vertue for the defence of his countrey gaue his lyfe And so should euery good woman for her childe and euerie welwyller for his friende geue God moste hartie thanks if he dye vertuously As dyd also Xenophon which when according to the custome of the Athenians with a crown of his head goinge to make sacrifice he harde that his sonne Gryllus in a battayle at Mantinoa had bene slaine at the soddaine tydinges was somewhat astonied but hauinge farther intelligence that hée dyed valliantly and with commendation of all went on with his businesse and fyrst thanked God that it pleased him to take his sonne out of this worlde in so notable a sorte I recite these examples to the shame almost of all Christians which when they see or heare of the vertuous death of theyr children wyll notwithstanding not thanke God therefore but as if they had bene the veryest théeâ—es that might bée pittiously lament and morne for theyr leauing this worlde Well being in so good a matter I wyll bring one example more that so we maye eyther be ashamed of our selues or the better styrred to beare patiently the death of those whiche wée estéeme and make accoumpte of To Horatius Puluillus a man of great aucthoritie and for his vertue chiefest Prieste in Rome dedicatinge a Temple vnto Iupiter worde was brought that his Sonne had lefte this worlde But he being for his wisedome as reuerende as for his dignitie honorable because he woulde not séeme to prefer a priuate thing before a publike or a prophane matter before his diuine exercise gaue no signe of any griefe but persisted in his godly attempt This example of Horatius maye strike a perpetuall shame into the faces of them which though they bee in counsayle concerning waightie matters or in doing neuer so godlie exercise if newes bee brought them that theyr sonne or theyr friende bée dead they wyll both forsake theyr waightye businesse and cutte of theyr godlye prayers and by teares make all to vnderstande that theyr sonne or theyr friende is departed wherby they séeme to make more accoumpt of one then of many of a priuate person then of the publyke state of a sonne before theyr saluation â–ª For this matter these shall suffice and therefore this Perturbation Mourning with the sentence of Plinie shall be concluded which very wisely telleth which death should be mourned for in these wordes In mine opinion sayeth he theyr death comes not vntymely which endeuour to get them by vertue immortalitie For those which are geuen to the belly and to all kinde of pleasures as though they should enioy this worlde but euen a day they cut of the causes of lyfe but those which thinke vpon theyr posteritie and are studious to leaue some notable thing in the worlde thereby to haue their memory continue those he sayeth can not die vntimely or out of season because theyr fame brings them into continuall remembraunce And we should thinke that those dye not vntymely which dye vertuously and mourne for them but such as dye wickedly and lament theyr death ¶ Of Troublesomnesse Chap. 33. THis part of Sorrowe Troublesomnesse if so I may enterprete the Latin word Aerumnam for want of a more proper to expresse the same is called of Cicero a laboursome Sorrowe Cicero sayth Our elders haue named our labours not to be auoided by a most sad worde Aerumna And therefore they haue named those labours and paines which necessarily must be taken by the the name of Troublesomnesse thereby to geue to vnderstande that nothing ought be lefte vndone be it neuer so troublesome of any man if it appertain to the profite and commoditie of many For no dolor nor daunger ought we to shun and auoide if thereby we may doo good And therefore Scipio reading the bookes of Xenophon dyd greatly commende that place of Xenophon where he sayde that no paines or labors should seeme grieuous at any tyme to a captain or soldior for the glory whiche theyr prowes shoulde purchase might take away all remembrance of labour passed Therefore it is the parte of euery man according to his calling to refuse no labor neyther to commit that by slothfulnesse he be accoumpted too nice and him that wyl take no paines to the benefiting of others And yet is it meete that in our businesse we doo the same discretelye least otherwise we appeare eyther foolishe or fanaticall Therefore this Perturbation is good and to be embraced as that which putteth vs in minde not to be carelesse in our callinges but careful to discharge our selues and painfull in profiting others considering that in so dooing we doo not onely oftentimes enriche our selues in this world but also get a name euerlasting ¶ Of Lamentation Chap. 34. AMong Perturbations as there bée some good and to be desired so are there others to be shunned despised among which is nombred this LamentatioÌ„ which we are nowe about to declare For it is an affectioÌ„ altogether vnmeete for a wyse man whose definicion doeth shewe no lesse for Cicero describeth it to be a sorrowfulnesse shewed by