families poore widowes only and orphanes quite vndone do remaine crying for vengeance and expecting it from aboue for the wrong that is offered to their innocencie How many such are set before our eies by histories which are the light of truth But alas the vnhappines of our age is growne to greater measure How many of the greater sort I meane of the Gouernors Magistrats of this desolate kingdome may iustly challenge that praise whereby Pericles Captaine and Gouernor of the Athenians thought himselfe more honored than by all his braue exploits done in his life time either in warre or in politike gouernment wherein he was the chiefest of his time and which his friends laid before his eies being readie to die thereby to assure him and to cause him to reioice in a true immortalitie of glorie O my friends said he vnto them Fortune hath had hir part in those exploits but I make greater account of this that I neuer caused any of my Countreymen to lament or to weare a mourning gowne which onely thing ought to be attributed to my vertue O excellent and honorable praise which euery good man ought to seeke after and to desire namely to be no cause of bringing sorrow and griefe to the common-wealth through any acte of Iniustice Moreouer this vertuous Athenian died willingly and without repining taking delight in an acceptable remembrance of those good turnes which he had done to his countreymen But contrarywise it will be a very hard matter for others who haue been the cause of many euils to their countrey and for all those that delight in committing iniustice not to die in great feare horror and trembling tormented with remorse of conscience for their life past The whole course whereof cannot be much more happy seeing euery wicked act ingendring it owne torment from the very instant wherein it is committed through the continuall remembrance thereof filleth the soule of the malefactor with shame and confusion with freights and perturbations with repinings and terrible disquietnes of spirit This is that which Plutarke saith That euery wicked man committing a trespasse is the prisoner of Iustice as soone as he hath done it This life is his prison out of which he hath no meane to depart or to flie but is to receiue the execution of that sentence which is giuen against him by the soueraigne Iudge And if in the meane time he feast it out send presents and gifts yea if he solace himselfe with sundry sports delights and pleasures it is all one as if condemned men that were prisoners should play at dice and cardes and vse other pastime with the halter ouer their heads wherwith they must be strangled But there are many men that cannot be better compared than to litle children who seeing men worth nothing to dance and play vpon a Theater apparelled with cloth of gold and siluer or with other rich garments and crowned with precious ornaments haue them in great estimation and admiration and thinking them happy vntill in the end they see them pearced through with great thrusts of a speare or hewen in pieces with swords or behold fire comming out of those goodly precious robes of gold which consumeth them The selfe same thing is done by them who when they see many wicked men either placed in great authoritie and dignitie or descending of good famous houses they honor admire and esteem them the happiest men most at ease in the world neuer considering that they are chasticed punished for their offēces before they see thē either put to death or else quite fallē from the height of their fortune Now seeing it is a thing flatly confessed of those that haue any knowledge of our Philosophie and prooued sufficiently by our former discourse that nothing can be called honorable or profitable which proceedeth of iniustice or of malice that excuse which men giuen ouer to vice do commonly alledge to cloke their impietie withall namely that Iniustice bringeth with it very ripe and readie fruit and that the punishment if there be any commeth very late and long time after the delight taken by the offence hath no more any shew of reason in it For as we haue alreadie learned the punishment of any sin is equall with it both for age and time Furthermore God permitteth oftentimes his diuine iudgement to be publikely knowen and shewed vpon the vniust yea he declareth himselfe so much the more openly by how much the lesse men exercise Iustice and vpright dealind And yet in respect of his maiestie we must not look vnto time which is alwaies one and the same to him and not future or past yea the whole continuance of mans life is as nothing vnto him and lesse than the present instant But if according to our carnall sences we desire examples of the greatnes and swiftnes of his wrath iustly kindled ouer our heads for our execrable impieties contrary to the nature of his gentlenesse and benignitie which mooued him to waite for vs a long time who can be ignorant of them in the vnspeakable affliction of this poore France wherein it were very hard in mans iudgement to discerne whether is most lamentable either iniustice or the miserie and calamitie which by the vengeance of God followeth it the horrible punishment whereof the fautors of iniquitie both haue daily do feele vpon their heads Those common-wealths saith Cicero which are readie to be ouerthrowen haue all things forlorne and desperate in them fall into this miserable issue that they whom the lawes condemne are restored and iudgements giuen are reuoked and broken And when such things come to passe let none be ignorant of this that destruction is at hand neither can any man iustly conceiue hope of safety What other thing can I say of France I would to God I were deceiued seeing that all Iustice is turned topsie turuie therein the wicked are placed in authoritie good men driuen away suites in law are commenced against euery one more vpon knauerie than equitie corruption than integritie fauor than vprightnes But to the end that the greater sort and euery particular man may open his eies and behold this shipwracke that threatneth vs let vs consider in our Ancestors through the reading of histories the like causes of the ruine alteration and subuersion of many very flourishing Estates proceeding from the raigne of Iniustice which being the daughter of tyrannie as Dionysius the elder said must needes be of the same nature namely that by vsurping an vniust and intollerable dominion it must of necessitie fall speedily into a miserable and wretched end We haue in all our former discourses alleadged sundrie examples of vices which as we said euen now take their beginning or at least wise are inseparably ioined with Iniustice and heerafter we will make mention of others when we handle certaine points which properly depend of this selfe same originall In
that were vertue it selfe leauing behind them the path of that vertue from whence honor ought to proceed and which is able of it selfe to adorne decke men fall into the same reckoning that Ixion did who as the Poets say had to do with a cloud supposing it to haue been the goddesse luno whereupon the Centaures were engendred Euen so worldly men embracing vaine-glory onely which is but a false shadow of true vertue all their doings deserue so small commendation that if they were well waied they should rather be found worthy of blame and dishonor than of that honour which they so greatly seeke and aske after For this cause the ancient Romanes built two Temples ioined together the one being dedicated to Vertue and the other to Honor but yet in such sort that no man could enter into that of Honor except first he passed through the other of Vertue But seeing the way of vertue is so litle frequented at this day no maruell as Hesiodus saith if so great a heape of wickednes be dispersed through the world that all shame and honor haue forsaken and abandoned the life of man Now if an honest man preferre the losse of his honor before his owne life to the ende he be none of those that content themselues with a deceitful Idea and platforme in stead of the thing it self let him learn aboue all things to know wherin true glory and honor consist and from whence he may deserue praise which first is in Goodnes and Iustice Secondly in guiding all humane actions prudently according to duetie comelines and honestie These are the only meanes to get durable and eternall honour glory and praise which always folow vertue as the shadow doth the body hauing this propertie to make men wise iust good and prudent and to bring them to the best excellentest and most diuine habite that can be in men which is the vprightnes of reason and iudgement and to the perfection next after God of the reasonable nature which is such a disposition of the soule as consenteth and agreeth with it selfe Therfore that goodnes and excellencie which proceedeth of wisedome and good instruction is the first step to come to honor bicause from that as from a liuely fountain floweth euery vertuous and praise-woorthie action practised by a prudent man For as Cicero saith no man can be prudent but he must needs be good Now this is cleane contrary to the common opinion of those that run so swiftly now adays after honor and reputation who being ignorant of euery good cause and reason and hauing corrupt and wicked conditions imagine in their mindes that so long as they do some act well liked of great men and for which they may be noted out by them to be men of valure making good penywoorths of their skin and of their conscience also whether it be in fight or in the execution of some other commandement of theirs they shal haue cause to thinke themselues worthy of great honour and to be preferred before other men For they suppose that honor ought to be measured by that good wil and liking which men conceiue of thē although they thēselues be most wicked and not by the triall of the worke whether it be good or euil in it selfe But I wonder at their follie For seeing they haue no goodnesse in them how can they iudge what ought to be done or left vndone according to equitie and iustice And what honor wil they deserue in all their actions being guided onely with a desire of worldly glory which as Quintilian saith is the chiefe principal euil Do not they also propound to themselues as a recompence of their paine and trauell aduancement to high estates and dignities that they may the better enioy worldly pleasures Whereby they become slaues to mortall goods and riches all their life time and depriue themselues of that precious libertie of the soul for which a noble hart ought to fight to suffer death But a good man adorned with goodnes and iustice propoundeth vnto himselfe a farre other end For admiring nothing but vertue he seeketh not to be honored but in obeying hir in following hir steps and in referring all his doings to the infallible rule thereof He knoweth as Seneca sayth that glory is to be followed not to be desired that it is gotten by such a noble courage as measureth al things by conscience not doing any thing for ostentation and vanitie The price and reward which he expecteth in this life for euery laudable action is to haue done it and yet he depriueth not himselfe of glory which remayneth immortal vnto him among good men for his iust vertuous deedes neither careth he at all what the wicked or ignorant sort think or speake of him Hauing layd this ground and foundation of all his intents and purposes he looketh not to the most beaten way nor to the present state of things that he might apply himselfe to the tyme as though he feared that he should be left behind but desireth rather to abide vnknown in his simplicitie than with the hurt and detriment of his soule to intrude himselfe among the greatest And if he vndertake or execute any thing he hath iustice and prudence alwaies for his guids and then neither feare nor danger is able to driue him from his determinate purpose which how soeuer it falleth out is alwaies no lesse woorthie of honor and praise than their actions who do nothing but for worldlie glorie deserue blame and dispraise which they feare most of all and labor to auoid True it is that these men who ambitiously seeke after vaine glorie and greatnes may say vnto me that things go farre otherwise than I speake of and that their doings who apply themselues to the pleasure and liking of the greater sort without sparing their liues are as much extolled as the others that respect the vprightnes of causes are set light by and contemned But I answer them againe that it is the dutie of a prudent man rather to feare the iudgement and opinion of a few wise men than of an ignorant multitude Neither ought he to leaue his conceiued purposes grounded vpon reason for the praise of men For they that do otherwise declare euidently that they liue not but for the world hauing no care of the principall and chiefe end of their being Bion compared such men very fitly to vessels with two handles which are easily caried by the eares whethersoeuer a man will So these men being praised and much made of vndertake all things boldly yea the burning heate of glory oftentimes carieth them so farre that they praise commend their owne doings to no purpose Which is so vnseemelie a thing as Aristotle saith that it is more blamewoorthie than lying which commonly goeth with it and is also a great argument of an inconstant mind But as Plutark saith the more reason a man hath gotten by Philosophie the more
the small and so consequently no agreement Besides this is out of doubt that all the subiects of an Estate stand in neede of a law as of a light to guide them in the darkenes of humane actions especially it is necessarie for the terrifieng of the wicked who might pretend some true cause of their ignorance or some probable colour of their wickednes or at least some shew why they should escape the punishment which is not imprinted in our hartes as things forbidden by nature Neuertheles it is not the law that maketh a right gouernment but vpright iustice and the equal distribution therof which ought to be surer ingrauen in the mindes of good kings and princes than in tables of stone And it is to small purpose to multiply Edicts and Decrees if they be not seuerely obserued yea the first signe that a man may haue of the losse of an estate is when there appeereth an vnbrideled licence and a facilitie in dispensing with good statuts and when new decrees are daily consulted of And if the estate be already troubled the heaping vp of lawes vpon lawes is no lesse dangerous for it than a multitude of medicines in a weake stomacke whereas contrarywise new introductions and abuses are then especially to be taken away and things brought backe againe to their first and ancient forme Histories teach vs that when edicts and decrees were most of all multiplied then did tiranny gather greatest strength As it fell out vnder the tyrant Caligula who published decrees of al sorts both good and bad and those written in so small a letter that men could not read them to the end that he might thereby snare those that were ignoraunt His successour Claudius made twentie edicts in one day and yet tirannie was neuer so cruell nor men more wicked than at that time Therefore let the lawes and good ordinances of an estate be inuiolable straightly kept not subiect to dispensation not fauourable to great men but common and equall to all and then shall the bond of ciuill societie bee surely tied Now where as I said that all nations haue libertie to prescribe and frame ciuill lawes for themselues my meaning was not to approoue certaine barbarous beastly lawes receiued of some people as those lawes which alowed theeues a certain reward which permitted the company of men and women indifferently and innumerable others more dishonest which are not onely voyd of all iustice but euen of all humanitie But these two things must be kept inuiolably in all lawes namely The ordinance of the law the equitie of it vpon the reason wherof the ordinance is grouuded Equitie is alwayes one and the same to all people bicause it is naturall Therefore all the lawes in the world of what matter soeuer they are must meete in the same equitie Concerning the ordinance of the law bicause it is ioyned with circumstances no inconueniēce letteth but that it may de diuers among sundry nations prouided alwayes that they all tend a-like to the same marke of equitie Now seeyng the diuine law which we call morall is nothing else but a testimonie of the law of nature and of the conscience that is imprinted in all mens hartes no doubt but this equitie whereof we now speake is wholy declared and comprehended therein Therefore it is meete that this equitie onely should be the white rule and end of all lawes For as S. Augustine saith in his booke of the citie of God euery law that beareth not the image of the diuine lawe is a vaine censure And iustice is the end of euery law wel established which is the cause why S. Paul so greatly extolleth the vigor of the lawe calling it the bond of perfection Those lawes then which are squared out by this heauenly rule which tend to this ende and are limited out by this measure ought to be receiued and followed cheerfully albeit they differ from the Mosaicall law or otherwise one from another For many haue denied some amongst vs are yet of that opinion that no Common-wealth can be well iustly instituted and ordained if leauing the policie of Moses it be gouerned by the common lawes of other nations which is so absurd a thing and would be the cause of so great confusion in the policies of the world that there needeth no great store of arguments to prooue it vaine and friuolous Moreouer by that distinction of the law which we haue already set downe in our discourse it appeereth sufficiently that the opinion of these doters is grounded vpon a meere ignoraunce of the will of God The lawe of God forbiddeth stealing and diuers paines and punishments are appointed for the same in the policie of the Iewes according to the kind time and place of the theft The ancientest lawes of other nations punished theeues by causing thē to restore double that which they had stolne Those lawes which folowed made a distinction betweene open and secret theft others vsed banishment and some death The lawe of God forbiddeth false witnes-bearing which was punished amongst the Iewes with the same punishment that the partie falsely accused should haue incurred if he had been found guiltie In some other countries there was no punishment for it but publike ignominie and shame and in some also the gibbet Brieflie all the lawes in the world with one common consent how different soeuer they be tend to one and the same ende pronouncing sentence of condemnation against those crimes that are condemned by the eternall lawe of God onely they agree not in equalitie of punishment which is neither necessarie nor expedient There is some suche countrey that woulde speedily become desolate through murders and robberies if it did not exercise horrible grieuous punishments vpon the offenders in those crimes There falleth out some such time as requireth increase of punishments Some such natiō there is that standeth in need of some grieuous correction to be appointed for some special vice wherunto otherwise it would be more giuē than other nations He that should be offended at this diuersitie which is most meete to maintain the obseruation of the law of God would he not be thought to haue a malicious mind and to enuy publike benefite and quietnes For the conclusion of our present speech let vs learne that ciuil lawes and ordinances depend only of the soueraigne ruler that he may change them according to the occurrence and benefit of state affaires Let vs learn that all lawes must be referred to the infallible rule of the iustice and will of God and to the common profit of ciuil societie that he which commaundeth vs to obey magistrates not only for feare of punishment but also for conscience sake requireth of vs such obedience to their lawes and ordinances so that he is accursed that infringeth or contemneth them Therfore we must voluntarily submit our selues vnto them so that their
eies those vertuous and learned instructions that are drawen out of the fountains of arts and disciplines This mooued Antigonus king of Macedonia to write thus to Zeno the philosopher I am assured that I excell thee in the goods and fauour of fortune and in the renowne of such things but I know withall that thou art far aboue me and goest beyond me in that true felicitie which consisteth in the knowledge and discipline of studies Therefore I desire earnestly that thou wouldest come vnto me wherein I pray thee denie me not that I may enioie thy conuersation and companie as well for mine owne profit as for the profit of all the Macedonians my subjects For he that instructeth a prince doth also profit as many as are vnder his charge This selfsame loue of knowledge was the cause that all the festiuall ornaments of that great louer of vertue Ptolomie Philadelphus king of Egypt were graue questions as well of pietic as of phlosophic which he propounded to be handled and concluded by those learned men whom he ordinarily maintained in his traine Sir the example of these two noble kings shining wholy in you who greatly loue and fauour learning and the professors thereof and open the gate of that holie and vertuous discipline which was so much cherished by ancient men that they might daily be instructed the better in the dutie of their charges doth promise to your good subjects and vassals that by the grace of God they shall see vnder your raigne the euill of those sinister effects defaced which haue issued from these long troubles and ciuill wars Whereof all men haue conceiued a more certaine hope bicause they see that you labor with a holie zeale and good affection to restore pietie and iustice to their former strength and beautie which were in a maner buried in France and that you haue gloriously crowned that worke which that great king Francis your grandfather did happily begin to the end that arts and sciences might flourish in this kingdome The diner of that prince of famous memorie was a second table of Salomon vnto which resorted from euerie nation such as were best learned that they might reape profit and instruction Yours Sir being compassed about with those who in your presence daily discourse of and heare discoursed many graue and goodly matters seemeth to be a schoole erected to teach men that are born to vertue And for my selfe hauing so good hap during the assemblie of your Estates at Blois as to be made partaker of the fruit gathered thereof it came in my mind to offer vnto your Maiestie a dish of diuers fruits which I gathered in a Platonicall garden or orchard otherwise called an ACADEMIE where I was not long since with certaine yoong Gentlemen of Aniou my companions discoursing togither of the institution in good maners and of the means how all estates and conditions may liue well and happily And although a thousand thoughts came then into my mind to hinder my purpose as the small authoritie which youth may or ought to haue in counsell amongst ancient men the greatnes of the matter subject propounded to be handled by yeeres of so small experience the forgetfulnes of the best foundations of their discourses which for want of a rich and happie memorie might be in me my iudgement not sound ynough and my profession vnfit to set them downe in good order briefly the consideration of your naturall disposition and rare vertue and of the learning which you receiue both by reading good authors and by your familiar communication with learned and great personages that are neere about your Maiestie whereby I seemed to oppose the light of an obscure day full of clouds and darknes to the bright beames of a very cleere shining sunne and to take in hand as we say to teach Minerua I say all these reasons being but of too great waight to make me change my opinon yet calling to mind manie goodlie and graue sentences taken out of sundry Greeke and Latine Philosophers as also the woorthie examples of the liues of ancient Sages and famous men wherewith these discourses were inriched which might in delighting your noble mind renew your memorie with those notable sayings in the praise of vertue and dispraise of vice which you alwaies loued to heave and considering also that the bounty of Artaxerxes that great Monarke of the Persians was reuiued in you who receiued with a cheerfull countenance a present of water of a poore laborer when he had no need of it thinking it to be as great an act of magnanimitie to take in good part and to receiue cheerfully small presents offered with a hartie and good affection as to giue great things liberally I ouercame whatsoeuer would haue staied me in mine enterprise For I assured my selfe thus much of your bountifull roiall greatnes which I craue in most humble maner that you would measure the gift and offer of this my small labor not according to the desert thereof or by the person of one of your basest seruants and subjects who presenteth in vnto you but according to the excellencie of those things which you shall see handled in this Academie and according to the seruiceable and most affectionate desire wherewith I dedicate and consecrate both goods and life to your seruice I beseeth God Sir to preserue your Maiestie in great prosperitie increase of honor and continuance of a long and happie life At Barre in the moneth of Februarie 1577. Your most humble and most obedient seruant and subject Peter de la Primaudaye THE AVTHOR TO THE READER THE PHILOSOPHERS teach vs by their writings and experience doth better shew it vnto vs that to couet and desire is proper to the soule and that from thence all the affections and desires of men proceede which draw them hither and thither diuersly that they may attaine to that thing which they thinke is able to lead them to the enioying of some good wherby they may line a contented and happie life Which felicitie the most part of men through a false opinion or ignorance rather of that which is good and by following the inclination of their corrupted nature do seeke and labor to finde in humane and earthlie things as in riches glorie honor and pleasure But for a smuch as the enioying of these things doth not bring with it sufficient cause of contentation they perceiue themselues alwaies depriued of the end of their desires and are constrained to wander all their life time beyond all bounds and measure according to the rashnes and inconstancie of their lusts And although they reioice for a little while at euerie new change yet presently they loath the selfe-same thing which not long before they earnestly desired Their owne estate alwaies seemeth vnto them to be woorst and euerie present condition of life to be burdensome From one estate they seeke after another so that now they withdraw themselues from the seruice of princes and
commodities to get and treasure vp vertue only And why do we after their example despise all these things and spend that which we account most pretious I meane time that we may be adorned and cloathed with vertue if it cannot make vs hit that marke which euery one so much desireth and seeketh after with such great paine and labour namely that they may enioy some chiefe Good in this world and lead thereby a contented and happy life Be not ouertaken friendly Reader with this smal difficultie which perhaps might cause a grosse and feeble head not well instructed in wisedome to stagger and depart out of the right way Now although the heauenly word onely hath the perfect and sound knowledge of wisedome bicause he is that eternall wisedome it selfe yet man being his workmanship aided with his grace must not leaue of to seeke for to require earnestly of him that gift of the knowledge participation of the secrets of that incomprehensible truth so farre foorth as he may and shall be necessary for him that his soule thereby may obtaine hir permanent and lasting happines Moreouer albeit our soueraigne chiefe Good our perfect contentation and absolute felicitie be onely in heauen in the enioying of that diuine light yet we must not in the meane while albeit we cannot fully possesse that leaue of to seeke without ceasing or giue ouer in any sort to keepe and follow that good and infallible way of vertue which causing vs to passe ouer quietly and to sustaine with ioy of spirite the miseries of mankind and appeasing the perturbations of our soules from whence proceed all the euils that torment vs and making them void of all damnable effects will teach vs to lead a pleasant peaceable quiet life to effect all things woorthy beseeming this certaine hope that we shal one day by the grace of God be framed a new in that eternal most happy contented life Let vs therefore account this world and all the riches thereof as a thing belonging to an other as a straunger and nothing appertaining to those men who beyng regenerated by the spirite of grace haue profited well in the schoole of wisedome Let vs not seeke for friendshippe vpon earth let vs not couete after riches glory honour and pleasure which none but fooles doe extoll desire and wonder at Wee are not of this worlde but straungers onely therein and therefore let vs set all worldly things behinde vs and account them vnwoorthie the care of our immortall soules if we meane not to perish with the worlde by ioyning our selues there-unto Let vs forsake it I say forsake it boldly how precious soeuer it bee that we may aboundantly treasure vp that great sweete and durable wealth I meane vertue which is honoured loued and desired for it selfe onely which is the true and wholesome medicine for diseased soules the rest of the mynde oppressed with care the cause by the will of GOD of that chiefe Good wherein the principall ende of the soule consisteth and the onely assured guide which leadeth to the Hauen so much desired of euery one namelie the contentation of minde Which thing this present Academie doth not onely set before our eyes but also doth saue and keepe vs beyng already entered into this Hauen of safetie agaynst all tempestes if wee will our selues and not spare our labour to reape profite of those learned and wise instructions that are here giuen vnto vs by the preceptes of doctrine and examples of the lyues of auncient vertuous and famous men For first of all wee shall learne hereby to know our selues and the ende of our beyng Secondly wee shall bee instructed in good maners and taught how we may liue well and happily in euery estate and condition of lyfe whatsoeuer Yea we shall finde in the basest and lowest estate which of the ignorant and common sort of people is oftentimes called miserable as much ioy and happinesse as a Monarch can be partaker of in the fruition of his greatnesse yea much more than he if he bee wicked bicause vice in all Estates maketh the possessour thereof wretched and contrarywise Vertue maketh euery condition of life happy Moreouer wee shall see in this Academie that euery one louyng and fearing GOD may obtaine this inestimable Good of vertue and thereby remayne a Conquerour ouer the perturbations of his soule which breede all his miserie remembring this poynt alwayes so farre foorth as the fraile nature of man ayded by the Author of all goodnesse can attayne to this perfection Wee shall learne here how we ought to gouerne our selues wisely and duetifully in all humane actions and affaires and in all charges and places whatsoeuer either publique or priuate whereunto we shall be called We may note here cause of the subuersion and ruine of many Empires Estates and Common-wealths and of the glittering shew and glory of infinite others as also the cause of the wretchednesse and destruction of a great number of men and what hath lift vp others and crowned them with honour and immortall prayse We shall bee taught here the gouernement of a house and familie the maner of the education and instruction of children the mutuall duetie of married couples of brethren of masters and seruauntes how to commaund and how to obey We shall see here the order and establishment of policies and superiorities what is the duetie of the Heads of them of Princes and Gouernours of nations as also what the duetie of their subiectes is Briefly both great and small may drawe out from hence the doctrine and knowledge of those things which are most necessarie for the gouernement of a house and of a Common-wealth with sufficient instruction how to frame their life and maners in the moulde and paterne of true and holy vertue and how by meanes thereof the grace of GOD woorking in them they may runne the race of their dayes in ioy happinesse rest and tranquillitie of spirite and that in the middest of greatest aduersities which the vncertaintie and continuall chaunge of humane things may bring vpon them Nowe bicause the sequele compounded of the sundrie treatises and discourses of this Academy will sufficiently instruct thee in all things aboue mentioned as it promiseth in the fore-front and title thereof I will not dilate this matter any farther but only desire of thee Reader patiently to heare these Academicall students from the first of their discourses vnto the last Their intent was only as thou maiest vnderstand more at large in the entrance of their assembly to teach themselues and next euery one according to their abilitie the institution of good maners and rule of good lining for all ordinarie and common estates and conditions of life in our French Monarchie to the ende that euery member of this politike body brought thus low with euils and beaten with tempestuous stormes might somewhat helpe and profite it by their counsels and instructions And this thou mayest do friendly
Of the Harmonie and agreement that ought to be in the dissimilitude or vnlike callings of subiects by reason of the duty and office of euery estate 743 67 Of Peace and of Warre 754 68 Of the ancient Discipline and order of Warre 764 69 Of the office and duty of a Generall 772 70 Of the choise of Souldiors of the maner how to exhort them to fight and how victory is to be vsed 783 71 Of a happie Life 794 72 Of Death 804 THE FIRST DAIES WORKE of this Academie with the cause of their assemblie WHen GOD by his infinite and vnspeakable goodnes beholding with a fatherly bountifull and pitifull eie our poore France which most cruel against it selfe seemed to run amain most furiously to throw it self headlong into the center of some bottomlesse gulfe had sent from heauen the wished-for newes of peace in the midst of ciuill and domesticall armies which a man might say were of purpose prepared for the finall ouerthrow of this French Monarchie that hath florished so long time sparing by his heauenlie grace and fauor and that in despite of them the bloud of those men who held foorth their right hand to cut off the left among manie who touched with the loue of their countrie and with true zeale to pietie reioiced at this so well liking and healthfull newes fower yong gentlemen of Aniou who came togither to serue their Prince and to sacrifice their liues if need required for the welfare and safetie of the Common wealth were none of the last that sought out one another and met togither to testifie ech to other as their mutuall kindred and sworne frendship did inuite them the ioy which filled their souls arising of so happie and vnlooked for successe and alteration of affaires to the end also that they might giue glorie and praise to him who for the benefit of his knoweth wel how to take order euen in those things which according to the iudgement of men are desperate and past recouery And that which gaue them greater occasion to reioice for this peace and so diligently to seeke out one another was this bicause contratie to hope they saw the meanes offered them to returne home and to continue an exercise that greatly pleased them which not long before the last fal of France into troubles they had happily begun Now to let you readers vnderstand what this exercise was these fower gentlemen being of kin and neere neighbors and in a maner of one age were by the care and prudence of their fathers brought vp and nourished togither from their yoong yeeres in the studie of good letters in the house of an ancient wise gentleman of great calling who was the principall stocke and roote of these fruitfull buds This man by reason of his manifold experience and long abode in strange countries knew that the common corruption of French youth of it selfe inclined to pleasure proceeded chiefly from the ouer great licence and excessiue libertie granted vnto them in the Vniuersities of this Realme as well through the fault and negligence of the gouernors and tutors in them as also bicause of the euill gouernment of the townes at this day He knew also that they were no lesse abused who thinking to auoide this dangerous downe-fall at home did send their children to studie abroad amongst strangers where the traffike and merchandise of mischiefs is more common and easie to be made bicause they feare not that newes will presently or so speedily be caried to their parents as if they were neere vnto them Oh how well woorthie of eternall praise is the prudence of this gentleman bringing to my remembrance Eteocles one of the most noble Ephories of Lacedemonia who freely answered Antipater asking fiftie pledges that he would not giue him children least if they were brought vp farre from their fathers they should change the ancient custome of liuing vsed in their owne countrie and become vicious but of olde men and women he would giue him double the number if he would haue them Wherevpon being threatened by this king if he speedily sent him not of the youth we care not quoth he for threatenings For if thou command vs to do things that are more greeuous than death we will rather choose death so carefull were the men of old time that the dressing and trimming of these yoong plants should not be out of their presence But let vs go on with our matter This good and notable old man hauing spent the greater part of his yeeres in the seruice of two kings and of his country and for many good causes withdrawen himselfe to his house thought that to content his mind which alwaies delighted in honest and vertuous things he could not bring greater profit to the Monarchie of France than to lay open a way and meane to preserue and keepe youth from such a pernicious and cancred corruption by offering himselfe for example to all fathers and shewing them the way to haue a more carefull eie in the instruction of their children and not so lightly to commit them to the discipline of vices by the hands of mercenarie and hired strangers And this was begun vpon these fower yoong gentlemen whom he tooke to his owne house by the consent of their parents offering himselfe to the vttermost of his power to helpe their gentle nature which appeered in them woorthie their ancestors by training it vp first in the feare of God as being the beginning of al wisedome secondly in humane learning and knowledge which are necessarie helps to liue well and happily to the benefit of the societie of men To this end after that he himselfe had shewed them the first grounds of true wisedome and of al things necessarie for their saluation according to the measure of grace giuen him from aboue and as their age could conceiue them he labored earnestly to haue in his house some man of great learning and wel reported of for his good life and conuersation vnto whom he committed the instruction of this yoong Nobilitie Who behaued himselfe so wel in his charge that not greatly staying himselfe in the long degrees of learning which being ordinarie and vsuall in our French Colledges are often more tedious besides losse of time than profitable to youth after he had indifferently taught his schollers the Latine toong and some smackering of the Greeke he propounded for the chiefe part and portion of their studies the morall philosophie of aucient Sages and wise men togither with the vnderstanding searching out of histories which are the light of life therein following the intent and will both of him that set him on worke and also of the parents of this Nobilitie who desired to see their children not great Orators suttle Logitians learned Lawiers or curious Mathematicians but onely sufficiently taught in the doctrine of good liuing following the traces and steps of vertue by the knowledge of things past from the first ages vntill this present that they
mortall matter of as small continuance as a vessell of earth sinning without ceasing and endeuoring that that which is shut vp within it should please it Notwithstanding we ought not to neglect and contemne the woonderfull frame of this heauenly plant as Plato calleth it saying that the roote thereof is in the head drawing towards heauen seeing as in a little world we may behold therein the excellencie of the woonderful works of God and that in so great measure that the wisest and most eloquent men could neuer set them foorth sufficiently And if we cal to minde how by his almightie power he framed him at the first of a peece of earth we shall not neede to stand long heere to inquire and search out how he could be ingendred and fashioned in his mothers wombe how he receaued nourishment and life and lastly how he came into the light As for example how the sixe first daies after his conception he is nothing but milke the nine following blood twelue daies after flesh and howe in the eighteene next ensuing he is fashioned at what time the fruite beginneth to liue and to haue sence which is the fiue and fortieth day after he was conceaued These are secrets of nature which may seeme as incomprehensible and beyond the capacitie of man as his first creation For what greater maruell can there be than that of a little drop of mans seed there should be engendred bones sinewes vaines arteries similar and instrumentall partes skinne and flesh and that all these should be framed in that kinde figure and similitude which we daily see in men who are all created after that maner What neede we then to make an anatomy of all the chiefest partes of the body of man when as the consideration of the least of them which peraduenture may be found to be most necessarie will suffice to rauish vs with admiration What superfluous thing can be noted in the bodie What small parcell is there which the noblest part may want conueniently and which is not partaker of euerie euill disposition thereof What thing is there in the whole nature thereof which doth not satisfie that dutie verie profitably whereunto it is borne and appointed which mooueth not of it selfe which either doth suffereth or disposeth of it selfe otherwise than is most expedient and meet for it owne benefite and for the rest of the frame of man The progresse and growth thereof from day to day from houre to houre and that of all the parts together of this principall worke at one instant euen from the first houre of his being vntil his whole perfection are they not more heauenly than humane things What is more woonderfull vnder the cope of heauen than the coniunction and subiection of the naturall sences vnto the bodie I meane of the sight smelling hearing taste and touching whereby saith Plato the common sence which is as it were a generall receptacle conceaueth al outward things What an excellent propertie in man is it to voide from him a profitable superfluitie of his nourishment from whence the cause of the preseruation of mankinde proceedeth The articulate and distinct voice proper to him onely is it not woorthy of great maruell What greater secret of nature could rauish the minde of man more with admiration than amongst the infinite multitude of men in the world to consider the variety of their gestures and diuersity of their countenances that hauing al but one and the same forme yet not one almost resembleth another And when in so great varietie two are found resembling in all points one another as we read of some euen of sundry nations who haue been taken indifferently one for the other is it not a stranger matter How maruellous is it that all men hauing a toong wherewith they speake and sing yet we seldome see that the speaking and singing of one resembleth the speech and tune of another wherupon it commeth to passe that friends and familiars oftentimes acknowledge and vnderstand one another by their speech and voice before they see ech other Who will not admire this great secret in the hand of man that a hundred thousand writers may write the same thing with the same inke and like pen and that with three and twentie letters which haue each his owne figure and shape and yet the writings shall not resemble one another so but that euery writing may be knowne by his hand that wrote it Briefely what is there in the whole body of man that is not full of rare beautie This is sufficient for the matter in hand now let vs come to the soule which is much more noble and infused into the body by God the Creator without any vertue of the generatiue seed when as the parts of the body are alreadie framed and fashioned This alone can lead vs to the knowledge of God and of our selues or rather as Socrates said we shall neuer vnderstand perfectly what the soule is except we first know God and behold it in him as in a true glasse who onely can represent it vnto vs. Let vs then see what the soule is according to the sayings of the ancient Philosophers Thales Milesius one of the sages of Graecia who florished in Athens in the time of Achab king of Iuda was the first that defined the soule affirming it to be a nature alwaies moouing it selfe Pythagoras the light of his time and the first that tooke vnto himselfe the name of a Philosopher bicause all those who before him were addicted to the contemplation of the diuinity of the secrets of nature caused themselues to be called by the name of Mages and wisemen which he would not haue spoken of himselfe saying that this diuine and lofty title of Wise was proper to God onely and that it farre passed all humane ability I say this excellent man Pythagoras affirmed that the soule was a number moouing it selfe Plato saith that it is a spiritual substance moouing it selfe by harmonicall number Aristotle saith that the soule is the continuall act or moouing of a naturall and instrumentall bodie that may haue life Or else according to others it is the light of the substance and in perpetuall motion They diuiâ—e it likewise diuersely and make many parts therof The soule as Pythagoras said is compounded of vnderstanding knowledge opinion and sence from which things all knowledge and Arts proceed and of which man is called reasonable that is apt to discourse by reason Plato saith that there are three vertues in the soule belonging to knowledge and vnderstanding which for this cause are called cognitiue or knowing vertues namely reason vnderstanding and phantasie Vnto which three others are answerable appertaining to appetite namely Will whose office is to desire that which vnderstanding and reason propound vnto it Choler or Anger which followeth that that reason and phantasie offer vnto it and Concupiscence which apprehendeth whatsoeuer phantasie and
matter of these motions are opinions affections and inclinations which being considered in their owne nature are through sinne wicked and corrupt throughout the soule yea the blossome and roote of them proceed from our owne substance to the end as Plato saith that no man should thinke God to be the cause of euill Now albeit these passions thus defined by the philosophers are many in number yet drawing neerer to the truth we may comprehend and diuide them all into two principall kinds The first kind shall be that which we beleeue by faith the other according to our opinions and affections Vnder the first we comprehend that which euerie one beleeueth thinketh and desireth concerning diuine and heauenlie things as of true righteousnes of the immortalitie of the second life and of the iudgement to come Vnder opinions and affections is comprehended whatsoeuer respecteth and concerneth earthlie things this life maners gouernment of a houshold of a common wealth and generally al humane inclinations and actions As touching that which we beleeue by faith we are led thereunto and stirred by the weake instinct and feeling of the diuine nature imprinted in euery soule which after a sort mooueth man to aspire vnto and to desire the true and souereigne good and which being more power-full and of greater efficacy in some than in others causeth the better sort to delight also in the same good Neuertheles it is proper to euery mans vnderstanding not to hold a stedfast and sure way in seeking out the truth but to wander aside into diuers errors as a blind man that walketh in darknes and to fill it selfe rather with lies and with a continuall desire and curiositie of new vnprofitable and superfluous things than to content it selfe simplie with the truth insomuch that finally it misseth of all But to the end we be not of this number we ought to hold fast the infallible rule of the holie scriptures which gift we are to aske hope wait and seeke for in the onely grace and mercie of that Spirit which indighteth them and to looke for the full opening of these treasures in the second and eternall life As for the second kind of our passions properly called perturbations according to the philosophers from whence all the euils and miseries of mankinde proceed and whereof we minde chiefely to speake they are but affections and inclinations which come from our will corrupted by the prouocations and allurements of the flesh and which wholy resist the diuine nature of the reasonable part of the soule fastening it to the bodie as Plato saith with the naile of pleasure Which passions the mind of man commonly beholdeth cleerly enough when it applieth it selfe thereunto if it be not altogither peruerted and depraued yea by the grace and helpe of God the mind is able to confirme it selfe against any passion through the discourse of reason before it be in force and during the vehemencie thereof to fortifie it selfe against it And although the passion be contrarie to reason and haue for hir onely scope pleasure and the feare of griefe which can preuaile greatly with man yet reason by the meanes of Gods grace can both easily constraine maister and compell all passions in such sort that they shall take no effect and also bring to passe that whatsoeuer is rashly desired shall be ouercome by the discourse of prudent counsell And for this cause we say that the first motions are not in our power but that the euent and issue of them is in some sort Likewise reason doth not wholie quench and extinguish all passions which cannot possibly be performed in the nature of man but repelleth and hath the vpper hand of them as the precepts of doctrine and infinite examples of the liues of ancient heathen and pagan philosophers do learnedly teach vs. Which thing as it ought to cause many at this day to be ashamed who vaunt themselues of the name of Christians so it condemneth them in a fault not to be excused before the iust iudgement of God bicause those men being destitute of the perfect knowledge of God which they say they haue far excelled and surpassed them in the bridling ouercomming and killing of so many pestiferous passions as compasse the soule about as we may handle elsewhere and see examples thereof worthie of eternall remembrance when we shall discourse particularly of vertues and vices In the meane while we may learne of Cicero the father of Latine eloquence whose skill in ioining philosophie with the art of Rhetorike was excellent and who in my iudgement handleth this our present matter more profitably than any other of the ancients that all the aboue named euill passions are perturbations which if they be not maistered by reason depriue man of the soueraigne good of the soule which consisteth in the tranquillitie therof Moreuer he saith that through ignorance basenes of minde they proceed onely of the opinion of good or euill either present or to come which we imagine to be in the vnperfect and transitorie things of the world and which are accompanied vnseparably either with good or euill In respect of good things we are caried away with a vehement desire or coueting of them besides an immoderate ioy in them in regard of euil things we are oppressed with feare and sorrow And these are the foure springs of all vices sins wherein men plunge themselues during this life and vnder which all perturbations are comprehended which fill the soule with endlesse trouble and disquietnes causing man to liue alwaies vncontented and to finde euery present kinde of life burthensome and so to seeke after and to desire another But as fearefull men saith Plutark that excellent philosopher schoolemaster to that good Traian and they that are at sea subiect to casting thinking they shal be better in one place than in another go from the sterne to the stem then to the bottom of the ship afterward to the highest part frō thence go into the skiph and in the end returne into the ship without any amendment of their euil because they carrie alwaies about with them both feare griefe so the alteration of life of worldly conditions and estates into others doth not purge but rather increase the perturbations diseases of the soule if first the cause of them I meane ignorance of things the imperfection of reason be not taken out of it These are the mischiefes which trouble both rich and poore these are the miseries which wait vpon great and final bond and free yoong old Thus is the spirit of sick persons vexed and that continually One while the wife is troublesome the physition vnskilfull the bed vneasie the friend that visiteth importunate he which visiteth not proud but being once healed they finde that whatsoeuer was irksom vnto them before now pleaseth them But that which health doth to the diseased body the same thing
no man can fall into this feare least he should not becom vertuous except he be very desirous to be so indeed and none can haue this desire except reason guided with heauenly light and doing her dutie in him had wrought the same but reason thus qualified must needs be an enimy to all perturbations Thus we see that no man through feare of not being vertuous is ouertaken with perturbations The like may be saide of sorrow For albeit a man be greeued bicause he is not vertuous yet his minde is not excessiuely disquieted seeing this desire is neuer in him but when reason commandeth according to hir diuine nature by causing vs to knowe our selues Whereby we perceiue that perturbations neuer arise in vs for that which is the true good of the soule but onely for that which fooles do falsely call good and which the philosophers call the goods of the bodie and of fortune But these being naturally subiect to corruption and as we haue alreadie said inseparably accompanied with vehement desire vnbrideled ioy feare and griefe as we shall see more at large when we handle them hereafter are vnwoorthy to be cared for by the immortall soule neither may or ought they to be called goods bicause they are possessed much lesse euils when they are wanting If we be thus perswaded we shall be masters ouer all perturbations not esteeming that which is mortall and fraile woorthy to be either wished for or delighted in Hereof it will come to passe that our soule and spirit shall be quiet and reason which knoweth how discerne good from euill wil deale with vs as a good husbandman and vine dresser dealeth with his tree and vine when he cutteth off the dead branches and vnprofitable twigs to the end that all noisome sap and moisture may be taken away And thus shall we be taught to desire and do that which we ought and euery contrarie inclination shall be weakened not taking effects and the soule shall fulfill hir dutie in commanding absolutely ouer all the prouocations of the flesh and in quenching them so foone as they do appeere For as they that haue healthful bodies saith Epictetus easily indure both cold and heate so they that haue a staied and setled soule haue the dominion ouer anger griefe ioy and all their other affections Then shall we liue happily not being terrified with any feare nor vexing our spirits with any longing or tedious desires nor being tormented with any lustes and disordred affections and lastly not suffering our selues being drunken with sugred poison to be ouer come and bound vnder the yoke of pleasure This shall we learne by the studie of Philosophie which is a certaine remedie and a sound medicine for euery vice and passion and is able to inrich and cloath vs with reason which is such a beautifull perfect and profitable ornament Of Philosophie Chap. 4. AMANA THe life of man said Pythagoras is like to that generall assemblie of Graecia at the Olimpyan games where manie carried with glorie and ambition presented themselues at those exercises that they might beare away the crowne and prize otehrs led with couetousnes came thither to traffike selling and buying merchandise and a third sort of men more praise worthie and noble came thither also who sought not after vaineglorie or couetousnes but carefully marked whatsoeuer was done in that assemblie that they might reape profit and commoditie thereby So men comming into this world as into a faire or mart some giue themselues to ambition and vaineglorie others to couetousnes and to heape vp treasure But they that are of a more diuine nature sequestring themselues from worldlie affaires meditate vpon heauenlie things and thereupon fasten the scope of their intents desires and wils Diuine Plato ioining action with contemplation in a happie and perfect life saith that next to the glorie of God we must haue regard to do that which is profitable for the Common-wealth Which excellent opinions of these two philosophers are comprehended vnder this onely word of practising philosophie and that art which giueth vs the precepts thereof is called philosophie whose worke and effect as Seneca Neroes schoolmaister said very well is to find out and to knowe the truth both of diuine and humane things Iustice pietie religion yea the whole companie of vertues neuer depart from hir She teacheth vs to adore and serue God and to loue men ARAM. Surely philosophie is the mother and continuall spring of all good knowledge For she teacheth vs to knowe good and euill she prouoketh vs by the vprightnes of reason to flie this thing to do that causing vs to liue as wise and prudent men ioyfull and contented in euery estate whereupon ariseth the sound rest of the spirit Moreouer the excellencie of this knowledge as Plato saith is so great that it is but one and the same thing to be a king a gouernor of a Common-wealth and a philosopher bicause the roiall ciuill and philosophicall arts are compounded of the same matter namelie of iustice and prudence ACHITOB. Philosophie cannot sufficiently be praised seeing that whosoeuer obeieth hir may passe his daies without tediousnes For the true scope thereof is to seeke to glorifie God in his woonderfull works and to teach a man how to liue well and to helpe his neighbor Which perfection cannot be attained vnto without a speciall and heauenlie grace and that after the knowledge of the sountaine from whence all goodnes commeth And this hath beene the cause as I thinke why so many great philosophers knowing certainly wherein the true and perfect felicitie of man liuing in this world consisted namely in the tranquillitie of the soule and labouring continually to roote out or at least to weaken al the perturbations therof by the vprightnes of reason and to engraffe vertue therein yet could neuer perfectly enjoy this souerigne good which they so much desired bicause they were ignorant of the fountaine from whence it proceeded which is the grace and mercie of our God in his beloued sonne And albeit their life was maruellously quiet and void of many vices yet it standeth vs in hand if we be Christians in deed to lead without comparison a more happy contented and excellent life and to exercise philosophie according to that true wisedome which our Lord Iesus Christ teacheth vs. But I thinke ASER is prepared to speake of this matter and to discourse thereof more at large vnto vs. Let vs harken then what he will say ASER. That which presently offereth it selfe to bee handled requireth truely a farre better spirit than mine Notwithstanding that I seeme not to shun those lists into which we entered willingly I purpose according to my weake iudgement to tell you first what philosophie is what good commeth vnto vs by it the meanes to learne it and to profit thereby how a man may know he hath it and how he must shew foorth the fruits thereof and lastly how we
euer came neere vnto his diuine knowledge of eternall things We see then how we must be the disciples of philosophie all our life time Now as there is nothing wherin a master builder reioiceth so much after he hath laid a good foundation of some great worke as to see the progresse and proceeding thereof so after we haue laid our first happie resolution as is said of attaining to the knowledge of philosophie and haue tasted of the first principles of hir holesome fruits it will turne to our great contentation and occasion of proceeding when we see and perceiue that we profite and amende by this studie This will appeare vnto vs by the consideration of our present works and actions being compared with the former and by the diminishing and qualifiying of our wicked passions and naturall inclinations which the profession of this science will vndoubtedly worke in vs. For as we take it for a good signe when a disease remooueth into some parts of least account so when our vices are changed into more meeke and soft passions it putteth vs in hope that we shall wholy deface them afterwarde The right and perfect way hereunto is to enter deepely into our selues and to take a perfect and sound knowledge of our naturall hurtfull and most vehement inclinations by comparing one with another Next as a good and expert Phisition before he dealeth with dangerous diseases beginneth with gentle preparatiues we are first to correct lesser faults that after we may the easier ouercome the greatest For it is certaine that by such an exercise and custome of keeping our selues from things that are after a sort excusable yea that are permitted and lawfull it will be farre more easie for vs afterward to amend abstaine from vnlawfull things After we haue thus reformed our selues we shall wholy forsake small imperfections which will be easie for vs to do and make no more reckoning of little offences as those which we shall auoid altogither From thence we shall come to consider and to discouer better the nature and cause of our greater and more hurtfull passions together with their vglines and deformitie Then labouring to diminish their force by eschewing prudently the causes of them and by cutting oft one branch now and then another we shall in the end woonder to see how reason perfecteth in vs hir office of commanding absolutely ouer all the perturbations of our soule I meane so farre foorth as humane frailtie aided by God can as I said before attaine to perfection Then may we truely call our selues Philosophers when by our owne example we make it knowne that the life of man at all times in al places in all passions and generally in all affaires receiueth the vse of Philosophie Now after we haue well profited through so great diligence watchfulnes through such industry of minde and continuall studie I meane after we are become better than we were before by reason of the tranquillitie of our soules purged from perturbations we must be carefull that this our commoditie redound also to others as the commandement of God and natural dutie binde vs thereunto Then I say we shall haue attained to the perfection of this goodly knowledge when we are seruiceable to our neighbors brethren and countrimen not of vaine glory or for terrestriall riches but for the loue of vertue onely which of it selfe is a goodly recompence for it selfe being ioined with a happy expectation of heauen But let vs note farther for the last point of our discourse whereof I haue already briefely spoken that one of the surest meanes which we can take to come to a true knowledge of Philosophie is not to esteeme at all but rather to contemne whatsoeuer is subiect to corruption and is in the power of variable fortune as the Philosophers vse to speake namely vainglory worldly wealth and other earthly goods forasmuch as the desire of getting keeping and increasing them is that which carrieth vs away most and which hindreth euery other good and vertuous inclination Therefore let vs freely forsake all such things let vs withdraw our mindes from all by-thoughts and dispise all earthly discommodities yea let vs patiently sustaine all greefe that we may yeelde our selues wholy to the studie of Philosophie which is the cause of so many good things Crates the Theban forsooke his patrimonie of eight talents which according to the common computation amounteth to foure thousand eight hundred crownes that being deliuered from the care of hous-keeping and of guiding his goods he might follow the studie of philosophie with greater libertie Anaxagoras for the same cause suffered his lands to lie waste and after long studie returning to his house and finding it altogether fallen into ruine and desolation he said if these things had not perished I had perished as if he had said that he should neuer haue gotten the treasure of knowledge which was the ornament of his minde if he had giuen himselfe to gaine and to gather goods Democritus Abderita being verie rich as may be gathered by the feast which his father made to that innumerable armie of Xerxes who came into Graecia which consisted as Herodotus writeth of more than two millions of fighting men gaue all his patrimonie to his countrey reseruing to himselfe but a little some of money to liue withall that he might haue the more leasure to studie philosophie for which cause he went to dwell at Athens Euclide of the towne of Megara being verie desirous to heare Socrates dwelling at Athens betweene which two cities the warre was so cruel that no Citizen of the one citie durst be seen in the other without ineuitable danger of death if he were knowne had notwithstanding so great loue to wisedome that although he were an Ethnick and doubted of a second life yet he preferred the desire of knowledge before the care of his life and being apparailed like a woman went once in two daies to Athens and abode there all night to heare Socrates who commonly spent the most part thereof in discoursing of wisedome and then returned againe about the break of the day Now to conclude our present treatise we will hold this that onely philosophie can giue vs certaine knowledge teach vs how we may inioy in this life our onely soueraign good which is the rest and tranquillitie of our soules Yea she is vnto vs in stead of a guide to lead vs to the eternall fruition of our supreame and euerabiding good which is promised and purchased by the blood of the immaculate Lamb in that second and most happie life And as Plato said speaking by the mouth of Socrates that they onely shal attaine to the kingdom of heauen with God who end their daies in this life purged by philosophie so shall it be by the vnspeakable loue of this eternall wisedome that we shall be purged clensed and saued Yea through the expectation of this
