ouerthrowne a Chaunge which neuer wearieth a Spye which euer returneth a signe which beguyleth no man a way very straight a Friend that succoureth all necessities a Surgion that immediately healeth and a Renowne which neuer perisheth If thou knewest my Sonne what thing it is to be good thou wouldst be the best of the world For the more vicious a man is so much the more hee is intangled in vices and how much more a man is vertuous so much more to vertues he cleaueth If thou wilt bee vertuous thou shalt doe seruice to the Gods thou shalt giue good renowme to thy predecessours and for thy selfe thou shalt prepare a perpetuall memorie Thou shalt doe pleasures to straungers and get thee fauour of thine owne people Finally the good will honour thee with loue and the euill will serue with feare In the hystories of the warres of the Tarentines I found that renowmed Pyrrus king of the Epyrots did weare in a ring these words written It is too little punishment for a vicious man to take his life from him and it is too small reward for a vertuous man to giue him the seigniorie of all the whole earth Truly these wordes were worthy of such a man What thing can bee begunne of a vertuous man whereof wee hope not to see the end and come to good proofe I am deceyued if I haue not seene in my dayes many men which were base borne vnfitte for sciences voide of vices in the Common welth poore of goods and vnknowne of birth which with all these base conditions haue learned so many vertues that it seemed great rashnesse to beginne them and afterwards for being vertuous onely they haue founde the effects such as they thought it By the immortall Gods I sweare vnto thee and so the God Iupiter take me into his holy house and confirme thee my sonne in mine if I haue not knowne a Gardner and a Porter in Rome which for beeing vertuous were occasion to cast fiue rich Senators out of the Senate And the cause to make the one to gaine and the other to lose was that to the one they would not pay the pots and to the other his apples For at that time more was hee punished which tooke an apple from a poore man then hee which beat downe a rich mans house All this I haue tolde thee my son because vice abaseth the hardy prince and vertue giueth courage to the bashfull From two things I haue alwayes kept my selfe That is to say not to striue against open iustice nor to contend with a vertuous person CHAP. LV. The Emperour Marcus Aurelius followeth his purpose and among other wholesome counsels exhorteth his son to keepe wise and sage men about him for to giue him counsel in al his affayrs HItherto I haue spoken to thee generally but now I wil speake vnto thee particularly and by the immortall gods I coniure thee that thou bee very attentiue to that I will say For talking to thee as an aged Father it is reason thou heare mee as an obedient childe If thou wilt enioy long life obserue well my doctrine For the gods will not condiscend to thy hearts desires vnlesse thou receyue my wholesome counsels The disobedience and vnfaithfulnesse which children haue to their fathers is all their vndoing for oftentimes the gods do pardon the offences that are done vnto them and do not pardon the disobediences which the children bare to their Fathers I doe not require thee my sonne that thou giue mee money since thou art poore I doe not demaund that thou trauell since thou art tender I doe not demaund the reuengement of mine enemies since I haue none I doe not demaund that thou serue me since I dye I doe not demaund the Empire since I leaue it vnto thee Onely I demaund that thou gouerne thy selfe well in the Common wealth that the memory of my house bee not lost through thee If thou esteeme much that I leaue vnto thee so many realms I thinke it better to leaue to thee many good counsels wherewith thou mayest preserue thy selfe sustaine thy person and maintaine thine honour For if thou hast presumption not to profite with my counsell but to trust to thine owne mind before my flesh be eaten with wormes thou shalt be ouercome with thy enemies My sonne I haue beene young light bold vnshamefast proud enuious couetous an adulterer furious a glutton slothfull and ambitious and for that I haue fallen into so great excesses therfore I giue thee such good aduise for that man which in his youth hath beene very worldly from him in age proceedeth ripe counsell That which vntill this time I haue counselled thee that which to my death I will counsell thee I desire that once at the least thou proue it And if it doe thee harme leaue it and if it doe thee good vse it For there is no medicine so bitter that the sicke doth refuse to take if thereby hee thinke hee may bee healed I pray thee I exhort thee and I aduise thee my sonne that thy youth beleeue my age thy ignorance beleeue my knowledge thy sleepe beleeue my watch the dimnesse of thy eyes beleeue the clearenesse of my sight thy imagination beleeue my vertue and thy suspition beleeue my experience For otherwise one day thou shalt see thy selfe in some distresse where small time thou shalt haue to repent and none to finde remedy Thou mayest say vnto me my sonne that since I haue beene young I let thee to bee young and that when thou shalt bee aged thou wilt amend I aunswere thee that if thou wilt liue as young yet at least gouerne thy selfe as olde In a Prince which gouerneth his cōmon wealth well many miseries are dissembled of his person euen as for mighty affayres ripe counsels are necessary so to endure the troubles of the Empire the person needeth some recreation for the bow-string which alwaies is stretched either it lengthneth or it breaketh Whether Princes be young or old there can be nothing more iust then for the recreation of themselues to seeke some honest pastimes And not without a cause I say that they bee honest for sometimes they accompany with so dishonest persons and so vnthrifty that they spend their goods they lose their honour and weary their persons more then if they were occupied in the affaires of the common wealth For thy youth I leaue thee children of great Lords with whom thou maiest passe the time away And not without cause I haue prouided that with thee they haue been brought vp from thy infancy for after thou camest to mans estate inheriting my goods if perchance thou wouldest accompany thy self with yong men thou shouldst find them well learned for thy wars I leaue thee valiant captains though indeed things of war are begunn by wisedome yet in the end the issue falleth out by fortune for stewards of thy treasurs I leaue thee faithful men And not without cause I
and of the Senate best fauoured to whom they committed the charge of the most cruell and dangerous warres For their strife was not to beare rule and to be in office or to get money but to be in the Frontiers to ouercome their enemies In what estimation these foure Frontiers were wee may easily perceyue by that wee see the most noble Romanes haue passed some part of their youth in those places as Captaines vntill such time that for more weighty affaires they were appointed from thence to som other places For at that time there was no word so grieuous and iniurious to a Citizen as to say Goe thou hast neuer beene brought vp in the wars and to proue the same by examples The great Pompey passed the Winter season in Constantinople The aduenturous Scipio in Colonges the couragious Caesar in Gades and the renowmed Marius in Rhodes And these foure were not only in the Frontiers aforesaid in their youth but there they did such valiant acts that the memory of them remaineth euermore after their death These thinges I haue spoken to proue sith wee finde that Marcus Aurelius father was Captain of one of these 4. Frontiers it followeth that he was a man of singular wisdome and prowesse For as Scipio sayd to his friend Masinissa in Affrike It is not possible for a Romane Captaine to want eyther wisdome or courage for thereunto they were predestined at their birth Wee haue no authenticke authorities that sheweth vs frō whence when or how in what countries and with what persons this captaine passed his youth And the cause is for that the Romane Chroniclers were not accustomed to write the things done by their Princes before they were created but onely the acts of yong men which from their youth had their hearts stoutly bent to great aduentures and in my opinion it was well done For it is greater honour to obtaine an Empire by policy and wisdome then to haue it by discent so that there be no tyranny Suetonius Tranquillus in his first booke of Emperours counteth at large the aduenturous enterprises taken in hand by Iulius Caesar in his yong age and how far vnlikely they were from thought that he should euer obtaine the Romane Empire writing this to shew vnto Princes how earnestly Iulius Caesars heart was bent to win the Romane Monarchy and likewise how wisdom fayled him in behauing himselfe therin A Philosopher of Rome wrote to Phalaris the Tirant which was in Cicilia asking him Why hee possessed the realme so long by tyranny Phalaris answered him againe in another Epistle in these few wordes Thou callest mee tyrant because I haue taken this realme and kept it 32. yeares I graunt then quoth hee that I was a tyrant in vsurping it For no man occupyeth another mans right but by reason he is a tyrant But yet I will not agree to be called a Tyrant sith it is now xxxii yeares since I haue possessed it And though I haue atchieued it by tyranny yet I haue gouerned it by wisdome And I let thee to vnderstand that to take another mans goods it is an easie thing to conquere but a hard thing to keepe an easie thing for to keepe them I ensure thee it is very hard The Emperour Marcus Aurelius married the daughter of Antoninus Pius the 16. Emperour of Rome and she was named Faustina who as sole Heyre had the Empire and so through marriage Marcus Aurelius came to be Emperour This Faustine was not so honest and chast as shee was faire and beautifull Shee had by him two sonnes Commodus and Verissimus Marcus Aurelius triumphed twice once when he ouercame the Parthians and another time when hee conquered the Argonants He was a man very well learned and of a deepe vnderstanding Hee was as excellent both in the Greeke and Latine as hee was in his mothers tongue Hee was very temperate in eating and drinking hee wrote many things full of good learning and sweete sentences He dyed in conquering the realme of Pannonia which is now called Hungarie His death was as much bewayled as his life was desired And hee was loued so deare and entirely in the City of Rome that euery Romane had a statue of him in his house to the end the memory of him among them should neuer decay The which was neuer read that they euer did for