only they are made euil This worthy woman kepyng alwaies such a faythful gard of her chyld that no flatterers should enter in to flatter him nor malicious to tel hym lyes bychaunce on a day a Romaine sayd vnto her these words I thinke it not mete most excellente princesse that thou shoulde be so dyligente aboute thy sonne to forget the affaires of the common wealth for prynces ought not to be kept so close that it is more easye to obtaine a sute at the gods then to speake one word with the prince To this the Empresse Mamea aunswered and said They which haue charge to gouerne those that do gouerne withoute comparison oughte to feare more the vyces of the kinge thenne the ennemyes of the Realme For the ennemyes are destroyed in a battaile but vyces remayne durynge the life and in the end enemyes do not destroy but the possessions of the land but the vycious prince destroyeth the good maners of the comon wealth These wordes were spoken of this worthye Romaine By the histories which I haue declared and by those which I omitte to recite al verteous men may know how much it profiteth them to bring vp their children in trauailes or to bring them vp in pleasures But now I ymagine that those which shall read this will praise that which is wel writen and also I trust they wil not giue their children so much their owne willes For men that read much worke litle are as belles the which do sound to cal others and they theim selues neuer enter into the church If the fathers did not esteame the seruice they do vnto God their owne honour nor the profite of their owne children yet to preserue them from disseases they ought to bring them vp in vertue withdraw them from vices For truly the children which haue bene brought vp daintely shal alwayes be diseased and sikely What a thinge is it to se the sonne of a labourer the cote without pointes the shyrte tottered and torne their feete bare their head without a cappe the body withoute a girdle in sommer without a hat in winter without a cloke in the day ploughing in the night driuing his herd eating bread of Rye or Otes lyeng on the earth or els on the strawe and in this trauaile to se this yong man so holy vertuous that euery man desireth and wisheth that he had such a sonne The contrarie commeth of noble mens sonnes the which we se are nourished brought vp betwene two fine holland sheetes layed in a costly cradel made after the new fashion they giue the nourse what she wil desire if perchaunce the child be sicke they chaunge his nource or els they appoint him a diet The father and the mother slepe neither night nor daye all the house watcheth they let him eate nothing but the broth of chyckins they kepe hym diligentely that he fal not downe the stayres the child asketh nothing but it is geuen him immediatly Finally they spend their time in seruyng them they waste their riches in geuyng them their delights they occupie their eyes but to behold them they imploye not their harts but to loue them But I sweare that those fathers whiche on this wise do spend their riches to pomper theim shal one day water their eyes to bewaile theym What it is to se the wast that a vaine man maketh in bringinge vp his child specially if he be a man sumwhat aged that at his desire hath a child borne He spendeth so muche goodes in bringing his vp wantonly whyles he is yong that oft times he wanteth to mary him when he commeth to age And that which worst of al is that that which he spendeth and employeth he thynketh it wel bestowed and thinketh that to much that he geueth for gods sake Though the fathers are very large in spendinge the mothers very curious and the norces ful of pleasures and the seruauntes very dilygente and attentiue yet it foloweth not that the children should be more hole then others For the more they are attented the more they be disseased the more they eate the more they are weake the more they reioyce the worse they prosper the more they wast and spend soo muche lesse they profite And all this is not without the secret permission of God For God wil not that the cloutes of children be of greater value then the garments of the poore God without a greate misterie toke not in hande the custodye of the poore and doth not suffer that the children of the rich men should prosper For the good bringeth vp his children without the preiudyce of the rich and to the profit of the comon wealth but the rich bringeth vp his children wyth the swet of the poore and to the domage of the common wealth Therfore if this thyng be true as it is it is but reason that the wolfe whych deuoureth vs do dye and the shepe which clotheth vs do lyue The fathers oft times for tendernes wyl not teach nor bryng vp their children in doctrine sayeng that as yet he is to yong and that there remayneth time enough for to be learned and that they haue leysure enough to be taught and further for the more excuse of their error they affirme that when the chyld in his youth is chastned he ronneth in daunger of his health But the euil respect which the fathers hath to their chyldren God suffereth afterwards that they come to be so slaunderous to the common wealth so infamous to their parents so disobedient to their fathers so euyl in their condicions so vnaduised and light in their behauiour so vnmeate for knowledge so vncorrigible for disciplyne so inclined to lies so enuyeng the truth that their fathers would not only haue punished them with sharpe correction but also they woulde reioyce to haue them buryed with bytter teares An other thyng ther is in this matter worthy to be noted and much more worthyer to be commended that is that the Fathers and mothers vnder the couller that their chyldren should be somewhat gracious they learne them to speake to bable to be great mockers and scoffers the which thing afterwards redoundeth to the great infamye and dishonour of the Father to the great peril of the sonne and to the greatest griefe and displeasure of the mother For the child which is brought vp wantonly without doctrine in his youth of necessity must be a foole when he is old If this which I haue sayd be euil this which I wil say is worse that the Fathers and mothers the gouernours or nources do teach them to speake dishonest things the which are not lawful and therfore ought not to be suffered to be spoken in that tender age nor the grauitie of the auncients ought not to lysten vnto them For there are no men vnlesse they be shamelesse that wil permit their children to be great bablers Those which haue the charge to gouerne good mens children ought to be very
doth not amend hys lyfe that the father do disinherit him When good wil doth want and vicious pleasures abounde the children oft times by peruerse fortune come to nought So this Marcus Aurelius being .52 yeres old by chaunce this chylde Verissimus which was the glory of Rome the hope of the father at that gate of Hostia of a sodayne sicknes dyed The death of whom was as vniuersallye lamented as his lyfe of al men was desired It was a pitiful thynge to see how wofully the father toke the death of his intierly beloued son no lesse lamētable to behold how the senat toke the death of their prince beinge the heire For the aged father for sorow did not go to the Senate and the senat for few daies enclosed themselues in the high Capitol And let no man meruaile though the death of this yong prince was so taken through Rome For if men knew what they lose when they lose a vertuous Prince they would neuer cease to bewaile and lament hys death When a knight a gentleman a squyre an offycer or when any of the people dyeth ther dyeth but one but when a prince dieth which was good for all and that he lyued to the profit of al then they ought to make account that al do dye they ought al greatly to lament it For oft times it chaunseth that after ii or iii. good Princes a foule flocke of tyraunts succedeth Therfore Marcus Aurelius the Emperour as a man of great vnderstanding and of a princely parsonne though the inward sorow from the rootes of the hart could not be plucked yet he determined to dissemble outwardly and to burie his greues inwardly For to say the truth none ought for any thing to shew extreame sorow vnlesse it be that he hath lost his honour or that his conscience is burdened The good prince as one that hath his vineyard frosen wherin was al hys hope contented with him selfe with that whych remaineth his so derely beloued sonne being dead comaunded the prince Comodus to be brought into his pallace being his only heyre Iulius Capitolinus whych was one of those that wrote of the tyme of Marcus Aurelius sayd vpon this matter that when the father saw the disordinate fraylenes and lightnes and also the litle shame whych the prince Comodus his sonne brought with him the aged man began to weape and shed teares from his eyes And it was bycause the symplenes and vertues of his deare beloued sonne Verissimus came into hys mynd Though this Emperour Marcus for the death of hys sonne was very sorowful yet notwithstanding this he prouided how his other sonne Comodus should be gouerned this before that eyther of age or body he wer greater For we cānot deny but when Princes are mē they wil be such as in their youth they haue bene brought vp The good father therfore knowing that the euil inclinacions of his sonne should do him domage the empire in like maner he sent throughout al Italy for the most sagest expert men to be gouernours Tutors of Comodus the prince He made them seke for the most profoundest in learning the most renowmed of good fame the most vertuous in dedes and the most depest in vnderstandyng for as the dust is not swept with fyne cloth but with dry bromes so the lightnes follies of yong mē are not remedied but by the hard disciplyne of the aged Thys commaundement being published and proclaimed in Rome the bruit scattered through Italye there came and ranne thither dyuerse kinde of sages whom he commaunded to be examyned He being informed of the bloud of thier predicessours of the age of their persones of the gouernment of their houses of the spendyng of their goodes of their credit amongest their neighbours of the sciences they knew aboue al they were no lesse examined of the purenes of their lyues then of the grauitie of their personnes for ther are many men whych are graue in open wordes very light in secret works Speakyng therfore more particularly he commaunded they should examyne the Astronomers of Astronomy the phylosophers in philosophie the musitines in musike the Orators in oracions And so forth of other sciences in order wherin euery one sayd he was instructed The good emperour was not so contented to do this once but sondry times not al in one day but in many not only by an other man but also by him selfe Finally they were al examyned as if they had bene al one and that the same one shold haue remayned bene kept for al to be only master tutor of the young child and prince Comodus To acquire a perfect knowledge and to be sure not to erre in choyce of thinges in my opinion is not onely required experience of him selfe and a cleare vnderstanding but also the aduyse of an other For the knowledge of thinges wholly together is easy but the choyce of them particularly is harde This thing is spoken because the good Emperour sent and commaunded to chose gouernours and maisters of his children Of many he choose fewe and of fewe the most wysest of the most wysest the most expert of the most expert the best learned of the best learned the most temperate of the most temperate the most auncient and of the most auncient the moste noble Certainely such election is worthy prayse because they be true maisters and teachers of princes which are noble of bloud auncient in yeares honeste in life men of litle folly and of great experience According to the seuen liberal sciences two maisters of euery one were chosen so that the prince was but one and the others were .xiiii. but this notwithstanding the workes of this prince Comodus were contrary to the expectation of his father Marcus Aurelius because the intention of the good father was to teache his sonne all sciences and the study of the sonne was to learne all vices At the bruite of so great a thing as this was that the Emperour sought to prouide tutors for the prince Comodus and that they should not be those which were best fauoured but those whiche were found the most wysest in shorte space there came so many philosophers to Rome as if the deuine Plato had bene reuiued againe in Grece Let vs not marueile at all if the sages desired the acquaintaunce familiaritie of this good Emperour For in the ende there is no man so sage nor so vertuous in this life but sometime wyll seke after the fauours of the world Since there were many sages and that of those he chose but fourtene It was necessary he should honestly and wisely dispatche and geue the others leaue as did behoue him And herein the good emperour shewed him selfe so wyse that shewing to some a mery coūtenaunce to others speaking gently and to others by a certaine hope to others by giftes presentes al the good company of the sages departed the good emperour dispatched them not
shall esteme it more that when I doe geue you my sonne to teache I geue you more then if I gaue you all the ryches of the Realme For in him that hath the reformacion of the childes life dependeth the fame of the Father after he is deade So that the Father hathe no greater renowme then to see hys chylde leade an honeste lyfe I praye the Gods that they maye be so mercyful and the fatall destinies so fortunate that if tyll thys time you haue watched to teache the children of others that from hence forwarde you watche to teache thys my sonne Comodus whyche I truste shal be to the comforte of all For the thynge that is vniuersally good to all oughte to be preferred before that whyche tendeth but to the commoditie of some You see my frendes that there is a greate difference to teache the chyldren of Prynces and to teache the children of the people the cause hereof is that the greatest parte of those come to the scooles and vniuersities to learne to speake but I doe not geue you my sonne Comodus to the ende you should teache hym to speake many wordes but that you should learne him to do good workes For all the glorye of the Prynces is that in the workes whyche he doth he be vprighte and in the woordes that he speaketh he be very discrete After that the children haue spente manye yeares in scooles after their Fathers haue spente muche money vppon them yf perchaunce the chylde can dispute in Greeke or Latin anye thyng at all thoughe he be lyghte and vitious the Father thynketh hys goodes well imployed For in Rome nowe a dayes they esteme an Oratour more whyche can doe nought but bable then a philosopher whyche is vertuous O wofull men that now lyue in Rome and muche more wofull shall those be whyche hereafter shall succede For Rome is no more that Rome whyche it was wont to be that is to wete that the fathers in olde tyme sente their children to scooles and studies to learne them to be silent and nowe they sende them to learne to speake to muche They learned them then to be sage and temperate and nowe they learne them to be dissolute And the worste of all is that the scooles where the sage and pacient were wont to be and from whence issued the good and vertuous workes are nowe full of bablynge Oratours and none issue oute from thence at this present but the euill and vitious So that if the sacred Romain lawes are exalted once in a weeke with their tongues they are broken tenne tymes in the daye in their workes What will you I say more since I can not tel you any thing without hurting my mother Rome but that at this present al the pleasures of vain men is to see their children ouercome others by disputing but I let you vnderstand that all my glory shal be when my son shal surmount others not in wordes but in silence not to be troublesome but to be pacient not in speakyng subtill wordes but in doing vertuous workes For the glorie of good menne is in workyng muche and speakyng littell Consider my frendes and do not forget get it that this daye I committe my honour vnto you I put into your handes the estate of Comodus my sonne the glory of Rome the rest of the people which are my subiectes the gouernement of Italye which is your countrey and aboue all I referre vnto your discretions the peace and tranquillitie of the hole common wealth Therefore he that hath suche a charge by reason ought not to slepe For as the wise men say to great trust is required much diligence I will saye no more but that I would my sonne Comodus shoulde be so well taught that he should haue the feare of god and the science of philosophers the vertues of the auncient Romaynes the approued councell of the aged the corage of the Romaine youth and the constancy of you whiche are his masters Fynally I would that of al the good he shold take the good as of me he ought to take the heritage and succession of the Empyre For he is the true prince and worthy of the empyre that with his eyes doth beholde the great signories he ought to enherite and dothe employe his harte howe to gouerne it wherby he shal lyue to the great profit of the common wealth And I proteste to the immortall gods with whom I hope to goe and to the goodnes of my predecessours whose faith I am bound to kepe I proteste to the Romaine lawes the whyche I dyd sweare to obserue in the conquest of Asia wherein I bound my selfe to continue and to the frendeshyppe of the Rhodiens the whiche I haue offered my selfe to kepe to the ennemitye of the Affricans the whyche not for me but for the oth of my predecessours I haue bounde my selfe to mainteine And I proteste vnto the vessell of the hyghe Capitall where my bones ought to be burnt that Rome do not complaine of me beyng alyue nor that in the worlde to come she curse me after my death If perchaunce the prince Comodus my sonne by his wicked lyfe should be occasion of the losse of hinderaunce to the common wealth And thoughe you whych are his masters vndoe it for not geuyng hym dew punishement and he thoroughe hys wicked gouernement destroye it yet I discharge my selfe by all these protestations that I haue made whyche shal be witnesses of my will For the father is bound no more towardes his child but to banyshe hym from his pleasures and to geue him vertuous masters And if he be good he shal be be the glory of the father the honor of him selfe the wealth of you and the profite and comoditie of the hole common wealth That tutours of Princes and noble mens children ought to be very circumspect that their scollers doe not accustome them selues in vices whilles they are yonge and speciallye they must kepe them from foure vices Chap. xxxix THe good and experte Surgeons vnto greate and daungerous woundes do not onelye applye medycynes and oyntementes whyche doe resolue stop but also do minister other good playsters for to restraine and heale them And verelye they shewe them selues in the one no lesse sage then in the other experte for as greate dylygence ought to be had to preserue the weake fliesh and to purge the rotten wounde to the end it maye be healed so lykewise the wyse trauailers learne diligentely the waye before they take vppon them any iourney that is to wete yf there be any daungers in the waye eyther of robbynge or sleyinge wherein there is anye by pathe that goeth oute of the hyghe waye Truly he that in this point is circumspecte is woorthy to be counted a sage man For accordyng to the multitude of the perylles of the world none can be assured vnlesse he know first where the daunger is wherin he may fal To shew therfore that which by these parables I meane
the dede we employe our thorough power to vice which is an abuse where with al the world is rorrupted and deceiued For heauen is not furnished but with good dedes and hell is not replenished but with euill desires I graunt that neither man nor beaste desireth to dye but all trauaile to th ende they may liue But I aske now this question What doth it auaile a man to desire his life to be prolonged if the same be wicked vngodly and defamed The man that is high minded proude vnconstante cruell disdeinfull enuious ful of hatred angry malicious full of wrath couetous a lier a glutton a blasphemer and in al his doinges disordred why wil we suffer him in the worlde The lyfe of a poore man that for nede steleth a gowne or any other smal trifle is forth with taken away why than is he that disturbeth a whole common wealth left aliue O would to God there were no greater theues in the worlde than those whiche robbe the temporall goodes of the riche that we did not winke cōtinually at them which take away the good renoume aswell of the riche as of the poore But we chastice the one dissemble with the other which is euidētly sene how the thiefe that steleth my neighbours gown is hanged forthwith but he that robbeth me of my good name walketh still before my doore The diuine Plato in the firste booke of lawes sayde We ordayne and commaunde that he that vseth not him selfe honestly and hath not his house wel refourmed his riches well gouerned his family well instructed lyueth not in peace with his neighbours that vnto him be assigned tutours which shal gouerne him as a foole and as a vacabonde shal be expulsed from the people to thintent the common wealth be not through him infected For there neuer riseth contention or strife in a common wealthe but by suche menne as are alwayes out of order Truly the diuine Plato had greate reason in his sayinges for the man that is vitious of his person and doth not trauaile in things touching his house nor kepeth his family in good order nor liueth quietly in the common wealthe deserueth to be banished and driuen out of the countrey Truly we sée in dyuerse places madde menne tied and bound fast which if they were at libertie would not doe suche harme as those that dayly walke the streates at their owne willes and sensualitie There is not at this daye so greate or noble a Lorde nor Lady so delicate but had rather suffer a blowe on the head with a stone than a blot in their good name with an euill tongue For the wounde of the heade in a moneth or two maye well be healed but the blemmishe of their good name duringe life will neuer be remoued Laertius saith in his booke of the lyfe of Philosophers that Diogenes beinge asked of one of his neighboures what they were that ordeyned the lawes aunswered in this wise Thou shalt vnderstande my friende that the earnest whole desire of our forefathers and all the intention of the Philosophers was to instructe them in their common wealth how they ought to speake how to be occupied how to eate how to slepe howe to treate how to apparaile how to trauaile and how to rest and in this consisteth all the wealth of worldly wisedome In déede this Philosopher in his aunswere touched an excellent pointe for the lawe was made to no other ende but to bridell him that liueth without reason or lawe To menne that wil liue in reste and without trouble in this life it is requisite necessarye that they chose to them selues som kinde and maner of liuinge whereby they may mainteyne their house in good order and conforme their liues vnto the same That estate ought not to be as the folly of their parson doth desire nor as may be most pleasaunte to the delightes of the body but as reason teacheth them and God commaundeth them for the surer saluacion of their soules For the children of vanitie embrace that onely which the sensuall appetite desireth and reiecte that which reason commaundeth Since the time that trées were created they alwayes remayning in the firste nature vntil this present day doe beare the same leafe and frute which things are playne sene in this that the palme beareth dates the figge trée figges the nut trée nuttes the peare trée peares the apple trée apples the chesnutte trée chesnuttes the Oke acornes and to conclude I saye all thinges haue kepte their firste nature saue onely the sinfull man which hath fallen by malice The planettes the starres the heauens the water the earth the ayre and the fier the brute beastes and the fishes al continewe in the same estate wherein they were first created not complayninge nor enuying one the other Man complayneth continually he is neuer satisfied and alwayes desireth to chaunge his estate For the shepherd woulde be a husbandman the husbandman a squier the squier a Knight the knight a King the king an Emperour Therefore I say that few is the number of them that seke amendment of life but infinite are they that trauaile to better their estate and to encrease their goodes The decaye of the common wealth at this present through all the worlde is that the dry and withered okes which haue bene nourished vpon the sharpe mountaynes woulde nowe seme to be daynetie date trées cherished in the pleasaunt gardeins I meane that those which yesterday coulde haue ben pleased with dry acornes in a poore cottage at home at this day wil not eat but of delicate disshes in other mens houses abroade What estate menne ought to take vppon them to kepe their conscience pure and to haue more reste in their life a man cannot easely describe For there is no state in the Church of God but men may therin if they will serue God and profite them selues Nor there is no kind of life in the world but the wicked if they perseuer and continew therin may sclaunder their persons and also lease their soules Plinie in an epistle that he wrote to Fabatus his friēd saith There is nothing among mortal men more common and daungerous than to geue place to vayne imaginacions whereby a man beleueth the estate of one to be much better than the estate of an other And hereof it procedeth that the worlde doth blinde men so that they wil rather seke that which is an other mans by trauaile and daunger than enioy their owne with quiet and rest I say the state of Princes is good if they abuse it not I say the state of the people is good if they behaue them selues obediently I say the estate of the rich is good if they wil Godly vse it I say the estate of the religious is good if they be able to profit others I say the estate of the communaltie is good if they will contente them selues I saye the state of the poore is good if they haue pacience For it is no
learned and the other very eloquente and thus it came to passe that in liuinge they folowed Plato and in eloquence of speache they did imitate Callistratus For there are diuers menne sufficiently well learned whiche haue profounde doctrine but they haue no waye nor meanes to teache it others Demosthenes hearing Calistratus but ones was so far in loue with his doctrine that he neuer after hearde Plato nor entred into his scole for to harken to any of his lectures At which newes diuers of the sages of Grecia marueiled much seing that the tonge of a man was of such power that it had put all their doctrine to scilence Although I apply not this example I doute not but your maiestie vnderstandeth to what end I haue declared it And moreouer I say that although Princes haue in their chambers bookes so well corrected and men in their courtes so wel learned that they may worthely kéepe thestimacion which Plato had in his schole yet in this case it shoulde not displease me that the difference that was betwen Plato and Calistratus should be betwene Princes and this booke God forbidde that by this sayeng men should thinke I meane to disswade Princes from the company of the sage men or from reading of any other booke but this for in so doinge Plato shoulde be reiected which was diuine and Calistratus embraced which was more wordly But my desire is that sometime they would vse to reade this booke a little for it may chaunce they shal finde some holsome counsayle therein which at one tyme or other may profite them in their affaires For the good careful Princes ought to graffe in their memory the wise sayings which they reade forget the canekred iniuries wronges which are done thē I do not speake it without a cause that he that readeth this my writing shall finde in it some profitable counsaile For all that which hath bene writen in it hath bene in euery worde sentence with great diligence so wel weyed and corrected as if therein onely consisted the effecte of the whole worke The greatest griefe that learned menne feele in their writing is to thinke that if there be many that view their doings to take profit therby they shall perceiue that there are as many moe which occupy their tonges in the sclaunder and disprayse thereof In publishinge this my worke I haue obserued the maner of them that plant a new gardein wherein they set Roses which giue a pleasaunt sauour to the nose they make faire grene plattes to delight the eyes they graft fruitful trées to be gathered with the handes but in the end as I am a man so haue I written it for menne and consequently as a man I may haue erred for there is not at this daye so persite a painter but another will presume to amende his worke Those which diligētly wil endeuour themselues to reade this booke shall find in it very profitable counsailes very liuely lawes good reasons notable sayinges sentences very profound worthy examples histories very ancient For to say the trueth I had a respect in that the doctrine was auncient the stile new And albeit your maiesty be the greatest Prince of all Princes and I the least of all your subiectes you ought not for my base condicion to disdayne to cast your eyes vppon this booke nor to thinke scorne to put that thing in proofe which semeth good For a good letter ought to be nothing the lesse estemed although it be written with an euill penne I haue sayde and will say that Princes and greate Lordes the stouter the richer and the greater of renoume they be the greater nede they haue of all men of good knowledge about them to coūseil them in their affaires and of good bookes which they maye reade and this they ought to do aswel in prosperitie as in aduersitie to the end that their affaires in time conueniente may be debated and redressed For otherwise they shoulde haue time to repent but no leasure to amende Plinie Marcus Varro Strabo and Macrobius which were historiographers no lesse graue than true were at greate controuersie in prouinge what thinges were most autentike in a common weale and at what time they were of all menne accepted Seneca in a pistle he wrote to Lucillus praysed without cessing the common wealth of the Rhodiens in the which with much a doe they bent them selues altogether to kepe one selfe thinge and after they had therupon agréed they kept and mainteyned it inuiolately The diuine Plato in the sixte booke entituled De legibus ordeyned and commaunded that if any citizen did inuente any new thing which neuer before was reade nor harde of the inuentour thereof should first practise the same for the space of .10 yeares in his owne house before it was brought into the common wealth and before it shold be published vnto the people to th ende if the inuencion were good it should be profitable vnto him and if it were noughte that than the daunger and hurte therof should lighte onely on him Plutarche in his Apothemes saith that Licurgus vpō greauous penalties did prohibite that none should be so hardye in his common wealthe to goe wanderinge into straunge countreys nor that he shoulde be so hardy to admit any straungers to come into his house and the cause why this lawe was made was to th ende straungers shoulde not bringe into their houses thinges straunge and not accustomed in their common wealthe and that they trauailing through straunge contreis shoulde not learne newe customes The presumption of menne now a dayes is so great and the consideracion of the people so small that what so euer a man can speake he speaketh what so euer he can inuente he doth inuente what he would he doth write and it is no marueill for there is no man that will speake againste them Nor the common people in this case are so lighte that amonges them you may dayly sée new deuises and whether it hurt or profit the common wealth they force not If there came at this day a vayne man amonges the people which was neuer sene nor hearde of before if he be any thing subtile I aske you but this question shal it not be easy for him to speake and inuente what he listeth to set forth what he pleaseth to perswade that which to him séemeth good and al his saienges to be beleued Truly it is a wonderfull thinge and no lesse sclaunderous that one shoulde be sufficient to peruerte the sences and iudgementes of all and all not able to represse the lightnes and vanitie of one Things that are newe and not accustomed neither princes ought to allowe nor yet the people to vse For a newe thinge oughte no lesse to be examined and considered before it be brought into the common wealth than the greate doutes whiche aryse in mennes myndes Rufinus in the prologue of his seconde booke of his apologie reproueth greately the Egyptians because they
the yle of Scicili haue caried a great quantitie of corne into Spaine and into Affrike the which thing was forbidden by a Romayne lawe and therefore they haue deserued greuous puniâ—â—ement Nowe because thou arte vertuous thou mayst teache me to do wel and I that am olde wil teach the to say wel this is because that amongest wyse and vertuous men it is enoughe to saye that the lawe commaundeth appointeth and suffereth this thing but in as much as it is agreing with reason For the crowne of the good is reason and the scourge of the wicked is the lawe The fourth thing that commonly through the worlde amongest all men was accepted was the barbars And let no man take this thing in mockery For if they doe reade Plinie in the .59 chapiter the seuenth booke they shal finde for a truth that the Romaines wer in Rome .454 yeres without pouling or shauing the hayres of the beard of any man Marcus Varro said that Publius Ticinius was the firste that brought the barbers from Scicili to Rome But admitte it were so or otherwise yet notwithstandinge there was a greate contention amonge the Romaynes For they sayde they thought it a rashe thinge for a man to committe his life to the courtesie of another Dionisius the Siracusan neuer trusted his beard with any barbor but whaÌ„ his doughters were very little they clipped his beard with sisers but after they became great he woulde not put his trust in them to trimme his bearde but he him selfe did burne it with the shales of nuttes This Dionisius Siracusan was demanded why he would not trust any barbours with his beard He answered because I know that ther be some which wil geue more to the barbor to take away my life than I wil giue to trimme my beard Plinie in the seuenth booke saith that the great Scipio called African and the Emperour Augustus wer the first that caused them in Rome to shaue their beards And I thinke thend why Plinie spake these things was to exalte these twoo princes which had as greate courage to suffer the raysours touche their throtes as th one for to fight against Hannibal in Afrike and thother against Sextus Pompeius in Scicili The fifte thing which coÌ„monly through the world was accepted were the dialles and clockes which the Romaines wanted a long tyme. For as Plinie and Marcus Varro say the Romaines were without clockes in Rome for the space of .595 yeres The curious hystoriographers declare thre maner of dialles that were in olde time that is to say dialles of the houres dialles of the sonne and dialls of the water The dialle of the son Aneximenides Millesius inuented who was great Animandras scholer The dialle of the water Scipio Nasica inuented and the Diall of houres one of the scholers of Thales the Phylosopher inuented Of all these antiquities whyche were brought into Rome none of them were so acceptable to the Romaines as the dialles were wherby they measured the daye by the houre For before they could not saye we wil ryse at .vii. of the clocke we will dine at .x. we will see one thother at .xii. at .i. we will doe that we oughte to doe But before they sayde after the sonne is vp we wil doe such a thinge and before it goe downe we wyll doe that we ought to doe Thoccasion of declaryng vnto you these .v. antiquities in this preamble was to no other intente but to call my booke the Dial of Prynces The name of the booke veing newe as it is maye make the learning that is therein greatly to be estemed God forbyd that I should be so bolde to saye they haue ben so longe time in Spayne without dialles of learning as they were in Rome without the diall of the sonne the water and of the houres For that in Spayne haue ben alwayes men well learned in sciences and very expert in the warres By great reason and of greater occasion the Princes oughte to be commended the knyghtes the people their wittes and the fertilitye of their countrey but yet to all these goodnes I haue sene manye vnlearned bookes in spayne which as broken dialles deserue to be cast into the fier to be forged anew I do not speake it without a cause that manye bookes deserue to be broken and burnte For there are so many that without shame and honestie doe set forthe bookes of loue of the worlde at this daye as boldely as if they taught theim to dispise and speake euil of the world It is pitye to see how many dayes and nightes be consumed in readyng vayne bookes that is to say as Orson and Valentine the Courte of Venus the .iiii. sonnes of Amon and diuerse other vaine bokes by whose doctrine I dare boldlye say they passe not the tyme but in perdicion for they learne not how they oughte to flye vice but rather what way they may with more pleasour embrace it This dial of princes is not of sande nor of the sonne nor of the houres nor of the water but it is the dial of lyfe For that other dialles serue to know what houre it is in the nyghte and what houre it is of the day but this sheweth and teacheth vs how we ought to occupye our mindes and how to order our lyfe The propertye of other dyalles is to order thinges publyke but the nature of this dyal of prynces is to teache vs how to occupye our selues euery houre and how to amende our lyfe euery momente It lytle auayleth to keape the dyalles well and to see thy subiectes dissolutely without any order to range in routes and dayly rayse debate and contention amonge them selues Jn this Prologue the Aucthour speaketh particularlye of the booke called Marcus Aurelius which he translated and dedicated to the Emperour Charles the fyfte THe greatest vanitye that I find in the world is that vayne men are not only conteÌ„t to be vaine in their life but also procure to leue a memory of their vanity after their death For it is so thought good vnto vaine and light men whyche serue the worlde in vaine workes that at the houre of death when they perceyue they can do no more that they can no lenger preuaile they offer them selues vnto death which now they see approche vpon them Manye of the world are so fleshed in the world that although it forsaketh them in déedes yet they wyl not forsake it in theyr desires And I durst sweare that if the world could graunt them perpetual life they woulde promyse it alwayes to remaine in their customable follye O what a nomber of vaine men are aliue whiche haue neither remembraunce of god to serue him nor of his glorye to obey him nor of their conscience to make it cleane but like brute beasts folow and ronne after their voluptuous pleasours The brute beast is angrye if a man kepe him to much in awe if he be wery he taketh his rest he slepeth when he lysteth he eateth and
drinketh when he commeth vnto it and vnles he be compelled he doth nothing he taketh no care for the common welth for he neither knoweth how to folow reason nor yet how to resist sensualitie Therfore if a man at al times should eate when he desireth reuenge himselfe when he is moued commit adultrie when he is tempted drinke when he is thristie and slepe when he is drousey we might more properly cal such a one a beaste nourished in the mountaines than a man brought vp in the common wealth For him properly we maye cal a man that gouerneth him self like a man that is to say conformable vnto such things as reason willeth and not wher sensuality leadeth Let vs leaue these vaine men whyche are aliue and talke of them that be dead against whom we dare say that whyles they were in the world they folowed the world liued according to the same It is not to be marueiled at that sins they were lyuing in the worlde they were noted of some worldlye point But seing their vnhappy and wicked life is ended why wil they then smel of the vanities of the world in their graues It is a great shame and dishonor for men of noble stout harts to se in one minut thend of our life and neuer to see the end of our folye We neither read heare nor se any thing more common then suche men as be most vnprofitable in the comon wealth and of life most reprobate to take vpon them most honour whiles they liue and to leaue behind them the greatest memorye at their death What vanity can be greater in the world then to esteme the world whych estemeth no man and to make no compt of god who so greatly regardeth al men what a greater foly can ther be in man then by muche trauaile to encrease his goodes and with vaine pleasours to lose his soule It is an olde plague in mannes nature that many or the most parte of menne leaue the amendment of their life farre behind to set their honor the more before Suetonius Tranquillus in the first booke of the Emperours sayth that Iulius Cesar no further thenne in Spaine in the Citye of Cales nowe called Calis sawe in the temple the triumphes of Alexander the great paynted the whyche when he hadde wel vewed he sighed marueilous soore and beinge asked why he dyd so he aunswered What a wofull case am I in that am now of thage of .30 yeres and Alexander at the same yeres had subdued the whole worlde and rested him in Babilon And I being as I am a Romaine neuer dyd yet thyng woorthy of prayse in my lyfe nor shal leaue any renoume of me after my death Dion the Grecian in the second boke de Audacia saythe that the noble Drusius the Almayne vsed to visite the graues and tombes of the famous and renowmed which were buried in Italy and did this alwaies especially at his going to warfare and it was asked him why he did so he aunswered I vysite the sepulchers of Scipio and of diuers others which are dead before whom al the earth trembled when they were alyue For in beholdyng their prosperous successe I dyd recouer both strength and stoutnes He sayth furthermore that it encourageth a man to fight against hys enemies remembring he shal leaue of him a memory in time to come Cicero sayth in his Rhethorike and also Plynie maketh mencion of the same in an epistle that there came from Thebes in Egipt a knight to Rome for no other purpose but onelye to see whether it were true or no that was reported of the notable thinges of Rome Whom Mecenas demaunded what he perceyued of the Romaynes and what he thought of Rome He aunswered the memorye of the absente dooth more content me then the glory of the present doth satisfye me And the reason of this is The desire which men haue to extol the lyuing and to be equal vnto the dead maketh thinges so straunge in their lyfe that they deserue immortal fame after their death The Romaynes reioysed not a litle to heare such wordes of a straungers mouth wherby he praysed them whych were departed and exalted them that yet lyued O what a thing it is to consider the auncient heathens whych neyther feared hel not hoped for heauen yet by remembraunce of weakenes they toke vnto them strength ▪ by cowardnes they were boldened through feare they became hardy of daungers they toke encouragement of enemies they made frendes of pouertye they toke pacience of malyce they learned experience finally I say they denied their owne willes folowed thopinions of others only to leaue behind them a memory with the dead and to haue a lytle honor with the lyuing O how many are they that trust the vnconstauntnes of fortune only to leaue some notable memorye behind them Let vs cal to mynd some worthy examples wherby they may se that to be true which I haue spoken What made king Ninus to inuent such warres Quene Semiramis to make such buildings Vlisses the Grecian to sulke so many seas king Alexander to conquere so many landes Hercules the Thebane to set vp his pillers where he did Caius Cesar the Romayne to giue .52 battailes at his pleasure Cirus king of Persia to ouercome both the Asiaes Hannibal the Carthagian to make so cruel warres against the Romaines Pirrhus king of Epirotes to come downe into Italy Atila king of the Huns to defye al Europe truly they woulde not haue taken vppon them such daungerous enterprises only vppon the words of theym whych were in those dayes present but because we should so esteme them that should come after Seing then that we be men and the chyldren of men it is not a lytle to bee marueiled at to see the diuersity betwene the one and the other and what cowardnes ther is in the harts of some and contrarywise what courage in the stomakes of others For we se commonly now a daies that if there be 10. of stout courages whych are desirous with honour to dye there are 10. thousand cowards whiche throughe shamefull pleasurs seke to prolong their life The man that is ambitious thinketh him most happy who with much estimacion can kepe his renowme and with litle care regarde his lyfe And on the other side he that wil set by his lyfe shal haue but in small estimacion his renowme The Sirians the Assirians the Thebanes the Caldes the Grekes the Macedonians the Rodians the Romaines the Huns the Germaines and the Frenchmen if such noble men as among these were most famous had not aduentured their lyues by such daūgerous enterprises they had neuer got such immortal fame as they had don to leaue to their prosperity Sextus Cheronensis in his third boke of the valiaunt deedes of the Romaines saith that the famous captaine Marcus Marcellus which was the first of al men that sawe the backe of Hannibal in the fielde was demaunded of one how he durst enter into
battaile with such a renoumed captaine as Hannibal was to whom he aunswered frend I am a Romaine borne a captaine of Rome and I must daylye put my lyfe in hazard for my countries sake for so I shal make perpetual my renoume He was demaunded againe why he stroke his enemyes with such fiersenes why he did so pitefully lament those which were ouercome after the vyctory gotten in battaile he aunswered the captaine which is a Romaine and is not iudged to be a tiraunt ought with his owne hand to shed the bloud of his enemyes and also to shed the teares of his eyes A captayne Romaine ought more to aduaunce him of his clemencie then of hys bluddie victory And Marcus Marcellus sayth further when a Romaine captaine shal be in the field he hath an eye to his enemyes with hope to vanquishe them but afterl they be vanquisshed he ought to remember they are men and that he might haue bene ouercome For fortune shewith herselfe in nothinge so common as in the successes of warre Certes these were words wel beseming such a man and surely we may boldlye say that al those which shal heare or read such thinges wil commend the words which that Romaine spake but few are they that in dede would haue done the feates that he did For there be many that are ready to praise in their words that which is good but ther are few that in their workes desire to folow the same Such harts are vnquiet much altered by sight and enuie that they bare towards their auncients which through manfulnes atayned vnto great tryumphes and glory let them remember what daungers and trauailes they passed through before they came thereto For there was neuer Captaine that euer triumphed in Rome vnlesse he had first aduentured his life a thousand times in the feld I thinke I am not deceyued in this that I wil say That is to wete al are desirous to tast of the marye of fame presente but none wil breake the bone for feare of peril ensuing Yf honour cold be bought with desire onely I dare boldly say it would be more estemed in these dayes of the poore page then it was in times past of the valyaunt Romaine Scipio For ther is not at this day so poore a man but would desire honour aboue al thinges What a doleful case is this to se many gentlemen and yong knights becom euyl disposed vacabondes and loyterers the whych hearyng tel of any famous battaile fought and that many of their estate and profession haue done valiaunt feates in the same immediately therwith be stirred and set on fire through enuies heate so that in the same furye they chaunge their robes into armour and wyth al spede prepare them selues to warre to exercyse the feates of armes And finally like yong men without experience make importunate sute and obtaine licence and money of their frends to go vnto the warres But after they are ons out of their countrey and see them selues in a straunge place their dayes euyl and their nightes worse at one tyme they are commaunded to skirmish and at an other time to watch when they haue vittailes they want lodging when the pay day cometh that pay the next also is eatē and spent With these other like troubles discommodityes the poore yong men are so astonyed especially when they cal to mind the goodly wide haules so wel hanged trymmed wherin they greatly delighted to passe the time in sommer season When they remember their greate chimneis at home whereby they comforted their olde limmes and how they vsed to sit quietly vpon the sonny bankes in winter For the remembrauncr of the pleasour past greatly augmenteth the paines present Notwithstanding their parents and frends had admonished them hereof before And now being beaten with their owne folye feling these discommodities which they thought not of before they determyne to forsake the warres eche one to retourne home to his owne againe But wher as they asked licence but ons to go forth now they were enforced to aske it .10 times before they could come home And the worst is they went forth loden with money and retourne home loden with vyces But the end why these thinges are spoken is that sage and vertuous men shold marke by what trade the euil disposed seke to gaine which is not gotten by gasing at the windowes but by keping the frountiers against their enemies not with playeng at tables in the tauernes but with fighting in the fields not trimmed with cloth of gold or silkes but loden with armoure weapons not praunsing their palfreis but discouering the ambushmentes not sleaping vntill none but watching al night not by auauncing him of his apparaile and handsomnes but for his stout couragiousnes not banketing his frends but assaulting his enemies though a knight do these things yet he ought to consider that it is vanitye and folishnes But seing the world hath placed honour in such a vaine thyng that they can attaine vnto it by none other way the yong aduenturous gentlmen ought to employe therunto their strength with stout courage to atchieue to some great actes worthy of renowne For in the end when the warre is iustly begonne and that in defence of their countrey they ought to reioyce more of him that dieth in the hands of his enemies thē of him which liueth accompanied with vices It is a great shame and dishonour to men of armes yong gentlemen being at home to heare the prayse of them whych be in the warres for the yong gentlemen ought not to thinke it honour for hym to heare or declare the newes of others but that others shuld declare the vertuous dedes of him O how many are they in the world this day puffed vp with pride not very wise which stil prate of great renowne yet passe their life with smal honesty For our predecessours foughte in the field with their launces but yong men now a dayes fight at the table with their tongues Admit that al vaine men desire procure to leaue a memory of their vanity yet they ought to enterpryse such thyngs in their life wherby they might winne a famous renowne not a perpetual shame after their death For ther are many departed which haue left such memory of their works as moueth vs rather to pitie their folye than to enuy their vertue I aske those that read or heare this thynge if they wil be in loue wyth Nembroth the first tiraunt with Semiramis which sinned with her owne son with Antenor that betrayed Troy his countrey with Medea that slew her children with Tarquine that enforced Lucretia with Brutus that slew Cesar wyth Silla that shed so much bloud with Catilina that played the tiraunt in his countrey with Iugurtha that strangled his bretherne with Caligula that comitted incest with his sisters with Nero that killed his mother wyth Heliogabalus that robbed the temples with Domitian that
abstinence from meates when I desired to eate what watching in the night whan I would haue slept what cares I haue suffred in steed of rest that I might haue enioyed let other proue if me they wyl not credite The intencion of my painful trauailes I offer to the deuine maiestie vpon my knees to youre highnesse noble prince I presente thys my worke and humbly beseche god that the doctrine of this booke may be as profitable vnto you and the common wealth in your lyfe as it hath ben to me tedious hinderaunce to my health I haue thought it good to offer to your maiestye the effect of my laboures thoughe you peraduenture wyl lytle regard my paines for the requyting of my trauayle and reward of my good wyl I requyre nought els of your highnes but that the rudenesse of my vnderstanding the basenes of my stile the smalnes of my eloquence the euil order of my sentences the vanitie of my words be no occasion why so excellent and goodly a worke shold be lytle regarded For it is not reason that a good horse should be the lesse estemed for that the ryder knoweth not how to make hym ronne hys carrier I haue done what I could doe doe you now that you ought to doe in gyuynge to this present worke grauytye and to me the interpretor thereof aucthority I saye no more but humbly besech god to mayntayne your estimacion and power in earth and that you maye afterwarde enioye the fruicion of hys deuyne presence in heauen The Argumente of the booke called the Diall of Princes VVherein the aucthour declareth hys intencion and maner of proceadinge ARchimenedes the great and famous philosopher to whom Marcus Marcellus for his knowledge sake graunted life and after vsing Nygromancie deserued death being demaunded what time was sayd that time was the inuentor of al noueltyes and a Regestre certaine of antiquities whiche seeth of it selfe the beginning the middest and the ending of al things And finally time is he that endeth al. No man can deny but the diffinition of thys Philosopher is true for if tyme could speake he would certifye vs of sundry things wherin we doubt and declare them as a witnes of sight Admyt al things perishe and haue an ende yet one thing is exempted and neuer hath end which is truth that amongest al things is priuileged in such wise that she triumpheth of time and not tyme of her For accordyng to the dyuine sayeng it shal be more easy to se heauen and earth to fal then once truth to perish There is nothing so entyer but may be diminished nothynge so healthful but may be diseased nothing so strong but may be broken neyther any thing so wel kept but may be corrupted And finally I say there is nothing but by time is ruled and gouerned saue only truth which is subiect to none The fruits of the spring time haue no force to giue sustenaunce nor perfait swetenes to giue any sauour but after that the sommer is past and haruest commeth they rype and then all that we eate nourisheth more and gyueth a better tast I meane by this when the world beganne to haue wyse men the more Philosophers were estemed for their good maners the more they deserued to be reproued for their euyl vnderstandyng Plato in his second booke of the comon wealthe sayd that the auncient Phylosophers aswell Grekes as Egiptians Caldees which firste beganne to beholde the starres of heauen and ascended to the toppe of the mount Olimpus to vew the influences and mocions of the planets on the earthe deserued rather pardon of their ignoraunce then prayse for their knowledge Plato sayde further that the Phylosophers which were before vs were the first that gaue themselues to searche out the truth of the Elements in the heauen and the first whych sowed errors in things natural of the earth Homere in his Iliade agreyng wyth Plato saith I condemne al that the auncient Phylosophers knew but I greatly commend theym for that they desired to know Certes Homere sayd wel and Plato sayd not amysse for if amongest the first Philosophers this ignoraunce had not raygned there had not bene such contrary sectes in euery schoole He that hath redde not the bookes which are lost but the opinions whych the auncient phylosophers had wyl graunt me thoughe the knowledge were one yet their sectes were dyuers that is to say Cinici Stoici Academici Platonici and Epicurei whych were as variable the one from the other in their opinions as they were repugnaunt in their condicions I wyll not neyther reason requireth that my penne should be so much dysmesured as to reproue those whyche are dead for to gyue the glory al onely to them that are alyue for the one of them knew not al neyther were the other ignoraunt of all Yf he deserueth thankes that sheweth me the way whereby I ought to go no lesse then meriteth he whiche warneth me of the place wherin we may erre The ignoraunce of our forefathers was but a gyde to kepe vs from â—rryng for the errour of them shewed vs the truth to theyr much prayse and to our great shame Therfore I dare boldly say if we that are now had bene then we had knowen lesse then they knew And if those were nowe whych were then they would haue knowen more then we know And that this is true it appeareth wel for that the auncyent phylosophers through the great desyre they had to know the trouth of small and bypathes haue made brode and large wayes the whych we now wil not sée nor yet walke therin Wherfore we haue not so muche cause to bewayle their ignoraunce as they had reason to complayne of our negligence For truth whych is as Aulus Gelius saith the doughter of time hath reueled vnto vs the errours which we ought to eschew and the true doctrine which we ought to folow What is ther to se but hath bene sene what to dyscouer but hath ben discouered what is there to reade but hath bene red what to write but hath bene writen what is ther to know but hath ben knowen now a dayes humaine malice is so expert men so we â—able and our wittes so subtyl that we want nothyng to vnderstand neither good nor euyl And we vndoe our selues by sekyng that vayne knowledge which is not necessary for our life No man vnder the pretence of ignoraunce can excuse his fault since al men know al men reade and al men learne the whych is euident in this case as it shal appeare Suppose the ploughe man and the learned man do go to the law and you shall perceyue the labourer vnder that simple garment to forge to his councellour halfe a dosen of malicious trickes to delude his aduersary as fynely as the other that is leerned shal be able to expound 2. or 3. chapters of this booke If men would employ their knowledge to honesty wisedome pacience and mercy it were wel but
or to say better so enuyous that when the aucthour laboreth in his study they playe in the streates when he waketh they slepe When he fasteth they eate when he sitteth turninge the leaues of the booke they go huntyng after vices abrode yet for al that they wyl presume to iudge depraue and condeme an other mans doctrine as if they had the aucthoritye that Plato had in grece or the eloquence that Cicero had in Rome When I find a man in the latyn tongue well sene his vulgar tongue wel polished in histories wel grounded in Greke letters very expert and desirous to spend his tyme wyth good bookes this so heroical and noble a parsonage I would desire him to put my doctrine vnder his fete For it is no shame for a vertuous and wise man to be corrected of an other wyse man Yet I would gladly know what pacience can suffer or hart dissemble when two or thre be assembled togithers at meate and after at the table or otherwyse one of them taketh a booke at aduenture in his handes against the whiche another will say it is to longe and another wyll saye it speaketh not to the purpose another it is obscure and another the wordes are not well couched another wyll say all that that is spoken is fained one will say he speaketh nothing of profite another he is to curious and the other he is to malicious So that in speaking thus the doctrine remaineth suspicious and the authour scapeth not scotte fre Suppose them to be therfore suche that speake it as I haue spoken of that at the table doe finde suche faultes suer they deserue pardon for they speake not according to the bookes whiche they haue redde but accordâ—nge to the cuppes of wyne whiche they haue drunke For he that taketh not that in geste whiche is spoken at the table knoweth not what gesting meaneth It is an olde custome to murmure at vertuous dedes and into this rule entreth not onely those that make them but also those whiche wryt them afterwardes Which thing semeth to be true for that Socrates was reproued of Plato â–ª Plato of Aristotle Aristotle of Auerois Sicilius of Vulpitius Lelius of Varro Marinus of Ptolomens Ennius of Horace Seneca of Aulus Gellius Crastonestes of Strabo Thessale of Gallian Hermagoras of Cicero Cicero of Salust Origines of saint Hierome Hierome of Rufinus Rufinus of Donatus Donatus of Prosper and Prosper of Lupus Then sithe that in these men and in their workes hath bene suche neade of correction whiche were men of great knowledge and Lanternes of the worlde it is no maruayle at all that I haue suche fortune since I knowe so litle as I doe He may worthely be counted vaine and light whiche at the first sight as for onely once reading wil rashely iudge that whiche a wyse man with muche diligence and studie hath wrytten The authours and wryters are ofttimes reproued not of them whiche can translate and compile workes but of those whiche can not reade and yet lesse vnderstande them to thintent simple folkes shold count them wise take their partes in condemning this worke and esteme him for a great wyse man I take God to witnes who can iudge whether my intention were good or ill to compile this worke and also I say this my doctrine at the feete of wyse and vertuous men to the ende they may be protectours defendours of the same For I truste in God though some would come to blame as dyuers doe the simple wordes whiche I spake yet others would not faile to relate the good intention that I ment And to declare further I say that diuers haue wrytten of the tyme of the said Marcus Aurelius as Herodian wrote litle Eutropius lesse Lampridius not so much and Iulius capitolinus somewhat more Likewyse ye ought to know that the maisters whiche taught Marcus Aurelius sciences were Iunius Rusticus Cinna Catullus Sextus Cheronensis whiche was nephewe to the great Plutarque These three were those that principally as witnesses of sight wrate the most parte of his life and doctrine Many may marueile to heare tell of the doctrine of Marcus Aurelius saying it hath ben kept hid and secret a great whyle and that of myne owne head I haue inuented it And that there neuer was any Marcus Aurelius in the worlde I know not what to saye nowe vnto them for it is euident to all those whiche haue red any thyng that Marcus Aurelius was husbande to Faustine father to Comodus brother to Annius Verus and sonne in lawe to Antonius Pius the seuenth of Rome Emperour Those which say I onely haue made this doctrine truly I thanke them for so saying but not for their so meaning For truly the Romaines would haue set my Image in Rome for perpetuall renowne if so graue sentences should haue proceaded from my head We see that in our tyme which was neuer sene before and heare that we neuer heard before We practise not in a newe worlde and yet we marueyle that there is at this present a newe booke Not for that I was curious to discouer Marcus Aurelius or studious to translate him For truly it is worthy he be noted of wyse personnes and not accused of equious tongues For it chaunceth oftentimes in hunting that the moste simplest man killeth the deare The last thing which the Romaines conquered in Spaine was Cantabria whiche was a citie in Nauarra ouer against Lagrogne and situated in a highe countrey where there is nowe a vaine of vynes And the Emperour Augustus whiche destroyed it made tenne bookes De bello Cantabrico where are thinges worthy of notinge and no lesse pleasaunt in reading which happened vnto him in the same conquest As Marcus Aurelius was brought me from Florence so was this other booke of the warres of Cantabrie brought me from Colleine If perhappes I tooke paynes to translate this booke as fewe haue done whyche haue sene it they woulde speake the lyke of it that they dyd of Marcus Aurelius Bycause menne are so long in speakyng and so briefe in studienge that without anye let or shame they will a vowe no booke to be in the worlde this daye but that they haue redde or seen it I haue as muche profited in this writynge whyche is humaine as other doctours haue done in matters whyche are deuine It is not translated worde for worde but sentence for sentence For we other interpreters are not bounde to gyue wordes by measure but it suffiseth vs to gyue sentencis by wayghte I began to studye this woorke in the yeare a thousande fiue hundred and eyghtene and vntill the yeare a thousande fiue hundred twentie and foure I coulde neyther vnderstand nor knowe wherein I was occupied and albeit I kept it secreat .vi. yeres yet it was knowen abroade whervpon the Emperour his maiestie being with the feauer diseased sent to me for it to passe the tyme away And I according to his commaundement shewed him Marcus Aurelius that
throughe thys wicked vice Chap. xiii That it is not fit for courtiers to bée to couetous if they meane to keape themselues out of many troubles and daungers Chap. xiiii That the fauoured of the courte shoulde not trust to muche to their fauour and credit they haue nor to the great prosperity of their lyfe a worthy chapter and ful of good doctryne Chap. xv The auctor admonysheth those that are in fauour and great with the prince that they take hede of the deceipts of the world and learne to liue and dye honourably and that they leaue the court before age ouertake them Chapter xvi Of the continencie of fauoured courtiers and how they ought to shonne the company and conuersacion of vnhonest women to be careful quickly to dispatch al suche as sue vnto them Chap. xvii That the nobles and beloued of princes excede not in superfluous fare that they be not to sumptuous in their meates A notable chapter for those that vse to much delicacye and superfluity Chap. xviii That the fauoured of princes ought not to be dishonest of their tongues nor enuious of their words Chap. xix A comendacion of trouth which professed courtiers ought to imbrace and in no respect to be found defectiue in the contrarye tellynge one thinge for another Chap xx The end of the table of the fourth Booke Heare beginneth the table of the letters translated out of Spanishe vvhich vvere not in the Frenche Copye OF a huge monster whych was sene in Scicilli in the tyme of Marcus Aurelius Chap. i. Of that whych chaunced vnto a neighboure of hys in Rome in the tyme of his Empyre Chap. ii How Marcus Aurelius the Emperoure soughte the wealth of hys people and how hys people loued hym Chap. iii. How at the intercession of many which the Empresse hadde sent the Emperoure graunted hys doughter Lucilla lycence to sport her selfe at the feastes Chap. iiii Of the sharpe woordes whyche Marcus Aurelius spake to hys wyfe and too hys doughter Chap. v. The Emperour exhorteth hys wyfe to take awaye all occasions of euil from her doughter wher in is declared the frailetye of the tender fleshe Chap. vi Of the wysedom of Marcus Aurelius in procuryng husbandes for his doughters Chap. vii Of a letter whych the Emperour Marcus Aurelius sent to hys especial frend to comfort hym in his troubles Chap. viii A letter sent by the Emperour Marcus Aurelius to Censorius that was so sorowful for the death of his sonne worthy to be red and noted Chap. ix A letter sent by Marcus Aurelius Emperour to Censorius of the newes whych at that tyme were at Rome Chap. x. Of a sharpe letter full of reprehensions sent by the Emperour Marcus Aurelius to the amourous ladyes of Rome because in his absence they deuised a playe of hym Cap. xi Of a letter which he sente to his louer Bohemia for that she desired so earnestlye to go wyth hym to the warres wherein is to be noted the great folly of yong men the lytle shame of euyl women Cap. xii The aunswere of Bohemia to the Emperour Marcus Aurelius wherin is expressed the great malyce and litle pacience of an euyl woman Chap. xiii Of a letter whych the Emperour Marcus Aurelius sent to the lady Macrine the Romayne of whom beholdyng her at the window he became enamoured which declareth what force the beauty of a fayre woman hath in a weake man Chap. xiiii Of an other letter whyche the Emperour sent to the lady Macrine wherein he expresseth the firie flames which consume sonest the gentle harts Chap. xv Of a letter which the Emperour Marcus Aurelius sent to the beautiful ladye of Lybia wherin he reproueth that loue is natural and that the most part of the philosophers and men haue bene by loue ouercome Chap. xvi The ende of the table The first booke of the Diall of princes vvith the famous Booke of Marcus Aurelius wherein be entreateth what excellencie is in the prince that is a good Christian and contrariwyse what euils do folowe him that is a cruell tyrante ¶ Where the Authour speaketh of the birth and lynage of the wyse Philosopher and Emperour Marcus Aurelius And he putteth also at the beginning of this Booke thrée Chapters wherin he entreateth of the discourse of his life for by his Epistles and doctrine the whole of this presente woorke is proued Cap. i. AFter the death of the Emperoure Antonius Pius in the 695. yeares from the foundation of Rome and in the 173. Olimpiade Fuluius Cato Gneus Patroclus then being consulles the fourth daie of October in the highe Capitoll of Rome at sute of the whole Romaine people with thassent of the sacred Senate Marcus Aurelius Antonius was proclaymed Emperoure vniuersall of the whole Romaine monarche This noble prince was naturally of Rome borne in the mount Celio on the sixt daye before the Kalendes of May which after the Latines accounte is the .xxvi. day of April His Graundefather was called Annius Verus and was chosene senatoure in the tyme of the Emperours Titus and Vespasian hys greate graunde fathere was named Annius Verus whiche was borne in Spayne in the free towne of Gububa whenne the warres were moste cruel betwene Caesar and Pompeius at what time many Spanyardes fled to Rome and manye Romaynes ranne into Spayne By this meanes this Emperour had a greate graundfather a Romayne and a greate graundmother a Spanyard Hys father was named Annius Verus after his grandfather and great grandfather by reason wherof the auncient historiographers call him Marcus Antonius Verus And true it is that the Emperour Adrian called him Marcus Verissimus for that he neuer forged lie nor swarued at anye tyme from the trueth These Annij Veri wer a kinred in Rome as Iulius Capitolinus reporteth which vaunted themselues to come of Numa Pompilius and Quintus Curtius the famous Romaine which to worke the Romaine people safetie and his owne person euerlasting memorie willingly threw him selfe into the lake which afterwards was called Curtius That as then was sene in Rome This Emperours mother was called Domitia Camilla as recounteth Cinna in the bookes that he wrote of Romain pedigrees That stocke of Camilli was in those dayes highly honoured in Rome for that they conueighed their dissent from that Camillus whych was the renowmed and valiaunt Romain captayne who deliuered Rome when the Gavvles had taken it and besieged the Capitoll The men that sprange of this linage bare the name of Camilli for remēbrance of this Camillus And the woman that came of the same stocke kepte the name of Camille in memorie of a doughter of the sayde Camillus Thys Camilla refused mariage and chose to liue amonge the vessall virgines and ther longe space remayned enduring a sharpe and hard lyfe And she was so vertuous a Romayne and precise in her life that in the time of Seuerus Emperour of Rome her tombe was honoured as a relique whereon was engraued this Epitaphe Camilla lo doth
Annius Verus my father in thys case deserueth as much prayse as I doe reproche For whiles I was yonge he neuer suffered me to slepe in bed to syt in chayre to eate with him at hys table neyther durst I lyfte vp mine eyes to loke hym in the face And oftentymes he sayde vnto me Marcus my sonne I had rather thou shoudest be an honest Romayne than a dissolute Philosopher Thou desyrest me to wryte vnto the how manye masters I had and what scyences I learned in my youth Knowe thou that I had manye good masters though I am become an euyll scoller I learned also dyuerse scyences though presently I knowe lyttle not for that I forgote them but because the affayres of the empyre of Rome excluded me from them and caused me to forsake them For it is a general rule that science in that place is neuer permanent where the personne is not at libertie I studyed grammer with a mayster called Euphermon who sayed he was a Spaniard borne and his head was hore for age In speache he was very temperate in correction somwhat seuere and in life exceadyng honeste For there was a law in Rome that the childrens masters should be very old so that if the disciple were .10 yeres of age the master should be aboue fiftie I studied a long time Rethorick and the lawe vnder a greeke called Alexander borne in Lycaony which was so excellent an Oratour that if he had had as great a grace in writing with his pen as he hadde eloquence in speakynge with hys tong truly he had bene no lesse renowmed among the Gretians then Cicero was honored amonge the Romains After the death of this my master at Naples I went to Rhodes and hearde rethoricke again of Orosus of Pharanton and of Pulio whiche trulye were men expert and excellent in the arte of oratorie and especially in makyng comedies tragedies and enterludes they were very fyne and had a goodly grace Commodus Calcedon was my firste master in naturall Philosophie He was a graue man and in greate credite with Adrian he translated Homere out of greeke into latin After this man was dead I toke Sextus CheroneÌ„sis for my master who was nephewe to Plutarche the greate whych Plutarche was Traianus master I knewe this Sextus Cheronensis at .35 yeares of age at what time I doute whether there hath bene any Philosopher that euer was so well estemed throughout the Romain empire as he I haue him here with me and although he be foure score yeres olde yet continually he writeth the Histories and gestes done of my time I let the know my frend Pulio that I studied the law .2 yeres and the seekyng of the lawes of many nacions was occasion that I knew many antiquities and in this science Volucius Mecianns was my master a man whiche could reade it well and also dispute of if better So that on a time he demaunded of me merily and sayde Tell me Marke doest thou thinke there is any lawe in the world that I know not and I aunswered him Tell me master is there any lawe in the world that thou obseruest The fyfte yere that I was at Rhodes there came a marueilous pestilence whiche was occasion of the dissolution of our scoole which was in a narowe and litle place and beynge there a certaine painter paintinge a riche and exellent worke for the Realme of Palestine I then for a truth learned there to drawe and painte and my master was Diogenetus who in those dayes was a famous painter He painted in Rome .6 worthy Princes in one table and 6. other tirannous Emperours in an other And amongest those euill Nero the cruell was painted so lyuely that he semed a lyue to all those that sawe him and that table wherein Nero was so liuelye drawen was by decrees of the sacred senat commaunded to be burnt For they saide that a man of so wycked a life deserued not to be represented in so goodly a table Others saide that it was so naturall and perfect that he made all men afrayde that beheld him and if he had bene lefte there a fewe daies that he would haue spoken as if he had bene aliue I studied the arte of Nigromancie a while with al the kyndes of gyromancye and chiromancye In this science I had no particuler master but that somtymes I went to heare Apolonius lecture After I was maried to Faustine I learned Cosmographye in the citie of Argeleta which is the chiefeste towne of Illyria and my masters were Iunius Rusticus and Cyna Catullus Croniclers and counsaylers to Adrian my master and Antonius my father in lawe And because I would not be ignorant in any of those thynges that mans debilitie myght attaine to beyng at the warres of Dalia I gaue my selfe to musicke was apte to take it and my master was named Geminus Câ—modus a man of a quicke hand to play and of as pleasaunte a voice to singe as euer I hearde Romayne tonge prompte to speake This was the order of my lyfe and the tyme that I spente in learning And of good reason a man so occupyed can not chose but be vertuous But I sware and confesse to the that I did not so much geue my selfe to studye but that euery day I lost time enoughe For youth and the tender fleshe desyreth libertie and althoughe a man accustome it with trauailes yet he findeth vacant time also for his pleasours Although al the auncient Romans were in dyuerse thinges very studious yet notwithstandinge amongest all ouer and besides these there were fyue things wherunto they had euer a great respect to those that therin offended neyther requestes auayled rewards profited nor law old nor new dispensed Truly their good willes are to be comended and their dyligence to be exalted For the princes that gouerne great Realmes ought to employe their hartes to make good lawes and to occupie their eyes to se them dulye executed throughoute the common wealthe These fiue thinges weare these 1 The firste they ordeyned that the priestes shoulde not be dishoneste For in that Realme where priestes are dyshonest it is a token that the gods against the people are angrye 2 The seconde it was not suffered in Rome that the Virginnes vestalles should at their pleasoure stray abroad For it is but reason that she whiche of her owne fre wil hath heretofore promised openly to be good should now if she chaunge her mind be compelled in secret to be chast 3 The third they decreed that the iudges should be iuste and vprighte For there is nothing that decayeth a common wealthe more then a iudge who hath not for all men one ballaunce indifferent 4 The fourth was that the Captaines that should go to the warres should not be cowardes for there is no lyke daunger to the common wealthe nor no like sclaunder to the Prince as to committe the charge of men to hym in the fielde who wylbe firste to commaunde and laste to fighte
