constantly to endure that which chauÌ„ceth vnto thée and to dissemble many thinges And Boiardo with his wonted elegancie sayth Se miseri mortal suffer prudenti In pensare aspettare antiuedere J vari casi li praui accidenti Che in questa vita possono accadere Sarebben sempre mat lieti contenti Et non harebbon tanto Dispiacere Quando fortuna auuersa glisaetta All'improuiso quando men s' aspettae that is If wretched mortall man were still prudent To thinke forecast and see on euery side The diuers chaunces and eche accident That in this lyfe may dayly men betide They should be euer merie and content And should also displeasure all abide When Fortune fell hir arrowe doth direct To them vnwareÌ„s when nothing they suspect That Vserers and false accusers are vvilde beasts that vvander in the ciuill life THeocritus and after Erasmus Diogenes the Cinicke béeing asked which were the cruellest beasts in the worlde sayde in the mountayns and woods the Lions Beares in Cities and Townes Vsurers and vniust accusers VVhat great vnquietnesse is in man SAinct Basill saith that men are wicked and vnthankfull neuer content with that they haue alwayes séeking for that they haue not sadde and sorrowfull for not obtayning the slaue his libertie the vnnoble man nobilitie the noble ryches the ryche Lordship the Lorde a Kingdome the King a Monarchie and the Empire of all the whole worlde That the ioy of this vvorlde dothe not long endure WHen Domenico da Cigoli was gone to Rome he had newes within few dayes after that his wife was dead wherefore he béeing excéeding ioyfull became foorthwith a Priest and obteyned the cure of his parishe but after he came home the first person that he sawe was his wife That vvisedome valiauntnesse of courage and other vertues are the sure and strong ankers of mans life PPythagoras the Philosopher sayd that we ought to choose the beste life and saue our selues from the blastes of Fortune as the galley is safe from the windes of the sea and that the riches in this mortall life are weake ankers glory weake and the strong body likewise weake so offices honours and all suche things sayth he are weake and without stabilitie and that the sure and strong ankers are wisedome valiantnesse of courage fortitude and vertue the which he affirmeth cannot be destroyed with any tempest al other things he accouÌ„teth follies dreames and winds That pouertie doth not giue anoye but mans insatiable greedinesse EPictetus the Philosopher sayd that pouertie dothe not cause disquietnesse but mans 〈…〉 and that riches doth not deliuer vs froÌ„ feare but reason and therefore added he moreouer if thou shalte vse reason thou shalte not couet superfluous ryches nor blame tollerable pouertie That vnexpert and ignorant men are vvorthily laughed to scorne BArnardo a Gentleman of Venice passing thorowe Padua lodged in an Inne and when he hadde well supped he went awaye without paying any money Wherevppon the Host asked him payment and the Gentleman waxed very angrie and sayde what payment askeste thou is not Padua ours yea sir answered the Host but the substance is ours That husbandes ought to beare muche vvith their vviues by reason of children ALcibiades asked Socraâ—es why he suffered so many quarrels and so many brawles whiche his wife made continually with him at home Why doste thou suffer aunswered Socrates so much keckling and annoy which thy hennes make at home bycause they sayd Alcibiades lay me Egges and hatch me chickens and my wife sayde Socrates doth bear me Children That the erroures caused of loue if they be not criminall are to be excused and pardoned PIsistratus the Tiranne of Athens shewed vpon a tyme a great token of humanitie bycause that a certaine yong man béeing in loue with a daughter of his and méeting hir in the streate coulde not refraine but kissed hir openly Wherevppon the mother being in a great furie incensed and prayed Pisistratus to put him to death But he smiling answered If we put him to deathe that loueth vs what shal we do to him that hateth vs Hovve muche Prognostications and foretellings proceeding of iudicial Astrologie are to be scorned is declared by this Prognostication of Pasquine of Rome THis nexte yeare the blinde shall sée little or nothing the deafe shall not heare the Sommer shall be hote and drye there shal be much Sunne it shal rayne somtime other while it shall thunder and lighten and also we shall haue tempest the spring shall be cold and moyst there shall be great wynds it shall rayne much and more in the nyghte than in the day There shall be great warre betwene birders and byrdes and greater betwene Fyshers and Fishes The water of ryuers shall runne foorthwarde and not goe backe and the greater shal fall into the Sea Many Oxen Shéepe Hogges Hartes and innumerable Pulleyn shall dye Death shal not make so great slaughter amoÌ„g Wolues Asses Horses and Mules This same yeare olde age by reason of yeares past shall be incurable there shal be many néedle persons many sicke and some shal dye before they be olde Ther shal be a diuers change of worldly matters it shall be dangerous to sayle on the west and north sea chiefly when ther is tempest The King and other Princes shall haue more than their part notwithstanding they shall not be content The people shall haue sometime good and sometime naughtie and other while meane fortune The ryche shall be in better case than the poore and the whole ordinarily shall be better than the sicke Eating and drinking shall be verie necessarie Golde shall be more sette by than Syluer and Leade shall be at a reasonable pryee The Plague and other diseases shall be in some places thorowe the resolution of Saturne in other places by reason of the aspect of Mars there shall ensue mortalitie and murders There shall be many yong men in loue by reason of Venus It shall be good to eate Capons Partriges and Quailes and to drinke the best wines shall be best The Moone shall be full in March or in Aprill when she shal be opposite to the Sunne but as she commeth to the heade oâ— taile of the Dragon she shall be darkened vntill she goe out from the shaddowe of the earth There shal be great brightnesse about the sphere of the Sunne there shall be great told in the vttermost Zones and vpon high Mountaines There shall be great heat and drynesse vnder the Equinoctiall About the Tuscane and Ionicke Sea there shall be great plentie of moysture and more also shal be about the Oceane Sea So many Stars shall be séene in the skye in the cleare night that no man nor woman shall be able to number them That the vice of anger is most hurtfull ARistotle sayth that anger is a perturbation of a cruel violent and dishonest mind the cause of strife the companion of calamitie the losse of honour the spoyle of ryches and the originall
