soundly slepte hee tasted the pleasantest part of life meaning as I thinke that euery pleasure that we take by our sences hathe in it more displeasure then sweetenes And therefore there could be nothing better then to lack y knowledge of theym But common opinion hath compared death to slepe rather theÌ„ trauayle or destruction therfore Homer doth call it brasen slepe Virgil yron slepe either of which importeth forgetfulnes of al thinges the allay of cares dulnes of sences careles mynde of hap to come Betwixt slepe and death this only difference there is that in death y time of quiet is longer Diogenes beinge sicke sleaping was asked of his phisicion how hee fared to whom he answered wel for quod he one brother enuieth an other Such was the securitye of hys mynde as euen at point of death he feared not to iest In like maner did Cosmas Medices a wise man in our age who being nerse death closed hys eyes whiche his wife seinge asked whye hee so dyd hee answered that hee did it to bringe his eyes in custome For in dede the eyes of dead men are neither broade open nor close shutte And so I thinke the Poet did wel knowe sayinge Is not our sleape O foole of death an Image playne For fatall course shal bring a rest that euer vvill remayne But if thou compare death to long trauayl and that the soule beinge let lose from prison of the bodye seeth al thinges and walketh euerye where Than what can be consydered more happye For the soule being burdened with the body is neither free nor rightly knoweth any thinge but beyng ouerladen with cares doth beholde only the fygure of thinges and as it were throughe a webbe or clothe gesseth a syghte and certainlye knoweth nothing but beinge free doth not only cast of all hyndraunce but also beholdeth all thinges without interruption whiche beinge true who is hee that willingly woulde eschewe deathe yea who is hee that woulde not rather doe as Theombrotus Ambrociota did who hauinge red Platoes booke of the immortalitye of soules cast himselfe headlong downe from a wall not feelinge any offence or other naturall sickenes but onely for desyre of such heauenlye happynesse as spirites were partakers of Therfore men saye that Socrates being by Crito perswaded to flye frome prison aswel for sauinge hymselfe as his frendes and kinsfolkes refused to doe it answerynge wiselye O Crito my chyldren shal be left in charge to God which gaue them As for friendes I am going into those partes where I am assured to fynd as good or haply better then they be And at length I doubt not but you wil also offer me your company meaninge thereby that the lyfe of man was of small continuance Such were the wordes of Socrates thynking that death necessarilye myght be compared to one of these three and most lyke of al to trauayle whych may also be coniectured by dreames For there is nothing that doth better or moore truely prophecy the ende of lyfe then when a man dreameth that he doth trauayle and wander into farre countries and chiefly if he imagineth hym selfe to ryde vppon a whyte horse that is swyfte and that he trauayleth in countries vnknowen wythout hope of retourne in such sort naturallye deâ—yninge of that shortlye wyll come to passe in dede But if death be resembled to destruction which as is all ready proued is moost impossible yet can it no wayes bee accompted euyll Because what so euer is not can not be euyll els we should lament for them that neuer were born nor neuer were at all and they that are not can nothinge suffer But if thou bewaylest thy chaunge sure it is that Death dooth take away more euylles then it bringeth and those more certayn And although Death were euyll and brought wyth it but one onely commodity whyche Epicharinus spake of because the partinge from Lyfe was painfull yet by death art therof delyuered for in all euilles to haue escaped is a greate comforte If then death be euyll to be dead is to escape but if it bee good thou haste no cause to lament And that the one or the other is who doubteth I remember nowe that longe synce happened to my selfe neither do I thinke to digresse from the purpose that albeit the twentye and seuenth yeare of myne age I became sore sicke of a syngle Tercian after Seuen fyttes I â—ounded and lay for dead In whych tyme althoughe euery member was almoste depriued of his vertue yet felt I neither griefe nor payn other then a certayn ticklinge throughout my whole bodye euen such as we feele in vsing venery Therfore as I sayde beynge in suche estate I feeled nothinge worse then that this tickelinge where in was not so greate pleasure as in Venus Sporte And there with all a certayne Feare leaste in deede I shoulde dye and truely as touchinge Sence or Strength I founde small dyfference thoughe the peryll were greate Afterwardes askinge of manye that hadde beene neare Death whether therein they felte any greate euill or not who aunsweared that in the Headeache and in euerye other sicknesse of the Bodye was greater Griefe I founde that in myne opinion of Death conceyued I dyd not erre at all That proofe maye also bee had that althoughe Children and women be moste fearfull to receiue all sortes of Medecines and yelde to Cuttinge of vaynes yet being ready to dye do neither complayn nor lamente but rather are offended if wee seeke to preserue their liues Who cannot therfore coniecture that in death there is either none euyll at al or very litle seynge those paynes whiche we feare most are in dyinge not regarded Thys is also worthy to bee noted that they that hope of no lyfe to come do no lesse valiantly dye theÌ„ they that beleue the soule immortal As Cassius who hauing killed Caesar with the same dagger that Caesar was slayne aspecting no messenger of death slewe himselfe so dyd Marcus Antonius and Sardanapalus king of the Assyrians did cast into the fyre not only hym selfe but also his bed and his concubines but that he belieued no lyfe after death is knowen by these verses Novve eate novve drinke novve make good sport For sith thy felfe on earthe a mortall man do see Take here thy fill of earthly ioyes no ioyes hereafter be Therfore albeit it were that with the body y soule did perishe yet death could not be eyther euyl greuous or any wayes to be feared yea such as so beleue are in greatest security for not beinge subiect to iudgement and free from all suspicion of mynde either of punishment or reward which thing doth most torment men that are ready to take leaue of lyfe But thou shalt beleue al rather then this that the soule perysheth with the body For as it is not altogether certaine what dothe presentlye folowe death so is it moste assured that the soule of man doth neuer dye wherof althoughe none other profe were then the consideracion of
alwayes followes Tirantes for proofe of such felicitye he caused Damocles to put on his princely apparell placed him in his owne princely chayre and set before him all the pompe ioyes and ryches of Siraâ—usa whiche done by a smal threde he hanged ouer his head a sharpe sworde naked which Damocles seinge he durst not stretch out his arme nor make any mocioÌ„ to 〈◊〉 himselfe of those delicates which were set befooâ—â— him but finding himselfe on euery syde beset wyth feare hee prayed Dionisius to deliuer him from thys royal feast where he learned so much as neuer after hee desyred to become a kinge Moreouer to speake of a princes life when he hath royally suÌ„ptuously diâ—ed and all his dishes with greate ceremony taken away incommeth ieasters iuglers minstrels some they craftely flatter som thei back bite som they seke to disgrace some fal to laughinge some to mopping mowing while others do sound the instruments In euery of which actions y more kyndly a man plaieth the paraâ—â—te the more he is alowed of Duringe these doinges the prince with fayned cheare museth on other matters more waightye and happelye occasioned by some aduertisementes wrytten â—nto him to counsell be goeth where 〈◊〉 matters be called in 〈◊〉 Neither pleasaunt to be hard nor good in the execution Because some are vniust some euill some perilous Such displeasant imaginacions a kyng hath now he fyndeth offence now he discouerethe treasons now feeleth ingratitude nowe he reuealeth suspicion now he discouereth errour and euill procedynge of ministers and now hee fyndeth y in fydelity of princes Hys mynd thus molested hee sigheth and soroweth hoping to remoue the memorye of such imaginations perhaps he hunteth rydeth or beholdeth others ryding Whither forthâ—â— the people run and bring that to mynd which hee would willingly haue left vnthought of Then after speach of sundrye matters to supper hee goeth wherof he fyndethe the lyke annoye that his 〈◊〉 did offer him At length to bed where before sleape he museth of many displeasant matters howe many men are â–ª or must be executed though not altogether iustly yet necessarily What practises are made what feare what enuy what iniury what warre what spoyle what subuersion of Citties what suspicion of death and last of all desyreth eyther not to be or els to enioy a more quiet life And thus from one fancy to an other he turneth tosseth his mynde yet in the ende findeth all thinges so confuse as nothing is assured or parmaneÌ„t thus he desyreth to sleape whiche is not easlye had his stomacke beinge ouercharged wyth a surfytinge supper And admitte he doth sleape in sleapynge he meeteth vnquiet ymaginacyons fearfull dreames visyons Though hys bed be rych soft delycate yet hys rest oft tymes hard shorte What life is this then sinfull of cares and anxitye of mynde And as Antigonus answered his sonne Demetrius telling him that more mildely hee behaued him selfe towardes his subiectes then stoode with his honoure O sonne quod hee thou knoweste not that a kingedome is nothinge ells then a glorious seruitude So Tymoâ—ion the most happye of all the Grecian Dukes sayde that princes were the ministers and seruauntes of many Besydes all these cares which kinges are combred withall such as are Tyrantes bee occupied with incest rape murder of innocentes poyson threatninges violence tormentes and sacrilege yea feare and suspicion are on euery side at hand As many there be whom a tirante feareth as are those that liue in fear of him whiche the verse of Laberianus againste Caesar the Dictator doth well set foorth sayinge Of force he must feare many vvhom dayly many feare What gard is so vigilaÌ„t as can defend him He suspecteth his wife his childreÌ„ his paramour his cup-bearer his barber A misery sure to great to be wished to enemies or y mooste wicked persons But now I see much hath bene said of felicity thoughe confusely Let vs therfore at length more inperticuler touch euery on And first I say y life of a pore man is longer more healthy strong then y whiche rich meÌ„ haue neither do I think y and do dout thereof Only thre men I do remeÌ„ber the haue passed the age of a hundred yeares all they almoste beggers one was a Carpenter the other Apothicarye and the thirde a ploweman How can hys lyfe belong that lyueth in lust ydlenesse and surfytyng wherof richmen do scarcely eschewe any one How diffring therfore be the orders of mens lyues the one in abstinence and exercise the other in banquetting and euyll rule Euer continuinge in ydlenes or preposterous labour watching by night slepinge the day Hereof commeth dropsies consumptions and goutes to richemen But what poreman almoost doth complayne of theym The complexion of their faces doothe often tymes also shew what lyfe they leade A poore man other whyles hathe moore beautifull Chlydren then hath the rich man in hauing them as fortunate They many times are barren or haue children verye weake and sicklye but poremen neuer want yea rather are ouerburdened And the reason ther of apparaÌ„t For children are made of their parents feede whiche beinge plentifull geueth the childe a liuely spyryte and strong body both which are encreased by labour In noble personages it is far otherwise if they mete seldome they make manye children but weake ones if they mete often none at all But poore people haue manye children or not yet som those strong For which cause Licurgus ordeined a good law y when women were with chylde they should be enforced to labor Besydes al this pore men haue liberty wherof princes possesse little Poremen do visit euery place but princes may not and wher they go great preparacion is made So nothing is done sodenlye but longe thought vpoÌ„ A prince is enforced to tary y leisure and flouth of his seruantes to beare with their errours In sommer notwithstanding all prouision he is annoyed with duste In winter he shonneth the colde and yet do feele it But the pore man in sommer exersiseth him selfe in the shadow and in winter with laboure driueth the colde away and that with pleasure The richman carefully defendeth his own Lands but the pore man beholdeth all and the seldomer he hath liberty to se the greater pleasure he hath in seinge Neyther do thou ymagin I saye otherwise then I thincke my selfe haue neuer wished any thing lesse then to haue gardens in the suburbes for the reason abouesayde that other mens for their rarenes do more delight and to haue them myne owne were nothing profytable All men do study to lyue whiche lyuinge the pore man by labour doth gette his Nature is stronge hys bodye vncorrupt But happelye thou wylt prefer arte before nature I yelde to thine opinion We see that arte though not exquisyte doth also helpe pore men but to rychmen arte is an hynderaunce And some things whych pore men accompt vyle and bace are wyth rych men hadde in greate
