monie For they that are touched with this maladie follow after riches with such zeale as if they supposed that when they had gotten them no more euill should come neere them And then also they set so light by those which they haue that they burne with the desire of hauing more How then shall we call that good which hath no end or measure Or that which being gotten is the beginning of a further desire to haue more A horse saith Epictetus is not said to be better bicause he hath eaten more than another or bicause he hath a gilt harnesse but bicause he is stronger swifter and better made for euery beast is accounted of according to his vertue And shall a man be esteemed according to his riches ancestors and beautie If any man thinke that his old age shall be borne more easilie by the meanes of riches he deceiueth himselfe For they may well cause him to enioy the hurtfull pleasures of the bodie but cannot take from him sadnes horror and feare of death nay rather they double his griefe when he thinketh that he must leaue and forsake them In this short discourse taken from ancient men the vanitie of riches appeereth sufficiently vnto vs as also the hurtfull effects that flow from them if they be not ruled by the reason of true prudence Heereafter we are to see how we may vse those riches wel which God putteth into our hands being iustly gotten by vs which is a part of iustice whereof we are to intreat In the meane time that we fasten not our harts to so friuolous and vaine a thing let vs call to mind some examples of wise and famous men woorthie of immortall renowne who haue altogither contemned eschewed and despised the couetous desire and hoording vp of riches as the plague and vnauoidable ruine of the soule We read of Marcus Curius a Romane Consul the first of his time that receiued thrice the dignitie of triumphing for the notable victories which he obtained in the honor of his countrey that he made so small account of worldlie riches that all his possession was but a little farme in the countrey soryly built wherein he continued for the most part when publike affaires suffered him labouring and tilling himselfe that little ground which he had there And when certaine Embassadors vpon a day came to visite him they found him in his chimney dressing of reddish for his supper And when they presented him with a great summe of monie from their Comminaltie he refused it saying that they which contented themselues with such an ordinarie as his was had no need of it and that he thought it farre more honorable to command them that had gold than to haue it Phocion the Athenian being visited with Embassadors from Alexander they presented him with a hundred Talents being in value three score thousand crownes which this Monarch sent vnto him for a gift Phocion demanding the cause why seeing there were so many Athenians besides him they answered bicause their maister iudged him onely among all the rest to be a vertuous and good man Then quoth he let him suffer me both to seeme and to be so in deede and carie his present backe againe to him Notwithstanding he was needie as may be prooued by the answer which he made to the Athenian Councell who demanded a voluntarie contribution of euery one towards a sacrifice And when there were no moe left to contribute but he they were verie importunate with him to giue somewhat It were a shame for me said he vnto them to giue you monie before I haue paied this man and therewithall he shewed one vnto them that had lent him a certaine summe of monie Philopaemen Generall of the Achaians hauing procured a league of amitie betweene the citie of Sparta his owne the Lacedemonians sent him a present of sixe score Talents which were woorth three score and twelue thousand crownes But refusing it he went purposely to Sparta where he declared to the Councell that they ought not to corrupt and win honest men or their friends with monie seeing in their need they might be assured of thē and vse their vertue freely without cost but that they were to buy and gaine with hired rewards the wicked such as by their seditious orations in the Senate house vsed to raise mutinies and to set the citie on fire to the end that their mouthes being stopped by gifts they might procure lesse trouble to the gouernment of the Common-wealth A great Lord of Persia comming from his countrey to Athens and perceiuing that he stood in great neede of the aid and fauour of Cimon who was one of the chiefe in the citie he presented vnto him two cups that were both full the one of Dariques of gold the other of siluer Dariques This wise Grecian beginning to smile demanded of him whether of the twaine he had rather haue him to be his friend or his hireling The Persian answered that he had a great deale rather haue him his friend Then said Cimon carie backe againe thy gold and siluer For if I be thy friend it will be alwaies at my commandement to vse as often as I shall neede Anacreon hauing receiued of Polycrates fiue Talents for a gift was so much troubled for the space of two nights with care how he might keepe them and about what to imploy them best that he caried them backe againe saying that they were not woorth the paines which he had alrcadie taken for them Xenocrates refused thirtie thousand crownes of Alexander sent vnto him for a present saying that he had no neede of them What quoth Alexander hath he neuer a friend For mine owne part I am sure that all king Darius treasure will scarce suffice me to distribute among my friends Socrates being sent for by king Archelaüs to come vnto him who promised him great riches sent him word that a measure of floure was sold in Athens for a Double and that water cost nothing And although it seemeth quoth this Philosopher that I haue not goods enough yet I haue enough seeyng I am contented therewith What is necessarie sayd Menander for the vse of our life besides these two things Bread and Water Bias flying out of his citie which he foresawe would be besieged without hope of rescue would not lode himselfe with his wealth as others did And being demaunded the cause why I cary quoth he all my goods with me meaning the inuisible gifts graces of his mind Truly gold and siluer are nothing but dust and precious stones but the grauell of the sea And as Pythagoras said we ought to perswade our selues that those riches are not ours which are not inclosed in our soule According to which saying Socrates when he saw that Alcibiades waxed arrogant bicause of the great quantitie of ground which he possessed shewed him an vniuersall Map of the world and asked him whether he knew
generally so manie wonderfull works vnder the cope of heauen I cannot maruell enough at the excellencie of Man for whom all these things were created are maintained and preserued in their being and moouing by one and the same diuine prouidence alwaies like vnto it selfe AMANA There is nothing more certaine than this that all things whatsoeuer either the eie can behold or the eare heare were created for the benefit profit and vse of man and that he was made excellent aboue all things to rule ouer them yea the very Angels are sent to minister for their sakes which shall receiue the inheritance of saluation ARAM. Oh vnspeakable and heauenlie goodnesse which hast created man little lower than thy selfe and crowned him with glorie and worship But tell vs I pray thee ACHITOB more particularly what this great and principall worke of nature Man is to what end his being was giuen him and how he hath shewed foorth the fruits thereof For it â—â—st needes be that there is something in him greatly to be woondered at seeing all things were created to serue and obey him ACHITOB. Truely yee haue reason companions to begin our happie assembly with that knowledge which we ought to haue of our selues as being the storehouse of all wisdome and beginning of saluation wherof we may haue an assured testimonie from that father of Philosophie Socrates who beholding the first precept written at Delphos in that temple of Apollo which was so renowmed throughout Graecia namely Know thy selfe was foorthwith driuen into a very deepe cogitation and being rapt with contemplation of spirit he began from that time forward to doubt and to inquire of himselfe Wherupon contemning that way which all the Philosophers of his time who busied themselues about nothing but onely in finding out the causes of naturall things and in disputing curiously of them he gaue himselfe wholie to the knowledge of himselfe I meane of his soule which he maintained to be in deed man and by disputuation to intreat of the soueraigne good thereof and of vertue By which meanes the gate of wisedome was opened vnto him wherein he profited in such sort that according to the oracle at Delphos he was called of all men the wise the iust the prince of Philosophers and father of Philosophie And surely out of his sayings which being more diuine than humane were written by his disciples all other Philosophers haue drawne their knowledge Heraclitus another excellent man minding to giue out in speech that he had done some notable act woorthy of himselfe said I haue sought my selfe Which beginning truely is verie necassarie for man as being a guide to leade him to the true knowledge of God which is a heauenly gifte of God and peculiar to his And this is learnedly taught vs by the same Socrates where he saith that the dutie of a wise man is to seeke out the reasons of things that in the ende he may finde that diuine reason wherby they were made and hauing found it may worship and serue it that afterward he may enioy it and reape profite thereby Moreouer he addeth that the perfect knowledge of ones selfe which consisteth in the soule is in such sort ioined with the knowledge of God that the one without the other cannot be sincere and perfect And for the same reason Plato his disciple who for the excellencie of his writings was surnamed the Diuins saith that the perfect dutie of man is first to know his owne nature then to contemplate the diuine nature and last of all to bestow his labour in those things which may be most beneficiall to all men Ignorance of a mans selfe saith Lactantius and the want of knowledge wherefore and to what end he is borne is the cause of error of euill of leauing the right way to follow the crooked of wandring out of the plaine way to walke in the ragged and vneeuen way or vpon a dangerous and slipperie mountaine and lastly of forsaking the light to walke in darknes Now if we account it a shamefull thing to be ignorant of those things which belong to the life of man surely the not knowing of our selues is much more dishonest Let vs then consider what man is according to that meane knowledge which by the grace of God we are endued withal not staying in those curious definitions which the Philosophers haue made Man is a creature made of God after his owne image iust holy good and right by nature and compounded of soule and body I say of soule which was inspired of God with spirite and life and of a perfect naturall bodie framed of the earth by the same power of God In this sort man had his beeing of the eternal workmaster of the whole world of whom he was created by his incomprehensible goodnes to be made partaker of his immortalitie and permanent felicitie for this onely ende to set foorth the glorie of his Creator and to speake and do those things that are agreeable vnto him through the acknowledgement of his benefits From which ende man being fallen of his own free wil through ingratitude and disobedience was bereaued of all those ornaments which he had receiued before of God and in steede of righteousnes and holines all iniquitie filthines and vncleannes entred into him wherby he was made the slaue of sinne and of death from whence all those miseries had their beginning wherewith the life of man is ouerwhelmed His soule also was wrapped with infinite hurtfull passions and perturbations which worke in it a continuall disquietnes and his body became subiect to innumerable trauailes and violent vntowardnes Of which corruption the ancient Philosophers had great and assured knowledge but the first and true cause therof which was sinne and the voluntarie fall of man with his restoring vnto grace by the vnspeakeable goodnes and mercie of his Creator from whence he was fallen were alwaies hidden from them as we shall see anon as also from an infinite number of men who liuing holily according to the world neuer had the perfect knowledge of God in his eternall sonne As for any good thing whatsoeuer they vttered or found out it came through earnestnes of studie by discoursing and considering in the reasonable part of their soule of those things which offred themselues to their minde But forasmuch as they were not wholy ouerwhelmed in euery part of reason and yet had no knowledge of the heauenly word Iesus Christ they vttered many things contrarie one to another and in the midst of their great and woonderfull skill according to that saying of the Scripture who hideth his secrets from the prudent and reueleth them to babes they had a continuall troubled spirit wandring here and there aswell in the seeking out of themselues and of the causes of naturall things as of those things which are aboue nature And truely the reason of man naturally ingraffed in his hart which so farre foorth