perfection of these two great gifts of nature is a good sound iudgement proceeding from pondering and from a firme discourse of reason lightned by the spirit of God and by the same spirit purged from error illusion and all vaine opinion which are vsuall in man and hinder him from iudging aright of the truth But to continue our speech of the woonderfull effects of memorie so much esteemed of Plato that he writeth that we shuld leaue of to be men become like to the gods if our memory could retaine and keepe so much as the eies can read and see We must not here forget to make mention of Iulius Caesar that great monarke of whom Historiographers report that at one time he caused his Secretaries to write vnto foure seuerall persons of sundry matters and that oftentimes he would indight a letter to one of his Secretaries read in a booke and heare another speake all at one time Seneca rehearsed two thousand sundry names hauing onely heard them pronounced before beginning at the last and continuing to the first By these examples we see the greatnes of memorie wherby we may easily indge how profitable it is for the inriching of the minde with all things necessarie to the gouernment of mans estate Yea it is vnto vs a helpe requisite to saluation as that whereby we keepe in remembrance the gifts and graces which we daily receiue from the goodnes and fauor of God to this end that we should not be vngrateful but yeeld vnto him glorie and praise without ceasing Nowe bicause one of you my companions touched this that they which haue a ready and quick wit commonly want memorie that they which hardly learne retaine and keepe better that which they haue learned I will giue you this reason with Plutark that hardnes of belecfe seemeth to be the cause why men comprehend slowly For it is very euident that to learne is to receiue some impression whereupon it followeth that they which resist least are such as soonest beleeue And therefore youth is easier to be perswaded than old folks sick than sound women than men and generally the weaker that thing is which discourseth and doubteth the easier may a man put and adde vnto it what he will as likewise the selfe same thing is sooner lost and let slip away Some others as Iustine Martyr saith haue rendred this reason of the quicknes or slownes of mans wit saying that it commeth of the good or immoderate mixture temperature of the elements of which our bodies are compounded and framed and of the symmetrie and proportion of the organicall or iustrumentall parts ioyned togither in him And surely these seeme to giue the true reason therof For we see many who in their beginning and first age shew that they haue a prompt and sharp wit but when they come to old age are changed become slow and dul to conceiue Which is a great token and argument that a good or bad complexion and constitution of the body is the cause of such a disposition either in quicknes or slownes of spirit as the difference of yeeres doth affoord them Besides doe we not perceiue that they which haue the head ouergreat and ill fanored whom we cōmonly call great blockheads bicause there is not an equall symmetry and moderate proportion betweene that and the other parts of the bodie are naturally vnapt to conceiue and to bring foorth any sensible and wittie thing But the resolution of al this speech shall be that all gifts of the spirit are from aboue that amongst all sorts of men there are some found that are prompt wittie to comprehend great and diuine things by a speciall grace and fauour which God hath bestowed vpon them Some by the gift of the holie Ghost haue wisedom others knowledge and vnderstanding of things and all giuen to euerie one for the profiting both of himselfe and of his neighbor Knowing therefore by this present discourse according to the weakenes of our iudgement the creation and nature of the spirit which is the principall and most noble part of vs and that whereof dependeth and proceedeth all our happines rest and felicitie let vs be carefull and diligent to search it out and to prouide such things as it desireth of vs as helps to that effect bestowing all our care labour and studie to adorne and deck it with righteousnes and holines according to the holie desire therof wherin consisteth life and peace And let vs beware that we seeke not to feede it with strange meats which may make it sorrowfull and with which our flesh aboundeth to hir death and destruction But mortifieng all the deadly desires and affections thereof let vs labour not to walke any more according to the flesh but according to the spirit and let vs know that all wearisomnes and tediousnes which troubleth the tranquillitie and rest thereof proceedcth from the want of experience in affaires from the want of good discoursing grounded vpon a resolute and setled iudgement and from the want of skill fitly to apply our selues to present occasions And this is that which troubleth all sorts and conditions of life as well rich as poore But the way to preserue the spirite in rest and quietnes is to nourish and exercise it in the studie of wisedome where it learneth reason which of it selfe can cure it of all sorrow anguish and greefe through wise discoursing and worke in it a like inclination and constant behauior in euerie alteration of life causing man to liue happie throughout the whole course of his life not without the hope and certaine expectation of a blessed immortalitie The end of the second daies worke THE THIRD DAIES WORKE Of Dutie and Honestie Chap. 9. ASER. ALthough all things were created of diuers natures and properties and manie of cleane contraries yet by an incomprehensible wisedom they were appointed to refer themselues to one onely certaine and common end namely to shew foorth the infinite power and greatnes of their worke-maister sufficient in the lest of his works with admiration to rauish man to whom he hath made al things subiect But as in him alone the treasures of his heauenly graces haue been without comparison more liberally vnfolded and that in all fulnes and bountie as well in regard of the goods and commodities of this life which he draweth from heauen from the earth from the aire from the water from beasts and plants and generally from all things contained vnder the cope of the firmament as also in respect of that vnspeakable happines and eternall felicitie which by the speciall grace of God is purchased and assured to him onely in the immortalitie of the second life so also hath God from the beginning vntill this present and for euer reserued to himselfe a particular homage and that not for a time or for certaine yeeres of his life but to continue without intermission from time to
of women when he is inuited to weddings or in their companie to request him to walke that hath alreadie gone a great way when he seeth a thing sold to bring a chapman to the seller who would haue giuen a great deale more for it to repeate one thing oftentimes to shew himselfe readie to do that which a man would not haue him to do and yet dare not well denie it him to woonder at all things and to speake all in a word an vnskilfull man is alwaies in all places and in all affaires vnciuill and impertinent The examples of these foresaid effects are but too familiar amongst vs. And first concerning these of small and meane estate and condition how many millions of men haue there been in the ages past and do liue yet among vs whose life being ignorant of euery good cause and reason is not much vnlike and in many things worse than that of brute beasts The originall of so many errors foolish opinions and impieties hath it not had passage through the midst of their soules bicause they had no true knowledge of the end of their being nor of his will by whom they liue From thence it commeth that the best aduised among them exercise base handicrafts not being desirous to learne further that some lead a seruile and contemptible life bringing their bodies and soules in subiection to the lusts and wicked desires of the greater sort that others remaine idle and vnprofitable seeking to maintaine their liues by vnlawfull meanes that all through a blockish ignorance depriue themselues of all present and eternall felicitie Now albeit these poore men who haue no great meanes to execure their wicked desires may after a sort seeme tollerable and excuseable to mans iudgement bicause their ignorance doth not greatly hurt any but themselues yet it falleth out far worse with those that haue wealth at will and authoritie to command others who not knowing how to vse their goods well by vertuous deeds abuse them to all vice dissolutenes and pleasure whereby for the most part they cast themselues headlong into infidelitie and Atheisme bicause they neuer had true vnderstanding of the perfect diuinitie nor yet considered the perfection of his works both in heauen earth O pitifull calamity abounding in this our age more than euer it did A thousand millions of Pagans and heathens considering that there was nothing to be misliked in the heauens neither any negligence disorder or confusion in the moouing of the stars nor in the seasons of the yeere nor in their reuolutions nor in the course of the sunne about the earth which causeth the day and the night no not in the nourishing and preseruation of all sorts of liuing creatures nor in the generation of yeerly fruits and for a thousand other good considerations beleeued and worshipped one supreme eternall essence which gouerneth all things And shall they that carie the name of Christians to whom the vnspeakable treasures of the heauens haue been opened and offered with innumerable graces shall they I say doubt yea impudently denie that there is a God But let vs returne to our matter It is most certaine that the higher that ignorant men are aduanced so much without question are their faults greater than those of meaner estate bicause they are hurtfull to many Yea oftentimes it hath come to passe that one onely fault of such a man hath been the losse and destruction of an infinite number of men Nicias the general captain of the Athenians through the feare which he had conceiued of the darkness of an Eclipse of the moone and not knowing the cause thereof staied so long vntill his enimies had inclosed him round about whereupon he was taken aliue of them and put to death besides the losse of fortie thousand Athenians that were taken and slaine Who doubteth but that ignorance draue Caligula Domitian into such pride crueltie that whilst they sought to be worshipped in stead of the true God they were the cause of the death destruction of more than a hundred thousand men In the time of Otho the first there fell a stone from heauen which astonished all Germanie and turned them from prosecuting an enterprise of great waight and importance for the benefit of their countrie If they had knowen it to be a naturall thing and such as had come to passe long before as Aristotle affirmeth they had not been so fearfull nor receiued that dammage to the detriment of the Common-wealth which came to them afterward That speech of Anaxagoras a Greeke philosopher agreeable heerunto is worthie to be remembred when he said that a man ought to driue out of himselfe and to tread vnder his feete all superstitious feare of the heauenly signes and impressions of the aire which worke great terror in them that are ignorant of their causes and that feare the gods with a forlorne and amased feare bicause they want that certaine knowledge that philosophie bringeth which in stead of a trembling and alwaies terrifying superstition engendreth true deuotion accompanied with an assured hope of good Let vs looke a little into our Chronicles and consider what profit our kings receiued by their ignorance when they were called Simple when they stood but for images and were seene of their subiects but once a yeere They suffered their wise maisters of the palace to take knowledge of and to order and rule all things who depriuing them as vnworthie of all authoritie tooke possession in the end of their crowne And surely it is no lesse pernitious for the greater sort to aduance ignorant men to charges and places of honor and to vse their counsell than to be ignorant themselues For as we said ignorance causeth him that is aduanced to forget himselfe and lifteth him vp into all pride There are amongst vs too many examples of the ambition and presumption of many ignorant men who contrarie to Torquatus that refused the Consulship bicause of his diseased eies altogither blind as they are deafe dumbe and destitute of all natural light of prudence and experience to guide themselues are not contented to manage the sailes and tacklings but desire to haue the rudder of the Common-welth in their hands And it is greatly to be feared that such vnskilfull and ambitious men will in the end shew themselues both in will and practise to be imitators of one Cleander an outlandish slaue who being preferred by Commodus the emperor to goodlie offices and great places of honor as to be great maister of his men of war and his chiefe chamberlaine conspired notwithstanding against his Lord seeking to attaine to the imperiall dignitie by feditions which he stirred vp in Rome betweene the people and the soldiers But through good order taken his enterprise tooke no effect except the losse of his owne head and destruction of his house Although oftentimes it falleth out cleane contrarie through the iust punishment of God for the ignorance
accounted the more ignorant we shall remaine not vnlike to poore men who being desirous to seeme rich in the ende finde themselues poorer than before by reason of their vaine and foolish expenses But the ignorant man that searcheth for wisedome and inquireth after hir shall be in some sort esteemed wise and that inquirie ought to be taken for an argument of his wit and prudence as contrariwise he that taketh himselfe for a wiseman and presumeth too much of his skill falleth often into shame and dishonor being reprooued of many Therefore let vs daily accuse our selues of too much ignorance knowing that euen the sharpest sighted do see but through a cloud and mist I meane the instruments of our bodie from which we shall not be deliuered vntill we haue put of this mortall to be clothed with that which is immortall in the enioying of the blessed life So that it will be alwaies necessarie for vs during this life to learne and to profite in the knowledge of the truth which is an enimie to ignorance Of speech and speaking Chap. 12. AMANA HAuing spent all this day in discoursing of Prudence and of those vices that are contrarie vnto it I thinke that to finish this daies worke we shall do well to take in hand againe and to follow that which was too briefely handled cōcerning the commendable effects of this vertue of prudence in the soule of a wise man This appeareth no lesse in speech than in any other action thereof forasmuch as of the abundance of the hart the mouth speaketh But it is a great vertue to speake little and well The discourse of this matter I leaue to you my companions ARAM. Surely the speech of man is a diuine worke and of great admiration And therefore we ought to account it sacriledge to pollute and defile so holie a thing with filthy and vile talke A good man alwaies draweth good things out of the treasure of his hart and a wicked man euill things Therefore I greatly commend that saying of Plutark that speach is as it were the nourishment of the soule which is corrupted and becommeth odious through the wickednes of men ACHITOB. He that hath knowledge saith the wise man spareth his words euen a foole when he holdeth his peace is counted wise and he that stoppeth his lips prudent If any man long after life and to see good daies let him refraine his toong from euill and his lips that they speake no guile For euery one shall eate of the fruite of his mouth to saluation or to condemnation But we will heare Aser discoursing more at large vpon this matter ASER. In the writings of the learned we finde mention made of a double speech or reason the one internall or of the minde called the diuine guide the other vttered in speech which is the messenger of the conceits and thoughts of man The ende of the first is friendship towards a mans selfe For respecting onely the marke of vertue through the instructions of philosophie it maketh a man to agree alwaies with himselfe it causeth him to complaine neuer to repent him of nothing it maketh him full of peace full of loue and of contentation in his owne vertue it healeth him of euery rebellious passion that disobeieth reason of all contention betweene will and will and of the contrarietie of discourses O rare excellencie which floweth from wisedome into the soules of blessed men The ende of the other reason or vttered speech is friendship towards others which causeth vs to speake and teach whatsoeuer is fruitefull and profitable for euerie one and carieth with it great force to perswade Of this speech we purpose here to intreat as of that which occupieth no small place but euen verie great amongst the secrets of nature and which ought to rauish vs into an admiration of his works who is author thereof The philosophers diligent searchers out of the reason of all things said that speech is made by the aire beaten and framed with articulate and distinct sounde But howsoeuer it is framed the reason thereof is hard to be comprehended of humane sence And we ought to be so much the more desirous to know for what cause it was giuen vs and to feare least we make it vnprofitable or wickedly imploy so great woonderfull and diuine a thing Democritus saide that words were the shadowe of works Themistocles compared speech to a rich cloth of tapistrie figured set foorth with stories bicause that both in the one and the other those things that are fashioned and represented are then seene when they are opened and displaied and are not subiect to sight neither bring any delight or contentation when they are folded vp and hidden When a wise man openeth his lips saith Socrates we beholde as it were in a temple the goodly similitudes images of the soule Vertue saith Plutarke hath no instrument so gratious or familiar as speech which being followed of works is of great efficacie and force and woonderfully pricketh forward those that heare vs causing them to giue credite to our sayings and working in them a desire to resemble vs. And AEschines saide verie well that it is not so necessarie that the Orator and the Law should agree in one and the same thing as it is requisite that the life of a philosopher should be conformable and agreeable with this doctrine and speech Moreouer a wise man ought to take euery word he speaketh for a voluntarie and particuler lawe laide vpon himselfe seeing that philosophie is a profession of serious graue waighty matters not a play or prittle prattle vnconstanly vttered to obtaine honor onely Whereby we see that all talke ought to haue reason for a foundation and the loue of our neighbor for a marke to aime at This is that which Agapetus would teach vs when he saith That the toong is a slipperie instrument and bringeth great danger to those that neglect it but if we direct it with a religious vnderstanding it wil sing vs a song tuned with al the concords of a true harmony of vertue Plutark saith that speech ought to be like gold which is then of greatest price and value when it hath least drosse in it so a fewe words ought to comprehende great store of substantiall matter and instruction Such was the speech of the ancient Graecians as the sentences vttered by them do testifie namely Know thy selfe Nothing too much Nothing more than enough and other short speeches full of great and profitable doctrine Wherupon this prouerbe arose Laconical sayings that is short and sententious which resemble streams running through a narrow straight where the water is so pressed togither that one cannot see through it And so truely it was verie hard without skil and great labor to comprehende the deapth of the sence vnderstanding of their words which were full of sententious grauitie And when they were to answere any thing propounded on
a sodaine auoiding all superfluous speech their answers were verie witty and wel contriued their words very significant and short hauing in them both grace and grauitie ioined together As when Philip king of Macedonia wrote vnto them that if he entred within Laconia he would ouerthrowe them topsy turuy they wrote backe vnto him onely this word If. And another time as Demetrius one of his successors being angry with the ambassadour which they sent vnto him asked if he came alone from the Lacedemonians to him the ambassadour made this onely answere One to one Pittacus vsed to say that a dry and thirstie eare must be washed with a sentence that is good to drinke that speech grounded vpon reason onely is able to content and satisfie the hearing Notwithstanding that we may the rather and the more profite others we are not to neglect if it may be the ioining of graue doctrine with sweet gratious and eloquent speech mingled with some pleasure grace and delight but voide of all dissolutenes For as Euripides saith that is the goodliest assembly in the world where the graces and muses meete togither Right and reason are inuincible being well vttred bicause the soule is therby induced easily to beleeue the good reasons she heareth through the delight that is ioined with them Examples also being vttred fitly and with a good grace profit no lesse than the other bicause with the force of perswading which is in the nature of the example there is ioined the vertue of delighting But we must carefully auoide all subtiltie of speech all proude superfluous and vnprofitable talke least that be iustly obiected vnto vs which Phocion replied to Leosthenes who laboured to perswade the Athenians to warre by an eloquent and verie loftie oration Thy words quoth he to him yoong man and my friend may fitly be compared to Cypres trees For they are great and tall but beare no fruite woorth any thing Or else that may be obiected vnto vs which Aristotle answered to a great pleader of causes who at euerie sentence he rehearsed asked him if that were not a strange thing Not that replied he but this is a greater maruaile that any man hauing two legs can abide thy babling And to another who after a long discourse said vnto him I haue troubled thy head philosopher not a whit answered he for I thought not vpon it Such bablers whom Plato verie aptly calleth theeues of time are cōpared by Plutark to emptie vessels which giue a greater sound than they that are ful So he that is poore in respect of the goods of the soule hath alwaies some fond speech in his mouth But we must aboue all things shunne this vice of intemperancie of the toong which Bias called the best and woorst thing that was It serueth vs to profit and instruct others and by the same also we hurt and corrupt others And as a little fire consumeth a great wood so this little member which is a fire yea a world of iniquitie defileth all the bodie and setteth on a flaming fire the whole world if it be not extinguished and repressed It seemeth that nature would teach vs this by fortifiing the toong better than any other part of the body and by setting before it the bulworke of the teeth that if it wil not obey reason which being within ought to serue in steade of a bridle to stay it from preuenting the thought we might restraine and chastice the impudencie thereof with blouddy biting And because we haue two eares and two eies it ought to serue vs for instruction that we must heare and see much more than we speake Do we not also see that sight and hearing go before speaking and that of necessitie an infant must first vnderstand before he can be able to speake Isocrates appointed onely two times to speake in the one when the matter is necessarie and the other when a man speaketh that which he knoweth And this we may put in practice without blame in this maner As touching the first point it is lawfull and seemly for vs to speake when we stand in need of any thing secondly when our speech shall profit any also to delight and recreate one another with pleasant deuices void of dissolutenes to mollifie and to ease the trauell of our affaires or else to relish our rest the better and to induce vs thereby to giue glorie to God All speech not grounded vpon one of these three causes were better restrained than vttred Moreouer we ought to obserue inuiolably the second point of not speaking that which we know not except it be in seeking and asking after instruction remembring that which Apelles once spake to Megabyses a great Persian Lord who comming into his shop to see him intermingled some talke of the art of painting So long quoth Apelles to him as thou wert silent thou seemedst to be some man of great account by reason of thy chains carquenets of gold and purple gowne but now there is not the least of these boyes that grinde oker who doth not mocke thee hearing thee speak that which thou knowest not By which saying we may note that great men ought to weigh well and to consider of that which they speake in publike places and to vse graue and sententious words of another phrase than that of the vulgar sort or else to hold their peace if they haue not this gift of speaking Or at the least they are to speake but little seeing the verie words gesture and countenance of a prince are oftentimes taken for lawes oracles and decrees Tiberius also brought vp this custome of speaking to the prince by writing and of his answere by the same to the ende that nothing should escape his mouth that was not well considered of before But to continue our matter as the aboue named painter had set foorth a table of his owne for all men to behold and had hid himselfe behinde it that he might heare what could be reprehended a shooemaker espied a fault in the fashion of the latchet which Apelles afterward corrected And hauing the next morning hung it out again to be viewed this shooemaker passing by and seeing that his opinion was followed entred further to speake against other lineaments But the painter not able to beare his boldnes came from behinde his table and stopped his mouth with this saying That a shoomaker ought not to iudge of greater matters than of the shoo This is the meaning of that common prouerbe to go about to teach Minerua which is so intollerable a thing in men of honor and so pernitious in the simpler sort that are light of beliefe that for this cause Alexander the great gaue money to Cherillus an ignorant poet to holde his peace and to leaue writing And seeing we are entred into this matter we must know that we ought to be much more staied and aduised in writing any thing than in bare
freely to giue counsaile in that thing which concerneth the dutie of a good man or the charge wherunto we are called The sages vertuous men heretofore haue alwaies shewed themselues to be such in their free counsailes wise declarations as hereafter we may handle more largly In the meane time we may haue here Demaratus for an example of this commendable libertie of speech who comming from Corinth into Macedonia when Phillip was at variance with his wife with his son was demanded by the king whether the Graecians did agree wel among themselues Truly sir quoth he to him it becommeth you wel to inquire after the concord of the Athenians Peloponesians in the meane while to suffer your owne house to be ful of diuision and domesticall discord Diogenes also being gon to the camp of the same Phillip at the same time that he returned from making war against the Grecians being led before him the king asked him if he were not a spy Yes truely answered the philosopher I am a spy com hither to espy thy impudency folly who not constrained by any dost set downe as it were on a dicing boord in the hazard of one houre both thy kingdome life Demosthenes being demanded of the tirant Epemetes why he wept so bitterly for the death of a philosopher a cōpanion of his seeing it was a strang matter to see wisemē weepe yea altogither vnbeseeming their profession know said he to him that I weepe not for the death of this philosopher but bicause thou art aliue For I tel thee that in the Academies we are more sorrowfull for the life of the wicked than for the death of good men Let vs learne then by your present discourse that talke being the messenger of thought discloseth our maners a great deal more than the lines draughts of our face do And as that tree whose root is drie can haue no greene leaues so from a vicious and corrupted soule nothing but vile filthy speeches can proceede which a wise man ought wholy to shunne bicause to make small account of euill words leadeth a man by litle and little to dishonest deeds Let all vaine speech also be banished from vs and let vs take great heed that we neuer speake either in sport or earnest any one word that is not tru knowing that to be true in word is the beginning and foundation of a notable vertue Moreouer let vs know that truth is not onely betraied of those that speake falsely and maintaine a lie but also of those that dare not confesse and defende it publikely Let vs know that aboue all things we must dedicate our voice and speech to sing the praises of God remembring the saying of that holy man Gordius who as he was led to the place of punishment was exhorted by some to leaue his opinion and so saue his life To whom he answered that the toong ought to vtter nothing that is iniurious to the Creator thereof Lastly let vs know that we must refer euery word to the glory of his name and to the profit of our neighbors The end of the third daies worke THE FOVRTH DAIES WORKE Of Friendship and of a friend Chap. 13. ASER. MAn being a reasonable creature borne for ciuill societie to obserue lawes and iustice and to exercise in the world all duties of gentlenes and goodnes the fairest and most fruitfull seede that God hath infused and sowne in his soule and that draweth him to this ende is loue and charitie towards his like But as euerie action of mans life standeth in need to be guided by the vertue of Prudence whereof we discoursed yesterday so in truth she is verie necessarie in euerie good and vnfained friendship For this cause I thinke companions that we shall obserue the order of our discourses if we begin this daies worke with the handling of friendship and of the true and perfect dutie of a friend AMANA Nothing that seemeth to be profitable whether it be honor riches pleasure or whatsoeuer else is of this kinde ought to be preferred in any respect before friendship Yea a man is to make more account of friends as Socrates said then of any other mortall thing ARAM. Perfect friendship saith Aristotle is to loue our friend more for his benefit than for our owne and therefore a friend is alwaies profitable and necessary But he is greatly deceiued saith Homer that seeketh for a friend in the court and prooueth him at a feast But let vs heare ACHITOB discourse hereupon ACHITOB. Rare things are commonly most esteemed amongst men the more pretious they are of their owne nature so much the more are they had in request This we may very aptly apply to a friend seeing there is nothing so rare as one that is vnfained and stedfast neither any thing so excellent and perfect as he is if he be a good and prudent man And for this cause the philosophers accounted friendship to be the chiefest and most excellent good of fortune as being least of all subiect to hir and most necessarie for man But bicause the wickednes of men is so great in these daies that nothing is so sacred and holy which is not violated corrupted brought to confusion no maruell if men impudently abuse this name of a friend so much reuerenced in olde time that some take it to themselues being altogither vnwoorthie thereof and others as freely although to their losse and shame grant them this excellent title and esteeme them for such in truth towards them as they falsely vaunt themselues to be But that we be not deceiued with the greater number which is not alwaies the surest marke let vs briefly consider what friendship is what fruits spring from hir who may rightly challenge this title of a friend what maner of one we ought to choose how we must trie him before we take him for such a one then the meanes whereby to keepe him and lastly what mutuall dutie friends are to vse one towards another First we say with Socrates that true friendship cannot be framed but by the helpe and grace of God who draweth like to the loue of his like that euerie perfect friendship is to bee linked with the bond of charitie and ought to be referred to God as to our soueraigne good and cheefest friend and therefore that true friendship cannot be setled betweene the wicked who being at discord within themselues can haue no concorde and agreement one with another Moreouer there is to be found in friendship whatsoeuer men thinke woorthie to be desired as honestie glorie tranquillitie of minde and pleasure and consequently a happie life which cannot bee amongst the wicked Friendship is a communion of a perpetuall will the end whereof is fellowship of life and it is framed by the perfect habit of a long continued loue Whereby wee may perceiue that there is a difference betwixt loue and
wisely obseruing that this friendship be simplie forsaken and no enmitie vndertaken For it is not good or seemly to quarrell with him with whom we haue liued familiarly Moreouer we must note heere that triall is to be made in an honest not in a wicked matter For we must not do as we read that Alcibiades did who being desirous to knowe whether he had so many friends as he thought he had called them vpon a day one after another into a darke place and shewed vnto them an image of a dead bodie saying that it was a man whom he had killed and requesting them to helpe to carie it away But amongst them all he found none except Callias that would harken thereunto This kind of proouing a friend maketh vs vnwoorthie of such a name and occasioneth euery good man to withdraw himselfe from our friendship If we do all things saith Cicero both good and bad for our friends such friendship may more truly be called a conspiracie of euill men than a confederacie of good men But as we haue said we must gaine another mans friendship by vertue and not by vice as also trie a friend in iust and reasonable causes as if we be oppressed vniustly if affliction and aduersitie follow hard at our heeles if need or any other humāne accident betide vs into which the best men commonly fall After we are sure that we haue a friend which truly is very great riches there is nothing that we ought to desire more than to preserue and keepe him And first the mutuall opinion which ought to be in euerie friend of the vertue of his companion serueth very much for this matter For as Cicero saith The opinion of vertue is the fountaine of friendship and it is proper to vertue to win mens harts to draw them vnto it selfe and to preserue their friendship Next the coniunction of maners and wils keepeth backe all riot and contentions when as the will and mind of the one shall no sooner be declared but the other presently putteth to his helping hand to bring it to passe Thirdly we are to obserue this first law of friendship inuiolably not to require our friend to do any thing that is not iust or not in his power to performe but to content our selues with the vse and seruice of that which he hath without further seeking his hinderance after the example of the industrious and painfull bee which draweth honie out of flowers and hurteth not the fruit Aboue all things we must hold this for a generall rule which we haue alreadie touched that true and perfect friendship ought to be free as charitie is from whence she hath hir beginning I meane that it ought to exercise it selfe not for hire or recompence but onely for his loue who is beloued of vs. For the one is proper to a friend the other sauoreth of a hireling True it is that friends in these daies are like to crowes which fly not but towards those places where there is some thing to feed vpon euen so they commonly visit not mens houses except it be for profit neither reuerence a friend longer than they see him in prosperitie or may reape some commoditie by him But we must shun such parasites who are but saluting and table friends Moreouer we must reioice and delight in the companie and conuersation of our friend as in that wherein the sweetest and most pleasant fruit of friendship consisteth And for want of this benefit friends must often communicate togither by letters thereby to shew that they liue in remembrance one of another For by the letter of a true friend the spirit is refreshed the eies delighted friendship confirmed and the mind contented Besides we must haue our vertues spirits prosperitie yea acquaintance and all common togither and nothing secret or hidden Lastly we must yeeld to our friend all duties and seruices of sincere friendship and that in all honest and profitable things according to right iustice which are the bounds and limits of an holie loue desiring the like of him towards vs. Aboue all things his affliction or aduersitie and all iniurie offered him ought to be common to vs with him wherein we are to assist and helpe him with all succor and sweet consolation which is as souereigne and fit a remedie as can be applied vnto him especially when good doctrine is ioined with our speech Heerof Phalereus confessed very well that he had good experience when he was banished from his kingdome saying that his meeting with Crates the wise man had taken from him all care and thought of his miserie And if friendship can greatly diminish the greefe that commeth by aduersitie no doubt but it can adde as much grace and pleasure to prosperitie We may effect all dutie whatsoeuer we owe to our friend by succouring him with fower things namely with our person with our goods with comfort and with counsell Which we may also comprehend vnder these two duties of releeuing the necessitie of our friend and of comforting him in his tribulation Now bicause what perfection soeuer is in our friend as likewise in our selues it cannot be but there will be alwaies some imperfection mingled therewith mens doings being neuer without some euill we must not presume to be able to build such a perfect friendship as shall be void and free of all vice And therefore we must gently support and beare with all wants and discommodities of our friend and oftentimes frame our selues to many passions so they be not directly contrarie to vertue but such as proceed from the imbecillitie and frailtie of nature common with vs. Neuertheles against such imperfections we must in time conuenient and to purpose vse free and gentle admonitions which are so necessarie in friendship and worthie of such consideration that in my opinion we shall do well to make a seuerall discourse thereof Now if it come so to passe that some displeasure or iar happen betweene vs then is the time wherin we ought most of all to studie and labour how we may do some profitable or honorable thing to our friend and not harken to slanderous toongs which watch for some small and light occasion to powre out the poison of discord thereby to rent and breake a sunder our good and sure friendship To such parasites and scrap-gatherers at free-cost feasts who seeke for nothing but their own gain by the disagreement of others we must neuer giue eare but driue them as far from vs as they thinke to come neer vs. And to the end we may be the better affected and disposed heerunto we must often call to remembrance what benefit and happines commeth to such men as are linked togither by true and vnfained friendship as namely in those affaires at which we cannot be present our selues the fidelitie of a friend supplieth our place From whence we will draw this conclusion that he which violateth friendship setteth himselfe against
more they thought to know the greater occasion of doubting they found in them so that for all their labour and vnderstanding they could neuer carrie away any true knowledge or certaine resolution And euen as that man who not contenting himselfe with the abundant light of the sunne beames but seeking with his eies to pearce through the brightnes therof euen vnto the midst of the circle of the body must questionlesse become blind so falleth it out for the most part to those who go about too curiously to inquire after that which is not lawfull to be knowen The ill successe of our age affoordeth vs too manie miserable testimonies wherin at this day we see nothing but contrarieties of opinions and vncertainties through their subtilties bold curiosities who haue sought to plucke as a man would say out of heauen the secrets hid from the angels yea which is worse haue boasted that they haue attained vnto the knowledge of them filling our times with trouble and confusion vnder that false pretence There are others also no lesse hurtful who haue binne such curious Inquisitours of the causes of all naturall things that through friuolous and vnprofitable questions they haue fallen into that impietie as to seeke for another beginning of all things than God Whereupon this prouerbe which is too true arose Of three Physitions one Atheist This kinde of curiositie is of all others most pernitious But forasmuch as it is without the compasse of our Academie we let it passe with this short mention thereof and with this onely addition that God commonly punisheth the pride of such men by those fruits which we see them bring foorth and by taking from them their vnderstanding in principall and most necessarie matters wherein notwithstanding they thinke themselues to be woonderfull and iolly fellowes aboue all others As touching this point the example of Socrates is very memorable and to be imitated who being demanded what the world was answered that since he had any iudgement he gaue himselfe to seeke out the true knowledge of himselfe which yet he could neuer find But so soone as he had attained thereunto then he would seeke for other things that would do him no seruice or pleasure Aristotle as Iustin Martyr writeth who for the excellencie of his skill in naturall philosophie was called the god of the earth burned with such a desire of curiositie in vnderstanding the causes of naturall things that bicause he could not know and conceiue the cause and nature of Euripus which is in Chalcis a citie of Eubaea I meane of the flowing ebbing of the sea which turneth compasseth about that place nor giue a sufficient reason thereof he died for very shame and greefe which he conceiued thereupon Plinie also who wrote the historie of naturall philosophie was choked with the flames and vapors of the mountaine Mongibel in Sicilia whilest he sought to find out the cause of them and from whence that great fire came which spoiled the countrie round about in the time of Titus the emperor insomuch that seuen or eight townes were burned and many persons trauelling by land and sailing on the sea were stifled with the ashes therof caried about by the vehemency of the winds But let vs leaue these curious spirits and speake of two other generall kinds of curiositie which respect chiefly our morall philosophie and from whence all corruption of good maners proceeded The first kind concerneth our selues onely and the other our brethren and countrimen To speake therefore of the first it bringeth foorth pernitious effects after diuers sorts and maners but amongst vs Frenchmen they appeere principally in that burning desire which inflameth vs to trauell into strange nations and in our carking and caring for the nourishment clothing and decking of our bodies and for the setting foorth and trimming vp of our houses with curious and vnprofitable moueables wherein we exceede all the superfluitie of other countries When the ancients speake of the felicitie that accompanied the golden age amongst the good conditions and commendable maners which they noted in that holie and first simplicitie they neuer forgat this that the men of that good time tilled and manured their grounds and cared not what strangers did in farre countries Moreouer since the time that men made light account of their owne climate through a curious and vnsatiable desire of appropriating vnto themselues the inheritance and labour of others besides the crueltie violence and murders which prepared a way to their miserable platformes all corruption of good maners at home and all bastardlike attire haue followed thereupon We might heere note infinite testimonies of antiquitie and especially of our ancient progenitors the Gaules who were verie warlike and liued within their bounds in al simplicitie of maners and frugalitie of life But our owne example to our vnspeakeable shame and miserie is so euident before our eyes that I neede no better proofe of my saying than that experience which we feele by our owne perill For the ruine and destruction of this french monarchy proceedeth of no other second cause our iniquitie being the first than of the mixture which we haue made of strangers with our selues Wherein we are not contented to seeke them out vnder their roofes vnlesse we also draw them vnto vs and lodge them vnder our roofes yea preferre them before our owne countrimen and citizens in the offices and honorable places of this kingdome against the law and right of euerie good and well established policie Besides we adore and reuerence all their nouelties and subtill inuentions and that so ignorantly or rather blockishly that suffring them to sucke vs euen to the verie bowels in steade of all our riches and spoiles which they for their part haue drawne from vs they haue left vs nothing but new maners and fashions of liuing in all dissolutenes and pleasure except this one thing also that we haue learned of them to dissemble and withall to frame and build a treason verie subtillie Such is the prouision wherewith our french youth is commonly furnished by their Italian voyages To this purpose Gueuara Chronicler to the emperor Charles the first writeth that from forraine countries men commonly bring newes to prattle of and strange customes to practise and that few come out of Italie that are not absolute and dissolute Lycurgus by his lawes commanded the Lacedemonians not to go out of their kingdome nor to conuerse with strangers saying that although by their trafficke with them they might be inriched yet on the other side they would grow poore in regard of their owne vertues Titus Liuius Macrobius Salustius and Tully cursed and bewailed the conquests and victories which Rome had in Asia saying that if the Romanes brought the Persians Medes vnder subiection by force yet the selfe same Asians ouercame the Romans with their vices and delights This doth Cicero testifie writing to Atticus where he saith
driueth away round about hir the darknes and obscuritie of passions She is saith Socrates the wholesomest vertue of all For she preserueth both publikely and priuately humane societie she lifteth vp the soule miserably throwen downe in vice and restoreth hir againe into hir place Temperance saith Plato is a mutuall consent of the parts of the soule from whence springeth continencie causing all disordered and vnbrideled desires to take reason for a rule and direction Temperance saith Cicero is the mother of all dutie and honestie It is the propertie of iustice not to violate the right of another man and of Temperance not so much as to offend him In Temperance a man may behold modestie with the priuation of euery perturbation in the soule as also away how to frame al things according to that which is decent or seemely which the Latins call Decorum being a conueniencie meet for the excellencie of man and that wherein his nature differeth from other liuing creatures For as bodily beautie mooueth and reioiceth the eies by reason of the goodly and seemely composition of all the members wherin all the parts with a certaine grace agree togither so this decencie which is honestie and seemelines shining in mans life by his good order constancie and moderation both in deed and word mooueth and draweth the harts of those amongst whom we liue This vertue then of temperance is a stedfast and moderate rule of reason ouer concupiscence and ouer other vehement motions of the mind But she commandeth cheefly ouer those two perturbations of the soule grounded vpon the opinion of good I meane Vnbridled desire and vnmeasurable ioie whereof heertofore we made mention Thus we see that no man can find out any thing that is so excellent and wonderfull as temperance the guide and gouernor of the soule which bicause of hir exceeding great light cannot be hid in darknes which compelleth vs to follow reason bringeth peace to our minds and mollifieth them as it were by concord and agreement She serueth for a bridle to restraine all pleasures and in the midst of them maketh man good and vertuous She serueth for a knife to cut off all superfluous vaine and vnnecessarie desires as well of the soule as of the bodie and is as it were a rule directing naturall and necessarie desires by fit choice of times and by temperate vse of mediocritie Wherefore we may say that this vertue of temperance comprehendeth in it all the other vertues that through hir a harmonie concordance and coniunction of them all is made that she ministreth vnto them all occasions of beginning and being begun confirmeth them by a firme and stedfast safetie Breefly temperance as Plato saith is a generall surname of those vertues whereby a man moderateth his owne affections and frameth his gesture and behauiour in such sort that no effeminate or loose maners no clownish or vnciuil fashions are seene in him O saith Euripides how is temperance to be esteemed which is the cause of such great glorie and honor amongst men This vertue is diuided into fower principal parts into Continencie Clemencie Modestie and Order Continencie is that part whereby concupiscence and desire are gouerned by counsell and reason Clemencie is that whereby the minds of men rashly caried away with the hatred of any one and with desire to hurt him are kept backe by gentlenes Modestie is that whereby honest shame and bashfulnes purchaseth good and due deserued renowne Order is a disposition of all things in their conuenient place All these vertues are vndoubtedly ioined with temperance and consist as well in action as in the discoursing of the mind For by ioining a certaine mediocritie and order vnto those things that belong to this life we preserue honestie and dutie Euerie vertue saith Iamblicus a notable man despiseth whatsoeuer is fraile mortall and momentanie but temperance more than the rest bicause she contemneth and through chastitie beateth downe all those delights and pleasures whereby the soule as Plato saith is fastened vnto the bodie as it were with a naile Therefore if temperance rooteth out whatsoeuer she findeth vnperfect and subiect to perturbations how shal she not therewithall make vs perfect This is the meaning of that which the poets would giue vs to vnderstand vnder that fained fable of Bellerophon who being aided by modestie put to death that Chimaera and all other cruel and sauage monsters But as long as the immoderate force of our affections raigneth in vs it suffereth not men to be men but draweth them to the il fauoured nature of beasts void of reason Contrariwise this holie moderation whereby pleasures are contained within certaine bounds preserueth families togither and cities and which is more draweth vs in some sort neere to the diuine nature Thus we see that she is the foundation and ornament of all good things If we should endeuor to rehearse heere al those excellent praises which philosophers giue to this vertue of temperance bicause of hir worthie effects and wholesome fruits which she bringeth foorth in the soule we were not able to performe it although we should bestow this whole daies worke about it But bicause in the sequele of our discourses as well in the handling of vices as of vertues we may consider further how necessary temperance is and what profit it bringeth to the whole life of man we will content our selues to learne of Plato that temperance is the piller of fortitude the helmet and shield against luxuriousnes the keeper and guide of the eies the preseruer of good will the rasor of euill thoughts the corrector of vntamed desires an enimie to the disordered will of the soule that it shunneth naturall desires hindereth dishonest actions breedeth continencie mollifieth mens harts and giueth reason for a rule in all things Now let vs note out amongst the ancients some examples of the force and greatnes of this vertue of temperance which hath made many excellent men worthie of eternall renowme Scipio Africanus generall of the Romanes at the taking of the citie of Carthage had a yoong damsell to his prisoner of rare and excellent beautie And when he vnderstood of what great calling she came and how hir parents not long before had betrothed hir to a great Lord of Spaine he commanded that he should be sent for and restored hir vnto him without abusing hir in any respect although he was in the flowre of his age and had free and soueraigne authoritie Moreouer he gaue for a dowrie with hir the monie that was brought vnto him for hir ransome An act no doubt of great continencie in a victorious captaine towards his captiue whereof Aulus Gellius ioining it with that which we read of Alexander the great maketh this question whether of the twaine behaued himselfe more vertuously For Alexander hauing vanquished in battell king Darius and retaining as prisoner his wife which excelled al the dames of Asia in beautie and
grow a little in yeeres Further let such dissolute men as make pleasure the ende of their desire know that sobrietie leadeth those that follow her to farre greater and more perfect pleasures than incontinencie and superfluitie doe For these excessiue fellowes neuer expect hunger or thirst or any other pleasure of the bodye but through intemperance preuent them and so enioy scarce half the pleasure But sober and temperate men forbearing the fruition of their desire a long time haue a farre more perfect taste of them bicause as Cicero saith the pleasure of life consisteth rather in the desire than in the satietie thereof And if mediocrity be not obserued those things that are most acceptable and pleasant become most vnpleasant Do we not also see that when the body is not ouercharged with meate and wine it is better disposed and more temperate for euery good action And as for the spirite for which we ought chiefly to liue it is more ready and nimble to comprehend and conceiue what right reason and true honestie are For as Aristotle saith sobrietie causeth men to iudge better and according to truth of all things and in that respect is very necessary for the attaining of Philosophye Likewise sobrietie retaineth that in a wise mans thought which a foole without discretion hath in his mouth And therefore saith Cares we must striue by all meanes to restraine our belly bicause that only is alwaies vnthankfull for the pleasures done vnto it crauing continually and oftener than it needeth so that whosoeuer is not able to command ouer it wil daily heape vp mischiefe vpon mischiefe to himselfe But frugalitie and sobrietie are the mistresses of good counsell and the badges of chastitie For this cause Titus Liuius commendeth more the barrennes and sterilitie of a countrey than fertilitie and fruitfulnes saying that men borne in a fat fertile soile are commonly do-littles and cowards but contrariwise the barrennes of a countrey maketh men sober of necessitie and consequently carefull vigilant and giuen to labor as the Athenians were being situated in a very vnfruitfull place We make great account saith Paulonius of frugalitie not bicause we esteeme the creatures themselues vile and of small value but that by meanes thereof we may encrease the greatnes of our courage And if the greatest chiefest benefit that could come to man were said Solon to haue no need of nourishment it is very manifest that the next to that is to haue neede but of a little But amongst so many good reasons of such excellent mē the counsell of Epictetus is wel woorth the marking where he saith then when we would eate we must consider that we haue two guests to entertain the body and the soule and that whatsoeuer shall be put into the body departeth away quickly but what good thing soeuer entreth into the soule abideth for euer To this effect Timotheus a Grecian captaine hauing supped with Plato in the Academie at a sober and simple repast for the greatest festiual dainties were oliues cheese apples colewoorts bread wine said that they which sup with Plato feele the benefit therof the next day yea a long time after For these wise men met togither at bankets void of excesse not to fill their bellies but to prepare and dresse their minds to learne one of another by their goodly discourses of Philosophie whereof a vertuous soule hath better taste than the body of a well relished and delicate meale Such were the feasts of Pythagoras Socrates Xenocrates and of other Sages of Grecia where the discussing of good and learned matters there handled brought through the remembrance of them great pleasure and no lesse liked commoditie and that of long continuance to such as were present at them And as for the pleasures of drinking and eating they iudged the very remembrance thereof to be vnwoorthie and vnbeseeming men of honor bicause it was to passe away as the smell of a perfume Neither would they suffer that men should bring into their assemblies the vanitie of foolish delights as of the sound of instruments of enterludes or of any other pastime which a wise man ought rather to esteeme as a hinderance of delight than any pleasure at all For hauing within themselues sufficient matter of recreation and reioicing through their learned discourses it were meere follie to beg strange and friuolous delights from without them And Plutark saith that the brutish part of the soule depending of the feeding beast and vncapeable of reason is that which is pleased brought to order satisfied by songs and sounds which are sung and tuned vnto it euen as with the whistling of lips or hands or with the sound of a pipe sheepeheards cause their sheepe to arise or lie downe bicause they vnderstand not an articulate or distinct speech that hath some pith in it Therefore I commend Euripides for reprehending such as vse the harpe so long as a feast lasteth for quoth he musicke ought rather to be sent for when men are angrie or mourne than when they are feasting or making merry thereby to make them giue more libertie to all pleasure than before I suppose the Egyptians did better who vsed in the midst of their bankets to bring in the Anatomie of a dead bodie dried that the horror thereof might containe them in all modestie For this cause the memorie of the Emperour Henrie the third greatly recommendeth it selfe who banished all pompe and vanitie from his wedding and draue away the plaiers iesters causing a great number of poore folke to come in their place The custom which the Lacedemonians obserued when they liued vnder Lycurgus lawes is also worthie to be remembred which was that no torches or lights should be brought vnto them when they departed from feastes at night that it might be an occasion vnto them to feare drunkennes and so to auoid this shame that they onely could not find out their houses Now in those happie times vines were planted and dressed that wine might be drunke rather in time of sickenes than of health insomuch that it was not sold in Tauernes but onely in Apothecaries shops Those ancient Sages commonly measured their drinking by that saying of Anacharsis that the first draught which men drunke ought to be for thirst the second for nourishment and as for the third that it was of pleasure and the fourth of madnes Pythagoras being much more religious in this matter and liuing onely of herbs fruite and water said that the vine brought foorth three grapes whereof the first quencheth thirst the second troubleth and the third altogither dulleth He neuer dranke wine no more did that great Orator Demosthenes nor many other famous men of whome histories make mention The kings of Egypt were forbidden wine which they neuer dranke except on certaine daies and then by measure And truly it bringeth with it pernitious effects aswell to the soule as to
the bodie For from it proceedeth the chiefe and most common cause of bodilie diseases and of the infirmities of the soule But to continue the examples of loue which the Ancients bare to the vertue of sobrietie this was it that caused Alexander the Great to refuse those Cookes and Paisterers which Ada Queene of Caria sent vnto him to send her word backe againe that he had better than they were namely for his dinner early rising and walking a good while before day and for his supper a little dinner Notwithstanding in the ende the Persian delicacies and riches which alwaies is the propertie of such goods caused this vertuous monarke to change his commendable custome of liuing and to approoue and like of excesse in drinking to which vice that he might giue greater authoritie he propounded six hundred crownes for a reward to him that dranke most and called a great cup after his owne name Which cup when he offered to Callisthenes one of his fauorits he refused saying that he would not for drinking in Alexander stand in need of Esculapius With which the King perceiuing him selfe touched was so incensed against him that he caused him to be put in a cage with dogs where he poisoned himselfe being impatient of his captiuitie Wherein we may note how ridiculous their blockishnes is who for feare not of such an entertainment as this wise man receiued but of being taken and reputed as void of good fellowship and vnciuill cast themselues into the danger of a sore sicknes rather than they will refuse to drinke carouse when they are inuited thereunto Hereby also those men shew their want of iudgement and of conuenient matter to talke of who cannot entertaine their friends without dronkennes and gluttonie And the other if they knew how to make denial fitly and in good sort besides the profit which they should receiue thereby their companie would be more desired than it will be for their dronkennes Cyrus Monarke of the Persians from his childhood gane great testimonie that he would one daye become a very sober man For being demanded by Astyages his grandfather why he would drinke no wine he answered for feare least they giue me poison For quoth he I noted yesterday when you celebrated the daye of your natiuitie that it could not be but that some bodie had mingled poison amongst all that wine which ye then dranke bicause in the winding vp of the table not one of all those that were present at the feast was in his right mind Afterward this vertuous Prince alwaies liued very frugally for proofe whereof may serue his answer made one day to Artabazus as he marched in warre who asked of him what he would haue brought vnto him for his supper Bread quoth he for I hope we shall finde some fountaine to furnish vs with drinke Porus a noble king of India liued with water and bread onely Phaotes also king of the same countrey did the like and the greatest feastes which he made or suffered his Courtiers to make was onely with a kind of venison Alphonsus king of Arragon and Cocilia a very sober man was demanded of certaine of his Princes why he dranke no wine bicause quoth he wisdome is hindred through wine and prudence darkned which two things onely are able to make a king worthy of that name he beareth Agesilaus king of Lacedemonia hauing beene alwaies brought vp in the discipline of Lycurgus who had banished all riot and superfluitie from that citie by the vtter defacing and abolishing of gold and siluer became very woonderfull by reason of his simplicity and plainnes in feeding and clothing his bodie and in behauing himselfe as the meanest of his subiects He vsed to say which he likewise put in vre that he which commanded and ruled many ought to surpasse them not in dainties and delicacie but in sustaining labor and in nobilitie of hart The benefit which as he said he reaped thereby was libertie whereof he assured himselfe that he could neuer be depriued by any alteration and change of fortune And as he passed with his armie by the countrey of the Thasians they sent him certaine refreshing of sloure of daintie cates as comfits and other daintie deuices made of paast but he would take nothing saue onely the floure And being vrged of others to receiue all he said Well if ye thinke it good diuide the rest amongst the Ilots who were their slaues for it agreeth not with them that make profession of manlie fortitude and powers to take such iuncates For that which allureth and inticeth men of a slauish nature ought not to be acceptable to thē that are of a franke free courage But is there any thing now a daies I pray you that so much allureth and keepeth base minds in the seruice of great men as the daintines of their table And surely the Ancients did not vnfitly apply the name of Tyrant to a rich man keeping a sumptuous table as to one that compelleth men to follow to obey him Neuertheles a courageous hart suffreth not it self to be takē with such baits but let vs continue the examples of sobrietic Pompey the great hauing all his life tyme loued modestie and frugalitie gaue yet a more certain testimonie thereof when by reason of a lingring disease he had lost his appetite to meate His Physition appointing him to eate of a Blackbird he was giuen to vnderstand by his serunats that because they were out of season it would be a hard matter to get any except it were of Lucullus who kept some all the yeere long and would willingly giue him some What quoth he then if Lucullus were not a daintie and nice glutton could not Pompey liue No no let me haue somthing made ready that may easile be gotten Marcus Cato after he had ouercome Spaine and triumphed of notable victories albeit he was now old and very rich yet he would adde nothing to his ancient maner of liuing which was very austere but dranke almost nothing but water and for the most part did eat nothing but bread and biefe laboring in the field in time of peace as much as the meanest of his seruants Epaminondas the greatest captain philosopher of his time liued so thriftily and temperately that being inuited by a friend of his to supper and seeing great superfluitie and sumptuosnes he returned very angry saying that he thought he had been requested to sacrifice and to liue honestly together and not to receiue reproch by being entertained like a glutton Caius Fabritius a notable Romain captaine was found by the Samnite embassadors that came vnto him eating of reddish rosted in the ashes which was all the dishes he had to his supper and that in a very poore house Scipio Aemilius kept a very honourable table for his friends for in his time riot had alredy begun to enter into Rome but going
