prosperitie vse the counsell of our friendes and euen then to giue them more authoritie ouer vs then at any other time to th' end that they may boldly tell vs our owne and stoppe our eares against flatterers who may easily deceiue vs. For in all seazons men carrie this estimation of themselues that they are worthie praise but most of all in prosperitie in which time it is a harde and difficult matter to finde any who doth not willinglye attribute vnto him selfe the cause of his owne felicitie And there is no seazon wherein men doe sooner forget god then when they haue attayned to some high estate So that miserie is Phisick because it bringeth men to know themselues To bee well conceipted of ones selfe and to beleeue lyers and flatterers causeth men to fall into grosse faultes and giueth occasion to make them a laughing stock to the worlde And surelye it is a great follie rather to credit others then our selues This PHILLIP of whom I haue made mention being puissant and triumphant and as a wise man considering that the affaires of this world doe not alwaies remaine in one estate caused his page euerie morning to salute him with these wordes Phillip remember thou art a man How much more ought a wise christian saie vnto himselfe Remember thou art dust and into dust thou shalt returne 11. Discourse A Comparison of our owne estate with the Fortune of other men IT may serue greatly to attayne the tranquilitie of the minde yf wee waigh in our selues without passion the meanes we haue and do afterwards consider others who haue not so much not doing as many men are went who onely looke at those that haue more substāce thē thēselues wondering at thē reputing them to be happie Like vnto prisoners who deeme them fortunate that are at libertie those that are at libertie onlye such as are free and rich and those that are ritch onely such as beare office those that haue charge in inferior offices Kings Kings those that are Emperours and mightier then themselues And here hence it commeth to passe that being not able to match them who are of greater power they are male content with their owne estates Which is no other thing then vngratefulnesse towardes god and a torment to themselues A wise man albeit that others get the start of him in substance is not for that cause sad nor discontented but setting before him a great number whoe liue miserably and afflicted reioyceth in his owne fortune And therefore when you shall lyfte vp your eyes and behould some ritchly mounted vppon their great horses others that haue well profited in learning and thou repinest thereat Cast downe thy sight and thou shalt finde a greater number who walke on foote and liuing poorely doe accompt thy estate happie For there is no reason why the fortune of some few shold rather moue thee to disquietnes then the estate of many perswade thee to contentment Howe manye poore menne are there who liue of their laboure charged with children and want and which is worst of all haue no hope to escape out of miserie How many are there that woulde be well satisfied with that estate which you bewaile and complaine of Wee are in so miserable a season that our life doth rather depend of the condition of other men then of our owne and our neighbours substance tormenteth vs more then our owne wealth comforteth vs. If it were possible for men openly to discerne the estate of those whome they deeme happy many times they shoulde finde their life more troublesome then their owne Who is he that imagineth not the condition of Kinges to be most happie And yet note the speach of a King who in Homer complayneth thus Great Iupiter hath imprisoned me with great cares O howe happie are they who in their little Cottages liue exempt from these dangers And if it be so that Thowsands would content themselues with the estate wherin god hath placed thee what reason hast thou to complayne that thou hast not made exchange with some one whose fortune thou doest enuy what nedest thou to torment thy selfe to attaine vnto the estate of another seing it is certaine that nothing doth so much disquiet a man as desire to aspire from one estate to another Because that such men without any consideration doe followe any hope that offereth it selfe vnto them which fayling to fall out according to their desire they blame Fortune and curse their hap neuer finding fault with them selues for their owne lightnesse and want of foresight considering not that it is a meere folly to impute their want of discretion to another in the fault they haue made to follow that which is either vncertaine or impossible They are like vnto those who storme and take on because they cannot flie nor shute an arrowe with a Cart. The cause of this euill is the ouer-great loue that men doe beare them selues And heerehence it proceadeth that they expect to be chiefest accompted of in all thinges It is a smale matter for them to be rich if they doe not exceade others in substance Doe but consider how this vice beareth swaye in all estates DENISE the first thought not himselfe satisfied in being Kinge of Sycilia and esteemed not his dignitie throughlie accomplished because PHILOXENVS excelled hym in Poetrie and Plato in philosophy But entred into such rage that he condemned PHILOXENVS to goe to Plough and bannished PLATO Of this selfe-loue likewise it commeth often times to passe that men doe vndertake to discourse of all matters to shewe their learninge and for the moste parte they become a laughing stock to the company As it hapned to MEGABISES of PERSIA otherwise a man of great worth and reputation who on a time comming into the shop where Appelles the Painter followed his arte he began to discourse thereof and make known to Appelles that he had skill therein Appelles who was a pleasant and wise man saide vnto him Surely Lord Megabises before I hard you speake I tooke you to be discreete and considerat but sithence you haue entreated of my arte euen the boyes in the shop who grinde coulors do laugh at you Hannthall the Carthagenian Captaine after that the Romaines had driuen him out of Italie and Afrique flying to the King of Bithinia was one day desired to go to the schooles to here a great Philosopher who began to discourse of the sleightes and stratagems of war Others who gaue eare vnto him wōdering at his eloquence and the skill which he shewed in matter of warfare demaunded of Hanniball what hee thought of his discourse who smilyng said vnto them that hee had knowne many olde fooles but that he neuer hard any that had vttered so many follies as the Pholosopher And no doubt Hāniball had reasō seing he ētred to entreat of that which is not learned within the walls of a schoole in presëce of one of the most worthy and experienced Captaines then liuing in
