yea the souereigne delight of mortal folks is the solace of their lyfe and the greatest terror they suffer is the opinion and conceit of death Beastes exercize generation fruites returne séedes to their planter corne yéeldes his graine of increase and birds leaue egges in their nestes And all for no other reason then that knowing they can not alwayes liue they leaue others to liuein their place yea for no other purpose doe men beasts eate drinke sléepe and execute their other naturall actions then therby the more to preserue and pamper lyfe and with more securitie to prolong and shyft of death And for that in generall experience nature loues her conuersation and abhorreth all thinges hurtfull to her increase we sée there is nothing more comforts the man that is sicke then when he is tolde that he may eate of what his appetite lykes best euen so there is no worde that doth more amaze or mortifye him then when he is put in remembrance of his mortalitie and to prepare his conscience for with one woorde he hath sewertie of lyfe and wyth an other he heareth his sentence of death Whereof was verifyed a right true experience in the good king Ezechiell to whom in one houre in one house and to one person euen to himselfe was pronounced by the Prophete Esay that he was condemned to death and that GOD had eftsoones giuen him Pardon So that hauing deserued by the grauitie of his sinnes that GOD should take his lyfe from him God afterwardes through the fulnes of his mercie and consideration of his teares and repentance found occasion to pardon his death how incensat and rude soeuer any creature is yet we sée he hath iudgment to eschew the fire that burnes him to auoyd the Laborinth made to his distruction not to clime with desperate perill those high rockes from whose tops is present effect of death whereunto by what other reason is he induced then to preserue life which he holdeth deare flée death which nature teacheth him to feare The brute beast fléeth death and yet he is of a condition not to iudge of the worthines solace of life but to man nothing is more deare then life of al other thinges he holdeth death in most terror for that liuing he knoweth what he is being dead he cannot tel what shal become of him since after death there is no restitution no more then a trée once hewen downe can be eftsoons replanted Frendship the office of societie require that we wish to our frends much habilitie might power but with a greater affection we wish them long life yea this stands in common regard with vs all rather to séeke to prolong our lyfe thē encrease our welth not to make a greater care to augment our treasor then to continue our dayes which being true what a wonderfull prouidence of God nature is this that the confidence of life death consistes only in the tong who hath the same office in the administration of the life of man which is incidēt to the portall or wyket of a great palaice thorow the which do enter al things that we eat vse by the other do issue all that we thinke and speake So that it holdes good conformatie with the saying of the Wiseman that lyfe and death are in the power of the tongue since lyfe is at the portall of our Palaice readie to depart when death striking on the hamor of our conscience séekes to enter yea there is no part of our bodie wherein we stande more subiect to daunger of lyfe and death then in our mouth and tongue for that they being the open gates of the tower and truncke of the bodie lyfe may go out without speaking and death hath libertie to enter without knocking Habemus thesaurum in vasis fictilibus sayth S. Paule as if he had sayde Oh what payne haue Christians to beare in féeble and frayle vessels such precious treasures as fayth in the vnderstanding charitie in the will pietie in the handes loue in the hart chastetie in the bodie and lyfe and death in the tongue Yea they are vertues infused into vessels corrupt and appoynted to consociate members putrifyed who being so daungerous to be managed and most easie to be broken what suretie or gard is there to the lyfe when in the mouth is found no gouernement and to the tongue is denied the gyfte of secrecie For hauing no boanes to controule it nor senewes to restrains it what science or meane hath it to doe that we commaunde it or how can it reteine and kéepe secret thinges which are referred to his trust and confidence Therefore to the man that feareth death and desireth long lyfe it is necessarie he minister gouernement to his tongue lest he know not how to prolong his lyfe and much lesse finde out where vpon his death may come Salomon then sayde wisely that death and lyfe were in the power of the Tongue Meaning that as to some men the tongue hath saued their lyfe so in others wicked speach hath wrought the occasion of their death For that to a Noble minde an iniurious worde doth more hurt then a great cutte or wounde of a swoorde on the bodie of a barbarous or rude man And to proue by many examples and figures in the Scripture the operation of the tongue in the action of lyfe and death we reade that Cayn béeing asked of God why he had slaine his Brother Abell In place to repent him of the fact and aske Pardon of God he sayde that his fault was greater then that Gods mercie could forgeue it against whom S. Augustine cryeth vehemently that much lesse that the mercie of the Lord could be inferior to the fault of Cayn séeing that to pardon and forgeue is a thing proper to God and to reuenge and punishe is farre estranged from his nature So that there is no doubt but greater was the offence of Cayn in the wordes he sayd then in the Murder he did since if with the stroake of the swoorde he tooke away the lyfe of his Brother by the Blasphemie of his tongue he gaue death to his soule To kil his Brother was euil done but to dispaire in Gods mercie was euen a transgression of the deuill for that more doe we offende God to estéeme him without mercie then in any other sinne we commit against his maiestie Some of the Jewes Crucified Iesus with torments and some with their tongues in whom I thinke was déeper effect of sinne then in the rest that pearced his bodie with nayles For that they layd their handes on him by ignorance but the other fylled their tongues with false testimonie Blasphemed Crucifyed him by malice It is written in the Prophete Esay discoursing vppon the fall of Lucipher Quia dicebat in corde suo in coelum conscendam et super astra dei c. Because thou hast sayd Oh Lucipher that thou
and worthie Charitie the same being well expressed in the day of his Passion when neyther the tormentes of his bodie nor the wickednesse of his People could restraine the course of his great loue wherewith he Prayed for such as Crucifyed him and pardone those that offended him Yea he prayed not onely for his Apostles and Disciples but also for all the faythfull that beléeued in him and loued his Father with whom as he was one selfe thing in Diuinitie so he prayed to his Father that all such as beléeued might be in him one body misticall through Charitie Great was the loue of Iesus Christ in the wordes of his petition to his Father séeing that albeit we were not then borne no nor our farre auncient Fathers yet he besought his Father in great feruencie for the estate of all his Church euen no lesse then for those that dyd communicate with him in the Supper So that as he dyed for all so he prayed for all By which we haue good reason to beléeue that séeing be remembred vs afore we came into the world he will also kepe care ouer such as are employed in his seruice If Christ had not loued vs with that Charitie and prayed for vs in such feruencie of zeale what had become of vs Sure if there be in the Church of God at this present any obedience patience charitie humilitie or any abstinence or continencie it ought all to be atributed to that loue which Christ expressed in the prayer that he commended to his Father for vs Redéeming with his bloud our disfauour and with his praier he restored vs eftsoones to an estate of Grace and reconcilement To loue those that are present and such as are absent to beare affection to the Quicke and remember such as are Dead happeneth often is naturall but to loue such as are to come and not yet borne is a zeale that neuer was hearde of but in the person of our Redéemer who prayeth for such as liue wickedly and loueth good men although they are not yet borne In worldly thinges so straight is the copulation and vnitie betwéene lyfe and death loue and hate him that doth affect and the thing affected that al takes end together and in one houre But to the frendship that Iesus Christ beares vs belonges an other qualetie for that his loue tooke beginning afore the foundation of the world and will not ende no not at the day of iudgement In this Letter is debated the difference betweene a seruaunt and a frende FInding in your last Letter more matter worthie of rebuke then méete to be answered I am bolde to geue you this Councel that in causes of importance the Penne is not to bée vsed afore the matter be wel debated lest others take