daye thorowe a clefte bare naked withoute hir knowledge to his dearest fréend Ligus Who séeing so fayre a thing was so farre in loue with hir that hée thought of nothing else but howe he mighte obtayne hir eyther by loue or force The woman on the other syde perceyuing hir husbands dooings by his spéeche and that he had lastly shewed hir to Ligus in that sort thought that shée was betrayde and that the Kyng woulde participate with other his delightes whervpon she tooke so great anger that forthwith she was at the commaundement of Ligus and consented to the death of hir husbaÌ„d and gaue hir selfe to the murdring adulterer togither with the kingdome That three thyngs chaunge the nature of man ARistotle sayde that thou shalte sée thrée things if thou doe marke them well that cause the Nature and condytion of a man to chaunge that is Lordship a woman and wyne That the â—uttleties and deceytes of Cortizans or rather vvhoores are great and not to seeke A French gentleman béeing in Rome went on an euening to lye wyth a Cortizan the whiche in the nyght taking occasion vntyed a piece of a chaine of golde which he had The next mornyng he putting it about his necke he founde that where it was woonte to come foure tymes aboute it would nowe come but thrée and a halfe Then the Cortizan comming before hym looked vppon hym wyth shewe and countenaunce of meruayle and sayde thus Sir doo you féele any griefe as me thinkes you doo and the woman sayde moreouer I can not tell whether you haue taken any colde bycause your head is waxed great and your face swolne and in speaking this she put a glasse in his hand of that sorte whiche maketh things appeare greater and larger than they are The Frencheman lookyng in a glasse and séeing so greate an alteration of his heade he stedfastely beléeued that his head was swoln and had taken some straunge disease wherevpon being very sorowful and maruelling no more at his chain wore it on that fashion afterwarde wofully telling his fréends of that swelling of his hed That businesse requireth the ovvners countenance and not deputiship CAto oftentimes said that the countenance of the owner helpeth much more than deputiship meaning that euery man ought to be presente in dooing of his things and not absent to commit them to other So a Persian béeing demaunded what was the best thyng to fatten a horsse he aunswered the owners eye And an Africane being demauÌ„ded what doong was the beste to fatten the grounde he aunswered the owners footsteps both signifying the presence Likewise the Poet Ennius to this purpose sayd If thou bee wyse weygh still in mynde This precept not to looke that friende Or kinsman doo for thee any way When thou thy selfe mayst do and say That beautie is a heauenly gift and grace of the auncients in diuers sorts praised and esteemed SOcrates called beautie a tyrannie of shorte tyme Plato a priuiledge of nature Theophrastus a secrete decayte Theocritus a delectable damage Carneades a solitarie kingdom Domitius sayd that there was nothing more acceptable Aristotle affirmeth that beautie is more woorthe than all the letters of commendation Homere sayd that it was a glorious gifte of nature and Ouide alluding to him calleth it a grace of God That the vvickednesse of gouernours doth oftentymes cause that the people rebell against the prince BAttus of Dalmatia béeing demaunded of Tyberius for what cause he rebelled so many tymes and had made so great a slaughter of the Romains he answered You your self Cesar be the cause for you appoynte not for your flocke shepherdes for kéepers but rauenous wolues Wherfore Plato diuinely sayeth that we ought to be very circumspect and take great héed how the gouernors and commissaries or Lieutenants of cities and countreyes be broughte vp and accustomed to the ende that lyke hungrie dogs they become not wolues and deuoure the flocke A notable vvay to knovv the qualitie of a man PAlingenius sayeth that who so euer will knowe of what qualitie a man is let him consider what maner frends he hath for nature doth willingly accompanie hir lyke the Florentine sayeth for a prouerbe Jddio fa gli huomini s'appaiouo that is GOD maketh men and they be séen And Cicero in the person of Cato sayth Pares cum paribus facillimè congregantur And in an other place he writeth Mores dispares disparia studia sequuntur That stoute men and true Christians dye for the faith vvith incredible constancie MAcedonius Theodolus and Tatianus béeing both Bishops and martyrs were in the tyme of Iuliane the Emperoure rosted for the faith vppon a grediron So they hauing fire vnderneth them that burned cruelly Macedonius turned to the iudge smyling sayd Oh if thou take pleasure to eate maus fleshe turne the other side to to the end thou mayst finde vs well broyled and seasoned That in this life are tvvo states to be desired the one of Princes the other of fooles SEneca sayd that in this worlde there must néedes be borne