banishment that was the first occasion to such meanes of being memorable In like manner Hemâ—… of Richmond being for his interest in the Crowne by that monster of men and Kings RICHARD the third found by his euen carriage and vvell tempered moderation such fauour and loue in the Courts and hearts of forraine Princes as that being strengthened with their strengths and encouraged by his owne right and vertue he not onely returned to challenge but to recouer his owne and to purge the Land of so intollerable mischiefe as the gouernement of that cruell vsurper and bloudy King had made it sigh vnder Happy banishment in so glorifying that Prince Happy Prince in so disposing that banishment for it is certainely true that not any accident of misfortune as the world accounts but the minde of the patient in suffering or not suffering makes it a misery If examples be of any force as they must be by the president of former times to instruct the present then may Pompey for greatnesse Affricanus for Counsell Hanyball for courage and Ouid for wit tell vs that banishment doth not alwayes happen to miserable men except their owne impatiencie worke their owne calamitie In short a VVise and Noble man by what hath beene said may consider what might more haue beene said to the building in this life this structure of the Golden Meane against the stormes and infelicitie of being a banished man since a wise man resolued in all trials is neuer confined within the limits of place but vpon all necessary occurrents doth repute himselfe euen in his birth to be the worlds Citizen Heere yet followes Imprisonment which often happening to men of great place and qualitie is not thought the least kinde of miserie which men of such mindes doe with their bodies restraint locke vp and imprison all the best faculties of their reason forcing Reason to be a slaue to Fortune and rewarding the excellent dignitie of the soule with the corruption of Iudgement and Nature Such a man as is kept within the inforcement of restraint must imitate that Daedalus whom the auncient Poets faine to haue wings with which he fled from that inaccessible Castell where he was detained with his son Icarus a prisoner The Morall cannot but giue matter of note and application lcarus the son betokens or may betoken the incapacitie of mens bodies and Daedalus the quickenesse of minde both which being the one with the other imprisoned the one which is the body personated in Icarus for want of moderation falls into the attempt of escape the other which is the minde pattern'd in Dedalus conquers aduersitie by flying from it in bearing it The GOLDEN MEANE super at ferendo tryumphs on the rigour of imprisonment by the freedome of a noble minde To a man arm'd in his extremities often trials are but as many often praises and euery triall giues a seuerall crowne of commendation in bearing many troubles with one and the selfe-same resolution If the vse of imprisonment be but onely a little made vse of it will be found that there is no means vnder the ordinances of Heauen so auaileable for a man to consider the miserie of greatnesse as the feeling the miserie so mistermed of imprisonment Men accompanied with the imployment of worthy thoughts are neuer lesse idle then when they are alone neuer more seriously busied then when they are onely busied and haue time so to be busied with remembring that they are men not that such a remembrance should cast them lower then the consideration of frailtie but raise them higher then the acting of folly not to depresse the motions perswading temperance but to rectifie the perswasions mouing to vertue Hee is stronger that conquers his owne passions then hee that after winning many Countries becomes a passionate conquerour The life of instruction is reading and leisure the life of reading and a retired restraint the life of leisure which restraint is onely terrible in being called imprisonment One that for a great some of money would pledge himselfe to liue in a chamber a yeâ—…re or two or seauen will not thinke such an indurance a misery because the hope of gaine doth lessen or rather annihillate the seuerity of that iniunction Miserable men and Miserable mankinde that will vndertake such an affliction for bettering of their temporall estates which being imposed for the bettering of the estate of their reason and iudgment they account insufferable Basenesse of Nature that suffers that for greedinesse which being had is not certaine one houre to be possessed and yet will in the same kinde forgoe that which being once possest is neuer lost O the furniture of the minde vvhich being indeede the true lasting and onely best Riches variety of bookes are sweet companions and plenty of noble thoughts happy recreations If I be a prisoner I will either talke with my Library or sport with my thoughts since one being learned will proue sure instructers the latter being Noble vvorthy delights A man that is restrained from liberty hath the liberty of retaining his owne worthynesse as worthily may be seene in Massinissa vvho being made captiue to Scipio told him thou must SCIPIO qd he enioy the benefit of thy fortune by taking from me my life or of thy mercy by loâ—…sing my bondes Take my life thou freest mee from bondes free mee from bondes thou bindest mee in bondes of loue but if thou lettest me liue a cap tiue know Scipio