occasion to iudge of your domges and your selfe be denied of that you demaunde This is also to bee obserued in speaking to any personage of estate wyth whom we ought not to Communicate but with feare reuerence and modestie By your Letter you wishe me to be your Mayster and withall would chuse me to be your frende Two estates no lesse different in qualitie then incompatible in one person and most vnlyke in office for that a frende is chosen by wil and a Mayster is taken by necessitie A frende will consider but a Mayster must be serued A frende geues of liberalitie but a Lorde demaundes by authoritie a Mayster hath libertie to be Angrie but it belonges to a frende to suffer And a frende pardoneth but a Mayster punisheth So that the comparison béeing so different it cannot be possible that being your Master I should beare vnto you the due respects of a frende since if I be your Mayster you are bounde to serue me feare me follow me and obey me Offices preiudiciall to the prerogatiues of a frende and against the laws of that libertie and frée souereignetie which the hart of man desireth To require me with such rashenesse to be your frende is sure to demaunde of me the most precious Iewell I haue in the worlde For to be your frende is to binde me to loue you all my lyfe deuiding my hart into youres and making you euen an other moytie with my selfe true frendship being none other thing then an vnfayned consent of will and affections and a transportation of two hartes into one bodie And therefore two frendes if they will loue and liue in the true obseruations of frendship ought to speak but wyth one Tongue and loue with one harte yea they ought to Communicate together in one substance and rate of lyfe and not grudge to suffer in common one perculier and singuler death Amongest frendes what is suffered of the one ought not to be intollerable to the other and albeit their thoughtes be proper to themselues yet their persons their goodes and fortunes ought alwayes to be common One frende ought not to say to an other I will not or I cannot since it is principall priueleadge in frendship to finde nothing impossible Therefore who ioynes in frendship with an other bindes himselfe not to denie the thing that he demaundes nor to vse excuse in any thing that his frende requires him to doe since in this consistes the full office of frendship to owe to our frendes euen our selues and all that we haue By the Councell of Seneka the wise and discréete man ought to admitte but one frende forséeing withall as neare as he can to haue no enemie at all For sayth he if there be daūger in enemies there can be no suretie in the multitude of frendes since in respect of their nomber they bréede difference of consent and will with varietie of condicions and where is no conformitie of manners there can be no perfection in frendship So straight is the rule of frendship that of many that professe liberall affection there are fewe that performe it being an office perticuler to the Children of vanitie to haue readie tongues to promise and slowe handes to performe True frendes are bounde to féele the aduersities of their frendes with no lesse affection then if they had proper interest in them yea it belonges to them to minister remedie to their necessities and geue comfort to their miseries estéeming it to apperteine to their dutie to communicate in all the fortunes of their frendes The same agréeing with the resolution of Eschinus the Philosopher who being asked what was the greatest perplexitie of this lyfe aunswered that to loase thinges which we haue got with paine and to be deuided from that which we loue are the greatest afflictions that can trauell a humaine minde The frende whom we chuse ought aboue all other thinges to be discréete to the ende he may Councell vs and of habilitie and wealth the better to administer to our necessities and lackes For other wayes if he beare no aduise and iudgement wée shall want Councell to gouerne our prosperitie and if he be pore what meane is there to
to haue him steale from her to enriche his frende to communicate wyth his minion and be a straunger to his Wife and to minister to the wantes of his Concubine and be wythout pitie to his proper Children In the Lawe of Christianitie the same fayth the woman is bounde to kepe to her Husband he is al so bounde to obserue to her But if Wyues had the lyke authoritie to chastise as Husbandes take libertie to accuse sure they would neyther take to such sorrow the disorders of their Husbandes nor in them would be founde such facilitie to offende Besides from the season that Man and Woman be vnited by the holy promise and couenaunt of mariage they haue so small iurisdiction in perticuler ouer themselues that it is a kinde of theft if eyther the one or the other alien or deuide their bodies Consider therefore Sir the great occasions you giue to your Wyfe who hauing youth riches and beutie and courted with no simple importunities If she were otherwayes then she is she would perhaps bestow her hart vpon some one of those many that bestow vpon her their eyes occasion may doe much and there is no worse thing to tempt a Woman then the ill example of her husband For your parte if you thinke your Wyfe not worthie to receiue recompence of affection at least haue consideration of her merit and let not her loyaltie discouer your penurie nor her constancie complaine of your want of honor If you will not obserue to her the Law of a husband for the respectes of your soule your honor your goodes and your health at least remember that what pleasures or felicyties you finde in the companie of your Concubine are nothing in regarde of the disquiets you shall finde when you come home For how wise how secret how temperate or how holy so euer a Wyfe be yet she had rather die then not to giue reuenge to the iniuries of her Husbande or not to make him féele her Ielousie And therefore to men that are drowned in fancie wyth forreyne Women it is in vayne to repose in the Baude who will be corrupted or in the Concubine whose indifferencie makes her a blab Séeing in cases of Ielousie Wyues are so suttle and wyth all so liberall that the better to espie and trace out the Confederacies of their Husbandes they will not sticke to corrupt hte Quicke by money and Coniure the deade by Charmes And so God graunt you that you want and defende you from that you deserue A Treatise of the Resurrection of IESVS CHRIST ▪ together wyth an Exposition of the Fifth Article of the Créede that he discended into Hell and roase againe the thirde day ACcording to your request I haue sent you herewith the declaration of the fifth Article of the Créede in substance as I published it but not in sort as I pronounced it For that it is impossible that in the Penne should be represented the facilitie grace and edifying vertue of the Tongue according to the opinions of the best Philosophers and Orators both Gréeke and Latine wyth whom the Penne was accompted insufficient to satisfie or compare wyth the honor which they had gotten wyth the Tongue and specially to recorde or write Sermons wherein they helde that the matter should loase his Grace and the auther his reputation Notwithstanding according to your power to commaunde me you shall finde no want of desire to doe you seruice albeit vnder this condition that if you be not satisfyed the fault is more in your importunitie then in my charitie and so to the matter The fifth article of our faith expressing that Christ discended into hell roase eftsones the third day contayneth two partes whereof the first comprehendes our confession that he went into hell and in the second is contayned his resurrection Some deuines deuide it into two articles but wée draw it into one contayning notwithstanding two partes tending to one end We confesse that our redéemer being buried his holy bodie remayned in the graue thrée dayes being in déede dead during that season But his soule in the meane while was not ydle for that it discended into hell to do there a wonderfull action which he accomplished And so we confesse that on the third day his soule was reioyned to his bodie to geue it reall and essentiall life So that there can be no dout that he roase not againe hauing obteyned the victorie against death Wherein if we consider thinges in iudgement and equitie we shall find great matter in the humilitie of the sonne of God and in whom may be séene the singuler mercie of the father not sparing his sonne and his readie obedience to accomplish the eternall will of his father all inuiting vs to beare no small loue and thankfulnes to him In this article and in the former are declared the degrées by the which the sonne of God discended and embased himself euen to thinges incredible for a personage of that dignitie The first degrée was to make him man and to vouchsafe to be borne at a time certaine he which was borne eternally The second was that he yet humbled himself more to suffer sentence and publike condemnation as a malefactor In the third he tooke vppon him the torments of the crosse a death most