it is not with God as it is with Princes of the worlde which to make themselues feared do become Tyrantes but the goodnes of almighty God is such that he desireth no lesse to be loued then he deserueth to be feared and though his might and power be vniuersall and there with all his Ielousie great and his displeasure soon prouoked yet delighteth he not in the distruction of mankind but rather that a sinner should turne from his wickednes and liue Tully in his second booke de legibus saith that God being Lord of al things doth deserue best of mākind bicause he beholdeth what euery man is and with what deuotion he worshippeth the Gods and kéepeth an accompt aswell of the good as the badde whereby appeareth that the heathen confessed yet that the Gods were to be loued bycause they cared for mankind and truly that opinion is neither cōtrary to Gods word nor dissonant to naturall reason For wée sée by common experience that we loue them best of whom we are most fauoured haue receiued greatest benefits I meane hereby those that rule their doinges by reason for otherwyse wée sée dayly wicked men which forgetting their duty do least loue wher they haue most cause When I my selfe was a scholler in the Uniuersity I remember that I did often tymes defend in Schooles this proposition Ingratitudo tam versus Deos immortales quam apud homines peccatum maximum Ingratitude is the greatest faulte that may be either towards god or man Let vs cōsider the good eies of almighty God who first created vs to his owne Image and similitude indued vs with reason and knowledge preserued vs from innumerable perilles and prouided thinges necessary for our sustentation and to consider more inwardly the exceeding loue which he bare towardes mankinde he spared not his onely begotten Sonne but gaue him euen vnto the death of the crosse for our redemption Oh what minde were able to conceaue or what tongue able to vtter the loue and goodnes of almighty God towardes mankinde And since his loue towardes vs hath bene and yet doth continue infinite our loue should also be infinite to render him thanks for his goodnes But though the causes be infinite which might bind vs to loue GOD yet is there no cause greater then the manifolde mercyes which he hath shewed alwayes alwayes to mankind In the first age when iniquity kindled his wrath to destroy the whole world he yet vouchsafed to preserue Noe and his family Loue him then since he preserueth the good though it be but for his mercyes sake When the people of Israell prouoked him at sundry times he did yet at euery submission stay his hand from punishment Loue God then since he is ready to forgiue and though he pronounceth his Ielousie in the twentith of Exodus saying that he visiteth the sinns of the Fathers vppon the children vnto the third and fourth generation yet ther withal he addeth that he sheweth mercy vnto thousandes in them that loue him and kéepe his commaundementes Loue him then since his mercy is ouer all his works To conclude when his vnsearchable Maiestie by his diuine foresight did perceyue that by the very sentence of the Lawe we stoode all in state of condemnation he sent down his owne and only Sonne to be slaundered buffeted and crucified for our sinnes to the ende that all which beléeue in him should not perish but haue lfie euerlasting Loue God then since mercy is aboundant with him and he shall redéeme Israell from all his iniquities And héere vnto this feare and loue you must ioyne a sure trust and confidence The promises of mortall men are often times vncertaine and do fayle but the promises of the Almighty are vnfallible For the wordes of his mouth returne not voyd and without effect Tully in his offices doth vse great arte in declaration what sortes of promises are to be obserued and which may be broken But the diuine prouidence and foresight doth promise nothing but that which he will most assuredly performe When he promised vnto Abraham that Sara his wyfe should beare him a childe Sara laughed bycause she was then foure score ten yeres olde but the almighty remembred his couenant Trust in him then for his woords shall neuer fayle When he promised Moyses to conduct his people through the desertes they began to doubt and murmure saying would God that we had dyed in the land of Aegypt or in this wildernesse c. and the lord was angry but yet remembring his promise at the humble petition of Moyses he perfourmed it Trust in God therefore