and much more doth wine vexe a man For it discloseth the secrets of the soule troubleth the whole mind A drunken gouernor and ruler of any thing whatsoeuer bringeth all to ruine ouerthrow whether it be a ship or a wagon or an armie or any other thing committed to his keping We see by the goodly sentences of these Authors how many discommodities mischiefs come as wel to the body as to the soule by this excessiue superfluitie and curiositie of nourishment whether it be in drinking or eating We see also that from this self same spring-head proceed those vnmeasurable and loose behauiours in all kind of delights in carding and dicing in dauncing masking and mumming in loue of maidens and adultery with wiues the filthines whereof is so shameful and discouereth it self so much that I shall not greatly need to loose time in reproouing thereof For it is most certaine that all such inuentions are meerely heathenish or rather diuelish when men commit such reprobate actions with publike libertie and licence Especially we haue to note this well that concerneth masks and mummeries so common amongst vs and the cause of infinite offences that forasmuch as the face was appointed and ordeined of God to be seen openly and the mouth to speake we destroy the ordinance of God as much as lieth in vs and become contrary vnto him when we take vnto vs a false face and depriue our selues of speech It may be sayd that manie thinke no harme when they doe these things But that which of it self is euil cannot be excused and no fashion of liuing taken vp and practised through the onely motion of our sensualitie such are these delights pleasures can be maintained neither hath it any good and lawfull defence Now let vs consider some examples of those pernitious effects which proceed from this Epicurian vice of intemperance Esau fold his birth right through a gluttonous desire The self same cause mooued the Israelites to murmure many times against God The drunkennesse of Lot caused him to commit incestwith his daughters Alexander the great darkned the glory of his valiant acts with this vice For being ouertaken with wine he slew Clitus one of the valiantest captains he had to whom he was beholding for his own life Afterward when he was come to himself he would oftentimes haue murdered himself and wept three days togither without meat and drink Dionysius the yonger was somtime more than nine dayes togither drunken and in the ende he lost his estate Cyrillus sonne in his drunkennes wickedly slew that holy man his father and his mother also great with child He hurt his two sisters and defloured one of them Ought not this to cause the haire of our head to stand vpright as often as any occasion is offred vnto vs whereby we might fall into such inconueniences Amongst the Romanes Lucullus a man of great dignitie and commended of Historiographers for many braue exploits of warre which he did in Armenia and for his bountie iustice and clemencie is yet greatly blamed because towards the end of his dais omitting all intermedling with the gouernment of publike affaires he gaue himself to all kind of excessiue sumptuousnes superfluous wasting of that great substance which he had Whereof this only testimonie recited by Plutarke shall serue for sufficient proofe Cicero and Pompey meeting him one day in the citie told him that they would sup with him on this conditiō that he should prepare nothing for them but his owne ordinarie diet At the least wise quoth he vnto them giue me leaue to bid my Steward make ready supper in my hall of Apollo and by that he beguiled them For his seruants vnderstood therby what cost he would haue bestowed thereupon in so much that a supper of fiftie thousand drachmes of siluer which amount to fiue thousand crownes was prepared for them This was so much the more wonderfull bicause so great and sumptuous a feast was made ready in so short a time But this was his ordinarie diet which he caused manie times to be prepared for himselfe alone And as his men asked him on a day who should dine with him seeing he commanded them to make readie such a great feast Lucullus quoth he shall dine with Lucullus This superfluous pompe magnificence wil not be thought verie strange if we compare it with that which not long since a simple Franciscan frier called Peter de Ruere made after he had attained to the dignitie of a Cardinal through fauour of the Pope his kinsman For within the space of two yeeres which he liued in Rome he consumed in feasts and banquets the summe of two hundred thousand crownes besides his debts which came to no lesse summe Philoxenus the Poet wished that he had a necke like a Crane to the end he might enioy greater pleasure in swalowing downe wine and meat saying that then he should longer feele the tast thereof We read of the emperor Vitellius Spinter that he was so much giuen to superfluitie and excesse that at one supper he was serued with two thousand seuerall kinds of fishes and with seuen thousand flying foules But within a very litle while after he changed his estate being executed publikely at Rome at the pursuite of Vespasianus who was chosen emperor in his place In our time Muleasses king of Thunes was so drowned in pleasure and delight that after he was banished from his kingdom bicause of his whoredom in his returne out of Almaign being without hope that the emperor Charles the fift would helpe him at all he spent one hundred crownes vpon a pecock dressed for him as Paulus Iouius rehearseth and that he might take the greater delight in musike he couered his eyes But the iudgement of God was such vpon him that his owne children made him blind with a bar of hote iron Concerning exāples of the miserie that followeth accompanieth riot delight in playing dancing mumming we see daily that a thousand quarrels blasphemies losse of goods whoredoms proceed frō thence And oftentimes God suffreth the punishment therof to be notorious euen by vnlooked for strange means as not long since it hapned to Lewes Archb. of Magdeburg who dancing with gentlewomē vntil midnight fell down so fiercely vpon the ground that he brake his neck with one of the women which he led Charles the 6. being clothed like a wild mā with certain of his familiar friends dancing by torchlight was also in great peril of burning if a gētlewoman had not cast her cloke vpō his shoulders And I think it wil not be from the matter if we say that it is a shameful thing to suffer amongst vs or to loose time that ought to be so precious vnto vs in beholding in hearing plaiers actors of Interludes and Comedies who are as pernitious a plague in a common wealth as can be
contrarywise he made him Consull the next yeere Whereat his familiar friends wondring and disswading him from it My meaning is quoth he to them that he should one day remember this good turne Let vs also propound to kings and princes that sentence of Titus the emperor who making a feast one day with a cheerful countenance to the contentation of euery one in the ende of the banquet strake himselfe on the brest at the table and fetched a great sigh withall Wherupon his fauorites demanding the cause why I cannot quoth he keepe my selfe from sighing and complaining when I call to mind that this great honor which I haue dependeth vpon the will of fortune that my estates and dignities are as it were in sequestration and my life as it were laid in pawne pledged vnto me Let the saying of that good prince Philip king of Macedonia be well noted of great men who on a day falling all along in that place where wrestling was exercised and beholding the fashion of his body printed in the dust Good Lord quoth he how little ground must we haue by nature and yet we desire all the habitable world According to his example let vs all humble our selues in the acknowledgement of our imbecillitie and poore humain estate and let vs moderate our vnruly affections through the contempt of those things which worldly men desire and seeke after iudging them an vnwoorthy reward for vertue Let euery one of vs content himself with his estate and calling so that it tendeth to the right end namely to his glory that gaue it vnto vs and to the benefit and profit of his creatures and let all be done according to that measure of graces which he shall bestow vpon vs. Of Voluptuousnes and Lecherie Chap. 22. ACHITOB AMong those faults which men commit being led with desire and pleasure that is naturally in them we noted a little before luxuriousnes and whoredome But bicause we then reserued it to a more ample handling of Voluptuousnes and of a lustfull life which is the chiefe worke therof whose desire and contentation is in lecherie to the end we may the better discouer that sugred poison which lurketh vnder these detestable vices I am of opinion that we must begin to enter into this large field so fruitfull for thornes and thistles which to sicke eyes many tymes seeme faire blossoms of some goodly fruits propounding to the sight of euery one the nature and effects of the tyrannical power of pleasure a mortall enemie to the raigne of Vertue ASER. Pleasure saith Plato is the hooke of all euils bicause men are taken thereby as fish by a hooke For it quencheth the light of the soule hindreth all good counsell and through inticements turneth men aside from the way of vertue throwing them downe headlong into the gulfe of confusion which is luxuriousnes and whoredom a most wicked abominable vice aboue all others wherby all vertue is hurt and offended AMANA He that is giuen to pleasure saith Cicero iudgeth all things not according to reason but according to sence esteeming that best which most delighteth him so that he easily suffreth himselfe to be kindled with the burning fire of luxuriousnes which is hurtfull to euerie age and extinguisheth old age But let vs heare ARAM vpon this matter ARAM. It is no new opinion that many iudging according to their sensualitie and being altogither ignorant of the true nature and immortality of the soule haue placed their soueraigne Good in pleasure and in the enioying of those things which most of all tickle the sences Aristippus and all the Cyrinaiks Epicurus Metrodorus Chrysippus and many others who falsly tooke vnto themselues the name of Philosophers laboured to prooue it by many arguments cloking their wickednes with graue and loftie words saying that none could perfectly attaine to pleasure except he were vertuous and wise But that which Cicero alleadgeth against them is sufficient to discouer the maske of their impudencie and to conuince them of lying namely that we must not simply looke to mens sayings but consider whether they agree in their opinions For how is it possible that he which placeth his chiefe Good in the pleasure of the bodie and in neuer-feeling griefe should make account of or imbrace vertue which is an enimie to delights and pleasures and commandeth vs rather to suffer a cruell and dolorous death than to start aside against dutie It is certaine that he which placeth his chiefe Good in pleasure hath no regard to do any thing but for his priuate profit Whereby he declareth sufficiently that he careth not at all for vertue especially iustice which commandeth nothing so much as to leaue our owne particular pleasure and profit and to imbrace though with our perill losse the publike welfare Moreouer how could he be couragious if he thought that grief were the extreamest and greatest euill or temperate supposing pleasure to be perfect felicitie Besides what can be more vnbeseeming man appointed for all great and excellent things than to take that for his chiefe Good whereof brute beastes haue better part than we and to leaue the care of that which is diuine and immortal in vs to attend to that which is mortall and subiect to corruption But these erronious and false opinions being contrarie to themselues are so absurd and full of blockish ignorance that we neede not here loose much time in confuting them and conuincing them of lies Notwithstanding it being so common a thing with men to imbrace pleasure as the principall end of their actions bicause naturally they desire pleasure and shun griefe it will be easie for vs to shew that ignorance only guideth them when being depriued of the knowledge of that Good which is to be wished for and is pleasant and acceptable they seeke after through an euill choice the greatest mischiefe of all I meane pleasure vnseparably followed of griefe which men labour most of all to eschew Let vs then see what pleasure is and what fruites she bringeth with hir Voluptuousnes or pleasure saith Cicero is properly called that delight which mooueth and tickleth our sences which slideth and slippeth away and for the most part leaueth behind it occasions rather of repentance than of calling it again to remembrance For many through wicked and vnnecessarie pleasure haue fallen intogreat diseases receiued great losses and suffred many reproches It alwaies saith Plato bringeth damage and losse to man ingendring in his mind sorow sottishnes forgetfulnes of prudence and insolencie Wheresoeuer sweete is saith Antipho there presently followeth sowre For voluptuousnes neuer goeth alone but is alwaies accompanied with sorow and griefe Pleasure saith Plutark resolueth mens bodies mollifieng them daily through delights the continuall vse of which mortifieth their vigor and dissolueth their strength from whence abundance of diseases proceedeth so that a man may see in youth the beginnings of the weakenes of old age Voluptuousnes is a
desperate case Briefly to speake in a word Fortitude is the cause that neither for feare nor danger we turne aside from the path waie of vertue and iustice neither yet repent vs of well doing for any torment And thus it belongeth properly to this vertue to command chiefly ouer these two perturbations grounded vpon the opinion of euill namely Feare and Griefe as before we saw that Temperance exerciseth hir power ouer vnbrideled desire excessiue ioy Furthermore bicause they that naturally haue greater stomacks and more excellent spirits are desirous and greedie of honors power and glorie and seeing that an excessiue desire to rule and to excel others commonly groweth with the greatnes of the hart it is necessarie that this vnrulie affection should be moderated by the contempt of such things as are common to all men by nature And this also is a propertie belonging to this vertue of Fortitude which desiring the greatest and best things despiseth those that are base and abiect aspiring to celestiall and eternall things shunneth humane mortall things and iudgeth honors riches and worldlie goods an vnwoorthie recompence for his valiant acts Which is the who cause that whosoeuer hath this vertue of Fortitude perfectly if so great happines could be among mortall wights he remaineth free from all perturbations of the soule to enioy a blessed tranquillitie which togither with constancie procureth vnto him dignitie and reputation For this cause Cicero teacheth vs that they which giue themselues to the gouernment of affaires ought at least asmuch as Philosophers to make light account of temporall goods from whence proceedeth all the rest of our mindes yea they ought to striue to that end with greater care and labor than Philosophers do bicause it is easier for a Philosopher so to doe his life being lesse subiect to Fortune standing in lesse need of worldly Goods than doth that of Politicks And if any mishap befall them it toucheth the Philosopher a great deale lesse But whether it be in war or in ruling a Common-wealth or in the gouernment of a house there are alwaies means enough to exercise the works of Fortitude many times this vertue is most necessarie in things that seeme to be of smallest account Besides that honesty which we seeke after is perfected by the forces of the soule of which euery one hath great need not by those of the bodie I will not say that the firme knitting togither of the members and the good disposition of nature to sustaine manfully the iniuries of wether al kind of paine trauel without sicknes is not a good helpe towards the execution of noble enterprises only I say that it is not so necessarie but that many being troubled with a thousand ill dispositions in their persons especially such as were placed in offices of Captaines and Conductors of armies haue executed infinite great and glorious exploits surmounting all weakenes of their bodies through the magnanimitie of their hart Yea oftentimes they haue as it were constrained their bodies to change their nature that they might be made fit to execure whatsouer their wise spirite iudged to belong to dutie Was there euer any Captaine among the Romanes greater than Iulius Caesar Yet was he of a weake and tender complexion subiect to great head-aches and visited somtimes with the falling sicknes But in steed of vsing the weaknes of his bodie for a cloke to liue nicely and delicately he tooke the labors for warre for a fit medicine to cure the vntowardnes of his bodie fighting against his disease with continuall labor and exercise liuing soberly and lying for the most part in the open aire which made him to be so much the more admired and loued of his souldiers As it may appeere by that which is reported of him that being one daye by reason of great storme and tempest greatly vrged with want of lodging in a plaine where there was but one little cottage belonging to a Peasant which had but one chamber he commanded that Oppius one of his Captaines who was il at ease should be lodged there as for himselfe he laye abroad with the rest saying that the most honorable places were to be appointed for the greatest and the most necessarie for such as were most diseased What shall we say of those who being impotent in some part of their members did notwithstanding not diminish in any sort but augment the glorie of their doings Marcus Sergius a Romane Captaine hauing lost his right hand in a battell practised so well with the left hand that afterward in an armie he chalenged foure of his enimies one after another and ouercame them such force hath a good hart that it can doe more in one onely little member than a man well made and fashioned in all points that hath but a cowardly hart We might heere alleadge infinite examples whereof histories are full of all those effects which we said were brought foorth by the vertue of Fortitude in noble minds but we will content our selues to touch certaine generals that were of notable and politike prowes and valure and constant in their resolutions aswell for shortnes sake as also bicause heereafter we shall haue further occasion to bring others in sight when we handle more at large the parts and branches that proceed from this happie stalke of Fortitude Fabius the Greatest commeth first to my remembrance to prooue that the resolution of a courageous hart grounded vpon knowledge and the discourse of reason is firme and immutable This Captaine of the Romane armie being sent into the field to resist the furie and violence of Hannibal who being Captaine of the Carthaginians was entred into Italy with great force determined for the publike welfare and necessitie to delay and prolong the warre and not to hazard a battell but with great aduantage Whereupon certaine told him that his owne men called him Hannibals schoolemaister and that he was iested at with many other opprobrious speeches as one that had small valure and courage in him and therfore they counselled him to fight to the end he might not incurre any more such reprehensions and obloquies I should be quoth he againe to them a greater Coward than now I am thought to be if I should forsake my deliberation necessarie for the common welfare and safetie for feare of their girding speeches and bolts of mockerie and obey those to the ruine of my countrey whom I ought to command And in deed afterward he gaue great tokens of his vnspeakeable valure being sent with three hundred men onely to encounter with the said Hannibal and seeing that he must of necessitie fight for the safetie of the Common-wealth after all his men were slaine and himselfe hurt to death he rushed against Hannibal with so great violence and force of courage that he tooke from him the diademe or frontlet which he had about his head and died with that about him Pompey who by
chiefly to handle at this present The Grecians called it by these two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one signifieng troble the other a band as if they would haue said that it held the soule bound and wholie troubled They affirmed also that this feare was as it were a giddinesse and alienation of the mind from the right sense making the soule idle dead void of euerie good exploit or effect whatsoeuer The last kind of feare is that which worketh in the wicked a feare of paine and punishment appointed for offences wherby they are as it were with a bridle kept backe and restrained from presuming to commit their villanies and damnable purposes Now as the first kind of feare said to be good and necessarie is a great token of a commendable and vertuous nature as that which for good cause is grounded vpon the feare of reproch and infamie and vpon a desire to effect whatsoeuer belongeth to dutie so the one of these two last kinds testifieth a vile contemptible and abiect nature and the other a wicked corrupt disposition Plutark speaking of this good feare calleth it one of the Elements grounds of vertue saying that it is chieflie requisite and necessarie for those that haue authoritie ouer others who ought to feare rather to practise euil than to receiue punishment for the same bicause the first is the cause of the latter not onelie to themselues but to so manie as wallow in wickednesse which is neuer without recompense Therefore a prudent and well aduised man ought to haue this feare alwaies before his eies I meane this childlike feare which is vnseparably ioined with the true loue we owe to our common father and is the beginning of all wisedome wherby we are induced to honour him And looke how much the more the ancient Pagans were kept in awe by this good feare so much the more shall our condemnation be doubled if we despise it The dutie also of this profitable feare is to haue an eie vnto the good and safetie of our countrie and to cause vs faithfully to discharge euery charge committed vnto vs to the end we incurre not perpetuall shame and infamie among all good men It causeth vs to feare onelie the dishonor of an vnaduised counsel or action and to account it very seemelie honorable to be blamed and euil spoken of for well dooing which Alexander the great said did well become a king This good feare made Phocion who for his desert and valure was chosen generall of the Atheniens fiue fortie times to saie that he would neuer counsell but hinder to the vttermost of his power that enterprise of war which they would haue concluded against Alexander For said he although the Athenians would cast awaie themselues yet I will not suffer them to doe so bicause I haue for that intent purpose taken vpon me the charge of a Captain And when Demosthenes who persuaded this warre said vnto him the people will kill thee if they enter into a furie Phocion replied Naie they will kill thee if they be well in their wits Antigonus the second king of Macedonia declared what benefit commeth of this good feare necessarie for the foresight of a wise and experienced captaine in warre when retiring once from before his enimies who came to assaile him and being told by certaine that he fled he answered It is cleane contrarie For I looke backe to that profit wich is behind me As touching the opinion of the ancients alreadie mentioned that to stand in feare of nothing is more hurtful to Common-wealthes than foraine enimies it is that which Scipio Nasica a Romane Senator meant to signifie when vpon the hearing of some who said that Rome was in safetie if Carthage were laid wast he replied that it was farre otherwise For said he we are in greater danger now than euer bicause we stand no more in awe of anie whereby he wiselie inferred that too great and vnlooked for prosperitie of cities is commonly the cause of raising ciuill wars in them secret diuisions or else of bringing into them so great idlenes that by it a gate is opened to all vices as in truth it fell out with the Romans For then beeing in the top of their felicitie and greatnesse by reason of the destruction aswell of the Carthaginians by Scipio the yonger as of the Macedonians vnder Perseus and Antiochus the people began to abuse their authoritie preferring vnto estates and places of honour not the best and iustest citizens but such as flattered them most in their vices and dissolutenes and wan their hearts with prodigall and superfluous feasts and distributions to whome they solde their publike voices Whereupon in the end those ciuill wars arose which was the cause of their finall ouerthrow and of the alteration of their popular estate into a tyrannie afterwards called a Monarchie But this discourse being the matter of another Subiect let vs come to the defect of the vertue of Fortitude which is a feare voide of reason and assurance and argueth a faint and cowardlie hart causing a man through want of sense and vnderstanding to account this the surest waie to doubt all things and to distrust euerie one Of this feare one of the ancients said Feare taketh awaie memorie and all good effects from euerie art and industrie Yea sometimes some haue beene found so faint-harted that as soone as this feare seazed vpon them they gaue vp the ghost not beeing oppressed with anie other euill or violence It is in this passion that Feare and Greefe fullie practise their power being grounded vpon a false opinion of euill and sworne enimies to all rest and tranquillitie gnawing and consuming life as rust doth steele or yron Neither is this feare without an vnrulie desire and immoderate ioie in things that are worldlie base and contemptible whereupon the soule is continuallie carried hither and thither with pernicious and immoderate passions which depriue hir of the excellencie of hir immortalitie to attend to the mortall and corruptible affections of the flesh Alexander spake of such as are possessed with this feare when he said that no place is so strong by nature and situation which fearefull men iudge safe enough Therefore the Satyricall Poēt said verie well that Fortune alwayes maketh timorous men little For although they be borne bigge of stature yet the small courage of their hearts maketh them so much the more contemptible bringing foorth worse and more dangerous effects and making them vnwoorthy of all intermedling with matters of estate of policie or of warre In this number among many whom histories mention we may heere reckon Claudius the first of the Caesars who was so faint-harted base-minded blockish that his mother said often of him that Nature had begun but not finished him And truly a hartles-fellow or one of litle-hart is nothing els but a bodie
without a soule The memorie of such men of whome we see but too many examples among vs ought to be buried in obliuion and during their life time they should remaine vnknowne aswel for their owne honor as for the good of the common societie of men to which they could not but be offensiue and hurtfull For the most part they are not onely afraid of men of the hazards of warres of troubles seditions of the dangers of long voyages of the losse of their goods of diseases of dolors yea of the least discommodities and aduersities that can befall men the euent of all which causeth them vsually to forget all reason and dutie but they are also frighted with dreames they tremble at sights and visions they credite false abusing spirits and with a forlorne feare they stand in awe of the celestiall signes Briefly vpon the least occasions that may be and such as are vnwoorthie the care of a prudent and valiant mind they fall oftentimes into such vexation of spirite that they loose it altogither and become mad and inraged insomuch that many haue hastened forward with their owne hands the end of their so miserable daies As we read of Mydas king of Phrygia who being troubled and vexed with certaine dreames grew to be desperate and died voluntarily by drinking the bloud of a Bull. Aristodemus also king of the Messenians being in warre against his subiects it happened that the dogs howled like woolnes which came to passe by reason of a certain herbe called Dogsteeth growing about his altar at home Wherupon vnderstanding by the Southsayers that it was an euill signe he was stroken with such a feare and conceit thereof that he slue himselfe Cassius the captaine had a better hart when he answered a Chaldean Astrologian who counselled him not to fight with the Parthians vntill the Moone had passed Scorpio I feare not quoth he Scorpions but Archers This hee spake bicause the Romane armie had beene put to the worst before in the plaine of Chaldea by the Parthian archers Neuertheles that which we spake of Midas and Aristodemus is seldome followed yea is rarely found amongst cowards and base minded fellowes who commonly flie from temporall death as much as may be as also from griefe which they feare in such sort that contemning all vertue and iustice they labour for nothing more than to preserue their liues togither with their carnall commodities for the obtaining of which they seeme to liue cleane without all care of their soule as if hir portiō were in this world should end togither with the bodie The effects of this feare of death are sufficiently felt of euerie one in particular the number of them being verie small who would not willingly make as we say a sluce to their consciences that they might be deliuered thereof Let vs then confesse our selues to be fearefull and faint-harted and not boast of Fortitude and generositie of hart which will not suffer vs to stand in feare no not of certaine death in an holie and honest cause so farre is it from fearing and forsaking dutie through doubt of an vncertaine death That which Speron rehearseth in his dialogues of a gentleman of Padua sufficiently sheweth what maruellous force is in the apprehension and conceit of death which extendeth it selfe not onelie vpon the spirites of men but also changeth the nature of their bodies who want constancie to beare and sustaine a small and light griefe for the inioieng of eternall goods This yoong gentleman being put in prison vpon some accusation it was tolde him that of a certaintie his head should be cut off the daie following Which newes altered him in such sort that in one onelie night hee was all white greie-headed whereof before there was no shew or appearance and so he liued long time after Besides experience daily ministreth vnto vs sufficient proofe of the mischiefes which proceed of want of courage and faint-hartednes especially in matters of estate gouernment and publike offices wherein a fearefull and soft man for euerie reproch dislike or euill opinion of the world yea of such as are most ignorant and much more for the least dangers of his person and for feare and threatnings of the greater sort yeeldeth easilie against all dutie and suffereth himselfe to be drawne to the error of the wicked and common sort As for the middle and lesser sort wherefore serue they being void of reason and assurance Homer saith that king Agamemnon dispensed with a rich Coward for going to warre personally for a Mare which he gaue him Wherein truly he had great reason bicause a fearefull man hurteth much and profiteth little not onely in warre but euen in euery good and vertuous action This caused that great captaine Paulus Aemilius to say that magnanimitie and courage were for the most part reuerenced in euery enimie of theirs but that cowardlines although it had good successe yet was it alwayes and of all men despised I might here mention sundry vices which ordinarily growe and are nourished of cowardlines and pusillanimitie as namely crueltie treason breach of promise impatiencie idlenesse slouth couetousnes enuie backbiting and all iniustice were it not that I hope the sequele of our discourses will offer vs matter and occasion to handle these vices particularly our houre not affording vs time and leasure to enter vpon so many things togither There remaineth yet a word to be spoken of that feare which I said did accompany the froward and wicked many times being called by the Poet a seruile feare which through the onely horror of punishment holdeth them backe from practising their wicked purposes Of them spake Pythagoras when he sayd that he which careth not for doing of euill in any other respect but onely bicause he would not be punished is very wicked Now although such feare is accursed and to be condemned in all yet is it necessarie for the preseruation of humane societie For otherwise all things would run to confusion through the shameles malice of the wicked of whom the earth is full And it is a great deale better that through such feare they should be restrained from their wicked desires and wils than that they should without all feare abandon themselues to put them in execution albeit they are no way excusable before God who requireth to be serued with hart and spirit Neuerthelesse such feare doth not alwayes stay them from putting their malice in effect but the more they are retained so much the more are they inflamed and kindled with a desire to satisfie their corrupt will which in the end is constrained to burst foorth and euidently to shew that mischiefe which they kept secret a long time But if the commō sort saith Seneca be staied by lawes from committing euil the Philosopher contrarywise hath reason for all lawes doing good not bicause the law commandeth it and abstaining frō euil not bicause it forbiddeth it but bicause
conquering the same whereof he reaped no other benefit but onely a vaine name and glorie of small continuance in his life time which procured him the enuie and hatred of his countreymen so that he was murdred with 23. blowes of the sword on his bodie after he had ouerliued Pompey who was vanquished by him foure yeeres onely or little more Histories are full of sundrie such alterations which commonly follow them that are not content with their estate from whence wise men and of good iudgement may drawe this instruction to limit their thoughts and desires For as Diodorus the Athenian said these two things are very hurtfull to men Hope and Loue of which the one leadeth and the other accompanieth them the one seeketh out the meanes to execute their thoughts and the other persuadeth them with good successe And although these two things are not seene with the eie yet are they mightier than visible punishments Heerof came that old prouerb that proud men fat themselues with vaine hope which by little and little choaketh them as naughtie fat doth mans bodie And if we be willing to keepe our selues from so dangerous a downefall let vs cure our soules of all hurtfull hope and let reason and dutie as we haue alreadie said lead and limit all our affections and enterprises considering wisely their beginning namely that we ground them vpon right and equitie only knowing that they ought not to be iudged of by the euent and end of them which oftentimes seeme to fauor vniust coūsels and doings And this offreth some colour occasion to the wicked to prosecute their dealings hauing no care of violating right and iustice But how soeuer it be a miserable end bringeth them an ouer late repentance Neither let vs perswade our selues that the issue of our imaginations and enterprises although they be well grounded shall certainly fall out according to our meaning for this is that hope which greatly hurteth and most of all troubleth men but let vs know that as in al things which grow there is alwaies some corruption mingled in them it being necessarie that all mortall seedes should presently be partakers of the cause of death so from the same fountaine ill hap floweth vnto vs in great measure yea sooner and more abundantly than good successe Which thing Homer willing to giue vs to vnderstand fained that there were two vessels at the entrie of the great Olympus the one being full of honie the other of gall of which two mingled togither Iupiter causeth all men to drinke And Plutark saith that men can neuer purely and simply enioy the ease of any great prosperitie but whether it be fortune or the enuie of destinie or else the naturall necessitie of earthlie things there ease is alwaies intermingled in their life time with euill among the good yea in the like mishap that which is woorse surmounteth the better All these things being considered of vs they will make vs more aduised and staied in all our counsels and deuises in such sort affected and prepared with true prudence fortitude and magnanimitie that whatsoeuer hapneth vnto vs we shall not be troubled or further mooued but receiue it as hauing long before expected and looked for it This doth Seneca very learnedly teach vs saying that we ought not to be astonished or maruell at vnlooked for chances that light vpon vs but prepare and conforme our harts to all euents that may come vnto vs premeditating and thinking aforehand that we are borne to suffer and that nothing commeth to passe which ought not to be Destinie saith he leadeth those that are consenting draweth gain-sayers by force Neither ought we through doubt of that which is to come to neglect good heroicall and farre remooued hopes of excellent things hauing thus grounded them as we haue said For wise and famous personages desirous of honor and glorie were alwaies of opinion that they ought to be intertained and kept in a sound and setled resolution of the mind bicause of the varietie of accidents which daily happen contrary to the common opinions of men wherein experience teacheth vs that according to the direction of a good spirite and the good successe that followeth and accompanieth it whatsoeuer concerneth the managing of worldlie affairs is changed and turneth about with the moouing of fortune if it be lawfull for vs vnder this Heathen word to vnderstand the ordinance of God Therefore to ende our present discourse we will note this that first we are to defend our selues by the grace of God with that happie and certaine hope which can neuer deceiue or confound any being a certaine guide to keepe vs in this long and tedious pilgrimage from going astray out of the way of saluation Secondly from this the prop staie and comfort of mans life against all miseries and calamities will flow and issue Thirdly and lastly we shall be stirred vp to all great and noble works for the good and common profit of euery one referring the euents of them to the woonderfull counsell of the prouidence of God and receiuing them as iust good and profitable The ende of the seuenth daies worke THE EIGHT DAIES WORKE Of Patience and of Impatiencie of Choler and Wrath. Chap. 29. ASER. IF vertue consisteth in hard matters if that which commeth neerest to the diuine nature and is most vneasie and least of all vsed of all men better beseemeth a valiant and noble minded man than any other thing whatsoeuer no doubt but patience is the very same thing whereof the Scripture teacheth vs that God is the author and that he putteth it in dailie practise among his creatures deferring the full punishment of their faults by expecting their repentance Further this vertue so much resembleth Fortitude wherof we discoursed yesterday that we may say with Cicero that Fortitude is borne of hir or els with hir seeing there is nothing so great and burthensome which she can not easilie sustaine and ouercome euen the violentest most common passions of mans nature as impatiencie choler and anger which commonly procure the vtter ruine of the soule Therefore let vs my Companions begin our daies worke with the handling of the effects of this great vertue of Patience and of the vices that are cleane contrarie vnto it AMANA Patience saith Plautus is a remedie for all griefes Endure patiently and blame not that which thou canst not auoid For he that is able to suffer well ouercommeth But this vertue is so rarely found among men that moe will offer themselues to death than abide griefe patiently Neuertheles it is the point of a wise man saith Horace to set a good face vpon that which must needes be done ARAM. By patience saith Cicero we must seeke after that which we cannot obtaine by fauour and if we endure all the inconuenience will turne to our profite But learned men whilest they resist not their perturbations trouble and ouerturne with a suddain
proper end expecting our renewing in that life which is immortall and euerlasting Of Good and Ill hap Chap. 31. ARAM. THere hath beene alwayes men of great humaine learning but voyd of the sincere knowledge of the truth that haue maintained one of these two opinions some That all things were gouerned by nature others that they were ruled by fortune They that acknowledge nature for the first cause of all things did attribute vnto hir a constellation which through the strength and efficacie of the starres gouerned the counsaile and reason of men The other sort acknowledging fortune maintained that all things were done at aduenture and by chance Now albeit there are too many at this day that follow this error yet is it so absurd a thing that in the writings of Ethnicks and Pagans a thousand inuincible reasons are found of sufficient force to conuince such opinions of meere lying and ouer-great sottishnes and to constraine those that are most impudent and shameles to acknowledge an infinite almightie power to be the creator of nature and of all things moouing therein and to dispose and order them with an eternall and euerlasting prouidence True it is that I would not absolutely deny the maruellous effects which many haue noted in heauenlie bodies throughout nature neuertheles I hold this for certaine that as all their vertue dependeth of one onely God so he withdraweth from them his power when and as soone as it pleaseth him Of this I inferre that they greatly deceiue themselues who thinke that the seeking out of the starres and of their secret vertues diminisheth any thing from the greatnes and power of God seeing that contrariwise his maiestie is much more famous and woonderful in doing such great things by his creatures as if he did them himselfe without any meane Nowe that which I haue touched heere my companions is not to offer any occasion to discourse of the Mathematicks or of any part thereof which would be to depart out of those bounds which we appointed to our Academy But seeing nothing is so common amongst vs as to vse or rather to abuse these wordes of Good and Ill hap by attributing vnto them some power and vertue ouer our doings insomuch that we commonly say there is nothing but good or ill lucke in this world I thinke it wil not be without fruite to consider narowly what we ought to thinke of these words and wherein we are to seeke and desire good hap and wherein to feare and flie ill lucke Now therefore let vs be instructed of you touching this matter ACHITOB. Good hap consisteth in that contentation which proceedeth from the perfection of the subiect therof being adorned with a perfect habit and intire possession of all kind of Goods in the priuation whereof all ill hap consisteth This cannot be verified of the passions and affections of men nor of their worldly affaires which are alwaies intermingled with diuers sundry accidents turning one while on this manner by and by after an other and carying the soule continually vp and downe with these two perturbations Desire and Griefe Therefore if there be a happie man in this world said Socrates it is he that hath a pure and cleane soule and a conscience defiled with nothing For the mysteries of God may be seene and beheld of him onely ASER. A temperate and constant man that knoweth how to moderate feare anger excessiue ioy and vnbrideled desire is very happie but he that placeth other vading Goods in his felicitie shall neuer haue a quiet mind Let vs then heare of AMANA wherein we ought to iudge that happines or vnhappines consisteth AMANA The continuall alteration sudden chang of one estate into another cleane contrary which might alwaies be noted in the nature disposition and euents of mens actions counsels desires gaue occasion to some of the ancient Philosophers to thinke the sicke more happie than the sound bicause said they sicke folks looke for health whereas the healthie expect sicknes For this very consideration it seemeth that Amasis almost the last of those kings that raigned peaceably in Egypt shoke off the alliance and league with Policrates king of Samos who was so happie in worldlie respects that do what he could yet could he not know what sorow meant but all things fel out vnto him better than he desired For proofe wherof may serue that which happened vnto him after he had cast into the sea a ring of great value which he loued exceedingly Now although he did so of purpose to the end he might taste of some sorow and griefe yet he found it quickly againe in the bellie of a fish taken by Fishermen and bought for his kitchen Whereupon this wise Egyptian iudged it a thing altogether impossible but that some great miserie was to follow hard at the heeles of so great happines and therefore he would not be partaker therof as of necessitie he should haue beene if he had continued still that league which before was betwixt them Neither was Amasis any thing deceiued in his opinion For within a while after Policrates was depriued of his kingdome and shamefully hanged seruing for a common and notable example of the instabilitie and variablenes of mans estate as also to shew that it is a very absurd thing to place happines in so vncertain felicity And yet among infinit imperfections borne with man this is common in him to loose quickly the remembrance of a benefit receiued but to retaine a long time the memorie of a calamitie fallen vpon him Which is the cause that he alwaies supposeth his mishaps to be without comparison greater than all the good hap that he can haue so that he complaineth continually of his miseries and calamities not remembring the innumerable benefits which are daily offred presented vnto him from the grace and bountifulnes of God Notwithstanding if all men as Socrates said aswell rich as poore brought their mishaps and laid them in common together and if they were in such sort diuided that euery one might haue an equall portion then should it be seene that many who thinke themselues ouercharged oppressed would with all their hartes take againe vnto them their fortune and be contented withall Wouldest thou said Democritus auoid the griefe of thy miserie Behold the life of the afflicted and by the comparison thereof with thine thou shalt see that thou hast cause to thinke thy selfe very happie He that will measure his burthen saith Martial may well beare it Now with this common complaint in men of their estate and condition this custome also is ioined to lay the cause of that which they suffer vpon cruell and intollerable destinie accusing that to excuse their owne fault Wherefore we cannot more aptly compare them than to blind folks who are angrie and oftentimes call them blind that vnawares do meete and iustle them But if we desire to cure our soules of so many
firme stedfast and abiding Good being assured as we said that not one of those things wherein a happie life consisteth shall waxe old perish or fall to decay To conclude he is happie that sheweth in all the workes and actions of his life a patterne of honestie and vertue being moderate in prosperitie constant in aduersitie A man thus affected and disposed will behaue himselfe without reproofe in the time present will call to mind with ioy pleasure the time past and wil boldly and without distrust draw neere to the time to come euen with a cheerefull ioifull hope of better things and with a stedfast expectation of that vnspeakeable and endles happines which is prepared for the elect Of Prosperitie and Aduersitie Chap. 32. AMANA BEing in our former discourse entred into the diuers and contrarie effects which the nature and condition of worldlie affaires draw with them whereof euery one in his particular place may dailie haue good sufficient testimonies seeing through the malice and corruption of our age all things are at that point as if they ment to lay more hard and difficult crosses vpon vs to sustaine I thinke we shall not depart from our matter if we seeke for some instruction whereby to gouerne our selues prudently in prosperitie and in aduersitie considering the effects both of the one and the other to the end we may auoid those that are most pernitious and retaine still with vs that constancie and woorthines that is required in the vertue of Fortitude which teacheth a man how he ought to behaue himselfe nobly in euery estate and condition of life For as gold transfigured by the workeman now into one fashion and then into another is transformed into sundrie kinds of ornaments and yet remaineth alwaies that which it is without any alteration of substance so it behooueth a wise noble minded man to cōtinue alwaies the same in things that are contrarie and diuers without any alteration and change of his constancie and vertue But I leaue the discourse of this matter to you my Companions ARAM. As a man saith Scipio deliuereth ouer his horses which bicause they haue beene in many skirmishes are become restie furious and vntractable to the yeomen of his horses to bring them into good order againe so men that are growne to be vnrulie through prosperity must be brought as it were to around circle that they may consider of the inconstancie of worldlie things and of the variablenes of wretched fortune ACHITOB. In prosperitie saith Euripides be not lift vp too much and in aduersitie hope the best alwaies And as in a fire said Socrates it is good to behold a cleare brightnes so is a moderate soule in felicitie But let vs heare ASER who wil handle that which is heere propounded more at large ASER. As men prouide bulwarks and banks against a riuer that vseth to ouerflow so he that desireth to liue happily must fortifie himselfe with powerfull and conuenient vertues to resist the hurtfull assaults which the vnlooked for successe of humane affaires make vpon him continually both in prosperitie and in aduersitie For questionles nothing is hardlier kept within compas than he that hath all things according to his harts desire neither is any thing so much cast downe or sooner discouraged than the same man when he is afflicted and misseth of his purpose All mindes are not resolute and constant enough from slipping beside themselues and beyond the limits of reason neither in great prosperity which puffeth and lifteth vp mens harts especially theirs that are base by nature nor yet in vnloked for aduersity which through the heauie burthen thereof oftentimes astonisheth and amazeth them that are thought to be best setled and assured But if we consider apart the pernitious effects which issue from these two contraries when reason doth not guide and gouerne them we shall find nothing but pride in the one and faintnes of hart basenes of mind and oftentimes despaire in the other Notwithstanding we may well note this that prosperitie hath alwaies beene the cause of farre greater euils to men than aduersitie that it is easier for a man to beare this patiently than not to forget himselfe in the other Whereof I thinke we may not vnfitly alledge for a reason that which Menander saith that man of all other liuing creatures is aptest to fall suddenly downe from high to low bicause he dareth vndertake the greatest matters although he be weakest Whereupon being as it were naturally subiect to falling it is not so strange vnto him being better furnished for that seeing he is or ought to be prepared thereto long before then when against his naturall disposition he ascendeth to some greatnes not hoped for Now whether it be for this reason or bicause vice is his proper inheritance the memorie of the time past aswell as of the present time furnisheth vs with sufficient testimonies seeing fewe are found that forgat not themselues in their prosperitie whereas many haue behaued themselues wisely and taken occasion to be better in their aduersitie Which being vnderstood of Plato when he was requested by the Cyrenians a people of Grecia to write downe lawes for them and to appoint them some good forme of gouernment for their Common-wealth he answered that it was a very hard matter to prescribe lawes to so rich happie and wealthie a people as they were For commonly those cities which in short time come suddenly to great felicitie grow to be insolent arrogant and vneasie to raunge in order neither is there any thing for the most part prouder than a poore man made rich as contrariwise none are so readie to receiue counsell and direction as he whom fortune hath ouerrun He that is pressed greatly with aduersitie is seldome puffed vp with pride or vanquished of lust or drowned in couetousnes or ouertaken with gluttonie or lift vp with desire and worldlie glorie all which imperfections happen commonly to those vpon whome fortune too much fawneth That felicitie saith Seneca which hath not beene hurt cannot indure one blow but when it hath had a long and continuall combat with discommodities and hath hardued it selfe by suffering and bearing iniuries then doth it not suffer it selfe to be ouercome with any euill Now one of the greatest benefits that a man may haue in this life is neither to be changed by aduersitie nor lift vp with prosperity but to be as a well rooted tree which although it be shaken with sundrie winds yet can not be ouerthrowne by any of them And truly it is very ridiculous that that which commeth to all worldly things by an ordinarie and naturall course euen by the sequele of causes linked togither and depending one of another changing the estate of mortall things should haue power to alter or to make any mutation in reason and wisedom which ought to abide stedfast in the mind of man For this cause Plato said that there
which were his lands in the territorie of Athens Whereunto when Alcibiades answered that they were not described nor set downe there How is it then quoth this wise man that thou braggest of that thing which is no part of the world One meane which Lycurgus vsed and which helped him much in the reforming of the Lacedemonian estate was the disanulling of all gold and siluer coine the appointing of iron money onely to be currant a pound waight whereof was woorth but sixe pence For by this meanes he banished from among them the desire of riches which are no lesse cause of the ouerthrow of Common-wealths than of priuate men This mooued Plato to say that he would not haue the princes and gouernors of his Common-wealth nor his menne of warre and souldiours to deale at all with gold and siluer but that they should haue allowed them out of the common treasurie whatsoeuer was necessary for them For as long gownes hinder the body so do much riches the soule Therfore if we desire to liue happily in tranquillitie and rest of soule and with ioy of spirit let vs learne after the example of so many great men to withdraw our affections wholy from the desire of worldly riches not taking delight pleasure as Diogenes said in that which shall perish and is not able to make a man better but oftentimes woorse Let vs further know that according to the Scripture no man can serue God and riches togither but that all they which desire them greedily fall into temptations and snares and into many foolish and noisome lustes which drowne men in perdition whereof we haue eye-witnesses daily before vs. This appeereth in that example which the self same word noteth vnto vs of the rich man that abounded in all things so that he willed his soule to take hir ease and to make good cheere bicause she had so much goods layd vp for many yeeres and yet the same night he was to pay tribute vnto nature to his ouerthrow and confusion Being therefore instructed by the spirite of wisedome let vs treasure vp in Iesus Christ the permanent Riches of wisedome pietie and iustice which of themselues are sufficient through his grace to make vs liue with him for euer Of Pouertie Chap. 34. ACHITOB NOw that we haue seen the nature of riches with the most commō effects which flow from them and seeing the chief principall cause that leadeth men so earnestly to desire them is the feare of falling into pouertie which through error of iudgement they account a very great euill I am of opinion that we are to enter into a particular consideration thereof to the end that such a false perswasion may neuer deceiue vs nor cause vs to go astray out of the right pathe of Vertue ASER. Pouertie said Diogenes is a helpe to Philosophy and is learned of it selfe For that which Philosophie seeketh to make vs know by words pouertie perswadeth vs in the things themselues AMANA Rich men stand in need of many precepts as that they liue thriftily and soberly that they exercise their bodies that they delight not too much in the decking of them and infinite others which pouertie of hir selfe teacheth vs. But let vs heare ARAM discourse more at large of that which is here propounded vnto vs. ARAM. If we consider how our common mother the earth being prodigall in giuing vnto vs all things necessarie for the life of man hath notwithstanding cast all of vs naked out of hir bowels and must receiue vs so agayne into hir wombe I see no great reason we haue to cal some rich and others poore seeing the beginning being and end of the temporall life of all men are vnlike in nothing but that some during this litle moment of life haue that in abundance and superfluitie which others haue onely according to their necessitie But this is much more absurd and without all shew of reason that they whom we call poore according to the opinion of men should be accounted yea commonly take themselues to be lesse happy than rich men and as I may so say bastard children not legitimate bicause they are not equally and alike partakers of their mothers goods which are the wealth of the world for the hauing whereof we heare so many complaints and murmurings For first we see none no not the neediest and poorest that is except it be by some great strange mishap to be so vnprouided for that with any labour and pains taking which is the reward of sinne he is able to get so much as is necessary for the maintenance of his life namely food and raiment neither yet any that for want of these things howsoeuer oftentimes he suffer and abide much is constrained to giue vp the Ghost But further as touching the true eternall and incomparable goods of our common father their part and portion is nothing lesse thā that of the richest Yea many times they are rewarded and enriched aboue others in that beyng withdrawen from the care gouernment of many earthly things they feele themselues so much the more rauished with speciall and heauenly grace if they hinder it not in the meditation and contemplation of celestiall things from whence they may easily draw a great and an assured contentation in this life through a certaine hope that they shall enioy them perfectly bicause they are prepared for them in that blessed immortalitie of the second life For nothing is more certaine than this that as the Sunne is a great deale better seene in cleare and cleane water than in that which is troubled or in a miry and dirtie puddle so the brightnes that commeth from God shineth more in minds not subiected to worldlie goods than in them that are defiled and troubled with those earthlie affections which riches bring with them This is that which Iesus Christ himselfe hath taught speaking to him that demanded what he should do to haue eternall life If thouwilt be perfect saith he sell that which thou hast and giue it to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen adding besides that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdome of heauen If a father diuiding his substance among his children should leaue to one as to his eldest or best beloued the enioying of his principall mannor by inheritance and to the rest their mothers goods which are of much lesse value and that only for terme of life what folly were it to iudge that these last were more preferred and had better portions than the other And I pray you what comparison is there betweene the greatest worldlie and transitorie riches that can be and the permanent treasures of heauen seeing those cannot be compared but to a thing of nought than which they are weaker beeing moreouer accompanied with innumerable hurtfull euils as we haue alreadie shewed What happines and felicitie can wealth adde to rich men aboue the poorer
that fall into it through negligence or misgouernment of those goods which God hath put into their hands that they should be faithfull keepers and disposers thereof in charitable workes This is that which Thucidides saith that it is no shame for a man to confesse his pouertie but very great to fal into it by his owne default Therefore to reape profite by that which hath beene heere discoursed let vs put off that old error which hath continued so long in mens braines that pouertie is such a great and troublesome euill whereas it is rather the cause of infinite benefits and let vs say with Pythagoras that it is a great deale better to haue a quiet and setled minde lying vpon the ground than to haue much trouble in a golden bed Moreouer let vs knowe that to possesse small store of earthlie goods ought not to be called pouertie bicause all fulnes of wealth aboundeth in the knowledge and assurance of the fatherlie grace and goodnes of the Author and Creator of all things which he offereth liberally to all without accepting either of pompe or greatnes And further when as continuing the care which it pleaseth him to take of vs he giueth vs although in trauell and sweate wherewith to feede and to cloth vs in all simplicitie and modestie and that according to our necessitie we should be vnthankfull and altogither vnwoorthie the assistance of his helpe and fauour and of his eternall promises if not contented nor glorifieng him for our estate we complained or wondred at desired the calling of other men offering thereby in will and affection our birthrights through a gluttonous desire whereas we ought to preserue to our selues the possession of that heauenlie inheritance wherein consisteth the perfection of all glorie rest and contentation Of Idlenes Sloth and Gaming Chap. 35. ARAM. TWo things being the cause of all passions in men namely Griefe and Pleasure they alwayes desire the one but flie from and feare the other But the occasion of the greatest euil that befalleth them is bicause these desires and affections being borne with them from the beginning do also grow encrease a long time before they can haue any iudgement framed in them through the right vnderstandyng of things Whereupon as well by nature which of it selfe is more inclined to euill than to good as through a long continuing in vice they are easily drawen to follow the appetite and lust of their sensualitie wherein they falsly iudge that pleasure consisteth and thinke it painfull not to please it Being thus guided by ignorance and walking like blindmen they haue experience for the most part of such an end as is cleane contrary to their purposes As we may see in those men who purposing with themselues to liue at their ease in ioy rest and pleasure giue ouer all intermedling in serious matters and such as beseeme the excellencie of vertue that they may liue in idlenes wherwith being bewitched they are partakers of many false pleasures which procure them a greater number of griefs and miseries all which they thought to auoyd very well And this we may the better vnderstand if we discourse of Idlenes the enemie of all vertue and cleane contrary to Perseuerance which is a branch of Fortitude Therefore I propound the handling of this matter to you my Companions ACHITOB. Although we haue not a singular excellencie of spirite yet we must not suffer it to be idle but constantly follow after that which we haue wisely hoped to obtaine For as Erasmus saith that which is often done reiterated and continually in hand is finished at last ASER. They that do nothing saith Cicero learne to do ill through idlenesse the body minds of men languish away but by labour great things are obtained yea trauail is a worke that continueth after death Let vs then giue eare to AMANA who will handle more at large for our instruction that which is here propounded vnto vs. AMANA As we admire and honour them with very great commendation in whom we may note as we think some excellent and singular vertues so we contemn them whom we iudge to haue neither vertue courage nor fortitude in them and whom we see to be profitable neither to themselues nor to others bicause they are not laborious industrious nor carefull but remain idle and slouthfull And to say truth the maners conditions and natural disposition of such men are wholy corrupted their conuersation is odious vnprofitable and to be auoided seeing that Idlenes is the mother and nurse of vice which destroieth and marreth all Therefore it was very well ordained in the primitiue Church that euery one should liue of his owne labor that the idle and slothfull might not consume vnprofitably the goods of the earth Which reason brought in that ancient Romane edict mentioned by Cicero in his booke of Lawes that no Romane should goe through the streets of the city vnles he caried about him the badge of that trade whereby he liued Insomuch that Marcus Aurelius speaking of the diligence of the ancient Romanes writeth that all of them followed their labor and trauell so earnestly that hauing necessarie occasion one daye to send a letter two or three daies iournie from the towne he could not find one idle bodie in all the citie to carie it That great Orator and Philosopher Cicero minding to teach vs how we ought to hate Idlenes as being against nature sheweth that men are in deede borne to good works whereof our soule may serue for a sufficient and inuincible proofe seeing it is neuer still but in continuall motion action And for the same cause he greatly commendeth Scipio who vsed to say that he was neuer lesse quiet than when he was quiet Whereby he giueth vs to vnderstand that when he was not busied with waightie affaires of the Common-wealth yet his owne priuate matters and the searching after knowledge were no lesse troublesome vnto him so that euen then in his solitarines he tooke counsell with himselfe It seemeth saith this father of eloquence that nature doth more require of a man such actions as tend to the profit of men than she doth the perfect knowledge of all things seeing this knowledge and contemplation of the workes of nature should seeme to be maimed vnperfect if no action followed it whereas vertuous deedes are profitable to all men for which end nature hath brought vs foorth which sheweth sufficiently that they are better and more excellent So that vnles the knowledge of things be ioined with that vertue which preserueth humane societie it will seeme to be dead and vnprofitable Therefore Chrysippus the Philosopher said that the life of those men that giue themselues to idle studies differed nothing from that of voluptuous men So that we must not studie Philosophie by way of sport but to the end we may profit both our selues and others Now if action must of necessitie be ioined to
