the other side is nought els but discention and debate of many men together And surely the propretie of good thynges is suche that the broder they bene spredde the more profyte and commoditie cometh of them Farther if the loue of one singular person with an other be so swete and delectable howe great shuld the felicitie be if realme with realme nation with nation were coupled together with the bande of amitie and loue On the tother syde â—he nature of yuelle thynges is suche that the farther they sprawle abrode the more worthy they are to be called yuell as they be in ded Then if it be a wreched thing if it be an vngratious thynge that one man armed shuld fight with an other how moche more miserable how moch more mischiuous is it that the selfe same thynge shoulde be done with â—o many thousandes to gether By loue and peace the small thynges increaâ—e and waye great by discorde and debate the great thynges decaye and come to nought Peace is the mother and nource of all good thynges Warre sodaynly and at ones ouerthroweth destroyeth and vtterly fordoth euery thynge that is pleasant and fayre and bryngeth in amonge men a monstre of alle mischeuous thynges In the tyme of peace none other wyse than as vere the lusty spryngynge tyme shulde shewe and shyne in mens busynesses the feldes are tylled the gardeyns and orchardes fresshely florysshe the beastes pasture meryly gaye manours in the contreye are edyfyed the townes are buylded where as nede is reparations are done the buildynges are highted and augmented ryches increaceth plesures are nourished the lawes are executed the common welthe flourysheth religion is feruente ryghte rayneth gentylnesse is vsed craftis men are busylye exercised the poore mens gaynes is more plentifull the welthynes of the ryche men is more gay and goodly the studies of most honeste lernynges florishen youthe is well taughte the aged folkes haue quiette and reste maidens are luckely maryed mothers are praysed for brynginge forth of chyldren like to their progenitours the good men prospere and do well and the yuell men doo lesse offence ¶ But as soone as the cruel tempest of war cometh on vs what mâ—â—â—chief coâ—â—meth of warre good lorde howe greatte a floud of mischeues occupieth ouerfloweth and drowneth all to gether The fayre hirdes of beastes are dryuen a way the goodly corne is trodden downe and distroyed the good husbande men are slayne the villages are burned vp the moste welthy cities that haue florished so many wynters with that one storme are ouerthrowen distroyed and brought to naughte so moche more redyer prompter men are to do hurte thâ—â— good The good citezens are robbed and spoyled of theyr goodes by cursed theues and mourtherers Euery place is ful of feare of waylynge complaynynge lamentynge The craftes men stande idell the poore men must eyther dye for hunger or fall to stealynge The ryche men eyther they stande and sorowe for theyr goodes that be pluckte and snatched frome theym orels they stande in great doute to lose such goodes as they haue lefte theym so that they be on euerye syde wo begonne The maydens eyther they be not maryed at all or els if they be maryed theyr mariages are sorowfull and lamentatable Wyues beynge destitute of theyr husbandes lye at home withoute anye frute of chyldren the lawes are layde asyde gentylnes is laughed to scorne ryghte is clene exiled religion is sette at nought halowed and vnhalowed thynges al is one youthe is corrupted with al maner of vices the olde folke they wayle and wepe and wysshe them selfe out of the worlde there is no honour gyuen vnto the study of good letters Finally there is no tonge can telle the harme and mischief that we feele in warre ¶ Perchaunce warre myghte be the better suffred if it made vs but only wretched and nedy but it maketh vs vngratious and also ful of vnhappynes and I thynke Peace lyke wyse shulde be moche made of and it were but onely bycause it maketh vs more welthy and better in our lyuynge Alas there be to many all redy ye and mo then to many mischiues and yuelles with the whiche the wretched lyfe of man whether he wyll or no is continuallye vexed turmented and vtterly consumed ¶ It is nere hande two thousande yere sithe the phisitians had knowlege of thre hundred dyuers notable sickenesses by name besyde other small sickenesses and newe as daylye sprynge amonge vs and be syde aege also whiche is of it selfe a sikenes ineuitable ¶ We rede that in one place whole cities haue ben destroyed with erthe quakes We rede also that in an other place there haue ben cities al to gether brente with lightning howe in an other place whole regions haue ben swallowed vp with openyng of the erth townes by vndermyninge haue fallen to the grounde so that I nede not here to remembre what a great multitude of men are dayly destroyed by dyuers chaunces whiche be not regarded by cause they happe so often as sodayne breakynge out of the see and of greatte flouddes fallynge downe of hylles and houses poyson wylde