age When Cicero lost his daughter Tulliola being to him most dere did repose the chiefest parte of his consolation in the affayres of Caesar yet he liued vnder a milde prince in a Cittye plentifull Cicero himselfe of Caesar beloued frended of the greatest wāted neither wealth honour nor reputacion Then cōpare time with time that security with this priuate peril the goodnes authoritye of Cicero with thine the lenitye of Caesar with the seuerity of other Princes and then consider whether thou ought to wishe for childrē whē Cicero did not much sorrow the losse of his The life of men wythout childrē is ful of pleasure ful of lybertye ful of security they haue no cause to frare eyther iniuryes seruitude disdaine or daunger of others in peace they are free in warres not carefull And beleue mee that in common calamities ther is no greater care then to thinke vppon thy kinsefolke In time of plague no place thou hast to flee to in time of war thou mayest not remoue in time of famine thou art vnprouided whither to go Cōsider wel these discōmodityes see whether they are comparable to the want of children But now let vs returne to our principall proposition Why complaynest thou thy want of children when for thy child thou ought neither to lamēt who eyther feleth nothīg or is in ioy neither for thy self whose condition is best in respect thou arte childlesse syth thereby thou hast chaunged peril for security toyle for quiet bondage for libertye and yet complaynest This other day I harde certaine poore olde womē complayning wyshing the death of theyr childrē and had it not bene better for them to haue beene childlesse then to become in such myserye as to wishe the death of theyr owne children Marke well the prayers of poore people consider howe carelesse they are of theyr children and so shalt thou finde I tell none vntrothe But thou art riche no sure they are onelye riche that do dwel in common weales And thoughe thou liuest nowe vnder a king his successour maye be a tyrante one onely night may make this chaunge And in a cōmon weale whyle thou fearest not one thou must lye in wayghte and take heede of manye If thou want riches there can be no comforte in children Euerye man most assuredlye is poore and no mā rich wher is no security how canst thou be happy yet this is one most certaine condition of mortal men That as some are subiect to the warres of diuers vnder one all is wholye at his deuotion Remember Heliogabalus themperour that sought togethers the children of al Italy what did Astiages commit vppon Harpagus or what did Cambises to the Persians◠and chiefelye to Prexaspes Suche is the condition of men as better it were to liue in feare of warre by sondrye Princes then of one that maye at his will commaunde all One Octauius Augustus was a good Prince because in ciuil warres mercifullye enough he shedde the Romayne bloud but what beastes did continuallye succede him As Tiberius Caligula Nero Claudius What mischiefe coulde be more hardlye suffered then these monsters But admit thou liue in happye tymes yet of them do I receiue no proofe considering I wrote this booke to serue my selfe in harde chaunces not onelye in respect of the vayne opynion of some mortal men touchinge priuate aduentures but also that vnloked for euentes mighte more paciently be borne which thoughe they be not worse then other that are priuate yet by reason of theyr sodennes do cōmonly trouble men most Yet sith wythout mine assente this Booke maye come to handes of posteritye I maye happelye be reproued for hauinge attributed to muche blame to some one time and dispayred of better wherefore let the blame of tymes be left to theyr place and as meete it is oure talke be turned to comforte Thy sonne is dead what can more easelye be recouered none age but the laste no sicknes excepte the consumption that hindereth child getting which being so we ought not to be so careful of children as of our selues Aristotle concludeth that at threscore yeares of age or threscore ten a mā liueth to get children yet is it manifest that some haue gotten children after fowerscore yeares and though fauoure and force were decayde And among diseases both the gout and consumption do suffer generation These only are thought insufficient to get children y wants their stones or are depriued of their vertue Or els those whose vaynes behinde their eares be cut For such men as saith Hipocrates be all barren How wel therfore dooth Nature prouide y what a man most dispaireth of the same by quicke occasion is supplied There is nothing that can moore easlye or soner come or happen to man then the ryches gotten of thy father because thy winninge of Glorye and Freendes asketh longe time but a childe is gotten in a moment What losse can then the death of thy Sonne be and though it were the greatest yet because so easlie and of euery mā may be supplied it ought not to be accompted of But beinge poore to get riches is very hard For as the sayinge is Novv riches are not geeuen but vvhere as riches do habound But thou shalt see a man now childles and olde yet or thou see him next he is become riche If anye member be cut of it groweth not againe yf the father dye or borther their liues are neuer called back if thy fame be perished harde is thy reputation recouered but the losse of children is so easlye shortly and fully supplied as in this respecte onlye is not worthy any comfort no though thou were assured he were thy sonne in dede And how incertaine that is O Lorde who knoweth not thy beliefe must do it beliefe is therein nedefull Only the fidelitie of thy wife doth make him thine other assurance hast thou none But if a man doe happen to mourne for the death of an other mans childe for by coniecture Bastardes dye sonest by reason they were gotten with feare and most vnquietnes of mynde then looke what Laughter yt prouoketh But now thine owne Chylde a thing vnknowē but only to his mother is taken away what part of him was thine his soule I neuer found any so wicked as would be of that mynde his body howe can that bee when he is made of his fathers seede which is the superfluous noryture of the thirde concocktion as the donge fyrst the vrine second yf whatsoeuer commeth of superfluitie be ours then so shall wormes and Lyce bee ours and worthy our loue Remember how much seede in tymes past thou hast consumed in waste eyther vpon harlots or vpon thy wife being withe childe all that is loste and thou complaynest not what is more in thy sonne then the effusion of thy seede wilt thou then so muche lament a vyle and disdained thinge wherof is no reason If thou respect the beginninge thou shalt fynde that thou lamentest none other then a litle
many calamityes whereinto vnfrendlye fortune the hardnes of my father y mislyking of kinsefolke and the mysery of the time had cast me through good counsel I eschewed at least wise y presence of my myseries by returning to the Citty where many frends did comfort and helpe mee and throughe Gods grace sodeinlye I escaped my sickenes Afterwardes to meete with mysorder of sickenes I vsed abstineÌ„ce against the affliction of fortune pacience against pouerty sparing against suite dilligence against repulses y studie of learning And alwayes from the beginning till this time this booke though not then wrytteÌ„ yet conceyued did greatly comfort mee Thus returned to my countrye I founde my mother in health Before which time eueÌ„ til this day hauing suffered many myseryes perhappes to others intollerable by disdayne I ouercame them al. First I was releued and defended by my good Patron the reuerend bishoppe Phillippus Archintus both for vertue and learninge a wyse and worthye man After throughe commendacion of that excellente Prince Alphonsus Auolus to whom I dedicated my booke De eternitatis Archanis I was by procuremente and singuler fauoure of Franciscus Sâ—oâ—dratus the noble Senator chosen into the order with the good lyking of euerye honest man beinge then almost fortye yeares of age Such hath beene y course of my lyfe crased wyth continuall greate calamityes Wherevnto what my studye hath helped you may coniecture As for greater giftes of fortune I did contemne them wyth like minde that I suffered all offered iniuryes Wherefore to the continuance of my lyfe and recouery of quiet I haue not obtayned of God any thing more profitable then pacience for by vertue therof amids my greatest myseries I founde fauour and helpe in theym of whom I neuer had anye good deserued For Franciscus Bonafidus a good and faythful Phisition so stoutlye defended my cause agaynst the wronge of the Phisitions of PADOA as no brother for a brother woulde haue done more Greate assistaunce did I also finde in Franciscus Cruceius a most vprighte Lawyer my suite dependinge in the Cittye of Mylan Who was also the occasion whye in diuers sayinges teachinge wrytinge and inuentinge I bestowed much trauaile And albeit a minde vnmolest maye beste doe all other thinges yet haue I found that inuention requyreth a quiet mynde which may appeare by diuers and sondrye my Bookes c. But of my selfe perhappes I haue to muche spoken not in myne owne commendation but for examples sake For what prayse canne base parentage bee the displease of my father frendes and Countreye my healthe hindered my fortune vnfrendlye myne estate poore and nexte to beggerye who so therefore doth thincke mee to haue spoken all this for glorye whiche tendeth rather to shame must needes condempne mee of greate follye And hee wyll thincke mee vtterlye vnwyse who so euer iudgeth me to haue spoken these thinges for ostentation which are rather matters to be ashamed of it leauing oure purpose wee yelde to the common opynion of others But it was myne intente by one example to teache these three thinges First y without a conscience gilty of euil no maÌ„ is miserable Secondly y the valiency of minde doth greatlye helpe not onlye to contentacion but also to procure the mutacion of fortune Lastlye y the reading of this booke was profitable both to perswade vnhappye men wyth pacient minde to suffer aduersity those that be happye in their owne opynion to be modest and continent Besydes that as is already said though meÌ„ do waÌ„t this or such like bookes to read yet shall they in theyr myserye be depriued of all comfort surely no. For so should we take vpon vs a thing almost deuine Because this onelye is necessarye to saue thee from mysery y thou perswade thy selfe thou art not myserable Which rule in one worde may be taughte and learned of euery man And whosoeuer shal not coÌ„ceiue this reason which is auaylable to perswade the wise then let them read this or some such booke as necessary But the simple sort coÌ„mon people beleuing this rule neede not these reasons which our law of life doth also approue But such as woulde instruct others maye receiue of this Booke some profit though I vntaught haue writteÌ„ it onely to my selfe being vsed to demonstrations haue beleued what followeth death yet that here on earth should be neither felicitye nor misery onlye by reason of aunciente writers I coulde not proue I thought therfore expedieÌ„t not only to reduce their sayings together but also to adde thervnto what soeuer I could Wherfore to begin at the discommodityes of pouertye seing the burden of them semeth to some intollerable and as Menander affyrmeth No burden is more heauye then pouertye And on the contrarye part Riches haue alwayes bene had in price The saying of the Poet is yet vnchaunged Novv vvealth doth vvield the vvorld and vvealth doth vvorship gayn Yea vvealth doth vvyn the frends at vvyl the pore ech vvher coÌ„playn But nowe let vs not at all aduentures but orderly as we can because it conteineth many pointes enter into our matter First we must proue that the pore man is no lesse happy then the rich Secondly that pouertie is no impediment to glorye Thirdly that there is nothinge more hurtfull to a pore man then to desyre to become riche Fourthly that after death ryches doth neither profyte the dead man nor his posterity And to y fyrst part this I say that in a poore common weale the felicity is more then in the rich there is euer fouÌ„d lesse hate lesse ambicion and lesse disorder Titus Liuius telleth that albeit the coÌ„mon weale of Rome was at the begynning afflicted with sundry sedicions yet among so furious a people besydes wordes nothing was done so as without iudgemente was executed Tiberius Gracchus was the fyrst maÌ„ that without lawe was put to death syxe huÌ„dred twenty and one yeare after the buildinge of that Citty euen then newly attayned to some ryches Plinius witnesseth how great commendacions the ambassadors of the Carthaginences being enemies to the people of Rome did geue vnto the Romains for their mutual loue But after that riches grew to estimacion in Rome nothing continued in assurance nothing vndisquieted the people withoute concorde the Senate without aucthority slaughter without respect gouernement without lawe wicked lyfe without controlment coÌ„mon persons without reuerence youth without bashfulnes old men without grauity Al things were prophaned and mixte with the dregs of slaues and strangers From hence sprong vp y fruit of al mischief wherby it appeareth playne that miserye followeth the footsteps of rich common weales and quietnesse procedeth from pouerty The Lacedemonians lykewise while they lyued almost in beggery were glorious and happye In witnes whereof we fynd that when the king of Persia did send certain ambassadors to LacedemoÌ„ they were there through fury of the people robbed and slayne There was in Lacedemon a temple of Talthibius Agamemnons cryer a sanctuary for ambassadors
Cicero and freely pardoned al other Princes that were in the battayle Pharsalica He sette vppe the Pictures of Pompeius and fynallye gaue so manye sygnes and Monumentes of mercy as Cicero both before the victorye and after his deathe affirmed his Quarell the better sayinge that Pompeius defendoure of his country might more iustlye be condēpned for his crueltye to Enemies then Caesar in respect of the greate Mercie he vsed In lyke maner didde Octauius his successor procede For when Liuius the Historiographer had percyally written against him hee vsed none other Reuenge but called him a Pompeian Lykewise when Asinius Pollio had in his Booke praysed Cassius Brutus Affranius and Scipio he sought no reuēge againste him Besydes all thys he receiued into hys House Tymagines whoe in wrytinge hadde defamed Octauius Liuia and her daughter For all whiche doinge hee vsed none other Reuenge then these wordes Fruere mihi Pollio fruere But beholde howe nobly Andrianus Caesar did mytigate his ire Hee beinge made Emperoure and meetinge his Enemy sayde Thou hast escaped Declaringe that as befoore hee wanted power to be Reuenged so nowe in aucthoritye he woulde wante will and therefore did acquite him of feare It is also to bee consydered that there is nothinge that encreaseth aucthoritye more then to forgeue And therefore PELECRVS the Lacedemonian Complayninge to hys Brother that hee was not so Beloued amonge the Cyttyzens as hee was hee aunsweared Pelecrus sayinge the cause thereof is that thou can not suffer iniuries It is lykewise greatly to be noted that who so euer hath aspired to authority or greatnes they haue born with many iniuries because they the reuenge might be resembled to the fable of Praxitelis Who beinge as men saye of Nature angry and beholdinge hymselfe in a glasse espied there a visage euyl fauoured and deformed and therewithall more moued increased his collerick angry countenaunce which plainly appeared within the glasse but in the end hee brake the glasse in euery piece where of he found a face much deformed Wherby Praxitelis had experience that in seeking to reuenge himselfe of one discontentacion he occasioned many Euen so if thou murder one man thou makest his frendes and familye all thine enemies Thus in seeking to acquit thy selfe of one foe thou gettest manye yea sometymes for so doinge thy name groweth odious and thou condempned for an euyll man Fynallye who so is accustomed to reuenge mindeth none other thinge which reason and experience doth wel declare Alexander the greate in whose chamber whyle he lyued good fortune slepte knowing the vnfriendly hartes of the Athenienses and other people of Grecia who vnder the ensigne of Darius made warre againste him did notwithstandinge seeke any reuenge which greatnes of mynde Darius other vnderstanding of enemies they became subiectes and faythfull freendes But if contrarywise hee had vsed reuenge the whoole number of the Grecian youth yea all India and Peloponesso had reuolted and bene destroyed so as of Alexander he had in shorte space become a poore obscure Prince Farre vnlyke to hym dydde kinge Pirrus proceede who beinge a famous Capitayne yet folowinge Reuenge lefte his doinges imperfyte and dyed in mysecye IVLIVS CAESAR in priuate lyfe and towardes reconciliacion to hys Ennemyes beinge greatlye slaundered by Caius Caluus and Catullus