peraduenture they will say that they knowe no other life but this that they liue onely for the world without beleefe or hope of a second and eternall life And albeit they confesse a second life with their mouth yet their deeds declare sufficiently that they are altogither ignorant of the nature and happines of the other life and that they care not greatly to come vnto it But let vs that are better instructed imitate Socrates who being counselled to reueng a wrong receiued made this answer What If a Mastie had bit me or an Asse giuen me a blow would you haue me serue writs vpon them So let vs behaue our selues towards them that are froward vitious making a great deale lesse account of their iniuries than of a blow that hurteth which they cannot do at all to our honour As for good men we shall neuer be hurt by them Now if we draw neere although neuer so little to the perfection of such a nature much lesse ought we to be prouoked stirred vp through any laughter or gibing which cannot touch or offend any but those that are troubled and caried away with passions Thus much did Socrates wisely giue one to vnderstand who told him that certaine mocked him I do not quoth he thinke that I am mocked Heereupon I remember a notable answer made by one Ptolemaeus king of Egypt who was counselled to punish a Grammarian The king demanding of him by way of gibing who was father to Peleus he made this answer that he desired first to knowe who was Lagus his father noting thereby that the king was borne of base parentage If it be vnseemly quoth Ptolemaeus to his friends for a king to be mocked it is also as vndecent for him to mocke another Now although it be our dutie to tread vnder foote all desire of reuenge to make no account of iniuries and mocks yet is it lawfull for vs sometime if we be disposed and no greater offence arise thereof to stop the mouths of such as are iniurious impudent with a little short replie not in wrath or choler but with a certaine meekenes and graue smiling and somewhat nippingly so that it passe not the bounds of modestie Cato knew well how to behaue himself after this sort who being iniuriously dealt with all by one that had alwaies liued wickedly said thus vnto him I am not able to deale with thee in this manner by contending with iniuries For thou hast throughly vsed thy selfe both to vtter reproches freely and to suffer with ease when any man offereth thee wrong or iniurie But as for me I delight neither in hearing nor in vttering them Likewise Demosthenes answered another in this sort I will not enter into this combat with thee wherein the vanquished is better than the vanquisher Plato also being touched with iniurious speeches said Go on to speake ill seeing thou didst neuer learne to speake well Lysander Admirall of the Lacedemonians being reuiled with many bitter speeches said to him that offered the iniurie Spue out boldly my friend spue out boldly and often and spare not to see if thou canst emptie thy soule of that euill and wickednes wherewith it is replenished Shall we thinke now that these famous men making so small account of iniuries wrongs had any other bound than right and iustice onely in the hatred of the vices of wicked men or that they would haue sought by any other way for the satisfieng of those wrongs which they receiued Let vs consider how Scaurus behaued himselfe towards his enimie Domitius against whome he was to put vp a complaint by way of iustice There was one of Domitius his seruants who before iudgment was giuen of their processe came to Scaurus and said that he would disclose vnto him a matter of great importance against his maister which vndoubtedly would cause him that was his aduerse partie to gaine his suit But he not minding to heare him any further tooke order that he should be straightly bound and so sent him to his maister The meanes which Agesilaus vsed to make his enimies his friends in steede of reuenging himselfe vpon them are woorthie of eternall praise and ought to mooue vs greatly to correct our naturall imperfections so much inclined to reuenge For when he could come to the knowledge of them without any further shew he thrust them into publike offices and charges And if it fell out so that they committed any offence wherby they were drawn into iudgement he holpe them as much as he could by that meanes winning the friendship of euery one For although we commonly say that as one and the same sunne softeneth the waxe and hardeneth the clay so good deeds win the harts of good men but prouoke the wicked yet there is no man of so peruerse a nature whome a man cannot make his friend by plying him often with benefits and when occasion is offered by binding him with some notable good turne For this cause Augustus after the conspiracie of Cinna was discouered notwithstanding that he had him in his power being conuicted by his owne letter yet he did not onely forgiue him but taking him also by the hand sware friendship with him and bestowed vpon him great estates and dignities wherein Cinna afterward serued him faithfully And it seemeth that for the same reason the Venetians hauing taken the Duke of Mantua their deadly enimie in steed of taking his estate from him they made him their Generall captaine so that euer after he abode their faithfull friend Pontinus also an ancient captaine of the Samnites said that they were either freely to set at libertie the Romane armie which was surprized in the straights of the mountaine Apenninus and so make them loyall friends through the bond of so great a good turne or else to put them all to death thereby to take from the enimie a great part of his strength Neither may we heere let go in silence the discretion of Dionysius the elder king of Syracusa in punishing an iniurie Which example ought to cause all them to blush who in furie and choler after an iniurie receiued or after some report therof seeke presently for some cruell reuenge This king being told that two yoong men as they were drinking togither had spoken many outragious words of him he inuited them both to supper And perceiuing that one of them after he had taken a little wine into his head vttered and committed much follie and that contrariwise the other was very staied and drunke but a little he punished this fellow as one that was malitious and had been his enimy of set purpose but forgaue the other as being drunken and mooued by the wine to speake ill of him Concluding therefore our present discourse let vs learne that it is the propertie of a great and noble mind to be mild gratious and readie to forgiue and that
vices namely too little and too much And this may also be noted in the fourth of those vertues whereof we intreated euen now whose defect and contrarie vice is Iniustice and hir excesse and counterfet follower is Seueritie Of which vices according to the order begun by vs we are now to discourse This matter therefore I leaue to you my Companions ASER. They make themselues guiltie of great Iniustice who being appointed of God to persecute the wicked with the swoord drawne will forsooth keepe their hands cleane from bloud whereas the wicked in the meane while commit murder and offer violence vncontrouled But it is no lesse crueltie to punish no offence than not to forgiue any in whomsoeuer it be the one being an abuse of clemencie the true ornament of a soueraigne and the other to turne authoritie into tyrannie Neuertheles Magistrats in the execution of Iustice ought to take great heed least by ouer-great seueritie they hurt more than they heale AMANA As a Goldsmith can make what vessel he will when the drosse is taken from the siluer so when the froward man is taken away from the kings presence his throne shal be established in Iustice Notwithstanding the seate of a Iudge that is too seuere seemeth to be a gibbet alreadie erected But we shall vnderstand of thee ARAM the nature and effects of these vices Iniustice and Seuerity ARAM. None are so peruerse nor giuen ouer so much to the desires and concupiscences of their flesh that they can vtterly deface through obliuion the knowledge of good and euill or the inward apprehension of some diuine nature both which are ioined together in all men Insomuch that by reason of that which vrgeth them within their soules they are constrained to confesse themselues culpable for their vniust deedes before the iudiciall throne of this Deitie Therfore with what impudencie soeuer the wicked outwardly gloze their corrupt dealings as if they gloried in them yet seeing they haue aswell by the testimonie of their conscience as by proofe and experience this knowledge euen against their wils that Iniustice is vnfruitful barren and vngrateful bringing foorth nothing woorthy of any account after many great labors and trauels which it affoordeth them the remembrance of their vnpure deedes abateth their courage maketh it full of trouble and confusion So that although a corrupt and naughty man during the sway of his vitious passion perswadeth himselfe that by committing a wicked execrable deed he shal enioy some great and assured contentation yet the heat thirst and fury of his passion being ouerpassed nothing remaineth but vile and perilous perturbations of Iniustice nothing that is either profitable necessarie or delectable Moreouer this troubleth his mind that through his dishonest desires he hath filled his life with shame danger distrust terror of the iust iudgement of God For these causes the Philosophers speaking of Iniustice said very well that there was no vice whereof a man ought to be more ashamed than of that bicause it is a malice and naughtines that hath no excuse For seeing men haue this inward sence and feeling that their very thoughts do accuse or absolue them before God they ought to make account thereof as of a watchman that watcheth prieth into them to discouer all those things which they would gladly hide if they could This caused Cicero to say that it is more against nature to spoile another man and to see one man to increase his riches by the hurt of another than either death or pouertie or griefe or any losse of goods belonging either to the bodie or to fortune And if a good man neither may nor ought for profit sake to slander deceiue lie or execute any such like thing it is certaine that there is nothing in this world of so great value no treasure so pretious which should mooue vs to forgo the brightnes and name of vertuous and iust Now as we learned before that Iustice was a generall vertue so Iniustice also comprehendeth all those vices whereinto men commonly fall For this is Iniustice not to giue to euery one that which belongeth vnto him In respect of God it taketh the name of Impietie in regard of men of deniall of rights and lawes Our discourse is of this latter which bringeth foorth pernitious effects after diuers manners destroying all duties of honestie But not to stay ouer-long in the kinds of Iniustice we will note this that we are so many waies guiltie of Iniustice as we deny to our neighbours those duties which we owe vnto them and which our vocation requireth of vs as also when we seeke to inrich our selues by their hinderance whether it be openly or by sinister and suttle meanes against christian sinceritie which ought to shine in all our dealings Let vs see how the Ancients hated this vice and spake of the pernitious effects thereof No man saith Socrates ought to commit any vniust act how small soeuer it be for any treasure wealth or profit which he may hope to reape thereby bicause all the treasures of the earth are not to be compared to the least vertue of the soule For this cause all men iointly ought to haue this one end and intent that when they profit themselues they should also be beneficiall to euery one For if all men should haue respect but to their owne their vnitie would soone be dissolued And although it were so said Cato that Iniustice did procure no perill to him that doth practise it yet would it to all others Plato calleth it a corruption of the soule and a ciuill sedition which neuer looseth strength no not in those that haue it onely within themselues For it causeth a wicked man to be at variance within himselfe It vrgeth troubleth and turmoileth him continually vntill it haue plunged him in the gulfe of all vices whereupon afterward he easily ouerfloweth in all impietie not caring for any thing but to satisfie his vnbrideled desires And if it fall out that they who haue the sword in hand to correct Iniustice do either authorize or practise it themselues then is the gate of all miseries opened vpon euery one through the vnrulie licence of the wicked who wallow in all kind of crueltie from whence all disorder and confusion proceedeth to the vtter ruine and finall subuersion of most florishing townes and cities and in the end of empires kingdomes and monarchies Thus doth Iniustice disanull the force of lawes which are the foundation of euery estate it is an enimie to good men and the Gardian and Tutor of the wicked Briefly it bringeth foorth all effects contrarie to those which we mentioned to be the fruits of Iustice and is the welspring of the other vices that hinder dutie Is it not Iniustice that giueth authoritie to murders robberies violent dealings to other damnable vices which at this day are vnpunished and are the cause that of many great goodly welthy
The Corinthians saw before their eies their cities raced to the ground bicause they had offered violence to the Romane Embassadors contrarie to the lawe of nations The Emperour Iustinian receiued infinite losses and dammages for breaking his faith with the Barbarians and for violating the peace which he had made with the Bulgarians Which thing procured him so great hatred of his owne subiects by reason of the vnluckie exploits of warre which followed after that being returned to Constantinople Leontius vsurped the kingdome vpon him sending him into banishment after he had cut off his nosethrils Rastrix Duke of Cleaueland hauing falsified his faith with Lewes king of Germanye was put to the woorst and vanquished and being prisouer his eies were put out for a marke of his faithles dealing But what need we search in antiquitie for testimonies of the fruits which commonly proceede from the breach of faith seeing examples are daily before our eies to our cost What do we behold at this day but a doubling yea a heape of all miseries bicause faith which is so pretious exquisite a thing that it admitteth no comparison hath so often beene valued at so small a price The historie heereof is but too common and the truth too apparant to the great hurt of euery one to stand vpon the proofe thereof whereas it ought rather to be buried from all memory if it were possible as well to deface all spots of infamie for which we are blamed of nations farthest of as to take away the distrust that one hath of an other which is so great amongst vs that it hath been one principall cause of kindling the fire of diuision so often in this desolate kingdom But to leaue such a pitifull matter subiect let vs consider what honor and entertainment men in old time gaue to traitors who are now adaies so welcome to the greatest Lasthenes hauing holpen Phillip king of Macedonia to become master of the citie of Olynthum whereof he was an inhabitant and complaining to the king that certain called him traitor he receiued this only answer that the Macedonians were naturally rude and grosse calling a spade a spade and all things els by their proper name When Caesar Augustus heard Rymetalces king of Thracia who had forsaken Antonius to ioyne with him boast of his fact the monarch drinking to others said with a loud voyce I loue treason well but I loue not traitors And in truth what man of any good iudgement will trust him He that betraieth his prince his benefactor his citie his countrey his kinsfolks and friends into their hands to whom he is nothing so much bound how may not he betray them also another time This did Agis sonne of Archidamas king of Sparta very well signifie to the Ephories who had commanded him to take the yong men of the citie with him and to go to the countrey of one whom they would make knowen vnto him who had promised to guide and bring them within the castel of his citie What quoth he vnto them is it a reasonable matter to commit the safetie and life of so many valiant yong men to one that betraieth his countrey Pausanias captaine of the Lacedemonians hauing receiued 500. talents of gold of king Xerxes promised to betray the citie of Sparta vnto him But his enterprise being discouered Agesilaus his father pursued him into a temple where he thought to haue saued himselfe and causing the gates thereof to be walled vp suffred him to die there of hunger and afterward his mother cast his bodie to the dogs and would not burie it The like befell to Cassius Brutus who would haue sold Rome his father handling him after the same sort Darius king of Persia caused the head of his sonne Ariobarzanes to be cut off bicause he sought to betraie his armie to Alexander Brutus did the like to his children who had conspired against their countrey that king Tarquinius might reenter into Rome Mahomet hauing taken Constantinople through the cowardlines and treason of Iohn Iustinian of Genua after he had made him king according to promise he cut off his head within three daies A meete recompence for such a wretch who was the cause of so great a plague to Christendome whereby the Emperor Constantius the Patriarke and all the Christians were slaine The Empresse with hir daughters and with the noblest damsels she had were led before Mahomet and after a thousand vilanies offered vnto them their bodies were cut in peeces True it is that Histories are diuers touching this fact of Iustinian For some say that perceiuing himselfe to be hurt in fight he fled whereupon most of the men of warre were discouraged and that after he had saued himselfe in the I le of Chios he died either of his wound or for griefe sorow bicause he was the chiefe cause of so great a mischiefe to Christendome Neither may we passe ouer in silence the heroicall fact of Sultan Solyman the last that died but propound it to Princes as a paterne of the hatred and punishment of periurie and treason For sending a Bascha of his into Valona to passe into Italy both by sea and land this Generall landed at the hauen of Castro where at the inhabitants being astonished yeelded themselues vnto him vnder his othe and fidelitie whereby he promised that they should depart their liues saned with bag baggage Neuerthelesse this Barbarian slew them all except those whome he saw were fit to serue for slaues But after his returne to Constantinople the great Seignior being aduertised of his disloialtie caused him to be strangled sent backe all his prisoners with their goods into Italy Truly an act woorthie such a Prince who if he had beene endued with the true knowledge of God and of his Church deserued the first place amongst the great ones of his time Now to end our discourse let vs learne to know the excellency of faith which is such a thing that whosoeuer laieth it in pawne bindeth his safetie his honor and his soule to him vnto whome he giueth it and committeth manifest impietie against God whē he breaketh and violateth the same vnles he had vowed it for the performance of some wicked deede with which both diuine and humane law dispense Let vs know also that it is the beginning and foundation of a great and notable vertue to be giuen to truth that it was of such credite amongst the Ancients that in Cato his time when any man rehearsed a strange thing and hard to be beleeued this prouerbe went of him bicause he was knowne throughout the whole course of his life to be a louer of truth This is not credible although Cato himselfe should speake it And thus by the examples of so many famous men let vs in such sort be stirred to hate lying whereof Satan is the father and author that following the counsell of S.
Paule we speake the truth euery one to his neighbour who is euery one that needeth our helpe and let all faining and dissimulation be banished from vs and all roundnes and integritie of hart and manners appeere in all our actions let vs hate periurie and treason periured and traiterous persons knowing that faith being taken away the whole foundation of Iustice is ouerthrowne al bonds of friendship broken and all humane societie confounded Of Ingratitude Chap. 40. AMANA AS the remembrance of an euil is kept a long time bicause that which offendeth is very hardly forgotten so we commonly see that the memorie of benefits receiued is as suddenly vanished lost as the fruite of the good turne is perceiued Which thing doth so ill beseeme a man well brought vp and instructed in vertue that there is no kind of Iniustice which he ought more to eschew And therefore my Companions I thinke that according to the order of our discourse we are nowe to speake of the vice of Ingratitude that knowing the ignominie therof and the pernitious effects which flowe from it we may beware of spotting our life therewithall ARAM. An vngratefull person can not be of a noble mind nor yet iust And therefore as Sophocles said a man is to remember him often of whome he hath receiued curtesie and pleasure For one good turne begetteth another and euery gentle hart easily pardoneth all iniuries except vnthankfulnes which it hardly forgetteth ACHITOB. Ingratitude maketh men impudent so that they dare ioine togither to hurt those that haue been their friends and them to whom they are bound both by blood and nature Let vs then heare ASER discourse more amply of this pernitious vice ASER. If man had not shewed himselfe vnthankfull for the vnspeakeable benefits which he had receiued of his Creator by eating of the fruite of the tree of life at the perswasion of Satan contrarie to his expresse commandement to whome he owed all obedience it is certaine that neither sinne nor death neither through them any kind of miserie and calamitie should haue had any power ouer him But as by his Ingratitude he neglected his obedience to his Lord and Creator so it seemeth also that his punishment was according to the manner of his offence For his owne members which before were in subiection to the will of his spirite rebelled against it and that with such force that they led him often captiue into the bondage of sinne Now although we are necessarily and iustly made inheritors of the same curse both of sinne death yet how become we so dull of vnderstanding as to desire with cheerefulnes of hart and without constraint to succeede him in the cause therof I meane Ingratitude which we ought to hate in greater measure and to slie from it more than from death it self by reason of the euils which it hath brought vpon vs Notwithstanding if we looke narrowly into the iustest mans life that is it will be a hard matter yea altogither vnpossible to find it purged and exempted of this detestable vice aswell towards God as towards his neighbours But this is farre woorse to behold the greatest part of men to nourish and feede their soules with Ingratitude as if they tooke singular delight therein by accustoming their mindes to keepe very diligently the memorie of the aduersities and iniuries which they suffer and to let the remembrance of those graces and benefits which they receiue slip away incontinently euen as soone as the pleasure of them is past Whereas dutie bindeth all persons to esteeme as a great benefit all fauour how little soeuer it be which the heauens or mer impart vnto them and to preserue it in perpetuall memorie as in a most safe Treasurie wherein they may keepe lay vp those good things which they receiue But contrariwise vnthankefull men suffer the remembrance of their greatest felicities to slide away suddenly which is the cause that they are alwaies void of happines of rest and tranquillitie and full of vnquietnes vncertaine desires which is an argument of the imperfection of their reason and of their ignorance of that which is good This is that which Seneca saith that the life of the ignorant is vnthankful wauering vnstaied in things present through the desire of things to come And as it is the propertie of an ignorant man to be alwaies troublesome to himselfe so from Ingratitude and the forgetfulnes of our prosperitie proceede cares melancholie passions to no purpose which consume men pull on age vpon them more than yeeres For it is vnthankfulnes that causeth vs to be neuer contented with our present estate but to complaine and murmure in steede of giuing praise as it becommeth vs to him that sendeth vs far better things than we deserue Vpon the least touch of affliction the Ingratitude for a million of graces receiued before causeth vs to cry out that we neuer had any thing but mishap whereas rather we ought to take aduersitie for a blessing and testimonie of the loue of God towards vs being assured that by Iustice rightly ordeined he dispenseth pouertie and riches health sicknes honor and contempt according as he seeth it expedient for euery one of vs. Yea it is necessarie by reason of the intemperancie of our flesh which is redie to cast off the yoke of the Lord when he handleth vs ouergently that he should reiue vs in hard with the bridle and keep vs within the compasse of some discipline least we wholy giue ouer that seruice obedience which we owe vnto him But to vexe our selues vpon euery occasion and as often as things fal out contrary to our inconstant rebellious will which for the most part is ignorant of that which belongeth vnto it is that which Pythagoras sayd To eat our hart or to offend wound our soule and spirit by consuming them with cares griefs as also not to know that one cause which most of all troubleth this miserable life is the suddain entrance of sorowes and irksomnes into the hart which afterward will not depart out of it but by litle and litle These are melancholy passions voyd of reason which as Plato saith proceed from naughty fumes and bitter vapors gathered togither within vs and which ascend and mingle themselues amidst the passages of the soule Euen as our strange and vnwoonted dreams testifie signifie that there is within vs repletion of grosse gluish humors perturbations of the vital spirits so are those euil vapors which darken our senses dim the eies of our soule namely ignorance rebellion arrogancie murmuring vnsatiable desires other inward corruptions which ingratitude stirreth vp and nourisheth and which hinder vs from acknowledging the benefits that God bestoweth vpon vs either towards him by thanksgiuing or towards his creatures by good deeds which he accepteth as done to himself For only God needeth nothing neither asketh any thing for
desire of doing good to all Lastly let vs recompence double reward withoutreckoning those good turnes which we receiue of others rather fearing least we should be ouercome in beneficence than in worldly reputation and glorie The ende of the tenth daies worke THE ELEVENTH DAIES WORKE Of Liberalitie and of the vse of riches Chap. 41. ASER. DIuine Plato handling good and euill things saith That Prudence Temperance Fortitude Iustice are good things and that their contraries are euill namely want of Prudence Intemperance Cowardlines and Iniustice As for the goods of Fortune and of the bodie as riches glorie friends honor beautie health strength and dexteritie he calleth them meane or indifferent things which of themselues are neither good nor bad but become either the one or the other as they are vsed with prudence or abused by imprudence and want of discretion Nowe seeing we entred yesterday into those points that depend of Iustice I thin ke the sequele of our matter requireth of vs the handling of Liberalitie which is nothing else but an excellent vse of those meanes which God putteth into our handes for the succouring of many which vertue as Cicero saith is altogither ioined to Iustice and ought to be guided by moderation and reason Nowe my Companions I leaue the discourse of this matter to you AMANA The vnstable riches of earthly treasure as Agapetus wrote to Iustinianus imitate the course of the floating waters They abound for a little while to such as thinke they haue them and suddenly they returne backe againe and go to others but the treasure of Liberalitie and largesse onely abideth still with him that possesseth it ARAM. The habite of Liberalitie is a garment that neuer waxeth old and charitie towards the poore is an incorruptible ornament Diligence is sufficient to make a man rich when meanes are offered but nobility of mind is requisite in the bestowing of great riches vpon commendable things To this purpose Plato saith that a niggard sometime is not wicked but neuer good Now then ACHITOB instruct vs sufficiently in this goodly matter ACHITOB. Seeing Liberalitie is a vertue betweene these two vices Couetousnes and Prodigalitie and seeing the iudgement of reason ought to be the director and maister of giuing and of free Liberalitie that it be not abused in delights or fauour of the wicked but vsed with a prudent and ripe deliberation Where When and Asmuch as ought to be I am of opinion that we may not vnfitly appropriate the effects of this vertue of Liberalitie to the good vse of Riches which of themselues are not able to make a man better or more happy as we were before sufficiently taught but if they be ioined with the knowledge of true honestie and perfect goodnes they offer meanes vnto him whereby he may the better execute his good and honest inclinations to the profite and reliefe of all them that stand in neede Heereupon we must bestow onely whatsoeuer we haue more than necessarie first vpon them that are of our blood and kindred then vpon all indifferently that want our helpe And this is such an excellent and commendable deede that Aristotle and all the Peripatecians maintained this opinion that a happie life which consisteth in the perfect vse of vertue could not be in all respects absolute if it wanted the assistance of bodilie and externall goods which are as instruments to further a man in the good and vertuous execution of his honest desires But we shewed heeretofore by good reason and according to the opinion of the Academicks and Stoicks that vertue onely is sufficient of it selfe to make a man liue happily and that his vertue cannot be either more honored or disgraced through the abundant hauing or not hauing of the goods of fortune and of the bodie seeing all other things receiue their glorie from vertue and are not able to adde any thereunto And therfore a poore vertuous man is not kept from any perfect vse of vertue no not of Liberalitie which consisteth not in wasting much wealth but in succouring the afflicted willingly and in helping euery one according to abilitie For this cause the poore womans mite was esteemed of God for a greater gift than were all the presents of the rich bicause they gaue of their abundance and she of that litle which she had In this manner then euery good man may iustly deserue the name of liberall neither may any man excuse himselfe for not practising liberalitie according to his abilitie But chiefly rich and mightie men are bound thereunto by that commandement giuen vnto them in the scripture to make them friends with the riches of iniquity They must take good heede that they passe not the bounds of this vertue of Liberalitie but strictly obserue those three points alreadie touched by me namely that they be liberall Where When and Asmuch as is requisite For when Princes bestow estates offices or monie vpon vnwoorthie persons they giue where and more than they ought And if in time of warre or calamities of their people they giue to flatterers dancers and ministers of their pleasures and consume much vpon feasts playes Turneis and Masks they spend when and where they ought not deseruing therby the name of prodigall men and louers of riot and superfluitie howsoeuer flattering courtiers labor to disguise such wastfull spendings with the name of largesse and liberalitie But such superfluous expences bring foorth effects contrary to the vertue and dutie of a king causing princes to leuie extraordinarie taxes and tributes vpon no iust necessitie which is wholy to ouerthrow the vse of liberalitie And this is done also by men of meaner calling when in their actions and expences they propound to themselues an other ende than good workes grounded vpon the loue of their neighbors according to charitie Cicero giueth vs a very good precept against the opinion of many in our time who giue out in speech that they are borne to do great things namely to practise liberalitie and being poore of worldly goods seeke to inrich themselues by vnlawfull and vniust meanes that they may bring to passe their loftie desires thinking afterwards through good-deeds and great liberalitie to make amends for that fault which they haue committed But as that father of Philosophie saith our goods and patrimonie must be iustly gotten not by dishonest and hateful gaine secondly we must profite as many as we can so that they be worthie thereof Moreouer a man may and ought to increase it by reason diligence and sparing but to maintaine liberalitie rather than to minister vnto lust voluptuousnes or heaping vp of treasures And yet now a daies these are the principall occasions for which riches are desired which as they increase so we will haue our traine augmented and our table to be answerable thereunto Then although ouer-great abundance remaine yet we exercise very coldly the true works of liberalitie which are to succor the needie But
this is to be farre separated from the commendable end and good vse of riches wherof all that we haue ouer and aboue our necessitie ought to be imploied in the seruice of the common-wealth in relieuing the poore diseased afflicted and prisoners in procuring the good bringing vp of youth and generally in exercising all other deeds of pietie accounting it great gaine to helpe the poore seeing God is the rewarder therof Amongst the ancient Romanes there was a law kept inuiolably That no man should presume to make a publike feast except before he had prouided for all the poore of his quarter And they accounted it a great shame and offence to the common-wealth to see any man beg in the streets Therefore Plato said that where there are beggers in a towne there are also thieues church-robbers Now if we that beare the name of Christians and acknowledge the poore to be members of Iesus Christ are not ashamed to banquet and feast when as in the meane time the needy crie at our gates and almost die of hunger doe we not thinke that these Heathen men shall rise in iudgement before that great and iust Iudge to accuse and condemne vs as thieues and church-robbers and chieflie them that maintaine their delights and pleasure with the goods of the poore towards whom the liberall distribution of our owne wealth especially ought to be extended both by the lawe of God and man We must feede the poore and not kill them but to denie them nourishment or to driue them from vs is to kill them For this cause Epaminondas captaine generall of the Thebanes hauing knowledge of a very rich man that had no care of the poore in the towne sent a poore needie fellow vnto him and commanded him vnder great penaltie to giue presently without faile 600. crownes to that poore man The citizen hearing this commandement came vnto him to know the occasion and cause thereof It is quoth Epaminondas bicause this man being honest is poore and thou which hast robbed greatly the common-wealth art rich compelling him thereupon to be liberall in despite of his teeth So carefull were the ancients to helpe them that had need and to shew thēselues enimies vnto them that made no account of the poore But if we should diligently search all histories and deeds of famous men yet could we not find a more notable example or worthy to be folowed than that of Cimon the Athenian who hauing gottē great wealth honorably both for himself and his country by the taking and ouerthrow of many Barbarians and townes belonging vnto them knew neuerthelesse how to bestow it liberally with greater glory and honor by relieuing all his poore countreymen to whom his house was as an hospitall wherein they were all nourished and fed at an ordinarie that was common to so many as would come thither which was furnished not with daintie and delicate fare thereby to occasion rich folks to seeke it out but with many common sorts of victuals in all plentie and abundance and that for a great number of persons This he did chiefly as he sayd to the end that poore honest men might haue the more leasure to imploy themselues about the affaires seruice of the common-wealth and not be diuerted from that through trauell and care to get their liuing by the exercise of handicrafts Besides he caused all the inclosures hedges and ditches of his lands and inheritance to be taken away that strangers which passed by and his owne countreymen that wanted might take of the fruits that were there according to their necessitie Now if this vertue of liberalitie be praise-woorthie in all persons that vse it well according to their abilitie it is most of all necessarie honorable and profitable for kings and princes heads and captains of armies gouernours of estates and common-wealths as that which procureth vnto them more than any other thing the good will of euery one wherein the chiefe strength and stay of their greatnesse consisteth But withall they haue great need of prudence and iustice especially soueraigne princes to distribute liberally and according to harmonicall proportion their giftes graces and good turnes whether they be estates offices benefices knighthoods exemptions freedoms and other recompences due as rewards to their subiects according as euery one deserueth It belongeth principally to them to keep religiously and from point to point the lawes of liberalitie marking well to whom they giue how much is giuen at what time in what place to what end and their owne abilitie that giue Moreouer a soueraigne must looke that recompence go before gift by rewarding first those that haue deserued before he giue to thē that haue deserued nothing and aboue all things he must measure his largesse at the foote of his power But when the iust rewards of subiects and honest men are distributed amongst the vicious strangers and vnwoorthy persons this is that which oftentimes setteth florishing estates on fire There is neuer any want of flatterers and of impudent crauers about kings whose onely drift is to sup vp the bloud gnaw the bones and sucke the marow of princes and their subiects to satisfie their foolish vnprofitable expences which are such and so great that a man is well at ease to giue them any thing they are alwais so needie and monylesse and sticke not to say that they neuer receiue good of their masters In the meane while they that haue best deserued of the common-wealth are commonly remooued furthest from their maiesties which commeth to passe both by the ignorance of the greater sort who make but a bad choice of seruants worthy their fauour as also bicause the honor credite of good men forbiddeth them by flattery and begging to seek after the rewards of vertue which should be offred vnto them But not to wander farre from our matter subiect let vs now consider of some notable examples of the Ancients concerning this wherof we haue here discoursed It was by his magnificall and incomparable liberalitie that Alexander the great made a way for his noble plat-formes whereby he became monarch of three parts of the world distributing liberally all his demains amongst the Macedonians as before we mentioned But what a notable testimonie of this his liberalitie did he giue a fresh when during the warre he caused this to be published in his armie that all they that were indebted vpon any occasion whatsoeuer should bring their creditors vnto him and he would discharge all their debts Which thing he likewise performed Moreouer who will not admire the liberality which all his life time he exercised towards the learned men of his time We read that he gaue at one time to his maister Aristotle 800. Talents which amount to 480000. crownes as a reward for his paines trauels and expences which he had beene at in describing the nature and propertie of liuing creatures He sent
consequently the bond and preseruatiue of humane societie But if we being well instructed by the spirite of wisedome feede the hungrie giue drinke to the thirsty lodge them that want harbour and clothe the naked sowing in this manner by the works of pietie that talent which is committed to our keeping we shall reape abundantly in heauen the permanent riches treasures of eternall life Of Couetousnes and of Prodigalitie Chap. 42. ACHITOB IF that diuiue rule of Cicero were aswell written in our hart as he desired to haue it setled in his sonne that onely that thing is to be iudged profitable which is not wicked and that nothing of that nature should seeme profitable we should not behold amongst vs so many cursed acts as are daily committed through the vnbrideled desire of the goods of this world For that which most of all troubleth men is when they thinke that the sin which they purpose to practise is but small in respect of the gaine thereby craftily separating profite from honestie and so suffering themselues to be ouercome of couetousnes which is the defect of liberalitie whereof we discoursed euen now whose excesse also is Prodigalitie of which two vices we are now to intreat ASER. Every one that coueteth treasures said Anacharsis one of the wise men of Graecia is hardly capable of good coūsell and instruction For the couetous man commonly murmureth at that which God permitteth and nature doth so that he will sooner take vpon him to correct God than to amend his life AMANA It is a hard matter said Socrates for a man to bridle his desire but he that addeth riches therunto is mad For couetousnes neither for shame of the world nor feare of death will not represse or moderate it self But it belongeth to thee ARAM to instruct vs in that which is here propounded ARAM. Since the greedie desire of heaping vp gold and siluer entred in amongst men with the possession of riches couetousnesse folowed and with the vse of them pleasures and delights whereupon they began to saile in a dangerous sea of all vices which hath so ouerflowen in this age of ours that there are very few towers how high so euer seated but it hath gone vp a great deale aboue them For this cause I see no reason why men should esteeme so much or iudge it such a happy thing to haue much goodly land many great houses and huge summes of readie money seeing all this doth not teach them not to be caried away with passions for riches and seeing the possession of them in that maner procureth not a contentation void of the desire of them but rather inflameth vs to desire them more through an insatiable couetousnes which is such a pouerty of the soul that no worldly goods can remedie the same For it is the nature of this vice to make a man poore all his life time that he may find him self rich only at his death Moreouer it is a desire that hath this thing proper and peculiar to it selfe to resist and to refuse to be satisfied whereas all other desires helpe forward the same and seeke to content those that serue thē Couetousnesse saith Aristotle is a vice of the soule whereby a man desireth to haue from all partes without reason and vniustly with-holdeth that which belongeth to another It is sparing and skantie in giuing but excessiue in receiuing The Poet Lucretius calleth it a blind desire of goods And it mightily hindereth the light of the soule causing the couetous man to be neuer contented but the more he hath the more to desire and wish for The medicine which he seeketh namely gold and siluer encreaseth his disease as water doth the dropsie and the obtaining thereof is alwaies vnto him the beginning of the desire of hauing He is a Tantalus in hell who between water and meat dieth of hunger Now it is very sure that to such as are wise and of sound iudgement nature hath limited certaine bounds of wealth which are traced out vpon a certaine Center and vpon the circumference of their necessitie But couetousnesse working cleane contrary effects in the spirit of fooles carieth away the naturall desire of necessarie things to a disordinate appetite of such things as are full of danger rare and hard to be gotten And which is worse compelling the auaritious to procure them with great payne and trauell it forbiddeth him to enioy them and stirring vp his desire depriueth him of the pleasure Stratonicus mocked in olde ryme the superfluitie of the Rhodians saying that they builded as if they were immortall and rushed into the kitchin as if they had but a little while to liue But couetous men scrape togither like great and mightie men and spend like mechanicall and handy-craftesmen They indure labour in procuryng but want the pleasure of enioying They are like Mules that carie great burthens of golde and siluer on their backes and yet eate but hay They enioy neyther rest nor libertie which are most precious and most desired of a wise man but liue alwayes in disquietnesse being seruauntes and slaues to their richesse Their greatest miserie is that to encrease and keepe their wealth they care neither for equitie or iustice they contemne all lawes both diuine and humane and all threatnings and punishmentes annexed vnto them they liue without friendship and charitie and lay holde of nothyng but gayne When they are placed in authoritie and power aboue others they condemne the innocent iustifie the guiltie and finde alwayes some cleanly cloke and colour of taking and of excusing as they thinke their corruption and briberie making no difference betweene duetie and profite Wherfore we may well say in a word That couetousnes is the roote of all euill For what mischiefs are not procured through this vice From whence proceed quarels strifes suites hatred and enuie theftes pollings sackings warres murders and poisonings but from hence God is forgotten our neighbour hated and many times the sonne forgiueth not his father neither the brother his brother nor the subiect his Lord for the desire of gaine In a worde there is no kind of crueltie that couetousnesse putteth not in practise It causeth hired and wilfull murders O execrable impietie to be well thought of amongst vs. It causeth men to breake their faith giuen to violate all friendship to betray their countrey It causeth subiectes to rebell against their princes gouernours and magistrates when not able to beare their insatiable desires nor their exactions and intollerable subsidies they breake foorth into publike and open sedition which troubleth common tranquillitie whereupon the bodie politike is changed or for the most part vtterly ouerthrowen Moreouer the excesse of the vertue of liberalitie which is prodigalitie may be ioyned to couetousnesse and than there is no kind of vice but raigneth with all licence in that soule that hath these two guestes lodged togither And bicause it is a thing that
side if we acquaint our selues and take delight in enuying the welfare of our enimies we shall do the like many times to our friends as we see experience thereof in many at this day who are so touched with this vice that they reioice at the euil which happeneth to their wel-willers and to such as are the occasion of their good preferment But if we be desirous to discharge our duetie towards our neighbours for whose profite we are borne let vs seeke to practise that sentence of Cicero that an honest man good citizen neuer ought to be moued with hatred or enuy vpō supposed crimes no not towards his enimy wishing to die rather thā to offend against Iustice which is an vtter enimie to that vice This also will be a good helpe and meane to keepe vs from backbiting if we eschew al kind of scoffing which as Theophrastus saith is nothing else but a close and coloured reproofe of some fault which by little and little inureth him that mocketh to back bite another openly and vntruly This great imperfection of gibing is very familiar amongst vs although it be as vnseemely for an honorable personage as some other more infamous vice But to the end we may haue better occasion to keepe vs from it let vs know that many times a man is more mooued with a gibing gird than with an iniurie bicause this latter proceedeth commonly from the vehemencie of sudden choler euen against his will that vttereth it but the other is more taken to hart as that which seemeth to come from a setled wil and purpose to offer wrong and from a voluntarie malitiousnes without any necessitie If we be disposed to be merie as sometimes opportunitie place and persons inuite vs thereunto let it be done with a good grace and without offence to any Now although enuie and backbiting by reason of their pernitious effects are so odious to all honorable and vertuous personages yet no other reuenge is to be sought or desired than that punishment which followeth and groweth with the vice it selfe which neuer suffereth him that is touched therewith to enioy any rest in his soule as we haue already learned Neither is there any great care to be had for the matter seeing enuious persons and backbiters are no waies able to bite the deserts of good men But if we would haue their punishment augmented and doubled there is no better way than to studie so much the more to do well as we see them labor more earnestly to enuie and to condemne our dealings For as the Sunne being directly ouer the top of any thing whatsoeuer if it leaue any shadow at all yet is it but short and little bicause the light thereof is dispersed round about the same so the excellencie of vertue glorie honor in the end constraineth the venemous toong to drinke and to swallow downe hir owne poison not daring to bring it againe in sight whereby enuie and blame are as it were wholy extinguished and vnable to hurt good men any more This reason caused Phillip king of Macedonia to make this answere to certaine who told him that the Graecians spake ill of him behind his backe notwithstanding he did them much good and therefore willed him to chastice them What would they do then quoth this noble and gentle Prince if we should doe them any harme But they make me become a better man For I striue dailie both in my wordes and deedes to prooue them lyars And another time as his friendes counselled him to put to death or to banish a Gentleman of Macedonia who continued in slandering him he would not doe either of both saying that it was no sufficient cause to condemne him to death and as for banishing him he sayd that it was a great deale better if he stirred not out of Macedonia where all men knewe that he lyed than if he went amongst strangers to speake ill of him who bicause they knewe him not well might peraduenture admit his slander as true Whereby this vertuous Prince at one tyme shewed foorth the effectes of three excellent vertues first of Clemencie in that hee would not put him to death of whome he had receiued great iniurie then of Magnanimitie in contemning iniurie and lastly of woonderfull Prudence in that he did not banish him And in deede he was of such a gentle nature that he would neuer punish them that gaue him an euill report but rather tooke away the occasion thereof as heeretofore we haue in part mentioned it And for a greater testimonie of the goodnes of this Monarch the answere he made to them that counselled him to destroy the citie of Athens deserueth well to be heere set downe I doe all thinges quoth he to them for glorie how then should I destroy Athens which by reason of learning is the Theater of glorie The example of Demetrius Phalerius a Prince of immortall renowne serueth fitly to teach vs what small account we are to make of the dealings of enuious men so farre ought we to be from caring either for their dooings or sayings When word was brought to this Prince that the Athenians mooued with enuie against him had broken downe those three hundred images which were before erected in their streete of Ariopagus to his honour and thereupon was prouoked by his Councel to be reuenged of them he said The Athenians may well throw downe my images but they are not able to abase my vertues for whose sake my images were heeretofore erected for a publike spectacle And truely those actes of Princes which being done in their life time are woorthie of memorie may serue them for an euerlasting monument and not Images Tombs made with mens hands which length of time besides a thousand other accidents may bring to pouder Neither are they depriued of the same glorie that liue vnder the gouernment of great men when according to their places and callings they direct their actions to the benefite and safetie of the Common-wealth For whensoeuer enuie laboureth to hurt them with supposed crimes their innocencie as Horace saith will be vnto them in place of an inexpugnable tower of brasse so that being assured of that they neede not stand in any feare of the cruell teeth of slanderers Therefore Socrates being reprooued by Hermogenes bicause he did not once dreame of defending himselfe when he was accused made this answere I haue dreamed of that all my life time by striuing to liue well To conclude then our present discourse let vs learne to vncloath our hartes of all enuie and hatred which procure so many turbulent and hurtfull passions in the soule and ouerthrowe all that charitie and loue which we ought to beare towards euery one Let vs feare this sentence pronounced by the holie spirite that whosoeuer hateth his brother is a man slayer And if we see that vice and imperfections raigne in our like let vs hate their
of their falling out otherwise so that a man may well say that such a thing came to him by Fortune which falleth out besides his thought when he vndertaketh any worke with deliberation Epicurus said that Fortune was such a cause as agreed neither to persons times or manners Theophrastus speaking of Fortune saith that she looketh not whereat she shooteth that oftentimes she delighteth in taking away that which is gotten with very great paine but especially in ouerturning those felicities which as men think are best staied and assured Iuuenal saith that when it pleaseth hir she maketh a Consul of a Rhetoritian likewise cleane contrary hauing this propertie in hir to reioice greatly in the varietie of chances to deride all the deuices of men oftener lifting vp into the place of soueraigne authoritie such as are vnwoorthy thereof than those that deserue the same Amongst the Ancients the Romanes honoured Fortune more than all the rest esteeming of hir saith Pindarus as of the patron nurse vpholder of the citie of Rome They builded for hir many sumptuous Temples wherein she was adored vnder sundry names honorable titles for a Goddesse of singular power insomuch that they thought themselues more beholding to hir for the greatnes prosperity of their Empire than to vertue Sylla hauing attained to the soueraigne authoritie of a Monarch and of Dictator yeelded himselfe all his actions to the fauor of Fortune saying that he reputed himselfe to be Fortunes child and thereupon tooke vnto him the surname of Happie Which opinion seemeth to haue preuailed greatly with him in causing him after he had committed infinite proscriptions murders cruelties voluntarily without feare to giue ouer the Dictatorship to lead the rest of his yeeres in all assurance quietnes as a priuate man to passe repasse through all Italy without any gard euen in the midst of them whome he had so much offended We read also that when Mithridates king of Pontus wrote vnto him concerning the war which he had vndertaken against him saying that he maruelled how Sylla durst buckle with his great fortune especially knowing that she had not deceiued him at any time whereas she neuer knew Sylla Consul he returned this answer For this selfe same reason thou shalt now see how Fortune doing hir dutie will take hir leaue of thee to come to mee Iulius Caesar gaue a certaine argument of the assurance he had in Fortune when entring vpon the sea in a little Fregate in a very tempestuous weather and the Pilot making some doubt of waighing vp the Anchor he sayde thus vnto him Be not afrayde my friende for thou cariest Caesar and his Fortune Augustus his successour sending his Nephew to the warre wished that he might be as valiant as Scipio as well beloued as Pompey and as fortunate as himselfe attributing to Fortune as a principall worke the honour of making him so great as he was To this purpose also it is reported that great acquaintance and familiaritie growing betweene Augustus and Antonius his Companion in the Empire they often passed away the time togither with sundrie sortes of plaies and pastimes wherein Antonius alwayes went away vanquished Whereupon one of his familiar friendes well seene in the arte of Diuination tooke occasion many tymes to vtter his mind vnto him in these or the like speeches Sir what do you so neere this yoong man Separate your selfe farre from him Your fame is greater than his you are elder than he you command moe men than he you are better exercised in feates of Armes you haue greater experience but your familiar spirite feareth his and your fortune which of it selfe is great flattereth his and if you sequester not your selfe farre from him she will forsake you and goe to him Thus we see what great estimation the Romanes had of Fortune yea they stood in so great awe of hir power that Paulus Aemilius that great Captaine sayd that amongst humane things he neuer feared any one of them but amongst diuine things he alwaies stoode in great feare of Fortune as of hir in whome there was small trust to be placed bicause of hir inconstancie and mutable varietie whereby she neuer vseth to gratifie men so liberally or to bestow such absolute prosperitie vpon them but that some enuie is mingled withall Oh deceitfull Fortune said Demetrius thou art easily found but hardly auoyded They that haue laboured most in painting out this fained Goddesse say that she hath a swift pace a loftie mind and a hawtie hope They giue hir light wings a globe vnder hir feete and in hir hand a horne of abundance full of all such heauenlie and earthlie things as are exquisite and pretious which she poureth foorth liberally when and where she pleaseth Some put a wheele into hir hands which she turneth about continually whereby that part which is aboue is presently turned downeward therby giuing vs to vnderstand that from hir highest preferment she throweth downe in one instant such as are most happy into the gulfe of miserie In a word we may well compare hir to a glasse which the brighter it is the sooner it is broken dasht in peeces Histories the treasurie of antiquitie set before our eies innumerable examples of common and contrary effects which are wrought by this inconstant Fortune and those oftentimes practised vpon the same persons whome of smal she hath made very great and after taken them downe lower yea made them more miserable if I may so speake than they were at their beginning Hannibal that renowmed Captaine of the Carthaginians that redouted enimy of the Romanes after notable victories obtained sundry times against thē was in the ende vtterly ouerthrowen and compelled to flie hither and thither and to haue recourse to forraine princes into whose armes he cast himselfe for the safetie of his person and after long wandring being old spent he setled himselfe with the king of Bithynia But Titus Flaminius whom the Romanes had sent embassador to that king required to haue him that he might put him to death For quoth he as long as he liueth he will be a fire for the Romane empire which wanteth but some one or other to kindle it When he was in the vigor and strength of his age neither his hand nor his body had procured so great damage to the Romanes as his good vnderstanding and sufficiencie in the arte of warre had done being ioined with the hatred he bare them Which is nothing diminished through old age neither yet through the alteration of his estate and fortune bicause the nature and qualitie of maners continueth alwaies Hannibal being aduertised of this request of Titus stieped poison in a cup of drinke which he had kept a long time against an extremitie But before he dranke thereof he vttred these wordes Go to let vs deliuer the people of Rome from this great care
