Astapus and Amphonius two yung men bare suche looue towards their parents that their Cittie beeing burned they tooke them vpon their shoulders and caried them through the midst of the fire Also a maide of Athens her father beeing cast into prison where he should haue sterued for want of nurishment craued so much leue of the keeper that euery day she might haue accesse vnto her father Whome with her milk she preserued from death a long time By this vertue Metellus got a name was called Metellus Pius as we would say godly Metellus For his father beeing banished his Countrie this Metellus beeing but a childe he went to the Senate and humbly beseeched them in moste pittiful sorte that his father might be sent for home and called from banishment The looue of our Countrie and Prince should be great For as Plato and Cicero doo say no man is borne for him selfe but a parte of our birth our Countrie a parte our Parents a parte our freends chalenge as due vnto theÌ„ For as lawes are giuen for the commoditie of all â–ª not that a few may be inriched and the rest beggered euen so should euery true subiect prefer a common profit before a priuate and an vniuersall before a peculiar Of this matter we shall héerafter in the end of this Booke speake and therefore now wil we be the more breef Only we wil say that a betraier of his Contrie is little more to be repreheÌ„ded them he which caring not for the common profit onely bends all his indeuor to the inriching of him self not caring how many he brings to beggery By which it appeereth that he of all others is muche to be commended which in defence and benefitting of his Contrie will neither care for lim lands nor life but prefers the prosperitie of his Countrie before all other things And this according to Ciceros minde Which consideration haue many in foretime ingrafted in their mindes And therfore the Emperor Otho when he saw that either he must leue his Empire or kéep the same with slaughter of many subiects determined for the sauegarde of his people to forsake this world His fréends and subiects desired him to alter his minde but no perswasion could moue him but answered theÌ„ that rather then by his life there should be ciuil discention and continuall discorde among them if he had a thousand liues he would leaue them to bring them quietnes King Codrus also vnderstanding by the Oracle that except he were slain his people the Athenians should neuer subdue their enemyes put vpon him the armour of a common soldior went into the fore front of the battaile where he was slain and so brought quietnes vnto his people and subiects That greate care of deliuering his contrie Athens froÌ„ seruitude made Aglaurus to cast him self hedlong from the walles of Athens For it was tolde him that except some body would kill him self for his contries sake Athens should be conquered which thing when Aglaurus did hear straight way in that manner as I haue tolde he rid him self of this worlde and his contrie from thraldome Iphigenia likewise a woman because that by her blood her enemies vnsatiablenes might be quenched she committed her self to be sacrificed There was a temple at Athens called Leocorium which is by interpretation the temple of the peoples daughters It was erected in honor of the death of thrée women called Theopa Eubula and Praxithea which for the preseruation of AtheÌ„s were offred vnto Minerua For the Oracle had said that the town could not florish except they were killed By the praise of which it appéereth how great their shaÌ„e is which haue no care at al whether their contrie florish or come to decay Now it appéereth how vnworthy of all men they are to receiue any benefit of a countrie whiche for a little profit or preferment wil seek to bring the same into seruitude Of whiche some were it not that I had reserued their names because they are famous vnto a more fit place in the end of this Booke where I shall talke of Faithfulnes I would recite but I must be bréef Héere might be mooued a question whether the looue of our parents or of our King and contrie be greater Many reasons might be brought to the confirmation of either parte as of th' one we receiue life by the other we kéep life of the one food by th' other fame of th' one we are cherished by th' other many thousaÌ„ds are preserued from defamations from inuasions from seruitude and miserie Now whiche is greater let others iudge â–ª I wil now come to the next parte of Naturall freendship which is indulgence or cockring of Children a great and vnspeakable goodwil which parents doo shew towards their Children Héerein ought great heed to be had lest to much good wil be not shewed towardes our wiues and children for therby we may fall into as great blame as by ouermuche seueritie and in bothe haue many offended as in rough and sharpe dealing Oppianicus Domitius Medea Nero Periander Herod the father of Atalanta and others Oppianicus contrary to the common nature of parents which commonly are wunt to be more couetous of riches for their Childrens sake then otherwise they would he I say was content for money to forsake his children as Tullie dooth reporte Domitius detested his sonne Nero a man as it prooued worthy to be detested for no other cause but because be had begotten him vpon Agrippina Medea beeing forsaken of Iason murthered her owne sonnes Nero killed his owne wife some say with spurning her The like is reported of Periander Herod was so destitute of all fatherly affection that he coÌ„maunded his owne and only childe to be murthered among that generall killing of Innocents in Iurie Which when Augustus the Emperor did hear he said that he had rather be Herods hog then his childe For to kill an Hog among the Iewes was sacriledge but he thought it no sin to 〈◊〉 his Sonne and heire Atalantas father was so vnnaturall that as soone as she was borne he commaunded her to be cast amonge wilde beasts saying that he needed no women As this ouermuch crueltie of parents towards their children and husbands towards their wiues is to be detested so againe to muche cockring and kindenes dooth as much harme and many for the same haue béene infamous as Ptolomie of Aegypt Ariobarzanes of Cappadocia Seleucus of Syria Claudiê° and Augustus Emperors and others Ptolomie Ariobarzanes and Selucus put them selues out of Princely authoritie to prefer their sonnes But such ouer kindnes is not to be liked of for it is the cause of much mischéefe and oftentimes hasteneth their deaths Historiographers write that Prusias the king of Bithinia was murthered of his owne sonne when he had committed the rule of his kingdome vnto him Darius also lay in wait