I haue a heart that did neuer nor euer can seele seruile captiâ—…ty It is certaine that such as see their friends in bondage and in durance who haue Noble mindes see them and see them not they see them as men but not as they are more then men Imprisonment is an excellent preparation to goodnesse since euer after in all fortunes a man that hath beene a prisoner may knovv by himselfe hovv subiect a humane estate is to the brittlenesse of alteration and he that doth not much amend his errors by this kinde of triall is neither destined to be an attemptor of any notable vertue or a desire of any vertuous note It is a milde Tutor to teach as vvell how to gouerne as how to serue for he who can serue aduersitie with meekenesse can guide prosperitie with discretion Hee who is a prisoner hath herein great cause to finde his friend for such as are ingaged in a promise of loue that loues not the person for his fortune will shew likewise that they feare not his misfortune because they loue his person The saying is old and verified in this age of the VVorld that a man may haue many friends and yet little friendship but here a man shall soone be taught to distinguish the difference betvveene friendship and friends although it is not to be vrged that therefore it is fit that euery one who vvould know truely his friends should make himselfe or bee made a prisoner but that euery one beeing a prisoner should then haue fit time to know
extremities that doe many times assault the temper of a Noble vertue it shall not much differ from the purpose and present to point at With men of Honour and Nobilitie the chiefe misfortunes that can or doe vsually happen are either Disfauour Neglect forfeite of Estate Banishment Imprisonment or Death The remedies against all which shall easily in perticular bee subserted Disfauour often times comes either through Priuie malice selfe-vnworthynesse Enuie or sometimes through the variablenesse of an vnguided Prince inclination To each 〈◊〉 those a wise man may and a good man will soone apply a medicine and in thaâ—… a recouery To deserâ—… the grace of a Prince is anâ—… honorable happines yoâ—… is not the losse of it being once deserued a misery especially to wise men since vvise men may bee made subiect but neuer subiects to misery calamity may exercise but not ouersway their vertues misfortune may bee an vsurping tyrant to paine them but neuer a receiued soueraigne to command them If the Prince his gracious fauour be lost through the priuie malice of some who fill the eares of Maiestie with the disâ—…ord of slander and vntruth grounded vpon the sandy foundation of vncertaine discontent or dishonourable reuenge then hath a wise Noble man out of those very wrongs strong arguments to perswad his reason that there is much reason why hee should be perswaded to moderation for being innocent of any voluntary action or intent that might make his faith questionable or his seruiâ—… dangerous or his merit 〈◊〉 lesse value then a voyâ—… of generall commendaâ—… hath formerly 〈◊〉 his owne cleerenesâ—… may euer rest vpon the vnmoued pillars of his ownâ—… Noble integritie Where a man in grace with his Soueraigne falls from it by a selfe-vnworthynesse it is far otherwise vndoubtedly whosoeuer is so impoisoned with the diseases of his minde or the infirmity of his body hath great principal causes to moue him to seeke for remedy against the dispertion of the one the asperâ—…ion of the latter To this â—…elfe-unworthynes either in â—…inde or body may be reâ—…erred Ambition the Moâ—…her of disloial plots practises Discontent the Nurse 〈◊〉 conspiracies Couetousâ—…es that kindling fires with the fuell of Monopolies is inforced to quench them with the teares of disgrace and that which soone followes thereon Contempt â—…aine-glory or Pride which whiles with Pompeys minde it cannot brooke the title of a superiour is with Pompeys fortunes cast down beneath the pittie of their equals Faction vvhich like foolish flye in the candâ—… labours her owne deaâ—… with other diseases 〈◊〉 many to be tediously rected or to this self 〈◊〉 through the infiâ—…mitie of the body which more especially consists in action may bee referred Ryot in all men a madnes in Noble men a blemish and to good Princes most displeasant or Quarrelling which euer brings danger with too late repentance or Wantonnesse the ouerthrow of many goodly kindreds and familyes or Scurrilitie with other such like Since when mention was made of the unworthiâ—…esse of body it is not any defect in Nature or naturall proportion but in manners outwardly acted For many times it is commonly seene that where Nature hath fail'd in some parts of the outward man shee hath oftentimes supplyed those wants with a pregnancy of minde A president whereof is not to borrow of auncient Histories euen in the CHRONICLES of our present memories in the person of ROBERT the late Earle of SALISBVRY a man whose vneuenes 〈◊〉 shape was perfected with the perfect furniture of 〈◊〉 reaching and industrioâ—… wit So was the crookedness of Aesape made straight in the sweetnes 〈◊〉 his inuention And Scorates that odde man of Athens is said to haue said of himselfe that education Art in him had changed the course of Natures vnfurnished workmanship Of these and such imperfections of body 〈◊〉 is not heere intended but of such as by their owne selfe-vnworthines in body