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A19802 True and Christian friendshippe With all the braunches, members, parts, and circumstances thereof, Godly and learnedly described. Written first in Latine by that excellent and learned man, Lambertus Danæus, and now turned into English. Together also with a right excellent inuectiue of the same author, against the wicked exercise of diceplay, and other prophane gaming.; Tractatus de amicitia Christiana. English Daneau, Lambert, ca. 1530-1595?; Newton, Thomas, 1542?-1607. 1586 (1586) STC 6230; ESTC S114067 45,848 120

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industrie or as a token of an open praise and commendation giuen vnto them for their well doing which is a thing greatly profitable for the Common wealth For honor preferment reward and dignitie nourisheth Arts and encreaseth knowledge Glorie is the Spurre that pricketh all men forward to wel doings And therefore in all Ages such kinde of publique Exercises and Wagers haue bene appoynted allowed and practised And albeit those which were in the old time exercised were farre differing from such as we now adaies haue in vse yet were they ordeyned and had a respect vnto the maner of Warfare and Martiall seruice then among them vsed For although they then had deuises and Engines to throwe Darts and Iauelins to annoye their Enemies a farre of yet had they no Gunnes but fought it out man to man with downe right blowes ioyning foote to foote and hand to hand And among them also they had sundrie sortes of publique Exercises and Games for wagers but yet especially these fiue Wrestling hurling a Coyte who could hurle it farthest or highest of length or height Running or leaping Cōbating with leatheren bagges hauing plummets hanging at the endes thereof Barriers and Torneaments on Horsebacke all which are mentioned aswell by Homer as also by Virgill and Pausanias Vnto these did the Romaines afterwards adde an other which was fighting with Ships on the water exhibited and solemnely kept specially in the Raigne of Augustus Caesar to conserue in fresh memorie his noble victorie at Actium and the shew thereof was on the Riuer of Tyber Afterward there was also added an other kinde of warlike exercise on Horsback which in the old time was tearmed Troye and was accustomed to be openly shewed in the vsuall Fielde of Exercise called Campus Martius but the name of this kinde of Exercise was afterwarde called Torneyments which for that there grew many times much harme and daunger thereof and also was found to be an occasion to drawe aspiring mindes vnto ambicious desiers it was afterwards by publick authoritie of the Lawes worthilie put downe and discontinued But to returne again to our purpose those Rewards Wagers Prizes and offers which were publickly set out proposed for such mē as should put forwarde themselues in these kinds of exercises to play striue for the same were cōmonly and for the most part of small value so that they might seeme to bee rather as a token of victorie and a praise to the partie that wanne the same then any great gaine For our forefathers as Plutarch writeth vsed for Rewardes and thought the same very large and bountifull at publique Shewes and open Games none other things then these fower viz an Oliue a Pyne tree Parselie and Apples Which small giftes trifeling Prizes were for very long space accoumpted for a great rewarde of praise as the same Plutarch in the life of Cato Vticensis witnesseth in these wordes The rewardes that were publiquely giuen at Games in the olde tyme and deemed as right bountifull and large amōg the Greekes were Beete Lettice Radish and Peares among the Romaines flagons of Wine Porke Figges Cucumbers Faggots and bundelles of Woode But these haue in processe of time through Ambition and Couetousnesse beene chaunged and altered For in place of them there are now other things grow● 〈◊〉 ●se and customablie giuen to the winners The fourth Chapter Of them that bestowe their winnings gayned by play vpon a Banquet or good cheare for the whole Companie THE other exception from our former Rule is this That no man should thinke vs so hardly to meane as that we flatly condemned or misliked the custome of hauing some small summe of money gayned by Play not with any intent of the winner to kéepe it to his owne vse to be freely bestowed vpon common cheare betwene them For such winning may not be construed to be meere gaine and priuate profite seeing it is forthwith lated out and bestowed vpon a continuation of friendlines maintaynaunce of neighbourhood and wherby also after a sort the looser hath some kinde of benefite For although he be the looser yet hath he his