Schoolemaister Eod. Of a notable Scholler Folio 104. Of a good Father Folio 105. Of a most Louing Mother Eod. Of Good Brethren and Louing and Fayre Systers Folio 106. Of a good Lorde Folio 107. Of the Clearenesse of the Ayre Folio 109. Of Fortunate Saylyng Eod. Of wyshed Arriuing at the Haune Folio 110. Of commyng foorth of Pryson Eod. Of a quiet State. Folio 111. Of Power Folio 113. Of Glorie Folio 114. Of Benefites bestowed vpon many Folio 115. Of Loue of the people Folio 116. Of Inuadyng a Tyrannie Folio 117. Of a Kyngdome and Empire Folio 119. Of a furnished Armie Folio 123. Of a wel apppoynted Nauie Folio 124. Of engyns and Artillarie Folio 125. Of Treasure layde vp in store Folio 126. Of Reuenge Eod. Of hope to Wynne Folio 129. Of Victorie Eod. Of the death of an Enemie Folio 130. Of hope of Peace Folio 131. Of peace and Truce Folio 132. Of the Popedome Folio 133. Of Happynesse Folio 134. Of good Hope Folio 136. Of expectation of Inheritance Folio 138. Of Alchimie Follo 139. Of the promises of wyse men and Soothsayers Folio 140. Of Glad tydynges Folio 143. Of Expectyng a mans sonne or farmer or wyfe Eod. Of Lookyng for better tymes Folio 145. Of the hoped comming of a Prynce Folio 146. Of hope of fame after Death Folio 147. Of Glory hoped for by buyldyng Folio 148. Of Glory hoped for by keepyng company 149. Of Manyfold hope Folio 150. Of hoped quietnesse of Mynde Eod. Of the hope of lyfe Euerlastyng Folio 151. The Table of the matters conteyned in the second Booke of this woorke OF the deformitie of the Bodye Folio 162. Of Weakenesse Folio 164. Of Sycknesse Folio 165. Of a base Countrey Eod. Of Basenesse of Stocke Folio 166. Of a shamefull Byrth Folio 169. Of Bondage Folio 171. Of Pouertie Folio 174. Of Damage susteyned Folio 175. Of Thynne fare Folio 178. Of Originall pouertie Folio 180. Of the heauie burden of many Chyldren Eod. Of Money lost Folio 183. Of Suertishyppe Folio 187. Of Losse of tyme Folio 188. Of Vnfortunate pâ—aâ—ing at Tables Folio 190. Of Her vnto whom one was assured iudged vnto another Eod. Of the losse of a mans Wyfe Folio 191. Of a Shrewyshe Wyfe Folio 193. Of the stealyng away of a mans Wyfe Folio 194. Of an vnchaste Wyfe Eod. Of a barren Wyfe Folio 197. Of an vnchaste Daughter Folio 198. Of Shame commyng from an other Folio 199. Of Infamie Folio 200. Of Shame procured by meanes of vnwoorthy commendation Folio 202. Of Vnthankfull Freendes Folio 203. Of Vnthankfull persons Folio 204. Of Euyll Seruauntes Folio 206. Of Fugitiue Seruauntes Folio 107. Of Importunate Neyghbours Folio 208. Of Enimies Folio 209. Of occasion lost to reuenge Folio 210. Of the peoples Hatred Folio 211. Of Enuie Passiuely Eod. Of Contempt Folio 212. Of Long expectyng a promised Rewarde Folio 213. Of Repulses Eod. Of an vniust Lorde Folio 215. Of an Vnlearned Schoolemaister Folio 216. Of an Vnapt and proude Scholer Folio 217. Of a Stepdame Folio 218. Of the hardnesse of a Father Eod. Of a stubburne Sonne Folio 220. Of a contentious Brother Folio 221. Of the Losse of a Father Folio 222. Of the Losse of a Mother Eod. Of the losse of a Sonne Eod. Of the miserable fal of a young Chylde Folio 224. Of A sonne that is founde to be another mans Eod. Of the losse of a Brother Folio 226. Of the death of a Freend Folio 227. Of the absence of Freendes Folio 228. Of greeuous Shyp wracke Folio 230. Of Burnyng Eod. Of Great labour and Trauayle Folio 231. Of A payneful Iourney Folio 232. Of One yeeres Barrennesse Folio 234. Of An euyl and proude Bayliffe Folio 235. Of Theft Folio 236. Of Robberies Folio 237. Of Coosynage and deceite Eod. Of A streyght and narrome dwellyng Folio 238. Of A Pryson Folio 239. Of Tormentes Folio 240. Of Vniust Iudgement Folio 241. Of Banyshment Folio 242. Of A mans countrey Besieged Folio 245. Of A mans countrey Destroyed Folio 246. Of the feare of loosyng in warre Folio 247. Of A foolyshe and rashe felowe in office Folio 248. Of an vndiscreete and hastie marshal of the Feelde Eod. Of vnfortunate successe in battayle Folio 249. Of Ciuile warre Folio 250. Of the disagreement of a waueryng mynde Folio 251. Of a doubtful State. Folio 253. Of Woundes receyued Eod. Of a kyng without a Sonne Folio 254 Of a kyngdome Lost Folio 255. Of Treason Folio 257. Of the losse of a Tyrannie Folio 258. Of Castles lost Folio 260. Of olde Age. Folio 262. Of the Gout Folio 267. Of Scabbes Folio 268. Of Watchyng Folio 269. Of the vnquietnesse of Dreames Eod. Of Importunate renowme Folio 270. Of Sorowe conceyued for the euyl manners of men Folio 272. Of Smal greefes of sundry thynges Folio 273. Of an Earthquake Folio 279. Of the plague farre and wyde ragyng Folio 280. Of Sadnesse and miserie Eod. Of the Toothache Folio 284. Of payne in the Legges Folio 285. Of Blyndnesse Folio 286. Of the losse of Hearyng Folio 289. Of the loathsomnesse of Lyfe Folio 290. Of Heauinesse of the body Folio 291. Of great dulnesse of wyt Eod. Of a slender and weake Memorie Folio 292. Of lacke of Eloquence Folio 293. Of Losse of the tongue and speeche Folio 294. Of want of Vertue Folio 296. Of Couetousnesse Folio 297. Of Enuie and Mallice Eod. Of Wrath. Folio 298. Of Gluttonie Folio 299. Of sluggishenesse of the Mynde Eod. Of Leâ—cherie Folio 300 Of Pryde Eod. Of Agues Folio 301. Of the 〈◊〉 e of the guttes and Traunce Folio 302. Of Sundry paynes and greefes of the whole body Folio 303. Of Madnesse Folio 309. Of Poyson Folio 310. Of the feare of death Folio 311. Of Voluntarie murtheryng a mans owne selfe Folio 315. Of Death Folio 319. Of Death before a mans tyme Folio 322. Of a violent Death Folio 324. Of a shameful Death Folio 326. Of a sodayne Death Folio 327. Of one that is sicke out of his owne Countrey Folio 328. Of one that dyeth out of his owne Countrey Eod. Of One that dyeth in sinne Folio 332. Of One dying that is careful what shal become of his inheritance and chyldren Folio 334. Of One dying that is careful what his wyfe wil do when he is dead Folio 335. Of One dying that is careful what wyll become of his countrey after his deceasse Folio 336. Of One that at his death is careful of his fame and good report Folio 337. Of One that dyeth without chyldren Folio 338. Of One dying that feareth to be throwen foorth vnburyed Folio 340. FINIS
the armes of his seruantes or vpon some other horse and carying his Physitions with hym he woulde goe visite his sicke horse twice or thrice euery day and sorowfully sighing woulde sit by hym and gently stroke him with his hand and comfort him with fayre speech To be short there was no kind of meanes by Physicke let passe vnassayed and nothing omitted that might relieue his sicke freend Perhaps posteritie wil cal this a tale howbeit it is true and knowen among a great people Thus this noble gentleman was as carefull for the good health of his horse as for his owne and lamented for his death as he had been his sonne Ioy. I delight to ride Reason It is profitable somtime and also an helpe to swiftnesse and a remedy for weerinesse and a token of nobilitie to ride vpon a goodly courser and to excel al theresidue not only by the head but also by the shoulders and to be higher then the other by the whole body Contrariwise a fierce horse is most troublesome many times hurtful to his maister If thou wouldest goe a iourney on foote thou hast no power nor space to rest thee therfore thou chosest rather to exchang the dustines on foote for the daunger on horsebacke And for this cause horses haue deliuered many from the middes of death and brought sundry also into extremitie of destruction or hurt them with falles or tumbled vpon them with their bodyes and so killed them Yea horses are not the least seede of warre Take away horses thou shalt take away forren inuasions of countreis and the greatest part of warlike destruction That as in natural Philosophie the question is mooued of windes and of Iulius Caesar in histories whether it were better the winde should blowe or not or that Caesar were borne or not The like question may also be demaunded concerning horses there are so many contrarie reasons on the contrary side And it was not without cause that Thessalia which first founde out the vse of horses and tamed them first coyned money of siluer and gold and first assayed to goe vpon the Sea in a shyp seemed to be the store house of Mars and for that also not once onely after so many hundred yeeres it was wette with plentie of valient blood Ioy. How much thinkest thou doth our poet delight me where he describeth the maners spirite and courage of a noble horse Reason And doeth not the saying of the Hebrue prophete make thee afrayd where he sayth At thy rebuke O God of Iacob haue they fallen asleepe that got vpon their horses Examine euery poinct not only that pleasant but also this rough saying Of hunting and hauking The .xxxii. Dialogue IOY BVT I am delighted in Dogges Reason Now I vnderstande the delight of a beardles youth who as Horace sayth Delighteth in horses and dogges and the pleasant greene feeldes But beware thou be not that which foloweth Apt to be plucked to vice and sharpe to them that tell thee thy fault A flowe prouider for profite lauishe of money proud couetous and redy to forsake that which thou hast loued I feare mee thou art suche an one since thou settest thy pleasure vpon such transitorie delightes Ioy. I am delighted with dogges and foules Reason This peece of madnesse was wantyng is it not sufficient for thee to gadde and wander abroade but meanest thou to flye also Ioy. Thou mockest me for I meane not to flye but I am delighted in the foules that flye Reason But they wyll flye away and contemne thy pleasure and not knowe thee and vnthankfully be deafe when thou callest them What shouldest thou do that wantest feathers seeyng thy pleasure is winged Imagine that they returned the taking of them would be hurtfull thou wouldest cal againe and forgetting thy more profitable affaires loose thy time Agayne looking backe and castyng thine eyes vp to the cloudes after thy foolyshe byrde perhappes thou wilt weepe as though there were no necessarie woorke to be doone in this lyfe by reason of the pleasure whiche you fynde by your idlenesse and slouth ye glorie in that ye are slaues to your byrdes Nature hath geuen you two handes with the one ye rule the bird the other you trouble with crooked talentes So being idle on al sides being come lame with desire to flie to the end ye may not seme to do any thing with great noyse ye ryse before day and sodeinly run out of the doores as though the enimies were at the threshold all the day after ye run about the pondes and waters wooddes and bushes filling the ayre with sundry outcries and euil fauoured houlinges And in this pastime ye spende your breath whiche is meete for some greater matter with whiche spirite your forefathers made their enimies afearde in battayle and in peace mainteyned iustice At nyght when ye come home as though ye had atchiued some great enterprice yet syt within doores declaryng howe well that byrde flue and how well this byrde hath endued his meate how many feathers of the trayne and how many of the winges are remaning or lost Is not this all your skyll is not this your loue is not this your felicitie and is not this al whiche ye requite to God your Creatour to your countrey that bredde you to your parentes that be gate you to your freendes that loue you to wit your Spathaukes or your Hernshawes skimming in the ayre and some peece of a torne foule and swet and dust and your nyghtly storie of your lost day Vnto this ye be alwayes valient and vnweeried and vnto earnest businesse weake and daintie Liuies stories and Tullies orations and the holy Scriptures ye condenme as ouerlong whereof ye may be ashamed Who can heare this with vnoffended eares Who wyll beare with you being borne to other thinges to lyue in these delites yf ye lyue in these doynges Ioy. I take pleasure in Spanyels and Haukes Reason We haue heard of many princes and noble men whereof some were wont to take delight in horses and many in dogges insomuche that Adrian the Emperour erected monumentes not for horses only as those of whom we made mention before but for dogges also And moreouer buylded a citie in the same place where in prosperous hunting he had slayne a shee Beare with his owne hand vsed many tyme to kyl a Lion but neuer that he made any tombe for a byrde or foule For which cause some say that Virgil mocked Marcillus that was nephue to Augustus in that he seemed to take pleasure in them when he was a young man. Ioy. I delight muche in huntyng Reason This exercise was peculiar sometime to the Latines but nowe to the Frenchmen whiche experience teacheth to be true and wherof some of theyr owne writers do boast Wherefore to speake nothyng of those kinges whose whole lyfe was perpetual huntyng the chiefest kyng of them all whensoeuer he had any rest from battayle excercysyng hym selfe in dayly huntyng at length when
vnchaungeable necessitie of the law of your nature that you can neuer be other then suche as muste oye whiche necessitie muste continually remayne with you but you dying euery day turne away your senses from the thynges that are present and your mynde from the ende that wyll ensue This is a common mischiefe whiche what is it other then wyllyngly to shut your eyes that they beholde not the beames of the Sunne as though it were hurtful aswel to the lyght as it is to the eyes not to beholde it and that that were as euident whiche you see not and that as true whiche you knowe not Who is so blynde that seeth not this or so blockyshe that vnderstandeth it not The infyrmitie of the senses or vnderstanding withdraweth nothyng at all from the trueth of thinges As for you yee are neyther weake nor dull but wherein you cannot be excused egregius dissemblers and very wyse to deceyue your selues who with so great diligence learne vnprofitable thynges and endeuour to be ignorant of necessarie matters but all in vayne for they steale vpon you though your eyes be shut and inuade your myndes that are desyrous to be ignorant and disquiet your memories that are wyllyng to forget and many thynges aryse dayly in the lyfe of man whiche constrayne you to thynke vppon them when you woulde not and whiche doo awake your dissimulations eyther by your priuate or forreigne argumentes but I confesse that death only at full confuteth all the follies of mortall creatures Sorowe I knewe that my brother was mortall and shoulde dye neuerthelesse I weepe for his death Reason The greater part of humane actions is superfluous Why weepest thou for his death What doeth this weepyng auayle hym or thy selfe or any other Admit death be euyll whiche the learned denye truely no man wyl denie but that weepyng is in vayne for that whiche cannot be recouered And veryly yf any thyng myght be tearmed wretched besyde the vyce of the mynde yf there be any thyng in all the worlde to be wept for it ought rather be lamented whyle it is commyng at hande then when it is past whiche that Kyng conceyned ryght well of whom I spake not long before Sorowe I am grieued for the death of my good brother Reason There is no affection more tender then a fathers and therefore that whiche is sayde of the death of a sonne applie it thou to the death of thy brother and that whiche may be sayde of them both is proficable in the death of a mans friende whiche losse although it be matcht with the greatest it muste be abydden as of al other thynges for all suche thynges as appeare vnto vs grieuous are to be suffered by one and lyke courage of mynde although a man woulde thynke that they woulde quite oppresse hym Sorowe I haue lost a moste louyng brother Reason It had been woorse yf thou hadst loste a most hatefull brother For the loue of the one and the remembraunce of the other is very pleasant Sorowe I haue loste a companion most pleasaunt vnto me euen from his tender youth I am nowe left aloue Reason He is not a lone with whom vertue and honestie doo remayne betweene whiche twayne death hath not forbydden the Image of thy brother to be fastened harde vnto thy hart-stringes so neyther thy brother is lost nor thou alone Of the death of a freende The Lij Dialogue SOROWE I Haue lost a freende Reason If thou hast loued vertue in thy freende as thou oughtest truely she is not loste nor dead and therefore it is sayde that true freend shyppe is immortal for that it is neuer broken eyther by the fallyng out of freendes or els by death it selfe and thus vertue ouercommeth discorde and all vyce but she her selfe is neuer ouercome by any thyng Sorowe I haue lost a freende Reason All other thinges when thou hast lost them thou hast them not but when thou thynkest thou hast lost thy freendes and thy best beloued then hast thou them most assuredly For thynges whiche are present be delicate I wyll not say weerysome yea and many tymes arrogant and offended with very small trifles but the remembrance of freendes is pleasant and sweete hauyng in it nothyng that is bytter or contrary to delyght Sorow I haue lost a very good freende by death Reason If thou complayne of the losse of commodities thou makest accounte of profite and not of freendshyp If thou complayne of thy dayly conuersation with hym remember howe short tyme freendes remayne togeather and howe muche tyme we spende in cares howe muche in syckenesse howe muche in sleepe and pleasure howe muche is spent in entercourse with straungers how many heapes of cares Finally what businesse what studies what leasure and what troubles sometymes of another mans and sometymes of a mans owne and also the continuall and inuincible necessitie of manyfolde matters from whiche no prosperitie is exempt doo withdrawe some thyng from our desired conuersation how many seldome meetynges howe short and carefull abydynges howe sorowfull departynges howe late returnynges what stayes what impedimentes what deceiptes With this and suche lyke difficulties of lyfe fetters of freendshyp whiche may easily be brought into a mans remembrance thou mayst vnderstande howe great a matter it is whiche death hath taken from thee For if thou may this alone in freendshyp which is the only perpetuall and stable foundation thereof truely death could there take nothing away Thou hast hearde in Marcus Tullie of Lelius comforting him selfe howe his freende Scipio lyueth yet to him how fresh he is in his minde that neyther the fame nor the vertue of his freend any time dieth What forbiddeth but that thy freend Scipio liueth now vnto thee But you because ye cannot be Scipioes or Lelies ye be not men neyther for that ye cannot atteyne to the highest ye dispaire of the meane or contemne it as though as in Poetrie so in vertue neither men nor the gods could aspire vnto a mediocritie Sorowe Death hath taken away my friende from me Reason Death is able to take away thy friendes body but as for friendshyp and friend he is not able For they are of the kynde of thinges that are not subiect to death nor fortune but to vertue the whiche among humane thynges is free only is able to geue freedome vnto whatsoeuer is subiect vnto her and as for a friende he should not be of so great price yf he coulde be so easily lost Sorowe I haue remayned without a friende Reason If thou do ryghtly honour friendshyp thou shalt neuer lacke olde friendes nor be destitute of newe yea suche is the opinion hereof that it wyl purchase thee friendes of thyne enimies There was nothyng that more recōciled Augustus the Emperour vnto Herode then for that he professed that he was moste friendly affected vnto Augustus enimie and that by meanes of hym he hated Augustus most extreamely for whiche cause Augustus iudged hym woorthy of
such a death as thou oughtest to wyshe for but suche an one as thou mayest wel endure For this is a cleare case that vnto a wyse man and one that foreseeth a far of al thynges that are lyke to ensue there can nothyng happen vnlooked for Whereupon it foloweth that death cannot come vnto hym vnprouided for whose lyfe was alwayes prouident for how should he be negligent in the greatest thinges that was wount to demurre in small yea the least thynges And in al worldly thynges what canst thou shewe me that is greater then death or comparable vnto it Sorowe I dye most speedily Reason So that the death be not vnthought vpon the speedier the easier it is and yf there be any payne in it it is very short and the speedinesse thereof preuenteth the feelyng of it and so that is taken away from death whiche is most greeuous in death to wyt the feare of death Of one that is sicke out of his owne countrey The .cxxiiii. Dialogue SOROW. I Am sicke in a strainge countrey Reason What skylleth it whose countrey it be the sickenesse thou art sure is thine owne Sorowe Thou mockest me I am sicke out of mine owne countrey Reason He that is out of his owne countrey is surely in some other for none can be sicke or whole out of al countreyes Sorow Thou seekest delayes in wordes but I am sicke out of my countrey Reason In this miserie thou gainest this one commoditie that thou hast none to trouble thee nor to lye vpon thy bed not thine importunate wyfe nor thy sonne who woulde both be careful for them selues and carelesse of thee Howe often thinkest thou hath the wyfe to her husband and the sonne to the father and one brother to another when they haue lien in extremitie of death throwne a pillowe ouer their mouthes and holpen to set them packyng whiche a stranger would not haue done nor haue suffered to be done by others Many tymes there is most loue where it is lesse looked for and there none that are about thee wylbe glad of thy sickenesse or wyshe for thy death And shall I tel thee the cause why There is none there that looketh for thine inheritance none commit any wickednesse but they are moued thereunto by hope or desire which quietnesse wherein thou art nowe would not haue hapned vnto thee in thine owne countrey For many vnder the colour of goodwyl woulde flocke about thee and gape after thy burial whiche conceit vnlesse I be much deceiued is a seconde sickenesse to him that is sicke alreadie when he shal perceiue himselfe beset rounde about at the one side with woolfes and at the other with rauens whiche in their mindes come to pray on the carcase Sorowe I am sicke out of my countrey Reason Howe knowest thou that Perhaps thou returnest nowe into thy countrey for the readiest and shortest way for a man to returne into his countrey is to dye Sorowe I am sicke out of my countrey Reason O the needelesse alwayes and vayne cares of men and fond complayntes as though out of a mans owne countrey his ague were fiercer or his gout more intollerable Al this whiche seemeth euyl consisteth in your owne wyl and lyeth in your owne power lyke as other plagues and mischeefes do whatsoeuer a false opinion hath engendred in your mindes Of one that dyeth out of his owne cuntrey The .cxxv. Dialogue SOROWE I Dye out of my natiue countrey Reason Doth this happen vnto thee beyng a traueiler or a banished man For whether thou madest thine aboade in this countrey for studie sake or for religion thou hast cause to reioyce that death hath taken thee in an honest deede or in a iust condemnation and thou oughtest to take it not onely valiantly but also willingly For the wyckednesse of an vnryghteous person is by no meanes better purged then by wyllyng and patient suffryng of punishment But yf it be long of the iniurie of some mightie enimie neuerthelesse thou must not be sorie for it and as for banishment I suppose we haue disputed sufficiently of it alreadie Sorowe I dye out of my countrey Reason This I sayd euen nowe is to returne into thy cuntrey there is no streighter path nor readier way Hast thou forgotten hudemus of Cyprus that was familiar with Aristotle of whom Aristotle hymselfe and also Cicero wryteth Who on a tyme beyng very sicke in Thessalia dreamed that he should recouer very shortly and after fiue yeeres expired returne into his countrey that the Tyrant of the same citie where at that tyme he soiourned whose name was Alexander Phaereus shoulde dye shortly But when after a fewe dayes beyng restored vnto his despaired health and the Tyrant slayne by his owne kinsfolke thinking his dreame to be true in al poyntes at the tyme limitted he looked also to returne into his Countrey at the ende of the fyfth yeere he was slayne in fyght at Syracuse and this sayd the Interpretours of dreames was the meanes of the returnyng into his Countrey that there myght be no part of the dreame false What myne opinion is concernyng dreames I haue declared elsewhere alreadie and nowe I haue vttered what came into my mynde of this returnyng into a mans Countrey Sorowe I am compelled to dye out of my Countrey Reason When I entreated of exile then sayd I which nowe I repeate agayne that eyther none or all dye out of theyr Countrey The learned holde opinion that euery part of the worlde is a mans Countrey specially to hym that hath a valiant minde whom any priuate affection hath not tyed to the liking of this place or that and othersome call that a mans Countrey where he is wel and lyueth in good case And contrariwyse some say that a man hath heere no speciall Countrey at all The fyrst is a common doctrine but this last a poynt of hygher Philosophie Sorowe I dye farre from my Countrey in which I was borne Reason But that is more truely thy Countrey where thou dyest The same shall possesse thee longer and not suffer thee to wander abroade but keepe thee within it for a perpetuall inhabitaunt for euer Learne to lyke of this Countrey that wyll enfranchize thee into it selfe wheresoeuer otherwyse thou were borne Sorowe I must dye and be buried farre out of myne owne Countrey Reason Those heauenly and diuine men lykewyse whom one age and the selfe same middle part of the worlde brought foorth are dispersed ouer all partes of the worlde as well in theyr deathes as burialles Ephesus keepeth one and Syria another and Persis another and Armenia another and Aethiopia another and India another and Achaia another and Rome othersome and the farthest part of Spayne another neuerthelesse it is reported that some of them after theyr death were carried away and translated from the places where they dyed vnto certayne Cities of Italy I speake of the earthly part of them but as for theyr spirituall part doubtlesse it is long since that
who although they returned both into their Countrey yet dyed they both farre from their Countrey Drusus in Germanie and Marcellinus in Baion And tell me nowe are thou prouder then Tarquinius or myghtier then Sylla Yet the fyrst of these dyed a bannished man at Cumae the other beyng a great Lorde gaue vp the ghost at Puteoli What shall I speake of men of meaner degree Augustus Caesar who was called Father of his Countrey dyed out of his Countrey at Nola in Campania Tyberius that was vnlyke in Manners but equall in Empire deceassed at Misenum in Campania Vespasian and Titus two most excellent Princes as it well became the father and the sonne dyed in one Village yet without of the Citie of Rome â–ª though not farre But â—raian being borne in the West part of the worlde dyed in the East Septimus Seuerus came but of a base parentage in Africa and had a proude Empire at Rome â–ª and was buried at Yorke in Englande Theodosius that was borne in Spayne and dyed at Millain Constantinople receyued whiche Citie also had in it before the founder thereof beyng of the same name but borne in another place What shall I neede to recite others Lycurgus who fledde from Sparta Creta receyued which long before had seene Kyng Saturne bannished out of his Kyngdome and flying from his sonne and hearde howe he hyd hym selfe in the confines of Italie and was there buried A poore graue of Bithynia couereth Hannibal the lyght of all Africa Theseus Themistocles and Solon the three Diamondes of all Athens were so scattered by Fortune that the fyrst was buried in Syria the seconde in Persis and the thyrde in Cyprus in farre vnfitte Graues for so woorthie Carcasses The day woulde sooner fayle mee then matter yf I shoulde stande to reporte euery example But my purpose was not to weerie thee with Histories but onely to instructe thee Sorowe I vnderstande thy meanyng and I confesse that all these and as many moe as thou canst recken dyed out of theyr Countreyes in deede but I denie that it was with their wylles but rather I suppose to theyr great greefe Reason Whereby speakest thou this but onely for that all fooles iudge other lyke them selues and thynke that to be impossible for others to doo which they them selues can not attayne to And perhappes thou hast hearkened to the olde prouerbe It is good to lyue abrode in strange Countries but yll to dye there when as in deede they are both good so that they be orderly doone with patient forbearyng and comlinesse but both euyl yf they be yll handled lamentably and without discretion I wyll tell thee that which thou wylt marueyll at and is quite repugnant to the olde prouerbe If there be any iust occasion to complayne of the cause I had rather impute the same to the lyuyng whom perhaps in some respect it may concerne then hym that lyeth a dying who hath now no regarde of any place seeyng that he is vpon departyng from all places Sorowe Somewhat thou moouest my minde neuerthelesse I am yet desirous to dye in my Countrey Reason The wyll of man vnlesse it be bridled by vertue and wysedome of it selfe is wylde and vnreclaymed And yf thou consider of the matter deepely thou wylt confesse that none of all this appertayneth vnto thee seeyng that thou thy selfe canst remayne heere no longer nor thy boanes retayne any sense after thy deceasse to discerne where thou myghtest haue lyen harder or softer and also vnto that place whyther thou departest which had been the shorter or easier way When Anaxagoras lay a dying in a farre forraine Countrey and his freendes demaunded of hym whether after his death he woulde be carried home into his owne natiue soyle he answeared very finely saying that it shoulde not neede and he added the cause why for that the way to Heauen is of lyke distaunce from all places Whiche answeare serueth as well for them that goe downe to Hell as for those that goe vp to Heauen Sorowe I woulde GOD I myght dye at home Reason If thou were there perhappes thou wouldest wyshe thy selfe in another place perswade thy selfe so Learne to doo that dying whiche thou oughtest to haue doone lyuyng An hard matter it is for you O ye mortall men to beare your selues vpryghtly ye are so dayntie and faultfyndyng euermore makyng none account of that whiche ye haue and alwayes iudging best of that whiche ye want Sorowe O that I myght dye at home Reason Peraduenture thou shouldest see many thynges there that woulde make thy death more greeuous vnto thee for whiche cause thynke that thou art remooued to the intent that all other cares beyng set apart thou myghtest onely thynke vpon GOD and thyne owne soule Of one that dyeth in Sinne. The Cxxvj. Dialogue SOROWE I Oye in sinne Reason This is neyther Natures nor Fortunes but thyne owne fault Sorowe I dye in sinne Reason Fyrst who enforced thee to commit sinne And next who forbydde thee to bewayle it when it was committed And last of all who letteth thee from repentyng though it be late fyrst For vnto the last gaspe the spirite and minde is free Sorowe Whyles I am dying I carrie my sinnes with mee Reason Beware thou doo not so lay downe that venemous and deadly carriage whyle thou hast tyme and there is one that wyll take it away and blotte it out accordyng as it is written and wyll cast it behynde his backe into the bottome of the Sea and wyll abandon it as farre from thee as the East is distant from the West If thou neglect this houre when it is once past it wyll neuer returne agayne Whith qualitie although it be common to all houres that alwayes they passe away and neuer returne yet many tymes that which hath been omitted in one houre may be perhappes recouered in another but yet the neglectyng of the last houre of a mans lyfe is irrecurable And therefore as some report it to be found in the secret disputations of the soule the errours of this lyfe are as it were softe falles vpon the playne grounde after which a man may soone ryse vp agayne but the sinne vnto death is compared vnto a greeuous fall from some hygh and craggie place after which it is not possible to aryse any more the hurt therein taken is so great that it can not be salued Wherefore helpe thy selfe nowe whyle thou mayest and call to remembraunce not onely what your owne writers say but also what Cicero counselleth who in his woorke de Diuinatione of Diuination disputing of those that are dying Doo thou cheefely quod he studie to winne commendation and thynke that they which haue lyued otherwyse then they ought doo most bitterly repent them of their sinnes What I pray thee coulde be vttered by any man more religiously or profitably yf so be that be followed which is commaunded and thou repent thee though it be late fyrst A difficult and dangerous matter it is truely to
must endeuour to doo what we may vnto which purpose besides the industrie of a couragious minde to whom nothing is hard nothing inexpugnable it were most conuenient to adioyne the sundrie speeches of wyse men although this kinde be now also very rare and especially continual and diligent reading of the woorkes and monumentes of good auctours so that there want not in vs a willing minde to consent vnto their holsome instructions which I may boldly tearme in earth to be the only liuely fountaine of good and fruitfull aduice Wherfore since we know that meane writers somtime are commended for their bare affection or for that they haue seemed to haue broken the Ice vnto those that haue followed them howe greatly are we beholden vnto the great and famous writers who being conuersant many hundred yeeres before vs here vpon the earth in their diuine wittes and most godly ordinances doo yet lyue dwel and talke with vs And among the perpetuall surges of our mindes like so many bright shining Starres fixed in the firmament of Trueth like so many sweete and pleasant gales of winde like so many industrious and expert saylers do both point vs to the hauen and direct the flittering sayles of our barkes thither and guyde the sterne of our flitting minde vntyll such tyme as our consultations which haue ben tost and driuen to and fro by tempestes doo stay their course and qualifie their motions And this is the true Philosophie not which is lifted vp with deceiptfull winges and vainely casteth about most proudly boasting it selfe in vnprofitable disputations but that by assured and modest degrees leadeth the rediest way vnto safetie To exhort thee vnto this studie perhaps it were freendly done but truely it is not necessarie For Fortune hath made thee greedie to reade much and to knowe many thynges who as they say beareth a great stroke in the worlde exposing thee to be tossed in the troublesome and deepe sea of cares and troubles Howbeit as she hath taken from thee the leasure to reade so hath she not the desire to knowe but that beyng delighted alwayes in the frendshyppe and familiaritie of learned men and vpon the most busiest dayes as often as opportunitie shall serue to steale idle houres thou myghtest haue a wyll to be euery day better instructed and learned in most excellent matters wherein I am a witnesse that thou hast often vsed thy memorie wherein thou art inferiour to none in steede of bookes Wherevnto yf thou were prone enough in thyne youth thou art nowe to be deemed so muche the more proner as the wayfaryng man that settech foorth late may seeme to be fresher and redier to trauayle then he that set foorth in the mornyng forasmuche as this is a common complaint among them that the way waxeth longer and the day decreaseth the whiche thing hapneth vnto vs in this course of our lyfe whilest we trauayle towardes the euenyng and see that we haue yet a long way to walke I neede not therefore to exhorte thee to doo that whiche thou hast alwayes doone most greedily of thine owne accorde It shall suffice me to haue admonished thee that thou bende thy minde in such sort that no care of humane and worldly affayres remoue thee which in the very finishing of great and most excellent workes haue turned many away after their woorthie and commendable traueiles begun Adding this moreouer that seeing it is impossible for thee to reade or here or remember all thinges at once thou repose thy selfe vpon the most profitable and for that breuitie is freend to Memorie the most briefest of them Not that I perswade thee to neglect the more busie and great conclusions and resolutions of wisedome whereby thou mayst defende thy selfe in the ordinarie conflict with Fortune but that thou mightest be lightly furnished in the meane while with these short and precise sentences as it were with certaine light and continual armour against al assaultes and sudden inuasions hapning on any side whatsoeuer For we wage double war with Fortune and in both there is in a manner equal danger wherof there is but one part coÌ„monly knoweÌ„ by that name to wit that which is called Aduersitie The Philosophers although they knew both yet they iudged this to be the harder And therfore the saying of Aristotle in his boke of Ethikes is receiued as true wherein he thus defineth concerning this matter saying That it is an harder matter to endure aduersitie then to abstaine from pleasures Whom Seneca following and writing to Lucillus It is a greater matter sayth he to passe ouer difficult matters then to moderate the prosperous What shall I say May I presume to gaggle among such woorthie men It is an hard matter breedeth no smal suspition of rashnes for a new man to medle wiâ—h olde matters And therfore on the one side I am moued by auctoritie on the other by antiquitie But there commeth vnto my mind the auctoritie of an other great auncient man For it cannot be otherwise but that euery man conceiue an opinion of a thing according as it appeareth vnto him They are the woordes of Marcus Brutus writing vnto Atticus which I suppose to be so true that nothyng can be more true For what can I iudge of any thyng otherwyse then I thynke vnlesse perhappes I be constrayned to iudge by other mennes iudgementes whiche who so dooeth he iudgeth not of hym selfe but reporteth the iudgementes of other I therefore thus with reuerence passing ouer the iudgementes of suche notable men beyng in suche manner affectioned if I woulde say any thyng concernyng myne owne iudgement I knowe wel that some haue diuersly disputed otherwyse of the vertues and that the preheminence is not alwayes geuen to the most difficult neyther that it hapned by chaunce that modestie or whether thou had rather cal it temperance possessed the last place But as touchyng our purpose whereof we entreate I suppose it an harder matter to gouerne prosperitie then aduersitie and I playnely professe that in mine opinion and also in mine experience flatteryng fortune is more to be feared and farre more perilous then threatnyng fortune vnto whiche opinion it is not the fame of writers nor the subtiltie of woords nor the false sillogismes of sophisters but true experience it selfe and the dayly examples of this lyfe and the scarcitie whiche is a great argument of the difficultie whiche enforceth me For why I haue seene many that haue indifferently susteyned losses pouertie exile imprisonment punyshment death and great sickenesses that are more greeuous then death but that could wel beare ryches honoures and power I neuer yet sawe any For oftentymes euen in my sight those that haue stoode inuincible agaynst al violence of aduerse fortune prosperous fortune hath ouerthrowen with smal force and her flatteries haue ouercome that valiencie of mans minde whiche her threatnynges could not subdue It commeth to passe I wot not how that so soone as fortune waxeth more milde the
softned mindes of men beginne lykewyse to growe proud and by enioying prosperitie to conceyue forgetfulnesse of their owne condition Neyther is it spoken without cause and vsed nowe among our countrey men as a prouerbe that it is an harde matter to beare prosperitie Neyther was it spoken by Horace vnaduisedly Learne to beare wel good fortune For he iudged it to be an hard matter and not knowen without diligent studie But Seneca very breefely discoursed of that part of fortune which seemed vnto hym to be most difficult and is doubtlesse at the first sight the more rough and hard of the twayne Whiche booke is commonly abrode in mens handes whereunto it is not my meaning to adde or detract any thyng at al both for that the woorke being wrytten by so great a wit disdayneth to come vnder our censure also being busied about mine owne affayres am not purposed to correcte or carpe other mens doinges But forasmuche as Vertue and Trueth are publique thinges there is no reason that the studie of antiquitie shoulde be any hindrance to the industrie of posteritie for whose cause we knowe that it was vndertaken to the ende we should thereby be styrred vp and holpen And therfore I purpose to entreate with thee somewhat concernyng the same matter that that whiche he dyd then for his freende Gallio I may nowe do in lyke sort for my freende Azo whiche I am determined so farre foorth to accomplishe as shal lye in this my busied and werie wyt to do and ouer and besides also to touche the other part whiche eyther of forgetfulnesse or purpose was by hym pretermitted I haue moreouer of set purpose mingled a fewe matters not touchyng the defectes of any fortune but the excellencie of vertues or vices whiche although they be besides the purpose yet are not vnlyke in effect seeme to be suche as are able to make mens mindes glad or sorowfull Wherein how I haue behaued my selfe thou shalt be iudge being mindeful of my businesse and the shortnesse of the tyme who with great admiration sawest the whole woorke begunne and ended in a very fewe dayes I only am iudge of the credite I haue endeuoured not to set downe whatsoeuer seemed best lykyng to my selfe but that myght be most profitable vnto thee and others whosoeuer els haply hath touched the same To be short the ende whiche I alwayes proposed to my selfe in this kynde of studie was not so muche the commendation of the wryter as the commoditie of the reader yf so be there may be any hoped for or receiued by me hauing a speciall respect hereunto that it should not be needeful for thee to tosse and turne ouer thy whole armorie at euery alarme and doubt of the enemie but rather to the entent thou myghtest haue in a redinesse agaynst euer mischeefe and hurtful good eyther fortune a short medicine but freendly confected for a double disease so that thou mayest alwayes haue at hande as they say in al places at al times as it were an effectual remedie conteyned in a litle boxe For as I haue said both Fortunes faces are to be feared but notwithstandyng both must be endured whereof the one hath neede of a bridle the other of comfort in the one the pride of the minde of men is to be repressed in the other their werinesse and greefe to be succoured and relieued Wherefore when I thought vpon this varietie and purposed with my selfe to wryte somewhat concernyng this argument not only thou camest into my minde woorthie of that gyft which both of vs may vse indifferently as sayeth Cicero but alonely moouedst me to wryte it not onely in woordes as beyng priuie of al mine enterprises whatsoeuer but also in deedes being of sufficient â—bilitie to perfourme them both For we knowe how that Fortune hath tormented many vpon the racke many she hath lulled asleepe in delites and many she hath swinged vp downe in her wheele neyther want we examples of such as clymbe nor of some that fal neyther am I ignorant that some haue been throwen downe from the top of high dignitie Howe many Emperours of Rome how many forren Princes being plucked out of their regal thrones eyther by their owne handes or the handes of their enimies haue been depriued both of their lyues Empires at one instant Shal we borowe al our examples of antiquitie since we our selues haue seene of late dayes some kynges taken prisoners and some slaine in battayl and some beheaded at home and which is most extreame of al some hanged by the necke some most shamefully mangled in peeces Thou art one vnto whom Nature hath geuen a princely hart but Fortune hath not geuen a kyngdome nor yet taken it away yet whom in other respectes she hath more diuersly tossed and turmoyled I suppose there is none to be found in our age For being sometyme in excellent good health and enioying very great strength of body it is strange to recount howe not many yeeres since to the great wonder of al that know thee being thrice geuen ouer by the Phisitions thrice thou reposedst thy life safetie in the onely helpe of the heauenly Phisition at the length wast by hym restored to thy former health but in such wise that thou hast vtterly lost thine accustomed strength of body with no lesse wonder of thy excellent dexteritie rare grauitie that thou who before time haddest most stroÌ„g valiant legges feete almost as hard as brasse art nowe growen so weake that thou must be lyfted vp to thy horse backe by thy seruantes or leanyng vpon their shoulders art scarcely able to tread vpon the ground Thy countrey almost at one tyme sawe thee both a lord and a banyshed man but so notwithstandyng that thou seemedst to be nothyng at all blemished by thy banishment There was neuer any almost of our countreymen that stoode in lyke fauour of noble men and princes and neuer any that susteyned lyke iniurie And whereas not long before they striued in shewyng thee tokens of curtesie afterward the same men consented in nothyng so muche as in conspyring and laying their heades together howe to procure thy destruction Of whom some sought meanes to take away thy lyfe who before tyme had honoured thee the space of many yeeres with golde and precious stones and many other large giftes duryng the tyme of thy prosperous and fauourable fortune and whiche is most greeuous of al to spoyle thee of thy freendes and clientes and thy whole familie by afflictyng them with sundry greeuous tormentes and strange kyndes of death But such as were of the more curteous sort inuaded thy great patrimony thy landes thy people thy houses thy townes insomuch as they that sawe thee not long before and perceyued how suddeinely thou wast fallen from great wealth into extreame pouertie wondred as it had been at some strange miracle of fortune Some of thy freendes as I haue said are perished in those
