be in loue The best Phisition to cure loue is shee that gaue the wound Secret loue burneth with the fiercest flame The first steppe to wisedom is not to loue the second so to loue that it bee not perceiued As a King is honoured in his image so God in man is both loued and hated hee cannot hate man who loueth God nor can hee loue God who hateth man Bernard Loue that is soone gotten in a heate vvill quickly away with a cold Hee that gathereth Roses must be content to pricke his fingers and he that will winne a womans good will must be content vvith sharpe words The cause of loue is delight vvhich by the aspect and sight of beauty is first taken but whosoeuer in viewing beholding of others taketh no pleasure can neuer be mooued to loue There are sixe properties in loue Selfe-loue is the grounde of mischiefe Lasciuious loue the roote of remorse vvanton loue the cowards warfare Pure loue neuer saw the face of feare Pure loues eyes pierceth the darkest corners Pure loue attempteth the greatest dangers Libertas quoniam nulli iam restat amanti Nullus liber erit si quis amare velit Heu quantuÌ„ mentes dominatur in aequas Iusta Venus Of Iealousie Defi. Iealousie is a disease of the minde proceeding from a feare which a man hath that that thing is communicated to another which hee would not haue common but priuate to himselfe it is also bred of that loue which will not suffer a partner in the thing beloued HE that is pained with the restles torment of iealousie doubteth mistrusteth him selfe being alwayes frozen with feare and fired with suspition Iealousie is such a heauie and grieuous enemy to the whole state of matrimonie and soweth betweene the married couple such deadly seedes of secrete hatred and contention as loue beeing once raced out with sacklesse distrust thereof through enuie ensueth bloody reuenge A iealous man is suspitious euermore iudging the worst for if his wife be merry he thinketh her immodest if sober sullen if pleasant inconstant if shee laugh it is lewdly if shee looke it is lightly yea hee is still casting beyond the Moone and watcheth as the craftie Cat ouer the silly Mouse Loue as it is diuine with loyaltie so it is hell with iealousie Iealousie proceedeth from too much loue Iealousie is a canker that daily fretteth quiet thoughts a moth that secretly consumeth the life of man and a poyson specially opposed against the perfection of loue The hart beeing once infected with iealousie the sleepes are broken dreames proue vnquiet the whole night is consumed in slumbers thoughts and cares and the day in woe vexation and misery The iealious man lyuing dyes and dying prolongs out his lyfe in passions worse then death none looketh on his loue but suspition sayes this is he that couets to be coriual in my fauours none knocketh at the doore but starting vp hee thinketh them to be messengers of fancie none talkes but they whisper of affection if shee frowne shee hates him and loues others if she smyle it is because she hath had successe in her loue looke shee frowardly on any man she dissembles if shee fauour him with a gracious eye then as a man possessed with frenzie he crieth out that neither fire in the strawe nor loue in a womans lookes can be concealed thus doth he lyue restlesse and maketh loue that oft is sweet to be in tast more bitter then gall Iealousie is a hell to the mind and a horror to the conscience suppressing reason and inciting rage As there is no content to the sweetnesse in loue so there is no dispayre to the preiudice of iealousie The seedes of rashnes lust are nourished in a disordinate multitude and the fruites of displeasure hate murther and wickednes are cherished by iealousie Socrates He that is iealous is like him that is sicke of an ague and poureth in drinke to augment the chilnes of his sicknes Hippoc. There can be no greater tyranny then iealousie whereby a man continually murthereth himselfe lyuing As a ship is in a tempest so is the minde tost by iealousie the one stil expecteth his wrack the other seeketh his owne ruine Iealousie maketh the cowarde stoute the bashfull audacious the babler silent Ielousie begetteth reuenge reuenge nourisheth iealousie Three thinges breede iealousie a mightie state a rich treasure and a fayre wife Iealousie is a hel-borne fiend that pestereth the minde with incessant passion Iealousie in seeking death contemneth it in finding it repineâ—h thereat not for enduring it but because it suffereth him not to out-lyue reuenge As the Crowe thinketh her owne byrds fayrest so the iealious man thinketh his ovvne choyce excellentest Cruelty is most cruell when we prolong the payne iealousie monstrous with lengthening the passion Of lyttle brookes proceede great riuers from small sparkles of iealousie arise great flames of distemprature To trouble a iealous man with counsaile is to augment his payne wyth suspition Matrimonium itá demum tranquillé exigi potest si vxer caeca maritus autem surdus fiat Faemineum genus zelotopiae est obnoxium et hinc oriuntur rixae et querimoniae rursus marito obnoxia est vxoris garrulitas qua molestia cariturus est si surdus sit Of Hate Defi. Hate or enuie is a griefe arising of another mans prosperitie and malignitie is most commonly ioyned with it whether it bee the fountaine of it as some say or one part therof as others will haue it This malignitie or common hate is a delight and pleasure taken in another mans harme although we receiue no profit thereby and it seemeth to bee accidentall that is procured by hatred or ill will arising of some euill affection which one man beareth to another THe greatest flood hath the soonest ebbe the sorest tempest the suddainest calme the hotest loue the coldest end and from the deepest desire oft-times ensueth the deadliest hate Hate thirsteth to salue his hurts by reuenge Enuy is a secrete enemy to honour There is nothing that more spighteth a man then to haue before his enemy any iniury Hatred is the spirit of darknes Hatred is blinde as well as loue Plut. Enuie is imagined of the Poets to dwell in a darke Caue beeing pale and leane looking a-squint abounding with gal her teeth black neuer reioycing but in others harme still vnquiet and carefull and continually tormenting herselfe Enuie maketh the body to bee ill disposed changeth the colour of the countenance and therefore it is called the VVitch and feauer heptick of the spyrit Arist. The enuious man is â—ed with dainty meate for hee dooth continually gnawe vppon hys owne hart Enuy is thâ—â—â—oynt may be discerned from hatred the one is secrete the other is open Hate hath sundry affections as contempt anger debate and scornfulnes Themistocles in his youth sayd that as then he had done nothing worthy of memorie in that there was no man whom hee might
for the euill that they commit in his company is accounted his Rulers doe sinne more grieuously by example then by act and the greater gouernance they beare the greater account they haue to render that in theyr owne precepts and ordinaunces they be not found negligent Not onely happy but also most fortunate is that Prince that for rightnes of iustice is feared and for his goodnes beloued The greater that a Prince is in power aboue other the more ought hee to excell in vertue aboue other A King ought not to trust him that is couetous and setteth his minde to get riches nor him that is a flatterer nor any to whom hee hath doone vvrong nor him that is at truce with his enemies VVhen princes most greedily do prosecute vices then theyr enemies are busie in vveauing some web of deadly danger Princes by charging theyr kingdoms with vniust trybuts procure from theyr subiects a wilfull deniall of due most iust paiments He that possesseth an Empire and knoweth not howe to defend it may loose his possession before he know who offended him It litle profiteth a Prince to be Lord of many kingdoms if on the other part he become bond-slaue to many vices It appertaineth vnto Princes as much to moderate their owne pleasures as to giue order for matters of importance High minds are the shelters of pouerty and Kings seats the sanctuaries for the distressed Children borne of Kings are composed of a precious masse to be seperate from the cōmon sort Plato Malice and vice taking theyr full swinge through the carier of the power and libertie which wicked Princes yeeld vnto them doe push forward euery violent passion making euery little choler turne to murder or banishment and euery regard and loue to rape or adultery couetousnes to confiscation A kingdome is nought els then the care of anothers safetie and Antiochus told his sonne Demetrius that their kingdome was a noble slauery Maiestie in a Princes thoughts gardeth his minde from cowardise and is the onely priuiledge to contempt Selfe-loue is not fit for Princes nor pride an ornament meet for a diademe Kings as they are men before God so are they Gods before men Lactan. Kings and princes doe loose more in the opinions they hold then the reasons they vse It is no lesse discredite to a Prince to haue destroyed many of his subiects then it is to a Phisitian to haue killed many of his patients It is very requisite that the Prince liue according to that law himselfe which he would haue executed vpon other men Archi. It becommeth a King to take good heed to his Counsellers in noting who sooth his lusts and who intend the publique profit for therby shall he know the good from the bad Plu. The strength of a Prince is the friendshyp and loue of his people That King shall best gouerne his Realme that raigneth ouer his people as a Father doth ouer his chyldren Agesil The office of a King is to heare the cause complaynt of his people without exception of persons Subiects are to their King as the winde is to the fire for the stronger that winde is the greater is the fire So great is the person dignity of a prince that in vsing his power and authoritie as hee ought hee being heere amongst men vppon earth representeth the glorious estate and high maiestie of God in heauen Ambr. It is requisite for all those that haue rule and gouernance in a common-weale vnder their Prince to know the bounds of their estate the full effect of theyr dutie that by executing iustice they may be feared and by shewing mercy they may be beloued It is requisite for princes to place such men in authoritie as care least for it and to keepe them from gouernment that presse forwards to it Except wise men be made gouernours or gouernours be made wise men mankind shal neuer liue in quiet nor vertue be able to defend herselfe Plato Hee that would be a Ruler or Gouernour must first learne to be an obedient subiect for it is not possible for a proude and couetous minded subiect to become a gentle and temperate Gouernour Seuerus VVhen rule and authoritie is committed vnto a good man hee dooth thereby publish his vertue which before lay hid but beeing cōmitted to an euill man it ministreth boldnesse licence in him to doe that euil which before he durst not doe Diog. Animata imago rex putandus est dei Nulla fides regni socijs omnisque potestas Impatiens consortis erit Of Nobilitie Defi. Nebilitie is a glittering excellencie proceeding from auncestors and an honor which commeth from an auncient linage and stocke it is also a praise that proceedeth from the deserts of our elders and fore-fathers and of this noblesse there are three sorts the first bred of vertue and excellent deeds the second proceedeth from the knowledge of honest disciplines and true sciences the third commeth from the scutchyons and Armes of our auncestors or from riches TItles of honor are little or nothing worth if the life of the partie be bad Nobility of birth to a vertuous man bringeth great glory to a vitious perpetuall reproch other nobility in this life by vertue attained is no small token of an happy life Noblenes of birth is either vniuersall or perticuler the first to be borne in a noble and famous Country perticuler to come of noble progenitours Arist. Nobility is best continued by that conuenient meanes whereby it rose Hee is not to be helde for noble that hath much but he that giueth much It is requisite for him that is noble borne to take heede of flatteres for they will be ready daily to attend his person for profit sake How euer men rise in degree let them still be lowly in minde for theyr humilitie may raise them when Fortune hath deprest them Nobility is a tytle quickly lost for if riches forsake it or vertue abandon it it straightway becōmeth as a thing that had neuer bin VVhatsoeuer thy Father by his worthines hath deserued belongs not to thee it is thine owne deserts that must make thee noble He that defēdeth his country by the sword deserueth honour but he that maintaineth it in peace meriteth more honour The nobilitie which wee receaue from our auncestors because it cōmeth not from our selues is scarcely to be counted our own Oui. To come of noble parentage and not to be endued with noble qualities is rather a defamation then a glory Noble persons haue the best capacities for whether they giue themselues to goodnes or vngraciousnes they doe in eyther of them so excell as none of the common sort of people can come any thing nie them Cic. True nobility consisteth not in dignity lynage great reuenewes lands or possessions but in wisedom knowledge vertue which in man is very nobility that nobility bringeth man to dignity True nobility is not after the vulgar opinion of the common people but it is