to kil his father Arataxerxes who had displaced himself to make him king Also Eucratides King of the Bactrians after he had vanquished and put to flight Demetrius King of the Iewes was slaine by his owne sonnes whom he had left to guide and gouerne his people in his absence Princes therefore ought to haue great care how they depose them selues out of princely throne leaue the tuition of their people vnto others when as many of their owne childreÌ„ haue been so wel rewarded Claudius the Emperor did so bear with his wife in her naughtinesse that at length she took the boldenes of an harlot and his ouerteÌ„dernes caused her to doo that openly which before she did secretly and with feare Wel in this kinde of looue a new must be obserued Héere again may be mooued another question Whether the looue of parents towardes their children be greater then the looue of children towards their parents Many reasons may be brought to prooue many examples to confirme either parte some we haue alredy in this chapter recited But certain it is that the looue of parents towards their children is greater and that is prooued by two reasons The first is this By how muche more any man knowes the thing which he looueth then the thing knoweth him by so much he looueth it better But a father dooth better knowe the sonne then the sonne dooth knowe the father and therefore the father dooth looue him better Again an Artificer dooth looue his woorkmanship and the thing wrought by the woorkman But the father is like a woorkman and the sonne as the woorkmanship and therfore he dooth better looue his sonne then his Sonne can fancie him And therefore is it said that this naturall and fatherly affection dooth alwaies descend but it neuer ascends Againe it may be mooued whether a father dooth fancy better his children then the mother It is thought that the mother dooth And the philosophers prooue it by this reason They whiche take the greater paines in getting any thing looue that whiche is gotten more intirely then they whiche take lesse paines But the mother dooth with greater paines attain to theÌ„ then the father and therfore her looue muste néeds be greater Now to the last parte of this naturall freendship Reason willeth that as first we should abooue all thinges looue God our parents Contrie wiues and children so next we are bound in conscience to make much of those which are of our kin and acquaintance And therefore who is he that dooth not quake for feare when he heareth but the mentioning of Tiberiê° Caesar Nero Artaxerxes Ptolomie other most vnnatural wretches It is written of Tiberius that he murthered his sonnes killed his kinsemen slew his deere fréends and afterwarde thought him self an happy man because like Priamus he remained after the death of his kin Nero slewe his mother and his maister Artaxerxes his sister Ptolomie also his sister his sisters sonnes called Lysimachus and Philip. Another Ptolomie also moste vnnaturally murthered his owne Sonne begotten of his sister Cleopatra Therfore how necessarie and abooue all this naturall freendship is to be sought for it is apparant Without which we can neither serue God neither our Parents kinsefolke to whme especially we ar bouÌ„d with a more straight chain and surer link theÌ„ to any others ¶ Of Ciuil freendship Cap. 40. CIuile Freendship is of thrée sortes The first is a common or generall good will wherby we wish wel vnto all men and are prouoked theâ—unto by the rites lawes and customes of our Countrie or otherwise by any common thing to all men And therefore it is a great cause of looue and amitie among men to be vnder the same Princes to be in subiection to the same lawes to be of one societie of one Contrie Cittie to be of one religion c. There be also many things which men haue in common and belong aswel to the one as to the other as Churches market places stages guildhalles places appointed to the vse of all men and doo conioine men in gadwil meruailously And this common amitie is so requisit as without the same there is no difference betweene brute beastê and men we should without the same liue in solitarines neuer without snares to intrap vs mischeefê to bereaue him of al ioies Which made Cicero to say that he which would cut of this common freendship did euen as it were go about to take the Sun from the world And in a certaine Oration of his he hath a pretie place to the praising of this Fréendship where he saith that those citizens whiche will not willingly helpe one another doo in that whiche in them lieth go about to ouerthrowe the common estate of a common weale and to disturbe the fellowship of this life For saith he nature hath not so made vs that of our selues we can doo all things without the aide of others and one is more apt to one thing then an other And therfore goodwil is gotten that so by helping one another according to their calling the common profit may be sought for The Epicures whose indeuorê are t' encrease plesure doo altogither commeÌ„d this kinde of Fréendship abooue any other as that without which no plesure could be in this life But their freendship is nought els but that which we call Good fellowship whiche in deed continueth but a time as loÌ„g as pleasure lasteth but no pleasure no Fréendship The nature of this fréendship shal be better declared héerafter bothe wheÌ„ we shall speake of Concorde also of th' other partes of this Ciuil fréendship The second kinde of this Ciuil Fréendship is that which is gotten not without pleasure or profit but only by vertue and likenes of manners This fréendship bringeth to passe that among men there be a greate agreement bothe in wil and in woorking For as Salust saeith this is perfect and vnfained freendship to think one the same thing And as Tullie saith there is none more certain token of true fréendship then is consent and communicating of our cogitations one with another This fréendship is only between honest and wel disposed persons For the coÌ„sent which is betwéene wicked men is not fréendshippe whose end is the increase of godlines but a faction to il purpose and disquieting of the common weale Isocrates writeth very wel of this matter saith that the gréement of the wicked is easely vpon a a small occasion brokeÌ„ but the fréendship of the vertuous coÌ„tinueth for euer And wil you knowe in déed who is a true perfect fréend Then harken vnto a lerned man. Be not drawen away with fair woordê nor seduced with wickednes nor ouercoÌ„e with iniuries looue with all your hart vnfainedly and then shall you be a perfect fréend This fréendship hath many noteê to be knoweÌ„ by For it is a freendship for
