considering the excellencie of our soule in his owne nature haue great cause to boast in God which hath giuen it vnto vs and through his bountie hath vouchsafed to honour vs farre aboue all other creatures but looking backe howe this nature hath beene corrupted and esloyned from her first originall there remaineth nought to vs but shame And if there bee any good in vs it proceedeth from the liberalitie of God by whome if wee bee not continually supported wee shall fall into all miserie and mischiefe Let vs likewise considered howe manye great personages fearing to bee too much exalted haue refused Empires Kingdomes Bishoprickes Abbayes and other dignities And haue accounted themselues happie when God hath done them the honour to humble them and bring them vnto him through sundrie afflictions Philo the Iewe writeth that the occasion whie Leuen was forbid vnto the Iewes at the feast of Easter was to teache them to haue a greate care to keepe themselues from pryde and presumption into which they fell which helde any good opinion of their owne selues and puffeth themselues vp therewith as the dowe is with the leuen CHAP. XLI That Painting is Lying FOr as much as sinceritie simplicitie roundnesse and trueth are proper to such as are vertuous and all disguysing hath beene accounted odious It is not without cause that sundrye haue blamed and found fault with paynting which serueth not but to delight such as are licentious and proceedeth as Sainct Ciprian and Chrisostome wrote from the Diuel a lyar and deceiuer And if Saint Peter and Saint Paul exhort weomen not to haue their appareling outwarde as with broydered hayre and golde put about or in putting on of apparell but what is comely to weomen making profession of the trueth through good woorkes much lesse will they allowe of paynting God in Isaiah reprehendeth the daughters of Sion because they minsed as they went and decked themselues too curiously Among other things he sayeth that because they were haughtie and walked with outstretched neckes and with wandring eyes walking minsing as they went making a tinckling with their feete therefore shall the Lord make the heds of the daughters of Zion bald discouer their secrete partes and in that day shall take away the ornament of the slippers and the calles and the round tires the sweete balles the brasselets and the bonnets the tyres of the head and the sloppes the headbands and the tablets and the eare rings the rings the mufflers the costly apparel the vailes the wimples and the crisping pinnes and the glasses and the fine linnen and the hoods and the launes and the men shal fall by the sworde for suffring such pride of women In Deuteronomie it is written The woman shall not weare that which pertaineth voto the man neither shall a man put on a womans raiment And we must glorifie God in our bodies and in our spirites which are his and the temples of the holie Ghost as S. Paul sayth and take heede of giuing offence to any It is without all doubt that there chaunceth sundrie great imperfections to children when weomen with childe goe too straite laced Tertullian in his booke of the rayments of weomen would haue them simple and differing from common maydens and such as were nice and drunken S. Ciprian and S. Ambrose vppon the like argument and S. Chrisostome vpon the 12. to the Hebrewes forbid painting to women and say that they giue occasion of offence and cause men to sinne and wallow in the stye of the brickle vanities of this world And Sueton telleth how Augustus called gorgious garments markes of pryde and nestes of riotousnes And many olde doctors of the Church haue greatly complained against such as curle their haire and aboue all things reproued the vse of wearing of perwigs And Clement Alexandrin writeth that as a man would iudge one to be yll at ease which weareth a plaster on his face or one that hath beene scourged to haue beene punished by lawe so doeth painting betoken a diseased soule marked with adulterie as Iezabel was founde fault with and punished And Platina reprehendeth Pope Paul the second The auncient fathers called it a corruption and staine if many colours were mingled togither And Homer speakinge of a peece of yuorie that was coloured red writeth that it was poluted with a staine A man may rather say so by ones face As also Horace called Lentiscus a lyar because he blacked his haire And K. Archidamus tolde an Orator which had done the like that he carryed a lye in his head therefore could say nothing well K. Philip said as much to one of Antipaters friends from whome he tooke away his office after that he vnderstood that he curled his haire beard telling him that he which in his haire was fals a liar could hardly be loyal in any good affaire This is the reason why Lycurgus forbad al kind of painting artificial garnishing to be vsed in the citie of Sparta ordaining in like sort that maidens should be giuen im marriage without dower to the ende that for want of money none should remaine vnmarried nor any sought for their goods but respecting the maners of the maiden eche one should make election of vertue in her whom he would marrie A Lacedemonian being demanded by a stranger why there was no lawe made against adulterers Why said he should there be any since all riches delicatenes al painting outward garnishing is forbidden in Sparta shame to do yll honestie obedience there hath al the authoritie preheminence And if a painter would take it greeuously for a great iniury offred vnto him if any other should adde any colours to the picture whiche had finished especially vpon the counterfaict of Princes which themselues would hold for a great contempt by the ciuil law the child may haue an action of the case against him which shal deface the portract of his father Wee may wel imagin how much it displeaseth God if by painting we seek to correct his work pollute his temple as S. Ierom writeth in an Epistle to Laeta against Heluidie And S. Chrisostom vpon the ninth of S. Matth. addeth that it maketh vs resemble strumpets hasteneth wrinkles before old age Titus Liuius telleth of one Vestale Postumea that she was accused vnder colour of appareling her self too netely S. Peter would haue a Christian woman which maketh professiō of godlines to liue holily as if she were of a religion wel reformed And it was excellently wel written by Tertullian that the force of faith is such that it is perceiued by mans vnderstāding by his countenance garments euery action And Plato said that they which were curious in bedecking of their body despised the care of their soule It were not amisse if euery one that were curious were serued as a
is as a great frame made of diuers pieces so ioyned and linked in togither that it is vnpossible to take away the least parte but the whole shall feele it It is greatly doubted whether wee ought to receiue a better lawe for a more auncient For the principall matter which maketh a lawe to bee obeyed is custome which cannot bee confirmed but by continuance of time so that alteration greatly weakeneth the force and vertue of a lawe And Plato in his politiques and fourth of his Common wealth reprehendeth such as by newe lawes imagine they may remedie mischiefes and deeme them rather an occasion thereof as if one cut off the head of Hydra by and by seauen newe spring vp and by change is taken away that respect and reuerence which wee ought to beare them which once being lost there is no more obedience Wee reade in auncient histories that Orpheus was cut in peeces by the weomen of Thrace because hee had changed their lawes For this cause as the Lawyers write if wee bee not constrayned thereto by an apparant and euident profit we ought not to alter what hath bin before ordained And as S. Bernard wrote to one at Lyons Noueltie is the mother of rashnes sister of superstition daughter of lightnesse The Emperor Galba was greatly praysed because hee woulde neither change ancient lawe nor creat new And Plutarque exhorteth Traian to take greater care in seing his ancient laws to be obserued then in making of newe and aboue al things that his life should serue for a law One asked Pausanias why it was not lawful in Lacedemon to alter any ancient law he answered that Lawes ought to haue aucthoritie ouer men not men ouer Lawes Otherwise as Plato Aristotle maintained it was a subuersion of an estate The aunswere which Solon made to Anatharsis saying that his lawes were like to Spyders cobwebbes which holde but the little flyes deserueth to bee well considered of that as men keepe their contractes that it is not expedient that anye bargainer shoulde breake so the Athenians woulde willinglye cleaue to his lawes out of which no man shoulde receiue any domage but euery one verie great profite It were verie necessarie wee had such officers as were wont to bee in Greece called Nomothetes who tooke great regarde that no man should derogate from any good lawe nor publish any that were pernitious or superfluous which the Parlements ought to doe Notwithstanding a man may alledge the saying of our lawyers that it is vnpossible to set downe an order certaine simple and of one sorte to thinges which dayly varie And that which an auncient man saide that a Mutton had but one voyce but a man dyuers because wee must doe as time and affaires require all humaine affaires beeing in perpetuall motion and France beeing composed of so manie kindes of people and differing in fashions and language In the first booke of Thucidides the Corinthians set downe that as in a citie which is in quyet and peace it is not meete their auncient lawes and customes shoulde bee changed so where a common wealth is ouerpressed with diuerse and vnlike affaires it is necessarie they looke out manie newe helpes as to diseases strange and vnknown strange remedies must of necessitie bee applyed And in Titus Liuius it is declared howe mens lawes alter according to the time And Aristotle in the thirde of his Ethickes compareth them to measures and Solon to coynes which are not alike in all And in the sixth he sayeth that lawes doe not proceede from art or anie other science but from wisedome which regardeth things in particular as they change and attaineth to experience by exercise time as Terence saide This age requireth an other life and other manners For this cause Solon prayed his lawes might bee obserued for a hundred yeares space to the ende that they mought not be afterwardes changed Moreouer wee haue often seene what credit they haue had about Princes which haue counselled them to alter the lawes for their owne lucre or particuler passions And such as are studied in the constitutions of the Cannon and Cyuil lawe may see howe Popes and Emperours haue established abolished and then put in vse againe certaine lawes what hath pleased one hath displeased his successor And what hath had his course in one time is cleane reiected in another So much is mans minde enclyned to contradiction and change S. Augustine writeth that the decrees of particular Bishops haue bene corrected by Prouincial counsels and prouincial by vniuersal and the former general counsels disanulled by the latter when through experience of things that which lay close is opened what was hid is brought to light which may be seene more at large in histories Here I could alledge the opinion of an Athenian embassador recited by Thucidides that a Prince ought somtime to be a friend somtime an enimie to ply himself according to occurrents somtime it behoueth him to release the lawes as K Agesilaus ordained that for an accident then happened they must be winked at afterwards be obserued Another said to Pericles that since it was not lawful to take clean away the table wherin the law was writen yet they ought to turne the other side And Plutarque praised Flaminius for that he knew how to cōmand ouer lawes the necessitie of the time requiring it And in Tacitus the Almains were praised for chāging their customs found to be but bad As also Valerus a Senator of Rome sheweth in Titus Liuius that it becōmeth men so to do And some haue condemned the law of the Persians Medes which was aboue recited whē the vsage state of a cōmen welth hath found it vnprofitable pernitious Euery man also will confesse that in mens deeds speeches the meane called constancie is to be required which is a meane between lightnes stubbernes And to perseuer in one mind is not alwaies to be praised as Cicero in manye places declareth yelding those for an example which vpon the sea are constrained to yeld to tempests windes and oft times to alter their course neuer standing stiffe in one deliberation And there is no nation nor people which hath not some time beene accused of inconstancie mans life being so full of contrarieties as Hipocrates in a certain Epistle declareth it to be Euerie one ought also to consider that the cause why wee are so blamed and found fault with by other nations proceadeth by reason of the notable victories which French men haue obtained against them and that they haue so often beene subdued by the valor of the French and not being able to reuenge with the sworde they will doe it with the fether And whereas Paulus Iouius Bembus Sabellicus and Pandolphus accuse the French men for not keeping their promise with the Venetians as well hee as
how we pul vp the bryars weeds which hinder the good seedes from growing in our gardens yet fewe haue regard to this couetousnes which kepeth the word of God the onely incorruptible seede from being able to take roote choketh it when it would growe Crates finding that the wealth of this world did hinder him frō the studie of Philosophy cast his goods into the sea saying that he had rather drown them then be drowned by them Wee haue before made mention of sundrie other which haue left their goods possessions the better to intend their studie the which poore Pagans wil condemne such as are slaues to their own substance And would to God men would learn that lesson of S. Paul Godlines is great gaine if a man be contented with that he hath For wee brought nothing into the world it is certaine that we can carrie nothing out therfore whē we haue foode raiment let vs therwith be content And sheweth of how many mischiefes couetousnes hath bin the cause And he writeth in the 3. to the Philippians that after that he knew Iesus Christ the great riches which he brought to them which receiued possessed them through faith he then began to account al those things which the flesh was accustomed to glorie in but as losse dong And al such as through reading preaching haue known wel tasted of those goods which God the father by the meanes fauor of his sonne would bestow of vs esteem not of this worldly riches muck but enioy thē as though they enioyed thē not do not set their hearts vpon so friuolous vncertain things as we haue infinit examples in the scripture to declare for as we haue aboue noted the knowledge of spiritual goods maketh vile the price of earthly The desire loue wherof beginneth to vanish as soone as we haue but tasted of the other which are sound permanēt breed true contentmēt Our sauiour Christ is called in Isaiah the Prince of peace that faith which wee haue in him is such as thereby wee haue peace towarde God rest in our spirit And contrariwise couetousnes desires trouble the same for they are vnsatiable infinit they which are possessed with them are accursed like the serpent for that like vnto him they liue with earth therin settle their paradise like Moles For where their treasor is there is their heart their God paradise Let vs consider that very litle wil content a mind which is but desirous of what is necessarie for to entertain it here and if we seek his kingdō the righteousnes therof al temporal things as he hath promised shalbe giuen vnto vs without needing for our further enriching to fashion our selues or do ought against our dutie or honor or rendring our selues too much addicted vnto them It is here wher we ought to vse violence not only if our eye cause vs to offend to plucke it out if our hand or foote cause vs to stumble to cut them off cast them frō vs as our sauiour councelleth vs in the 18. of S. Matth. but to cut off these accursed desires which in such sort presseth downe our harts keepeth thē from not being able to lift vp them selues on high to search out heauenly things as al good Christians ought to do The which I haue the rather amplified besides that which is before contained in the 25 discourse to the end we mought endeuor to diminish these accursed desires which are the cause of so great mischiefs annoyes miseries throughout the world And to make vs to haue lesse occasions to take we may not be too curious in our raimēts banquets buildings for as Cicero writeth if one wil exēpt himself frō couetousnes he must take away riotousnes which is the mother it shalbe very requisite that they by no offices which the Emperor Iustinian thought to be the very beginning of naughtines And the Emperors Theodosius Valentinian ordained that al Iudges gouernors of prouinces should at their entrance into their office sweare that they neither gaue nor promised any thing nor had any wil to giue or cause ought to be giuē also that they shoulde take nothing but their wages And if it were foūd that they had receiued any thing in which it was lawful for euery one to be an informer then paid they quadruple besids the infamie they sustained of periury And the like paine was ordained to him which gaue the brybe I would commend it much more for the weale both of the King realme if the youth mought rather giue themselues to learning discipline and Philosophy or to the Mathematiques diuinitie phisick or some honest trade of marchandise to husband wel their reuenues left vnto them by their ancestors then both dearly foolishly to buy offices to gaine by them pil the poore people That would be a cause both of fewer officers fewer sutes more learned men And for the most part the money which cometh of such a saile turneth into smoke through a iust iudgement of God and often time such purchasers leaue behind them no heires Now the Presidents counsellors Iudges beeing chosen according as the ordinances carie would be much more honored France in more quiet Sabellic recyteth that in the graue Senate of Areopage none was receiued except he had made some notable proofs of his vertue knowledge dexteritie And if any one suffred himselfe to be corrupted impayred he was so ashamed among so many vertuous men that voluntarily he quited his estates absented himself And euery one was aboue fortie yeres of age The holy Scripture attributed the change of the Iewisse common wealth to that they demanded a King founded vppon that the sonnes of Samuel turned aside after lucre and tooke rewards And Dauid said that man was happie which tooke not And our Sauiour bad his disciples giue for nothing what they receiued for nothing Yet wil I not herby restrayne the liberalitie of Princes as wee haue sundrie examples in the scripture it is praise worthie to releeue such as haue neede thereof and to entertaine amitie and reconcile themselues and especially the holy scripture commaundeth vs to giue of our substance to the poore as if it were to God euen to attaine to eternall life Tiberius the second made a notable aunswere to his wife that a man shoulde neuer want wealth while he gaue great almes And that good Bishop Nilus exhorted vs to intertaine the poore because they rendred our Iudge more fauourable vnto vs. Guiciardin in his seconde booke greatlye commended the Venetians because they did not onely encrease the paye to such as had valiantly behaued them selues at the daye of Tournauue but also yeelded pensions and sundrie recompenses to manye of their children which dyed in that battaile and assigned dower to their
which carie an inscription in the front of manie remedies and excellent drogues but within there is eyther nought auaileable or else peraduenture some poyson which our Sauiour reproched the Pharises with that they clensed the outside but within was full of rauening and iniquitie And God in the 29. of Isaiah sayth This people commeth neare vnto mee with their mouth and honour mee with their lippes but haue remoued their heart farre from me and their feare towarde me was taught by the preceptes of men The same did he cast in the Iewes teeth Matth. 15. Mar. 7. and in the 48. of Isaiah You turne your selues from me and make mention of me but not in truth nor righteousnesse It is not without cause written in Iob The hypocrites hope shall perish his confidence also shall be cut off and his trust shall be as the house of a spider Neither was it ill pictured of him who in the right hand put a tongue and in the left drewe a long a heart All deceites are likewise proper as Seneca writeth to a base and mischeeuous minde and to be detested of an honest man I would desire euerie one that meaneth to estrange himselfe from hypocrisie to consider his debt vnto his creator to wit to imploye himselfe and whatsoeuer is giuen vnto him our being our life our senses our speech our actions brieflie all that wee haue in vs or without vs for his seruice And that contrariwise we turne all things to our selues as to their end And if we make a regyster of our life what part thereof we giue to God to whom all is dewe And see howe much we are mooued if a body doe but speake euill of our friend and neuer regard nor care for blasphemies against God or iniuries against our neighbour being his image We deserue to be called the children of the earth as they were woont to call bastardes For we doe followe earthly thinges despising the spirituall for which we were created We must not thinke it strange if the Philosopher toke a light at noone day to seeke a man in the midst of a presse for the greatest part serue to vanitie and leasing and no whit obey vertue And if our eye sight could but enter so farre we should finde manie sauage beastes hidden in some men which make semblance to bee vertuous and yet will not confesse their fault to the Phisition who by their confession should the nearer approch to iustice according to the opinion of Aristotle the Diuines and other auncient writers which say that the confession of sinne is the remedie thereof S. Basill praysed the aboue sayde opinion of Plato touching the vniust that counterfayted to be iust and blamed that sayde in Euripides that he rather desired to seeme good then to be Dauid after he had declared the happinesse of them whose sinnes the Lorde had pardoned and couered addeth those in whose spirite there is no guile nor hypocrisie with which that faith which resteth in the heart not in bare countenance hath no acquaintance CHAP. 7. That those which loue the truth should shewe it by good workes and of the meanes which doe leade vs thereunto and of those which are farre from it OVr Sauiour sayeth that they which are of the truth heare his voice so consequently obey him And saint Iohn in his first Epistle after hauing shewed our inclination to sinne and that our sauiour Christ Iesus offred himselfe for our deliuerance and that he is our aduocate and also that faith in the mercie of God is ioyned with a loue and obedience he addeth that he wrote those things vnto them that they sinne not and he that sayth he knewe God and doeth not keepe his commaundementes is a lyer and the trueth is not in him For as Paul writeth we are deliuered from sinne to the end we should liue to righteousnesse and their sinnes are forgiuen that acknowledge and confesse them detesting and shunning them and hope for life eternall And to this end as well the law as the gospell tendeth that we liue no more in sinne but enforce our selues to followe truth righteousnesse and holinesse Yea the verie worlde was created for the vse of men that thereby they might glorifie God The promisses were giuen and Christ Iesus came into the worlde to the ende that by participating his so great benefites we should learne to obey God whose people we are called of him in his Church that euerie one should knowe how to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour and not in the lust of concupiscence being iustified through him to the end we should serue thorough righteousnesse and not defile our bodies being his temple For The eyes of the Lorde sayth Ieremie are vpon the truth S. Iames writeth that they abuse themselues who boast that they haue faith and shewe it not by their good workes S. Paul also requireth that faith that worketh thorough charity for as much as the sonne of God appeared to the ende that they which are his should be clensed of all their filthinesse and required such disciples who renouncing them selues shoulde followe him not searching any more their owne pleasure but to obey God and dispose them selues to pacience long suffering and all vertues And we haue beene deliuered from the bondage of sinne to the end we should walke before God all the daies of our life in in holinesse and righteousnesse And the grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared vnto vs and teacheth vs that we should deny vngodlinesse and worldly lust and that we should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present worlde looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glorie of the mightie God and of our sauiour Iesus Christ We be the temples of the holy ghost which we must not defile we are consecrated and dedicated to God and are not our owne nor darkenesse but light in God and therefore we ought to walke as children of the light and to liue and die to the Lorde to whom we appertaine And our sanctification is the will of the Lorde to the ende we should abstaine from all naughtie desires And S. Iohn saide in his first Canonicall that in this the children of light differ from the children of darkenesse in that they loue one another as members of one bodie and that they who haue hope of life sanctifie themselues since their God is holie And if we loue God in respect of the benefites which we receiue continually at his handes and beleeue that he is our prouident father it is vnpossible but we should manifest this loue by our obedience Dauid saide Mercie is with thee O Lorde that thou mayst be feared As if he woulde saye that the foundation of the feare of God is to knowe his great mercie And in respect of the accorde which is betweene trueth and mercie they haue euer beene ioyned together as in the
