and of the Senate best fauoured to whom they committed the charge of the most cruell and dangerous warres For their strife was not to beare rule and to be in office or to get money but to be in the Frontiers to ouercome their enemies In what estimation these foure Frontiers were wee may easily perceyue by that wee see the most noble Romanes haue passed some part of their youth in those places as Captaines vntill such time that for more weighty affaires they were appointed from thence to som other places For at that time there was no word so grieuous and iniurious to a Citizen as to say Goe thou hast neuer beene brought vp in the wars and to proue the same by examples The great Pompey passed the Winter season in Constantinople The aduenturous Scipio in Colonges the couragious Caesar in Gades and the renowmed Marius in Rhodes And these foure were not only in the Frontiers aforesaid in their youth but there they did such valiant acts that the memory of them remaineth euermore after their death These thinges I haue spoken to proue sith wee finde that Marcus Aurelius father was Captain of one of these 4. Frontiers it followeth that he was a man of singular wisdome and prowesse For as Scipio sayd to his friend Masinissa in Affrike It is not possible for a Romane Captaine to want eyther wisdome or courage for thereunto they were predestined at their birth Wee haue no authenticke authorities that sheweth vs frō whence when or how in what countries and with what persons this captaine passed his youth And the cause is for that the Romane Chroniclers were not accustomed to write the things done by their Princes before they were created but onely the acts of yong men which from their youth had their hearts stoutly bent to great aduentures and in my opinion it was well done For it is greater honour to obtaine an Empire by policy and wisdome then to haue it by discent so that there be no tyranny Suetonius Tranquillus in his first booke of Emperours counteth at large the aduenturous enterprises taken in hand by Iulius Caesar in his yong age and how far vnlikely they were from thought that he should euer obtaine the Romane Empire writing this to shew vnto Princes how earnestly Iulius Caesars heart was bent to win the Romane Monarchy and likewise how wisdom fayled him in behauing himselfe therin A Philosopher of Rome wrote to Phalaris the Tirant which was in Cicilia asking him Why hee possessed the realme so long by tyranny Phalaris answered him againe in another Epistle in these few wordes Thou callest mee tyrant because I haue taken this realme and kept it 32. yeares I graunt then quoth hee that I was a tyrant in vsurping it For no man occupyeth another mans right but by reason he is a tyrant But yet I will not agree to be called a Tyrant sith it is now xxxii yeares since I haue possessed it And though I haue atchieued it by tyranny yet I haue gouerned it by wisdome And I let thee to vnderstand that to take another mans goods it is an easie thing to conquere but a hard thing to keepe an easie thing for to keepe them I ensure thee it is very hard The Emperour Marcus Aurelius married the daughter of Antoninus Pius the 16. Emperour of Rome and she was named Faustina who as sole Heyre had the Empire and so through marriage Marcus Aurelius came to be Emperour This Faustine was not so honest and chast as shee was faire and beautifull Shee had by him two sonnes Commodus and Verissimus Marcus Aurelius triumphed twice once when he ouercame the Parthians and another time when hee conquered the Argonants He was a man very well learned and of a deepe vnderstanding Hee was as excellent both in the Greeke and Latine as hee was in his mothers tongue Hee was very temperate in eating and drinking hee wrote many things full of good learning and sweete sentences He dyed in conquering the realme of Pannonia which is now called Hungarie His death was as much bewayled as his life was desired And hee was loued so deare and entirely in the City of Rome that euery Romane had a statue of him in his house to the end the memory of him among them should neuer decay The which was neuer read that they euer did for any other King or Emperour of Rome no not for Augustus Caesar who was best beloued of all other Emperours of Rome Hee gouerned the Empire for the space of eighteene yeere with vpright iustice and died at the age of 63 yeeres with much honor in the yeere Climatericke which is in the 63. years wherein the life of man runneth in great perill For then are accomplished the nine seuens or the seuen nines Aulus Gelius writeth a Chapter of this matter in the booke De noctibus Atticis Marcus Aurelius was a Prince of life most pure of doctrine most profound and of fortune most happy of all other Princes in the world saue only for Faustine his wife and Commodus his sonne And to the end we may see what Marcus Aurelius was from his infancy I haue put here an Epistle of his which is this CHAP. II. Of a letter which Marcus Aurelius sent to his friend Pulio wherein he declareth the order of his whole life and amongst other things he maketh mention of a thing that happened to a Romane Censor with his Host of Campagnia MAreus Aurelius only Emperour of Rome greeteth thee his old friend Pulio wisheth health to thy person peace to the common-wealth As I was in the Temple of the Vestall Virgins a letter of thine was presented vnto me which was written long before and greatly desired of me but the best therof is that thou writing vnto me briefly desirest that I should write vnto thee at large which is vndecent for the authority of him that is chiefe of the Empire in especiall if such one be couetous for to a Prince there is no greater infamy then to be lauish of words and scant of rewards Thou writest to me of the griefe in thy leg and that thy wound is great and truly the paine thereof troubleth me at my heart and I am right sorry that thou wantest that which is necessary for thy health and that good that I do wish thee For in the end all the trauels of this life may be endured so that the body with diseases be not troubled Thou lettest me vnderstand by thy letters that thou art arriued at Rhodes and requirest me to write vnto thee how I liued in that place when I was yong what time I gaue my minde to study and likewise what the discourse of my life was vntill the time of my being Emperor of Rome In this case truly I maruell at thee not a little that thou shouldest aske me such a question and so much the more that thou didst not consider that I cannot with out great trouble and
a perpetuall memorie What contempt of world what forgetfulnesse of himselfe what stroke of fortune what whippe for the flesh what little regard of life O what bridle for the vertuous O what confusion for those that loue life O how great example haue they left vs not to feare death Sithens those here haue willingly despised their owne liues it is not to be thought that they dyed to take the goods of others neither yet to thinke that our life should neuer haue end nor our couetousnesse in like manner O glorious people and ten thousand fold happy that the proper sensuality being forsaken haue ouercom the naturall appetite to desire to liue not beleeuing in that they saw and that hauing faith in that they neuer saw they striued with the fatall Destenies By the way they assaulted fortune they changed life for death they offered the body to death and aboue all haue wonne honour with the Gods not for that they shoulde hasten death but because they should take away that which is superfluous of life Archagent a Surgeon of Rome and Anthonius Musus a Physition of the Emperour Augustus and Esculapius father of the Phisicke should get little money in that Countrie Hee that then should haue sent to the barbarous to haue done as the Romanes at that time did that is to say to take sirrops in the mornings pils at night to drinke milke in the morning to annoint themselues with gromeâ—seed to bee let bloud to day and purged to morrow to eate of one thing and to abstaine from many a man ought to thinke that hee which willingly seeketh death will not giue money to lengthen life CHAP. XXII The Emperour concludeth his letter and shewed what perils those olde men liue in which dissolutely like young