a certaine howling and crying out for it is so farre from a wyse man that it is not to be lyked no not in lytle children And although the Poets in their workes doo oftentimes bring notable valiant men miserably crying lamenting by which they seeme but smally to differ froÌ„ fooles and mad men as Homer brings out Bellerophon bayling lyke a shéepe without company wandering in the Alian fieldes yet ought not theyr examples to be followed as those which wyse men laugh at and haue in contempt ¶ Of Carefulnesse Chap. 35. CArefulnesse according to Ciceroes opinion is a Sorrowfulnesse of the minde procéeding from some great and déepe cogitation fixed at the hart With this affection are troubled as all those which are of noble capacity so espetially whiche haue addicted them selues to the studie of good letters if so be they loase slacke the brydle of reason ouermuch The Aegiptians saye that their countrey can very well agrée to the natures of men for vnto those whiche vse the same well it is very healthfull but vnto others as hurtfull The Athenians also reported that they as long as they gaue them selues to good thinges were the most excellent of al but following vice wickednes they proued in the end to be the very patrones of all vngratiousnes So that hereof we may inferre that this great studie carefulnesse in a naughtie disposed persoÌ„ causeth great hurt aswel to him selfe by sicknesse as to others by wickednes but in a good vertuous person it coÌ„uerteth al his endeuors to good exercises and so it both altreth aswel the name as the nature is called diligence which ought to be in all men For it is called the mistresse of doctrine without which nothing can eyther be spoken or done in this life with coÌ„mendation
which iustly liue belowe shall gain abooue by Christe at latter day ¶ I haue inough at windowe op'ned wyde I see the Sun that earth was vnder Cloude By Th'ouch I saw I see was signifiede the subiect that dooth in thy letter shroude The minde of man who se puissant dignitye as in a Glasse in thee is plainly taught Eche vain searcht out eche secret ransackt nye no power nor poare no Arterye vnsought Which as I heare thou doost by example showe more then by proof wherin thou doost right wel For labour lost it were to prooue we knowe those things to be which are as all can tell ¶ But giue me leue me thinks a whistling wind from Pithian Caues of Delphos TeÌ„ple blown Vpon me lights which hath inspirde my minde and abled me to make like matter known This Ouche I saw I said that it was set vpon a Hat black Veluet passing braue Whose plumes of white with winds blustringes great in flaunting wise stil to fro did waue These things déer book as t' were with fingers signe do point at him to whom thou oughtst of right Thy self to yeeld and all things els of thine with bending knée prostrated to behight ¶ The Hat it is the ornament of th'hed the Hed may note the soueraine royall â—race Make choice of him that stands the state â—â—â—sted whome Prince regards Nobles al imbrace By Sable hue his person sage descry The plumes that windes so rais'd in rufling sorte His vertues note and rare integritie blowen foorth by blast of all mens iust reporte ¶ And though in Court there be about her grace ful many such wise faithful graue as he And such to whome him self to giue the place of â—owely minde stil redy seemes to be Yet one for all this gorgiouse Ouch to were dooth best deserue one Hat of hautie hight TEN hits his name Let worthy Hatten beare thy reaped Crop to barne of his delight ¶ Thus shall thy Ship ride safe at rode in bay thus shalt thou shrowde thy self froÌ„ Momus spight My life for thine I Hutten dare to say that worthy Hatten deignes thy deed a right VVhome GOD preserue Iustiniani Baldwini carmen ad Lectorem VTile qui dulci qui dulcia miscet honestis Exornans triplici commoditate librum Omne tulit punctum meruit laudabile nomen Et grates semper quas habuêre boni Haec tria Rogerius libro benè iunxit in isto Hunc igitur laudâ—m quis meruisse neget Nam si turbatos animi componere motus Vtile sit quò Mens cum ratione regat Si iucunda solent animum mulcere legentis Historijs si quae scripta referta placent Clarorum liber hic dictis factisque repletus Omne docet vehemens extenuare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iam Mens cùm nullo fuerit malè coÌ„cita motu Virtutum studijs inficienda manet Nam quantô nostruÌ„ superat Mens aurea corpus Hòc Mentis cura et maior habendus honos Istius ergò libri pars vltima tractat Honestum Isthaec virtutis continet omne genus Vt vitium fugias â–ª quae sunt râ—cta sequare â–ª Hîc multa exempla dicta diserta docent Cùm fugit subitò fugit illecebrosa voluptas Atque nimâ— periunt quae placuêre citò Cùm senio vires et morbis gratia Formae Casibus et varijs diripiuntur opes Sola manet virtus virtus faelicitat vna Et Senijâ—et Mortis nâ—scia sola manet Haec docet ac istâ—s multò maiora libellus Est pretiosa licèt paruula gemma liber A te nunc