at the handes of a gentlewoman in Padoa wyth poyson procured his owne death One other in oure Cittye hauinge sustayned losse by the pryce of corne willinglye hanged himselfe One other and hee also of our Nation finding he could not with commoditye paye his dettes threw himselfe into a water and so drowned I my selfe did see a womaÌ„ who for verye sorrow that she had committed adultrye askinge God forgiuenes for her offence sodenlye dranke poyson Cleopatra although she might haue liued in honor yet because she would not be caried about in tryumphe caused a Serpent to bite her bodye thereof willingly dyed Porcia the daughter of Cato and wyfe to Brutus in honest life farre eâ—celling Cleopatra hearing that her husband was slayne didde eate burninge Coales and thereof died For cause more iust dyed Democles a Boy of notable beauty in Athens He being by the king watched when he should enter naked into a bath and knowing the king ment to abuse him caste himselfe into the bottome of the whot water and so presently dyed The death of Lucretia is wel knowen who violently bereft of hir honor sticked hir selfe The wante of successe and not will was cause that Alexander the greate escaped voluntarie death for hauing in dronken mode stain his frend Clitus he would presently in the house haue murdered himselfe from whiche doinge in space of three daies both by force sute he could scaÌ„tly be entreated to refrayn and afterwards being at y siege of Sudracarus a citie in India he leaped from the wall into the towne of purpose to dye For by meane therof he did both fal farre and alone among his enemies but fortune woulde not permit that successe he desired This booke would not receiue the nuÌ„ber of ensamples of such as for feare loue griefe anger other occasions of no waight haue sought theyr owne deathes Besides whom we reade of hole legions that haue offered themselues to apparant destruction As they did that were with Leonida against the PersiaÌ„s and fought nere vnto Thermopile What woulde these people haue aduentured for great cause or if death were a great euyl that vpon so light occasion did not refuse to dye From whiche determinacion no respect of age sexe or honor could feare them But I se what thou wilt say death I doe not feare for as it is not euill so is it necessarye and to feare that is of necessitye were vaine cowerdlye and hurtefull Yet woulde I dye easelye and olde suche a death as Augustus desired and did obtaine For by lyuinge olde I shall not onelye gaine a longer life but also a more easyer death Aristoteles in his Booke De Respiratione thincketh that verye olde men dyed not onelye withoute payne but also withoute anye feelinge of deathe because the heate of their bodyes was quenched whiche maye appeare by this example If thou goe aboute to drawe a tothe that is not loose thou feelest great paine but if of it selfe it were loose before withoute anye griefe at all it commeth awaye Euen so greene youthe wyth extreeme paine do yelde to death but olde folke in dying feele no griefe almost at al As the tragicall Poet sayth In slomber svveete the aged sprite departeth How can it be other theÌ„ that death is greuous to yonge men when as sleepe against nature is offensiue Oft times it happeneth that such as vppon custome seeke sleepe at vntimelye houres become thereby drye pyned and slouthfull so as in steede of delight they get disease Theophrastus beinge readye to dye thoughe he were an olde maÌ„ complayned of Nature because she had ordayned so longe life in Staggs Rauens al most vnprofitable beastes and to maÌ„ being the most noble wysest creature allowed so shorte a terme to 〈◊〉 in What may they say then that dye in y flower of theyr youth haue they not iust cause to lament Surely no. But here the reason why nature hath not among other creatures made man of longest lyfe and then that he that dyeth in youth doth suffer nothing more greuous then they that lyue old For fyrst it is doubted of manye and chiefelye of Aristotle whether anye creature the Elephant excepte doth liue more longe then man Because he maketh no mentioÌ„ either of the Phenixe the Crow the Rauen or the Stagge nor affirmeth them to be of longest life But let vs confesse that whiche is imputed in Virgill though it doth little importe to the matter where he speaking of men sayth A life more longe nyne times the cacklinge Crovve doth lyue But confessing with Aristotle that y Elephante doth liue more longe then man why neede we coÌ„tende whether man be of one or more creatures in longe lyuinge excelled Omittinge also that the holye Scripture affyrmeth lyfe more long to man then other lyuinge creatures let vs now dispute that that alreadye is taken in hande that is to say for what cause some beasts be of longer life then maÌ„ The reason is this seinge all creatures are made eyther for the vse or honour of man â–ª they were framed accordinge to the descretion of Nature at which time she made theyr minds as wel for their bodyes as theyr bodyes for their mindes were therefore made simple with fewe instruments as plaine thinges to enduer longe But the bodye of man being made onely for his minde neded many more instrumentes to th ende that the vnderstanding might the more fitlye do his office Therfore although Nature hath made for man the best proportion of bodye yet could she not geue therevnto the longest lyfe by reason of exceeding concauities and subtilnes of the members which if they were great besides that we should be al Giants they woulde bee troublesome eche one to other Which is wel proued in y no creature hath so infinite members or part of meÌ„bers which were of necessity made smal slender to y end they might the rather be fit to yeld so the breath an instrumeÌ„t of the soule became y more subtil Wherfore nature hath not in this behalfe omitted any parte of her duty â–ª but rather with such dilligence helped our life as for the length thereof wee haue no cause to complaine which is nowe wel proued in y people of India latest founde where men liue commonlye a hundreth and thirty yeres because there the ayre is good and the people without cares But wee coÌ„tinuing incares riot vntimely labour chosing ayre for profit not health yea altogether forgetting the length of life wee cast oure selues into extreame sickenes discoÌ„modities of body and preseÌ„t death without cause accusing nature for the shortnes of oure liues Howe muche better were it to know which way to vse the benefit of nature if so deare pleasaÌ„t a thing thou doest accompt this life what is y cause that Philosophers and Hermits haue liued so verye long yet theyr to great stinens and earnest contemplacion hindered their health vnlesse it were because they liued voide of care and
