commoditie thereof A notable law for the common instruction of children Of Gymnastick or bodilie exercise The end of Musicke The vse of painning Fower things to be vsed in the institution of youth Instruction which consisteth in six precepts 1. The first precept The first thing that youth must learne is to worship God We can do nothing without the grace of God 2. The second precept Youth must not glorie in transitoric goods Nor in bodilie beautie The fruits of true knowledge and vertue 3. The third precept The common diseases of youth Modestie is the best remedie for them 4 The fourth precept hath fower branches 5. The fift precept 6 The sixt precept Of admonition Of promises Youth is to be drawne on with the promises of eternall life Of praises and threatnings Hope and feare are the foundation of vertue Adolescencie is the age betweene 14. 28 Place and time are to be considered in all things All kind of behauior not conuenient in all ages Of the diuision of the ages of man The number of seuen accounted a perfect number Of the climactericall yeere of 63. The whole age of man diuided into six parts Of Infaucie Of Childhood * He meaneth not common naturall infirmities but malitious offences Two things requisite in a Schoolemaister skill and bonestie of life The benefit that commeth by good Schoolemaisters A strang custom vsed by the children of Rome The reason oâ— this word Iuuentus Of adolescencie The fruits of adolescencie being left to it self Aurelius exhortation to his sonnes gouernours Concupiscence raigneth most in Adolescencie Who are to be accounted free Knowledge and iudgement are the gard of adolescencie Catoes sonne banished for breaking an earthen pot And Cinnaes sonne for gathering fruite without leaue How the Romanes taught their yoong men to forsake the follies of their first age The dutie of yoong men A moderate youth maketh a happie old age Examples of vertuous young men Alexander a paterne of vertue in his youth Bucephalus Alexanders horse Pompey Papyrius Of 〈◊〉 maâ—s estate The dutie of a man at the perfection of his age Clitomachus M. Aurelius Solon learned to the hower of his death Socrates learned musick being old T. Varro and M. Cato learned Greeke when they were old Iulianus Alphonsus Of old-age Psal 90. 10. Prudence is the ornament of old age What Senate is and froÌ„ whence it came What vse is to be made of a white beard Epaminondas salutation vsed to men according to their ages Cato What breedeth authoritie in a man Sophocles To whom old age is not grieuous The soule is not subiect to mans iurisdiction Gal. 3. 18. Col. 3. 11. Gal. 5. 1. 13. Rom. 13. 1. 2. All power is of God The beginning and preseruation of policies is from God Of commanding and obeying Policie is the bond of all societie There is shew of commanding and obeying in all things As in harmonie The superior part of the world ruleth the inferior The Sunne is king and the Moone Queene among the starres The Moone ruleth ouer all moistures The Fire and Aire chiefe among the elements The Eagle Lion whale and pike ouer their kinds No people without all policie Diuine iustice humane policie always linked togither Religion is the foundation of all estates The auncieâ—â— law makers established then ordinance through the means of religion Religion the greatest means of inlarging the Roman empire What Policie is and from whence the word is deriued The diuers significations of this word Policy Of the end of policie Ciuil ordinance ought to maintaine the worship of God Euery estate coÌ„sisteth of 3. parts of the magistrate the law and the people When common-wealths are right and when corrupt The good or euil estate of coÌ„mon wealths dependeth of the magistrates next vnder God The diuision of common-welths in generall The subdiuision of them Of a monarchie Of a tirannie Of an Aristocratie and what it signifieth The Lacedemonian estate was an excellent paterne of this gouernment Why the Senate of Lacedemonia was first instituted What power the kings of Lademonia had The policie of Polydorus and Theopompus to get the power out of the peoples hands Why the Ephories were appointed in Lacedemoniâ— Of an Oligarchâ— How an Oligarchie is changed into a tirannie with examples thereof Of a Timocraty * His meaning is that it is ruled by some lawes taken from ccb of these Of a Democratie Fiue kinds therof according to Aristotle in his 4. booke of Politi ca. 4. Athens a Democratical estate Of a mixt kinde of common-wealth Examples hereof The perfectest distinction of common-wealths There is difference between the estate and the gouernment of a common-wealth Examples of the popular estate Of the Aristocraticall Of the Monarchicall What right is The foundation of euery estate is the soueraigntie therof Euery estate coÌ„sisteth of 3. parts The magistrate is the image of God The wisest must rule Why God distributeth his gifts diuersly to diuers men A well gouerned familie resembleth the kingly regiment Gen. 10. 10. Of the originall of kingdoms Cicero his opinion therein What soueraigntie is A little king asmuch a Soueraigne as the greatest Monarch Of the name of Magistrate The Dictator of Rome was called Magister populi The calling of Magistrates prooued to be lawfull Psal 82. 6. Iohn 10 35. 2. Chron. 19. 6. Prou. 8. 15. 16. The calling of the Magistrate is most holie He is the minister of Gods iustice Good counsell for Magistrats The Magistrate compared to the hart of a liuing creature And to a Carpenters rule The Magistrate is in the Common wealth that which reason is in the soule The example of the Magistrate is the best way to teach the people Whereunto the Prince is bound aswell as his subiect The dutie of the Magistrate consisteth in three things The art Royall Philosophicall and Politicall is all one Who is most woorthie of soueraigne authoritie Why there are so few vertuous Princes Wherin the dutie of the chiefe Magistrate consisteth Why the sword is put into the Magistrates hand Ier. 22. 3. What is meant by this precept Do Iudgement and Iustice Prou. 16. 12. 20. 8. 26. Prou. 25. 4. 5. He that suffreth euill is culpable aswell as he that committeth it Seueritie and clemencie are to be linked togither in a Magistrate Ciuilitie and grauitie must be ioined both togither in a Magistrate The dutie of the Magistrate Al motions contained vnder one and all causes vnder the first The law is the blood and bond of the Common-wealth The law is the spirite and soule of the common-wealth All creatures are sociable by nature The prerogatiues of men aboue other creatures What a citie is The diuers ends of the three good Common-wealths A king must line vnder a law albeit he be not subiect to the lawe The marke of a soueraigne Wisd 6. 3. How far Princes are subiect to lawes Wherein the absolute power of Princes consisteth The definition of the law The diuision
their backes The third thing is that they must seeke their masters profite and commoditie more than their owne and take good heede that no harme losse or trouble come vnto them And if any goe about to procure any such thing they must vndertake the defence thereof diligently euen to the hazarding of their liues if neede bee The last point which good seruauntes are to keepe is to vse a double silence the first that they replie not againe to their masters commaundementes although sometymes they suppose that they know better what is to be done than they that commaund them The second that they reueale not to others their masters secretes nor sowe them out of his house To be short we cannot giue them better instruction than that of Saint Paule saying Seruauntes be obedient vnto them that are your masters according to the fleshe in all things not with eye-seruice as men-pleasers but in singlenes of hart fearing GOD. And whatsoeuer ye doe doe it hartilie as to the Lorde and not vnto men knowyng that of the Lord yee shall receiue the reward of the inheritaunce for yee serue the Lorde Christ. And else-where he exhorteth them againe to be subiect to their masters and to please them in all thinges not aunswering agayne neyther pickers but that they shewe all good faithfulnesse that they may adorne the doctrine of GOD our Sauiour in all thinges Nowe for examples to all seruauntes that are desirous to effect their dutie towards their masters we will propound two the one olde the other of late yeeres which giue sufficient testimonie of a sonne-like rather than of a seruile affection Antonius beyng ouercome of Augustus and dispairing of his safetie vrged the promise of Eros his seruant in whom he trusted bicause he had giuen his faith long before that hee would kill him when he required the same at his hands But the seruaunt drawyng his sword and holding it out as though hee would haue killed him turned his face on the one side and thrust it into himselfe cleane through his bodie Maurice duke of Saxonie beyng in Hungarie against the Turke and walking out of the campe onely with his seruaunt was set vpon by certaine Turkes and his horse being slaine he was throwen to the ground But his seruaunt cast himselfe vpon him couered and defended him with his bodie sustained and kept backe the enimies vntil certaine horsemen came and saued the Prince but died himselfe not long after beyng wounded on euery side Therefore to ende our present discourse let vs learne that it is a great and commendable vertue and beseeming euery good and gentle nature to know how to obey well and to giue honour and seruice to those that occupie the degree of fathers lordes and masters ouer vs as also to loue our brethren with an indissoluble loue to reuerence one an other the younger honouring the elder and the elder yeelding all dueties of sincere loue to the younger Let vs not be lesse afrayd of the curse repeated so often in the Scripture against disobedient children than the auncients were of that lawe which condemned them to be stoned to death when they would not obey the voyce of their Parents nor harken vnto them when they instructed them but let vs much more feare that punishment which will continue for euer where there will be weepyng and gnashing of teeth Of the education and instruction of Children Chap. 51. ARAM. WHen we intreated of the duetie of a father of a familie towards his children we sayd that the chief marke whereat he ought to aime was to make them honest and good of condition which was to be performed by instruction and good bringing vp in the knowledge and exercise of vertue Now bicause the chiefe foundation of a happy life is good instruction begun in youth so that if the infancie of any bee well brought vp as Plato saith the rest of his life cannot but be good we ought as I thinke my Companions to take this matter againe in hand to follow and handle it more at large to the ende to prouoke Fathers and all such as haue authoritie ouer the younger sort to bee carefull and diligent in the well ordering of the seede of youth which is the spring and roote of all prosperitie both publike and priuate ACHITOB. We must not saith Plato be more carefull of any thing whatsoeuer than of the good education of children For if vpon their good bringing vp they become moderate and stayed men they will easily discerne euerie thing that is good And if good wits haue like education they will growe from better to better euerie day ASER. The beginning middle and ending of a happie life saith Plutarke consisteth in good education and bringing vp But it belongeth to thee AMANA to instruct vs in this so excellent a matter AMANA As a man cannot reape good wheate if he hath not sowen good seede nor gather good fruit of his trees if he had no care at the beginning to dresse them well nor to graft them with good sciences afterward so the corruption of mans nature which of it selfe is more enclined to euill than to good hindreth vertue from taking sure footing and roote in the soules of men if they be not from their very youth well and diligently instructed stirred vp and pricked forward to that which is honest and decent And truely that common-wealth is most miserable wherein this tillage of infancie is neglected For from this fountaine proceede rebellions seditions open murders contempt of lawes and commandemeâ—ts of princes pollings briberies heresies and Atheisme Therefore nothing was more esteemed from time to time among the auncients than the institution of youth which Plato calleth Discipline whereby children are led to this reason not to follow any thing but that which the lawe commaundeth and alloweth for good The monarchie of the Persians the common-wealth of the Lacedemonians and since that also of the Romans had certaine lawes compelling fathers to prouide that their children might be instructed not suffering them to be cast away and corrupted to the detriment of the common-wealth Amongst other lawes there was one called Falcidia whereby it was enacted that the child should be admonished for the first offence chastised for the second and for the third hanged and his father banished as if he had been partaker in the fault for want of good education and instruction of his sonne Heretofore we heard many testimonies of the care and trauell which famous and woorthie men tooke to instruct their children themselues Traian the emperour and after him Adrian at their owne costes and charges caused fiue thousand noble mens children of Rome to be brought vp in learning vertue and feates of armes Our auncient kings knowyng how necessarie this education of youth was builded long agoe and caused to bee framed so many goodly Colledges as we see in the Vniuersities of France yea the monasteries