after their death were changed into gods the wycked into deuils whych thing the Auctoure proueth by soundry examples Cap. x. ALthough the common opinion of the simple people was that ther were many gods yet not withstandinge al the Phylosophers affyrmed that ther was but one God who of some was named Iupiter the whiche was chiefe aboue al other gods Others called him the first intelligence for that he had created al the world Others called him the first cause because he was the beginner of all things It semeth that Aristotle vnderstode this thinge and was of this opinion forasmuch as he sayth in his .12 booke of his metaphisickes All superiour and inferiour thinges wold be well ordered and many thinges muche better by tharbitrement of one then by the aduice of many Marcus Varro in hys booke De theologia mistica Tullius in hys booke De natura Deorum although these were gentyles and curious enoughe of the Temples yet they do mocke the gentiles whych beleued ther were manye gods that Mars Mâ—rcury and lykewyse Iupiter the whole flocke of gods which the gentyles set vp wer al mortal men as we are But because they knew not that ther wer good nor bad angels nor knew not that ther was any paradise to reward the good nor hel to torment the euil They held thys opinion that the good men after their death wer gods and the euyl men deuils And not contented with these folysh abuses the deuil brought them into such an errour that they thought it consisted in the Senates power to make some gods and other deuils For when ther dyed at Rome any Emperour if he had bene wel willed of the Senate immediatly he was honoured for a god and if he died in dyspleasure of the Senate he was condemned for a deuyl And to the end we do not speake by fauour but by writting Herodian sayth that Faustine was the doughter of Antonius Pius wife of Marcus Aurelius which wer Emperours the one after the other And truly ther wer few eyther of their predecessours or of their successours which wer so good as they wer and in myne opinion more better therfore was she made a goddesse and her father a god An Emperour that coueteth perpetual memory must note 5. thinges which he should haue in his life That is to saye pure in lyfe vpright in iustice aduenturous in feates of armes excellent in knowledge and welbeloued in his prouinces which vertues were in these 2. excellente Emperors This Empresse Faustine was passing fayre and the wrytters praise her beauty in such sorte that they sayde it was vnpossible for her to be so beautiful but that the gods had placed som deuine thing in her Yet not with standing this added therunto it is doubtful whether the beauty of her face was more praysed then the dishonestie of her lyfe discommended For her beauty maruelously amazed those that saw her her dishonesty offended them moch that knew her Yet after the Emperour Marcus Aurèlius had triumphed ouer the Parthians as he went visitinge the prouinces of Asia the goodlye Faustine in 4. daies dyed in the mounte Taurus by occasion of a burnynge feuer and so annealed was caried to Rome And since she was the daughter of so good a father and wife of so dearely beloued an Emperour amonges the Gods she was canonyzed but consideringe her vnconstant or rather incontinent lief it was neuer thought that the Romaines would haue done her so much honor Wherfore the Emperour reioysed so much that he neuer ceased to render thankes vnto the Senate For truely the benefite ought to be acceptable to him that receiueth it especially whan it commeth vnloked for The contrary came to the death of Tiberius third Emperour of Rome which was not only killed and drawen throughe the streates by the Romans but also the priestes of all the Temples assembled together and openly prayed vnto the gods that they would not receiue him to them and prayed to the infernal furyes that greauously they would torment him sayinge it is iustly required that the Tirant which dispraiseth the life of the good in his life should haue no place amoÌ„gest the good after his death Leauing the common opinion of the rude people whiche in the olde time had no knowledge of the true god declaring the opinion of Aristole which called god the first cause the opinion of the Stoickes which called him the firste intelligeÌ„ce and the opinion of Cicero which vnder the colour of Iupiter putteth none other god but him I saye and confesse according to the religion of christian faith there is but one only God which is the creatour of heauen and earth whose excellency and puissaunt maiestie is litle to that our tong can speake For our vnderstaÌ„ding can not vnderstand nor our iudgemeÌ„t can determine neither our memory can comprehende and much lesse our tonge can declare it That which princes and other faithful ought to beleue of god is that they ought to know god to be almighty and incomparable a god immortall incorruptible immouable great omnipotent a perfite and sempiternall God for all mans power is nothing in respecte of his diuine maiesty I saye that our lord god is the onely hyghe god that if the creature hath any good it is but a meane good For a man comparing wel the good which he possesseth to the misery and calamitie whiche persecute him with out doubte the euill which foloweth him is greater then the good which accompanieth him Also our god is immortall and eternall which like as he had no beginning so shall he neuer haue ending And the contrarye is to the miserable man which if some see him borne others see him dye For the byrth of the children is but a memory of the graue to the aged Also God onely is vncorruptible the which in his beyng hath nother corruption nor diminution but al mortall men suffer corruption in their soules throughe vyce and in their bodyes through wormes for in the end no man is priuileged but that hys bodye is subiecte to corruption and hys soule to be saued or damned Also God is no chaungelyng and in this case thoughe he chaungeth his worke yet he chaungeth not his eternall counsayle But in men it is all contrarye for they oftetimes beginne their busynes with grauitye and afterward chaung theyr counseill at a better tyme and leaue it lyghtlye I haue now shewed you that God only is incomprehensible the maiestie of whom can not be attained nor his wisedome vnderstanded which thing is aboue mans intelligence For there is no man so sage nor profound but that an other in an other tyme is as sage and profound as he Also God onely is omnipotent for that he hath power not only ouer the lyuinge but also ouer the dead not onely ouer the good but also ouer the euill For the man which doth not feele his mercy to giue him glory he wil make him feele his
be estemed for it is the chiefest thinge that belongethe to Prynces that is to wete for their gentle conuersacion to be beloued and for their vprighte iustice to be feared This Emperour Iustinian had a wyfe whose name was Sophia Augusta whyche was beautifull and sage and as touchynge her person of good renowme sufficient For women must take great respect least they giue strangers occasion to speake of them but notwithstanding al these thinges thys dame was noted of couetousnes For she toyled alwayes to hourde vp monye and delighted to see and tell it but to spende or giue it was alwayes her greatest griefe For couetous parsones lytle regarde to shorten their lyfe so that they maye augment their ryches Tiberius Constantine as gouernour of the Empire seinge the Empresse Sophia Augusta ryche and desiring more the profite of the common wealthe then the enrychement of hym selfe or of any other did nothyng els but builde monasteryes repayre hospytalles marye Orphanes and redeme captyues For speakynge accordyng to the Christian lawes that that a man hath more then necessarye oughte to be employed to the vse of the poore and to workes of mercy Finally this vertuous prince did that whiche Christian Princes shoulde doe and not as tirauntes do whiche made him of great excellencye For the propertie of a tyraunte is to heape great treasours of other mens goodes and afterwarde to spend and consume them viciously but Tiberius founde them gathered together by one and he disparsed them to many Sophia Augusta seing Iustinia become a foole and not knowynge how to get more mony of the people nor how to robbe the riche and that Tiberius spente her ryches withoute compassyon partelye to satisfie her sorowfull hart partly to see if in time to com she could remedy it called one day Tiberius a part spake vnto him these wordes in secret ¶ Of the woordes the Empresse Sophia spake vnto Tiberius Constantinus then beyng gouernour of the Empyre whyche only tended to reproue hym for that he lauishely consumed the treasure of the Empire gotten by her Cap. xiiii THow remeÌ„brest wel Tiberius that though thou art now after Iustinian gouernour of the Empire yet whan thou waste in Alexandrie thou thoughtest litle to deserue it and if thou diddest thou thoughtest thou couldest not attayn vnto it For thou art a wise man the sage man according to the litle or muche which fortune giueth him doth rayne or slacke alwayes the brydell of his thoughtes Those whiche haue a vaine hope and thoroughe power onely wyll enforce fortune to be fauourable vnto them shall lyue alwayes a troublesome life For there is nothynge that shorteneth more the life of man then vayne hope and ydle thoughtes Thou beinge such a man as thou arte and so wel willed and beloued of Iustinian my husband art demaunded of the Romaine people and chosen by the Senate receiued by the souldiours and al the Empire reioyce at thy election And thou oughtest not a litle to regarde it For the willes of all doe not alwaies fauour one I let the to vnderstand Tiberius that it did not displease me thou shouldest be Emperour of Rome sith Iustinian was deposed and if I had perceyued that whiche I doe perceyue or had knowen that which I doe knowe I am certaine that I had neyther sayd with it nor againste it For we wemen are of so litle credite that it preuaileth vs more to approue the leaste of that which other saye than it doth to speake very well our selues Sith fortune hath brought the to so high estate I beseche the admonish the and aduise the that thou knowe howe to keape and gouerne thy selfe therein For to arise to honour it sufficeth the bodye to sweate water but to mainteine it it is necessary that the hart weepe bloude Thou knoweâ—t righte well that to commaunde more to doe more and to haue more then other as touching the affayres of Princes oftentimes is giuen more thoroughe worldly care then for the deserte of the personne And this God suffereth very ofte to the ende we may see those discende and fall through infamy whom we saw mounte and prosper by pryde Thou art a man and I a woman Thou hast wisedom and knowledge but I haue large and long experience and if thou knowest much I haue seene in the worlde enough but in faith for that I haue sayd I tell the that men of thy sorte are vndone in the palaice of princes by 2. waies The one if they thinke they deserue much and they can doe litle For hauty mindes brynge alwayes alteration in the harte The other is that one alone will commaund the Emperour and the empire whereunto if any man come it is by greate trauayle and he shall sustayne it with daunger and shall possesse it but a shorte time For it is impossible that to a man of muche arrogancie fortune should be to long faithful Though thou be wyse and sage I counsell the alwayes to profite with an other mans counsaile chiefely in thinges concerninge the gouernemente of the state For to know to obey and to know to commaunde differ much For to know to obey commeth by nature but to knowe to commaunde commeth by long experience Take this of me for a generall rule that wheras thou seest they praier to be acceptable neuer take vpon the commaundement for by commaundement thou shalte be feared and by prayer thou shalte be beloued Know thou Tiberius the thinges that content theÌ„ worste which ar in the court of Princes are to do litle to haue litle to be litle worth For the man that is without fauour in his heart is halfe dead For the contrary the thing whiche most perilleth the fauored of Princes maketh them loase their frendshipp is to be of great power and great in autoritie more ouer than this to profite more of will then of knowledge of auctoritie than of reason For a man can not lyue long in frendshyppe whych dothe what he wyll in the common wealthe I haue spoken all thys to th ende thou shouldest knowe that I greatlye maruayle at thy prudence and haue no lesse wonder of my pacience To see that the treasours whych Iustinian heaped together by great trauaile kept and preserued with great care thou wastest without respect what thou doeste And doe not maruaile at this For ther is no pacience can suffer to se the proper gods wasted and spent by the hands of an other which with so great care hath ben gathered together I let the know Tiberius that now we haue neyther money to kepe nor to gyue to others which thing is very peryllous for the palace of Princes For the fame to haue great treasours causeth Princes to keape their enemyes in feare It is necessarie for princes to bee stoute and also riche for by their stoutnes they maye gouerne their owne and by their riches they may represse their enemyes It is not only necessarie that the Prince be not
an auncient malediction on riches hydde and treasours buried which Epimenides casteth out sayinge these words All the treasours hurded vp by the couetous shal be wasted by the prodigall You say through that I wast in few dayes you shall haue neither to giue to wast nor yet to eate at the yeres ende To this I aunswere most gracious princesse that if you had bene as ready to releue the poore as you Iustinian were dilygent to robbe the riche then you should iustly haue complayned and I worthely might haue repented Tyll now we haue not sene but that of the riche you haue made poore notwithstanding this yet you haue not gotten enoughe to buyld an Hospital for the poore You say the Princes to resist their enemyes haue neede of greate treasours To this I aunswere if Princes be proud gready and of straunge realmes ambicious it is most certaine that they nede great treasours to accomplishe their disordinate appetites For the end of a tyraÌ„nous prince is by hooke or by crooke to make him selfe riche in his lyfe But if the Prince be or wil be a man reposed quyte vertuous paciente peaceable and not couetous of the good of an other man what nede hath he of great treasours For to speake truly in princes houses ther is more offence in that that auaunceth then in that that wanteth I wil not wast many words in aunsweringe sithe I am muche more liberal of dedes then of wordes but I conclude that ther is no Prince which in vertuous dedes wasteth so much but if he wil he may spend much more For in the end princes become not poore spending their goodes vpon necessaries but for wasting it vpon things superfluous And take this word for al that for this he shal not be the porer but rather the richer For it is a general rule in Christian reglion the god wil giue more to his seruaunts in one houre theÌ„ they wil wast in 20. yeres Iustinian was Emperour .11 yeres who being a foole and obstinate in the heresye of Pellagien died to the great offence of the Romaine people whose death was asmuch desired as his life abhorred For the tirannous prince that maketh many wepinge eyes in his life shall cause many reioysing harts at his death Iustinian being dead Tiberius was elected Emperour who gouerned the empire through so great wisedom and iustice that no maÌ„ was able to reproue him if the histories in his time did not deceiue vs. For it seldoÌ„ hapeneth to a prince to be as he was vpright in iustice pure in life clene in conscience For few are those princes which of some vices are not noted Paulus Diaconus in his 18 boke of the Romain gestes declare a thing merueilous which be fell to this emperour at that time and very worthy to know at this present And it is that in the Citie of Constantinople the Romaine Emperours had a palace very sumptuous and besemyng the auctoritie of the imperiall maiesty which was begonne in the time of Constantine the greate and afterwardes as the succession of good or euyll Emperours was so were the buildings decayed or repayred For it is the deede of a vertuous Prince to abolyshe vices of the common wealth and to make greate and sumptuous buildinges in his country This Emperour Tiberius hadde spent treasours to redeme poore captiues to build hospitalles to erect monasteries to marie and prouide for the Orphanes and widowes in this he was so prodigall that it came almost to passe that he had nothing to eate in his palaice And truly this was a blessed necessitie For catholike Princes ought to thinke that well employed which in the seruice of Christ is bestowed And hereof the Emperoure was not ashamed but thought it a great glory and that which onely greued him was to see the Empresse reioyce so much at his miserye For the high and noble hartes which feele them selues wounded do not so much esteme their owne paine as they do to see their enemyes reioyce at their griefe God neuer forsoke theym that for his sake became poore as it appeareth by this It chaunced one day that euen as the Emperour Tiberius walked in the middest of his palace he saw at his feete a marble stone whiche was in fourme of the crosse of the reademer of the world And because it had bene to vniuste a thing as he thoughte to haue spurned that with his feete wherwith we trust from our enemyes to be defended he caused the stone to be taken vp not thinking any thing to be ther vnder and immediatly after they found an other wherin likewise was the forme of the crosse and this beyng taken vp they founde an other in lyke maner and when that was pluct vp from he bottome there was found a treasor which conteyned the some of 2. millions of Duckettes for the which the good Emperour Tiberius gaue vnto all mighty god most high thankes and wheras before he was lyberal yet afterwardes he was much more bountiful For all those treasours he distrybuted amongest the poore and needye people Let therfore mighty princes and great lords see reade and profit by this example and let them thinke them selues assured that for geuing almes to the poore they nede not feare to become poore for in the end the vycious man caÌ„not cal him self rich nor the vertuous man can counte him selfe poore ¶ How the Chefetaine Naâ—setes ouercame manye battailes only for that his whole confidence was in god And what happened to him by the Empresse Sophia Augusta wherin may be noted the vnthankefulnes of Princes towardes their seruauntes Cap. xvi IN the yere of the incarnacion of Christ 528 Iustinian the great being Emperour who was the sonne of Iustines sister his predecessour in the Empyre the histories say in especially Paulus Diaconus in the 18. booke Degestis Romanorum that ther was a knighte of Greece in Rome who from hys tender yeres hadde bene broughte vppe in Italye He was a man of meane stature of a colericke complexcion and in the Lawe of Christe verye deuoute whyche was no small thinge For at that tyme not onelye manye knightes but almoste all the Bishoppes of Italye were Arrians This knightes name was Narsetes and because he was so valliant in armes and so aduenturous in warres he was chosen Chefeteyne generall of the Romane Empire For the Romaines had this excellency that when they had a valiaunt and stoute captaine although they might haue his weighte of gold giuen them they would neuer depart from his person He enterprised so great thinges he ouercame such mighty realmes and had suche notable victories ouer his enemyes that the Romaines said he had in him the strength of Hercules the hardinesse of Hector the noblenes of Alexander the policye of Pirrus and the fortune of Scipio For many of the vaine gentils held opinion that as the bodyes dyd distribute their goodes in the lyfe so did the soules parte their giftes after the deathe This
all perill and daunger The Romaines being aduertised of their gentlenes by the messengers which were come safe aliue did so muche reioyce that they ordeined in Rome that the nobles of Liparie shuld be made Senatours of Rome all the others shoulde be confederate of aliaunce vnto thē And they caused further that two priestes of Lipari should always remain in the temple of Iupiter whiche priuilege was neuer graunted to any other straungers but to them only For the Romaines had so great zeale loue to their gods that in the seruices of the temples they trusted none but those which were natiue auncient of Rome and also were both wyse and vertuous When Quintus Fabius Publius Decius were in the warres against the Samnites Toscanes and likewyse against the Vmbres many marueilous terrible signes were sene in Rome which thinges did not onely feare those that sawe them but also those which heard of thē Vpon which occasion the Romaines and the Romaine matrones both night and daye offered great sacrifices to the gods For they saide if we can once pacifie the wrath of the gods in Rome we shall neuer neade to feare our enemies in the fielde The thing was this that as the Romaine matrones went visiting the temples to appease the ire of the gods many Senatours wyues came to the temple of chastitie to offer sacrifice For in the time of the puissant power of the Romaines the women did sacrifice in the temples of the gods At that tyme came Virginea the daughter of Aureus Virgineus the Consul Plebeian the which was forbiddē to do sacrifice for that she was none of the Senatours wiues but a Plebeian as much to saie as a craftes womā no gentilmans daughter borne For the noble women were had in so great veneration so highly estemed that al the other semed in respect of thē but handmaides sclaues The noble Romaine Virginea seing her to be so repulsed disdained of the other matrons made of her own propre house a sēple to the goddesse of chastitie and with much deuotion reuerence honoured her The whiche thing being published abroade throughout Rome many other women came thither to doe sacrifice likewise For fortune is so variable that oftentimes those which of pryde haue forbidden vs their houses come after by humilitie to serue vs at ours For this cause this Virginea the foundresse was so greatly praysed that the Romaines in her life made her patrice that is a noble Romaine and after her death caused her image and statue to be made and set vp in the high Capitoll and aboue this image were grauen certaine Greeke letters the effecte whereof was this Patrice the great this Image doth present That in her life did giue with mynde deuout The Gods her house and therfore to them went When liuely breth by death was chased out Of all these hystories aboue named Titus Liuius maketh mencion in his first decade the seconde fift and ninth booke though he declareth thē more at large yet this shal suffice for my purpose I haue sought among the gentils these few exāples to reproue christiā princes to th end they might se how studious feruent our fathers were in the seruice of their Idols cōtrariwise how cold negligēt we are to honour serue our true liuing god It is a shame to tell how the auncient Romains with all their hartes did serue the gods without any vnderstanding how those which are christiās for the most part serue the true God not in truthe but with hypocrisie and dissimulation Fo the children of this worlde will take no paynes but for to prouoke the pleasures of the body Many wondred for what occasion God did so muche for them and they did nothing for God To this may be aunswered that if they had knowen one true God all the sacrifices they hadde done to their other gods they would haue done to him only and as God is iust so he rewarded them in their temporall prosperities not for that they did well but for that they desired to doe well For in our deuine lawe God doth not regard what we are but what we desire to be Christian princes maruayle muche what the occasion should be that they are not so fortunate as the Gentils were To this may be answered that either they be good or euill If they be good truly God should do them wrong if for the paiment of their faithful seruices he should recompence thē with those worldly vanities For without doubt one onely louing countenaunce of god in the worlde to come is more worth then all the temporall goods of this world present But if these suche great lordes be euil in their personnes ambitious in gouerning their dominions not pitifull to wydowes and fatherlesse not fearfull of god nor of his threatninges and moreouer neuer to haue mynde to serue him but only when they see them selues in some great ieopardie in suche case God will not heare them and muche lesse fauour them For without doubt the seruice is more acceptable whiche of free wyll proceadeth than that whiche of necessitie is offred ¶ For fiue causes princes ought to be better Christians then their subiectes Cap. xx IN myne opinion Princes ought and are bounde to be vertuous for fiue causes I saye vertuous in that they should loue and feare God For he onely may be called vertuous which in the catholique faith of the church and in the feare of God hath alwayes remayned constant First princes should feare loue serue and loue one onely god whom they worshippe for that thei acknowledge him onely and none other to be the head both of heauen and earth For in the ende there is nothing so puissaunt but is subiecte to the diuine power And truly the prince is is great perill of damnation of his soule if in his gouernemēt he hath not alwayes before his eies the feare and loue of the supreme prince to whom we must render of all our doynges an accōpt For the prince hath great occasion to be vicious thinking that for the vice he shall not be chastised I haue redde in diuerse sundry writinges and I neuer founde one auncient prince to be contented with one only god but that they had serued many gods Iulius Caesar caried fiue gods painted in a table and Scipio the great caried seuen portered in mettall And furthermore they were not contented to haue many but yet in sacrifices and seruices they offred vnto them all The Christian princes whiche kepe and haue but one very true and omnipotent god are so vnthankefull that they thinke it muche to serue and giue acceptable seruice vnto him And though peraduenture some saie that it is more painefull to serue one true god then all these false gods to this I aunswere That to serue them it is both trauaile paine but to serue our god it is both ioye and felicitie For in seruing those it
to breake the good auncient customes We ordeine and commaund that the gouernour of the Prienenses do worship and honour the gods and that he be a louer of the sacred temples For otherwise he that honoreth not god wil neuer mynister equal iustice vnto men We ordeine commaund that the prince of Prienenses be contented with the warres which his auncetours lefte him and that he do not forge new matters to inuade any other straunge countreis and if perchaunce he would that no man in this case be bounde neyther with money nor in person to follow or serue him For the god Apollo tolde me that that man whiche will take another mans goods from hym by force shall lose his owne by iustice We ordeine and commaunde that the gouernor of the Prienenses go to pray and worship the gods twise in the weeke and lykewise to visite them in the temples and if he do the contrarie he shal not only be depriued of the gouerment but also after his death he shal not be buried For the prince that honoreth not god in time of his lyfe deserueth not his bones should be honored with sepulture after his death ¶ How god from the beginning punished men by his iustyce and speciallye those Princes that dispise his Churche and howe all wicked Christians are parishioners of hell Cap. xxii WHen the eternall creator who measureth the thinges by his Omnipotencye and wayeth them by his effectuall wisedome created al things aswel celestiall as terrestial vysible as inuisible corporate as incorporate not only promised to the good whyche serued him but also threatened the euyll with plagues whych offended hym For the iustice and mercy of god go alwayes together to thintent the one should encourage the good and the other threaten the euyl This thinge semeth to be true for that we haue but one god which hath created but one word wherin he made but one gardeine in the whiche garden ther was but one fountaine and neare to that fountayne he appointed only one man one woman and one serpente nere vnto which was also one tre only forbidden which is a thinge meruelous to speake and no lesse feareful to see how god dyd put into the terrestial paradyse the same daye that the creacion of the worlde was finyshed booth a sword and gibet The gibet was the tree forbidden wherof they dyd eate wherfore our fathers were condemned And the sword was the punishment wherwyth we al as miserable chyldren at this day are beheaded For truly they dyd eate the bytternes of their fault and we do feele the griefe of the paine I meane not to shewe howe our God by hys power doothe raise vppe that whyche is beaten downe howe wyth his wysedome he guideth those which are blind how by his wyl he dissembleth wyth the euyll doers neyther wil I tel how he through his clemency pardoneth the offences and through his light lyghtneth the darknes nor how through his ryghteousnes he amendeth that whych is broken and through hys liberality paieth more then we deserue But I wyll here declare at large howe our omnipotente God through his iustice chastiseth those whiche walke not in his pathes O Lorde god howe sure may thy faithfull seruauntes be for their small seruices to receiue great rewardes and contrary the euill ought alwayes to lyue in as great feare lest for their heynous offences thou shouldest geue them cruel punishmentes For though god of his bounty will not leaue any seruice vnrewarded nor of his iustice will omitte any euill vnpunished yet for all that we ought to knowe that aboue all and more than all he wil rigorously chastise those which maliciously despise the holy catholyke faith For Christe thinketh him selfe as much iniuried of those whiche persecute his church as of those that laide handes on his persone to put him to death We rede that in times past god shewed sondry greuous and cruel punishmentes to diuerse high lordes and princes besides other famous and renowmed men But rigour had neuer such power in his hande as it had against those whiche honoured the infamed Idoll and violated the sacred temples For to god this is the most heinous offence to forsake the holy catholike faith in his life and to dispaire in his mercy at the houre of his death Woulde to god we had so much grace to acknowledge our offences as god hath reason to punishe our sinnes For if it were so thē we would amend in time to come god would graunt vs a generall pardon for al that is past I see one thing wherin as I thinke I am not deceiued which is this that the frailnes miseries which we commit we thinke them naturall and in the satisfaction and amendement of the same we say they are straunge so that we admit the fault condemne the paine which therby we do deserue The secret iudgements of god do suffer it and our offences do deserue it I do not deny but that the euyll may hold possesse this life at their pleasour but I sweare vnto them when they shal lest thinke of it they shal lose their life to their great displeasour for the pleasurs of this life are so vnconstant that we scarce begin to taste thē when they vade out of their sight It is a rule infallible whiche bothe of the good euill hath bene proued that all naturally desire rather to abound than to want and all that which greatly is desired with great diligēce is serched and through great trauaile is obteined and that thing which by trauaile is attained with loue is possessed that which by loue is possessed with much sorow is lost bewailed lamented For in th end we can not deny but that the watry eies do manifestly shewe the sorowfull hartes To the fine wittes and stout harts this is a continuall torment and endlesse paine a worme that alway gnaweth to cal to mind that he must lose the ioyfull life whiche so entierly he loued and taste the fearfull death whiche so greatly he abhorred Therfore to proue this matter which I haue spoken of before it is but reason that princes know if they do not know that euen as the diuine prouidence exalteth them to high estates they not deseruing thē so likewise his rigorous iustice will bring them to nought if they be vnthankeful for his benefites For the ingratitude of benefittes receiued maketh the man not worthy to receiue any mo The more a man through benefits is bound the more greuous punishment if he be vnthankefull he deserueth Al wyse men shuld finde if thei apply their mindes therunto that in chastising god calleth those offences first to his mind which are furthest from the thoughtes of men For before the tribunal of god our secret faultes are alwaies casting out bloud to th end he should execute of our persons open iustice And further I saie that in this case I doe not see that the prince is exempted more though he liue
of lyfe constant in the defence of the Church and pacient in persecutions For he is a true relygious man that in tyme of peace is charitable to teache the ignorant and bold in the time of Scismes to confound the heretyques The Emperour Valente was not only not a frend to the Arrians an enemye to the Christians but also he was a persecutour of the deuoute and religious fryers For he commaunded proclamacyons to be had through all his realmes and domynions that all the relygious that were yonge in yeares hole of their bodyes and sound of their lymmes should immedyately cast of their cowles and hoodes leauyng their monasterye and take souldiers wages in the campe For he said Monasteryes were inuented for nothynge els but to maintaine those that were deformed blynde lame and maymed and vppon this occasion he shewed great tyrannye For many monasteryes were left naked many notable constitucions were broken manye hermites were martyred manye friers whypped many notable barons banyshed and many good men robbed of their goodes For the vertuous men desired rather the bytter lyfe of the monastery then the swete and pleasaunt lybertie of the world This Emperour yet not contented with these thinges as by chaunce his wife commended vnto him the beautye of a Romaine called Iustina without any more delaye he maried her not forsaking hys first wyfe and immedyatly made a lawe throughout all his Empire that without incurring any daunger eche Christian myght haue two wyues and mary with them by the lawe of matrymony For the tyrannous Princes to cloake their vyces make and enstablyshe the lawes of vices The shame was not litle that the Emperoure Valente against the commaundement of the Churche would marie wyth two women at one time but the lesse shame he had the greater was his iniquytye to put it in excucion and to cause it to be publyshed through hys realme as a law For a perticuler vyce corrupteth but one alone but a general law distroyeth al. At that tyme the puissaunt Gothes were in the parties of the orient the whych were in feates of armes very valyaunt and couragious but in thynges of faith they were euyl broughte vp althoughe the greateste part of them were baptysed For then the Churche was very poore of prelates howbeit those that they had were very notable men After the Gothes were baptysed and the furie of the warres somewhat appeased they sente Embassadours to the Emperour Valente desyring hym that immedyatlye and forthwith he would sende them holy catholyke Bishoppes by whose doctrine they myght be instructed and brought to the christian fayth For it was thought that the Emperoures of Rome coulde haue no byshoppes in their countryes vnlesse they were vertuous This wicked Emperour sythe he was now entangled with heresye and that he had peruerted the customes of the good Emperours that is for hauing about hym euil Bishoppes as he was enuyronned with all euills and myscheues so he sent to the Gothes a bishoppe called Eudoxius the whych was a ranke Arrian and brought with hym many Bishoppes which were heretyques by the whych the kynges and Princes of the Gothes were Arrians for the space of 200 yeares The catholyke Princes ought to take great care to watch and in watching to be ware and circumspect that they their Realmes neyther their subiects should in their time be defiled with heresie For the plague of heretykes and heresyes is not of lyght occasion bannished the place wher ons it hath reigned We haue declared of the small fayth that thys Emperoure had in Iesus Christe and of the greate myscheues he dyd to the Churche Let vs now see what was the ende of hys myserable life For the man of wycked lyfe seldome commeth to good ende The matter was this that as the Gothes were dryuen out of the Realme by some of the Hunnes they came immedyately to the Realme of Thracia which then was subiecte to the Romaynes And the Emperour Valente without anye couenaunte receyued theym into hys lande wherin he commytted great folye and vsed lytle wisedome For it is a generall rule wher rebelles vacabondes and straungers come to inhabyte there alwayes the Realme and dominions is destroyed The Gothes remayned certaine yeres amonge them without any discencion or quarrellynge against the Romaynes but afterwardes through the couetousnes of Maximus chiefe Captaine of the Romaines that denied the Gothes of their prouysion whyche so longe tyme remayned frendes arose betwene them so cruell warres that it was the occasion of the losse and vtter vndoing both of Rome and of all Italye For truly ther is no enmetye doth so much hurte as that of frendes when they fawle out once at dyscorde The warre now being kindeled the Gothes were scatered throughe the Realme of Thrace and they left no forte but they battered they came to no villagyes nor cytyes but they sacked they toke no women but they forced they entred into no house but they robbed Finally the Gothes in short time shewed the poyson that they had agaynst the Romaynes And let no man maruel that the Gothes committed so many cruell and heynous factes sith we that are Chrystians do commyt dayly greater offences For among rebelles it is a common errour that that whyche they robbe in the warres they saye they are not bound to restore in peace The Emperour Valente was then in the cytie of Antioche and sith he had assembled there a great army had greate ayde out of Italy he determyned hymselfe in person to go into the campe of the Romaynes and to gyue thonset against the Gothes wherin he shewed himselfe more bold then wise For a Prince in battaile can doo no more then one man nor fighte more then one man and if he die he is the occasion of the death and destruction of them all When both the hostes of the Romaynes and the Gothes ioyned ther was betwene theym a cruell and mortall fight so that in the first brunt the Gothes shewed them selues so valiaunte that they put to flight the Romaines horsemen leauing their fotemen alone in great ieopardy the which in short space after were discomfited and slaine not one left aliue For the barbarous sware that that day the Gothes should al dye or els vtterly they would destroy the name of the Romaynes And in this first charg the Emperour Valente was mortally woūded who perceiuing he had his deaths wound that the battaile was lost he determined to fire and saue himselfe But when fortune beginneth to persecute anye man she leaueth hym not vntill she se him dead or beaten downe without recouer Therfore as this wicked Emperour thincking to saue himselfe came into a shepecotte the enemyes seyng him in the end set fier on the shepecote and burnt him alyue So in one day he lost his person his lyfe his honoure and his empire It is mete that princes and great lordes should lift vp their eyes to consyder well thys historie of Valente that they straye not from
if the father had not bene vertuous and the childe sage But the Senate would haue done this and more also for Valentinian because he did deserue it well of the Romaine people For it is reason in distributing of the offices that princes haue more respecte to the desertes of the fathers then to the tender age of the children This young Gracian began to be so temperate and was so good a Christian in fauouring the churche that it was muche quiete and great pleasure to the Romaine people to haue chosen him and greater ioye to the father being aliue to haue begotten hym so that he lefte for him after his death an immortall memorie of his life For the childe that is vertuous is always the memory of the father after his death In the yeare of the foundation of Rome a thousand a hundreth thirtie and two she said Gracian the younger was created sole heire of the whole empire his vncle Valent and his father being departed the worlde After Gracian came to the empyre many Byshoppes whiche were banished in the t me of his vncle Valent were restored to the curche againe and banished al the sect of the Arrians out of his region Truly he shewed him selfe to be a very religious and catholike prince For there is no better iustice to confounde humaine malice then to establishe the good in their estate In the first yeare of the reigne of Gracian emperour all the Germaines and the Gothes rebelled against the Romaine empire for they would not only not obey him but also they prepared an huge army to enuade his empire Imagining that sithe Gracian was young he neither had the wytte nor yet the boldnes to resiste them For where the prince is young there oftimes the people suffred muche wrong and the realme great misery Newes come to Rome howe that the Gaules and Germaines were vp the emperour Gracian wrote to all the catholike byshoppes that they should offer in their churches great sacrifices with prayers vnto God and in Rome likewyse it was ordeined that generally processions should be had to the ende almighty god shoulde moderate his ire against his people For good Christians first pacifie god with praiers before they resiste their enemies with weapons This good prince shewed him selfe to be no lesse warlike in his outward affaires then a good Christiā in his religion For god geueth victories vnto princes more through teares then through weapons These thinges thus finished and his affaires vnto god recommended the noble emperour Gracian determined to marche on and him selfe in persone to giue the battaile And truly as at the first he shewed him selfe to be a good christian so nowe he declared him selfe to be a valiaunt emperour For it were a great infamie and dishonour that a prince by negligence or cowardnes shoulde lose that whiche his predecessours by force of armes had gotten The army of the enemies exceaded far the Romain army in nombre and when they met togethers in a place called Argentaria the Romaines being inferiour to their enemies in numbre were afraide For in the warres the great multitude of ennemies and their puissaunte power maketh oft times the desired victorie to be doubtfull This thing seene of the Romaines and by them considered importunatly they besought the Emperour not to charge the battayle for they saide he had not men sufficiente And herein they had reason For the sage prince should not rashely hazarde his person in the warre nor yet should lightely put his life in the handes of fortune The Emperour Gracian not chaunging coūtenaunce nor stopping in his wordes to al his knightes which wer about him answered in this wise ¶ Of the godly Oration which the Emperour Gracian made to his souldiours before he gaue the battaile Cap. xxvi VAliaunt knightes and companions in warre moste thankefully I accept your seruice in that you haue solde your goodes and doe offer your liues here to accompanie me in the warres and herein you shewe your duties for of right you ought to lose your goodes and to venture your liues for the defence suertie of your countrie But if I geue you some thankes for your company knowe you that I geue much more for your good counsell which presently you geue me for in great conflictes seldome is founde together both good counsell and stoute hartes If I haue enterprised this battaile in hope of mans power then you had had reason that we shoulde not geue the battaile seing the great multitude that they haue and the smal numbre that we are for as you say the weightie affaires of the publike weale should not vnaduisedly be committed to the incertaintie of fortune I haue taken vpon me this daungerous and perillous warres firste trusting that on my part iustice remaineth and sith god is the same onely iustice I truste assuredly he will geue me the victorie in this perillous conflict For iustice auaileth princes more that they haue then the men of warre do whiche they leade Wherfore sith my cause is iuste and that I haue god the onely iudge thereof on my side me thinketh if for any worldly feare I shoulde cease to geue the battayle I should both shew my selfe to be a prince of small fayth and also blaspheme god saying he were of small iustice For god sheweth moste his power there where the fraylenes of man hath leste hope Then sithe I beginne the warre and that by me the warre is procured and for me you are come to the warre I haue determined to enter into the battaile and if I perishe therein I shal be sure it shal be for the memory of my personne and the saluation of my soule For to die through iustice is not to die but to chaunge death for life And thus doing if I lose my life yet therefore I lose not my honour and all this considered I doe that whiche for the common wealth I am bounde For to a prince it were great infamy and dishonour that the quarell being his owne should by the bloud of others be reuenged I wyll proue this day in battaile whether I was chosen Emperour by the deuine wyll or not For if god this day causeth my life to be taken from me it is a manifest token he hath a better in store for me and if through his mercy I be preserued it signifieth that for some other better thing he graunteth me life For in the ende the sword of the enemie is but the scourge of our offences The best that I see therfore in this matter to be done is that til three daies be passed the battayle be not geuen and that we confesse our selues this night and in the morning prepare our selues to receiue our redemer besides this that euery man pardon his christian brother if he haue had any wrong or iniury done him For oftimes though the demaunde of the warre be iust yet many mishaps befall therin through the offences of those which pursue and followe the same
After the thre daies are past and eche thing according to my saiynges before accomplished in euery point as behoueth then let god dispose thinges as he shall see good for nowe I am fully determined to aduenture my life in battaile Wherfore my valiaunt and stout warriers doubt not at all for this day I must either vanquishe mine enemies or els suffer death and if I die I doe that whiche nedes I must Wherfore I will now cease to exhorte you any more desiring you to consider that wherunto your dutie leadeth you remembring that you are come as knightes and in the defence of your countrey you wage battayle for nowe we are come to that pinche that dedes must more auayle vs then wordes For peace ought to be mainteyned by the tongue but warres ought to be atchieued by the sworde All these wordes then ended and the three dayes past the emperour Gracian in parsone gaue the battayle where the conflicte and slaughter on both sides was marueilous terrible yet in the end the emperour Gracian had the victory ouer his enemies and there died in that conflicte .xxx. thousande Gothes and Almaines and of the Romaines there were not slaine but fiue thousande For that army onely is preserued whiche to the deuine will is conformable Let all other princes take example by this noble prince let thē consider howe muche it auayleth them to be good Christians and that in great warres conflictes they nede not feare the great nombre of their enemies but they ought greatly to se that the wrath of god be pacified For the harte is more dismayde with the secrete sinnes then it is feared with the opē enemies ¶ That the captaine Theodosius which was father of the great Emperour Theodosius died a good Christian And of the king Hismarus and the bishop Siluanus and of a councell that was celebrated with the lawes whiche they made and established in the same Cap. xxvii THe two brethren being emperours that is to wete Valentinian Valent in the costes of Affryke and the realme of Mauritania a tyraunt vsurped the place of a kinge against the Romains Who was named Thyrmus a man hardy in trauailes in daungers stout For the aduenturous hartes oftimes doe commit many tyrannyes This tyran Thyrmus by much crueltie came possessed of the realme of Mauritania not contented therwith but also by tyrāny possessed a great part of Affrike prepared as Hānibal did an huge army to passe into Italy to die in chalēging the empire of Rome This was a renowmed tyraunt that neuer toke pleasure in any other thing so muche as to spoyle robbe others of their goodes The Romaines that in all their doinges were very sage of the tyranny of tyrauntes sufficiently monished immediatly prepared a great army to passe into Affryke to spoyle the realme and to destroy the tyrante by the cōmaundement and decre of the Senate and that for no pacte or couenaunt the tyraunt shoulde lyue And without doubte this commaundement was iust For to him that is a destroyer of the common wealth it is not punishement enough to take awaye his lyfe At that tyme there was a knyghte in Rome whose name was Theodosius a man well stryken in yeares and yet better approued in warres but he was not the richest howbeit he vaūted him self as truth was to be of the bloud of Traian the great Emperour vpon which occasion he was greatly honoured and feared in Rome for the commons were so noble and gracious towards their princes that all those whiche from the good and vertuous Emperour descended were of the whole common wealth greatly estemed This noble Theodosius was of yeares so auncient and so honoured in his olde age for his graye heares so noble of linage and so approued in warres that he was by the authoritie of the Emperour Valentinian by the consent of all the Senate and by the good wylles of the whole people chosen to goe to the conquest of Afrike and truly their reason was good For Theodosius desired much to fight against that tyraunt Thirmus and all the people were glad that such a captaine led the armie So this Theodosius imbarked with his armie departed from Rome and in fewe dayes arryued at Bona whiche was a citie greatly replenished with people situated in a hauen of the sea in Afrike And as he and his armie were landed the tyran Thirmus forthwith encamped his armie in the fielde in the face of the Romaines and so all beinge planted in the plaine the one to assaulte and the others to defend immediatly the two armies ioyned and the one assaulting the other fiercely on bothe sydes was great slaughter So that those whiche to daye were conquered to morowe did conquere and those whiche yesterday were conquerours afterward remained conquered For in long warres fortune chaungeth In the prouince of Mauritania there was a strong citie called Obelista and as the captaine Theodosius by his force occupied all the field the tyran Thirmus fortified him selfe in that citie the which valiauntly being assaulted of the captaine Theodosius almost with his men entring into the same the tyranne Thirmus because he would not commit hym selfe vnto the faith of other men slew him self with his proper handes For the propertie of proude and disdainfull hertes is rather to die in libertie then to liue in captiuitie At that tyme the Emperour Valent by the arte of Nigromancie wrought secretly to knowe what lucke should succede in the Romaine Empire And by chaunce a woman being an enchauntresse had aunswere of the deuill that the name whiche with these letters should be wrytten should be successour to the Empire and the letters were these T.E.O.D. The Emperour Valent diligently enquired of all the names which with these foure letters could be named and they found that those signified the Theodotes the Theodores and the Theodoses wherfore Valent furthwith put all those to the sworde that were of that name Suche was the wickednes of the Emperour Valent supposing thei would haue taken the Empire from him being alyue For the tyranous Prince lyueth euer in gelousie and suspition The excellent captaine Theodosius the tyranne Thirmus being dead and hauing subdued all Affrike to the Romaine Empire was burdened that he was a secret traytour to the Empyre and that he compassed to wynne the same by tyrannie for this cause therefore the Emperour Valent gaue sentence he shoulde be beheaded And this was done he neuer hearyng of it and muche lesse culpable thereof for all Prynces that be wylfull in their doynges are very absolute of their sentence This come to the eares of Theodosius and seyng that he was condemned to be beheaded he sent incontinent for the Byshoppe of Carthage to whome he demaunded the water of the holy Baptisme and so being baptised and in the fayth of Christ instructed was by the hangeman put to execution Of this so greuous outtragious and detestable facte euery man iudged this Theodosius to suffer
to be blamed for those which haue credit for their euil are many and those whych haue power to do well are very fewe ¶ Of the golden age in times past and worldly miserie which we haue at this present Cap. xxxi IN the first age golden world al liued in peace ech man toke care for his owne lands euery one planted sowed their trees corne eueryone gathered his frutes and cut his vynes kned their breade and brought vp their children and finally all liued by their owne proper swette trauaile so that they all liued without the preiudice or hurt of any other O worldly malice O cursed wicked world that thou neuer sufferest things to remaine in one estate and thought I cal the cursed maruaile not therat for when we are in most prosperitie then thou with death persecutest vs most cruelly Without teares I say not that I wil say that 2000 yeres of the world wer past before we knew what the world ment god suffering it and worldly malice inuenting it ploughes were turned into weapons oxen to horses goades to lances whippes to arrowes slinges to crosbowes simplycitye into malice trauaile into Idlenes rest to paine peace to warre loue to hatred charitie to crueltie Iustice to tyranny profite to domage almes to theft aboue al fayth into Idolatrie And finallye the swete they had to profite in their owne goods they tourned to bloud sheading to the domage of the comon wealth And herein the world sheweth it selfe to be a world herein worldly malice sheweth it selfe to be malicious in somuch as the one reioyceth the other lamenteth the one reioceth to stomble to the end the other may fall breake his necke the one reioyceth to be poore to the end the other maye not be riche the one reioyseth to be dispraised to the end the other may not be honored the one delighteth to be sad to the ende the other shoulde not be merye to conclude we are so wicked that we banishe the good from our owne house to the end that the euill might enter in at the gates of an other man When the creator created the whole world he gaue to eche thinge immediatly his place that is to wete he placed intelligence in the vppermoste heauen he placed the starres in the firmament the planettes in the orbes the byrdes in the ayre the earth on the center the fyshes in the water the serpentes in the holes the beastes in the mountaines and to al in generallye he gaue place to reste them selues in Now let princes and great Lordes be vaine glorious sayenge that they are Lords of the earth for truly of all that is created god only is the true Lord therof because the miserable man for his part hath but the vse of the fruit for if we thinke it reasonable that we should enioy the profite of that which is created then were it more conuenient we should acknowledge god to be the Lord therof I do not deny but confesse the God created al things to the end they should serue man vpoÌ„ condicion that maÌ„ shold serue God likewise but wheÌ„ the creature riseth against god immediatly the creator resisteth against man For it is but reason that he be disobeyd who one only coÌ„maundemeÌ„t wil not obey O what euil fortune hath the creature only for disobeying the comaundement of his creator For if man had kept his coÌ„maundement in Paradise god had conserued to the world the signorie but the creatures whome he created for his seruice are occasion to him of great troubles for the ingratitude of benefit heapeth great sorow to the discret hart It is great pitie to behold the man that was in paradise that might haue bene in heauen now to se him in the world aboue al to be interred in the intrailes of the earth For in terrestiall paradise he was innocent in heauen he had bene blessed but nowe he is in the worlde enuirouned with cares and afterwardes he shal be throwen into hys graue and gnawen of the wormes Let vs nowe see the disobedience wee hadde in the commaundemente of GOD and what fruite we haue gathered in the world For he is very simple that dare commit any vice taking no delight nor pleasure therof in his body In my opinion through the sinnes whiche our forefathers committed in paradise the seruitude remaineth in vs their children which are on the earth For so much as if I entre into the water I drowne if I touche the fire I burne if I cone neare a dog he biteth me if I threaten a horse he casteth me if I resiste the wynde it bloweth me downe if I persecute the serpent he poysoneth me if I smite the beare he destroieth me and to be brief I saie that the man that without pitie eateth men in his life the wormes shal eate his intrailes in the graue after his death O princes great lordes lode your selues with cloth of gold heape vp your great treasours assemble many armies inuente Iustes Torneis seke your pastimes reueÌ„ge your selues of your enemies serue your selues with your subiectes marrye your children to mighty kinges set them in great estate cause your selues to be feared of your enemies imploye your bodies to al pleasures leue great possessions to your heires rayse sumptuous buildinges to leaue memory of your persons I sweare by him that shal iudge me that I haue more compassion to see your sinfull soules then I haue enuy to see your vicious liues For in the end all pastimes will vanishe away and they shal leaue you for a gage to the hungry wormes of the earth O if princes did consider though they haue bene borne princes created norished in great estates that the day thei are borne death immediatly commeth to seke the end of their life and taketh them here and there when they are whole when they are sicke now tombling then rising he neuer leaueth them one houre vntill their woful burial Therfore sith it is true as in dede it is that that whiche princes possesse in this life is but small that which they hope in the other is so great truly I marueile why princes the which shal lie so straight in the graue dare liue in such so great largenes in their life To be riche to be lordes to haue great estates men should not therof at al be proude since they see how fraile mans condicion is for in th end life is but lone but death is enheritage Death is a patrimonie heritage which successiuely is inherited but life is a righte which daily is surrendred For death counteth vs somuche his owne that oftimes vnwaâ—es he coÌ„meth to assault vs life taketh vs such straungers that oftetimes we not doubting therof it vanisheth away If this thing theÌ„ be true why wil princes great lordes presume to coÌ„maunde in a straunge house which is this life as in their own house which is the
euer succeded so prosperouslye but that they had rather lyue in peace then in warre When the Romaine Emperours wente to the warres or came from the warres first they vysited the Temple of Iupiter secondarilye the Temple of the vestall virgins and thirdely they vysited the Temple of the God Ianus bycause there was a law in Rome that the Emperour should at his going forth to the warres vysite the Temple of Iupiter last of al and at his retourne againe the Temple of Ianus first And let them that be desierous of antiquities here know that when the Emperour should go to the warres in the Temple of the goddesse Vesta they put vpon his shoulders the royall mantell and in the Temple of Iupiter al the senators kissed his foote and in the Temple of Ianus the Consuls kissed his arme For since the time that the cruell Sylla caused thre thousand neighbours to dye which kissed his right hand they neuer after kissed the handes of any Emperour in Rome Therfore sith the gentyles woulde not issue out of Rome before that first they had taken the benediction of those vaine Gods how muche more ought Christian Princes to do it which know well that their Temples are consecrated to the true God and ordayned for his seruice only For the man that forgetteth God and commytteth his affaires to men shal see how his busines wil thriue in the handes of men Therefore procedinge forth the day wherin the feast of the god Ianus was celebrated euery man left his worke reioysed through al the streates of Rome no more then lesse then in the feastes of Iupiter Mars Venus and Berecinthia For the feastes of the other goddes sith they were many in nomber were not celebrated but in certaine places in Rome The Romaynes on that day put on their beste apparell for they had a custome in Rome that he whych had not that daye chaunge of apparell to honoure the feaste should eyther go out of Rome or els kepe themselues locked in his house That daye they set on their houses many lyghtes and made greate bondfiers before their dores and had sondry and many playes and pastimes for the feastes of vaine men are more to delight their bodies then to reforme their minds They watched al the night in the Temples and also they deliuered all the prisoners which were inprisoned for dette and with the common treasures paied their dettes Furthermore they had a custome in Rome that they shoulde susteine all the Senatours whiche were fallen into pouertie with the goodes of the common wealthe They had that daye tables set before their dores furnished with all sortes of meates so that that whiche remayned and was left was more worth then that which was eaten For vaine glorious men auaunt theym selues more of that which in bankettes and feastes is left then they do of that whyche is eaten They sought all that day for poore men bycause they shoulde be prouyded of all things For it was an auncient lawe that none should be so hardy to make any open feast excepte first he had prouided for all them of his streate The Romaynes thought that if they spend lyberallye that day the god Ianus would deliuer them from pouertye because he was the God of the temperall goodes And they sayde further that the GOD Ianus was a God very thankeful acknowledged the seruyces whych were donne vnto hym and beleued earnestlye that if they spente frelye for hys sake he woulde requyte it doble In the feaste of this God Ianus manye processions were made not all togethers but the Senate wente by theym selues the Censours by them selues the people by them selues the Matrones by theym selues the maydens by them selues the vestal virgins by them selues al the straunge Imbassadours went wyth the captiues in procession There was a custome in Rome that the same day the Emperour should were the imperyal robe al the captiues which could touche him with their hands were delyuered and all the transgressours pardoned the exules and outlawryes were called againe For the Romayne princes were neuer presente in any feast but they shewed some noble example of mercy or gentlenes towardes the people At this time Marcus Aurelius was Emperoure of Rome and maried with the beautiful lady Faustina who in the feast of Ianus leuing in procession the company of the Senatours came into the procession of the captiues the which easelye touched his robe wherby they obtained lybertie the which they so greatly desired I say desired for truly the captiue is contented with a small thinge And because ther is no good thing by anye good man done but immediatlye by the wycked it is repined at this deede was so contrary to the euyl as ioyfull to the good For there is nothing be it neuer so good nor so wel done but forthwith it shal be contraried of them that be euyl Of this thing I haue sene by experience in this miserable life sondry examples that euen as amonge the good one only is noted to be chiefe so lykewise amonge the euyll one is noted principall aboue the rest And the worst I find herein is that the vertuous do not so much glory of their vertue as the euil and malicious hath shame and dishonour of their vyce for vertue naturally makleth a man to be temperate and quyet but vice maketh him to be dissolute and rechlesse This is spoken because in the Senate of Rome there was a Senatour called Fuluius whose berd heere 's wer very white but in malyce he was most cankered blacke so that for his yeres he was honoured in Rome of many for his malyce he was hated of al. The Senatour Fuluius made frendes in the time of Adrian to succede in the empire and for this cause he had alwayes Marcus Aurelius for his competytour and whersoeuer he came he alwayes spake euyll of him as of his mortall enemye For the enuyous hart can neuer geue a man one good word This Senatours hart was so puffed with enuye that he seing Marcus Aurelius to obtaine the empire being so yong that he being so old could not attaine therunto ther was no good that euer Marcus Aurelius did in the common wealth openly but it was grudged at by Fuluius who soughte alwayes to deface the same secretlye It is the nature of those whiche haue their hartes enfected with malyce to spitte out their poyson with woordes of spite Oft times I haue mused which of these 2. are greater the dewtye the good haue to speake against the euyl or els the audacitie the euyl haue to speake against the good For in the world ther is no brute beast soo hardye as the euill man is that hath lost his fame O would to God the good to his desyre had asmuch power to do good workes as the euyl hath strength to his affection to exercise wicked dedes For the vertuous man findeth not one hand to helpe him in vertue to worke yet after he
compassiō vpon their griefes Princes also should endeuour them selues to be loued well willed because at their death they maye of all their seruauntes and frendes be lamented For princes ought to be suche that they may be prayed for in their life and lamented and remembred after their death Howe cursed is that prince and also howe vnhappy is that common wealth where the seruauntes wyll not serue their Lorde but for rewarde and that the Lorde doth not loue them but for ther seruices For there is neuer true loue where there is any particuler intereste With many stones a house is buylded and of many men and one prince whiche is the head of all the common wealth is made For he that gouerneth the common wealth may be called a prince and otherwyse not and the common wealth can not be called nor sayde a common wealth if it hath not a prince whiche is the head thereof If Geometrie doe not deceiue me the lyme whiche ioyneth one stone with an other suffereth well that it be myngled with sande but the corner stone that lyeth on the toppe ought to be medled with vnslekyd lyme And it soundeth vnto good reason For if the nether stones seperate the wall openeth but if the corner should slippe the buylding incontinently falleth I suppose fathers conscript you vnderstande very well to what ende I applie this comparison The loue of one neighbour with an other may suffer to be cold but the loue of a prince to his people should be true and pure I meane that the loue amongest frendes may well passe sometymes though it be colde but the loue betwene the kyng and his people at all tymes oughte to be perfect For where there is parfite loue there is no fained wordes nor vnfaithfull seruice I haue seene in Rome many debates among the people to haue bene pacified in one day and one onely which betwene the Lord and the common wealth aryseth can not be pacified vntyll death For it is a daungerous thing for one to stryue with many and for many to contende against one In this case where the one is proude and the other rebelles I wyll not excuse the prince nor let to condemne the people For in the end he that thinketh himself moste innocent deserueth greatest blame From whence thinke you cōmeth it that Lordes nowe a daies doe commaunde vniust thinges by fury that subiectes in iuste matters wyll not obey by reason I will tell you The Lorde doing of will and not of right would caste the willes of all in his owne braine and deriue from him selfe all counsayle For euen as princes are of greater power then all the reste so they thinke they knowe more then all the reste The contrary happeneth to subiectes who beinge prouoked I can not tel you with what frenesy despising the good vnderstanding of their Lord will not obey that that their princes willeth for the health of them all but that whiche euery man desireth for him selfe particularly For men nowe a dayes are so fonde that euery man thynketh the prince should loke on him alone Truely it is a straunge thing though it be muche vsed among men that one should desire that the garmentes of all other should be mete for him whiche is as impossible as one mans armour shoulde arme a multitude But what shall we be Fathers conscripte and sacred senate sith our fathers lefte vs this worlde with suche foly and that in these debates stryfes we their children are alwayes in dissention and controuersie and in this wilfulnes we shall also leaue our children and heires How many princes haue I seene and read of in my time of my predecessours whiche were vtterly vndone by to muche pryde and presumption But I neuer read nor heard of any whiche were destroyed for being courteous and louing to his subiectes I will declare by some examples whiche I haue read in bookes to the ende that the Lordes may see what they wynne by their good conuersation and what they loase by being to haulty The realme of the Sydonians was greater then that of the Caldeans in weapons and inferiour in antiquitie vnto that of the Assirians In this realme there was Debastia whiche was called a linage of kinges that endured two hundreth and .xxv. yeares because all those kinges were of a commendable conuersation And an other of Debastia endured no longer then fourty yeares And our auncientes tooke pleasure of peace whereof we are destitute and were ignoraunt of the warres whiche we nowe vse so muche Alwayes they desired to haue kinges whiche should be good for the common wealth in peace rather than valiaunt and couragious for the warre As Homere in his Iliade saieth the auncient Egiptians called their kinges Epiphanes and had a custome that Epiphanes alwaies should enter into the temples barefoote And because it chaūsed the Epiphane on a time to come into the churche hoased he was immediatly for his disobedience depriued and expulsed from the realme and in his steade an other created Homere declareth here that this king was proude euill conditioned wherefore the Egiptians depriued him and banished hym the realme taking occasion that he did not enter into the temple barefoote For truly when Lordes are euil willed and not beloued for a litle trifle and occasion the people will arise and rebell against them The saide Homere saide also that the Parthes called their kynges Assacides that the sixte of that name was depriued and expulsed the realme for that of presumption he had hym selfe to the mariage of a knight and being bidden and desired would not go to the mariage of a poore Plebeyan Cicero in his Tusculanes saith that in olde time the people perswaded their princes to communicate with the poore that they should abstaine and flye from the ryche For among the poore they may learne to be mercifull and with the ryche they shall learne nothing but to be proude Ye knowe right well Fathers conscript howe this our countrey was first called great Grece afterwarde it was called Latium and then Italie And when it was called Latium they called their kynges Marrani and truly though their borders were but narrowe yet at the leaste their stoutnes was great The Annales of those times say that after the thirde Siluius succeded a Marrane who was proude ambitious and euill cōdicioned in such sorte that for feare of the people alwaies he slept locked vp and therfore they depryued and banished him the Realme For the auncientes saide that the king should locke his dores at no houre of the nighte against his subiectes neither he should refuse in the daie to geue them audience Tarquine whiche was the last of the seuen kinges of Rome was very vnthankefull towards his father in lawe he was an infamie to his bloud a traytour to his countrey and cruell of his persone who also enforced the noble Lucretia and yet notwithstanding this they doe not call him vnthankefull infamous cruell traytour
for in the ende tyme is of such power that it cause the renowmed men to be forgotten and all the sumptuous buildinges to decaye and fall to the earth If thou wilt knowe my frende Pulio in what tyme the tyraunt this philosopher was I wyll thou knowe that when Catania the renowmed citie was builded in Cicilia neare the mount Ethna and when Perdica was the fourth kyng of Macedonia and that Cardicea was the thirde kyng of the Meedes and when Candare was fift king of Libeans and that Assaradoche was ninth king of the Assirians and when Merodache was twelft king of Caldeans and that Numa Pompilius reigned second king of the Romaines in the time of those so good kinges Periander reigned amonges the Assirians And it is meete thou knowe an other thyng also whiche is this That this Periander was a tyraunt not only in dede but also in renowme so that thei spake of no other thing thorowe Greece but it tended hereunto Though he had euill workes he had good wordes procured that the affaires of the cōmon wealth shuld be wel redressed For generally there is no man so good but a mā may finde somwhat in him to be reproued neither any man so euill but he hath some thing in him to be cōmended I doe yet remēber of my age being neither to young nor to old that I saw the emperour Traian my lord suppe once in Agrippine it so chaunced that wordes were moued to speake of good euil princes in times past as wel of the Grekes as of the Romains that al those which were present there cōmended greatly the emperour Octauian they al blamed the cruel Nero. For it is an aūcient custome to flatter the princes that are present to murmure at princes that are past When the good emperour Traian was at dinner when he praied in the tēple it was maruel if any mā sawe him speake any word that day since he sawe that thei excessiuely praised the emperour Octauian that the others charged the emperour Nero with more then neded the good Traian spake vnto them these wordes I am glad you cōmende the emperour Octauian but I am angry you should in my presence speake euil of the emperour Nero of none other for it is a great infamy to a prince being aliue to heare in his presence any prince euill reported after his death Truly the emperour Octauian was very good but ye will not denye me but he might haue bene better and the emperour Nero was very euil but yet you will graunt me he might haue ben worse I speake this because Nero in his first fiue yeares was the best of all and the other nyne folowyng he was the worste of all so that there is bothe cause to disprayse him and also cause to commende him When a vertuous man will speake of princes that are dead before princes whiche are aliue he is bounde to prayse onely one of their vertues which they had hath no licence to reuyle the vices whereof thei were noted For the good deserueth rewarde because he endeuoreth him selfe to folowe vertue the euill likewyse deserueth pardon because through frayltie he hath consented to vyce All these wordes the emperoure Traian spake I being present and they were spoken with suche fiercenes that all those whiche were there present bothe chaunged their colour and also refrained their tongues For truly the shamelesse man feeleth not so muche a great strype of correction as the gentill harte doth a sharpe worde of admonition I was willing to shewe thee these thinges my frende Pulio because that since Traian spake for Nero and that he founde in hym some prayse I doe thynke no lesse of the tyraunte Periander whome thoughe for his euyll workes he dyd we doe condemne yet for his good wordes that he spake for the good lawes whiche he made we doe prayse For in the man that is euill there is nothing more easier then to geue good counsayle and there is nothing more harder then to worke well Periander made dyuerse lawes for the common wealth of the Corinthians whereof here folowing I wil declare some We ordeyne and commaunde that if any by multipliyng of wordes kyll an other so that it were not by treason that he be not therefore condemned to die but that they make hym slaue perpetuall to the brother of him that is slayne or to the nexte of his kynne or frends for a shorte deathe is lesse payne then a longe seruitude We ordeyne and commaunde that if any these be taken he shall not dye but with a hotte iron shal be marked on the forehead to be knowen for a thefe for to shammefaste men longe infaime is more payne then a short lyfe We ordeyne and commaunde that the man or woman whiche to the preiudice of an other shall tell any lye shall for the space of a moneth carie a stone in their mouthe for it is not meete that he whiche is wonte to lye should alwayes bee authorysed to speake We ordeyne and commaunde that euery man or woman that is a quareler and sedicious persone in the common wealth be with great reproche bannished frome the people for it is vnpossible that he shoulde bee in fauoure with the Gods which is an enemie to his neighbours We ordeyne and commaunde that if there be any in the common wealth that haue receiued of an other a benefite and that afterwardes it is proued he was vnthankefull that in suche case they put hym to death for the man that of benefites receiued is vnthankefull oughte not to lyue in the worlde amonge menne Beholde therefore my frende Pulio the antiquitie whiche I declared vnto thee and howe mercifull the Corinthians were to murtherers theues and Pirates And contrarie howe seuere they were to vnthankefull people whome they commaunded forthwith to be putte to deathe And truly in myne opinion the Corinthians had reason for there is nothinge troubleth a wyse man more then to see him vnthankefull to him whome he hath shewed pleasure vnto I was willing to tel thee this historie of Periander for no other cause but to the end thou shouldest see and know that forasmuch as I doe greatly blame the vice of vnthankefulnes I will laboure not to be noted of the same For he that reproueth vice is not noted to be vertuous but he which vtterly flieth it Count vpon this my worde that I tel thee which thou shalt not thinke to be fained that though I be the Romain Emperour I wil be thy faithfull frend wil not faile to be thankefull towardes thee For I esteme it no lesse glory to know how to keape a frend by wysedom then to come to the estate of an emperour by philosophie By the letter thou sentest thou requiredst me of one thing to answere thee for the whiche I am at my wittes end For I had rather open my treasures to thy necessities then to open the bookes to answere to thy