a king or a foole A king to be able to reuenge wrongs and to be able to correcte and chastise mens vices A foole for not to acknowlege offences and not to thinke of any thing To breake faith and promise is a thing detestable and greuously to be punished MErcurie delighting among other things in thefte in strife and robberies had stollen Apollos kine whiche none sawe but one man called Battus to whome Mercurie gaue one with condition that he shuld conceale the thefte Afterward to make triall of his fayth he turning himselfe into the lykenesse of Apollo came vnto hym and promysed hym a Bull yf he coulde tell hym of his kyne Battus blynded with the gayne discouered them Whervppon Mercurie being displeased turned him into a stone which of the ancients is called Index lapis parius lapis Heraclius lapis Lydius and Coticula in Englishe a touchestone Hovve ill fortune may be more easily endured THales Milesius béeing asked in what maner a man might more easily abide aduersitie he answered he shall endure it if he sée his enimies in worse estate than himself And the noble Alamanno sayth to this purpose The man vnhappie hath two coÌ„forts true laid vp in store The one is to recall to minde the tyme he liued before In greeater griefe the other is also to haue in mynde If in the vvorlde in worse estate he doth an other finde VVith vvhat suttletie greate princes ought to reigne after the opinion of Homer LEvves the eleuenth King of Fraunce had as it is very well knowne great warre and muche to do with the lordes and barons of his realme among whiche the Constable was also his aduersarie albeit secretly But afterwarde when that the king had ouercome all these lordes the Constable who as I say was not manifestly discouered sent to excuse him selfe to the King shewing that he had ben always loyall and trustie to him and to haue doone his
and worthie that vneth a man dareth to loke hir ful in the face That mans ambition cannot abyde any fellovve in rule WHen Alexander the great hadde ouercome Darius in two greate battayles Darius knowing the valiantnesse of his enimie offered him halfe his kingdome and one of his Daughters in mariage with infinite treasure if he woulde make peace with him Whiche offer Parmeno the chiefest man about him vnderstanding sayde If I were Alexander I would do it And I would doe it aunswered Alexander if I were Parmeno So refusing the offer he quickely conquered the countrie and obteyned the whole victory That the presence and svveete speache of the Prince is very profitable in daungerous and troublous times WHen the Emperoure Charles the fifte in the yere of our Lorde a thousand fine hundred and foure was entred into Fraunce through Campania with a huge armie he marched onward apace So lastely hauing taken Soisson he thought good to go toward the royal Cittie of Paris Wherfore the Parisians notwithstanding that they knewe that their King was with no lesse armie at hande did not onelye murmur and repine but the people also made many signes of mutinie and rebellion Wherfore king Frauncis wente forthwith in his owne person to Paris where setting al things in very good order for the suretie and safegard of the people and seeing them for all thus in great feare vsed to them among other these notable words saying I cannot keepe you men of Paris from feare but I will surely kéepe you from hurte assuring you that I had rather to dye valiantly than to liue vilely in forsaking you That it belongeth to euery man but especially to Princes to keepe faith and promise THe same king Fraunces was wont sometimes to say that when faith should fayle in all other meÌ„ yet it should remayne amoÌ„g Princes bycause their power is such as they cannot be coÌ„strayned neyther by iudgemeÌ„ts nor by lawes And the wise king Alphonsus of Aragon sayd that the word of a Prince ought to be so much worth as the oth of priuate men Ariosto meaning no lesse of priuate men than of Princes wrote wisely and generally vpon the kéeping of faith and promise after this sorte Faith vndefiled thou oughtest aie to haue To one alone as to a thousand giuen So in a wood and in a secrete caue Far of from citties tounes and mens fight hidden As at the barre before the iudges gâ—â—ue In courte of record and witnesses written Without oth or other signe more expresse That once is inough which thou didste promesis That vvise men liue in suche vvise that they feare not forged crimes WHen it was told Plato that some spake amisse of him he aunswered I passe not for my liuing is suche that they shall not be beléeued And Aristotle sayde of one that had spoken amisse of him I giue him leaue to correcte me euen in my absence And of late yeares the Emperoure Charles the fifte token it was reported vnto him that some did backbite him said let them talke for meÌ„ will accoumpte them fooles That vvomen do rather obey sense than reason WHen the Emperoure Sigismunde was dead a curiouse kinsman of