com-Pared to a milstone The custome of the Egyptians Prouerb 31. 4. 5. Prou. 23. 29. â—0 Against masks mummeries The Israelites Lot Alexander Dionysius Lucullus The sumptuousnes of a Franciscan Frier Philoxenus Vitellius Muleasses Lewes Archbishop Charles 6. Against plaiers Against the curiositie of super fluous expences The beginning of ciuil warres How Heraclitus disswaded superfluitie Lycurgus banished all strange wares from Lacedemonia Why Cato would not chuse Publius General of the warre Agis Against excesse in apparell Augustus Agesilaus Epaminondas Examples of moderate traine of seruing men A good lesson for Princes and Magistrats to learne Commendable imposts for Princes to lay vpon their subiects A good law to cut off the occasions of idle expences Pouertie soâ—oweth superfluous expences Our pallate must not be more sensible than our hart Iames 5. 1. 5. 73. Emperors of Rome within 100. yeeres The force of desire to enioy any pleasure Two kinds of ambition What ambition is The effects of ambition The cause of ambitious desires Enuie a note of an ambitious man Sedition a fruit of ambition Ambitious men full of selfe-praise Ciuill warres a fruite of ambition Alcibiades A very fit admonition for France Caesar Pompey The Triumuirate The ambition of the Dukes of Orleans and Burgundy Ambitious men can be no good counsellers to Princes Effects of ambition in great men The names of Peace and Warre abused much by Princes Dionides answer to Alexander Examples of the fruits of ambition Fredericus 3. Antonius and Geta. Solyman Marcus Crassus iustly punished for his ambition Marius S. Melius M. Manlius How and wherin we may seeke for honor Cretes and Hermias Traians letter to Plutarke Vespasianus A notable saying of Titas Another of Philip king of Macedonia Pleassure the hooke of all euil Who they were that placed their chiefe Good in pleasure What pleasure is The fruits of pleasure The sundry profers which Vice and Vertue made to Hercules What whoredome is The effects of immoderate copulation Osey 4. 11. The effects and end of concupiscence Socrates disputation against incontinencie The fruits of whoredom The miserable effects of Adulterie Zaleucus law against adulterie The law of lulia against adulterers The punishment of adulterers vsed among the Egyptians Alexander hated adulterie Anthonie duke of Venice Testimonies of Gods wrath against whoredome Numb 25. 9. This sinne of Dauid was in numbring the people as appeereth 2. Sam. 24. 1. 1. King 12. Gen. 19. The danger that dependeth vpon the loosenes of a Prince Tarquinius Appius Claudius Caesar Teundezillus Caracalla Childericus Iohn Earle of Arminack Rodoaldus Roderigo Galeatius Duke of Millan Two brothers flaied aliue Peter Lewes Almendine and Delmedin Abusahid The whoredom of Frenchmen The scourges hat France 〈◊〉 Good counsell against whoredome 1. Cor. 6. 9. Ephes 5. 5. The iudgement of ignorant men touching noblenes of mind How we should make choice of a happy life The common down fall of the passions of the soule The Romanes built two Temples the one to Vertue the other to Honor. The first step to Honor. Wherin worldlings place honor The White at which euerie good man ought to aime The iudgement of the best not of the most is to be preferred alwaies A good man may sometime praise himselfe Themistocles did so And Nestor The effects of pride The works of fortitude must be grounded vpon equitie and iustice Mattathias exhortation to his sonnes How ielousie of glorie is tollerable Themistocles T. Flaminius Caesar wept at the sight of Alexanders image Cyrus A notable historie of an Indian Examples of the contempt and desire of 〈◊〉 glorie Pompeius Tamberlane seueritie towards Baiazet the great Turke Saphors towards Valerianus Pope Alexanders towards Friderike Psal 91. 13. Agathocles The honor of great men dependeth of their vertue not of their dignitie Herodes Dioclesianus Menecratus finely punished for his pride by Philip. Euery vain-glorious man is a foole Shame is the keeper of all vertues How shame may be made profitable in a man Sinne is naturall in man How we must auoid and represse sinne A notable custome among the Romanes What kind of shame is very hurtfull How we must learne to resist all naughtie shame Zeno. Agesilaus Pericles Xenophanes Other pernitious effects of foolish shame Perseus Dion Antipater I. Caesar What death Caesar thought best How the Persian youth was instructed Hippocratides saying to a yong man that blushed Eutichus The shamefastnes of the Romanes Cato his sonne Scaurus his sonne Parmenides Cleobulus A notable historie of the shamefastnes of the Milesian maidens Honest shame is alwaies commendable Fortitude is the third riuer of Honestie Wherein the perfection of euery worke consisteth Fortitude is a Good of the soule not of the bodie The Properties that are required in a valtant man Fortitude fighteth for iustice onely All hardie men are not valiant The resolution of valiant man is alwaies commendable and vnchangeable Fortitude contemneth mortal things Magistrates ought to make lesse account of worldlie goods than Philosophers Of bodily force Iulius Caesar was sickly Marcus Sergius lacked his right hand Fabius the Greatest Pompey the Great C. Marius Agis Dienecus Themistocles Damindas Dercyllides A notable answer of certaine Polonians Anaxarchus Socrates M. Crassus A notable oration Iudas Macchabeus Leonides L. Dentatus Eumenus Aristomenes Lysimachus Two kinds of feare A Temple dedicated to feare The feare of neighbour enimies is the safetie of a Common-wealth Two sorts of pernicious feare Of the good feare It is ioined with the true loue of God It causeth vs to respect the good of our countrie Phocion Antigonus Scipio Nasica The effects of too great prosperitie in Commonwealths Of that feare which is the defect of Fortitude Timorous men are alwaies litle Claudius Caesar The feares of faint-harts Mydas Cassius Base minds stand in great feare of death and griefe A strange alteration of a Gentlemans haire in one night Agamemnon dispensed with a rich coward What vices proceed of cowardlines Of seruile feare Of rashnesse of the effects thereof Who is a vertuous man Cato Iphicrates comparison of an armie to a mans bodie The rashnesse of Isadas How a man may be valiant What Magnanimitie is Magnanimitie consisteth in three things The goods of the body and of Fortune The first effect of Magnanimitie The second effect The third effect The common remedie of the Ancients in desperate cases Cato of Vtica The opinion of the Stoicks Brutus A notable historie of the Numantines No man ought to hasten forward the end of his daies Alcibiades constancie and courage in death Socrates speech at his arraignment What it is to feare death Examples of the second effect of Magnanimitie Fabritius Camillus A good lesson for a Generall to learne Treason and crueltie neuer find place in a noble hart Of the third effect of Magnanimitie Aristides Magnanimitie is inuincible Wherin the perfectioÌ„ of a wise mans life consisteth Alexander reserued hope only for himselfe Properties requisite in a Generall The definition
Of the Harmonie and agreement that ought to be in the dissimilitude or vnlike callings of subiects by reason of the duty and office of euery estate 743 67 Of Peace and of Warre 754 68 Of the ancient Discipline and order of Warre 764 69 Of the office and duty of a Generall 772 70 Of the choise of Souldiors of the maner how to exhort them to fight and how victory is to be vsed 783 71 Of a happie Life 794 72 Of Death 804 THE FIRST DAIES WORKE of this Academie with the cause of their assemblie WHen GOD by his infinite and vnspeakable goodnes beholding with a fatherly bountifull and pitifull eie our poore France which most cruel against it selfe seemed to run amain most furiously to throw it self headlong into the center of some bottomlesse gulfe had sent from heauen the wished-for newes of peace in the midst of ciuill and domesticall armies which a man might say were of purpose prepared for the finall ouerthrow of this French Monarchie that hath florished so long time sparing by his heauenlie grace and fauor and that in despite of them the bloud of those men who held foorth their right hand to cut off the left among manie who touched with the loue of their countrie and with true zeale to pietie reioiced at this so well liking and healthfull newes fower yong gentlemen of Aniou who came togither to serue their Prince and to sacrifice their liues if need required for the welfare and safetie of the Common wealth were none of the last that sought out one another and met togither to testifie ech to other as their mutuall kindred and sworne frendship did inuite them the ioy which filled their souls arising of so happie and vnlooked for successe and alteration of affaires to the end also that they might giue glorie and praise to him who for the benefit of his knoweth wel how to take order euen in those things which according to the iudgement of men are desperate and past recouery And that which gaue them greater occasion to reioice for this peace and so diligently to seeke out one another was this bicause contratie to hope they saw the meanes offered them to returne home and to continue an exercise that greatly pleased them which not long before the last fal of France into troubles they had happily begun Now to let you readers vnderstand what this exercise was these fower gentlemen being of kin and neere neighbors and in a maner of one age were by the care and prudence of their fathers brought vp and nourished togither from their yoong yeeres in the studie of good letters in the house of an ancient wise gentleman of great calling who was the principall stocke and roote of these fruitfull buds This man by reason of his manifold experience and long abode in strange countries knew that the common corruption of French youth of it selfe inclined to pleasure proceeded chiefly from the ouer great licence and excessiue libertie granted vnto them in the Vniuersities of this Realme as well through the fault and negligence of the gouernors and tutors in them as also bicause of the euill gouernment of the townes at this day He knew also that they were no lesse abused who thinking to auoide this dangerous downe-fall at home did send their children to studie abroad amongst strangers where the traffike and merchandise of mischiefs is more common and easie to be made bicause they feare not that newes will presently or so speedily be caried to their parents as if they were neere vnto them Oh how well woorthie of eternall praise is the prudence of this gentleman bringing to my remembrance Eteocles one of the most noble Ephories of Lacedemonia who freely answered Antipater asking fiftie pledges that he would not giue him children least if they were brought vp farre from their fathers they should change the ancient custome of liuing vsed in their owne countrie and become vicious but of olde men and women he would giue him double the number if he would haue them Wherevpon being threatened by this king if he speedily sent him not of the youth we care not quoth he for threatenings For if thou command vs to do things that are more greeuous than death we will rather choose death so carefull were the men of old time that the dressing and trimming of these yoong plants should not be out of their presence But let vs go on with our matter This good and notable old man hauing spent the greater part of his yeeres in the seruice of two kings and of his country and for many good causes withdrawen himselfe to his house thought that to content his mind which alwaies delighted in honest and vertuous things he could not bring greater profit to the Monarchie of France than to lay open a way and meane to preserue and keepe youth from such a pernicious and cancred corruption by offering himselfe for example to all fathers and shewing them the way to haue a more carefull eie in the instruction of their children and not so lightly to commit them to the discipline of vices by the hands of mercenarie and hired strangers And this was begun vpon these fower yoong gentlemen whom he tooke to his owne house by the consent of their parents offering himselfe to the vttermost of his power to helpe their gentle nature which appeered in them woorthie their ancestors by training it vp first in the feare of God as being the beginning of al wisedome secondly in humane learning and knowledge which are necessarie helps to liue well and happily to the benefit of the societie of men To this end after that he himselfe had shewed them the first grounds of true wisedome and of al things necessarie for their saluation according to the measure of grace giuen him from aboue and as their age could conceiue them he labored earnestly to haue in his house some man of great learning and wel reported of for his good life and conuersation vnto whom he committed the instruction of this yoong Nobilitie Who behaued himselfe so wel in his charge that not greatly staying himselfe in the long degrees of learning which being ordinarie and vsuall in our French Colledges are often more tedious besides losse of time than profitable to youth after he had indifferently taught his schollers the Latine toong and some smackering of the Greeke he propounded for the chiefe part and portion of their studies the morall philosophie of aucient Sages and wise men togither with the vnderstanding searching out of histories which are the light of life therein following the intent and will both of him that set him on worke and also of the parents of this Nobilitie who desired to see their children not great Orators suttle Logitians learned Lawiers or curious Mathematicians but onely sufficiently taught in the doctrine of good liuing following the traces and steps of vertue by the knowledge of things past from the first ages vntill this present that they