children passe their dayes and giueth vnto them wholesome counsell for the remedy thereof BVt returning to thee Claude and to thee Claudine me thinketh that these barbarous men beeing fifty yeares of age and you others hauing aboue threescore and tenne it should be iust that sithence you were elder in yeares you were equall in vertue and though as they you wil not accept death patiently yet at the least you ought to amend your euill liues willingly I doe remember that it is many yeares sithens that Fabritius the young sonne of Fabritius the olde had ordayned to haue deceiued mee of the which if you had not told me great inconueniences had happned and sithens that you did me so great a benefite I would now requite you the same with another the like For amongst friends there is no equal benefite then to deceiue the deceyuer I let you know if you do not know it that you are poore aged folks your eyes are sunke into your heads the nostrels are shut the haires are white the hearing is lost the tongue faultereth the teeth fall the face is wrinkled the feete swolne and the stomacke cold Finally I say that if the graue could speake as vnto his Subiects by iustice he might commaund you to inhabite his house It is great pitty of the yong men and of their youthfull ignorance for then vnto such their eies are not opened to know the mishaps of this miserable life when cruell death doth end their dayes and adiorneth them to the graue Plato in his booke of the Common wealth sayde that in vaine wee giue good counsels to fond and light young men for youth is without experience of that it knoweth suspitious of that it heareth incredible of that is tolde him despising the counsell of an other and very poore of his own For so much as this is true that I tell you Claude and Claudine that without comparison the ignorance which the young haue of the good is not so much but the obstination which the olde hath in the euill is more For the mortall Gods many times doe dissemble with a thousand offences commited by ignorance but they neuer forgiue the offence perpetrated by malice O Claude and Claudine I doe not maruell that you doe forget the gods as you doe which created you and your Fathers which begot you and your parents which haue loued you and your friends which haue honoured you but that which I most maruell at is that you forget your selues For you neuer consider what you ought to bee vntill such time as you bee there where you would not bee and that without power to returne backe againe Awake awake since you are drowned in your dreames open your eyes since you sleepe so much accustome your selues to trauels sithence you are vagabonds learne that which behoueth you since now you are olde I meane that in time conuenient you agree with death before he make execution of life Fifty two yeeres haue I knowne the things of the world and yet I neuer saw a Woman so aged thorough yeares nor old man with members so feeble that for want of strength could not if they list doe good nor yet for the same occasion should leaue to bee euill if they list to be euill It is a maruellous thing to see and worthy to note that all the corporall members of Man waxeth old but the inward hart and the outward tongue For the heart is alwayes giuen to inuent euills and the tongue is alwayes able to tell Lyes Mine opinion is that the pleasaunt Summer beeing past you should prepare your selues for the vntemperate winter which is at hand And if you haue but fewe dayes to continue you should make hast to take vp your lodging I meane that sith you haue passed the dayes of your life with trauell you should prepare your selues against the night of death to be in the hauen of rest Let mockeryes passe as mockeries and accept trueth as truth that is to say that it were a very iust thing and also for your honour necessarie that all shose which in times past haue seen you young and foolish should now in your age see you graue and sage For there is nothing that so much forgetteth the lightnesse and follyes of youth as doth grauity and constancie in Age. When the Knight runneth his carriere they blame him not for that the Horses mane is not finely combed but at the end of his race he shold see his horse amended and looked vnto What greater confusion can be to any person or greater slaunder to our mother Rome then to see that which now a dayes therein we see That is to say that the old which can scarcely creepe through the streetes to beholde the playes and games as young men which search for nought else but onely pompe and vanitie It grieueth mee to speake it but I am much more ashamed to see that the olde Romaines do daylie cause the white haires to be plucked out of their heads because they would not seeme old to make their beard small to seem yong wearing their hosen very close their shyrts open before the gowne of the Senatour embrodered the Romane signe richly enamelled the
that land so euil tilled so barren cold and little and that they should come and enhabite Italy which was a plaine Country fertile and ample temperate and very rich and that now or neuer they should conquer it And Narsetes therewith not contented but to prouoke his friends the more and make them the more couetous sent them part of euery good thing that was in Italy that is to say light horses rich armour sweet pleasant and daintie fruites fine mettals and may kindes of ointments very odoriserous silkes and Marchandises of many and diuers sorts The Ambassadors arriued in Pannony which now is called Hungarie were honourably receyued and the Lumbardes seeing that there were such and so many goodly things in Italy determined to leaue Pannonia and goe spoyle and conquer Italy although it belonged to Rome and were at that season friends with the Romanes yet notwithstanding they had little respect to this And hereat no man ought to maruell for in that place there is neuer perfect friendship where he that commandeth is constrayned to demaund helpe of others The Lumbards determined for to passe into Italy and at that time there was seene of the Italians visibly in the ayre sundry Armies of fire that one cruellie killed the other Which thing greatly feared the hearts of the people For by this they knew that within a short space much of theyr bloud of their enemies also should be shed for it is an olde ancient custome that when any great matter doth chance to any Realme first the Planets and Elements do declare the same by secret tokens the ingratitude of the Emperour Iustinian against Narsetes his Captaine and the euill words which Sophia spake vnto him were the occasion that the Lumhards inuaded and destroied all Italy which thing valiant Princes ought well to note to keepe themselues from ingratitude towards their seruants who hath done them great seruice For it is a generall rule That the ingratitude of a great benefite maketh the seruants despayre of recempence or of a faithfull jeruant maketh him become a cruell and mortall enemie And let not Princes trust men because they bee natiue of their realms brought vp nourished in their Pallaces and alwayes haue been faithfull in their seruices that therefore they will not of good subiects be turned to euill nor yet of faithfull become disloyall For such imagination is vaine For the Prince that in his doings is vnthankfull cannot keepe nor retaine any honest man long in his seruice One thing the noble Iustintan did with Narsetes whereof all noble and sage Princes ought to beware that is to know hee did not onely giue eare vnto his enemies and beleeued them but also before them he did dishonour him and shame him to his power which thing made him vtterly to despayre For there is nothing that spiteth a man more then to haue before his enemies any iniury or dishonour done vnto him of his superiour The Empresse Sophia therefore deserued great reproach for speaking such dishonest words to Narsetes to send him to thread the needles in that occupation where the damsels wrought For it is the duety of a Noble Princesse to mitigate the yre of Princes when they are angry and not to prouoke thē further to anger Narsetes then alwayes doubting the Empresse Sophia neuer after returned into Naples where shee was but rather came from Naples to Rome a yeare before the