the beautie of the body knowing that most commonly thervpon ensueth the vnclennes of the soule Vnder the christall stone lyeth oftentimes a daungerous worme in the faier wal is nourisshed the venemous Coluber within the middell of the white tothe is ingendered great paine to the gummes in the fynest clothe the motes do most hurt and the most fruitful tree by wormes is sonest perisshed I meane that vnder the cleane bodyes faire countenaunces are hid many and abhominable vyces Truly not only to children which are not wise but to all other which are lyght and fraile beauty is nothing els but the mother of many vyces and the hinderer of all vertues Let princes and great Lords beleue me which thinke to be faire and wel disposed that where there is great aboundaunce of corporal goods and graces there ought to be great bones of vertues to be able to beare them For the moste highe trees by great windes are shaken I say that it is vanytie to be vaine glorious in any thinge of this world be it neuer so parfite and also I saye that it is a greate vanytie to be proude of the corporall beautye For amonge all the acceptable giftes that nature gaue to the mortalles there is nothinge more superfluous in man and lesse necessarie then the beautye of the body For truly whether we be faire or foule we are nothing the better beloued of God neyther thereby the more hated of men O blyndnes of the world O lyfe which neuer lyueth nor shal lyue O death which neuer hath end I know not why man through the accident of this beautye shoulde or durst take vpon him any vaine glory or presumption sith he knoweth that all the fairest and most parfitest of flesh must be sacrificed to the wormes in the graue And knowe also that all the propernes of the members shal be forfeited to the hongry wormes which are in the earth Let the great scorne the lytle asmuch as they will the faire mocke the foule at their pleasure the hole disdaine the sicke the wel made enuy the deformed the white hate the blacke and the Giantes dyspise the dwarfes yet in the end al shall haue an end Truly in myne opinion the trees beare not the more fruit for that they are streight only nor for being high neither for geuing great shadowe nor for being beautifull nor yet for being great By this comparison I meane that though a noble stout man be proper of parson and noble of linage shadowing of fauour comlye in countenaunce in renowne very high and in the common wealth puissaunt that therfore he is not the better in lyfe For truly the common wealthes are not altered by the simple labourers which trauaile in the fieldes but by the vicyous men which take great ease in their liues Vnlesse I be deceiued the swine and other beastes are fed vnder the okes with the acornes and amonge the pricking briers and thornes the swete roses do grow the sharpe beeche giueth vs the sauoury chesnutts I meane that the deformed and litle creatures oft times are most profitable in the common wealth For the lytle and sharpe countenaunces are signes of valiaunt and stout hartes Let vs cease to speake of men which are fleshely being eftsones rotten and gone and let vs talke of sumptuous buildinges which are of stone which if we should go to se what they were we may know the greatnes and the height of them Then we shal not know the maner of their beauty and that which semed to be perpetuall in shorte space we see it ende and loase the renowne in such sort that ther is neuer memory of them after Let vs also leaue the auncient buildinges and come to the buildings now a days and one shal see that there is no man that maketh a house be it neuer so strong nor so faire but liuing a lytle while he shal see the beauty therof decay For ther are a great nombre of auncient men which haue sene both the toppes of famous and stronge buyldings made also the foundacion and ground therof decayed And that this is true it appeareth manyfestly for that if the toppe decay or the walles fall or els if the tymber be weke or the ioyntes open or the windowes waxe rotten or the gates do breake the buildinges forth with do decay What shall we say of goodly haules and galleries well appointed the which within short space by coles or candels of childrē or by torches of pages or smoke of chimneys by cobwebbes of spyders become as dry foule as before they were freshe and faire Then if that be true which I haue said of these things I would now gladly know what hope man cā haue of the cōtinuaunce of his beauty since we se the like destruction of corporal beauty as of stones wood bricke and clay O vnprofitable Princes O children of vanity to folyshe hardy do you not remember that all your healthe it subiecte to sicknes as in the payne of the stomack in the heate of the lyuer in the inflamacion of the feete in the distemperaunce of humors the mocions of the ayre in the coniunctions of the Moone in the Eclipse of the sunne I say do not you knowe that you are subiect to the tedyous sommer and vntollerable winter Of a trouth I cannot tel how you can be among so many in perfections and corruptions so full of vaine glory by your beauty seing and knowinge that a litle feuer doth not only deface and marre the beauty but also maketh and couloureth the face al yelow be it neuer so wel fauoured I haue maruailed at one thing that is to wete that all men are desirous to haue all things about their body cleane their gownes brushed their coates nette the table handsome and the bedde fine and only they suffer their soules to be foule spotted and filthi I durst say and in the faith of a christian affirme that it is a great lacke of wisedome and a superfluitie of folye for a man to haue his house cleane and to suffer his soule to be corrupted I would know what preheminence they haue which are fayre aboue others to whom nature hath denyed beautye Peraduenture the beauteful man hath two soules and the defourmed creature hath but one peraduenture the most fayrest are the most healthful and the most deformed are the most sicklyest Peraduenture the most fayrest are the wysest and the most defourmed the most innocentes peraduenture the fairest are most stoute and the defourmed most cowardes peraduenture the fayre are most fortunate and the foule most vnluckyest peraduenture the fayre only are excepted from vyce and the foule depryued from vertue peraduenture those whych are fayre of ryght haue perpetuall lyfe and those whych are foule are bound to replenyshe the graue I say no certaynlye Then if this be true why do the great mocke the litle the fayre the foule the right the crooked and the whyte the blacke since they know
that the vayne glory which they haue and their beauty also shal haue an end to day or to morow A man that is faire and wel proportyoned is therfore nothyng the more vertuous he that is deformed euil shapen is nothing therfore the more vicious so the vertue dependeth not at all of the shape of the bodye neyther yet vyce procedeth of the deformitye of the face For dayly we se the difformytie of the body to be beautyfied wyth vertues of the mynd and the vertues of the mynd to be defaced wyth the vyce of the body in his works For truly he that in the vsage of his lyfe hath any botche or imperfectyon is worse then he that hath foure botches in hys shoulders Also I say that though a man be great yet it is not true that therfore he is strong so that it is not a general rule that the bigge body hath always a valiaunt and couragious hart nor the man whych is lytle of parson shold be of a vyle false hart For we se by experyence the greatest men the most cowards the least of personage the most stout and hardy of hart The holy scripture speake of king Dauid that he was redde in his countenaunce not bygge of body but of a meane stature yet not withstanding as he and the mighty Gyaunt Golias were in campe Dauid kylled Golias wyth a sling with hys owne sword cut of hys head We ought not maruayle that a lytle sheaperde should sley so valyaunt myghty a Gyaunte For oft tymes of a lytle sparke commeth a great lyght and contrary wise by a great torche a man can scarsely see to do any thinge This kinge Dauid dyd more that he being lytle of body and tender of yeres killed the Lions recouered the lambes out of the Woulfes throtes and besides this in one day in a battaile with his owne handes he slew to the nomber of 800 men Though we cannot find the like in our tyme we may well ymagine that of the 800. which he slew there were at least .300 of theym as noble of linage as he as riche in goodes as faire in countenaunce and as high of stature but none of these had so much force courage since he escaped aliue they remayned in the field deade Thoughe Iulius Cesar was bigge enoughe of body yet notwithstandinge he was euyll proporcioned For he had his head all bald his nose very sharpe one hande more shorter then the other And albeit he was yong he had his face ryuelled his coulour somewhat yeallowe and aboue all he went somewhat croked his girdel was halfe vndone For men of good wittes do not employ themselues to the setting out of their bodyes Iulius Cesar was so vnhandsome in his bodye that after the battaile of Pharsalique a neighbour of Rome said vnto the great Oratour Tullius Tell me Tullius why hast thou folowed the parcialities of Pompeius since thou art so wise knowest thou not that Iulius Cesar ought to be lord and monarche of all the world Tullius then aunswered I tell the true my frend that I seing Iulius Cesar in his youth so euyl vnsemely girded iudged neuer to haue sene that that is sene of him and did neuer greatly regard him But the old Silla knew him better For he seinge Iulius Cesar so vncomely and so slouenly appareiled in his youth oftentimes sayd vnto the Senate beware of this yong man so euil marked For if you do not watche wel his procedings it is he that shall hereafter destroye the Romaine people as Suetonius Tranquillus affirmeth in the booke of Caeser Albeit that Iulius Caeser was vncomely in his behauiour yet in naminge onlye his name he was so feared through the worlde as if bechaunce any king or princes did talke of him at their table as after supper for feare they coulde not slepe that night vntill the next day As in Gallia Gotica wher Iulius Caesar gaue a battaile by chaunce a Frenche knight toke a Cesarian knight prysonner who being ledde prisonner by the frenchmen sayde Chaos Cesar whyche is to say Let Caesar alone Which the Gaulloys hearing the name of Caeser let the prysoner escape and without any other occasion he fel besides his horse Now then let princes and great lordes se how lytle it auayleth the valiaunt man to be faire or foule sith that Iulius Caesar being so deformed only wyth naming his name caused all men for feare to chaunge their countenaunce Hannibal the aduenturous Captaine of Carthage is called monstruous not only for his deedes he did in the world but also for the euyl proporcion of his bodye For of hys two eyes he lacked the right and of the two feete he had the left foote croked and aboue al he was lytle of body verye fyerse cruell of countenaunce The deedes and conquestes which Hannibal did among the people of Rome Titus Liuius declareth at large yet I wyll recite one thing which an historiographer declareth and it is this Frontine in the booke of the stoutnes of the Penians declareth that in xvii yeres that Hannibal warred with the Romaines he slew so great a nomber that if the men had bene conuerted into Kyne and that the bloud which was shed had bene turned into wine it had bene sufficient to haue fylled and satisfyed his hole armye being 80. thousand foote men and 17 thousande horse men in his campe I demaunde nowe howe many were at that tyme faierer and more beautifull of their bodies and countenaunce then he was whose beautie at this daye is forgotten where as his valiauntnes shall endure for euer For there was neuer prince that lefte of him eternall memorie onely for beinge beautifull of countenaunce but for enterprysinge great thinges with the sworde in the hand The great Alexander was no fairer nor better shapen thē an other man For the chronicles declare of him that he had a litle throte a great head a blacke face his eies somewhat troubled the bodie litle and the members not well proporcioned and with all his deformitie he destroyed Darius king of the Perses and Meedes and he subdued al the tyrauntes he made him selfe lorde of all the castles and tooke many kynges and disherited and slewe mightie Lordes of great estates he searched all their ryches and pylled all their treasours and aboue all thinges all the earth trembled before him not hauinge the audacitie to speake one worde against him ¶ Of a letter the Emperour Marcus Aurelius wrote to his Nephew worthy to be noted of all young gentlemen Cap. xlii SExtus Cheronensis in his seconde booke of the lyfe of Marcus Aurelius declared that this good Marcus Aurelius had a syster called Annia Milena the whiche had a sonne named Epesipus who was not onely nephewe but also disciple to Marcus Aurelius And after he was created Emperour he sent his nephewe into Grece to studye the Greeke tongue and to bannyshe him from the vices of Rome This
younge Epesipus was of a good and cleare iudgement well made of his body and fayre of countenaunce and sithe in his youth he estemed his beautie more then his learninge the Emperour his vncle wrote him a letter into Grece whiche sayde this Marcus Aurelius the Romaine Emperoure firste tribune of the people and Byshop wysheth to thee Epesipus his nephew and scholler health and doctrine In the thirde Calendes of December came thy cosyn Annius Verus at whose comming all our parentage reioyced and so muche the more for that he brought vs newes of Gretia For truly when the harte hath the absence of that he loueth it is no one minute of an houre without suspition After that thy cosyn Annius Verus had spoken in generally to all bryngyng newes from their frendes and chyldren we talked together and he gaue me a letter of thyne whiche is contrary to that was wrytten me out of Grece because thou wrytest to me that I shoulde sende thee money to continue the in studye and they wrote vnto me from thence that thou arte more youthful and geuen to the pleasures of the worlde than becommeth thee Thou art my bloude thou arte my Nephewe thou werte my scholler and thou shalte bee my sonne if thou arte good But God wyll neuer that thou be my Nephew nor that I call thee my sonne duryng the tyme that thou shalt be younge fonde lyght frayle For no good man should haue parentage with the vicious I can not denye but that I loued thee from the bottome of my stomack and so lykewyse thy vnthriftynes greaueth me with all my harte For when I redde the letter of thy follyes I lette thee knowe that the teares ranne downe my cheekes but I wyll contente my selfe For the sage and wyse men though againste their wylles they heare of suche thynges paste yet it pleaseth them to redresse other thynges that maye come hereafter I knowe well thou canst not call it to mynde though perhappes thou haste it that when thy vnlucky mother and my sister Annia Milena died she was then young enough for she was no more but .xviii. yeares of age and thou haddest not then foure houres For thou were borne in the morning and she died at nonetide so that when the wycked childe possessed life the good mother tasted death I can tell that thou hast lost such a mother and I suche a sister that I beleue there was no better in Rome For she was sage honest and fayre the whiche thinges are seldome seene nowe a daies For so muche as thy mother was my sister and that I had broughte her vp and maried her I loued her tenderly And when she died here at Rome I redde then Rethorike at Rhodes because my pouertie was so extreme that I had no other thing but that whiche by reading Rethorike I did gette When newes came vnto me of the death of thy mother and my sister Annia Milena al comforte layde on syde sorowe oppressed my harte in suche wyse that all my mēbers trembled the bones sheuered myne eies without reste did lamente the heauy sighes ouercame me at euery minute my harte vanished awaye from the bottome of my harte I inwardly lamented and bewayled thy vertuous mother and my dere syster Finally sorowe executing his priuilege on me the ioyfull company greued me and onely with the louely care I quieted my selfe I knowe not nor can not expresse vnto the howe and in what sorte I tooke the death of my sister Annia Milena thy mother for in sleaping I dreamed of her and dreaming I sawe her when I was awake she represented her selfe before me remembring then that she liued I was sory to remember her death Life was so greuous vnto me that I woulde haue reioyced to haue bene put in the graue with her For truly he feeleth assuredly the death of an other whiche alway is sorowefull and lamenting his owne life Remembring therefore the great loue whiche my sister Milena bare vnto me in her life and thinking wherein I might requite the same after her death I imagined that I could not by any meanes doe any thing more acceptable for her then to bryng thee vp thou whiche arte her chylde and lefte an orphane so young For of all trauayles to a woman this is chiefest to leaue behinde her children to bring vp My sister being dead the firste thing I dyd was that I came to Rome and then sent thee to Capua to be broughte vp there in the whiche place harde at my nose they gaue the sucke two yeares For thou knowest right well that the money which by reading Rethorike I gate scarcely satisfied for thy dayly finding but that in the night I reade some extraordinary lecture and with that I payed for the mylke which thou suckedst on the dugge so that thy bringing vp depended vpon the labour of my lyfe After that thou wer weyned and brought from the teate I sent the to Bietro to a frende and kinsman of mine named Lucius Valerius with whom thou remainedst vntill fiue yeares were fully accomplished where I founde both him and thee all thinges necessary For he was in great pouertie and a great babler of his tongue in suche sorte that he troubled al men and angred me muche For truly a man should as willingly geue money to cause him to be silente whiche is talkatiue as to geue to a wyse man to heare him speake The fiue yeares accomplished I sente thee to Toringue a citie of Campagnia to a maister whiche taught children there called Emilius Torquates of whom to the end he should teache thee to reade and wryte three yeares I tooke a sonne of his whom he gaue me to reade to him Greke foure yeres so that thou couldest not haue any profite in thee without the encrease of my great trauayle and augmenting paine to my harte After thou were seuen yeares olde that thou couldest reade and wryte well I sente thee to studie in the famous citie of Tarenthe where I kept thee foure yeares paying to the maisters a great summe of money Because nowe a dayes through our euyll fortunes there is none that will teache without great stipende Without lamenting I doe not tell thee that in the time of the Cincinos whiche were after the death of Quintus Cincinatus vntill Cyna and Catullus the philosophers and maisters of Rome did neuer receiue one peny to teache sciences to any that would learne them For all the philosophers and maisters were by the sacred Senate payde and none ceased to study for lacke of money For in those dayes they whiche woulde applie them selues to vertue and sciences were by the common treasure mainteined As our fathers were wel ordered in their thinges so they did not deuide offices by order onely but also by order they paide their money in suche sorte that they paied first with the common treasure the priestes of the temples Secondly the maisters of scholes and studies Thirdly the poore wydowes and orphanes Fourthly the
dignitie of the office and the other is the nature of the person It may wel be that on may be good in his person and euill in his gouernement and the contrary he may be euil of his person and good in gouernement And therfore Tullius Cicero sayeth that there neuer was nor shall be such a Iulius Cesar in his person nor so euill a gouernour as he was for the common wealth It is a great grace in a mā to be good but it is much more that he be a good prince and for the contrary it is a great euil for a man to be euill but it is much worse for him to be an euil prince For the euill man is only euil to him selfe but the euill prince indomageth al others for the more the poison is scatered through the body in so much more daunger he is of his lyfe I meane the more power a man hath ouer the common wealth so much the more euil and domage he doth if his life be euill I maruell why princes and great lordes should be so curious to serche the best medicines to cure their bodies that they are so slacke slow in seking sage persons to gouerne their cōmon wealth For wtout cōparison it is greater domage that the common wealth be euill gouerned then if the prince and gouernour therof should be sicke in his person Hitherto we haue neyther red nor sene that any Prince haue perrished for lacke of phisike but for lacke of counsailours we haue seen and red of infinite kinges and realmes that haue ben destroyed and vtterly vndone The lacke of a phisicion maye cause daunger in mans person but the lacke of a wise man may set discord amongest the people For where ther is any tumulte amongest the people a ripe counsaile of a wyse man profiteth more then a hundreth purgacions of rubarbe Isidorus in the forth boke of his Etimologies affirmeth that the romaines were foure hundreth yeares without phisicions For Esculapius the sonne of Apollo was the laste phisician in Grece And in the tēple of the same Esculapius they set by the image of Archabuto a man very notable in surgery For the romaynes were so beneficious to vertuous parsones that to euery on that exceaded other in any kynde of vertue they rewarded him with mony they set vp a statute of him for memory or els they made him fre in the common wealth And then when the surgian Archabuto was become auncient and very riche when by occasiō of great and daungerous wondes he dyd cutte of the armes and legges of certayne Romaynes they thought him a cruell an vnnaturall man Wherfore they droue him out of his house and killed hym with stones in the fielde of Mars And let no man maruel therat for oftētimes men suffer lesse harme in enduring the paine then to tary for the cruell remedies the surgians applie vnto it Some men will say that when Rome was without surgians the romaynes were disconfaited and halfe lost To this I wil aunswere that they neuer had a more prosperous time ▪ then in the .400 yers when they wer wtout surgians For then was Rome vndone whē they receiued surgions for at the tune they droue philosophers out of rome I do not speake this as a preiudice to any surgian for me thinketh that princes cannot be without some amōg them For as the fleshe is feble and delicate so dayly nedeth it remedies to comforte it The sage surgeons geueth vs none but good and healthfull counsailes For they do not perswade vs to any other thing but that we be sober and continent in eating drynking sleapinge trauailing and workinge and that in all thinges we should be temperat The end why I speake these thinges is to perswade princes prelates and great lordes that the great diligence they haue to seke surgeans the somme of money they wast to mainteyne and content them they should spend parte of that to seke wise men to counsaile their personnes For if men knewe what it were to keape a wyse man to commaunde in their house they would giue for on only wise man al their goods Ye ought to haue pitie and compassion vpon those princes and great lordes which lose so many dayes in the moneth and so many houres in the daye in speaking of warres buildinges weapons meates beastes of huntinges and medecines and oftentimes of othermens doinges of other vaine thinges not necessary for mans lyfe And this cōmunication they vse with those that are neither vertuous nor wise the which can neither wisely talke nor yet aunswere directly vnto that whiche is asked Oftentimes it chaunseth that a prince at randon moueth a matter which they neuer sawe writen before nor with their eares they neuer hard the like neither in all their life time they had knowledge therof and yet they will seme to giue iudgement of it or better to saye obstinatlie to cotend as if all the dayes of their lyfe they had studyed it which thing procedeth of great shame and euil bringyng vp For the priuy counsaile may speake before their princes but be they neuer so priuye with licence or without licence it is not lawfull for them to contend Helius Spartianus in the lyfe of Alexander Seuerus sayeth that the emperour Seuerus was demaūded once by an embassadour of Graece what thing was most painefull to hym in Rome wherunto the emperour aunswered There is nothing greueth me more then when I am mery that my seruauntes should rayse any strife or debate I am not displeased that matters shuld be debated but this greueth me when on wil obstinately striue that hath no ground of that he speaketh ▪ For the mā whych giueth reason of that he speaketh cannot be called obstinate Theodosius the Emperoure was once demaunded what a prince ought to do to be good wherunto he aūswered the vertuous prince whē he goeth abroad ought to haue graue and wise men in his compagnie to discourse with all when he is at his meate to haue wyse men at his bourde disputing and when he withdraweth him self a parte to be reading with wise men and finally at all vacant tymes he ought to be founde with sage men counsaling For the knight which entreth into battaile without weapons is as hardye as the prince whiche will gouerne the common wealth without the counsaile of wyse men Lampridius in the booke of the Romayne gestes saieth that the emperour Marcus Aurelius nether at hys meate at his going to bed at his vprising in his trauaile opēly nor secretely suffered at any time that fooles shuld sing or cōmunicate with him but only wise vertuous men whō always he most intierly loued Of truthe he had reason for there is nothing be it in iest or in earnest but is better lyked of a wise man then of a foole Yf a prince be sad cānot a wise man peraduenture by the saienge of the holy scripture counsell him better then a foole by folysh wordes Yf a
Prince be prosperous shall it not be better to kepe him in the same prosperity to associate him selfe with a wyse man rather then to put his trust in a foole and malicious person Yf a prince be destitute of money cannot perchaunce a wise man find him better meanes to get it theÌ„ a foole which doth nothing but aske If a prince wil passe the time away shall not he be more comforted with a wise man that rekeneth vnto him the sauorye histories done in times past then harkening a foole speakyng folishely declaring thinges dishonestly with the sayenges of the malicious of the tyme present That that I speake of surgians the selfe same I speake of foles For I do not say that they keape them for their pastime though truly we might better say to loase their time then to passe their time For that may iustly be called time lost which is spent without the seruice of God profite of theyr neighbours That which I most maruel at is not so much for the great authority the fooles haue in the pallaces of princes great lordes as for the litle succour credite which wise men haue among them For it is a great iniury the fooles should enter into the palace of princes euen vnto their bed side and that one wise maÌ„ may not nor dare not enter into the halle So that to the on there is no dore shut and to the other there is no gate open We which are at this present of right do commend those that were before vs for no other cause but that in times past though the sages were few in nomber the world was replenished with barbarous people yet the sages of those barbarous people were greatly estemed and had in reuerence And this custome endured long tyme in Grece that when a philosopher passed by a Greke he rose and spake vnto hym and he might not sit for the contrary al those which shal liue here after will reproue vs which are at this presente Forasmuch as we haue so great a multitude of sages and do not liue amongest barbarous but amongest Christians and it is a grefe to see and shame to write how litle wise meÌ„ are estemed For at this day throughe oure offences not those which haue most science but those which haue most ryches in the common wealthe doe commaund I know not whether the deuine wisdom hath depriued theÌ„ or that the worldly malice hath lost the tast of them For now a dayes ther is no sage that liueth al alone to be wise but it is necessary for him to trauaile how to gaine his liuing for necessitie enforceth him to violate the rules of true philosophy O world world I know not how to escape thy handes nor how the simple man ideote defendeth him selfe out of thy snares when the sage and wyse men yea with al their wisdome can scarsely set their foote sure on the ground For al that wise men of this world know is litle ynough to defend them from the malitious Readyng that which I read of time past and seing that which I se of time present I am in doubte which was greater the care that vertuous princes had in seekyng out sages to counsell theÌ„ or the great couetousnes that others haue at this present to discouer mynes and treasures Speaking therfore in this matter as I thinke I desire that those which haue the charge of gouernement whether he be prince prelate or priuate parson I passe not that they once may haue about them sage meÌ„ that be wise in dede and that they would loue them aboue all the treasour they had heaped For in the end of good counsaill there commeth profite and much treasour is a token of great daunger In the old time when vertuous Princes died and that they lefte their children for successours in their Realmes besides that forasmuch as they saw their children yong euill instructed in the affaires of their realmes they committed them to tutours that should teache theÌ„ good workes doctrine rather than they would giue them surueyours whych should encrease augment their cofers and rentes For truly if the common wealth be defended with great treasures it is not gouerned with good counsayles The princes which are yong accustomely are giuen to vyces for in the one part youth reigneth on the other part honesty wanteth And to such truly vices ar very daungerous specially if they want sages to counsaile theÌ„ to keape them from euil company For the couragious youth will not be brydeled nor their great libertie can be chastysed Princes without doubt haue more nede of wyse men about them to profyte them in their counsailes then any of all their other subiectes For synce they are in the view of all they haue lesse licence to commyt vice than any of all For if they doe behold all and that they haue auctoritie to iudge all will they nill they they are beholden and iudged of all Princes ought to be circuÌ„spect whom they trust with the gouernemeÌ„t of their realmes and to whom they commytte the leading of their armies whom they send as embassatours into straunge countreys and whom they trust to receiue and keape their treasurs but much more they ought to be circumspecte in examinyng of those whom they choose to be their counsalours For looke what he is that counsaileth the Prince at home in his palace so likewyse shall his renowne â—e in straunge countreis and in his owne common wealthe Why should they not then willingly examin and correct their own proper palace Let princes know if they doe not know that of the honestie of their seruauntes of the prouidence of their counsayles of the sagenes of their personnes and of the order of their house dependeth the welfare of the common wealth For it is impossible that the braunches of that tree whose rootes are dried vp should be sene to beare grene leaues How the Emperour Theodosius prouided wise men at the houre of his death for the edification of his .2 sonnes Archadius and Honorius xliiii Chap. IGnatius the Hystorian in the boke that he made of the .2 Theodosij of the .3 Archadij and of the .4 Honorii declareth that the first and great Theodosius being fyftie yeares old and hauing gouerned the Empire .11 yers lyenge on his death bed called Archadius and Honorius his .2 sonnes and committed them to Estilconus and Ruffinus to be instructed and ordeined them lykewise for gouerners of their estates and signories Before that the father dyed he had now created his children Cesars beyng then of the age of .17 yeares Therfore the father seynge them not as yet rype nor able to gouerne their Realmes and signories he committed them vnto maisters and tutours It is not alwayes a generall rule though one be of .25 yeares of age that he hath more discretion to gouerne realmes then another of .17 For dayly we see that we allow and commend the .10 yeares of one
whereby they may beare and suffre quietly suche great troubles For at this daye there is no husbande so louing nor so vertuous in whom the wife shall not finde some euill conditions First of al wiues ought to endeuour them selues to loue their husbandes vnfainedly if they desire their husbandes should loue them without dissimulation for as we see by experience mariage is seldome broken through pouertie nor yet continued with riches For the euill maried folkes through debate and strife be separated in on week where as by good and true loue they are preserued all the dayes of their life To eate drie and vnsauory meates they vse to take salte for to amende it I meane that the burdens of matrimonie are many and troublesome the whiche all with loue onely maye be endured For as Plato the deuine philosopher sayeth one thinge oughte not to be called more painefull then an other for the labour we thereunto employ but for the great or small loue that thereunto we haue Though some sondry thyngs be troublesome and tedious yet when with loue it is begonne it is easely folowed and ioyefully achieued for that trauayle is nothyng noysome where loue is the mediatour I knowe right well and doe confesse that the counsell whiche I geue to women is sharpe that is for an honest woman to loue a dissolute man for a sage wyfe to loue a foolishe husbande for a vertuous wyfe to loue a vitious husbande For as dayly experience sheweth there are some men of so foolish conditions other women of so noble conuersation that by reason apparant they ought to take them for mistresses rather then they should accepte them for husbandes Although this in some particuler cases is true I saye and affirme that generally all women are bounde to loue their husbandes since that willingly and not by compulsion they were not enforced to take them for in like manner if the mariage pleased not the woman she hath not so much cause to complaine of her husbande for asking her as she hath reason to complayne of her owne selfe that accepted hym For the misfortunes that by our folly doe chaunce though we haue cause to lamente them we ought also to haue reason to dissemble them Be the man neuer so wylde and euill brought vp it is impossible if the wife loue him but he must nedes loue her againe And though perchaunce he can not force his euill condition to loue her yet at the leaste he shall haue no occasion to hate her The whiche ought not to be litle estemed for there are many wyues not onely of the Plebeians but also of the noble dames that coulde be content to forgeue their husbandes all the pleasure they should doe them and also all the loue that they ought to shewe if they would refraine their tongues from speaking iniurious wordes and kepe their handes from dealinge lothsome stripes We haue many notable examples in histories of manye noble and stoute Ladies as well Grekes as Romaines whiche after they were maried had so great faithfulnes and bare suche loyaltie to their husbandes that they not onely folowed them in their trauailes but also deliuered them in their daungers Plutarche in the booke of noble women declareth that the Lacedemonians keping many nobles of the Athenians prisoners whiche at that tyme were their cruell and mortall enemies and beinge iudged to die their wyues concluded to goe to the pryson where they laye and in the ende they obtayned of the Gayler thereof that they myght goe in and talke with their husbandes for in dede the teares were many that before them were shed the giftes were not fewe whiche vnto them were offered The wiues therefore entring into the pryson did not onely chaunge their apparell with their husbandes but also the libertie of their personnes for they went out as women and the women in their steades remained there as men And when they brought out these innocent wyues from pryson to execute iustice supposing they were men the Lacedemonians vnderstandinge the faithfulnes of the women determined that they should not only be pardoned but also that they should be greatly rewarded and honoured for the good examples of other women to whom they were maried The auncient and great renowmed Panthea when newes was brought her that her husbande was dead in the battayle she her owne selfe determined to goe seke him out with hope that as yet he was not vtterly dead and fynding him dead with the bloud of him she washed all her body and likewyse her face stryking with a knife her selfe to the harte and imbracing her husbande she yelded vp the ghost so togethers they were caried to the graue Porcia the doughter of Marcus Porcia the great when she hearde that her husband Brutus was taken and slayn she felte for that newes so great sorowe that all her frendes seinge her take the matter so greuously hidde from her all Irone where with she might kill her selfe and did laboure to kepe and preserue her from daungers wherein she might fall and shorten her life For she was so excellent a Romaine and so necessary to the common wealth that if they had lamented the death of Brutus her husband with teares of their eies they ought to bewayle the losse of his wife Porcia with droppes of bloud in their hartes Porcia therefore feeling in her selfe a wofull and afflicted harte for the death of her entierly beloued husband to declare that that whiche she did was not fained nor for to please the people but to satisfie her great marueilous loue since she founde neither sworde nor knife to kill her selfe nor corde to hange her selfe neither welle to drowne her in she went to the fire and with as great pleasure did eate the hote firie coales as an other would haue eaten any delicate meates We may say that such kinde of death was very straunge and newe whiche the Romaine founde to encrease augmente and manifest her loue Yet we can not denie but that she wanne to the posteritie of her name a perpetuall memorie For as a noble dame she would quenche with coles of fire her burning harte that enflamed was with firie brondes of loue As Diodorus Siculus saith it was a lawe custome amongest the Lidians to mary them selues with many wiues and whan by chaunce their husbande 's died the wiues which they had met together and fought in some plaine place And the women which remained only aliue and of the conflict had the victory cast them selues into the graue of their husbande so that those women then fought for to die as men nowe fight for to liue ¶ Of the reuenge a woman of Grece toke of him that had killed her husband in hope to haue her in mariage Cap. v. PLutarche in the booke that he made of the noble and worthy women declareth a thing worthy of rehersall and to be had in memory In the citie of Galacia were two renowmed citezens whose names
in their gardeynes banqueting others in the market byeng and others in the middes of the streates here and there gaddyng but the famous Lucretia was found in her house alone weuing in silke so that she flyeng company for that she would not be sene made her selfe in her honour and renowne better to be knowen I wil giue an other counsell to Princesses and great Ladyes the which I am willyng to giue so I wishe they would be as desyrous to receiue that is to wete if they will be estemed and counted for honest women that they must kepe them selues from euil company For thoughe the stinking carreine doth no harme because we eate it not yet the vnsauorye sent therof annoyeth vs by smelling The honour of women is so delicate a thing that if we giue them lycence to go abrode to vysite women we must also giue them leue to be visited of men For that one Dame should visite an other it semeth much charitie but that men should vysite women I cannot but thinke it much dishonestye In the presence of their husbandes and nere kynnesfolkes they may be visited and talked withall and this is to be vnderstode of approued and honest personnes not withstanding I say if the husband be not at home I would it shold be compted sacrilege if any man passe the thresshold of the doore to visite the wife Plutarche saith in the booke of the prayses of women that the wiues of the Numydians when their husbandes were gone out of their houses kept their gates shut locked them selues in their houses and they had a lawe that what so euer he were that knocked at the dore beyng shutte without calling he should haue his righte hand cutte of Cicero in the booke of his lawes saieth that amongest the Romaines ther was an auncient law and much vsed that if perchaunce any woman did owe any monye to any man and that the husbande beinge the detter were out of his house the creditour should not aske his wife the debt bycause that vnder the couller of recouering the goodes he should not dishonour her in her fame I would say therefore that if the creditour was not permitted in Rome to recouer his good for that the wife was not of her husbande accompanyed muche lesse they woulde giue lycence to visite a woman alone For it were more reason that the creditour shoulde enter for to recouer his goodes then thou shouldest enter onlye for thy pastime The deuine Plato in the bookes of the common wealth sayth and by profound reasons perswadeth the wiues of Grece that they haue no secret frendes but that euery one kepe this saying in memory for a principal that the woman ought not to haue any other frend but her husband For women oughte not to haue lycence to make frendes nor condicions to make ennemyes Princesses and greate Dames oughte to consider that euery one of them geueth their bodies their goodes and their liberty to their husbands Then since it is so I say that with the lybertie she ought also to geue him her will For it lytel auaileth the man and the wife that their goodes be common if their willes be priuate For to the end that god be serued and the people edified both ought in one house to abide at one table togethers to eate in one bedde to slepe and besides this they both ought one thinge to loue For if the man and the wife in loue do differ in their lyues they shal neuer be quiete I admonysh desire and counsel all women if they wil be wel maried that they thinke it good that their husband wil that they prayse al that he prayseth that they proue al that he proueth that they content them selues with that wherwith their husbandes are contented aboue al that they loue no more then their husbandes shal loue for otherwise it might be that the wife should set her eyes vpon one and the husband ingage his hart to an other Plutarche in the booke of his pollytikes sayth that a woman after she is maried hath nothing propre for the day that she contracteth mamariage she maketh her husband the only Lord of her goodes her libertie and of her personne So that if the wife willeth any other thing then that which the husband willeth if she would loue any other thing then that that her husband loueth we wil not cal her a true louer but an open thefe for theaues do not so much harme to robbe the husband of his moneye as the wife doth in withdrawing from him her hart If the woman wil lyue in peace with her husband she ought to marke wherunto he is enclyned for so much as if he be mery she ought to reioyce and if he be sadde she must temper her selfe if he be couetous she should kepe if he be prodigall she shoulde spend if he be vnpacient she should dyssemble and if he be suspected she must beware For the woman which is wise and sage if she can not as she would she ought to wyl what she may Wel whether the husband be euil inclined or in his condicions euyl manered I sweare that he cannot suffer that his wife shold haue any other louers For though the man be of a meane stocke he had rather alwayes that his wife should loue him alone then the best of the nobilitie in the towne One thing I cannot dissemble bycause I se that god is therwith offended Which is that many Ladyes make their excuses through sicknes because they would not past once in the weke come to here seruyce and yet we se them busye dayly trotting about to vysite their frendes and the worst of al is that in the morning for cold they wil not ryse to go to the churches and yet afterwardes in the heate of the daye they go a gaddyng from house to house wheras they are often tymes vntyl night I would that the Ladyes would consider with theym selues before they should go out of their houses on visitacion to what end they go abroad and if perchaunce they go abroad to be loked on let them know for a sewerty that ther be few that wil prayse their beautye but ther be manye that will dyscommend their gaddyng And wherfore do these Dames assembel together for some graue matters I warrant you shal I tel you it is eyther to banquet with some dainty dishes to talke of their petigres to deuyse of their husbands to see who hath the best gowne to note who is euil attired to flatter the faire to laugh to scorne the foule to mourmure of their neighbours and that which is worst of al that they them selues which speake euyll of them that are absent do gnaw the one the other with enuye Seldome tymes it chaunceth that the Dames chide not with their husbands after that in this sort they haue bene together for somuche as the one noteth the euil apparel the other babblyng they note the one to be a foole and the other
wete that al the Romain prisoners whom he toke he put about their necks a yoke wherin were written these wordes In spighte of Rome the Romaines shal be subiect to the yoke of the Sanites Wherwith in dede the Romains were greatly iniuried wherfore they sought stoutly to be reuēged of the Samnites for the hartes that are haughty and proud cannot suffer that others haue their mindes lofty and high The Romaines therfore created to be captaine of the warre one named Lucius Papirius who had cōmissiō to go against the Samnites This Lucius was more fortunate in his doinges then comly of his persone for he was deformed of his face notwithstanding he did so good seruice in the warre fortune fauoured him so wel that he did not onely ouercome vanquishe but also destroied them and though the iniury which the Samnites did to the Romains was great yet truly the iniury which the Romains did to the Samnites was much greater For fortune is so variable that those which yesterday we saw in most prosperitie to day we see in greatest aduersitie This Lucius Papirius therfore did not only vanquishe the Samnites kept them prisoners and made yokes for their neckes but also bounde them with cordes together in suche sorte that they made them plough the grounde drawing twoo and twoo a plough And yet not herewith contented but with gaddes they pricked and tormented them If the Samnites had had pitie of the Romains being ouercome the Romaines likewise would haue taken compassion of them when they were conquerers And therefore the prosperous haue as muche nede of good councel as the miserable haue nede of remedy For the man whiche is not mercifull in his prosperitie ought not to meruaile though he finde no frendes in his necessitie This Lucius Papirius had a doughter maried to a senatour of Rome who was called Torquatus and she was called Ypolita And about the time that she shold haue bene deliuered she went foorth to receiue her father the which she ought not to haue done for the throng of the people in receiuing him being great she her selfe being great with childe by a heuy chaunce as she would haue passed in at a narrowe gate she was so preste in the throng that she chaunged her life for death her father turned his mirth ioy into sorow sadnes For he toke the death of his doughter very heauely so much the more because it was so sodeine I say he tooke it heauily since he was so stoute a man so sage withal that al Rome thought muche that any such sodaine chaunce should haue dismaied so wise a man that of his wisedome he could take no profite but hereat let no man marueile for there are many that hath hartes to shed the bloud of their enemies yet can not withhold the teares of their eies Annius Seuerus in the third booke De infelice fortuna saith that the day that this woful mishap chaunced to Lucius Papirius he lift vp his eies to the heauens weping said O fortune deceiuoure of all mortall men thou madest me to conquere in warre to thintent thou wouldest ouercome me in peace My mynde was to declare vnto you all these auncient histories to the end all may knowe how tender and delicate women with childe are and howe diligent their husbandes ought to be to preserue them since there is nothing so tender to be kept nor any glasse so easy to be broken For there is much glasse that though it fall to the grounde yet it doth not breake but a woman with childe only for treading her foote a wry we see with daunger to be deliuered ¶ That women great with childe and especially princesses and great ladies ought to be gently vsed of their husbandes Cap. xi IF we vnderstand the chapter before we shal finde that womē with child haue bene in great daungers some through leaping some by dauncing other by eatinge others by banquetinge others through gaddinge other by straight lacing al this proceadeth through their owne follies that seeketh to be destroyers of their own bodies Truly herein princesses great ladies are worthy of great rebuke when through their owne follies they are not safely deliuered of their creatures And I would gladly they toke example not only of reasonable men but also of brute beastes for there is no beaste so brute in the wylde mountaines but escheweth that which to his life death wil be hurtful The Beares the Lionesse the wolles neuer issue our of their caues dennes so long as they be bigge this they do to auoide the daunger of the hunters because at that time they woulde not be coursed Then since these thinges are done by brute beastes whose yonglinges are always hurtful to men to thintent that their gredy whealpes might safely be brought forth to deuour our innocent cattel how much more then ought the womā to be careful for her fruite which is the increase of Christian congregation If women brought not forth and children were not borne though there be earth yet there should be none to people it for god created al things to serue the creature created the creatures to serue their creator Let women with child take example by the chessenuttes and walnuttes howe in what sorte they defende their fruite after that of their blosomes they are depriued for the chessenut tree defendeth his fruite with a rough hard huske the walnut kepeth her fruite with a thicke shale in like maner so that the water can not wette them nor the wynde shake them Nowe since that the trees whiche haue but a vegetatiue lief and the beastes a sensitiue lief take suche hede to them selues when they feele them ready to bryng foorth their fruite much more women with childe ought to take hede to them selues since they haue reason and vnderstanding least through their negligence the creature should perish Let euery man iudge how litle he looseth whē he looseth nuts and chessenuts and for the contrary let euery man iudge what the churche looseth when the woman with child do not bring forth their fruite into the light of baptisme For our mother the holy churche bewayleth not for that the vines are frosen but for the soules whiche are lost To the ende that the man may see the fruitfull blessing whiche he desireth and that the woman with child may see her self wel deliuered the husband ought to beware that he enforceth her not much to labour and the woman likewise ought to be circumspect that she take not to muche idlenes For in women with childe this is a general rule that to much traueile causeth them before their time to deliuer to much idlenes putteth them in daunger The man is cruell that wil haue his wife trauaile take as muche paines when she is bigge as he would haue her at an other time whē she is not with child for the man which is clothed can not runne
women of Italie are so dissolute that though men doe not regarde them yet they doe entyse them If men flie they call them If men goe backe they approche If men are sadde they make them mery If men are silente they force them to speake and finally men begynne the loue in sporte and they temper it in suche sorte that they tourne it all into earnest I let thee wete Faustine that the meanes whereby nature worketh in man is very straunge but the shame whiche the Gods put in women is more marueilous And if it be true as it is true in dede that the men doe loose the stynge of the fleshe and that the women doe not loose the shame of the visage I thynke it is impossible that there should be a chaste or vertuous woman in Rome For there is no common wealth more vndone then that where the women haue lost their shame O women what reason haue they whiche flie form you whiche are wery of you whiche forsake you whiche forget you whiche make them selues straungers and furthermore whiche are dead and buried For the hungrie wormes gnawe in the graue onely the frayle and slymie fleashe of the dead but you women destroy the goodes honoure and lyfe of the liuing Oh if the noble hartes knewe what euill doth folowe them for dallieng with women I sweare vnto them that they would not serue them continually as they doe serue them but also they would haue no luste nor desier to beholde them What wilt thou I saye any more to thee Faustine but that some scape out of your handes for effeminate and sclaundered others hurte by your tongues others persecuted with your workes other deceiued with your countenaunces others despysed through your hatred others desperate through your inconstancie others condempned by your light iudgementes others troubled through your vnkyndnes finally those that escape beste are of your hartes abhorred and through your folly destroyed Then since the man knoweth that he muste passe all those daungers I can not tel what foole he is that wyll either loue or serue you For the brute beaste that once hath felte the sharpe teethe of the dogge wil vnwillingly euer after come nere vnto the stake Oh vnto what perils doth he offer him selfe whiche continually doth haunte the company of women For as much as if he loue them not they despise him and take him for a foole If he doth loue them they accompt him for light If he forsake thē they esteme him for no body If he followe them he is accompted loste If he serue them they doe not regarde him If he doe not serue them they despyse hym If he wyll haue them they wyll not If he will not they persecute him If he doe aduaunce him selfe forth they call hym importunate If he flie they saye he is a cowarde If he speake they saye he is a bragger If he holde his peace they saye he is a dissarde If he laughe they saye he is a foole If he laughe not thei say he is solempne If he geueth them any thing they say it is litle worth he that geueth them nothing he is a pinchpurse Finally he that haunteth them is by them sclaundered and he that doth not frequent them is esteamed lesse then a man These thinges so sene so harde and so knowen what shall the poore and miserable man doe inespecially if he be a man of vnderstanding For though he would absent him selfe from women the flesh doth not geue him licence though he would folow womē wisedom wyl not condiscende Some men thinke in al their thoughts that by seruices and pleasures they may content women But I let them knowe if they know it not that the woman is neuer contented though mā doth what he can as maide that he do al that he ought to do as a husbād though he taketh paines for her sake aboue his force though with the swet of his browes he releaueth her neade though euery houre he putteth him self in daunger yee in the end she wil geue him no thankes but will say that he loueth an other that he doth but that to please and satisfie her It is a long time since I desired to tel thee this Faustine but I haue deferred it vntil this present houre hoping thou wouldest not geue occasion to tel it thee For among wise men those wordes ought chiefly to be esteamed which fittely to the purpose are declared I remember that it is sixe yeres since Anthonius Pius thy father chose me to be his sonne in law and that thou chosest me for thy husband I thee for my wife all the which thinges were done my wofull aduentures permitting it Adrian my lord commaunding it The good Anthonius Pius gaue his onely doughter in mariage vnto me and gaue me likewyse his noble Empire with great treasures he gaue me also the gardēs of Vulcanali to passe the time therin But I thinke that on both sides we were deceiued He in chosing me for his sonne in lawe I in taking thee for my wife O Faustine thy father and my father in law was called Anthonius Pius because to al he was merciful saue only to me to whom he was most cruel for with a litle flesh he gaue me many bones And I confesse the truthe vnto thee that nowe I haue no more teethe to byte nor heate in my stomake to digeaste and the worste of all is that many tymes I haue thought to rage on my selfe I wyll tell thee one worde though it doth displease thee whiche is that for thy bewtie thou art desyred of many and for thy euil conditions thou arte despysed of all For the fayre women are lyke vnto the golden pylles the whiche in sighte are very pleasaunte and in eatinge veray noysome Thou knowest well Faustine and I also that we sawe on a daye Drusio and Braxille his wife which were our neighbours and as they were brauling togethers I spake vnto Drusio suche wordes what meaneth this lorde Drusio that being nowe the feaste of Berecinthia and being as we are adioyninge to her house and presente before so honourable assemblie and furthermore thy wyfe beinge so faire as she is howe is it possible there shoulde bee any stryfe betweene you Men which are maried to deformed personnes to the end that they might kil them quicly should alwaies fal out with their wiues but those that are maried to fayer women they oughte alwayes to liue togethers in ioy and pleasure to the end they may liue long For when a fayre woman dyeth though she haue lyued a hundreth yeres yer she dyeth to sone and though a deformed woman lyueth a smal time yet not withstandyng she dieth to late Drusio as a man being vexed lifting vp his eyes into the heauens fetchinge a greuous sighe from the bottome of his hart sayed these wordes The mother Berecinthia pardon me and her holy house also and al the companye besides forgeue me for by
one eye called Monoculus which he had found in the desertes of Egipt At that time the wife of Torquatus called Macrina shold haue bene deliuered of child for the Consul did leaue her great This Macrina amongest al was so honest that they spent as much time in Rome to prayse her for her vertues as they did set forth her husband for his victories They rede in the Annalles of that time that the first time that this Consul Torquatus went into Asia he was eleuen yeres out of his countrey and it is found for a truth that in al the time that Torquatus was absente his wife was neuer sene loke out at the windowe whiche was not a thinge smally estemed for though it was a custome in Rome to kepe the dore shut it was lawfull notwithstandinge to speake to women at the windowes Though men at that time were not so bold the women were so honest yet Macrina wife to Torquatus lyued so close and solitary to her selfe that in all these 11. yeres ther was neuer man that saw her go through Rome nor that euer saw her dore open neither that she consented at any time from the time that she was viii yeres of age that any man should enter into her house more ouer ther was neuer man saw her face wholy vncouered This Romaine Lady did this to leaue of her a memory to giue example of her vertue She had also iii. children whereof the eldest was but v. yeres old and so when they were viii yeres of age immediatlye she sent them out of her house towards their parentes lest vnder the coullour to vysite the children others should come to visite her O Faustine howe many haue I hard that haue lamented this excellent Romaine and what wil they thinke that shal folow her life Who could presently restraigne a Romaine woman from going to the window .11 yeres since thinges nowe a daies are so dissolute that they do not only desire to se them but also runne in the streates to bable of them Who should cause now a dayes a Romaine woman that in the 11. yeres she should not open her dores since it is so that when the husband commaunded her to shut one dore she wil make the hole house to ringe of her voyce He that now would commaund his wife to tary at home and let her of her vagaries into the towne shal perceiue that ther is no Basilie nor Viper that carrieth suche poison in her tayle as she wil spitt with her tongue Who could make a Romaine women to be 11. yeres continually without shewing her face to any man since it is so that they spend the most part of their time in loking in a glasse setting their ruffes brushing their clothes and painting their faces who would cause a Romaine womā to kepe her selfe xi yeres from being vysited of her neighbours and frends since it is true that now women thinke them greatest enemyes whych vysite them most seldom Retournyng therfore to the monstre as they led this monstre before the doore of Torquatus house she being great wyth child her husbande in the warre by chaunce a maide of his tolde her how that this monstre passed by wherfore so great a desire toke her to see the monstre that for to kepe that she had begon sodeinly for this desier she dyed Truly I tel the Faustine that this monstre had passed many times by the streat wher she dwelt she would neuer notwithstandyng go to the window and muche lesse go out of her doore to see it The death of this Romaine of many was lamented for it was a long time that Rome had neuer heard of so honest vertuous a Romaine wherfor at the peticion of al the Romayne people and by the commaundement of al the sacred senate they set on he◠tombe these verses ¶ The worthy Macrine resteth here in graue Whom wyse Torquatus lodged in Iunos bedde Who reked not a happy lyfe to haue So that for aye her honest fame was spredde BEhold therfore Faustine in my opinyon the law was not made to remedye the death of this noble Romayne since she was alredy dead but to the end that you Princesses shoulde take example of her lyfe and that through al Rome ther should be a memorye of her death It is reason synce the law was ordeyned for those women which are honest that it should be obserued in none but vppon those that are vertuous let the women with chyld marke the words of the law which commaund them to aske things honest Wherfore I let the know Faustine that in the seuenth table of our lawes are wryten these wordes We wil that wher ther is corruption of manners the man shal not be bound to obserue their liberties ¶ That princesses and noble women ought not to be ashamed to giue their children sucke with their owne breastes Cap. xviii AL noble men that are of hault courages watch continually to bringe that to effect which they couet and to kepe that which they haue For by strength one commeth to honour and by wisedom honor life are both preserued By these wordes I meane that she that hath borne .9 monethes through trauaile the creature in her wombe with so much paine that afterwards is delyuered with so greate perill by the grace of god from so many daungers escaped me thinke it is not wel that in this point which for the norishment of the babe is most expedient the mothers should shew them so negligent For that wanteth no foly that by extreame labour is procured and with much lightnes afterward despised The thinges that women naturaly desire are infinite among the whych these are foure cheafely The first thing that women desire is to be very faire For they had rather be poore and faire then to be riche and foule The second thing which they desire is to se them selues maried for vntill such time as the woman doth see her selfe maried from the bottome of the hart she alwayes sigheth The third thing that women desire is to se them selues great with child herein they haue reason For vntil such time as the woman hath had a child it semeth that she taketh him more for a louer then for a husband The fourth thing that they desire is to se them selues deliuered and in this case more then all the rest they haue reason For it is greate pitie to see in the pryme time a yong tre loden with blosomes and afterward the fruite to be destroyed throughe the abondaunce of caterpillers Then since god suffereth that they are borne faire that they se them selues maried that they be with child and that they are deliuered why be they so vnkind as to send them out of their houses to be nourished in other rude cotages In my opinion the womā that is vertuous ought assone as she is deliuered to lift vp her eyes and with her hart to giue god thankes for her frute For the
of kyng Arthebanus had nourished his sonne they coulde not haue robbed it in the cradell nor these twoo princes had not bene slayne in battayle nor the common wealth had not bene destroied nor Alexander had not entred into the lande of another nor had not come to conquere the contrey of Italy nor the dead corps had not wanted his graue for oftetimes it chaunceth for not quenching a litle coale of fier a whole forest house is burned The deuine Plato among the Grekes and Licurgus among the Lacedemonians commaunded and ordeined in all their lawes that al the Plebeical women those of meane estate should nourishe al their children and that those which were princesses and great ladies should at the least nourishe their eldest and first begotten Plutarche in the booke of the reigne of princes saieth that the sixt kyng of the Lacedemonians was Thomistes the whiche when he died lefte two children of which the second inherited the realme because the Quene her selfe had brought it vp and the first did not inherite because a straūge nource had geuen it sucke and brought it vp And hereof remained a custome in the moste parte of the realmes of Asia that the childe whiche was not nourysshed with the pappes of his mother shoulde inherite none of his mothers goodes There was neuer nor neuer shal be a mother that had suche a sonne as the mother of God which had Iesus Christe nor there was neuer nor neuer shal be a sonne which had suche a mother in the worlde But the infante would neuer sucke other milke because he would not be bounde to call any other mother nor the mother did geue him to nourish to any other mother because that no other woman should call him sonne I doe not marueile at al that princesses and great ladies doe geue their children forth to nourishe but that which moste I marueile at is that she whiche hath conceiued and brought forth a child is a shamed to geue it sucke and to nourishe it I suppose that the ladies doe thinke that they deserue to conceiue them in their wombes and that they sinne in nourishing them in their armes I can not tell how to wryte and much lesse howe to vtter that which I would say which is that women are now a daies come into such folly that they thinke and esteme it a state to haue in their armes some litle dogges they are ashamed to nourish geue the childrē sucke with their own breastes O cruel mothers I cannot thinke that your hartes can be so stony to endure to see and keape fantasticall birdes in the cages vnhappy Monkeis in the wyndowes fisting spaniels betwene your armes and so neglect and despise the swete babes casting them out of your houses where they were borne and to put them into a straunge place where they are vnknowen It is a thing which cannot be in nature neither that honestie can endure conscience permit nor yet consonant either to deuine or humaine lawes that those which God hath made mothers of children shoulde make them selues nourses of dogs Iunius Rusticus in the third booke of the sayings of the auncientes saith that Marcus Porcio whose life and doctrine was a lanterne and example to al the Romain people as a man much offended saied on a day to the senate O fathers conscripte O cursed Rome I can not tell what nowe I shoulde saye sithe I haue sene in Rome suche monsterous thinges that is to wete to see women cary Parrottes on their fistes and to see women to nourishe dogges geuing them mylke from their owne breastes They replied in the senate and sayde Tell vs Marcus Porcio what wouldest thou we should doe whiche lyue nowe to resemble our fathers whiche are dead Marcus Portio aunswered them The woman that presumeth to be a Romaine Matrone ought to be founde weauing in her house and out of that to be found in the temple praying to God and the noble and stoute Romane ought to be foūd in his house reding bookes and out of his house fighting in the playn fielde for the honour of his countrie And suer these were wordes worthy of suche a man Annius Minutius was a noble Romaine and captaine of great Pompeius who was a great friende to Iulius Caesar after the battaile of Farsaliae for he was an auncient and on that could geue good councell wherefore he neuer scaped but that he was chosen in Rome for Senatour Consul or Censor euery yeare for Iulius Caesar was so mercifull to them that he pardoned that those whiche had bene his moste enemies in the warres were of hym in peace best beloued This Annius Minutius then beinge chosen Censor within Rome which was an office hauing charge of iustice by chaunce as he went to visite the wyfe of an other frende of his the whiche laye in child bedde because she had great aboundaunce of mylke he founde that a litle pretie bitche did sucke her vpon the whiche occasion they saye he said these wordes to the Senate fathers conscripte a present mischiefe is nowe at hande according to the token I haue sene this daye that is to wete I haue seene a Romaine woman denie her owne chyldren her mylke and gaue to sucke to a filthy bitche And truly Annius had reason to esteme this case as a wonder for the true and swete loues are not but betwene the fathers and children and where the mother embraceth the brute beaste and forsaketh her naturall childe whiche she hath brought foorth it cannot be otherwyse but there either wysedome wanteth or folly aboundeth for the foole loueth that he ought to despise and despiseth that whiche he ought to loue Yet thoughe the mothers wyll not geue their children sucke they oughte to doe it for the daunger whiche may come to the helthe of their personnes for as the womē which bryng forth children do lyue more healthful then those which beare none so these which do nourish them haue more health then those which doe not nourishe them For although the brynging vp of children be troublesome to women it is profitable for their healthe I am ashamed to tell it but it is more shame for ladies to do it to see what plasters they put to their breastes to drie vp their milke and hereof commeth the iust iudgement of God that in that place ofte tymes where they seke to stoppe their mylke in the selfe same place they them selues procure their sodaine death I aske now if women doe not enioye their children being younge what pleasure hope they to haue of them when they are olde What a great comforte is it for the parentes to see the younge babe when he wyll laughe howe he twincleth his litle eies when he wyll weape how he wyll hange the prety lippe when he woulde speake howe he wyll make signes with his lytle fyngers when he wyll goe howe he casteth forwarde his feete and aboue all when he beginneth to bable howe he doubled in his
woordes What thing is more pleasaunt to the father then to see them and to the mother to agree to it when the chyldren doe sucke they plucke forth the brestes with the one hande and with the other they plucke their heere and further they beate their feete together and with their wanton eies they caste on their parentes a thousande louyng lookes what is it to see them when they are vexed and angry how they wyll not be taken of the fathers howe they stryke their mother they caste awaye things of golde and immediatly they are appeased with a litle apple or russhe what a thing is it to see the innocentes howe they aunswer when a man asketh them what follies they speake when they speake to them how they play with the dogges and runne after the cattes how they dresse them in wallowing in the dust how they make houses of earth in the streates how they weape after the birdes when they see them flie away Al the which thinges are not to the eies of the fathers and mothers but as Nitingales to sing and as bread and meate to eate The mothers peraduenture will saye that they will not bringe vp their children because when they are younge they are troublesome but that after they shoulde be nourished and brought vp they would be glad To this I answere them that the mothers shal not denay me but that some of these things must neades meate in their children that when they be old they shal be either proud enuious couetous or negligent that they shal be lecherous or els theues that they shal be blasphemours or els glottons that they shal be rebelles or fooles and disobedient vnto their fathers I beleue that at this daie there are many mothers in the worlde which did hope to be honoured serued with the children which they had brought vp and afterwarde perceiuing their maners would willinglye forgo the pleasures whiche they hoped for so that they might also be deliuered frō the troubles which through their euill demeanours are like to ensue For that time which the parentes hoped to passe with their childrē in pleasures they consume seing their vnthrifty life in sorowfull sighes I councel admonishe humbly require princesses great ladies to nourishe enioy their children when they are young and tender for after that they are great a man shal bring them newes euery day of diuerse sortes and maners they vse for as much as the one shal say that her sonne is in pryson another shal say that he is sore wounded another that he is hid others that he hathe plaied his cloke others that he is sclaundered with a cōmon harlot another that he stealeth his goodes from him another that his enemies do seke him another that he accompanieth with vnthriftes and finally they are so sturdy vnhappy and so farre from that which is good that oftentimes the fathers would reioyce to see them die rather then to see thē liue so euill a life Me thinketh that the knot of loue betwene the mother and the childe is so great that not onely she ought not to suffer them to be nourished out of the house one whole yere but also she ought not to suffer thē to be out of her presence one only day For in seing him she seeth that which is borne of her intrails she seeth that which she hath with so great paines deliuered she seeth hym who ought to inherite all her goodes she seeth him in who the memory of their auncestours remaineth and she seeth him who after her death ought to haue the charge of her affayres and busines Concludynge therefore that whiche aboue is spoken I saye that whiche the greate Plutarche saied from whom I haue drawen the moste parte of this chapter that the mother to be a good mother ought to haue kepe her chylde in her armes to nourishe him and afterwardes when he shal be great she ought to haue him in her harte to helpe him For we see oftentymes great euils ensewe to the mother and to the chylde because she did not bringe hym vp her selfe and to put hym to nouryshe to a straunge breaste there commeth neither honour nor profite ¶ That princesses and great Ladies ought to be very circumspecte in chosinge their nources Of seuen properties whiche a good nource should haue Chap. xx THose whiche ordeined lawes for the people to lyue were these Promotheus whiche gaue lawes to the Egiptians Solon Solmon to the Grekes Moyses to the Iewes Licurgus to the Lacedemonians and Numa Pompilius to the Romaines for before these princes came their people were not gouerned by written lawes but by good auncient customes The intention of those excellent princes was not to geue lawes to their predecessours for they were now dead neither they gaue them onely for those which lyued in their tyme being wicked but also for those which were to come whom they did presuppose would not be good For the more the worlde increaseth in yeares so muche the more it is loden with vices By this that I haue spoken I meane that if the princesses and great ladies euery one of them woulde nourishe their owne childe I neade not to geue them counsell But since I suppose that the women which shal be deliuered hereafter wil be as proude and vaine glorious as those whiche were in times past we will not let to declare here some lawes and aduises how the ladie ought to behaue her self with her nource and howe the nource ought to contente her selfe with the creature For it is but iuste that if the mother be cruell and hardy to forsake the creature that she be sage pitiefull and aduised to choose her nource If a man finde great treasoure and afterward care not how to kepe it but doth commit it into the handes of suspected persons truely we would call hym a foole For that which naturally is beloued is alwayes of al best kept The woman oughte more wysely kepe the treasure of her owne body then the treasure of all the earth if she had it And the mother which doth the contrary and that committeth her child to the custody of a straunge nource not to her whom she thinketh best but whom she findeth best cheape we will not call her a foolishe beaste for the name is to vnseamely but we will call her a sotte which is somewhat more honester One of the things that doth make vs moste beleue that the ende of the world is at hande is to see the litle loue which the mother doth beare to the child being young and to see the wante of loue which the childe hath to his mother beinge aged That whiche the childe doth to the father and the mother is the iust iudgement of God that euen as the father would not nourishe the childe in his house being younge so likewise that the sonne should not suffer the father in his house he beinge olde Retourning therefore to the matter that sith the woman
