moued with affection we endeuour our selfes to shew pleasure vnto them whom we loue in suche sorte that good will is the effect of the affection ¶ Howe shall a man knowe them that are wicked By the example of the good ¶ Howe shall the vertue of man be knowen By aduersitie as golde by the fyer ¶ What was the cause of the renowme of Simâ—n of Athens His being so curtuouse and gentile that he caused those beastes to be buried that made him to winne the prise of the games of Olimpus ¶ What made Pericles infamouse His great ingratitude inhumanitie to suffer Anaxagoras his schole-master to dye for hongre ¶ What moued Phocion to helpe them that were wicked Bicause he knewe the good had no nede of helpe ¶ Why did the Romanes eate and drinke openly before the gates of their Citie To take better occasion to geue meate to them that did want ¶ Wherof commeth the custome that kinges and Princes cause their Trompettes to be sounded when they go to dynner To geue warning to the pore to come take parte of their magnificence liberalitie and in many coÌ„mon welthes the same custome is yet obserued ¶ Why did Alexandre laie his Treasure in the Temple of the Sunne To kepe it saufe for at that tyme holie thinges were had in suche reuerence that all thinges were saufe that were coÌ„mitted and laied in the same For that cause Callisthenes laied in the Temple of Inno his doughters do wries to be kept ¶ What caused the victories and the great sloughter that Leonidas of Sparta and Themistocles made against Xerxes and his people and what was the cause that in the ende Xerxes was slaine by the meanes of Artabanus Bicause he had violated and polluted the holie thinges and spoyled the Temples The like happened to Brennus in the Temple of Apollo and Antiochus bicause he would haue sacked the Temple of Iupiter ¶ What is Religion after the mindes of the Philosophers It is a vertue so coupled with godlines that it can not be losed or seperated ¶ Who were they that the Philosophers called Religiouse and whiche Supersticiouse The Religiouse were they which applied their studie in the seruice of God the Supersticiouse were they that praied incessantly for the health and longe lyfe of their children ¶ Wherof commeth it that a man vnderstandeth one thing and doeth another Bicause of contrarie thinges we be wont to atteine like knowledge â—â— bicause the mind attendeth to many thinges and the sensual appetite but to one But man most coÌ„monly liueth by reason beasts after their appetite ¶ Wherof commeth it that man aboue al creatures is proude Bicause he doth somewhat resemble god and being tamed aboue all other beastes by the knowledge that he hath of many thinges comprehendeth by his wit al sensible thinges and by the spirite al things intelligible ¶ Wherfore is a pluralitie of Princes euil not to be suffred All that which may be done by one is better done then when it is done by many Moreouer yf a kyngdome be tourned into Tirannie the tirannie of one is more sufferable then of many and to be short the reigne of one is the beste ¶ Wherof commeth it that we loue better to be counted an honest man then to be so in dede and haue an euill reporte Man alone is capable of honour and therfore eche man desireth to seme to be good and euery man would auoide the trauell that bringeth man to goodnes albeit without the same vertue can not be in man ¶ From whence came the custome not to name the newe borne before the seuenth daie Bicause they estemed the childe at .vii. daies of age to haue escaped the daunger ¶ Howe chaunceth it that in the beginning of sitting at the table to eate a man careth not how nere together he sitteth and at the ende of the meale he loueth to sitte at ease and at libertie When a man is hungrie he careth not for ordre for in eating we represent a Pyramis which combreth litle rowme ¶ Why did the Aegiptians desirouse to liue chast eate no salte Bicause through the heate therof it prouoketh Lecherie ¶ Why doeth Homere call salte a diuine thing Bicause it geueth taste to all meate and preserueth the same from stinking and hath a force and vertue generatiue ¶ Wherfore be we afaird to passe through a churchyarde Bicause it representeth our ende ¶ Wherfore did the Grekes fayne that there was a god that blamed all thinges To declare that there is nothing perfeçte ¶ Wherfore was Hanibal so hated of the Romanes Bicause he kept no fidelitie and despised al things touching god man ¶ What moued Ptolome king of Aegipte to ordeine the Romane people to be the tutors of his sonne Bicause he knewe the Romanes to be faithfull ¶ Howe was the common welthe of Sparta so longe time mainteined Some imputed the cause to the magestrates which knew well how to commaund some to the people bicause they knewe howe to obey ¶ Who was the cause of the great victorie that the Lacedemonians obteyned against the Iliryans The presence of their king which was but a childe perswaded thervnto by the counsell of their priestes ¶ Why were the Athenians so vnfortunate in warres Bicause they gaue charge and aucthoritie vnto many ¶ Wherfore did the Mossones a people of Asia kepe their seruauntes tied and as it were dayly locked vp To cause them to die for hongre yf they did any thing that was not honest For which cause Alexandre chastised them very rigorousely ¶ Wherfore did the Athenians establishe this lawe that yf a bond man were set at libertie and shewed him selfe vnkinde to his master he should returne againe into bondage To declare howe vnnaturall ingratitude is ¶ What caused the kingdome of Persia so much to florishe Xenophon saieth that it was the great loue that they bare to their king ¶ What thing is hardest for a man to do To be secrete Which Philippides affirmed when he besought Lycimatus his great frende not to reueale his secretes ¶ Why did Plato so muche refuse the liberalitie of Dionisius If Dionisius had bene alwaies nighâ— vnto Plato to geue him somewhat Plato would euer haue refused it ¶ Howe ought a man to vse Hospitalitie Indifferently neither to muche nor to litle Which Homere affirmed when he ordeined that a traueller by the waie yf he would not tarrie he should not be pressed to tarrie but if he would that he should haue good chere made vnto him ¶ What order is to be obserued in helping of men Massurius Sabinus the Lawier resoluing this doubte saith that first we be bound to defende the pupilles that be committed to vs in gouernement charge vntill they be come to age Secondly to defende and helpe our gestes and such as be lodged in our houses Thirdly those whose â—utes and causes we take in hande to mainteine ¶ Who amonges the Auncientes were the most excellent in
hath Loue bene estemed a godde Bycause he maketh an Idiote to speake well a coward to be bolde and hardie a melancolike man Ioyful a heauie and slouthful man prompt and readie to all enterprises be they neuer so great Or els he is made a godde for man to excuse him selfe and to cast vpon Loue all that which by the same he hath done and susteined ¶ Why be Louers so desirous of corporall bodelie beautie Bycause beautie as auncient Poetes do affirme doth please the Goddes is agreable to men is not lothesome nor heauie to him that is indued therwith but desired aboue all thinges that may be wished ¶ what is the reason and cause of Nosegaies garlandes of floures and grene bowes wherwith Louers be wont to adorne the frontes of their Ladies lodginges It is to honor them as their goddes on earth and to shewe that such Nosegaies Garlandes and Maie bowes doe serue for the spoiles and triumphes of their Ladies and for true signes of the seruice and deuotion of their louing seruantes ¶ But wherof commeth it that we dreame seldome of the thing that we loue All louers being tossed and vexed with diuerse thoughtes can not stedfastlie graue and settle any one thing in their fantasie for their houghtes be like the circles and bubblinges of the water which are dissipated the one by the other ¶ From whence commeth it that certeine Louers vpon the viewe and sight of their Ladies doo blushe It riseth of the blodde and sprites which ascend vpwardes wherof the face fullest of poores of any part of the bodie doeth charge it selfe with coulor It may be also that it procedeth of a singuler reuerence that they beare to their Paramoures ¶ But why doo they afterwardes waxe pale There is no true louer but is troubled with some disquiet or contrarietie Yf the cause then of his paine doe present it selfe before his eyes the same doeth easelie growe and increase And so Nature retiring vnto the inward partes as into her holde or forte carieth with her both the blodde and sprites leauing the superior partes without any coulor ¶ Howe chaunceth it that barren and vnfruitfull women be more hote and prompt to loue then they which are fruitefull and beare children Bycause that suche doo moore abound with seede and do purge them selues of their naturall disease lesse then other doo ¶ Why doe Louers delight to beare in their handes Nosegaies and Apples All Louers haue desire to enioye and possesse the floure and the fruicte of others age and beautie wherin they reioyce when soeuer they see the same And so be amorouse bothe of flourâ— and fruicte and of all suche beautifull thinges that they see ¶ But why be Louers for the moost part readie to wepe Poore Louers continuallie be pricked with some Naile and fele cause wherof to complaine being of Nature fearfull suspiciouse Ielouse and troubled so that it is no merueile if such and the like passions do prouoke them to teares ¶ What meaneth it that Louers be continually as it were in a fyre The affection of Loue doeth moue and trouble their sprites which doeth raise in them this heate ¶ Why be women more prone to the combat of Loue then any other creatures at all times and seasons Nature hath indued them with more delicate touchinges and with more moderate complexion then other Besides this they be of complexion whoâ—e and moiste a thing verie proper and requisite to that plaie and pastime ¶ Howe commeth it that men take no pleasure in the plaie and game of Loue when they haue lust to make water Bycause euen then the Conduictes are full and that which is full of moistnes cannot receue other humor It maie be also that the heauines and weight of the vrine doeth restraine and stoppe the conduicte from whence the seede doeth issue and come ¶ Wherfore is the pleasure of Loue greater then all other pleasures that may be ymagined That commeth of the Sperme which passeth through all the partes of the bodie yelding vnspeakable pleasures to thother members ¶ How chaunceth it that men of melancholike complexion be more liuelie then other in combat of Loue The windie passions wherof they be full be causes of the same which make them more wakefull and disposed thervnto ¶ Why doe Phisitians praise mediocritie or seldome vse of Loues game Bycause the same doeth lighten the bodie reioyce the spretes comfort the braine recreate the senses and expelleth from them all accidentes proceding of melancholike humor Excesse also is to be blamed because it doeth weaken the bodie and is hurtefull to the sight ¶ Why doeth Nature geue to Loue so great pleasure For preseruation of mankind which through the same is continued ¶ Why doe they soone grow to graie heares which be much geuen to Loue Bycause they expell from them their naturall heate wherby life is conserued and mainteined ¶ Why doeth the beare of the hedde and eyebrowes of those that be fornicators and lecherouse soonest fall The game of Loue doeth marueilouslie coole the superior parts which being made bare and voide of blodde and sprete can not digest that which doeth nourishe the same And so the vapors proceding of digestion be not sufficient and able to ingendre heare of the hedde and eyebrowes ¶ What maketh a man after he hath committed the acte of Venus to be soudenlie melancholike and angrie Because in the doing of the same we lose and skatter the moost part of our vitall spirites which maketh vs heauie and sadde ¶ What is the cause that a man doeth sooner dispatche that acte fasting then when his bellie is full The Conduictes wherby the seede doeth passe be more open fasting then after meate ¶ Wherof commeth it that Louers care not to spend the whole night in Loue. Euery vehement passion doeth holy drawe a man thervnto and suffreth him not to geue himself to any thing els but to that wherof he thinketh and whervpon he bendeth his fantasie ¶ Why be Louers so carefull of the sight and amorouse lookes of their Ladies All Louers be wont to suffer them selues to be fedd with such allurementes and there is no part of the bodie that doeth so well manifest and declare the interior passions of the minde as the eyes Also we saie that the eyes are the true harboroughes of the harte And therof it commeth that when one kisseth the eyes affectuously as a thing desired It semeth that he kisseth the thought and the soule it selfe Wherof certeine Poetes with good reason haue written that Loue boroweth his arrowes from the eyes of Louers to serue him selfe agaynst them selues ¶ What doeth moue the Poetes to faine Venus to be of Massiue golde That may be by reason of her rare and excellent beautie or els bycause she is so much desired as golde some assigne the cause vpon the great some of golde that Louers doe consume and spend vpon Loue. ¶ What is the cause that Louers doe vse so to forsweare
them selues Loue doeth laugh at such periuries Louers therfore desirouse to serue there god do sweare continuallie Or els it procedeth of a certein lightnes caused of diuerse thoughtes which doe rise in their mindes ¶ Howe chaunceth it that men leaue not to loue a woman although through age or some other accident or chaunce she waxeth ill fauored and foule That commeth of Loue which is blind and being blind can not know or iudge the imperfections of other But howe should he take knowledge of that which he can not blame And howe can he blame that which he is constrained to embrace and wholie to pursue ¶ From whence cōmeth it that moost comenlie we be geuen feruentlie to loue not those onely of whom we neuer receiued pleasure but those also whom we neuer sawe Euerie one beareth the Image of his minde in his face and therof may bee gathered some signe or token of the witt and nature of the person by meanes wherof we maie coniecture whervnto she is most enclined which is the verie spring and beginning of naturall amitie or hatred ¶ Howe chaunceth it that diuerse men can not obteine the grace and fauour of their Ladies although they doe serue them honor them and adore them Bycause as Aristotle saithe there is nothing in them worthie to be beloued But what man is he so voide of Natures grace but hath somewhat in him worthie of Loue. ¶ But what is the cause that some Suters be better beloued of their Ladies then other some The Ladie enriched with beautie and good maners is like vnto the sonne that doth euerie where equally extend his beames which notwithstanding are receiued vnequallie of some more of some lesse after their capacitie The sterres also therin doe beare some rule so that after the saying of Diogenes the Stoique the signes comune to two persons that is to saie vnder which the one and the other shalbe borne and those signes agreing do cause the willes of the same two persons to be ioyned vnited ¶ Why be these little and pretie angers and fallinges out which chaunce amonges Louers the refreshing and renewinge of Loue That shall euer be bycause Loue is like a flame that will goe out and dye yf it be not blowen and oftentimes moued Or els we may well saie that the more the thing which we desire is denied the more we desire it ¶ Wherof commeth it that we be ashamed to comunicate to other our desire and lust to the combat of Loue and of other appetites and desires as to drinke eate slepe and such like we be not ashamed Bycause that the same carnall affection is not so necessarie nor so profitable for this life as the other appetites be ¶ Wherof commeth the diuersitie of weapons wherwith Loue is wont to wounde men and women fishes birdes and other foure foted beastes Of the diuerse nature of thinges that he assayleth ¶ You will say that beautie fayling loue decreaseth I wold say yea bycause Loue is no other thing but a desire of beautie ¶ Wherof commeth it that a man being touched with loue can not ridde him selfe of that passion by any dexteritie policie or witte Loue is a certeine estate and plight that doeth wrappe and folde the minde of man and with a certeine swete mocion doeth transport him into the thing by him desired This affection riseth by the contemplation and iudgement that he hath of beautie which causeth him to conceiue in his sprite and minde suche admiracion and desire that whether he will or no he is caught in the Ginnes and nettes of Loue. ¶ Why doe the newe maried vse roquet and muske when they go to bed with their new maried wiues Bycause such thinges doe prouoke luste and engendre seede ¶ What reason haue certeine people of the North partes to seeth with water a certeine stone called Gagates causing their spouses before they lye with them to drinke therof That is to knowe whether they haue made any faulte or not before For the propertie of that Stone is soudenlie to force them to make water that haue indured and suffred the act of man ¶ Howe commeth it that yf a man geue him selfe to much to the sporte and plaie of Loue the same doeth diminishe the pleasure therof Bycause the seede being sore diminished is but a certeine waterishe matter of no great heate which can not yelde any great pleasure ¶ What is the cause that women which be of verie hote Nature cannot conceiue Great and vehement heate doeth distroie and corrupt the seede and therfore they which be verie hote are comenlie fructeles and barren ¶ Why doe some women loue men that be blacke and some other those that be faier and well collored Women of feble sight loue them that be blacke because blackenes doeth ioyne and vnite the sight to much disparcled and by this meanes doeth comforte the same Or els we may well saie that euerie thing doeth loue and desire his like They therfore which be hote of nature loue them that be blacke bycause they be more prone to heate Other which be of colder nature doe loue them that be white because they be of colde complexion the mother of whitenes ¶ Wherfore haue the auncient compared Loue to dronkennes For nothing elles but bycause it maketh men which before were colde heauie and couetous iustie and liberall ¶ Why were Oysters consecrated by the auncient to Venus Bycause Oysters doe prouoke lecherie ¶ Wherfore doe not common harlotes conceiue or yf they doe it is verie seldome The diuersitie of the seedes doeth lette conception and causeth that the same can not be reteined ¶ What meaneth it that the purse of Cupido is tyed with a Leke This prouerbe doeth declare that Loue is liberall and fyndeth no let to put his hand in his purse ¶ Which is greatest the hurt or profite that commeth of loue He that doeth not loue of him selfe estemeth the losse to be greater then the proffet ¶ Thinke ye that Loue hath iudgement or no Howe can he with iudgement cause Louers daylie as euerie man may see to fall into suche enormities ¶ Wherof commeth it that for the moste part the children which maried women doe borrowe or which be nor lawfullie begotten commonlie called Bastardes do resemble more their husbandes then those that be legitimate or lawfullie by them begotten The reason commeth of an Imagination that they haue to be soudenlie taken or espied of their husbandes And so their husbandes be alwaies in their fantasie for it semeth to them that they be continuallie before their eyes and that they saie vnto them what doest thou thou shameles whore Is this thy assured promis made vnto me at the mariage daie ¶ Wherfore be Bastardes for the moost part of better corage and more lyuelie then lawfull children That procedeth of a more ardent force and vertue of him that doeth beget them for man is more earnest in that acte when it is secretlie committed and done in