any other King or Emperour of Rome no not for Augustus Caesar who was best beloued of all other Emperours of Rome Hee gouerned the Empire for the space of eighteene yeere with vpright iustice and died at the age of 63 yeeres with much honor in the yeere Climatericke which is in the 63. years wherein the life of man runneth in great perill For then are accomplished the nine seuens or the seuen nines Aulus Gelius writeth a Chapter of this matter in the booke De noctibus Atticis Marcus Aurelius was a Prince of life most pure of doctrine most profound and of fortune most happy of all other Princes in the world saue only for Faustine his wife and Commodus his sonne And to the end we may see what Marcus Aurelius was from his infancy I haue put here an Epistle of his which is this CHAP. II. Of a letter which Marcus Aurelius sent to his friend Pulio wherein he declareth the order of his whole life and amongst other things he maketh mention of a thing that happened to a Romane Censor with his Host of Campagnia MAreus Aurelius only Emperour of Rome greeteth thee his old friend Pulio wisheth health to thy person peace to the common-wealth As I was in the Temple of the Vestall Virgins a letter of thine was presented vnto me which was written long before and greatly desired of me but the best therof is that thou writing vnto me briefly desirest that I should write vnto thee at large which is vndecent for the authority of him that is chiefe of the Empire in especiall if such one be couetous for to a Prince there is no greater infamy then to be lauish of words and scant of rewards Thou writest to me of the griefe in thy leg and that thy wound is great and truly the paine thereof troubleth me at my heart and I am right sorry that thou wantest that which is necessary for thy health and that good that I do wish thee For in the end all the trauels of this life may be endured so that the body with diseases be not troubled Thou lettest me vnderstand by thy letters that thou art arriued at Rhodes and requirest me to write vnto thee how I liued in that place when I was yong what time I gaue my minde to study and likewise what the discourse of my life was vntill the time of my being Emperor of Rome In this case truly I maruell at thee not a little that thou shouldest aske me such a question and so much the more that thou didst not consider that I cannot with out great trouble and
that land so euil tilled so barren cold and little and that they should come and enhabite Italy which was a plaine Country fertile and ample temperate and very rich and that now or neuer they should conquer it And Narsetes therewith not contented but to prouoke his friends the more and make them the more couetous sent them part of euery good thing that was in Italy that is to say light horses rich armour sweet pleasant and daintie fruites fine mettals and may kindes of ointments very odoriserous silkes and Marchandises of many and diuers sorts The Ambassadors arriued in Pannony which now is called Hungarie were honourably receyued and the Lumbardes seeing that there were such and so many goodly things in Italy determined to leaue Pannonia and goe spoyle and conquer Italy although it belonged to Rome and were at that season friends with the Romanes yet notwithstanding they had little respect to this And hereat no man ought to maruell for in that place there is neuer perfect friendship where he that commandeth is constrayned to demaund helpe of others The Lumbards determined for to passe into Italy and at that time there was seene of the Italians visibly in the ayre sundry Armies of fire that one cruellie killed the other Which thing greatly feared the hearts of the people For by this they knew that within a short space much of theyr bloud of their enemies also should be shed for it is an olde ancient custome that when any great matter doth chance to any Realme first the Planets and Elements do declare the same by secret tokens the ingratitude of the Emperour Iustinian against Narsetes his Captaine and the euill words which Sophia spake vnto him were the occasion that the Lumhards inuaded and destroied all Italy which thing valiant Princes ought well to note to keepe themselues from ingratitude towards their seruants who hath done them great seruice For it is a generall rule That the ingratitude of a great benefite maketh the seruants despayre of recempence or of a faithfull jeruant maketh him become a cruell and mortall enemie And let not Princes trust men because they bee natiue of their realms brought vp nourished in their Pallaces and alwayes haue been faithfull in their seruices that therefore they will not of good subiects be turned to euill nor yet of faithfull become disloyall For such imagination is vaine For the Prince that in his doings is vnthankfull cannot keepe nor retaine any honest man long in his seruice One thing the noble Iustintan did with Narsetes whereof all noble and sage Princes ought to beware that is to know hee did not onely giue eare vnto his enemies and beleeued them but also before them he did dishonour him and shame him to his power which thing made him vtterly to despayre For there is nothing that spiteth a man more then to haue before his enemies any iniury or dishonour done vnto him of his superiour The Empresse Sophia therefore deserued great reproach for speaking such dishonest words to Narsetes to send him to thread the needles in that occupation where the damsels wrought For it is the duety of a Noble Princesse to mitigate the yre of Princes when they are angry and not to prouoke thē further to anger Narsetes then alwayes doubting the Empresse Sophia neuer after returned into Naples where shee was but rather came from Naples to Rome a yeare before the Lambards came into Italy where hee receyued all the Sacraments and like a deuout Christian hee dyed His body was carried to Alexandria in a cossin of siluer all set with precious stones and there was buried And a man cannot tell whether the displeasure were greater that all Asia had not to see Narsetes aliue or the pleasure that Sophia had to see him dead For the vnpatient heart especially of a woman hath no rest vntill shee see her enemie dead CHAP. XVII Of a Letter the Emperour Marcus Aurelius sent to the King of Sicilie in which he recordeth the trauels they endured together in their youth and reproueth him of his small reuerence towards the Temples MArcus Aurelius sole Emperour of Rome borne in Mount Celio called the old Tribune wisheth health and long life to thee Gorbin Lord and King of Sicilie As it is the custome of the Romane Emperours the first yeare of my raigne I wrote generally to all the Isle the second yeare I wrote generally vnto thy Court and Pallace and at this present I write more particularlie to thy person And although that Princes haue great Realmes yet they ought not therefore to cease to communicate with their olde friendes Since I tooke my penne to write vnto thee I stayed my hand a great while from writing and it was not for that I was slothfull but because I was ashamed to see all Rome offended with thee I let thee to know most excellent Prince that in this I say I am thy true friend for in my hart I feele thy trouble and so sayd Euripides That which with the heart is loued with the heart is lamented But before I shew thee the cause of my writing I will reduce into thy memory some thinges past of our youth and thereby we shall see what wee were then and what we are now for no man doth so much reioyce of his prosperity present as hee which calleth to mind his miseries past Thou shalt call to mind most excellent Prince that wee two together did learne to reade in Capua and after we studyed a little in Tarentum and from thence wee went to Rhodes where I reade Rhethorike and thou heardest Philosophy And afterwardes in the end of ten yeares wee went to the wars of Pannonia where I gaue my selfe to musicke for the affections of young men are so variable that dayly they would know strange Realmes and change offices And in all those iournies with the force of youth the sweete company with the pleasant communication of Sciences and with a vaine hope wee did dissemble our extreame pouerty which was so great that many times and often we desired not that which many had but that little which to few abounded Doest thou remember that when wee sayled by the gulfe Arpin to goe into Hellespont a long and tempestuous torment came vpon vs wherein we were taken of a Pirate and for our ransome hee made vs row about nine moneths in a Galley whereas I cannot tell which was greater eyther the want of bread or the aboundance of stripes which wee alwayes endured Hast thou forgotten also that in the City of Rhodes when wee were besieged of Bruerdus puissant King of Epirotes for the space of fourteene monethes wee were ten without eating flesh saue onely two cats the one which wee stole and the other which wee bought remember that thou and I beeing in Tarent were desired of our Host to go to the feast of the great Goddesse Dtana into the which Temple none could enter that day but
in heauen he had been blessed but now he is in the world enuironed with cares and afterwards he shall bee throwne into his graue and gnawne of the Wormes Let vs now see the disobedience wee had in the commaundement of God and what fruit we haue gathered in the world For hee is very simple that dare commit any vice taking no delight nor pleasure thereof in his body In my opinion through the sinnes which our forefathers committed in Paradise the seruitude remaineth in vs their children which are on the earth For so much as if I enter into the water I drowne if I touch the fire I burne if I come neare a dogge hee biteth mee if I threaten a horse hee easteth mee if I resist the winde it bloweth me downe if I persecute the serpent hee spoyleth me if I smite the beare hee destroyeth me and to be briefe I say that the man that without pitty eateth men in his life the Worms shall eate his entrals in his life after his death O Princes and great Lords lode your selues with cloth of gold heape vp your great Treasures assemble many Armies inuent Iusts and turneis seeke pastimes and pleasures reuenge your selues of your enemies serue your selues with your subiects marry your children to mighty Kings and set them in great estate cause your selues to bee feared of your enemies imploy your bodies to all pleasures leaue great possessions to your heyres rayse sumptuous buildinges to leaue memory of your persons I sweare by him that shall iudge mee that I haue more compassion to see your sinfull soules then I haue enuy to see your vicious liues for in the end all pastimes will vanish away and they shall leaue you for a gage to the hungry wormes of