the lawe consisteth in the loue towardes God and our neighbour And wee reade in manie places of Cicero and others that the better a man is the lesse he tendeth al his actions to his owne profit and the more he doth studie to serue God and his commonwealth Plato himselfe wrote to Architas that man was borne for his parents friends and countrey in sort that the least part of him remaineth to himselfe and for this cause man is named a ciuill and communicatiue creature And as S. Paule wrote Iesus Christ was borne for vs to the ende that they which liue should not liue anie more vnto themselues but to him which dyed for them And exhorteth vs no more to purchase after our owne profitte but that which may concerne our neighbour and that we be made rich in good workes which he calleth a treasure and foundation to come In which doing we shall followe the pathes of truth and shalbe counted most happie especially if wee retire our affections from vncleannesse from whence Nilus an auncient byshop sayde a smooke proceeded which blacked the soule with sowte There be then two sorts of Christians the one in name and profession only the other in effect The first care not but for their bodie honours riches and pleasure without ought regarding the feare of God The other with all their affection dedicate themselues to God at whose hand they take all in good parte and despise the worlde louing God and his woorde and commaundementes and of these Isayah writeth that they which shall see them shall knowe they are the blessed seede of the Lord and in another place he calleth a naughtie conscience a narrowe bed in which a man cannot well stretch out his bodie nor lie at ease for he which hath a wounded conscience can neuer finde out anye condition place or state that is not too little for him and which may anye wayes content him This is the cause why Dauid requireth at Gods hande to set at large his imprisoned heart that is to say that he will do him the grace to cause him to haue a sound and neate conscience I will not here forget that as God is honoured by the good life of the faithfull according as the holy scripture witnesseth so is he blasphemed and dishonoured thorough wickednesse And there is no doubt but the behauiour of Christians haue caused the Turkes and Infidels euen to detest the true religion Lopes a Spaniard and Beuzo a Millannese and other that haue written of the historie of America and the West Indies haue beene constrayned to confesse that the crueltie couetousnesse blasphemies and wickednesse of the Spaniardes hath altogether alienated the poore Indians from the religion which the said Spaniards gaue out they held for true who did not long enioye those goods which by detestable meanes they had there gathered And all men write that they were lesse worthe then the Idolatrous Indians The cruell handling of those Indians and that which the Turke did to them of Asia Africa and part of Europe who liued as we doe the Turke notwithstanding being the farther are set before our eyes as an example to the end that we should change our selues and seeing the behauiour of Christians and their obstinacie to vice wee shoulde looke but euen for such cursednesse and miseries as we reade they haue beene enwrapped and fallen into And wee may well say that we touch euen neare the end of the worlde alreadie quaking and doting thorough old age and full of the wrincles of lying which notwithstanding can not obscure the sonne of trueth nor take away the light of them which feare God which see and loue the way which we ought to follow to attaine to life eternal And that we neede not further wander wee must exercise our selues in reading of good bookes in prayer fasting and workes of godlinesse And as Xenophon writing of the dewtie and office of an esquire warneth him aboue all thinges to beseeche at Gods hande to make his thought speech and deedes such as shall be agreeable vnto him and contentment to all his friendes and honourable and profitable to his commonwealth without molesting of anie man by farre greater reason the Christians ought to praye vnto God without intermission that he will teach them his will and dresse their pathes to loue and feare his name When a man speaketh of good woorkes it is thereby meant such as are furthest from all superstition and hypocrisie and proceede from a fayth woorking thorough charitie and a pure heart witnessing the great bountie and excellencie thereof and profiting our neighbours referring all to the glorie goodnesse and grace of God which bringeth foorth in vs good fruites and giueth vnto vs both to will and to performe as saint Paul sayth and crowneth in vs his owne workes CHAP. 8. How much true men haue beene esteemed and that all magistrates ought to be so and of the riches of princes IN Exodus Iethro counselled Moses to appoint rulers ouer the people men of courage fearing God men dealing truely hating couetousnesse and in Egypt the chiefe magistrate euer carried a picture of truth hanging at his necke The which Amian writeth also of the Druydes shewing that a Iudge ought to carie it in his heart his Iudgements and all other his actions And the tablet hanging with two chaines vpon the heart of the high priest whereof mention is made in Exod. 28. and Numbers 3. was called VRIM which signifieth light For the kings in all their actions of importance demaunded counsell of God by his high priest or prophets Pythagoras and Demosthenes esteemed to be trewe and to doe good to another the two most excellent thinges that were giuen from heauen to mankinde And the same Pythagoras being demaunded wherein men were likest vnto God aunswered in trueth And it was a sufficient reason for any thing he said to say He saide it And the great Thebane captaine Epaminondas was most especially praysed because he loued the truth and neuer made lie And Pyndarus praysed him as he did before one Pyttacus a Tarentine for that knowing much he spake little And albeit Pyrrhus was an enimie to the Romaines yet neuerthelesse did he giue this prayse vnto Fabritius that a man might assoone turne him from the truth and honestie as the sunne out of his course And the chiefest prayse which hystoriographers giue to Byshops in time past is that they neuer lyed and in the Psalmes and Apocalyps the saintes were euer honored with this title that a lye was neuer founde in their mouth And Zacharie praysing Ierusalem calleth it the citie of trueth And in the holy scripture this woorde of thinke say or promise is interpreted in God to doe because all which he thinketh sayth or promiseth is surely executed and put in effect Pomponius a friende of Ciceroes was extolled for
that hee had gotten such an opinion to be counted true that euery one trusted him and referred himselfe vnto him Which was likewise said of Demonar in the time of the Emperour Adrian And our chronicles doe greatly prayse king Iohn for that he was open neuer making shewe of louing him whom in deede he did not Titus Liuius in the 5. booke of his fourth Decade and fourth of his 5. made a great matter that the Romaines kept their faith exactly And in the first booke of his first Decade he writeth that fayth and a single othe all feare of lawes and chastisementes not thought on gouerned the whole Citie to which he attributed the course of all their great prosperities Attilius chose rather to returne backe to tormentes and death prepared for him than to breake his fayth And when Antiochus woulde haue vsurped Aegypt vppon Ptolomie Epiphanes whose protection the Romaynes had alreadie taken vppon them they sent vnto him Popilius who made a circle about the sayde Antiochus and constrayned him before hee departed to promise him that he should enterprise nothing ouer their sayde pupill Wee reade of manie other kinges and common-wealthes that in their differences referred themselues to the people of Rome Cato as Plutarke hath written hauing layde to Murena his charge that he bought the voyces of the people the better to attaine to the Consulship went here and there gathering his profes and according to the custome of the Romaines had on the defendants behalfe certaine gardes which followed him euerie where marking what he did for the better instructiō of his bill These watchmē would often aske him if that day he ment to search out ought that appertayned to his accusation if he saide no then they departed whereuppon is growne this prouerbe when one telleth a thing that seemeth strange this is not to bee beleeued though Cato himselfe should tell it And Plinie in his preface describeth the opinion was then had of his manhood and innocencie which sayth he caused Cicero to crie out O gentle Cato howe happy art thou to haue beene such a one that neuer man yet durst presume to sollicite thee in any dishonest cause or contrarie to dutie He writeth also of Scipio surnamed Asiaticus for to haue subdued Natolie being called before the Tribunes Gracchus being one whom he held for his enimie that he had such an assurance in his speech that his very enimies were sufficiēt witnes of his manhood And in Lacedemon whē there was one that was knowen to be a dissolute person and a lyar that he had proposed a very profitable aduise necessary for that time yet was it cleane reiected of the people And the Ephores hauing chosē a Senator that was very true commanded him continually to propose vnto them like councell whereby they might restore their cōmonwealth as it were from an vncleane and foule vessell into a pure neate Cicero in his oration he made for Balbus maketh mention of an honorable person who being called into the Senate at Athenes to depose touching some matter the senators would by no meanes haue him take the accustomed othe knowing him to be a vertuous honest man Such an efficacy hath the opiniō of māhood in a personage accoūted true Xerxes Ariamenes in the great controuersie which was betweene thē for the kingdome of Persia referred thēselues to their vncle Artebanus to whose iudgement they stood I could here recken many forraine Princes who in time past haue had such an opinion of the court of Parlement of Paris composed of graue learned and reuerent counsellers chosen according to the right and ordinances that they haue had recourse thyther as to a temple of iustice We read of the Emperour Frederic the second and certaine kings of Fraunce that they haue beene so greatly esteemed of their subiects that in steede of fine gold they haue receiued lethermonie others haue borowed great sums with good liking which they haue restored againe as soone as conueniently they were able This is the meanes which Cirus sheweth in Xenophon and Zonare to Cresus wherby they may obtaine what they wil of their subiects when they haue once gayned an opinion to be accounted trew he sayth likewise that their treasors cōsist most in enriching of their friends without caring for any other gardes We haue seene what credit by this meanes the great kinges Francis and Henrie obtained thoroughout all Europe and what losse and dishonour such haue receiued as both before and since haue fayled of their promise I will not here omit howe Pharamonde our first king was named VVarmond which signifieth truth And a man is not able to declare what profit and solace he which is true bringeth to euerie man as ending of suits in lawe enmities discordes and other seedes of mischiefes dispersed through a countrey by the reuealing of the truth which he discouereth his wordes being receiued as an oracle And Xenophon in his seuenth booke of young Cirus sheweth that the bare worde of such a man preuaileth more then other mens constraint threates or punishment and gaineth more by his bare promise then other doe by their rewardes He sayth moreouer that there is no greater nor more excellent riches especially to a Prince then vertue iustice and greatnesse of courage because such can nether want friendes nor ought else CHAP. 9. That it behooueth to keepe promise with instruction not to make it with ones disaduantage and not to giue place to the importunate TItus Liuius in his third booke of his first decade declareth what great dammage ensueth him who breaketh his faith and looseth his credit for the societie of men is only maintained by dewe keeping of promises And al good Princes haue esteemed that their authoritie puissaunce and safetie dependeth thereon Hereupon Isocrates wrote to King Nicocles that he should be founde true of his worde in all his promises in sort that one shoulde giue greater credite to his bare worde then to others othes And the wise man writeth in the Prouerbes that VVeldoing and fayth conserueth a Princes estate but a lying talke becommeth him not Himselfe is the onely preseruour of fayth among his subiectes and their debtour for iustice Dion reciteth that the Emperour Marcus Antonius was wont to say that it was a verie lamentable thing that a mans faith should be violat or suspected without which nought can be assured King Attalus in his death bed warned Eumenes his sonne to esteeme fidelitie the good opinion of his subiectes the chiefest parte of the inheritance he could leaue him And Sueton praised Caesar for that hee kept his faith with his enimies though they broke theirs with him For as Cicinnatus said in Titus Liuius a man must not offende led by an other mans example And Dion reporteth of Augustus that hauing made proclamation that he woulde giue fiue and twentie thousand
crownes to whosoeuer would present him with one that was the ringleader of certain theeues the same man presented him selfe obtained both the crownes his pardon Wee reade in sundrie places of Titus Liuius how the Romanes were euer verie curious in maintaining their promise Polibius being a Greeke writeth of them that their verie word was ynough among the Romans and in Greece although they had Notaries and seales oftentimes they broke their faith for which they were grieuously punished And in Iosua it is written that he kept his faith with the deceitfull Barbarians to the end saith he that the wrath of God should not be vpō his people because of the othe which they sware vnto him as it afterwards fel vpon al them of the house of Saul who were hanged for hauing vyolated their owne And the Prophet writing in his Psalmes of such conditions as the faithfull ought to be endued with insysteth greatly vpon this that they keeepe their promise yea though it were to their owne hinderance Cicero in his offices sheweth by many examples that ones faith is broken if one doe ought to the detriment therof what colour soeuer he will set vpon it But that we should not runne further hedlong into these inconueniences Seneca wrote that he which was not able to set light a sottish shame is no disciple of Philosophie Which opinion Brutus was likewise of as Plutarque writeth And it is an ouergreat fault in Princes either not to dare to refuse or too lightly to agree to whatsoeuer is demaunded of them which they ought to endeuour to refourm by custome proceeding from lesser things refusing greater It is also required that we promise not ought which proueth not to our aduantage or ought els that lyeth not in our power but diligently to take heede that we suffer not our selues to be enforced or led with a nyce shamefastnes which manie haue when they dare not contrarie or refuse to graunt what they are required for which oft times they much repent themselues as Zeno wisely did reprehend him who was not ashamed to require a matter both vniust vnreasonable And Rutilius to one that found fault that his friendship was so light set by as not to bee able to obtaine his request made answere But what haue I to do with thine if thou wouldest enforce me to do contrarie to al iustice And king Agesilaus said to certain importunate persons that a man ought not to demaund at a Kings hands ought that were vniust and being intreated by his father to giue iudgement in a cause contrarie to right he aunswered him you haue taught me from my youth to follow the lawes I wil yet now obey you in ought not iudging against them Alexander the great made the like aunswere to his mother adding further that shee asked to great a recompence for hauing borne him nine monethes and because of her yl cariage of her selfe when Antipater to whom Macedonia fel dyed he prayed his subiectes as Diodorus wrote neuer to leaue the managyng of affaires in the hands of a womā The Emperour Frederick said to certaine his minions about him that were verie importunate to get into their hands some of the auncient Domaine of the Empire that he rather chose to be accounted of smal liberalitie then periured They write as much of Sygismond CHAP. X. Examples of euils happened to breakers of promise and of that which dependeth thereupon THE examples of such miseries as they haue runne into which haue not performed their promises ought to make vs thinke their faultes more strange then we win for Titus Liuius recyteth of a Dictator of Albany who was drawne in peeces with foure horses for that he had broken his faith the citie of Albe was rased cleane downe and Carthage dissolued into ashes and the people of Capua murthered and kept in bondage He maketh likewise mention of sundrie ostages giuen in pledge for the better assurance of such treaties as passed thorough the Volsques Tarentines and others who were executed for the breache of promise their people made Zedechiah king of Iuda hauing rebelled contrarie to his promise was led captiue after that his sonnes were flaine before his eyes and had his owne eyes put out Caracalla the Emperour hauing pursued the king of Persia contrary to his promise was himselfe afterward slaine Iustinian hauing falsified his faith to the Bulgares was sent into banishment Cleomenes hauing made a league with the Argiens seeing that vnder the assurance therof they were lulled a sleepe murthered and imprisoned some of them neuertheles not being able to surprise the towne which was defended by the women ran mad killed himselfe The king of Hungarie Ladislaus after certaine victories obtained against Amurates made a most honorable truce during which hee suffered himselfe to be persuaded by the Cardinal Iulian Embassadour from Pope Eugenes to break it which was the cause why the said turke had a most memorable conquest and the said Ladislaus togither with the chiefe of his armie the said Cardinal were either slaine outright or stifeled within the marishes And after such time as he had thus falsified his faith there ensued an infinit number of mischiefes thorough out all Christendome And euen so went it with vs after we had conquered Milan and Naples for that we obserued not duelie the treatise which wee there promised And for the like cause before that happened the Scicilian Vespers and for that we rather gaue credite to Pope Clement the fourth then to the counsel of the Erle of Flanders Pope Adrian tooke a solemne othe to obserue the peace concluded with the Emperour Frederick and afterwardes breaking it as he dranke he was choaked with a flye It came in like sort to passe with Pope Alexander the sixth who tooke himselfe such poyson as he had prepared for the Cardinals he had inuited to supper And to Iulius the second who was wont to say that the treaties he concluded was but to abuse and ruine the one through the other Andronicus Conneus cleane contrarie to his faith giuen to the infants of Emanuel and to them of Nice vsurped the Empire but after sundrie other yll happes hee was soone after hung by the feete and hewen in peeces Loys Sforce vncle to Iohn Galleace inuested himselfe in the Duchie of Milan Hee likewise broke his promise made to King Francis He was afterwards carryed prisoner into France Michael Paleologue beeing chosen Emperour of the Greekes promised swore that he would render vp the Empire into the hands of Iohn Lascaris when he shoulde come of age but notwithstanding he stil helde it He died miserably to his posteritie ensued an infinite number of mischiefs was occasion of the first beginning of the Turkish Monarchie Charles duke of Burgondie hauing violated his faith promised to the Suissers and
of the minde proceeding thence thorough his grace which communicateth so great a good as it is written in the booke of Wisedome I doe reioyce in all thinges because wisedome goeth before And it receaueth no griefe but such as our selues are content to yeelde vnto as Possidonius sayde to Pompey And there is an other sauour giuen and an other kinde of face set vpon that which they call euill And vertue valor force patience magnanimitie can no waies play their part without griefe paine And as Diamans other precious stones haue either a more high or dimme colour according to the foile in which they are set so fareth it with the euil happes griefe which taketh place as a man is eyther strong or weake And as all thinges in this worlde in the ende referreth it selfe wholly to the glorie of God so doth all thinges turne to good to such as are good Plato and Terence compareth our life to a game at draughtes where the player must euer marke well what shal befall vnto him and dispose euery thing eyther to profit him or little to hurt him And they which care least for to morrowe following the commandement of our sauiour ariue there most ioyfully hauing not the will vnproportionate to the might nor their minde afflicted Homer maketh two vessels to be in heauen full of destinies the one of good the other of bad he accounteth him happie which equally partaketh as well of the one as the other as much hony as gaul And Seneca writeth that the destinies leade gently such as consent drawe by force such as refuse Notwithstanding the wise do temper and turne the euill into good drawing out of their good aduentures what naught soeuer is there mingled by this meanes passe away the more easily the course of this life To which the old prouerbe agreeth that euery man is the workman of his owne fortune and fashioneth her according to his maners And if we doe contemne honours riches pleasures banishmentes griefes and sickenesse we shall be cleane exempt from all couetous desires passions and tormentes of the minde As Xenophon in his Pedia reciteth of one Pheraulas to whō Cirus gaue a Lordship of a very great reuenewe but hauing well considered the ease contentment which he toke during his pouertie and the care which he must then needes take for his reuenewe and domesticall affayres hee put all againe into the handes of a friende of his As Anacreon hauing had fiue talents worth three thousande crownes giuen him by Policrates after he saw that he had passed two nights togither studying what he shold do with it he sent them backe againe saying that they were not worth the care he had taken for thē And when newes was brought vnto Zeno and certaine other that their shipps goods and marchandise were loste they reioysed because it was a cause to make them apply themselues to Philosophie which yeelded them farre greater contentment Philoxenes hauing purchased a farme wherby he might liue the better at ease quitted it againe and returned to Athens saying These goods shall not loose me but I them As Seneca wrote to a friend of his if thou hadst not lost thy goods it might be they might haue lost thee And the bricklenesse of the aduised serueth them as it were to be shodde with showes of yce against sinne Anacharsis left the kingdome of Scithia to his younger brother to growe to be a Philosopher in the sayde Citie of Athenes Aristides chose likewise to remaine in his pouertie though it laye in his power to haue made himselfe a Lorde of greate riches Scipio hauing by force taken Cartharge touched no whit of the sacking or spoyle thereof Epaminundas and Camillus amonge all the victories they obtayned neuer carried anie thing else away then honour An infinite number of other as well Captaines as Philosophers haue contemned goods albeit this moderation which was so greatly praysed in them was neuer ioyned together with a hope of eternall life as the Christians is who knowe that the creator of heauen and earth is their father and Lord almightie that he loueth them and knoweth ful well the way they ought to holde the medicines which they ought to vse and whatsoeuer is most expedient to bring them to the promissed blisse after this their pilgrimage and exile Therfore they suffer thēselues to be cōducted by him without murmuring approuing for good whatsoeuer proceedeth from his fatherly hande and by this meane remaine in the peace of the spirit and calmenesse what winde soeuer blowe without being tossed in the troubles stormes of this life They know likewise that if God doe stricke them downe with the left hande he rayseth them vp with the right againe according to the promisse he made by his Prophet Ose And as all meates are agreeing with a good stomach and to a bad the most delicate seeme corrupt as it is written in the Prouerbes that to a hungrye soule all bitter things seeme sweete so all things turne to good to the faithfull as S. Paul hath written And in Ecclesiasticus all thinges are turned into good to such as feare God but to the sinners they are turned into euill who turne light into darkenesse and good into euill And money is to good men a cause of good to the wicked of euill and crueltie And as the showe is fashioned according to the foote so his disposition which is wise moderate leadeth a life like vnto it to wit peaseable and without passion coueting nothing vnpossible and contenting it selfe with the present That is it which Cicero writeth that vertue in trouble doth euer remaine quiet and being cast into banishment neuer departeth from her place For the goods of fortune reioyce those most which least doubt their contraries and the feare of loosing them maketh the pleasure of the enioying of them more feeble and lesse assured Plato gaue counsell not to cōplaine in aduersitie for that we know not whether it happen vnto vs for our hurt or no. And in his Phedon hee writeth that looke what beautie riches honour and kinred we here desire it is so farre off from being good that indeede they doe rather corrupt and impayre vs. But a Christian man ought to esteeme all good and for his health whiche perswasion serueth vnto him as the meale did which Elisha cast into the pot which tooke cleane away all the bitternesse of the pottage and as the tree with which Moses made the waters sweete From thence ensueth that Christian Parradoxe so often times verified that there neuer happeneth euill to the good nor good to the wicked whose nature is changed by blessing As it is sayde of a diseased bodie that the more it is nourished the more it is offended And as strange dreames shewe that there be grosse and clammie humors and perturbation of
vnto him Saint Ambrose happening into a rich mans house and vnderstanding that he had euery thing as he would wish it neuer hauing occasion of disquiet or anger presently departed fearing least hee shoulde bee partaker of some misfortune anon after was the house swalowed vp with an earthquake Saint Ierome alledgeth an auncient prouerbe that a riche man is either wicked of himself or heire to a wicked man And he wrote vnto Saluia that euen as pouertie is not meritorious if it be not borne with patience no more are riches hurtful if they be not abused The which S. Chrisostom in his homelie of the poore man and the rich more amply entreateth of CHAP. XIIII Of the care which men haue had that youth might be instructed in the trueth PArents haue beene commanded to bring vp and instruct their children but especially to teach them how to knowe and feare God in Exodus Chap. 12. 13. Deut. 4.6 7. in Saint Paul to the Ephes 6. in sundry Psalms In Persia Lacedemonia and sundrie other prouinces the most vertuous graue and learned men had the charge of the education instruction of youth and endeuoured most especially to make them true and hate lying following Platoes counsell in sundrie of his treatises And in Alcibiades he writeth that there was giuen vnto the Princes of Persia their children a tutor which had care aboue all things to make them loue the trueth for of the foure vertues which concerne manners to wit Prudence Iustice Fortitude Temperance the trueth especiall draweth neere vnto Iustice which rendreth vnto euerie one what appertaineth vnto him and kepeth equality being the spring and foundation of all vertue and preseruer of the societie of man Which was the cause that in time past they had so great care to teach their children togither with their mothers milke a habite and custome to be true and hate lying dissembling and hypocrisie and that they imploy that time which is giuen vnto them to all matters of vertue and reforme them making them more aduised and capable to serue God the common wealth and their parents Diuers Emperours haue been greatly praised for erecting of common scholes the better to instruct youth to discerne truth from lying And those Princes which gaue stipends to scholemasters were accounted to haue don more good to the common wealth then they which ordained wages for Physitions because the former bettered the wit the other onely the bodie which is the lesser parte and of lesse account For this cause Alexander the Emperour Commenes and diuers other are recommended to famous memorie for prouiding for all things necessarie to scholemasters readers and poore scholers Great account was made of the speache of Leo the Emperour who wished that scholemasters might receiue the paye of men of armes Guichardin writeth that sundrie Popes gaue consent to the Venetians to gather money of the Clergie the better to encourage and find scholers in learning And there were in the olde time certain persons chosen out of the quarters wardes of good townes which they called Sophronistes who had a continuall charge and care to controll moderate and rule the manners of youth which being well instructed all things prosper more fortunately and euery one doth his duetie without neede of any more lawes For as Diogenes said and since Cicero Learning is the temperance of youth the comfort of old age standing for wealth in pouertie and seruing for an ornament to riches as more at large is discoursed of hereafter CHAP. XV. How requisite it is to speake little and not to blase a secrete with aduise vppon newes inuented and of that which is to be spoken ECclesiasticus doeth counsell vs to vse but fewe words because manie multiply vanitie and a man of good vnderstanding speaking litle shalbe much honored Pithagoras willed all those he receiued into his schoole to tarrie fiue yeares before they spoke And it is euer seene that children which are long before they speake in the end do euer speak best as amōg manie it is written of Maximilian the first that they which cannot hold their peace doe neuer willingly giue eare to ought And by a good occasion one made answere to a prater It is great maruel that a man hauing feet can endure thy babling And those that haue beene long time past haue saide that men taught vs to speake but the Gods to hold our peace as also it is written in the Prouerbs that God hath the gouernement of the tongue and that a wise men doth euer hold his peace he that can countermaund his mouth keepeth his own soule Ioyned with all that by a light worde oftentimes great paine is endured whereas scilence doth not onely no-whit alter but is not at al subiect to accounte nor amendes For this cause one being asked why Lycurgus made so fewe lawes aunswered that such as vsed fewe words had no neede of many lawes and woulde accustome their youth to deedes and not to writing And the great K Francis made aunswere to one that asked pardon for one speaking euil of him if hee will learne to speake litle I wil learne to pardon much And Cicero in his booke of the Oratour writeth that Cato and Piso esteemed breefenes a great praise of eloquence so as thereby they make themselues to bee fully conceiued Among such as speake much I comprehende following the opinion of them of olde time such as speake either what is hurtfull or serueth to no ende or as Saint Paul calleth them thinges pleasing for the time which doe no whit edifie Plutarque setteth vs down certaine Geese and Plinie certaine Cranes which when they passe ouer Cicilie vppon the mount Taurus fill their becke full of flintes for feare of making any noyse least they shoulde serue for a praye to the Eagles that are there The like experience wee haue had of Quailes after haruest in France Aristotle sending Calistenes a kinsman and friend of his to Alexander counselled him to speake but little which he not obseruing it fared with him but badlye Simonides was wont to saye that hee repented himselfe oftentimes in speaking but neuer in holdinge his peace The which Valerius attributeth to Xenocrates folowing the rule which is in our lawe that those thinges hurte which are expressed but not such as are not And Apollonius saied that many words breede often times offence but that holding ones peace was the more sure Greatly was the breefenes of the Lacedemonians praysed in their letters as amongest other thinges of a Prince which put in his aunswere but this worde No and that which wee touched aboue of Archidamus to the Aeoliens disswading them from warre saying that quietnesse is good And K. Philip the faire aunswering a letter of Adolphe the Emperor gotten by the Englishmen in al his pacquet had but these two wordes too much
