feare of death should stil offend them But besides them behold what and how manye euilles there bee that vnlesse the cloude of error bee remoued impossible it is to see the truth or receiue allay of our earthly woes And aboue the greues that all other necessities do bring with them this hath somwhat more greveous and intollerable for they satisfied withe that they desire forthwith they cease to offend as honger is eased with meate thirste is appeased to drinke labour contented with reste But the memory of euils is so setled and manifolde as wanting good persuasion doth neuer cease to torment the minde but from one discontented imaginaciō to an other from one calamitie or miserie to an other cōtinually leadeth on our displeasīg thoughts And for that cause we haue framed this boke which although it profiteth nothinge to driue awaye the cares and anxietie of minde in others yet shall I therein not a litle content my self for which respect thiefly I toke the matter in hand And as menne saye that Asclepiodorus without colours did right cunningly paint so shall we voyd of all craft and skil with true reason declare how much each man erreth in life iudgement opinion and will. Yea somethinges there are that so wel do proue themselues as besides nature nede no profe at all Of which kinde in this our incertaine lyfe vain glory and in nature of thinges great plenty was euermore to be found and in al such the more cunninge and eloquence is vsed the lesse wee see oftetimes they receiue credite and beliefe Who is so much misaduised as wold paint the pillers of perfite marble or Porfery or who dothe coloure the vessels of Allabaster When the naturall glosse doth geue chiefest grace and reputation to the work we plaister and painte the ragged walles of morter and claye to the ende that arte should supplye that nature hathe lefte vnsemelye Neither do I think our worke here in so great as at the beginninge we thought to bee For albeit we knowe the nomber of miseries and cares to be many yet diuers of them be of suche kinde as being wel considered do nede no medicine at all As those whyche men willingly and vnconstrained do force thē selues to beare for who would take in hande to comfort Marcus Regulus amids his miseries whō neyther the pitie of his children nor the prayers of his kinsfolkes could perswade to remain in Rome and not to retourne to the handes of the Carthaginiences Of the same greatnes of minde were the holy martirs Paule George Laurence with almoste innumerable others Some other sortes of payns and trauaile there are which the faintest harts do not refuse to abyde either in respecte of y glory or gaine that groweth thereof As some we see vncōpelled do serue princes others do labour to please their louers some cōsume their time in studies some follow trafficke and some seeke aucthoritie and rule So litle trouble they fynde in these trauailes as being remoued from them they are greately greued Some led on with onely hope doe voluntarily take vpon them a life with patience trauaile to bee endured as those that passe their daies in solitary places as they that liue in citties continually as they that obserue religion straight lye praying fasting who being asked for what ende they so do answere for hope that after death they shall receiue eternall felicitie Some there are that take greate paines and willinglye suffer in respect of swetenes and delight as they think that is ioyned there vnto As haruest labourers who after longe toyle and sweat in sommers son do not withstandinge daunce when the pype doth sound Others with colde feete doe leaue the fyer to cast the dyce for though the cold do pinche yet the pleasure of the play is more But far greater incoueniences doe Cupides knightes with aduenture of life abide and yet withe all their hartes they hazarde all that in the ende all their desyres may be obteined Some there are that although they seme euell eyther in respect of natures necessytie as old age ▪ or of comparison as breaking of prison yet are they more paciently borne because before they came they were desyred and beinge com may not therfore be vnwelcome Wherfore if in perticuler I should entreat of euery of these besydes that no fruit should grow therof I might also seme combersome tedious I do therfore thinke best to speake of those which men do condempne flee as euyll Among which nomber somewhat I wyl say of the euils abouesaide for y one thinge is not to euery man alyke pleasant or disconting but of them old age semeth y chiefe whiche though no calamity but a gift of nature yet in some respect may be so called because we se it vnwillingly born of many therefore Cicero hath thereof curiouslye written though it cānot be iustly nombred amōg y euils of mans life yet of vs shall not be omitted We say therefore that among thinges wee accompte euyll there be three sortes That is to saye Comon calamityes priuat calamities simple and priuat calamities manifold comon calamities we cal those that happen to al men or the greatest nōber of our acquaintance as honger pestilence subuersion of coūtries and such lyke Priuat calamities simple be of two sortes the one discōmendable as if a thief lamenteth that hee loseth the oportunitie for murder or dishonest as the weping of Vrsus in Papinius The other honest and in no wise worthy greate discommendacion as the destruction of houses the losse of children death of frendes Priuat calamities manifold we accōpt those when a man by many mishaps at one instāt is molested as the holy scripture telleth of Iob who depryued of his house children cattel substaunce was also tormented with most pitiful diseases sores Some men do hold for true opinion that albeit a mā may sustaine one kind of calamity yet the sufferance of so sondrye myseries is not to be foūd in any Wherfore of priuate simple euils in general we wyl first take in hand to wryte next we shall entreate of sorrow and death eyther of our selues or nere frendes In the seconde booke and in the last we wyl not omit to speake of tormente bondage imprisonment exile iniury of old age pouertye in general of many miseries assembled togethers But fyrst let vs begin at priuate euils declaringe y the good or euill fortune importeth nothing to blessed life and y the fruit of al felicity as Plato sayth resteth in vertue or as the Poet sayth VVhose conscience giltles is doth not grovve pale for feare And yet as at that beginning I said who so would consider how many discontentatiōs do happen diligently marke euery one of thē should finde to what smal purpose in aduersitye a mā tormenteth himselfe considering how short frayle incertain myserable the life of man is So as if at any time for that misery it is to be lamented then
