which they expecte in griefe and pensiuenesse of spirite then trembling to be alwayes in martyrdome Right honourable I vtter not these spéeches to shew my guilt which I trust appeareth not heynous in your eyes as to manifest my gréefe which to mée is found most tedious and too too excéeding raging féeling as it were my bodie faint and wearied being pressed with the weightie burthen of your heauie displeasure Wherfore most worthie counsellour exercise vppon mée the plentie of your bountie that I may liuing rather commende your mercie then in silence complaine of your seueritie And thus leauing your worthinesse in the handes of your counsell I wishe you those felicities which your owne heart desireth H. L. to his singular good maistresse for procuring his pardon THis one thing I learned by the instinct and benefite of nature my Souereigne good maistres had I neuer perused learned treatises discoursing manifoldly the selfe same in effecte that Happie dayes excéede the heaped summes and long life according to the opinion of all to them chéefely is found most swéete and plausible who being daungerously intrapped haue despaired of pittie or as wanderers through want of a skilfull Pilote haue fallen into the swallowing surge of Silla readie to be deuoured in that gulfe and as it were yelding to so greate a miserie and wretchednesse For this standes in common regarde with all rather to séeke to prolong our life then increase our wealth And the Souereigne delight and the pleasure of oure dayes is the solace of life This being vndoubtedly found most true and euident that there is in vs ingraffed an earnest and ardent affection of life and that life to them is founde moste deare pleasant who haue béene in perill of death How should I be addressed or in what manner may I yelde all obseruaunce to her by whose petition and earnest suite I haue auoided the terrour of death Uerily it is not in my slender capacitie to disclose the duetie that aunswers your desert the insufficiencie and basenesse of the one is so much inferior to the other in the excéeding greatnesse and goodnesse Wherefore sith my skill and abilitie is too simple to expresse liuely a thing of so high a nature I close my lippes as one vanquished with the excellencie of your goodnes Thus rendering imnortall praise for your greate goodnesse and crauing pardon for my presumptuous boldnesse I moste humbly take my leaue beséeching God to lende you long life with happie dayes W. S. to his louing father declaring that the cause why he did not write was for his vnhappie state I Haue this long time forborne to write vnto you deare father not in any negligent respect as not remembring with what humilitie I am bounde by the lawe of God to obey you or with what affection I am inioyned by the lawe of Nature to reuerence you but Fortune since my departure from you séemeth to haue dealt with mée so frowardly that I haue béene by no good order induced to giue you intelligence of my estate lest that percase the opinion of misliking which is alreadie in your ingendered viewing the continuance of these my so many casuall calamities might to my greate hinderaunce confirme in you a iudgement And yet what haue I not to fore painefully abode which presently I doe not with all patience suffer reteining alwayes a resolute and vnconquerable minde For this by perusing wittie and profound discourses of Philosophers I learne that albeit aduersitie hath power to vexe and trouble the condition of mortall men yet it hath no power to chaunge the constancie and courage of a valiant and puissant minde which in all resolutions and chaunges of times reteines one firme and vnmoueable vertue Euen as a trée which being well rooted although it be shaken with many violent windes yet in his firme there is no power to supplant him We through aduersitie become humble wise and perfect and the offender is better reformed by the proofe of afflictions then by any other meanes for knowing them to be the messengers of God he debateth not the griefes he féeleth but calleth his owne conscience to a reckoning he glorifieth him selfe in tribulation knowing that tribulation brings patience patience bréedes experience experience raiseth hope hope thus wrought and couched cannot be confounded In consideration whereof I déeme him moste vnhappie which hath not béene infortunate for he that hath not béene accussomed with aduerse and crooked Fortune hath least power ouer his passions And such as neuer haue felt perplexitie can little iudge of the worthines of patience Wherefore deare father mislike not of that which in the ende brings true and perfect felicitie I moste humbly take my leaue crauing your fatherly fauour blessing T. D. to his inconstant wife for her malicious stomache against him WIfe I do not a litle maruell at your vncourteous dealing towards mée howbeit as I haue iust cause to stomache the same so assure your selfe I will not be vnmindfull in yelding recompense as opportunitie and occasion shall serue In the meane while I am content to speake little suffer muche not for that I stande in awe of you or any of yours but that I sée you voide of reason and gouernement belonging to a woman whose crooked inclination is suche and in you so déepely rooted that it can no more chaunge your condition then the Uiper his poysoning or the Leopard his spottes You professe outwardly a maruellous shewe of religion I much maruell then that such mischiefe can harbour in so godly a creature whose vndermining pate sought meanes to shorten my dayes But nowe I finde the olde prouerbe true Amongest sweete flowers doeth lurke the stinging Snake It is not the point of any woman once coupled in the bandes of Marriage to minister any occasion of