desirous to attaine vnto and with knowledge willing to comprehend whereof he is not able to giue preceptes and sufficient to teach and instruet So often as I make inquisition search after any abstruse and mystical matter he is my treasure he is my storehouse O what trueth and honestie is in his language what authoritie resteth in his countenaunce and what maiestie what decencie there is in his delayes and in his doubtfull demaundes what subtiltie and quicknesse of wit what is it whereof he is ignorant and yet notwithstanding he laboureth oftentimes in a laberynth of vncertaintie he doubteth in diuersitie and sundrie sortes of causes which he thresheth and sifteth in such sort that the verie originall and beginnings of them are by him rehearsed discerned examined and considered Furthermore howe parciall and sparing in diet how moderate in apparel and cloathing When I enter into his chamber and cast my rolling eyes from corner to corner yea when I beholde his bed and the necessarie furniture there vnto belonging I sée a liuely representation and image of the frugalitie and thriftinesse which was in high estimation among our ancestours These things are beautified with the noblenes of his nature which referreth nothing to ostentation painted popularitie and vaine glorious opinions but trieth al things with the touchstone of conscience and weygheth whatsoeuer commeth in question to be decided in the balance of iustice and equitie The reward of a good déede he fetcheth not from the reporte of the people but sifteth it out of the circumstances wherby the cause is knowne To knit vp all in a summarie no man would be so madde and ouerséene as to account any one of those which by outward gesture habite of the body make a iollie shew a glose of singular wisdome comparable to the man whom I haue mencioned He is no idle talker eyther in hall or gallerie Neyther doth he make other mens leasure and his owne quietnesse delightsome with tedious disputations but sitting in his long gowne or riche robe is occupied in suche matters as are of him to be determined He is a furtheraunce to many in being their aduocate and an helpe in hassard to such as vse his counsell in chastitie in vprightnesse in iustice in constancie he is préeminent and no mans inferiour If a man were in his companie and saw his behauiour he would be astonished such is his patience in suffering the sharpe assaultes of his sicknesse in resisting the violence of sadnesse and sorrowe in wrestling with thirst which requireth moyst recepts in passing through the incredible heate of burning feuers without shrinking Not many dayes agoe he called me and diuers of myne acquaintaunce vnto him whome he loued entirely and desired vs to resorte to physâ—…cians for counsell and of them to learne the extremitie and vttermost daunger of his infirmitie and disease that if it were past remedie he might prepare him voluntarlly to leau this life but if it were in difficultie and yet not in despaire he might resist and struggle with it till suche time as perfect health were to be recouered For the petitions of his louing wife the lamentations and teares of his deare daugh ter and the state of vs his good friends are not to be neglected all which premisses are directed to one limitted marke namely that he would not cancell our hopes if at least wise they were of assuraunce and not built vpon vanitie with voluntarie death That thing doe I estéeme and iudge hard vneasie and worthy of principall commendation For to runne as it were with a certaine force and violence to death is common to many but to vse deliberation concerning the end of life to consider of the causes which depend therevpon aduisedly and as reason prescribeth so to be persuaded eyther to liue or dye is the propertie of a well disposed minde and a certaine token of a man armed with valiauntnesse As for the physicians of whome we asked counsel they put vs in good comfort promising that all things will turne to the bâ—…st and that there is little feare of daunger to death It remaineth that God say Amen to their warrants that he disburthen me of this care conceiued of whiche when I féele my selfe deliuered I will to my Laurenâ—…inum a fresh that is to my bookes to my noting tables and such exercises of learning as are both quiet and fruitfull For continuing where I am I haue no leasure to reade neyther yet any lust to write such is mine inwarde anguishe You vnderstande what it is that I feare and you knowe what I wish besides that what I haue purposed hereafter to attempt you are not ignorant As for your self I would haue you write more largely that letters may haue passage and repassage betwéen vs twaine and that I may be informed how you haue bene exercised how you are presently occupied and whervnto you will apply your time your wit your labour and your leasure My distressed condition shall be indifferently redressed seasoned with measurable consolation if you cease from complaining haue no cause by smart anguish to lament C. Plinius to Pompeio Falconi THE ARGVMENT This Epistle runneth wholy vpon resolutions For as it appeareth a question was demaunded whether a Tribune might pleade at the barre wherevnto answere is made with sundrie reasonâ—… YOu aske my counsell and aduice whether I thinke it requisite that in y office of the tribuneship you shuld plead causes It is a thing not lightly to be regarded that you consider what that office is whether it be a vaine shadow and a naked title destitute of honour or a religious authoritie against which magistracie as no compulsorie meanes should be vsed so ought they y beare the same office not to trie any man by constraint At what time I was a Tribune or protectour of the people I might peraduenture haue offended in thinking my selfe to be that whiche I was not and then did I abstaine from pleading causes and medled not in matterâ—… which in common place of iudgement are â—…o be 〈◊〉 First byâ—…ause I supposâ—…d it a great 〈◊〉 and disorder that he to whome all men ought in rising to reuerence and in giuing place to vse most worshipfully â–ª should stand on his feete like an abiect whiles all other sit in prepared plaâ—…es and that he y might by authoritie commaunde al men to be huiâ—…t and silent should haue his tong limited and tied â—…o the running of an houre glasse anâ—… that he whâ—…in in talke to interrupt and hinder â–ª was counted a thing 〈◊〉 tâ—…lerable should haue contumelies and reproches ringing about his eares whiche if he sought not to recompence by reuengement then was he thought straight way a cowardly beast and if he would not let them passe without 〈◊〉 and payment of some smart then was he thought proud and insolent This was also a horrible heart griefe when as eyther he whose
stately préeminence which Royall condition and Emperiall dignitie is allotted to your maiestie Againe let this be your meditation that your noble name and flourishing fame cannot be empaired but that it shal be quall to your martiall exployts when those Barbarians prouided that they who are conformable to your maiestie and to your graces regimeÌ„t not rebellious be not among the number be inforced by compulsorie meanes to yealde seruice to the Graecians and when you haue constrained that king who is nowe named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mightie Monarche to put those things in practise whiche are limitted vnto him by your royall commaundement The present estate being as it is your maiestie maye with more facilitie and ease consummate and perfourme these matters then you attained that power and noblenesse which by the assistaunce of your auncient kingdome you recouered Nowe there remaineth nothing ouer and besides this but that among the Gods as one of their number you be ascribed This one thing I am to thinke a benefite of myne age bycause I haue liued till such time as to sée such things as my minde was occupied about in my young yeares both in mine Oration called Panegyrica and in that also whiche I sent to your maiestie intituled Philippica which I wrote with myne owne hande partly put already in execution and for that I rest in hope also they shall hereafter be accomplished and perfourmed Isocrates to Philippo ¶ THE ARGVMENT He commendeth highly and notably his scholer and â–ª friende Dâ—…odotus together with his sonne giuing priuie precâ—…pts to Philippe to get him wise counselers and not to misâ—…ike the liberall language of his wel willers in admonishing him of things tending to his profite ALthoughe among vs it be a perilous attempt to proâ—…e the conueying of letters into Macedòâ—…a not onely nowe that wée are at warte with you but also in the time of peare yet not withstanding haue determined and 〈◊〉 to direct an Epistle to your highnesse concerning Diodotus For I thinke reason requireth that I accompte of my familiar friendes whose desertes to vs ward clame â—…course of duetie as of persons not contemptiâ—…ie but worthiâ—…â—…stimation and touching him in whose behalfe I deale by writing I cannot giue too great a testimonie of courtesie in consideration of his beneuolence to vs extended and the integritie of his behauiour plainly signified I was very willing to commend him to your maiestie vnto whome after that accesse was graunted by others mediation vnto your highnesse thus much remayned vnto mee to accomplish namely in his cause to giue some testimoniall that the knowledgâ—… which your grace hath of him and hée likewise of your highnesse may bée by my meanes confirmed ratified and established For insomuch as many and diuers sortes of men amonge whom the greatest part be of good countenaunce honourable and renowmed haue framed themselues to my conuersation othâ—…rsome also flourished in elâ—…quence wisedome poliâ—…ie and déedes of armes and some againe in modestie of life were singular and for decencie in maners verie much commended being otherwise altogether vnapt for other vses in other exercises vnexpert and ignorant yet this one odd man of whom present mention is made such is the dexteritie readinesse of his witt such are his rare ornaments whereby nature and Arte haue beautified him that in all the premisses and aboue cited cyrcumstaunces hée is most cunning most perfect and in no one point vnfurnished Which thinges I durst not presume to auouche but that I am so farre from being deceiued in the man that what he is within and without in affections of minde and outward actions I am most ab solutely instructed and that I also thought your maiestie hath atteined the vnderstanding of this report aswell by 〈◊〉 of your familiar méetinges as also by the information of them to whom hée is well knowne and acquainted Of whome there is not so much as one except hée be inflamed with extreme enuie and meruelous maliciously minded but will râ—…port him to be a man of singular eloquence and in wise counsell to none inferiour besides that in iustice incomparable in modestie matchlesse to auarice or couetousnesse a bitter aduersarie and in all the trade of his life a pleasaunt companion and courtecus in behauiour Moreouer that hée hath vttâ—…raunce at will vtteraunce I say replenished with decencie abhorring whatsoeuer is vnseemely yea such is his libertie of speach as of right it â–ª may be reputed a manifest ar gument of his beneuolence towards his friends and fauourers which being in déede not discommendable such as amoÌ„ge men be of principalitie and honourable estate as haue their mindes so affected as the maiestie and countenaunce of their empire requireth highly reuerence as a thing passing commodious and profitable As for those whose natures are not correspondent to the greatnesse of their power and dominion they I say as a morssell of too hard digestion crie away with it for it is cumbersome as thoughe thereby they were compelled to put something in execution which to their owne wills is repugnaunt not vnderstanding when deliberation is had concerning profite those that in speach dare stand in contradiction to affoord vnto them excéeding great abilitie to compasse what they wil. For it is conuenient and necessarie that such as studie deuise meditate and occupie their braines to speake all thinges to please and nothing to offend cannot by any meanes establishe the dominions of kings which drawe after them great and manifold dangers and such in déede as depâ—…d vpon necessitie and caÌ„not be auoidâ—…d but that they are altogether insufficient to confirme the libertie of commonwealthes which doubtlesse are in somewhat more safetie It is a thing well beséeming such as for the commoditie and adâ—…auntage of their hearers smoulther not the inward thoughtes of their minds with secret silence but vtter freely whatsoeuer they thinke conuenient to bée so estéemed off as of men not vnable of many things to procure the preseruatioÌ„ which othâ—…rwise séemed very nigh ruine and desolation In consideâ—…ation of which foresaid premisses it ought of right to be prouided y princes gouernours and such as are plaÌ„ted in seates of authoritie should more estéeme the woords of them that tell the trueth with simplicitie then the smoth speaches of them that speake all thinges to currie fauour and yet indéede say nothing that deserueth fauour Neuerthelesse of custome it commeth to passe that some and of them not a fewe make more accompt of such as fawne on them with flatterie then of those that affirme the manifest veritie Which was a great occasion that certaine of the nobles and péeres of Asia disquieted Diodotus towardes the commoditie of whom although hée was touched with a careful consideration as appeared not onely by ministring wholsome counsells but also in déedes of armes and putting himselfe out to daungeroâ—…s aduentures yet notwithstanding in so
doubted least it runne in report of slouthfulnesse and ignoraunce or else of timorousnesse and fearefulnesse Fare you well C. Plinius to Saturnino THE ARGVMENT Writing to Saturninus he declareth what a pleasure it is to him to see and heare friendship flourish among men of vertue and honestie In the end of the Epistle he is grieued that Saturninus is busily occupied in matters of suites of lawe that he cannot haue his companie NExt immediatly vnto our friend Priscus because such was your commaundement I haue most willingly and liberally perfourmed the dueties of thankfulnesse For it is vnto mée the pleasauntest thing in the world vniuersall that you being men not of the basest degrée nor yet of the meanest maners and behauiours besides that such whom I loue most sincerely and farre aboue al other cleaue so closely together in frendly conuersation that you thinke your selues mutually bound and tied in knottes of perpetual kindnesse For hée coâ—…fesseth and protesâ—…eth also that by the benefite of your friendshippe hée perceiueth himselfe a communicant and partaker of singular delectations contending and struggling as it were to outrunne and conquere you in the most honest combate of concord and kindnesse wherunto processe of time will giue large and plentifull increase That you are intangled and earnestly occupied in buisie matters I am for this cause somewhat sorrie for that your seruice being yoked to such necessitie cannot satisfie our desires Howbeit if by the helpe of the Iudge the one controuersie may be finished and by your paines the other also accomplished you shall beginne first where you are to enioy rest and quietnesse and afterwards as you finde your selfe sufficed towards vs to addresse your iourney Fare you well C. Plinius to Fusco THâ—… ARGVMENT Hee teacheth Fuscus how to bestowe his time commending that kinde of studie which is applied to translating out of one tonguâ—… inâ—…o another wheruppon by the way he toucheth many circumstances Hee sheweth also by specialtie wherein it is good to bee exercised And though Plinie wrote this Epistle to one particular man laying before him as it were a platforme of studie yet I see no cause to the coÌ„trarie but these precepts of Plinie may serue as well to teach all young studentes an order and methodâ—… in studie to be obserued YOu demaunde of mée a question and what is it but to be instructed how I thinke it were best for you to bestowe time now that you are in solitarinesse and sequestred from companie Mine aunswere to your question is this That in my iudgement you shall finde this exâ—…rcise very profitable if you frame your self to interprete out of the Gréeke tongue into the Latine or iâ—… you tranâ—…late out of the Latine speach into the Gréeke In which point of practise the propertie of the language is to be pondered gaynesse of woords to be followed abundaunce of tropicall and figuratiue floures to be obserued and finally a patheticall and veheâ—…ent order in writing to be continued Moreouer through imitation of the best most approued Authors abilitie to coÌ„prehend the like thinges is obteined and that wherin the reader wanteth vnderstanding is much deceiued the translatour hauing the direction of knowledge and the ende of art is not rauished yea by the exercise of translating wée purchase perseueraunce by the vse of the same our iudgement incliâ—…eth to ripenesse There is also some aduauntagâ—… to bée gotten to write that downe which you read in wordes of a contrarie tongue to the intent that the whole substaunce and argument of that which the booke conteineth may be ingraffed iâ—… your memorie to conferre and examine that which you haue written with that which you haue read and so diligenâ—…ly to consider wherein your Author hath aptly framed his inuention and you not vnorderly dealt in your translation Great gladnesse wil be offered if in some thinges you amend your Authour Great shame and discredite also will insue if in all pointes he shewe more skilfulnesse and bring his matters to more perfection It shal be lawfull also for the translatour tâ—… choose and pick out such thinges as be most manifest and apparant then afterwardes to canuasse and sift them with discretiâ—…n A bould and presumptuous kinde of contention I must acknowledge this to bée yet neuerthelâ—…sse not euill or malicious and why because it is secretly practised These and such like contentioâ—…s I wot wel many haue attempted and thereby wonne commendation whiles they wanted not sufficient abilitie to followe after as it were in a châ—…e and despaiâ—…ed not likewise to outrunne the ringleader and thereby to gett ground By translating this commoditie ariseth to renew that in memorie which sometime you read haue forgotten to retâ—…ine many thinges â—…n minde when time serueth to be vttered to passe ouer many circumstances vppon consideration to interline here for necessitie there for exornation to reiect that which is written by writing it againe This exercise I must confesse is laborious and paineful yea it is replenished with toile and tediousnesse On the other sâ—…de againe in that by the difficultie hardnesse of the work perfection is recoâ—…ered where much was out of square resâ—…itution of strength gotten which was diminished the commoditie is answearable in proportion measure to the wearisomnesse of the labour For end to put too newe â—…immes ioyntes and members to the perfourmed body not displacing them that it had before is another pleasure which redouÌ„deth to the Translatour I know that at this instant your studie standeth principally in playing the Oratour howbeit I labour not by persuasion to win you to the pracâ—…ise of this skirmishing warlike and fâ—…ghting style For as ploughed lands are sâ—…atered sometime with this seede sometime with that because varietie is profitable so our witts in like maner are to bee exercised one while with this meditation another while with that because diuersitie draweth with it much pleasure My counsell moreouer in this case is that you buckle your selfe to translate some what out of histories and that in writing epistles you vse great diligence For it commeth to passe many times and oft that vppon vrgent necessitie wée must as it were leuen our Orations with historical narrations and béesprinckle the same also with Poetical descriptions as for epistles by them this commoditie is gotten not onely a methode in writing and speaking compact in breuitie but the selfe same also full of smoothnesse and puritie Furthermore it is permitted to the translatour to take the benefâ—…te of relaxation and refreshing his musing minde with versifying I do not meane in that wherein ampliâ—…cations and large discourseâ—… are vsed For I am not ignoraunt that to the 〈◊〉 of such an eâ—…terprise much leasure and labour is required but that rather which as it is quicke and wittie so is it short also and not tedious which dispenseth with all maner oâ—… cares and businesse whatsoeuer They are