part and share of the gaine it self because he eateth and drinketh his portion And all that is this way gotten is and may well bee called Expence and not the gaine of the Winner because hee courteously and friendly therewith entertaineth the whole companie and for the more confirmation of friendship and mutuall good will among themselues francklie bestoweth the cheare vpon them Which curtesie and custome among Christians may doubtlesse without any scruple of Conscience bee lawfully done forseene that there be no lauish expence or wilful wast but onely some small summe of money that is played for and the same to be conuerted to these vses But if either the Summe of it self be bigge or in respect of the estate of the Players and Gamesters excessiue and too much in such case both the winner and the looser ought by the Magistrate to bee punished and in such persons both such cost as I haue spoken of and such Playe also is by vs in this place flatly forbidden and vtterly as vnlawfull condemned The fifth Chapter What kinde of Games and Playes bee lawfull and what be forbidden and vnlawfull BVT now let vs came to speake of such Games Playes as are lawful and permitted or vnlawful and prohibited least otherwise all this our discourse and treatise might seeme vainlie enterprised and to small purpose taken in hande The question surely is hard and difficult and diuersly by diuers persons maintained and decided Whereunto when any question is mooued vnto mee for my opinion therein to bee had my custome and order is this to answere If wee first set downe and shewe what kindes thereof bee forbidden it shall be an easie matter to pronounce of al the rest to wit that all others hee lawfull and directly permitted to a Christian Of Games and Playes therefore which are vnlawfull the sortes bee sundrie and diuers For first whatsoeuer Games or Playes are prohibited and forbidden by the lawes and customes of that Countrey or Citie wherein we liue are generally to bee accoumpted vnlawfull although otherwise in respect of their action they bee not dishonest yet for so long time as we shall dwel or seiourne in that Countrey and place wee must and ought of refraine them For such is the condition to Christian libertie concerning things of them selues meerely indifferent that according to the diuers circumstances of matters places times and persons it may be restrayned Neither ought wee to violate and breake such lawes as particular Countreyes Seigniories and Cities haue established enacted and made concerning the same specially if therein we may keepe a good and cleare conscience without stooping or yeelding to any Superstition We must be sure therfore that such Decrees Lawes Statutes Permissiōs or prohibitions be grounded vpon some good reasons and iust cause and applyed for the better gouernement of the state of that
and a Friend doe not onely differ in deed and in name but sure and certaine it is that Flatterie is the rankest poyson the most daungerous plague to Frendshippe that possiblie can bee The which although it carie an outward shewe of great affection and syncere goodwill yet doubtlesse doth it vtterly vndoe the bond of Friendship vtterly weaken and enfeeble his strength and vtterly each way destroye and marre the nature thereof For the Flatterer resembleth and counterfaiteth the wordes of an vnfained Friend but not his honest mynde neither his syncere loue nor his true hearted Affection Moreouer all these three poyntes aboue specified ought among Freendes to bee common For Friendes not onely straine them selues mutually to requite curtesies but also in these their curtesies couet the one to surmount passe yea to preuēt as much as in them is the one the other And therfore these perfourmances of mutuall Loue of mutuall Consent of mutuall Defence Protection and Assistaunce bee actions enterchaungeable and reciprocall But yet not so as that a Friend should purposelie bestowe a curtesie vpon his Friend in hope of as good a turne or as large a benefite at his handes againe for no other godly honest man extendeth his loue and charitie toward his neighbour mercenarywise or as it were letting and fearming it out for hyre and gaine but because the force and nature of Friendship is such that it will not haue these things otherwise then mutually and reciprocally returnable All curtesies therefore are betweene them giuen taken restored and requited mutually howbeit and let this bee well noted not alwaies alike not alwaies equally nor in semblable proportion For many tymes the one receiueth at the handes of the other more curtesie and greater benefite then he is able againe in the like measure to requite and repay either by reason