the crafty Carthaginenses and the disdainfull Iewes All which was done by pouerty The Persians the Perthians and Germaynes beinge lyke vnto the poore Romaynes did in despite of theyr power defende keepe theyr libertye But so sone as Sylla grewe to greatnes by him riches set in reputacion lyke vnto yse against the Sunne al libertye and glorye decayed away TheÌ„ began sedition ciuil warres with slaughter of familiars and frendes So as in shorte space throughe enuy of barbarous nations that whole empyre came to vtter destruction Neyther do I thincke y priuate riches be better or more profitable for by theÌ„ oftentimes men become ambitious slouthful and ful of cares which the Poet pleasantly describeth in Mydas when he had obtayned of Bacchus that all he touched should be goulde Sayinge Amazed at this mischiefe nevve novve riche and yet in vvo His vvished vvealth lo novv he lothes that erst he loued so No store can honger stanch drye thurst his throte tormentes Thus vvorthilye amids his gould his former vvishe repentes So great is the mysery of rich men that amids the desyre of riches they perishe There is nothing contenting to the rich man but that which accordeth wyth hys couetyse mynd For he to encrease hys ryches hazardeth hys soule his reputacion frendes Who can thincke that either lyfe or fame is gotten by riches and for the most parte riches do not longe remayne wyth anye man and neuer descende to the thyrd degree And seldome shalte thou see the grandchylde of a ryche man dye in abundance I marueyle not therfore why so many worthy men disdained to become rich And fyrst of al omitting al Christians let vs begin at Crates the Theban who y more fitlye to study Phylosophye sould his goods cast the money into y sea More discretely did Apollonius Tyaniê° who selling theyr goods which were in deede great did giue y same to theyr CittizeÌ„s reseruing to themselues nothing at all Zeno Citticus being rych was impoueryshed by shypwrak afterwards studying Philosophy sayd y when hys shippe peryshed his voyage was most fortunate But Diogines deserued double glory because he dyd not only pacieÌ„tly suffer pouerty but also therein lyued a glorious lyfe For beinge asked by Alexander what hee wanted aunswered nothinge though by bountye of that noble kinge he myght haue receyued great ryches Therefore Alexander was wont to say if I were not Alexander theÌ„ would I be Diogenes So wel did this noble king know the felicitye that grewe vppon the disdayne of riches Likewyse Photion after he had receyued one hundred talentes would neuermore be releued by Alexander thoughe in deede â–ª he were so poore as for want of a seruauÌ„t was forced himselfe to drawe the water wherein he washed Socrates refused the great rewards of Alcibiades And Artaxersis seeking the frendship of Hipocrates and Epaminundas y one for his excellencye in Phisicke y other for his companye did presente theym wyth great giftes and yet by that meane could not win them For the liberalitye of the kinge did not syrmount the disdayne they had of riches The treasure of Pyrrhus coulde not corrupte the fidelitye of Fabritius who preferred honest pouertye before the riches of kinges Such was the nobilitye of these mens mindes though for wante of Christianitye not to be nombred amonge others yet in respecte of generositye meete examples for oure consolation Do not therefore lament for thy pouerty 〈◊〉 call to minde that saying of Plato VVho so vvould become riche must leaue the desyre of riches A man encreaseth his riches by y decay of others and so a riche man is either wicked or the heyre of one that was wicked as S. Hierome wryteth The next calamitye to pouertye is exile Wherin assuredlye it is imagination onely that maketh a man myserable For who so marketh the liues of manye shall fynde that they haue spente some parte of theyr lyues in straung Countryes as Plato Berosius Galenus and Dioscorides Some others their whole liues as Zeno Citticus Crautor who thoughte theyr forraine habitation pleasante because it was voluÌ„tary The like desyer had a Cittizen of oures hee in threscore yeares not further trauailed then the Subberbes of the Towne was for a myracle shewed to the Prince who did commaund him that neuer after he should passe those bounds The poore olde man misliking this commaundement desyred leaue to trauaile in his age which in youth he had forgotteÌ„ to do Which suite beinge denyed the selye old fellow of very sorrow fel sicke dyed What can be greater follye then to neglect that is good or wishe that is euil And surely trauaile caÌ„not be euil which so many princes kinges Emperors haue takeÌ„ in hand Who wil theÌ„ lameÌ„t ther of wheÌ„ it is perforce For what so euer is well done though by enforcemeÌ„t yet is it not euyll But call to thy consideracion how many coÌ„modities commethe of trauayle As experience of forrayne customes knowledge to eschewe misaduentures sight of Cities Seas Mountaines Ryuers woods variety of ayres and the nature of soÌ„dry living Creatures Also the practise of artes sciences the difference of mens wits with manye other miracles by trauayle are dayly learned So as I nothinge meruaile at diuers excellent Philosophers that consumed their Lyues in continuall trauayle And amonge the rest I call to minde the great Alexander that trauayled more to excell Traianus who enuied his glorye then for the desyre hee had to conquer the whole world or keepe the same in subiection Antonius as he was soft of sprite so did he trauaile countries rather for experience theÌ„ for desyre to conquere But to returne to priuate persons I say that all such as haue inuented anye excellent knowledge were those that lyued in traualye Homer commended his frende Vlixes for nothing more then for hauing trauayled sondry couÌ„tries And haue not al excellent men beene driuen to exile Demosthenes Cicero Aristides Thusidides The mistocles Alcibiades Codrus Theseus Eumolpus Trax Aristoteles Camillus Corialanus Marius Datanus Trisibulus Dion Anniball Demetrius Phalerius And some other that willingly banished themselues as ConoÌ„ the Athenian into Cyprus Iphicartes into Thracia Chares into Bigeo Timotheus into Lesbia Zenephon in to Eleus What nedes more wordes Say then as Socrates saide that the whoole worlde is a wise mans country and a wise man while he is in the worlde is neuer from his country and not to bee in the worlde cannot bee It is the part of euery wise man to eschewe death imprisonment exile and yet of these three is not exile the least And yf death be not euyll what euyl can it bee to lacke our country When it was tolde Diogenes y the Synopenses had condempned him to exile he answered sayinge euen so do I condempne them to dwel for euer in Pontus within the confines of Euxinus Did not Camillus of such hard fortune receiue the occasyon of his noble victorye And where were the bokes of