beastes meate drynke and slepe One hath ben strangled with drynkynge of a heare in a draughte of mylke an other hath ben choked with a littel grape stone an other with a fishe bone styckynge in his throte There hath bene that sodeyne ioy hath kylled out of hande for it is lesse wonder of them that dye for vehement sorowe Besyde all this what mortal pestilence se we in euery place There is no parte of the worlde that is not subiecte to peryl and daunger of mans lyfe whiche life of it selfe also is moste fugitiue So manyfolde mischaunces and yuels assayle man on euerye syde that not withoute cause Homer dyd say Man was the most wretched of al creatures lyuynge ¶ But for as moche these myschaunces can not lyghtly be eschewed nor they happe not through our faute they make vs but onelye wreched and not vngratious withall What a pleasure is it than for them that be subiecte all redy to so many miserable chaunces willyngely to seke and procure them selfe a nother myschefe more than they hadde before as thoughe they yet wanted myserye Ye they procure not a lyghte yuell but suche an yuell that is worse than al the other so mischiffull that it alone passethe all the other so aboundante that in it selfe alone is comprehended all vngratiousnesse so pestilente that it maketh vs all a lyke wicked as wreched it maketh vs full of all misery and yet not worthy to be pitied ¶ Nowe go farther and with al these thynges consider that the commodites of Peace spreaden them selfe mooste farre and wyde and pertayne vnto many men In warre if there happen any thynge luckely but o good lorde what may we saye happeth well and luckely in warre hit perteyneth to verye fewe and to theym that are vnworthye to haue it The prosperitie of one is the distruction of an other
furious violence They diuise harneys suche as it is to fense them with They inuente weapons to distroy theyr ennemyes with Thus nowe by fewe and fewe nowe with greatter company and nowe armed they begyn to fighte Nor to this manifeste madnes they forgette not to gyue honour For they cal it Bellum that is to sey a fayre thyng ye and they repute it a vertuous dede if a man with the ieoperdie of his owne lyfe manlye resiste and defende from the violence of his enmies his wyfe chyldren beastis and householde And by lyttell and lyttell malice grewe so great with the high estemyng of other thinges that one citie beganne to sende defiance and make warre to an other countreye ageynste countrey and royalme ageynste royalme And though the thyng of it selfe was theÌ„ most cruel yet al this while there remained in theÌ„ certayn tokeÌ„s wherby they myght be knoweÌ„ for men For such goodis as by violeÌ„ce were taken awey were asked and required ageyne by an heralde at armes the goddis were called to wytnes ye and whan they were ranged in battayle they wolde reason the matter er they fought And in the battaylle they vsed but homely weapons nor they vsed neyther gyle nor disceyte but onely strength It was not lefull for a man to stryke his ennemie tyll the signe of batayle was gyuen Nor it was not lefull to fyghte after the sownynge of the retreate And for conclusion they fought more to shewe theyr manlynes and for preyse than they coueted to slee Nor all this whyle they armed them not but ageynste straungers the whiche they called hostes as they had ben hospites their guestis Of this rose empires of the whiche there was neuer none yet in any nation but it was gotten with the greatte shedynge of mans bloudde And sith that tyme there hath folowed continuall course of warre whiles one eftesones laboureth to put an other out of his empire and to set hym selfe in After all this when the empyres camme ones in to theyr handes that were most vngratious of all other they made warre vppon who so euer pleased theym nor they were not in greattest peryll and daunger of warre that had moste deserued to be punysâ—hed but they that by fortune hadde gotten great riches And now they made not warre to gette preyse and fame but to gette the vile mucke of the worlde or els some other thynge far worse then that I thynke not the contrarye but that the greatte wyse manne Pythagoras ment these thynges when he by a propre diuise of philosophie feared the vnlerned multitude of people from the sleinge of sely beaâ—tis For he perceyued hit shoulde at lengthe come to passe that he whiche by none iniurie prouoked was accustomed to spille the bloud of a harmeles beaste wolde in his anger beynge prouoked by iniurie not feare to slee a man Warre what other thyng els is it than a coÌ„mon manslaughter of many men to gâ—ther a robbery the which the farther it sprawleth abrode the more mischeuous it is But many grosse gentylmen nowe a dayes laugh merily at these thinges as though they were the dreames and dotynges of schole men the whiche sauynge the shappe haue no pâ—ynte of manhoode yet seme they in theyr owne conceyte to be goodis And yet of those begynnynges we see we be rounne so farre in madnesse that we doo noughte