his exhorâ—ed his wife to remayne a widdowe and followe the turtle shewing hir at large howe that birde when hir make is dead liueth chast euer after But the woman smyling aunswered him Sith that you counsell me to followe an vnreasonable birde why doe not you rather sette before me the doue or the sparrowe which haue a more pleasaunte nature for women That men ought to do good euen to the dead SYmonides the Philosopher sayde that men ought to do good eueÌ„ to the dead recompting that he going a iorney found a dead man layd out to be deuoured of wilde beasts and birds wherfore taking pittie caused him forthwith to be buried And when he was minded the nexte day to take shipping there appeared to him béeing a sléepe in the night the soule of that dead man whiche warned hym that he shoulde not enter into that appointed shippe saying that the same should perrishe without doubte Wherfore he tolde in the morning this dreame to his fellowes willing them in no wise to enter that shippe and to stay for an other passage but they laughing him to scorne lefte him and embarked themselues in hir So it fell out that not long after suche a greate tempest rose that the shippe was drowned and his companions fainting dyd all perishe That the life of priuate men is more pleasaunt and quiet than that of Princes THe Emperoure Maximiane and Diocletiane béeing wearie of rule the one and the other willingly resigned their Empire this man to Nicomedia and that man to Milanuâ— notwithstaÌ„ding Maximiane afterward repenting himselfe and hauing intelligence that Maxentius his sonne was chosen Emperoure came to Rome with desire and hope which at the end was vaine to take eftsoons rule in hand and to this effecte he procured and lay instantly vpon Diocietiane But Diocletiane aunswered him thus oh brother if you sawe the faire coleworts and goodly onions that I haue planted and sowen with my owne hande certes you woulde neuer thinke more vppon rule VVith vvhat gentlenesse and mildnesse valiaunt Princes auoide the misreports of their subiects against them WHen King Antigonus hadde broughte his armie to winter in barraine and deserte places hys souldiers wanted many things necessarie wherfore some presumpteous fellowes not knowing that he was thereby blamed him and spake very ill of him But he hearing them lyke a mylde and gentle prince as he was came out of his teÌ„t sayde Oh if you will speake amisse of the king go further off for if you felt the payne I doo you could not abide it That the remembrance of our short life doth muche abate mans loftinesse of mynde XErxes king of Persia gooing a warfarâ— agaynst the Gréekes and séeing all Hellesponte full of his shippes and men of warre cryed with a loude voyce I am a happy man A little whyle after chaunging his countenaunce he beganne to wéepe wherefore his vncle Artabanus séeing so great a chaunge asked him the cause To whom Xerxes altogither grieued pitifully answered in this maner I doo lament bicause I call to mynde the great miserie and shortnesse of mans life considering that in lesse than a hundreth yeres wée shall without doubte all bée dead and rotten He that knovveth much speaketh little DEmosthenes séeing in a company a prating fellowe sayd vnto him if thou were wise inough thou wouldest speake lesse and adding moreouer this sentence he that is wise doth little speake and thinketh much That syncere friendship is knovvne in aduersitie VAlerius Maximus sayth that the sincere fayth of a friende is knowne in aduersitie in the whiche all that gentlenesse and curtesye whiche is shewed to a man procéedeth of founde and constant good will The friendlye déedes that are shewed in prosperitie saith he may procede of flatterie at the least they are suspected to
of Egypt of Arabia of Soria c. possesseth at this present but two yards of ground And therfore Peter Sabinus saith well Rectè viue deo caeterae fumus erit that is To Godvvarde liue vpright the rest is nothing else but smoke And Dant saith Non è il mondan rumor altro ch'un fiato Di vento c'hor vien quinci hor vien quindi Et multa nome perche multa lato that is Naught els is vvordly rumor but a blast Of vvinde that vvhirles from place to place ful fast And chaungeth name bycause it chaungeth side That vvith the counsayle of the vvise the craft of the deceitful is ouercome TWo crafty fellowes came to a riche womaÌ„ and gaue hir certayne money to kepe with condition that she shoulde not restore it them againe except they came both togither Within a while after one of them came clad in black leaue to loke to and sorowful who affirmeth that his companion was dead and the woman beléeuing it payd him the money that was lefte with hir and thervpoÌ„ he made hast away Not long after the other came and sayd that she had made wrong payment and finally he brought an action against hir Now the woman finding hir selfe deceyued was almost in despaire But â—eâ—osthenes the most excellent