dyd notwithstandinge wryte fyrst vnto Caluus and pardonned Catullus What greater Ennemy hadde he then Clodius that defyled the honoure of wedlocke Beinge apprehended he woulde not onely not condempne him but also saue him from periury But Marius dydde far otherwise hee thyrstinge for the bloud of enemies and followinge Reuenge hadde euyll ende and was the distruction of himselfe and all hys What hath bene seene more worthely done then that acte of Fabius who contrary to al right was forced by the people to receiue Minutius mayster of his horse as his companion in the empyre whoe doinge dyuers thinges contrary to Fabius desygne dyd notwithstandinge forgetting the iniury ioyn with Minutius agaynst Hanniball and to saue hym from peril vsed al care cunning which afterwardes wrought such effect as the people cōfessed how vnworthelye they had abled Minutius to bee his equal which Minutius also vpō his knees confirmed prayinge Fabius to take into his handes y hole authority and Empire Such be the rewards of noble myndes that can forget al iniuryes So dydd not Cicero when with staunderous speach he persecuted Clodius but for so doinge was himselfe bannyshed And in seekinge to banishe Antonius oute of the common wealth he there by hindred himself his friendes his countrye and all good men But is it not a thing worthy to be noted that we disdayne the iniuries of brute beastes and reuēge the wronges offered by men Also we pacientlye suffer the displeasure of tyme and can not beate the offences of men But in the one Ambicion wanteth in the other is meane to Reuenge whiche I graunte and yet in the Iniuryes of men it is to be consydered that man is wyll thou Nyll thou thy Companion in lyfe And manye times thoughe thou marcke it not by the prouoked What doth it then moue thee to suffer iniurye Is it Harme or Losse by reuenge it cannot be recouered If Harme thou seemest to Sorrowe that thou arte honeste or that thou would be so thought Seing it is the propertie of an euyl man to do iniury the property of a good man to dysdayne it Also when any man doth sclander thee disdayne thee stryke thee or hurte thee consyder whether the same be wyllinglie done or not Be cause an vnwyllinge offence may hurt and yet be none Iniurie at all Cresus was commended for pardoning Adrastus when he had killed his sonne ▪ because Adrastus meaninge was to haue shotte at the Bore and not to haue slaine the Chylde But if wyllinglye the offence bee offered examine thy selfe if thou haue geeuen cause for then is it none iniurye but deserued punishmente And if thyne ennemye hathe hurte thee thincke withe thy selfe whether thou woulde haue doone the lyke to him if thou might for then it was none Iniurye but contencion The ende of all stryfe is when the one yeldeth And therfore a boye of Lacedemon beinge deadly wounded and Comforted by his Freendes saying that or long they would reuenge the iniury done vnto him aunswearede that in no wyse they should so doe because the hurte he receiued he entended to his Enemye if his entent hadde taken place But let thy mynde be voyde of euyll free from hate and displeasure then consyder the qualitye of the offence and the state of the offender whether it be so small as is not to be regarded or the man so mad or vyle as is to be disdayned because to be reuenged vpon anye suche Iniurious occasyons or men is both dishonourable and wicked But admitte the offence be not such doest thou not remember that it is the propertye of a good man paciently to suffer iniuries not for feare but through Fortitude So Phocion beinge
as did Melissus a Gramarian of Spoleta Surelye it is a goodlye pleasure to eate at other mens tables Would God it were as honest And doest thou thincke the fauorites of Princes are other then seruauntes whom ambition hath deceiued besydes which theyr estate is more perillous and more vnhappye Neyther is seruitude anye hinderaunce to glorye for Plato Xenocrates Calcedonius Diogenes Phedrus Epitetus and Esopus the fabler did al liue in seruitude Besides them diuers Gramarians Sibonius Aphroditius Taberius Crotes Antonius Gnipho Phosius the excellent player and Manlius in Astronomye a singuler Poet. What shoulde I saye of riches and shall I agayne resight thoâ—e monsters of the Romayne pleasure Drusilanus and Menecrates yea the seates of Kinges haue beene by bondemen possessed Tullius one of the aunciente kinges was a bondman And so was Oedipus and other The kinges of Syria and Palestina in our age chosen out of this sorte of men But let riches rule and beare the sway yet let vs resight knowen examples of manye such as seruitude and the patronage of a good maister haue aduaunsed for the vertue of the maister dependeth much vppon the wysedome of the seruaunt And some seruauntes haue not onlye gayned libertye but also deserued to become heyres to theyr masters Neyther shalt thou finde vppon the aunciente monumentes more recordes of loue of wyues children and brethrene then ensamples of seruauntes deuotion towards maysters and maisters towardes them The lyke perswatioÌ„ may make for thy comfort if thou liue wythout glorye which kinde of life is the more tollerable if thou remayne in seruitude whereinto Vlysses as Plato sayth being werye of hys former life did willingly cast himselfe Ther is no happines y can happeÌ„ to maÌ„ greater theÌ„ eyther not to desyre glorye or not to haue it Who so doth the one liueth in great quietnes of mynd the other enioyeth gret security For is y glory of this world other theÌ„ a swete poysoÌ„ for meÌ„ wherof if thou taste thou becomest blinde senceles Herevpon groweth vain labour peril care which way to kepe get frends authority riches Enuye also like vnto a shadow inseperable doth follow glory which in a moment fadeth awaye and the rest of thy life the more vnpleasant How many worthy meÌ„ haue geuen the glorye of theyr owne deserts to others Socrates being victorious in battaile gaue al the honour prayse and rewarde to Alchibiades But who can therein excell Plato he commeÌ„ded for his learning did yelde all the prayse to those y had taught him as Socrates Tymeus and Permenides Surelye there is no greater glorye then the contempte of honour Who so is not ambitious getteth no glorye why seekest thou that y to haue thou ought not if thou be ambitious thou accusest thy selfe and yet ambition were no vyce if glorye myghte lawfully be desyred I cannot resight the nomber of all suche as haue honoured vertue and yet contempned the prayse And yet in deede euen at this daye also who so lyuinge vertuouslye doth lurke may be called good happye What doth the ambitious man gayne other then set to sale al â–ª his imperfections And whoso euer doth marke it well shal finde that euery man hath more defects then customes worthy commendation To preuent the peril of this condeÌ„pnation there is no way so sure as to lurke and liue vnknowen The like coÌ„modity bringeth ignoraunce wherof notwythstanding many do complaine Who so seeketh knowledge findeth care and laboure as the Prophete sayth I tell not that Paule hath preached that this worldly wysedom is ennemye to god Let vs consider what is commonly gayned by learning profite is disdayned the soule hazarded the body consumed thy children substaÌ„ce neglected The learned do get great enuy shortneth his lyfe and all for knowledge or rather to be thoughte to knowe For arte thou more wyse then Socrates Plato or Aristoteles Socrates did glorye that hee knewe nothinge Plato doubted of manye thinges Aristotiles speaketh so obscurelye as one woulde thincke he knewe little Alasse how many haue bene hindered with being thought learned Amonge the rest y small knowledge of myne haue bene to my disaduantage for thereby I haue bene oftentimes reiected euill handled oppressed and would God that eyther I had bene such a one as they thought me or that they had thought me such a one as in deede I was Hereof grew against me so many vndeserued euill reportes al which I disdayned perswading my selfe that one maÌ„ excelled an other in that he was better Like vnto al other things doth that opinion of learning brede slauÌ„der diuers other incoÌ„uenients as we see by AlexaÌ„der Achillino Tiberio of Bononia Petrus Leo Marcus Antonius of Verona For Achillinus was poysoned Petrus Leo cast hedlonge into a ponde Tiberius Antonius occasioned to shorteÌ„ theyr owne lyues So we finde that this wysedome is accompanyed with many discommodityes Howe much better had it beene for these learned men to haue liued by some craft or industrye what man haue thou knowen both learned and fortunate yea whom hath not learninge hindered Socrates was slayne Anaxagoras kept in pryson Plato soulde and put in perill of hys heade Aristotiles sente into exile where eyther willingly or not greatlye against his wyl he dyed Demetrius Phalerius banished and condempned Demostenes poisoned himselfe Easimes sent to exile and so was Solon Licurgus depryued of hys eyes and after banished wyth manye perils of lyfe Ioannes Scotus stabbed in wyth daggers by y handes of his companions Cicero betrayed and slayne Varro coÌ„fyned and who was not molested and disdained Budeus a notable man of oure age did also iustlye complaine what and how many persecutions did Erasmus suffer were the Prophetes and wyse meÌ„ in the lawe of Moyses more happye surelye no. The cause is learning which who so hath not let him not desyre it who already hath it must thinke to haue boughte a iewell of great pryse and kepte wyth more care and perill But to much haue we spoken of these matters for fewe or none shalte thou finde that complayne of ignoraunce seinge willingly they deceyue themselues Now as touching sorrowe it selfe which worthely seemeth intollerable Let vs consider it commeth chiefely of three causes that is to say of sicknes folly or enforcemeÌ„t How soeuer it be or whatsoeuer griefe we feele eyther it is not great or not long and seldome it happeneth to honest men but if it doe must of necessitye be endured Whosoeuer falleth into sicknes either willingly or agaynst his will would he not be ashamed that womeÌ„ should excell hym in pacience and sufferaunce of griefe for women in bearing of children do endure most extreeme paynes yet notwithstanding do not refrayne the company of men suche as be barren do not desyre any thinge so muche as to haue children The griefe which women suffer in childing is of all other the greatest and nearest to death yea many of such griefe do dye in deede No gout no ache
more vnto your Coūtreyemen as one that is vvilling to salue so great an incōuenience am nothing dainty to denye your request Againe we see if our frendes be deade vve cannot shewe or declare our affection more then by erectinge them of Tombes vvhereby vvhen they be deade in deede yet make vvee them liue as it vvere againe through theyr monument but vvyth me behold it happeneth farre better for in your lyfe time I shal erect you such a monumēt that as I saye in your life time you shall see hovve noble a shadowe of your vertuous life shal hereafter remaine vvhen you are deade and gone And in your life time againe I say I shall giue you that monument and remembraunce of your lyfe vvhereby I may declare my good vvill thoughe vvith your ill vvill as yet that I do beare you in your life Thus earnestlye desyringe you in this one request of myne as I vvould yelde to you in a great manye not to repugne the settinge forth of your ovvne proper studyes I bid you farevvel ¶ From my newe countrye Muses at VViuenghole wishing you as you haue begunne to proceede in these vertuous actions For when all things shall els forsake vs vertue yet wil euer abide wyth vs and when our bodies falles into the bowels of the earth yet that shall mounte with our mindes into the highest Heauens By your louinge and assured frende E. Oxenford The Earle of Oxenforde to the Reader THe labouring man that tilles the fertile soyle And reapes the haruest fruite hath not in deede The gaine but payne and if for all hys toyle He gets the strawe the Lord wyll haue the seede The Manchet fyne falles not vnto his share On coursest cheat his hungrye stomacke feedes The Landlord doth possesse the fynest fare He pulles the flowers the other pluckes but weedes The Mason poore that buildes the Lordlye halles Dwelles not in them they are for hye degree His Cotage is compact in paper walles And not with bricke or stone as others bee The idle Drone that labours not at all Suckes vp the sweete of honnye from the Bee Who worketh most to their share least doth fall Wyth due desert reward will neuer bee The swiftest Hare vnto the Mastiue slowe Oft times doth fall to him as for a praye The Greyhounde thereby doth misse his game we know For which he made such speedy hast awaye So hee that takes the payne to penne the booke Reapes not the giftes of goodlye golden Muse But those gayne that who on the worke shal looke And from the soure the sweete by skill doth chuse For hee that beates the bushe the byrde not gets But who sittes still and holdeth fast the nets Thomas Churchyarde gentleman to the Reader IF I had gentle Reader as greate Art to perswade as desyre to do the good the force of my wrytinge and truthe of the matter shoulde bee a sufficiente meane to make thee delight in the deuine discourses of this booke whereon as Cardanus hath bestowed great studye so maister Bedingefelde hath shewed no litle labour And setting forth to sale the hiddē treasures of the minde that long might haue lurked in the latine hee biddeth euery man bie somewhat of the ware or cheapen at the least those things that serueth best for their purpose peraduenture by touching of tryfles they may be attempted wyth noble Iewels so fall to beate a price of more mighty matter For sure in this shoppe of secrets are sondrye sorts of farre fetched marchandise the goodnes whereof maye as well content the inwarde iudgement as the gayest riches of the worlde doth please the gazinge eyes but if wyth handlinge alone and carelesse lokinge of the same you laye it a syde refusing that is offered I skarce thincke you worthye of so worthye a benefite and misdoubt ye wante a storehouse for so stately a treasure O who could hold you from gadding after Maye games runninge vnto tryumphes staring on strangers wondring on Maskes waytinge for Piayes blasinge of your owne braueryes Whose beggery beauties in generall are all as vayne as the shadow of the Sunne Ioe beinge so vnbrydled in suche baggage so readye to wretchednes so apte for apishe pastimes so gredy of vaine glory and soe glad to gaze on games whereon no gayne groweth but losse of witte wealth and time Mee thincke you shoulde blushe to forgoe the blessednes this booke may bring you and blesse the beginner of the same and setter forth of the worke But I feare as the horse waxeth whot when his ryder takes him vp from stombling or as a churlish childe waxeth worse for the checke of a wyse father you wil fling away the glasse that shal bewraye your blotted browes and so followe your follyes so farre that neither Cardanus Comfortes nor no other that cals you backe againe to see through your selues shal anye whit preuaile if so you be bewitched and rather yeld to Cyrses charmes then Vlysses coūsell I lacke Apollos pype to please your eares and leaue you in a labourinth of endles trauaile me thincks the hard nut being cracked and presented vnto you with clouen shell argues of it selfe if you scorne to pill awaye the skin of the kyrnel ye ought not to tast anye peece or part of the fruite so if you but reade your sences a sleepe and wyth slacke searche of knowledge slomber oute a sentence conninglye shaped for the safetye of man you gaine little by this woorke and loose but labour with slobberinge handes or head to blot or blemishe the beauty of this booke For neyther the mislyking of your head nor tryfling with your handes can hinder the fame of so famous a studye And I pray you consider how hardlye it comes to your hands The translatour therof as many others the more pitty do y like sent the coppye to a noble man to be reade and lapt vp in sylence hee groping the grounde and bowels of the booke sets incontinent openlye abroad the body the euery good imagination might make a noble notamy of the matter yet making courtsye in any cause to offende his frend he shewed me the booke and the translatours desyre alwayes eger to pleaser good people as I coniectured by his countenaunce I who founde mine owne infirmityes finely healed or fauourablye handled by this good happe perswaded as I durst the publishing of this precious present hoping that some as sicke as my selfe shal be cured or eased by this good counsell The person that puts it out I tel you may a little yea very much leade you to good lykinge My Verses thoughe simple they are somewhat shall tel you of the nature of the booke Giue credite as you please disdaine no good meaninge doe somewhat your selues eare you finde fault with others cloke not your slouth with the barenes of barraine braynes yeld fruit as you flourishe and beare wyth the blossoms that buddeth from this tree So fare you vvell Thomas Churchyarde in the behalfe of
