and conseruation of the state of the Academie In proposing of matters in discoursing and in answering they procéede with great respect and reuerence without tumult without confusion And in giuing of voyces euery one preferreth his auncient before him as touching priuate congregations some are called for the creation of the Prince Counsellours Censors and other Officers who are made by secrete voyces and they continue but from foure monethes to foure Some to heare the discourse of some Academike who loueth not to doe it publikely some to admit the newe Acadmikes that were before chosen by priuie voyces and to to heare their spéeches wherein they render thankes too the Prince and the Academikes Some to conferre of those thinges which are to be handled in publike and then there are ordinarily made lectures and discourses of diuers matters and by two Academikes the compositions and workes of the Academie are redde and afterwardes the writinges and doynges of strangers Euery two monethes they change their Prince and in that ceremonie the olde Prince geueth vp his throne and deliuereth the seale of the Academie too his successour who placing himselfe in the others seate taketh possession of the principalitie which is done in euerie point with such state and maiestie that I am not able to expresse it Which you may imagine by the great multitude not onely of Citizens but of straungers which are present at it Moreouer it happeneth sometime that some Academike is married and then the bride and other gentlewomen with her are inuited to this assemblie where shée is honoured with great pompe and solemnity with pleasant discourses with commendatorie verses with musicke such like Like as my Ladie Francis your cosin was to whom in open assembly there was geuen in the name of the Academikes a Carcanet of golde which you may perhaps haue séene about her necke whereon the one side is brauely set foorth the deuise or armes of the Acacademie and on the other side the deuise of your brother but something altered for whereas that hath a flying swan with a branche of bay in her mouth this writing on it aboue the skies this hath besides the shadow of the same swan and â—he posie is changed which is Be a mate in this maner meaning that shée ought to follow the steps of her husband as the shadowe did the swanne They vse also at the death of any of the Academikes to make funerall assemblies in honour of him with such grauitie and sadnesse that it is woonderfull I coulde rehearse vnto you many other notable thinges but I will omit them for the time is short which we haue to bestowe in other matters wee will onelye say then that the conuersation with the learned standeth vs in maruellous steede delighteth vs muche and is the cause of greate loue and amity Which is shewed by the â—able of Narcissus who being without company so soone as hée sawe himselfe in a fountaine fel in loue with himself and therfore nothing being more like vnto vs then our Image it may bée well sayde that when one that is learned loueth an other that is learned that both of them loue nothing els but their owne Image in an other And it may be likewise saide that this their friendship is perpetual as well as the loue of ones selfe is Nowe let vs come to the conuersation betwéene strangers and Citizens Guaz. Séeing we haue but a litle time left it were betteâ— to omitte this matter as a thing little and seldome happening Annib. Let vs at least shewe vnto the Citizen that it is his part to haue a pittifull eye towardes straungers and to consider that being farre from their countrey parentes and goodes being depriued of all those commodities which wee inioy in our owne houses they are to bée succoured with all ayde and fauour possible and especially those which are in necessitie For no doubt hée that receiueth them into his lodging purchaseth to himself a lodgeing and abyding place in heauen by meanes of his charitable curtesie yea wée must knowe that this worke is so acceptable to God that he that giueth onely a cuppe of colde water to drinke in the way of charitie shall not goe without rewarde And though the commodities héere belowe are not to bee compared with the heauenly rewardes yet let vs thinke what honour and profit the good enterteinement which wée giue to straungers bringeth vs for that those which kéepe open house for strangers doe not onely winne credit in their owne countrey but without setting foote out of the precinct of their owne terrytorie they are known and honourably reported of in forrain countries besides that they are sure when they trauayle to finde friendes money and succour at néede Guaz. It is a great contentment to a man to sée himself estéemed and made much off by his parentes and friends in his owne countrey but that is but a trifle in respect of the good it doeth a man when hée séeth himselfe entertained and honoured where he is scarâ—e knowen And therfore you shall easily perswade mee to performe this duetie towardes strangers towards whom I feele my selfe maruellously wel affected for that in my trauayle I receiued at their handes great curtesie Annib. For that cause I was about to tell you that those shew themselues most hoggish and cruell to strangers who neuer went out of their countrie Who for that they haue not felt the inconueniences and discommodities of trauell haue no consideration of the state of strangers neyther are moued with any compassion towardes them Wherein they are greatly too blame for that they ought too shewe to strangers more curtesie honour then to their owne countriemen Being the saying of a Philosopher that a stranger when he is depriued of his friendes and parentes is to bée pitied both of God and men And therefore béeing in companie with them we ought to vse great respect towards them both in déede and word forbearing finding of faultes and other boldnesse which we might lawfully vse towardes our owne countriemen yea and to cloake and to beare rather with their imperfections So that some are of this opinion that we ought not to deale yll with strangers though they deserue it Guaz. It is very true but yet oftentimes straungers are worse vsed then they should be by theyr owne fault wheÌ„ they will be of housholde with vs in a manner and be more familiar bolde then they ought to be which maketh them fare the woorse Annib. And therefore it shal be the part of a straunger being in another mans house not to take vpoÌ„ him presumptuously but to behaue himselfe so modestly that euery man may loue and fauour him For as if he set himselfe forward too muche hée shalbée pulled backe with shame so if hee hang backe hée shal be halled forwarde with honour He must also in companie vse the same behauiour in worde and déede towardes you as you are bound to doe towards him wherby
the other and went about by many pleasant deuises to make him vnderstand that it was his parte being elder and dyscreeter to supplye the default of his brother which hee interpreted so wronglye that he sayd to the Count he vnderstood by the halfe word what the whole menâ— and that he was content to forbeare his house to the end that those who were so far in his bokes might haue free accesse vnto it To be short all his affaultes were in vaine as if they had been made against an inuincible for t and the best coÌ„position which he could bring him to was that he was content in respect of him to bee friendes with his brother but he would afterwardes kyll him if he could whiche hee failed to do for that within few daies after in that ill mynde he was in he was slayne at the battayle at S. Quinten Annib. He thought to shew the Count some curtesâ—e in deferring the death of his brother so long And trulye it is a desperate cure to go about to quenche the fire of discord when it is once kindled in the hartes of two Brothers whyche maketh mee muche muse howe it shoulde bee so being a thinge so farre from all reason Guaz. But I thinke it rather a reasonable thing that 〈◊〉 man shoulde finde himselfe most greeued with him whiche ought least to greeue him Annib. And I thinke it reasonable that a man shoulde be least offended with him who ought to be most bolde with him Guaz. Knowe you not that where is great loue from thence proceedeth great hate Annib. Know you not that where is great loue there ought also to be great