slaunder whereby the life of him whome shée hath peculiarly chosen may be defamed but by all meanes possible to indeuour her selfe to auoide suspicion weying that all her glorie resteth in her husbande and that in the husband is conteined the estimation of the wife If this be the point of any honest woman to thirste after bloud let all the worlde iudge for mine owne parte I can but lament your follie In hurting mée you hinder your selfe I beare with your infirmitie for that you are a woman Wherefore if you will further your quietnesse leaue off those slaunderous spéeches lest the worlde condemne you yeld you vp to miserie and shame H. W. to M. H. being moued without cause I Receiued your letters which when I had read mée thought they were so darke and obscure vnto mée that scarce I vnderstoode your style notwithstanding in perusing them ouer I partly vnderstood your meaning But now to the purpose Haue I gone about at any time to shorten your dayes or haue I sought mèanes to erect bloudie scaffoldes of murder whereby you might possesse your vntimely graue I perceiue for a
thou hast occasion to cutt thy victuals but lay it on the cloth along by the trencher And if thou art asked a question aunswere him sagely with humble reuerence And so fourthly concerning diligence whiche may be aptly applyed to Painfulnesse We see no man can atteine to any riches without greate labour and diligence as to watch when other sléepe to trauell when other rest to worke when other play Howe many haue we daily séene raised from meane estate to rule and gouerne Cōmon weales and onely by their diligence Haue not diuerse by their industrie béene called to Princes Counsell Haue we not séene the Lawyers passe by degrées and determine causes in seate of Iustice The simple scholer hath thereby much profited The vnskilfull apprentice in time hath béene verie cunning in his trade and occupation By diligence we may quite alter our wicked liues and become Christians Lastly haue not many men seruing their lords and maisters béene rewarded with liuings thorough painefulnesse whereby they haue béen mainteined during their liues Therefore Lillie herein moste wisely affirmeth saying these wordes Nil tam difficile est quod non solertia vincat Nothing is so harde to learne but by diligence it is brought to passe Aristotle spent his youth verie riottously and Plato was no lesse addicted to delight in amorous verse Cato was olde before he learned Latine letters and yet became one of the greatest Oratours of his time These examples are sufficient to proue that by diligence any perfection may be atteined Let no man stand so much in his owne conceipt as to say I will do no more then my couenaunt requireth Or if thou art descended of a worshipfull stocke to growe in stomache by meanes of gentilitie Neyther if thou arte borne to any possessions to thincke it a scorne by meanes of thy riches For this hinders not so much thy selfe but doth rather minister yll counsell to a number and maketh them withdrawe their mindes from doing well and to followe lewde example For if thou be neuer so noble of birth if thou once become a seruaunt whatsoeuer thou do to thy maister aboue thy promise if it tende to his profite and commoditie is but thy bounden duetie Againe if such a one which doth his duetie farre beyond his couenaunt if for his labour he be not considered in good faith he serues a simple maister But be he assured although he finde no rewarde on earth his maister in heauen shall largely yeld him double recompense I neuer sawe as yet any in my life for too much diligence employed to their maisters that did euer want in their aged dayes but many the more is the pittie I do knowe for slacking their dueties vntrustie seruice haue beggered their maisters who with a iust plague for their labour haue béene rewarded according to their desertes whose estates at this present time are moste miserable to behold wandering as outcastes amongest the froth and scomme of vnhappie people What if thou diddest acquaint thy selfe to learne or practise all kinde of thinges touching the charge of housekéeping from the simple plowman vnto the superior seruaunt were this any disgrace to thy calling no certeinly but rather a commoditie for thou shalt gather therby greate knowledge and vnderstanding For what thing is more perfect then that which we learne by experience We may not thinke to liue alwayes in seruice but at the last to haue house and familie of our owne then the experience which we haue learned through our diligence shall instruct vs the better what belongeth to the duetie of our owne seruauntes And if so be thou art in credite with thy maister that it pleaseth him to make account of thée aboue the rest of thy fellowes be not therefore proude disdaine not thine inferiours for so shalt thou haue manie enimies but rather the more in credite the more courteous For courtesie is the only badge of a Gentleman and descendeth from nobilitie Again gentle communication and friendly countenaunce one to another expelleth all rancour and malice purchaseth many friendes Did not Antonius the lustie gallant preferre Cleopatra the blacke Aegyptian for her incōparable courtesie before all the blasing starres in the citie of Rome It is the onely pathway to praise and the brightnesse thereof is eclipsed by pride and arrogancie What is Honour Wealth Beautie or braue Attire without courtesie It is assuredly nothing else but a goodly gréene trée which florisheth with leaues and blossoms and bringeth foorth no fruite Some there are which will stande highly vppon their reputation for that they haue a reasonable portion to leane vnto and holdes it great scorne to associate them selues with their fellowes of inferiour