that remaine their faith is decaied the goodwil of men as that coÌ„mon maner is flyeth away with prosperitie so that thou art brought into a doubt which to bewaile first either the death of thy freends that are peryshed or the losse of their assurednesse that are liuing Now in the middest of these troubles there happened vnto thee a most desperate and dangerous sickenesse wherein thou wast brought so neare vnto death that when euery man supposed thou couldest not escape it was generally reported that thou wast dead Which sickenesse which pouertie which heape of troubles in that thou wast driuen out of thine owne countrey and farre from thine owne house in a strange lande and warre rounde about thee and thou on euerye syde oppressed gaue occasyon that in the meane whyle thou couldest haue no entercourse eyther of letters or conference with those thy frendes whiche eyther thy vertue had purchased or fortune had reserued There was no extremitie wantyng sauing imprisonment and death although we cannot say neyther that thou wast quite free from imprisonment whilest thy most faythful wyfe and al thy sonnes beyng part of thy bowelles and thy daughters also were taken prisoners by thine enimies and there was no comfort remayning vnto thee of so many chyldren Nâ—yther yet from death whilst thou thy selfe striuedst euery day with death and at that tyme also one of thy sonnes gaue vp his tender and giltlesse ghost in prison To be shorte we haue seene that fulfilled in thee whiche we reade of two most excellent personagies Caius Marius and the great Pompeius to wit that fortune hath seuerally expressed in thee and thy chyldren what good and euyl she is able to do and neuer mingle any prosperttie with aduersitie whose flatteries in tymes past although theu hast not casted so plentifully as many happie men haue done notwithstandyng thou hast abidden her threates and force of late dayes with so couragious and inuincible a mynde that in this respect thou hast geuen occasion vnto many who before hated thy name to loue thee and woonder at thee For vertue hath this propertie that it stirreth vp good men to loue it and astunnisheth the euyl Whiche propertie as it is common to euery vertue so is it peculier especially to fortitude whose tranquilitie and vprightnesse is the more acceptable and lyght more conspicable among the troublesome turmoyles of fortune and darkenesse of terrible thinges For vnto me thou hast not onely heaped vp much new good wyl vpon the auntient loue whiche I bare towardes thee whiche I thought to haue been impossible but hast also conuerted my quill whiche made hast towardes another matter to wryte this woorke in tyme not purposed both that thou mightest beholde the countenance of thy mynde in my wrytinges as it were in a lookyng glasse and also if herein there were any thyng that seemed vnto thee nothyng fine but rather rude and barbarous and whiche in deede dyd not lyke thee that in this manner thou order and take it that yf it shal chaunce that fortune hereafter varrie with thee in any strange manner or deuice whereof she hath great plentie yea innumerable in store that thou be not troubled at al with any hope But being prouided for al chaunces and redye for what soeuer may happen thou mayest despyse both the sweete and the sower crying out most confidently these verses of Virgil agaynst them O virgin there is no newe or suddeyne shewe of troubles can aryse vnto me I haue forethought vpon al matters and forecast them alredie in my mynde Neyther am I ignorant that as in the bodyes of men so also in their mindes that are affected with sundry passions the medicines of woordes wyl seeme vnto many to be without effect Notwithstandyng I knowe wel enough that as the diseases of the minde are inuisible so are there remedies inuisible also For they that are seduced by false opinions must be remedied by true perswasions that they that fel by hearyng may also ryse by hearyng Moreouer who so wyllingly offereth vnto his freende beyng in neede that whiche he hath to releeue hym withal howe smal soeuer it be he hath fulfilled the duetie of perfect freendshyp For freendshyp weigheth the mynde and not the thing whiche though it be but smal yet may it be an argument of great good wyl For my part as I wyshe vnto thee al honour so haue I nothyng at this present more conuenient to geue thee whiche yf thou thinke to be of any force the commoditie of it whiche maketh euery thyng to be regarded shal sufficiently commend it But if thou perceyue it to be of no force notwithstandyng thy good wyl towardes me shal excuse it And thou shalt come to reade it as though those foure most famous and coosinne passions of the mynde to wyt hope or desire and ioy feare and sorowe whiche the two sisters prosperitie and aduersitie brought foorth at equal byrthes lay on eyther side most fiercely assaultyng the minde of man howebeit reason whiche gouerneth the cheefe castle maketh answere vnto them al and beyng furnished with her shielde and head peece by her meanes and proper force but specially being assisted with most myghtie power from heauen defendeth of the weapons of the throngyng enimies But I conceyue suche hope of thy wysedome that thou canst soone iudge whiche part wyl haue the victorie I wyl nowe holde thee no longer but to the ende thou mightest vnderstand my purpose it was needeful for me to wryte this epistle as it were an argument to the booke whiche yf thou cause to be set before the woorke consyder thou of these both that an ouerlong preface trouble not a short booke none otherwyse then an ouer great head burdeneth a lytle body For there is nothing wel fauoured without due measure and proportion of the partes ¶ Of floorishing yeeres The first Dialogue IOY REASON MY yeeres are floorishyng I shall yet lyue a long tyme. Reason Loe this is the first vaine hope of mortall men whiche hath alredy and wyll hereafter deceiue many thousandes Ioy. My yeeres are floorishing Reason A vayne ioy and a short whyle we be speakyng this flowre withereth Ioy. My age is sounde Reason Who wyl cal that sound whiche wanteth much and when that whiche remayneth is vncertayne Ioy. But there is a certaine prefixed terme and lawe of liuing Reason Who made that lawe or what is the prefixed time of lyfe Surely it is a very vnequl law that is not indifferent vnto al men yea rather it is so variable that there is nothing more vncertayne in the lyfe of man than the terme of mans lyfe Ioy. Howbeit there is some terme and measure of life which the wise men haue defined Reason To appoynt the terme of lyfe it is not in his power that receiueth it but in his that geueth it which is god And I vnderstande howe that hereby you meane the terme of threescore ten yeres or if nature be somwhat stronger fourescore
yeeres and there you appoynt the ende vnto whiche who so doth attayne theyr lyfe is but payne and trauayle vnlesse he aduaunce your hope a litle further who sayth The dayes of a mans lyfe are many tymes an hundred yeeres vnto which age how few do attayne we see but admit that it happened vnto al which happeneth but to fewe notwithstandyng I pray you howe muche is it Ioy. Very much truely For the lyfe of young men is more assured and farther of from olde age and so from death Reason Thou art deceiued for although there be nothing safe to a man notwithstandyng that is the most daungerous part of his lyfe whiche to muche carelesnesse maketh vnaduised There is nothyng neerer to other then death is to lyfe when they seeme to be farthest a sunder then are they neerest togeather alwayes the one passeth away and the other draweth nygh whyther soeuer ye flee away death is at hande and hangeth ouer your heades Ioy and Hope Wel at the leastwyse youth is now present and olde age is absent Reason Nothyng is more flytting then youth nothyng more deceyuable then olde age Youth stayeth not but in delightyng she slyppeth away olde age immediatly folowyng after softly in darkenesse and silence striketh men at vnwares and when she is thought to be farre of then standeth she at the doore Ioy. My age is in rysing Reason Thou trustest to a most deceitfull thing This rysing is a goyng downe this short lyfe this vnstable tyme stealeth away yea without makyng any noyse with the feete euen whyle we sleepe and make merie And O that this swiftnesse of tyme and shortnesse of lyfe were as well knowen in the beginning as it is in the ende whiche to those that enter seemeth infinite and nothyng when they goe out and are scarce so many minutes as they appeared to be hundredes of yeeres So then at length deceypt is knowen when it can not be auoyded whereby it commeth that many tymes counsell is geuen in vayne vnto those yeeres they are both vnbeleeuyng and vnskylfull disdainefull of anothers counsell and wantyng of their owne And therefore there is nothyng that discouereth the errours of youth although they be innumerable and greeuous and yet notwithstandyng hyd and vnknowen to those that committed them better then olde age doth and layeth them foorth before their eyes who sometyme dissembled them and winked at them Neither doo ye sooner perceyue what ye ought to be then ye be made that whiche ye woulde be and then ye can possibly be none other then ye be But yf there were any that coulde vnderstande these thynges in tyme or by hym selfe or beleeue when he is taught surely hym woulde I accompt a woorthy and happie youth among many thousandes he shoulde not passe his lyfe through so many difficulties whose onely course lyeth safe and straight through vertue Ioy. Myne age is nothyng spent Reason Howe is that vnspent whiche since the tyme it first beganne is euery day wasted and whyle it is geuen is also taken away by very small portions For Heauen turneth about with perpetuall motion minutes consume houres and houres the day That day thrusteth foorth another and that the next day folowyng and there is neuer any ceassyng So doo monethes passe away so yeeres and so dooth an whole age make hast and runne and as Cicero sayeth fleeth away And as Virgil sayth It neuer waggeth the swifte winges So lykewyse they that fare by Sea they are caried away in the shyppe and feele not howe and many tymes are at their viage ende before they be ware Ioy and Hope An age that beginneth is far from the ende Reason Within the space of a short lyfe nothyng is farre of Ioy and Hope But there is no part farther from the ende then is the beginnyng Reason None in deede but this shoulde be truely sayde yf all men lyued lyke space of time Howbeit euen the very fyrst age falleth sundrie wayes into death whereby it chaunceth many tymes that he that seemed farthest of is nearest his ende Ioy and Hope Truely I am of a most floorishing age Reason Although fewe do marke it yet there is some change wrought since we beganne to speake and in the drawyng foorth of euery sillable there is some part of lyfe passed away and some peece of transitorie flowre of youth decayed And I pray you what hath this deyntie and gallaunt young man more then that rough and riueled olde man besides this short and transitorie flowre whiche fadeth euery day wherein what shoulde be so pleasaunt and delectable I doo not finde since he knoweth that almost sooner then a man can speake it he shall hym selfe be suche an one as this olde man nowe is or els is mad yf he knowe it not vnlesse of twayne whiche are led togeto be put to death he is to be accompted the happier whiche is commaunded last to lay downe his necke vppon the blocke to be cut of who truely seemeth vnto me in a maner in the more miserable state for the deferryng of the death Howbeit the condition of these men and of the other of whom I spake before is not all one insomuche as this man may haue some entreatie or meanes made for hym in the meane whyle to escape his fellowes execution and to lyue Onely death can preuent a young man that he shall not lyue vnto olde age To be short there consisteth no great felicitie in a small processe of tyme and vnto loftie mindes there is nothyng that is short accompted acceptable Awake ye that sleepe it is now tyme open your dimme and slumbring eyes Accustome your selues at length to thynke vpon eternal thinges to loue them and to desire them and therewithal also to contemne transitorie thinges Learne to depart from them willingly which can not continue with you long and to forsake them in hart before by them ye be forsaken Ioy and Hope My yeers are stable and greene Reason They lye whiche say that there is some age I knowe not which stable There is nothyng more swift then tyme and tyme is the charret of al ages to carrie them away in And doest thou then imagine that it is permanent O vanitie there is nothyng durable for euen at this present thou art violently drawen away c. Of the goodly beautie of the body The seconde Dialogue Ioy. THE beautie of my body is goodly Reason It is no more permanent then the tyme that commeth with it with whiche also it flitteth away Stay the tyme if thou canst and so perhaps thou mayest stay beautie Ioy. The beautie of my body is singuler Reason Thou restest vpon a brittle foundation The body it selfe passeth away like a shadow and doest thou thinke that a transitorie accident of the body wyll continue Accidentes may perishe the subiect remaynyng but when the body perisheth they must needes decay And among all the qualities whiche passe away with this mortall body there is none swyfter then beautie whiche
For theyr rysing is slow but theyr fallyng is sodayne This strength also whereof thou vauntest when it shall leaue to encrease wyl not continue but fyrst wyll priuily begin to decay and afterwarde at length wyl openly fal Al mortal thyngs do equally flyt away except the mynd only but the signes and footesteps of theyr departure doo not appeare alike vnlesse a man wyl say that those lyuyng creatures do go lesse or slowest which eyther go in the dark or make no noyse in their creeping and put out the prynt of theyr goyng with the pressing of theyr tayles Ioy. I boast in the strength of my body Reason What wouldest thou then do in thyne owne Thynke how great thyne owne strength is for this is not thyne but the strength of thy harborow or Inne or rather thy pryson It is a vayne thyng for thee beyng thy self weake to glory of thy strong dwellyng or to speake more aptly of a strong aduersarie Ioy. I reioyce in my strength Reason What other shal I say then that saying of the Poet Thou shalt not reioyce long and in steede of myrth complaintes shall come in place Dooest thou remember howe he that was so strong of whom I made mention twyce erewhyle complayneth of his strength in olde age Of swiftnesse of the bodye The syxth Dialogue IOY BVt I am very swyft Reason Tel me whyther thy runnyng â—endeth Many haue ben destroyed through their owne swyftnesse Ioy. My swyftnesse is wonderful Reason Run ye mortal men whither ye lust the swiftnes of heauen outrunneth you and leadeth you vnto olde age and death The one of these wyll take away your runnyng the other your mooueyng Ioy. My swyftnesse is very great Reason It tendeth thyther where it shal haue an ende Ioy. My swiftnes is sâ—eâ— as â—he lyke hath not been heard of Reason It tendeth thither where there shal be great slownesse Ioy. My swiftneâ—â— is infinite Reason Be it as great as it list it shal haue no place where to exercise it selfe for the whole earth is as is were a smal pricke or poynt Ioy. My swyftnesse is inestimable Reason This coÌ„mendation is due vnto wit vnto which the seas and heauen and eternitie the spaces of nature the hydden places and secretes of al thynges lye open As for this body which is circumscribed and compassed about with a prick and smal moment of space whyther wyl the swiftnesse thereof bring it and where wyl it leaue it Admit this space were very wyde great eyther in respect of tyme or of place notwithstandyng whyther soeuer it turneth it maketh hast to the graue This narrowe roomth and place of necessitie is knowne without Astrologicall coniecture or Geometrical demonstration So then ye runne thyther where in deede there is no runnyng at all Ioy. My swyftnesse is incredible Reason Although thou excel al men yet thou art not able herein to match an Hare Ioy. My swiftnesse is marueilous Reason The same accompaniyng many vpon hanging hilles and broken mountaynes sydes hath disapoynted them of the playne grounde and many also that woulde runne or as it were flie by vautyng or otherwyse vppon the walles and battlementes of towres vpon the tacklynges of ships vpon the cragges of hilles without hurtyng them selues shortly after by some litle tripping or slyding of the foote haue in this outrage been found dead in the hygh wayes by fallyng It is a dangeâ— us thyng and agaynst the course of nature that there should be such lightnesse in heauie bodies and the practise thereof wil make a man not to be nimble long For although he escape without hurt yet he shall soone leaue it of through weerynesse for the strength of a man is but short and his swiftnesse shorter Ioy. I am nowe very nymble Reason An Asse also is nymble in his youth a Parde waxeth slow with age In tyme nimblenes wyl waxe styffe The first age hath spurres the last hath bridles whatsoeuer thou art thou shalt not be long if thou desire to be good indeuour to be so Only vertue is not afrayde of old age Of wit. The .vii. Dialogue IOY MY wit is also quick Reason I pray God it be vnto vertue Otherwyse look how much the quicker so much the nearer to destruction Ioy. I haue a redy wit. Reason If it be also appliable vnto good artes it is a precious furniture of the minde If otherwyse it is burdensome perilous and troublesome Ioy. My wit is very sharpe Reason It is not the sharpenesse but the vprightnesse and staiednes of the wit that deserue the true and perpetual commendation The sharpnesse of some wittes is rebated with smal force and wil faile at the first encounter and the most strongest thinges if they be stretched foorth to the vttermost become feeble and so likewise weakenes ouercommeth all strength Ioy. I haue a most sharpe wit. Reason There is nothing more odious vnto wisdom then to much sharpnes Nothing more greeuous vnto a Philopher then a sophist for that cause in old time the auncient fathers feigned that Pallas could not abyde spyders whose curious worke and fine webs are brittle serue to no purpose Therfore let the edge of the wyt be lyke the edge of a weapon that it may not only pearse but also stay from going further Ioy. My wyt is prompt and redy to euery thyng Reason This was sometyme attributed vnto Marcus Cato Censorius that he was as redy and apt to learnyng as to the warres to matters concernyng the fielde as the citie and also to the exercise of husbandrie whiche thyng in part the Gretians doo ascribe to theyr countreyman Epaâ—inundas and the Persians to theyr Cyrus Take herde whereunto this thy redie wit be enclined that it be not craftie and that it be not only not quicke and pliant but rather lyght and inconstant For it is one thyng to be able to stay and another to be able to go whyther soeuer a man lust Ioy. My wyt is excellent Reason It skilleth much in what kynd a man do excel For the signification of that woorde is vncertayne and true it is that a mans wit is of force if he do throughly bende it And therefore geue me rather a good wit then an excellent for the one cannot be conuerted to euill the other is flexible vnto many thinges For Salust writeth that Lucius Catiline was a man of notable courage but of a corrupt naughtie wit and disposition Ioy. My wit is great Reason I requyre a good and a modest wit the greatnes only is suspected For a great wit hath many tymes ben the beginnyng of great euylles And seldome were there any great errours but they sprang from great wittes Of Memorie The .viii. Dialogue IOY MY memorie is very great Reason Thou hast then a large house of loathsomenesse and a gallery ful of smoky images among which many thinges may displease Ioy. My memorie conteyneth many thinges Reason Among many thynges there be but fewe that do delight
a man the more part of them do molest him and oftentimes the remembrance of pleasant thinges is greeuous Ioy. My memorie comprehendeth sundrie thinges Reason If they be good it is wel If they be euil why art thou glad therof Is it not greeuous yenough either to haue suffred or seene euils but that they must continually come into our minde or alwayes lye forth before our eyes Ioy. My memory conteyneth diuers thyngs Reason That is to say diuers both faults offences heinous trespasses and reproches shames repulses sorowes trauailes and dangers although as some say there is pleasure in the remembraunce of this whereof I spake last wherein notwithstanding we must this vnderstande that not so much the remembraunce of the forepassed euyls as the delyght of the present good state procureth the pleasure And therfore no man taketh delight in the remembrance of his labour and danger vnlesse he be at quyet and in securitie no man can gladly thynke on pouertie but he that is rytche on sicknesse but he that is in health on pryson but he that is at lybertie on bandes but he that is free on banyshment but he that is returned home agayne Only the remembraunce of shame is greeuous yea in the midst of honours So that there is nothyng that is holden more deare or is more incurable then is a mans honour and good name Ioy. My memorie is manyfolde and conteyneth much tyme. Reason In manyfold remembrance are manyfolde troubles For some doo nyp the conscience some pricke it some wounde it some confounde it some terrifie it some ouerthrow it wherby it commeth to passe that when men cal them to remembrance red blushyng and wan palenes enterchangeably possesse theyr faces in silence which thing chaunceth sometime to the vilest wickedst persons causing theyr going to be vncertaine theyr speach doubtful with many other such passions moe signifiyng that the mynd is troubled with to wel remembryng Ioy. My memorie is prompt Reason I had rather thy wyl were godly thy desire chast thy counsels honest thy deedes innocent and thy life without rebuke Ioy. I haue a very firme memorie Reason How should you men then forgeat the heauenly precepts which are so few in number How should you forgeat the only God How should you then forgeat yourselues Ioy. My memorie is passyng firme Reason I thinke wel it be so of earthly and vnprofitable things But whyther and to what purpose tendeth this vagabounde and flickeryng memorie Which wanderyng through heauen and earth and forgettyng to returne to it selfe calleth not to remembrance that one thing which is necessarie and healthful in which yf perhaps sometyme it find any smal pleasure most times it findeth plentie of griefe And therefore not without cause when one offered to teach Themistocles the art of memorie which at that tyme was inuented by Simonidis answeared that he had rather learne the art of forgetfulnesse And although he seemed iustly to answere so as one that aboue al credite excelled al other in that gyft of nature and whose memory was ouerwhelmed with innumerable representations of matters wordes notwithstandyng it agreeth almost with al men for so al of you learne the thynges that you ought to forgeat and forgeat the thinges that ye ought to learne exercising your memorie in such matters as were profitable to forgeat therin not contented with the limitatiō of nature ye set forth your madnes in art Ioy. My memory is almightie Reason This title is proper to God only You would haue said perhaps that it is of great power notwithstanding if an excellent memorie be of any force which in deede is better then al othervaine curiositie let it reiect the hurtful embrace the profitable not so diligently pursue the things that delight as the things that profite Ioy. My memory is the best that can be Reason There is nothing better then the best therfore if thou wilt seeme to say true it behoueth thee to shew thy self mindful in the best Remember thy sinne that thou maiest be sorie for it remember death that thou maiest leaue to syn remēber the iudgment of god that thou maiest be afraid remember his mercy that thou do not dispaire Of Eloquence The .ix. Dialogue IOY BVt mine eloquence is notable Reason I graunt it is a great instrument of glory but doubtful with two points It skilleth very much how a man do vse this also Ioy. Myne eloquence is flowing and swift Reason Some not amysse do compare the eloquence of a foole or a lewd person to a mad mans swoord both whom it is meete when they goe abrode to be vnarmed Ioy. Mine eloquence is famous and bryght Reason A thyng is sayd to be bright many wayes the Sunne is bright a fire is bright Ioy. Myne eloquence is very shynyng Reason The sorowful cometes and hurtful swordes and hateful helmets of our enimies doo shyne but that the shyning of eloquence may be glorious it must be tempered with holynesse and wysedome Ioy. The plentie of myne eloquence is very great Reason If it be ioyned with modesty I doo not denie but that it is an excellent thyng and surpassyng the common measure of men otherwyse it were better to be dumbe Ioy. I haue eloquence yenough Reason That there was eloquence yenough and but litle wysedome in that most wicked man thou readest in Salust yet sought he not for any glorie by his eloquence how be it if it be more deeply consydered it was not eloquence but vnprofitable babling For no man can be a true oratour that is to say a maister of eloquence vnlesse he be a good man And if thou beeing a good and a wise man diddest suppose that this streame and readinesse of woordes which for the most part doth most abounde in the fancie and impudent crue was sufficient for the commendation of the Oratorie and the perfect duety of eloquence or that this cunning in speache only was yenough thou wast deceiued The redines of the tongue plentie of wordes the art and skil also to vse them may be indifferent to the wicked and the godly but that which thou seekest apparteineth to the best sort of men not to al of them but to very few so that euill men are banished frō this cōmendation being a thing wherunto the good gifts of that minde as vertue wisdome are required whiche they do want Which if thou do not vnderstand to be so I wyll shewe thee howe And remember these two thinges whereof I speake imprint their diffinitions in thy minde whereof the one is Catoes the other Ciceroes The fyrst sayth thus An Oratour is an honest man skilful in speaking The other Eloquence sayth he is nothyng els but wisedome speaking copiously By these woordes thou seest that to the essence and substaunce of an Oratour and of Eloquence is honestie and wysedome required whiche notwithstanding are not sufficient vnlesse there be cunning copie So
but the more knowen The begynnyng of all menne is all one There is but one Father of mankynde all flowe from one fountayne whiche passeth some tyme troubled and some tyme cleere vnto you all on this condition that that whiche a litle before was cleere anon be made obscure and that whiche was obscure be made cleere So that there is no doubt concernyng the fountayne but by meanes of what small channell the water of this your noble blood as â—â—â—crme it flowed vnto you Hereof it commeth that he that went to plough yesterday goeth a warfare to day and he that was woont proudly to ryde through the myddes of cities managing his fierce courser with a golden Brydle nowe dryueth his flowe Oxen vp and downe the flabbie fieldes with a simple Goade And I thinke that saying of Plato to be true That there is no king but he came of a lowe degree and none of lowe degree but he came of kinges This change and condition of mans state is so chaungable and inconstant that it is sundrye tymes altered from the one to the other so that thou canst not marueyl yf a Ploughman goe to warre or a Souldiour returne to the Plough Great is the wheele of mortall thynges And because the course thereof is long this short lyfe perceyueth it not Which vnlesse it were so both the spades of kinges and scepters of clownes myght be discerned But nowe tyme deceyueth mens memories whyle they be busyed about other matters And this is all your nobilitie wherefore ye swell and proudly aduaunce your selues lyke a vayne generation as ye be Ioy. The discent of myne auncestours is noble Reason Howe farre wylt thou wander We speake of thy selfe Thou goest about to substitute others I can not tell whom in thy steede who perhappes maye aunsweare somwhat for them selues but nothyng for thee vnlesse thou furnyshe out the cause with thyne owne witnesses But admitte that these thy Graundfathers and great Graundfathers were noble to wit when as they beganne by the wynges of vertue to lyfte them selues vp aboue the common multitude that is the farthest roote of nobilitie But goe then farther seeke out more narrowly thou shalt fynde theyr Grandfathers and great Grandfathers obscure and vnknowen men To be short this nobilitie of names and images is both short and howe muche soeuer it is truelly it is not thyne owne Leaue of therefore to colour thy name with other mens vertues lest if euery one require his owne thou be laughed at for thine owne nakednesse Ioy. I am noble Reason How muche a valiant clowne is more noble then a cowardly noble man thou shalt then knowe when thou hast considered how muche better it is to founde then to ouerthrowe nobilitie If thou want examples there be plentie at home and in the warres and are commonly founde in reading so that thou maiest by thy selfe be vmpire and iudge of the residue And among all it shal be sufficient to consider of two couple of men Into one skale of the Ballance put Marius and Tullie into the other set the aduersaries of these twayne Aulus and Clodius whiche way the beame wyll cast and howe muche Rome must geue place to Arpine who is so blynde that he seeth not Ioy. I am noble by byrth Reason I sayde euen nowe a true noble man is not so borne but made Ioy. A woonderfull nobilitie at leastwyse of this common sort is left vnto me by my parentes Reason This nobilitie commeth not by byrth but by lyuyng And heare also I see one good thyng Ye haue store of familiar examples and ye want not household leaders whose steppes it were a shame for you to forsake This if thou suffer to slyppe thy nobilitie is but a famous and difficult euyll It happeneth I knowe not how that it is a harder matter for a man to imitate his owne auncestours then strangers perhappes because vertue shoulde then seeme discende by inheritaunce I speake it not willingly but experience it selfe she weth it Seldome is it seene the sonne of an excellent man to be excellent Of a fortune beginning The .xvii. Dialogue IOY I Was borne in great fortune Reason Thou begannest thy lyfe with great vnquietnesse For Saylers not improperly cal a tempest fortune And a great fortune is a great tempest and a great tempest requireth both great counsayle and great strength Thou hast therefore rather cause of care then of myrth Ioy. I was borne in very great fortune Reason Doest thou thinke it better fortune to be borne in the wyde Sea then in a small Riuer Although no wyse man wyll graunt the same how muche then is it more fortunate to be borne in a Palace then in a Cotage Our mother the earth receyueth al men wheresoeuer they were borne Ioy. I was borne in great fortune Reason Thou hast wayed anker contrary to good lucke and if thou haue wasted the day in foule weather prouyde that when nyght commeth thou mayest be in the hauen Ioy. I was borne aloft Reason Thou art subiect to tempestes and whyrlewyndes and hope of lying hyd is taken from thee Pythie is the saying of the Lyrike Poet The mightie Pine tree is often shaken with windes and high towres fall with the greater force and the lyghtnyng striketh the hyghest Mountaines As I must confesse that it is noble to be borne aloft so is it neyther quiet nor safe All humane loftinesse of it selfe is vnquiet and continually troublesome So that I maruayle why that saying of Mecaenas in Seneca shoulde so muche be dislyked For the height it selfe thundreth at the loftie thinges Seeyng other haue vsed this woorde why is he only reprehended Moreouer there is nothyng so hygh that is not subiect both to trouble and care and sorow and enuie and griefe and in the ende obnoxius to death And truely it is death only that beateth downe al mortall pryde and eminencie Ioy. I was borne in hygh and great estate Reason They that fall from hygh are sore hurt and seldome is it calme vpon the wyde Sea so in the bottome thou needest not to feare fallyng neyther dread shypwracke vpon the drye lande Ioy. My begynnyng was fortunate Reason Marke the ende As other in theyr kyngdomes so can fortune also do much in hers The more fortunate the begynnyng is the more vncertayne is the ende Doest thou not perceyue howe all worldly thynges are tossed as it were with a whyrlewynde so that lyke as a troublesome tempest disquieth the calme Sea and after a fayre mornyng followeth a cloudie euenyng and as many tymes a playne way leadeth into a rough straight so sodayne calamitie foloweth the pryde of prosperitie and sorowfull death stoppeth the course of a most pleasaunt lyfe and most tymes the ende is vnlyke the begynnyng Ioy. I began an hygh Reason Take heede where thou leauest The lyfe is alwayes reported by the ende and thou shalt playnely feele the ende although thou perceyuedst not the beginnyng Ioy. I was borne in great felicitie
mynde to the readyng of Heathen writers thou knowest these thynges neyther doo I nowe touch thee but by notes I bryng thee to remembraunce of the trueth to the end thou mayest see that such kyndes of delyghts are eyther dishonest or lyght Ioy. My studie is vpon sweete odours Reason I woulde it were vpon good fame the smel whereof is also called good but of euyl fame muche more and it is more strong then the sent of any spices whyle they are a beatyng or of brymstone whyle it is a burnyng Of these sauours the mynde iudgeth and not the nose Ioy. I am delighted in sweete smelles Reason If thou be led by sense and seeke after pleasure as I haue sayd it is eyther dishonestie or lyghtnesse if for health sake it is excuseable so that measure which is the sauce of al thinges be present For a mylde smel comforteth a fayntyng spirite but in al thynges that saying of Terence is of great force Nothing to muche For as in many other thynges so in this also there is insâ—â—te varietie of kyndes not only betweene man and man but betwene nation and nation For if the report be true which great aucthours do not condemne the people that dwel about the head of Ganges do eate no meate at al but are noorished only by the smel of a wyld apple whensoeuer they traueyle abrode they cary nothyng els with them then that good holsome fruite and are so impartent of stynke that as the pure ayre noorysheth them so an infected smel stifleth them A delycate complexion which so lyueth and dyeth Hence it proceedeth that euery nation towardes the East beyng pampered with the delicacie of the ayre as they are lesse careful of meate so haue they lesse plentie and are more desirous of sweete odours and from thence forsooth this curiositie came first vnto vs The Assyrians the Arabians and Sabei when they were vanquished by your weapons ouercame you with theyr odours which the rough and inuincible sobrietie of your forefathers resisted so long that the fyue hundred threescore and fifth yeere after the foundyng of the Citie of Rome prouision was made by a straight edict of the Censores that no man should bryng sweete forraigne oyntmentes into the Citie But not long after the vices of posteritie as the maner is abrogating the decrees of the Elders wantonnesse gate the vpper hande and crept into the very Senate which had been the aucthour of that constitution Ioy. I am desyrous to smel wel Reason Straunge odours and the art of perfumyng and pleasauntly smellyng is an argument of no natural good smel and a token of some secrete defectes In respect of which causes not only any honest man but honest woman also woulde be loath by such kynde of delicacie to offend the senses of any valyaunt and good man Thou remembrest the storie of a certayne young man who being annoynted with sweet oyntmentes and comming before the Emperour Vaspatian to geue him thankes for the office which he had bestowed vpon hym as he stoode before hym the Emperour perceyuyng the smel and disdayning at the matter with sterne countenance and rough speech I had rather sayd he thou hadst smelt of Garlyke And so wel checked eyther suppressing or cancellyng the letters wherein he had graunted hym his good wyll he sent hym frustrate away with his pleasaunt odours Thus as these smelles haue been alwayes a shame so haue they also sometime ben hurtful especially where there is some graue and vpright Censor of manners Yea what shal I say that they haue ben daungerous to some For thou knowest also how that Plautius a Senatour in the triumuiral proscription for feare of death hydyng hym selfe in the Salernitane Dennes was bewrayed by the smel of his oyntmentes purchasyng therby to hym selfe destruction and to the proscribers excuse of theyr crueltie For who would not iudge that he was iustly stayne who in such troubles of the common wealth â–ª and so great danger of priuate men would then trym hym selfe with sweet smelling oyntmentes Ioy. I haue accustomed my self to artificius odours Reason Leaue them of yf thou wylt folow my counsayle It is more shameful to frequent the artificius then the symple For euery dishonest thyng the more artificius it is the more dyshonest it is Art which is an ornament to honestie is an encrease to dishonestie Hereunto adde moreouer that it is now growne vnto far more excesse than in olde tyme although that Rome as I haue sayd and Lacedemon also which I had almost termed the Grecian Rome when this infectioÌ„ came out of Asia resisted it with rough manners and streight edictes as it had ben an armie of wel appoynted enimies Notwithstandyng at length the delicate bande of sweete oyntmentes with the legions of vices gat the vpper hand and their scoutes passed ouer into Europe and there subdued most valient nations And because it were ouer long to prosecute euery thyng by the softned 〈◊〉 â—â—â—sse of one most rough and payneful man thou mayest coâ—◠〈…〉 â—he residue For 〈…〉 the very thickest and heat of 〈…〉 inuincible and barâ—â—â—â—â— Hannibal was annoynted with his armie oyntmentes 〈◊〉 pearcing 〈…〉 nearâ—ing And therefore of this â—â—â—â—minate caâ—â—â—â—yne and his 〈…〉 â—hose beginninges were wonderful 〈…〉 was the ende as he â—ell deserued Whereby it 〈◊〉 â—hee pâ—â—â—e that where alway â–ª ye haue ben much bounde â—â—â—e vertues â—f Scipio Africane ye are somewhat also beholden to the ointâ—â—â—entes of Hanibal for it had ben good for them they had ben dry as it was best for â—â—u that they were annoynted This customâ— preuayled so maâ—â—â—â—andred yeeres after that it were a payne and also would astonysh a man to reade what is 〈◊〉 concernyng this matter both by Greekes and Laâ—â—â—â— What shal I vse many woordes Oyntmentes came vnto 〈…〉 then whom nothing was more high excellent namely Iâ—SVS Christe which he that came and put away al â—â—ftâ—â—sse and delicacie of the mâ—â—â— to exâ—inguish al prouocatiâ— as of pleasures suffered hym selfe to be annoynted withall veryly not delighted with the pleasauntnesse of the odours but with the affection and teares of the offerer But now this custome is by litle and litle diminyshed that whereas your age is in many thynges inferiour to the glory of your forefathers yet in this it seemeth to extoll it in that it is not caryed away with the fonde desire of sweete oyntmentes but they that are now delyghted therein it chaunceth vnto them not by the generall infection of the tyme but by the special imperfection of theyr owne mindes Ioy. I am enticed delyghted with fragrant odours Reason It cannot be otherwyse but that those thynges which of nature are delightsome and pleasaunt should entice a man and whyle they be present delight hym It is the saying of the wyse Hebrue With oyntmentes and sundrie odours the hart is refreshed Howbeit it seemeth to me that in ointments there is not so much delyght as loathsomenesse But admit