from his birth did neuer see then hath he 〈◊〉 to complayne according to the common saying That the eye seeth not the hart rueth not For in that we knowe not we neyther delight nor fynd offence Al be it we see many things we take pleasure in yet of theym that doe discontent vs the nomber is greate One only perfyte eye we haue whiche is the spyryte and that more liuely is in the blynde then in them that can see by reason the outwarde eyes is there vnto a hynderaunce For which reason wee fynde that the blinde men both in wit and memorye excell all others And as they say of Tyresia For God â—ris face did hyde and 〈◊〉 vvithin the breast he set Meaninge that the blynde man did in mynde see the moste And therfore in olde tyme suche menne were honoured for prophecyinge thinges to come When Antonius the holye comforted Didimus the Philosopher he sayde vnto him let it suffise that styll thou enioyeste thy celestiall eyes thoughe the other be lost Diodorus the Stoike a companion to Cicero was blynde yet in Philosophye Musicke and Geomatrys excellent Caius Drusus was so cunninge in the Lawes Ciuil althoughe he were hymselfe blynde yet helped hee many that could see Some say Democrites for the enuy his Cittizens did bear him put our his own eyes Ascâ—epiades the Philosopher in his blindenes was wont to playe sayinge the wante of syghte was nothinge els but as thoughe a chylde should doe some thynge to an other whereby hee mighte fynde a wante But amonge other commodities blyndenes doth make death the moore tollerable Because deathe is feared for nothinge so muche as that wee loose the comforte of lighte and come into darckenes when if thou be blinde before thou shalte feele the lesse alteracion that whiche tormenteth others moste in dyinge thou shalt as it were dye vnwares Some perhappes there are so grosse as will discommonde olde age forgettinge that who so is now olde hath beene in tymes paste younge But for tryall here of let Sephalus or Spurinna be called in question of whome we may enquire whether old age not abused be better then lustye youth The vertue and strength of Iacobus Philippê° Sacchi whoÌ„ Franciscus Sforza did those to be prince of the Senate doth sufficiently shewe Wherfore syth in all these Calamities aforesaid nothinge is euyll let vs consyder whether in common miseries we ought to lament as in plagues famine and destruction of countries which because they are common doe seeme the moore pacientlye to bee suffered But if they were euyll woulde be of all other moste intollerable because they are most hardlye amended Wee see therfore that the discontentacion of men growethe rather vppon opinion then cause And seeinge it is vniuersall let vs followe the golden age in whyche tyme was more fidelitye more frendly conuersacion more easy lyfe y men better mynded and their maners the lesse corrupte that their fortune was so euyll In that age they lyued only vpon frute if they had gotten bread â–ª they accompted themselues happy but thou that wantest neither bread wyne bedde nor other prouision doeste notwithstandinge complayne It is enuy therefore no pleasure superfluity no necessity that doth torment vs For if our desires were reasonable wee should at all tymes haue lyke wishes And knowinge with howe fewe bace thinges nature is contented we shoulde not fynde so infortunate ende of our doinges But seinge in that miserable tyme men lyued so contented this can not be sayde any myserye at all For he is onely in misery y is enforced to hate his own lyfe yet in coÌ„mon calamities no man hateth his owne lyfe but moste paciently beareth all aduersityes For nothinge seemeth dishonourable that is common Euerye euylle of mannes lyfe dothe consyste in reproche death except And euery thing that is good in glorye The reason thereof is that as at the beginninge I sayd verye good or euyl was not to be found among mortall men But to return to the purpose our countrye perisheth and there in our frendes kinred reputacion and substance I graunt but dost thou accompt those only thy neighboures that inhabite thy couÌ„try Surely we are al disceÌ„ded of one line and if we loke backe to our grandfathers great great grandfathers oure affinitye is muche It is good maners y getteth frends vertue y wiÌ„neth reputacion which if thou want it is not reputation but rather ambicion and crafte In pouertye thou haste manye Companions so as for thyne error thou nede not be ashamed for want of company thou cannot bee weary And in pouertye as erst I sayde there are many wayes to reliefe as hospitalles kinsfolke charitable persons all good men Also the vniuersalitye of the misery taketh away al reproch And though many through slouth and lothenes to labour do fall into beggery yet a mynde industrious and armed with vertue is seldome subiecte thereunto Albe it the hole cittye of Siracusa was taken spoyled and sacked yet Marcellus preserued Archimedes Also when Megara was taken by Ptolomeus after by Demetrius son of Antiochus yet Stilpho the Philosopher was saued and at the kinges handes receiued both honour and rewarde for the one desyred his company the other became his scholer When Rhodus was besieged by Demetrius Protogenes the painter being found in the suburbes was by him honored though the other cittezens remained scant in surety Vertue is alwayes accompanied with Nemesis who sufferethe none to beg sauing men from coÌ„mon calamities Socrates remayned in Athens healthy when y plage was there at the greatest Crates escaped harme