might refer all to the glorie of the diuine maiestie and to the profit and vtilitie as well of themselues as of their country And yet in the meane while these noble toward youths were not depriued of other exercises meete for them which as the diuine Plato saith are very profitable for this age and helpe much to quicken the spirits of yoong men and to make their bodies which are weake by nature more strong and apt to sustaine trauell as namely to ride horses to run at the ring to fight at barriers to applie themselues to all kind of weapons and to followe the chace of beasts All which exercises this wise and ancient Knight did intermingle with their earnest studies by way of recreation himselfe standing them in steade of a maister For in such exercises he was as fully furnished as is to be wished in a man of valure and actiuitie insomuch that he was more expert than many of our time who make no other profession Now this schoole hauing been continued for the space of sixe or seauen yeeres to the great profit of this nobilitie of Aniou the fower fathers on a day tooke their iournie to visite this good old man and to see their children And after the vsuall welcome which is betweene kinsfolks and friends they discoursed togither of the corruption which then was in all estates of France wherevpon they foresawe as they said some great storme at hand if euerie one did not put to his helping hand for the correction and reformation of them but chiefly the secular power authorised of God for this purpose They alledged for witnes of their saying many examples of ancient estates common-wealths and kingdoms which were fallen from the height of glorie and excellencie into a generall subuersion and ouerthrow by reason of vices raigning in them vnpunished And thus continuing their speech from one thing to another they fell in talke of the corrupt maners that might particularly be noted in all and those maintained by authoritie and with commendation insomuch that both great and smal endeuored to disguise vice with the name of vertue In fine they were of opinion to heare their children discourse heervpon that they might know and iudge whether they had profited so wel in the institution of good maners the rule of good life by folowing of vertue and by the knowledge of histories the patterne of the time past for the better ordering of the time present as their maister who was present at the discourses of these ancient gentlemen did assure them by intermingling the praises of his schollers in the midst of their graue talke and vaunting that they were well armed to resist the corruption of this age For truly vertue purchased and gotten by practise is of no lesse power against all contagion of wickednes than preseruatiues well compounded are of force in a plague time to preserue in good helth the inhabitants of a countrie and as heeretofore that famous physicion Hippocrates preserued his citie of Coos from a mortalitie that was generall throughout all Grecia by counselling his countrymen to kindle many fires in all publike places to the end thereby to purifie the aire euen so whosoeuer hath his soule possessed and his hart well armed with the brightnes and power of vertue he shal escape the dangers of corruption and eschew all contagion of euill maners But returning to the intent and desire of our good old men bicause they had small skil in the Latine tong they determined to haue their children discourse in their owne naturall toong of all matters that might serue for the instruction and reformation of euerie estate and calling in such order and method as themselues with their foresaid maister should thinke best For this purpose they had two howers in the morning granted vnto them wherein they should be heard and as much after dinner which was to each of them one hower in a day to speake in You may ghesse gentle readers whether this liuely youth did not bestow the rest of the day yea oftentimes the whole night vpon the well studying of that which they purposed to handle and with what cheerfulnes of hart and willingnes of mind they presented themselues before the honorable presence of their fathers who were so greatly delighted in hearing them that for the most part in stead of fower howers a day before mentioned they bestowed sixe or eight For after they had heard the two first discourse one morning they had not the patience to refer the rest of that matter vnto the afternoone when the other twain of their children should be heard but commonly commanded them presently to enter the lists and to proceed as being iealous ouer their glorie in regard of their companions In this commendable maner of passing their time they continued certaine daies But the sudden and sorrowfull newes of the last frantike returne of France into ciuill war brake vp their happie assemblie to the end that these noble youths betaking themselues to the seruice due to their prince and to the welfare and safetie of their countrie might make triall of their first feates of armes wherein they wanted neither readines nor valure of hart which being naturally in them was also increased by the knowledge of philosophie The studie whereof resembling as Plato saith to a separation of the soule from the bodie standeth wise men in stead of an exercise to die without feare when dutie requireth it and causeth them to esteeme of death as of the cause of the true and perfect good of the soule For which reason Socrates Xenophon Architas Thucidides Thales Epaminondas and a million of other famous men learned philosophers and historiographers hauing charge of armies neuer doubted or feared in any sort to offer themselues cheerfully vnto all perils and dangers when the question and contention was for publike benefit and safetie and in a iust war without which a wise man neuer ought to fight Yea I dare boldly say that the greatest and most famous exploits of warfare were atchieued for the most part by them and their like Which serued well for a spurre to our yoong Angeuins to cause them to vndertake this iournie with ioy and cheerfulnes of spirit being resolued to follow with all their might the examples of such great and notable personages as histories the treasurie of time did call to their remembrance When they were in the campe each of them according to his particular affection ranged himselfe vnder sundry cornets of great Lords and good captaines But as we said in the beginning after news of the peace proclaimed which was so greatly looked for and desired of all good men they labored foorthwith to meete togither knowing that their ioint-returne would be acceptable to their friends especially to that good olde-man by whome they were brought vp Moreouer they deliberated with themselues as soone as they were arriued at the old mans house to giue their fathers to vnderstand thereof to the end
which did all intreat of vertue out of which men may reape infinite profite especially out of those that intreat of a common-wealth or of lawes In these books that he might not seeme vngratefull towarde his master Socrates who would neuer write any thing he bringeth him in rehearsing that which at other times he had heard him speake Stilpo the philosopher being in his citie of Megara when it was taken spoiled by Demetrius king of Macedonia who fauouring him asked if he had lost any thing that was his made this answer No sir quoth he for war cannot spoile vertue And indeede this is that riches wherwith we ought to furnish our selues which can swim with vs in a shipwrack and which caused Socrates to answere thus to one who asked him what his opinion was of the great king whether he did not thinke him very happy I cannot tell quoth he how he is prouided of knowledge vertue Who may iustly doubt whether vertue alone is able to make a man happie seeing it doth not onely make him wise prudent iust good both in his doings sayings but also commonly procureth vnto him honor glorie and authoritie It was through hir meanes that Alexander deserued the surname of Great by that experience which she gaue him in warre by his liberalitie in riches by his temperance in all his sumptuous magnificence by his hardines and constancy in fight by his continency in affections by his bountie and clemencie in victorie and by all other vertues wherein he surpassed all that liued in his time Yea the fame and renowme of his vertues procured a greater number of cities countries and men to submit themselues willingly vnto him without blowestriking than did the power of his armie Wherein this sentence of Socrates is found true that whole troupes of souldiers and heapes of riches are constrained oftentimes to obey vertue What said Darius monarche of the Persians when he vnderstoode both what continencie Alexander his enimie had vsed towards his wife who being exceeding beautifull was taken prisoner by him and what humanitie he shewed afterward in hir funerals when she was dead The Persians quoth he neede not be discouraged neither thinke themselues cowards and effeminate because they were vanquished of such an aduersarie Neither do I demand any victorie of the gods but to surmount Alexander in bountifulnes And if it be so that I must fall I beseech them to suffer none but him to sit in the royall throne and seat of Cyrus Will we haue testimonies of the inuicible force of vertue and of hir powerfull and praisewoorthy effects in most sinister and vntoward matters Histories declare vnto vs that amongst all the vertuous acts which procured praise and renowme to the men of old time those were the notablest most commended which they shewed foorth at such time as fortune seemed to haue wholy beaten them downe Pelopidas generall captaine of the Thebans who deliuered them from the bondage of the Lacedemonians is more praised and esteemed for the great and notable vertue which he shewed being prisoner in the hands of Alexander the tyrannous king of the Phereans then for all his victories gotten before For at that time his vertue was so farre from yeelding any iot to his calamitie that contrariwise with an vnspeakeable constancie he recomforted the inhabitants of the towne that came to visite him exhorting them to be of good courage seeing the houre was come wherin the tyrant should be at once punished for his wickednes And one day he sent him word that he was destitute of all iudgement and reason in that he vexed his poore citizens caused them to die in torments who neuer offended him and in the meane time suffered him to liue in rest of whom he could not be ignorant that escaping his hands he would be reuenged of him The tyrant maruelling at his great courage asked why he made such great haste to die To this end quoth he that thou being yet more hated of God and men than thou art mightest the sooner be destroied Philocles one of the most famous Athenian captaines of his time who caused this law to be made that the right thombe of all prisoners taken in war from that time forward should be cut off that they might not handle a pike any more but yet might serue to rowe with an oare being taken prisoner with three thousand Atheniens in one battell which Lysander admirall of the Lacedemonians obtained against him and al of them being condemned to die was demanded of Lysander what paine he iudged himselfe worthie of for counselling his country-men to so wicked and cruell a thing To whom he made this onely answere with an vnmoueable vertue Accuse not those who haue no iudge to hear know their cause But seeing the gods haue shewed thee this fauour to be conqueror deale with vs as we would haue done with thee if we had ouercome thee Which being said he went to wash and bath himselfe and then putting on a rich cloke as if he should haue gone to some feast he offered himselfe first to the slaughter shewing the way of true constancie to his fellow citizens Anaxarchus the philosopher being taken prisoner by the commandement of Nero that he might know of him who were the authors of a conspiracie that was made against his estate and being led towards him for the same cause he bit his toong in sunder with his teeth and did spit it in his face knowing well that otherwise the tyrant would haue compelled him by all sorts of tortures and torments to reueale disclose them Zeno missing his purpose which was to haue killed the tyrant Demylus did asmuch to him But what is more terrible than death Notwithstanding when did vertue better shew hir greatnes and power then when death laboured most to ouerthrow hir as being resolued of that saying of Cicero that all wise men die willingly and without care but that the vnwise ignorant are at their wits ende for feare of death If many who haue not knowne the true and perfect immortalitie of the soule and some onely led with a desire of praise worldly glorie others touched with duty and kindled with a loue towards their countrey haue shewed the increase of their vertue in the horrors and pangs of death what ought they to do who expect certainely an euerlasting life Phocion after he had beene chosen generall captaine of the Athenians foure and fortie times and done infinite seruices to the common-wealth being at length through certaine partakinges and diuisions ouercome with the weakest side which he had mainetained and being condemned to drinke poison was demaunded before he dranke whether he had no more to saye Whereupon speaking to his sonne he saide I commaunde thee to beare the Athenians no rancor and malice for my death And a little before this speech beholding one of those that were condemned to