Oratoure putting hir in comforte became hir aduocate and spokesmaÌ„ and wheÌ„ the matter was called vppon he aunswered him in this sort This honest woman is redy to restore the money that was lefte with hir to kepe wherefore bring according to youre owne request your companion bycause as you saye the cannot deliuer the money to the one without the other Hovve lyfe fleeth avvay and death follovveth SAint Ambrose saith that our life is lyke to him that sayleth on the sea bycause he that sayleth whether he stand or sit goe or lie he is euer carried from place to place with the violence of the shippe Likewise whether a maÌ„ sléepe or wake go or stand still wil he or wil he not continually by the force of time he is caried to the ende of his way To the whiche purpose the sage Petrarcha sayth La vita fugge non s' arrestae vn ' hora Et la Morte vien dietro à gran giornate that is Life flees avvay no time vve constant finde And death dravves on vvith iourneis great behinde That victorie ill vsed tourneth to the losse of the conqueroure THe people of Volterra when they had rebelled against the Florentines purposed afterward to reconcile themselues vpon certayne conditions Wherfore master Thomas Soderina a wise experte man gaue aduise with many reasons that they shoulde in any wise agrée with them But Laurence of the Medici was of the contrary opinion so that he made a great armie and sent them to Volterra Laurence himselfe being general therof Nowe when the Volterrans sawe no remedy they opened the gates yelded themselues to the discretion of the Florentins Who entring in with the Armie it chaunced that for some disorder the cittie was wholie sacked and the people moreouer euill intreated So when newes came to Florence they were receyued with excéeding great ioy Wherefore one of Laurence dearest friends reioycing reproued Master Thomas for his counsel saying what saye you nowe to this that Volterra is woon To whom Soderna answered me thinketh it is lost for if you had come to agréement with them of Volterra you might haue had profite and suretie by them Now forasmuch as you are to holde the Citie by force in the time of warre it will bréede your anoye and weakenesse and in the tyme of peace bring you to damage and to great expenses Hovv sharply according to Iustinian flatterers are to be punished POpe Iohn the twentieth was wont to say that he knew very wel when he was flattered notwithstanding that he tooke great delight therin Contrarywise Iustinian the emperour beeing on a time foolishly flattred of a Gréeke that lykened him to God leapt vnto him and al bescratched his face Whervpon he finding himselfe yll handled sayd Noble Cesar why scratch you me by the face and the Emperor sayde to him why bytest thou mée thou Gnato of Terence That it is a dishonestie for a man to set foorth himselfe vvith other mens labours PAlla Strozzi hauing made certain Verses founde that a fréende of his to whom he had frendlye shewed them had not onely taken a copie of them and made diuers priuie to them as his owne but also had in his owne name caused them to be printed as thoughe they had ben of his making Wherfore Palla béeing sore offended and fynding his friend in certain mennes companie sayde very wel in this sorte Chi ruba vn corno vn cauallo vn anello Et simil cose ha qualche discretione Et potrebbe chiamar si ladroucello Ma quel che ruba la riputatione Et dell'altrui fatiche si fa bello Si puo chiamar assassinò ladrone Et di tanto piu odio pena è degno Quanto piu del douer trappasso il segno Who so doth steale a horne a ring a steede Or some such thing he somewhat wise is thought And may be termde a pettie theefe in deede But he that others prayse to rob hath sought And reapeth fruite of others sowen seede A theefe and murderer be calde he ought And he the more he dothe from dutie swerne The more cruell hate and payne doth deserue That vvise princes make small accounte of the vaine speech of the people FRauncis the first king of Fraunce had leuied a certain subsidie of his subiects by reason whereof diuers weremuche gréeued And as the menne of that countreye are rashe in speache they without any respect misused the king in language which when it was reported to the King as crimen laesae maiestatis as highe Treason agaynst his person was no whit moued but smiling sayde let them say what they list for they may well speake for their money That byting ansvveres are meete for sharpe demaundes IN the ciuill warres betwixte Pompei and Caesar Cicero on a time came to the armie of Pompei that is of the publike weale where by and by he was rebuked bicause he came no sooner I come time inough sayde Cicero for it is not yet ready reprouing them for that they were not prepared as it was requisite for such a great warre And to Pompei himself who asked him to the end to pricke him where his sonne in lawe Dolabella was he readily aunswered he is with thy father in lawe for Dolabella was with Cesar then béeing father in lawe to Pompei Inferring moreouer that the kinred betwéen Cesar Pompei was the cause as he in that season many times had remembred of the greatnesse of Cesar and that greatnesse decay of the common wealth That scoffing many tymes lighteth vpon the scoffers head A Florentine passing through Siena vpon a leane horse and of an extraordinarie length one of Siena to the end