feare of death should stil offend them But besides them behold what and how manye euilles there bee that vnlesse the cloude of error bee remoued impossible it is to see the truth or receiue allay of our earthly woes And aboue the greues that all other necessities do bring with them this hath somwhat more greveous and intollerable for they satisfied withe that they desire forthwith they cease to offend as honger is eased with meate thirste is appeased to drinke labour contented with reste But the memory of euils is so setled and manifolde as wanting good persuasion doth neuer cease to torment the minde but from one discontented imaginaciō to an other from one calamitie or miserie to an other cōtinually leadeth on our displeasīg thoughts And for that cause we haue framed this boke which although it profiteth nothinge to driue awaye the cares and anxietie of minde in others yet shall I therein not a litle content my self for which respect thiefly I toke the matter in hand And as menne saye that Asclepiodorus without colours did right cunningly paint so shall we voyd of all craft and skil with true reason declare how much each man erreth in life iudgement opinion and will. Yea somethinges there are that so wel do proue themselues as besides nature nede no profe at all Of which kinde in this our incertaine lyfe vain glory and in nature of thinges great plenty was euermore to be found and in al such the more cunninge and eloquence is vsed the lesse wee see oftetimes they receiue credite and beliefe Who is so much misaduised as wold paint the pillers of perfite marble or Porfery or who dothe coloure the vessels of Allabaster When the naturall glosse doth geue chiefest grace and reputation to the work we plaister and painte the ragged walles of morter and claye to the ende that arte should supplye that nature hathe lefte vnsemelye Neither do I think our worke here in so great as at the beginninge we thought to bee For albeit we knowe the nomber of miseries and cares to be many yet diuers of them be of suche kinde as being wel considered do nede no medicine at all As those whyche men willingly and vnconstrained do force thē selues to beare for who would take in hande to comfort Marcus Regulus amids his miseries whō neyther the pitie of his children nor the prayers of his kinsfolkes could perswade to remain in Rome and not to retourne to the handes of the Carthaginiences Of the same greatnes of minde were the holy martirs Paule George Laurence with almoste innumerable others Some other sortes of payns and trauaile there are which the faintest harts do not refuse to abyde either in respecte of y glory or gaine that groweth thereof As some we see vncōpelled do serue princes others do labour to please their louers some cōsume their time in studies some follow trafficke and some seeke aucthoritie and rule So litle trouble they fynde in these trauailes as being remoued from them they are greately greued Some led on with onely hope doe voluntarily take vpon them a life with patience trauaile to bee endured as those that passe their daies in solitary places as they that liue in citties continually as they that obserue religion straight lye praying fasting who being asked for what ende they so do answere for hope that after death they shall receiue eternall felicitie Some there are that take greate paines and willinglye suffer in respect of swetenes and delight as they think that is ioyned there vnto As haruest labourers who after longe toyle and sweat in sommers son do not withstandinge daunce when the pype doth sound Others with colde feete doe leaue the fyer to cast the dyce for though the cold do pinche yet the pleasure of the play is more But far greater incoueniences doe Cupides knightes with aduenture of life abide and yet withe all their hartes they hazarde all that in the ende all their desyres may be obteined Some there are that although they seme euell eyther in respect of natures necessytie as old age ▪ or of comparison as breaking of prison yet are they more paciently borne because before they came they were desyred and beinge com may not therfore be vnwelcome Wherfore if in perticuler I should entreat of euery of these besydes that no fruit should grow therof I might also seme combersome tedious I do therfore thinke best to speake of those which men do condempne flee as euyll Among which nomber somewhat I wyl say of the euils abouesaide for y one thinge is not to euery man alyke pleasant or disconting but of them old age semeth y chiefe whiche though no calamity but a gift of nature yet in some respect may be so called because we se it vnwillingly born of many therefore Cicero hath thereof curiouslye written though it cānot be iustly nombred amōg y euils of mans life yet of vs shall not be omitted We say therefore that among thinges wee accompte euyll there be three sortes That is to saye Comon calamityes priuat calamities simple and priuat calamities manifold comon calamities we cal those that happen to al men or the greatest nōber of our acquaintance as honger pestilence subuersion of coūtries and such lyke Priuat calamities simple be of two sortes the one discōmendable as if a thief lamenteth that hee loseth the oportunitie for murder or dishonest as the weping of Vrsus in Papinius The other honest and in no wise worthy greate discommendacion as the destruction of houses the losse of children death of frendes Priuat calamities manifold we accōpt those when a man by many mishaps at one instāt is molested as the holy scripture telleth of Iob who depryued of his house children cattel substaunce was also tormented with most pitiful diseases sores Some men do hold for true opinion that albeit a mā may sustaine one kind of calamity yet the sufferance of so sondrye myseries is not to be foūd in any Wherfore of priuate simple euils in general we wyl first take in hand to wryte next we shall entreate of sorrow and death eyther of our selues or nere frendes In the seconde booke and in the last we wyl not omit to speake of tormente bondage imprisonment exile iniury of old age pouertye in general of many miseries assembled togethers But fyrst let vs begin at priuate euils declaringe y the good or euill fortune importeth nothing to blessed life and y the fruit of al felicity as Plato sayth resteth in vertue or as the Poet sayth VVhose conscience giltles is doth not grovve pale for feare And yet as at that beginning I said who so would consider how many discontentatiōs do happen diligently marke euery one of thē should finde to what smal purpose in aduersitye a mā tormenteth himselfe considering how short frayle incertain myserable the life of man is So as if at any time for that misery it is to be lamented then
that enforce me to it And hauinge spoken thus wyllingly strangled himself We reade also that a noble minde do moue men to coÌ„passion â–ª When Sceuola had determined to kyl the king Porsenna for his valiant voluntary confession receiued pardon which if he had not done but with deniall craued mercy besydes dishonour he should haue suffred most cruell deathe 〈◊〉 taken for M. Brutus Seruius Terentius for D. Bru. fallinge into Antonius handes gayned both perdoÌ„ and the frendship of their enemies more throughe nobility of mynd then submissioÌ„ What nede more wordes patience in captiuitie magnanimity in aduerse fortune haue euer bene praysed and helped most And thus 〈…〉 I saye that seinge the gilty conscience doth only 〈◊〉 a man vnhappie he is to euil aduised that 〈◊〉 his mynde to misfortune when wholly hee might remaine in lybertie A man is nothinge but his mynde if the mynde he disconteÌ„ted y man is al disquiet though al the 〈◊〉 well and if the minde be contented thoughe all the rest misdoe it forseeth little I remember a certayne rich man growing mad snatched at his strawe and complained that he should dye for Honger because there was no Corne within the emptye eares did not I pray you his discontented mynde only make him vnhappy An other one there was that ymagined himself te be made of glasse and euer feared to be broken was not this goode foole without all miserie the moste miserable man aliue But some there bee that through imperfection of mynde or errour are causers of their owne euill who ought therefore withe more patience beare it As chyldren who though they byte their own hands neuer so much do not complaine yet if neuer so little they be hurt by others do crye out But it were vnfyt for vs to follow the manner of children vnseemelye to be more foolishe and of lesse courage then they What can bee more fond then a man to hurte him selfe and then complayne better it were to folow the counsell of the Poet. Thyne owne deserued woes beare thou with patient mynde Such payâ—es are 〈◊〉 with greatest grief as causles men do finde What can be saide more deseruingly to chaunce vnto vs then that where 〈…〉 feare haste or which is 〈◊〉 of all disorder geue occasion of oure owne griefe Why woulde they complaine sythe there is none other cause of thy sorow against whome seing 〈…〉 vpon whom would thou be reuenged 〈◊〉 thine owne selfe Who so doth marke it wel shall fynde that for the most part we are causes of oure owne euill And though it is playnlye declared in the boke De Arcanis eternitatis yet being here requisite we wil againe speake therof And yet were the same nedelesse if men were not so far in loue with themselues For euerye one be hee neuer so simple perswadeth himselfe to knowe moste imputinge the good successe of thinges to their owne wisedome and the euill to the default of fortune Neither doth it suffise them to accuse the follye of fortune but also fynde fault with some euil spirite lurking deuill In whych error princes do more often fall then others not only because they are pertakers of all kynd of imperfections but also for that their eares are alwayes open to all sortes of parasites and flatterers who make them beleue they wante no vertue wisedome or other perfection y man or god can be endued with al. And these faire spoken people do study nothing more then to practise that princes may knowe nothinge for otherwise they would not entertayne suche Gnatoes as they be How muche more comely were it in mortall men to impute al good successe to God or yf they thought not so good to fortune and al euyll successe to their lewdnesse vilety and lacke of iudgemeÌ„t But wouldst thou know why thou art a foole because thou doest accompt thy selfe wise Socrates who by sentence of Apolloes oracle was iudged the wisest confessed himselfe to knowe but one thinge and that was he knewe nothing But thou that in dede knowest nothing at all wil womanlyke take vpon the to speake of Mazageta India and rather then fayle of thinges aboue the skyes Ptolomeus the noble astronomer was wonte to say that a man y pleased himself was hated of god And he pleaseth himselfe that imagineth himselfe wise or prouidente and imputeth all to his owne glory and profyt Such kinde of people be that moste part of mortal men and therfore subiect to so many euils and misfortune But now we haue a lyttle disgressed froÌ„ our determined purpose because we should rather haue proued then disproued that men be causers of their own euyl And if we respect all sortes of euils the matter wil so fall oute What tyrant is so terrible as persecuteth the simple and innocente soules who is so vnskylful an artisane as can not earne his owne lyuing what man so cruell as murdereth the humble and wyse people for it is the part of a wyse maÌ„ to obserue y time the persoÌ„s their aucthority among whoÌ„ we lyue Nero was a cruel Emperor yet in his time Vespasianus did not only lyue vnoffended but also bare office So was Tiberius to his own subiectes accoÌ„pted seuere yet Thrasilus that mathimatrician coÌ„tynued in fauour so did dyuers graÌ„marians But who so hapneth to lyue in the gouernment of these vnmerciful moÌ„sters the sureste waye is to lurke lyue vnknoweÌ„ A most assured rule it is that without a mans own folly he caÌ„not become miserable And although al other vertues wer banished froÌ„ men yet wisdome should euer retayne her place and reputacion As for iustice fidelity liberality and curtesy are hondred but as certain strange wandring byrdes but fortitude moore often because it encountreth wyth all kynd of perrilles and yet somtimes occasyoneth rather hynderaunce then good fortune yea learning it selfe is nothing but mockerye and subiecte to all iniuries But wisedome is an heauenlye gyfte and dwelleth amonge men in greate reputacion and reuerence Wysedome I saye is that whiche Kinges doe seeke for whyche people haue in admyracion and on euerye syde is necessarye Therefore who so wante the wisedome hathe none other cause to complayne As a mans health is dyuers wayes empeached euen so is wisedome as wythe anger pleasure cowerdyce dulnesse ambition couetise and fynallye euerye vyce of mynde offendeth wysedome in man A Follye I do thinke it to comfort those that through debilitye of mynde doe caste themselues into miserye as foule delyghte and desperate reuenges Some there be who not vnlyke to gudgines knowinge the hooke lyeth hydden within y bayt doth not withstandynge drawen on with gredynes of Venus ioyes or suche lyke fonde delighte cast themselues into apparant misaduentures Men say that the gudgine craftelye and yet foolishely doth firste withe her tayle beate the bayte from the hooke but if that auayleth not do forthwith assay to byte it To what purpose shoulde a man with such peryl playe the parasyte when otherwise