the earth O if Princes did consider though they haue beene borne Princes created and nourished in great estates that the day they are borne death immediately commeth to seeke the end of their life and taketh them here and there when they are sicke now tumbling then rising hee neuer leaueth them one houre vntill their wofull buriall Therefore sith it is true as indeed it is that that which Princes possesse in this life is but small that which they hope in the other is so great Truely I maruell why Princes the which shall lye so straight in the graue dare lye in such and so great largenesse in their life To be rich to be Lords and to haue great estates men should not thereof at all bee proude since they see how frayle mans condition is for in the end life is but lone but death is enheritage Death is a patrimony and heritage which successiuely is inherited but life is a right which dayly is surrendered For death counteth vs so much his own that oft times vnawares hee commeth to assault vs life taketh vs such strangers that oft times we not doubting thereof it vanisheth away If this thing then bee true why will Princes and great Lords presume to commaund a strange house which is this life as in their owne house which is the graue Leauing aside the sayd opinions I say that for sinne onely scruitude came to dwell in vs and entered into the world for if there had beene no sinners wee ought to beleeue there had beene no Lords nor seruants For asmuch as seruitude generally entreth into this World through sinne I say that the Seigniory of Princes is by the diuine commaundement for he sayeth By mee the King doth gouerne and by mee the Prince doth minister Iustice I conclude in this sort with this reason That since it is true Princes are sent by the hands of God for to gouerne vs Wee are bound in all and for all to obey them for there is no greater plague in a publike weale then to be disobedient to the Prince CHAP. XXXII How King Alexander the great after hee had ouercome King Datius in Asia went to conquer the great Indea and of that which happned vnto him with the Garamantes and how the good life hath more power then any force of warre IN the yeare of the Creation of the World 4970. in the first age of the World and in the 4027. yeares of the foundation of Rome Iado being High Priest in Hierusalew Decius and Mamilius at Rome Consuls in the third yeare of the Monarchie of the Greekes Alexander the Great sonne to Philip King of Macedonia gaue the last battell to Darius King of Persia wherein King Alexander escaped very sore wounded and Darius slaine so that the whole Empire of the Persians came vnder the gouernment of the Greeks For the vnfortunate Princes do not onely lose their liues with which they came into the world but also the Realmes which they did inherite After that Darius was dead and Alexander saw himselfe Lord of the field and that the Persians and Medes were become subiect to the Grecians though many Kings and Lords dyed in those cruell batailes yet it seemed to Alexander a trifle to be Gouernor of all Asia wherefore he determined in person to goe conquere the great India For Proude and stoute hearts obtayning that which they desire immediately beginne to esteeme it as little All his Armies repayred and placing gouernours in all the Realme of Asia Alexander departed to conquere the great India for hee had promised sworne to his gods that through all the World there should be but one Empire and that that should be his and moreouer that hee would neuer passe thorow any strange Realme or Country but it should giue obedience vnto him or else forthwith hee would destroy it for tyrannous harts haue neuer any regard to the damage of another vntill they haue obtained their wicked desires Alexander then going to conquer Realmes and destroy Prouinces by chance one sayde vnto him That on the other side of the mountaine Riphei towards the partes of India was a barbarous Nation which were called Garamantes as yet neuer conquered by the Persians and Medes Romaines nor Greekes neyther any of them euer triumphed ouer them for they had no weapons nor esteemed them not sith they had no riches King Alexander who for to conquer and subdue Realmes and strange countreys was very diligent hardy and to see new things very desirous determined not onely to send to see that countrey but also to goe himselfe in person and in that place to leaue of him some Memoriall which thing forthwith he accomplished For hee left them Altares as Hercules left in Gades pillars For mans heart is so stout that it Trauelleth not onely to compare with manie but also to excell all The Embassadours of Alexander were sent to Garamantes to aduertise them of the comming of King Alexander the great of the terrible and cruell battells which he in the warres had ouercome and to declare vnto them how the puissant K Darius was slayne and that all Asia was vnder his subiection and how euery Citie did yeelde themselues against
whom he neyther lifted speare nor sword because all yeelded to his cōmandment With these and such other like things they would haue feared them for that words oft times maketh men more afraide especially when they are spoken of braue stoute men then doe the swords of cowards Lucius Bosco saith in his third booke of the antiquityes of the Grecians of whom the originall of this hystorie is drawne that after the Embassadours of Alexander had spoken to the Garamantes they were nothing at all troubled for the message neither did they fly away from Alexander nor they prepared any warre neyther tooke they in hand any weapon nor yet they did resist him Yea and the chiefest of all was that no man of the Countrey euer departed out of his house Finally they neyther answered the Ambassadors of Alexander to theyr right message nor yet spake one word vnto them concerning their coming And truly the Garamantes had reason therein and did in that right wisely For it is but meere follie for a man to perswade those men with words who enterprise any thing of will It is a maruellous matter to heare reported the hystories of these Garamantes that is to say that all theyr houses were of equall height all men were apparelled alike the one had no more authority then another in feeding they were no glouttons in drinking wine they were temperate concerning pleas and debates they were ignorant they would suffer no idle man to liue among them they had no weapons because they had no enemyes and generally they spake few words but that which they spake was alwayes true King Alexander being somwhat informed of those Garamantes and their life determined to send for them and called them before his presence and instantly desired them if they had any wise men among them to bring them vnto him and by writing or by word of mouth to speake somewhat vnto him For Alexander was such a friend to sage men that all the realms which he ouercame immediately he gaue to his men excepting the Sages which he kept for his owne person Quintus Curtius by king Alexander sayth that a Prince doth wel spende his treasors to conquer many Realms only to haue the conuersation of one wise man And truely he had reason for to princes it is more profit in their life to bee accompanied with Sages then after their deaths to leaue great treasours to their heires Certaine of those Garamantes thē being come before the presence of Alex the great one among them as they thoght the most ancientst himselfe alone the residue keeping silence in the name of them all spake these words CHAP. XXXIII Of an Oration which one of the Sages of Garamantia made vnto King Alexander a goodly lesson for all ambitious men IT is a custome king Alexander amongst vs Garamantes to speake seldome one to another scarsely neuer speake to strangers especially if they be busie and vnquiet men For the tongue of an euil man is no other but a plaine demonstration of his enuious heart When they tolde vs of thy comming into this countrey immediately wee determined not to goe out to receyue thee nor to prepare our selues to resist thee neyther to lifte vp our eyes to beholde thee nor to open our mouthes to salute thee neyther to moue our hands to trouble thee nor yee to make warre to offend thee For greater is the hate that we beare to riches and honours which thou louest then the loue is that thou hast to destroy men and subdue Countreyes which we abhorre It hath pleased thee we shuld see thee not desiring to see thee and wee haue obeied thee not willing to obey thee and that we should salute thee not desirous to salute thee wherewith wee are contented vppon condition that thou be patient to heare vs. For that which we will say vnto thee shall tend more vnto amendmēt of thy life then to disswade thee frō conquering our countrey For it is reason that Princes which shal come hereafter doe know why wee liuing so little esteeme that which is our owne and why thou dying takest such paines to possesse that which is another mans O Alexander I aske thee one thing and I doubt whether thou canst aunswer me thereunto or no For those hearts which are proud are also most commonly blinded Tell me whether thou goest from whence thou commest what thou meanest what thou thinkest what thou desirest what thou seekest what thou demandest what thou searchest and what thou procurest and further to what Realms Prouinces thy disordinate appetite extendeth Without a cause do I not demand thee this question what is that thou demandest and what it is that thou seekest For I think thou thy selfe knowest not what thou wouldest For proud and ambicious hearts know not what will satisfie them Sith thou art ambitious honor deceiueth thee sith thou art prodigall couetousnes beguyleth thee sith thou art yong ignorance abuseth thee and sith thou art proude all the world laugheth thee to scorne in such sort that thou followest men and not reason thou followest thine owne opinion and not the counsell of an other thou embracest flatterers and repulsest vertuous men For Princes and Noble men had rather bee commended with lyes thē to be reproued with truth I cannot tell to what ende you Princes liue so deceyued and abused to haue keepe in your pallaces more flattrers iuglers and fooles then wise and sage men For in a princes pallace if there bee any which extolleth theyr doings there are ten thousand which abhorre their tyrannies I perceiue by these deeds Alexander that the gods will sooner end thy life then then wilt end thy wars The man that is brought vp in debates discentions and strife all his felicitie consisteth in burning destroying and bloud shedding I see thee defended with weapōs I see thee accōpanied with tirants I see thee rob the tēples I se thee without profit wast the treasors I see thee murder the Innocent and trouble the patient I see thee euill willed of all and beloued of none which is the greatest euill of all euils Therefore how were it possible for thee to endure such and so great trauels vnlesse thou art a foole or else because God hath appointed it to chastice thee The Gods suffer oftentimes that men being quiet should haue some weighty affayres and that is not for that they should be honoured at this present but to the end they should be punished for that which is past Tell mee I pray thee peraduenture it is no great folly to empouerish many to make thy selfe alone rich It is not peraduenture folly that one should commaund by tyranny and that all the rest lose the possession of their Seigniory It is not folly perchance to loue to the damnation of our soules many memories in the world of our body It is not folly perchance that the Gods approue thy disordinate appetite alone and condemne the will and opinion of all the