in minde often in both doe loose the intrest their Blood Birth and Noblenesse being noble indeed by those both hath in their Princes opinion A remedy against self-unworthinesse must be found out in a selfe-reformation which being sincerely performed the follyes of the past times belong not to the reformed If one should call such a one as hath bin knowne for a notorious robber Theefe being certainely sorrowfull penitent and accomptable for all his errours in that kinde doubtlesse it were much indiscretion in the Agent to speake so to him more in the Patient to esteeme it as spoken of him since wise and good men as they do not repute those things theirs which they haue not done so must they neither acknowledge for theirs which they now presently doe not Non vocamus â—…nostra quae non ipsi fecimus at quae non ipsi facimus as the right sence of the olde Verse contayneth So then Hath a great PEERE loft his Princes fauour because he deserued to loose it let not this deiect or caft him downe in mind since as by a change from good to worser hee forewent his Princes loue or rather his Princes louehim So yet by a change from bad to better he still is worthy of a repossession of that loue though hee repossesse it not And what worth cannot be seen by the publique little eye of the great world by reason of his being clouded from the Sunne of his life and glory his Prince let it bee so much the more seene by the priuate great eye of his own little world euen himselfe and his owne comforts and teach him to know the difference betweene a great and a good man the one preferring vertue onely for greatnesse the other preferring greatnesse for the greatnes of vertue onely Another cause which not seldome procureth disfauour from the Prince is that old enimie to desert Enuy who is so auncient a Courtier and so tryed in the passages of all ages that such a man as is in fauour with his Soueraigne deseruing so to be and imagining himselfe to bee without the compasse of Enuy is too securely in that security too simply armed against his owne ruine Heere now is a broad path leading or more truely teaching the ready course to the excellent meane of Temperance and Moderation Euery man ought to reioyce and solace himselfe in his owne perfections for it is as beast-like not to know his proper value at all as it is diuellish to know it too much Humble-Pride is a proud humilitie and such as exercise it with innocence rather then curiositie doe but shew the difference betweene a nobly and generous and a basely fantasticall Nature Whereby then should a man be perswaded that he is an imbracer of vertue more then in that hee is prosecuted by the restlesse venome of the enuious Hath this secret mischiefe displaced any desertfull fauorite of the benefite of the fauour royall assuredly hee hath little cause to distaste it any thing or to be moued from the
of folly is a worke of more praise then the working of folly is a cause of disgrace What misery can it then be to be eased of that care which onely brings care in the possession Of all mischiefes the greatest mischiefe is to be a rich man with a rich mans minde There is no more reason why a meerely couetous man should loue Gold but for that it is yellow or faire Pastures because they are greene and so hath the enuious much more reason to Coâ—…uer abundance of wealth because other men should want it A couetous miser is rightly a malicious consumer for in heaping for himselfe he consumes the maintenance of the needy yet it is to be noted that plenty is not alwayes to be dispraised if the hauing of it doe noâ—… procure a scarcitie But what losse is so great in a worldly estate considering how weake it is more then in opinion which a wise man should not beare with moderation It is a misery to want but a greater misery to haue too much but for a good man to hugge the loue of abundance that he should imagine the losse of it should make him miserable I must conclude this point that he hath neither goodnes nor resolution if goodnesse his content should be his best estate if resolution his want cannot be esteemed the worst pouertie since extremity is a singular teacher to learne vs that we are men and that there is both a diuine power and a prouidence aboue vs the one consisting in being a God the other in hauing a God-head The difference between a wise man reformed by counsell and instruction and an ignorant man informed in will and folly is that the wife will make good vse of all aduersity when the ignorant thinks all aduersitie intollerable This is proued in the greatnes of a Noble courage when it is enforced to forsake either vpon publike disgrace or some priuate causes the comforts of his friends and Countrie which men of low hearts doe account a misery of mischiefes and reckon that banishment is a bad kinde of torture It may not be denied but that such may be the vnworthinesse of the action for which a man is banished that his owne conscience will in all places be a tormentor to his memory and then the wound which he beares with him can neuer by change of place or time be wholy cured Such a one another of this latter times well compared to the wounded Doe in Virgill who as the Poet sayes fled ouer Hils and Mountaines to escape death but all in vaine for still in her sides the Bow-mans killing Arrowe sticks So those men who haue the arrow of some mischieuous