Author solùm doctissime Lector Digna petit tanto verba labore Vale. ¶ Abraham Fowlers needeles Haedera TO hange an heape of Iuie boughes where bootes or néedes none such Is but a toye to serue the tyme and yet we vse it much For good endeuours gaine the goale and practise proues it true That honest paines doo purchase praise and labors winne their lewe Then Rogers reape thy iust rewarde that dainedst to deuise An happie worke which must of force the learned sort suffice Whoâ— golden penne hath put in proofe no vâ—â—ne conceiptes of loue Ne pâ—â—sions strange which in such sorte the â—oting minde maye moue But howe to rule the raines of wrath to conquer furies kinde As all thinges else in morall phrase that maye molest the minde For euerie griefe that gripes the soule a soueraigne helpe in store The wounde the weale the cause the cure a salue for euerie sore Thrise happie toyle for him which tooke the paines in penning thée And for that worthie gentle wight which must thy patrone bee Let enuie glut his gorge with griefe and rancor rage his fyll Yet Momus must to cunning couche and scorners yéelde to skyll The wyse that reade these fruitfull lines where luckie blisse doth lurke Wyll wishe with mée God guide his head that framde so fayre a worke ¶ Epigramma Guil. Camd. in Anatomiam a Tho. Rogerio elaboratam Cui pater est nullus quem Nox tenâ—brosa sinistro Progenuit foetu deridèns omnia Momus Incessit superos varijs vanisque querelis Quòd clathris hominuÌ„ pectus non prostet apertum Cerneretit motus animi mentisque recessus Nuper at hunc relâ—gens intento lumine librum Substitit ac imo referens suspiria dixit Quod querar heu nihil est mihi iaÌ„ mens tota patescit Anfractus animi varios meÌ„tisque labores Rogâ—rius doctè reserat vel iudice Momo Vesalio cordis rimati fama redundat Rogerio mentis reseratae gloria cedet Sic ait ingeminans tristis maerensque recedit ⧠The Preface to the friendly Reader AMongst those gentle Reader whose endeuour is to profite in knowledge and there is none eyther of nature so wylde or for behauior so wicked but in theyr kinde as it is for a hounde naturall to smell and for a birde to flie are desirous to learne and be conning in somewhat they are of all most to bee praised whose chiefest though not onely care is to know themselues For if the Ethikes because they prescribe good rules for the framing of manners expell vices aduaunce vertue excel other parts of Philosophie and be chieflie commended then must those men of necessitie bee deemed the best who addict themselues rather to the knowing of theyr owne nature then naturall thinges and are more studious how to be glorious for good liuing then desirous to bee famous for great learning And that was it which Apollo saide For being demaunded who was the wysest man in his tyme aunswered that not that as learned as famous hypocritical Hippocrates but Socrates one which labored noâ— for popular praise nor for vnprofitable profoundnesse but his care was to know him selfe and therefore pronounced the wisest of the God of wisedome The auncient Grecians made much of those of the sect of Socrates but banished out of their countrey Poets and Orators for they knewe verie well that these
Philosophers and are all wyse and prudent men Therefore ought euery man so prepare him selfe that not so much as a shewe of that harde bitter and sowre sadnesse which hath alwayes bene commended of none but contemned of all wyse men shoulde appeare in him but this graue and seuere sadnesse ought not onely to be wished for but laboured for that so he maye be nombred among the graue and wyser sort of men ¶ Of Pensiuenesse Chap. 31. NOt vnlyke to Sadnesse is Pensiuenesse therefore is it next adioyned vnto the same and is defined of Cicero to be a doleful or wéeping sorrowfulnesse It is named in Latin Moeror that is deriued from the Latin verbe Maresco which signifieth to drye or wyther Because that this Pensiuenesse withereth the bodie of man But if any be not content with that deriuation they maye thinke the same to be fetcht eyther from the Greeke verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is by interpretation to receyue a lot and herof it commeth that aduersity is ascribed to fortune or else from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is is by chaunce to get a thing But whiche of these opinions are true greatly it skylleth not and yet there bée which thinke this worde to be deriued of eyther of them Nowe to my purpose This wofull Sorrow is a Perturbation which ought not to be in a discréete and wise man For it is a manifest signe and token of an effeminate womaÌ„like person And not without good cause it is so iudged for it weakeneth the string or vaines of vertue and maketh them in al theyr doing negligent of no strength or power to accomplishe any good enterprise which consideration made the Lacedemonians by a certaine superstition at theyr alters to whip and scorge theyr children that so they might in