since no displeasure can make him alter his determination he perfourmed his holy promyse in Ismaell although we read not that he praied vnto God therefore I would not haue you think hereby that I condemne or contemne prayer since it is the very meane to talke with God but I meane thereby to proue that God is most iust and faithfull in all his promises and by repeticion I say Feare God for he is mighty loue God for he is mercifull and trust in God for he is faithfull iust Herewith all you must also learne to performe duty towardes the seruaunts and ministers of God For as you shall onely be saued by hym and by cleauing to him in all your actions so yet are hys ministers the meane instruments of your saluation and do as it were leade you by the hand through the waues of this world vnto eternall felicity vnto whom you shall owe three seueral duties that is to say Audience Reuerence and Loue The Children of Israell by harkening to Moyses and Aaron were not only enstructed and taught their dutyes but were as it were made at one with God when they had at any time purchased his heauy displeasure By harkning vnto Phyllip the Apostle the Enuch was conuerted By harkning vnto Peter Cornelius the captain was confirmed strengthned in the faith By harkning vnto Paule and Sylas Lidia and the gaylour of Phylippos were baptised the holy scriptures are full of examples to proue this proposition Harken you therfore vnto the ministers of God for they are sent to enstruct you so shall it also become you to do thē reuerence in al places remēbring that as he which sent them is in all thinges to be honoured so are they to be had in reuerence for their office sake Such was the zeale of Cornelius the Captaine that he fell downe prostrate at Peters féete when he entered into his house the which though Peter refused saying that he was also mortall yet did it signifie vnto vs that the ministers of God cannot bée too much reuerenced The Priestes in the olde Testament were exempt from tributes and impositions they were not constrained to go into the battaile they were prouided for sustenance and all thinges conuenient and the people were commaunded to do them reuerence Do you likewise reuerence vnto
hath to vs deliuered for I assure you although he hath bene therein verie compendious and sentencious yet in my iudgement euery sentence is such as requireth a rype deliberation and weightie consideration of the same Philotimus Surely Philomusus I am of your opinion and therefore let vs bestowe the time therein althoughe percase our brethren here will vse this afternoone in some other exercise Philosarchus beckneth Eccho Philomusus and Philotimus go together Eccho Sir it is vnto you that I addresse my selfe for although I be not the rediest man on liue to deale in such affayres yet such is the great good liking which I haue alwayes had in you that since I spake with you earewhile I haue not béen vnmindful of you surely I suppose that God doth fauour your desires for euen now when I departed from you and as soone as I ouertooke the gentlewoman I cast in my braines how to pleasure you and meaning to haue deuised some subtilty wherby the thing might be brought into communication the gentlewoman of her selfe proffred the occasion for shee demaunded of me what yong gentlemen those were with whom I stayed I tolde her that ye were Sonnes to two of the welthiest burghers in this citie and be you sure I left out no commendation which might aduaunce you whereat she séemed to bite on the bridle and commended you for your curtesies in that yée saluted her so gently as shee passed by but especially shee marked you by sundry thinges and gestures and coulde describe you vnto me by your apparell Short tale to make I neuer saw her shew so much lykelyhoode of affection since I first saw her as shée bewrayed presently and shall I tell you in your eare if Eccho be any better then a foole she hath a monethes minde vnto Phylosarchus wherfore play you now the wise man strike the Iron whiles it is hot she returneth this way presently and thereupon I haue aduentured to come vnto your Scoolemaster to craue you a libertie in the name of the Markegraue saying that you were his kynsemen and this haue I done to the ende that you might take occasion to salute her eftsâ—nes as she returneth and if you vse the matter wisely as I know you can you may take oportunity also to talke with her yea and to conduct her to her lodging