worst God did not couer nor hide the truth vnder a Mountaine to the ende that none but such as toyled for her might finde her but as with the heauens hee hath enuironed the earth and the hells so hath hee couered the truth with the vaile of his charitie which whosoeuer will knock at the heauenly dore might enter in The end of Grammer is to speake aptly and agreeably and the ende of speach society of Rethorick to carry all mens minds to one opinion of Logicke to finde a truth amidst many falshoods all other Arts doe likewise tend to truth Speech is but the shadow of effect which as Euripides sayeth agreeing with the truth is single plaine without colour or counterfait Pharamonde the first King of Fraunce was named VVarmond which signifieth truth Truth feareth nothing more then to be hid shee careth for no shadowing but is content with her owne light Truth is a vertue that scaleth the heauens illumineth the earth maintaineth iustice gouerneth common-weales kils hate nourisheth loue and discouereth secrets Truth is a sure pledge not impaired a shield neuer pierced a flower that neuer dyeth a state that feares not fortune and a port that yeelds no danger Cicero Truth is health that is neuer sick a life that hath neuer end a salue that healeth all sores a sunne that neuer setteth a moone that is neuer eclipsed an hearb that is neuer withered a gate that is neuer lockt and a voyage that neuer breeds wearines Truth is such a vertue that without it our strength is weakenes our iustice tyrannous our humility trayterous our patience dissembled our chastity vaine our liberty captiue and our piety superfluous Truth is the Center wherein all things repose the card whereby we sayle the wisedom whereby we are cured the rock whereon we rest the lampe that guideth vs and the shield which defendeth vs. Truth is the ground of Science the scale to Charity the tipe of eternity and the fountaine of grace By truth the innocent smyleth before the Iudge and the traytor is discouered before he is suspected Truth is a good cause and needs no help of oratory and the least speach deserues the best credite Qui veritatem occultat et qui mendacium prodit vterque reus est ille quia prodesse non vult iste quia nocere desider at August Non boue mactato coelestia numina gaudent Sed quae praestanda est et sine teste fides Of Conscience Defi. Conscience generally is the certaine and assured testimony which our soules carry about with them bearing witnesse of what we speake thinke wish or doe it is to the wicked an accuser a Iudge a hangman and a rope to the godly a comfort reward and ayde against all aduersities A Guilty conscience is a worme that biteth and neuer ceaseth The conscience once stained with innocent blood is alwayes tyed to a guilty remorse Conscience is a worme that fretteth like the Seres vvooll secretly and deepely easily gotten and hardly worne out VVhere the conscience is drowned vvith worldly pompe and riches their wisedome is turned to foolishnes He that frameth himselfe outwardly to doe that which his conscience reproueth inwardly wilfully resisteth the law of God Plato writeth that many when they are in health doe thinke all but toyes which is spoken of hell but at the point of death when their conscience pricketh thē they are troubled and vexed out of measure calling their former life into minde The conscience is wasted where shipwrack is made of faith A good conscience is the onely liberty The conscience is a booke wherein our daylie sinnes are written A good conscience is a continuall quietnes Although the consciences of many seeme to be seared with an hote yron as if it were voyde from all feeling of sinne yet at the point of death it is awakened yea and it driueth the miserable soule to desperation VVe shall carry nothing with vs out of this life but either a good or a bad conscience Discerne discreetly and practise reuerently those thinges that are good that thine owne conscience may be cleere and others by thy dooings not offended A cleere conscience needeth no excuse nor feareth any accusation None is more guilty then hee whose conscience forceth him to accuse himselfe To excuse ones selfe before he is accused is to finde a foule crack in a false conscience Conscience beareth little or no sway where coyne brings in his plea. The conscience loaden with the burthen of sinne is his owne Iudge and his own accuser VVhereas any offence is cōmitted through ignorance or any other violent motion the causes that increase the same beeing cut off penitence and remorse of conscience presently followeth The Philosophers account those men incurable whose consciences are not touched with repentance for those sinnes which they haue committed There is no greater damnation then the doome of a mans owne conscience The conscience of the wicked shall tremble lyke the leafe of a tree shaken vvith euerie wind but the conscience of a good man shall make him bold and confident The violence of conscience commeth from God who maketh it so great that man cannot abide it but is forst to condemn himselfe The Furies which Poets faine to reuenge euils figure the torments of euil consciences A wicked conscience pursueth his Maister at the heeles and knoweth how to take vengeance in due time Nulla paena grauior paena conscientiae vis autem nunquam esse tristis bene vire Isodorus Heu quantum paenae mens conscia donat Sua quemque premit terroris imago Of Prayer Defi. Prayer as some Diuines affirme is talke with God crauing by intercession and humble petition eyther those things necessarie for the maintenaunce of this lyfe or forgiuenesse of those things which through frailety we daily commit THe iust mans prayer appeaseth the wrath of GOD. Prayer must be freely giuen neuer sold. Prayer is the oblation of a thankful hart the token of a contrite and penitent mind Prayer is not to be attempted with force violence of heart but with simplicity and meekenes of spirit Augustine Happy is that man whom worldly pleasures cannot draw from the cōtemplation of God and whose life is a continuall prayer Prayer kindeleth inflameth and lifteth vp the hart vnto God and the incense of meditation is pleasing in his eyes The prayer of the poore afflicted pierceth the clouds Prayer is the wing wherewith the soule flyeth to heauen and meditation the eye wherby we see God Prayer is a vertue that preuaileth against temptation and against all cruell assaults of infernall spirits against the delights of thys lingering life and against the motions of the flesh Bernard Praier engendereth confidence in the soule confidence engendereth peace and tranquility of conscience Fayth ioyned with prayer maketh it more forcible but humility coupled with it maketh it benificiall and effectuall Vertuous and godly disposed people doe daily pray vnto God for the clensing of the
impurity of the hart and doe watch it with all diligence that they can and labour to restraine that the corruption thereof burst not out eyther to the hurt of themselues or others Let no deuout soule be dismayed because his prayer is not suddainly heard but hope with patience the visitation of our Lord because he will poure his mercy plentifully on all those that call vpon him In our prayers we ought diligently to aske for mortification of our appetites and passions for they are subtile enemies The Romaines vpon certaine high dayes prayed for encrease of wealth to the people of Rome which Scipio beeing Censor changed saying that it was sufficient and that they ought onely to pray vnto God to preserue it such as it was Thy prayer is thy speech to God when thou readest God speaketh to thee when thou prayest thou talkest with God Let prayer ascend that grace may descend Hee that knoweth how to pray well knoweth how to liue well VVher the mercy of the giuer is not doubted the negligence of him that prayeth is to be reprehended Prayer must be accompanied with the exercise of mortification No prayer can tie the will of God vnto vs except first of all we renounce and conquer our owne wills Pray in thy hart vnto God at the beginning of all thy works that thou mayst bring them to a good conclusion Fixe thy iudgement in prayer on thy faith and not on thy experience because fayth is true and experience deceitfull Pray not to God to giue thee sufficient for that hee will giue to euery man vnasked but pray that thou maist be contented and satisfied with that which he giueth thee Heauen shall cease to be when it shall cease to runne and men cease to prosper when they cease to pray The wrath and loue of God follow each other but the former is mittigated by prayer and repentance Prayer repentance bringeth peace to the vnquiet conscience Orans considerare debet quid petit quem petit seipsum qui petit Bernardus Flectitur iratus voce rogante Deus Of Blessednes Defi. Blessednesse or beatitude is the grace of God and his benefits bountifully bestowed on them that serue him and keepe his commaundements TRue blessednes from mortall eyes is hid and left as obiect to the purer spirits That man cannot be truly blessed in whom vertue hath no place A man that is wise although he fall into extreame pouerty yet is hee very rich and greatly blessed Aristotle calleth blessednes an outward quietnes Blessednes farre of beginneth from humilitie A blessed man cannot erre There is no truer happines in this life then that vvhich beginneth euerlasting happines and no truer misery then that which leadeth to euerlasting misery The first felicity that godly men haue after this life is the rest of their soule in Christ the second shall be the immortality and glory of their bodies Socrates and Plato of all the Philosophers were in the rightest way to blessednes yet that small sparkle of truth was often quenched with opinions This is perfection and happines euen for euery thing to attaine the ende for which it was created and therein to rest and be blessed Since in euery thing the excesse is hurtfull the aboundance of felicitie is most daungerous It is not true blessednes which hath an end Hatefull and haplesse is that happines that trayneth men from truth to insolence If thou knowest all that ought to be known thou art truly blessed They are to be accounted blessed to whom Fortune hath equally wayed the good with the euill All things truly belonging to blessednes do cheefely consist in the noble vertue of wisedome True blessednes consisteth in a good life a happy death Not the rich but the wise auoyde miserie and become happy and blessed They that thinke riches the cause of happines deceaue themselues no lesse then if they supposed that cunning playing vppon the Lute or Harpe came from the instrument and not from Art That man is vvorthily counted blessed to whom nothing can seeme intollerable which may discourage him or nothing so pleasant that may proudly puffe him vp or make him vaine-glorious Those men be truly blessed whom no feare troubleth no pensiuenes consumeth no carnall concupiscence tormenteth no desire of worldly wealth afflicteth nor any foolishnes mooueth vnto mirth True felicity consisteth in the good estate of the soule Felix anima quae spreto turbini seculi pertransiens corporis claustra illius summi et incompres hensibilis lucis potest aliquo illustrari radio faelix cui victa voluptas Terga dedit longi quem non fregere dolores Of Loue. Defi. Loue is the most excellent effect of the soule whereby mans hart hath no fancie to esteeme value or ponder anie thing in this world but the care and study to know GOD neyther is it idle but worketh to serue him whom it loueth and this loue is heauenlie There is also a loue naturall and that is a poison which spreadeth through euery vaine it is an hearb that being sowne in the intrailes mortifieth all the members a pestilence that through melancholy killeth the hart and the end of all vertues LOue is the Maister of boldnes and confidence Loue is an vnreasonable excesse of desire which commeth swiftly departeth slowly VVhosoeuer loueth is deceaued and blinded in that which he loueth The loue that a man getteth by his vertues is most permanent Loue is full of speach but neuer more aboundant therein then in praises A friend loueth alwayes a louer but for a time The loue of beauty is the forgetting of reason Loue begun in perrill sauoureth of greatest delight when it is possessed Loue inchanteth the harts of men with vnfit fanciees and layeth beauty as a snare to intrap vertue Fancie is neuer painted but treading vpon thornes Parrahsius drawing the counterfaite of loue paynted her tickâ—ing youth on the left side with a feather and stinging him on the right side with a Scorpion Loue is a fading pleasure mixed with bitter passions and a miserie tempered with a fewe momentary delights Loue is a vertue if it be mesured by dutifull choise and not maimed with wilfull chance Lawlesse loue neuer endeth without losse nor the nuptiall bed defiled escapes without reuenge Zeno. Fancie is a vvorme that byteth forest the flourishing blossomes of youth Loue is not to be supprest by wisedom because not to be comprehended by reason Hote loue is soone colde and faith plighted vvith an adulterers vowe is tyed vvithout conscience and broken without care Loue as it is variable so is it mighty in forcing effects without deniall As Venus hath her charmes to inchaunt so Fancie is a sorceresse that bevvitcheth the sences Cupid is not to be resisted with courage but entertayned with curtesie Loue vanquisheth Tirants conquereth the mallice of the enuious and reconcileth mortall foes vnto perfect loue and amity Loue is a heate full of coldnes a sweete full of bitternes a paine full of
reuenge for theyr credite but noble mindes forgiue for their vertue Patience is the hope of a heauenly spirit Patience without comfort brings perrill of consumption It is a plesant tarrying that stayeth from euill dooing The end of patience is the expectation of promises That is to be borne with patience which can not be redressed with carefulnes It is no merrit to suffer persecutions if wee haue no patience therein It is more safety to forget an iniury then to reuenge it Aur. The sweetest salue for misery is patience the onely medicine for want is content Better it is by sitting low to liue quiet then by climing hie to fall into misery Patience is the best salue against loue and fortune To suffer infirmities and dissemble mishap the one is the office of a constant sicke man the other of a cunning state-man Patience is a necessarie vertue in a Common weale for by it the magistrate measures what hee speaketh and dissembles what hee suffereth To be discreet in prosperity and patient in aduersitie is the true motion and effect of a vertuous and valiant minde Cicero Quintus Eabius after he had beene Consull disdained not to march vnder the Ensigne of other Consuls Patience being oft prouoked with iniuries breaketh forth at last into fury It is good for a man to wish the best to thinke vpon the worst and patiently to suffer what-soeuer doth happen Humility patience and faire speech are the patifiers of wrath and anger Hee seemeth to be perfectly patient that in his fury can subdue his owne affections Patience and perseuerance are two proper notes vvhereby Gods children are trulie knowne from hypocrites counterfaits and dissemblers Aug. In suffering of afflictions patience is made more strong and perfect The troubles that come of necessity ought to be borne with boldnes and good courage Hee which bendeth himselfe to reuenge doth imitate his doings who is molested with impatience and hee which imitateth an euill man can hardly be good himselfe The best way for a man to be auenged is to contemne iniury and rebuke to liue with such honesty and good behauiour that the dooer of wrong shall at the last be thereof ashamed or at the least leese the fruite of his malice that is he shall not reioyce nor haue glory of thy hinderance and damage serpens sitis ardor arenae Dulcia virtuti gaudit patientia duris Leniter ex merito quicquid patiare ferenduÌ„ est Of Friendship Defi. Friendship is a community of a perpetuall will the end whereof is felowship of life and it is framed by the profit of a long continued loue Friendship is also an inueter at auncient loue wherein is more plesure then desire FRiendship is a perfect consent of thinges appertaining as wel vnto God as to man with beneuolence and charity Friendship in good men is a blessing stable connexing of sundry wils making of two persons one in hauing suffering And therfore a friend is properly called a second selfe for that in both men is but one minde one possession And that which more is a man reioyceth more at his friends good hap then he doth at his owne Aurel. True and perfect friendship is to make one hart and mind of many harts and bodies It is the property of true friends to liue and loue together but fained friends flie from a man in