contract matrimony leuied an impost by way of a fine vpon their legacies windfals coÌ„ming by the death of others that did not marry after 25. yeeres of age or that had no children Wherby he greatly chastised whoredoms adulteries sodomitrie furnished Rome with good citizens which then was greatly destitute of them by reason of ciuil warres What is the cause saith Vlpianus the lawyer that womens dowries had such great priuiledges It was for no other reason then bicause of the profit that commeth to al common-wealths by mariages He that had 3. childreÌ„ amongst the Romans could not be coÌ„pelled to cary a message or publike embassage he that had 5. was exempted froÌ„ personal charge he that had 13. from al charge And in our time in the common-welth of Florence as Raphael Volateraniâ— reherseth in his Philologie Euery citizen that is father of 5. children either males or females is exempted freed discharged of all publike taxe loane subsidie If nothing be more blessed nor happines more to be desired than immortalitie line all propagation maketh vs immortal through the continuing of kind Wherupon we may inferre by way of conclusion that no greater happines can come to man wife in this world than to leaue issue as a testimony to posteritie that once they were in the world haue left behind them a token of their life It was enacted by Lycurgus lawes that no citizen preferring the estate of continencie before that of mariage should be at publike playes which at that time was a note of great ignominie We account not him a good gardiner that painfully dresseth those fruitfull trees which he hath in his garden or orchard if he haue no care to plant and graft new therby to substitute others in their place which by succession of time waxe old die And how shal we take him for a good citizen and such a one as zealously seeketh the good of the common-welth that â—ontenteth himselfe with those citizens that are aliue and neglecteth the ing endring of new in good and lawfull matrimonie wherby to supply the want of such as daily decay Further if I should go about to reherse here the happines pleasure contentatioÌ„ which maÌ„ wife liuing holily togither according to the duty of their vocation do mutually receiue one of another who doubteth that a whole day would not suffice me What greater solace in the whole world can be found than for a man to liue with hir vnto whom he is coupled not by good wil only but also by a mutuall coÌ„munication of bodies If we take great delight to conferre with our friends familiar acquaintance about our secret affaires shall we not receiue greater ioy without coÌ„parison to disclose our thoughts to hir vnto whom we speake as safely as to our selues who is also partaker as wel of our aduersity as prosperity and accounteth our weale or woe to be hir owne We are ioined to our friends by good will and liking onely but to our wife we are conioined and linked by soueraigne charitie by bodily commixtion by sacred confederacy by an inseparable felowship society in al weathers If the man abound in teÌ„poral goods the wife wil keep them faithfully for him and encrease them by hir industrie and labor If he be poore persecuted by fortune she will comfort him If through feare sicknes or any other mishap he be constrained to shut vp himselfe in his house his wife will take away that irkesomnes from him which otherwise would seaze vpon him being solitarie If he go abroad he is glad that he hath left that partie in his house which he most trusteth In youth she is a sweete and amiable companion in old age a very conuenient comforter and solace Moreouer by mariage a man encreaseth his friends allies kinsfolks neighbours which is a very great benefit and inuincible strength Brethren sisters nephews nieces are doubled Peace is many times procured between monarchs princes by mariages and infinit quarels dissentions appeased But what vnspeakable pleasure doth euery father take to see his liuely picture ingrauen in the face of his children and that so neere the quick as neither Lysippus Mentor Polycletus Phidias Praxiteles Zeuxis Apelles nor Parrhasius had euer the skil to graue or paint so wel Againe what ioy receiueth he by hoping that when his children shall waxe great they will be the staffe of his age the stay of his weakenes the pillar of his house and that ouerliuing him according to the course of nature they shall close vp his eies and cause such funerals ceremonies to be done for him as are requisite in that case For the conclusion therefore of this present matter we say that no man can iustly blame mariage vnto which all lawes both diuine and humane exhort vs nature prouoketh vs honestie draweth vs infinite commodities inuite vs all nations shew vs the way thither and lastly necessitie of continuing our kind constraineth vs. And briefly to answere the grounds alleaged to the contrary they may be ouerthrowen by one onely dictinction which is that most of them that dispraised mariage were heathens and blinded in their vain wisedom or to speake better in their folly wanting then that knowledge of the truth which God of his grace hath since reuealed vnto vs. And no maruell if they erred in dispraising Mariage seeing they could neuer attaine to the knowledge of the true and soueraigne good of man as we haue handled already But yet it can neuer be found that Socrates Plato and such as were most excellent amoÌ„g the Philosophers blamed it but rather honoured commended it the most of them also being maried as namely Socrates Plato Aristotle Seneca Plutarke and others As for their strongest reason that mislike mariage namely the deceiuing of men by women the fault ought to be imputed rather to the men than to the women bicause men according to the perfection of their sexe ought to be wiser than women who are by nature more changeable by will and more fraile in counsell although all are not so So that if there be any imperfection it ought not to be obiected to them by way of reproch but rather to nature than to them And they that vpbraid them therewith shew that they wander out of the path of reason are destitute of all good sence and are vnworthie that women should haue conceiued them brought them into the world giuen them sucke and nourished them Of a house and familie and of the kinds of mariage of certaine ancient customes obserued in mariage Chap. 46. ACHITOB IN the beginning of my present speech of mariage I noted this that the communion of the husband and wife extendeth it selfe vnto all the parts that depend of their house Therefore I suppose my Companions that for the sequele and vnderstanding of that matter which we haue propounded to
his children For in vaine sayth Plato doth he hope for a haruest that hath beene negligent in sowing I say he must be passing carefull and imploie all possible labour that his children and youth may be well instructed bicause they are the seede-corne of the citie insomuch that carefull heed is to be had euen of their words gestures sportes and other actions that nothing may leade them vnto vice For otherwise if no reckoning be made of this age a man shall labour no lesse in vaine to prescribe good lawes for them afterward than the Phisition doth that ministreth plentie of medicines to a diseased partie that keepeth no diet at all The best giftes of nature if they be not well trimmed and looked vnto become naught at the first and afterward passing euill Therefore a father of a familie ought not to be more carefull of anie thing than of the bringing vp of his children according to whose good or euill education the whole house will be gouerned This first institution of their life from the first age is called discipline which by little and little leadeth the spirite of the childe to the loue of vertue euen of that vertue whereby beeing come to mans estate he knoweth both howe to command and howe to obeie and to followe after nothing but that which the lawe commandeth and affirmeth to be good The vices of children are swordes which passe through the hartes of their Fathers who are for the moste parte the cause of them through their negligence in correcting them and ouer-great libertie which they graunt to this age that needeth a staye and bridle yea spurres whereby to bee broken and made tractable as men vse to deale with yoonge Coltes Therefore PLATO sayde that it is not in our owne power to cause our children to bee borne suche as wee woulde haue them but yet that it lieth in vs to make them good Whereunto this will be a good meane if from their yong yeeres we imprint in their harts a loue feare reuerence of vs. For if these thinges concurre not togither in the childes hart he will neuer yeeld due obedience to his father Pythagoras said that a prudent father was better to be liked than a cholerike bicause prudence serueth to procure loue and good will in those that ought to obey whereas choler maketh them odious that command and causeth their admonitions to profite but little For this cause Aristotle requireth perfection of Morall vertue in a father of a familie saying that his office is a kind of building that reason is as it were the builder by whome he guideth bringeth that Oeconomical worke to his perfection And in deede the Ancients tooke great paines in teaching their children themselues not suffering them to be farre from their presence during their youth bicause they iudged and that vpon good reason that son-like respect loue were good pricks to driue them forward to the studie of vertue And no doubt but if a skilfull father would execute this dutie of instructing his child in knowledge and learning he would conceiue and take it a great deale better of him than of any other Therefore Marcus Portius Cato would needs beschoole-maister to his owne children which institution did greatly auaile them not so much bicause he was Cato as bicause he was their father whose vertue they imitated Iulius Caesar adopted his nephew Octauian brought him vp himselfe Which did him so much good that being come to the empire he was called Augustus for his goodnes He also performed as much afterward to his nephews Lucius Caius whome in like maner he had adopted Noah Lot Iacob and all the fathers instructed their children themselues and God commanded the Israelites in the wildernes to teach their children the lawe which themselues had receiued from their fathers To this purpose an ancient man said that it was the greatest sloth that could be for a man to be negligent towards his children to teach them nothing Great heede therefore must be taken that they be not left to the gouernment of their owne fantasie considering that youth is very tender to resist vice and of it selfe vncapable of counsell With-hold not saith the Wise man correction from the child for in smiting with the rod thou shalt deliuer his soule from hell He that spareth his rod hateth his sonne but he that loueth him chasteneth him betime As an vntamed horse becommeth fierce so a child suffred to do what he list waxeth rebellious If thou bring vp thy son delicately he shall make thee afraid if thou play with him he shall bring thee to heauines Giue him no libertie in his youth and winke not at his follie Bow downe his necke while he is yoong and beate him on the sides while he is a child least he waxe stubborn be disobedient vnto thee so bring sorowe to thine hart And yet I would not that fathers should be ouer-sharpe hard to their children not bearing with any fault in them But as Phisitions mingling steeping their bitter drugs with some sweete iuice haue found the meanes to make a passage for profite through the middest of pleasure so must fathers intermingle the sharpnes of their reprehensions corrections with the facilitie of elemencie somtime let loose a little the bridle to the desires of their children so that they wander not far from that which becommeth them Againe they must by by let downe the button hold them hard in with the bridle but yet supporting gently and patiently their faults committed through youth not of malice And if it be so that they cannot but be angry at the least let their anger be presently appeased For it is better that a father should be quickly angry although that be an imperfection so that he be soone pacified than slowe to anger and hardly brought to forgiue But if a father be so seuere that he wil forget nothing be neuer reconciled it is a great argument that he hateth his children And then he maketh himselfe vnwoorthy of so excellent diuine a name shewing foorth effects cleane contrary therunto wheras parents commonly loue their children too much vse towards them rather too much lenitie than iust seueritie Oh how the father saith Seneca speaking of one that thrust his son out of his house cutteth off his lims with great griefe how many sighes he fetcheth in cutting them off how earnestly he wisheth to haue thē againe in their place Moreouer fathers must haue a special care that they commit no fault nor omit any thing appertaining to their dutie to the end they may be liuely examples to their children that looking into their life as into a cleare glasse they may abstaine after their example frō speking any thing that bringeth shame Againe we know that all those fathers which lead an euill life leaue not to themselues any
courage so much as to reprooue their slaues onely so far off are they that they can frankly chide their children And which is woorst of al by their naughty life they are vnto them in steed of maisters counsellors of il-doing For where old men are shameles there it must needs be that yoong men become impudent graceles Fathers therfore must striue to do whatsoeuer their dutie requireth that their children may waxe wise and well qualified This we may comprehend in fewe words namely if they bring them vp wel in their infancy let them haue due correction in their youth Which two things being neglected of fathers the faults of their children are for the most part iustly imputed vnto them Hely the Priest was not punished for any sin which himselfe had committed but bicause he winked at the sins of his children We read in the storie of the Heluetians or Switzers of the iudgement of a tyrant condemned to death where order was taken that the execution thereof should be done by the father who was the cause of his euill education that he might come to his death by the author of his life and that the father might in some sort be punished for his negligence vsed towards his child Moreouer they that haue many children must be passing careful to bring them vp in mutuall friendship causing them to giue each to other that honor and duty vnto which nature bindeth them and sharpely chastising those that in any respect offend therin The Ephoryes of Lacedemonia long since cōdēned a notable citizen in a very great sum when they vnderstood that he suffred two of his childrē to quarel togither The best meane which I find to auoid so great an euill is to loue and intreat them all alike and to accustom them to giue honour dutie and obedience one to another according to their degrees of age They must remoue from them al partialities and not suffer them to haue any thing seueral or diuided one from another that as it were in one hart and will all things may be common amongst them Example heerof was that good father of a familie Aelius Tubero who had sixteene children of his owne bodie all of them maried and dwelling all in one house with their children and liuing with him in all peace and concord For the conclusion therefore of our present discourse we learne that a father of a familie must begin the gouernment of his house with himselfe and become an example to his of all honestie vertue That he must not neglect the care of prouiding goods necessarie meanes for the maintenance of his familie remembring alwaies that in nothing he go beyond the bounds of that seemelines and decencie which dutie hath limited prescribed vnto him That he ought to loue to intreat his seruants curteously putting away threatnings as it is said in the Scripture and knowing that both their and his maister is in heauen with whom there is no respect of persons And for the last point that it belongeth to his dutie to bring vp his children in the holie instruction and information of the Lord not prouoking them to wrath that God may be glorified and he their father may reioice in the presence of his friends and that his countrie generally may receiue benefit profit and commoditie Of the dutie of children towards their parents of the mutuall loue that ought to be among brethren of the dutie of seruants towards their maisters Chap. 50. ACHITOB VPon a day when one said in the hearing of Theopompus king of Sparta that the estate of that citie was preserued in such flourishing maner bicause the kings knew how to command wel the prince replied that it was not so much for that cause as bicause the citizens knew how to obey well And to speake the truth to obey wel as also the vertue of commanding is a great vertue and proceedeth from a nature which being noble of it selfe is holpen by good education Therefore Aristotle said that it was necessarie that he which obeieth should be vertuous as wel as he that commandeth Now seeing we haue intreated of the dutie of a father and head of a familie exercising his office vpon all the parts of his house let vs now consider of the dutie and obedience that is requisite in seruaunts and children and of the mutuall and reciprocall amitie which ought to be betweene brethren desirous to preserue the bond of Oeconomical societie in a happie estate ASER. Children saith the Scripture obey your parents in all things for that is well pleasing vnto the Lord Honor thy father and mother which is the first commaundement with promise that it may be well with thee and that thou mayest liue long on earth AMANA Who so honoreth his father his sinnes shall be forgiuen him and he shall abstaine from them and shall haue his daily desires And he that honoureth his mother is like one that gathereth treasure And you seruaunts be subiect to your masters with all feare not onely to the good and curteous but also to the froward Let vs then heare ARAM discourse more at large of that which is here propounded vnto vs. ARAM. Nature saith Plutark and the law which preserueth nature haue giuen the first place of reuerence and honor after God vnto the father and mother and men can not do any seruice more acceptable to God than graciously and louingly to pay to their parents that begot thē and to them that brought them vp the vsurie of new and olde graces which they haue lent them as contrarywise there is no signe of an Atheist more certaine than for a man to set light by and to offend his parents The father is the true image of the great and soueraigne God the vniuersall father of all things as Proclus the Academike said Yea the child holdeth his life of the father next after God and whatsoeuer else he hath in this world Therfore a man is forbidden to hurt others but it is accounted great impietie and sacriledge for a man not to shew himselfe ready to doe and to speake all things I will not say whereby they can receiue no displeasure but wherby they may not receiue pleasure And in deed one of the greatest good turnes that we can do to those of whom we are descended is not to make them sad Which cannot possibly be done if God the leader and guide to all knowledge disposeth not the mind to all honest things The children of wisdome are the Church of the righteous and their ofspring is obedience and loue Children heare the iudgement of your father and do thereafter that you may be safe For the Lord will haue the father honored of the children and hath confirmed the authoritie of the mother ouer the children He that honoureth his father shall haue ioy of his owne children and when he maketh his prayer he shall
be heard He that honoureth his father shall haue a long life and he that is obedient to the Lord shall comfort his mother He that feareth the Lord honoreth his parents and doth seruice vnto his parents as vnto Lordes Honor thy father and mother in deeds and in word and in all patience that thou mayest haue the blessing of God and that his blessing may abide with thee in the ende For the blessing of the father establisheth the houses of the children the mothers curse rooteth out the foundations Helpe thy father in his age and grieue him not as long as he liueth And if his vnderstanding faile haue patience with him and despise him not when thou art in thy full strength For the good intreatie of thy father shall not be forgotten but it shall be a fortresse for thee against sinnes In the day of trouble thou shalt he remembred thy sinnes also shall melt away as the ice in faire weather He that for saketh his father shall come to shame and he that angreth his mother is cursed of God By these holy speeches we see how we ought to loue honor reuerence and feare our parents This is comprehended vnder the first commandement of the second table and this only of all the ten articles of the Decalogue beareth his reward with him albeit no recompence is due to him that is bound to do any thing namely by so strȧight a bond as this wherof all lawes both diuine and humane are full and the law of nature also doth plentifully instruct vs therein as it hath been diligently obserued of very Infidels Ethnikes and Pagans Amongst the Lacedemonians this custome tooke place that the younger sort rose vp from their seates before the aged Whereof when one asked the cause of Teleucrus It is quoth hee to the ende that in dooing this honour to whom it belongeth not they should learne to yeeld greater honour to their parents The arrogancie of a childe was the cause that one of the Ephories published the law of Testaments whereby it was permitted to euery one from that time forward to appoint whom he would his heire This lawe serued well to make children obedient and seruiceable to their parents and to cause them to be afraid of displeasing them Among the Romanes the child was not admitted to plead his fathers will after his death by way of action but onely by way of request vsing very humble honourable and reuerent speech of his dead father and leauing the whole matter to the discretion and religion of the Iudges Contend not with thy father said Pittacus the wise although thou hast iust cause of complaint And therefore Teleucrus aunswered aptly to one who complained vnto him that his father alwayes spake ill of him If quoth he there were no cause to speake ill of thee he would not do it So that it belongeth to the duetie of a childe to beleeue that his father hath alwayes right and that age and experience hath indued him with greater knowledge of that which is good than they haue that are of yoonger yeeres Philelphus said that although we could not possibly render the like good turnes to our parents nor satisfie those obligations by which we stand bound vnto them yet we must doe the best we can vnto them we must intreate them curteously and louingly and not go farre from them we must harken vnto their instructions and be obedient to their commaundementes wee must not gaine-say their deliberations and wils no more than the will of God whether it be that we are to depart from them or to tary still or to enter into some calling agreeable to the will of God we must not stand in contention with them wheÌ„ they are angry but suffer and beare patiently if they threaten or correct vs. And if they be offended with vs when we thinke there is no cause why yet we must not lay vs down to rest before we haue by all kind of honest submissions appeased them Humilitie is always commendable but especially towards our parents The more we abase our selues before them the more we encrease in glory and honor before God and men This is very badly put in vre at this day when the sonne doth not onely not honor his father but euen dishonoreth him and is ashamed of him He is so farre from louing him that he rather hateth him so farre from fearing him that contrarywise he mocketh and contemneth him and in stead of seruing and obeying him he riseth vp and conspireth against him If he be angry he laboureth to anger him more brieflie scarce any dutie of a child towards his father is seene now a daies And if some point therof be found in any towards his father yet is it cleane put out in regard of the mother as if he that commanded vs to honour our father did not presently say and thy mother vnto whoÌ„ in truth we owe no lesse honor respect and obedience than to our father as well in regard of the commaundement of God as of the vnspeakable paines and trauell which she suffered in bearing and bringing vs into the world in giuing vs sucke in nourishing vs. But alas what shall we say of those that spoile their parents of their goods houses and commodities and desire nothing more than their death that they may freely enioy euen that which oftentimes their parents haue purchased for them O execrable impietie It is vnwoorthy to be once thought vpon amongst vs the iudgement of God doth of it selfe sufficiently appeere vpon such cursed children Whose behauiour that it may be more odious vnto vs let vs learn of Pittacus that our children will be such towards vs as we haue been towards our parents But let vs be more afraid to prouoke our fathers in such sort through our default vnto wrath that in stead of blessing vs they fall to curse vs. For as Plato saith there is no prayer which God heareth more willingly than that of the father for the children And therfore special regard is to be had vnto the cursings and blessings which fathers lay vpon their childreÌ„ Which was the cause as the scripture teacheth vs that children in old time were so iealous one of another who should â—ary away the fathers blessing and that they stoode in greater feare of their curse than of death it selfe Torquatus the yonger being banished from his fathers house slue himselfe for grief thereof And to alleage another example out of the writings of auncient men of the loue which they bare to their fathers that of Antigonus the second sonne of Demetrius is most woorthy to be noted For when his father beyng prisoner sent him worde by one of his acquaintaunce to giue no credite nor to make account of any letters from him if it so fell out that Seleucus whose prisoner he was should compell him thereunto and therefore that he should not deliuer vp any of those
were partly founded to this ende But how carefull are we at this day to imitate those auncients in this earnestnesse of good bringing vp of children in the studie of sciences and good discipline Haue we not very good occasion to say with Crates the Philosopher that it is most necessarie that one should ascend vp into the highest place of this kingdome and cry aloude Oh ye men whither doe ye throwe your selues headlong in taking all the paynes that may be to heape vp goodes and treasures that perish and in the meane while make no reckoning of your children but suffer them to continue long and to grow old in ignorance which destroyeth them both body and soule and turneth to the confusion and ouerthrow of your country For it is most certaine that a good nature ill brought vp waxeth very pernitious and that the mindes and hartes of men that are corruptly instructed become most wicked Doe you thinke saith Plato that execrable villanies and horrible vices proceede rather of a naughtie nature than of a noble nature corrupted with euill education In like maner a good nature well tilled will attaine to the toppe of vertue but if it be negligently looked vnto it will be nothing but vice But let vs see what goodly instructions the auncients haue giuen concerning this matter The same Plato was so carefull and searched out so exactly the good education of children as that which is as precious and necessarie a thing as any can be in the life of man that hee taketh them euen from their mothers wombe yea before they are begotten First hee willeth that the husband and wife that are desirous of children should keepe them-selues from drunkennesse and from entring into the bedde when they are cholerike and full of trouble bicause that many times is the cause of vices in children Next he requireth that great bellied women should giue themselues to walking and beware of liuing either too delicately or too sparingly that they should haue quiet mindes with many other things which he alleageth to that purpose He saith also that children being in their mothers wombe receiue good and ill as the fruites of the earth doe After they are borne he carefully recommendeth their education Wee will not here stande vpon many pointes to be obserued therein as namelie vpon the choice of Nurses whereof fewe are ignoraunt seeing it belongeth to the true and naturall office of euerie mother to nourish that with hir teate which she hath brought into the world except there be some great and lawfull impediment But let vs go on with the sayings of Plato He chargeth nurses to lead their children oftentimes on their feete vntil they be 3. yeeres old bicause this moouing is very profitable for them He forbiddeth much crying in children bicause it breedeth in them a habite and custome of sadnesse From 3. yeeres to six he would haue them moderately corrected when they commit a fault forbidden aboue all things to accustome them from that time forward vnto daintines or to ouer-great seueritie saying that delicatenes maketh them froward hard to please cholerike soone mooued and that seueritie maketh them hard-harted cruell abiect base-minded very blocks and fooles and haters of men At sixe yeeres of age he would haue them put apart from the daughters and begin to learne to ride a horse to shoote to practise all kind of feates of Armes both with the right hand and with the left to put in vre all other exercises of moderate labor that they may waxe strong and be acquainted with labour and therefore to vse such laborious pastimes But he expresly forbiddeth to change euery day for new this age being very apt thervnto saying that nothing is more pernitious than to acquaint youth to despise antiquitie But aboue all things he commandeth that children should be so brought vp that they be not constrained to any thing whatsoeuer they shall take in hand but as it were in sport that so euery ones nature may be knowne Neither would he haue them beaten without great discretion bicause it is not seemely that a free man should learne liberall sciences by seruitude and compulsion And in truth no science forced vpon a man will continue stedfast with him Moreouer he would haue them apply themselues to Musicke both to sing hymnes and songs to the praise of God to laud and magnifie him and to hope for all good successe from him as also to recreate their spirits He greatly misliketh in them slouth and too much sleepe saying that much sound sleepe is good neither for the bodie nor for the soule that it is nothing profitable for him that desireth to bring any good thing to passe bicause as long as a man sleepeth he doth nothing more than if he liued not Therefore whosoeuer desireth to liue and to come to knowledge let him watch as much as he may hauing regard notwithstanding to his health which is contented with a little when a man is once acquainted therewith Now bicause a child as he saith is more vnruly than a sauage beast he would neuer haue him left without a wise and vertuous maister It is no lesse necessarie saith he to consider what teachers a man hath than what parents For as children doe in a manner carie away the spirits of their forefathers so the vices of teachers are deriued vnto their schollers Therefore let such be chosen as teach vs their vertue by their workes and not such as onely vtter and speake many goodly words studied out of it At ten yeeres this diuine Philosopher would haue children to learne letters vntill fifteene But bicause we are to learne languages that differ from ours it were good to beginne sooner and to end a little after I thinke it were very profitable for youth to begin at the aboue named age of sixe yeeres to teach him his moother toong perfectly that he may read pronounce and write it well After at eight yeeres to teach him the rudiments of the Latine toong and to let him follow that vntil it be as familiar vnto him or little lesse than his natural speech At fourteene yeeres the same Plato would haue children learne Arithmetike saying that it is very necessary both for a souldior and for a Philosopher next Geometrie and that part of Astronomie that is necessarie for Cosinographie which he would haue likewise learned He commandeth also that youth should practise hunting bicause it is as it were an image of warre and an exercise that maketh men apt to sustaine all labour and trauell This institution of youth is surely woorthie of that diuine spirite of Plato and that partie were very vnhappie and of a froward and corrupt nature who being thus diligently brought vp would not growe to be a vertuous and good man He putteth small difference betweene the education and bringing vp of daughters and that of sonnes not depriuing women
from publike administrations charges but onely that he would haue them imploied about such things as require least labour and not to beginne to meddle with publike affaires before they be fortie yeeres of age He alleadgeth these reasons bicause often-times many women haue beene more excellent than all the men of their countrie and such are dailie to be seene And seeing they haue a soule aswell as we as quicke a spirite and often-times more quicke than we whereof those women are witnesses who hauing giuen thēselues wholy to any thing whatsoeuer were not inferiour but rather went beyond many men it were great follie in men seeing God hath created man and woman with the like spirite to cut off as it were the one halfe of their strength and to helpe themselues but with a part thereof Nowe albeit these reasons are of great waight yet sure it is that men and women both by diuine and humane policie haue their distinct and seuerall offices It is very true that I like not the opinion of many who say that women ought to knowe nothing but to spinne and sowe which saying commeth neere to that of the Emperour who would not haue a woman to haue more witte than is needefull for hir to discerne hir husbandes shirt from his doublet Such opinions are fit for ignorant persons and proceede from a darke braine For it cannot but be very seemely and profitable for a woman to be able to render a reason of hir being aswell by the knowledge of the holie Scriptures as by the precepts of good life which we haue from the Ancients This ought parents to teach their daughters that they may be withdrawne from all other foolish loue through the loue of vertue and be desirous of all honestie and chastitie as also that when they are moothers in good and holie mariage they may be a principall cause of the good bringing vp of their children Yea histories reckon vp vnto vs a great many that haue beene in steede of Schoole-maisters in excellent sciences Aretia taught hir sonne Aristippus Philosophie Zenobia Queene of the Palmyrians being very well learned in the Greeke Latine and Aegyptian toongs taught them to hir two sonnes and wrote an Epitomie of the Easterne Histories Cornelia taught the Gracchyes hir two sonnes the Latine eloquence But let vs followe our discourse of the generall instruction of children Aristotle seemeth vnto mee to bee a good teacher and Maister where hee sayeth that there are two ages in which it is necessarie to diuide the institution of those disciplines which we would haue our children learne namely from seuen yeeres vntill foureteene which he calleth the age of pubertie and againe from this age vntill the one twentieth yeere He saith that in the institution of youth two things must be looked vnto the one wherin children are to be instructed the other how they ought to be instructed For all men are not agreed of this what things children are to learne neither yet is it decided or resolued vpon to what end their institution ought to be directed whether to profite or to manners or to vnderstanding and contemplation which proceedeth from the variable opinions of men who place their end in diuers things But how soeuer it is we must as we said before referre all our studies to the glorie of God and to the seruice of our neighbours in liuing well according to those charges and vocations whereunto we may be called We haue already seene the diuision of sciences and arts and spoken of those that are most necessarie for a happie life Aristotle following the custome then vsed in Grecia appointed that children should learne foure things Grammer bodilie exercise Musicke and painting for certaine commodities meete for the life of a man Grammer is the entire to all sciences whereby we learne to speake exactly also to read and to write And this is necessarie for all estates of life whether publike or priuate in peace or in warre in a quiet life or in multitude of busines for marchandice for the guiding of a house for the obtaining of knowledge for the continuance and perpetuitie of the memorie of man Briefly as nature is the cause of our being so the knowledge of letters which Grammar teacheth vs worketh in vs the knowledge how to liue well For this cause Charondas the law-maker as Diodorus the Sicilian writeth preferred Grammer before all other sciences as that which is most necessarie for mans life appointing that all the children of his citie should learne their letters at the charges of the common-wealth which was to maintaine publike maisters to teach both poore and rich Truly this law ought to be put in practise in all the townes of this kingdome to resist that pernitious Hydra of ignorance which the richer sort defend making no account of knowledge to the treading downe and oppression of the poore who would gladly haue the meanes whereby they might be instructed The Gymnastical part was that arte which as the Ancients affirmed did serue for health and strength preparing the bodies of children by honest and moderate exercises as fencing shooting throwing of a stone riding wrastling running leaping swimming and such like These according to Aristotles opinion are to be moderately practiced by children vntill they be foureteene yeeres old exercising them lightly not with forced labors that their growth be not hindred thereby This age being past after they haue bestowed three yeeres in other Morall disciplines and followed their studies in deeper sciences vntill the one and twentieth yeere then may they be exercised with more sharpe and hard labors of the body They must also be taught Musicke for the solacing and recreation of their mindes after trauels and painting that they may the better consider of the beautie of the bodie and vnderstand the symmetry and apt composition of all things to the ende that they may be the better aduised either in buying or selling them Let them also knowe howe to drawe platformes of publike and priuate buildings to set foorth countries townes and castels their height breadth and length for the warre liuing creatures of all sortes with their parts herbs trees rootes leaues flowres fruits for medicine for the knowledge of simples In this institution of children Aristotle had respect to that which was conuenient drew neerest to the forme of a happie Commonwealth established by him and to that which was necessary for the preseruation and maintenance thereof Nowe let vs apply to our vse that which we may learne both of him and of the rest of the Ancients for the framing of yoong men to honesty and vertue leauing to the libertie of Fathers to make choice of those arts and sciences wherein they purpose to bring vp their children hauing regard to that whereunto nature maketh them most apt and pliable We shall take a good way in the institution of
prouision in due time wherby to sustaine old age the better This is that which Plato saith that a moderate youth maketh an easie olde age but that which is immoderate maketh it greeuous irkesom The defect of our strength saith Cicero commeth rather of the vices of our youth than of olde age Now bicause youth is at this day more than euer giuen ouer to all kind of dissolutenes so that their greatest glorie consisteth in going one beyond an other in vice let vs here propound to those that wil make their profit therof some exāples drawen from the ancients of rare vertue that shined in yong men Ioseph Daniel Salomon deserue the first place who being very yoong men executed deeds of woonderfull prudence The holie Scriptures affoord vs a sufficient number of testimonies but we haue some also amongst the Heathens and Pagans that ought to stirre vp youth vnto vertue That great Monarch Alexander in his youth despised all kind of pleasure and delight eschewed women contemned monie and all plaies and pastimes that were vnprofitable and to no good vse louing nothing but vertue and glorie gotten thereby This was the cause why being demanded whether he would not be present at the feast of the Olympian games to try if he could win the price of running seeing he was well made and woonderfull light of foote he answered yes if they were kings that ran Whensoeuer he heard newes that his father had taken any famous Towne or wonne some great battell he shewed no token of ioye but saide to his equals in yeeres My Father Sirs will take all and leaue no goodlie and great matter for me to doe and to conquere with you Among other his commendable giftes of nature which men admired in him at that age he was greatly praised for a good horse-man which he shewed full well when Bucephalus the horse was brought to his father and was to be sold for thirteene Talents that is in value 7800. crownes which the yeomen of the kings horse perceiued to be so skittish and wild that they durst not vndertake to breake him But Alexander mounted on him and handled him so cunningly that all those that were present cried out by way of admiration and Phillip kissing him said Oh my sonne thou must seeke out a kingdome that is meete for thee for Macedonia is not able to containe thee This horse alwaies serued Alexander after that and died in a battell against the Barbarians when he was thirtie yeeres olde Pompey from his very youth shewed in his countenance as Historiographers write a pleasant mildnes ioined with a manlie grauitie and in his conditions and behauiour a reuerent excellencie of kinglie maiestie When he was yet verie yoong he committed an act of a wise and aduised captaine being in the Romane armie whereof Strabo his father was captaine against Cinna For when the souldiers began to rebel and to conspire the death of their captaine Pompey discouered the same and tooke order for his fathers safetie After perceiuing that the souldiers trussed vp bag and baggage to go yeeld themselues to Cinna he thrust himselfe into the middest of them beseeching them most humbly with teares in his eies not to deale so grosely with their captain In the end when he saw that they persisted in their opinion he threw himselfe prostrate all along ouerthwart the gate of the campe saying vnto thē that if they were so desirous to depart both they and their horses should go ouer his body Whereupon they were so ashamed that chaunging their mindes euery one betooke him againe to his quarter and reconciled themselues vnto their generall The prudence of Papyrius deserueth to be alleaged here who according to the custome of the young gentlemen of Rome was brought into the Senate after he had put on the gowne wouen about with purple which they vsed to giue to yong men to the end to frame them by litle and litle to the managing of affaires In his returne from the Senate which was longer in breaking vp than vsually they were woont to do his mother asked him the cause thereof And after many threatnings and compulsions Papyrius not willing to reueale the secret of the councell as it had been expresly forbidden him bethought himselfe of a subtill lie saying that the Senators were in great contention whether it were more expedient to agree that one man should haue two wiues or one woman two husbands which quoth he shal be determined to morow His mother beleeuing it told the same to the Romane ladies hir companions who met all the next day at the entrie of the Senate beseeching the iudges to giue a fauourable sentence for them The matter being knowen procured great laughter and made the prudence of this yong man to be greatly esteemed But let vs speak of the other two ages of man Mans estate beginneth when a man is euen now ripe and setled and groweth no more in body This onely age is most apt and fit to attaine to vertue and honestie For then is reason strong and power-full in him then is his iudgement sound his bodily vigor of force and strength to labour and trauel Of the name of this age I mean of this Latine word Vir did vertue first take hir name which in Latine is Virtus bicause this worde Vir signifieth him that is in the age of virilitie or mans estate as if you would say apt to be a minister and practitioner of vertue It is true that Isidorus confoundeth Youth which he placeth after Adolescencie and virilitie togither saying that this word vir is a word of sexe and not of age But herein he agreeth with vs that the perfection of mans strength beginneth at 29. yeeres where we said that adolescencie ended In this strength a man continueth vntil 50. yeeres and then beginneth to grow weake and to decline continually vntill death The whole age of virilitie ought to be full of honestie and vertue to bring foorth the effects of prudence temperance fortitude and iustice whereof we haue discoursed at large And if any man before he came to this age had not that education and instructiō which was necessary for him whereof we haue alreadie discoursed by reason of his fathers negligēce or through the licentiousnes of adolescencie then especially is he to take the bridle between his teeth in good earnest bicause yet there is good time season yea oportunitie of great fruit to profit in learning and vertue so that he cannot alleage this excuse that he was not instructed in youth Clitomachus of Carthage when he was aboue 40. yeeres of age came to Athens to learne vnder Carneades with whom he profited so well that after his death he succeeded in his place and taught others Lucius being at Rome and meeting with the emperor Marcus Aurelius in the streete with one man after him demanded of him whether he went It becommeth euen an
haue not onelye infinite testimonies in the Scripture that the estate of Magistrates is acceptable before God but which is more it is adorned with honourable titles that the dignitie therof might be singularly recommended vnto vs. When we see that all men placed in authoritie are called Gods we must not esteeme this title to be of smal importance seeing it appeereth therby that they are authorized by him and represent his maiestie in the ruling gouerning of vs. If the Scripture as that heauenly word saith called them Gods vnto whom the word of God was giuen what is that else but that they haue charge cōmission from God to serue him in their office as Moses Iosaphat said to their Iudges whom they appointed ouer euery citie of Iudah to exercise iustice not in the name of men but in the name of God By me saith the wisedome of God kings raigne and princes decree iustice By me princes rule and the nobles and all the iudges of the earth Moreouer we see that many holye men haue obtained kingdomes as Dauid Iosias Ezechias some gouernments and great estates vnder kings as Ioseph and Daniel others the guiding of a free people as Moses Iosua and the Iudges whose calling and estate was acceptable to God as he hath declared by his spirite Wherefore no man ought to doubt of this that ciuill superioritie is not onely a holie and lawfull calling before God but also the holiest and most honourable of all other whereunto all the people is subiect aswell by the establishment of the right of the estate as by the holie and heauenly ordinance of God And if the Magistrate be perswaded as it is certaine that many Estates haue had that foundation that the cause of his first institution and voluntarie subiection whereunto the people submitted themselues for their cōmon benefit was that excellencie of vertue which appeered in some aboue the rest ought he not to thinke himselfe vnwoorthy of so honourable a title if he want the cause of the beginning thereof But further if the Magistrate know that he is appointed the minister of Gods iustice vnto what great integritie prudence clemencie moderation and innocencie ought he to conforme frame himselfe With what confidence dare he suffer any iniquitie to haue entrance into his seate which he vnderstandeth to be the throne of the liuing God With what boldnes will he pronounce any vniust sentence out of his mouth which he knoweth is appointed to be an instrument of the truth of God With what conscience will he subscribe to or seale any euill statute with his hand which he knoweth is ordained to write the decrees of God To be short if the Magistrate call to mind that as God hath placed the Sunne and Moone in the heauens as a token of his diuinitie so is he also appointed in earth for the like representation and light will he not thinke that he is to imploy and bestow all his care and studie that he may represent vnto men in all his dooings as it were an image of the prouidence defence goodnes clemencie and iustice of God It is certaine that the Magistrate is the same thing in the Common-wealth which the hart is in the body of a liuing creature If the hart be sound and pure it giueth life vnto the whole body bicause it is the fountaine of the bloud and of the spirits but being corrupted it bringeth death and destruction to all the members So fareth it with the Magistrate who is the soule of the people their glasse and the white whereat all his subiects aime If he liue vnder right reason truth and Iustice which are the proper wil of God onely he is not vnlike to a line or rule which being first right it selfe afterward correcteth all other crooked things that are applied vnto it For nothing is more natural than that subiects should conforme them selues to the manners deedes and words of their prince The wise Hebrew Plato Cicero and Titus Liuius haue left this Maxime vnto posteritie as an infallible rule of Estate And Theodoricus king of the Gothes writing to the Senat of Rome goeth yet further vsing these words as Cassiodorus rehearseth them That the course of nature would sooner faile than the people would leaue off to be like their Princes But further as the hart in the bodies of liuing creatures is last corrupted insomuch that the last relicks of life seeme to abide therein so it is meete that if any disease corrupt the people the soueraigne Magistrate should continue pure and sound vnto the end from all that pollution If there be any euill in the soule it proceedeth from the wickednes of the body being subiect to peruerse affections and looke what good thing soeuer is in the body it sloweth from the soule as from the fountaine thereof Now as it would be against nature if the euils of the body should come from the soule the good gifts of the body should be corrupted by the vices of the spirite so would it be very absurd that corrupt manners euill lawes vice and vngodlines should proceede from the Magistrate vnto the people seeing as Plato saith he holdeth the same place in the Common-wealth that reason doth in the soule which guideth the other parts by wisedome And forasmuch as the whole Common-wealth representeth but one certaine bodye compounded of diuers members whereof the Magistrate is the Head and most excellent of all he must also vse such equitie that he profit euery one of them and beware that he be not contagious to the whole publike body through his euil example The people saith Seneca giue more credite to their eies than to their eares that is to say they beleeue that which they see sooner than that which they heare And to instruct the people by precepts is a long and difficult way but to teach them by examples is very short and of greater efficacie Therefore the Magistrate must be more carefull of that which he doth than of that which he speaketh And that which he prescribeth his subiects for a rule as it were by law must be confirmed of him by works and deedes For as he is chiefly bound to follow the lawes of God and nature so he must make all those lawes and statuts which he establisheth in his estate according to that paterne And therfore one of the Ancients said very wel that the prince togither with his subiects had one and the same God to serue one law to keepe and one death to feare We will then briefly comprehend the dutie of the Magistrate in these three things in ruling in teaching and in iudging his people which duties are so neerely knit and ioined togither that the one cannot be well exercised without the other and he that faithfully dischargeth one fulfilleth them all For this cause Plato saith that the arte and science of the King of the
desperate estate and that the people through their traffike offices of iudgements and receipts for the prince which they exercised and benefices which they enioyed should not excessiuely enrich themselues to the preiudice of the nobilitie nor get into their hands the lands of the nobles who being impouerished could not sustain the charges of warre nor serue the king in his armies But the neglect of this foresight the great inequalitie of riches among the estates that one part which was woont to be poorest being now become richer than both the other two is the cause of great wounds in the body of this monarchie The poore people being oppressed by both the other estates is fallen vnder the burthen like to Aesops asse And the horse that would cary nothing I mean the nobilitie clergie are constrained some to beare their tenths extraordinary subsidies others to â—ell their liuing to go to war at their own charges But these things deserue a long discourse by it self may hereafter be touched more fitly thaÌ„ at this time Let vs then generally consider of our proposition namely of the duty of al those subiects which liue vnder one estate and policy First it is necessary that they should haue the estate of the magistrate in great estimation acknowledging it to be a commissioÌ„ charge giuen by God therfore they must honor reuereÌ„ce him as one that representeth vnto them the heauenly empire ouer al creatures For as God hath placed the Sun in the heaueÌ„s as an image of his diuine nature which lightneth heateth quickneth norisheth al things created for maÌ„s vse either in heaueÌ„ or earth so the soueraign magistrate is the like representatioÌ„ light in a city or kingdoÌ„ especially so long as the feare of God obseruatioÌ„ of iustice are imprinted in his hart Some are obedieÌ„t enough to their magistrates would not but that there should be some superior vnto whom they might be subiect bicause they know it to be expedient for common benefit yet they haue no other opinion of a magistrate but that he is a necessary euil for mankind But when we know that we are commaÌ„ded to honor the king to feare God and the king which we finde often in the scripture we must vnderstand that this word to honour comprehendeth vnder it a good opinion and estimation which we must haue of the soueraigne magistrate and that the ioining of the king with God must cause vs to attribute great dignitie and reuerence vnto him in respect of that power which is giuen him from his maiestie Likewise when it is said that we must be subiect to the higher powers not bicause of wrath onely but also for conscience sake it is to honour them with an excellent title and to binde vs to obey them for the feare of God and as we wil obey his ordinance bicause their power dependeth of him Of this honour and reuerence it followeth that we must submit our selues vnto them in all obedience whether it be in yeelding to their ordinances or hestes in the paiment of impostes and subsidies or in receiuing such publike charges as it shall please them to commit vnto vs. Briefly euery subiect is bound to serue his prince with goods and life which is the personall seruice of a naturall subiect not as a hireling that serues at will whereas the other seruice is necessarie Leteuery soule saith S. Paul be subiect to the higher powers For whosoeuer resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God He writeth also to Titus in this maner Put them in remembraunce that they be subiect to the principalities and powers and that they be obedient and ready to euery good worke Submit your selues saith S. Peter vnto all maner ordinance of man for the Lordes sake whether it be vnto the king as vnto the superiour or vnto gouernours as vnto them that are sent of him for the punishment of euil doers and for the prayse of theÌ„ that do well Moreouer to the end that subiects should testifie that they obey not dissemblingly but of a free and willing mind S. Paul addeth that they must by prayers to God recommend their preseruation and prosperitie vnder whom they liue I exhort saith he that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thanks be made for all men for kings and for all that are in authoritie that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlines and honestie Neither let any man deceiue himself herein For seeing no maÌ„ can resist magistrates without resisting God howsoeuer some may think that a weak powerles magistrate may be coÌ„temned without punishment yet God is strong mighty to reuenge the contempt of his ordinance Besides vnder this obedience is contained that moderatioÌ„ which al priuate persons ought to obserue in publike affairs namely that they must not of their own motioÌ„ intermeddle in the gouernment or reformation of them nor take vpon them rashly any part of the magistrates office nor to attempt any publike thing If there be any fault in the common policie that needeth amendment they must not therfore stir at al therin nor take to theÌ„selues authoritie to redres it or once to put too their helping hands which in that respect are as it were bound behind theÌ„ But they are to shew it to the superior who only hath his hand vnbound to dispose order publike matters if he then command them to deal therin they may put it in executioÌ„ as being furnished with publike authoritie For as we vse to call the counsailors of a prince his eies eares bicause they must be vigilant for him so we may also cal those meÌ„ his hands whom he hath appointed to execute such things as are to be don And to these we owe honor obedience seeing the force of the laws consisteth in their coÌ„mandement These are the magistrates officers established by the soueraigne armed with power to coÌ„pel the subiects to obey his laws or els to punish theÌ„ Wherby we see two kinds of coÌ„manding with publike power the one in chief which is absolute indefinite aboue the laws aboue magistrates and priuate men the other is lawful subiect to the lawes to the soueraigne which power properly belongeth to them that haue extraordinary power to command as long as their commission lasteth The soueraign prince acknowledgeth after God none greater thaÌ„ himself the magistrate holdeth his power after God of the soueraign prince and is always subiect to him to his laws Priuate men acknowledge after God who must alwaies be first their soueraign prince his lawes his magistrates euery one in his place of iurisdiction They are bound to obey them euen then which is repeated in many laws when they coÌ„mand any thing coÌ„trary to publike profit or against ciuil iustice so that it be not against
the constitutions of lawes aswell in the gathering of their duties and tributes as in their manner of life They vsed the seruice of Noble mens and of Princes children onely who were of the age of twentie yeeres and were instructed in all sciences The reason whereof was that the king being pricked forward with the sight of thē that were about him might beware how he committed any thing woorthie of reproch And truly there is nothing that corrupteth Princes so much as vitious seruants who seeke to please their sensuall desires and affections When the king arose in the morning he was bound first to take and receiue all the letters and requests that were brought vnto him that answering necessarie matters first all his affaires might be guided by order and reason Then he went to the Temple to offer sacrifice to the gods where the Prelate and chiefe Priest after the sacrifice and praiers were ended rehearsed with a loud voice in the presence of the people what vertues were in the king what reuerence and religion towardes the gods was in him and what clemencie and humanitie towards men Moreouer he told that he was continent iust noble-minded true liberall one that brideled his desires and punished malefactors with a more mild and light punishment than the greatnes of their sinne and offence required rewarding also his subiects with graces gifts that were greater than their deserts This done he exhorted the king to a happie life agreeable to the gods and likewise to good manners by following after honor and vertue and therewithall propounded vnto him certaine examples of the excellent deedes of ancient kings thereby to prouoke him the rather therunto These kings liued with simple meates as with veale birds for all dishes they kept very exactly all the lawes and ordinances of their countrie in euery point of their life which was no lesse directed euen in the least things than the simplest of their subiects And truly so long as the kings of Egypt were such zealous obseruers of their lawes and of iustice raigned peaceably among their subiects they brought many strang nations into their subiection gathered togither infinite riches whereby they adorned their countrie with great buildings and sumptuous works and decked their townes with many gifts and benefits The Barbarian kingdomes were the second kinde of Monarchy namely the ancient Monarchies of the Assyrians Medes and Persians whose Princes vsurped Lordlie rule ouer their goods and persons and gouerned their subiects as a father of a familie doth his slaues Which kind of gouernment sauoureth more of a tyrannie than of a kingdome besides it is directly against the law of nature which keepeth euery one in his libertie and in the possession of his owne goods Notwithstanding when by the law of Arms and of iust warre a Prince is made Lord ouer any people they properly belong to him that conquereth and they that are ouercome are made his slaues by the ancient consent of all nations and this maketh the difference betweene the Lord-like Monarchy and a tyrannic which abuseth free subiects as slaues Of this second kinde of Monarchy was the kingdome of Persia as Plato writeth vnder Cambyses Xerxes and other kings vntill the last Darius For vsurping more absolute authoritie to rule than was conuenient they began to contemne their Vassals and to account of them as of slaues and putting no more confidence in them they intertained into their seruice mercenarie souldiors and strangers whereby they made their owne subiects vnfit for warre and so in the end lost their estate when it seemed to haue attained to the top of worldlie prosperitie Such is the estate of the Turke at this day wherein he is sole Lord commanding ouer his subiects in rigorous manner aswell ouer the Musulmans as Christians and Iewes He vseth in his principall affaires which concerne peace and warre and matters of gouernment the seruice of runnagate slaues whom he placeth in authoritie changeth or deposeth as he thinks good without peril and enuie yea he strangleth them vpon the least suspition or dislike conceiued of them not sparing his owne children and others of his blood if they anger him So did Sultan Solyman deale with Hibrahim Bascha who was almost of equall authoritie with him insomuch that he was there called the Seignour king of the Ianitzaries the Bascha and king of the men of Armes Neuertheles in one night wherin he made him stay sup with him lie in his owne chamber he caused him to be slaine and his bodie to be cast into the sea The morrow after he seazed vpon his goods as confiscate and caried them away and yet no man euer knewe the cause of his death except it were this that he was growne too great and consequently suspected of his maister who was a Tyrant rather than a King Likewise he keepeth in his hands all the Lordships of his kingdome which he distributeth to men of warre who are charged to maintaine a certaine number of men of Armes and of horses according to the rate of their reuenew and when it pleaseth him he taketh them away againe Neither is there any man in all the countries vnder his obedience that possesseth Townes Castles and Villages or dwelleth in strong houses or that dare build higher than one storie or than a Dooue-house The great Knes or Duke of Moscouia exceedeth for seueritie and rigour of commanding all the Monarchs in the world hauing obtained such authoritie ouer his subiects both Ecclesiasticall and secular that he may dispose of their goods and liues at his pleasure so that none dare gainesay him in any thing They confesse publikely that the will of their prince is the will of God and that whatsoeuer he doth is done by the will of God The king of Ethiopia is also a Lordlike Monarch hauing as Paulus Iouius affirmeth 50. kings no lesse subiect vnto him than slaues And Frauncis Aluarez writeth that he hath seene the great Chancellour of that countrie scourged starke naked with other Lords as the very slaues of the prince wherein they thinke themselues greatly honoured The Emperour Charles the fift hauing brought vnder his obedience the kingdome of Peru made himselfe soueraigne Lord thereof in regard of goods which the subiects haue not but as they farme them or for terme of life at the most The third kind of Monarchy whereof the Ancients made mention was that of Lacedemonia wherein the king had not absolute power but in time of warre out of the countrie and a certaine preheminence ouer the sacrifices We made mention of their gouernment before The first kings in Rome were sacrificers also and afterward the emperors called themselues Pontifices that is chiefe bishops and those of Constantinople were consecrated as our kings of Frāce are In like maner the Caliphaes of the Sarasins were kings and chiefe bishops in their religion the
