defame the dead How vnhappie are they which are in prosperitie for iustly they that be set vp in high estate cannot flee from the peril of Scilla without falling into the danger of Charybdis O miserable world thou art a sepulchre of the dead a prison of the liuing a shop of vices a hangman of vertues an obliuion of antiquitie an enimie of things present a snare of the rich a burthen to the poore a house of pilgrims and a den of theeues O world thou art a slanderer of the good a rauener of the wicked a deceiuer and an abuser of ail and to speak the truth it is impossible to liue contented much lesse to liue in honor in the which is most to be lamented either the euil man aduanced without desart or the good man ouerthrowen without cause The tokens of a valiant captaine are wounds of weapons and the signe of a studious person is the despising of the world Not those that haue most knowledge but those that haue most riches in the common welth do command I doubt whether the diuine power hath depriued them or that the wordly malice hath lost the taste of them O world world I know not how to escape thy hands not howe the simple men and idiot defendeth himselfe out of thy snares when the sage and wise men withall their wisedome can scarsely set their foote sure on earth for al that the wise men know is little enough to defend them from the wicked He onely passeth without trauell the dangers of life which banisheth from him the thought of the temporal goods of this world The traiterous world in no one thing beguileth the worldly so much as by feeding them with vain hope saieng that they shall haue time enough to be vertuous The more the world encreaseth in yeeres so much the more it is loden with vices The world hath alwaies bin in contention and rest hath alwaies bin banished for if some sigh for peace others be as desirous of wars O world for that thou art the world so small is our force and so great is our debilitie that thou willing it we not resisting it thou dost swallow vs vp in the most perilous gulfe and in the thornes most sharpe thou dost pricke vs by the priuie waies thou dost leade vs and by the most stonie waies thou cariest vs thou bringest vs to the highest fauorers to the ende that afterward with a push of thy pike thou mightest ouerthrow vs. What I thinke I haue somewhat in the world I finde that all that I haue is but a burthen I haue prooued all the vices of the world for no other intent but to prooue if there be any thing wherin mens malice might be satisfied and in proouing I finde that the more I eate the more I hunger the more I drinke the greater I thirst the more I rest the more I am broken the more I sleepe the more drowsie I am the more I haue the more I couet the more I desire the more I am tormented the more I procure the lesse I obtaine finally I neuer had so great paine through want but afterward I had more trouble with excesse Pretie saiengs in common places THou art such a one as neuer deserued that one should begin to loue or ende to hate How much the noble harts do reioice in giuing to other so much they are ashamed to take seruice vnrewarded for in giuing they become lords and in taking they become slaues The rashnes of youth is restrained with the raines of reason Although we be wise we leaue not therefore to be men dost not thou know that all that euer we learne in our life sufficeth not to gouerne the flesh in one houre I am sorie to see thee cast away and it greeueth me to see thee drowned in so small a water A brother in words and a cosen in works I rest betweene the sailes of feare and anker of hope Though we praise one for valiantnes with the sword we will not praise him therfore for excellencie with the pen although he be excellent with the pen he is not therefore excellent with the toong though he haue a good toong he is not therefore well learned though he be learned he hath not therefore good renowme and though he haue good renowme he is not therefore of a good life for we are bound to receiue the doctrines of many which do write but we are not bound to followe the liues which they lead When a father passeth out of this present life and leaueth behinde him a childe being his heire they cannot say to him that he dieth but that he waxeth yoong in his childe bicause the childe doth inherite the flesh the goods and memory of the father The desires of yoong men are so variable that they daily haue new inuentions Men that reade much and worke little are as bels which do sounde to call others and they themselues neuer enter into the church It is an olde saieng that a pretious iuell is little regarded when he that hath it knoweth not the value of it FINIS A definition of God Ouid. A tyrant Perillus. Rome A report of Rome long since and found true now Diogenes declaration Honor God Bring vp thy children wel Gratitude Decaie of Rome Rome A schoolmaister his office Miserie in mans life Outward miseries Inward miseries Rashnes Careles of life Blind that they see not their friend Fauor encorageth forward Valiant For euil acts they are gloriously receiued What the couetous man procureth Riches tormenteth Gouernor in Greece Loue betwixt couetous persons Treason Insatiable Vertue straieth where counsell faileth A remedie An exhortation Gouernment Old age should not despise the counsell of youth Spendals that leaue none for themselues are bankrupts in the end Note Corruption to be shunned Good counsell auoideth mishap One wise to counsell an other Womens