cruell and more infamous then any other sort of passion By the fourth he was content to suffer death not as God albeit being God but as man in such sort as the very person of God suffred death In the fifth he suffred himselfe to be buried as others that were dead making himselfe like them in all thinges as if he had bene comprehended vnder the curse of Adam to retorne into dust whereof he was formed yea he that was frée from sinne and the curse And by the last steppe or degrée he discended into hel whether were discended such as stood destitute of their proper iustice to the end to open to them the gate of the kingdome of heauen By these degrées if we consider spiritually the discending of Iesus Christ we shall find it as long as is the distance of heauen from whence he came vntill the Center of the earth whether he discended And as there restes no other place any further to embase the sonne of God so would he not bée committed to more humilitie only there remayned one degrée which proceded of sinne and the fellowship of Sathan ▪ out of the which the person of Christ was exempted hée which came to redéeme sinners and iustifie men and vanquish the deuill All that he could suffer to be made a sacrifice for our sinnes the sonne of God was enclined embased vnto it sinne only except whereunto he could not be subiect for that there is too great enimitie betwene the iustice of the sauiour the malignity of sinne The greatest part of the degrees aboue mencioned concerning the discending and humilitie of the sonne of God are declared by the Apostle who speaking by
end the power of God raysed him againe drue him out of the graue hauing vanquished death Of this besides many other prophesies Dauid hath written most manifestly speaking in the person of our Lorde as a man that by the inspiration of the holy Ghost J always sayth he set afore mine eyes the Lord whom I haue of my right hande to kepe me that J fall not For this cause doe J reioyce and my tongue shall beare Testimonie of my contentment but specially for that my fleshe shall rest in hope For Lorde thou wilt not leaue my lyfe in the graue nor suffer thy holy one to see corruption Thou hast shewed me the way of lyfe euen so shalt thou fill me wyth pleasure by thy presence For thou bearest in thy right hand a perpetual blisse In these wordes the Lord sheweth the singuler fauor which he receiued of his father in the death had not domination ouer him but was subdued and vanquished shewing withall the gladsome contentment he had to sée the eternall Father on his right hand In this hope he offered his body to the death dispersed it vpon the crosse receiued the graue being certeine of his resurrection victory that aswell touching himselfe as also for all mankind wherin declaring also his confidence ioy of his victory he sayth that his Father hath not suffered that his lyfe should remaine prisoner in the graue for euer and much lesse that his soule should be there deteyned not retourne eftsoones to be revnited to his body And lastly that his most holy body conceiued by the holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin and who had passed so many Passions of Tormentes for the Seruice and Obedience of his Father should not suffer corruption in the Graue but afore Nature coulde accomplishe that operation his Soule shoulde eftsoones receaue coniuntion wyth his Bodye The Prophet sayth moreouer that he hath shewed him the way to retorne to life concluding with action of thankes that he hath surmounted death and sinne The sonne of God did not only obteyne priuilege to rise againe but also to him was ioyned power to make his resurrection afore there was any such signe of corruption in his body as naturally appeares on others that be dead this respect was kept on the behalfe of his most holy person and the flesh which he had taken for that effect béeing pure and wihtout any marke of sinne Besides all these we may consider vppon the end of this Psalme a great misterie of the victorie which our Lord obtayned against death together with the assurance of our resurrection the same leauing vs satisfied and certayne that once againe we shall réenter into the possession of our bodies after wée haue abandoned them by the rigor of death With this Psalme S. Paule proues the resurrection of the Messias against the Jewes saying that Dauid was dead and buried whose Sepulcher was well enough knowne amongst the Jewes concluding that séeing the body of Dauid had passed by that corruption which is common and generall to all dead men it was not possible that those wordes should be vnderstanded by him and therefore what he said he meant it by Iesus Christ whom neyther hell nor the graue had power to deteyne and to whose flesh could be attributed no sense or suffrance of corruption So that Dauid being a Prophet and hauing receiued promise by othe that the Messias should discend of his séede prophesied of his comming vnder the forme of wordes afore recited This is of great importance for Christians to whom it is a true approbation and sommarie of all the workes which the Lord did and of all our religion together with an assured gage or pawne of all our hope Saint Paule sayth that it is concluded the resolution alreadie set downe against the aduersaries and vnbeleuing that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God the same being proued in this that the father hath raysed him from the dead with a great force and wonderfull testimonie thereby to shew that he was his onely sonne Wherein on the one side might be séene the sentence of men the condemnation of the worlde the reprobation of the people of the Jewes the iniuries outrages and tormentes of the Crosse and of death which may alleage agaynst the sauiour of the worlde that he was not the Sonne of God but an abuser Séeing he was condemned by so great personages endured so many afflictions yea fixed on the crosse in such sort and such extremitie that the miserable worlde might estéeme him for such one as of long time had bene Prophecied that is that he was not reputed a man as others were but as one most abandoned of God and of all men And on the other side might be séene the holy Prophesies workes and wordes of our Sauiour and his Doctrine expressing the reason of his comming and the misery of his death together wyth the sentence of his Father who to shew himselfe true in his workes and promises had raised him againe from death declaring that he was his true sonne All these thinges béeing of such importance were foretolde by Iesus Christ afore his death béeing willing to Prophesie and published his resurrection both to his frendes and to his enmies to comfort the one and conuince the other Yea he thought méete to manifest it to all to make the worlde vnderstande that he was sent of the eternall Father to saue the worlde and that it was he that had ben promised in the Law offering himselfe to death of his onely and proper will. The Jewes demaunded of him some signe to know who he was but he aunswered that they should haue no other signe but that of Jonas For as Jonas issued out of the bellie of the Whale the thirde day So the thirde day after his death he should eftsoones ryse out of the center of the earth hauing in that action vanquished death As he went once to Hierusalem he tolde his Disciples that he should be deliuered into the handes of the gentiles he comunicated the forme of his death assuring them that the third day he should rise againe And speaking with them a little before his death he comforted them saying that after his resurrection he would go before them to Gallely So that our confession by the which we acknowledge our Lorde to be risen againe the third day is confirmed by good and great testimonies requisite in a thing of so high misterie and importance being also matter of no small consolation to the children of GOD together with assured testimonyes that may bee gathered againste the wicked in the Holy Scriptures and predictions which our Lorde made before hys death Certaine Meditations and considerations vpon the resurrection of Iesus Christ THe firste consideration that the faithfull christian may take of this resurrection of Christe dependes vppon the meane wée haue already spoken of For in his resurrection we may comprehend that which appertaines to the