by subtiltie and wylynesse my fame should be obscured And therefore I had rather to repent mée of my ill fortune then to be ashamed of the victorie Nowe of the partes of Feare amongste the which Slothfulnesse is first ¶ Of Slothfulnesse Chap. 17. SLothfulnesse according to Cicero is a feare of labor to ensue And therfore the same Cicero wryteth that if Demosthenes had séene any cittizen vp before him and at worke it would much haue gréeued him for he was no sluggarde neyther did he fauor any so bent which made him proue so rare an example of a perfecte Orator This diligence as it helpeth and prospereth al enterprises so contrariwise slothfulnesse marreth euerie thing And therefore although euery man ought for to shun the same yet espetially Princes Which is the counsayle of Pallas whome Homer bringeth forth saying It is not for a man of aucthoritie to sleepe a whole night He must be watchfull Demetrius King of the Macedones was stained with the blot of slothfulnesse for that the lamentations of his oppressed subiectes was not estéemed of him Espetially it appeared by the example of a poore olde woman which being iniured by some craued iustice at his hands But he aunswered that he had no tyme to aunswere when indede he was idle and had no busines But she nothing abashed sayde Then is it not meete you should rule if you disdaine to heare the complaintes of your subiectes Which boldnesse of the woman so moued him that afterwardes his eares were open to the complaintes of all Slothfulnesse ryseth oftentimes of too much abundaunce of any thing As for example we see the Sabies because they haue in great abundaunce al kinde of riches and marchantes bring them golde and siluer for theyr wares by which meanes they proue very rich without all care and labour slothfully they spende their tyme. But contrariwise the Nabatheis their neighbors hauing nothing but y which by their vertue labor they attaine are verie good husbandes and can abide no slothfulnesse but idlenesse they punishe greeuously and diligence they worthely rewarde Homer when he woulde mocke and deride idlenesse brings forth the Pheacons which accoumpt the greatest felicitie in dooing nothing And those abounde in all kinde of worldly wealth which encreaseth without any paines taking If any businesse they haue they refer the same vnto women because them selues wyll not be troubled with the matter Herodotus maketh mention of a certaine idle people which he calleth Lotophagie They lyue by doing nothing and they féede them selues and make their apparell of the barke of certaine trees named Lotus Of which if any eate they are so delighted therewith that all other they doo contemne It is reported that as many as haue fellowship with these Lotophagies become of theyr qualities and are carelesse in all theyr doings as happened vnto certaine companions of Vlysses so Homer sayth Which is faigned of the Poets to no other purpose but to signifie that idlenes makes of men women of women beastes of beasts monsters Wherefore it ought to be detested because it is an enemie to vertue and makes vs fearefull in doing any thing be it of neuer so light importaunce Contrarie to this is diligence and industrie by which that Demosthenes of whome euen nowe in this Chapter I made mention being of nature very dull and blockishe passed all those which of nature were of sharpe and rype capacitie For it commeth to passe and that oftentymes that industrious and diligent men by their paines excell euen those to whome nature hath bene most beneficiall And certaine it is that most commonly where abundaunce is there is most negligence and where nature hath bene friendely there is a certaine vaine opinion which causeth slothfulnesse ¶ Of Bashfulnesse Chap. 18. THe next companion of Slothfulnesse is Bashfulnesse The which is defined of the Stoikes to be a feare of ignominie or as A. Gellius sayeth it is a feare of iust reprehension or as another learned man defineth it is a vehement motion of the minde â—lying shame desiring commendation Cicero calleth it the best ruler of the Lustes when it is raysed by the care and studie of honestie Iâ— becommeth yong men verie well and is a token of a good wit and disposition Cato the elder was greatly delighted with such as at the least faulte woulde blushe And so was Diogenes the Cynike For when he talking with a yonge man he perceiued his face to be red with blushing sayd vnto him be of good chéere my sonne for this color is the color of of vertue it selfe But that I maye come vnto graue Cato againe his delight was in those yong men which in well doing woulde blushe but he cared not for those which waxed pale For the one was a signe of a good nature but the other of impudencie a verie euyll qualitie Some which write more properly call this affection Shamefastnesse and that the ambiguitie of the worde maye be shunned they saye that Bashfulnesse is raised sometyme by ill déedes â–ª but shamfastnes is alwaies through consideration of goodnes So this verbe impersonal Pudet is referred both to a reuerence of honestie and lykewise to a shame of vnhonest thinges and differeth from Piget For the other Pudet to praise and this Piget to dispraise â–ª and griefe doth belong ¶ Of Terror Chap. 19. THe thirde parte of Feare is called Terror Which the Stoikes write to be a certaine feare springing from the imagination of an vnaccustomed thing Cicero saieth it is a Feare much troubling by which it commeth to passe that from Bashfulnesse rednesse of color but from this Terror palenesse and cracking of the téeth doth aryse We may fetche the begynning of this worde from the Greekes if we alter but a fewe letters For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to feare with shaking of the body and with palenesse of the face This affection becommeth not a constant and valiaunt man who shoulde alwayes bee reddie to suffer all things patiently without signe of a troubled mind Aristotle affirmed him properlye to be called a valliaunt man to whome the feare of an honest death strucke no terror â–ª and which was reddie to suffer all thinges which coulde bring his death patiently They which in such wyse haue passed this lyfe haue bene alwaies numbred among the best and most renowmed Which made Solon to enacte that those children whose parentes in battayle had manfully bene slaine should for the prowes of their parentes be kept at the charges of the common treasure Wherefore it is the part of a vertuous and valiaunt man to hate this lyfe and contemne death And reason teacheth vs the same Notable is that example of Q. Mutius Sceuola whiche neyther for the armed crewe of lustie souldiours nor for the austere lookes of cruell Sylla which by his countenaunce seemed to threaten extréeme punishment