then to thinke that her husband forsaketh her for being foule The fifteenth The husband ought to put his wife in remembrance of the infamy that they speake of them that bee euill in the Citie for women are glorious and because they would be loth that men should talke such things by them as they talke of others peraduenture they will refrayne from those vices that others commit The sixteenth the husband ought to take heede that his wife accept no new friends for through accepting of new friends there grow commonly betweene them great discention The seuenteenth The husband ought to take heede that his wife beleeue that he loueth not them whome shee hateth for women are of such a condition that if the husbands loueth all them that they hate immediately they will hate all those which they loue The eighteenth The husband ought sometime in matters which are not preiudiciall vnto him confesse himselfe to be ouercome for women desire rather to be counted the best in reasoning though it be of no value then to haue otherwise a greater Iewell giuen them In this sort Faustine I will say no more to thee but wish that thou shouldest see what I see and feele what I feele and aboue all that my dissimulation should suffice to amend thy life CHAP. XVII The Emperour answereth more particularly concerning the Key of his Studie NOw Faustine since I haue the olde venome from my heart expelled I will answere to thy present demand for vnto demaunds and answeres that passeth betweene the Sages the tong ought neuer to speake word but that first he aske the heart licence And it is a generall rule amongst the Phisitians that the medicines doe not profite the sicke vnlesse they first take away the opilations of the stomacke I meane by this that no man can speake to his friend as he ought vnlesse before hee sheweth what thing grieueth him for it is better to repayre the roufes of the houses that be old then to goe about to build them new Thou requirest Faustine that I giue thee the key of my Studie and thou dost threaten mee that if I giue it not vnto thee that thou shalt forthwith bee deliuered I maruell not at that thou sayest neyther am I abasht of that thou demaundest nor yet of that that thou wouldest doe for you women are very extreame in your desires very suspicious in your demands very obstinate in your willes and as vnpatient in your sufferings I say not without a cause that women are extreame in their desires for there are thinges whereof women are so desirous that it is wonder though neuer liuing creature saw them nor heard speake of them I haue not sayd without a cause that women are suspicious in their demands for the Romane women are of such a condition that as soone as a woman desireth any thing she forthwith commandeth the tong to aske it the feete to seeke it the eies to see it the hands to feele it and likewise the heart to loue it I say not without a cause that women are obstinate in their willes for if a Romane woman beareth any malice to any man shee will not forbeare to accuse him for any slaunder nor faile to pursue him for any pouertie nor feare to kill him for any Iustice I say not without a cause that women are vnpatient to suffer for many are of such condition I say not all that if a man giue not speedily that which they desire they change their colour their eyes looke redde their tongues runne quicke their voyces are sharpe they frette with themselues they trouble their neighbours abroad and are so out of order that no man dare speake vnto them within You haue this good trade among yee women that vnder colour of being with childe you will that your husbands grant yee all your desires When the sacred Senate in the time of the valliant Camillus made a law in the fauour of the Romane Matrons with childe the women at that time longed not so much as they doe at this present but I cannot tell what this presently meaneth that all ye are anoynted with that that is good and that yee are all desirous of that that is euill I will tell thee Faustine the occasion why this lawe was made in Rome and thereby thou shalt see if thou deseruest to enioy the priuiledge thereof or no for the lawes are but as yokes vnder the which the euill doth labour and the wings wherewith the good doe flye The case thereof was such that Camillus the valiant Captaine went forth to the warres hee made a solemne vow to the mother Berecinthia that if the Gods gaue him the victory hee would offer vnto her an Image of siluer and after Camillus wanne the victory and that he would haue accomplished his vow to the mother Berecinthia neyther had he any riches nor Rome had any siluer for at that time Rome was rich of vertues and poore of money And know thou Faustine that our ancient Fathers were deuout towards the Gods and curious in repayring the Temples the which they esteemed to be great deuotions and they were in such sort obserued of their vowes that neither for sloth nor pouertie they would omit their promises towards their Gods And in these things they were so precise that they graunted to no man any triumph vnlesse he did sweare that he had vnto the Gods made a vow and afterwards also proued how he performed it At that time flourished in Rome many vertuous Romanes and many Greeke Philosophers many hardie Captaines and many sumptuous Buildings and aboue all things Rome was vnpeopled of malicies and adorned with vertuous Ladies The Historiographers made and not without a cause great account of these vertuous Matrons for the Common-wealth hath as much need of vertuous Women as the Warres haue of valiant Captaines They being therefore as they were so vertuous and so Noble Matrons without the motion of any woman determined all to goe into the high Capitoll and there to offer all their Iewels and Treasures that they had their Chains their Rings their Garments their Bracelets their Girdles their Buttons and Hangers of Gold Siluer and precious Stones of all sorts with all their Tablets The Annales of this time say that after the Romane women had layd so great a multitude of riches at the feet of the sacred Senate in the name of of them all one of them spake whose name was called Lucina and sayd in this sort Fathers conscript esteeme not much these our Iewels which we giue you to make the Image of the mother Berecinthia but esteeme much this that wee willingly put in ieopardie our husbands and children to winne you the victorie And in this case you accept our poore seruice haue no respect to the little which wee doe offer but to the great which if we were able we would giue Truely the Romanes though the treasure which their wiues offered was great yet notwithstanding
the man that desireth perpetuall renon me though hee bee not banished hee ought to absent himselfe from his Natiue countrey My deare childrē I most earnestly desire you that alwayes you accompanie your selues with the good with the most Auncients and with those which are graue and most expert in counsell and with those that haue most seene the world and doe not vnderstand most of the world by those that haue seene most countreys For the ripe councell proceedeth not from the man that hath trauelled in many Countreys but from him that hath selt himselfe in many daungers Since the nature of the Countrey my Children doth knocke with the hāmer at the heart of man I feare that if you come and see your friends and parents you shall alwayes line in care pensiuenes and being pensiue you shall alwayes liue euill contented and you shall not do that which becometh Romane knights to do And you not being valiaunt knights your enemyes shall alwayes reioyce ouer you and your desires shal neuer take effect for of those men which are carefull and heauy proceedeth alwaies seruices vnworthie I desire you heartily and by this present letter I counsell you that you will not in any wise seeke to come to Rome For as I haue saide you shall know few of those that did know you for eyther they are dead or banished poor or sick aged or come to nought sad or euill contented So that sithence you are not able to remedie their griefes it is best you should not come hither to see their troubles For no man cōmeth to Rome but to weepe with the liuing or to sigh for thē that be dead Truly my children I know not what pleasure is in Rome that shold cause any good man to come hither and to forsake Affrike for if there you haue any enemies here you shal want friends If you haue the Sword that pierceth the body we haue the tōgue here that destroyeth the renowme If you be vexed with the Thieues of Affrike wee are wounded with the traytours flatterers and lyars of Italie If you lacke rest we haue here too much trouble Finally seeing that I doe see in Rome and hearing that which I doe heare of Affrike I cōmend your warre and abhorre your peace If you doe greatly esteem that which I haue said esteem much more that which I shall say which is that wee alwayes heare that you are conquerors of the Affricanes and you shall heare alwayes that we are conquered by vices Therefore if am a true mother I had rather see you win a perpetuall memory among strangers then to liue with infamie at home in your countrey Peraduenture with hope that you shallenioy some goods you will offer to take occasion to come to Rome When this thing shall come to your minds remember my Children that your father being aliue had not much and that vnto your Mother beeing a widow many things wanted And remember that your father bequeathed you nothing but weapons and knowe that from mee you shalll enherite nothing but Bookes For I had rather leaue my Children good doctrine whereby they may liue then euill Riches whereby they may perish I am not rich nor I neuer trauelled to bee rich and the cause was that I saw many mens children vndone only through the hope they had to