at the saccage of Thebes A man of greate vertue ought not to hazarde himself in common calamyties Now remayneth it onely somwhat to say of manye miseries assembled togethers And as Diogenes said I am hee vpon whom all misfortune is cast no house I haue no towne in exile a vagabond and begger Yet to counteruayle all these miseries he thought the vertue of minde of force enough If therfore being olde thou art sicke pore and banished whether doth the encrease or deuide thy miseries Calamities are not according to this number but the greatnes to be measured It commeth to passe in these as it doth in greifes of y bodie one Calamity driue than other awaye Exile taketh awaye the dishonor of misery when thou liuest amoÌ„g people vnknowen And as erst I sayd ther is nothing saue death that a man desyreth more to eschewe Whether had thou rather be Philota when he was persecuted of Alexander hauinge youth beauty strength grete byrth ryches then in seruitude sicke and in thine old estate Truelyâ— the condicion of man is lyke vnto a garment whiche the more rich beautifull it be the more a sport doth disgrace it and the lesse beauty it hath y lesse hurt the garment ther by receiueth It is also to be considered that no man is al his lyfe in miserye for sleape causeth forgetfulnes of sorow and is as pleasant to men in sorow as to those that be most happie Also the delights of our sences be to al meÌ„ almost alyke comon as tast venery sight heariÌ„g and smellinge So all things that be delectable to man do not togethers decay If therfore at one instant all mortall men did sleape then for that time none should be more happye then other But wee are most assured not onely to sleape but also dye and as long to lyue we cannot so how far we are from death is to vs vnknowen Wherfore to bear euery thinge resolutely is not onely the parte of a wise man but also of a man wel aduised seinge y there is nothing in this life that may iustly be said to be against vs Therefore Homerus fayned Aten the Goddes of Calamitye to barefooted as one that could not touch any thing sharpe or hard but walked lightly vpon the heades of mortall men Meaninge that Calamity durst not come nere anye but such as were of base minde simple subiecte to effeminacy But among such as were valiant and armed with vertue shee durst not come Wherfore lift vp thy mynde to heauen where an euerlastinge and most pleasaunt life is prepared for thee Men in this worlde are lyke trees some slender some great some florishing some bearing frute some witheringe some growinge some blowen downe and some frutefull which in one harueste time are brought togeathers and laide vppon one stacke Neither is there afterwardes sene any difference among them what they be or haue bene al at one time be cut downe neuer more to growe agayne Euen so al pryde ambicion ryches aucthoritye children frendes and glory doe in shorte space grow olde and perishe neither dothe it make matter whether thou were Irus or vile Galba Antaxerles or noble Hercules Onelye honestye and vertue of mynde doth make a man happy and onely a cowerdlie and corrupt conscience do cause thine vnhappines Because the worste that the good man can feare is the best that the euyll can wishe for whyche is the destruction of the Soule in death But as he ought not to hope thereof so should not the other feare it For God the eternal father hath sent vs into this worlde as children and heyres of hys kingdome and secretly beholdeth how wee fighte and defend our selues against our sences y world and the Deuyll And who so in this battell valyantly fighteth shal bee called and placed amonge the Princes of heauenlye kingedome And who so slothfully or cowerdly behaueth himself as a slaue in featnes shall for euermore be bounde This worldly stage was purposely prepared that God the father might secretly beholde vs Such foolishe children then as in his sighte wantonlye slouthfully and sediciouslye lyue shoulde they not thinke he doth beholde them Whenso euer therefore thou haste taken that laste leaue of Life thy soule like vnto a louer embracinge his death shall enioye that swetenes and security whiche we can neither wryte of nor conceiue For sith these worldlye louers amongest whom be many mislykings without assuraÌ„ce or eternity can scarcely expresse their ioyes in loue Happy yea thrise happy is this heauenly louer who forgettinge all others wythe his one loue is vnited For within this kingdome he loueth and liueth in the sight of him that can do all thinges and therefore lyke a good sonne to his father is euer readye to do his pleasure FINIS
temperatly How much were this rule of lyuinge to attaine long life more delicate then to feede vppon fleshe and honye But in this age mē continue carefully in labours and care watching the halfe night baskinge in Venus bathe abyding in cloudye Regions and not in good ayre drinkinge boyled wynes do notwithstandinge complaine of short life And howsoeuer in deede oure liues be short it is opinion that doth make it so to appeare The people called Garamantes do not liue aboue fortye yeares I omit to speake of the Pigmeians as people rather fayned then in deede but wee if we dye before fyftye or threscore do thincke that iustlye we lament and yet who so dwelleth in those countryes do highly thanke God if he attayneth fortye yeares and thou lyuinge muche elder do neuerthelesse complayne Surelye euerye lyfe is long that is continued till death sith at the beginning the terme is destined and as sayth the Poet. In birth vvee breede our death our ende on first beginning hangeth Reade we not in holye Scripture that y nomber of dayes and monthes is appointed by God he hath set the terme which cannot be passed The lyfe of man therefore is ended wyth olde age for old age is the last part of life Olde age is also the necessitye of death wheresoeuer therefore death is necessary old age draweth neare Whoso dyeth in youth in this onelye is the more happye that he escapeth the discommoditye of old age will thou make life to seme long or short by comparison A kinde of beastes ther be called Ephemera which are made in the morning and before sonne settinge do dye If happelye they dye at noone theyr lyfe is called shorte but if they continue till nighte they accompte it longe and yet it exceedeth not twelue houres Wee maruaile at flees for theyr long life if