tyme be without Pensiunesse and be hardned to sustaine al miseries with a bolde corage And theyr custome was so narrowly obserued that almost none were founde no not among the weake sorte which eyther would groane or geue any signe of griefe when they were in paine and if any dyd in his calamities shedde but one teare he was not onely derided of his fellowes but also brought againe to the altar there to be greeuously tormented for his not obseruing theyr custome Hereof it procéeded that the Lacedemonians of all people in peace and warre proued the most valiaunt The Spartanes also were maruelously commended because they were free froÌ„ this pensiue sorrowfulnesse And though they dyd alwayes declare their patience yet at no time or place more theÌ„ in their miserable seruitude vnder king Antigonus for when he had ransacked theyr cittie bereft them of theyr treasure and left nothing which good was yet amoÌ„gst them all there was none founde no not so much as a woman which was pensiue at the matter but euery one reioysed the olde men that their lustie inuentus the fathers that theyr children the women that theyr husbandes and euery one triumphed that so many had gotten so glâ—rious deathes for the defence of theyâ— countrey Therefore who doth not commend these men for their noble stomaches which can without griefe beare patiently so great losses So that the lacking of this affection beings commendation but the subiection to it brings defamation As it dyd vnto Cicero a man of great renowme and one which by eloquence brought much honour vnto his countrey for being called by Clodius into iudgement because of his owne aucthoritie without permission of the Senate he had commaunded Lentulus and Cethegus to be punished he was of such an abated corage as hauing changed his garment weeping and miserablie pensiue as he was going fell at the feete of euery one which he met â–ª A strange thing that he which by eloquence coulde turne the hardest harte into pittie shoulde by his pensiuenesse be a laughing stocke vnto all men But as Cicero was such was Demosthenes in eloquence persuading inferiour to none if by studie not Ex tempore he shoulde haue spoken for when he shoulde haue defended him selfe before the Athenians he with pensiuenesse so forsooke him selfe as rather he had to go into perpetuall banishment then by talke openly to beséeche fauour or forgeuenesse at the handes of the Athenians So that this childishe affection Pensiuenesse hath as much darkned theyr fame as theyr eloquence purchased theyr commendation Wherefore by theyr examples we with great heede should beware least we be spotted with the same faulte and so bring our selues into contempte and derision when as other qualities cause vs to be wondered at ¶ Of Mourning Chap. 32. MOurning Cicero calleth a Sorrowe conceiued of the death of him which was déere vnto vs By theÌ„ Lawes of Twelue tables at Rome all crying and funerall wéeping were sharply forbidden And that not without good coÌ„sideration for reason hath geueÌ„ vs this knowledge that theyr deaths whose life hath bene good and without any notorious crime shoulde alwayes be a comfort vnto vs by a continuall remembrance so farre shoulde we be from mourning for them Againe patiently shoulde that be borne which no strength can ouercome nor counsayle auoide And therefore what auaileth mourning when nothing can alter Rather shoulde this perswasion comfort vs to thinke no strange thing is happened but that which all mankinde sometime shal haue But permit mourning to be a tollerable thing to be suffered yet shall we get nothing but this therby that we afterward shall seeme in behauiour light and in habite vnséemely And who is he but doeth deride such an vnpleasant person who is he but doth contemne a man which in aduersitie wyll mourne and shed teares we therefore naming him a wyse man whiche can mortefie immoderate affections wyll haue a man because he shall not appeare altogether forgetfull of his friendes to shewe some token of Sorrowe but that shal be after a graue sort such as shall become a man not brutishly to howle or crye out but after a modest sort shall make the same to appeare And that the better it maye be done I wyll bring forth some who are worthy to be imitated herein who doth not greatly commend Anaxagoras for his so patient bearing the departure of his sonne for when newes was brought him that his sonne was dead he was so farre from shedding teares that lyke a wyse man he aunswered Is that such a strange thing thou tellest mee I knewe I had begotten a mortall man Or what man is hee which hearing of the Leena is not ashamed of himself if he bee a mourner or what woman should not follow her steps if she be a mother which hearing that her soÌ„ne in battayle died valiantly neuer cried or bewayled the same with outcryes as the vse is now a dayes almost among al womeÌ„ but lifting vp her hands to the heauens thanked God hartely that she had brought such a sonne into the world which in respect of