to moch aboundaunce and libertie of youth is no other but a prophesie manifest token of disobedience in age I knowe not why princes and great lordes do toile and oppresse so much and scratche to leaue their children great estates and on the other syde we see that in teachyng them they are and shew theim selues to negligent for princes great lordes ought to make account that all that whych they leaue of their substaunce to a wicked heyre is vtterly lost The wise men and those which in their coÌ„sciences are vpright and of their honours carefull oughte to be very diligent to bring vp their children chiefly that they consyder whether they be mete to inherite their estates And if perchaunce the fathers se that their children be more giueÌ„ to follie then to noblenes and wysdome then should I be ashamed to se a father that is wise trauaile al the dayes of his life to leaue much substaunce to an euill brought vp child after his death It is a griefe to declare and a monstrous thyng to se the cares whych the fathers take to gather ryches and the diligence that children haue to spende them And in this case I saye the sonne is fortunate for that he doeth inherite and the Father a foole for that he doth bequeth In my opinion Fathers ar bound to enstructe theyr Children well for two causes the one for that they are nearest to them and also bycause they ought to be theyr heyres For truely with great greyfe and sorow I suppose he doth take his death which leaueth to a foole or an vnthrifte the toile of all his life Hyzearcus the Greeke hystorien in the booke of his antiquities and Sabellyquus in his generall history sayeth that a father and a sonne came to complaine to the famous phylosopher and auncient Solon Solinon the sonne complayned of the father and the father of the sonne First the son informed the quarel to the Phylosopher sayeng these wordes I complayne of my father bycause he beyng ryche hath dysheryted me and made me poore and in my steade hath adopted another heyre the whyche thyng my father oughte not nor cannot doe For sence he gaue me so frayle flesh it is reason he geue me hys goods to maintayne my feblenes To these wordes aunswered the father I complayne of my sonne bycause he hathe not bene as a gentle sonne but rather as a cruell enemye for in all thynges since he was borne he hath bene disobedient to my will wherfore I thought it good to dysheryte hym before my death I woulde I weâ—e quite of all my substaunce so that the goddes hadde quyte hym of hys lyfe for the earthe is very cruell that swalloweth not the chyld alyue whyche to hys father is dysobedyent In that he sayeth I haue adopted another chyld for myne heyre I confesse it is true and for somuche as he sayeth that I haue dysinheryted hym and abiected hym from my herytage he beynge begotten of my owne bodye hereunto I aunswere That I haue not disinheryted my sonne but I haue disinheryted his pleasure tothentent he shal not enioy my trauaile for there can be nothing more vniust then that the yonge and vitious sonne should take his pleasure of the swette and droppes of the aged father The sonne replyed to his father and sayd I confesse I haue offended my father and also I confesse that I haue lyued in pleasures yet if I maye speake the trueth thoughe I were disobedient and euill my father oughte to beare the blame and if for this cause he doeth dysherite me I thynke he doth me great iniurye For the father that enstructed not hys sonne in vertue in hys youthe wrongfullye dysheryteth hym though he be disobedient in hys age The father agayne replyeth and saieth It is true my sonne that I brought the vp to wantonly in thy youth but thou knowest well that I haue taughte the sondrye tymes and besydes that I dyd correcte the when thou camest to some discretion And if in thy youth I dyd not instructe the in learnyng it was for that thou in thy tender age dydest wante vnderstandyng but after that thou haddest age to vnderstand discrecion to receiue and strength to exercyse it I began to punyshe the to teache the and to instructe the. For where no vnderstandyng is in the chyld there in vaine they teache doctrine Sence thou arte old quoth the sonne and I yong sence thou arte my father and I thy sonne for that thou hast whyte heres of thy bearde and I none at all it is but reason that thou be beleued I condemned For in this world we se oftetimes that the smal aucthoryty of the parson maketh hym to lose hys great iustyce I grauÌ„t the my father that when I was a childe thou dydst cause me to learne to reade but thou wylte not denye that if I dyd coÌ„mit any faulte thou wouldest neauer agree I should be punyshed And hereof it came that thou sufferyng me to doe what I woulde in my youth haue bene dysobedient to the euer since in my age And I saye to the further that if in this case I haue offended trulye me thinketh thou canst not be excused for the fathers in the youthe of their children oughte not onely to teache them to dispute of vertues and what vertue is but they ought to inforce them to be vertuous in dede For it is a good token when youth before they know vyces hath bene accustomed to practice vertues Both parties thou diligentlie hard the good Philosopher Solon Solinon spake these wordes I geue iudgement that the father of thys child be not buried after hys death and I commaunde that the sonne bycause in hys youth he hath not obeyed his father who is olde should be dysinheryted whiles the father lyueth from all hys substaunce on suche condition that after hys death hys sonnes should inheryte the heritage and so returne to the heires of the sonne and line of the father For it were vniust that the innocencie of the sonne should be condempned for the offence of the father I doe commaunde also that all the goods be committed vnto some faithful parson to th end they may geue the father meate and drinke durynge hys lyfe and to make a graue for the sonne after hys death I haue not with out a cause geuen suche iudgement the which comprehendeth lyfe and death for the Gods wyll not that for one pleasure the punyshement be double but that we chastyse and punyshe the one in the lyfe takynge from hym hys honour and goods and that we punyshe others after there death takyng from them memorye and buriall Truly the sentence which the Philosopher gaue was graue and would to God we had him for a iudge of this world presentlye for I sweare that he should finde many children now a dayes for to disheryte and mo fathers to punishe For I cannot tell which is greater the shame of the children to disobey their fathers or
vertues their children are moste inclined and this ought to be to encourage them in that that is good and contrary to reproue them in all that is euill For men are vndone for no other cause when they be olde but for that they had so much pleasures when they are younge Sextus Cheronensis in the seconde booke of the saiynges of the auntientes saieth that on a daye a citezen of Athens was byenge thinges in the market and for the qualitie of his persone the greatest parte of them were superfluous and nothing necessary And in this case the poore are no lesse culpable then the ryche and the ryche then the poore For that is so litle that to susteyne mans lyfe is necessary that he which hath lest hath therunto superfluous Therfore at that tyme when Athens and her common wealth was the lanterne of all Grece there was in Athens a lawe long vsed and of great tyme accustomed that nothing should be bought before a philosopher had set the pryce And truly the lawe was good and would to God the same lawe at this present were obserued for there is nothing that destroyeth a cōmon wealth more then to permitte some to sell as tyrauntes and others to buye as fooles When the Thebane was buying these thinges a philosopher was there present who sayed vnto him these wordes Tell me I praye thee thou man of Thebes wherefore doest thou consume and waste thy money in that whiche is not necessary for thy house nor profitable for thy persone the Thebane aunswered him I let the knowe that I doe buye all these thynges for a sonne I haue of the age of .xx. yeares the whiche neuer did thinge that seamed vnto me euill nor I neuer denayed hym any thing that he demaunded This philosopher aunswered O howe happy were thou if as thou arte a father thou were a sonne and that which the father saieth vnto the sonne the sonne would saye vnto the father but I am offended greatly with that thou hast tolde me For vntill the childe be .xxv. yeares olde he ought not to gaynesaye his father and the good father ought not to condescende vnto the appetites of the sonne Nowe I call the cursed father since thou arte subiect to the wyll of thy sonne and that thy sonne is not obedient to the wyl of his father so that thou alterest the order of nature For so muche as the father is sonne of his sonne and the sonne is father of his father But in the end I sweare vnto thee by the immortall Gods that when thou shalt become old thou shalt weape by thy selfe at that whiche with thy sonne thou diddest laughe when he was younge Though the wordes of this philosopher were fewe yet a wyse man wyll iudge the sentences to be many I conclude therfore that princes and great lordes ought to recōmende their children to their maisters to th ende they may teache them to chaunge their appetites and not to folowe their owne wil so that they withdrawe them from their own will and cause them to learne the aduise of an other For the more a man geueth a noble man sonne the brydle the more harder it is for them to receiue good doctrine ¶ Princes ought to take hede that their children be not brought vp in vayne pleasures and delightes For oftetimes they are so wicked that the fathers would not only haue them with sharpe discipline corrected but also with bitter teares buried Chap. xxxiii BY experience we see that in warre for the defence of men rampiers fortes are made according to the qualitie of the enemies those which sayle the daungerous seas doe chose great shippes whiche may breake the waues of the raging Sea so that all wyse men according to the qualitie of the daunger doe seke for the same in time some remedy Oftetymes I muse with my selfe and thynke if I coulde finde any estate any age any lande any nation any realme or any worlde wherein there hath bene any man that hath passed this life without tasting what aduersitie was for if suche a one were founde I thinke it should be a monstrous thing throughout all the earth and by reason both the dead and liuing should enuie hym In the ende after my counte made I finde that he whiche yesterdaye was ryche to daye is poore he that was hole I see hym to daye sicke he that yesterdaye laughed to daye I see hym wepe he that had his hartes ease I see hym nowe sore afflicted he that was fortunate I see hym vnlucky finally hym whom we knewe aliue in the towne now we see buried in the graue And to be buried is nothing els but to be vtterly forgotten for mans frendshyp is so frayle that when the corps is couered with earth immediatly the dead is forgotten One thinge me thinketh to all men is greuous to those of vnderstandyng no lesse payneful whiche is that the miseries of this wicked worlde are not equally deuided but that oftetymes all worldly calamities lieth in the necke of one man alone For we are so vnfortunate that the world geueth vs pleasures in sight troubles in profe If a man should aske a sage man now a daies who hath liued in meane estate that he would be contented to tel him what he hath paste since three yeares that he began to speake vntill fifty yeares that he began to waxe olde what thinges thinke you he would tel vs that hath chaunced vnto him truly al these that here folowe The grefes of his children the assaultes of his enemies the importunities of his wife the wantonnes of his doughters sicknes in his person great losse of goods general famine in the citie cruel plagues in his coūtrey extreme colde in wynter noysome heate in sommer sorowful deathes of his frendes enuious prosperities of his enemies finally he wil say that he passed such so many thinges that oftimes he bewailed the wofull life desired the swete death If the miserable man hath passed such things outwardly what would he saye of those which he hath suffred inwardly the whiche though some discrete men may know yet truly others dare not tell For the trauailes which the body passeth in fifty yeres may wel be counted in a day but that which the hart suffereth in one day cannot be counted in a hundred yeres A man cannot denay but that we would coūte him rashe which with a rede would mete an other that hath a sword him for a foole that would put of his shoes to walke vpō the thornes But without cōparison we ought to esteame him for the most foole that with this tender fleshe thinketh to preuaile against so many euil fortunes for without doubt the man that is of his body delicate passeth his life with much paine O how happy may that mā be called which neuer tasted what pleasure meaneth For men whiche from their infancy haue bene brought vp in pleasures for want of wisdome know not how to
Emperour of Rome saieth that an Embassadour of Britayne being one daye in Rome as by chaunce they gaue hym a froward aunswere in the Senate spake stoutely before them all and said these wordes I am sory you will not accepte peace nor graunte truce the whiche thing shal be for the greater iustification of our warres For afterwardes none can take but that whiche fortune shall geue For in the ende the delicate fleshe of Rome shal fele if the bloudy swordes of Britayne wil cut The Englishe historie saieth and it is true that though the countrey be very colde and that the water freseth ofte yet the women had a custome to cary their children where the water was frosen breaking the Ise with a stone with the same Ise they vsed to rubbe the body of the infante to the ende to harden their fleshe and to make them more apt er to endure trauailes And without doubt they had reason for I wyshe no greater penitence to delicate men then in the wynter to see them without fire and in the Sommer to wante freshe shadow Sith this was the custome of the Britayns it is but reason we credit Iulius Caesar in that he saieth in his comentaries that is to wete that he passed many daungers before he could ouercome them for thei with as litle feare did hyde them selues and dyued vnder the cold water as a very man would haue rested him selfe in a pleasaunt shadowe As Lucanus and Appianus Alexandrinus saie amongest other nations whiche came to succour the great Pompei in Pharsalia were the Messagetes the which as they say in their youth did sucke no other but the milke of Camels and eate bread of Acornes These barbarous did these thinges to the ende to harden their bodies to be able to endure trauail and to haue their legges lighter for to rōne In this case we can not cal them barbarous but we ought to cal them men of good vnderstanding for it is vnpossible for the man that eateth muche to runne fast Viriatus a Spanyarde was king of the Lusytaines and a great enemy of the Romains who was so aduenterous in the warre so valiaunt in his persone that the Romains by the experience of his dedes found him vnuincible For in the space of .xiii. yeres they could neuer haue any victory of him the whiche when they sawe they determined to poyson him did so in dede At whose death they more reioysed then if they had wonne the signorie of all Lusitanie For if Viriatus had not died they had neuer brought the Lusitaines vnder their subiection Iunius Rusticus in his epitomie saith that this Viriatus in his youth was a herde man kept cattel by the ryuer of Guadiana after that he waxed older vsed to robbe assault men by the highe wayes And after that he was .xl. yeares of age he became king of the Lusitaines and not by force but by election For when the people sawe theym selues enuirouned and assaulted on euery side with enemies they chose rather stout strong and hardy men for their captaines then noble men for their guydes If the auncient hystoriographers deceiue me not whē Viriatus was a thefe he led with him alwayes at the leaste a hundred theues the whiche were shodde with leaden shoes so that when they were enforced to ronne they put of their shoes And thus although all the daye they wente with leaden shoes yet in the night they ranne lyke swyfte buckes for it is a generall rule that the loser the ioyntes are the more swifter shall the legges be to ronne In the booke of the iestes of the Lumbardes Paulus Diaconus sayeth that in the olde tyme those of Capua had a lawe that vntyl the chyldren were maryed the fathers shold geue them no bedde to sleape on nor permit them to sitte at the table to eate but that they should eate their meates in their handes and take their reste on the grounde And truely it was a commendable lawe for reste was neuer inuented for the younge man whiche hath no bearde but for the aged beinge lame impotent and crooked Quintus Cincinatus was seconde Dictator of Rome and in dede for his desertes was the first emperour of the earth This excellente man was broughte vp in so great trauaile that his hands were found full of knottes the ploughe was in his armes and the swette in his face when he was sought to be Dictator of Rome For the auncientes desired rather to be ruled of them that knewe not but how to plow the ground then of them that delyted in nothing els but to liue in pleasurs among the people Caligula which was the fourth emperour of Rome as they say was brought vp with such cost and delicatnes in his youth that they were in doubt in Rome whether Drusius Germanicus hys father employed more for the Armyes then Calligula hys sonne spent in the cradel for his pleasurs This rehersed agayne I would now knowe of princes great lordes what part they would take that is to wete whether with Cincinatus whych by his stoutnes wanne so many straunge countreys or with Caligula that in hys fylthy lustes spared not his proper sister In myne opinyon ther nedeth no great deliberacion to aunswere this questyon that is to wete the goodnes of the one and the wickednes of the other for there was no battayle but Cincinatus did ouercome nor there was any vyce but Caligula dyd inuent Suetonius Tranquillus in the second booke of Cesars sayth that when the chyldren of the Emperour Augustus Cesar entred into the hygh capitol wher al the senate were assembled the Senatours rose out of their places and made a reuerence to the children the whych when the Emperoure Augustus saw he was much displeased and called them backe agane And on a day being demaunded why he loued his children no better he aunswered in this wise If my chyldren wil be good they shal syt hereafter wher I sit now but if they be euil I will not their vices shold be reuerenced of the Senatours For the aucthoritie grauity of the good ought not to be employed in the seruice of those that be wicked The 26. Emperour of Rome was Alexander the which though he was yong was asmuch esteamed for hys vertues amongest the Romaynes as euer Alexander the great was for hys valiauntnes amongest the Grekes We can not say that long experience caused him to come to the gouernment of the common wealth for as Herodian saith in his syxt booke the day that the Senatours proclamed him emperour he was so lytle that his owne men bare him in their armes That fortunate Emperour had a mother called Mamea the which brought him vp so wel dilygently that she kept alwayes a great gard of men to take hede that no vicious mā came vnto him And let not the diligence of the mother to that child be litle estemed For princes oft times of their owne nature are good by euyl conuersacion
one being sad which departed but very wel pleased For it is not comely for the magnificence of a prince that the mā which cōmeth to his pallace only for his seruice should returne murmuring or without rewarde This good emperour shewed him selfe sage to seke many sages he shewed him self wise in the choice of some of a good vnderstāding in dispatching others in cōtenting thē all For as we see daily by experience though the elections be good cōmonly great affections thereupon engender For those for not being chosen are sory to see the others chosen are shamefast In such case likewyse let it not be esteamed litle to serche a good remedy For the goldsmith ofttymes demaundeth more for the workemanship then the siluer is worth I meane that somtime princes do deserue more honour for the good meanes they vse in their affaires then for the good successe whereunto it commeth For the one aduenture guideth but the other wisedome aduaunceth The good emperour not contented with this prouided that those .xiiii. philosophers whiche should remaine in his pallace should sitte at the table and accompany his persone the which thing he did to see if their life wer cōformable to their doctrine if their words did agree to their works For ther are many mē which ar of a goodly tōgue of a wicked life Iulius Capitolinus and Cinna Catullus whiche were writers of this history say that it was a wonder to see howe this good Emperour did marke them to know if they were sober in feading temperate in drinking modest in going occupied in studieng and aboue all if they were very sage in speakynge and honest in liuing Would to God the princes of our tyme were in this case so diligent and carefull and that in committing in truste their affaires they would not care more for one then for others For speaking with due reuerence there aboundeth no wysedome in that prince whiche committeth a thing of importaunce to that man whom he knoweth not whether he is able to brynge it to passe or not Many talke euill and maruaile that princes and great lordes in so many thinges doe erre and for the contrary I maruaile howe they hitte any at al. For if they committed their waightie affaires to skilfull men though perhappes they erre once yet they hitte it a hundred times but when they committe their busines to ignoraunt men if they hitte once they misse a thousand times againe In this case I say there is nothing destroyeth younge Princes more then for that they committe not their affaires to their olde and faithfull seruauntes For in fine the vnfained loue is not but in him that eateth the princes bread daily It is but reason that other princes take example by this prince to seke good maisters for their children and if the maisters be good and the schollers euyll then the fathers are blamelesse For to princes and great lordes it a great discharge of conscience to see though their children be loste yet it is not for want of doctrine but for aboundaunce of malice The Romaine prince had a custome to celebrate the feaste of the God Genius who was God of their byrthe and that feaste was celebrated euery yeare once whiche was kepte the same daye of the byrth of the Emperour ioyfully throughout all Rome for at this day al the prysoners were pardoned and deliuered out of the pryson Mamortina Yet notwithstanding you ought to knowe that if any had sowed sedition amonge the people or had betrayed the armies or robbed or done any mischiefe in their temples those three offences were neuer pardoned nor excused in Rome Euen as in Christian religion the greatest othe is to sweare by God so amongest the Romaines there was no greater othe then to sweare by the God Genius And since it was the greatest othe none could sweare it but by the licence of the Senate and that ought to be betwixt the handes of the priestes of the God Genius And if perchaunce suche an othe were taken of light occasion he which sware it was in daunger of his life For in Rome it was an auncient lawe that no man should make any solempne othe but that first they should demaunde licence of the Senate The Romaines did not permitte that lyers nor disceiuers should be credited by their othes neither did they permitte them to sweare For they said that periured men doe both blaspheme the Gods and deceiue men The aboue named Marcus Aurelius was borne the .xxvii. day of Aprill in Mounte Celio in Rome And as by chaunce they celebrated the feaste of the God Genius which was the daye of his birth there came maisters offence Iuglers and common players with other loyterers to walke and solace them selues For the Romaines in their greate feastes occupied them selues al night in offring sacrifices to the gods and afterwardes they consumed all the day in pastimes Those iuglers and players shewed so muche pastime that all those which behelde them were prouoked to laughe and the Romaines to say the truth were so earnest in matters of pastime and also in other matters of weight that in the daye of pastimes no man was sadde and in the time appointed for sadnes no man was mery So that in publike affaires they vsed all to mourne or els all to reioyce Cinna Catullus saith that this good Emperour was so wel beloued that when he reioyced all reioyced and when the Romaine people made any great feast he him selfe was there present to make it of more authoritie and shewed such mirth therein as if he alone and none other had reioyced For otherwyse if the prince loke sadly no man dare shewe him selfe mery The historiographers say of this good emperour that in ioyfull feastes and triumphes they neuer saw him lesse mery then was requisite for the feast nor they euer sawe him so mery that it exceaded the grauitie of his persone For the prince whiche in vertue presumeth to be excellent ought neither in earnest matters to be heauy nor in thinges of small importaunce to shewe him self light As princes nowe a daies goe enuironned with menne of armes so did then the good Emperour go accompanied with sage philosophers Yea and more then that which ought most to be noted is that in the dayes of feastes pleasures the princes at this present goe accompanied with hongry flatterers but this noble Emperour went accompanied with wise men For the prince that vseth him selfe with good company shall alwayes auoyde the euil talke of the people Sextus Cheronensis saith that a Senatour called Fabius Patroclus seing that the Emperour Marcus went alwaies to the Senate and Theaters accompanied and enuironned with sages saide one daye to him merily I pray thee my lorde tell me why thou goest not to the Theater as to the Theater to the Senate as to the Senate For to the Senate Sages ought to go to geue vs good councell and to the Theaters fooles to make vs pastime To
this the good Emperour aunswered my frend I saye thou art much deceaued For to the sacred Senate wherein there are so many sages I would leade all the fooles to the ende they might become wise and to the Theaters where all the fooles are I would bring the sages to the ende to teache them wisedome Truly this sentence was fit for him that spake it I admonishe princes and great lordes that in steade to kepe company with fooles flatterers parasites they prouide to haue about them wyse and sage mē in especially if the fooles be malicious for the noble hartes with one malicious worde are more offended then if they were with a venemous arrow wounded Therfore returning to our matter as the emperour was in the feast of the god Genius that with him also were the .xiiii. sage philosophers maisters of the prince Comodus a iugler more conning then al the rest shewed sondry trickes as cōmonly such vaine loiterers are wont to doe For he that in like vanities sheweth most pastime is of the people most beloued As Marcus Aurelius was sage so he set his eies more to beholde these .xiiii. maisters then he did stay at the lightnes of the fooles And by chaunce he espied that fiue of those laughed so inordinatly at the folly of these fooles that they clapt their hands they bet their feete lost the grauitie of sages by their inordinat laughter the which was a very vncomly thing in such graue persons For the honest modestie of the body is a great witnes of the wisedome and grauitie of the mynde The lightnes and inconstancie of the sages sene by the Emperour and that al the graue Romaines were offended with them he toke it heauely as well to haue brought them thether as to haue bene disceiued in electing them Howe be it with his wysedom then he helped him selfe as muche as he coulde in not manifesting any griefe in his harte but he dessembled and made as though he sawe them not For sage princes muste nedes feale thinges as men but they ought to dissemble them as discrete The Emperour presently would not admonish them nor before any reproue them but he let the feaste passe on and also a fewe dayes after the whiche being passed the Emperour spake vnto them in secret not telling them openly wherein he shewed him selfe a mercifull prince for open correction is vniuste where secret admonition may take place The thinges whiche Marcus Aurelius saide to those fiue maisters when he put them out of his house he him selfe did wryte in the third booke and the first chapter vnder the title Ad stultos pedagogos And saide that he said vnto them these and suche other like wordes ¶ Of the wordes whiche Marcus Aurelius spake to fiue of the ▪ xiiii maisters whiche he had chosen for the education of his sonne and howe he sent them from his pallace for that they behaued them selues lightly at the feaste of the God Genius Chap. xxxvi MY will was not my frendes to forsee that whiche can not be excused nor I wyll not commaunde you that whiche I ought not to commaunde but I desire that the gods of their grace doe remaine with me and that with you the same iust gods may goe and that likewyse from me and from you the vnlucky and vnfortunate chaunces may be withdrawen For the vnlucky man were better be with the dead then remayne here with the liuing Since that nowe I had receiued you and with great diligence sought you to that ende you should be tutors to my sonne the prince Comodus I proteste to the immortall gods that I am sory and that of your shame I am ashamed and that of your paine the greatest part is mine And it can be no otherwyse for in the worlde there shoulde be no frendship so streight that a man therefore shoulde put his good name in daunger The sages that I haue sought were not prouided onely to learne the prince Comodus but also to refourme al those that liued euill in my pallace And nowe I see the contrary for where I thought the fooles should haue bene made wyse I see that those that were wyse are become fooles Knowe you not that the fine golde defendeth his purenes among the burning cooles and that the man endued with wysedome sheweth hym selfe wyse yea in the middest of many fooles For truely as the golde in the fire is proued so among the lightenes of fooles is the wisedome of the wyse discerned Do not you knowe that the sage is not knowen among the sages nor the foole among the fooles but that amonge fooles wyse men doe shyne and that amonge the sages fooles are darkened for there the wyse sheweth his wysedome and the foole sheweth his folly Doe not you knowe that in the sore woundes the surgian sheweth his cunning and that in the daungerous diseases the phisition sheweth his science And that in the doubtful battailes the captaine sheweth his stoutnes and that in the boysterous stormes the maister sheweth his experience So in like maner the sage man in that place where there is great ioye and solace of people ought to shewe his wisdome and discretion Do not you know that of a moderate witte there proceadeth a cleare vnderstandinge a sharpe memory a graue persone a quiet minde a good name and aboue all a temperate tongue For he only ought to be called wyse who is discreate in his workes and resolute in his wordes ▪ Doe not you knowe that it litle auaileth to haue the tongue experte the memory liuely the vnderstāding cleare to haue great science to haue profounde eloquence a swete style and ample experience if with all these thinges you be as maisters and in your workes as wicked men certainely it is a great dishonour to a vertuous emperour that he should haue for maisters of young princes those which are schollers of vaine Iuglers Doe not you know that if all the men of this worlde are bounde to leade a good life that those which presume to haue science are muche more bounde then others are whiche by their eloquence presume to confounde the worlde For it is a rule certayne that alwayes euill workes take awaye the credit from good wordes And to the ende it seame not vnto you that I speake of fauour I wyll brynge here into your memory an auncient lawe of Rome the whiche was made in the tyme of Cinna whiche saide We ordeine and commaunde that more greauous punishement be geuen vnto the sage for one folly onely committed by him openly then to the simple man for a greater offence cōmitted secretly O iuste very iust law O iust and happy Romaines I saye vnto all those that togethers did finde ordeine the law For the simple man sleyeth but one man with his swerde of wrath but the sage killeth many by the euil example of his life For according to the saiyng of the deuine Plato the princes and sage sinne more by the euill
And what more to say I know not Romaines of the litle care the goddes do take of the great audacitie that meÌ„ haue For I see that he which possesseth much doth oppresse hym which hath but litle he that hath but litle waieth not him that hath much So disordered couetousnes striueth with secret malice secret malice geueth place to open theft open robbery no man resisteth therof commeth that the couetice of a malicious man is accomplished to the preiudice of a whole state Harken ye romaines herken by the immortal gods I do coniure you geue eare to that I wil say which is consider wel what you haue doÌ„â— for the gods wordes be in vaine or els men must haue an ende the worlde in time must nedes fal or els the worlde shal be no worlde Fortune must nedes make sure the pinne of the whele or els that shal be sene which neuer was seene which is that which in .8 yeares ye haue wonne ye shal withein .8 daies lose For nothing can be more iust since ye by force haue made your selues tirants then that the gods by iustice should make ye slaues And do not think ye romains though you haue subdued Germany and be lordes therof that it was by anye warrely industrye for ye are no more warlike no more coragious nor more hardy ne yet more valiauÌ„t theÌ„ we Germaines but sins through our offeÌ„ces we haue prouoked the gods to wrath they for the punishmeÌ„t of oure disordinate vices ordeyned that ye should be a cruel plague scourge to our ê‘soÌ„s Do not take your selues to be stroÌ„g neither repute vs to be so weake that if the gods at that time had fauoured the one part asmuch as the other it might perchance haue happened ye should not haue enioied the spoile For to say the truth ye wan not the victory through the force of weapoÌ„s that you brought froÌ„ Rome but through the infynyte vices which ye founde in Germany Therefore since we weare not ouercome for beinge cowards neither for being weake nor yet for beinge fearefull but only for being wicked not hauing the gods fauourable vnto vs what hope ye Romaines to become of you being as you are vicious hauing the gods angry with you Do not think Romaines to be the more victorious for that ye asseÌ„ble great armies or that ye abound in treasures neither for that you haue greater gods in your ayd or that ye build greater teÌ„ples nor yet for that ye offer such greate sacrifices For I let you know if ye do not know it that no man is in more fauor with the gods than he which is at peace with vertue If the triumphes of the conquerours coÌ„sisteth in nothing els but in subtill wittes politike captaines valiant souldiers great armies wtout doubt it would litle auaile to cary al this to the warre sins afterwards we se by experieÌ„ce that men can do no more but geue the battailes the gods theÌ„ selues must geue the victories If I be not deceyued I thynke that for our offences we haue sufficientlye satisfyed the gods wrath But truelye I beleue that the cruelties which ye haue done vnto vs and the vnthankefullnesse whiche you haue shewed the goddes though as yet ye haue not payd it that once ye shall pay it And hereafter it may chaunce that as presentlye ye count vs for slaues so in tyme to come ye shall acknowledge vs for lordes Synce the trauaylynge by the waye I haue seene the highe mouÌ„taines diuers prouinces sundrye nations countreis so sauage people so barbarous suche and so manye miles as Germany is distaunt from Roome I muse what fonde toye came in the Romaines heades to sende to conquere Germany If couetousnesse of treasures caused it I am sure they spent more money to conquere it and at this present doe spende to kepe it then the whole reuenewes of Germany amountethe or maye amount in manye yeares and perchaunce theye maye lose it before they recouer that they spent to conquere it And if ye say vnto me Romaines that Germanie is not conquered of Rome for euer but that onelye Rome shoulde haue the glorye to be mistres of Germanye this allso I saye is vanitye and follye For litle auaileth it to haue the forts and castels of the people when the hartes of the inhabitauntes are absente If ye saye that therefore ye conquered Germany to amplifie and enlarge the limittes and boundes of Rome allso mee thinkethe this as foolishe an enterprise For it is not the point of wise and valiaunt men to enlarge their dominyons and diminishe theire honour If ye saye ye sent to conquere vs to the end we shoulde not be barbarous nor liue like tirauntes but that you woulde we shoulde liue after your good lawes and customes yf it bee so I am well content But how is it possyble ye should geue laws to strauÌ„gers wheÌ„ you break the laws of your own pÌ„decessours great shame ought they to haue which take vpoÌ„ theÌ„ to correct others when they haue more nede to be corrected theÌ„ selfes For the blinde man ought not to take vppon him to leade the lame If this be true as presently it is what reason or occasion had proude Rome to take and conquere the innocent Germanye Let vs all go therfore to robbe to kyll to conquere and to spoile sins we see the worlde so corrupte and so far from the loue of god that euery man as we may perceiue taketh what hee caÌ„ kylleth whom he will and that which worst of all is that neither those which gouerne wil remedy so many euils as are committed neither those which are offeÌ„ded dare complaine Ye chiefe iudges at this day are so harde to bee entreated ye take so litle regard vnto the poore oppressed that they think it more quiet to remaine in trouble at home then to come and put vp theire complaintes before you here at Rome And the cause hereof is that there in theire countrey theye haue but one which pursueth theÌ„ and here in this senate theye are euil willed of al and that is because he which complaineth is poore and the other whiche is complained on is riche Therefore since fortune would it and the fatall destinies permit it that the proude Rome should be mistresse of our Germanye it is but reason ye should kepe vs in iustice and mainteine vs in peace But you do not so but rather those which come thither do take from vs our goods and ye that are here do rob vs of our good name saying that since we are a people without law without reason without a king as vnknowen barbarous ye maye take vs for slaues In this case ye Romains are greatly deceiued for me thinketh with reason ye can not cal vs wtout reason since we being such as we are and as the gods created vs remaine in our proper countreis without desiring to seeke or inuade foreine realmes For with more reason we mighte
thintent you may know thē then to refourm thē If there come a right poore mā to demaūd iustice hauing no mony to geue nor wine to present nor oyle to promise nor frindes to help him nor reuenew to succour him maynteine him in expēces after he hath cōplained they satisfie him with words saiyng vnto him that spedely he shall haue iustice What wil ye I should say but that in the meane time they make him spend that litle he hath geue hī nothing though he demaund much they geue him vaine hope they make him wast the best of his life euery one of thē doth promisse his fauour afterwards they al lay hādes vpon him to oppresse him The most of thē say his righte is good afterwards they geue sentence against him so that the miserable persone whyche came to complaine of one returneth home complaining of all cursing his cruell destenies criynge out to the iust and mercifull gods for reuengement It chaunseth allso that oft times there cōmeth to complaine heare in the Senat some flattering man more for malice then by reason of right or iustice and ye Senatours crediting his double words his fained teares immediatlye ordein a Cēsor to go geue audience on their cōplaints Who being gōne returned ye seke more to remedy geue eare to the complaints of the Iudge thē to the sclaunders which were among the people I will declare vnto you mye life O ye Romaines therby ye shall se how they passe their life in my countrey I liue by gathering akornes in the winter reapinge corne in the sūmer some time I fishe aswell of necessitie as of pleasure so that I passe allmoste al my lyfe alone in the fieldes or in the mountaines And if you wote not whye heare me I wil shew you I se such tirranny in your iudges such robberies as they commit among the poore people there are such dissētions in that realme such iniuries cōmitted therin the poore cōmon wealth is so spoyled there are so few that haue desire to do good and allso there are so few that hope for remedy in the senate that I am determined as most vnhappy to bānishe my selfe out of mine owne house to seperate my selfe from my swete company to the end my eyes should not behold so miserable a chaunge For I had rather wander solitarie in the fields then to see my neighbours hourly lamēt in the stretes For there the cruell beastes do not offende me vnles I do assault thē but the cursed men though I do serue them yet dayly they vexe me Without doubt it is a marueilous paine to suffer an ouerthrowe of fortune but it is a greater torment when one felethe it without remedy And yet witheoute comparison my greatest griefe is when my losse may be remedied that he which may wil not he that wil can not by any meanes remedy it O cruel Romains ye fele nothyng that we fele inespecially I which speake it ye shal se how I fele it since only to reduce it to memory my eies do dasell my tongue wil waxe weary my iointes do seuer my hart doth tremble my entrailes do breake and my flesh consumeth what a woful thing is it in my countrey to se it with my eies to heare it wyth my eares to fele it with myne owne hands Truly the griefes whiche the wofull Germany suffreth are such so many that I beleue yet the mercyful gods will haue compassion vpon vs. I wil not desire ye to think sclander of my wordes but onely I do besech ye you wil vnderstād wel what I say For you ymagining as you doe presume to be discrete shal see right wel that the troubles which came to vs from men among men with men by the hands of men it is a small mattery we as men do fele them speaking For according to the truth also with liberty if I should declare euerye other iuste aduertisement which came from the senat al the tyranny which your iudges cōmit in the miserable realme one of these .2 thinges must ensue either the punishment of me or the depriuacion of your officers if I say true One thing onely comforteth me or whereof I with other infortunate people haue had experience in that I think my selfe happy to know that the iust plagues proceede not from the iuste gods but through the iust deserts of wicked men And that our secret fault doth waken those to the end that they of vs may execute open iustice Of one thing only I am sore troubled because the gods can not be contented but for a smal fault they punish a good man much for many faultes they punishe euill men nothing at all so that the gods do beare with the one forgeue nothinge vnto the other O secret iudgements of god that as I am boūd to praise your workes so likewise if I had licence to condempne them I durst saye that ye cause vs to suffer greuous paines for that ye punish persecute vs by the hands of such iudges the which if iustice toke place in the world whē they chastise vs wyth their hands they do not deserue to haue their heades on theire shoulders The cause why now again I do exclame on the immortall gods is to se that in these 15. daies I haue bene at Rome I haue sene such dedes done in your senat that if the least of them had ben done at Danuby the gallows gibbets had ben hāged thicker of theues then the vyneyard is with grapes I am determined to see your doings to speake of your dishonesty in apparell your litle temperāce in eating your disorder in affaires your pleasures in liuing and on the other side I see that when your prouision arriueth in our countrey we cary into the temples offer it to the gods we put it on their heads so that the one meting with the other we accomplish that which is commaunded accurse those that commaunded And sith therfore my hart hath now sene that which it desireth my minde is at rest in spitting out the poyson which in it abideth If I haue in any thing here offended with my tongue I am redy to make recompēce with my head For in good faith I had rather winne honour in offring my selfe to death then ye should haue it in taking from me my life And here the villayne ended his talke immediatlye after Mar. Aur. saide to those whiche were aboute him How think ye my frindes what kernell of a nut what golde of the myne what corne of straw what rose of bryers what mary of bones how noble valiaunt a man hath he shewed him selfe What reasons so hye what wordes so wel couched what truth so true what sentēces so wel pronoūced also what open malice hathe he discouered By the faithe of a good man I sweare as I may be deliuered from this
feuer which I haue I sawe this villaine standing boldely a whole houre on his feete al we beholdinge the earthe as amazed coulde not aunswere him one word For in dede this villaine confuted vs with his purpose astonied vs to se the litle regarde he had of his life The senate afterwardes being al agreed the next day folowing we prouided new iudges for the ryuer of Danuby cōmaunded the villaine to deliuer vs by writing all that he had saide by mouth to the end it might be registred in the booke of good saiyng of straungers which were in the senate And further it was agreed that the saide villaine for the wise wordes he spake should be chosen senatour and of the free men of Rome he should be one and that for euer he should be sustayned with the cōmon treasour For our mother Rome hath alwaies bene praysed estemed not only to acquite the seruices which hath bene done vnto her but also the good wordes which were spoken in the Senate ¶ That princes noble men oughte to be very circumspect in chosinge iudges and offycers for therein consistethe the profyte of the publike weale Cap. vi ALexander the great as the historiographers say in his youth vsed hūting very much specially of the mountains that which is to be marueiled at he would not hunt Deare goats hares nor partriges but Tigers Lyberdes elephants cocodrilles and Lyons So that this mighty prince did not onely shewe the excellency of his courage in conqueringe proude princes but also in chasing of cruel sauage beasts Plutarche in his Apothegmes saiethe that the greate Alexander had a familiar seruaunt named Crotherus to whom often times he spake these words I let the to know Crotherus that the valyāt princes ought not only to be vpright in their realmes which they gouern but also to be circumspect in pastimes which they vse that the auctoritie whiche in the one they haue wonne in the other they do not lose When Alexander spake these wordes truely he was of more auctoritie then of yeares But in the ende he gaue this example more to be folowed cōmanded then to be reproued or blamed I saye to be folowed not in the huntinge that he exercysed but in the great courage which he shewed To the Plebeyans men of base condicion it is a litle thing that in one matter they shew their might in other things they re small power is knowen but to princes greate lordes it is a discommendable thing that in earnest matters any man should accuse them of pryde in thinges of sport they should count them for light For the noble valiaunt Prince in thinges of importaunce ought to shew great wisedome in meane things great stoutnes The case was such that Alexander the great hunting on the wilde mountaines by chaunce met with a cruel Lion as the good Prince would wyn his honor with the Lion also the Lion preserue his own life they were in griepes the one of the other so faste that bothe fell to the earthe where they striued almoste halfe an houre but in the ende the lyon remained there deade and the hardye Alexander escaped all bloudye This huntynge of Alexander and the Lyon thoroughe all Grece was greatlye renowmed I say gretly renowmed because the grauers painters drew a pourtrait forthwith in stone worke of this huntinge the grauers hereof were Lisippus and Leocarcus marueilous grauers of anuk workes which they made of mettall where they liuely set forth Alexander the Lion fighting also a familiar seruant of his named Crotherus being among the dogges beholding thē So that the worke semed not onely to represent an aūcient thing but that the Lyon Alexander Crotherus the dogges semed also to be aliue in the same chase Whē Alexander fought with the Lyon ther came an Embassatour from Sparthes to Macedonia who spake to Alexander these wordes Woulde to god immortall prince that the force you haue vsed with the Lyon in the mountain you had imployed against some prince for to be Lorde of the earth By the wordes of the Embassatour the deedes of Alexander may easely by gathered that as it is comly for Princes to be honest valiaunt and stout so to the contrary it is vnsemely for them to be bolde and rashe For thoughe princes of their goodes be lyberall yet of their lyfe they oughte not to be prodigall The diuine Plato in the tenth booke of his laws saieth that the .2 renowmed Philosophers of Thebes whose names were Adon Clinias fell at variaunce withe them selues to know in what thing the prince is bound to aduenture his life Clinias said that he ought to dye for any thing touching his honour Adon saide the contrarye That he should not hazarde his life vnles it were for maters touching the affaires of the common wealth Plato saieth those .2 philosophers had reason in that they saide but admit that occasion to dye shoulde be offred the prince for the one or the other he ought rather to dye for that thing touching iustice then for the thinge touchinge his honour For there is no great difference to dye more for the one then for the other Applying that we haue spoken to that we will speake I say that we do not desire nor we wil not that princes and greate lordes doe destroy them selues with Lions in the chase neither aduenture their persones in the warres nor that they put their liues in peril for the common weale but we only require them that they take some paines and care to prouide for thinges belonging to iustice For it is a more naturall hunting for princes to hunt out the vicious of their common weales then for to hunt the wilde bores in the thicke woodes To the end princes accomplish this which we haue spoken we wil not aske them time when they ought to eat slepe hunt sport recreate thē selues but that of the foure and twenty houres that be in the daye and nyghte theye take it for a pleasure and commoditie one houre to talke of iustice The gouernement of the commonweale consisteth not in that they should trauaile vntil they sweate and molest theire bodies shed theire bloude shorten theire lyues and lose theire pastimes but all consistethe in that they shoulde be dylygent to forsee the domages of their common wealth and likewise to prouyde for good mynysters of iustice We doe not demaunde Prynces and greate lordes to geue vs theire goodes nor we forbydde them not to eate to forsake slepe to sporte to hunte nor to putte theire lyues in daunger but we desyre and beseeche them that theye prouyde good mynysters of iustice for the common wealthe Firste they oughte to be very dyligente to serche them oute and afterwards to be more circūspect to examine thē for if we sighe withe teares to haue good Prynces we oughte muche more to praye that wee haue not euill offycers What profytethe it
ignominy Seldome times we se the sunne shine bright al the day long but first in the sommer there hath ben a mist or if it be in the winter thâ—t hath ben a frost By this parable I meane that one of the miseries of this worlde is that we shall se fewe in this worlde which nowe bee prosperous but beefore haue had fortune in some cases very malitious For we see by experience some come to be very poore and other chaunce to atteine to greate riches so that thoroughe the impouerishing of those the other become riche and prosperous The weping of the one causeth the other to laugh so that if the bucket that is emptye aboue doth not go downe the other whiche is full beneathe can not come vp Speaking therefore according to sensuallyty thou wouldest haue bene glad that day to haue sene our triuÌ„phe with the abundance of riches the great nomber of captiues the dyuersitie of beasts the valiantnes of the captaines the sharpnes of wittes which we brought from Asia eÌ„tred into Rome wherby thou mightest wel know the dauÌ„gers that we escaped in that warre Wherefore speakynge the truth the matter betwene vs our enemies was so debated that those of vs that escaped best had their bodies sore wounded their vaines also almost with out bloud I let thee wete my Cornelius that the Parthes are warlike men in daungerous enterprises verye hardy bolde And when theye are at home in their couÌ„trey euery one with a stout hart defendeth his house surely they do yt like good men valiaunt captaines For if we other romaines without reasoÌ„ through ambition do go to take another mans it is mete iuste that theye by force do defend their own Let no man through the abundaunce of malice or want of wisedome enuy the Romaine Captaine for any triumphe that is geuen him by his mother Rome for surely to get this only one daies honor he adueÌ„tureth his life a M. times in the fielde I wil not speak al that I myght say of them that we lede forth to the warres nor of them which we leaue here at home in Rome which be al cruell iudges of our fame for theire iudgement is not vpright accordinge to equitye but rather procedethe of malice and enuye Though they take me for a pacient man not farre out of order yet I let thee know my Cornelius that there is no pacience can suffer nor hart dissemble to see many romains to haue such great enuy which thorough their malicious tongues passe not to backebite other mens triumphes For it is a olde disease of euil men through malice to backebite that with their tong which through their cowardnes they neuer durst enterprise with their hands Notwithstanding al this ye must know that in the warre you must first ofteÌ„ hazard your life afterwardes to the discrecion of suche tonges commit your honour Our follye is so folishe the desires of men so vaine that more for one vaine worde then for any profyte we desire rather to get vaine glorye withe trauaile then to seeke a good life withe reste And therefore willinglye wee offer oure liues nowe to great trauaile and payne onelye that amonge vaine men hereafter we maye haue a name I sweare by the immortall gods vnto thee mye Cornelius that the daye of mye triumphe where as to the seemynge of all those of this worlde I went triumphinge in the chariote opeÌ„ly yet I ensure thee my hart wepte secreatly Such is the vanitie of men that though of reason we be admonished called and compelled yet we flye froÌ„ her and contrary though we be â—â—â—ked euil handled despised of the worlde yet we will serue it If I be not deceiued it is the prosperitie of foolishe men wante of good iudgementes that cause the men to enter into others houses by force rather then to be desiroâ—â—â— be quiet in their owne with a good will I meane that we shoulde in folowinge vertue soner be vertuous then in haunting vices be vicious For speaking the troth men which in all and for all desire to please the worlde must nedes offer them selues to great trauaile and care O Rome Rome cursed be thy folly and cursed be he that in thee brought vp so muche pryde and bâ— he cursed of men and hated of gods which in thee haâ—â—uented this pompeâ— For verye fewe are they that worthely vnto it haue aâ—â—â—â—d but infinite are they which thorough it haue perished What greater vnâ—â—â—or what equall lightnes can be then that a Romaine captaine because he â—â—h conquered realmes troubled quiet men destroied cities beaten downe castels robbed the poore enriched tiraunts caried away treasours shed much bloud made infinite widdowes takeÌ„ manye noble mens liues should be afterwardes with great triumphe of Rome receiued in recompence of al this domage Wilt thou now that I tel thee a greater follye which aboue al other is greatest I let thee wete infinite are theye that dye in the warres and one onely carieth away the glorye thereof so that these wofull miserable men though for their carcase they haue not a graue yet one captaine goeth triumphing alone thorough Rome By the immortall gods I sweare vnto thee let this pas secretly as betwene frindes that the day of my triumphe when I was in my triumphaunt chariot beholdinge the miserable captiues loden with yrons and other men cariynge infinite treasures which we had euill gotten and to se the carefull widdowes weepe for the death of their husbandes and remeÌ„bred so many noble Romaines whych lost their liues in Affrike though I semed to reioice outwardly yet I eÌ„sure thee I did wepe droppes of bloud inwardly For he is no maÌ„ borne in the world but rather a fury bred vp in hel among the furies that ran at the sorow of another take any pleasure I knowe not in this case what reputacion the prince or captayn should make of him selfe that commeth from the warre and desireth to enter into Rome for if he thinke as it is reason on the woundes he hath in his body or the tresures which he hathe wasted on the places that he hath burnt on the perils that he hath escaped on the iniuries which he hath receiued the multitude of men which vniustlye are slaine the frindes whiche he hath lost the enemies that he hath gotten the litle rest that he hathe enioied and the greate trauaile that he hath suffred in such case I say that such a one with sorowful sighs ought to lament and with bitter teares oughte to be receiued In this case of triumphinge I neither commende the Assirians nor enuy the Persians nor am content with the Macedonians nor allowe the Caldians or content mee with Grekes I curse the Troians and condempne the Carthagiens because that they proceded not according to the zeale of iustice but rather of the rage of pride to set vp triumphes endomaged their countreys and lefte an occasion
to vndoe vs O cursed Rome cursed thou hast ben cursed thou art and cursed thou shalt be For if the fatall destenies do not lye vnto me and my iudgemente deceiue me and fortune fasten not the naile they shall se of thee Rome in time to come that which we others presently se of the realmes paste Thou oughtest to know that as thou by tyranny hast made thy self lady of lordes so by iustyce thou shalt returne to be the seruant of seruauntes O vnhappy Rome and vnhappy againe I retourne to call the. Tell me I praye thee why arte thou at this daye so dere of marchaundise and so chepe of folly Where are the auncient fathers whiche buylded thee and wyth theire vertues honoured thee in whose stede presently thou magnifyest so many tyrauntes whiche with theire vyces deface thee Where are al those noble and vertuous barons which thou hast nourished in whose steede thou hast nowe so manye vicions and vacabondes Where are those whyche for thy libertye dyd shedde theire blonde in whose stede nowe thou hast those that to bring thee into subieccion haue lost their lyfe Where are thy valyant Captaines which with such great trauaile dyd endeuour them selues to defende the walles froÌ„ enemies in whose stede haue succeeded those that haue plucked them downe and peopled them wyth vyces and vicious where are thy great priestes the whiche did alwaies praye in the Temples in whose steede haue succeded those whiche knowe not but to defile the churches and with theire wickednes to moue the goddes to wrathe where are these so manye philosophers and oratours which with their counsailes gouerned the in whose stede haue nowe succeded so many simple ignorant whiche with theire malyce doe vndoe the O Rome all those auncieÌ„ts haue forsaken the and we succede those which now are newe and if thou knewest truely the vertue of them and diddest consider the lightnes of vs the day that they ended theire lyfe the selfe same daye not one stone in thee shoulde haue bene lefte vpon an other And so those feldes shoulde haue sauoured of the bones of the vertuous whiche nowe stinke of the bodyes of the vicious Peraduenture thou arte more auncient then Babilon more beautifull then Hierusalem more riche then Carthage more stronge then Troy more peopled the Thebes more in circuite then Corinthe more pleasaunt then Tirus more fertile then Constantinople more high then Camena more vnuincible then Aquileia more priuileged then Gades more enuironed with Towers then Capâ—a and more floryshing then Cantabria Wee see that all those notable cyties perished for all theire vertuous defendoures and thinkest thou to remayne being replenished with so muche vyce and peopled with so manye vicious O my mother Rome take one thinge for a warning that the glorye whyche now is of the was firste of them and the same destruction that was of them shall hereafter lyghte vppon the for suche is the worlde For thus goeth the world euen as wee presentlye see the troubles of them that be paste so shall those that be to come see oures that be present ¶ Marcus Aurelius goeth on with his letter and declareth the order that the Romaynes vsed in settyng forth theire men of warre of the outragious villanyes which captaines souldiours vse in the warre Cap. xv I wyll nowe declare vnto thee my frend Cornelius the order which we haue to set forth men of warre and thereby thou shal see the great disorder that is in Rome For in the olde tyme there was nothing more looked vnto nor more corrected then was the discipline of warre And for the contrarye now a dayes there is nothinge so dissolute as are our men of warre Newes once spred abrodeÌ„ through the empire howe the prince doth take vppon him anye warre immediatlye dyuers oppinions engender amongest the people and euery one iudgeth dyuerselye vppon the warre For asmuche as the one saythe it is iust and the prince that taketh it vppon hym is iust Others saye that it is vniust and that the prince which beganne it is a tyraunt The poore and seditious persons do allowe it to the ende they might goe and take other mens goods by force The riche and pacient do condemne it because thei would enioye theire owne in quiet So that they doe not iustifye or condempne warre accordyng to the zeale of iustice but accordinge to the little or muche profite that shall folowe them of that enterpryse I commaunde whiche am a Romayne Emperour warre to be proclaimed because a city or prouince hath rebelled and that accordinge to theire custome they doe obserue the ceremonies of Rome First you must vnderstand the priestes must be called to goe immediately to praye to the immortall gods for the romaine people neuer went to shedde the bloude of theire enemies in the warres but first the pristes dyd shed the teares of theire eyes in the Temples Secondly al the sacred Senate doth goe to the temple of the God Iupiter and there they sweare all with a solemne othe that if the enemies agaynst whome they goe doe require a newe confederacion with Rome or demaund pardon of their faultes committed that all reuengement layde on syde they shall not denye them mercye Thyrdlye the consull whiche is appointed for captaine of the warre went to the hygh capitoll and there he maketh a solemne vowe to one of the gods whiche lyketh hym best that hee will offer hym a certaine Iewell if hee retourne victorious of the same warre and though the iewell whiche he dooth promise be of greate value yet all the people are bound to paye it The .4 is that they set vp in the temple of Mars the ensigne of the Egle whiche is the auncient romaine ensigne and that is that all the Romaynes take it for coÌ„maundement that no spectacle nor feast bee celebrated in Rome durynge the tyme that theire brethren bee in the warres The .5 a Pretor mounteth vp to the toppe of the gate of Salaria and theire hee bloweth the trumpet to muster menne of warre and they bring forth the standers and ensignes to deuyde them amonge the Captaines How fearfull a thyng is it to see that so soone as the Captayne is enuyroned wyth thensigne so soone hath he lycence to commit all euyls and villanyes So that he taketh it for a brauerye to robbe the countreys whereby he passeth and to deceyue those wyth whome hee practyseth What lyberty captaynes and gouernours of warre haue to doe euyll and to bee euyll it is verye manyfest in those whome they leade in theire companye For the sonnes leaue theire fathers the seruauntes theire lordes the Schollers theire maysters the offycers theire offyces the priestes theire Temples the amarouse theire loues and this for none other cause but that vnder the coloure of the liberties of warre their vyces shoulde not be punished by iustyce O my frende Cornelius I know not how I should begin to say that whiche I wil tel thee Thou oughtest to know that after
our men of warre are gone out of Rome they neyther feare the gods neither honour the temples they reuerence not the priestes they haue no obedience to their fathers nor shame to the people dread of iustice neither compassion of theire countrey nor remēber that they are children of Rome and yet very fewe of them thinke to end theire lyfe but that all shame layde asyde they loue the condemned ydlenes and hate the iuste trauaile Therefore harke I will tell thee more and though it seemeth much that I speake I ensure thee it is but lyttle in respecte of that they doe for so muche as some robbe temples others spread rumours these breake the dores and those robbe the Gods Somtymes they take the free somtymes they lose the bond The nights they passe in playes the daies in blasphemies to daye they fight lyke lyons to morrowe they flye lyke cowardes Some rebell against the Captaines and others flye to the enemies Fynallye for all good they are vnhable and for all euyll they are meete Therfore to tell the of theire filthynes I am ashamed to describe them They leaue they re owne wyues and take the wyues of others they dyshonour the doughters of the good and they begile the innocent Virgines there is no neyghbour but they doe couet neyther hostesse but that they do force they breake theire olde wedlocke and yearely seeke a newe mariage so that they doe all thinges what they list and nothinge what they ought Doest thou think presently my frend Cornelius that there are few euils in Rome sith so many euyl women do go to the warre Here for their sake men offend the gods they are traytours to theire countrey they denye theire parentage they doe come to extreme pouerty they lyue in infamy they robbe the goods or others they waste theire owne they neuer haue quiet lyfe neither remaineth anye trueth in theire mouthes fynallye for the loue of them oftentymes warre ys moued agayne and manye good menne lose theire lyues Let vs leaue the reasons and come to hystoryes Thou knowest right well that the greatest parte of Asia was conquered and gouerned more with the womē Amazones then with any barbarous people That yong noble and valyaunt Porro kinge of Iudea for want of menne and aboundans of women was ouercome of the great Alexander Hanniball the terrible captaine of the Carthagiens was alwaies lorde of Italy vntill hee dyd permitte women to goe to the warre And when he fell in loue with a mayden of Capua they sawe him immediatlye tourne his shoulders to Rome If Scipio the Affricane had not skoured the Romayne armyes of lecherye the inuincible Numantia had neuer beene wonne The Captayne Silla in the warres of Mithridates and the couragious Marius in the warre of the Zimbtes hadde ouer theire enemyes so manye victories because in theire campes they suffred no women In the tyme of Claudius the Emperour the Tharentines and Capuans were verye mortall enemyes in so muche as the one agayne the other pytched they re campe and by chaunce one daye in the campe of the Capuans two Captaynes fell at varyaunce because they bothe loued one woman and when the Tharentines perceyued theire dissensyon immediatlye with they re power gaue them the onset Whereof it ensueth that throughe the naughtynesse of one euyll woman was lost the lybertie of that goodlye citye I hadde in this warre of Parthes 16. thousande horsemen and .24 thousand footemen and .35 thousand women and the disorder in this case was so greate that from the hoste I sent my wife Faustine and the wyues of dyuers other Senatours home to theire houses that they shoulde kepe the olde and nourishe the yonge Our forefathers led women in the olde tyme to the warre to dresse meate for the whole and to cure the wounded but nowe wee leade them to the ende cowardes shoulde haue occasyon to be effeminate and the valyaunt to be vicious And in the ende theire enemies doe breake their heades but the women doe wound theire hartes I will that thou knowe other thynges my Cornelius and they are that the Gawles the Vulcanes the Flaminii the Regii the whyche are priestes of the mother Sibilla of the god Vulcane of the god Mars and of the god Iupiter the feare of the gods set asyde leauynge they re temples desert laying of theire honest garmentes not remembringe they re holye ceremonies breakynge theire streight vowes an infinite nomber of them goe to the campe where they loue more dishonestlye then others for it is a common thynge that those whyche once presume to bee solytarye and shamefaste after that they are once fleshed exceede all other in shame vyce It is a dyshonest thinge and also perillous to carye priestes to the warre for theire offyce is to pacifye the gods wyth teares and not to threaten men wyth weapons If perchaunce Prynces woulde saye it is good to carye priestes to the warre to offer sacrifices to the gods To thys I aunswer that the temples are buylt to praye and the fyeldes for to fyght so that in one place the gods woulde bee feared and in an other honoured and sacrifyced In the yeare of the foundacion of Rome .315 the consull Vietro passed into Asia and went agaynst the Palestines the whych there rebelled against the Romaynes and by the waye he passed by the temple of Apollo in the yle of Delphos and as there hee made a prayer vnto the god Apollo verye longe to the ende hee woulde reuele vnto hym whether hee shoulde returne victorious from Asia or not The oracle aunswered O consull Vietro yf thou wilt retourne victorious from thy enemies restore our priestes whiche thou takest from oure temples For wee other goddes will not that the man whome wee choose for oure deuyne seruyce ye others shoulde leade to the vyces of the worlde If it bee true as it is true in deede that the god Apollo sayde vnto the consull Vietro mee thinketh it is no iuste thynge to co condescende that priestes shoulde goe to loose them selues in the warre For as thou knowest my Cornelius wythout doubte greater is the offence that they committe in goynge to vndooe them selues then is the seruyce whyche they doe to princes beynge desyrous to fyght Let vs haue the pristes in the Temples to praye and let vs see howe the captaynes are wont to gouerne them selues and in this case thou shalt fynde that the daye that the Senate doe appointe a Senatour for captayne they proue hym if hee can playe at the weapons in the Theater The Consull leadeth hym to the hygh capitoll wyth hym the Egle is hanged at hys brest they cast the purple vppon hys shoulders they giue him money of the common treasour immediatlye hee groweth into suche pryde that forgettinge the pouertie past whyche hee suffered in hys countrey hee thinketh one daye to make hym emperour of Rome It is a common thynge that when fortune exalteth menne of lowe estate to hygh degree they
sober in drinkynge softe in wordes wyse in counsaile and to conclude hee oughte to be very pacient in aduersytye and farre from vices which attempt him Worthye of prayse is the greate Seneca for these wordes but more worthye shall the olde men be if they will conforme their workes according to those wordes For if wee see them abandon vices and geue them selues to vertues we wyll both serue them and honour them ¶ That princes when they are aged should be temperate in eating sober in drinkynge modest in apparell and aboue all true in communicacion Cap. xviii IT is consonaunt to the counsayle of Seneca that the aged shoulde bee temperate in eating whych they ought to do not only for the reputacion of their persons but also for the preseruacion of their liues For the olde men which are drunk and amarous are persecuted with their owne diseases and are defamed by the tonges of other That whiche the auncient men shoulde eate I meane those whiche are noble and vertuous ought to be verye cleane well dressed and aboue all that theye take it in ceason and time for otherwise to muche eatinge of diuers thinges causeth the yonge to bee sicke and enforceth the olde to dye Yong men though they eate dishonestly very hastely and eate speakinge we can do no lesse but dissemble withe them but the olde mē whych eate much and hastelye of necessitie we oughte to reproue them For men of honour ought to eate at the table with a great grauitie as if they were in anye counsaile to determine causes It is not my intention to perswade the feble olde men not to eate but to admonishe them to eate no more then is necessarye We doe not prohibite them to eate delicate thinges but to beware of superfluous thinges We doe not counsale them to leaue eatinge hauinge nede but to withdrawe them selues from curiosyties For thoughe it bee lawefull for aged men to eate sufficiente it is not honeste for them to eate to ouercome their stomakes It is a shame to wryte it but more shame ought they to haue whiche doe it whiche is that the goodes whiche theye haue wonne and inheryted by their predecessours theye haue eaten and dronken so that theye haue neyther bought house vyne nor yet maried any doughter but they are naked and theire poore children goe to the Tauernes and Innes and the myserable fathers to the Hospitalles and churches When anye man commeth to pouertye for that his house is burned or his shyppe drowned or that theye haue taken all from hym by lawe or that he hath spent it in pleadyng against hys enemye or anye other inconuenience is come vnto hym mee thinketh wee all are bounde to succoure him and the harte hathe compassion to beeholde hym but hee that spendeth it in apparaile not requysyte to seeke delitious wynes and to eate delicate meates to such one I woulde saye that the pouertye hee suffreth is not sufficiente for his desertes For of all troubles there is none so greate as to see a man suffer the euill whereof he hymselfe hathe bene the occasion Also according to the counsaile of Seneca the auncients ought to be wel aduertised in that they should not onely be temperate in eatyng but also they shoolde be sober in drinking and this both for the preseruacion of their health and allso reputacion of theire honestye For if the olde Phisitions doe not deceiue vs humaine bodies doe drye and corrupte beecause theye drinke superfluously and eate more then nature requireth If I shoulde saye vnto the olde menne that theye shoulde drynke no wyne theye myghte tell mee that it is not the counsayle of a Christian But presuppose theye oughte to drynke and that for noe oppynyon theye shoulde leaue it yet I admonyshe exhorte and desire them that theye drynke lytle and that theye drynke verye temperate For the disordynate and immesurate drynkynge causeth yonge men to bee drunke and the olde men bothe drunke and foolishe O howe muche authoritye loste theye and what grauytye doe honourable and auncient menne lose whiche in drynkinge are not sober Whyche semeth to bee true for asmuche as the man beeinge loden wyth wyne thoughe hee were the wysest in the worlde hee shoulde bee a verye foole that woulde take counsayle of suche one in hys affaires Plutarche in a booke whiche hee made of the fortune of the Romains sayed that in the senate of Rome there was an auncient manne who made greate exclamacions that a yonge man hadde in suche sorte dishonoured him that for the iniuries he hadde spoken hee deserued deathe And when the yonge manne was called for to aunswere to that hee hadde sayde vnto hym he aunswered Fathers conscripte thoughe I seeme yonge vnto you yet I am not so yonge but that I knewe the father of this olde manne who was a vertuous and noble Romayne and somewhat a kynne to mee And I seeynge that his father hadde gotten muche goodes fightynge in the warres and also seeinge this olde manne spending them in eatynge and drinkynge I sayde vnto him one daye I am verye sorye my lorde and vncle for that I heare of thye honour in the market place and am the more sorye for that I see done in thy house wherein we sawe fyftye men armed before in one houre and we nowe see a hundreth knaues made drunke And worse then that as thye father shewed to all those that entered hys house the ensignes hee hadde wonne in the warres so nowe to those that enter into thy house thou shewest them dyuers sortes of wynes My vncle complayned of mee but in this case I make the plaintife iudge againste mee the defendaunt And I woolde by the immortall goddes hee deserued noe more payne for hys woorkes then I deserue by my woordes For yf he had bene wyse hee woulde haue accepted the correction which secretlye I gaue him and had not come openly to declare his faults in the Senate The complaynte of the olde manne beeinge hearde by the Senate and the excuse in lyke manner of the yonge man they gaue iudgement that theye shoolde take all the goods from the olde manne and prouyde hym of a tutour whyche shoulde gouerne hym and hys house And theye commaunded the tutoure that from hence forwarde hee shoolde not geeue him one cuppe of wyne since hee was noted of drunkennesse Of truth the sentence whiche the Senate gaue was verye iuste For the olde manne whiche geeueth him selfe to wyne hathe asmuche neede to haue a gouernoure as an infaunte or a foole Laettius made a booke of the feastes of Phylosophers and declarethe sundrye auncyente bankettes amonge the which he putteth one where were assēbled many greate philosophers And admit that the meats were meane simple yet the bidden gestes were sage And the cause why they did assemble was not to eat but to dispute of some graue doctrines whereof the philosophers did somewhat doubte For in those daies the greater the Stoikes the Peripatetikes were in nomber