that shée is already in the way to hir saluation But séeing she is dead and now set in the place of Gods eternall appointment and since in the world is no power eftsones to raise her let her rest at quiet in the ioyes of Paradise and resort you hereafter to a resolute patience Become imediatly carefull for your life and leaue of those funeralles and vayne ceremonies for the dead séeing that if God hath fulfilled his will to call her to him it is to place her in his tabernacle of eternall rest and leauing you still in the world he doth it to none other end but to giue you time of amendement For where God promiseth to man long and many daies it is vnder this warning that he giue order to the correction of his life Many times haue I spoken and written that the sounde and noyse of Belles doth not so much benefite the dead as do good to those that liue for that as the dead béeing wythout sence are also voyde of nature and habilitie to resume remorse so to such as liue the Belles giue warning of death as those that are alreadie departed yea they pronounce that we shall all be buried as such as are alreadie put in the graue and no more remembraunce remayne of vs then of them that lie couered with claye which makes mée still maintaine that albeit to the dead the Belles are merly vnprofitable yet to the liuing they serue as officers to somon vs to the fatall banquet They call vs to prepare our reckoning and make vs readie to appeare afore our soueraigne iudge to heare our sentence yea they put vs in remembrance of the last houre of our miserable life and then as I knowe none that wish to haue bene Emperours so there is no doubt but many desire to haue liued in the state of poore heardsmen But now to perswade with you somewhat familiarlie aswell to witnesse my good will as to warne your frailtie I wishe you to vse patience not so much to expresse your grauetie as to solace the heauinesse of your minde and by so much haue you néede to cal for aid to the spirite of God by how much the greatnes of your losse séemes to excéede the resistance of flesh and bloud consider that to render retribucion is a dutie of nature and a debt to be payed either in youth in age or at other season and that not in the hand and discretion of man but at the will and good pleasure of God with whom we haue no power to contend for that the thinges which he commaundeth ought to be accomplished and what he willeth is well worthy to be approued being impossible that he should exact any vniust thing he that is euen the selfe supreame and souereigne iustice Be it sir that you are sory for her death of whom can you redemaund your losse but of death against whom there is neyther prescription nor authoritie It is he in whom is wrought the very effect and stipend of sinne and it is he that is the fearefull tirant ouer the world who yéeldes no compassion to the teares of men takes no care of their sighes scornes at their complaints and playeth with their afflictions he maketh great kinges fall as lowe as the ground he deuides their principallities destroyeth their heyres he confoundes the proude and mightie and rayseth the humble and méeke hée neither pardoneth old men nor pitieth the young sort yea he hath authoritie to call all men to reckoning and no man to demaund reason of him The Philosopher Secundus being asked what death was Aunswered that it was an eternall sléepe a terror of riches a desire of the miserable a seperation of friends a voyage vncertaine a robber of men a beginning of those that liue and an end of such as die Death hath this absolute libertie to enter where hee list without knocking at the gate condemne whom he will not heare them speake and carie away what he thinkes good without that euen the highest authoritie either can or dare resist him Yea we must be pleased with what he leaueth vs and not complaine of that he takes from vs. I doubt not but it is grieuous to you to féele the want of so deare a wife aswell for the solace of your person as direction of your house and children but séeing the chaunces of mortall creatures do shew that al men are subiect to the law of nature and fortune and that of necessitie this must passe so put on a good countenaunce to the world and shake of all inward heauines of mind séeing the care of thinges impossible is vaine and only proper to weake men you know also that in this troublesome life many mo in number are the things that amaze vs then those that hurt vs And therfore to wéepe much to sigh often to sorrowe alwaies to weare attire of dule to flée societie of friends to retire into desolate priuat places to delite in solitarines be in one of your grauetie matters more to be rebuked then affected séeing that as too great ioye estrangeth the heart into the like so for the most part much parplexitie sorrow bring with them the effect of dispaire You ought not for the death of your wife to be negligent in the administration of your house carelesse in the state of your health forgetfull to entertaine the reputation of your honour nor vnmindful to direct your reuenue For the passions and afflictions of the hart are neuer cured by newe grieues but with the longnesse of time One of the greatest trauels that we suffer in this transitory race is that sorowes grieues enter our harts sodainly which afterwards we cānot expell but with great time and vertue And therfore we ought not at the first to vrge a troubled minde to forget his paine but rather to perswade to moderate it for that at the beginning the mind receiueth more comfort in debating the harme then in speaking of the remedie And therefore to a mind afflicted with gréene sorrowes the best remedy is to deferre them vntill by time they be more apt to receiue consolation For as tract of time carieth with it a law of forgetfulnes of things past so to a hart grieued the true souereigne plasters are temperance time forgetfulnes So that neither because you are a widower nor in respect of your passions you ought to cōmit to negligence the order of your person nor the nouriture of your children for as it is no small fully to wéepe for the dead whom we haue no power to recouer so it can not but be a great madnesse to be carelesse of them that liue standing in the way of perdicion withall no man is bound to raise vp againe such as are dead but euery one is tied to this dutie to giue succours to them that liue I hope sir you wil not lay afore you the example of your neighbour friend Roderico who assone
therewith haue made seruice offerings to the Lord Multiplicati sunt super capilos capitis mei et cor meuÌ„ dereliquit me I am falne into that age sayth Dauid that I haue no more sight remaining Mine enemies haue enuironed me my frends are dead my sinnes haue made me fall my good daies are now drawne to end so that my grieffes sorrows perplexities are mo in nomber then my hears but my greatest heauinesse of all is that my hart hath forsaken me wholoaseth his eyes the other particuler parts of his body together with all his goods can not but loase right dear great things but he that loaseth his hart loaseth assuredly all that can remaine or aperteine to a man For that within the wombe of our mothers the hart is the first that engendereth taketh lyfe and the last that dissolueth and vanisheth to death So that lyke as so longe as our hartes leaue vs not we may both loue feare and serue God so also if the hart loase his vigor and géeue vs ouer assuredly we haue neyther power nor facultie to Fast Praye or perseuer in Breath And therefore according to Saynt Hierom it is a great gyfte of GOD to be endued wyth a Constant and Valiant mynde as on the other syde to haue fayntnesse of hart and Pusillanimytye canne not but beare Testimonye and Prooffe of great Punnishement Audi popule Audi qui non habes cor sayth GOD by his Prophete Jeremie heare my voyce Oh generation of Jsraell and hearken to my wordes Oh People of the Hebrues I call thée Foole because thou art wythout harte yea I saye thou hast no harte because thou art a foole wher the Prophet in this phrase charged the people to haue no hart he imposed vpon them infidelitie as though they had neither fayth nor belefe in Iesus Christ the true god because the lyke as when the hart dyeth the life dissolueth euen so by Christ aspiring vpon the Crosse the sinagog tooke ende So that the Prophete was not without great reason to call the Hebrues Fooles men without hart séeing the testimony of so many miracles suffised them not much lesse were they satisfied with the nomber of benefites blessings with infinit Sermons perfourmed by our sauiour Iesus Christ all tending to make them Christians and yet wrought small impression in them by reason of their slender knowledge and great follie Euen so according to morrall phrase when we say any man hath want of hart it is asmuch as if we should charge him not to haue Iesus christ in his spirit for that as vndertaking to doe any good worke Iesus Christ is he that geues vs hart puts vs in reason euen so by good conclusion that man we may saye is depriued of reason and vnfurnished of hart which loues not Christ thinkes not on Christ serues him not feareth him not and hopes not in him So that in the Lawe of GOD to call a man without hart is no other thing then to saye he hath a body without a soule Omni custodia custodi cor tuum sayth the Wise man euery one ought to kéepe and double garde his hart to the ende it be not defiled by the fleshe oppressed of the worlde deceaued by the Deuill and that it be not altogether exercised by his fréende nor outraged by his enemie For that euen so much and no more haue wée in Iesus Christ then we geue vnto him Possession and place in our harte Wherein according to the measure of our confidence in GOD shall we finde recompence and retribution in him Yea if we geue our selues altogether to him he wyll assuredly