placed With such speeches he fought vnto the death Will wee haue other examples of woonderfull prowes and courage Iudas Macchabeus after many victories obtained by him against the Lieutenants of Antiochus and against those of Demetrius was set vpon and assailed with two and twentie thousand men others say two and thirty thousand hauing himselfe but eight hundred or a thousand with him And being counselled to retire into some place of safetie God forbid quoth he that the Sunne should see me turne my backe towards mine enemies I had rather die than staine the glorie which I haue gotten by vertue with an ignomintous and shamefull flight In this resolute perswasion he greatly weakened his enemies and yet died more through wearisomnes than of blowes or woundes which he had receiued in fight Leonides king of Sparta hauing with him but three hundred naturall Lacedemonians fought and put to flight at the strait of Thermopylis three hundred thousand Persians but he and all his died of the woundes which they receiued in that fight Lucius Dentatus a Romane was endued with such Fortitude and Generositie that one writeth of him that he was in sixe skore battels and skirmishes and eight times came away Conquerour from fighting hand to hand that he had receiued of his Captaines by waye of rewarde and in token of his valure eighteene launces twentie bards for horses foure skore and three bracelets and sixe and thirtie crownes and lastly that by his meanes nine Emperours triumphed in Rome Eumenus a Macedonian Captaine hauing beene put to the woorst by Antigonus retired into a strong hold where being besieged and brought to parly through necessitie of victuals and munition it was signified vnto him from his enemie that reason would he should come and speake with him vnder his faith and promise without Hostages seeing he was both greater and stronger But Eumenus made him this answer that he would neuer thinke any man greater than himselfe as long as he had his sword in his owne power And therefore demanding of him no woorse conditions than as one that thought himselfe to be his equall he sailed foorth vpon his enemies with such valure and courage that he saued himselfe out of their handes and afterward greatly troubled Antigonus Aristomenes the Messanian being taken by the Lacedemonians and deliuered fast bound to two souldiers to be kept he drew neere to a fire and burned asunder his bands with a litle of his flesh afterward comming suddenly vpon his keepers he slew them both and saued himselfe Lysimachus being cast to a Lion by Alexander bicause he gaue to Calisthenes the prisoner that poison wherewith he killed himselfe fought with it and stretching foorth his arme and hand all armed into his throte he tooke hold of his toong and strangled him Whereupon the Monarch euer after greatly esteemed and honoured him By this small number out of infinite examples which I could heere mention we see the great and woonderfull effects of this vertue of Fortitude which are no lesse in euerye part thereof touched in our discourse as heereafter I hope we shall declare at large Wherefore we may well say that this vertue is very necessarie to liue well and happily and to lead vs to the end of our being which is to referre both our life and death to the onely exercise of dutie and honestie that by it we enioy the true rest of the soule which is nothing else as Cicero saith than a peaceable sweete and acceptable constancie which vndoubtedly alwaies followeth Fortitude being crowned with these two inestimable rewardes the contempt of griefe and of death whereby we forsake that which is mortall that we may imbrace heauenlie thinges in the hope and certaine expectation of that happie immortalitie Of Timorousnes Feare and Cowardlines and of Rashnes Chap. 26. ACHITOB WE may call to remembrance that saying of Plato before mentioned that a temperate man not indued with the vertue of Fortitude falleth easilie into cowardlines basenes of mind which is the defect of that vertue which euen now we described and likewise that a strong and valiant man without the direction of Prudence and Temperance is easily caried away with temeritie and boldnes which is the excesse of the same vertue Which two vices are so hurtfull in the soule that he which is infected with them holdeth much more of the nature of a beast than of that essence wherein he was created Let vs then consider what these imperfections are that through the horror of that infamie which followeth them we may be more zealous to follow that which is decent and honest ASER. We must take good heede saith Cicero least through feare of peril we commit any thing that may iustly argue vs to be timorous and fearfull But withall we must beware that we offer not our selues vnto dangers without cause than which nothing is more foolish and blame-woorthie AMANA It is not seemely for a man saith Plato to commit any cowardly act to auoid perill Temeritie also setteth foorth it selfe with courage and contempt of dangers but vnaduisedly and to no purpose But let vs heare ARAM who will handle this matter more at large ARAM. Albeit there is no greater disgrace than to be iustly reproched with a cowardly and faint hart especially for youth to be called effeminate yet is that feare good which turneth vs away from dishonest things and maketh man staied and wel aduised This is the cause why the Ancients speaking of feare made it twofold the one good necessarie the other euill and hurtfull The first which they grounded vpon a good discourse of reason iudgement was so esteemed and honored of them that in the citie of Sparta which for armes arts flourished most among the Grecians there was a temple dedicated consecrated to this feare which as they affirmed better maintained and preserued the estate of Common-wealthes than any other thing whatsoeuer bicause thereby man was led to stand more in awe of blame reproch dishonor than of death or griefe Which thing maketh him both apter readier to vndertake to execute all vertuous laudable matters whensoeuer good iust occasion shall be offred also more staied against euerie rash vniust enterprise that might procure dammage to the common-wealth And this was the occasion of that Prouerbe Feare alwaies accompanieth shame Another reason alleadged by these wise men whie they honoured in such sort this fained goddesse was bicause to doubt and feare nothing was more hurtfull to Common-wealths than their verie neighbour enimies the feare of whome was their safetie and assurance The other naughtie and pernicious feare standeth of two kinds The first beeing destitute of all good reason and assured iudgement is that which we call Cowardlines and Pusillanimitie alwaies followed of these two perturbations of the soule Feare and Sadnes and is the defect of the vertue of Fortitude which wee purpose
without a soule The memorie of such men of whome we see but too many examples among vs ought to be buried in obliuion and during their life time they should remaine vnknowne aswel for their owne honor as for the good of the common societie of men to which they could not but be offensiue and hurtfull For the most part they are not onely afraid of men of the hazards of warres of troubles seditions of the dangers of long voyages of the losse of their goods of diseases of dolors yea of the least discommodities and aduersities that can befall men the euent of all which causeth them vsually to forget all reason and dutie but they are also frighted with dreames they tremble at sights and visions they credite false abusing spirits and with a forlorne feare they stand in awe of the celestiall signes Briefly vpon the least occasions that may be and such as are vnwoorthie the care of a prudent and valiant mind they fall oftentimes into such vexation of spirite that they loose it altogither and become mad and inraged insomuch that many haue hastened forward with their owne hands the end of their so miserable daies As we read of Mydas king of Phrygia who being troubled and vexed with certaine dreames grew to be desperate and died voluntarily by drinking the bloud of a Bull. Aristodemus also king of the Messenians being in warre against his subiects it happened that the dogs howled like woolnes which came to passe by reason of a certain herbe called Dogsteeth growing about his altar at home Wherupon vnderstanding by the Southsayers that it was an euill signe he was stroken with such a feare and conceit thereof that he slue himselfe Cassius the captaine had a better hart when he answered a Chaldean Astrologian who counselled him not to fight with the Parthians vntill the Moone had passed Scorpio I feare not quoth he Scorpions but Archers This hee spake bicause the Romane armie had beene put to the worst before in the plaine of Chaldea by the Parthian archers Neuertheles that which we spake of Midas and Aristodemus is seldome followed yea is rarely found amongst cowards and base minded fellowes who commonly flie from temporall death as much as may be as also from griefe which they feare in such sort that contemning all vertue and iustice they labour for nothing more than to preserue their liues togither with their carnall commodities for the obtaining of which they seeme to liue cleane without all care of their soule as if hir portiō were in this world should end togither with the bodie The effects of this feare of death are sufficiently felt of euerie one in particular the number of them being verie small who would not willingly make as we say a sluce to their consciences that they might be deliuered thereof Let vs then confesse our selues to be fearefull and faint-harted and not boast of Fortitude and generositie of hart which will not suffer vs to stand in feare no not of certaine death in an holie and honest cause so farre is it from fearing and forsaking dutie through doubt of an vncertaine death That which Speron rehearseth in his dialogues of a gentleman of Padua sufficiently sheweth what maruellous force is in the apprehension and conceit of death which extendeth it selfe not onelie vpon the spirites of men but also changeth the nature of their bodies who want constancie to beare and sustaine a small and light griefe for the inioieng of eternall goods This yoong gentleman being put in prison vpon some accusation it was tolde him that of a certaintie his head should be cut off the daie following Which newes altered him in such sort that in one onelie night hee was all white greie-headed whereof before there was no shew or appearance and so he liued long time after Besides experience daily ministreth vnto vs sufficient proofe of the mischiefes which proceed of want of courage and faint-hartednes especially in matters of estate gouernment and publike offices wherein a fearefull and soft man for euerie reproch dislike or euill opinion of the world yea of such as are most ignorant and much more for the least dangers of his person and for feare and threatnings of the greater sort yeeldeth easilie against all dutie and suffereth himselfe to be drawne to the error of the wicked and common sort As for the middle and lesser sort wherefore serue they being void of reason and assurance Homer saith that king Agamemnon dispensed with a rich Coward for going to warre personally for a Mare which he gaue him Wherein truly he had great reason bicause a fearefull man hurteth much and profiteth little not onely in warre but euen in euery good and vertuous action This caused that great captaine Paulus Aemilius to say that magnanimitie and courage were for the most part reuerenced in euery enimie of theirs but that cowardlines although it had good successe yet was it alwayes and of all men despised I might here mention sundry vices which ordinarily growe and are nourished of cowardlines and pusillanimitie as namely crueltie treason breach of promise impatiencie idlenesse slouth couetousnes enuie backbiting and all iniustice were it not that I hope the sequele of our discourses will offer vs matter and occasion to handle these vices particularly our houre not affording vs time and leasure to enter vpon so many things togither There remaineth yet a word to be spoken of that feare which I said did accompany the froward and wicked many times being called by the Poet a seruile feare which through the onely horror of punishment holdeth them backe from practising their wicked purposes Of them spake Pythagoras when he sayd that he which careth not for doing of euill in any other respect but onely bicause he would not be punished is very wicked Now although such feare is accursed and to be condemned in all yet is it necessarie for the preseruation of humane societie For otherwise all things would run to confusion through the shameles malice of the wicked of whom the earth is full And it is a great deale better that through such feare they should be restrained from their wicked desires and wils than that they should without all feare abandon themselues to put them in execution albeit they are no way excusable before God who requireth to be serued with hart and spirit Neuerthelesse such feare doth not alwayes stay them from putting their malice in effect but the more they are retained so much the more are they inflamed and kindled with a desire to satisfie their corrupt will which in the end is constrained to burst foorth and euidently to shew that mischiefe which they kept secret a long time But if the commō sort saith Seneca be staied by lawes from committing euil the Philosopher contrarywise hath reason for all lawes doing good not bicause the law commandeth it and abstaining frō euil not bicause it forbiddeth it but bicause