such as wil cause thē to buy the violating of so holy a thing very deerly seeing they spare not him who calleth himself equitie iustice it selfe Further if as histories teach vs some haue been so wretched miserable as to giue themselues to the Art of Necromancie and to contract with the deuill that they might come to soueraigne power and authoritie what other thing how strange soeuer it be will not they vndertake that suffer themselues to be wholy caried away with this vice of ambition It is ambitiō that setteth the sonne against the father and imboldeneth him to seeke his destruction of whom he holdeth his life Henry the fift by force depriued his father from the Empire caused him to die miserably in prison Fredericke the third after he had raigned thirtie yeeres was miserably strangled by Manfroy his bastard sonne whom he had made prince of Tarentum And after he had committed this Parricide he poisoned his brother Conradus lawfull inheritor to Fredericke that he might make himselfe king of Naples Antoninus Geta brothers successors in the Empire to Seuerus their father could not suffer one another to enioy so large a Monarchie for Antoninus slew his brother Geta with a dagger that himself might rule alone Solyman king of the Turkes grandfather to him that now raigneth when he heard the loud acclamations and shoutes for ioy which all his armie made to Sultan Mustapha his sonne returning out of Persia after he had caused him to be strangled in his outward chamber and presently to be cast out dead before his whole armie he made this speech to be published with a loud voice that there was but one God in heauen and one Sultan vpon earth Within two dayes he put to death Sultan Soba bicause he wept for his brother and Sultan Mahomet his third sonne bicause he fled for feare leauing one onely aliue to auoid the inconueniencie of many Lordes These are but of the smaller fruits of this wild plant of ambition in respects of those that cause men to put innocents to death that themselues may take surer footing to growe vp and encrease And no doubt but for the most part iust punishment for example to mē foloweth such an ambitious passion whereof there are infinite examples both in the Greeke and Latin histories Marcus Crassus a Romane Consul and the richest man in his time not contenting himself with many goodly victories gotten by him but burning with an excessiue ambition and desire of new triumphes and being iealous of Caesars glory obtained by his great feats of armes presumed at the age of three score yeeres to vndertake the warre agaynst Arsaces king of the Parthians contrary to the will of the Senate feeding himselfe with vaine hope which led him to a shameful death ioyned with publike losse and calamitie For being ouercome and his armie discomfited he was miserably slaine with twentie thousand of his men tenne thousand taken prisoners Marius hauing passed through al the degrees of honor and been six times Consul which neuer any Romane before was not content with all this would notwithstanding take vnto himselfe the charge of the warre against Mithridates which fell to Sylla by lot euen then when he was weakened with olde age thinking with himselfe to get the Consulship the seuenth time and to continue that soueraigne authoritie in his owne person But this was the cause of his vtter ouerthrow of that slaughter wherby all Italy Spaine were imbrued with bloud by Sylla the popular estate brought in the end to extreme tyrannie Spurius Melius a Senator of Rome was murthered for his ambition and his house rased by Cincinnatus the Dictator because he sought by meanes of a certain distribution of wheate to make himself king of Rome Marcus Manlius was also vpon the like occasion throwen downe headlong from the toppe of a rocke Therefore it appeereth sufficiently vnto vs how pernitious this vice of ambition is in the soules of great men and worthy of perpetuall blame And although the matter be not of so great waight when they that follow this vicious passion are but meane men and of small account yet we are to know that all they depart farre from dutie and honestie who for the obtaining of glorie and renowne shew themselues inflamed and desirous to excel others in all those things which they ought to haue common together for the mutuall aide and comfort of euery one Onely we must seeke without pride and enuie after excellencie and preferment in that which is vertuous and profitable for humain societie contenting our selues notwithstanding with that which we are able to performe so we shall neuer be blamed but iustly may we be condemned if we vndertake that which is aboue our strēgth Especially let our desires and passions giue place to the benefit of the Common-wealth as heretofore Cretes and Hermias two great men of Magnesia delt one towards an other Their citie being besieged by Mithridates themselues hauing before been at great strife for honor preheminence Cretes offered Hermias to let him haue the charge of captaine generall in the meane time he would depart the citie or if he had rather depart that he should leaue that office to him This offer he made lest if both of them should be together their ielousie might breed some mischief to their countrey Hermias seeing the honest offer of his companion and knowing him to be more expert in feats of war willingly surrendred the authority of cōmanding vnto him Now to end our present discourse let vs learne to know their outragious folly who for imaginarie honors and those of so smal continuance that the wise mā compareth them to smoke dispersed of the wind desire nothing more than to run out the race of their days in continuall miseries and calamities trauels and cares depriuing themselues of all libertie and which is worse pawning their soules to an eternall and most miserable thraldome Thus let vs detest ambition which is an infinite euil and companion of pride so much hated of God and men Let vs consider a little that point of Philosophy which we find written by Traian to Plutarke I enuie sayd this good prince Cincinnatus Scipio Africanus and Marcus Portius more for their contempt of offices than for the victories which they haue gotten bicause a conqueror is for the most part in fortunes power but the contempt and refusall of offices and honours consisteth onely in prudence Let vs marke well the example of the emperor Flauius Vespasianus who being admonished by his friends to beware of one Metius Pomposianus bicause it was a common rumor that he should one day be emperor was so farre from procuring him any harme or displeasure or from hating or enuying him as it is the propertie of ambitious men to feare aboue all things least their estate be touched bicause they would raigne alone that
the renowme of his high enterprises got to himselfe the surname of Great being readie to saile by sea and to passe into Italy whether he was to cary a certaine quantitie of wheate to meete with a famine according to the commission giuen him of the Senate there arose a very great tempest insomuch that the mariners made great doubt to weigh vp their anchors But his resolution beeing well made before and grounded vpon the dutie of a noble hart he tooke shipping first of all and caused the sailes to be spread in the wind saying with a loud and cleare voice It is necessarie that I go but not necessarie that I liue Caius Marius who was six times Consul being in war against the Allies of the Romanes that were reuolted inclosed himselfe one day with trenches and suffered a thousand iniuries and vaunting speeches both of his enimies and of his owne men but yet cared nothing at all for them nor went from his deliberation which was that he would not fight at that time And when Publius Sillo one of the chiefe captaines of the enimie cried vnto him saying If thou art such a great Captaine Marius as men report of thee come out of thy campe to battell Nay doe thou quoth he againe vnto him if thou art a great Captaine compell me to come out to battell in despite of my teeth Afterward this Marius shewed himselfe to be one of the most valiant and courageous men of his time aswell in the discomfiture of the said enemies as in two other battels which he wan against the barbarous Cimbrians and Flemings who were entred into Italy to inhabite there in one of which battels about a hundred thousand fighting men were slaine in the field Agis king of Lacedemonia being resolued to fight his Councellors told him that there was no reason so to doe bicause his enemies were ten against one It must needs be quoth this courageous Prince that he which will command many must fight also against many We are enough to put naughtie men to flight The Lacedemonians vse not to aske what number there is of the enemies but onely where they are The answer which Dienecus made to one that told the Councell of Grecia that the multitude of the Barbarians was so great that their arrowes couered the sunne commeth neere to the courageous saying of king Agis For concluding with their opinion who perswaded to fight Dienecus made this answer Thou tellest vs very goodnewes For if the multitude of the Medes is such that they are able to hide the Sunne they will offer vs the meanes how to fight in the shadowe and not in the heate of the Sunne We may not heere passe ouer with silence the testimonie of inuincible Fortitude which alwaies findeth meanes to effect hir glorious purposes giuen by Themistocles when he saw the sundrie opinions of the Chieftaines of the Grecian armie vnder the leading of Euribiades the Lacedemonian touching the place where they should fight with Xerxes fleet The greatest part determined to forsake Salamis where they were at that time and to retire to Peloponnesus fearing the great force of their enimies who were about twelue hundred vessels whereas they themselues had but three hundred But Themistocles sent Sicinnus his childrens Schoolemaister secretly in a Sciffe towards the Persians aduertising them of the resolution which the Grecians had taken to flie faining as he made Xerxes beleeue that he fauored their side Vpon this watchword Xerxes sent part of his armie to the other side of Salamis Whereupon the Grecians considering that they were enuironed resolued and setled themselues as men constrained to fight and in deed the victorie remained on their side to the confusion ouerthrow of their enemies who departed out of Grecia which otherwise would haue been greatly shaken had not Themistocles vsed this notable stratageme thereby to staie the shamefull flight of his Countreymen It was this vertue of Fortitude which caused Damindas the Lacedemonian to make this answer to one who told him that the Lacedemonians were in danger to suffer much mischiefe if they agreed not with Philip who was armed against the Grecians O my friend quoth he that art halfe a woman what euill can he cause vs to suffer seeing we make no account of death it selfe Dercyllides being sent from Sparta towards king Pyrrhus to know wherefore he marched with his armie vpon their borders and vnderstanding of him that he commanded them to receiue againe their king Cleonymus whome they had banished or else he would let them know that they were not more valiant than others alreadie subdued by him made this answer If thou art a God we feare thee not bicause we haue not offended thee but if thou art a man thou art no better than we The answer which certaine Polonian Embassadors made to Alexander the Great who threatned their countrey