am deteyned in an inconuenient pryson Reason Pryson hath delyuered many from instant daunger and the handes of their enimies Vnto many the very entry of their pryson hath stand in steade of a shielde and that whiche was profitable vnto them at their entryng in hath been hurtfull vnto them at their goyng out insomuche that beyng certified by the departure they haue confessed that to be profitable whiche they abhorred and that to be miserable whiche they wyshed Sorow I am holden in pryson Reason Howe knowest thou whether perhappes it be a pryson or rather as it is sayde a place of safe keeping Howe often hath eyther the enimies swoorde or pouertie more cruel then any foe consumed those that haue been loosed from pryson Howe often haue they repented of their escaping and their imprisonment which they complayned to be long haue they afterwarde lamented that it was not perpetuall we haue seene some that haue lyued in pryson sumptuously but so soone as they haue been set at libertie they haue finished their poore and wretched lyfe with a sorowful ende Sorowe I leade a miserable lyfe in pryson Reason Some haue written bookes in pryson but thou framest complayntes there Some haue learned
It is a wonderful thyng to be spoken oft times it chaunceth that the lyghtest part of al the body bryngeth the whole soule into darkenesse Endeuour thy selfe to folowe the spirite that calleth thee vnto better thynges and harken vnto the trueth that cryeth in thine eare Seeke not for the thynges that are visible but for the inuisible for the visible thynges are temporal but the inuisible euerlastyng Sorowe I lacke myne eyes Reason Thou hast lacked many faultes if thou haddest lacked thyne eyes euer but nowe let vertue and blyndnesse stoppe many mischiefes to come and those that are past alredye let them be done away by sorowe and repentance and mourne not because thy blyndnesse shal open the eyes of thy minde but perhaps thou mayest racher mourne for that it is deferred Sorowe I haue lost the lyght of myne eyes Reason Retayne the true lyght of the soule They whiche haue lost one of their eyes as they say do see the better with the other Whiche if it be so what should I thynke but that yf thou hast lost both thou shalt see very cleare with thyne other two and then shalt make that saying of Tirecias the blynde Poet to be thyne owne God hath blynd folde the face and turned al the lyght into the hart Thou mayest accompt thy selfe vnhappie and blynde in deede yea quite without eyes yf thou hast lost this lyght also whiche that it is so in deede thy complayntes make me to suspect for it greeueth a man most to lose that where of he hath no moe Sorow I haue lost the eyes of my head Reason Purge then and make cleane those which thou canst not loose and seeing thou hast lost the outwarde eyes turne thee vnto the inwarde There beleeue me not in the outward eyes remayneth that filicitie whiche ye seeke for Sorowe I see no lyght with myne eyes Reason Learne to reioyce yea euen in darkenesse Hâ—st thou quite forgotten the answeare of Antipater the philosopher some thyng wantonly yet properly spoken Whose blyndnesse when certayne freendly wenches dyd lament he answeared merily That sleepe whiche ye haue a nyghtes seemeth it no pleasure vnto you Truely this was pleasantly and breefely answeared For there are many ioyes and pleasures in the darke as wel as there are great paynes and greefes in the lyght But I am onely to exhort thee vnto honest matters Sorow I complayne for the losse of myne eyes Reason If thou were to put them to an euyl vse thou oughtest rather to reioyce that the instrumentes of mischeefe are taken from thee but if thou meanest to vse them wel there is no cause why thou shouldest so lament for a thing comely to sight only for thou hast lost that whiche was nothyng at al needeful eyther towardes godlynesse or any holy purpose God looketh not into the members but into the minde offer vnto hym thy soule pure and whole whom when he hath receyued whatsoeuer remayneth he wyl take in good part for he that gaue the soule hath kept backe nothyng vnto hym selfe Sorowe I haue lost my bodyly eyes Reason If thou endeuour to come to heauen be of good comfort with Didimus whom being blynd from his infancie and continuing in his blyndnesse euen vnto the ende the holy man Antonius comming to visite and perceiuing hym now being olde stil to exercise him selfe in vertue and godlynesse byd him be of good coÌ„fort not to be moued any thing at al in that he had lost his eies which were coÌ„mon to flies mice lizerdes as wel to hym but rather to reioyce for that those eyes which are common to him with the angels were safe sound A notable saying of Antonius worthy to come from the scholar of the heauenly schoolemaister But if thou aspire vnto the fame of liberal studies then behold Homer Democritus of whom the one as the report goeth of hym while that he spake those his wonderful diuine oracles saw nothing with his mortal eyes but in mind was as quicke of sight as Linceus The other because he would not see many thinges which is he thought did hinder his eyes from seeing the trueth plucked out his owne eyes whose fact whether it were prayse worthy or no I wil not dispute but surely he had folowers But if perhaps thou conceiuedst in thy mind to behold some picture or sculptare of Apelles or Phidias