hart as that which vndoubtedly is comprehended vnder the first part of Fortitude which Cicero calleth Magnificence or a doing of great excellent things yet notwithstanding it seemeth that this word Magnanimitie carieth with it some greater and more particular Empasis that a man may say that the wonderful effects thereof appeare principally in three points whereof I purpose here to discourse The first concerning extreme and desperate matters as when a man is past all hope of sauing his life wherein perfect magnanimitie always knoweth how to find out a conuenient remedie and wise consolation not suffering himselfe to be vexed therewith The second respecteth dutie towards enimies against whom generositie will in no wise suffer a man to practise or to consent to any wickednesse vnder what pretence so euer it be nor for any aduantage which may be reaped thereby The third causeth a noble minded man to contemne and to account that thing vnworthy the care of his soule which others wonder at labor by all means to obtaine namelie strength health beauty which the Philosophers call the goods of the bodie and riches honor and glory which they say are the goods of fortune and likewise not to stand in feare of their contraries Amongst the woorthy and famous men of olde time whose names and glorious factes crowned with an immortall Lawrell are ingrauen in the temple of Memorie we find no praise woorthie of greater admiration or that ought to awaken and stirre vs vp better in Christian dutie than the effects of this vertue of Magnanimitie vpon these three occasions presently touched Whereof one effect is that we yeeld not against reason nor passe the limits of duty by fainting vnder that heauy burthen of extreme distresses which the horror of death bringeth with it but that euen in the midst of greatest agonie which seemeth intollerable in mans iudgement we shew such grauitie and woorthines that we depart not in any sort from the peace and quietnes of our soules but with constancie and cheerefulnes of spirit meditate vpon the ioy of that hauen of saluation which we behold with the eyes of our soule whereinto through a happy death at hand we shall shortly be receiued Another effect is that we accomplish so farre as our frailtie can approch to perfection the commandement of the diuine will by louing our neighbors as our selues and by abstaining euen in regard of our greatest enimies from doing procuring or consenting yea by hindring that no treacherie or treason should be wrought them nor any other thing vnbeseeming that naturall loue which ought to be in euery one towards his like and further by procuring them all the good and profit that may be The third effect of this great vertue no les wonderful thā the rest is in that a noble minded man solong as he liueth wholy withdraweth his affection from worldly and corruptible things through a stedfast constant reason and lifteth it vp to the meditation and holy desire of heauenly and eternal things The remedy which these great personages destitute of the right knowledge of the truth most commonly vsed when their affaires were past all hope of mans helpe was death which they chose rather to bring vpon themselues by their owne handes than to fall into the mercy of their enimies whereby they supposed that they committed a noble act woorthie the greatnes of their inuincible courage And if peraduenture they were surprised and forced in such sort by their enemies that they were compelled to become their prisoners they neuer desired them to saue their liues saying that it beseemed not a noble hart and that in so doing they should submit both hart and bodie to him who before had but the bodie in his power Cato the yoonger being brought to such extremity in the towne of Vtica that by the aduice of all those that were with him he was to send Embassadors to Caesar the Conqueror to practise an agreement after submission to his mercie yeelded therevnto in the behalfe of others but forbad that any mention should be made of himselfe It belongeth quoth he to those that are ouercome to make request and to such as haue done amisse to craue pardon As for me I will account my selfe inuincible so long as in right and iustice I shall be mightier than Caesar He it is that is now taken and ouercome bicause that which hitherto he denied to take in hand against the Common-wealth is at this present sufficiently testified against him and discouered Neither will I be beholding or bound to a Tyrant for an vniust matter For it is a point of iniustice in him to vsurpe the power of sauing their liues like a Lord ouer whome he hath no right to command After many other speeches of Philosophie vsed by him standing much vpon that Stoicall opinion that onely a wise and good man is free and that all wicked men are bond men and slaues he went alone into his chamber and slew himselfe with his sword Sylla the Dictator hauing condemned to death all the inhabitants of Perouza and pardoning none but his Host he also would needes die saying that he would not hold his life of the murtherer of his countrey Brutus after the battel lost against Augustus Caesar was counselled by certaine of his friends to flie I must flie in deed said he but with hands not with feete And taking them all by the hand he vttered these words with a very good and cheerfull countenance I feele my hart greatly contented bicause none of my friends haue for saken me in this busines neither complaine I of fortune at all but onely so farre foorth as toucheth my countrey For I esteeme my selfe happier than they that haue vanquished as long as I leaue behind me a glorie of vertue for hazarding all liberally to free from bondage my brethren and countreymen Which praise our conquering enemies neither by might nor money can obtaine and leaue to posteritie but men will alwaies say of them that being vniust and wicked they haue ouerthrowne good men to vsurpe a tyrannous rule and dominion that belongeth not vnto them After he had thus spokē he tooke his sword and falling vpon the point thereof gaue vp the ghost Cassius also his companion caused his owne head to be cut off by one of his slaues whom he had made free and kept with him long time before for such a necessitie The historie which we read of the Numantines commeth in fitly for this matter which we handle heere For after they had sustained the siege of the Romanes fourteene yeeres togither and were in the ende inclosed by Scipio with a very great ditch of two and fortie foote in depth and thirtie in breadth which compassed the citie round about the Consul summoned them to commit themselues to the clemencie of the Romanes and to trust to their promise seeing all meanes of sallying foorth to fight and of
necessarily a continuall rest to preserue it well vsing that goodly pretence bicause they would not be troubled with mo matters thā needs they must especially with those which concerne publike commoditie as also bicause they would not take paines in the studie of wisedome they cannot be better compared than to such as will not vse their eies in beholding any thing that they might keepe them the better neither will speake at all to preserue their voyce well Euery kind of life hath both sicknesse and health but a sound man cannot take a better course to preserue his health than to imploy himselfe in the practise of many good and honest duties of humanitie Yea we must yet go farther and say with Socrates that diseased men ought not to be so carefull of their health that they leaue the studie and exercise of vertue seeing we are to make but small account of death it selfe And therefore Plutarke is very earnest against this Epicurian sentence Hide thy life which was set downe by Neocles brother to Epicurus meaning thereby to perswade them that would liue happily not to intermeddle with any publike matter But contrarywise saith this Philosopher it is dishonest to liue so that no man may know any thing Art thou vicious shew thy selfe to those that are able to admonish to correct to cure thee that so thou mayst amend repent If in the knowledge of nature thou hast learned by songs to prayse God his iustice and heauenly prouidence or in moral knowledge to commend the law humane societie the gouernment of the common-wealth and therein to respect honour not profite hide not this talent but teach it others and giue thy selfe an example vnto them of well doing and of profiting euery one O diuine counsail proceeding out of the mouth of an Ethnike as necessarie to be practised at this day as we see it contemned of so many wise worldings who say they haue the absolute and sound reformation of our estates of France in their head but that as yet there is no time to speake of it Thus some liue idlely and like to Recluses bicause they will take no paine and others do worse in maintaining the corruptiō of the estate and in cleauing wittingly to the destruction thereof But let vs proceed to looke vpon the fruits of idlenes It is of that fountaine whereof cursed ignorance drinketh and maintaineth hir selfe and from thence flow all pleasures folowed with bitternes griefe which withdraw vs from all vertuous occupations to imploy our selues about all kinds of trifles that are neither good honest nor profitable but rather hurtfull and very pernitious Of which number we may note gaming which is as common amongst vs and as blame-worthie as any other imperfection seeing hir foundation is laid vpon lucre and couetousnes or els vpon the losse of time Those cursed effects which it bringeth forth daily as quarels murders blasphemies cogging ouerthrow of houses and families do sufficiently testifie vnto vs the infamous nature thereof Likewise it hath bin so abhorred of the ancient Sages that Chilon being sent from Lacedemonia to Corinth to intreat of a league between those two peoples finding the rulers playing at dice returned back again and would not speake of his commission saying that he would not staine the glory of the Spartanes with so great an ignominie as to ioine thē in society with dice-plaiers How many happy ages haue our forefathers passed ouer yet neuer heard word of so vnhappy an exercise And some say that the Lydiās were the first inuēters of games but it was whē their countrey was brought into great necessitie of victuals to the end that by playing they might find some help and meane to sustaine and to resist hunger the better by spending euery other day in gaming without any meate Which they continued for the space of twentie and eight yeeres preseruing their country by that means from a generall famine through the great sparing of their prouision But now a daies we see that men are so farre from recompencing the fault of so vile an occupation by fasting that contrary wise it is followed with all kind of dissolutenes gluttonie riot and superfluitie And this is seene too much in these new faculties of carelesse men who haue taught vs this goodly prouerbe That a man were better loose than be idle But if they knew their inestimable losse not of mony which they abuse but of the richest and most precious thing that may be spent and which can neuer be recouered I meane of time they would speake cleane contrary That to loose is worse than to be idle bicause it is ioined with a naughtie action which of necessitie turneth to the detriment of himselfe or of his neighbor oftentimes of both Among many goodly and holy ordinances which Alphonsus sonne of Ferdinando king of Spaine caused those knights to obserue which he made of the order of the band himself and all his children being of the same order this was straightly kept that no knight should presume to play for any money at cardes or dice or giue his consent to any such play in his house vpon paine of forfeiting his wages for one moneth and himselfe to be forbidden another moneth and a halfe from entring into the kings palace But bicause the nature of man is not able to abide continuall labor and occasion of businesse is not alwaies offred it shall be lawfull for vs according to the precept of Plato his Academie to bestow our leasure vpon some honest pastime and game of moderate pleasure that is not far separated from study or vertue which will not be blame-worthie in vs so we vse it as we do rest or sleepe after we haue dispatched and ended graue serious affaires according to the gift and facultie of our spirits Moreouer let vs propound to our selues for example the liues of so many famous and graue men who both in youth and age laboured to do good and to profit euery one esteeming it great honor to end their daies in such a commendable exercise according to that saying of Erasmus That in vaine men follow that which is good and striue to do well if they stand still before the end of their daies For that man looseth his time in running swiftly who fainteth before he come to the end of his race Nothing will be vnpossible to thee saith the same author so that thy hart faint not Not to go forward in the way of the Lord is all one with turning backeward yea it were better neuer to begin than not to perseuer vnto the end This also is that which Cicero teacheth vs that it is not sufficient to know what ought to be done but we must abide firme and stedfast in that wherin vpon aduised good counsell we are once resolued And though we are out of hope of attaining to perfection yet we must striue to come vnto it