will not decay That vertue and not money maketh a man aliue TImotheus affirmeth that money is the sinewes of all things nay rather the bloud and soule of menne saying moreouer that he whiche hath no money liueth deade among the lyuing albeit this ought not to be sayd of money but of vertue without possession of which a man doutlesse is deade although he lyue That he vvhich hath any notable faulte ought to take great heed that he prouoke none that may reproue him WHen one Philip a gréedie person and Caculus a wittie fellowe stroue togither they fell a chyding one with an other so that Philip waxing very angrie sayde Why barkest thou dog To whom Catulus sodeinly and bytingly answered bycause I sée a théefe That false vvitnesses do hardly stand in the handes of aduised demaunders WHen Crassus defended Piso in a verie weightie cause one Silo with his false witnesse was a greate hinderaunce to Piâ—o wherefore Crastus to the end to disproue him and dallie with him sayd And it may be Silo that he of whome thou hast heard this speake it vppon displeasure Silo agréed it was so And Crallus following his purpose sayde It maye also be that thou dyddest not well vnderstande him and to this also Silo séemed to consent so that Crastus sayde moreouer And it may be that thou heardest not well that which thou saydst thou hast heard Herevppon there arose an vniuersall laughter that the false witnesse stoode altogither confounded and out of the way to the example of others his like Hovve profitable and precious friendship is THat moste wise Socrates sayde that there is no possession more precious than a friende nor from whence a man may gette more profite or pleasure and therefore maruelled that men setting so muche ambition and couetousnesse aside did not continually endeuour themselues to winne friendeship Herevpon Aristotle béeing demaunded what a friende was answered One soule in two bodies That aduisedly and not rashely vve ought to be resolued touching matters of vveight WHen a voyce and rumoure was spred that Alexander the greate was dead the rulers of Athens waxed very hotte and would followe the people in taking weapons to set themselues at libertie But Phocion a most wise man not finding in these newes any hold to be taken reproued them wisely saying runne not madde my countrimen stay and looke for other newes for if Alexander be dead to daye build vppon this that he wil be dead to morrowe also That man ought still to be myndefull that he is subiecte to all the strokes of fortune IT is a certayne common comforte and as Cicero saith that oughte alwayes to be had in memorie to remember that we are men come into the worlde vnder this lawe to be subiecte to al the strokes of fortune and therfore oughte not to refuse to lyue vnder that state and condition that we are borne neyther lightly to moue our selues with those misfortunes whiche by counsell cannot be anoyded But rather calling to minde that chaunces hapned to other in the meane season ought to consider that there is no new thing chaunced vnto vs. And master Levves Alamaum to the like purpose saith Troppo a lingua mortall si disconuiene Di soaerchio dannar qua gui fra voi Danno o disonor che di la sù n'è date Perche coluâ— che'l fa sol vede il fine Non siamo qui ciechi non miriam tanto alto Soffrier n'è forza tollerar in pace that is In no wise mortall tongs it doth behoue Among vs heare beneth with rige to rende Hurt or dishonor which comes from aboue For whome the sonne doth light he sees the ende Let vs not here be blind and looke so hye We suffer must and bide all patiently Fitte remedies against loue and in vvhat state they be vvhich are in loue CRates the Thebane being asked what was the méetest surest remedy against leue wittily aunswered and sayde hunger and if this be not sufficient time and also if this be not inough hanging meaning that if loue be not worne out with hunger nor time it will be destroyed by no meanes but by death And Cato the elder after Erasmus other attribute it to Plato sayde that all they whiche caste themselues headlong into loue liue in the body of an other and are as it were dead in their owne That it is a vertuous deede and vvorthy commendation not to reueale an others secret euen as it is a vvise mans part seldome to communicate his secrets to any m n. THe vertue of concealing a secrete is as harde a thing to do as that which is hardest Wherefore Aristotle béeing asked what thing séemed to him hardest he aunswered to conceale a secret Plato sayde that a