the world Which plainely sheweth that euerye one ought to content himselfe with his calling without intermedling with another mans profession whiche the Poets haue giuen vs to vnderstande fayning that euen the Gods were contented euery one with his owne office as Mars with warre Minerua with the liberall Sciences Mercury with Eloquence Cupid with loue Neptune with the Sea Pluto with hell Iupiter with Heauen and so of the rest euery one contenting himselfe with his proprietie and whensoeuer any did enterprise to meddle with an others office he was either mocked or chastised Heere-hence we ought to gather that all things do not beseeme all persons and that euery man ought to consider what he is addicted vnto and content himselfe therewith They who make profession of learning had need of rest and leysure They who serue Princes and great persons are subiect to great labour To be short these thinges and others which wee might alleage are not fit for all men and euery one is bound to professe that hee is apt vnto by nature The Horse is meet to run the Oxe to till the ground We should accompt him a foole who would complaine that he were not able to carrie a Lyon in his bosome as hee may a little dogge There are some men who desire without leauing their vitiousnes and idle life to become as great Philosophers as those who haue attayned thereunto with so great watching and trauell In times past good wrestlers were contented with their owne prize neuer enuiyng the honnor other champions did purchase in running Contrarilye they who contemning their owne wealth doe gape after others mens substance doe liue in continuall paine torment Wee reade that there liued long since in Boetia very wise men who complained of their gods that their figge trees did not beare reasins nor their vines figges we ought to imagyne that God hath diuerslie framed menne to diuers purposes that euery one ought to quiet and content hymselfe with that which God hath bestowed vppon hym without exceding his boundes To run after that which is none of his For such kinde of People neuer make account eyther of that which they haue had or of that which they possesse but onely of that which they couet to haue and do alwaies looke a farre of neuer setting eye on the place where they are In times past there was a certaine Image painted in a Temple which did represent those kind of men who alwaies expected the time to come and did still neglect the time present The Picture was of a Rope-maker who did labour cōtinually and suffered his Asse to eate that which was behinde him Euen so doe those who are vngratefull towardes God who contemning their owne welfare do suffer forgetfulnes to deuoure it and are alwaies longing for that which is to come In worldlie matters all thinges are not after one sorte for as in Musique there are flat sharpe and middle tunes and the wise Musician by the medlie of thē frameth most sweete accords Euen so a wise man of good of euill which happeneth in this life he maketh good harmonie taking not the good alone nor the euill likewise by it selfe but interminglinge the one with the other as thinges which in this worlde cannot be seperated This worthie saying of EVRIPIDES being true Sorrow and the life of man are twinnes The 12. Discourse Of Aduersitie ADuersitie is partly greeuous and heauy vnto vs by nature as sicknes the losse of our childrē and our frendes such other like accidents but partly in like manner in the feeling of them wee follow the common opinion and especially in matter of want and necessity in the receiuing of iniuries and reproches and when to our thinking men yeild vs not that honour we doe deserue Against which wee ought to applye that which the Poet MENANDER speaketh of That which hath happened vnto thee is not greeuous but that thou makest a shew that it is so And that this is true thou hast thy minde and thy body as much at commaundement as before any such thinge did befall thee Against whiche thou oughtest to note that thou endurest nothing against the lawe of man seing at his birth these thinges were allotted and giuen vnto him ordinarily to accompany him And in deed nature hath not made vs so weake to endure aduersitie as we make our selues Let vs thinke that it is the least part of man which is subject to Fortune and that the chiefest portion is in our owne power which belonging to vertue cannot be ouercome by any thing without our consent Besides we knowe that there needeth no great force heerein hauing none to fight withall but our selues And seeing that the chiefest parte of the victorie consisteth in getting the maisterie of our selues Hereunto let vs adde that God neuer casteth those out of his fauour who seeke to get the victorie in a righteous cause Fortune may bring thee to pouertie to a lowe estate it maye afflict thee but it can neuer force thee to become vitious faint-harted and cowardly It cannot take courage and vertue from thee in the which cōsisteth more force to gouerne thy selfe then in the art of nauigation In as much as the PILOT howe wise and considerate soeuer he be cannot by his arte appease the raging furie of the Sea nor exempt others from feare But vertue and wisedome in a hart well framed and disposed giueth assurance to the bodie preseruinge it through temperance from diseases and by continencie withdrawing it from other vices And if so bee that any thinge shoulde offer it selfe to our mynde wherein there were any perill we should as a dangerous gulfe leaue it passe on farther Or if the euill be ineuitable we ought te comfort our selues immagening the Porte is not farre of and that wee leaue this bodie as a crased shippe houlding death as a hauen of hapines and assurance And knowing considering the nature of the soule that the departure from this life is to come to a better Which consideration oughte greatlye to encourage Christians not to feare that which may breede terror to other men And if wee had force sufficient to defend our selues from the stroaks of fortune to meete with it and stoppe the passage thereof with a valiant courage and being prepared to withstande the assaultes thereof nothinge coulde tormente vs. which we shoulde effecte if wee did not vse to promise our selues any greate and certaine hope nor any setled estate in this miserable life And that wee did consider very narrowlye if those thinges which wee repute as badde are as euill as wee iudge them to bee or not And if wee did sagelye waigh and wiselye foresee before hande what crosse Fortune might fall out to assure our selues when it shoulde happen it would not terrifie vs halfe so much Nay contrarilye the neerer it shoulde approche vnto vs the more couragious stout valiaunt should we be we ought not to be dismaide but most
