Dronkennes is the beginning of dishonestie and whoredom Sobernes of dyet doth not only kéepe our bodyes frée from grose humors which springs of ill dyeting but also prolongs our dayes very much and makes vs liue a healthful olde age Of Fortitude Ther is no vertue but either sword strēgth or threats will weakē y e same To vanquish affectiōs to resist anger is only the part of a most valiāt man Fortitude is a knowledge instructing a man how with cōmendatiō to aduēture daungerous troublesome fearfull things in the taking of them in hande to be nothing terrified Of Magnanimitie Magnanimitie is a certein excellēcie of y e mide placing before hir eies at al times vertue honor to y e atteining off bends al hir cogitations studies It is the nature of him that is magnanimious for the loue of vertue onely with-out hope or desire of recompence to doe euery thing he is delighted in a good conscience in aduersitie he mourneth not in prosperitie hée insulteth not and in trouble he pineth not he stands in admiratiō of nothing he thinkes not any thing too hard too be brought to passe he is constant but in a good cause neither wil he goe about any thing but that which will bring him credite hée is no hipocrite nor flatterer he can-not abide to currey any mans fauour if he hate a mā he shal know it if he loue one he cannot kéepe it secret He is ashamed by a benefite to be bound to any man he thinkes him a conquerour which bestoweth a good tourne and him which receiueth hée numbreth amongst them which are vanquished If he receiue any thing he is neuer well vntill he haue requited the same with greater measure He thinkes hée shoulde not bée desired vnto any thing neither doth he loue to request a thing at any bodyes hande for to beg a thing at a friends is to buy it it is no small griefe to a good nature to trye his friende More honesty is gotten by forbearing then by reuenging Of Trust or Hope Trust or Confidence is a certeine perswasion rather of a prosperity to come then at hand The causes of this Confidence be two eyther former good lucke and in hope of the like good-luck we are animated to take any thing in hand seeme it neuer so daungerous or the authoritye of some person Men ought to take great héede least by too much confidence they fall into perilles Confidence except it be guyded by modesty and procéede from iudgement may rather be called arrogancy Through arrgoancy haue manye come into hatred A wise man ought not to take vpon him more then he can discharge neyther to contend with him with whom he is not to be compared Of Security Securitie is one parte of fortitude by which after we haue cast in our minde all inconueniences and knowe the worst that can happen we are quiet and with-out care Of Magnificence Magnificence a vertue only to princes Of Constancie It is the dutie of Constancie to resist dolours of minde and of continencie to expell all foolysh pleasure Wisdome is in nothing more apparant then in constancie Constancie except it be in trueth and in a good cause is impudencie Of Suffering Suffering teacheth vs to go forwarde in an honest matter with-out griefe and gruding By familiarnesse humblenesse and quiet bearing of thinges we win the hartes of men It is his parte which gouerneth others not with wordes and whyppes to waxe cruell against malefactors but with suffering and gentlenes to draw them to his minde Of Patience Patience is a voluntary aduenturing of hard thinges for the desire of vertue At some tymes it is méeter to reuenge then to forgiue and some-times it is a part of Iustice with iniuries to requite iniuries It is no lesse euill to requite then it is to offer an iniurie Frayes fightings contentions aryse onely bicause wicked layng aside all patience séeke occasion to moue troubles and tumultes Impatiēce being set against misuse it ministreth matter of continual debate He which bendeth him-selfe to reuenge doth immitate his doinges of whome he is molested and he which immitateth an euill man can-not be a good man in any sorte Of Stabilitie Stabilitie is a continuing in that which is well begone Stable vertue ouercōmeth al things To say and vnsay with one breath is to wauer as a wether-cocke It is no lesse vertue to kéepe things gotten then to be desirous of new Of Iustice. Fortitude without wisdom is but rashnes wisdome with-out iustice is but craftines iustice with-out temperance is but cruelty temperance with-out fortitude is but sauadgnes Iustice is a diuine and celestial vertue which if men would imbrace they might lyue quietly from troubles and happely to theyr hartes desire Philosophers makes foure sorts of Iustice Celestial natural ciuil iudicial Celestial Iustice is a perfect cōsideration dutifull acknowledging of God Natural Iustice is that which al people haue in them selues by nature Ciuill Iustice is that which is made