Phylosarchus Surelie Eccho thou shewest playnlie what good will thou bearest me but what shall we do with the Markgraue Eccho Tush folow you your busines now that you haue libertie and let me alone with that matter if euer hereafter the thing come in question lay all vppon me and I will say that I mistooke both the Scoolemaster and the Skollers vnto whom I was sent Phylosarchus Well friend Eccho I know not how to deserue thy gentlenes but in token of gratefull mind holde receiue these twentie gildres vntil I haue greater abillity and be sure that if euer I liue to enherit Phylocalus then Eccho shall not be vnprouided for Eccho What meane you sir stay your purse vntill another time well if you will néedes enforce me I will neuer refuse the curtesie of a gentleman but behold where the Ladie Lamia commeth Sir me recomandez I will not be séene to talke with you for I stale from her to pleasure you priuilie Eccho departeth Actus primi Scoena sexta PHYLAVTVS PHYLOSARCHVS ECCHO LAMIA DYCK DROM and PANDARINA Phylosarchus OH my friend Phylautus behold here a péerelesse péece doth it not delight your eyes to gaze vppon such a shyning starre on myne honor she hath a swéet face by al likelihood she is much to young to haue béen hetherto comonly abused but wherfore am I abashed I wil go and salute her Fayr lady God saue you and send you that your hart most desireth Lamia Worthie gentleman I thanke you most heartely for your good wil and if God hear your prayer he shal do more than he did for me a good whyle but it is no matter when he hath taken his pleasure of punishing he will at last haue pitie on the poore Philosarchus Surely mystresse it were great pitie that such a one as you should indure any punishment without great cause and hardly can I thinke that any heart is so hard as to see you sorowfull if remedie maye be therefore obteyned Lamia Syr I coulde be content that all men were of your mynde but I finde curtesie verie colde nowe adayes and many there be which woulde rather depryue a poore gentlewoman of her right then rue vpon her piteous plyght the good king Amadis is dead long sythens whose Knightes vndertooke alwayes the defence of Dames and Damselles She whyneth Phylautus Alas what ayleth the yong gentlewoman to complayne Pandarina Syr and not without cause since she is by great wrong dispossessed of riche Signiories which belong to her by right and inheritance and complayning here vnto the magistrates she receyueth small comforte but is rather hindered by malice and detraction Philosarchus taketh her by the hand to comfort her Phylosarchus Fayre gentlewoman although I haue hitherto had no great acquaintaÌ„ce with you yet if I might craue but to knowe the cause of your griefe be you sure I woulde vse my best indeuer to redresse it and therefore I coniure you by your curtesie that you change your opinioÌ„ for all Amadis Knightes are not yet deade onely bewray your griefe and prayse thereafter as you finde She beginneth to tell a tale Lamia Syr I haue not power to reiecte your curtesie you shall vnderstand then that being c. Pandarina interrupteth her Pandarina Neyce it séemeth that you haue not your honour in such comendation as I would wish you should I pray you let vs begon homewardes Phylosarchus Why Mistres are you offended that shée should herken vnto such as séeke to reléeue her estate Pandarina Sir you are a gentleman well nurtured and you know this is no place to talke in without discredyt Phylosarchus Well Mistres if it please you we will waite vppon you vnto your lodging and there you shall sée what desire I haue to comfort this fayre Ladie Pandarina As for that sir at your pleasure I pray God sende her good friendes in her right for God knoweth she hath neede of such at this present They follow the Ladies The second Chorus BEhold behold O mortall men behold Behold and sée how soone deceipt is wrought How soone mens mindes of harmefull thinges take hold How soone the good corrupted is with nought Beholde the cares whereof our sauiour spake As Mathew telles in thirtéenth chapter playne Such wicked means malitious men can make The frutfull séede with worthles wéedes to stayne Beholde the deuill whose ministers are prest To stir an ore in euery forward boate Beholde blynd youth which holdeth pleasure best And skornes the payne which might their state promote Great is the care which grauest men endure To sée their Sonnes brought vp in Godly wise And greate the paines which teachers