talke three houres If with such efficacie wee perswade olde men that they be honest in theire apparaile for a truthe we will not geue them licence to be dissolute in their wordes sins there is a great difference to note some man in his apparaile or to accuse him to bee malicious or a bablet For to weare riche apparayle iniuryeth fewe but iniurious wordes hurte manye Macrobius in the firste booke of the dreames of Scipio declareth of a philosopher named Crito who liued a hundreth and fiue yeares and till fyltye yeares he was farre oute of course Butte after he came to bee aged he was so well measured in his eatynge drinking and so ware in his speache that they neuer sawe him doe any thinge worthye reprehension nor heard him speake worde but was worthy of notynge On this coÌ„dicioÌ„ we would geue liceÌ„ce to many the till fifty yeres they should be yoÌ„g so that from thence forth they would be clothed as olde men speake as old meÌ„ they should esteme them selues to be olde But I am sorye that al the spring time dothe passe in flower and afterwardes they fall into the graue as rotten before they finde any time to pull them out The olde doe complain that the yong doe not take theire aduise and theire excuse herein is that in theire wordes theye are to longe For if a manne doe demaunde an olde man his opynion in a case immediatelye hee will beginne to saye that in the life of suche and suche kynges and lordes of good memorye this was done and this was prouyded So that when a yonge man aske them counsaile howe he shall behaue hym selfe with the lyuinge the olde man beginneth to declare vnto him the life of those whiche bee dead The reason whye the olde men desire to speake so longe is that since for theire age they can not see nor goe nor eate nor slepe they woulde that al that tyme theire members weare occupyed to doe their duties al that time theire tonge shoulde be occupied to declare of theire times past All this being spoken what more is to say I knowe not but that we should contente oure selues that the olde men shoulde haue theire fleshe as muche punished as they haue their toÌ„gue with talke martired Though it be very vile for a yong man to speak slander to a yonge manne not to saye the truthe yet this vice is muche more to be abhorred in old princes other noble worshipful meÌ„ which ought not only to thynke it theire dutie to speake truthe but also to punishe the enemies therof For otherwise the noble and valyaunt knyghtes shoulde not lose a lytle of theire aucthoritie if a manne sawe on theire heades but white heares and in theire mouthes founde nothing but lyes ¶ Of a letter of the Emperour Marcus Aurelius to Claudius and Claudinê° reprouinge them beinge olde men for that they lyued youthefullye Cap. xix MArke Emperoure borne in mounte Celio desyreth to yowe my neyghboures Claude and Claudine healthe of youre persones and amendement of youre liues I beeinge as I am at the conquest of Asia and yow remaynynge alwaies in the pleasures of Rome we vnderstande youre newes very late and I thinke oure letters arriue there as late NotwithstaÌ„dynge to all those whiche goe thither I geeue aunsweres for you others and of al those which come hither I demaunde of your healthe And doe not demaunde of others howe well and howe muche I loue you but of your own proper hartes and if your harte saye that I am a feyned friende then I take my selfe condempned If perchaunce youre hartes dothe tell you that I loue you beinge true in dede that I hate you or if I tell you that I hate you beeinge true that I loue you of truthe I woulde plucke suche a harte oute of my body and giue it to be eaten of the beastes For there is noe greater dysceyte then that whiche the man doth to him selfe If a straunger begile me I ought to dissemble it if an enemie deceiue mee I ought to reuenge it if mye fryend misuse me I oughte to complayne of hym but if I doe deceiue my selfe wyth whom shall I comforte my selfe For there is no pacience that can suffer the hart to deceyue him selfe in anye thinge whiche he hathe not deepely considered Peraduenture ye will saye that I doe not esteame you and that I haue not written any letter vnto you of long time To this I aunswere That you doe not attrybute the faulte to mye neglygence but to the greate distaunce of Countreis that there is from hence to Rome also to the greate affayres of Asia For amongest other discommodities the warre hath this also that it depriueth vs of the sweete conuersacion of our countrey I haue alwaies presumed to be youres and at this present am at no mannes pleasure more then at yours And sins you haue alwaies knowen of me what you desired to know I haue espied in you others that whiche of force I must speake For in the end I haue not sene any possesse so much to be worthe so much to know so much nor in all things to be so mighty but that one day he shoulde neede his poore friende The diuine Plato sayde and allso well that the manne whyche louethe with his hart neyther in absence forgetteth neyther in presence becommeth negligent neither in prosperitie he is proude nor yet in aduersitie abiect neyther he serueth for profite nor yet he loueth for gayne and fynallye he defendethe the case of his friende as his owne Diuers haue beene the opinions whiche the auncients helde to affirme for what ende friendes were taken and in the ende they were fully resolued that for .4 causes we ought to chose frindes The first we ought to haue friendes to treate and be conuersant with all for according to the troubles of this life there is no time so pleasauntlye consumed as in the conuersacion of an assured friende The seconde is we ought to haue friendes to whom we may disclose the secretes of our hartes for it ys muche comforte to the wofull harte to declare to his fryende his doubtes if he perceiue that he doth fele them in deede The thirde we oughte to searche and chose friendes to th end they helpe vs in oure aduersities For litle profytethe it my harte that with teares the friendes doe heare all that I bewaile onlesse afterwardes in dede he will take paines to refourme the same The fourth we ought to seke and preserue frindes to th end they be protectors of our goodes and likewise iudges of our euilles for the good frinde is no lesse bound to withdrawe vs from the vices whereby we are sclaundered then to deliuer vs from our enemies by whom we may be slayne The ende whye I tolde you all thys was if that in this letter you chaunce to lyghte of any sharpe worde that you take it pacientlye considerynge that the loue whych I beare yowe dothe
the prince all their goods but also they must them selues in parson hazard their lyues If they tell vs that that they keepe is to geeue and dispose for their soules at their dying day I say it is not only want of wisdome but extream folly For at the hour of death princes ought more to reioyce for that they haue geeuen then for that at that time hee geeueth O how princes and great lords are euyll counsailed since they suffer them selues to bee slaundered for beeing couetous only to heap a lyttle cursed treasure For experience teacheth vs no man can bee couetous of goods but needs hee must bee prodigal of honor and abandon liberty Plutarche in the booke which hee made of the fortune of Alexander sayth that Alexander the great had a priuat seruaunt called Perdyca the which seeyng that Alexander liberally gaue all that which by great trauel hee attayned on a day hee said vnto him Tell mee most noble prince sithens thou geeuest all that thou hast to others what wilt thou haue for thy self Alexander aunswered The glory remaineth vnto mee of that I haue wonne gotten the hope of that which I wil geeue winne And further he said vnto him I wil tel thee true Perdyca If I knew that men thought that all that which I take were for couetousnes I swere vnto thee by the god Mars that I woold not beat down one corner in a town and to winne all the world I woold not go one days iourney My intention is to take the glory to my self and to deuyde the goods amongst others These woords so high were woorthy of a valyant and vertuous prince as of Alexander which spake thē If that which I haue read in books do not begyle mee that which with these eies I haue seene to become rych it is necessary that a man geeue for the princes and great lords which naturally are geeuen to bee liberall are alwaies fortunat to haue It chaunceth oft tymes that some man geeuing a little is counted liberall an other geeuing much is counted a nigard The which proceedeth of this that they know not that liberality nigardnes consisteth not in geeuing much or lytle but to know well how to geeue For the rewards and recompences which out of tyme are distributed do nother profit them which receiue them neither agree to him which geeueth them A couetous man geeueth more at one tyme then a noble and free hart doth in .20 thus saieth the common prouerb it is good comming to a niggards feast The difference beetwene the liberality of the one and the mysery of thother is that the noble and vertuous doth geeue that hee geeueth to many but the nigard geeueth that hee geeueth to one onely Of the which vnaduisement princes ought greatly to beware For if in such case one man alone shoold bee found which woold commēd his liberality there are ten thousand which woold condemne his couetousnes It happeneth oft times to princes and great lords that in deed they are free to recompence but in geeuing they are very vnfortunat And the cause is that they geeue it not to vertuous persons and well cōdicioned but to those which are vnthankfull and do not acknowledge the benefit receyued So that in geeuing to some they haue not made them their frends and in not geeuing to others they haue made them their enemies It suffyseth not to princes great lords to haue great desire to geeue but to know when how or where to whom they ought to geeue For if they bee accused otherwise to heap vp treasures they ought also to bee condemned for that they do geeue When a man hath lost all that hee hath in play in whoors in bankets and other semblable vyces it is but reason they bee ashamed but when they haue spent it like noble stout and liberal men they ought not to bee discontented for the wise man ought to take no displesure for that hee loseth but for that hee euil spendeth and hee ought to take no pleasure for that hee geeueth but for that hee geeueth not well Dion the grecian in the lyfe of the Emperor Seuerus saith that one day in the feast of the God Ianus when hee had geeuen dyuers rewards and sundry gifts as well to his own seruaunts as to strangers and that hee was greatly commended of all the Romains hee said vnto them Do you think now Romains that I am very glad for the gifts rewards and recompenses which I haue bestowed and that I am very glorious for the praises you haue geeuen mee by the god Mars I swere vnto ye and let the god Ianus bee so mercifull vnto vs all this yere that the pleasure I haue is not so great for the I haue geeuen as the grief is for that I haue no more to geeue ¶ The auctour foloweth his intencion and perswadeth gentlemen and those that professe armes not to abase them selues for gaines sake to take vpon them any vyle function or office Cap. xix PLutarche in his Apothemes declareth that king Ptolomeus the first was a prince of so good a nature and so gentle in conuersation that oft times hee went to supper to the houses of his familiar frinds and many nights hee remayned there to sleap And truly in this case hee shewed him self to bee welbeeloued of his For speaking according to the trueth a prynce on whose lyfe dependeth the hole state of the common wealth ought to credit few was the table and allso fewer in the bed Another thing this Ptolomeus did whych was when hee inuited his frends to dinner or supper or other straungers of soome hee desired to borow stooles of thothers napkins of others cups and so of other things for hee was a prodygall prince For all that his seruaunts in the morning had bought beefore the night folowing hee gaue it away One day al the nobles of his realm of Egipt assembled togethers and desired him very earnestly that hee woold be more moderat in geeuing for they said through his prodygality the hole realm was impouerished The king aunswered You others of Egipt are marueylously deceiued to think that the poore and needy prince is troubled In this case I dare say vnto you that the poore and needy prince ought to think him self happy for good princes ought more to seeke to enrich others then to heap vp treasures for them selues O happy is the common wealth whych deserueth to haue such a prince and happy is that tongue which coold pronounce such a sentence Certainly this prince to all princes gaue good example and counsel that is to weete that for thē it was more honor and also more profit to make others rich thē to bee rich them selues For if they haue much they shal want no crauers and if they haue lytle they shal neuer want seruaunts to serue them Suetonius Tranquillus in the booke of Cesars sayeth that Titus the Emperour one night after supper
who was caled Affricane beecause hee ouercame and conquered the great and renowmed city of Carthage the which city in riches was greater then Rome in armes power it surmounted all Europe Many haue enuy at Scipio the Asian who was called Asian beecause hee subdued the proud Asia the which vntil his tyme was not but as a church yard of Romains Many haue great enuie at the imortall name of Charles who was called Charles the great beecause beeing as hee was a litle king hee did not only vanquish and triumph ouer many kings and straunge realmes but also forsake the royall sea of his own realme I doo not maruayl that the proud princes haue enuy agaynst the vertuous and valiant princes but if I were as they I would haue more enuy at the renowme of Antonius the emperor then of the name and renowme of all the princes in the world If other princes haue attayned such proud names it hath been for that they robbed many countreys spoyled many temples committed much tyranny dissembled with many tyraunts persecuted diuers innocents beecause they haue takē frō diuers good mē not onely their goods but also their liues For the world hath such an euel property that to exalt the nāe of one only he putteth down 500. Neither in such ēterprises nor with such titles wā the emperor Anthonius Pius his name and renowne But if they cal him Anotonius the pitefull it is beecause he knew not but to bee father of Orphans and was not praysed but beecause hee was aduocate of wydows Of this most excellent prince is read that he himselfe did here and iudge the cōplaints and processe in Rome of the orphans And for the poore and wydows the gates of his pallace were always open So that the porters which hee kept within his pallace were not for to let the entre of the poore but for to let and keepe back the rich The historiographers oftētimes say that this good prince sayd that the good and vertuous princes ought alwayes to haue their harts open for the poore and to remedy the wydows and neuer to shut the gates agaynst them The god Apollo sayth that the prince which will not speedely iudge the causes of the poore the gods will neuer permit that hee bee well obeyed of the rich O high and woorthy woords that it pleased not the god Apollo but our lyuing god that they were written in the harts of princes For nothing can bee more vniust or dishonest then that in the pallace of princes and great lords the rich and fooles shoold bee dispatched and the widows and orphans frinds should haue no audience Happy and not once but a hundreth times happy is hee that will remember the poore afflicted and open his hand too comfort them and dooth not shut his cofers from helping them vnto him I assure and promise that at the strayght day of iudgement the proces of his life shall bee iudged with mercy and pity ¶ That the troubles griefes and sorows of widdows are much greater then those of widdowers where fore princes and noble men ought to haue more compassion vpon the weemen then on men Cap. xxxvi IT is great pity to see a noble and vertuous man sorowfull alone and a widower if especially hee liued cōtented when hee was maryed For if hee will not mary hee hath lost his sweete company and yf hee think to mary an other let him bee assured hee shall scarcely agree with his second wife There is much sorow in that house where the woman that gouerned it is dead For immediatly the husband forsaketh him self the children doo lose their obedience the seruants beecome neglygent the hand maides beecome wantō the frēds are forgotten the house decayeth the goods wast the apparel is lost finally in the widowers house there are many to robbe few to labor Heauy lamentable are the thoughts of the widower for if hee thinketh to mary it greueth him to geeue his children a stepmother If hee can not bee maryed hee feeleth greater payne seeing him al the day to remayne alone so that the poore miserable mā sigheth for his wife hee hath lost weepeth for her whom hee desireth to haue Admit that this bee true there is great difference from the cares sorows of weemen to that of men A thing very clere for so much as the widower lawfully may goe out of his house hee may goe to the fields hee may talk with his neigbours he may bee occupied with his frēds hee may folow his sutes also hee may bee conuersant refresh him selfe in honest places For commonly men are not so sorowful in taking the death of their wyues as the wyues are in taking the death of their husbands All this is not spoken in the disfauour of wise and sage men whom wee see make small streames with the teares of their eyes for the death of their wiues But for many other vaine light men which the 9. dayes of the funeral past a mā dooth see without any shame to go thro ought the strets beeholding the ladies and damsells which are in the windows Truly the wofull women which are honest vse not such lightnesse For whyles they are widowes it is not lawfull for them to wander abrode to goe out of the house nor speake with straūgers nor practise with her own nor bee conuersant with her neighbours nor plead with their creditours but agreable to their wofull estate to hide and withdraw them selues in their houses and to lock them selues in their chambers and they think it their dutye to water theyr plāts with teares and importune the heauēs with sighes O how wofull o how greuous o how sorowfull is the state of wydowes for so much as if a widow go out of her howse they take her for dishonest If shee wil not come out of the house shee loseth her goods If shee laugh a litel they count her light If she laugh not they call her an hipocrit If shee goe to the church they note her for a gadder If shee go not to the churche they say shee is vnthākfull to her late husband If shee go il apparayled they coūt her to bee a nigard If she go clenly and handsome they say nowshee would haue a new husband If shee do mainteyne her selfe honestly they note her to bee presumptuous If shee keepe company immediatly they suspect her house Finally I say that the poore miserable widows shall find a thousand which iudge their liues and they haue not one that wil remedy their paynes Much loseth the woman who loseth her mother which hath borne her or her sisters which she loueth or the frīdes which shee knoweth or the goods which shee hath heaped vp but I saye and affirme that ther is no greater losse in the world vnto a woman then the losse of a good husband For in other losses there is but one onely losse but in that of the husband al are loste together
dye lyueth the euill man though hee liue dyeth I swear vnto thee by the mother Berecinthia and so the god Iupiter doo preserue mee that I speak not this which I will speak fainedly which is that considering the reast that the dead haue with the gods and seeing the sorows troubles wee haue here with the lyuing I say and affirm once agayn that they haue greater compassion of our lyfe then wee others haue sorow of their death Though the death of men were as the death of beasts that is to weet that there were no furies nor deuils which shoold torment the euil that the gods shoold not reward the good yet wee ought to bee comforted to see our frends dye if it were for no other but to see thē deliuered from the thraldō of this miserable world The pleasure that the Pilot hath to bee in sure hauen the glory that the captaine hath to see the day of victory the rest that the traueler hath to see his iorney ended the contentation that the woork man hath to see his woork come to perfeccion all the same haue the dead seeing them selues out of this miserable lyfe If men were born alway to lyue it were reason to lament them when wee see them dye but since it is troth that they are borne to dye I woold say since needes dye wee must that wee ought not to lament those whych dye quickly but those whych lyue long I am assured that Claudine thy husband remembring that whych in this lyfe hee hath passed and suffered and seeing the rest that hee hath in the other though the Gods woold make him emperor of Rome hee woold not bee one day out of his graue For returning to the world hee shoold dye agayn but beeing with the gods hee hopeth to lyue perpetually Lady Lauinia most earnestly I desire thee so vehemently not to perse the heauens with thy so heauy sighes ne yet to wete the earth with thy so bitter teares since thou knowst that Claudine thy husband is in place where there is no sorow but mirth where ther is no payn but rest where hee weepeth not but laugheth where hee sigheth not but singeth where hee hath no sorows but pleasures where hee feareth not cruell death but enioyeth perpetuall lyfe Since therfore this is true it is but reason the wydow appease her anguish considering that her husband endureth no payn Often tymes wyth my self I haue thought what the widows ought to immagin when they see them selues in such cares and distresse And after my count made I fynd that they ought not to thynk of the company past nor wofull solitarynes wherin they are presently and much lesse they ought to think on the pleasures of this world but rather to remember the rest in the world to come For the true widow ought to haue her conuersacion among the lyuing and her desire to bee wyth the dead If til this present thou hadst paine and trouble to look for thy husband to come home haue thou now ioy that hee looketh for thee in heauen wherin I swere vnto thee that there thou shalt bee better vsed of the gods then hee was here of mē For in this world wee know not what glory meaneth and there they know not what payns are Licinius and Posthumius thy vncles told mee that thou art so sorowful that thou wilt receiue no comfort but in this case I think not that thou bewailest so much for Claudinus that thou alone doost think thou hast lost him For since wee did reioyce togethers in his lyfe wee are bound to weep togethers at his death The heauy and sorowful harts in this world feele no greater greef then to see others reioice at theyr sorows And the cōtrary hereof is that the wofull and afflicted hart feeleth no greater ioy nor rest in extreme mishaps of fortune then to think that others haue sorow and greef of their payn When I am heauy and comfortles I greatly ioy to haue my frend by mee and my hart dooth tell mee that what I feele hee feeleth So that all which my frend with his eyes dooth beewail and all that which of my greefes hee feeleth the more therwith hee burdeneth him self and the more therof hee dischargeth mee The Emperor Octauian Augustus the histories say on the riuer of Danuby found a kynd of people which had thys straunge custom that with eyes was neuer seene nor in books at any time euer read which was that two frends assembled and went to the aultars of the temples and there one frend confederat with an other so that their harts were maried as man and wife are maried touching their bodies swering and promysing there to the gods neuer to weepe nor to take sorow for any mishap that shoold come to their persons So that my frend shoold come to lament and remedy my troubles as if they had been his own I shoold lament and remedy his as if they had been mine O glorious world O age most happy O people of eternal memory wherin men are so gentle frendz so faithfull that their own trauails they forgot and the sorows of strangers they beewayled O Rome without rome O tyme euil spent O lyfe to vs others euil emploied O wretch that always art careles now adays the stomack and intrailes are so seuered from the good and the harts so ioyned with the euill that men forgetting them selues to bee men beecome more cruell then wyld beasts I labor to geeue thee lyfe and thou seekest to procure my death Thou weepest to see mee laugh and I laugh to see thee weepe I procure that thou doo not mount and thou seekest that I might fall Fynally without the profit of any wee cast our selues away and wythout gayn wee doo reioyce to end our lyues By the faith of a good man I swear vnto thee Lady Lauinia that if thy remedy were in my hands as thy grief is in my hart I woold not bee sory for thy sorows neither thou so tormēted for the death of thy husband But alas though I miserable man haue the hart to feele thy anguysh yet I want power to remedy thy sorows ¶ The Emperor proceedeth in his letter and perswadeth wydowes to put their willes to the will of god and exhorteth them to lyue honestly Cap. xxxviii SInce thy remedy and my desire cannot bee accomplished beecause it is a thing vnpossible to receiue and speak with the dead and not hauing power mee think that thou and I shoold referre it to the gods who can geeue much better then wee can ask O lady Lauinia I desire thee earnestly and as a frend I counsel and admonish thee and with all my hart I require thee that thou esteem that for wel doon which the gods haue doon that thou conform thy self to the will of the gods and that thou will nought els but as the gods will For they only know they erre not wherfore they haue assaulted thy husband with so
dysburthen thee of this charge And since it is vnpossyble for mee I send thee this letter wherein perchaunce thou shalt finde some cōfortable woords For thow knowst that if the trew frends cannot doo that which they ought yet they doo accomplish it in dooyng that they can If my memory deceyue mee not it is well two and thirty yeares since wee two haue knowen togethers in Rome duryng the which fortune hath made here beetween vs dyuers alteracions in the whych time I neuer saw thee one day contented For if thow were sad nothyng dyd make thee mery but were as a man without tast and if thow were ioyfull thou esteemedst it lytle as a man beeyng troubled Therefore if the trueth bee so as in deede it is that in trauayles thow were loden with sorows and in prosperities thow were euill content so that of nothyng in the world thow takest any tast why is it my frend Torquatus that now agayn thow art in dyspaire as if thow cammest new into this world Thou dydst reioyce thy self .xxxii. yeares with the tryumphs and prosperyty of Rome and thou complainest onely of three moneths that fortune hath been contrary vnto thee O Torquatus Torquatus doost thow know that the wise men in whom wisedome reigneth haue more feare of two vnhappy days in this lyfe then of two hundreth of prosperous fortune O how many haue I seene goe out of their prosperyties with the charges of another man and their own proper vices so that the vayn glory and the fayling prosperity endured few days but the griefe of that they haue lost and the enmyties which they haue recouered endure many yeares The contrary of all this commeth to infortunat men which escape out of their tribulacions spoyled of vyces enuyronned with vertues persecutours of euill zelers of good frends of all and enemies of none contented with theirs and not desyryng others fynally they are scaped wisely from the snare and haue gathered the rose not hurting them selues with the pricks What wylt thow that I say more vnto thee but that the most fortunat are vanquyshed in peace and the vnfortunat are conquerers in warre One of the sentences which most haue contented mee of those which the auncyents haue spoken is this of the deuine Plato That those which are in prosperyty haue no lesse nede of good counsaile then the vnhappy haue of remedy For no lesse doo they trauayle which goe always in the playn way then those which mount on the sharp craggy mountayn Accordyng to that I haue gathered of thy letter mee seemeth that when wee hope most rest greatest trauaile hath succeeded to thee And hereof I doo not maruell nor thow oughtst not to bee offended For as experience teacheth vs when the trees haue the blossomes then they are most subiect to the frost And when glasses are drawen out of the furnace they breake The captayns hauing wonne the victory doo dye When they will put the key in the doore the house dooth fall The pyrats perish withyn the kenning of land By that I haue spoken I mean that when wee thynk to haue made peace with fortune then shee hath a new demaund ready forged All new chaunges of fortune causeth allway new payn to the parson but oftentymes it is cause of more great fortresse For the tree beareth not so much fruit where it fyrst grew as there where it is agayn planted and the sauors are more odiferous when they are most chafed I mean that men of hye thoughts the more they are wrapped in the frownings of fortune the more valiaunt and stout they shew them selues The man vtterly is foolysh or hath great want of vnderstandyng who hopeth at any time to haue perfect rest immaginyng that the world will geeue no assault vppon hym but that the time shall come wherein hee shall bee without care and feare This myserable lyfe is of such condicion that dayly our yeares doo diminish and our troubles encrease O Torquatus by the immortall gods I doo desire thee and in the faith of a frend I doo require thee thow beeing born in the world nouryshyng thy self in the world lyuing in the world beeing conuersaunt in the world beeing a chyld of the world and following the world what dydst thow hope of the world but things of the world Peraduenture thow alone wilt eat the fleash without bones geeue battaile without peryll trauaile wythout payn and sayle by the sea without daūger I mean that it is vnpossible for mortall men to lyue in the world vnlesse they wyll beecome subiect to the sorows of the world The world hath allways been the world and now the world shall bee after vs and as a world shall handell the worldlyngs The wyse men and those which of their estates are carefull are not contented to see nor superfycially to know the things but rather way them profoundly I say this beecause if thow knewst thy debylyty and knewst fortune and her chaunge if thow knewst the men and their malyces if thow knewst the world and his flatteryes thow shooldst wynne no lytle honor where as otherwise thou mayst chaunce to get infamy Wee are now come to so great folly that wee wyl not serue the Gods which haue created vs nor abstain from the world which persecuteth vs. And the best is that hee not wyllyng vs but rather reiectyng vs wee say that of our own willes wee will loue serue hym yet knowyng that those which longest haue serued the world doo goe out of hys house most bytterly lamentyng Oftentymes I stay to thynk that according to the multitude of men which follow the world beeyng allways euyll handled of the world if the world dyd pray them as hee dooth annoy them yf hee dyd comfort them as hee dooth torment them yf hee kept them as hee banysheth them yf hee exalted them as hee abuseth them yf hee receyued them as hee expelleth them yf hee dyd contynew them as hee consumeth them I thynk that the Gods should not bee honored in heauen nor the Temples woorshypped in the earth O Torquatus my frend that which now I wyll say of thee thow mayst say of mee That is to weete how much wee put our confydence in fortune how lewdly wee passe our days and how much wee are blynded in the world yet for all that wee credyt his woord as much as though hee had neuer mocked any ¶ Marcus Aurelius goeth on with hys letter and by strong and hygh reasons perswadeth all that lyue in the world not to trust the world nor any thing therein Cap. xlij TEll mee I pray thee Torquatus what wylt thou heare more What wilt thou see more and what wylt thou know more to know the world seeing how vntill this present thow hast beene handled of the world thou demaundest rest and hee hath geeuen thee trouble Thou demaundest honor and hee hath geeuen thee infamy Thou demaundest riches hee hath geeuen thee pouerty Thou demaundest ioy hee hath geeuen thee
bold to make any pastimes in any particuler houses but in open places For otherwise those which spake them beecame hardy and those which heard them were vicious The Romayns not contented to haue made these lawes ordeyned that the iuglers for no pastimes shewed or any other thing spoken should bee so bold as to receyue any mony And to auoyde their complaynts and to satisfy theyr paynes they allowed euery one of them a thousand sexterces yerely out of the common treasure Wee ought greatly to prayse the prouidence of the Romayns which haue prescribed a kinde of life for the iesters to liue euē as they did to other men of rome and to the captains of war And in this place no lesse thā in an other graue thing thei shewed their wisedome For a gouernour of a cōmon welth trauaileth more to correct fooles thē to gouern the sage ¶ How some iesters were punished by the auncients and of the iesters and loyterers of our tyme. Cap. xliiii IVlius Capitolinus in the booke of the maners of the auncients sayth that in times past the iesters and iugglers were greatly estemed And wee wil not deny but that they had reason sins with theim they honoured the gods they tooke their pleasures the reioyced their feastes they were very quick men nor importunate nor couetous The iester hath no grace onlesse immediatly a man putteth his hand to the purse Wee finde sōe fragments of an oration which Cicero made in the senat greatly reprouing the Senators and all the people beecause they so willingly gaue eare to this iester who stirred vp sedition among the commons his name was Roscio who was so greatly esteemed in rome that the Romayns did more willingly heare that which hee sayd in his iests than that which Cicero spake in good earnest This iester Roscio and Cicero stryued which of them both were of greater witt Roscio for presēting a thing with diuers iests or Cicero pronouncing waity matters in earnest When I rede in Iulius Capitolinus that which I haue spoken I will not cease to confesse mine innocency for that I could not then keepe my self from laughing to see that Roscio beeing Prince of foly did presume to dispute with Cicero which was father of eloquence Sith all these things are vnstable in one so from one day to another wee see them chaunge The romayns dyd greatly esteeme the pollicy of the common wealth the discipline of warre the nurture of children the exercyse of the yong and the honesty of the players and iuglers the which in time came to bee dissolute that very oft they were occasion of great slaunder among the people The which by the Romayns seene and considered and that the iesters which were wont to shew them pleasures were cause of discension and where all they commaunded them to bee resydente in their offices they were vacabonds and that vsing them as sages they liued as loyterers and fooles not contented with that that they gaue them of the common treasure but they went begging of euery mā the Senat of rome determined among them selues to banish al the iuglers and iesters out of the common wealth On this execution of these loyterers sprang dyues dyssentions among the people For the Princes which were good cast them out and those which were euill called them in So that one of the tokens which were in Rome to know a vertuous or vitious prince was to see if hee maintained iesters iuglers or vacabonds amōg the people Plutarch in his Apothegmes sayeth that the Lacedemonians did neuer permit any iugler or iester to bee in the common wealth And when one did demaūd a Lacedemonian by an imbassador of Rhodes what was the occasion to make such a law since the the iesters players shewed pleasure to the people and the people lost nought but laughed at their folly the Lacedemonian answered Lycurgus saw hard felt or red some great domage the iesters iuglers or players might doo in the common welth since agaynst them hee made this so straight a law But that which I know is that wee Greekes are better weeping with our sages then are the Romayns laughing at their fooles Dio in the life of Traian declareth that there came a iugler to Rome frō Affricke whose conueyance was so clene that it was a wonderfull thing to see what seats hee did and to heare what words hee spake And when they prayd the good Emperor Traian that it would please him to heare him hee aunswered It is not for the authority of a graue and vertuous prince that in his presence any such vayne thing should bee shewed For in such a case hee shoold bee no les noted of lightnes then the other accused of folly And further hee sayd Beefore princes a mā should not be so hardy to speake dishonest woords nor shew light representacions And in such case as much payne deserue they which moue him thereto as those which doo represent them For a man ought not to put beefore princes things which should allure them to vices but things which shoold moue them to vertues Certainly these woords were worthy of such a personage Suetonius Tranquillus in the life of Augustus declareth that in Rome ther was a iester very pleasant of an excellent wyt caled Epifanius who one day vpō a holyday to shew the Emperor sōe pleasure hoping to haue a good reward wēt to the pallace at one time in the attire of a page another time ī the habite of a Romayn matron and so truely counterfeted euery thing that it seemed not to bee him but the self same parson hee represented The Emperor Augustus was greatly displesed with that the iester had doon and commaunded forth with that hee shoold bee whipt iii. tyms about the theater And whē hee complayned that the Emperor commaunded vacabonds to bee whipped once and hee thrise the Emperor Augustus aunswered Once they shall whip thee for the iniury thou didst to the Romayn matron whom thou didst represent The second time they shall whip thee for the presumption that thou hast to represēt it before my parsō The third for the time thou hast made diuers lose for beeholding and hearing thee For iesters doo not deserue so much punishment in the iestes and mockries they doo say as for the time which they lose and cause others to lose Certaynly the punishment which was geeuen to the iester was very iust and exceading good were the woords which Augustus sayd There was an other in the time of Augustus whose name was Pilas And when the Emperor had banyshed all the iesters and iuglers frō Rome this Pilas was so pleasant mery with all persons that with great instaūce they bee sought the Emperor to reuoke that sētence And the request in deed was so great as if it had been for a Philosopher they could haue doon no more For dayn light mē employ rather that they haue on him who bringeth vnto theim some folye then on one
was shed surmounted the wine that was drunk For as thou now knowest the Citezins are come to so great folly that hee which was on that day most drunk they sayd that hee had offred vnto the Gods greatest sacrifyces I am yet afrayd to remember the crueltyes which that day I saw with my owne eyes but I am much more ashamed of that which they talk of vs in straunge realms For the noble and woorthy harts doo not count it so much to receiue a great wound as to take it of a cowardly man There is great dyfference beetweene the netts wher with they take brydes and no lesse is there beetwene the hooks wherwith they take fysh I meane that the knife which cutteth the flesh dyffereth much from the knife which hurteth the hart For the hurts of the body with surgions may bee healed but the gods onely are the phisicions of the peryls of the hart I saw Rome which was neuer vanquyshed by valyaunt men at that day ouercome by loyterers Rome which could neuer bee wonn by those of Carthage is now wonn by iesters players vacabonds Rome which triūphed of all the realmes is now vanquished of the loyterers iesters idel persons Finally wee saw that Rome which in times past gaue laws to the Barbarous is now beecome the slaue of fooles in this case I haue beene so troubled that I cannot tell what to say and lesse what I wryte vnto thee One thing cōforteth mee that since Rome her Romayns doo not reioyce them selues but with fooles that shee and her children bee not punyshed but by the hands of fooles I think not that in this case the Gods doo any wrong if Rome which laughed through mockry at the players doo weepe one day with the loyterers in good earnest Thou mightst demaund mee Lambert since wee other Princes are boūd to maintayne equal iustice with al wherfore wee doo dissemble many offences which others haue doon in earnest and yet wee wyll not pardon those iesters since al that they haue inuented was for mirth and pastyme I promise thee thoughe their offences were great in deed yet I doo not banish them so much for the blood they haue shed as for the good orders which they haue peruerted Once agayne I retourn to say vnto thee that I haue not banyshed them so much for beecause they were occasion of murders as to bee teachers of all lyes Without cōparyson greater is the offēce to the gods and greater is the domage to the common wealth to take away as these loyterers haue doon the senses of wyse men then that which the murtherers doo to take life from their enemies The end of these iesters scoffers iuglers idell men and those kind of rascalles is always to perswade men that they speak continually in mockries treat continually in mockries and to ridde them of their sorows and al this is but to deceyue them of their goods In the which case I say and so pleased it the gods that they shoold content them selues with the goods without robbing vs of our wisedom Whē Scipio the Affrican had ended the warres of Affrike hee went through Rome accōpanied not with valiaunt captaines but with the plaiers iesters and iuglers The which a philosopher seeing sayd vnto hym these words O Scipio according to the much they haue talked of thee the litle I see in thee it had been better thou hadst dyed in Affricke then to come to Rome For thy high actes in thy absence did astony vs and thy light nesse in thy presence dooth offend vs. To thee it is great infamy and to the sacred senat litle honesty that thou hauing cōquered so mighty princes in affricke shouldst go accompanyed with fooles and madd men in Rome I let thee weete Scipio that thy life had not then so much perill among thy enemyes as thy honour hath at this present among fooles These woords were very good though they were euell receyued of humayne malice For by reason of these woords the poore aged philosopher was banished by the frends of Scipio out of Italy and sent to the I le of Helesponte ¶ The Emperor endeth his letter sheweth the cause and tyme why and when these iesters and iuglers were admitted into Rome Cap. xlvii AFter that these loyterers and vacabounds shal lād in thy Ile thou shalt let theim go at liberty shalt take none of their goods but thou shalt aduertise theym that they bee not so hardy to exercise their crafts nor feats For if they doo the contrary thou mayst make them lose their life in thy Ile which I haue condicionally pardoned here in Rome One thing I commaund thee and I beesech thee forget it not that is to wete that thou compell them to labour and that in no means thou suffer them to bee idle For Idlenes is the mother of al vices in the parson and the causer of al sclaūders which arise in the cōmon wealth Since wee know not but to labor and the loyterers know not but to loyter I would say that with more reason they might say that wee were not sage then wee might say that they are fooles For wrongfully are they called fooles which by craft eat the swette of others Seeing the litle regard wee haue to these loyterers and considering how much wee presume by the fayth of a good mā I sweare vnto thee Lamberte that with greater reason they should mock our woorks then wee others should laugh at their woords For they profite more with our goods then wee doo of their folly In the CCxli of the foundacion of Rome a sore plague came into Italy The which beeing ended they determined to tel not the thousands of menn that were dead but the small nomber of those which remained aliue Rome afterwards beeing so solitary and Italy so desolate onely to reioyce the people and to the end the cities should not remayn vnhabited the first theathers were inuented and then first were these players receiued For vntill that time the Romayns knew no other thing but to offer sacrifice to their gods in the temples and to fight against their enemies in the feeldes O lamentable thing to heare that this plague lasted only .xxiiii. moneths and the rage and folly of these players and idel men hath endured more then .iiii. yeres Would to the immortal gods that that plague had ended those few which remayn beefore this cursed generation had brought so abhominable customes into Rome For much better had it been for our mother Rome that shee had wanted inhabiters than such raskals should haue come and dwelled therein I know well Lambert that these parsons doo greatly complaine of mee and that the complaynts which they doo in the beeginning shal not haue an end there but I care not much for the complaints of the euel which doo serue for no other thing but to reproue the iustices which are ministred vnto them by the good The princes in that they commaund and the iudges
taketh away fear from death The deuine Plato demaūded Socrates how hee beehaued him self in life and how hee woold beehaue him self in death hee aunswered I let thee weete that in youth I haue traueled to liue wel and in age I haue studied to dye well and sith my life hath been honest I hope my death shal bee ioyful And though I haue had sorow to lyue I am sure I shall haue no payn to dye Truely these woords were woorthy of such a man Men of stout harts suffer maruelously when the swet of their trauel is not rewarded when they are faithful and their reward answereth nothing to their true seruice when for their good seruices their frends beecome vnthankful to them when they are woorthy honor and that they preferre them to honorable rome and office For the noble and valyant harts doo not esteeme to lose the reward of their labor but think much vnkindnes when a man dooth not acknowledge their trauel O happy are they that dye For without inconuenience and without payn euery man is in hys graue For in this tribunall iustice to all is so equally obserued that in the same place where wee haue deserued life in the same place wee merited death There was neuer nor neuer shall bee iudge so iust nor in iustice so vpryght that geeueth reward by weight payn by measure but somtimes they chastice the innocent and absolue the gylty they vex the faultlesse and dissemble with the culpable For litle auayleth it the plaintif to haue good iustice if conscience want to the iudge that shoold minister Truely it is not so in death but all ought to count them selues happy For hee which shall haue good iustice shal bee sure on his part to haue the sentence When great Cato was censor in Rome a famous Romayn dyed who shewed at his death a merueylous courage and when the Romayns praised him for that hee had so great vertu and for the woords hee had spoken Cato the Censour laughed at that they sayd for that they praised him And hee beeing demaunded the cause of his laughter aunswered Ye maruell at that I laugh and I laugh at that you maruel For the perils and trauels considered wherein wee liue and the safety wherein wee dye I say that it is no more needful to haue vertue strength to liue then courage to dye The aucthor heereof is Plutarch in his Apothegmes Wee cannot say but that Cato the Censour spake as a wise man since dayly wee see shamefast and vertuous persons suffer hunger cold thrist trauel pouerty inconuenience sorows enmities and mishaps of the which things wee were better to see the end in one day then to suffer them euery hour For it is lesse euill to suffer an honest death then to endure a miserable lyfe O how small cōsideration haue men to think that they ought to dye but once Since the trueth is that the day when wee are born and comen in to the world is the beeginning of our death and the last day is when wee doo cease to liue If death bee no other but an ending of lyfe then reason perswadeth vs to think that our infancy dyeth our chyldhod dyeth our manhod dyeth our age shall dye whereof wee may consequently conclude that wee dye euery yere euery day euery hour and euery moment So that thinking to lead a sure lyfe wee tast a new death I know not why men fear so much to dye since that from the time of their birth they seeke none other thing but death For time neuer wanted to any man to dye neither I knew any man that euer failed of this way Seneca in an epistle declareth that as a Romain woman lamented the death of a child of hers a philosopher said vnto her Woman why beewaylest thou thy child she aunswered I weepe beecause hee hath liued .xxv. yeres I woold hee shoold haue liued till fyfty For amongst vs mothers wee loue our children so hartely that wee neuer cease to beehold them nor yet end to beewayl them Then the Philosopher said Tell mee I pray thee woman why doost thou not complayn of the gods beecause they created not thy sonne many yeres beefore hee was born as well as thou complaynest that they haue not let him liue .l. yeres Thou weepest that hee is dead so soone and thou doost not lament that hee is borne so late I tel thee true woman that as thou doost not lament for the one no more thou oughtst to bee sory for the other For wythout the determination of the gods wee can not shorten death and much lesse lengthen life So Plinie sayd in an epistle that the cheefest law whych the gods haue geeuen to humayn nature was that none shoold haue perpetuall life For with disordinat desire to liue long wee shoold neuer reioice to goe out of this payn Two philosophers disputyng beefore the great Emperor Theodose the one sayd that it was good to procure death and the other lykewise sayd it was a necessary thing to hate lyfe The good Theodose takyng hym by the hand said All wee mortalles are so extreem in hatyng and louyng that vnder the colour to loue and hate lyfe wee lead an euyll lyfe For wee suffer so many trauels for to preserue it that sometymes it were much better to lose it And further hee sayd dyuers vayn men are come into so great follies that for fear of death they procure to hasten death And hauing consideration to this mee seemeth that wee ought not greatly to loue lyfe nor with desperation to seeke death For the strong and valiaunt men ought not to hate lyfe so long as it lasteth nor to bee displeased with death when hee commeth All commended that whych Theodose spake as Paulus Diaconus sayth in his lyfe Let euery man speak what hee will and let the philosophers counsell what they list in my poor iudgement hee alone shal receiue death without payn who long before is prepared to receiue the same For sodayn death is not only bitter to hym which tasteth it but also it feareth him that hateth it Lactantius sayd that in such sort man ought to liue as if from hence an hour after hee shoold dye For those men which will haue death beefore their eies it is vnpossible that they geeue place to vain thoughts In my oppinion and also by the aduyse of Apuleius it is as much folly to fly from that which wee cannot auoyd as to desire that wee cannot attain And this is spoken for those that woold flye the vyage of death which is necessary and desire to come agayn which is vnpossible Those that trauell by long ways if they want any thing they borow it of their company If they haue forgotten ought they returne to seeke it at their lodging or els they write vnto their frends a letter But I am sory that if wee once dye they will not let vs return agayn wee cannot speak and they will not agree
with lyes With our frends wee are shamelesse in their life and also bashfull at their death The which ought not to bee so For if our fathers were not dead and that wee did not dayly see these that are present dye mee thinketh it were a shame and also a fear to say to the sick that hee alone shoold dye But since thou knowst as well as hee and hee knoweth as well as thou that all doo trauell in this perillous iurney what shame hast thou to say vnto thy frend that hee is now at the last point If the dead shoold now reuyue how woold they complayn of their frends And thys for no other cause but for that they woold not geeue them good counsell at their death For if the sick man bee my frend and that I see peraduenture hee will dye why shall not I counsell him to prepare him self to dye Certeinly oftentimes wee see by experyence that those which are prepared and are ready for to dye doo escape and those which think to liue doo perish What shoold they doo which goe to vysit the sick perswade them that they make their testaments that they confesse their sinnes that they discharge their conscience that they receiue the Communion and that they doo reconcile them selues to their enemies Certeinly all these things charge not the launce of death nor cut not the threed of lyfe I neuer saw blyndnes so blynd nor ignoraunce so ignorant as to bee ashamed to counsell the sick that they are bound to doo when they are whole As wee haue sayd heere aboue Princes and great Lords are those aboue all other that liue and dye most abusedly And the cause is that as their seruaunts haue no harts to perswade them when they are mery so haue they no audacity to tell them trueth when they are in peril For such seruaunts care lytle so that their maisters beequeath them any thing in theyr willes whether they dye well or lyue euyll O what misery and pity is it to see a Prince a Lord a gentleman and a rych person dye if they haue no faythfull frend about them to help them to passe that payn And not wythout a cause I say that hee ought to bee a faythfull frend For many in our lyfe doo gape after our goods and few at our deaths are sory for our offences The wyse and sage men before nature compelleth them to dye of their own will ought to dye That is to weete that beefore they see them selues in the pangues of death they haue their consciences ready prepared For if wee count him a foole whych will passe the sea without a shippe truely wee will not count him wise which taketh his death without any preparacion beefore What loseth a wise man to haue his will well ordained in what aduenture of honor is any man beefore death to reconsile him self to his enemies and to those whom hee hath born hate and malyce What loseth hee of his credit who in his lyfe tyme restoreth that which at his death they will commaund him to render wherein may a man shew him self to bee more wise then when willingly hee hath discharged that which afterwards by proces they will take from him O how many princes great lords are there which only not for spending one day about their testament haue caused their children and heirs all the days of their life to bee in trauerse in the law So that they supposing to haue left their children welthy haue not left them but for atturneis and counselers of the law The true and vnfained Christian ought euery morning so to dyspose his goods and correct his lyfe as if hee shoold dye the same night And at night in like maner hee ought so to commit him self to god as if hee hoped for no lyfe vntill morning For to say the truth to sustein life there are infinit trauels but to meete death there is but one way If they will credit my woords I woold counsell no man in such estate to liue that for any thing in the world hee shoold vndoo him self The rich and the poore the great and the small the gentlemen and the Plebeians all say and swear that of death they are exceeding fearfull To whom I say and affirm that hee alone feareth death in whom wee see amendment of lyfe Princes and great lords ought also to bee perfect beefore they bee perfect to end beefore they end to dye beefore they dye and to bee mortified beefore they bee mortified If they doo this with them selues they shall as easely leaue their lyfe as if they chāged from one house to an other For the most part of men delight to talk with leisure to drink with leisure to eat with leisure to sleep with leisure but they dye in haste Not without cause I say they dye in haste since wee see thē receiue the sacrament of the supper of the lord in haste make their willes by force with speed to confesse and receiue So that they take it and demaund it so late and so without reason that often times they haue lost their senses and are ready to geeue vp the spirit when they bring it vnto them What auaileth the ship maister after the ship is sonk what doo weapons auayl after the battell is lost What auaileth pleasures after men are dead By that I haue spoken I will demaund what it auaileth the sick beeing heuy with sleep and beereft of their senses to call confessors to whom they confesse their sinnes Euill shal hee bee confessed whych hath no vnderstandyng to repent him self What auayleth it to call the confessor to vnderstand the secret of his conscience when the sick man hath lost his speach Let vs not deceiue our selues saying in our age wee will amend heereafter make restitution at our death For in myne oppinion it is not the poynt of wyse men nor of good christians to desire so much tyme to offend and they wil neuer espy any to amend Woold to god that the third part of tyme which men occupy in sinne were employed about the meditations of death and the cares which they haue to accomplish their fleshly lusts were spent in beewayling their filthy sinnes I am very sory at my hart that thei so wickedly passe their life in vyces and pleasures as if there were no God to whom they shoold render account for their offences All worldlings willingly doo sinne vppon hope only in age to amend and at death to repent but I woold demaund him that in this hope sinned what certeinty hee hath in age of amendment and what assuraunce hee hath to haue long warning beefore hee dye Since wee see by experience there are mo in nomber which dye yong then old it is no reason wee shoold commit so many sinnes in one day that wee shoold haue cause to lament afterwards all the rest of our lyfe And afterwards to beewail the sinnes of our long life wee desire no more but one
space of an hour Considering the omnipotency of the diuine mercy it suffiseth ye and I say that the space of an hour is to much to repent vs of our wicked lyfe but yet I woold counsell all since the sinner for to repent taketh but one hour that that bee not the last hour For the sighs and repentaunce which proceed from the bottom of the hart penetrate the high heauens but those which come of necessity dooth not perse the seeling of the house I allow and commend that those that visit the sick doo counsell them to examin their conscienses to receiue the communion to pray vnto god to forgeeue their enemiez and to recommend them selues to the deuout prayers of the people and to repent their sinnes fynally I say that it is very good to doo all this but yet I say it is better to haue doon it beefore For the diligent and carefull Pirate prepareth for the tempest when the sea is calm Hee that deepely woold consider how little the goods of this lyfe are to bee esteemed let him goe to see a rich man when hee dyeth and what hee dooth in his bed And hee shall fynd that the wife demaundeth of the poore husband her dower the doughter the third part the other the fift the child the preheminence of age the sonne in law his mariage the phisition his duity the slaue his liberty the seruants their wages the creditors their debts and the woorst of all is that none of those that ought to enherit his goods wil geeue him one glasse of water Those that shall here or read this ought to consider that that which they haue seene doon at the death of their neighbors the same shall come to them when they shal bee sick at the point of death For so soone as the rych shutteth his eyes foorthwith there is great strife beetweene the children for his goods And this strife is not to vnburthen his soule but whych of them shall inherit most of his possessions In this case I will not my penne trauel any further since both rich and poore dayly see the experience hereof And in things very manyfest it suffyseth only for wyse men to bee put in memory without wasting any more tyme to perswade them Now the Emperor Marcus Aurelius had a secretary very wise and vertuous through whose hands the affairs of the Empire passed And when this secretary saw his lord and maister so sick and almost at the hour of death and that none of his parents nor frends durst speak vnto him hee plainly determined to doo his duity wherein hee shewed very well the profound knowledge hee had in wisdom and the great good will hee bare to his lord This secretary was called Panutius the vertues and lyfe of whom Sextus Cheronensis in the lyfe of Marcus Aurelius declareth ¶ Of the comfortable woords which the Secretary Panutius spake to the Emperor Marcus Aurelius at the hour of his death Cap. l. O My lord and maister my tong cannot keepe silence myne eies cannot refrayn from bitter tears nor my hart leaue from fetching sighes ne yet reason can vse his duity For my blood boyleth my sinnews are dryed my pores bee open my hart dooth faint and my spirit is troubled And the occasion of all this is to see that the wholsom counsels which thou geeuest to others either thou canst not or wil not take for thy self I see thee dye my lord and I dye for that I cannot remedy thee For if the gods woold haue graunted mee my request for the lengthning of thy lyfe one day I woold geeue willingly my whole life Whether the sorow bee true or fained it nedeth not I declare vnto thee with woords since thou mayst manyfestly discern it by my countenaunce For my eies with tears are wet and my hart with sighs is very heauy I feele much the want of thy company I feele much the domage which of thy death to the whole common wealth shal ensue I feele much thy sorow which in thy pallace shal remaine I feele much for that Rome this day is vndoon but that which aboue al things dooth most torment my hart is to haue seen thee liue as wise and now to see thee dye as symple Tell mee I pray thee my lorde why doo men learn the Greek tong trauel to vnderstand the hebrew sweat in the latin chaunge so many maisters turn so many bookes and in study consume so much money and so many yeres if it were not to know how to passe lyfe with honor and take death with pacience The end why men ought to study is to learn to liue well For there is no truer science in man then to know how to order his life well What profiteth it mee to know much if thereby I take no profit what profiteth mee to know straunge languages if I refrain not my tong from other mens matters what profiteth it to study many books if I study not but to begyle my frends what profiteth it to know the influence of the starres and the course of the elements if I cannot keepe my self from vyces Fynally I say that it lytle auayleth to bee a maister of the sage if secretly hee bee reported to bee a folower of fooles The cheef of all philosophy consisteth to serue god and not to offend men I ask thee most noble prince what auaileth it the Pilot to know the art of sayling and after in a tempest by neglygence to perish What auayleth it the valyaunt captayn to talk much of warre and afterwards hee knoweth not how to geeue the battayl What auaileth it the guyde to tell the neerest way and afterwards in the midst to lose him self All this which I haue spoken is sayd for thee my Lord. For what auayleth it that thou beeing in health shooldst sigh for death since now when hee dooth approch thou weepest because thou wooldst not leaue life One of the things wherein the wise man sheweth his wisedom is to know how to loue and how to hate For it is great lightnes I shoold rather say folly to day to loue him whom yesterday wee hated and to morow to sclaunder him whom this day wee honored What Prince so hygh or what Plebeyan so base hath there been or in the world shall euer bee the whych hath so lyttle as thou regarded lyfe and so hyghly commended death What thyngs haue I wrytten beeing thy Secretary with my own hand to dyuers prouynces of the world where thou speakest so much good of death that sometymes thou madest mee to hate lyfe What was it to see that letter which thou wrotest to the noble Romayn Claudines wydow comforting her of the death of her husband which dyed in the warres Wherein shee aunswered That shee thought her trouble comfort to deserue that thou shooldst write her such a letter What a pitifull and sauory letter hast thou written to Antigonus on the death of thy child Verissimus thy sonne so much desired Whose death
aduise ought wel to bee assured that in al or the most part hee shall erre O my lord Mark sith thou art sage liuely of spirit of great experience and auncient didst not thou think that as thou hadst buried many so like wise some should burie thee What imaginacions were thine to think that seeing the end of their days others should not see the end of thy yeares Since thou diest rych honourably accompanied old and aboue all seeing thou diest in the seruice of the common wealth why fearest thou to enter into thy graue Thou hast always beene a frend as much to know things past as those which were hid and kept secret Sins thou hast proued what honors and dishonors doo deserue ryches and pouerty prosperity and aduersity ioy and sorow loue and feare vices pleasures mee seemeth that nothing remayneth to know but that it is necessarye to know what death is And also I sweare vnto thee most noble lord that thow shalt learn more in one hour what death is then in a hundreth years what life meaneth Since thou art good and presumest to bee good and hast lyued as good is it not better that thow dye goe with so many good then that thow scape and liue amongst so many euill That thou feelest death I maruell nothing at all for thou art a man but I doo maruail that thou dissemblest it not since thou art discrete Many things doo the sage men feele which inwardly doo oppresse their hart but outwardly they dissemble them for the more honor If all the poyson which in the sorowfull hart is wrapped were in small peeces in the feeble flesh scattered then the walles woold not suffice to rubbe neither the nayles to scratch vs. What other thing is death but a trap or doore where with to shut the shop wherein all the miseries of this wofull lyfe are vendible What wrong or preiudice doo the gods vnto vs whē they cal vs beefore them but from an old decaied house to chaunge vs to a new builded pallace And what other thing is the graue but a strong fort wherein wee shut our selues from the assaults of lyfe broyles of fortune Truely wee ought to bee more desirous of that wee fynd in death then of that wee leaue in lyfe If Helia Fabricia thy wife doo greeue thee for that thou leauest her yong doo not care For shee presently hath litle care of the perill wherein thy lyfe dependeth And in the end when shee shall know of thy death shee will bee nothing greued Trouble not thy self for that shee is left widow For yong women as shee is which are maried with old men as thou when their husbands dye they haue their eies on that they can robbe and their harts on them whom they desire to mary And speaking with due respect when with their eies they outwardly seeme most for to beewaile then with their harts inwardly doo they most reioyce Deceyue not thy self in thinking that the empresse thy wife is yong and that shee shal fynd none other Emperor with whom agayn shee may mary For such and the like will chaunge the cloth of gold for gownes of skynnes I mean that they woold rather the yong shepeheard in the field then the old emperour in his royall pallace If thou takest sorow for the children whom thou leauest I know not why thou shooldst do so For truely yf it greeue thee now for that thou dyest they are more displeased for that thow lyuest The sonne that desireth not the death of his father may bee counted the onely Phenix of this world for if the father bee poore he wisheth him dead for that hee is not maintained if hee bee rich hee desireth his death to enherit the sooner Sins therefore it is true as in deede it is it seemeth not wisedome that they sing thou weepe If it greue thee to leaue these goodly pallaces these sūptuous buildings deceiue not thy self therein For by the god Iupiter I sweare vnto thee that since that death dooth finish thee at the end of .lxii. yeares tyme shal consume these sūptuous buildings in lesse then xl If it greeue thee to forsake the cōpany of thy frends neighbors for them also take as litle thought sins for thee they wil not take any at all For amongst the other compassions that they ought to haue of the dead this is true that scarcely they are buryed but of their frends neighbors they are forgotten If thou takest great thought for that thou wilt not dye as the other emperors of Rome are dead mee seemeth that thou oughtst allso to cast this sorow from thee For thou knowst ryght wel that Rome hath accustomed to bee so vnthankful to those which serue her that the great Scipio also woold not bee buryed therein If it greeue thee to dye to leaue so great a seignory as to leaue the empire I can not think that such vanity bee in thy head For temperat reposed men when they escape from semblable offices do not think that they lose honor but that they bee free of a troblesome charge Therefore if none of al these things moue thee to desire lyfe what should let thee that through thy gates enter not death it greeueth men to dye for one of these two things eyther for the loue of those they leaue beehynd them or for the feare of that they hope Sins therefore there is nothing in this lyfe worthy of loue nor any things in death why wee shoold feare why doo mē feare to dye According to the heauy sighs thou fetchest the bitter tears thou she dest according also to the great payn thou shewest for my part I think that the thing in thy thought most forgotten was that the gods shoold cōmaund thee to pay this debt For admit that al think that their life shal end yet no man thinketh that death wil come so soone For that men think neuer to dye they neuer beeginne their faults to amend so that both life fault haue end in the graue togethers Knowst not thou most noble prince that after the long night cōmeth the moist morning Doost thou not know that after the moyst morning there commeth that cleere sunne Knowst not thou that after the cleare sunne cōmeth the cloudy element Doost thou not know that after the dark myst there commeth extream heat And that after the heat cometh the horrible thunders after the thunders the sodeyn lightnings that after the perilous lightnings commeth the terrible hayle Fynally I say that after the tempesteous troublesome time commonly commeth cleare faire weather The order that time hath to make him self cruel gentill the self same ought men to haue to liue dye For after the infancy cōmeth chyldhod after chyldhod commeth youth after youth cōmeth age after age cōmeth the fearfull death Finally after the fearful death cōmeth the sure life Oftentimes I haue read of thee not seldome hard that
gaue great sacrifyces to their Gods and all to the end their Gods shoold not receyue the soule of thys tiraunt amongst them but that they woold send it to bee kept among the furies of hell I remember Patrocles second kyng of Corinthe inheryted the realme at two twenty years of his age who was so dysordered of hys flesh so vndyscreete in hys doings so couetous of goods and such a coward of hys person that where hys father had possessed the realme forty yeares the sonne dyd not possesse it thyrty moneths I remember Tarquine the proud who though among eyght knyghts of Rome was the last and comlyest of gesture valyaunt in armes noblest of blood and in geeuyng most lyberall yet hee employed all hys gyfts and graces which the Gods had geeuen hym euyll For hee employed hys bewty to ryot and hys forces to tyranny For through the treason and vyllany whych hee commytted with the Romayn Lucretia hee dyd not onely lose the realme and flying saued hys lyfe but allso for euer was banyshed and all hys lynage likewise I remember the cruell emperor Nero who lyued enherited and dyed yong and not without a cause I say that hee lyued and dyed yong For in him was graffed the stock of the noble and worthy Cesars and in him was renewed the memory of those Tyraunts To whom thinkest thou Panutius this tiraunt woold haue geeuen lyfe since hee with his own hands gaue his mother her death Tel mee I pray thee who thinkest thou hath made that cursed hart who slew hys mother out of whose womb hee came opened her breasts which gaue hym suck shed the blood whereof hee was born tore the armes in which hee was caryed saw the intrails wherein hee was formed The day that the emperour Nero slew his mother an orator said in the senat Iure interficienda erat Agrippina que tale portentum peperit in populo romano Which is to say iustly deserued Agrippina to bee put to death which brought foorth so straunge a monster amongst the Romayn people Thou oughtst not therefore to marueil Panutius at the nouelties whych thou hast seene in mee for in these three days that I haue beene troubled in my mynd and altered in my vnderstandyng all these things are offred vnto mee and from the botom of my hart I haue digested them For the carefull men are not blynded but with their own ymaginacions All these euil condicions which these Princes had scattered amongst them of whom I haue spoken doo meete togethers in my sonne Commodus For if they were yong hee is yong If they were rych hee is rych If they were free hee is free If they were bold hee is bold If they were wilde hee is wilde If they were euill certaynly I doo not think that hee is good For wee see many yong princes which haue been well brought vp and well taught yet when they haue inherited and come to their lands they beecome immediatly vitious and dissolute What hope haue wee of those which from their infancy are dissolute and euill enclined of good wyne I haue made oft times strong vineger but of pure vineger I haue neuer seene good wine This childe keepeth mee beetwene the sayles of feare the anker of hope hopyng hee shal bee good since I haue taught him wel fearing hee shall bee euill beecause his mother Faustine hath norished him euil And that which ys the woorst that the yong childe of his own nature is inclined to al euil I am moued to say this much for that I see his naturall inclinacion increase and that which was taught him dimynish for the which occasyon I doubt that after my death my sonne shal return to that wherin his mother hath norished him not to that wherein I haue taught him O how happy had I been if neuer I had had childe for not to be boūd to leaue him thempire for I woold chose then among the children of the good fathers woold not bee bound to such a one whom the gods haue geeuen mee One thing I ask thee Panutius whom wooldst thou cal most fortunat Vespasian which was naturall father of Domitius or Nerua the adopted father of the good Traiane both those two Vespasian Nerua were good princes but of children Domitian was the head of al mischief Traiane was the mirrour of al goodnes So that Vespasian in that hee had children was vnhappy Nerua in that hee had none was most fortunat One thing I wil tel thee Panutius the which by thee considered thou wylt litle esteeme life and shalt lose the feare of death I haue lyued lxii years wherein I haue read much hard much sene desired attained possessed suffred I haue much reioysed my self And in the end of al this I see my self now to dye and I must want my pleasures and my self allso Of all that I haue had possessed attained whereof I haue enioyed I haue only two things to weete payn for that I haue offended the gods and sorow for the time which I haue wasted in vices There is great difference beetweene the rych and the poore in death and more in lyfe For the poore dyeth to rest but yf the rich dye it is to their great payn So that the gods take from the one that which hee had putteth the other in possession of that hee desired Great care hath the hart to seeke the goods and they passe great troubles to heap vp them togethers and great diligence must bee had in keeping them and also much wyt to encrease them but without comparison it is greater grief to depart from them O what payn intollerable and grief it is to the wise man seeing hym self at the poynt of death to leaue the swet of his famyly the maiesty of his empire the honor of his present the loue of his frends the payment of his debts the deserts of his seruaunts and the memory of hys predecessours in the power of so euill a chyld the which neither deserueth it nor yet wil deserue it In their table of our auncyent laws were writen these woords Wee ordeyn and commaund that the father which shall bee good according to the oppinion of all may disheryt his sonne who according to the opinion of all is euill The law sayd further The chyld which hath dysobeyed hys father robbed any holy Temple iniuryed any wyddow fled from any battaile and committed any treason to a straunger that hee shoold bee banished from Rome and dysenherited from his fathers goods Truely the law was good though by our offences it bee forgotten If my breath fayled mee not as it dooth fayle mee for of trouth I am greatly payned I woold declare vnto thee how many Parthes Medians Egiptians Assirians Caldeans Indians Hebrues Greekes and Romains haue left their children poore beeing able to haue left them rych for no other cause but for that they were vicious And to the contrary other beeyng poore haue left them rych