will be a witnesse thereof he sinneth the lesse so is there no doubt but manye tyrauntes haue refrayned the executing of a number of mischiefes they haue determined for feare of the spotte which a historie woulde staine them with As Democritus likewyse rehearseth how manye kinges of Aegipt haue heene brideled from committing of euill fearing a custome which the people had to oppose them selues to the pompes and magnificences that were wont to be celebrated at the obsequies of their good kinges Without histories we are neuer able to know the benefites which GOD hath bestowed vppon men nor the chastisementes with which he correcteth the wicked nor the beginning progresse and successe of all thinges nor the mischeefe which both the publique and particular weale suffer nor what doctrine is more auncient and to bee followed For this cause Cicero calleth it the light of trueth the witnesse of tymes the Mistresse of lyfe the Messenger of antiquitie and the life of memorye preseruinge from obliuion deedes worthye of memorye atchieued thorough longe processe of tymes And this same seede of vertues whiche Plato sayeth is in oure spirites lyfteth it selfe vppe thorough the emulation of them whiche haue beene suche as wee nowe are And wee doe gayne more by reading thereof in our youth then by whatsoeuer is either attributed to sence or experience of old men or to suche as haue beene in farre voyages It is written tht Charlemagne woulde euer haue a history read vnto him during his meales and that perceauing the small regarde the auncient Gaulois had of setting downe the monumentes of their auncestors in writing he caused certaine songes to bee made commaunding they shoulde teach their children to singe them by hart to the ende the remembraunce therof might endure from race to race and that by this meanes other might be stirred vp to doe well and to write the gestes of valiaunt men Which they say was likewise obserued by the Indians and Homer writeth the same of Achilles And the like is mencioned in the 78. psalme And Caesar in his Commentaries Lucane and Tacitus maketh mention of certaine philosophers that were french men called Bardes which song the praises of valiaunt men and the blame and reproch of lewde persons tyrauntes and base minded and Polibus sheweth that a historie doth teache and prepare the way to the affaires of Policie and to carrie well the chaunges of Fortune and to know what we are And if that which Plinie writeth be true that all that time which is not imployed to the study or exercise of good things is lost and that which Seneca hath written that they are all fooles that in this greate scarcetie of time which is bestowed of them learne but matters superfluous Wee ought much to lament that the desire which the common sort haue to histories is an occasiō that they giue themselues to fables and old wiues tales where is nought els but a vaine delight without anie profite where as in histories besides pleasure there is great learning to teach vs not to vndertake vppon the fiske and flying either any warre that is not necessary or any quarrels suites in law or other affaires of importaunce And we see how manie mischiefes losses and faultes ignoraunce hath beene the cause of But Prudence is greatly required especially in holy histories For there must we confrant the examples to the commaundementes of God because the very saints them selues haue had their faultes which we ought not to follow and the holye scripture is a good looking glasse which representeth as Saint Augustine saide thinges as they in deede are setting before vs vertues to follow them and vices and imperfections to shunne them and to praise the mercie and bountie of God in that he couereth them And as touching the prophane we must carry the like iudgement and therein consider the particularities the causes the conduct and Prudence which men haue vsed and the fortune and successe that hath proceeded from aboue It shall not here be amisse for the readers if I admonish them not to take for good monye not to account all that which prophane aucthours haue writen as articles of their faith nor indifferently to trust therevnto without examining them further I comprehend herein all such where they which can see clearely may discouer lies and vntruthes amidst good things and some beastes come from a pensell and not by nature Therefore we must apply thereto a good sife to sifte and seperate the one from the other And me thinketh what knowledge soeuer those bookes teach vs is verye small if one bee not acquainted with the vse and practise of the world and be likewise accompanied with a iudgement and quicknes of spirit And it was verye wisely written by Aristotle that in reading of histories a man muste not be of too quicke a beliefe nor too incredulous for feare he take not false for true or els profite no whit at all And what color or disguising so euer men set on to flatter great ones they which prie narrowly into their behauiours take their counsels and actions in time of peace and war are not deceaued and discerne toyes and cauillinges amidst deepe counsels and do discouer pretexts cloaking and occasions with the true causes neuer hauing their iudgement there by deceaued referring and examining all things to the rule of the holy scripture Besids we ought to esteme most of such histiographers which haue had least passions and partialitie and the best meanes to discouer the truth either beeing there them selues in personne or hauinge certaine intelligence from them that were present men of faith and sincere iudgement speaking without affection to the ende they set not out fables and lies as many of our time haue done and that which they steale from other is as a precious stone ill set in worke It were also requisite they should be conuersaunt and nourished in affaire of state and acquainted with the proceedinges of the worlde and not giue them selues so much to pleasure as to speake the truth not beeing inough not to write false but to declare the very truth without anye partialitie at all For if in anye one place a writer be founde a lier the rest of his historie is cleane reiected as Alexander the great was wont to saye It is also needefull to obserue what sundrye Italians Spaniardes Fleminges as Almames of an enuious malice and want of right iudgement haue euen enforced them selues to praise their countrie and couer their faultes and diminish the greatnesse and excellencie of matters done by the french men to the aduancement of whole christendome and profite of sundry nations And it is no straunge thing to see how much the passions and affections of men doe staine the truth which is the very eye of histories Polibus him selfe reherseth the exāples of sundrie historiographers before his time and discouer contrarieties betweene them selues and by
other greater authours then they are condemned of lying as we haue marked in the Spaniardes before which haue written the history of the new world and of the west Indies who couer and make lesse their owne excesse and incredible vilanies the greatest part of them beeing reuenged and punished thorough the iust iudgement of God The Englishmen haue somewhat runne awry in handling the affaires on this side the sea Paulus Iouius was wont to say that to doe fauour to such great personages as gaue him pensions he set thinges downe in such sort as they that liued in that time were well inough able to discouer them mary the posterity should hold them for true And in truth sundrye historiographers of all times thorough ignoraunce hatred couetousnes or ambition take a colour to warrant their lying and disguising vpon a beleefe they haue that few shall bee able to discerne their coseninges And for because thorough this error of discourse they name sundry wise and prudent which in deed haue beene most wicked and blame french men that haue bene vertuous of a good conscience and haue ended their liues honestlye and laudablye condemning them of fole hardines and vice men ought therin to carry a good sound and right iudgement Considering that such authours doe not alwaies measure the maners and actions of men according to the vnmooueable rule of the worde of God and morall philosophy nor distinguish the vitious by the intention or conscience but onely by the issue dexteritie and industrye or rather subtiltye of such as know how to applie each thing to the end which they pretend neuer regarding whether it be honest laudable and iuste or no. They do not in respect of the french men referre any of their actes at all to vertue if they be not led thereto by that which they account prudence but rather to rashnes as they doe in regarde of their owne nation imputing their owne actes of cowardnesse basenes of minde disceat dissembling treason crueltie disloyaltie infidelity and ambition to wisedome and prudence Neuerthelesse here we may well consider for what cause they haue made the like comparison of french men that Antigonus did of Pirrhus to a gamester whome the dise fauoured well but knew not how to serue him selfe of those chaunces that happened vnto him for that loke what he got by the effect he loste thorough hope coueting in such sort what he had not that he cleane forgot to assure himselfe of what he had gained because they are more ready to get then wise to keepe and that by feates of armes they make braue conquestes but they preserue them but a while not knowing that a countrye conquered by such as obserue not discipline is both vnprofitable and hurtfull Therefore they coniecture that valour and dexteritie in armes is a greate matter but that nobility not brought vp in learning nor in reading of histories hath not this wisedome to moderate it selfe and to prouide by suche meanes as they ought to take to bee able in peace to conserue what they haue conquered and suffer themselues to bee led by the coloured wordes of their enemies who after that the firste fire and french boyling is extinguished they know wel inough how to vse their occasion and serue their owne turnes with the ignoraunce of such as esteeme nought but armes without running ouer the courses held by their auncestors in keeping their conquestes and vsing of their victories as we haue but too manye examples which is the cause that Caesar writeth in his Commentaries that french men are more hardie and couragious then fine in warre which they make great account of ioynct that they giue them selues more to the hope which they take of conquering then they doe to anye feare of losing Euery man confesseth that men differ from beastes in reason if this good nature be not manured with the reading of histories good letters what other thing is it thē a pretious stone hid in a donghil We ought to account the saying of K. Theodoric true that what was begon with good aduise prudence preserued with care is of long lasting strong And if victories be not made sure with temperance prudence they dim through some vnloked for accident the glorye which was before gotten and in short time loseth the whole fruit through insolency carelesnes delicacies arrogancy violentnes of taking vp of lodging yet to be well entreated in capacity of a gouernor couetousnes confusiō to make no distinction betwene persons in giuing taking away or changing and somtime a cōmandement amisse conceaued an ordinance ill executed rashnes vanity of speach carrieth the victorye awaye cleane vnto such as before seemed already vanquished And a marueilous prudence is required to foresee an innumerable number of other accidentes in matters of warre and sometime to apply counsell to necessitye beeing no lesse the dutye of a valiaunt Captaine to shew him selfe wyse in his actions then couragious to the end hee approoue deliberation lesse difficile and daungerous and cleane reiecte all rashe counselles attendinge likewyse the oportunities of times and ripenesse of occasions not for all that presupposing for certayne those perilles that are vncertaine beeing more afrayde then he ought calling hope no lesse to his counsell then feare Cirus likewise in the ende of the seuenth booke of the Pedion of Xenophon thought it a matter more laudable to keepe then to get because often tymes in conquestes is nothinge but hardinesse but a bodie can not conserue what hee hath taken without temperaunce continence care and diligence besides valour And as it is a greater greefe to become poore then neuer to haue beene riche so is it to lose more bitter then neuer to haue gotten I doe not thinke that garrisons serue to so great an ende as if the conquerours shew them selues meeke and louers of good thinges and that no thing can succeede well to suche as abandon vertue and honestie Aristotle dedicatinge his Rhetorique to Alexander writeth vnto him that as the bodye is entertayned thorough a good disposition so is the witte by discipline and erudition which were the causes that not onelye hee had euer an addresse to doe well but also to conserue what he had gotten It is likewise requisite that we put the sayde reading in vse and practise thereby to becomme more vertuous wise and aduised and that we conferre thinges passed with the present and such as might ensue and to apply examples to the rule of veritye iustice and equitye And albeit that Sainct Augustine attributed much to histories yet doth he adde that hee can not see how all that which is written by the witte of man can bee in euerie point true consideringe that all men are lyers and that it commeth to passe often tymes that they which follow the reason of man in anye historie builde vppon the brutes of the vulgar sorte and are abused by the
Titus the Emperour was wont to say that because he did nothing that deserued blame or reprehēsiō he cared not for any lies wer made of him As also Fabius surnamed the most high answered some that rayled on him that a Captaine ruler in the field who for feare of speaking or of the opinion of the commons ceased from doing what he knewe to be profitable or to desist from a purpose fully deliberated of wherof he wel vnderstood the causes reasons ought to be esteemed more faint then he which feareth to proue his strength when hee seeth occasion giuen for his aduantage And chose rather that his wise enimy might feare him then the folish citizens should praise him that being wel aduised he cared not for being accounted too fearefull or too slack It is the lesson of Ecclesiasticus Set not thy heart vppon euery worde that is reported And Plato in Criton admonisheth vs not to regarde what euery man sayth but what he saith that seeth al things the truth And not without cause an auncient father said I wil lose the verie reputation of an honest man rather then not to be an honest man Cato was accustomed as Plutarque writeth in his life time to bee ashamed only for dishonest things but euer to despise what was reproued by opinion S. Augustine attributed the death of Lucretia to her imbecillitie as fearing the euil opinion suspition of the common sort And there is no enterprise or execution so right worthie of praise that is not subiect to the reproche detraction of the ignorant to the passions of the malignant enuious to rash iudgements For this cause in al our actions we ought to cōtent our selues with a conscience well informed And but that I feare I shoulde be too tedious I coulde alledge a number of most notable examples of the inconueniences that haue happened as wel to them of old time as of ours for esteeming more the iudgement of the ignorant then the truth Which detractions K. Demetrius was wont to say he cared not for not esteemed them better then a fart not much passing whether it made a noyse before or behind aboue or below Marius likewise spake wisely in Salust how no report was able to offend him because if it were true it woulde sound to his praise if false his life manners should proue it contrarie By this discourse I desire to impresse into the nobilitie a sound iudgemēt of true honor which is engendred but by vertue good deedes and to make them laye aside that foolish opinion which they haue of falshod vnder colour whereof vpon light occasion and offence they vndertake combates neuer regarding the lawes of God nature ciuil canonical priuate nor their owne saluation or duetie of charitie hazarding their liues soules goods friends for that stale infected passionate fantastical tyrant termed honor neuer embrasing such meanes of concord as the lawes commaund And remaine so stubborne blind that whereas the true honour consisteth in obeying God and his laws in mastering ones passions in louing forgiuing succouring ones neighbour they make it to be in disobeying of God his holie lawes going about to diffame destroy murther their neighbours render themselues slaues to their owne choler And how can that be honorable which God forbiddeth detesteth condemneth to eternal death And also to be meeke peaceable reconciled to ouercome wrath and passions to aproch neere vnto God through his clemencie and mercie which are the actes of vertue and of true Christians how can these I say breede vnto the nobilitie either dishonor or infamie Considering that by the auncient discipline of warre it was adiudged dishonest worthie of punishment if one combatted with his enimie without his Captaines leaue or if he left the place giuen to him in gard And the auncient Emperors and Kings esteemed it a point of greater magnanimitie and nobilitie to pardon and commaund ones selfe then to be reuenged as a murtherer of himselfe to laye open his owne life to euident peril Wee proceede all of vs from God our creator not of our selues into his handes wee ought to put all our reuenges as hee himselfe willeth vs and not to make our selues the accusers Iudges and hangmen of him whome wee pretende to haue cast an eye vppon the shadowe of this delicate honor as I haue els where touched for the importance of this pernitious error CHAP. XIX That without the trueth there is nought else but darknes and confusion and how much the Philosophers haue laboured to find it out how farre wide they haue beene of it HE made no bad comparison in my opinion that said that pollicies gouernements and kingdomes were like an emptie lampe or lanterne and that the trueth was the match with the oyle and the waxe or the tallowe that gaue the light for without this Sunne shine of trueth there is nothing but darkenesse and disorders in this life and we may say with the Prophets that without it the people remaine lying in darkenesse and in the region of the shadowe of death And with Ieremie that the wise boast not in his knowledge nor the strong in his force nor the riche in his wealth but that all our glorie bee to knowe him which is the verie trueth for whatsoeuer men maye alledge vnto vs of victories tryumphes honours eloquence force and other gyftes and graces they are nought else if this trueth bee taken awaye but as if one shoulde sayle in a darke nyght among the floodes rockes and tempestes of the sea and in the ende prooue a sorrowfull tragedie Sainct Paul iudged all thinges to be doung in respect of this knowledge and the excellencie thereof which hath lyen hidden manie ages and made most clearely manifest thorough our Lorde and Sauiour Christ Iesus who hath imparted vnto vs the heauenly treasures and hath beene made for vs iustice righteousnesse life sanctification and redemption And albeit the Philosophers of olde time attayned not vnto this light yet did they not cease to pursue the shadowes thereof of which in parte wee entreate leauinge vnto the Diuines the deepe insight into this light and maiestie of the essentiall trueth The sayde Phylosophers as Socrates Plato Democritus Aristotle Plinie Architas Tales Tianeus an infinite number of other haue made verie farre long voiages the better to be instructed in this trueth in the knowledge hereof to the end they might not ouerlightly beleeue or speake out of purpose The said Tales being demanded what distance there was betweene the trueth and a lye aunswered as much as betweene the eyes and the eares as if he would haue said that we may boldly declare what we haue seene but that often times one is deceiued trusting vnto anothers report And albeit the said Plato Aristotle and other Philosophers haue written many notable
sought by great presents to recouer Anacharsis and that little which hee learned of Solon saued his life And Dionisius the tyrant of Syracusa had Aristippus and Plato Ptolomeus Stilpo and Aristophanes Antigonus Bias Attalus Lycon Marcus Aurelius Apollonius Mithridates so farre adored the saide Plato that hee caused his image to be erected to do him the greater honour And Antiochus marueilously mourned for the death of Zeno because hee saide hee spake his minde vnto him more frankely then did either Byas or Demetrius Epaminundas was instructed by Lysias Agesilaus by Xenophon Theodosius the Emperour was greatly assisted by the councel of Saint Ambrose and learned of him to bee readie to heare what any one had to declare vnto him and to repeate ouer all the letters of the Alphabet before he shoulde commaunde any thing when hee found himselfe mooued with choler which before that time Augustus was warned of who one day being in his throne readie to condemne certaine persones the sayd Mecenas not beeing able to come neare him for the presse cast vnto him a little scroll wherein was contayned these wordes Arise Hangman which caused him to aryse and goe awaye without further execution of his passion The saide Theodosius likewise and Valentinian wrote in a certaine lawe that it was a speache woorthie of a prince and a royall maiestie to saye he was a subiect and submit himselfe to the lawes because the aucthoritie of a Prince dependeth on the preseruatiō of iustice The which Valerius recyteth of Zaleueus the gouernour of Locres who caused one of his owne eyes and another of his sonnes who was founde in adulterie to bee put out for that the people so much besought him that hee woulde not put out both his sonnes eyes according to the lawe The like Diodorus witnesseth to haue beene done by Charondas and Titus Liuius by Manlius who caused his owne sonne to bee beheaded the better to maintaine the discipline of warre Wee reade likewise that Antigonus made aunswere to one of his councellours who sayde it was lawfull for Kinges to doe what best listed themselues Nay that which you saye I thinke bee verie true among Kinges of barbarous nations nourished in ignoraunce and voyde of learning and which knowe not the difference betweene honour and dishonour betweene equitie and inequitie but to vs who haue an vnderstandinge both political and morall thorough the instinct of learning capable of wisedome and iustice hauing euer beene thereto brought vp and instructed there is nothinge honest and lawfull that is not so in his owne nature The which in like sort Traian learned of Plinie and to guide himselfe in such manner as though hee shoulde bee euer readie to render an account of all his actions The which Plato setteth downe in the fourth of his lawes Tacitus discoursing of the originall of the ciuil lawe sayeth that Seruius the thirde King of Romanes established manie lawes to which the Kinges were subiect and Diodorus recyteth of the kinges of Aegypt that without any dispensation they executed and followed the ordinances of the lawes For as Cicero saide in his oration for Cluens the heart vnderstanding and counsel in a publike weale are within the good lawes and ordinances and a political estate is not able to vse his owne partes without lawes no more then the bodie of man can exercise his due operations without reason and vnderstanding nor the hogshed keepe his liquor if you take away the hoopes The sayde Emperour Traian highly esteemed those frinds councellors whō he found true faithful and loyal And when he was desired to tel how he made so good choyce Marrie quoth he because it was euer my good fortune to choose those that were neither couetous nor lyers because that they in whome couetousnes and lying haue once taken deepe roote can neuer perfectly loue Princes ought in like sort to consider the malignitie lack of wisedome in such as they put in trust vnder them who either through negligence not attending their busines or for lacke of capacitie do not discerne of themselues the good counsell from the wicked And it were necessarie that they shoulde not bee permitted to receiue any pension or benefite from any other Prince or Lord. One of the Hebrewes which translated the Byble answered Ptolome that he might assuredly trust him who was not withdrawen from his amitie neither by feare gifts or any other gaine Celius writeth that the Emperour Charles the fifte when hee was at Naples sent for one Nyphus a verie great Philosopher and demaunded of him the way to gouerne well an Empire To which he aunswered if you will keepe neere your person such councellors and men of vertue as you O Emperour make shewe to thinke I am For this cause Isocrates and Tacitus haue written that there is no instrument so good for an Empire nor so profitable as the vertuous and well aduised friends of a Prince Xenophon in his Pedion bringeth in Cyrus saying to Cambises that friendes are the verie scepter and bulwarke of kingdomes It were to be desired that euerie one were as wel aduised as was that vertuous King Charles the eight who oftentimes of would tel his fauorites that he had chosen them for the opinion he had that they were of the most vertuous and of whome hee mought assuredly trust fearing but one fault in them that they would suffer themselues to be spotted with couetousnes hauing easie meanes to be drawen and tempted thereto in respect of the great credit they had about him But if he mought once perceiue that for their profite they would cause ought to be commaunded that were vniust and vnhonest they should lose his fauour for euer That they mought haue iust occasion to content themselues with the goods of this worlde since God had made him rich ynough for them all He prayed them to make profession of honor the onely meanes that brought them and coulde preserue them in his good fauour whereof he did admonish them to the ende to take heede that neither he nor they might fall into any mischief which he willingly would eschewe And as Marcellinus wrote speaking of the vnsatiable couetousnes of the officers of the Emperours Constance and Iulian that they were the nurcerie of al the vices that infected the common wealth in their time And from this desire of riches proceedeth the riotousnes superfluitie of expenses in all estates the which Cicero in like sort lamēted in his time certainly we may wel bewaile the same at this present And to meete herewith it were very good to put that in practise which hath bin vsed after the decease of some of our Kings to resume frō such as haue receiued too excessiuely The which likewise Basile Emperor of Constantinople ordained by edict that they which had receiued money without reason huge gifts of the Emperor Michael his predecessor should