a heate then at other times bicause the affections are not distract hither and thither and principallie when suche encountres and metinges maie be boldelie done without feare ¶ Wherefore be yonge women more prompte to laughe then other Yonge women are vnder the safegarde and tuicion of Uenus the Goddesse of laughter and so they do easelie laugh It may also be said that they haue tendre and delicate bodies and laughter is no other thing then a spice of Ioye wantonnes or tickeling ¶ Doe you thinke that Loue is so blind as he is painted or that his sight be good Wherfore should not I thinge him blinde sithe amonges my neighbors I see the moost ill fauored to be best beloued of the fayrest ¶ What people after your mind and iudgement be moost worthie to be beloued I thinke those that be learned bicause they maie gyue pleasure to the bodie proffit to the spirite and make their fame immortall ¶ Wherin is the subtilitie of women moost discouered In that that they seme to loue one alone and neuerthelesse doe gyue them selues to many ¶ What woman thinketh her selfe moost worthie to be beloued the faire or the foule Before I shall answere you shewe me a woman that thinketh her selfe to be foule ¶ Wherfore do Phisitians forbidde yong Louers to forbeare their Ladies incontinentlie after meate and when they bee fasting when they haue bathed themselues after they haue vomited and when they shall receiue medecines Bycause by suche forces digestion is letted the bodie is made feeble and waxeth colde and it hath bene at all times daungerouse to vse two purgations at one instant ¶ What meaneth it that the lokes of Ladies do wholy turne vs from all other obiectes and doe drawe vs vnto them The lookes of Ladies be nerer neighbor to the ymage and imagination of beautie then any other thing which aboue all thinges doeth rauish our senses and they doe pleasauntlie binde and captiuate the same of purpose in thende to bring them to subiection ¶ What might induce the wife of king Aguilfus of Lomberdie to abuse her selfe with a Dwarfe hauing to her husbande the goodliest man that euer ware crowne This trym goddesse knewe well that Nature is accustomed to amend in small members the fault that happeneth to be in the greater supposed that the matter which should be in the armes and legges was fallen to engrose the OrdinauÌ„ce the canon shot wherof Ladies do willingly receiue ¶ What be the conditions that an amorouse Ladie ought to haue That she be not couetouse that she be curteis and easie to be spoken vnto neate and secret in her doinges ¶ What properties be requisite in a Ladie that right well maie be called fayre That she haue a fayer and a comelie personage a fayer necke a small bodie a litle mouthe and white teeth and cleane ¶ Is this a prouerbe good Loue him that will loue thee Ye verie good for he is a beaste that will not loue beyng beloued ¶ Whether is the man or the woman more subiecte to Loue That question is very euident a man is soner taken and â—rapt in Loue then a woman For we see that the man which is borne to a thousande good and great enterprises doeth for Loues sake abandon all glorie and honor that he may receiue ¶ Why haue the Poetes fained Pan the godde of Lecherie to trotte vpon Goates feete To declare that he was lecherouse And here is to be noted that all the nourishmente which should be imployed vpon the members that want remaine in the vaines and not being able to be applied to the members that lacke doeth wholie conuert into seede which beynge augmented doeth encrease luste In token wherof we see them that be spare of fleshe and haue great vaines to be verie mete and apt for Uenus For this cause Uenus was geuen in mariage to haltinge Uulcane bycause that they which doe halt are commonlie great Lechers Contrariewise they be vnapt thervnto whose members be greater then naturallie they ought to be bycause that superfluitie in members doeth drawe vnto it for his nourishing and maintenaunce all that which is good and superfluouse of nature which otherwise would haue bene conuerted into seede ¶ Why haue the auncient and they of these daies painted Loue with winges To declare that the desires of Louers be highe and labour to atteine highe and great enterprises ¶ Who deserueth more to be fauored of loue the fayer of simple and honest meaninge or the foule that is sage craftie and well aduised Prudence is the beautie of the minde which contineweth longer then the beautie of the bodie ¶ Can loue be without Ialousie I thinke not For testimonie wherof be Ouid Uirgill Plutarch and Boccace who writeth in a Sonnet If Loue liued without Ialousie c. ¶ Why be Ladies soner amorouse of a Souldior then of a learned man Souldiors be more liberall and not so subtill as Scholers be more easie to be allured with enticementes of women There is no Souldior so braue yf a woman saie vnto him that he hath a fayer bearde that his legges be well proporcioned that he is comelie on horsebacke stronge to incountre and ouerthrowe his enemie but incontinentlie doeth not geue ouer and submit himself vnto her will and pleasure ¶ What is the cause that many dispysing their wiues be so fonde vpon curtesans and harlottes The Curtesans suffer not them selues to be sene except they be fyrste painted but wiues must often be sâ—ne of theyr husbandes which causeth them to seme not to be so fayer Or we may saye that wines continuallie be at their husbandes backes misusinge them with byle and vnsemelie wordes which maketh them to tast of other meates and causeth them to ymagine a thousand other appetites and lustes ¶ Wherfore haue Louers so feoble voices Of the feare that they haue to displease their Ladies And therwithall the vnequall motions wherwith their spirites are moued which forceth this feoblenes of voice ¶ Where doeth Loue shewe her greatest force eyther in making the foole to become wise or the moost wise or aduised man to become a beaste If there be more paine to breake downe then to builde I beleue there shalbe more adoe to restore wisdome to him that hath lost it then newelie to make him wise For Loue and follie be nothing els but an alienation of the good sence and witte ¶ May a man die through vehement Loue Of this the historie of Seleucus and Antiochus maie testifie and beare witnes which may be reade in the fyrst Tome of the Palace of pleasure lately published ¶ Which should be the greatest hart breaking the Ladie dying in our sight and presence or in our absence I would thinke by her presence for the eyes doe geue greater felinge of dolor and griefe then the eares ¶ Wherof commeth it that men haue diuerse Iudgementes of the beautie of women It is a prouerbe deriued from the auncient Grekes that all faier and beautifull
thinges be hard to be iudged euen so of this difficultie commeth this diuersitie of Iudgementes ¶ Howe chaunceth it that many which be estemed men of verie good Iudgement be surprised with the loue of foule and ill fauored women It may be that they haue marked a certeine beautie in them which doeth not appeare outwardlie In like maner Painters and Musitians haue iudgement of draughtes and accordes wherof none doe take heede but suche as haue skill in the same ¶ Wherfore be they whose bellies be couered with heare so geuen to women Lecherie doeth procede of the heate of the raignes wherof doe ryse great vapors which engendre the heare of the bellie the aboundaunce of the heare of the bellie doeth signifie the heate in the generatiue partes ¶ Doe you thinke the discouering of Loue to be the cause sometime that a man obteineth not his desier That chaunceth many times by reason that such women doe loue their honestie very muche ¶ Is the trauell greater in secret and conceled loue then in that which is discouered and open Without doubte there is greater paine in concealed loue bycause a man can not euent the heart of loue conceaued which by comunicating and counseling with some other may be made more confortaâ—le and easie ¶ Whether is more constant in loue the man or the woman The man â–ª being bothe of bodie and spirit more firme in all affaires And naturallie he is more constant and of better perswacion in loue ¶ Wherof commeth it that he which loueth is moost commonlie beloued That peraduenture maie come bycause our spirites can not resist the amorouse shottes which doe procede of the swete lookes that Louers doe continuallie cast one vpon another Or els we will saie that it is the propertie of nature to couple and ioyne like to like and to skatter and diuide the thinges which haue no proportion together ¶ Wherfore do men saie that to Neese is a good signe in the facte and dede of Loue Bycause it commeth of the braine which is as it were the litle Cauan and withdrawing place of all the senses And it semeth that all the senses doe agree and geue their assent to the sentence and conclusion of Louers ¶ Wherof commeth it that secret loue is more burning and feruent then that which is discouered and open That chaunceth bycause the secret Louer hath no meane of ease and rest to lett out the fyre that doeth consume him the vertue of Loue being of meruelouse force and strength and so not able to atteine the thing which he loueth best is vnto him greater trauell and paine then yf he inioyed it or might discouer it to his frende for his comforte ¶ Whether were it better that there were loue or no loue I beleue it to be better that there were loue for somuch as it bringeth vnto vs more good effectes then euill and to my minde and opinion Plato agreeth who making a definicion of Loue doeth saie that it is nothing els but a desier to get and obteine a faier and beautifull thing ¶ Thinke you that one maie be in loue with an other onely vpon fame and report Yf Loue be wont to place himselfe in the chamber of our mindes by entrie through the gates of our eyes who doubteth but likewise he may enter by the dores of our eares to harborough him selfe in our vnderstanding Boccacio in his Decamerone and Plutarche be of the same opinion Example hereof may be senâ— by the historie of the Duchesse of Sauoie and the Lorde Iohn of Mendozza which may be redde in the Pallace of Pleasure aforesayd ¶ What doeth incite a man more to vertue eyther honor or the desire that he hath to please the thing he loueth I doe not iudge or thinke that Loue doeth serue for a spurre to pricke men to vertue supposing that a man desireth it for none other purpose but to enioye it ¶ Wherof commeth it that diuerse women haue remained longe time without louing any person and afterwardes haue burned with loue I saye that the vertue of the Planetes haue wrought it for in this vniuersitie of thinges nothing doeth moue it selfe that doeth not take his fyrst motion of the planetes ¶ Who loueth moost feruentlie the hardie or the Coward It is the bolde and hardie for the coward commonlie dareth not aduaunce him selfe foorth to proue his fortune ¶ Are ye not of this opinion that he which is more liuelie and of spirite more excellent is lesse content with one Loue alone Yes truely and that is accustomablie sene amonge men and women for why to content him selfe to loue in one place is an acte of pusillanimitie and of smal hart and corage which is the cause that my mystres doth not content her selfe with a thousand seruantes ¶ Which is greatest paine to get and obteine the loue of one or to mainteine the same being gotten To mainteine it after my iudgement because of the great inconstancie of women which doe sone fill and satisfie them selues and are quickelie angrie and soone wearie lightly found and sone forgotten verie slipperiâ— Cattaâ—l ¶ Who is more easie to be perswaded that they are beloued the man or the woman The man and that maie be clerelie sene for Ladies neyther by long seruice great giftes or otherwise can perswade them selues to be beloued but euermore they be readie to replie that a man doeth dissemble and counterfaicte the trueth ¶ What doeth certifie the woman that she is loued The perseuerance in Loue. ¶ Is there no other signe then perseuerance To be Ialouse of them and to geue liberallie yf perchaunce they be couetouse as in dede they be for the moost parte ¶ Why is Loue painted by some in forme of a Shepherd Bycause they which pursue and followe loue be more lyker beastes then men ¶ Which hath greatest force in man hatred or Loue I wolde saie that the passion of Loue should be greatest And why man through hatred neuer killed him selfe which men doe often times through extremitie of Loue. ¶ Is Loue blinde as he is painted The vulgare and common loue is blynd but the celestiall loue is not but with great dexteritie it openeth and discouereth the greatest secretes ¶ Why be they that haue small legges more subiect to loue then others That procedeth of the aboundaunce of seede that maketh them so Lecherouse which thing commeth ordinarilie to those whose inferior parts of the bodie receiue no great nourishment Bicause all that which Nature taketh from the nether partes is by Nature conuerted into superfluitie and seede Therfore we should rather haue demaunded why men greatlie giuen to lecherie haue for the moost parte so small and slender legges ¶ Wherof doeth it come that Louers haue so litle knowledge of the imperfections of their Ladies One great mocion doeth lette an other Euery Louer then beyng troubled in spirite the iudgement of his sence is impeached and letted in suche wise as he remeineth blind in the thing which he