eyther by the lawes of nature the statutes of the people the consultations of Senators the deuices of Princes or authority of graue and wise men Iudicial iustice dependes vpon lawes made for the cōmodity of a cōmon wele The alteration of a Prince bringes the alteration of a common weale A good Prince more by the example of godlines then by godlines it selfe doth persist so a wicked Prince more by the challenge as due vnto them Euery good subiect should prefer a common profit before a priuate and a vniuersall before a peculier By how much more any man knoweth the thing which he loueth then the thing knoweth him by so much he loueth it better but a father doth better know the sonne then the sonne the father and therfore the father doth loue him better They which take y e greater paines in getting of any thing loue that which is gotten more intyrelye then they which take lesse paines But the mother doth with great paines attaine to them then the father and therfore hir loue must néedes be greater Of ciuil Friendship Ciuil Friendship is of thrée sortes the firste is common or general good-will wher-by we wish wel vnto al men the second is good felowship which cōtinueth but a time as long as pleasuré lafteth but no pleasure no frienship the third is a perfect friendship which bringeth to passe y t amōg mē ther be a great agréement both in will in working There is no more certeine token of true friendship then in consent and communicating of our cogitations one with an-other The gréement of the wicked is easily vpon a smal occasion broken but the friendshyp of the vertuous continueth for euer As a kingdome cannot haue manye gouernours nor one wife many husbandes and loue them so one can-not loue many intyrely and be beloued of them againe hartely with-out hypocrycye Strength is then weakened when it is deuided That man is a faythfull friend to whome we may vnfolde the
¶ A Paterne of a passionate minde Conteining a briefe description of the sundry straunge affects of the minde of man ¶ In the ende where-of is set downe a Lesson méete to be learned of all estates in generall PRINTED BY Thomas East 1580. ¶ A briefe collection of dyuerse effectes of the mynde And first of Perturbations in generall PErturbations are contritions of the minde contrarye to reason or desires to much abounding in man Phisitions affirme that chéerefulnes hath abyding in the Splene Anger in the Gall Lust in the Lyuer and feare in the Hart therfore it is better to slay then to plucke any thing out of the bodye that is to alter the naturall disposition of man Except there be passions and perturbations in man there is no place for vertue euen as there is no victorye where as there is no aduersary therefore to be angry to couet to lust is no offence For it is necessary that Perturbations should raigne for the illustration of vertue but an angrye couetous lecherous man deserueth great reproch For albe-it we haue them yet we must vse them well And therfore the end of our affections make them either good or bad And thus briefly of the perturbations in generall Of Pleasure and hir partes Pleasure is a certeine exultation or an excéeding reioysing sprounge of the euentes of things desired Pleasure is of two sortes one is saide of honest and good thinges the other of dishonest In respect of honest things it is called Voluntas In respect of dishonest Voluptas A wise man ought not to be puffed with pleasure for it is the foode of filthinesse it killeth the body weakeneth the iudgement and taketh away vnderstanding Of Ill-will Ill-wil is that which neuer speaketh wel neither can take any plesure at the prosperity of anye man but hir owne it is a token of an abiect seruile man at an other mans prosperity to be gréeued or to reioyce at y e hurt of any man bicause the common state of mankinde is such as none hath assuraunce of perpetuall felicity For Fortune is lyke glasse which then may easily be broke when it shyneth moste Of Delectation Delectation is a pleasure which infecteth the minde by a certeine swéetenesse conceaued by the eare with-out some recreation cares would ouercom vs. We ought to beare the discommodityes of this lyfe patiently Of Oblectation Oblectation is a certeine bending or inclination of the mynde to a pleasure gentle and swéetely moliuÌ„yng the minde This Oblectation in the beginning a man ought to restrayne by reason For if it once come to a custome it will easily come to a habite and hauing got an habit in pleasure impossible it is to put it away and to be indued with vertue Insultation Insultation is an an excéeding deligâ—t and pleasure aken at the hurts of another especially as when we ouercome our enimyes to laugh them to scorne and vnreasonablye to reioyce at the same More shame for insultation theÌ„ same for their victory haue many meÌ„ purchased as much honor