Abderitish citizens muche thankes is giuen you for this your embassage For I haue both seene also had conference with Democritus a man so furnished with knowledge and inriched with wisedomes wealth that he alone can make men sober moderate graue and continent These things had I to write touching Democritus déere fréende Damagetus which I giue you to vnderstand with towardnesse of will no doubte to the contrarie Fare you well Diogenes to Hipparcha ¶ THE ARGVMENT He writeth to Hipparcha a fauourer of his secte and profession willing her to continue vnuariable euen to the end in those preceptes of Philosophie which she had learned shewing her wayes and meanes to keepe her from doing the contrarie I am muche delighted in you and the ioy whiche you minister vnto mée excéedeth measure and why because you being a woman giue your selfe to the knowledge of Philophie mainteining our opinion with the precisenesse wherof the mindes of men are amased As therefore your beginning is praiseworthie so do your vttermost endeuour to make an answerable ending which vnto you shall not séeme so hard to compasse I am well assured if you frequent the companie of Crates a man indued with rare wisdome and swarue not from the documentes and preceptes of vs the authors of Philosophie Write often vnto vs for letters haue in theÌ„ muche force and vertue yea no lesse effectuall be they then present reasoning and conference Diogenes to Hipponi THE ARGVMENT He writeth his opinion briefly touching death sheweth that as a man is before he is begotten so is he when soule and body bee separated wherupon he exhorteth Hippo not to be touched with any terrour of thinges to come hereafter adioyning his reason lastly he concludeth with his owne phantasticall determination YOur will is that I write somewhat vnto you touching death and the graue after mine owne iudgement as if you should not proue a perfect Philosopher except we teach you as our scholer I am therefore of this opinion that it is enough for vs to leade our liues according to the prescripte rule of nature and vertue whiche thing is not beyonde our capacities to comprehend And as for thinges after deathe I thinke they are then euen as they were before their life For as a man is before his byrthe so is he after his death Let not the feare of any thing to come turne you to disquietuesse of minde sithence you shal be senselesse and quite voide of life and féeling As for mée selfe I haue determined when I am dead to haue my staffe lying close by my carkasse that what beast byrde or vermine so euer come to do me harme and annoyaunce I maye ehace them away Phalaris to Pythagoras THE ARGVMENT Writing to Pythagoras the Philosopher to come vnto him he beginnâ—…th first with the difference of bothe their estates shewing that daily keeping companie and vse of conference will make thinges that be contrarie to growe to agreement he seemeth also to excuse himselfe of suche reportes as were blased abroade touching his vnmercifull tyrannie and so wishing to be with 〈◊〉 concludeth THe principalitie of Phalaris differeth many degrées from the Philosophie of Pythagoras yet notwithstanding there is no cause to y contrarie but though things be in such case we may take triall experience of our selues For it may so fall out that conuersation and daily keeping companie may drawe those things into an vnitie wherein there is excéeding great contrarietie We according to the report that is noised abroade of your worthinesse take you to be a man of rare knowledge and in your facultie most excellent neither will we otherwise be persuaded I woulde not haue you giue iudgement of our dooings till you be further instructed For the false opinion whiche is conceiued of mée dooeth so moue mée that I am not a litle offended I cannot haue safe accesse vnto you because of the tyrannie whereof I am accused If I should come vnarmed without defence of Guarde I were easily taken of mine aduersaries if I should come furnished with harnesse and weapon and a band of souldiours attending on my person I shoulde be suspected As for you the case standeth in no doubt or daunger For you may haue passage vnto mée and suffer no annoyaunce you may leade your life in my companie with out occasion of terrour and of my dooinges you may take due trial no maner of inconuenieÌ„ce vnto you redounding If you beholde mée as I am a tyrant you shal rather finde mée a priuate commoner then one aduaunced to such a kinde of gouernement and if you consider of mée as of a priuate person yet so shal you finde mee as hauing somewhat incident of necessitie to a tyraunt For I can not by anâ—… meanes possesse this principalitie without crueltie And surely if humanitie and gentlenesse may without perill accompanie tyrannicall regiment then not onely in consideration of other circumstances but for this cause also do I wishe to bée with you For by your admonitions I shall attempt a way to rule with more clemencie if together with the preceptes of Pythagoras trueth be so vnited lincked as I may haue promise to lead my life in quietnes assuraunce of safetie Phalaris to Locrito THE ARGVMENT This letter of consolation is written to Locritus whose sonne waâ—… slaine in battell The comfort whiche Phalaris doth minister vnto him is drawne from three seuerall reasons The first from his valiantnesse the second because his death was honourable the third from the integritie of his life Finally he exhorteth Locritus not to be ouermuche grieued for the losse of his sonne IN that you take the death of your sonne so sorrowfully you are vndoubtedly to be pardoned Yea I my selfe pity your case as much as may be and considering the same am no lesse gréeued then any other of your fréendes what soeuer although I séeme in a muche harder condition for this cause y I knowe this to be true that with such as be ouerwhelmed in Seas of anguish and suffer extréeme torments of aduersitie bare wordes are not auailable Neuerthelesse you ought to be comforted and this should be a Souereigne consolation vnto you in this calamitie First because your Sonne died in the quarel of his countrie like a valiant Martialist secondly because in the very triumphe and victorie his death was moste honourable according to the appointment of his destinie and lastly because his life was so vpright y the same was blemished with no stain of filthinesse his death in soughten fielde finishing his noble vertues For it is a thing very vncertaine whether a good mans life may be chaunged to a woorse For in thinges belonging to man Fortune for the most part and not their owne willes hath Dominion Whosoeuer therefore dyeth without reprehension his estate is moste honourable moste glorious and triumphant Persuade your selfe so that you haue receiued of him recompence sufficient bothe for the benefite
Because a free citie was forced to serue Againe being demanded what punishment their hatred hostilitie which they shewed against mée with such outrage did deserue they made this answer that they thought deathe a fit reward for their offence In consideration of which circumstances perceiuing also their valiant harts souldierlike stomaches how litle they regarded to dye I déemed theÌ„ worthie to liue and therefore spared them and gaue them bothe pardon Wherefore whatsoeuer you haue in your handes that you tooke from them at suche time as you sent them vnto mée like prisoners restore them vndiminished that they may haue no occasion of iniurie offred them wherby they should against vs and our dealinges raise any complaint Synesius to Anastasio THE ARGVMENT Hee writeth vnto one that neglected the duetie of a â—…reende therein shewing the course of the world that in a mans welfare he shal be fauoured but in his miserie quickly forsakeÌ„ Lastly he seemeth not to disâ—…alow mutual sufferance of sorrow an opinion mainteined in manner of the moste for that it is naturally ingraffed that one man muche more one freende should bemone another freends yll fortune or else what place is left for compas sion in saying that the one halfe of his sorrowe is diminished if his freend be merrie NOt Amasis doubtlesse who whites he shewed himself very loathe to lament the calamitie of Polycrates to whome he wished happinesse sent vnto him an assurance of fréendship at suche time as he was forsaken of fortune but eueÌ„ then whâ—… he was in the perâ—…e of his prosperitie Wherby he gaue a manifeâ—… testimonie y his hart would haue béen heauie his eyes readie to gushe out braâ—…kish teares if miserie had preuented so comfortable a message But in you y contrary appeareth who so long as fortune vouchsafed vs her fauour remained with vs as not discontent with our coÌ„ dition but so soone as she withdrew her 〈◊〉 â—…unged her smiling countenance into a sower visage then did you leaue vs sticking in the myre as forlorne and forsaken For suche as haue come out of Thracia hauing had resorte vnto vs some coÌ„munication also vpon occasion inâ—…erchaunged haue made vnto vs this reporte y such is your dealing now in absence as that you cannot afforde 〈◊〉 word no not so muche as a good thought What is this else but to be at defyaunce with fréendshippe and to take vp weapon against vs as a souldiour of hatreds hoast It had béene sufficient not to be touched with compassion in our miserie but to aggrauate and increase sorrow where griefe should rather be assuaged is a token of no relenting nature Amasis might not alow it nor any man else like wel of it sitheÌ„ce it is against al humanitie but peraduenture in this dooing you sée better to your owne commoditie Well do what you wil so that your dooings be not destitute of delight a merrie motion of spirite For the one halfe of my sorrowe shall seeme to be diminished if you do not languishe as I waste in anguishe Synesius to Theotimo THE ARGVMENT To a singular Poet named Theotimus this letter is written by Synesius wherein is first signified by comparison of Simonides Hiero that commoditie did spring from the acquaintance which was between him and Authemius he endeth with a commendation of the same Theotimus for his excellencie in the Art Poeticall Hiero had more commoditie by kéeping companie with Simonides then Simonides had by vsing the familiaritie of Hiero. Euen so by the heauenly vertue whiche gouerneth the fréendship wherwith we be vnited I sweare thou arte not more happie by béeing acquainted with Authemius then Authemius is by the benefit of knowing your person For what maketh more for the honour of a man in highe aduauncement and supported with power then to haue suche a fréend as is faithful and vnfeigned such a one I am certaine Theotimus is a man passing courteous and with God most acceptable But in this point you do excéede goe beyonde Simonides in that Simonides measured his seruice by profite and aduantage Againe in this you agree séeme to shoote both at a semblable marke in y Simonides commended Hiero to euerlasting memorie and in that also the Poesies of Theotimus so long as any Grecians shall be left on liue haue made Authemius famous by the report of euery mans mouth famous I say in the eares of al that shal heare of his person It is his part to seeke the increase of the Romanes renoune it is your duetie to extoll his name with the instrument of your profession For to the practise of Poetrie is graunted as it were by diuine influence the wreath of worship the garland of honour the excellencie whereof moste euidently in you appeareth Dionysius to Philoxeno THE ARGVMENT He declareth how glad he was when he receiued a letter from his freend Philoxenus adding moreouer that his ioy would haue beene the greater if as he wished he might enioy his presence Furthermore to winne the more credite of freendshippe he vseth a comparison of two louers whose delight is to see and talke one with another Lastly hee concludeth that tokens are a fittâ—… thing to keepe acquaintance in custome THe letter whiche you sent vnto mée was bothe wished welcome and I woulde that as I sawe the characters of your hande so I might to my full contentation heare your liuely voice For if I might once obteine my desire in that case I should reape pleasure in more plentie like to a yong man whose comfort is then passing great swâ—…te when he séeth talketh with a faire damsel whom vnseignedly he loueth And this fruite of delight we do also reape that when absence of person and distaunce of place hindereth vs from visiting and kéeping companie with them whom hartily we loue to haue their pictures in our sight that by one meanes or other though somwhat sleÌ„der we might suck some solace and gather though not the whole perfect haruest yet some gleanings of pleasure in our beloued And surely tokens are méete thinges for this purpose in mine opinion whiche I estéeme so much more in value and price as I do your person from whom they were receiued Dionysius to Abramio ¶ THE ARGVMENT He declareth the occasion of his long lingering before he did write excusing himselfe by the allegation of two circumstances name ly opportunitie of time and good order of inditing He signifieth also that his minde continueth vnchaungeable so that there is no cause of fainting in freendshippe to be mistrusted IT is a thing necessarie and conuenient that such as write to vertuous and honourable personages should haue a regard both to opportunitie of time and also to a plausible methode or good order of inditing For it is an offence vnsufferable to take a thing in hand wherein not onely rashnesse and want of aduisement is bewrayed but
honour and noblenesse all mystes and fogges of ignoraunce may be driuen away out of all the corners of this kingdome that by this benefite the promoting of learning I meane wrought by your procurement you may winne singular renoune to your owne person and perpetuall praise to your posteritie God giue your honour prosperitie and happynesse in aboundance Fare you well M. G. Haddon to the right honourable the Lord Robert Dudleie Earle of Leycestre c. THE ARGVMENT Writing to the Earle of Leycestre that nowe is he taketh the beginning of his Epistle from his owne person then exhorteth him to bestow his conuenient leasure in the studie learning of the sciences liberall bringeth in an erronious opinion long since helde of the auncient Romaines and answereth the same by the authoritie of Cicero therevpon he taketh occasion yet againe to exhort him to the studie of Arts reckoning three seuerall thinges not vnmeete for his person and to the intent his words might carrie the greater credite and countenaunce hee vseth examples both forreigne and domesticall one among the rest drawne from her owne highnesse I meane the Queenes maiestie nowe in possession of the English Empire in the mencion whereof he toucheth sundrie circumstances Lastly he concludeth with a speciall exhortation wherein he sheweth his loâ—…e to GOD Almightie to his souereigne â–ª and to his countrie THat my seruice is so acceptable with your honour I sée good and substantiall cause to reioyce and sithence I sée it hath such happie successe I will not be slaâ—…ke in continuing the course thereof euen for the time it is allowed of you and is thought aunswerable to your will and pleasure Howe muche mine abilitie is inferiour to your honours commendable report so much is and ought your fauour and courtesie to minister vnto me the more delectation in which point I shall neuer giue sufficient testimonie of the loue whiche I beare you till I haue sâ—…t abroade in open viewe of the worlde some singular monument and sounded in the eares of people an especiall kynde of melodie whereby it may not onely be knowne and vnderstoode but also sealed and assured what benefites I haue receiued of your honour specially and of yours in like manner generally In the meane season as I may and as I can I will be your fauoâ—…rer and furtherer that so much time may be bestowed confecrated to tearning studie as the affaires of the weale publique your necessarie buisinesse do affoord and though it be not so muche as you woulde yet let it be as muche as it may In the auncient yeares of the Romane common wealth it was an opinion of a greate number an opinion I say which preuailed not a little in those dayes and the selfe same as yet euen in the Courtes of Princes hath taken too déepe roote that the knowledge of Artes and sciences is nothing necessarie to Noble men neyther that they ought to tye and intangle their myndes in suche toyes and trifles But â—…he authoritie of Cicero leauened with greate grauitie and pouldered with wisedome is at contradiction with this barbarous opinion that Noble men at their méetinges should not be mute and tong-tyed neyther that they ought to spende the time in vaine prattle tending to no purpose but that as their degrée is highe and honourable so is it conuenient and séemely their knowledge shoulde be aunswerable Wherefore although you haue not full leasure to apply all your labour to the studie of Arts and sciences yet must you so acquaint your selfe with them and as it were dye your wit in their vnchaungeable colours that in euerie liberall science you may haue a certaine sight and iudgement especially in those whiche are most plausible popular and prayseworthy as are for example eloquence the ciuil lawe and histories But in this kinde of studie it is néedelesse to giue you exquisite preceptes bycause you haue attending vpon you one for the same purpose sufficiently furnished the benefite of whose seruice you haue in vse Wherein appeareth a perfect proofe of your prudence and prouidence For you shall not â–ª finde among all your riche and precious possessions any one thing of the like value and estimation if he be suche a man indeede as by your letters vnto me directed and deliuered I doe gather In that after the example of Neoptolemus you impart a little leasure to Philosophie it is well and not to be misliked For that leasure shall procure vnto you great profite and nolesse pleasure But the life of Neoptolemus as it was neuer frée from weightie affaires but alwayes occupyed in mattâ—…rs of importaunce besides that still busied in battell skirmishes conquestes like a right Martialist so I must néedes confesse the trade of your life to be accompanied with much businesse but howe it is warlike I sée not neyther would I wishe it to be so I tell you trueth And yet Iulius Caesar which was a Monarche of the world vniuersall euen in the midst of extreme heate and rage of battell brought ouer with him into this English Island then called Britanie Trebatius the lawyer to the intent he might not loose no not that little leasure but by the vse of the same reape some learning L. Luâ—…ullus in that most daungerous conflict whiche he aduentured against Mithridates was so farre from forgetting Philosophie that for the continuall increase of wisedome he had a Philosopher in his companie throughout all his iournies to the ende that the course of his studies shoulde not be hindered Of * Alexander the great it is not vnknowne with what daily diligence he heard Aristotle his maister But these be olde auncient examples and also forreigne I will bring you home to our owne countrie yea euen to the heart of the court and I will set before you a principall patterne after the whiche as I suppose you are verie well content to frame your self precisely You sée that her Maiestie hath matters manifold and innumerable wherabout to beate her braine and yet you are not ignoraunt howe her highnesse is addicted to studie and with what a desire she longeth after learning When I am in the court and consider this I am somwhat ashamed of my selfe For so often as I haue recourse to her highnesse I finde her commonly at her booke and yet suche resort and daily attendaunce is there on her Grace and suche a multitude of suites of all sortes that it is to bée thought her Maiestie hathe not so muche leasure as once to thinke vppon learning But of this her earnest and diligent 〈◊〉 that waye employed she hath reapt profite plentifully namely the knowledge and vnderstanding of all things in whiche she is able fo reason and conferre with men of learning besides that great glorie yea suche glorie as is lincked to euerlastingnesse bycause shée being but a woman is so prouided of alâ—… furniture belonging to learning and wisedome that all other