inherit their parents goods and afterward went a hunting after vices For they seldome times do any worthy feates which in theyr Youth inherite great Treasures This thing therefore beeing true as it is indeede I doe not say onely that I would watch and toyle as many do to get riches and treasures but also if I had treasor before I would giue them vnto you I would as the Phylosopher did cast them into the fire For I had rather haue my children poore and vertuous in Affricke then rich and vicious in Rome You knowe very well my Children that there was among the Tharentines a Law well obserued that the Sonnes should not inherit any thing of the fathers but weapons to fight and that the Daughters should inherite the goods for to marry thēselues withall Truely this Law was very iust for the Sonne that hath alwaies respect to the inheritance will not haue to his Father any great confidence For hee ought to bee called a valiant Romain Knight that with his life hath wonne and by his sword hath gotten Riches Since you are in straunge Realmes I pray you heartily that you be eonuersant with the good as good brethren remembring alwayes that you were my children and that I gaue you both sucke of mine owne proper breasts And the day that I shall heare of your disagreement the same day shall be the end of my life For the discord in one city of parents doth more harme then a whole armie of enemies It is good for you my Children to liue in loue and concord together but it is more requisite to keepe you with the Romain knights The which with you and you with them if you doe not loue together in the warres you shall neuer haue the vpper hand of your enemies For in great Armies the discords that arise amongst them do more harme then the enemies do against whom they fight I thinke well my children that you would be very desirous to know of my estate that is to say whether I am in health whether I am sicke whether I am poore whether I am pleased or whether I am discontented In this case I knowe not why you should desire to knowe it since you ought to presuppose that according to the troubles which I haue passed the miseries which with mine eyes I haue seen I am filled with this world For wise men after fifty yeares and vpwardes ought rather to applie theyr mindes how to receyue death then to seeke for pleasures how to prolong life When mans Flesh is weake it alwayes desireth to bee well kept euen vnto the graue And as I am of flesh and Bone so I do feele the troubles of the world as all mortall men doe But for all this doe not thinke that to bee poore or sicke is the greatest miserie neither thinke that to bee whole and rich is the chiefest felicity for there is none other felicitie of the old fathers but for to see their children vertuous In my opinion it is an honor to the coūtry that the fathers haue such children which will take profit with their counsell and contrariwise that the children haue such fathers which can giue it them For the childe is happy that hath a wise father and more happie is the father that hath not a foolish son I doe write oft times vnto you my children but there is a law that none be so hardy to write to men of war in the field except first they inrowle the letters in the Senate Therefore since I write vnto you more letters then they would they do send lesse then I desire Though this law be painefull to
your Bookes full of lawes and the common wealth full of vices Wherefore I sweare vnto you that there are more Thebaines which follow the delitiousnesse of Denis the tyrant then there are vertuous men that follow the lawes of Lycurgus If you Thebaines doe desire greatly to know with what lawes the Lacedemonians doe preserue their Common-wealth I will tell you them all by word and if you will reade them I will shew you them in writing but it shall bee vpon condition that you shall sweare al openly that once a day you shall employ your eyes to reade them and your persons to obserue them for the Prince hath greater honour to see one onely law to be obserued in deed then to ordaine a thousand by writing You ought not to esteeme much to be vertuous in heart nor to enquire of the vertue by the mouth nor to seeke it by labour and trauell of the feet but that which you ought greatly to esteeme is to know what a vertuous law meaneth and that knowne immediately to execute it and afterwards to keepe it For the chiefe vertue is not to doe one vertuous worke but in a swet and trauell to continue in it These therfore were the words that this Philosopher Phetonius sayde to the Thebaines the which as Plato sayeth esteemed more his words that hee spake then they did the Lawes which he brought Truly in mine opinion those of Thebes are to bee praysed and commended and the Philosopher for his word is worthy to be honoured For the ende of those was to search lawes to liue well and the end of the Philosopher was to seeke good meanes for to keepe them in vertue And therefore he thoght it good to shew them and put before their eyes the gibbet and the sword with the other Instruments and torments for the euill do refraine from vice more for feare of punishment then for any desire they haue of amendment I was willing to bring in this history to the end that all curious and vertuous men may see and know how little the Ancients did esteeme the beginning the meane and the end of vertuous works in respect of the perseuerance and preseruation of them Comming therefore to my matter which my penne doth tosse and seeke I aske now presently what it profiteth Princesses and great Ladies that God doe giue them great estates that they be fortunate in marriages that they bee all reuerenced and honoured that they haue great treasures for their inheritances and aboue all that they see their wines great with Childe and that afterward in ioy they see them deliuered that they see their mothers giuing their children sucke and finally they see themselues happy in that they haue found them good nurses health full and honest Truly all this auayleth little if to their children when they are young they doe do not giue masters to instruct them in vertues and they also if they doe not recommend them to good guides to exercise them in feates of Chiualry The Fathers which by sighes penetrate the heauen by praiers importune the liuing God onelie for to haue children ought first to thinke why they will haue children for that iustly to a man may be denied which to an euill end is procured In mine opinion the Father ought to desire to haue a child for that in his age he may sustaine his life in honour and that after his death hee may cause his fame to liue And if a Father desireth not a sonne for this cause at the least he ought to desire him to the end in his age hee may honour his hoary head and that after his death hee may enherite his goods but we see few children do these thinges to their fathers in their age if the fathers haue not taught them in their youth For the fruit doth neuer grow in the haruest vnlesse the tree did beare blosoms in the spring I see oftentimes many Fathers complaine of their children saying that they are disobedient and proude vnto them and they do not consider that they themselues are the cause of all those euils For too much abundance and liberty of youth is no other but a prophesie and manifest token of disobedience in age I know not why Princes and great Lords do toyle oppresse so much scratch to leaue their children great estates and on the other side wee see that in teaching them they are and shewe themselues too negligent for Princes and great Lordes ought to make account that all that which they leaue of their substance to a wicked heyre is vtterly lost The wise men and those which in their consciences are vpright and of their honours carefull ought to bee very diligent to bring vppe their children and chiefly that they consider whether they bee meete to inherite their estates And if perchance the fathers see that their children bee more giuen to folly then to noblenes and wisdome then should I bee ashamed to see a father that is wise trauell all the dayes of his life to leaue much substance to an euill brought vp childe after his death It is a griefe to declare and a monstrous thing to see the cates which the Fathers take to gather riches and the diligence that children haue to spend them And in this case I say the sonne is fortunate for that hee doth enherite and the Father a foole for that he doth bequeath In my opinion Fathers are bound to instruct their children well for two causes the one for that they are nearest to them and also because they ought to be their heyres For truly with great griefe and sorrow I suppose hee doth take his death which leaueth to a foole or an vnthrift the toyle of all his life Hyzearchus the Greeke Hystorian in the booke of his Antiquities Sabellicus in his generall hystory sayeth that a father and a sonne came to complain to the famous Philosopher and ancient Solon Solinon the Sonne complained of the father and the father of the sonne First the sonne informed the quarrell to the Philosopher saying these words I complaine of my Father because hee being rich hath disinherited mee and made me poore and in my steade hath adopted another heyre the which thing my father ought not nor cannot doe for since he gaue me so frayle flesh it is reason hee giue me his goods to maintaine my seeblenes To these wordes answered the father I complaine of my sonne because hee hath not beene as a gentle sonne but rather as a cruell enemie for in all things since hee was borne hee hath beene disobedient to my will wherefore I thought it good to disinherite him before my death I would I were quit of all my substance so that the gods had quit him of his life for the earth is very cruell that swalloweth not the child aliue which to his father is disobedient In that he sayeth I haue adopted another child for mine heyre I confesse it is true and for so much