sheweth also the excellencie of their courage We are afraid quoth they to him but of one only thing namely least the skie should fall vpon vs. Thunder as Plato saith terrifieth children and threatnings fooles Anaxarchus being likewise threatned by the same Monarke that he should be hauged Threaten this quoth he to thy Courtiers who feare death for my part I care not whether I rot in the ground or aboue ground Socrates also answered thus to one that asked him whether he were not ashamed to commit any thing that would procure his death My friend thou doest not well to thinke that a vertuous man ought to make any account either of danger or of death or to consider any other thing in all his actions than this whether they are iust or vniust good or bad If we desire to see farther what effects Fortitude bringeth foorth in the greatest and most sinister dangers Marcus Crassus shal serue vs for sufficient proofe When he was three skore yeeres of age albeit he had receiued the foile in a battell against the Parthians wherein the greatest part of his armie was destroied and his sonne being Captaine of a thousand men was slaine whose death seemed more to astonish the rest of his men than anye other danger yet he shewed himselfe in this mishap more vertuous than euer before went through all his bands crying aloud in this manner It is I alone my friends whome the sorow and griefe of this losse ought to touch But the greatnes of the fortune and glorie of Rome remaineth whole and inuincible as long as ye stand on your feete Notwithstanding if yee haue any compassion of mee seeing mee loose so valiant and vertuous a sonne I praye you shewe the same by changing it into wrath against your enemies to take vengeance of their crueltie and be not abashed for any mishap befallen vs for great thinges are not gotten without losse Patience in trauels and Constancie in aduersities haue brought the Romane Empire to that greatnes of power wherein it is now
the chiefest mens children amongst them being gone out of the citie vnder colour to 〈◊〉 his youth to walke and to exercise themselues along the wals deliuered them into the hands of this Romane Captaine saying vnto him that he might be well assured the Citizens would yeeld themselues to his deuotion for the safetie and libertie of that which was deerest vnto them But Camillus knowing this to be too vile and wicked a practise said to those that were with him that although men vsed great outrage and violence in warre yet among good men certaine lawes points of equitie were to be obserued For victorie was not so much to be desired as that it should be gotten and kept by such cursed and damnable meanes but a Generall ought to warre trusting to his owne vertue and not to the wickednes of others Then stripping the said schole maister and binding his hands behind him he deliuered him naked into the hands of his schollers and gaue to ech of them a bundle of rods that so they might carye him backe againe into the citie For which noble act the Citizens yeelded themselues to the Romanes saying that in preferring iustice before victorie they had taught them to choose rather to submit themselues vnto them than to retaine still their libertie confessing withall that they were ouercome more by their vertue than vanquished by their force and power So great power hath Magnanimitie that it doth not onely aduance Princes to the highest degree of honor but also abateth the hart of the puissant and warlike enemie and oftentimes procureth victorie without battell Truly we may draw an excellent doctrine out of these examples which make all those without excuse that spare nothing to attaine to the end of their intents and deuices making no difficultie at the destruction of innocents but exercising all kind of crueltie so they may ouerthrow their enemies by what meanes soeuer vsing commonly that saying of Lysander Admirall of the Lacedemonians that if the Lions skin will not suffice the Foxe his skin also is to be sewed on But let vs resolutely hold this that treason neuer findeth place in a noble hart no more than the bodie of a Foxe is not found in a Lions bodie Further it is notoriously 〈◊〉 that the Ancients striued to procure all good and profit to their enemies vsing clemencie and humanitie towards them when they had greater occasion and meanes to be reuenged of them Heereof we may alleadge good examples when we discourse heereafter particularly of those vertues that are proper to a noble minded man who ought to hate crueltie no lesse than treason We are therefore to looke vnto the last effect and sound proofe of Magnanimitie Generositie heere propounded by vs which we said consisted in the contempt of earthlie and humane goods Wherein truly resteth the very perfection of a Christian who lifteth vp his desires to his last and soueraigne Good in heauen Now because there are but few that loue not themselues too much in those things that concerne the commodities of this life and fewer that seeke not after glorie honor as a recompence of their excellent deeds and that desire not riches earnestly to satisfie their pleasure in these three points also a noble minded man causeth his vertue to appeere more wonderfull bicause he doth not iudge thē to be a worthie reward for the same but rather altogether vnwoorthy the care of his soule for which principally he desireth to liue This is that which Cicero saith that it is not seemely that he should yeeld to couetousnes and concupiscence who could not be subdued by feare or that he should be ouercome by pleasure who hath resisted griefe but rather that these things ought to be shunned by all possible means togither with the desire of money seeing there is nothing more vile abiect than to loue riches nor more noble than to despise them This also is that which Plato saith that it belongeth to the duetie of a noble hart not onely to surmount feare but also to moderate his desires concupiscences especially when he hath libertie to vse them whither it be in the pleasure of the bodie or in the ambitious desire of vain glory honour and power In this sort then he that hath a right noble and worthie mind will no more waigh greatnes among men and estimation of the common sort than he doth griefe and pouertie but depending wholie vpon the wil of God contēting himself with his works wrought in him he will not that any good thing vpon earth can be taken from him And bicause he aspireth to those things that are best highest and most difficult he abideth free from all earthly care and griefe as being long before prepared for all dolors through the contempt of death which bringing an end to the greatest and most excessiue pangs serueth him for an entrance into eternall rest We haue already alleaged many examples of ancient men fit for this matter which now we speake of and the sequele of our treatises will furnish vs with mo when we shall come to intreat of riches and worldly wealth whereof we are to speake more at large But here we will propound Aristides onely to be imitated who was a woorthy man among the Athenians whose opinion was that a good citizen ought to be alwayes prepared alike to offer his body mind vnto the seruice of the common wealth without hope or expectation of any hired and mercenary reward either of money honor or glory And so with an vnspeakeable grauitie and constancie he kept himselfe always vpright in the seruice of his countrey in such sort that no honor done vnto him could cause him either to be puffed vp in hart or to be more earnest in imploying himselfe as it is the maner of some to do seruice according as they are recompenced neither could any repulse or deniall which he suffred abate his courage or trouble him or yet diminish and lessen his affection and desire to profit his common wealth Whereas now adayes we see that the most part of men with vs vpon a smal discontentment labor to make publike profite to serue their desires and passions in stead of giuing themselues to the good benefit of their countrey Now concluding our present discourse we learne that true and perfect Magnanimitie and Generositie is inuincible and inexpugnable bicause vpon this consideration that death is the common end of mans life and that happy passage to life euerlasting she despiseth it altogither and maketh lesse account thereof than of bondage and vice sustaining also with a great vnappalled hart most cruel torments not being mooued thereby to do any thing that may seem to proceed of the common weaknes and frailtie of mans nature Further we learne that this vertue maketh him that possesseth hir good gentle and curteous euen towards his greatest enimies against whom it suffereth him not to vse any couin
seeing it lieth so heauy vpon them and the time seemeth vnto them ouer-long to stay for the naturall death of this poore old man whom they hate so extremely And yet Titus shall not obtaine a victory greatly honorable or woorthy the praise of the ancient Romanes who euen then when Pyrrhus their enimy warred against them and had wonne battels of them sent him word to beware of poison that was prepared for him Thus did this great vertuous captaine finish his daies being vtterly ouerthrowen and trode vnder foote by fortune which for a time had placed him in the highest degree of honor that could be Eumenes a Thracian one of Alexanders lieutenants and one that after Alexanders death had great wars and made his partie good against Antigonus king of Macedonia came to that greatnesse and authoritie from a poore Potters sonne afterwards being ouercome and taken prisoner he died of hunger But such preferments of fortune will not seeme very strange vnto vs if we consider how Pertinax came to the Empire ascending from a simple souldier to the degree of a captaine and afterward of Gouernour of Rome being borne of a poore countrywoman And hauing raigned only two moneths he was slaine by the souldiers of his gard Aurelianus from the same place obtained the selfe same dignitie Probus was the sonne of a gardiner and Maximianus of a black-smith Iustinus for his vertue surnamed the Great from a hogheard in Thracia attained to the empire Wil you haue a worthy exāple agreeable to that saying of Iuuenal which we alleaged euen now Gregory the 7. from a poore monke was lift vp to the dignitie of chief bishop of Rome Henry the 4. emperor was brought to that extreme miserie by wars that he asked the said Gregory forgiuenes cast him selfe down at his feete And yet before this miserable monarch could speake with him he stood 3. days fasting and barefoote at the popes palace gate as a poore suppliant waiting whē he might haue entrance accesse to his holynes Lewes the Meeke emperour king of France was constrained to giue ouer his estate to shut himself vp in a monasterie through the conspiracie of his own childrē Valerianus had a harder chaunge of his estate ending his days whilest he was prisoner in the hands of Sapor king of the Parthians who vsed the throte of this miserable emperor whensoeuer he mounted vpō his horse But was not that a wonderful effect of fortune which hapned not long since in Munster principal towne in the country of Westphalia wherin a sillie botcher of Holland being retired as a poore banished man from his country called Iohn of Leiden was proclaimed king was serued obeied of all the people a long time euen vntil the taking subuersion of the said town after he had born out the siege for the space of 3. yeeres Mahomet the first of that name of a very smal and abiect place being enriched by marying his mistres and seruing his own turne very fitly with a mutinie raised by the Sarrasins against Heracleus the emperor made himself their captain tooke Damascus spoiled Egypt finally subdued Arabia discomfited the Persians and became both a monarch a prophet Wil you see a most wōderful effect of fortune Look vpon the procedings of that great Tamburlane who being a pesants son keping cattel corrupted 500. sheepheards his companions These men selling their cattel betook them to armes robbed the merchants of that country watched the high ways Which when the king of Persia vnderstood of he sent a captaine with a 1000. horse to discomfit them But Tamburlane delt so with him that ioining both togither they wrought many incredible feates of armes And when ciuil warre grew betwixt the king and his brother Tamburlane entred into the brothers pay who obtained the victory by his