elles alle oure lyfe dayes We warre continuallye nation with nation royalme with royalme cytie with cytie Prince with prince people with people ye and hit that the heathen people confesse to be a wyckedde thynge cousyne with cousyne alyaunce with alyaunce brother with brother the sonne with the father ye and that I esteme more cruelle thanne all these thynges a Christen manne ageynste an other manne And yet farthermore I wolle saye that I am very lothe to doo whiche is a thynge moste cruell of all one christen man with an other christen manne Oh blyndenesse of mannes mynde at those thynges no man marueyleth no manne abhorrethe theym There be some that reioyce at theym and preyse theym aboue the moone and the thynge whiche is more thenne dyâ—yllyshe they calle a holye thynge Olde menne croked for age make warre pryestes make warre monkes gone forthe to warre yea and with a thynge so dyuyllysshe we myngle Christ. The batayles raunged they encountre the one the other bearynge before theym the signe of the Crosse whythe thynge alone myghte at the lâ—aâ—te wyse admonysshe vs by what meanes it shoulde become christen men to ouercomme But we ronne heedlonge eche to dystroye oher euen from that heuenly sacrifyce of the auter wherby is represented that perfecte and ineffable knytâ—ynge to gether of al christen men And of so wicked a thynge we make Christe bothe auctour and wyttenes Where is the kyngedome of the dyuelle yf hit be not in Warre Why drawe we Christe into warre with whome a brothell howse agreeth more then warre Sayncte Paule disdayneth that there shoulde be any so great discorde amonge christen men that they shoulde nede any iudge to discusse the matter betwene them What and he shoulde come and beholde vs nowe through all the worlde warrynge for euerye lyghte and trifelynge cause stryuyng more cruelly then euer dydde any hethen people and more cruelly then any barbarous people Yea and ye shall see it done by the auctoritie exhortations and furtheringes of those that represent Christe the prince of peace and very byshoppe that all thinges knytteth together by peace and those that salute the people with good lucke of peace Nor it is not vnknowen to me what these vnlerned people wyll say a good whyle sens ageinst me in this matter the whose wynnynges aryse of the common yuels They saye thus We make warre ageynste our wylles for we be constrayned by the vngratious dedes of other We make warre but for our right And if there come any hurte therof thanke theym that be causers of it But lette these men holde theyr tongues a whyle and I shal after in place conuenient aâ—oyde all theyr cauilations and plucke of that false visour wherwith we hyde all our malice But firste as I haue aboue compared man with warre that is to say the creature most demure with a thynge mooste outragious to the intent that cruelnes myght the better be perceyued So wyll I compare warre and peace to gether the thynge moste wretched and moâ—te myschieffull with the beste and moste welthy thynge that is And so at laste shall appere howe greatte madnes it is with so greatte ruffelynge with so great laboures with suche intollerable expences with so many daungers and extreme perylles with so many calamities affectionately to desyre warre where as agrement myght be bought with a farre lesse price Fyrste of all what in all this worlde is more sweter or better then amitie or loue Truely nothynge And I pray you what other thynge is peace then amitie and loue amonge many men lyke as warre on
pleasure of a fewe persons They that the prince fauoureth are lifted vp alofte and they that be in his displeasure go downe They exacte as moche money as pleaseth them What nede many wordes Then they thynke theym selfe that they be the greateste pryncis of the worlde In the meane season the capytaynes they sporte and playe to gether tyl they haue gnawen the poore people to the harde boonis And thynke ye that hit wyll greue them that be of this mynde to entre lyghtly in to warre whan any cause is offered Besydes all this it is a worlde to se by what meanes we colour our faute I pretende the defence of our religon but my mynde is to gette the great riches that the Turke hath Vnder colour to defende the churches ryght I purpose to reuenge the hatred that I haue in my stomacke I inclyne to ambition I folowe my wrathe my cruell fierce and vnbridled mynde compelleth me and yet woll I fynde a cauillation and say the leage is not kept or frendshyppe is broken or some thynge I wotte not what my selfe concernynge the lawes of matrimony is omitted And it is a wonder to speake howe they neuer opteyne the selfe thynge that they so greatly desyre And whiles they folishely labour to eschue this michiefe or that they fall in to an other moch worse orels into the same And surely if desire of glory causeth them thus to do it is a thynge moche more magnificent and glorious to saue then to destroy moch more gay and goodly to builde a cite than to ouer throwe and destroye a citie ¶ Farthermore admitte that the victorie in batayle is gotte most prosperously yet how small a porcion of the glorie shall go vnto the prince The commons woll clayme a great part of hit by the helpe of whose money the dede was done outlandishe souldiours that are hired for money woll challenge moche more then the commons The capitaynes loke to haue very moche of that glorie and fortune most of all whiche strikynge a great stroke in euery matter in warre may do most of all If it come of a noble courage and stoute stomake that you be moued to make warre se I pray you how farre wyde be ye from your purpose For whyles ye woll not be seen to bowe to one man as to a prince your neyghbour peraueÌ„ture of your aliaÌ„ce which may fortune hath done you good howe moche more abiectly muste ye bowe your selfe what tyme ye seke aide and helpe of barbarous people ye and that is more vnworthye of suche men as are defiled with all mischiuous dedes if we must nedes call suche kynde of monsters men Whiles ye go about to allure vnto you with fayre wordes and promisses rauyshers of virgines and of relygious women menkyllers stout robbers and rouers for these be the speciall men of warre And whyles you labour to be some what cruell and superiour ouer your equall you are constrayned to submitte your selfe to the very dregges of all men lyuynge And whiles ye go aboute to dryue your neyghbour oute of his lande ye muste nedes fyrste brynge into your owne lande the most pestilente puddell of vnthryftes that can be You mistrust a prynce of your owne aliance and wyll you committe your selfe holly to an armed multitude Howe moche surer were it to committe your selfe to concorde ¶ If ye woll make war bycause of lucre take your countours and caste And I woll saye it is better to haue warre than peace if ye finde not that not alonely lesse but also vncertayne wynnynge is gotte with inestymable costis ¶ Ye say ye make warre for the safe garde of the common weale ye but no way sooner nor more vnthryftyly may the comon weale peryshe then by warre For before ye enter into the feld ye haue alredy hurt more your countrey then ye can do good gettynge the victorie Ye haue wasted the citisens goodes ye fyll the houses with lamentation ye fyl al the contray with theues robbers and raâ—yshers For these are the relikes of warre And wher as before ye might haue enioyed al France ye shyft our selfe besydes many regions therof If ye loue your owne subiectes truely why reuolue you nat in mind these wordes Why shall I put so many in theyr lusty floryshing youth in all michefes perils Why shal I departe so many honest wyues theyr husbandes and make so many fatherles childreÌ„ Why shal I claime a title I knowe not a doubtful right with spilling of my subiectes blode We haue seen in our time that in war made vnder coloure of defence of the church the pristes haue ben so often pylled with demes that none ennemye myght do more So that whyle we go about folishely to eschewe falling in the diche we willyngly leape hedlonge into the diche while we can not suffre a light iniurye we afflicte our selfe with moste greuous despites While we be ashamed of gentilnes to dowe to a prynce we be fayne to please peple mosâ—Ì„ base Whyles we vndescretelye coueite libertie we intangle our selfe in moste greuous bondage Whyles we hount after a litel lucre we greue our selfe and ours with inestimable harmes It had ben a point of a prudent chrysten man if he be a true christen man by all maner meanes to haue fled to haue shoned and by prayer to haue withstanden so fendly a thynge and so farre boothe from the lyfe and doctryne of Chryste But if it can by no meane be eschewed by reason of the vngratiousnes of many men when ye haue assayed euery way and that ye haâ—e for peace sake lefte nothynge vnsoughte vp than the nexte way is that ye do your diligence that so yll a thynge may be geâ—ted and done by them that be yll and that it be atcheued with as lyttell effusion of mans bloudde as can be Now if we endeuour vs to be the self same thynge that we here our selfe called that is good chrysten men we shall lyttell esteme any worldly thynge nor yet ambiciously couet any thynge of this worlde For if we set all our mynde that we may lyghtly and purely parte hence if we inclyne holly to heuenly thynges if we pyâ—che all our felicite in Christe alone if we beleue all that is truely good truely gaye and glorious truelye ioyfull to remayne in Christe alone if we throâ—ghly thynke that a godlye man can of no manne be hurte if we pondre howe vayne and vanishynge are the scornefull thynges of this worlde if we inwardely beholde howe harde a thynge hit is for a man to be in a maner transformed in to god and so here with continuall and vnfatigable meditation to be purged from all infections of this worlde that within a while the huske of this body beinge caste of it may passe hence to the company of angels finallye if we surelye haue these thre thynges with out whiche none is worthy of the name of a christen man Innocency that we maye be pure frome