patience Guaz. You see yet by experience effects contrary therto Annib. Brothers are in deed oft times at discord for that they were neuer at accord but brothers which from their infancy haue liued in loue together wil put vp any iniury or displeasure rather then they wil fall out among themselues Guaz. You meane then that the cause why brothers fall out is for lacke of loue Annib. If I should set downe that for y t cause I should be counted as very a foole as he who being askt why the dogge folowed his maister answered for y t his maister went before you might say y t according to the prouerbe I went about to fil your mouth with an empty spoone That is to seeme to teach not to teach Wherefore if you will haue me come to y e right occasions of this discord I say I haue noted the two chiefe causes therof the one by y e fault of the fathers the other by y e fault of the brothers Touching y e discord growing by the fathers fault we haue spokeÌ„ sufficiently of it already For the other it happeneth when brothers take more care for the partes then for the whole body I meane by the body all the brothers together by the partes eache one of them for that brothers stand vs in the like stead as our eyes hands feete do Yea if we consider the matter thorowly we shall finde that brothers are framed more fitly for the mutuall ayd one of another then the partes of our bodye are for one hande can but helpe the other hand which is present and one foote the other foote which is hard by it but the mutuall aid of brothers stretcheth farther for being far distant one from another they cease not to succour assist one another If then brothers according to their nature were cheeflye addicted to the conuersation of this body without casting their onlye care for their owne peculier parte there is no doubt of their brotherly loue and good agreement together Guaz. Indeed that naughty passion of bearing our selues to great affectioÌ„ wil not suffer vs to loue others as we ought to do though they be neuer so nere vnto vs. Annib. It is true and that is the cause there are so few brothers which will preferre the common honoure and profite of them all before theyr owne partyculer aduauncement and that we daily see thinges common commonly neglected whereof for the most part groweth the decay of houses for by the diuision of goodes the forces of brothers are weakened and by the diuision of hartes they come somtymes to receiue iniuries which euery one by himselfe hath his handes full to repulse Which that wise Kyng shewed manifestly who by the bundell of roddes gaue his children to vnderstande howe inuyncible theyr force was so long as they held together Wherfore it is requisite that aboue all thinges brothers lay before them the common honour and profite and that all of them both in deedes and in counsaile bee carefull for the conseruation of the honoure of their house and let no one of them perswade himselfe by his sufficiency to supply the defects of the other and to carye away all the honour and credite from them Guaz. Soft I pray you so long as I shall liue vertuously well do you thinke my honour any thing impaired though some of my brothers liue ill Annib. Your particuler honour shall be nothing diminyshed but the common honour of your house shall wherein you haue part Guaz. And why shall not my commendable behauiour counteruaile their lewd demeanor Annib. Howsoeuer it counteruaile it it cannot wype away the dishonour which your house sustaineth by it which receiueth as much shame by their ill doing as honor by your well doing And therefore they are greatly to blame which take not as greate care of theyr Brothers as of themselues for the brothers being as we haue sayd members of one body any one of them cannot be stayned but the whole bodye will be spotted and thervpon it is sayd That the nose cannot bee cut without bloodying the mouth This neerenesse which ought to be between brothers is likewise implyed in the name of brother which in latine signifieth as it were another to giue vs to vnderstand that a brother to a brother is as another hymselfe whereof I cannot at thys tyme bryng a more playne example then of a worke or booke whereof there are prynted in one presse diuers volumes whiche may perhaps dyffer in the couering and outward trymming and yet are but one thyng hauing one selfe beginning and ending so that the faults which are in one of these volumes are common to them al whereof I inferre that the faulte which is in one brother is common to all the rest Wherfore for y e honour of their house brothers ought to support one another and when the one falleth the other ought to helpe him vp again or else to confesse that hee hym selfe is fallen to the ground besides it is an vnseemly thing for a man to see himselfe raised to high degree and looking towardes the ground to behould his brother in lowe estate And a man may bee bold to say that he which hath no care of his brothers honour hath no care of his owne Of this commoÌ„ honour Scipio Africanus was very
you call more than fathers Annib. Those which are too cruell to their children and beate them continually like slaues for the least fault in the world Guaz. Truly those fathers are mislyked of all men for that withoute discretion they measure theyr children by themselues and requyre at their handes a matter impossible which is to haue them be old in their youth not suffering them to inioy in any sort that liberty whiche is alowed to their age And in my mynde they deserue no other name then of Schoolemaisters for that they cannot manner their children well vnles they haue a rod in their hande for if they were right fathers they would be content that their children should learne of them to know that the whole drift of humane lawes is nothing else but to refraine from doing ill to vse to do that which is good and honest which a childe is brought to rather by loue than by force but the authoritie which some ignorant fathers take vppon them is so great that without respecting age place time degree fashion or any thing they wyll keepe their children vnder by force and make them do euery thing contrary to their owne myndes yea euen to weare their apparell after the fashion of the good men of the time past Annib. It is most certayne that they do amisse in that whereby they make their children not to loue them so hartely and to obay them rather for feare then affection besides they consider not that the beating without measure and the keeping them in continuall feare is the cause that a manne cannot iudge to what manner of life they are naturally inclined Moreouer it dulleth their wittes and represseth their naturall vigour in such sort that there is no mettall left in them and by fearing alwayes to fayle in their doinges they neuer but faile in them and comming in any company they know neyther which way to looke nor what to do Therefore they ought to leaue their butchery beating and consider rather that for the lacke of yeeres their chidren cannot haue perfect vnderstanding and experience in things wherby they are to be borne withal when they do amisse Guaz. I like those fathers well who can keepe their children in awe only with shaking their head at them or vsing some such like signe and can only with a word correct them and make them ashamed of their faulte But I am perswaded that there are few fathers that know how to keepe the meane but that they will eyther bee to rough or to gentle to their children whereof as the one driueth them to desperatnesse so the other bringeth them to dissolutenesse Annib. We must thinke that a childe hath giuen vnt◠him a father and a mother to y e end that of the wisdom of the one and the loue of the other that Meane which you meane may be made and that the seueritie of the father may bee somwhat mitigated by the lenitie of the mother Guaz. You may in my opinyon yet adde one occasion more of the disagreement between the father and the childe which is the partiall loue of the father towardes his chyldren Annib. Do you take that to be a fault Guaz. Do you thinke it reasonable that hee should imbrace and loue one more than an other and that all being of his fleshe and blood he shoulde cast a merry countenaunce vppon some of them and a seuere looke vppon other some Annib. Of the sonnets other cōpositions which you