sonnes head to be cut off bicause he fought agaynst his enimie bodie to bodie contrary to the Edicts and out of his ranke albeit he came away victor The act of Ausidius the Romane was more cruel barbarous than iust when he slew his sonne for withdrawing himselfe to take part with Catiline vttring this speech vnto him I did not wretch as thou art beget thee for Catiline but for thy countrey Such murders and cruelties deface all the commendation of Iustice whose waies ought to be ordinary and vsuall ruling rigor with gentlenes as the rigor of discipline ought to moderate gentlenes that the one may be commended by the other Seneca rehearseth a crueller fact than any of the former committed by Piso the Proconsul who seeyng a souldior returne alone to the campe condemned him to withstanding he affirmed that his fellow came after him At the very instant of the execution his companion came whereupon the captaine that had charge to see the condemned partie executed returned to the Proconsul with both the souldiors But Piso being offended therwith put them all three to death the first bicause he was condemned the second bicause he was the cause of the condemnation and the captaine bicause he obeied not so that he put three to death for the innocencie of one man abusing his authoritie and power in most cruell maner what soeuer rigor was vsed in those times in the ordinaunce of warlike discipline Now to take from vs all taste of such barbarousnesse let vs cal to mind an act of Augustus Caesar worthie of eternall praise who would not condemne one that was accused of seeking his death bicause the arguments and proofes were insufficient but left him to the iudgement of God Let vs learne therfore for the conclusion of our discourse to hate all kind of Iniustice in such sort that euery one of vs seeke to profit his neighbour rating at an high price as Euripi saith the violating of right which is holy and sacred And thus through the good order of magistrates and reformation of euery one by himselfe the wicked shall haue no means to rob to spoile by force to take bribes and to deceiue others when breakers of iust lawes shall be punished Then will the effect of those two sentences take place which are taken out of the holy scriptures and written in a table in the great chamber of the palace belonging to the head citie of this kingdome and which ought to be well engrauen in the harts of all Iudges the first sentence is conteined in these words Execute iudgement and righteousnesse or otherwise I haue sworne by my selfe saith the Lord that this house shall be waste The other sentence is this O ye Iudges take heed what ye do for ye execute not the iudgements of man but of the Lord and with what iudgement ye iudge ye shal be iudged For truely the crowne of praise and immortall glory is kept and prepared for them that walke in truth and righteousnes but shame and dishonor with eternall fire for those that perseuer in vnrighteousnes Of Fidelitie Forswearing and of Treason Chap. 39. ARAM. SVch is the corruption of our age wherin impietie and malice are come in place of ancient innocencie that vertue seemeth very vnfit to be receiued and imploied in affaires seeing the gate is quite shut vp against hit So that a man might aptly say that whosoeuer should thinke to bring backe agayne amidst the peruerse liues and corrupt maners of this present time the vprightnesse and integritie of ancient behauior he did as much as if he offered fruites out of season which being faire in sight were notwithstanding vnfit to be vsed Neuerthelesse we must not doubt to bring hir in sight and to maintaine hir with all our power who knoweth how to cause hir enimie Vice both to reuerence and feare hir and in the end also to triumph ouer him mauger all the power and vnder-propping which he receiueth from the wicked In the middest therfore of so many trecheries and treasons wherof men glory now adaies let vs not be afraid to paint them out in their colors therby giuing honor to Fidelitie which is a part of Iustice or rather Iustice it selfe which I leaue to you my companions to make plaine vnto vs. ACHITOB. It is impietie to violate faith For God who is truth detesteth all lying and is a terrible reuenger of the contempt of his name To loue or to hate openly saith Cicero doth better beseeme a noble hart than for a man to hide and to dissemble his will and affection ASER. Guile and fraud saith Seneca are meete weapons for a cowardly and base-minded man Therefore we must take good heed as Pittacus said That fame speake not euill of vs to them vnto whom we haue given our faith But it belongeth to thee AMANA to handle this matter AMANA Amongst the famous and great personages of olde time no vertue was more commended or straightlier kept and obserued than Faith and Fidelitie which they affirmed to be the foundation of Iustice the indissoluble bond of friendship and the sure supporter of humane societie Of this Faith we mind now to speake not touching at all that religious and sacred faith concerning the holy mysteries of true pietie which is a singular gift of God his spirit and peculiar to those that appertain to his eternall election This therfore which respecteth the mutuall conuersation and promises of men hath been always kept vnuiolable of honorable men ought to be so amongst vs bicause he that giueth his faith layeth to pawne whatsoeuer is most precious diuine in his soule So that if he forget himselfe somuch as to breake and violate the same he committeth manifest impietie shewing that he careth not to offend God by abusing his name to colour his lying It were a great deale better neuer to take God to witnes than to forsweare him in mockerie seeing the Scripture so often forbiddeth vs to take his name in vaine to sweare falsly by it or in any sort to defile the same It is true that this question hath alwaies beene and is at this daye more than euer in controuersie namely whether a man is bound to performe that which he hath promised and sworne to by compulsion or no And this sentence is receiued approoued of many that nothing but our Will bindeth vs to performe those things which necessitie forceth vs to promise But to speake according to truth and without any particular passion we say that true and perfect magnanimitie suffereth vs not to promise any thing and to pawne our faith thereunto except we were willing to performe it bicause no vertuous and wise man ought to forget himselfe so farre as to do or to promise any thing contrary to his dutie for any necessity no not for death it selfe Neither is there any thing wherby a foole is sooner discerned from
himself but only willeth vs not to be vnthākful for that which it pleaseth him to giue vs. And through this self same fountain of the corruptions of our soule we are bewitched with vnthankful forgetfulnes of those good turns which we receiue from our like yea vpon the least dislike of them which either with or without reason we forge in our braines we say that neuer any did vs good The vassaile for the least deniall or hard countenaunce which he receiueth of his lord forgetteth all the good turnes furtherances and fauours which before that time he had done vnto him The sonne complaineth of the father the brother of the brother the friend of the friend the seruant of the master Alas we see but too many such vngrateful wretches in France who euē betray sel daily them of whom they hold all their aduancement greatnes And if vnthankfulnes be familiar with the meaner sort let vs not thinke that it is farther off from those of higher calling For vpon euery light occasion especially if a man frame not himselfe to that vice which they haue in greatest recommendation they easily forget all the seruice that hath been done vnto them by reason of some new-come guest who will shew himselfe a seruiceable minister of their pleasures This commeth to passe soonest when they grow vp and increase in calling and greatnes bicause commonly as they mount vp in calling not being well instructed in vertue they waxe worse and worse in behauior But let them boldly take this for an infallible rule that an vnthankfull prince cannot long retaine a good man in his seruice For the hope of reward saith Plutarke is one of the elements and grounds of vertue and of that honor bountie and humanitie wherwith the prince recompenceth vertuous men thereby prouoking and alluring them to seeke the welfare of his estate This also is that which procureth the proceedings of Artes and Sciences and that which bringeth foorth notable wits as contrarywise all these things languish that are extinguished by litle and litle through the ingratitude and couetousnes of those that rule The ancients said not without cause that impudencie was the companion of ingratitude For if no beast as they say is so shamelesse as an impudent who is he that may be said to haue lesse shame than an vnthankful body Impudencie saith Theophrastus is a contempt of glory wrought in a man through the desire of vile and filthie gayne and that man is impudent that boroweth some thing of him whome he purposeth to deceiue Are not these the proper effects of the vice of Ingratitude which seeketh nothing else but to drawe away the commoditie and profite of euery one being vnwilling to doe good to any or to requite a pleasure receiued neither caring for true glory and immortall honor which followeth euery vertuous action grounded vpon dutie and honesty And truly it is a very hard matter for them to be answerable to their honor who seeke their owne profit as much as may be For we must know that in equitie and reason there is a difference betweene duetie and that which we commonly call profit yea they are distinct things and separated one frō the other as honestie is from such earthly commoditie This latter maketh men voyd of feare to breake a sunder and to dissolue whatsoeuer was ordeined and ioyned togither both by the law of God and man so that they may gaine thereby But the other cleane contrary causeth them to imploy liberally their goods trauell industrie and whatsoeuer else is in their power that they may profit euery one and that without hope of any recompence albeit they that receiue good turnes are bound to returne againe the like to their benefactors according to their abilitie and to acknowledge their kindnes For this cause amongst the lawes of Draco established among the Athenians there was a commandement that if any man had receiued a benefit of his neighbor and it were prooued against him long time after that he had been vnthankfull for it had ill acknowledged the good turne receiued I say that such a one should be put to death And although no histories are able to shew vnto vs any kings or princes which surmounted yea which matched Alexander the great in munificence and liberalitie or Iulius Caesar in pardoning iniuries yet we read of them that when they had knowledge of an vngratefull person Alexander neuer gaue vnto him nor Caesar euer forgaue him so greatly haue vertuous men alwayes hated ingratitude It is reported of the Storke that as often as she hath yong she casteth one out of the neast for the hire of the house and reward of him that lodged hir O barbarous ingratitude to behold him that hath been lodged serued and brought vp in a house and that with the sweate and labor of another to seeke and to endeuor the spoil of all that is therin euen to the honor oftentimes the life of his host Is it not the same vice of vnthankfulnes that soweth dissentions and quarels between the children the father between brethren kinffolks friends and all for want of acknowledging one towards another that bond of nature wherewith we ought to be tied and that secondary supply of good turns which knit vs vnseparably and make vs daily beholding vnto them if we consider exactly the nature of our estate which cannot stand without the succor and aide of many how great so euer we be But what We see by experience that which one of the Ancients said That all humane things growe to be old and come to the end of their time except Ingratitude For the greater the encrease of mortall men is the more doth vnthankfulnesse augment And yet we may note many examples in histories against this vice which ought to awaken vs in our dutie Pyrrhus is exceedingly commended by Historiographers bicause he was gentle and familiar with his friendes ready to pardon them when they had angred him and very earnest and forward in requiting recompencing those good turnes which he had receiued Which caused him to be grieued aboue measure for the death of a friend of his not as he said bicause he saw that befall him which is common and necessarily incident to the nature of man but bicause he had lost all means of acknowledging vnto him those benefits which he had receiued whereupon he reprooued and blamed himselfe for delaying and deferring it ouer-long For truly money lent may well be restored to his heires that did lend it but it goeth to the hart of a man that is of a good noble and excellent nature if he cannot make the selfe same man that benefited him to feele the recompence of those pleasures which he receiued This caused the ancients not onely to feare the note of ingratitude towards their friends but also to contend with their enimies which of them should do most good and shew greatest