BELLVM ERASMI translated into englyshe LONDINI IN AEDIBVS THO. BERTHELETI AN. M.D.XXXIII CVM PRIVILEGIO Dulce bellum inexpertis IT IS BOTHE an elegante prouerbe and amonge al other by the writynges of many excellent auctours ful often and solempnely vsed Dulce belluÌ„ inexpertis that is to say Warre is swete to them that know it nat There be some thinges amonge mortal mens businesses in the whiche how great danger and hurte there is a man can not perceyue tylle he make a profe The loue and frendshyppe of a great man is swete to them that be not experte he that hath had therof experience is aferde It semeth to be a gay and a glorious thynge to iette vp and downe amonge the nobles of the courte and to be occupied in the kynges busynes but old men to whom that thing by long experieÌ„ce is wel knowen do gladly absteyne them selfe from suche felicitie It semeth a pleasant thyng to be in loue with a yonge dammo sell but that is vnto theym that haue not yet perceyued howe moche grefe and bytternes is in suche loue So after this maner of facion this prouerbe may be applied to euerye busynes that is adioyned with great peryll and with many euyls the whiche no man wyl take on hande but he that is yonge and wanteth experience of thynges Aristotle in his boke of Rhetorike sheweth the cause why youthe is more bolder and contrary wyse olde age more fearefull for vnto yonge men lacke of experience is cause of great boldnes and to the other experieÌ„ce of many grefes ingendreth feare and doubtynge Then if there be any thynge in the worlde that shulde be taken in hande with feare and doubtynge ye that oughte by all maner meanes to be fledde to be withstaÌ„de with prayer and to be cleane auoyded verily it is warre than whiche nothynge is eyther more wycked or more wretched or that more farther of distroyeth or that nere hand cleâ—eth sorer to or dothe more hurte or is more horrible and brefely to speke nothyng dothe worse become a man I wol not say a christen maÌ„ then warre And yet it is a wonder to speake of howe nowe a dayes in euery place howe lyghtly and howe for euery trifelynge mattier it is taken on hande howe outragiously and barbarously it is gested and doone not onely of hethen people but also of christen men not onely of seculer men but also of pristes and byshops not only of yonge men and of them that haue none experience but also of old men and of those that so often haue hadde experience not only of the commons and moeuable vulgare people but mooste speciallye of the princis whose duetie had bene by wysedome and reson to sette in a good order and to pacifie the light and hasty mouinges of the folishe multitude Nor there lacke neyther lawyers nor yet diuines the which put to theyr fyre brandes to kendel these thinges so abomynable and they encorage them that els were colde they priuely prouoke those to it that were wery therof And by these meanes it is come to that passe that warre is a thynge nowe so well accepted that men wonder at hym that is not pleased therwith It is so moche approued that it is counted a wycked thynge and I had almoste sayde herisie to reproue this one thynge the whiche as it is aboue al other thynges moste mischiefful so it is most wretched But howe more iustly shulde this be wondred at what euyl spirite what pestilence what mischiefe and what madnes put firste in mannes mynde a thynge so beyonde measure beastly that this moste pleasant and reasonable creature man the whiche nature hath brought forth to pece and beneuolence whiche one alone she hath brought forthe to the helpe and succour of al other shuld with so wylde woodnes with so madde rages ronne heedlonge one to distroye an other At the whiche thynge he shall also moche more meruayle who so euer wold withdraw his mynde from the opinions of the common people and woll turne it to beholde the very pure strengthe and nature of thynges and woll aparte beholde wel with philosophicalâ—ies the image of man on the tone syde and the picture of warre on the tother syde Then first of al if one wold coÌ„sider wel but the behauour shap of maÌ„s body shal he not forthewith perceyue that Nature or rather god hath shaped this creature not to warre but to frendshyppe not to distruction but to helthe not to wronge but to kyndenes and beneuolence For where as nature hath armed al other bestis with their owne armure as the violence of the bullis she hath armed with hornes the ramping lion with clawes to the bore she hath giueÌ„ the gnashiÌ„g tuskes she hath armid the elephaÌ„t with a long truÌ„pe snoute besyde his great huge body and hardnes of the skynne she hath fensed the Locodrill with a skynne as harde as a plate to the Delphin fyshe she hath gyuen fynnes in â—tede of a dart The Porcopin she defendeth with thornes the ray and thornebacke with sharpe prickels to the cocke she hath giuen stronge spurres Som she fenseth with a shel some with a harde hyde as it were thycke lether or barke of a