pointes and the same shal be recompensed and deserued by measure of your owne contentation as my neighbour Phylopaes hath before profered Gnomaticus Worthy Gentlemen I yéelde you moste humble thankes for your curteous profers and I render infinite thankes vnto almighty God that my name hath ben so reported vnto you truly I would be lothe to deferre any lesse then the name of a faithful and diligent teacher so farre forth as it hath pleased GOD to endue me with knowledge Touching your proffer and request I do most willingly embrace the same confessing euen simply that it was mine errand to séeke such entertainement hauing of late dispatched out of my handes the sonnes of the Lord of Barlemont towardes the Uniuersitie of Doway and if the touch of your zeale be not contrary to the fame which is spred of your estates I shall thinke my selfe wel occupied in teaching or reading to the children of such worthy men as you are Phylopaes Well then sir we will be bold to send for the youngmen to the end that no time be lost or deferred in bestowing of them Fidus go your waies to our houses and bring hether our Sonnes Fidus. Moste willingly sir I shal accomplish your commaundement Gnomati. If it please you sir my seruant shall asist him Phylocalus It will not be amisse to acquaint hym wyth them Gnomaticus Sirha go with this gentlemans seruant and helpe him to conduct their children hyther Onaticus Well Sir it shal be done Actus primi Scaena tertia PHYLOPAES PHYLOCALVS GNOMATICVS PHYLAVTVS PHYLOMVSVS PHYLOSARCVS PHYLOTIMVS FIDVS and ONATICVS Phylopaes IT shall nowe bée our partes to vnderstand what stipend may content you for your paines Gnomaticus Sir in that respecte take you no care but let me pray vnto almighty God that he giue me grace so to enstruct your children as you may hereafter take comfort in my trauayle that done I can no wayes doubt of your beneuolence sithens your inward desire doth already manyfestly appeare and furthermore I would be lothe to make bargaines in this respect as men do at the market or in other places for grasing of Oxen or féeding of Cattle especially since I haue to deale with such worthy personages as you séeme and are reported to be Phylocalus Well yet Sir we would be glad to recompence you according to your owne demaund but in token of our ready will to please you we shall desire you to take at my handes these twenty angels as an earnest or pledge of our further meaninge as I am the first that presume to open my purse in this occasion so I beseech the Father of Heauen that I may not be the last which may reioyce to sée his children prosper thou knowest O Lord I meane not hereby my neighbours detriment but alas the shadow of a mans selfe is euer nearest to him and as I desire to be the first that may heare of their well doinge so yet if they hearken not diligently vnto your enstruction but obstinately reiect your precepts then I desire you and on Gods behalfe I charge you that I may yet be the first that shall thereof be aduertised but behold where they come these two I thanke the Father of Heauen are the tokens of his mercifull blessing towardes me the Eldest is named Phylosarchus and this younger Phylotimus Phylopaes And these too sir are mine onely children and God for his mercy graunt that they may be mine onely comfort the Eldest is called Phylautus and the younger Phylomusus Phylautus Sir according to your commaundement expressed by Fidus I am come hither to know your pleasure and haue by warrant of the same cōmission brought with me my Brother Phylomusus Phylosarchus And I in like maner Sir haue brought with me my Brother Phylotimus desiring to knowe your pleasure and being ready to obey your commaundement Gnomaticus Surely these young men giue none euill hope of their towardnesse and declare by their séemely gesture and modest boldnesse to be both of good capacitie and to haue bene well enstructed hytherto in humanity The Fathers adresse their talke to their children Phylocalus The cause that we haue sent for you is to committe you vnto the gouernement of this godly man whom we haue entreated to take paynes with you and to enstruct you in some principall poyntes of necessary doctrine to the ende that after you haue ripely disgested the same you may be the more able to go boldely into some Uniuersity and I for my part do here commit you vnto him charging you in Gods name and by the authority which he hath