for agreing wyth the people they spake those thinges which be in the opinion of the ignoraunte For no man denyes that wyse men be few and the common people contayneth the most part of men thopinions therefore of the Poets and the common people in which they disagree wyth the Philosophers be all false and vnprofitable Certes it is of necessitye that the opynion of the common sort is false it the iudgemeÌ„t of wise meÌ„ be true but who doubteth whether wyse mens sayings be true otherwyse trulye they should be no wyse men But if in any thinge at al the Poets deserue small credite no wher lesse then in those thinges which coÌ„serne maners and vertues Neyther is it any maruayle though Archilochus a passing good Poet but so much worse Philosopher was compelled of the Lacedemonians the very same houre that hee came into towne to be packinge awaye agayne for wrytinge this sentence Better it is to want armes then suffer death Verilye manye tymes lewde talke corrupteth honest maners Therefore seinge wee wyll speake of sorrowe and death it seemeth necessarye firste to examine whether in our owne death or in the death of our frendes there be any euil and if there be whether the euil maye bee ouercome by good or rather the losse by gaine That shal be easye to discerne if â—irst we distinguishe and diligentlye vnderstande this whether after wee be deade there remaine anye thinge of vs besyde the bodye Or all the whole dye awaye together wyth the bodye In whiche cause althoughe wee haue alreadye spoken many thinges in the booke De Areanis aeternitis minds to speake in the bookes of Deathe yet is not this question in this place meete to be shadowed wholye wyth sylence But as in this Booke chiefelye we followe the truth and euery where briefenes so one onelye reason of the reasonable soule shall suffyce vs for the knowing of his nature For seinge man hath vnderstanding hee is endued with many habites of knowledge That is to say Science as Geometrye Philosophye and Logicke Artes as Saylinge Husbandrye Phisicke Intelligence which is of principles as that the whole is greater then any part thereof alone and equal to all his partes together Prudence whereby hee consydereth and disposeth all thinges that he hath to doe And Sapience wyth these by which hee knoweth GOD and embraceth Religion And some menne do more excel in some one or other of these or in manye of them whereby it comes to passe that man doth so vse his vnderstanding and reason in his owne arte as though in other thinges he may seeme rude yet in that one thing he exceedeth right notable men Some though they haue neyther learninge nor arte yet by reason of exercise proue very wyse That it may plainly appeare that mans vnderstaÌ„ding is in all men alike and differeth onelye in exercise we perceiue in the barbarous vplandishe men Wherefore I woÌ„der at the doltishnes of some which professe wysedome who thincke that onely learned men be reasonable others differ little from beastes Worthelye therefore it commeth as they say commonlye that the cleane contrary falleth out that is to saye that these learned men besyde their Booke knowe nothing at all and may easely be beguiled of any vnlearned soule For if they would waye wyth themselues that all men vnlesse they bee hindered with some disease haue the vse of reason and vnderstandinge and that so muche the more in one kinde of exercyse howe muche further they bee from another they shoulde well perceyue themselues to be ouercome of them What a nomber leauing theyr vile occupations haue proued famous Philosophers Simon Coriarius when Socrates came often vnto his shoppe hauing talke wyth his prentices became a perfit Philosopher and left vnto his posteritye no small nomber of monumentes So he that was a curryer onely by exercise is stertt vp to be a Philosopher The cunning therefore of artisanes and others that want learning is not to be despised as boyde of vnderstanding But as it is wont to be sayde Howe farre Megara is from Athens so farre is Athens from Megara So howe farre a learned man passeth an artysan in speakinge so farre doth an artisan passe a learned man in his facultye Of both then the reason is alike the vnderstandinge a like and nature all one differinge onely in endes and vse But seing there is in other lyuing creatures an excellencye aboue that is in man as memorye in horses strength and life as in the Elephant power of sight as in the Eagle hearing as in the boare touchinge as in the spider swiftnes as in the hare and yet of those habites of knowledge no other lyuing creature is any whit partaker much lesse able to go beyonde man in anye of them It is then most apparant that mans minde is seuered from all corporal or bodelye matter Verilye whereas man in all those thinges which depende of the bodye maye be ouercome of some lyuinge creature and in these vertues of the minde no lyuinge creature is partener no not of the lest part it is not possible at all that the vertue of vnderstandinge shoulde not be both seperable and vnmixt and euerlasting Neyther yet remayneth it naked and bare For whereas of all other lyuinge thinges the Dogge the Marmyset and the Elephant be with out controuersye endued wyth most wit though a man would spende his whole life he shal neuer teach them the least rule of any Arte or wysedome besydes that which of nature is bred in them And surelye to speake of the easyest thinge if you trauayle to learne them to vndoe a knot they keepe in memorye how they maye drawe and slake and so fynallye loose the knot but if you chaunge the knot neuer so little they shal neuer know how to vndoe it vnlesse it be mere chaunce so as you may well perceyue they be vtterlye deuoyde of reason Likewise foules learne to speake and as the Poet sayth so well that the Pye wyth him braggeth saying If thou shouldest not see mee thou wouldest denye that I am a fowle Neuer yet shal you plainly teach her what she should saye or any coupled sentence to make a showe of any printe of reason And the nerer they seeme to attayne vnto man in speakinge so much surelye is it well knowen that they be able to conceaue no vnderstanding In like maner also dogges know theyr owne names are by teachinge learned to hunt fowles but all these things they keepe by memorye and trulye cannot tell how to put or chauÌ„ge any thing more then they be taught what occasion soeuer they haue Neyther is it to be supposed they knowe moe thinges whiche for want of speache they cannot vtter seinge the aptest foules to learne among which is the Popingeye althoughe they can learne well to speake as men be neuer more fit to any vse of reason Brute beastes therefore be able for one onelye arte by nature and for all thinges vniuersallye onlye by memorye
life muste nedelye be the cause yet hereof whye is thy care so greate or what happines haste thou that mightest make thy lyfe so desyred doest thou alone possesse anye delight that we haue not tasted of whyche mighte make thee wyshe for longer life For euery of vs haue seene that starres the Heauen mountaynes seas ryuers lakes fieldes gardeines Cittyes and townes we haue also had sport dalliauÌ„ce musicke songes banquets venerye loue maskerye finally euery sort of earthlye folly neyther haue we wanted commendable exercise and indifferent skill of science and besydes that we know the manner of contentions disputacions publicke Orations Yea for our condition we haue borne dignitye and office we haue satisfyed the honest desyres of our children frends kinsefolkes and together wyth them liued in glorye moneye apparell and other necessaryes of life we haue enioyed and in euery of them find greater offence then pleasure so as we maye say with the Prophete Vanitas vanitatem omnia vanitas Yet if any man hath founde a more noble felicitye or can teache a waye more straight to happines or newe delight I know not but for my part in euerye thinge haue felte more griefe then pleasure But I thincke it happeneth to these men y luste so muche after life as it doth to those that laboureth alteration of mettals who fynde euerye thinge soner then that they seeke for besydes that they make neyther goulde nor siluer y little which they haue is also consumed Euenso such as with greatest care do seeke for felicitye not findinge it do wyth losse of theyr laboure also departe wyth quietnes of minde and become most vnhappye Wherefore sith this exceding desire of lyfe helpeth nothinge yea though life were good yet were it better without trouble to laye by his masse of cares and lyke a faithfull man restore that thou haddest borowed But if perhapps thou in vayne torment thy selfe what doest thou win thereby other then to consume in dyinge that lytle lyfe which is remayning seinge what soeuer time is spente in thinking of death may iustlye be so called Howe much were it better to follow the counsel of Agathius who right wel commeÌ„ded death saying that it did not onlye remoue sicknes al other grieues but also when al other discommodities of lyfe did happen to man often it neuer woulde come more then once Neither can death bee accompted anye extreme euil considering it commeth of most light occasions and is on euery side at hand Such thinges as we take for hurtful be also rare not lightlye founde but ther is nothing more commonnor more quickly had then death For death is takeÌ„ by ayre wynd thonder water fire earthquakes wild beastes fishes foules dust smoke serpents meate drinke bed trees sleape sorowe ioy laughter company anger discorde and fynallye of innumerable other occasions death doth procede Philomenes seing his Asse eating raysons said vnto his boy seeing thou hast lefte the Asse raysons to eate geeue him also wine to drinke fell into a great laughter and not being able to stay him selfe coughing hee dyed Coma the brother of Diogines y notable thief beinge by Rutilius the Consul taken and examined touching outlawes fled he required time to think of his answere putting down his head betwixt his knees he stopped his owne breathe and in the handes of his keeper dyed so quietlye as none of them perceiued when he toke the last leaue of lyfe Seing therfore with such ease men dye what should we accompt of death to be resembled to any thyng better than sleape for as in sleape and wakyng be we neuer so hedeful yet fele we not when yt cometh euen so when froÌ„ lyfe we passe towardes death our sences declyning without all sence at last we dye When Socrates had drunk poyson delyuered hys garment to hys seruant ready to dye dyd notwithstanding iest with Crito saying I pray the remeÌ„ber to sacrifyce a cocke to Asculapius for that was the auncient custome when anye man hadde drunke a holsome potion Doest thou then think he felte any extreame gryefe surelye no for in extreame pangues ieastynge is neuer seene nor the mynd knoweth not it selfe Thys is also greatly to be meruayled at that though euery man semeth to feare and flye death yet seke they to eschewe nothing lesse but rather follow euery thyng that bryngeth death withall Neither seme they lesse carefull to seke death then to shun yt The lecherouse man wythout regarde of lyfe preferreth hys pleasure the irefull reuenge the eater hys glotony the ambycious honour the couetous ryches the souldier spoyle the mother chyldren the marchaÌ„t traffycke the studient learninge and in somme there is nothyng that doth not occasion forgetfulnes of death So we plainly see that we both shoÌ„ and seeke for death but not wythout good cause for that there is nothynge that hathe in yt lesse euyll and they are therfore worthy prayse that do disdayne to dye yf those thynges for whych they neglect lyfe be eyther honest or necessarye and yet for lyght causes to seeke death is no token of courage but rather a sure sygne of an abiecte mynd Therefore the contempte of lyfe ys not so commendable as intemperancye is reprochfull and yet as the feare of death is not to be praysed so not to dye chyeflye at necessarye occasyons and tymes is moost reprochefull cowerdly and exceadeth all other vylety of mynde But some percase do allow the sayinge of Epicarinus Dye I would not but to be dead I care not As though that which followeth death is neither pleasaunt or not greatlye euyll Alas what euyll can it be to want honger thyrst gryefe labor â–ª sadnesse feare and fynallye the whoole heape of euylles whych the soule beynge parted from the bodye we must of necessitye want and seinge it dyeth not but in stede of these troubles enioâ—eth heauenly ioyes why should we not acoumpte thys chaunge good and most delectable Therefore Socrates was wont to say that death might be resembled eyther to sound sleape a longe iorney or destruccion as is the death of bruit beastes If the soule doth lyue and after death feeleth nothinge then is it lyke vnto a sound sleape because therein we rest without eyther felinge or vnderstanding and after a whyle return to the same exercyses Mooste assured it is that such sleapes are moste sweete as be most sound For those are the best where in lyke vnto dead men we dreame nothinge The broken sleapes the slomber and dreames ful of visions are commonly in them that haue weake and sickly bodies Whereupon Horacius sayth Vayne are the dreames of sickly folkes But quiet and sound slepes and such as weary men commonly haue are accompted sweetest So Homer â—doth cal those sleepes the beste that be moste lyke to deathe And Virgil. The svvete and soundly slepe vvhich death resembleth most I remember my father Faucius Cardanus while he lyued was wont to say that he euer desired death because whyle he