time of tryall Though many times friendship be plighted by shaking of hands yet is it often shaken off by fraud in the hart The smile of a foe that proceedeth of enuy is worse then the teare of a friend proceeding of pitty Friendship iudgeth with partiality and affection winketh at apparant follies A friend cannot be recompenced by riches when for his friend hee putteth his lyfe in ieopardy A knowne foe is better then an vnknowne friend and better it were to be a mole in the earth then a moate in the sunne To diswade a man in a course of honour were not the part of a friend to set one forward in folly no discretion in a man Friends meeting after long absence are the sweetest flowers in the garden of true affection The loue of men to women is a thing common and of course but the friendship of man to man infinite and immortall The fellowship of a true friend in miserie is alwaies sweet and his counsailes in prosperity are alwayes fortunate Friendship is an idle tytle of a thing which cannot be where vertue is abolished Friendship beeing an equitie of reciprocall good will is of three kinds the one of neighbour-hood the other hospitalitie the last loue Arist. Loue is confirmed eyther by gifts or study of vertue then goeth it from a passion to a perfect habit and so leaueth the name of loue and is called friendship which no time can violate VVe ought to vse a friend like gold to try him before we haue neede He is a true friend whose care is to pleasure his friend in all things mooued there-vnto by a meere good will which hee beareth vnto him Aristotle It is no small greefe to a good nature to try his friend Eurip. To beg a thing at a friends hand is to buy it Perfit amity consisteth in equality and agreeing of the minds Such as loue loyalty may well be crost with calamity but neuer iustly accused of inconstancie A friend vnto a friend neither hideth secret nor denieth money The want of friends is perrilous but some friends proue tedious The words of a friend ioyned with true affection giue life to the hart and comfort to a care-oppressed mind Chilo There can be no amitie where is no vertue and that friendship is most hatefull and accursed where some become friends to doe other some harme Friendes ought alwayes to be tryed before they be trusted least shyning like the Carbuncle as if they had fire they be found when they be touched to be without faith Good will is the beginning of friendship which by vse causeth friendship to follow If thou desire to be thought a friend it is necessary that thou doe the workes that belong vnto a friend Among friends there should be no cause of breach but with a dissembler no care of reconciliation He is a friend indeed that lightly forgetteth his friends offence Proud and scornefull people are perrilous friends Friendship ought to be ingendred of equalnes for where equality is not friendship cannot long continue VVhere true friends are knit in loue there sorrowes are shared equally Frends must be vsed as musitions tune their strings who finding them in discord doe not breake them but rather by intention or remission frame them to a pleasant consent The counsaile of a friend must be fastened to the mind not to the eare followed rather then praysed imployed in good liuing and not talked of in bare meaning In Musicke there are many discords before there can be framed a Diapazon in contracting of good wil many â—arrs before there be established a
our happines of life or amendment of manners IT is great commendation in the giuer to bestow many benefits vppon him which deserueth well and desireth nothing He that mindeth to giue must not say will you haue any thing If thou promise little and performe much it vvill make thy benefits to bee the more thankfully receaued Hee that knoweth not how to vse a benefit doth vniustly aske it He receaueth a benefit in the giuing therof which bestowes his gift on a worthy man Hee that giueth often teacheth to render somwhat againe at the last Hee bindeth all men by his benefits which bestoweth them vppon such as doe vvell deserue them The liberall man doth daily seeke out occasion to put his vertue in practise The memory of a benefit doth soone vanish away but the remembrance of an iniury sticketh fast in the hart He is a conquerer which bestoweth a good turne and he vanquished which receiueth it As the Moone dooth shewe her light in the world which she receiueth from the sunne so we ought to bestow the benefits receiued of God to the profit and commodity of our neighbour Though the gyuer make neuer so much hast yet his benefits come too late if they haue once been asked for This is a lawe that should bee obserued betwixt the giuer the receiuer the one shold straight-way forget the benefit bestowed the other should alwayes haue it in remembrance It becommeth him to holde his peace that gyueth a revvarde farre better then it becommeth him to bee silent that receaueth a benefit He that doth thankfully receaue a benefit hath paid the first pention therof already He that thinks to be thankfull doth straitway thinke vpon recompence That gift is twise double to be accepted of which commeth from a free hand and a liberall hart As giuing and receiuing of benefits are contrarie one to another so the one is much more often vsed then the other It behooueth a man in receiuing of benefits to be thankfull though he want power to requite them A vertuous hand is not bound to make the tongue a foole A benefit well giuen recouereth many losses The remembrance of a good turne ought to make the receauer thankfull Nor gold nor siluer nor ought we receaue is to be accounted a benefit but the minde of him which giueth Plautus He giueth too late who giueth when he is asked Plautus Ita sunt omnes nostri circes Si quid benefacias leuior pluma gratia est Si quid peccatum est phibeas iras gerunt Beneficiam nec in puerum nec in senem conferendum est in hunc quia perit antequam gratiae referendae detur opportunitas in illum quia non meminit Of Curtesie Defi. Curtesie is a vertue which belongeth to the couragious part gf the soule whereby we are hardly mooued to anger her office dutie is to be able to support and endure patiently those crimes which are layd vpon her not to suffer her selfe to be hastily carried to reuenge nor to bee too easily spurred to wrath but to make him that possesseth her mild gracious and a staied and setled mind CVrtesie in maiestie is the next way to binde affection in dutie As the tree is knowne by his fruite the gold by the touch and the bell by the sound so is a mans birth by his beneuolence his honour by his humility his calling by his curtesie Manie more vvere the enemies that Caesar pardoned then those he ouer-came The noblest conquest is without bloodshed It is for Scilla Tiberius Caligula and Nero to kill for Augustus Titus and Traian to pardon Theodosius gaue euery Citty hee besieged ten dayes respite to consider yeelding them meanes of his mercy before hee exemplified his iustice Phocion was of that gentle disposition that he alwayes defended such as were in misery and often-times the wicked Curtesie bewayleth her dead enemies and cherisheth her liuing friends Narses the night before he fought with his enemies wept in the temple The curteous man reconcileth displeasure the froward vrgeth hate Proude lookes loose hearts but curteous words winne them Ferdinando Curtesie couereth many imperfections preuenteth more dangers The Lion which was cured by the Romaine slaue would not deuoure him and natures best grace is the order of curtesie Alexanders curtesie to Roxana wonne her loue and Neros cruelty to his mother cost him his life It is a true token of nobility the certaine mark of a gentleman to be curteous to strangers patient in iniuries and constant in performing what he promiseth As the peg straineth the Lute-strings so curtesie stretcheth the hart strings Themistocles was so full of curtesie that hee neuer entred the market-place without saluting euery Cittizen by his name or some other office of curtesie Curtesie is that vertue whereby a man easily appeaseth the motions and instigations of the soule caused by choller Curtesie draweth vnto vs the loue of strangers and good lyking of our owne Countrimen Curtesie standeth in steade of a moderate temperance of the spirit decking a man with mildnes and generosity He that is mild and curteous to others receaueth much more honour then the partie whom he honoureth They lye who say that a man must vse cruelty towards his enemies esteeming that to be an Art onely propper to a noble and couragious man Cicero Mildnes and curtesie are the charracters of an holy soule which neuer suffereth innocencie to be oppressed It becommeth a noble and strong man to be both couragious and curteous that hee may chastice the wicked and pardon when neede requireth Plato Common curtesie is no curtesie to be kind to all is to be kind to none who so is most generall can neuer be at any time perticuler The rigor of discipline directing curtesie curtesie directing rigor the one will set forth and commend the other so that neither rigor shall be rigorous nor curtesie dissolute As it belongeth to the sunne to lighten the earth with his beames so it pertaineth to the vertue of a Prince to haue compassion be curteous to the miserable Homines ad Deos nulla re propius accedunt quam salutem hominibus dando Satis est homines imprudentia lapsos non erigere vrgere vero iacentes at praecipitantes impeliere certê est inhumanum Cicero Of Iustice. Defi. Iustice is godlinesse and godlinesse is the knowledge of God it is moreouer in respect of vs taken for an equall discription of right and of Lawes IVstice allots no priuiledge to defraude a man of his patrimony Iustice is a vertue that giues euery man his owne by euen portions Delay in punishment is no priuiledge of pardon Iustice is the badge of vertue the staffe of peace and the maintenance of honour Cic. It is a sharpe sentence that is giuen without iudgement He is daily condemned that liues alwayes in feare of iudgement Good mens eares are alwaies open to iust mens prayers Not the paine but the cause maketh
the martyr Amb. Happy is the punishment by the which wee passe into greater perfection The office of a Iustice is to be giuen for merite not for affection The pardon is wicked which bringeth vvith it the hazard of a Countrey A publique fault ought not to suffer a secret punishment That which is common to all ought not to be intollerable to any Iustice and order are the onely preseruers of worldly quietnes Iustice is the Mistres of vertues the nurse of fortitude for which kings be by which kings rule Gueuara The parts which true iustice dooth consist of are in number eyght innocencie friendship concord godlines humanity gratefulnes and faithfulnes Iustice is painted blinde with a vaile before her face not because she is blinde but thereby to signifie that Iustice though she do behold that which is right and honest yet will shee respect no person At Athens were erected certaine images of Iudges without hands and eyes to shew that Iudges shoulde neyther bee corrupted vvith brybes nor by any person drawne from that which is right and law A good Iudge is true in worde honest in thought and vertuous in his deede without feare of any but God without hate of anie but the wicked There are two kinds of iniustice the one is of such as do wrongfully offer it the other is of those who although they bee able yet will they not defend the wrong from them vnto whom it is wickedly offered Cic. Hee that politiquely intendeth good to the Common-weale may well be called iust but he that practiseth onely for his owne profit is a vicious and wicked person Too much licence in punishment is the cause of too much hatred VVe ought to obey the Iudge though hee be corrupt for Socrates although hee were vniustly condemned yet thought it were far better for him to die then open iustice should be violated A good Magistrate may be called the Phisition of the Common-weale Romulus appointed no punishment for Paricides because he supposed that no such villanie could be in his Common-weale He is a good Iudge that knoweth how and where to distribute He that flyeth iudgement confesseth himselfe to be saultie Mar. Aur. The Iudge himselfe is condemned when the guiltie person is pardoned As a phisition cannot see euery secret griefe but vppon reuealement may apply a curable medicine for a hidden disease so many can discouer a mischiefe which the Magistrate seeth not but the Magistrate alone must remedie the same A Iustice ought to doe that willingly which hee can doe and deny that modestly vvhich hee cannot doe As there is no assurance of faire weather vntill the sky bee cleere from clowdes so there can bee in no Common-wealth a grounded peace and prosperitie where there is not informers to find out offences as well as Magistrates to punish offenders Phylosophers make foure sorts of iustice the first celestiall the second naturall the third ciuill the fourth iudicall Iustice is a perfit knowledge of good and euill agreeing to naturall reason Arist. Iustice is a vertue of the minde rewarding all men according to their worthines VVisedome eloquence without truth iustice are a Panurgie that is to say a guile or sleight such as Parasites vse in Comedies which still turneth to theyr owne confusion Couetousnes and wrath in Iudges is to bee hated with extreame detestation Celestiall iustice is perfect consideration dutifull acknowledging of God Natural iustice is that which al people haue in themselues by nature Ciuill iustice is that which is made eyther by lawes of nature the statutes of the people the consultation of Senators the deuice of Princes or the authoritie of graue and vvise men Iudiciall iustice depends vpon lawes made for the commoditie of a Common-weale Iustice is a measure which God hath ordained amongst men vpon earth to defend the feeble from the mightie the truth frō falseshood to roote out the wicked frō among the good Lactan. Euery man in generall loueth iustice yet they all hate the execution thereof in particuler Cic. Fortitude without wisedom is but rashnes wisedome without iustice is but craftinesse iustice vvithout temperance is but crueltie temperance without fortitude is but sauagenesse Equitie iudgeth with lenitie lawes with extreamitie Hatred loue couetousnes causeth Iudges oftentimes to forget the truth to leaue vndone the true execution of theyr charge It is better for a man to be made a Iudge among his enemies then among his friendes for of his enemies hee shoulde make one his friend but among his friends he should make one his enemy Euery Iudge sitting in iudgement ought to minister iustice according to the cause not according to his affection Protog Iustice of the Poets is fained to be a vergin to haue raigned among men in the golden world who beeing by them abused forsooke the world and returned to the kingdome of Iupiter Iusticia sine prudentia plurimum poterit sine iustitia nihil valebit prudentia Tocius iusticiae nulla est capitalior pestis quam eorum qui tum dum maximé fallunt id agunt vt boni viri videantur Of Lawes Defi. The Lawe is a singuler reason imprinted in nature commaunding those things that are to be done and forbidding the contrary it is deuided into two parts that is the law of nature the law written the law of nature is a sence feeling which euery one hath in himselfe and in his conscience wherby he discerneth between good euil as much as suffiseth to take frō him the cloake of ignorance in that he is reproued euen by his own witnes The law written is that which is deuided into diuinitie and ciuilitie the first teaching manners ceremonies and iudgements the latter matters of policie and gouernment THe vertues of the Law are four to beare sway to forbid to punish and to suffer The precepts of the lawe may be comprehended vnder these three poynts to liue honestly to hurt no man wilfully and to render euery man his due carefully Aristi VVhatsoeuer is righteous in the Lawe of man the same is also righteous in the lawe of God For euery lawe that by man is made must alwayes bee consonant to the Lawe of God A fault is farre greater in the plaintife then in the defendant The Law is a certaine rule proceeding from the minde of God perswading that which is right forbidding that which is wrong Cic. A plaine matter needeth but a small tryall Euill Iudges doe most commonly punish the purse and spare the person Iudges ought to dispatch with speede and aunswere with patience Law and wisedom are two laudable thinges for the one concerneth vertue and the other good conditions The lawe was made to no other end but to bridle such as liue without reason or Law Custome vse and exercise in good things brings a man to vertue and vertue brings a man to perfection A true and faithfull hart standeth more in awe of his superior whom he