haue the charge therof That it belongeth to vvyse and noble princes to maynteyne the safetie and strength of the coÌ„monaltie TItus seruant to Alexander the great went about to persuade him to enhaunce all the customes of his empire To whom Alexander nobly answerd in this sort I hate that gardiner whiche plucketh vp the rootes togyther with the hearbs And loue that shephearde which sheareth the shéepe and skinneth them not An aunswer doutlesse ryghte woorthy of Alexander the great That Peace hath fiue great enimies PEtrarcha was woont to say that fyue great ennimies of peace doe dwell wyth vs to witte couetousnesse ambition enuye anger and pryde and that if these ennimies were banished perpetuall peace without doubte should raigne among vs. An aduised and a byting aunsvver THere came a yong man a Greeke to Rome who very muche resembled Octauian the Emperour and all the people behelde him wherefore the Emperoure caused hym to come before him and maruelling at so greate a likenesse asked him whether his mother was euer in Rome To whome the yong man stoutly answered no and not contented herewith said moreouer but my father hath ben héere oftentimes Inferring hereby that he could not be the sonne of Octauians father but that Octauian might be his fathers son That a bolde and vvarie aunsvvere deliuereth men out of great daungers A Man of the Countrey going home from the field founde by channce a yong man vppon the bed with his wife and being about furiously to giue him a greate blowe vppon the head with an Axe that he had in his hand the woman with stedfast looke cryed out doe it not for he doth this for the God of loue and I do it for thrée bushels of corne that he hath promised me Now peraduenture the Countreyman fearing the gods displeasure or else being pleased when he heard of the thrée bushels of corne tourned backe and the louers finished their labour That bountie vvithout good choise is vvorthy blame SOcrates after Erasmus other attribute it to Democritus séeing a man so prodigall that he gaue to euery person without any choyce sayde I woulde thou mightest dye an euill death séeing that thou making euery man partaker of the Graces which are virgins doste make them harlots And Ennius to the lyke purpose sayde Benefacta malè locata male facta arbitror that is Pleasures ill imployed displeasures I do deeme That prouidence auoydeth the greatest daungers and rashnesse vvorketh the contrary THe swallowe falling into the company of other birds assoone as she first sawe hemp sowen sayd we had néede picke vp this séede for I sée well that we are layd in wait for but they laughing hir to skorne called hir foolish prophets When the hempe was growne the swallow told them that it stode them vppon to looke aboute and for all thys they scorned hir The hempe ripeneth and the swallowe againe giueth them warning to go away In the end séeing that they made no accompt of hir counsell she withdrewe hir selfe from the birds companie drewe néere to man where she liueth where she singeth and abydeth in safetie but by the meanes of hempe nets and snares are made for other birdes That rigoure and sharpnesse of maysters maketh seruants vnprofitable and vnapte ARistotle sayde that we oughte to haue regard and compassion of seruantes for if they do wéep and feare continually although they were neuer so wittie by nature and willing to do well the force of their wit minde is taken away That God alone is the absolute protectoure of the vvhole vvorld THe Erle Mathevv Maria Boiardo a lorde no doubt of great learning and iudgement comming into the companie of diuers Philosophers whyche dyuerslye discoursed of Fortune and so béeyng héerevppon asked hys opynion Hée courteouslye spake after thys sorte Destinie Fortune and Predestination Chaunce aduenture and fatall necessitie Do giue great anoy to men of eche nation And are more famous than euery great noueltie But in fine God alone of all things is ruler And he that is prudent may the starres master He that 's not vvyse pacient stout and hardie May lament of himselfe and not of destinie He that doth his ovvne businesse defileth not his handes ANtisthenes the Philosopher passing thorough the stréet with a péece of drye fleshe in his hande some of his friends maruelling at him sayd that it was a shame that suche a one as he was shoulde carie of himself such things abroade and not giue them rather to his seruant whome Antisthenes answeryng sayde But why maruell you I carrie this thyng for my selfe and not for an other Whervnto the Florentins alluding saye in a prouerb Châ— fa i fatti suoi moâ—s ' imbratta le mani that is Hée fouleth not his handes that doth his own businesse meaning hereby that it is no shame for a man to doe himselfe that which he hath to doe An opinion of Ciceros concerning the sharpnesse of vvitte IT is manifest saith Cicero that the wittes of men that inhabite vnder a pure and subtil aire are sharper and apter to vnderstande and perceyue things than they that dwell in a grosse and thicke aire Moreouer the qualitie of the meate that is vsed saith he maketh much also to the sharpnesse of the wit That a iust Prince ought to minister Iustice euen against his ovvne kinsfolke AT Florence in the time of Duke Alexander there was arrested one of the Medici an vnruly fellowe and such a one as woulde pay no man This séeming to him very straÌ„ge went incontinently to the Duke sorowing excéedingly that so small regard was had of his excelleÌ„cie bicause he that was of the same stocke was of suche a one with citations by way of Iustice shamed and in the ende attached But the duke who was a very redy man and a wyse sayd to him forthwith Oh go and pay him for he will cause thée to be put in prison which wil be a far greter shame vnto vs. That learned men do vvillingly feede themselues vvith learning THe Emperour Charles the fourth taking great delite in learning went to the schooles of Prague and hauing stayde there more than foure houres to heare woorthie men dispute perceiued that some of his nobles sayd that supper tyme passed away wherefore he nobly aunswered Lette hym sup that will as for mée I féede me more with thys than with a supper That the studie of loue letteth and turneth avvay euery other studie IErome of Padua a man very studious and learned red almost daye and night to come to his desired end but falling in loue in such maner gouerned himselfe that Alciate made vpon him these verses in effect The Lavvyer that had alvvays bent his mynde To studies graue is vvholly novve enclinde To vvanton loue â—e can himselfe vvithdravve So Venus doth vvith Pallas bidde auaunt From mindes enflamed and doth the vvorld daunt That death is abhorred euen of them that are in most miserie A Rhodian for that he had spoken amisse of