man can not be wyse excepte he can kéepe close a secrete and added moreouer that it may bée knowne howe muche secretnesse doth please God considering that his owne maiestie maketh no man priuie to his Wherefore wée knowe not that which shall be to morrowe or that which shall be within an houre And Iesus the sonne of Syrach sayeth Who so discouereth secrets léeseth his credite and findeth no friende after his will And Salomon in his Prouerbes dothe say That it is sinne to speake ouermuche and to discouer secrets and he is wysest that can brydle his tongue For he that speaketh muche saythe he causeth many errours And to this purpose I will shew a straunge case which happened at Rome Fuluius tolde his wife a great secrete the which Octauiane the Emperour had made him priuie of And when the thing was disclosed through the womans vanitie the Emperour did sharpely reproue Fuluius for lightnesse So he béeing desperate was determined to murther him selfe but firste he lamented to his wyfe who wondering at him aunswered him in this maner Certes my Fuluius thou haste no cause to be sorowfull for any thing that I haue done séeyng that in all the tyme that I haue liued wyth thée thou hadste not knowne my lightnesse or if thou haste knowne it thou diddest not mistruste it But nowe althoughe that the faulte be thine I doe intende notwithstanding to be the first that shall suffer punishement And so incontinently striking hir selfe with a knife which she had in hir hande killed hir selfe And by and by after hir miserable husbande dyd euen the like The not knowing howe to keepe a secret caused this moste grieuous misorder Wherfore the Poet Ouid nobly sayth It is a vertue great the tongue to rule and things conceale And 't is agayne a grieuous fault things secret to reueale That the duetie of a vvise man is to muse before hande vpon that vvhich is to come and aftervvarde constantly to endure euery accident ARistotle sayde that it is a wise mans part to forethinke and giue his minde to that which may happen to a man And that it commeth of great wisdome to foresée that no mischiefe may betide thée but that it commeth of no lesse corage
to mocke him sayd Ho sirra on horsebacke what is the Canna worth this is a mesure of 4. Flemish elles now the Florentine perceiuing himself to be pricked lifting vp foorthwith his horse tayle readily answered enter in héere into the shop and I will sell thée good cheape These tvvo vvords mine and thine marre the vvorlde POlitiane sayde that God had giuen water to euery thing liuing in the water so all the earth without any diuision to euery earthly thing but that man is the vnhappiest of all other liuing creatures he requireth that he alone mighte beare rule ouer the whole world and herewith are broughte into the worlde two words to wit mine and thine which are the occasion of al mens strife And therefore Pythagoras the Philosopher ordeyned that all things shoulde be coÌ„mon among friends Plato enacted the same betwéene the Citizens of his new publike weale others haue gon about to bring this in among al meÌ„ That vile counsels are to be despised of noble and vvorthy men ARistodemus was thoughte to be a cookes sonne notwithstanding came in greate fauour with king Antigonâ—â— and on a time he went about to persuade him to abate his expenses and to vse lesse liberalitie than he ordinarily vsed But the noble king smiling sayde to him worthily O Aristodemus these words of thine smell of the kitchin That the vertue of curtesie is had in price euen of murderers and that it maketh them gentle and pitiful MAster Alexander of Siena a liberall gentleman and a benefactour to al men riding a iorney fell in the hands of murdering theeues the which besetting him would haue slayne him but one of them knowing him cryed out incontinently alas kill him not for he is a rare man he dothe pleasure to all men and hath done me a hundred good turns For the which wordes his fellowes béeing moued with pitie did not onely refrayne to kill him but altogither kepte him company kill he was out of daunger wherfore Ariosto nobly sayde Studifi ogniun giouar altrâ—â— che rade Volte il ben far senza il suo premio sia E s' è pur senza al men non te n' accade Morte nè danno nè ignominia ria Chi nuoce altrui tardi o per tempo cade Il debito à scontar che non s' oblia Dice il prouerbio ch' à trouar si vanno Gli huomini spesso e i monti fermi stanno That is Let one man seeke an other to sustayne For selde a good turne is without his meede And though it be without yet no names stayne Nor hurte nor death may thy destruction breede Late or betime he that dothe other payne Doth pay his debt that in the harte doth heede The prouerbe sayth that men do go their way Oftetimes to finde and the hilles do firmely stay That the ignoraunt sell their labours dearer than the learned THere was not many yere past a citizen in Florence who although he was a Doctour of the lawe yet he