counsell It is meant but of the common sort Childrens inheritance A great felicitie to parents to see vertuous children Duty of children Libertie in youth Parents great care quickly wasted Sensualitie in children Experience the best schoole maister Inheritance belonged not to the eldest but to the most vertuous Difference betwixt the poore mans sonne and the rich Negligence in educating children Why many noble mens children are wicked Dutie of parents Play in youth What is laid in youth is hatched in age Sensualitie remedied What death is better than life Whom we should mourne for A definition of death A woorthie saying An excellent reason Good coūsel at the houre of death The inconniences for not making a wise will Repentance Repentance The benefite of death The graue When death is to be desired Discord in armies Dispossessed Stingeth to death Homer The reason why vice is more followed than vertue As Herennius did by his master Tullie Vices Pride Tyrannie Proud harts Ambition prodigalitie and pride A quarrelles Vices None bolder than
needeth somtimes to be whet I meane though mans vnderstanding be neuer so cleare yet from time to time it needeth counsell Vertuous men oftentimes do erre not bicause they would faile but bicause the things are so euil of digestion that the vertue they haue suffiseth not to tell them what thing is necessarie for their profite For the which cause it is necessarie that his will be kindled his wit fined his opinion changed his memorie sharpned aboue all now and then that he forsake his owne aduise and cleaue to the counsell of another The world at this day is so changed from that it was woont to be in times past that all haue the audacitie to giue counsell and few haue the wisedom to receiue it If my counsell be woorth receiuing prooue it if it doth harme leaue it if it doth good vse it for there is no medicine so bitter that the sicke doth refuse to take if thereby he thinke he may be healed I exhort and aduise thee that thy youth beleeue mine age thine ignorance my knowledge thy sleepe my watch thy dimnes my cleernes of sight thine imagination my vertue thy supicion mine experience otherwise thou maist hap to see one day thy selfe in some distresse where small time thou shalt haue to repent and none to find remedie If thou wilt liue as yoong thou must gouerne thy selfe as olde If any old man fall for age and if thou find a yoong man sage despise not his counsell for bees do drawe more honie out of the tender flowers than of the hard leaues Plato commandeth that in giuing politike counsell it be giuen to them that be in prosperitie to the intent that they decay not and to them that be in heauines and trouble to the intent that they despaire not Happie is that common wealth and fortunate is that prince that is Lord of yoong men to trauell and ancient persons to counsell Manie things are cured in time which reason afterward cannot helpe No mortall man take he neuer so good heede to his works nor reason so well in his desires but that he deserueth some chastisement for some cause or counsell in his doings The examples of the dead do profit good men more to liue well than the counsell of the wicked prouoketh the liuing to liue euill Men ought not in any thing to take so great care as in seeking of counsell and counsellers for the prosperous times cannot be maintained nor the multitude of enimies resisted if it be not by wise graue counsellers Thales being demanded what a man should do to liue vprightly he answered To take that counsell for himselfe which he giueth to another for the vndoing of all men is that they haue plentie of counsell for others and want for themselues He shall neuer giue to his prince good nor profitable counsell which by that counsell intendeth to haue some proper interest He is not counted sage that hath turned the leaues of manie bookes but he which knoweth and can giue good and wholsome counsell Anacharsis said Thou shalt promise me not to be importune with me to receiue any thing of thee for the day thou shalt corrupt me with gifts it is necessarie that I corrupt thee with euil counsell It is easie to speake well and hard to worke well for there is nothing in the world better cheape than counsell By the counsell of wise men that thing is kept and maintained which by the strength of valiant men is gotten Ripe counsels proceed not from the man that hath trauelled into many countries but from him that hath felt himselfe in manie dangers It is impossible that there should any misfortune happen whereas ripe counsell is To giue counsell to the wise man it is either superfluous or commeth of presumption though it be true yet I say in like maner that the diamond being set in gold looseth not his vertue but rather increaseth in price so the wiser that a man is so much the more he ought to know and desire the opinion of others certainly he that doth so cannot erre for no mans owne counsell aboundeth so much but that he needeth the counsell and opinion of others We ordaine that none be so hardie to giue counsell vnlesse therewith he giue remedie for to the troubled hart words comfort little when in them there is no remedie The woman is hardie that dare giue counsel to a man and he more bold that taketh it of a woman but I say he is a foole that taketh it and he is a more foole that asketh it but he is most foole that fulfilleth it Children and youth IT is better to leaue vnto children good doctrine whereby they may liue than euill