content himselfe with his owne acte and dede of Chiualrie For he that doeth beste is worthie of greatest praise And he that runneth best for his Ladies sake is best worthie to inioye her ¶ Wherfore do amorouse Ladies impute that to fortune which chaunceth contrarie to their hartes desire Bycause they like rashe creatures without due consideracion esteme al thinges to be ruled and gouerned by Fortune ¶ Is it loue to loue the Image of a woman It is not loue but rather rage and madnes ¶ What be they that loue by a certeine destenie and influence They that can geue no reason or any cause of their loue ¶ Doe ye thinke it to be true that the Goddes were Louers You must knowe that the olde and auncient Poetes were great diuines and speaking of one thing they signifie another True it is that ther be diuerse well learned that can not abide poeticall allegories which after my iudgement haue no great reason on their side ¶ Wherfore was Paris desirouse to see the three Goddesses naked when he was appointed arbitrator of their beauties To geue better iudgement by viewing the proporcion of their bodies O how many faier beautiful be ther in outward apparaÌ„ce which vnder their sumptuouse garmentes and crimson robes be full foule and ill fauored that if Peter Grubbe of Belchelianger or Ioanne Stubbes of Norton follie viewed them naked as Paris did the Goddesses they would runne home for the next gemman or Iustician of peace to interteigne them for they would scarce vouchsafe ¶ Thinke you that the beauties of Ladies is a commendable argument to dispute of Wherfore not seing y t the wisest haue written beautie to be a gift of God ¶ What moued the auncient to saie that Loue is a lorde ouer goddes and men Bicause all that which is made eyther in heauen or in earth is made for Loue. Remember what the Philosopher saieth All thinges do moue that men do loue and desire ¶ Which is moost to be feared the bowe of Loue the mase of Hercules or the sworde of Mars The bowe of Loue and speciallie when he shoteth his Arrowes of Leade But not so much when he shoteth his arrowes of gold and syluer ¶ Howe is it possible that women should haue faces of Angelles and heddes of deuilles Be not Deuilles called Angelles in holie write Reade the scriptures and ye shalbe resolued ¶ Doe you thinke that a Louer maie be enchaunted by the sight of his Ladie If Shepe after the minde of Uirgill by a looke mait be charmed how much more may delicate Loue be subiect to enchauntmentes ¶ Can women by any celestiall influence be made better or more rigorouse toward their louing seruantes The Mathematiques Astrologiens and Magicians by diuerse and many experiences and peremtorie reasons affirme the same in such wise as I dare not affirme the contrarie ¶ How can the fyre of Loue not participant with any other element inflame our hartes It is onely a maner of speaking verye common to Latinistes called Netaphora ¶ Wherof commeth the loue of two which doe equallie loue eche other Some thinke that it commeth of their conuersacion and mutuall familiaritie other of Angelles and spretes assigned to eche man And other of the concurrantes and conformitie of the planetes ¶ Wherof procedeth the rare beautie of women Some doe saie that it commeth of the temperature of the elementes other doe tell reasons more excellent ¶ Why did Euripides saie that Loue was like a Tragedie Bycause that Loue is euermore accompanied with heauines with complaintes and with a harde and bitter ende ¶ Is there any difference betwene the grace of a woman and her beautie or whether they be all one I beleue that there is a difference for the one hath a greater force then the other to cause a man to be content and satisfied ¶ Whether is it a greater auenture to get the grace of a faier woman or els to recouer it if it were lost It is a greater acte to recouer it as I beleue women being of their owne nature disdainefull and stoute in their opinion ¶ Howe maie a man doe to obteine and gett the fauor of an other Some doe saie by merite some other by fortune other doe impute it to the conformitie of Nature and some to attribute the same to influence or destenie ¶ Whether of these three qualities be beste to obteine the grace of women Beautie Riches or Learning They which be faier desire to haue faier seruantes Riche those that haue wherwithall and the learned loue them that be learned But moost commonlie riches is best liked of women for their mainteinaunce although with wise women learning is of greatest price Is it possible that a Louer maie see continuallie the things that he loueth That chaunceth to those speciallie that be not touched with Loue that is to wit which can represent to them selues those which be absent by cogitacions ¶ Howe maie the harte of a louer liue that is not beloued He maie liue verie well considering that it is more pleasure to loue as I haue at other times affirmed then to be beloued ¶ Maie a man establishe lawes to Louers I thinke not but yet I will not denie that they which loue by a certeine gifte of nature or chaunce fatall Lawes maie be established whervnto they maie subdue them selues ¶ Is there any thing in the worlde that maie retire draw an amorouse man from the thing that he loueth Onlie disdaine maie withdraw him more then any other thing ¶ Why doe the auncient painte Cupido to force him selfe to pluck a braunche of Palme out of the hand of an other Cupido In auncient bookes there is remembraunce made of two Cupidoes the one chast the other lasciuiouse and dishonest The chast is he that doth stronglie bynd bring him that is lasciuiouse dishonest into subiection ¶ Howe can a louer die in himselfe and liue in an other This is cleare that the harte is more where he loueth then where he geueth life ¶ Wherfore be the angers of Louers of so litle continuaunce Bycause they are angrie for trifles and thinges of nothing ¶ Howe many sortes of Louers be there Two sortes the one after Plato celestiall and the other vulgare and terrestiall ¶ How commeth loue in vs by iudgement or by destenie Most often by iudgement for diuerse times men iudge before they â—oue ¶ Is there any pleasure in the world that surpasseth the con tentacion of Louers No for why the seed commeth from all partes of the bodie 〈…〉 which causeth an vniuersall pleasure throughout all the bodie Wherfore do men esteme women to be an euill like to the fire and to the sea Bycause there is no day but that by women euils do come and infinite misfortunes ¶ Which procedeth most from women swetenes or bitternes For one swetenes comes a Sea of sharpe sower bytternes ¶ When be louers most vexed and offended with theÌ„selues When by a certein default
belefe which is the thing principally required in charmes and enchauntementes And therof it commeth that the number of women witches be greater then men ¶ What is it that causeth moost the vnion and coniunction of Louers The diuersitie of complexion causeth the effectes of Loue to be diuers And moost commonly the celestiall influences be the causes of their vnion and coniunction ¶ What doeth it meane that simple Shepardes haue ben taken with the loue of some great Lady and Princesse We euermore desire the thinges which we cannot haue Loue also taketh pleasure in many straunge thinges But there is yet a thing more straunge to see two persons of diuerse fortune the one to dye for the other Reade the historie of Tancredy in the Pallace of Pleasure ¶ Wherof commeth it that yonge women which be in loue are neuer satisfied in dauncing and in all other thinges they be of foeble complexion Immoderate desire of Dauncing is Uenereall yonge women and maydens be subiect to Venus So that in such actes they neuer finde them selues molested or weried ¶ From whence commeth it that Loue maketh vs solitarie and pensiffe Loue as Ouide doeth write is full of feare and care And it perteyneth to the fearefull to be solitarie and pensif ¶ What is the cause that many doe esteme themselues not to be well loued yf Ialousie be not mixed with Loue The feare which they haue to leese the thing that they loue doeth cause the Louer to be more cherished ¶ What causeth manie men although they be faier yonge riche and freshe to be Ialouse of the least wretche they see It may come of their owne concepte Or for that they know the lightnes of their mistres behauior ¶ Wherfore doe women require aboue all thinges their seruauntes and Louers to be secret Loue being discouered ther is not so great pleasure besides that Loue disclosed can bring nought els but damage and trauel and somtime daunger of death as may be red in the second Tome of the Palace of Pleasure almost readie to the print Of a Lady of Burgundie ¶ Wherof câ—mmeth it that Louers delight so much in Musike Musike is a very vayne thing And Louers alwaies followe after vanitie Yet I will not blame all sortes of Musike but that onely which is lasciuiouse and doeth effeminate the sprites ¶ What meaneth it that many doe loue feruently and yet cannot be beloued That procedeth by reason the complexions can not agree ¶ Howe chaunceth it that Loue doeth make men leane Louers be in continuall trauell which drieth vp the bones by reason wherof they diminishe and consume them selues ¶ What is the cause that the talke of Loue or sighte of theffectes therof in painted Tables make men desirouse to enter into his snares The pleasures that be past are by such meanes brought to our memorie and so the pleasure is double ¶ Why doeth Loue blind vs from seyng the Imperfections of the thing which we loue Loue is blinde and doeth blinde other ¶ Why is a man many times amorouse of a woman vpon her onely faine Renowme doth euermore make thinges greater then they be And the minde estemeth thinges more great by hearing then by sight ¶ Why doeth the earnest viewe and beholding of a person make a man amourouse The eyes are the messengers of loue but specially when the beames which procede from the hart do vnite conforme them selues to the thing viewed and loked vpon ¶ What is thoccasion that Louers do studie to applie them selues to the imperfections of their Ladies It is the better to resemble them beyng well assured that conformitie of maners doeth ingendre loue ¶ Howe commeth it that women can better perceaue and discerne those that be amorouse then men It may be that they are more experte in the practise of Loue as beyng more subiect vnto it then men be A goodly historie hereof may be sene in the secoÌ„d Tome of the Pallace of Plesure of Quene Anne of Hungarie ¶ From wheÌ„ce commeth it that amorouse Ladies are more liberall then they which resist Loue It is the propertie of Loue to cause them to be liberall and free harted ¶ Wherof commeth it that when Louers do talke with their Ladies spittle doth come and encrease in their mouthes The tonge often times moued doeth heate it selfe and that heate doeth resolue into spittle ¶ Wherof commeth it that when amorouse dames do talke with their Louers their brestes seme as though they would departe their bosome doeth leape and hop with suche force That procedeth of the great neighbourhod that the hart hath with the pappes from whom all the vitall spiritâ—s do procede who retyring them to the brestes be the cause of such motions ¶ Wherof commeth it that diuerse amorouse women do often times speake euill of their seruauntes or Louers It is to put away the suspition that men may engendre of their Loue or els for feare that other women should backebyte them ¶ Why do men so willinglye kisse the eyes of theim whom they loue The eye is the derest parte of the bodie and in the eye a man maye see and knowe what is hidden in the hart or els they do it because the eye is the beginning of Loue. ¶ Wherfore do Louers hyde them selues when they go about to content eche other Bicause of the filthines of the acte or by a naturall shamefastnes for that they seme to do a thing that is not very honest ¶ Wherfore be Louers so curiouse to knowe the name of their Ladies Bicause they suppose to finde in the names some secrete thinge that maye yelde them hope to enioye the thinge that they so greatly desire or els we may well saie that Louers will not onely possesse the bodies of their Ladies but also haue all that is ioyned therevnto and that whiche doeth depenâ— thereof ¶ Whereof commeth it that Louers be so importunate to demaunde of their Ladies howe well they loue them It is to certifye them selues the more of whiche assuraunce the spirite doeth appaise it selfe and receiueth contentation ¶ Wherefore do Louers delyght to carye about them anye thing that hath bene their Ladies To be more agreable vnto them and the better to conforme them selues to their desires and willes ¶ Wherefore do Louers geue their coloures the one to the other The conformitie of dedes and will doth ingendre and augment amitie Besides this the coloures secretly do geue to vnderstand the thinge that inwardlye we do suffre as by signifying of inconstancie diminution of heate mockeries trauels humilitie highnes we do shewe it by the colours of a yelowe pale redde blewe whyte graye and incarnate ¶ What causeth diuerse Ladies estemed wyse and of good iudgement to geue theim selues ouer to vyle men infamouse and wicked I haue tolde you often times that Loue is blinde and doeth captiuate the senses abandoning iudgement and foresight in women speciallye in those that be amorouse whose wittes be very weake and vnperfecte ¶ Whereof
of Loue Shame and feare ¶ Who be they that doe not let to serue Loue although they be otherwise pressed with affayres Lustie and coragiouse hartes which in despite of busines doe not passe to suffer them selues to enter the yoke of Loue. ¶ What be the paines of Loue Hurtes and woundes more then deadlie that is desires full of rage extreme trauell exile and banishmente greuouse martirdome and pryde intollerable ¶ What is the meate of perfecte Louers Sighes and teares ¶ Wherwithall do they make sacrifice to Loue With cleane hartes which are not spotted with any couetousenes ¶ Who be the messengers of Loue Pleasure Trauell swete bitter warre Peace life and deathe ¶ What are the causes of Louers sicknesses Hart breakinges hurtful fastings the hungre of Loue trembling quiuering and continuall trauels secrete dolors the extremitie of vexations and great watchinges ¶ which are the benefites of Loue Playes stepe beddes pleasures rest tranquilitie contentation aboundaunce peace refreshinges and other reioysinges ¶ Who be most secret in loue men or women Women be moost secret no doubte bicause they speake lesse then men a thing likely to be true but seldome sene Is the benefite greater by beyng secret in Loue or the hurte by too muche speaking I thinke the hurte surmounteth ¶ Thinke you that by the dexteritie of the sprite men may knowe the secretes of Louers The holie Scripture doeth witnes that the harte of man cannot be knowen and that god alone doeth knowe the same ¶ Why be the secretes of loue so easely kepte For the great swetenes that men fynde in them ¶ Is it better to loue them that be faier or them that be secret Without doubt the secret wise are more worthie to be loued for beautie is of litle continuaunce ¶ Howe should men kepe them selues secret in loue They must take hede that they passe not oftentimes by their Louers houses or often followe their haunte but waite vntill Fortune presente apte occasion ¶ Howe should our pleasures be measured They ought to agree with our age with our estate with the time and place where we be ¶ What should be the faithfull seruice of a Louer It ought to be necessary and voluntarie with the hart and the life ¶ What meaneth it that women for the moost part doe loue them that haue slowe vnsetled heddes and contemne others which haue more amiable qualities They doe esteme perhaps that they shalbe better beloued and serued of those meaner spiretes because they haue not suche knowledge as the other which are of more vnderstanding then they ¶ Howe many sortes of beauties be there Three one in the bodie the other doth consist in the accorde and harmonie of the voyce the thirde in vertue ¶ Howe may they be comprehended The first by the eyes the second by the eares the thirde by the vnderstanding And men may also inioye the perfection of beautie by sight by hearing and by thought ¶ What meane the Poetes when they fayne of Circes that she with her sorceries did chaunge and transforme al them that taried with her into beastes They would signifie by that metamorphose no other thing but the wanton and lassiuiouse allurementes of Circes wherwith deteyning all those that fell into her handes she so farre forth made them equall to brute beastes that vtterly they forgat their true estate of manhood ¶ From whence come the paynes that men suffer in this earthly and vulgare Loue They procede of that that we desire things which we can not alwaies haue at our will and mindes ¶ Do ye thinke that desire of beautie doeth hinder the reste and quietnes of men No for that desire is not of any thinge Corporall ¶ Wherfore do men attribute arrowes and fyre vnto Loue To shewe howe ardent and full of dolor his passions be ¶ Why is Loue painted naked Bycause that all the actes and dedes of Louers be suche that they can not be hidden nor dissembled ¶ What is the greatest blindnes in Loue To loue her whom we thinke can not be contented with the loue of one ¶ Whether do ye esteme greatest the beautie or the foulnes of those that can not content them selues with the loue of one The foulenes is farre greater ¶ What deserue they to be loued or hated In my Iudgement they should be hated and eschewed as the plague ¶ Which is the greatest spurre that prouoketh a man to doe well and honorablie The presence and fauour of his Ladie ¶ To what thing is the seruitude of Loue like To the seruice of Princes ¶ Howe should a man behaue himselfe amonges Ladies As in the courte amonges Princes and great estates to witte that he must be bolde and hardie ¶ Is it very true that he muste nedes be bolde and full of audacitie After my opinion no but according as a man may vse him selfe I saye yea Notwithstanding I suppose that in the court and traine of Princes and in the seruice of Ladies men ought rather to marche in the steppes of humilitie and reuerence then in to much hardines and presumption ¶ Which be the noblest hartes They whom loue disdaineth not to warme with his sacred heate ¶ Wherfore do sume loue many persons at once and yet do not vse to disclose the same Noble mindes take great pleasure to do so but to tell and shewe it it is but losse and shame ¶ Is it true which men say that yf one be in loue with another he then beareth affection to all those thinges which resemble the thing he loueth That is to true for they be in loue euen with thinges that be dombe and without sence with pictures and ingrauen thinges and suche lyke yf they shew any remembraunce of the thing they loue ¶ What is the true gage of Loue A pure and cleane harte ¶ Why doe women very oftentimes blame or disprayse their Louers To thintent that other shoulde praise them thereby to double their pleasure ¶ Who hath the more liuely spirite and better memorie the man or the woman The man not after the saying onely of the Philosophers but also of holy Scripture ¶ Who hath the better iudgement of the amiable partes the man or the woman The man as beyng indued with the nature of a more highe vnderstanding and a spirite more subtill ¶ May we loue the thing that doeth turne vs to dishonor I thinke not ¶ What is the greatest recompence that a woman can make vnto a man To reueale vnto him her secretes and finally to make him Lorde and maister of her bodie and of all her thoughtes FINIS ¶ NATVRAL QVESTIONS and the Ansvvers THE II. BOKE WHerfore is not Chese made of beasts that be tothed on bothe sydes Bycause theyr milke will not curde or creame ¶ Wherfore do men caste Smallage into Pondes Bycause Smallage doeth serue Fyshe for a medecine and also they delight to eate the same ¶ Wherof commeth it that Dogges neuer loue to eate of the tayle or of the