at the handes of a gentlewoman in Padoa wyth poyson procured his owne death One other in oure Cittye hauinge sustayned losse by the pryce of corne willinglye hanged himselfe One other and hee also of our Nation finding he could not with commoditye paye his dettes threw himselfe into a water and so drowned I my selfe did see a womaÌ„ who for verye sorrow that she had committed adultrye askinge God forgiuenes for her offence sodenlye dranke poyson Cleopatra although she might haue liued in honor yet because she would not be caried about in tryumphe caused a Serpent to bite her bodye thereof willingly dyed Porcia the daughter of Cato and wyfe to Brutus in honest life farre eâ—celling Cleopatra hearing that her husband was slayne didde eate burninge Coales and thereof died For cause more iust dyed Democles a Boy of notable beauty in Athens He being by the king watched when he should enter naked into a bath and knowing the king ment to abuse him caste himselfe into the bottome of the whot water and so presently dyed The death of Lucretia is wel knowen who violently bereft of hir honor sticked hir selfe The wante of successe and not will was cause that Alexander the greate escaped voluntarie death for hauing in dronken mode stain his frend Clitus he would presently in the house haue murdered himselfe from whiche doinge in space of three daies both by force sute he could scaÌ„tly be entreated to refrayn and afterwards being at y siege of Sudracarus a citie in India he leaped from the wall into the towne of purpose to dye For by meane therof he did both fal farre and alone among his enemies but fortune woulde not permit that successe he desired This booke would not receiue the nuÌ„ber of ensamples of such as for feare loue griefe anger other occasions of no waight haue sought theyr owne deathes Besides whom we reade of hole legions that haue offered themselues to apparant destruction As they did that were with Leonida against the PersiaÌ„s and fought nere vnto Thermopile What woulde these people haue aduentured for great cause or if death were a great euyl that vpon so light occasion did not refuse to dye From whiche determinacion no respect of age sexe or honor could feare them But I se what thou wilt say death I doe not feare for as it is not euill so is it necessarye and to feare that is of necessitye were vaine cowerdlye and hurtefull Yet woulde I dye easelye and olde suche a death as Augustus desired and did obtaine For by lyuinge olde I shall not onelye gaine a longer life but also a more easyer death Aristoteles in his Booke De Respiratione thincketh that verye olde men dyed not onelye withoute payne but also withoute anye feelinge of deathe because the heate of their bodyes was quenched whiche maye appeare by this example If thou goe aboute to drawe a tothe that is not loose thou feelest great paine but if of it selfe it were loose before withoute anye griefe at all it commeth awaye Euen so greene youthe wyth extreeme paine do yelde to death but olde folke in dying feele no griefe almost at al As the tragicall Poet sayth In slomber svveete the aged sprite departeth How can it be other theÌ„ that death is greuous to yonge men when as sleepe against nature is offensiue Oft times it happeneth that such as vppon custome seeke sleepe at vntimelye houres become thereby drye pyned and slouthfull so as in steede of delight they get disease Theophrastus beinge readye to dye thoughe he were an olde maÌ„ complayned of Nature because she had ordayned so longe life in Staggs Rauens al most vnprofitable beastes and to maÌ„ being the most noble wysest creature allowed so shorte a terme to 〈◊〉 in What may they say then that dye in y flower of theyr youth haue they not iust cause to lament Surely no. But here the reason why nature hath not among other creatures made man of longest lyfe and then that he that dyeth in youth doth suffer nothing more greuous then they that lyue old For fyrst it is doubted of manye and chiefelye of Aristotle whether anye creature the Elephant excepte doth liue more longe then man Because he maketh no mentioÌ„ either of the Phenixe the Crow the Rauen or the Stagge nor affirmeth them to be of longest life But let vs confesse that whiche is imputed in Virgill though it doth little importe to the matter where he speaking of men sayth A life more longe nyne times the cacklinge Crovve doth lyue But confessing with Aristotle that y Elephante doth liue more longe then man why neede we coÌ„tende whether man be of one or more creatures in longe lyuinge excelled Omittinge also that the holye Scripture affyrmeth lyfe more long to man then other lyuinge creatures let vs now dispute that that alreadye is taken in hande that is to say for what cause some beasts be of longer life then maÌ„ The reason is this seinge all creatures are made eyther for the vse or honour of man â–ª they were framed accordinge to the descretion of Nature at which time she made theyr minds as wel for their bodyes as theyr bodyes for their mindes were therefore made simple with fewe instruments as plaine thinges to enduer longe But the bodye of man being made onely for his minde neded many more instrumentes to th ende that the vnderstanding might the more fitlye do his office Therfore although Nature hath made for man the best proportion of bodye yet could she not geue therevnto the longest lyfe by reason of exceeding concauities and subtilnes of the members which if they were great besides that we should be al Giants they woulde bee troublesome eche one to other Which is wel proued in y no creature hath so infinite members or part of meÌ„bers which were of necessity made smal slender to y end they might the rather be fit to yeld so the breath an instrumeÌ„t of the soule became y more subtil Wherfore nature hath not in this behalfe omitted any parte of her duty â–ª but rather with such dilligence helped our life as for the length thereof wee haue no cause to complaine which is nowe wel proued in y people of India latest founde where men liue commonlye a hundreth and thirty yeres because there the ayre is good and the people without cares But wee coÌ„tinuing incares riot vntimely labour chosing ayre for profit not health yea altogether forgetting the length of life wee cast oure selues into extreame sickenes discoÌ„modities of body and preseÌ„t death without cause accusing nature for the shortnes of oure liues Howe muche better were it to know which way to vse the benefit of nature if so deare pleasaÌ„t a thing thou doest accompt this life what is y cause that Philosophers and Hermits haue liued so verye long yet theyr to great stinens and earnest contemplacion hindered their health vnlesse it were because they liued voide of care and
temperatly How much were this rule of lyuinge to attaine long life more delicate then to feede vppon fleshe and honye But in this age mē continue carefully in labours and care watching the halfe night baskinge in Venus bathe abyding in cloudye Regions and not in good ayre drinkinge boyled wynes do notwithstandinge complaine of short life And howsoeuer in deede oure liues be short it is opinion that doth make it so to appeare The people called Garamantes do not liue aboue fortye yeares I omit to speake of the Pigmeians as people rather fayned then in deede but wee if we dye before fyftye or threscore do thincke that iustlye we lament and yet who so dwelleth in those countryes do highly thanke God if he attayneth fortye yeares and thou lyuinge muche elder do neuerthelesse complayne Surelye euerye lyfe is long that is continued till death sith at the beginning the terme is destined and as sayth the Poet. In birth vvee breede our death our ende on first beginning hangeth Reade we not in holye Scripture that y nomber of dayes and monthes is appointed by God he hath set the terme which cannot be passed The lyfe of man therefore is ended wyth olde age for old age is the last part of life Olde age is also the necessitye of death wheresoeuer therefore death is necessary old age draweth neare Whoso dyeth in youth in this onelye is the more happye that he escapeth the discommoditye of old age will thou make life to seme long or short by comparison A kinde of beastes ther be called Ephemera which are made in the morning and before sonne settinge do dye If happelye they dye at noone theyr lyfe is called shorte but if they continue till nighte they accompte it longe and yet it exceedeth not twelue houres Wee maruaile at flees for theyr long life if they liue two Sommers and at flees that continue three monethes Yet whiche of these is thoughte any thinge towardes mans life we call dogges olde that passe a leuen yeares of age but a man passeth all these in longe lyuinge thoughe hee dyeth in youth But the life of mā must not be accompted longe or shorte in respecte of his yeares The life of all mortall men is but shorte because wyth death it shal be most certainlye ended It is vertue worthy actes that maketh the life longe and idlenes that shortneth thy dayes Alexander thoughe hee liued not aboue thirtye three yeares dyed an old man through the greatnes and nomber of his noble exploytes Argantonius hauinge lyued a hundreth and twentye yeares maye bee sayde to haue dyed in youth because besydes the rarenes of his age in all his life he neuer did anye thing that deserued memorye It ought also worthelye to be noted that for the most parte all notable men haue dyed in theyr youth Amonge the kinges none almoste continued to olde age Hercules Athilles Castor Pollux Aiax Iason Amonge the Poetes Lucanus Catullus Tibullus neyther was Vigill long liued neyther Demostenes nor Cicero howe true yea to true is the sayinge of the Poet. Their liues are short and age is rare vvhere life doth lacke good rule IVLIVS CAESAR Seuerus Alexander Probus Aurelianus Claudius the seconde of that name dyed in youth which men a I thincke liued the lesse the more honest they were because being deare to the Gods were the souer called vnto them Whervppon grew that saying from the Poetes whom Iupiter and Apollo do loue do neuer attaine to old age This is also to be noted that choise is to be loked for wher wil may anye wayes auayle but in thy power it is not to make thy life eyther more long or more shorte Yet if thou cā do it there is none offence at al but if thou cānot thou lamentest thy shortnes of life for no greater reason then thou may thy mortality And that care of thinges impossible is vayne onelye proper to fooles But admit thou maye continue thy life and become olde arte thou not therby the more vnhappye because thou losest that singuler commodity which by God almightye is gauen to men for the allaye of sorrow which is ignorance of time While wee continue yonge wee liue meerelye because wee imagine death is not at hande But how can olde menne thincke that death is farre awaye when alreadye they are entred the laste ende of life Howe true and worthye memorye is that sayinge of S. Austen A yonge manne maye soone dye but an olde manne cannot liue longe And yet no couse there is why thou should not be sorrye seing a yong mā maye also dye sone Syth th ende of life is vnknowē a yong man neuer ought to dispayre whether he laboureth of deadly diseases or be cast into cruell tormentes and prison The chaunces of mortal creatures do shew that men are subiect to law of nature and fortune so as withoute cause they loue certainties for most incertēties of al. But admit thou doest attaine to old age it selfe how manye euils commeth therby labour griefe ▪ sadnes losse of sences disdaine y which is almost worst of all as Caecilius doth well discribe therby thou shalte see they companye of all men eschewed vnwelcome are olde menne to their children vnwelcome to frendes disdayned of yonge men and odious to their owne familiars Theyr sences serue not theyr bodyes theyr bodyes obeye not theyr mindes they passe the nighte withoute sleepe and eate without all tast They lothe themselues how shoulde they be pleasant to others We reade that when Zeno Citieus could not dye with age he strāgled himselfe What dilligence and trauayle did Cicero take to perswade olde age to be pacientlye borne but if of it selfe it had beene good or as riches frends children and learning had apparance of good there shoulde haue beene not cause for him to haue taken such trauayle A mockerye it were to perswade that health or honour were pacientlye to be suffered and wee agree that olde age is sufferable but not to be wished for Howe manye olde men haue beene for whom it had beene better to haue died in youth Priamus for example not for myracle in historye is resited Not longe since Baccus Valor being olde and readye to take leaue of life before his eyes behelde his owne sonne beheaded a yonge man of singuler hope The next yeare before two other olde men I sawe that behelde the like fortune in theyr owne children Wherefore I wonder muche at the greate wysedome of Theramenes woo onelye escapinge when his house fell downe sayde before his frendes that reioysed for his life O fortune to what ende hast thou me preserued neyther did he aske in vaine for within fewe dayes after by the malyce of tyrantes he was taken and put to death Therfore such is the condition of men as althoughe beinge olde thou mighte returne to youth againe as the fable telleth of Aeson sayinge And as tvvise tvventye yeares bypast so novve my force I finde Myne aged yeares are vvorne
discribeth Pompeius deathe in this wise In hast he stayde his vvofull voyce and vvould no vvord complayn Least vveping teares might so vnvvares his heauenly fame disdain And vvhâ—â—â—is noble side vvas pearst vvith fearce Achilles blade No sigâ— no sob no careful cheare no sorovving sound he made but in disdaine of crueltye Cato VticeÌ„sis determined to dye ordered his goods wiselye forseinge the good of others though he neglected his owne which done reading Plato of the immortality of soules layd himselfe down slepte so souÌ„dly as he snored after being awaked sticked himselfe And when throughe weakenes of his hand the wounde was not mortal suche as were by saued him tyl at length violently he brake lose dyed Such was his gredy desyre of death Otho themperoure a yong man of thirtye seuen yeares of al men accompted soft and effeminate after hee had won thre battels of the Vitelli for the sorow of one lost gaue his mony and substance to his frendes and willed his familiar companion to shewe himselfe to the souldiers lest that after he should be suspected and in the night with two daggers murdered himselfe And yet neither dispayred hee of the holding of the Empire nor wanted the loue of the Senate or his souldiers but onlye for that nether in victory or victored he would hinder the commoÌ„ wealth Caius Iulius by Caius themperour condempned to dye â–ª obteyned ten dayes pardon all whiche time careles he consumed in sleape and table play and when the hangeman came in to warne him y his tyme was euen at hande hee tolde what aduauntage he had in the game and willed his play felow that after his death he should not boast of winning and called the hangman to record who led him towardes death accompanied with a philosopher Vpon the way being asked whaâ— he mused of He aunswered I determined to obserue what at the last instant my soule shal feele when it parteth away to the ende that after I may aduertise my frends Aratus knowing he had taken a lingering poyson at the handes of Philippus the Macedonian kinge speaking one secrete worde to his familier frend passed the rest of his life so pleasantly as semed not to haue any such griefe or assurance to dye The seuen brothers called Machabei al yoÌ„g men and sonnes of one mother by the commaundement of king Antigouns one after an other and in sondry sorte together with their Mother killed themselues Tectamenes condempned to dye went his way laughinge and being asked whether hee disdayned the lawes answered no but by dyinge I must pay that I neither asked nor borrowed of any Which example although vnder the person of one vnknowen was much praysed of Cicero yet in wise iudgements such behauiour argueth In Tectamenes rather vanity theÌ„ fortitude for a man condempned specially for wicked doing naturally can not loue death neither was it our entente to proue that death should be desired or sought for But as it is the condicion of a faithlesse man not to restore y he boroweth so is it also an vnfreÌ„dly and vnthankefull parte not to kepe that hee boroweth As therfore death is not to be fled or lameÌ„ted â—o ought it not to be sought for But as y Poete sayth Do neyther seke nor shonne the ende of thine ovvne lyfe Yet happely Craton may holde such opinion and though it be not mainteined by reason yet for the meruaile gaineth reputation among the common sort The example therfore of Theramon is more honest and more couragious For he beinge vniustly by thirty Tyrantes condempned tooke the poyson saying