art piercing their afflicted hearts although they be banished from the place where they haue committed villanie yet they doe but goe from it they cannot forget it They flie the detraction of their sin but cannot shunne it or if they could shun the deed as they cannot what can that auaile when the doer is the man himselfe In good men who through diuers misfortunes are sequestred from their natiue Countries vpon wrongfull or sleight occasions it is nothing so for to them if they rightly as beeing good they will instruct themselues in the first rules of wisedome all Countreyes are a home A noble and free resolution is a stranger no where in which respect men perfectly wise are said to be perfectly valiant since as true wisedome is perfect vallour so is true vallour perfect moderation Many men haue abandoned their Countries made themselues voluntary exiles vpon a desire and greedy hope of gaine or better prosperitie such haue beene the Romans Romulus and Aeneas of the Patauynes Antenor of the Britaine 's if the history bee of credite euen our owne Brute yet truely the end of those men was noâ—… vvay glorious for they may more rightly be called fugitiues and 〈◊〉 then exiles or trauailers He deserued well of the Common-vvealth of Athens who hauing instituted excellent lawes for thâ—… state publique tooke Oatâ—… of the Magistrates thaâ—… his lawes should be dayâ—… and duely practised 〈◊〉 his returne from a iourneâ—… vvhich hee vvas to vndertake the oath being receiued the good man freely liued banished from his Country neuer returning that for the safety of his Country his lawes might â—…ee kept inuiolable Yet â—…as this wise man so farre in this banishment from reproofe that his action and memory in his action will neuer be forgotten Of all accidents that can happen to a prepared minde this of banishment hath little cause to trouble the quiet calme of a steady resolution It is often seene that sundry persons for rarities sake for morall instruction in complement or in behauiour willingly some times trauaile into forraine lands and there spend their time for three sixe tenne yeeres or more with great delight taking pleasure and content in so growing old Euen so 〈◊〉 like manner let a good man resolue him selfe thaâ—… this hard word of banishment is but a iourney of pleasure into some outlanding country not proposing or limitting to the minde a time of comming backe but alwayes minding some fit imployment why hee should goe as if â—…ee were but Ambassador from his owne to some vnknowne Prince and with what dishonor can an Ambassadour be blemished who in the seruice of his Soueraigne leaues his life as a pledge of his dutie It may be in the bondes of Nature some man will esteeme it an heauy misfortune to forsake or as in the vvorst sence they terme it to be thrust from the fruition of the comfort of his Friends Children Allyes and Kinsfolkes such a thought can no more moue the temper of a resolued minde theâ—… it should doe if hee were to leaue the world since in dying and in being banished heere is the difference that the one necessitie is commanded by an vnchangeable decree from Heauen the other by a seuere imposition of man both being a seueration of old friends What a madnesse were it in any to repute death being thereto naturally called a misery Euen so let him thinke of banishment and withall compare the great fortunes that some haue attained vnto in that estate of 〈◊〉 with the possibilitie of his owne THOMAS MOVâ—…RAY Duke of Norffolke in the Reigne of RICHARD the second being by the said King by reason of the Kings youth and indiscretion and in regard of some other differences between Mowbray and other Princes of the bloud vpon an appeale of Treason banished was so far from being heerewith deiected that adding practise to the noblenesse of his courage hee vndertooke a glorious warre in the land of Palestine against the common enemie of God and Truth the Turke and willingly made his bloud a sacrifice to the redemption of his Fame Happy man that sought out death with victorie before that death could make him vnhappy by finding him out with ouerthrow Happy banishment which hath beene the meanes of such a memory and happy cause of
how hee is esteemed Imprisonment is not of such vertue in it selfe that men should seeke to be prisoners thereby to be happy but being by casualtie enforced vpon any the vse thereof may be so happy that hee who is imprisoned may not think himselfe miserable Euen as hee who being followed by the memory of some euill act though he haue his body at libertie yet is still imprisoned in the guilt of his 〈◊〉 So hee that reformeth the crookednesse of his condition by the imitation of goodness though his body be imprisoned hath by the selfe-same reason the freedome of the minde Imprisonment is a gentle sickenesse not to kill but to chasten the patient and as men naturally proud may be humbled but will neuer be humble so men of a meeke condition may be launced for the recouery of health but not wounded to the hastening of death which a Wise and Noble man well fore-casting may arme himselfe against reputed miseries and amongst them all against this one of imprisonment that whensoeuer it should come to him it should come to him rather to exercise then to ouerthrow him Finally amongst such men whose reason is ouerswayed by nature Death is reckoned for a