there were so in these odours yet in my iudgment men should rather resist the thynges that be absent to 〈…〉 â—â—â—empt and obliuion and vse the thinges that are â—â—ese◠〈…〉 â—â—â—â—â—ly neither bestow any care or trauayle vpon 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—wne secret iudgement thou â—â—â—fesse thy 〈…〉 contemptible thynges And that I may not draâ—◠〈…〉 concernyng odoâ—â—â—â—â—â—eing dishonest anâ—◠〈…〉 al effemâ—â—â—ing mennes mindes to 〈…〉 â—â—ter I embrace the opinâ—â—n of S Augustine who speakeâ—◠〈◊〉 of the prouocation of odour◠〈◊〉 desire them not sayth he 〈…〉 they be absent I require th◠〈…〉 if they be present I 〈…〉 being readie alwayes to waâ—◠〈◊〉 Doo thou the 〈…〉 thou neuer smel euill of 〈◊〉 odoures or he odâ—â—â—â— with harefull cleanlynes Of the sweeten 〈◊〉 of Musick xxiâ—â—â— Dialogue 〈◊〉 I Am delighted in synging 〈◊〉 â—â—strument Reason Al how muche better were it in teares and sygninges It were better to come to ioy 〈…〉 by ioying to teares Ioy. I take pleasure in songs and harmonie Reason Wild beastes and foules are deceyued by synging and which is more straunge fyshes also are delighted in Musycke Thou knowest the pretie fable of Arion and the Dolphin which is holden so true that it is cronicled Many notable writers haue made mention of that Miracle but none more gallantly then Herodotus the father of the Gretian Historie Herevnto agree the brasen images whiche are there set vp where the Musitian first arriued on shoare safely out of so great daunger sittyng vppon the backe of the swymmyng fyshe Moreouer it is sayde that the Sirenes do deceyâ—e by synging This is not beleeued but founde true by experience how by flatteryng woordes one man deceyueth another and to be short there is nothyng more apt to deceiue then the voyce Ioy. I am delighted with pleasant Musicke Reason The Spider as they say annoynteth before he byte and the Phisition before he strike the fouler also and a woman â—â—â—â—terreth whom they mynde to entice and a theefe embraseth whom he wyl kyll and the Polypus fyrâ—â—hucâ—â—â—â—h whom he â—â—eaâ—teth to drowne And some naughtie peâ—â—â—â— are neuer more â—o be feared then when they shâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 curâ—â—â—us in voyce and behauiour â–ª 〈…〉 adâ—â—â—â—ially to 〈…〉 founde in the Gâ—lmyoâ— Domâ—â—â— Generally there â—s searâ—e aâ—â—◠〈…〉 Ioy. I 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 in singyng◠〈◊〉 Reâ—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 heede for it is 〈◊〉 Soâ—â—â— possesseth the last part of ioy and agayne the spiâ—â—â—â— shalbâ—◠〈◊〉 â—egore a fall Ioy. I sing sweetly Reason Thâ—◠〈…〉 whether it be thy last The Swan syngeth 〈…〉 his death More haue peryshed through 〈◊〉 〈…〉 and there â—â—â—alate report that one who 〈…〉 wont dyâ—d sodaynly in the myddes 〈…〉 I am deâ—ighted in song and Musicke 〈…〉 cause â–ª Euery day and houre and 〈…〉 the Gâ—â—â—â— whyther it is your 〈…〉 â—â—ought with â—â—â—ngyng and in olde tyâ—â—◠〈…〉 â—ecorders whereof is that verse of Staâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 Whose custome is the tender soules with Pipes to bring 〈◊〉 Thou takest pleas◠〈◊〉 in both these pompes of funerals whither thou makest hast although thou perceiuest not thy selfe to goe without rest or intermission Ioy. I loue singing Reason To what purpose Doubtlesse in the myndes of woorthymen especially there resteth a most mightie musike but the effectes are sundrie more then a man wyl beleeue And to omit that which serueth not to our purpose some it mooueth to vayne mirth some to holy and deuout ioy some many tymes to godlie teares which varietie of affections hath drawne great wittes into sundry opinions For Athanasius to auoyde vanities forbade the vse of singing in Churches S. Ambrose studious of godlynesse appoynted that men should syng S. Augustine maketh godly mention among his confessions that he aboade both and that herein he was sometyme in some difficultie of doubt with hym selfe Ioy. I delyght to syng Reason This hath been a pleasure vnto many heretofore and now it is to thee For in olde tyme who so coulde not syng and play vpon instrumentes was counted vnlearned which iudgement fel vpon Themistocles the Athenian the most noble of all the Grecians for that he refused to play vppon an Harpe as he sate with company at meate And Cicero reporteth that Fpaminundas the Thebane perhaps because he woulde auoyde that ignominie could play very excellently vppon instrumentes It is straunge that Socrates beyng so graue a Father as he was would learne to play and therfore let vs not maruayle though Alcibiadis were by his vncle Periclis set to schole to learne vpon the Recorder beyng among them so commendable an exercise that they learned the same also among the lyberal artes But let vs commend the wyt of a shamefast Boy who takyng into his hande the instrument of an excellent Musitian who of purpose was sent for and hyred to teach hym and puttyng it vnto his mouth and streynyng his breath 〈◊〉 by his cheekes began to swell perceyuyng thereby the detormitie of his countenance blushed and brake the Pype and threw it away disdainfully deseruyng surely though but small of yeeres to be an example that by the whole consent of the people the vse of Recorders and wynd instrumentes should haue ben banyshed the Citie of Athens This ardent desyre of Musicke although it be not yet come so far vnto you as to possesse the myndes of al Princes yet hath it inuaded the myndes of some and specially of the worser sort For Caius the Emperour was very muche geuen to syngyng and dauncing As for Nero how much he was addicted to the studie of the Cytherne and what great regard he had of his voyce it is incredible to be spoken This is one folly in him and very ridiculus that the same nyght which was the last of his lyfe and the fyrst to the world to take breath as it were for a litle tyme among the complayntes which instaunt death and present feare and sorow dyd minister this one thyng most often and most miserably he bewayled not that so great a Prince but that so great a Musitian shoulde perysh I let passe others euen vnto this your age which nowe is present though but here and there yet there is come some delyght of the eare wherwith to be honestly and soberly delyghted is a certayne humanitie but to be caught and as it were wedded vnto it is great vanitie Ioy. I am deceyued with the pleasure of sweete notes Reason Oh that thou dyddest heare the syghes of the godly Oh that the gronynges and lamentations of the dampned myght enter into thyne eares And on the other syde the reioycynges of the blessed soules and the syngyng of Angelles and that heauenly harmonie which Pithagoras establysheth Aristotle ouerthroweth and our Cicero restoreth and godlinesse and fayth perswade thee to be there perpetuall and the moste sweete voyceâ— yf not of the heauens yet of the heauenly inhabitauntes whâ—â—here without ende doo prayse the fyrst and eternall cause 〈◊〉 these thynges I say should enter into thyne eares how playnely myghtest thou discerne which consent were the sweeter
by the fall of the Amphitheater twentie thousand men were slayne This is the commoditie and ende that the lookers on doo get Ioy. I beholde shewes with great pleasure Reason Eyther of faygned loue or true hatred The fyrst is not for a man to beholde the seconde not for a reasonable creature Who wyll wyllyngly receyue a dagger to his hart Who wyll powre more blood vpon an hotte wounde Who can waxe pale sooner then when he seeth death What delyght haue ye to goe to the schoole of crueltie Ye neede no scholemaisters ye learne euyll too fast of your selues Ye learne more of your selues at home then is needefull What if the maisters of mischiefe and the mystresse of errour the common multitude shoulde ioyne vnto this with redy wittes Many whom nature framed gentle haue learned crueltie by meanes of shewes and spectacles Mans minde whiche of it selfe is prone to vice is not to be pricked forward but brydled yf it be left to it selfe it hardly standeth yf it be dryuen foorth it runneth headlong There commeth in muche euyll at the eares but muche more at the eyes by those two open windowes death breaketh into the soule nothyng entreth more effectually into the memorie then that whiche commeth by seeyng thinges hearde doo lyghtly passe by the images of thynges which we haue seene sticke fast in vs whether we wyl or not and yet they enter not vnlesse we be wylling but verie seldome and they depart soone Whyther goest thou then What violence caryeth thee a way To be mery an houre and alwayes afterwarde to be sorie To see that once that thou wylt repent a thousande tymes â—hat euer thou sawest it To see a man slayne with a weapon or to be torne by the teeth and nayles of wylde beastes or some suche other syght as may trouble a man that is awake and terrifie hym when he is a sleepe I can not perceyue what pleasure is in it or rather what bitternesse and greefe is no in it and I can not discerne any greater argument of madnesse in you then in that bitter sweetenesse and vnpleasaunt delyght thrust you dayly forwarde to death enticyng you by miserable flatteries drowned as it were in a Stygian sleepe Ye obserue one order almost in al thynges Whatsoeuer ye desire whatsoeuer ye goe about whatsoeuer ye doo it is agaynst you Of Horses The .xxxi. Dialogue IOY I Take pleasure in a nimble Horse Reason A most fierce and vnquiet beast which sleepeth not and is neuer satisfied Ioy. I am destrous to ryde Horses Reason It is not muche more daungerous to sayle vppon the raging Sea then to ride vpon a fierce prauncer There is no beast more proude toward his maister neyther is this improperly gone for a prouerbe among horse breakers That an horse doeth twice euyll although be be at one tyme humble and at another proude Who beyng of suche strength and swiftnesse wyll suffer hym selfe for a lytle bile meate to be subiect to another to be tamed to be hampred to be haltred to be linked in chaines to be brydled to be shâ—oed with iron to haue nayles driuen through his hoofes to be spurred to beare an armed rider to abyde slauishe imprisonment and fiâ—thie seruitude On the other syde as though he were vntamed he behaueth hymselfe as yf he were free and doeâ—h euery thyng as yf he were his maisters enimie When he shoulde runne he regardeth not the spurre When he shoulde stay he taketh the bridle betweene his teeth When he should snort he is asleepe When he shoulde lye in secrete he snorteth This is that plyant beaste whiche some tearme trustie and faythfull whereof fables doo report so many goodly matters callyng hym commonly a noble a princely an excellent an honourable beast woorthie to be bought at a great price and kept with great diligence Nay rather it is a beast whose weerisomnesse yf it be compared with his seruiceablenesse no wyse man wyll buye hym no good husbande wyll feede hym a beast that is impacient both of rest and labour with the one he is proude with the other he is tyred with the one a fierce beast with the other a dull iade at one tyme bolde at another tyme fearefull at one tyme flying at another tyme fallyng at one tyme startlyng at a flie or a shadowe at another tyme dispising his maister and dyuers wayes drawing hym into daunger Who can sufficiently discribe his stubbernnesse the daunger of his teeth and his heeles his neighing and his impaciencie of his sitter and rider For truely looke howe many conditions there be of horses so many dangers are there of the horsemen Ioy. I haue great delight in horses Reason I shoulde wonder the more at thee vnlesse I remembred some great men bent also to the lyke studie to to folyshly Who hath not heard that Alexander king of Macedonie erected a tombe for his horse which he loued and named a citie after his horses name But the coutage and heate of minde wrought no woonderfull thyng in hym whyle he liued There was more stomacke in Augustus although lesse follie for he buylded not a tombe for his horse but he made a graue whiche thing notwithstanding was vnmeete for his wit and grauitie For whether Iulius Caesars monstrous horse were by him or any other consecrated with a statue of marble before the temple of Venus it may be doubted Antonius Verus who came after in yeeres and glory but in riches and imperiall name was but litle inferiour that I may omit to tell what fare and what furniture he ordeined for his horse which he loued immoderately truely he caused a statue of gold to be made lyke hym whyle he was alyue and when he was dead a sepulture to be buylded that we might be the more greeued at it in Vaticanum among so many holy bones as were there buried to be buried This is scarce credible but true notwithstanding The Poet thinkyng on this and suche lyke thinges maketh the soules of such men to be delighted with horses in hell And yet this vanitie is neuer awhit the lesse but the greater whiche is able to allure so great mindes vnto it But that no man shall thynke that this was some auncient folly only and not at this day raigning let him call to minde one dwelling not far of and not long since who is yet lyuing and not very olde and dwelling here in Italy among you whose name it shall not be needefull for me to vtter a man highly in fortunes fauour and of no small wit and iudgement a man otherwise of great courage and policie whensoeuer he hath occasion to vtter himselfe or hath any weightie affaires in hande who notwithstanding when his horse whiche he loued was sicke layde him vpon a bed of silke and a golden pillowe vnder his head and while he hym selfe being bound and not able to stirre by appoyntment of his Phisitions for the gout was gouerned by their orders neuerthelesse being either borne in
noble statues and images Reason I know the meanyng of couetousnesse it is the price as I suppose and not the art that pleaseth thee I am sure thou doest in minde esteeme one image of golde of meane woorkemanshyp aboue many made of brasse and marble and specially of clay or other cast stuffe and not vnwysely as the present valuation of thinges nowe adayes requireth and this is as muche to say as to loue the golde and not the statue whiche as it may be made noble of a vile matter so may it be made rude of pure golde How muche wouldest thou esteeme of an image whether it were the kinges of Assyria whiche was made of golde threescore cubites long which it was death not to adore although there be many at this day that would adore it to haue it of their owne or whether it were made of a great Topace of foure cubites long of whiche thou readest that the Queene of Egypts image was made a strange thing to be spoken I suppose thou wouldest not very muche enquire after the woorkeman that made it but rather after the matter that it is made of Ioy. Images and statues cunningly wrought delight mine eyes Reason Images and statues somtime were the tokens of vertues but now they be enticementes of the eyes They were erected in the honour and remembraunce of suche as had atchiued woorthy deedes or voluntarily yeelded them selues vp vnto death from their common wealth Suche as were decreed to be set vp in honour of the Embassadours that were slayne by the king of the Vetâ—i such as were erected in the honour of Scipio Africane the deliuerer of Italye whiche his most valiant courage and woorthy modestie woulde not receiue but whiche after his death he coulde not refuse They were erected in the honour of wise and learned men the lyke whereof we reade was erected vnto Victorinus and now adayes they are erected vnto ryche Merchantes wrought of outlandish Marble of great value Ioy. Statues artificially wrought doo muche delight mee Reason Euery kinde of stuffe almost wyl admit cunning woorkmanship but I perceyue how this thy delight is ful of wisdome and ioyned with the most noble matter Howbeit I can not perceyue how there shoulde be any pleasure in the golde no although it were wrought by Phidias or what worthinesse there shoulde be in it being but a drosse of that earth although it be yelow but by meanes of the Anduil hammers tongues coales inuention handy labour What thing may be wrought that is to be wished of a man or hath in deede any magnificencie in it consider with thee selfe Ioy. I can not chose but take great pleasure in images Reason To take pleasure in the wittie deuises of men so it be modestly done is tollerable and specially of such as excel in wit For vnlesse malice be an hinderaunce euery man doeth willingly reuerence that in another which he loueth in him selfe To take delight also in the images and statues of godly and vertuous men the beholding of which may stirre vs vp to haue remembrance of their maners liues is reasonable may profite vs in imitating the same Prophane images also although somtime they moue the nunde and styrre it vp to vertue whilst lukewarme mindes doo waxe hot with the remembraunce of noble deedes yet ought they not to be loued or esteemed of aboue reason and duetie lest they become eyther witnesses of our foslie or ministers of our couetousnesse or rebellious to our fayth and true religion and that most excellent commaundement of the Apostle Keepe your selues from Images But truly if thou beholde him in thy contemplation who created the fixed earth the moueable sea and turnyng heauen who also hath replenished the earth not with feigned and counterfeite but with true and liuing men and beastes the sea with fishes the heauen with foules I suppose that thou wylt as lytle esteeme of Polycletus and Phidias as of Protegenes and Apelles Of vessels of Corinthe The .xlii. Dialogue IOY WHO wyl not be moued with delyght vnto Corinthian vessels Reason Earthly thynges can not moue him that is accustomed to heauenly and euen so yf these vessels be compared with the heauenly treasures they be smal they be nothing they be but loathsomnes and an heauie burthen For how can the minde whiche thinketh vpon it owne beginning gape into the pittes of earth or esteeme of that which is digged out of them whyle he beholdeth the Heauens the Sunne the Starres himselfe and is busied in the contemplation of the most hygh creatour of all thinges Ioy. I take pleasure in Corinthian vessels Reason Knowest thou not then that thou takest pleasure not onely in a colde and senseles burthen of the earth but also in the woorkemanshyp of a smutchie and filthie woorkeman and lasty in the remnauntes and reliques of the Romane spoyles Returne to histories When Mummius had by fine force taken the Citie of Corinth and after the spoyle consumed it with fire al maner of images as wel of golde and siluer as of brasse whatsoeuer by chaunce had escaped the handes of the conquerours whereof that Citie in olde tyme had great plentie were with lyke fire molten togeather all kyndes of mettalles ran there flowing as it were in one channel and by that meanes of al those mettalles there arose one most noble mettall which was the beginning of these most pâ—ecious vessels from the destruction of the Citie sprang foorth the name of lasciuiousnesse not that the same madnesse arose in that Citie whiche nowe was fallyng but the matter onely was prepared for the madnesse that should folowe hereafter And by this meanes Corinth was at that tyme the beginner of this madnesse which now commeth from Damascus from thence at this day are vessels sent which wyll soone rauishe both your eyes and mindes Ioy. I am delyghted in Corinthian vessels Reason I shoulde marueile the more at thee vnlesse it were read in excellent good writers howe that Augustus the Emperour although he were a most modest and graue prince yet was he notwithstanding so inuaded dryuen headlong with this delyght that he was thought to haue condemned certayne in the Triumuiral proscription for none other cause then the desyre of suche vessels insomuche as there was an infamous libel fastened vpon the statue of this woorthie Prince to his perpetual ignominie wherein he was termed a Corinthiarian And yf ye wyll beleeue mee there was but small difference in this respect betweene this most excellent Prince and the vilest that euer was Antonius sauyng that a lesse cause mooued Augustus to doo an iniurie and euery offence is the more greeuous the greater the person is that offendeth and the lesse cause he hath to offende Neither can the greatnesse and power of the offender escape the woundes of tongues and pennes or exempt them out of the iudgementes of men but rather they doo sharpen them and prouoke them to farther reuenge The pratlyng multitude spareth
neither wanted they an inward Maister in silence Howheit I speake nowe of the common sort Ioy. I am called a Maister Reason The false name of Maistershyppe hath hindred many from beyng true Maisters in deede and whylst they beleeued euery body of them selues more then them selues and were counted to be that whiche they were not they happened not to be that which they myght haue been Ioy. I haue the tytle of a Maister Reason Thou hast seene a Tauerne wherein was sowre wine freshly decked foorth with Pictures and flowres where the thyrstie wayfaring man myght be deceyued But is the Vintener also deceyued by his owne craft Truely there be some so accustomed to deceitfulnesse that by long vse of deceyuing others at length they begin to deceyue them selues and that whiche long tyme they haue been perswading others in the ende they perswade them selues and that whiche they knowe to be false they beleeue to be true Glorie thou as muche in thy Maistershyppe as thou wylt But yf it haue chaunced vnto thee woorthyly it is no strange thing yf vnwoorthyly it bringeth these two mischiefes with it the one that it maketh thee ashamed to learne the other that it maketh thine ignoraunce the more knowen Of sundry titles of Studies The .xlvi. Dialogue IOY I Am adorned with many and sundrie titles Reason There is great vanitie of boughes but no fruite Ioy. I abounde with store of titles Reason If with true titles it is a painfull burden yf with false it is filthie and shamefull And what neede a man to seeke for suche titles in whiche there is eyther toyle or ignominie Vertue beyng contented with one or no title at all is a sufficient title to her selfe Ioy. I haue deserued to be a Maister of Philosophie Reason Philosophie promiseth not wysedome but the loue of wysedome Whosoeuer therefore wyll haue this he getteth it by louyng This title is not harde and paynefull as some suppose If thy loue be true and the wysedome true whiche thou louest thou shalt be a true Philosopher in deede For none can knowe or loue the true wisedome but pure and godly mindes And therefore it commeth to this poynt whiche is wrytten Godlynesse is wysedome Your Philosophers standyng in contempt and ignoraunce of this opinion fell vnto brablyng and bare Logike And therefore when Diuines rashly entreate of GOD and Philosophers of Nature they circumscribe his most mightie Maiestie with triflyng argumentes and prescribe lawes vnto God that laugheth and mocketh at their foolishe presumption but these dispute in such sort of the secretes of nature as yf they came lately out of heauen and hadde been of Goddes priuie counsayle forgettyng that whiche is written Who knoweth the Lordes meanyng or who was his counseller Not regardyng also or hearyng Saint Ierome who often and by many strong argumentes in the same booke wherein he bewayleth his brothers death very precisely and briefely Philosophers sayth he disputyng of heauen speake they knowe not what Ioy. I professe many Artes. Reason That is an easie matter but to knowe many is very harde for confessyng is more safe then professyng The one is a token of humilitie and repentaunce the other of lyghtnesse and insolencie For they that doo confesse deserue pardon more easily then they that doo professe knowledge Ioy. I haue obteyned the tytle of Diuine and Humane wysedome Reason Wysedome wanteth not tytles she is sufficiently knowen of her selfe Who euer lyghted a Candle to goe seeke for the Sunne Many with these tytles haue been obscured and without them haue become renowmed Oftentymes there hath been none for good but some notable signe hung foorth where haue been euyl wares to sell Ioy. What say you to this that I haue won a poeticall garlande about my head Reason There remayneth yet one labour to seeke the trueth and this traueile also is double to seeke and to set foorth and to feigne to the delight of the eare it is a great matter harde difficult and therefore very rare They that are woorthily called Poetes in deede doo apply them selues to both but the common sort neglect the first and are contented to vse deceite and colourable meanes Ioy. I haue obteyned the rare glorie of Poetrie Reason Thou hast found a meane in respect whereof thou mayest neglect the common wealth and thine owne priuate wealth likewyse thou hast sought also a way vnto pouertie vnlesse that dame Fortune of her owne voluntarie liberalitie wyl largely bestowe ryches vppon thee thou hast moreouer sought out the meanes to seeme vnto some mad and vnto some insolent Ioy. I haue wonne the Baye garland vnto my selfe Reason The Baye is a most floorishyng and greene tree when it is first gathered and vnlesse it be watered with a pregnant wit and diligent studie it wyl wither immediatly Ioy. I haue gotten the Laurell garland Reason When a man hath taken paynes he hath wonne also enuie withall whiche is the rewarde eyther of studie or of warfare That slender bough hath purchased nothing to thy mynde but onely a vayne signe to thy head shewyng thee vnto many who thou haddest better had neuer knowen thee For what hath it doone other then layde thee open to the teeth of the enuious These notable tokens of knowledge haue hurt many both in peace and warre Ioy. I professe the Arte of Oratorie Reason This is strange which I heare For it seemeth that of late it is growen out of vse so great and innumerable are the thynges whereof it consysteth that there haue alwayes been fewer good Oratoures then excellent Poetes And therefore some haue sayde that it is the proper duetie of an Oratour to be able to speake copiously and trimly of euery matter that is proposed Although this opinion be reiected as most arrogant notwithstandyng of howe many thynges an Oratour ought to entreate of although not of euery thyng in applying a certayne artifitiall and sweete eloquence in euery thyng whereof he speaketh whiche of it selfe is a great matter yf thou consyder of it vprightly thou wylt be amazed and perhappes thou wylt repent thee of thy rashe profession least thou beware that whylest thou wylt goe about to seeme to knowe all thyng thou appeare to knowe nothyng and as it often chaunceth vnder the profession of great skyl thy hidden ignoraunce do necessarily appeare Ioy. I am a professour of the liberal Artes. Reason This matter many tymes conteyneth in it more boldnesse then learnyng A mans lyfe is too short for any one Arte and art thou sufficient for them all One Art sufficeth one wit with sweating and toyling to attaine to the toppe thereof To caste of many as much as necessitie requireth is not amisse and more modestie it is to knowe it then to professe it I wyll also adde this whiche hath seemed true vnto the best learned that it neuer yet happened vnto any of the most excellent and famous learned men to be throughly and absolutely perfect in any one Art. And as touching Rechorike only
this saying of Seneca is well knowen Eloquence sayth he is a great and manifolde matter and was neuer so fauourable to any that it hapned wholly vnto hym he is happie enough that hath atteined to some one part therof This by what men and what maner witnesses he prooueth it to be true thou hast hearde whiche beyng so let these numbers of professours whiche are almost matche to the common multitude both in rudenesse and multitude consyder with them selues what they doo and whereabout they goe whiche are not contented with one part nor with one Art but without discretion inuade them all O woonderfull confidence and presumption but it is now common Ioy. What wyll you nowe say concernyng the professions of Phisicke and Lawe Reason Let thy patientes and clientes make aunsweare to this What dyd euer these titles auayle them to the health of their body or gaining of their causes Perhappes they haue procured thy profite for this cause ye hunt after artes and the titles of artes to the intent that what is wanting in learnyng may be supplied in degrees and apparell and that the saying of the Satyrical Poet may beverified The Scarlet and the Iewelles beset with Amethistes doo sell the Lawyer Which thyng woulde appeare to be true yea yf the auncient Rethoricians returned agayne into the worlde for no man woulde geue vnto Cicero two hundred crownes vnlesse he woare on his fynger a great ryng of golde To be short let this he vnto thee the summe of all that hath been spoken of to wyt that there be some men of rare disposition whose studies are sound and honest the endes whereof are trueth and vertue This is the knowledge of thynges and the amendment of manners and either the ornament of this mortall lyfe or the entrance to the eternall As for the rablement of the residue whereof the number is great some of them hunt after glorie some a glittering but a vaine rewarde but to the greater sort the onely respect of money is their ende which is not onely a smal reward but also a filthy and not woorthie the trauaile nor match to the toyle of a gentle minde in al these respectes as I haue sayde the title and apparel is not to be contemned for it is effectuall vnto that whereunto it is appoynted for why the mindes and iudgementes almost of al mortal men specially of the common multitude whiche are destitute of this meane are deluded with shadowes Most matters are gouerned by opinion But for them that are geuen to vertue to glory in titles is not only strange and dissonant but also as Iiudge impossible Ioy. I professe many thynges Reason It were better to doo one good deede then to promyse many And men were in good case yf so be they were suche as they professe them selues to be Of the Tytles of businesse and affayres The .xlvii. Dialogue IOY I AM the Kynges Procurer Reason Then art thou the peoples enimie Ioy. I am the Procurer of the Exchequer Reason Then art thou the common wealthes enimie Ioy. I folow the Kyngs busynesse Reason It is painful for a man to folowe his owne busynesse What is it then thynkest thou for hym to folow another mans specially theyrs that are of myght whom to please is perpetual seruitude to displease danger heauy lookes and punyshment redy for a small offence Ioy. I folow the kyngs busynesse Reason Thou hast an accompt to yeelde to an hard iudge which thou shalt scarce be able to make euen with the spoyle of al thy goodes with hate of thy selfe and greeuous offence Ioy. I solicite the kynges busines Reason Take heede least while thy solliciting is difficult thyne accompt be yet harder and so inextricable that as we haue seene it chaunce in many it entrap thy patrimonie fame and lyfe Ioy. I am the kynges Procurer Reason Thou must needes displease many and last of all thine owne Lord and Maister and whiche is most dangerous GOD hym selfe and for the kynges small commoditie the great discommodities of the Realme and exceedyng damages of the people must be dissembled or procured Ioy. I am made the Kynges Procurer Reason So soone as euer this odious office began to touche the thresholde of thyne house euen that day thou beganst to leaue to lyue for thy selfe from thencefoorth thy libertie thy quietnesse and pleasure are departed In steede of these are seruitude payne businesse feare sorowe trouble and bytyng cares come in place nowe art thou not a lyue although thou breath for the lyfe of such as are busie is death who beyng al of them in misery yet are they in most miserable case whiche are busied in other mens matters specially in the affayres of Kynges Tyrantes and great personages Ioy. I am a Iudge Reason Iudge so as though thou shouldest foorthwith be iudged by another There is one iudge of all men and one incorrupt iudgement seate Before this shal all ye mortall men appeare what neede ye then to haue the skyn of the false iudge nayled vppon the iudgement seate or to haue any barbarous admonition to doo iustice Euery Iudge sytteth in that seate where if false iudgement shal be geuen neyther money nor fauour nor false wytnesses nor sinister entreatynges nor vayne threates nor eloquent Patrones shall auayle hym Ioy. I am one of the Consuls of my countrey Reason A very difficult glory It is a rare matter so to geue counsayle that thou mayest at once both profite and please that there may be trueth in woorde fayth in counsel scilence in that whiche is committed sweetnesse in speache fortune shall gouerne the euent and the euent shall purchase credite to the counsayle Ioy. I am gouernour of a Citie Reason Thou leadest an vnbridled beast and as Horace tearmeth it that hath many heades with a small twyne and gouernest a great shyppe alone that is tossed with hugie waues A litle house is hardly guyded how difficult therefore it is to gouerne a whole Citie see thou Hadst thou so great neede of trouble or so litle at home that thou hast vndertaken the publique Yea moreouer it is not only an office of difficultie but also a vyle function insomuche as the Satyrycal Poet tearmeth the gouernour of a Citie a Stewarde or Baylyffe notyng therby the state of these tymes If then he were a Baylife or Husbandman what is he now other then a Woodryfe or Woodman At that tyme Rome began to be a vyllage and nowe it is a Wood. Ioy. I am a President of a Prouince Reason Beyng condempned vnto an honorable exile thou hast exchaunged priuate quietnesse for forraigne carefulnesse looke for no rest or pleasure The state of Presidentes is bytter and troublesome they are forbydden playes and feastes vppon holy dayes theyr doores are shut agaynst gyftes and open to contentions theyr houses are voyde of pastymes and ful of complayntes and chydynges what so euer is a mysse whatsoeuer out of order or out of square throughout the whole Prouince there
thee and so depart from thee and then too late thou heare that saying of Ecclesiasticus Lyke as one that letteth a byrde flie out of his hande so hast thou lost thy neyghbour neyther canst thou take hym agayne or followe hym for he is farre of He hath escaped as a Roe out of the snare and because his soule is wounded thou shalt not be able to intrap hym any more And therefore as I say thou hast a great and sweete treasure but painfull notwithstandyng and difficult paineful I meane to be gotten and kept A freende is a rare Iewell he must be kept with great diligence and yf he be lost be lamented with great sorowe Of plentie of Ryches The .liii. Dialogue IOY BUT I abound in ryches Reason I marueyle now the lesse that thou seemedst to abounde in friendes for it is no strange nor newe matter to see the doores and entries of the ryche frequented by common friendes and feygned attendance Ioy. I haue great plentie of ryches Reason A dangerous and burdensome felicitie whiche shall purchase more enuie then procure pleasure Ioy. I flowe in wealth Reason It followeth not strayghtwayes that therefore thou flowest in quietnesse and pleasure Thou shalt scarce finde a rich man but he wyl confesse that he lyued better in meane estate or in honest pouertie Ioy. I am growne to great wealth Securitie ioy and tranquilitie are decreased which if they would encrease with ryches I woulde not only permit but exhort men to loue them Ioy. I haue great ryches Reason Then hast thou a thyng harde to be gotten careful to be kept greenous to be lost Ioy. My ryches are great Reason If they be dispearsed they wyll decrease and yf thou keepe them they wyl not make thee ryche but keepe thee occupied and make thee not a maister but a keeper Ioy. I haue great ryches Reason Take heede rather that thou be not had of them that is to say that they be not thy ryches but thou rather theyr slaue and they not seruant to thee but thou to them For yf thou knowe not so muche alredy there be many moe that are had then that haue ryches and there is more plentie whom also the saying of the Prophete noteth of men that belong vnto ryches then ryches that belong vnto men Thus the greedinesse and basenesse of your myndes of maisters maketh you seruantes The vse of money is well knowne to bâ—y those thynges that are necessarie for nature whiche are but fewe small and easie to be gotten what so euer is superfluous is noysome and then they be no longer ryches but cheynes and fetters and no longer Ornamentes of the body but impedimentes of the mynde and heapes of carefulnesse and fâ—ate Ioy. I am full of ryches Reason Beware that they burst thee not for euery fulnesse seeketh an yssue Ryches haue procured the death of many and doo bereaue almost all men of rest Ioy. I haue woonderful store of ryches Reason A thyng repugnant to good manners To muche ryches haue not only corrupted the manners of priuate men but also of the whole people of Rome â–ª and ouerthrewe theyr great and woonderfull vertue who so long were a noble iust and vpryght people as they were a poore people In pouertie they were conquerers of nations and which is more glorious conquerers of them selues tyll at length they that had ouercome vyces were them selues ouercome and ouerthrowne by ryches I speake that whiche I knowe and therefore thou seest what thou hast to hope of riches Ioy. I abounde in riches Reason How much had I rather thou aboundedst in vertue Ioy. I rest in my ryches Reason Poore wretches ye lye a sleepe in the bryers your sleepe is sounde that ye feele not the pryckles Beholde the day commeth that shal awake you and shal playnely expound that whiche is written The ryche men haue slept theyr sleepe and when they awaked they founde no ryches in theyr handes Of finding of a golde min. The .liiii. Dialogue IOY I Haue founde a Mine of golde Reason This hope of ryches hath been cause of pouertie vnto many and of destruction not vnto fewe whilst neglectyng all other thynges and bestowyng al theyr care and trauayle vppon this one thyng Notwithstandyng theyr toyle hath turned to litle profite whylest in respect of the greedie desire that they haue to golde forsaking the sight of heauen and the Sun they learne to leade foorth theyr lyfe in darkenesse and are consumed with the thicke and noisome dampe before theyr tyme. Ioy. Chaunce hath offered vnto me a gold Myne Reason To the entent that beyng turned away from the contemplation of heauenly things thou mightest gape after earthly thynges and not only that thou mightest liue more vnfortunately shorter time neare to the ground but also drowned vnder the ground Ioy. I enter into a golde Myne Reason Nero the Emperour the same terrible and miserable night which notwithstanding he had deserued which was the last night that he lyued being put in mynde by such as were about hym to hyde hymselfe in a certayne Caue vnder the grounde to the entent he might escape the reprochful death abusing of the people that sought after hym answered That he would not go vnder the ground while he was lyuyng But thou being compelled by no feare but only carryed away with couetousnesse goest alyue vnder the earth neyther can the comfortable shynyng of heauen keepe thee from thence neyther the horrible darkenesse of the earth dryue thee away What marueyle is it yf men consume themselues with trauayling al the world ouer to seeke ryches seeing also in seeking and digging for them vnder the grounde they disquiet the infernal soules and Fiendes of Hel And as the Poet Ouid sayth Men haue entred into the bowels of the earth And those riches which God had hyd vp and couered with the darknesse of hell they are digged vp notwithstanding which are the prouocations vnto al mischiefe Ioy. I haue found a Mine of gold Reason It is an olde prouerbe Many times one man starteth an Hare and another catcheth hym Thou hast found a bootie which many wyl couet one only shal possesse peraduenture thou shalt not be that one Vnto desyred thyngs there is much resort it is dangerous when one man hath found that which many wyl couet and none wyl be wyllyng to share with other And this is the cause that though Italie as Plinie sayth be inferiour to no country for plentie of al sortes of metalles notwithstanding by auntient prouision actes of parliament order was taken that Italie shoulde be spared Ioy. I digge earth that will yeeld golde Reason The trauel is certaine but the euent doubtful what if thou dyg long find nothing what if thou finde much but not for thy self what if it be the worse for thee to haue found sum what better for thee to haue found nothing Mans ioy is most times accompanied with sorowe Ioy. I am gone downe
And therefore Pompeius the great who deuised not only Weares but Empires also not improperly termed this Lucullus the Romane Xerxes that is to say a dygger away of hilles What shal I say of others The first that made Weares for Lampreis was one Curus I know not what he was for notwithstandyng al his Lampreys he is scarse yet knowen whereof he had such plentie that with sixe thousande of them he furnished Iulius Caesars triumphant supper This man had also his imitatours namely Hortentius the oratour of whom we spake before a man that neuer failed in folowyng an example of wantonnes and therefore it falleth out many tymes that your learnyng nothing abateth your madnesse but it neuer bringeth any thyng that a man may woonder at whylest they that haue attayned vnto learnyng thynke that it is lawful for them to doo euery thyng and arrogate muche vnto them selues whiche they durst not if they had not learnyng It is reported therefore that this man had a Weare at the shore of the Baiane coast whereas among other fyshes whiche he had he loued so dearely one certayne Lamprey that he mourned for him when he was dead Beholde a woorthy loue and meete to prouoke so graue a man to teares He that as it is read neyther bewayled the ciuil warres of his tyme nor the proscriptions and slaughter of the Citizens neyther yet woulde haue lamented the ouerthrowe at Cannas yf it had happened in his tyme dyd he weepe for the death of a Lamprey This lightnesse is so great that that whiche is of later dayes must needes be pardoned The age and sexe of Antonia maketh her follie more excusable who is reported not to haue wept for her Lamprey but while he was liuyng to haue decked him foorth with ringes and iewels of golde insomuche that the strangenesse of the sight caused many folkes to repaire to Paulos â–ª for that was the name of the vyllage lying in the Baiane confines There were also Weares of Wylkes and Perewincles and other vanities concernyng fyshes and specially the Pyke of Tibur whiche was taken betweene the two brydges But I haue spoken yenough of other mens errours in whiche the moe thou seest enwrapped the more diligent take thou heede least thou be snared in the lyke neyther doo I nowe forbydde thee the vse of fyshes but only the ouer muche care of vyle and vnnoble thynges Of Cages of byrdes and of speaking and singing byrdes The .lxiiii. Dialogue IOY I Haue shut vp sundry byrdes in a Cage Reason I leaue nowe to woonder at the prysons for fyshes There be some also prouided for byrdes whose dwellyng is the open ayre a more large and wyde countrey Gluttonie hath founde out huntyng it hath founde out fyshing it hath founde out haukyng and it is not sufficient to take them whom nature created free but they be also kept in prysons How muche more seemely and honest were it to enforce the belly to be contented with meates that may be easily gotten and to leaue the wylde beastes to the wooddes and the fyshes to the Sea and the foules to the ayre then to bestowe so much trauel vpon them that yf it were bestowed to catch vertues in this tyme by good studie hauing obteyned them for they wyl not flie away ye might haue planted them within the closet of your myndes from whence they could neyther escape away nor be purloyned Ioy. I haue fylled my Cage with byrdes Reason A thyng nothyng at al necessary and no lesse harde to be founde then difficult to be preserued auncient notwithstandyng whiche aboue a thousand and foure hundred yeeres since one Lelius surnamed Strabo fyrst deuised not that Lelius that was counted the wyse who yf he had founde out byrd cages had lost the tytle of wysedome There be some inuentions that seeme to be profitable and pleasant whiche notwithstandyng become not noble wyttes they that fyrst found out fyshpondes and hyrde Cages what other thyng dyd they respect then theyr bellyes whiche is farre from those that are studious in vertue Ioy. I haue fat Chrushes and Turtle dooâ—â—s in my Cage Reason But not slowe tormentours since thyne appetite beyng prouoked by so many enticements requireth the punyshment of a sicke stomacke Hast thou not hearde the saying of the Satyrical Poet This notwithstanding is a present Punishment when thou puttest of thy clothes being swelling full and cariest thy vndigested Peacocke with thee into the baine He speaketh there of a Peacocke It is a beautiful a famous foule but it is not he alone that pincheth the ouergreedfe panche The delyght of thy belly is but of short tast which in short tyme wil also turne to loathyng vnlesse it be moderated Rawnesse that is not easily disgested is a sicknesse that bryngeth long payne and many tymes death Goe thy wayes nowe and bragge of thy fat Thrushes Turtledooues Ioy. I haue speaking Choughes and Pyes Parrats Reason The Emperour Augustus takyng pleasure in the lyke gaue great summes of money for them that saluted hym conquerous and trimphant Caesar And when afterward there were many other such presented vnto him answered that he had yenough such saluters at home alredy laying there a measure to that vanitie sauyng that the last Crowe with his strange pastyme caused hym selfe to be bought more deare thou were the residue These histories are read in the Saturnalia But what in the naturall Historie of our neighbour of Verona This Crowe that was so docible vsyng to flie out of the Coblers shop where he was most diligently fedde and commyng abrode into the open streete woulde salute Tiberius Caesar and Drusus and Germanicus by name and the whole people of Rome with such admiration and loue of them all that when as a neighbour mooued eyther with enuie or anger had killed hym with great sorowe and griefe of almen the killer was first driuen out of those quarters and afterward stayne by the people and the Crowe with diligent exequies and solemne funeral was taken vp and buried O alwayes vnspeakable madnesse of the people In that citie there was a Crow wept for and buryed and he that kylled him beyng a Citizen of Rome was put to death in whiche Citie neyther Africane the greater had a Sepulchre neyther the lesse a reuenger for that on Gods name this Crowe as I haue sayde saluted the people but these men of whom I speake dyd not salute but procured safetie and glory to the people Thus the speach of Crowes is more acceptable then the vertue of valiant men Let any man nowe deny that it is safe for hym to agree to the peoples iudgement although who so is an vpryght considerer of thinges he wyl not marueyle at the publique contempt wherein worthy men are had since of these woonderers at Crowes and other pratling byrdes diuine voyces and heauenly Oracles are despised Ioy. I haue a faire Parrat Reason This bird forsooth aboue al the residue is notable for his golden chayne vnlesse