riches wherby they may perish And the cause is that manie mens children haue beene through the hope they had to inherit their fathers goods vndone and afterward gone a hunting after vices for they seldome do any woorthie feats which in their youth inherit great treasures It is better to haue children poore and vertuous than rich and vicious To be poore or sick is not the greatest miserie neither to be whole and rich is the chiefest felicitie for there is no such felicitie to fathers to see their children vertuous It is an honor to the countrie that fathers haue such children that will take profit with their counsell and contrariwise that the children haue such fathers as can giue it them The father ought to desire his sonne onely in this cause that in his age he may sustaine his life in honor and that after his death he may cause his same to liue If not for this at the least he ought to desire him that in his age he may honor his head and that after his death he may inherit his goods But we see few do this in these daies except they be taught of their parents the same in youth for the fruit doth neuer grow in the haruest vnlesse the tree doth beare blossoms in the spring Too much libertie in youth is no other but a prophesie and manifest token of disobedience in age It is a griefe to see and a monstrous thing to declare the cares which the fathers take to gather riches the diligence that children haue to spend them There can be nothing more vniust than that the yong and vicious sonne should take his pleasure of the sweate of the aged father The father that instructeth not his sonne in vertue in his youth is lesse blamewoorthie if he be disobedient in age It is a good token when youth before they know vices haue beene accustomed to practise vertue It is pitifull to see and lamentable to behold a yoong child how the blood doth stir him the flesh prouoke him to accomplish his desires to see sensualitie go before and he himselfe to come behind the malicious world to watch him and how the diuel doth tempt
him and vices blind him and in all that is spoken to see the father so negligent as if he had no children where indeede the old man by the few vertues that he had in his youth might easily haue knowen the infirmities as vices wherewith his sonne was compassed If the expert had neuer been ignorant if the fathers had neuer been children if the vertuous had neuer been vicious if the fine wits had neuer been deceiued it had been no maruel though fathers were negligent to bring vp their children Little experience excuseth men of great offences but since thou art a father and first a sonne since thou art old and hast been yoong and besides all this pride hath inflamed thee lecherie hath burned thee wrath hath wounded thee negligence hath hindered thee and gluttonie surfeited thee tel me since so manie vices hath raigned in thee why hast thou not an eie to the child of thine owne blood begotten It is impossible that the child which with many vices is assaulted and not succored but in the end he should be infamed and to the dishonor of the father most wickedly ouercome It is not possible to keepe meate well sauored vnlesse it be first salted it is impossible that fish should liue without water it is not vnlikely but the rose which is ouergrowen with the thorne should wither so is it impossible that fathers should haue any comfort in their children vnlesse they instruct them in vertue of their youth The Lydes ordained a law that if a father had manie children that the most vertuous should inherite the goods and riches and if they be vicious no one to inherit for the goods gotten with trauel of vertuous fathers ought not by reason to be inherited with vicious children I do not maruel that the children of princes and great Lords be adulterers and bellie gods for that on the one part youth is the mother of idlenes and on the other little experience is the cause of great offences and which more is the fathers being dead the children inherit the fathers goods being with vices loden as if they were with vertues endued The instructors and teachers of youth ought to be informed what vices or vertues their children are most inclined vnto and this ought also to be to incourage them in that that is good and contrarie to reprooue them in all that is euill The more a man giueth a noblemans sonne the bridle the more hard it is for them to receiue good doctrine Augustus the Emperor said to the senate If my children wil be good they shal sit heerafter where I do now but if they be euill I will not their vices be reuerenced of the senators for the authoritie and grauitie of the good ought not to be imploied in the seruice of those that be wicked What a thing it is to see the sonne of a laborer their coate without points their shirt torne their feet bare the head without a cap the bodie without a girdle in sommer without a hat in winter without a cloke eating course bread lieng on straw or on the earth and in this state so well giuen and vertuous that diuers do wish to haue such a sonne On the other side to behold noble mens sonnes brought vp and nourished betweene Holland sheetes laid in a costly cradle shaped after the new fashion they giue the nurse what she wil desire if perchance the child be sicke they change the nurse or appoint him a diet the father and mother so carefull and diligent that they sleepe neither night nor day all the house watcheth eateth nothing but the broth of chickens asketh