tree Some she prouideth to saue by swyftnes of flyght as douues And to some she hathe gyuen venome instede of a weapon To some she hath gyuen a moche horrible and owgly loke she hath giuen terrible eies and grountynge voyce And she hath also set amonge some of theym continual discention and debate Man alone she hath brought forth all naked weke tender and without any armure with most softest fleshe and smothe skynne There is nothynge at all in all his membres that maye seme to be ordeyned to warre or to any violence I wolle not seye at this tyme that where all other beâ—stis anone as they are brought forthe they are able of theym selfe to gette their foode Man alone cometh so forthe that a longe season after he is borne he dependeth all together on the helpe of other He can neyther speake nor goo nor yet take meate he desyreth helpe alonely by his infant crieng so that a man may at the leest way by this coniect that this creature alone was borne al to loue and amitie whiche specially increaseth and is faste knytte together by good turnes done eftesones of one to an other And for this cause Nature wold that a man shuld not so moche thanke her for the gyfte of lyfe whiche she hathe gyuen vnto hym as he shulde thanke kyndnes and beneuolence wherby he myght euidently vnderstande hym selfe that he was all to gether dedicate and bounden to the goddis of gracis that is to say to kyndnes beneuolence and amitie And beside this nature hath gyuen vnto man a countinance not terrible and lothly as vnto other brute bestis but meke and demure representynge the very tokens of loâ—e and beneuolence She hathe gyuen hym amiable eies and in them assured markes
of the inward mynd She hath ordeined him armes to clyp enbrace She hath gyuen hym the wytte and vnderstandynge to kysse wherby the very myndes and hartes of men shulde be coupled to gether euen as thoughe they touched eche other Vnto man alone she hath gyuen laughyng a token of good chere and gladnes To man alone she hath gyuen wepynge teares as it were a wedde or token of mekenes and mercy Ye and she hathe gyuen hym a voyce not thretnyng and horrible as vnto other brute beâ—tes but amiable and pleasant Nature not yet content with al this she hath gyuen vnto man alone the commoditie of speche and raysonynge the whiche thynges verily may specially bothe gette and noryshe beneuolence so that nothynge at all shulde be done amonge men by violence She hath indewed man with hatred of solitarynes and with loue of company She hath vtterly sowen in man the veâ—y sedes of Beneuolence She hathe so doone that the selfe same thynge that is moste holsome shulde be mooâ—te â—wete and delectable For what is more delectable than a frende And ageyne what thynge is more necessarie Moreouer if a man myght leade all his lyfe moste profytably withoute any medlynge with other men yet nothyng wold seme plesant without a felowe except a man wolde caste of al humanitie and forsakyng his owne kynd wold become a beaste Besyde al this Nature hath indewed man with knowlege of liâ—eral sciences and a feruent desire of knowledge whiche thynge as it doth moste specially withdrawe mans wyt from all beastly wyldnes so hath it a speciall grace to get and knyt to gether loue and frendshyp For I dare boldely sey that nother affinitie nor yet kynrede doth bynde the myndes of men to gether with â—trayter and surer bandis of amitie than dothe the felowshyppe of them that be lerned in good letters honeste studies And aboue al this nature hath diuided among men by a merueylous varietie the gyftes as wel of the soule as of the body to thintent truly that euery man might fynde in euery synguler persone one thyng or other whiche they shuld other loue or preise for the excellency therof or els greatly desyre and make moche of it for the nede and profyte that cometh therof Finally she hath indowed man with a sparke of a godly mind so that though he see no rewarde yet of his owne courage he delyteth to do euerye man good For vnto god it is mooste propre and naturalle by his benefyte to do euery bodye good Els what meaneth it that we reioyce and conceyue in our myndes no lyttell pleasure when we perceyue that any creature is by our meanes preserued More ouer god hathe ordeyned man in this worlde as it were the verye image of hym selfe to the inteÌ„t that he as it were a god in erth shuld prouide for the welthe of al creatures And this thiÌ„g the very brute bestis do also perceiue for we may se that nat only the tame bestis but also the liberdis lions and other more fierce and wylde when they be in any great ieoperdie they flee to man for succour So man is whan all thyngis faile the laste refuge to all maner creatures He is vnto them all the verye assured aulter and seynctuarie I haue here peynted oute to you the ymage of man as welle as I canne On the other syde if it lyke you ageynste the figure of man let vs purtraire the facion and shap of warre Nowe then imagin in thy mynde that thou doste beholde two hooâ—tis of