they liue two Sommers and at flees that continue three monethes Yet whiche of these is thoughte any thinge towardes mans life we call dogges olde that passe a leuen yeares of age but a man passeth all these in longe lyuinge thoughe hee dyeth in youth But the life of mā must not be accompted longe or shorte in respecte of his yeares The life of all mortall men is but shorte because wyth death it shal be most certainlye ended It is vertue worthy actes that maketh the life longe and idlenes that shortneth thy dayes Alexander thoughe hee liued not aboue thirtye three yeares dyed an old man through the greatnes and nomber of his noble exploytes Argantonius hauinge lyued a hundreth and twentye yeares maye bee sayde to haue dyed in youth because besydes the rarenes of his age in all his life he neuer did anye thing that deserued memorye It ought also worthelye to be noted that for the most parte all notable men haue dyed in theyr youth Amonge the kinges none almoste continued to olde age Hercules Athilles Castor Pollux Aiax Iason Amonge the Poetes Lucanus Catullus Tibullus neyther was Vigill long liued neyther Demostenes nor Cicero howe true yea to true is the sayinge of the Poet. Their liues are short and age is rare vvhere life doth lacke good rule IVLIVS CAESAR Seuerus Alexander Probus Aurelianus Claudius the seconde of that name dyed in youth which men a I thincke liued the lesse the more honest they were because being deare to the Gods were the souer called vnto them Whervppon grew that saying from the Poetes whom Iupiter and Apollo do loue do neuer attaine to old age This is also to be noted that choise is to be loked for wher wil may anye wayes auayle but in thy power it is not to make thy life eyther more long or more shorte Yet if thou cā do it there is none offence at al but if thou cānot thou lamentest thy shortnes of life for no greater reason then thou may thy mortality And that care of thinges impossible is vayne onelye proper to fooles But admit thou maye continue thy life and become olde arte thou not therby the more vnhappye because thou losest that singuler commodity which by God almightye is gauen to men for the allaye of sorrow which is ignorance of time While wee continue yonge wee liue meerelye because wee imagine death is not at hande But how can olde menne thincke that death is farre awaye when alreadye they are entred the laste ende of life Howe true and worthye memorye is that sayinge of S. Austen A yonge manne maye soone dye but an olde manne cannot liue longe And yet no couse there is why thou should not be sorrye seing a yong mā maye also dye sone Syth th ende of life is vnknowē a yong man neuer ought to dispayre whether he laboureth of deadly diseases or be cast into cruell tormentes and prison The chaunces of mortal creatures do shew that men are subiect to law of nature and fortune so as withoute cause they loue certainties for most incertēties of al. But admit thou doest attaine to old age it selfe how manye euils commeth therby labour griefe ▪ sadnes losse of sences disdaine y which is almost worst of all as Caecilius doth well discribe therby thou shalte see they companye of all men eschewed vnwelcome are olde menne to their children vnwelcome to frendes disdayned of yonge men and odious to their owne familiars Theyr sences serue not theyr bodyes theyr bodyes obeye not theyr mindes they passe the nighte withoute sleepe and eate without all tast They lothe themselues how shoulde they be pleasant to others We reade that when Zeno Citieus could not dye with age he strāgled himselfe What dilligence and trauayle did Cicero take to perswade olde age to be pacientlye borne but if of it selfe it had beene good or as riches frends children and learning had apparance of good there shoulde haue beene not cause for him to haue taken such trauayle A mockerye it were to perswade that health or honour were pacientlye to be suffered and wee agree that olde age is sufferable but not to be wished for Howe manye olde men haue beene for whom it had beene better to haue died in youth Priamus for example not for myracle in historye is resited Not longe since Baccus Valor being olde and readye to take leaue of life before his eyes behelde his owne sonne beheaded a yonge man of singuler hope The next yeare before two other olde men I sawe that behelde the like fortune in theyr owne children Wherefore I wonder muche at the greate wysedome of Theramenes woo onelye escapinge when his house fell downe sayde before his frendes that reioysed for his life O fortune to what ende hast thou me preserued neyther did he aske in vaine for within fewe dayes after by the malyce of tyrantes he was taken and put to death Therfore such is the condition of men as althoughe beinge olde thou mighte returne to youth againe as the fable telleth of Aeson sayinge And as tvvise tvventye yeares bypast so novve my force I finde Myne aged yeares are vvorne
which thoughe it cannot compare with the eloquente of Cicero the grauitye of Plutark the subtiltye of Petrark or Philosophye of Boetius yet is wel lyked of my selfe for that reason I alledged at the beginninge in children y euerye one loueth his owne worke Yet haue we erred who knoweth it not but those errors are tollerable which harme not others and procedeth of nature The other whereof I must accuse my selfe is that some will happilye saye that when a man enioyeth health he maye easelye counsell the sicke which is as muche as to perswade wyth vaine words that in works we do not performe and therefore in speache onelye doe make a showe of vertue Of which blame Cicero Plutarchus Petrarcha Aristotle himselfe do excuse mee because they extolled magnanimity yet in aduersitye did not shewe it and chiefelye Cicero who of all others declared himselfe most bace and abiect of minde The others endured no great aduersitye for besydes a little tyme in banishmente they liued riche and fauoured wyth Princes and that worthilye Also it is not requisite that all good men though they be â—aliauÌ„t of minde with peril of their persons shold put theyr valure in proofe the one is a tryal of fortune the other of vertue Neyther is it euer necessarye that such as saye well shoulde also 〈…〉 for truth somtimes is maintayned by wicked 〈◊〉 But although by dissembling I might escape these reprehensions yet where I saye that for allaye of myne