Philosophers and are all wyse and prudent men Therefore ought euery man so prepare him selfe that not so much as a shewe of that harde bitter and sowre sadnesse which hath alwayes bene commended of none but contemned of all wyse men shoulde appeare in him but this graue and seuere sadnesse ought not onely to be wished for but laboured for that so he maye be nombred among the graue and wyser sort of men ¶ Of Pensiuenesse Chap. 31. NOt vnlyke to Sadnesse is Pensiuenesse therefore is it next adioyned vnto the same and is defined of Cicero to be a doleful or wéeping sorrowfulnesse It is named in Latin Moeror that is deriued from the Latin verbe Maresco which signifieth to drye or wyther Because that this Pensiuenesse withereth the bodie of man But if any be not content with that deriuation they maye thinke the same to be fetcht eyther from the Greeke verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is by interpretation to receyue a lot and herof it commeth that aduersity is ascribed to fortune or else from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is is by chaunce to get a thing But whiche of these opinions are true greatly it skylleth not and yet there bée which thinke this worde to be deriued of eyther of them Nowe to my purpose This wofull Sorrow is a Perturbation which ought not to be in a discréete and wise man For it is a manifest signe and token of an effeminate womaÌ„like person And not without good cause it is so iudged for it weakeneth the string or vaines of vertue and maketh them in al theyr doing negligent of no strength or power to accomplishe any good enterprise which consideration made the Lacedemonians by a certaine superstition at theyr alters to whip and scorge theyr children that so they might in tyme be without Pensiunesse and be hardned to sustaine al miseries with a bolde corage And theyr custome was so narrowly obserued that almost none were founde no not among the weake sorte which eyther would groane or geue any signe of griefe when they were in paine and if any dyd in his calamities shedde but one teare he was not onely derided of his fellowes but also brought againe to the altar there to be greeuously tormented for his not obseruing theyr custome Hereof it procéeded that the Lacedemonians of all people in peace and warre proued the most valiaunt The Spartanes also were maruelously commended because they were free froÌ„ this pensiue sorrowfulnesse And though they dyd alwayes declare their patience yet at no time or place more theÌ„ in their miserable seruitude vnder king Antigonus for when he had ransacked theyr cittie bereft them of theyr treasure and left nothing which good was yet amoÌ„gst them all there was none founde no not so much as a woman which was pensiue at the matter but euery one reioysed the olde men that their lustie inuentus the fathers that theyr children the women that theyr husbandes and euery one triumphed that so many had gotten so glâ—rious deathes for the defence of theyâ— countrey Therefore who doth not commend these men for their noble stomaches which can without griefe beare patiently so great losses So that the lacking of this affection beings commendation but the subiection to it brings defamation As it dyd vnto Cicero a man of great renowme and one which by eloquence brought much honour vnto his countrey for being called by Clodius into iudgement because of his owne aucthoritie without permission of the Senate he had commaunded Lentulus and Cethegus to be punished he was of such an abated corage as hauing changed his garment weeping and miserablie pensiue as he was going fell at the feete of euery one which he met â–ª A strange thing that he which by eloquence coulde turne the hardest harte into pittie shoulde by his pensiuenesse be a laughing stocke vnto all men But as Cicero was such was Demosthenes in eloquence persuading inferiour to none if by studie not Ex tempore he shoulde haue spoken for when he shoulde haue defended him selfe before the Athenians he with pensiuenesse so forsooke him selfe as rather he had to go into perpetuall banishment then by talke openly to beséeche fauour or forgeuenesse at the handes of the Athenians So that this childishe affection Pensiuenesse hath as much darkned theyr fame as theyr eloquence purchased theyr commendation Wherefore by theyr examples we with great heede should beware least we be spotted with the same faulte and so bring our selues into contempte and derision when as other qualities cause vs to be wondered at ¶ Of Mourning Chap. 32. MOurning Cicero calleth a Sorrowe conceiued of the death of him which was déere vnto vs By theÌ„ Lawes of Twelue tables at Rome all crying and funerall wéeping were sharply forbidden And that not without good coÌ„sideration for reason hath geueÌ„ vs this knowledge that theyr deaths whose life hath bene good and without any notorious crime shoulde alwayes be a comfort vnto vs by a continuall remembrance so farre shoulde we be from mourning for them Againe patiently shoulde that be borne which no strength can ouercome nor counsayle auoide And therefore what auaileth mourning when nothing can alter Rather shoulde this perswasion comfort vs to thinke no strange thing is happened but that which all mankinde sometime shal haue But permit mourning to be a tollerable thing to be suffered yet shall we get nothing but this therby that we afterward shall seeme in behauiour light and in habite vnséemely And who is he but doeth deride such an vnpleasant person who is he but doth contemne a man which in aduersitie wyll mourne and shed teares we therefore naming him a wyse man whiche can mortefie immoderate affections wyll haue a man because he shall not appeare altogether forgetfull of his friendes to shewe some token of Sorrowe but that shal be after a graue sort such as shall become a man not brutishly to howle or crye out but after a modest sort shall make the same to appeare And that the better it maye be done I wyll bring forth some who are worthy to be imitated herein who doth not greatly commend Anaxagoras for his so patient bearing the departure of his sonne for when newes was brought him that his sonne was dead he was so farre from shedding teares that lyke a wyse man he aunswered Is that such a strange thing thou tellest mee I knewe I had begotten a mortall man Or what man is hee which hearing of the Leena is not ashamed of himself if he bee a mourner or what woman should not follow her steps if she be a mother which hearing that her soÌ„ne in battayle died valiantly neuer cried or bewayled the same with outcryes as the vse is now a dayes almost among al womeÌ„ but lifting vp her hands to the heauens thanked God hartely that she had brought such a sonne into the world which in respect of