wilt thou write darkly wilt thou write gladly wilt thou write sadly wilt thou write largely wilt thou write briefly wilt thou write louingly wilt thou write angerly wilt thou complaine wilt thou accuse wilt thou rebuke wilt thou commend wilt thou threaten wilt thou pardon wilt thou displease wilt thou reconcile wilt thou commaunde wilt thou intreate what so euer thou art disposed to do by letter eyther to thy friend or to thine enimie thou hast this Panoplie to guide thy head in deuising and thy penne in disposing To conclude many and in manner innumerable are the benefites which this booke bringeth which we wish no lesse profitable to thee the Reader then it was pleasaunt to me the gatherer translator Fare you well Thine for thy benefite Abraham Flemming THE EXTRACT OF certaine selected Epistles out of M. T. Cicero the most famous Rhetorician and eloquent Orator among the auncient Romanes Cicero to Messinio ¶ THE ARGVMENT He signifieth to his friend Messinius that he is desirous to see him and exhorteth him to mitigate and assuage the heauinesse and bitternesse of his troublesome times with the communicating of letters and with the comfortable remembrance of a good conscience MOst acceptable were your letters which gaue me to vnderstand no lesse theÌ„ I presupposed before you applyed your pen to the practise of inditing namely that you were inflamed with a maruellous desire to sée me which singular courtesse of yours I can not but well accept yet so notwithstanding that you imagin the same scant counteruailable with the kindnesse where with for your sake I am affected For so do I wish al things to chance vnto me as I professe my selfe touched or rather stinged with a desire to be in your presence For at what time the nuÌ„ber of honest men good citizens pleasant companions and such indéede as loâ—…ed me and made of me great account was not small yet among so many there was not one with whom I would 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spende my time then with you and very fewe with whom I wish to be so willingly As for this time wherin we now liue for so much as some of our acquaintance are swallowed vp with the sworde some scattered in varietie of soiles and othersome haue altered the former disposition of their will one dayes space spent in your societie ministreth to my minde larger delightsomnesse then all the time which I waste with many of them among whom necessitie coÌ„straineth me to make continuance I would not haue you conceiue this opinion that solitarinesse or a wandering life in a vast wildernesse or an vnfrequented abiding is vnto me more pleasant and comfortaâ—…le which I may not vse by any meanes than the conference communiâ—…ation which I haue with sundry GentlemeÌ„ that haue vsual resort to my house one or twaine at the vttermost excepted Wherfore I refuse not to run to that refuge of succour which in my iudgement you ought to imbrace namely intercourse of friendly Epistles and also an assurance of both our consciences For I am the man as you may lightly coniecture and without curious canuassing gather that haue at no time atteÌ„pted any thing more for my priuate commoditie then for the furtherance of my friends and profite of my citizens at whose estate and condition if he had not enuied and maliciously repined towards whom your affection was neuer inclined for I was your beloued both he him selfe had béene fortunate and happie and all other giuen to vertue and goodnesse Such a man am I as doe both wishe and will that the violence of none haue force so farre to preuaile as henest ease and tranquillitie power to ouer come and when as I perceiued that the selfe same armie which I most mistrusted was of greater abilitie then the mutuall consent of suche good Gentlemen whome I by myne owne procurement assembled then thought I thus in my mynde that it could not be much preiudiciall and hurtfull to conclude peace vpon any condition whatsoeuer so that safetie might be obteined and daunger auoyded then to encounter him vpon confidence of sufficient force to whome in strength and fortitude I am inferiour But of these matters and of other circumstances we shall talke shortly face to face without interruption There is nothing which sticketh so fast in my cogitation as the state of the affaires in Africa the expectation whereof keepe me in Rome for nowe as it should séeme the matter lies a bléeding and is brought into a very narrowe point of perill and surely I thinke that in some respect it toucheth me although howe much or howe little out of question I am ignorant neuerthelesse whatsoeuer is reported vnto me from thence I knowe the counsels of my friendes and welwillers are in a readinesse For nowe the mattâ—…r is growne towardes such hassarde that although in their two causes which are at deâ—…aunce and dealing of blowes in battell great difference consisteth yet small oddes is there in their victories except I be farre and wide deceiued But to discouer a plaine truth my mynde which in matters of difficultie and doubtfulnesse was not a little inféebled in fearefull daungers and terrible desperation is mightily coÌ„firmed your last letters haue affoorded to the same further establishment whiche conteined a testimonie of your valiauntnesse in suffering iniuries with a couragious stomache besides that sithence your singular humanitie gentlenesse was to your presermeÌ„t and your letters also a meanes for your aduantage I féele my selfe thereby somewhat assisted For I wil write no vntruth I tooke you to be a man â—…f a soft nature and a milde spirite as we are all for the most part that haue lead our liues in a frée and a fortunate common wealth Howbeit as we inioyed prosperitie and the floure of felicitie with moderation â–ª so nowe also in this aduersitie and declining of fortunes fauour from vs ought we to sustaine all perplexities with patience to the intent that in most mayne mischiefes we might â—…nde this good remedie not onely to contemne and despise but also to desire and long after death which we ought not to feare although we 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 with blessednessâ—… 〈◊〉 â–ª iâ—… 〈◊〉 â—… 〈◊〉 of the senses and leauetâ—… the 〈◊〉 â—…rustrate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This tranquillitie ease and â—…ietnesse â–ª 〈◊〉 you â—…hase and pâ—…ssesse if you loue me in déâ—…de if your friendsâ—…ip â—…e feruent â–ª 〈◊〉 kindnesse not controulable â–ª yea plant this â–ª persuasion in your minde That nothing blame and offence 〈◊〉 â–ª 〈◊〉 you haue neuer â—…éene 〈◊〉 vnto anâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â–ª Can chaunce in the life of any man wherein horror is harboured or feare intertainâ—…d I wil come and visite you shortly if I may sée time conuenient if any thing fall out in suche sort that an alteration of our counselles must insue I will certifie you without delay Sée that you remaine so desirous to sée me that you remoue not from the
come too soone to your handes when we greatly wished and gladly willed that they might be conueyed vnto you with all spéede possible If friend Curio my desarts towardes you were such as they are more commended of you then considered of me I would if I had any great petition to make trie what I could obtaine if shamefastnesse were not my hinderance For to a shamefast felow it is grieuous and troublesome to craue some great thing of him of whome he thinketh him selfe by duetie well to haue deserued least the thing which he craueth might seme to be required rather then desired and to be counted a recompence and not a benefite But bycause your merites towardes me are manifest vnto all men and in the straū genesse of my doleful dayes appeared not onely in their brightnesse but also in their greatnesse and séeing It is the propertie of a gentle and courteous nature to affoorde much vnto him to whome much is due I doubted not to craue that of you by letter whiche of all thinges is to me the greatest and most necessarie Neyther doe I feare any vnabilitie in bearing the burthen of your innumerable benefites sithence chiefly I am of this confidence that there is no fauour nor good turne so great whiche my mynde cannot conceiue in taking or in exchaunging of courtesie and making amendes adorne beautifie I my studies al my labour care trauell diligence for end all my mynde haue I founded fastened and fired vpon Milo his Consulship wherin I haue determined not onely to séeke for the commoditie of the office in his behalfe but also as I ought for the due praise of pietie And surely I thinke no man at any time hath béene so carefull of his health and wealth as I haue béene of his renoune and honour in the which I haue béene resolued my self and all myne to consist I knowe that you being but one man can if you will be to him such a furtheraunce and helpe as ouer beside the same we néed demaund nothing We haue al these adiuments and helpes the loue of good men obteined through his behauiour in the protectourship of the people for our cause as I hope you vnderstand the desire of the cōmons and multiude by reason of his large giftes and presentes and the liberal disposition of his nature the fauour and good will of the honourable youth of this citie and of diuers Gentlemen who haue giuen him their consentes finally our suffragation or consenting voices though lesse auailable yet not disalowable but iustly deserued and therefore peraduenture worthy acceptation A guide we must néedes haue and of a gouernour we can not be destitute yea one certaine ruler high officer must be made in these stormes blustering tempests which I haue discouered And if one man among al that rest may be desired wished to this roome of authoritie vndoubtedly we shoulde not picke out one whome with you we might account comparable Wherefore if you can conceiue this opinion of me that I am not a man vnmindfull of my friende that I am disposed to courtesie and goodnesse if there were none other cause of such conceit then that I lay to my helping hand so earnestly for Milo his furtherance finally if you are of this iudgement that such benefites as you haue bestowed on me are not frustrate and cast away then let me desire thus much of your gentlenesse that you would stande my friend in this matter whereof I am carefull that you would employ your trauel and paine for my commendation or to tell a flat truth in manner my life and preseruation As for T. Annius thus muche I promise in his behalfe that no man in the world toward you shall shewe more humanitie more grauitie more constancie more beneuolence and goodwill if it would please you to vouchsafe him your fauour And as for my selfe my worthinesse honour dignitie and renowne shall by your meanes so much be inlarged as I must perforce acknowledge you to be the very same my benefactour in the procurement of my praise that wast sometime the pawne and protectour of my life But that I am assured that it is not vnknowne to you how seriously and earnestly I labour in this petition of Milo and that therein not only great paines but also some resistance and striuing is required I would haue written vnto you more at length And now I cōmit to your patronage the whole matter and the cause and mine own person I commend to your courteste And take this one clause for a conclusion that if I may obteine at your handes the summe of my supplication Milo shall not be so much bound vnto you for your highnesse as I wil be your déepe debter for your goodnes For the safegarde of mine owne life was not to me so precious and déere wherein he shewed him selfe a principall fauourer as my thankfulnesse shall be pleasant and delectable in making iust recompence where vnto I shall be drawne by your onely alone friendship as in hope I am persuaded Fare you well Cicero to Coelio Rufo THE ARGVMENT He commendeth Fabius for fiue things namely for his honestie his learning his wit his sobernesse and his friendship I Am well acquainted with Marcus Fabius a very honest man and passing well learned I vse him familiarly and I loue him excéedingly both for the worthynesse of his wit and also for the excellencie of his learning and besides these for the singularitie of his sobernesse and maruellous modestie my request vnto you is that you woulde so take charge of his matter as if it were mine I knowe you are no table patrones He must be a manqueller that meaneth to commit his lyfe to your supportation and the canuassing of his cause to your defence But in this man no excuse is seruiceable for I will take none You shall set all thinges aside if you loue me indéede sithence my friend Fabius is willing to vse your aduise and help I am in great expectation of the state of * things at Rome and my desire to vnderstand of them is vehement and earnest and first of all I would gladly knowe howe it fareth with you For we haue heard no newes now this long time bycause of the sharpnesse of the winter Fare you well Cicero to Appio Pulchro THE ARGVMENT Dolabella accused Appius and at the selfe same time had married Ciceroes daughter Cicero goeth about to proue that he was ignoraunt of that which his friendes had done in that case and gathereth many reasons to the same purpose WHen worde was brought to vs of the temeritie rashnesse of them whiche molested you and sought your disquietnesse although the hearing of such newes at the first put me beside all patience and kindled my choler bycause nothing in the world could chaunce so much against my opinion and mynde yet notwithstanding so soone as I gathered
the anchor of my succour yet is it my euill and accursed lâ—…ck to be robbed of the same too and thus is infortunate Cicero depriued of al delight And what hath the losse of this my last ioy procured Hath it not hindered mée from furthering the suites of my friendes Hath it not made mee forget mine attendaunce vppon the weale publique Hath it not made mee haue no will nor stomache to pleade in the common place Hath it not made me not onely glad to absent mée selfe from the courte of causes but also ful loath to â—…éeholde the same and what hath it not done I thought no lesse then at length I founde true that all the profites of my paines al the commodities of my labours and offices were vanished But when I called thinges to the touchstone of triall and examined my luck with other menâ—… hard chaunce when I found that my fortune was common as wel with you as diuers other whom I know and after I had tormented mée selfe with the continuall cogitations of my calamities and beganne to conforme and frame mée to prouoked patience then I espied an harborough whéether to flée for succour and I sawe a conuenient hauen where to lye at anâ—…hor namely â–ª your wordes and communication set downe in liuely letter the swéetenesse whereof chased away all my cares and draue all my sorrowes into perpetual exile and banishment And yet euen nowe so grieuouâ—… is this stroke and so sore hath this blowe brused that the woundes which I suffered long agoe and which haue béene healed vp and couered ouer with skinne beginne a â—…resh to ware rawe and gréene For I cannot as I did then flée from the 〈◊〉 publique for succour to my priuate house which intertained mée in my heauinesse so nowe runne from my priuatâ—… house for comfort to the weale publique in my miserie that I might refreshe my cracâ—…te ribbes in her bountie and goodnesse Wherâ—…ore â–ª I am absent both from the common place also from mine owne house beâ—…ause that neither the griefe which I féele for the coÌ„mon wealthes sake can be comforted by y benefite of mine house nor the sorrow which I sustaine for my house can be cured by the assistaunce of the common welth for which causes I desire y more earnestly to sée you and to haue some conference with you Nothing can so miâ—…igate anâ—… assuage my heauinesse as the méeting of vs twoe old acquainted friends interlacing of talke and coÌ„munication I was in hope of your comming for so it was tould me y you intended to be with me shortly I wish you here so ma ny coÌ„siderations principally for this one that we may delâ—…berate before hand betwene our selues how this time shold be bestowed which is wholy to be applied to y plâ—…asure and wil of one particular person in wisedome not obscure and in liberalitle famous and as I perceiâ—…e and persuade my selfe not vnmindful of me and very friendly to you Which being as it is great deliberation is required what order we may best vse not that any thing shuld be done or attempted â—…ut that in his graunt and goodnesse we may be acquieted Fare you well Cicero to Marcello THE ARGVMENT He persuadeth Marcellus to abandon al counsel of exile and banishment and to returne into his countrie that Caesar is not against it that his brother desireth it that the common wealth looketh for it that the state of his owne houshold and familie standeth in great neede of it ALthough I vnderstand such to be the couÌ„sel aduisement whiche you haue vsed that I dare not be so presumptuâ—…us as to pronouÌ„ce it worthy repreheÌ„sion but I must néedes séeme to varrie and differ from the same bycause such is my iudgement touching your wisdome that I count not my couÌ„sel in respect of yours deseruing prefermêt yet notwithstanding the auncientnesse of our friendship and your great good-will towardes me whereof I haue knowledge and experience from your childhoode admonisheth me to write those things vnto you which in mine opinion for your safetie were profitable and to your worthynesse in no point disagréeable I remember very well that you are the man which behaued your selfe in the office of your Consulship no lesse honourably then vertuously long before you sawe the sparckles of these enormities and maine mischiefes kindling and this perceiued I also that as well the counsel taken for making ciuil warres and the hoast of Pompâ—…ius and that kynde of martiall preparation was of you dissolued and besides that in so litle hope that it was excéedingly doubted in whiche mynd I thinke you remember I was in like maner Wherfore you tooke occasion not to be much present at the making of such matches and I did what I might to be alwaies absent For we did not fight with those weapons where whiâ—…h we might haue preuailed namely with counsel authoritie countenance and the goodnesse of our cause which in vs were of greater force but with armes and sides wherin we were not the stronger we were therefore ouercome or if dignitie can not be conquered yet notwithstanding muche empaired weakened and wounded In whiche your counsell and intent can not but be vniuersally commended because that together with the hope and expectation of ouercomming you did also bridle all desire of fighting and did declare your selfe to be both a wise man and also a good Citizen a wiseman in that you were vnwilling to intermedle when Ciuil contentions were a springing and a good Citizen in that you were as lothe to prosecute suche perilous matters to the vttermost As for those men to whom this your counsel séemed vnsauourie and therefore vnworthie the folowing I sée they are diuided into two kindes for either they begin to renewe battell and these men haue taken their way into Africa or els as wée haue coÌ„mitted themselues to him whose luckâ—… it is to be conquerour Your counsell is to neither of thesâ—… twaine inclined but as a meane seperated by it selfe supposing the one to be a signification peraduenture of a cowardly minde and the other an argument of a malapert companion I confesse that your counsell and determination is iudged of most men and if I said of all men I should not speake amisse to proceede from singular wisdome and from a minde established vpon the foundation of magnanimitie and y sure grouÌ„d worke of valiantnes but this your consideration pur pose except I leane beside my cushing hath in it a certaine measure meaning sithence I suppose y to the obteining repossessing of all your renoune and substance nothing beside will in you was wanting For so I vnderstoode that nothing else offered doubtes to the minde of him whose power and preeminence is vniuersall but that he suspected suche to be your securitie that you would thinke your restitution to be no benefite wherof what I iudge it booteth not to declare