not Some man hath greate credite this other much wealth some one an obedient wife an other faithfull freendes ANTIPATER of Tharsis accounted this amongest other his good Fortunes that hee had made a prosperous nauigation from Sicilia to Athens and wee couet all hauing not the witte to thanke God for that we possesse not making any reckoning of the greatest riches because they seeme to be cōmon to wit to liue to enioy our health to haue our sight to liue in peace to eate to drinke to behold the earth bring forth hir encrease the Sea to be nauigable that wee haue power to speake to be silent to sit to stād to sleepe to wake If men did imagin what a discontentment it is to be depriued of such benefits we should liue farre more contented then we doe What would not a sicke man giue for the recouerie of his health A blind man to enioye his sight those who are basely accompted of for credit and renowne So wretched are wee that wee neuer knowe what accompt to make of the benefitts we enioye vntill we be depriued of them For a conclusion let vs learne this lesson not to set our loue vppon the thinges in this world so much that the feare of the losse of them do disquiet vs or the losse it selfe cast vs into dispaire The 13. Discourse Of Sorrow AS aduersitie is eyther small or great so doth it cause vs to greeue wherein likewise there is some Faulte For we see nowe that menne haue gotten an vse to bewayle many thinges for no other cause but that the custome is such Some man mourneth by reason of some accidents happened to his neighbour and chaungeth his countenance to showe that hee is verie sorrowfull therefore whereas indeede there is no such matter This kindnesse is vnprofitable seeing that in your owne miserie you ought to greeue no more then reason requireth and not asmuch as custome willeth How many are there who shed teares when menne behoulde them and thinke it should be out of fashion yf they did not weepe when others doe Into how many incumbrances doth it cause menne to run into to leane vppon Opinion It should be far better in such matters to inuent some new waye and to apprehende such accidents as menne of wysedome vnderstanding What do their lamentacions auaile eyther those that are dead or such as are alyue sith that no other benefite ariseth or proceadeth thereof then wretchedlie without any profite to bringe a man into a consumption Albeit that for certaine sometimes there happeneth such crosses and mischaunces that it is impossible for any man to forbeare from sorow and yet we oughte herein to lament with reason And seeing that time ought in the end to bring a remedie therefore it were meere simplicytie not with wisdome to preuent it and to doe that which by tracte of time we should be constrayned vnto whether we will or noe How many are there who after the death of their children or of their wiues haue eaten and been mery and taken their recreation deeming the tyme lost which they had vainly imployed in sorow and in mourning For albeit it semeth that such persons are worthy to be called to remēbrance or as I may better say that others folly may be reuiued by them yet notwithstanding you ought to applie that remedie thereunto which will come of it selfe though you should resist it 14. Discourse Of the affliction of good men IT is no small cause to such as are of a liuely spirite and to such as are touched with any humanitie to be greeued when they see honest men receaue wrong And surely it seemeth to be euen a very hart-bursting and more then our nature will beare to see wise men that liue quietly to bee afflicted troaden vnder foote and ouerborne and to consider how ill the world doth handell them This may seeme somewhat to touch vs because in our opinion it restraineth our hope seeing that the porcion of honest men is nought els commonly but affliction Wherefore if any such mater doth trouble you as it doth commonlye imagine this that if they are honest men and patient they are so much the more happie For so much as in steed of the paine whiche they endure in this life which is so short they shal be rewarded eternallie For amongest other infinite contentments that they do enioy which remaine in the house of god one especiall comfort is that they are quit discharged of the temptations and torments of this world Besides this set before you the moste holie persons of the which some haue been beheaded others hanged others burned some fleyed others persecuted with hunger subiect to miserie and affliction which the world surelie was not worthy of and therefore hated them as not belonging vnto it But God loued them and by his diuine prouidence which cannot be deceiued intended that they should passe by such tribulations yea and that the paines which they suffer might further pricke them forwards to forsake this miserable world So that in the end they remoue out of this prison they escape this dungeon and with a short apprehension of death they enter into a way which leadeth into a better life The 15. Discourse Of other mens faults AFter you haue setled your selfe appeased your own passions the offences of other men and such faultes as are cōmitted in publique will torment your minde considering the disorder that is amongst vs which is such that nothing remaineth in the place where it ought neither doth any man do his dutie which he is borne to execute He which ought to be a good Iudge is a simple Citizen and he which ought to be a good Citizen is a simple Iudge and we see that he which ought to obey doth commaund It is a