owne griefe this laboure is taken in hande hardlye it is allowed in reason that they that 〈◊〉 alwayes liued in prosperity can 〈…〉 â—thers comfort in aduersitye For if a man woulde so do yet were there small good liekly to followe This booke shal therefore gayne the more 〈◊〉 wyth others that I my selfe haue bene in my 〈◊〉 And although as erst I said euery maÌ„ may praise vertue yet is it not the parte of those y bee 〈◊〉 to directe a life contrarye to theyr owne wordes How can we leade the like life eyther in fortitude or pacience or declare y same to others if we haue alwayes liued in prosperity Therfore should I omit y greatest most necessary part of this booke If I leaue vntold y as I thincke by deuine deâ—â—nye I was begotten borne brought vp in great misery so haue almost til this day liued For such as do perswade others to sustayne greate payne if they themselues haue done the like thereby they procure their words both credit auctoritye to be the rather beleued of others So did 〈◊〉 Phoâ—ion Socrates Plato Cato all the Prophetes and holy men yea y author of al good IESVS CHRIST Yet haue I not mdured these worthye men because I wouldâ— seeme to contende wyth them is vertue but rather followe theyr order of lyfe And the more barely I was borne y more maye others if they wil hope to excell my 〈◊〉 in aduersitye You shal therefore first vnderstand that in y time of pestilence I was conceyued my mother as I thinke vndeliuered became partaker of my misery was forced to flye The 8. daye of the 〈◊〉 of October in the yeare of Graâ—â— 1501. halfe deade came â–ª I into this world when all men dispayriÌ„g of lyfe by vertue of a bath made of vyne I was receyâ—â—d within thre monthes next after I lost two of my brethren one sister the plague continuing in our Cittye The sicknes spreadinge more abrode in Paâ—â—a sodeinly of y same death died my foster father Afterwards I was bouldly and charitably râ—câ—yued into y hands of Isiodoâ—â—â— Resta 〈…〉 man frende to my father where 〈…〉 few dayes I fel sicke diseased with the dropâ—â—e 〈…〉 of the lyuer yet neuerthelesse preserued eyther through the ire or merryed of GOD I know not onâ— kinde of 〈◊〉 was afterwardes vnapproued 〈◊〉 I attayned eyghte yeares of age At whiche tyme I became seruaunte to my father till I 〈…〉 the age of ninetene O Lord euen thus I passed the flower of my youth both wythout delight and studye At length perceuinge that by force I might not compell my father entreate him I could not and to deceyue him I thought it dishonestye for loue of learninge I intended to haue entred into Religion My mother then seinge her want of children entreated my father to put me to schole where I remeÌ„bringe my time alreadye lost and the shortnes of mans life earnestly applyed my selfe to studye euer in feare lest my father hearinge some euil reporte shoulde take me awaye And there as one neuer in schole before I was not a little troubled wyth hardnes of the latine tongue Yet amonge all these labours my father did graunt me leaue to studye the Science of Geometrie Logick wherin although hee helped me onlye with a few good lessons bookes libertye yet through study at spare times I did attaine vnto them Then absence encreasing my fathers good opinion the plague beinge great he dyed hauing newlye begonne to loue mee At that time y cruel warres began in oure countrey being poore and voyde of all other helpe throughe great care dilligence of my mother I was sustayned when my small patrimonye suffised not For suche as it was I did consume it in the office of 〈…〉 Vniuersitye Neyther had I anye other 〈◊〉 then Chesse playe to procure my selfe a lyuinge So being from one misfortune to another transported I settled my selfe in the towne of PAVIA â–ª where by practise of Phisicke thoughe poore lye I sustayned my selfe and my familye as one that besydes I had nothinge was indebted by reason of my vaine office Then by my mothers letters was I called home to my couÌ„trey wher I found nothinge well ordered nor no frende my cosâ—â—s sued in lawe against mee and in oure Colledge of Phisitians I was repulsed being suspected a bastarde because my father did so euill entreate mee Neyther can I boast of any fauour founde in the Phisitions of Padoa where hauing twise deserued to haue beene made Doctoure I was notwithstandinge iniustlye denyed my grace and at laste through the earnest suite of the Podestate scantly graunted A shamefull acte if mine owne euil fortune and not theyr leudenes did offer me so great iniurye Then dispayring of all good I fel into y sicknes which we call Consumption a sickenesse as the Phisitions saye incurable And yet whether through good prayer or for other purpose preserued after seuen monethes without helpe of Phisicke and beyonde al expectation I escaped Consider now what cares what sorrow vexation my minde endured when on the one syde mine owne great pouerty on y other my mothers vnwildy age was considered Besides this y frowardnes of my frendes the wronge as I thought of Physitions the threatning of a great man the dispayre of health lacke of frendes and wante of abydinge place did altogether molest me I wanted wherw t to liue labour I could not to begge I thoughte it shameful Amids so
riches yea and more fyt to attayn to glorye For who but pouertie dyd first finde oute the arts as saythe Theocritus O Diophanteâ— Pouertye is the only mistris and inuenter of labor and arte Surelie vnlesse I be deceiued riche men were neuer partakers of this praise And when these Artes were inuented such as had bene in estimacion were also pore And first to begyn with Philosophy the flower of all knowledge the Princes therof were pore men Socrates Plato Aristoteles and Cleantes who all night drew water and al day studied Philosophy But this is the lesse to be meruayled at y Socrates as Seneca sayth beinge in the market and seing a cloake to be solde taking leaue of his frendes said fayne would I buye that cloake if I had monye wherewith to do it The prayse of his death and also all they that enuyed his glorye do witnes hee was almost a begger Plato became riche by his second voiage into Sicilia Aristoteles longe tyme liued pore and almost an old man was enriched by Alexander I thincke it Needelesse to tell others as Homerus and Virgilius the Lanternes of Poetrye the one a begger the other a poore maÌ„ The whole route