daye thorowe a clefte bare naked withoute hir knowledge to his dearest fréend Ligus Who séeing so fayre a thing was so farre in loue with hir that hée thought of nothing else but howe he mighte obtayne hir eyther by loue or force The woman on the other syde perceyuing hir husbands dooings by his spéeche and that he had lastly shewed hir to Ligus in that sort thought that shée was betrayde and that the Kyng woulde participate with other his delightes whervpon she tooke so great anger that forthwith she was at the commaundement of Ligus and consented to the death of hir husbaÌ„d and gaue hir selfe to the murdring adulterer togither with the kingdome That three thyngs chaunge the nature of man ARistotle sayde that thou shalte sée thrée things if thou doe marke them well that cause the Nature and condytion of a man to chaunge that is Lordship a woman and wyne That the â—uttleties and deceytes of Cortizans or rather vvhoores are great and not to seeke A French gentleman béeing in Rome went on an euening to lye wyth a Cortizan the whiche in the nyght taking occasion vntyed a piece of a chaine of golde which he had The next mornyng he putting it about his necke he founde that where it was woonte to come foure tymes aboute it would nowe come but thrée and a halfe Then the Cortizan comming before hym looked vppon hym wyth shewe and countenaunce of meruayle and sayde thus Sir doo you féele any griefe as me thinkes you doo and the woman sayde moreouer I can not tell whether you haue taken any colde bycause your head is waxed great and your face swolne and in speaking this she put a glasse in his hand of that sorte whiche maketh things appeare greater and larger than they are The Frencheman lookyng in a glasse and séeing so greate an alteration of his heade he stedfastely beléeued that his head was swoln and had taken some straunge disease wherevpon being very sorowful and maruelling no more at his chain wore it on that fashion afterwarde wofully telling his fréends of that swelling of his hed That businesse requireth the ovvners countenance and not deputiship CAto oftentimes said that the countenance of the owner helpeth much more than deputiship meaning that euery man ought to be presente in dooing of his things and not absent to commit them to other So a Persian béeing demaunded what was the best thyng to fatten a horsse he aunswered the owners eye And an Africane being demauÌ„ded what doong was the beste to fatten the grounde he aunswered the owners footsteps both signifying the presence Likewise the Poet Ennius to this purpose sayd If thou bee wyse weygh still in mynde This precept not to looke that friende Or kinsman doo for thee any way When thou thy selfe mayst do and say That beautie is a heauenly gift and grace of the auncients in diuers sorts praised and esteemed SOcrates called beautie a tyrannie of shorte tyme Plato a priuiledge of nature Theophrastus a secrete decayte Theocritus a delectable damage Carneades a solitarie kingdom Domitius sayd that there was nothing more acceptable Aristotle affirmeth that beautie is more woorthe than all the letters of commendation Homere sayd that it was a glorious gifte of nature and Ouide alluding to him calleth it a grace of God That the vvickednesse of gouernours doth oftentymes cause that the people rebell against the prince BAttus of Dalmatia béeing demaunded of Tyberius for what cause he rebelled so many tymes and had made so great a slaughter of the Romains he answered You your self Cesar be the cause for you appoynte not for your flocke shepherdes for kéepers but rauenous wolues Wherfore Plato diuinely sayeth that we ought to be very circumspect and take great héed how the gouernors and commissaries or Lieutenants of cities and countreyes be broughte vp and accustomed to the ende that lyke hungrie dogs they become not wolues and deuoure the flocke A notable vvay to knovv the qualitie of a man PAlingenius sayeth that who so euer will knowe of what qualitie a man is let him consider what maner frends he hath for nature doth willingly accompanie hir lyke the Florentine sayeth for a prouerbe Jddio fa gli huomini s'appaiouo that is GOD maketh men and they be séen And Cicero in the person of Cato sayth Pares cum paribus facillimè congregantur And in an other place he writeth Mores dispares disparia studia sequuntur That stoute men and true Christians dye for the faith vvith incredible constancie MAcedonius Theodolus and Tatianus béeing both Bishops and martyrs were in the tyme of Iuliane the Emperoure rosted for the faith vppon a grediron So they hauing fire vnderneth them that burned cruelly Macedonius turned to the iudge smyling sayd Oh if thou take pleasure to eate maus fleshe turne the other side to to the end thou mayst finde vs well broyled and seasoned That in this life are tvvo states to be desired the one of Princes the other of fooles SEneca sayd that in this worlde there must néedes be borne a king or a foole A king to be able to reuenge wrongs and to be able to correcte and chastise mens vices A foole for not to acknowlege offences and not to thinke of any thing To breake faith and promise is a thing detestable and greuously to be punished MErcurie delighting among other things in thefte in strife and robberies had stollen Apollos kine whiche none sawe but one man called Battus to whome Mercurie gaue one with condition that he shuld conceale the thefte Afterward to make triall of his fayth he turning himselfe into the lykenesse of Apollo came vnto hym and promysed hym a Bull yf he coulde tell hym of his kyne Battus blynded with the gayne discouered them Whervppon Mercurie being displeased turned him into a stone which of the ancients is called Index lapis parius lapis Heraclius lapis Lydius and Coticula in Englishe a touchestone Hovve ill fortune may be more easily endured THales Milesius béeing asked in what maner a man might more easily abide aduersitie he answered he shall endure it if he sée his enimies in worse estate than himself And the noble Alamanno sayth to this purpose The man vnhappie hath two coÌ„forts true laid vp in store The one is to recall to minde the tyme he liued before In greeater griefe the other is also to haue in mynde If in the vvorlde in worse estate he doth an other finde VVith vvhat suttletie greate princes ought to reigne after the opinion of Homer LEvves the eleuenth King of Fraunce had as it is very well knowne great warre and muche to do with the lordes and barons of his realme among whiche the Constable was also his aduersarie albeit secretly But afterwarde when that the king had ouercome all these lordes the Constable who as I say was not manifestly discouered sent to excuse him selfe to the King shewing that he had ben always loyall and trustie to him and to haue doone his