we practice diligently these precepts in the education instruction of our children there is no doubt but as seales and signets doe easily make a print in soft waxe so we may quickly cast in the mindes of little children as it were in a mould whatsoeuer we would haue them learne for the leading of a good and happie life to the glorie of God the profit of their neighbours and discharge of our consciences which are bound thereunto Of the diuision of the ages of man and of the offices and duties that are to be obserued in them Chap. 52. AMANA AMongst the most common and notorious faults which fathers now a daies commit in the education and bringing vp of their children this deserueth great blame and reprehension that in their first age they vsually prouide teachers for them sending them to Colledges where they are kept in awe when they cannot commit any greater euill than that which commeth from the yoong yeeres of their infancie not very hurtfull to any being light faults and soone amended but when the vehemencie of adolescencie beginneth to tickle them with foule and infamous desires and when they haue greatest neede of a bridle then they let loose the raines and withdraw them from the subiection of their guides giuing them libertie to make choice of their estate of life when their perturbations are most violent in danger to bring foorth most peruitious effects Whereas on the contrary side then ought they most diligently to looke vnto them and to set a most careful watch ouer them that their first discipline and instruction may be framed in vertue and in the perfection of a most happie life For this cause my Companions I thinke that by continuing our former discourse seeing all men enioye not commonly this benefite of the forenamed education instruction from their infancie vnto the end we ought to search out some way whereby to amend the first faults by handling the diuision of the ages of man according to the ancient writers and by setting downe a briefe instruction of that which is most necessarily required and to be obserued in euery of them especially in adolescencie for the obtaining of true felicitie through good behauiour and instructions which are the meanes thereof ARAM. It is true as Plato saith that vertue must be learned from the first infancie Yea there is no part of our age which ought to be imploied in any other studie But adolescencie especially must not onely inquire and seeke after the decrees of honesty vertue but also haue them already imprinted and ingrauen in his hart ACHITOB. As no man euer saw a Bee become a Beetle through age so no part of our life ought to leaue the first election grounded vpon vertue if the ende thereof be to liue well But let vs heare ASER discourse of this present matter ASER. It cannot be denied that place and time are a great helpe to honestie and vertue insomuch that if we consider not of them the knowledge and practise of that which belongeth to our dutie cannot greatly profit vs. For all things are to be applied in time place and some thinges are decent and lawfull vpon one occasion which would be very vnseemely in another The prouerbe saith that the way to handle a sound man is diuers from the guiding of him to whome the diet is inioined Euen so although vertue honesty are alwaies requisite in a man bicause it is the only ornament of his life yet in diuers ages diuersity of honest behauior is required the selfe same things are not decent in them but some kind of behauiour is proper to the age of childhood some to youth and another to old age bicause as nature altereth with age so it behooueth that maners should chang Now among them that haue most diligently obserued the secrets of mans nature there hath beene two sundry opinions concerning the diuision of the ages of man Some haue made 7. parts adding decrepite or bed red-age after old age they would groūd their principal reason of this diuision vpon this that the number of 7. is an vniuersall absolute number So we reckon 7. planets whose motion worketh all generations corruptions in the earth By a stronger reason therfore this number of seuen wil be applied to the continuance of time Moreouer the growth of men according to age increaseth at the seuenth number For teeth are bred in the seuenth moneth in the seuenth yeere they change alter Besides in the same yeere doubled that is in the fourteenth yeere man receiueth abilitie of seede that is to say of engendring True it is that the number of six worketh alteration in females Yet the number of 7. in other things worketh augmentation or else the rest and quietnes of men and sheweth the difference or iudgement of diseases The whole time of the creation of the world is comprehended therein likewise the rest and ceasing of the worke-maister thereof All the ancient writers haue also noted that the number of 63. which is the multiplication of seuen by nine carieth with it commonly the end of old men bicause that in the whole course of our life we liue vnder one onely climate which is either from seuen or from nine yeeres except in the yeere of 63. wherein two terminations or climates ende that is to say nine seuen times seuen or seuen nine times nine and therefore this yeere is called climactericall wherein we may note out of histories the death of many great men and the change of estates and kingdomes As touching the other diuision of the age of man into sixe parts onely of which opinion Isidorus is we will now enter into the particular handling thereof The parts are these Infancie Childhood Youth Adolescencie Virilitie old age Infancie is the first age of man beginning after his natiuitie it is so called bicause at that time he hath no vse of speech and therefore cannot then learne manners and vertue hauing no sence or vnderstanding to comprehend them Childhood is when children beginne to speake albeit as yet they haue not the full vse of reason in which estate a man may say they are vntill the age of seuen yeeres during which time fathers and mothers ought to nourish and bring them vp in the feare of God reuerence of their parents frame them gently vnto all good maners as we haue already declared This age is called of the Latines Pueritia as it were pure and neate from sinne forasmuch as children haue then no vse of discretion so that iudgement cannot be attributed to their works wherby they may be called good or euill Youth is reckoned from seuen yeeres of age vntill foureteene at which time children ought to be deliuered vnto skilfull and honest maisters teachers to be instructed Then must parents looke well whether those two things are in them to whose direction they
the guiding of them be giuen to good vertuous and expert Captaines ledde onely with a desire to doe their dutie to their King and Countrie this kingdome will be feared of strangers and without feare it selfe of their assaults and enterprises Especially if in the Prince his absence the soueraigne authoritie of commanding absolutely in the armie be committed into the hands of a Captaine woorthy his charge as we haue discoursed who is able to win the harts of men and to prouoke them to their dutie by liuely and learned reasons as namely That all men must die and therefore that it were too great follie in a man to refuse to die for publike profit which bringeth vnto vs immortall glorie seeing he must once of necessitie yeeld vp his life that a glorious death is alwaies to be preferred before a shamefull life stained with reproch briefly if he can ground his exhortations vpon the occasion of taking armes of time place estate and condition of the enimies and of the good that will come to them if they obtaine the victorie But in all these things the iustice and equitie of the cause of war is that which most of all maketh good men courageous who otherwise neuer ought to fight We may read a million of goodly Orations made in time of warre set forth in one volume with which euery wise and prudent Captaine may helpe himselfe according as occasion is offred Now if that ancient order discipline of which we haue hitherto discoursed and which may be learned more at large in their excellent writings were renued imitated by our armies as the late vse and practise of Armes exercised at this day is apt and fit for the same being more terrible than that of the Ancients who had no gun-powder no doubt but great obedience of souldiors towards their Captaines would arise of it whereas now a daies in steede of commanding they haue nothing left but an humble request to be vsed towards their souldiours who neuertheles turne it into contempt and want of courage But if true obedience were ioined with good order the hope of prosperous successe in our enterprises would be farre greater Nowe when our affaires succeede happily so that wee haue our enimies at aduantage or haue gotten some victorie wee must beware least insolencie blind vs in such sort that trusting to our good happe we goe beyond our bounds and loose the occasion of a certaine and sure benefite through hope of some greater good as yet vncertaine Hannibal after the discomfiture of the Romanes at Cannas sent men to Carthage to carie newes of his victorie and withall to demand a newe supplie Whereupon the Senate was long in deliberating what was to be doone Hannon a prudent old man was of opinion that they were to vse the victorie wisely and to make peace with the Romanes which they might obtain of them with honest conditions and not to expect the hazard of another battell He said that the Carthaginians ought to bee satisfied with this declaration alreadie made to the Romanes that they were such men as could stand against them and therfore seeing they had woonne one victorie of them they should not venture the losse of it in hope of a greater This prudent counsell was not followed although afterwarde the Senate did acknowledge it for the best when that occasion was lost Alexander the Great had already conquered all the East when the Common-wealth of Tyrus being great and mightie bicause the Citie was situated in the water as Venice is and astonished at the greatnes fame of that Monarches power sent their Embassadors vnto him to offer what obedience subiection he would require vpon condition that neither he nor his men would enter into the Citie Alexander disdaining that one citie would shut their gates against him to whō the whole world was open sent them backe again without accepting their offer went thither to pitch his Campe against it After he had continued the siege 4. moneths he thought with himself that one onely Towne would shorten his glorie more than all his other conquests had done before wherupon he purposed to try an agreement by offering that vnto them which thēselues had required before But then the Tyrians were waxen so lustie and bold that they did not only refuse his proffers but also executed as many as came to conclude with them Whereupon Alexander being mooued with indignation caused an assault to be made with such heate and violence that he tooke and sacked the towne put some of the Inhabitants to the edge of the swoord and made the residue seruants and slaues Agreement and composition is alwaies to be preferred before continuance of warre And howsoeuer a man may seeme to be assured and as it were certaine of the victorie yet ought he to doubt the vncertaintie of humane things That courageous and valiant Hannibal being called out of Italy by his Countriemen to succour them against the Romaines by whome they were besieged when his armie was yet whole demanded peace of them before he would enter into battel bicause he saw that if he lost it he brought his Countrie into bondage What then ought another to do that hath lesse vertue and experience than he But men fall into the error of vnmeasurable hope vpon which staying them selues without further consideration they are ouerthrowne Sometimes when we contemne our enimie too much and bring him into a desperat estate we make him more venturous to vndertake and violent to execute any dangerous matter Despaire said Tubero is the last but the strongest assault and a most inuincible tower For this cause the ancient Romane Captaines were very diligent and carefull to lay all kind of necessitie to fight vpon their men and to take it from their enimies by opening vnto them passages to escape which they might haue shut vp against them K. Iohn bicause he would not make peace with the English host which desired to escape onely with life was taken and caried prisoner into England and his armie consisting of fortie or fiftie thousand men was discomfited by ten thousand Englishmen some say more some lesse Gaston de Foix hauing woonne the battell at Rauenna and following after a squadron of Spaniards that fled lost his life and made all that a praie vnto the enimie which he had conquered before in Italy Ancient histories are full of such examples and namely of small armies that ouercame those that were great and mightie Darius against Alexander Pompey against Casar Hannibal against Scipio Marcus Antonius against Augustus Mithridates against Sylla had greater forces without comparison than their enimies Therefore good Traian said that to accept of warre to gather a great number of men to put them in order to giue battell appertaineth to men but to giue victorie was the worke of God onely so that great armies preuaile but litle against the wrath of the Highest If