waye reprehended him and sayd that his opinon had beene good if he had thought no vertue could haue bine without Prudence but he coulde not saye rightly that euery one was Prudence Many and great haue bene the prayses of this vertue Apollophanes a Stoike stoode in such admiration thereof that he iudged all other vertues in respecte of wisedome nothing worth that shee was to the rest as a prince to her handmaids Another Philosopher whose name was Bion thought aswell of her and sayde that shee dyd as farre excell the rest of the vertues as the sight is better in dignitie then other senses Another Philosopher whose name was Epicurus which though concerning the chiefest happinesse he erred yet in this thing fayde very well that the very cause of all goodnesse was onely wisedome For by that we knowe what to eschue as hurtfull to our selues and againe what to chuse as profitable Hipparchus and other Astronomers doo affyrme that wisdome can preuent future mischiefes and nothing is so hurtfull and pernitious but by wisedome it maye be auoyded For that I maye laeue other examples vntyll I declare the partes of wisedome in order it is reported of Socrates that being according to the iudgement of the Physiognomers geuen to all wickednesse by wisedome he reformed him selfe and became a good example of a godly man. The Poets to declare the excellencie of this vertue faine wisedome to bee a woman and to be borne not of any mortall wight but euen of Iupiter him selfe and not of the vilest part of him as Venus was of Neptune but of the beste and to springe out of Iupiters braine thereby to shewe that wisedome is no base but a diuine thing And certainly to leaue all fictions of Poets if wee consider the place from whence our wisedome comes we shall confesse that it is a most excellent thing The place from whence it floweth is not the beastly part concupiscence but the best the minde which is immortall As the Philosophers Poets say theyr minde to the extolling of wisedome so doo the painters discribe what they think of her They for wisedome painted Minerua they dyd so set her forth that wheresoeuer one stoode eyther before her or behinde shee had a full sight of him Thereby to shewe that the Nature of wisedome is such as it beholdeth and noteth euery place and person neyther doth shee commit and doo any thing for which shee may afterwarde saye Non putaram Nowe all these prayses of all these men maye easely be perceiued in the office of wisedome For it is the part of a wyse man to measure all thinges by the rule of reason to doo nothing but that which is honest and good to bende all his thoughtes to the encrease of godlynesse All this maye easely be perceiued to be true if we consider the parts of which Prudence dependeth which are in momber eleuen namely Reason Iudgement Circumspection Prouidence Docilitie Héede all which Plotinus a Platoniste affyrmeth to be the parts of Prudence but Aristootle doth not onely confesse those to he her partes but also adioyneth Warynesse Wylynesse Craftinesse Subtiltie and righteousnesse What eache of these are according to our skyll and hability shall be manifested ¶ Of Reason Chap. 9. THe firste and moste principall parte of wisdome is reason whiche according to the sentence of Cicero is an order to do all things by the consideration of things to come And he prefers the same aboue all other gifts which man is endued with all and that worthely Especially in his bookes de Finibus he hath a notable place in the prayse of Reason his wordes are these Men although by many other thinges yet chiefly by this one doo most differ from beasts for that they haue Reason of nature and a mind geuen them which is sharpe liuely and noting many thinges at once most readely which doth beholde both the causes and euent of thinges it compareth one thing with another and ioyneth that which is separate and tyeth that which is to come with thinges present and doth consider the state of our lyfe which we haue to lyue the same reason makes a man to loue men and to lyue with them charitably not in worde or deede to disagree that so from a domisticall friendship they may step to a ciuile to a general good wyll towards all men and as Plato writ vnto Archytas the same Reason makes a man to remember that he is not borne to himselfe only but also for his parentes friendes contrey and for other mens causes so that lyttle tyme he hath to bestowe for his priuate profite but all his labors and studie shoulde be conferred to the profiting of others Much more Tullie bringeth forth in praise of Reason which for breuity sake I passe ouer and the rather because his words are not so fit proper for this part for here we vnderstande not reason so largely as it shall be that thing whereby a man differeth from a beast but rather more stricktly for a reasoning of the minde as it were pro and con whether this be good or to bee embraced or bad and to be auoyded And so doeth