of the great oddes of the estate and condition of friendes or els for the difference of their wealth and abilitie As for example the one peraduenture is very rich the other poore the one fortunate the other miserable the one exiled and banished the other liuing at home in his natiue Countrey But all these notwithstanding he that hath lesse stoare and smaller pittaunce of abilitie although perchaunce he requite not so amplie and beneficially as hee receiued yet requiteth hee and returneth as much as he is able Wherevpon I say that curtesies and benefites among Friendes are alwaies mutuall and enterchangeable but yet not alwaies alike and equall as appeareth in Ionathan and Dauid Yea Friends doe not onely mutually protect defend and maintaine one an others person credite state wealth and possessions but also as much as they are able procure the same to bee bettered and augmented And therefore there is no maner of rancorous enuie or spightful disdaine betweene them For there is not a greater nor a certainer plague nor a more fretting Canker vnto syncere and true Frendship next to Adulation and Flatterie then is Spight and Enuie The seuenth Chapter The right Ends of true and Christian Frendshippe IN discussing the Boundes and Endes of true and Christian Friendship there bee two especiall poynts to bee decided that are commōly brought into question The first is of the Tyme how long it ought to remaine and bee continued The second of the maner and way how it ought to be obserued retayned and kept that is to say what how farre and how much one friend is to perfourme and to doe for an other Cōcerning the first which is of the Tyme let this stand for a definitiue and resolute answere that if the syncere vowe and vnfained goodwill of them that godly enter into this Christian league of Friendship be aduisedly considered it ought to be endlesse and to continue betweene them perpetually euen so long as they both shall liue in this world And yet many tymes without any fault of theirs by some casuall error and mishappe it may so fall out that there may be good cause either vtterly to renounce and breake of or at least to withdrawe and relent Friendshippe For what if the one of the Friendes should renye his faith and of a faithfull beleeuer become a faithlesse Infidell and of a Christian become a Turke or a Pagan Certes in this case all Friendship is vtterly to be forsaken and all Amitie if after sundrie exhortations and admonitions hee still persist in his obstinate miscreancie must be quight renounced Howbeit such a greeuous Apostacie and such an horrible backsliding breedeth in the mynd of a Friend no small heauinesse and sorowe yea and many tymes also causeth him for a tyme to suspende his determination and to linger some while in hope of amendment and repentance For euen so likewise at the death of our Friend although wee verily beleeue and rest assured that his soule is receiued into euerlasting blisse yet doe wee sorowe and lament and that sometyme very much as wee may see in Dauid But yet must wee obeye the lawes of God and of our frailtie Least otherwise wee should like the olde Gyaunts goe about to make warre against God or irreligiously to preferre our owne affections before the feare of the Lord our maker Therfore there may oftentymes be giuen most iust occasion to breake and renounce Friendship but yet the vowe and purpose at the first ought so syncerely to be made and intended as that it should last continue and be retayned for euer And therefore that tearme and sentence which by some is vsed is most beastly and reprooueable Loue as though thou shouldest one day hate Which sentence and aduise if it should preuaile and bee allowed then farewell all fast Friendship for then is all the force pith and strength thereof vanished then bee all the synewes of it loosed and weakened and all that firme trust and assured opinion that ought to be among Frendes safely boldly and willingly to impart and cōmunicate together their myndes one with an other and one to reueale and open his secretes vnto an other is vtterly dashed and put to flight For why neither will they neither dare they aduenture so to doe for feare of afterclappes Finally to the ende they may thankfully pleasantly trustily and boldly liue together this silthie Deuilish tearme of diffidence and distrust Loue as though thou shouldest one day hate must bee quight banished and vtterly remoued out of their mynds although as I said afore it may sometyme so fall out that we may and ought to hate those whom aforetyme wee haue right dearely loued but this thing happeneth contrary to the hope desire and wish of Friendes Therefore let this sentēce of trust and good opinion rather take place be heard Loue as though thou shouldest neuer hate So long therefore as those two Friendes doe liue together they ought in heart vowe to cōserue keepe and maintaine their Frendshippe with all maner of behoouefull curtesies and not to conceiue so much as any suspition either of breaking