rebuked vice Sundry Emperours haue done the like We haue sundry examples in the scriptures of Baasha for killing the Prophet Iehu because he tolde him the truth Likewise of Achab Asa Ioas and Ozias 1. King 22.2 Paral. 18.16.24 26. of Sedichias of Ioachim and of the princes of Iuda Ierem. 23.32 38. But as the wise man saith in the Prouerbes in the end he shall be conned more thanke which rebuketh then he that deceaueth by flattery Notwithstanding euery man according as his vocation the times the persons and places will permit him ought to declare the truth to such as he seeth neede with an intention to profit instruct thē without any choler disdain immodesty or other passiō mingling with the bitternes of reprehension the sweetnes of some praises A man ought likewise to consider that the egernes and sharpnes of biting wordes especially spoken to one that is in aduersity profiteth nothing being a kinde of incontinencie of a tong mingled with malignitye and a will to iniury carrying a very declaration of enmitye which is the cause that they which vse it hurt them selues As did Antiphon about Dyonisius the tyraunt where a dispute beeing helde betweene them what brasse was best he aunswered that whereof the Athenians made the statuas of Armodius and Aristogiton for this soure aunswer caused him to be put to death And as Plutarque sayde in the life of Phocion euen as the honye which is sweete of his owne nature engendreth greefe and payne beeing applyed to partes infected so doe true admonitions the more prouoke such as are in misery if they bee not well sweetned and mingled with pitye and consolation Clytus an auncient Captaine of Alexanders maye serue for an example who was slayne for vsinge too arrogant an admonition In lyke sort one ought not at the boarde to vse such reprehensions as make men knitte the browes forgetting the occasion and place of pleasure and there is required a dexteritie as it is written of Socrates who beeinge desired at a feaste to speake and discourse of his arte it is not now time sayde he to discourse of what I knowe and in that for which the tyme now serueth I am no whit skilfull in And when Damaratus was arryued in Macedonia during the time that king Philip was fallen out with his Wyfe and Sonne the kinge hauinge saluted and embraced him demaunded of him if the Greekes agreed well one with an other Demaratus who was verye familiar with him aunsweared it becommeth you very well O kinge to enquire of the concorde of the Athenians and Peloponesians in the meane time suffer your owne house to be so full of discord and diuision A captiue which the sayde Philip caused to be solde to him that woulde giue moste bad him in his eare to let downe the fore part of his robe because hee shewed what was not comelye to bee discouered the whiche was the cause of his deliuerie An other beeing taken for a spie sayde vnto him that he came to espie his follye in that without necessity he put both his realme and life in hasard Some haue compared reprehensions to the remedies of the splene which ought to be souer and sharpe so truth told in fit oportunitie is profitable and is of such force as Eschines saide that shee surpassed all the cogitations of man And Menander wrote that shee commeth into light although shee be not sought for and defendeth her selfe easely against all the deceates craftinesse and wilines of men And in the disputation that was held before Darius truth was found the greatest and most strong for euer S. Augustin in the citie of God lib. 2. c. 19 calleth her an eternall victorye and in the question 108 ex vtr he sayth that It is better to be ouercome of the truth then to be willing to surmount her in vaine To which purpose may very well serue the summarie description of the table which Apelles painted after he was eschaped out of a false accusation and an extreame daunger He had pictured a Iudge with the eares of an Asse hauing on the one side two Ladies Ignoraunce and Suspition before him stood false accusation with a countenaunce full of rage and furie holding in the left hande a burning torche and with the right pulled a young man by the heare lifting vp his eyes and handes to heauen neare vnto whome was a man painted looking pale earthly and a squint which was enuie two damsels followed false Accusation named Treason and Deceat behind whome stoode a Ladye all wailing and mourning which was Repentaunce which fastened her eye sight vppon a verye fayre Lady intituled Truth declaring by this picture to all Princes and Iudges that they ought not too lightly to beleeue As Alexander closing one of his eares to an accuser sayde he kept the other for him which was accused And it was commaunded Moyses straightlye to forbid the children of Israell lying false accusation and malitious detraction and cause them to keepe iustice equalitie and truth I will not heare omit the aduertisement giuen by wise Plato commended so much by Plutarque that when one founde anye committing anye fault he ought to discende into him selfe and say priuatelye vnto him selfe Am not I such a one To the ende wee may auoyde the like errours When in like sort we woulde iustifie our selues for anye reprehension we mought praye him that did it to reserue that freedome of speach againste he committed a fault him selfe And it was not sayde amisse of them of olde time that the beginning to liue well and repulse ignoraunce was to be reprehended mocked and blamed Sainct Basyl for this cause named reprehension the healing of the soule and in the Prouerbes 25. it is called an ornament of fine gold And in the 29. it is written a man that hardeneth his neck when he is rebuked shall suddainly be destroyed can not be cured And Dauid Psal 41. sayd that it was like the precious baulme We read euen of the Emperours Philip Theodosius and Valentinian that they did great penitence after they were admonished as also did Dauid and other kinges being reprehended by the Prophetes And Sainct Augustine in his booke of recantations acknowledged how he had erred But as Plato sayd that Speusippus corrected other by the example of his owne life so men ought to esteeme those reprehensions that are made without a word speaking thorough a single life irreprehensible and vertuous CHAP. 24. That anger hindereth the truth of the euilles which it bringes with it and of the meanes to resist it PHisitions esteeme the sicknesse very daungerous when the face is disfigured The which we maye saye of choler which altereth the countenaunce speach and all the sences of man It hath beene termed a fury darkning iudgement And as in the darke a man is not able to discerne his kinsman or friende from his enemye so amidst the
smoke and mystes of choler truth can not be discerned from falsehood Alexander ouertaken with choler caused Parmenio Chalistenes Philotas and other to be put to death and with his owne hande slew Clytus one of his chiefest fauorites And after that his choler was apeased would haue killed him selfe For this cause Anthenodorus counselled the Emperour Augustus the which Sainct Ambrose did since to Theodosius that when they felt them selues enter into choler they should take heed of speaking or doing anye thinge vntill they had repeated the twenty foure letters of the Alphabet The which gaue the occasion of making that holy law Si vindicari and of the chapter Cum apud to temper and slacke the heady commandementes of Princes And the sayd Augustus for hauing iniured a gentleman whose daughter he had brought to his pleasure and was cast in the teeth with what he had done and sawe that him selfe had broken the law Iulia which condemneth the adulterers he was so mad with him self that for a time he abstayned from eating Sainct Paule counselleth vs That the Sonne go not down vpon our wrath The maner of the Pythagoriens was much commended that when they had once vttered their choler they would take one an other by the hande and embrase one an other before it was euening And Plato beeinge demaunded how he knew a wise man answered when beeing rebuked he would not be angry and being praised he would not be too proude Seneca wryteth that such as taught to play at fence and to exercise the bodye commanded their schollers in no wise to be cholerick because that cleane marred the arte and he which is not able to bear a little iniurie shall in the end haue one mischiefe heaped on an other And against this it is thought an excellent remedy not to be delicate nor too light of beliefe nor to thinke one may contemne iniury one as he listeth nor to haue a will thereto and to vse delayes and protraction of tyme. As Plutarque wryteth that the carryinge of bundels of stickes bound togeather vpon pollaxes was to shew that the wrath of a Magistrate ought not to bee prompt and lose for that while leasurelye those bundels so bounde togeather were losed it brought some delaye space to choler which buyeth her pleasure with perill of lyfe as sundry Poets haue written And there is nothing that men dare not aduenture and cōmit when they are inflamed with anger except they retaine thē selues vnder the obedience of reason For as Socrates sayd it is lesse daunger to drinck intemperately of puddle or troubled water then to glut ones appetite with reuenge when mans discourse and reason is occupied with furye and besides him selfe before that he be setled and purified And Archytas sayde to one that had offended him I woulde punishe you for this geare if I were not in choler And to brydle such choler it is not euerye mans skill except hee haue beene vsed to it of a long time consideringe that nothing can be comelye nor honest if it be spoken sharply and in choler The Pythagoriens in lyke sort by the allegoricall commaundement that they should not leaue the bottome of the pot or caudern imprinted in the ashes would teach according to Plutarques opinion that no marke or apparent shewe of choler shoulde remaine the which as S. Chrisostome saith is a fire a hangman a most difformed drunkennes and a mad dog that knoweth noman Therfore it was that they of old time by the difformed monster of Chymera which spit fire described choler and as they which are possessed with vncleane spirites some at the mouth and swell so the spirit and speach of cholerike persons fometh and often times dangerous discourses scape thē Which was the cause that Alexander Menander Seneca others haue written how choler proceedeth of basenes of minde as also we see it more incident to weomē then to men to the sick more then to the whole And the fault is so measured as he to whom the offence is committed is perswaded But by how much more the fault is greater so much is his humanity the more to be cōmended when he pardoneth without being moued the offender by so much the more bounde in that he seeth his submissiō accepted for reuenge satisfaction The destruction of 15. thousand soules was attributed to the choler of Theodosius which afterward he greatly repented him selfe of It was likewise the death of Aurelian and of the cruelty of the Emperour Valentinian as Macellinus wrot the which so raigned in him that if one had spokē but one word that had misliked him he wold chāge his coulor voyce he committed much vniustice in hinderinge true iudgement in the end it was the cause of his death and his intrals were so terribly burned that there was not found so much as a drop of bloud Others were of opiniō that he broke a vaine in crying Yet Salust thinketh that that which in priuate persons is termed choler in great ones is called fury cruelty Plutarque likewise attributed the ruine of Sertorius to that he was so cholericke which made him so vnaccōpanable vnmeet to liue among the society of mē As also did Valerius the death of Caesar Sueton greatly blamed for the same Tiberius Nero. In like sort to those which had armes so insolently of themselues that they would cōmand the very lawes to cease the administratiō of iustice was euer denied And for the maintenaunce of both iustice was reserued to the Iudges and to such as force was committed it was straightly commanded them to obey iustice and that she aide force with good counsell of which if it bee once destitute greater harme ensueth then good And amonge all estates it is required that they assemble a counsell to aduise what may be profitable But as the goodnesse of shippes is best perceiued in a storme so doth a good vnderstanding moste discouer it selfe when hauing iust cause to be angrye the minde is for all that quiet and the iudgement setled And it is the property of a magnanimous hart to despise iniuries which we read was euer don by great personages And Dauid made no account of the words of Semey nor the kings Antigonus Philip and Pericles of those whom they heard reuile them Salomon sayth in his Prouerbes that A man inclyned to wrath shall quickly be destroyed And compareth a cholericke man to a City ouerthrowne and Solon maketh him like to one that neither cared how he loste friendes nor how he procured enemies And in the first of Ecclesiasticus it is written that rashnesse in anger breedeth destruction the which proceedeth not but of the inflammation of the bloud about the heart of too great a heate and sodainnes the which by no meanes yeeldeth the leasure to vnderstande the circumstaunces which reason teacheth which a man that hath
receaued an iniurye ought to keepe and obserue as aboue I haue touched and it is onelye longe sufferinge that in the ende byteth And to pardon is a signe of a heroicall and noble heart and as Homer wryteth the more excellent a man is the lesse is his anger burninge and euerye gentle hart is easelye contented Sainct Paule wryteth to the Collossians As the elect of God holye and beloued put on tender mercy kindenesse humblenesse of minde meekenesse long suffering forbearing one an other and forgiuing one an other if anye man haue a quarrell to an other euen as Christ forgaue you euen so doe yee And aboue al these thinges put on loue which is the bonde of perfection And let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which yee are called in one body and be yee amiable They ought to be accounted wise who knowing how apt of their owne inclination they be to choler vse notwithstandinge such remedies as they thinke fit to retyre themselues either in bearing patiently forgetting pardoninge moderating of them selues without beeinge too much mooued or breaking that which is easie to be dashed in peeces of a seruaunt as did Calias and Cotis or in burning their enemies letters before they see them as Pompei did those of Sertorius and Caesar those of Pompei The holye scripture doth often times exhort vs to forbeare one an other And whereas Saint Paule writeth that we shoulde portion a like to one an others charges hee vnderstandeth infirmities Dion after hee had restored his countrie againe to libertye was counselled to put to death one of the greatest enemies that he had now fallen into his handes but he sayd that he had long agoe learned to surmount wrath enuy and all euill will whereof the proofe consisted in behauing ones selfe temperatelye and courteouslye towardes his enemies and that he rather chose to surmount in bountye and courtesie then in power reuenge proceeding from a base minde We ought then to shun all suspicion of contempt and audacity rather casting the fault vppon the ignoraunce mistaking or lacke of those which haue offended vs to the ende we may escape that vengeaunce which is so often forbidden of the Lorde and which proceedeth from the same spring as doth the iniury and offence Notwithstanding that anger is not to be blamed which is vsed sometimes to make men amende when they haue done a fault For as Aristotle writeth in the fourth of his Morales euen as disordinate anger is a fault so is sometime the want of moderate choler or rather hatred of vice And it seemeth that they which are not angrye when it is required at their handes to feare offendours are very euill aduised and expose them selues to manye iniuries For this cause Plato called anger the sinew of the soule for that it serued to encrease valour being moderate and temperate And Aristotle writeth that it is an armour to vertue but such a one as rather mooueth vs then is ought mooued it selfe Lactantius in his booke intituled of the wrath of God c. 17. writeth that it is necessary that those thinges which are nought should displease such as are vertuous persons and that hee which is displeased at euill should be mooued when he seeth it wrought so wee doe decline to vengeaunce not because men haue offended vs but to the end discipline may be kept maners corrected and licentiousnes repressed This kinde of choler is lawfull which as it is necessarye to man for the amendment of lewdnesse so is it found in God of whome man taketh example for as much as we ought to chastise our subiectes so ought God to represse the vices of each one And to bring this to passe it is necessarye that he be angry and that it is naturall and good to be mooued and stirred to wrath Therefore anger ought to be defined a motion of the spirite lifted vp for the repression of sinne For the definition which Cicero maketh of the desire of reuenge is not much different from this but that anger which we call choler or fury ought not to fall within man being a thing vicious vnprofitable Notwithstanding I am of opinion that the diuines will not be of Lactantius his mind in that he attributeth any passion to God for he worketh nothing either with greef or paine The old prouerb holdeth that an Ant will be angry and yet we are not able to discerne when she is moued much lesse in God whose workes are vnsearcheable and passe the capacitye of our vnderstanding Albeit the holy scripture doth often apply it selfe to our fashion of speach who trouble our selues with passions in taking pitie or in punishing or in seeing some disorder And S Paule writeth that of our own nature we are the children of wrath from whence we are deliuered by Christ Iesus our mediatour Dauid sayde Psa 103. that God hath not dealt with vs after our sinnes nor rewarded vs after our iniquities And Psal 86. he calleth him a pitifull God and mercifull slow to anger and great in kindnes and truth And Psal 145. That the Lord is good to all and his mercies are ouer all his workes The which is likewise repeated in Exodus 34 Numbers 14. Nehemiah 9. Ieremiah 15 Ioel 2. Ionas 4 Nahum 1. A man ought diligently to take heede how he committeth those sinnes which prouoke the wrath of God especially to be no idolatour Deu. 9. 32. nor to tempt God Exod. 17. Psal 78. nor to murmure against his prouidence Nom. 12. 14. nor to be rebellious Deu. 9. nor to shead the bloud of the innocent Math. 25. nor to molest the widowes and fatherlesse Exod. 22. The holy scripture speaketh of the old and new man and of the circumcision of the heart So meant the Philosophers when they sayde we were made of two partes and that he which made the worse subiect vnto the better was counted continent and contrariwise he which made the brutish and vnreasonable part of his mind to preceed and commaunde the more noble was accounted incontinent and worse then it For this cause is it required that thorough the bit of reason we put backe and tame that felonious courage of ours to submit it vnto the moste milde yoke of the holye lawes of God which so much recommendeth vnto vs peace patience and mercy Valerius and others haue written that iniuries are surmounted thorough courtesie and bountye not by the reuenge of a new hatred And Cicero in his Oration for Murena and Demosthenes particularly in that he made before Alexander the great to hinder the siege of Athenes do amply shew that it is an act nearest approching vnto diuinitye to vanquishe ones owne courage represse his wrath moderate victory amplifie the dignity of ones enemy commande ouer ones selfe and not too much to trust in anger a mortall enemy to counsell For as our sauiour Christ sayde the violent that is to say
condemned but they which are consenting thereto and knowe him do not reueale him to the end that the holye name of God be not prophaned contrarie to the first table of commandements which forbiddeth vs to take it in vaine The which hath beene the cause that some diuines haue esteemed it a greater and more haynous sinne then murther forbidden by the second table the rather for that if proofes be wanting against the murtherer men haue recourse to his othe Salomon in his prayer that hee made at the dedication of the temple demaunded the punishment of such as should periure themselues The Aegyptians and Scithians put them to death the Indians cut off the toppes of their feete and handes for an example to shewe the offence they had committed against God and their neighbour Saint Lewys the King caused their lips to be feared with a hote yron in Zuiserland they fasten their tong with two nayles and in some Cantons they make them dye like felons or pul out their tongue And against them there are sundrie ordinances made by the Kings of France which we ought to obserue especially against blasphemers the which God in Leuiticus woulde should be stoned vnto death It is written in the Prouerbs The toung of the frowarde shalbe cut off And Iustinian the Emperour ordained by sundrie lawes that such should be executed And not without cause haue the diuines accounted blasphemie much more worthie of punishment then any other fault wickednesse which as Samuel sayth are chiefely committed against men whereas blasphemies are directly against the honour of God and in despite of him And by some decrees of the Court they haue beene condemned to a most greeuous fine and to haue their tongue perced thorough with a hot yron and after to be hanged and strangled It is worthy to be considered what Iohn Viet a Phisition in his historie of the deceites of diuels and sundry other writers haue testified of some that haue beene visibly carryed away by diuels in calling vpon them or giuing themselues vno them Pope Iohn the 12. was deposed and afterwardes put to death for hauing broken his othe made to Otho touching Berangare Iustinian the sonne of Constantine the fourth for hauing violated his faith giuen to the Bulgares and periured himselfe in assailing of the Sarazins was deposed from his imperiall crowne and banished I omit an infinite number of other who haue receiued like punishmentes for their periuries Pericles being required by a certaine friende of his to sooth a certain matter for his sake aunswered I am thy friende as farre as the aultar that is to say so farre as not to offende God To which that which is written of Hercules may be very well referred that he was so religious and vertuous that hee neuer swore in all his life but once and it was one of the first thinges that children were forbid as Fauorinus testified and the better to retayne and keepe them from this vice there is a very auntient ordinance at Rome that expressely forbiddeth them to sweare And the Prophetisse of Delphos made aunswere vnto the Lacedemonians that euery thing should prosper better and better if they forbad all othes Also it was in no case permitted to the Priestes of Iupiter to sweare for that often times an othe endeth in cursing and periurie And Stobeus writeth that for this cause the Phrigians did neuer sweare They which periure themselues as an auncient father sayth very well shewe suffycient testimony howe they despise God and feare men And if one thoroughly examined all estates and whereto euery offycer is bound to God to the king and to iustice by his othe hee should finde a maruelous number of periured Cicero in his oration which hee made for Balbus sayth that what oth soeuer he that is alreadie periured can take yet must one not beleeue him and in the end shall carrie his own paine For what shal remaine to God if he be spoyled of his truth making him a witnesse and approuer of fashood Therefore Iosua when he would haue had Achā to confesse the truth vnto him sayde My sonne I beseech thee giue glorie vnto the Lord God of Israel declaring that God is greatly dishonored if one periure him selfe by the like coniuration that the Pharises were wont to vse in the Gospell it appeareth that they commonly accustomed this kind of speech If we will then liue with quietnes of minde without destroying our selues we must eschewe all lying periurie folow our vocation obserue whatsoeuer we haue promised to God men CHAP. XXX That lying in doctrine is most pernitious and that one ought carefully to search for the truth EVery man confesseth yea the very Pagan Philosophers that men were created for the seruice of God and that aboue all thinges they should make accoūt of religion which giueth the only meanes to vnite and reconcile man to God for his saluation Cicero and Lactantius in sundry places declare besides that we find written in the old new testament that onely by seruing of god men differ from brute beasts and the good frō wicked and that the aucthoritie of Philosophie consisteth in the searching out of the principall end soueraine good of man And since that godlinesse is the scope of the rest it is requisite that it be fixed vnmoueable yet ther is nothing wherin mē erre so much as in that which ought to be most knowen The cause of the error proceedeth as in sundry places S. Augustin writeth by the testimonie of the scriptures for that the most part measure the said seruice rather according vnto their own blind braine then by the rule giuē in the word of god according to our corrupt reason through the hereditary fal of our prime parēts who were not able to cōprehend as the Apostle saith the diuine heauēly things Frō thence hath proceeded the multitude of Gods when they haue thought that one was not able to suffice prouide for all so were sundry kind of seruices in shew inuēted which might plese the cōmō people the creature taken in place of the creator nothing in steed of infinit S. Basil in a proeme writing of the iudgements of God greatly lamenteth that the church was so seuered in diuisions And searching into the cause therof he remēbred that passage in the booke of Iudges where it is written that Euery man did that which was good in his owne eies Since then that no error is so dangerous as that which is cōmitted in religion for as much as our saluation quietnes and happines dependeth therō it is very requisite that we apply therto what sense or vnderstāding soeuer is within vs according to the opiniō of S. Augustin if it be a leude part to turne the waifaring mā out of his right waye then are such as teach false doctrine much more to bee