the wine and that which is moost subtillest and fynest to the blader and that commeth of the participation that it hath with Nitrum of saltenes And for to vse it to this effecte the colewort must not be to muche sodden ¶ Wherfore did our forefathers make difficultie to vse at their tables diuerse meates and sortes of dishes The diuersitie of meates can not be digested with one proportion of heate And so nature being troubled with indigestion of such diuersitie of meats causeth noysomnes to the stomacke and specially when it is weake ¶ Wherof commeth it that the sea is so profitable and delectable for Lazermen and such as haue the dropsie The sea prouoketh vomit and through vomiting â—â—eame and all other superfluouse humors which cause suche diseases do auoyde And so those that be infected do loue the Sea ¶ Wherefore is the Citie of Auignion rather subiect to the plague then any other place rounde about it The subtill ayer is sone infected and soone purged of the infection contrariewise the grosse ayer is not so lightly infected nor yet so soone purged ¶ Howe may the fyne and subtill ayer be knowen from the grosse and corrupt ayer The tenuitie and subtiltie of the ayer is knowen for that at the rysing of the Sunne it is soudenly heated and waxeth colde at the goyng downe therof The contrarie doth chaunce to the grosse and vitious ayer ¶ Wherof commeth it that the winter in some countries is longer then the Somer and in other cuntries the Somer longer then the winter The cause of the Sunne in the Zodiaque doeth cause mutation of the foure seasons of the yere And where the sunne continueth longest ouer the heddes of those that dwell in that region there is Somer greatest and where it is farre of winter doeth longest continewe ¶ Why is Musike more delectable in the morning then at any other tymes Bicause that all things be then in silence the sences be more lustie and waking and the minde in great moderation and temperaunce ¶ Why be fructes commonly beloued of all men For the naturall swetenes which is in them or els bicause they be of temperature hote and moyst ¶ Wherfore is the sighte aboue all the other senses mooste estemed Bycause by the sight we see the difference of all thinges Or els we may say that it commeth by the impression of Loue which taketh his first force and strength by the sighte ¶ Wherof commeth it that they which haue a feble sight write smaller letters then other Bicause they write their eyes beyng in a maner halfe closed and shut ¶ What is the cause that all ill factes doe discouer themselues by the eyes and the harte Bycause the eye is messanger of the harte It maie also be said that the face being tender and open to all vapors the same maie easelie be iudged and discouered by the alterations that it sheweth principally froÌ„ the hart ¶ Why be they that haue litle heades naturally more cholerike and disdainfull then others Bycause that the heate comming from the harte from whence anger riseth can not well be cooled and the Choser proceding from the blodde moued and boyling about the harte causeth heauines ¶ Wherof commeth it that by and by after we haue made water that parte by the which the Sperme and seede passeth doeth immediately retyre and waxe lesse Bycause the same part beyng emptie and voyde is incontinently fylled with ayer which cooleth the membres that it replenisheth ¶ What is the cause that man of all creatures is the wisest The purenes and subtiltie of his blodde ¶ Wherof commeth it that by thinking vpon straunge and horrible thinges our fleshe doeth quake and tremble Bycause the heate doeth retyre to the inferior and inwarde partes ¶ Howe commeth it that in the harte of a Stagge there is a bone Nature hath there placed it to serue for a staye and foundation of the continuall mouing and motion of his hart both in rest and trauell ¶ What is the cause that the blodde is redde Of the affinitie that it hath with y e Liuer which is the very seate of blod ¶ Howe commeth it that women haue more thicker blodde then men That procedeth of coldenes which is naturall to women and the propertie therof is to thicken ¶ How commeth it that in Horses Mules Asses and crowes men finde no gall All they haue galles but it is not in one proper place but disparsed throughout all the vaynes ¶ Why are they commonly leane which haue great Miltes The Milte doeth drawe vnto it muche matter and substaunce which would els turne to nourishment and fatnes ¶ Howe come heares to be placed vpon the hedde The Braine bringeth them forthe discharging it selfe of grosse vapors which comming forthe by the poores of the fleshe do waxe drie and turne into heares ¶ Why do diuerse fede vpon bones and not vpon heare Bicause of the ouermuch drynes therof ¶ By howe many waies may the braine be purged The watriche humors be purged by the eyes the melancholike by the cares the cholerike by the nose and the flematike by the heare ¶ Wherfore was man created with the face vpright towarde heauen and other beastes cleane contrarie To euery thing ought to be assigned the figure that is moost proper to his mouing as to the skye roundnesse to fyre the figure Piramidale that is to saye vpright and straight To man also bicause of his two fete the figure Diamâ—trale and Piramidale is very conuenient and mete ¶ What is the cause that the harte doeth alwaies sturre and is in continuall motion The ayer and the moost subtill spirites haue chosen the harte for their seate They beyng then so pure and subtill do seake meanes to stretch and enlarge them selues so farre as they may and to fill that which they finde to be voide which causeth the harte to moue and pant It may be said also that the harte being made as it were in a triangle forme although not perfectlie doe open shut in the lesse part and therfore it continually moueth ¶ Wherfore hath nature made the longes of al creatures lyke a sponge To receiue ayer the better for the refreshing and cooling of the harte and to driue away all hurtefull vapors ¶ Wherfore hath nature placed the harte in the middest of the stomacke To geue lyfe equally to all the members euen as the sonne placed in the middle of the heauen doeth equally geue light to all thinges ¶ Wherfore doeth it decline somewhat more to the lefte syde then to the right To temper the coldenes of the milte which is the seate of melancholie and placed on the lefte syde ¶ Howe commeth it that all those creatures which haue litle hartes be more hardie then they which haue greater In litle hartes the heate is better compacte and kepte and so by consequence the more vigorouse and of greater force ¶ Wherof commeth it that some doe dye throughe ioye and some through
it moueth the humors of the brayne and cannot afterwardes resolue them ¶ Why do some dye by to much Ioye Bicause the spirites do abandon and forsake the harte ¶ Why should men beware of tomuch fasting Bicause longe fasting ingendreth a heape of ill humors and causeth feblenes and lothesomnes ¶ Why is vineger very good for Cholerike persons and hurtefull to them that be melancholike Bicause it refresheth Choler and drieth melancholie ¶ What causeth the eyes to shedde forth teares Coldenes is thoccasion which naturally doeth make thicke and restraine wherby teares do procede ¶ Why haue thinges that be very swete and odoriferouse a certeine spice of bitternes Swete smelles do alwaies serche hotte places which commonly are somewhat bitter ¶ Wherof commeth it that thinges that nourishe and encrease milke do warme moderately without drying Bicause suche thinges do engendre blodde wherof milke commeth ¶ Why he all nourishing thinges perticipant with swetenes Bicause all swete thinges be very temperate ¶ Whereof commeth it that wyne in processe of tyme is of greater heate Bicause the waterishe partes do vanishe and auoyde ¶ Wherof commeth it that some wines waxe sower so sone Bicause in the vintage tyme they were replenished with superfluouse humours ¶ Why do men rather vse Sorrell then vineger against the inflamations of the intestines and Bowels Bicause that Sorrell is more moderate then vineger And whosoeuer is diseased therwithall should not vse any medecine that is sharpe or violent but rather pleasaunt ¶ Wherof commeth it that yealowe Choller is alwaies bytter and the blacke agre and sharpe Heate causeth bitternes and colde causeth sharpenes ¶ Why is the Catarre or Rewine sometime swete somtimes sharpe and sometimes salte Of a certeine mixture of the humours ¶ Why doeth the wilde Bore pisse before he doeth runne or flye awaye To dispatche him selfe of the heauines of his vrine the more swiftlye to runne ¶ Wherfore do Phisitians geue to infantes and yonge children a herbe called Abrotonum in english Sothernwood Bicause it killeth wormes ¶ How chaunceth it that scorpions do smite hurt sidewise Bicause their pricke and stinge is croked ¶ Why do men waxe pale when they be afraide Bicause the bloud flieth away and retireth to the vitall partes ¶ Why doth the sea called Mare mortuâ—m bringe forth nether plante nor fishe Through the great bitternes of the same ¶ What is the cause that a salte thing beinge heated againe waxeth bitter Bitternes commeth of adustion ¶ Why hath the Scorpion venime in her taile Bicause venime is the excrement of the Scorpion ¶ Wherfore did nature make mens eares so eminent standing out and of gristles To be more quicke of hering and to be lesse grieued when they be hurt ¶ Why cannot milke creame or curde beinge incorporated with hony Bicause hony with his vertue incisiue and abstersiue doeth let it ¶ Why doth not an arter or sinewe being cut growe againe as fleshe doeth Bicause they be spermaticke members ¶ Wherfore do the leaues of a Seruace tree fall together at one instant Bicause he hath no viscous or slimie humor ¶ Wherfore is a Baye tree alwaies grene Bicause the heate of that tree is alwaies tempered with humiditie and viscositie ¶ Wherfore is the female more imperfecte then the male Bicause she is more colde ¶ What caused Hipocrates to suffer those that had hotte and sharpe feuers to drinke wine To aide and helpe digestion and to strengthen the pacient ¶ Wherof commeth the Cotidian feuer Of the great haboundaunce of the fleame ¶ Why do the herbes called Penerâ—ial ditton and Nil cause women to haue their flowers Bicause their vertue and propertie is to open ¶ Wherfore is the meale of beanes good for y e spots in y e face Bycause it is meruailouse abstersiue and clensing ¶ Wherfore do we slepe better when we haue traueled then otherwise Bicause the spirites haue then more nede to be refreshed ¶ Wherof commeth it that sometimes we be laxatiue and sometimes to much costiue It is because of the feblenes of the vertue retentiue or through sharpe humor that vexeth and troubleth vs and the cause why we be bound procedeth of contrarie occasions ¶ Wherof commeth the Tertian agues Of yealowe choller corrupted ¶ Wherof procedeth the falling sickenes Of grosse fleame or rather of a melancholike humor which is retayned in the ventricles of the braine ¶ Wherfore did nature make the scull of the heade grosse thicke and hollowe The sâ—ul is grosse and thicke to defend the braine the better and holowe that the vapoures of the braine might issue out of the same more easelye for the head is a way through the which all the vapors of the body do passe ¶ Wherfore is not wine good for them that be growing still in greatnes Wine doth straight go into the head and children in there infansie haue the head grosser after the proportion of the reste of the body then in anye other age ¶ Why do melons cowcumbers cause men to make water That commeth of their great humiditie ¶ Wherfore is it not good to slepe with the face vpwardes Bicause it heateth the raines inflameth the bloud and not onelye the blud but the spirits also which are in the hollow vaine in y e gret arterie ¶ Howe commeth it that trees are more hard and stronge of the Northside then they are of the South and West side Bicause the North wind doth better harden ¶ Wherfore doo not those litle beastes or serpents that of the Latinists are called Cerastes brede nether in Cipres trees nor boxe trees In Cipres trees bitternes sharpnes in boxe trees hardnes is y e cause ¶ Wherof coÌ„meth the disease which PhisitiaÌ„s do cal Diabethe It is a disease in the raines and commeth of the feblenes of the same ¶ Wherof procedeth the swetenes of fruictes Of moderate heate ¶ Why do olde men doate so much Through the great colde that is in them ¶ Wherof procedeth y e lasque flux of y e bely called Dissenteria Of biting and sharpe humors ¶ Why do hearinges in so great multitudes leaue the Northerne and go to the Westerne Sea To enioie the temperature of that climate ¶ Why doth eating of y e brain of some beastes prouoke vomit Bicause y e brain is oilie swimmeth vpoÌ„ y e orifice mouth of y e stomake ¶ Why is grossest meat geuen â—uer at supper Bicause with slepe they make good digestion ¶ What is the cause that the pulse commonly called chichâ— peason doeth prouoke Lecherie By reason of the saltenes wherof the hul is participant ¶ Wherof commeth it that men to see the better do close one of their eyes Bicause the effecte and spirites of the one may helpe the other ¶ Wherof doeth it come that the higher the Sunne is the lesser is the shadowe Bicause the sunne beames do then reuerberate directly downewardes ¶ Why doth the force of wine make some to be
eloquent and some to be dombe other astonied and other freshe and lustie That commeth of the diuersitie of their complections ¶ Wherof commeth it that the leaues of certaine trees in some part of ScotlaÌ„d falling into the sea be turned into duckes and malardes By the secret vertue of the Occean Sea ¶ Wherfore do men make collers of Aumbre for children Bicause aumbre is good against the sqinance which is a swelling in the iawes throte and it is good also against a disease called of y e Phisitians Tansille ¶ Wherof commeth the Dropsie Of a great colde in the Liuer ¶ Howe happeneth it that we become balde vpon the foreparte of the hedde Bicause that part is drie and of drines commeth baldenes ¶ But why be the heares of the temples graye sooner then of any other partes Bicause the Temples are very moyst and full of muscles ¶ Wherfore do Phisitians thinke them to be of small capacitie that haue sharpe heddes Bicause the spirites fynd not the conduictes so free and open ¶ Why be there no Serpentes in Ireland Bicause that region is nothing waterishe ¶ What causeth those that haue the Iaundis to thinke hony to be bitter Bicause of the great câ—ller wherwith they haue the tongue and pallat infected ¶ Wherof coÌ„meth it that the meates oftentimes waxe sower in the ventricle That procedeth of the coldenes of the Stomacke ¶ Why is not that ayer good which is both hote and moyst Bicause it is very subiect to be corrupted ¶ Wherof commeth it that the Aethiopians haue curld heare Of the great siccitie and drynes of their humors ¶ Why be dronken persons commonly colde Bicause wine immoderately dronken doeth cause colde effectes ¶ Wherfore is veneson more estemed and praysed of the learned Phisitians then other fleshe Bicause it is of good nourishment and engendreth good blodde ¶ Why is the white of an egge harde of digestion Through the great coldenes therof ¶ How commeth it that such beastes as haue no tethe aboue haue a double ventricle To digest the better and to supplie the default that they haue by the wante of tethe ¶ Wherfore do men drinke water and yet it nourisheth not Water causeth the nutriment to spredde throughout all the body ¶ Why is not the hande hearie within Bicause the skinne is thicke and harde ¶ Why is Autumpne so vnholsome and full of diseases Through the inequalitie of his temperature ¶ Why be the eares vnmoueable Bicause they haue no Muscles ¶ Why be no remedies conuenient to be receued in the greatest extremitie of sicknes Bicause nature should be letted ¶ Wherfore are bathes of swete water estemed Bicause they do heate and moysten and are good against tercian ague◠¶ Why doeth the Northern winde preserue thinges from putrifying Bicause it drieth muche ¶ Wherof commeth it that Buglosse tempered and dipte in wine reioyseth him that doeth eate it Bicause it augmenteth the blodde and restoreth the forces of the hart ¶ Wherof commeth it that Peone hanged about ones neckâ— doeth heale the falling sickenes That herbe sendeth certeine vapors to the hed which do drie the braine ¶ Why be stockdoues better then pigions of the douehouse Bicause they haue lesse donge and excrementes ¶ Wherof commeth it that Asur colour is pleasant to the eye Bicause in that colour is a meane of all other colours para Howe chaunceth it that although Infantes be naturally moyst are not for all that graye hedded Bicause that with their moistnes heate is conioyned ¶ Why doeth a Boare fome at the mouth when he bremeth Bicause his cundittes and generatiâ—e partes be narrowe ¶ Why doth a tame Sowe bring forthe mo Pigges then a wilde Sowe That commeth of the aboundaunce of meate and of the warmenes of the places where they liue ¶ But