sithence it is apparant what I my self haue done whom you may at this present vse for an example But if you are fully resolued to liue rather in perpetuall absence then to sée that which in no wise you would yet this ought to be fixed and setled in your cogitation that in what plotte of land so euer your body abide you are not exempted from his dominion but subiect to the power of him to whome by flight you deny subiection and allegiance who of his singular clemencie and goodnes though he should suffer you now destitute of couÌ„try frustrate of possessions to liue as you list in peace quietnes yet ought you of dutie to make this your coÌ„tinual meditation what a godly thing it is for you to lead your life rather at Rome in your owne house then to be abroade in Mitylene or in Rhodes But for so muche as the power of him to whom we exhibit dutie and reuerence is so farre dilated stretched that it conteineth the compasse of the whole world were not you better allow of this election to liue at home within the limits of your owne lande voide of perill and daunger then in forreigne and straunge places to sustaine vile annoiance As for mine owne selfe Though I should suffer terrible death yet had I rather abide the smarte thereof within the walles of my natiue soile then in places of great distance where I am not known And of this opinioÌ„ are al they which loue you tender your worship of whoÌ„ there is a multitude innumerable whose good harts wel wishing you haue wun by your excellent vertues purchased by the glistering mirrour of your Noblenes We also your friends haue a regard to y condition of your familie domesticall affairs which we will in no case should so run to ruine docay as to grow past remodie For althogh it can take no such iniurie as may alwaiâ—… last neuer be cut off from coÌ„tinuaÌ„ce because neither he who hath supremacie in the coÌ„mon wealth nor the coÌ„mon wealth it self wold sée suche a villanie coÌ„mitted â–ª yet I wold not y your goodâ—… possessions shoâ—…ld lie open to the clawes of the gréedie spoilers who they be that I terme by y name I am not so timorous and white liuerd but I dare sende you woord in writing howâ—…it I thinke it néedlessâ—… â–ª For in that matter I am assured you canne not be ignorant And in this behalfe the manifolde cares of one peculiar person and his continual teares Caius Marcellus I meane your very good Brother make intercession next vnto whome are wée immediatly in thought and in sorowe but in the partes of suppliantes somewhat more slacke then â—…e because we can not haue accesse vnto you sithens wee our selues are destitute of an aduocate So muche fauour can we finde as men vanquished may and as for counsell aduice and labour otherwise to dooe Marcellus pleasure we will not be wâ—…nting The rest of yours admitte vs not into their companie as for vs we are prouided at all assaies in all cases whatsoeuer Fare you well Cicero to Marcello THE ARGVMENT This Epistle was also indited and written â–ª to the same end and purpose that Marcellus night be persuaded to returne to his ownâ—… Countrie TO admonishe you I dare not because of your notable wisdome nor to incourage you because of your valiant stomache and by no meanes to comfort you because you are not feareful For if suche be your sufferance and patience in these your perplexities as by report I haue receiued I ought rather for your vertue sake to shewe my selfe ioyful theâ—… to serue you with solace in your case sad sorowfull But if these foule mischéefs which haue almoste broken the necke of the Common wealth so stinge you that you faincte my wittâ—… is not so fruitful nor my penne so spéedy to raise you vp againe with swéete consolations sithence to be mine owne physician in semblable maladies I haue none abilitie 〈◊〉 remaineth therfore that I shewe and trie my selfe the man whom I am taken to be y my assistance be so present in althings whiche either you or yours shal desire that bothe you they may conceiue this opinion of mée that I am yours not 〈◊〉 for you to do what I can but to presume somewhat further beyonde the boundes of mine owne seruice and power Yet notwithstanding be you in this point resolued that that wherein I haue giuen you aduertisement or discouered myne owne priuate iudgement had issue from a heartie good will whereof to shewe a signification I was constrained to vse no longer silence wishing that you would doe as I doe namely sticke stedfastly in this persuasion that if there be any common wealth at all you ought of duetie to bée there resident by the consent and voyce of all men a reall Prince in actuall gouernement in necessitie giuing place vnto time But if there be no common wealth yet for all that this to be a most méete and conueâ—…ent roome to harbour the banished For if we followe libertie and forsake seruitude what place is there in all the world not subiect to the regiment and power of this citie But if any other place whatsoeuer like you for the benefite of libertie yet ponder thus much more that no place for such a purpose is more swéete and comfortable then your priuate dwelling and peculiar abyding And beléeue me Marcellus he in whose dominion and possession all things are lodged is not gone so farre beyond all humanitie but that he fauoureth and furthereth worthy wittes and as for the nobilitie and honour due to men for their merites no man therof hath more consideration sithence to the vttermost of his abilitie he procureth and according to the state of the cause laboureth that such things should be recompenced with great estimation But I haue let my pen run at randon more then I was purposed I drawe backward therfore to that one point of consolation that with yours if in déede they be yours I will continue yours if not yet will I neuerthelesse at al assaies so stand your approued friende that all duties incident and payable to our vnâ—…eigned loue and auncient acquaintaunce shall exquisitely and throughly be discharged Fare you well Cicero to M. Marcello THE ARGVMENT He dealeth with him by order of persuasion to returne into his own countrie and draweth his reasons from sundrie circumstances verie artificially which reasons of his are verie forceable to make him yeald to the foresaide matter in question ALthough I gaue to Quinto Mucio not many dayes ago a letter written somewhat at large to be deliuered to your owne hands wherein I discouered my iudgement how you ought to be affected in your owne case and what for to doe were most conuenient in my thinking yet when Theophilus your fréeman was prouiding to take his iourney
well Dated the. iiij of the Calends of Iune At Perga Cicero to Lucceio THE ARGVMENT Hee desireth Lucceius the Historiographer to make a seuerall volume of his owne exploits martiall feates and deedes that he had done which worke might seeme of more worthinesse PUrposing and attempting at what time I was in your companie to conferre about the same matter whereof I write at this present and perceiuing my selfe restrained and still drawne backe with somewhat a rusticall kynd of shamefastnesse I haue nowe declared all being absent and therefore supported with the more boldnesse for letters doe not blusâ—… I am inflamed with an incredible desire not as I take it deseruing reprehension to haue our name made famous by your pen and with your workes to win euerlasting worthynesse Which thing although you tell me often that you intended to accomplishe and fulfill yet I pray you dispence with my much haste and suppose my spéedinesse in this point pardonable For your order and style of writing notwithstanding it was alwayes of me maruellous vehemently and earnestly desiered yet hath it quite ouercome myne opinion hath set me in such a fire y I couet craue with all celeritie spéede our deedes aduentures to be registred in your immortal monunients For not only the coÌ„memoration rehearsal of succession haleth me into a certaine hope of perpetual renoune but also y earnest desire wherewith I féele my self al kindled y we may inioy whiles we be aliue to our full expectation either the absolute authoritie credite of your testimonie or else the signification of your beneuolence or els the swéetnesse and pleasantnesse of your flourishing inuention excellent wit. Neyther was I ignorant at what time I was writing these circumstaunces with what heauie burthens of suche thinges I meane as I had taken in hande and prsuatly determined I was pressed But bycause I did sée and also vnderstande that the Historie of the Italian warre and the ciuil commotion by you was almost finished and that your penne had painted many leaues of paper in the description of those tumultes and insurrections and for that you your selfe reported vnto me that you would begin to declare suche matters as remained I woulde in no wise hinder my solfe but gaue you warning of my will that you might deliberate and take aduisement whether you thought it more conuenient to ioyne such cases and discourses as concerned vs with the residue that by your industrie is already compassed or as many of the Greeke writers haue done as for example CalistheneÌ„s vpon the Troian battel Tymeus of King Pyrrhus Polybius of the Numantine war al which haue diuided those foughten fieldes and fierce conflictes from the bodies of their continued Histories seperate that ciuil conspiracie from those battels and incounters had with our forreigne enimies It is not muche auailable for our coÌ„mendation yet for the making of the more haste it is much material to touch me my doings I meane wherin I would haue you to cut off al expectation of circumstaunces touching place and foorthwith giue onset to the very cause and the time And if your mynde be occupied in one argumeÌ„t in one person I perceiue already with what plentie of matter beautie of words swéetnesse of style all things are like to be accomplished I am not ignorant how greatly these my speaches smell of shamelesnesse first in laying vpon your shoulders a burtheÌ„ of such weight for your priuate businesse may be a meanes of flat denial secondly in desiering you so to adorne aduaunce me that among al men I may become famous What if al that I haue done séeme vnto you not méete to be so popularly praysed yet remember that He which once runneth once out of the rayles of shamefastnesse may throughly continue impudent Wherfore my request vnto you is that you would vse a more vehemente patheticall order in this discourse of my déedes then peraduenture you wyll thinke vpon and in your description spare not to set light by the limited lawes of an Historie And account not that fauour as a trifle to be contemned if it shal coÌ„mend me vnto you with the more vehemence déeme it not I say ridiculous sithence you haue written thereof in a certaine treatise very swéetly pleasantly declared y it wrought no lesse affectioÌ„ in you theÌ„ pleasure somtime did in Hercules of whom Xenophon maketh relatioÌ„ in his memorables despise not that fauour grace as for our loue let it haue such libertie that it may get more largely then truth iudgeth worthy grauÌ„t And if we may get you to take paines in this matter it will proue I am absolutely persuaded a work worthy of such a writer wherin his abilitie is made manifest a testimonie left of his abundant knowledge Concerning the beginning of y coniuration tumult vntill y time of our returne a smal volume as I think wil serue wherin you may intermedle both with the ripping vp of ciuil coÌ„mutations chaunges either in the explication of causes which gaue originall to nouelties or els in y remedies of inconueniences also in reprehending suche things as you shal iudge prostable in matters wherof you haue no misliking alledge sundry reasons for their further authoritie and comprobation Besides that if as your accustomed order hath beene you shal thinke it necessarie and requisite to set things out amply and largely then can you not doe amisse if you shall describe the false faithlesse malicious and trayterous dealing of many against vs Moreouer the sundry chaunces and chaunges wherevnto I haue béene subiect will minister vnto you much matter wherein to be conuersant and sufficient argument wherein to be occupied all be sprinckled and tempered with a certaine kinde of pleasantnesse and varietie whiche may be allurementes to the myndes of men in reading to vse deliberation and delayes of delight For nothing is more meete to recreate the Reader then the varieties of times and the alterations of Fortune which although in coÌ„sideratioÌ„ of experience they are not to be desiered yet in respect of perusing and reading they are to be imbraced For in the quiet remembrance of sorrowes escaped consisteth muche pleasure and to such as in their owne person haue susteined no trouble but taken a viewe of other mens chaunces without sorrowe the conceit of pitie breedeth much delectation For whiche of vs entring into the consideration of captaine Epaminondas lying vpon his deathes wound at Mantinea is not touched with a certaine coÌ„passion tempered with swéetenesse who then commauÌ„ded the speare to be pluckt out of his flesh when to a question by him propounded this answere was deliuered that his target remayned safe and was not in his enimies possession that euen in the anguishe of his mortall wound he ended the course of his yeres with no lesse contentation then commendation and as his death was of him
earnest for that Anthonie was reported to haue a great power of horsemen Lepidus had no such troupe in a redines prepared For not many dayes age although smal slender were his whole number yet notwithstanding tenâ—…e of the best and chiefest of his horsemen came ouer vnto mée of which things I being not ignorant made no proloÌ„ging nor lingering excuses but thought forth with that Lepidus in y commendable course of his good and wel disposed counsels was greatly to be furthered assisted What profite did depend vpon my setting forward I perceiued presently either because I might pursue vanquish his troupe of horsemen with mine or else because by the presence of mine hoast I might correct drawe to obedience y part of Lepidus his armie which is skarse sound reuolted froÌ„ the coÌ„mon wealth Wherefore a bridge being made ouer Isara that great floud which is néere the borders of the Allobroges in one dayes space thorough my procurement I and my souldiers passed ouer to the other side the fourth of the Ides of Maie Now when I was infourmed that L. Anthonie was sent before with the aide of certaine horsemen and footemen and so came to Forum Iulij I sent my brother strengthened with the power of foure thousand horsemen the first day before the Ides of Maie to méete him I my selfe accompanied with foure swfte and spéedie legions and the horsemen which I haue remayning intende to take vppon vs the tracing thorough tedious iourneyes and forthwith to followe after if our fortune bée but so so indifferent I meane in the behalfe of the weale publique then shall wée both beate downe the bouldnesse of those desperate conspiratours and finde an end also of carefulnesse Moreouer if that pestileÌ„t spoiler hauing premonishmeÌ„ts and forewarnings of our comming shall beginne to retire and drawe backe into Italie it shal be * Brutus his charge to méete him whom I know to flourishe in wisedome counsel and policie and to want neither courage puisaunce nor valliauntnesse Howbeit if that chaunce come to passe I will sende my brother with horsemen well â—…rouided to followe after and to defend Italie from violence Sée that you neglecte not your health and as I loue you so loue mée againe Fare you well Cicero to Ligario ¶ THE ARGVMENT â—…ee writeth that hee is in hope of Ligarius safetie to the obteyninge whereof hee promiseth all the helpe that hee canne procure in the meane space hee exhorteth Ligarius to take his froward fortune vntoward luck with moderation and patience ALthough it behoued mée in this your time of trouble to write somewhat vnto you â–ª according to the qualitie of our acquaintance either by way of consolation that you might not be comfortlesse or by way of assistaunce that you might not be succourlesse Yet hetherto I haue not accomplished that point of courteous duetie because I perceiued that woordes and sentences could not preuaile against your pensifenesse which was vnappeasable nor diminish any part of the same it was so indurable In processe of time when hope began to beare blossoms abundantly that the day was approching wherin we should haue the presence of your person in health and prosperitie I could no longer bridle the secrete motions of my mind but néedes must declare vnto you my determination discouer the whole summe of my counsell I will therefore write that vnto you whereof I haue a sealed warrant namely that the anger and displeasure of Caefar against you will hereafter be assuaged For to tell the plaine truth both the matter it selfe the day the opinion of people and as I gather by sundrie apparaunces the inclination of his owne proper nature allure him to gentlenes and clemencie which to bée as I say not onely the estate of other ministreth mée occasion to presuppose but the reports of his néerest friends and such in déede as with him are most familiar persuade mée that you are towards the attainement of Grace with his highnesse Unto whom since the time that newes came first out of Africa I together with your brethren intermitted no opportunitie to put in practise the parts of Suppliaunts whose vertue integritie vprightnesse loue and constancie towards you being incomparable and singular besides that their carefulnesse for your safetie being planted vppon perpetuitie and continuance were so forceable and pithie that there is no kinde of thing which Caesars highnesse of his owne accord wil not graunt and giue of his frée bountie if our petition be somewhat later obteined then wée would the cause thereof is to be ascribed to his great and earnest affaires of whom all things are required with submission which haue made harder accesse to his highnesse so that wée might not at will vse his gracious goodnesse And besides his busie matters Africa hath incensed and kindled his anger insomuch that hée séemeth of purpose to worke their disquietnesse whom he perceiueth thoroughly bent to frame his continuall vexation But wée vnderstand that hée in a storme is somewhat calme against madnesse marcheth with mildnesse is pight with patience against inconuenience Wherfore giue credite to my words and repose this report in y cosket of your memorie that you shal not remaine long in these troubles sithence they are like to haue their limitation When I haue declared that which is hidden in my thought it resteth behind that of the towardnesse of my wil to doe you pleasure my deedes rather then my wordes giue a testimonie And if I could accoÌ„plish so much as I might challeng of duetie in that coÌ„monwealth wherein my merits as you hold opinion are not only manifest but also manifold you should be soone deliuered froÌ„ these discoÌ„modities daungers For the selfe same cause hath bene a canckar to my wealth estate which hath béene a plague to your health and safetie Neuerthelesse what courtesie soâ—… euer the image representation of mine auncient dignitie what duetifulnes soeuer fauour may afford and friendship comprehend my labour my counsel my desire my furtheraunce and my faithfulnesse shal be at the commaundement of your good brethren in euery respect Sée that your hart bée couragious as becoÌ„meth a man let it be now as it hath bene alwayes in times past first for the causes which in writing I haue mencioned secondly because you haue béene so well affected towards the weale publique as that you may not only at this instante hope prosperously to flourish but also thoughe you were drowned and vtterly ouerwhelmed with the waues of aduersitie yet thorough the comfort of conscience knowing that your meaning hath béene vertuous your doings coÌ„mendable to weare out al tempests whatsoeuer with a manfull courage Fare you well Cicero to Trebiano THE ARGVMENT He is verie glad of Trebianus his returne into his countrie by suite at length obteined he exhorteth him to blot thinges past out of the booke of his