giuen mée ouer you to hearken vnto him wyth all attentiuenosse and to obey him with all humillity Phylopaes The same charge that my neighbour Phylocalus hath here giuen to his childrē the same I do pronounce vnto you and furthermore do charge you that you become gentle and curteouse to each other humble to your betters and affable to your inferiours in all respectes Phylautus Sir I trust we shall deserue your fatherly fauour Phylosarchus And I trust to deserue the continuance of your goodnesse Phylotus Phylomusus We hope also to immitate the good in all moral examples of vertuous behauiour Phylopaes The Father of Heauen blesse you with the blessing which it pleased him to pronounce vnto Abraham Isaac and Iacob Phylocalus Amen and now let vs depart leauing here in your custody the choyce lambes of our flocke defend them then for Gods loue from the rauening and raging lustes of the flesh and vanities of the world Gnomaticus Sir by Gods power I shall do my best diligence Fidus. My louely Gentlemen GOD guide you by his grace and though I be somwhat romoued from your dayly company yet spare not to commaund my seruice if at any time it may stand you in stéede to vse it Phylotus Gramercy gentle Fidus Actus primi Scena quarta GNOMATICVS PHYLAVTVS PHYLOSARCVS PHYLOMVSVS PHYLOTIMVS and ONATICVS Gnomaticus MY dearely beloued schollers since it hath pleased your Parentes as you haue heard to put mée in trust with you for a time it shall not be amisse before I enter further in enstruction to knowe how farre you haue already procéeded in learning that there vpon I may the better determine what trade or Methode shal be most conuenient to vse in teaching of you tell me therefore what you haue redde and in what maner the same hath bene deliuered vnto you Phylautus Sir my Brother here and I haue bene taught first the rules of the grammer after that wée had read vnto vs the familiar comunications called the Colloquia of Erasmus and next to that the offices of Cicero that was our last exercise Gnomaticus It hath bene well done haue you not also ben taught to versify Phylautus Yes truly sir we haue therein bene in maner dayly enstructed Gnomaticus And you Phylosarchus how haue you passed your time Phylosarcus Sir my Brother and I haue also bene taught our grammer and to make a verse we haue
and the young woman also doth not séeme to be of the honestest but yet there is no body which will come in and say this or that I haue séene or knowen by her Shée confesseth that Phylosarchus and Phylautus were there one night at a banquet and that Phylosarchus should haue supped there the same night that they were taken and when I aske her to what end she answereth that he was a suter to her for mariage and for witnesse bringeth in her Aunt as good as her selfe in the meane time I haue no proofe of euill wherwith to burthen her And then maister Eccho on that other sid he standeth as stiffe as may be and saith that he knoweth not whether Phylosarchus should haue supped there or not and for lack of proofe I am able to go no furder Phylocalus Yea Sir but doubtles that Eccho was the first cause of their acquayntaunce for the first tyme that my Sonne was there was one afternoone at which tyme Eccho came to their Schoole Master in your name and craued liberty for them to come and speake wyth you Seuerus With me Gnomaticus Yea Sir doubtlesse and when I gaue them leaue to come vnto you they returned after two or thrée howers respyte and sayde that you knew them not when they came there and that Eccho said he had mistaken the Scholemaster and the schollers Seuerus Sayd they thus of me Gnomaticus Yea truely sir Seuerus And sayd they that they had béen with me Gnomaticus Sir I woulde bée lothe to say so if it were otherwise and furthermore they séemed angry Seuerus And wherefore I pray you Gnomaticus For that you gaue them no better countenaunce Seuerus Before God they neuer came at mée but thys is somewhat yet for by this meanes I haue good cause to punish Master Eccho and I pray you Master Gnomaticus go with me vnto him and you shal heare what answer he is able to make vnto these matters Gnomaticus With right good will sir I wil wayte vpon you Worthy gentlemen you shal do wel to consider in the meane time vpon that which I last tolde you as myne oppinion Actus quinti Scoena octaua PHYLOPAES PHYLOCALVS Phylopaes THe aduice which master Gnomaticus hath geuen vs doth not mislike mee altogether but still my