vertue for the defence of his countrey gaue his lyfe And so should euery good woman for her childe and euerie welwyller for his friende geue God moste hartie thanks if he dye vertuously As dyd also Xenophon which when according to the custome of the Athenians with a crown of his head goinge to make sacrifice he harde that his sonne Gryllus in a battayle at Mantinoa had bene slaine at the soddaine tydinges was somewhat astonied but hauinge farther intelligence that hée dyed valliantly and with commendation of all went on with his businesse and fyrst thanked God that it pleased him to take his sonne out of this worlde in so notable a sorte I recite these examples to the shame almost of all Christians which when they see or heare of the vertuous death of theyr children wyll notwithstanding not thanke God therefore but as if they had bene the veryest théeâ—es that might bée pittiously lament and morne for theyr leauing this worlde Well being in so good a matter I wyll bring one example more that so we maye eyther be ashamed of our selues or the better styrred to beare patiently the death of those whiche wée estéeme and make accoumpte of To Horatius Puluillus a man of great aucthoritie and for his vertue chiefest Prieste in Rome dedicatinge a Temple vnto Iupiter worde was brought that his Sonne had lefte this worlde But he being for his wisedome as reuerende as for his dignitie honorable because he woulde not séeme to prefer a priuate thing before a publike or a prophane matter before his diuine exercise gaue no signe of any griefe but persisted in his godly attempt This example of Horatius maye strike a perpetuall shame into the faces of them which though they bee in counsayle concerning waightie matters or in doing neuer so godlie exercise if newes bee brought them that theyr sonne or theyr friende bée dead they wyll both forsake theyr waightye businesse and cutte of theyr godlye prayers and by teares make all to vnderstande that theyr sonne or theyr friende is departed wherby they séeme to make more accoumpt of one then of many of a priuate person then of the publyke state of a sonne before theyr saluation â–ª For this matter these shall suffice and therefore this Perturbation Mourning with the sentence of Plinie shall be concluded which very wisely telleth which death should be mourned for in these wordes In mine opinion sayeth he theyr death comes not vntymely which endeuour to get them by vertue immortalitie For those which are geuen to the belly and to all kinde of pleasures as though they should enioy this worlde but euen a day they cut of the causes of lyfe but those which thinke vpon theyr posteritie and are studious to leaue some notable thing in the worlde thereby to haue their memory continue those he sayeth can not die vntimely or out of season because theyr fame brings them into continuall remembraunce And we should thinke that those dye not vntymely which dye vertuously and mourne for them but such as dye wickedly and lament theyr death ¶ Of Troublesomnesse Chap. 33. THis part of Sorrowe Troublesomnesse if so I may enterprete the Latin word Aerumnam for want of a more proper to expresse the same is called of Cicero a laboursome Sorrowe Cicero sayth Our elders haue named our labours not to be auoided by a most sad worde Aerumna And therefore they haue named those labours and paines which necessarily must be taken by the the name of Troublesomnesse thereby to geue to vnderstande that nothing ought be lefte vndone be it neuer so troublesome of any man if it appertain to the profite and commoditie of many For no dolor nor daunger ought we to shun and auoide if thereby we may doo good And therefore Scipio reading the bookes of Xenophon dyd greatly commende that place of Xenophon where he sayde that no paines or labors should seeme grieuous at any tyme to a captain or soldior for the glory whiche theyr prowes shoulde purchase might take away all remembrance of labour passed Therefore it is the parte of euery man according to his calling to refuse no labor neyther to commit that by slothfulnesse he be accoumpted too nice and him that wyl take no paines to the benefiting of others And yet is it meete that in our businesse we doo the same discretelye least otherwise we appeare eyther foolishe or fanaticall Therefore this Perturbation is good and to be embraced as that which putteth vs in minde not to be carelesse in our callinges but careful to discharge our selues and painfull in profiting others considering that in so dooing we doo not onely oftentimes enriche our selues in this world but also get a name euerlasting ¶ Of Lamentation Chap. 34. AMong Perturbations as there bée some good and to be desired so are there others to be shunned despised among which is nombred this LamentatioÌ„ which we are nowe about to declare For it is an affectioÌ„ altogether vnmeete for a wyse man whose definicion doeth shewe no lesse for Cicero describeth it to be a sorrowfulnesse shewed by a certaine howling and crying out for it is so farre from a wyse man that it is not to be lyked no not in lytle children And although the Poets in their workes doo oftentimes bring notable valiant men miserably crying lamenting by which they seeme but smally to differ froÌ„ fooles and mad men as Homer brings out Bellerophon bayling lyke a shéepe without company wandering in the Alian fieldes yet ought not theyr examples to be followed as those which wyse men laugh at and haue in contempt ¶ Of Carefulnesse Chap. 35. CArefulnesse according to Ciceroes opinion is a Sorrowfulnesse of the minde procéeding from some great and déepe cogitation fixed at the hart With this affection are troubled as all those which are of noble capacity so espetially whiche haue addicted them selues to the studie of good letters if so be they loase slacke the brydle of reason ouermuch The Aegiptians saye that their countrey can very well agrée to the natures of men for vnto those whiche vse the same well it is very healthfull but vnto others as hurtfull The Athenians also reported that they as long as they gaue them selues to good thinges were the most excellent of al but following vice wickednes they proued in the end to be the very patrones of all vngratiousnes So that hereof we may inferre that this great studie carefulnesse in a naughtie disposed persoÌ„ causeth great hurt aswel to him selfe by sicknesse as to others by wickednes but in a good vertuous person it coÌ„uerteth al his endeuors to good exercises and so it both altreth aswel the name as the nature is called diligence which ought to be in all men For it is called the mistresse of doctrine without which nothing can eyther be spoken or done in this life with coÌ„mendation