as hee sayeth that I haue disinherited him and abiected him from my heritage hee beeing begotten of my body hereunto I answere That I haue not disinherited my sonne but I haue disinherited his pleasure to the entent hee shall not enioy my trauell for there can bee nothing more vniust then that the young and vicious sonne should take his pleasure of the swet and droppes of the aged father The sonne replyed to his Father and sayde I confesse I haue offended my Father and also I confesse that I haue liued in pleasures yet if I may speake the truth though I were disobedient and euill my Father ought to beare the blame and if for this cause hee doeth dishenherite mee I thinke hee doth me great iniurie for the father that instructeth not his son in vertue in his youth wrongfully disinheriteth him though he be disobedient in his age The Father againe replyeth and sayeth It is true my sonne that I brought thee vp too wantonly in thy youth but thou knowest well that I haue taught thee sundry times and besides that I did correct thee when thou camest to some discretion And if in thy youth I did not instruct thee in learning it was for that thou in thy tender age diddest want vnderstanding but after that thou hadst age to vnderstand discretion to receyue and strength to exercise it I beganne to punish thee to teache thee and to instruct thee For where no vnderstanding is in the child there in vaine they teach doctrine Since thou art old quoth the sonne and I young since thou art my Father and I thy sonne for that thou hast white hayres on thy beard and I none at all it is but reason that thou be belieued and I condemned For in this world wee see oft times that the small authoritie of the person maketh him to loose his great iustice I graunt thee my Father that when I was a childe thou diddest cause mee to learne to reade but thou wilt not denie that if I did commit any faulte thou wouldst neuer agree I should be punished And hereof it came that thou suffering me to do what I would in my Youth haue bin disobedient to thee euer since in my age And I say vnto thee further that if in this case I haue offended truely mee thinketh thou canst not bee excused for the fathers in the youth of their children ought not onely to teach them to dispute of vertues what vertue is but they ought to inforce thē to be vertuous in deed For it is a good token when Youth before they knowe vices haue been accustomed to practise vertues Both partyes then diligently heard the good Phylosopher Solon Solinon speake these words I giue iudgement that the Father of this childe be not buryed after his death and I commaund that the Sonne because in his youth hee hath not obeyed his Father who is olde should be disinherited whilest the Father liueth from all his substance on such condition that after his death his sonnes should inherite the Heritage and so returne to the heyres of the Sonne and liue of the Father For it were vniust that the innocencie of the Sonne should be condemned for the offence of the Father I do commaund also that all the goods be committed vnto some faithfull person to the end they may giue the Father meat and drinke during his life and to make a graue for the Sonne after his death I haue not without a cause giuen such iudgement the which comprehendeth life and death For the Gods will not that for one pleasure the punishment bee double but that wee chastise and punish the one in the life taking from him his honour and goods and that wee punish others after their death taking from them memorie and buryall Truely the sentence which the Philosopher gaue was very graue and would to GOD wee had him for a iudge of this world presently For I sweare that hee should finde manie Children now a dayes for to disinherite and moe Fathers to punish For I cannot tell which is greater The shame of the children to disobey their Fathers or the negligence of the Fathers in bringing vp their children Sextus Cheronens in the second book of the sayings of the Philosophers declareth that a Citizen of Athens saide vnto Dyogenes the Phylosopher these wordes Tell mee Dyogenes What shall I doe to be in the fauour of the Gods and not in the hatred of men For oft times amongst you Phylosophers I haue hearde say that there is a great difference between that that the gods will and that which men loue Dyogenes answered Thou speakest more then thou oughtest to speake that the Gods will one thing and men another for the Gods are but as a center of mercy and men are but as a denne of malice if thou wilt enioy rest in thy dayes and keepe thy life pure and cleane thou must obserue these three things The first honour thy Gods deuoutely for the man which doeth not serue and honour the Gods in all his enterprises hee shall be vnfortunate The second bee very diligent to bring vp thy children well for the man hath no enemie so troublesome as his owne sonne if hee bee not well brought vp The third thing bee thankefull to thy good benefactors and friends for the Oracle of Apollo sayth that the man who is vnthankefull of all the world shall be abhorred And I tell thee further my friend that of these three things the most profitable though it be more troublesome is for a man to teach and bring vp his children well This therefore was the answere that the Philosopher Diogenes made to the demaund of the Citizen It is great pitty and griefe to see a young childe how the bloud doth stirre him to see how the flesh doth prouoke him to accomplish his desire to see sensuality goe before and he himselfe to come behind to see the malitious World to watch him to see how the Diuell doth tempte him to see how vices binde him and in all that which is spoken to see how the Father is negligent as if hee had no children whereas in deede the olde man by the fewe vertues he hath had in his Youth may easily knowe the infirmityes and vices wherewith his Sonne is incompassed If the expert had neuer beene ignorant if the Fathers had neuer beene children if the vertuous had neuer been vicious if the fine wittes had neuer been deceiued it were no maruell if the Fathers were negligent in teaching their children For the little experience excuseth men of great offences but since thou art my Father and that first thou wert a Sonne since thou art old and hast bin young and besides all this since that pride hath inflamed thee lechery hath burned thee wrath hath wounded thee Negligence hath hindred thee Couetousnes hath blinded thee Glotonie surfetted thee Tell mee cruell Father since so many vices haue reigned in thee why hast thou not an
Courtier in the ende hath not the meane nor commodiitie to spende as the Countrey-man hath that liueth at home at else in the countrey spendeth such commodities as hee brings into his house but the courtier consumeth in court not his owne alone but also that of others And therefore in Courte or elsewhere let euery wise man bee diligent to bring his affayres to ende but yet let him so moderate and vse his Expences as hee shall not neede nor be driuen to morgage and gage that hee hath For hee that feasteth and rowteth with others purse of that that is lent him cannot choose but in the ende he must breake and deceyue his creditours Therfore all worthiemen that loue their honour and feare reproache ought rather to suffer hunger colde thyrst care paine and sorrow then to be had in the checke-roule of ryotous and prodigall spenders trustlesse of theyr promises and suspected of their wordes There is yet another great trouble in the court of Princes and that is the exceeding dearth of victualls the vnreasonable want of houses and the great price of horses for many times they spend more for strawe and litter for their horse then they doe in other places for hay oats and bread And further if the Courtyer bee a poore gentleman and that he would feast and banquet his friends or companions he shall spend at one dinner or supper so much that he shal be constrained to faste a whole weeke after Therefore if the Courtyer will be well vsed in following of the Courte hee must not onely knowe and speake to also loue and inuite at times the Butchers Vittlers Fruitrers Keepers and Fosters Fishmongers and Poultrers and other purueyers of the same Of whom hee shall alwayes haue asmuch neede of his prouision as he shal haue neede of the iudges to shewe him Iustice when hee shall neede it For meate bread wine wood haye oats and strawe are commonly very deare it Court for fewe of all these things are to bee bought in Court but of others infinit things to be solde to profite and gayne the poore Courtyers that else had no shift to liue And yet is there a little more trouble in Court and that is that continually letters are sent to the Courtier from his Friendes to obtaine of the Prince or his Counsell his dispatch in his priuate affaires or for his seruants or tenants or other his friends And many times these sutes are so ill welcome to the courtyer that hee had rather haue pleasured his friend with a piece of mony then they should haue layde vpon him so weightie a matter And besides this there is yet another trouble that the bringer of this letter must needes lye at the Courtyers house attending his dispatch So that the Courtyer delaying his friends busines augmenteth his griefe and keeping the messenger there increaseth his charge And if perchance his busines be not dispatched and the suite obtained those that wrote to him will not thinke hee left it off for that hee would not do it or take paines therin but for that he wanted fauour and credite or at least were very negligent in following their cause And that that vexeth them throghly yet is that their parents and friends thinke which are in the countrey farre from Court that this Courtyer hath all the Courtyers at his commaundement that he may say and doe what he will there And therefore his Friendes when they haue occasion to employ him in Court and that they write vnto him touching their affayres and that hee hath now taken vpon him the charge and burden of the same seeing himselfe after vnable to discharge that hee hath enterprised and cannot as hee would satisfie his friends expectation then hee falleth to dispaire and wysheth hee had beene dead when hee first tooke vpon him this matter and that hee made them beleeue he could goe through with that they had committed to him beeing vnpossible for him hauing small credite and estimation ' amongst the Nobilitie and Councellours Therefore I would neuer councell him that hath Brethren Friendes or other neere Kinsfolkes in Court to goe seeke them out there albeit they had matters of great weight and importance on hope to be dispatched the sooner by their credit fauour and suite And for this cause for that in Court there is euer more priuate malice and enuie then in other places wherefore they cannot bee reuenged the one of the other but must tarry a time and when they see opportunitie they set in foote to ouerthrowe and secretly to put backe theyr aduersaries suite Now loe these things and other infinite plagues doe light vpon these vnfortunate courtiers incredible happely to anie but the olde and experienced Courtyer If the old and wise Courtier would count all the fauours and mischances the dearth and abundance the frendships and enmities the contentation and displeasures and the honor infamy hee hath endured in the Court I belieeue assuredly we should not be a little sorrie for that bodie that had suffered so much but much more for that heart that had abidden all those stormes and broyles When the Courtyer seeth