calling being not of like abilitie some againe for their stocke and kindred Such persons as will growe hautie by meanes of their wealth being the giftes of Fortune which is vncerteine abuse the same And such which glorie in them selues by meanes of their greate aliaunce declare to be in them but méere foolishnesse Assure thy selfe of this that if thou arte alied to manie and yet hast but fews friendes what profiteth thée to boast of thy high birth For if thou hast neuer so many kinsmen and if thou doest not indeuour thy selfe some kinde of way to pleasure them their friendship towards thée in time of néede will become weake and verie slender and thou thy selfe little accompted of But perhaps if thou visitest them as a straunger muche welcome but if thou accompt it as thy home they will compare thée to a freshe water fishe which being kept long will sauour and become lothfome Euen so if thou burden thy friendes otherwise then a guest ought to do they will repine at thée Therefore neyther for birth or riches be not disdainfull but the more courteous if thou wilt be well thought of For haue we not read of Kings gouerning whole kingdomes and other Nobles with large reuenues liuing in all felicitie haue abandoned their countries and liued in moste miserable bondage Suche is the rewarde of those that growe proude and are vnthankful for that they haue For it is commonly séene that when Fortune smileth moste on any mortall wight then workes shée greatest deceipt As shée hath pleasure to raise meane persons to credite and dignitie so likewise taketh shée as great delight to throwe them downe into aduersitie Delight not to complaine of any of thy fellowes to currie fauour and disquiet thy maister but after a friendly manner vse gentle persuasions that if any of thy fellowes haue neglected his duetie tell him secreatly that it may be reformed At thy maisters table haue great care and diligence and especially at such time as there are many straungers Listen not to euery tale that at the boord is recited and if so be it minister occasion of laughter yet in any wise do thou refraine and kéepe silence Let thine eyes be fixed round about the table lest
runne so swift I lamde my selfe in fansies barge No care I tooke I sailde on still God wott to hauen of vaine delight Untill that reason sett vpp saile Prouoking will to banishe quight Hence slowly sailde my broken Barke And waiteth time till Fortune please The Tackels torne the Maste â—emaind Halfe spoyled in the furging Seas By Mermaides singing past shée foorth Inuirond rounde with gaping iawes Nowe Neptune King helpe thou quoth witt I fall into their gaping iawes Nowe like to shippe on boyling Seas Compare I youth and gadding yeares On daungers tost a thousand wayes Unlesse the helme good counsell steares Regarding sporte I speilde my youth Time wild me thinke on withered age When pinching colde shall nippe thy limmes Howe wilt thou shunne his angrie rage Eschewe to drinke on wanton cuppe Remember yeares do waste away Eschewe eche mate of Uenus troope Ne care thou for such wanton play And quite detest all fansies fonde Unfolde the tables of thy life Giue vp thy right of childish yeares Haue care to gett for wedded wife To turne in time is wisedome greate In wishing when it is too late Shall cause thée fall in déepe decaye And bring thy ende to wretched state Where wealth doeth want there friendship colde Example séene by daily proofe Bought witt is deare the Prouerbe sayes Unstayed heads will soare aloofe Trust not thy foe once reconcilde Unlesse thou séeke thine owne decay And credite not eche glosing stile In trust is treason oft men saye Nowe farewell youth and wanton will Detesting Follir traine I yeld my selfe to Wisedomes skill Supposing pleasures to be vaine Proofe willes mée yelde my selfe with spéede Once caught in snare to shunne the trappe Respecting profite wisedome brings Then shall I sléepe in vertues lappe W. D. Of one who thinking to haue wedded a riche widowe purchased an vnquiet lyfe I Likt where no loue was I matcht in hope to gaine I sought for swéete and tasted sowre And wedded proude disdaine I leade a loathed life Exild from present ioy The yoke of bondage weare I on Which threatens mine annoy I sayld in seas of griefe And washt with waues of woe I must abide appointed course My fate ordeines it so I nowe must weaue the web Which canckard care hath spun And réele vp that against my will Which youth would gladly shun I sowe my séedes in vaine I plant on barren stocke And nought I get but blossome flowres For wealth is vnder locke For this by proofe I finde Not well he often spéedes That sowes his corne in such a soyle Where nothing growes but wéedes Thus liue I voyde of ioy And spoyle my youth with age My life is worser then the birde Which fast is pent in cage I leade a sparing life The daintie fare I shunne And yet I waste I know not how As snowe against the sunne A iust reuenge no doubt To me for passed life For that I liue as I do now With such a dogged wife Perforce must be content Though fate on me do frowne I must content me with my lot Since fortune kéepes me downe W. D. Of one which commended diligence and despised brauerie I Serue in hope of that to come I passe not for no slauerie I sée a number are vndone And all for painted brauerie I know a number lustie laddes Which had possessions plentie And begin streates with pitious mones And finde rewardes but scantie Wherefore I le yelde my scepter vp And hold my selfe contented And labour like the busie Ant For feare my pursse be emptie W. D. W. D. to his vnconstant friend AT age of twentie yeares and two Dame Uenus tolde me on To fixe my fansie vppon a maide whose person nowe is gone I likte her well shée loude mée