of the tyrauntes were giuen vnto them as to the true deliuerers of their Countrey Nowe albeit wee sayde that this worde tyraunt was taken amongst them for him that made him-selfe soueraigne Prince of his owne authoritie with-out election or right of succession or lotte or iust warre or speciall callyng of GOD yet wee must not inferre this consequent that therefore it is lawfull to kill euerie Prince that exerciseth tyrannie For it belongeth in no wise eyther to anye particular subiect or to all in generall to seeke the honour or lyfe of the Prince that is absolutely and lawfully soueraigne as we haue alreadie discoursed Now to conclude our present speech we may see how farre the establishment of this French Monarchie is from any inclination and from all things that may seeme to giue any entraunce life and preseruation to a tirannie nay it is cleane contrary thereunto and goeth beyond all monarchies that euer were or are amongst the sundrie nations of men for goodnesse and mildenesse of gouernement which ought wonderfully to stirre vp Frenchmen to perseuere in loue obedience and fidelitie towardes their king for which straungers haue alwayes praysed them Of the Education of a Prince in good maners and conditions Chap. 59. ARAM. THe effect of custome is wonderfull yea it is so power-full that it passeth nature especially in vice and dissolutenes Wherein if men be once plunged it is a very hard matter especially if they be young to drawe them out of it But further when they know that they haue in their handes an vnbrideled licence and a soueraigne authoritie to enioy their lustes and desires at their pleasure a man may then saie that all hope of amendment is vtterly perished in them and that it is altogether impossible to gaine any thing of them by counsell instruction or reason Therefore it is very certaine that the principall hope and expectation of a Prince after request made to God that by nature he may bee of a good and teach-able disposition ought to bee grounded alwayes in his education and first institution which beyng either good or badde will bring foorth like effectes to the great good or hurt of his subiectes Nowe then my Companions let vs discourse of that which we thinke ought to be obserued in the right instruction of a Prince in all kinde of good maners and commendable conditions as well for his owne profit as for the common vtilitie of all those ouer whom he is to command ACHITOB. Men are commonly carefull to strengthen with rampires the bankes of riuers which receine into them great quantitie of waters But it is needefull that more diligence be vsed in preseruing and fortifying the minde of a young prince with strong reasons graue sentences and most learned preceptes of wisedome against the greatnesse of his fortune the great aboundaunce of wealth riote delightes and flatterie disguised with fidelitie and libertie which lyke to a mightie streame fall from some rocke to ouer-whelme and to drowne the weake seedes of Vertue naturallie in a Prince ASER. Men must bee so much the more carefull in the dressing and tillage of that spirite and soule which they know ought to bee vigilant wise prudent and iust for the benefite of many Such a one is the king or magistrate or any other man that is to deale in gouernement and in publike affaires For to fill that soule with vertue and goodnesse is to profite an infinite number by the meaues of one Now let vs heare AMANA discourse vpon this matter AMANA All kingdomes vnder which men doe liue at this day are eyther hereditarie or giuen by election Some that are hereditarie goe by succession from male to male onely as this kingdome of Fraunce And this did the French-men wisely ordaine in the beginning of their Monarchie by the Salicke lawe by which prouidence and fore-sight they haue continued in the same kind of gouernement almost one thousand and two hundreth yeeres so that the crowne neuer went out of their nation neither hath the roiall linage chaunged oftener than thrise in so long continuaunce which thing neuer happened to any other Monarchie or Seignorie to any mans knowledge In other kingdomes when males are wanting daughters succeede as in Spaine England and Scotland Moreouer in hereditarie kingdomes where males succeede in some places that honour is alwayes reserued for the eldest who giueth an honest pension to his younger brethren as it is in Fraunce or if no regard be had to birth-right either he is preferred that is fittest to gouerne or he that is most warlike and in greatest fauour with the souldiours as in Turkie Selim the first of that name beyng the third and youngest sonne of Baiazet the second vsurped the Empire by the aide of the Ianitzaries vpon his father whome he caused to be poisoned and slew Achmat and Corcuth his two elder brothers with all his nephewes and others of Ottomans race saying that nothing was pleasaunter than to rule when all feare of kindred was taken away In some places they kill not their brethren and kindred but shut them vp in some most sure and safe place of custodie as they vse or are accustomed to doe in Ethiopia where hee that must beare rule is kept alone the rest are sent to a very high and strong mountaine called the mountaine of the Israelites from whence none of the male kinde may euer come foorth except Prester Iohn die without heire of his bodie to succeede him in the crowne for then he that is next vnto it and knowen to be woorthiest and fittest is taken foorth By this meanes that great kingdome hath continued very long without ciuill warre or murder and neuer wanted of-spring of the royall race In Calecuth when the king dieth although hee haue male children or nephewes by his brother yet none of them succeed in the kingdom but his sisters sonne and if they faile the next of the bloud royal commeth to the crowne They ground this vpon a foolish and fond superstition which they haue in causing the Queene to bee defloured by some young priest called Bramin in whose custodie she remaineth euer after so long as the King is abroade Whereuppon they presume and peraduenture not without good cause that the children which descend or are borne of that Ladie hold more of the priest than of the prince Concerning kingdomes that goe by election we haue spoken of them alreadie Now bicause it is a very harde matter to change him that is once chosen in such a kingdome greater consideration must be had in making the election lest the ouer-sight of one hower procure a perpetuall repentaunce But where the prince is by nature and not by election men must labour by carefull industrie and diligence to bring him vp and to instruct him well by replenishing his mind with sound opinions from his infancie and by casting vpon his new ground seedes of vertue and honestie which by
little and little may growe and waxe ripe with age and hauing once taken roote may abide stedfast and firme to his liues ende For there is no time better and fitter to frame and to correct a prince in than when he knowes not that he is a prince For if he learne to obey from his infancie when hee commeth to the degree of commaunding he applieth and behaueth himselfe a great deale better with his subiectes than they that from their youth haue been alwayes free and exempted from subiection For by such education or bringing vp a Prince addeth to his royall greatnesse and to those fashions which great men haue by nature curtesie and gentle behauiour which cannot but bee very acceptable to his people and containe them more willingly in their duetie of obedience Therefore the prince in his yong and tender yeeres must bee diligently imployed not onely in with-drawing him from dishonest things but also in causing him to taste of vertue and to haue some preceptes thereof ingrauen in his brayne vntill in the ende he vnderstand all that belongeth to his duetie and whatsoeuer else may helpe him forward to leade a good and happie life If wise fathers with great care bring vp and instruct their children who shall succeed them but in the gouernment of some litle house in the countrey how much greater care and labor ought to be taken in teaching him well wisely who is to succeed in the Empire ouer much people and whose life ought to be the discipline of their maners conditiōs For this cause a good prudent prince must take pains in causing his children to be brought vp that he remember he hath begotten them for the Common-wealth not to serue his priuate affections Let him knowe that although he erect a great number of images builde sumptuous houses establish good and holesome Ordinaunces yet hee cannot leaue a more excellent marke of his than a sonne who degenerating in nothing representeth the goodnesse of his father by vertuous actions For he dieth not that leaueth behinde him a liuely image of himselfe And truely it is the perfection of an excellent prince to rule in such sorte as if hee would striue that his like for goodnesse and iustice coulde not succeed him and so to bring vp his children as if hee desired that they shoulde surmount him in vertue To this ende therefore let him make choice of all his subiectes yea from what place so euer and gather together vertuous and sincere men vncorrupted graue and such as are learned not onely through preceptes but also through the experience of manye thinges to whome their age breedeth reuerence their good lyfe authoritie and their mildenesse and gentle behauiour loue and good-will that the tender spirite of the yong prince offended with the rough dealyng of his teachers may not beginne to hate vertue before he know it nor yet corrupted through their ouer-great gentlenesse degenerate and starte aside where it ought not Wherefore Seneca sayde that a Prince his teacher must haue these two properties Hee must know how to chide without shaming of him and howe to prayse hym without flatterie Moreouer great care must bee had in making choice of all such persones whether they are men women children or seruauntes as come neere about him eyther to gouerne or to serue him or to keepe him companie For seeing the most part of mens mindes incline to euill and no childe is so happily borne but hee may bee corrupted through wicked education what may a man looke for but verie great euils from that Prince who of what nature and spirite soeuer he be presently after he is out of his cradle is stuffed with foolish and false opinions nourished among fonde women brought vp in the middest of lasciuious maidens of lost children vile and abiect flatterers of iuglers and plaiers of drunkards of dice-plaiers and inuenters of pleasures briefly in the midst of such caitifes amongst whom he heareth and learneth nothing but pleasure delight pride arrogancie couetousnesse choler and tirannie and so departing from this schoole takes vnto him the scepter and gouernment of his Empire Now he that is elected and chosen to vndertake such a great and difficult charge as is the education and instruction of the prince must bring with him a will woorthie the same considering with himselfe not how many benefices and bishoprikes he may get into his hands but how he may deliuer vp a vertuous prince vnto his countrey which putteth all hir trust and confidence in him Let him know that they do good to all the people who make them good mē whom the people cannot want as contrarywise they that marre and corrupt princes and kings ought to be an abomination to all men and punished no lesse than they that put poison not into a cup but into a common fountaine of which they see euery bodie drinke First then he that hath taken this charge vpō him must narowly note whereunto the nature of the prince is inclined seeing it may be knowen by some signes euen in his yong yeeres as whether he be not giuen to anger to ambition to desire of renowne to riot to play to couetousnes to reuenge to war or to tiranny After when he knoweth to what vice he is enclined he must fortifie his mind against the same with good opinions and with holie resolutions and labor to change his hart which is yet tender into a habite that is contrary to his nature And when he perceiueth that his tender nature inclineth to honest and commendable things or to such vices as will easilie change into vertues in princes well brought vp as to ambition and prodigalitie he must pricke him forward and helpe his good nature by diligent trauel Neither must he vse precepts onely to withdraw the prince from dishonest things to procure in him a longing desire to doe those things that are vertuous but he must labor to imprint and to roote them in his memory by diuers formes now by sentences another while by fables after by comparisons then by examples or by some notable sayings ingrauen in rings and painted in tables Briefly if there be any other thing wherein this age taketh pleasure let that be a meane to worke in him a taste of vertue Aboue al things speciall regard is to be had what opinions are ingrauen in the prince his braine For the whole order of his life proceedeth from that fountaine And therfore he must labor immediately to imprint in his mind holy and good opinions which may serue for a counter-poison against the cōmon errors of the ignorant people but chiefly to instruct him throughly in gods truth in that which concerneth his saluation He must perswade him that whatsoeuer is taught in the law of God belongeth to none so much as to the prince and that as he is to raign by him so likewise it belongeth to his office to raigne
according to his will that he may enioy prosperitie in this world and eternall felicitie in the blessed life to come Let him be taught to loue vertue as the only good and to hate vice as the onely euil let him know that the one is folowed no lesse with shame and dishonor than the other with glory and honor especially in a prince in whom if vertue take place as it were in a high watch-tower it shineth so cleerely that the brightnes thereof remaineth long after his death As for all worldly pompe antiquitie of petigree images and riches they are but meere vanitie and folly not woorthie to be cared for or to be admired by a vertuous prince Let him be perswaded that dignitie greatnes and maiestie are not to be sought after by the helpe of fortune or by humane means but by wisdome integritie of life maners and by vertuous and noble deeds Plato saith not without cause that a Common-wealth will neuer be happie vntill princes play the Philosophers or Philosophers take the rudder of the Empire in hand Now his meaning is not to cal him a Philosopher that is learned in Logike in naturall Philosophie and in the Mathematicks but him who with an vntamed hart despiseth the vaine shadowes of things and followeth after true goods A philosopher and a Christian differ but in name and a prince wel instructed in piety is truly both the one and the other Therefore he ought to learne nothing sooner next to the law of God than the morall philosophie of the auncients which teacheth all vertue Is there any thing more foolish than to esteeme highly of a prince if he vaute well if he play well at tennise if he be stoute and strong briefly if he be cunning in some things which peraduenture a peasant would doe better than he and in the meane while he is puffed vp with pride he polleth his people and sporteth himselfe in all kind of dissolutenesse and pleasure What honor is it for a prince to go farre beyond the common sort in precious stones gold purple traine of seruants and in other ornaments of the body and in euery thing that is falsly called good and in the meane while to be farre inferior in the true goods of the soule to many of his people and those of lowest calling These opinions as holy and inuiolable lawes must bee ingrauen in the hart of a young prince and must bee as it were the first lines that are to be drawen in the voide table of his soule namely that he must striue that none excell him in the goods of the soule in wisdome magnanimitie temperance and iustice Frugalitie modestie and sobrietie in other men may be attributed either to pouertie or to niggardlines but in a prince they cannot but be a note of tēperance I meane when he vseth goods modestly who hath as much as he will Ancient men called that prudence miserable which was gottē by the experience of things bicause it is bought with publike losse calamity But such kind of experience ought to be farthest off from a Prince bicause the longer it is a learning the greater cause is it of many euils vnto al his people If Scipio Africanus had reason to say that this speech I had not thought it did not beseem a wise man how much more vnseemely is it for a Prince who cannot vtter the same without his great harme and greater to the Common-wealth For as in a voiage the fault of a common Mariner saide Agapetus doth but little hurte whereas the slip of a Pilot bringeth shipwracke so in monarchies the offence of a priuate man is more hurtfull to himselfe than to the Common-wealth but if the prince begin to faile he hurteth euery one This is the cause why the mind of a prince must especially be instructed with good resolutions sentences to the end he may be skilfull by reason and not by vse For then the counsel of aged men will supply that experience of things which is wanting in him He must be giuen to vnderstand that his life is in the face of all the world that he can do nothing that will be hid and therfore if he be good it must needs turne to the great benefit of many if wicked to their hurt likewise bicause the prince is always the very portrature after which subiects conforme themselues He must know that the greater honour is giuen vnto him the more he is to striue that he may be woorthie of it looking more to his owne doyngs and actions than to the prayses that men giue him which he must beleeue and receiue according as he behaueth himselfe For if hee rule well they are due vnto him if ill he is honoured and praised either through constraint or of flatterie or els it is to shew him vnder hand what he ought to bee Let him know that as God hath placed the Sunne and the Moone in the heauens for a resemblaunce of his diuinitie so a prince is the like representation and light in a kingdome as long as he hath the feare of GOD and the obseruation of iustice imprinted in him For these two things make their life diuine and celestiall that are placed in high degree of power and authoritie as contrarywise the contempt of pietie and iustice maketh it beast-like and sauage As God the giuer of all things standeth not in neede of any mans seruice to receiue a good turne of him so it is the dutie of a worthie prince who representeth the figure of the eternall king to profite euery one with-out respect of his owne commoditie and glory As God is not touched with any affections or passions but ruleth and gouerneth all thinges perfectly by his prouidence so after his example a prince laying aside the perturbations of his soule must follow reason onely in all his dooings As there is nothing more common than the sunne which imparteth of hir light to all the celestiall bodies so a Prince must be alwaies readye to profite the Common-wealth and haue within him the light of wisedome to the end that if others loose their brightnes yet he may neuer be ouertaken with darknes As the Sunne when it is highest in the Zodiacke mooueth slowest so the higher that a Prince is lift vp in greatnes and authoritie the more gentle and gratious he ought to be keeping himselfe from dooing any thing that beseemeth not a Prince Therefore let him thinke that nothing is more vile and abiect than for him that is called a king and Prince of free men to become a slaue to riot choler couetousnes ambition other vices of like qualitie which are most vile and cruell maisters He must be so affected towards his subiects as a good father of a familie is towards those of his houshold bicause a kingdome is nothing els but a great familie and a king the father of a great many For although he passe them in greatnes and
consent to the passions of great men This Infidell caused him to be hanged bicause he counselled him to put a Gentleman to death vniustly which he had done that he might enioy his wife more casilie Now for the conclusion of our discourse we will here set downe the aunswer of one of the Hebrew interpreters to king Ptolemie who asked him To whome a Prince should trust or commit himselfe To those sayd this wise man that loue him so entirely that they cannot be drawen from him neither through feare gifts or gayne bicause he that aspireth to riches is naturally a traitour Let vs learne that a counsell wel instituted and compounded of good men is a most necessarie point in the establishment and preseruation of euery estate and as the olde Prouerbe saith Good councell is better than manie hands Let vs learne that all those that are called thereunto ought to aime at nothing but at publike profite of which the happinesse and greatnesse of the Prince dependeth who must not contemne the counsell and seruice of the least when they can profite the Common-wealth but heare them willingly and satisfie their iust requests Of Iudgements and of Iudges Chap. 62. ACHITOB WE are now my companions according as the sequell of our speech requireth to consider of Iudgements which I affirmed in the beginning to be one of those two things whereof euery Common-wealth consisteth and that according as they are ordained the affaires of the estate proceed well or ill Therfore I leaue the discourse of this matter to you ASER. No citie saith Plato can truly be called a city if it want iudgements well instituted and consequently iudges to exercise them AMANA Iudgements are lawfull to such as vse them aright and Iudges are to vs the ministers of God for our good as Saint Paule saith Now let vs heare ARAM vpon this matter ARAM. As it is a very dāgerous matter for an estate to wauer daily in deliberations and not to be well resolued touching the affaires thereof or after resolution to leaue them without speedy executiō so the establishment of many good lawes and ordinances bringeth greater peril thā profit to the same estate if they be not seuerely obserued kept For the authoritie of the soueraign magistrate in whose name they are made is so much the more cōtemptible amongst his subiects as they know that they are lesse obeied as though the fault proceeded from his insufficiencie of skil to command He that leadeth well before is the cause why he is wel folowed the perfectiō of the art of a good Querie of the stable consisteth in making the horse obedient in bringing him to good order so the principall effect of the knowledge of a king is to iustruct wel his subiects in obediēce To this purpose the establishment of good iudges ouer thē wil help well that they may take knowledge of such as gain-say and resist the publike lawes and ordinances of his maiestie who is to authorize their iudgements as the chiefe sinewes of the whole body of his estate For nothing euer caused Common-wealthes to flourish so much as the constant keeping of their countrie lawes and the strict execution of iudgements agreeable vnto them And as Cicero saith those estates that are neer their ouerthrow all things beyng in a desperate case fall into this miserable issue that men condemned by the lawes are restored and iudgements giuen are cancelled which things when they come to passe euery one knoweth that their ruine is at hand without all hope of safetie Moreouer forasmuch as the Prince knoweth that he is as it were bound and indebted for iustice he ought to be so much the more careful that it may be rightly administred by those to whom he cōmitteth that office especially seeing he must answer for it himselfe before god to whom he may not say that he charged the consciences of his iudges therwith so discharged his own Wherfore if he adorne his estate with resolute prudent officers who will exactly preserue the bond of the common-welth by the seueritie of their iudgements vpright holding of the balance no doubt but all kind of publike felicitie will issue from the same But let vs briefly consider what iudgement is the diuision of iudgements their administration what manner of Iudges ought to exercise them Iudgement is properly that which is ordained by the Magistrate obseruing the tenor of the law But forasmuch as through the infinit varietie of causes times places and persons which cannot be comprehended in any lawes or statuts whatsoeuer punishments were referred to the will and power of the Magistrates and the dammages of ciuill matters to the conscience religion of the Iudges that which they determine by resolute sentences according to their opinion is also called Iudgement although more properly it may be called a Decree For this cause we say that as there are two principall pointes in euery Common-wealth which Magistrates must haue before their eies that is the law and equitie so also there is the execution of the law and the duty of the Magistrate which consisteth either in commanding in decreeing or in executing Of Iudgementes some are called priuate some publike some criminall others ciuill Priuate iudgements are of bondages prescriptions Gardianships Wardships contracts testaments successions mariages Publike iudgements concerne hainous offences against God man as sacriledge treason restitution of monie or other bribes taken by Magistrats robbery of the kings treasure forgeries theft wilfull and constrained murders Plato speaketh at large of these in his booke of lawes and it would be an infinite matter and smally to our instruction to seeke out the diuers kinds of iudgements which either haue beene or are among men But this is well woorth the noting that amongest the ancient Grecians and Romanes all iudgements both priuat and publike were from point to point followed and with all rigor obserued and they that stood against them were prosecuted and set vpon with fire and sword Among other examples Diodorus rehearsech a storie of the Phocians a people of Grecia condemned by the iudgement of the Amphyctions in a certaine summe of monie bicause they had tilled a great deale of ground that was consecrated to the gods Which summe when they refused to paye they pronounced their countrie as confiscate and consecrated to the gods wherupon arose a warre called the holie warre made by the rest of the Grecians against them and in the ende their vtter ruine subuersion Whosoeuer was once accused of any crime before the Iudges in Lacedemonia although he were absolued yet he abode a certaine time after in that estate of a criminall person during which time enquirie might be made againe of him and newe iudgement giuen according to his desert If the Ephories condemned their kings in any summe yea if it were to death their iudgements were executed with all rigor The
they are to the great preiudice of the whole Common-wealth We are therefore to wish that all valuing and sale of offices especially of iudgement and iustice may be abolished and disanulled that all meanes of fauor and ambition may be taken away that the ancient and happie ordinances of our kings may be restored especially that decree of S. Lewes the king whereby he enacted that all publike offices should be bestowed vpon the election of three persons chosen by the Officers and Citizens of those places to one of which so elected the king was to giue freely without monie the office then void This holie ordinance hath since that time beene often renued by king Phillip the Faire Charles the Wise Charles the 7. Lewes the 11. and Charles the ninth that dead is when his Estates were held at Orleans So that if the King and his Councell would aduisedly consider of these things in the establishing of Iudges and Magistrates in his kingdome and would strengthen them in the execution of their iudgements the obedience of his subiects would be greater and the foundation of all good order and policie more sure Of Seditions Chap. 63. ARAM. AS it is necessarie that all things which haue a beginning should end which encrease should diminish and waxe olde some sooner others later according to the disposition of that matter whereof they are compounded and through the influence of the heauenlie bodies from which nature woorking in them by hir author this continuall and mutuall succession of generation and corruption proceedeth so are publike estates first instituted encreased maintained lessened changed destroied turned returned one frō another by the disposition of God Those that are best grounded in religion and iustice haue their power most assured and are of longest continuance but none are perpetuall although their policie and manner of gouernment be neuer so good For we see them al corrupt in processe of time and in the end perish through their own vices that follow and accompanie them being first mooued and stirred vp by nothing so much as by sedition and ciuill warre This bringeth to light all euill that lurketh in those members of the politike body that are most pernitious vntill the infection be wholy spread and hath taken hold of the noblest parts thereof whereby it is brought to extreame miserie without hope of remedie Nowe although euery one of vs haue sufficient feeling heereof in himselfe by his owne harme yet we may know it better by taking occasion vpon this subiect to discourse of the nature of seditions of their common effects that we may haue them in greater detestation and bring euery one of vs his hart and mind to helpe this Estate if there remaine neuer so little shewe or meanes whereby the subuersion thereof may yet be kept backe But I leaue the discourse of this matter to you my Companions ACHITOB. All sedition is euill and pernitious although it seemeth to haue a good and honest cause For it were better for him that is author of sedition to suffer any losse or iniurie than to be the occasion of so great an euill as to raise ciuill warre in his countrie ASER. Nature saith Empedocles vseth no other meanes to destroy and to ouerthrow hir creatures than discord and disiunction and sedition as Thucydides saith comprehendeth in it all kind of euils Let vs then heare AMANA who will prooue this sufficiently vnto vs. AMANA If we consider how God minding to punish Adam for his ingratitude and disobedience made his owne members rebell against the spirite vnto which they obeied before whereby he became captiue vnder the lawe of sinne no doubt but we may say that after the same manner he chastiseth Kings Princes and Heads of Common-wealths that haue no care to obey his commandements and to cause others to keepe them by the rebellion of their owne subiects not without great danger of depriuation from all authoritie by them and of receiuing the law at their hands to whome they should giue it as it hath beene seene practised in many Estates and gouernments Religion and the loue of God bringeth with it all vnion and concord preserueth Kingdomes and Monarchies in their integritie and is the nursing mother of peace and amitie amongst them But the contempt of religion bringeth discord and confusion ouerturneth all order treadeth vertue vnder foote giueth authority to vice and soweth quarrels and dissentions amongst men from whence seditions and priuate murders proceed and in the end ciuill and open wars which are as flaming fires to take hold of and to consume most flourishing Estates For without doubt if men had in them the true loue and feare of God which cannot be without the loue of our neighbour no such effects would euer proceed from their works and actions Politicks haue labored infinite waies to maintaine the people in peace and to cause ciuill iustice to flourish They haue made many Lawes and Edicts many Statutes appointed many punishments to bridle the boldnes of seditious fellowes to represse extorsions wrongs and murders but bicause they built without a foundation that is without the feare of God all their labour taken therein was fruitles It is the feare of God onely that causeth swords to be broken and turned into mattocks and speares into siethes as Isaias and Micah speake that is to say which breedeth humanitie and gentlenes mollifieth mens harts and causeth them to suffer much to auoide strife and debate in a word which is able to vnite in one with vs most strange and barbarous nations Besides it is the profession of godlines to suffer and not to offer violence neither can it bring foorth euill effects contrarie to their cause This deserueth to be handled at large but our present subiect leadeth vs to discourse of the nature of seditions and to set before our eies the euils that proceede thereof both by reasons and examples referring the consideration of their causes vnto some other time heereafter Sedition then being taken generally is nothing else but ciuill warre so hurtfull to all Estates and Monarchies that it is the seede of all kinde of euils in them euen of those that are most execrable It engendreth and nourisheth want of reuerence towards God disobedience to Magistrates corruption of manners change of lawes contempt of iustice and base estimation of learning and sciences It causeth horrible reuenging forgetfulnes of consanguinitie parentage friendship extorsions violence robberies wasting of countries sacking of townes burning of buildings confiscations flights banishments cruell proscriptions sauage murders alterations and ouerthrowes of Policies with other infinite excesses and intollerable miseries pitifull to behold and sorrowfull to rehearse Sedition armeth the father against the son the brother against the brother kinsman against kinsman men of the same nation prouince and citie one against another Heerupon the fields which before were fertile are left vntilled sumptuous and rich houses
all ioyned togither against the house of Fraunce durst not take in hand after the taking of Frauncis the first and the losse of that famous battell Not one of them durst enter into Fraunce to conquere it knowing the lawes and nature of this Monarchie For as a building layd vpon deepe foundations and made of lasting stuffe well knit and ioyned togither in euery part feareth neither windes nor stormes but easily resisteth all assaults and violence so this kingdom will not easily admit any alteration and change as long as all the members continue vnited and ioyned togither vpon the foundation of their lawes Therefore let the king princes their councell great and small euery one in his place take order that God may be truly knowen and sincerely serued according to his iust and righteous will that honest behauiour may be maintained the authoritie of lawes kept iustice administred magistracie duely exercised rewards and punishments distributed equally that vertuous men may be honored and the wicked corrected Otherwise if we cōtinue long diuided into companies with defiances passing repassing if we persist in our wonted inuectiues and riots referre not all our actions to some good ende let vs not looke for lesse than for a generall desolation and pitifull ouerthrow of our countrey appeering already in many places thereof or at least for some horrible mutation and change of the estate Of the causes that breed the change corruption and finall ruine of Monarchies and Policies Chap. 64. AMANA AS long as the Physition knoweth not the cause of his Patients disease it is impossible for him to remedy the same to prescribe a medicine to the sicke partie A disease knowen saith the Prouerbe is in a maner cured So fareth it with Estates and Monarchies that are changed marred and in the end brought to ruine by diuers causes which if they were wel knowen to their princes and gouernors might easily be preuented by prudence and reason and fit remedies then applied to those euils that dispose lead thē to mutation when the natural corruptiō that is in them as euery thing hath his proper inward corruption of which it is eaten and consumed beginneth to spread it selfe to the best parts to marre all Go to then my companions hauing seen the nature of seditions let vs seek out the causes that stirre them vp whereby Estates and Monarchies are changed marred and in the end ouerthrowen ARAM. The diuision that is between subiects of one and the same prince ariseth for the most part of discontentment where-with some are mooued vpon iniurie or contempt or else of feare that men haue of the light or to auoyd some euil or of great idlenesse pouertie and neede ACHITOB. There are as I take it two causes intermingled which breede this franticke Feauer of our Fraunce the one proceeding from the Estate the other from religion But let vs heare ASER to whome the handling of this subiect offered nowe vnto vs belongeth ASER. There is no beginning of any thing whatsoeuer so small which through continuance perseuerance is not soone made great and strong if vpon slight account thereof it be not stayed Euery euill as Cicero saith in the first sproute thereof may be easily stopped but being inueterate is more strong and vneasie to be suppressed So that if it be mette withall before it appeare and breake foorth the danger is lesse although it proceed first from the necessitie of naturall corruption which is in all things that are created and is to be seene euen in things without sense as Mil-dew in wheate rottennesse in wood rust in brasse and iron yea euery thing is corrupted by it own euill howsoeuer it escapeth all outward harmes Therefore as a good Phisition preuenteth diseases and if one part be suddenly touched with raging payne asswageth the present euill and then applieth remedies to the causes of the disease so a wise prince or gouernor of a Common-wealth ought to preuent as much as is possible the ordinarie changes of all estates which ouer-take them either by outward force or by inward diseases When they beginne he must stay them whatsoeuer it cost him and then looke what the causes are of those diseases that are farthest from effect and apply conuenient and apt remedies vnto them Now it is certaine that if a man would throughly meet with all hurtfull things or otherwise cure any such euill when it happeneth hee must know their causes whereof the effect dependeth which is the very entraunce to all good helpes and remedies what so-euer Fore-seene mischiefes as the Poet saith hurt not so much as those that come vnlooked for A wise man premeditateth all that may happen but it falleth out contrary to fooles And if we haue neuer so small an in-sight into the condition and state of worldly thinges wee can not in any wise doubt of this that euery Common-wealth after it is come to the toppe of persection which is the flourishing estate thereof hath but a short tyme of continuance whether hir ouerthrowe proceedeth from the violence of hir enimies when shee thinkes hir selfe safest or whether she waxe olde through long tract of tyme and so ende by hir inward diseases or whether she sodainly decay and fall downe with hir owne waight by reason of some other hidden cause Which chaunges of Common-wealths beyng matter sufficient to make a great booke we are according to the sequele of our discourse to consider chiefly of the causes that for the most part stirre vp sedition and breed the alteration and finall ouerthrowe of Estates and Monarchies The Philosophers propound foure causes of euery thing the efficient the materiall the formall and the finall cause The efficient cause of seditions is double the one neere the other remooued a farre off The neere or next cause are the authors of seditions by whose counsell direction and helpe they are stirred vp and brought to passe By the cause remooued a far off I meane those things for which men are prouoked to raise seditions and of which we are chiefly to intreat in this place They are the matter of seditions against whome they are raised as princes and magistrates who are superiours and sometime their subiectes beyng inferiours The forme of sedition is the stirring vp of the people noyse out-cries batteries murders ciuill warre the taking of townes spoyling of countreys burning and banishment If it bee of subiectes towardes their lordes and superiours it is called rebellion if betweene subiectes or equals it is called a faction The ende of seditions is that for which they are first mooued and stirred vp Aristotle setteth down foure ends of seditions namely profit honor with their contraries losse dishonor For men are commonly mooued to sedition either through hope of profit honor or else through feare of losse and dishonor towards themselues or their friends so that they desire the one
shun the other Vnto profit we referre riches to honor magistracie publike offices charges to losse pouertie to dishonor coÌ„tinual iniurie contempt such like means Which things although they are reckoned among the motiues or efficient causes of seditions so farre foorth as they prouoke men to stirre vp seditions yet they may bee endes also bicause men conspire togither either to obtaine or to eschew them Thereore let vs handle the causes which mooue the people to murmure and lead them from priuate and secret grudging to publike and open sedition from which the changes alterations and finall ruines of estates and monarchies proceed The couetousnes of magistrates and gouernors seemeth to be a chief cause therof when they lay vpon their subiects great exactions taxes loanes and other intollerable subsides whereby their patience is oftentimes turned into furie and their hartes set vpon reuolting are driuen forward to imitate them that forsooke Roboam for the same cause as the scripture rehearseth But forasmuch as all ciuill societie is appointed to the end that men might keep their goods safely vnder the protection and guiding of good gouernors they that beare chief rule in estates ought especially to prouide that not onely publike goods may be distributed and imploied according to common necessitie and profit but also that euery mans priuate goods may be in safetiâ— Publike goods are the reuenues of Seignories kingdoms and empires demeans taxes tributes confiscations exchetes subsidies graunts and impositions brought in for the supply of publike necessitie A man may say that couetousnes which is a wrongfull desire of another mans goods is committed in these publike reuenues wheÌ„ the mony that commeth of them is conuerted rather to priuate than to publike vse by those that haue the disposing therof which fault the Romans called peculatus and the iudgement giuen against it Repetundarum Now wheÌ„ such goods are wasted vnprofitably or superfluously princes magistrates vse to lay immoderate and strange exactions vpon their subiects Couetousnes also is vsed in priuate goods when the poorer or weaker sort are spoiled of their owne by the mightier The people will hardly beare this kind of vsurping when they consider that they are tormeÌ„ted by those that should defend them this dealing is subiect to restitution before God Histories are ful of changes seditions and destructions of commoÌ„-wealths arising of these causes of couetousnes wherof we haue alleaged many examples in our discourses Vnder Charles the 6. king of France great seditions and robberies were practised by the Parisians by reason of imposts and subsidies that were leuied of the subiects The occasion of these commotions was bicause the farmers exacted a halfpeny of a poore woman that sold Water cressets The couetousnes briberie and polling vsed by the lords nobles of Switzerland caused the common people to fall to mutinie and to deliuer theÌ„selues out of their slauery bondage by horrible massacres which they made of them Vnder Ioel and Abiah the sonnes of Samuel iudges ouer the Israelites the people oppressed through their couetousnes asked a king wherupon the estate of their gouernment was changed The second cause that breedeth the alteration ruine of Common-wealths is ambition or desire of honor which then especially mooueth men to murmure when the vnworthy are aduanced preferred before men of desert Honor is the only reward of vertue that which is more esteemed of euery loftie noble hart than all worldly goods Therfore it is meet that in the distribution of publike charges rewards and honors regard be had to the qualitie merite and sufficiencie of men that they may be giuen to woorthy persons and that such as are vnfit may be put backe Let vertue only diligence open the gates of honor and not mony or fauor We saw before many examples of the fruits of ambition we taste daily of some that are very bitter The third cause that changeth and ouer-turneth estates monarchies is iniurie which hapneth when they that are highest in authoritie through too much insoleÌ„cie pride offer wrong to the honor or person of their inferiors A kingdom saith the wife man is translated froÌ„ one nation to another through the iniustice iniuries contumelies offred by superiors Cyrus the great reuolted froÌ„ his grandfather Astyages ouercame him in battell translated the monarchie of the Medes vnto the PersiaÌ„s bicause of that iniurie which he offered vnto him in casting him out into the fields as soone as he was borne Coriolanus being vniustly banished his countrey tooke armes conquered a great part of the Romane dominion and burned all to the gates of Rome bringing their estate to such an extremitie that it was readie to be destroyed had not the women come towards him to pacifie him Childeric king of Fraunce caused Bodilus to be whipped with rods wherupon he slew him aâ—d his wife great with child Iustine the third emperour was slayne by Atelius generall of his armie whose sonne he had murdred and abused his wife to despite him there-with Feare also is many times the cause of alteration and daunger to a Common-wealth when guiltie and conuicted persones mooue sedition and rebell against the Magistrates to preuent and auoyd the punishment that is due to their faultes Catiline vrged with the consideration of his manifold wicked prankes and with the feare of iudgement conspired against his countrey beyng assisted by Lentulus Cethegus with many sacrilegious persones murderers adulterers bankrupts and other naughtie liuers that stoode in feare of iustice by reason of their misbehauiour Neither may any man doubt but wicked men will rather trouble the estate than stand in daunger of their liues or hazard their goodes For besides the assuraunce which they haue conceiued to escape the iudgement of men by this meanes they haue this further aduauntage to fish in troubled waters so that they are no lesse afrayd of peace than of the plague hauing in all euentes the same resolution before their eyes that Catiline had who sayd that he could not quench the fire begun in his house with water and therefore would pull it downe and so quench it This was one reason that mooued Caesar to lay hold of the estate bicause his enimies threatned that as soone as he was out of his offices they would cause him to giue an accouÌ„t how he had discharged theÌ„ I would to god we had not bought as deerly the same causes of our ciuil warres Likewise too much authoritie and power both for wealth friendship is dangerous in euery kinde of gouernment so that great heede is to be taken that none grow to be vnmeasurable great For men are subiect to corruption neither can euery one sustaine wisely the prosperitie of fortune which causeth some to seeke the alteration of popular and Aristocraticall Common-wealths into monarchies others
to vsurpe kingdomes empires This reason brought in the Ostracisme amongst the Atheniās which was a banishmēt for a time wherby they brought downe them that seemed to exceed in greatnes This they vsed as Plutarke reherseth against Themistocles Aristides and other excellent men fearing least their authoritie credite and good will of all men should procure them a kingly power with the chaunge of their popular gouernment Many kings and princes that had some of their friends and seruaunts too great were themselues or their children ouerthrowen by them afterward Tyberius making Seian too mightie Commodus Perennius Theodosius the second Eutropus Iustinian Bellisarius Xerxes Artaban were in danger of their estate The vnmeasurable authoritie of the Maiors of the palace and of the Constables chaunged the crowne of France from the race of Clouts to that of Charles Martel and vpon the same occasion it was afterward taken from that line and transferred to another Contempt also is another cause greatly to be feared in euery estate and Monarchie as that which oftentimes breedeth their change and ouerthrow It is very daungerous in two considerations especially first when some are contemned and excluded from publique offices and dignities which they deserue and yet see them wholy in the power and disposition of some particular men Whereupon both the one and the other are mooued to sedition the contemned persones through enuie and desire of reuenge they that haue the great charges in their handes through contempt of the others whome they seeke vtterly to exclude and to driue them further off from all publique honours and authorities Secondly contempt is verie pernitious when inferiours contemne their superiours They are commonly despised that haue neither vertue courage nor fortitude that are not able to profite themselues or others that are not laborious painfull nor any manner of way carefull Where contempt is there no obedience is to be had This maketh the sonne disobedient to the father the wife to the husband the learner to the teacher the seruant to the maister The opinion of prudence iustice constancie knowledge goodnes modestie and of other vertues nourisheth and preserueth the obedience of subiects towards their Princes and the contrarie vices prouoke them to rebellion Therefore as policies prosper when they are gouerned by prudent iust constant valiant and moderate men so they are troubled with seditions through the ignorance cowardlines and intemperancie of Princes or else when they are too familiar with their inferiors or when they are suddenly lift vp from base estate or seem too aged or too yong or poore or miserable all which things breede contempt Wherefore this is set downe as a good rule to preserue the estate of a Monarchy That the Prince must procure to himselfe loue without the contempt or hatred of any if it may be For the obtaining whereof there is no better way than the iust distribution of rewardes The Princes and Lords of France bicause they were contemned by king Lewes the 11. who had none about him nor fauoured any but men of lowe and base estate gaue him battell at Montlhery whereof the battel hath euer since retained the name to the great perill of the Estate and danger of the kings life if he had not appeased the indignation and furie of the said Princes and Lords by his great prudence and policie Moreouer too much encrease and vnproportionable growth is one cause that procureth the change and ruine of Common-wealths For as the bodie is made and compounded of parts and ought to grow by proportion that it may keep a iust measure so euery Common-wealth beeing compounded of orders or estates as it were of parts they must be maintained in concord one with another by equall and due proportion obserued betweene each of them For if one Estate be aduanced too much aboue another dissention ariseth As long as the three Orders and Estats at Rome namely the Senators the Knights the people were caried proportionably their policie flourished but after they dealt one against another through enuie ambition couetousnes diuisions and part-takings began This caused many to commend equalitie so much calling it the nursing mother of peace amitie betweene subiects and contrariwise inequalitie the beginning of all enmities factions hatred part-taking But seeing it is meete that in euery well established policie there should be a difference of rights and priuiledges betwixt euery estate equalitie may continue if carefull prouision be made that one Estate go not too much before the other The impunitie of offences is one cause also from whence seditions and ciuill warres proceede yea it is a matter of very great waight and yet men make least account therof We spake of it before but we must of necessitie often rub vp the remembrance thereof as the wise Hebrew doth by repeating so many times that admonition that we should not be suretie for another not that he forbiddeth charitie towardes the poore but that none should be a meanes to let the wicked escape vnles he will beare the punishment himselfe This is that word which God sent to king Achab after he had saued the life of Benhadad king of Syria that he made himselfe a pledge for another man by suffering the wicked to liue and therefore that it should cost him his life Hitherto we haue seene how the couetousnes of Princes the ambition or desire of honour in priuate men iniurie and reproch feare in the guiltie excesse of authoritie and wealth contempt ouer-great encrease or aduancement without proportion and lastly impunitie of offences procure commonly seditions in Estates and Monarchies Besides all these extreame pouertie and excesse of wealth idlenes and want of feare of the forraine enimie as we haue else-where declared change of Princes and lawes too great licence of seditious Orators and Preachers the naturall disposition of places where men are borne which maketh them more inclined to commotions and seditions as Historiographers haue noted of Genes Florence and Flanders with many other things may be said to be causes of ciuill warres of alterations changes and ruine of Estats and Policies Among which we note that shame is sometime a cause of change in the gouernment of Common-wealths but it is without tumult or sedition Thus it fell out in Herea a towne of Arcadia which was gouerned popularly where men of no account were elected Magistrates by others like themselues whereupon beeing mocked they changed their manner of election into chusing by lot that so they might haue a more lawefull excuse There was seene not long since in the Councell of France such a number of Maisters of Requests and of Secretaries of the Treasure that very shame caused them to be sent away bicause it was not meete to entreat of great and waightie matters before such a multitude Negligence likewise breedeth the change and ouerthrow of a politike Estate There
are two sortes of negligence the one in those that call chuse or receiue into any great office such men as are vnwoorthie and care not for their charges or that suffer such persons to ascend to the chiefest places of Magistracie that are enimies to that forme of Common-wealth as if the chiefe men in Bearne shoulde chuse an Auoyer which office is contrarie to their manner of liuing or if the Venetians should chuse a Duke or the Cardinals a Pope that were not of their religion or if the King of Fraunce should create a Constable or Chancellour that liked not a Royall and Monarchicall Estate The other kinde of negligence which is much more common is in them that are called to a dignitie office or Magistracie and shewe them-selues retchles in that administration and exercise as we see that moste Bishops and Prelats neglect the dutie of their charges to imploie or bestowe their tyme in worldlie affaires for which cause they growe into misliking and contempt From hence haue proceeded great offences and maruellous troubles which may more easilye bee lamented than taken away or reformed being such abuses as haue taken deepe roote Moreouer the alteration of policie is bred by other meanes by little and little as when through dissimulation or otherwise men suffer some part albeit neuer so little of the lawe or politike Estate to be cut off Changes seldome fall out all at one time if they are not very violent but for the most part go on by litle and litle as the seasons of the yeere slide away softly from great heates to hard frosts and from the frost and cold of winter to the heate of sommer A lingring feuer afflicteth the patient so easily that he hardly perceiueth himselfe therin but if it be suffered to continue without redresse in due time it will turne to a hectick feuer and so consequently become incurable So fareth it with an Estate and Policie whose authoritie waxeth contemptible and is lost by little and little when men are negligent in preuenting the same in due time He that will consider the alteration happened in France within these thirtie yeeres shall find it to be very great aswell in regard of religion as of manners and lawes which neuertheles came by little and little and so continueth still greatly threatning a change of the estate Heere therefore I will distinguish betweene the chance of lawes customes religion place which is properly but an alteration and the change of an estate which is when the soueraigntie goeth from one into the power of another Dissimilitude also is the cause many times of sedition and of change in the Common-wealth which commeth to passe when the Inhabitants of a place are not of the same nation but many strangers are receiued into it who perceiuing them-selues to be the stronger part haue many times thrust the naturall Citizens out of their towne whereof Aristotle alleadgeth many examples that fell so out in the Grecian cities At Sienna at Genes at Zurick at Cullen the strangers being multiplied draue out the Lords of those places and slew most of them bicause they were ouer-charged with exactions euill entreated and excluded from bearing of offices They of Lindauia slew the Lords of the countrie and changed the Aristocraty into a popular Estate and so did the Inhabitants of Strausborough who hated the Nobilitie in such sort that they would not suffer any of them to enioy the great estates and publike charges vnles he prooued that his grandfather was one of the baser sort of the people These examples mooue naturall Inhabitants many times to ouer-runne strangers when they see the number of them waxe ouer-great amongst them One example heereof we may note in the citie of Geneua into which when many strangers aswell Frenchmen as others retired for religion the naturall Citizens could neuer brooke them although they were very profitable to the citie making it rich and populous whereas before it was poore and smally inhabited but conspired many times to driue them out as namely that conspiracie of one Perin in the yeere 1556. which began to be put in execution when Caluine ranne into the midst of their naked swords to appease the tumult as Beza writeth in his life The same feare mooued Pharaoh when he sawe the Hebrewes encrease ouer-fast amongst his subiects to decree that the Midwiues should from that time forward kill the male children at their birth Now in receiuing of strangers regard must be had to the number that it be not ouergreat and that their authoritie be not vnmeasurable For otherwise it is necessarie for trafficke sake and for many other publike commodities that some be receiued of others Many other kinds of dissimilitude are found in common-wealths as dissimilitude of linage betweene the Nobilitie and Common-people of offices betweene Iudges Treasurers Souldiors Priests of professions betweene Lawyers Phisitions Diuines and Philosophers of occupations betweene Bakers Butchers Shooemakers Painters Smithes Carpenters without which dissimilitudes no Common-wealth can consist Therefore they are not to be taken quite away but onely the disorder that groweth amongst them that so they may be reduced to a conuenient agreement like to that which is betweene the diuers parts that are in the constitution of the world of man We may also call a dissimilitude that difference which is of religions as of the Iewes Christians Mahomists Caphrans Armenians Grecians Latines Iacobites Ethiopians then betweene the Christians themselues as Catholiks Lutherans Zuinglians and Caluinists Many haue said and are yet of this opinion that the chiefe cause of ciuill warres in France proceedeth from this diuersitie of religion And to say truth there is nothing that carieth men away with such vehement passions as zeale of religion for which they fight more willingly thā for their liues goods wiues and children Through the diuersitie heereof they that are neerest of kinne loose their naturall loue they that are of the same country and language persecute one another as mortall enimies and sundry nations abhorre one another for the same These things are too well knowne amongst vs to require proofs thereof And truly in respect of sedition and tumult nothing is more dangerous than for subiects to be diuided in opinion whether it be in matters of estate or of lawes and customs or for religion For if they be of diuers opinions some labour for peace and seeke to make others agree vnto it who wil neuer agree amongst themselues And in truth it is a very hard matter to maintaine publike exercises of any religion whatsoeuer when it is contrary to the religion of the people or of the most of them who many times cannot be kept within compasse neither by lawes nor Magistrats vnlesse the force appointed to keepe them in bee very great For we saw that Thomas Emperour of Constantinople was cruelly slaine by the people amidst a great congregation in the Church bicause he
went about to pull downe Images But I am of this opinion yet readye to yeeld to a better iudgement that if men were honest and vpright and walked in their calling holily they would neuer fight among themselues for religion And if there had beene no other cause mingled therwith in our ciuill wars we should not haue had experiēce of those miseries which daily ouer-whelme vs. The authoritie of a holie and free Councell may by the grace of God end all these dissentious in the meane time let euery one seeke by good life and amendment of manners to serue for a light to those that are out of the way laying aside all part-takings forgetting all iniuries and taking vp againe our first vnitie concord friendship Yea I doubt not but that a Prince embracing with a true zeale the opinion of his religion and neglecting the contrarye would abolish it without force or constraint if God maintain it not For the minds of men resolued in a religion are more confirmed therin if they be resisted but shrinke of themselues if compulsion be not vsed Now for the end and conclusion of our discourse laying a part the causes of seditions and ciuil wars which bring alteration and ouerthrow many times to Estates and Monarchies whereof we haue particularly intreated we will heere comprehend and reduce to a certaine number the causes of the changes of all Common-wealths namely when the posteritie of Princes faileth and the greatest amongst them enter into ciuill warre for the Estate when most of the subiects are extreme poore and a few exceeding rich when the diuision of offices and honors are vnequall or else through extreame ambition and desire of commanding through the reuenge of iniuries through the crueltie and oppression of tyrants through the feare of chasticement which some haue that deserue it through the change of lawes and religion through the greedie desire that some haue to enioy at wil those pleasures which they seeke after lastly through the expulsion of such as defile the places of honor with excessiue and beastly pleasures All these things breede the change corruption and finall ouetthrow of flourishing Estates and great Monarchies and therefore all Princes Gouernors and politike Rulers ought carefully to looke vnto them The ende of the sixteenth daies worke THE SEVENTEENTH DAIES WORKE Of the preseruation of Estats and Monarchies and of remedies to keepe them from sedition Chap. 65. ASER. WIsedome saith Lactantius is giuen of God to all men that euery one according to his abilitie and capacitie might seeke after things vnknowne and examine that which he knoweth And we must not thinke that such as haue gone before vs many yeeres and ages did so possesse and vse hir that she is now lesse forceable in vs. She cannot be wholy possessed no more than the light of the Sunne and as the Sunne is the light of our eies so is wisedome the light of mans hart If your delight thē saith the wise man be in thrones and scepters O kings of the people honor wisedome that ye may raigne for euer Truly she is necessarie prouision for them that would raigne that they may do it woorthily and safely maintaine their estate yea she is no lesse requisite in euery calling For she illuminateth and sharpneth the discourse of reason by the knowledge of things she ruleth and conducteth the will to that which is the true and onely Good Therefore seeing that wisedome which is asmuch to say in regard of vs as the searching out of the truth is both offered and needefull for all men euery one ought to be stirred vp to imbrace it with a burning zeale and affection that he may bring foorth the fruits of perfect charitie by applying it next after the seruice of God to the common profite of men Which thing seeing it hath prouoked our yong and vnexperienced yeeres to vtter our former Morall and Politicall discourses and to handle yesterday the causes that breede change and ruine to Estates and Monarchies although such high matters surpasseth the capacitie of our vnderstanding yet let vs my Companions follow with the same zeale our venturous enterprise and as we haue profited in the schoole of this selfe same wisedome let vs enter into the consideration of those meanes and remedies that are contrary to the causes of corruption in policies and that may serue to their preseruation Albeit they may be knowne by the same causes that corrupt them seeing contrary effects proceede from contrary causes and corruption is contrary to preseruation But the vnderstanding of this matter will be more cleare and profitable heereby to them that will take the benefite thereof AMANA If all callings were content with their owne fortune and goods if they would abstaine from other mens goods and from offering them wrong if they would be more intentiue to amend their owne life than to reprehend others and submit them-selues willingly to the obedience of their Magistrats lawes and ordinances I thinke it would be a meane to cause euery Monarchie to flourishe and to continue happie a longe time ARAM. Equalitie said Solon neuer breedeth sedition in the gouernment of a Common-wealth but is the nursing mother of peace and concord and the maintainer of loue whereby the vnitie of subiects is preserued But as the graue and destruction are neuer glutted according to the saying of the wise man so mens eies are neuer satisfied But the discourse of this matter heere propounded belongeth to thee ACHITOB. ACHITOB. That great louer of knowledge and vertue Ptolomy king of Egypt as he feasted one day seuen Embassadors of the best and most flourishing Common-wealthes in his time reasoned with them about their gouernments that hee might knowe which of them had the best policie and was furnished with the best lawes and moste commendable customes The disputation was long and the matter throughly debated amonge them with manye reasons But Ptolomy being desirous to bee instructed by them in the best and rarest pointes necessarye for the preseruation of an Estate prayed them to propounde euerye one three of those customes and lawes that were moste perfect in his Common-wealth The Embassadour of the Romanes beganne and sayde Wee haue the Temples in great respect and reuerence wee are very obedient to our Gouernours and we punish wicked men and euill liuers seuerely The Carthaginian Embassadour said In the Common-wealth of Carthage the Nobles neuer cease fighting nor the Common-people and Artificers labouring nor the Philosophers teaching The Sicilian sayd In our Common-wealth iustice is exactly kept merchandise exercised with truth and all men account themselues equall The Rhodian sayd At Rhodes old men are honest yoong men shamefast and women solitarie and of fewe wordes The Athenian sayd In our Common-wealth rich men are not suffered to be diuided into factions nor poore men to be idle nor the Gouernours to be ignorant The Lacedemonian sayd In Sparta enuie raigneth not for all are equall