loueth for fear then of his prince whom he feareth for loue An euill custome be it for continuance neuer so auncient is nought els then the oldnes of error Howe many more tauerns so many more drinkers the number of Phisitions the increase of diseases the more account that iustice is made of the more sutes so the more lawes the more corruption Plato The hart vnderstanding counsell soule in a Common-weale are the good lawes and ordinances therein vsed Cic. To restraine punishment is a great error in gouernment It becommeth not a Law-maker to bee the Law-breaker Those Countries must needs perrish where the common lawes be of none effect Those Citties in which there are no seuere lawes for the punishing of sinne are rather to be counted Forrests for monsters then places habitable for men Plato The first erector of the Romaine walls was Romulus yet Rome was nothing so much bound vnto him for enuironing of her fayre buildings with strong bulwarks as in appointing offices orders lawes among the people to gouerne them in peace prosperitie King Licurgus vvent into voluntary exile to the end his good lawes shoulde haue long continuance among the Lacedemonians Foure thinges belong to a Iudge to heare curteously to answere wisely to consider soberly and to giue iudgement without partialitie Socrates A man ought to loue his Prince loyally to keepe his lawes carefully and to defend his Country valiantly Orators are destroyers of customs Phisitions enemies to health Chiefely three are to be obeyed reuerence◠one God one King and one Law Foure customs are more pleasant to bee recounted then profitable to be followed the liberties of neighbours the gallantnes of women the goodnes of wine and the mirth and ioy at feasts Lawes are like Spyders webs which catch the small flies let the great break through Happy were those dayes when Basill the Emperour of Constantinople came to his iudgement seat and found neyther partie to accuse nor defendant to aunswere The Lawyer that pleades for a mighty man in a wrong matter must eyther forgoe the truth or forsake his clyents friendship The most necessary law for a cōmon weale is that the people among themselues lyue in peace and concord without strife or discention Cic. A Law-maker ought to bee godly learned and discreet and such a one as hath been subiect to other lawes himselfe Lawes doe vexe the meaner sort of men but the mighty are able to withstand them The Law is a strong and forcible thing if it get a good Prince to execute it VVhere might comes in place there right can beare small rule The lawe that is perfit good would haue no man either condemned or iustified vntill hys cause were both thoroughly heard and vnderstood as it ought An euill lawe is like the shadow of a clowde which vanisheth away so soone as it is seene Throgh many demurs much law is altered The crowne of the good is reason and the scourge of the wicked is the law VVise men lyue not after the lawes of men but after the rule of vertue Extreame law is extreame wrong Quid faciant leges vbi sola pecunia regnat Aut vbi paupertas vincere nulla potest Turpe reos emptâ miseros defendere lingua Non bene selecti iudicis arca patet Of Counsaile Defi. Counsaile is a most holy thing it is the sentence or aduise which particulerly is giuen by euery man for that purpose assembled it is the key of certaintie and the end of all doctrine and study THere is no man so simple but he can giue counsaile though there be no neede and there is none so wise himselfe but hee will be willing to heare counsell in time of necessity It is the easiest thing in the worlde to giue good counsaile to another man and the hardest for a man to follow the same himselfe Take no counsaile of a man giuen wholy to the world for his aduise will be after his own desire Pythag. Make not an enuious man a drunkard nor him that is in subiection to a woman of thy counsaile for it is vnpossible for thē to keepe close thy secrets Good counsell may properly be called the beginning and ending of euery good worke It is requisite for a man to consult determine of all things with himselfe before hee aske the counsayle or aduice of his friend He that doth nothing without good aduise need not repent him after the deed Bias. It is better to prefer the stedfast counsell of aduised policie then the rash enterprise of malepart boldnes Counsaile doth more harme then good if the gyuer there of be not wise and hee which receiueth it very patient Counsaile is a sweet conserue and aduise the purest auditor happy is hee that is wary by other mens harmes and such are most miserable that are wise by theyr owne woes Counsaile is to be giuen by the wise and the remedy by the rich In counsailes we must be hard to resolue constant to performe He that vseth many counsayles is not easily deceiued In time of necessity a wise man will be glad to heare counsaile As it is the part of a wise man wisely to consult and giue counsaile so it is the duety of a warie man heedfully to conceiue vprightly to iudge He is most happy which is indued with that discretion that in all extreamities hee can giue himselfe that counsayle which is profitable to be followed It is an easie thing for a man beeing in perfit health to gyue counsayle to another that is sicke but it is hard for the sick man to follow that counsayle Becon The greatest benefit that one friend can do vnto another is in waighty matters to succor him with good counsaile Parui sunt foris arma nisi est consilium domi Non viribus aut velocitatibus aut celeritate corporum res magnae geruntur sed consilio authoritate et prudentia Of Precepts Defi. Precepts are many rules orders or methods which by instruction leads vs eyther to good conuersation or to happines of lyfe beeing grounded vppon the grace of God and his word IF thou talke keepe measure in thy communication for if thou be too briefe thou shalt not be well vnderstood if too long thou shalt be troublesome to the hearer and not well borne in minde Protog Thanks waxeth old as soone as gifts are had in possession Mocke no man in his misery but take heede by him how to auoyd the like misfortune Begin nothing before thou know howe to finish it Thinke that the weakest of thine enemies is stronger then thy selfe Desire not that of another which thou thy selfe being asked wouldest deny Pythag. Gyue no vaine or vnmeet gifts as armor to a woman bookes to a plow-man or nets to a studient If thou bestow a benefit keepe it secret but if thou receiue any publish it abroad Giue at the first asking for that is not freely giuen which is often craued If thou mayst not
cleerely scape out of perrill choose rather to die honestly then to liue shamefully Take in good woorth what-soeuer happeneth and vpbraid no man with his misery Labour not to informe him that is without reason for so shalt thou make him thine enemie Anaxag Be neyther hastie angry nor wrathfull for they be the conditions of a foole Feare to hazarde that for the gaine of a momentary pleasure which being once lost can neuer be recouered Aug. Esteeme not a fading content before a perpetuall honour Feare to commit that vvhich thou oughtest to feare Apparrell thy selfe with iustice cloth thy selfe with chastitie so shalt thou be happy thy works prosper Epictetus Forget not to giue thankes vnto them that instruct thee in learning nor challenge vnto thy selfe the praise of other mens inuentions Attempt not two things at once for the one will hinder the other Be not slack to recompence them that haue doone thee good Contrary causes yeeld contrary effects Forraine fauours are domesticall treasures Victory should not thirst after blood nor the gaine of a conquest induce a Captaine to crueltie Sophocles Tis better to be too much forward then too much negligent Let thy loue hang on thy harts bottom not on thy tongues brim It is neuer too late at any time to resort vnto goodnes nor too timely to preuent mischiefe To know how to obey and to knowe howe to commaund differeth for the one coÌ„meth by nature the other by long experience VVords which are superfluous doe greatly deface the authority of the person Her Tell not thy mind to euery man be indebted to no man be friend to fewe men be curteous to all men let thy wit be thy friend thy minde thy companion thy tongue thy seruaunt Let vertue bee thy life valour thy loue honour thy fame and heauen thy felicity It is a corrupting of the good to keep company with the euill Gre. Men are not perswaded to liue well by fayre words but by vertuous deedes Be not ledde away with euery new opinion for it is the onely way to bring thee to error Let not thy liberality exceed thine abilitie It is better to be cut with a quick aunswere then to be clawed with a milde speech Let not the eye goe beyonde the eare nor the tongue so farre as the feete Pla. That comfort is vaine which takes not away the griefe To a mind afflicted with great sorrowes the best remedy is to deferre counsaile vntill the partie be more apt to receiue consolation It is better for thee to bestowe a benefite on thine enemine the to enter into bond for thy friende Choose rather to lyue solitary then in the company of wicked women Beware of pride in prosperity for it will make thee impatient in time of aduersitie Neyther suffer thy handes to worke thy tongue to speak nor thine eares to heare that which is filthy and euill Her In suddaine perrils it needeth not to vse long and delayed counsayles He that will not at the first hand bye counsell good cheape shal at the second hand buy repentance deere Contemne not the counsaile of thy friends nor reiect not the aduise of thy kinsfolks prefer not thine owne wit before the wisedom of thine auncestors nor leane not to wilfulnes least had I wist happen too late Pythag. Be not secure least want of care procure thy calamity nor be not too carefull least pensiue thoughts oppresse thee with misery It is more safety for Princes to haue patience to heare their owne errors then to giue heed vnto such as report other mens defects Speak no more to a stranger in priuate thâ— thou wouldest haue publiquely knowne Comfort in misery is a double help Solon VVhere there is diuision there is confusion Cast not thy credite on another mans chaunce Be alwayes one to thy friend as well in aduersity as in prosperity Giue place to thy betters and elders Mourne not for euery thing for that vvill shorten thy dayes Behold thy selfe in a looking-glasse and if thou appeare beautifull doe such things as become thy beauty but if thou seeme foule then performe with good maners the beauty that thy face lacketh Socrat. Chuse thy wise rather for her wit modesty then for her wealth and beauty Keepe whatsoeuer thy friend committeth vnto thee as carefully as thou wouldest keep thine owne Keepe secret thy mishap least thine enemy waxe ioyfull thereat If thy parents wex poore supply their want with thy wealth if froward with age beare patiently with their imperfections Honour them that haue deserued honor Liue and hope as thou shouldest die immediatly Neuer praise any vnworthy person because he hath worldly wealth Tell no man afore-hand vvhat thou intendest for if thou speede not in thy purpose thou shalt be mocked Socrat. Take not thine enemie for thy friend nor thy friend for thine enemy Neuer wish for those thinges which cannot be obtained Rather choose to purchase by perswasion then to enioy by violence Striue not in vvords vvith thy parents although thou tell the truth Be vertuous and liberall so shalt thou stop the mouth of the slaunderer or else the eares of them that heare him Isoâ—r Haunt not too much thy friends house for feare hee waxe weary of thy often comming neyther be too long absent for that ingendereth suspition of thy true friendship Giue to a good man and he will requite it but if thou giue to an euill man hee will aske more Anax. Flie from the filthy pleasures of the flesh as thou wouldest fly from the sting of a serpent Receaue not the gifts that an euill minded man doth proffer vnto thee If thou intend to doe any good defer it not till the next day for thou knowest not what chance may happen the same night to preuent thee Giue not thy selfe to pleasure and ease for if thou vse thy selfe thereto thou shalt not be able to sustaine the aduersity which may afterward happen To a man full of questions make no aunswere at all Plato Take good heede at the beginning to what thou grauntest for after one inconuenience another followeth If thou doubt in any thing ask counsaile of wise men and be not angry although they reprooue thee Liue with thine vnderlings as thou wouldest thy betters should liue with thee and do to all men as thou wouldest be done vnto Boast not of thy good deeds least thy euill be also laide to thy charge Perform thy promise as iustly as thou wouldest pay thy debts for a man ought to bee more faithfull then his oath Aur. If thou doe good to an euill disposed person it shall happen to thee as it doth to those that feede other mens doggs which barke as well at their feeder as at any other stranger Neuer spread thy table to tale-bearers and flatterers nor listen with thine eares to murmuring people Bias. Be not like the boulter vvhich casteth out the floure and keepeth the bran That person is not woorthy to liue that taketh not care how he may