haue made is it well done of you to like some better then other some yea and perchaunce those which are worst best And be you assured also that your father loueth not all his children alike and yet he of you whom he loueth least cannot iustly complayne of him Guaz. I giue my father no occasion to vse me worse then the rest and therefore if he should doe it I should haue iuste cause to complayne of him while I liued Annib. You haue reason if he vse you yll mary not though he loue you lesse then he doth some other for inequalitie of loue is permitted to the father but not yll vsage Guaz. How meane you that Annib. A father that is a merchant hath one sonne that is a scholar another a souldiour and an other a merchaunt of those three it is a great chaunce but he will loue the merchaunt best for that he seeth him like to him selfe in life and manners Where in his other sonnes are to beare with him for that by nature we are ledde to like those thinges which resemble vs most mary if he shall not giue them as good alowance for their dyet apparel and other necessaries as he doth to the merchant they shall haue occasion to complayne of him as vniust Guaz. O how hard a thing is it for the father after that partiall passion is once entred into his hart to minister iustice indifferently Annib. The greater is the wisdome of the father who preferring the merites of his children before his owne partiall affection maketh his senses yeelde to reason and sheweth him in deedes alike towardes all I will not denye but that the father by his authoritie ought to distribute his fauoures as he seeth good to one more to another lesse according to the demeanor and doinges of his children for as by gentle vsage he incourageth a childe that is well giuen to doe well so by harde handling hee may bring one that is vntoward to goodnesse yea if he haue any child which is quite past grace without any hope of recouery he may lawfullye not only loue him lesse then the rest but quite cast him out of his fauour like as Aristippus did by a lewde sonne of his and being reproued for it by a friende of his who willed him to consider that his sonne was a collup of his own flesh and came from his Loynes he aunswered That lice and a great many superfluities come from a mans body yet being il they are to be cast away But those fathers are gretly to be blamed who with vniust partialitie and without any reasonable consideration vse one childe as legitimate and the other as a Bastard whereof it followeth that he which is so coursely accounted of doth not only fayle in affection towardes his father but beginneth to fall to secrete warre with his other brother whereby the father whose chiefe office is to establish quiet and concorde amongest his children shall by his vndiscrete and vniust partialitie plante amongst them a roote of continuall discorde * And therefore the Father ought to be well aduised how he preferreth in good wil one childe before another and not to doe it vpon euery light occasion As there are some which will doe it not for anye fault which is in them but for some naturall defect wherein in my iudgement they do much amisse in making their innocent childe beare the punishment of their own imperfections who at the time they did beget him were no doubt possest with
I graunt well that hee which maketh a shewe to loue one to the intent to deceiue him or do him wrong is much too blame and that the Philosopher counteth him worse then a forger of monie for that there can bée no friendship where there is counterfeiting But if for ciuilitie and good manner sake I salute one whom I am acquainted withall without shewing any affection towardes him I ought not therefore to be called a dissembler for that I am mooued to do him honour rather in way of curtesie then of good wil. Besides you knowe that the worlde is full of naughtie men whom wée iustly hate for their imperfections but it is not good to giue them to vnderstande what yll will wée beare them And bethinke your selfe héerein that many are beloued which are not honoured as children who are loued not honoured of their parents and contrariwise many are honored which are not loued as some Princes not well liked of their subiects or some Magistrates which are honoured but not loued of the people And therefore wée cannot oftentimes nor ought not to faile in ciuilitie and curtesie in respect only of our owne duetie For wée are bound to * resalute those which salute vs bée they our inferiours or equals If they be princes or magistrates or our superiours wée ought to doe them honour for the reuerence due to their estate if not for affection I thinke I haue sufficiently shewed the difference betwéene faining and flattering Now I say againe returning to flatterers that they are men of most vile and naughtie nature And though it bée a harde matter as wée haue saide already to discerne a friende from a flatterer yet wée must note that commonly the greater are flattered by the lesser and the more they are in prosperitie the more they are beset with flattterers who alwaies make their repaire thither where profite is to bée reaped Whereof it commeth that Princes are euer besieged by these euill spirites wherevpon Carneades vsed to say that Princes sonnes neuer learne to doe any thing well but only to ryde for that their gouernours and teachers séeke to please them and make them beléeue they are sufficiently séene in thinges whereof they haue no skill at all which happeneth not in ryding their horses for the horse which is no flatterer and which maketh no more accoūt of the great then of the smal throweth them to the ground if they cannot sitte fast in the sadle And therfore we must beware of such persons both for y t they are hurtful to vs because god is displeased with thē And I am in doubt whether bée the greater offence of him that slaunderously reproueth the good or of him that flatteringly commendeth the euill I remember I haue learned long since that God is gréeuously offended to heare one either like to himself discommended or vnlike commended no doubt but it is a great fault through flatterie to commende for one thing for which hée ought of right to bée reproued which is signified vnto vs by the sentence Woe bee vnto you which call the euill good These flatterers are resembled to those which put a pillow vnder our heads and delicate soft Feathers vnder our bodies to make vs sléepe Likewise those are in great fault which flatter of purpose to hurt like as Iudas did And therefore it is written That it is better to bée beaten of ones friende then kissed of his eninimie to wit a flatterer and for the conclusion to commende that in one which is euill is the déede of a deceiuer and a very kinde of treason * And therefore the Emperour Sigismund is worthie commendation who hearing a certaine shamelesse fellowe call him God vp with his fist and gaue him a boxe on the eare and when hée saide why doest thou strike mée Emperour Hée answered why doest thou bite mee flatterer * Guaz. For somuch as you haue plainely shewed vnto mée howe hatefull and hurtful these flatterers are I thinke good they were scored vp amongst the Intollerable * Annib. Nay let vs set them euen chéeke by chéeke by the euill tongued vpon the seate of the tollerable and taking both of thē as friendes let vs take héed of them as enimies and put vpon our head a Helmet to defende our eares from their perillous spéeches remēbring that he which willingly listeneth to flatterers is like to the sheepe y t giueth the woolf suck or to him which leadeth by the hand another who setteth his foote before him to giue him a fall And whē you perceiue these glosing merchants to prayse you and extoll you to the skies desire them of curtesie to let you remaine on earth saying vnto them that if you stand in néede of praise you will praise your selfe or els doe as a certaine Gentleman my friende did who hauing a greate while and with great patience giuen eare to a flatterer which had commended him aboue the Moone saide vnto him in the end I know not what to doe with these praises for if I reiect them I shal accuse you of flatterie if I accept them I shall shewe my selfe desirous of vaine glory therefore like good fellowes let vs part them giue mée the one halfe take the other to your selfe Guaz. But in discretion the