woorkemanship I can not then deny but that thou hast lost something vnlesse it be againe from a lowe beginning to be constrained to aduaunce thy mind aloft to higher matters Sorowe I am made poore vnprofitable through blyndnesse Reason Why doest thou blynd man forsake thy selfe For Tiresias of whom I spake before being blinde of sight was famous for prophesiing Did not Diodorus the stoike better knowen by meanes of his familiaritie with Cicero then for his owne sect aswage the greefe of his lost sight by the benefit of hearyng when as day and night as the same Cicero wryteth of hym there were bookes read vnto hym in whiche kinde of studie he had no neede of his eye sight He applied at one tyme both the studie of philosophie and musicke and that which a man woulde scarse thinke could be done without eyes he exercised the practise of geometrical descriptions and causing lines to be drawen by other mens handes he discoursed on them by his owne vnderstandyng Caius Drusus had no eies but he had such skil in the ciuile lawes that his house was euery day ful of troupes of ciuilians they could see better the way to the court then he could but he could see better the way how to carie away the cause therfore they sought the asistance of the blinde guide But the most famous of al that euer were renowmed for blindnesse was Appius Claudius blind in deede so called by name who being oppressed with blindnesse age was not only coÌ„monly knowen of the people by geuing of counsel when there happened any doubt in law but also by his aucthoritie wisedome ruled the senate and gouerned the whole common wealth Thou as soone as thou art depriued of one sense by by castest away al the residue yea which is more thy minde also none otherwyse then if one that is moued with impacience for a smal losse should cast away desperatly both his life the instrument belonging to the same Sorow I am blind I cannot tel where I goe Reason But thy guide doth see whether he be the mynde or some one that vseth to direct the steppes of the blynd by whose leadyng thou shalt not only find the ryght way but also attayne vnto the cheefe degree which concerneth the noble despising of lyfe and the most excellent actes of woorthy vertue and vnlesse the strength of the mynde do fayle the losse of sight cannot hynder any notable exployte Thou remembrest what Sampson in the scriptures and in the ciuile warres described by Lucan in Massilia what Tirrhenus doth vpon the sea
wherein yf there be lesse credite to be geuen to poetical report yet remember that whiche is more assured and fresher in memorie whiche beyng done in thy tyme thou myghtest haue seene it with thyne owne eyes to wyt howe Iohn kyng of Boheme beyng sonne vnto one kyng of the Romanes and father to another who raigned immediatly one after the other had alwaies weake eyes and at the latter ende of his age fell blynde Now since the warre which was betweene the King of France whose part he toke and the King of England are more then 42. yeeres when as being in that most sharpe conflicte in which both the Princes were in person and vnderstanding that the woorse beganne to fall on the side whereof he was he called vnto his captayne with a loud voyce sayeng Direct me quickly towards that part of the armie where the kyng of our enimies standeth and the greatest force of his whole armie Whiche when they sorowfully and fearefully had done settyng spurres to his horse he pricked thyther with al his force whyther as they that had eyes durst not folowe hym that was blynde not scarse with their sight Whereas encounteryng the most valiant front of his enimies fighting not onely valiantly but also terribly he was there flayne they that ouercame hym both wondryng at his valure and commendyng his manhood I tell you of a thyng knowen vnto all men and which except it be wrytten is lyke to peryshe through obliuion And I pray you what dyd it hinder the glory and renowme of this valiant gentelman that he lacked his sight but that whom vertue and nature had made woonderfull blyndnesse shoulde make men to be amased at hym Sorowe I am blynde Reason I wyl beginne to iest vnlesse thou leaue complayning for what els coulde blyndnesse bryng vnto thee yf so be thy strength remayne then that whiche Asclepiades beyng blynde sayth of hym selfe to wyt that thou walke with one boye waytyng on thee more then thou wast woont Of the losse of hearyng The XCvij Dialogue SOROWE I Haue lost my hearyng Reason Beholde thou hast one passage for tediousnesse stopped Many thynges that are tedious are drawen in at the eyes and many at the eares and many lothsome thynges pearce into the minde by both wayes for the auoydyng whereof blindnesse and deafenesse are to be desired a lyke Notwithstanding these haue their discommodities as almost al other mortal thynges neither doo I denie but that there is some painefulnesse in them but more daintie then pacience and not comparable to vertue Where what the proportion is betweene these discommodities it is no easie maâ—ter to gâ—eâ—sse sauing that the fyrst is more dangerous and this other more ridiculus For they that are thicke listed seeme inâ—â— maner to be out of their wittes but they that are blinde are reputed more miserable and therefore we saugh at the deafe and pittie the blinde but a wyse man contemneth both and weigheth not what other thinke