the farthest parts of the world and finally he is made like to God whose propertie is to do good to euery man and forgiue sinners That vvise men leaue not a certayne gayne for an vncertayne although it be muche greater WHen a fisher had taken in the sea a little fishe he went about to persuade the fisher to giue him libertie saying I am nowe so little that I shall doo thée little gooâ— but if thou do let me go I shall growe and so thou shalte haue more profite of me To whom the fisher sayde I were a very foole if I shoulde leaue that gayne which I haue presently in my hands although it be little for the hope of the gayne to come albeit it were very great And he added this saying of Terence Ego spem praetio non emo Hovve muche Gods helpe can do in humane things and contrarivvise hovv much Gods vvrath doth hurt ATlanta of the Ilande Scyros béeing a very fayre mayden and swiftest of foote baing wowed of many louers in way of maryage made a lawe that he that woulde haue hir shoulde runne with hir and if he ouercame hir she shoulde be his wyfe and béeing ouercome he should suffer death The which thing was attempted of many but all had the foyle and so they loste their liues It chaunced that Hyppomenes séeing on a time suche a wonderful beautie was kindled with the loue of hir in suche sorte that he was determined to gette hir by way of the cruell lawe But hauing well bethought him of his enterprise he wente afterwards like a wise man to aske counsell of Venus Who courteously gaue vnto him thrée apples of golde out of the garden of the Hesperides and taught him how he should vse them So he beeing entred in his course the mayden Atlanta ran swiftly before him Wherefore Hippomenes according as Venus had taught him cast one of the thrée apples vpon the grounde whervpon the maiden waxing very desirous for that brightnesse stouped downe to take it vp but forthwith thorow hir swiftnesse she ouertooke him and ran paste him Then Hippomenes caste downe the second that was fairer and goodlier than the first so that the mayden also more desirous to haue it lost so much time to take it vp that the louer making hast toke a little vauntage which she being swift soone recouered Notwithstanding he séeing hir almost at the ende of the course cast with good courage the thirde apple vppon the grounde much fairer than both the other of the which the damsell being so muche the more desirous with stedfast hope to ouertake and outrun hir louer stouped down to take it But in the mean season Hippomenes running apace ouerpassed hir and was at the marke before hir In this wyse he béeing conquerour ioyfully obtained the faire Atlanta to be his wife Wherfore he not being able to endure the loue hée bare hir in carying hir into his countreye brought her into the holy wood of Cibel mother of the gods there without reuerence of the place had to do with hir Wherwith Cibele being offended turned them both into Lions and sette them as it is also séene to drawe hir charyot VVhen vve must dine and suppe according to Diogenes the Cynike DIogenes the Cynike béeing asked of a certaine frende of his what tyme was beste for a man to dyne and suppe he aunswered He that is riche when he will and he that is poore when he may That vvise men make a iest of superstition A Citizen of Rome rysing in a morning founde that his shoes were gnawne with myse in the night which thing séeming to him monstrous taking it to be a naughtie signe token weÌ„t incontineÌ„tly sore dismayd to find Cato when he had founde him with great heauinesse he asked him what so strange and maruelous a thing betokened To whom Cato laughing answerd It is no maruel brother that the myse hath gnawne thy shoes it had ben a maruel if thy shoes had gnawne myse That foolishe and impertinent tauntes are soone vvrested against the taunters CAius Lelius being a very noble man born it happened that a man basely borne quarelling with him sayd vnto him Thou arte vnworthy of thy auncestours and thou sayd Lelius art worthy of thy now liuing pareÌ„ts That a mans counsell ought timely to be thought vpon contrarivvise a vvomans sodayne DEmocritus the Philosopher sayth that in councelles there is nothing worse than spéedinesse for that is full of errours wherof soone ensueth repentaunce And Bias of the same profession of Philosophie in like maner sayde that counsell had two great enimies to wit spedinesse and anger And Ariosto to this purpose sayth Th'vnthought counsels of women be better Than them which are of studie proceeded For this gifte alone to them is proper Emong so many from heauen bestovved But may that mischiefe of men be redrest Which ripe aduise doth timely not auayle Where vve to ponder oft in minde do fayle Sometimes is study great and labour prest That vaynglorie is oftentimes reputed for follie A Knight of Milan a vayne and boasting man came to Florence in ambassage and when amoÌ„g other his vanities he vsed braggingly to change oftentimes the chaine he did weare at his neck Niccolo Niccolini a man learned and ready maruelling at his fashions and despising suche great boasting sayd One chayne is inoughe for other fooles but this mans follie is such that he néedeth many That vayne ceremonies do little differ from vayne lyes MAster Giouanni della Casa sayd that this worde cirimonie that is ceremonies is straunge in the Tuscan tong for that the ancient Tuscanes knewe it not and therefore they could not giue it any name And he sayd moreouer that impertinent ceremonies do ordinarily little differ for their vanitie from lyes and that sometime they be not onely lyes vayne flatteries but wickednesse and treason bicause by the meanes of them men do not only flatter and deceiue but ofteÌ„times murder and betray their neighbour That euery man ought to speake of his ovvne and not of an other mans profession HAnniball of Carthage béeing come as a banished man to Ephesus to king Antiochus was vpoÌ„ a day requested of his frieÌ„ds to go to heare Phormio an excelleÌ„t Peripaâ—eâ—ike who discoursing many houres of the office of a captain and of the arte of warre very â—loquently contented his hearers maruellously Wherefore Hanniball béeyng asked of them howe he liked so worthy a man he smylyng aunswered I haue séene in my tyme many old men dote but I neuer saw none that doted more than Phormio doth That God hath appoynted to euery man his office and that he doth not allovv that men should go beside it VEnus being beaten of Diomedes woulde with weapon bée reuenged but Iupiter calling hir sayd Daughter myne thy office is not to be occupied in warlyke affaires but about women and louers Wherfore attend about loue kisses embracings and pleasures And as for warlike affaires Mars and Minerua