means therupon made him his lieutenant general But he not long after spoiled the new king weakened subdued the whole kingdom of Persia And when he saw himselfe captain of an army of 400000. horsmen 600000. footmē he made warre with Baiazet emperor of the Turkes ouercame him in battel and tooke him prisoner He obtained also a great victorie against the Souldan of Egypt and the king of Arabia This good successe which is most to be maruelled at and very rare accompanied him always vntill his death in so much that he ended his days amongst his children as a peaceable gouernour of innumerable countries From him descended the great Sophy who raigneth at this day and is greatly feared and redoubted of the Turke But that miserable Baiazet who had conquered before so many peoples and subdued innumerable cities ended his dayes in an iron cage wherein being prisoner and ouercome with griefe to see his wife shamefully handled in waiting at Tamburlanes table with hir gowne cut downe to hir Nauell so that hir secrete partes were seene this vnfortunate Turke beate his head so often agaynst the Cage that he ended his lyfe But what neede we drawe out this discourse further to shewe the straunge dealinges and maruellous chaunges of fortune in the particular estates and conditions of men which are to be seene daily amongst vs seeing the soueraign Empires of Babylon of Persia of Graecia and of Rome which in mans iudgement seemed immutable and inexpugnable are fallen from all their glittering shew and greatnes into vtter ruine and subuersion so that of the last of them which surpassed the rest in power there remaineth onely a commandement limited and restrained within the confines of Almaigne which then was not the tenth part of the rich prouinces subiect to this Empire Is there any cause then why we should be astonished if litle kingdoms common-wealths and other ciuill gouernments end when they are come to the vtmost ful point of their greatnes And much lesse if it fal out so with mē who by nature are subiect to change and of themselues desire and seeke for nothing else but alteration Being assured therefore that there is such vncertaintie in all humane things let vs wisely prepare our selues and apply our will to all euents whose causes are altogither incomprehensible in respect of our vnderstandings and quite out of our power For he that is able to say I haue preuented thee O fortune I haue stopped all thy passages and closed vp all thy wayes of entrance that man putteth not all his assurance in barres or locked gates nor yet in high walles but staieth himselfe vpon Phylosophicall sentences and discourses of reason whereof all they are capable that imploy their wils trauell and studie thereupon Neither may we doubt of them or distrust our selues but rather admire and greatly esteeme of them beyng rauished with an affectionate spirite He that taketh least care for to morow saith Epicurus commeth thereunto with greatest ioy And as Plutarke saith riches glory
be heard He that honoureth his father shall haue a long life and he that is obedient to the Lord shall comfort his mother He that feareth the Lord honoreth his parents and doth seruice vnto his parents as vnto Lordes Honor thy father and mother in deeds and in word and in all patience that thou mayest haue the blessing of God and that his blessing may abide with thee in the ende For the blessing of the father establisheth the houses of the children the mothers curse rooteth out the foundations Helpe thy father in his age and grieue him not as long as he liueth And if his vnderstanding faile haue patience with him and despise him not when thou art in thy full strength For the good intreatie of thy father shall not be forgotten but it shall be a fortresse for thee against sinnes In the day of trouble thou shalt he remembred thy sinnes also shall melt away as the ice in faire weather He that for saketh his father shall come to shame and he that angreth his mother is cursed of God By these holy speeches we see how we ought to loue honor reuerence and feare our parents This is comprehended vnder the first commandement of the second table and this only of all the ten articles of the Decalogue beareth his reward with him albeit no recompence is due to him that is bound to do any thing namely by so strȧight a bond as this wherof all lawes both diuine and humane are full and the law of nature also doth plentifully instruct vs therein as it hath been diligently obserued of very Infidels Ethnikes and Pagans Amongst the Lacedemonians this custome tooke place that the younger sort rose vp from their seates before the aged Whereof when one asked the cause of Teleucrus It is quoth hee to the ende that in dooing this honour to whom it belongeth not they should learne to yeeld greater honour to their parents The arrogancie of a childe was the cause that one of the Ephories published the law of Testaments whereby it was permitted to euery one from that time forward to appoint whom he would his heire This lawe serued well to make children obedient and seruiceable to their parents and to cause them to be afraid of displeasing them Among the Romanes the child was not admitted to plead his fathers will after his death by way of action but onely by way of request vsing very humble honourable and reuerent speech of his dead father and leauing the whole matter to the discretion and religion of the Iudges Contend not with thy father said Pittacus the wise although thou hast iust cause of complaint And therefore Teleucrus aunswered aptly to one who complained vnto him that his father alwayes spake ill of him If quoth he there were no cause to speake ill of thee he would not do it So that it belongeth to the duetie of a childe to beleeue that his father hath alwayes right and that age and experience hath indued him with greater knowledge of that which is good than they haue that are of yoonger yeeres Philelphus said that although we could not possibly render the like good turnes to our parents nor satisfie those obligations by which we stand bound vnto them yet we must doe the best we can vnto them we must intreate them curteously and louingly and not go farre from them we must harken vnto their instructions and be obedient to their commaundementes wee must not gaine-say their deliberations and wils no more than the will of God whether it be that we are to depart from them or to tary still or to enter into some calling agreeable to the will of God we must not stand in contention with them wheÌ„ they are angry but suffer and beare patiently if they threaten or correct vs. And if they be offended with vs when we thinke there is no cause why yet we must not lay vs down to rest before we haue by all kind of honest submissions appeased them Humilitie is always commendable but especially towards our parents The more we abase our selues before them the more we encrease in glory and honor before God and men This is very badly put in vre at this day when the sonne doth not onely not honor his father but euen dishonoreth him and is ashamed of him He is so farre from louing him that he rather hateth him so farre from fearing him that contrarywise he mocketh and contemneth him and in stead of seruing and obeying him he riseth vp and conspireth against him If he be angry he laboureth to anger him more brieflie scarce any dutie of a child towards his father is seene now a daies And if some point therof be found in any towards his father yet is it cleane put out in regard of the mother as if he that commanded vs to honour our father did not presently say and thy mother vnto whoÌ„ in truth we owe no lesse honor respect and obedience than to our father as well in regard of the commaundement of God as of the vnspeakable paines and trauell which she suffered in bearing and bringing vs into the world in giuing vs sucke in nourishing vs. But alas what shall we say of those that spoile their parents of their goods houses and commodities and desire nothing more than their death that they may freely enioy euen that which oftentimes their parents haue purchased for them O execrable impietie It is vnwoorthy to be once thought vpon amongst vs the iudgement of God doth of it selfe sufficiently appeere vpon such cursed children Whose behauiour that it may be more odious vnto vs let vs learn of Pittacus that our children will be such towards vs as we haue been towards our parents But let vs be more afraid to prouoke our fathers in such sort through our default vnto wrath that in stead of blessing vs they fall to curse vs. For as Plato saith there is no prayer which God heareth more willingly than that of the father for the children And therfore special regard is to be had vnto the cursings and blessings which fathers lay vpon their childreÌ„ Which was the cause as the scripture teacheth vs that children in old time were so iealous one of another who should â—ary away the fathers blessing and that they stoode in greater feare of their curse than of death it selfe Torquatus the yonger being banished from his fathers house slue himselfe for grief thereof And to alleage another example out of the writings of auncient men of the loue which they bare to their fathers that of Antigonus the second sonne of Demetrius is most woorthy to be noted For when his father beyng prisoner sent him worde by one of his acquaintaunce to giue no credite nor to make account of any letters from him if it so fell out that Seleucus whose prisoner he was should compell him thereunto and therefore that he should not deliuer vp any of those
commit the keeping of such a pretious pledge least that befall them which Hyperides an Orator of Grecia said to one who told him that he had sent a slaue with his son to gouerne him you haue quoth he done very wel for in steede of one slaue you shall receiue twaine Therefore it is very necessarie that such maisters should be chosen for them as are learned and of good life conuersation that as good Gardiners sticke downe certain props hard by yong plants to keepe them vpright so wise teachers may plant good instructions precepts about yoong men that their maners may be according to vertue Let fathers beware least being mooued with couetousnes they make choice of maisters vnworthy their charge that they may pay the lesse stipēd seking for good cheape ignorance seeing that as Plato saith as childrē beare away as it were the minds of their progenitors so the vices of the Schole-maisters flow vpon their schollers At this age of youth the children of Rome did hange in the Temple a little coller or iewell which they ware about their necks during the time of their infancie declaring therby that they renounced all childishnes and that they were to chang their maners for the time to come In token wherof one gaue them a white robe and a purple coate to teach them by the white colour to shunne vices which made the soule blacke and by the purple to striue to make their life glister and shine with good manners and vertue And it seemeth that the Latines called this age Iuuentus bicause of the aide and helpe which men promised to themselues through the vertuous inclination that appeered in yoong children We saw before sufficiently what is further required of this age in regard of their instruction Adolescencie is the fourth age of man beginning at the foureteenth yeere and continuing vntil the 28. and it is deriued of this verbe Adolesco which signifieth to growe For then doe men growe in bodie in strength and reason in vice and vertue And at that age the nature of a man is knowne and whereunto he bendeth his minde which before could not be discerned by reason of the ignorance of his age This is that which Cicero saith that the studies vnto which we addict our selues in the time of our adolescencie like to herbes and fruites that are come to their fashion declare what vertue there will be in time of ripenes and what manner of haruest wil follow Therefore yoong men saith this Father of eloquence must make choice of one certaine kind of life whereunto they are to giue themselues all their life time without any manner of contradiction and being constant therein they must draw all their actions to that onely end as an arrow is drawne towards a white But forasmuch as in the corruption of our time we see poore fruits of this age when it is left to it selfe we may well say that in this season of adolescencie children haue greatest