of Gramarians and Oratours were suche kinde of men Pompilius Andromicus Orbilaus Valerius Cato Laenius Iulius Higinius The Epistle of Plinius Caecelius reporteth that Quintilianê° was meanelye furnished wyth wealth Iuuenalis mocking Statius the Poet sayth he begged Vnles perhappes some tragedye he hath in store to tell for honger let him pyne But now a dayes that rich men can gayne glorye in scholes I doubt not Let vs therefore talke of armes wherin they are no more happye then in learninge What saye you to Paulus Aemâ—lius who being dead had not left wherof to make his wyfe a dowrye Also Marius and Sextorius were Romaynes of base condition yet on the one depended the safetye of Rome on the other some whiles greate perill What riches had Camillus the terror of the warre Or Scipio Affricanus that for debte had lyen in prison if Gracchus had not helped Arator Cincinatus Calatinus Fabritius that fought wyth Pirus Valerius Publicola Menenius Agrippa Q. Aemilius Aristides Photion Meltiades Cimon Spartacus Viriatus all y Dukes of Lacedemonia and as chiefe of them Lisander were all called from base condition And whom can you alledge against these the desperat Alexander or Caesar the subuerter of his countrey or rather Sylla wyth his proscriptions There is no doubte therefore but that in the iudgement of the discrete poore men are to be preferred But nowe a dayes throughe perswasion of parasites princes doe not traine vp Captaynes but rather bye them Men are not aduaunced for vertue but ryches and parentage Wherof it groweth that gouerners maiestrates and chiefetaynes are not appointed for desert but through fauor of nobility And though therof they gette no good yet this coÌ„moditye they gaine y through custome and the smalnes of y nomber that is aduaunced rich men onelye do possesse all dignities But counsellers cannot erre And would to God that Princes we no more deceyued For trulye they do well in preferringe nobilitie yet therwithal to consyder that those are worthyest honour whom vertue commendeth The one is sufferable but the other intollerable when neyther vertue nor good parentage but false flatterye is the onely waye to aduauncement And suche kinde of men commonlye are voyde both of vertue learninge and honestye But nowe I confesse wee haue a little to farre digressed from oure purpose For more speedye ende of this Booke let vs consider what is the occasion of glorye seinge poore menne in discipline of warre learninge and inuention of artes do gaine reputation whether rich men are admitted to glorye in the artes them selues when in deede they neuer knewe theim But admit that riches are more precious then pouertye Alas what myserye can come from the gods greater then the desyre to haue them which the more we gette the more it increaseth It is labour wythout ende and not vnlike the turning of Sysiphus stone Who as Poets fayne for reueling the secretes of heauen is forced to remayne in hell and there continuallye to carrye a heauye stone to the toppe of a steepe hill which forthwith falleth downe but he without ceasinge doth follow and on his shoulders doth bringe it vp againe Euen so to get riches is nothing els then to toyle they bodye in continuall trauayle and exercise thy minde in innumerable cares But admit thy lucke bee good what happines can it be in thy lyfe if thou cannot vse the wealth thou doest possesse as Horatius wryteth Excedinge care of coyne doth mortall men begile and loue of vvordly pelfe all other ioyes exile And if liberallye and bountifullye thou wil vse them what a madnes were that with so long laboure to become riche and so sodenlye to consume all The womeÌ„ called Danaides being condempned to hell for their detestable murther do suffer there none other tormente then continuallye to drawe water And admit goodes were wyth labour to be gotteÌ„ whether doest thou desyre them for thine owne vse or thy posteritye when in the meane tyme thou neglectest thy quiet pleasure of thine owne lyfe Thou shortnest thy dayes and hinder thy health Some meÌ„ I haue seene liue a nigardlye life onelye to the ende to make theymselues asumptuous tombe and honourable buriall Which folly and superfluous care Socrates laughed to scorne when lying at the pointe of death he refused a riche cloake whiche Apollodorus did offer vnto him For surely there is among mortal men no vayner care then the pompe of funerals which I thincke thou will confesse and flee to the coÌ„modityes of inheritaunce Thou seekest to leaue thy sonne riche what heyre can bee better yet in the meane space thou labourest thou carest thou watchest thou hazardest infamy thou offerest wrong chargest thy conscience to th ende thy sonne may spende consume deuoute keepe hauock Whereby he becommeth proude slouthful madde and in euery respect for his riches the worse But besides these euilles alas how manye ennemyes are gotten by seekinge of riches oftentimes also men do want a sonne or hauing one he proueth such and of such coÌ„ditions as they repent that euer they begot him And sometimes we see that great inheritaunce is cause of their destruction whiche happeneth most often to the children of Princes who committed to the gouernmente of others are by theim berefte both of kingdome and life as was Tryphon appoynted to the tuition of Antiochus by whom it was by practise reported that the childe was greatly diseased wyth the stone and that hee must in any wyse for his onelye remedye be cutte which done Tryphon not passinge the age of tenne yeares through the onely griefe of his wounde not otherwyse greeued dyed Cicero in his Oration for Sextus Roscius doth shew what discoÌ„modityes his great riches did bring withal among the rest thoughe the greatest he was accused of murther But