Aristotle take the same in that place of his Ethiks where he talks of Prudēce And so is it of Cicero so be a diligent heedeful considering of things to be done or no. Whos 's definition is good For if wisedome be perceiued by chusing thinges good or euyll which all men doo graunt then is it the parte of a prudent man well to consult before he begin and that must be had in all which he goes about Which consultation is the reasoning of the minde which reasoning doeth spring from reason And when we haue wel pondered any thing in our minds reason must be iudge and geue sētence whether it ought to be done or no. Hereof is that of Salluste Prinsquam incipias consulto vbi consulueri◠maturè facto opus est Before a man begin any thing consultation shoulde be had but hauing deliberated speedy execution ¶ Of Vnderstanding Chap. 10. VNderstanding which otherwise may be called Iudgement or discretion consisteth in two thinges in discerning trueth from falsehood in taking heede lest the mind he ouermuch delighted so deceiued by vaine pleasures of the body Nothing weakneth this vnderstanding so much as idlenesse slothfulnesse euyll affections corrupte manners for they are as it were sworne enemies not only to our wittes but also to our good endeuors Of Idlenesse it is sayde that by doing nothing men learne to lyue naughtily And if we consider truely thereof we shall finde the causes of all mischiefes in euery common weale to spring of idle persons they are the fyrebrandes of sedition the causers of all ciuile dissention And therefore notable was that custome among the olde Indians for there manner was euery night before supper to examine euerie man howe
neuer hastie for it is a pleasure vnto him to haue men in his det He looueth to emulate the best as for others he wil not so much as put them before his eyes If he be surpassed in any good thing he is ashamed He is of the best nature and therfore as nigh as he can hee will be the best man He will for get an iniury offered no man sooner perswading him self that more honestie he shall get by forbearing then by reuenging And therfore he dooth apply the counsail of Cicero vnto Lentulus to him self where he saieth that iniuryes of men wil illustrate his innocencie and all good sayings of prudeÌ„t men giuen to the like purpose he carefully committeth to his remembrance Again if he be fallen out with any man he is not wel vntil he be reconciled again and therfore if he haue molested any man willingly or otherwise with spéed he wil submit him self and craue pardon if any man trouble or misuse him he is redy to forgiue He will hurt no man wilfully either by woord or déed for he iudgeth it the parte of a seruile minde and beastly not of a man to offer an iniury or disquiet any maÌ„ with out a cause He wil not backbite ne he wil not rail at any persoÌ„ nay he is so far from rayling at any man that he cannot abide such kinde of men but euen as Memnon a generall Captain instituted by King Darius to fight against Alexander hearing an hyred souldior bitterly to backbite Alexander could not abide his talke but strooke him therfore and with sharp woords rebuked him saying I doo not nurish thée to backbite but for to fight against Alexander he could not abide to heare his deadly soil spoken of so he as he wil speake wel of all men him self so cannot he suffer any to speak railingly no not of his deadly enemye He is no boster of him self and of his dooings But if he haue doone any thing worthy commendation he had rather any should reporte the same then he for he thinks that by repeting what he hath doon he should but raise an opinion of foolishnes among the wise to him self And to auoide that fault the better he calleth in to minde continually when he is mooued to speake of his owne matters the examples of others whiche he knoweth haue beene as that glorious Souldier whome Terence maketh mention of and are odious for the same He cannot abide to medle with other mens matters but all his care is to liue wel in his owne calling and therfore the manners of other men he dooth not greatly note except it be their good behauiour therby to increase good motions within him selfe and therfore as Plato answered Dionisius so dooth he all men which demaund of him the same Dionisius hauing euil intreated Plato whiche came for méere good wil vnto him and letting him departe said O Plato how wilt thou amoÌ„g thy fellowes whersoeuer thou commest reporte of me to my defamation how wilt thou blase thy misusage at my hands â–ª Nay answered Plato God forbid that I should haue so much time from study that I should speake euill of any man and so dooth this valiant man say God forbid that he should haue any leasure at all to speake il of any man This vertue although it should be sought for studiously of euery man yet especially is it moste séemly in a Prince for without the same it is impossible that any should reign gloriously for many things come dayly before them which beeing