strange thinge to see howe all things are corrupted and sould and how all things are tossed topsy turuey how the poore is chastised for a smal fault how the law spareth rich mighty men and now all the practise of mankind is nothing but to get money and how few examples occasions of liuing well those whiche beare charg and hould the chiefest places doe shew A vertuous man is held as a monster hated and abhorred What shoulde a man saie to behould that whiche the people affecteth that which it desireth that which it reiecteth and that which it contemneth what an alteration is this in this world what wretchednesse that wee make no accompt of that which we ought to heare and disdayne that we should not so much as listen vnto The greate griefe that diuers and sundrye persons haue taken at such matters hath caused them for to sequester themselues from the worlde and to liue in deserts and solitary places not beinge in any sort able to behold that which bringeth such sorow vnto them but desiring rather to lyue amongest the rockes with wilde beastes then amongest men fraught with such vices Notwithstanding both in this and in
one the same vice and there is no such punishment for a foole as to let his words passe without making any reckoning of them which thorough your silence remayne condemned as impertinent and he loseth the pleasure thinking to anger you Likewise you ought to be aduised in your iesting For you see that men eschew the cōpanie of those who make profession to scoffe at others there can be no certaine friendship with him who spareth no man Caius Ceaser the Emperour was by nature a great scoffer he had in his army a Tribune named Cheria who spake somewhat smal much like vnto a womā by reason whereof there was no great accompt made of him When hee demaunded the watch-word hee lightly gaue him some foule word to mock him with which disgrace he was so highlie offended that afterwards amōgst those who murdered him he stroke of halfe his head at a blowe so that he whom he deemed lesse thē a man shewed most māhood to take him from amongst men To vse such iesting sheweth greate want of discretion and not to be able to endure them want of courage SOCRATES hearing men scoffe at him before his face smiled thereat not shewing any kinde of anger It is reported of him and of Lelius that they had such quietnes of minde that they were neuer seene to change countenance Moreouer you ought allwaies to auoid iarres and brawlings for it distempereth a man very much and changeth his condicions Be temperate in your speach and let your wordes bee such that they doe carye waight and authoritie with them and accustome your selfe to passe many thinges in scilence Be not deceiued with the commō sort who call them free that canne indure nothinge True libertie in a man is to liue as hee ought which he cannot doe who hath his minde framed to set lighte by these vanities and daintines wherewith some are moued shaken Doe you rather get the vpper hande in contemning them For it is not a signe that a man is in health when as he cryeth out so often as he is touched The 17. Discourse Of Pouertie Whosoeuer doth make that account of life death which he oughte neede not feare that pouertie shoulde afflicte him nor take away his rest For it were farre vnfit for him that contemneth death to let him selfe be ouercome by pouertie which the cōmon sort feeleth aboue other miseries and whereof it moste complaineth and in most bitter manner being not able to attaine to that sufficiencie of wealth to entertaine them gaiely nor to content themselues with necessarie meanes for the maintenance of their life esteeming abundance of riches the soueraigne good of man pouerty the chiefest miserie of man Howbeit notwithstanding is it not better to enioy any thing at all then to loose it whē we haue gotten it Nowe it is impossible in this life but we should loose sith that one cānot abound in wealth but many others must liue in want and no man be an inheritour without the death of another As pouertie is not subiect to receiue great losses so is it not accompanied with such great cares If anye thinke that they that are rich haue a stouter courage to beare their losse then others they deceiue themselues For the griefe of a wounde is as painefull to a great bodye as to a little Nay wee commonly see that men of greatest stature are more tender then others The Philosopher BION was wont to say that you put him to as much paine that hath store of haire yf you pluck one from him as you do another that hath almost none on his head the onely difference is this that hee that is boulde hath lesse cause to complaine This is the reason that for the moste part you see poore men Ioconde and merrie because they haue not such cares and doe lesse feare a storme then ritch men Pouertie is a kingdome and a great Lordshippe which is in suertie against all the worlde standeth in feare of nothing And of it selfe is able to defend it selfe against all her enemies Tell mee I praie thee thou that seekest so much after this worldly substance yf since the possession thereof thou hast enioyed more quiet rest or gotten greater wisedome or lyued more at hartes ease The verye heathens haue taught vs howe much pouertie is to be esteemed when they imagined the Gods were naked atributing all things vnto them they thought they stoode in neede of As for mee I will neuer counte him poore whoe is out of the power of fortune This is onely suffitient to teach vs what pouerite is that no man speaketh of it that doth not cōmend it and do affirme that the wisest men haue borne it with greatest contentment It is a greate weakenes and tendernes in vs not to be able to suffer that which others haue endured and a great feare we haue to leaue this worlde For if wee desire to be accompted menne we woulde loue that in our selues which wee do allowe in others And therefore albeit that our imbecillitie and faintnes cannot wholly beare it or at the leaste wee ought to limit our affections and guard our selues in such sort that fortune may haue lesse aduantage to offend vs. For a little bodye well couered vnder a buckler is more assured then one of great stature who lyeth discouered and subiect to many blowes If it were not that my purpose is to spare time and paper I could inlarge my discourse by the recitall of many examples aswell