deare I wooed her daye and night Ill happe was mine to loue her well And yet to lose her quite For mischiefe made such meanes And woorked such debate That I of force was made to yelde And loue was turnd to hate Then right and reasen durst not speake For might withstoode the same Her faith they counted but a iest And termd it Uenus game For my good will thus haue I gott Most bitter brall and strife For shée whome I did fansie best is nowe a wedded wife Nowe lye I drenchte in deadly lake No mercie may I craue Her friends for spight haue forste her quite No comfort I can haue Nowe doe I wallowe in the woes of Cupide blinded boy My pleasures all are turnd to paine My deareling lookes so coy The great good will betwixt vs twaine is nowe abandond quite Shée nought regardes my iourneis cold nor riding night by night Perforce must be content For mourning is but vaine To like or loue where loue is lost increaseth double paine And thus I ende fare well fare well Farewell againe I say I would be sorrie at my heart to sée thée cast away W. D. Certeine verses written to a maide to be circumspect in her choyce WIsedome doeth warne all maides that be wise a héede for to haue in hearing euery winde Lest lessons lewde of such as can deuise Trim tempered talk to allure the simple minde Else may shée through secrete griefe Repent too late their rashe and lewde beliefe Delight not in wordes for they are but winde Approue him well that shall be thy mate Remember in shewes is harbourd deceit Eschewe it in time lest it be too late Loue him therefore that loues thée againe Long else shalt thou loue in dolour and paine W. D. An Epitaph vpon the death of the worshipfull Edward Darell Clarke of Catrie of the Queenes Maiesties most honorable housholde IF euer cause constrained man with shrikes to fill the Skie If euer woe did will a wight with teares his tunes to trye Then cause haue I poore sillie man to waile with watred eyes The death of Darell dead and gone which colde in earth nowe lyes Whose deth a thousand thousand times I do lament full sore And whilest my brething ghost remains I shall do euermore If plaints or wofull cries at all Could raise him vp from graue Then would I wayle in yearnfull sort The life of him to haue So godly was his life on earth Euen to the latter end So patient eke in troubles still And faithfull to his friend In court so carefull for his prince So cleare of iudgement sure In all his dealings iust of word Of conscience very pure So well reported all abroad So courteous and so milde Most dearely loued euery where Of woman man and childe A Gentleman in euery point His life declarde the same Who for his vertues manifold Hath won immortall fame W. D. Of the Deare intoyled in a progresse THe Deare pursued him selfe sore turmoyles Ouer bramble and bryers his bodies rebounds Good luck yet may chance him to pas throgh the toiles And frée with his life to scape from the hounds W. D. A dittie of hunting to the tune
riche of it selfe hath substance enough as a thing that standeth in speache and gestures alone And that thou mayst now more easily learne the way vnto it thou must vnderstand it behoues thee to frame and order thy maners and doings not according to thyne owne minde and fashion but to please those with whome thou lyuest and after that sort direct thy doings And this must be done by Discretion and Measure For who so applieth himself to much to feede other mens humors in his familiar conuersation and behauiour with men is rather to be thought a Iester a Iugler or flatterer then a gentleman wel taught and nourtured As contrarywise whoe so hath no care or mynd to please or displese is a rude vntaught and vncourteous fellowe For asmuche then as our maners haue some pleasure in them when we respect other men and not our owne pleasure if we diligētly searche forthe what those things be that most men do generally lyke or dislike we shall in suche forte wisely and easily finde out the meanes wayes to choose and eschewe those fashions and maners we are to leaue or take to liue amongest men We say then that euery act that offendeth any the common senses or ouerthwarteth a mans will and desire or els presenteth to the Imagination and conceite matters vnpleasaunt that likewyse which the mynde doth abhorre such things I say bee naught and must not be vsed for vve must not only refraine from such thinges as be fowle filthy lothsome and nastie but vve must not so muche as name them And it is not only a fault to dooe such things but against good maner by any act or signe to put a man in minde of them And therefore it is an ilfauoured fashion that some men vse openly to thrust their hands in what parte of their bodye they lyst Lykwise I like it as yll to see a Gentlemā fettle him selfe to do the needes of Nature in presence of men And after he hath doone to trusse him selfe againe before them Neither would I haue him if I may geue him councell when he comes from suche an occupatiō so much as washe his hāds in the sight of honest company for that the cause of his washing puts them in minde of some filthy matter that hath bene done aparte And by the same reason it is no good maner when a man chaunceth to see as he passeth the waye as many times it happeneth a lothesome thing that wil make a mā to cast his stomacke to tourne vnto the company shewe it them And much worse I like it to reache some stynking thing vnto a man to smell vnto it as it is many a mās fashiō to do with importunate meanes yea thrusting it vnto their nose saying Foh feele I pray you hovv this doth stink vvhere they should rather say smell not vnto it for it hath an yll sent And as these and lyke fashions offend the sēses to which they appertaine so to grynde the teethe to