are iudged by things past Assai presto si fa quel che si fa bene That which is done wel is done soon inough A tutto è remedio eccetto che alla morte There is a remedie for all things sauing for death La legge nasce dal peccato la gastigò The law groweth of sinne and chastiseth it Pari con pari bene stae dura Like with like well agréeth and endureth Chitroppo abbraccia nulla stringe He that embraceth too much bindeth nothing and as the common English Prouerbe is All haue all loose I patti rompone le leggi Couenaunt breaketh lawe Vn ' huomo val cento cento vn huomo non vaglione One man is worth a hundred and a hundred is not worthe one Jl sanio non si dee vergognar di mutar proposito A wise maÌ„ ought not to be ashamed to change his purpose La marauiglia è figliuola dell'ignoranza Maruell is the daughter of ignoraunce J fatti sono maschi le parole femine The déeds are many the words womanly Quanto piu s' honorano le richezze tanto piu vilipendonsi le virtù The more that riches is honored the more is vertue despised Il tempo è padre della verita Et l'esperienza è madre delle cose Time is the father of truth And experience is the mother of things Chi semina virtu raccogliè fama Et vera fama supera la Morte He that soweth vertue reapeth fame And true fame ouercommeth death That the lavves thorovve ignorance and wickednesse are muche corrupted by the Iudges ALexander Alessandrini a very excellente doctoure and aduocate when he had loste at Rome against all righte and reason a matter of weighte forsooke willingly his practise gaue himselfe to the study of humanitie saying that the greatest parte of them that in these dayes sit in iudgemente as ignorant men doe not vnderstande the lawes or as naughtie men do corrupt the lawes That the readinesse of mynde and tongue is peculiar to valiant men WHen newes came to Athens although false of a certayn victorie for their profite Stratocles suche as they were declared them foorth with to the people and persuaded them to make a feast and reioyce Afterward when the true newes of the contrarye came and howe their armie was put to flight discomfited the people thynking theÌ„selues mocked were in a rage and thretned to put Stratocles to death who were sorie that he had lyned so long WhervpoÌ„ he hearing these wordes went forth boldly to the people sayd And why are ye wearie of me you vnthaÌ„kfull persons what hurt haue I done you to kéepe you thrée days long in feasting and mirth That sleepe is the brother of death GOrgias Leontinus lying at the point of death gaue himselfe by little and little to sléepe wherefore his cousin Polidorus askyng him howe he did he answered wel I féele the sléep wil giue me ouer to his sister Alluding to the opinioÌ„ of Homer the sléepe is the brother of death That a mans dealing is full of deceite and trouble PEtrarcha sayd that hunters and fowlers vse not so much studie and pitch not so many nets and snares for wild beasts and birds as crafty men lay for the simple And added moreouer if thou wilte not then be deceyued either dye or deale not with men VVhat and hovve many kinds there are of vvorldly or humaine goodnesse and vvherevppon the true felicitie dependeth THere are thrée kinds of goods after Aristotle in man to wit of fortune of the body of the mind The goods of Fortune are riches and souerainties them of the body health and good complexioÌ„ them of the mind knowledge and vertue But of the laste alone sayde he moreouer dependeth the true felicitie for that it is the proper operation of our minde and not of the body neither of fortune Notable conceits of Timon of Athens TImon of Athens was a very seuere cittizeÌ„ who when he was asked for what cause he so hated men aunswered I hate not yet them all but the wicked for their desertes others bycause they hate not the wicked The same TimoÌ„ was wont to say that there were foure beginnings of al mischiefs enuy pride couetousnesse and ambition VVith vvhat lets the desires of vertue are assayled DAnte sayd that such as sought the way that leadeth to the soueraine good are as it were alwayes assayled with thrée principall impediments which with all endeuour they ought to breake The first of them he sayd to be the delight of the senses figured by the Lyonesse faire and hote by nature she for luxuriousnesse accompanied with gluttonie and slouth The second to be the glory of the world expressed by the proud and disdainfull Lyon and he for ambition and pride accompanied with anâ—er The thyrd to be the getting of worldly welth signified by the shée wolfe malicious and hungrie and she for couetousnesse follewed at the hard héeles with enuy That hunger thirst are the sauce of meat BOccace sayd that there is nothing that maketh meat and drinke better to rellishe than hunger and thirst gyuing for example how Darius in fléeing from AlexaÌ„der the great being very drye had drunken very foule and stinking water and sayd afterwarde that he neuer dranke a better drinke And that Ptoleme King of Egypt going a hunting and hauing lost his way was hungrie and wente to a shepherds house where finding nothing but tough brouns bread affirmed afterward that he neuer dyd eate better meat That the desires of men are diuers DIuers and worthye of consideration are the disires of men Sainct Austine wished that he might sée Christe carnally Sayncte Paule preaching and Rome triumphing Augustus desired Scipios stoutnesse of mynde Pompeis beneuolence and Caesars fortune Caligula a most cruell Emperoure wished that the people of Rome had had but one heade to the ende he mighte haue striken it off at one blowe Philoxenus desired to haue his neck as long as a Cranes to taste for a longer space his meate and drinke That presents ought to be forbidden them that are in office CAius Cincius a seuere and iust man sette foorth a lawe to the people by the whiche he forbad that the Senators shold take no presents wherfore Caius Centus a gréedy and couetous man stoutly stoode against it and said knowest thou what thou sayest Cincius To whome no lesse stoutly he aunswered I saye Caius that thou shouldest buie that whiche thou must occupie In vvhat great miserie vvorthy men are brought sometimes through the fault of others BEllisarius the Captain of Iustinian the Emperoure ouercame the Vandals triumphed ouer the Persians deliuered Italy many times of Barbarians wherefore the Emperoure through enuie and suspition prouiding for so great and prosperous successe in stede of a reward caused his eyes vniustly to be pulled out So the most noble man was lastly driuen to liue by begging And he standing in a little cottage that