nothing but it is giuen him immediately It is a world to see the waste that a vaine man maketh in bringing vp his child specially if he be a man somwhat aged and that hath at his desire a child borne he ceaseth not to spend so much of his goods in bringing vp of him wantonly while he is yoong that oftentimes he wanteth to marrie him when he commeth to age The poore bringeth vp his children without the preiudice of the rich and to the profit of the commō welth but the rich bringeth vp his children with the sweate of the poore to the dammage of the common wealth it is reason therefore that the Wolfe that deuoureth vs should die and the sheep which clotheth vs should liue Oftentimēs parents for tendernes wil not haue their children brought vp in learning saying there is time ynough and leisure to be taught And further to excuse their error they affirme if the child should be chastened it would make him both sicke and foolish But what is their end they become slanderous to the commō welth infamous and disobedient to their parents so euill in conditions so light and vnaduised in behauior so vnmeet for knowledge so enclined to lies so enuying the truth that their fathers would not onely haue punished them with sharpe correction but also would reioyce to haue them buried out of the way Whilest the Palme tree is but yoong and little a frost doth easily destroy it so whilest the child is yoong if he haue not a good tutor he is easily deceiued with the world It is impossible that in any citie there be a good common wealth except they be carefull for the well bringing vp of children The cause is the couetousnes of the master who suffreth their pupils to run at their owne wils when they be yong to the end to win their harts when they be old so that their extreme couetousnes causeth rich and good mens sonnes to be euill and vicious The father is bound no more towards his childe but to banish him from his pleasures and to giue him vertuous masters All the vertues that yoong men do learne doth not them so much profite as one onely vice doth them hurt if they do thereto consent Children ought not to vse any pastime except there be therein contained some commendable exercise for if in youth he dare play a point it is to be feared when he commeth to yeeres he will play his coate Play is not forbidden yoong children for the money that they lose but for the vices they win thereat corrupt maners which therof they learne Of yong men light and vnconstant commeth oftentimes an olde man fond and vnthriftie of too hardie commeth rebellious and seditious persons and of vnshamefastnes slanderous persons What auaileth children to be faire of countenance well disposed of bodie liuely of spirite white of skin to haue yealow haires to be eloquent in talking profound in science if with all these that nature giueth them they be bold in that they do and shameles in that they say Sensualitie and euill inclination of the wanton child ought to be remedied by the wisedome of the chaste master The trees that bud and cast leaues before the tyme come hope is neuer to eate of their fruit in season so when
habite craueth pardon for so bold an attempt as also becommeth an humble petitioner to be admitted to supplie the place of his absent and diseased master who in all humilitie and loialtie of hart prostrateth himself at your Maiesties feete most humbly beseeching the continuance of your Highnes former fauors and clemencie without which neither he nor his shall be in case to performe such offices as in dutie and honor appertaineth And thus ac-acknowledging my selfe most bounden vnto your right gracious and excellent Maiestie do according to duetie beseech the Almightie for the long continuance of your Maiesties prosperous Estate and raigne in all happinesse and felicitie Your Maiesties most humble and loiall subiect WINCHESTER To the friendly Readers THIS worke is not intituled my good friends The L. Marques Idlenes for your eies to gaze on or your minds to be amazed at but as by your leaue it may be spoken by antiphrasin so by your patience I discouer no monster In shewing an vnnaturall generation happily you will imagine that Idlenes can bring foorth no good action and therefore an vnkinde issue to be called by the name of Idlenes But I answere though your surmise or imagination may engender such a report in the life of the L. Marques yet you see my conception and deliuery sheweth the contrarie in that I obserued the former idle time in reading perusing the learned and wise whose sentences and good saiengs I so greatly affected that I did not onely reade them but also committed many of them to writing which being done onely for my owne recreation and benefite I assure you good Readers was earnestly requested by diuers my louing friends to make the same more manifest to the world by cōmitting it to the presse In which doing if I haue neither done well nor satisfied your expectation blame them that prouoked my euulgation and deceiued your hope and yet for mine own part I wil be excused by the title of my booke which can warrant no more to you than it afoorded to my selfe which is enough if it keepe you onely from idlenes and yet I wil assure you something more for you shall heare many wise learned and well experienced men which I haue painefully requested to giue you some aduertisement And if your fantasies be not ouer curious or your minds to scornefull I doubt not but among so many variable blossoms you may happily