Lambards came into Italy where hee receyued all the Sacraments and like a deuout Christian hee dyed His body was carried to Alexandria in a cossin of siluer all set with precious stones and there was buried And a man cannot tell whether the displeasure were greater that all Asia had not to see Narsetes aliue or the pleasure that Sophia had to see him dead For the vnpatient heart especially of a woman hath no rest vntill shee see her enemie dead CHAP. XVII Of a Letter the Emperour Marcus Aurelius sent to the King of Sicilie in which he recordeth the trauels they endured together in their youth and reproueth him of his small reuerence towards the Temples MArcus Aurelius sole Emperour of Rome borne in Mount Celio called the old Tribune wisheth health and long life to thee Gorbin Lord and King of Sicilie As it is the custome of the Romane Emperours the first yeare of my raigne I wrote generally to all the Isle the second yeare I wrote generally vnto thy Court and Pallace and at this present I write more particularlie to thy person And although that Princes haue great Realmes yet they ought not therefore to cease to communicate with their olde friendes Since I tooke my penne to write vnto thee I stayed my hand a great while from writing and it was not for that I was slothfull but because I was ashamed to see all Rome offended with thee I let thee to know most excellent Prince that in this I say I am thy true friend for in my hart I feele thy trouble and so sayd Euripides That which with the heart is loued with the heart is lamented But before I shew thee the cause of my writing I will reduce into thy memory some thinges past of our youth and thereby we shall see what wee were then and what we are now for no man doth so much reioyce of his prosperity present as hee which calleth to mind his miseries past Thou shalt call to mind most excellent Prince that wee two together did learne to reade in Capua and after we studyed a little in Tarentum and from thence wee went to Rhodes where I reade Rhethorike and thou heardest Philosophy And afterwardes in the end of ten yeares wee went to the wars of Pannonia where I gaue my selfe to musicke for the affections of young men are so variable that dayly they would know strange Realmes and change offices And in all those iournies with the force of youth the sweete company with the pleasant communication of Sciences and with a vaine hope wee did dissemble our extreame pouerty which was so great that many times and often we desired not that which many had but that little which to few abounded Doest thou remember that when wee sayled by the gulfe Arpin to goe into Hellespont a long and tempestuous torment came vpon vs wherein we were taken of a Pirate and for our ransome hee made vs row about nine moneths in a Galley whereas I cannot tell which was greater eyther the want of bread or the aboundance of stripes which wee alwayes endured Hast thou forgotten also that in the City of Rhodes when wee were besieged of Bruerdus puissant King of Epirotes for the space of fourteene monethes wee were ten without eating flesh saue onely two cats the one which wee stole and the other which wee bought remember that thou and I beeing in Tarent were desired of our Host to go to the feast of the great Goddesse Dtana into the which Temple none could enter that day but
prohibite children their milke which hereafter should bee made Priestes of the temples mee thinketh it a tricke rather of superstitious sorcerers then of religious Priests For there is neyther diuine nor humane Law that will forbid or prohibite any such thing without the which mans life cannot endure These were the maners and customes that the Ancients had in the nourture of their children And indeede I maruell not at that they did for the Gentiles esteemed this cursed Idol as a great God as wee Christians doe the true and liuing God I was willing to declare all these antiquities to the end that Princesses and great Ladies shoulde haue pleasure in reading them and knowing them but not to that end they should imitate and follow them in any kind of thing For according to the faith of our Christian Religion as sure as wee be of the offences that those did vnto God through following those superstitions so sure wee are of the good seruices which wee doe vnto God in forsaking them How long time the mothers ought to giue their children sucke and what age they ought to weine them not for that which I haue read nor for that which I haue demaunded in this case I am able to answere but forasmuch as Aristotle sayeth in the booke aboue named that the child at the most ought to sucke but two yeares at the least one yeare and a halfe for if hee sucke lesse he is in danger to be sicke and if hee sucke more he shall be alwayes tender I will not omit that which Sextus Cheronensis sayeth in the fourth booke of his common-wealth And hereof Bocohas also maketh mention in the third booke De natura Deorum that when Alexander the Great passed into India amongst other renowmed Philosophers there was one with him called Arethus who as by chance he was in Nissa an ancient City of India there came a mā of the Countrey to shew him such antiquities as were there Arethus the Philosopher beheld them as a sage and wise man for the simple man onely beholdeth the doings and how they seeme but the sage man enquireth and demandeth of the causes and from whence they came Among other things he shewed this good Philosopher a great house being in the end of the City therin were many women whereof euery one of them had a chamber and in euery chamber there was two beds and adioyning to the one herbs were sowen in maner of nettles and adioining to the other there was kind of twigges as of Rosemary and in the midst of the house there were many graues of small children The Phylosopher Arethus asked why that house was so great and the Indian answered This house is to nourish the Children which are Orphanes when they bee of their Parents and friendes abandoned For it is a custome in this City that immediately when the Father of one chelde dyeth the City then taketh him for her sonne And from that time forward he is called the child of the City which nourisheth him and not the childe of the Father which begot him Arethus the Philosopher secondarily asked him why there were so many women in that house without any man among them whereunto the Indian answered In this Country there is a custome that the women are seuered from their husbands all the time they giue their children sucke For the will of our God is that the woman be not in company with her husband after shee is with child and this not onely vntil such time as shee is deliuered but also vntill such time as the childe be wayned from the brest The Philosopher Arethus thirdly demaunded him why euery one had her chamber seuerally The Indian answered Thou knowest that now naturally raigneth so much malice in the woman that shee alwayes enuyeth the felicity of another And if they were altogether they would haue amongst them such quarrels debates that they would corrupt the milke which they should giue to the child Fourthly the Philosopher Arethus asked why in euery chamber there was a great bed and a little pallet since there was but one woman and one child whereunto the Indian answered In this India they doe not consent that the Nurses should sleepe together in one bed with the young childe whom they nourish for when the women are heauy a sleepe not taking heede to the childe they many times ouerlay the poore infant and so smother it aliue Fiftly the Philosopher asked why ioining to the beds there was nettles which are without fauour in eating and dangerous in touching The Indian answered I let thee know that in this India against al nature the childrē weepe not whiles they are young and therefore they haue growing by the beddes nettles to make them weepe for our Philosophors tell vs that if dayly the childe doth weepe two houres it profiteth him not onely for the health of his body but also for to prolong his life Furthermore the Philosopher for the sixt asked why there were so many twigges like Rosemary by the bed side whereunto the Indian aunswered Know thou that in India there is an olde plague that wee cannot defende