whistle to make pityfull cryes to rubb sharpe stones together and to fyle vppon Iron do muche offend the Eares and would be lefte in any case Neither must wee refraine those things alone but we must also beware we do not syng and specialy alone if we haue an vntuneable voyce which is a common fault with moste men And yet hee that is of nature least apt vnto it doth vse it moste So there be some kynde of men that in coffyng or neesing make suche noyse that they make a man deafe to here them other some vse in lyke things so little discretion that they spyt in mens faces that stand about them besydes these there be some that in yauning braye and crye out like Asses And yet such with open mouth wil euer say and do what they list and make such noyse or rather suchroaring as the dumme man doth when he striueth with him selfe to speake All these yllfauoured fashions a man must leaue as lothsome to the eare and the eye And a mā must leaue to yawne muche not only for the respect of the matter I haue saide alreadye as that it seemes to proceede of a certaine werynes that shewes that he that yawneth could better like to be els where then there in that place as wearied with the companie their talke and their doings And sure albeit a mā be many times disposed to yawne yet if he be occupied with any delyght or earnest matter to think vppon he shall haue no minde to doe it But if he be lumpishe idle it is an easy matter to fall in to it And therefore VVhen a man yavvneth in place vvhere there bee slouthfull and Idle folkes that haue nothing to doe the rest as you may see many times yavvne againe for companie by by as it he that yawned had put them in minde to doe it which of them selues they would haue done first if hee had not begoone vnto them And I haue many tymes heard learned and wise men say that A yavvner meaneth as much in Latin as a careles and Idle bodie Let vs then flye these condicions that loathe as I sayd the eyes the Eares the Stomacke For in vsing these fashyons we doe not only shewe that we take litle pleasure in the company but we geue them occasion withall to iudge amis of vs I meane that we haue a drowsye heuie nowle which makes vs yll wellcom to all cōpanies we come vnto And whē thou hast blowne thy nose vse not to open thy handkercheif to glare vppon thy snot as if thou hadst pearles and Rubies fallen from thy braynes for these be slouenly parts ynough to cause men not so much not to loue vs as if they did loue vs to vnloue vs againe As the Sprite of Labirintho doth testifie who soeuer he were that made it who to quenche the heate wherwith Master Iohn Boccase burned in desyre and Loue of his Lady vnknowne tells how she cowred her taile ouer the ashes sytting vppon her heeles and coughed and spatte out Collops It is also an vnmanerly parte for a man to lay his nose vppon the cup where another must drinke or vppon the meate that another must eate to the end to smell vnto it But rather I would wish he should not smell at all no not to that which he himselfe should eate and drinke because it may chaūce there might fall some droppe frō his nose that would make a man to loath it although there fall nothing at all in deede Neither by mine aduise shalt thou reache to any man that cup of wine wherof thy selfe hast fyrst dronke and tasted without he be more then a familiar friend vnto thee And much lesse must thou giue any parte of the peare or the fruite which thou hast bitten in thy mouth before And esteeme not light of my talke for that these things be of little account For euen light stripes their number may be such be able to
good worthe the honour and courtesie that men doe vnto them like to the people I spake of before rude and barbarous neuer take delight in any pleasaunt conceites or other pleasures but euer refuse it all what soeuer is presented or offered vnto them If a man say Sir suche a one willed me to commend him vnto you They aunswere straite vvhat haue I too doe vvith his greetings And if a man say Sir suche a one your friend asked me hovv you did They aūswer againe in choler Let him come feele my pulse These carterlyke and clownishe aunswers and maners and the men them selues that doe vse them would bee chased and hūted away out of all good and honest company It yll becomes a man when hee is in company to bee sad musing and full of contemplation And albeit it may bee suffered perchaunce in them that haue long beaten their braines in these Mathematicall studies which are called as I take it the Liberall Artes yet without doubte it may not be borne in other men For euen these studious fellowes at suche tyme when they be so ful of their Muses should be much wyser to get them selues alone Againe to bee to nyce or to deyntie it may not be abiden and specially in men For to liue with suche kinde of people is rather a slauerie then pleasure And sure there bee som such so softe tender that to liue and deale with such people it is as daungerous as to medle with the fynest and bryttelest glasse that may be So muche they are affrayde of euery light touche And they wil be as testy and frowarde if you doe not quickly and readily salute them visite them worship them and make thē answer as some other body would be for the greatest iniurie that can be donne vnto them And if you doe not giue them all the due reuerence that may be they will presently take a thousand occasions to quarell and fall out with you Yf you chaūce to Master him and leaue out his title of Honour or worship he takes that in dougeon and thinkes you doe mock him And if you set him beneath as good a man as him self at the table that is against his honour If you doe not visite him at home at his house then you knowe not your dutie Theis maner of fashions and