for clemeÌ„cy as glorye for victory haue diuers atchieued Of Boasting Boasting is a iesting ioyfulnesse exalting it selfe insolently If a wise man be defiled with this affection it maketh him not only with pride to be puffed but also ridiculous Who immoderatly lyketh to praise him-selfe is a good vice to make wise men sporte As the shadow doth folow the body so should Fame folow good déedes it ought not to be hunted after Boasting makes vs not onely to forget our selues and the cause of our well doing which is good in déede but also causeth many to be ashamed of their parentes then which what can be more impietie Of Prodigalitie Prodigalitie is sayde to be a dissolution or a to much losing of a vertue A prodigal mans property is to couet other mens goodes and not to care for his owne to spend lustily to fare deliciously so he hath he cares not how he getteth it so he spendeth he cares not how when or who consumes it No admonition of friends neyther feare of pouerty can make a prodigal man thrifty The ende of prodigall persons for the most parte is straunge wicked Of Ambition Ambition is a loue and care of promotion or an vnmeasurable desire of glory Except ambitious persons be cut froÌ„ euery common weale impossible it is to be without ciuil continual discord Of Lust. Lust is a desire raised against reason or a wylde and vnbrydeled appetyte which in whome soeuer it raignes so kylleth all good motions y t vertue can haue no place in the minde of him Lust makes a man to haue neyther care of his owne good name nor consideration of the shame which his posterity shal haue by his wicked liuing Of Needinesse Néedinesse is an insatiable coueting or a desire w tout al mesure immoderat Couetousnes is neuer minished neither with lacke nor abundance and it lacketh as well those thinges which it inioyeth as which it wanteth Where little is little is the care and little ought to be coueted Prodigality and couetousnes are the two plagues which ouerthrowe great and famous kingdomes Of Anger Anger is defined after two sortes either according to hir nature or according to hir effect according to hir nature Anger is a heate of bloud and inflaming of the same euen to the innermoste parte of man According to hir effect Anger is a lust or desire to punish or to be reuenged on him which séemeth to haue hurt vs. Of Wrath. Wrath is a desire to be reuenged séeking a time or oportunity for the same Anger consisteth in habit and disposition but wrath in déede and effect It is a hard thing to alter the minde of man and sodeinly to plucke away that wâ—ich by custome is come to an habit 〈◊〉 Anger doth most moue vs then 〈◊〉 we most carefully keepe y e tonge Of Palenesse Palenes is called an anger newly begonne or but newly beginning and after a little while is quickly gone A man infected with palenes is soone hot soone colde bicause reason ouercoÌ„meth the outragiousnes of y e passion for if it should persist continue long it would easily come to hatred Of Hatred Hatred is an olde grudge or a desire by which we wish ill to some body that so may come either to welth or profit The difference betwéene hatred and anger is time can asswage anger but hatred once rooted can-not be or very hardly pluckt from the hart He which is angry desireth to haue hiÌ„ vexed w t whoÌ„ he is angry but he which hateth desireth his death whom he hateth Of Discorde Discord is an anger coÌ„ceiued very at y e hart by an extreame inward hatred He which is dissentius as an vnprofitable member should be cut from the body of a common weale The dissentius person can agrée with none can yéelde to none but dissenting from all séeketh by conspiracies Insurrections poysoning of Prynces the playne euersion and ouerthrowe of all
Not the inequality of power but the dissētion of mindes maketh dissention By discord the greatest things come to nought and by the same the world and all thynges els shall perysh An angry man in his heate dyffereth not from a mad man beholde his lookes his colour his iesture voice wordes and behauiour and no difference shall you finde Of Loue. Loue is a diuine mistery giuen vnto man for his conseruation comforte The greatest and moste burning affection is Loue for Loue is the bond of friendshyp A wise man may loue so long as it is without care and sighing The cause of Loue is delyght which by the aspect and sight of beauty is taken whosoeuer in viewing and beholding taketh no pleasure can at no tyme loue in déede Loue is an vnsatiable desire intruding it self into man by some wonderfull beautye a passion vnméete for a noble man The effects of loue are straunge more to be shunned then anye other perturbation This loue vexeth the minde and casteth the body into sickenesse Loue is the cause of deadly hatred and can abide no partner in the same Loue makes valyant captains most vile captiues