according to the auncient maner of Athens Critus I drinke to the for so was the greatest Tyrant and worse then Theramines called that done whatsoeuer remayned in the cuppe he threw vpon the ground The death of Phocion was more noble he seing his frend desyrous to drinke poison didde stay him after findinge that which was not left to suffise did buy more saying that in Athens a man was forced to buy his own death But why do I labor to enduce more ensamples of men when whoole Nacions may be called to recorde As the Galathians did so little regarde Deathe as they feared not to fighte Naked So did also manye noble Romaines and Germaines that nedelesse it wer to resyte their names I do therfore thinke best in fewe words to declare that men were made mortall for three causes First because there shoulde be some ende of their offences This life is displeasant and the nerer age the moore troublesome and therefore the Gimniophista as men say answered Alexander well askinge whether death or life wer stronger Liâ—e quod hee because it beareth so many calamities The second cause is that goodmen without enuy might be honoured and euil Men without feare coÌ„dempned and that riches and aucthority for whiche menne commit greate wickednesse might not be regarded Yf those thinges whiche mortall men haue were iustly wayed they shoulde as Cares and Euilles be reputed Yet if death were not Menne would muse onlye vppon Thefte and Violence while in this short space that now they lyue they thinke so much thereof The third reason is for that men might receiue rewarde of good and euil according to the quality of their deserts For after death such as haue passed a godly life shall liue not only with their brethren kinsfolke but also accoÌ„panied withal honest and learned men and aboue y starres receiue ioy and euerlasting felicitye So contrary wise the wicked in darkenesse and solitarye places shal be tormented Therfore for wicked folke only death can bee thought euill and yet is not but Good men not vnlike the Swanne who only at his death do synge may boldly reioyse and be gladde Some there are so ambicious that the care of their funeralles doth trouble them muche who are not to bee comforted but for their follye to be reprehended what is the body of man when the Spirite is passed awaye It is no moore accompted as parte or member of him but rather a Carckcasse vnprofytable stinckinge and horryble Seneca therfore didde well deuise that the same should be buried not in respect of the Dead but the liuinge least they by sauour and sight therof might be offended Where vppon in sundrye nacions hath growne sundrie customes of buryinge the Deade The Grecians were wonte to wrye them in the earthe The Romaines dyd burne them in fyre The Nathabeians did burye them in their dungehilles Yea their Kinges had none other Sepulchre The Ethiopians do cast them into the ryuers to be deuoured of Fishes The Magi did geeue them to wilde Beastes Hercani to Doggs But the Massageti most meruailouslye do eate them The Egiptians with their owne Nayles doe burie them The Persians doe wrappe theym in Waxe So incertayne is the reason where is no reason at all Alas good Foole doest thou not heare the Poete sayinge To vvant a tombe the lacke is neuer great What doth it preuayle the to lye in marble aboue the ground
and wysedome all which when age groweth on like vnto stares in the tree are encreased and detected So olde age beinge come sometimes in respecte of power but more often in regarde of follye and vtilitye olde men do for necessitye vse the helpe counsel of theÌ„ they loue not and onlye because of theyr owne debilitye which saueth the giltles children from many misaduentures at theyr hands for whom they liue continuallye a most miserable lyfe Others do disherit theyr children others consume theyr patrimonye and some seeke newe wyues breeding the sorrowe that stepmothers most coÌ„monlye make The iniurye of euerye of whiche ioyned wyth the combersomnes and seueritye of age is encreased And to conclude with one example of a wise man amonge all those fooles let that of Cato Câ—nsorinus a man of excellent witre suffice thee he hauing a sonne of good yeares fell first to aduoutry and after marying a moste defamed woman thereby clearlye discredited the reputation of wisedome and former life yea besydes all this ordayned the Nephewe of Clieus to be Coheyre wyth his sonne at that tyme Preator in Rome Why should I then neede to resyte Lysander Tiberius and the reste of those olde Monsters that in age were not onelye wicked but also withoute Mercye when the integritie and Romaine wisedome through defaulte of age was worne away Therfore seinge the number of manye brethren breedeth pouertye where great abundaunce wâ—teth impossible it is that any of theym canne doe great things It must then be confesses that y â— â—â—athe of the father ought much to be lament 〈…〉 sorrowed not at all Much lesse ought the death of Brothers to make a man sorrowfull it menne woulde rightly waye thinges as they are And fyrst it must be considered which is also to be thoughte of in the losse of children when alone without brethren thou be born whether thou wilt lamente because they were not borne Truly syth I see no man so to do I hardly thinke that any will saye it is worthye weepinge to bee borne with brethren â–ª or if being a childe 〈…〉 dyuers brethren wilt thou now renew the sorow of their death which I know also thou wiâ—t not because we loue not y we know not but we lameÌ„t for them we loue If then thou think neither those that are not borne nor those that are worthy to be mourned for how much lesse the other that were borne and lyued a good tyme For if to haue brethren it be euyll then to loose them is a pleasure But if it bee good seinge in all good thinges it is better to haue hadde some thinge then nothinge who doubteth But these that liued some reasonable yeares if they dye are lesse to bee sorowed for then those that neuer were borne nor knowen Such is the condicion of euilles that what soeuer is euerlasting is most displeasaunt and in al such some rest is thought pleasaunt In a tyme of famine is it not better to haue two Loaues then no bread at all After long labour is not rest he it neuer so little better then none Dothe not one dayes libertie refreshe a man well that lyeth continually in prison Are not suche as liue in miserie somewhat comforted when they remember that some parte of their lyfe was pleasauntly passed Seinge then it is better to haue had bretheren to haue lyued in their company to haue sorrowed reioysed with theym and therfore art more happy then they that vttterlye haue had none at all who for all that do neither weepe nor lament But false imaginacion and opinion is the faulte hereof whereby thou thinckest that not onelye he but also thy selfe should for euer liue togethers of which hope worthylye deceiued vnworthilye thou mournest for thy brother what if in thy choyse yf were to liue brotherlesse or without one only brother who after fortie yeares should suruiue the Whether would thou haue a brother with such condicion or liue without Surely thou would haue him vnlesse to haue brethren thou thinke it euill But if to chose the brotherlesse lyfe then wouldst thou not complaine Yet hauing the better choyse thou doest What is the cause other then that now thou art vnprepared to disgeste thy brothers death but when the choyse was made thou were prepared Thus deathe therfore is not to bee blamed but in opinioÌ„ only it semeth intollerable and therein thou lamentest the commodities receiued as there is no necessety thou neuer thinkest But be it for the purpose that this thy Brother was good and loued the much which as men saye is not common In Brethren hard it is to fynde vnfayned loue Truely if thou haue regarde to dayly experience the most brothers be coÌ„bersome quarrelous â—â—â—â—ous discencious captious and disdaynefull The Poet was wonte therfore verye well to resemble brethren to the windes because they euer disagreed among them selues and lyued not lyke frends or fellowes but as those whom discorde did beste become Chain did fyrst shewe to Abel what brotherly loue would after be Then Iacob deceiued Esau committing his eleuen children into the seruitude of Ioseph his brother yea some of theim they ment to haue slayne forgetting not only pitty but also their common parentes and the innocency of their age After their daies Absolon killed Amnon his brother Abimelech the sonne of Gedeon murdered his threscore and ten brethren one only except No godlye lawe no holye Religion no feare of GOD from so wicked a deede could withholde hym Neyther are the examples of the Gentiles more mercifull Atreus hauinge murdered the three sonnes of Thiestes hys brother gaue hym theyr fleshe to eate spoyled hym of hys Kyngdome and rauished his wyfe Etheocles and Polynues Oedipi Simulus and Rhesus did likewyse one murther the other so did also Romulus and Remus Iugurtha was not contented onelye to kill his brethren Adherbales and Hiempsales but also before they dyed cutte all theyr fleshe from theyr bones Cambises hauinge one onelye brother called Smerdis a simple man and lyuinge in priuate lyfe by reason of a dreame was by him slaine So lighte a cause can cause a brother to seeke the life of a brother What did Antonius to Gâ—ta or Antipater the Macedonian Kynge Phrahates who wythoute cause slewe hys thyrtye bretherne and wyth theym Herodes hys father by whom in the place of Pacorus latelye deade hee was Crowned kinge The Queene of Tilaea toke for husband her brother Hiperio by whom she conceyued two children the one called Sol the other Luna throughe enuye killed Hiperio then caste Sol into the ryuer Eridanus and wyth sorrowe thereof dyed Luna Cleopatra also for women are not free from such wickednes to th ende she mighte more safely aspyre to the kingdome of Egipte flewe hee sister Arsinoes and her yonge brother of the age of fiftene yeares If I resighted euery mischiefe that brothers haue committed to brothers this booke coulde not contayne theym My selfe haue knowen one man twise giltye of his bretherns death another the
our selues our couÌ„try of god and that which is most our childreÌ„ al. So dotingly we do loue our children as we seme rather to hate theÌ„ â–ª We bring theÌ„ vp not in vertue but in iniury not in learning but in lusting not in feare of god but in desire of ryches not to liue long but to the performance of foule delites yet was it not nature y made this default of folish care of imoderate loue to whoÌ„ she gaue a certain modest desire of honger thirst to euery creature so far as was nedeful Yet though imperfection of mynd only man without honger eateth drinketh without thirst without necessity doth vse euery sorte of delighte And in like sort doth he loue his children so much as not only he suffereth them but for them the fathers wil also do euil and attempt al wickednes and thincketh them of his owne makinge But assuredly they are not but â—ee the woorkes of God who gaue them minde lyfe forme force maners wit and encrease And of these the Father made nothinge Then leaue I saye to lament for that is none of thyne hee that made yt hath called it agayne vnto hym to whose Commaundemente yt is boothe iuste and Godlye it shoulde obaye And if thou desyre to knowe whether this Loue bee Naturall or like vnto other desires an imperfection of mind Beholde other lyuing thinges who after education do neuer knowe their owne no nor loue them But if this were a gift of Nature it shold by reason of pitye and necessity rather be in children towardes their parents then in parentes towardes their children which example Nature as it semeth did not forget in brute beastes for among birdes the Stork Among four foted beasts the Dormouse doth feede his aged parents But after the first educatioÌ„ of loue borne to their parents no sinne is extant but men by study as it were doth passe other liuing things through the imperfectioÌ„ of mind esteming himselfe to much The pitie of brute beastes cometh altogether when both of education loue th end is one duringe which time the old beastes be weaker labersome leane careful and miseserable as to all men it doth appeare Surelye it seemeth a great madnes to torment thy mind coÌ„tinually with this nedeles care of posteritie for besydes that this desyre is neither reasonable nor necessary some man may iustlye meruaile why it is so common but the answere there vnto is not douted of If fyrst thou doest show me the cause why so many men became couetous ireful and subiecte to desyres of lust And all these besides they be vices not naturall nor reasonable are also dishonest Yet thonly loue of children after educatioÌ„ though it procedeth neither of nature nor reason yet is yt honest But I haue perhaps in so apparaÌ„t firme matter for wise men spoken more then was requisite And haue vsed reasons true though subtil and shorte Therfore let vs come to longer speache arguments more playne lest I seme not so muche to proue as to deceiue thy son therfore being dead consider fyrste whether hee was well reported or accompted wicked For manye times the son of a good father is seene to proue an euil man by reasoÌ„ the homely vices are hardlier discouered then y externall besydes that loue byndeth iudgemente Wherof a fable is come forth how the Cuckovv in old tyme for her young birdes contended in singinge with the Nightingale and hers appointing the asse to be their Iudge whose sentence was y he knew not which of them did synge most swetly but wel he was assured the Cuckovves did most playnlye and distinctly pronounce their notes So the children of euery one are not only best loued but also the euyll by the euyll are most allowed of In which cases as we haue also sene meÌ„ of right good iudgement mete it is that we should not only lameÌ„t but also reioyse And in auÌ„cieÌ„t time they did much more then this for both Manlius Torquatus agaynst his son Deciê° Silanê° pronouÌ„ced so cruel a seÌ„tence as with a cord he hanged himself And M. Scaurus finding his sonne among others fleinge being only giltye of feare did force him to returne to his enemies be slaine Lykewise a woman of Lacedemon killed her son for his slouth and returning from the wars of whom this noble verse was written Thou dastard knight Damatrion thy mother here haue slayne That doest both her and Spartayn bloud vvith covverdice distayne Such and more wicked sonnes being bereft of lyfe do thereby sease to offend their parents kinsfolke yea are also themselues saued froÌ„ greater infamy Some sonnes haue not forborne to coÌ„spyre the death of their fathers As Blandenius Zesides who slewe his mother and Euander that at the perswasion of his mother Nicostrata murdered his owne father and for that cause was banished Italye Such moÌ„sters as they are being left aliue are causes of many euils so Paris was the subuersioÌ„ of both Priamus house country notwithstaÌ„ding wheÌ„ he dyed Priamus weped So folish are mens cares that they wishe they wot not what excellinge as they think the Gods in wisdome reproue those that in their ignorance shall procure their good For if thy son were wise honest godly noblye mynded hauing hope of children that may support thyne vnweldiage What is wanting in the graund children if none be a fond thyng it was to hope that he would not nor could not do But how soeuer it be greater is y dauÌ„ger of them that are worse then death then hope of those he hath to proue better And misery vilety shame continuall griefe and disdain are al more euyl then death deathe is common to all men but these to fewe who also are all subiect to death Were it not better by dyinge to preuent all these iniuries then to haue thy desyre so dearlye bought For necessarye it is that who so wyll lyue old must suffer many euils Ther is almost no mortal creature liuing long but at somtimes before he dieth doth hate his life wherto put the saying of y Poet. Although vnvveldyage vvhen lyfe doth vveare avvay None other ill did bring vvithall but that as men do say By liuinge long ful oft vve see vvich vvee vvould not behold Truly if such desyre thou haue of children if thy sonne died thou beinge olde thy time to follow is next if in thy youth then hast thou hope enoughe to haue more Finally Sorowe is a womanishe thinge and not fytte for men Therfore the Licians were wont to constrayne mourners to weare womens garmentes to th ende their garment might agree with the mynd And surely not without occasion because among all people the more vile they be the more beastly they lament As women fyrste next children then barrennous men the greatest nomber of whom be effeminate Contrariwise meÌ„ the more valiaunt they bee the more they oppresse their griefe and soâ—er driue their Sorow away This sort of Sorrowe goeth