liue well Like as in a payre of tables nothing may be well written before the blots and blurs be wiped out so vertue and noblenesse can neuer be seene in a man except hee first put away his vices Mar. Aur. Measure thy pathes and marke what vvay thou walkest so shalt thou be sure to passe in safetie Si vis ab omnibus cognosci da operam vt á nemine cognoscaris Nulli te facias nimis sâ—dalem Gaude bis minus et minus dolebis Of Consideration Defi. Consideration or iudgement is that which properly ought to be in euery Magistrate obseruing the tenor of the law it is the distinguisher of controuersies and bringer foorth of happy counsailes and agreements COnsideration is the enemie to vntimelie attempts Actions well meant ought alwayes to bee well taken There is no needles poynt so small but it hath his compasse neither is there any haire so slender but it hath his shadow Hee is not to be accounted rich vvho is neuer satis-fied nor happie vvhose stedfast minde in quyet possession of vertue is not established It is better to practise doe aduisedly then to thinke and imagine neuer so wisely The consideration of pleasures past greatly augments the paines present No man doth so much reioyce at his prosperity present as he that calleth to minde his miseries past Chilo It is farre better for a man to be absent then present at perrils It is a benefit to denie such thinges as will hurt him that asketh them The pardon may well be granted where he that hath offended is ashamed of his fault VVise men will alwaies consider what they ought to do before they conclude any thing As we haue the audacity to commit a fault so if wee list wee may inforce our selues to worke amends August In any affaires whatsoeuer there can be no greater danger or else no greater safety then soundly to consider into vvhose hands men commit their causes Not so hard is the inuention in getting as the disposition in keeping when it is gotten Men loose many thinges not because they cannot attaine them but because they dare not attempt them Pythag. As a vessell sauoureth alwayes of the same liquor wherewith it was first seasoned so the minde retaineth those qualities in age wherin it was trained vp in youth CoÌ„sideration is the root of all noble things for by her we doe attaine to the end of all our hopes True consideration is the tutor both to action and speaking The haters of consideration neuer prosper in their actions Consideration is an honour to the meanest and improuidence a shame in princes Good consideration ought to be laide before we giue credit for faire tongs oft-times worke great mischiefes Circumspect heed is an espetiall care of the minde to bring those things which wee take in hand to some good purpose Circumspect heede in warre is the cause of scaping many dangers in peace Circumspect peace doth all things to the increase of vnity amongst men The causes bringing circumspection are feare care necessity and affection Feare afflicteth care compelleth necessity bindeth affection woundeth Bee circumspect to shevve a good countenaunce to all yet enter not into familiaritie with any but onely such whose conuersation is honest and vvhose truth by triall is made trusty Archim Suddaine trust brings suddaine repentance Qui sua metitur pondera ferre potest versate diu quid ferre recusent Quid valeant humeri Of Office Defi. Office or dutie is the knowledge of man concerning his owne nature contemplation of diuine nature and a labour to benefit our selues and all other men it is also taken for authority or rule MAns life may not bee destitute of office because in it honesty consisteth Office is the ende where-vnto vertue aymeth and chiefely when vve obserue things comely Office marrieth the soule to respect maketh it principally acquainted with piety The first office of dutie is to acknowledge the Diuinity Office is strenthened by zeale and zeale makes opinion inuinsible VVee must feare a dissembling officer because he delights in a tyrannous office A busie officer doth best become a troublesome office The office of a wise-man prefers euer consideration before conclusion Office without profit brings a man to pouerty and profit without office looseth his best reward Men to rule mens desires is the greatest authority In dooing nothing but what we ought wee deserue no greater reward but what we beare about vs. Chris. To know euill is an office of profit but to vse euill is a sinne of indignity Vpon the Anuile of vpbrayding is forged the office of vnthankfulnes It is an office of pitty to giue a speedy death to a miserable and condemned creature It is also an office of charitable loue to doe good vnto euery man that needeth and to refraine from seeking reuenge for our owne iniuries Loue sufficiency and exercise are the three beauties which adorne offices Old men well experienced in lawes and customs ought chiefly to be chosen Officers It is not meete that man should beare anie authoritie which with his money seeketh to buy another mans office The buiers of offices sell by retaile as deerâ— as they can that which they buy in grosse No poynt of philosophy is more excellent then office in publique affaires if officers doe practise that which Philosophers teach VVhere offices are vendible there the best monied ignorants beare the greatest rule They which sell offices sell the most sacred thing in the vvorld euen iustice it selfe the Common-wealth subiects and the lawes It is as hard an office to gouern an Empire as to conquer an Empire He is only fit to rule beare office which comes to it by constraint against his will The office of a Monarke is continually to looke vpon the Law of God to engraue it in his soule and to meditate vpon his word Officers must rule by good lawes good examples iudge by prouidence wisedome and iustice and defend by prowesse care vigilancie Agesil Pericula labores dolores etiam optimus quisque suscipere mauult quaÌ„ deserere vllam officij partem Cicero Sigismundus Romanorum Imperator dicere solitus est nulla nobis militia opus esset si suas quique ciuitates praetores caeterique magistratus moderaté iustequé gubernarent Of Auncestors Defi. Auncestors are our fore-fathers the reputed first beginners of our names and dignities from whom we challenge a line all desent of honour proouing our selues of theyr selfe substance TRue nobility desending from auncestry prooues base if present life continue not the dignity VVhat can the vertue of our ancestors profit vs if we doe not imitate theÌ„ in their godly actions Great merrits aske great rewards great auncestors vertuous issues As it is more coÌ„mon to reuenge then to reward so it is easier to be borne great then to continue great Stobaeus VVhere the perrill is great and the redresse doubtfull men are content to leaue right auncestrie in distresse It is miserable
The best reputed wit for quipping may be graueld by a wit more sharp though lesse esteemed One VVoolfe will not make warre against another neyther will one scoffer contend in scoffes willingly with another but when they doe it proues eyther fatall or witty He which is improuident whom he scoffes cannot but be mockt home vvith misaduenture There are more mockers then vvell meaners and more foolish quips then good precepts Mocking is an artificiall iniurie The fairest beauty may prooue faulty and the wittiest scoffe ridiculous It is better to play with eares then tongues for the one heares but the other bites It is better to haue an open enemie then a priuate scoffing friend It is better to be borne foolish then to imploy wit vnwisely The losse that is sustained with modestie is better then the gaine that is gotten with impudencie It is good to hold an asse by the bridle and a scoffing foole at his wits end To be accounted a noble mans iester is to be esteemed a mercinary foole Hee that makes an ordinary vse of scoffing shall neither be well thought of in his life nor finde happines at his death Qui pergit quae 〈…〉 t dicere quae non vult audiet Paruanecat morsu spatiosum vipera taurum Acane non magno saepe tenetur aper Of Phisicke Defi. Phisicke is that naturall Philosophie which tendeth to the knowledge of man and those causes which concerne the health and good estate of his body PHisicke is a continuall fountaine or spring of knowledge by vvhich vvee maintaine long life Hipocrates made certaine Phisitions sweare that they should not bewray the secret and hidden faults and euils The sicke man desireth not an eloquent Phisition but a skilfull Seneca VVee begin to be sicke as soone as wee be borne August The infirmity of the body is the sobriety of the minde Ambr. The strength of the body is the weakenes of the mind and the weakenes of the body the strength of the soule Hierom. All kindes of diseases are not in Phisitions bookes August Delicate fare is the mother of sicknes Phisicke rightly applyed is the repayre of health and the restitution of a weake or decayed nature Next vnto the glory of God vve ought to regard the profit of the Common wealth and then philosophy vvhich is phisicke nothing being more commodious Phisick being rightly vsed is an art to finde out the truth both of diuine humaine beginnings The scope of phisicke is to glorifie God in the workes of nature teaching men to lyue well and to helpe their neighbours A pratling Phisition is another disease to the sicke man Vnskilfull Phisitions flatter griefe til griefe become desperate The Orator doth not alwaies perswade nor the Phisition cure Arist. The temple of Aesculapius was in the olde time builded without the Citty To know the vse of phisick is sweete but to tast it is vnsauery It is requisite that hee be tormented vvith paine vvhich may and vvill not be eased by phisick Death holdeth a sword against our throats and phisicke a preseruatiue of health to our harts Death is most desired of them that bee miserable and phisicke most esteemed of them that be mighty The coÌ„forting of griefe is phisick to maintaine griefe They that be sound themselues are more ready in counsaile theÌ„ skilfull in knowledge to prescribe rules of phisick to the sick As a blind man cannot see the fault of anothers eyes so an vnskilfull Phisition cannot perceiue the defects of the body To take phisicke when the disease is desperate is to desire the Phisition to help to consume our substance Medicines be no meate to liue by The patient vnrulie maketh the Phisition more cruell The thiefe is commonly executed that killeth but one man and the Phisition scapeth that killeth a thousand Phisitions often-times doe vse vnder the showe of honey to giue theyr patients gall and by this meanes preserue theyr health vvhereas if they vvent plainly to worke the sicke vvould neuer take that vvhich vvere wholesome if not lothsome The number of Phisitions is in the increasing of diseases Great varietie of medicines dooth no good at all to a weake stomack Hipocrates aboue all other things recommendeth to a Phisition that hee should well aduise himselfe if in plagues ordinarie diseases hee found nothing which was diuine that is to say whether the hand of God were not the proper causes of the sicknesse of the party diseased Sicknes is not to be prouoked vvith phisick except the disease be most dangerous vehement Plato At thys day most of the Almaines and Zwitters refuse phisick and cure theyr diseases with good and spare dyet Some haue compared those vvhich vse often to take phisick to them vvhich driue the Burgesses out of the Cittie to place strangers in their roome It is recorded that the Romaines were sixe hundred yeeres together vvithout Phisitions Phisitions are happie men because the sunne makes manifest vvhat good successe soeuer happeneth in theyr cures and the earth buried what fault soeuer they committed Nicocles Aegri quia non omnes conualesâ—unt non id circo nulla medicina est Cic. Dat Galenus opes et Iustianus honores Ex alijs paleas ex istis colligegrana Of Paine Defi. Paine aduersitie or perturbations are but affections and inclinations which come froÌ„ our will corrupted by the prouocations allurements of the flesh and which wholly resist the diuine nature of the reasonable part of the soule fastening it to the bodie with the nayle of discontentment PAine is alwayes a companion of pleasure and danger the hand-mayde attending on delight To trouble a troubled man is to redouble his paine VVhere aduersities flow there loue ebbes but frendship standeth stedfast in all stormes Prosperity getteth friendes but aduersity trieth them Miserie is a malady that ought to haue no respect of medicine where necessity doth breede a sore foolish is that patient if hee make doubt to accept of any salue In paine and iudgement the qualitie vvith the quantitie must be considered It is lesse euill to suffer one then to resist many The greatest myserie that may be is to fall into vnknowne misery The vses of pleasure are set amongst sharpe pricking thornes of care and disquiet Misery can neuer be so bitter as eternall felicity is pleasant Erasmus Danger alwayes attendeth at the heeles of pride and ambition Aduersity quickneth our sleepy spirits by prosperity wee learne but ignorance but by aduersity we are taught knowledge Misery and life are two twinnes which increase are nourished liue together MenaÌ„ Hee cannot rightly iudge of pleasure that neuer tasted payne He deserueth not to possesse hys desire that is faint-harted in prosecuting his purpose As no fortune can dismay him that is of a couragious minde so no man is more wretched then hee that thinkes himselfe to bee vnfortunate In the time of calamity most men are more sory for that their enemies can speak of their distresse then for the paine