and those which are subduers of the stoutest to be in subiection to the most abiects Through loue whoredome deflouring adultery incest are committed Loue is remedied either by fasting by time or w t an halter for good chéere nourisheth and increaseth loue time doth take away or at y e least asswage the same But if neither fasting nor time wil do good then the next remedy is to take an halter hang him selfe Of desire and longing Longing is an immoderate desire of a thing wished for and therefore hastening is a lyngring to him which longeth Euery thing is most estéemed whē either it beginneth to want or we altogether lack it wherfore it appeareth that we know what a thing is and of what estimatiō when we haue it not It is vnméete for any wise bodye whose part is to beare patiētly which must néedes be borne to be subiect to this perturbation of longing Of Feare and Sorrow Feare is an opinion of some euill comming towards vs which séemeth to be intollerable A wise and valyant man shoulde alwayes bée héedefull but neuer fearefull for there is more euil in fering then that which is feared A mā wer better to repēt him of his il fortune thē to be ashamed of y e victory Of Slothfulnesse Slothfulnesse is a feare of labour to ensue as dilygence helpeth prospereth al enterprises so contrariwise Slothfulnesse marreth euery thing Slothfulnes riseth of too much abūdance Idlenes maketh of men womē of womē beasts of beasts mōsters It commeth to passe often-times that industrious and dilygent men by their paynes excell euen those to whō Nature hath bene most beneficiall Of Bashfulnesse Bashfulnesse is a feare of iust reprehension or it is a vehement motion of the minde flying shame desiring commendation it is the best ruler of the lusts when it is raysed by the care and studie of honestie Bashfulnes is raised somtime by ill déedes but shamefastnesse is alwayes through consideration of goodnesse Of Terror Terror is a certein fere springing frō y e imaginatiō of an vnacustomed thing He is properly called a valiāt man to whom y e feare of an honest death doth strike no terror Of Dread Dread is a feare that troubleth the minde before any euil doth happen Dread maketh vs not to enioy our riches nor other commodities of this lyfe through a feare of death It is the propertie of a wise man with a quiet minde to suffer al things whome prosperitie can-not inflame with disdaine nor aduersitie ouerthrow but those things which he possesseth he inioyeth and those thinges which he hath not he doth not greatly couet Unto euery wise man it belongeth to haue a fore-cast of those thinges which may happen God will not suffer man to haue the knowledge of things to come for if he had a prescience of his prosperitie hée would be carelesse and vnderstanding of his aduersitie he would be senceles Hope of all paissions is the swéetest and most pleasant and héere-off it is sayd that hope cōforteth captaines Of Trembling Tremblyng is a sodain motion of the minde ioyned with an amazednes of the same He is but a wretch who can-not kéepe his griefe in secrete Wicked men séeke the destruction of those which meane best Of Conturbation Conturbation is an affection contrary vnto Fortitude without which nothing can be accomplished worthelye and with commendation The whole glory of a battaile consisteth in the pollycie of a Captaine The head being troubled the mēbers cannot fulfill their dueties Of Fearefulnesse Fearefulnesse is when the minde being mooued doth as it were forsake the body Fearefulnesse is an imbecilitie or weakenesse of Nature in respecte of yeares in childhood or doting olde age or by sickenes or it riseth from a conscience conuict and guiltie of some offence Of Sorrow Sorrow doth cause in the minde of man a biting grief vexation Feare causeth a fight and departinge of the minde Pleasure rayseth an ouer prodigall merinesse and Lust an vnbrideled appetite Sorrow is an vnmeasurable contrition of the minde Of Pitie or Compassion Pitie is a sorrow conceiued by the miseryes of an other man Pitie and mercifulnes brings credite both with God and man A mercifull conquerour a friendly foe Wherefore euery man ought to endeauour to séeme and to be mercifull Of Enuie Enuie is a sorrow taken at the prosperitie or welfare of an other mā As the Auker eateth and destroyeth yron so doth Enuie eate and consume the hearts of the enuyous Such are most enuied as either by wealth riches renoume authoritie or vertue are better then the rest Enuie gotten by vertue obscureth not the name of any man The enuious like of none but such as are causers to bring those which ar at rest and in felycitie into misery Of Emulation Emulation is defined to be a grief of the minde bicause one doth inioye that which we are desirous to haue That man is sayde to emulate which labours with tooth and nayle to get the