barbarous people of whome the loke is fierce and cruelle and the voyce horrible the terrible and ferefull rustelynge and glysteryng of theyr harnes and weapons the vnlouely mourmour of so howge a multitude the eies sternely menassyng the blody blastis terrible soundes of trumpettis clarions the thondryng of the gonnes no lesse fearefull than thonder in dede but moche more hurtefulle the woode crie clamour the furious and mad runnyng to gether the outragious slaughter the cruel chances of theym that slee and of those that are stryken downe and slayne the heapes of slaughters the feldes ouerflowen with bloudde the ryuers dyed redde with mans bloudde And it chauncethe often tymes amonge that the brother fyghteth with the brother one kynsman with an other frende ageynst frende and in that coÌ„mon furious woodnes ofte tymes one thrusteth his weapon quyte through the body of an other that neuer gaue hym so moche as a foule worde Verily this tragidie conteineth so many mischeues that it wold abhorre any mans harte to speake therof I wyl lette passe to speake of the hurtes whiche are in câ—mparison of the other but light and commune as the tredynge downe and distroying of the corne al about the burnynge of townes the villages fired the dryuynge aweye of cattell the rauysshynge of maydens the olde men ledde forthe in captiuitie the robbynge of churches and al thynges confounded and full of theftes pillages violence Nother I woll not speake nowe of those thinges whiche are wonte to folowe the mooste happye and moste iuste warre of all The poore commons pilled the nobles ouer charged so many olde men of their chyldren bereued ye and slayne also in the slâ—ughter of theyr chylderne so many olde women destitute whome sorowe more cruelly sleeth then the weapon it selfe so many honest wyues become wydowes so many chyldren fatherles so many lamentable howses so many ryche men brought to extreme pouertie And what nedeth it here to speake of the distruction of good maners sithe there is no man but he knoweth ryght wel that the vniuersal pestilence of al mischeuous lyuynge procedeth at ones of warre Therof cometh despysynge of vertue and godly lyuynge herof cometh that the lawes are neglected and not regarded hereof cometh a prompte and a redy stomake boldly to do euery mischeuous dede Out of this fountayne springeth so houge great companyes of thenes robbers sacrilegers and mourderersâ— And that is mooste greuouse of all this mischieuous pestilence can not kepe hir selfe â—ithiâ— hir boundes but after it is begon in â—â—m one corner it doeth not onely as a contagâ—ous disease sprede abrode and enfecte the couâ—treyes nere adioynynge to hit but also it draweth in to that commune rumble and troublous busynesse the countreyes that be verye farre of eyther for nede or by reason of affinitie or elles by occasion of some leage made Ye and more oâ—er one warre springeth of an other of a dissembled warre there comith warre in dede of a very smal a right great warre hath risen Nor it chancethe often tymes none other wyse in these thynges thenne hit is feyned of the monstâ—â— whiche laye in the lake or poâ—ddell called Lerna For these causes I trowe the olde poeâ—is the whiche most sagely perceyued the power and nature of thynges with most mete feyninges couertly shadowid the same haue left in wrytynge that warre was sent out of hel and that by the labour of the
elbowes are so sharpe and piked Where haddest thou those scales Where haddest thou those brasen teethe Of whence are those harde platis Whence are those â—eedly weapons Fâ—o whens cometh to the this voyce more horrible then of a wylde beaste What a loke and countinâ—nce hast thou more terrible thaÌ„ of a brute beast Where haste thou gotten this thonder and lâ—ghtnynge bâ—th more fearefull and hurtefuâ—le then is the verye thonder and lyghtenynge iâ— selfe I fourmed the a goodly creature what came in thy mynde that thou woldâ—â—â—e thus trâ—nâ—â—ourme thy selfe in to so 〈◊〉 and so bâ—astly facion that there is no â—rute â—easâ—e so vnreasonable in comparyson vnto man These wordes and many other suche lyke I suppose she dâ—me nature the worker of al thynges wolde say Tâ—en sith man is suche as is shewed before that he is that warre is suche a thynge lyke as to ofte we haue felte and knowen it semeth to me no smalle wonder what yl spirite what disese or what myshappe first put into mans mynde that he wolde bathe his mortalle weapon in the bloudde of man It muste nedes be that meÌ„ mounted vp to so greatte madnes by dyuers degrees For there was neuer man yet as Iuuenall sayth that was sodenly moste vngratious of all And alwaye thynges moste worste haue crept in amonge mens maners of lyuynge vnder the shadowe and shappe of goodnes For somtyme those men that were in the begynnynge of the worlde ledde theyr lynes in wodes they went naked they had no walled townes nor howses to put theyr heedes in it happed other whyle that they were sore greued and distroyed with wylde beastis Wherfore