had no great learning and consequently little to do Vpon a time when he was entertayned in a matter in lawe asked for his counsayle and paynes xxv Ducats How so sayde his client master Mark of the A sini an excellent good doctour who I haue entertayned in the same matter was contented with sixe Crownes and you will haue aboue fiue and twentie And no maruayle sayde the Doctour that he is contented with so little for he hathe dayly one matter or other in hande but as for me I haue nothing to doe but three or foure times a yere That the ignorant lavvyer is like to necessitie vvhich hath no lavve ONe Laurence Gualterotti béeing asked of one of his friends touching the sufficiencie of the foresayde Florentine Doctour he sayd that he was like to néede howe answered his friende without lawe sayde he alludâ—ng pleasantly to this prouerbe that Néede hath no Lawe That the honor of euery man dependeth of his ovvne deedes not of others vvordes OEdipus béeing banished out of hys countrey wente to Athens to king Theseus his friende to the ende to saue his lyfe which his ennimies sought for And when he was come in Theseus presence hearing a daughter of his speake knewe hir by the voyce and bicause he was blinde stayed not to salute Theseus any otherwise but rather as a father was mindefull onely to comfort and cherishe his childe And by and by remembring himselfe went about to excuse him selfe to Theseus and to aske him pardoÌ„ Wherfore the good and wise king brake off his words and sayde to him be of good chéere Oedipus for I honour not my life with the words of other but with my déedes Many excellent meanes to keepe the minde quiet DIogenes admonisheth vs to set foorthe agaynst Fortune the constancie of the minde agaynst the lawes nature agaynst the senses reason saying that by these thrée ways mens tranquilitie quiet is preserued That youth had neede of good bringing vp to the ende to bring foorth good fruite in age CIprian sayth that euen as of a trée that hath not blossomed no fruite can be gathered so of a mans age in whose youth hath bene no good discipline no good fruite can be receyued And he added moreouer that if in youth there be no obedience there will neuer be in age any good discipline A singular meane to constrayne euery man vvhosoeuer he be not to refuse a present WHen Alexander the greate had giuen fiftie talents to the Philosopher Xenocrates the Philosopher refused them saying that he had no néede of them Wherefore Alexander sayd to him and haue you no friend that you stande in néede of Oh all the riches of Darius are not sufficient for me to giue my friends and knowe not you howe to bestow fiftie Talents among yours what Philosophie is this That enuy follovveth glory ARistomenus saythe that euen as a man which goeth in the sunne is of necessitie accompanied with his shadow so he that walketh in the way of glory is likewise followed of others enuy and sayde moreouer that miserie alone did not bréede enuy A parable shevving that malmsey is good at all times of ones meale PIouano Arloto a Florentine was a pleasaunt companion and a wittie fellow who went vpon a time to dinner to Fraunces Dini a worshipfull citizen of Florence and when he was set at the table Fraunces sayde vnto him Piouano I haue malmesey shal we haue it before dinner or after To whome Piouano answered in a parable saying The blessed Marie was a virgine before hir deliuerie in hir deliuerie and after hir deliuerie Wherfore Fraunces vnderstanding him would haue nothing dronke but malmesey all dynner while VVhy the head vvaxeth hoare before the beard PIouano béeing demaunded for what cause the head came hoare before the beard aunswered bycause the heares of the head were twenty yeares elder than the beard He is more miserable that commeth vnder the povver of vvicked people than he that
is deliuered and scapeth their hands IN the time of Pope Calistus there came a iolly man to Piouano and sayde Sir giue me your almes for Gods sake for I am escaped out of the handes of the Catelans I hadde more néede haue an almes of thée answered Piouano bycause I am entred in among theÌ„ for Pope Calistus was a Catelane That it is lesse damage to giue one thing to them that are in neede than to lend tvvo WHen two of Piouano his neighbours beeing very poore men but honest asked him in time of dearthe two bushels of corne for one in lone Piouano answered theÌ„ I will do better I will giue you one bushell for one and so he did them pleasure and saued two bushels of corne for he should neuer haue had them agayne He that restoreth not requireth in vayne to borrovve agayne TO an other that after the same sort would borrowe of him thrée bushelles of corne he aunswered I am contents go vp aboue in such a place and take it He went founde no corne there nor any thing else so he returning to Piouano sayde vnto him that there was no corne where he sent him Piouano sayde to him then thou hast not brought