that hee is not heard of the Prince nor spoken to of the beloued and fauoured of the Court and that the Treasurer doeth not dispatch him and the Cofferer keepe backe his wages it is a miserie to see him and on the other side a pleasure and pastime to heare what he sayes cursing the wretched life of this world And euen then in his heate and rage he teareth and blasphemeth GOD and sweares accursedly that thenceforth hee will forsake the vaine abuses of Courte and leaue also the Trompries of the deceitfull world avowing to enclose himself within precinct of Religious walles and to take vpon him also religious habite Alas if I fetched as many sighes for my sinnes as Courtyers doe for their mishaps and disgraces what a number would they come to For a Courtyer incontinent that hee feeleh himselfe sicke that hee is alone and reiected of his Friendes in Court hee becommeth so heauie and pensiue that with his deepe sighes he pierceth the heauens on hye and with his flowing teares he moystneth the Earth below So that a man might more easily number the troubles of the stout and hardy Hercules then those which the Courtyer daily suffreth And besides those manie wee haue recyted yet further these also we can recite that their seruaunts robbe them their Purse-bearers consume their money ieasters counterfait knaues lye euer vpon their reward women picke their purses and strumpets bawds spoile them of all But what shal I say more to you If the poore Courtyer be full of feathers euery man plumes him but if he want Winges there is no man hastie to plume him And to conclude in Princes Courts you shall finde no such trade of life whereby you may satisfie euery man For if the Courtier speake little they will say he is but a foole
giue any words to any that shall offend him For the officers of Princes can by no other meanes so well assure their offices and authority they haue as by doing good continually to some and to suffer others no way making any countenance of displeasure for the iniuries done them by others And if it happen as many times i doth that a follower and hanger on of the Court hauing spent all that he hath and driuen now to seeke a new banke chaunce to speake dishonest words and frame great quarrels against the Kings Officers In this case the Courtier and wise Officer should neuer answer him with anger and displeasure and much lesse speake vnto him in choller For a man of honour and respect will be more grieued with a dishonest word that is spokē against him then hee will bee for the deniall of that he asketh Those that are beloued and beliked of Princes aboue all other things ought to bee very patient courteous and gentle in all things For all that the followers of the Court and suiters cannot obtaine in the Court let them not lay the fault to the Prince that denyed it them but onely to the fauoured of the Prince and those about him for that they neuer moued it to the Kings Maiestie nor once thought of the matter as the poore Suters supposed they had The paines and troubles of Court are infinite and insupportable For how quyet soeuer the Courtyer bee they will trouble and molest him if hee be pacient they will be impacient and in stormes saying That such a man spake yll of him and seekes continually to defame him Which things wee will the Courtyer heare with patience and dissemble with wisdome For the wise Courtyer should not bee angrie for the yll wordes they speake of him but onely for the vile and wicked actes they doe vnto him Let not the Courtyer and Fauourite of the Prince be deceiued in thinking that doing for this man and for that man in shewing them fauour that for all that hee can binde or stay their tongues that they speak not ill of him and their hearts that they hate them not extreamly For the Enemie receyueth not so much pleasure of that the Courtyer giueth him as hee doeth griefe and displeasure for that that is behinde yet in the Courtyers hands to giue him Now in the pallaces of Princes it is a naturall thing for eache man to desire to aspire and to creepe into the Princes fauour to bee able to doe much and to bee more worth then others and to commaund also And as there are manie that desire it so are they very few in number that by their vertues and demerits come to obtaine that high fauour It is a thing most sure and vndoubted that one alone enioying his Princes grace and fauour shall be hated in manner of the most part of the people The more they are Rich Noble and of great power that are beloued and accepted of Princes so much the more ought they to bee circumspect and to liue in feare and doubt of such disgraces and misfortunes that may happen to them sith all euery mans eye is vppon them and that they are the more enuyed for that they can do much and desire also to take from them that authoritie and credite they haue and to spoyle them of such treasures as they possesse or haue gotten by the Princes fauour And in this case the Fauourite of the Courte must not truste in the pleasures hee hath done them neyther in the fauor he hath shewed thē much lesse the fayned friendships they seeme to beare him and that hee thinks he hath gotten of them neither must he trust too much his Friends Neighbors and Kinsfolkes no nor his owne Brethren But let him bee assured that all those that are not in the like ranke of Fauour and estimation that hee is be hee of what degree or parentage hee will be yea and as neere a kinne as may bee they will all bee in that his very mortall foes Authority to commaund being the chiefe and highest point of honor and whereto euery man seekes to aspire and which was cause that Pompey became the deadly enemy of Iulius Caesar his father in Law Absolon of Dauid his naturall father Romulus of his brother Remus Alexander of Darius who shewed himselfe before a father in loue in bringing on him vp and Marke Anthony of Augustus Caesar his great friend So that I say it may well bee saide that after disdain and cankered ire haue once possest the delicate brest of man onely concerning honour and commaundement that it is neuer thenceforth recured of that infested sore neyther by gifts promises and much lesse by prayers and requests It is true the accepted of the prince may well bee free from all thyrste and hunger colde and heate warres plague and pouertie and from all other calamityes and troubles of this our wretched life but hee shall neuer be free from detractions of venomous and wicked tongues and from spightfull and enuious persons For no lesse is Enuie ioyned to fauour then is thyrst to a burning ague In this case it is impossible but that the Courtyer should receyue manie times displeasure and disgraces in the Court but not to giue eare to these detracters and ill-speakers of men To remedy these things the Courtyer must needes seeme to let them know by his lookes and aunswers that hee is more offended with them that come and tell him these lewde tales then with those that in deed did truely report them of him This counsell would I giue the courtyer that what ill so euer hee heareth spoken of him I would wish him not seeme to know it and much lesse to be angrie withall nor once giue a distastfull word to the reporters thereof For his choller ouer-paste the euill words hee hath spoken to them in his anger may turne him to more displeasure then he hath done him hurt that caused him speake these words And therefore surely to bridle the Tongue is rather a diuine then a humane vertue and chiefly in that instant when the heart is maistered and subdued with Chollericke passions For afterwards it happeneth many times that being quiet againe in our mindes we are sorry for that wee haue spoken in our anger yea against them that haue angred vs. If the Courtyer should weigh euery worde that is spoken against him and esteeme euery thing that is done to him he should purchase himselfe a continuall and sorrowfull life yea and out of measure a troublesome and vnpleasant sith Princes courts are euer full of Serpents-tongues and venomous harts and that it lyeth not in mans power to let that the hearts of men hate vs not and that their tongues speake not ill of vs. I would aduise the Courtyer to take all the ill that is spoken of him in sporte and mirth and not in anger Seneca sayde and that wisely spoken that there is no greater reuenge
see infinite presents brought into his house to be greedy of money and to haue a great train of seruants to wayte vpon them All these are things not onely to make theÌ„ murmur and repine at but also when time and place serueth to condemne and accuse them to the Prince And this were but little to murmur at them and accuse them so that they did not defame them and diminish their honour and reputation For they tell it abroad afterwards eyther that they are corrupted with presents or that they doe robbe and steale from the Prince their master And therefore I returne once againe to admonish them and specially the officer of the Court that they shal not neede neyther is it requisire they make any ostentation of their riches if they be wise at least For besides that euery body will murmur against him they will not spare to bring it to the Princes cares quickly so that by misfortune it might happen to him that the King would doe that with his seruant that the hunter doth oft with his beasts hee taketh that many times he cherisheth him and giueth him meate to eate not to bring him vp but to fat and kill him for his owne eating CHAP. XV. That the fauoured of the Court shoulde not trust too much to their fauour and credite they haue nor to the prosperitie of their life A worthy Chapter full of good doctrine WHat reputation Paul the Apostle had amongest the Christians the like had the great Cato the Iudge among the Romanes who in the progression of his life proceeded so honestly and in the gouernement of the publike weale was so iust that hee deserued that this Epitaph should be written vpon his Pallace gate O Cato great whose euerlasting fame Amidst the earth still liues with honour due Was neuer none could thee oppresse with shame For iudgement wrong whereby the guiltlesse rule Was nere none durst presse to thee with suites Or fill thy hands with bribes or flatter thee Whereby thou shouldest not shew the worthy fruits Of iustice zeale as Iudges all should bee Among all the noble and renowmed Romanes hee onely would neuer suffer statue or Image of his to bee set vp in the high Capitoll Whereat diuers maruelling and imagining diuersly what was his meaning hee beeing one day in the Senate sayde to them these words openly I will they shall seeke the good workes I haue done by which I did deserue that my Image should be erected in the Capitoll then to giue theÌ„ cause to goe search and enquire what linage