respect onelye thought meete for honour and auctoritye But farre otherwyse it is in the common weale of Venis and was in Rome while it remayned in glorye farre otherwyse it was in Lacedemon where pouertye was accompted a praise Farre otherwyse in Athens where Photion Aristides Cimon and Miltiades continued longe tyme in glorye and aucthoritye But in Cittyes euill gouerned where mighte is holden for lawe vertue for simplicitye and ryches for decree ryche meÌ„ are preferred before the wyse and vertuous Neyther do I thincke meete y any poore man be he neuer so good shoulde desyre auctoritye For as Socrates sayd hast thou nothing wherof to repeÌ„t thee But if I woulde reherse the discommodityes of auctoritye I mighte easilye proue that the felicitye of pouertye were a singuler vertue Yet meane I not to perswade y ryches well vsed in a good coÌ„mon weale were hurtful for that were to absurd Hitherto by true though subtill reasons we haue taughte the discommodityes whiche riches dothe bringe wythall But remembringe that at the beginning I determined not to proue any thynge by shorte and subtill argumentes I wyll proceede in playner speache And therefore I saye that nature lyke vnto fyer issuinge out of the ground hath aduaunced al thinges some more and some lesse and some most of all and being at the hyest vanisheth and decayeth awaye so the race and dignitye of man being growen to the greatest honoure glorye a whyle stayinge there doth declyne and at length is clearely quenched For where is now anye braunche of Alexander of Darius Antiochus Ptolomeus Dauid Caesar Antigonus Maethridates or anye other of these auncient kinges who so attayneth to that highe estate of glorye let hym not forget himselfe but say Lo now y ende of humaine glory is at hand Then who forcasteth not what cares and sorrow are likely to follow what say you to Charles the fifte though he gouerned mightely happilye from Ethiopia Hispania and Italia to the coÌ„fynes of Dalmatia and other Nations vnknowen wherein he shewed more vertue then mighte be hoped for in any man in consulting dailye how to gouerne so many nations in trauaylinge to holde them in obedience what man would say he was happye when sometimes he remembred how Solimanus did threaten the confynes of the Empyre somtimes he museth how the Islands of Beleares the kingdom of Spayne were perturbed Some times he doubted the inconstancye of the Italian Princes Sometimes he feared the weakenes of Cycillia and Pulia against the Turkes Sometymes he bethought hym of the Princes of Germanye and howe his Nauye sente to see was tossed wyth Neptuns ire Some fledde to Hongaria and some to Illerico And wyll you call this man most happye whom so great cares and so manye feares did dailye tormente Surelye for my parte I wishe my selfe rather a Religious manne of Carthusia thoughe theyr lybertye doth not farre differ from prisonners If then Charles beinge so great and mighty a Prince was alwayes accompanied wyth cares and so farre from felicitye wilt thou saye that Fraunces the Frenche kynge mighte be called happye or rather Solymanus which of theim lyued not in feare whiche of theim tasted not of euill fortune And though perhappes tyll this day they neuer felte anye thinge greatelye euill yet by ensample of others haue they feared the worst Polycrates that in hys whole lyfe neuer feeled anye mysfortune before hee dyed by the Persian Kynge was brought to the gallowse and hanged Darius the Kynge whose Empyre was thoughte equall to Gods before death was depryued and lyued in myserye Loke vppon Syphax Perseus Mithridates Pyrrhus and Cambyses To greate a follye it were to nomber all Kynges whom Fortune hath laughed to scorne In oure age wee haue seene the subuertion of foure kingdomes Pannonia Egipte Gallia Sicalpania and Pulia Suche is the alteration of tymes that Princes are constrayned to become eyther infortunate or myserable in keepynge theyr Kyngdomes they liue in myserye infortunate if they leaue them O Lorde howe liuelye did Lucanus describe the lyfe of Kynges sayinge O safe estate of life The pleasant dayes vvhich poore men passe a blisse aboue the rest to Gods almost vnknovven But thou not beholding what is wyth in Princes lyke vnto men that gaze vppon the outward pictures and monuments of Tombes doest iudge them onely happye who in deede of all other mortall creatures are most vnhappye This must also be coÌ„sydered when thou coÌ„plainest onlye of pouertye howe many there are so vnhappye as in respect to them thou mayest be accompted happye Howe manye be sicke howe many deafe howe manye blinde howe many in prison how many in exile how many condempned how many enforced to aduenture theyr liues then all which no doubte thou art more happye Besydes all this if thou coÌ„playne onelye of pouertye vnlesse thou would become a kyng there is no cause to complayne Behold how many do liue miserablie in Citties how many beg in the Subberbes how many in vyllages do passe theyr liues almost without any thing yet burdened with children and familye And neuerthelesse constrayned to paye â—ribute of y little which wyth extreame laboure they haue earned But alas poore Christian people nowe am I fallen into that speache which neuer earst I thought So as in seeking to acquite others of care I am my selfe caste ther into But doest thou desyre to vnderstande plainlye that in riches is no felicitye then behoulde those people which inhabite the country and glorye in theyr small riches thinckinge themselues happie because they see none of theyr neighbours to possesse more then themselues who are not riche But if the selfe same men do resorte to the Cittye where they see others that for ryches do excell them then they lamente complayne and accompte themselues poore But is this pouerty surelye no naye rather maye be called enuye Who is hee that possesseth a thousande Crownes that maye iustlye be called poore and dwellinge in the countrye wyth that wealthe wyll not accompte himselfe a Prince yet if hee happeneth to come to the Courte where no man almoste hath fyue hundreth Crownes forthwyth hee beleeueth and calleth himselfe poore But if it should come to passe as it did in the time of Noie that all moneye prouision cattel and other commodityes were drowned wyth water I thincke then that no manne woulde perswade himselfe to be iniured by pouertye Howe is it then that now hauing somewhat thou complaynest which declareth plainlye that no pouertye but enuye doth moleste thee â–ª And what can be worse then this why doest thou not desyre the treasures of Kynges and the riches of India vnlesse it bee in respecte they are farre from thee â–ª But howe manye Countryes and people hath pouertye preserued and gouerned as Sythia Asia the Assyrians the Medians and Parthians Also Alexander possessing nothing but bodies and weapon conquered all Asia Likewyse the poore common weale of Rome subdued the proude Frenchmen the valiaunt Italians the pitifull Gretians the riche Asia