thither that which I lent thée the last yere thou thy selfe arte in faulte and mayest be sory therefore for if thou haddest brought it thither thou shouldest haue founde it He went his way like a foole as he came and at haruest he restored to Pâ—ouano that which he ought him A profitable maner of praying PIouano was asked of a gossip of his what was the best prayer he mighte say in the morning when he rose say sayd Piouano a Pater noster with these words My Lorde Iesu Chryst saue me from a banckrupt citizen and from a citizen that hathe recouered him selfe saue me from the conscience of priests from poticarie drugs froÌ„ the cetera of Notaries from him that heareth two Masses in the morning and from him that sweareth by his conscience The principall and pleasauntest Prouerbes and sentences of the foresayde Piouano are these follovving vvhich bicause many of them haue a better grace in the Italian than in the Englishe tong I thought good to put them in bothe languages TAnto é il mal che non mi nuoce Quanto è il ben che non mi giona So great is the il that doth not hurt me As is the good that doth not helpe me Chi lascia la via vecchia per la nuona Spesse volte inganato si ritruona He that for the new leaueth the olde way Oftentimes is found to go astray Donato è morto ristoro sâ—â— male Giuen is dead and restored is nought Al Medico Anuocato Non tener il'ver celato Conceale not the truthe From the Physition and Lawyer Barbier giouane medico vecchio A yong Barber and an olde Phisition A spertare non venire Star nel letto non dormire Seruire non aggradire Non tre case da morire To looke for and not to come To be in bed and not to sléepe To serue and not to be accepted Are thrée deadly things Tutto quel che luce non è ero All is not golde that glisters Chi non vnol durar fatica in questò mondo non ci nasca He that wil not endure labor in this world let him not be barne Non è virtù che pouertà non guasti Ther is no vertue the pouertie destroyeth not L'abbondanza delle cose genera fastidia The abundaunce of things ingendreth disdaynfulnesse Chi ben siede mael pensa He that fitteth well thinketh yll L' allegrezze di questo mondo duran poco The mirth of this world dureth but a while Chi mi fa meglio che non suole Tradito m'ha o tradir mi vuole He that vseth me better than he is wont Hath betrayed me or will me betray Châ— sa quel â—he non desâ—e Gli auieâ— quel che non crede He that doth not that which he ought That happes to him whiche he hathe not thought Chi ha temâ—â— ha vita He that hath time hath life Tutte l'armi de Brescia non armerian la paurae Al the wepons of Brescia can not arme feare Poco fa châ— a se non gâ—oua He doth little that helpes not him selfe Quanto pin s'ha piu si aâ—sidera The more a man hath the more he desires Tanto è mio quanto io godo do per Dio So muche is myne as I possesse and giue for Gods sake Ne femina ne tela non piglia alla candela Choose not a woman nor linnen clothe by the candle Parente con parente gnai ' a chi non ha niente Kinsman with kinsman wo be to him that hath nothing Chi è 〈◊〉 non è tenuto Può fare il male non è creduto He that is guiltie and is not stayde May do yll and is not beléeued Con arte con iuganno Si viue mezzo l'anno Con inganno con arte Si viue l'altra parte With art and with deceipte Men liue halfe the yeare With deceite and with arte Men liue the other parte But for so much as I am come to the prouerbs I will also put in this place some of them that Boccace otherwhile vsed bothe in speaking and writing the which be these Chi muta stato muta conditione He that changeth state changeth condition La necessita non ha legge Néede hath no lawe Assai ' sà chi non sà se tacer sà He knoweth inough that knoweth nought if he knoweth how to holde his peace Huomo assallato mezzo presso A man assaulted is halfe taken A ma chi t' ama Loue him that loues thée La prima parte del pazzo é di tener si sauio The greatest token of a foole is to accounte him selfe wise L' huomo propone Dio dispone Man purposeth and God disposeth Peccato vecchio penitentia nuoua Olde sinne newe repentaunce Peccato celato è mezzo perdonato Sinne that is hidden is halfe forgiuen Oncia di stato libra d'oro An ounce of state and a pound of golde Chi ben vine ben muore He that liueth well dyeth well Chi la dura la vince He that endureth hir ouercommeth hir Riguardae al fine Marke the ende Fuggs quel placer presente che ti dà dolor futuro Flée that present pleasure which afterwarde maketh thée sory Ogni astremit à è vitio Euery extremitie is a faulte Ogni parola non vuol risposta Euery worde requireth not answere A qual si voglia dolore remedia la patienza Pacience remedieth all kinde of sorrow La cossienza serue per mille testimoni The conscience serueth for a thousande witnesses La vera legge è la naturae Nature is the true lawe Ogni timidità se seruità All feare is bondage Dalle cose passate si giudicano le presente Things present