to thy Kitchen a payne to thy Store-house a charge to thy Coffer an ornament to thy Hal a shewe for thy Windowe in the day and an vnquietnesse for thy Chamber in the nyght Ioy. I haue gotten a most louing wyfe Reason In the steede of loue which thou knowest not ielousie suspition and complaintes are come vpon thee thou hast continual warres at home euen in the middes of pleasures and pastyme disagreement wyll spryng thou shalt be safe neyther at boorde nor at bed thou shalt finde no tyme voyde of stryfe at midnight ye shall be togeather by the eares Ioy. I haue obtayned a wished marriage Reason Marriage with a wyfe and peace with a diuorce Ioy. I haue a wyfe whom I please exceedingly Reason Peraduenture it were better for thee to displease her then should she not trouble and consume thee with louing but suffer thee to muse on thy matters and to folowe thy businesse and to take thy naturall sleepe Whereas now in pleasing thy wyfe thou thinkest vpon nothing that may please thy selfe but vpon her only she challengeth thee wholy to her selfe and yet thou alone art not sufficient for her If vpon occasion thou wouldest go any whither she wyll say thou runnest away and seekest causes to depart from her yf thou do any thyng she wyll say thou forgettest her yf thou muse vpon any matter she wyl say thou art angrie with her yf thou abstayne from meate she wyll say her prouision pleaseth thee not yf thou take thy rest she wyll say thou hast weeried thy selfe with playing the game of loue with other And therefore in being pleasant to thy wyfe thou must needes be vnprofitable to thy selfe and others Ioy. I haue a wife whom I loue ardently Reason It were better to loue her chastly vertuously soberly and modestly for what is ardent loue other then the burnyng of the minde whiche while it flameth what place can there be for modestie for coniugale reuerence tranquillitie and quietnesse Doth thy wyfe loue theée ardently Vnlesse she perceyue that thou loue her agayne her loue wyll waxe colde and she wyll turne her goodwyll into hatred but yf thou wylt match her in loue thou must needes burne lykewyse and geue thy selfe ouer only to thy louer and be the wakeful husband of a ielous wife some tyme with fayre woordes and sometyme with complaintes and feigned accusations thou must be awaked troubled in the night yf peraduenture thou haue wantonly east thine eye aside or laughed hartily with one that hath laughed or saluted thy neighbours wyfe or commended the beautie of another woman or returned home late at nyght or finally shalt doo or say any thing whereby thou mayest be suspected of the breache of loue which if it may be called a lyfe then knowe not I what is to be tearmed death And this is my opinion concernyng your ardent loue Ioy. I haue a perpetuall companion of my Bedde Reason And also a perpetuall banishment of sleepe The sleepe of the wedded bedde is rare and small where there is sometyme pleasure sometime chyding and neuer quietnesse Ioy. I haue a most faythful wyfe Reason I deny not but there haue been some faythfull euen to the death And truely to a man that hath chosen this kinde of lyfe a good and faythful wyfe is a great treasure yet the multitude of the contrarie sort is greater for that many woorthie men haue perished through their wiues tretcherie I omit the cruel and blooddie marriage of Danaus that infamous night and miserable slaughter of so many young men togeather Not this they of whom we spake erewhyle not graue Agamemnon not Deiphobus the Phrygian can deny and among your countrey folke Scipio Africane the younger and lastly of latter tyme not kyng Alboinus whose blood stayned the bankes of the fayre riuer Athesis whiche was shed there by his vnchaste and cruell wyfe Ioy. I haue met with a noble chast gentle humble obedient vertuous and faythfull wyfe Reason Thou art a notable fouler thou hast founde a whyte Crowe and yet there is no man that thynketh he hath founde a blacke one Of a fayre VVyfe The Lxvi Dialogue IOY I Haue chaunced vpon a faire Wife Reason Thou hast gotten an hard prouince be watchful I haue sayd alredie that it is an hard thing to keepe that which is desired of many Ioy. My wiues beautie is excellent Reason The beautie of the body as many thynges els reioyceth commonly in the lyke and hateth vnlykelynesse and inequalitie If therefore thou thy selfe be of lyke beautie thou shalt be busied if not thou shalt be contemned both which are greeuous Ioy. My wiues beautie is great Reason Her pride is as great for there is nothing that so much puffeth vp the mind and maketh proude Ioy. My wiues beautie is passing great Reason Take heede that her chastitie be not as small The Satyrical Poet hath a pretie saying It is seldome to see beautie and honestie to agree Whiche admit they be togeather yet who can abide the insolencie of behauiour and dayly contempt Ioy. My wyfe is passing fayre Reason Then hast thou at home a sumptuous Idole a painful thou shalt dayly see strange and newe fashions and dayly disguâ—sing of the body to see howe wel euery thing becommeth and an inuentyng head to deuise euery way Now terme the losse of thy patrimonie a gayne Ioy. I haue a most beautiful wyfe Reason Thou hast a contentious Idole and a proude whiche beyng assotted thou mayest woorshyp whiche beyng rauished thou mayest woonder at honour and depende wholly vpon her submit thy necke to her yoke and reposing thy selfe onely in the beautie of thy wyfe cast away from thee all other cares and thyne owne libertie And as I sayde erewhyle beware thou prayse none but her turne not thine eyes from her face waxe not faynt in speakyng her fayre be not lesse fonde then thou wast woont to be whatsoeuer thou mislikest in her it is treason al wisedome in thee is forsaken of her Finally liue at thy wyues commaundement obserue the becking of thy Mistresse as a Drudge and not as an Husband Do this yf thou thinke it so great a matter to embrace thy fayre bedfellowe to enioy her smooth skin for a litle while to beget chyldren vpon a whyte wombe as it were to take choyce apples out of a fayre vessell Ioy. I haue a beautiful wyfe Reason A sweete poyson golden fetters an honourable seruitude Ioy. I take pleasure in my wyues beautie Reason A vayne and short pleasure There is nothyng more frayle then beautie specially a womans Who so loueth his wyfe for her beauties sake wyll soone hate her Of a fruitefull and eloquent VVyfe The Lxvii Dialogue IOY I Haue a fruitefull wyfe Reason She wyll bryng thee foorth many cares and many troubles A barren wyfe is but one trouble in an house but a fruitefull wyfe is many Thou knowest the saying of the Comical Poet I married a wyfe what miserie
dyd I not taste of thereby Then had I chyldren another care Ioy. My wyfe is not onely fruitefull but eloquent also Reason At one side thou shalt haue chyldren and nurses on the other side thou shalt not lacke iestes and woordes Thou hast one with whom thou mayest dispute and declaime And hast thou not heard the saying of the Satyrical Poet where he sayeth Let not thy wyfe which lyeth by thy side be a Rethorician or a Logician neyther well seene in al Histories Thou soughtest for a wyfe and hast founde a Schoolemistresse and now thou art in this case that thou canst not vtter any rude or common thyng without thy wyues controullyng and mockyng and thou shalt wyshe in vayne that whiche the same Poet sayeth Let the husbande be licenced to speake false congruitie Among the weerisomnesses of the worlde there is none more odious then a saucie woman or she that can not holde her tongue Of a great Dowrie The Lxviii Dialogue IOY I Am enryched with a great Dowrie Reason And with a great tyrannie and so one mischeife is heaped vppon another There be two prouocations of pride in wyues their dowrie and their beautie Ioy. My wife hath a great Dowrie Reason There is nothing more importunate or vntractable then a woman with a great dowrie She thinketh that therâ— iâ— nothing vnlawful for her to do which compareth her riches to her husbandes pouertie which mayntayneth her husband thinketh her selfe to be his Mistresse and not his fellowe Ioy. There is a great Dowrie come into my house Reason Where the Dowrie commeth in libertie goeth out Whiche thing Lycurâ—â—s very wel foresaw who made a lawe That Maydens shâ—ulde be married without a Dowrie adding also a reason to wiâ— That the wyfe shoulde be married and not the money and men shoulde looke more narrowâ—y to their mariages when as they were restrayned by no Dowrie And both wysely for in deede in many houses the husbande is not married to the wyfe but the money is married to couetousnesse and doubtlesse a great Dowrie is the wyues libertie and the husbandes brydle Ioy. I haue a very great Dowrie with my wyfe Reason Nay rather change the places of thy woordes and say thou hast a wyfe with a great Dowrie How muche more wyllyng wouldest thou be to shut her out of doores yf thou myghtest doo it without the money Truely that marriage is shamefull when as a Virgin is not brought to the bedde in hope of issue but the desyred Dowrie brought to the coffer by prouocation of couetousnesse Ioy. My wyfe hath brought mee a great Dowrie Reason Speake more truely a great price for thy libertie whiche yf it had been deare vnto thee as it ought thou wouldest haue solde it for no money Ioy. There is hapned vnto me a very rich wife Reason Thou speakest nothyng of her condicions for I thynke thou thoughtest nothing of her maners of the chiefest Dowries in women to wit fayth shame fastnesse chastitie modestie These ye regarde not and in your marriages ye respect only money beautie that is to say couetousnesse and letcherie fytte meanes for such marriages Ioy. My wyfe hath great store of money Reason Marke whether that saying of Themistocles wherein he concludeth that he had rather haue a man without money then money without a man may not aptly be applied vnto women also Ioy. My wife is very ryche Reason How muche better were it to lyue in quietnesse with a poore wyfe then to be troubled with a proud and to be hungrie with a poore wenche that is humble then to lyue in brawlyng with a ryche and insolent Peacocke Ioy. My wyues Dowrie is exceedyng great Reason It followeth that the pride of her minde is as great and hath no regarde nor feare of her husbande Thou wylt not dare to reprehende her faultes when thou consyderest her Dowrie thou wylt not presume to humble her when thou remembrest that thou art proud by her meanes and thou must not onely put vp her loftinesse and tediousnesse but also her checkes and iniuries Doest thou not remember the Prince Aurelius Antonius who lost not the surname of a Philosopher although he were an Emperour Who knowing his wiues whooredome and when his friendes exhorted him eyther to put her to death or to put her away aunsweared If I put away my wyfe I must also restore her Dowrie whiche was the Empire Thus thou seest how a Dowrie brydled the minde of a most graue man and great personage and wyll not thy wyues bridle thee Ioy. My wyues Dowrie is very great infinite and inestimable Reason The Dowrie of marriage was deuised to support charges not to prouoke couetousnesse And therfore the more it is increased the more it is defamed as by meanes of the greatnesse thereof doing hurt two wayes declaryng both the impudencie of the geeuer and encreasing the greedinesse of the receiuer Ioy. My wifes Dowrie is very great Reason It skilleth not how great the Dowrie be but what maner of woman the wife is and truely in a Dowrie not so much the quantitie as the qualitie is to be considered to wit from whence it came and by what meanes it was gotten for many great Dowries haue been gotten by euil meanes Thou knowest the Hehopolitane and Punikâ— maner whose marriages are not made by their countrey Religion but their Dowrie is gotten by whooredome and filchinesse Of pleasant loue The Lxix Dialogue IOY I Enioy pleasant loue Reason Thou shalt be ouercome with pleasant snares Ioy. I burne in pleasant loue Reason It is well sayde thou burnest for loue is a secrete fyre a pleasaunt wounde a sauery poyson a sugred bitternesse a delectable sicknesse a sweete punishment and a flatteryng death Ioy. I loue and am loued agayne Reason The first thou mayest knowe of thy selfe the second thou mayest stande in doubt of vnlesse thou take thy sweete hartes secret talkyng in the night for a testimonie thereof Ioy. Without doubt I am beloued Reason I perceyue she hath perswaded thee and it is no hard matter to perswade one that is wyllyng for all louers are blinde and quicke of beleefe But yf thou thynke that there be any trust in a louers othe then bring foorth the bil of thy louers hand which was written in the brittle Ice whereunto the Southerne windes were witnesses But O thou foolysh man neuer geue credite to a dishonest woman sexe heate lightnesse custome of lying desyre to deceyue and the gaine of deceite euery one of these and muche more al these maketh it suspitious whatsoeuer commeth out of her mouth Ioy. I loue that whiche delyghteth my mynde and I burne in loue sweetely Reason Thou thynkest to heare that of mee whiche the Maister of loue sayeth That thou mayest reioyce in thy happy burning and sayle foorth with thy winde of pleasure But that is not my counsayle For mine aduise is that the more pleasauntly thou burnest the more warely thou shouldest auoyde the fire Euylles are
but weake and thou mayest also sing to thy selfe this verse of Virgil The destinies shall onely shewe hym to the earth but not suffer hym to liue longer Ioy. I reioyce in my young Chyld Reason Reioyce so as yf thou shouldest be sory eyther for that as I haue said it may chaunce he may die or which is much more greeuous and hapneth very often of a most pleasant chylde become a most vnthankefull and disobedient young man. Ioy. I ioy much in my young chylde Reason There is no husband man so foolysh that wyl reioyce much in the flowre the fruite is to be looked for and then he ought to reioyce moderatly In the mean while tempestes hayle and blastinges are to be feared and the ioy must be moderated with dreade Of the excellent fauour of Chyldren The Lxxii Dialogue IOY MY Children fauour is excellent Reason If thou haue learned by mine instruction not to regarde thine owne fauour then thou knowest how much thou hast to esteeme of anothers Ioy. The fauour of my children is great Reason A thing verie dangerous for the male kinde but much more for the female For beautie and chastitie dwel seldome togeather they wyl not and againe if they would they can not seeing al humane thinges especially honestie can yf or kept in safetie now adayes chiefely if it be ioyned with an excellent beautie There be some whose beautie is enuied at but that enuie keepeth it selfe within it owne boundes some are sory some angry with their beautie as much as may be possible many haue waxed olde continuing vndefiled among the hatred of many some haue shewed perpetual and vnquenchable tyrannie How many saylers do passe euery day vpon the calme sea how many Merchantes do trauayle through the desartes with their wares safe neither Pyrate meeteth with the one nor the Theefe with the other But what beautiful woman canst thou name vnto me that hath not been assayed Although she be chast she shal be tempted and ouercome What womans minde is able to resist so many corrupters The scaling ladders of sugred woordes are set to the walles the engines of giftes are planted and the secret moynes of deceites are cast vp vnder the grounde If these meanes wyll not serue then force is violently offered If thou require proofe call to thy remembraunce the most famous rauishmentes Beautie hath tempted many and caused many to be tempted some it hath ouerthrowen and driuen them into wickednesse or to death Among the Hebrues Ioseph was an example of vehement temptation but the prouidence of God turned the danger into glory Among the Grecians Hippolytus and Bellerophon and among you Spurina to the ende she woulde not be tempted defaced her selfe with her owne hands Among the fyrst was no Thamar among the seconde was not the Greekish Penelope among the thyrde was not the Romane Lucretia safe Finally among all sortes the most part haue been commonly eyther tempted or ouerthrowen These be the fruites of this transitorie and brittle beautie whiche many tymes haue not onely ouerthrowen whole houses but great Cities and mightie Kyngdomes Thou knowest histories Truely yf Helen had not been so beautifull Troy had stoode safe yf Lucretia had not been so fayre the Romane kingdome had not ben so soone ouerthrowen yf Virginea had not ben so beautiful the auctoritie of the ten men had not so soone fayled neyther Appius Claudius beyng so great a law maker among the Romanes beyng vanquished with lust had lost his fame at the barre and his lyfe in prison Finally there haue been innumerable who if they had not been so fayre as they were there shoulde not haue been so many that beyng forced and deceyued haue fallen out of the castle of chastitie into so great reproches and ruine of their soules and therefore vtter what good effectes thou hast founde in beautie that they may be compared with their contraries Ioy. My Chylde is passing beautifull Reason This beautie hauing enflamed the lust of one called Messalina choose whiche thou haddest rather of these twayne eyther to deny and so to be slayne at the louers commaundement eyther to agree and to perysh by Claudius swoorde Thus at one side by chastitie death is purchased by adulterie there is nothing but only a litle deferring of death procured and this is the effect of this noble and excellent beautie In this therefore as in al other thinges the mediocritie is commendable and if any of the extremities were to be wished beautie is more delectable but deformitie is more safe Ioy. I haue a most beautifull Daughter Reason Be careful of treason and beware of force Doest thou thinke that there is but one Iason or one Theseus or one Paris Yes there be a thousand To haue a Daughter is a care and trouble if she haue beautie there is feare which thou canst not auoyde but by death or olde age for by marrying her into another house thou shalt but translate thy feare and not extinguishe it Ioy. I triumphe and reioyce in the singular heautie of my Children Reason For young folke to glorie and reioyce in theyr beautie it is a vayne thyng but common but for an olde man to reioyce in the beautie of his Chyldren whiche vnlesse he doated he woulde perceyue to be full of vanitie or subiecte to daungers it is more follie and next coosen to madnesse Ioy. My Chyld hath an heauenly beautie Reason Thou hast read I thinke the foure and twentie booke of Homers Iliades where Priamus speaking of his sonne Hector He seemed not sayeth he to haue ben the sonne of a mortal man but of a god This sayd Priamus but Achilles shewed that he was the sonne of a mortall man and not of a God and remember thou likewise that this heauenly beautie of thy chylde whereof thou speakest may be taken away and blemished and so long as it continueth whatsoeuer accompt be made of it it is but an vncertayne thyng Howbeit the immoderate loue of fathers whiche is enimie to vpryght iudgement bringeth foorth these errours and trifles Ioy. I haue a passyng fayre Daughter Reason If nothyng els chaunce thy house must be most sumptuous Of the valiencie and magnanimitie of a Sonne The Lxxiii Dialogue IOY I Haue a valient Sonne Reason The more valient he is the more it behoueth thee to be fearefull For Fortune layeth more dangers vpon none then those that contemne her that is to say Valient men And not without good cause for other men hyde them selues and seeke to auoyde her force but these lay themselues open to her furie Recall forepassed ages to memorie and thou shalt perceyue in a maner all the most valient men consumed by violent death Ioy. My Sonnes valiencie is exceedyng great Reason Fortitude is a most excellent vertue but accompanied with sundry chaunces and therefore see thou haue alwayes teares and a coffin in a redinesse Death is at hande to all men but nearest to the valient Ioy. My Sonne is a most
valient man. Reason Then hast thou one that perhaps may purchase vnto his countrey libertie to his enimies slaughter to him selfe honour and one day vnto thee teares but feare continually Ioy. My Sonne is valient and of great courage Reason What other thyng dyd Creon bewayle in his sonne that was slayne then his couragious desire of martial prayse What Enander in his sonne Pallas then his newe glory in armes and the sweete honour of his first encounter Whereof dyd feareful Priamus admonish his sonne Hector then that he should not alone expect Achilles What doth the careful mother entreat her sonne other then to shun that warlike champion Finally what dyd Hectors wyfe beyng ignorant of the heauie chaunce that alreadie was hapned say that she feared other then her husbandes well meanyng and the heate of his minde that was not able to stay hym out of the fyrst aray of the Souldiours but woulde rather runne before them all Whiche thyng also she feared at the beginning when as she spake vnto hym as he was going into the warres in this maner Doeth thy valiencie so deuilishy be witche thee that thou takest compassion neyther vpon thy Sonne nor mee his Mother who shall shortly be thy Wydowe Lastly what other dyd Achilles mother say beyng fearefull for her Sonne Now must I seeke for my sonne Achilles by Lande and Sea and I woulde he woulde folowe mee Whilst in wayne she tooke hym being feeble out of the garboyle of the hotte warres and carrying hym into the pallace of the calme olde man hyd hym vp in her virgins secrete closets All these lamentations and feares were by nothyng els procured then Martial force and valient courage Ioy. My sonne is exceeding couragious Reason A great courage without great power is great follie True valiencie and magnanimitie apparteine but to fewe men although they that seeme most mighty strong how weake they be in deede many things besides death do declare but specially death it selfe so that it may be sayde shortly and truely There is nothyng more weake nor more proude then man. Ioy. I haue a couragious sonne Reason Reioyce therefore for thy house shal be full of great attemptes and emptie of rest and quietnesse and thou shalt often wishe that thy sonne were not so couragious To conclude fortitude is a noble vertue and magnanimitie beautifull but both are painefull and troublesome and modestie is safe and quiet Of the Daughters chastitie The Lxxiiii Dialogue IOY I Haue a chaste Daughter Reason A great ioy but a careful For the greater her chastity is the more watching is lust ouer her For there is nothyng more ardently inuaded then that which is defended with chaste watch and womanly shamefastnesse When the corruptor hath won the path he goeth foorth then more slowly and permitted thynges are more coldly desired a thyng that is muche coueted is hardly preserued Ioy. My Daughters beautie is excellent Reason There it is then where a very good thing ministreth matter to the most vilest The beautie of Lucretia was great but nothing in respect of her honestie so that the chastitie of this noble Matrone violently pricked foorth the hot young man to adulterie Thus the wickednesse of the reprobate abuseth the ornamentes of the vertuous Ioy. My Daughters chastitie is knowen Reason Pray that it may continue Thou readest in the Poet A woman is alwayes diuers and changeable Which although Virgil sayd it not were it therefore lesse true How many haue we seene that haue been honest whyle they were young and haue afterward prooued wanton in their age And so striuing with their present vices against their forepassed honestie doo seeme in a maner to repent them of their tyme honestly spent a more foule reproche then whiche there can chaunce in no sexe and age Ioy. I haue a most chaste Daughter Reason If she knewe her selfe and vnderstoode whose gift chastitie is and geuing thankes vnto hym coulde apply all her studie to preserue the same wouâ—d continue vndefiled in safetie thou shalt then haue great cause I confesse to thanke God and reioyce with her more then yf thou haddest married her to a Kyng and yet beleeue me some tyme to feare also For since constancie is rare in al thinges be sure there is none at al in women Of a good sonne in Lawe The Lxxv. Dialogue IOY I Haue a very good Sonne in law Reason Thou oughtest to loue him more deere then thine owne sonne for thine owne sonne commeth to thee by chaunce but thy sonne in lawe by choyce Thanke therfore thy Daughter who owing vnto thee Nephewes hath now brought thee a sonne Ioy. Fortune hath brought vnto me a very good sonne in lawe Reason In this kinde of affinitie there be examples of notable fayth and treason Seldome or neuer hath any Sonne been so faythfull to his father as way Marcus Agrippa to Augustus Caesar as Marcus Aurelius to Antonius Pius vnto whom euen vnto his liues ende whiche was the space of three and twentie yeeres he so behaued hym selfe that not onely he deserued his loue and his Daughter but also the succession in his Empire as his Sonne through his continuall fayth and diligence But Nero was no suche sonne in lawe vnto Claudius although he not by his desartes but by his mothers policie obtayned the Emperours daughter and Empire Ioy. I haue founde a courteous and agreeable Sonne in lawe Reason Beware least eyther the hope of succession or the seekyng after goodes doo infringe this agreement Who wyll not wyshe that he may lyue whose lyfe he seeth to be profitable vnto hym selfe But yf he once begynne to attempt any thyng so that perhappes he suppose thy lyfe to be an hynderaunce or thy death begynne or seeme to be profitable vnto hym then the affections of the mynde are changed and secret hatred wyll soone breake foorth And of what force the discorde is betweene the Father and the Daughters husbande to say nothyng of the auncient Fable of Danaus and Nummianus who was slayne by the wycked treason of Aprimus his Father in lawe and likewyse Stilico who through the desyre to reigne forgat his Father in lawe that was dead and his Sonne in lawe that was lyuing the most memorable example of Caesar and Pompei doth sufficiently declare Of seconde Marriage The Lxxvi Dialogue IOY I Meane to be married agayne Reason If thou knewest throughly what a woman were or what excellent auctours doo write of her thou wouldest not haue married at the first Ioy. I entend to marrie againe Reason If thy first mariage haue not tamed thee then marrie againe if the tame thee not then thou mayst also marrie the third time Ioy. I am about to marrie againe Reason Who so hauyng chyldren by his fyrst marriage bringeth a Stepmother among them he setteth his house afyre with is owne handes If youth pricke thee or letcherous olde age styrre thee to lust then whiche there is nothing more filthie perhaps to speake now more
moles heapes of stones rubbish throwen into the rough and deepe sea hard rockes cut in sunder plaine fieldes throwen vp into hilles toppes of hilles made leauel with plaine fieldes to the one earth added from the other earth taken away and that so suddenly that the strangnesse of the wonder was nothyng inferiour to the violence done vnto nature to wit when death was the rewarde of delaying the woorke by which meanes hauing within one yeeres space consumed the great treasure of his predecessour Tiberius and all the riches of the whole Empire he was driuen to extreame pouertie and most shameful rapine Among these thinges I do not recken how that he had determined in his minde to make a cut through Isthmus the hyl of Corinth which although it woulde haue ben a woorke of great charges yet had it been profitable for sea faring men whereby the two seas had been made one and they that had passed from Brundusium to Athens or Chalcis or Byzantium shoulde haue auoyded the great crooke of Achaia Next followeth Nero matche and superiour vnto him in madnesse whose disordinate expences had no measure specially in building wherein he surpassed all prodigal fooles and him selfe also He was not more â—â—â—â—ful in any other thing then in this and therfore I wyll touch on◠〈…〉 numerable follies He buyided an house which reached froâ— the hyl 〈…〉 vnto â—sguiline and stretched also ouer a greâ—â—â—â—â—art of the citie so that not vnwoorthily among the tauntes reproches wherwith the people with most free indignation girded hym home this also was cast against him All Rome shal be one house ye Romanes depart ye to the Vehi yf so be that this house doo not also streatch vnto the Vehi This house he commaunded to be called the golden house not vnfitly declaring the price by the name For the house was seeled and knotted with precious stones and of such height that at the entraunce 〈◊〉 of stoode a Colossus an hundred and twentie foote high Within was a Gallerie and Hal seeled about with pendentes of Golde Iuorie and vpon the top deuises of strange workemanshyp with motions after the maner of heauen by litle and litle of their owne accord turning about day and nyght without intermission Also a Ponde like the Sea adorned round about vppon the shoare with buyldinges after the maner of a Citie Moreouer fieldes and pastures and vineyardes and woods replenished with al kindes of liuing thinges The middest of this house as far as could be coniectured was that place which is coÌ„monly called Colosseum whose ruines do yet at this day astonish the beholders and the more to augment the wonder of the matter all these thinges were in the very middes of Rome So that notwithstanding he seemed to him selfe not only not to haue exceeded but not yet to haue answeared the greatnesse that ought to be in an Emperours house insomuch as when he dedicated the house he made no greater wonder at it but said this much onely Nowe at length I begin to dwell lyke a man. I omit these trifles that he neuer ware one garment twice that he neuer went iourney with lesse then a thousande Charrets that his Mules were shod with shooes of siluer that he fished with a golden Net that his roapes cordes were made of sine Purple silke with many suche other matters exceeding credite and breedyng tediousnesse But who wyl not wonder at these thinges that readeth of them but more wonder if he beheld them the remnantes and tokens whereof remayne to this day The Fishponde that was begun from the bridge Misenus and should haue reached to the â—ake Auernus compassed and couered with wonderful galleries and the dytch that was cast from Auernus to Hâ—stia◠〈◊〉 so long distance of way and through so many sâ—â—lles wâ—â—â—e bringing the sea into it and sayling in it without the accidentes â—â—â—t happen on the sea he might auoyde both the toyle of traueyling by lande and the weerisomnesse of faring by water the length whereof as now the inhabitantes of those quarters doo accompt it is well knowne vnto al men but as Tranguillus reckneth is an hundred threescore mile the breadth was such that two Gallies might meete and one not touch nor hinder another Which woorke if he 〈◊〉 finished he had beggered al Italy and the whole Common wealth but that death onely prouided a remedie for so great mischiefes of the world After him followeth Aurelius Verus who that I may let passe other thinges made suche a supper that yf he woulde haue made the lyke dynner I knowe not whether the Romane wealth would haue ben sufficient Whiche thing when his brother Marcus Aurelius vnderstoode beyng as great a friend to modestie as this was enimie is reported to haue lamented taking compassion vpon the Common wealth and the Empire decaying I leaue others for these are too many and I knowe that there be some of you that wyll thinke these examples to be longer then neede and the remedies shorter then promise But sometime it delighteth a learned man or one that loueth learning and honestie to heare the madnesse of fooles whiche may be a warning for him to followe the contrarie and with al myght and mayne to eschew the lyke All these thynges tende to this ende that thou mayest recompt with thy selfe what it is wherein thou hopest to haue treasure answerable to thy charges For as good husbandrie and modestie require no great treasures so neyther treasures nor whole empires are sufficient for prodigalitie and riotousnesse And this cause hath not onely constrayned men of meane callyng but almost all Princes those I meane that haue followed the vayne of these latter times of necessitie to fall to rapine and extortion whiche hath geuen occasion vnto many of an hastened and miserable death Ioy. Are not so many Cities sufficient to beare one mans charges â–ª Reason Let these aunsweare thee of whom I haue spoken so muche and others innumerable whom the lyke plague hath brought to lyke confusion To conclude this most deepe denne of expences that I may so tearme it lyke as that gapyng pitte of Curtius in olde tyme can not be filled with any ryches but may be restrayned by vertue and specially by modestie Wherein it auayleth to remember that it is others goodes which thou wastest and in this poynt also it is profitable to cal often to minde the saying of the Emperour Hadriane which as it is read he was wont many times to repeate in his speaches vnto the people in the Senat That he would so gouerne the Common wealth as knowing that it was the peoples commoditie and not his owne A fytte saying for so worthy a Prince Ioy. I reigne and reuenge is mine Reason Truely it is not thine for he lieth not that sayd Reuenge is mine And verily if thou be a true King nothing is lesse thine then reuenge and nothing more then mercifulnesse I coulde wyshe that nature had denyed
stinges to the kinges of Men as well as she hath to the kinges of Bees but now she hath onely geuen an example to the free creature not taken away his libertie but that which she doth not enforce it is my part to exhort Behold that smal but diuine Worme and leaue thou of thy sting likewise not in the wounde but before the wounde The first is the part of a base person the seconde of a kyng otherwyse as not without iustice so neyther art thou a king without mercie no not so muche as a man but onely as the Fable sayth a crowned Lion. Ioy. I am Emperour of Rome Reason Thou hast Augustus Nero Vitellius whom thou mayest followe Vnto these three not only al Princes but al men are restrayned Choose vnto thy selfe then one of these whom thou mayest followe If thou be delyghted in latter examples thou hast of the same callyng Traiane Decius and Galienus Ioy. I am Emperour of Rome Lorde of the worlde Reason The time hath been when that might haue been almost truely auowed but to what state things now are come thou seest And to thintent it may be perceiued how safe it is to commit great matters vnto fooles and dastardes how great prouidence is there nowe fallen into how great madnes how great payne diligence into how great slouthfulnesse The Romane Empire is now no longer a thyng to reioyce in but an example of humane fragilitie and the mutabilitie of fortune Ioy. I am famous for mine Empire Reason Famous names obscure thynges deceytes of the worlde credulitie of man these are hookes whereby flexible mindes are plucked hyther and thyther The names of an Empire and of a kingdome are glorious names but an Empire and a Kingdome are the most difficult functions of all other yf they be ryghtly executed otherwyse they be dangerous and deadly neyther is that princely saying commended without cause The glorious Crowne is more full of care danger and sundry sortes of miseries then is the honest and happie peece of cloath whiche yf men dyd knowe there is none woulde seeke for it or reioyce when he had gotten it no not willingly receyue it when it weere offered or take it vp from the grounde yf he founde it Wherefore awake at length ye mortall men open your eyes and be not alwayes blynded with false glitteringes Measure and weygh your owne bodyes consider in how narrowe roomes you are enclosed despise not Geometers and Philosophers the whole earth is but a pricke your ende is frayle and vncertayne and whyle ye be young and whyle ye be in health ye wrestle with death and when ye thynke that ye ryse then doo ye descende and when ye seeme to stande most surest then fastest doo ye fall neyther is there any lyuing creature that is more forgetfull of it owne strength and many tymes when ye be Woormes halfe dead yet ye dreame of kingdomes and empires Remember that you your selues are a very smal pricke or to say more truely a pricke of a short pricke yea ye are not so much as the thousandth part of a pricke This part lyke proude inhabitantes ye ouerbeare who shortly shall be ouerborne your selues and shall no longer possesse any iote of all that ye haue but that your bodyes shall waxe cold and pale with death And whereas ye be now blinde and mad and walke with a proud swelling countenaunce that whiche nature hath made narrowe make ye more large in minde and while ye be in bandes imagine great matters and when ye be dying thynke vppon immortall thynges and consyder with your selues how that in this place and time which in effect are nothing ye prosecute your ridiculous and mad fansies during the space of a very short tyme to wit rapines iniuries reuengementes troublesome hopes vncertayne honours vnsatiable desires and your owne furies and madnesse and on the otherside ye affectate Kingdomes Gouernmentes Empires Nauies Armies and Battayles And when ye haue thus continued long time in your madnesse whether ye be Emperours or Ploughmen Ryche men or Beggers your bodyes are but rotten earth your lyfe but as a lyght smoke driuen away with a strong blast and at length but perhaps too late ye shal scarce vnderstand that this worlde was but an high way to passe through and no countrey to remayne in and that al these names of Kingdomes and Empires are but vayne and false Ioy. I am made an Emperour Reason When fooles be made Emperours they do not remember that they haue ben and are men Like as is the saying of Tiberius the Emperour who when a certaine friende of his being desirous by rehearsal of certaine matters passed betweene them to bring him in minde of their auncient familiaritie hauing scarce opened his mouth to say these woordes O sir do you remember he preuented him suddenly and brake of his talke and suffred him not to proceede any farther but answeared hastily vnto him I remember not what I haue ben a wicked and proud saying and not only deuoyde of friendshyp but of al humanitie Ioy. I am ascended to the Romane Empire Reason Why doest thou reioyce hereof Men also ascende to the Wheele and Gallowes And contrariwise they lye downe in their beddes and syt downe in their chayres and most times quietnesse dwelleth in lowe places Climbing hath been shame vnto some punishment vnto many and payneful to all Of a furnished Armie The .xcvii. Dialogue IOY I Haue a furnished Armie Reason I shoulde haue marueyled if that an Armie had not followed a Kingdome an Empire that is to say one miserie another But Seneca commendeth Scipio Africanus to the Starres not because he ledde great Armies which frantike and wicked persons haue done also but for his great moderation which truely an Armie neuer bringeth to a man but often taketh it away or often diminisheth it for what vertue is there so sounde which the keeping companie with so many rakehels blooddy Butchers and their wicked example wyl not quayle Ioy. I haue a great Armie Reason Thou hast now occasion to liue in the fieldes For neyther can Armies be receiued into cities neither peaceable citizens armed souldiours dwell well togeather Ioy. I haue a most valient Armie Reason Thou hast matter of war and losse of peace if thou reioyce in this doubtlesse thou belongest not to the heauenly citie Ioy. I haue an huge Armie Reason Thou hast armed enimies on both sides of thee from whom thou art defended neyther by wal nor trenche truely an heauy and dangerous case Ioy. I haue many valient legions Reason The tediousnes trouble insolencie of these no man can easily recite but thou shalt learne by experimenting how much it is better to liue alone then with many legions For truely there are no iniuries no falshood no crueltie to be compared to the wickednesse of souldiours Thou shalt by thine owne experience finde how true that verse is which euery boy hath in his mouth There is no faith