temperatly How much were this rule of lyuinge to attaine long life more delicate then to feede vppon fleshe and honye But in this age mē continue carefully in labours and care watching the halfe night baskinge in Venus bathe abyding in cloudye Regions and not in good ayre drinkinge boyled wynes do notwithstandinge complaine of short life And howsoeuer in deede oure liues be short it is opinion that doth make it so to appeare The people called Garamantes do not liue aboue fortye yeares I omit to speake of the Pigmeians as people rather fayned then in deede but wee if we dye before fyftye or threscore do thincke that iustlye we lament and yet who so dwelleth in those countryes do highly thanke God if he attayneth fortye yeares and thou lyuinge muche elder do neuerthelesse complayne Surelye euerye lyfe is long that is continued till death sith at the beginning the terme is destined and as sayth the Poet. In birth vvee breede our death our ende on first beginning hangeth Reade we not in holye Scripture that y nomber of dayes and monthes is appointed by God he hath set the terme which cannot be passed The lyfe of man therefore is ended wyth olde age for old age is the last part of life Olde age is also the necessitye of death wheresoeuer therefore death is necessary old age draweth neare Whoso dyeth in youth in this onelye is the more happye that he escapeth the discommoditye of old age will thou make life to seme long or short by comparison A kinde of beastes ther be called Ephemera which are made in the morning and before sonne settinge do dye If happelye they dye at noone theyr lyfe is called shorte but if they continue till nighte they accompte it longe and yet it exceedeth not twelue houres Wee maruaile at flees for theyr long life if they liue two Sommers and at flees that continue three monethes Yet whiche of these is thoughte any thinge towardes mans life we call dogges olde that passe a leuen yeares of age but a man passeth all these in longe lyuinge thoughe hee dyeth in youth But the life of mā must not be accompted longe or shorte in respecte of his yeares The life of all mortall men is but shorte because wyth death it shal be most certainlye ended It is vertue worthy actes that maketh the life longe and idlenes that shortneth thy dayes Alexander thoughe hee liued not aboue thirtye three yeares dyed an old man through the greatnes and nomber of his noble exploytes Argantonius hauinge lyued a hundreth and twentye yeares maye bee sayde to haue dyed in youth because besydes the rarenes of his age in all his life he neuer did anye thing that deserued memorye It ought also worthelye to be noted that for the most parte all notable men haue dyed in theyr youth Amonge the kinges none almoste continued to olde age Hercules Athilles Castor Pollux Aiax Iason Amonge the Poetes Lucanus Catullus Tibullus neyther was Vigill long liued neyther Demostenes nor Cicero howe true yea to true is the sayinge of the Poet. Their liues are short and age is rare vvhere life doth lacke good rule IVLIVS CAESAR Seuerus Alexander Probus Aurelianus Claudius the seconde of that name dyed in youth which men a I thincke liued the lesse the more honest they were because being deare to the Gods were the souer called vnto them Whervppon grew that saying from the Poetes whom Iupiter and Apollo do loue do neuer attaine to old age This is also to be noted that choise is to be loked for wher wil may anye wayes auayle but in thy power it is not to make thy life eyther more long or more shorte Yet if thou cā do it there is none offence at al but if thou cānot thou lamentest thy shortnes of life for no greater reason then thou may thy mortality And that care of thinges impossible is vayne onelye proper to fooles But admit thou maye continue thy life and become olde arte thou not therby the more vnhappye because thou losest that singuler commodity which by God almightye is gauen to men for the allaye of sorrow which is ignorance of time While wee continue yonge wee liue meerelye because wee imagine death is not at hande But how can olde menne thincke that death is farre awaye when alreadye they are entred the laste ende of life Howe true and worthye memorye is that sayinge of S. Austen A yonge manne maye soone dye but an olde manne cannot liue longe And yet no couse there is why thou should not be sorrye seing a yong mā maye also dye sone Syth th ende of life is vnknowē a yong man neuer ought to dispayre whether he laboureth of deadly diseases or be cast into cruell tormentes and prison The chaunces of mortal creatures do shew that men are subiect to law of nature and fortune so as withoute cause they loue certainties for most incertēties of al. But admit thou doest attaine to old age it selfe how manye euils commeth therby labour griefe ▪ sadnes losse of sences disdaine y which is almost worst of all as Caecilius doth well discribe therby thou shalte see they companye of all men eschewed vnwelcome are olde menne to their children vnwelcome to frendes disdayned of yonge men and odious to their owne familiars Theyr sences serue not theyr bodyes theyr bodyes obeye not theyr mindes they passe the nighte withoute sleepe and eate without all tast They lothe themselues how shoulde they be pleasant to others We reade that when Zeno Citieus could not dye with age he strāgled himselfe What dilligence and trauayle did Cicero take to perswade olde age to be pacientlye borne but if of it selfe it had beene good or as riches frends children and learning had apparance of good there shoulde haue beene not cause for him to haue taken such trauayle A mockerye it were to perswade that health or honour were pacientlye to be suffered and wee agree that olde age is sufferable but not to be wished for Howe manye olde men haue beene for whom it had beene better to haue died in youth Priamus for example not for myracle in historye is resited Not longe since Baccus Valor being olde and readye to take leaue of life before his eyes behelde his owne sonne beheaded a yonge man of singuler hope The next yeare before two other olde men I sawe that behelde the like fortune in theyr owne children Wherefore I wonder muche at the greate wysedome of Theramenes woo onelye escapinge when his house fell downe sayde before his frendes that reioysed for his life O fortune to what ende hast thou me preserued neyther did he aske in vaine for within fewe dayes after by the malyce of tyrantes he was taken and put to death Therfore such is the condition of men as althoughe beinge olde thou mighte returne to youth againe as the fable telleth of Aeson sayinge And as tvvise tvventye yeares bypast so novve my force I finde Myne aged yeares are vvorne