neede to be gouerned ruled and kept in great awe For the inclination to pleasures and the eschewing of labour which are naturall in man commonly begin then to assault him with such violence that if yoong men be not well followed they quickly turne to vice hate those that giue them good instruction become presumptuous and ready to leaue that which before they loued and taking no care for the time to come like beasts seeke for nothing but to satisfie their lustfull desires For this cause that good Emperour Marcus Aurelius said to those vnto whome he recommended his son after his death Beware that he bathe not himselfe in slipperie pleasures and desires seeing it is a hard matter to moderate and to stay the burning affections of a yoong man especially when he seeth in his own hand a licence not limited which offereth vnto him all kind of contentation And truly this vnbrideled licence of not being in subiection to any which yoong men desire and seeke after so earnestly and for want of right vnderstanding falsly call and imagine it to be libertie bringeth them in bondage to seuerer and sharper maisters than were those teachers Schoole-maisters which they had in their infancie namely to their lusts and disordred desires which are then as it were vnchained and let loose But he which knoweth that to follow God and to obey right reason are reciprocall and necessarily following ech other must thinke that to leaue his infancie first youth and to enter into the ranke of men is no freedome from subiection but only a chang of commandement bicause our life in lieu of a hired maister who gouerned vs before hath then a heauenly guide that is reason to whome they onely that obey are to be reputed taken for free men For after they haue learned to will that which they ought they liue as they will whereas the freedome of the will in disordred actions and affections is small feeble weake and mingled with much repentance These are those good reasons which ought to sound often in the eares of yoong men and be supplied by little litle through the study of good letters Morall Philosophie of ancient men vntill they haue wholy in possession that place of maners which is soonest mooued and most easily led are lodged therin by knowledge and iudgement which will be as a gard to preserue and defend that age from corruption Vnto which things the Ancients looked very diligently both to represse boldnes which commonly is the companion of adolescencie and also to chastice their faults seuerely We read that one of Cato his sons of the age of 15. yeeres was banished for breaking a pot of earth in a maids hand that went for water so was Cinna his sonne bicause he entred into a garden and gathered fruite without leaue Therefore if a yoong man be well guided with reason he will chuse propound to himselfe that kind of life which he purposeth to keepe vntill death and begin some commendable life that is had in recommendation among vertuous men The ancient Romanes minding to make declaration heereof when their children were come to that age they brought them to the common market place clothed with a mans gowne and caused them to scatter nuts heere and there after that to forsake all play signifieng therby that they must leaue the follies of their first age to imbrace more graue and serious matters It belongeth to their duty saith Cicero to honor their Elders to marke who are the honestest men of best report that by their coūsel they may learn to liue according to vertue good maners haue honor alwaies before their eies And as in calme weather whē a man is vpon the sea he must prouide such things as are necessary against a storme so in time of adolescencie men must furnish themselues with temperance sobriety continency laying vp store of
prouision in due time wherby to sustaine old age the better This is that which Plato saith that a moderate youth maketh an easie olde age but that which is immoderate maketh it greeuous irkesom The defect of our strength saith Cicero commeth rather of the vices of our youth than of olde age Now bicause youth is at this day more than euer giuen ouer to all kind of dissolutenes so that their greatest glorie consisteth in going one beyond an other in vice let vs here propound to those that wil make their profit therof some exāples drawen from the ancients of rare vertue that shined in yong men Ioseph Daniel Salomon deserue the first place who being very yoong men executed deeds of woonderfull prudence The holie Scriptures affoord vs a sufficient number of testimonies but we haue some also amongst the Heathens and Pagans that ought to stirre vp youth vnto vertue That great Monarch Alexander in his youth despised all kind of pleasure and delight eschewed women contemned monie and all plaies and pastimes that were vnprofitable and to no good vse louing nothing but vertue and glorie gotten thereby This was the cause why being demanded whether he would not be present at the feast of the Olympian games to try if he could win the price of running seeing he was well made and woonderfull light of foote he answered yes if they were kings that ran Whensoeuer he heard newes that his father had taken any famous Towne or wonne some great battell he shewed no token of ioye but saide to his equals in yeeres My Father Sirs will take all and leaue no goodlie and great matter for me to doe and to conquere with you Among other his commendable giftes of nature which men admired in him at that age he was greatly praised for a good horse-man which he shewed full well when Bucephalus the horse was brought to his father and was to be sold for thirteene Talents that is in value 7800. crownes which the yeomen of the kings horse perceiued to be so skittish and wild that they durst not vndertake to breake him But Alexander mounted on him and handled him so cunningly that all those that were present cried out by way of admiration and Phillip kissing him said Oh my sonne thou must seeke out a kingdome that is meete for thee for Macedonia is not able to containe thee This horse alwaies serued Alexander after that and died in a battell against the Barbarians when he was thirtie yeeres olde Pompey from his very youth shewed in his countenance as Historiographers write a pleasant mildnes ioined with a manlie grauitie and in his conditions and behauiour a reuerent excellencie of kinglie maiestie When he was yet verie yoong he committed an act of a wise and aduised captaine being in the Romane armie whereof Strabo his father was captaine against Cinna For when the souldiers began to rebel and to conspire the death of their captaine Pompey discouered the same and tooke order for his fathers safetie After perceiuing that the souldiers trussed vp bag and baggage to go yeeld themselues to Cinna he thrust himselfe into the middest of them beseeching them most humbly with teares in his eies not to deale so grosely with their captain In the end when he saw that they persisted in their opinion he threw himselfe prostrate all along ouerthwart the gate of the campe saying vnto thē that if they were so desirous to depart both they and their horses should go ouer his body Whereupon they were so ashamed that chaunging their mindes euery one betooke him againe to his quarter and reconciled themselues vnto their generall The prudence of Papyrius deserueth to be alleaged here who according to the custome of the young gentlemen of Rome was brought into the Senate after he had put on the gowne wouen about with purple which they vsed to giue to yong men to the end to frame them by litle and litle to the managing of affaires In his returne from the Senate which was longer in breaking vp than vsually they were woont to do his mother asked him the cause thereof And after many threatnings and compulsions Papyrius not willing to reueale the secret of the councell as it had been expresly forbidden him bethought himselfe of a subtill lie saying that the Senators were in great contention whether it were more expedient to agree that one man should haue two wiues or one woman two husbands which quoth he shal be determined to morow His mother beleeuing it told the same to the Romane ladies hir companions who met all the next day at the entrie of the Senate beseeching the iudges to giue a fauourable sentence for them The matter being knowen procured great laughter and made the prudence of this yong man to be greatly esteemed But let vs speak of the other two ages of man Mans estate beginneth when a man is euen now ripe and setled and groweth no more in body This onely age is most apt and fit to attaine to vertue and honestie For then is reason strong and power-full in him then is his iudgement sound his bodily vigor of force and strength to labour and trauel Of the name of this age I mean of this Latine word Vir did vertue first take hir name which in Latine is Virtus bicause this worde Vir signifieth him that is in the age of virilitie or mans estate as if you would say apt to be a minister and practitioner of vertue It is true that Isidorus confoundeth Youth which he placeth after Adolescencie and virilitie togither saying that this word vir is a word of sexe and not of age But herein he agreeth with vs that the perfection of mans strength beginneth at 29. yeeres where we said that adolescencie ended In this strength a man continueth vntil 50. yeeres and then beginneth to grow weake and to decline continually vntill death The whole age of virilitie ought to be full of honestie and vertue to bring foorth the effects of prudence temperance fortitude and iustice whereof we haue discoursed at large And if any man before he came to this age had not that education and instructiō which was necessary for him whereof we haue alreadie discoursed by reason of his fathers negligēce or through the licentiousnes of adolescencie then especially is he to take the bridle between his teeth in good earnest bicause yet there is good time season yea oportunitie of great fruit to profit in learning and vertue so that he cannot alleage this excuse that he was not instructed in youth Clitomachus of Carthage when he was aboue 40. yeeres of age came to Athens to learne vnder Carneades with whom he profited so well that after his death he succeeded in his place and taught others Lucius being at Rome and meeting with the emperor Marcus Aurelius in the streete with one man after him demanded of him whether he went It becommeth euen an
old man quoth he to learne I am goyng said he to Sextus the Philosopher to learne that which I know not Than Lucius lifting vp his hands towards heauen cried out O good God I see an emperour euen gray-headed carying his booke as if he were a child to heare a lecture and to be instructed thereby and yet most kings of the earth will not vouchsafe to looke vpon a booke at eighteene yeeres of age Solon had this sentence commonly in his mouth that he waxed old as he learned The same day and houre that he died being aboue 80. yeeres olde and hearing some of his friends disputing of a certain point of Philosophy he lift vp himself vpon his bed after his maner as wel as he could And being asked why he did so To the end quoth he that when I haue learned that whereof you dispute I might end my dayes so in deed he did For the disputation was no sooner ended but he died Socrates learned musick when he was very olde Terentius Varro and Marcus Portius Cato learned Greek when they were old Iulianus the great lawyer vsed to say whē he was very old that although he had one foot in the graue yet he was desirous to learne Alphonsus king of Arragon when he was 50. yeeres old learned the Latin toong and translated Titus Liuius out of Latine into Spanish The sixt and last age of man is called Old-age which according to Marcus Varro and other authors beginneth at 50. yeeres bicause at this age the naturall power and strength of man beginneth to decline and fade away Isidorus calleth this time Grauitie which he maketh to last vntill 70. yeeres and termeth the ouer-plus of age beyond that old-age But as neither the diuision of ages here set downe nor the termes wherein we haue enclosed them could agree to the ages of our first fathers either in the first or second age wherin they liued commonly as manie yeeres as we do moneths so considering the shortnesse of our days which the Psalmist limiteth within 80. yeeres at the most I think we are to folow the opiniō of Varro who calleth old-age