our selues from these witches the which by their sorceries and with the onely lookes of their eies destroy many children and they say that all the children which shall bee perfumed with those hearbes can take no hurte through the lookes of those witches CHAP. XXIIII Of a letter which Marcus Aurelius sent to his friend Dedalus in the ende whereof he enuaieth against those women which cure children by sorceries charmes and enchantments PRincesses and great Ladyes ought to take heed that their nurses be not Witches and that they doe not suffer the babes whiles they are yet young to take any charmes or sorceries for the medicine putteth the life of the creature in perill and those sorceries doe not onelie harme to the body of the child but also to the soule of her selfe which vseth it To prayse more them that are past and to confound more the present I will that those which shall reade this doe reade a letter of Marcus Aurelius which he sent to a friend of his in the end whereof it appeareth how great enemies the Auncients were to Witches Charmers to all kind of Sorcerers for truely I know not which was greater eyther the temperance that they had in nourishing their children being Gentiles or the foolish hardinesse which wee haue being Christians Here followeth therefore the Letter in the ende of the which hee speaketh against Witches and euill women The letter of the Emperour Marcus Aurelius MArcus Aurelius the Romane Emperour fellow with his brother Annius Verus in the same Empire wisheth to thee Dedalus his speciall friend health to thy person and good fortune against all euill Since the day that thou diddest take shipping at the Hauen of Ostia I read no letter of thine neyther haue I seen as yet any man of thy house yea and moreouer they could not tell
the man that desireth perpetuall renon me though hee bee not banished hee ought to absent himselfe from his Natiue countrey My deare childrē I most earnestly desire you that alwayes you accompanie your selues with the good with the most Auncients and with those which are graue and most expert in counsell and with those that haue most seene the world and doe not vnderstand most of the world by those that haue seene most countreys For the ripe councell proceedeth not from the man that hath trauelled in many Countreys but from him that hath selt himselfe in many daungers Since the nature of the Countrey my Children doth knocke with the hāmer at the heart of man I feare that if you come and see your friends and parents you shall alwayes line in care pensiuenes and being pensiue you shall alwayes liue euill contented and you shall not do that which becometh Romane knights to do And you not being valiaunt knights your enemyes shall alwayes reioyce ouer you and your desires shal neuer take effect for of those men which are carefull and heauy proceedeth alwaies seruices vnworthie I desire you heartily and by this present letter I counsell you that you will not in any wise seeke to come to Rome For as I haue saide you shall know few of those that did know you for eyther they are dead or banished poor or sick aged or come to nought sad or euill contented So that sithence you are not able to remedie their griefes it is best you should not come hither to see their troubles For no man cōmeth to Rome but to weepe with the liuing or to sigh for thē that be dead Truly my children I know not what pleasure is in Rome that shold cause any good man to come hither and to forsake Affrike for if there you haue any enemies here you shal want friends If you haue the Sword that pierceth the body we haue the tōgue here that destroyeth the renowme If you be vexed with the Thieues of Affrike wee are wounded with the traytours flatterers and lyars of Italie If you lacke rest we haue here too much trouble Finally seeing that I doe see in Rome and hearing that which I doe heare of Affrike I cōmend your warre and abhorre your peace If you doe greatly esteem that which I haue said esteem much more that which I shall say which is that wee alwayes heare that you are conquerors of the Affricanes and you shall heare alwayes that we are conquered by vices Therefore if am a true mother I had rather see you win a perpetuall memory among strangers then to liue with infamie at home in your countrey Peraduenture with hope that you shallenioy some goods you will offer to take occasion to come to Rome When this thing shall come to your minds remember my Children that your father being aliue had not much and that vnto your Mother beeing a widow many things wanted And remember that your father bequeathed you nothing but weapons and knowe that from mee you shalll enherite nothing but Bookes For I had rather leaue my Children good doctrine whereby they may liue then euill Riches whereby they may perish I am not rich nor I neuer trauelled to bee rich and the cause was that I saw many mens children vndone only through the hope they had to inherit their parents goods and afterward went a hunting after vices For they seldome times do any worthy feates which in theyr Youth inherite great Treasures This thing therefore beeing true as it is indeede I doe not say onely that I would watch and toyle as many do to get riches and treasures but also if I had treasor before I would giue them vnto you I would as the Phylosopher did cast them into the fire For I had rather haue my children poore and vertuous in Affricke then rich and vicious in Rome You knowe very well my Children that there was among the Tharentines a Law well obserued that the Sonnes should not inherit any thing of the fathers but weapons to fight and that the Daughters should inherite the goods for to marry thēselues withall Truely this Law was very iust for the Sonne that hath alwaies respect to the inheritance will not haue to his Father any great confidence For hee ought to bee called a valiant Romain Knight that with his life hath wonne and by his sword hath gotten Riches Since you are in straunge Realmes I pray you heartily that you be eonuersant with the good as good brethren remembring alwayes that you were my children and that I gaue you both sucke of mine owne proper breasts And the day that I shall heare of your disagreement the same day shall be the end of my life For the discord in one city of parents doth more harme then a whole armie of enemies It is good for you my Children to liue in loue and concord together but it is more requisite to keepe you with the Romain knights The which with you and you with them if you doe not loue together in the warres you shall neuer haue the vpper hand of your enemies For in great Armies the discords that arise amongst them do more harme then the enemies do against whom they fight I thinke well my children that you would be very desirous to know of my estate that is to say whether I am in health whether I am sicke whether I am poore whether I am pleased or whether I am discontented In this case I knowe not why you should desire to knowe it since you ought to presuppose that according to the troubles which I haue passed the miseries which with mine eyes I haue seen I am filled with this world For wise men after fifty yeares and vpwardes ought rather to applie theyr mindes how to receyue death then to seeke for pleasures how to prolong life When mans Flesh is weake it alwayes desireth to bee well kept euen vnto the graue And as I am of flesh and Bone so I do feele the troubles of the world as all mortall men doe But for all this doe not thinke that to bee poore or sicke is the greatest miserie neither thinke that to bee whole and rich is the chiefest felicity for there is none other felicitie of the old fathers but for to see their children vertuous In my opinion it is an honor to the coūtry that the fathers haue such children which will take profit with their counsell and contrariwise that the children haue such fathers which can giue it them For the childe is happy that hath a wise father and more happie is the father that hath not a foolish son I doe write oft times vnto you my children but there is a law that none be so hardy to write to men of war in the field except first they inrowle the letters in the Senate Therefore since I write vnto you more letters then they would they do send lesse then I desire Though this law be painefull to