praise and glorye which an other hath vnto vnto himselfe Emulation brings Infamie vnto those which are infected with y e same when they will contend and chalenge their better Emulation is naught and necessary nought when it springs of an ambitious Enuie and necessarye when it riseth of a vertuous Studye Of Obtrectation Obtrectation is a griefe of minde bicause others woulde haue that which our selues inioy A good thing the more common the more commendable Of Fretting Fretting is a sorrow of the minde mightely bringing downe a man and altering his constitution Of Sadnesse Sadnesse is a sorrow continuing déepely rooted in the minde Melancholyke persons are continually vexed both in minde and body they are very seldome wel at ease bicause they disgest their meate verye ill they are strong in imaginations and for sharpenesse of witte they excell
Sadnesse is to be condempned but grauitie is commendable Of Pensiuenesse Pensiuenesse is a dolefull or wéeping sorrowfulnes and withereth the body of man Of Mourning Mourning is a sorrow conceiued of y e death of him which was dere to vs. Their deathes whose lyues haue béne good and without any notorious crime shoulde alwayes be a comforte vnto vs by a continual remembrance Patiently should that be borne which no strength can ouercome nor counsayle auoyd He dyeth not vntimely which dyeth vertuously Of Troublesomnesse Troublesomnesse is a laborsome sorrow No dolour nor daunger ought we to shunne and auoyd if there-by we may doe good Of Lamentation Lamentation is a sorrowfulnesse shewed by a certeine howlyng crying out Of Carefulnesse Carefulnesse is a sorrowfulnesse of the minde procéeding frō some great and déepe cogitation fixed at the hart Study carefulnes in a naughty disposed persō causeth gret hurt but in a good and vertuous person it conuerteth all his endeuors to good exercises Of Molestation and Affliction Molestation is a griefe of minde not ceasing but continuing Of Desperation Despayre is a sorrowfulnesse with-out all hope of better fortune Who contrary to the wil and time prescribed of God will parte the soule from the body perpetually he is to be punished Of mortall vertues lyfe and of the chiefest felicity SOme men haue supposed the delight of the minde to be the chiefest felicicitie Others the beastly pleasure of the body Others a good constitution of the body and perpetuall health without sicknesse Some haue thought honesty linked with pleasure Some to be frée frō sorrow and griefe of minde some learning profound knowledge some to liue honestly and to folow vertue some not to declyne from the law of nature some in the goods of nature fortune and the minde so that howe many sectes so many sentences how many men so many opynions Felicity is a vertuous prosperity or a floryshing estate ioyned wyth an honest conuersation or els a way sufficiently of it self teaching how to liue well or a lyfe indued with al kinde of pleasure quiet and gloryous Of the goodes of Fortune The goods of Fortune are riches and will of men Nobility Fame Authority Honour many and vertuous Children and such lyke Riches do rather stir to vices then prycke to vertue We shoulde rather gather wealth both to relieue our want and also to succour the necessity of others Riches are according to theyr vse good if they be well vsed bad if they be abused Riches with-out wisedome to vse them can-not honest a man Uertue or good qualityes with-out riches are as it were a candel vnder a bushell Riches without vertue do litle profit A true friende is he whose care is to pleasure his friend in al honest things moued ther-vnto by a méere good-will which he beareth vnto him Noblenesse of byrth is eyther vniuersall or perticuler Uniuersall as to be borne in a noble and famous countrey Perticuler to come of noble parentage An obscure countrey bringeth no credit to a man be he neuer so vertuous And to come of noble parentage and not to be indued with noble qualities is rather a defamation then a glory It is better by vertue and good déedes to get renoune then to depend vpon the opynion of a noble house Then a good name nothing is sooner lost and nothing harder to be recouered As fier cast into the water is quickly quenched so a false accusatiō against an honest lyfe is soone extinguished Honour is the rewarde of vertue Those men haue most excellent wits whiche are pricked with the desire of glory The getting of children in honest wedlocke is one of the chiefest benefits that can be in a common weale Better vnborne then vntaught Of the goodes of Nature By this worde Nature is vnderstoode the vertue force and property of euery thing In this place the goodes of Nature be also vnderstoode all such thinges as are in the body of man as health strength beauty and bignesse If a man want the goodes of Nature he can-not be happy in this lyfe Necessary