behauiours bring men to such scorne and disdayne of their doings that there is no man almost can abyde to beholde them for they loue them selues to farre beyonde measure and busie them selues so much in that that they fynde litle leysure to bethinke them selues to loue any other which as I haue saide from the beginning men seeke to fynde in the conditions and maners of those with whome they must liue I meane that they should apply them selues to the fansies mindes of their friendes But to liue with suche people so hard to please whose loue and friendship once wonne is as easie lost as a fyne scarfe is lightly caryed away with the winde that is no lyfe but a seruice and besydes that it yealdeth no pleasure it geues a man greate disdayne and horror Let vs therefore leaue these softe and wanton behauiours to women In speach a mā may fault many wayes And first in the matter it selfe that is in talke which may not be vayne or filthye For they that doe heare it wyll not abyde it as the talk they take no pleasure to heare but rather scorne the speache and the speaker both Againe a man must not moue any question of matters that be to deepe to subtile because it is hardly vnderstoode of the moste And a man must warely foresee that the matter bee suche as none of the company may blushe to heare it or receaue any shame by the tale Neyther must he talke of any filthy matter albeit a man would take a pleasure to heare it for it yll becomes an honest gentleman to seeke to please but in things that be honest Nei Neither in sporte nor in earnest must a man speake any thing against God or his Saintes how witty or pleasaunt so euer the matter be Wherein the company that Giouan Boccaccio hathe brought to speake in his Nouelles and tales hath faulted so muche that me thinkes euery good body may iustly blame them for it And you must thinke It is not only a token of great detestation Impietie in a man to talke in iestinge wise of God but hee is a vvicked sinfull man that will abyde to heare it But you shall finde some suche good men as will flie asmuche as the plague the company of such as talke so vnreuerently and without respect of the incomprehensible Maiestie of god And vvee must not alone speake religiously of him but in all our talkes wee must auoyde what vvee may that our vvordes may not vvitnes against our life and our vvorkes For mē doe hate their owne faultes otherwhile when they see them in another Likewise it is vnsauourie to talke of things out of tyme not fitting the place and company although the matter it selfe and spoken in tyme were otherwise both good and godly We must not then reherse Fryers sermones to young gentlewomen when they are disposed to sporte thēselues as that good man did that dwelles not farr hence nere to S. Brancatio And in feastes at table wee must beware wee doe not rehearse any sorowfull tales nor put then in minde of woundes of sicknes of deathes of Plagues or of other dolefull matters But if another man chaunce to moue suche matter it shal be good after an honest and gentell sorte to exchaunge that talke and thrust in some other that may giue them more delighte and pleasure to heare it Albeit not long since I heard it said to a worthy gentleman our neighbour that Men haue many times more neede to weepe then to laugh And for that cause hee said these dolefull tales which wee call Tragedies were deuised at first that when they were plaid in the Theatres as at that time they were wōt they might draw fourth teares out of their eyes that had neede to spēd thē And so they were by their weeping healed of their infirmitie But albeit it bee good to doe so yet it will il becōe vs to driue men into theyr dumpes especially where they bee mett to feaste and to solace themselues not to mourne For if there be any that hath suche weeping disease it will bee an easie matter to cure it with stronge Mustard or a smoaky house So that in no wyse I can excuse our friend Philostrato for his worke that hee made full of dule and of death to suche a company as desired nothing more then myrthe Wee must the rather vse sylence then discourse of suche sorrowfull matters And they doe asmuch amisse too that neuer haue other thing in their mouthe then their children their wife and their nourse My litle boy made mee so laughe yesterday
transported to Florence should be but waste and more then needes like a tall mans gowne cast ouer a dwarfe as also the manners of Florence shoulde be to pinchinge and straite for the Noble natures and mindes of the gētlemē of Naples And although the gētlemē of Venice vse great embracings and entertainementes amongst themselues and fawne without measure the one on the other by reasō of their offices degrees and fauours they looke to finde when they meete and assemble and choose their officers yet for all this it is not conuenient that the good men of Rouigo or the Citizens of Asolo should vse the lyke solēnities embraceings and entertainemēts one to another haueing no such kinde of cause amongst them Albeit all that same countrie if I bee not deceiued is faine a litle into these kinde of follies as ouer carelesse and apt inough by nature or rather learning those maners of Venice their Lady and Mistris because Euerie man gladly seeketh to tread the steps of his better although there be no reasō for it Moreouer we must haue a regarde to the time to the age and the condition of him to whom we vse these ceremonies and likewise respect our owne calling and with men of credite maintaine them but with men of small account cut them of cleane or at least abridge them as muche as wee may rather giue them a becke thē a due garde Which the courtiers in Rome can very well skill to doe But in some cases these Ceremonies be