of Pagans as of Christians whoe haue sought felicitie in a poore kinde of life But the consideration of one for all shall suffice and that is that Iesus Christ being Lord ouer all the world was poore his disciples whoe possessed all were poore the Saincts who might haue enioyed great wealth were poore If you were not borne to dye I would counsell you to loue ritches but I see That they to whome all thinges doe fall out most prosperously doe sooner bring their life to an end then their couetousnesse Wherefore do you labour so much for a thing that you must leaue And why do not you rather quietly content your selfe with that which is necessary sufficient knowing that the best sort of riches is neither to be too poore nor too far from pouertie 18. Discourse Of death IT seemeth that all crosses maye bee borne either by vse or by sound discourse but death and the apprenension therof is that which is most terrible The remedie and true salue thereof is that you this account that nothing in this world is your own neither wealth nor landes no nor your life which you hould as borrowed and are as tennant at will being that of force you must leaue it whensoeuer the Landeslord shall demaunde it of you Notwithstanding you ought not to neglect it as a thinge you haue no charge of but rather with so much the more care haue regard vnto it because you were put in trust therwith restore it
bridle teaching it the lawes and measures wherewith it ought to gouern it selfe as occasions shall be offered and setting before it the pleasure and contentment which it is to receiue by the issue of worthie and constant actions Meditation is that which giueth the soule a right temper making it harde and not to be perced with any sharp passion in resisting that for which we haue made long preparation before hand we may well be wondred at albeit it be a matter most difficult contrarily a very small thing troubleth vs if it happeneth on the suddaine How often do you thinke that Canius thought of death and how often did he discourse what it was who being condemned by the Tirant and sent to suffer he was so smally moued therewith that he saide to the Captaine that came for him that he should call to minde that he had the aduantage of a game of him against whom he then went to play And taking leaue of his friendes he gaue them no other farewell but this O my deare friends I shall shortlie knowe that which I haue so long desired to wit whether the soule be imortall whether by death we feele the seperation that is made betwene the soule and the bodie We ought to belieue that this poore Pagan had been long excercised in commaunding his passions and was well prouided of worthie resolutions sith that with such constancie and grauitie he went to an vniust and violent death If then the desire to knowe what the soule should be after death caused this mans torment to be pleasing vnto him What ought the certaine knowledg which we haue of the immortalitie thereof and the hope of eternall life eternally happy worke in those that shal dayly meditate theron Ought it not to cause both death other afflictions which we indure to be delightefull vnto vs seeing they are as it were the Waues which cast vs vpō this hauen of happines 2. Discourse Of the Choice of affaires MAn is not borne to liue with his hands in his bosome but contrarily as the fairest member that setteth out the worlde he ought to bestow his paines for the gouernmēt preseruatiō of Ciuill society wherin he is placed But for asmuch as the quietnes of men doth principally depend of the election of their vocation that there is nothing that furthereth them better to liue contentedly then when they are well fitted with a meet calling they ought first of all to examine them selues and consider to what end they take that vocation vppon them yea and vnder whose authority Because we ordinarily presume too much of our selues and attempt more then wee haue power to perfourme And this error for the moste parte falleth out in all our actions so that some spend more then their substance will beare others labour more then their strength will suffer them others haue no commaundment ouer anger others in their speach can spare no person although it should cost them their liues others are vnfit to manage matters of estate because they are too sad pensiue others are vnmeet for the Court because they are discourteous and imagine euer their owne opinion to be best That which causeth vs to faile herein is that we know not our selues and oftentimes without making any proofe of our sufficiency we vndertake such thinges as we must afterwards leaue of with shame or endure great paine and care if we continue them Now who so will weigh a matter before he take it in hand let him remember that alwaies hee that beareth any burthen ought to haue more force then the burthen it selfe For if it were too greate and heauy without doubt he that would take vpon him to carrie it should be constrained either to leaue it or to shrinke vnder it We ought likewise to consider that there are many sorts of callings which of themselues are not so great as in regard they are intermingled intangled with a rable of other affaires and such offices are to be auoyded in asmuch as they weary the mind But we ought to make choice of those which we are able to execute bring to an end or at the least of such as we haue good hope of the good effecting of them And we ought alwaies to leaue off those enterprises that fall not out according to our purpose pretence I say not this to feare you nor in such sort to abate your courage that hereuppon you do auoide some necessarie burthens and as one daring to vndertake nothing you remaine without any calling which should bee a very slouthfull and vnpleasing life For as we say It is the propertie of man still to be doing som-thing which should chiefly be in that which is necessarie and behouefull for the commō wealth Seing then the necessitie of the life of man is naturallie subiect to labour and care wee ought to gouerne our selues in such sort that if we be called to vndertake any vertuous and laudable thing we ought not to leaue it of for want of courage nor yet to be so folish-hardy to enterprise that which we know is aboue our strength 3. Discourse Of Foresight WE ought thē to take order if it be possible that we be not surprised by