remembraunce and to preferre the recouering of his dignitie before the losse of his priuate goods and substance IN time past I did only fauour Dolabella being bound vn to him in no respect of duetie for there was no cause of necessitie to exhibite such seruice but he oweth vnto me duetie and reuerence for that I was vnto him a present refuge defence in his great daungers Now through y recourse of a late singular benefite issuing from his humanitie gentlenes I am so streigtly tyed to his courtesie because y before in the matter it selfe and at this instant also he hath satisfied me so plentifully touching your safetie that I know none to whom I am déeper in debt for such bounteous deserts For which thing I reioyce in your behalf exceedingly y I had rather you should shew your selfe glad in heart then to giue thankes vnto me for your good luck the one of which I desire in no respect the other you may wel do without doubt of vncertaintie Concerning that which remaineth when by your vertue worthinesse free passage is made for you to returne to your friends acquaintance your wisedome must so moderate and rule you and the valiiantnes of your nature must be so effectual that you ought to forget that which you haue lost thinke with your selfe what you haue recouered You shal lead your life in ioy among your acquaintance you shall be in the companie of vs your fauourers more dignitie by many degrées haue you atchieued then all y priuate wealth can counteruaile wherof you are dispossessed which notwith standing would affoord you the greater pleasure and delight if there were any state of a commonwealth Vestorius our familiar friend wrote vnto mee that you gaue me infinite thankes this report vnto me is meruailous acceptable and I giue you good leaue to vse it both in the presence of other persons and in the hearing of Siro also your friend and my welwiller For those thinges that we doe our meaning is to haue them throughly approued allowed of such men as are indued with most wisedome and grounded vpon the soundest iudgment My desire is to sée you as soone as might bée Fare you well Cicero to Trebiano THE ARGVMENT This epistle conteineth an excusâ—… of his not writing it conteineth also a consolation finally it conteineth a promise of good luck and fortunate successe with a briefe memorandum of his owne duetifulnesse LOng since would I haue directed my letters vnto you if mine inuention could haue ministred any matter wherin my penne might haue béene occupied For in such a time as this is the courtesie of friends craueth the benefite either of comforting or else of promissing I did not comforte you because mine eares were ful of many rumours concerning your puissaunce and your prudence which arme you sufficiently against y iniuries of these troublesome seasons and beâ—…ause the conscience and secrete knowledge of your owne studies and attempâ—…s replenished your heart with perfect consolation Which thing if you doe as I heare the reuenues of your vertues wil be inualuable wherein I am assured your exercise consisteth and to that rule and direction to leuell all your doinges I exhort you earnestly Furthermore vnto you a man absolutely furnished with the knowledge of many matters and examples and in all manner of antiquities thoroughly instructed I â–ª not vtterly ignoraunt and vnskilfull thoughe in desire peradueâ—…ture somewhat lesse occupied yet in thinges themselues and in their triall somewhat more conuersant then I would make this comfortable promise that these bitter bruntes and iniurious déedes which you suffer shall not long continue For euen his owne person who is of abilitie power to preuaile most séemeth vnto mée daily more inclined to equitie and to the nature of things in their succession and such is the kinde of your cause that together with the commonwealth which cannot lie in ruine perpetually and vnrepaired it must of necessitie as it were raeuiue quicken againe and recouer the former perâ—…ections Moreouer somthing is made more milde gentle and liberall than we through feare suspected All whiche premisses for so much as they depend often vpon thâ—… alterations of seasons and chaunges of times wee will marke euery moment not pretermitting any opportunitie whereby you may be by our meanes succoured and assisted Wherefore that other kinde of letters which I haue spoken of before shal be as I hope more easie and readie to doe mée seruice continually that I may be bolde to make promise vn to you of that whiche in déedes rather then in wordes may be perfourmed I would haue you to be in this beléefe that you haue more fréendes and fauourers then are in subiection to this your present chance or euer haue béen in times past so farre as I am able to vnderstand vnto not so muche as one of them all purpose I to giue place Sée that you haue a manly and valiant hart which in you is not wanting As for suche things as are in the dominion of Fortune they shal be gouerned by obseruations of seasons and prouided by the assistance of our counsells Cicero to Trebiano ¶ THE ARGVMENT He promiseth whatsoâ—…uer he can do to the vttermoste of his power that Trebianus may be set clearâ—… from danger and sheweth him some hope of better fortune hereafter HOw I estéeme of you at this instant how I haue accounted of your person in times past and how much you haue et by my fréendship I my selfe am a witnesse sufficient For your counsell or rather your chance to remaine longer in ciuil warres was alwayes vnto me a great gréeâ—…e and this your infortunate lucke for that the restitution of your renoune is delayed and put off longer then by equitie séemeth tollerable or then I in hart haue earnestly desired the care thereof pearceth into my minde no lesse violently then my chauÌ„ces were â—…graffed in yours when I was in the like extremitie Wherfore Postumulenus and Sextius Atticus also our familiar fréend next vnto him Theudas your fréeâ—…an haue vnderstoode my meaning manifestly yea to al and euery of them I haue affirmed seuerally and oftentimes protested religiously that I am kindled with a certain kindenes both towardes you and â—…our children in any thing whatsoeuer to satifie your â—…illes with my seruice Wherof I would haue you certifie such as tender your person that they in like manner may be assured that all my duetie diligence counsell abilitie faithfulnesse substaunce else whatsoeuer is alwaies readie and at hand for their benefite and furtherance If I can compasse so muche by mine owne authoritie or by the fauour and good countenance of other my well willers as of duetie I might in that common wealth wherein my merites and desarts are not vnsealed nor vntestfied then should you in short space be the same man whiche in times past you haue ben namely in
our doinges in that case and make them tollerable You shall in like manner pardon our anger which is iustly kindeled against suche as he is being bothe euill men and no good Citizens For end why should it be more lawful for Lucilius then for vs to arrogate and take vnto himself that libertie in writingâ—… sithence those whom he harmed he equally hated and yet for all that had not more notable aduersaries vpon whom he might violently rush with woundinâ—… wordes It shal be your parte according to the summe of your promise to interlace my deuises among your treatises for I trauel not in dubitation hereof but that if you write any thing at all touching the death and ouerthrowe of Caesar you wil bestowe some porcion and the selfe same not the least both of the matter you knowe my meaning and also of your good will vpon me your petitioner Fare you wel and account my mother and all my friends as persons vnto you commended Dated the. viij of the Kalendes of Iune â–ª From Athens Cicero to T. Fabio ¶ THâ—… ARGVMENT He vseth seuen sundrie circumstances to comfort Fabius being in exile and banishment ALthough I who am desirous to be your comforter haue more néed my selfe to be succoured because nothing hath this long time séemed vnto me more gréeuous and insufferable thâ—…n your priuate dammage and discommoditie yet notwitâ—…nding I do not onely exhorte you but also for the loue whâ—…â—…ith we are lincked require and beséeche you to be of good courage that your behauiour may be correspondeÌ„t to manhoode and valiantnesse that moreouer you would call into consideration what is the common condition of all men the qualitie of y troublesome times wherein we are borne by destinies appointment Your vertue hath attributed and giuen more vnto you then your fortune hath derogated and taken from you because you haue atchieued those things which many haue wanted haue likewise lost that wherof diuerse noble and honourable men are depriued To conclude such séemeth to be the successe of lawes statutes iudgements determinations and seasons that he may thinke himself very wel sped and excused whose luck was no worse then with so light and small a punishment to depart out of the common wealth As for you that want not wealth that are not destitute of children that haue vs and besides vs diuerse gentlemen more knit close vnto you in a couenant of especiall kindenesse and beneuolence besides that sithence you alone among so many suffer the penaltie of iudgement worthy reprehension and whiche as all holde opinion with one assent though somewhat vncertaine that through the power of one you are pardoned in consideration of all these circumstances you ought to estéeme your burthen so muche the more easie and light and to lette the gréefe by the iniurie of vndeserued éxile ingendred mildely of you be susteined As for my heart both towardes your selfe and also towardes your children it shal be none otherwise affâ—…cted then will in you and dutie in me doe require Fare you well Cicero to Rutilio THE ARGVMENT He desireth Rutilius that in the diuision of landes he would not meddle with the possessions of Albinus FOr so muche as bothe by mine owne knowledge I am instructed how highly I estéeme of your person and againe on the other side haue had experience triall of youre good wil towards me ofteÌ„times professed I was nothing scrupulous or doubtful to craue y at your handes by the way of petition which by necessitie to craue I was constrained What great account I make of P. Sextius mine owne conscience is witnesse sufficient and in what reuerence I am bound of duetie to haue him bothe you vnderstand and no man can be ignorant This Sextius after he had béene certainely infourmed by the reportes of many that I was déepely in your fauour and friendshippe requested me to write vnto you as earnestly and effectually as was possible touching the inheritances and possessions of C. Albinus the Senatour of the body of whose daughter L Sextius an excellent youngman and the sonne of P. Sextius descended Thus muche haue I written to the intent you may vnderstand that I ought not only for P. Sextius sake to bestow my labour but that it belongeth to Sextius in like manner for the behoofe of Albinus to employ his diligent trauell C. Albinus receiued of A. M. Laberius certaine Manours and houldes by valuation and apprisement whiche land Laberius had bought before oâ—… Caesar beeing sometime the interest and goodes of Plotius If I say it maketh not for the weale publique to haue them diuided I might seeme rather to beare the office of an admonisher then to play the part of a petitioner Neuerthelesse sithence it is Caesars wil and pleasure that the ordinances and constitutions of Sylla touching buying and selling should be ratiâ—…ied confirmed and established to the end that they might be iâ—…dged his by more lawe and he therein to haue the better title If those landes shal be diuided and those possessions parted whiche Caesar himselfe hath soulde what authoritie I pray you can there be in his bargains of sale and what assurance But the course of this cause you according to the worthines of your wisedome shal call in consideration I beséech you in this behalfe so earnestly so hartily as it is not possible for me to aske any thing in the world with a greater desire for a matter of more equitie or in more feruentnes of spirite that towardes Albinus it would please you to vfe parcialitie and at no hand to medle or make with the landes whiche are fallen into his own age from the right of Laberius You shall make mée not onely a man passing ioyfull and merrie but you shall in like maÌ„ner increase mine honour and renoune if P. Sextius by my mediation may satisfie the minde of him whom I loue excéedingly for so muche as I am his debter in many pointes of dutifullnesse which to perfourme and accomplishe I beséech you with instance You cannot bestow vpon me a more acceptable benefite and therfore in fulfilling my request you shall dooe me a passing pleasure Fareyou well Cicero to Ualerio THE ARGVMENT He desireth Valerius that he would not suffer Curtius his ground to be diuided which he goeth about to persuadâ—… by sundrie reasons I Am nothing disquieted nay rather I am delighted that the entier kindenesse whiche â—…th vs twaine together is knowen among very many Howbeit I am not vnto you any impediment or hinderaunce as you may well conceiue and thinke whereby the matter which you haue taken vpon you at the appointment of Caesar his good pleasure might not so bée orderâ—…d as to your credite and diligence is moste agréeable For sithence many clients resorte vnto mée with their sundrie suites as desirous of fortunate successe because they are in a certaine persuasion and
vndoubted assuraunce of your good will towardes me as muche as may be inclined I am so circumspecte and aduised notwithstanding that to your office through ambition ouer much medling I be not an impediment Euer since I was a childe and knew what acquaintance ment I and Q. Curtius haue béene vnited in very great familiaritie at whose miserie as at the calamitie also of Syllaes time ful of tumult I am sory and lament and yet neuerthelesse when as graunt was made by a generall consent that such as had suffered semblable inconueniences al that they were worth being vtterly lost and spoiled should returne and enioy the libertie of their countrie I withdrewe not my wil from the rest for the furtherance of their safety This C. Curtius hath a certaine possession or péece of lande lying in Volaterrano wherto he conueyed the remnant of al his substance as it were from the daunger of deuouring ship wracke At this instant it hath pleased Caesar to admit him among the order of Senatours whiche place and office of dignitie he can hardly scantly mainteine this possession of his being not reserued restored And surely it is a thing thaÌ„ which none can be more grieuous that he whose honour is higher aduaunced should of substance and wealth susteine greater dammage neither is it conuenient that he should be dispossesse of that land which is deuided at Caesars commauÌ„dement who is made a Noble Senatour by Caesars beneficence But touching the equitie vprightnes of the thing I haue smal stomach to vse more words in writing lest I shold séeme to account more of the circuÌ„stances of the cause then to estéeme of your fauour and loue Wherefore I beséeche you moste earnestly that you would suppose the suite of C. Curtius as pertinent to mine own person in so much that what soeuer you do for my sake by way of request concerning the present cause of C. Curtius persuade your selfe that you do it for Cicero and let your opinion be occupied in this point that what he by your benefite obteineth the very same likewise Cicero receiueth Thus muche to put in proofe and also to perfourme I beséeche you once again and that with earnestnesse Fare you well Cicero to P. Sulpicio THE ARGVMENT He maketh a declaration of his duetie commendeth M. Bollanus desireth Sulpicius to be a meane whereby Dionysius his seruant might be apprehended ALthough my recourse be not so often in these dayes specially to the Senate yet notwith standing when your letter was of me read perused I did thinke that I might in no respect bee a hinderer of your honour renoune but that thereby our auncient fréendshippe should be ecclipsed and a great portion of courteous duties passing to and fro betwéen vs vtterly banished Wherefore in your absence I failed not to be your furtherer neither did I shewe my selfe dissolute or negligent in ordering a solemne supplication for your behoof and as for regarde to your wealth substaunce reputation dignitie therein I will shewe my selfe at no time wanting To the intent therefore that your acquaintance may not be ignorant with what a loueing affection I am carefull ouer your person it is my wil and desire that by letters from you they be shortly certified to the end that if in any thing you stand in néede of mine assistance they may not be in suspension to infourme mée of the same Touching M. Bollanus a man of no lesse honestie then valiantnesse a man I say furnished with all thinges and one whom I haue loued as a fréend of long continuance I send you singular commeÌ„dations You shall do me a speciall benefite and suche a pleasure as a greater cannot be perfourmed if you do your endeuour that he may vnderstand this my commendation vnto you in his behalfe commenced to haue béene to him a principall helpe and aduantage of whose good demeanour you shal so well like that you will take him to be as he is a vertuous Gentleman and a courteous I make you this assurance by faithfull promise that through the fruite of his friendshippe and vse of acquaintaunce you shall reape exceeding delectation and swéetnesse aboue measure Furthermore I beséeche you instantly as you tender our kindenesse and familiaritie and for the loues sake whiche vnto mee you haue perpetually professed that in this point you would spare no paines but labour to the vttermoste Dionysius my seruant to whom I coÌ„mitted the charge of my bookes accounts and monie after he had by stealthe conueyed away many of those things wherof I put him in credite and suspecting that his offence was suche as deserued due punishment he tooke his héeles and by flight sought for refuge He is lurking in one corner or other of your Prouince M. Bollanus my familiar friend and diuerse other a great many saw him in Narona to whom after certain conference when he had coyned this excuse that he was by me manumised set at libertie they gaue credite to his report let him escape If you wil vouchsafe for my sake to bestowe some labour that he may be apprehended and sent backe againe to me his maister what a benefite I shall receiue by your paines therein employed I am not able by vtteraunce to testifie The matter it selfe is but momentanie and light but the gréefe of my minde is vehement and great Bollanus will instruct you in what place he abideth and what is to be done in this case if you will vse his aduise If it be my lucke to recouer the fugitiue fellowe I wil thinke mée selfe to haue receiued an excéeding great pleasure Fare you well Cicero to Philippo ¶ THE ARGVMENT He commendeth Oppius and Egnatius to Philippe the Proconsul the one being present and the other being absent ALthough the reuerence certaintie of our olde acquaintance driueth all doubtfulnesse into banishment that I cannot choose but thinke my commendation to be ingraffed in your remembraunce yet notwithstanding I am constrained of courtesie to commend and recommend the same L. Oppius my familiar friend being present and the affairs of L. Egnatius in his absence to your patronage and defence So great and so sure is the fréendshippe whiche knitteth our hartes together and so firme is the foundation of our familiaritie that I can not but labour as earnestly in his businesse that it might be furthered as I would trauell in mine owne matters to haue theÌ„ mainteined Wherfore I shal persuade meeâ—… selfe to bée a partaker of a principal benefite if through your procurement it may come to passe that he may vnderstand suche to be your fauourable and courteous vsage vnto my person as I haue alwayes thought and estéemed Than this pleasure I cannot receiue a greater at your handes wherfore to sée to the perfourmance of the same I desire you moste earnestly Fare you well Cicero to Seruilio ¶ THE ARGVMENT He commendeth Andron the sonne of Arthemon of Laodicea