place and Countrey If therefore we transgresse those Lawes we commit a very great fault and by our euil example giuing cause of offence to others doe procure and drawe them into the like contemptuous dealing Secondly I call all those Games and Playes vnhonest vnseemely and vnlawfull wherein there is any euill vnhonest filthie vnchast or vnseemely actiō practise or pranke as namely lasciuious talke wanton words vnchast groapings and ribald handlings vnshamefast gestures and fancieful behauiours because Christians ought not only to abstaine from euery thing whatsoeuer that is by nature euill but also from all that which hath any maner of shew or appearaunce of loosenes and dishonestie as the Apostle warneth vs. All such Playes Games and Sportes therefore wherein there is any maner representation counterfayting imitation or pronunciation of filthinesse and vnchastitie are as lewd and lasciuious to be vtterly condemned and worthily to be banished For they bee the flaming fierbrandes of all beastly lustes and the shamelesse occasions of many outragious disorders Thirdly all such Games and Playes as merely consist vpon blind hazard and doubtfull chaunce are flatly by vs as vnlawful reiected and condemned And such are all those that stand vpon haphazard and wherein the victorie hangeth as chaunce falleth out and allotteth Vnder this kind are contained and comprehended almost an infinite number and sorte of Playes and Games specially and namely Cardes and Dyce which therefore all good and godly persons whether they bee rich or poore learned or ignoraunt Gouernours or Artificers publiquely or priuately at home or abroade in tyme of Warre or in tyme of Peace ought to forbeare and eschew For this kind of Play and Gaming thus depending vpon hazard is most manifastly reproued and cōdemned not onely by the lawes deuised by man but also by most strong and ineuitable reasons out of the sacred worde of God The Frenchmē vnder the names of Cards and Dyce comprehende all maner of Playe consisting vpon hazard and that there are and were in the old time moe sorts of this wicked and vnlawfull Play Iulius Pollux plainely witnesseth The sixt Chapter What the meaning of this worde Alea properly is and what Games and Playes are contayned and comprehended vnder the name thereof BVt in these Games Pastymes Sportes and Playes at Cards and Dyce there is a certaine distinction to bee vsed For some of them are after such a sorte played and passed ouer that to the winning and obteyning of the victorie honest industrie of the minde helpeth more then any blind casualtie or chaunceable hazard in so much that the acward lucke which falleth out contrarie to desire is supplied amended and refourmed by Arte and cunning These kindes of Playe may not properly be tearmed Alea or Hazardrie neither are they absolutely to be forbidden onely let measurable meane therein bee vsed Others there be that hang and depend as it were vpon mere chaunce casting wherein a mans industrie if there bee no packing falsehoode and cogging deceipt vsed can nothing auaile This kinde of Play is properly called Alea and this is it that wee say is vtterly disallowable and to be banished and cast out of the Banquettes Feastes Meetinges Assemblies Families and handes of all Christians for that whatsoeuer lucke giueth and blind chaunce herein allotteth the Players and Gamesters take vp and deteyne and the losse or chaunce hereby sustained cannot by any Art that is lawfull and honest bee recouered or amended For if there bee any cogging Panion or shifting mate that by sleight and paltry goeth about to help the chaunce or strike the Dyce as many foysting Coseners and deceiptfull Packers in playing both can doe and vse to doe such an one is accoumpted for a lewd felowe and a cogging Verlet and being once knowne or taken with the maner hee is worthilie expelled and abandoned of all men out of all honest companies These cogging trickes and subtile shiftes in Playe whosoeuer vseth is euer the causer of much brabbling wrāgling skoulding and fighting which to bee true appeareth by the example of one Temenus of whom Pausanias writeth in his Booke entituled Messaniaca And therefore all such kindes of Playes and Games we must confesse to be properly and truely tearmed Alea for that al the hope of victorie and winning thereby consisteth in the doubtfull hazard euent and casting