avvay I feele my youthful minde Yet who art thou so madde or greedye of lyfe as would take vpon thee such a condition wherin there is nothinge but sicknes cares contempte peril lothsomnes and sorrow So as I see not for what reason thou seekest to liue And if in lustye youth when strengthe sences beautye wit auctoritye were all in thee thou were notwithstanding oftentimes wearye of life what shalt thou doe at this age when thou hearest thy selfe called olde wretche and dootinge olde foole death doth neuer come so muche to sone to a yonge man as to late to them that be olde But if feare of deadlye paines do offende thee sicknes resembleth death and in sicknes by little and little the life is taken awaye Or art thou loth to dye alone Be of good cheare thou shalt finde more deade then are left aliue and those also shall or longe followe As the Poet sayth For eyther soone or late in order as men saye The vvretched flocke of vvordly folke to death do take their vvay Neyther doth GOD suffer any to deferre his destined tune The destines do driue all men and remayne as lawe for euer they are y happyer sort that are sonest dispatched of paynes And as amonge condempned folke the Lawe executeth those first that haue least offended to th ende that the greate offenders shoulde beholde the terror of death Euen so God doth first take those away whom hee loueth because they shall not be lokers on but messengers sente before vnlesse in consideration of profitte eyther to theyr frendes or the worlde hee suffereth such menne to tarrye more longe To conclude then seing in thinges that be euil there is nothinge more greuous then dailye and certaine expectatiō old age when it commeth hauinge in it both the one and the other doth force a manne to wyshe that in his youth hee had dyed I my selfe beinge a childe doe remember mine owne mother Clara Michera then a yonge woman was notwithstanding wonte to wishe that in her infancye she dyed beinge growen to greater age for euer more she continued y speach I asked the cause whye shee soe sayde where vnto this she aunsweared Loe now I know I shall dye and that with greater perill besydes that in the meane time who so doth marke it well shall see there is nothing that doth not bring with it greater griefe then pleasure because pleasure beinge passed doe chaunge to sorrowe And that deseruingly What is it in this life that can delighte dailye trouble to apparell and vnapparell thy selfe hunger thyrste sleepe not so plentiful nor quiet as dead mē haue heate in Sommer colde in Winter disorder of time terrour of warres controlemente of parentes cares of wedlocke studye for children slouthe of seruaunts contention of sutes and that whiche is moste of all the condition of time wherein honestye is disdayned as follye and crafte is honoured as Wysedome Artisans for theyr cunning not accompted of but for apparaūce and opinion of people preferred So as it is necessarye eyther to displease God or els to liue amonge men in miserye oppressed and disdayned I omitte all euils onely that which is cōmon to dead men is not euil all other thinges which wee do not accompte euil are worse then those which deade men suffer It is nowe requisite that somewhat be sayde of the diuersityes of death hytherto it hath beene deferred because they are many of diuers men thoughte worthy consideration For death doth seeme greuous to yong men both for that it is painful for that minde to leaue the body dishonourable and certen al which in common iudgement are ioyned to gethers And some cowardlye yonge men haue beene compelled to dye a knowen death but syth I see diuers of the common people pacientlye enough do take their deaths I know no cause why other should be greatly comforted considering that not the maner of death but the qualitye of the offence maketh death dishonorable For if thou respect only the maner of death thou shalt find that the greatest nomber of men put to vile death were those that antiquity prayseth and our age doe honour notwithstanding they fel into the handes of Tirantes in whose power it was to appointe the time and maner of death though innocencye be in them that suffer Neither can a publike death bee dishonorable if his life so dyinge be voide of foule vice because publike death without offence is not onely a signe but also a triall of vertue We fynde in the new law how Christ did first gayne the glorye of innocent death and after him followed innumerable martirs and prophets and the moore good and holy they were the more cruelly forced to dye Esayas cut with yron by commaundement of king Manasses Hieremias by the people stoned to death Iohn Baptist beheaded and fynally manie other cruelly murdered neither was the fortune of other Good menne muche better at the handes of heathen Kinges and in their Citties for Zeno Eleates when quietly he might haue liued in his house he conspired against the Tirant Nearcluis but his entent was discouered and he hanged yet at his deathe he perswaded the people to stone the Tyraunt to death When Lysymachus the kinge threatned Theodorus Cyreneus to hang him he answered thus what matter is it whether on the earth or hanging high my carkcas do stinke When Socrates myghte with sylence haue escaped death being condēpned only in a pecuniall paine did prouoke them y dyd condempne him to procure his death And when his wife Zantippe complained that vniustly he suffered he aunswered An mallet iuste senciens non esse malum preter culpam The dishonour therfore is not in dyinge but in the cause of death which procedeth of thine own euill doinge But as for paines youth and certaine knowledge of dying they add none encrease of grief to death nor make it moore greuous because the knowledge of that is not euill cannot be euil after and onely death after torments is most pleasant And torments either they can not be great or not long Christe for ensample to al men died that for ensample it might remaine Besides this seldome shalt thou finde any innocēt to dye of great torment no scantly once vnlesse it be at chaunge of lawes when innocentes are forced to suffer the insolency of nocentes as in hystories it appeareth most rarely is also founde example of violency in giltlesse men yf wilfulnes be not the cause for such as so murder good men do seme to do it of very will. But how easy a thinge death is eyther publike or by sword examples do beare witnes When Iulius Caesar was in the murdering and felte the daggers of diuers men stubbed into his body he sought neither to saue himselfe nor cryed for helpe but falling kept hidden his secrete partes Such memory hee had of comlines notwithstanding his woundes and readynes to yeld vppe his ghost And as Lucanus saith his sonne in lawe in such sort dyed He
feare of death should stil offend them But besides them behold what and how manye euilles there bee that vnlesse the cloude of error bee remoued impossible it is to see the truth or receiue allay of our earthly woes And aboue the greues that all other necessities do bring with them this hath somwhat more greveous and intollerable for they satisfied withe that they desire forthwith they cease to offend as honger is eased with meate thirste is appeased to drinke labour contented with reste But the memory of euils is so setled and manifolde as wanting good persuasion doth neuer cease to torment the minde but from one discontented imaginaciō to an other from one calamitie or miserie to an other cōtinually leadeth on our displeasīg thoughts And for that cause we haue framed this boke which although it profiteth nothinge to driue awaye the cares and anxietie of minde in others yet shall I therein not a litle content my self for which respect thiefly I toke the matter in hand And as menne saye that Asclepiodorus without colours did right cunningly paint so shall we voyd of all craft and skil with true reason declare how much each man erreth in life iudgement opinion and will. Yea somethinges there are that so wel do proue themselues as besides