Gentleman ought not to haue taken halfe but to haue forsaken all Annib. Nay by your leaue hée shewed great discretion in it for flattery beeing alwayes mixed with some parte of trueth hée was wise to accept the trueth and leaue the lyes to the flatterer * Guaz. I like your opinion well touching the repulse wée ought to giue to suche counterfaite praises but in this point there commeth to my minde a doubt if I mooued by the good wil I beare you and hauing fit occasion ministred giue vnto you in your presence true and due praise which you haue worthily deserued for some déede of yours whether it shal bee your part to reiect it or passe it ouer with silence Annib. For that silence woulde bée a signe of disdainfulnesse or lightnesse I either with Christian humilitie would answere you in referring those praises to God as occasion of all good or else with a Morall modestie I woulde séeke somewhat to extenuate my glory make you or some other partaker of those praises In like manner as Pyrrhus that great Captaine did who beeing returned from warre with spéedy and prosperous victorie and hearing his souldiers call him a couragious eagle answered If I be an eagle you are the cause of it for that with your armes and weapons as it were with feathers you haue vpholden and susteined mée * But it is time to goe out of the conuersation of flatterers and to conclude that hée is happy which neither flattereth other nor suffereth himselfe to bée flattered by others which deceiueth not nor is deceiued whiche neither doeth yll nor suffereth yll to bée done to him Guaz. For so much as the friend and the flatterer haue so great
no man that thinketh so vilely and abiectly of himselfe that hée deserueth to bée scorned And in my opinion besides that it is no good manner to mocke another hée is also in daunger to receiue the like or a greater mocke himselfe For suche a blowe as the Asse giueth against the wall suche a one hée receiueth him selfe And if it bée a fault to floute such as one knoweth it is a greater fault to deride those hée knoweth not whiche some rashe and insolent fellowes vse to doe who as the saying is iudging the horses by the sadles and furnyture * consider not that oft times vnder a clownishe coate is hidden a noble and liuely vnderstanding Annib. A poore Peisant of Montferrat may bée a proofe thereof who comming into the Citie accompanied with certaine women a saucie Citizen saide vnto him Thou hast vndertaken to bring a great many Goates to our market Syr answered hée mée thinkes I haue brought but a few in respect of the great number of Buckes which is there Guaz. I knowe a young man who by his iesture and lookes séemeth to be but a foole and for that cause some make them selues merry at him but I may say to you hée can frame his answeres so fitly and can giue quip for quip so wittily that those which begin the skirmish with him boldly are faine to retyre shamefully Annib. To conclude it is a perilous thing to mock and scoffe at others and as the saying is To anger a Waspe And therefore it is not good to mocke any man in any maner of wyse For if hée bée our better or equall hée will by no meanes abide that wée shoulde abiectly estéeme of him If hée bée our inferiour wée make him thereby to withdrawe his good wil from vs which is an yll matter For wée ought to indeuour to make euery one if it bée possible friendly affectioned towards vs. Now if it fall out that another ouershoote himselfe in talke wée must consider whether it procéede of vnskilfull foolishnesse or of wilfull naughtinesse for the first wée ought to excuse it or discréetely to séeke to hyde it without iesting at it as some scoffing merchantes which are altogether voide of wit vse to doe for as it is an yl thing to make a scoffe at that which is well done so is it a cruell and odious thing to scoffe at that which is yll done by ignorance or ouersight But let vs come to those faultes whiche procéede of vice and which are to be reprehended Guaz. I thinke there is néede of farre more discretion in reprehending those then in the other Annib. So muche the more by howe muche the more daunger it is too deale in good earnest then in iest And though it bee meete for all sortes of men to excuse or couer those light faultes beefore spoken of in all sortes of men yet is it not lawfull for euery one to correct and reprehende the imperfections and faultes of euery man As it is not lawfull for euerie one either for lacke of authorite as for a young man too reprehende an olde or for one of lowe estate one that is of highe calling or else for that hee is sprinckled with the like or with greater imperfections as for an adulterer to rebuke another for lasciuiousnesse or for lying For as the Prouerbe is Hee that mocketh the lame must take heede that hee him selfe goe vpright Likewise wée ought not to presume to correct any others but those with whom either by consanguinitie or by long familiaritie wée haue credite and authoritie To bée briefe in reprehending wée must not onely haue respect to the qualitie of the persons but also of the places and times and to consider both howe wée ought to vse reprehension and howe our friend is disposed to receiue it And therefore it is reported that one saying to another Art thou not ashamed to bée drunken in such sort Hée answered Art not thou ashamed to reprehende one that is drunke◠In like case it were to no purpose but woulde rather make him worse to rebuke a swearer while hee is in his rage and in the presence of others Yet this aduertisement is not enough but to vse déeper discretion in the matter wée must vse an honest kinde of deceite and intermingle with the bitternesse of reprehension the swéetenesse of some prayse Or wee muste blame others for those faultes whiche are in him whom wee seeke to refourme or els reproue our selues as subiect too suche imperfections Finally we ought to reprooue our friende in suche sorte that hee maye take it well and thinke him selfe beeholding too vs for it As some Philosophers in their Morall woorkes haue taughte vs to doo whiche shall suffice touching this pointe Nowe touching other meanes pertayning to the obseruation of the sentence beefore set downe if wee looke thorowely intoo it wee shall finde that all those whiche loue rather too bée then to seeme to bee will vse that foresaide discretion in auoyding all quarrellous contentions and obstinate arguyng in matters whereby a man desirous of that vayne seeming will often times contrarye to all reason seeke to seeme to haue the vpper hande of others Guaz. In my opinion there is nothing that maketh a manne woorse liked of in companie then that Annib. And therefore if hee which speaketh saye the trueth wee ought too contente our selues so well with his woordes as if they were holy Scripture And if hee chaunce too vtter any vntrueth rather then too stande in contention with him so that it no way preiudice vs we ought modestlye too beare with it Obseruing alwayes the rule of Epictere who sayd that in companie wee must yeelde humbly too our Superiour perswade gently with our inferiour and agree quietly with our equall And by that meanes there shall neuer bee any falling out Nowe I meane too tell you howe a manne ought too behaue him selfe in such ceremonies as are requisite in companie Guaz. I should thinke it wisedome to vse no ceremonies at all in companie for so much as they procéede rather of curious vanitie then of faythfull affection and in my iudgement the more a man vseth them the lesse plaine dealing is thought to be in him Wheras on the contrary when you sée one goe plainely to woorke both in woordes and iesture you say by and by that he is a good honest meaning man For my part I weigh it little that my equall hauing the wall of me should goe from it to giue me place I had rather haue him beare me more goodwill and doe me lesse honour And as you cannot but laugh to sée a farre off a number of folke skipping leaping daunsing you hearing no sowne of instrument so it must néedes make you merry to sée a farre two persons vse diuerse iestures and ceremonies of the head the handes the knées and wrying their whole bodie not hearing any woorde they say I will not say vnto you that for one which hath a good grace