all such which are stoute in bodie and yet are cowards in minde no better then théeues and dissemblers with God and man with God because they maye doo good and wyll not with man because they séeme to bée and are not stoute In minde some are stoute some stouter and some stoutest Hée confirmeth it with examples and sayth Thobie was stoute Iob stouter stoutest Abraham Thobie committed Iob loste Abraham lefte This money the other substance the last house landes and kinred Onâ— in hope anâ—â—ther in patience the other wyllingly The first by taking compassion of the poore the seconde by suffering the persecutor the thirde by obeying the commaunder Fortitude is proued two wayes by desire and carnalitie None of these gaue place to desire which consisteth in three thinges in desire to get in carefulnesse to keepe vnwyllingnesse to forgoe but expelled it all together because euerie man should haue his owne They gaue not place vnto carnalitie or natural affectioÌ„ For Tobias did not loue his soÌ„ne more then he ought Iob dyd not vexe himself for the death of his sonnes â–ª more then was needefull Abraham dyd not onely banishe Ismaell but also would haue offred Isaac wyllingly vnto the Lorde Hetherto Vincentius â–ª Three rare examples of true Fortitude Of the strength of the bodie might much be spoken but I wyll be briefe Onely with that sentence of Lactantius I wyll conclude and saye that he is not valianter which kylleth a Lion then he which mortifieth his wyld concupiscences that he is not stouter which bringeth vnder foote rauening fowles then he which bridleth his raginge affections nor hée whiche ouercommeth a mightie Amazone then he which vanquisheth his outragious lust fighting against his good fame and honestie nor that he is more couragious whiche subdueth wilde coltes then he which expelleth wilde concupiscence and vices out of his harte which are more hurtfull because they are domesticall then those which may be shunned and eschued By whiche it appeareth that be onely is to be accoumpted valiant which is temperate moderate and of good conuersation be he notwithstanding of no great strength And this in comparison for in respecte of this conqueror of his internal and infernall foes the other against forraine enemies is not so much as to bée accoumpted worthy of praise For strengthe without a stomache is nothing and he which hath it is iudged but a babler Both going together bringeth a good opinion As to haue health and strengthe of boddie so to bee of a good stature is nombred among the giftes of Nature This bignesse or stature consisteth in bredth and height He is of good stature that is not to long nor to short to grosse nor to slender A meane in all things so in this is best This comelynesse of stature is no small thing and maketh him well to be accompted of espetially when to the comlynesse of person commendable qualities of the minde doo aunswere Another of Natures goodes is forme and beutie of boddie The prayses of beautie are many and wonderfull We see those which haue the same to be fancied of all men againe who can fauor a deformed person And it is a great deale the more commendable because of all creatures none is beutifull but onely man And as nothing is adorned therewith but onely man so nothing is delighted therewith but onely man And as it is commended for a notable gifte and great blessing so is it dispraysed for a wicked thing and cause of much wickednesse Hereof it is sayd that beuty riches pleasure and prosperitie causeth forgetfulnesse of our selues But to speake the same simply without consideration is a mad thing And as Aristotle sayde to them which inueighed against eloqueÌ„ce because many abused the same that can not bée nombered amonge wicked thinges which maye he well vsed to the benefite of others so doo I saye to them which accompte beutie riches and prosperitie among euyll thinges that those thinges ought not to be demed naught which maye be well vsed And who is he so deuoyde of reason that wyll not confesse that all these maye be well bestowed But if we shoulde confesse the trueth we shoulde saye the beutie of the face of all apparant thinges is most excellent and a most euident signe of a good nature It is caused of a good and pure blood which appearing in the face bringes a delightfull color The beutifull complexion is the sanguine and the sanguines are of the best nature and geuen by theyr constitution to al commendable exercises The most deformed is the Malancholike a swarte and ill fauored and who are more wickedly bente who are the causes of mischiefe euery where then most commonly are suche If I shoulde recite the iudgement of those which write of complexitions and commende the bewtifull I shoulde not ende this matter in muche paper it shall suffice therefore that by the waye I haue touched the same Sturmius describeth a man verie notably and sayth That he maye rightly be named a man in which are these fiue things Whereof the first is a cleare coÌ„plexion not pale swarte or of duskie color â–ª The second a good stature and to be wel set â–ª not lytle for that is coÌ„temptible The third a boddie well proportioned in euerie respecte The fowrth Agility of ioyntes and nimblenesse to goe about any thing The fift and last vertuous qualities Of all these except the last we haue spoken and therefore because without them all other thinges are nothing all other Goods are Euyls we wyll immedâ—atly make manifest the Goodes and giftes of the minde ¶ Of the Goods of the minde Chap. 4 NOwe are we come to the goodes of the minde which in deede are onely good and sufficiently good of them selues The other to wit the Goods of Nature Fortune are so far good as when they serue to good purpose and are handemaides wayting vppon vertue not ministers to vices and therefore they are not simply sufficiently of them selues good but by reason of theyr good vsage Cicero tels howe there appeared vnto Hercules two maydens diuersly apparelled of diuers nature the one plaine simple the other gorgeously decked and very fine Each of them promised according to their hability rewards vnto him â–ª if he chused according to their mindes The plaine and simple sayde if hee would entertaine her he shoulde in this worlde bée wretched and of small accoumpte but afterwarde his felicite should be great his same euerlasting The other braue Dame sayde if he would thinke well of her and make her his owne he shoulde not lacke as long as he liued any thing whiche coulde be to his delectation his riches shoulde be infinite his pleasures vnspeakeable according to his desires euery thing should happen so that in this worlde as long as he lyued he should be glorious paines he shoulde take none but liue at ease but afterwarde she