without care let passe may trouble the body of his Realme without this vertue which bringeth vnto him an inuincible courage Of this vertue was Alexander called Magnus and we call him Alexander the great And he is said to haue vertue and to reigne in deede whiche in his countenaunce beares a maieste and in all his dooings dooth so behaue him self as none without great reuerence dare demaund any thing at his hands and wil admit none into his familiarity but such as are of greate wisdome and perfect good behauiour The want of this vertue woorketh much mischeefe when a Prince hath not this maiestie and magnanimitie but wil through an imbecillitie of minde admit he cares not whom into his couÌ„sail Examples héerof we haue many as are all euill gouerned Cuntryes and common weles Verres could say that he had neuer coÌ„e into such misery had he not béen ruled by dissolute felowes which be vsed familiarly the cause of Galba the Emperors destruction was because he lacked this Magnanimitie and suffred him self to be gouerned according to the minds of thrée wicked men in whose company he did muche delight which brought shame to him confusion to his people Therfore is it the praise of euery Prince studiously to laboure to get this excelleÌ„t vertue Magnanimitie contrary to this vertue is weaknes of miÌ„de whiche the Gréekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose nature is clene opposit vnto that which we haue now spoken of which again to reporte were vain and superfluous and therefore we leaue it Now to the next ¶ Of Trust or Hope Cap. 29. TRust or Confidence is a certaine presaging or perswasion rather of a prosperitie to come then at hand The cause therof is Hope springing from a good consideration and casting all douts which we haue poÌ„dred out of our mindê Again the causes of this confidence may be two either former good luck when we call into minde how happyly all things went with vs there springê a coÌ„fortable courage and in hope of the like good luck wee are animated to take any thinge in hand seeme it neuer so dangerous or the authoritie of some person Bothe of these we meane to illustrate with examples Of the former we haue many as Nero an Emperor borne to all crueltie which got such a confidence by a continuall good successe of euery thing which he tooke in hand that when by Shipwrack he had lost many rich and precious iewels he said boldely that he did not dout but that the very fishes would be takeÌ„ and so his iewels as was the Ring of Gyges should be brought vnto him again Also a certain Centurian of C. Caesar beeing sent of him to Roome to vnderstand how all things went with him went to the Senate house and there by common voice hearing that his Captains time of dictatorship was expired and that his gouernment was no longer proroged striking the pommel of his swoord with great confidence boldely said If so it be then this swoord shall prolong the same The confidence of C. Castrinus another Captain of Caesars was wunderfull for when the Pharsalian fight was at hand and the time appointed that Caesar and his enemyes should incouÌ„ter he came vnto Castrinus and demaunded of him what he thought of that battaile whether he hoped they should vanquish or no. Then Castrinus giuing foorth his hand vnto Caesar
an ignoraÌ„t man one which could not iudge of coulors and therefore on a time he said vnto him I meruaile Alexander how you wil continually be finding faulte when you see my boyes laugh you to scorne for your vndiscrete woords Which Alexander tooke patiently and considered that Apelles spake not without a cause But this confidence except it be guided by modestie and procéede from iudgement it runnes into a foule vice and is then called Arrogancy For this ArrogaÌ„cie haue many come into the hatred of men As Chrysippus which to raise an opinion of knowledge vnto him self would set foorth Bookes in his owne name which were the dooings of other men in so much as he was openly cryed out vpon And therfore Apollodorus an Athenian saide that if other mens woords were taken out of the woorkê of Chrysippus there would nothing in his Books be séen but bare and white paper This vice made Hyppocrates vndiscretly to answere the king of Persia which ernestly desired him to come and professe physick in Persia after this maner â–ª I am not so mad as among barbarous men foes to the Grecians to practise my science and pleasure them any whit The like arrogancy was in that notable Painter Zeuxes whiche through an opinion of excellencie said moste foolishly that he had in minde suche a péece of woork so would set foorth Helen in her liuely coulors as neither Homer by eloquence nor any man by imagination should conceiue the like But for to rootâ— this vice out of the mindê of men the Poets fained a notable example of Thamyras whiche they say because he would take vppon him more then he could discharge and would séem to contend with them with whome he was not in any respect to be compared