why can not Sowes geue milke without groning or grunting Sowes haue litle milke and the same is spred in diuerse tetes and therfore there must nedes be great force to drawe it ¶ Wherfore do we sweate more in the vpper partes of our bodie then in the lower partes The propertie of heate is to ascend and not to discende ¶ Why doeth not the dunge of wilde beastes stincke so much as other Bicause they be drie of nature ¶ Wherfore hath nature shaped a braine in liuing creatures Bicause they might easely receue and comprehend the impressions and imaginations of the thinges that they smell and vnderstand ¶ Why made nature the brayne rather colde then hotte To temper and moderate the heate of the hart for the confort and refreshing of the same ¶ Why be our eyes greater in our Infancie then when we be of more age Through the gret humiditie moistnes Wherof in like maner it coÌ„meth that we are more desirouse of slepe in our Infancie then in any other age ¶ How commeth it that mens eyes do differ so much in culler one from another Of the diuersitie of the humors wherof they be composed ¶ Wherfore is sodden water better then the colde Boild and sodden water hath lesse ventosities and is more â—lighte and subtill because the earth and heauie substaunce is separated from it ¶ Wherfore hath nature ordeined nesing in man To purge the superfluitie of the braine euen as by the cogh the milte is purged ¶ Whye doo we nese soner in the Sunne then when we be nere the fire Bicause the heate of the sunne resolueth the humor and consumeth it not but the fyre resolueth and consumeth it ¶ Wherof coÌ„meth it that the eares of all creatures do moue except the eares of a man That procedeth of a certaine muscle which is in the Iawes and doeth let and hinder the mouing of the eares ¶ Wherof commeth it that asses do soner lift vp their eares when it will raine then at any other time Their melancholike nature causeth it the like happeneth to many other melancholike beastes to pronosticate of raine as frogs dolphines crowes and Cuckoes ¶ Why haue birdes no eares Bicause they would hinder their flying for which cause they are created and made as man is made to trauell ¶ Wherfore are the waters of marishes and pondes so euel Bicause they are so flematike in sommer they do corrupt In so much as y e finest of y e water is conuerted into vapors y e erthines doth remain ¶ Wherof commeth it that they which haue hollow eies doe see better then those whose eies do stand more outward Hollowe eies haue their vertue more faste and better compacte and so they see the better and further of ¶ Why do the eies of Wolues and Cattes shine in the night and not in the day The greater clerenes doth obâ—uscate and darken the lesser ¶ Wherof commeth it that when we loke and behold our self in a glasse we do imediatly after forget our fauor The Image sene in a glasse doth represent it self to our visible sight very slenderly and by a certaine reflection and therfore can not long be
stoppe and is slimie but salt doth drie and the leauen rendreth it muche lighter ¶ Why do they serue fruite after meate and not before Bicause that a full belly demaundeth swete thinges or els the heauines of the fruicte driueth downe other meates ¶ What causeth the heares of sickemen to fall Bicause the nutriment wherwith heare is nourished and enterteyned is consumed of the adust and burnt vapors ¶ Howe chaunceth it that diuerse haue neuer any beardes Bicause they haue the poores so great that the nutriment which causeth the heare is vanished before the heare hath taken roote and therfore can bring nothing forthe ¶ Wherof commeth it that in olde folke the heare of the browes groweth more then in other members Bicause in age the bones of the browes be enlarged and do open the waie to vapours ¶ Why is the water better that runneth vpon the grauell of sande or vpon the earth so that it be not stinking then that which runneth vpon the rocke or vpon stones Bicause that earth and grauell doth clense it better then eyther stone or rocke ¶ Wherof commeth it that the heare waxeth harde sharpe when one is deade Bicause the heare is no more nourished with the vapors of the bodie and bicause the powers be closed vp ¶ But wherof commeth baldenes Of corrupt â—leame ¶ Why be men sooner balke vpon the hedde then in other partes of the bodie Coldenes of the brayne is the cause ¶ Why is it that studious and learned men be so sone balde Of the great diminution and weakenes of their spirites or els of great indigestion that causeth â—â—eame to abounde ¶ Why do we sweate more sleping then waking Bicause heate in sleping is vnited and ioyned which hath more vertue to driue away all superfluouse humors ¶ Wherof commeth it that Whales Dolphines and Sea calueâ— stincke more then other beastes Bicause their seede is more moyst and waterishe and more subiect to corruption ¶ Wherof commeth it that water put into claret wine doth refreshe it more then if it be put into white wine That procedeth of the nature of the Claret wine which is colder then the white being more earthie For the white is hotter and holdeth more of the ayer ¶ Why do we counte Raine water to be the best Bicause it is better fyned and sodden in the ayer and so more proper and mete to nourishe ¶ Wherof commeth it that many are healed of a Quarteine by a soudeine feare Lyke as the quarteyne is ingendred by sodeine mutation euen so soudeine mutation doth driue it awaie for by suche soudeine accidentes our spirites be moued and all their forces awaked ¶ Wherfore are those waters better that haue their course towardes the Easte then they that runne towardes the West Bicause that by running against the Sunne they do â—yne and waxe warme and do lose of their naturall coldenes ¶ What is the cause that a beaste beyng with yonge doeth not care any more for the male Bicause that her matrix is shutte which doeth reteyne the menstruall blodde and causeth her to lese her lust of the male ¶ Wherfore do Musitians when they entend to sing and Aduocates before they pleade eate Lekes rosted in the imbres Bicause that Lekes haue a certeine slimishe moystnes that clenseth the pipe of the longes ¶ Why do women when they haue their flowers spott their glasses yf they loke very nere them That riseth of the corrupted vapours of the menstruall blodde ¶ Wherof commeth it that women haue small voyces The organes of the voice in women are smal and litle and so gathering litle ayer it must nedes cause the voyce that issueth forthe to be smale and litle ¶ Wherof commeth it that deaffe folke for the moost parte do speake through the nose The Organ of hearing hath perticipations with the Longes which is the cause that deafenes doth commonly procede of to great aboundaunce of humors which remaine and soke in the Organ of hearing and consequently about the longes And when the longs are charged with humors it cannot wel forme the voice which causeth that the deaffe person forcing and strayning his voice doth send it to the cundittes of the nose Therfore yf the deafenes procede of repletion of humours the pacient shall speake through the nose ¶ Why do Phisitians geue order that meates in winter ought to be of a grosse nourishment and in Sommer fine and lighte Bicause in winter the naturall heate flying the calde and retyring into the inward partes doeth cause better digestion But in somer heate seking for heate is disparâ—ed and is not of force to digest ¶ Why doth to long watche make the braine feble To longe watthe doeth engendre and multiplie choler the which by that meanes doeth drie and extenuate vs. ¶ Why be all swete thinges stopping Bicause we take them with to great appetitite whereby considering their viscositie and slimines and that they be not digested they stoppe the vaines through the which the nourishment of the members of the bodie should passe ¶ Why be mothers more tender ouer their childreÌ„ theÌ„ fathers Bicause they haue had more paine in nourishing them bringing theÌ„ vp ¶ But why cannot the child borne in the eight moneth liue and the child of the seuenth moneth customably doth liue Bicause the number of seuen is a perfect number If the opinion of the Pithagorians be true ¶ Wherfore be the males more higher and greater then the females Bicause they haue in them more heat then the females ¶ Howe commeth it that bruite beastes in their slepe do not corrupt nor lose their sede Bicause they slepe not lying vpright or with the belie vpwardes ¶ Wherfore is it more easie for women to beare vpon their heddes and for men to beare vpon their shoulders Bicause that women hauing a burden vpon their heddes haue their bodie right vnder the burden and do beare it more easely being as it were a piller vnder a roufe The man contrarywise hauing his head of manye peces and the bodie more harde doth beare vpon his shoulders ¶ Wherfore be stele glasses better for the sighte then other glasses Bicause stele is harder and doth represent vnto vs more substanciallye the ayre that receaueth the light ¶ Wherof commeth it that vinegre doth stoppe bloud Bicause the nature therof is binding ¶ Why do womeÌ„ make water the bodie bowing not men Bicause their bladder is placed higher then the mannes ¶ Why haue women longer heare then men Bicause they be more flematike and the substaunce which should consume to engendre the bearde is conuerted into the heare of the head ¶ Wherfore be women more tender and smothe then men Women do pourge themselues of all superfluous humors by the flowers and so all the substaunce that might ingender heare is taken away by the same reason women blede very seldome at the nose nether are they subiecte to fistulaes nor impostumes ¶ Why do those women that be
wherwith he was diseased ¶ What difference is there betwene beautie and ill fauourednesse The one geueth and increaseth the other taketh away and diminisheth the maiestie of the person which caused Pericles and Hiponax although they were two worthye personages to be despised bicause they were deformed and ill fauoured ¶ Wherfore did Bupalus and Anterinus most excellente ingrauers hange them selues by the throte Through an extreme disdaine conceued for certaine Sonettes and Iambicall verses written against them by the Poete Hiponax not without desert wherefore Plato admonisheth that in any wise we shoulde not prouoke the displeasure of Poetes and the merye Poete Horace merelye writing of Poetes hath this verse Vatum irritabile genus ¶ What moued Socrates at the age of .lxx. yeres to geue him selfe to Musicke Musicke moueth the vertues of the mind chaseth away euill thoughts and sweteneth the trauell of men ¶ What indured Lycurgus the lawe maker of Lacedemon to establish Musicke specially in the fielde His experience that Musicke made man cherfull and redie to fight lustie to supporte all disaduenture and daunger of the warre ¶ What made Achilles to be so valiaunt The obseruation of the discipline and instruction of Phoenix and Chiron For Philip of Macedon was instructed by Epaminondas Alexander through his master Aristotle Alcibiades by the diligence of Pericles and Arifron tutors left vnto him by his father Clinia although he had greatest ayde and helpe by Socrates ¶ Why were the Scithians and Thratians the most sober people of all Gretia The ignorance of vice prouoked vertue more then all the knowledge of the Grekes ¶ Shamefastnes either in man or womaÌ„ what is it properly The bridle and bitte that restraineth their appetites ¶ Poesie what maner of thing is it It is the daye watche of vertue the morning foode of a redie witte the euening banquet of a well disposed minde and the midnight bel of the studious which was well experienced in the noble captaine Leonidas the Spartan who being Lieutenant generall in the warres against the Messenians neuer ceased to peruse and reade the workes and poesies of Tirteus the Poete ¶ What vices blotted the great liberalitie and pacience in aduersitie of Marcus Antonius Playe Dronkennes Surfecting and to much familiaritie with his householde seruauntes ¶ What made Iulius Caesar the first Emperour of Rome so beloued of his souldiors The not telling and counting of his Souldiors praie causing euery of them to take what he list ¶ What moued the Athenians to cause the dedes and actes of Thesius the first founder of their noble Citie to be recited which were written by Caunidias his Scholemaster hauing dayly before their â—ies the portratures and ymages of Silamon Parasius The writinges of wise men do represent vnto vs the true ymages of them of whom they be written better without all comparison then coulours or painting which haue no felinge The forme and factes of whom cannot be so well expressed ¶ What moued Polignâ—tus to cause at his owne costes and charges the whole warres of Troye to be painted The ardent desire he had to immortalizate his name ¶ Wherefore was Aurelius that excellente Painter in Rome counted to be infamous Bicause he mingled Hores and drabbes among the heauenly Goddesses so farre was he enamored with their Mere trix ¶ Why would not Agesillaus in any wise suffer him selfe to be counterfaited Bicause he wold leaue behind him after his death his dedes factes to serue for his ymage coÌ„nterfaite which in very dede do more diuinely represent y e affections of the mind theÌ„ portratures of corporall Phisnogmies ¶ wherfore was Philip of Macedon estemed a maÌ„ of so litle braine Bicause he spake much and many times to small purpose ¶ Which is the most honest excercise for a Prince Reading after he hath ended his other exercises which made the Poete Homer to bring in the God Iupiter who making a feast caused the victory that folowed in Ethiopia had against the Giantes to be song in verses to Apollo Alcinous also king of the Pheacians vsed the like Quene Dido in the feast that she made to Aeneas caused Iopas vpon his Citron to singe the course of the Starres and the beginning of the world ¶ What was the cause of the greate estimation of Pirrhus King of Epirus The eloquence that he had learned of Cicneas together with the great liberalitie and magnificence that he vsed towardes them that assisted him in his enterprises ¶ Why is it so much requisite to chose a good nurse for y e child Bicause the bodie doth not onely receaue the substance of the milke but the spirites also do fele it ¶ Wherof commeth it that the Romanes did not see their children vntill they were of the age of .vii. yeres Bicause they would not that they should come home to them before they had learned to honor them The French men were more diuerse for they wold not see their childreÌ„ vntil they wer estrong to handle wepons ¶ Why did they forbid their children the company of Ruffians gesters bablers and all such Ribaldes To thintent they should not learne to geue theym selues to dishonest pleasures and to forgette the good nature wherewith they were indued which in the ende would be the destruction both of their body and soule What ought the tales and communications be that are had with children They ought to haue some semblance of truth and aboue all thinges they must not be fearefull vnto them nor supersticious ¶ Why were the pensions receued of princes abolished in many Cities Bicause there is nothing y e doth soner corrupt the person then gifts for they engender gret suspitio in theÌ„ that do receiue them Demosthenes for receuing of bribes of Arpalus king of Persia was chased out of Athenes Why were Coriolanus and Themistocles so much against their owne countrye For the ingratitude of their citizens who denied theÌ„ both their due honours Cesar also because hys country men denied him his well deserued triumphe became enemy to his country ¶ Why was Cato of many men compted a foole Bicause he rather chose voluntary death then to yelde himselfe into the hands of Cesar who sought no other thing of him but frendship and was ment to pardon him al his iniuryes past ¶ Why did Scipio take such hede of going rashlye to the skirmishe and cumbat He knewe well that by his natiuitie he was appointed to be generall of armies and not a simple souldior wherfore he behaued him selfe according to the Maiestie of that office and not like a priuate souldior ¶ Why was Demetrius repreheÌ„ded wheÌ„ he desired to haue the surname of him that had broken the first ranke of his enemies The true title of a prince is rather to be iust then mightie and oughte rather to resemble God by vertue then the Lion by force ¶ Why did Plato refuse to reduce the common welth of the Cirenians into good order and discipline Bicause the abundaunce