whether it be at Cardes or Dyce and not in any laudable commendable or lawfull industrie of man And the auncient Writers are of the same opinion with vs for they like wise affirme this word Alea to signifie all that what soeuer wherein casuall lucke vncertaine euent and doubtfull hazard beareth sway For where the winners themselues cannot tell how they shall speede nor what good successe they shall haue till they see it plainely so come to passe there must lucke chaunce and hazard needes altogether take place beare sway and therefore is this maner of Play called Alea. And this is that naughtie and vile Play which wee in this place and in all this our present Treatise haue pronounced and protested to bee vnlawfull and disallowable and doe heartilie wish it to be farre of from al Christian mens practise if it haue through too much licentious ouersight beene at any time heretofore frequented and vsed that it be now from hencefoorth renounced forsaken loathed and detested Now that we may the sooner bee ashamed of this so vglie and so beastlie an Exercise let vs shewe forth and set downe the wickednesse and the harmes that growe thereof And first let vs heare what opinion and iudgement euen prophane and Heathē men which lacked the cleare light of the word of God had therof who yet notwithstanding will teach vs what to deeme and think of such a filthie and vile practise Against Dyceplay The vij Chapter Dycing and Carding reproued and condemned euen by the Heathen and Infidelles that knewe not God CIcero obiected vnto Marcus Antonius the Consull sitting in the Counsel Chāber among all the noble Senatours and laied it to his charge as the greatest reproach that could be that he was a Dycer and a Gamester and that hee fostered and countenaunced such kinde of persons about him Suetonius Tranquillus in the life of Augustus Cap. 71. writeth that this kinde of Play was noted and reputed in that mightie Monarch being otherwise a most excellent Prince for a great disgrace and dishonorable blemish in so much that his delight in this filthie exercise greatly eclipsed and dimmed the rest of his notable vertues Claudius Caesar gaue no way more occasion to the world to accoumpt and iudge him for a Blockhead and Dolt then by his great delight that he tooke in Dyceplay Gobilo the Lacedaemonian being sent in the behalfe of his Countrey as Ambassadour to the Corinthians to ioyne friendship and league with them and finding the Princes and People there playing at Dyce made no longer tariance but presently returned home without either declaring his message or concluding any
that wee can reade of but haue flatly directly and plainly prostigated reproued and condemned this kinde of Deuelish Game But let vs heare some of the reasons of these graue and godly Fathers which caused them so sharplie and so worthilie to inueigh against this odious Play that the stiffest wilfullest obstinatest defenders of the same may thereby at length learne to holde their peace and to be ashamed of themselues And least any man should thinke vs to bee in this poynt more precise and Stoicall then needes or to speake so much against it as we doe without iust cause or reason there is a little Booke of Nicolas de Lyra a man accoūpted the learnedest in his tyme touching the same entituled Praeceptorium wherin he alledgeth nine speciall reasons gathered and collected out of diuers Wryters why this Dyceplay among Christians ought not in any wise to be suffered Out of whom and also out of other Writers besides wee here haue culled and selected the chiefest and most special which may fully suffice to perswade al those that be godlie minded and not wilfully wedded to their owne foolish opinions how entierly and effectually wee ought to abhorre this kinde of lewde and Deuelish exercise The ix Chapter That Dyceplay is directly condemned and reprooued by manifest textes of the sacred Scriptures FIrst there be some that thinke and very well truely that this maner of Playe is directly against the Law of God contained in the third Commaundement of the Decalogue Wherein wee are preciselie commaunded not to take the name of the Lord God in vaine And thereupon they gather that in Lotte casting in which kinde doubtlesse Dyceplaye is contained wee ought not in any wise for maintenaunce of our peeuish pleasures to vse vaine and ydle matters in steede of graue and godlie exercises for that therein we doe after a sorte make a mock of Gods prouidence and rashly abuse the greatest testimonies and effects thereof such as Lotterie is By this meanes therefore they holde opinion that the power and Maiestie of God is prophaned and taken in vaine For thus are we taught both by the