with them fyrste of all meÌ„ made warre he was estemed a mighty stronge man and a capitayne that coude best defende mankynd from the violence of wilde beastis Yea and it semed to theym a thynge mooste egall to strangle the stranglers and to slee the sleers namely whanne the wylde beaste not prouoked by vs for any hurte to them done wolde wylfully sette vppon vs. And so by reason that this was counted a thynge mooste worthy of preyse for hereof it rose that Hercules was made a god the lufty stomacked yonge men beganne all aboute to hunte and chace the wylde beastes and as a token of theyr valyant victorie the skynnes of suche beastis as they slewe were sette vp in suche places as the people might beholde theym Besydes this they were not contented to slee the wylde beastes but they vsed to weare theyr skynnes to kepe theym from the colde in wynter These were the fyrst slaughters that men vsed These were theyr spoyles and robberies After this they went so ferforth that they were bolde to do a thynge whiche Pythagoras thoughte to be very wycked and it myghte seeme to vs also a thynge monsterous if custome were not whiche hath so great strength in euerye place that by custome it was reputed in som countreys a moche charitable dede if a man wolde whan his father were very olde first sore beate hym and after thruste hym heedlonge into a pytte and so bereue hym of his lyfe by whome it chaunced hym to haue the gyfte of lyfe It was counted a holy thyng a man to fede on the fleshe of his owne kyns men and frendes They thought it a goodly thynge that a virgin shulde be made coÌ„mon to the people in the temple of Venns And many other thynges more abhominable theÌ„ these of whiche if a man shoulde nowe but onely speake euery manne wolde abhorre to here hym Surely there is nothynge so vngratious nor nothynge so cruelle but men woll holde therwith if it be ones approued by custome The wyll ye here what a dede they durste at the laste do They were not abasshed to eate the carcases of the wylde beastis that were slayne to teare the vnsauery flesshe with theyr tethe to drynke the bloudde to sucke out the matter of theym and as Ouide sayth to hide the beastes bowels within their owne And although that at that time semed to be an outragious dede vnto them that were of a more mylde and gentyll courage yet was it generally allowed and all by reason of custome and commoditie Yet were they not so content For they went from the sleinge of noysom wylde beastes to kylle the harmeles beastes and suche as dyd none hurte at all They waxed cruell euery where vppon the poore shepe a beaste without fraude or gyle They slewe the haare for none other offence but bicause he was a good fatte dysshe of meate to fede vppon Nor they forbare not to kyl the tame oxe whiche hadde a longe season with his soore labour nourysshed the vnkynde householde They spared no kynde of beastis of foules nor of fysshes Yea and the tyranny of glottony went so ferforth that there was no beaste any where that coude be sure from the crueltie of man Yea custome persuaded this also that it semed no cruelnes at all to sice any maner of beast what so euer it was so they aâ—steyned from manslaughter Now perauenture it lyeth in our power to kepe out 〈◊〉 that they entre not vpoÌ„ the maners of men in lyke maner as it lyeth in our power to kepe out the see that it breke not in vpon vsâ— But whaÌ„ the see is ones broken in it passeth our power to restreyn it within any bouÌ„dâ—s So eyther of them both ones let in they wyll not be ruled as we wolde but ronnne forthe heedlonge whither so euer theyr owne ragâ— cariâ—â—h them And so after that menne had bene exercised with suche begynnynges to slaughter wrath anon entysed man to set vpon man eyther with staffe or with stone â—â—â—lles with his fyste For as yet I thynke they vsed none other weapons And nowe had they lerned by the kyllynge of beastes that man also myght sone and easily be slayn with lyttell labour But this cruelnes remaâ—ned betwyâ—te singular persones so that yet was there no great nombre of men that fought to gether but as it chanced one man ageynste an other And besyde this there was no smalle colour of equitie if a manne slewe his ennemie ye and shortely after it was a great preyse to a man so slee a violeÌ„t and a mischeuous manne and to rydde hym out of the worlde suche dyuelysshe and cruelle caytyues as men saye Cacus and Busiris were For we see playnely that for suche causes Hercules was greatly preysed And in proces of tyme many assembled to take parte to gether eyther as affinitie or as neyghbourheed or kynred bounde them And that that is nowe robberye was then warre And they soughte then with stones or with stakes a lyttell burned at the endes A lyttell ryuer a rocke or suche other lyke thynge chaunsynge to be betwene theym made an ende of theyr battayle In the meane seson whiles fiersnes by vse increaseth whyles wrath is growen great and ambition hotte and vehement by ingenious crafte they arme theyr