it is for him that is insolent to be brought to the acknowledging of him selfe by sicknesse or other misery Moste couetous is hee which is desirous to get carefull to kéepe and vnwilling to forgoe He is not valiaunter which killeth a Lyon then he which mortifieth his wilde concupiscences Beauty riches pleasure prosperity causeth forgetfulnesse of our selues Of the goodes of the minde Sweeter and more comfortable are the pleasures of the minde then the delyghtes of the flesh Of ciuill or actiue felicitie A man should not lyue to himselfe but should haue a care of his parents of his children and countrey-men He is a ryght good man which serueth God deuoutly and dealeth vprightly with all men The diffinition of Vertue and hir partes Uertue is nothing but auoydinge wickednesse Fortitude when it excéedeth falleth in-to rashnés when it faynteth in-to childysh fearefulnesse Liberality when it lauisheth out of reason is called prodigality when it is not extended any whit purchaseth the name of Couetousnesse In good thinges nothing is eyther wanting or superfluous Wickednes cannot be cōprehended but godlynesse may Therfore easier it is to become wicked then vertuous Uertue is deuided into foure partes the first is Prudence y e second Temperāce y e third Fortitude y e fourth iustice Of Prudence and hir partes Prudence is a knowledge of good things bad things things indifferent The very cause of all goodnesse is only wisedome by that we know what to eschew as hurtful and againe what to chuse as profitable Socrates much giuen to wickednes by wisdome reformed him selfe and became a good example of a godly man Wisedome doth not commit or do any thing for which she may afterward say Non putaram The partes of which Prudence dependeth are Reason Iudgement Circumspectiō Prouidēce Docility Héede Aristotle adioyneth warines Iolines Craftines Subtilty Righteousnesse Of Reason Reason is an order to do all things by the consideration of things to come Before a man begin any thing consultation shoùlde be had but hauing delyberated spéedy execution Of Vnderstanding Understanding consisteth in descerning truth from falshood and in taking heede least the minde be ouer-much delighted and so deceaued by the vain pleasures of the body By Idlenes mē learn to liue naghtely The way to extinguish the burning passion of loue is to beware of Idlenes He which ruleth others ought to be frée from all affections for anger suffereth not a man to sée that whiche is expedient hatred hasteneth to vniustice loue weakneth the Iudgement lust offereth wrong griefe stirreth to reuengment and enuy ouerthroweth a man Euil manners come by euil company To al men shew a good countenance yet enter familiarity with none but such as are of good conuersation Sodeine coūsail bring spéedy repētance Of Circumspection Circumspection in an especiall care of the minde to bring those things which we haue in hand to a
good purpose Circumspection in war is the cause of escaping many daungers in peace doth al thinges to the increase of vnitie amongst mē The causes bringing circūspection are feare care necessitye and affection feare afflicteth care cōpelleth necessity byndeth affection woundeth Of Prouidence Prouidence is a certein vertue and force of the minde by which we foresee a thyng before it comes to passe Prouident mē ought to be admitted into the consultation of great matters Of Docilitie Docility or a good capacity is a certeine vertue of the minde by which we quickly conceaue and easily vnderstād those thinges which are taught vs of an-other we account not that a good wit which will easily attayne to the perfection of wickednesse Docility gotten by industry though it be harde in conceauing yet is it not hasty in forgetting To whom Nature hath giuen sharpnesse of wit they are most carelesse and least commended in their exercises Noble mē whether they giue thēselues to godlines or wickednesse in eyther of thē they so excel as none of our calling They haue not onely a good wit but also a power to bring al that to passe which they are desirous Of Heede Héede is nothinge els but wyth Iudgement to decline from thinges hurtfull A man ought to encounter at the pleasure time appoynted of the enimie Contrary to Héede is temeritie a foolishnesse which runneth all vppon the head neither obeyeth reason nor the perswasion of friends Great care ought to be had whom we may beléeue for faire tongues often-times worke mischiefe Of Warinesse As it is the parte of a wise man wisely to consult and giue counsaile so is it the duetie of a wary man wel to conceiue and vprightly to iudge He is the most excellent which is endued with that discretion that in al extremities can giue him-selfe that counsaile which is profitable Of Wilynesse Craftinesse and Subtiltie The minde of a craftie man by practise is hardened euen as the