reason hath not their generation or issue from the enticementes of Venerie I meane to speake more sensibly from carnall pleasures neither of aboundance of pampering belly cheere but of pouertie whiche leadeth vs the plaine pathway to vertue of whose noblenes Vile man is moste vnworthie Againe varietie of desires and delightes in voluptuousnesse together with an immoderate wallowing in sensualitie casteth the mindes of men defiled with effeminacie and bewitched with wantonnesse into the slauishe imprisonment of vices most detestable yea into that bondage it bringeth them by vsing themselues familiarly to such foule enormities as you your selfe incurre and lye tumbling in accustomably Where vpon it foloweth that you as a captiâ—…e or prisoner cast away your target and sworde of resâ—…stance and haue yéelded vppe your selfe whoâ—…y to the power of those tyrants in whose clawes since you are caught it is hap hazard if you escape vndamnified For among all other thinges not so muche as your wordes but are as it were in league with thinges altogether vnprofitable and very superfluous Send not therfore for Pythagoras to come to your kingdome to enter with you into familiaritie to be conuersant with you in your Palace For Physicians as people reporte neuer wishe to be partakers of the diseases of their grieued patientes Socrates to Lysistrato ¶ THE ARGVMENT To a familiar freende indued by nature with goodly qualities and yet sore entangled with idlenes he writeth pleasantly after many exhortations before giuen for the auoyding of slouthfulnes vsing a fable of the grasshopper and the Ant therby thinking to incite him to set in open shewe the giftes which lye hidden in him as fruitelesse FOr so much as notwithstanding our manifolde and maruelous admonitions for your commoditie vsed preuaile so litle that our labour is lost and that with Penelope wee dooe and vndooe no perfection or finall successe in the meane while folowing we wil attempt another way begin our busines a fresh vsing deuised fables or moral tales as instru ments seruiceable for our present purpose So peradueÌ„ture it shal come to passe that the things which of vs are pronouÌ„ced shal of you be sooner heard and better liked The grassehopper in the auncient world when the pleasant flourishing season of the yeare serued skipped leapt and chirpte in her kinde among the gréene herbes summerlie plaÌ„ts coÌ„ceiuing in his song a certain pride was delightsomly disposed The ant on the other side kéeping company with the labouring reapers and being prouident in purueying victuals for her nourishment was occupied in gathering wheat cornes together hoording them vp closely in her conuenient garners farre more prouidently employing her paines then the grasshopper Now when the sunne had entred into the Hybernicall signes haruesâ—… posting from vs and winter hasting to vs a season vnpleasaunt to the earth and when the Sea casting away calmenesse fell to continuall raging the mariners tooke vppe their harboure in hauens the husbandmen sate warming their shanckes by a lustie fire that filled the chimney and the litle pretie Ant couching closely in her countrie cotage inioyed in due season the swéetnesse of her sweating labours susteined in summer The grasshopper therefore resorting vpon a time to the Ant besought her instantly to impart some small portion of reliefe out of her store and prouision but the Ant chyding and driuing away the singing grasshopper from the doore of her homely house among all other motions shewed to reprehend the grasshoppers sluggishnesse fell into an excéeding great laughter calling to memorie the mellodious tunes swéete songes that he sounge in pleasaunt summer there withall quipping the foolish grasshopper by way of exprobation To conclude the swéete harmonie of the grasshopper turned into a long hunger and the sweating labours of the Ant were chaunged into cherishing sustenance This fablâ—… Lysistratus is applyable to thy person whose propertie of idlenesse is suche that thou art in worse case then any one that is haunted with a feuer or quiuering agâ—…e For shame shake off this sluggishnesse and vse thy selfe to some exercise for sithence your body lacketh no strength no might no abilitie is it not a rebuke vnto you to be so vâ—…prouided of knowledge cunning in all things onely by thâ—… meanes of this mischiefous idlenesse and to purchase suche a a slaunder and euill report to thâ—… 〈◊〉 of those goodly ornamentes wherwith by nature you are inriched But Fare you well Epicurus to Hermacho ¶ THâ—… ARGVMENT Beginning with a complaint of his disease whiche he afterwardes stayeth through an inward conceiued gladnesse he putteth Hermachus in minde to keepe very carefully the bookes or workes of Metrodorus AT what time we enioyed the blessed day of our life the same being likewise the last we wrote out this present Epistle at whiche time we were so gréeued with a disease of the bladder and the bowels that worse tormentes none might indure then we suffered Neuerthelesse thoughe my body were so doloroâ—…sly vexed yet with the ioy of minde that I conceiued through the memorie of my dooinges and deuises they were somewhat redressed But according to the inclination of your will towardes me and the loue that you beare to the profession of Philosophie whiche from your young yeares in you hath béene ingendered do your vttermoste indeuour that the volumes of Metrodorus may be safely reserued Lucianus to Sabino THE ARGVMENT This Epistle though it were written as a speciall letter beeing full of preceptes and holsome counsels tending to the reformation of behauiours yet in consideration of the within conâ—…eined circumstances I see no cause with standing but it mâ—…y be general To drawe the particularities thereof being so many and diuerse would exceede the order of an Argument IF you be determined to attempt any newe enterprise anâ—… labour the causes of your purpose are firste to be canuassed and 〈◊〉 considered least your vnorderly proâ—… giue manifest eâ—…ivence of your temeritie and foolishâ—…sse For we are ashamed to speake without licence of lawe or authoritie It is more auaileable and praise-woorthie with a litle losse to growe to agreement with an aduersarie then with great daunger and expence to stande to triall of lawe whose iudgement is hard and doubtfull For the sentence of the iudge is oftentimes vncertaine and cleane contrary to the expectation of the Clients whose cause is in controuersie If you be desirous to knowe the nature and disposition of any man marke his sayinges and viewe his dooinges as for his countenaunce account it of small cre dite â—…hough suche as be experte in the profession of Physiognomie presume by mennes faces to giue coniectures For Dissimulation or hypocrisie dasheth out all sight of iudgement gathered by the viewe of the visage Suche workes as you take in hand if they be famous and worthie make haste to haue them finished leaste you be preuented in your purpose before it be
make them empoisoned Such kind of hearbs take héede of for in â—…éede of medicine they worke mischiefe in place of health they drawe indaunger except some signe appeare in them aâ—… an ylâ—…auoured blacke colour or else some ranke stinking sâ—…uour So that Art and cunning it selfe by the meanes of Fortuâ—…e is oftentimes deceiued Wherefore suche purgations as procéede by the receipt of Helleborus haue in them somewhat more certaintie the which as it is reported * Melampâ—…s vsed to restore Praetus and Anticyreus to heale Herculâ—…s But in curing Democritus we will come to no such remedie onely wisedome shall be the most effectuall medicine that can be ministred in this his present passion Fare you well Hippocratos to Damageto This Epistle is historicall THE ARGVMENT Democritus by natiuitie an Abderite a philosopher of his time most famous and excellent being wearie of house keeping and ouercharged as it were with tediousnesse of keeping companie with his citizens giuing ouer that carefull life as I may rightly terme it and burthened with businesse got him â—…to a desart placâ—…as an Heremite or wildernesse wanderer not farre distant from the citie â–ª Abdera and there leading his life fell a laughing at what so euer 〈◊〉 sawe done Which straunge thing the citizens his countriemen noting supposing that he was distracted and robbed of his right witâ—…es to speake plaine phrentique and madde sent in embassage to Hippocrates Cous a man in the profession of Physicke and practise of that Art most renouned to come to Abdera and to take vpon him the curing of Democritus Hippocrates being wonne to the satisfaction of their desires both by embassage and also by letters signified sayleth to Abdera and being there arriued and abidâ—…ng with his patient certifieth Damagetus to wlâ—…ose credite â–ª in his absence 〈◊〉 committed the eustodie of his house and the whole charge of all thinges else to him belonging both of the doings and also of the sayings touching him selfe and the aboue named Democritus as appeareth in this present Epistle next and immediately following THe suctesse of al things friend Daâ—…agetus was answerable to our suspicion For why Democritus was not distracted or out of his right wits but was of a more excelleÌ„t mynd then all other men and farre beyond the rest in perfection of indgement by whose meanes we are made better acquainted wiâ—…h wisedome and others also by and through our procurement indued with the more knowledge I haue sent you your shippe backe againe best beloued which as it may rightly haue the name to pertaine to Aesculapius so next vnto the ensigne of Sol I woulde haue you place the cognisaunce or badge of Salus bycause my voyage which I tooke in hands hauing winde and weather at will a swift barcke and prouided to the purpose was prosperously performed For the very same day wherein I made prâ—…mise to set forwarde such was my happie successe I arriued at Abdera and being there landed we had conference with the citizens who were gathered together in a cluster at the gates of the citie gasing and tooking on vs as on a worlds wonder This multitude did not consist onely of men but also of women both olde and young and by the Gods I sweare there were among them children of tender yeares in whose countenaunces a certaine sadnesse of mynde was represented These were in such taking as if Democritus had bene outragious indéede who was nothing so but at the same instant was earnestly addicted to Philosophie and in contemplatiâ—…n with wisedome So soone as they sawe my person they beganne somewhat to recouer staying them selues by reason of my comming vpon the sure anchor of hope â—…ut Philopoemenes besought me with instancie to take my â—…odging at his house with whome to be intertained it was agréed vppon by consent But I sayde to the Abderites that I had nothiâ—…g 〈◊〉 doe saue onely so visite Democritus whiche wordes when they heard mée vtter they gaue me grâ—…at praise and they themselues also were surprised with souden ioy Then they conducted mée through the middes of the market place some following other some going before the rest clustering about mée al giuing great shoutes outcries with one voice Mightie Iupiter thoâ—… greâ—…t Kiâ—…g succour vs assist vs I hearing this noyse exhorted theÌ„ to haue good hearts and not to be discouraged sitheâ—…e there was no cause at y time of mischief to be feared though there were yet nouerthelesse thaâ—… it was in 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 reâ—…edied which wordes when I had spoken â–ª I departed For the house was no greate distance from that placâ—… to say the trueth the Citie it selfe was of no great compasse or 〈◊〉 â–ª 〈◊〉 to the walls and for 〈◊〉 wherof Democritus inhabited For right against the turret of the town there was a mightie mountain or huge hil plentifully planted in 〈◊〉 order 〈◊〉 poplar trées of notable talnesse and passing thicknesse from the foresaid turreâ—… Demoâ—…s might be â—…cried Hee â—…ate vnder a Plane trée with spreading boughes and gréene leaues all alone coursely arayed pale coâ—…red like one almost famished his beard shaâ—…n thus like an Heâ—…mite face he vpon a stone in sleed of a stoole in solitarines the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fréend of companie On his right hand out of the hill 〈◊〉 a pleasant spring which made a geâ—…tle softly â—…unde with y falling of y sweete streams Aboue this hil as it may be coniectured was a place consecrated to the Nymphes a place I say ouershadowed with vine branches growing in y place not by meanes artificiall but by appointment naturall At the same momeÌ„t or prick of time Democritus had vpoÌ„ his knées or in his lap as he sate an excéeding beautiful booke wide open other bookes round about him vpoÌ„ the gréene ground He had also gathered together as it were in a droaue much cattel many of which he did rip cut and mangle sometimes stoâ—…ping forward or leaning downe he â–ª wrote a running haÌ„d otherwhiles againe restraining his pen from paper he sate sâ—…ill as a man full of muses and earnest in contemplation Thus when he had done anon after he arose walked vp and downe his head being fraught with myllians of imaginations he behelde the bowels of the beastes whome he had anatomised tooke a viewe of their entrailes hauing so done layde them euery one in his proper place passing orderly and sat downe againe to his painefull pennes exercise The Abderites that stoode rounde about me as it were in circular manner being sore surprised with pensiuenesse gored with griefe and tormented with stings of sorrow could scarsly reâ—…raine from wéeping at the viewe of such a spectacle Sée sée say they the fashions of Democritus looke on the present state of his life beholde his straunge behauiours would not any man iudge by marking his vsage that he is phrentique and vtterly dispossessed of reason For he is not maister of his owne will ouer his owne déedes
he hath not power he is altogither ignorant wherabouts he is busied Among these people in perplexities of perturbations intrapped one being disposed more manifestly to declare Democritus his madnesse made a harsh squeaking noyse cast out many shrill shrinkings like vnto a pititull mother bitterly lamenting the deade bodie of her childe lying in the coffâ—…n put into the sepulchre and raked vp in clods of earth all exequies conuenient done vnto the putrifying carkasse Anothâ—…r maketh outragious exclamations and tragicall outcries howling most hideously as if the déere childe of his owne body and bringing vp before his owne face in his own presence had most vnmercifully bene murthered These extreme passions of mynde with tong not vntestified when Democritus had heard simpeâ—…ing and smiling he began somwhat leisurely to write and wagged his head too and fro wherein he had some meaning Then said I you Abderites shal in this place make your tarriance I my selfe aduenturing to go neare vnto him will both by his communication gestures of body soone attaine to the perseuerance of his grieuous agâ—…nie if at least he be in any passion When I had thus spoken I attempted to clime the sâ—…éep slipperie hil but scarcely could I come at him I felt the ascending vp so labourious howbeit wheÌ„ I approched somwhat neare him his pen went passing swiftly vpon the paper I stood stil gaue attendance til such time as he had finished his writing Then he staying y spéedie course of his hand a litle beholding me not far off out of presence sayd God spéede friend And you also said I O Democritus with whom in wisdome no maÌ„ is comparable Then he hauing in him self a souden conceit of suspicion bicause as I suppose he called me not by my name as I did him by his demauÌ„ding of me what my name was For said he through ignorance of your name I called you by y common terme of friend vsed at méetings in gréeting to strangers such as be vnknown I made him answere that my name was Hippocrates that by profession I was a physician Whervpon he inferred this question saying what of the race of Aesculapius of his line are you discended The praise worthy report of your noble name in the practise of physicke hath this long time bene blased among vs is most famous But tell me good friende what occasion constrained you to séeke accesse hether sit downe first of al and then we wil conferre Sée here is a heape of leaues gréene soft to sit vpon easie nâ—…t vnpleasant for such seates they be as by lucke are alotted more to be accepted then to be refused When I had taken my place according to appointment he put forth another demaund said Declare vnto me euidently whether the businesse wherabouts you haue come hither be publique or priuate for to disburthen you of all doubt I am disposed to exhibite vnto you so much dutifulnesse and seruice as mine abilitie shal graunt me by permission Then shaped I this answere the cause of this â—…y comming was to sée heare you whom I had learned by common voice to be a philosopher of great fame flourishing in wisedome Your owne countrie ministred this present occasion in whose behalfe I beare the office of an Embassadour Then saith he yet againe you shall first tast y benefit of our curtesie intertainment TheÌ„ I being desirous earnestly bent to take trial of him in al points circumstances as narrowly as I could coÌ„prehend albeit I sâ—…we in him no signification of madnesse but manifest argumeÌ„ts tokens of sobernesse began my coÌ„munication with this queâ—…ion Do you knowe a citizen of this your towne named Philopoemenes why said you not rather y sonne of a diuell whose abiding is neare to Mercuries brook But friend Democritus let minâ—… intertainment be seasoned with more courtesie â–ª tel me first of al what it is y you write so busily at this present TheÌ„ he pausing a litle space said it was a pamphlet intreating of madnesse WhervpoÌ„ I fell into these words with a certaine admiration Oh mightie Iupiter you write a treatise for citizens not out of season For what citizens saith he Democritus said I my tong ouerruns my knowledge I say nothing for being vnaduised in my language I tooke no héed how those words escaped But what thing do you write touching madnesse who made me this wise answere what else but what it is how in y mynds oâ—… men it is ingendered by what meanes it ought to be cured for which purpose I haue ript open launced cut mangled these beasts y you see bathing in their own bloud not y I haue the work of omnipotent Iupiter in contempt detestation but for y I am ear nest to know y places where y foure natural humors be setled specially y place propertie of melancholy For of this you are not ignoraunt y melancholy being predominant or more abounding theÌ„ y other qualities moueth men to madnesse which humour is not wanting in any of vs by the ordinance of Nature although in some it haue more in other some lesse quantitie For the surplusage of y same what is it else but a méere maladie or sicknesse which being of it selfe good necessarie is other whiles changed into a contrarie Then sayde I Out of doubt Democritus your wordes dissent not from truth nether séeme they repugnant to reason Whâ—…rfore in my iudgemeÌ„t blessed is your condition whose fortune is 〈◊〉 fauourable as to liue in that libertie of quietnesse the benefite whereof we are not suffered to enioy Upon these wordes of myne he mouâ—…d this question demaunding of me what should hinder me more then him from the vse of such felicitie To whome â–ª I maâ—…e this aunswer Bycause my landes my children my debtes my cures my seruauntes my wife and other worldly matters wherein I am ouerwhelmed cutte me off from the profite of that prosperous opportunitie Immediately vpon these words y man according to y accustomed course of his passion fel into a lowd laughter and shortly after refrained from that souden motion Then sayde I To what purpose laughed you in that order Democritus tell me what iudge you of the words which I vttered were they approuable or were they disalowable vpon this demaund he laughed out of measure The Abderits who standing aloof and beholding his behauiour clapped with their hands and gaue a shout some smote them selues on the heades vnhappily other some buffetted them selues about the face pitiously and some againe plucked their haires vp by the rootes most rigorously For as afterwardes they gaue me to vnderstand Democritus laughter was neuer so excessiue Then began I to speake againe to the man and sayde I am desirous most prudent Democritus to learne the reason of this perturbation or affection whether the presence of my person or the vtterance of my wordes