set his whole desire And Ariosto sayth Quel che l'huom vede Amor gli fa inuisibile Et l'inuisibil fa veder ' Amore. that is That thing which man doth see loue to him makes vnseene And the vnseene loue maketh to be seene A maruellous stoutnesse of a mans minde accompanied vvith pitie tovvardes his countrie WHen Lucius Scilla had ouercom by force of armes the Citie of Prenâ—ste he gaue leaue and commission to the Souldiers that they should destroye it and kyll all the Citizens sauing his Host meaning with this good turne to shewe himselfe thankfull vnto hym for manye curtesies receiued of hym at other times in his lodging But that valiant Citizen hering of this commission went foorth incontinently out of his house disguised preasing in among other of his countrimen sayd that he had rather die than owe his life to the destroyer of his countrie Counsels of great Captains to saue themselues and to ouercome their ennimies KIng Antigonus retiring from his enimies whiche then were stronger than he was said to him that peraduenture blamed him for fléeing away that he fled not but that he went thither where his profit and commoditie lay The same king being asked in what sorte a man might vanquishe his ennimies aunswered wyth strength and wisdome and if the Lions skin be not enough take the Wolfes too Erasmus attributeth this last saying also to Lysander Captaine of the Lacedemonians That Princes ought to displace the craftie and vvicked instruments of iustice ALphonsus King of Arragon hauing intelligence that a frenche Phisition who was a Sophister and verye subtile but of a moste gréedie minde leauing of Phisicke became an aduocate and with his Sophisticall pointes encombred the whole Courte made an Edicte oh most iust King that al the causes which the frenche aduocate tooke in hande should be accoumpted false and vniust Philosophicall obseruations in mankynde AS often sayde Diogenes as in mans life I thinke of the gouernours of countries Philosophers Phisitions and other lyke persons mée seemeth truely that there is no lyuing creature wyser than man Contrariwise when I beholde the interpretoures of Fortune the Prognosticatours of Starres the Diuinoures of heauenly things and the like generatioÌ„ me thinketh that no creature which beareth life is more foolishe than he That vvise men are thankfull to God for benefites receyued COsimo of the Medici Duke of Florence he the which for his wisedome was surnamed the wise did spende as it is wel knowen and founde in stories vppon buylding of Churches Monasteries and Hospitalles not onely in his countrey but also throughout many other partes of Europe aboue foure hundreth thousande Ducates besides other great and small almes déedes whiche he dyd dayly to marrie maydes to make Nunnes and for other workes which were thoughte holy Wherefore euery man maruelled at so great liberalitie and so great Religion That most wise gentleman was went sometyme to say to his dearest friendes that he was neuer able to spende and giue so muche for Gods sake as he found owing him in his bookes of account That the vyell framed minde endureth all trouble and displeasure FAuorinus the Philosopher sayde that euen as the body well disposed endureth colde heate and other griefes so the mynde well framed endureth displeasure thoughte and aduersitie To vvhat maner perturbations or vices of man the three furies of hell are correspondent THe Poetes write that the infernall furies daughters of Acheron and the night the which do vexe mans minde are thrée to witte Alecto Tisiphone and Megera they lyken Alecto to vnquietnesse bicause she desireth pleasure they lyken Tisiphone to anger bicause she séeketh reuengement they lyken Megera to pride bicause she desireth riches and soueraintie That the minde is the guyde and the true life of man SAlust sayth that the mind is the guyde and gouernoure of mans life and that the faire face the strong body great riches and other lyke thinges are transitorie and endure but a while but that the worthy déedes of the witte and minde are diuine and immortall Wherefore Viuitur ingenio caetera mortis erunt By wit we liue the rest to death belong In vvhat things humanitie doth chiefly consist PLato sayd the curtesie and nobilitie of man consisteth chiefly in thrée things the first is in saluting people gently the seconde in helping ones neighbour in his businesse and the third in bidding ones friends oftentimes to a moderate feast That it is a very harde thing to knovve the nature of men PHilomenes the Philosopher sayde when I consider that euery kind of bruite beasts haue one nature alone as the Lions which are all strong and hardie the Hares which are all fearefull and cowardly the Foxes which are all craftie the Eagles valiaunt the Doues simple in so muche that among a hundreth thousande of these or suche like beastes there is not founde one that swarueth out of kinde wherefore if the kinde be knowne the nature is by and by knowne I am sory truely for the state of man which haue more natures than there be persons so that it is impossible to know them al nay rather very harde to knowe one of so many without long time That death hath no more regard of yong men than of olde WHen there were dead at Milan in short space of diuers diseases certayne noble and courteous yong men Alciato made vpon that occasion in the Italian tongue these wittie verses Albergauano insieme Amore Morte Et la mattina desti Nel partirsi ambedue per dura sorte Cangiar le strali onde ferendo Amore Igiouani morien miseri mesti Et la Morte impiagando à mezzo'l câ—ore Ivecchi ardeuau d'amoroso ardore O potente signore Et tu de corpi nostri empia Regina Ritoruateui l'armi acchioche mota Jt vecchio viua li giouanetto in giona that is Both death and loue were lodged in one place And day did spring At parting both by cancred fortunes case They chaunged dartes wherfore loue sore wounding The heauy yong men died full of mourning When death with darte the fainting harts did frie The old men liud in loue and did not dye O Lord mightie And if our bodies fraile thou wicked Queene Retourne the weapons that to diâ—e deaths teene The olde may yeelde while yong men mery beene A notable discription of arte in mans shape THe most famous master Daniel Barbaro going about to transforme the knowledge of things into mans shape did paint it out in this sorte little of frature the eyes of the coloure of the skye the nose lyke an Eagle the eares very equall the necke shorte the brest large and as mother of all things full of teates the shoulders bigge the armes the palmes of the handes and the fingers long al tokens after Aristotle of great vnderstanding capacitie and study after in countenaunce in going and in apparell he made hir ready nimble and wakefull aboute euerie thyng but so seuere aduised