be wholy ours So that all those thinges which the Lord geues vnto vs being holy harty or vnfained it belonges to vs the better to Prepare our offeringes to God euen from our hartes fixed in our harte vnfaynedly to touche our hart to kéepe our hartes alwayes replenished wyth Holy desires and enuironed with good thoughts For which occasion it suffised not the wiseman to bid vs simplie kepe our hartes but he enioyned vs to a double and diligent garde the better to aduertise vs that as the Eyes may be preserued by their Eyeliddes the mouth defended by the lippes the féete and handes kept from harme by Armour Gauntlets and a mans treasure holden from the Théefe vnder Locke and Key So there can nothing in this world suffise to forbid an ambicious minde to thinke and desire And so falling eftsoones vppon our first matter I saye that much doth that man offer to God that offereth his hart as also what hath he more to lose that loseth his hart the same appearing in the conuersion of this good théefe who euen as he hanged vppon the crosse because he offered to God onely his hart founde this recompence to be caryed into the eternall Tabernacle of God and communicate in his glorie Let then the example of this théefe stande before vs all that notwithstanding we haue not handes Féete Eyes Siluer Golde precious Iewels or clothes to offer to God yet let vs not be troubled or gréeued For who hath not these thinges in his power let him not doubt to be acceptable to the Lord if he present his hart replenished with holy desires The Sister of Moyses was diseased Moyses himselfe Stutted Tobyas was Blinde Mimpheboseph was Lame Zacharias the Priest was Dumbe yet these imperfections hindred not these men to be holy vertuous yea God called some of them to the function ministerie of his will If we haue our hartes whole holy sound the Lord obserues little the state of our other members no he makes no care whether they be perfect or putrified for this théefe in his senteÌ„ce of condemnation death had his limmes brused broken his mouth his eyes whole body crucified but his hart only reteining integritie he offred it to his sauiour and by his â—…yth constancie purchased the benefit of saluation And albeit in so small a respit of time in so quicke sharpe torments in so greuous apprehension of the dollors and terrors of death suffered by this théefe on the Crosse he coulde perfourme no great penaunce expresse no varietie or copie of spéeche or vtter apparant remorse by sighes sorrowe or publike contrition yet for that to his passions he ioyned greatnesse and constancie of harte wyth fayth and deuotion to GOD The Lorde dyd accept not onely that which he dyd then but also what he would haue done if he had not ben preuented by death How wickedly the euill THEEFE spake hanging on the Crosse THe Wicked Théefe speaking to Iesus Christ sayd if thou be that same Christ that is the sonne of God deliuer thy selfe from death and vs from this Passion of torments Oh cursed impudencie to pronounce such Horrible blasphemie against the maiestie of our Sauiour For albeit the Sonne of God was committed to the Crosse and
notwythstanding with so great Warre that on the one syde he leuyed those Prisoners that were kept restrayned and on the other his vertue so weakened their infernall forces that they remeyned euer since vanquished It was then that they sawe and knew that their Hell whither they thought to haue reduced all mankinde was forced and dissolued And that sinne which they had introduced into the worlde and death that ensued it were deade and vanquished by the conquest of this newe and inuincible Prince That was it which the Apostle spake of that the sonne of God hath defaced and sacked the powers of Hell the worlde am putting them to publyke confusion and Triumphing ouer them in his proper person So that the enterprises of our Sauiour in this comparison represent vnto vs the forme and actions of a valiant Capteyne marching before men before Aungelles and before the face of the Father wyth a great troupe of enemies vanquished bounde and spoyled of their forces In the beginning of this Article wée touched that our Lorde made his discending by certeyne degrées yea euen to a Wonderfull embasement of himselfe and knowne onely to the diuine wisedome This embasement hath ben Prophecied vnder the signe of discending from Heauen vnto the the Bottomes of the Earth But now we say that of all those degrées by the which he discended and of al other things which in the wisedome of the world made him séeme so embased vanquished he caried a wonderfull victory which encreased alwais more more In the first degrée he was made man that was the true and eternall sonne of god This step and wonderfull humilitie albeit it is great yet he neuer abandoned his diuinitie no he could not loase it and much lesse diminishe it by it his humanitie was greatly exalted being by the same meane so connexed with the diuinitie that one selfe person was GOD and man ▪ if it were possible that God might gaine in any thing it might be sayd that he gained in this but hauing want of nothing he gaines not as a néedie man For he hath no necessitie of any thing and much lesse can there be added to his greatnesse But because the gaine of men is great in this receiuing a benefite which was neuer Communicated with Angelles for God neuer tooke aliance nor séede of Aungelles but chused the Linage of Abraham we say also that there was a gaine and profite to God béeing a true declaration of his riches and of his workes which are comformable to him together wyth a playne manifestation of his mercie This victorie against sinne and the deuill is truly worthie of the person of the Sonne of God Séeing that mankinde which was put to perdition by the suttletie of the Serpent is redéemed and redeliuered from the seruitude of the Deuill and restored to an estate of habilitie to be the Children of God by the meane of this sauiour The seconde degrée of this discending of the Lord was in that he was condemned publykly as a malefactor In this descending there is a great want and yet by it he recouered a wonderfull victorie For béeing our brother he deliuereth vs from the eternall condemnation so that all our libertie and absolution depende vppon his Condemnation he hath payde the debtes which he made not euen so those shall be discharged which ought them He was Condemned by the Sentence of men and wée absolued in the iudgement of God hauing deliuered vs from the cursse of the law which had condemned vs The thirde degrée was when he was iudged to the Death of the Crosse For by his death he brake the forces of Death dispoyling him of his weapons wherewyth he had made so great and vniuersall slaughters For which cause the Apostle demaundes of death where was his victorie and where were become the meanes by the which he determined so many men By the fourth steppe or degrée he was put into the Sepulcher but the better to comprehend the true sense of this passage it is méete we make some iudgment and construction of thinges The storye of the Gospell declareth that our Lorde being dead Joseph demaunded of Pylate to take his bodie from the crosse and burie it which Pylate suffered by the ordinance of god And hauing taken it from the crosse they wrapped it in a newe Linnen cloath and layde it in a Sepulcher where no man had yet lyen Lastly hauing embawmed him wyth the oyntmentes which Nicodemus brought they left the body in the graue roulling to the mouth therof a great stoan Mary Nagdalin and the other Mary considering well in their vnderstanding the sayd sepulcher All this serueth to two effectes the first is to render testimony of the truth of the death of Iesus Christ shewing also a great misterie comprehended vnder the graue but the Church comprehendes both the one and the other in one worde his Sepulcher and that he remayned there thrée dayes expresseth the truth of his death making by that meane his resurrection more euident In this Article the imbasement and humilitie of the sonne of God encreaseth more and more as also his spirite and victorie which he hath obteined for vs For it is sayd first of al that he suffered the condemnation of Pilate and was executed and so being dead his body was buried It séemes that all these bring encrease to the victory of the deuill the world and death But of the contrarie it is our victory that is enlarged For by how much nere doth approch and is manifested the death of our Lorde by so much more is at hand the end and ruine of our death Death is dead and vanquished in such sort that he hath no power agaynst vs and for such one we put him into the graue Esay hath Prophesied that the Lord should destroy death eternally and drye vp the teares of his people and take away the dishonor of the earth in which words may be discerned the full victory against death which hath no power to cōfoūd nor make sorowful the true Christian It is not sayd by this that we shall not die and not féele death which is naturall but by this is expounded that the pricks and sorrows of death are vanquished haue no authority against a Christian séeing that for the exchange of this temporall lyfe he goeth to the eternall life accompanied with the fayth that he hath had that Christ is his redemption his life In this is performed the Prophecie of Ose speaking in the name of the Lord Oh death J will be thy death the same agréeing with the Apostle who assureth vs that our death is vanquished by the passion of Iesus christ our sepulcher buried in his yea our death hath lost his forces which made him reigne ouer vs and our graue hath lost his power and possibilitie to reteine vs stil seing it cannot now any more hold vs in propertie or perpetuitie but as it were by deputation and for a time In