will ende this matter concluding that a man cannot doe amisse so that hée honour serue and obeye them and omit nothing that may admit him into their fauour On the other side women ought to consider that men will not bée so readie to doe them honour if in Conuersation they behaue not them selues modestly according to their calling and kinde and dispose not their dooinges in suche sorte that men may like and thinke well of them To bring whiche to passe they are chiefly to take héede of one faulte whiche many of them hardly reframe from that is from talking too much Guaz. Doe not you knowe the Prouerbe that thrée women make a mereat Anniball I knowe also that it is commonly sayde That where is least heart is moste tongue And therefore silence in a woman is greatly commended for it setteth her foorth muche and maketh her thought to be verie wise Yea she must not only haue regard to kéep her tongue but besides to accoÌ„pany her words her laughter her lookes behauiour with such a graue stately maiesty as besemeth a matron which I say because there are in the worlde diuers women both honest vertuous and wittie who cary the name of matrones and yet in their outward behauiour they shew them selues foolishe riggishe and retchles There are other some of them who being good elderly women vse theÌ„selues like young wanton gyrles being women behaue themselues as boldly as men whereby they muche diminishe their credite and reputation Moreouer there are some who coueting to bée counted vnreasonable honest frowne so yll fauouredly and set suche a solemne and sowre countenance on the matter that they make men thinke them rather proude then honest and in stéede of being well thought of they make themselues ill liked of Yea and by that coy clowde the bright shining of their beautie and vertue is ouercast Guaz. Therevpon the Poet saide That in a proper peece many good partes are hid by curious nicenesse which to none as yet good euer did And surely they are muche deceiued in their reckoning which thinke to bée thought more honest by vsing daintie coynesse For they consider not how bountie courtesie are nothing repugnant to honestie but rather alwaies accompanie it Annib. I might héere well speake of many women of our citie who by the lowelinesse of their lookes the comelynesse of their persons the swéetenesse of their wordes the quickenes of their capacitie the modestie of their behauiour and decency of maners make men greatly delighted in their company But for that the time would faile mée to speak namely and sufficiently of them all and that the worthines of some of them is so great that without suspition of enuying their perfection I cannot with silence ouerpasse it I am minded to present one vnto you without naming her vpon whom all the graces and perfections that may bée are abundantly bestowed Guaz. Shée hath great cause to stande vppon her panâ—osles and to thinke her halfe pennie better siluer then other womens Annib. If shée shoulde doe so shée shoulde loose much of that honour and reputation shée hath for that which chiefly maketh men haue her in admiration is that notwithstanding the surpassing excellencie whiche is in her shée maketh no more account of her selfe then other women doe and séemeth to shewe that shée doeth not knowe what good partes are in her So that by this discrete humilitie shée is exalted to higher dignitie and men haue her in the more honour I say then that this Lady in conuersation is singuler and meruellous for of all the noble partes in her you shall sée her make a most delightfull harmony For first to the grauenesse of her wordes agréeth the swéetenesse of her voyce and the honestie of her meaning so that the mindes of the hearers intangled in those thrée nets féele themselues at one instant to bee both mooued with her amiablenesse and brideled by her honesty Next her talke and discourses are so delightfull that you wyll only then beginne to bée sory when shee endeth to speake and wishe that shee woulde bee no more weary to speake then you are to heare Yea shee frameth her iestures so discretely that in speakyng shée séemeth to holde her peace and in holding her peace to speake Moreouer when shee knoweth a matter perfectly and discourseth of it discretely to the great commendation of her witte yet shée wyll seeme to speake of it verie doubtfully to shewe her great modestie She wyll also in talke cast oft times vpon a man such a swéete smyle that it were enough to bryng him into a fooles Paradise but that her very countenance conteineth such continencie in it as is sufficient to cut of all fond hope And yet shee is so farre from solemne lookes and distributeth the treasure of her graces so discretely and so indifferently that no man departeth from her vncontented Yet for all that you must not thinke that shee is ouer prodigall of her curtesie For I can assure you this she winneth moe heartes euen with very slender rewardes then other women doe with the greatest fauours they can possibly shewe And though shee giue good countenance to all yet shee beholdeth them most graciously and who bestowe their tyme in learning or otherwise most commendably in whose company shee taketh singular pleasure whiche is a manifest signe of her vertuous disposition But sée the great wrong whiche enuious fortune doeth to noble mindes in not extolling her to the state and power of a Princes that shée might bée able as well to preferre and bring the vertuous to promotion as shee doeth nowe honour them by bearing them singuler affection I cannot sufficientlye set foorth vnto you the graces and perfections of this most perfect peece but for conclusion I will say that shee may well bee set for an example whereto other women ought to conforme them selues to bee acceptable and well thoughte of in the companie they shall come in Guaz. If I bee not muche deceiued I knowe who it is you speake of and of whom you make this honourable report Annib. I spake but of one and yet yf all the women of this Citie should heare it I am perswaded euerie one would thinke her selfe to be the woman I meant But you may as well bee deceiued in gessing of whom I spake as I may in reading whom you meane Therefore let vs speake no more of it but let eache of vs be content to kéepe his thought secrete Guaz. With a good will But for so much as you haue set downe orders to the conuersation of women and haue produced so rare and so high an example I am partly in doubte whether it bee good for men continually to vse this conuersation and therefore I thinke good you limite in what manner and to what ende weâ— ought to vse it Annib. With all my hearte for by that meanes you giue me ocasion to set conuenient boundes to the conuersation of women I say then
carefull who hauing subdued Spaine vanquished Annibal conquered Afrique thought he had done nothing if he might not see lykewise y e honour and renown of his brother to increase whereof hee was so iealous that he not only procured that he was chosen by the people of Rome for y e exploit of Asia but spoyling himselfe of his owne authority he was content to follow his brother as a man at armes as a priuate Souldyer honoring him openly as Captayne general and counsayling him secretely as a brother he wrought so with him that pricked forward with the honour his brother did him furthered by y e aduise he gaue him incouraged by y e example he before had showne him he won to himself the name of Asiatique to his immortal glory to the people of Romes singuler benefite Guaz. That Asiatique might well say of Africane My father he was in honour my sonne in loue my brother in yeeres And truly this was notable loue worthy eternall memory to the shame of those who are so farre from procuring the honour and aduauncement of their brothers that they reioyce at their misery and misfortune Annib. I could rehearse vnto you many examples of such brothers who through mallice discord haue been so lead awry y e seking continually to disgrace one another they haue shamed thēselues both making some to laugh at thē some to pittie them But it is a thing worthy commendation and admiration to see concorde and amitie surely established amongest brothers so that none of thē go about any thing for their owne priuate cōmoditie but by the consent of the rest for the common honour and aduancement of their house and so long as y e bonde of brotherhood is kuit in such sort it may