but what the thing is in deede Sorowe I haue lost my hearyng Reason Then hast thou escaped flatterers whysperyng and slaunderers gyrdes a farre differyng but a lyke euyll sauyng that it is somewhat more manlye to geue care vnto foule speache then vnto flatterie For in the one so metyme is a mediume in the other is alwayes poyson Wherefore the fyrst cureth often by bytyng but this enfecteth alwayes by tyckelyng and truely woorse is faigned loue then open hatred Sorowe I haue lost my hearyng Reason Now that Arte whiche is reported to haue auayled Vlisses eyther nature or some chaunce hath geuen vnto thee in that thou hast safely passed the singyng of the Sirenes with deafe eares whereby thou oughtest to accompt thy selfe happie For howe many daungers that wayes myght haue passed into thy minde Howe many errours and finally howe many troubles myght haue entred into thy head Sorowe I haue lost my hearyng Reason I beleeue thou shalt not heare the Nyghtingale neyther the harpe nor any other kynde of instrument Nay that more is thou shalt not heare the braying of Asses the gruntyng of Swine the howlyng of Wolfes the barkyng of Dogges the rooryng of Beares the ragyng of Lions the crying of Chyldren the chyding of olde Wyues and last of all that whiche is woorse then all these the immoderate loude laughing of Fooles and their vnmeasurable weepinges and outcries and the sound of their most confused voyces then the which there can not possibly a more vnpleasant noyse be heard Sorow I lacke my hearyng Reason Thou art deliuered from manifolde deceytes Men are deceyued by nothing more often then by woordes and a deafe man is out of al daunger thereof Sorow My eares are waxen dull Reason That part of the bodye is a dangerous part and especially to Princes who thereby beyng puffed vp with the vayne blastes of flatterers doo burst manie tymes therewith to their vtter destruction to the no small laughter of the whole people Sorowe My hearyng is dull Reason If thou be restrayned from talkyng with other then talke with thy selfe being mindfull of the saying of Tully He that can talke with him selfe hath no neede of communication with an other Although a dumbe man also may talke with other to witte by readyng and writyng For he that readeth talketh with his auncetours and he that wryteth speaketh to his posteritie Moreouer he that readeth the bookes of heauenly Philosophie heareth GOD speake vnto hym and he that prayeth speaketh vnto god In both these kindes of communication there is no neede eyther of tongue or eares but onely of eyes and fingers and a deuout minde Herein therefore as in many other thinges els let vs embrace the counsell of our countrey man Cicero to the entent that as the blinde may comfort himselfe with the vse of his eares so may the deafe with the helpe of his eyes Thou therfore yf thou canst not heare men speake reade the bookes which men haue written and wryte thou bookes whiche other men may reade beholde moreouer the heauen the earth and seas and lyue in silence in contemplation of the creator of them all Herevnto this thy deafenesse wyll not hynder thee but perhappes auayle thee much Sorow My hearing fayleth me Reason By what tunes of numbers Diapente or Diapason consisteth or by what other proportions they are handled by the Musitians a deafe man may vnderstande well enough And although he haue not with his eares the tune of mans voyce or the melodie of the Vialles or Organnes but vnderstande well in his minde the reason of them doubtlesse he wyll preferre the delyght of his minde before the pleasure of his eares Imagine that he doo not knowe these musicall proportions and that a deafe man be vnskylfull in Musicke yet yf he knowe the proportions of Vertue and exercise hym selfe in them it is well herein his deafenesse wyll not hurt hym For it is muche better to be good then to be learned and yf a man be aboundantly learned and wyse he is
there is no minde be it neuer so swyfte that is able to measure it and also the surpassyng beautie of vertue whiche is so louelie that yf it coulde be seene with the bodily eyes as Plato sayth it woulde rauyshe men woonderfully with the loue thereof Therefore let loue on the one syde and feare on the other styrre thee vp for both of them are very effectuall for neyther he that loueth neyther he that hateth can commonly be dull and sluggyshe and yet notwithstandyng ye ryse in the nyght tyme vnto diuine seruice wherein ye pray that hurtfull sleepe and sluggyshnes oppresse you not there is no place for sleepe nor sluggyshuesse when as death frayeth you on the one syde and vertue on the other For who coulde euer be slouthfull and carelesse in great dangers or great aduauncementes Whensoeuer thou haft respect vnto these courage wyll resort to the minde and sleepe wyll flye from the eyes when ye thynke with your selues howe muche imperfection remayneth within you and howe muche tyme ye haue spent in idlenesse whereof when men haue no consyderation we see howe they spende long ages vnprofitably and heare olde men wonderyng and amazed to say What haue we doone heere these many yeeres We haue eaten drunken and slept and nowe at last we are awaked too late The cheefe cause whereof is this sluggyshnesse whereof thou complaynest whiche in tyme ought to be dryuen away by the prickes of industrie and the brydle of foresyght