nature nede no profe at all Of which kinde in this our incertaine lyfe vain glory and in nature of thinges great plenty was euermore to be found and in al such the more cunninge and eloquence is vsed the lesse wee see oftetimes they receiue credite and beliefe Who is so much misaduised as wold paint the pillers of perfite marble or Porfery or who dothe coloure the vessels of Allabaster When the naturall glosse doth geue chiefest grace and reputation to the work we plaister and painte the ragged walles of morter and claye to the ende that arte should supplye that nature hathe lefte vnsemelye Neither do I think our worke here in so great as at the beginninge we thought to bee For albeit we knowe the nomber of miseries and cares to be many yet diuers of them be of suche kinde as being wel considered do nede no medicine at all As those whyche men willingly and vnconstrained do force thē selues to beare for who would take in hande to comfort Marcus Regulus amids his miseries whō neyther the pitie of his children nor the prayers of his kinsfolkes could perswade to remain in Rome and not to retourne to the handes of the Carthaginiences Of the same greatnes of minde were the holy martirs Paule George Laurence with almoste innumerable others Some other sortes of payns and trauaile there are which the faintest harts do not refuse to abyde either in respecte of y glory or gaine that groweth thereof As some we see vncōpelled do serue princes others do labour to please their louers some cōsume their time in studies some follow trafficke and some seeke aucthoritie and rule So litle trouble they fynde in these trauailes as being remoued from them they are greately greued Some led on with onely hope doe voluntarily take vpon them a life with patience trauaile to bee endured as those that passe their daies in solitary places as they that liue in citties continually as they that obserue religion straight lye praying fasting who being asked for what ende they so do answere for hope that after death they shall receiue eternall felicitie Some there are that take greate paines and willinglye suffer in respect of swetenes and delight as they think that is ioyned there vnto As haruest labourers who after longe toyle and sweat in sommers son do not withstandinge daunce when the pype doth sound Others with colde feete doe leaue the fyer to cast the dyce for though the cold do pinche yet the pleasure of the play is more But far greater incoueniences doe Cupides knightes with aduenture of life abide and yet withe all their hartes they hazarde all that in the ende all their desyres may be obteined Some there are that although they seme euell eyther in respect of natures necessytie as old age ▪ or of comparison as breaking of prison yet are they more paciently borne because before they came they were desyred and beinge com may not therfore be vnwelcome Wherfore if in perticuler I should entreat of euery of these besydes that no fruit should grow therof I might also seme combersome tedious I do therfore thinke best to speake of those which men do condempne flee as euyll Among which nomber somewhat I wyl say of the euils abouesaide for y one thinge is not to euery man alyke pleasant or disconting but of them old age semeth y chiefe whiche though no calamity but a gift of nature yet in some respect may be so called because we se it vnwillingly born of many therefore Cicero hath thereof curiouslye written though it cānot be iustly nombred amōg y euils of mans life yet of vs shall not be omitted We say therefore that among thinges wee accompte euyll there be three sortes That is to saye Comon calamityes priuat calamities simple and priuat calamities manifold comon calamities we cal those that happen to al men or the greatest nōber of our acquaintance as honger pestilence subuersion of coūtries and such lyke Priuat calamities simple be of two sortes the one discōmendable as if a thief lamenteth that hee loseth the oportunitie for murder or dishonest as the weping of Vrsus in Papinius The other honest and in no wise worthy greate discommendacion as the destruction of houses the losse of children death of frendes Priuat calamities manifold we accōpt those when a man by many mishaps at one instāt is molested as the holy scripture telleth of Iob who depryued of his house children cattel substaunce was also tormented with most pitiful diseases sores Some men do hold for true opinion that albeit a mā may sustaine one kind of calamity yet the sufferance of so sondrye myseries is not to be foūd in any Wherfore of priuate simple euils in general we wyl first take in hand to wryte next we shall entreate of sorrow and death eyther of our selues or nere frendes In the seconde booke and in the last we wyl not omit to speake of tormente bondage imprisonment exile iniury of old age pouertye in general of many miseries assembled togethers But fyrst let vs begin at priuate euils declaringe y the good or euill fortune importeth nothing to blessed life and y the fruit of al felicity as Plato sayth resteth in vertue or as the Poet sayth VVhose conscience giltles is doth not grovve pale for feare And yet as at that beginning I said who so would consider how many discontentatiōs do happen diligently marke euery one of thē should finde to what smal purpose in aduersitye a mā tormenteth himselfe considering how short frayle incertain myserable the life of man is So as if at any time for that misery it is to be lamented then
soundly slepte hee tasted the pleasantest part of life meaning as I thinke that euery pleasure that we take by our sences hathe in it more displeasure then sweetenes And therefore there could be nothing better then to lack y knowledge of theym But common opinion hath compared death to slepe rather theÌ„ trauayle or destruction therfore Homer doth call it brasen slepe Virgil yron slepe either of which importeth forgetfulnes of al thinges the allay of cares dulnes of sences careles mynde of hap to come Betwixt slepe and death this only difference there is that in death y time of quiet is longer Diogenes beinge sicke sleaping was asked of his phisicion how hee fared to whom he answered wel for quod he one brother enuieth an other Such was the securitye of hys mynde as euen at point of death he feared not to iest In like maner did Cosmas Medices a wise man in our age who being nerse death closed hys eyes whiche his wife seinge asked whye hee so dyd hee answered that hee did it to bringe his eyes in custome For in dede the eyes of dead men are neither broade open nor close shutte And so I thinke the Poet did wel knowe sayinge Is not our sleape O foole of death an Image playne For fatall course shal bring a rest that euer vvill remayne But if thou compare death to long trauayl and that the soule beinge let lose from prison of the bodye seeth al thinges and walketh euerye where Than what can be consydered more happye For the soule being burdened with the body is neither free nor rightly knoweth any thinge but beyng ouerladen with cares doth beholde only the fygure of thinges and as it were throughe a webbe or clothe gesseth a syghte and certainlye knoweth