wel be sayd that the sword which vndid Gordians knot shal not be able to vndoo it To be short there is nothing which so much maintaineth the honour of houses as the agreement amongst brothers here I must say that those houses are far more happy and fortunate where there are many brothers agreeing wel togither then where there is but one only for as no man hath y e force of Atlas to beare vp heauen with his shoulders so there is no burthē so heauy which being sustained by many becommeth not light besides the natures degrees professions of brothers being diuerse all of them referring al their care to the aduauncement of their house they wil like workemen about a building diligently applye themselues to it y e one by learning the other by armes some by temporal or spiritual promotions some by some profitable trade of life or by some other meane al which things cannot be in one man alone Guaz. Now you haue shewed how necessary concord is amongst brothers I would gladly haue you set downe some order of conuersation whereby they maye keepe and mayntaine themselues in concorde Annib. The fourme of their conuersation dependeth first of the prudency and authoritye of the Father who oughte to labour to knit them fast in good wil together to admonish them to honour and ayd one another when afterwards they shal come to yeeres of discretion it is their partes so long as they shal liue in common to beware of appropriating to thēselues any thing particulerly for that besides the offence to Godward y e cracking of their credite there is nothing y t maketh their brothers so soone to fal out with thē as that doth Moreouer it is their parts to obserue y e order of nature so y t the yonger if inequalitie in degree be not let do honor to his elder brother A custome introduced by the Romanes amongst friends much more ought it to take place amongst brothers but for al y t the elder brother is not quite discharged for it is his part to recōpence the humilitie of his yonger Brother w t such good will liberalitie that he may haue the better will to doe him honour It belongeth also to the elder Brother to haue more discretion with him and to beare with his yonger Brother when he shall chaunce to fayle in his duety toward him letting hym to vnderstand his fault in a gentle sorte at conuenient tyme so that his admonition may not be ill taken but be thoughte to proceede of good will whereby his Brother shall beare him the greater affection but aboue all other thinges I thinke it needefull for the maynteynaunce of concorde betweene brothers liuing together that they bee not ouer bolde one with another eyther in wordes or deedes which oft times breedeth debate amongste them but to vse suche modest respecte in their doings that they giue no occasyon of myslyke any waye Guaz. Of the one syde this aduertisement liketh mee well for that ouer broade speeche and too homelye dealing withoute any respect make sometymes so deepe a wounde that the smarte of it beeing intollerable they seeke the reuenge of it with theyr tongues yea and sometymes with their handes but on the other side I consider that in vsing this respect which you spake of the brothers will not dare to vse these reprehensions and admonitions amongst thēselues which you haue proposed for feare of offending one another whereof shall followe rightly that which the Poet sayth He doth not well who doth contende Nor hee who dares not reprehende Annib. I am not of your mynde but in my iudgement it falleth out cleane contrary for the reprehension whiche commeth from a foule mouthed person hath no suche great force and is imputed rather to his naughtye nature then to any desire hee hath to amend his Brother but the admonition which commeth from a discreet man is wel takē the party which receiueth it perswadeth himself it is vpon great cause and of great good will that the other being so wise so honest vseth it But you must not think that in making mention of a modest respecte to bee vsed I meante a distrustfull fearefulnesse whiche maketh vs wee dare not freelye vtter the truth as it is the fashyon towardes Princes Magistrates and other our Superiours for that feare woulde quite quenche out the fyre of loue which is requisit amongst right brothers but I meant that graue and discreete maner whereby we doe honour to others and cause others to doe honoure to vs which letteth vs not to reprehende our friende muche lesse our brother Guaz. Yet I am of opinion there are some brothers which forbeare to do it for feare to offende one another in the same respecte y t seruants are afearde to speake to their maisters Annib. Say rather that want of good will keepeth them from doing it whereof it commeth that one brother seeketh not to amend the other but taketh pleasure to backbyte one another Guaz. Our reuerend brother Bernardin Maccia reader of the Institutes vsed to make mention thereof recounting that he knew two brothers the one a studient y e other a courtyer who though they
of â—hose insupportable paynes long before that Princesse dyed if her exceeding bountye and extraordinary fauoures towards him hadde not kepte him from it And in truth that constraynt to eate to speake and to goe by the mouth by y e tongue and by the feete of others that estate neuer to haue rest eyther of bodye or mynde to loose ones selfe in the seruice of hys Mayster to bee shorte those incommodityes vexations troubles and annoyes rehearsed in a Letter of yours whereof you haue indured in your owne person a greate parte fill vp the Cuppe with so bitter a potion that the smell of it yea the verye rememberaunce of it offendeth nature Guaz. You know well that a man winneth not the wager without running Annib. Yet you knowe there are manye whiche runne but onely one winneth and for one which you see recompensed for his seruice you shall heare a number complayne that they haue consumed their goods and hazarded theyr lyues in the seruice of Princes without gayning other thing then a miserable olde age with 〈◊〉 late repentaunce and 〈◊〉 there are of them which are not made to burste eyther with trauayle or with greefe That Golden Chayne neuer liked mee and I haue alwayes counted all seruice vnsure and myserable vnlesse it were one kinde of seruice of a Spanish â—â—â—tleman who after hee hadde long tyme serued his king made hymselfe a monke wryting forthwith to the king that hee was preferred to the seruice of a greater Prince then hâ—e was of whome hee looked for better wages then hee receyued at his maysters handes These Seruauntes which enter into the Ministerye and Seruice of GOD â—â—e no doubte lâ—uâ— well both the Mayster and the Chayne and they are onelye they amongst all others whiche â—â—â—e in seruing but for that our purpose is â—â— speâ—ke of this earthlye and vncertayne seruice retourning to Gentlemen Seruingmen I graunt that for the most part they loue theyr maysters to whome they are lyke in life in mynde and in manners and therefore they thinke themselues happye when they are in theyr presence and when they haue occasion offered to doe them some acceptable seruice And as the baser sorte of seruaunts withdrawe themselues so muche as they maye oute of theyr maysters sighte to the ende they maye not bee sette aboute anye thing so contrarylye the better sort thinke themselues in greate fauour if they bee oftener imployed by theyr Maysters then theyr Fellowes are Guaz. It is for no other cause that Princes are sayde to be better serued then we are but for that their seruants are Gentlemen and ours are otherwise but I shoulde thinke good you came nowe to shew the maner of conuersation betweene the mayster and the seruaunt Annib. Let vs alwayes follow the rule obserued by vs in our discourses first let vs shew the occasion of the discorde and inconueniences which arise euery day amongst theÌ„ and afterwards we will seeke the meane to make all well and to agree them togither Guaz. I thinke we haue already declared one occasion of it when we made mention of the difference betweene theÌ„ in life and maners Annib. You say true but as that occasion is common to the maister and the seruaunt for here are two others whereof the one dependeth of the maister the other of the seruaunt To the one it belongeth to commaund to the other to serue so that if eyther of them fayle in their charge