this sepulcher of the sonne of God is also conteined the mistery of the coniunction which we haue with him by death the graue the end of the death burying of Iesus christ tending to this that we die be buried with him For as the bands and forces of our death were broken by the vertue of the death of him that killed death euen so by our death must be vanquishe the stinges prickes of that death that the merite of our sinnes made due to vs This is the same which the holy Ghost speaketh by the mouth of the Apostle We are buried wyth Christ in his death to the end we participate wyth his life béeing impossible we should communicate wyth his lyfe if first we haue no action or societie wyth his death for that wée can not haue parte in the one vnlesse wée accompanie him in the other And so the last degrée conteynes as hath béene alredie declared that he discended into Hell committed the Deuill to spoyle and brake his Prysones for euer Wherein according to the text of the Apostle his victorie encreased and became great euen by the same measure that he embased and humbled himselfe Thus much for the first part of our Article and so let vs discend to the second part wherein we confesse that the sonne of God roase againe from death and the third day retorned really and truly into life Touching the resurrection of Christ LIke as the foure Euangelistes haue vsed great diligence to perticulate the outrages condemnation and death of the sonne of God euen so they haue bene no lesse carefull to set out poynt by poynt his restoring and resurrection According to the computation of the time vsed in the gospel he died the Friday at ix a clocke in the euening roase againe the Sunday following in the morning ioyntly whervnto we agrée that he remayned thrée dayes thrée nights in the graue taking part of the Friday which was the daye of the death for the whole day and the residue of the Sunday being his resurrection for an other whole daye All which do serue manifestly to the proofe truth of his death and restoring to life being al foreordained and established in the counsell of God. Joseph demaunded of Pilate his body to burie it but Pilate desirous to know whether he were dead in déede sent for the same purpose a Centenier to discouer a truth and then condiscended to Josephes request yea when they came to take downe the dead bodies from the crosse because they should not remaine there the next day being the great feast of their Sabboth they found the two théeues on liue and our Lord dead All which with many other approbations which may be alledged together with some perticulers which we meane to ioyne to the sequele of these are sufficient proues of his resurrection Our Lorde béeing thus put into the graue and embawmed Soldiours were set to garde the Sepulcher And in the meane whyle his Disciples remayned sorrowfull and heauie hauing very little hope of his Resurreciton and small knowledge of the scriptures to the vnderstanding of this misterie They beleued that their maister had preached the trueth and that he was most iust in his workes and that God had sent him But touching the matter of resurrection they were very blind and doubtfull After there was time enough perfourmed for the proofe fayth and testimonie of his paineful death and to establish the accomplishement of the misteries and prophesies The Sunday morning bringing wyth him the triumphes of hell and death he Roase againe and returned to lyfe and to such a lyfe that after that death had no more power ouer it béeing defaced deuested of all meanes eftsoones to exercise his iurisdiction Imediatly after he was risen agayne he appeared to his Disciples to assure them of the consolations giuen vnto them before he dyed and wythal to accomplishe the words spoken and promised by him That he would rise againe the third day The first person to whom he reuealed himselfe after his resurrection was the virgin Mary his Moother as who aboue all others liued in most expectation for him and he lykewise bare vnto her a most deare affection For if we consider her by her fayth she had it more great then al the rest And if wée haue regarde to Seruices she merited wyth the best hauing nourished him followed him wyth no small care pouertie and perplexitie thirtie thrée yeares In her is expressed a good Testimonie of his death for that standing at the foote of the Crosse where she felt the accomplishment of the prophesie of Simeon that the sword of sorrow should pearce thorow her intralles she was chosen of the Father to serue in an estate of great excelencie euen so was she accomplished wyth thoughtes and actions méeke for the seruice of such a function And albeit both by her perseuerance béeing greater then the rest that followed the Lord and that the trauelles of his Death were of more Passion to her then to others hauing more interest first of that holy companie to whome he disclosed his Resurrection Yet the Euangelistes ascrybing nothing to the singularitie of persones leaue all that aparte and recyte to whome he appeared wyth all such circumstances and proofes as serue for Testimonie agaynst the People of the Jewes He appeared to Mary Mardaline in forme of a Gardiner in the selfe same Gardeyne where he hadde béene Buried He appeared to his Disciples the selfe same daye in the place where they were drawne together for feare of the Iewes He appeared to two Disciples which went to Emaus At the ende of Eyght dayes he appeared once againe to his disciples S. Thomas being then present who was absent the first time Lastly he was séene of his Disciples neare the Sea of Gallile there being yet besides these so many other testimonies to confirme this trueth that it were but superfluous to ad more to the authorite of these Thus much for the narration of the History And lyke as the Resurrection of that Messias was of great importance so also was it prefigured and foreshewed by the prophets that went afore For Jonas was throwen into the Sea and swalowed of a Whale and yet by the mercie of God after he had remained thrée dayes and thrée nights in the bellie of the Fish he came out safe and sound to accomplishe the commaundement of god In this Jonas the Seruaunt of the almightie was a figure of our sauiour For as he was cast into the Sea to saue from wracke all the others that were in the shippe and that by the consent and determination of the Mariners Euen so our Lorde was past to condemnation by the councell and resolution of men and for their safetie throwne into the Sea of persecution of death in such sort that the earth receiued him as it doth other dead bodies reteining him thrée days thrée nights as a body deiected without life yet in the
and mind The writers describe her to be of goodly personage her eyes blacke and of quicke motion her forhead large of good aspect her mouth little and lippes red her téeth white more by nature then by Art her face of complexion perfect white and red her stomacke raysed and her witte most ready and excellent wherein shée was holpen by a déepe knowledge in the Greeke Latine Yea in her personage she bare such estate maiestie and in her countenance such affabilitie swéetenes that if she were feared by meane of her seueritie shée was eftsons loued by reason of her beauty In al this pomp of beautie bountie authoritie riches power she was neuer suspected to be dissolute nor foūd affected to vanities esteming it to belong to the dignitie of her place vertue to shew no lesse integritie in example then to be void of lightnes in life Oftentimes her husbād Odenatus hath ben heard confesse that after she was once conceiued she wold neuer suffer his actuall company for that it brought staine to her chastitie holding it to belong to women to marrie more for the respect of procreation and children then to accomplish their pleasures Shée did eate but once a daye and spake little which made her body disposed her minde liuely She could drinke no wyne but was so curious to séeke for pleasant waters that for the price she might haue prouided the most precious wynes Assone as the kinges of Egipt and other Princes conspiring vnderstood of the death of her husband they dispatched Embassadors not so much to visite and comfort her as to offer league and confederacie with her so redouted was she by reason of her rare vertue Aurelius at that time being chosen Emperour of Rome made great prouision to passe into Asia