very combersome to a mans busines and very tedious as Couer your head sayes the Iudge that is busied with causes and is scanted of time to dispatche them And this fellow so full of these Ceremonies after a number of legges and shuflinge curtesis aunswers againe Sir I am very well thus But sayes the Iudge agayne Couer your head I say Yet this good fellow tourning twise or thrise to fro making lowe conges downe to the grounde with muche reuerence and humilitie aunswers him still I beseache your worship let me doe my duetie This busines and trouble lasteth so long so muche tune is trifled that the Iudge might very nere haue dispatched all his busines within that space Then although it be euery honest mans parte and the duety of euery meaner body to honour the Iudges and mē that be called to worship honour yet where time wyll not beare it it is a very troublesome thing to vse it and it must be eschewed or measured with reason Neyther be that self same Ceremonies semely for young mē respecting their Age that ould mē doe vse together Nor yet can it becom men of meane and base condition to vse the very same that gētlemē greate men may vse one to another And if wee marke it well we shall find that the greatest the best men mē of most valour doe not alwayes vse the most Ceremonies thē selues nor yet loue nor looke a mā should make many goodly curtsies vnto them as men that can ill spend their thoughts one matters so vaine Neither must handy crafts men nor mē of base condition buisie thē selues to much in ouer solemne Ceremonies to greate men and Lordes it is not lookt for in suche For they disdaine them more then allowe thē because it seemes that in such they seeke looke rather for obedience and duetie then honour And therefore it is a foule faulte in a seruaūt to offer his master his seruice for he coūts it his shame he thinks the seruāt doth make a doubt whether he is master or no as if it were not in him to imploy him cōmaūd him too These kinde of Ceremonies would be vsed frankely For VVhat a man dothe of duetie is taken for a debte and hee finds him selfe litle beholding to him that doth it But he that dothe more then he is bound to it seemes he parteth with somewhat and that makes men to loue him and to commende him for a liberall man And I remember mee well I haue hearde it sayde that a worthy Graeciā a greate versifier was euer wont to saye that He that could skill to entertaine men with a small aduenture made a greate gayne You shall then vse youre Ceremonies as the tailer shapes his garments rather to large then to litle but yet not so that hee cutteth one hose large inough to make a cloke And if thou doe vse in this point some litle gentle behauiour to suche as be meaner then thy selfe thou shalt be counted lowly And if thou doe asmuche to thy betters thou shalt bee sayde a Gētlemā well taught and courtious But hee that dothe her in to muche and is ouer lauishe shal be blamed as vaine and light and perhaps worse thought of too counted a busie body a fidging fellowe and in wise mens sight a flatterer which vice our elders haue called if I doe not forget me dowble diligence And there is no faulte in the worlde more to bee abhorred or that worsse beseemes a gentleman then this And this is the thirde maner of Ceremonies which simply procedeth of our owne will and not of custome Let vs thē remēber that Ceremonies as I haue alwayes sayd were not so necessarie by nature but a man might doe well inough without them As for example our coūtrie liued it is not long since in maner cleane without any But other mens diseases haue infected vs with these infirmities and many mo So that custome and vse obserued the rest that is more is but waste and such a sufferable leesing as if it be more in deede then is in vse it is not only vnsufferable but forbidden and so vppon the matter a cold and vnsauourie thing to noble mindes that cannot brouse vppon shrubbes and shewes And you shall vnderstand that trusting my owne skill but little in wryting this present treatise I thought good to consult with many and to take the Iudgement of better learned men then my selfe And this in my reading I finde There was a King they call him Oedipus being banished and driuen out of his countrie vppon what occasion I know not he fled to King Theseus at Athens the better to saue him selfe and his life from his enemies that mainely pursued him This Oedipus now comming before the presence of Theseus by good chaūce hearing his daughter speake whome he knew by her voice for he was blind and could not beholde her with his eyes he was so presently striken with ioy that not tarying to doe his allegeaūce and duetie to the King he did presētly embrace make much of his daughter before him his fatherly affection so led him and rulde him so But in the end finding his fault and better aduising him selfe of his doings he would needs excuse it to Theseus humbly prayd his grace to pardon his folly The good and wise King cut of his talke and bad him leaue his excuses and thus saide vnto him Comfort thy selfe Oedipus and