there groweth betweene them trouble and disorder The mayster committeth a fault when he knoweth not howe to commaund and therefore the Philosopher sayde well That it behooueth the Mayster firste to knowe how to commaunde those thinges which the seruaunt oughte to doe but it is not so easye a matter to know howe to commaunde as it is to be a mayster Guaz. You must then prescribe vnto the mayster the maner of commaunding Annib. The manner is set downe if that he set seruice before commaunding that is if he learne to serue before he begin to commaunde Guaz. I am of that mynde for I thinke it a matter impossible that he should know how to play the mayster well who neuer had mayster and for that cause I woulde not chaunge the Duke my Maister for the Emperour for being vsed euen from his infancy to doe continuall seruice fyrst to king Henry and then to king Frauncis and king Charles his children and successors in the kingdome and knowing of what importaunce it is to possesse as well the hearts as the persons of his seruauntes he vseth a wise and a gentle kinde of commaunding ouer his Gentlemen And of the seruice which he doth himselfe I haue noted two good effects the one in that induring much trauayle both in mind and bodye he knoweth by himselfe the payne of his owne seruauntes by reason whereof mooued with pittye hee beholdeth them with a more gracious eye and commaundeth them more gentlye The other for that notwithstanding he is a greate Prince and maye liue at his ease his seruauntes seing him serue continuallye are stirred vp by his example to render him obedience making no account of the payne whiche they indure in his seruice Annib. To say the truth he sheweth himselfe so worthye and courteous a prince that he hath mo seruauntes thorowout all Europe then in his owne court but these times are so vnfortunate that there is no Homer to sette forth the doinges of such an Achilles Nowe returning to the faulte of Maysters we will say once agayne that those onlye knowe well how to commaund which know well howe to obaye And for that few maysters can doe that there are founde almost in euerye house maysters that are vndiscreete proude fantasticall and insolent which intreate their seruauntes no otherwise then if they were slaues speaking imperiously to them being not content vnlesse they see theÌ„ tremble in their presence vsing no speech vnto them but full of terrifying threatning and reuiling Guaz. Of such manner of dealing it commeth that seruantes though good and sufficient begin to growe naught and to wax cold in goodwill and negligent in duty towardes their maisters but those maisters are more vndiscreet which braule and chide with their seruauntes before straungers whereby in my minde they make the straungers thinke they are scarse welcome to their house and besides spite thereby their seruants the most of any thing in the world For profe whereof when a seruaunt seeketh a maister he neuer inquireth whether he be couetous or of an ill life but whether hee be cruell and hard to please Annib. Those are yet worse which speake to their Seruauntes with their handes who belike haue been beaten by their maysters if they haue serued and therefore they will reuenge it vpon their seruaunts or else perchaunce they perswade themselues that their seruauntes can not helpe them selues with their Poignadoes whereof I saw an example at Padua Truely there is nothing that angreth me more then that for I cannot but thinke very ill
some infyrmitie of minde or body * Guaz. I cannot abide the foâ—ly of some fathers who make some one of their children their darling and minion without seing any towardnesse in him in the world being not ashamed to let euery man know their fond and causelesse doting Annib. The Ape whiche had two yong ones at a litter whereof shee loued the one and cared nothing for the other was vpon occasion driuen to flie from her denne and hauing taken that which she loued in her armes and tied the other at her back in running she stumbled agaynst somewhat which made her fall and agaynste the harde grounde to kill her young one whiche shee hadde in her armes and loued so well but the other whiche was at her backe hadde no harme at all whereby a man may see that the Father oft tymes doth pennance for his doting and fonde offence for that for the moste parte those children which are moste made of fall out the worste Yea it often falleth out that the children of the right side by reason of their wanton and delicate bringing vp proue doltes fooles and simple sots whereas contrariwise those which come in at the backe doore beeing banished from their fathers house and driuen to shifte for themselues doe often times by their owne industrye and trauayle auaunce themselues to suche estate that they are in better case then their father and their lawfull brothers to whom ofte tymes they afoorde ayde and succour in their distresses Guaz. Wee may boldlye say then that the iniustice of the father breedeth disagreement betweene his children him howsoeuer that vnequall loue doth which I proposed Annib. Yea hardly but for that wee made mention of a merchaunt the father of Doctorâ—s scholers thervpon there commeth in my head an other occasion which breedeth iars betweene the father and the child which is when the father is inferiour in calling to the sonne as for example if y e father be an ignorant man or a plaine fellow of the countrey the sonne be learned or a braue courtier you shal find great difficultie to make these two agree together for the father according to his nature and his calling giueth his minde to base and vile things either knoweth not or esteemeth not y e highe degree of his sonne And though he speake nothingâ— of it yet hee is ill pleased in his minde to see his sonne keepe his Grauitie conuenient for his estate and to be so sumptuous in his Diet and apparell and hadde rather he woulde conuerte his gayne into Landes Cattell or some other commodity There are other some who are not so foolish but they knowe the worthinesse of their Children and what belongeth to their estate yet for that they are inferyoure to them they are greeued in their harts at it so that they labour alwayes to withstande both in word deed their preferment On the other side you shal see the sonne eyther for that he seeth his father not to account of him as others doe or for that he seeth him leade a filthy life being neuer desirous to come out of the myre withdraweth his affection from him and woulde not by his will haue him come at anye time into his sighte for that hee thinketh he doeth dishonour him and if hee bee not so wicked to wishe his death yet at leaste hee is well apayde when he seeth him for some sicknesse or infirmitie layd vp in some bye corner of the house Guaz. To this purpose I hearde talke the other daye of a wretch so miserable that he would neuer agree y t his sonne being a Doctor should keepe a man to wayte vpon him so that hee was fayne when hee wente abrode to retayne a poore man that dwelt by to follow him in steede of a man and one morning staying for his man at the gate to wayte on him to Masse and being very late the father bethinking himselfe of his owne miserablenesse and seeing how hardlye his some was bestead put on his Cloake and sayde vnto him Goe your waye to masse and I will followe you thinking that his sonne was suche a foole to accepte his offer and to shewe himselfe abroade in such shamefull forte Annib. I thinke he offered to wayte vpon his sonne rather for that he would not giue his poore neighbour his dinner then for any shame he had of his owne misery or respect of his sonnes honesty Guaz. Now we are fallen vpon this Example I woulde gladly know of you in this difference of degree and calling which ought to go formost of the father or the sonne Annib. This doubt hath been alredy decided by Taurus the Philosopher who being visited by a Romane President and by the Father of the sayd President and being only one chaire set while they were bringing another he desired the Father to sit him downe who answered that his sonne ought to sit first for that he was President but for al y t he requested him still to sit downe and that he woulde afterwarde shewe which of the two ought to haue the vpper hand The Father being set and afterwardes the sonne he gaue this