hande of a worke-man by great labour To be wily craftie subtil are horrible if they be vsed to wicked purposes so are they to be imbraced when they be referred to honest endes Of Equitie and Righteousnesse Equitie or Righteousnes is defined to be a more gentle sentence giuen to malefactors then commonly y e lawes doe giue Equitie iudgeth with lenitie lawes with extremitie Ther is a Iustice naturall a Iustice legal the legal iustice is the written law according to which common Iudges giue sentence The naturall Iustice is y e discretion which euery prudent wise man is endued withall wher-with he being driuen thervnto through consideration of circūstances doth oftentimes make things bitter swéet great daūgerous easie haynous horrible either not so at al or not so horrible as they are supposed to be Equanimitie is a trāquilitie of the minde by which in aduersitie we doe not through grief thought hurt our selues nor in prosperitie exalt nor reioyce ouer-much Of Temperance and hir parts All vertues are to bée deuided into 2. sorts according to Cicero who calleth thē either vertues of knowledge or of cōuersatiō those of knowledge he calleth prudēce wisdom wisdō he saith only cōsisteth in cōtēplation prudence in y e knowledge of common matters Domestical prudēce is whē euery priuate man doth prudētly cōsider of his own affairs ciuil whē we bend our selues to y e profiting of y e weale publik The learned haue deuided vertue into foure parts to wit prudence temperance fortitude and Iustice. Temperance is a vertuous habite of the minde wher-by we abstain frō all vaine and pestilent pléasures both of minde and body It is y e office of tēmperance to couet nothing wheroff it should afterward repēt hir Of Modestie Modestie is a vertue teaching a man how to rule his affections and in all his actions to kéepe a meane Modestie is perceiued by y e countenaunce of a man for by the same we may gather the disposition of any The gretest kīgs haue y e gretest cares It is the part of a good shepheard to shéere his shéepe not to fleay them The true modestie of an honest man striketh more shame then the sight of many wicked and immodest persons can stirre to filthinesse Of Shamefastnesse Shamefastnes is a natural blushing by which we are afrayde ashamed to cōmit any thing which is not honest Blushing is iudged to be a feare comming of a guyltie conscience but shamefastnesse of honest things Of Abstinencie and Continencie Abstinencie is a kinde of tēperance wherby we bring vnder the power of reason our appetite when it is allured vnto vnlawfull delectation Continēcie is a kéeping of our selues from those things which are not to be coueted Abstinencie consisteth in the hauing our appetite Continencie in tempering our lusts of the flesh Honestie to be preferred before lechery chastitie before incontinēcie a faithful promisse before sinful plesure Incontinent is he which kéepeth no measure in the coueting of worldlye things or cannot conteine himself frō the effect of fleshly desires Of Chastitie Chastitie is the rule or patron how a man may leade an honest and vertuous conuersation He is to be sayd to haue chast eares which can-not abide to heare that which is dishonest Of Honestie Honestie is a frée election of the minde to doe those things which are agréeing to the rule of vertue Nothing can make men so miserable as wickednesse and impietie God hath giuen this gift vnto man that by honestie he may best profite The pleasure that commeth of honestie is continuall not transitorye The pleasures springing from dishonestie be mingled with griefe and vexation Players of Enterludes are not to be allowed bicause they both speak that which is not séemely by iesture shew that which is dishonest He whose desire is to lyue well in the world to come shall for a time lyue wretchedly He which chooseth to lyue well for a time shall for euer lyue vnquietly Of Moderation Moderation doth so measure all our actions that it will not suffer vs to passe y e bonds prescribed by honesty By moderating our selues we learn to forbeare when we are iniured A man should beare not blame which can-not be auoyded A man ought not to reuenge his owne priuate cause Of Sparing or Hardnesse It is y e common vse of most mē vnder y e show of one thing to engraft in our mindes an other theroff prodigality is called by y e name of liberality cruelty of equitie foolish boldnes of fortitude couetousnesse of sparing We ought therefore to be carefull leaste those vices deceiue vs which séeme to accompany the vertue A couetous man is hée which out of reason coueteth sparing is like a good husband thriftily to kép not vnthriftily to spēd Of Sobrietie A sober man is he whose minde is not ouercome but hath y e vse of wit sences contrary wise wée call him dronken whose head hands nor féete can-not discharge their duetie