your Bookes full of lawes and the common wealth full of vices Wherefore I sweare vnto you that there are more Thebaines which follow the delitiousnesse of Denis the tyrant then there are vertuous men that follow the lawes of Lycurgus If you Thebaines doe desire greatly to know with what lawes the Lacedemonians doe preserue their Common-wealth I will tell you them all by word and if you will reade them I will shew you them in writing but it shall bee vpon condition that you shall sweare al openly that once a day you shall employ your eyes to reade them and your persons to obserue them for the Prince hath greater honour to see one onely law to be obserued in deed then to ordaine a thousand by writing You ought not to esteeme much to be vertuous in heart nor to enquire of the vertue by the mouth nor to seeke it by labour and trauell of the feet but that which you ought greatly to esteeme is to know what a vertuous law meaneth and that knowne immediately to execute it and afterwards to keepe it For the chiefe vertue is not to doe one vertuous worke but in a swet and trauell to continue in it These therfore were the words that this Philosopher Phetonius sayde to the Thebaines the which as Plato sayeth esteemed more his words that hee spake then they did the Lawes which he brought Truly in mine opinion those of Thebes are to bee praysed and commended and the Philosopher for his word is worthy to be honoured For the ende of those was to search lawes to liue well and the end of the Philosopher was to seeke good meanes for to keepe them in vertue And therefore he thoght it good to shew them and put before their eyes the gibbet and the sword with the other Instruments and torments for the euill do refraine from vice more for feare of punishment then for any desire they haue of amendment I was willing to bring in this history to the end that all curious and vertuous men may see and know how little the Ancients did esteeme the beginning the meane and the end of vertuous works in respect of the perseuerance and preseruation of them Comming therefore to my matter which my penne doth tosse and seeke I aske now presently what it profiteth Princesses and great Ladies that God doe giue them great estates that they be fortunate in marriages that they bee all reuerenced and honoured that they haue great treasures for their inheritances and aboue all that they see their wines great with Childe and that afterward in ioy they see them deliuered that they see their mothers giuing their children sucke and finally they see themselues happy in that they haue found them good nurses health full and honest Truly all this auayleth little if to their children when they are young they doe do not giue masters to instruct them in vertues and they also if they doe not recommend them to good guides to exercise them in feates of Chiualry The Fathers which by sighes penetrate the heauen by praiers importune the liuing God onelie for to haue children ought first to thinke why they will haue children for that iustly to a man may be denied which to an euill end is procured In mine opinion the Father ought to desire to haue a child for that in his age he may sustaine his life in honour and that after his death hee may cause his fame to liue And if a Father desireth not a sonne for this cause at the least he ought to desire him to the end in his age hee may honour his hoary head and that after his death hee may enherite his goods but we see few children do these thinges to their fathers in their age if the fathers haue not taught them in their youth For the fruit doth neuer grow in the haruest vnlesse the tree did beare blosoms in the spring I see oftentimes many Fathers complaine of their children saying that they are disobedient and proude vnto them and they do not consider that they themselues are the cause of all those euils For too much abundance and liberty of youth is no other but a prophesie and manifest token of disobedience in age I know not why Princes and great Lords do toyle oppresse so much scratch to leaue their children great estates and on the other side wee see that in teaching them they are and shewe themselues too negligent for Princes and great Lordes ought to make account that all that which they leaue of their substance to a wicked heyre is vtterly lost The wise men and those which in their consciences are vpright and of their honours carefull ought to bee very diligent to bring vppe their children and chiefly that they consider whether they bee meete to inherite their estates And if perchance the fathers see that their children bee more giuen to folly then to noblenes and wisdome then should I bee ashamed to see a father that is wise trauell all the dayes of his life to leaue much substance to an euill brought vp childe after his death It is a griefe to declare and a monstrous thing to see the cates which the Fathers take to gather riches and the diligence that children haue to spend them And in this case I say the sonne is fortunate for that hee doth enherite and the Father a foole for that he doth bequeath In my opinion Fathers are bound to instruct their children well for two causes the one for that they are nearest to them and also because they ought to be their heyres For truly with great griefe and sorrow I suppose hee doth take his death which leaueth to a foole or an vnthrift the toyle of all his life Hyzearchus the Greeke Hystorian in the booke of his Antiquities Sabellicus in his generall hystory sayeth that a father and a sonne came to complain to the famous Philosopher and ancient Solon Solinon the Sonne complained of the father and the father of the sonne First the sonne informed the quarrell to the Philosopher saying these words I complaine of my Father because hee being rich hath disinherited mee and made me poore and in my steade hath adopted another heyre the which thing my father ought not nor cannot doe for since he gaue me so frayle flesh it is reason hee giue me his goods to maintaine my seeblenes To these wordes answered the father I complaine of my sonne because hee hath not beene as a gentle sonne but rather as a cruell enemie for in all things since hee was borne hee hath beene disobedient to my will wherefore I thought it good to disinherite him before my death I would I were quit of all my substance so that the gods had quit him of his life for the earth is very cruell that swalloweth not the child aliue which to his father is disobedient In that he sayeth I haue adopted another child for mine heyre I confesse it is true and for so much
as hee sayeth that I haue disinherited him and abiected him from my heritage hee beeing begotten of my body hereunto I answere That I haue not disinherited my sonne but I haue disinherited his pleasure to the entent hee shall not enioy my trauell for there can bee nothing more vniust then that the young and vicious sonne should take his pleasure of the swet and droppes of the aged father The sonne replyed to his Father and sayde I confesse I haue offended my Father and also I confesse that I haue liued in pleasures yet if I may speake the truth though I were disobedient and euill my Father ought to beare the blame and if for this cause hee doeth dishenherite mee I thinke hee doth me great iniurie for the father that instructeth not his son in vertue in his youth wrongfully disinheriteth him though he be disobedient in his age The Father againe replyeth and sayeth It is true my sonne that I brought thee vp too wantonly in thy youth but thou knowest well that I haue taught thee sundry times and besides that I did correct thee when thou camest to some discretion And if in thy youth I did not instruct thee in learning it was for that thou in thy tender age diddest want vnderstanding but after that thou hadst age to vnderstand discretion to receyue and strength to exercise it I beganne to punish thee to teache thee and to instruct thee For where no vnderstanding is in the child there in vaine they teach doctrine Since thou art old quoth the sonne and I young since thou art my Father and I thy sonne for that thou hast white hayres on thy beard and I none at all it is but reason that thou be belieued and I condemned For