whatsoeuer is aboue 50. yeeres In which age prudence is a very meet necessary ornament which those ancient men might attain vnto through long vse of life through knowledge and through experience Therfore it is their office to succour and helpe the yonger sort their friendes and the common-wealth by their prudence and counsell For this cause Romulus the first founder of the citie of Rome chose an hundred of the eldest in the citie by whose counsell he willed that it should be gouerned And of these old men called in Latin Senes came that word Senatus which is as much to say as an assembly or gathering togither of olde men whom we now call counsailors or Senators And albeit that men now a dayes greatly abuse those charges yet surely they properly belong to olde men to whome it appertaineth to gouerne townes to administer iustice and to be a paterne and example of honestie to the younger sort For then haue they no time to take their ease but as Cicero saith they must encrease the exercises of the soule as they diminish the labours of the bodie Let them remember that saying of the Lacedemonian who being asked why he suffred his beard to grow so long to the end quoth he that by looking vpon my white haire I should be put in mind not to do any act vnbeseeming this hoarie whitenesse In this age that sentence of Plato ought especially to be well thought vpon That yong men die very soone but that olde men cannot liue long To which effect Epaminondas sayd that vntil 30. yeeres it may be thus said to men Ye are welcome for vntill that time they seeme still to be comming into the world From 30. vntill 50. yeeres they must be saluted in this maner Ye are in a good hower bicause they are then to know what the world is And from 50. to the end a man must say vnto them Go in a good hower bicause then they go faire and softly taking their leaue of the world Olde age said Cato to an olde man that liued ill hath sufficient deformities of it self do not thou adde such as proceed from vice For it is not grisled haire nor a wrinckled visage that bringeth authoritie but a life that is honestly led and guided according to the best end of our being whereunto euery age is to be referred To such olde men saith Sophocles as haue their soules nourished with heauenly light old age is not grieuous and in such the desire of contemplation and knowledge encreaseth as much as the pleasures of their bodie decrease Therfore when we haue passed ouer the greatest part of our days to the profite of many if than through weaknes of extreme age we are constrained to leaue the managing of publike affaires it will be very great honour comfort and contentation of mind vnto vs to run the rest of our race quietly and peaceably in the studie of letters wherein delight is ioyned with honest contemplation The ende of the thirteenth daies worke THE FOVRTEENTH DAIES WORKE Of Policie and of sundry sortes of Gouernments Chap. 53. ASER. IF we are able to discern between the bodie the soul between this present transitorie life and the life to come which is eternall we will not thinke it strange that one part of mans building should be created to remaine free for euer and to be exempted frō the yoke of humane power acknowledging onely the spiritual iurisdiction and the other part to be in seruitude and to receiue commaundement from those humane and ciuill offices which are to be kept amongst men In the kingdome of God saith Paul there is neither Iew nor Graecian neither bond nor free neither Barbarian nor Scythian but Iesus Christ is all in all Stand fast in the libertie wherewith you are made free And by and by after he addeth Onely vse not your libertie as an occasion to the flesh but by loue serue one another And else-where he saith Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers for there is no power but of God Whosoeuer therfore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God Wherby it appeereth that they which thinke that the maintenance of ciuil policies are the worke of man only are greatly deceiued For we must of necessitie beleeue that it proceedeth from the counsel of God and from his eternall prouidence without which neither the round frame of the world nor cities townes could in any sort abide stedfast so that it is very necessary for their preseruation that certain lawes should be appointed according vnto which men may liue honestly iustly one with another As there are then two chief regiments gouernments in man of which one respecteth the soule and acknowledgeth no temporal
passe to the detriment of the realm notwithstanding any letters of commandement whatsoeuer Among other things the king may not alienate his crowne reuenues without some cause knowen to the sayd officers of accounts and to the parliaments And which is more publike treaties with neighbour states edicts and decrees haue no authoritie before they are published in the high courts By which moderation his power is not lessened but made surer more durable and lesse burthensome to his subiects being wholy separated from tiranny which is hated of God and men as we may haue further knowledge by discoursing thereof particularly So that ouer and besides those fiue kindes of monarchies mentioned of vs tiranny may be put for the sixt which we may call that wherein the monarch treading vnder foote the lawes of nature abuseth the libertie of free subiects as if they were slaues and other mens goods as his owne Among the auncients the name of tyrant was honourable and signified nothing else being a Greeke worde but a prince that had gotten the gouernment of the estate with out the consent of his subiects and of a companion had made himselfe a master whether he were a wise and iust prince or cruel and vniust And in deed most of them became wicked to make sure their estate life goods knowing that they were fallen into many mens hatred bicause they had inuaded the soueraigntie In this respect therfore was this dominion rule called tyrannical bicause it gouerned in lord-like maner without right ouer free men compelled and forced to obey But generally we may call that a tirannie when the prince accounteth all his will as a iust law and hath no care either of pietie iustice or faith but doth all things for his owne priuate profite reuenge or pleasure And as a good king conformeth himselfe to the lawes of God and nature so a tyrant treadeth them vnder foote the one striueth to enriche his subiects the other to destroy them the one taketh reuenge of publike iniuries and pardoneth his owne the other cruelly reuengeth iniuries done to himselfe and forgiueth those that are offered to others the one spareth the honour of chaste women the other triumpheth in their shame the one taketh pleasure to be freely admonished and wisely reprooued when he hath done amisse the other misliketh nothing so much as a graue free and vertuous man the one maketh great account of the loue of his people the other of their feare the one is neuer in feare but for his subiects the other standeth in awe of none more than of them the one burtheneth his as little as may be and then vpon publike necessitie the other suppeth vp their bloud gnaweth their bones and sucketh the marrow of his subiectes to satisfie his desires the one giueth estates and offices to meete with briberie and oppression of the people the other selleth them as deare as may bee and careth not for the oppression of his subiectes the one in time of warre hath no recourse but to his subiects the other warreth against none but them the one hath no garde or garrison but of his owne people the other none but of straungers the one reioyceth in assured rest the other languisheth in perpetuall feare the one is honoured in his life tyme and longed for after his death the other is defamed in his lyfe and rent in pieces after his death Examples hereof are in euery mans sight And therefore Diogenes the Sinopian meeting one day in the citie of Corinth with Dionysius the younger tyraunt of Syracusa who was then brought into the estate of a priuate man banished from his countrey and fallen from his dignitie spake thus vnto him Truely Dionysius thou art nowe in an estate vnwoorthie of thee The tyraunt standing still withall made him this answere I like thee well Diogenes bicause thou hast compassion of my miserable fortune What replied the Philosopher doest thou thinke that I pitie thee I am rather grieued to see such a slaue as thou who deseruest to growe olde and to die in that cursed estate of a tyraunt as thy father did to take thy pleasure in suche safetie and to passe away thy tyme freely amongst vs without feare And to say truth tirannie is suche a miserable condition that euen they that practise it and glorie therein are constrained manie tymes to confesse with their owne mouth that no kinde of life is so wretched as theirs This selfe tyrant Dionysius when hee was in the greatest glorye of his estate declared as much to Democles one of his familiar friendes who had sayd that he was most happie Wilt thou quoth Dionysius to him enjoy my felicitie but for one day onely Whereunto when Democles agreed hee caused him to be serued at the table as himselfe was woont to be with all the magnificence that could be deuised hanging in the meane while a sworde right ouer his head which was tied to the roofe aloft onely by one haire of a horse taile When Democles perceiued that he was well contented to make a short dinner and to passe away the rest of the day in his former estate Loe quoth the tyraunt then vnto him how happie our life is which with all our armed garde hangeth but by a little threed Moreouer the raigne of tyraunts beyng without measure and reason and guided onely by violence cannot be of any long continuaunce This is that which Thales the wise man sayde that there was nothing so straunge or rare as an olde tyrant And albeit they liue miserablie in perpetuall distrust of euery one yea of their neerest kindred yet their ende is more wretched For there were fewe of them that died not a cruell and extraordinarie death most of them being slayne and murdered and others persecuted with straunge griefes died like mad and desperate men through the remembraunce of their corrupt life and of the cruelties which they had committed In auncient time tyrannie was so detestable that euen scholers and women sought to winne the reward of honour by killing tyraunts as Aristotle the Logitian did who slew a tyraunt of Sycionia and as Thebe who killed hir husband Alexander tyrannt of the Phereans Thirtie tyraunts were slayne in one day in the Citie of Athens by Theramenes Thrasibulus and Archippus who had but three-score and tenne men to execute that enterprise Leander tyraunt of Cyrena was taken aliue and being sewed into a leather bagge was cast into the sea Aristodemus tyraunt of Cumes tooke Xenocrita by force beyng a wealthie citizens daughter whome he had banished and keeping hir with him as his wife shee stirred vp Thymoteles and others to recouer the libertie of their countrey who beyng safelie let into the tyrants chamber by hir slew Aristodemus Besids the auncientes had appoynted great rewardes and recompences for the murderers of tyrauntes namelie titles of Nobilitie of Prowesse of Chiualrie images and honourable titles to bee shorte the goodes