minde is more and more vexed with doubt least in the meane time and before Fidus can come at them they fall into some notable mishap by theyr misgouernment Phylocalus You do well to doubt the worst but if it were so what remidie but patience and geue god thanks that hath sent to eche of vs such a Sonne as may become the comfort of our age Phylopaes Truely it is in deede a great comfort that eyther of vs may take in our yonger Sonnes but if wee haue lost the elder as I feare it much what a corrosiue will that be vnto vs Oh how I feele my fearefull harte panting in my restles brest the Father of heauen vouchesafe to send mee ioyfull newes of Phylautus O wretched Phylopaes thou are like vnto a couetous man which hauing aboundance is yet neuer contented thou art alreadie sure of such ofspring as may giue thee cause to reioyce and yet thy minde is not satisfied vnlesse all thinges might fall out vnto thine owne desire and thou maist be compared to the patieÌ„t which crieth out before the Chirurgiens instrument do touch him because thou conceiuest in thy imagynation the dread which tormenteth all thy thoughts But alas why do I not prepare this wretched corpes of mine to be a present witnes what is become of my Phylautus I will surely go prouide all thinges necessarie for my iourney and neuer giue rest vnto these bones vntill I may sée him I will do so Phylocalus What abide Phylopaes I am a shamed to sée you so impacient what man I am as sorie to heare of my Sonnes lewd behauiour as you are of yours and â—o tel a truth I thinke he wil be fownde more faultie then yours but be it as God pleaseth I haue one especiall comfort and that is that I performed my duetie in carefulnes and in foresight as much as in me laye so guide him vnto promotion it is comendable in a parent to haue a care for his children but this womanlike tendernes in you deserueth reprehention Phylopes Se how euerye man can geue good councell and few can followe it well I praye you let vs withdraw oureselues to our houses to see if change of place may also change my melancholike passion Phylocalus Go we I will go to your house for companie Actus quinti Scaena nona SEVERVS GNOMATICVS FIDVS AMBIDEXTER Seuerus WEll since he is found culpable of thus much I would but talke with these neighbours of mine I meane Phylopaes and Phylocalus and wee will deuise such punishement for the malefactors as may be a terror hereafter to all parasites how they abuse the name of an officer or entyse the children of any burghers Gnomaticus Sir I dare say they will be pleased what soeuer you do therein and if it so please you I will go vnto their houses and call them vnto you for mée thinkes they are departed synce we went But what is hee that commeth here in such haste Fidus. Oh that I coulde tell where to fynde my Master Gnomaticus It is Fidus God graunt he bring good tidings Fidus I would rather fynd him in any place then at hys howse that he might haue some company yet whych might comforte him for I dare say these tidings will break his harte with Sorowe Gnomaticus I will go to him How now Fidus what newes Fidus. O master Gnomaticus I knowe no man whom I wuld rather haue presently then you O Sir I am vnhappy for I am the messenger of the most wofull newes that euer my master receyued for gods loue accompanie me vnto him that you might yet by your wisedom aswage the extremitie of his grief Gnomaticus I will willingly beare thée companie gentle Fidus and surely thou deseruest greate commendation and thankes aswell for thy fidelitie as also for the excéeding greate spéede which thou hast made but I pray thée tell vs first in the presence of the right honorable Markegraue the whole circumstance effect of these thy newes which thou sayest are so sorrowfull Fidus Sir since you will néedes haue it my master hath lost his eldest Sonne and Master Phylocalus hath little better then lost his also Gnomaticus Alas these are heauie newes in deed and must needes afflict the poore parents with extréeme grief for they are vnto me almost vntollerable but since it becommeth a christian to beare paciently what soeuer God doth prouide I pray thee tell on the whole circumstance of euerie thing as it fell Fidus. I will tell you Sir I vsed all the dilligence possible on my way and yet before I coulde come at Doway they were from thence departed Gnomaticus What all togithers Fidus No sir but Phylomusus was sent by the whole consent of the vniuersity