any worldly actions being before hand thorowly furnished with wisedome Which we shall easily do if in all the affaires we vndertake we premeditate th'inconueniences and crosses which may happen vnto vs according to the nature of them and looke vnto that which falleth out daily And suche Foresight doth wonderfullye lessen the force of euill which cannot if we take this course bring any alteration or chaunge Contrarily they bring great domage to those who suffer them selues to bee surprised not considering that nature hath set men in a dangerous place when shee brought them foorth into the worlde They weigh not how often they haue seene women lament the vntimely death of their Husbands and Husbands bewaile the like buriall of their Wiues and Children euen at their owne dores They consider not that those who had speach and conference with them but yesterday are now dead Wee are so deceaued and haue so small iudgement that we thinke it impossible that the like should happen vnto vs which we see fall out euery day If we did acquaint our selues with matters in such sort as reason requireth wee should rather haue cause to wonder how the dangers accidents which doe pace so neere after vs haue not in so long tyme ouertaken vs And when they haue met with vs how it is possible that they should handle vs so gently O how doe wee deceaue our selues when wee will not forecast what may fall out and mistrust the worst least we should be accompted timerous It behoueth him that setteth saile to know that he may meete with a storme It is necessary for vs to vnderstād that that which happeneth to an other may chaunce to vs and that which hāgeth ouer euery mans head may fall vpon ours Hee
all other thinges which cannot be amended we ought to commaund our selues in such sorte that they cause vs not to abhor the companye of menne but rather geue vs occasion to looke more narrowly to our selues to the end we be not of the number of those who forget the duetie of a wise man and that the faultes thou dost reprehend in other men cause not others lykewise to note thee for them It were better to hould with Democritus then with Heraclitus Heraclitus bewayled the faultes of menne at the which DEMOCRITVS laughed To the one it seemed meere myserie to the other meere folly Soe likewise yt is better forvs when wee cannot amende that which is amisse by dissemblinge to appease it And surelye yt is farre much more humanytye to laugh at the common lyfe of menne then to weepe therat Yet shall you doe best of all concerninge the vices of other menne and the faultes which are publiquelie committed or done yf you keepe a mediocritye yf you neither make a iest of thē nor greeue ouermuch at them it beeing a miserable thinge so to afflict our selues for other mennes faultes that wee doe pine away with sorow and an inhumane pastime to make a laughing stocke or a scorne of them Now there are some that are not vexed nor troubled with these matters yet can they not beare with the imperfection of their friendes nay euen their enemies faultes doe greeue them Honor wrongs tollerating of menns humors tormenteth them The importunitie of their friendes the bad disposition of their seruantes and moste familliar acquaintance afflicteth them as we most cōmonly see it fall out dayly How much far better is it to haue patience in those matters sith that a man reapeth suche smale profit in seeking to amend them We ought to make this account that such menne as take pleasure to doe wronge are like vnto dogs who are borne to barke Wee oughte to attribute that to their ill nature wherewith all they are daylye sufficientlye tormented with continuall care which gnaweth their bad conscience But if you take occasion to stumble at all the euill which may happely bee in those that are about you you are vtterlye lost For if eyther the vices of other men or of those that belong vnto you do once come to take houldt of you and to caste you downe you will woonder how all their importunities and griefes will like an ouer-flowing water with a full course runne into your bosome as a mightie deepe Sea And without doubt wee shoulde shew our selues foolishly tender alwaies to afflict our selues if those with whom wee liue doe not looke vnto vs soe carefully as we desire The excessiue loue that wee doe beare vnto our selues doth oftētimes deceiue vs and the dayntines of our own estate is the cause that we cannot beare with the negligence of our seruantes Confidering not that many tymes they cannot nor know not how to doe better We doe expect that they should haue all perfections in them and we our selues commit a thowsand faultes yea and many tymes wee storme against our seruantes when our own bad condicions or the buisines we are about doth make vs froward and do lay the fault on them who cannot remedie it Another matter often-tymes doth disquiet vs and that is when we affecte any thinge ouer much and soe fall to quarell with our friendes about it For there was neuer perfecte friendship betwene whom there is continuallie a certaine emulation to obtaine the vpper hand Yf you doe make triall and by continuall exercise accustome to applye your selfe to tyme and to persons you shall easily gouern those with whom you liue purge those humours which you blame in them And if some times it seemeth impossible for you to beare with thē thinke it proceedeth through your owne fault and weakenesse Sith the number of those are infinite whoe haue conuersed and borne with men of like disposition For as sicke menne are woont to saie that they are out of tast that all meates are bitter imagining the fault to be in the meate or in the Cooke and vet when they see those that are in health eate thereof and disgest it well they knowe then that the imperfections proceedeth from themselues So in like manner as often as you call to minde that there are many others who willingly do suffer those angrie humors you will then confesse that the fault commeth from your selfe If the froward conditions of a wife doe displease you seeke if it be possible to appease her by faire meanes and by reason whiche if you cannot yet let wisedome teach you to beare them patiently and to dissemble that you cannot amend otherwise of your house you will make a prison of your ease a torment and of your honour a common song Expect not wisedome in your children