notable learned men yf they chaunce to erre do wander in more heynouse errors then those that be but meanely learned Bicause they trust so muche to the excellencie of their witte and so following their owne fantasies most commonlie be deceaued ¶ Wherof commeth it that yf a wise and well experienced man do geue him selfe to vnrighteousnes in that vice he surpasseth them that are of lesse experience That Iustice is most cruell which nedeth defence by force of armes ¶ Which be those that be wise men They that are not inclined to sinne ¶ Howe long is it lawefull for a man to desire to liue So longe as a man is out of hatred and necessitie ¶ Where ought true pleasure to be sought In our selues and not in other ¶ Why is moderation so much commended Bicause it encreaseth pleasure ¶ Why did Epaminondas make so litle preparation in a feaste that he made for certaine Ambassadours To declare that they that can both be rich and suffer pouertie may hardlye be corrupted with money if it be offered ¶ What made Alcibiades to be banished out of Athenes The enuie of the Citizens ¶ What was the cause that Abatonius beinge so poore was made a kinge His singuler goodnes which wise Alexander knewe right well ¶ Why was Hipparchus estemed Secretarye to the Goddes â–ª For the great knowledge that he had in the course of the starres ¶ What is most to be feared in a Citie Honger ¶ Howe may a man enriche him selfe By forsaking his appetites ¶ Howe may we liue ioyfullye By putting our trust in thinges that neuer shall haue ende ¶ How should a man be master ouer him selfe By amending that fault in him selfe which he espieth in an other ¶ What ought they to eschewe that are in prosperitie Hatred ¶ What is the propertie of a wise man To applie well his time ¶ Where lieth the felicitie of man In the quiet state of the minde ¶ What maner of thing is humanitie It is a vertue ioined with good affection or rather a beneuolence mixed and tempered with dexteritie ¶ Why were the Romanes accustomed in their base courte to place the cabinet of the graces To declare that the office of man is to ayde and pleasure one another ¶ What maner of thing is mercy It is an affection of the spirite ioyned with humanitie ¶ Howe did Licurgus bring his Citizens to humanitie By prouoking eche man not selfe but to do all thinges for common profite as Bees do ¶ Who be they that haue bene excellent in humanitie Alexander the great and after him Scipio and Cesar. ¶ Why was Cato reprehended of Inhumanitie Bicause he loued disagrement and discension within his house thinking by that meanes to profit the better ¶ What thing is facilitie It is a vertue which easely maketh a man to enter frendship with others and doth longe mainteine the same ¶ What did Antonius pius the Emperour to make him selfe euerye day better then other He toke aside the wisest of his familier frendes and asked of them what euill was spoken of him and if he perceaued that any euell was spoken of him iustly he amended ¶ What be they that were excellent in facillitie Philip and Alexander his sonne well shewing the same to Dimocrates the Architect ¶ What is faithe It is such a godly vertue that all other vertues withoute the same is nothing Without faith wisedome is follie Temperaunce is displeased Force is impacient and Iustice is turned into crueltie ¶ Of al y e Auncients who was most excellent in that vertue Sextus Pompeius son of Pompeius the great Alexander Scipio ¶ What thing did obliterat and blot the vertues of Brutus The treason that he vsed against Cesar. ¶ What is frendship It is a mutuall beneuolence of two or moe proceding of a certaine semblaunce in maners ¶ Can it not be otherwise described After the minde of Pithagoras it is a certaine agremente of Nature equall betwene two ¶ Amonges the Auncientes who was most excellent to get frendes Alcibiades but he could not kepe them ¶ What is to be required in frendship Asemblable wil grounded vpon vertue ¶ Howe many kindes of amities be there Plato maketh three that is to say Naturall Ciuile and Hospitall â–ª ¶ What is Pietie It is the honor that first we â—we vnto God then to our Country and afterwardes to our parentes and Maiestrates ¶ What is the office of Pietie To make the person amiable towardes his parentes and kinsefolkes and towardes his country ¶ Who were excellent in that vertue Many but aboue the rest Metellus surnamed Pius after him were these three Decius Ptolome Ariobarsanus and Seleucus ¶ And who were they that were contrary to that vertue Nicomedes whiche killed his father Darius Ptolome Philopater and Ptolome called Phiton ¶ Which is the true frendship After the minde of Epicurus that which is ciuile for it is alwayes ioyned with pleasure ¶ Ciuile amitie can it be perfect amonges moe then two That is very difficult for the conditions correspondent to such frendeship are seldome to be fouÌ„d for as Plato saith al things ought to be coÌ„mon ¶ Why did Nature make man naked and vnarmed Nature hauing made man wise hath geueÌ„ him meanes inough wherby to arme himself at â—is plesure to vse at one time sundry kinds of wepoÌ„s ¶ Wherof commeth it that tall men commonly are not wise The length of the bodie commeth of great moistnes and heate but drynes engenâ—râ—th wisedome in man ¶ Wherof procedeth it that Iudges and aduocates are more reuerenced of their Clientes the PhisitiaÌ„s be of their pacients The gaine and hope of Clientes dependeth vpon the Iudges and Aduocates but the hope of the sicke dependeth not onely of the Phisitian but rather of God ¶ Why did the Auncientes call the falling euill the disease 〈◊〉 Hercules Bicause Hercules was subiect therevnto ¶ What is the office of a thristie man To remember that which is past and to thinke vpon that to come ¶ Why ought a man rather to chose losse theÌ„ dishonest gaine Bicause the euill chaunce of losse is but for a time but the other indureth for euer ¶ Howe maie a man liue godlie To thinke euery daie to be the laste daie of his life ¶ Why should a man take more care for his soule then for his bodie Bicause the perfection of the soule maketh the imperfection of the bodie and the beautie or force of the bodie maketh the soule neuer the better ¶ Where lieth the seate of our life In wisdome Strength and magnanimitie for there is neither wind nor tempest that can shake them ¶ What difference is there betwene diligent and curiouse Suche as is betwene Religiouse and Supersticiouse ¶ What difference is betwene affection and good will Affection is a generall inclination of the spirite which induceth a man to loue and maketh him sorie yf there chaunce any thing euill vnto him whom he loueth But good wil is shewed when being
Hospitalitie and contrariewise the most nigardes in the same King Massimissa Scipio the great Nicomedes Cecer Anaximenes and Theophrastus vsed great hospitalitie And contrariewise Timon of Athens Flauius of Luques and many other had the same in contempt ¶ What is that which is called Concorde and wherfore was it so called Concord is kinn to amitie And like as amitie ingendreth loue betwene two or many persons euen so concorde kepeth the people tied and vnited in good peace And concorde was so called by reason of the concordance and vnion wherin she knitteth and bindeth the hartes of the people as the Quene and Mystres of all good workes ¶ Wherfore was Domitian the Emperour so hated of the Romane people Bicause for the least fault committed he condempned the doers to cruell deathe ¶ What was the cause of the great victorie that the Grekes had against Xerxes Mardonius and the Persians The vnion of the Grekes like as their disagrement was the cause of their ouerthrowe euen as discorde ouerthrewe Carthage and all the Princes of Heliesponte ¶ Wherfore was it written before the gates of the temple of Apollo at Delphos Knowe thy selfe To induce vs to knowe that sparke of diuinitie which God hath placed in vs wherby we knowe that God hath done all thinges ¶ Wherfore is it saide that there is nothing that may better resemble y e kingdome of heauen then the state of a Monarchie Bicause ther is but one god which alone doth reigne gouerne al things ¶ Of what sorte of men ought a Prince to be chosen in a common welthe He ought to be noble of blood he ought to be vertuouse riche and puissaunt in armes ¶ Do you thinke it to be requisite that a lieuetenaunt generall of an Armie ought to be not onely valiaunt and wise but also happie and fortunate I thinke doubtles that he ought to be fortunate The ill fortune of Pompeius may very well auooche the same ¶ What is the principall duetie of a good Prince To seke meanes that his people be well instructed ¶ What was the cause of the euill endes of Sardamapalus and Nero. The number of Flatterers in their Courtes â—esters Parasites Bawdes Whores Ruffians all sortes of people disposed to vice where the wise and graue were expuised and driuen awaie ¶ What was the cause of the magnanimitie of Pirrhus king of Epirus The good councell and eloquence of Cyneas his Scholemaster who by reason of his eloquente orations forced very many cities rather to render them selues freely then by any force ¶ Why would king Cyrus that Xenephon should be alwaies in his companie To geue him councell in thaffaires of his Realme For Xenephon was not onely wise but also valiaunt and wel instructed in the dedes of warre ¶ Wherfore wold Alexander the gret that Onoficrates should alwaies accompanie him in the warres To inroll and register his actes and dedes ¶ Wherof ought a prince principallye to take hede Not to chaunge his bountie and goodnes for any occasion that can happen ne yet to incline his cares to flatterers ¶ Wherfore did Tigranes the kinge of Helesponte ordeine that they which did talke vnto him shoulde knele vpon their knees with their armes stretched vp To declare that he had al power aucthoritie ouer their bodies liues ¶ What is the chiefest cause of a princes ouerthrowe Flattery more then force of armes ¶ What is he in dede that maye truelye be called happie in this worlde The vertuouse man of meane wealth ¶ Whervnto serue richesse To make the minde quiet and contente withoute whiche contentation there is no happines or felicitie in this world But howe can he be in rest and quiet that hath not wherewith to bye his breade ¶ What caused Alcibiades to be so hardie contrary to the nature of the Athenians His Nourse Amilca which was a Spartan woman ¶ What moued Diogines comming from Sparta and going to Athenes to say that he came from men and was going towards women Thereby he reprehended the delightes of Athenes whiche made them effeminate and womanishe ¶ Which is most requisite either that the Souldiors shoulde defende the wall or the wall the souldiors It is better that the Souldiours should defende the wall ¶ What is the poison of frendship Flattery ¶ What maner of nourses ought they to be which are to be chosen for princes children Fayre well conditioned sage discrete pleasaunt courtuouse amiable chaste healthie and of good complexion eloquent their speache fyne and net that the childe may learne to pronounce well ¶ What is the surest guarde of a prince The good will of his Subiectes For that Prince is vnhappy which for the suertie of his person had nede of sortes and diuersities of guarde and watche ¶ What is Iustice The honor and glorie of them that do the same and a great benefite vnto them vpon whom the same is executed ¶ Whereby shall a man knowe when a Prince beginneth to be a Tiraunt When forciblye he draweth vnto him the seruice of his people ¶ What cauâ—ed Theseus to be so valiaunt The great fame and renoume of Hercules inflamed him to make hys name immortall ¶ Howe may a man be like vnto God In doing good to many indifferently and not to one alone ¶ Why do the Aethiopians which be on this side the riuer Nylus adore and worship two goddes that is to saye one immortal and the other mortall They thinke that the immortall God doeth worke al thinges and the benefites which we receaue ordinarily they beleue to come and procede of the mortall God As the notable Cosmographer Strabo doth declare ¶ What is the greatest shame that we can receaue To be surpassed in honestie curtesie and humanitie by those which be 〈◊〉 inferiours ¶ Howe did Philip kinge of Macedone gaine and winne all Gretia By golde and siluer more then by force of armes for he was wonte to saye that there was no forte or castle were it neuer so inexpugnable but he would take vpon him to subdue it if so be an Asse laden with gold wer able to enter the gates ¶ What kinde of Tragedies ought we not to reade Those which conteine nothing els but thinges that be proude cruell and full of inhumanitie But those we ought specially to reade whiche be honest and full of graue sentences interlaced with pleasaunt talke as the Tragedies of Euripides and Sophocles be ¶ Why ought we indifferently to reade all kinde of Poetes Bicause with a meruailouse swetenes of language they entermedle the Graces with the Muses wherof it came that Aelius Comodus the Emperour was so farre in loue with Martial that he termed him to be hys Uirgil ¶ Are men to be commended for their corporal beautie sake No But for their vertue wisedome counsell and force which declare what maner of mindes they haue within ¶ What difference was there betwene the Grekes and tho Romanes in making of their Images The Grekes made theirs naked the
non me rebus submittere conor ¶ Wherof proceded the fayning of Poetes that Mars was armed with Diamondes To declare that a prince ought to be strong not in bodie but in harte and corage ¶ What is the propertie of a good Captaine To be gentle politique wise and wittie not to be discoraged in harde fortune nor inflamed in prosperitie Suche was Hanniball See a further description hereof in the .xxiiii. Nouell of the Palace of pleasure ¶ From whence came the great renoume that in olde time the Cimbrians and Celtiberians atchieued in the warres Bicause they estemed the bedde of honor to be in the warres and had rather slea their owne children then they should be thrale and taken of their enemies ¶ What was the cause that Scipio being but yonge obteined suche great reputation that in his youth before rype age he was made one of the Tribunes or gouernors ouer the people and receued the state of a Councelour and was sente into Spaigne in the place of a Consull Bicause he was estemed verie holie and religiouse in suche wise as the dogges which were set to kepe the gate of the Capitole would neuer â—aie at him for all their fiercenes ¶ Why do some praise Angre Bicause it doeth commonlye accompanie courage ¶ Howe many kindes of Amitie be there Three that is to saye profitable honest and delectable ¶ Why was Dionisius expelled by the Locrâ—nces Bicause he being curteouslie receiued of them in the time of his vâ—nishment vseâ— dishonest orders towardes their wiues ¶ Why did Amphitryon geue his sonne Hercules to Euristeus To teache him to flye the voluptuousnes of the Thebanes and to accustome him with honest labour by following the vertues of Euristeus ¶ Wherof procedeth the diffrence betwene one man another By digressing from Philosophie I saie that it riseth through the trauell of the soule when it passeth into our bodies descending from God through the Lodiaque and the white Circle In which passage all soules take their affections and do participate with all the natures and mocions of eche Sphere and starre according to their aspectes ¶ What is Choler It is an angre sone come and soâ—e gone proceding of a feoble heate ¶ What is taken of the Planet Saturne Reason eloquence and vnderstanding as of Iupiter force of doing of Mars boldenes and of the heate of the Soune feeling and opinion and so forthe â–ª ¶ What is hatred It is an anger that hath taken roote ¶ What is discorde It is a frowardnes and anger comming of hatred which maketh men rebellious to the common wealth whiche in dede is the destruction of all humaine thinges ¶ What is Concorde It is a vertue which in short time maketh small and weake thinges to growe as Saluâ—t sayth Concordia paruae res crescunt ¶ Whye be Flatterers estemed worse then those that are false Bicause the false man doth but deceaue onelye but the Flatterer corrupteth men and therefore the Athenians punished Flatterers by death as Timagoras was ¶ What was the cause that Antigonus loste the moste parte of his kingedome and was constrained to make peace with the Romaines Bicause he gaue more eare to Flatterers then to Haniball that gaue him profitable counsell ¶ Why did Scipio the great refuse the title of moste mightie which the Spaniardes had geuen him Bicause chaunge of Title is a token of inconstancie more conuenient for women then men which made Cesar retourning from Alba to Rome to refuse the name king and conceaued hatred against Uitellius the father of Uitellius the Emperour bicause at his retourne home out of Siria he kneled downe to do him honor ¶ Why would Caesar neuer haue respecte to the saftye of his person although that his frendes daylye did counsell him therevnto Bicause he did lesse esteme the daunger of death then lyfe in continuall feare agreing therein to the sayinge of the Poete That it were better to be destroyed at one blow then doubtfully to attend the hazard of Fortune ¶ What moued Titus the sonne of Vespasian to pardon two gentlemen who not beinge contente to speake euell of him hadde also conspired to depose him from his Empire His good nature knowing besides that Empires and Kingedomes come from God and be bestowed vppon them whom his goodnes pleaseth to appointe ¶ What is the office of a good Prince To do well and not to care who speake euell of him ¶ Why had Epaminondas no regarde to be reuenged vppon them that spake euill of him Because he knewe that suche pacience proceded of the greate courage of the hearte ¶ What was the cause of the death of Sardanapalus His euell lyfe his lasciuiousnes wyth women and the litle iustice that he vsed ¶ Why was Marcellus created Consull of Rome with Cato that dyed at Vtica To the intent that by the gentle and good nature of Marcellus the seueritie and rigor of Cato might be moderated ¶ What caused Nero to cause the malefactour incontinently to be dispatched of life His naturall crueltye The contrarye rested in Cesar for rewarde whereof in thende he receaued hurte ¶ Why is dominion or rule so weightie a matter Bicause it is impossible to please all men ¶ Why would not Caligula the Emperour heare the accusation of any person Bicause he would that no man should hate him ¶ What induced Dionisius to geue ouer his good nature wherewith he was indued at the firste and to become cruell at the ende The mockes and cauillations of his subiectes who mocked him for his lokinge a squinte and for the grossenes of his bodie which is a notable example to beware of iesting and backbiting of princes ¶ Why did Phocion of Athenes blame Demosthenes because he spake euell of Alexander althoughe he was enemie to their countrye Bicause that Phocion like a wise man knewe that it serued for no other purpose but to pricke Alexander forwarde to make warre againste them Mennon for the same occasion wounded one of his souldiors saying I geue thee wages to fight with Alexander and not to speke euel of him ¶ Howe chaunced it that Neuius that excellent Poete was imprisoned by the Triumuiri at Rome Because he was a great Slaunderer speciallye of princes wherefore he was constrained when he was deliuered out of prison to make twoe comedies as it were for an honorable recompence whereof the one was called Areolus and the other Liontes wherein he vnsayde againe al that euer he spake before ¶ Why was Sisithcus the Poete driuen out of the Theatre by the Athenians For wryting against them that gaue themselues to Philosophie vnder the discipline of Cleanthes ¶ Why did the Magnesians crucifie Daffitas the Grammarian vpon the mount Thorax Bicause he did speake ill of many speciallye of Lisimachus their prince and dere soueraigne Lorde ¶ What is vertue It is a perfecte and entire reason which foloweth the mindes of the wise and procureth them to shunne and auoide vice ¶ What is Auarice A disordinate