to make warre vppon Quéene Zenobia being an enterprise not of the least importance to the Romaines Wherein he found such smarting effect of her vertue and inuincible valiancie of her souldiers that he saw great difficultie to conquere her by Armes And therefore assayed the remedie of swéete wordes and promises in this short letter following Aurelius Emperour of Rome and Lord of all Asia to the honorable Quéene Zenobia ALbeit to women standing in disobediēce as thou doest it can not but be vnworthy to minister requestes yet considering clemencie is a vertue nothing inferior to iustice I thought good to offer to thée the choyse assuring thée that if thou wilt take the benefit of my mercie I will giue honour to thy person and pardon to thy people The gold the siluer thy other treasure remayning in thy pallace shall not be diminished nor thy selfe deuided from thy kingdome of Palmerine which I giue thée during thy life and after to be disposed at thy pleasure vnder this condicion that thou resigne thy other kingdomes and Prouinces in Asia and acknowledge supremacie in the Empire of Rome and of thy people of Palmerina I demaund no other obedience then as confederates and friends So that if vnder these condicions thou wilt dissolue thy Camp thou shalt receiue reconcilement to the obedience of Rome and retaine certaine men of warre sufficient for the suretie of thy person and seruice of thy Realme Of thy two sonnes left by Odenatus thy husband thou shalt keep 〈◊〉 with thée him whom thou louest best send the other to me not that I will leade him prisoner but kéepe him as a pawne of thy behauiour And for the prisoners retained on both sides they shal be redeliuered in enterchange without raunsome And so I acknowledge thée happie more by fortune then by vertue This Letter bringing no amaze to the mind of Zenobia she gaue present aunswere as followeth Zenobia Queene of the Palmerines and Lady of whole Asia and the kingdomes thereof to Aurelius Emperour of Rome gréeting c. THat thou giue to thy selfe the title of Emperour of the Romaines I holde it both iust and conuenient But to make thée Lord ouer the realmes of the East I say there is neither reason nor right Since thou art not ignorant that those kingdomes are due to me only the one part discending by right of progenie the other I haue wonne by my prowes and vertue Thou sayest that if I yéeld obedience to thée thou wilt giue me recompence of great honour and ioyne forgiuenes to the faultes of my people to the one I say there is no necessitie of remission where hath bene no fault committed nor in thée is any power to forgiue against whom could be no possibilitie of offence And for the other it could not be either honest or iust that being as I am absolute to commaund ouer Asia I should as priuate be brought to the seruice of Rome Thou offrest to leaue me possest of the golde the siluer and my other treasure within my pallace wherein I can not but wonder with what grace thou canst aspire to dispose the goods of an other as thine owne thinges which thine eyes shal not sée nor thy hands touch for that I hope that afore thou come to be the executor of my goods in Asia I shall make liberalitie of all thy riches in Rome Touching the warre thou hast areared against me it is iniust afore the immortall Gods and most vnreasonable in the reason of men séeing thou fightest not to resist an iniurie but to inuade an innocent And I take armes to repulse a wrong and defend my right So that thy comming into Asia is but to rauish the goods of an other where my sword is drawn to kéepe innocents from oppression Think not that the name of the Romanes is terrible to me nor that the face of thy huge hoste can amaze me for if it be in thy hand to giue the battell in the Goddes is the authoritie to dispose the victorie and the successe of warres for the most part followeth not the nomber and courage of the souldiers but hath regard to the iustice innocencie of the quarrell That I attend thée in the field is no small glory to me where thou inuading a wydow reapest nothing but shame The cause of Widowes are protected by the Gods to whō it belongs to abate the pride of the rauishor and retayne to themselues the reuenge of desolate persons But if the Goddes suffer thée to be victor and that the furie of thy ambicion take away my life and goods yet in Rome it shal be published as it is in Asia knowne that Zenobia is made a sacrifice for the defence of her patrimonie and to preserue the honour of her husband Therefore cease henceforth to threat feare or flatter me since I am resolute to offer vnder one deuocion my life and my kingdome Wherein in doing as much as I am able I do more then I ought esteming it better to leaue a monument of my vertue then to liue with shame And if my fortune giue me vp into thy hands she world shall beare me
discretion of the doers for that according to Aristotle all the operations and mocions of man procéede of the vnderstanding and will. And therefore it is hard to iudge of the workes and dispositions of litle children till by encrease of yeares they enter into the vse of reason a time when they haue habilitie to do well or ill The same béeing the cause why the Cannon speakes not indistinctly of all children but onely of such as are somewhat raysed into yeares and age For it impugnes nothing the opinion of such as saye that litle children are without sinne but meanes expressely of such as are ten or twelue yeares of age who in déede are not exempted from sinne Mans estate which is the third age begins at fiftene yeares and continueth till eight and twentie according to Isidores opinion This age the Latines call Adolescentia for two reasons the one for their possibilitie and nearenesse to engender the other for that they encrease and rise into strength Touching the first it is referred to the beginning of this age wherein young men approch the power of procreation which was further from them in their childhode as hath bene sayed The second consideration beholdes chiefely the end of that age according to the opinion of many who holde that man encreaseth till twentie or two and twentie yeares which is the end of Mans estate But Jsidorus sayth that Adolescentia lasteth till eight and twentie yeres notwithstanding man doth not alwayes rise in increasing till then and yet it séemes that that age tooke his name directly of encrease for that then man comes to his perfect growth In the ages afore rehearsed Jnfancie and Puerilitie man groweth still yea and in one part of the third age which is Adoloscentia But in the ages following he groweth nothing for that he hath taken his perfection afore And therefore seeing all growing endes in Adoloscentia for after that age man encreaseth nothing the name of encrease or growing doth most properly appertaine to him Youth which is the fourth age entreth at nine and twentie and endeth at fiftie as Isidore affirmeth The Latines call it Inuentus by reason of the helpes and aides that the world hath of men of that age as in deede that title is most proper to him by reason of the force and vertue which men of that age haue In the former ages men are not knit nor haue their forces accomplished But in this age they haue their full strength and are well hable to endure all impositions of paine burdens or trauell In this is discerned the difference of the two opinions the one establishing seuen ages and Isidore reckoning but sixe Such as make a nomber of seuen deuide youth adioyning vnto him an other part which they call Virilitie But according to Isidore there is but one age and that is called Youth which me thinkes is not to begin at the end of Mans estate at eight and twentie yeres as Isidore holdeth But it were better to determine Mans estate at one and twentie yeres a time wherein he hath taken his groath and thereto establish the beginning of youth which is to last vntill thirtie yeres or there about and after it may succéede Virilitie which may endure vntill L where Jsidore establisheth the end of youth According to this order the names of the ages may go properly with them For Junentus takes his name of this Latine Verbe iunare signifying to aide or helpe and in that age men are most conuenient to be employed and of most habilitie to giue aide And Virilitie deriueth from this Latine Noune Vires signifying strength as an age wherein men being compleate are in there greatest force And so as the youngman is good to minister aide and helpe so in the man accomplished is good habilitie to do things of himselfe For to haue necessitie of aide is referred to the forces yet weake and not accomplished but to do any thing of our selues is a true signe of strength fully furnished Besides it is of common proofe that a man comes not to his full strength till he be thirtie yeres olde and therefore by good reason that estate of age may be called Virilitie But Jsidorus thinking not to seperate virilitie from youth sets downe other termes and limits to ages establishing the end of Mans state at eight and twentie yeres and not at one and twentie and appoynting