catch one sauoring flower if not though it seemeth to be against all reason that idlenes can beget some fruitefull trauell yet you shall see a greater miracle which is that The dead liueth I meane that they whose carcases are consumed many yeeres since do now as it were viua voce speake aduertise counsell exhort and reprooue I assure you I perused them to my no smal contentation and delight not onely to be instructed but also to the end that idlenes might not attach me whose great burden of vanities and suggestions doth not onely surcharge vs with the manifolde heape of sin but also with the lamentable losse of golden time for indeed the want of some exercise bringeth vs in open question with the world and in hazard of condemnation either to be barren of knowledge or slow of wil for as the slanderer his toong cannot be tied though he oftentimes vtter follies so the will of man should not be barren whereby ill toongs might be occasioned to take hold and to say the truth as we our selues esteeme not the knife that is rustie nor account of the trees that are fruiteles so we must thinke that if men would not speake ill of our idlenes verie Time it selfe passing by our doores without entertainemet would accuse our life of sluggishnes or condemne our consciences of contempt and so we may both staine our name blemish our creation and hazard our happie estate that when the iudge of all iudges shall heare the crime laide to our charge our consciences shall be assured to feele the gilte therefore the great stay of mans life requireth labor first in searching Gods word to know him secondly in bending of our endeuors for the benefit of our countrey last of all by looking into our selues and beholding the great filth which most horribly lieth stinking in mans life which for want of purge doth oftentimes smell of hypocrisie vngodlines vncharitablenes treason diuelish inuentions and wicked practizes whereof sathan hath great store to plant in the idell soile Wherfore my louing friends I haue done this for my selfe and for you and though I haue not set it foorth with profound learning fined phrases or eloquent termes which are expected but of wanton eares yet I pray you allow of me in mine olde plaine fashion in the which if I cannot to your contentation make sufficient shewe of mine assured good will pardon my present weaknes being vnder the phisitians hands and I will with all my hart wish you well and commend you to the most highest Basing this viij of Nouember Your louing friend WINCHESTER IN LAVDEM OPERIS HEXASTICON G. Ch. Nobilis esto liber quòd te tot philosophantes Tanta per antiquos philosophia beat Nobilior multò quòd tandem nobilis heros Marchio Wintoniae nobilitauit opus Nobilis es genitus nutritus nobilitate es Et genus Appiadum nobile te decorat The Table THe beginning of things 1 The history of priuate men and of townes 3 Aduersitie 5 Ambition 7 Captaines ibid. Couetousnes 8 Children and youth 13 Counsell 10 Death 18 Discord and variance 25 Enuie ibid. Euill and wicked men in which treatise all wickednes is conteined 27 Fame 32 Follie. 34 Fortune ibid. Friendship and friends 36 Iustice and punishment of God 39 Iustice and iusticers of this world with iudges 40 Knowledge wisedome foresight 46 Law and ordinances 50 Loue. 51 Man and his life 56 Mercie and pitie to the poore 62 Obedience 63 Patience 64 Peace 65 Pleasure 66 Pride 68 Princes 69 Seruants 76 Slanderer 77 Sorrow and griefe ibid. Toong 79 Time 80 Warres 81 Women 82 good Works 86 World and worldly prosperitie ibid. Manie pretie saiengs 93 THE LORD MARQVES IDLENES The beginning of beginnings THE first homicide of the world was Cain The first that died in the world was Abel The first that was blind in the world was Lamec as some learned haue collected The first that builded was Enoc in the fields of Edon The first musitian was Tubalcain The first sailer was Noe. The first tyrant was Nemrod The first priest was Melchisedec The first Duke as some affirme was Moises The first that was called by the name of Emperor was Iulius Caesar. Thales was the first that found out the pole called the North star to saile by and the first that found out the diuision of the yeere the quantitie of the sunne and moone and also said that soules were immortall He would neuer marrie for the care to content his wife and the thought to bring vp his children He was asked
for the poore punishment for the tyrants weight and measure plentifull and chiefly if there be good doctrine for the yoong and little couetousnes in the old Correction executed after a good sort hath this propertie that it incourageth the good to be good and feareth the wicked from their wickednes If men were not endued with reason and gouerned by iustice among all beasts none were so vnprofitable Iustice being taken away what are realms but dennes of theeues for to affirme that men can liue without iustice is as much to say as fishes can liue without water Do iustice thy selfe if thou wilt be a minister thereof for the good iudge with the right yarde of his owne life ought to measure the whole state of the common welth O to how much is he bound that hath taken vpon him to minister iusticel If such an one be an vpright man he accomplisheth that wherunto he is bound but if vniust iustly of God he ought to be punished and likewise of men to be accused No man neglecteth iustice but for want of knowledge and experience or else through abundance of affection and malice Musing with my