which is propper to ould age sith that they are borne young which age bringeth many things with it which if you will on the suddaine seeke to make perfect you doo but bring disquietnes to your selfe And if in young trees you are contented that they only bring foorth leaues why then doe you looke for fruit of your children before it be time He which expecteth that which cannot be laboureth for that which he shall neuer haue The best is to nourish and instruct them dilligently without ouer-much beating or chiding if they make a faulte which by you would be taught with loue how they should amend 16. Discourse Of Iniuries Wronges and Disgraces There are some menne who can beare patientlye all maner of afflictions but they cannot indure an Iniury or disgrace the which notwithstanding commeth to passe rather because they are so perswaded of the matter then that it is soe indeede Concerning this pointe it will help you much if you can take this resolucion with your selfe to exempt your selfe from the common opinion and consider those things without passion which do disgrace a manne For by that meanes you shall see if there be any reason to take the matter soe hotlye as you doe There is a kinde of disgrace which wee do call wrong and that is when wee are greately crossed in our buysines against equitie there is likewise an other sorte which is called a Disgrace and that is when in our own person we are otherwise handled then is beseeming whether it be by word or deed Touching both the which you are to vnderstande that an honest manne is not subiect to receiue a wrong I meane not hereby that he shall haue noe iniury at all offered hym For there is nothing so holy but there are some boulde sacriligious hands that will enterprise to touch Albeit there are many whose tounges handes are not otherwise imployed but to violate the honor of God and to pollute and robbe his most holy and blessed Temples though that honest menne are not any thing at all the lesse assured and albeit that they ayme at them yet can they not hitte them For
without murmuring with a cheerefull countenance yeilding thankes to god for the time that hee hath lent it you saying O Lord I render my soule vnto thee with a free hart yea and with a better will then I receiued it For when you gaue mee life you bestowed it one a silly creature who was altogether ignorant of the good hee receiued and nowe you take it from one who knoweth what hee putteth into your handes which hee yeildeth vp with a free will And surely euerie one ought to thinke that it is no hard matter to returne from the place from whence we come And hee hath not learned to liue well whoe knoweth not how to die Wee ought to beare the like affection to our selues as wee do to those that fight a set combatt For wee hate him that playes the cowarde and do fauour him whoe with a stoute courage hadd rather dye then bee conquered Oftentimes the feare of death is cause of his end that flieth away Moreouer you know that you receiued your life vpō this cōditiō that ye must die Bee not then so vniust to seeke to enioye that for euer which was geuen you but for a certaine time Clayming title to that which only you were put in trust withall Besides wee say that the feare and apprehension of death is a wonderfull thing and the extremitie of all terror Assure you this fault doth not proceede of death but of our imbecillitie who are taken and stayed in the pleasures and desier of this life and do loue this miserable body of ours aboue measure And if you doe thoroughlie consider the matter it is not death that is terrible vnto vs but the conceite wee haue therof For euerie one feareth it according to the opinion hee hath thereof and according to his conscience Now if this onely bee the cause that you feare it charge your selfe with the fault and not death like vnto bad husbandes who are loath to come to a reckoning for the distrust of their owne doings To saie that you feare it imagyning that it is the last end of man you haue no reason For our soule remaineth alwaies which liueth and cannot dye The Grecians called death End geuing vs to vnderstand thereby that it is the last remainder of a miserable life The holy Scripture tearmeth it steepe to assure vs of our certain resurrection that we may not lament as the Gentiles who haue noe hope Consider howe manie holie persons haue desiered it as a remedie against miserie SALOMON IOB the holye scriptures the histories of Saincts are full of the praises and desire of death what vanitie is it for to long after this wretched life this gaile this prison seeing that the longer wee liue the more we sinne and purchase to our selues new paine That we may not feare death as the world doth wee ought to doo two thinges liue well because of a good and christian life maketh euen the remembraunce of death comfortable And to beleeue that that which it pleased God to giue vs as a remedie and ease of our labour is not so badd nor so much to bee feared as we imagyn and we ought to remember that holy men haue abhorred life and loued Death THus haue I effected what you entreated with soe much contentment to my selfe that I knowe not whether of the two weare sharper spurres to set me forwarde in this Course Reason mouing the dutie of friendship and desire the pleasure I tooke therin As I was not long in bringing them foorth soe do I with some haste send them to you so leaue them that I would not hereafter haue them acknowledg me for their father But wish that you might nurse them apparell them bring them vp for from me they haue scarce taken their essence and first being to saye the troth I want milke to nourish them And surely bearing that showe and Councenance they doe those signes of a good minde though they be but little in my opinion they cannot be better then with you who may in shorte tyme with your good indeuours and ercelent spirit bring them vp to more greatenes and perfection adde to their greater Nobillitie Dignitie Fortune Fauour FINIS