no collicke or other tormente is comparable to this paynes Notwithstandinge how great soeuer they be they leaue not to liue in delight and as wonte they were approue the ioyes of Venus short wythout the desyre of well doinge There is no griefe so great that a resolute minde will yelde vnto Possidonius the Philosopher extremely sicke sayde vnto Pompeius beinge come to visite hym y the greatnes of pains should neuer make him coÌ„fesse that sickenes was euill Neyther in deede can that be euyll which is wythoute vs therefore the griefe of the body if it do not ouercomour minde cannot be sayd to be ours How wel did that seruaunt whych â—â—ue Asdruball declare it For hee beinge greuouslye tormented for the murder of hys maister did notwythstandinge in countenaunce shewe the ioye he felt for hauing reuenged the iniurye of his maister I remember that when Antonius Cribellus was condempned by publike assent to be torne in peeces in preparinge himselfe to bee executed sayde that there was no torment so greate as coulde cause him coÌ„fesse the companions of his offence yet affyrminge there were suche but hee would neuer bewray them What marueile was it then though Pompeius so manfully helde hys finger to be burned in the candell before the kynge Genthius seyng that thereby the kyng myghte perceyue there was no hope to wreste out any intelligence at the Embassadours hands With like pacience did Sceuola burne his hande before the kinge Porcenna Neyther haue there wanted women y haue deserued such glorye The mother of Hircanus the Iewe beinge offended by Ptolomeus her sonne in lawe wylled Hircanus not to leaue of his enterpryse but rather reuenge the death of hys father whom Ptolomeus had slayne Epicharis Liberta more noble then many men for no torment could be coÌ„strayned to confesse her offences or her companioÌ„s in offendinge Quintilia a little personage suspected for the conspiracye agaynst Caligula being racked wyth great torment confessed nothinge whereby she was set at libertye as giltlesse and receyued reward as innocent What shoulde I speake of Barbara Agatha a Christian wyth dyuers other vyrgins the nomber of whom is hardly to be beleued and theyr constancye so marueylous as they seemed not onelye paciently to haue suffered tormentes but also to haue wyshed for theim But this vertue procedeth of oure Christianitye Let vs returne to naturall reasons Ther is no rest so welcome as that which followeth great trauayle nor death soe muche desyred as where sickenes hath beene moste extreame The ende therefore of all griefe eyther by recouerye or death is pleasaunte It is also to be consydered that all suche as suffer great tormentes being perswaded of the immortalitye of soules oughte thereby thoughe none other reason were to be comforted And suche as beleeue of none other lyfe are sure that death is y ende of all myseryes Therefore if thy griefe groweth vppon deserte deseruinglye thou oughte to beare it for thereby thou doest decrease thy griefe and saue thy minde from due tormente neyther oughtest thou to punish thy body and minde both at one time seinge thy soule is afterwardes to receyue his chastisemente The same or more profytable reason maye bee made for sickenes then sorrowe for what can be intollerable in sickenes if sorrowe be awaye yea hardlye it can be thought howe manye commodityes it bringeth In sicknes wee learne howe we bee howe frayle the condition of life is howe incertayne and subiecte to the power of others Thereby wee are taughte to be mindefull of an other lyfe and that we oughte not to doe that to an other which we wold not haue don to our selues Therefore wee become more temperate and continente yea to some sicknes haue beene cause of longe lyfe amendemente of fame and encrease of vertue If sickenes were not a man shoulde become more harde harted then the Tiger and more cruell then the Lionesse Macrobius thincketh that sickenes doth more often happen to those whom God loueth then those whom hee hateth Seneca supposed that hee is most vnhappy that neuer feeleth aduersity and that hee is most myserable that is most happye Saint Paule sayth whom God loueth him hee chasteneth The nature of man is vnbridled and were it not like wheate well sifted woulde become as sauage as the wilde beastes When the soule loueth the bodye then is it more noble and perfite because then it commeth to hys owne nature beinge vnbourdened of the bodye which hindered the sight and perfite knowledge It is therfore the lesse maruaile that those that be most weake of body and of shortest lyfe be of best indgemente and moste apte to knowe No man hath all giftes if thou haue stoore of vertues of y mynde thou arte of necessity the more sicke of bodye Then whether wouldest thou rather haue a stronge bodye and a witte lyke vnto beastes or a weake bodye wyth an excellente sprighte Some brutishe beastes there are also as muche or more subiecte to sickenes as menne as the Lyon and Goate for whiche cause those that doe vse to sell Goates do not warrant them for sound as they doe other cattell but as Varro sayth this daye hee is well and drincketh and lyke enoughe hee maye so continue And albeit these beastes be neuer but sicke yet wantinge reason doe playe and take disporte But man to hys owne sorrowe is partaker of reason whereby hee calleth to consyderation his myseryes Yet is it worthely to be noted that seeldome times we see honest men troubled with outward greeues and those that be temperate are not often offended with inward miseries But some men do thincke deafnes and blyndnes more intollerable then Sicknes though the same seemeth lyttle to hinder the felicitye of man. Homerus beinge blynde excelled all the Poetes both Latyne and Greeke Tymolion beinge blynd gouerned the people of Syracusa Appius Claudius brake the dishonorable peace whiche the Romaynes had taken with Pirrus and therin declared he sawe more then all others hauinge eyes Hannibal hauinge one only eye conquered almost all Italy and excelled all captaynes both Carthaginences Romaines Scipio onlye reserued Iohn kinge of Beemia was also blynde yet a valiant and wise captayne He knowinge him selfe ouermatched wyth the power of his enemies manfully didde charge them to the ende that if he could not get the vyctorye yet he would not be accompted cowardlye One blynde man not long before our age was so cunninge in musicke as excelled all other in those dayes and was therfore greatly esteemed and by princes enriched The blinde man hathe also hys delightes as banquettinge venery musicke and learning and if he were not so borne he is blind but some part of his lyfe He may also se dreaming and therfore Aristoteles sayth that the vertue of seinge resteth not in the eyes but in the brayne because if the sight were in the eye then the eyes beinge put out the man in dreame should se nothing as doth he that was blinde borne But if a manne
or in the bowelles of the earthe doest thou take care for want of a workeman There is no cause of feare at all The Heauen doth hide hys bones that can no coffyn fynde as sayth the Poet. Who so were wise would not with one hafepeny spence buy this felicitie The fyrste inuentoure of names for these stately building for buriall of stinkynge bodies what did hee other then make tryall of an insolente and vayne ambicious mynde that euen in deathe woulde declare the same But this care caughte beginninge at Silla that Deade Menne should bee buryed Hee was the fyrste that at the Deathe of Cornelia caused burninge and not burying to be vsed because he feared to be digged vppe and suffer shame which he had care of in the buryinge of Marius But howe much better did Diogenes Cenicus lyinge vnder a tree sicke and readye to dye aunsweared them that asked where he woulde be buryed sayinge I praye you let me alone whereto they replyed that then the beastes woulde teare him in peeces whye then quoth hee geeue me a staffe naye sayde his frendes that were to none vse when the life is gone Then Diogenes not vnwiselye reproued them saying what harme can I haue when I shal be senceles and feele nothinge it maketh also to purpose to knowe that it is incertaine what doth become of mens carcases cast awaye sometimes it was thoughte they gayned an opinion of deuinitye as it came to passe of Cleo the Lacedemonian kinge whose body hanging whole vppon the gallouse ther appeared in it a Serpent that broughte forth deuouringe byrdes Whereof grewe a religion as though the Gods were keepers of innocent mens bodyes which foolishly the people honoured It is sayd that Ctesias found the carcasse of Clearchus not vnlike to the other out of which grew a woode and became to be honoured for a god Yea at this daye this superstitious opinion remayneth of them that lye vnburyed that theyr sprites should walke So great force hath y memorye of aunciente error and the feare which men haue in walkinge alone But nowe let vs leaue these vnprofitable matters and as at the beginninge was determined turne out talke to sorrowe And fyrste let vs speake of Parentes because not only Loue but also Pitye was wonte for them to moue teares Neyther can we with moore honesty lament any then theym of whome we came into the Worlde This is the dutye of Loue Charity and Pitie and if any whitte the teares of Children can preuayle to their good sure lye then ought we weepe But seing no weping or Sorrowe doth helpe let vs consider whether honestly or reasonably we ought to do it VVherein first commeth to memory the vniuersall reason of all theym that by Deathe haue bene called awaye For either we muste lament in fauour of theym that be deadde or ells in respect of our selues But if in consideracion of theÌ„ we Lament eyther we beleue that their Soules doe liue or ells together with their Bodies they are perrished And if thou thincke that booth the Soule and Bodye be perrished then so thincking and lamenting the Death of an other thus thou Complaynest Alas alas hencefoorthe thou shalt not be Thirssty Hongry Colde Not Painfull Sicke subiect to iniuries and Calamity yea that is moost of all hencefoorth thou shalt not dye as I shall but I know thou wilt saye I were to bee laughed at iâ— so I should lamente neuerthelesse all this thou doest and though thou confesse it not yet wylte thou know that so it is Surely there is no doubt that dye we muste Death as thou thinckeste is Euill Whie art thou then sorry for him that is paste it and not for thy selfe that by no meanes can auoide it But if it be superfluous to lamâ—t thyne owne Condition because in cases necessarye wepinge helpeth not To what purpose doest thou be wayle his Death whiche is the moore necessarye that he is already deadde But if thou beleeue his Spirite doth lyue then of necessitie thus must thou lament Alas alas froÌ„ a mortall man thou arte become immortall frome Paynefull Quiet from Miserable Happie from Sadde pleasaunt and from obscure noble VVho is hee that heareth the in this sorte complayne though he were of the dead mans bloud but should fal vnto laughinge Neither doe then thinke I tel the an vntrothe and therfore whiche I had almost forgotteÌ„ though thou alledge y for his cause thou mournest Seinge then there is almoost no manne so vnwise as dare saye hee complayneth in respect of him that is deadde whether his Soule dooth remaine or not so euery manne sayth he doth lament the want of his fryend whiche if thou acknowledge the eternitie of his soule cannot so be because for so much as is 〈◊〉 he is not with the and thou shalt shortly 〈◊〉 to him But take thou heede to 〈◊〉 that thou bewaylest thine owne Calamitye thoughe he 〈◊〉 not with thee To vayne and Enuious thou 〈…〉 thy selfe if for thy proffite thou can not 〈…〉 this benefite for as with 〈…〉 to preferre their Children to Seruice of Kinges in hope of Fauour and Reward that will come therof notwithstanding the mindes of Princes 〈◊〉 times inconstante the 〈…〉 faithfull and generallye 〈◊〉 Good 〈…〉 as serue little 〈…〉 will ought we 〈…〉 we 〈…〉 use Hate Ambition not Disdayne The mynde of that Prince is neither 〈…〉 nor ignoraunt of any thinge There is place with out perryll Felowshippe without 〈…〉 without doubte and 〈…〉 And would thou for thine owne commodiâ—te denye him of these Ioyes God forbidde But besydes this thou maye perhappes seeme iustlye to complayne 〈◊〉 thy Commodities by 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 which 〈…〉 reason yet of thou consider at 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 enduce reason worthye thy consideration And first seinge in respect of thy selfe 〈…〉 thinke that one other may be found euer 〈◊〉 to him for Frendshippe Conuersacion or necessitye But admitte that coulde not bee or that such a man were not redely founde yet withe all remember what paynes thou haddest taken for thy deadde frende howe often for him thou were called in question how often than 〈◊〉 lesse how burdenous he was to thee and fynally how hee hadde bene towardes thee thou cannot certainly knowe and what hereafter he would haue beue 〈…〉 Alas how often haue some men beue 〈◊〉 by their owne Kinsfolke 〈◊〉 Children and Frendes of whome in times paste they were helped Cassius and Brutus didde aide Iulius Caesar in fighte against his countrye but beinge made Emperour they slewe him Full foolishly didde Antoniâ—s committe his counsell to Octauius where in hee discouered his freendes trustinge to him whome oftetimes in doubtful Fortune he hadde receiued help yet then throughe his feare he was enforced to voluntary Deathe Alexander while hee liued was faithfull serued of his Souldiers but being dead his Children Kinsfolkes and Friendes were all by theym distroyed and yet at the deathe of one of theym hee felte so great Sorrowe as searce lye he could euer after