least that by ouerlong staying thou be caried away with the multitude vnto a dishonourable ende Of Letcherie The Cx. Dialogue SOROWE I AM shaken with the vehemencie of Letcherie Reason Letcherie is begotten by slouthfulnesse and brought foorth by gluttonie what maruell is it then yf the daughter followe her parentes As for gluttonie and letcherie they are common vnto you with beastes and that they make your lyfe more beastly then any other thyng wyse men haue so iudged and therefore although there be many mischiefes more greeuous yet is there none more vyle Sorowe I am carryed away with Letcherie Reason Whyther I pray thee but vnto death both of the bodye and soule and infamous ignominie and too late and perhappes vnprofitable repentance Goe thy wayes nowe and followe her that carrieth thee away vnto suche endes Thynke vppon the miserable and notorious chaunces of innumerable not onely priuate men but also Cities and Kyngdomes whiche partly by syght and partly by heare-say but specially by readyng ought to be very well knowen and then I suppose thou wylt not geue thy hande vnto this vice to followe it Heare what the best learned haue iudged and written concernyng this matter Pleasures sayth Cicero beyng most flatteryng Ladyes doo wreast the greater partes of the mynde from vertue To this ende sayth Seneca they embrace vs that they may strangle vs whiche none otherwyse then Theeues that lay wayte for traueylers vppon the way and leade them aside to murther them ought to be auoyded Wherein it shall muche auayle yf whosoeuer shall feele hym selfe infected with this mischeefe doo imagine that most excellent sayeing of Scipio Africane in Liuie whiche he spake vnto king Masinissa to be spoken vnto hym selfe Vanquishe thy minde quoth he and take heede thou doo not deforme many good giftes with one vice and corrupt the beautie of so many desartes with a greater faulte then the cause of the faulte is The whiche shal be doone the more easily yf a man doo thynke earnestly vppon the vilenesse fylthinesse shortnesse and ende of the thyng and also the long reproche and the short time and howe perhappes the pleasure of one breefe moment shal be punished with the repentaunce of many yeeres and peraduenture with euerlastyng damnation Of Pryde The Cxj. Dialogue SOROWE I AM lyfted vp with pryde Reason Earth and ashes why art thou proude Canst thou that art oppressed with the burden of so many mischiefes be lyfted vp with pride Who yf thou were free from them al and were lyfted vp by the wynges of al vertues yet were al thy good gyftes defiled with this vyce only For there is nothing more hateful vnto God then pryde By this fel he that was created in most excellent estate by which thou beyng a sinner thinkest to aryse If it hapned so vnto hym for this one thing what doest thou thinke wyl befall vnto thee in whom this wickednesse is ioyned with other vices Thou hast heaped a naughtie weight vpon thy burden Sorow I am carried with pryde Reason Why shouldest thou be so I pray thee Doest thou not remember that thou art mortal that thou wearest away euery day that thou art a sinner that thou art subiect to a thousand chaunces and in danger euery day to vncertayne death and finally that thou art in wretched case And hast thou not also heard the most famous saying of Homer The earth nourisheth nothyng more wretched then man I woulde fayne knowe whiche of these doth most cheefely pricke thee foorth vnto pryde whether the imbecilitie of the body or the whole armie of sickenesses or the shortnesse of lyfe or the blyndenesse of the minde whiche continually wauereth betweene most vayne hope and perpetual feare or the forgetfulnesse of that whiche is past or the ignorance of that whiche is to come and present or the treacherie of enimies or the death of freendes or continuing aduersitie or flytting prosperitie By these and none other ladders ye ascend vnto pryde by these ye ryse to ruine All other dangers wherein men do walter haue some excuse although it be vniust but pryde and enuie haue no coloure at al. Sorow I am sorie that I am proud Reason To be sorie for sinne is the first degree to saluation And as it is the nature of pryde to lyft vp so is it of humilitie to be sorie and submit it selfe whiche thou shalt do the more easye so soone as thou turnest thyne eyes earnestly vpon thy selfe whiche being so I am not mynded neyther ought I to heape vp vnto theeaucthorities wrytten in bookes agaynst vices This only shal be sufficient that thou knowe that so soone as euer thou be disposed vnfeignedly al these matters wyl surceasse immediatly and whensoeuer as they say thou shalt blowe the retreate retire to thyne ensignes as touchyng this present mischeefe This one thyng I wyl say moreouer that pryde is a sickenesse of wretches and fooles for doubtlesse they be suche that be proud otherwyse I am sure they woulde neuer be proud neyther is it written without cause in the booke of Wisedome That al that are foolysh vnfortunate are proud about the measure of their soule And truely yf they were wyse for their soules health their meane were to abase their estate knowyng their owne imbecilitie For so thou readest it written in the same booke He that is a king to day shal dye to morow And when a man dyeth he shal haue serpentes and beastes and woormes for his inheritance The begynning of pryde is to