appetite a cupiditie insatiable a disease whiche infecteth the person making man vile and effeminate But after the opinion of the Stoiks Plato declareth that he whiche desireth to be riche muste geue ouer his appetites and heape no treasure together Other Philosophers affirme that couetousnes is a disease that poisoneth the bodie and maketh the minde effeminate and can neuer be recouered ¶ Why was Acchius the king of Lydia slaine For his extreme couetousnes which caused him to make taxes newe impostes vpon his people to gather together muche treasout Wherfore inthende his people did cast him into the riuer Pactolus which is ful of fine gold to thintent he might glut him selfe with gold after which he so much thirsted The selfe same vice of couetousnes was thoccasion of the death of Crassus who was slaine by the Persians ¶ What is liberalitie To vse richesse indifferently that is to saye to spende nether to muche nor to litle so that it is as it were a meane betwene Couetousnes and prodigalitie ¶ Why was Scopas of Thessalia so muche contempned of the wise men in his time Bicause he counted him selfe happie for that his counting house was full of those thinges that neither profited himselfe nor yet any other ¶ What is it that maketh a man happie The brideling of disordinate appetites ¶ Why did Piso reprehend the liberalitie of the Emperour Otho Bicause he gaue not his riches but threwe them away Uertue casteth nothing awaie Uertue vsurpeth nothing of any other mans Uertue hath nede of nothing ¶ Who were they that were counted infamouse in Rome They that spent their goodes vpon dishonest thinges and they which did take fines to enriche them selues by vnlawefull meanes ¶ What was the cause of the euill name of Sylla Bicause he grewe verie riche in short tyme which made him to be suspected of briberie ¶ Why did Plato saie that to liue quietlye in a Citie bothe richesse and pouertie ought to be expelled Riches maketh a man proude and pouertie induceth him to euill ¶ Wherof commeth it that Caesar was once blamed for his liberalitie Bicause being but a priuate man he vsed disorâ—inate expences vnmete for his degree And it is to be noted that that which is Prodigalitie in a priuate person is magnanimitie in a Prince ¶ Howe did Nicias obteine the fauor of the people By spending and geuing his goods liberallie although he was not very much commended of the wise Alexandre was greatly praised for despising of worldly goodes esteming his true richesse to consist in his trendes ¶ Whiche are lawefull richesse Those whiche are well gotten and suche as dâ— serue vs and not we them ¶ What is angre It is a certaine boyling blodde burning in desire to be reuenged vpon him with whoÌ„ a man is offended is alwaies accompanied with wrathe ¶ What difference is there betwene angre and wrathe The one consisteth in the will the other in the dede and the one may be without the other euen as a man may be dronke and yet notwithstanding is no dronkarde that is to saye accustomed to be ouercome with wine ¶ Why did the Romanes ordeine that when their Armies did prepare to encountre certaine bandes should make hast to geue the onset and therwithall should vtter certeine vehement cries To astoine the enemie and to encorage their owne souldiors to fighte more fiercely ¶ Of what age ought he to be that is first trained in the wars to make him perfect in the arte of warfare The yonger he is the more perfect he shalbe in warfare as witnesseth Hanibal who at the age of tenne yeres followed his father Amilcar in the warres Scipio toke vpon him to be a souldior at .xvii. yeres of age ¶ Amonges the Auncientes who hath best deserued the name of a good and valiaunt Capteine I am of the opinion of Antigonus who iudged Pirrhus to be the hardiest capteine that euer serued in the warres and most happiest yf fortune had suffred him to liue out his tyme. ¶ Why was the campe of Mars at Rome appointed harde by the Riuer of Tybre To thintent after sweaâ—ing and exercise of armes the youthe to washe away their sweate and dust should entre into the Riuer not onely to bathe them selues but also to lerne to swimme a thing so necessarie in a souldior as Alexandre repented him selfe of nothing so muche as for that he neuer learned to swimme ¶ What causeth Idlenes Cato saide that by doing nothing men did learne to do euill ¶ From whence came the great hardines wherwith Horacius Cocles was indued when he susteined such a fierce assault geuen by the enemies vpon the wodden bridge of Tybre at Rome Bicause he coulde swymme And by the same meanes Ceser escaped from his enemies in the warres at Alexandria Sertorius also vsed the same passing the riuer of Rodanus ¶ Why did the Romanes erect an Image of Claelia on horsebacke and not otherwise Bicause they flying from king Porsenna she feared not to passe through the Riuer of Tyber on horsebacke Or elles as some saye bicause she being sente backe againe by the Senate of Rome to Porsenna she presented him a fayer Horse richely garnished ¶ Why did Lycurgus make the maidens of Sparta accustomablie to runne and wrastle naked To make them the stronger to abyde the trauell of childe ¶ What ought a man chiefely to aske of God according to the minde of Philosophers Good Fortune after a man is indued with vnderstanding howe to vse the same ¶ What maner of thing is it to be very iuste To haue the knowledge of diuine and humane thinges ¶ What is the most grieuouse disease that may happen vnto a Prince To loue Flatterers ¶ Why did Agammenon the king desire rather to haue in his companie tenne Nestors then tenne Aiaces Bicause the man that is wise is rather to be desired then he that is hardye For that occasion Antigonus desired alwaies to haue Zeno with him to geue him councell concerning the affaires of his Realme ¶ What bokes ought princes to reade that they might lerne to be good Those that geue them admonishment of their duetie for no manne dareth speake vnto them that thing without great feare whiche they maye finde in wryting ¶ What was the cause of the great frendship of Lisimacâ—us towardes Philippides the Comical Poete Bicause he did not flatter which is many times the propertie both of a Poete and of a courtier ¶ What is pleasure A recreation of the spirite prouoking mannes minde to thinke to inioye any thing although not grounded vpon reason and therefore it is alwayes an enemie to vertue ¶ What is Ioye or gladnes It is a motion of the spirite proceding of a certaine opinion of a thing which we hope to enioye and therefore is vnâ—emely for a manne of greate estate bicause it troubleth the minde and causeth it to passe the limittes of reason ¶ Is it requisite then to reioise with measure Yea chiefely to haue
respecte to the inconueniencie that might happen by to muche mirthe as it chaunced to those two Romane women that thought their children to haue bene dead in the iourney of Cannas which afterwardes souâ—denly retourned safe contrarye to their mothers expectations and as it happened to Chilo who died through to muche ioye ¶ To what thing oughte a manne to haue moste regarde To vertue then to his health after that to honest pleasures and finallye to richesse ¶ What is prodigallitie It is a perturbation of the minde diminishing vertue which consisteth in spending extraordinarily and without order of reason ¶ What was the cause of the death of Apisius that wrote so diligently of cokerie He killed him selfe with nothing els but gluttonie ¶ What is Ambition It is a troubling of the minde so vehement that it consumeth the hart and spirite with great desire to atteine to glorie dignitie and honor ¶ What is it that a man ought to couet in this worlde All thinges that are honest What is assuraunce It is a vertue proper to highe and lofâ—ie mindes whiche approcheth night vnto confidence And the propertie of that vertue is to make a man alwayes â—oke with a bolde and merye countenaunce not studyinge or takinge any care for ought that may chaunce and properlye it is a tranquilitie of the minde wherevnto Phocion greatlye exhorted Alexander the great but in vaine ¶ What is Magnificence It is a vertue proper onely to princes because it consisteth in greate and harde thinges and great expences ¶ Who is he that worthelye may be called liberall Aristotle saith that it is he which spendeth his reuenue in good order and vpon thinges desent ¶ Is there anye difference betwene liberalitie and magnanimitie Great difference although they seme to be but one He that is liberall oughte to haue respect howe muche he doeth spende what that thinge is worthe that he buyeth and aboue all thinges that he doe not excede in expence of his Reuenue The magnanimouse and honorable withoute anye care for publicke expence hath respecte onelye howe he may do some great and valiaunt enterpryse ¶ Amonges the Auncientes who hath bene most excellente in valiaunce Cesar And for that cause Marcus Bibulus whoe was companion with Cesar in the office of Edilis was wont to say that it chaunced vnto him as it did vnto Pollux because like as the temple dedicated to Caâ—â—or and Pollux was called onely the temple of Castor euen so all the valiance that Cesar and Bibulus vsed together in the time they were collegnes in that office redounded only to the honor of Cesar and not of Bibulus ¶ Who was the most excellent amonges the auncientes to acknowledge and recompence a good turne done vnto him Pirrhus of whom it is sayde that he was thought to haue dyed for anger that he had not time enough to succour one of his frendes ¶ What is the nature of an vnthankefull man To forget the taste of good turnes past if a man do not perseuer still in doinge him good ¶ Who loueth more either he that doeth the good tourne or he that receaueth the same He that receaueth a good tourne is debter to him that doeth it The nature of the debter is to shunne the company of his creditour and to disdaine him when he hath not wherewithall to paye him But the creditour desireth none other thing but the health of his debter whereby he maye finde meanes sometime to be payde ¶ What is Constancie It is a vertue whiche properlye resisteth sorowe and is contrarye to Inconstancye ¶ What is the propertie of Continencie To vanquishe and subdue the Fleshly lustes And although it be a harder matter to vanquishe then to fight and resist yet the Auncientes haue better estemed the continent man then the constant ¶ Amonges the constant who haue bene the most excellent Marius Cassius Sceuola Attilius Anaxarchus Zeno Citus Pomponius Leena the harlot Pirrhus and manye others whiche haue bene happie through constancie ¶ What is trust It is a sure hope and presage of a good turne that we hope for as thogh it should without all doubte happen vnto vs. ¶ Why was Chysippus disdained of all other Philosophers For his arrogancie for he boasted that he knewe all thinges ¶ Why was Hipocrates blamed of Arrogancie Bicause he wrote to Xerxes king of Persia that he woulde not vtter his knowledge vnto barbarous people ¶ And why was Zeuxes the painter also blamed of ArrogaÌ„cy Bicause when he had painted Helena he saide that Leda her mother for all that she was gotten with childe by Iupiter had not made Helena so fayre as he had painted her ¶ Howe oughte a manne to behaue himselfe towardes his frendes In suche sorte as a man must thinke that in time to come they should be enemies although that Cicero maketh a mocke at that opinion and saith that it is the poison of frendship ¶ Howe did Milâ—iades the sonne of Cimon of Athenes obteine so great renoume Bicause there was no man howe poore so euer he was but he woulde geue eare to his request ¶ Whye was Viriatus so muche estemed of the Portugalles who were wont to dispise all other Captens Bicause he was readie in fighte and knewe howe to defende himselfe ¶ Whye was Philip kynge of Macedonia so negligent and slowe in the warres Bicause he thought it better to ouercome his enemie by policie then with effusion of bloud ¶ Howe chaunced it that the Lacedemonians when they hadde obteined victorye by force of armes didde sacrifice a Cocke and when they came vpon the enemie by policie subtiltie or knowledge they sacrificed an Oxe Bicause they estemed policie better then strength ¶ What vertues apperteine vnto strength Magnanimitie confidence assuraunce valiaunce constancie stedfastnes and pacience ¶ Why was Fabius Maxi nus crowned vniuersallie throughout all Italie with Grasse Bicause that Crowne was ordeined for Captaines and Generalles that could conducte their souldiors to the warres and retourne with them againe without losse and effusion of bloud After that sorte did Antigonus escape from the furie of Pirrhus ¶ What ought a man principallie to espect in the warres Opportunitie which Pelopidas Pirrhus and Marcelâ—us knowing not howe to vse arriued very sone to the ende of their liues ¶ Why did the Lacedemonians beate their children vppon the aulter of Iupiter To vse them to be constant and to indure stripes without making complaint ¶ What was the reason of a Lawe placed in the .xii. Tables which was that the deade should not be wepte for Bicause weping and teares do witnesse a faynt and effeminate harte ¶ What meane the Poetes to bring in Princes and knightes lamenting their misfortune To mocke them secretely for without daunger they durste not do it openlie ¶ Wherof commeth it that Alcibiades was in his tyme compared to the fishe called in Italian Polpo Bicause he was of a nature so tractable that he could manne himselfe to all vses and fashions like to the
procedeth of a certaine honâ—stie of minde Many haue termed it to be the misteris of comelines and the mother of honestie ¶ What was the cause of the victorye that the Persians hadde against Astiagâ—s The shame that theyr wiues didde vnto theym when they fledde from the Battell whoe seinge them runne awaye lyke shepe lifting vp their garmentes smockes and all sayde vnto theym whither wyll ye ye cowardes and dasterdlye menne you that dare not stande to the battell Whither will ye flee Is there no waye lefte for you but to perse againe the wombes of your mothers Whiche manlike woordes although proceding from womens mouthes made that dasterdly nation to retourne and gaine the battell ¶ Wherein appered the honestie of Socrates so muche comâ—mended of the Auncientes Manye and sundrye wayes but speciallye in this pointe for when he hearde any one talke dishonestlie he hidde his head with his cloake vntill the other had done his tale ¶ What is Abstinence It is a vertue of the minde bridled by reason drawing vs from disordin ate appetites which we haue after the goodes of this world ¶ What is Continence It is a vertue of the minde which maketh our sensuall appetites subiecte to reason so that by abstinence couetousnes is refrained and through Continence Lecherie is chastised ¶ Who amongs the Auncients was estemed most abstineÌ„t Paulus Aemilius chiefelye in the victorye that he atchieued of the Persians and in the enterprises of Spaine and Macedonia Lucius Acummius at the ouerthrowe of Corinthe ¶ And in CoÌ„tinencie who hath excelled among the Ancients Cipio the great Alexander and Cesar. ¶ What is it that made the Corinthians infamouse Bicause they solde their daughters to enriche them selues ¶ What was the cause of the defamation of Messalina the wife of Claudius Her dishonest Intemperaunce and filthie lust who would not sticke to aduenture cumbat with any aduenturouse knight ¶ Howe did Hieron of Siracusa get so great fame beinge but the bastard sonne of a poore laboring man By great temperaunce honestie and valiaunce whiche did so shine in him that he was made captaine generall of the Syracusanes againste the Carthaginians and in the ende he behaued himselfe so well that he was made kinge ¶ What thinges are very honest Those which without respecte eyther of profite or commoditie doe deserue of them selues to be commended And honestie is no other thinge but a prouocation alwaies to do vertuouse dedes ¶ What was the cause of the glorie of Theseus The affection that he had to folowe the vertues of Hercules whiche caused him continually to be troubled both in bodie and minde ¶ In what vertue did Pomponius Atticus excell In modestie the companion of honestie Such also were Hanibal Publius Surus Anaxilaus