in this world wee see oft times that the small authoritie of the person maketh him to loose his great iustice I graunt thee my Father that when I was a childe thou diddest cause mee to learne to reade but thou wilt not denie that if I did commit any faulte thou wouldst neuer agree I should be punished And hereof it came that thou suffering me to do what I would in my Youth haue bin disobedient to thee euer since in my age And I say vnto thee further that if in this case I haue offended truely mee thinketh thou canst not bee excused for the fathers in the youth of their children ought not onely to teach them to dispute of vertues what vertue is but they ought to inforce thē to be vertuous in deed For it is a good token when Youth before they knowe vices haue been accustomed to practise vertues Both partyes then diligently heard the good Phylosopher Solon Solinon speake these words I giue iudgement that the Father of this childe be not buryed after his death and I commaund that the Sonne because in his youth hee hath not obeyed his Father who is olde should be disinherited whilest the Father liueth from all his substance on such condition that after his death his sonnes should inherite the Heritage and so returne to the heyres of the Sonne and liue of the Father For it were vniust that the innocencie of the Sonne should be condemned for the offence of the Father I do commaund also that all the goods be committed vnto some faithfull person to the end they may giue the Father meat and drinke during his life and to make a graue for the Sonne after his death I haue not without a cause giuen such iudgement the which comprehendeth life and death For the Gods will not that for one pleasure the punishment bee double but that wee chastise and punish the one in the life taking from him his honour and goods and that wee punish others after their death taking from them memorie and buryall Truely the sentence which the Philosopher gaue was very graue and would to GOD wee had him for a iudge of this world presently For I sweare that hee should finde manie Children now a dayes for to disinherite and moe Fathers to punish For I cannot tell which is greater The shame of the children to disobey their Fathers or the negligence of the Fathers in bringing vp their children Sextus Cheronens in the second book of the sayings of the Philosophers declareth that a Citizen of Athens saide vnto Dyogenes the Phylosopher these wordes Tell mee Dyogenes What shall I doe to be in the fauour of the Gods and not in the hatred of men For oft times amongst you Phylosophers I haue hearde say that there is a great difference between that that the gods will and that which men loue Dyogenes answered Thou speakest more then thou oughtest to speake that the Gods will one thing and men another for the Gods are but as a center of mercy and men are but as a denne of malice if thou wilt enioy rest in thy dayes and keepe thy life pure and cleane thou must obserue these three things The first honour thy Gods deuoutely for the man which doeth not serue and honour the Gods in all his enterprises hee shall be vnfortunate The second bee very diligent to bring vp thy children well for the man hath no enemie so troublesome as his owne sonne if hee bee not well brought vp The third thing bee thankefull to thy good benefactors and friends for the Oracle of Apollo sayth that the man who is vnthankefull of all the world shall be abhorred And I tell thee further my friend that of these three things the most profitable though it be more troublesome is for a man to teach and bring vp his children well This therefore was the answere that the Philosopher Diogenes made to the demaund of the Citizen It is great pitty and griefe to see a young childe how the bloud doth stirre him to see how the flesh doth prouoke him to accomplish his desire to see sensuality goe before and he himselfe to come behind to see the malitious World to watch him to see how the Diuell doth tempte him to see how vices binde him and in all that which is spoken to see how the Father is negligent as if hee had no children whereas in deede the olde man by the fewe vertues he hath had in his Youth may easily knowe the infirmityes and vices wherewith his Sonne is incompassed If the expert had neuer beene ignorant if the Fathers had neuer beene children if the vertuous had neuer been vicious if the fine wittes had neuer been deceiued it were no maruell if the Fathers were negligent in teaching their children For the little experience excuseth men of great offences but since thou art my Father and that first thou wert a Sonne since thou art old and hast bin young and besides all this since that pride hath inflamed thee lechery hath burned thee wrath hath wounded thee Negligence hath hindred thee Couetousnes hath blinded thee Glotonie surfetted thee Tell mee cruell Father since so many vices haue reigned in thee why hast thou not an
licence to all the Plebeyans to the end that euery one doe loue his wife his children and his Parents And this sorte of loue hee will not that Princes haue to whome hee perswadeth that first aboue all things they loue theyr cōmon-wealth For if the prince doe loue anie thing aboue his Common-wealth it is vnpossible but that one day for the loue of that he will wring Iustice When Plato gaue not licence vnto Princes not to enlarge theyr loue on diuers things peraduenture he would counsell them least they should doe some wrongs It chaunceth oft times that Princes doe omit iustice not for that they will not administer it but because they will not bee informed of things which they ought to remedie and looke vnto And this is vnexcusable where hee hurteth his honour burdeneth his conscience For at the day of iudgement though hee be not accused for malice yet hee shall be condemned for negligence The Prince which is carefull to see and to enquire the dammages of his Realmes we may say that if he doeth not prouide for them it is because he can do no more but he which is negligent to see them and know them we cannot say but if he leaue to prouide it is for that hee will not The Prince or great Lorde which dare take vpon him such things what name or renowme may we giue him I would not we should call such a one father of the commonwealth but destroyer of his countrey For there can be no tyrannie greater nor more vnequall then for the physitian to aske his duety for his cure before hee hath begunne to minister the medicine That Princes and great Lords desire to know their reuenues I allow them but in that they care not to knowe the dāmages of their commonwealths I do discommend them For the people pay tribute to their Princes to the ende they should deliuer them from their enemies and defend them from tyraunts For the Iudges which wil be euill though I say much it will profite little but vnto those which desire to bee good that which is spoken as I thinke sufficeth Notwithstanding that which is spoken I say that Iudges and gouernors ought to consider wel with themselues and see if they wil be counted for iust ministers or cruell tirants For the office of a Tyrant is to robbe the Common-wealth and the Office of the good Prince is to reforme the people Noble Princes and great Lordes haue more businesse then they thinke they haue to see all those which will see them and to heare all those which will complaine vnto them And the cause hereof is admitte that which the Subiect demaundeth hee presently cannot giue nor that whereof hee complaineth he cannot remedie yet notwithstanding they remaine after a sort contented saying that they haue now shewed all their complaynts and iniuries vnto their princes For the wounded harts oftentimes vtter their inward paines which they feele without anie hope to receyue comforte of that which they desire Plutarche in his Apothegmes sayeth that a poore and aged woman desired king Philippe of Macedonie which was father of king Alexander the great that hee would heare her with iustice and sith shee was very importunate vpon him K Philip saide on a day vnto her I pray thee woman bee contented I sweare by the gods I haue no leysure to heare thy complaint The old woman answered the king Beholde K Philippe if thou hast not time to heare mee with iustice resigne