and chalenged the Muses them selues he béeing a Contrie fidleâ— into the contention of Musick was depriued of his sight and became a laughing stock to all men ¶ Of Securitie Cap. 30. SEcuritie is an other parte of Fortitude by which after we haue cast in our mindes all inconueniences knowe the wurst that can happen we are quiet and without care A notable vertue and and enemye vnto all those things which may strike a terror into the minde of maÌ„ No cowarde or faint hart can possesse the same and haue the quietnes of minde whiche it brings because that with the least blast of any sharp winde of aduersitie he is so out of hart as he hath not power to go about any thing Straungely haue the Philosophers written of this vertue Cicero saith that those which are secure indeed are in that same case which they were in before their birth They are so far from béeing troubled at any thing that they are not which they séem to be that is though in body they are on the earth yet their mindes are in heaueÌ„ In this Securitie of the minde haue many Philosophers thought an happy life to consist Democritus was the author of this opinion whiche indéede is nothing els but that contemplatiue felicitie of whiche we made mention in the beginning of this Book Homer to expresse the excellencie of this vertue faigneth those Elysian féeldes where the soules of the righteous abide and he saith they are in the Ilands of Atlas whiche we call the Fortunate or happy Ilands Sertorius the Emperour hearing the fame of those Ilands was altogither minded to leaue his Empire and consume his dayes in them in whiche minde if he had remayned he had not so traitorously béen murthered of Perpenna beeing inuited to a banquet Sylla did prefer securitie of minde before princely authoritie and therfore to leade a life frée from trouble of his owne accorde gaue ouer his Dictatorship and became a priuate person If Pompey the great had not beene more bent to the troubles of the world theÌ„ the tranquilitie of minde neither so much Roman blood had béen shed nor had he dyed so miserably Alexander one a time asked of an Athenian Oratour what he could wish him to take in hand or what was moste meet for his person to doo the Orator whiche I think was Phocian answered that hee could wish him to dimisse his men breake vp his armie and lede his life in securitie not to breke his braines about the taking of Castles and bringing nations into seruitude But Alexander would not hear that â–ª yet if he had obeyed that counsail his dayes had béene prolonged and his death had not so tratourously béene sought of his familiar fréend Antipater Therfore is it the parte of euery man to séek this vertue and part of Fortitude if we desire to haue the good wil of men and be glorified after this life ¶ Of Magnificence Cap. 31. ANother notable parte of this Fortitude is Magnificence a vertue proper only vnto Princes priuate persons of this Magnificence cannot be called magnificall because their substance is not such as perfectly they cannot fulfil the function of liberalitie The differeÌ„ce betweene these two vertues is this The one is aboute priuate thinges and hee is called a liberall man which according to his reuennues giueth freely when where and to whome he should th' other is about great and publike matters and he is magnificall whiche bestoweth his goods not regarding any cost or charges at all but how worthy a thing it is wher vppon he bestoweth the same so that â— priuate man if he should so speÌ„d his goods he would quickly be consumed â–ª Isocrates adhorteth Nicocles vnto the imbracing of this verrtue In apparel he wold haue him to be moste glorious but he would haue him to shew foorth and declare his magnificence in bestowing his goodê and riches vpon those things which bring a perpetuall commoditie but his munificence in purchasing and procuring faithful freends And these two things magnificence and munificence are supposed to be the two speciall vertues of a Prince And to th'attaining of either of theÌ„ and bothe of them haue many labored Iulius Caesar to be counted magnificall made many and sumptuous Libraries and gaue M. Varro in commission to go throughout the dominions of Roome to prouide the woorks of the best learned to fornish them But that famous and right magnificall péece of woorke afterwarde was by fire consumed Then afterwarde the Emperor Domitian caused to be redyfied and new builded The Caues and conductê finished by M. Agrippa began by Tarquinius Priscus â–ª were so for cost magnificall for labour endles as many beeing weried with intollerable paines ended their liues with halters wherof also we made mentioÌ„ in the second part of Temperance called Shamefastnes He also erected a Temple vnto Iupiter and many things els did he of great magnificence But those Caues whiche he made passed all other things Sylla to declare his princely miÌ„de made a Stage in Rome of great sumptuousnes was one of the moste magnificall things