to the vse of vertue Men are not borne for themselues but for their country parents and neighbours Cic. All things on earth are created for men and men created to worshyp God and ayde one another VVhosoeuer will follow nature must loue his neighbour and maintaine societie That man liueth most happily that lyueth least his owne and most his neighbours He which liueth to himselfe onely seperats profit from honestie Themistocles selling certaine land made it be proclaimed that it had a good neighbour Plutarch No man may slaunder or lye for his profit because such gaine is his neighbours indignitie Dutie and profit are two distinct things seperated belonging to our neighbours and our selues VVe must esteeme our neighbours loue as deerely as the purest gold It is more praise-woorthy to releeue one neighbour then to kill many enemies VVe must frame all our actions to the glory of God to the loue of our neighbors and to the profit of the Common-wealth The tydings of a badde mans buriall comes neuer too soone to the eares of his neighbor The enuie of a bad neighbour is worse then the sting of a serpent He that lyues alone liues in danger societie auoydes many perrills Gold is proued in the fornace and a neyghbours loue tried in time of trouble That neighbour is to bee well thought of which is ready in good will to helpe according to his power A rolling stone neuer gathers mosse nor a fickle minded man loue amongst his honest neighbours A flattering neighbour is a certaine enemy but a faythfull friend neuer dissembles The loue of neyghbors is the strongest pyllar to support the Common-wealth He is carelesse and vncharitable which will play at Cardes whilst his neighbours house is burning Good turnes doone to vnthankfull neyghbours is like water poured into open siues Necessity ingendereth in a man vvarre against himselfe and malice to hurt his neighbour Vt in re rustica non satis est teipsum bonum esse colonum sed magni refert cuiusmodi habeas et vicinum Sic in vita non satis est si teipsum integrum virum praestes sed refert cum quibus habeas consuetudinem Nunc ego illud verbum experior vetas aliquid mali esse propter vicinum malum Plau. Prouerbs Defi. Prouerbs are the onely sententious speeches of autentique Authors or the vsuall phrases begot by custome A Little streame serueth to dryue a lyght Myll a small summe will serue to pay a short reckoning a leane fee is a fit reward for a lazie Clark Perfit felicitie is the vse of vertue Arist. Bitter wordes proceedes rather from a foe then a friend sooner from an ill mind then from a good meaning It is a great shame for any man to reprooue those faults often in another which hee neuer seeketh to reforme in himselfe He that desireth to make a good market of his ware must watch opportunitie to open his shop VVhere the foundation is weake the frame tottereth and where the roote is not deepe the tree falleth VVhere the knot is loose the string slyppeth and where the water is shallow no vessell will ride VVhere sundry flyes bite the gall is great and where euery hand fleeceth the sheepe goe naked Demost. Loue is the refiner of inuention Bare words are no lawfull bargaines Poeticall fictions will not bare out folly nor the quirks of the law excuse apostacie Questions are sooner propounded then answered and demaunds in fewe wordes scant absolued with many One Swallowe brings not a Sommer neyther is one perticuler example sufficient proofe for a generall precept VVhite siluer drawes blacke lines fire is as hurtfull as healthfull and water is as dangerous as commodious Credit ought rather to be giuen to the eyes then to the eares VVhere many wordes are spoken truth is held in suspition Stobaeus He that goeth a borrowing goeth a sorowing A friend in the Court is better then money in thy purse Hee gyues twise that giueth quickly He that spareth to speake spareth to speed Seruice willingly offered is commonly refused and suspected A mans owne manners doth shape him eyther good or bad fortunes A neere friende is better then a farre dwelling kinsman Anger is the cradle of courage A noble cause dooth much ease a greeuous case S. P. S. Feare breedeth wit Ease is the nurse of poetry If the body be ouer-charged it may be holpen but the surfit of the soule can very hardly be cured The height of heauen is taken by the staffe the bottome of the sea sounded with Leade and the farthest Coast discouered by compasse He that talketh much and doth little is like vnto him that sayles with a side vvinde and is borne with the tide to a wrong shore It is hard to bring inward shame to outward confession S. P. S. Eagles â—â—ye alone and they are but sheepe that alwaies flock together The meane man must labour to serue the mighty and the mighty must study to defend the meane Standing streames gather filth and flowing riuers are alwayes sweet He that holds not himselfe contented vvith the light of the sunne but lyfts vp his eyes to measure the brightnes is made blind He that bytes of euery weede to search out the nature may light vpon poyson and he that loues to be sifting of euery cloude may be smitten with a thunder-stroke Blazing marks are most shotte at glittering faces chiefel marked looking eyes haue liking harts and liking harts may burne in lust A wanton eye is the dart of Cephalus that where it leueleth there it lighteth vvhere it hits it woundeth deepe It is hard to driue the corruption out of the flesh which is bred in the bone where the roote is rotten the stocke can neuer be newe grafted In little medling lyeth much rest Discipulus prioris posterior dies Dulce bellum inexpertis Of Sentences Defi. Sentences are the pithy sweete flowers of wit compiled in a ready deliuer braine and vttered in short and elegant phrases PIdgions after byting fall to bylling and pretty quips are messengers of pretty pastimes Sweet meate hath commonly sower sauce and pleasant mirth is accompanied vvith the traine of lothsome sorrowes Depth of wisedom height of courage and largenes of magnificence get admiration Truth of worde meeâ—nes curtesie mercie and liberality styr vp affection S. P. S. There is no man â—odainly excellent good or extreamely euill but growes eyther as he holds himselfe vp in vertue or lets himselfe slide to vice It is as badde a consequence to call a King proude for his treasure as a begger humble for his want It is better to deserue euerlasting fame with noble Fabius which saued his Country vvith delayes then to perrish with shamefull Callicratides which lost a goodly fleet of the Lacedemonians through his ouermuch hast Cunning to keepe is no lesse commendable then courage to commaund The court of affection is held by the racking steward Remembrance S. P. S. It profiteth little for a man
to compasse all the worlde by wit and to destroy himselfe for want of wisedome As lyfe without learning is vnpleasant so learning without vvisedome is vnprofitable It is an auncient custome amongst vanities chyldren not to honor him that to the common wealth is most profitable but to reuerence him who to the Prince is most acceptable Thinke with consideration consider with acknowledging acknowledge with admiration S. P. S. Hee properly may be called a man that in his behauiour gouerneth himselfe like a man that is to say conformable vnto such things as reason willeth and not as the motions of sensualitie wisheth There is no man so iust nor of so cleane a iudgement that dooth not shewe himselfe fraile in matters which touch his owne interest Examples of the dead that were good doe profit men more to liue vvell then the counsaile of the wicked that be lyuing doe interre and bury all those that are now aliue Farre better it is to be a tennant of libertie then a Land-lord of thrall Hee that makes himselfe a sheepe shall bee eaten of the VVolfe Too much familiarity breeds contempt He that looseth fauour on Land to seek fortune at Sea is like him that stared so long at a starre that he fell into a ditch Small helps ioyned together wax stronger He is vnworthy to be a maister ouer others that cannot master himselfe Phocion A maister ought not to bee knowne by the house but the house by the maister A busie tongue makes the minde repent at leysure By repentance vvee are drawne to mercie without vvhose vvings wee cannot flye from vengeance VVhere the demaund is a iest the fittest aunswere is a scoffe Archim Tis better to doe well then say well Tis pleasant to play but displeasant to loose VVhen doggs fall a snarling Serpents a hissing and women a weeping the first meanes to bite the second to sting and the third to deceiue VVhere sinne is supported by authoritie men grovv worse and worse and vvhere punishment is restrained there insolency commaundeth the lawes A good VVoolfe will neuer hunt too neere his owne denne To know and not be able to performe is a double mishap Such as be borne deafe or blind haue commonly their inward powers the more perfit Hee that helpeth an euill man hurteth him that is good Crates VVheÌ„ that thing cannot be done that thou wouldest then seeke to compasse that which thou knowest may be brought to passe Contempt is a thing intollerable for asmuch as no man can thinke himselfe so vile that he ought to be despised Suddaine motions and enforcements of the minde doe often break out eyther for great good or great euill Homer Many men labour to deliuer themselues from contempt but more study to be reuenged thereof The eye can neuer offend if the mind wold rule the eye Fame shall neuer profit the wicked person nor infamy hurt the good It is more easie to allow wise counsaile then to deuise it Men ought as vvell to be thankfull for that vvhich they haue not as they haue cause to giue thanks for that which in their own possession they haue in keeping As things fall out so doth the common sort iudge esteeming things fondly by the euent and not looking on the cause Negligence in priuate causes are very dangerous Solitarines is the sly enemy that doth most seperate a man from doing well S. P. S. He that mindeth to conquer must be carefull Money borowed vpon vsury bringeth misery although for a time it seeme plesant For a short pleasure long repentance is the hier Xenocrates Priuate losse may be holpen by publique paines Immoderate vvealth causeth pride pride bringeth hatred hatred vvorketh rebellion rebellion maketh an alteration and changeth kingdoms The kinde of contemplation that tends to solitarines is but a glorious title to idlenes Liking is not alwayes the child of beauty Iealousie is the harbinger of disdaine S. P. S. All is but lip-wisedome that wants experience VVho will resist loue must eyther haue no wit or put out his eyes Prologenes Loue is to a yeelding hart a King but to a resisting a tyrant S. P. S. Shee is not worthy to be loued that hath not some feeling of her owne worthines Feare is the onely knot that harteneth a tyrants people to him which once being vntied by a greater force they all scatter from him like so many birds whose cages are broken S. P. S. Ambition and loue can abide no lingering Grosse capacities for that theyr ordinarie conceit draweth a yeelding to their greater haue not witte to learne the right degrees of duty S. P. S. No â—hraldome to the inward bondage The right conceite of young men is that they thinke they then speake wisely vvhen they cannot vnderstand themselues He that wil needs stirre affections in others must first shew the same passion in himselfe Things lost by negligence must be recouered by diligence Myson As rewards are necessary for well-dooers so chastisements are meet for offenders Vertue like the cleare heauen is vvithout clouds S. P. S. He that will blame another must first bee blamelesse himselfe especially in that matter which he blameth another for No outward vtterance can commaund a conceite Suspition breedeth care and the effects of cruelty stirre vp a new cause of suspition It is best dealing with an enemy when he is at the weakest Aurelius The better sort eschew euill for shame but the common people for feare of punishment Lawes not executed are of no value and as good not made as not practised It is better for euery man to amend one in dooing his dutie then euerie one to seeke faults in others vvithout amending errors in himselfe Things that are wrongfully gotten haue no certaine assurance Not as men would but as men may and as the nature of things doe require so should they deale VVhere flatterers beare rule things come to ruine Pompeius Such is the man and his manners as his delight and study is By diligence and paines taking all may be amended that is a misse VVhen things are in extreamity it is good to be of good cheere and rather indeuour to amend them then cowardly to faint and dispaire of all Negligence and vvant of care dooth cause much woe To thinke vvell and doe well ought continually to be kept in remembrance They that trust much to theyr friendes know not how shortly teares be dried vp Countries and states are the rewards of valiant and couragious personages God and Nature doth set all things to sale for labour Great is the value of order fore-sight to gouerne things well Discord want of knowledge causeth confusion Man can better suffer to be denied then to be deceaued Lingering is most lothsome when necessity requireth hast Quinâ—il The carefulnes of the vvicked quickneth the godly to looke about them All passages are open to the stout and valiant minded man Flying tales and flattering newes doe neuer good to any state Tis better to fight vvith an enemie at
his owne home then for him to fight vvith vs in our Country Priuate welfare is not to be preferred before common-weale VVords are vnâ—â—t weapons to withstand armour VVisemen being wronged are to be feared of the wrong dooers Carelesse men are euer most nigh vnto their owne harme Faire promises makes fooles faine and flatterers seeke by discrediting others to benefit themselues Good men sometimes are in greater danger for saying the truth then euill men for speaking falsely Plautus Of one inconuenience oftentimes suffered many mischiefes commonly followes Forbearance of speech is most dangerous when necessity requireth to speake A bold speech vpon a good cause deserueth fauour Sleepe and foode are enemies to the mourning which passion perswadeth to be reasonable S. P. S. Often suspecting of others commeth of secret condemning our selues Vnlawfull desires are punished after the effect of enioying but impossible desires are punished in the desire it selfe Aduancement is the most mortall offence to enuie Through diligence and care thinges may be redressed which were by sloth and negligence forlorne He that doth wrong giueth cause of warre not he that seeketh the redresse of wrong Counsellors speaking for the best do oftentimes beare the greatest blame The lesse one feareth his enemy the nigher he is to his owne harme Tis better to beginne vvarre then to abide warre Such as are carelesse in theyr owne causes hardly can be carefull about other mens affaires Thales Corrupt officers neuer want matter to satisfie their corrupt mindes Such as liue in liberty cannot brooke eyther bondage or tyrannie It is folly to refuse the ayde of a stranger when vvee may haue it and stand in neede thereof These three cheefe points are necessarilie belonging to a Counsellor to be bold plaine and faithfull That citty is of no value the which is not of abilitie enough to punish wrong doers neyther is that Common-weale any thing worth at all where pardon intercession preuailes against lawes The minde of man is man himselfe needeth continuall teaching The minde of man is his guide in all things and the same is onely to be instructed trained vp with knowledge and learning To know well and to doe well are the two poynts belonging to vertue Origen The beginning of all vertue is wisedom the end of vertue is man-hood and courage By the one wee know what to doe by the other we preserue and maintaine our selues Vertue is praysed of many men but verie few desire to follow her effectually Honour got by vertue hath perpetuall assurance Cicero Pleasure bought vvith sorrovv causeth repentance That man cannot long indure labor which wanteth his naturall kind of rest Though that all new chaunces causeth presently new thoughts yet thereby we attaine more stedfastnes against mishaps to come After the vnlavvfull getting of a couetous Father followeth the riotous spending of a prodigall sonne Ita viuenduÌ„ est cum hominibus tanquam Deus viderit ita loquendum tanquam Deus audiat Omnia preclara rara nec quickquam difficilius quam reperire quod sit omni ex parte in suo genere perfectum Of Similitudes Defi. Similitudes or likenesses are the images or pictures of the things to which they are coÌ„pared liuely explaining one thing in a farre different obiect AS that member is nothing profitable but rather hurtfull