the example of the pismire which prepareth her meate in sommer knowing that in winter she nether shall haue time nor leasure and likewise of the swallowe turtle and storke who obserue the time of their comming that they may not be preuented with colde which is so contrarie vnto their nature Our sauiour Iesus Christ in like sorte reprooueth the Scribes and Pharises for if men returne not vnto him and leaue their euill waye they haue occasion to feare his iustice For in the 13. of the Prophet Hosea he protesteth that the fault laye not in him that we are not saued and that none is the cause of our ruyne and destruction but our owne selues And we must not resemble them of whom it is sayde in the 24. of Saint Math. that they neuer beleeued they should be surprised or ouertaken For as S. Paul sayth in the first to the Thessalonians the daye of the Lorde shall come as a theefe in the night a fit houre to conuey ones selfe secretely into the house he doth meane to robbe and as the lightning which no sooner is perceiued then it vanisheth away We haue before greatly esteemed and commended Fabius Maximus for that by delay and temporising he cleane brake the furie of Hannibal but such wisedome preuaileth not with God in respect of whom nothing is more holsome then a readines to execute what he cōmaundeth which is not without very great reason and for the especiall good of such as obeye him In the first of Zephaniah God saith I will visite the men that are frosen in their dregges as much to say that they chose rather to lie wallowing in their fylth then to hasten the preuenting of the iudgement of God Let vs then cast away euery thing that presseth downe and the sinne which hangeth so fast on and let vs runne with patience the race which is set before vs and let vs so runne as we may carrie the price And let vs craue at Gods hande with the Psalmist that he will breake in sunder the corde which so fast tyeth vs and deliuer vs from all vayne desires slothfulnesse and delayes which are so daungerous Here I will craue of the reader if it please him to holde me excused in hauing beene so tedious in this discourse of so great weight and importance CHAP. XXXII That ignorance is a lye and the gappe of great inconuenience Plato in his second and seuenth booke of his common wealth writeth that ignorance is a spiritual lying which we ought to shunne And in Timeus he termeth it the sicknesse of the mind and the occasion of euil And in the tenth of his lawes He addeth that the soule receiuing and comprehending the diuine vnderstanding conducteth all thinges rightly and happily but if shee be once ioyned with ignorance shee worketh cleane contrarie and the vnderstanding is vnto the soule as the sight is vnto the bodie And in his discourse of the soueraigne good he saith that ignorance is a moste daungerous matter to fall into great personages which ought to serue as a light and example vnto the people And Pythagoras his counsell was that aboue all things wee should haue a care to keepe the bodie from diseases the soule from ignorance and the citie from sedition And Ecclesiasticus biddeth vs to be ashamed of the lies of our owne ignorance And Isaiah setteth it downe for the fountaine of al euils And as S. Ciril wrote there is no mischiefe which ignorance doeth not vndertake S. Augustine in his thirde booke of the citie of God was of the same opinion and placed it amidst the temporal paines of this life And from this lewd mother of ignorance haue two daughters issued to wit falshood and doubt This is the reason why Salomon sayeth in Ecclesiastes that the wise mans eyes are in his head but the foole walketh in darknesse For ignorance maketh one fearefull base minded vnconstant like vnto beastes and such as are dead and as Cleanthes was wont to saye suffereth it selfe to be deceiued and to deceiue besides it knoweth not how to vse that well which it possesseth It is rash taketh the false for the true the vncertaine for the certaine vice for vertue and as Menander saide it beleeueth not what it seeth For this cause k. Philip when he gaue his sonne Alexander to Aristotle to be instructed by him exhorted him in any wise to applye himselfe vnto Philosophie to the ende he should doe nothing whereof he mought repent Sundrie other haue likewise beene of opinion that knowledge was the true substance of felicitie and the efficient cause of wisedome profitable to all mankinde Salomon writeth that men are adorned and preserued by wisdome And from thence receiue infinite benefits and for the most part all great Captaines of auncient time were giuen to learning The Emperour Theodosius the second with his owne hande copied out all the newe testament and the Psalmes As Titus Vespasian did the whole hystorie of Iosephus and other al Homer It is written of Epaminondas who obtained so manie and great victories that he was instructed by the Phylosopher Licides and that through learning hee became much more valiant iust and modest The like hath beene reported of Iulius Caesar of Augustus of the Scipioes Fabius Catoes and that life without learning is but a verie death and as a man buryed while hee is yet liuinge For as a Philosopher sayed the vnderstandinge seeth heareth and liueth all the rest is blinde and deafe wanting reason And high dignities estates and riches doeth greatly blemish such as possesse them vnlesse trueth bee ioyned therewithall which causeth all to bee well vsed The Poets described one Tiphon an enimie to knowledge as a man puffed vp prowde and scattering all thinges by his ignorance for there is great difference betweene the iudgement contentment sight and feelinge of a learned man and of one that is ignorant As vppon a time that great painter ZeuZis not beeing able to satisfie himselfe in beholding the excellent workemanship of a Picture aunswered an ignorant man You woulde not demaunde of mee why I so much admyre it if you had my eyes which was the occasion that Plato saide that for to loue well vertue wisedome and the trueth Philosophicall eyes were required And it is written in Hosea that for lacke of knowledge the people were destroyed And Saint Paul exhorteth vs carefully to auoyde ignorance and diligently to search the knowledge of the will of God And the Prophet Ieremiah complaineth Shall they fall and not arise shall he turne away and not turne againe Wherefore is this people of Ierusalem turned backe by a perpetuall rebellion they gaue themselues to deceite and would not returne Pope Pius the seconde saide that his bookes were his treasor And a Philosopher beeing demaunded if the King of Persia were not most fortunate made aunswere I knowe not what vertue and
lying might bee met with which accompanieth the disabilitie of restoring The which likewise was the cause of the aunswere which Phocion made vnto them which demaunded of him to contribute where euerie man had verie franckly giuen Nay I should be much ashamed to giue vnto you and not to restore vnto him pointing vnto a creditor of his owne And Seneca writeth that often times he which lendeth money vnto his friend loseth both money and friend Aulus Gellius l. 7. c. 18. l. 16. c. 7. telleth of one which tearmed an othe a playster of them which borrowed And to the ende the Boetiens and sundry other mought be kept from borowing they tyed a coller of yron about such as payde not at their day and they stoode long time open to the reproche of such as passed by The father of Euripides was in like sort handled And Sueton writeth that Claudus was so serued before he was chosen Emperour And Hesiodus parents to auoid that shame were constrained to quitte their countrey That is worthie of marking which Pausanias writeth that the Athenians before they gaue charge to any Captaine either by sea or by lande acquited their debts otherwise no account was made of him And according to the disposition of the law one that is endebted ought not to take vppon him the office of an Embassador I haue seene this same lawe of the collar obserued in certain Cantons of Zuizerland to make men thereby the better to keepe their promise In Saxe they made them prisoners which did not acquite themselues The lawe of the twelue tables was farre more seuere for if one did not pay what he borowed they would giue vnto him a short peremptorie day in which time if he did not acquite himselfe they solde him or he was giuen to his creditour to serue him as his slaue if hee had many creditors they mought dismember him take euery one a peece Such a lawe notwithstanding was not long since in vse as Titus Liuius and Aulus Gellius haue written and was repealed at the request of the tribunes of the people afterwarde by Dioclesian Among the Indians likewise if the debtor did not discharge himselfe in his prefixed time they mought take from him either a hand or an eye and if he dyed indebted they would not suffer him to be buried vntil his children or friendes had answered it Wee read in the seconde booke of the Kinges the miracle which Eliseus did to pay the debte of a widowe from whom her creditor woulde haue taken away her two children to haue serued him for want of payment And it is written in the Prouerbs that the borower is seruant to the man that lendeth and so is it in the lawe 3. C. de Nouatio Titus Liuius and Plutarque in the liues of Coriolanus and Sertorius describeth the sedition which fell out at Rome which was abandoned of manie because the creditoures lead as slaues their debtors and detained them in most cruell bondage Aluare which wrote the historie of the Abissius setteth downe that debtors were deliuered as bondmen to their creditours and some others haue written that in the realme of Calicut vpon complaint made to the Bramains against the debtor they gaue the creditour an instrument wherewith hee mought make a circle in the earth and therein enclose his debtor commaunding him in the Kings name not to depart from thence vntil he were satisfied and so was he constrained either to pay or dye there for hunger At Athens there was a Iudge which had no other charge then to see debtes payde the Tribunes likewise at Rome had the like charge against the greater sort And by the ciuil lawe if a man called one his debtor which in deede was not he mought lawfully haue an action of the case against him so odious was that name As touching the inconueniences of suretiship Salomon setteth them down in the Prouerbes He shalbe sure vexed that is suretie for a stranger and he that hateth suertiship is sure Be not among them that are suretie for debtes if thou hast nothing to paye why causest thou that hee shoulde take thy bed from vnder thee And in Ecclesiasticus Suretiship hath destroied manie a riche man and remoued them as the waues of the sea For the condition of the suertie is sometime worse then his that borroweth because not making account to pay it he is prosecuted and put in execution and often times constrained to helpe himselfe by verie sinister means to his great disaduantage The which agreeth with the olde Prouerbe Be suertie and thy paine is at hande And according to the opinion of Bias he which loseth the credit of his worde loseth more then he which loseth his debte I doe not for all that meane by this that charitie shoulde therefore waxe colde nor that there shoulde be any let why both in worde and deede wee should assist and helpe the necessitie of our neighbour according vnto such meanes as God hath bestowed vpon vs. CHAP. XXXIIII Of lying ingratitude THE vnthankfull man hath euer beene accounted a more daungerous lyer then the debtor for as much as he is onely bounde by a naturall obligation to acknowledge the benefite which hee hath receiued and notwithstanding impudently dissembleth the same thinking it a sufficient excuse for that he can not be by lawe constrained therunto as the debtor shunneth him whom he ought to seeke breaking that conuersation humanitie which preserueth the societie of men He despiseth God his kinne and friends And through this impudencie he is euen driuen to al vilanie and mischiefe and maketh him selfe a slaue and ought to be grieuously chastised as Xenophon writeth And Plutarque interpreteth Pithagoras symbole of not receiuing of swalowes that a man ought to shunne vngratefull persons The which hath been an occasion that many haue refused great presents fearing that they shoulde not haue meanes to requite the same and thereby to auoid the suspition of ingratitude which hath alwayes beene condemned for a most manifest iniurie and vniustice and vnder the worde vngratefull haue all vices with a curse beene comprehended The Romanes likewise in the middle of their citie caused a temple to be builded and dedicated it to the Graces thereby to admonish euery man to loue peace detest ingratitude and to render to euery one according to Hesiodus rule a man famous among the Philosophers with encrease and greater measure whateuer we haue receiued imitating therein as Cicero sayeth the fertile landes well laboured and sowne which bringeth forth more then foure folde increase For this cause Xenophon among the praises which he gaue vnto Agesilaus reputeth it a parte of iniustice not onely not to acknowledge a good turne but also if more be not rendred then hath ben receiued And if we bee naturally inclined to do good to them of whome we conceiue good hope howe much
more are wee bounde to those at whose hands we haue alreadie receiued a good turne For it is in our power to giue or not to giue but as Seneca writeth it is by no means lawfull for a good man not to render againe the like pleasure which he hath alreadie receiued and sheweth that he is most miserable which forgetteth it and that the vngratefull man is of worse condition then the serpents which haue venome to annoy an other but not themselues whereas he is in perpetual torment making that which he hath receiued seeme lesse then in deede it is iudging it in himselfe a most dishonest part not to acknowledge it and yet against his owne conscience giueth place to his couetousnes and often times wisheth them dead to whome hee is moste bound The histories are full of plagues and miseries sent by god to the vnthankfull and of praises that haue beene giuen vnto those which haue acknowledged euen towardes verie beasts that good which they haue receiued of the great expense trauaile taken by manie to take away the verie suspition of ingratitude to which for breuitie sake I wil referre you I wil not for all that forget here the example of K. Pirrhus who greatly lamented the deth of a friend of his because thereby hee had lost the meanes to requite those benefites which he had receiued of him and greatly blamed himselfe in hauing before so long time differred it And it was not without cause said by Publius Mimus that who so receiueth a benefite selleth his owne libertie as who would saye that he made himselfe subiect to render the like And that we may bee the rather stirred vp to preserue this humane societie and thankfulnesse we must account what we receiue of greater value then in deede it is and what wee giue to bee of lesse and not suffer our selues to be ouercome by benefites Through the whole course of the holy Scripture we reade how the Saints and Patriarches haue beene diligent and carefull in praising of God rendring thanks vnto him for the benefits and fauours receiued at his handes and greatly lamenting the vnthankfull shewing the miseries that lighted vppon them Euen God complaineth in Isaiah and the rest of the Prophets that he nourished and brought vp children but they rebelled against him and that beastes had more iudgement to acknowledge their benefactors then men And reproched them in Hosea that they did not knowe that he gaue them corne and wine And complained in Deuteronomie that the people being waxed grose and laden with fatnesse forsooke God that made them and regarded not the strong God of their saluation In Micah hee calleth more amply to minde his benefites bestowed on the Iewes asketh what he hath done to see himselfe so yll acquited and yet declareth that the Lorde requireth of them suerlie to do iustly and to loue mercie and to humble themselues to walke with their God and sundrie other like passages are there in the Bible And Salomon writeth that He that rewardeth euil for good euil shall not depart from his house The lawes of Athens Persia and Macedonia were in time past highly commended for giuing iudgement against the vngratefull yea so farre as they condemned him to the death as it was in like sort in the law of Periander As touching Lycurgus hee woulde ordaine nothinge therein esteming it a most monstrous thing that a benefit should not bee acknowledged It is written of K. Philip that he put one of his souldiors out of pay and proclaimed him a villaine and vncapable of al honor because he was found vnthankful and caused to be printed in his forehead this worde Vngratefull And for this cause it was written of Socrates that hee woulde receiue nothinge from any man how great a personage so euer hee were except in short time he had bin able to haue requited him with the like And sundrie Philosophers great Captaines haue sent backe great presents when they were offred vnto them yea forbad their Embassadors in no wise to receiue any as wee wil hereafter declare fearing least they should therby remain more bound vnthankful And by the oracle of Apollo an vngrateful person ought to be reiected blamed throughout the world And it was lawful to reuoke liberties franchises for ingratitude into the which we our selues fall as Cicero in his oration of the consular prouinces declareth except we acknowledge what was in our libertie to receiue or were offered vnto vs and be thankfull as well for the benefites which we receiue at Gods hande as for those which he adorneth our neighbours withal declaring thereby his good will which hee beareth towards men which are as one bodie of many members And if that which Publius Mimius was wont to say be true that what soeuer is giuen to a good man bindeth euery man then haue wee great occasion to be thankful vnto God for that good which hee bestoweth of our neighbours Furthermore wee ought to esteeme aduersities as great blessings and testimonies of the good will of God towards vs thereby to humble vs retaine vs in that discipline due obedience which wee owe vnto him as wee haue marked heretofore And we ought to take as great pleasure in calling to remembrance what benefites wee haue receiued in time past as in those which are in present offered vnto vs thereby to pricke vs forward to acknowledge them by faith hope charitie patience good works giuing of thanks to aspire vnto riches more certaine otherwise wee shall cleane turne from vs the course of those benefits giftes of God which through men as a meane hee bestoweth vpon vs render our selues most vnworthie of all Cicero in his oration for Plancus calleth thankefulnes the mother of all other vertues and saith that there is nothing so inhumane or brutish as to suffer our selues to be found vnworthie verie beastes to surmount vs in acknowleging of benefits bestowed As in sundrie histories a man may see it euident that verie Lions Beares serpents dogges other like beasts haue acknowledged the helpe which hath beene done them sufficiently to confounde such as remaine vngratefull And S. Paul among the vices and wickednes that shall happen in the latter time comprehendeth vnthankfulnes and Salomon in his Prouerbs writeth that euil shall not depart from the house of the vnthankeful Plinie wrote not without cause that an yll and ouer deare bargaine is always vnthankful because it condemneth his master of folie lightnes We ought not then so much to cast our eye vpon those which seeme vnto vs to liue more at their ease then our selues as vpon an infinite number of other that are lesse and which haue not so much health friends cōmodities whereof we haue cause to thanke God shun this so great a vice Princes ought in like sort aboue
al things to detest it to vse liberalitie to the ende they may prouoke drawe euerie man to embrase the good happines of their estate holde men still diligent in their seruice in the duetie of good men And as Salust rehearseth Bocchus the king of the Getules had reason to tell Sylla that it was a lesse shame for a king to be ouercome by armes then by courtesie And before hee wrote of the same Sylla that hee neuer willingly woulde receiue a pleasure at the handes of any except he mought verie speedily requite them and neuer asked his owne of any studying aboue all thinges to make multitudes of nations fast bound vnto him CHAP. XXXV That lying hath made Poets and Painters to be blamed and of the garnishing of houses PLato wrote that Poetrie consisted in the cunning inuention of fables which are a false narration resembling a true and that therein they did often manifest sundrie follies of the gods for this cause he banished and excluded them out of his common wealth as men that mingled poyson with honie Besides thorough their lying and wanton discourses they corrupt the manners of youth and diminish that reuerence which men ought to carrie towards their superiors and the lawes of God whom they faine to be replenished with passions vice And the principall ornament of their verses are tales made at pleasure foolish disorderly subiectes cleane disguising the trueth hystorie to the end they might the more delight and for this cause haue they bin thrust out of sundry cities Among other after that Archilocus came into Sparta he was presently thrust out as soon as they had vnderstood how he had writtē in his poemes that it was better to lose a mans weopens then his life forbad euer after al such deceitful poesies Hence grew the common prouerb that al Poets are lyers And it was written of Socrates that hee was yl brought vp to poesie because he loued the truth And a man mought say that this moued Caligula to cōdemne Virgils Homers books because of their prophane fables which S Paul exhorted Timothie to cast away Plutarque telleth of a Lacedemonian who when he was demanded what he thought of the Poet Tirteus answered that he was very good to infect yong mens wits And Hieron of Siracusa condemned Epicarinus the Poet in a great fine because in his wiues presence he had repeated certaine lasciuious verses And Viues writeth that Ouid was most iustly sent into banishment as an instrument of wantonnesse He which first inuented the Iambique versifying to byte and quippe was the first that felt the smart And Archilocus the Poet fell into confusion through his own detractions as Horace and sundry other haue written and Aulus Gellius reporteth that Orpheus Homer and Hesiodus gaue names honours to the gods And Pithagoras saide that their soules hong in hel vpon a tree still pulled of euery side by serpents for their so damnable inuention And Domitian banished Iuuenal and Pope Paul 2. and Adrian 6. held them as enimies to religion Eusebius in his 8. booke first Chapter de Preparatione Euangelica setteth down an example of a Poet who for hauing lewdly applyed a peece of Scripture to a fable suddenly lost his naturall sight and after that he had done penance it was restored to him againe And as touching Painters they haue beene greatly misliked of for representing such fictions Poetical deceits For as Simonides saide Painting is a dumme Poesie and a Poesie is a speaking painting the actions which the Painters set out with visible colours and figures the Poets recken with wordes as though they had in deede beene perfourmed And the ende of eche is but to yeeld pleasure by lying not esteeming the sequele and custome or impression which hereby giue to the violating of the lawes and corruption of good manners For this cause the Prophets called the statuas images and wanton pictures the teachers of vanitie of lyes deceite abhomination And Lactantius writeth that a counterfait tooke the name of counterfaiting and all deceit as wee before declared springeth from falshood and lying This was it which mooued S. Iohn in the ende of his first Epistle to warne men to keepe themselues from images for an image doeth at their fansie counterfait the bodie of a man dead but is not able to yeelde the least gaspe of breath And idolatrie is properly such seruice as is done vnto Idoles Wee reade howe God especially forbad it in the first table and how long the Romanes and Persians liued without any vse thereof and howe the Lacedemonians coulde neuer abyde that an image should stand in their Senate There hath beene in sundrye councels mention made thereof S. Athanasius more at large discoursed thereof in a sermon he made against Idols and S. Augustin in his booke de fide Simbolo and vppon 150. Psalm in his eighth book of the citie of God Damascene in his 4. book 8. C. The occasion of so free passage giuen to Poets is for that their fables slyde awaye easily and cunningly turne them selues to tickel at pleasure whereas the trueth plainly setteth downe the matter as it is in deede albeit the euent thereof bee not verie pleasant Plato in like sort compared the disputes in Poetrie to the banquets of the ignorant who vse Musike in steede of good discourse and in his thirde booke of his commonwealth he forbiddeth Poets or painters to set downe or represent any thinge dishonest or wanton for feare of corrupting of good manners And Aristotle in his Politiques the third booke and 17. Chapter woulde haue all vyle wordes to be banished And Saint Paul to the Ephesians that any vncleannesse foolish iesting or talking shoulde bee once named among them And Tertullian an auncient doctor of the Church called Poets and certaine Philosophers the Patriarches of heretiques This which I haue spoken of must not be vnderstood of Poesies wherein much trueth and instruction is contained nor of pictures which represent the actes of holye and vertuous personages nor of fables taken out of hystories whereof there maye growe some edifying but onely of that which is lasciuious and grounded vpon naughtie argument rendring youth effeminate and men more giuen to wantonnesse pleasures passion vayne opinions then to vertue cleane turning away the honour that is due vnto God or to good edifying for according vnto the commaundement of God Cherubyns were made The admonition which Epictetus gaue to such as were too curious in pictures ought by no meanes to be here forgotten Trim not thy house saith hee with tables and pictures but paint it and guild it with Temperance the one vainely feedeth the eyes the other is an eternall ornament which cannot be defaced The same doeth Plutarque teache in the life of Dion that more