Prince whereby it seemeth he thought that there was lesse to do in well ordering ruling and preseruing a great Empire once entirely gotten than in conquering the same And surely to speake truth there is nothing more difficult than to raigne well Moreouer it is better for a Prince to gouerne prudently and to rule according to his estate than to inuade possesse another mans countrie namely if he consider that God being so gratious vnto him as to bring innumerable persons vnder his obedience hath chiefly established him to keepe them in the knowledge and obseruation of true religion to rule them by good lawes to defend them by armes and in all things to be so carefull of their good that they may esteeme of him as of their father and sheepeheard Now seeing we haue summarily intreated of the education and institution of a prince vnder the charge of a teacher and gouernour let vs in this place my Companions consider of his office and dutie when he raigneth with full authoritie ouer his subsubiects ARAM. Forasmuch as integritie of religion and the good will of the people are two principall pillers vpon which the safetie of euery Estate standeth the king ought to procure the first being therefore appointed by God ouer so many millions of men and the second without doubt dependeth of the former which is the onely difference betweene a king and a tyrant who ruleth by constraint ACHITOB. In a king is seene the ordinance of God who is the author and preseruer of policies and of good order Therefore his feare and reason must neuer depart out of his mind to the end that seruing God he may profite all those that liue vnder his dominion But from thee ASER we looke for the discourse of this matter ASER. The seuen Sages of Grecia being inuited to a feast by Periander prince of Corinth were requested by him to enter into the discourse of the estate of great men Solon speaking first said That a soueraigne king or prince cannot any way procure greater glorie to himselfe than by making a popular Estate of his Monarchy that is to say by communicating his soueraigne authoritie with his subiects Bias speaking next said By submitting himselfe first of all to the lawes of his countrie Thalcs I account that Lord happie that attaineth to old age and dieth a naturall death Anacharsis If he be the onely wise man Cleobulus If he trust none of those that are about him Pittacus If he be able to preuatle so much that his subiects feare not him but for him Chilon A Prince must not set his mind vpon any transitorie or mortall thing but vpon that which is eternall and immortall Periander concluding vpon these opinions said that all these sentences seemed to him to disswade a man of good iudgement from desiring at any time to command ouer others The Emperour Traian writing to the Senate of Rome among other things vsed these very words I freely confesse vnto you that since I began to taste of the trauels and cares which this Imperiall Estate bringeth with it I haue repented me a thousand times that I tooke it vpon me For if there be great honor in hauing an Empire there is also very great paine and trauell in gouerning the same But ouer and besides to what enuie is he exposed and to how many mislikings is he subiect that hath others to gouerne If he be iust he is called cruell if pitifull he is despised if liberall he is thought to be prodigall if he laie vp monie he is taken for couetous if he be addicted to peace he is supposed to be a coward if he be courageous he is iudged ambitious if graue they will call him proud if affable and courteous he is termed simple if solitarie an hypocrite and if he be merrie they will say he is dissolute After many other speeches this good Emperour concluded that although he willingly accepted of his estate at the first yet he was very sorowful afterward that he had so great a charge bicause the sea and the Empire were two pleasant things to looke vpon but perilous to tast Diuine Plato wrote also that none was fit to gouerne an Empire and to be a Prince but he that commeth vnto it through constraint and against his will For whosoeuer desireth the charge of a Prince it must needes be that he is either a foole not knowing how dangerous and full of care the charge of a King is or if he be a wicked man that he mindeth nothing but how he may raigne to satisfie his pleasure and priuate profite to the great hurt of the Common-wealth or else if he be ignorant that he considereth not how heauie the burthen is which he taketh vpon him Therefore a wise Prince will not thinke himselfe the happier bicause he succeedeth in a greater Empire and kingdome but remember rather that he laieth so much the more care and paine vpon his shoulders and that he beginneth then to haue lesse leasure lesse rest and happines in passing away his time In other persons a fault is pardoned in youth and growing old they are suffered to take their ease But he that is Head of a Common-wealth bicause he is to trauell for all must be neyther yoong nor old For he can-not commit a fault how small soeuer it be without the hurt of many men nor yet rest from his dutie but it will turne to the miserie of his subiects This caused the Philosophers to say that a Prince ought not to dedicate the Common-wealth to himselfe but to addict himself to the Common-wealth and for the profit thereof alwaies to be diligent vertuous and wise so to gouerne his Empire that he may be able easily to giue a reason of his charge And bicause no man asketh an account of him in this life he ought to be so much the more stirred vp to demand a straighter reckoning of himselfe being assured that the time wil come and that speedily wherein he must yeeld it vp before him with whome there is no respect of Princes except in this that they shal haue the Iudge more rigorous against them that haue abused greater power and authority To begin therfore to handle the duty and office of a Prince first he must haue the lawe of God continually before his eies he must engraue it in his soule and meditate vpon the wordes and ordinances thereof all the dayes of his life desiring of God to graunt him the spirite of vnderstanding to conceiue them well and according to that diuine rule to direct all his intents and actions to the glorie of that great eternall and Almightye Kinge of Kinges aswell for the saluation of his owne soule which he ought to preferre before the rule of the whole worlde as for the good of those that are committed to his charge to gouerne teach and iudge them For it is moste certaine that of the knowledge of the truth in
Demosthenes Plato Lysander The limits that are to be vsed in hating the wicked Scaurus How Agesilaus made his enimies his friends Augustus The Venetians Pontinus The prudence of Dionysius in punishing euill speakers Antisthene counsaile Math. 5. 44. Rom. 12. 19. What true Philosophie is The fruits and effects of Iustice What Iustice is Three things necessary in euery common-wealth The ground of all Iustice The distinction of Iustice Whosoeuer hath Iustice perfectly hath all the vertues The praise of Iustice Respect of persons is not to be vsed in the practise of Iustice The diuision of Iustice The difference between Commutatiue and Distributiue Iustice The end of Iustice The necessitie of Iustice Diuers names agree to Iustice in diuers respects Ierem. 21. 12. 22. 3. What Iustice and Iudgement are The Egyptians were zealous of Iustice How they painted Iudges The Grecians and Romans What citie is best gouerned Examples of the loue of Iustice Cleon. Aristides I. Brutus Phocion Alexander Augustus Agesilaus Prowes without Iustice is worth nothing The difference between a great and a little king Phillip Traianus â— â—am 8. 5. What causeth kingdoms to flourish God is the author of Iustice What maner of men magistrates ought to be One meane wherby the abuse of Iustice may be taken away The inconuenience that commeth by setting offices to sale Exod. 18. The saving of Alexander and Lewes the 12. Against buyers of offices Aurelianus A meane to preserue policies A pretie comparison Euerie vertue is in the midst of two vices How the thrones of kings may be established in iustice All men haue some knowledge of good and euill and some inward sence of a diuine nature The fruits of Iniustice in the wicked Vertue is to be preferred before all worldlie things Iniustice is a generall vice How many waies a man may be vniust The effects of Iniustice Pericles A notable example for euery ciuil Magistrate Why the life of the wicked cannot be happy A comparison A comparison The wrong conceit which men haue of the wicked that prosper The punishment of sinne is equall with it both for age and time All things are present with God A sure token of a desperate common-welth The miserable estate of France The deniall of Iustice dangerous Phillip Demetrius Henrie king of Sweathland A notable historic of the death of Ferdinando the 4. Notable Iniustice committed by a Prouost of Paris Hugues of Crecy Artaxerxes Alexander Seuerus The punishment of one who sold his masters fauor Of Seueritie Clemencie preserueth a prince his throne Prou. 20. 28. M. Torquatus Ausidius Most cruell seucritie of Piso Augustus Caesar Ier. 22. 3. 5. 2. Chr. 19. 6. Matth. 7. 2. Of the corruption of our age When vertue seemeth to be out of season What Faith and Fidelitie is Of the violating of faith Leuit. 19. 12. Deut. 5. 11. Matth. 5. 34. Whether a forced promise is to be kept A wise man must neuer promise any thing against dutie Psal 15. 4. Lysander a forsworne and deceitfull man We must keep promise with our enimie Of the neglect of fidelitie commeth a custom of lying It is wickednes to conceale the fault of that which a man selleth Lying in a prince is most odious The promise of a prince is tied with a double bond Of the word faith of a prince Of Treason Notable examples A. Regulus Demaratus Augustus Cato Periurie and faithles persons haue alwaies had ill successe Tissaphernes Cleomenes Caracalla The Corinthians Iustinianus the Emperor Rastrix Duke of Cleaueland The cause of the present miserie of France Examples of the entertainment which the ancients gaue to traitors Lasthenes Rymetalces Agis Pausanias Ariobarzanes Iustinian a Genâ—an cause of the taking of Constantinople A famous and heroicall fact of Sultan Solyman Cato commended for his truth Ephes 4. 25. Luk. 10. 37. The memorie of euill things is fruitfull but of good things barren Ingratitude the cause of the sin and death of man No mans life void of Ingratitude The life of the ignorance is vnthankfull God disposeth all thiâ—gs by Iustice The vapors wherwith the eyes of the mind are dimmed Of the ingratitude of great men Reward and honor nourisheth vertue Artes. Impudencie Ingratitude are companions The description of impudencie Dutie and profit are two distinct things A law against vnthankful persons The Storke a gracefull bird The fruits of ingratitude Examples against ingratitude Pyrrhus Circerius A notable historie of an Arabian Turke Baiazet A mean to keep vs from ingratitude Another meane for the same Artaxerxes thankfully accepted a litle water Vertue is a sufficient recompence to it selfe The sleepe of the spirite is woorse than death What Liberalitie is Riches 〈…〉 the waters How riches may be well vsed Aristotles opinion concerning a happie life destitute of bodilie and outward goods A poore man may be liberall Luke 16. 9. How princes passe the limites of liberalitie When the inferior sort passe the bounds of liberalitie About what we are to bestow the ouerplus of our wealth A notable law amongst the Romanes How Epaminondas compelled a rich man to be liberall CimoÌ„ a notable paterne of the true vse of riches Liberalitie most necessarie for princes and great men The lawes of liberalitie A common mischief which foloweth the greater sort The liberalitie of Alexander To the Macedonians To all debtors in his armie To Aristotle To Anaxarchus To Perillus. To an Egyptian Caesar a liberall Prince Antonius a magnificall Prince but voluptuous Archelaus gaue not to the vnwoorthy How Antigonus denied one that was importunate Titus a good liberall Prince A notable precept of Phocylides Ptolemaeus the Thebane Denys the elder Cyrus Pertinax Matth. 25. No wicked thing ought to be iudged profitable Couetousnes hath ouerflowen all Couetousnes will neuer be satisfied Conetousnes like to a dropsie Stratonicus derided the superfluitie of the Rhodians Couetous men compared to Mules The miserable life of couetous men 1. Tim. 6. 10. The fruits of couetousnes How prodigalitie and couetousnes may in some sort be linked togither in one subiect Couetous men compared to hogs Couetous men compared to rats and cundit pipes It is better to be the sheepe than the sonne of a couetous man Examples of the fruites of couetousnes and of prodigalitie Muleasses Polymester Caligula Nero. Against the superfluitie of sumptuous buildings An Italian Monke A cruell murder of a Gentlewoman and of hir houshold Mauritius depriued of the Empire for his couctousnes The Nobilitie of Switserland destroied for the same cause Lewes 11. Calipha How Dionysius punished a couetous wretch How Darius his couerousnesse was beguiled C. Licinius strangled himselfe to leaue his goods to his children Hermocrates bequeathed his goods to himselfe A ratte sold for 200. pence Couetousnes caused Crassus to play on both sides Wonderfull riches Pompey abhorred couetousnes The great couetousnes of a cardinall The cruel punishment of a couetous curate 1. Tim. 6. 10. What magistrates are best liked of couetous princes 1.