also hope for thyne One of you must needes be deceyued How many olde men may there be found that looke for the death of young men And truely there is none so olde but he may lyue one yeere longer and none so young but he may dye to day Hope I hope for the inheritaunce of a chyldlesse olde man. Reason Thy sonne may better hope for it A more likely hope hath deceyued a younger Hope The inheritaunce of a childlesse olde man shal fal vnto me Reason How knowest thou whether thyne shall fall vnto hym Claudius succeeded Caius and Galba Nero and Nerua Domitian and Pertinax Commodus and the lyfe of a man is ful of suche successions Hope I tarie for the inheritaunce of a childlesse olde man. Reason Whom cannot he deceyue of them that are willing to be deceyned that hath deceiued him whom he woulde not willingly haue deceiued Whom may not he suruine that hath suruiued his owne sonne Hope A childlesse olde man hath alredy in writing appoynted me his heyre Reason Hath he engrauen it in tables of Diamond from whence thou canst not be blotted out Dooest thou not knowe vpon howe light occasions olde men do alter their wylles Many haue mislyked of that at the very ende of theyr lyues whiche before they lyked well of all theyr lyfe tyme. Hope A chyldlesse olde man wyll haue me be his heyre Reason But it may chaunce that hereafter he wyl not For there is nothyng that a riche chyldlesse olde man taketh in worse part then to see his goodes loued and him selfe not regarded for then al is marred Hope I am promised the inheritaunce of a chyldlesse olde man. Reason I could wyshe there were that vpryghtnesse and trust in men that they would neuer promise any thyng but that whiche is honest and would also perfourme that which they haue promised But now there is neither measure in promising nor regarde of breache of promise whiche men thynke they may most lawfully doo in inheritaunce and bestowyng possessions And for this cause the lawes call the willes of Testatours whyle they lyue walkyng Wylles I wyll not trouble thee with examples the thyng is well knowen Thou hast read I take it vnto whom in hath hapned that not only they were promised the inheritaunce of the lyuyng but also receyued kysses and ringes and the last embracinges of the partie whiche lay a dying whiche vnto them was an vndoubted token of succession when as in the meane whyle there were other heyres appoynted and no mention at all made of them in the Wyll thus bolde is vnfaythfulnesse euen in the middes of death Doest thou thynke then that thou art free from the deceites of them that are alyue when as thou readest in what sort great and noble personagies haue been deluoed by the craftes of them that haue lyen a dying And not to stay vpon many The most honourable Gentleman Lucius Lucullus suffered some tyme this kynde of mocke and reproche and also a greater state then he was Augustus the Emperour An horrible and most strange delyght in deceyuyng which wyll not forsake the miserable and wretched soules no not in the very poynt of death but this is your maner and thou reposest thy trust vpon a promised inheritaunce whereof thou mayest be disappoynted both by the longer lyfe and shorter fayth of the testatour although yf these doo thee no harme he may haue most iust cause to change his purpose to wit an heyre of his owne and young issue borne to an old man For Cato begate a chylde when he was aboue fourescore yeeres old and Masinissa when he was more neere to ninetie The lyke also happeneth now adayes vnto your olde men who I woulde they were as lyke vnto those anncient fathers in strength of mynde as they are to force of engendryng whiche beyng so truely the lawfull heyre hyndreth the intruder and cutteth of his foolyshe hope Hope I am named Heyre in an olde mans Testament Reason But perhappes he is yet lyuyng and lyke to lyue As for the Testamentes and Wylles they are made in the lyfe time and confirmed in the death thou thynkest vpon the Carcas and Buriall and Wolfe may be weeried with expectation and hunger Hope An Inheritaunce shall come directly vnto mee Reason As the Testatour so also is the inheritaunce subiect to casualties that a man can not alwayes haue that heyre whiche he woulde and an inheritaunce many tymes is nothyng but a vayne name yea sundrie tymes a small inheritaunce is very deerely bought when a man maketh hym selfe seruiceable and subiect to a tatter olde foole and vseth flattering wordes vnmeete for a man Surely there is no commoditie to be compared with the losse of honestie and that whiche is decent Hope The Inheritaunce shall fall vnto me without contradiction of Lawe or Fortune Reason Whereby knowest thou that seeyng that saying of the most auntient and wyse Father Marcus Cato is true I haue heard oftentymes sayth he that many thynges may happen betweene the mouth and the morsell But admitie nothyng happen betweene but that thyne expected inheritaunce fall vnto thee it wyll not tarrie with thee but departe from thee to others Worldly goodes are roullyng and money men say is of purpose made rounde that it may alwayes be runnyng Thou hast gotten an inheritaunce for thy successour thou beyng perhappes sadde for hym that wyll reioyce thou beyng carefull for hym that is negligent and looke howe thou hast hoped of another so wyll other hope of thee Of Alchimie The Cxi Dialogue HOPE I Hope for good successe in Alchimie Reason It is strange thou should est hope for that which neuer hapned effectually to thy selfe nor to any man els yf report go that it euer hapned to any man that report was made by suche as it was expedient to beleeue them Hope I hope for good successe in Alchimie Reason What successe meanest thou other then smoke ashes sweate sighes woordes deceit and shame These are the successes of Alchimie wherely we neuer sawe any poore man aduaunced to ritches but many ryche men fall into pouertie And yet ye haue no regarde hereof so sweete a thyng it is to hope and be deceyued wherevnto ye be pricked foorth by couetousnesse and dryuen headlong through madnesse that ye thinke that to be true whiche you hope for and false whiche you see Thou hast seene some that in other matters are wyse yet in this behalfe to be madde and some very ryche men vtterly consumed with this vanitie and whyle they couet to become rycher and gape after filthie lucre to consume theyr wel gotten goodes and hauyng spent all theyr reuenue in vnprofitable expences at length to haue wanted verie necessaries and other some forsakyng the Citie wherein they dwelt haue passed foorth the residue of theyr lyues in sorowe and heauinesse beyng able to thynke vpon nothyng els but Bellowes Tongues and Coales and beyng able to abyde to keepe companie with none but of theyr owne disposition
the enimies countrey while vnto thee O Rome which art glorious and renowmed with thyne euerlasting Monumentes of victorie Hister foloweth with a more calme streame How thynkest thou dyd the Emperour Augustus Lorde of all the world expect the returne of so noble a young Gentleman whom in louyng he had made his sonne And howe Liuia Augusta vnto whom nature had made hym beloued but vertue more beloued and his brothers cowardice I suppose most dearely beloued Howe moreouer his brother hym selfe how soeuer he was vnto other yet most louyng of his moste excellent brother And last of al howe Rome it selfe and the whole common wealth which at that tyme depended so much vpon no man But what then what was the ende of so manyfolde expectations Sodayne death tooke away this long looked for Drusus and that by naturall sicknesse and as some approoued aucthours report by addyng therevnto the breakyng of his thygh so that he that was looked for to returne a conquerour into his countrey was brought backe thyther dead What shal I speake of his sonne Germanicus I thinke there was neuer greater expectation of any man It was not his father nor yet Augustus that expected him who were then both dead but it was the whole citie of Rome that with so wonderful desire as if the whole citie had had but one minde had ben a widdow and a mother that had but one childe And therfore at the fyrst report of his sicknesse al the citie was amazed and cast into heauinesse and al mens countenances apparrel were chaunged and there was sorowful silence throughout the whole citie But after that better tidings although by vncertayne aucthours reported that he was alyue and recouered immediatly a most happy loude noyse was in euery place raysed which also awaked Tiberius him selfe and there was great concurse of people into the capitoll hoâ—â—e to perfourme vowes and geue thankes to the goddes insomuche that the doores of the Temples were almost borne away with the throng the darkenesse of the nyght was ouercome with 〈◊〉 a plentie of Torches and other lightes and silence broken with the voyces of them that sung for ioy Rome is in safetie our counâ—â—â—y is in safetie Germanicus is in safetie But what at length was the ende of this matter Euen that whiche is most common in humane affayres For there came a more certaine messenger which reported that Germanicus was dead wherevpon arose a publique sorow and lamentation which could not be restrained by â—â—ictes holydayes or any consolations The historie is well knowen written in the fourth booke of the Emperours Hope I hope my young sonne wyll returne Reason Were not these young enough of whom I spake erewhile Then heare of a younger Marcellinus that was Nephewe to the same Augustus on his sisters side how much thinkest thou was he expected of his Vncle who loued him so tenderly that he could not heare without teares those most noble verses of Virgil wherein that most excellent Poet celebrated the remembraunce of that young Gentleman being but almost a chyld and when he was reading them commaunded the aucthour to holde his peace How much of his mother Octauia who loued him so dearely that she mourned for him continually vnto the last day of her lyfe as though he had but then dyed and dyd not onely contemne but also hate euery one that enduoured to comfort her What shoulde a man say to these matters and what thinkest thou other then all other men He returned not but was translated and as for Drusus he returned not to Rome as he went to Germanie neither dyd Antioche restore Germanicus neither Baiana Marcellinus There is a common destinie of your expectations but thou fansiest vnto thy selfe another and perhaps that chaunce may happen whiche thou expectest which peraduenture when it is hapned thou wylt begin to hope and wyshe that it were gone againe Hope I hope for the returne of my friende that is absent Reason Who wil marueyle yf they that are liuing be looked for to come agayne when some also that are dead as report goeth are expected It is reported that the Britaines looke for the comming againe of king Arthure And some do dreame that Nero the Emperour shal returne a litle before the ende of the worlde Your whole lyfe from the beginning to the ending is not only ful of vayne expectations but it selfe is also a vayne expectation If thou perceyue not that this is so thou hast eyther lyued too short tyme or too long or taken no regarde what is doone heere Hope I looke for my Farmer that should come out of the Countrey Reason Peraduenture eyther his House is burnt or his Haruest withered away or his Medowes ouerdried or his Oxen dead or his Vines hurt with the Hayle or his Trees ouerthrowen with the whirlewinde or his Cornefieldes drowned with sudden waters or his Bees flowne away or his Fruites eaten vp with Caterpillers or his Pigeon house destroyed by Crowes Mice and other vermine or his Poultry deuoured by the Foxe or his Lambes spoyled by the Woolfe these for the most part are the tumours that come out of the countrey Hope I hope for my Wiues comming Reason If thou hope for that then do I not know what thou fearest yet is it so notwithstanding for some looke for their wines and some for an ague Of looking for better tymes The Cxv. Dialogue HOPE I Looke for better tymes Reason All tymes are almost of a lyke goodnes for that the creatour of tymes is euermore of a lyke goodnes but you doo alwayes abuse good tymes and in this as al other thinges ye impute your owne faultes to the thinges If the men were good the times would be good enough Hope These times can not continue but more ioyfull shall succeede Reason No time continueth all passe away and when they are gone they returne no more through vertue and industrie and the studie of good artes they may be bridled not but that they shal passe away but that they do not perishe for there is nothing sweeter then the remembraunce of tyme wel spent But you not knowing how to vse any thing as it ought to be when ye haue bestowed all your lyfe tyme eyther in sleepe or idlenesse or in carefulnesse or vnprofitable businesse ye accuse the giltlesse time Doe I lye yf I say that you consume your infancie and chyldhood in vayne pastimes your youth and mans state in lasciuiousnesse and auarice your olde age in complaintes and lamentations What faulte is there heere in the times They passe away I confesse for it is their nature so to doo and you neglect them whyle oportunitie serueth whiche is not your nature but your faulte You accuse nature and excuse your owne fault which is no newe matter Hope I hope for a better worlde Reason The merrinesse or sorowfulnesse of the tymes as I haue sayde resteth not in the times but in your owne selues By this meanes thou shalt
which he found of bricke which glory notwithstanding vnlesse it had been holpen with other thynges whereunto it would haue come we see and therfore yf thou be wyse dye in other traueyles and embrace permanent hope For these thinges whereof thou trustest are both of no price and also wyll shortly followe thee and returne to the earth from whence they came Hope I haue builded houses whereby I hope for prayse Reason Perhaps they wyl prayse thee that shal dwel in them A short and narowe prayse but they that doo come after shall eyther not vnderstande that it is due vnto thee or as men say commonly geue out that those woorkes were buylded by Paganes and thy name shal be vnknowne Of glory hoped for by keeping Companie The Cxix Dialogue Hope I Hope for glory by keepyng company Reason It skilleth muche with whom thou keepe company for there are many whiche I woulde it were not so whose company is discredible and infamous HOPE I knowe that there is no glory wonne but by good artes or conuersation with good men I rest my selfe vpon this last and hope to be good eyther by the example of good men or yf that fayle I hope that the familiaritie of good men wyll purchase me glory Reason Truely in a young man this is a very good signe who vnlesse he hadde a good mynde woulde neuer wyshe to be ioyned with good men For of all friendshyppes and familiarities a certayne lykenesse is the cause and couplyng togeather Proceede therefore and yf thou canst matche those whom thou dooest imitate it is wel doone If not yet yf thou doo thy best thy good wyll shal not want the rewarde of glory For the chiefe and greatest part of vertue is to haue a good mynde vnto vertue and vnlesse this goe before vertue wyll not folow Hope I boast in my familiaritie with good men Reason Veryly I prayle thee for it from whiche let neyther the hope of gayne nor of any other thing withdrawe thee and bende thou al thyne industrie vnto this that thou mayest be lyke them otherwyse that whiche is doone for glory only deserueth not true glory Hope I hope for glory by conuersation with good men Reason A great hope and not discommendable seeing it consisteth in obseruyng and imitating of knowledge and eloquence and other good artes of peace and warre For many haue become noble by conuersation with noble men But take heede of this that through errour thou choose not to thy selfe euyl leaders in steede of good or by meanes of the lamentable scarcitie of good men and penury of vertues in this age thou attayne not to that for whiche thou seekest Of manyfolde hope The Cxx. Dialogue HOPE I Hope for many thynges Reason In much hope there is muche vanitie and great meanes left vnto fortune to deceiue Hope I hope for many thynges Reason Many thynges disapoynt a manyfolde hope Who so hopeth for litle hath left but a narrowe way for casualties but not vtterly stopped it Hope I hope for good health Reason A forgetfulnesse of mortalitie Hope I hope for long lyfe Reason A long pryson wherein thou shalt see much and suffer muche agaynst thy lykyng Hope Fyrme members Reason Strong bandes but pleasant notwithstandyng from whiche thou art a frayde to be loosed Hope Surpassyng beautie of the body Reason Prouocation vnto pleasures Hope Happy ende of my yeeres Reason The matter of a shameful and sorowful thyng Hope The couenanted death of my louer Reason Some short and fylthy matter I knowe not what Hope Libertie to offende Reason A miserable ioy and long repentaunce Hope Oportunitie to reuenge Reason An entraunce vnto crueltie Hope A nymble and strong body Reason A stubburne and rebellious drudge Hope Great riches Reason An heauie burden of Burres and Bryers Hope Shyppes to returne from sundry Seas Reason Fortune diuersly dispersed betweene the monsters of the Sea and the Rockes beaten with the Surgies drawen with ropes and dryuen with the wind Hope Gayne by the hoped merchandize Reason A baite whiche will corment thee with continuall carefulnesse and by the hope of one small gayne dryue thee headlong vnaduysedly into many losses A newe Merchaunt is easye to beleeue but he that is expert forseeth many thynges Hope Honest bestowyng of my sonne or daughter in marryage Reason There is no hope almost that is so often and so grieuously deceyued Hope Great power Reason An hateful miserie a rytch pouertie a fearefull pride Hope A kyngdome and empire Reason A cragged headlong downefall and tempestuous stormes and vnder a glitteryng diademe a careful countenance and heauie hart an vnfortunate lyfe Hope Honours of the court of pleas Reason Dust and clamour Hope Wedlocke and children Reason Contention and cares Hope Warfare for my selfe and a sonne for my wyfe Reason Trauayle to thy selfe and payne to thy beloued Hope The death of mine olde wyfe and that I may haue a younger Reason To be loosed from a worne stryng and to be tyed to a strong newe Rope Hope Wyt a tongue and learning Reason An Handuyle an Hammer and a peece of iron whereby to breake thy selfe and others of theyr sleepe Hope Commendation at my buryall Reason A Nightyngale to syng vnto a deafe person Hope A golden Pyramis Reason A paynted house for a blynde man. Hope Glory after my death Reason A prosperous gale of wynde after Shypwracke Hope A name among posteritie Reason A testimonie from vnknowne persons Hope An heyre for my selfe Reason A friende to thy patrimonie and an argument to thy selfe that thou shalt not returne Of hoped quietnesse of mynde The Cxxi Dialogue HOPE I Hope for quietnesse of mynde Reason Why hadst thou rather hope for then haue peace Looke howe soone thou shalt begynne throughly to seeke it thou shalt fynde it Hope I hope for peace of mynde Reason To hope for peace is the parte of a warryour Who maketh warre agaynst thy mynde but thy selfe only that whiche thou hast taken away from thy selfe impudently thou requirest and hopest of another Hope I hope for peace of mynde Reason From whence I pray thee Or howe canst thou hope for that whiche thou mayest geue vnto thy selfe and so as none can take it from thee but thy selfe Lay downe the weapons of lust and wrath and thou hast absolutely purchased peace for thy mynde Hope I hope for peace and quietnesse of mynde Reason Why then is that which thou dooest agaynst peace And why dooest thou striue so muche agaynst peace Men haue scarce neede to endeuour so muche to be in safetie as they take paynes to seeke their owne destruction Continuall warre and traueyle of mynde is bought more deerely then are peace and quietnesse thus mens desires doo stryue agaynst theyr studies in suche sort as yf one man hadde not the mynde of one but of many and all those repugnant one to another Hope I hope for quietnesse Reason I marueyle from whence ye haue this desire of hopyng alwayes O ye mortall
onelie by nature Which thing although it be written in the workes of learned and famous authours yet should it be counted in the number of things incredible if so bee perhaps it were written of the Indian or Scythian Ocean had not rather happened that in our seas this wonder had bin knowen to the Romane Emperours The cause of the stay was founde by this meanes in that when an whole fleete of shippes was setting forth one of them stoode stil as if she had lien at anker not stirring a whit out of her place Then some that were expert being lette downe into the sea easilie perceiued the trueth and there was founde cleauing fast to the bottome of the rudder a litle fishe like a snaile whiche was brought away and presented to the prince who disdained that so little a creature should be of so great power but speciallie wondred at this one thing that when it was receiued into the shippe it had no longer power to worke that effect which it did when it cleaued to the outside But as touching that other kinde of straunge thing truelie I had rather keepe silence than absolutely to auerre it the fame whereof I knowe not howe true it is but surelie it is newe and for that cause the more to bee doubted of The thing is this That about the Indian sea there is a certeine birde of an incredible bignesse whom our countriemen call a Roche which is able and accustomed to take vp not onelie a man but also an whole shippe in her beake and to flie away with it into the cloudes and so procureth a terrible death to the wretched people hanging in the aire See therefore howe great the force of couetousnesse is which not being able to deter the followers thereof from sayling neither by manie other perilles neither by this most cruell daunger maketh them a pray that are so greedie of pray And nowe also to bring some inuisible things to my purpose in what commixtion of contraries consisteth wished temperature among whiche there is a conioyning of repugnant cōtraries for the bringing foorth of the middle vertue By meanes of whiche differences and by what disagreement of voyces doe men atteine vnto true Musical concord Finallie examine whatsoeuer there is runne through in thy minde al the heauen the earth the sea there is like contention in the toppe of the skie and the bottom of the sea and there is strife in the deepe riftes of the earth aswell as in the woddes fieldes and aswell is there perpetuall disagreement in the desertes of sandes as in the streetes of cities And now lest through varietie of matter I wander from my purpose I say nothing that at the verie beginning of the world there was a battel fought in the highest of heauen betweene the ethereal spirites and some are of opinion also that they fight yet at this day in this region of the darke and mistie aire I say nothing howe that in the same heauenly conflict the angels that were vanquished beeing nowe become inferiour to their conquerours whilest they endeuour to be reuenged vpon vs mortall men that inhabite the earth they haue procured vnto vs an immortall warre of sundrie temptations with an hard and doubtfull businesse And that I may gather together into one summe al things whatsoeuer hauing sense or without sense from the vppermost toppe of heauen as I haue said vnto the lowermost centre of the earth and from the chiefest angell to the basest and least worme I omitte to speake howe there is continuall and euerlasting strife betweene them Man him selfe the lord gouernour of all liuing creatures who onely by the rule of reason seemeth able to guide in tranquillitie this course of life and this swelling and troublesome sea with what continuall strife is he tossed not onelie with other thinges but also with him selfe wherof I will speake anon But now I will intreat of the first for there is no mischiefe that one man worketh not against another to admit that all other harmes by what meanes soeuer they happen whether by nature or fortune yet being cōpared with these do seeme but light discommodities Which if I would discipher at large which I would not willingly do and it is far from my purpose both al the whole sceane of humane actions were to be opened al the historie of life to be perused But it shal be sufficient for me to say thus much for if there had ben neuer any other warres in all the world but the warres of the Romanes there had bin warres strife ynough Adde moreouer the disagrement of opinions the indissoluble knottes and intrications of matters who is able to reckon vp the varietie of sectes or contention of Philosophers The warres of kings nations are at rest but the Philosophers are not at agreement and they cōtend about a matter that when it beginneth to be the ones it surceasseth to be the others These men contend for the trueth which euery one of them cannot haue on his side this strife neither could the maiestie of the purchased veritie neither Carneades the Academike a carefull seeker after the Philosophicall quietnesse though in vaine euer be able to appease Insomuch that Anneus Seneca seemeth vnto me not vnfitly to haue writen where he cōpareth the clocks dials with Philosophers for the like discord that is found among thē Which howe true it is whosoeuer applieth his mind to Philosophers his eares to the clocks may wel perceiue neither is the doctrine of other Artisants in more tranquillitie what cōtentions are there amōg Grāmarians not yet decided what cōflicts among Rhetoricians what alterations among Logicians Finally what discord in all artes what clamour among Lawiers who how wel they agree the cōtinuāce of their causes doth shew Of the agrement of Physitians let their patients be iudge For that life which they haue pronounced to bee short by their contentions they haue made most short Moreouer what deformitie and what disagreement of opinions is there in the holie rites of the Church and Religion not so much in the woordes of the learned as in the weapons of the armed and more often tried in the fielde than discussed in the scooles Thus being but one trueth in all matters vnto which as saith Aristotle al things are agreeable yet the opinion of them is verie dissonant cōtrarie that it troubleth the professours of the truth What shall I say of the cōmon life and affaires of men That there are scarce two in a citie that do agree both manie things else but especiallie the great diuersitie of their houses apparell doeth declare For whosoeuer succeeded anie man in an house were hee neuer so riche and good an husband that hath not neuerthelesse chaunged manie things in it so that looke what one man had a desire to builde another hath a pleasure to plucke downe witnesse hereof may be the often changing of windowes damming vp of doores and
and louers of money ye seeme to be waxed deafe vnto holsome admonition and counsell whatsoeuer hath been sayde by vertuous and learned men specially agaynst this poynt of humane madnesse Thou hast heard your Satyrike Poet protesting For he that woulde be ryche and soone be rych and vnto these woordes he addeth But what reuerence of lawes what feare or shame is there euer in the couetous man that desireth hastely to be ryche This sayeing the wyse man among the Hebrewes compriseth in fewe woordes Who so sayth he maketh haste to be ryche can not be without blame Thou hast heard also another Countreyman of yours whether he were a Satyricall or Lyricall Poet saying It is neyther house nor lande not heapes of siluer nor golde that are able to expell Feuers out of the owners diseysed bodie nor cares out of his minde The selfe same thyng this strange wyse man comprehended in fewe woordes saying Richesse doo not helpe in the day of vengeaunce But he tolde moreouer what woulde helpe Righteousnesse sayth he shall delyuer a man from death Since therefore the money whiche thou lamentest to be lost in tyme of greatest necessitie can not profite the bodye nor mynde I marueyle eyther why it shoulde so muche be wyshed for when it is gone or loued when it is present With these and suche other thynges your Oratour beyng mooued There is no signe so euident of a base and vile minde sayth he as to loue ryches But the Ecclesiastike Oratour There is nothyng sayth he more wicked then a couetous person nothing more vniust then to loue money And the aucthoritie of very many that agree in this matter from whiche there is almost none that dissent is of suche multitude and grauitie that the common peoples errour striueth to no purpose against the iudgement of the wyse And therefore as there is none more vniust so is there no desyre more ardent then the desyre of money as beyng a thyng vpon whiche men are perswaded that all thinges depende that can be wyshed for But contrariwyse the voyces of the best learned men cry out experience and trueth crieth out the multitude of auncient and new examples crieth out that great masses of money are profitable to none but haue been pernitious to many are gotten with sinne and toyle kept with feare and carefulnesse and lost with complaint and heauinesse Let the louers of money declare eyther what falshood is in these woordes or goodnesse in theyr ryches And to the ende that a thyng so much commended may be vprightly considered let euery man cal vnto his remembrance whatsoeuer he hath seene or read perfectly and sincerely concerning this matter setting apart al regard of the common peoples clamour and the glittering of the mettalles And for that all men haue not had the lyke occasion to see and trie let those thynges be called to mynde whiche are set downe in wrytyng by famous auctours whiche the learned myght alwayes reade and heare at their pleasure And is it not well knowen that money brought in newe and vnaccustomed manners and that effeminate rychesse by meanes of hatefull riotousnesse dyd peruert whose ages that before lyued most commendably And that rychesse adioyned with couetousnesse and ouerflowing pleasures through sensualitie and lasciuiousnesse brought in the desire to ouerthrowe and destroy all whiche both by wryting and effect hath often been founde to be true That the couetous man is alwayes in neede That iron is hurtful but golde more hurtfull That the wicked thyrst of golde d th enforce mens mindes vnto any mischiefe and that the spirites are weakened onely with the sight of money Is not golde able to passe through a garison of armed men and to breake stones more forcibly then a thunderbolt and dooeth not hereof spryng treason both agaynst honestie and lyfe By a golden showre of rayne Danaès virginitie was expugned and lykewyse there was one cause of the ouerthrowe of the Greeke Poet Amphiareus and his couetous wife to wit the fatall golde which being wel contemned by Argia Eriphila yll wished for and yll gotten brake vp his house and began the occasion of horrible wickednesse Is it not most truely and properly sayde that false and transitorie ryches can neyther perfourme that which they promise neyther quenche the thyrst of the minde but encrease it neyther dryue away cares but bring them nor relieue necessities but encrease them And that The loue of money encreaseth as muche as the money it selfe encreaseth And likewyse this saying may be added Money maketh no man ryche but rather contrariwyse there is no man in whom it hath not engendred a greater desire of it And no lesse this Care followeth money as it encreaseth and greater hunger of it And agayne To them that aske many thynges many thynges are wantyng and likewyse They that possesse muche doo lacke muche Finally that whatsoeuer they be they are not permanent and continuyng as beyng reposed in the handes of Fortune subiect euermore vnto variable chaunces and at leastwyse to be lost by death For when the ryche man sleepeth he shall carie nothyng away with hym yf he open his eyes he shall fynde nothyng and yet he can not leaue that nothyng to whom he woulde for why Man passeth away in an Image and vaynely troubling hym selfe he heapeth vp ryches together and knoweth not for whom he shall gather them Whyle these and a thousande suche lyke sayinges of wyse and learned men doo in suche sort sounde about our eares notwithstandyng infinite desire to haue hath made you deafe so that the rych men of this worlde are in vayne admonished not to be too hyghly wyse nor to trust in the vncertainetie of ryches but in the liuing GOD who geueth all thing plenteously to enioy them to do good and to become ryche in good woorkes for they that would be ryche namely in these ryches that are commonly wyshed for fall into temptation and snares of the Deuyll and many vnprofitable and hurtfull lustes that drench men in death and destruction For couetousnesse is the roote of all mischieues This counsayler wyll they more harken vnto then they wyll heare hym that sayeth Trust not in wickednesse neyther couet after rapine yf ryches doo abounde set not thy hart vpon them Neither him more then his sonne saying Whoso trusteth in his ryches shall come to destruction And agayne not more then all these hym that is aboue all whose heauenly doctrine can not be contemned but of mad and frantike persons who truely calleth ryches and the companions of ryches pleasures and cares by the name of thornes whiche choake the seede of holsome woordes this spake he in whose mouth was founde no guyle The lyuely trueth I say spake this and dooest thou thynke that he founde any fayth vpon the earth Surely none at all or but very litle And that whiche he tearmeth thornes the worlde calleth chiefe sweetnesse and pleasure And where as one saith that pearles and precious stones and vnprofitable gold
not what it is to leese a father vnlesse thou haddest had a sonne Of the losse of a mother The xlvii Dialogue SOROWE I Haue lost my mother Reason Thou hast yet another mother whom thou canst not leese if thou wouldest from the first thou camest and vnto this thou shalt returne The first gaue thee houséromth the space of a few monethes the other shal giue thee lodging the space of many yeeres The one of these gaue thee thy body the other shal take it away Sorowe My most milde mother is dead Reason But a most hard mother remayneth who wyl keepe thee and thy mother whom thou bewailest in one besome in whose wombe she shal rest with thee and as we beleeue bryng you both foorth agayne at the last day Sorowe My good mother hath forsaken me Reason She made hast fearyng to be forsaken and likely it is that her death was acceptable vnto her because she would not see thine prouiding for her securitie in that whiche alwayes she most feared Sorowe My good mother is dead Reason She is happily dead thou being a lyue whiche beyng otherwyse such are the affections of women she would haue died in sorowful lamentation Sorowe My mother is dead Reason Shee must haue died and thou also neyther canst thou complaine of death nor of the order therof Of the losse of a sonne The xlviii Dialogue SOROW. BUt I haue lost my sonne Reason Say rather and better I haue sent hym before me for thou shalt folowe hym quickely and perhappes to day and howe know we whether this same houre There is no trust in lyfe since there is so great certentie in death shalt folowe hym sayde I Nay rather thou doest folowe hym I woulde haue sayde for thou folowest hym continually it is not permitted vnto a man at any tyme to stay his course in this lyfe but euermore he steppeth foorth one step vnto death a strange matter to be spoken whether he be bound or at libertie sicke or whole walkyng or sitting awake or sleepyng he is caryed foorth toward his ende much after the manner of them that sayle in a shyp or sitte and ride in a wagon and are carried foorth a pace Sorowe I am greeued with the lacke of my sonne whom I haue lost Reason Qiuet thy minde for thou shalt finde hym whom thou desirest ere it be long not to be able to suffer the want of a short tyme is the part of a childe or a woman for vnto a man there is no short thing difficult Thou knowest I thinke by what woordes Socrates in Plato and Cato and Lelius in Cicero do comfort suche desires and wantes Although men surpasse in vertue and glory yet in this hope do some farre surpasse other Thou knowest moreouer of what minde Paulus Emilius Cato hym selfe Pericles and Zenophon that was scholer vnto Socrates and scholefelowe with Plato and his equal and other innumerable were for the death of their chyldren neyther art thou ignorant howe he that was both a prophet and a king wept for his chylde whyle it was sicke but not when it was dead thinkyng that to lament and weepe for thinges vnrecouerable is rather a poynt of vayne madnesse then of true affection Among the number of whiche manly examples the Spartane woman shuffeleth her selfe whose name is not set downe by wryters nor her saying semblably commended who hearyng that her sonne was slayne in battayle therfore sayd she did I beare hym that he shoulde not be afrayd to dye for his countrey The vertue of Linia and the elder Cornelia is nothyng inferiour vnto this but their names muche more famous of whom the first layde downe her mournyng so soone as her sonne of most honourable byrth and that was lyke to haue aspired vnto the hyghest degree of Empire was once layd into the ground but neuer left of the remembrance of hym The other hauing lost many chyldren yea al that she had whereof some she behelde slayne by the people and lying abrode vnburyed when as other women accordyng to the manner of that sexe rued her state and pitifully weepyng bewaled her woful case she answeared that she was not infortunate but happie for that she had borne such sonnes A woorthy woman that was not surprised with the present miserie but counted her selfe happie for that whiche was past who contrary to the common opinion and custome of them that are in miserie comforted herselfe with her forepassed felicitie and the remembrance of her prosperitie wherin shee had somtime liued and tooke it indifferently although she had then lost it for that cause only was woorthie to haue bad good children Now she being a woman remained wholy not once touched with the greeuous and sharp woundes of fortune and thou beeyng a man art ouerthrowne by one only doest thou lament so childishly Sorow I haue lost my sonne Reason If he were a duetiful sonne there is no cause to feare his estate for he is well But yf he were wicked thou art rydde of one that counted vpon thy death and encreased the infirmities of thine olde age Sorowe I haue lost my sonne Reason If he were vertuous reioyce that thou haddest hym but yf he were vnthryfty be glad that thou hast lost hym and in eyther case acknowledge the benefite of nature eyther for geuing thee suche a one or for takyng hym a way Sorowe Death hath taken away my sonne before his tyme. Reason That is not done before due tyme whiche may be done at al tymes Death hath directe entrances into al ages but into youth innumerable Sorowe I haue remayned without a sonne Reason And without trouble and feare Now hast thou none for whose cause thou shalt spend the nyghtes without sleepe and the dayes in care for whose sake thou shalt enter into long and inextricable hope that shall thinke vpon thy hory heares and wryncles examine thy lyuing fynde fault with thine expences and blame the staying of thy death thou art in securitie and quietnesse on euery side both which are a great commoditie although it be made more bitter by the name of death Sorowe I am cast downe by the geeuous death of my sonne Reason Hast thou not hearde what Anaragoras sayth Hast thou forgotten that thou begattest a mortal creature Or doest thou perhappes lament that he is gone before that should haue folowed And although the lyfe of man in many other thinges be disordinate and out of course yet death keepeth his ordinarie custome crooked olde men stagger and young men make hast and chyldren runne headlong infantes at their first entrance into lyfe are drawen to their ende one man more slowly another more speedily one more ripely another more vntimely but euery man must die this is the conclusion of al. And in whatsoeuer age of this lyfe a man die be it gently or sharpely he hasteth vnto death Sorowe I weepe for the death of my sonne Reason If thou wouldest haue wept at his death thou shouldest also
haue wept at his birth for then he began to die but nowe he hath done But do not thou lament for thine owne and his most excellent estate he left behind him a perilous way to passe but thou hauing him alwayes before thine eyes who now is in securitie hast no farther regarde of thy sweete burden as Virgil speaketh or of any other Sorowe Al my delite to lyue is extinguished Reason A good sonne I confesse is a great comforte vnto his father but notwithstanding careful greeuous And many times the sweetest things do offend vs and the dearest do hinder vs and the most precious do oppresse vs And perhappes this thy sonne was some let vnto thy minde that would haue aspired vnto greater matters And now although thou art become more heauie yet since thou art at more libertie be of good cheare to gather good out of euyl is the part of a wise man. Sorowe The death of my lonne hath made me heauie Reason But spende the residue of thy lyfe that remayneth in iolitie thou diddest lyue for hym now lyue for thy selfe Of the miserable fal of a young child The .xlix. Dialogue SOROWE I Lament the miserable fal of my young child Reason A man ought to lament for nothing that may happen vnto mankinde al thinges should be premeditated before if they haue not hapned alredie lament not thy childes fal but thine owne vnskylfulnesse the forgetfulnesse of thine owne condition Sorow I complaine of the miserable death of my young childe Reason There is no death miserable which the death of the soule doth not folow from which daunger thy young child is free Sorowe My childe is dead by breaking his necke Reason What skylleth it after what sort a man dye so that he die not dishonourably he can not die dishonourably that dieth without offences Sorowe My chylde is peryshed by breakyng his necke Reason But Archemorus by the biting of a serpent other some by suckyng milke of a nurse being with child other by sickenesse the which for the more part happen more commonly then than in old age Sorowe My young child is perished by breaking his necke Reason Sodeyne death is to be wished of the innocent and to be feared of the guiltie Sorowe My chylde is dead of a fal from an hygh Reason Unto them that dye languishingly death often times seemeth the sharper the panges the longer for al paine the shorter it is the more tollerable it is Sorow My chylde is dead by breakyng his necke Reason To stumble and fal is proper to that age Thy chylde hath done that which al doo although al peryshe not by casualtie but do thou suffer hym to peryshe for he must needes peryshe one day and he is the more happily dealt withal for that he hath peryshed before he was intangled in the euylles of this lyfe whiche howe manyfold they be those that haue prooued and diligently obserued can tell There is none that prooueth not in part and they that obserue them not leade foorth their liues as it were in a dreame whiche so soone as they awake they haue forgotten Thyne infant died an innocent who perhappes if he had lyued had dyed a very hurtful person Lament not that he is safe he hath escaped al the threates of fortune and hath preuented death whiche being deferred would haue preuented hym Sorowe A woolfe hath deuoured my chylde Reason This nowe is the woormes complaynt Sorowe A woolfe hath carried away the body of my poore chylde into his denne Reason But the angels haue caryed vp his blessed soule into heauen Of a sonne that is found to be another mans The .l. Dialogue SOROWE ANd moreouer that whiche is more greeuous then death he whom I thought had been my sonne is another mans Reason If you had a respect to the common father then would you by the counsel of the Comical Poet thinke that there is no humane thing but may happen vnto you Sorowe I haue fostred another mans chylde a great while for mine owne Reason Nature wylleth a man to foster his owne and charitie to foster another mans so that thou repent thee not after the deede but delite in it Sorowe He that was counted my chylde appeareth to be another mans Reason There is opened vnto thee a way vnto a great and singuler merite if as thou hast hytherto done so thou continue hereafter to keepe hym as thyne owne Truely that were a very gracious and acceptable deede before god For chyldren are woont for the more parte to contemne the mayntenance of theyr parentes as a thyng due vnto them by ryght and moreouer it were a poynt of wickednesse to loue thy chylde that is borne of thee and not to loue man that is created of god Thus euery way both before God and men thou shalt purchase vnto thy selfe singuler commendation and vertue through another mans wickednesse Sorow I haue nooryshed one for my chylde that was not so Reason Thou nooryshedst hym as thy chylde and so nooryshe hym styll yf not as thy chylde yet as thy brother For of al the people that are or euer shal be or haue been heretofore there is one father and one gouernour Doo not dissemble through insolencie or through enuie and hatred breake of the sacred bond of nature for you be brethren one to another Sorowe He whom I thought to haue been as I heare is not my sonne Reason Take heede of whom thou hearest it and whom thou trustest For many beyng pricked foorth by wicked prouocations doo of set purpose deuise false rumors and other some by a certayne slypprynesse and vnbridled affection of the tongue doo aswell babble foorth the thynges that they knowe as that they knowe not and with lyke impudencie vtter whatsoeuer commeth in theyr mynde Howbeit to determine precisely of a mans chylde whether it be his owne or not is an harde case Sorowe I heare say that he that was called my sonne is another mans Reason Why dooest thou herein beleeue other rather then thyne owne wyfe since none knoweth it more certaynely then she Truely she hath geuen thee a chylde whom other goe about to take from thee Thou hast heard I thinke howe that within the remembrance of our fathers there was a certaine noble man who had to wyfe a gentlewoman of equall beautie and parentage but of whose honestie the report seemed some what to doubt By her he hadde one moste beautifull sonne whom when his mother vppon a tyme helde in her lappe and perceyuyng that her husbande syghed and was carefull she demaunded of hym what was the cause of his heauinesse Then he syghyng agayne I had rather sayde he then the one halfe of my landes that I were as sure that this boy were myne as thou art that he is thyne Whereunto she aunsweared neyther in countenance nor mynde any whit moued Truely sayde shee the matter shall not cost so great a price but geue me an hundred acres of pasture whereon I