to the body vvhich by corruption is lame and vnpersit so that subiect vvhose mind is drawne into sundry practises of discord working the disquiet of a coÌ„mon peace and tranquility may iustly be â—ut off as an vnprofitable part or canker in a Common-wealth As the vertue of a Prince is the chiefest authority of the magistrate so are the good coÌ„ditions of Rulers the best stay and strongest defence of inferiors Plut. As he is not fortunate vvhich is poore and deformed so they are not to be accounted happy which are onely rich and beautifull As plants measurably watred grow the better but being watred too much are drowned and die so the mind with moderate labour is refreshed but vvith ouer-much is vtterly dulled Euen as things vainely begun are easily left of so things with great feare accepted vvith much diligence are obserued As any thing be it neuer so easie is hard to the idle so any thing be it neuer so hard is easie to the wit well imgloyed Ennius As a shyp hauing a sure anker may lye safe in any place so the mind that is ruled by perfit reason is quiet euery where As the precious stone Sandastra hath nothing in outward appearance but that which seemeth blacke but being broken poureth foorth beames like the sun so vertue sheweth but bare to the outward eye but being pierced with inward desire shineth like christall As that fire smoaketh not much vvhich flameth at the first blowing so the glory that brightly shineth at the first is not greatly enuied at but that vvhich is long in getting is alwaies preuented by enuy As the man that drinketh poyson destroyeth himselfe there-with so he that admitteth a friend ere he perfectly know him may hurt himselfe by too much trusting him Socra As the perfit gold vvhich is of a pure substance sooner receiueth any forme then the sturdie steele vvhich is a grosse and massie mettall so vvomens effeminate mindes are more subiect to suddaine affection and are sooner fettered with the snare of fancie then the hard harts of men As golden pillars do shine vpon the sockets of siluer so doth a faire face with a vertuous minde Periander Like as a good Musition hauing anie key or string of his instrument out of tune doth not immediatly cut it off and cast it away but either with straining it higher or slaking it downe lower by little and little causeth it to agree so should Rulers rather reforme transgressors by small corrections then seeke to cast them away for euery trespasse As Apollidorus was wont to say of Chrisippus bookes that if other mens sentences vvere left out the pages vvould be voyde so may vve speake of Brokers for if other men enioyed their goods theyr ware-houses would be quickly empty As no soule is exempt from some mixture of folly so there is no soule cleane exempt from the seeds of vertue Plato As the strong bitternes of the Allow-tree taketh away the sweetnes of the sweetest honey so euill vvorks destroy and take away the prayse of good deeds As a vessell is knowne by the sound vvhether it be whole or broken so are men prooued by their speech vvhether they be vvise or foolish Demoâ—ra As vvine in Platos opinion is the daughter of verity so loue in Lamblichus censure is the fruite of idlenes As in feasts hunger is the best sauce so of guests mirth is the most welcome As the occurrence of many things bringeth much trouble so the consideration thereof procureth experience As those things are counted vaine vvhich procureth no profit so vvhatsoeuer hangeth on profit is impertinent if it perâ—ake not with vertue Like as a battered or
the study and searching of knowledge and vvisedome By hearing not seeing vvee come to the knowledge of truth Bernard Hearing is the preparation of the sight Ber. That which the eye seeth the hart is often greeued at The sence of the eyes aunswereth to the element of fire Nihil est difficilius quam á consuetudine oculorum mentis aciem abducere Totius hominis debilitas est occulos perdidisse Hearing THe eare tryeth the vvords as the mouth tasteth meate To vvhom soeuer at the first the sence of hearing is denied to them the vse of the tong shall neuer be graunted As a stone cast into the water maketh many rounds so a sound which is begotten in the ayre hath his circles vvhich are multiplied vntill they come to the eare Arist. The eares of a man the eares of an Ape are not to be moued Plinie writeth a wonderfull example of the sence of hearing that the battaile which was fought at Sybaris the same day was heard at Olympia the places being aboue fiue hundred miles distant Nothing is more pleasant to the eare then variety The sence of hearing is aunswerable to the element of the ayre Qui audiunt audita dicunt qui vident plane sciunt Auris prima mortis ianua prima aperiatur eâ— vitae Bernardus Smelling THe sence of smelling is meerely conioyned with the sence of tasting The sence of smelling is not only for pleasure but profit Sweet smells are good to comfort the spirits of the head vvhich are subtile and pure and stinking sauours are very hurtfull for the same Albeit euery thing that smelleth vvell hath not alwayes a good taste yet what-soeuer a man findeth good to his taste the same hath also a good smell and that which is found to haue an ill relish the same hath also a badde smell This sence of smelling agreeth with the aire and fire because smells are stirred vp by heate as smoake by fire which afterward by meanes of the ayre are carried to the sence of smelling Non bené olet qui semper olet Odorem morum fama dijudicat colore conscientiae Bernardus Tasting THe sence of taste is that sence vvhereby the mouth iudgeth of all kinds of taste The iudgement of taste is very necessarie for mans life and especially for the nourishment of all liuing creatures because all things which the earth bringeth forth are not good for them Taste as is sayde before of smelling is not onely for pleasure but also for profit This sence of tasting aunswereth to the element of ayre Intellectus saporum est caeteris in prima lingua homini inpalato Gustus mecratum inuitat Euripides Touching THe sence of touching aunswereth the element of the earth to the end it might agree better vvith those things that are to be felt thereby The vigour and sence thereof ought to be close together and throughout and such as taketh more fast and surer hold then any of the rest The sence of touching although it be the last yet is it the ground of all the rest Arist. One may liue vvithout sight hearing and smelling but not without feeling Sensuum ita clara iudicia et certa sunt vt si optio naturae nostrae detur et ab ea Deus aliquis requirat contentané scit suis integris in corruptisque sensibus an postulet mâ—lius aliquid non vidiam quod quaerat amplius Cic. Nos Aper auditu Linx visu Simia gustu Vultur odoratu nos vincit Aranea tactu Of Children Deâ—i Our chyldren are the naturall and true issues of our selues of the selfe same mould temprature begot by the worke of nature and made by the power of the Almighty CHildren are a blessing of God bestowed vpon man for his comfort Chyldren according to theyr bringing vp prooue eyther great ioy or great greefe to their parents He is happy that is happy in his children VVhen we behold our children wee see a new light Theocritus A good sonne is a good Cittizen Stobaeus That child is not bound in duty to his parents of whom he neuer learnt any vertuous instruction VVhatsoeuer good instructions chyldren learne in theyr youth the same they retayne in their age No error giues so strong assault as that which comes armed with the authority of parents S. P. S. The wicked example of a Father is a great prouocation of the sonne to sinne Nothing is better to be commended in a Father then the teaching of his children by good ensample as much as by godly admonition Children by theyr lasciuious and vngodly education grow in time to be persons most monstrous and filthy in conuersation of liuing The fault is to be imputed vnto the Parents if chyldren for vvant of good bringing vp fall to any vnhonest kind of life As those men vvhich bring vp horses vvill first teach them to follow the bridle so they that instruct chyldren ought first to cause them to giue â—are to that which is spoken Men ought to teach theyr children liberall Sciences not because those Sciences may giue any vertue but because theyr mindes by them are made apt to receaue any vertue Seneca Those children vvhich are suffered eyther to eate much or sleepe much be commonly dull witted and vnapt to learne As waxe is ready and plyant to receaue any kinde of figure or print so is a young childe apt to receaue any kinde of learning The youngest plants vvell kept become great trees and children vvell brought vp most worthy men The childe that hath his minde more constant then his yeeres yeelds many hopes of a staied and toward age Hee that corrects his sonne and brings him vp in awe giue his sonne an example how to bring vp his own children afterward in humble obedience Children are soone pleased and soone displeased He that letteth his sonne runne at his owne liberty shall finde him more stubborne then any head-strong Colt when he commeth to be broken The best way to make thy children to loue thee vvhen thou art olde is to teach them obedience in their youth VVoe be to those parents vvhose children miscarry through want of good education Nothing eyther sinketh deeper or cleaueth faster in the minde of man then those rules which he learned when he was a child The sonne cannot but prosper in all his affaires vvhich honoureth his parents with the reuerence due vnto them VVhen thy father vvaxeth old remember the good deeds he hath doone for thee when thou wast young Thou hast liued long enough if thou hast liued to releeue the necessity of thy father in his old age The lawe of nature teacheth vs that vvee should in all kindnes loue our parents The child is bound vnto his fathers will Those chyldren that denie dutiâ—ull obedience vnto theyr parents are not vvorthy to liue Solon made a law that those parents should not be releeued in their old age of their children vvhich cared not for theyr vertuous bringing vp He is a wretched father that bringeth a
fight is continuall and the victory rare A chast eare cannot abide to heare that which is dishonest nullâ reparabilis arte Laese pudicitia est deperit illa semel Lis est cum formá magna pudicitiae Of Content Defi. Content is a quiet and setled resolution in the minde free from ambition and enuie ayming no further then at those things alreadie possessed COntent is great riches and patient pouertie is the enemy to Fortune Better it is for a time with content to preuent danger then to buy fayned pleasures with repentance He that cannot haue what hee would must be content with what he can get Content is a sweet sauce to euery dish and pleasantnesse a singuler potion to preuent a mischiefe A merry countenaunce is a signe of a contented minde but froward words are messengers of mellancholie Content is more woorth then a kingdome and loue no lesse worth then life The ende of calamitie is the beginning of content after misery alwayes ensues most happy felicitie Plut. A vvise man preferreth content before riches and a cleere minde before great promotion Misery teacheth happy content VVhat can be sweeter then content where mans life is assured in nothing more then in wretchednes Content makes men Angels but pride makes them deuils Many men loose by desire but are crowned by content Plato To couet much is misery to liue content with sufficient is earthly felicitie To will much is folly where abilitie vvanteth to desire nothing is content that despiseth all things The riches that men gather in tyme may fayle friends may waxe false hope may deceiue vaine-glory may tempt but content can neuer be conquerd By desire we loose time by content wee redeeme time Solon Content is the blessing of nature the salue of pouertie the maister of sorrow the end of misery To lyue nature affoordeth to liue content wisedome teacheth Displeasures are in our owne handes to moderate and content is the procurer of peace Content though it loose much of the world it pertakes much of God To liue to God to despise the worlde to feare no misery and to flye flatterie are the ensignes of content VVhat wee haue by the worlde is miserie what we haue by content is wisedom Aur. The eyes quiet the thoughts medicine and the desires methridate is content To bee content kills aduersitie if it assault dryes teares if they flowe stayes wrath if it vrge winnes heauen if it continue He is perfectly content which in extreames can subdue his owne affections No riches is comparable to a contented minde Plut. Hee that is patient and content in his troubles preuenteth the poyson of euill tongues in theyr lauish talkings Content and patience are the tvvo vertues which conquer and ouerthrow all anger malice wrath and backbiting To liue content with our estate is the best meanes to preuent ambitious desires Nemo quam sibi sortem Seu ratio dederit seu sors obiecerit illa Contentus viuit Horac Viuitur paruo bené Of Constancie Defi. Constancie is the true and immouable strength of the mind not puffed vp in prosperitie nor depressed in aduersitie it is sometimes called stabilitie and perseueranâ—e sometimes pertinacie the last of the parts of fortitude IT is the part of constancie to resist the dolors of the minde and to perseuer in a wel deliberated action Arist. Constancie is the health of the minde by which is vnderstood the whole force and efficacie of wisedome Cicero Constancie except it be in truth and in a good cause is impudencie He that hath an inconstant minde is either blinde or deafe Constancie is the daughter of patience and humilitie Constancie is the meane betweene elation and abiection of the minde guided by reason Plato Constancie is onely the Nepenthes vvhich who so drinketh of forgetteth all care and griefe Constancie euer accompanieth the other vertues and therefore iustice is defined to be a constant will to render to euery one what is right Nothing in the world sooner remedieth sorowes then constancie and patience vvhich endureth aduersitie violence without making any shew or semblance Agrippa It is the lightnesse of the wit rashly to promise what a man will not nor is not able to performe Cassiodorus It is not enough to say what shoulde bee done or what should not be doone but it behoueth to put it in practise The blessed life is in heauen but it is to bee attained vnto by perseuerance It is a great shame to bee weary of seeking that which is most precious Plato Many begin well but fewe continue to the end Ierom. Perseuerance is the onely daughter of the great King the end and confirmation of all vertues and the vertue without the vvhich no man shall see God Bern. Perseuerance is the sister of patience the daughter of constancie the friende of peace and the bond of friendshyp Not to goe forward in the way of God is to goe backward The constant man in aduersitie mourneth not in prosperity insulteth not and in troubles pineth not away In vaine he runneth that fainteth before he come to the goale Greg. The constant man is not like Alcibiades tables fayre without and foule within Constancie hath two enemies false good things and false euill false good things are riches honours power health long life false euill are pouerty infamy diseases death The only way to constancie is by wisdome A constant minded man is free from care griefe despising death and is so resolued to endure it that he remembreth all sorrowes to be ended by it Cic. Constancie is the ornament of all vertues Cato rather then hee would submit himselfe to the Tyrant Caesar hauing read Plato of the immortalitie of the soule slew himselfe Pomponius Atticus was much renowned for his constancie Marcus Regulus Fabricius Marius Zeno Anaxarchus and Epichatius Laeena for theyr rare and wonderfull constancie are woorthy to be recorded in bookes of brasse leaues of endlesse tymes Hee is not to bee reputed constant whose minde taketh not fresh courage in the midst of extreamities Bern. Rarae faelicitatis est celeritas et magnitudo rarioris diuturnitas et constantia Demost. Tardé aggredere et quod aggressurus sis perseueranter prosequere Of Religion Defi. Religion is a iustice of men towards God or a diuine honouring of him in the perfect true knowledge of his word peculiar onely to man it is the ground of all other vertues and the onely meanes to vnite and reconcile man vnto God for his saluation NO error is so dangerous as that which is committed in Religion forasmuch as our saluation quiet happinesse consisteth thereon Man was created for the seruice of GOD who ought aboue all things to make account of Religion If it bee a lewde part to turne the trauailer out of his right way and so to hinder him in his iourney then are such as teach false doctrine much more to bee detested because through such a mischiefe they leade men to destruction August