selfe wherin so many dammages of the common wealth did consist such disobedience such contrarieties so many theeues in the end I find that all or the most part proceed in that they prouide for ministers of iustice not for conscience sake but for couetousnes and ambitions sake The vertuous and Christian iudge ought rather to shed teares in the Church than by affection of men to shed blood in the seate of iudgement There are many iudges which imploy their studie more to get friends to maintaine their state proudly than for to read bookes to iudge mens causes vprightly Great shame ought they to haue which take vpon them to correct others when they haue more neede to be corrected themselues for the blind man ought not to take vpon him to lead the lame If the poore come to demand iustice hauing no monie to giue no wine to present no friend to speake after his complaint he receiueth faire words promises of speedie iustice but in the end he consumeth that he hath spendeth his time looseth his hope and is voide of his sute although his cause be neuer so honest and good If wee sigh with teares to haue good princes wee ought much more to pray that we haue not euill officers What profiteth it the knight to be nimble if the horse be not readie What auaileth it the owner of the ship to be sage and expert if the pilot be a foole and ignorant What profiteth the king to be valiant and stout and the captaine in the war to be a coward I meane what profiteth it a prince to be honest if those that minister iustice be dissolute What profiteth vs that the prince be true if his officers be liers What to be louing and gentle and his officers cruell and malicious What to be liberall if the iudge that ministreth iustice be a briber and an open theefe What to be carefull and vertuous if the iudge be negligent and vicious What auaileth it if he in his house be secret iust if he trust a tyrant and an open theefe with the gouernement of the common-wealth Iudges ought to be iust in their words honest in their works mercifull in their iustice and aboue all not corrupted with bribes It sufficeth not that iudges be true in their words but it is very necessary that they be vpright in their dealings Iudges ought not to haue respect to those which desire them but to that which they demand for in doing their dutie their enimies will proclaime them iust and contrariwise if they do that which they should not their neerest friends will count them tyrants Lycurgus made a law whereby he inioined iudges not to be couetous nor yet theeues for the iudge that hath receiued part of the theft will not giue sentence against the stealers thereof Oftentimes it chaneeth that iudges do eate the fruit and the poore suter doth feele the morsell Sith frailtie in men is naturall and the punishment they giue vs is voluntarie let iudges shew in ministring of iustice that they do it for the zeale of the common wealth and not with a mind to reuenge The beginning of iudges are pride and ambition their meanes is enuie and malice and their end is death and destruction for the leaues shall neuer be greene where the roots are drie Offices are somtimes giuen to friends in recompence of friendship somtimes to seruants to acquit their seruice somtimes to their sollicitors to the end they shall not importune them so that few remaine to the vertuous which onely for being vertuous are prouided Idlenes EVerie lightnes done in our youth breaketh downe a loope of our life but idlenes whereby our enimie entreth is it which openeth the gate to all vice Of idle motions and outragious thoughts the eies take licence without leaue the mind altereth and the will is hurt and finally thinking to be the white that amarous men shoote at they remaine as a burt full of vices In conclusion there is nothing that more chaseth the ball of the thought in this play than the hand set a worke There is nothing breedeth vice sooner in children than when the fathers are too negligent and the children too bold as do not keepe the same from idlenes The prince that occupieth himselfe to heare vaine and trifling things in time of necessitie shall not imploy himselfe to those which be of weight and importance for idlenes and negligence are cruell enimies to wisedome Of knowledge wisedome foresight and vertue WE cannot say that the man knoweth little which doth know himselfe Man giuing his minde to seeke strange things commeth to forget his owne proper We see by experience that in the fistula that is stopped and not that which is open the surgeon maketh doubt in the shalow water and not in the deepe seas the pilot despaireth the good man of arms is more afeard of the secret ambushment than in the open battell I meane that the valiant man ought to beware not of strangers but of his owne not of enimes but of friends not of the cruell war but of fained peace not of the open dammage but of the priuie perill How manie haue we seene whom the mishaps of fortune could neuer change and yet afterward hauing no care she hath made them fall Asignorance is the cruell scourge of vertues and spur to all vice so it chanceth oftentimes that ouer-much knowledge putteth wise men in doubt and slandereth the innocent forasmuch as we see by experience the most presumptuous in wisedome are those which fal into most perilous vices The end why men ought to studie is to learne to liue well for there is no truer science in man than to know how to order his life well What profiteth it me to know much if