care is to bee taken for the hanging and adorning of the palace of the soule then of the outwarde And the same Philosopher did not muche out of the waye warne vs that wee shoulde take heede that the skirt of our garments shoulde not carrie a stinche of life CHAP. XXXVI Of backebyters mockers and euill speakers and why the Comedians stage players and Iugglers haue beene reiected WE haue heretofore shewed that our mouth ought to serue our neighbour as wel to preserue him in honor as in profit and for that our Lord God commaundeth that wee should neither deale falsly nor lye one to another He forbiddeth vs either to depraue or deceiue any for deprauing backbiting is an enimie vnto the trueth to the weale honour of our neighbor forbidden by God in the commandement of not bearing false witnes hath euer bin accounted as manslaughter stealing away of the renowne which we ought to esteeme according to the saying of the wise man aboue great riches Plato in his common wealth greatly praised the lawes of Lidia which punished backbiters as murtherers neither doe wee want sundrie examples which shew what mischiefe hath ensued through backbyting Wee haue one in Hester c. 3. of the mischiefe which Haman pursued against the Iewes which K. Ahashueroh of Doeg which through his backbiting was the cause of the death of 85. persons that did wear a lynen Ephod sundrie other myseries And Dauid did attribute vnto slanderers al the euil which Saul had wrought against him The backbiter is in degree neare vnto the flatterer hurteth three persons the absent of whom he speaketh the present which giueth eare vnto him himselfe And it is written in Ecclesiast that hatred enmitie reproch attendeth the backbiter And S. Paul writeth that railers shal not inherit the kingdome of God to the Ephesians Let al bitternes anger wrath crying euil speaking be put away from you with al malitiousnes Be ye courteous one to another tender harted forgiuing one another euen as God for Christes sake forgaue you Solon being demanded what was more cutting then a knife answered a slaunderous toung the which Dauid calleth a sharpe razor and hot burning coales The same writeth S. Iames in his Epistle more at large And as it is taken for a signe of health so is it a signe of a sound vnderstanding to be exempt from al words that may do harme And not without cause said Salomon that death life are in the power of the tongue more perish thereby then by the sword And addeth that he which keepeth his tongue keepeth his life S. Augustin sheweth that the truth hath written in our hearts this commandement Do vnto an other as thou wouldst be done vnto thy selfe And S. Ierom vppon Isaiah in like sort saith euen as wee woulde not that men shoulde speake euil of vs no more ought we to depraue our neighbour S. Paul willeth vs not so much as to eat or drink with the railers and so did S. Iames. Al kind of mockerie ought also to be shunned which is a reproch couered with some fault and which accustometh the mocker to raile lie moueth more then an iniurie when it proceedeth from a wil to outrage a malice without necessitie The which moued some to terme it an artificial iniurie Salomon writeth in his prouerbs that God doth abhorre al mockers the which Isaiah comprehendeth C. 38. 57. The lieutenant of K. Darius put to death one of his soldiars which had railed vpon Alexander saiing that the part of a soldiar was to fight not to raile Antigonus caused one to dye for the like cause and they of Alexandria were well chastised by Vespasian and diuers children were torne in peeces for mockinge of Elisha with wylde beares At the least wee ought to resemble the Phisitiōs which Hipocrates made to sweare that they shoulde not bewraye the secrete and hidden faultes and euils And Saint Gregorie in his Morals compareth the backebiter vnto him which bloweth the powder that flasheth into his owne eyes and hindereth his seeing For this cause ought wee to followe the councel giuen vnto vs by Saint Peter that laying aside all malitiousnesse and all guile and dissimulation and enuie and all euil speaking as newe borne babes wee desire the milke of the worde that wee may growe thereby And aboue all thinges followinge the councell of Demosthenes wee must take heede of speaking yll of the absent or giuing eare vnto the backebiters as Alexander Seuerus was wont to saye and doe And for as much as comedies are compounded of fixions fables and lyes they haue of diuers beene reiected As touchinge Playes they are full of filthie wordes which woulde not become verie lacqueys and courtisanes and haue sundrie inuentions which infect the spirite and replenish it with vnchaste whorishe cosening deceitfull wanton and mischeeuous passions Atheneus writinge of the inuention of a Comedie and tragedie sayeth that they haue euer been inuented in a time of vintage drunkennesse And for that besides all these inconueniences Comedians and stage players doe often times enuie and gnawe at the honor of another and to please the vulgar people set before them sundrie lies teach much dissolutenes and deceit by this meanes turning vpside downe all discipline and good manners many cities wel gouerned would neuer at any time intertaine thē And the citie of Marseilles hath beene maruelously praised in auncient time for that she alwaies reiected such kind of people And the Emperours Augustus Anthony Frederick the first and Henry the thirde caused them to be driuen out of their Empire And the Tribunes banished one Neuius out of Rome And S. Chrisostome in his 17 homilie vpon S. Matth. saith that there is no peril vppon the sea so dangerous as are the Theaters and places of Commedies playes and declareth at large what dissolutenes disorder factions mischiefes inconueniences haue ensued thereby The like doth Seneca declare in his first Epistle of the first booke Caelius Rodiginus in his 5. booke 7. Chapter And S. Augustine in his Citie of God commendeth Scipio for that he forbad the vse of any such pastimes as an enimie to al vertue honesty And saieth that the diuels vnder the similitude of false gods erected them The Lacedemonians also would neuer permit such playes acts for feare somewhat might be imprinted into the peoples brest cōtrary to the lawes truth For as the Apostle writeth Euil words corrupt good manners And this caused the good king S. Louis to banish them out of his court And S. Ierom towards the end of his first booke against Iouinian writeth that tragedies are ful of contempt of mariage good lawes And Seneca wisely wrote in his Epistles that it is verie daungerous
banished them their courtes as the very ruyne and plague of Princes and at Athenes they were put to death A wise Abbot wrote of Charles the 3. that aboue all things he tooke heede that flattering courtiers should not rauish from himself the fauour of his benefits as they are whō they terme sellers of smoke For besides the mischiefe which they worke they swarue with all change of fortune leaue men as lyce do a dead carkas or flyes an empty chychen And Iouinian the Emperour compared thē to the ebbe and flowing of the sea and said that they only adored the rich robes of Princes Agesilaus K. of the Lacedemonians was wont to say that they were far more dangerous then either theeues or murtherers And Isocrates since his time K. Alphonsus were wont to saye that of all mischeifes that were possible to happen to a Prince the greatest was when he gaue eare to flatterers counselled thē to shun thē like fire plague wolues The which the Prophet Hosea cōfirmeth and Salomon in his Prouerbes The Emperour Iulian being one day highly cōmended by his courtiers for that he was so good a Iusticer had reason to say that if those prayses had proceeded frō any mens mouthes who had durst cōdemne or mislike his actions whē they shuld be contrary therunto then had he had occasion to haue esteemed thereof Dion attributed the hatred which was conceiued against Iulius Caesar his very deth to flatterers And Q. Cursius sheweth that great segneuries kingdomes lie by that means more desolate then by wars Vopiscus setteth down flatterie as the principall cause that corrupteth Princes And Philip de Comines rendreth the reason thereof to be for that Princes do lightly ouerwin too much of thēselues of those whō they find agreeable vnto their humor One of Alexander his lieuetenantes on a time wrote vnto him that he had in his gouernmēt a boy of incōparable beautie that if it so liked him he wold send him vnto him He wrote back vnto him O accursed mischeuous caytife what hast thou euer knowen in me that thou shuldst thus dare to flatter me by such pleasures Likewise hauing on a time vnderstood that one with whō he ran a race had suffred him to win the wager by his swiftnes he grew maruelous angry contrary to Dionisius of Siracusa the elder who sent Philoxenes the Poet to the gallowes with such as were condēned to die because he wuld not flatter him nor yeeld vnto him in Poesie For as Aristotle declareth in the 1. booke of his Politiques Tyrants greatly take pleasure in being flattered fauour the wicked Some are of opinions that flatterers are far worse thē false witnesses or false coyners because they infect the vnderstāding And Antisthenes iudged thē more dangerous then rauens for that they do but deuoure the bodies of such as are dead And Plato in Menedemus calleth them inchanters sorcerers poysoners Theopompus Atheneus witnes that the Thessaliens cleane rased a citie of the Melians because it was named Flattery One demāded of Sigismonde how he could endure flatterers about him he answered that he knew not how he gaue eare vnto thē of his owne nature hating thē For albeit that they cleane ouerturne ruine kingdoms yet haue they cōmonly better entertainment then plaine dealing or vertue As Alexander saide that he loued better the idolatry of Ephestion thē the sincerity of Clitus And Seneca his book natural quaest writeth that flattery is of that nature that it euer pleaseth though it be reiected and in the end maketh it selfe to be receiued Thales other say Pittacus being demanded of all beasts which was the most cruell answered that among Princes the flatterer Phocion said to K. Antipater Thou canst not haue me both for thy friend and flatterer Atheneus sundry other aucthors do impute Alexander his faults changes his delicatenes drunkennes dissolutnes the murthers which he cōmitted to his flatterers he remained a time without buriall his conquests occupied by strangers after the massacre of such as were neerest vnto him The which ought to mooue vs to cast off that opinion which we holde of our selues so to consider of our imperfections faults intermingled amōg our actions that we suffer not our selues to be abused by flatterers as a man would say make litter of our selues for their pleasure For they transforme thēselues into all shapes as the Polepus Cameleon that they may please And it was not amisse sayd of him that the flatterers of Princes doe resemble those which infect and taint a cōmon spring which put out the eyes of the guide are the occasion of the subiects harme as the wiseman neere a Prine is the cause of the vniuersall wealefare Other haue sayd that there is no kinde of man more pestilent nor which sooner marred youth then the flatterer presenting an ineuitable baite of pleasure wherewith they are deceiued And if the sayde youth looke not well about them and hold a hard hand ouer their appetites it is quickly entrapped and they are among Princes like fowlers which take birdes in their snares by counterfeyting of their call CHAP. XXXIX That enuie is a miserable lye and of the meanes to remedy it FOr as much as all Christians are members of one selfe same body whereof Iesus Christe our sauiour is the head those giftes and graces which each one hath perticularly receyued at Gods handes are for the ornament pleasure and profitte of all as beautie and the agilitie of one of the members of the bodie is common to all the reste which are distinguished and separate each one hauing a particular office for their mutuall weale And in that the members doe so knit and ioyne themselues togither it is not accounted of their free accorde but as a satisfaction dewe by the lawe of nature So doeth neyther the foote nor the hande enuie one the other though the one be adorned with ringes the other be at rest but as Hipocrates Galien wrote there is a kinde of diuine consent and accorde betwixt all the members of the body And the very trewe badge to discerne a Christian by is mutuall loue the which Tertullian named the Sacrament of fayth and the treasure of a Christian name And as the holy scripture teacheth vs we are not to our selues but to God who most freely bestoweth all thinges vpon vs to the ende we should impart the same vnto our neighbour And we ought to esteeme whatsoeuer any man possesseth not to happen vnto him as by chaunce or fortune but thorough the distribution of him who is the soueraine mayster disposer and Lorde of all And as it is written in Malachie Haue we not all one father Hath not one God made vs VVhy doe wee transgresse euerie one agaynst his brother and
breake the couenaunt of our fathers And it was wisely set downe by an auncient father that vppon whatsoeuer wee possesse we ought to engraue this title It is the gift of God And S. Paul wrote to the Corinthians that Loue enuieth not and if ye bite and deuour on an other take heede least yee be consumed one of an other Notwithstanding whosoeuer he be that is already possessed and replenished with this mischeuous vice of enuie he violateth the dispensation of God is himselfe mightily afflicted at the prosperity good of his neighbour whereas he ought to haue reioysed thereat as though hee had beene partaker thereof and euen as if hee were greeuouslie payned in the eyes he is alwayes offended not able to abide any clearenesse or light but gnaweth consumeth himselfe as the rust doth yron This moued Socrates to terme this vice the filth slime impostume of the soule and a perpetuall torment to him in whom it abideth a venum poyson or quicke siluer which consumeth the marow of the bones taking away all pleasure of the light of rest of meate And the wise man in his prouerbs writeth that enuie is the rotting of the bones and in Iob that it slaieth the idiote and in Ecclesiasticus that it shortneth the life and there is nothing worse then the enuious man And in the Pro. that he shalbe filled with pouerty through enuie man is made incōpatible And Plutarke writeth that it filleth the body with a wicked pernitious disposition and charmeth it selfe bewitching darkning the body the soule the vnderstanding For this cause Isocrates wrote to Enagoras that enuie was good for nothing but in that it tormēted thē which were possessed therwith which euil the enuious do no whit at al feele but contrariwise make it an argument of their vertue As Themistocles in his youth said that as then he had neuer done any thing worthy of memory in that there was no man whom he mought perceiue did any ways enuie him And Thucidides was of opinion that a wise man was euer content to be enuied This passion doth often engender enmitie mislike which is flatly forbidden of God except it be against sinne This was the very cause why the Philosophers did giue vs councell to praise our enemies when they did wel and not to be angry when any prosperitie befell them to the ende we mought thereby be the further off from enuiyng the good fortune of our friends And can there be any exercise in this worlde able to carie a more profitable habite to our soules then that which cleane taketh away this peruerse emulation of ielousie and this inclination to enuie a sister germaine to curiositie reioysing in the harme of an other And yet this is still tormented with an others good Both which passions proceede from a wicked roote and from a more sauage and cruell kinde of passion to wit malice And not without cause did Seneca stande in doubt whether enuie were a more detestable or deformed vice And Bion on a time seeing an enuious man sadde demanded of him whether any euill had betide him or good to an other Neither was enuie amisse described by a Poet imagined to be in a darke caue pale leane looking a squint abounding with gall her teeth blacke neuer reioysing but at an others harme still vnquiet and carefull and continually tormenting her selfe And the same Poetes haue written that the enuious were still tormented by Megera one of the Eumenides and furies Megarein likewise in Greeke is as much to saye as to enuie We ought then to consider that a great part of these thinges which we commonly enuie is attayned vnto by diligence prudence care vertuous actions to the end we should exercise sharpen our desire to honor seeke by al means to attaine to the like good without enuie Some report howe Agis K. of Lacedemon when it was tolde him that he was greatly enuyed by his competitors made aunswere They are doubly plagued for both their owne lewdnes doth greatly torment them and besides are greeued at that good which they see in me mine For enuie both maketh the body to be very ill disposed chaungeth the colour of the countenance therefore was it termed the wiche feuer hepticke of the spirite And as Aristotle Pliny wrote that in the mountaine of Care and in Mesopotamia there is a kind of scorpions and small serpents which neuer offende or harme strangers but yet do deadly sting the natural inhabitants of the place so enuie neuer doth exercise it selfe but vpon such as it most frequenteth and is most priuate with And most wisely was it saide of the auncient fathers that the enuious man is fedde with the most daintie meat for he doth continually gnawe on his owne heart and shorten his life and often times is the cause of great sedition and ruyne Hannibal often times complained that he was neuer vanquished by the people of Rome but by the enuie of the Senate of Carthage as also did that great Captaine Bellisare beeing thereby brought to extreme beggerye I doe not exempt hence their fault who when they haue attayned to any science or perticular knowledge that might be profitable and seruiceable to the common wealth will neuer impart the same to any but choose rather to die and let such a gift receiued from God bee buried with them defrauding their successours and posteritie thereof who shall in the end receiue dewe chastisement therefore the only cause of the losse of so many and excellent inuentions CHAP. XXXX How pride ambition vaine boasting and presumption are lying and how all passions leade cleane contrary to what they pretende and who may be termed men of humilitie and of the meanes which contayneth vs therein DIuers haue set down two impediments as chiefe hinderers of the truth to wit despaire presumption And the wise Bion saide that pride kept men frō learning profit And Ecclesiasticus termeth it the beginning of sinne And Philo in his booke of the contemplatiue life sheweth that the spring of pride is lying as the truth is of humblenesse And Aristotle wrote in his morales that the proud boasting man doth faine things to be which indeed are not or maketh thē appeare greater then they are wheras the desebler contrariwise doth deny that which is or doth diminish it but the true mā telleth things as they are indeede holding a middle place between the presūptuous the desēbler as we haue before touched S. Augustine shewed how pride was the beginning of al mischeif vpō S. Mat. entreting of the words of our sauiour he maketh pride the mother of enuie saieth that if one be able to suppresse it the daughter shalbe in like sort And in the 56. Epistle which he worte to Dioscorides he sayth As Demosthenes the Greeke orator being demaunded what was the
to an other is to fall from one mischeife to an other drawing towardes death With good discretion did Solon call townes boroughtes and villages the retreates of mans miseries full of noysomnesse trauaile and fortune And Aristotle termeth man to be the disciple of imbecillitie of inconstancie of ruines and diseases All which ought to make vs humble our selues The old prouerbe is common who knoweth himselfe best esteemeth himselfe least For if any man seeme to himselfe that he is somewhat when he is nothing he deceiueth himselfe in his imagination sayth S. Paul This is also the reason why the prophet Abacuc writeth that the iust man liueth by faith and that they which exalt themselues shall haue a fall Sundry writers make mention of K. Sesostris that he made himselfe be drawen by foure Kings which he held captiues and one of them euer vsed to turne his face backwarde and being demaunded why he did so aunswered that in beholding the wheeles howe the highest part became lowest he remembred the condition of men with which aunswere the same Sesostris became a great deale the more ciuill Saladin after his death made his shirt to be carried at the ende of a launce and to be cryed that of all the Realmes and riches he had nowe nothing was left him but that In sundry places doth the holy scripture impute this qualitie of pride left to them which distrust in God and presume of them selues And would to God ech one would practise the exhortation of S. Paule to the Philippians To be like minded hauing the same loue being of one accorde and one iudgement That nothing be done thorough contention or vayne glorie but that in meekenesse of minde euerie one esteeme other better then himselfe Looking not euery man on his owne thinges but euery man also on the thinges of an other man And to the Romaynes he desireth them to be affectioned to loue one an other with brotherly loue in giuing honour going one before an other Herodotus telleth of one Apricus Kinge of Aegypt who was so insolent that hee would saye that there was neyther God nor man could abate him or dispossesse him of his kingdome but shortly after Amasis put him by it and hee was strangled by his owne subiectes The like doeth Ouid make mention to befall to one Niob. Goliah was slaine by Dauid Iulius Caesar was so arrogant as he would say that it should stande for a lawe whateuer pleased him Other Princes haue had this woorde in their mouth I will it be so neuer considering that their willes ought to bee measured by the will of God iustice and lawes for the preseruation of their estate as king Theopompus and the Emperour Alexander Seuerus were woont to say and as wee recited before of Kinge Antigonus good Princes ought to esteeme nothing honest and lawefull that is not so of his owne nature and agreeable to the lawes And as touching such as are ambitious they neuer doe ought that is entirely pure and neete but euer in their actions you shall discerne a kinde of bastardie full of faultes dispersed according to the diuersitie of the windes which driue them forwarde and neuer measuring themselues doe dayly commit notorious errours and ruine themselues in vndertaking more then they are able or then is honest Whereupon it is very necessarie that the counsell of Ecclesiasticus be put in practise Seeke not out the things that are too harde for thee neyther search the thinges rashly that are too mightie for thee and burthen not thy selfe aboue thy power while thou liuest Plutarke in the life of Agis applyeth the fable of Ixîon which was tormented in hell and of him which found a clowde insteede of Iuno to such as are ambitious vngratefull And so do some other refer that which Homer in his Odes reciteth of Sysiphus who continually rouled the stone which he was neuer able to cary to the toppe of the mountaine and of Phaëton who would needs guide the horses of the sunne It hath bin an old prouerbe that he which aduaunceth himselfe further then he ought receiueth more thē he would They resēble the fisherman in Theocrites who satisfied his hunger with dreames of gold And with very great reason may a man impute all sects heresies diuisions foolish enterprises combats and vnnecessarie warres to the ambition of vnquiet mouing spirits which neuer content thēselues in their vocation for this cause S. Gregory Nazianzene wrote to Procopius that he neuer saw any good issue come of any coūcel or Synode by reason of ambitiō which did more impare controuersie thē amend thē And Aristotle in the 2. of his Politiques sheweth that the greatest part of faults which men cōmit proceedeth frō ambition or couetousnes as there are infinite examples of factions which haue long time endured in France Englād Italy Hesiodus writeth that the vnwise do not vnderstand that the halfe is more thē the hole For this cause it often chaunceth that they lose what euer they haue gotten which peaceably before they enioyed through a gredines of vndewly getting frō other as we see it fell out so doth it euery day to a number which haue not retyred themselues in dewe time not being able to staye the course of their fortune The which in the ende Antiochus full well vnderstoode for after that he was vanquished and that the Romanes had taken from him the prouince of Asia hee was wont to say that he esteemed himselfe much bounde vnto them for the learning which they had taught him and for their gratiousnes and courtesie which they had vsed towards him for when I enioyed sayth he so large a circuit of countrey I could not content my selfe nor set an ende to my ambition or desires but since such time as the Romaines haue abrydged my limittes they haue so gnawen my wings of ambition that I am more content then I was and nowe my care needeth not to be so great to gouerne well my little kingdome which is left before not beeing able to be satisfied Augustus the Emperour said that he wondered how so great a king as Alexander who had conquered all Greece Aegypt and Asia and yet could not be quiet except he mought stil be in hande with new busines continuing war not considering that it was both as great a vertue redounded as much to his glory by wholsome lawes and ordinances to establish the gouernment of a well pacified monarchy as it was to conquer it I greatly cōmend the councel of one Democrites that a man should euer propose vnto himselfe and couet thinges possible and be contented with the present and with that portion and measure which it hath pleased God to yeelde vnto him and to fashion himselfe according to that facultie and meane which is giuen vnto him neuer coueting the manuage of any greater affayre then appertayneth to his owne estate
Treasorer of Dionisius K. of Sicil was who bragging to Aristippus of the garnishing of his house furniture in al respects the said Philosopher not seeing where he might spit without marring cast his phlegme in the face of this Magnifico telling him that hee sawe nothing lesse filthie CHAP. XLII That Witches southsayers sorcerers vsurers are replenished with lying how a man may exempt himselfe frrm them SOuthsayers Wytches and Astrologers iudging without the compasse of the order of nature haue alwayes beene detested and condemned thorough the whole course of the holie Scripture in that they durst foretell of thinges to come except it were of that which they mought make coniecture of thorough the saide order by long experience and obseruations giuen from hande to hande followinge the ordinarie course of the heauen common rules and as God hath beene accustomed to doe at all times hauing all in his owne hande moderatinge and guyding the course of heauen and the issues of all enterprises as Pindarus wrote that a good husband ought to foresee a tempest many dayes before and sundrie Phylosophers by speculatiue astrologie haue foretolde the dearth and plentie of frutes as shoulde fall out that yeare following the sayde rules and signes which haue beene accustomed to precede and when experience aunswereth to the cause For otherwise they are not able to foretell ought without lying ayding themselues with Arte long experience and reuelation of the diuel the father of lyes to whome they haue whollye abandoned themselues as S. Augustine sheweth in his booke of the citie of God Aulus Gellius writeth that if they foretell any thing that is good and deceiue thee thou shalt attende them but in vaine If they threaten thee mischiefe and lye thou art also miserable fearing in vaine If they aunswere thee according as thou fearest thou art vnfortunate before it happen And if they promise thee happie successe the attending of that hope will so trouble thee holding thee still in suspence that that verie hope will take away the flower and fruite of thy ioye And this proceeding which dependeth of the variable sences of many which obserue it is both harde and false And that iudiciall science is but vaine as Ptolome sheweth it in his Quadripartite adding verie wisely that the opinions of Astrologians are not the decrees of soueraigne Iudges And many yeares passe ouer before one selfe same constellation of heauenly bodyes do againe appeare And the most part of the accidents of this worlde being vnfortunate the knowledge thereof would breede great inconueniences and trauaile Tacitus had reason to write that whatsoeuer dependeth of destenie or the diuine ordināce cannot be auoided albeit it be foretold The which opinion Plutarque is likewise of in the life of Hannibal A man hath enough to doe to digest things present without busying himselfe with future and wee read of great inconueniences that haue ensued too much trust giuen to Prognostications to which some haue attributed the reuolt of Francis Marquisse of Salusses both harmfull to him and all France And to such prognosticators swallowed vp in the gulfe of lying the fable of Icarus is applyed who fell from heauen into the sea because in flying to high his waxen wings were melted Porphiry who greatly esteemed of oracles was yet constrained to confesse that diuels or gods foretold of naturall things by the order of naturall causes which they obserued of things which depended of our will by coniectures taken of our actions but as they are more suddaine then wee and of a more sharpe eyesight so do they preuent goe before vs in such sort that as naturall things are false and humane accidents moueable and vncertaine so are they subiect to lye that is to saye that they cannot foretell any things of vs but what they learne out of our own actions nor of naturall thinges but what they read in the course of nature for neither Angels nor diuels can read in starres that which is not nor in men that which they know not as did the Prophets inspired of God who seeme to haue touched as in a historie whatsoeuer happened more then one hundred yeares after The which causeth vs to admire the mightines and trueth of God creator of the whole worlde Besides what neede wee be so curious to vnderstande what shoulde happen vnto vs when wee can by no meanes auoide it Doeth it not double ones miserie as Demonax sayd Aristotle likewise in the fourth of his Ethicques findeth fault that their cosinages and lyings went vnpunished And the Romanes made sundrie ordinances to banish them Italy as Tacitus writeth yea the lawyer Vlpian sayeth that the cunning man which shall tell any thing of one that stole ought which was lost shall not be quit for an action of the case but shalbe grieuously punished The Greekes also terme a wiche Mantin which approcheth the French word Menteur As touching prophesies which haue bin made through the inspiration of God concerning alterations of kingdōs wee haue alwaies founde them proue true wheras the answers of the Pagans oracles were euer vncertaine obscure as Eusebius declareth Wherefore following the commandement of God the ordinance of France especially the iij estates assembled at Blois the 36. Article sundrie councels which haue excommunicated witches sorcerers we ought to abandon such as lyars and pernitious abusers who are not able to iudge of spirites the houre of death and mariages And it is impietie to be too inquisitiue therein God himself in Leuiticus adiudgeth them to dye and as Eusebius recyteth in his Ecclesiasticall historie the Emperours Augustus Tiberius Galerius and Maximinus caused them all either to be banished or put to death as also they did those priestes which stirred vp to crueltie And Samuel sayde that Rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft And in the second of the Kings Iosiah tooke away them that had familar spirites and the southsayers And in the first of the Chronicles it was imputed vnto Saul for a great transgression which he had committed against the Lord in that he sought asked councel of a familiar spirit And it is written in Ieremy that a sword is vpon the southsayers Other translate it lyars And Isaiah blamed them saith that God wil destroy the tokens of the southsayers turne them into furie commandeth only to take councel of himselfe his word bicause that if we refer not our selues thither the morning wil no more shine vnto vs. Eneas Siluius maketh mention of a vertuous Prince who was verie bountiful to learned men being demanded why he was not so to Astrologers saide that the starres gouerned fooles that wise men commanded them that it apertained only to ignorant Princes to honor Astrologers witches southsayers Scipio as soone as he ariued in his camp did fourthwith banish al sorts of witches tellers