all the residue Lette me sayde Phocion be still suche a one as he thinketh mée now to be and let him not goe about to corrupt me with money So he refused that money of the king knowing it to be full of craft and deceyte for his countrey That men although they be old and miserable desire for all that to liue A Poore olde manne caryed from the wood a bundle of stickes and beyng weary of that miserable lyfe fell down to the ground and as desperate called for death who forthwith appearing asked hym what he woulde haue To whom the oldeman seeyng hir so horrible by and by repented him and sayde I pray thée helpe mée to laye vp this bundle vpon my shoulders An example vvorthie of remembrance of loue tovvardes ones countrey WHEN there was in Rome an excéeding greate dearth of corne Pompey the great was declared purueyoure but in effect as lorde of the sea and lande he went to Sicilia to Affricke and Sardinia and gathering togither with a great borrow great plentie of corne made all the haste he coulde to retourne to Rome with the firste But the weather béeing contrarie and a tempeste appearing the Mariners vtterly refused to goe to sea with so great danger Wherfore Pompey first taking shipping caused the sayles to be hoyssed vp and spreade saying Necessitie constrayneth vs to sayle but no necessitie constrayneth vs to liue That giftes please God and men QVintus Fabius Maximus hauyng intelliligence that one Marsus his souldior a very worthie and skilfull man in the arte of warre was secretely in practise to consent to his enimies caused him to be called vnto him without shewe of knowing any thing or of hauing any suspition of him was sorie with himself he neuer asked any thing of him saying Why askest thou not wilte thou alwayes hold me for thy detter Afterward he giuing him a very faire and couragious horse and money and shewyng him many curtesies in the warre bounde him vnto him and made him moste faithfull Wherfore Ouide truely sayde Munera crede mihi placant hominesque deosque that is Both Gods and men beleeue me giftes do please That he vvhich hath chiefe authoritie vnder a Prince and is sodainly aduaunced to honour most commonly is subiect to enuie WHen the lord Cromwel a man of great wisedome was in greatest prosperitie and exercised his authoritie as some say verie arrogantly and proudely chiefly againste the nobles there was one of them who to shew him that he ought not to make himself equall with them and that he came in the tempeste of enuie and therfore shoulde perishe caused vpon a nyght these wittie Verses of Alciate to be fastened to his dore Crebbe la zuccatà tanta altezza ch'ella Aun ' altissimo Pin passò le cima E mentrè abbraccia in questa parte en questae Irami suoi superba oltre ogni stima Jl pino ride a lei cosi fauella Breue è la gloria tua perche non prima Verrà il verno di neui vt ghiaccio cinto Ch'ogni vigor in te sara estinto The Gourde did growe to suche a heyght that she Did of a loftie Pyne the toppe surpasse And whylest she beyonde all measure proude Did twinde hir twigs on this side and on that The Pine did laugh and to hir thus gan say Short is thy glorie for no sooner shall The winter come with frost and snowe yfraight But all thy strength in thee shall be extinct A meete ansvvere for spitefull speche WHen a man of most wicked life caste Diogenes in the téeth that he had béen in times past a forger of false money he answered saying I knowe that the time hath béene when I was suche a one as thou arte nowe but suche a one as I am nowe thou wilt neuer be That the arrogancie of some presumptuous persons is oftentimes scorned by the promptnesse of an other MAister Frauncis Pescioni and a certaine Gréeke discoursed togither of dyuers things and in processe of talke they fell in disputation and in disputing they pricked one an other so that the Gréeke arrogantly sayde With whom speake you thinke you know you not that I am a Gréeke and that out of Greece came all vertues Inferryng that of the Gréekes in time past other nations had taken them But Pescione who considered the presente state of that prouince answered wittily saying you say truth that al vertues came oute of Greece for it is not séene there remaineth any one at this day That fathers ought to make accompt of their children according to their desertes not othervvyse THe Philosopher Aristippus when he was reproued of some of his frends bycause he had refused cast off one that was his owne naturall sonne sayd vnto them What know you not also that sweate and lyce are engendred of vs and notwithstanding as things filthie and vnprofitable they are abhorred and cast away So ought we to do with children when they deserue it as myne for hys wickednesse doth greatly deserue And Marcus Antonius the Emperor and Philosopher when he was asked at the poynte of death of the standers by to whom he would commend his sonne sayd First to God almightie and afterward to you if he be worthie The same Emperour when he saw at that present time his fréends and seruantes wéepe sayde And why wéepe you and are not rather sorowfull for death common as well to you and to all miserable men as to mée VVomens counsell sometimes is much vvorth WHen certaine conspirators of Forli had slayne Earle Hierome their prince taken prisoners his sonnes and the Countesse Catherine his wife lawfull inheretrix of the state they toke and held the Citie with force But forasmuche as the Castle was kepte for the Prince and the Captaine not mynded to yelde it they thought that without it they had nothing at all preuailed whervpon the worthie Countesse quickly taking in hand a most noble exployt promised that if they would let hir enter in she woulde cause if foorthwith to be giuen ouer leauing for the performance of hir promyse hir sonnes for hostages Then after they were agréed the woman went into the Castle and came by and by to the walles reprouing the conspiratoures with moste sharpe wordes for the death of hir husbande and threatning them with all kindes of punishment Wherfore they taking hir sonnes and a knyfe in hande made as thoughe they woulde kill them in hir presence if she kept not promise with them But the couragious Countesse without changing hir coūtenance immediatly taking vp hir clothes before with fierce looke sayd vnto them And doe not you think that you play the fooles bycause I haue fourmes to make other so that they late espying their faulte lefte behynde them those hir sonnes and in hast as it seemed best to them sled out of the citie That couetousnesse is a thyng monstrous and pestiferous BOiardo when he sawe a neyghbour of his a verie riche man broughte thorough