the Conqueror Whose rare moderation if others in his time had set before their eyes their perils had not béen so great nor the common wele of Rome so ouerthrowen This vertue bringeth with it another vertue whiche is called Suffering a notable vertue méet for a prudeÌ„t man for by moderatnig our selues we learne to forbeare when we are iniured according to that of P. Syrus a maÌ„ shuld bear and not blame which cannot be auoyded and that of Epictetê° ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beare and forbeare For this Vertue were praysed two noble wights Hanniball and M. Bibulus one of Roome the other of Carthage Hanniball by Moderating him self got such an habit that notwithstanding his armye was compounded of men of many Countries yet did he so guide and gouerne them that to sée them chide amoÌ„g them selues was a great wunder and as we say might be cronicled the like for moderatioÌ„ and wel guiding his armie we shall not read of any as we doo of him Again M. Bibulus was of that moderation that he would neuer be mooued his nature was then moste of all made manifest vnto the world when he without rash reuenging tooke the death of his two Sonnes against all equitie murthered For when Cleopatra had sent the murtherers of his sonnes vnto him willing him to vse them as he would refused it and sent them back saying that his priuate cause he ought not for to reuenge neither did it pertain vnto him and therfore disired that they might be sent vnto the Senate of Roome which might according to law pronounce Iudgement One example I wil bring foorth more because of the worthynes therof It is reported of King Philip gouernour of the Macedonians that he was of a most gentle nature and that is euident by this fact of his beséeging a Cittie of Melibea called Mathona a Citizen of the same sent a Dart at Philip and therewith depriued him of his eye and yet the losse thereof made him neyther the more fierce in his affaires nor more frantick towardes his foes And though with his great pain it was plucked out yet did it not incense him any whit the more against his enemyes but vnto resonable requests of theirs did condiscend which moderating of him self and gentle handling of them made them of deadly fooes his faithful fréends Of Sparingnes or Hardnes Cap. 25. NExt vnto moderation is Sparingnes whiche more properly we call Hardnes By which we may vnderstaÌ„d not that wicked vice Couetousnes although it may séeme that we doo wherfore we ought to haue greate care lest affections blinde vs and so take one thing for an other It is the coÌ„mon vse of moste men vnder the showe of one thing to engraffe in our mindes an other And therof Prodigalitie is called by the name of Liberalitie crueltie of Equitie foolish boldenes of Fortitude to come to our purpose couetousnes of sparingnes And therfore as Tullie saith we ought to be very careful lest those vices deceiue vs which séeme to accompany the vertues and so take one thing for another Wherfore we wil shew the great ods whiche are betwéene these two things sparingnes and Couetousnes their difference in their names and signification may be espied for Auere from whence Auarus and Auaritia as CoÌ„iungata eche signifieth beyond all reasoÌ„ to couet a thing And therfore a couetousman is he which out of reason coueteth Now Parcere to spare is deriued froÌ„ Parcitas spariÌ„gnes is like a good husbaÌ„d thriftely to kéep not vnfrutefully to spend wherby it is plain that one couetousnes is a vice and well may be numbred among such things as a man should withall indeuour flye as hurtful to the common wele and dangerous to his soule And th' other Sparingnes is a vertue teaching how to play the good husband and so profit his Countrie and pleasure his posteritie By this we flée Prodigalitie and yet we spare not when we may profit and therefore it was an olde saying that a maide then had a good sauour â—hen she sauoured nothing at all and a man was then right wise when he neither smelled of the stink of Couetousnes nor yet was discried by the filth of Prodigalitie The elder Cato was wunt to say that by two thingê he encreased his welth that is to say by tilling his ground and good husbandry One of which brought abundance of all frute the other taught how to vse it Which Cato though he had many vertues whiche made him to be well thought of among the Romaines yet by none he got so much commendation as by good husbandry and sparing from idle and vain expences Againe for this vertue was the lesser Scipio much commended and he that reades the life of Pomponius Atticus shall finde most of his praises to spring of his sparingnes which neuer would haue béen ascrybed vnto him and the rest were it a vice and to be eschued for we neuer commend any for his vice but vertues and prayses are annexed vnto wel dooing But as these for their sparing haue béen wel reported of so for immoderate spending haue others especially Lucullus and Marius among the Romains béene discommended Lucullus did so lauish in sumptuous expences and so desired in all his buildings to séem magnificall that he came into contempt among the common people and was called a Romain Xerxes because he would appéere more magnificall then became a priuat person Pompey hearing of his goodly buildings was desirous to sée if it were as the common reporte was and béeing come where Lucullus dwelt and séeing the same to excéed the common voice said vnto Lucullus in contempt These your houses for Summer be pleasaunt they haue so many storyes and so goodly windowes and so open aire but in Winter they are not to be inhabited Then answeared Lucullus what Pompey think you that Cranes shall excel me can they according to chaunge of time alter their dwellings and thinck you Lucullus wil not haue his places of pleasure and according to the alteratioÌ„ of time remooue from one house to an other It was a straunge thing among the Romains to haue one so to florish abooue other his fellowe Citizens Marius was euen suche an other Many things he had begun which were very magnificall and more sumptuous then would beséeme his person his buildings were great and many so that he was thought to haue studied to briÌ„g all the glory of Roome to his house which in his olde age he weÌ„t about and seeing death would cut him short so that he should not sée the finishing of that whiche he had in hand he began to raile vpon Fortune and to accuse her of greate partialitie because he might not sée the effect of that whiche in minde he purposed But that ouer lauishing expences of his made him after his great glory wheÌ„ he had béene seuen times Consul to be a laughing stock