ministred vnto you cause worthy of laughter â—…o the intent that I being by your admonition instructed may sée myne amisse decently reformed or else that you being â—…ked may absteine from such fondnesse which to a man is as great commendation being vnreasonably vsed as the hauing of a qualitie that deserueth reprehension Then sayth he Nowe without all controuersie if you could controule me and my manners you shoulde heale me of suche a sicknesse as you did neuer any since you practised physicke by ministring to them medicinable compositions and receites Then sayde I againe what man may you not be controuled Is it not an absurd thinge and to reasons rule most â—…isagréeable at the deathes of people at their diseases at their madnesse at their slaughters or at any thing woâ—…se theÌ„ these if worse may be chauncing in the course of this mortalitie moreouer at marriages festiuall dayâ—…s education of children rites of consecration holy ceremonies honourable magistrates high authorities finally at what thing else besides that beareth the name of that which is good and commendable to vse a continuall laughter or an immoderaâ—…e géering For at the estate of such as are to bâ—… 〈◊〉 you fall a laughing againe at their â—…ondition towaâ—…s whoÌ„ you should shew your selâ—…e ioyfull you vse the like behauiour Wherefore vpon thâ—…se premisses I see entraunce to this plaine conclusion that beetwéene good and euill you make no diffâ—…rence Then said hée your assertiâ—…ns are repugnaunt neither to trueth nor reason but notwithstanding the course of this your communication how cunningly so euer you séeme in your dealing yet in the cause of my maddnesse your knowledge is blinde ignoraunce to the vnderstanding wherof if it bée your fortune to attaine you shall carrie away with you the aduauntage of a greater benefite then this your embasâ—…age can counâ—…eruaile namely this my laughter whereby you shall worke this effect as well in others as also in your owne selfe increase of wisedome prudence in great plentie In consideration wherof you will peraduenture make manifest vnto me for mine instruction the mysteries of mingled medicines and the practise of Physâ—…cke suspecting with your selfe that mâ—…n buify their braines about maters wherin they ought not â—…o meddle hunting after such things as are not worthy of a creature indued with reason but deseruing vnmeasurable laughter Then said I â–ª By the Gods immortall if all the world wist not that they are subiect to sicknesse neither yet knew the meanes in diseases of daunger to séeke after remedies whaâ—… might a maÌ„ else iudge of it then as bewitched and depriued quite of reason Then said hée Indéede Hippocrates the ignoraunce of the world is grosse palpable for touching Nature their skill is but superficiall and like a shadowe destitute of substaunce O Democritus said I these things shal you teach mée at times conuenient For I much mistrust least whiles you are occupied in detecting the ignoraunce of this world full of vanitie you will also interpose and sawce the same with laughter Nowe therefore discouer the occasion of the same and deliâ—…er vnto mée a plaine discourse of the trade and order of your life Hée casting vppon mée a â—…ower visage and a sterne looke sayed you suppose that of my laughter there bée two causes that is to say a good and â—… badde As for mée thus much I am to say that the man who is a lâ—…mpe or masse of foolishnesse is the onely occasion of this motion yea at him alone doe I laugh in whom ignoraunce is graffed in whom vertuous exercises are not lodged who in all his purposes and practises playeth praâ—…ckes of puerilitie and childishnesse consuming himselfe with labours vaine noysome and superfluâ—…us For such a one breaketh into the bosome of the earth openeth the secret bowells of the same being embouldened thereunto by insatiable couetousnesse which is alwayes féeding like a gréedy worme and neuer satisfied Such a one searcheth the very heart and entrayles of the ground for gold and siluer vnceassantly And to the end that the greater store of goods might fal into his possession sithence hée is cloyed with carefulnesse hée spareth no labour to fulfil his felicitie One while hée setteth his seruauntes and hyrelinges with mattoâ—…ks and spades to digge déepe pittes in the grounde in which kinde of woorke and sweating toile soâ—…e are sâ—…aine with the soudaine ruine and fall of a banckâ—… othersome being as it were bought sould to that laborious kind of life spend their days in that allotted torment of toile as in their natural couÌ„triâ—… thus whiles they search for gold siluer they search for dust sand they rake vp clods of clay in a confused heape as it were a muckhil they cutt the secret sinewes of the earth melt the very marrowe and open the â—…idden veynes making their great grandame Lâ—…terr ' a plaine Anatoâ—…e then which wrong worsse they could not work against their sworne deadly enimie He whom they wonder at and also reuerence they tread vpon with their trampling féete what great cause iâ—… there offered hereby of laughter That part of the earth which is hidden they desire and that part which lyeth open â–ª they despise Some buy houÌ„ds some buy horses sâ—…m purchasâ—… an infinite deale of land whiles they séeke to be other mens lords and maisters they become vassalls to themselues and drudging seruants Ouer hastie bée they to enter wedlocke as spéedie shortly after to sue a diuorcement â–ª Whome they loue him in semblable maner they hate They beget childreÌ„ yet forsake the faith pitie of parents This kind of carefulnesse is méere vanitie yea it sauoureth wholy of absurd dealing of dealing I say nothing differing froÌ„ meere madnesse They â—…all at variance betwene theÌ„selues they deale blowes one to another as it were in battel against thâ—…ir parents they raise rebellion they lay traines of treason to ouerthrow their princes maÌ„slaughter they estéeme as a mockerie They dig the ground like gréedie metal mongers insatiable searchers for silâ—…er wheÌ„ they haue gotten that which they gaped after they fall to purchasing they sel the fruits of their lands with lucre and stil for monie is al their chopping changing Alas in what labyrinthes doe they lose themselues in what silthy puddles do they wallow He that hath not monie in possessioÌ„ studieth by what meanes he may satisuÌ„e his desire aâ—…ter hâ—… hath caught that within his clawes after which he was euer yawning he is so farre from putting the same to any coÌ„mendable vse that he reapeth therof no benefite to himselfe insomuch as hée burieth it in the gâ—…ound thinking it safe from y purloyning robber if there it be hidden These perplexiâ—…ies of foolish people when I precisely ponder when I consider these circuÌ„stances touching y maners of men circumspeâ—…ly when I behold these vndiscrete behauiours wherwith they are imbrued I cannot but burst out into laughter Moreouer men quarelling
the booke considering that what soeuer is vttered in such mennes hearing must bée done in printe as wée say in oure common Prouerbe Behold the head maister of the schole lysteneth what wée haue to say he waiteth when wée will buckle our selues to our buisinesse his eares are readie to receiue our reasoninges his handes are prepared to take our written papers hée refuseth not to bestow vppon vs his present seruice and loue The Usher with as much modestie on the other side is willing to giue vs the hearing and to determine the controuersie The rest also of oure instructours are in a readinesse to lysten attentiucly men of great learning and singular vnderstaÌ„ding they looke vpon vs with a fauourable countenance and with a smiling face promise vs their beneuolence Wée must not bée affraid to take vppon vs this aduenture why shoulde wée auoide so profitable and so commendable an experience hauing at this present so gentle an audience Wée haue no cause to suspecte that-they will scoffe and mocke at our doinges though wée should speake scarse eloquently smoothly finely plaustbly pleasauntly artificially and Oratour like Let vs giue the onsett to this exercise ¶ The Proeme of a Declamation MOst learned audience you are not ignoraunt that euen knowledge it selfe hath a kinde of infancie and that Marcus Fabius beganne with his first elements aud principles before hée had that name and title which in processe of time he deserued The stronge Captaine and valliaunt warriour was once wrapped in swathling clowtes and lay crying in a wicker cradle Those graue and wise counsellours that are propps and pillers of Princes places and the columnes or maine postes of the weale publique though nowe for their knowledge and policie they drawe the mindes of people into an admiration yet the time hath béene wherein they had their first beginning going to schole and learning their Alphabet or A. B. C. Wil you require that at the haÌ„ds of a simple childe whose witt is but weake whose vnderstanding is slender whose iudgement is rawe which beséemeth Cicero that incomparable Rhetorician Will you lay a heauie and weightie burthen vppon the neckes and shoulders of a young beginner of a weakling of an infant which is able to make Demosthenes sincke vnder it and falter to the grounde No but you must haue due regard and consideration of yeares For olde age is not indued with the strength and lustines of gallant youth neither is youth furnished with the wisedome counsell grauitie and experience of sober old age c. Fare you well Macropedius to Chrysogono ¶ THE ARGVMENT This epistle conteineth three parts in respect of the persons namely him to whom it is written him by whom it is written and him in whose behalfe it is written In coÌ„sideration of the matter it coÌ„teineth foure partes in the first is comprehended the seeking of goodwil by circumstaunces In the second the causes that moued him to write c. In the third hee praiseth Gualtero whome hee commendeth to Chrysogono c. In the fourth hee toucheth the matter it selfe by circumstances well worthie of reading â–ª marking and learning BUt that I knowe of a certaintie your singular beneuolence not teÌ„ding to mine auaile alone but fréely testified to the profite of al such as loue learning albeit they bée méete straungers I should bée in doubt friend Chrysogono to interrupt the quietnesse of your studies through my temeriritie and rashnesse Neuerthelesse sythence I am not ignoraunt that for the renewing of old friendshipp your desire is rather to be sollicited then to the vtter vanishiug of acquaintaunce not at all to bée visited I armed my selfe with audacitie and in my friends behalfe I confesse mée your suppliaunt My welwiller Gualtero at whose hands you receiue these my letters is one whome I do most ardently loue and for his singular kindnesse vnto mée alwayes professed excéedingly fauour For euer since the time of his infancie hée hath exhibited vnto mée as to his father naturall passing reuerence duetifulnesse and obedience This man vnderstanding vndoubtedly that I was one of whome you did well thincke and estéeme and hoping also by the mediation of my letters vnto you to gett your fauour and furtheraunce béesought mée instantly to write vnto you in his cause that his suite might bée satisfied althoughe I mistrust not the modestie of the man his honestie and vertuous behauiours but that without our commendable certificate hée is like enoughe to please and preuaile For hée is a proper youthe descended of well disposed parentes though somewhat base in degrée and with substaunce not so well furnished His education and bringing vp was so good as it cannot bée misliked and from his tender yeares til this present day he hath béene not onely inclined to learning but 〈◊〉 benâ—… y way with a â—…esire in maner irreuâ—…cable insomuch that thorough his owne diligence employed in exercises of knowledge and the good successe which the Gods haue graunted him in his procéedings hée hath reaped such proâ—…te both in poeticall coÌ„ueyaunce and also in the faâ—…ultie of Râ—…etorique that there is not so much as one comparable to him among al our scholers For what is too hard for him to compasse as you shall perceiue quickly if you take experience whose witt is sâ—… quicke and of so readie a capacitie His maners deserue coÌ„mendation for no man hath séene him iâ—…oderate aâ—…â—…eate and drincke no man hath taken him playâ—…ng any â—…ranck of lâ—…wdnesse like a wanton no man hath 〈◊〉 him 〈◊〉 or fighting no man hath taken him quarellâ—…ng and coÌ„playning but he hath alwayes béene obedient to his parents dutifull to his friends tractable towards his teachers gentle to al his companionâ—… and therefore beloued â—…hat â—…éedes multitude of woords in this matter Such a young 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as good men doe â—…oth loue and laude 〈◊〉 at such 〈◊〉 as hée left our scholes prouiding to studie in your Uniuersitie hauing none acquaintance in Louane whose friendshipp conference hée might vse was desirous that through mine industrie and labour meanes might â—…ée made â—…o 〈◊〉 â—…uour with one or other to whose wisedome counâ—…ll â—…elpe and assistance hée might committ himselfe and aboue all other did choose you whome hée knewe but by report to â—…ée to him in stéede of a father or gouernour Which thing sythence you want no abilitie frend Chrysogonus to perfourme sythence I say you may without any discoÌ„modiâ—…ie redounâ—…g to your owne person take vpoÌ„ you this charâ—…e execuâ—…e this office sim ply iustly and according to the rule of a râ—…ght coÌ„science to the greater increase and aduauncement of your vertue I beséech you heartily that you wil â—…ouchsafe this young man y benefite of your patronage and countenaunce in penurie in plentie in prosperitie in aduersitie in weale and woe finally in all chaungeâ—… and chaunces euen as you would doe to my 〈◊〉 and kinsfolkes if necessitie required that they should haue recourse â—…o your
her backe againe for such inualuable benefits call your conscience to a streight accompt reckoning what the Uniuersitie what the learning and vnderstanding what the weale publique what Almightie God himselfe for such singular assuraâ—…nces of kindnesse and bountie whereby your worshippe so flourisheth doth of right require The Uniuersitie doeth denie you nothing nay what is it that she hath not beautified and inriched you withall sithence shée hath bestowed vppon you all thinges whatsoeuer shée her selfe possesseth in consideration wherof shée doeth not simply and without cause craue a good turne againe but requireth such seruice as might counterpeise her deserued duetie Shée doeth not set before you some one particular cause but she putteth her owne selfe in your credite and all thinges vnto her belonging the committeth vnto you neither is it néedeful that she should discouer vnto you her counsells sithence you know them all thoroughly yea be they neuer so priuie and secrete Doe that therefore you knowe let your will labour with your abilitie and that which you owe of duetie see discharged so shall you bring that to passe which good learning which the Uniuersitie which the common wealth which Religion which Christe and your prince looke for at your hands to be accomplished and perfourmed Iesus prolong your life many yeares in health and prosperitie M. R. Aschame to Syr Ioh. Cheeke c. ¶ THE ARGVMENT The course of this epistle wherein sundrie circumstaunces are touched about learning and the commodities of the same in one Gentleman of great fame and worthinesse appearing giueth mee to coniecture that the meaning of the writer was onely to moue Syr Iohn Cheeke to whome this letter was directed to bee mindefull of the Vniuersitie of Cambridge and vnto the same to continue beneficiall The reasons which hee vseth are all grounded vppon persuasion AMonge all the number of notable men Right worshipfull that haue had enteraunce into the Common wealthe by the benefite and furtheraunce of this Uniuersitie you are one whome before all other this Uniuersitie hath in more countenaunce and estimation when you are present in more reuerence and admiration when you are absent vppon whiche you haue béestowed in the time of your presence and impart nowe also in the time of your absence more then any other béesides whatsoeuer For at your béeing in the Uniuersitie you gaue notable and singular preâ—…eptes of learning and knowledge for all others instruâ—…ion and such examples of wisedome and iudgement for others imitation and following vnto which whiles many were appliable they reaped greate profite howbeit fewe or none grewe to the like perfection and ripenesse There is not so much as one among vs all so ignoraunt but can testifie neither yet so enuious that can auouche the contrarie that this happie and blessed successe of our studies these swéete founteines of all our excercises in learning whereto many haue atteined and also tasted by their great labour paine hope to haue flowed from the praise of your excellent witt from your safegard from your example and from your counsell so that these monuments of your humanitie of your wisedome and of your learning imprinte in our mindes an cuerlasâ—…ing remembraunce of your most worthie person As for the helpes and furtherances which the Uniuersitie hath alwayes had both for the more certaine supplie and the perpetuall maintening of the same in fame and dignitie through your meanes they are more then either all our fauourers besides could conceiue or wée our selues might looke for at any time wherein to haue our portion For whiles the kinges maiestie being of you taught and instructed hath such a loue and regard to learning what others also in like manner by and thorough your counsell will or ought to doe for the behoofe of our Uniuersitie wée are not ignoraunt This our hope haue wée and this our lesson learne wée out of your Plato to that viâ—…ious and ill disposed king Dionysius neuerthelesse the profite and aduauntage of the same wée haue but of late thoroughe your helpe and assistaunce sufficiently proued in our most Uertuous Prince Edward Wherefore sithence such recourse of mutuall duetie such assured seruice of bountie so many bonds of gentle and liberal deseruings haue passed betwéene you and the Uniuersitie to beginne with the remembraunce of your infancie and so forward to the praise of the worshipp and dignitie which you do nowe possesse and â—…nioy there is nâ—…t in you to be found any one benefite of Nature any one commâ—…ditie of labâ—…ur any one commeÌ„dation of witt any one suppâ—…rtation of Fortune any one ornament of renowne but our Uniuersitie hath béene a procurer and furtherer of the same to your profite or else a partaker thereof with you to her owne glorie and honour We doubte not but our Uniuersitie may hope for and also commaund you this seruice considering the goodly pretious Iuels wherwith she hath inriched you that you would continue to the vttermoste of your power and abilitie a mainteiner of her dignitie as you your self arise by degrées to aduauncement We do not coÌ„mitt vnto you the cause of one particular person but all our causes in generall wherein we hope you wil bestow no lesse labour then either you ought in our behalfe to employ or as we look for at your hands to be perfourmed The Lord Iesus be your preseruer and kéeper M. R. Aschame to the two young Gentlemen M. Iohn and M. Dominicke Vacchan brethren and their sister M. Mabell Vacchan the floure of Virginitie After his salutations ended he excuseth his delayes of writing wherin he bestoweth a good part of his letter al the rest of his letter toucheth thâ—… praise of the yong gentlemen yong Gentlewoman to who he wrote So that the whole summe of this Epistle may be reduced vn to two heads or principal pointes The first an excuse the second a commendation the excuse touching his owne person the commendation tending to other in this his Epistle specified Lastly he concludeth with a prayer to God to prosper them and their dooings MOste happie children descended of moste worthie Parentes commendations c. In that I haue not hitherto answered your letters whiche are vnto me for many considerations and causes most acceptable and pleasaunt this my delay is not to be imputed to forgetfulnes nor yet to be ascribed to negligence of dutie I can not complaine of want of matter wherin to be oâ—…cupied in writing because in great aboundaunce I haue had it offered neither can I excuse my self with want of opportunitie conuenient leasure of sending because it hath coÌ„tinually béen proffred so y the deâ—…alt remaineth only in mée why these coÌ„modities haue not béen vsed not because my goodwill and louing affection towards you is diminished but because I séemed in mine own thinking these last monethes past and expired with all kinde of learning somewhat offended But hauing entred againe into fauour and