examples of holy men and by the very Commaundements of God himselfe that we should not vse these Lottes wherein there resteth a singular argument and token of Gods diuine prouidence as before was sayde in vaine trifeling or phantasticall matter but rather then and at such tyme onely when as there falleth out some matter of great moment and waightie importaunce wherein God himself as an extraordinarie moderatour Ruler and Vmpier must interpose his doome strike the stroake and decide the case least otherwise if wee rashlie and lightlie cast out Lottes wee seeme not onely to goe about to tempt God but also wickedly to offer some notable iniurie and villanous dishonour vnto his extraornarie power and prouidence In deede for the electing of Magistrates diuiding of Goodes partition of Landes among Coheires or in making a choyse of Pastors in the Church there maye bee cause sometyme to vse Lottes because in these oftentymes the voyce and consent of GOD is more necessarie thē of men and also for that there appeareth many tymes therein an extraordinarie meanes of Gods will and pleasure is a good way also to ende al quarrels and to auoyde all corruption of voyces But in sporting toyes and friuolous causes as though we would make God seruaunt to our vanities and pastimes to vse Lots they hold it vtterly vnlawfull Now there is no man will denye but that Dyce is one of the chiefe kinds of Lot casting And therfore therby if not in plaine tearmes yet necessarilie and inclusiuelie by waye of manifest circumstaunce the name and Maiestie of God is by Dyceplaye expressely prophaned and blasphemouslie dishonored Secondly they say this kinde of Play is reproueable for that it is vsed and instituted contrarie to the true nature and end of Patyme For seeing that the ende and scope of Play is or should be either to exercise the industrie of the mynde or els to cherish and reuiue the strength and powers of the bodie truely Dyceplay is most farre from either of them both For therein wee neither exercise the Bodie as wee doe in Wrestling or Running yea wee many tymes therein doe not so much as stirre or mooue our Bodie nor any part of the same excepting our hands and fingers but rather sit still gaping and staying for the chaunce of the Dyce sitting in the meane while like idle Drones playing al the day and giuing our selues to no maner of actiuitie in the worlde in so much that many tymes for a iust reward of this our loytering occupation we are paied home with the grieuous payne of the Gowtes and other Ioynt diseases And as for industrie of the mynde who can say that Dyceplayers doe vse or increase any at all seeing that in this play there is no maner of exercise for the witte at all but all the hope of victory and winning dependeth vpon Chaunce in so much that the Winner many tymes is driuen to wonder how hee wanne and for the winning of any hande or stake afterward cannot in certaintie any thing at al assure himselfe And thus also it commeth to passe that he which goeth away a looser doth not so much meruaile as chafe and fret that he hath lost seeing that he could not perceiue in that conquest and victorie made on him any maner of industrie or ouerreaching wit in the Winner And therfore they sit the longer and playe thereat the eigerlier for that they cannot see any probable reason nor yeeld any sufficient cause either of their winning or of their loosing Whereupon they cannot moderate and satisfie themselues herein but the more they play and the longer they continue thereat the greedier they are and the willinger to hold out for that in this wretched and slouthfull idlenes they perceiue neither their bodies wearied nor their mindes exercised and occupied Thirdly they alledge the Lawes of the Magistrate which forbiddeth these Playes as offensiue and wicked A lawe therefore being once enacted and made against it this Play cannot bee vsed nor defended without offence And notable is that saying of the Apostle and for this present purpose very fit to be applyed If meate saieth he be a cause to offēd my brother I will eate no flesh while the world standeth that I may not offend my Brother Now seeing it is a great de●le easier for vs to refraine these trifeling toyes then to abstaine from flesh which is a thing so commodious and necessarie for the sustentation of our bodies in this life who needeth to doubt but that these paltring vanities are much more to be renounced and forborne for feare of offending our Brethren For there is no kinde of pleasure which we ought so much to esteeme as therby and for the same to giue offence vnto our Brother Furthermore although wee altogether forbeare and for euer abstaine from this kinde of Play