haue spoken all this while For it is a harder matter a greate deale to knowe whē a man faulteth in these then when he faulteth in them Bycause It is easie much vve see to feele then to vnderstande But yet it may chaunce otherwhile that euen that which offendeth the senses may also offend the minde thoughe not altogether after one sorte as I haue told you before shewing you that A man must apparell him selfe according to the fashions that other men vse that it may not be thought he doth reproue and correct their doings The which thing offendeth most men that seeke to be commended And the wisest mē that be mislike it too For the garments of the olde world haue lost their date for men of this age and this season to weare And it is suche an ill shapen sight to see a man clad with other mens cloathes that a man would weene there would be a fray betwene the doublet the hose their cloathes doe sit vppon them so vnto wardly So that many of those matters I haue spoken of allredy or peraduēture all might be aptly rehersed here again forasmuch as this measure I speake of here is not obserued in these thīgs nor the time nor the place nor the worke nor the worker accorded fitted together so well as it should be For mens minds and fansies doe like it take a pleasure and delight in those things But I thought it good to apply speake these matters rather vnder the badge as it were of the Senses and desires then properly assigne them to the minde that a man may the more easily perceiue them bycause It is a naturall thinge for euerie man to feele and desire but euery man cannot so generally vnderstand and especially that whiche we call bewtie gallantnes or entertainement It is not inoughe for a man to doe things that be good but hee must also haue a care hee doe them with a good grace And a good grace is nothing els but suche a maner of light as I may call it as shineth in the aptnes of things set in good order and wel disposed one with another and perfectly knit and vnited together VVithout which proportion and measure euen that which is good is not faire the fairenes it self is not plesaunt And as meates though they be good sauourie will giue men no minde to eate thē if they haue no pleasaunt relish and taste So fares it with the maners of men other while althoughe in them selues in no respect they be ill but foolishe a little and fond if a man doe not season them with a certaine sweetenes which you call as I take it Grace and Comlines So that euery vice of it selfe without any further matter to helpe it it cannot be chosen must needes offend a man For Vices be things so foule and filthie that honest and modest mindes will greeue to see their shamefull effects And therefore it shall behoue them that seeke to be well thought of with their familiar acquaintāce aboue all things els to eschewe vices and especially those that be foulest and worst as Leachery Couetousnes Crueltie and other Of which some be beastly as Drunkennes and Gluttonie some vncleane as Leacherie other some horrible as Murther and such other all which for them selues and for the very naughtines that is properly in them al all men eschewe more or lesse But as earst I said generally al as thīgs of greate disorder make a man misliked muche of all men But bycause I haue not taken vppon me to shew vnto you mēs sinnes but their Errors it shal be no parte of my charge at this time to entreate of the Nature of vices vertues but onely of the seemely vnseemely fashions and maners wee vse one with another One of the which vnseemely fashions was that Coūt Richard did vse of which I tould you before Which as vnseemely and vnfitting with those other his good and faire maners hee had besides that same worthie Bishop as a skilfull and cunning Mayster in musicke will eaeasily here a note out of Tune had quickly founde out It shal be then necessarie for gentlemen and men of good behauiour to haue a regard to this measure I speake of in going in standing in sitting in gesture in porte in apparell in talke in silence in rest and in action For a man must not apparell him selfe like a woman that the Attire may not be of one sorte and the person of another as I doe see it in some that weare their heads their beards curled with bodkins and haue their face and their necks their hands so starchte and painted that it were to muche for a girle nay harlot that makes a merchādize of it and sets her selfe to the sale Hou must smell neither of sweete nor of sower for a gentleman would not sauour nastily like a begger nor yet should a man carry a sauour and sent about him like a harlot or whoore I doe not by this forbid but you may very well vse some sweete smelles of sweete waters Your apparell must be shaped according to the fashion of the time and your calling for the causes I haue shewed you before For VVe must not take vppon vs to alter customes at our will. For time doth beget them and time doth also weare them out Euery mā may applie those fashiōs that be in common vse the moste to his owne aduantage that he can For if perchaunce your legges be very long and men vse but short garments you may vse a meane not to long nor to short And if your legges be to small to greate or crooked make not your hosen of to light and garishe a colour that it may not call men to looke and to gawre vppō your deformitie Thou must weare no garment that shall be to light or ouermuche daubde with garding that mē may not say thou hast Ganymedes hosen or wearest Cupides doublet But whatsoeuer it be thou wearest let it be fit and well made for thy bodie least thou seme to braue it in another mans cloathes But with all thou must in any case respect thy condition or estate For A man of the Clergie must not be attired like a Souldier nor a Souldier goe like a Player When Castruccio was in Rome with Lodouico Bauero at a greate Pompe and triumphe who was both Duke of Lucca and Pistoia and Count of Palazzo and Senatour of Rome this Castruccio being Lorde greate Mayster of the saide Lodouico Bauero his househoulde for his brauery made him a coate of crimsin vppon the brest wherof there was this deuise in letters of Golde It is euen as God will. And vppon the backe behinde And it shall be as God will. I beleeue you thinke this garment would haue become Castruccio his Trumpeter better then it could become him And although Kings be free frō checke and may doe what they list Yet I could neuer commend King