the begining of youth at nine and twentie a season that best makes perfect the strength of men he puts no difference betwene virilitie and youth The fifth age is called Grauetie or Vnweldinesse Touching this age the two opinions aforesayd do differ in name only Jsidore calling it vnweldinesse and the other giuing it no title at all They both séene to take the commoditie of the Latine word the one calling it senectus and the other seniam notwithstanding it concerne diuerse ages This age of vnweldinesse begins at fiftie yeres and ends at thréescore and ten as Jsidore holdeth who calleth it vnweldinesse because the qualitie of heauines or waight makes fall all things lower And as in the other foure ages afore men grow either in stature or in force so in this age their strength séemes to determine and their bodies and partes begin to decaye decline to debilitie For vntil fiftie yeres man mayntaines alwayes his strength and stature but after he begins to feint as one that had runne his course and doth nothing but heape infirmities and weaknesse euen vntill death According to the opinion of such as establish seuen ages this estate of yeres is called old age wherunto Isidore consents not but calles that old age which begins at thréescore and ten and continueth til death though man liue neuer so long So that all the other ages are restrained to certaine limits of yeares but this last age is subiect to no terme for that the day and houre of mans death are not knowne Jsidore speaking of this age sayth that old age béeing the sixth age can not bée limitted nor made subiect to terme for that there is attributed vnto it the residue of the life of man which passeth the first fiue ages But touching all that hath bene sayd heretofore that euery age of the life of man hath his certaine termes and limits except the last It is to be vnderstand that al is spoken of the ages of men of our time and not of such as were afore the floud since in those seasons the age of men were a thousand yeres Neither do we meane the men of the second age which begonne from the floud vntill Abraham for that in that age there were men that liued sixe hundreth yeares and some foure hundreth as appeareth by the Doctrine of Genesis And yet those men sayth Jsidore had no more age then we and all their yeares limitted to a certaine time and terme except the last age whereunto could bée ascribed no certaintie of terme for that as it is found in Genesis
yet they looke for great recompence and if they doe nothing but vex you yet you must iudge all to the best and take nothing to blame Why seeke you a friend séeing when shée flattreth you most it is not to content you but vnder this intencion to drawe something from you For women to worke their desires can tourne them selues into so many subtelties and sugred humilities as the Camelion into coollers or the iugler into straunge deuises to deceiue the beholders And if you haue a friend you must enforce your selfe to laugh euen when the dollors of your Goute prouokes you most to crie And afore you haue had ful possessiō of her shée will cast you vp loden with sorrowe care ielousie and all other troublesome infirmities and for recompence ioyne her selfe to an other with whom shée will laugh to sée you poore impotent deceiued and spoyled And therefore to one of your age and subiection to sicknesse it were better to delite in the conuersation of some honest companion to cherish and recreate you then in the companie of a young Ladie to make your dayes troublesome Samocratius Nigidius and Ouid haue written many volumes of the remedie of loue wherein they rather taught remedie to others then found any them selues for that they all thrée died in persecution not for the abuses they committed at Rome but for the loues they practised at Capua Let them say what they will and surmise that best may please their fancie but according to experience the best remedie in loue is to eschew conuersation and auoyd occasion for that of many that follow him there are fewe frée from his bondage where such as abandon him liue alwayes in libertie Take héede therefore you dwell not long in that temptation séeing it is not conuenient for your soule your bodie your honour nor profite of your house assuring you that more shall you hasten your death by the perplexities of your Mistresse then by the torment or dollor of the Goute And so I pray you kéepe me still in your fauour and commaund mée alwayes as your owne A Letter aunswering certaine particular requests from the Court and that it is not conuenient to visite often those women whose husbands be absent IT is written in praise of the liberalitie of Alexander the great that one Byance a poore souldiour of his asking some small porcion for the mariage of his daughter he gaue him a Citie rich and populous The greatnes of the gift so farre excéeded the capacitie of the poore souldiour that the desired Alexander eftsones to consider better what he gaue and to whom he gaue it For sayth he it may be your greatnes takes me for an other then I am or at least vnderstands not what I demaund To whom the king aunswered Take what I giue thée and be contented since if thou be Byance that askest I am Alexander that giueth In like sort the great Quéene Cleopatra albeit shée was of amorous life yet otherwayes she exercised great liberalities neuer giuing to any man so litle which was not sufficient to relieue his present wantes and kéepe him from miserie all the rest of his life These two examples I haue vsed sir to publish your liberalitie that sending to you for a small thing you retorned my messenger so loden with rewardes that the world may sée that if I haue the pouertie of Byance in you is expressed the liberalitie of Alexander And by the testimonie of this letter all men may approue my demaund and giue commendation to your bountie séeing I shewed no ambicion in my request nor you expressed want of liberalitie in your recompence You write ty mée to aduertise you how the Lady Angelo my neighbour and your Aunt doth since the departure of her husband I haue not séene her nor meane to go to her vnlesse she send for me For that to women whose husbandes are absent albeit we are bound to aide them yet we haue no licence to visite them often A wife béeing the dearest of the two thinges according to the common saying which we ought not to lend nor commit to the trust of any other Lucresse liuing priuate during the absence of her husband fell by force into the rape of Tarquinius by which vile act Rome suffred sclaunder the warres brake vp Lucresse killed her selfe and Tarquine was destroyed So that to the wiues of our friends it is sufficient to minister to their wantes if they haue néede or protect them if there be cause of oppression without visiting them often and much lesse to entertayne discourse with them Séeing the malice of men is so great and the honour of women so delicate that in often resort the world takes occasion to rayse brutes and their husbande 's not without aduauntage to bée discontented I haue spoken to the Chauncellor about your businesse wherein though you preuayle not to your desire yet there shal be no fault in my solicitation In him that hath businesse in Court ought neuer to bée want of patience nor too great confidence or trust For that in Court rewardes goe not by merit but by affection and the successe of sutes is more led by Fortune then by wisedome In Court wée sée many reasonable causes that bée iust and indifferent reuersed euen when they are at poynt to bée resolued and others of no expectation or hope of ende to bée dispatched to the liking of the partie So that in Court let no man reappose confidence in the fauour of an other and much lesse dispayre if to his sute bée ioyned delaye or deniall I haue often delt with the Coronell to receiue your Nephew for his Liefetenant and béeing so often denied I take it for a discharge no more to trouble him For it is a hard thing to a liberall minde and a shamefast face to bée a suter to him in whom is no merit to bée entreated but specially when hée tourneth our importunitie to his glory and makes vs ashamed of our request In which respect there is nothing in this worlde which I holde more deare then that which is bought by sute and request séeing that more doth that man giue which for one hower employeth the shame of his face then another that for any other thing shall giue all his goodes the same agréeing with the opinion of Plato that as great is the contentment which a good harte taketh in giuing as it is gréefe to him that entreteth and is denyed For that in giuing the one buyeth the libertie of an other and in receiuing the other puttes in subiection himselfe and all that he hath Touching the money you sent me for your books I haue retourned it againe by the bearer praying you to thinke that the pleasure which one friende doth for an other ought not to be payed wyth ready money but wyth retribution of equall recompence or value And by sending to me so little money so farre of the world may thinke that eyther you suffer want of