the Romanes cleane contrary to Lycurgus was so farre in loue with peace and referred all his lawes in such sort thereunto that during his raigne there was neither warre nor ciuil dissention nor any motion of noueltie in the gouernment of the Common-wealth Much lesse was there any enmitie or enuie conceiued against him particularly or conspiracie against his person through desire of ruling but all occasions of war being extinguished and remooued the Temple of Ianus was continually kept shut for the space of fortie yeeres which was a signe of peace amongest the Romanes For not onely at Rome the people were tractable through the example of the iustice clemencie goodnes of king Numa but also in the townes round about there was a maruellous alteration of manners insomuch that as the beames of a cleare Sunne are dispersed abroad so there was shedde in the hartes of men a secrete desire to liue in peace to labour the grounde to bring vppe their children quietly and to serue and honour their gods And Plutarke writeth in his life that in his time there was nothing but feastes plaies sacrifices and bankets throughout all Italy so that a man might say that the wisedome of Numa was a liuely fountaine of all goodnes and honestie out of which many riuers issued to water all Italy and that his peaceable prudence was communicated as it were from hande to hande vnto the whole worlde Nowe although these two men haue beene greatly praised and commended for sundrie rare vertues yet all men approoue not the extremities which they followed in this forme of gouernment For as he is pernitions that mooueth and continueth warre onely to subdue his neighbours to inlarge the borders of his countrie and to vsurpe other mens right which sauoureth more of brutishnes than of humanitie so a long peace bringeth with it many discommodities making men insolent commonly through too great prosperitie as also nice lauish and effeminate through abundance of wealth and idlenes Therefore Plato Aristotle and Polybius reprooue Lycurgus bicause he propounded onely the exercise of the vertue of warre to his Citizens which is the least of those foure that are necessarie for the establishment and preseruation of euery Empire saying that all his lawes were wel ordained to make men valiant but not iust temperat and prudent On the other side they that are too much affected to peace and quietnes weaken themselues by little and little before they be aware and by their example mollifie the courage of youth whereby they lie open to the iniuries of those that will inuade them and so loose their libertie not being able to defend their persons and goods But as the world is compounded of 4. elements by whose mixture it is so made that it is both seene and touched withall is preserued in such loue concord that it cannot be dissolued by any other thā by him that made it so euery publike Estate must be established by 4. vertues by whose harmony agreement it is preserued And as the fire the earth were first created to make the whol frame subiect to sight feeling and then the water the aire mingled with them that the dissimilitude of those extreames might be tempered according to proportion so fortitude and iustice are first required in the ordaining of Common-wealths bicause they cannot continue without law and strength and next prudence and temperance being ioined with them moderate the rigour and remisnes of both Againe as by these natures of which all things are made being dispersed aboue and beneath and on all sides the world is preserued and continued so that light things are kept from ascending through the waight of heauy things contrariwise heauy things held aloft that they fal not so by these 4. vertues dispersed amongst men a Common-wealth wel instituted guided by discipline is maintained And although by reason of the varietie and change of humane affaires it cannot continue so long so adorned as the worlde yet it will abide many yeeres Moreouer as the elements are bred one of another alter to fro going into returning continually from the first matter which receiueth them into it selfe for which cause they cannot be seene simple but mixed wherupon ariseth such a tēperature of al things that they wither not by drougth nor burne with heate neither are ouer-whelmed with too great moisture nor grow stiff with excessiue cold so these vertues whereby cities are instituted must be mingled one with another agree togither for their mutuall preseruation wisedome beeing President ouer them in which they are all contained For they cannot maintaine them-selues one without another nor keepe their vigor and dignitie Iustice without temperance is rigour fortitude separated from iustice is rashnes and crueltie and without prudence iustice is but craft and suttletie To conclude temperance without fortitude ought rather to be called cowardlines and nicenes whereby we see that they are so interlaced and depend in such sort one of another that they cannot be separated If it fal out otherwise that estate wherein such disorder taketh place must of necessitie be vtterly ouerthrowne or changed Out of these learned Philosophicall discourses we will draw a very good lesson namely that in euery Estate wel instituted for continuance this temperature of the foure vertues must necessarily be kept that men may be instructed howe to gouerne themselues well both in time of peace and of warre and obserue such a moderation therein that knowing how to deale in both times they may be ready and fit for warre when necessity vrgeth hauing this end before them to attaine to peace which must alwaies be preferred as rest is before trauell and good before euill as we shal easily vnderstand by considering their contrary effects It is certaine that Philosophie is best exercised in time of peace For when there is no trouble of war the spirite is quiet and fit for euery honest kind of rest so that arts and sciences go well forward lawes are in force iustice flourisheth vertue sheweth hir effects better vice languisheth the zeale of pietie encreaseth the discipline of the Church is authorised both the noble and meane man preserueth and augmenteth his wealth trade and trafficke is free briefly euery one receiueth good commoditie and so consequently the whole bodie of the Common-wealth But if we looke to those effects which the time of warre commonly bringeth foorth the desire of hauing is awakened couetousnes encreaseth iustice falleth to the ground force and violence beareth sway spoiling raigneth riot is set at libertie wicked men are in authoritie good men oppressed innocencie troden vnder foote maidens and wiues defloured countries wasted houses burnt Churches destroied tombs broken downe goods spoiled murders committed all vertue banished from among men vice honoured the lawes contemned and broken the seruice of God forsaken the estate of the Church derided the nobilitie and people burdened
with infinite charges and costes all kinde of trade hindered briefly there is no calamitie or miserie that aboundeth not in the Common-wealth in time of warre We may iudge that kingdome happie wherein the Prince is obedient to the lawe of God and nature Magistrates to the Prince priuate men to Magistrates children to their fathers seruants to their maisters and subiects being linked in loue one with another all of them with their Prince enioy the sweetenes of peace and true quietnes of mind But warre is cleane contrary thereunto and souldiors are sworne enimies to that kind of life For war maketh men barbarous mutinous and cruell as peace maketh them curteous and tractable We read that Englishmen were in times past so seditious and vntameable that not onely their Princes could not do what they would but also the English merchants were of necessity lodged apart by them selues For so the towne of Antwarpe was constrained to do where there was one house common for all merchant strangers except Englishmen who had a house by themselues bicause they could not abide to be ioined with others The chiefe cause of that strang qualitie was bicause their countrie bordered vpon two Estates and Nations that were their enimies namely vpon the Frenchmen and Scots with whome they had continuall warre but since they concluded a peace and ioined in league with France and Scotland they became very mild and ciuill And contrariwise the Frenchmen who were inferiour to no nation whatsoeuer in curtesie humanitie are greatly changed from their naturall disposition and become sauage since the ciuill warres began The like as Plutarke saith happened to the Inhabitants of Sicilia who by meanes of continuall warre grew to be like brute beastes Archidamus king of Lacedemonia knowing well the effects of peace and warre heere briefly touched by vs and hearing that the Elians sent succors to the Archadians to warre against him tooke occasion to write vnto them after the Laconicall manner in steede of a long discourse Archidamus to the Elians Peace is a goodly thing And another time he gaue a notable testimonie how farre he preferred peace before warre when he made this answer to one that commended him bicause hee had obtained a battell against the fore-said Archadians It had beene better if we had ouercome them by prudence rather than by force The selfe same reason of louing peace and of abhorring the breakers thereof was the cause why Cato in a full Senate opposed himselfe against the request which Caesars friendes made that the people should offer sacrifices by way of thanks-giuing to the gods for the notable victories which he had gotten against the Germanes of whom he had surprized and discomfited 300000. I am said Cato rather of this opinion that he should be deliuered into their hands whome he hath wronged without cause by violating the peace which they had with the people of Rome that they may punish him as they thinke good to the ende that the whole fault of breaking faith and promise with them may be cast vpon him alone and not be laid vpon the citie which is no cause at all thereof And to say truth wise men are greatly to feare all beginnings of warre For being in the end growne to some ripenes after that some men wanting experience in worldly affaires haue rashly and vnskilfully sowne the seede thereof hardly can the greatest and wisest kings plucke it vp againe without great labour and perill Therefore they that are too desirous and hastie to begin warre peruert the order of reason bicause they beginne by execution and force which ought to be last after due consultation But he deserueth greater honour and praise that procureth peace and winneth the enimies harts by loue than he that obtaineth victorie by shedding their blood cruelly For this onely reason saith Cicero we must begin warre that we may liue in peace and not receiue wrong but this must be done after we haue required satisfaction for the iniurie offered It was for these considerations that Phocion that great Athenian Captaine laboured to stoppe the warre which the people of Athens had determined to make against the Macedonians at the perswasion of Leosthenes And being demanded when he would counsell the Athenians to make warre when I see quoth he that the yong men are fully resolued not to leaue their rankes that rich men contribute monie willingly and Oratours abstaine from robbing the Common-wealth Neuertheles the armie was leauied against his counsell and many woondering at the greatnes and beautie thereof asked him howe he liked that preparation It is faire for one brunt said Phocion but I feare the returne and continuance of the warre bicause I see not that the citie hath any other meanes to get monie or other Vessels and men of warre beside these And his foresight was approoued by the euent For although Leosthenes prospered in the beginning of his enterprise whereupon Phocion being demanded whether he woulde not gladly haue doone all those great and excellent things answered that he would but not haue omitted that counsell which he gaue yet in the end he was slaine in that voyage the Grecian armie ouerthrowne by Antipater and Craterus two Macedonians and the citie of Athens brought to that extremitie that it was constrained to sende a blanke for capitulations of peace and to receiue within it a garrison of strangers Thus it falleth out commonly to those that seeke for war by all meanes either by right or wrong Euerie Prince that desireth it in that manner stirreth vppe against himselfe both the hatred and weapons of his neighbours he vexeth and greeueth his subiects vnwoorthily seeking rather to rule ouer them by violence than to gaine their good will by iustice he quite ouer-throweth his Countrie preferring dominion and greatnes of his owne glorie before the benefite quietnes and safetie thereof and often-times he diminisheth his owne authoritie and is brought in subiection to his enimies whilst he laboreth to possesse another mans right by force Augustus the Emperour said that to haue a good and lawfull warre it must be commended by the Gods and iustified by the Philosophers And Aelius Spartianus affirmeth that Traian only of all the Romane Emperors was neuer ouercome in battell bicause he vndertooke no war except the cause therof was very iust But we may say that no warre betweene Christians is so iustified but that still there remaineth some cause of scruple The testimonie of Antigonus the elder wherein he accuseth himselfe is very notable to shewe what great wickednes and iniustice is in warre when he vsed this speech to a Philosopher that offered and dedicated vnto him a treatise which he had made of iustice Thou art a foole my friend to come and tel me of iustice when thou seest me beate downe other mens townes Caesar answered little lesse to Metellus a Tribune of the people who being desirous to keepe him
partie that worketh the impression It was not then without good cause that the anciēts greatly esteemed the dignity of a General being ioined with prowes knowledge experience seeing the happy or vnhappy euents of warre ordinarily depend therof next to the chief cause proceeding frō God as we shewed yesterday what Titus Liuius wrote of the battel between the Romans the Latins For this reason Cimon a great mā of Athens said that he had rather haue an armie of Harts guided by a Lion than an armie of Lions hauing a Hart for their captaine Now if we desire to vnderstand in few words what maner of mē are most woorthy of such charges we may learne it by the answere that one of the wise Interpreters made to Ptolomie concerning this matter They said he that excell in prowesse and iustice and preferre the safetie of mens liues before victorie But to discourse more particularly of the dutie and office of the head of an armie Valerius Coruinus Generall of the Romans against the Samnites to whom he was redy to giue battell incouraged his souldiors to do well in few words and taught euery one how he should proceed to obtaine the place and degree of a captaine A man must consider well quoth he vnto them vnder whose conduction he entreth into battell whether vnder one that can cause himselfe to be heard as if hee were some goodly Oratour that hath a braue tongue but otherwise is a Nouice and vnskilfull in all points of warre or vnder such a one as hath skill himselfe to handle his weapon to marche first before the ensignes and to doe his duetie in the hottest of the fight I would not Souldiours that yee should follow my wordes but my deeds I set before you an example ioyned with instruction and discipline as he that hath gotten three Consulships with this arme not without exceeding prayse Hereby we learne that the ancient captaines and Heads of armies had this laudable custome to make Orations to their men of warre thereby to make them more courageous as appeereth in all histories both Greeke and Latin This fashion is now lost togither with the rest of warlike discipline at least wise there is no account made of it in France whereupon it commeth to passe that many great men are but badly followed and serued in warre For as he that standeth in neede of the faithfull seruice of men ought to winne them rather by gentlenesse and good turnes than by authoritie and rigour so he that would haue prompt and resolute souldiours for warre that hee may vse their seruice in tyme of neede must make much of them and allure them to his obedience by liberalitie and by good and gracious speeches For in truth they must be good friends and affectionate seruitours vnto a man that setting all excuses aside of which there is neuer any want are to fight for him they must neither be enuious at his prosperitie nor traiterous in his aduersitie And there is no doubt but that in a matter of great importaunce the graue exhortations of a Generall grounded vpon good reasons and examples greatly encourage and harten a whole armie in so much that it will make them as hardie as Lions that before were as fearefull as sheepe Moreouer if he that is esteemed and iudged to be valiaunt and noble-minded sheweth foorth effectes aunswerable thereunto he doubteth the courage and strength of his armie as contrarywise the least shew of cowardlinesse discouragement or astonishment shewed by him draweth after it the vtter ruine of his souldiours But to returne to the duetie and office of a good Captaine of an armie as the best worke that a man can doe is first to bee honest and vertuous and than to take order that himselfe and his familie may haue aboundantly all things necessarie for this life so euery wise and well aduised leader of men of warre must dispose and prepare himselfe to the same ende and foresee that nothing be wanting vnto them neither munitiōs of warre nor victuals He must not thinke to make new prouision when necessitie vrgeth him but euen than when he is best furnished he must bee carefull for the time to come Wherby taking away all occasiō of cōplaining from the souldior he shall be better beloued and obeyed and more feared and redoubted of his enimies To this purpose Cyrus said to his chiefe men of warre My friends I reioyce greatly that you and your men are contented that ye haue abundance of all things and that we haue wherewith to do good to euery one according to his vertue Notwithstanding we must consider what were the principall causes of these good things and if yee looke narowly ye shall find that watching trauell continuance in labor and diligence haue giuē vs these riches Therfore ye must shew your selues vertuous also hereafter holding this for certaine that ye shall obtaine great store of riches and contentation of mind by obedience constancie vertue sustaining of trauell and by courage in vertuous and perillous enterprises Moreouer a good captaine of an armie must be very carefull that he neuer suffer his host to be idle but cause his souldiors either to annoy the enimie or to doe themselues good It is a burthensome thing to nourish an idle body much more a whole family but especially an armie and not to keepe them occupied His meaning that warreth of necessitie or through ambition is to get or to keep that which is gotten and to proceed in such sort that he may in-rich and not impouerish his countrey Therfore both for conquering and for the maintenance and preseruation of that which is his owne already he must necessarily beware of vnprofitable expences and do all things for common commoditie So that who so euer would throughly put in practise these two points he had need to follow that custome which the ancient Romanes vsed namely at the beginning to make them short and terrible as we vse to say For entring into the field with great power and strength they dispatched their warre speedily within few dayes insomuch that all their iourneis made against the Latines Samnites Tuscans were ended some in six others in ten and the longest in twentie dayes And although afterward they were constrained to keep the fields a longer time by reason of the distance of places and countreys yet they did not therefore giue ouer the following of their first purpose but ended as soone as they could their enterprises of warre by quick battels according as place and time suffred True it is that a prudent captaine must be skilfull to take the enimie at aduantage but if it be so that he cannot the better and more vertuous man he thinks himselfe and those that follow him to be so much the more paines is required of him for his owne and their preseruation as men vse to keep safely those things which they account deerest and
paterne of warre but that it did helpe him greatly to iudge of the nature and seate of those places which he frequented in his countreys And bicause all landes are like in some things the perfect knowledge of one countrey which often vse of hunting bringeth may helpe one to iudge well of an other Publius Decius Tribune of the souldioures in the armie which Cornelius the Consull led against the Samnites beholding the Romane host brought into a valley where they might easily be enclosed of the enimies went to the Consull and sayd Doe you marke O Cornelius the toppe of this mountaine aboue our enimie It is the fortresse of our hope and safetie if we make haste to take it seeyng the blind Samnites haue forsaken it We see then how profitable yea how necessarie it is for a captaine to know the beyng and nature of countreys which helpeth a mā much in that principall point touched before by me namely to compel his enimies to fight when he perceiueth that he is the stronger and hath the aduantage of them if he be the weaker to keep himself from such places where he may be cōpelled therunto This is that wherby Caius Marius who was sixe times Consull got the renowne to be one of the greatest captains in his time For although he were Generall of many armies and fought three great battels yet was he so warie in all his enterprises that hee neuer gaue his enimies occasion to set vpon him and to force him to fight And that was a notable aunswere which he made to the Generall of his enimies who willed him to come out of his campe to battell if he were such a great captain as men reported him to be Not so quoth he but if thou art the great captaine compell me to it whether I will or no. This is one thing also wherein the Head of an armie must be very vigilant that all secrecies be closely kept among the captaines of his host For great affaires neuer haue good successe when they are discouered before they take effect To this purpose Suetonius saith that no man euer heard Iulius Caesar say To morrow we will do that and to day this thing but we will doe this nowe and as for to morrow we will consider what is then to be done And Plutarke saith in his treatise of Policie that Lucius Metellus beyng demaunded by a Captaine of his when hee would giue battell sayde If I were sure that my shirte knew the least thought in my hart I woulde presently burne it and neuer weare any other Therefore affaires of warre may be handled and debated of by many but the resolution of them must be done secretly and knowen of few men otherwise they would be sooner disclosed and published than concluded Notwithstanding it is very necessarie that the General should oftentymes call a councell so that it be of expert and ancient men and of such as are prudent and voyde of rashnesse But in all cases of necessitie a man must not stand long in seeking for reason but suddenly set vpon them For many tymes sundry captaines haue vndone themselues in warres vpon no other occasion but bicause they lingred in taking counsel when they should without losse of tyme haue wrought some notable enterprise Moreouer for the instruction and patterne of the dutie and office of a good Head and captaine of an armie we can alleage none more woorthy to be imitated than Cato of Vtica a Consul of Rome who had the guiding of a legion when he first tooke charge vpon him For from that tyme forward he thought that it was not roial or magnificall to be vertuous alone being but one body therfore he studied to make all that were vnder his charge like himselfe Which that he might bring to passe he took not frō them the feare of his authoritie but added reason thereunto shewing and teaching them their dutie in euery point and always ioyning to his exhortations reward for those that did well and punishment for such as did euill So that it was hard to say whether he had made them more apt for peace or for warre more valiant or more iust bicause they were so stout and eger against their enimies and so gentle and gracious to their friends so feareful to do euil and so ready to obtaine honor The vertue of Pompey is also worthy to be followed of euery great captain f or the temperance that was in him for his skil in armes eloquence in speech fidelitie in word as also bicause he was to be spoken with and so louingly entertained euery one And if with these things the example of the same Cato be followed in his prudent liberalitie and diuision of the spoils and riches of the enimies that captaine that so behaueth himself shal deserue eternal praise and please all those that follow him For when this vertuous captaine had taken many townes in Spaine he neuer reserued more for himselfe than what he did eate and drinke there He deliuered to euery one of his souldiors a pound waight of siluer saying that it was better that many should returne to their houses from the warre with siluer than a few with gold and as for the captains he sayd that during their charges and gouernements they should not grow and increase in any thing but in honor and glory For the conclusion therefore of our speech we note that a Generall of an army desirous to bee obeyed which is necessarie must behaue himselfe so that his souldiors may thinke him woorthy to prouide and care for their necessary affaires Which thing will come to passe when they see that he is courageous carefull that he keepeth his place and the maiestie of his degree well that he punisheth offenders and laboureth not his men in vaine but is liberall and performeth his promises made vnto them Of the choice of Souldiors of the maner how to exhort them to fight and how victory is to be vsed Chap. 70. ACHITOB A Gamemnon generall Captaine of the Graecians before Troy speaking of Achilles and being grieued bicause he refused to succour them hauing been offended by him sayd That a man beloued of God is in the place of many men in a campe and far better than a whole company that is vnruly and cannot be gouerned but with great paine and care This reason was the cause that good men heretofore were greatly honored in war and much sought after by great captaines bicause they were very religious and vndertooke nothing before they had prayed to their gods and offered sacrifices after the maner of their countrey Also after they had done some great exploite they were not slouthful to giue thē thanks by offrings and hymnes song to their praise But all these good considerations haue no more place amongst vs than the rest of their warlike discipline principally in that no regard is had what maner of men
but as soone as another stranger came they shewed what they were Heereuppon it came that Kinge Charles the eight easily ouer-ranne all Italy with chalke as we vse to speake that is to saye that without resistance he sent before to take vp his lodging bicause they that shoulde haue withstoode him and were called in to keepe the Countrie did of their owne accord take his parte But there is a further matter Strange hired Captaines either are excellent men or haue nothing in them If they be valiant the Prince is not to trust them For out of doubt they will seeke to make themselues great either by his ouerthrowe that is their Maister or by destroying others against his will And if the Captaines haue no valure in them he cannot hope for any thing but for the cause of his owne perdition Succour is moste hurtfull to an Estate when some Potentate is called in with his forces for aide and defence Those souldiours may well be good and profitable for themselues but are alwaies hurtfull to such as call them in For if a man loose the fielde he is ouer-throwne if he winne it he is their prisoner Such succour is a great deale more to bee feared than hired strength which obeieth the Prince that calleth them and requireth their helpe But when a man receiueth in an armie vnited and accustomed to obeye the Captaine that conducteth and bringeth them in his destruction is alreadie prepared and cannot be auoided who openeth the doore of his owne house to let in an enimie stronger than himselfe Therefore it were expedient for euerye Prince to trye all waies before he haue recourse to such men for helpe and succour And whosoeuer shall reade and consider well the times that are past and runne ouer the present state of things he shall see that whereas one prospered well an infinite number were deceiued and abused For a Common-wealth or an ambitious Prince coulde not wish to haue a better occasion whereby to get the possession of a Citie Seignorie or Prouince than when hee is required to send his armie to defende it But what The ambition desire of reuenge or some other affection of men is so great that to accomplish once their present will they forget all dutie and cast behind them the care of all danger and inconuenience whatsoeuer that may light vppon them The Herules Gothes and Lumbards by these meanes became Lordes of Italy the Frenchmen of the Gaules Countrye the Englishmen of greate Britaine the Scots of Scotland after they had driuen out the Britons and Picts who called them in for succour The Turks made themselues Lords of the East Empire and of the kingdom of Hungary being likewise required of help by the Emperours of Constantinople and by the States of Hungary Not long since Cairadin a Pirate being called by the Inhabitants of Alger to driue the Spaniards out of the fortresse after he had vanquished them he slew Selim Prince of the towne and made himselfe king leauing the Estate to his brother Arradin Barberossa And Saladine a Tartarian Captaine being called by the Calipha and Inhabitants of Caire to driue the Christians out of Soria after the victorie slew the Calipha and became absolute Lorde thereof The foresight which the Princes of Germany had of the perill and hurt that all strangers bring to an Estate caused them to bind the Emperour Charles the fift by the twelfth article of conditions vnto which he sware before he receiued the Imperiall crown that he should not bring in any forraine souldiors into Germany And yet through the great number of Spaniards Italians and Flemmings that came into the countrie beeing called in against the Protestants there wanted little of changing the Estate of Almaigne into an hereditarie kingdom Which had bene soone doone if king Henry the second had not staied it by his French power for which cause he was called by books published and arches erected in their country Protector of the Empire and deliuerer of the Princes who since haue concluded amonge themselues that they will neuer chuse a forraine Prince Charles the seuenth king of France hauing by his great good successe and vertue deliuered France of Englishmen and knowing well that it was necessarie for him to be furnished with his owne forces instituted the decrees of horsemen and of the companies of footemen After that king Lewes his sonne abolished his footemen and began to leauy Switzers which being likewise practised by other kings his successors many men haue noted that by countenancing the Switzers they haue caused their owne forces to degenerate and growe out of vse disanulled the footemen and tied their horsemen to other footemen insomuch that since they haue been vsed to fight in company of the Switzers they think that they cannot obtaine the victorie nor yet fight without them Therfore the prudence of king Francis the first must needes be honored with exceeding great praise in that he established seuen legions of footmen accounting 6000. men to a legion so that there could be no better deuice for the maintenance of warrelike discipline nor more necessary for the preseruation of this kingdome if those good ordinances that were made to this end be wel marked Neuertheles they were abolished in his raigne established againe by Henry the second his successor and after that abrogated I am of opinion that if these ancient institutions both of horsemen and footemen were reuined they would be a good mean whereby we might alwaies haue men of warre to defend this kingdom to conquer that which is taken from it and to helpe our friends whereas nowe we are faine to vse the seruice of vnskilfull men that are made Captaines before euer they were souldiors or else of necessitie compelled to begge and to buy very deare the succour offorraine nations My meaning is not that a Prince should neuer vse the helpe of others but alwaies take his own forces collected among his subiects Nay I say to the contrary that it must needs be profitable for him to vse the succors of his Allies so that they be ioined with him in league offensiue and defensiue For by this meanes he doth not onely make himselfe stronger but withall taketh away both that aide from his enimie which he might otherwise haue drawne from thence and occasion also from all men to make warre with the one except they will haue the other also their enimie But aboue all things let no Prince trust so much to the succours of his Allies except himselfe with his subiects be of greater strength And if Allies are to be feared when they are stronger in another countrie what assurance may a man haue of forraine souldiors that are at no league either offensiue or defensiue with vs Now if vpon the due consideration of these things souldiors be carefully trained vp in good discipline of warre which may be collected out of many institutions that are extant and if
then we would knowe a good way how we shall neuer be vanquished we must not trust to our armour or force but alwaies call vpon God to direct our counsels for the best By this also we shall be perswaded to vse victorie mildly seeing it is the propertie of valiant men to be gentle and gratious ready to forgiue and to haue compassion of them that suffer and indure affliction There is no true victorie as Marcus Aurelius wrote to Popilion Captaine of the Parthians but that which carieth with it some clemencie so that a rigorous and cruell man may not in reason be called victorious And it is most true that to ouercome is humane but the action of pardoning is diuine As touching the sacking and ouerthrow of townes taken in warre carefull heede saith Cicero must be taken that nothing be done rashly or cruelly For it is the propertie of a noble hart to punish such onely as are most guiltie and the authors of euil and to saue the multitude Briefly to obserue in all thinges whatsoeuer is right and honest to be valiant and gentle to be an enimie to those that doe vniustly fauourable to the afflicted seuere to quarrellers and full of equitie to suppliants are those praise-woorthie qualities for which Alexander Iulius Casar Scipio Hannibal Cyrus and many other both Greeke and Romane Captaines are most commended who ought to be imitated in the arte of warre by all excellent men Of a happie Life Chap. 71. ARAM. WE haue hitherto discoursed my Companions of vertues vices for which the life of man is praised or dispraised in all Estats and conditions whereunto the varietie of maners and inclinations to sundry studies and works cal men and make them fit Wherin we haue chiefly followed the ends and bounds of honestie equitie propounded by Moral Philosophers from whence they draw particular duties and all actions of vertue vsing a very commendable and excellent order disposition Now seeing we are come to the end of the cause of our assemblie as we began it with the true Christian knowledge of the creation of man and of the end of his being vnknowne to so many great personages in the world who are lightened only with humane sciences which are but darkenes in regard of that heauenly light the eternal word of God that guideth the soules of the beleeuers I think that we ought also to end and breake vp this our meeting togither with the maner of a happie life and death according to those endes that are propounded vnto vs by the infallible rule of all vertue and truth which if they be not so subtilly set downe and disputed as the Philosophy of the Ancients is yet at the least they are without comparison better and more certaine Go to then let vs heare you discourse first of a happie life ACHITOB. Blessed are they saith the Prophet that dwell in the house of God and that euermore praise him hauing his waies in their harts He will giue them grace and glory and will with-hold no good thing from them that walke vprightly ASER. What happier life can we require than that which S. Iohn calleth eternal life namely to know one only true God Iesus Christ whō he hath sent But it belongeth to thee AMANA to feede our spirits with this excellent subiect AMANA Although the spirite of God teaching his iust and holy will by a doctrine that is simple and void of all vaine shew of wordes hath not alwaies obserued and kept so strictly such a certaine order and methode to prepare and to direct their liues that shall beleeue in him as the Philosophers did who affected the greatest shew outwardly that they could thereby to make manifest the sharpnes of their wit the greatnes of their humane vnderstanding yet may we easily gather out of this diuine doctrine which doth more deface all glittering shew and beauty of humane sciences than the Sun excelleth darkenes a most excellent order teaching vs to frame a happie life according to the mould paterne of true heauenly vertue This order consisteth of two parts the one imprinting in our harts the loue of iustice the other giuing vnto vs a certaine rule that will not suffer vs to wander hither thither nor to slip aside in the framing of our life Concerning the first point the Scripture is full of very good reasons to encline our harts to loue that Good which in deed is to be desired I meane perfect righteousnes With what foundation could it begin better than by admonishing vs to be sanctified bicause our God is holy Whereunto the reason is added that although we were gone astray as sheepe scattered dispersed in the Labyrinth of this world yet he hath gathered vs togither to ioine vs to himselfe When we heare mention made of the coniunction of god with vs we must remember that the bond thereof is holines and that we must direct our steps thither as to the end of our calling that we may be transformed into the true image of God which through sinne was defaced in the first man consequently in vs. Moreouer to mooue vs the more to embrace that only true God the spirit of God teacheth vs that as he hath reconciled vs vnto himselfe in his son Iesus Christ so he hath appointed him to be vnto vs an example and paterne vnto which wee must conforme our selues This heauenly worde also taketh occasion to exhort vs thereunto in infinite places drawing his reasons from all the benefits of God and from all the parts of our saluation As when it is saide That seeing God hath giuen himselfe to be our Father wee are to be accused of notable ingratitude if wee behaue not our selues as his children Seeing Iesus Christ hath clensed vs by the washing of his blood and hath communicated this purification vnto vs by baptisme there is no reason why we should defile our selues with new filthines Seeing he hath ioined ingrafted vs into his body we must carefully looke that we defile not our selues in any sort being members of his body Seeing he that is our Head is gone vp to heauen we must lay aside all earthly affections and aspire with all our hart to that heauenly life Seeing the holy Ghost hath consecrated vs to be the temples of God we must labour and striue that the glorie of God may be exalted in vs and beware that we receiue no pollution Seeing our soules and bodies are fore appointed to enioye that immortalitie of the kingdome of heauen and the incorruptible Crowne of God his glorie we must endeuour to keepe both the one and the other pure and vnspotted vntill the day of the Lord. Behold surely good grounds meete to frame and institute a happie life by and to mooue a Christian to bring foorth the effectes of such an excellent and woorthie title throught the loue
learned True philosophy is to be found in the word of God How much we owe to good authors The chiefe foundation of al philosophie Necessarie points for a philosopher We must learne alwaies Against presumption and selfe liking A fit comparison Antisthenes an example of great loue to knowledge Plato How we may know whether we profit in philosophie A good way to ouercome great faults When we may be called Philosophers The perfection of Philosophie The contempt of worldly goods necessary in a Philosopher Crates Notable examples of loue to Philosophie Anaxagoras Democritus Euclide Philosophie only teacheth vs to know our chiefe good The true cause of ioy and tranquillitie in a Christian soule What this word Philosopher meaneth There were three chiefe sects of philosophers Who are happie and who vnhappie Worldlie goods are of no force Two sorts of goods Vertue is the effect of regeneration The definition of vertue Socrates called religion the greatest vertue The dutie of prudence The foundation and spring of all vertue Wherein humane happines consisteth The gifts and graces of God are diuers in men The excellencie and propertie of vertue Euerie thing is made profitable through vertue Vertue compared to a palme tree The reward of vertue in the life to come is of the free mercie of God Comparison of worldly goods with vertue Nothing hath power ouer vertue Vertue cannot be valued Why Plato in his works bringeth in Socrates speaking Wherein the happines and greatnes of a king consisteth What it was that procured to Alexander the surname of Great Examples of the force and effects of vertue in aduersitie Pelopidas Philocles A most constant death Anaxarchus A woonderfull magnanimitie A wise man dieth willingly The feare of death doth not astonish the vertuous Callicratides Themistocles loue to his countrie Age hath no power ouer vertue Agesilaus Vertue causeth kingdoms to florish Vertue is the onely honest profitable and pleasant good Anacharsis forsooke a kingdome that he might the better obtaine vertue Three things necessarie for the obtaining of vertue The knowledge of goodnes must go before the loue of it Vice is the onely euil of the soule What we ought to call euill Vertue is the health and vice the sicknes of the soule Vice is like a dropsie When we begin to hate vice The definition of vice The effects of vice Vice is of an endles stocke Although we are to hate vice with a perfect hatred yet we must not kill our selues to be 〈◊〉 of it The vicious man onely is a captiue Nothing more hurtfull than vice Vice ioined with authoritie is more hurtfull A good lesson for great men The propertie of the wicked The alteration of kingdoms commeth of vice Offences are neuer without paine How a man may haue continuall quietnes The force of conscience in the wicked Leuit. 26. 36. Esay 66. 24. Examples of tormented consciences in the wicked A wise man is ashamed to attend before himselfe Why God deferreth his vengeance vpon the wicked Custome in sinning is dangerous How we should fortifie our selues against vice The humanitie of Pythagoras euen towards brute beasts An excellent comparison teaching vs not to suffer any vnlawfull thing We must neuer harken to the heralds of vice How vice deceiueth men The prudence of the serpent Why Diogenes asked his almes of images The speeches of ignorant men touching the studie of sciences Why many fathers set not their children to schoole Man was created to vnderstand and to do The benefits which come by knowledge The proper worke of the spirit of man It is long ere men without knowledge become good magistrates The praise of wisedome The diuision of sciences Grammer Rhetorick Logick Physick Metaphysick Mathematick and the parts thereof as Arithmetick Geometry Cosmography Geography Astronomy Musicke Poetry Those sciences are first to be learned that are most necessarie What kinde of knowledge is especially required in a philosopher Anacharsis letter to Craesus touching the studies of Graecia The praise and prosite of 〈◊〉 How a man may become happie Wherein kings ought most to exercise themselues The saving of Philip at the birth of Alexander Alexanders letter to Aristotle His loue to learning Iulius Caesar Xenophon Nicias Archimedes Socrates conclusion drawen out of 24. howers contemplation Charles 4. Robert king of Sicilia Ptolemie Philadelphus Charlemaine Francis 1. Antisthenes saying touching a flute plaier The modestic of Socrates touching his owne skill Quicke wits commonly want memorie Psal 102. 26. It is very hard for a man to know himselfe Socrates opinion concerning man The soule is 〈◊〉 man Socrates answer touching his burâ—all Periander Empedocles Of the generation of the soule The soule is diuided into the spirit and the flesh The spirit of the godlie both by creation and regeneration is enimie to vice The fight betweene the spirit and the flesh Rom. 8 7. What we are being left to our selves The difference betweene the 〈◊〉 and the spirit The three parts of the spirit Of Memorie Mithridates Frederick Genusbey P. Crassus From whence iudgement proceedeth Iulius Caesar Seneca A good â—se of memorie Reasons why quick est wits haue woorâ—t memories and conâ—â—â—wise 1. Cor. 12. Rom. 8. 1. The end of the creation of all things What homage we owe to God Which is the cheefe end of our being What â—uâ—ie is The diuision of dutie What dutie we owe to God and therefore Obedience to Gods law is the mother of all vertues What our dutie towards our neighbour is Man created for man Profit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be separated from honestie Two things requisite in euerie good worke Fower riuers issue out of the fountaine of dutie Examples of the zeale of the ancients in the seruice of there god Calanus The zeale of the Iewes to their law Of the loue which a man oweth to his countrie Cato of Vtica In what case a good man may sue for an office Metellus Lycurgus Marcus Otho The couragious mind of a soldier A notable example against ciuill war Codrus M. Curtius Dutie and honestie are to be propounded in all our actions Ecclus. 1. 18. Ecclus. 1. 23. What prunence is The effects of the vertue of prudence The difference betweene science and prudence Prudence compared to the sight Prudence hath three eies The praise-worthy effects of prudence The coniunction of all the vertues Of the prudence of Alexander Of the prudence of Pulius Caesar Caesar noted two faults in Pompey Agesilaus The losse of a captâ—â—â—e is commonly cause of the ruine of an amâ—e The prudence of Solon The prudence of Lycurgus Phocion The prudence of Demosthenes in defending the innocencie of a poore woman How a prudent man may reape benefit by his enimies and by mishaps Anaxagoras The prudent foresight of 〈◊〉 The prudence of Scipio in answering to an vniust accusation Emilius Scaurus The sports of prudent men Pleasant sayings ful of doctrine A prudent man doth not ouerlightly beleeue any thing How none can be hurt but by himselfe Vertuous actions are to
be ioined with knowledge What want of prudence is The pernitious effects of ignorance All ignorant men are euill The effects of ignorance both in rich poore Common effects of ignorance The spring of all errors The reasons which mooued the heathen to beleeue that there was a diuinitie Nicias feared an eclipse of the moone Caligula and Domitian Otho 1. Anaxagoras saying against the superstitious feare of celestiall signes Cleander a traitor to Commodus his Lord. The hase mind of Perses being ouercome of Emilius What malice and craft are Vertuous men seeke after honest not secret things Satan the father of malice and subtiltie The malice of Nero. Tiberius Math. 10. 16. We must not denie or hide our ignorance Math. 12. 35. Pro. 17. 27. 28. 1. Per. 3. 10. A double speech or reason How speech is framed Words are the shadow of works The foundation and scope of all speech Of Laconicall speech A pretie saying of Pittacus Of graue and eloquent speech Against prating pleaders The toong is the best and woorst thing that is Isocrates appointed two times of speaking Apelles speech to a Persian lord How great men ought to speake Apelles speech to a shoomaker Alexander gaue money to a poet to hold his peace Nothing ought to be written without great deliberation Notable and pithy letters of ancient men A good precept for speaking The praise of silence Hyperides Examples of mischiefes caused by the intemperancie of the toong Of concealing a secret Examples of the commendable freedome of speech The constancie of Gordius Prudence requisite in a friend No outward thing is to be preferred before friendship Nothing more rare or excellent than a friend The principall cause and end of all true friendship What friendship is The difference betwixt friendship and loue What things are requisite in friendship The common practise of flatterers What maner of man we must choose for our friend How we must prooue a friend How we must shake off a false friend How Alcibiades tried his friends The meanes to keepe a friend Friendship must be free Phalereus How many waies we owe dutie to our friend How we must beare with the imperfections of our friend Against the plurality of friends He that hath neuer a fo hath neuer a friend The best and most excellent friendship is betweene one couple Pisistratus letter 〈◊〉 his nephew Titus Flaminius Nothing better than to liue with a vertuous man Three things necessarie in friendship Man is mutable One of the greatest fruits reaped in friendship A notable custome of the Lacedemonians A friend compared to a musitioÌ„ Agesilaus How we must vse reprehension Time bringeth as many things to good order as reason doth We must correct in our selues those faults which we reprehend in others Sundry instructions how to admonish wisely Reprehension is the beginning of good life Solons good aduice for counsailors to princes Philosophers ought to be conuersant with princes Solons counsell giuen to Craesus Why Plato went into Sicilia to Dionysius Arrogancie dwelleth in the end with solitarines Notable counsell for princes Demetrius Traians letter to Plutarke How Philoxenus corrected Dionysius tragedie The free gird of a peasant giuen to an Archbishop The like giuen to Pope Sixtus the 4. by a Frier Prou. 27.5 Gal. 6. r. Mediocritie must be vsed in all actions The difference of good and bad consisteth in mediocritie Against curiositie in knowledge A notable saying of Socrates The death of Aristotle and Plinie through too much curiositie The burning of Aetna Two generall kinds of curiositie Against the curiositie of seeing strange nations One euident cause of the ruin of Fraunce Lycurgus for-bad traffick with strangers Fiue vices brought out of Asia by the Romanes Why Fabius would neuer go on the water Plato and Apollonius were great trauellerâ— Of curiositie in seeking to know other mens imperfections The curious are more profitable to their enimies than to themselues Curiositie in princes affaires is perilous How we must cure curiositie Examples against curiositie Against lightnes of beleefe Faults whereinto curious men commonly fall Wittie answers made to curious questions Rom. 12. 3. Natural vertues according to the Philosophers who had no knowledge of mans fall The diuision of nature What nature is The propertie and light of nature The corruption of nature Three things neceâ—â—arie for the perfection of 〈◊〉 The difference between philosophers and the common people Three things coâ—curâ—e in perfect vertue The defect of nature is holpen by good education The weaknes of our naturall inclination to goodnes A similitude Lvcurgus example of two dogs Socrates and Themistocles were by nature vicious but by education vertuous The Germaines much changed by institution A mans naturall inclination may be espied in a small matter Great men ought especially to learne vertue The Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsed by Pythagoras and translated of the Latins Mâ—ndus and of vs World signifieth a comely order No vertue can be without temperance The true marks and ornaments of a king What temperanceis What Decorum or comelines iâ— The definition of temperance What passions are ruled by temperance Fower parts of temperance The commendation of temperance Woonderfull examples of temperance Scipio Africanus Alexander Cyrus Architas Xenocrates Isaeus C. Gracchus Antigonus Pompeius F. Sforce The temperance of Pompey against ambition Pittacus Pedaretus Scipio Torquatus Fabritius Aimaeus Amurathes Charles 5. Soüs Lysimachus Cato Rodolphus Socrates Predominant passions in intemperance Some sinnes are punishments of other sinnes Rom. 1. What intemperance is The difference betweene an incontinent and an intemperate man A fit similitude The companions of intemperance Intemperate men resemble mad folks Heliogabalus Nero. Commodus Caligula Proculus Chilpericus 1. Xerxes Epicurus Sardanapalus Antonius Boleslaus 2. Adrian Iohannes a Casa The Temple of Diana was burnt by Erostratus Or Stupiditie Luke 13. 27. The cause of the long life of our Elders and of the shortnes of ours Dionysius a monster and why The sobrietie of old time and corruption of ours compared togither Sobrietie preserueth health There is more pleasure of the creatures in sobrietie than in superfluitie The belly is an vnthankfull beast The counsell of Epictetus concerning eating How wise men in old time feasted one another Against vaine delights in feasts The bellie a feeding beast When musicke is most conuenient The custome of the Egyptians at bankets The custome of the Lacedemonians The manner of drinking in old time The sobrietie of Alexander Against excessiue drinking Cyrus Porus. Phaotes Alphousus Agesilaus Good cheere keepeth baâ—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on â—â—â—peius M. Cate. Epaminondas C. Fabritius Scipio Masinissa Mithridates Hannibal Vespasianus Daniel Iohn Baptist. Maxentius Socrates feast Darius in his thirst iudged puddle water to be good drinke Tokens of the wrath of God The chiefest cause of destruction to Common-wealths is excesse in delights Pleasure the end of superfluitie Of the delicate life The seed of diseases Of the shortnes of mans life The soule of gluttons
of confidence Our hope must be grounded vpon the grace of God Of vaine hope Who are soonest throwen downe with aduersitie Wencelaüs The diuision of hope Of the true and infallible hope Of earthly hope Speeches vnbeseeming a wise man The fruit of hope Our life would be insupportable without hope Cineas talke with I'yrrhus concerning his great hope Pyrrhus compared to a Dice-plaier Caesar was led continually with new hope Two things hurtfull to men We must not judge of enterprises by the euent Ill hap is more common than good Seneca aduiseth vs to prepare our selues to all cuents What the author vnderstandeth by the word Fortune Rom. 15. 5. Exod. 34. 6. Patience a salue for all sores Of the Stoicall patience Vertue is neither without affection nor subiect to affections Of true patience The definition of patience The fruits of patience Prou. 16. 32. Of impatiencie choler and wrath The definition of anger Who are most giuen to impatiencie and choler Aristotle contrary in opinion to the Stoicks How impatiencie and choler may be cured What the wicked iudge of patience Leuit. 19. 18. Deut. 32. 35. Whereof choler is bred A good way to remedie choler The counsaile that Athenodorus gaue to Augustus Eph. 4. 26. A notable custome of the Pythagorians Cotis brake his glasses to auoyd occasion of wrath Magistrates ought not to punish any in their choler As Theodosius did Plato refused to correct his seruant in his anger Aurelianus anger was the cause of his death Valentinian in his anger brake a veine and died thereof Against the infamous vice of swearing A notable decree of the Romanes S. Lewes his law against swearing Carilaüs 1. Thes 5. 14. Heb. 10. 36. This word Man is in Latin Hâ—mo froÌ„ whence is deriued humâ—nitas which signifieth curte fie or gentlenes No nation voyd of curtesie Reasons to mooue vs to loue our neighbours A Temple dedicated to Mercie What Charitie is The definition and effects of Meekenes A medioeritie must be kept betweene mildnes and crueltie Philip a Prince of a good and mild nature Antigonus Oh that Princes would consider this Alexander A commendable combat Bessus cruelly put to death for killing Darius Iulius Caesar M. Aurelius Dion All priuate reuenge commeth of frailtie Lycurgus Lewes the 12. Henry the 2. The Stoicks The Epicures Wherein good and ill hap consist Who is happie in Socrates iudgement Who is happie The cause why Amasis forfooke his alliance with Policrates An ordin arie imperfection in man A meane to auoid the â—â—â—re of our 〈◊〉 An other imperfection Notable opinions of good and ill hap Solon sayd that happines consisted in a good life and death The doctrine of Socrates and of the papists is all one touching the hope of eternall life The common opinion of men concerning happines and vnhappines Whereat Apollonius maruelled most Notable reasons to shew that no worldly thing can be called good and that happines cannot be perfected by any such thing Wherein true happines consisteth Who are vnhappy The happinesse of man commeth from within him Our life compared to table-play Alexander and Crates opposed one against an other Agamemnon Where we must seeke for true happines Who is happie in this world A pretie comparison A similitude A similitude Common effects of the fraile nature of man Prosperity more hurtfull than aduersitie Plato was requested by the Cyrenians to giue them lawes Good counsell for those that are in prosperitie Alexander Iulius Caesar Pompey A wise foresight of Sylla An excellent oration of P. Aemilius to his souldiers M. Aurelius Philip king of Macedonia Archidamas Cyrus The instabilitie of humane things The common effects of aduersitie The fruits of the study of Philosophie Craesus The Romanes were wise and constant in aduersitie The propertie of Vertue oppressed The wonderful constancie of Socrates P. Rutilus Q. Metellus Diogenes Socrates tooke the whole world for his countrey The fruits of riches Of the nature qualitie and effects of riches Riches of them selue are the good gifts of God but the euils wrought for or by theÌ„ come froÌ„ the corrupt nature of man The Poets fained Pluto to be the God of riches appointing Hell for his kingdome The euill disposition of the mind is the true cause of the hurt that commeth by riches From whence happines and contentation commeth Great madnes in coueting monie Examples of the contempt of riches M. Curius Phocion Philopaemen Cimon Anacreon Xenocrates Socrates Fiue Doubles in France make a peny of our coine Lycurgus abrogated the vse of gold and siluer coine Luke 16. 13. 1. Tim. 6. 9. Luke 12. 16. What riches we ought to treasure vp The chief cause why riches are so earnestly desired Against those that think poore men lesse happy than the rich A pretie comparison Matth. 19. 21. 23. No comparison between worldlie and heauenlie treasures The fruits of pouertie An excellent defence for pouertie Examples to shew that pouertie was more esteemed of than riches Zeno. Diogenes Cleanthes Menedemus Asclepiades Pythagoras kept a spare diet Philoxenus Who ought to be esteemed poore Diogenes supposed Alexander to be poorer than himself A friend is to wish 3 things to his friend What pouertie is odious Aristides Where the fulnesse of riches is to be sought Griefe pleasure the causes of all passions in men Idlenes is the mother nurse of all vice Idlenes is against nature Scipio was neuer idle To what end we must studie Philosophie Pythagoras precept against Idlenes Notable examples of the redresse of Idlenes Claudius Adrianus Scipio Nasica The Ephoryes of Lacedemonia Gelon A similitude Sweat is placed before vertue Prouerb 24. 30. 31. Idlenes decaieth the health of the body No man ought to hide his life Of gaming and of the effects thereof Chilon refused to make a league with dicers The occasion that mooued the Lydians to inuent games Alphonsus decree against play How we may recreate our selues Of perseuerance An excellent precept of Phocylides Examples against idlenes An excellent comparison How politicall knowledge must be preserued The fruits of idlenes The end of our life Matth. 10. 22. Matth. 12. 36. A pretie comparison Good friends or sharp enimies are necessarily required to a happy life Why men are beholding to their enimies How men behaue theÌ„selues now adays towards their enimies Murder forbidden A notable sentence Leuit. 24. 17. Psal 9. 9. 16. Matth. 5. 10. To suffer iniurie patiently is a badge of a most absolute vertue A commendable kind of reuenge Good counsaile of Seneca We must do nothing in choler An apt similltu le How a man may profit by the backbiting of his enimies The best kind of reueng How many wayes a maÌ„ may receiue iniurie Men must not take the law into their owne hands although it be not rightly executed Of the offence done to honor The excuse of quarrellers Socrates void of reuenge We must not be mooued with mocks Ptolemaeus How a man may repulse a mocke Cato
Demosthenes Plato Lysander The limits that are to be vsed in hating the wicked Scaurus How Agesilaus made his enimies his friends Augustus The Venetians Pontinus The prudence of Dionysius in punishing euill speakers Antisthene counsaile Math. 5. 44. Rom. 12. 19. What true Philosophie is The fruits and effects of Iustice What Iustice is Three things necessary in euery common-wealth The ground of all Iustice The distinction of Iustice Whosoeuer hath Iustice perfectly hath all the vertues The praise of Iustice Respect of persons is not to be vsed in the practise of Iustice The diuision of Iustice The difference between Commutatiue and Distributiue Iustice The end of Iustice The necessitie of Iustice Diuers names agree to Iustice in diuers respects Ierem. 21. 12. 22. 3. What Iustice and Iudgement are The Egyptians were zealous of Iustice How they painted Iudges The Grecians and Romans What citie is best gouerned Examples of the loue of Iustice Cleon. Aristides I. Brutus Phocion Alexander Augustus Agesilaus Prowes without Iustice is worth nothing The difference between a great and a little king Phillip Traianus â— â—am 8. 5. What causeth kingdoms to flourish God is the author of Iustice What maner of men magistrates ought to be One meane wherby the abuse of Iustice may be taken away The inconuenience that commeth by setting offices to sale Exod. 18. The saving of Alexander and Lewes the 12. Against buyers of offices Aurelianus A meane to preserue policies A pretie comparison Euerie vertue is in the midst of two vices How the thrones of kings may be established in iustice All men haue some knowledge of good and euill and some inward sence of a diuine nature The fruits of Iniustice in the wicked Vertue is to be preferred before all worldlie things Iniustice is a generall vice How many waies a man may be vniust The effects of Iniustice Pericles A notable example for euery ciuil Magistrate Why the life of the wicked cannot be happy A comparison A comparison The wrong conceit which men haue of the wicked that prosper The punishment of sinne is equall with it both for age and time All things are present with God A sure token of a desperate common-welth The miserable estate of France The deniall of Iustice dangerous Phillip Demetrius Henrie king of Sweathland A notable historic of the death of Ferdinando the 4. Notable Iniustice committed by a Prouost of Paris Hugues of Crecy Artaxerxes Alexander Seuerus The punishment of one who sold his masters fauor Of Seueritie Clemencie preserueth a prince his throne Prou. 20. 28. M. Torquatus Ausidius Most cruell seucritie of Piso Augustus Caesar Ier. 22. 3. 5. 2. Chr. 19. 6. Matth. 7. 2. Of the corruption of our age When vertue seemeth to be out of season What Faith and Fidelitie is Of the violating of faith Leuit. 19. 12. Deut. 5. 11. Matth. 5. 34. Whether a forced promise is to be kept A wise man must neuer promise any thing against dutie Psal 15. 4. Lysander a forsworne and deceitfull man We must keep promise with our enimie Of the neglect of fidelitie commeth a custom of lying It is wickednes to conceale the fault of that which a man selleth Lying in a prince is most odious The promise of a prince is tied with a double bond Of the word faith of a prince Of Treason Notable examples A. Regulus Demaratus Augustus Cato Periurie and faithles persons haue alwaies had ill successe Tissaphernes Cleomenes Caracalla The Corinthians Iustinianus the Emperor Rastrix Duke of Cleaueland The cause of the present miserie of France Examples of the entertainment which the ancients gaue to traitors Lasthenes Rymetalces Agis Pausanias Ariobarzanes Iustinian a Genâ—an cause of the taking of Constantinople A famous and heroicall fact of Sultan Solyman Cato commended for his truth Ephes 4. 25. Luk. 10. 37. The memorie of euill things is fruitfull but of good things barren Ingratitude the cause of the sin and death of man No mans life void of Ingratitude The life of the ignorance is vnthankfull God disposeth all thiâ—gs by Iustice The vapors wherwith the eyes of the mind are dimmed Of the ingratitude of great men Reward and honor nourisheth vertue Artes. Impudencie Ingratitude are companions The description of impudencie Dutie and profit are two distinct things A law against vnthankful persons The Storke a gracefull bird The fruits of ingratitude Examples against ingratitude Pyrrhus Circerius A notable historie of an Arabian Turke Baiazet A mean to keep vs from ingratitude Another meane for the same Artaxerxes thankfully accepted a litle water Vertue is a sufficient recompence to it selfe The sleepe of the spirite is woorse than death What Liberalitie is Riches 〈…〉 the waters How riches may be well vsed Aristotles opinion concerning a happie life destitute of bodilie and outward goods A poore man may be liberall Luke 16. 9. How princes passe the limites of liberalitie When the inferior sort passe the bounds of liberalitie About what we are to bestow the ouerplus of our wealth A notable law amongst the Romanes How Epaminondas compelled a rich man to be liberall CimoÌ„ a notable paterne of the true vse of riches Liberalitie most necessarie for princes and great men The lawes of liberalitie A common mischief which foloweth the greater sort The liberalitie of Alexander To the Macedonians To all debtors in his armie To Aristotle To Anaxarchus To Perillus. To an Egyptian Caesar a liberall Prince Antonius a magnificall Prince but voluptuous Archelaus gaue not to the vnwoorthy How Antigonus denied one that was importunate Titus a good liberall Prince A notable precept of Phocylides Ptolemaeus the Thebane Denys the elder Cyrus Pertinax Matth. 25. No wicked thing ought to be iudged profitable Couetousnes hath ouerflowen all Couetousnes will neuer be satisfied Conetousnes like to a dropsie Stratonicus derided the superfluitie of the Rhodians Couetous men compared to Mules The miserable life of couetous men 1. Tim. 6. 10. The fruits of couetousnes How prodigalitie and couetousnes may in some sort be linked togither in one subiect Couetous men compared to hogs Couetous men compared to rats and cundit pipes It is better to be the sheepe than the sonne of a couetous man Examples of the fruites of couetousnes and of prodigalitie Muleasses Polymester Caligula Nero. Against the superfluitie of sumptuous buildings An Italian Monke A cruell murder of a Gentlewoman and of hir houshold Mauritius depriued of the Empire for his couctousnes The Nobilitie of Switserland destroied for the same cause Lewes 11. Calipha How Dionysius punished a couetous wretch How Darius his couerousnesse was beguiled C. Licinius strangled himselfe to leaue his goods to his children Hermocrates bequeathed his goods to himselfe A ratte sold for 200. pence Couetousnes caused Crassus to play on both sides Wonderfull riches Pompey abhorred couetousnes The great couetousnes of a cardinall The cruel punishment of a couetous curate 1. Tim. 6. 10. What magistrates are best liked of couetous princes 1.