nothing but beinge free doth not only cast of all hyndraunce but also beholdeth all thinges without interruption whiche beinge true who is hee that willingly woulde eschewe deathe yea who is hee that woulde not rather doe as Theombrotus Ambrociota did who hauinge red Platoes booke of the immortalitye of soules cast himselfe headlong downe from a wall not feelinge any offence or other naturall sickenes but onely for desyre of such heauenlye happynesse as spirites were partakers of Therfore men saye that Socrates being by Crito perswaded to flye frome prison aswel for sauinge hymselfe as his frendes and kinsfolkes refused to doe it answerynge wiselye O Crito my chyldren shal be left in charge to God which gaue them As for friendes I am going into those partes where I am assured to fynd as good or haply better then they be And at length I doubt not but you wil also offer me your company meaninge thereby that the lyfe of man was of small continuance Such were the wordes of Socrates thynking that death necessarilye myght be compared to one of these three and most lyke of al to trauayle whych may also be coniectured by dreames For there is nothing that doth better or moore truely prophecy the ende of lyfe then when a man dreameth that he doth trauayle and wander into farre countries and chiefly if he imagineth hym selfe to ryde vppon a whyte horse that is swyfte and that he trauayleth in countries vnknowen wythout hope of retourne in such sort naturallye deâ—yninge of that shortlye wyll come to passe in dede But if death be resembled to destruction which as is all ready proued is moost impossible yet can it no wayes bee accompted euyll Because what so euer is not can not be euyll els we should lament for them that neuer were born nor neuer were at all and they that are not can nothinge suffer But if thou bewaylest thy chaunge sure it is that Death dooth take away more euylles then it bringeth and those more certayn And although Death were euyll and brought wyth it but one onely commodity whyche Epicharinus spake of because the partinge from Lyfe was painfull yet by death art therof delyuered for in all euilles to haue escaped is a greate comforte If then death be euyll to be dead is to escape but if it bee good thou haste no cause to lament And that the one or the other is who doubteth I remember nowe that longe synce happened to my selfe neither do I thinke to digresse from the purpose that albeit the twentye and seuenth yeare of myne age I became sore sicke of a syngle Tercian after Seuen fyttes I â—ounded and lay for dead In whych tyme althoughe euery member was almoste depriued of his vertue yet felt I neither griefe nor payn other then a certayn ticklinge throughout my whole bodye euen such as we feele in vsing venery Therfore as I sayde beynge in suche estate I feeled nothinge worse then that this tickelinge where in was not so greate pleasure as in Venus Sporte And there with all a certayne Feare leaste in deede I shoulde dye and truely as touchinge Sence or Strength I founde small dyfference thoughe the peryll were greate Afterwardes askinge of manye that hadde beene neare Death whether therein they felte any greate euill or not who aunsweared that in the Headeache and in euerye other sicknesse of the Bodye was greater Griefe I founde that in myne opinion of Death conceyued I dyd not erre at all That proofe maye also bee had that althoughe Children and women be moste fearfull to receiue all sortes of Medecines and yelde to Cuttinge of vaynes yet being ready to dye do neither complayn nor lamente but rather are offended if wee seeke to preserue their liues Who cannot therfore coniecture that in death there is either none euyll at al or very litle seynge those paynes whiche we feare most are in dyinge not regarded Thys is also worthy to bee noted that they that hope of no lyfe to come do no lesse valiantly dye theÌ„ they that beleue the soule immortal As Cassius who hauing killed Caesar with the same dagger that Caesar was slayne aspecting no messenger of death slewe himselfe so dyd Marcus Antonius and Sardanapalus king of the Assyrians did cast into the fyre not only hym selfe but also his bed and his concubines but that he belieued no lyfe after death is knowen by these verses Novve eate novve drinke novve make good sport For sith thy felfe on earthe a mortall man do see Take here thy fill of earthly ioyes no ioyes hereafter be Therfore albeit it were that with the body y soule did perishe yet death could not be eyther euyl greuous or any wayes to be feared yea such as so beleue are in greatest security for not beinge subiect to iudgement and free from all suspicion of mynde either of punishment or reward which thing doth most torment men that are ready to take leaue of lyfe But thou shalt beleue al rather then this that the soule perysheth with the body For as it is not altogether certaine what dothe presentlye folowe death so is it moste assured that the soule of man doth neuer dye wherof althoughe none other profe were then the consideracion of
lyfe and death yet death is paciently to bee suffered because there is nothing more hard or miserable then this life Besydes that by warning of god we are therof assured Also al wise men haue so thought and in thinges ineuitable the best is euer to be chosen To return therfore to the beginninge what is our lyfe other then a continual toyle euermore bound to abyde y discommoditie of so many necessities so muche labour so many suspicions and peril There is no delight in man that repentance foloweth not I am reuenged then beware I haue eaten my fyll fulnesse doth offend me I haue lightlye dyned myne appetite is not satisfyed I followe Venus sporte manifold repentance sadnes and in the ende sycknesse doth ensue And finallye eyther thy desyre is not satisfyed and there by thou styll discontented or els with saciety repentance and discomoditye doth torment thee So the only way is to keepe that meane For what cause haue all the Godds of the gentiles preferred death before the lyfe of man Vnlesse it were the worldlye miserye was to theÌ„ most apparantly knowen Pindarus telleth y when Agamedes and Trophonius had builded the teÌ„ple of Apollo they desired of the Gods this reward that where as Apollo had willinglye promysed to returne within seuen dayes that they in the meane tyme mighte continue in banquetinge and ioyfull lyfe but in the end of those days in a sound slepe they dyed wherby Apollo playnly taught that for mortall men there was no greater reward then death after that time the same â–ª God confyrmed y meaninge vpon Pindarus who being by the Boâ—tian Ambassadour asked what thinge it was that best coulde happen to man Pithius aunswered that Pindarus do prooue true whyche alreadye he hathe wrytten of Agamedes and Trophonius whiche if hee doeth he hymselfe muste shortlye followe In whiche aunswere the Poete did meane that he shoulde looke for Death where in hee was not deceiued for within a few dayes he dyed in deede Plutarchus in an Epistle of Comforte written to Apollonâ—us telleth this historye When Midas had in Huntinge taken Silenus this Silenus was of the