hast to possesse and gouerne the empire cause thee not to vndoo thy selfe For hee is not counted free with in liberty is borne but hee that dyeth in liberty O of how many I haue red hard also seene which are borne slaues and afterwards haue dyed free and this for that they were vertuous And how many I haue seene die slaues beeing bornfree only for beeing vicious so that there liberty remayneth where noblenes is resident Princes which haue great realmes of necessity shall haue occasions to punish many excesses wherfore it is requisite that they bee couragious And beeleue mee my sonne that they ought not to take corrage vpon them beecause they bee mighty and puissaunt but beecause they are vertuous For to punish these excesses of others the good life is more requisite then is the great auctority of the empire A vertuous prince ought to leaue no vice vnpunished for the good to folow good the euil for feare of his correction dare not commit any offence in the commō wealth Hee that lyueth like a wise man is hardy to geeue punishment but hee that liueth in feare dare not almost speak For the man which dare bee so hardy to punish an other for the self same fault for the which hee deserueth to bee punished of the gods hee is iustly hated of men despised Let princes take it for an assured thing that they shal neuer haue the loue of the people the liberty of the commō wealth the order of their house the contentation of their frends the subiection of their enemies and the obedience of their people but with many tears shed on the earth and with many prowesses doone of his person To a vertuous prince all doo render against the vicious prince all the earth doth rebell If thou wilt bee vertuous heare what thing vertu is Vertu is a castle which neuer is taken a riuer which is not passed ouer a sea which is not sailed a fire that neuer is quenched a tresure that neuer is wasted an army that neuer is ouerthrowen a chaunge which neuer wearieth a spy which alwaies returneth a signe which beegilesh no man a way very streight a frend that succoureth al necessities a surgion that immediatly healeth a renowne which neuer perisheth If thou knewest my sonne what thing it is to bee good thou wouldst bee the best of the world For the more vicious a man is so much the more hee is entangled in vices how much more a man is vertuous so much more to vertues hee cleaueth If thou wilt bee vertuous thou shalt doo seruice to the gods thou shalt geeue good renowne to thy predecessors for thy selfe thou shalt prepare a perpetual memory Thou shalt doo pleasures to straungers get the fauor of thine owne people Finally the good will honor thee with loue the euil wil serue thee with feare In the histories of the warres of the Charentines I found the renowmed Pirrus king of Epirotes did weare in a ring these woords writen It is too litle punishmēt for a vicious man to take his life from him it is too smal a reward for a vertuous man to geeue him the seignory of the whole earth Truly these woords were woorthy of such a man What thing can bee beegon of a vertuous man wherof wee hope not to see the end come to good proofe I am deceyued if I haue not seene in my days many mē which were base borne vnfitt for sciences void of vices in the cōmon wealth poore of goods vnknowen of birth which with all these base condicions haue learned so many vertues that it seemed great rashnes to beegin them afterwards for beeing vertuous only they haue found the effects such as they thought it By the immortal gods I sweare vnto thee so the god Iupiter take mee into his holy house confirme thee my sonne in mine if I haue not knowen a gardner a potter in Rome which for beeing vertuous were occasion to cast fiue rich senatours out of the senate And the cause to make the one to gayne the other to loose was that to the one they would not pay the pots and to the other his appels For at that time more was hee punished which tooke an apple from a poore man then hee which bet down a rich mans house All this I haue told thee my sonne beecause vice abaseth the hardy prince vertue geeueth courage to the bashfull From .ii. things I haue always kept my selfe That is to weete not to striue against open iustice nor to contend with a vertuous person ¶ The Emperor Marcus Aurelius followeth his purpose among other holsome counsailes exhorteth his sonne to keepe wise and sage men about him for to geeue him counsayle in al his affayres Cap. lv HItherto I haue spoken to thee in generally but now I will speake vnto the particulerly by the immortal gods I coniure thee that thou bee very attentiue to that I will say For talking to thee as an aged father it is reason thou heare mee as an obedient chyld If thou wilt enioy long life obserue well my doctrine For the gods will not condescend to thy harts desires oneles thou receyuest my holsome counsayles The disobedience vnfaithfulnes which children haue to their fathers is al their vndooing For oftentimes the gods doo pardon the offences that are doon vnto them doo not pardon the disobediences which the children beare to their fathers I doo not require thee my sonne that thou geeue mee mony sins thou art poore I doo not demaund that thou trauaile sins thou art tender I doo not demaund the reuengement of mine enemies since I haue none I doo not demaund that thou serue mee sins I dye I doo not demaund the empire sins I leaue it vnto thee Onely I doo demaund that thou gouerne thy selfe well in the common wealth and that the memory of my house bee not lost through thee If thou esteeme much that I leaue vnto thee so many realmes I think it better to leaue thee many good counsayls wherwith thou maist preserue thy selue susteyne thy parson mayntayne thine honour For if thou hast presumption not to profit with my counsayle but to trust to thine owne mind beefore my flesh bee eaten with wormes thou shalt bee ouercōe with thy enemies My sonne I haue been yong light bold vnshamefast proud enuious couetous an aduoulterer furious a glutton slouthful ambicious for that I haue fallen into so great excesses therfore I geeue thee such good aduise For the mā which in his youth hath been very worldly from him in age proceedeth ripe counsaile That which vntill this time I haue coūsailed thee that which to my death I wil counsayle the. I desire that ons at the least thou proue it And if it doo thee harme leaue it if it doo thee good vse it For there is no medecine so bitter that the sick dooth refuse
I would not dye For life is so troublesome that it weareth vs death is so doubtfull that it feareth vs. If the gods deferred my death I doubt whyther I should reforme my life And if I doo not amend my lyfe nor serue the Gods better nor profit the common wealth more if that euery tyme I am sick it should greeue me to die I say it is much better for mee now to accept death then to wysh the lengthning of my life I say the life is so troublesome so fyckle so suspicious so vncertayne so importunat finally I say it is a life whithout lyfe that hee is an obstinat foole which so much desireth it Come that that may come for finally not withstanding that I haue spoken I willingly commit my selfe into the hands of the Gods since of necessity I am thereunto constreined For it proceedeth not of a lytle wisedom to receiue that willingly which to doo wee are constrayned of necessity I will not recommend my self to the priests nor cause the oracles to bee visited nor promise any thing to the temples nor offer sacrifices to the gods to the end they should warrant mee from death and restore mee to lyfe but I will demaund and require them that if they haue created mee for any good thing I may not loose it for my euyll lyfe So wise and sage are the gods in that they say so iust true in that they promise that if they geeue vs not that which wee others would it is not for that they wil not but beecause wee deserue it not For wee are so euyl and woorth so litel and wee may doo so lytel that for many good woorks wee deserue no meryt and yet with an euil worke wee bee made vnworthy of al. Since therfore I haue put my selfe in to the hands of the Gods let them doo with mee what they wil for their seruice for in the ende the woorst that they will doo is much better then the world wil doo For all that the world hath geeuen mee hath beene but mockry and deceyte but that which the gods haue geeuen mee I haue gouerned and possessed without suspicion For this last houre my sonne I haue kept the best the most noble and riches iewell that I haue possessed in my life tyme. And I doo protest vnto the immortal gods that if as they doo commaūd mee to dye they would geeue mee lycence to rede in the graue I would commaund it to bee buryed with mee Thou shalt know my sonn that in the .x. yeare of my Empire a great warr arose agaynst the vnruly people of Persia where by euyll luck it was appoynted for mee in person to geeue the battayle the which wonne and al their country destroyed I returned by the old city of Thebes in Aegipte to see if I could finde any antiquity of those in times past In the house of an Egiptian pryest I found a litel table which they hāged at the gate of the kynges pallace the day of his coronatiō And this poore pristes told mee that that which was in this table was writen by a king of Egypt named Ptholomeus Arsasides I beeseech the immortal Gods my sonne that such bee thy woorks as the woords of this table require As emperor I leaue thee heire of many realmes and as a father I geeue thee this table of counsayles The woords which the fathers doo teach vnto the chyldren at the last houre the children ought to keepe continually in their memorye Let this therefore bee my last woord with the Empire thou shalt bee feared through out all the world and with the counsayles of this table thou shalt bee loued of al nations This talk beeing ended and the table geeuen the Emperor turned his eyes lost his senses and for the space of a quarter of an houre lay languishing in extreame payne within a while after yelded vp the ghost In this table weare certain greeke letters which were in meeter and in our tonge signify thus ON honours stall I doo no tirant heaue nor yet the poore suppresse if hee weare iust For riches rule I nould to pardon cleaue For want of wealth nor folow rigours lust For naked loue I neuer spent reward nor would correct for onely enuies heate Of vertues imps I always had regard mischifs mates haue plagd with torment great To others doome I neuer would commit of open right the quarell to decide ne yet of doubtfull strifes in trust of witt The finall end alone I would deuide To them that sought for iustice equall sway her golden rule I neuer did deny ne yet to such for whom desert would lay Their sclender fautes might wel bee slipped by To feele the grife that waued in my minde With others smart I neuer could susteyne nor yet rewardes my princely woordes would binde VVhen sweete delight had chifest ioy to rayne In high estate when most blind fortune smild A reckles lyfe I restles ran not on nor yet when chaunge those happy dayes beegyld to cold despaier my quiet minde was gon By boiling heat of malice endeles fier to vices trayne I cast no egre eye ne yet for lust of pining welthes desire Vnlefull facts I rechles would apply The traitours brest I neuer could embrace nor lend mine eares to swalow flattring talke of vices slaues I wayed not the grace nor left vnsought good will in vertues walke Poore Irus band for that I did reliue VVhos 's needy state dooth stoope in Cresus swaie the greatest gods whose heauenly warck doth griue the proudest crownes was aymy present state FINIS ¶ The fourth booke of the Dyall of Princes Compyled by the right reuerend father in god Antony of Gueuara Byshop of Mondogueto preacher Chronicler and counceller to Charles the fift Emperor of Rome Contayning many instructions and rules for the fauored of the Court beyng once in fauor easely to keepe and continue them selues in fauor still Right necessary profitable for all princes and noble men gentlemen courtiers that seeke to continue them selues in honor and estimacion The Epistle to the Reader WHat detracting tongues report of mee and my first trauell in the translation of this Dyall enlarging them at pleasure to woork my defame disabling my dooing heerein by brute yt was no woork of myne but the fruit of others labor I neede not much force since by dayly proof wee see that yll disposed mynds can neuer frame an honest tongue in head For my obiect and reproofe of this their sclaunderous malignant speeche I can allege curteous reader two principall causes which thou reading and iudging with indifferency mayst easely approoue yf I shoold seeme to glose with thee First the basenes of my style the playn and humble woords couched in the same the mean rude and yll contryued sentences layd beefore thee togeether with the simple handelyng of the whole playnly sheweth to thee whence they are and easely acquainteth thee with the curious translator Who protesteth
shoold bee lesse euil for vs to haue him our enemy then to account of him as of our deere frend Him whom wee wil choose for our faithfull frend amongst other maners and condicions hee must chiefely and beefore all bee indued with these that hee bee curteous of nature faier spoken hard and stout to indure payn pacient in troubles sober in dyet moderate in his woords graue and rype in his counsels and aboue all stedfast in frendship and faithfull in secrets And whom wee shall fynd with these laudable vertues and conditions adorned him may wee safely take and accept for our frend But if wee see any of these parts wanting in him wee ought to shon him as from the plague knowing for certeinty that the frendship of a fayned and fantasticall frend is much woorse and perilous then the enmity of a knowen and open enemy For to the hands of one wee commit our hart and faith and from the deceipts and treasons of the other wee defendour selues with our whole force power Seneca wryting to his deere faithful frend Lucillus sayth vnto hym I pray thee O Lucillus that thou order determyne thine affaiers by thaduise counsel of thy frend but also I doo remember thee that first thou see well what maner of frend thou hast chosen thee for there is no marchandise in the world this day that men are so soone beegyled in as they are in the choise of frends Therefore the graue sentence of Seneca wysely wayed wee shoold assent with him in oppinion that sith no man byeth a horse but hee first causeth him to bee ridden nor bread but first hee seeth and handleth it nor wyne but hee tasteth it nor flesh but first hee wayeth it nor corne but hee seeth a sample nor house but that hee dooth first value it nor Instrument but first hee playeth on it and iudgeth of his sound yt is but reason hee shoold bee so much the more circumspect beefore he choose his frend to examin his lyfe and condicion since all the other things wee haue spoken of may bee put in dyuers houses and corners but our frend wee lodge and keepe deerely in our proper bowels Those that write of the emperor Augustus say that hee was very straunge and scrupulous in accepting frends but after hee had once receyued theÌ„ into his frendship hee was very constant and circuÌ„spect to keepe them For hee neuer had any frend but first hee had some proofe and tryall of him neither woold hee euer after forsake him for any displeasure doon to him Therefore yt shoold always bee so that true frends shoold bere one to an other such loue and affection that the one beeing in prosperity should not haue occasion to complayn of him self in that hee did not reliue his frends necessity beeing in aduersity nor the other beeing poore and needy shoold grudge or lament for that his frend beeing rich and welthy woold not succor him with all that hee might haue doone for him For to say the truth where perfect frendshyp is there ought no excuse to bee made to doo what possible is the one for the other The frendship of young men cometh commonly or for the most parte at the least by beeing companyons in vyce and folly and such of right ought rather to bee called vacabonds then once to deserue the name of true frends For that cannot bee called true frendship that is continued to the preiudyce or derogation of vertue Seneca wryting agayn to Lucillus sayth these woords I woold not haue thee think nor once mistrust O my Lucillus that in all the Romayn empire I haue any greater frend then thou but with all assure thy self that our frendship is not so streight beetwene vs that I woold take vppon mee at any tyme to doo for thee otherwyse then honesty shoold lead mee For though the loue I bere thee hath made thee lord of my lyberty yet reason also hath left mee vertue free ¶ The aucthor proceedeth on Applyeng that wee haue spoken to that wee will now declare I say I wil not acknowledge my self your seruant for so shoold I bee compelled to feare you more then loue you much lesse will I vaunt my self to bee your kinsman for so I shoold importune and displease you and I will not brag that heeretofore wee haue been of familier acquaintance for that I woold not make any demonstration I made so lyttle account of you and lesse then I am bound to doo neither will I bost my self that I am at this present your famyliar and welbeeloued for in deede I shoold then shew my self to bee to bold and arrogant but that that I will confesse shal bee that I loue you as a frend and you mee as a kinsman al bee it this frendship hath succeeded dyuersly tyll now For you beeing noble as you are haue bountifully shewed your frendship to mee in large and ample gyfts but I poore and of base estate haue only made you sure of myne in woords Plutarche in his Polytikes sayd That it were farre better to sell to our frends our woorks and good deeds whether they were in prosperity aduersity or necessity then to feede them with vayn flattering woords for nothing Yet is it not so general a rule but that sometymes it happeneth that the high woords on the one syde are so profitable and the woorks so few and feeble on the other syde that one shal bee better pleased and delighted with hearing the sweete and curteous woords of th one then hee shal bee to bee serued with the cold seruyce and woorks of the other of small profyt and value Plutarch also in his booke De animalibus telleth vs that Denis the tyrant beeing one day at the table reasoning of dyuers and sundry matters with Chrisippê° the philosopher it chaunced that as hee was at diner one brought him a present of certen suger cakes wherefore Chrisippus cesing his former discours fell to perswade Denys to fall to his cakes To whom Denys aunswered on with your matter Chrisippus and leaue not of so For my hart is better contented wyth thy sweet and sugred woords then my tong is pleased with the delycate tast of these mountayn cakes For as thou knowest these cakes are heauy of digestion and doo greatly annoy the stomake but good woords doo maruelously reioyce and comfort the hart For this cause Alexander the great had the poet Homer in greater veneration beeing dead then all the other that were alyue in hys tyme not for that Homer euer did him seruyce or that hee knew him but only beecause of his lerned bookes hee wrote and compyled and for the graue sentences hee found therein And therefore hee bare about him in the day tyme the booke of the famous deedes of Troy called the Illiades hanged at his neck within hys bosom in the night hee layd it vnder his bolster at hys beddes head where hee slept In recompence therefore syr of the many
saluation the euil gotten good a cause of his eternal dānation More ouer yet what toyle and trauayl is it to the body of the man how much more perill to the liuing soule when hee consumeth his hole days and life in wordly broile and yet seely man hee can not absent him self from that vile drudgery till death dooth sommon him to yeeld vp his accoūt of his lief and dooings And now to conclude my prologue I say this booke is deuided into two parts that is to weete in the first tenne chapters is declared how the new come courtier shall beehaue him self in the princes court to winne fauor credit with the prince the surplus of the woork treateth when hee hath atcheeued to his princes fauor acquired the credyt of a worthy courtier how hee shal then continew the same to his further aduaūcement And I doubt no whit but that my lords gentlemen of court wil take pleasure to read it and namely such as are princes familiars and beeloued of court shall mostly reap profyt thereby putting the good lessons aduertisements they fynd heretofore writen in execucion For to the yong courtiers it sheweth them what they haue to doo putteth in remembraunce also the old fauored courtier lyuing in his princes grace of that hee hath to bee circūspect of And fynally I conclude sir that of al the treasors riches gyfts fauors prosperities pleasures seruices greatnes power that you haue possesse in this mortal transitory life by the faith of a christian I sweare vnto you also that you shal cary no more with you then the onely time which you haue wel vertuously emploied during this your pilgrimage ¶ The Argument of the booke entituled the fauored courtier wheare the author sheweth the intent of his woork exhorting all men to read and study good and vertuous bookes vtterly reiectyng fables and vayn trifflyng stories of small doctrine erudicion AVlus Gelius in his booke De noctibus atticis sayeth that after the death of the great poet Homer seuen famous Cyties of Greece were in great controuersy one with the other ech one of them affirmyng that by reason the bones of the sayd poet was theirs and onely apperteined to them all seuen takyng their othes that hee was not onely born but also norished and brought vp in euery one of them And this they did supposing that they neuer had so great honor in any thing but that this was farre greater to haue educated so excellent and rare a man as hee was Euripides also the philosopher born and brought vp in Athens trauayling in the realme of Macedonia was sodeynly striken with death which wofull newes no sooner came to the Athenians ears declared for a trouth but with al expedicion they depeached an honorable imbasy onely to intreat the Lacedemonians to bee contented to deliuer them the bones of the sayd philosopher protesting to them that if they woold franckly graunt them they woold regratify that pleasure done them and if they woold deny them they should assure them selues they woold come to demaund them with sweord in hand Kyng Demetrius held Rhodes beesyged long tyme which at length hee wanne by force of armes and the Rhodians beeing so stubborn that they would not yeeld by composition nor trust to his princely clemency hee commaunded to strike of all the Rhodians heads and to rase the cyty to the hard foundacions But when hee was let vnderstand that there was euen then in the cyty Prothogenes a phylosopher and paynter doutyng least in executyng others hee allso vnknowen myght bee put to the sweord reuoked his cruel sentence and gaue straight commaundement foorthwith they should cease to spoyle and deface the town further and also to stay the slaughter of the rest of the Rhodiens The diuine Plato beeing in Athens aduertised that in the cyty of Damasco in the realme of Palestine were certayn bookes of great antiquity whych a philosopher born of that countrey left beehynd hym there when hee vnderstoode it to bee true went thither immediatly led with the great desyre hee had to see them and purposely if they dyd lyke him afterwards to buy them And when hee saw that neyther at his sute nor at the requests of others hee could obtein them but that hee must buy them at a great price Plato went and sold all his patrimony to recouer them and his own not beeing sufficient hee was fayn to borrow vpon interest of the cōmon treasory to help him So that notwithstanding hee was so profound and rare a philosopher as in deede hee was yet hee woold sell all that small substaunce hee had only to see as hee thought some prety new thing more of philosophy As Ptholomeus Philadelphus kyng of Egipt not contented to bee so wise in al sciences as hee was nor to haue in his library .8000 bookes as hee had nor to study at the least .4 howers in the day nor ordinaryly to dispute at his meales wyth philosophers sent neuertheles an imbassage of noble men to the Ebrews to desire them they woold bee contented to send him some of the best lerned and wisest men among them to teach him the Ebrew tongue to read to him the bookes of their laws When Alexander the great was born his father kyng Phillippe wrote a notable letter immediatly to Aristottle among other matters hee wrote there were these I doo thee to weete O greatest philosopher Aristotle if thou knowst it not that Olimpias my wife is brought to bed of a sonne for which incessantly I geeue the gods immortal thanks not so much that I haue a sonne as for that they haue geeuen him mee in thy tyme. For I am assured hee shal profit more with the doctrine thou shalt teach him thē hee shal preuail with the kingdoms I shal leaue him after mee Now by the examples aboue recited and by many more we coold alledge wee may easly consider with what reuerence and honor the auncient kyngs vsed the learned and vertuous men of their tyme. And wee may also more playnly see it syth then they held in greater price and estimacion the bones of a dead philosopher then they doo now the doctrine of the best learned of our time And not without iust occasiō dyd these famous heroycal princes ioy to haue at home in their houses abrode with them in the feeld such wise learned men whilst they liued after they were dead to honor their bones and carcases and in dooing this they erred not a iot For who so euer accompanieth continually with graue wise men enioyeth this benefit and priuiledge beefore others that hee shall neuer bee counted ignorant of any Therefore continuing still our fyrst purpose let vs say that who so euer will professe the company of sober and wise men yt can not otherwise bee but hee must maruelously profyt by their comapny For beeing in their company they will put all
vain and dishonest thoughts from him they will teach him to subdue and resyst all sodein passions and motions moued of choller by them they shal winne good frends and learn also neuer to bee troublesome or enemy to any they will make him forsake all sinne and vice declaring to him what good woorks hee shall follow and what hee shal most fly and eschew they will let him vnderstand how hee shall humble and beehaue him self in prosperity and they will also comfort him in his aduersity to keepe him from all sorow and dispayre For though a man bee neuer so carefull and circumspect yet hath hee always neede of the councell of an other in his affaires if therefore such person haue not about him good vertuous sage men how can it otherways bee but that hee must stumble oft and fall down right on his face hauing no man to ayd or help him Paulus Diaconus sayeth that albeeit the Affricans were wylde and brutish people yet had they withstandyng a law amongst them that the senators amongst them coold choose no other senator if at the electiō there were not present a philosopher So it happened one day amongst the rest that of many philosophers they had in Carthage amongst them was one named Apolonius Who ruled for the space of three score and two years all their senat with great quyet and to the contentacion of all the senators which to shew them selues thankfull to him erected in the market place so many images of him as he had gouerned their common weale years to the end the fame and memory of hym should bee immortall and yet they dyd dedycate to their famous Anniball but onely one image and to this philosopher they set vp aboue three score Alexander the great when hee was most bent to bluddy warres went to see and speak with Diogenes the philosoper offring him great presents and discoursyng with him of dyuers matters So that wee may iustly say this good prince of hym self tooke payns to seek out wise men to accompany him electing by others choise and aduise all such as hee made his captayns to serue him in the warres It is manyfest to all that Dionisius the Siracusan was the greatest tyraunt in the world and yet notwithstanding his tyranny it is a wonder to see the sage and wise men hee had continually in his court with him that that makes vs yet more to wonder of him is that hee had them not about him to serue him or to profyt one iot by their doctrine and councell but onely for his honor and their profyt which enforceth mee to say concurring with this example that syth tyrants dyd glory to haue about them wise woorthy men much more shoold those reioyce that in their woorks and deedes are noble and free harted And this they ought to doo not onely to bee honored with them openly but also to bee holpen with their doctrine councels secretly And if to some this shoold seeme a hard thyng to follow wee will say that woorthy men not beeing of ability and power to mainteyn such wise men ought yet at least to vse to read at tymes good and vertuous bookes For by readyng of bookes they reap infynyt profyt as for example by readyng as I say these good authors the desire is satisfyed their iugement is quickned idlenes is put away the hart is disburdened the time is well imployed and they lead their lyfe vertuously not beeing bound to render account of so many faults as in that tyme they myght haue committed And to conclude it is so good an exercise as it geeueth good examples to the neyghbor profyt to hym self and health to the soule Wee see by experience after a man taketh vppon hym once the study of holy scriptures and that hee frameth hym self to bee a diuyne hee will neuer wyllyngly thencefoorth deale in other studies and all beecause hee will not forgoe the great pleasure hee receyueth to read those holly sayyngs And that causeth that wee see so many learned and wise men for the more part subiect to dyuers diseases and full of melancoly humors For so sweete is the delight they take in their bookes that they forget and leaue al other bodely pleasure And therefore Plutarke wryteth that certayn Phylosophers beeing one day met at the lodgyng of Plato to see hym and demaūdyng him what exercise hee had at that tyme Plato aunswered them thus Truely my brethern I let you know that euen now my onely exercise was to see what the great poet Homer sayd And this hee told them beecause they tooke hym euen then readyng of some of Homers bookes and to say truly hys aunswer was such as they shoold all looke for of hym For to read a good booke in effect is nothyng els but to heare a wyse man speak And yf this our iudgement and aduise seeme good vnto you wee would yet say more that you shoold profyt more to read one of these bookes then yow should to heare speak or to haue conference wyth the autor hym self that made yt For it is wythout doubt that all wryters haue more care and respect in that their penne dooth wryte then they haue in that their tongue dooth vtter And to the end you should not thynk wee can not proue that trew that wee haue spoken I doo you to wytte that euery autor that wyll wryte to publysh hys dooyng in prynt to lay yt to the shew and iudgement of the world and that desyreth thereby to acquire honor and fame and to eternyse the memory of hym turneth many bookes conferreth wyth other wyse and learned men addycteth hym self wholly to hys booke indeuoureth to vnderstand well oft refuseth sleepe meat and drynk quyckneth hys spyrits dooyng that hee putteth in wrytyng exactly with long aduise and consideracion whych hee dooth not when hee dooth but only speak and vtter them though oft in deede by reason of his great knowledge in speach vnwares there falleth out of hys mouth many goodly and wise sentences And therefore god hath geeuen hym a goodly gift that can read and hym much more that hath a desyre to studdy knowyng how to choose the good bookes from the euill For to say the troth there is not in this world any state or exercyse more honorable and profytable then the study of good bookes And wee are much bound to those that read more to those that study and much more to those that wryte any thing but mostly doubtles to those that make compile goodly bookes those of great and hye doctrine For there are many vayn and fond bookes that rather deserue to bee throwen in the fyer then once to bee read or looked on For they doo not onely shew vs the way to mock thē but also the ready mean to offend vs to see them occupy their brayns best wyttes they haue to write foolish and vayn thyngs of no good subiect or erudicion And that that is woorst of al yet
onely desireth to bee a courtier that as yet hath not tasted the sweetenes and pleasure of his own house nor hath yet prooued and seen the troubles and payns of the court For hee that knoweth them sygheth when hee is called to the court and weepeth when hee is kept long there I haue studyed in tymes past in the vniuersities preached in the court praying in relygion and now I dwell vppon my byshopryck teachyng and Instructyng my dyocessans but I dare say of all these fower states recyted there is none so streight and paynfull as is to follow the court If I studyed at the vniuersyty I dyd yt of free wyll to bee wyser but onely in the court I spent my tyme to bee more woorth then I was But the greatest tyme I consumed in religyon was to say my prayers and to beewayle my greeuous synnes In the court I onely gaue my self to suspect my neyghbor and inuented to buyld great castells of wynd wyth thought in the ayer And therefore I retorn once agayn to say that it is a greater trouble to beecome a courtier then to bee a relygious person For in religion it sufficeth to obey one but in the court hee must serue all And in relygion also they are appareled wyth lesse cost and charges and to the greater contentacion of the person then they are in the court For a poore gentleman courtyer ys bound to haue more chaunge and sutes of apparell then the falcon feathers The religious persons goe allways to dynner and fynd their meat on the table ready prepared for them wythout any thought taken of their part what they shall haue but fyne courtiers many times rise out of their bed without euer a peny in their purse And allbeeit relygious persons all their lyfe take great payns in rysyng at mydnyght to serue god yet haue they great hope after their death of the heauenly rest and comfort but poore courtyers alas what should I say hard is their lyfe and more peryllous their death into greater daunger truely putteth hee hym self that beecommeth a courtyer then dyd Nasica when hee was wyth the serpent then kyng Dauid wyth the Phylistiens then the Southsayers wyth Euah then Hercules wyth Antheon then Theseus wyth the Minotawre then kyng Menelaus wyth the wylde bore then Corebus wyth the monster of the marysh and then Perseus wyth the monsterous whale of the sea For euery one of these valyaunt men were not afrayed but of one but the myserable courtyer standeth in feare of all For what is hee in court that seeyng hys neere kynsman or deerest frend more in fauor or credyt then hym self or rycher then hee that wysheth not hys frends death or at the least procureth by all means hee can hee shall not equal nor goe euen with him in credyt or reputacyon One of the woorst thyngs I consyder and see in courtyers is that they lose much tyme and profyt lyttell For the thyng wherein they spend their days and beestow the nyghts for the more part is to speak yll of those that are their betters or excell them in vertues and to vndoo those that are their equalls and compaignyons to flatter the beeloued and among the inferior sort to murmure one agaynst an other and allways to lament and sygh for the tymes past And there is nothyng that prouoketh courtyers more to complayn then the dayly desire they haue to see sundry and new alteracions of tyme. For they lyttle way the ruyn of the common weale so they may enlarge and exalt their own estates Also it is a thyng of cours in court that the reiected and fauorlesse couctyers shole togethers murmuryng at their prynces and backbytyng their councellers and offycers saying they vndoo the realme and bryng all to nought And all thys presupposed for that they are not in the lyke fauor and estimacion that they bee in whych beareth offyce and rule in the common weale And therefore when it commeth in questyon for a courtyer to aduaunce hym self and to come in credyt in the court one courtyer can scarsly euer trust an other On thother syde mee thynketh that the life of the court is not the very lyfe in deede but rather an open penaunce And therefore in my oppinion wee should not recken courtyers alyue but rather dead buryed in their lyfe For then the courtier euer fyndeth him self panged with deaths extream passions when hee perceyueth an other to bee preferred and called beefore hym Alas what great pyty it is to see a haplesse and vnfortunat courtier for hee seely soule awaketh a thowsand tymes in the nyght tosseth from syde to syde of hys bed sometyme vpright hee lyeth lamentyng his Iron happe now hee sigheth for his natiue soyle and sorroweth then for hys lost honor so that in manner hee spendeth the whole night in watch and cares imaginyng wyth him self all ways hee can to come in credyt and fauor agayn that he may attain to wealth and prefarment beefore others which maketh mee think that it is not a pain but a cruel torment no seruice but tribut not once only but euer that the body of the poore miserable courtier abideth and that in despyte of him his wretched hart dooth beare By the law of the court euery courtyer is bound to serue the kyng to accompany the beeloued of court to visit noble men to wayt vpon those that are at the prynces elbow to geeue to the vsshers to present the auditors to entertaigne the wardens and captayns of the ports to currey fauor with the herbingers to flatter the treasorers to trauayl and speak for their frends to dyssemble amongst their enemies What legges are able to doo all these things what force sufficient to abide these brunts what hart able to endure them and more ouer what purse great ynough to supply all these deuyses I am of opinion there was neuer any so foolysh nor marchaunt so couetous that hath sold hym self in any fayre or corst him self for any other marchaundise but onely the vnhappy courtier who goeth to the court to sell his lyberty for a lytle wynd and vayn smoke of the court I graunt that a courtier may haue in the court plenty of gold and siluer sumptuous apparell fauor credyt and autority yet with all this abundaunce yee can not deny mee but hee is as poore of lyberty as rych of substaunce or credyt And therefore I dare boldly say this woord agayn that for one time the courtier hath his desire in court a thowsand times they will enforce him to accomplish others desires which neither please nor lyke him Surely it commeth of a base and vyle mynd and no lesse cowardly for any man lightly to esteeme his lyberty and fondly to embrace bondage and subiection beeing at others commaundement And if the courtier woold aunswer mee to this that though hee serue yet at least hee ys in his prynces fauor I woold reply thus though hee bee in fauor with the prynce yet is hee
notwithstanding slaue to all his other officers For if the courtyer will sell his horse his moyle his cloke his sweord or any other such lyke whatsoeuer hee shal haue redy money for al sauing for his lyberty which hee lyberally bestoweth on all for nothing So that hee seemeth to make more estimate of his sweord or apparell hee selleth then hee dooth of his lyberty which hee geeueth For a man is not bound to trauail at all to make hym self master of others more then pleaseth him but to recouer lyberty or to mayntayn it hee is bound to dye a thowsand deaths I speak not these things for that I haue read them in my bookes but beecause I haue seen them all with myne eies and not by scyence but by experience and I neuer knew courtyer yet content in court much lesse enioying any iote of his lyberty which I so much esteeme that if al men were sufficient to know it and knew wel how to vse it hee woold neuer for any treasure on earth forgoe yt neyther for any gage lend yt were it neuer so precious Yet is there in court beesides this an other kynd of trouble I haue not yet touched and that is not small For oft tymes thyther commeth of our frends which bee straungers whom of necessyty and for honesties sake the courtier must lodge with him at home the court beeing all ready full pestered And this happeneth oft in such a tyme when the poore courtier hath neither lodging of his own to lodge them in nor happely syxe pence in his purse to welcome them with all I woold you woold tel mee allso what grief and sorrow the poore courtier feeleth at his hart when hee lodgeth in a blynd narrow lane eateth at a borowed table sleepeth in a hiered bedde his chamber hauing no doore to it yea and forthe more part his apparell and armor euen to the very sweord in gage Then when any frend of his commeth out of the countrey to lye with him hee beeing so poore and also a straunger in another mans house how is it possible hee shoold accept into his company any others and perhaps as nedie as hee Sometimes hee were better had rather beare his frends costs and charges beeing altogether vnable yea and fynd him al his necessaries what shift so euer hee made then hee should suffer his frend or straūger to come home to his howse to knowe and see the mysery hee liueth in For more is the honest hart and good nature ashamed and greeued to discouer his mysery then yt is to suffer and abyde yt Comonly the courtier beeing alone is contēt with a litle couch one mattresse or quilt one flockbed with one pillow and one payr of sheets with one couerlet with one frieng panne one gridyerne one spitt one kettel one basen with one candelstick and with one pott which hee can not doo if any straunger or frend of his come to him for then hee must for his reputacion sake hang his chamber dresse vp his bed and furnish yt better and must also prouide for a thousand other such trifles hee standeth in neede of And if it fall out his host and goodman of the howse wil not lend him these things or that perhaps hee hath them not as it chaunceth oft hee shal bee compelled to borow vpon a gage or to hier of others whereas if hee were alone with his owne people hee would right wel bee contented with his small ordinary And whan a straunger cometh to seee him hee must bee at greater cost and charges so that hee shall spend more at one dyner or supper then hee had doone beefore in three daies And therfor dowtles the courtiers are at more charges with their frends that come to see them then thei are with them selues For the honorable and woorthy courtiers had rather fast an other tyme thē to shewe him self at this pinch needy and hard and to bee mocked of his acquaintance O howe many men are there in the world that spend in one daye al that they haue traueled to get togethers in manie not for that they esteme not their goods desire not to keepe then but onely for a litle vayne glorie to get thē the name of a free harted liberall man dealing honestly among his frēds Also as grete is the troble to the poore courtier when the court remoueth oft from place to place For thē hee must trusse vp his bagage lode the moyls hier carts to cary yt afterwards pray the cofferer to pay him the harbingers to prepare him a lodging and then hee must fyrst send one of his men to see if the lodging bee meete for him furthermore courtiers haue occasion oftymes to bee angrie with the carters and muletters for loding to much or to little and for coming too late to the lodging many times also they must tide at noone days and in the greatist heate and somtymes in raine dewe tempest or in other ill weather what so euer yt bee for that the carters and cariers will not lose their iorny And admit that all this may bee easely caried is it therfore reasonable or meete the poore courtier should spend at one vyage or remouing of the court all the profit spare hee hath made in sir moneths beefore And what shal wee say also of the stuffe and moueables that the poore courtier of necessitie must buy in euery place where the court remaineth as chaiers tables formes stools water potts platters disshes and other small trasshery that would cost more the cariage then the buyng of them a newe and to conclude al things pertaining to court are paynfull vnpleasaunt and chargeable for the poore courtier For if hee should cary alwayes with him al such things as bee necessary and that hee should neede in cariage they are broken or mard or beeing left beehind they are in hasard to bee stollen or lost For hee that will bee a continuall courtier must bee of a bold and stowt courage For hee shalbeee forced howerly to leaue of his owne desiers to please and content others chaunging and shifting to diuerse places and straunge lodgings and ofttymes of seruants and newe family daily increasing his charge and expence And truly if that which is gotten and gayned in court bee worth much much more dooth that exceede that is spent in court and these expences are rather lauishe then moderat disordered then well spent for in effect courtiers spend more with strangers they receiue into their lodgings then they doo with their ordinary seruants they keepe Albeeit that that courtiers lose and leaue beehind them at euery remouing of the court bee but of smal accompt or importance yet is it notwithstanding both greefe and displeasure to them For in dede there is no howse so richly furnished and replenished with moueables but that the lord or master of the howse will chase to see a disshe or glasse broken or spoyled Yet there is an other discomodity in
to Rome after hee had been cōsul a great while in the Iles Baleares hee said these woords beefore all the senate You know fathers conscript I haue been chief Iustice consull xiii yeares during all which tyme I sweare to you by the imortal gods that to my knowledge I neuer did wrong to any man nether any seruant of myne displeasure to any nor doone any thing that was not lawfull to bee doone in the howse where I lay Phalaris the tyraunt when hee receyued any displeasure of the Agrigentines hee caused his seruants to lodge in their howses with them for the one and the other were so wicked so vnthrifty such quarellers and brawlers that hee could not worke them a greater spyght nor displeasure then to lodge theim heere and there in theyr howses There bee also in the court some courtiers that are esteemed of euery man to bee of so euill beehauiour and demeanor their seruantes and famyly of such lewde and nawghty condicyons that theyr hostes are throughly resoluyd ether not to receyue them into theyr howses or if they bee compelled to yt to absent thē selues for the tyme of their beeing there rather then to suffer such iniuryes and wrongs as they are suer they must take at their hands The courtier must consider that somtimes hee hath neede of a bottel of water to drink a broome to swepe his chamber a platter or dish to serue him withal of a table cloth and napkins and of a towell for his hands and his face of a stoole to sit on and of soome kettle for the kytchin and in such case hee should charge his seruaunts curteously to aske these things of his host and not to take them parforce vnasked Euery man desiereth to bee master in his owne howse and bee hee brother cousen or frend hee will not suffer him to beare asmuch rule in his own house as him selfe So that hee wil be lesse offended with the hurt and losse of those things that hee hath lent and were gently asked him then with those which vnknowing to him by force and against his will they haue taken from him yea though they bring them afterwards hole and sound againe And this our libertie is somuch set by that wee shall see sometimes a man for his pleasure playe and lose a.c. Crownes of gold and saye neuer a woord and on the other syde if one breke the least glasse in his howse hee will crye and rage to the heauens I remember whan I was a courtier and went to visit an other courtier a frend of myne that was sick in his lodging I fell a chiding and rebuking the host for that I found him exclaymyng and criyng out of the pages which plaiyng at the bal had broken him a lytle lampe of glasse and hee aunswered mee thus I cry not syr for the losse of my lamp which is a halfpeny matter nor for the oyle that they spylt worth a farthing but onely for the liberty they robbe mee of and for the small account they make of mee The good and wise courtier may not bee to familiar with his host his wief nor suffer his seruants to bee busy with the mayds of the howse more then to speake to them for their necessaries for in this case they should lesse hurt the master of the howse to ransake and spoyle his house and all that hee had in yt then to take from him his honor and good name To cast the bedds on the flower to break the doores windows to vnpaue the stones to paint and black the walles or to make any noyse in the howse are all of them things yet somtimes tollerable though not honest nor ciuill but to take his wief and to abuse her it is nether lawfull nor possible to dissemble yt much lesse to suffer it For it were too much shame and reproch to the husband to abide yt and high treason and crime abhominable for the courtier to doo yt Nowe synce men are frayle and that they can not nor wil not subdue their passions and filthy motions of the flesh there wanteth not notwithstanding women in princes courts whose loue frendships they may easely embrace which though they were al commaunded to auoide the court and the vierge of the court yet it could not bee chosē but some might secretly cōtinue stil in court to enterteine the courtly courtiers For if in the court there bee kept a table of plaie .ii. moneths onely in the yeare all the yeare long beesides they fynd the streats full stored of comon woomen when the yeare is most plentiful and frutefull of all things yet still there lacketh soome prouision of vittailes in the court but of such women there is neuer no want but rather to manie And therfore wee haue not sayd without great reason that it were to much treason and dishonesty for the courtier to fall in loue with his hostesse for in dooing yt hee should doo her husband too much wrong disfame the wife and offend his frends and neighbors and vtterly vndoo hym self For Suetonius Tranquillus resyteth that Iulius Cesar caused a Captayn of his to bee beeheaded only for sclaundering and defaming of his hostesse the which hee did not tarying for the complaint of her husband nor the accusation of any other And the Emperor Aurelianus seeing one of his men at a window one day pulling his hostesse by the sleeue caused his hand to bee striken of immediatly although both his hostesse and hee sware hee did it but in iest and to no other intent Plutarch in hys booke De matrimonio sayth that there was a law among the Licaoniens that if any straunger did but only talk with his hostesse his tong shoold bee cut out of his head and if hee had passed further that hee shoold then lose his head Macrobius also in hys Saturnaller reciteth that amongst the Romayns it was reputed a great infamy if any mā came and praysed the beawty and maners of the mistresse of the house where hee lodged for in praising her hee let them vnderstand hee knew her and knowing her hee spake to her and speaking to her hee opened his hart to her and this dooing hee playnly defamed her and made her to bee euel reported of Aulus Gelius wryteth that the lyke punishment was geeuen to him that had carnall participacion with any vestall virgin the self same was also executed on him that procured any infamy to his hostesse where hee lay Which punishment was either to bee cutt in the middes quartered in fower parts or els to bee stoned to death alyue The good courtier must also haue an other great regard that is to comaund his seruants to looke wel to his ryding apparell and such as are lent him of courtiers to wear otherwhile to see that it bee kept clean and well brusshed and aboue all safely delyuered where it was borowed For commonly the horskeepers haue theyr horses lowsing clothes and their maisters
footecloth more nete and clenly then the groomes and pages of the chamber haue his apparell and this proceedes of their great slouth negligēce And truely this passeth the bounds of shamefast degree yea and commeth much to charge the courtiers conscience the small account hee hath so to let his garments and apparell and other hys mouables to bee spoiled and lost And this happeneth very oft by the negligence of their pages and seruaunts which now throweth them about the chambers dragges them vpon the grownd now sweeps the house with thē now they are full of dust then tattered and torne in peeces here their hose seam rent there their shooes broken so that if a poore man come afterwards to buy them to sell agayn it will rather pity those that see them then geeue them any corage to buy them Wherefore the courtier ought not to bee so careles but rather to think vppon his own things and to haue an eye vnto them For if hee goe once a day to his stable to see his horses how they are kept and looked to hee may lykewise take an other day in the weeke when hee may fynd leisure to see his wardroppe how his apparell lyeth But what paciens must a poore man take that lendeth his implements and apparell to the courtiers that neuer laieth them abroad a sunning to beat out the dust of them nor neuer layth them in water to wash and white them bee they neuer so fowl And al bee it the beds and other implements lent to the courtier bee not of any great value yet it is not fitt they shoold bee thrown at theyr tayl kept filthyly For as charely and dayntily dooth a poore laboring and husband man keepe his wollen couerlet and setteth as much by it as dooth the iolly courtier by his quilt or couerpane of silk And it chaunceth oft tymes also that though at a neede the poore mans bed costeth him lesse money then the rich mans bed costeth him yet dooth it serue him better then the ritch and costly bedd serueth the gentleman or nobleman And this to bee true wee see it by experience that the poore husbandman or citizen slepeth commonly more quietly at his ease in his poor bed cabean with his sheets of tow then dooth the lord or ritch courtier lying in his hanged chamber bed of silk wrapped in his fynest holland shetes who still sigheth cōplayneth And fynally wee conclude that then when the court remoueth that the courtier departeth from his lodging where hee lay hee must with all curtesy thank the good man and good wife of the house for his good lodging curteous intertainment hee hath had of them must not stick also to geeue them somwhat for a remembrance of him and beesides geeue certein rewards among the maides men seruants of the house according to their ability that hee may recompence them for that is past win their fauor for that is to come ¶ What the courtier must doo to winne the Princes fauor Cap. iiij DIodorus Siculus saith that the honor and reuerence the Egiptians vsed ordinarily to their Princes was so great that they seemed rather to woorship them then to serue them for they coold neuer speak to them but they must first haue lycence geeuen them When it happened any subiect of Egipt to haue a sute to their prince or to put vp a supplication to thē kneeling to them they sayd these woords Soueraigne lord mighty prince yf it may stand with your highnes fauor pleasure I wil boldly speak yf not I will presume no further but hold my peace And the self reuerence custome had towards god Moyses Aaron Thobias Dauid Salomon and other fathers of Egipt making like intercession when they spake wyth god saying Domine mi rex Si inueni gratiam in oculis tuis loquar ad dominum meum O my lord and king yf I haue found fauor in thy sight I wil speak vnto thee yf not I will keepe perpetuall sylence For there is no seruyce yll when yt is gratefull acceptable to him to whom it is doon as to the contrary none good when it pleaseth not the party that is serued For if hee that serueth bee not in his maisters fauor hee serueth hee may well take pains to his vndooyng wtout further hope of his good will or recompence Wherefore touching that I haue sayd I inferre that hee that goeth to dwell abyde in the court must aboue all indeuer him self all hee can to obtayn the princes fauor and obtayning it hee must study to keepe him in his fauor For it shoold lyttle preuaile the courtier to bee beeloued of all others and of the prince only to bee mislyked And therefore Alcamidas the Grecian beeing once aduertised by a frend of his that the Athenians did greatly thirst for his death the Thebans desyred his life hee answered him thus If those of Athens thirst for my death them of Thebes likewise desyring my life I can but bee sory lament How bee it yet if King Phillip my soueraigne lord maister hold mee still in hys grace fauor repute mee for one of his beeloued I care not if all Greece hate and dysloue mee yea and lye in wayt for mee In deede it is a great thing to get into the princes fauor but when hee hath gotten it doubtles it is a harder matter to know how to keepe it For to make them loue vs and to winne their fauor wee must doo a thousand maner of seruyces but to cause them to hate and dislyke of vs the least dyspleasure in the world suffyseth And therefore the pain and trouble of hym that is in fauor in the court is great if hee once offend or bee in displeasure For albeeit the prince doo pardon him hys fault yet hee neuer after returneth into his fauor agayn So that to conclude hee that once only incurreth his indignation hee may make iust reckening neuer after or maruelous hardly to bee receiued agayn into fauor Therefore sayth the diuine Plato in his bookes De republica that to bee a king and to raigne to serue and to bee in fauor to fyght and to ouercome are three impossible things which neither by mans knowledge nor by any diligence can bee obtayned only remaining in the hands and disposing of fickle fortune whych dooth diuyde and geeue them where it pleaseth her and to whome shee fauoreth best And truely Plato had reason in his saying for to serue and to bee beeloued is rather happ and good fortune then industry or diligence Since wee see oft times that in the court of princes those that haue serued but three yeres only shal bee sooner preferred and aduaunced then such one as hath serued perhaps .xx. or .xxx. yeres or possible al his life tyme. And further hee shal bee both displaced and put out of seruice by means of thother And this proceeds not through his long and
well aduysed that albeeit the kyng for his pleasure doo priuely play wyth his hands or iest with his tong with the courtier and that hee take great pleasure in it yet that hee in no case presume to doo the lyke yea though hee were assured the kings maiesty woold take it well but let him modestly beehaue him self and shew by his woords and countenaunce that hee thinketh the prince dooth honor him in pleasing his maiesty to vse those pastymes and pleasant deuyses with so vnwoorthy a person as hee is For the prince may lawfully play and sport him self with his lords and gentlemen but so may not they again wyth him For so dooing they might bee counted very fond and lyght With a mans compagnions and coequals it is lawfull for euery man to bee mery and play with all But wyth the prince let no man so hardy once presume further more then to serue honor and obey him So that the wyse courtier must indeuor him self alwayes to come in fauor by his wisedom and courtly beehauiour in matters of weight and importaunce and by great modesty and grauity in things of sport and passe tyme. Therefore Plutarch in his Apothegmes sayth that Alcibiades amongst the Greekes a woorthy captayn and a man of hys own nature disposed to much myrth and pleasure beeing asked once by some of hys familiar frends why hee neuer laughed in theaters bankers and other common plays where hee was aunswered them thus Where others eat I fast where others take pain play I rest mee am quiet where other speak I am silent where they laugh I am curteous iest not For wise men are neuer knowen but among fooles and light persons When the courtier shall vnderstand or heere tell of pleasant things to bee laughed at let him in any case if he can fly frō those great laughters foolries that hee bee not perhaps moued too much with such toys to laugh to loud to clap his hands or to doo other gestures of the body or admirations to vehement accompanied rather with a rude and barbarous maner of beehauiour then wyth a cyuyll and modest noblenes For ouer great and excessiue laughter was neuer engendered of wisedome neither shall hee euer bee counted wyse of others that vseth it There are also an other sort of courtiers that speak so coldly and laugh so dryly and with so yl a grace that it were more pleasure to see them weepe then to laugh Also to nouel or to tell tales to delyght others and to make them laugh you must bee as brief as you can that you weary not comber not the auditory pleasant and not byting nor odyous Els it chaunceth oft times that wanting any of these condicions from iesting they come many tymes to good earnest Elius Spartianus in the lyfe of the Emperor Seuerus sayth that the said Emperor had in his court a pleasaunt foole and hee seeing the foole one day in his domps and cogitacions asked hym what hee ayled to bee so sadd The foole made aunswer I am deuysing with myself what I shoold doo to make thee mery And I swere to thee my lord Seuerus that for as much as I way thy lyfe deere possible I study more in the nights for the tales I shall tell thee in the morow after then doo thy Senators touching that they must decree on the next day And I tell thee further my lord Seuerus that to bee pleasaunt and delighting to the prince hee must neyther bee a very foole nor altogeether wyse But though hee bee a foole yet hee must smatter somewhat of a wise man and if hee bee wyse hee must take a lyttle of the foole for his pleasure And by these examples wee may gather that the courtier must needes haue a certein modesty and comely grace as well in speakyng as hee must haue a soft and sweete voice in singing There are also some in court that spare not to goe to noble mens bords to repast which beeing in deede the vnseemely grace it self yet in their woords and talk at the boord they woold seeme to haue a maruelous good grace wherein they are oft deceyued For if at tymes the Lords and gentlemen laugh at them it is not for any pleasure they take in their talk but for the yl grace and vncomly gestures they vse in their talke In the bankets and feasts courtyers make some tymes in the sommer there are very oft such men in theyr company that if the wyne they drank tooke theyr condition yt shoold bee drunk either colder or whotter then it is ¶ How the Courtier shoold beehaue him self to know and to visit the noble men and gentlemen that bee great with the Prince and continuing still in court Cap. vi THe courtier that cometh newly to the court to serue there must immediatly learn to know those that are in aucthority and fauor in the court that are the princes officers For if hee doo otherwise neither shoold hee bee acquainted with any noble man or gentleman or any other of the princes seruaunts neither woold they also geeue him place or let him in whē hee woold For wee bee not conuersant with him wee know not not beeing conuersant with him wee trust him not and distrusting him wee commit no secrets to him So that hee that will come in fauor in the court must make him self known bee frend to all in generall And hee must take heede that hee begin not to sodainly to bee a busy suter in his own priuate affairs or for his frend for so hee shal bee soone reputed for a busy soliciter rather then a wise courtier Therefore hee that wil purchase fauor and credite in the court must not bee to carefull to preferre mens causes and to entermedle in many matters For the nature of princes is rather to commit their affairs in the hands trust of graue and reposed men then to busy importunate soliters The courtier also may not bee negligent to visyt the prelates gentelmen and the fauored of the court nor to make any difference beetween the one the other and not onely to vysyt their parents and frends but his enemies also For the good courtier ought to endeuour him self the best hee can to accept all those for his frends at least that hee can not haue for parents and kinsfolks For amongst good and vertuous courtiers there should neuer bee such bloudy hate that they should therefore leaue one to company with an other and to bee courteous one to another Those that bee of base mynd doo shew their cankred harts by forbearing to speak but those that bee of noble blood valiaunt courage beegynne first to fight ere they leaue to speak togethers There is also an other sort of courtiers which beeing sometimes at the table of noble men or els where when they heare of some quarell or priuate dyspleasure they shew them selues in offer like fyerce lyons but if afterwards their help bee
forced to syt lowest at the boord vpon a broken stoole to be serued with a rusty knyfe to eat in foule dishes to drink for a change whot water wine more then half full of water to eat hore bread that that of all others yet is worst of all euery one of the seruants lookes ouer the shoulders on him are angry with him in their mynds Truely hee that with these condicions goeth abrode to seeke his dinner were better in my opinion to fast with bread water at home then to fill his belly abroad But such mens reward that haunts mens houses in this maner is this in the end that the noble men to whose houses they come to are offended with them the stewards of the house murmure at them the pages seruāts mocks them laughs thē to scorn the tasters cup bearers chafe with them in their mynds the cubberd keepers wonder at them the clarks of the kychyn thinks them importunat and shameles creatures Wherefore it followeth who soeuer wil obserue it that so soone as the seruants see him once come into the dyning chāber some of them hydes the stoole where hee woold syt down others set beefore him the woorst meat of the boord the filthiest dishes they haue therefore hee that may haue at home at his house his poore litle pyttance wel drest a faire white table cloth a bright knife new white bread wood candel in the winter other necessaries if hee like better to goe from table to table from kychyn to kychyn from one buttery to an other I wil suppose hee dooth it for great spare hardnes or for want of honesty good maners Now hee that keepes an ordinary house remayns always at home may dine if it bee in the somer season in his shyrt if hee list hee may syt whan hee will and where it please him hee drinks his wine fresh hath the flyes driuen from his table with the ventola hee disdaigneth the court noble mens boords keeping his own as frank and as sparing as hee list no man to gayn say him yea after meat hee is at lyberty to syt still take his ease or to walk abrode in the shade as hee wil. And in winter if perhaps hee bee wer hee straight shifts him changes all hys clothes gets him a furred night gown on the back of hym a paire of warm slyppers to heat his cold feete with all hee eates his meat warm smoking whot takes that hee likes best hee drinks white wine red wine or claret wine as hee thinks good and neede neuer to care for them that beehold hym And therefore so great priuileges as those bee of lyberty the courtier should neuer refuse to buy them for his money much lesse for the gayn of a meales meat he should leaue to enioy them But if the courtier will needes determyn to vysyt noble mens boords hee must bee very ware that in comming to a noble mans table hee doo not so much commend his fare ordinary that hee complayn of other men 3 tables where hee hath fed For it is a kynd of treason to defame sclauader those whose houses they are wont to visyt oft And when hee ys set at the table the courtier must beehaue him self modestly hee must eat temperatly and fynely hee must delay his wine with water and speak but lytel so that those that are present can not but prayse hym for his temperancy and sober diet but also for his wisedome and moderat speach To feede mannerly is to bee vnderstand not to blow his nose in his napkyn nor to lean his armes vppon the table not to eat to leaue nothyng in the dysh not to fynd faults wyth the cookes saying the meat is not inough or not well dressed For yt were a great shame for the courtier to bee noted of the wayters to bee a belly gut and to bee counted a grosse feeder There are some also that make them selues so familiar and homly in the house that they are not contented with that is serued them in the dysh but shamefully they pluck that to them that ys left in other dyshes so that they are esteemed for Iesters no lesse sawsy and malepert in their order then insatiable in their beastly eating The good courtier must also take heede hee lay not his armes to faire on the table nor that hee make any noyse wyth his teeth or his tongue nor smack with his mouth when hee eateth and that hee drink not wyth both his hands on the cup nor cast his eies too much vpon the best dishes that hee knaw nor teare his bread with his teeth that hee lick not his fyngers nor adoone eating beefore others nor to haue too greedy an appetite to the meat or sauce hee eates and that in drynkyng hee gulp not with his throte For such manner of feedyng rather beecommeth an alehouse then a noble mans table And although the courtyer can not goe ouer all the dyshes that comes to the boord yet at least let him proue a litle of euery one and then hee must praise the good cookry fine dressyng of them al. For cōmonly the noble men gentlemen that inuite any to their boord take it vncurteously are ashamed if the inuyted praise not their meat and drink they geeue them and not onely the noble men are ashamed of yt but also the other officers that haue the charge to see yt well dressed in good order Always he that eateth at an other mans table to doo as hee ought shoold praise the woorthines of him that bad him yea though perhaps hee made a lye and commend the great care and diligence of his officers in furnishing his table with so good meats and in settyng on yt foorth in so good order I say not without a cause that sometime a praise with a lye may well stand togethers sence wee see some noble mens tables so sclender furnyshed and that his ordinary should seeme rather a preparatiue supper and dyet for a sick man that means to take phisick in the next morning then an ordynary or dinner for Easter day And therefore I say that of right the lords and masters are pleased when they here their officers and seruants commendid For they choose most commonly such a steward as they knew to bee wise curteous of nature a treasorer trew and faythfull a purueier expert and diligent a butler hasty and melancony the groome of his chamber paynfull and trusty his secretary wise secret his chappleyn simple his cooke fyne curious For many think it more glory to haue an excellent cooke in their house then to haue a valyaunt captayn to keepe a strong peece or hold They are contented in court that noble mens chappleins bee rather symple then ouer wise or wel learned For if hee read but lytle hee hath the sooner say seruice therwith
the courtyer bee present hee must strayght put of his capp and bowe hym selfe in maner to the ground but for all that hee must take heede hee say not christ helpe you or god blesse you or such other lyke For to do doo any maner of curtesy or honor is only pertynent to courtiers But to say christ helpe or god blesse you is the coūtry maner And if the Kyng by chaunce should haue any heare or feather or flee vpon his clothes or any other filthy thynge about him none but the chamberlein only should take it away and none other courtier should once presume to take any thing from his back or to touch his garment nether any other person vnles it were in case to defend him When the Kyng is set at the table the courtier may not come into the kitchin nor much lesse leane vpon the surueying boorde For though hee did yt perhaps but to see the order of the suruey and seruice of the prince yet yt may bee suspected of some hee ment some worser matter and therby they should iudge ill of him If the prince haue a felicity in hawking the courtier must indeuor him selfe to keepe a cast or two of good fawlcons if in hūting then hee must haue good greyhounds And whan hee is eather a hawking or hūting with the kyng hee must seeke to serue him so diligently that day that hee may both fynd him game to sport with and procure for him selfe also fauor at the princes hand Many tymes princes are so earnest of their game and so desirous to kill that they hunt that they are wont boldly to chase the beasts they hunt and pursue them so that oftymes they lose the sight of all the rest In such a case the good courtier must euer haue his eyes vpon him and rather seeke to follow the kyng then to take pleasure in hunting of other beastes For in that case yt shall bee a better hunting for him to fynd out the kyng and to bee with him then hee should take pleasure in beeing alone with the hart Yt may happen lightly that the Kyng gallopping his horse vpon the rockye stones hee might stumble at such a stone as both the kyng and his horse should come to the ground and at that tyme it could not bee but very profitable for the courtier to bee present For yt might so happen that by meanes of the princes fal hee beeing redy to helpe him hee might thenceforth beeginne to grow in fauor and credit with the prince The most parte of those that delyght to goe a hunting are wont comonly to eate theyr meat greedely and drinke out of measure and beesids to shoute and make a wonderfull noyse as they were out of their wits which things the graue and wise courtier should not doo for they are rather fit for vacabonds and Idle persons that setteth not by their honesty then they are for the honest courtier that only desireth and indeuoureth by modest wise bee hauiour to beecome great and in fauor ¶ Of the great paines and trobles the courtier hath that is toild in sutes of law and how hee must suffer and beehaue him self with the iudges Cap. x. THere are in the court also dyuers kynds of men that bee not courtiers and princes seruants but onely are courtiers of necessity by reason of sutes they haue with the councell And these maner of courtyers haue asmuch neede of councell as of helpe for hee that hath his goods in hasard hath also his lyfe in ieopardy To speak of the dyuers and suttle ways of suffring it is no matter woorthy to bee written with black ynk but only with lyuely blood For in deede if euery one of these suters were forced to abyde for his faith and beleeue those pains troubles and sorows that hee dooth to recouer his goods as much cruelty as tortures shoold Vagliadoti and Grauata haue as euer had Rome in times past In my oppinion I think it a hell to continue a long suter And surely wee may beleeue yea and swere to that the martirs executed in old tyme in the primitiue church which were many in nomber did not suffer so much neither felt such grief to lose their life as dooth now a days an honest man to see him self depriued of all his faculties It is a great trouble and charge to recouer any thing but in the end of these two effects a wyse man suffreth and feeleth more the displeasures hee receiueth then hee dooth the goods hee spendeth And in my iudgement to stryue and contend is nothing els but to bring matter to the hart to sigh and lament to the eyes to weepe to the feete to goe to the tongue to complain to the hands to spend to intreat his frends to fauor his cause and to commaund his seruaunts to bee carefull and diligent and his body to labor continually Hee that vnderstandeth not the condicions of contention I wil let him know they are these Of a rych man beecome poore of a mery man to bee made melancholy of a free man a bond man of a liberall man a couetous man of a quiet man an vnquyet person and of a hatefull a desperat person How is it otherwise possible but the haples suter must beecome desperate seeing the iudge looke vppon hym with frowning cheere his goods to bee demaunded of him wrongfully and that now it is so long a tyme hee hath not beene at home and knoweth not yet whether sentence shal bee geeuen with him or against him and besydes all this that the poore man in his lingring suite hath spent so much that hee hath not left him six pence in his purse If any of these troubles bee enough to bring a man to his end much more shal they bee to make the poore man desperat and wery of his lyfe So dyuers are theffects and successe seene in matters of suite that many tymes there is no witt able to direct them nor goods to bring them to end Nay wee may boldly truely say that the laws are so many and diffuse of them selues and mens iudgements so simple to vnderstand them that at this day there is no suite in the world so cleere but there is found an other law to put that in doubt and make it voyd And therfore the good and yll of the suter consisteth not so much in the reson hee hath as in the law which the Iudge chooseth to geeue iudgement of It is well that the suter beleeue and think that hee hath right but the cheefest thing of importance is that the iudge also desire that hee haue his right For that Iudge that fauoreth my cause and desyreth to doo mee iustice hee will labor study to seeke out some law that shal serue my turne to restore mee again to my right To contend is so profound a science that neither Socrates to the Athenians nor Solon to the Greekes nor Numa Pompilius to the Romains nor Prometheus to