may feede my cattayle and I my selfe wyll resolue thee in this matter Then he answeared that it was impossible But she sendyng for such Noble men and Gentlemen as dwelt neere hande and causyng hym to geue his woorde for the perfourmance of his promyse helde vppe her young sonne in her armes and Is this my chylde in deede myne sayde she And when they all answeared yea she stretched foorth her armes and delyuered hym vnto her husbande and heere sayde she take hym I geue hym thee freely and nowe be assured that he is thyne Then al that stoode by brake foorth in laughter and gaue iudgemente on the womans syde and condemned the husbande by all theyr verdictes Such contentions and lamentations are thereto often among men they be hastie to marriage yea slipperie and headlong you thynke you shall neuer see the day wherein you shal be husbandes that is to say men as though otherwyse you shoulde neuer be men Then beyng resolued in ioyes or to speake more truely in madnesse the fyrst dayes of your marriage you spende in reuel route feastyng and daunsing among your weddyng solemnities with pastimes and songes and minstrelles and the residue of your lyfe you spende in suspition and braulyng In both you are to blame For neyther ought you in suche sorte to loue so doubtful a thyng neyther to abhorre so inseparable a thyng nor to hate so louely a thyng and by deceiptfull coniectures so to confounde the moste sacred lawes of the diuine and humane house and dissolue the moste entyre bondes of this lyfe Sorowe Yea my wyfe her selfe hath confessed that he is none of myne Reason Thou tellest me this as yf it were some syngular matter but it is common some confesse so muche whyle they are lyuing and some when they lye a dying among whom some haue wylled to haue it imparted vnto theyr husbandes after theyr departure Sorowe Myne owne wyfe hath conâ—essed vnto me that he is 〈…〉 my sonne Reason Olimpias that was wyfe vnto the renowmed kyng Phillip of Macedonie confessed as muche vnto her husbande whiche myght haue tended vnto the destruction of her valiant sonne and yet we reade neyther of teares nor sighes nor complayntes among them all Nowe hearken to a meery tale but not vnfyt for our purpose Not far from the Ocean Sea shore whiche lyeth right ouer agaynst Britaine not very many yeeres agoe report goeth that there was a certayne poore woman fayre and well fauoured but a notable Harlot who had twelue small chyldren by as many seuerall men one of them but a yeere elder then other But beyng sicke when she perceyued that the houre of her death was come she caused her husband to be called vnto her and this is no tyme sayde she nowe to dissemble any longer there is none of all these chyldren thyne but the eldest only for the first yeere that we were married I lyued honestly It chaunced that at the same time al the children sate on the ground about the fire eating according to the maner of the countrey At which woordes the good man was amazed and the children also that hearde their mothers communication whose fathers she reckoned al by name as they were in order of yeeres Which thyng the youngest of them all hearyng who was then but three yeeres olde immediatly layde downe his bread which was in his ryght hande and the Rape roote whiche he had in his left vppon the grounde besyde hym and tremblyng with feare and holdyng vp his handes after the maner of them that pray Now good mother quoth he geue me a good father And when in the ende of her speache she had tolde who was father to the youngest to wit a certayne famous ryche man takyng vp his bread and meate agayne in his hand That is well sayde he I haue a good father Of the losse of a brother The Lj. Dialogue SOROWE I Haue loste my brother Reason Yet I heare no cause why thou shouldest be very sory For Ouid sayth to true that there is seldome agreement betweene brethren Sorowe I haue lost my brother Reason It may be that thou hast at once lost both a brother and an housholde enimie Loe see then what thou hast lost an yll thyng couered with a good name Sorowe I haue lost a brother Reason Perhappes thou hast lost hym that hath wyshed thee lost and that alwayes resisted thyne attemptes Brothers hatred hath hyndred many from the entraunce vnto great commendation Sorowe I haue lost a brother Reason Thou hast lost peraduenture an heauie yoke as oftentymes we haue seene it fal out vnto the tender yeeres of thy chyldren thou hast lost also the enuier of thy lyfe the hynderer of thy glory and also which is euident the partner of thy patrimonie Sorow But I haue lost a vertuous and louyng brother Reason But a mortall one Vertue is no defence to the body but an ornament to the mynde and a procurer of immortall glory but as for the body she cannot exempt it from the power of death but rather thrusteth it forwarde many tymes thereunto before due tyme but yf he be left vnto nature good and had doo perysh a lyke and most commonly we see the best men weakest and the woorst long lyued but none immortall Sorowe I haue lost a good and gloryous brother Reason If thy brother be dead the glory vertue soule remaineth in safetie which only excepted death consumeth and destroyeth all other worldly thinges with lyke violence These therfore embrace thou as yf they were so many sonnes of thy brother with these immortal good things requite the mortal euil but if he haue sonnes liuing vnfeigned duetifulnes shal make them thine Sorowe I haue lost a good brother Reason Thou shouldest haue employed hym diligently which if thou diddest necligently his death is not to be blamed but thyne owne slouthfulnes Death hath exercised his power but thou hast slacked thyne oportunitie Sorow Death hath deceiued me for I thought not that he woulde haue died so soone Reason All thinges that happen vnto them that are vnwillyng seeme to come quickly but if they be wished for they come but slowly Sorowe I scarce thought that he could haue died Reason Vehement loue beareth with it selfe in al things and promiseth it selfe euery thyng vnpleasant thoughtes whatsoeuer is noysome vnto cast it escheweth insomuche as whosoeuer is in loue imagineth vnto hym selfe that his pleasures are in a maner euerlastyng thou since thou knewest that thy brother was borne oughtest also to knowe that he was mortall and therefore yf thou bewayle his tymely death as some sodaine matter thou art much deceyued but if as it were vntymely thou wast in a wrong opinion Sorowe I knewe that he was mortall but I thought not vpon his death Reason Vnwysely doone but this is your dissimulation beyng mortall ye thynke neuer to dye when as you may chaunce to dye euery day and needes you muste dye one day Yea rather it is the
as are certaine people vnder the South and North poles therefore among the Scithians as thou seest it is written there is no offence more greeuous then theft And the reason is this that if men there myght robbe freely among the woods what should remaine to the owner Sorowe Theeues steale my goodes Reason They would haue them be theirs and thou forbiddest not thynke therfore that thy necligence is punished and that by this losse thou art taught to keepe thine owne profitable matters are not taught for naught Sorowe Theeues doo very muche trouble me Reason Truely they are an importunate kynde of men worthyly hated of all that are vertuous not only as pestilent but also as vyle persons And knowe this that it proceedeth of none other then a great basenesse of mynde that any man is drawen vnto so vyle a wickednesse And therefore not without good cause Aurelius Alexander who was a young but a vertuous Prince fell so much in hatred of theeues that as Helius Lampridius writeth of hym if he had seene any such he had his fynger redy to plucke out one of his eyes Suche was his hatred agaynst those that were infamous for Theeuery that yf by chaunce he sawe any of them his spirite was so inuaded agaynst them that immediatly he was prouoked to vomite out choler his face being so enflamed that he coulde not speake a woord Truely a notable disdaine of a valiant mind and a shameful filthinesse in the theeues whiche was able so sodenly to moue the stomacke of so high and excellent a prynce vnto lothsomnesse and vomiting Yea moreouer when as on a tyme a certayne noble man being accused of theft at lengh through great fauour of certaine Ringes that were his freendes had obteyned to be sent foorth to warfaire and was immediatly taken with theft agayne for they that are geuen to that vice through custome are neuer able to leaue it Alexander demaunded of the kynges which had preferred hym what punishment there was for theeues in their countreyes Whereunto when they answeared hangyng he caused hym forthwith by theyr iudgment to be hanged Sorowe I am molested with theeues Reason Circumspection and diligent heede takyng are good remedies agaynst theeues but the best of al is pouertie As long as a man hath any thing that they do lyke of he can not wel escape their handes or eyes Wouldest thou be out of the feare of theeues be poore then Of robberies The .lxi. Dialogue SOROWE I Am spoyled by theeues Reason Although as I suppose it be written in the ciuile lawe that there is no theefe woorse then he that taketh away a thing by force yet notwithstanding priuie pilferers be woorse in my opinion These theeues do woorke by craft but those by open violence And therfore after the opinion of Cicero these are likened to foxes and those to Lions And moreouer these theeues do spoyle men of their goods but they leaue suspicion behinde them But to be robbed by good felowes suffiseth in a maner they leaue no suspicion behinde thē Sorow I haue fallen into the hands of theeues who haue left me naked Reason Iulius Caesar fel into the hands of theeues also by whom he was not onely spoyled but also taken prisoner and set at a great raunsome for his delyuerie euen he that was afterwarde lorde of al the world although the reuenge whiche shortly folowed comforted hym muche in this aduersitie whiche is no smal aswagement of iniuries Regulus that was so often a conquerour fel into the hands of his enimies who put him to a most cruel death to the great and greeuous losse and daunger of your whole Empire Likewise Valerianus the Emperour fel within the daunger of his enimies who to the great dispargement of the whole Empire constreyned hym to leade foorth his olde yeeres in most silthy and shameful seruitude Thou yf thou be nothyng but robbed geue thankes to fortune and the theeues that robbed thee for leauing vnto thee thy lyfe and libertie For theeues haue no greater benefite then that which Cicero maketh mention of in his Philippikes for that they can say they haue geuen them their lyues from whom they haue not taken them Take thou therefore this thy fortune in good part which is common vnto these notable personages and many other famous men whiche yf it were compared with theirs would appeare much more easie and to be wished and desire not to be more happie then they that are called the most happie of al men Of Coosinage and deceit The .lxii. Dialogue SOROW. I Am deceyued by coosiners Reason Doest thou marueyle at it I shoulde rather marueyle if by keeping company with men thou couldest escape vnhurt For what man is he that deceiueth not another Trustinesse is bannished and deceit beareth the soueraintie and is this the first tyme that thou hast consydered this Not with so great studie do the hunters lay suares for wylde beastes nor the foulers set ginnes to take byrdes as craftie coosyners seeke meanes to deceyue the simple Whiche if it were euer true now is it most true in this your age A man may poynt with the finger vnto maisters of craft and he is counted the wysest that is most cunning in deceyuing Wouldest thou therefore not be deceyued Dye then or auoyde the companye of men Sorow I am craftily circumuented whereas I neuer feared it Reason If thou haddest feared it perhappes thou haddest not been so easily deceyued and now think with thy selfe whether thou also euer deceyuedst any man For ye be al of you for the most part prone to deceyue and reason woulde thou shouldest take that with more indifferencie at another mans handes whiche thou thy selfe hast done before to another But you consider not what ye do to others and cannot abide that which others doo vnto you so that in al thynges ye be most vniuft iudges Sorow I haue suffered a losse through the deceite of my freende Reason Herein as in many thinges els thou art abused for in freendshyp there is no deceit And in this poynt also ye be commonly deceyued supposing them to be freendes that are not and by experiment ye easily fynde that freendshyp is a most inestimable holy thing so ouer curious ye are in trifles that by once banketting or communing togeather you get a freende whom so soone as you haue gotten ye loose hym yf that may be called lost whiche you neuer had And then afterward ye complayne that ye are deceyued by your freendes and bryng this slaunder vpon freendshyp that is giltlesse of any suche deede Sorow I am damnified by deceyte Reason It hath done many good that they haue been deceiued hereafter thou wylt be the waryer some by the losse of a small thyng haue auoyded the daunger of greater matters Sorowe A vyle coosiner hath deceyued me Reason Nay rather he hath awaked thee and sharpened thy wyt and hath taught thee to trust none but suche as thou hast tryed and persons of
from his natiue Countrey he kept a schoole and so exercised his crueltie vppon chyldren when he coulde not vppon men A cruell nature obstinate in wickednesse voyde of vertue and farre from reason Sorowe It greeueth me greatly that I haue lost my tyranical aucthoritie Reason How woulde it trouble thee to haue lost a lawfull possession now that thou art so greeued that thyne vsurped aucthoritie is gone How woulde it vexe thee to haue forgonne thyne owne whiche takest it so heauilie nowe that thou art berefte of that which was not thyne Sorow I can not choose but take it greeuously that I am throwen downe from my tyrannie Reason Way the cause and it wyll trouble thee the lesse The very name of Tyrantes hath made many to fall notwithstandyng it is well knowen by experience that the most part haue deseruedly been and are dayly throwen downe from theyr dygnities In the Politikes of Aristotle thou mayest reade howe that many Tyrantes haue peryshed through the abuses of theyr wyues Whiche beyng vnderstoode eyther actiuely or passiuely is true that is through the iniuries offered eyther by Tyrantes vnto other mens wyues or by the wyues of Tyrantes to others Of the fyrst thou hast for example not onely Tyrannies but also the Troiane and Romane Kyngdomes Of the seconde thou hast Agis a Tyrant among the Lacedemonians who hauing hymselfe made a praye of the men his subiectes set his deere wyfe to spoyle theyr wyues which was not the least cause of hastenyng his destruction But Aristotle who florished in the dayes of Alexander the great and lyued not tyll this Tyrant raigned coulde neuer knowe hym albeit in those bookes not without woonderfull admiration I fynde the names of Hiero and Gelo but consyderyng the course of tymes I cannot conceaue howe he shoulde knowe them Sorowe Neyther haue I oppressed other mens wyues nor my wyfe iniuried any and yet am I dryuen from my tyrannie Reason Some tyme the moste hurtfull thynke them selues innocent But many causes besydes as great there be wherefore Tyrantes are put downe as pryde whiche Historiographers obiecte to Iulius Caesar for that he rose not vp to the Senate when with great obeysaunce they approched vnto hym but that in these dayes is counted no cause Crueltie also is another whiche caused Merentius as it is wrytten in Virgil to be punished and brought Caligula Nero and Domitian to theyr death Enuie lykewyse whiche was the greatest torment sayth Horace that euer the Tyrantes of Sicile founde whiche yf it were so in his dayes I warrent thee at this present it is no lesse Last of all the greatest decay of Tyrantes and most common is couetousnesse And therefore other thynges touche but certayne and this all The other trouble certayne Citizens but this the whole people Pryde and Enuie raigne among Tyrantes them selues crueltie rageth among fewe but couetousnesse among all Crueltie sometyme ceasseth and is diminisheth but couetousnesse encreaseth alwayes and watcheth Therefore they whiche desire to beare rule ouer the people ought aboue all to shunne this vice together with the shame and suspition thereof For nothyng maketh a Tyrant so odions nothyng is more vnseemelie for a Lorde or Gouernour Other vices many tymes hyde them selues vnder the cloake eyther of magnanimitie or of iustice but this one vice putteth not of the basenesse and miserie of the minde And contrarie to the common custome of mans errour as nothyng is in deede more vile and miserable then couetousnesse so nothyng is to be deemed more vile and miserable And therefore they whiche are gyltie hereof are iudged most vnmeete of all men to beare honour and aucthoritie Men disdayne to be vnder the gouernement of hym that is subiecte to couetousnesse and that he hath no ryght ouer the bodye they thynke whiche can not vse well the rule that he hath ouer his owne coyne who thynketh it also lawfull to bereaue men of theyr lyues I say not of theyr money and yet dareth not so muche as touche his owne treasure Therefore the most redie and ryght waye to securitie and quietnesse is not onely not to wyshe to beare dominion as a Tyrant but also not to desyre to rule as a kyng For what is more foolyshe more paynefull or more perilous then for a man to heape the burdens of the whole people vppon his owne and onely backe who is too weake peraduenture to beare his owne But the familiaritie with the mortall enimie and the peruersenesse of opinions doth not permitte to choose that whiche is better The next is to haue in mynde the lesson of Aristotle whiche is that a man shewe hym selfe to be not a Tyrant but a fauourer of the Common wealth He must sayth he seeme to gather the incomes and offerynges the better to dispose and vse them yf neede doo require for the defence of his Countrey in the tyme of warre generally he must behaue hym selfe as the keeper and Chamberlayne of common thynges not of his owne And agayne He must repayre and adorne the Citie as a Steward not spoyle it as a Tyrant And againe He must behaue him selfe not as a Tyrant but as a King carefull of the publique welfare and loue a meane estate not sumptuousnesse By these and suche lyke as Aristotle would and I doo like of the aucthoritie continueth this onely I adde that he be suche a one in deede as Aristotle sayth he shoulde seeme to be For dissimulation be it neuer so cunningly and wittilie vsed can neuer be long hyd from the syght of some among manie whom it toucheth Enter now into the consyderation of thy selfe see whether thou haue offended in any of these poyntes and ceasse both to complaine and maruel For that a Tyrant being subiect to these vices shoulde be cut of it is not but that it should continue it is maruell To conclude both Kinges al Tyrantes and as many as are of power yf they desyre to raigne a long tyme shoulde diligently haue in minde that saying of Cato in Liuie Auarice and riotousnesse haue brought al great Empires to destruction Sorow Now my dominion is gonne I am no better then a priuate man. Reason Thou were an enimie of Citizens thou art now made a fellow citizen learne ciuilicie confesse the benefite of a meane estate Both more honestly and more safely among good Citizens then aboue all Citizens thou mayest lyue Now thy state is more quiet thy lyfe more secure without feare without suspitions without watches without swoord among which euylles I knowe not what sweetenesse of lyfe can be hoped for Sorowe My tyrannie beyng lost I must lyue as an other common and inferiour person Reason Choose whether with lamentations thou wylt exasperate thy fotune or asswade it with patience for verily yf thou wouldest demaunde of thyne owne minde and not of the confuset noyse of the multitude and consider thynges past in silence thou shouldest fynde that thou art released and escaped from many euylles Nowe mayest thou lyue insafetie and
fortune that they myght seeme to be vnmindfull of their Empire and ryches and conquestes and so many and great commodities and yet to remember that they were men for whom in this lyfe to looke or hope for perfect and sounde felicitie is but a meere madnesse To mingle the sweete with the sowre is a peculiar medicine agaynst the gout and a common remedie agaynst all diseases which thou shalt fynde to be very effectuall and wylt confesse to be good and vertuous counsayle if thou followe the aduice of that godly olde man who once attayned vnto great prosperitie and afterwarde tasted extreame aduersitie who by meanes of the benefites which he receyued at Gods handes learned to take all affliction in good part although that same hand can neyther make nor geue any euyl but he had only a respect vnto the common opinion of men Sorow The gout keepeth me downe in my bedde as yf I were bounde with knottes that can neuer be vndoone Reason Whyle thou lyes thy minde may stande vp and suruey the whole heauen earth and sea Of Scabbes The Lxxxv. Dialogue SOROWE I Am greeued with paynefull Scabbes Reason I maruel now no longer if thou take in yl part those that be greefes only seeing thou also bewailest that wherewith there is some sweetenesse mingled Sorow I am vexed with the greeuous scab Reason Some say that it is holsome to be scabbed But for that I wyl not cal so woful a thyng by so good a name I tearme it a token of health or the way leading to health It is but a gentle thing for that it is not long in comming foorth whose issuing is somtime ioyned with no small tickling Sorow The dry scab molesteth me Reason Thou needest now no clock nor watch for the same wyl awake thee in the night and cal thee vp vnto thy necessarie honest affayres For there is none so slouthful whom the payneful scab wyl not styr vp and make wakeful Sorow I am vexed with scabbes Reason A base disease but which hath a noble cure labour paine heate bathes watching diet these are medicines against scabbes If these wyl do no good thou must flee to the remedie of pacience which in al diseases is the most profitable salue Sorowe I am troubled with the paynefull and fylthie scab Reason I denie neither of them And whereas Publius sayd that the sore feete of one that had the Gout were a paynefull rest so on my woorde mayest thou say that a payre of scabbed handes are a greeuous businesse But what wylt thou say to this The loathsommer the disease is the comlier is the patience And how yf out of a small discommoditie thou reape great profite This is one of the thinges that especially engender a contempt of this body then whiche is nothing more necessarie for mankind Sorow I am al ouer infected with scabbes Reason That thou art al scabbed I thinke it be too true and I stande in great feare thereof But perhaps this is more then thou wouldest haue sayd For thou meanest it of thy whole body but there is an other kind of inuisible scabbe in your mindes to wit couetousnesse and sensualitie and a certaine vehement uching to reuenge and complaine which the more it is scratched the more it rageth This itche ye neyther feele or craue to haue cured so muche is your care lesse ouer your soules then ouery our bodyes Of watching The .lxxxvi. Dialogue SOROW. I Cannot sleepe Reason Watch then and reioyce that the ryme of thy lyfe is prolonged For betweene sleepe and death there is small difference but that the one lasteth but for a tyme the other is perpetual And therefore I cannot tel whether it be not sayde properly enough that sleepe is a short death and death a long and euerlasting sleepe Sorowe I haue lost my sleepe Reason It must be prouoked agayne not by force but by fayre meanss If thou thinke to procure it it wyl not be constrained Goe some other way to woorke geue rest to thyne head and trouble not thy minde with cares and it wyll come vnlooked for when the minde is loose and the body weerie sleepe wyl came stealyng on Sorowe My sleepes are often broken of Reason Do as it is sayde Augustus Caesar was woont to do when thou wakest out of sleepe haue some about thee to renue it agayne by readyng or tellyng of tales But if it be long of earnest and vrgent cares lay them aside and sleepe wyl come of whiche sort of cares Virgil speaketh where he sayth that good cares do breake sweete sleepes Sorowe I can take no rest in sleepe Reason Neyther shalt thou then be terrified with dreadfuldreames nor surprised with suddeyne feare in the night And although Aristotle hold opinion that the visions whiche wyse men see in their sleepe be good true in deede it is Neuerthelesse the one of these who was nothing inferiour vnto hym in wit but of greater aucchorine the other in al respectes his equal in holinesse and pacience whom I mentioned erewhyle endured great extremitie and trouble in their dreames What others haue fealt and suffered euery one is priute vnto hymselfe and can cal his owne bed to wytnesse of the illusions and troubles whiche he hath susteynâ—d Truely the one of these was woont in his latter dayes to be terrified in his dreames as it is wrytten of hym The other I made mention of not long since where I entreated of rest and quietnesse who among other troubles of this lyfe complayneth of his suddayne frightyng in sleepe and the terrour of his visions and drcames Sorowe I slepe not so wel as I was woont Reason Then thou lyuest longer then thou wast woont for thus the learned say that as sleepe is death so watchyng is lyfe Sorow Sickenesse hath dryuen away my sleepe Reason Then health wyl bryng it agayne Sorowe Loue hath bannished my sleepe Reason Thou speakest one thing twyse For loue is a sickenesse and the greatest sickenesse that is Sorowe Feare hath bannished away my sleepe Reason Securitie wyl reuoake it Sorow Olde age hath taken away my sleepe Reason Death approchyng wyl restore it Of the vnquietnesse of dreames The .lxxxvii. Dialogue SOROW. I Am disquieted with dreames Reason If that be true whiche a certayne wyse man sayth that dreames doo folow great cares whiche is also confirmed by your wryters then cut of the cause of the mischeefe abandon cares and dreames wyl vanish away To what purpose serue your manyfold cares whiche are to none effect in so short a lyfe whereof in the begynnyng I promised to entreate and to declare that it is bootlesse to forment it and make it troublesome and through your owne follie to disquiet your rest with dreadâ—full dreames Wyl ye ouercome gods prouidence with your owne counsel and do ye not perceyue howe your madnesse and cousultations of that tyme whiche is not onely beyond your iudgement but also your knowledge are laughed at from an high Neyther
whereof is extant eyther in the bookes of histories or yet ryfe in the mindes of men that sawe them when as long sence vpon one and the selfe same day both the citie of Rhodes was shaken with an horrible earthquake and also newe Ilandes rose vp from the bottom of the sea and moreouer twelue auncient cities in Asia were ouerthrowen and some also swallowed vp into the earth After that the same mischiefe raged also in Achaia and Macedonia and last of all in Campania the most bewtiful part I say not of Italy only but also of al the world much about Senecas time who maketh mention therof among his naturall questions when as by the same most cruell outrage Herculaneum and the Pompeâ—j which are most famous cities of those quarters yea and Naples it selfe was not a litle molested as thou mayest reade Shall I prosecute all examples touching this matter Truely that were an infinite woorke Of late dayes thou mightest haue seene the Alpes which reach vnto the cloudes and deuide Italy from Garmanie who as Virgil saith do neuer mooue to stirre and quake and in many places to be ouerthrowne and immediatly after the queene of al cities greeuously shaken euen to the vtter subuerting of the towers and churches therof and also some layde flat with the ground And not long after this as it were for a continuance of the miserie it is wel knowne how that the best and most fertile part of al Germany namely the whole valley of the Rhine was shaken and vpon the shoare therof standing the citie of Basile and also castles and fortresses to the number of foure score and vpwarde vtterly ouerthrowen Truely an horrible matter were it not that death were the most terrible of al terrible thynges Who so hath learned not to feare that wyll feare nothyng as the Poet Horace sayeth excellently well If al the worlde shoulde fall though the peeces thereof strake hym he woulde not be a fearde For what skilleth it whether a litle stone fall vpon thee and brayne thee or the most mightie mountayne Apeninus crushe thee to death so thou be slayne by any of them or the whole worlde breake and fall vpon thee seeing there is but death in neyther Vnlesse perhaps some wyl count that death to be the more honorable whiche is procured by the greater instrument Wherefore to conclude this is the summe of myne aduice forasmuch as we haue also set downe some remedies agaynst lyghtnyng and all other mischeefes are releeued eyther by resistyng or geuing place vnto them and it falleth out contrariwyse in this that neyther flyght auayleth neyther wyt nor force can preuayle it were good aboue al thynges to lay away the feare of death whiche onely maketh al thynges dreadeful whiche thyng to do I confesse is very harde in deede to speake but yet not impossible to doo And forasmuch as there is no tyme nor place free from this heauie chaunce men ought to prepare and arme their myndes with al patience agaynst whatsoeuer may happen eyther by course of nature or by fortune at al tymes and places whiche cannot possibly be done vnlesse there be also adioyned the loue of vertue and feare of vice To conclude seeing that not only the heauens are in continuall motion and the elementes threaten you round about but also the earth vppon which you treade which also was hoped to be without al danger and a most assured rampire is sometime shaken deceiueth and putteth in feare her inhabitantes I exhort you to flee with your mindes vp to heauen and among al these shakinges and quakinges of thinges and men to repose al your hope in him who looketh downe vpon the earth and maketh it to quake of whom it is writen I am the Lorde and I am not changed Whosoeuer fasteneth vpon him the footestepes of a deuout minde is safe and sound and shal neuer be moued himselfe nor stand in feare of any earthquake Feare I cannot choose but be mooued and feared with earthquakes Reason Canst thou remoone al thy hope and mynde from the earth Do so and thou shalt lyue out of feare and stand vpryght whether that shake or fal For to repose assured trust in a quaking and vnconstant thyng is a great follie Of the plague farre and wide raging The .xcii. Dialogue FEARE I Am afrayde of the plague which rageth farre and wyde Reason In this also is nothyng els but the feare of death whiche being cast of thou hast purchased perfect securitie whiche feare ought not onely to be layde downe of valiant mindes but also neuer be admitted for what is lesse the part of a man then to feare common thynges Feare I am afeard of the plague Reason Forasmuch as thou must needes dye what shalt thou loose or gayne by dying of the plague but that thou shalt dye with more company but if thou escape that thy life be the sweeter vnto thee since that thou art deliuered out of so great a danger if so be it be danger and not nature to dye for the plague sweepeth not away al whiche if it had been so there should none haue escaped this last great plague a more sorer then which there was neuer any since the begynnyng of the worlde But many escaped who it had been better they had dyed whereof it commeth that as thou now seest the worlde is pestred with these kyndes of dregges as it was woont to be whiche neuer any plague nor death is able to consume they are so clodded and baken Feare I feare the plague Reason Say rather as the trueth is thou fearest death wherof for that I see thee so prone vnto complaintes I purpose to entreate before I make an ende of this booke For this only exepted wherefore shouldest thou abhor the name of the plague seeing as I haue sayd it is rather a kinde of comfort to die with many Feare I stand in dread of the plague Reason If it be a certayne kynde of loue and charitie towardes mankynde that draweth thee hereunto I haue cause to commend thee for there is nothing more besettyng a man then to take compassion vpon the miseries of men But if it be for thine owne sake onely I may iustly blame thee for wherein can the plague hurt thee that art a mortal man but to bryng thee to that whereunto thou must needes come vnlesse perhaps thou count this among the discommodities thereof not to be solemly mourned for whiche hapneth vnto them that dye so and thou count them more happie who are recited by Virgil to assend most bewayled of their freendes vp into heauen Of sadnesse and miserie The .xciii. Dialogue SOROW. I Am sad Reason A man must consider for what cause he is sad or merie These as many thynges els may be tearmed indifferent matters whiche vpon smal occasion may be made good or bad For sadnesse for sinne is good so that it ioyne not handes priuily with desperation and ioy for vertue and the remembrance of
good woorkes doone is commendable so that it set not the gate wyde open to pryde and therefore the causes of these affectes must be fyrst consydered least haply disprayse possesse the place of commendation and therefore weygh thou nowe what cause thou hast to be sorowfull Sorowe I am heauie for the miserie of this lyfe Reason The felicitie of the lyfe to come shall make thee merie for this lyfe is not so miserable whiche in deede is most miserable as the other is happie and glorious Sorowe I am heauie Reason Of this mischiefe there are as many rootes as there are thynges which you tearme aduerse and miserable of many of whiche sort we haue alredie entreated and for that I perceyue thee to be redy to complayntes we haue lykewyse hereafter much to entreate of Some tymes a man shall perceyue no apparent cause at all neyther of sicknesse nor losse nor iniurie nor shame nor errours nor of any sudden rumor of suche lyke matter but onely a certayne pleasure to be sorie whiche maketh the soule sadde and heauie Whiche mischiefe is so muche the more hurtfull by now muche the cause is the more vnknowen and the cure more difficult And therefore Cicero wylleth men to flee from the same with all theyr myght and maine yea with all their sayle they can make as from a most dangerous rocke of the Sea whose counsayle in this as in many other thynges I lyke wel of Sorowe The thinking of the present miserie maketh me heauie Reason That the miserie of mankinde is great and manifolde I doo not denie whiche some haue bewayled in whole great volumes but yf thou looke to the contrarie part thou shalt also see many thinges whiche make this lyfe happie and pleasant although there be none hytherto so farre as I knowe that hath written of this matter and some that haue taken it in hande haue geuen it ouer for that whiles they haue been in the very course of their wryting they haue perceyued howe wrong a matche they haue vndertaken and that the argument hath fallen out to be muche more barren then they fyrst supposed and the rather for that the miserie of mankynde appeareth to be euident and the felicitie thereof seemeth to be verie small and hydden so that in discourse of disputation it requireth a deeper displaying and examination then that the incredulous sorte are aable to conceyue And nowe out of many matters to geather one summe togeather haue not you great cause to reoyce Fyrst for that you are the image and likenesse of GOD your Creator whiche is within in the soule of man your witte memorie prouidence speeche so many inuentions so many artes attendyng vppon this soule of yours and next howe many necessities doo followe this your bodye whiche all are comprehended vnder the most singular benefite of GOD also so many opportunities so many sundrie shewes and kindes of thynges whiche by strange and marueylous meanes doo serue to your delyght moreouer so great vertue in rootes so manie iuices of hearbes suche pleasaunt varietie of so many sortes of flowres so great concorde of smelles and colours and castes and soundes rysyng of contraries so many lyuyng creatures in the ayre vppon the lande and in the sea seruyng onely to your vse and created onely to doo man pleasure And vnlesse you had of your owne accorde voluntarily fallen vnder the yoake of sinne you had nowe been gouernours ouer all thynges that are vnder heauen Adde herevnto moreouer the prospect of the Hylles the opennesse of the Valleys the shadowie Wooddes the colde Alpes the warme Shoars Adde also so many holsome Streames of water so many sulphurious and smookyng Lakes so many cleare and coole Fountaynes so many Seas within and rounde about the earth so many confines and boundes of Kyngdomes whiche are euerie day changed and some most assured for theyr immoueable stabilitie Adde lastly some Lakes as bygge and brode almost as the Sea and Pondes lying in bottomes and Riuers fallyng downe headlong from the toppes of Hylles with theyr brinkes full of flowres and pleasaunt hearbes And the bed-chambers of the shoares and Medowes greene with runnyng Streames as Virgil sayth What shall I neede to speake of the foming Rockes that lye vpon the soundyng shoare and the moyst Dennes and the Fieldes yellowe with Corne and the buddyng Vineyardes the commodities of Cities the quietnesse of the Countrey and the libertie of Wildernesses And also the most glorious and bryght spectacle of all whiche is the circumference of the starrie Firmament that continually turneth about with incomprehensible swiftnesse wherein are fastened the fixed Starres Lykewyse the wanderyng lyghtes whiche you call the seuen Planettes And especially the Sunne and Mone the two most excellent lyghtes of the worlde as Virgil tearmeth them Or the most glorious beautie of Heauen as Horace speaketh of them By these consist the fruites of the earth by these the strength and force of lyuing creatures of these also depende the varietie of seasons by these we measure the yeere the monethes dayes nyghtes and spaces of tymes without whiche this lyfe coulde not be other then weerisome and tedious Herevnto moreouer there is geuen vnto you a bodye whiche although it be frayle and transitorie yet notwithstandyng in shewe is imperious and beautifull fashioned vpryght and conuenient in contemplation to beholde the heauens Agayne the immortalitie of your soule and a way prepared for you vnto heauen and an inestimable merchandize bought for a small pryce with other matters also whiche of purpose I haue deferred to the ende for that they are so great that of my selfe I was not able to comprehende them but onely through the benefite of fayth lykewyse the hope of rysyng agayne from death and takyng vp of this bodye after that it is rotten and consumed to be quickened agayne and made lyuely and bryght shynyng and impassible with great glorie and maiestie and moreouer that whiche surpasseth not onely the dignitie of man but also of the Angelles the nature of man so vnited to the nature of GOD that GOD hymselfe became man and beyng made but one person comprehended perfectly in hymselfe the two natures and was both GOD and man to this ende that beyng made a man he myght make man a god An vnspeakable loue and humilitie in GOD exceedyng felicitie and glorie vnto man all manner of wayes an hygh and secrete misterie a woonderfull and comfortable societie whiche I knowe not whether any heauenly tongue canne expresse but sure I am no mortall mouth is able to vtter Dooeth the state of mankynde seeme vnto thee by this meanes but smally aduaunced and the miserie thereof but a lytle relieued Or what I pray thee coulde man I say not hope but wyshe or imagine better for his owne commoditie then to be made GOD And beholde he is god What remayneth there more that you myght wyshe for or desyre or inuent or thinke vppon yet greater then you haue alredie obteyned Truely at what
there is no minde be it neuer so swyfte that is able to measure it and also the surpassyng beautie of vertue whiche is so louelie that yf it coulde be seene with the bodily eyes as Plato sayth it woulde rauyshe men woonderfully with the loue thereof Therefore let loue on the one syde and feare on the other styrre thee vp for both of them are very effectuall for neyther he that loueth neyther he that hateth can commonly be dull and sluggyshe and yet notwithstandyng ye ryse in the nyght tyme vnto diuine seruice wherein ye pray that hurtfull sleepe and sluggyshnes oppresse you not there is no place for sleepe nor sluggyshuesse when as death frayeth you on the one syde and vertue on the other For who coulde euer be slouthfull and carelesse in great dangers or great aduauncementes Whensoeuer thou haft respect vnto these courage wyll resort to the minde and sleepe wyll flye from the eyes when ye thynke with your selues howe muche imperfection remayneth within you and howe muche tyme ye haue spent in idlenesse whereof when men haue no consyderation we see howe they spende long ages vnprofitably and heare olde men wonderyng and amazed to say What haue we doone heere these many yeeres We haue eaten drunken and slept and nowe at last we are awaked too late The cheefe cause whereof is this sluggyshnesse whereof thou complaynest whiche in tyme ought to be dryuen away by the prickes of industrie and the brydle of foresyght least that by ouerlong staying thou be caried away with the multitude vnto a dishonourable ende Of Letcherie The Cx. Dialogue SOROWE I AM shaken with the vehemencie of Letcherie Reason Letcherie is begotten by slouthfulnesse and brought foorth by gluttonie what maruell is it then yf the daughter followe her parentes As for gluttonie and letcherie they are common vnto you with beastes and that they make your lyfe more beastly then any other thyng wyse men haue so iudged and therefore although there be many mischiefes more greeuous yet is there none more vyle Sorowe I am carryed away with Letcherie Reason Whyther I pray thee but vnto death both of the bodye and soule and infamous ignominie and too late and perhappes vnprofitable repentance Goe thy wayes nowe and followe her that carrieth thee away vnto suche endes Thynke vppon the miserable and notorious chaunces of innumerable not onely priuate men but also Cities and Kyngdomes whiche partly by syght and partly by heare-say but specially by readyng ought to be very well knowen and then I suppose thou wylt not geue thy hande vnto this vice to followe it Heare what the best learned haue iudged and written concernyng this matter Pleasures sayth Cicero beyng most flatteryng Ladyes doo wreast the greater partes of the mynde from vertue To this ende sayth Seneca they embrace vs that they may strangle vs whiche none otherwyse then Theeues that lay wayte for traueylers vppon the way and leade them aside to murther them ought to be auoyded Wherein it shall muche auayle yf whosoeuer shall feele hym selfe infected with this mischeefe doo imagine that most excellent sayeing of Scipio Africane in Liuie whiche he spake vnto king Masinissa to be spoken vnto hym selfe Vanquishe thy minde quoth he and take heede thou doo not deforme many good giftes with one vice and corrupt the beautie of so many desartes with a greater faulte then the cause of the faulte is The whiche shal be doone the more easily yf a man doo thynke earnestly vppon the vilenesse fylthinesse shortnesse and ende of the thyng and also the long reproche and the short time and howe perhappes the pleasure of one breefe moment shal be punished with the repentaunce of many yeeres and peraduenture with euerlastyng damnation Of Pryde The Cxj. Dialogue SOROWE I AM lyfted vp with pryde Reason Earth and ashes why art thou proude Canst thou that art oppressed with the burden of so many mischiefes be lyfted vp with pride Who yf thou were free from them al and were lyfted vp by the wynges of al vertues yet were al thy good gyftes defiled with this vyce only For there is nothing more hateful vnto God then pryde By this fel he that was created in most excellent estate by which thou beyng a sinner thinkest to aryse If it hapned so vnto hym for this one thing what doest thou thinke wyl befall vnto thee in whom this wickednesse is ioyned with other vices Thou hast heaped a naughtie weight vpon thy burden Sorow I am carried with pryde Reason Why shouldest thou be so I pray thee Doest thou not remember that thou art mortal that thou wearest away euery day that thou art a sinner that thou art subiect to a thousand chaunces and in danger euery day to vncertayne death and finally that thou art in wretched case And hast thou not also heard the most famous saying of Homer The earth nourisheth nothyng more wretched then man I woulde fayne knowe whiche of these doth most cheefely pricke thee foorth vnto pryde whether the imbecilitie of the body or the whole armie of sickenesses or the shortnesse of lyfe or the blyndenesse of the minde whiche continually wauereth betweene most vayne hope and perpetual feare or the forgetfulnesse of that whiche is past or the ignorance of that whiche is to come and present or the treacherie of enimies or the death of freendes or continuing aduersitie or flytting prosperitie By these and none other ladders ye ascend vnto pryde by these ye ryse to ruine All other dangers wherein men do walter haue some excuse although it be vniust but pryde and enuie haue no coloure at al. Sorow I am sorie that I am proud Reason To be sorie for sinne is the first degree to saluation And as it is the nature of pryde to lyft vp so is it of humilitie to be sorie and submit it selfe whiche thou shalt do the more easye so soone as thou turnest thyne eyes earnestly vpon thy selfe whiche being so I am not mynded neyther ought I to heape vp vnto theeaucthorities wrytten in bookes agaynst vices This only shal be sufficient that thou knowe that so soone as euer thou be disposed vnfeignedly al these matters wyl surceasse immediatly and whensoeuer as they say thou shalt blowe the retreate retire to thyne ensignes as touchyng this present mischeefe This one thyng I wyl say moreouer that pryde is a sickenesse of wretches and fooles for doubtlesse they be suche that be proud otherwyse I am sure they woulde neuer be proud neyther is it written without cause in the booke of Wisedome That al that are foolysh vnfortunate are proud about the measure of their soule And truely yf they were wyse for their soules health their meane were to abase their estate knowyng their owne imbecilitie For so thou readest it written in the same booke He that is a king to day shal dye to morow And when a man dyeth he shal haue serpentes and beastes and woormes for his inheritance The begynning of pryde is to