Satyres stocke nourished by Bacchus who was also called Silenus Surnamed Satyrus of whome manye discended hee wrote as Plyny tellethe of wantonnesse and there in fayned thre Sileni Hee asked of him what was mooste to bee desyred of man Whereunto hee aunsweared not but at length enforced by the importunacie of the Kinge brake forthe in this sorte O you tormented Deuils the seede of one daye why constrain you me to speake that which were better for you if you neuer knewe it That is that the ignoraunce of your owne euyls is the onelye pleasure of mannes lyfe But seinge you knowe your own euils the beste were not to be born and nexte to that not to lyue longe And your condicion is such as you are partakers of no part of those goode thinges whiche nature hathe made this spake Silenus The sentence of the Philosophers doe also here vnto agree and Aristotle prince of the Peripatetian secte doth call those mooste effeminate that murder theim selues and those valiaunt which can abyde Trauaile Payne Misfortune and all sortes of myserie which opinion the Poet folowed sayinge In fortunes high disgrace each man may death disdayne But he most valiaunt is that can in vvretched state remayne But Plato chiefe of the Academian Sect saythe that a man ought not to yelde to Death because we are ignoraunt whether it be good or euil meaninge that in respecte of punishment or Ioye that folowed it was euill or good because deathe was the end both of good and euill Therfore euen in the whole scripture death is not accompted other then sleape and to dye is saide to sleape What maruayle is it then though for Hope of Life to come we ought not to shunne to dye We finde that Sainct Paule wished to dye and goe to God which desyre ought to be not only in Holy men but also in all good men For three sorts of euills there be that may happen to men The firste within vs and our mindes with which temperancy do mete The second without vs and they by wisedome are preuented The thirde are those that al be it they be in deede without vs yet are they vneuitable and against them none other defence we haue then fortitude And I pray you to what purpose should fortitude serue if to feare death were either goode or necessarye As therfore temporaunce and Wysedome are proffytable for Man So is also fortitude yet what profite coulde proceede therof if necessarily we feared death or if that feare were eyther good or honest syth of necessitye death must come to man one tyme or an other one of these three must necessarilie folowe eyther that lyke vnto beastes we should be ignorant of death which cannot be eyther that with willyng minde we will dye or els that we torment our selues Were it not more naturall to man and the rather seing that bruit beastes with ignorance escheweth the feare of death that he wiselye in place of ignorance shuld vse fortitude geueÌ„ him by God against the necessitie of death Neither can wee thinke that God hath more fauourablye forsene for bruite beastes then men yet they without al care do yelde to dye So we armed withe fortitude oughte not to feare any death What profyte can we procure to our country or friendes or what good can vertue bringe if we dysdayne to dye Callicratides the Lacedemonian captain hearing the Soothsayer pronounce victorye to the Lacedemonians and death to himselfe aunswered Sparta by losse of me shall nothing at al be weakened How noble were the dedes of men that feared no death how happy was their liues how commeâ—dable were their endes how glorious was their fame and in briefe whâ— refuse we to yelde to that equality wherin a common parson is like a kyng a monster lyke a most semely man a tyrant like the symple most harmlesse soule The huge armye of Xerses neyther the treasure of Tyberius nor the crueltye of Antonius agaynst death did any thyng preuayle All men are subiecte to one equallitye exceptinge true vertue there shal be no difference and thereinto without disdayne hate enuye or wronge to nature by destenye we shal be all called thoughe no man is expert in that iorneye Onelye false opinion of man hath made death to be accoÌ„pted a feareful thing not vnlike as those that haue not the experience of trauayle studye or concurse of kinges do make of them great admiratioÌ„ when others that are acquainted wyth such things do know them without maruaile at all And some we see without experience haue disdayned death for lighte causes killed themselues Of which nomber was Dioxippus the Champion who through enuye of the Macedonians falsely accused of thefte before Alexander protesting the iniurye with his owne sworde slewe himselfe we haue also seene a scholler a couÌ„try maÌ„ of ours for not beinge requited in loue
discribeth Pompeius deathe in this wise In hast he stayde his vvofull voyce and vvould no vvord complayn Least vveping teares might so vnvvares his heauenly fame disdain And vvhâ—â—â—is noble side vvas pearst vvith fearce Achilles blade No sigâ— no sob no careful cheare no sorovving sound he made but in disdaine of crueltye Cato VticeÌ„sis determined to dye ordered his goods wiselye forseinge the good of others though he neglected his owne which done reading Plato of the immortality of soules layd himselfe down slepte so souÌ„dly as he snored after being awaked sticked himselfe And when throughe weakenes of his hand the wounde was not mortal suche as were by saued him tyl at length violently he brake lose dyed Such was his gredy desyre of death Otho themperoure a yong man of thirtye seuen yeares of al men accompted soft and effeminate after hee had won thre battels of the Vitelli for the sorow of one lost gaue his mony and substance to his frendes and willed his familiar companion to shewe himselfe to the souldiers lest that after he should be suspected and in the night with two daggers murdered himselfe And yet neither dispayred hee of the holding of the Empire nor wanted the loue of the Senate or his souldiers but onlye for that nether in victory or victored he would hinder the commoÌ„ wealth Caius Iulius by Caius themperour condempned to dye â–ª obteyned ten dayes pardon all whiche time careles he consumed in sleape and table play and when the hangeman came in to warne him y his tyme was euen at hande hee tolde what aduauntage he had in the game and willed his play felow that after his death he should not boast of winning and called the hangman to record who led him towardes death accompanied with a philosopher Vpon the way being asked whaâ— he mused of He aunswered I determined to obserue what at the last instant my soule shal feele when it parteth away to the ende that after I may aduertise my frends Aratus knowing he had taken a lingering poyson at the handes of Philippus the Macedonian kinge speaking one secrete worde to his familier frend passed the rest of his life so pleasantly as semed not to haue any such griefe or assurance to dye The seuen brothers called Machabei al yoÌ„g men and sonnes of one mother by the commaundement of king Antigouns one after an other and in sondry sorte together with their Mother killed themselues Tectamenes condempned to dye went his way laughinge and being asked