saying hereafter we will speake more of this matter That soone pricketh vvhich vvill be a thorne IT is written of the Lacedemonians that they put to death the kings sonne being a boy when they sawe him pull out litle birds eyes For hereby the Lacedemonians iudged that he would be tyrannous by nature and if he should rule that he woulde be cruell to his countrymen and subiectes A briefe summe of the nevve and olde testament MOyses in the beginning speaketh of the essence or beyng of God secondly of the creation thirdly of the making of man and of the promisse set foorth by the which man was restored and began agayne to build the Churche Afterward there followe excellent promisses Furthermore in Exodus the law is set out which is the euerlasting worde of God requiring obedience and condemning the disobedient In the bookes of the kyngs examples of obedience and disobedience are set forth Dauid is receyued afterwarde the promise is renewed fynally the prophetes make the same more manifest and plain In the new testament all the articles of christian doctrine are expessely declared VVhat things breede all mischiefe THese fiue things chiefly bring the coÌ„mon wealth far out of frame as one affirmed to wéete A false iudge in the consistory a deceiptful marchant in the market a couetous Prieste in the Church a faire whoore in the stewes and flatterie in Princes Courtes VVho are notable fooles A Faithfull louer of maides a faire gamster and a mercifull souldiour are sayde to be too foolishe VVhat housholde is vnprofitable THis familie of all other is said to be most vnprofitable and vnpleasaunt a henne withoute egges a sowe withoute pigges a cowe withoute milke a daughter that wandreth abroade in the nighte a sonne a gamster a wife priuily spending hir husbandes goods and a maide seruant with childe VVhosoeuer vvanteth money is nothing set by MOney can bring all things to passe and without money the good estimation of a man is nothing worth For except one haue money neither nobilitie nor knowledge or anye vertue is auailable Pallade saying is not muche vnlike this Golde openeth all things and the gates of hell A certaine man saide vnwisely Although my father were a hangman my mother a common harlot yet if I haue money I am well liked of and honored Wherfore it is said moreouer in a prouerbe Much wisedome is lost in the poore mans purse that is poore men are despised in whom oftentimes is much wisedome bicause pouertie is not regarded neither now a dayes is exercised in exployting of things and except one be riche he is neuer thought wise and of vnderstanding neyther is vsed in weightie matters whiche require wysedome Wherevnto Iuuenall alludeth in his seuenth Satire Rara in tenui facundia panno that is A poore mans speech but seldome pleasant is That three things displease both God and men A Poore man proude a riche man a lyer and an olde man a louer Foure things do corrupt all iudgements FAtte gyftes Hatred Fauoure and feare Foure things cannot be kept close Loue the cough fyre and sorowe Foure things kill a man before his time A Fayre wyfe an vnquiet housholde vnmeasurable meate and drinke and a corrupte aire Foure deedes of a Tyranne THe propertie of a Tyranne is to destroy the good to hate the poore to aduaunce the wicked and to abolishe vertue Foure sortes of men get friends THE liberall the gentle the myghtye or ryche and they that are easye to bée spoken vnto That a man is not to be iudged by his face A Man oughte not to be iudged by his face for we cannot know a man only by outward things and by the face bycause we be ignorant what lieth hidden in his mind for many hiding their wickednesse do faynedly shew in face great honestie The very which Iuuenal in his seconde Satyre sayeth Fronti nulla fides that is Trust not the face That vve oughte to take heede of flatterers as of poyson ALphonsus saide that flatterers are not vnlyke Wolues for euen as Wolues by tickling and clawing are wont to deuour Asses so flatterers vse their flatterye and lyes to the destruction of Princes Of Vsurers SAinct Bernard affirmed that onely by this meanes vsurie mighte be exercised wythout sinne if money were lent them whych could not restore the principall Of Hunting HVnting as Albert the Emperour sayde is a manly exercise and dauncing a womans exercise and that he could be wythout any other pleasure sauing Hunting Tvvo things necessary for him that vvill lyue quietly in matrimonie ANthony Panormita a very pleasant man béeyng asked what things be thoughte most necessarye to the leadyng of ones lyfe pleasantlye and merily in mariage taking an argument of the manyfolde great troubles which happened in the maried life answered that two things only were néedeful the husbande to be deafe and the wife blind least that she should sée very manye things which were vntemperately done of hir husband and least he should heare his wife continually chatting at home Pollicies of VVarre IT is very much vsed in Jtaly that the best Captaines haue manye volumes of pollicies wise counsels of warre aswel of their auncientes as of them of latter time The French men are saide to haue vsed in tyme paste this pollicie againste the Emperours souldioures They sent before carters laden with Silkes other clothes which the Emperours souldiours fearing nothing gréedily laide handes vpon In the meane season the FrenchmeÌ„ inuaded toke them sodenly vnawares with their host of horsmen whilest they striued among themselues for the pray Cymon a most wise and valiant Captaine was indued with so greate a modestie that when he broughte with him oute of â—onia a Poet which had set forth his prayses ouer large he was nothing delighted therewith but toke it verye grieuouslye For he said that of nothing that euer he did he sought anye praise but only of one stratageme or policy And this was such a one as he vsed towards the Lacedemonians his countrey men wythout the offence or hurt of any For when he had ouercom the Persians in a great conflict and had brought manye prisoners a huge praye from that battaile all which togither were to be deuided by him among his countrimen Cymon beyng not ignorant of the Lacedemonians couetousnesse commaunded that al the Gold and Siluer should be set on one side the bodies of the Captiues clad in vile apparell shuld be placed on the other and gaue afterward the choise to the Lacedemonians But they being deceyued throughe couetousnes gréedily chose that side wherein the Gold and Siluer was placed moreouer gaue Cymon thankes for so liberall a deuision sufferance of choise But Cymon got no lesse praye togither with praise For there were among the Captiues manye moste noble and ryche men which when he suffered to raunsome themselues gathered also with thankes a great summe of money by their raunsome and deliuerance much greater than