the body vnlesse â—eraduanture enchauntmentes and olde wyues charmes deserue any credite neuerthelesse they cure the diseases of the mynde whose good health veryly eyther extinguisheth or appeaseth al bodily payne If there were no pacience learned men woulde neuer haue disputed so muche of it neyther so many argumentes hereof should haue taken so firme hold fast in their mindes eyes and eares How many representations of thinges doest thou reteine in memorie how many examples hast thou seene or read howe many histories hast thou perused in which it is not prooued but manifestly declared that this is so as I say and that if al sense of payne be not quenched through patience which I hold opinion may be so oftentimes hath been found so yet that the conquest is gotten ouer payne valure procured thereby to endure it manfully What had Gneius Marius in hym more then thou hast who was a man altogeather voyde of learnyng but rych in martial vertues was not he lykewyse made of fleshe blood and bones What more had Mutius and Pompeius What Zeno Theodorus Theodatus Possidonius Anaxarchus with others innumerable wherof some being of a seruile degree but of merueilous nobilitie of mynd susteyned al kindes of punishmente tortures not only with courage but also with pleasure And yf ye woulde conuert your mindes and memories vnto your owne countrie folkes ye shoulde finde among them very boyes and girles whiche haue suffered that with ioy whiche you being men cannot abide without teares and complayntes But nowe I perceyue how that I haue stayed vpon a matter of al other as ye say most difficult and sharpe longer then hath been my custome to do wherefore I thinke it meete to make an ende seeing that yf vertue cannot mitigate payne it were follie to expect to aswage it with woordes Sorowe Alas thou vrgest me at the one side and payne vexeth me on the other and I knowe not whiche to credite Reason Credite the noblest wherein this wyl also muche aueile thee to thinke vpon that most excellent and glorious light of the world hym I meane who in hym selfe vnited the nature of God and man who endured so many great tormentes for thy sake that those which thou sufrest in respect thereof are but easie yea sweete and to be counted a play They that folowe this kynde of remedie shal perceyue that the Philosophers knewe nothing Of Madnesse The .cxv. Dialogue FEARE I Am afeard least ouermuch payne make me mad Reason Withstande it by wholesome and pleasant thoughtes Some through manifold passions and affections that are not good nor sounde do open the way vnto madnesse and at length fal into perfect furie lyke as the Philosophers holde opinion that contrariwyse an assured habite or custome of vertue is gayned by often frequentyng the actions thereof Sorowe I am afeard of a frenzie Reason If it be lyke to come through some vice of the minde arme it with vertue which is the proper armour therof but yf of the body thou must aske counsell and succour at the handes of the Phisitions whiche are the gouernours of mens bodyes But yf so be that thou haue none neere vnto thee or yf they that professe that science be vnskylfull in thy disease then wyl I prescribe thee this one rule to vse abstinence and flee all excesse It is no lesse well knowen then auncient howe that the holy fathers buylde their bodyes with vertue wherein it muche auayleth both the body and minde to brydle Leacherie and Gluttonie Many haue been ouerthrowen by leacherie many oppressed by surfeite many consumed with sleepe many drowned in drunkennesse and many through the feruencie and outrage of their lyfe and the furious lycentiousnesse of their mynde haue fallen into starke madnesse Feare I doubt least naturally I fall into a frenzie Reason That whiche nature bryngeth may be hard but not miserable for why it wanteth offence whiche is the roote of miserie And seeing thou hast the grace to foresee it folowe this aduice that yf madnesse cannot be eschewed yet at the leastwyse it may finde thee in good and perfect estate of soule For yf thou begyn to wax madde beyng an innocent and without sinne then shalt thou dye an innocent or recouer an innocent There is no age no holinesse no wakefulnesse that so wel preserueth innocencie as madnesse doth looke in what case it taketh a man in the same it leaueth hym Feare I am afearde to be mad Reason Art thou a fearde to haue great personages Kinges and Queenes to be thy companions Doest thou disdayne Hercules and Aiax Hecuba and Cassandra and in another kynde Lucretia and Empedocles Feare I am afeard to be distraught Reason That distraught persons haue vsed to prophecie of many thynges to come we haue hearde say in suche sorte that no wyse man coulde do the lyke to suche excellencie hath this vagarant and furious frenzie atteined And this was the cause why the Grecians termed that Mantice in their tongue that is to say furie which you in yours cal Diuinatio prophecie Feare I abhor the force of madnesse Reason We haue seene the sober sorowful and the mad merie although deceiued in their opinion yea errour also hath it peculiar delites Feare The feare of beyng mad molesteth my minde Reason Some haue sought after rest from labour by counterfeit madnesse but true furie indeede wyl procure true rest and quietnesse Of Poyson The .cxvi. Dialogue FEARE I Feare poysonyng Reason Abstayne from eating and drynkyng commonly abrode or thou carest not with whom vse the diligence of thyne assured freendes about thee suspicious persons expel out of thine house drynke no thicke wynes nor troubled drinkes eschue puddinges sausages froyses and al manner confected and mingled meates be warie in thy feedyng vse temperance and eate not to hastily Flee greedie deuouryng whiche hath cast away many both by this way and by other kyndes of death Whyle thou sittest at the table let thy hande be slowe thy eye quicke thy mynde swyft and mindeful of the danger and let not thyne owne eyes and mynde onely be attentiue but vse also the dilligence herein of thy freendes and seruantes Great circumspection preuenteth great dangers and he that is carelesse may soone be ouertaken Feare I stand in feare of poysonyng Reason I haue taught thee a busie medicine but wylt thou heare the easiest of al Be poore and thou shalt not neede to stand in heare of poysonyng For the meane degree is not in danger to this mischeefe but is the mother of securitie and expulser of al terrours and the most effectual and present remedie whiche being denyed vnto none is enforced vpon some agaynst their wylles The same is of no lesse vertue then easie to be had and doubtlesse very safe to be vsed although in the woorkyng somwhat rough and vnpleasant The vertues hereof are these It represseth the swellyng of the mynd it clenseth malice it purgeth anger and cureth the vnsatiable dropsie and desire to
drynke and haue the the more aman hath and drynketh and the causes of al dangers it plucketh vp by the rootes Your ryches are ful of deceitfulnesse and feare they feare cuppes aswell as swoordes and dishes no lesse then dartes there is neyther your table nor your house nor your chamber nor your bed voyd of danger Al thynges about you are vncertayne and suspitious and threaten vnto men present death as Virgil speaketh in a tempest and may be verified of you in a calme and al this is long of your sweete ryches whiche ye loue so entirely As for pouertie sauing that it is slaundrously reported of by the common people and for the very name odious vnto them al thynges are safe in it and yf euer the vayne glorious desire to be magnified by the multitude shoulde fayle altogeather pleasant sweete quiet and be wyshed But learne at length you earthly creatures to eate and drynke in glassen and earthen vessels yf ye wyl eate and drynke in safetie for poyson is mingled in cuppes of gold and precious stone O couetousnesse how farre wylt thou proceede Yea poyson is in loue with gold and precious stones agaynst whiche most wretched plague neyther the electuarie of Mithridates kyng of Pontus nor of any other be he neuer so cunnyng is more effectual then is pouertie Sorowe I haue drunken poyson death swymmeth nowe in my entrailes Reason When thou hast once perswaded thy selfe that thou must dye whiche al men must needes determine that remember them selues to be mortal what skylleth it whether thou dye by thirsting or drynkyng or whether imbrued with thine owne blood or with wyne In this kynde of death thou shalt haue great personages that haue been drynkyng fellowes with thee of this confection to wyt Alexander Hannibal Philippomenes Mithridates Claudius hym selfe Theramenes and Socrates Of the feare of death The .cxvii. Dialogue FEARE I Feare to dye Reason Herein thou oughtest not to feare but to muse which musing of thyne yf it began nowe first in thee then hath it not growen vp with thee from thine infancie But if it come vpon thee but by fittes and is not continuall then hast thou lyued vnwysely For this most excellent and profitable aduice of the Poet Horace ought most firmely to be engraffed within the very marrowe of thy bones Betweene hope and care and betweene feare anger thynke euery day to be the last that thou shalt lyue that thou mayst be such an one as he speaketh of in an other place He shal leade his lyfe merily and vnder his owne gouernement who is able to say euery day I haue lyued Let to morowe be fayre or foule whyle I am busie I do not care And this forsooth is that whiche the Philosophers do so muche commend to lyue the forepassed lyfe whereof I haue spoken in an other place Feare I feare to dye Reason Thou shouldest haue feared also to be borne to lyue The entrance into lyfe is the begynning of death and lyfe it selfe is the passedge to death or rather more truely a very death in deede By lyuing eyther thou wentest towardes death or rather accordyng to the iudgement of the wyse thou beganst euery houre to dye Why shouldest thou then be afeard of death yf death haue eyther dayly accompanied thy lyfe or of necessitie do folowe it The first of these the learned only do vnderstand the other the common people do perceyue for what soeuer was borne dyeth and what soeuer dyeth was borne Feare I am afearde to dye Reason Fearest thou to dye that art a reasonable mortal creature as the Philosophers do diffine thee But yf thou were veryly the first I suppose thou wouldest not feare the second for that these two natures beyng ioyned in one do fully accomplysh the substance of man to wyt reason and death The one concerneth the soule the other the body but want of reason hath brought in the feare of death Feare I feare death Reason Nothyng ought to be feared which the necessitie of nature importeth Who so hateth or feareth the thinges that are naturall must needes hate or feare nature it selfe Vnlesse perhaps it be lawful to commend and embrace the one part thereof and to condemne and despise the other then whiche there is nothyng more insolent not only in men towardes GOD but also in one man towardes another And therefore eyther thou wholy receyuest or reiectest thy freende least yf thou reape that only whiche is sweete thou seeme to be a partial iudge and louer of friendshyp Feare I abhorre death Reason If there be any euyl in death the same is encreased by the feare of death But yf there be no euyl in death the feare thereof is a great euyl and it is a great follie for a man to procure or encrease his owne harme Feare I detest the very name of death Reason The infirmitie of mankynde hath made the name of death infamous But yf men had any courage of minde they would no more feare death then they woulde al other thynges that come by course of nature And why shouldest thou more feare to die then to be borne to growe vp to hunger to thirst to wake to sleepe Wherof this last is so lyke death that some haue termed it the cousin and some the image of death And that thou mayest not cal this manner of speeche eyther a poetical colour and a Philosophical quirke Iesus Chryst the truth it selfe called the death of his freend a sleepe and art thou afeard to do that once wherin thou takest pleasure euerie day This inconstancie do the learned woonder at and also reprooue Feare These thinges are common and vsuall among the Philosophers and bring delite while they are heard but when they leaue soundyng feare returneth Reason Nay rather it remayneth for if it were once gonne it would not returne agayne and moreouer there is a certayne feare of death naturally ingraffed within the hartes of the common multitude But it is a shame for a learned man to haue the feelyng but of the vulgare sort whom it becommeth as I sayd erewhyle not to folowe the steppes of the greater part but of a fewe And concernyng that whiche thou speakest of Philosophers I muche merueyle that since you learne the preceptes of saylyng of saylers and of husbandrie of husbandmen and also of warfare of warriours ye refuse to take aduice how to direct your lyfe of the Philosophers And seeing you aske counsel of Phisitious for the cure of your bodyes why do you not resort also to Philosophers for the saluing of your mindes who if they be true Philosophers in deede they are both Phisitions of your mindes and the instructours of this lyfe But yf they be counterfeites and puffed vp onely with the bare name of Philosophie they are not only not to be sought vnto for counsel but to be auayded then whom there is nothing more importunate nothing more absurde of whom this age is muche more ful then I coulde
wyshe and much more destitute of men then I woulde it were And therefore seeing there is nothing els to be expected at the handes of them that are nowe present but meare toyes and trifles yet yf there be any thyng alleaged by them whiche eyther they haue founde out them selues or borowed of the auncient wryters that may aswage thy greefe do not reiect it nor say as do the vnlearned this thou haddest out of the Philosophers For then wyl I answere thee with Cicero I thought thou wouldest haue sayde of whores and bawdes And to say the trueth where shoulde a man fishe or hunt but where fishes and wylde beastes are in the waters and wooddes Where is golde to be digged or precious stones to be gathered but where they growe For they are to be founde in the veines of the earth and vpon the shoares of the sea Where are marchandizes to be had but of merchantes Where pictures and images but of paynters and keruers And last of al where wylt thou expect Philosophical sawes but at the Philosophers handes Whiche although they lye hyd vp by them in their treasuries and were first founde out by them neuerthelesse the same are set open and expounded by other and that paraduenture more playnely or more pithily or more breefely or lastly disposed in some other order and methode promising lyke hope vnto al that heare them but bringing successe vnto fewe For such is the force of order and good ioyning as Horace very wel declareth in his Poeticalles that one matter being diuersly told representeth a greater grace vnto the mind of the hearer yea though it be a common thing that is told such noueltie may be added vnto that which is old and such light vnto that whiche is euident and suche beawtie vnto that whiche is fayre whiche I haue not nowe vttered as lackyng some other place more conuenient therevnto but because thou ministredst occasion at this present For I woulde not haue thee doo as it is the maner of blinde and ignorant pryde to disdayne vulgare and vsuall thynges whiche thou hast heard once and neuer vnderstoode Feare I yeelde vnto thee for I see that thou art very redie in these admonitions although far from effect to me wardes for I feare death yet neuerthelatter Reason There be certayne thynges in name and opinion of men greater then in effect certayne afarre of haue seemed terrible whiche at hande haue been ridiculous It were no wysedome to beleeue the vnexpert there is not one of these defamers of death that can speake any thyng to the purpose for being vnexpert he can learne nothing at all neyther can he be instructed in any matter by one that is vnexpert also Aske a question of a dead man he wyl answere nothyng and yet it is he that knoweth the trueth They wyl babble most that knowe death least and prophecie most vaynely of it wherein they haue least skyll Whereby it commeth to passe that by some death is made the most manifest thyng and of othersome the most hydden secret and this coniecturall case is diuersly tossed in suspition But in doubtfull matters it is good to cleaue to the best opinion and to holde that whiche shall make the minde rather merrie then dumpyshe Feare My soule feareth death Reason If in respect of it selfe that feare is vayne for that the soule is immortall But yf in respect of the bodye it is a thanklesse pittie to be careful of it enimie But if it feare to be dissolued it is to much in loue with it owne prison and bondes whiche were but a verie foolyshe affection Feare I am troubled with the feare of death Reason All fooles are afearde to dye and noe marueyle for all their felicitie is in theyr bodye whiche doubtlesse is by death extinguished And therefore not without cause good men are sorie to heare of theyr ende and heauie to beholde it For this is the nature of man that he can not lyue without desyre not to be vnhappie It becommeth a learned man who maketh no other accompt of his bodye then of a vyle Drudge and fylthie Carkasse whose dilligence and loue and hope and studie is wholy reposed vpon his minde to esteeme of the death of this bodye none otherwise then as of his departure in the morning out of some vnpleasant and noysome lodging Feare I can not choose but feare death Reason Thou mayest refuse to feare the departure out of this lyfe yf thou canst hope or wyshe for the entrance into an other For hereof it is that the same feare ryseth And although there be commonly diuers causes alleaged of the feare of this departure neuerthelesse they vanishe away when the hope of that other life is laide before the eyes Feare I dread death Reason The dread thereof is specially engendred by the lacke of meditating thereon and the sudden necessitie of dying whiche in a learned and wyse man is most shameful but specially in an olde man whose whole course and order of lyfe yf he be learned and wyse indeede ought to be a continuall meditation of death Whiche if it seemed so vnto the auntient Philosophie what may it nowe appeare vnto your new deuotion which is the hygh Philosophie and the true wisedome Consider the maner of them that are commaunded vpon a sudden to goe some far iourney how sadde and careful they are to make vp their carriage and how they complaine at their departure and in a maner repine that they had no longer warning before so that as soone as their backes are turned they thinke vpon necessaries which they haue forgotten and are discontented therewith Now there is no way longer then to dye none harder as they say none more noysome for Theeues none more obscure none more suspicious nor more vncertaine which though it wanted al these yet is it vnreturneable By meanes whereof ye ought to be the more diligent least haply ye forgette any thing for that when ye are once departed from hence ye can no longer doo as they that occupie other trades or vndertake whatsoeuer other iourney that is to say commit suche thynges by their letters or messengers vnto their freendes to see vnto as they them selues haue left forgotten For ye are not able to sende any message backe nor to stay in the place where ye were nor to returne agayne Ye must needes goe hence it is not possible for you to returne ye must needes goe thyther Souldiers from whence it is not needefull that ye come backe agayne Thus in Seneca sayde the Romane Captayne to his men and thus also sayth your Captayne to you And therefore seeyng ye must needes depart and come no more and that the necessitie of your iourney is very certayne but the houre of death vncertayne this is your onely remedie to be alwayes readie in mind to answere when ye are called and to obey when ye are commaunded and when all thinges are disposed in good order at your Captaines fyrst
commaundement to goe foorth on you iourney couragiously which ye must needes take in hand eyther willingly or in spite of your beardes This mee thinketh should very muche abate your feare and payne of death and make you not onely carelesse but also desyrous to depart hence Otherwyse yf ye be vnprouided and take no regarde the same may befall vnto you whiche Cicero once truely in his Epistles prophecied vnto his freende Brutus Ye shal be suddenly oppressed beleeue me freende Brutus quoth he vnlesse ye foresee and make prouision And so truely it hapneth in deede I say vnto all that vse no forecast in that which is lyke to happen vnto them hereafter And seeyng prouidence in all thinges is very necessarie yet is it specially to be regarded in those thynges whiche can be done no more but once wherein one errour sufficeth for wheresoeuer the foote slyppeth there is an ende Sorowe Now doo I verie muche abhorre death Reason Thynges deepely rooted are not easily plucked vp I knowe well as I sayde that the feare of death is engraffed within the mindes and senses of men specially of the vulgar sort As for the Philosophers they account death neyther good nor bad for that they recken it a thyng of it selfe neyther to be wyshed nor feared but number it among thynges indifferent whiche in respect of those that enioy them some tyme they tearme good and some tyme euyll Which thyng I perceyue well to be lyked of one of your religion who sayde that the death of sinners was euyll but of the Saintes and vertuous men most precious Sorowe I feare death I hate death Reason From whence this feare and hatred of death commeth vnto men verily I shoulde muche merueyle were it not that I knewe the daintinesse of your mindes whereby ye nouryshe and encrease this and suche lyke degenerate kindes of feare Dooest thou not perceyue howe that the greater part of men are afearde of the very name of death Whiche what is it other then to abhorre your owne nature and to hate that whiche ye are borne to be then whiche there is nothyng more vayne among men nor more vnthankefull towardes god Howe many are there whiche with greefe doo heare that name whiche ought alwayes to beate vppon the inner eare Without the whiche there is no man that can thinke vppon him selfe for what should he thinke him selfe to be other then a mortal creature As often as a man turneth backe into the consideration of him selfe doth not the name of death presently come into his minde But ye abhor that as though death would force in at the eare and ye turne away your mindes striue to forget that which wyl by and by compel the most vnwilling of you al to haue it in remembrance For loe ye refuse to thinke vpon death which not long after ye must of necessitie both thinke vpon also suffer the insult whereof would a great deale the more easely be borne yf it were thought vpon before but now that both of them are brought to a narrowe poynt together the one of them exasperateth the other For euery thing that is vnthought on sudden shaketh the soule It is as much follie to couet a thing in vaine as to be desirous to auoyde that which thou canst not they are both of them the more foolish by how much it had ben the more hurtful that thou haddest obteyned that which thou desirest But there is nothing more hurtful amongst al the mischiefes of this worlde then to forget GOD a mans owne selfe and death which three thynges are so vnited and knytte together that they may hardly be plucked asunder but ye wyll seeme to be mindfull of your selues and vnmindfull both of your begynnyng and ending Thou mayest marke them that vpon some occasion set all thinges in order in theyr houses howe there is scarce any that dare say when I am dead but yf I dye as though that were in doubt then the which there is nothyng more certayne Neyther is this saying If I dye plainely pronounced but rather yf any thyng happen vnto me otherwyse then well whiche what I pray thee can it other be then the selfe same thyng that hath hapned vnto all men or shall happen both vnto them that are nowe alyue or that shall be borne hereafter Vnto whom as there hath hapned sundrie kindes of lyfe so shall there lykwyse befall diuers kindes of death but one necessitie of dying The same doest thou couet to escape whiche neyther thy Fathers neyther the Kinges of nations coulde euer escape nor euer shal Deceiue your selues as much as ye lyst euen so shall it happen vnto you as it doth vnto them that winke against the stroke of their enimies weapon as though they should not feele the danger which they see not ye shal be stroken ye shal dye ye shall feele it but whether it shal happen vnto you eyther blinde or seeing it lyeth in your handes Therefore desire to dye well which thing also vnlesse ye doo lyue well is in vaine Wysh therefore I say and endeuour your selues and doo what lyeth in you commit that whiche remayneth vnto him who vnto those whom he brought into this lyfe of his owne accorde not being therevnto required wyll not stretch foorth his handes when they depart out of it agayne vnlesse he be called on and desyred Wyshe not not to dye for it is not onely an impudent and an arrogant but also an vnfruitfull and a vayne desyre Accustome your selues O ye mortall men vnto the lawes of nature and yeelde your neckes to that yoke which can not be auoyded And yf ye loue your selues loue that whiche ye are borne not because ye woulde that ye had not been borne for it is not meete that Nature shoulde obey you but you her Feare I haue long assayed in vayne to cast away the feare of death Reason I muse thou shouldest so long assay a matter wherevnto thyne owne voluntarie thinking ought to bring thee To thinke so much vpon so small a danger is a great shame if so be it may be called a danger or not rather an ende of all dangers to dye a great shame I say it is for a man so long to continue in the feare of so small and peeuishe a peryll and so many yeeres to lyue in feare and suspense for the euent of breathing one poore houre But wouldest thou haue the most present remedie agaynst this euyll and be delyuered from the perpetuall feare of death Then lyue well a vertuous lyfe despiseth death and many tymes desireth it and to be short it is the ende of all terrible thynges For labour payne sorowe aduersitie infamie imprisonment exile losse warre bondage lacke of chyldren pouertie oldeage sicknesse death all these vnto men of valure are nothyng els then the schoole of Experience and the feelde of Repentaunce and the exercise place of Glorie Of Voluntarie murthering a mans owne selfe The Cxviij Dialogue FEARE I AM
determined to doo violence vnto my selfe Reason At one tyme to feare a thyng and at another to wyshe for it this is al the constancie that you haue Erwhyle womanishly thou fearedst death and now vnmanly thou seekest the same tel me I pray thee what sudden chaunce hath chainged thy mind Feare I am enforced to do violence vnto my selfe Reason If thou be enforced then is it not voluntarie violence although it be sayd that a constrained wyll is a wyll yet truely it is no free wyl neither that wyl which properly taketh the name à volendo of willing But I would fayne know by whom thou art enforced Whoso is vnwilling may haue violent handes layde vpon hym but thou canst doo thy selfe no violence vnlesse thou were willing thereunto Feare There are great causes that enforce me to be willing to die Reason They be great in deede I coufesse yf they enforce thee but they coulde not enforce thee yf thou were a man But there is nothyng so weake that it can not ouerthrowe the delicacie of your mindes and hearken now whether I can not directly gheasse these causes anger disdaine impatiencie a certayne kynde of furie agaynst a mans owne selfe and the forgetfulnesse of his owne estate For yf thou dyddest remember that thou were a man thou wouldest also knowe that thou oughtest to take all worldly chaunces in good part and not for the hatred of one small euyll or rather no euyll at all to be willyng to fal into the greatest euyll of all Feare By reason of extreame miserie I am constrayned to lay violent handes vpon my selfe Reason It is not extreame miserie neither are they the greatest euylles that oppresse thee but this is the most extreame of al other which now enrageth thee to wit desperation agaynst which onely when as all other euylles haue their peculiar remedies there is no medicine that can preuayle And which be these that thou callest exâ—reame euylles but onely labour perhaps and trouble and pouerâ—ie For these are they whereof the Poet Virgil intreateth saying These without cause procured their owne death and hating this lyght powred out their owne soules Of whose too late repentance he addeth immediatly Howe glad woulde they now be returnyng into this worlde agayne to abyde pouertie and suffer all troubles and aduersitie Are these so great euyls whereof the fyrst all good and vertuous men endured with a valiant and indifferent minde and some more ouer dyd wyllingly choose it and thereby became glorious and riche in the euerlastyng riches That the worlde is meete for men we reade in Salust and that man was made for that intent we finde it written in the holy and afflicted good old man But you beyng of al creatures the most vnquiet yf thinges fal not out according to your couetous desyre or letcherous lust ye thynke that ye haue iust cause to kyll your selues So delicate and hastie headlong is your lasciuiousnesse that vpon the least cause that may be ye are not onely angrie with Fortune but also with your selues farther â—icking against GOD hymselfe ye scoure your blasphemousâ—â—â—ithes agaynst him as though euery thing wherein your Lord and God fulfylleth not your minde were an haynous iniurie agaynst you Feare I am so oppressed with great euylles that to choose A woulde dye Reason For the loathsomnesse of thy lyfe perhaps which is a familiar fault among all fooles For vnto the wyse euery kynde of lyfe is pleasant the happie lyfe they accept willingly the miserable lyfe they indure patiently and although in the thinges themselues they take final comforâ— yet are they delyghted in the exercise of patience for there is nothing more acceptable nor more sâ—â—eâ—e then veritie The same is that which asswageth greefes amendeth what is anusse moâ—â—fieth that whiche is harde mitâ—igateth thâ—ir whiche is sharpe siâ—â—otheth that whiche is rough and lâ—uellech that whiche is vneâ—â—en In consyderation hereof complainte or 〈◊〉 and hastie headlongnesse hath an ende and to be breefe there is nothing more glorious nor quiet then a wyse mans lyfe As for these teares and greefes of the minde these cloudes and troublesome stormes whiche driue the barke of this lyfe vpon the rockes they spryng from follie onely Feare Impaciencie of sicknes maketh me desirous to dye Reason Thy desyre is fond and proude Let the Lorde alone to dispose of thy bodye accordyng to his owne determination and good pleasure Wylt thou looke to haue more aucthoritie ouer thine owne buyldyng whereof thou hast made neyther Timber nor Stone and wherein there is nothing thine but only the buylding and wylt thou not geue lykewyse sembleable libertie vnto the Lorde and maker of all the worlde who in the same hath not onely created the spirite the fleshe the blood and the bones but also heauen the earth the seas and all thynges that are therein of nothyng Say not within thy selfe My bodye is greeuously tormented with payne For thou hast receyued no dominion euer thy bodye but onely a vse thereof for a certayne short tyme Thynkest thou thy selfe to be Lorde and Maister ouer this thyne house of Clay Verily thou art but a stranger he that made all is Lorde of all Sorowe With exceeding payne I am constrayned to be desyrous to die Reason Perhaps this payne is layde vpon thee for thine experience whiche yf it be troublesome and greeuous vnto thee then may it be profitable but yf intollerable then can it not long continue Attende the commaimdement of the Lorde that detayneth thee and answeare when thou art called and not before Thy daye is appoynted whiche possibly thou canst not preuent nor yet prolong Howheit many haue preuented it in deede and goyng about to auoyde a smal short greefe haue cast them selues headlong intoirreuocable euerlasting tormentes This opinion hath had great defenders Fyrst Anneus Seneca who so constantly and often falleth into the mentionyng thereof insomuche that it seemeth vnto me that he feared least it shoulde not appeare to be his â—â—bâ—e and maketh me sometyme to wonder bowe so cruell aâ— opinion coulde enter into the hart of so woorthie a man And to â—et that passe whiche it were too long to recite in a certayne Epistle vnto Lucilius If sayth he the bodye be vnfytte for the ordinarie and conuenient actions â–ª why shoulde not a man set the greened soule at libertie And immedialy after a fewe woordes betweene I wyl leape quoth he out of this rotten and ruinous buyldyng But O Seneca thou sayest not wel and with one euyl saying hast disgraced a great many good sayinges For thou oughtest to abyde and not to depart let thy buyldyng fal downe that thou be driuen out of doores before thou depart Sorowe I cannot suffer the thynges that are lyke to happen vnto me I had rather dye Reason Perhaps for some death whiche shal be inflicted vpon thee by an enimie whiche beyng valiantly vndertaken can not be shameful but voluntarily procured by thine owne hand cannot
but be reprochful and ignominious for that it is contrarie to the commaundement of the most hygh Lorde agaynst whiche nothyng can be wel done Sorowe I had rather dye then to see the thynges that are lyke to happen shortly Reason It is not the part of a man not to be able with open eyes to behold both faces of fortune it is the part of a woman to turne away the eyes in feare What is the thyng that troubleth thee so muche that nothyng can helpe thee but death only Is it thine owne or thy freendes or perhaps the aduersitie of thine afflicted countrye As for the first two they are but gentle for fortune is not so strong but vertue is able to withstand it the thirde is godly but the loue thereof is fainte and slouthful For the bondage and captiuitie of a mans countrey and the gouernement thereof in manner of a Tirannie is rather to be repelled by death then auoyded by steppyng a side For the first is the part of a man but this tastest of womanyshe imbecillitie Whiche thyng notwithstandyng the same Seneca doth woonderfully extol in the death of Cato in that same his peculiar opinion whereof I spake erewhyle But Cicero thinkyng it sufficient to excuse him only abstaineth from commending him For he sayth that vnto Cato that was a man of such wonderful grauitie and perpetual constancie of nature it was better to dye then to looke the Tyrant in the face whom Brutus notwithstandyng behelde and thought it better to make hym away by kyllyng hym then by kyllyng hym selfe Whiche how wel or ill it was done I do not now dispute But so in deede he did As for Cicero whyle he excuseth Cato he forgetteth his owne more commendable opinion whiche long before he had set downe in his sixth booke De republica of a common-wealth whiche is after this manner folowyng whiles that he bringeth in Publius Scipio Affricanus the younger dreaming howe that he talked in heauen with his father and graundfather and hearyng them speake of the immortalitie of the soule and the felicitie of the other lyfe made hym desirous to dye and brought in his father by and by reprouing the same his fonde and vnprofitable desyre in these woordes It may not be so quoth he for vnlesse God whose churche al this is which thou beholdest doo loose thee out of these bondes of thy bodye thou canst haue none entrance hyther For men were created for this cause that they shoulde beholde the globe whiche thou seest in the middest of this temple whiche is called the earth Wherefore good sonne Publius both thou and also al vertuous men ought to keepe your selues within the custodie of this your bodye and not to depart out of the lyfe of man contrarie vnto his commaundement by whom that lyfe was geuen vnto you least happely ye seeme to forsake the vocation whereunto God hath called you Doo not these woordes of Cicero sufficiently reprooue Cato that is excused And truely yf thou were appoynted by some earthly Prynce or Captayne to keepe a place by defence of armes thou wouldest not dare to depart from thy charge without his lycence whiche yf thou shouldest doo doubtlesse he woulde take it in ill part Howe then woulde the heauenly Emperour take it thynkest thou vnto whom so muche the more obedience ought to be geuen by howe muche God is greater then man There was of late dayes one Stephanus Columnensis a gentleman of auncient vertue who yf lie had lyued had not onely been famous in this age but also in remembrance of al posteritie The same Stephanus beyng besieged by a mightie enimie of his vnto whom he was in power far vnequal committed the defence of one turret wherein there seemed to be most danger vnto one of his captaynes of whose trust he was assured This turret being vndermined and secretly shaken by the enimies so that it was in danger of fallyng when as the residue of the garison perceyuing so much forsooke it and perswaded hym also to come downe and prouide for his safety since it was bootelesse to tarrie but vnto him selfe very dangerous or rather present death I wyl not come downe sayde he vnlesse he cal me away who set me here Which being reported vnto Stephanus who also was very careful for the gentleman came running in bast to cal hym away the turret beyng shaken at the very foundation fel downe immediatly with great noyse Thus that trustie defendant was miserably slayne whom his lord and maister beyng scarcely able to finde out among the rubbishe and ruynes of the turret buryed hym with great sorowe and lamentation and whyle he lyued had a dutiful care ouer hym and in his common speeche alwayes aduaunced his fayth with worthy commendation What I meane by these wordes I thinke thou knowest Suche a keeper oughtest thou to be of thy body whiche is committed vnto thy keepyng by God as he was of his turret which was commended to his charge by his lorde and maister Notwithstandyng I am not ignorant howe that the death of Cato was muche commended by many of that age wherein he lyued and very glorious in the common opinion of men And that saying of Iulius Caesar is wel knowen who beyng conquerour and making hast vnto Vtica where Cato had slayne hym selfe and hearyng report of his death Cato quoth he enuyed my glory and I enuie his death Doubtlesse it seemed some excellent thyng whiche so great and glorious a personage enuied at Sorow Then what shoulde let me to folow the death of a wyse man that was enuied at by so great a person and excused and commended of the wyse and to eschewe the innumerable distresses of lyfe by a voluntarie death Truely I had rather dye Reason Beware that thou be not caryed away with the vayne hope of hynges For there be some inferiour in eloquence but superiour in sense whiche neyther commend nor excuse this death of Cato but sharpely reprehende it Among whom Sainct Augustine a most sharpe searcher after the truth disputeth that this was not the cause of the hastenyng of his owne death because he woulde not lyne vnder the empire of Caesar togeather with his sonne forasmuche as he hym selfe was the cause that his sonne fledde to Caesar and in hope of safetie submitted hymselfe to his mercy wherein he was not deceyued Whiche yf he had thought to haue been a shameful thyng would he not haue delyuered his sonne from it as wel as hym selfe eyther by poyson or by sword or by some other kynde of death whatsoeuer Seeing that Manlius Torquatus is commended for killyng his owne sonne for that he had geuen battel to his enimies and vanquished them but contrarie to his fathers commaundement Neyther can it be sayde that it is a more shameful thing to be conquerour ouer a proude enimie then to be subiect to an arrogant conquerour Why then dyd he thinke Caesar woorthy to graunt lyfe to his sonne who thought hym vnworthie