charges for his dinner or supper let him looke in hys purse hee shal fynd these mates haue pickt vp in rewards asmuch as the hole charges of his dinner or supper besides More ouer they are dayly visited of their frends kinsfolks vitells are so deere of so excessiue price that to make their prouision at the best hand they must send out postes lackeis into all parts to bee their purueiers And yet are they further recharged that many times their seruants robbe them of all their money runne their way when they haue doon sometimes they must new aray them selues al with things the courtier in respect of his estimacion is bound to doo thorowly with the best maner or els to sequester banish him self from court courtiers life It is true that a poore gentelman or other suiter that of necessitie must follow the court knoweth very well the cause that mooueth him to bee a courtier attend on the court but yet hee shal not know what his charge expense wil bee about the suyt If hee haue any fauor or credit in the court hee may happely obteyn a quick and redy dispatch so perhaps saue some part of his money in his purse hee determined to spend without which hee shal not onely bee enforced to borrow but to send a new messenger to his house for more money O the more is the pyty how many haue I seen in princes courts spend til that euer they brought to the court to follow their suyt yet could not bee dispatched in any thing hee came for saue that in steede of their money they cōsumed they haue purchased them great troubles displeasures bewayling their lost time vayn expence And it is to bee considered also that if it bee a great dyfyculty to speak to the prince in our matter to the presedent of the counsell to the master of the requests to the priuy counsell to the marshals of the house to the treasorers to the cofferers to the fouriers to the fauored of the court it is farre greater more trouble to enterteigne content their seruants offycers For I dare assure you you shal sooner more easly winne the loue of the maister then you shal obtein the fauor good will of the setuant Princes are contented if wee obey them the fauored of the court if wee serue them but the seruants are neuer contented nor in quiet if they see wee doo not worship them entreat thē And surely I wil tel you a true tale wil not lye a woord to you In those days when I my self was also a courtier in the court of princes it stoode mee vpon many times rather to trouble the maisters then to pray the seruants If perhaps for penaunce of his sinnes the suter shew him self importunat in his affaires that hee presume to dare say to him some nipping or vnpleasant woord let him bee wel assured he wil not bee reuenged on him to hurt him with sweord or launce but onely in holding back his penne to delay him in his dispatch For I remember that once beeing but a poore preest I was entreated by the procter of a prouince to say him a douzen of masses for a great noble man in great fauor in the court that had his matter in hys hands hee coniured mee very earnestly that I should not say them for the health saluacion of his soule but onely that god would inspire him put into his mynd to dispatch him quickly of his buysines Therefore as wee haue spoken of the one it is reason wee should also speak of the other And therefore I say that there are some of these officers clerks of Iudges Magistrates counsellers secretaries treasorers marshals fouriers and other officers also of the court that are so wise men of such honesty ciuility that the dyscurtesyes wrongs sometimes their lord maisters doo to vs they doo the best they can either to take them from vs quite or at the least to lessen or dymynish them For the contrary also others there are so proud shameles such tatlers vile persons so vnconscionable with all of whom as it is a great pleasure for vs to see that they write and to heare that they can speak so well promesse so liberally onely to winne your money pick your purse so it is a great spight to vs and more shame reproche and infamy for them when afterwards wee see the contrary effects of their faire woords and fayned promises where with they feede vs continually And addyng thereto also wee see many times that such a yong courtier in lesse then fower years that he hath remayned in seruice with a noble man or other officer of the kings in the court hath gotten by his practise pollicy a faire moyle of great price with her harnes all gilt his cofers well sylled his tent for the feelde with feeld bed other furniture to it his carpets on his table his clothes of tapestry ouer his doores his gowns richly furred for the winter and those of sattin damask and taffeta for the sommer and yet notwithstanding al this glory hee may possyble keepe a curtesan for his pleasure maintayn her Al which things considered put together it is impossible hee should doo it by the gaines of his penne or seruice but onely by dishonest means robbing of his master I saw once in my presens a poore suter offer the clark of a Secretary eight Rialls of siluer for to dispach him of his suyt and hee refused them flatly and would none of them by no means notwithstandyng the poore man turned him vp the bottome of his purse and showed him that hee had but onely fower rialls left to bring him home withall So the poor man came to mee intreated mee to speak to this clark for him to perswade him to take his money hee offered him and to dispatch him since hee had no more left then hee shewed hym And I did so And this woorshipfull clerk made mee this vnhonest aunswer Sir behold my face and complexion and you shall fynd that it is all of gold and not of siluer For I sweare to you by our blessed lady of Lancet that yt is more then two years that I receiued for reward of my payns no other but gold and not siluer layd in my hands It can not bee but that seruant the vauntes him self to haue a face of gold wil one day put his maisters face in the myre Now albeit wee see the kings officers and others peraduenture vnder them to ryde on their nagges with their foote clothes to bee braue in apparell to bee rich in iewels and happely to haue a hundreth crownes in his purse wee should not maruell of it at all but if wee haue cause to think any thing yll in them it is for that many times they play away
wee are all of the earth wee liue in the earth and in th end wee haue to turne into the earth as to our naturall thing If the planets and the beasts coold help vs wyth the instrument and benefite of the tongue they woold take from vs the occasions of vayn glory For the starres woold say that they were created in the firmament the Sunne in the heauens the byrdes in the ayer the Salamaunder in the fyer and the fysh in the water but only the vnhappy man was made of earth and created in the earth So that in that respect wee cannot glory to haue other kinsfolk neerer to vs then are the woormes the flyes and horseflyes If a man did consider well what hee were hee woold assertain vs that the fyer burnes him water drownes him the earth wearies him the ayre troubles him the heate greeues him the cold hurts him and the day is troublesom to him the night sorowfull hunger and thirst makes him suffer meat and drink filles him his enemies daily follow him and his frends forget him So that the tyme a man hath to lyue in thys wretched world cannot bee counted a lyfe but rather a long death The first day wee see one borne the self same wee may make rekening that hee beginnes to dye and although that parson lyued amongst vs a hundreth yeres after in this world wee shoold not say therefore that hee lyued along tyme but only that hee taryed a great tyme to dye Therefore that parson that hath his lyfe tyed to so many trybutes I can not deuyse or think with my selfe why or wherefore hee shoold bee proud But now returning againe to our purpose let vs say and exhort the seruaunts and familiers of princes that they take heede they bee not proud and presumptuous For it seeldom happeneth that the fauored of kings and princes fall out of fauor and credit for that they haue or can doo much nor for that they craue and desyre much but for that they are to bold and presume to much For in the court of kings Princes there is nothing more hurtfull and lesse profitable then pryde and presumption For oft tymes the ouerweening of the courtier and the foolysh vayne pryde and reputacion hee hath of hym self brings him to bee in the princes disgrace and makes the people also to bee offended and angry wyth him For till this day wee neuer saw nor hard tell of any that euer got into the princes fauor and credit for that hee was proud and high mynded but only for that hee hath shewed himself an humble obedient curteous louyng and a faithful seruant I woold bee of this mynd that the courtier that seeth hee is receiued into fauor in the princes court shoold euer waxe better in seruing well then grow woorse in presuming to much And I dare boldly say and affirme that it is a mere point of folly by his pryde and rashenesse to lose all that good in one day that by great good fortune hee hath attained to in many yeres And though that the fauored courtier subiect possible to his fantasticall humor bee sometymes ouercome wyth cholor carnal desyre drawen with auaryce and addicted to the gorge enuenomed with enuy plunged insloth and ydlenes or some other vyce and imperfection it shal not skill much neither bee any great wonder since all mankynd is subiect to those passions and neither the prince nor the common weale will recken much of that For of all these faults and vyces there can come no greater hurt to him saue only that that the common people woold murmure against him But his pryde and pecokes glory once knowen and espied euery man casteth his eys vppon him to beehold his princely gate and curseth hym in woord and deede Therefore let a man bee in as great fauor as hee can deuyse to bee as woorthy noble ritch and of as great power and aucthority as hee desyreth to bee I neuer saw any yll in al my lyfe if with al these vertues hee were proud and high mynded but in th end hee was persecuted of many and hated and enuyed of all For those that are in greatest fauor about the prince haue secret enemies enough to hinder their credit although they doo not purchase them new to accuse them of their pryde and presumption And as wee are taught by experience the burning coal cannot long bee kept alyue without it bee couered with the whot ymbers Euen so I mean that the fauor of the prince cannot bee long maintained without good bringing vp and ciuile maners gentle conuersation and familiarity The great mē of auctority about the prince runne estsones into great and many daungers and this happeneth because they woold not bee reproued in any thing what so euer they doo much lesse here any woord that shoold displease them neyther can they abyde to bee told of their faults much lesse suffer to bee corrected for them Nether doo they suffer willyngly to bee counselled in any thing bee it neuer of so great weight and importance neyther woold they haue any compaygnion with them in fauor and credit with the Prince but they desire to bee both on the right hand of the prince and of the left styll they only woold bee the fauored of the prince and none other aspiring to gouerne them in all their dooings and to bee thought and reputed the sole and only rulers of the affairs of the prince and his common weal and to bee beleeued in all things of the prince and to bee obeyd also of the comon people Those therfore that are continually resient in the court of princes and that haue the cheefest roomes and offices of auctority in the court let them well consider and keepe in memory this one woord that I will tell them And that is this That the first day that they take vppon them to bee superintēdēts and gouernors of the common weal euen in the self same day they shal come to put in hasard their honor fauor and credit how great so euer it bee For with great difficulty are the lest things the prince himself cōmaundeth executed or doon in his realm or common weal and therefore may the fauored of the court see how much more hard it is for him to rule as sole absolute lord the affairs of the realme and to bee obeied in the common weal since the kyng him self cannot doo it by his regall auctority And therefore the lesse hee shall desire to meddle with thaffairs of the people the more shall hee lyue in quiet and contented For naturally the common people are so vnstable and vncertain in their dooings vnthankfull of benefits receiued and so ingratefull of a good turne doon them that the beloued of the court or any other person in fauor with the prince can euer doo any thing for the people bee it neuer so well but they will speak ill and mislyke of him and fynd fault with some of his dooings It is impossible
sodeinly to rise in fauor and to bee rich al in short time By thys I inferre that the wise man euer desireth first to bee in fauor before hee couet to bee rich but the foole Ideot desireth first to bee rich then in fauor last Not few but many wee haue seen in princes courts which though fortune in short time hath exalted to the first degree of riches made theÌ„ cheefe in fauor yet wtin short space after shee hath made theÌ„ also lose their riches fal from the top of their honor It is most certain that if one haue enemies in the court onely for that hee is infauor hee shal haue as many moe if beeing in fauor hee bee also rich For wee are al of so ill a condicion in things that touch our particular profyt that all that wee see geeuen to others wee think sodeinly taken away from our selues Wee haue heretofore sayd that it is not fit for the courtier and those that are in fauor to coÌ„maund for his profit al that hee list neither al those that hee may And wee now at this present also aduise them to take heede that they doo not accept take al that is offered preseÌ„ted although they may lawfully doo it For if hee bee not wise in coÌ„mauÌ„ding moderatin taking a day might come that he should see himself in such extremity that hee should bee inforced to cal his frends not to couÌ„sel him but rather to help succor him It is true that it is a natural thing for a courtier that hath 20. crownes in his purse to desire sodeinly to multiply it to a .100 from a .100 to .200 froÌ„ 200. to a .1000 froÌ„ a .1000 to 2000. and from .2000 to 10000. So that this poore wretched creature is so blinded in couetousnes that hee knowth not nor feeleth not that as this auar ce ê¯tinually increaseth augmenteth in him so his life dayly diminisheth and decreaseth beesides that that euery man mocks scornes him that thinketh the true coÌ„tentacion consisteth in commaunding of many in the faculty of possessing much riches For to say truly it is not so but rather disordinat riches troubleth greeueth the true contentacion of men and awaketh euer in them dayly a more appetite of couetousnes Wee haue seen many courtiers rich beloued but none in deede that euer was contented or wearied with commaunding but rather his life should faile him then couetousnes O how many haue I seene in the court whose legges nor feete haue ben able to cary them nor their body strong inough to stand alone nor their hands able to wryte nor their sight hath serued them to see to read nor their teeth to speak neither their iawes to eat nor their eares to heare nor their memory to trauaile in any suyt or matter yet haue not their tongue fayled them to require presents and gifts of the prince neither deepe and fyne wit to practise in court for his most auaile and vantage So incurable is the disease and plague of auarice that hee that is sick of that infirmity can not bee healed neither with pouerty nor yet bee remedied with riches Sence this contagious malady and apparant dauÌ„ger is now so commonly knowen and that it is crept into courtiers and such as are in high fauor and great autoritie by reason of this vile sinne of auarice I would counsell him rather to apply him self to bee well thought of and esteemed then to endeuor to haue inough Albeit Queene Semiramis was wife to king Belius and mother of king Ninus and although by nature shee was made a woman yet had shee a hart neuer other wise but valiaunt and noble For after shee was wyddow shee made her self lord by force of armes of the great India and conquered all Asia and in her life time caused a goodly tombe to bee made wheare shee would lyfe after her death and about the which shee caused to bee grauen in golden letters these woords VVho longs to swell with masse of shining gold and craues to catch such wealth as few possest This stately tomb let him in haste vnfold where endles hopes of hatefull coyne doo rest Many days and kings reignes past before any durst open this sepulker vntill the comming of the great Cyrus who commaunded it to bee opened And beeing reported to him by those that had the charge to seeke the treasure that they had sought to the bottomles pyt and wolrds end but treasure they coold fynd none nor any other thing saue a stone wherein were grauen these woordes Ah haples knight whose high distraughted mynd by follies play abused was so â—ych that secret tombs the care as could not bynd but thow wouldst reaue them vp for to be rich Plutarke and also Herodotus which haue both writen this history of Semiramis doo shew affirm that Queene Semiramis got great honor by this gest kyng Cyrus great shame dishonor If courtiers that are rych think beleeue that for that they haue money inough at their wil that therefore they should bee farre from al troubles miseries they are farre deceiued For if the poore soul toile hale his body to get him only that that hee needeth much more dooth the rich maÌ„ torment burn his hart til he bee resolued which way to spend that superfluous hee hath Ihesu what a thing is it to see a rich man how hee tormenteth him self night day imagyning deuising with him self whether hee shal with that money that is left buy leases mills or houses aÌ„nuities vines or cloth laÌ„ds tenemeÌ„ts or pastures or some thing in fee or whether he shal eÌ„rich his soÌ„ne with the thirdes or fifts after al these vain thoughts gods wil is to stryke him with deth sodeinly not onely before he haue determined how hee should lay out or spend this money but also before hee haue made his will I haue many times told it to my frends yea preached it to them in the pulpit and wrytten yt also in my bookes that it is farre greater trouble to spend the goods of this world wel and as they ought to bee spent then it is to get them For they are gotten wyth swet and spent with cares Hee that hath no more then hee needeth it is hee that knoweth wel how to part from them to spend theÌ„ but hee that hath abundaÌ„s more then needeful dooth neuer resolue what hee should doo Whereof followeth many times that those which in his life time were enemies to hym shall happeÌ„ to bee heires after his death of all the goods money hee hath It is a most suer certain custome among mortal men that commonly those that are rych men while they are aliue spend more money vaynly in things they would not that they haue no pleasure in where in they would least lay it out and after their death they leaue the most part of their inheritance
fortune thou oughtst to know yt yf thou knowest yt not that hee that neuer was rich scant knoweth his pouerty But alas for pyty hee that was rych and had once all pleasures and ease dooth sorrow much for the present extreamyty and bewayleth the forepassed felycity And I tell thee also and thou oughtst to beleeue mee that wee repute them more happy whō thou neuer exaltest nor gauest honor to then wee doo those whom thow hast called to high honor and afterwards hast ouerthrown them and brought them lower and in woorse state then before And as for mee O fortune I tell thee truely I think no man fortunat but him that neuer knew what good fortune ment And this was the discourse betwixt fortune and the consul Seuerius By which wee may perceyue and comprehend that truely none may bee thought vnfortunat and myserable but such as haue beene beefore in great honor and reputacion and hee cannot bee thought abased of his state or countenaunce if hee were not beefore in prosperity and fauored of fortune So that wee may well say that neuer no man in this world was so free as hee that neuer suffered fortune to enter into his gates I haue beene desirous to tell you of these thyngs because that such as are in fauor and credyt with prynces should not recken too much of their fauor neyther that those that are not in fauor wyth them should bee sory for it a whyt For the great aucthority and credyt that a man hath by the court is in thys mortall lyfe in the end nothyng els then as a lytle woorme in an appell a wyuell yn the corne and a maggot in pease which wythout seeme very good and within they are all rotten and eaten Princes aucthority aboue all others ys most supreme for they are not subiect to the Censors and iudges to reprooue them of their woords and sayings neither to magistrates to whom they shoold render any account of their dooings whereof proceedes that as they haue free will to loue so haue they a free lybertie to hate and absolute power to punysh Therefore those that are in fauor in court and that shall read these writings of mine must wel consider what wee mean by all those thyngs wee haue spoken whereby they shall easely know that princes are no lesse apt to hate him to day they loued yesterday then to loue him to morow whom they hated the other day The first and cheefest thing the courtier ought to haue is to feare god and to follow the profession of a good christyan For in th end they lyue in court with more safty hauing a good and pure conscience then wyth all the great credit and fauor they can haue And therefore let euery courtyer beleeue mee aswell in fauor as out of fauor that it is the best and surest way to get the goods of this world as also for the preseruacion of their soules to esteeme and make account of the scriptures and gods commaundements And if hee doo otherwise it shall happen many tymes vnto him that in the dispatch of his weightyest affaires and needefull busines euen when hee thynks his matter brought to a good end and that it is wythout al doubt of dyspatch then steppes in crooked fortune with her wonted poyson agaynst hym eyther makes him in manner beegynne his suyt anew agayn or at least vtterly ouerthroweth yt quite For there are in prynces courts many tymes certeyn suytes that haue a good and better end then looked for and contraryly many others that are at the point of dispatchyng and yet by synister accident clean ouerthrown and succeding contrary to their assured expectacion And yet notwithstāding it seemeth to the suter that the cause hereof commeth eyther through the soliciters negligence and default and lyttle care to follow it or els through the malyce and yll will of the fauored of the court that tooke vppon hym the suite and yet neyther the one nor the other was cause of the disorder but only the diuine prouydence of God to admonish vs that in all our actions and dooings it little preuayleth vs to mooue the kyng or his officers in all our matters if wee doo not deserue at gods hands to obtein it And therefore sayd the diuine Plato in hys Timeon that these that haue honor and prosperity in this lyfe haue as much neede of good counsell as the poore afflicted creatures haue of help and remedy And surely it was wysely and profoundly spoken of hym For as neede and misery in this wretched lyfe bringeth men to dispair So lykewise wee see prosperity induce men to forgett them selues and theyr state And that that I haue hytherto spoken of and that I hope yet to speak none can vnderstand nor conceiue but such as once in their tyme in theyr nauigation had a fortunat and lucky wynd and afterward turnyng contrary euen at shore syde haue cast them on rockes and vtterly perished them To thend that those in readyng these my writings may yet lament and moorne for pity where the other can but only read and goe no further If wee compare and put togeether the rych with the poore the sorowfull wyth the mery the fortunat with the vnfortunat the fauored with the banyshed the vertuous and noble wyth the vycious and defamed wee shall fynd without doubt the nomber of those farre greater that coold ryse agayn beeing down and had taken a fall then those that coold keepe them selues in the aucthority and fauor that fortune had brought them to I haue not said it a few tymes but euery moment I woold return to say it agayn that thys trayterous world in all hys dooings is so deceiptfull and Fortune in all that shee promyseth so doubtfull that they make them beleeue whom they make rych beloued and rayse to hygh estate that they doo it but to honor them and afterwards contraryly they spinne a thousand deceypts and trumpryes to make them sooner fall to the ground Surely I haue seene but few and I remember I haue read of none to whom Fortune euer shewed herself so benygne and curteous that euer putt a man in hys cheefest topp of prosperity fauor but in few days after shee tooke his lyfe frō hym or at least in the end of his iorney shee made him runne into some secrete disgrace or mishap And therefore I woold that the courtier that obtaineth fauor in the court and ryches in the common wealth that hee shoold recken and esteeme them as lent him not geeuen him and that hee shoold so gouern the things of fortune as hee woold that man whom hee trusted not at all For as Seneca sayth No man is afficted with fortune but hee only that trusted to her without fear or suspect at all of her For courtiers and those that are in great fauor and auctority ought to know that lyke as in the deepest seas soonest perish the shippes and as in the hyghest mountains the Sunne hath always least
court to chaunge that seruile trade of lyfe for quiet rest at home Thinking assuredly that enioying rest at home in his own house hee myght easely bee damned and abyding the payns and seruyce of court hee beleeued vndoubtedly hee shoold bee saued Surely wee may aptly say that thys old courtier was more then a dotard and that hee had mard the call of his conscyens since hee beleeued it was a charge of conscience to depart the court The ābition to doo much the couetousnes to haue much maketh the miserable courtiers beleeue that they haue yet tyme enough to lyue to repent them when they will So that in the court thinking to lyue two yeres only in their age good men they lyue fifty and three score yeres wicked naughty persons Plutarch in his Apothegmes saith that Eudonius that was Captain of the Greekes seeing Xenocrates reading one day in the vniuersity of Athens hee being not of thage of eyghty fyue yeres asked what that old mā was it was aunswered him that it was one of the philosophers of Greece who followed vertue and serched to know wherein true philosophy consisted Whereuppon hee aunswered If Xenocrates the philosopher tell mee that hee being now eyghty fyue yeres old goeth to seeke vertue in this age I woold thou shooldest also tell mee what tyme hee shoold haue left him to bee vertuous And hee said more ouer in those yeres that this philosopher ys of it were more reason wee shoold see him doo vertuous things thā at this age to goe and seeke it Truely wee may say the very lyke of our new courtier that Eudonius said of Xenocrates the philosopher the which if hee did look for other three score yeres or three score yeres and tenne to bee good what time shoold remain for him to prooue and shew that goodnes It is no maruel at al that the old courtiers forget their natiue countrey and bringing vp their fathers that begat them their frends that shewed thē fauor the seruants that serued them but at that that I doo not only woonder at thē but also it geeueth mee cause to suspect them is that I see they forget them selues So that they neuer know nor consider that they haue to doo till they come afterwards to bee that they woold not bee If the courtiers which in princes courts haue been rich noble in auctority woold counsel with mee or at least beleeue my writing they shoold depart from thence in time to haue a long tyme to consider before of death least death vnwares sodeinly came to take executiō of their liues O happy thrise happy may wee call the esteemed courtier whom god hath geeuen so much wit knowledge to that of him self hee doo depart frō the court before fortune hath once touched him which dishonor or layd her cruell hands vpon him For I neuer saw courtier but in the end did complain of the court of their yll lyfe that they lead in court And yet did I neuer know any person that woold leaue it for any scruple of conscience hee had to remain there but peraduenture if any did depart from the court it was for some of these respects or altogether that is to say Either that his fauor credit diminished or that his money failed him or that some hath doon him displeasure in the court or that hee was driuen from the court or that hee was denyed fauor or that his syde faction hee held with had a fal or for that hee was sick to get his health hee went into the countrey So that they may say hee rather went angry displeased with him self then hee dyd to lament his sinnes If you ask pryuatly euery courtier you shal find none but will say hee is discontented with the court either because hee is poore or afflicted enuyed or yll willed or out of fauor hee wil swere reswere again that hee desyreth nothing more in the world then to bee dismissed of this courtiers trauel painfull life But if afterwards perchaunce a lytle wynd of fauor bee put stirring in the entry of his chāberdore it wilsodeinly blow away al the good former thoughts frō his mynd And yet that that makes mee wonder more at these vnconstant courtiers vnstable brains is that I see many buyld goodly stately houses in their countrey yet they neither dwel in them nor keep hospitality there They graffe set trees plant fruits make good gardeins and ortchyards and yet neuer go to enioy them they puchase great lands and possessiōs and neuer goe to see them And they haue offices and dignities geeuen them in their countreys but they neuer goe to exercise them There they haue their frends and parents and yet they neuer goe to talk with them So that they had rather bee slaues and drudges in the court then lords and rulers in their own countrey Wee may iustly say that many courtiers are poore in riches straungers in their own houses and pilgrimes in their own countrey and banyshed from all their kinreds So that if wee see the most part of these courtiers bakbyte murmure complayn and abhorre these vyces they see dayly committed in court I dare assure you that this discontentation dyslyking proceeds not only of these vyces and errors they see committed as of the spight and enuy they haue dayly to see their enemies grow in fauor and credit with the prince For they passe lytle of the vyces of court so they may bee in fauor as others are Plutarch in his booke de exilio sheweth that there was a law amongst the Thebans that after a man was fyfty yeres of age if hee fell sick hee shoold not bee holpen with phisitians For they say that after a man is once aryued to that age hee shoold desire to lyue no lenger but rather to hast to his iorneys end By these exāples wee may know that infancy is till vii yeres Childhood to .xiiii. yeres youth to xxv yeres manhod till .xl. and age to three score yeres But once passed three score mee think it is rather tyme to make clean the nets and to content themselues with the fish they haue til now then to goe about to put their nettes in order again to fish any more I graunt that in the court of princes all may bee saued and yet no mā can deny mee but that in princes courts there are mo occasions to bee damned then saued For as Cato the Censor saith the apt occasions bring men a desire to doo yll though they bee good of them selues And although some do take vppon them and determyne to lead a godly and holy lyfe or that they shew themselues great hipocrits yet am I assured notwithstanding that they cannot keepe their tongue from murmuring nor their hart from enuying And the cause heereof proceedeth for that there are very few that follow the court long but only to enter into credit and afterwards to waxe rich
nor by slyght of wytt procured to deceyue or begyle nether hee called his frends to help hym to withstand his enemies but only craued remedy against his vnhonest and vaine desires And vndoubtedly hee had reason For a man may easely absent hym selfe frō his enymys but to fly from hym selfe it is an impossible thing And therfor mee thinkes it is a thing more to bee lamented then writtē to see that a multitude of corporall enymes cannot vanquish and ouercome vs and yet notwithstanding when wee are alone and think nothing of it this only vice of the flesh doth not alone make vs stumble but fall downe ryte on the ground For nether to become religious a priest a fryer nor to dwell in churches nor to bee shut vp in cloysters to sequester our selues from the world nor to chaūge state and condition For all this I saye I see none of all these things helpe vs mortall mē to defend vs from this vyce and sinne But the further wee seeke to fly from yt the more danger wee find to fal in to it And albeit to auoide other vices and synnes it shall suffise vs to bee admonished yet against that alone of the flesh it behoueth vs to bee armed For ther is no synne in the world but that there are meanes for mē to auoid it this only excepted of the flesh where with all wee are ouercome and taken prysoners And to proue this true it is aparant thus Where rayneth pryde but amongst the potentates where enuy but amongst equalls anger but amongst the impatient glotony but amongst gourmans auarice but amongest the rych slothe but amongest the idle And yet for all these the synne of the flesh generally raigneth in al men And therfore for not resisting this abhominable vice wee haue seene Kings lose ther Kyngdoms noblemen ther landes and possessiōs the maried wiues their auowed fayth the religion nonnes their professed virginity so that wee may compare this synne to the nature and condicion of the venomus serpent which beeing aliue stings vs and after hee is dead offendeth vs with his noysome stink Examples by Dauid who for all his wisedom could not preuayl against that synne nor Salomon for al his great knowledge nor Absolon for al his diuine bewty nor Sampson with his mighty force which notwtstanding the great fame they had for their renowmed vertues yet thorough this onely defect they lost al accōpaniyng with harlots licencious weomen Into which shameful felowship fel also Holofernes Annibal Ptholomeus Pirrhus Iulius Cesar Augustus Marcus Antonius Seuerus and Theodotius many other great princes with these aboue recyted the most part of the which wee haue seene depriued of their crownes and afterwards them selues haue come to their vtter shame dishonor on their knees to yeeld them selues to the mercy of these their infamed louers crauing pardō forgeeuenes Many graue writers of the Gretians say that the imbassadors of Lidia comming one day into the chamber of Hercules vpon a sode in to speak with him they found him lying in his curtesans lap shee pulling his rings of on his fyngers hee dressed on hys head with her womenly attier shee in exchange on hers beedect with his royal crown They write also of Denis the Siracusan that albeeit of nature hee was more cruel then the wilde beast yet hee beecame in the end so tractable pleasant by the meanes of a curtisan his frend called Mirta that shee onely did confirme al the prouisions depeches of the affaires of the weale publike hee onely did but ordein and appoint them And if the histories written of the Gothes deceyue vs not wee fynd that Antenaricus the famous kyng of the Gothes after hee had triumphed of Italy that hee had made hymself lord of all Europe hee beecame so farre in loue with a louer of his called Pincia◠that whilst shee combo his head hee made clean her slippers Also Themistocles the most famous captain of the Greekes was so enamored of a woman hee had taken in the warrs of Epirus that shee beeing afterwards very sick when shee purged her self hee woolde also bee purged with her if shee were let blood hee would also bee let blood yet that that is woorst to bee lyked is that hee washed his face with that blood that came out of her arme so that they might truly say though shee were his prisoner yet hee was also her slaue subiect When Kyng Demetrius had takē Rhodes there was brought to him a faire gentlewoman of the cyty which hee made his frend in loue this loue beetwixt them by tyme grew so great that shee shewing her selue vpō a time to bee angry with Demetrius refusing to sit nere him at the table also to ly with him Demetrius vtterly forgetting him self royal estate did not only on his knees pray her to pardō him but also imbrasing her cōueighed her in his armes īto his chamber Myronides the Gretian albeeit hee had made subiect to hym the Kingdome of Boetia yet was hee notwithstanding made subiect with the loue of Numidia his louer Hee enflamed thus with loue of her shee like wise striken with couetous desire of his goods in fine they agreed that hee should geeue her al the spoyle hee had wonne in the warres of Boetia that shee shoold let him lye with her in her house onely one night Annibal made warres seuenteen yeares with the romains in all that time hee was neuer vanquished till that hee was ouercome with the loue of a yong mayden in the City of Capua which prooued a most bitter loue to him sith thereby it happened that where as hee had so many yeares kept in subiection all Italy hee now was made a subiect at home in his own country Plutarke in his booke De republica writeth that Phalaris the tirant woold neuer graunt a man any thing hee desired nether euer denied any thing that a dissolute woman requested No smal but great disorder happened to the comon weale of Rome by the occasion of the Emperor Calligula who gaue but 6000. sexterces onely to repaire the wals of Rome gaue otherwise for surring one gown alone of his lemans a 10000 sexterces By al these exāples aboue resyted wee may easely vnderstād how daungerous a thing it is for the courtier to haue frendship acquaintance with weomen of so vyld a faculty For the woman is of like quality that a knot tyed of cords is which is easely tyed of sundry knots and very hardly afterwards to bee vndoon agayn Heretofore wee haue beesought courtiers the fauored of princes that they shoold not bee so liberall in cōmaunding now once agayn wee pray them to bee ware of fornication adultry for albeeit this sinne of the flesh bee not the greatest in faut yet is it the most daūgerous in fame There is no King prelat nor knight in this world so vicious and dishonest of life but
another beside her self for shee ceaseth not to defaÌ„e him to follow the other to rayse a sclauÌ„der amoÌ„gst her neighbors to coÌ„plaine to his freÌ„ds to bewray the matter to the iustice to quarel with officers alwayes to haue spies for hym in euery place as if hee were one of her mortal enemyes O I woold to god the courtier would as much esteeme of his coÌ„scieÌ„s as his louer maketh accoÌ„pt of his parsoÌ„ happy were hee For I dare assure him if he know it not that shee spieth out al the places hee goth so couÌ„ts euery morsel of meat hee eateth becoÌ„meth ielious of al that hee dooth of all those whose coÌ„pany hee frequeÌ„teth yea shee deuiseth imagineth all that hee thinketh So that hee that seeketh a cruel reueÌ„ge of his enemy cannot doo better theÌ„ ê‘swade induce him to loue one of these wel coÌ„ditioned womeÌ„ Now let him think that hee hath great warres that by his euil hap hath made her his enemy which heretofore hee so eÌ„tierly loued For any maÌ„ that exteemeth his honor reputacioÌ„ dooth rather feare the euil tongue of such a womaÌ„ theÌ„ the sweord of his enemy For an honest maÌ„ to striue coÌ„teÌ„d with a womaÌ„ of such quality is eueÌ„ asmuch as yf hee woold take vpon him to wash an asses head Therefore hee may not set me to make accoÌ„pt of those iniuries doon him or euel words shee hath spoken of him but rather seeke to remedy it the best hee caÌ„ that shee speak no more of him For womeÌ„ naturaly desire to enioy that persoÌ„ they loue wtout let or interruption of any to pursue to the death those they hate I woold wysh therfore the fauored of priÌ„ces such as haue office dignity in the court that they beware they incurre not into such like errors For it is not sitting that meÌ„ of honor such as are great about the prince shoold seeme to haue more lyberty in vice theÌ„ any other neither for any respect ought the beloued of the prince to dare to keepe coÌ„pany much lesse to haue freÌ„dship with any such coÌ„moÌ„ defamed womeÌ„ syth the least euel that can coÌ„e to theÌ„ they caÌ„not bee auoided But at the least hee must charge his coÌ„scieÌ„s trouble his freÌ„ds wast his goods coÌ„sume his ê‘son lose his good fame ioyning with al these also his coÌ„cubine to bee his mortal enemy For there is no womaÌ„ liuiÌ„g that hath any measure in louiÌ„g neither end in hatiÌ„g Oh how wareli ought al meÌ„ to liue specialy wee that are in the court of princes for many womeÌ„ vnder the color of their autority office goe oft tymes to seek theÌ„ in their chaÌ„bers not only as huÌ„ble suters to sollycyte theire causes but also liberaly to offer theÌ„ their ê‘soÌ„s so by that colour to coÌ„clude their practises deuyses So that the decisioÌ„ coÌ„clusioÌ„ of processe which they fain to solycite shal not goe with him that demaunds there goods of theÌ„ but rather with him that desires but their parsoÌ„s to spoile theÌ„ of their honor Now the princes officers must seeke to bee pure clene froÌ„ al these practises of these comoÌ„ struÌ„pets much more froÌ„ those that are suters to theÌ„ haue maters beefore theÌ„ For they should highly offeÌ„d god coÌ„mit great treasoÌ„ to the King if they should send those weomeÌ„ froÌ„ theÌ„ that sued vnto theÌ„ rather dishonored defamed theÌ„ honestly dispatched of their busines And therfore hee bindeth him self to a maruelous inconuenieÌ„ce that falleth in loue with a woman suter For euen froÌ„ that instant hee hath receued of her the sweete delights of loue eueÌ„ at the present hee byâ—deth him self to dispatch her quickly to end al her sutes not wtout great greefe I speake these woords There are many women that come to the court of princes to make vnreasonable dishonest sutes which in the end notwtstaÌ„ding obtaine ther desire And not for any ryght or reasoÌ„ they haue to it saue only they haue obtained that thorough the fauor and credit they haue won of the fauored courtier or of one of his beloued So as wee see it happeÌ„ many tymes that the vniust fornication made her sute iust resonable I should lye and doo my selfe wrong mee thinks yf I should passe ouer with silence a thing that happened in the emperors court touching this matter in the which I went one day to one of the princes cheefe officers best beeloued of hym to sollycyte a matter of importauÌ„ce which an hostes of myne should haue before him And so this fauored courtier great officer after hee had hard of mee the whole discourse of the matter for full resolution of the same hee axed mee yf shee were yong fayre I auÌ„swered hym that shee was reasonable fayre of good fauor Well than sayth hee bed her com to mee I wil doo the best I can to despatch her matter with speade for I wyl assure you of this that there neuer caÌ„e fayre woman to my hands but shee had her busines quickly dispatcht at my haÌ„ds I haue knowne also many womeÌ„ in the court so vnhonest that not conteÌ„ted to folow their owne matters would also deale with others affayrs gaine in soliciting their causes so that they with their fyne words franke offer of there parsons obtayned that which many tymes to men of honor great autorytye was denyed Therfor these great officers fauored of priÌ„ces ought to haue great respect not only in the coÌ„uersatioÌ„ they haue with these womeÌ„ but also in the honest order they ought to obserue in hering theyr causes And that to bee done in such sort that what so euer they say vnto theÌ„ may bee kept secret prouided also the place where they speake with them bee open for other suters in like case ¶ That the nobles beloued of princes exceede not in superfluous fare that they bee not too suÌ„ptuous in their meates A notable chapter for those that vse too much delicacye and superfluity Chap. xviii ONe of the greatest cares and regard the nature layd vpon her self was that men could not lyue wtout sustinaÌ„ce so that so long as wee see a maÌ„ eat yea if yt were a thousaÌ„d yeares wee might bee bold to say that hee is certainly alyue And hee hath not alone layd this burdeÌ„ vpon meÌ„ but on brute bests also For wee see by experience that some feedeth on the grasse in the fyelds some liues in the ayre eating flyes others vpon the wormes in carin others with that they fynd vnder the water And finally ech beast lyueth of other and afterwards the wormes feede of vs al. And not oÌ„ly reasonable meÌ„ brute beasts lyue by eating but the trees are norrished therby wee see it thus that they in stede of meat receyue into theÌ„ for nutriture the heate of the sunne the teÌ„perature of the ayre the moysture
that I eat thou shooldst not serue so great a tyraunt as thou doost The excesse of meates ys greater in these days both in quantity and in dressing of them then in tymes past For in that golden age which the philosophers neuer cease to beewaile men had no other houses but naturall caues in the ground and apparelled onely with the leaues of trees the bare ground for their shoes their hands seruing them in steede of cuppes to drink in they drank water for wyne eat toâ—â—â—s for bread and fruyts for flesh and finally for their bed they made the earth for their couering the sky beeing lodged always at the signe of the starre When the diuine Plato returned out of Cicill into Greece hee sayd one day in his colledge I doo aduertise you my disciples that I am returned out of Cicill maruelously troubled and this is by reasoÌ„ of a monster I saw there And beeing asked what moÌ„ster it was hee told them that it was Dionisius the tyrant who is not contented with one meale a day but I saw him suppe many tymes in the night O diuine Plato if thou wert alyue as thou art dead and present with vs in this our pestilent age as thou wert then in that golden tyme how many shouldst thou see that doo not onely dyne and suppe wel but beefore dinner breake their fast with delycate meats and wynes and banket after dynner and supper also beefore they goe to bed So that wee may say though Plato saw then but one tyrant suppe hee might see now euery body both dyne and suppe and scant one that conteÌ„teth hym with one meale a day in which the brute bests are more moderate theÌ„ reasonable men Syth wee see that they eat but somuch as satisfyeth them and men are not contented to eate inough yea till they bee full but more then nature wyl beare And brute beasts haue not also such diuersity of meats as men haue neither seruants to wayt on them beddes to lye in wyne to drink houses to put their heads in money to spend nor phisitioÌ„s to purge them as men haue And yet for al these commodities wee see men the most part of their tyme sick And by these things recyted wee may perceyue that there is nothing preserueth so much the health of man as labor nothing consumeth sooner then rest And therefore Plato in his tyme on spake a notable sentence and woorthy to bee had in mynd and that is this That in that city where there are many phisicions yt must needes follow of necessity that the inhabitaunts there of are vicious ryotous persons And truely wee haue good cause to cary this saying away Sith wee see that phisitions commonly enter not into poore mens houses the trauell and exerciseth their body dayly but contrarily into the rych and welthy mens houses which lyue coÌ„tinually idlely at ease I remember I knew once a gentleman a kynsman of myne and my very frend which hauing taken physyck I came to see how hee did supposing hee had beene syck and demaunding of him the cause of his purgacion hee told mee hee tooke it not for any sicknes hee had but oÌ„ely to make him haue a better appetite against hee weÌ„t to the feast which should bee a two or three days after And with in syxe days after I returned agayn to see hym and I found him in his bedde very sick not for that hee had fasted too much but that hee had inglutted hym self with the variety of meats hee eat at the feast So it happened that where hee purged him self once onely to haue a better stomack to eat hee needed afterwards a douzen purgacions to discharge his loden stomack of that great surfet hee had taken at the feast with extreme eating And for the fower howers hee was at the table where this feast was hee was lodged afterwards in his chamber for two moneths to pay vsery for that hee had taken yet yt was the great grace of god hee escaped with lyfe For if it bee yll to synne yt vs farr worse to seeke and procure occasions to synne And therfor by consequent the synne of Gluttony is not only dangerous for the coÌ„sciens hurtfull to the health of the body and a displeasing of god but it is also a worme that eateth and in fine consumeth wholly the goods faculties of him that vseth yt Beesyds that these gurmands receyue not so much pleasure in the eatyng of these dainty morsells as they doo afterwards greefe and displeasure to heare the great accounts of their stewards of their excessyue expensis Yt is a swete delight to bee fed daily with dainty dishes but a sower sawce to those delicat mouthes to put his hand so oft to the purse Which I speake not with out cause syth that as wee feele great pleasure and felicity in those meates that enter into our stomack so doo wee afterwards think that they pluck out of our hart that mony that payeth for those knacks I remember I saw writen in an Inne in Catalogia these woords You that hoste heere must say wheÌ„ you sit down to your meat Salue regina yea when you are eating Vitae dul cedo yea and when you recken with the host Ad te Suspiramus yea and when you come to pay him Gementes flentes Now yf I would go about to describe by parcells the order and maner of our feasts and banckets newly inuented by our owne nation there would rather appeare matter to you to lament and bewaile then to write And it had been better by way of speach to haue inuented dyuers fashions of tables formes and stooles to sit on theÌ„ such diuersity of meates to set vpon the tables as wee doo vse now a dayes And therefore by good reason did Licurgus King of Lacedemonia ordeyne comaund that no stranger comming out of a strange country into his should so hardy bring in any newe customes vpon pain that if it were knowen hee should bee streight banished out of the couÌ„try and if hee did vse and practise yt hee should bee put to death I will tell you no lye I saw once serued in at a feast xlii sortes and kyndes of meates in seuerall dishes In an other feast of diuers sortes of the fish caled Tuny And in an other feast beeing flesh day I saw dyuers fishes broyled with lard And at an other feast wheare I saw no other meate but Troutes and Lampereis of dyuers kyndes of dressinge And at an other feast wheare I saw only vi persons agree togethers to drink ech of them .iii. pottels of wyne apeece with this condition further that they should bee .vi. howers at the table and hee that drank not out his part should pay for the whole feast I saw also an other feast where they prepared iii. seuerall tables for the bidden guests the one boord serued after the Spanish maner the other after the Italian and the third after the fasshion
of Flaunders And to euery table there was serued xxii sortes of meates I saw also at an other feast such kyndes of meates eaten as are wont to bee seene but not eaten as a Horse rosted a Cat in gely litel Lysars with whot broth Frogges fryed and dyuers other sorts of meates which I saw them eate but I neuer knew what they weare till they weare eaten And for gods sake what is hee that shall reade our writings and see that that is comonly eaten in feastes now adayes that it will not in maner breake his hart and water his plants The only spices that haue been brought out of Calicut and the maner of furnishing of our boords brought out of Fraunce hath distroied our nation vtterly For in the old tyme they had no other kinds of spice in Spaine but Saffron Comyn Garlick and Onyons and when one frend inuyted an other they had but a peece of beefe and a peece of veale no more and yt was a rare and dainty matter to add to a henne Oh misâ—â—appes of worldly creatures you imbrace not now the tyme that was for now iâ— hee bee an officer or popular person of any like condicion and that hee inuyte his frend or neighbour hee will not for shame set beefore him lesse then vi or vii seueral disshes though hee sel his cloke for hit or fare the worse one whole weeke after for that one supper or dinner Good lord yt is a wonder to see what sturr there is in that mans house that maketh a dinner or supper A .ii. or iii. dayes beefore you shall see such resorte of persons such hurly burly such flying this way such sending that way some occupied in telling the cookes how many sortes of meates they will haue other sent out to prouide a cater to by their meat and to hyer seruants to wayte on them and other poore folkes to looke to the dressing vp of the house brauling fyghting with theyr seruants commaunding their maydes to looke to the buttry to rubbe the tables and stooles and to see all things set in theyr order as syt as may bee and to tast this kynd of wine and that kind of wyne so that I would to god they would for the health of their soules but imploy half this care paines they take in preparyng one dyner to make cleane their conscienses and to coÌ„fesse them selues to allmighty god I would fayn know after all these great feasts what there remaineth more then as I suppose the master of the house is trobled the stewards and caters weried the poore cookes broyled in the fyer the howse al foule and yet that that is worst of al sometymes the master of the feast cometh short of a peece of plate that is stollen So that hee can not choose but bee sory for the great charges hee hath been at beesyds the losse of his plate and vessell stollen and the rest of his implements of house mard and in maner spoyled And peraduenture also the inuited not satisfied nor coÌ„tented but rather will laugh him to scorne for his cost and murmure at hym beehind his back Marcus Tullius Cicero was once bidden to supper of a couetous Roman a citizin borne whose supper agreed with his auarice So the next day it chaÌ„ced this couetous citizen to meete with Cicero hee asked him how hee did with his supper veri wel said Cicero for it was so good a supper that yt shall serue mee yet for all this day Meaning to let him vnderstand by these woodrs that his supper was so miserable and hee left with such an appetite as hee should dine the next day with a better stomack at home ¶ The author continueth his purpose Yt is now more then tyme wee doo bring you apparaunt proofes aswell by scriptures as profane autors that there was neuer made feast or bancket but the diuell was euer lightly a guest by whose presence always happeneth some mischeefe The first BaÌ„cket that euer was made in the world 〈◊〉 that the deuil made to Adam and Eue with the frute of terrestriall paradyse after which followed a disobeing of gods commaundement the lesse that Adam had of his innoceÌ„cy and a soden shame and perpetual reproche to our mother Eue mans nature preseÌ„tly brought to al synne vice So that wee may wel say they eate the frute that set our teeth an edge Did not Rebecca like wise make a feast to her husbaÌ„d Isaac in which Esaw lost his heritage and Iacob succeeded in the same blessing Isaac through fraude whome hee tooke for Esaw all through the counsell of his mother Rebecca shee hauing her desiere and purpose as shee wished Absalon did not hee make an other to all his breethern after which followed the death of Aman one of his brothers and by one of the other bretherne their sister Thamar was defamed and their father King Dauid very sore greeued and afflicted and all the realme of Israel slaundered Kyng Assuetus made an other of so great and foolish expence that hee kept open house for a hundred and fourscore dayes and it followed that Queene Vasti was depriued of her crowne and the fayr Hester inuested in her rome many noble men of the city of Hul were murdred and he weÌ„ in peeces by meanes wherof the Ebrues came into great fauor and credit and Aman the cheefe in authoritie and fauor about the prince depriued of all his lands and shamefully executed vpon the gallows Nardocheus placed in his roome and greatly sublimed and exalted Also the xiiii children of the holy man Iob which were .vii. sonnes and so many daughters beeing all feasted at their eldest brothers howse beefore they rose from the boord were they not all slayne Also Baltezar sonne of Kyng Nabucodonosor made a bancket to all the gentlewomen and his coÌ„cubines within the city so sumptuous and rich that the only vessell hee was serued withall and the cuppes they dranke in were robbed out of the temple of Ierusalem by his father and this followed after his great banket The self same night the Kyng with al his concubines dyed sodenly and his realme taken from him and put into the hands of his enemyes Yt had been better for all these I haue recited that they had eaten alone at home then to haue dyed so sodaninly accompanied Now let al these gourmands and licorous mowthed people marke what I shall say to them and cary yt wel in mynd and that is this that the sinne of Gluttony is nothing els but a displeasure great perill and a maruelous expence I say that it is a displeasure for the great care they haue continually to seeke out diuersityes of fine and curious meates great peril because they ploÌ„ge their bodyes into many diseases and in vnmercifull charge for the curiosity and nombers of dishes So that for a litel pleasure delight wee take in the sweete tast of those deinty meates beeing but a satisfaction to the mind for a
short tyme wee afterwards haue infinite greefes and trobles with a sower sawce to oure no smal payne And therfor Aristotell mocking the Epicuriens sayd that they vpon a tyme went all into the temple togethers beseeching the gods they would geeue them necks as long as the cranes and herens that the pleasure and tast of the meates should bee more long beefore yt came into the stomack to take the greater delight of their meate complayning of nature that shee had made their necks to short affirming that the only pleasure of meats cōsisted in the swallowing of yt downe which they sayd was to soone Yf wee saw a man euen vpon a sodein throw al his goods into the sea or riuer would wee not imagine hee were mad or a very foole Yes vndoutedly Euen such a one is hee that prodigally spendith al his goods in feasting and bancketing And that this is true doo wee not see manifestly that all these meates that are serued to noble mēs boordes to day and to morrow cōueighid into the priuy from the eaters by their page or seruāt Suerly mans stomack is nothing els but a gutt or tripe forsed with meate bread and wyne a pauemēt fyld with wyne lees and a vessel of stincking oyle a recepit of corrupt ayre a synke of a kitchin and a secret place wherinto wee cast all our goods and faculty as into the ryuer And therfore Esay sayd that all these noble cityes of Sodome and Gomorra by this only curse did incurre into such execrable sinnes for which afterwards they were distroied and this was euen through excesse of eating and drinking and to much ydlenes and it is no maruel For it is an infallible thing that where ydlenes and glottony reigneth there must needes come some yll end to that man The Greekes the Romans the Egiptians the Scithes although they were detected of many other sinnes and vices yet were they alwais sober temperat in eating drinking Iustin that wrot of Trogus Pompeius reciteth that among the Scithes which were the rudest and most barbarous that came into Asia vsed to reproue those that let go wind to chastise punish those that vomited saying that breaking wynd vomiting came only of too much eating drinking Plutarche in his Apothegmes sayd that there was a philosopher in Athens called Hyppomachus that was so great an enemy to Gluttony that hee vsed in his colledge such so great an abstinence that his disciples by that were knowen amongst all the other philosophers And not for no other thing but to see them buy their cates prouision to lyue with all for they neuer bought meats to fatt them keepe them lusty but only to susteyn nature that but lyttle The Romains made dyuers lawes in the old tyme to expell out of their cities dronkards Gluttons whereof wee wil recite some vnto you to th end that those that shall read our present writings shall both know and see what great care our forfathers tooke to abolish this horible vyce of gluttony First ther was a law in Rome called Fabian law so called because Fabian the consull made it in which it was prohibited that no man shoold so hardy in the greatest feast hee made spend aboue a hundred sexterses which might bee in value a hundred peeces of .vi. pence salets all other kynds of fruit not comprysed within the same And immediatly after that came out an other law called Messinia which the consull Messinius made By which they were also inhibited in all feastes to drink no strange wynes which only were permitted to bee geeuen to those that were disseased After which folowed also an other law Licinia made by the cōsull Licinius forbidding in all feasts all kinds of sawces beecause they incite appetit are cause of a great expence An other law Emillia of Emilius the consull also commaunding the Romains shoold bee serued in their bankets but only with fyue sorts of diuersities of meats because in them there shoold be sufficient for honest refection no superfluity to fill the belly And then was there the law Ancia made by Ancius the consull charging al the Romains to indeuour to learn all kynd of sciences except cookry For according to their saying in that house where there was a cooke those of the house became poore quickly their bodyes diseased their mynds vitious and altogeether geeuen to Gluttony After this law there came forth an other called Iulia of Iulius Cesar cōmanding all romains that none shoold bee so hardy to shut their gates when they were at dinner and it was to this end that the censors of the city might haue easy accesse into their houses at meal tyme to see if theyr ordinary were respondent to their ability And there was also an other law made afterwards called Aristimia of Aristmius the consull by which it was enacted that it shoold bee lawfull for euery man to inuite his frends to dinner to hym at noone as they liked prouided that they supped not together that night And this was established thus to cut of the great charge they were at with theyr suppers For the Romayns exceeded in superfluity of daynty fyne meats and more ouer they sat to long gulling eating at their suppers Of all these laws heretofore recited were auctors Aulus Gelius and Macrobius And for this was Caius Gracchus well reputed of of the Romays who not withstanding hee had been consull indyuers prouinces and that many tymes was a man of great grauity auctority in Rome yet hee woold neuer keepe cook in his house but when hee was at Rome his wife was his only cooke traueling his hostesse of his house where hee lay dressed hys meat Marcus Mantius in tymes past made a book of dyuers ways how to dresse meat and an other of the tastes sawces diuers maners of seruing of them in at the bankets and a third book how to couer the table sett the stools in order order the cubberd also how seruants shoold wayt geeue their attendance at the table which three bookes were no sooner imprinted and published but presently publikly they were burned by the senat of Rome and if his aucthor had not quickly voided Rome fled into Asia hee had accōpanyed his books in the fyer The auncient writers neuer seased to reproue enough Lentulus Cesar Scilla Sceuola and Emilius For a banket they made in a gardein of Rome where they eat no other meats but black byrds torteises mallard nettles pigs brayns and hares in sawce But yf the Romain writers wrot in these days I doo not beleeue they woold reproue so simple a banket made by so noble famous persons as they were For now a days they doo so farre exceed in variety of dishes at noble mens bourds that neither they haue appetite to eat nor yet they can tell the names of the dishes But now retourning to our purpose I say the intent
hee cannot bee reuenged on him with his sweord It is syttyng for all in generally to bee modest and honest in their speach but much more yt is dew for hym that embraceth the fauor and credit of his prince For it is hys profession to doo good to help euery man and to speak ill of no man They haue such Centinells of spies vpon them continually which are officers in court and about the prince to mark what they speak and doo that treading once awry how litle so euer it bee it is straight blowen into the princes eares and they perhaps accused of that that they neuer thought delyghtyng and takyng great pleasure to tell openly what they hard them say Such therefore as are dayly courtiers attendyng vppon the prince and infauor wyth him must if they mean to continew that fauor and credit bee gentle and courteous in their woords and bountifull to those that stand in neede of them Also the esteemed courtier must beeware hee doo not onely speak ill of no man but also that hee be not too great a talker For commonly these great talkers besides that they are not esteemed bee also reputed of small iudgement and of simple counsell Pithias that was the great gouerner and Duke of the Athenian nation was a noble prince beloued and feared hardy and valyaunt and yet in the end as sayth Plutark the aboundaunce of woords obscured the glory of his heroicall deedes Although these great talkers and men too full of woords bee of noble byrth or woorship wealthy in possessions and otherwise of auctority and estimacion yet neuerthelesse all that time they spēd in speaking too much others that here them occupye the same in deriding scornyng of them I beseech you what greater reproche could a courtyer haue then to bee called a babbler a prater of his tongue and a lyer For when hee thynks euery man is attentiue and listening to hym it is quyte contrary for euen at that instant doo they laugh him to scorne and yet this is nothyng to the shame they doo him afterwards For those that talk to hym whilst hee is thus babblyng pots at him wyth their mouthes behind his back nodde with their heads holds down their eyes and soothes him in all that hee sayes and all this not to prayse or commend hym but to bee meery afterwards at the matter when they are togethers And it is a sport to note and here one of this great talkers if any man talk of warre of the liberall sciences of hunting or of husbandry hee will straight leap into the matter allthough hee bee vtterly ignoraunt in the thing preponed takyng vppon hym to reason of the matter as if hee were very skilfull or maister of the facultie And to make the herers beleeue that that is trew hee sayeth hee bryngeth in an example saying that hee hath seene yt read yt or hard yt and all perhaps a stark lye that hee neither saw yt read yt nor hard yt of any but onely deuised of hys own head on a sodeyn vnder the colour of troth to make a false lye Acaticus the philosopher being one day at a feast where hee neyther spake nor offered once to speak asked after dinner what was the occasion of his sylence answered them thus It is better for a man to know his tyme whan to speak then it is to know to speak For to speak wel is geuen vs by nature but to choose time to speak procedeth of wisedō Epimenides the painter after hee had dwelt long time in Asia retorned to Rhodes frō whence hee first departed because none of the Rhodians euer hard him speak any thing either of that hee had seene or doon in Asia they marueiled very much and prayed him to discourse vnto thē some part of that hee had seene and suffered in Asia To whom hee made this aunswer Two yeares I sulked the seas abydyng the perill of the water and tenne other years I was resient in Asia to learn the perfection of a paynters ark syx other yeares I studied in Grece to accustome my self to bee silent and now you would I shoold feede you with tales and newes O Rhodians come to mee no more with any such motion for you should come to my house to bye pyctures and not to here newes Albeit in so many yeares and in such farre and straunge contreis yt could not bee but Epimenides had seene many things woorthy to bee recounted and pleasaunt to here yet hee woold neuer tell thē nor shew them suer herein hee did like a good philosopher and aunswered like a wise and graue person For in tellyng of straunge things and of dyuers countreys there are few that wil beleeue them and many that will stand in doubt whether they bee trew or no. And therefore touching this matter also Pithagoras the philosopher was one day asked vpon what occasion hee made his scholers vse so great silence in his colledge that in two yeres after they were entered they might not speak He aunswered thus In other philosophers schooles they teach their disciples to speak but in myne there is taught nothing but to hold their peace For in the whole world there is no better nor higher philosophy then to know to brydel the tongue It is a maruelous thing to see a man that with tyme his beard and heares of his head become all white his face wythered his eares deaf hys legges swollen his breath stynk his spleene stopt and his body faint and feeble with age and all the parts thereof consumed saue onely the hart and tongue which wee neuer see waxe old in maner how aged or impotent so euer hee bee but rather dayly become green and that that is woorst of all is that what euell the wretched hart thinketh in that crooked and myserable age that dooth the accursed tongue with all celeritie vtter There ys a company of courtiers in the court that presume to bee eloquent and wel spoken of courtly enterteignement which when they will talk of some pleasant matter they must first tell you a lye and surely these kynd of courtiers wee may better cal them detracters of others then cyuil enterteigners Accursed bee hee that to the preiudice of his neighbor maketh profession to bee a courtly interteigner and you shall hardly see none of these recyted courtiers iest of any but they haue in secret spunne the threede to weaue a great cloth of mallice And yet wee doo these men great honor reuerence not for any good wil wee beare thē but for that wee are afrayed of their ill tongs And although to dissēble otherwile it is a graue wise mans part yet for al that wee may not iudge il of thē since wee see the best mans honor credit cōmōly to bee no greter nor lesse then a malignāt person shal seeme to vse his tongue to speak of him I remember there was in the court in my tyme a noble man noble of byrth and
knowledge by mee This phylosopher woold first indent wyth the prince before hee woold come to his seruice that hee shoold neuer here any of these things the knowledge whereof bringeth many a man to their end or at the least to some great mischife onely to shew vs the imminent perill and daunger the secretary of a prince standeth in For our hart is such a frend of newes that euery hower it feeleth a thousaund temptations to vtter that to others that was deliuered to it of secret In this our age wee doo not vse to keepe secrets so well as in old time the Grecians were woont syth wee see by experyence that yf one frend haue to day tolde hys frend a thyng in secret to morrow yea perhappes the self same nyght before it was told amongst the neighbors There are also some kynd of men so desirous to here news that to know it they will swere a thousand othes neuer to reuele in agayn to any But so soone as they know it they are like vnto the blood hounds that follow the deare now here now there smelling with their noses till they haue found the hurt deare then they open and bay for their maister Therefore I coūsel exhort all wise discreete men that they doo not accompany wyth those whom they know are not secret For the hurt that commeth by them consisteth not onely to tell that they know see and here but with this they tel that they haue imagined of their own wicked malicious heads It cannot bee otherwise but being men wee are also subiect to the frailty of a man as for example To fal sometimes into the sinne of the flesh in that to forget the sinne of gluttony to haue small consideracion of that of sloth to bee assured in that of auaryce or with that to bee ouercome with passion and rage or to bee puffed vp in the synne of pryde And if perhaps by misfortune any one chaunce into such mans company that hath but part or all these condicions and such one as doo discouer and disclose both his own secrets and others to what other can there bee hoped of then a fyer enflamed in his good fame and reputacion and a cōtagious plague and pestilence in his house For that that I haue hard seen read yea and also prooued I say and affirme that there is no bread so il spent as that that is geeuen to the seruants which open and reuele their maysters secrets And sure it may bee sayd that such are not seruants that serue them but traytors that betray them and sell their maisters liberty And it is of such importaunce for the fauored of princes to keepe secret and not to reuele any part of the princes secrets that euery man must think that when the prynce telleth them any thing in secret hee telleth it not alone vnto them but rather hee confesseth it to them Princes beeing men as in deede they are and much busyed with the cares of the common wealth yt cannot bee but when they are withdrawen a part into their priuy chāber they wil both play talk sleyt sygh laugh bee angry threaten make much agayn of some before others All which things though they doo before their seruāts in secret it is not their pleasure neither wil they like it should bee told abrode amōgst their subiects And sure they haue great reason for men of grauyty authority doo not lose their reputacion for dooing things graue and of good example but they are iustly noted when publikely they will shew any lightnes or folly how litle so euer it bee Not onely those that bee in aucthority and fauor about the prince but such other officers of the court seruants of houshold of the prince also ought not to tell nor reuele any thing they see their prince doo For they may bee wel assured that the prince wil bee more offended and displeased to haue that hee dooth in his priuy chamber told abrode by those of the pryuy chamber or other whom it pleaseth him to make familier with him then hee woold bee if his treasorers receiuers should robbe him of his treasure It was told to Denis the Siracusan on a time that Plato the philosopher was at the chamber doore to speak with him and hee presently sent Bias one of hys priuy chamber that hee loued well to him to know what hee would with the kyng and Plato asked Bias what Denis did hee aūswered that hee lay stark naked vppon a table which when Denis vnderstoode hee was so offended with Bias that hee commaūded foorthwith hee should bee beheaded saying first these woords vnto him I wil that like a traytor that bee beheaded sith thou hast traitorously betraied mee p̄suming to disclose the secrets of my chāber For I sent thee not to Plato to tel him what I did but to know what hee woold of mee Now princes familiars beloued of them as they must bee very circumspect heedeful that they tell no man the princes secrets so they must bee much carefull that they tel it not cheefly to women yea though they were their own wiues For as women are very good profitable to looke to things of houshold safly to lock vp their husbands goods so are they on the other side very daūgerous for a man to cōmit any secrets to thē For notwtstanding a womā know that in reueling the secrets of her husband shee putteth her life in perill the honor of her husband the losse of her children the reputacion of her house kynred peraduenture the peace trāquility of the cōmon weal yet had shee rather dye then she shoold not vtter that shee knoweth And many times for no other respect but to make these weomē beleeue that heareth her that shee onely cōmaundeth her husband al besides in her house Well I wil enlarge my self no further of this matter for if I woold but geeue my pen leaue to write that I know I shoold fynd lyme sand enough to buyld a tower as high as Babilon But to end my purpose I will speak thys one woord that is that I counsell exhort with al my hart request princes familiars or seruants that they cōmit not their princes secrets to any how great a frēd or neere kinsman so euer hee bee to thē For they may bee assured that since they refuse to keepe secret that the prince cōmaūdeth thē that much lesse their frend will keepe it secret for any request they make to him If thou can not keepe that secret that to open it importeth the losse of thy fauor credit happely thy life also how canst thou think an other wil doo it that in tellyng it winneth both honor credyt ¶ A comendation of troth which professed courtiers ought to imbrace in no respect to be found defectiue in the contrary telling one thing for an other Cap. xx EPimenides the philosopher