misery and is to them a misery indeed but to others guided by the refined light of Iudgement it is esteemed as it is the onely remedie and securest ease against misery Death to a wiseman cannot come vnlooked for nor to a good man vnwisht for since the wise knowing that they must die know likewise that resolution is the best comfort to welcome death and the good being confident of their owne innocencies desire the change of a better life He that will ouercome affliction by sufferance beare calamitie with courage weary out feare with hope let him be resolute that the worst of trials is death and for that be armed whensoeuer it shall come and be ready to imbrace it If a Noble or a Wise man after disfauour of his Prince neglect of his Countrey forfeiture of his Estate banishment from his Friends imprisonment of his Person or any other esteemed extreames bee threatned with the losse of his head or execution in any manner certainely hee hath great cause to reioyce for he is not worthy to see any end of his sorrowes who is not prepared to meet it with a merry heart The end of all sorrowes is Death if the party to die be truely reconciled to his God and to his conscience The old Poets did fitly faine Death to be the childe of the Night and Sleepe to be the Sister of Death wisely including that as Night and Sleepe wrap vp all in stilnesse so should Death more perfectly finish the course of euils by burying them in a graue neuer to arise And no doubt but heerein Death and Night haue much affinitie that as the Night is fearefull because darke but sweet because giuing rest So is Death in his shaddowe which is the night of opinion before it comes full of horrour but in substance which is the quickening to a better life when it comes full of ioyes It may be here obiected that to die for some supposed offence by an enforced death is scandalous and therefore miserable But it may be answered that such an obiection betokens but the feare of frailty For if it be examined we must consesse that the houre of death â—…uen to them that most â—…oke for and desire it is â—…ncertaine and they cannot be so prouided at an â—…stant as others that â—…now the instant when they are to suffer Heerein men destined 〈◊〉 death for some offence â—…re as it may seeme â—…ore happy in their end â—…hen they are vnhappy in their disorder of liuing â—…hat hath brought them 〈◊〉 that end Men appointed to die knowing the time certain haue reason and no doubt doe accordingly fit themselues to forsake and cast off all those parts and thoughts that might make them mortall then others who onely dreame of a dying time but not resoluing that they draw neerer to the time are many times suddenly taken in the fulnesse of their filthinesse and in the high tide of acting vnlawfull pleasures or abuses and here surely betweene the manner of dying the last is most fearefull since the former knowing the minute in which they are to depart from the World doe by the stroake of Iustice enioy that benefit which wise and good men doe in mercy sigh and hope for Death is a happy Hauen and men shipwrackt in the Sea of this earth cannot but couet it It is a safe Inne and men poasting in the iourneyes of wearinesse cannot but seeke it It is a path to blessednesse and such as are good will finde it It is a banquet of all goodnes and such as be blessed haue found it Hee is vnworthy to liue that is not worthy inough to dye and hee is not vnworthy to dye that hath liued worthily The woman that demaunded of Iupiter that hee would giue to her two sonnes the greatest happinesse that could bee bestowed from heauen on men had the same night her sonnes both dead as if the greatest humane felicitie were to bee freed from beeing humane To conclude for something hath beene said of this before he which will wisely and nobly practise the obseruation of the Golden Meane and shew the greatnesse of Vertue in extreames must keepe truce with his passions prepare his courage with this resolution that Misery is no Misery for that is onely a misery which is lasting and thought so and reputed misery is not lasting because death out vveares it is not thought so because death vvill finish it in the resoluing on the one Wisedome will proue a Noble minde in the other Noblenesse will patterne out a wiseman for moderation in extreames make perfect both In the view of vvhat hath beene said vnder the titles of a wise and a Noble man are comprehended all men of all degrees and fortunes whose Vertues doe make them wise as their wisedome doth make them Noble For vvisedome consisteth not onely in gray heads but in a steady prouidence hovv to doe and Noblenesse consisteth not onely in an Honorable race but in a prudent resolution what to doe Wisedome informes the minde and NOBLENESSE commends the actions in somuch as euery one who can act wisely and deliberate Nobly squaring his resolution to resolue steaddinesse in both fortunes may of merrit be inrolled amongst the memorable and bee remembred by the desertfull to bee truely wise because Noble to bee perfectly Noble because wise FINIS Sixe Miseries that may befall a Noble man 1 Disfauor Priuie Malice 1. cause of Disfauour Selfe-vnworthynes 2. cause of Disfauour Enuy the 3. cause of Disfauour The Princes inconstancy the last cause of Disfauour Quinquennium Neronis Of Neglect Forfeiture of Estate Of Banishment Lipsius Of Death