is vsed in the 11. Epi. of the firste booke where he writeth to Vatinius * He maketh a gappe to his good will by ripping vppe to remembrance a bene fite receiuedâ—… â–ª of which bene fite Valerius Max. lib. 4. Cap. 2. * In Dalmatia * The name Dalmatia is deriued of the â—…itie Daimnium as Strabo â—…ith Lib. 7. * The letter of Vatinius whâ—…r unto this is an ansâ—… was lost as it is cuâ—…dent to pâ—…oue * It appeareth by this thâ—…t Dionisius was in the handes and power of Vatinius * This Seruilius was Ciceroes fellowe in the office of the Augurshippe * In the Auguâ—…ship Philip 2. Dio. lib. 4. * Who beeing surnamed Isauricus of IsauruÌ„ in Pamphilia left the same name to his sonne as a por tion of his inheritance * As a son ne of so vertuous an inclination which is a iew el of exceeding great ioy e. * That famous Philosopher in the peripateticall profession Ep. 21. lib. 10. and lib â—… 3. of Offices * Looke in Flauius Vâ—…getius for the better vnderstanding of Plenus gradus militum * Or whiles we were in the Shippe had not so many matters wheraboutes to be occupied * The writeâ—… and deuiser of Satyres * For this Trebonius was one of them that mur thered Caesar. * From the sorowe of himselfe for it is a kinde of consolatioÌ„ when wee signifie our selues to be touched with mu tual sorowe * From the condition of all men * From the state of the times * From the comparing of â—…ood thinges * From the feare of commune calamitie * FroÌ„ hope of restitution * Because it was vniust * FroÌ„ the opinion of men * Caesar. * Who at such time as he was Tribune of the people brought Cicero home again out of banishment * This is apparant in the Oration made for Sextius * Acording to the tenure of Caesars Lawe concerning valuation lib. 3. comment de bello ciuili * When as Cae sar notwithstanding hated â—…uche as were of the sect of Sylla * Signifying somewhat aboue bare friendshippe * He claimeth courtesie by pleading of modestie * For none might be a Senatour vnlesse his possessions were worth D. C. C. C. thousandes Suetonius in Augusto None might be a Gentleman of armes vnles he were worth CCCC thousandes None might be L. Chamberlaine or high counsellour vnlesse his abilitie were a. C. thousandes not onely whiles the coÌ„mon wealthe was standing but in the times of the Emperours as Plinie reporteth in an Epistle * I Thinke that this P. Sulpicius and P. Vatinius vnto whom certain Epistles in the 6. booke are written had the rule and charge of Illyricum by â—…e commaun dement of Caesar. * Of him is mencioÌ„ made Ep. 9. lib. 15. to the same effect * I finde nothing thereof written saue that it was a riuer in Dalmatia now called Narenta Ptol. lib. 2. cap 17. but it should seeme in this place to be the name of some countrie * This L. Philippus was as I suppose bro ther to Lu. Phi lippus father in Lawe to Au gustus L. F. â—… â–ª N. * It appeareth that Laodicea at that time belonged to the gouernment of Asia and not to Cilicia for Asia was in the administration and rule of Seruilius Ep. 68. lib. 13. * So farr forth to be his mainteiner as your owne honestie and the worthinesse of your owne person will suffer Ep. 22. lib. 1â—… 31. 32. lib. 13. * As I coniceture this was Tâ—… Claudius Nero from whom Augustus lead away Lâ—…uia great with childe * As who should say is great * Meaning aboue named Nero. * And also Pausanias Alabaâ—…densis * And also Pausanias Alabaâ—…densis * Citizens of Nâ—…a â–ª a citie in Lydia * Straaboes cause defended by Nero. * In the whiche Neâ—…oes vertues may be â—…eene * Vpon Nero who will deserue your great courtefie * I thinke him to be the very same whom in the second booke of his familiar Epistes he coÌ„mendeth to Coelius * From suche as vsed preten ces playing the counterfectes * He hath put himselfe into many dangerous â—…duentutes * Whom Plime reporteth to haue liued a hundred yeares and eight * For Pom peius had lost Italie Spaine as hereafter in this present epistle is mencioned * For affinitiâ—… sake because Dolabella ma ried Cicero his daughter * By which circumstances he obteyned that surname ofâ—… Mag nus to be called â–ª PoÌ„pâ—…ie the great * In Spaine * At Dyrrachium * From that which is profitable * From that which is honest The like to this is in Virgil. To Priam thy counâ—…rie Th' ast shewed sufficieÌ„t duetie * Pompeius was assaulted and set vppon at Dyrrhachium a citie in Sicilie now as some suppose called Durazo * He was no loÌ„ger sonne in law to Cicero â–ª for he Tullia were diuor ced Lib. 11. epist. ad ArticuÌ„ * Meaning Bae iae a towne in Campania ful of pleasaunt commodities Epist. 12. lib. 9. where it shold seeme he was or else in Cumano or Tusculano ‖ Because you ouerâ—…hrew the piller and the altar which was erected to Caesar of purpose to make him a God. * For Dolabel la Antonie were fellowe Consuls * Homer in Iliad lib. 1. who being â—… king â—…ad the 〈◊〉 oâ—… thâ—… 〈◊〉 in whoâ—…e 〈◊〉 weâ—…e â—…ny kingâ—…s * Hâ—… 〈◊〉 hiâ—…â—…is 〈◊〉 â—…pi â–ª 17. lib 8. 7. â—… lib â—… * Ad Atticâ—…m Epi. 17. li. 1â—… * M. Antonius Dolabella his fellowe Conâ—…ul whose mother sâ—…ued asterward L. Caeâ—…ar her bro ther when hee was a proscript or outlawe * Appi lib. 4 de bello ciuili * Because it sprang not froÌ„ mee as from the naturâ—…ll stocke and â–ª therfore I am to craue and not to chaleÌ„g * On the vâ—…rie same day that he and his coÌ„panions slewe Caesar Epi. 28. Lib. 10. * The latine copie hath Amare and Diligere the first exceedeth the last Epist. 1. ad M. Bruâ—…um Clodius saith hee Valde me diligit fauoureth me great ly * For the people are better pleased with clemencie gentlenes â–ª theÌ„ with 〈◊〉 and sharpnes Ad Atticum lib. 10. Epi. 4. * That euery man thought you might lawfully take reuengement vpon all those which erected and raised vp a piller or columne to the deifying of Caelâ—…r * As if he said That which re maineth is loked for of you to be per fourmed * The names of two seruaÌ„ts the last of whi che was a carrier of letters * Meaning his carefulnes whereunto he hath relatioÌ„ * De diuina li. 1. de sini lib 5 the same order of speach had pacuuiuâ—… and Africanus the lesser vsed Festus Scneca Lib. 19. Epist. * Rome whiche he preferreth bâ—…fore Athens For euery maÌ„ doth ratâ—…er coÌ„meÌ„d his owne natu ral countrie theÌ„ a foreignâ—… and straunge region * Rome whiche he preferreth bâ—…fore Athens
antiquitie or auncientnesse * Whether his râ—…susal deserned com menâ—…tion or reprehension shal rest for mee in controuersie * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 due order * An affection not proper to younger vvitts only but ofteÌ„ times also inci dent to more settled heads * Commendation wonnâ—… by desarte * A proper pleasant comparison * Or in the glosse of their glorie and the blemish of their beautie that is when they were most famous and when the prosperous vpspring of other writers was an occasion that his wonted worthinesse withe red and wasted * By this Allegorical speach he meaneth nothing else but that LoÌ„g tooke more vpon him theÌ„ he was able to performe in imitating Tul lie * Some Gentleman and frend of his * Or hauing â—… gainst mee some conceite of displeasure for my delaying and putting of my let ters c. * Whome in the beginning of his epistle he nameth * An earnest protestatiâ—…n â—…o giue testimonie witnesse of his hartie affectioÌ„ and kindoes * Or that if a Christian maÌ„s minde may be contentable * Or I found felt my self much grieued with the expectation and hope of your comming * A man of great fame worthinesse thoâ—…ough the notable learning knowledge wherâ—…with he was indued * Oâ—… galleries â–ª both interpâ—…etations are tollerable * Beelike they were not farre distant one froÌ„ another * You haue ta ken paines at your studie in times past very diligently but the order of your style and phrase gi ueth euidence of your exceding earnestnesse therein presently employed * In which two fingular 〈◊〉 requisiâ—… 〈◊〉 a Rhetorician Câ—…cero excelled 〈◊〉 writers of all ages * In whâ—…t respect Longolcommendeth Cicerâ—… * A rare gift and therefore deseruing peculiar praiâ—…e * Tullie hee meaneth of whome and touching whoÌ„ hee hath commendably written * He â—…cheth certaine specialties conteined and mencioned in his friends letter * Or being disposed to his booke the loue of 〈◊〉 * By that clause he mea neth nothing els but that in leaâ—…ning is no loathing except it be in a loytereâ—… * A protestati on of heartie goodwill and friendly afâ—…ection * The situatiâ—…n whereof to gether with the auncient descent of the people there inhabiting â–ª iâ—… to be read in euerie geogâ—… pher * Though â—…he seede ostentimes vpon things of grâ—…t 〈◊〉 and vncerteintie * A citie in â—…talié now called Padua fouÌ„ ded by Antenor a Troian Duke whose auÌ„cient tumb or sepulchre is there remai ning to bee seene * Matters of necessitie belike for so it may be con iectured * He meaneth the Pâ—…in whos fauour this Sa doletus was and might therefore doe much in his friendes beâ—…lfe * with goodly vertues to the increasing of your honour and noblenes * Oâ—… wherein you haue shewed manifest testimonies asâ—…urances of your valiauntnesse * Bycause in both your excellencie appeareth to the admiration of a great number * The head body of the whole Vniuer sitie * Which is both honest honourable * In this clause the sum of their request is com prised * He meaneth the vniuersitie in the behalfe of the which he wrote this letter * Among the number of whome you are to be reckoned * For learning maketh full satisfaction in time to al her benefactours sauourers and aduauncers * To bring that to pefecti on which you haue attempted begun * For as the bright beams of the sunne driueth away darknesse so doth learning chase away â—…g noraunce * Diuers excel lent epistoliographers haue vsed this kyâ—…d of beginning and among all other that I haue read and remember Erasmus to sun drie Gentlemen c. * He meaneth for the increse of knowlege it is not other wise to be vnderstoode * An opinion then which a more absurd and repugnaÌ„t to reason can not be mainteined * The line next and immediately before going sheweth the sense and mea ning of that allegorie * Or wherein you haue wel and wisely pro â—…ided * The coÌ„meâ—… tariographer he was called Iulius of the mouâ—…th Iulie wherin he was made L. Dictatour or bycause in that moneth he was borne as it is reported * A noble Ro mane of whoÌ„ Atheneus som what largely writeth * The Queenes maiestie that now is God prosper and preserue her high nesse paineful and studious at her booke a notable example not lightly to bee regarded * The praise of the quenes â–ª maiestie still continued for the varietie of her goodly giftes in â—…undrie toungs languages * An effectual persuasion grounded vpon a speciall and singular example * Sithencâ—… your progeniâ—…ours were fauourers and furtherers of learning and leaâ—…ned men * The commendation of a worthy gentleman * He turneth his talke to the Earle of Leycester â–ª wherein is much matter to be marked â–ª * He meaneth the Queeneâ—… Maiestiâ—… * For at the same time hee was embassadour into Fraunce as the title of the Epistle importeth * The life of man euen froÌ„ his infancie to his decrepite age ful of variablenesse miserie * For there is no striuing against the streame Gods ordinaunce fore appointment none is able to resist * Death the port or hauen of peace and quietnesse * So â—…hall the fort of our friendship familiaritie re main inuincible * He discommendeth theÌ„ that cause the pictures of their predecessours and of such as thei loued when they were aliue otherwise to be painted theÌ„ they bare semblance or likenesse * The right vsing and well ordring wher of procure great incâ—…ease of learning knowledge * Or there is no disagremeÌ„t betwene your opinion and mine Oâ—… you thinke one thing and I thinke the veâ—…ie same * To beleeue no further theÌ„ I see the next and ready way not to bee deceiued * By the ingemination and twice repeating of one thing â—…ee signifieth the pas sion of his â—…inde * By this exclamâ—…tion hee testifieth how hartily he loued her highnes so ought â—…l subiectes to doe bee their degree neuer so hautie and honoâ—…rable * There to weare a crown of immortalitie blessednes and euerlasting felicitiâ—… Amen * Because of yoâ—…r Maiestie iâ—… thâ—…t you are a Queene c. * Because you are fauou rable lâ—…berall vâ—…rtuous c. * The experience and triall of her highnesâ—…e boâ—…ie minâ—…stred vnto his hâ—…art â—…at bouldnesse and considence * Or oâ—… bodie and mind â—…or so the wordes may in mine opinion not vnaptly be interpreted * Noblenesse of witt singularitie of â—…udgment coÌ„mended in her 〈◊〉 * A detection of his owne opinion 〈◊〉 vpon the examples before going * Whicâ—… are so faâ—…re from being to bee found in your Grace that the contrarie is of you imbraced and followed * Because you haâ—…e not your equal neither yet your superiour * A familiar vsuall conclusion oâ—… well wishing * Note his necessarie consequeÌ„t
inferred vpon the enumeration re hersall of the forecited circumstaunces * In this his persuasorie speach he giueth a testimo nie of the passing loue af fâ—…ction which he did beare to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge * He meaneth the Vniuersitie of Cambâ—…idge the garden plot of Artes and Sciences c. * Syr Iohn Cheeke his deserued commendation * Wherein he shewed himselâ—…e a true a right noble Genâ—…leman * He meaneth king Edwaâ—…de the sixt of most famous memorie * Thâ—…t which hee sayth here to syr Iohn 〈◊〉 may likewise bee said to other Gentlemen a great number * Or it is not for that you are worne out of my remembrance nor yet because in the perfourmance of my duetie I waxe loose and dissolâ—…te * By an earnest obtestation he declarâ—…th the reueâ—… opinion whiche he con ceiued of theÌ„ to whome he wrote this Epistle * M. Mabell Vachan a vertuous gentlewoman * Cambridge and Oxenford the twoe lampes of England for learning know ledge c. * To you for the readinesse of your wittes quick capacities to him for his painefulnesse diligence in tea ching c. * Wherein appeaâ—…eth the wisedome and true loue of Parents to their children * The beginning of his letter whiche was his salutation or greeting * Promise of duetifulnesse touching his owne person * Note the or der of his drawing to a conclusion of this his letter * Or wil graunt of his gratious good nesse c. * Whiche is an inâ—…allible proofe and 〈◊〉 argâ—… ment that you are a vertuously dispo sed Gentleman * King Edward the sixte with what goodly gysts of minâ—…e he was indued * Or Copies * He kniâ—…teth vp his letter with an earnest praier wherin he giueth witnesse of his well wishing heart * From the acknowledgement and confessing of benefites receiued he falleth ordeâ—…ly to his petition whiche is a very good 〈◊〉 way towards the atteinment of his purpose â–ª for in shewing his own thaÌ„kfulnesse hee winneth further fâ—…uour well liking * Or he may perceiue and I also vnderstande * By the enumeration oâ—… these 〈◊〉 circumstances he mo ueth and com mendeth * Whiche is so farre in you to be â—…ound that your for wardnesse is wonderfull and to be con tinued should want no in couragement * Gentlemen with whom he was well acquainted and familiar * Three specialties wheâ—…upon this whole Epistle runneth * Venus giues beautie Plutâ—…s giâ—…es 〈◊〉 Iupiter giues honour * Or that you haâ—…e a singular and speciall regard c. * Some book which he had written and bestowed vpon the Gentle man to whoÌ„ he wrote as a gifte of his good will a token of kindenesse * Men that goe a wooi to one wo man betwiâ—… whome commonly there is emulation and hatred * A King of Lydia Sonn to Halias this man in the vaine conceite of his riches whiche were in deede vnmeasurable called himself the floure of felicitie oâ—… the pearle of prosperous estate * This clause is to be referred to that whiche goeth 〈◊〉 where 〈◊〉 speakâ—…th 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fa 〈◊〉 and not to thâ—…t which followeth though the o ueâ—…â—…wartnes of the wordes seeme to offer suche senâ—… where he talketh of pleaâ—…ure and delight * In the be ginning of his epistle he named three ne cessâ—…rie things belonging to mans life whereunto he ioyneâ—…h other two learning â—…reendeship c. * Or whiche beeing refâ—…rred or which perteining or beloâ—…ging c. * A signification of his wa rynesâ—…e and circumâ—…pection * It should seeme â–ª that whâ—…n he iâ—…dited this Epis tle his continuaâ—…ce was in â–ª thâ—… Princes Courte * Wordeâ—… of considence wherin whiles â—…e maketh de claration of his owne affec tion he consir meth to himself his freends kindenesse * His artificiall conclusion conteining a recapitulation of the forecited circumstances in bre uitie * This is his vsual and accustomed order of ending * This his Pro eme or beginning was drawen from occasions offe red as from the tâ—…me then present c. * The frowardnesse of Fortune and not their own fault the cause of 〈◊〉 distresse * He meaneth Lâ—…dgate * An honest â—…xcuse for the â—…uoyding of suspicion * â—…â—…eÌ„thesis including an 〈◊〉 of such casualtiâ—…s as make men whensoeuâ—…r they chaunce to hâ—…ue a shrewd fal and greatly to 〈◊〉 * A defence grounded vppon witnâ—…sle not to be neg lected * Occupiers in dâ—…unger of much losâ—…e many mischances * The summe of the debt the number of the prisonners * The summe of the debt the number of the prisonners * 〈◊〉 â—…ending wholy to perâ—…sions wher in hee playeth the paâ—…t oâ—…â—… suppliant * The ende of hiâ—… supplication maâ—…e in the behalfe of the prisoneâ—… of 〈◊〉 * The ende of hiâ—… supplication maâ—…e in the behalfe of the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 * He concludeth with prai er for the prosperous estate of king Philip the date of this supplication mâ—…y be soone learned by iust accompt of the yeares beginning at the yeare 1554 Imprinted at London for Ralphe Newberie Anno Domini 1576.