of fortunes Lycurgus did the like And if we mark it wel we shal find that they cast sow in the aire as it were in a sea without any iudgement and at the aduenture of ambiguous words tending to al sorts of accidents passions chance of a hundred perhaps one falleth out right which was neuer foreseene or thought by them for the most part wee see the contrarie happen of that which is prognosticated Cicero for this cause writeth that Plato was wont to saye that hee marueiled when such people met togither how they could abstain frō laughter seing the cosening tricks which they playd And God by Ieremie commanded vs not to be afraid for the signes of heauen from whence these abusers say they take their foundation And Homer bringing in the gods deliberating of things to come declared thereby how it passeth mans capacitie as Isocrates writeth yea Daniel in the end of his prophesie saieth that he vnderstoode not the wordes of the Angel speaking of the end of the world The which maketh mee greatly to condemne such as haue writen therof especially Leouitius who setteth it down to be in the yere 1583 yet he forgeth an Ephemerides of nigh hand 30. yeares after that yeare Astrologers likewise foretolde of the yeare 1524 that such an other coniunction should meet as was at the time of the floud and that al the face of the earth shoulde be couered with water and there was neuer seene a more fayre and dry yeare then that was as Viues writeth In short that kind of people haue skill of any thing but to tell true For sorcerers the lawes of the 12. Tables and sundrye other haue condemned them to death as worse then murtherers most wicked and abhominable enemies both vnto nature and mankinde The title of the Code de maleficiis and the lawe neminem containeth this cursse that the cruell pestilence eate them out and consume them And God condemneth them in Exod. c. 2. Leuit 20. 21. Deu. 18. Isaiah 3. Iere. 19.17 50. For such sorceries Iehu made queene Iezabel to bee eaten with dogs It is verye requisite that Iudges take great paines and be very seuere herein because they growe so common and God threatneth that hee will roote out the people which shall leaue them vnpunished S. Augustine also greatlye detesteth them And the reason why the Cananites were rooted out is expressed in Deut. to wit for the abhominable sorceries which they vsed And Plato in his lawes condemned them to die for they renounce God all his religiō they blaspheme him they do homage to the Diuell they vow their children vnto him they promise to drawe vnto him whatsoeuer they are able they poyson men beastes and fruites they are incestuous and worke much mischiefe And as touching vsurers Plutarque in his booke which he made to which I referre the Reader is of opinion that no kinde of people of the worlde are so notorious lyars nor which vse more to falsefie their faith in all their practises they haue beene condemned both by the law of God and man and excommunicated by a counsell holden in Spaine And the Persians alwayes reputed loane to vsury to be deceat lying and wickednesse Appian in his first booke of the ciuill warres wrote that by an auncient law at Rome vsurye was forbidden vpon great paines and we see in Titus Liuius and in Tacitus the great searches and punishmentes that ensewed therefore And in the time of kinge Philip Augustus of S Lewys of kinge Iohn and Charles the sixt the Iewes and Italiens which held banques and exercised vsurye thorough out Fraunce were driuen out and rifled because they marred the houses and families that adioyned neare vnto them The ancient Cato held them as lyars murtherers theifes and a continuall fire which euer encreased thorough the losse and ruine of such as fell there in And so they which haue to do with vsurers are by little and little consumed and gnawne a sunder And as he which is stong with the aspe dieth sleeping so sweetly doth he consume him selfe which hath borrowed vpon vsury And Michah writeth that they deuour the fleshe of the people flea their skin and gnaw their bones Moreouer the worde vsury in the hebrew tongue is as much to say as biting And mony is brought forth before it be begot The which caused some to terme loan to vsury the great chastiser of fooles for their incontinencie And vsury was euer accounted the daughter of couetousnes and ambition which leadeth to all euill Wherefore according to the lesson of the wise man eache one ought to beware that he fall not into so great a mischiefe but it is requisite rather to be content with a little to shun thinges superfluous to vse parsimony and sparing thinking that if one bee not able to liue with a little he will lesseliue with nothing And as in sundry places debtors were priuiliged among other in Dianas temple at Ephesus so was the temple of sparing and well ordered expense into which vsurers mought not enter open vnto the wise and yeeldeth to them a ioyful rest And for because such as intermeddle with selling againe do it without anye art or trauile and with lying they haue beene in like sort blamed as well by Aristotle as by Cicero CHAP. 43. Of the punishments that hath be fallen vnto such as haue giuen eare vnto malitious surmises reiecting the truth IF what we haue before set downe touching forged accusations doe not so sone discouer it selfe if choler false reports opinions do so far insinuate them selues as truth can take no place nor iustifications be heard yet will God the protector of innocency set to his helping hande and discouer the truth as the holy scriptures affirme And Theophrastus said that surmises woulde die by litle and litle but truth was the daughter of time Among an infinit number of exāples I will content my selfe with a few the most notable Leo the emperor condēned Michael to die the execution was differred but vntil Christmas was ended in which time he died soddainly the same Michael was not onle deliuered from prison but chosen Emperor of Constantinople Mathias the son of that great captaine Hunniades was charged of ill behauing him self towards Ladislaus K. of Boheme Hungary as he was ready to be condēned his eldest brother hauing bene before executed throgh enuy false information the said Ladislaus mindinge to marrye Margrite daughter to Charles the 7. died soddenly and the said Mathias attending but the hangman of Prag was chosen K. of Hungary As also one Castrutio retired frō an obscure prison was chosen gouernor of Lucques by the death of the tirant Vgutio And one Iacques de lusignan prisoner at Genes was chosen K. of Cipres Theodoric K. of the Ghots in his rage through a forged accusation executed Boetius
Simmachus two very honorable personages shortly after he was serued at the table with a head of a fish which seemed vnto him to be the head of the same Simmachus loking a squint vpon him grinning with his teeth so with this fright conceit fel he sick and died Thrasibulus K. of the Iewes cōceiued such a greif in that he had slaine his brother without hearing his excuse that he died The like also befell to Aristobulus for murthering his brother Antigonus for sorow vomited vp his own bloud which was caste in the place where his brothers was spilt with a remorse of conscience died as Iosephus writeth And in thend of his history he telleth of a gouernor of Libia vnder the Romanes who with false surmises hauing made many be put to death to get their wealth was surprised with a sudden fright astonishment often cried out that the shadowes of such as he had caused to bee murthered apeared vnto him cast him self vpon his bed as if he had bin in tormēts fire in thend died his intrals gushing out of his body They which by wrong accusatiō caused Socrates to die not being able any longer to abide the publike hate which was carried vnto thē hong strangled thēselues The great Lord Soliman made his own son be strangled K Herod did the like vnto his and after that the truth was discouered they both too late sorrowed There is as much written of a K. of Spaine and of Cambises the K. of Persia who put his brother to death wherof ensued great alteration of state Mary of Aragon accused an Earle before the Emperor Otho her husband faining that he wold haue defiled her he was beheaded but the truth being afterwards discouered she was publikly burned Nicephorus writeth as much of the wife of Constantine the gret Sedechias caused Ieremy to be imprisoned who had told him the truth to keep him frō breaking his faith was led away captiue after his eyes were thrust out his childrē beheaded Conrad that writeth the chronicles of Magence saith of one Henry Archb. of the same Sea who to purge him selfe of a certaine charitie which was lent vnto him sent to Rome one Arnold whom he had highly aduanced but instead of excusing him hee aggreuated the matter to the ende that thorough presentes he might attaine vnto his maisters seat which he did compasse with his maisters owne monye and there vpon carried home with him as farre as Vnormes two Cardinals from Rome where he caused the sayde Archbishop to be deposed from his sea who appealed vnto God the most iust iudge Anon after one of those Cardinals miserably burst a two the other as franticke tore his handes in peeces with his teeth and so dyed And the sayde Arnold who had compassed the Archbishopricke by so lewd meanes was murthered by them of the Citie Ferdinand the fourth kinge of Castile caused twoo of his greatest Lordes of Spaine which had beene falsely accused to haue conspired againste him to leape downe from the top of a high towre they appealed before God before whom within thirty dayes they adiourned him to appeare and at the ende of thirty dayes the same king when men thought he was a sleepe was found dead It is also written of the great M. of the Templers that when he was vpon the point to be burned at Bourdeaux he adiourned Pope Clement the fift and king Philip the fayre to appeare before the throne of God to receaue iustice shortly after they both dyed So hath God alwaies beene accustomed to reuenge periuries and such as will shut their eares to the truth which ought to be consecrated onelye to heare what is iust good true and appertaining to his glory CHAP. 44. That we must auoide suites in law because of the lyinge and cautell of the practisers THe knowledge of the truth holdeth manye backe and keepeth them from embarking them selues amid the floudes of suites and seates of Petefoggers which are but the shoppes of falsehood deceat and counterfait lying thorough disguising and formality peruerting the vprightnes of a cause For as Demosthenes Anacharses sayd wisedom and eloquence without truth and iustice are a Panurgie that is to say a guyle or sleight such as we reade the slaues to vse in Comedies which still turneth to their owne domage and confusion And in truth the fashion which they hold in manye soueraigne and baser Courtes is but a kind of Sophistrie which casteth smooke and duste into the eyes of the iudges to the ende to couer lying and pilferie And we may say with Ecclesiasticus I haue seene the place of iudgement where was wickednes and the place of iustice where was iniquity It were also very requisite that Lawyers besides that God doth especiallye commaund them woulde obserue the preceptes of Plato repeated in Thucidides that in pleading they should not so much regarde to please men as to speake the truth to the end they shoulde neither charge their own consciences nor their clients knowing that wealth gotten with lying will neuer profite Salomon saide that the beginning of a controuersie is as when waters soking thorough a banke by little and little make a great breach or like Hidra who for euery head which was stroke off brought out seuen other Seneca found fault with the Lawyers of his time as also Tacitus did because they sold their lyes The Emperour Licinius termed them the plagues of a common wealth Apuleus named them Cormorantes because of their gredines Other termed them Harpies And Florus wryteth that when Varus was vanquished in Germany they put out the eyes of all the Lawyers which they could find and from some pulled out their tongue Frederic the third sayde thy defiled the place of iustice and equity making it a banke of deceat and cosinage S. Augustin in one of his sermons writeth that there is nothing so impudent as arrogancie and the babling of a Lawyer And Saint Ambrose saith that they deceaue the Iudges and gaine them by falshood and that they ought to repaye whatsoeuer they take againste the truth And S. Bernard sayde that they were the enemies of iustice ouerthrew the truth and gnawed like ratts And Origen called them swolne froggs which sell euen their very scilence rather encrease the charge more then the profit will auaile when they haue gained their cause And Ammian thought that it was as vnpossible to find out in all Asia a true Lawyer as a white Crow Tacitus writeth that there is nothing so saleable Cicero likewise complained that thorough them good lawes were corrupted And it is too notorious to see how many of them giue rashe and vncertaine counsell verye lewdly acquite them selues of their charge pleading onely vpon the superscription of their bagges or not loking halfe waye into them whence much iniustice hath proceeded Pausanias writeth that in
the pleading place of Atheues were two benches the one of contumely the other of impudency It was also vncouered as that at Rome was which Cato made be paued with sharp flintes and wished that it might be flowred with yron caltrops to the end the Romans shoulde haue no delight to plead He forbad any to be called to the bar whō he knew eloquent in a bad cause And said as Plutarque reciteth that it was meet for a prince or iudge to giue no eare to the persuasiō of an Orator or lawyer making a motion for any matter vniust For as Cicero writeth which was also attributed to the Emperor Valentinian if he ought to be punished which corrupteth a iudge with mony or presents how much more ought he which coseneth thē with his faier speech babling because a vertuous man will not suffer himself to be corrupted with presents but he may be deceiued thorough their cunning tales lies And Cicero in his Oratiō which he made for Murena discourseth at large of the vanity deceit of practisioners We proue by the ciuil law that in sundry places the nūber of lawyers hath bin limited how K Ptolome conferring with an embassadour which the Siciones had sent vnto him inquired of him of the state forme of their cōmon wealth he answered that his Lords maintained no inuentors of new things nor receiued any phisitians which alter health much lesse lawiers because they disguise the truth prolong suites Pope Nicolas the 3 thrust al practisers in the lawes out of Rome saying that they liued by the bloud of the poore people And it was a vse in most holy France that no proctor should be appointed but by licence frō the K. all procurations ended togeather with the yeare which was a great cause of dispatch of suits Domitian in like sort banished some Galeace duke of Milan caused one to bee hanged for his delatory pleas delaying of a suit against a manifest and cleare debt And Pope Pius 2. compared pleaders to birdes the place of pleading to the fielde the iudge to the net the proctors aduocates to fowlers birders A man may say that the cause why Caligula would haue burned al law bookes although himself were very ill giuē was to haue suits soner dispatched to meete with the cautels and delaies which men toward the law study by their boke practise And herevpon I will not let passe a tale of Mathias Coruinus K. of Pannonia who hauing maried the daughter of Ferdinand K. of Naples brought a lōg in his traine out of Italy certaine lawiers and aduocates of great practise who as sone as they were ariued in his realme by litle litle changed the course which they had found in maner that an infinite nūber of suits were bred therby And the K. perceiuing how euery day the number encreased he was constrained to send thē back againe that he might establish the ancient custome simplicity quiet In like sort they write that Ferdinand themperor sending a viceroy into the Indies which had bene newly discouered forbad him by no meanes to carry ouer any lawier with him to the end he should not sow there the seeds of suits There are some which attribute this infection contagiō of petifoggers brought into France in the time of Philip the faier to Pope Clement 5 whē as he transported his seat frō Rome to Auignon together with al his bullistes practisers petifoggers by frequenting of whō french men first learned this braue piratical art as it were neuer once dreamed of before And sundry authours as well french as Italians and Germanes haue written that since that french men haue suffred them selues to be gouerned by the Popes which were retired to Auignon and haue intermingled their affaire and practises together they haue euer waxed worse and worse and their delicatenes hath euen abastarded the good warlike discipline wherof there was forewarninges when as the saide Pope Clement made his entry into Lyons We read in the time of Charlemagne and before him how the Druides in France tooke notice of all differentes and processe in law and Caesar in his commentaries reciteth the like And if there were any which wold not stād to their award they straightly forbad him their sacrifices which of all other was the most grieuous punishment because thē they were held in the ranke of men abhominable and accursed euery one abhorred their company or to talke with them for feare least some misfortune might ensew after such comunication which were to bee wished might now take place for the dispatching and abolishing of suites And Paulus Emilius writeth that the french men in matter of triall and law did so simply behaue them selues that they stucke to their firste iudgement and neuer appealed further But since deceit was the cause of a soueraigne iurisdiction which held once a yeare for a few daies and afterward the said Philip the fayre caused the palace to be builded which suffiseth not for all that to satisfie the heat of pleading Eschines in that famous Oration which he made against Cthesiphon reprehending the maners corruptiō of his time calling to remēbrance the ancient customes good laws saith that if they were wel obserued al things would go wel and there should be few suites or pleas at al as if the cōmennes of thē were one of the greatest mischiefes could happē to a cōmōwealth as Plato was of opiniō in his discourses And Socrates shewing how good lawes neuer engēdred suits said the multitude of thē to be a sign of corruption Strabo commended the Indians because they were no pleaders and euer in their lawes and barganes vsed great simplicity kept their word without vsing of any witnes or seales The Poets in their verses wishe for seates and triales without pleaders and esteeme that mā happy which hath no processe in law And the Germane prouerb sheweth it that if a mā haue two kine he were better giue awayone then not to enioye the other quietly or go to iudgement in which place it seemeth that many turmoiles troubles meet a multitude of people throng them selues together For this cause the said Isocrates in an Oration which he made being of the age of 80. yeres and two said that he had al his life shunned processe benches of pleading that men accounted him an vnworthy aduocate to haue any disciple and he was ill accounted of at Athenes which haunted the said benches and was often seene there And the principal doctors which haue written vpon our ciuil law haue alwaies bin of opiniō that euery good man ought to abhor suites that such as loued them ought to be accounted cauillers and exception to be taken to their witnes Vpon the contention question which grew before Sforce Duke of Milan who ought to take place the lawyer or
phisician it was not ill gessed of him which said that when a theife is led to hanging the theif goeth before the hangman commeth after It were very requisite that as the emperor Probus promised he would so order iustice that there should be no more neede of cōpanies at armes so that some good king would in such sort tame the malice of men establishe such a discipline that there might be no more proctors nor aduocates but that where anye doubt grew the parties might appeare at an assigned daye howre by bill carrying a cleare demand readily to receiue sentence as almost it is thorough out the world And in all the countries of Zuizerland in the imperial cities there is neither proctors nor lawyers suits are ordinarily dispatched at the first assignation without cost or trouble And truly the natural sence assisted with an vpright conscience ioyned with experience setteth a rule downe for iudgements For France it hath of long time had this Epitheton giuen vnto it that she is the mother nurce of practisers a stranger which made a commentary vpon Ptolome saith that in France is more petifoggers and wasters of paper to be found thē in al Germany Italy or Spaine And Claude of Sessel Archb. of Marseilles in the 15. cha of the monarchy of France saith that there are more there then in all the rest of Christēdom Horace in his Satires maketh mention of a statua of Martia which none durst behold that vndertoke not a good cause It is not my meaning for all this to speake againste a sufficient number of proctors lawiers which are honest of great knowledge discretion which wil not alter the truth nor charge either their owne conscience or their clientes with any goods gotten vniustlye or by cautel nor make thēselues the ministers of a wicked gaine which in smal time is taken againe out of their hands or their heires which possesse it as the holy scripture experience doth teach vs. For other I thinke the prouerb was ment by them that with a white net they cosin other of their wealth For by their writings pleas formalities petifogging they pill the whole countrye as Iuuenal writeth they sel the very sight of their hoods long robes plumming and deuouring vp to their very snowt fethers their poore clients euen to the bones prolong their causes as much as may lye in thē fasten cleane vnto thē as the hop doth vnto the pole And it seemeth that Ieremiah speaketh hereof when he saith As a cage is full of birdes so is their houses full of deceit yet they prosper though they execute no iudgement for the pore For from the least of them euen to the greatest of thē euery one is giuen vnto couetousnes And in Hosea you haue eaten the frut of lies And Micah curseth them that pluck of the skins of the people and their flesh from their bones and work wickednes in their owne imaginations He saith further that the heades iudge for rewardes and are full of rapine and deceit They shal eat and not be satisfied euery man hunteth his brother with a net the best of thē is a briar And in Isaiah you haue eatē vp the vineyard the spoile of the pore is in their houses And wo vnto you which ioyne house to house lay field to field And in truth the facility of arguing scāning and pleading which is in Fraunce is the cause of so manye proctors lawyers and iudges that they grow like hornets and grashoppers which will liue as Plato writeth without doing ought els then sting bite Lycurgus also which by his lawes bannished al superfluity out of Lacedemon toke away practisers and al kind of pleading And we may say with the ancient Poets that Astrea which maintained good lawes by the equity thereof gaue great quiet contentment to euery one is flowne her waies vp into heauen not being able to endure such iniquities and Ate which is the goddesse of al confusion damage disorder troubles wickednes that may alter a state hath succeeded in her place The sayd de Sessel in his monarchie Philip de Comines Gagnin and late M. Bude vpon the pandects haue greatly bewailed the corruption confusion disorder of such petifoggers as the very scumme of Italy and a most dangerous infection CHAP. 45. That it is a lying in Iudges to receaue presentes and what exercise is to required to meet with auarice bying of offices and couetousnes CAto the Censor was of opinion that a man ought not to pray a Iudge or magistrate for any thing being iust or vniust He saide also that iudges captaines or gouernors ought not to enrich thēselues in their charges but with honor good reputation And Aristotle in the 5. of the politiques writeth that nothing is more to be considered in a common wealth then that the lawes should prouide that magistrats be not couetous not bitter for their own commodity And God by his Prophet Isaiah reprehendeth the princes gouernors of his people terming thē theues because they toke presents and praised the faithfull man because he kept back his hand from any present or vnlawfull gaine Polibus also writeth that that the ancient Romanes punished a Iudge by death which receiued any presents And the Emperor Alexander Seuerus caused such to be deposed greuously punished as bought their of sices saiyng they sold dearer in retaile thē they bought in the grosse Which opinion Lewis th 12 the emperor Antoninus sundry other were of and therfore bestowed they al offices by consent of the Senate and after a very carefull consideration had And the Emperor Niger ordained thē wages to the end they might not be a charge to any saying that a iudge neither ought to take nor giue And Plutarque in his politiques teacheth vs that a magistrat ought not to go to the court or common wealth as to a faier to buy sell as some wicked ones haue said that they went to a golden haruest For this cause the Emperor Iustinian in his 8 institution vipraesides in the 24 25 especially forbiddeth all such marchandise corruptiōs of iudges adding that they ought to carrye a fatherly affection towards the people The which likewise was the cause of those ancient lawes which ordained that all magistrats should be called to a reckning render accoūt of whatsoeuer they had don might be accused of euery one if they had taken ought Among the othes of iudges repeated by Demosthenes one was that they shoulde take no present The sentence of Iustinian the emperor ought not to be forgotten auth de iudicibus that all iudges ought to contemne riches and to shew their handes vndefiled to God their emperor king and law which also is to be vnderstood of all counsellors gouernors auth de manda princ And the Poets faining that