sentence That in publique places and affayres the father being a priuate person ought to giue place to the sonne who is appoynted in office as he who presenteth the maiestye of the Prince or common wealth but otherwise in priuate places and at the assembly and meeting of friends the publique authoritie must giue place to the fatherly iurisdiction Guaz. By vertue of this sentence the father to the Doctour of whom we spake should that morning going to masse haue made his sonne follow him in his long gowne for that as then he was not in any office but only a Doctor whiche would haue been a goodly sight and haue made euerye one laugh at it albeit it had been but reason Annib. If this were to be laughed at the example of Sempronius Gracchus Consull of Rome was to be marueyled at who to keepe his state in publique meeting on Horsebacke his Father Q. Fab. Maximus the Proconsull commaunded his Sergeauntes to goe againste him and cause him to alight which he did quickly liking the better of his sonne for that he knewe so well to maintaine the maiestie of the Romane Empyre But to returne to our matter there is one occasion yet remaining of the disagreement betweene the Father and the childe whiche is when the Father will neuer suffer his children to come foorth of their infancy Guaz. How vnderstande you that Annib. Mary when eyther thorow the authoritie of olde age or thorow ambition or couetousnesse or too good opinion in his own sufficiencie the father is so desirous of keping his paternall iurisdiction that though his children bee ariued to mans estate and be perfectly accomplished euery way yet he will alowe them neither more liuing nor more liberty then they had when they were children Guaz. I thinke they haue iust cause to bee mal contents who
knowing themselues to be sufficient meÌ„ and to be so taken of euery man are neuerthelesse vsed by their father like children and therefore I cannot blame them greatly if in stead of louing him they complaine of death for delaying the execution of that iudgement which so long before was pronounced agaynst him To which purpose I know a gentleman who hath liued this fourty yeeres vnder a most rich father who is so miserable that he maketh him dispaire and to say often to his companions that hee is a foole to liue so long and that it is now high time for him to goe to another world adding that his liuing will do him no good when it falleth into his handes for that by course of nature he shall be constrained to forgoe it againe Annib. A certayne countrey fellowe vsed to say that he gat by his labour euery day fiue loaues of bread and being asked how he distributed theÌ„ answered in this sort One I keepe for my selfe another I throw away another I pay home and the other two I lend foorth being requested to expounde his riddle he sayd I take one for my selfe I call away another in giuing it to my stepmother I restore home one to my father and two I lend to my childreÌ„ By this example more noble then rustike both children ought to learn to be louing and gratefull to their father and fathers to be liberall to their children remembring that in their age and necessity that which they haue lent vnto their children shall be restored by their children wherto the fathers we but now spake of haue had no regard and a man may well say that they are doating old that they are become children agayn and quite voyd of iudgement Guaz. If y t come by the fault of age I will not say that such men were wel worthy to dwell amongest the Caspians who when the father is arriued to the age of threescore and ten kill him presently and giue him to beastes to eat but I wyll say that they ought to acknowledge their insufficiency and want of iudgement and to referre the ordering of their house and liuing to their chyldren who are of discretion to deale in suche waighty matters If couetousnesse bee the cause of it they ought to consider that it is a shamefull thing in olde folke of all others for there is nothing more absurde or without reason then for a man to make greate prouision for his iourney when hee is almoste at hys iourneyes ende so that if they haue heaped vp their wealth for themselues why a little of it will serue their turnes but if they haue trauayled for their children it is meets they shoulde lette them haue it so soone as they are of dyscretion to knowe how to vse it If the 〈◊〉 growe of ambition the poore soules oughte to take a patterne by Princes rulers who seeing their children fit to gouerne the people gladly resigne vnto them their estates realmes and Empyres whereof wee haue manye examples If they presume too muche of themselues let them learne to knowe that chyldren now adayes are borne wyse And as menne lyue not so long in these dayes as they did in tymes past so they grow to perfection sooner now then they did heretofore Annib. It is harde for these olde folke to take â—ny profite by these good admonitions for that their vyces by length of tyme haue taken too deepe roote in them to bee pulled vp yet we will not cease to aduise the father if hee render the well doing and aduauncemente of his childe to allowe hym wyth discretion some libertye in matters of the house suffering him somtime to inuite to welcome and make his companions good cheeres to giue intertainment to strangers and as occasion shall serue to vse the goodes of the house to serue his turne but aboue all thinges he must both by example by admonition keepe from entring into his hart vnsatiable couetousnes which maketh men wicked and vniust or at least neuer suffereth theÌ„ to liue in â—est quiet especially y e father whiche is a gentleman who ought to haue in his minde that king who comming into his sonnes lodgeing and seing there many peeces of plate whiche hee before had giuen him sayd vnto him I see well thou hast no princely minde with thee seing of so many thinges which I gaue thee thou hast yet made thee neuer a freind so that the father ought to stirre vp his sonne to liberall and gentlemanly deedes mary yet so that now and then if he bee not otherwise affayred hee learne to play the good husbande and see to thinges about home whereby he shall be able to conserue and augment his estate and keepe himselfe from falling into decaye hereof will rise at the least three good effectes The first is the loue of the sonne who seing his father withdrawe hym selfe by little and little from the gouernment of the house to the intent to put him in his roome receiueth thereby wonderfull contentment thinketh himselfe in his minde much bound vnto him and not only honoureth him but wisheth him long to liue on earth The second is the commodity of the sonne who by this meanes after his fathers death shall haue no neede to seeke counsayle and ayd at his freindes and kynsfolkes handes nor to put himselfe to the discretion of his seruantes for the ordering of his house hauing by the goodnesse and foresight of his father all thinges long before in his owne hands so that the gouermnent of his house shal not to be straunge or troublesome vnto him as it is to many when they haue lost their father The third is the sweet rest and contentment which the father inioieth in his old yeeres both for y t he feeleth himselfe rid of all incombrance vexation and besides seeth his sonne by his example gouerne his house orderly For my part I count it the greatest felicity in the world for a man to haue about him a number of goodly children whiche are growne to perfection whom hee may well terme the lyght of his eyes * and the staffe of his age * and I marueile nothing that the most prudent dame Cornelia shewed to her neighbour that asked for her chaines iewels her learned and vertuous children and methinkes it must needes be a greater comfort to y e father to see a proofe of his childe and how discreetly he can dispose of his liuing and order his househould then to doe it himselfe now when the father shall be arriued to the Hauen of such happinesse and consolation methinkes he may ioyfully looke for the last houre of his life and dye most contentedly Guaz. It is no question far better to make place for their children of their owne accord then to stay till they must needes do it spite of their teeth Like as Ptolomei did who gaue y e Realme of Aegipt to his sonne saying that a Realme was nothing so honourable nor