precioê° a thing that he which dooth giue but a cup of colde water in his name shall not go vnrewarded We sée that Abraham thinking he had receued a maÌ„ receued God him self And Lot receiued Angels in the shape of men And who caÌ„ tel saith Ambrose whether he welcome Christe or no when he maketh much of straungers Now see what benefit comes of this hospitalitie besides that which we haue alredy spokeÌ„ of Lot for his hospitalitiescaped the fire of Sodom and Gomorra Rahab for her hospitality was preserued with all hers froÌ„ death destructioÌ„ Elias restored froÌ„ death to life the sonne of her whiche had lodged him But what should I spend many woords This christian Hospitalitie is twise rewarded in this world and in the worlde to come The punishment for contempt héerof is eternall pain in the lake which burneth for euer with fire brimstone Christ saith he that receiueth not you receiueth not me And S. Iames writeth that he shall haue iudgement without mercie which is void of mercie And therfore let vs take heed lest if we be negligent or carelesse in receiuing such straungers that after this life the kingdome of God a receptacle for all such as fear god be barred from vs And let vs so behaue our selues that in the day of iudgement when all flesh shall rise again to receiue according to their deserts we doo heare that terrible saying of Christe I was comfortlesse and you cared not for me Wherefore for these causes recited or for hope of rewarde or els for fear of punishment let vs doo good vnto all especially suche as are of the householde of faith the seruants of god Now let vs prosecute our purpose and speake of that whiche foloweth ¶ Of Concorde Cap. 42. WIth Fréendship hath Concorde greate affinitie For euen as Fréendship and Amitie ioyneth a fewe togither in good wil so Concorde linketh many and a whole multitide This concorde as M. Varro saith is deriued from consenting of many harts togither Discorde is clene contrary For by it the people can agrée in no thing The praises of Concorde are many and singular For some call it a tower of strength inuincible against all inuasions Others affirme that no other thinge is ment by those towers of Adamant which the Poets talke of but the looue of citizens who by no force strength or pollicie can be ouer come as long as they in harte holde togither and by discorde shrink not away from their brethern Some compare it vnto a creature whose life would continue for euer if it killed not him self Seleucus considering how goodly a thing it is for brethern to holde togither in vnitie called his fiftie sonnes togither and after this maner adhorted them to concorde He tooke a bundle of darts fast bouÌ„d togither and willed them to breake it but they séeing it was impossible answered they could not Then vnlosing the bundle he gaue vnto eche of them a dart and willed them to breke theÌ„ which they did easely Then he desired them to commit that which was doon to perpetuall remembrance and counsailed them to holde togither lest beeing at discorde their enemies bring them to slauerie when by their concorde they could not And notable was the oration of Menenius Agrippa vnto the dissentious people of Rome bending theÌ„ selues against the senators In which he brought many stroÌ„g and good reasons to the turning of their mindes from discorde but his chéefest was fetcht from a fable of the members of mans body Which he brought foorth as Fenestella and others doo testifie in this maner In those dayes when euery parte of man had not onely reason but spéech it is said that they beeing muche offended that all they should imploy their labor for the belly and the belly doo nothing but consume that which was prouided conspired among them selues how they might bridle and bring vnder the belly at length it was decréed that the haÌ„dê should not minister to the mouth if the handê did the mouth should not receiue it nor the teeth grinde it and whilst they were thus at discorde all were brought lowe And therfore he desired by that example to beware of ciuil dissention lâ—st vtter destruction come vpon them To this concorde nature many waies inuiteth vs For we se that all beastê in their kinde be at peace one with another For one Dragon bends not him selfe against another nor one Lion fighteth with another and the coÌ„corde which is betwéen rauening Woulues all writers doo celebrate Again by the consideration of our selues we are driuen to the praising and practising of concorde For what is more contrary then the soule the body and yet nature hath so framed theÌ„ that take the soule from the body the body is but a dead carcase And therfore if we would liue an vnitie must be betwéene them For seperation of either bringê distructioÌ„ to one Again the helth of our body what other thing is it theÌ„ a coÌ„sent of diuâ—â—s qualities of which if one shold rule more theÌ„ another then 〈◊〉 néeds follow y many and dangeroê° diseases doo arise Of the same discord coÌ„â—s those mortall diseases which we are so plaged withall ofteÌ„times And therfore if we wold haue our bodely helth we need must séek for a teÌ„perature of those elements of which all thingê are compounded Finally if we compare our estate with brute beasts we shall finde that without Concorde we are most miserable For vnto the other creatures God hath giuen one thing or other for defence against their enemies but man is naked bothe without strength agilitie in comparison of theÌ„ and no other way can help or defend him self without succor of other By all which it is apparent that without concorde man is moste miserable He whiche is desirous to reade more of this mattter may doo wel to peruse the oration of Erasmus de Querimonia pacis Now as the naturall bodye of man as wee haue prooued bothe by that of Agrippa and other arguments without concorde cannot long continue so neither the ciuil body when the members be not in quiet and at concorde Examples to confirme the same are infinit of which I wil recite one or two We reade that Syracusa by the contention of two yung men about an harlot was almoste brought to desolation For some taking one parte and some another they grew to suche a multitude as open war was betwéene them Through whiche broile it came to passe that the nobilitie and magistrates were either slaine or brought to slauerie and the rude and raskall people inuaded and spoiled their cittie at their pleasure We se the frute of discorde The Grecians as long as they were at peace among them selues were conquerors of all men but after that ciuil dissention was among theÌ„ they were so far from béeing victors of the rest that they became villans a laughing