thy Kingdome and another shall gouerne thy Commonwealth CHAP. III. Of an oration which a villaine dwelling neere to the riuer of Danuby maae before the Senatours of Rome concerning the tyrannies and oppressions which their officers vsed in his countrey And the Oration is diuided into three Chapters IN the tenth yeare of the raigne of the good Emperour Marcus Aurelius there happened in Rome a generall pestilence the which being so outragious the good Emperour went into Campaigne which at time was very healthfull without diseases though it was very drie and wanted much of that which was necessarie yet notwithstanding the good Emperor was there with all the principall Senatours of Rome for in the time of pestilence men doe not seeke where they should reioice their persōs but where they may saue their liues Marcus Aurelius being there in Campagnia was sore vexed with a Fener and as his condition was alwaies to bee amongst sages so at that time his sicknesse required to be visited by Physitians The resort that he had in his Pallace was very great as well of Philosophers for to teach as of Physitians for to dispute For this prince ordered his life in such sorte that in his absence things touching the warre were well prouided and in his presence was nothing but matters of knowledge argued It chaunced one day as Marcus Aurelius was enuironed with Senators philosophers physitians and other Sage men a question was moued among them how greatly Rome was changed not onely in buildings which almost were vtterly decayed but also in maners which were wholly corrupted the cause of this euill grew for that Rome was full of flatterers and destitute of those which durst say the truth These and such other like wordes heard the Emperour tooke vp his hand and blessed him and declared vnto them a notable example saying In the first yeare that I was Consull there came a poore villaine from the riuer of Danuby to aske iustice of the Senate against a Censor which did sore oppresse the people and in deed hee did so well propound his complaint and declare the folly and iniuries which the Iudges did in his Country that I doubt whether Marcus Cicero could vtter it better with his tongue or the renowmed Homer haue writen it more eloquently with his pen. This villaine had a small face great lips hollow eyes his colour burnt curled hayre bare-headed his shoes of Porpyge skinne his coat of goates skinne his girdle of bul-rushes a long beard and thicke his eye brows couered his eyes the stomacke and the necke couered with skinnes heared as a Beare and a clubbe in his hand Without doubt when I saw him enter into the Senate I imagined it had beene a beast in forme of a man and after I heard that which he sayd I iudged him to bee a God if there be Gods among men For it was a fearefull thing to behold his person it was no lesse monstrous to heare his words At that time there was great prease at the dore of the Senate of many diuers persons for to solicite the affayres of their Prouinces yet notwithstanding this villaine spake before the others for two causes The one for the men were desirous to heare what so monstrous a man would say The other because the Senators had this custome that the complaints of the poore should bee heard before the requests of the rich Wherefore this villaine afterwards in the middest of the Senate beganne to tell
ouerthrowne a Chaunge which neuer wearieth a Spye which euer returneth a signe which beguyleth no man a way very straight a Friend that succoureth all necessities a Surgion that immediately healeth and a Renowne which neuer perisheth If thou knewest my Sonne what thing it is to be good thou wouldst be the best of the world For the more vicious a man is so much the more hee is intangled in vices and how much more a man is vertuous so much more to vertues he cleaueth If thou wilt bee vertuous thou shalt doe seruice to the Gods thou shalt giue good renowme to thy predecessours and for thy selfe thou shalt prepare a perpetuall memorie Thou shalt doe pleasures to straungers and get thee fauour of thine owne people Finally the good will honour thee with loue and the euill will serue with feare In the hystories of the warres of the Tarentines I found that renowmed Pyrrus king of the Epyrots did weare in a ring these words written It is too little punishment for a vicious man to take his life from him and it is too small reward for a vertuous man to giue him the seigniorie of all the whole earth Truly these wordes were worthy of such a man What thing can bee begunne of a vertuous man whereof wee hope not to see the end and come to good proofe I am deceyued if I haue not seene in my dayes many men which were base borne vnfitte for sciences voide of vices in the Common welth poore of goods and vnknowne of birth which with all these base conditions haue learned so many vertues that it seemed great rashnesse to beginne them and afterwards for being vertuous onely they haue founde the effects such as they thought it By the immortall Gods I sweare vnto thee and so the God Iupiter take me into his holy house and confirme thee my sonne in mine if I haue not knowne a Gardner and a Porter in Rome which for beeing vertuous were occasion to cast fiue rich Senators out of the Senate And the cause to make the one to gaine and the other to lose was that to the one they would not pay the pots and to the other his apples For at that time more was hee punished which tooke an apple from a poore man then hee which beat downe a rich mans house All this I haue tolde thee my son because vice abaseth the hardy prince and vertue giueth courage to the bashfull From two things I haue alwayes kept my selfe That is to say not to striue against open iustice nor to contend with a vertuous person CHAP. LV. The Emperour Marcus Aurelius followeth his purpose and among other wholesome counsels exhorteth his son to keepe wise and sage men about him for to giue him counsel in al his affayrs HItherto I haue spoken to thee generally but now I wil speake vnto thee particularly and by the immortall gods I coniure thee that thou bee very attentiue to that I will say For talking to thee as an aged Father it is reason thou heare mee as an obedient childe If thou wilt enioy long life obserue well my doctrine For the gods will not condiscend to thy hearts desires vnlesse thou receyue my wholesome counsels The disobedience and vnfaithfulnesse which children haue to their fathers is all their vndoing for oftentimes the gods do pardon the offences that are done vnto them and do not pardon the disobediences which the children bare to their Fathers I doe not require thee my sonne that thou giue mee money since thou art poore I doe not demaund that thou trauell since thou art tender I doe not demaund the reuengement of mine enemies since I haue none I doe not demaund that thou serue me since I dye I doe not demaund the Empire since I leaue it vnto thee Onely I demaund that thou gouerne thy selfe well in the Common wealth that the memory of my house bee not lost through thee If thou esteeme much that I leaue vnto thee so many realms I thinke it better to leaue to thee many good counsels wherewith thou mayest preserue thy selfe sustaine thy person and maintaine thine honour For if thou hast presumption not to profite with my counsell but to trust to thine owne mind before my flesh be eaten with wormes thou shalt be ouercome with thy enemies My sonne I haue beene young light bold vnshamefast proud enuious couetous an adulterer furious a glutton slothfull and ambitious and for that I haue fallen into so great excesses therfore I giue thee such good aduise for that man which in his youth hath beene very worldly from him in age proceedeth ripe counsell That which vntill this time I haue counselled thee that which to my death I will counsell thee I desire that once at the least thou proue it And if it doe thee harme leaue it and if it doe thee good vse it For there is no medicine so bitter that the sicke doth refuse to take if thereby hee thinke hee may bee healed I pray thee I exhort thee and I aduise thee my sonne that thy youth beleeue my age thy ignorance beleeue my knowledge thy sleepe beleeue my watch the dimnesse of thy eyes beleeue the clearenesse of my sight