Epictetus and king Philip of Macedonia ¶ What is the propertie of Chastitie To rule and gouerne the affections of the minde to chase away all disordinate appetites to conterpeise riot with reason and in all thinges to be constant ¶ What differeÌ„ce is there betwene Chastitie shamefastnes Chastitie is a generall chastisement of our affections be it either lecherie gluttonie or couetousnes But shamefastnes is tried onely in continuing from lechery Those women then that are chaste are suche as haue not committed offence neither in bodie nor thought But the shamefast are those which haue not had to do with any man but w t their owne husbaÌ„ds ¶ How did Euagoras king of Cyeras obteine so great renoume By not deceiuing any man for keping of his promisse gratefying his trends for his valiance for being enemie to vice al euel thoughts ¶ What is moderate sparing properlye It is a vertue nere vnto modestie which is so necessarie vnto man that without it he falleth into many vices It causeth man to spende nothing superfluously and to spare nothing that is necessary to be spent ¶ Howe may we godlely increase our goodes By moderate sparing and by tilling the earth ¶ What is sobrietie It is a vertue that ruleth drinking and eating without which other vertues are obscure ¶ Howe maye that man become sober that is insatiable in drinking and eating By considering the follies which they do that are dronke ¶ Why did the Lacedemonians vse in their feastes alwaies to cause one to be made dronke for example vnto their children To make their children to abhorre that beastlye vice ¶ Howe ought a man to drinke With suche moderation that he may abate his thirst auoiding dronkennes the disease of the head and stomacke which continually doe followe the same ¶ What did obscure the greate vertues of kinge Philip and Alexander the great his sonne Dronkennes the like happened also to Cyrus the lesse to Cato Promachus and to the sonne of Cicero ¶ What signifieth wine so disordinately taken The bloud of the earth conuerted into poison ¶ What made Massinissa of such great estimation Sobrietie and his being content with such victualles as the meaner souldiors vsed to eate And by that sobrietie he behaued him selfe so well that at four score and sixe yeres of age he begat a childe and at foure score and twelue he vanquished the Carthaginians ¶ Why did Solon ordeine that a man should lie with his wife but three times in a moneth only To accustome his people by litle and litle to shamefastnes a thing that aduaunceth not onely women but also men Howe may a man auoide all horrible and fearefull thinges By vertue by which thing onely moste cruell Tirauntes haue bene reformed ¶ Wherefore did Dimocritus put out his eyes To thintent he might not see the prosperitie and insolency of his country men whiche liued without Iustice and all kind of vertue ¶ What priuiledge haue braue and valiaunt men To be none of fortunes subiectes ¶ Is it possible to fynde perfecte valiaunce in one manne alone Homere thinketh not so and holdeth opinion that force and valiaunce in respect of other vertues in the same do many times receiue certaine furiouse assaultes Likewise he supposeth that there be many kindes of valiaunce for he praiseth Achilles for his angre Ulisses for his wisdome ¶ Why is it requisite for a souldior to be Cholerike Bicause Choler sturreth vp the harte and enflameth the sprite That is force sayeth Homere which entreth in at the nose and chafeth the blodde ¶ Amonges morall vertues which is the beste I thinke it to be force whiche by his vertue maketh a man not to feare death in an honorable enterprise and subdueth his harte to Iustice and wisdome ¶ Who was the firste that rewarded valiaunce with preciouse giftes Bachus was the firste that gaue presentes vnto valiaunt souldiors as Crownes Speares Cheines victories pictures and helmetes ¶ Howe did the wise define that vertue Diuerslie The disciples of Socrates saide that it was a vertue which willed man not to feare aduerse fortune to whom agreed Chysippus The Stoiques saide that it was an effection of the passionat mind which made men obedient to the
lawes without any feare The Schollers of Plato saide that it is a sure and stedfast meanes to chase awaie and receiue when time serueth all thinges which seme horrible Aristotle saith that it is a meane betwene hardines and feare ¶ What maketh a man to be lustie and valiaunt Desire of honor any glorie ¶ Itamus the souldior of Atigonus did he despise deathe for Glorie sake No but was content to dye bicause being a very wicked person he abhorred lyfe ¶ What meaneth it that Timiotheus the Musitian alwaies when he listed could cause Alexandre the great to entre battell and take vpon him armes and weapon and yet coulde neuer moue the braine of Sardanapalus That proceded of the nature of eyther of them which could not be altered without great difficultie Is there nothing besides Choler that doeth make a man to be valiaunt Sorrowe maketh a man to lowre although the true valiaunt man is constant both in sorrowe and harmes and sheweth alwaies a good face ¶ They that chauf through Choler or sorrowe may they be called valiaunt No but rather hardie cruell and furiouse ¶ Do you thinke it a good thinge to be reuenged vpon the enemies Yea yf the reuengement be done by vertue and valiaunce of harte and not by a passion ¶ What is the propertie of a valiaunt man Not to feare that thing which semeth fearefull vnto him and that onely for a zeale that he hath to honor and not by constraint ¶ Thinke you that despaire doeth not sometimes inflame the hartes of men to be coragiouse and valiaunt Virgil thinketh yea by saying that Optima Spes victis nullam sperare salutem But I suppose that desperaunce inflameth our hartes againste our selues and not against others ¶ Thinke you also that necessitie maketh a man valiaunt I wold suppose so for so much as necessitie constraineth a man to do what she list And so were the Ambronians constrained by their wiues to fight ¶ Why did the Santians kill them selues Bicause they wer in dispaire that they should neuer recouer their libertie ¶ Maye a man place hope amonges the number of Morall vertues Many haue estemed it to be the quene of vertues ¶ Who is the master of all thinges Use. For which cause the Souldior that is not accustomed to battelâ— dareth scarce shewe his face to the enemie ¶ Whervnto ought a good Capteine principallie to haue respecte To common profit rather then to his owne perticuler commoditie Suche was the aduise that Pelopidas the Generall of Thebes receued of his wife as he was going to the warres ¶ What is the chiefe ende of magnificence To gette Frendes ¶ Why were Caeseres giftes beste estemed although they were lesse then others Bicause he gaue them with a good will and with his owne hande Uoluntarie giâ—tes do engendre more fauor towards him that geueth them and bindeth him more that receiueth them ¶ In what thing is magnificence most apparaunt eyther in building and repayring of condues and mines or in Sepulchers Temples Steples Labyrinthes or Libraries I thinke the building and foundation of Cities for it acquireth and winneth vnto man great reputacion and the memorie therof is more then for euer As appeareth by the fame of Tyton the father of Mâ—nnon S myramis quene of Babilon Smirra the quene of the Amazones Philotidas Nelius â—thamantes Teucer Antiochus Perseus Alexandre Augustus Caesar Marcellus Titus Labienus Liuius Mutuis Pompelius Cornelius Sempronius and other builders of Cities ¶ Why did the Persians establishe a lawe against those that were ingrate Bicause they knewe ingratitude to be the spring of all vice the enemie of nature the poyson of amitie and the ruine of gentlenes and benignitie ¶ What was the cause of the deathe of Epaminondas Bicause he would haue saued his Armie besides Mantinea The like did Paulus Aemilâ—â—s although Uarro his companion did the contrarie through whose temeritie and necligence the Romanes receiued that great ouerthrowe at Cannas ¶ Wherof came it that the ordinaunces which Lycurgus made for the state of the warres were so greatly estemed Bicause they still tended to honorable victorie ¶ Howe like you the sayinge of Caesar whiche is that a man ought not to violate Iustice but at such tyme when he desireth to reigne and gouerne Forsothe I lyke it so well as a thing most vnrighteouse and wrongful ¶ What was the cause that the Lacedemonians loste their Monarchie and Empire The vnsaciable desire that they hadde to surmount the whole worlde which caused them to haue enemies on euerie syde The lyke incited the kinges of Grecia against Athenes wherfore mediocritie is commendable in all thinges ¶ Wherof proceded the ordinaunce that the Grekes made to punishe the Souldior that had abandoned the weapons of defence and not them that had cast away the weapons of offence Bicause the Souldior should be better aduised to defend himselfe then to assaile And for that cause the Romanes in the warres did put their braceletes vpon their lefte arme and not vpon their right ¶ What is Magnanimitie It is a certeine greatnes of courage wholie bent and disposed to honor in suche wise as he can not be stoute or magnanimouse which is not honest and vertuouse ¶ Wherfore was the Temple of vertue placed by Marcellus before the Temple of honor To declare that honor is gotten by vertue ¶ What is the propertie of him y t is magnanimouse valiaunt To enterprise and do things difficill and great without hope of recompence and with modestie and subrieâ—ie to talke of the same ¶ What is the principall vertue that a Prince can desire To aspire to be the best in doing well ¶ What moued Caesar to sâ—nde home Ptolome king of Alexandria his prisoner considering the ill willes that the Alexandriâ—â—â— hare vnto him Bicause he thought to winne more honer to fight with a kinge then with a multitude 〈◊〉 oute a 〈◊〉 ¶ What was the ouerthrowe of Galba Bicause he committed his gouernment to an other and would not vnderstand the state of the same but referred all to certaine noughtie persons which were about him ¶ Wherefore would not Alexander geue eare to the counsell of Parmenio who aduised him to assaile his enemies in the night Bicause he estemed that rather to be the acte of a thefe then of a valiant captaine which ought to fight by vertue and not by policies ¶ What maner of thing is Slouth Tullie doeth say that it is a certaine feare which the slouthfull manne conceueth in him selfe of the labor paine that he ought to do and is contrary to diligence Demosthenes was not to be reprehended herein for he was angry that day that he sawe an artificer or crafts man rise before him for which cause Pithias the Oratour was wont to saye that the workes of Demosthenes did smell of the oile and candell ¶ What was the cause that â—ibâ—rius the Emperour loste the whole countrye of Armenia which was taken from him by the
loueth ¶ Why doe louers so often breake their faith and promis one to an other Youth aboundeth in heate and is subiect to diuerse and many thinges and can not staie it selfe in one thought wherby it procedeth that the auncientes haue made Uenus the mother of Loue whom many Louers do followe ¶ Doe ye thinke that by Magique arte the heart of an obstinate woman maie be mitigated to condiscend to the pleasure of a Louer All they that haue written of Naturall thinges affyrme the same The Diuines saie contrarie And I in the diuersitie of opinions in so great men dare not declare mine owne ¶ Is it possible that a couetouse man may become amorouse The forces of Loue haue alwaies beene more braue and fine then those of couetousnes So I beleue that Loue can not onelie make the Couetouse liberall but also prodigall for as the couetouse haue had no measure to get goodes so they may haue as litle to spend them yf they thinke that by money they maie inioye the thing that they loue ¶ Wherfore haue men more libertie then women to loue in moe places then one Take modestie shamefastnes and feare from women and ye take awaie their life which chaunceth not to man ¶ Wherfore be Louers continuallie readie to demaund the hartie good will of them that they loue The harte is the feate of desire and of all knowledge all which be readie to obey the thing that it loueth the ymage wherof representing it selfe pleasant before the eyes of Louers doeth rauishe from them both the hart and the principall partes And therof it commeth that being as it were robbed of them selues and oppressed with intollerable bondage they require with all importunitie to be restored and placed in their intire and former estate ¶ Wherof commeth it that commonlie we suffer our selues to be allured to loue thinges wherof there is no hope to atteine vnto That is for lacke of knowledge of the beginninges of Loue the which are light and litle And although that all hope is cut of and taken from vs to inioye the swete embracementes which Loue doeth promis Neuertheles the beautie of the thing beloued doeth delight vs and the remembraunce therof doeth occupie the braine Suche passions haue bene called of our elders domâ—ne desires bycause they doe still and stealinglie possesse the hart vnware and by litle and litle take increase And our reason should not be hindred yf it were susteined by hope ¶ Wherfore be all the ioyes of Louers vncerteine Bycause in loue there doe dailie chaunce diuerse casualties as suspicion Ialousie feare angre Peace refuse disdaine ¶ Why is Loue compared to a Darke laberinth or Maso Bycause the entrie and comming in is easie and the goyng out impossible ¶ Wherfore doe men compare loue to a Crocodill The nature of a Crocodill after the mind of those that haue written of natural thinges is to followe those that flye from him and to flye from them that doe followe him And so is it with Loue. Therfore I geue councell that who soeuer will inioy theffecte of his desires that he be not to sharpe and egre to pursue and followe his Ladie ¶ Beleue ye that Loue good iudgement maie be together I beleue no for then the foule and deformed should neuer be beloued But we see not onelie the contrarie to happen but which is worst those that be the vilest indewed with moost treason and least loyaltie and faith howe foule so euer they be are moost commonlie best beloued Wherof commeth it that diuerse which loued feruentlie to haue some comfort did soudenlie lose that great heate of loue All vehement loue doeth not longe continewe for within a while the spirite hath leasure to examine it selfe and to retourne to due vnderstanding thinking vpon all thinges that might violate and corrupt the same wherby the sensuall appetites be by this meanes restrained ¶ Why doe men call loue bothe flame and fyre It is not possible better to expresse howe insupportable a thing it is considering the heate of the desires which it ingendreth in the hartes of his seruantes and the tirannie that he vseth towardes those whiche are vnder his power whom he bringeth to ruine and consumeth like fyre without any pitie ¶ What is the cause that Louers take pleasure to retourne so often to those places where they haue had ioye and solace of their loue Bycause in so doing they conceiue Ioye and the memorie of that which they moost loue doeth refreshe them And yt semeth then that this remembraunce doeth double the pleasure alreadie receiued ¶ Why are men rather amorouse then women For that they are of hoter complexion and their spirites more quicke and prompte ¶ Why be wemen more firme and stedfast in loue then men Bycause thinges which of them selues be colde be lesse subiect to mobilitie and inconstancie then those that be hotte ¶ Wherof commeth it that women be more easelie perswaded to be loued then men Bycause they esteme them selues muche more then there is cause ¶ But why be they angrie or why doe they frowne and lower when men saie they be foule or olde Foulenes moost commonlie commeth of age and age is the high waie to death which naturallie doeth anoye and displease all persons ¶ Wherfore is it saide that the coughe and the passion of Loue can not be kept secret They be two thinges of great force for the coughe troubling the bodie can scantlie be concealed or hidden Loue is a passion proceding of a certeine fyer which by the eyes is discouered and manifesteth it selfe by the coulor of the face and by all the actes of a Louer it maie be comprehended and knowen so that without great paine and difficultie it can not be hidden ¶ From whence do the amorouse send forth so many sighes Their continuall thoughtes sende all the heate to the harte wherof it commeth that necessarilie it is conuenient for them to respire and breath of which respiration sighinges be forced wherby the coldnes of the ayer is drawen to temper the inwarde heate That maie also ryse of the consideration of the time lost of the detestation that commeth of lecherie of the vâ—â—inision of honor reputacion and finallie that the successe of dishonest loue is tragicall noysome furiouse and miserable ¶ Wherfore haue the auncient painted loue holding floures in one hande and fyshe in thother To shewe that Loue is a lorde bothe of Sea and lande ¶ Thinke you that loue doeth yelde greater force corage and strength to him that doeth combat and fight in the presence of his Ladie There is nothing more certeine And for this cause was brought in and ordeined the braue and lustie companie of the errant and wandering knightes to geue pleasure to Ladies by Iustes and turneis ¶ Who receiueth moste contentacion the victoriouse and louing knight or the gentlewoman for whom he hath fought The knight as I suppose ought to be best contented as hauing cause to