whether hee disdayned the lawes answered no but by dyinge I must pay that I neither asked nor borrowed of any Which example although vnder the person of one vnknowen was much praysed of Cicero yet in wise iudgements such behauiour argueth In Tectamenes rather vanity theÌ„ fortitude for a man condempned specially for wicked doing naturally can not loue death neither was it our entente to proue that death should be desired or sought for But as it is the condicion of a faithlesse man not to restore y he boroweth so is it also an vnfreÌ„dly and vnthankefull parte not to kepe that hee boroweth As therfore death is not to be fled or lameÌ„ted â—o ought it not to be sought for But as y Poete sayth Do neyther seke nor shonne the ende of thine ovvne lyfe Yet happely Craton may holde such opinion and though it be not mainteined by reason yet for the meruaile gaineth reputation among the common sort The example therfore of Theramon is more honest and more couragious For he beinge vniustly by thirty Tyrantes condempned tooke the poyson saying according to the auncient maner of Athens Critus I drinke to the for so was the greatest Tyrant and worse then Theramines called that done whatsoeuer remayned in the cuppe he threw vpon the ground The death of Phocion was more noble he seing his frend desyrous to drinke poison didde stay him after findinge that which was not left to suffise did buy more saying that in Athens a man was forced to buy his own death But why do I labor to enduce more ensamples of men when whoole Nacions may be called to recorde As the Galathians did so little regarde Deathe as they feared not to fighte Naked So did also manye noble Romaines and Germaines that nedelesse it wer to resyte their names I do therfore thinke best in fewe words to declare that men were made mortall for three causes First because there shoulde be some ende of their offences This life is displeasant and the nerer age the moore troublesome and therefore the Gimniophista as men say answered Alexander well askinge whether death or life wer stronger Liâ—e quod hee because it beareth so many calamities The second cause is that goodmen without enuy might be honoured and euil Men without feare coÌ„dempned and that riches and aucthority for whiche menne commit greate wickednesse might not be regarded Yf those thinges whiche mortall men haue were iustly wayed they shoulde as Cares and Euilles be reputed Yet if death were not Menne would muse onlye vppon Thefte and Violence while in this short space that now they lyue they thinke so much thereof The third reason is for that men might receiue rewarde of good and euil according to the quality of their deserts For after death such as haue passed a godly life shall liue not only with their brethren kinsfolke but also accoÌ„panied withal honest and learned men and aboue y starres receiue ioy and euerlasting felicitye So contrary wise the wicked in darkenesse and solitarye places shal be tormented Therfore for wicked folke only death can bee thought euill and yet is not but Good men not vnlike the Swanne who only at his death do synge may boldly reioyse and be gladde Some there are so ambicious that the care of their funeralles doth trouble them muche who are not to bee comforted but for their follye to be reprehended what is the body of man when the Spirite is passed awaye It is no moore accompted as parte or member of him but rather a Carckcasse vnprofytable stinckinge and horryble Seneca therfore didde well deuise that the same should be buried not in respect of the Dead but the liuinge least they by sauour and sight therof might be offended Where vppon in sundrye nacions hath growne sundrie customes of buryinge the Deade The Grecians were wonte to wrye them in the earthe The Romaines dyd burne them in fyre The Nathabeians did burye them in their dungehilles Yea their Kinges had none other Sepulchre The Ethiopians do cast them into the ryuers to be deuoured of Fishes The Magi did geeue them to wilde Beastes Hercani to Doggs But the Massageti most meruailouslye do eate them The Egiptians with their owne Nayles doe burie them The Persians doe wrappe theym in Waxe So incertayne is the reason where is no reason at all Alas good Foole doest thou not heare the Poete sayinge To vvant a tombe the lacke is neuer great What doth it preuayle the to lye in marble aboue the ground
leaue to lament The pitye of Parentes Brethren and Children both beginne and is as it were borne with theym â–ª Yet how many haue bene thereby hindered hereafter shal be declared But now to the matter what I praye you canne be moore vnprofitable among mortall Men or lesse certaine of ende then Sorrow whiche proffiteth not others and hurteth him that doeth lament I maruaile not therfore at the Thrasians and Casions though at the deathe of their Neighboure they reioyse and make good Cheare because they knowe theym deliuered of all worldlye woe and hope they are gâ—one to Felicitie So coÌ„trary wise they waile and wepe when any childe is born for that from most pleasaunt Quiet it is come into this troublesome Life whiche Custome a Cittizen of oures as I haue harde didde folowe who dying desyred that with musicke 〈◊〉 he might be 〈…〉 burial Yet know I not whether his desyre was performed But as touching sorow it can not be reproued syth men do lamente that that can not be eschewed and that which doth saue them from al other inconuenients yea while they bewayle the good of others they forget their owne miseries What is so vayne as either to lament nothinge if after Death be no Sence or if any bee to make them sorye that loue theym or be laughed to scorn if they contempne theym Truelye if we fynde faulte withe theym that doe weepe befoore theyr Louers not being beloued agayn wherby growethe no good but the declaration of their Follye how muche moore art thou to be blamed if thou thincke no Sence remayneth or doest thou accordinge to the fashion of Fablers and yet they beleeued there were Spirites by weping hope to call backe any to Lyfe as Orpheus did Euridice Alas doest thou thinke that if sorrow had bene eyther of necessitye or proffite that Nature whyche hathe geeuen to liuinge creatures Knowledge of so manie artes so manifolde circumspection and so sundrye customes as to fyghte for their younge to cherishe the olde in venerye to obserue affinitie wedlocke and reuenge that amonge the rest she would haue forgotten Sorrow Besides man there is no Creature after it bee broughte foorth that dothe lament the Deathe of an other thoughe we see one Pysmyre doth burye another yet Nature lefte nothinge vndone that for the necessitye of anye Creature was to be required but in education Sorrowe was necessarye leaste the youge should forget their Parentes and distroye their kinde The wise and discrete makers of Lawes haue lykewise wythe a certayne Godlye meane respectinge popular Follye and proffite appoynted shorte termes for men to mourne in Lycurgus commaunded that aboue eleuen days no man shoulde lament or seeme to mourne Solon did clearly take away all Solempnities of Sorrowe as wepinge Cryinge and Tearinge Who doubteth but if Lawes had bene