thy imagination beleeue my vertue and thy suspition beleeue my experience For otherwise one day thou shalt see thy selfe in some distresse where small time thou shalt haue to repent and none to finde remedy Thou mayest say vnto me my sonne that since I haue beene young I let thee to bee young and that when thou shalt bee aged thou wilt amend I aunswere thee that if thou wilt liue as young yet at least gouerne thy selfe as olde In a Prince which gouerneth his cōmon wealth well many miseries are dissembled of his person euen as for mighty affayres ripe counsels are necessary so to endure the troubles of the Empire the person needeth some recreation for the bow-string which alwaies is stretched either it lengthneth or it breaketh Whether Princes be young or old there can be nothing more iust then for the recreation of themselues to seeke some honest pastimes And not without a cause I say that they bee honest for sometimes they accompany with so dishonest persons and so vnthrifty that they spend their goods they lose their honour and weary their persons more then if they were occupied in the affaires of the common wealth For thy youth I leaue thee children of great Lords with whom thou maiest passe the time away And not without cause I haue prouided that with thee they haue been brought vp from thy infancy for after thou camest to mans estate inheriting my goods if perchance thou wouldest accompany thy self with yong men thou shouldst find them well learned for thy wars I leaue thee valiant captains though indeed things of war are begunn by wisedome yet in the end the issue falleth out by fortune for stewards of thy treasurs I leaue thee faithful men And not without cause I
60. daughters of the Senators 55. were goten with child among the thicke bushes which thing made a great slaunder in the people and augmented the infamy of Marcus Anthonius Thus as I haue shewed of a small number I could say of many other All men are not men nor all women are not women I speake it because I would it should bee saide let it touch them that it toucheth and let them that come vnderstand me There are som ships which are so light that they will sayle with a little winde And there bee other some milles that will grinde with a little water I say there bee some women so brickle that as a glasse with a philip will breake and will slippe with a little mire Tell mee Faustine haue you suffered your daughter to speake but with her vncles and keepe company but with her cousins I say in this case that the mother is in as much blame as the daughter in perill Doe you not know that the hote fire doth not forbeare the wood bee it wet or drie but in like manner it consumeth the hard stones Doe you not know that the extreame hunger causeth beasts to deuoure with their owne teeth the thing that was bredde in their entrals Doe you not know that the gods made a Law ouer all things except ouer Louers because they may not abide it and doubtles much more then I haue sayde And diuers times mee thinkes I should fall downe because I dare not weepe with mine eyes yet I feele it inwardly in my heart I would faine commune with thee in diuers things Come I pray thee to Briette to the entent that wee may speake together And sith it hath pleased the Gods to take my child from mee that I loued so well I would counsell with thee that art my louing friend But fewe dayes passed there came thither an Ambassadour from the Rhodes to whom I gaue the most part of my horses and from the farthest part of Spaine there were brought me eight of the which I send thee foure I would they were such as might please thee The Gods be thy safeguard and send mee and my wise some comfort Marcus Aurelius right sorrowfull hath written this with his owne hand CHAP. VI. A Letter sent by Marcus Aurelius Emperour to Catullus Censorius of the newes which were at that time in Rome MArcus the new Censor to thee Catullus now aged sendeth salutations There are ten dayes past that in the temple of God Ianus I receyued thy Letter and I take the same God to witnesse that I had rather haue seene thy person Thou desiredst that my letters may belong but the shortnesse of time maketh mee to aunswere thee more briefly then I would Thou willest mee to giue thee knowledge of the newes here Thereto I aunswere that it were better to demaund if there were any thing remayning here in Rome or Italy that is old For now by our euill destinies all that is good and olde is ended and new things which bee euill now beginne The Emperour the Consull the Tribune the Senators the Ediles the Flamines the Pretours and Centurions all things be new saue the vertues which be old Wee passe the time in making new officers in deuising new counsels and in raysing new Subsidies In such wise that there hath beene now more nouelties within these 4. yeares then in times passed in 400. yeares we now assemble together 300. to counsell in the Capitoll and there wee bragge and boast sweare and promise that wee will exalt the vertuous and subdue the vitious fauour the right not winke at the wrong punish the euil and reward the good repaire old and edifie new plucke vices vp by the rootes and to plant vertues to amend the olde and follow the good reproue tyrants and assist the poore and when that wee are gone from thence they that speake best words are often taken with the worst deedes O wicked Rome that now a dayes hath such Senators which in saying we will doe we will doe passe their I for so euery man seeking his owne profit forgetteth the weale publike Oftentimes I am in the Senate to beholde others as they regarde mee and I do maruell much to heare the eloquence of their words the zeale of iustice and the iustification of their persons and after that I come thence I am ashamed to see their secret extortioÌ„s their damnable thoughts and their euill workes And yet there is another thing of more maruell and not to be suffered that such persons as are most defamed and vse most wicked vices with their most damnable intentions make their auowes to doe most extreame iustice It is an infallible rule and of humane malice most vsed that hee that is most hardy for to committe greatest crimes is most cruell to giue sentence against an other for the same offence Wee thinke that wee behold our owne faults as through small nettes which cause things to seeme the lesse but we beholde the faultes of others in the water that causeth them to seeme greater Oh how many haue I seene condemned by the Senate for one small fault done in all their life and yet they themselues commit the same euery houre I haue read in the time of King Alexander the great there was a renowmed Pyrate on the Sea called Dyonides the which robbed and spoiled al the shipping that hee could get and by commaundement of this good King Alex there was an armie sent foorth to take him And when he was taken and presented to K. Alexander the King saiâ—e vnto him Shew me Dyonides why dost thou so spoyle on the Sea that no ship can sayle out of the East into the west for thee The pyrate aunswered and sayde if I spoyle the Sea why doest thou Alexander rob both the Sea and Land also O Alexander because I fight with one shippe in the Sea I am called a thiefe and because thou robbest with two hundreth ships on the Sea and troublest all the world with 200000. men thou art called an Emperour I sweare vnto thee Alexander if Fortune were as fauourable to me and the Gods as extreame against thee they would giue mee thine Empyre and giue thee my little shippe and then peraduenture I should bee a better king then thou art and thou become a worse Thiefe then I am These were high words and well receyued of Alexander and of truth to see if his wordes were correspondent to his promises hee made him of a pyrate a great captaine of an Armie and hee was more vertuous on Land then he was cruell on the Seas I promise thee Catullus Alexander did right well therein and Dyonides was to bee praised greatly for that hee had saide Now-adayes in Italie they that robbe openly are called Lords and they that robbe priuilie are commonly called theeues In the Annales of Liuius I haue read that in the second troublous warre punicke between the Romanes and the Carthagenians there came an Ambassadour Lusitaine sent