of the Phocians Of the iudgements of the Romanes Who were Iudges amongst them and how they were chosen Three kinds of Pretors in Rome Of the reuerence and honor which was giuen to Magistrates An excellent way to decide all controuersies betweene parties at discord Of the ancient reputation of iudgements in France The iustice of France fallen from the ancient glorie Tokens of a corrupted Estate The proceeding of iustice in France from time to time The officers of the Court of Parliament in Paris The preâ—â—â—te state of the Paeliament Of the ancient estate of the Parliament Ferdinando forbad that any Lawyers should go into the West Indians The springs of all corruptions of iustice The Areopagites iudged by night and in the darke The Switzers forbid their Iudges to take any thing for iudging The saying of a Peasant to three Lawyers Of the miserie which length of suits bring with it The great abuse of iustice in France How a corrupt Common-wealth must be corrected When it is lawfull to seeke after publike offices Iudges ought to be such old men as haue experience ioined with their knowledge Magistrats must not be couetous The chiefest point of Philosophy A corrupt making of Iudges The statute of S. Lewes concerning the election of officers No earthly thing perpetual No Common-wealth perpetuall No iniurie is a sufficient cause for any man to moone sedition The originall of all sedition The cause of vnion and concord in kingdoms The fruits of the contempt of religion Peace and concord effects of the feare of God Isaias 2. 4. Micah 4. 3. What sedition is The fruits of sedition Matth. 12. 25. 2. Sam. 24. 14. What communitie Plato required in his Common-welth Two kinds of warre The fruits of ciuil warre among the Grecians Demades reprocheth the Athenians Agesilaus bewaileth the ciuil dissention of Graecia The prudence of Englishmen Traians letter to the Senate of Rome The Romane Empire decaied through seditions The original of the Romane seditions M. Coriolanus being banished contrary to right tooke armes against his countrey T. Gracchus the first that was slaine in Rome by sedition Sylla made himself perpetuall Dictator The Romane Empire began first to decline vnder Tiberius Diuision ouerthrew Alexanders Empire The cause of the ruine of Constantinople The cause of the subiection of Iudaea to the Romans Onias prayer Ciuil warres in Italy between the Guelphes and the Gybellines The great crueltie of the Guelphes and Gybellines By what tokens they know one another The originall of this contention The diuision of the houses of Yorke and Lancaster Henry the 6. depriued of his Kingdom by the house of Yorke The vnion of the houses of Lancaster and Yorke Of ciuil warres in Spaine The great iurisdiction of Spain Of ciuil dissention in Italy Germany vexed with ciuil warre Hungaria lost by ciuil dissention Persia was subdued by the dissention of two brethren Dinan and Bouines subdued through dissention France much troubled with ciuil warres Women in Champagnie made their husbands noble Cruel warre between the house of Burgundie of Orleans The cause thereof Henry the 5. proclaimed king of France Ambition and desire of gouernment the chiefe cause of the troubles in France The ancients limites of the French monarchie A comparison Good counsell for all kings and soueraigne princes A disease known is almost cured The causes of diuision between subiects Two causes of the franticke feauer of French diuisions Corruption is naturall in all things A Prince compared to a Physition To know the causes of euils is the readiest way to cure them When Common-wealths begin to alter Foure causes of all things The efficient causes of seditions The materiall cause of seditions The formal cause The difference between a rebellion and a faction Fower final causes of seditions Couetousnes a principall cause of sedition 1. King 12. 14 16. Which are publike goods When couetousnes is committed in publike goods God requireth restitution of oppressors Great seditions began vpon a small occasion Couetousnes cause of the death of the nobilitie in Switzerland 1. Sam. 8. 5. Ambition the second cause of seditions Honor the only reward of vertue Onely vertue ought to open the gates of honour Iniurie the third cause of sedition Why Cvrus reuolted from his grandfather Astyages Coriolanus Childeric slaine by Bodilus Iustine 3. Feare the fourth cause of seditions Catiline What maner of men are afraid of peace Feare was one cause that mooued Caesar to seek the empire Excesse in authoritie power is the fist cause of seditieÌ„s What the Ostracisme among the Athenians was Many kings ouerthrowen by suffring their seruants grow too great Contempt is the sixt cause of seditions Who are most subiect to contempt Contempt brecdeth disobedience Causes that mooue subiects to contemue their Princes A rule of Estate Lewes the 11. fought withall by his Nobles bicause he contemned them Ouer-great inequalitie betweene Estates in a Common-wealth is the sâ—uenth cause of seditions Equalitie the mother of peace Impunitie of offences the eight cause of seditions The meaning of this precept Be not suretie for another 1. King 20. 42. Other causes-of sedition Shame is sometime cause of alteration of Estates Negligence a cause of chang Two sorts of negligence Bishops neglecting their charg to deale in worldly affaires bring themselues into contempt An Estate is not changed all at one time but by little and little Dissimilitude a cause of chang Examples of strangers that haue expelled naturall Citizens out of their townes The Inhabitants of Geneua conspired against strangers in their citie Caluine hazarded his life to appease a tumult in Geneua Exod. 1. 16. Diuers kinds of dissimilitudes in Common-wealths Whether diuersitie of religion be a cause of ciuill warre Diuersitie of opinion among subiects dangerous in an Estate Thomas Emperour of Constantinople slaine for pulling downe of Images The causes that brcede the change of all Common-wealths Why Wisedom is giuen of God Wisd 6. 21. The praise of wisedome Contrary causes bring foorth contrary effects Prou. 27. 20. Choice customs of seuen flourishing Estates Discontentment is the spring of all vices The effects of couetousnes The contented mind of Magistrats is the first meane to preserue an Estate Exod. 18. 21. Why Tiberius would not change his Lieutenants A notable custome vsed by Seuerus in making vnder-gouernors The second meane to preserue an Estate The third meane Of whome a Prince holdeth his soueraigntie Subiects compared to a set of counters The fourth meane Magistrats must be punished aswelt as the Common people Aristotle misliked perpetuall Magistrates Generall Commissioners requisite in a Monarchy The sift meane Delay in punishing the wicked is dangerous The sixt meane Geometricall proportion ought to be obseâ—ued in Common-wealths Vpon what men publike charges are to be bestowed Two sorts of equalitie The seuenâ—h meane The eight The beginning of euils must be staied The â—inth The tenth The eleuenth The twelfth Contentious persons must be remooued from the Court. Princes must
labour by all meanes to end the contentions of their subiects They must not be parties in their subiects quarrels The thirteenth The fourteenth Fiue necessary things for the preseruation of euery common-wealth All liuing creatures loue the place of their birth It is the dutie of euery subiect to defend his countrey The nobilitie is the ornament of a Common-wealth Of the law prosapia To whom the defence of a countrey chiefly belongeth What order is The end of order What gouernment is Ignorance is no sufficient excuse for a magistrate What prudence is What a christian empire is We must spare no cost to help the common-wealth Ephe. 4. 5. 6. All things stand by proportion Six sundry callings of men necessary in euery good common-wealth No nation but adoreth some diuinitie The sacrifices of Christians Three sorts of sacrifices Of priests and pastors Wherein the office of true pastors consisteth Esa 56. 10. 11. Against dumbe dogs and couetous sheep-heards Tit. 1. 7. 8. 9. The qualities of a good pastor 1. Pet. 5. 2. 3. Vices to be auoided in a pastor The dutie of a good magistrate consisteth in foure things Iustice distributed into 7. parts Of armes and of the necessitie of them What nobilitie is Three kinds of nobilitie Which is right nobilitie Macrines letter to the Senate of Rome touching nobilitie Malach. 2. 10. When nobilitie of birth is to be esteemed Of riches and burgeises Riches are the sinewes of war They are necessary in a Common-wealth The exceeding riches that Dauid left to Salomon The number of workmen about Salomons temple Augustus maintained yeerely 44. legions of souldiors The limites of the Romane Empire in the time of Augustus Of Artes and Artificers What an Arte or occupatiō is Arte is an imitation of nature Three things necessary for the life of man The vse of Aliments The vse of houses The vse of garments The dutie of all artificers Artificers of one Science ought not to dwell all togither Of Aliments labourers The prayse of husbandry The antiquitie therof Men haue been always more inclined to husbandry than to any other vocation Princes haue forsaken their diademes to fall to husbandry Cyrus Dioclesian Profit and pleasure are ioyned togither in husbandry The countrey fitter for students than the citie The dutie of husband men Three things necessary for them Euery common-wealth must be always prouided against all euents both of peace warre Rom. 12. 18. Col. 3. 15. Leuit. 26. 3. 6. 14. 15. 25. Lycurgus referred all his lawes to warre appointing the Ilotes onely to deale with occupations Numa referred all his lawes to peace The keeping of Ianus Temple shut was a signe of peace among the Romanes The discommodities of a long peace Excellent comparisons betweene the composition of the world and of euery happy Common-wealth How the vertues are knit togither and depend one of another Peace is to be preferred before warre The effects of peace The effects of warre What kingdom is happie Warre maketh men cruell and peace gentle Archidamus letter to the Elians Cato misliked Caesar for breaking of peace Wherefore and when we must begin warre Phocion disswaded the Athenians from warre The fruits of vniust warre When a warre is lawfull Traian neuer vndertooke vniust warre Antigonus testimonie of the iniustice of warre Caesar Famine and the plague follow warre Malcontents are glad of war Causes why the exercise of arms must alwaies continue Augustus kept 40. legions in continuall exercise of warlike discipline Constantine the Great Good considerations for a Prince It is not the weapon that maketh a warriour From whence valure proceedeth Three things necessarily required in men of warre Good will commeth from good institution Reuerence from the wisedome and experience of Captaines Obedience is wrought in them by the diligence of the Heads The vertue of the Captaines is much in war The ancient order of the Romane armie The Romanes diuided their armie into three parts The benefite of this Romane order The wisedome of the Switzers fighting on the Frenchmens side Frenchmen loosing the first encounter loose also the victorie Some armies are furious and yet keepe good order Good order in armies is neuer without hope of victorie In the French armies is furie without order The ancient warlike discipline of the Romanes What manner of campe the ancient Romanes had Of the ancient obedience of souldiors to their captains Of the execution that was shewed vpon souldiors that offended The tithing of armies was most seuere How Captaines were punished if they offended Aurelius letter to a Tribune touching warlike discipline The corruption of warlike discipline in these dayes Aurelius punished adulterie and theft committed by his souldiors with death True payment of souldiors redresseth many disorders amongst them The vnrulines of the Pretorian souldiors The Sicilian Euensong Bellizarius The mild wane of Piemont The crueltie of these late French warres Time and occasion are diligently to be waighed in all matters The good or ill successe of an army dependeth of the captaine A captaine must not offend twise in warre Prudence gotten by vse must be hastened forward by knowledge No man ought to be generall before he haue obtained the renowne of a valiant man Cimon preferred an army of Harts before an army of Lions What captains are woorthiest of their charge Coruinus Oration to his souldiors Captains vsed in old time to make Orations to their souldiors Captains ought to make much of their souldiors The benefit of making Oratiōs to souldiors A good captain must be alwayes furnished with munitions and victuals Cyrus Oration to his captains A good captain must neuer suffer his army to be idle Warre ought to be speedily ended A good captain must not be ouer venturous A General must not rashly hazard himselfe When he ought to venture himselfe Antoninus preferred the life of one citizen before the death of a thousand enimies Scipio would haue all wayes tried before the sword were vsed in warre When Augustus would haue battell giuen Narses always wept the night before he gaue battell Two faults to be eschewed of euery captain A good General must alwayes seare the worst I had not thought it a dangerous speech in a captaine A good captain must haue skill to discerne the situation of places The benefit of Geometry in a General Philopaemenus in time of peace studied the discipline of war Cyrus resembleth his going to warre to hunting Hunting is an image of warre P. Decius C. Marius neuer gaue his enimies occasion to force him to fight The captains of an armie must be very secret I. Caesar very secret in tyme of warre L. Metellus Affaires of war must be debated by many but concluded by few Vrgent occasions in warre require short deliberation Cato a notable paterne for all captains to folow Pompey How Cato diuided the spoiles One godly man in a campe is in place of many Souldiors ought to begin their war with prayer and end with praise thanks-giuing Why a
of the soule not of the body 266. the parts of fortitude 267. examples of fortitude 273. c. Fortune what is to be vnderstoode by this worde fortune 307. howe wee may vse these words of fortune and chance 469. the opinions of Philosophers touching fortune 470. the description of fortune 470. examples of hir contrary effects 472 France one euident cause of the present ruine of France 163. the miserable estate of France 408. one cause thereof 607. the happie gouernment of France 635. two causes of the present diuisions in France 716 Friend and Friendship the difference between friendship and loue 138. what things are requisite in friendship 139. the chiefe cause and end of all true friendship 138. friendship must be free 142. three things necessarie in friendship 148. examples of true friendship 145. what manner of man we must chuse for our friend 140. howe we must prooue a true friend and shake off a false 141. how we must beare with the imperfections of our friend 144. G Gaming the effects of gaming 374 what mooued the Lydians to inuent games 374. Alphonsus decree against gaming 375 Generall a good lesson for a Generall 292 properties requisite in a Generall 300 Glorie how ielousie of glorie is tollerable with examples thereof 251. c. examples of the contempt of glorie 254 Gluttonie the fruits of gluttonie 213. examples thereof 214 God all things are present with God 407. he ordereth casuall things necessarily 468 he is the Idaea of al good 42 Goods the nature of worldly goods 37. two sorts of goods 52. 526. two waies to get goods 526 Grace effects of Gods grace in the regenerate 18 Grammar the commodities of grammar 556 Griefe a meane how to beare griefe patiently 331 H Happines all men naturally desire happines 31. who are happie and who vnhappie 51. what it is to liue happily 38. 54. how we must make choice of a happie life 246. wherein good or ill hap consisteth 330. notable opinions of good and ill hap 332 wherein true happines consisteth 334 Hatred how far a man may hate the wicked 387. the difference between hatred and enuie 459. the bounds of a good mans hatred 463. Histories the praise and profit of histories 79 Homage what homage we ow to God 93 Honor how a man may seeke for honor 232. examples of the contempt of honor 233. the first step to honor 247 Hope hope must be grounded vpon the grace of God 300. two kinds of hope 301. the fruit of hope 302. hope and feare are the foundation of vertue 561 House a house consisteth of liuing stones 489 smal iarres must be auoided in a house 501 Hunting is an image of war 554 Husbands how they ought to loue their wiues 501. a husband must neuer beate his wife 504. he must neither chide nor fawne vpon his wife before others 507. examples of the loue of husbands towards their wiues 510. Husbandrie the praise of husbandrie 528. 752. the antiquitie of husbandrie 752 I Idlenes it is the mother and nurse of all vice 369. Pythagoras precept against idlenes 370. examples against idlenes 377 Ignorance ignorance of our selues the cause of much euill 12. pernitious effects of ignorance 117. 118. common effects of ignorance 119. Impatiencie who are most giuen to impatiencie and choler 312. how it may be cured 313. Impost a commendable kind of impost 220 Impudencie the description of impudencie 428. Incontinencie the difference betweene an incontinent and an intemperate man 190. Socrates disputation against incontinencie 238 Infants how infants are to be brought vp 552 Ingratitude meanes to keepe vs from ingratitude 432. it was the cause of mans fal 425 great men are soonest touched with ingratitude 428. examples against it 430 Innocencie is a tower of brasse against slanderers 466 Iniurie how manie waies a man may receiue iniurie 384 Iniustice the fruits of it in the wicked 403. it is a generall vice 404. the effects of it 405. how many kinds there are of iniustice 404 Intemperance the companions of intemperance 192. what predominant passions are in it 189. exaÌ„ples of intemperance 193 c. Ioie examples of some that died of ioie 36 Iudgement from whence iudgement proceedeth 89. the iudgement of the best not of the most is to be preferred 249. iudgements are the sinewes of an estate 690 Iudges how the Egyptians painted iudges 394. a corrupt manor of making iudges 701 Iustice the fruits of iustice 390. the ground of all iustice 391. examples of the loue of iustice 395. how the abuse of it may be remedied 399. the deniall of iustice is dangerous 408. 658. the springs of all corruptions of iustice 697. iustice distributed into seuen parts 746 K Knowledge the knowledge of God and of our selues must be linked togither 12. the end of the knowledge of our selues 16. the benefits that come by knowledge 74 King wherein the greatnes of a king consisisteth 57. wherein kings ought to exercise themselues most 80. the true ornaments of a king 180. the difference betweene a great and a little king 398. what power the kings of Lacedaemonia had â—80 good precepts for kings 648. a king must be skilfull by reason and not by vse 648. the first and principall dutie of a king is to haue the law of God before his eies 655. he must begin reformation at himselfe and his court 656. the summe of the dutie of a king 674 Kingdome what causeth kingdoms to flourish 399 of the originall of kingdoms 586. their alteration commeth through vice 67 they florish through vertue 61. Of the antiquitie of a kingdome 623. the dangerous estate of an electiue kingdom vpoÌ„ the death of the prince 633. what kingdoms are electiue 634 L Law what ciuill lawes may not be changed 597. the end of all lawes 603. change of lawes in a well setled estate is dangerous 598. what the law of nature is 596. the ancient law-makers 599. what maner of lawes are to be established in the Commonwealth 657. Learning examples of ancient men that gaue themselues to learning 570. examples of great loue to learning 81 Letter Anacharsis letter to Craesus 78 Alexanders to Aristotle 80. Caesars to Rome Octauianus to his nephew Platoes to Dionysius Pompeies to the senate 132. Pisistratus to his nephew 146. Traians to Plutarke 157. 233. Traians to the senate 654. 707. Macrines to the senate of Rome 747. Aurelius to a tribune 768 Liberalitie a poore man may be liberal 436. the lawes of liberalitie 440. examples of liberalitie 441 Loue loue is the first foundation of euery holie marriage 530 Life mans life compared to the Olympian assemblies 38. one cause of the long life of our elders 198. Senecaes opinion of the shortnes of our life 211. our life compared to table-play 335. no man ought to hide his life 373. the end of our life 377. three things necessarie for the life of man 750. wherein a happie life consisteth 804 Lying lying in a prince is most odious 417
amongst the guests about this proposition What kind of death was best euen that said this Monarch which is least looked for True it is which may be said that destinie may possibly be better foreseene than auoided But this were an euill conclusion thereupon that we must let goe all care of keeping those Goods which God giueth vs as a blessing proceeding from his grace For it is the dutie of a good and sound iudgement to conferre that which is past with the present time to the end to foresee in some sort and to determine of that which is to come which is alwaies doubtfull and vncertaine vnto vs. Moreouer to resume our former matter of honest shame and shamefastnes which is the guide of our life to decencie and vertue we may see amongst the an ients infinite examples how it hath been recommended and precisely obserued and what strength it hath had in right noble mindes The Persians brought vp their youth in such sort that they neither did nor spake any thing that was dishonest putting him to death that stripped himself starke naked in the presence of another Yea they iudged euery vnciuill action how litle soeuer committed before others to be great wickednes The Parthians would neuer suffer their wiues to come among their feastes least wine should cause them to doe or to speake any dishonest thing in their presence Hippocratides as he was walking met with a yong man in a wicked mans company perceiuing that he began to blush said thus vnto him My sonne thou must goe with such as will not cause thee to blush but be of good cheere for thou maiest yet repent thee Blind Eutichus was set without the aray of the battel by Leonidas but being ashamed to leaue his fellowes in danger he caused a slaue to lead him to the place where they fought and there wonderfully doing his endeuor he was slain The Romans were so shamefast amongst themselues that the father would not bathe himselfe with his sonne nor the sonne in law with the father in law They so greatly esteemed honest shame and bashfulnes that when Philip king of Macedonia was accused before the Senate of many crimes the shamefastnes of yong Demetrius his sonne who blushed and held his peace stood him in greater stead than the shamelesse boldnes of the eloquentest Orator in the world could haue done The sonne of Marcus Cato the Censor beyng at that battell wherein Perses was discomfited and fighting with a iaueline his sword fell out of his scabberd wherof he was so ashamed that alighting on foote in the midst of his enemies doubling his courage and strength he tooke it vp and mounted againe fighting on horsebacke as before The sonne of Marcus Aemilius Scaurus hauing abandoned and giuen ouer the keeping and defence of the countrey of Trenta committed to his charge was so ashamed thereof that not daring to returne againe to his father he slew himself Parmenides taught his Disciples that nothing was terrible to a noble mind but dishonor and that none but children and women or at least men hauing womens harts are afraid of griefe When speech was ministred at the banket of the seuen Sages concerning that popular gouernment which was happiest wherein all haue equall authoritie Cleobulus affirmed that that citie seemed vnto him best guided by policie wherein the Citizens stood in greater awe of dishonor than of the law Plutark rehearseth a very noteable historie of the force of honest shamefastnes in the Milesian maidens who were fallen into such frenzie and perturbation of spirite that without any apparant cause to be seene they were suddenly ouertaken with a longing to die and with a furious desire to hang themselues Which thing many of them had alreadie put in practise so that neither reasons nor teares of fathers and mothers no comfort of friends no threatnings pollicies or deuices whatsoeuer could preuaile with them vntill such time that a wise Citizen by his aduice procured an edict to be made by the Councell that if any heerafter hung hir selfe she should be caried starke naked in the sight of all men through the market place This edict being made and ratified by the Councell did not onely represse a little but wholy staied the fury of these maidens that longed to die Insomuch that a simple imagination and conceit of shame and dishonor which yet could not light vpon them before they were dead did preuaile more with them than all other deuised meanes could do yea than death it selfe or griefe which are two of the horriblest accidents which men commonly stand in feare of To conclude therefore our present discourse that honest shame and shamefastnes are alwaies commendable and beseeming all persons that purpose to obserue modestie in their words gestures countenances and actions We learne also that spirits well brought vp are more easily wonne by shame than by feare according to that saying of Quintilian that shamefastnes is the propertie of a free man and feare of a bondman Further we learne that euery temperate man ought to be more ashamed of himselfe when occasion of doing ill is offered than of any other that he must shun all euil excessiue and pernitious shame proceeding from the want of discretion bicause it hindereth men from effecting all good wholesome and honest things insomuch that of it selfe it is able to procure vnto vs losse dishonor and infamie The ende of the sixt daies worke THE SEVENTH DAIES WORKE Of Fortitude Chap. 25. ASER. MAN endued with reason seeking to imitate asmuch as lieth in him the author of his being who albeit simply absolutely he standeth not in neede of any thing whatsoeuer yet doth woonderfull workes without ceasing for the benefit of his creatures feeleth himselfe touched to the quicke in his soule with a desire to profit all those among whome he liueth by all high great laudable and laborious meanes not fearing any perill nor forcing any paine Moreouer meditating weighing the dignitie of the immortalitie of his soule he careth not for earthly and mortal goods nor standeth in feare of the contrarie and whether it be for the hauing or not hauing of them his minde is nothing at all the lesse quiet neither doth he thinke that any good vpon earth can be taken from him All which great and rare excellencies flowe into him from the third riuer of the fountaine of Honesty whereof we are now to speake namely of the vertue of Fortitude which as Cicero saith cannot be forced by any force AMANA This vertue saith Seneca is very great being able to resist and to fight against extreame miseries Which is the propertie of Fortitude that guideth a noble nature through hard and difficult things that he may attaine to the end of his iust deuices ARAM. Fortitude is the cause that neither for feare nor danger we turne aside from the way of vertue and iustice And as Plato
saith it lifteth vp our minds to attend to that which is most excellent laudable best and most profitable Therefore let vs heare ACHITOB discourse of the woonderfull effects of this great and woorthie vertue ACHITOB. Whatsoeuer is done manfully and with a great courage appeereth very decent and beseeming a man But the perfection of euery work consisteth in this that it be done by a staied and constant reason which reacheth vs that there is nothing after God but honestie which we are to admire to make account of to desire and that we ought not in any sort to shrinke and yeeld vnto perturbations or to any other humane accident whatsoeuer Which opinions being well imprinted in our minds pricke vs forward to enterprize those things that are most excellent difficult and fullest of labors perils For being free from all earthly care and void of feare or sorow we contemne euen death it selfe and are in such sort prepared against all griefes that our contentation lieth heerin that the greatest and most exceeding paines will not continue long that the least will vanish away of themselues and that we shall be maisters of the middle sort This is that which the Philosophers by infinite learned writings required to be in the vertue of Fortitude with which the force and strength of the bodie hath nothing common as that which is a Good that belongeth to the bodie But this is an immortall Good of the soule consisting in the power and direction of the spirite being fortified and confirmed through the studie of Philosophie and causing man of his owne accord to make choice of and to perfect all honest things for their owne sakes Fortitude then as Cicero saith is that part of honestie which is knowne by the excellencie greatnes and dignitie of the hart which after aduised counsell and good consideration causeth man to vndertake without feare all perillous matters and constantly to endure all kind of trauell For constancie and dignitie are neuer farre from Fortitude in greatest distresses bicause it adorneth him that possesseth hir with the contempt of griefe and of death causing him to esteeme nothing vntollerable that can happen to man neither any thing euill that is necessarie And so it is the preseruation of a firme setled iudgement in things that seeme terrible full of danger seeing it is the knowledge of that which a man ought to indure Plato also calleth it the knowledge of all good and euill as though he would say that nothing can come to a valiant and noble minded man against his expectation although it may be contrarie to his will bicause he is setled and prepared to vndergo all euents as if he had certainly foreseene them Aristole saith that Fortitude is a mediocritie betweene fearing and enterprizing Moreouer it maketh a man fit for all occasions of dangers and trauels and holdeth him betweene these two extremities of cowardlines and rashnes which vices are very hurtfull to a happie and commendable life The same Philosopher saith that whosoeuer will be strong and valiant must be free from all feare of death constant in aduersities void of feare in perils chosing rather to die honestly than to saue himselfe vilan ously He must endeuor to build noble enterprises hauing for his companions hardines greatnes of hart good confidence and hope besides industrie and patience Then he commeth to set downe many kinds of Fortitude Cicero agreeing well with him saith that Magnificence Considence Patience and Perseuerance are the parts of Fortitude Magnificence sheweth it doing great excellent things Confidence in this that a valiant man conceiueth good hope of the euent of them Patience in a voluntarie and continuall suffering for the loue of honestie and vertue and Perseuerance in a perpetual constancie and in a firme and stedfast abiding in his purposes and resolutions vndertaken with good consideration following reason Moreouer Fortitude as the Stoicks said very well is a vertue that fighteth for equitie and iustice And therefore neither they that suffer for vniust matters nor they that fight for their priuate commodities not being led onely with zeale of publike benefit can boast except falsly that they are decked with this pretious vertue For these latter sort of men are rather to be called cruell barbarous mercenaries and hired hangmen destroying all humanitie and the others impudents shameles and desperate yea so much more woorthie of blame as guiltie of wilfull madnes in that they shew themselues constant in doing euill But those men are valiant of great courage who thinke that no action whatsoeuer no time or season ought to be void of iustice who deliuer the oppressed and those that are wronged who build all their deuises vpon vertuous works They saith Aristotle are void of generositie who fight either for feare of reprehension or by constraint or being stirred vp with other mens speech or of choler or through ignorance of dangers And this was Platoes meaning when he said that all strong and valiant men were hardie but not all hardie men valiant bicause hardines commeth to men either by arte anger or pollicie but Fortitude is ingendred in the soule by nature and holie education And therefore this vertue standeth not in need either of choler rancor ambition pride or of any other euill passion whereby to bring to passe braue and glorious effects but is rather an vtter enimie vnto them because it proceedeth from a mature and ripe consideration and election of reason which causeth a man boldly to put in execution whatsoeuer he knoweth to belong to dutie and honestie according to that place whereunto he is called And this also is the cause that he neuer taketh any thing in hand rashly what pretence soeuer it hath neither is he kept backe by any feare in those matters which offer him good occasion of putting to his hand what hazard or imminent danger soeuer seemeth to threaten him But according to that sentence of Socrates that the hardest things ought to be taken in hand and executed with greater constancie and valure of hart after he hath well and prudently grounded his enterprise vpon a certaine knowledge and firme discourse of reason neither reproches nor praises neither promises nor threatnings or torments neither pleasures nor griefs are able to cause him to breake off or in any sort to alter and change his resolution which remaineth alwaies praise-woorthie and is neuer subiect to repentance the matter falleth out bicause we are not to iudge of enterprises by the euents which are altogither out of our power but by the ground-worke and foundation wherupon they were built And further when the greatest dangers are then is the time wherein a valiant man being nothing at all abashed most of all sheweth his strength prowes neuer taking himselfe to be ouercome as long as his vertue is free and at libertie to giue him new supplie of meanes to set forward againe his matters otherwise in a
was nothing but vertue could tame it and that men furnished therewith behaued themselues constantly and courageously in both kinds of fortune Vertue saith Cicero abideth calme and quiet in the greatest tempest and although she be driuen into exile yet she stirreth not out of hir place and countrey but shineth so alwaies of hir selfe that she cannot be soiled with the spots of an other This excellent Orator and Philosopher giueth vs also wholesome counsell to oppose against the dangerous effects that are to be feared in prosperitie When we are saith he in best estate we must vse the counsell of our friends more than we do commonly and as long as it continueth we are greatly to beware that we open not our eares to flatterers who are the plague destruction of the greater sort bicause all their labor is to propound vnto vs occasions meanes to enioy delights and pleasures and to shew out selues to be proud and arrogant during the time of our prosperitie to the end we should put good men farre from vs and reserue to them onely that authority wherein they are setled Whereas on the contrarie side our true friends would lead vs backe to consider the inconstancie of humane things to the ende that we abuse not our felicitie but behaue our selues as a wise Pilote doth who alwayes feareth a smiling calmnesse in the maine sea Which consideration maketh a mā constant and resolute to beare and indure all sinister chaunces and not so ready and easie to be deceiued bicause he always feareth and distrusteth fortune Let vs now come to examples of that which we haue here alleaged As touching the pernitious effects of ouer great prosperitie they may well be noted in Alexander the great who although he was indued with notable and rare vertues yet could not vse moderately the great good speed and happy successe of all his enterprises but being conquered of the Persian delights gaue himselfe ouer to commit many insolencies and then filled with prefumption and pride would haue been worshipped Iulius Caesar being ascended into the highest degree of fauourable fortune that he could desire and lending his eare ouer freely to flatterers would be called and declared a king which name was most odious to the Romanes since the time that Tarquinius was banished as we mentioned before and retained alwayes to himselfe the authoritie and power of a Dictator which before continued but a certaine time He bestowed the publike offices and places of honor vpon whō he thought good whereof proceeded the ill will of his subiects and in the end his destruction The greatnesse of Pompey was that which afterward ouerthrew him For imploying his credite to fauour others vniustly it fell out to him as to cities that suffer their enemies to enter euen into their strongest places diminishing so much of their own forces as they adde to others that wish them no good Which thing Sylla the Dictator did very notably giue him to vnderstand when he sawe that Pompey by his countenance and fauour had brought Lepidus a wicked man to the dignitie of Confulship I see well quoth Sylla to him thou art very glad bicause thou hast preuailed in this suit and sure thou hast great cause so to be For it is a goodly matter and the point of a noble man to be so gratious with the people that through thy fauour Lepidus the wickeddest man in the world hath caried away the Consulship before Catullus the honestest man in all the citie But I aduise thee to beware of sleeping now and to haue a vigilant eie to thy busines bicause thou hast armed made strong an aduersarie against thy selfe Wherof Pompey had experience afterward in those warres which Lepidus raised against whome he was sent by the Senate and in the end obtained the victorie But the fauour he bare to Caesar entring vpon the gouernment of publike affairs came not to that passe For he was afterward ouerthrowne by the same meanes wherewith he had strengthned Caesar against others Out of which we may draw an excellent doctrine for all that are placed in authoritie or that haue the eares of great men at commandement that they neuer cause the wicked to be aduanced For as the worme that is bred at the foote of a tree groweth with it and in the end destroieth it so a wicked man aduanced by the fauour of one greater than himselfe becommeth afterward vnthankfull and treacherous vnto him This mooued Archidamides the Lacedemonian to answer in this sort one that commended Charilaüs king of Sparta bicause he shewed himselfe alike courteous to all But how deserueth that man praise who sheweth himselfe courteous towards the wicked Now to returne to our speech touching the effects of prosperitie not ruled by the reason of true prudence what is more hatefull or hath at any time beene more hurtfull to men than pride Which as Plato saith dwelleth with solitarines that is to say is so hated that in the end it is forsaken of all the world And whereof is it bred sooner than of prosperitie Which that wise man excellent Romane captaine Paulus Aemilius knowing ful well after the victorie gotten by him against Perses king of Macedonia being desirous to admonish the men of warre that were in his armie and to keepe them within the compasse of their dutie he vsed these or the like speeches vnto them Is there any man now my friends and companions that ought to waxe proud and to glorie in the profperitie of his affaires if he hath lucke to his liking and not rather to feare the ficklenes of fortune who euen at this present setteth before our eies such a notable example of the common frailtie of man subiect to the ordinarie course of fatall destinie which turneth about continually You see how in the moment of an houre we haue beaten downe and put vnder our feete the house of Alexander the Great who was the mightiest and most redoubted Prince in the world You see a King not long since followed and accompanied with so many thousands of fighting men brought to such miserie that being prisoner he must receiue his meate and drinke at the hands of his enemies Ought we to trust more to our good hap and to thinke it more firme and assured Truly no. And therefore let vs learne to humble our selues and to restraine this foolish arrogancie proud insolencie wherewith our youth seemeth to be ouercome by reason of the victorie obtained by vs and let vs expect to what end and issue fortune will guide the enuie of this present prosperitie Marcus Aurelius after he had vanquished Popilion Generall of the Parthians spake thus vnto him I tell thee of a truth that I stand in greater feare of fortune at this present than I did before the battell For she careth not so much to ouertake the conquered as to subdue and vanquish the Conquerors This selfe same consideration caused Philip
general end be to set an order and policie amongst vs and not dispute of their reason and cause as long as their iurisdiction extendeth not to our soules to lay vpon them a new rule of iustice Of the People and of their obedience due to the Magistrate and to the Law Chap. 56. AMANA WE haue hitherto seene that the preseruation of policies dependeth of the obseruation of the law that the soueraigne magistrate ruleth thereby and vseth it as a bond to reduce to vnitie and agreement all the citizens of one Common-wealth being vnlike in calling and liuing vnder his dominion at which marke euery good politike gouernor ought chiefly to aime Now my companions we are to intreat of this third part of a citie which maketh the politike body perfect and absolute namely of the people and of that obedience which they ought to yeeld to the magistrate and to the law ARAM. The whole Common-wealth fareth well or ill as all hir parts euen to the least are ruled and containe themselues within the compasse of their duetie For all of them togither make but one body whereof the magistrate is the head and the lawe the soule that giueth life vnto it Wherefore it is needefull that these should commaund and the other obey ACHITOB. Whatsoeuer profiteth the whole profiteth the part and that which is commodious to the part is also commodious to the whole and so contrarywise Wherefore to obey well which is necessarily required of the people is greatly auaileable to the whole political bodie Now let vs heare ASER handle this matter vnto vs more at large ASER. In euery discipline the beginning is commonly taken from the least partes thereof Grammer taketh his beginning from letters which are the least things in it Logike from the two least partes thereof namely the Nowne and the Verbe Geometrie from the point Arithmetick from Vnitie Musick from the Minnem and Sembrief which are likewise the least parts therof Therefore hauing seene that Policie is the order and life of the citie and that the citie is a multitude of citizens before we speak of the whole bodie of them we must as I think intreat first of a citizen who although he differ according to the diuersitie of common-wealths yet to take him properly may be said to be euery one that hath right to iudge in his citie hath a deliberatiue voyce in the generall or common councell thereof This definition of a citizen cannot fitly be applied to all citizens of all Common-wealths but only to those that are ruled popularly wherin they are all equall and gouerne themselues by assemblies in which euery one hath libertie to speake his aduise Some define a citizen to be he whose parents are citizens or els to be a free subiect holding of the soueraigntie of an other wherin they adde this word Free to distinguish him from slaues and strangers But generally we may say that whosoeuer may beare offices or magistracie in what forme of gouernment so euer is reputed taken for a citizen and such are all the naturall Frenchmen in this monarchie amongst whom there is not one how base soeuer he be that may not be made noble by vertue or that may not by skill and integritie of life attaine to the greatest estates of iustice of treasurie and of other publike charges This is not seen in all common-wealths For in the Seignorie of Venice it seemeth that none are truely citizens but the lordes and nobles who onely enioy the office of magistracie and may enter into the great councell after they haue attained the age of fiue and twentie yeeres As for the people they intermeddle not with any matter of gouernment this only excepted that they may be Secretaries and Chancellors as Contarenus reporteth The citie of Rome hauing many times sundry gouernments the appellation of a citizen was likewise diuers therein For as long as the first kings rules the common people were altogither excluded from publike honors offices But after when the regall power was changed into the gouernment of a certaine number of men chosen by suffrages and common voyces the people were admitted to magistracies and to the managing of affairs being present at the publike assemblie had in Mars his field which was distributed by tribes wardes companies and centuries to deliberate of the common estate to create magistrates and to decree new lawes where he was reputed for a citizen in deed that was a free man that had both house and tribe and possibilitie to attaine to honor enioying besides many other priuiledges and prerogatiues But when the soueraigntie came into the emperors hands those assemblies continued onely vnder Iulius and Octautus and after were abrogated by Tyberius and translated to the Senate and to the absolute power of the prince taking away al authoritie frō the people in publike matters Now to returne to our former assertion we say that all they are citizens to whom the gate that leadeth to the gouernment of the citie lieth open I mean the whole company of them that liue vnder the same lawes and soueraigne magistrates Such are all the subiects and naturall vassals of our king of whom the people and the nobilitie are the two orders or estates and of them is the estate of the church compounded which maketh one part of the common-wealth of France This self-same distinction of citizens is obserued almost throughout all Europe But besides this general diuisiō there are some more special in many common-welths as at Venice into the Gentlemen Burgesses Common people at Florence before it was brought in subiectiō to a Prince there were the greater sort the middle sort the vulgar or common sort of people And our ancient Gaules had the Druides the Horsemen the inferior people In Egypt were the Priests the Souldiors the Artificers And although Plato labored to make all the citizens of his common-welth equal in rights prerogatiues yet he diuided them into three estates into Gardes Souldiers and Labourers Whereupon we must necessarilie inferre this conclusion that there neuer was nor can be Common-wealth wherein the citizens were equall in all rights and prerogatiues but that some had more or lesse than others and yet so that wise Politikes haue carefully prouided that the meanest should haue no cause to complaine of their estate Moreouer the conueniencie and proportionable agreement of our French estates hath been the cause why this kingdome vntill this our infortunate age hath continued prospered so long amongst other kingdoms both of auncient and late times namely when Goodes Honours and publike charges were ordinarily distributed according to the condition of euery estate and their rightes and priuiledges preserued especially when it was carefully prouided that one estate should not grow too great aboue the other I meane that the nobilitie should not keep the people too much vnder and bring them to a