man must vse his own subiectes in warre Three causes from whence proceeded the ruine of the Romane empire The diuision of the empire weakened the same Dangerous to an Estate to call in forraine succours As appeereth by the Sequani By the Frenchmen The end that forraine souldiours propound to themselues Reasons why forraine force is woorth nothing The cause of the last destruction of Italy The discommoditie of bringing in hired Captaines Dangerous for a Prince to call in a Potentate to succour him Examples of the change of Estats by meanes of forraine succour Charles the fift bound by oath not to bring any forraine souldiors into Germany Charles 7. made decrees for French souldiors What inconueniences France is fallen into by hiring Switzers Francis 1. established seuen legions of footmen How a Prince may vse the succours of his Allies How a Captain should exhort his souldiors How victory is to be vsed Examples of such as knew not how to vse victorie wisely and to take opportunitie offered The Tyrians besieged and subdued by Alexander It is not good to fight with desperate men Iohn king of France taken by the Englishment Gaston de Foix. Small armies that ouercame great Victorie commeth only from God Valiant men are full of compassion No true victorie without clemencie Ringleaders of euill are to be punished and the multitude to be pardoned Humane sciences are but darkenes in regard of the word of God Psal 84. 4. 5. 11. Iohn 17. 3. Of the loue of righteousnes Leuit. 19. 2. 1. Pet. 1. 15. 16. Holines is the end of our calling Christ is a paterne of righteousnes vnto vs. Malach. 1. 6. Eph. 5. 26. 30. Col. 3. 1. 2. 1. Cor. 6. 19. 1. Thes 5 9. We must alwaies striue to come to perfection What the dutie of euery faithful man is Rom. 12. 1. 2. What it is to consecrate our selues to God Gal. 2. 20. True loue of God breedeth in vs a dislike of ourselues Matth. 16. 24. Fruits of the deniall of our selues Selfe loue is the cause of the most of our imperfections The definition of charitie 1. Cor. 13. 4. The effect of true charitie towards our neighbour The naturall inclination of men Corruptible things are no sufficient recompence for vertuous men Rom. 8. 28. Matth. 16. 24. 25. Rom. 8. 17. How God teacheth vs to know the vanitie of this life We must not hate the blessings of this life Psal 44. 22. The comfort of the godly in the midst of troubles Math. 25. 34. Isai 25. 8. Apoc. 7. 17. The summe of our dutie towards God The true vse of temporal things Wherein a happy life consisteth Gen. 2. 17. Rom. 6. 23. Rom. 5. 21. Temporal death is the way that leadeth the godly from bondage to blessednesse Heb. 9. 27. Ecclus 7. 36. The comsort of euery true christian against death Rom. 8. 22. Against Atheists and Epicures that deny the immortalitie of the soule Plato prooueth that there is a iudgement to come and a second life How good men are discerned from the wicked The afflictions of the godly in this world prooue a second life Three kinds of death Apoc. 20. 6. Why the faithfull ought to desire death What the life of man is Phil. 1. 23. 1. Cor. 15. 50. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 2. Cor. 4. 14. Phil. 3. 20. 21. Col. 3. 3. 4. 1. Thes 4. 13. 14. Heb. 2 14. 15. 2. Tim. 1. 9. 10. Iob 19. 25. 26. 27. Iohn 12. 17. 1. Cor. 2. 9. Who they be that feare not death A comparison betweene this life and that which is eternall Phil. 1. 23. Titus 2. 13. Luke 21. 28. How death can not hurt Psal 116. 15. A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPALL MATTERS CONTAINED IN THIS ACADEMIE A ADmonition sundrie instructions how to admonish wisely Pag. 153 Aduersitie who are soonest thrown downe with aduersitie 301. the cōmon effects thereof 345. the Romanes were wisest and most constant in aduersitie 347. examples of constancie in aduersitie 348 Adulterie the miserable effects of adulterie 240. the punishment of adulterers among the Egyptians 241. Zaleucus law and the law of Iulia against it 240. testimonies of Gods wrath against it 241 Age hath no power ouer vertue 61. the diuision of the ages of man 563-564 Ambition two kindes of ambition 224. the cause of ambitious desires 225. the effects of ambition 224. 229. examples of mê void of ambition 186. ambition breedeth sedition 225. ambitious men full of selfe-prayse 226. examples of ambitious men 227. c. they cannot be good counsellours to Princes 231 Anger the crueltie of Theodosius committed in his anger 316. Valentinian brake a veine in his anger 317 Apparell against excesse in apparell 219. examples of sobrietie in apparel 219 Archbishop the free gird of a Pesant giuen to an Archbishop 158. the Archbishop of Magdeburg brake his neck in dancing 216 Armes Armie the exercise of armes must alwayes continue 762. the auncient order of the Romane armie 766 Arrogancie dwelleth in the ends with solitarines 157 Aristocratie the description of an Aristocratie 579. the estate of Lacedemonia was Aristocraticall 580 Artes and Artificers the necessitie of artes and artificers in a common-wealth 750. artificers of one science ought not to dwell all togither 751 Authors how much we owe to good authors 45 Authoritie what authoritie a prince hath ouer his subiects 670 B Backbiting the prudence of Dionysius in punishing two backbiters 388. when backbiting hurteth most 460 Bankets the custome of the Egyptians and Lacedemonians at bankets 203 Beard what vse is to bee made of a white beard 572 Belly the belly an vnthankefull and feeding beast 201. 202. it hath no eares 212 Birth the follie of birth-gazers 42 Biting what biting of beasts is most dangerous 460 Body the wonderfull coniunction of the body and soule of man 19. the conceptiō framing and excellencie of the body 21 Brother he that hateth his brother hateth his parents 542. the benefite that brethren receiue by hauing common friends 544. examples of brotherly loue 545 C Calling callings were distinct from the beginning 478. sixe sundry callings necessary in euery common-wealth 744. holinesse is the end of our calling 795 Captaine the losse of a captaine commonly causeth the ruine of an armie III. how captaines were punished if they offended 768. a captaine must not offend twise in warre 773. what captains are woorthiest of their charge 784. the captains of an armie must be very secret 781. two faults to be eschewed of euery captaine 778. how a captain should exhort his souldiors 790 Cheere good cheere keepeth base mindes in subiection 206 Children must loue feare reuerence their father 533. the dutie of children towardes their parents 541. examples of the loue of children towards their parents 541 Choler whereof choler is bred 314. how the Pythagorians resisted choler 315. magistrates ought to punish none in their choler 316 Citie what Citie seemed to Clcobulus best guided 264 Citizens who are truly citizens 606
of the soule not of the body 266. the parts of fortitude 267. examples of fortitude 273. c. Fortune what is to be vnderstoode by this worde fortune 307. howe wee may vse these words of fortune and chance 469. the opinions of Philosophers touching fortune 470. the description of fortune 470. examples of hir contrary effects 472 France one euident cause of the present ruine of France 163. the miserable estate of France 408. one cause thereof 607. the happie gouernment of France 635. two causes of the present diuisions in France 716 Friend and Friendship the difference between friendship and loue 138. what things are requisite in friendship 139. the chiefe cause and end of all true friendship 138. friendship must be free 142. three things necessarie in friendship 148. examples of true friendship 145. what manner of man we must chuse for our friend 140. howe we must prooue a true friend and shake off a false 141. how we must beare with the imperfections of our friend 144. G Gaming the effects of gaming 374 what mooued the Lydians to inuent games 374. Alphonsus decree against gaming 375 Generall a good lesson for a Generall 292 properties requisite in a Generall 300 Glorie how ielousie of glorie is tollerable with examples thereof 251. c. examples of the contempt of glorie 254 Gluttonie the fruits of gluttonie 213. examples thereof 214 God all things are present with God 407. he ordereth casuall things necessarily 468 he is the Idaea of al good 42 Goods the nature of worldly goods 37. two sorts of goods 52. 526. two waies to get goods 526 Grace effects of Gods grace in the regenerate 18 Grammar the commodities of grammar 556 Griefe a meane how to beare griefe patiently 331 H Happines all men naturally desire happines 31. who are happie and who vnhappie 51. what it is to liue happily 38. 54. how we must make choice of a happie life 246. wherein good or ill hap consisteth 330. notable opinions of good and ill hap 332 wherein true happines consisteth 334 Hatred how far a man may hate the wicked 387. the difference between hatred and enuie 459. the bounds of a good mans hatred 463. Histories the praise and profit of histories 79 Homage what homage we ow to God 93 Honor how a man may seeke for honor 232. examples of the contempt of honor 233. the first step to honor 247 Hope hope must be grounded vpon the grace of God 300. two kinds of hope 301. the fruit of hope 302. hope and feare are the foundation of vertue 561 House a house consisteth of liuing stones 489 smal iarres must be auoided in a house 501 Hunting is an image of war 554 Husbands how they ought to loue their wiues 501. a husband must neuer beate his wife 504. he must neither chide nor fawne vpon his wife before others 507. examples of the loue of husbands towards their wiues 510. Husbandrie the praise of husbandrie 528. 752. the antiquitie of husbandrie 752 I Idlenes it is the mother and nurse of all vice 369. Pythagoras precept against idlenes 370. examples against idlenes 377 Ignorance ignorance of our selues the cause of much euill 12. pernitious effects of ignorance 117. 118. common effects of ignorance 119. Impatiencie who are most giuen to impatiencie and choler 312. how it may be cured 313. Impost a commendable kind of impost 220 Impudencie the description of impudencie 428. Incontinencie the difference betweene an incontinent and an intemperate man 190. Socrates disputation against incontinencie 238 Infants how infants are to be brought vp 552 Ingratitude meanes to keepe vs from ingratitude 432. it was the cause of mans fal 425 great men are soonest touched with ingratitude 428. examples against it 430 Innocencie is a tower of brasse against slanderers 466 Iniurie how manie waies a man may receiue iniurie 384 Iniustice the fruits of it in the wicked 403. it is a generall vice 404. the effects of it 405. how many kinds there are of iniustice 404 Intemperance the companions of intemperance 192. what predominant passions are in it 189. exaÌ„ples of intemperance 193 c. Ioie examples of some that died of ioie 36 Iudgement from whence iudgement proceedeth 89. the iudgement of the best not of the most is to be preferred 249. iudgements are the sinewes of an estate 690 Iudges how the Egyptians painted iudges 394. a corrupt manor of making iudges 701 Iustice the fruits of iustice 390. the ground of all iustice 391. examples of the loue of iustice 395. how the abuse of it may be remedied 399. the deniall of iustice is dangerous 408. 658. the springs of all corruptions of iustice 697. iustice distributed into seuen parts 746 K Knowledge the knowledge of God and of our selues must be linked togither 12. the end of the knowledge of our selues 16. the benefits that come by knowledge 74 King wherein the greatnes of a king consisisteth 57. wherein kings ought to exercise themselues most 80. the true ornaments of a king 180. the difference betweene a great and a little king 398. what power the kings of Lacedaemonia had â—80 good precepts for kings 648. a king must be skilfull by reason and not by vse 648. the first and principall dutie of a king is to haue the law of God before his eies 655. he must begin reformation at himselfe and his court 656. the summe of the dutie of a king 674 Kingdome what causeth kingdoms to flourish 399 of the originall of kingdoms 586. their alteration commeth through vice 67 they florish through vertue 61. Of the antiquitie of a kingdome 623. the dangerous estate of an electiue kingdom vpoÌ„ the death of the prince 633. what kingdoms are electiue 634 L Law what ciuill lawes may not be changed 597. the end of all lawes 603. change of lawes in a well setled estate is dangerous 598. what the law of nature is 596. the ancient law-makers 599. what maner of lawes are to be established in the Commonwealth 657. Learning examples of ancient men that gaue themselues to learning 570. examples of great loue to learning 81 Letter Anacharsis letter to Craesus 78 Alexanders to Aristotle 80. Caesars to Rome Octauianus to his nephew Platoes to Dionysius Pompeies to the senate 132. Pisistratus to his nephew 146. Traians to Plutarke 157. 233. Traians to the senate 654. 707. Macrines to the senate of Rome 747. Aurelius to a tribune 768 Liberalitie a poore man may be liberal 436. the lawes of liberalitie 440. examples of liberalitie 441 Loue loue is the first foundation of euery holie marriage 530 Life mans life compared to the Olympian assemblies 38. one cause of the long life of our elders 198. Senecaes opinion of the shortnes of our life 211. our life compared to table-play 335. no man ought to hide his life 373. the end of our life 377. three things necessarie for the life of man 750. wherein a happie life consisteth 804 Lying lying in a prince is most odious 417