Saint Augustine reproueth Varro Pontifex Scaeuola vvho were of opinion that it vvas very expedient men shoulde bee deceiued in Religion because that there is no felicitie or certaine rest but in the ful assurance thereof and in an infallible truth without diuinitie and the doctrine of GOD none can take any principle at all in the discipline of manners Polybius vvriteth that nothing so much aduaunced the Romaines as theyr Religion albeit it were not pure The VVorde is a medicine to a troubled spirit but being falsely taught it prooueth a poyson Bern. Religion is like a square or ballance it is the canon and rule to liue well by and the very touch-stone vvhich discerneth truth from falshood The auncient Fathers haue gyuen three principall markes by which the true Religion is known first that it serueth the true God secondly that it serueth him according to his VVord thirdly that it reconcileth that man vnto him which followeth it The true worshyppe of God consisteth in spyrit and truth Chrisost. VVhere religion is Armes may easily bee brought but where Armes are without religion religion may hardly be brought in There can bee no surer signe of the ruine of a kingdome then contempt of religion There can bee no true Religion vvhere the word of God is wanting Those men are truly religious which refuse the vain transitory pleasures of the world and wholy sette theyr mindes on diuine meditations Hee which is negligent and ignorant in the seruice of his Creator can neuer be careful in any good cause Religion doth linke and vnite vs together to serue with willingnes one God almighty It is the guide of all other vertues and they who doe not exercise themselues therein to withstand all false opinions are like those souldiers which goe to warre vvithout weapons The Romaines allowed the seruice of all Gods and to that end builded a Temple to all Gods called Pantheon yet woulde they neuer receiue the true God to wit Iehouah the Lord God of the Hebrues The principall seruice of God consisteth in true obedience which the prophets call a spirituall chastitie not to swarue there-from nor to thinke that whatsoeuer wee find good in our owne eyes pleaseth him The knowledge of true religion humilitie and patience entertaineth concord August If men dyd knowe the truth and the happinesse which followeth true religion the voluptuous man woulde there seeke his pleasures the couetous man his wealth the ambitious man his glory sith it is the onely meane which can fill the hart and satisfie theyr desire it serueth vs also for a guide to leade vnto God whereas the contrary dooth cleane with-hold vs from him No creature is capable of religion but onelie man Basil. The first precept that Socrates gaue to the Prince Demonicus was Tima ton Theon feare God The first law that should bee giuen to men should be the increase of religion and pietie The chiefest oath that the Athenians tooke was this In defending religion both alone with others will I fight against my foes The auncient Romaines through the instinct of Nature dyd so reuerently thinke of Religion that the most noble men of Rome sent theyr sonnes into Hetrurio to learne the manner of seruing God It is a very hard matter to change religion VVhere no religion resteth there can be no vertue abiding August True Religion is to be learned by fayth not by reason Religion is in truth not in falshood Religion is the stay of the weake the Mayster of the ignorant the phylosophie of the simple the oratory of the deuout the remedie of sinne the counsaile of the iust and the comfort of the troubled Pure religion vndefiled before God the Father is thys to visite the fatherlesse and widdowes in theyr aduersity and for a man to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world Philosophia pernosci non potest siue Christiana veraque religione quam prelucentem si tollis fateor ecce et clamo ludibrium illa vanitas delirium Oportet principem anté omnia esse deicolam Country or Commonweale Defi. Our Country is the region or clime vnder which we are borne the Common mother of vs all which wee ought to holde so deere that in the defence thereof wee should not feare to hazard our liues THere can bee no affinitie neerer then our Countrey Plate Men are not borne for themselues but for theyr Countrey parents kindred friends Cicero There is nothing more to be desired nor any thing ought to bee more deere to vs then the loue of our Country Children parents friendes are neere to vs but our Country challengeth a greater loue for whose preseruation wee ought to appose our liues to the greatest dangers It is not enough once to haue loued thy Country but to continue it to the end Plut. VVhere soeuer wee may liue well there is our Country The remembrance of our Country is most sweet Liuius To some men there country is their shame and some are the shame of theyr country Let no man boast that he is the Cittizen of a great Citty but that he is worthy of an honourable Country Arist. VVe ought so to behaue ourselues towards our Country vnthankful as to a mother The profit of the country extendeth it selfe to euery Citty of the same Stobaeus Our Country saith Cicero affoordeth large fields for euery one to runne to honor So deere was the loue of his Country to Vlisses the he preferred his natiue soyle Ithaca before immortality Our country first challengeth vs by nature The whole world is a wisemans country Necessity compelleth euery man to loue his country Eurip. The loue which we beare to our country is not pietie as some suppose but charity for there is no pietie but that which we beare to God and our Parents Many loue theyr Countrey not for it selfe but for that which they possesse in it Sweet is that death and honourable which we suffer for our Country Horace If it be asked to whom we are most engaged and owe most duty our Countrey and parents are they that may iustly challenge it The life which we owe to death is made euerlasting beeing lost in the defence of our Countrey Giue that to thy country which she asketh for nature will constraine thee to yeeld it Happy is that death which beeing due to nature is bestowed vpon our Country Happy is that common-wealth where the people doe feare the law as a tyrant Plato A cōmon-wealth consisteth of two things reward and punishment Solon As the body without members so is the common-wealth without lawes Cicero Peace in a common-wealth is like harmony in musick Aug. Men of desert are least esteemed of in their owne Country Erasmus Coriolanus beare vnkinde Armes against his Countrey Plut. Nascia was most woorthily renowned for the defence of his Country Appian Q. Mutius Scaeuola Curtius deserued euerlasting memory for louing their country Nescio qua natale solum dulcedine cunctos Allicit et memores non sinit
of pleasure and reward wherefore such as suffer in it aduersity shall in another world be recompenced with ioy Hermes He which delighteth in the world must eyther lacke what he desireth or els loose what he hath wonne with great paine He that is enamoured of the worlde is like one that entereth into the Sea for if hee escape perrils men will say he is fortunate but if he perrish they will say hee is vvilfully deceiued He that fixeth his minde wholy vppon the world looseth hys soule but he that desireth the safetie of his soule little or nothing regardeth the world After the olde Chaos vvas brought into forme the Poets faine that the vvorld vvas deuided into foure ages the first vvas the golden age the second vvas the siluer age the thyrd the brazen age and the fourth the yron age all which may bee more largelie read of in the first booke of Ouids Metamorphosis The worlde in the foure ages thereof may bee compared vnto the foure seasons of the yeere the first resembling the spring-tyme the second sommer the third autumne and the fourth winter Perdicas Hee that yeeldeth himselfe to the vvorlde ought to dispose himselfe to 3. things which hee cannot auoyde First to pouerty for hee shall neuer attaine to the riches that hee desireth secondly to suffer great paine trouble thirdly to much businesse without expedition Solon Mundus regitur numine deorum estque quasi communis vrbs et ciuitas omnium Cicero Mundus magnus homo homo paruus mundus esse dicitur Of Beginning Defi. Beginning is the first appearance of any thing and there can be nothing without beginning but onely that Almightie power which first created all things of nothing EVill beginnings haue most commonlie wretched endings In euery thing the greatest beauty is to make the beginning plausible and good It is better in the beginning to preuent thē in the exigent to worke reuenge That thing neuer seemeth false that dooth begin with truth The preface in the beginning makes the whole booke the better to be conceiued Nature is counted the beginning of all things death the end Quintil. To beginne in truth and continue in goodnesse is to gette praise on earth and glorie in heauen The beginning of superstition was the subtiltie of sathan the beginning of true religion the seruice of God There is nothing wisely begunne if the end be not prouidently thought vpon Infants beginne lyse with teares continue it with trauailes and end it with impatience A foolish man beginneth many things and endeth nothing The beginning of thinges is in our owne power but the end thereof resteth at Gods disposing Stobaeus Neuer attempt any wicked beginning in hope of a good ending The most glorious and mightie beginner is GOD who in the beginning created the world of nothing Small faults not hindered in the beginning amount to mighty errors ere they be ended A worke well begun is halfe ended Plato In all workes the beginning is the chiefest and the end most hardest to attaine The beginning the meane and the end is a legacie which euery one enioyeth Sodaine changes haue no beginning Nothing is more auncient then beginning That which is betweene the beginning and the end is short Greg. The feare of God is the beginning of wisedome Sirach The beginning of all thinges are small but gather strength in continuaunce The beginning once knovvne vvith more ease the euent is vnderstood Begin nothing before thou first call for the helpe of God for God whose power is in all things gyueth most prosperous furtherance and happy successe vnto all such acts as vvee doe begin in his name Take good aduisement ere thou begin any thing but being once begun be careful speedily to dispatch it He that preuenteth an euill before it begin hath more cause to reioyce then to repent Take good heede at the beginning to what thou grauntest for after one inconuenience another will follow Begin to end and ending so beginne As entrance to good life be end of sinne Principijs obsta seró medicina paratur Cum malaper longas inualuere moras Principij nulla est origo nam ex principio oriuntur omnia ipsum autem nulla ex re alia nasci potest Of Ending Defi. The ende is that whereto all thinges are created by GOD which is the glory of his Name and saluation of his Elect albeit the order which hee obserueth the cause reason and necessitie of them are hid in his secrete counsaile and cannot bee comprehended by the sence of man THE end of thys worlde is a good mans meditation for by thinking thereon hee preuenteth sinne Basil. The end of trouble bringeth ioy the end of a good life euerlasting felicitie VVhat thing soeuer in this world hath a beginning must certainly in thys world haue also an ending The last day hath not the least distresse Felicitie is the end and ayme of our worldlie actions which may in this life be described in shadowes but neuer truly attained but in heauen onely Nothing is doone but it is doone to some end Arist. The end of labour is rest the end of foolish loue repentance The end is not onely the last but the best of euery thing Arist. The end of euery thing is doubtfull Ouid. The end of warre is a iust Iudge Liuius As there is no ende of the ioyes of the blessed so is there no end of the torments of the wicked Greg. The end of this present life ought to haue respect to the beginning of the life to come Bernard The end we hope for is euer lesse then our hopes VVhat was doubtfull in the beginning is made certaine by the end therof Hugo Seeing the euent of things doe not aunswer to our wils we ought to apply our wils to the end of them Arist. The end of a dissolute life is most cōmonly a desperate death Bion. Our life is giuen to vse and to possesse but the end is most vncertaine and doubtfull The end of sorrow is the beginning of ioy At the end of the worke the cunning of the work-man is made manifest Good respect to the ende preserueth both body and soule in safety Before any fact be by man committed the end therof is first in cogitation Many things seeme good in the beginning which prooue bad in the end Exitus acta probat careat successibus opto Quisquis ab euentu facta notanda putat Multi laudantur in principio sed qui ad finem prefeuerat beatus est Of Day or Light Defi. The word Dies which signifieth day is so called quod sit diuini operis it is Gods faire creature and the cheerefull comfort of man who by his word made the light thereof to beautifie it to the worlds end THose children which are borne betweene the foure and twenty houres of midnight and midnight with the Romans are said to be borne in one day Numa Pompilius as hee deuided the yeere into Moneths so hee deuided the