hurt for him the officer lost his estate office then hee his credit reputation Therefore those in fauor auctority ought to content them selues with the prince the seruants with their maisters the parents kinsfolks with the princes officers for that they procured them these offices at the kings hands with the yll willes of many wtout that they further prease importune thē to suborn their faults For after that the dooings of these woorthy officers bee once discouered to bee naught corupted it is impossible by any means to make them good before the prince with whom all the means the parents kinsfolks of such persōs can make cannot stead thē to bring them to their first honor by their own folly lost And now to end thys our present volume of the fauored courtier I doo assure al the beloued courtiers that if god shall fynd purity in their soules the comon weal iustice in their house the king troth in their mouthes fidelity in their harts the good and honest men grace in their fauor that the yll wicked boast them selues no more of their autority office that the poore shall praise them for their good woorks the king also fynd them faithfull seruants I will at this present with myne own hand geeue thē such faith assurance that they shall neede neuer to feare that god wil forsake them nor that men can hurt them and that they shal neuer bee detected of any infamy ouerthrowen by any misfortune neither put out of fauor credit with their prince at any tyme. Finis Here folovveth certaine other letters vvritten by Marcus Aurelius Selected out of the Spanishe copie not wrytten in the Frenche tongue ¶ Of the huge monstre seene in Scicily in the tyme of Marcus Aurelius And of the letters he wrote with bloude vpon a gate Cap. i. IN the yeare of the foundation of Rome .720 and .xlii. of the age of Marcus Aurelius and twoo yeares before he tooke possession of the Empire the twenty daie of August about the going downe of the Sunne in the Realme of Sicill in the Citie of Palermo a porte of the Sea there chaunced a thing perillous to them that sawe it then and no lesse dread full to those whiche shall heare it nowe Whiles they of Palermo were celebrating a great feaste with much ioy that they had vanquished the nauy of the Numidians the pirates deuiding their bootie were preuented by the magistrates of the citie who commaunded the whole spoyle to be layde vp tyll the warres were finished for such was the lawe of the I le And truly it was a iust lawe for oftentimes the only let why the peace is not made betwene princes is because there wanteth riches to satisfie the domages done in warres When all the people were retourned home vnto their houses to supper for it was in the Sommer there appeared an hughe monster in the citie in this fourme He seamed to be of the length of three cubites his heade was balde so that his scull did appeare He hadde no eares saue onely twoo holes in his necke whereby men iudged that he hearde he had two wrythen hornes like a goate his right arme was longer then his left his handes wer lyke the feete of horses without throte his shoulders and his head were both of one height his shoulders shone as doth the scales of fishes his brest was all rough of heere his face in all thinges was lyke vnto a man saue that it had but one eye which was in the middest of his forehead In his nose there was but one nosethril From the middle downwarde there was nothinge seene because it was all couered he satte on a chariot with foure wheles whiche was drawen with foure beastes that is two Lions before and two Beares behinde No man could tell of what wood the chariot was made In fashion it differed nothing from those whiche other men doe accustomably vse Within the chariot stode a great chauldron with eares wherein the monstre was wherfore it could not be seene but from the midle vpwarde It wandered a great space in the citie from one gate to an other castinge out sparkes of fyre The feare was so great throughout all the citie that some women with childe were with great daunger deliuered and others beyng faynte harted fell downe dead And all the people both men and women great and small ran to the temples of Iupiter Mars and Februa with dolefull clamoures and cries makyng their importunate prayers At the same tyme all these rouers were lodged in the gouernours pallace of the citie whose name was Solyno borne at Capua wher also the ryches was kepte After the monstre hadde bene in all partes of the citie or in the moste parte therof it came to the pallace where the pirates were and cut one of the Lions eares of and with the bloude thereof wrote these letters vpon the pallace gate which was shut R. A. S. P. I. P. These letters were of diuers men diuersly interpreted so that the interpretations were mo then the letters And in the ende a woman prophetesse greatly esteamed for her science to whom God had geuen this secret knowledge opened the true meanynge of these letters saying R. signifieth Reddite A. aliena S. si vultis P. propria I. in pace P. possidere Whiche altogethers is to say Render vnto other that which is theirs if you in quiet wyll possesse your owne Truely the pirates were wonderfully afrayd of this sodaine commaundement and the woman was highly commended for her exposition This being done the monstre went the same nyght out of the Citie vnto a high hill called Iamicia and there stode for the space of three dayes in the sight of the citie the Lyons with terrible voyces roaring the Beares with no lesse fearefull cryes ragyng and finally the monstre moste dreadfull flames casting During al this tyme there was neither byrde sene in the ayre nor beaste in the fieldes And the people offred suche great sacrifices vnto their Gods that they brake the vaynes of their handes and feete and offred the bloude thereof to see if they could appease their wrathes These three dayes being passed there appeared in the element a marueilous darke cloude whiche seamed to darken the whole earth and there with it began to thunder and lighten so terriblye that sundrye houses fell to the grounde and infinite men ended their lyues And laste of all ther came such a flame of fire from the monstre that it brent both the pallace where the rouers were all other thinges that were therin so that all was consumed with fire yea the very stones theim selues The tempest was so great that there fell aboue two thousand houses and there died more then ten thousand persones In this place where this monstre was on the toppe of the hill the emperour edified a sumptuous temple to the god Iupiter in perpetuall memory of the same Whereof afterward
Alexander emperoure hauing warre with the people of that Isle made a strong castle ¶ Of that whiche chaunced vnto Antigonus a citezen of Rome in the time of Marcus Aurelius Cap. ii AT the same time when this woful chaunce happened in the Isle there dwelled a Romaine in the same citie called Antigonus a man of a noble bloud and wel stroken in age who with his wife and doughter were banished two yeares before from Rome The cause of his banishment was this There was an olde laudable custome in Rome instituted by Quintus Cincinatus the dictatour that two of the most auncient senatours should â—o with the censour newly created in the moneth of December to visite al Rome and to examine seuerally euery Romain declaring vnto him the .xii. tables also the particular decrees of the senate demaunding of theim if they knewe any man that had not obserued these lawes and if they did they should enfourme the senate thereof And so euery man should receiue condigne punishment according to his offence But thei neuer punished before they warned for they vsed the one yeare to admonishe them of their faultes and the next yeare if they dyd not amende to punyshe theim or elles to banyshe theim These were the wordes of the lawe in the fift table and thyrde chapter The sacret senate doth ordeyne the happy people do consent the auncient colonies doe allowe that if men as men in one yeare doe trespasse that men as men for that yeare doe wynke at them but if they as euill men doe not amende that then the good as good doe punishe them Moreouer the lawe sayde the first faultes are dissembled withall because they are committed through weake ignoraunce but the second shal be punished because they proceade of negligence and malice This inquiry was made in the moneth of December because in the moneth of Ianuary folowynge the officers of Rome were elected And it was reason the good from the euill should be knowen to th entent they might knowe who merited to haue them who deserued to go without them The chiefe cause why this Antigonus his wife and his doughter were banished was this It was ordeined by the eleuenth emperour of Rome Augustus that no man should be so hardy as to pisse nere the dores of any temple And Caligula the fourth emperour coÌ„maunded that no womaÌ„ should geue or sel any letters of witchecrafts to hange about the peoples neckes to deliuer them from the feuer quartaine And Cato the censour made a lawe that neither young maÌ„ nor mayde should talke togethers at the conduictes where they vsed to fetche water nor at the ryuer where they washed their clothes nor at the bakehouse where they baked their bread because al the wanton youth of Rome ordinarely haunted one of these two places It chaunced when the censours and consulles visited the warde of mounte Celio Antigonus who dwelled thereby was accused to haue pissed against the walles of the temple of Mars and his wife likewyse was complained of for selling wrytinges to cure the feuers and his doughter was noted for one that commonly haunted the conduictes riuers and bakehouses to talke with younge men the whiche in those daies was a great shame to maydes of Rome The censours therefore seinge the euill president whiche they founde in the house of Antigonus at that tyme registred also before and that he had bene gently thereof admonished banished him into the Isle of Scicilly for as long time as it should please the senate And lyke as in sumptuous and goodly buyldinges one stone falleth not without shakyng of an other so it chaunceth likewyse to men For commonly one mischaunce commeth not alone but that another immediatly foloweth I speake it for this purpose for that Antigonus was not onely depriued of his honoure goodes and countrey but also by an earth quake his house fel down to the ground slewe his dearest beloued doughter Whyles both these great mischaunces happened I meane of the monstre of Scicily and of the banishement of Antigonus from Rome Marke the emperour was in the warres againste the Argonautes where he receiued a letter from Antigonus of his banishemente whereof the emperoure was marueylous sory as it appeareth by the aunswere whiche he sent to comforte him ¶ Howe Marcus Aurelius sought the wealth of his people and howe his people loued him Cap. iii. IN the seconde yeare that Marke was elected emperour the .xlv. of his age when he retourned from the conquest of the Germaines the Argonautes from whence he brought great ryches and treasures to the Romaine empire he to reste him selfe and to appointe his men lay at Salon vntil such time as the Romaines had prepared all thinges conuenient for suche a glorious triumphe There was one thing done whiche neuer was sene in Rome for that same day of his triumphe his sonne Comodus by the assent of the whole people of Rome was chosen emperour after the death of his father He was not chosen at the request of his father for he was against it saiyng that the empire ought not to be geuen for the merites of those whiche are dead but he should be chosen for his own good workes being aliue This emperour said oftentimes that then Rome should be vndone when the election shal be takeÌ„ from the senate when the emperour shal enherite the empire by patrimony Now to come to our matter themperour being at Salon trauayled much to bring his men into Rome in good order and Rome was more careful for to receiue him triumphantly as it appertained to such a great conqueste He was marueilously wel beloued of al the empire and he alwayes studied the wealthe of his people and they were alwayes most faithful in his seruices So that sundry times there was a question moued in the senate whiche of these two thinges was better beloued Either the emperour of his people or the people of their emperour So that one day they appointed two iudges in this case the one was the Embassadour of the Parthes and the other was the Embassadour of the Rhodes and the information was geuen on bothe partes in writing The emperour alleaged the great profite that he had done to the common wealth and the many euils which he had deliuered it from On the other part the senatours declared the good dedes they had done in his absence and the great loue they bare him alwayes in his presence So likewyse the emperour an other day moued an other question to the senate affirming that it was more glory for him to haue such subiectes then for them to haue such an emperour The senate denied it affirming that the coÌ„fort was greater that they had of him then that which he could haue of them And in this wise the emperour gaue the glory to his people and the people gaue the glory to their emperour Thus merily this matter was reasoned of againe It was a pleasaunt thing to heare the reasons
occasion to others to iudge him to be euil Al the losses of temporal goodes that chaunce vnto men in this life oughte not to be cōpared with a litle blemishe of a mans good name The man that hasardeth for a trifle his good name in this world shall at a hūdreth shootes scarsly shoote one right And cōtrariwyse the man that hath lost his honesty and that estemeth not the reputation of his persone truly from him we shall neuer see any good thing proceade Now the emperour like vnto a wise ship-maister fearing after the great calmes some tempestuous storme seing the lightnes of his doughter and vanitie of the mother I meane in the time of this great mirth and gladnes feared lest any infamy should ensewe vnto these two ladies And for a surety he doubted not without a cause for it is an infallible rule of enuious fortune to geue vs in many yeres a litle prosperitie to thintēt that afterward sodainly she may bring vs into some great aduersitie By experience we see that the sea is seldome times calme but immediatly foloweth some perilous tēpest The extreame heate of the day doth prognosticate that terrible thōder in the euentide I meane whē fortune doth flatter vs with her golden pilles it is a token that she entendeth to catche vs in her snares The mylner before the bankes broken repareth the dammes The husbandman before it raineth thacketh his house fearing the snow and raine that is to come So lykewise the sage man ought to consider that during this lyfe he hath prosperity but by leaue aduersity as by patrimony Marcus Aurelius among al other men was he that knew how to enioy prosperitie also to preuaile of aduersity Though fortune gaue him much prosperity yet he neuer trusted therin nor for any troubles that euer he receiued in this lyfe he was at any time abashed Of the sharpe words which Marcus Aurelius spake to hys wyfe and to his doughter Cap. v. WHen the tryumphes before named were finyshed this good Emperour being willyng to vnbourden his hart and to aduyse Faustine to teache the youg damosel his doughter and to the end that no man shold heare it he called them a part and sayd vnto them these words I am not contente Faustine with that thy doughter did nor yet with that which thou hast done being her mother The doughters if they wil be counted good children must learne to obeye their fathers and the mothers if they wil be counted good mothers must learne to bring vp their doughters wel When the mother is honest and the doughter shamefast the father is excused in geuyng councel It is great shame to the father being a man that the mother being a womā should chastise his sonne And it is a great reproch to the mother that the doughter should be chastised by the hands of any man There was a law enacted among the Rhodiens that neyther the father should haue to doe wyth the doughters nor the mothers with the sonnes but the men vsed to bring vp the men and the women the women And in such wise that they abyding al in one house it semeth vnto the fathers that they had no doughters and vnto the mothers that they had no sonnes O Rome Rome I bewaile the not for to se the streates vnpauid nor to se the houses so decayed nor to se the battlements so fallen downe nor the timber hewed downe nor for the dyminishing of the habytaunts for al this tyme bringeth and tyme taketh awaye but I wepe for the and wepe for the againe to se the vnpeopled of good fathers and vnprouided in the nourishing of their children Rome began to decay when the disciplyne of sonnes and doughters was enlarged that their brydle was let at lybertye For ther is now such boldnes in boyes and so lytle shamefastnes in girles with dishonesty of the mothers that where as one father suffised for .xx. sonnes and one mother for xx doughters now xx fathers dare scarcely vndertake to bring vp wel one sonne xxx mothers one doughter I say this to you Faustine you remember not how you are a mother for you geue more libertie to your dougher then ought to be suffred And now Lucilla remember not how you are a doughter for you showe to haue more liberty then requireth for a yong mayden The greatest gift that the gods haue geuen to the Matrons of Rome is because that they are women they kepe them selues close and secret and because they are Romaines they are shamefast The day when the women want the fearre of the gods secretly and shame of men openly beleue me they shal eyther faile the world or the world theym The common wealth requyreth it of great necessity that the women which therin enhabyte should be as honest as the captaines valyaunt for the captaines going to warre defend them and the women whych abyde at home conserue them As now .iiii. yeares passed ye saw this great pestilence and I demaund then to haue account of the people and I found that of C. and xl M. honest women .lxxx. M. dyed of .x. M. dyshonest women in maner they scaped al. I cannot tel for which I should wepe eyther for the lacke that we haue of the good vertuous womē in our comon wealth or els for the great hurt domages that these euil wicked women do to the youth of Rome The fyer that brenneth in mount Ethna doth not so much endomage those that dwel in Scicil as one euyl woman doth with in the walles of Rome A fyerse beast and a perillous ennemy to the common wealth is an euyl woman for she is of power to commyt all euyls and nothing apte to do anye good O how many realmes and kingdomes rede we of whych by the euil behauiours of one woman haue bene lost and to resist agaynst them there hath bene nede both of wisedome perils money and force of many men The vyces in a woman is as a grene rede that boweth euery waye but the lightnes and dyshonesty is as a dry kyxe that breaketh in such wise that the more euyl they vtter the more vnlykely is the amendment therof Behold Faustine ther is no creature that more desireth honour and worse kepeth it then a woman and that this is true we se by iustice by orations by writyng and other trauailes man getteth fame renowme but withoute it be by flattering and faire speakyng this houre by auncient writers we cā rede of few women or none whych eyther by writyng redyng workyng with nedle spinning or by weauing haue gotten them any great renowme But as I say of one I say of an other certaynely of diuers we rede by keping them close in their houses being wel occupyed in their busines temperate in their words faithful to their husbands wel ordred in their persons peasable with their neighbours and finally for being honest amonge their owne family and shamefast amongest straungers
forsake vs oftentimes some holsome fleshe corrupteth in an euill vessel and good wine sometime fauoreth of the foist I say though that the workes of our life be vertuous yet shal we fele the stench of the weake flesh I spake this Faustine sith that age cannot resist these hot appitites howe can the tender members of youth resist them vnlesse you that are the mother go the right way how should the doughter that foloweth you find it the Romaine matrons if they wil bringe vp their doughters wel oughte to kepe these rules when they se that they would wander abrode that they breake their legges and if they should be gasing then put out their eyes and if they wil lysten stoppe their eares if they wil geue or take cut of their hands if they dare speake sow vp their mouthes if they wyl pretende any lightnes burye them quycke death ought to be geuen to an euyl doughter in stede of her dowry for gyftes geue her wormes and for her house a graue Take hede Faustine if you wil haue much ioy of your doughter take from her the occasions wherby she shal be euyl To vnderset a house behoueth diuers proppes and if the principalles be taken away it wil fal downe I saye you women are so fraile that with kepers with great paine they can keape them selfe and for a smal occasion they wil lose altogether O how many euyl hath there bene not because they would be so but because they folowed such occasions the which they ought to haue eschewed It is at my pleasure to enter into this battaile but yet it is not in my power to attaine the vyctorie it is for me to enter into the sea yet it lyeth not in my handes to escape the peril it is in the hands of a woman to enter into the occasion and after that she is therin it is not in her power to escape from euill to delyuer her from tongues Peraduenture Faustine thou wilt say to me none can speake to your doughter Lucil vnlesse thou hearest it nor se her but thou seest him nor conuey her but thou knowest where nor make any appointment withoute thy consent and yet thou knowest that those whych wil her euyl seke wyth their tongues to dyshonour her and those that with their hartes loue her speake only in their harts We loue in yong bloud in the springing tyme and floryshing youth is a poyson that forthwith spreadeth into euery vaine it is a herbe that entreth into the entrayles a swowning that incontinently mortyfieth al the members and a pestilence that sleeth the harts and finallye it maketh an end of al vertues I know not what I saye but I fele that which I would say for I would neuer blase loue with my tongue except I were sore wounded therwith in my hart Ouide saith in his boke of the art of loue loue is I wot not what it commeth I know not from whence who sent it I wot not it engendreth I know not how it is satisfied I wot not wherwith it is felt I wot not how oft it sleeth I wot not wherfore and finally without breakyng the flesh outwardly loue taketh roote and molesteth the hart inwardly I know not what Ouide meaneth hereby but I trowe when he said these words he was as farre banyshed from him selfe as I am at this tyme from my selfe O Faustine they that loue together vtter the secretes of theyr harts by dyuers wayes and in sleaping they reason speake by sygnes they vnderstand ech other The many words outwardly declare smal loue inwardly and the feruent inward loue kepeth silence outward The entrayles within imbraced with loue cause the tongue outward to be mute he that passeth his lyfe in loue ought to kepe his mouth close And to thintent that ye shal not thinke that I speake fables I wil proue this by auncient histories we find aunciently that in the yere .cclxx. after the foundacion of Rome Etrasco a yong Romaine that was dombe and Verona a fayre Lady of the Latines which was dombe also these two saw ech other on the mount Celâ—o at the feastes and ther fel in loue togethers and their hartes were as sore fixed in loue as their tongues were tyde from speach It was a maruailous thing to se then fearful to note now that this yonge lady came from Salon to Rome he went from Rome to Salon sundry times by the space of 30. yeres without the knowledge of any parson and neuer spake together It chaunced at the last that the husband of the lady Verona died the wife of Etrasco also and then they discouered their loue and treated a mariage betwene them And these two dombe parsons had issue a sonne of whom descended the noble linage of our Scipions which were more famous in the feates of armes then their father mother were troubled for want of words Then Faustine marke thys thing it had litle auailed to haue cut out the tongues of the two dombe persons to haue remedyed their loue and not to haue cut out their harts And I shal tel you of Masinissa a worthy knight of Numidie and Sophonissa a famous lady of Carthage al only by one sighte as they sawe eche other on a ladder he declareth his desyre vnto her and shee knowyng hys lust breakynge the oores of feare and lyftyng vp the ankers of shame incontinente raysed the sayles of their hartes and wythe the shippes of their persones they ioyned ech to other here may we see how the first sight of their eyes the knowledge of their parsons the consent of their harts the copulacion of their bodyes the decay of their estates and the losse of their names in one day in one houre in one moment and in one step of a ladder were lost what wil you that I say more to this purpose do you not knowe what Heleyne the Greke and Paris the Troyan of two straunge nacions and of farre countreis with one only sight in a temple their willes wer so knit together that he toke her as his captiue and she abode his prisoner In Paris appeared but smal force and in Heleyne but litle resistence so that in maner those two yong persons the one procuring to vanquyshe and the other suffring to be vanquished Paris was cause of his fathers death and they both of their owne deaths losse to their realmes scaunder to al the world Al this loue grew of one onely sight When great kinge Alexander woulde haue geuen battaile to the Amosones the quene captaine of theym no lesse faire then strong and vertuous came to a riuer side the space of an houre eche of theym behelde an other with their eyes withoute vtteringe of anye worde And when they retourned to their tentes their fiersnes was turned into swete wanton amorous wordes When Pirius the faithfull defender of the Tharrentines and renowmed king of Epirotes was in Italy he came into Naples and had not
entrailes For from that way that thou goest I wil not depart one iote if thou goest I wil go if thou rest I wil rest if thou worke I wil worke if thou leaue of I wil do the same if thou wilt die know thou I wil not liue Loke frend what thou wilt do For thy troubles myne torment both one hart If thou haue displeasure al things dysplease me if thou wepe I swer fro henceforth neuer to laugh if thou discharge the of thy paine fro henceforth I shal take it for myne if thou go alone I wil forsake company and forthwith lyue solytarilie What wilt thou that I should desire For al that euer thou wylt I wyl Thou complainest that in al thy trauayles thou canst find no parent to remedy the nor frend to councel the. I sweare to the frend Piramon that of these ii things I haue as great nede in my house as thou hast sorow in thine I know wel the remedy should come by riches and by councel and consolacion of them that be wise And by reason of my heauy destinyes slouâ—h hath taken from me the knowledge of wisedome and fortune wil not permyt me to haue great riches Certainly I wepe for my myserie and yet there is but smal remedy in me Thou sayst in thy letter that thy neyghbours and frends in promysinge haue behight the many things but in performyng it they do nothyng Hereof I maruaile not for the vertuous hand is not bound to make the tongue a foole Truly our fete daunce our hands should worke at the sowne of the tongue our lyfe endeth in few days and our renowme in fewer Promyse is an auncient custome among the children of vanytie and of custome the tongue speaketh hastely and the hands worke at leisure Now let vs speake more particularly Thou oughtest not to complayne in that thou findest not but in few that dyuers haue founde in the alone it haue bene a custome to receiue merelye and willyngly but to geue slowly and with euyl wil. They that be presumptuous do the one they whych be the slouthful do the other The Greekes saye that he that promyseth and is longe in fulfillynge is but a slacke frende We Romaynes say that he is much better that denyeth forth with because he doth not deceiue him that asketh In this case I saye he that maye geue and geueth not is an open ennemye and he that promyseth foorthwith and is longe before hee perfourme it it is but a suspicious frende What nede wordes to our frendes when we may succour theÌ„ with works It is not right to whom we geue our hartes which is the best thing of our heartes that we geue him our tongue which is the worst thing of our liues In good so the the gods wyll not suffer in the place of amitie to desire any thing of our frende in haste and to be driuen of with long delaying Plato in his lawes saieth we commaunde that in our gouerning politike counsayle be geuen to them that be in prosperitie to the intent that they decaie not and to succour them that be in heuines and trouble to the intent that they dispaire not Certainly vnder these wordes are comprised diuers great sentences Thou knowest well my frende Piramon that swete wordes comfort the harte but litle that is in tribulation vnlesse there be some good works therwith I wyll not denye but that they to whome we haue geuen our good wylles in the tyme of our prosperitie be bounde to geue vs of their goodes and to shewe vs fauour in our aduersitie I demaunde one thyng of thee wherefore holdest thou a presumptuous licence to demaunde and reprouest on the other parte the libertie of denyinge Truly as the shamefast man should not haue denay in any of his requestes being honest so the shameles and importunate man should be denayed what so euer he demaundeth Thou maiest knowe if thou knowe it not my frende Piramon that to attayne to euery thyng that is demaunded belongeth onely to the Gods To geue all thing that is demaunded is the signe of a seruaunt and to deny any thing is a token of libertie To wepe for that is denied is the condition of tyrauntes to be vnthankefull for that is geuen is the condition of Barbarians And to haue a stoute harte though thinges are denied is the guise of the Romaines One of the thinges wherein Caius Caesar shewed him selfe to be of high courage was that he had most greatest ioy when the senate denayed any thing desired by hym Oftentimes he sayed There is nothing where in Rome geueth more glory nor renowme to my persone then when I shewe my selfe most hasty to demaunde and she moste stiffe to denay to the intent that after she should knowe howe great my wyll is to desire and howe that my strength is to acquire Me thinketh it is better to haue recourse to the gods with vertue then to displease them with vices And to geue contentation to thy reposed wil when thou seest thy selfe in tribulation and that thy demaundes of the gods of men be frustrate thou oughtest to measure it with a right measure to wey it in a right balaunce the many things which thei haue geuen thee the few thinges which thei haue denied thee O how vncourteous be we to the gods vngratious to men wheÌ„ we minish with forgetfulnes that we haue receiued of them and that litle that hath bene denied vs we augmente with complaintes Frende Piramon I am beguiled if thou be not fifty yeares of age and all that season thou haste done nothing but receiued giftes and yet for all that I haue not sene thee doe one dayes seruice Certainely it is no reason to complayne of eight dayes of euyl fortune beynge fiftie yeares of age Thou sayest in thy letter howe thou haste muche payne because thou knowest all thy neyghbours to be enuyous In good sothe I haue payne for thy payne and of thy marueylyng I haue great marueyle For all admyration proceadeth of aboundaunce of ignoraunce and faulte of experience Doeth the quicke vnderstanding of men rule the life of them that be mortall that they neade not to thinke of the trauaile to come hauinge in their handes present remedy If they be hungry they may eate when they are colde they may warme them if they be drowsy they may sleape when they be wery they may reste when they are sicke they may be healed and when they are heauy they may reioyce In such maner that the careful lyfe passeth some to make tiltes and listes some to make armoure and scaffolds some to inuente newe ginnes and some to repaire bulwarkes I saye the world and the flleshe doe nought els but fighte against vs we haue nede at all times to defende vs from them All these remedies are against the trauayle of the fleashe But what shall we doe that the cursednesse of enuie endeth not among all these Cursed is that wealth that
Gods wyll that the heire and heritage should perishe Marke what I saye I had two sonnes Comodus and the prince Verissimus the yonger is dead that was greatest in vertue Alway I imagined that whyle the good liued I should be poore and nowe that the euill remayneth I thinke to be riche I will tell thee the cause the Gods are so pitifull that to a poore father they neuer geue euill childe and to a ryche father they neuer geue a good childe And as in all prosperitie there chaunceth alwayes some sinister fortune either sone or late so therewith fortune doth arme and apparell vs wherein she seeth we shall fall to our greatest hurte And therefore the Gods permit that the couetous fathers in gathering with greate trauayle should die with that hurte to leaue their ryches to their vicious children I wepe as muche for my childe that the Gods haue left me as for him that they haue taken from me For the small estimation of him that lyueth maketh immortall memory of him that is dead The ill rest and conuersation of them that liue cause vs to sighe for the company of them that be dead The ill is alway desired for his ilnesse to be dead and the good alwaye meriteth to haue his death bewayled I saye my frende Catullus I thought to haue lost wy wytte when I sawe my sonne Verissimus die but I tooke comforte againe for either he of me or I of him must see the ende considering that the Gods did but lende him to me and gaue him not and howe they be inheritours I to haue the vse of the fruite For all thinges is measured by the iust wyll of the Gods and not by our inordinate wylles and appetites I thinke when they toke away from me my childe I restored him to another and not that they haue taken myne But sithe it is the wyll of the Gods to geue rest to the good childe and hurte the father because he is euill I yelde thankes to theim for the season that they haue suffered me to enioye his life and for the pacience that I haue taken for his death I desire them to mitigate therewith the chasticement of their yre And I desire sith they haue taken away the lyfe from this childe to plante good customes in the prince myne other sonne I knowe what heauinesse thou haste taken in Rome for my sorow I praye the Gods to sende thee ioy of thy children and that I may rewarde thee with some good pleasure for that thou hast wept for my payne My wyfe Faustine saluteth thee and truly thou wouldest haue had compassion to see her for she wepeth with her eies and sigheth with her harte and with her handes hurteth her selfe and curseth with her tongue She eateth nothing on the daye nor sleapeth in the night She loueth darkenes and abhorreth light and thereof I haue no marueyle for it is reason that for that was nourished in her entrayles she should fele sorowe at her hart And the loue of the mother is so strong that though her childe be dead and layed in graue yet alwayes she hath him quicke in her harte It is a general rule that the persone that is entierly beloued causeth euer great griefe at his death And as for me I passe the life right sorowfully though I shew a ioyfull face yet I want mirth at my harte And among wyse men being sorowful and shewing their faces mercy is none other thing but burying the quicke hauing no sepulture And I sweare by the Gods immortall I feele muche more than I haue saide And diuers times me thinke I should fall downe because I dare not wepe with myne eyes yet I fele it inwardly in my harte I would fayne common with thee in diuers thinges Come I praye thee to Briette to the entent that we may speake together And sithe it hath pleased the Gods to take my chylde fro me that I loued so well I would counsayle with thee that arte my louing frende But few dayes passed there came thither an Embassadour fro the Rhodes to whom I gaue the moste parte of my horses and fro the farthest parte of Spayne there were brought me eight of the which I send the foure I would they were such as might please ye. The gods be thy saulfegard send me my wife som coÌ„fort Marcus Aurelius right sorowfull hath written this with his owne hande ¶ A letter sent by Marcus Aurelius Emperour to Catullus Censoâ—ius of the newes which at that time were at Rome Cap. ix MArcus the new Censore to thee Catullus now aged sendeth salutations There are ten daies paste that in the temple of God Ianus I receiued thy letter And I take that same God to witnes that I had rather haue sene thy persone Thou desirest that my letters may be longe but the sshortnes of tyme maketh me to aunswere thee more briefly than I would Thou wyllest me to geue thee knowledge of the newes here Therto I anwere that it were better to demaunde if there were any thing remayning here in Rome or Italy that is olde For nowe by our euill destinies all that is good and olde is ended and newe thinges which be euil nowe begynne The Emperour the Consull the Tribune the Senatours the Ediles the Flamines the Pretours the Centurions all thinges be newe saue the veretues which be old We passe the time in making newe officers in deuisinge newe counsailes in raysing newe subsidies In suche wyse that there hath bene now mo nouelties within these foure yeres theÌ„ in time passed in .400 yeres We now assemble together .300 to couÌ„sel in the capitol and there we bragge and boste sweare and promise that we will exalte the vertuous and subdue the vitious fauour the right and not winke at the wrong punishe the euil and rewarde the good repayre olde and edefie new plucke vices vp by the rootes and to plant vertues to amend the olde and folow the good reproue tyrauntes and assist the poore and when that we are gone from thence they that spake beste wordes are often taken with the worst dedes Oh wicked Rome that now a daies hath such senatours which in sayinge we wil doe we wil doe passe their life and so euery man seking his owne profite forgetteth the weale publyke Oftentimes I am in the senate to behold others as they regard me I maruaile much to heare the eloquence of their wordes the zeale of iustice and the iustification of their persons and after that I come thence I am ashamed to see their secret extortions their damnable thoughtes and their il workes And yet ther is an other thing of more marueile not to be suffered that such persones as are most defamed and vse most wicked vices with their most damnable incencioÌ„s make their auowes to doe moste extreame iustice It is an infallible rule and of humain malice most vsed that he that is most hardy to coÌ„mit greatest crimes is most cruel to
geue sentence against an other for the same offence Me thinke that we beholde our owne faultes as thorowe small nettes whiche cause thinges to seame the lesser but we behold the faultes of other in the water that causeth them to seame greater O how many haue I sene condemned by the Senate for one small faulte done in all their life and yet they them selues commit the same faulte euery houre I haue red that in the time of Alexander the great there was a renowmed pirate on the sea called Dionides which robbed and drowned all shippes that he could get and by cōmaundement of this good king Alexander there was an army sent forth to take him And when he was taken and presented to Alexander the king saide vnto him showe me Dionides why doest thou spoyle on the sea that no shippe can sayle out of the east into the west for thee The pirate aunswered sayd if I spoyle the sea why doest thou Alexander robbe both the sea and lande also O Alexander because I fight with one ship in the sea I am called a thefe and because thou robbest with two hundred shippes on the sea and troublest all the worlde with .200000 men thou art called an Emperour I sweare to thee Alexander if fortune were as fauourable to me and the gods as extreame against thee they would geue me thine empire and geue thee my litle shippe and then peraduenture I should be a better kinge then thou art and thou a worse thefe than I am These were high wordes and wel receiued of Alexander and of trouth to see if his wordes were correspondent to his promises he made him of a pirate a great captaine of an army he was more vertuous on land than he was cruel on the sea I promyse thee Catullus Alexander did right wel therin and Dionides was to be praised greatly for that he had said Now adaies in Italy they that robbe openly are called lordes and they that rob priuely are called theues In the annales of Liuius I haue red that in the second troublous warre punike betwene the Romaines Carthagians there came an Embassadour Lusitain sent from Spain to treate of accorde of peace When he came to Rome he proued before the senate that sithe he entred into Italy he had bene ten tymes robbed of his goodes and whiles he was at Rome he had sene one of them that robbed him hange vp another that had defended him He seing so euill a deede and howe the thefe was saued without iustice as a desperate man tooke a cole and wrote vpon the gibet as foloweth O gibet thou art planted among theues norished among theues squared of theues wrought of theues made of theues set among theues hanged full of innocentes with innocentes The originall of these wordes are in the history of Liuius where the whole Decade was written with black inke and these wordes with red vermilion I can not tel what other newes I should sende thee but that euery thinge is so newe and so tender and is ioyned with so euill sement that I feare me all will fall sodainly to the ground I tell thee that some are sodainly risen within Rome vnto honour whose fall I dare rather assure then life For al buildinges hastely made can not be sure The longer a tree is kept in his kinde the longer it will be ere it be olde The trees whose fruite we eate in sommer do warme vs in wynter O howe many haue we sene wherof we haue marueyled of their rising and bene abashed of their falles They haue growen as a whole piece and sodainly wasted as a skumme Their felicitie hath bene but a short moment and their infortune as a long life Finally they haue made a mylle and layde on the stones of encrease and after a litle grinding left it vnoccupied all the whole yeare after Thou knowest well my frende Catullus that we haue sene Cincius Fuluius in one yeare made consul and his children tribunes his wyfe a matrone for young maydens and beside that made keper of the capitol and after that not in one yere but the same daye we sawe Cincius beheaded in the place his children drowned in Tiber his wife banished fro Rome his house raced down to the groūd and all his goodes confisked to the common treasury This rigorous example we haue not red in any booke to take a copy of it but we haue seene it with our eies to kepe it in our myndes As the nations of people are variable so are the conditions of men diuers And me thinketh this is true seing that some loue some hate that some seke some eschewe and that some sette litle by other make much store In such wise that al can not be content with one thing nor some with al thinges can not be satisfied Let euery man chose as him liste and embrace the world when he wyl I had rather mount a soft pace to the falling and if I can not come therto I wyl abyde by the waye rather then with the sweate to mount hastely and then to tumble downe headlong In this case sithe mens hartes vnderstande it we nede not to wryte further with pennes And of this matter marke not the litle that I doe say but the great deale that I wyl say And sith I haue begon and that thou art in straunge landes I wil write thee al the newes from hence This yeare the .xxv. day of May there came an Embassadour out of Asia saiynge he was of the Isle of Cetin a baron right propre of body ruddy of aspect and hardy of courage He considered being at Rome though the sommers dayes were long yet wynter would drawe on and then would it be daungerous sailyng into this Isle and sawe that his busines was not dispatched On a daie being at the gate of the senate seing al the senatours entre into the Capitol without any armour vpon them he as a man of good spirite and zelatour of his countrey in the presence of vs all sayde these wordes O fathers conscript O happy people I am come from a straunge countrey to Rome onely to see Rome and I haue founde Rome without Rome The walles wherewith it is inclosed hath not brought me hyther but the fame of them that gouerne it I am not come to see the treasoury wherein is the treasure of all Realmes but I am come to see the sacred senate out of the whiche issueth counsayle for all men I came not to see ye because ye vanquishe all other but because I thought you more vertuous then all other I dare well saye one thyng except the Gods make me blynde and trouble myne vnderstanding ye be not Romaines of Rome nor this is not Rome of the Romaines your predecessours We haue heard in our Isle that diuers Realmes haue bene wonne by the valiantnes of one and conserued by the wysdome of all the Senate and at this houre ye are more lyke to lose then to
of a scorpion the forhead of lead in which was writen in two lines these letters M. N. S. N. I S. V S. which in my opinyō signifieth this This picture hath not so many metalles as his life hath chaunges This done ye went to the riuer tyed it with the head douneward a hole day if it had not bene for the good Lady Messelyne I thinke it had bene tyed ther tyl now And now ye amorous Ladyes haue writen me a letter by Fuluius Fabricius whych greued me nothing but as an amorous man from the hands of ladyes I accept it as a mockery And to the intent I shold haue no laysure to thinke theron ye send to demaund a questiō of me that is if I haue found in my bookes of what for what from whence when for whom how women wer first made Because my condiciō is to take mockes for mockes sith you do desire it I wil shew it you Your frēds mine haue writen to me but especially your imbassadour Fuluius hath instantly requyred me so to do I am agreued with nothyng and wyl hold my peace saue to your letter onely I wyl make aunswere And syth there hath bene none to aske the question I protest to none but to you amorous ladyes of Rome I sende my aunswere And if any honest lady wil take the demaunde of you it is a token that she doth enuy the office that ye be of For of trouth that Lady which sheweth her selfe annoyed with your paine openly from henceforth I condemne her that she hath some fault in secret They that be on the stage feare not the roring of the bul they that be in the dongeon feare not the shot of the cannon I wil say the woman of good lyfe feareth no mans slaunderous tongue The good matrons may kepe me for their perpetual seruaunt and the euyl for their chiefe enemy I aunswere It is expedyent you know of what the first women were made I say that according to the aduersities of nacions that are in the world I find dyuers opinyons in this case The Egiptians say that when the riuer Nilus brake and ouer ranne the earth there abode certaine peces of earth whych cleued together and the sonne comyng to them created many wild beastes amongest whom was found the first woman Note ladyes it was necessarie that the floud Nilus should breake out so that the first woman myght be made of earthe Al creatures are nourished and bred in the intrayles of their mothers except the woman whych was bred without a mother And it semeth most true that without mothers ye were borne for without rule ye lyue and with order ye dye Truly he taketh vpon him a great thing and hath many cares in his mynde muche to muse vpon neadeth much councel neadeth long experience ought to chose amongest many women that thinketh to rule one only wife by reason Be the beastes neuer so wild at length the Lyon is ruled by his keaper the bul is enclosed in his parke the horse ruled by the brydel the lytle hoke catcheth the fysh the Oxe contented to yealde to the yoke only a woman is a beast whych wyll neuer be tamed she neuer loseth her boldnes of commaundyng nor by anye bridel wil be commaunded The gods haue made men as men and beastes as beasts mans vnderstanding very high and his strength of great force yet ther is nothing be it of neuer so great power that can escape a woman eyther with sleight or myght But I say to you amorous ladyes ther is neither spurre can make you go raine that can hold you backe bridel that can refraine you neither fishe hoke ne net that can take you to conclude there is no law can subdue you nor shame restraine you nor feare abashe you nor chastisement amend you O to what great peril putteth he himsselfe vnto the thinketh to rule and correct you For if you take an opinyon the whole world cannot remoue you who warneth you of any thing ye neuer beleue him Yf they geue you good councel you take it not if one threaten you straite you complaine If one pray you then are ye proude if they reioyce not in you then are you spiteful If one forbeare you thē are ye bold if one chastice you straite you become serpents Finally a woman wil neuer forget an iniurie nor be thankeful for a benefite receiued Now a days the most symplyst of al women wil swere that they know lesse then they do but I sweare whych of them that knoweth least knoweth more euil then al men and of trouth that wisest man shal faile in their wisedom Wil ye know my ladyes howe lytle you vnderstand how much you be ingnoraunt that is in matters of importaunce ye determine rashly as if ye had studyed on it a thousand yeres if any resiste your councel ye hold him for a mortal ennemy hardy is that woman that dare giue councel to a man and he more bolde that taketh it of a woman but I retourne and saye that he is a foole whych taketh it and he more foole that asketh it but he most foole that fulfilleth it My opinyon is that he which wil not stomble amongest so hard stones not pricke himselfe amongest such thornes nor styng him with so many nettels let him harke what I wil say and do as he shal se speake wel and worke euil In promysing avow much but in perfourmyng accomplishe litle Finally allow your words and condemne your counsels Yf we could demaund of famous mē which are dead how they liked in their life the councel of womē I am sure they would not now rise againe to beleue them nor be reuiued to here them How was king Philippe with Olimpia Paris with Hellen Alexander with Rofana Aneas with Dido Hercules with Deanyrya Anibal with Tamira Antony with Cleopatra Iulius with Domitian Nero with Agrippina and if you wil not beleue what they suffered with them aske of me vnhappye man what I suffer amongest you O ye women when I remember that I was borne of you I loth my lyfe and thinking how I liue with you I wishe desire my death For ther is no such death to tormente as to haue to do with you contrary no such lyfe as to fly from you It is a common saieng among women that men be very vnthankeful because we were bred in your entrailes We order you as seruauntes Ye say for that ye brought vs forth with peril and norished vs with trauaile it is reason that we shold alwayes employ vs to serue you I haue thought diuers tymes with my selfe from whence the desire that man hath to women cometh Ther are no eyes but ought to wepe nor hart but should breake nor spirite but ought to wayle to se a wyse man lost by a foolish woman The foolyshe louer passeth the day to content hys eyes and the darke night in tormenting himselfe wyth sond thoughtes one
keapyng their doughters I sweare that there was neyther grape nor cluster but it was either eaten or gathered by the. Thou diddest eate me grene for the which I promise the it hath set thy teeth on edge Thou sayest I was riped by power of heat and straw It greueth me not so much that thou saiest it as that thou geuest me occasion to say to the thy shame is so shamelesse and thy euil so malicious that I cannot make aunswere to thy purpose onlesse I rubbe the on the quycke I aske the when thou mariedst Faustine whether thou foundest them grene or ripe thou knowest wel and so do I also that other gaged the vessel and thou drankest the lyees other had the meate and thou the huskes other did eate them being grene and with the refuge set thy teath on edge O cursed Marke behold how great thy euels are and how the goddes haue iustly punished the that beinge yonge thou couldest not deserue to be beloued of thy louers nor yet now in thy age thy wife kepe her faith to the. For me to be reuenged of thy parson I nede no more but to se the maried to Faustine By the mother Berecinthia I promise the that if thy smal wisedome mighte attaine to know at the ful what they say of the and her in Rome thou wouldest wepe both day and night for the life of Faustine and not leaue the woful Boemia O Marke litle care is taken for the and how farre is our vnderstanding vncoupled from thy thoughtes For through thy great learninge thy house in the day tyme is a schole of philosophers and the wantonnes of thy wife Faustine in the night maketh it a receite of ruffians It is a iust iudgement of the goddes sith that thy malice onely sufficeth to poison many that be good the euilnes onely of one woman shal be enough to spoile and take away thy good renowm One difference ther is betwene the and me and thy Faustine which is that my facts are in suspect and yours done in deed mine be in secret but yours knowen openly I haue but stombled but you haue fallen For one onely fault I deserue punishment but you deserue pardon for none My dishonour dyed with my fact and is buried with my amendmēt but your infamy is borne with your desires nourished with your malices stil with your works Finally your infamy shal neuer dye for you liued neuer wel O Marke malicious with al that thou knowest dost not thou knowe that to dye wel doth couer an euil fame and to make an end of an euyl life doth begin a good fame Thou ceasest not to say euil onely of suspect which thy false iudgements geueth and yet wouldest thou we shold conceale that we se with our eyes Of one thing I am sure that neyther of the nor of Faustine ther are hath bene any false witnes For ther are so many true euilles that ther neadeth no lyes to be inuented Thou saiest it is an old custome with the amorous ladies in Rome though they take of many yet they are the porest of al because we want credite we are honored for siluer It is most certaine that of holly we loke for pricks of acorns huskes of nettels stinginge and of thy mouth malices I haue seriously noted I neuer heard the say wel of any nor I neuer knew any that would the good What greater punishmēt can I desire for thy wickednes nor more vengeaunce for my iniuries then to se al the amorous ladies of Rome discontented with thy life and ioy to thinke on thy death cursed is the man whose life many do bewaile and in whose death euery one doth reioyce It is the propertie of such vnthankeful wretches as thou art to forget the great good done to them to repent that litle they geue How muche the noble harts do reioyce in geuing to other so much they are ashamed to take seruice vnrewarded For in geuing they are lords in taking they become sclaues I aske what it is thou hast geuen me or what thou hast receiued of me I haue aduentured my good fame and geuen thee possession of my persone I haue made thee lord of me and mine I banished me from my countrey I haue put in perill my life In recompence of this thou dost detect me of misery Thou neuer gauest me ought with thy harte nor I toke it with good will nor it euer did me profite As all thinges recouer a name not for the worke we openly see but for the secrete intention with which we worke Euen so thou vnhappy man desirest me not to enioye my parsonne but rather to haue my money We ought not to call thee a cleare louer but rather a thefe a wily persone I had a litle ring of thine I minde to throwe it into the riuer a gowne thou gauest me which I haue burnt And if I thought my body were increased with the bread I did eate of thine I would cut my fleshe being whole let out my bloud without feare O malicious Marke thy obscured malice wyl not suffer thee to vnderstande my cleare letter For I sent not to thee to aske money to relieue my pouertie and solitarines but only to acknowledge satisfie my willing hart Such vayne couetous men as thou are cōtented with giftes but the hartes incarnate in loue are not satisfied with a litle money For loue is rewarded alway with loue The man that loueth not as a mā of reason but like a brute beast the woman that loueth not where she is beloued but onely for the gaine of her body such ought not to be credited in wordes nor their persones to be honored For the loue of her endes when goods faileth and his loue when her beautie decaieth If the beautie of my face did procure thy loue they riches only allured my good wyl it is right that we should not be called wyse louers but rather folishe persons O cursed Marke I neuer loued thee for thy goodes although thou likedst me for that I was faire Then I loued with my hart now I abhorre thee with all my hart Thou saiest the gods vsed great pitie on me to geue me fewe children them many fathers The greatest faulte in women is shameles the greatest villany in men is to be euill sayers Diuers thinges ought to be borne in the weakenes of women which in the wisedome of men are not permitted I say this for that I neuer saw in the tēperance to cloke thine own maliciousnes nor wisedome to shadow the debilitie of others Thou saiest my children haue many fathers but I sweare to thee that the children of Faustine shal not be fatherles although thou die And if the gods as thou saiest haue ben pitifull to my childrē no lesse art thou to straunge children For Faustine kepeth the but to excuse her faultes to be tutor to her children O cursed Marke thou nedest not take thought for
chose the good for lack of force cannot resiste the euil which is the cause that noble mens children ofttimes cōmit sondrye heynous offences For it is an infallible rule that the more a mā geueth him selfe to pleasures the more he is entangled in vices It is a thing worthy to be noted and woful to see how politike we be to augmente thinges of honour how bolde we be to enterprise them how fortunate to compas them how diligent to kepe them how circumspect to susteine them and afterwarde what pitie is it to see how vnfortunate we are to lose all that whiche so longe time we haue searched for kept and possessed And that which is moste to be lamented in this case is that the goodes and honour are not lost for wante of diligence trauaile of the father but for the aboundaunce of pleasures and vices of the sonne Finallye let the riche man knowe that that which he hath wonne in labour and toyle waking his sonne being euill brought vp shall consume in pleasures sleaping One of the greatest vanities that reigneth at this day among the children of vanitie is that the father can not shew vnto his sonne the loue which he beareth him but in suffering him to be brought vp in the pleasures and vanities of this life Truly he that is such a one ought not to be called a pitifull father but a cruel stepfather for no man wil denie me this but that where there is youth libertie pleasure and money there will all the vices of this world be resident Lycurgus the great king geuer of lawes and sage philosopher ordeined to the Lacedemonians that all the children whiche were borne in cities good townes should be sent to bringe vp in villages till they were .xxv. yeares of age As Liuius saith that the Lygures were which in olde time were confederate with those of Capua and great enemies to the people of Rome They had a lawe amongest them that none should take wages in the warres vnlesse he had bene brought vp in the fieldes or that he had bene a heard man in the mountaines so that through one of these twoo wayes their flesh was hardned their ioyntes accustomed to suffer the heate and the colde and their bodies more mete to endure the trauayles of the warres In the yeare of the foundation of Rome a hundred and fourty the Romaines made cruell warres with the Lygures against whome was sent Gneus Fabritius of the which in the ende he triumphed and the day folowyng this triumphe he spake vnto the Senate these wordes Worthy Senatours I haue bene these fiue yeares against the Ligures and by the immortall gods I swere vnto you that in al this time there passed not one weke but we had either battaile or some perilous skermiche And that whiche a man oughte moste to marueile at is that I neuer perceiued any feare or cowardlynes to be in those barbarous people whereby they were constrained to demaunde peace of the people of Rome These Lygures pursued with suche fearcenes the warres that oftetimes they toke awaye from vs all hope to winne the victory for betwene armies the great might of the one doth put alwayes the others in feare And I wyll tell you fathers conscript their brynging vp to the ende the Romaine youth should take hereby example When they are young they are put to be shepeheardes because they should accustome their fleshe in the mountaines to endure trauaile by the whiche custome they are so much maisters of them selues the countrey being alwayes ful of snowe Ise in the wynter also noisome through the extreame heate in the Sōmer that I sweare by the god Apollo in al this time of fiue yeres of those we haue not sene one prease to the fire in the winter nor couet the shadow in the sommer Do not ye thinke worthy Senatours that I was willing to declare vnto you these thinges in the Senate for any desire I haue that you should esteame any thing the more my triumphe but I doe tell it you to this ende that you may haue an eie and take heade to your men of warre to the ende they may alwayes be occupied and that you suffer them not to be idle For it is more perilous for the Romaine armies to be ouercome with vices then to be disconfited with their enemies And to talke of these matters more at large me thinketh they should prouide commaunde that riche men should not be so hardy to bring vp their children to delicatly for in the ende it is vnpossible that the delicate persone should winne with his handes the honour of many victories That which moued me to saye so muche as I haue sayed worthy Senatours is to the end you may know that the Ligures were not ouercome by the power of Rome but because fortune was against them And since in nothing fortune sheweth her selfe so variable as in the thinges of warre me thinketh that though the Ligures are nowe vanquished ouercome yet notwithstanding you ought to entertaine them in loue to take them for your confederates For it is not good councell to hazarde that into the handes of fortune which a man may compasse by frendship The authour of this whiche is spoken is called Iunius Pratus in the booke of the concorde of Realmes and he saith in that place that this captaine Gneus Fabritius was counted no lesse sage for that he spake then esteamed valiaunte for that he did In the olde time those of the Iles Balleares whiche nowe are called Maiorque and Minorque though they were not counted wyse yet at the least in bringing vp their children they shewed them selues not negligent Because they were brought vp in hardnes in their youth and could not endure all painefull exercises of the warres Those of Carthage gaue fiue prisoners of Rome for one sclaue of Maiorque Diodorus Siculus saith in those Iles the mother did not geue the children bread with their own handes but they did put it on an high pole so that they might see the bread with their eies but they could not reache it with their handes Wherefore when they woulde eate they should firste with hurling of stones or slinges winne it or elles faste Though the worke were of children yet the inuention came of a high wyt And hereof it came that the Balleares were esteamed for valiaunt mē as well in wrastling as in slinges for to hurle for they did hurle with a slinge to hit a white as the Lygures shoote nowe in a crosse bowe to hitte the prick Those of great Britayne whiche nowe we call Englande amongest all the Barbarous were men most barbarous but you ought to knowe that within the space of fewe yeares the Romaines were vanquished of them many tymes For tyme in all thinges bringeth such chaunge alteration that those which once we knew great lordes within a while after we haue sene them sclaues Herodian in his hystory of Seuerus
to lawe and the christian wyth the pagan without comparison the soule of a christian oughte more to be estemed then the lyfe of a Romayne For the good Romaine obseruethe it as a lawe to dye in the warre but the good christian hathe this precepte to lyue in peace Suetonius Tranquillus in the seconde booke of Cesars sayethe That amonge all the Romayne prynces there was noe prynce so wellbeloued nor yet in the warres so fortunate as Augustus was And the reason hereof is beecause that prynce neuer beganne anye warre vnlesse by greate occasyon he was thereunto prouoked O of how many prynces not ethnicks but christians we haue hearde and reade all contrarye to thys whyche is that were of suche large conscience that theye neuer tooke vppon them anye warre that was iuste to whom I sweare and promyse that since the warre which they in thys worlde beeganne was vniuste the punishemente whiche in an other theye shall haue is moste righteous Xerxes kynge of the Perses beynge one dayeat dynner one broughte vnto hym verye faire and sauourye fygges of the prouince of Athens the whyche beeinge sette at the table he sweare by the immortal goddes and by the bones of his predecessours that he would neuer eate fygges of hys countreye but of Athens whych were the beste of all Greece And that whyche by woorde of mouthe kynge Xerxes sweare by valiaunt dedes withe force and shielde he accomplished and wente foorthwith to conquere Gretia for noe other cause but for to syll him selfe wythe the sygges of that countreye so that he beganne that warre not onelye as a lyghte prynce but also as a vicious man Titus Liuius sayethe that when the Frenche men did cast of the wine of Italy immediately they put them selues in armes and went to conquere the countreye witheout hauinge anye other occasion to make warre againste them So that the Frenchemen for the lycorousnes of the pleasaunt wynes loste the deare bloude of theire owne hartes Kyng Antigonus dreamed one nighte that he sawe kinge Methridates withe a fyeth in hys hande who lyke a mower dyd cut all Italy And there fell suche feare to kynge Antigonus that he determined to kyll kynge Methridates so that this wicked prince for credytinge a lighte dreame set all the worlde in an vprore The Lumberdes beeinge in Pannonia herde saye that there was in Italy sweete fruites sauowry fleshe odoriferous wynes faire women good fish litle colde and temperate heate the whyche newes moued them not onelye to desire them but also theye toke weapons to goe conquere Italye So that the Lombardes came not into Italye to reuenge them of theire enemies but to bee there more vicious and riotous The Romaynes and the Carthagiens were friendes of longe time but after they knew there was in Spaine great mynes of golde and of siluer immediatelye arose betweene them exceadynge cruell warres so that those twoe puissaunt realmes for to take eche from other their goods destroyed their own proper dominions The authors of the aboue said were Plutarchus Paulus Diaconus Berosus Titus Liuius O secret iudgements of god which suffreth such thyngs O mercyful goodnes of thee my Lord that ê‘mitteth such things that through the dreame of on price in his chaÌ„ber another for to robbe the treasures of Spayne another to fly the colde of Hungary another to drinke the wines of Italy another to eat figges of Grece shoulde put al the countrey to fire bloud Let not my pen be cruel against al princes which haue vniust warres For as Traianus said Iust warre is more worthe then fayned peace I commend approue and exalt princes whiche are carefull stout to kepe and defende that which their predecessours lefte them For admit that for dispossessing them hereof cometh all the breache with other Princes Loke how much his enemy offendeth his conscience for taking it so much offendeth he his common wealth for not defending it The wordes whiche the diuine Plato spake in the first booke of his laws dyd satisfye me greatly which were these It is not mete we should be to extreme in coÌ„mending those which haue peace nor let vs be to vehement in reprouing those whiche haue warre For it may be now that if one haue warre it is to the end to attaine peace And for the contrary if one haue peace it shal be to the ende to make warre In deede Plato sayde verye true For it is more worthe to desire shorte warre for longe peace then short peace for longe warre The philosopher Chilo being demauÌ„ded whereby a good or euil gouernour might be knowen he auÌ„swered There is nothing wherby a good and euill man maye be better knowen then in that for the which they striue For the tyranous Prince offrethe him selfe to dye to take from an other but the vertuous prince trauaileth to defend his own WheÌ„ the redemer of this worlde departed from this worlde he sayde not I geue ye my warre or leaue ye my warre but I leaue ye my peace and geeue you mye peace Thereof ensuethe that the good christian is bounde to keepe the peace which Christ so muche commaunded then to inuent warre to reuenge his proper iniurye which god so much hated If princes dyd that they oughte to doe and in this case woulde beleue me for no temporall thing they shoulde condescend to shed mans bloud if nothinge els yet at the leaste the loue of hym whiche on the crosse shed hys precious bloude for vs shoulde from that cleane disswade vs. For the good Christians are commaunded to bewaile theire owne sinnes but they haue no licence to shed the bloude of their enemies Fynally I desire exhorte and further admonishe al princes and great lordes that for his sake that is prince of peace they loue peace procure peace kepe peace and liue in peace For in peace they shal be rich their people happye ¶ Themperour Marcus Aurelius writeth to his friend Cornelius wherein he dyscribeth the discomodyties of warre and the vanitie of tryumphe Cap. xiiij MArcus Emperoure wysheth to thee Cornelius hys faithful frend helth to thye person and good lucke against all euill fortune Withein fiftene daies after I came from the warre of Asia whereof I haue triumphed here in Rome remembrynge that in times paste thou weare a companyon of my trauaile I sent immedyatly to certyfy thee of my triuÌ„phes For the noble harts do more reioice of their friÌ„ds ioy theÌ„ they do of their own proê‘ delights If thou wilt take pains to come wheÌ„ I seÌ„d to cal thee be thou assured that on the one part thou shalt haue much plesure to se the great abuÌ„daÌ„s of riches that I haue brought out of Asia to beeholde mye receiuinge into Rome on the other thou canst not kepe thy selfe from weepinge to se suche a sorte of captiues the which entred in before the triuÌ„phant chariotes bounde naked to augment to the coÌ„querours most glory also to them vanquished to be a greater
of the earth and deaw of heauen So that the sustenance for men is called meate and that of plāts trees Increase This beeing true therefore that wee haue spoken wee must needes confesse that to lyue wee must eat and yet with all wee must vnderstand that the synne of gluttony consisteth not in that that wee eat for necessity but onely in that that is eaten with a disordinat appetite and desire And sure now adays men vse not to eat to content nature but to please their lycorous and deinty mouthes Hee that geeueth him self ouer to the desire of the throte dooth not onely offend his stomack and distemper his body but hurteth also his conscience For al gluttons and dronkards are the children or the brothers of synne And I speak but lytle to say that the mouth sinne are cosin germayns togethers for by they re effects and operations mee thinketh them so knyt and combined together as the father and the sonne Syth burning leachery acknowlegeth none other for her mother but onely the insatiable and gurmand throte And the dyuersity of meats is but a continual importunat awaking of dishonest thoughts Doo wee not read of saint Iherom that albeit hee remayned in the wildernes burned of the sunne his face dryed vp and wrinckled barefooted and also bare headed clothed with sackcloth his body scourged with bitter stripes watchinge in the night and fasting in the day cōtinually exercising his penne and his hart in contemplacion and yet for all this greeuous penance hym self confessed that in his sleepe hee dreamed and thought hee was among the courtisans of Rome And saint Paule the apostle who was a man of rare and exquisite knowledge and deserued to see the very secrets of paradise neuer heretofore seen trauailing in his vocation more then any other of the apostels did not hee get his liuing with his own hāds and also went a soote preaching through all the world bringyng infynit barbarous people to the fayth of christ being beaten in the day tyme by others for that hee was a christian and in the night tyme hee beat him self for that hee was a sinner punishing the flesh to make it subiect to the spirit And yet neuertheles hee sayth also of hym self that hee coold not defend him self from dishonest thoughts which did euer let him to preach and pray with a quiet mynd Saint Austin reciteth of him self in his booke de confessionibus that al the while hee inhabited in the deserts hee eat litle wrote much prayd oft and sharply chastised his body with continuall fasts and greeuous disciplines But yet perceauing that notwithstanding all this his dishonest thoughts suppressed hys holy desires hee beganne to crie with a lowd voyce thorough the deserts rocky hills saying O lord my god thou commaundest mee to bee chast but this frayle and accursed flesh can neuer keepe yt And therefore I humbly beseech thee fyrst to indue mee with thy grace to doo that thou wilt haue mee then commaūd mee what shall please thee otherwise I shal neuer doo yt If therefore these glorious saints with their continuall fasts and contemplations and extreame punishing of theyr bodyes could not defend them selues from the burning motion of the flesh how shall wee beleeue that a company of dronkards and gluttons can doo yt which neuer lynne bibbyng and eatyng Wee may bee assured that the lesse wee pamper and feede our bodies with delicacy idlenes the more wee shall haue them obedient and subiect to our willes For though wee see the fier neuer so great flaming yet it quickly wasteth is brought to ashes if wee leaue to put more woode vnto yt Excesse is not onely vnlawful for the boddy but it is also occasion of a thousād dyseases both to the body the soule For to say troth wee haue seene more rych mē dye through excesse thē poore mē of necessity And in my opiniō mee thynkes the sinne of Gluttony neede not to bee otherwise punyshed by diuine iustice syth that of yt selfe yt brīgeth penance inough And to prooue this trew let vs but require these gluttōs to tel vs vpon theyr othes how they fynd thē selues in tēper beeyng ful paūched they wil confesse to vs that they are worse at ease thē yf they had fasted That their mouth is dry their body heauy yl disposed that their head aketh their stomack is colde that their eyes are slepy their bellye 's ful but yet that they desire to drink styll And therefore Diogenes Cinicus deryding the Rodians sayd these woords O you dronken gluttonus Rodians tell mee I beseech you what occasion mooues you to goe to the church to pray to the gods to geeue you health whē at al tymes keeping sober diet you may keepe yt with you And more ouer hee sayd vnto thē also yf you wil bee ruled by my coūcel I tel you you neede not goe to the churches to beseech the gods to graūt you health but onely to pray to them to pardon you your synnes iniquities you dayly cōmit Also Socrates the philosopher was wōt to say to his disciples of the vnyuersity of Athens Remēber O you Athenians that in the wel gouerned pollycies mē lyue not to eat to glut the body but doo onely eat to lyue sustayn the body O graue saiyng of the good philosopher I woold to god euery good christian would cary this lesson in mynd For if wee woold but let nature alone geeue her lyberty dispositiō of her self shee is so honest of such temperaūce that shee will not leaue to eat that that shall suffice her neither wil also trouble vs with that that is superfluous Yet an other foule offence bringeth this vice of Gluttony that is that many put them selues in seruice to wayt on others not somuch for the ordinary fare that is commonly vsed in their house as for the desire they haue to fyll theyr bellies with dainty and superfluous meats And in especiall whē they know they make any mariages or feasts for their frends then they geeue double attendance not consēted alone with that themselues haue eaten but further in remembraunce of the worthy feast committeth to the custody of his trusty cater hys great hose perhaps a two or three days store of those rare dainty dishes which I am ashamed to write and much more ought they to bee ashamed to doo yt For that mā that professeth to bee a mā ought to inforce himself neuer to engage his liberty for that that his sēsual appetite incyteth him to but onely for that that reason byndeth hym to Aristippus the phylosopher washyng lettyse one day with his owne hāds for his supper by chaūce Plautus passing by that way and seeyng hym sayd If thou wooldst haue serued Kyng Dionisius wee should not haue seene thee eat lettises as thou doost now Aristippus aūswered him again O Plautus if thou wert cōtent to eat of these lettyses