and constrained to cary about them sufficient corne for one whole month and seauen piles to serue for a rampire And Vegetius ordayned that young apprentises and nouices should carie burthens to threescore pounde weight And Marius so charged his souldiers and employed them in the diches neere vnto the Rhyne that they were after termed the moyles of Marius yea they were often times imployed in amending the high wayes called militarie and there they made diches to make them the dryer and the waters to soake away The sayde Marius sayde likewise in Salust that his father and sundrye other personages had taught him that daintinesse and nicenesse were fitte for weomen but trauayle for men and that all good men ought rather to esteeme a good reputation then riches and that weapons beautified a house and not fayre mooueables The sayde Salust recyteth before howe that when Metellus was ariued in Africa he tooke away whatsoeuer might seeme to nourish slothfulnesse and caused proclimation to be made throughout the campe that none should be so hardie as to presume to sell eyther bread or any other meate dressed that the cariers of water should not follow the campe that the simple souldiers shuld neuer haue page nor beast of carriage that ech one shuld keepe his rank cast his trench and carry his victuall together with his furniture And Xenophon in the second of the Pedia of Cyrus writeth that the souldiers and men at armes did neuer dyne and sup vntill they trauailed and sweate The which ought to make our men ashamed that haue so many boyes drabs to cary their furniture such ought rather to be held in the ranke of theeues robbers cowardes and boyes then of valiant men for cōbat The sayd Caesar writeth also of a fashion which the Gaulois had the which Titus Liuius and Tacitus doe likewise affirme that when by publick ordinance proclamation of warre was made all young men aboue the age of 15. yeares were summoned to appeare armed and furnished as they ought and he which ariued last was put to death The which Plinie also doeth recite of storkes how they detest slothfulnes And in certaine Islandes namely the Baleares nowe called Maiorque and Minorque the children can not breake their fast nor eate vntill with their slinges they strike downe their meate which is set vpon the toppe of a high beame or pole Other vsed to giue their childrē nothing but what they could get by hunting And they of Crete caused them continually to exercise to make themselues the more nimble Yea Amasis K. of Aegypt forbad to all his subiectes vppon a great penaltie that none should eate before he had long iourneyed or trauayled in his occupation and thereof should render account Alexander the great called trauaile a royall thing and idlenesse seruile And in the prouerbes idlenesse is forbidden and he writeth that A slothfull hande maketh poore and he that sleepeth in haruest is the sonne of confusion And in Ecclesiastes The sleepe of him which trauaileth is sweete And the sayde Kinge Amasis condemned to death all idle persons except they had wherewithall to liue and in all sortes greatly blamed idlenesse and would that once a yeare each one should render account by what science or occupation he gayned his lyuing The which the Atheniens and sundry other well ordered cōmonwealth diligently obserued And Cicero entreating of the lawes writeth that none went in the streates but he caried the badge and marke whereby he liued Which is yet obserued in sundry cities of Germany and Cantons of Zuizerlande Of others they write that sometimes men so imployed themselues at Rome that there was not to be founde so much as one ydle man And a Philosopher sayde that as a woman can not engender any thing to purpose without a man no more doth hope without trauayle and there is nothing which continuall labour will not attayne vnto and thorough care and watchfulnesse a man ouercommeth thinges more then harde as Seneca sayde And Hesiodus counceled the laborer to make his prayes to the Gods before he went to his worke or saying marry he must lay his hande on the plough tayle And Plato hath most holily written that as through great and continuall labours concupiscences and ryotousnesse were quenched so were they set a fire agayne by idlenesse Stobeus writeth that in sundry countryes if a man lent money to one that were idle or giuen to his pleasure he should loose it for euer And if at Rome one had negligently husbanded his inheritaunce he was straightwayes censured And God in Ezechiel among the causes of the destruction of Sodom setteth downe idlenes for a principall And Themistocles was wont to say that slothfulnes buried men while they were liuing in their graue And S. Ambrose called idlenes the pillow of Satan And it is written in Ecclesiasticus what euer thou doe take exercise and cruell sickenesse shall not meete with thee and that idlenes breedeth much euill For she is the spring of iniustice of pouertie and euill disposition And Seneca wrote that trauaile nourished gentle spirits And the holy scripture teacheth vs that as the birde is borne to flie so is man to trauaile and to imploy himselfe to many fayre and good offyces for vice which watcheth hard cōmeth and runneth ouer as soone as euer it perceiueth that one is giuen ouer to idlenes maketh thē giue way because that nature being alwaies in a perpetual motion desireth to be driuē to the better part or else she suffreth her selfe to be weighed downe as a balance to the worser Which was the cause that Plato was wont to say to his children when they went out of his schoole Goe to masters studie to imploy your leasure to some honest pastime S. Paul in the first Epistle to the Thessalonians declareth howe he had eate his bread trauayling both day night to the end he would not be chargeable vnto any and that he which refused to worke ought not to eate adding that some walked disordinately doing nothing and liuing wantonly wherefore he commaunded those which were such and be sought them thorough Christ Iesus to eate their breade laboring peaceably Xenophon reciteth among the sayinges of Socrates that it is idlenesse if one do no good The Pithagoriens cōmanded none to helpe their friendes to ease them of their burthen but to charge them well as not approuing idlenesse And K. Cyrus boasted that he neuer did eate before he had first done some exercise as a sauce to breede him a good appetite The which Alexander was often times wont to say that he had no need of any other cookes for his dinner then to rise earely nor for his supper then to eate little at dinner and refused the cookes which the Queene of Carie sent vnto him The like is written of Iulian the Emperour To which purpose we reade that the Thessalonians sent vnto
Agesilaus certaine refreshinges of corne foule comfits baked meates and other exquisite fare and most daintie wine He tooke the corne only and commanded such as brought it to carry away the rest as a thing which hee had no neede of but in the end thorough the great instancie which they made vnto him he tooke them and willed them to make diuision thereof among the slaues telling them that it was not meete for such as made profession of valor and prowesse to receiue such nice daynties and that which is proper and serueth to a seruile nature ought not to agree with such as are of a franke free courage A Lacedemonian answered one that wondered howe he could liue so sparingly considering he was of such wealth that it was an honest matter when one hauing great store of riches could notwithstanding liue according vnto reason and not appetite And Archidamus tolde one that had promised to giue him excellent wine that that would serue but to make one drinke more and become lesse man Too much sleeping also fatteth and diminisheth the spirits of life and of time And not without cause sayd a Philosopher that it annoyed the bodie the minde and all businesse except it were moderated to suffice nature egalling our felicitie with an other miserie and that like vnto a tole gatherer it tooke away the halfe part of our life And if as Plutarke Varro and Plinie wrote to liue is to watch then they which sleepe doe not properly liue as they write of Epaminondas who after that he had killed one of his souldiers that was set to watch because he founde him sleepinge aunswered that he left him in the same estate he founde him in Frō whence I imagine the custome first grewe of which I spake before to awake the Kinges of Persia and Macedonia earely to put them in minde to take care of that which God had committed vnto their charge Hesiodus describeth vertue vnto vs to be enuironed with sweate watching and great trauaile And we see that sluggishnesse maketh both mind and bodie to languish And if the ayre in which we liue and the waters were not tossed with windes there would be nought else but corruption Quintus Cursius writeth of Alexander and of the Lacedemonians and Titus Liuius of Hannibal and the Carthaginians that they which were not able to be ouercome and vanquished by their enemies and infinite harmes which they endured were notwithstanding cleane destroyed through delights and pleasures And the Poets wrote of Perseus that through the ayde of Minerua he cut off Gorgons head which turned men into stones vnderstanding therby that Princes through wisedome haue surmounted pleasures which make men as blockish as images And we see by experience that the poore hath this aduantage ouer the rich that they are exempt frō pleasure The which Curius Corancanus wel knowing when it was told thē that some referred all to plesure said wold to god that the Samnites Pirrhus had bin as wel perswaded herein to the end that giuing thēselues to pleasure they mought more easely haue bin vanquished And many haue sayd that all pleasure was followed by enemies it is to be coniectured that it was not thorough folly that sundry emperors haue made al the spider cobwebs through out the citie of Rome to be gathered heaped togeather created a Senate of weomen led their armies to the sea shore to gather cockles as though there were want of enimies to stand catching of flies but it was to auoide idlenes rather to occupie their souldiers in such trifles toyes then quarels to sel smoke rather thē to do worse which likewise as Plinie wrote moued thē which builded those so wonderfull Pyramides where about one of thē 300. and threescore thousand men wrought the space of 20. yeares yet he writeth that their remēbrance was clean lost which spent so much treasure and time in such vanities And it had bin much more commendable to haue bestowed that time expence in matters profitable to the common wealth Gelon after that he had vanquished the Carthaginians led the Siracusians often times into the field to labour and plant as well as to warre to the end to enrich their lande and that they should not waxe worse in doing nothing The auncient prouerbe carieth that the Gods sell riches vnto men for their trauayle So following Galens counsell who so would be in health ought to liue soberly and to take paynes except he will cosen him selfe as we see that all thinges alter except they be put in vse A great Lorde tolde Kinge Alphonsus that hee toyled too much to whome hee aunswered thinkest thou that God and nature haue giuen handes vnto Kinges in vayne And if they desire to liue in health why should they seeke the contrarie thorough idlenesse and delightes As Salomon teacheth in his Prouerbes Ease slayeth the foolishe and the prosperitie of fooles destroyeth them Our forefathers counselled vs to exercise our bodie and minde equally togeather as a couple of horses sette in a coach togeather And Zenon was woont to saye that the life of schoolers that is to saye of such as are giuen to idle studie dyffereth not from the voluptuous and Epicurians For knowledge and studie ought as well to profitte other as ones owne selfe And for as muche as idlenesse draweth to vnprofytable and dishonest games heere were a verye good place to shewe the mischiefes noysomnesse blasphemies and cosonage that they carie with them and to prayse Chilon the Lacedemonian who returned from Corinth without deliuering what he had in charge because he found the gouernors playing at dice. And it were very requisite that the good ordinaunces which are made therefore were well obserued The which Alphonsus forbad to those in his court and to all his subiectes not permitting them to playe vnder a great forfaiture And in Turkie he was noted of great infamie which played for money and greeuous paines are appointed if he returne to it againe Sundrye haue written that King Cyrus to punish them of Sardes commanded them to passe away their time in playes and banquets therby to render them lesse men and keepe thē from rebellion It were very requisite that all playing at chance and hazard were banished out of France as well in deed as they are by the edictes by the lawe Martia sundry other Euery man may see how many young gentlemen haue beene cleane vndon by playing at cardes and dice by gluttonie drunkennesse whordome expences and excesse which proceede thereof I will not for all that mislike honest pastime and yet we ought to be sorrie with Apelles if we scape a day without drawing a line or with Cato the Censor if through negligence we haue neyther done nor learned any thing that is good and at night call all our actions to account and see what losse we haue made of the
Saint Paul ioyneth shamefastnesse and grauitie of which hee desireth Titus to bee the patrone And Ecclesiasti cus willeth them to giue no eare vnto the enchauntrise for feare-of beeing surprised And as wee haue before mentioned offices and riches which are lefte vnto children are sometime the verie cause of their destruction except the knowledge and feare of God bee imprinted within them For this cause Ecclesiastes writeth Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth whiles the euill dayes come not And Ieremiah in his Lamentations sayeth It is good for a man that he beare the yoke in his youth because young men become vnruely except they be helde short God also sayd of Abraham I know that hee wil command his sonnes and his housholde after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to do rightuousnes and iudgement And in Deuteromie I will cause them heare my wordes that they may learne to feare mee all the dayes that they shal liue vpon the earth and that they may teache their children And euery Christian is commaunded to followe al things that are honest towards al men and to auoide all apparances of euil referring all to the glorie of God and betimes to accustome himselfe thereunto to the end that more easily he may broke the stormes of this life and without any trouble wade out of all businesse And to this ende is euery man to beseeche at Gods handes that hee will lighten him through his word and bend his hart therein to obey him From this good education proceedeth great happines obedience to God their King and superiors choyse of vertuous men without money rewardes or offices and euery man perfourmeth his duetie the better in that vocation to which he is called and followeth other lessons and reformations noted at large before CHAP. XLIX Of certaine points which might be added to this discourse THis matter which we haue vndertaken to discourse of is so frutefull and ample that I were able to heap sundrie Chapters one vppon another containing summarily what the office of Kings Prelates Clergie Captaines soldiars merchants and artificers maisters seruants fathers children Iudges counsellers practisers at the law is therein to discouer the abuse and periurie which is vsed in this time There were also verie great meanes to dilate at large of the inconuenience which sophistrie bringeth the which the lawiers terme cauilling when from trueth through some alteration the disputation is brought to that which is most euidently false In old time it was terribly detested for it corrupted all artes and disciplines and bread sundrie heresies and false opinions I were able likewise to set downe howe many cosin themselues which in mariage respect more the wealth and beautie then modestie good education of a mayde and are not so much husbandes vnto their wiues as slaues vnto their wealth for which they abandon that commaundement and authoritie which God and all lawes haue aforded vnto them ouer their wiues ouer whome they ought to rule not as the lorde ouer his seruant but as our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ doeth ouer his Church and the soule ouer the bodie through a mutuall loue and reciprocrate affection wherewith he is tyed vnto it And Salomon calleth the contract of marriage the contract of God as more excellent than any other Lycurgus Solon and the twelue lawes ordained that maydens should be marryed without dower for the causes before specified And some haue written of the Aegiptians that if any receiued money with his wife he remained as a slaue vnto her And in Plautus he which was cast in the teeth that he had nothing with his wife aunswered that if euerie one would do like him there would be better agreement and amitie among the citizens and their wiues woulde honour them much more and be lesse chargeable vnto them Strabo commended the lawes of the Massiliens which forbad him which was richest to giue with his daughter aboue one hundred crownes and ten for her apparel and iewels And it were verie requisite that the good lawes in France made to this ende mought be better obserued And likewise as a matter depending hereunto there were ministred verie great occasion of reprehending and detesting such as they terme tyers of pointes which oppose themselues against that holie contract and ordinance of God and his commaundement and are the cause of diuorces enmities whoredomes and other euils combating with the Maiestie of God and damning themselues through a secret alliance which they make with Sathan It were not also much out of the way to shewe what a pernitious lye they incurre which from the byrth of their daughter bring her vp so delicate that shee is lesse fit to performe the part of a good houswife and is alwayes more sickely seruing rather as a picture or dead image then fit to holde that place which shee ought And to declare withall the great iniurie which weomen offer vnto their children in denying that milke vnto them with which they were nourished within their wombe with great paine and greefe drying vp that holy fountaine of their breastes giuen of God to that ende bannishing their children into the handes of a strange nource often times a whore drunke pockie and euill conditioned of which the saide children sauour all their life long as wee see by experience too much Lampidius writeth that Titus was subiect to sundrie diseases by reason of his Nurce And Dion that Caligula was the more cruell by the nature of his Nurce and that shee rubbed the end of her teat with bloud And that Tiberius sundrie other were giuen to wine hauing bin weaned with sops steped in wine The which we see in lambs nourished by goats in seeds fruits which hold of the earth I leaue al other reasons recited by Aulus Gellius And for as much as an Embassadour sent from a Prince is as his eye his eare his tongue bindeth him by what he promiseth it had not bin impertinent to haue discoursed how in choise to be made of him his honestie age experience integritie learning dexteritie grauitie ought to be considered because by his carryage of himself traine strangers do oftē time iudge of the whole nation as if he had bin chosen out of the moste excellent And it were verie conuenient to send with him some nūber of yong gētlemē wel brought vp to make them capable of the like charges to learn the passages fashions alliances maners of the countrie to fyle pollish their own brayne with strangers I coulde also describe the inconueniences which arise by Masques which disguise both the bodie minde causeth great impudencie the verie cause of so manylyes vncomly speaches of the execution of so great wickednes S. Ciprian entreating of the apparell of virgins alleageth to this purpose the exāple of Iudges who whē he saw Thamar iudged her a
Diodorus Valerius Soranus K. Seleucus A vvord escapeth the mouth returneth not Fuluius Qu. Curtius lib. 4. Amasis king of Egypt The tong the best and vvorst peece of the body Prou. 13.3 The seat and piece of the tongue Homer Phocion spoke better then Demosthenes Pericles Zeno Drunkennes subiect vnto much babling The Pie consecrated to Bacchus Eccle. 22 Cato of the Greekes and Romanes Caesar Comment lib. 6 Counterfaite nevves To be silent is dangerous Circumstances of time and place to speake By friends enemies truth is discerned from falshood Xenophon Philip King of Macedon The profite vvhich men reap by their enemies Scipio The profite of friendes Euripides Diogenes Amitie Menander Eccles 6.16 Pithagoras Plato Loue of it selfe is blind The similitude of Demosthenes To be warned by our freindes Knowledge of histories necessary for princes To take couÌ„sell of the deade Caesars commentaries translated by the commauÌ„dement of Selim The loue the weomen of Bavire bare to their husbandes The monuments of our auncestors inflame vs to vertue Themistocles awaked through the trophees of the Miltiades Feare of blame and dishonor causeth the wicked to refraine Custome of Aegipt Diod. lib. 2â— cap. 3 Charlemagne Songs containing the high enterprises of vertuous persons Bardes Tyme left Fables and olde vvyfes tales Prudence required in reading histories All prophane authors write not trulie A reader of histories must not be too quicke of beliefe nor too credulous The holy Scripture the rule of all thinges VVhat vvriters soonest to be credited Enemies enuying the frenche Affections passions of men staine the trueth Not to iudge things according to the euent To make conquests assured Comment li. 6 Men differ from beasts by reason Cassiod lib. 1. Causes of losses More laudable to keepe then to gette Vse practise Aug. cap. 131 mor. epise Mens vvritings in all points can not be true The beginninges and motife causes of al things as to be considered To prayse and thanke God for our good successe Rom. 15.4 VVhatsoeuer is vvritten ought to serue for one learning Examples Mutations is common vveales This life but a sorrovvfull exile Prases deceaue men Statuas throvvne dovvne and broken Honours refused by Theopompus Niger Bracidas Antigonus Sigismond Iustinian Titus Fabritius Timoleon Antisthenes Galien Offices and dignities called charges Honours Glory The temple of glory adioyning to that of vertue Epictetus Cicero Salomon Ecclesiasticus 10. Marius Maiestie pictured Cato A knight Maximilian Honour to be accepted Youth stirred vp to vertue through praise Pope Iohn 23 Themistocles Remedy against praise and glorie Psal 62.9 144.4 Plutarque Gracchi Demosthenes The Lye Titus Fabius Ecclesiasticus Plato Cato Lucretia A good conscience K. Demetrius Marius VVarly discipline Vengeaunce reserued to god Trueth in Policies and gouernments Ierem. 3. Luke 1. Phil. 3.8 Philosophers of olde tyme haue not attained to the light of the trueth Tales The ignoraÌ„ce of the Philosophers Mans soueraigne good The Philosophers coÌ„forts Holy scripture Psal 119. Homers Nepenthes Seneca Horace reproued Phylosophie the loue of wisedom Aristotle reprehended Physis Iob. The lyfe of the Paganes The promises of God are certaine Chrysostome Rom. 1.22 The lamentation of Socrates Iob. 14.6 Sophisters Lib. 10. Cap. 2 de ciuit Dei Against Atheists and Epicures VVhy God ordained princes Kings children Scipio K. Lewys 11. K. Lewys 12. Dyonisius the tyrant of Sicil The coÌ„plaint of Gordian Dyoclesian Emperours Hester 16.6 Flatterers coÌ„pared to the Syrenes K. Antiochus Eugenes pope K. Lewys the grosse K. Lewys 12. Ptolome Charles the 4 and 5. Seleucus Adrian Pope Traian emperour Homer 2. iliad An arte of great difficultie to commaunde and rule vvell Dioclesian The miserable lyfe of tyrants vvicked princes Wisd 17.10 Guichard lib. 1 of Naples Plutarque Demosthenes The duety of a good prince Claudius emperour Dispensing vvith holy ordinances Comment lib. 7 L. 5. Si contra ius L. 5. de Thesau L. x. C. Selling offices Suppressing of offices Frontiers highe vvayes Superfluous ordinances Offices requiring great vvisedome Equalitie to be obserued 2. Cor. 15. Edicts of religion made for necessity Christians in Turkie The Edict of the emperour Charles the 5. at Ausbourgh Ferdinando Maximilian Philibert D. of Savoy Demosthenes Acts. 5.38 Tvvo things vvhich subuert empyres Pensions to Straungers Alexander seuerus Traynes of princes Galba Seneca Cassiod lib. 4. Tiberius Pertinax Money The testameÌ„t of K S. Lewys Iulian the emperour pardoneth the Alexandrians The bulle of the supper The instructions Basil gaue to his sonne Leo emperour Agesilaus contrary to many Tyrants The holy ordinance of Antony emperour The oth the emperours tak at their coronation Procurers generall Conduits of cities Guardes not necessarie for good Kings L. 4. c. 4 l. 9 c. 21. 〈◊〉 ciuit Dei K. Philip de Valois Arist lib. 3 c. 6 Theodosius Melchisedec Abimilec The causes of the alteration of states The Condition of princes vncertain Psal 107.40 Iob. 12.18 Deut. 18 11 Leuit. 20.6 Ier. 15.4 Tirannical Licence Flatterers of Court Micheas 2.3 Caligula his vvishe Horat. ode 2. lib. 3. Dyonisius Damocles Seuerus Ouinius Varus 1. Sam. 8.11 Deioces Theodosius Fortune like a glasse Isocrates Theopompus Solon Titus Apollonius Cinike People yealding their right The othe princes take at their coronation The cause of the creation of kings Agesilaus Kinges giuen of God Dan. 2.21 Pro. 8.16 Iob. 13.18 2. Chron. 9.8 1. Sam. 9.2 Sa. 6 21. 1. Chron. 19. 2. Kings 19.11.20.35 Polit. lib. 5. ch 21. 3 ch 7. The oth of Christian princes Zonar lib. 3. cap. 11. Ioshua 1.8 Kings of Lacedemon Rom. 13.1 Deuter. 17. 2. Sam. 6. Pericles Iustinian Antiochus K. Philip. K. Artaxerxes The life of princes a rule Isocrates In Cassiodorus Claudian Hos 4.9 Xenophon â—ib 2. Polit. ch 12. Plynye Q. Cursius Anthony Theodoricus 2 A landable custome of S. Lewys and other kings Deuter. 17.19 Iob. 8.8 Pro. 1.35 11.14 24 6. Councell Thucidides K. Charles the vvyse K. Lewys 11. Princes who euer had especiall care to retaine about their persons such as vver the vvisest to couÌ„sell them the better in the managinges of the affairs of their kingdomes Platoes image exected Theodosius councelled by S. Ambrose L. digna vo â— A vvise prince rendreth him selfe subiect to lavves Zaleueus Charondas Manlius K. Antigonus Nothing lavvfull that is not honest Plato Tacitus lib. 3. Diod. lib. 2. c 2. Good lavves are the soules of common vvealths Traian Faithful and true freinds most profitable Naughtie foolish ministers to princes very pernitious Xenophon Mignions of courte A good admonition of Charles 8. Meanes to meete vvith the auarice of the Courtiers Basil emperour of Constantinople The ordinances of the kings of France Trop donne soit repete The Larum of the K. of Persia Surnames of good Kings Alexander Spartianus Suetonius Lampridius Garneades The image of Osyris Kings kisse the booke of the holy Euangelists The picture of Pallas Nobility ought to be learned Charles 5. Paulus