commoditie thereof A notable law for the common instruction of children Of Gymnastick or bodilie exercise The end of Musicke The vse of painning Fower things to be vsed in the institution of youth Instruction which consisteth in six precepts 1. The first precept The first thing that youth must learne is to worship God We can do nothing without the grace of God 2. The second precept Youth must not glorie in transitoric goods Nor in bodilie beautie The fruits of true knowledge and vertue 3. The third precept The common diseases of youth Modestie is the best remedie for them 4 The fourth precept hath fower branches 5. The fift precept 6 The sixt precept Of admonition Of promises Youth is to be drawne on with the promises of eternall life Of praises and threatnings Hope and feare are the foundation of vertue Adolescencie is the age betweene 14. 28 Place and time are to be considered in all things All kind of behauior not conuenient in all ages Of the diuision of the ages of man The number of seuen accounted a perfect number Of the climactericall yeere of 63. The whole age of man diuided into six parts Of Infaucie Of Childhood * He meaneth not common naturall infirmities but malitious offences Two things requisite in a Schoolemaister skill and bonestie of life The benefit that commeth by good Schoolemaisters A strang custom vsed by the children of Rome The reason oâ— this word Iuuentus Of adolescencie The fruits of adolescencie being left to it self Aurelius exhortation to his sonnes gouernours Concupiscence raigneth most in Adolescencie Who are to be accounted free Knowledge and iudgement are the gard of adolescencie Catoes sonne banished for breaking an earthen pot And Cinnaes sonne for gathering fruite without leaue How the Romanes taught their yoong men to forsake the follies of their first age The dutie of yoong men A moderate youth maketh a happie old age Examples of vertuous young men Alexander a paterne of vertue in his youth Bucephalus Alexanders horse Pompey Papyrius Of 〈◊〉 maâ—s estate The dutie of a man at the perfection of his age Clitomachus M. Aurelius Solon learned to the hower of his death Socrates learned musick being old T. Varro and M. Cato learned Greeke when they were old Iulianus Alphonsus Of old-age Psal 90. 10. Prudence is the ornament of old age What Senate is and froÌ„ whence it came What vse is to be made of a white beard Epaminondas salutation vsed to men according to their ages Cato What breedeth authoritie in a man Sophocles To whom old age is not grieuous The soule is not subiect to mans iurisdiction Gal. 3. 18. Col. 3. 11. Gal. 5. 1. 13. Rom. 13. 1. 2. All power is of God The beginning and preseruation of policies is from God Of commanding and obeying Policie is the bond of all societie There is shew of commanding and obeying in all things As in harmonie The superior part of the world ruleth the inferior The Sunne is king and the Moone Queene among the starres The Moone ruleth ouer all moistures The Fire and Aire chiefe among the elements The Eagle Lion whale and pike ouer their kinds No people without all policie Diuine iustice humane policie always linked togither Religion is the foundation of all estates The auncieâ—â— law makers established then ordinance through the means of religion Religion the greatest means of inlarging the Roman empire What Policie is and from whence the word is deriued The diuers significations of this word Policy Of the end of policie Ciuil ordinance ought to maintaine the worship of God Euery estate coÌ„sisteth of 3. parts of the magistrate the law and the people When common-wealths are right and when corrupt The good or euil estate of coÌ„mon wealths dependeth of the magistrates next vnder God The diuision of common-welths in generall The subdiuision of them Of a monarchie Of a tirannie Of an Aristocratie and what it signifieth The Lacedemonian estate was an excellent paterne of this gouernment Why the Senate of Lacedemonia was first instituted What power the kings of Lademonia had The policie of Polydorus and Theopompus to get the power out of the peoples hands Why the Ephories were appointed in Lacedemoniâ— Of an Oligarchâ— How an Oligarchie is changed into a tirannie with examples thereof Of a Timocraty * His meaning is that it is ruled by some lawes taken from ccb of these Of a Democratie Fiue kinds therof according to Aristotle in his 4. booke of Politi ca. 4. Athens a Democratical estate Of a mixt kinde of common-wealth Examples hereof The perfectest distinction of common-wealths There is difference between the estate and the gouernment of a common-wealth Examples of the popular estate Of the Aristocraticall Of the Monarchicall What right is The foundation of euery estate is the soueraigntie therof Euery estate coÌ„sisteth of 3. parts The magistrate is the image of God The wisest must rule Why God distributeth his gifts diuersly to diuers men A well gouerned familie resembleth the kingly regiment Gen. 10. 10. Of the originall of kingdoms Cicero his opinion therein What soueraigntie is A little king asmuch a Soueraigne as the greatest Monarch Of the name of Magistrate The Dictator of Rome was called Magister populi The calling of Magistrates prooued to be lawfull Psal 82. 6. Iohn 10 35. 2. Chron. 19. 6. Prou. 8. 15. 16. The calling of the Magistrate is most holie He is the minister of Gods iustice Good counsell for Magistrats The Magistrate compared to the hart of a liuing creature And to a Carpenters rule The Magistrate is in the Common wealth that which reason is in the soule The example of the Magistrate is the best way to teach the people Whereunto the Prince is bound aswell as his subiect The dutie of the Magistrate consisteth in three things The art Royall Philosophicall and Politicall is all one Who is most woorthie of soueraigne authoritie Why there are so few vertuous Princes Wherin the dutie of the chiefe Magistrate consisteth Why the sword is put into the Magistrates hand Ier. 22. 3. What is meant by this precept Do Iudgement and Iustice Prou. 16. 12. 20. 8. 26. Prou. 25. 4. 5. He that suffreth euill is culpable aswell as he that committeth it Seueritie and clemencie are to be linked togither in a Magistrate Ciuilitie and grauitie must be ioined both togither in a Magistrate The dutie of the Magistrate Al motions contained vnder one and all causes vnder the first The law is the blood and bond of the Common-wealth The law is the spirite and soule of the common-wealth All creatures are sociable by nature The prerogatiues of men aboue other creatures What a citie is The diuers ends of the three good Common-wealths A king must line vnder a law albeit he be not subiect to the lawe The marke of a soueraigne Wisd 6. 3. How far Princes are subiect to lawes Wherein the absolute power of Princes consisteth The definition of the law The diuision
of the soule not of the body 266. the parts of fortitude 267. examples of fortitude 273. c. Fortune what is to be vnderstoode by this worde fortune 307. howe wee may vse these words of fortune and chance 469. the opinions of Philosophers touching fortune 470. the description of fortune 470. examples of hir contrary effects 472 France one euident cause of the present ruine of France 163. the miserable estate of France 408. one cause thereof 607. the happie gouernment of France 635. two causes of the present diuisions in France 716 Friend and Friendship the difference between friendship and loue 138. what things are requisite in friendship 139. the chiefe cause and end of all true friendship 138. friendship must be free 142. three things necessarie in friendship 148. examples of true friendship 145. what manner of man we must chuse for our friend 140. howe we must prooue a true friend and shake off a false 141. how we must beare with the imperfections of our friend 144. G Gaming the effects of gaming 374 what mooued the Lydians to inuent games 374. Alphonsus decree against gaming 375 Generall a good lesson for a Generall 292 properties requisite in a Generall 300 Glorie how ielousie of glorie is tollerable with examples thereof 251. c. examples of the contempt of glorie 254 Gluttonie the fruits of gluttonie 213. examples thereof 214 God all things are present with God 407. he ordereth casuall things necessarily 468 he is the Idaea of al good 42 Goods the nature of worldly goods 37. two sorts of goods 52. 526. two waies to get goods 526 Grace effects of Gods grace in the regenerate 18 Grammar the commodities of grammar 556 Griefe a meane how to beare griefe patiently 331 H Happines all men naturally desire happines 31. who are happie and who vnhappie 51. what it is to liue happily 38. 54. how we must make choice of a happie life 246. wherein good or ill hap consisteth 330. notable opinions of good and ill hap 332 wherein true happines consisteth 334 Hatred how far a man may hate the wicked 387. the difference between hatred and enuie 459. the bounds of a good mans hatred 463. Histories the praise and profit of histories 79 Homage what homage we ow to God 93 Honor how a man may seeke for honor 232. examples of the contempt of honor 233. the first step to honor 247 Hope hope must be grounded vpon the grace of God 300. two kinds of hope 301. the fruit of hope 302. hope and feare are the foundation of vertue 561 House a house consisteth of liuing stones 489 smal iarres must be auoided in a house 501 Hunting is an image of war 554 Husbands how they ought to loue their wiues 501. a husband must neuer beate his wife 504. he must neither chide nor fawne vpon his wife before others 507. examples of the loue of husbands towards their wiues 510. Husbandrie the praise of husbandrie 528. 752. the antiquitie of husbandrie 752 I Idlenes it is the mother and nurse of all vice 369. Pythagoras precept against idlenes 370. examples against idlenes 377 Ignorance ignorance of our selues the cause of much euill 12. pernitious effects of ignorance 117. 118. common effects of ignorance 119. Impatiencie who are most giuen to impatiencie and choler 312. how it may be cured 313. Impost a commendable kind of impost 220 Impudencie the description of impudencie 428. Incontinencie the difference betweene an incontinent and an intemperate man 190. Socrates disputation against incontinencie 238 Infants how infants are to be brought vp 552 Ingratitude meanes to keepe vs from ingratitude 432. it was the cause of mans fal 425 great men are soonest touched with ingratitude 428. examples against it 430 Innocencie is a tower of brasse against slanderers 466 Iniurie how manie waies a man may receiue iniurie 384 Iniustice the fruits of it in the wicked 403. it is a generall vice 404. the effects of it 405. how many kinds there are of iniustice 404 Intemperance the companions of intemperance 192. what predominant passions are in it 189. exaÌ„ples of intemperance 193 c. Ioie examples of some that died of ioie 36 Iudgement from whence iudgement proceedeth 89. the iudgement of the best not of the most is to be preferred 249. iudgements are the sinewes of an estate 690 Iudges how the Egyptians painted iudges 394. a corrupt manor of making iudges 701 Iustice the fruits of iustice 390. the ground of all iustice 391. examples of the loue of iustice 395. how the abuse of it may be remedied 399. the deniall of iustice is dangerous 408. 658. the springs of all corruptions of iustice 697. iustice distributed into seuen parts 746 K Knowledge the knowledge of God and of our selues must be linked togither 12. the end of the knowledge of our selues 16. the benefits that come by knowledge 74 King wherein the greatnes of a king consisisteth 57. wherein kings ought to exercise themselues most 80. the true ornaments of a king 180. the difference betweene a great and a little king 398. what power the kings of Lacedaemonia had â—80 good precepts for kings 648. a king must be skilfull by reason and not by vse 648. the first and principall dutie of a king is to haue the law of God before his eies 655. he must begin reformation at himselfe and his court 656. the summe of the dutie of a king 674 Kingdome what causeth kingdoms to flourish 399 of the originall of kingdoms 586. their alteration commeth through vice 67 they florish through vertue 61. Of the antiquitie of a kingdome 623. the dangerous estate of an electiue kingdom vpoÌ„ the death of the prince 633. what kingdoms are electiue 634 L Law what ciuill lawes may not be changed 597. the end of all lawes 603. change of lawes in a well setled estate is dangerous 598. what the law of nature is 596. the ancient law-makers 599. what maner of lawes are to be established in the Commonwealth 657. Learning examples of ancient men that gaue themselues to learning 570. examples of great loue to learning 81 Letter Anacharsis letter to Craesus 78 Alexanders to Aristotle 80. Caesars to Rome Octauianus to his nephew Platoes to Dionysius Pompeies to the senate 132. Pisistratus to his nephew 146. Traians to Plutarke 157. 233. Traians to the senate 654. 707. Macrines to the senate of Rome 747. Aurelius to a tribune 768 Liberalitie a poore man may be liberal 436. the lawes of liberalitie 440. examples of liberalitie 441 Loue loue is the first foundation of euery holie marriage 530 Life mans life compared to the Olympian assemblies 38. one cause of the long life of our elders 198. Senecaes opinion of the shortnes of our life 211. our life compared to table-play 335. no man ought to hide his life 373. the end of our life 377. three things necessarie for the life of man 750. wherein a happie life consisteth 804 Lying lying in a prince is most odious 417