and enuied at hym that he should graunt lyfe vnto hymselfe And to conclude he findeth that only enuie was the cause of his death whiche Caesar hym selfe did not dissemble as we sayde erewhyle For what coulde he other feare or why could he not abyde hym to be his prince by whom not long before he was banyshed the senate and committed to pryson So that he that slue not hym selfe in so great and present an iniurie why shoulde he nowe slaye hym selfe for a vayne feare or false opinion of pryde or crueltie What terror was there expressed in Caesars face that he shoulde seeke to auoyde the same by death who not only of all men but of al Tirantes and Prynces was the most gently and mercifull For although Cato had neuer seene any more myghtie yet truely in that age had he seene many more cruel but truely neuer sawe he any more merciful And therefore ryghtly sayeth another excellent wryter famous both for credite and eloquence It seemeth vnto me sayth he that Cato sought an occasion to dye not so muche to escape Caesars handes as to folowe the decrees of the Stoykes whom he immitated and by some notable deede to leaue his name famous vnto posterytie What harme woulde haue happened vnto him if he had lyued I do not perceyue For suche was the clemencie of Caius Caesar that in the greatest heate of the ciuile warres he would seeme to do nothing els but to deserue wel of the common wealth prouiding alwayes for the safetie of Cicero and Cato Loe behold another cause of his death beside enuie to wit a vayne follie both which were farre vnwoorthy of the person of Cato and yet neyther of them sufficient to preuent a mans owne death Sorowe I had rather dye then lyue thus Reason Howe knowest thou whether this lyfe whiche seemeth greeuous vnto thee be desired of many or enuied of the most But your impatiencye maketh all thynges more greeuous Sorow I desire to dye Reason As from the feareful to force the feare of death so to wreast from the desperate the hatred of lyfe is a hard matter Neuerthelesse this is the effect of our remedie to beare this lyfe with indifferencie and to looke for death valiantly Of Death The .cxix. Dialogue SOROWE I Dye Reason Now thou art come to the last cast nowe canst thou neyther feare death nor wyshe for it of both whiche thou hast alredie wearied me in many discourses next before written Hereafter thou shalt neyther be in sorowe nor in paine neyther be subiect to the defaultes of the body nor minde neyther shalt thou be wearied with the tediousnesse of any thing nor with sickenesse nor with olde age nor with deceites of men nor with the varietie of fortune al whiche yf they be euyl then is the ende of euyl good Not long since thou complaynedst of al these and nowe thou findest fault with the ende of them beware that thou seeme not iniurious for beyng sory for the begynning of a thing and the endyng of the same Sorowe I dye Reason Thou shalt walke the way of thy fathers or rather the broade and worne way of thy predicessors haddest thou rather that there shoulde happen vnto thee some peculiar accident I wote not what Goe forward on thy way thou needest not be a frayde of goyng amisse thou hast so many leaders and companions of thy iourney Sorowe Alas I dye Reason If there be any that hath cause to weepe when he dyeth he ought to be ashamed to haue laughed when he lyued knowyng that he had cause at hand and alwayes hanging ouer his head ful soone to make hym weepe whose laughter doubtlesse was not farre disioyned from weeping Sorowe I dye Reason He is not to be suffred that be waileth the estate of his owne kynde Thou shouldest not dye vnlesse thou were mortal But if thou be sorie because thou art mortal thou hast no cause to complayne when thou surceasest to be that which thou wast agaynst thy wyl Thou shouldest haue lamented at the begynnyng when thou beganst to be that whiche thou wouldest not but now thou oughtest to reioyce for that thou begynnest to be immortal Sorowe I dye Reason Al these that lately stoode about thy bed and moreouer al that euer thou hast seene or heard or read of and as many as euer thou wast able to knowe since thou wast borne as many as euer heretofore haue seene this lyght or shal hereafter be borne in al the worlde and to the worldes ende either haue or shal passe through this iorney Beholde in thy minde as wel as thou canst the long troupes of them that are gone before or of those that shal folowe hereafter and also the number not small of thy companions and coequales in yeeres who dye with thee euen at this presente and then I thinke thou wylt be ashamed to bewayle a common case with thy pryuate complayntes when as among so many thou shalt not finde one whom thou mayest enuie at Sorowe I dye Reason This is to be impassible and to goe about to shake of the yoake both of fortune and death a double great good whiche no prosperitie can geue vnto any lyuing creature Thinke with thy selfe howe many and howe great cares howe many paynefull traueyles there were remayning yet vnto thee yf thou lyuedst I say not an infinite lyfe but the space of a thousand yeeres when as there is alotted vnto thee a lyfe but onely of one dayes space wherein yf thou make an indifferent estimation thou shalt perceyue the toyles and wearisomenesse of this short transitorie and vncertayne lyfe and also thine owne greefes and vexations whiche thou hast susteyned Sorow I dye Reason In suche forte ye bewayle death as though lyfe were some great matter whiche yf it were then were the flyes and emmotes and spyders partakers of the same If lyfe were alwayes a commoditie then were death euermore a discommoditie whiche sometyme is founde to be a great benefite when as it delyuereth the soule from intollerable euyles or dischargeth or els preserueth the soule from sinne that is to come whiche is the greatest euyl of all But as vertue is onely a great thyng among you so yf this lyfe be considered by it selfe as it is it is the stoare house of innumerable miseries for the shuttyng vp whereof whoso is sorowfull the same taketh it not well that euyles doo surcease and hateth quyetnesse and he that coueteth the same it must needes be that he couet the ende of a payneful and troublesome lyfe Then yf there be noneother ende of toyles and euyles why doest thou weepe for it That day is nowe at hande which yf it were prolongued thou wouldest wyshe for it and perhaps suche is the worlde the power of fortune so great and her chaunces so variable that thou hast oftentymes alredie wished for it Sorowe I dye Reason Nay rather thou departest out of an earthly and transitorie house vnto the heauenly and euerlastyng habitation
and thy foote beyng vpon the very thresholde thou art sorowfully and vnwyllyngly plucked away and carefully thou lookest behynde thee I wot not wherefore whether forgettyng thy fylthynesse which thou leauest behynde thee or not beleeuyng the great good vnto whiche thou art goyng And truely yf as I sayde before whiche notable men haue also auerred this whiche you cal lyfe be death then it foloweth that the ende thereof whiche is death be lyfe Sorow I dye Reason Thy kyng setteth thee at libertie nowe the bandes and fetters are broken whiche it pleased your louyng father to make mortal and transitorie Whiche I knowing to be specially apperteyning vnto his mercie as Plotinus holdeth opinion and it is confirmed by your wryters I see not whereof thou hast cause to complayne Sorowe I dye Reason Thy kyng calleth thee an happie messenger But thus it is it commeth vnlooked for and vnluckely that happeneth vnto men agaynst their wylles Consent thereunto and then shalt thou begyn to perceyue howe wel thou art dealt withall Then shalt thou reputyng with thy selfe thy departure out of this prison the other euyles of this lyfe which thou fearest prophecying of the commodities whiche death bringeth after the manner of Socrates swan that coulde diuine of heauenly thynges to come and was therefore consecrated to Apollo die singing though not with thy voyce yet in thy minde And vnlesse whiche God forbid the heauie weight of thy sinnes not clensed nor forgiuen do ouermuch presse thee downe do thou that in thy minde which it is read that the emperour Vespasian did in bodie rise vp when thou art a dying and thinke it vnmeete to dye lying neither in this respect ascribe thou lesse vnto thee then he did to himselfe although thou be not a prince as he was For death respecteth no auctorytie it knoweth not princes from other men and is a notable meane to make al estates of one calling after this life There was nothing that Vespasian might doo but it is lawful for thee to do the lyke yea and I trust thou hast somewhat more of the grace of God then he had if thou do not refuse it not for that thou art better then he but because thou art more happie in respect of the free goodwyl loue of God who hath graunted to the litle ones and reuealed to the vnlearned those thynges whiche he denied to the mightie and hyd from the wyse Adde moreouer that it is more profitable and easie for thee to aryse For his endeuour requyred bodily strength which sicknesse weakeneth and death quite extinguisheth but thou hast neede of noneother then the strength of the minde which oftentymes encreaseth the neerer that death is at hand Sorow I dye Reason Why doest thou tremble in safetie and stumble in the playne and stay vpon the side of a sheluing downefall I wyl not here bryng into thy remembrance what the Philosophers do dispute in this poynt For there be many thynges which the troublesomnesse of hym that lyeth a dying and the shortnesse of the tyme wyl not suffer to be done and therefore it ought deepely to be engraffed and rooted in thy mynde whatsoeuer the auncient Philosophers haue disputed concernyng this matter For as they hold opinion rare prosperitie specially towardes a mans ende is able to make al remedies agaynst aduersitie and hard fortune voyde to no purpose but as touchyng those thynges whiche are alleaged agaynst death they be alwayes profitable and necessarie whiche no casual but the natural and inuincible necessitie of dying maketh to stande in ful force and effect Among diuers other truely Cicero gathereth together many sounde reasons and perswasions in the fyrst dayes disputation of his Tusculan questions whereof I made mention a litle before whiche vnlesse thou hast alreadie learned in times past I haue no leasure now to teach thee wherein he concludeth that whether he that dieth seeme to be in prosperitie or aduersitie neuerthelesse forasmuche as generally the whole state of mankynde is equally subiect to the dartes and insultes of Fortune it is to be supposed that by death he is not delyuered from good thynges whiche doubtlesse he shall fynde to be true whosoeuer shall geue hym selfe to the deepe consideration of worldly affayres Wherefore by death he findeth him selfe aduauntaged and not hyndered and thynking continually thereon when it commeth he maketh account thereof as of the messenger and seruant of his delyuerer and when he is once past it and looketh backe vpon it he beholdeth as it were out of a Windowe how he hath escaped the deceites of the worlde and the prison of this fleshe The very same sense doth Cicero followe in his disputation that whether the soule dye with the body or be translated to some other habitation that either there is no euyll at al or very much good in death Sharply truely among his owne Countreifolke at that time but among your Philosophers now adayes yea and your common people a thing nothing doubted of and truly I beleeue neither vnperswaded vnto Cicero himselfe of whom we haue so much spoken which opinion most frankly he hath declared in many and sundry places although he applied him selfe vnto the want of fayth in him with whom he communed or the distrustinesse of the time in which he liued But in few wordes thus perswade thy selfe that thy soule is immortal which not only the whole consent of your naâ—ion but also the most excellent of al the Philosophers do haue defended Repose no trust in the death of the soule whose nature is such that it cannot die and thinke not that there remaineth no euyl after death because there shal be no soule to suffer it But forasmuch as the creatour of the soule is gentle and louing and merciful he wyl not despise the woorke of his owne handes but wyl be neere vnto them that cal vpon him faithfully Vnto hym let your prayers vnto hym let your vowes be directed let the vttermost of your hope depend vpoÌ„ him let your last gaspe ende in callyng vpon his name Depart quickly feare nothing dame Nature that is the most louing mother of al other mothers hath made no horrible thing it is the errour of men and not the nature of the thing that ought to be prouided for that causeth death to seeme dreadful If thou harbour any great attempt in thine hart or go about any excellent high matter despise the base and low speeches deedes of the raskal multitude but haue them in admiration whom to imitate is the perfect path vnto true glorie Among our Countreymen truly of such as haue dyed merely and happily there are innumerable examples But yf we searche rather after such as are of more antiquitie we shal finde many that haue not onely taken their death valiantly but also hastened it which deede in Marcus Cato Marcus Cicero blameth Seneca commendeth as we sayd erewhile As for you ye lyke wel of neither but woorst of the
seconde for that it is more tollerable to excuse an errour then to commende it But I reiecte them both because as for to answere when a man is called to obey with reuerence is prayse woorthie euen so without licence of the General to depart from the watch keeping of the body is to be counted hygh treason woorthie to be punished eyther with cruel banishment or with extreame torment Of purpose I repeate some thynges againe and agayne to the ende they may take the deeper roote for all these matters as I suppose are sufficiently discoursed in our communication going immediatly before Sorowe I dye Reason Rather thou payest tribute of thy fleshe and yeeldest thy duetie vnto Nature and anon thou shalt be a free man and therefore doo that willingly which of force thou art constrayned to doo and as one that is a verie good exhorter vnto death sayth Haue a desire to doo that which thou must needes doo There is no counsayle more profitable yea there is none other counsayle at all in tyme of necessitie Whatsoeuer a man doeth wyllyngly is made the more easie and tollerable and yf a wyll be adioyned it surceasseth longer to be a necessitie Sorowe Loe I dye Reason Loe the Lorde tarrieth for thee Make hast vnto hym doo neyther stumble nor stay lay away all dread suspition thou art not more deere to thy selfe then thou art to him and who wyl distrust when he is called by his freende and louer Perhappes hereafter thou wylt merueyle why thou fearest that whiche rather thou oughtest to haue wyshed for Now when thou art at libertie thou shalt knowe many thynges which when thou wast in prison thou couldest learne by no studie Insomuche that vnto them that are desirous to knowe the secretes and misteries of thynges whereunto your eyesyght can not pearce by meanes of the mortall vayle wherewith you are compassed round about for such verily is the naturall desyre of man but woorking most feruently in the studious and learned sort there is nothing as I iudge better then death nor that bryngeth a man more compendiously vnto his wyshed purpose Sorowe I dye Reason Nay rather thou sleepest and beyng wearie of this lyfe as I suppose thou takest now thy rest Sorow I dye Reason Depart into euerlasting rest for now thou beginnest to lyue A good death is the beginning of lyfe Of Death before a mans tyme The Cxx. Dialogue SOROWE BUT what sayest thou vnto it that I dye before my tyme Reason None dyeth before his tyme but all haue not one tyme limitted them alyke but rather as the noble Poet writeth Eche mans day stands prefixt vnto which when he is come then hath he attayned to the ende And because men can neither returne agayne nor stay where they are they must needes passe away Sorow I dye before my time Reason That myght be true yf thou dyddest owe a death agaynst a certayne day but the good and pure detter oweth it euery day and therefore let hym looke euery day for his creditours callyng vpon hym and alwayes haue that in a redinesse which he oweth For he is continually in det as long as he hath a mortal bodye he neede not to borowe nor to take vpon vsurie he hath that at home whiche he must pay Yea whyther so euer he goeth he carrieth with hym and hath that as it were in his hande wherwith to discharge hym selfe whiche when he hath payde he is then no longer indetted to Nature nor to any of the heauenly bodyes as the Poet Virgil sayeth Therefore leaue of this complaynte that can not be required before the day which is due euery day but rather geue thankes for that for the payment of this det thou needest neyther intreating nor yet to haue great riches of thine owne nor pawne nor vsurie which were the last woordes that euer that valiant vnknowen Spartane is reported to haue spoken most woorthie in deede to haue been knowen euen at that time when he was led to execution wherevnto he went without feare and couragiously by the losse of his lyfe to satisfie Lycurgus lawes Sorowe I dye before my tyme. Reason I vnderstand not what it is to dye before your time vnlesse it be ment as the common speech is before it be lyght or before the day breake which is a time most fit for the exercises of the minde soule which now thou art geuing ouer But in any other signification who is he that dyeth before his time when as in deede that is euery mans day wherein he dyeth and none other Sorowe I dye before my tyme. Reason Neyther before thy tyme nor after thy tyme but euen in thy very tyme shalt thou dye vnlesse thou take that for thy tyme which thou thy selfe not Nature nor Fortune hath prescribed But in trueth as thou canst not dye before thy tyme so canst thou not lyue after it Sorowe I dye before my tyme. Reason Who is he vnlesse he were madde that wyll complayne that he is loosed from his fetters and discharged out of prison before his tyme Truely he had more cause to reioyce in mine opinion yf this hapned sooner then his expectation but certaynely it hapneth not nor it can not happen so for euery thyng hath it owne tyme This was the appoynted tyme of thyne ende there dyd he constitute thy boundes who brought thee into the race of this lyfe If thou complayne of this ende thou mayest lykewyse as well complayne of any other Sorowe I dye soone Reason Thou wast soone borne he dyeth not soone that hath lyued tyll he is olde And yf thou haddest not lyued vntyll thou wast olde then remayned there another part of complaint Howbeit yf olde age be the last portion of a mans lyfe he must needes be fyrst olde whosoeuer dyeth But when I speake of olde age I meane it as the common people vsually take it for an heapyng vp of many yeeres together whiche not as other ages hath no ende but death onely Concernyng the beginnyng whereof there is great varietie of opinions but in consideration of the strength of those that growe olde and in respect of their bodyly health and the abilitie of their mindes easie enough to be reconciled To be short this is the conclusion of all that eyther thou surceasse to fynde fault with the hastinesse of death or to mislyke the troubles of a long lyfe whiche come by the deferryng of death But you beyng at contention within your selues are neyther willing to dye nor to waxe olde when as ye must needes doo both of them or at the leastwyse one of them Sorowe I myght haue lyued longer Reason Nay truely thou couldest not for yf thou myghtest verily thou haddest lyued longer but thou wouldest say I woulde fayne or I hoped to haue lyued longer for the mindes of mortall men are so desirous of lyfe and so readie to hope that in eyther I easily agree with thee But if thou wylt say I shoulde or
lyke wel of the saying of a certaine good fellowe of whom S. Augustine maketh mention whom beyng in extremitie of sichnesse when as his freendes comforted hym saying that he should not dye of that disease he answered Though I shal neuer dye wel yet because I must dye once why shoulde I not dye nowe Sorowe I dye my businesse beyng vnperfected Reason If thou cal to minde those that haue been most famous for wisedome or other notable exploites the most part of them haue dyed leauyng theyr woorkes vnfinished vnto verie fewe it hath hapned in this lyfe to bryng to perfect ende theyr conceyued and vndertaken attemptes But thou since that after the common manner of men thou hast throwen thy selfe into these difficulties and that which is past can not be called agayne take holde of this onely way and meane eftsoones to aduaunce thy selfe not lamentably and vaynely to looke backe vpon many imperfecte thynges but manly to goe through with that onely which remayneth that is to say to dye well Of a Violent death The Cxxj. Dialogue SOROWE BUT I dye a violent death Reason Euery death is violent vnto thee yf thou dye vnwillyngly but yf thou dye wyllyngly there is no death violent Sorowe I dye a violent death Reason If the strength of life be taken away what skylleth it whether it be by an ague or by the swoord And so that thou depart freely what maketh it matter whether the doores of thy bodily dungeon do open alone or be broken open Sorow I dye violently Reason There are many kyndes of deathes and but one death only whiche whether it be violent or not it lyeth in his handes that dyeth the greater force ouercommeth the lesser and consent quite extinguisheth it A wyse man commeth thus instructed that looke what he cannot withstande he consenteth vnto it But perhaps thou wylt say doest thou counsel me then to consent vnto hym that kylleth me Verily some haue not onely consented vnto them but also geuen them thankes yea there was suche an one founde as wyllingly excused the ignorance of his murtherers and at the very giuing vp of the ghost prayed for them But I am not she that commaund thee to agree vnto the fact of the bloudie butcher or cruel executioner but only vnto the inuincible necessitie of destinie whiche who so obeyeth not willyngly shal be brought thereunto by force Sorowe I dye by myne enimies hande Reason What didest thou suppose then that thou couldest dye by thy freendes hande whiche cannot possibly happen but vnwittingly Sorowe I dye by mine enimies hande Reason So shalt thou escape thine enimies handes For whyle he pursueth his wrath he prouideth for thy libertie and abateth his owne power and hath aucthoritie ouer thee no longer Sorowe I perysh by the hande of myne enimie Reason It is better to peryshe vnder an vniust enimie then vnder a iust Prince For in the one the murtherer is culpable and in the other the murthered is not gyltlesse Sorow I am slayne by the hand of myne enimie Reason What doth it touche thee more with what hande then with what swoorde thou art dispatched We speake not of the hande but of the wounde Howbeit Pompeius in Lucane seemeth to wyshe that he might be slayne by Caesars owne hande as a comfort in his death and also in Statius Capaneus comforteth Ipseus and in Virgil Aeneas Lausus and Camilla Ornithus for that they wer slayne by their handes Sorow I dye by the swoord Reason This fortune is common vnto thee with the greatest men forasmuch as most part of the worthiest men that eyther haue lyued in most blessed estate in this world or are nowe most holy fainctes in the euerlastyng kyngdome haue dyed by the sworde whom al yf I would vndertake to rehearse I should play the part rather of a long historician then of a short admonisher Sorowe I peryshe by the swoord Reason Dyuers diuersly haue come to their ende some by the halter some by a fal some by the Lyons clawes some by the wilde boares teeth many haue wanted a swoord beyng desirous to haue ended their lyues with a weapon Sorowe I am slayne with a swoord Reason Howe knowest thou whether thou shouldest escape to fal into greater destruction and that this death whiche thou thinkest to be most miserable be the eschuyng of a greater miserie I tolde thee before howe that Plotinus who next vnto Plato was the seconde glory of Philosophie was strooken with a pestilent leprosie But I recited not vnto thee hoowe that Euripides who immediatly after Homer was the seconde light of Greece for poetrie was torne in peeces by dogges Lucretius who among your countrey Poetes was next to the chiefe of whom Virgil was not ashamed to borowe so muche as he dyd drinking of a slabbersauce confectioned amorous cup fel into a sickenesse and extreame madnesse and in the ende was enforced in dispatche hymselfe with a swoord for remedie Herod kyng of Iudea dyed beyng beset with an armie of foule and loathsome diseases so that the more compendious and short way of diyng might be by hym enuied at as doubtlesse I thinke it was Hadrian that was Emperour of Rome beyng ouercome with the payne and tediousnesse of his sickenesse was wylling if it had been lawful to shorten the extremitie of his greefe by dynt of swoord It is reported howe that in our age there was a great personage consumed by woormes that issued out of al the partes of his body and another in lyke manuer deuoured by myse Among so many mockeries and infirmities of mans body who is so weake that yf he might haue his choyce woulde not rather desire to dye by the swoorde Sorowe I peryshe by fire Reason Some that supposed the soule to be of a firie force and â—aturâ— haue thought that to be the most easiest kinde of death Sorowe I am consumed with fire Reason Thy body by this meanes beyng delyuered from the wormes wil not putrifie Sorowe I am euer whelmed in water Reason A feast for the fishes and for thy selfe a place of burial large cleere and notable And what maketh it matter whether thou render vp thine earthen carcase to the earth or to the sea Sorow I dye in the sea Reason Not where but howe a man dyeth maketh to the purpose euery where a man may dye wel and euerywhere yll It is not in the place but in the minde that maketh the death happie or wretched Sorowe I peryshe in the sea Reason I knowe that many are perswaded that it is miserable to be drowned in water for that the ethereal and burnyng spirite seemeth to be ouercome by his contrarie but as I sayde before the place maketh nothyng but it is the minde that maketh all vnto the miserie And therefore I lyke very wel of the answere of a certayne sayler I wot not what he was of whom when on a tyme one demaunded where his father dyed he answeared vpon the sea Then demaundyng farther the lyke
since that care appertayneth no longer to thee hereafter Feare I am afeard lest after my decease my wyfe marrie agayne Reason Some there be that marrie their olde husbandes lyuing Thus dyd Herodias among the Hebrewes Sophronisba among the Africanes and Martia and Liuia among the Romanes although their husbandes consent commaundement doo excuse these two last recited wylt thou onely binde thy wyfe from marriage Yea there are but few that lyue faythfully towardes their husbandes wilt thou require that thy wife continue her truth to thy cold senselesse ashes If she haue liued faythful to thee vnto the last day of thy lyfe then hath she accomplyshed the duetie of a true and trustie spouse Feare I am afeard that my wyfe wyl marrie agayne Reason That she first married perhaps thou shouldest haue feared more that belonged to thee but her second marrying shal apperteyne to another But this is your common trade ye contemne the things that ye ought to feare and feare the thynges that ye ought to contemne esteeming of nothyng iustly as ye ought Thou enâ—redst the combat of the married bed without feare not forethinkyng what danger thou passedst into and art thou afeard now least another should do the like Feare I would not I confesse haue my wyfe marrie agayne Reason For a woman of exact perfecte chastitie I graunt although she be permitted by lawe to marrie agayne yet were it better to abstayne but most of al to eschue perilous widowhood There is moreouer some such tyme occasion that a woman is not onely excused but also enforced to marrie agayne For it is an hard matter for a fayre woman to lyue alone chastly Feare My sweete wyfe wyl marrie another husband Reason There are but fewe women found yea among them that are counted honest that euen whyle their present husbande is lyuing do not determine in their minde who shal be their next My husband say they is a mortal man and yf he chaunce to dye shal I marrie next for vertue or nobilitie or loue or eloquence or bewtie or person sake Feare My wife wyl marrie againe Reason Not thy wyfe verily for death wyl make that she shal not be thine And no merueile though it part man and wyfe whiche dissolueth the bandes whereby the body and soule are knyt togeather Feare My wyfe wyl marrie agayne Reason The wyues of the Romane Captaines and Dukes and Emperours haue also married agayne and therefore take in good part this fortune whiche is common to thee with thine auncetours Feare My wyfe wyl marrie agayne Reason The Romane Captaynes and Prynces did marrie wyddowes also so did the most godly kyng Dauid take to wife two wyddowes that had been the wyues but of meane persons and it may so happen that one greater then thou may marrie thy wyfe vnto whom resigne this carefulnesse seeing thou goest thyther where there is no marrying at all Feare My sweete wyfe wyl marrie another man. Reason If she marrie a better reioyce at her prosperity whom thou louedst But if to a woorse be glad yet for that she wyl thinke more often vpon thee and holde thee more deere For there be many that haue learned to knowe and loue their first husbandes onely by their second marriages Of one dying that is careful what wyl become of his countrey after his deceasse The .cxxix. Dialogue FEARE WHat shal become of my countrey after my death Reason All good men haue but one countrey and all euyl men another take heede nowe into whiche of these two countries thou wilt be admitted a countreyman As for a third countrey there is none but onely an Inne and a place of passage a thoroughfare Feare What wyll become of my countrey Reason That countrey which thou goest vnto continueth alwayes in one estate and this whiche thou now forsakest as I haue oftentymes sayde before is not thy countrey but hath rather been thy place of banishment Feare What wyl my countrey do after my deceasse Reason This is the peculiar care of kynges to thynke what wil become of their kyngdomes dominions after their death the lyke whereof thou readest there rested in the heart of the great king of Assyria or of the most mightie emperour of the Romans This care exceedeth the calling of a priuate person But since nowe euen at thy very ende thou art so affected that thou lust to terme that stoarehouse of miserie and hospital of payne and sorow wherein thou hast passed foorth the swyft tyme of thy lyfe in great trouble aduersitie and heauinesse by the name of thy countrey and art desirous to knowe what it wyl doo I wyl tell thee it wyl do as it dyd and as other countreyes do What is that thou wylt say It wyl be troublesome disquiet dissentious and studious of innouations it wyl followe factions chainge lordes and gouernours alter lawes and both these many tymes for the woorse seldome for the better spurne agaynst the best and most noble subiectes aduaunce the vnwoorthie banishe the well deseruing esteeme of the pillers poullers of the treasurie loue flatterers hate them that speake the trueth contemne the good honour the myghtie woorshyp the enimies of it libertie persecute the defenders of the Commonwealth weepe sometyme and laugh without cause esteeme of golde and precious stones reiect vertue and embrace pleasures these are the manners and state of your Cities and Countreys There is none but may most assuredly prophecie vnto thee of these matters vnlesse he be such an one as hath alwaies led a rurall lyfe or entred into Townes with deafe eares and dimme eyes Feare What wyll befall vnto my Countrey after my deceasse Reason Why art thou carefull and troubled herewith Whatsoeuer hapneth to thy Countrey thy house shal be free from burnyng theeues and ouerthrowing Whether the yeere fall out to be pestilent or els to be deare or plentiful hot or drye haylie snowie or raynie frostie or otherwyse moyst rotten yea the byrdes of the ayre wild beastes of the wooddes the Caterpiller and Chaffer finally earthquakes and raginges of the lea dearth of victualles inuasions of enimies or ciuile warres none of all these are able to touche or concerne thee hereafter Feare O what shal be the estate of my Countrey or to what ende shal it come Reason To what other thinkest thou then that the greatest citie and state that euer was or shal be is come vnto to wit dust ashes rubbysh scattered stones and a name only remâ—yning I could prooue this to be true by innumerable argumentes but thou knowest the matter sufficiently To be short there is nothing apperteining vnto man that is euerlasting no worldly thyng permanent but only the soule of man which is immortal Enclosures shal fayle sowed landes shal decay buildinges shall fall downe all thynges shall come to naught and why art thou greeued and vexed in the minde If thou be in heauen thou wylt both dispise this and all other worldly
manifést so many thousand woorthie men and valiant warriours and which is a more haynous matter holy Sainctes haue lacked Feare The earth is denyed me when I am dead whiche is a very hard matter Reason This is not harde but thou art tender that canst be hurt and yet feelest nothyng Feare The earth is denyed me when I am dead whiche is an vnwoorthie thing Reason Howe so Art thou then due to the earth or the earth to thee Perhaps the earth may be denyed thee but not thou the earth Some chaunce peraduenture or iniurie of the enimie may depriue thee of thy graue but thou that camest from the earth must needes returne thyther agayne whiche thing since the Lorde thy God hath forewarned thee of by his owne mouth cannot be false Feare The earth shal not couer me in her bosome Reason But thou shalt couer her with thy nakes body and what shal this apperteyne more vnto thee after thy death then it doth at this present what is become of the paringes of thy nayles and clypping of thy haire and the blood that was let out for some feauer or other disease and also of the pieces of thy chyldrens coates and infantes mantles and swadlebandes when thou wast in thy tender yeeres Hast thou forgotten the gallant answere of Theodorus Cyrenaeus in Tullie whom when Lysimachus the kyng threatned to hang vp vpon the galous as I take it These terrible thynges quoth he threaten vnto thy gorgious courtyers as for Theodorus he careth not whether he rotte aloft or vpon the ground And if the earth receiue thee not into her bosome yet shal she entertayne thee vpon her face wheras the grasse shall cloath thee the flowers decke thee being glad of suche a guest and the raine moisten thee and the sunne burne thee and the frost freese thee and the winde mooue thee and perhaps this is a more natural meane wherby the body whiche is framed of the foure elementes may be resoued into so many agayne Feare I am left vnburyed whiche is horrible to be heard Reason This horrour consisteth in opinion and not in trueth forasmuch as some haue thought it an horrible matter to be couered with earth very faire to be consumed with fire as we know your aâ—nceâ—ours were perswaded Among sâ—me it was counted an honourable death to be torne in peeces by dogges and wylde beastes Concernyng this poynt there are innumerable customes manners among nations which being curiously gathered togeather by Crispus Cicero hath abridged Thou shalt lye vpon the bare ground but another shal be pressed with a great rough stone another couered with rotten cloddes another flit weliring dead in the water another as he hangeth be driuen with the wind beaten with the haile torne by the rauens and crowes to be short they that haue been perfumed with odours cloathed with purple the woormes shal consume them And that more hath he that is couered with marble and gold ouer him who weeping in the Poet sayeth And now the surges drench me and the windes beate me agaynst the shoare Although he also folowing the sway of the common errour abhorreth to be couered with earth Vnlesse perhaps thou do likewyse condescend to fables olde wiues tales thinking that the soules of them that lye vnburied do wander an hundred yeeres about the bankes of the hellish lake which toyes truely a sound religious minde vtterly reiecteth Feare I am denied a graue in my natiue soyle Reason If thou haue a turfe left thee in thy natural countrey thou art in case that Phocion as great a man as he was may enuie at thee whom being a citizen of Athenes hauing otherwyse deserued thereof then I doubt me thou hast of thy countrey the vnthankeful citie bannished out of their confines when he was dead a strainge kinde of crueltie Feare I shal be cast foorth vnburied Reason Se to thyne owne businesse and leaue this care vnto the lyuing FINIS The aucthour speaketh of his abhominable country Imprinted at London in Paules Churchyarde by Rychard VVatkins 1579. A Table of the matters conteined in the fyrst booke of this woorke OF Floorishyng yeeres Folio 1. Of the goodly Beautie of the Body Folio 2. Of Bodyly health Folio 4. Of Restored health Eod. Of Bodyly strength Folio 5. Of Swyftnesse of bodye Folio 6. Of Wytte. Eod. Of Memorie Folio 7. Of Eloquence Folio 8. Of Vertue Folio 10. Of the opinion of Vertue Folio 11. Of Wysedome Folio 12. Of Religion Folio 14. Of Freedome Eod. Of a glorious Countrey Folio 15. Of an honourable Familie Folio 18. Of a fortunate Begynning Folio 20. Of Sumptuous fare Folio 21. Of Feastes Folio 23. Of Apparrell and trimming of the Bodye Folio 26. Of Rest and quietnesse Folio 27. Of pleasaunt Smelles Folio 29. Of the sweetenesse of Musicke Folio 30. Of Daunsing Folio 32. Of playing with the Ball. Folio 34. Of playing at Dice and Lottes Eod. Of prosperous playing at Tables Folio 35. Of Iesters Folio 37. Of the games of Wrestlyng Folio 38. Of sundry Spectacles and Shewes Folio 40. Of Horses Folio 42. Of Hunting and Haukyng Folio 44. Of great retinue of Seruauntes Folio 45. Of the magnificence and beautifulnesse of Houses Folio 47. Of strong defenced Castles Eod. Of precious housholde stuffe Folio 48. Of Precious stones and Pearles Folio 49. Of Cuppes made of Precious stones Folio 53. Of Engrauinges and Seales in Precious stones Folio 56. Of Pictures and paynted Tables Folio 57. Of Statues and Images Folio 58. Of Vesselles of Corinth Folio 60. Of store of Bookes Folio 61. Of the fame of Wryters Folio 64. Of Maistershyppe Folio 66. Of sundrie tytles of Studies Folio 67. Of Tytles of Businesse and Affayres Folio 69. Of Tytles of Warres Wâ—â—â—cuyre and Chiefetayneshyp Folio 70. Of the Frâ—â—â—dshyp of Kinges Folio 71. Of the abundance of Freendes Folio 72. Of Freendes not knowen but by report Folio 74. Of one onely Faythfull Freende Folio 75. Of Plenty of Rychesse Folio 77. Of fyndyng of a Golde mine Eod. Of the fynding of Treasure Folio 78. Of Vsurie Eod. Of Fruitefull and wel tylled Lande Folio 80. Of Pleasant greene walkes Folio 81. Of Flockes and heardes of Cattell Folio 83. Of Elephantes and Cammelles Eod. Of Apes and other beastes of Pleasure Folio 84. Of Peacockes Chickins Hennes Bees and Pigions Eod. Of Fyshe pondes Folio 85. Of Cages of Byrdes and of Speaking and Singing Byrdes Folio 87. Of the worthinesse of Mariage Folio 89. Of a fayre Wyfe Folio 90. Of a fruitefull and eloquent Wyfe â–ª Folio 91. Of a great Dowrie Eod. Of Pleasant loue Folio 92. Of the Byrth of Chyldren Folio 96. Of a Pleasant young Chylde Eod. Of the excellent Fauour of Chyldren Folio 97. Of the valiencie and magnificencie of a Sonne Folio 98. Of the Daughters chastitie Folio 99. Of a good Sonne in Lawe Eod. Of Seconde Mariage Folio 100. Of the Mariage of Chyldren Folio 101. Of Nephues Folio 102. Of Adopted Chyldren Folio 103. Of an excellent
blooddy vnlesse perhaps some man wyl say that the Theater were more honest wherein thou mayest see not only the people gaping but also the Senate and the Emperours of Rome the Lordes of al the worlde In lyke sort were they also delyghted in spectacles who were made spectacles to mankynde I wyl tel thee a straunge matter but wel knowen and common That same rage and folly of frequenting the Theater so inuaded the myndes of al men that it brought abroade into common assemblies not onely the wyues and daughters of the Emperours but also the Virgyns vestale whose chastitie was suche as nothyng was more perfect nothyng more tender then fame nothyng more reuerent to be preserued in so muche that in them al motion all trymming al wanton talke was reprehended and puâ—yshed and yet we reade that there was a place appoynted for these in the Theatre not by euery one but by the good and great Prince Augustus Caesar Notwithstanding the errour wherein great men are ouerseene is not therefore the lesse but rather the greater and more conspicable Ioy. I am very willing to see playes Reason A thyng whiche is neyther honestly playde nor honestly behelde neyther easily to be spoken whether the player or the looker on be more infamous or whether the Scene be more dishonest or the seueral place for the Senatours sauyng that pouertie many tymes draweth men to the one and vanitie alwayes plucketh them to the other For in euery offence it skylleth muche whether a man offende through pouertie lasciuiousnesse or pryde Ioy. I am delyghted with the syghtes of the Amphitheater Reason A very hurtful delyght euery way aswel publique as priuate whiche thou mayest easyly geather yf thou call vnto mynde out of the stories the begynnyng hereof and the encrease with what expences of common charge and with what care of Princes neare vnto madnesse and fynally with what studie and toyle of the people it was buylded Truely it is an harde matter to report the manyfolde vanities and superfluous to repeate so many common things a thousand couple of Fensars at once whiche were not only not sufficient for the play but for the fight with the flockes of Elephantes and Tigres and Lions and Leopardes and wylde Asses and couragious Horses and sundrie kyndes of straunge beastes sent from al partes of the world from their Desertes Parkes and Forestes to serue the Romane Theater Moreouer that the same sumptuousnesse of buyldyng had no patterne but not lyke to want imitation Pyllers of Marble brought by Sea and by lande for the vse of the playes cunnyngly carued by the great industrie of the woorkmen proudly polyshed on the toppes and the braunches glysteryng with golde Of whiche madnesse Scaurus was the chiefe and beginner he that was Edilis or Maister of the woorkes in buyldyng the Stage of the Theater within the space of a fewe dayes whiche was reared with a small deale of timber and a fewe roopes bringing in three hundred and threescore suche monstrous pillers to please the eyes of the people that reioyced in suche toyes and finished a woorke as thou knowest it is written the greatest that euer was made by mans hande not in respect of the temporall continuance thereof but by euerlastyng destinie whereby he deserued truly to be reported that as first by a greeuous proscription he sent the citizens so afterwarde in his most vaine Edileship he sent good maners into banishment as one that was both auctor and example of muche losse tyme to the foolyshe commons and of many great expenses to the common wealth But O strange case shortly after the madnesse of them that came afterward surpassed this outrage whereby it came to passe that what by the wonderfulnesse and number of the woorkes there was nothyng in all the whole world to be wondred at but Rome For thou seest also how it is written that the very bowels of the earth were perced the â—â—â—ntes digged vp the bidden rockes discouered riuers turned aside and conueâ—ghed away in pipes the frettyng sea shut in or out with great bankes toppes of mountaines hanging the secretes of the sea seatched and to be breefe a great and large scope of madding left to the posteritie and the expecâ—ation of your Grandfathers fulfylled in you to wit that your lasciuiousnesse would neuer leaue ye And that the mischiefe myght be the more â—eaped priuate calamitie was added to publike losse For the people being tyed with the desire to see and in the meane while forgetting theyr dayly gayne they neyther let one day escape them neyther perceyued howe armed penurie pinched them by the backe And thus enterchangably priuate destruction was turned into publique and publique into common Neyther is the losse of patrimonie more greeuous then of maners where lust is learned and humanitie forgotten And therefore what ye shoulde hope for by shewes from the verie begynnyng your fyrst kyng Romulus gaue a president who in them circuâ—â—ented the rough and seuere chastitie of the Sabine women And although the houour of matrimonie couered both the iniuries vnto howe many since that tyme hath this been a meane not to mariage but to whoordome and wandryng sensualitie To be shâ—rt beleeue this one thyng that we haue seene chastitie often ouerthrowen by playes but alwayes assaulted And to speake nothyng of those men who haue proceeded to suche outrage of wickednesse that they doo almost glory in theyr adulterie the good name and honestie of many women hath there peryshed many haue returned home vnchast moe doubted of and none the honester Moreouer to the ende there may want no kynde of mischiefe what bodyly slaughters not onely of priuate men but of whole multitudes doo there happen the effuse laughing turned into sodayne sorowe and the dead corpses caryed out of the Theater and the troupes of weepers mingled with the companies of reioycers doo declare Thou hast hearde howe that the same Curio whiche was slayne in the ciuile warre in Africa on Caesars syde went beyonde Scaurus in witte whom he coulde not matche in wealth how he I say deuisyng a Theater of wood but double and hanging by wonderfull art hung vp a loft aboue ground that conqueryng people beyng ouercome with the playes of the nations and reioycing in their owne perilles that laughing within and amazed without they myght be both laughed at and pitied of the beholders And do we wonder that he coulde turne the mynde of one great banished personage by laying before hym the hope of an Empyre who by proposing so light and short pleasure of the eyes coulde turne about so many thousande citizens in a moueable spectacle But some man wyll say vnto me there perished no body â—â—t there myght haue perished and thousandes also in another place perished And that I may not touch both newe and olde downefalles together by meanes whereof many haue found both their death and their graue vnder Tyberius the Emperour at a notable shewe at the citie Tidena thou remembrest how