I was of what was my life with intent to pull downe my Image For it happeneth many times that those whom inconstant fortune from a low estate hath raysed vp to high degree and steppe of honour doe become afterwardes by the same occasion rather defamed then praysed for there are many that are reuerenced honoured openly by reason of theyr honour and dignity they haue at this present of whom they make a iesting stocke afterwards when they see them fall Lucan sayeth that Pompeius would say many times when he would speake of these worldly things My friends I can tell you a true thing whereby you may know the little occasion wee haue to trust humane felicities Example you may see in mee which attained to the Romane Empire without any hope I had euer to come vnto it and afterwards also not mistrusting any thing euen suddenlie it was taken from mee and I depriued of it Lucius Seneca beeing banished from Rome wrote a letter to his mother Albuina in which hee did both comfort her and himselfe and wrotte thus O my deare mother Albuina I neuer in all my life beleeued or trusted vnstabel Fortune although there haue bin many peaces and leagues made betwixt her and our house for if at a time the trayteresse consented that for a space I should bee quiet and at rest shee did it not of good will shee had to leaue to pursue me but for to giue me a more cloaked seuerity For when shee seeth wee thinke our selues assured then with al her force and fury shee giueth vs the assault as if shee came to assault the Enemies Campe And I tell thee further yet good mother that all the good shee wrought in mee and the honour shee heaped on mee and all the faculties and aboundance of riches she broght to my house hee tolde mee shee gaue them freely but I alwayes aunswered her I did accept in way of imprest not of gift Her promises therefore shee offered mee the honour she layd vpon mee and the riches she gaue me shee layde them vp in such a corner of my house that either by day or by night she might at her pleasur when shee would take them all from mee without that shee should trouble at all therefore my iudgement or that shee should sorrow my heart a whit And because thou shouldest know how I did esteeme of fortune I tell thee that I euer thought it good neuer to let any thing come within me â—or into my heart but only neere vnto me and so I was contented to esteeme it and to keepe it vnder good safety â—â—â— not that I therefore applyed and gaue all my affection and minde vnto it I was glad to haue fortune my friend but if I lost her I was neuer sorry for her Finally I conclude that when she came to assault mee and to robbe my house she might well conuay all that was to put in the Arke but not that shee could euer carry away the least sigh of my heart They say that K. Philip father of Alexander the Great beeing aduertised of three great victories hapned in sundry places to his Army kneeled down on both his knees and holding vp his hands to the heauens sayd O cruel fortune O merciful gods I beseech you most humbly that after so great a glory and victory as this you haue hitherto giuen mee you will moderate your correction and punishment which after this I looke for that you will graunt mee that you punish me with pity and not with vtter destruction and ruine And yet he added this furder to his words Not without cause I Conjure thee Oh Fortune and doe beseeche you immortall Gods that you wil punish me fauourably but not to vndoe me because I am assured that ouermuch felicitie and prosperitie of this life is no more but a prediction and presage of a great calamitie and an yll insuing happe Truely all the Examples aboue recited are worthie to be noted and to be kept alwayes before the eyes of our mindes sith by them wee come to know that in the prosperitie of this our thrawled life there is litle to hope for and much to be afrayd of It is true wee are very fraile by nature since we are borne fraile we liue fraile and daylie wee fall into a thousand fraylties but yet notwithstanding we are not so frayle but wee may if we will resist vice
his euill hap hath made her his enemie which heretofore hee so entirely loued For any man that esteemeth his honour and reputation doth rather feare the euill tongue of such a woman then the sword of his enemy For an honest man to striue and contend with a woman of such quality is eueÌ„ as much as if hee would take vpon him to wash an asses head Therefore hee may not seeme to make account of those iniuries done him or euill words shee hath spoken of him For women naturally desire to enioy the person they loue without let or interruption of any and to pursue to the death those they hate I would wish therefore the fauoured of Princes and such as haue office and dignity in the court that they beware they incurre not into such like errors For it is not fitting that men of honour and such as are great about the Prince should seeme to haue more liberty in vice then any other neyther for any respect ought the beloued of the Prince to dare to keepe company much lesse to haue friendshippe with any such common and defamed women sith the least euill that can come to them they cannot be auoided But at the least hee must charge his conscience trouble his friends waste his goods consume his person and lose his good fame ioining withall these also his concubine to bee his mortall enemy For there is no woman liuing that hath any measure in louing nor end in hating Oh how warily ought all men to liue and specially we that are in the Court of Princes for many women vnder the colour of their authority and office go ofttimes to seeke them in their Chambers not onely as humble suiters to solicite their causes but also liberally to offer them their persons and so by colour to conclude their practises and deuises So that the decision and coÌ„clusion of proces which they faine to solicite shall not goe with him that demaunds there goods of them but rather with him that desires but their persons to spoyle them of theyr honour Now the Princes officers must seeke to be pure and cleane from al these practises of these commoÌ„ strumpets much more from those that are suters to them and haue matters before them For they should highly offend God and commit great treason to the king if they should sende those Women from them that sued vnto them rather dishonored and defamed then honestly dispatched of their businesse And therefore he bindeth himselfe to a maruellous inconuenience that falleth in loue with a woman suter for euen from that instant hee hath receiued of her the sweet delights of loue euen at the present hee bindeth himself to dispatch her quickly and to end all her suites and not without great griefe I speake these words There are many women that come to the Court of Princes to make vnreasonable and dishonest sutes which in the end notwithstanding obtaine their desire And not for any right or reason they haue to it saue onely they haue obtained it through the fauour and credite they haue wonne of the fauoured Courtier or of one of his beloued So as wee see it happen many times that the vniust furnication made her suit iust and reasonable I should lye and doe my selfe wrong me thinkes if I should passe ouer with silence a thing that hapned in the Emperours Court touching this matter in the which I went one day to one of the princes chiefe officers and best beloued of him to solicit a matter of importaÌ„ce which an hostes of mine should haue before him And so this fauoured Courtier and great Officer after hee had hearde of men the whole discourse of the matter for full resolution of the same hee asked mee if shee were yong and fayre and I aunswered him that shee was reasonable fayre and of good fauour Well then sayth he bid her come to mee and I will doe the best I can to dispatch her matter with speede for I will assure you of this that there neuer came fayre woman to my handes but shee had her businesse quickly dispatcht at my hands I haue knowne also many women in the Court so dishonest that not contented to follow their owne matters would also deale with others affayres and gaine in feliciting theyr causes so that they with theyr fine wordes and franke offer of their persons obtayned that which many times to men of honour and great authority was denyed Therefore these great Officers fauoured of Princes ought to haue great respect not onely in the conuersation they haue with these Women but also in the honest order they ought to obserue in hearing their causes And that to bee done in such sort that whatsoeuer they say vnto them may bee secret prouided also the place where they speake with them bee open for other Suiters in like case CHAP. XVIII That the Nobles and Beloued of Princes exceede not in superfluous fare and that they bee not too sumptuous in their meates A notable Chapter for those that vse too much delicacy and superfluitie THe greatest care regard that Nature laide vpon her selfe was that men could not liue without sustinance so that so long as wee see a man eate yea if it were a thousande yeares wee might bee bolde to say that hee is certainely aliue And hee hath not alone layde this burden vpon men but on bruite beasts also For wee see by experience that some feedeth on the grasse in the fieldes some liues in the ayre eating flyes others vpon the wormes in carring others with that they finde vnder the water And finally each beast liueth of other and afterwardes the wormes feede of vs all And not onely reasonable men and brute beasts liue by eating but the trees are nourished thereby and wee see it thus that they in stead of meate receiue into them for nutriture the heate of the Sunne the temperature of the ayre the moisture of the earth any dewe of heauen so that the sustenance for men is called meate and that of plants and trees increase This beeing true therefore that wee haue spoken we must needes confesse that to liue wee must eate and yet withall wee must vnderstand that the sin of gluttony consisteth not in that that wee eate for necessity but only in that that is eaten with a disordinate appetite and desire And sure now a dayes men vse not to eate to content nature but to please their licorous and dainty mouthes Hee that giueth him selfe ouer to the desire of the throate doth not onely offend his stomacke and distemper his body but hurteth also his conscience for all gluttons and drunkards are the children or the brothers of sinne And I speake but little to say that the mouth and sinne are câ—sin Germanes together for by their effects and operations me thinketh them so knit and combined together as the Father and the Sonne Sith burning Leacherie acknowledgeth none other for her mother but onely the infatiable and gurmand throate And