qualities which deserue no reprehension it were good not to double or play the counterfeit For it is a very difficult matter to vse grauitie alwaies if nature inclineth not thereto To change ones countenance to speake highelie looke bigge which thinges if by chance you forget īmediately you are laide open It were farre better to followe a pleasaunt conuersation and milde manner of life Notwithstanding if it happened that you were placed in some highe estate which did require greater seueritie herein it were not amisse some-what to force nature Yet this ought to be done with great wisedome and moderation yea by little little so that this alteration might breed offence to no man This manner of dissembling cannot be blamed for it greeueth none but those who doe vse it and chaunge their naturall disposition But there are some who being in deed men of a light behauiour and ridiculous desire yet to be helde for graue wise and worthy persons Others there are who without any occasion do seeke to plaie the Counterfets who being borne to all meekenes and humanitie delight to shew themselues rude and crueil Others being very Cowards make a shew to be wonderfull valiant not regarding in deed what they are These kinde of men cannot long hide themselues that being alwaies true which is commonly saide No violent thinge is durable 9. Discourse Of vanitie IT is a very harde matter yea I may saye impossible for a man that is vainelye giuen and ouer curious of honour that he should euer tast the comfort of the tranquilitie of the minde which is so much desired and the which wise men do seeke to attaine vnto by all possible meanes The reason hereof is because he cānot purchase all that which he longeth after neither the place nor the honour nor the credit which he seeketh for He alwaies promiseth himselfe more then he is able to performe being not able to set himselfe forth in apparrell nor in othings according to his mind because he desireth to passe the common sort in all things So that he is troubled no lesse then they who swim against the streame hope against the hill in stead of aduauncing himselfe steppeth backward Contrarilie the meanes to liue most at ease is to make lesse shew countenance thē our power wil suffer or stretch vnto leaue of al pompe vanity aswel in apparell as in the traine of seruants and other things to hold alwaies as a meane that which is necessarie and not that which is grounded in the vaine opinion of men Yea euen in our diet we ought to take heede that we be not ouer sumptuous It were not amisse likewise to bridle our hopes and not to enterprise vndertake those matters that did passe our power to bring to effect As concerning ritches it were good that we tooke order that we rather made prouision of them our selues then expected them of Fortune In all matters it were best to hould a meane aswell in our actions as in our thoughtes For when any storme of fortune commeth it shall haue lesse meanes to ouerthrow vs finding vs to haue stroken sayles then when they are full hoisted Finallie you ought to dispose of your selfe in such sort that albeit you wanted wealth yet should it not bee any crosse vnto you If you delight in bookes see that they serue you to other purpose then to set forth your studie as some doe vse them onely for a vaine shew like vnto brute beasts who carrie victuals on their backe but eate not thereof themselues Too great a number of seruants are but a trouble who marre one another with ouer much ease To conclude yf in any thing you make accompt to liue after the common opinion you shall neuer liue contented yf according to reason nature you shall neuer haue want O how quietly and peaceably doth the humble man liue who taketh no great care for his prouision Surelye euen in those brute beastes which wee bring vp we hate such as are disdainfull and do seeme to bee oppugnant and not to rule themselues according to our mind To be short remember that Thunder and Lightning doe commonly fall vppon the highest places 10. Discourse Of Prosperitie WHen fortune smileth vpon vs and that all thinges as wee saie fall out according to our wishe then is the time when we ought most of all to looke vnto our selues to bridell our affections and watch to frame our actions by the rule of reason For aduersitie doth induce euen our enemies to pittie prosperitie doth moue our friendes to enuie Yf we shold in this place recite all those who haue ended their liues miserably by a suddaine and violent death because they could not moderate themselues in their prosperitie the discourse should be ouerr longe Our purpose being to vse breuitie we will forbeare to entreate thereof in regarde it is a matter that euery manne knoweth And therefore when we haue a tyme of fauour we ought to auoide presumption whiche doth ordynarilye accompanie it and diminish and beate downe as much as lieth in vs this loftines which doth follow it True it is that there are some who in respect of the ranke and degree they houlde may not abase themselues without falling It were very necessarie that such persons did in such sorte ymploye their witts to temper their grauitie that men might impute their statelines to their Office and not to their nature excusing themselues to their Frindes and to such as are of lesse calling that they haue not the leisure to entertaine them and make such acompt of them as they would willinglye vsing notwithstanding all the curtesie their estate will suffer them not entring into choller if any one offereth importunatlie or indiscreetelie to speake vnto them For it is all one vice not to be able to gouerne our selues in prosperitie and not to haue the pacience to endure aduersitie We ought then to houlde an equalitie in all the course of our life if it be possible to shew allwaies a cheerefull Countenance full of meekenes curtesie ALEXANDER the greate farre surpassed his Father in worthy deedes of armes but his Father surmounted hym in mildenes and humanitie The Father was alwaies vertuous and welbeloued and the Sonne many times vicious and hated So that their Councell is most good and wholesome who affirme That by how much wee are aduanced to a highe estate by so much ought wee to shewe our selues humble and lowlie Scipio Affricanus did commonlie say that like as we are woont to put vnbroken horses to some skilfull Rider to manage that wee mighte vse them at our neede so is it needfull to tame those persons who are growen moste prowde and insolent through their fortune and to bring them to tread within the ring or compasse of reason shewing vnto them the miserie and weakenes of the affaires of this world and the inconstancie of fortune This is the cause why wee ought in our greatest