made only for common people and not wisemen But that mourninge should haue bene clearly taken awaye yea rather thereof no mencion made at al because they woulde haue imagined Wyse men to haue needed none admonition as diuers of themselues we haue seene to doe But now perticularlye let vs proceede whensoeuer one Kinseman bewaylethe the Deathe of an other let hym tell me truely whether he had rather haue dyed himselfe or not For thus it must needes come to passe that the Children doe dye before the Parentes or the Parentes before the Chyldren or els altogethers as though they were all destroyed by subuersyon of one House But to perrishe all together is holden for mooste Calamitye and greateste Mysfortune If thou desyre to haue dyed fyrste thereby thou doest not onlye peruert the course of Nature but also incurre one of these two that eyther Death is euyll and therefore offendeth lesse in thy Parentes then thy selfe or els good And therefore for Pittyes sake to bee wished fyrste to fall vppon theym For euery man studieth to eschew Euyll chiefly to him selfe And Good is most commonly wished to those we accompte dearest or to those that for Pitties sake we honoure and reuerence What is that thou mournest for in theym because they are deliuered of Old age Or doeste thou lament that in others which in thy selfe thou thinckest ought paciently to be suffered Or wilt thou weepe not vnlyke the Old woman that complayued her barren Lyfe Vpon a time there happened a certayne Olde Woman to come beggine to the Gate askinge almose and therewithall alledged she was without Father or mother with which tale at the first somewhat amased one good felow standinge by asked what age she was of Wherunto she answered an olde woman of moore then seuenty yeares foorthwith we changed our cheare to laughter although we toke great pity of the olde woman beinge of so greate age yet no meruail was her losse of parents Therfore haue good regard lest while thou wepe thou moue not others to laugh what wouldst thou do if according to an old custome vsed by the citizens of India in the ysland of Coius that old men being past Threescoore yeares of age shoulde of the Citty bee caried in Triumphe and so in sight be slayne Because after that age they beynge vnprofitable their Deathes in respecte of the wante of Corne maye greatly proffyte the common wealth This Lawe all be it it be in deede cruell yet euerye Lawe dooth promyse some commoditie to the common weale Which I see the Claspians haue doone For that Region beinge plentifull of Menne and of Corne scarse Their custome is after their Parentes be passed Threescore and ten yeares to shutte theym vppe and so wythe Honger to kyll theym whiche vse as it is to cruell Barbarouse and of no brutishe Beaste vsed So Deathe naturall beinge come to oure Parentes oughte pacientlye to bee borne and thincke them to haue passed the whoole course of Miserye and vs to remayne and abyde the Troublesome assaulte of Earthely cares Yea and the rather for that they dyed when Olde age made theym combersome to the Common weale and to theymselues by Lyfe displeasaunte Doest thou thincke the olde menne of Babilon were wonte willinglye to yelde theymselues to Deathe but because they acknowledged that Death of olde folkes was moore proffitable to the Common weale then Lyfe And admytte thyne Auncestoure be not olde because to lameÌ„t Death in Olde age were woorse then the Follye of Melitides but Younge Strong Proffitable for his Familye necessary for counsayle and so in his beste luste taken away Thou wilt not lewdlye saye within thy selfe Why taryed he so longe as one dydde who boasted himselfe to be of our house of Cardani This young Man his Father then dyinge in the presence of all Men Daunced and beinge tolde by his familyer Frendes that he was dead sayd al to late but the wicked wretch or one yeare passed was iustly plagued for after a longe consumption he dyed and fulfilled that sayinge of Moyses Honour thy father and thy mother that thou mayest liue long vppon the earth which I see the Gentiles also do For Homer in his
and wysedome all which when age groweth on like vnto stares in the tree are encreased and detected So olde age beinge come sometimes in respecte of power but more often in regarde of follye and vtilitye olde men do for necessitye vse the helpe counsel of theÌ„ they loue not and onlye because of theyr owne debilitye which saueth the giltles children from many misaduentures at theyr hands for whom they liue continuallye a most miserable lyfe Others do disherit theyr children others consume theyr patrimonye and some seeke newe wyues breeding the sorrowe that stepmothers most coÌ„monlye make The iniurye of euerye of whiche ioyned wyth the combersomnes and seueritye of age is encreased And to conclude with one example of a wise man amonge all those fooles let that of Cato Câ—nsorinus a man of excellent witre suffice thee he hauing a sonne of good yeares fell first to aduoutry and after marying a moste defamed woman thereby clearlye discredited the reputation of wisedome and former life yea besydes all this ordayned the Nephewe of Clieus to be Coheyre wyth his sonne at that tyme Preator in Rome Why should I then neede to resyte Lysander Tiberius and the reste of those olde Monsters that in age were not onelye wicked but also withoute Mercye when the integritie and Romaine wisedome through defaulte of age was worne away Therfore seinge the number of manye brethren breedeth pouertye where great abundaunce wâ—teth impossible it is that any of theym canne doe great things It must then be confesses that y â— â—â—athe of the father ought much to be lament 〈…〉 sorrowed not at all Much lesse ought the death of Brothers to make a man sorrowfull it menne woulde rightly waye thinges as they are And fyrst it must be considered which is also to be thoughte of in the losse of children when alone without brethren thou be born whether thou wilt lamente because they were not borne Truly syth I see no man so to do I hardly thinke that any will saye it is worthye weepinge to bee borne with brethren â–ª or if being a childe 〈…〉 dyuers brethren wilt thou now renew the sorow of their death which I know also thou wiâ—t not because we loue not y we know not but we lameÌ„t for them we loue If then thou think neither those that are not borne nor those that are worthy to be mourned for how much lesse the other that were borne and lyued a good tyme For if to haue brethren it be euyll then to loose them is a pleasure But if it bee good seinge in all good thinges it is better to haue hadde some thinge then nothinge who doubteth But these that liued some reasonable yeares if they dye are lesse to bee sorowed for then those that neuer were borne nor knowen Such is the condicion of euilles that what soeuer is euerlasting is most displeasaunt and in al such some rest is thought pleasaunt In a tyme of famine is it not better to haue two Loaues then no bread at all After long labour is not rest he it neuer so little better then none Dothe not one dayes libertie refreshe a man well that lyeth continually in prison Are not suche as liue in miserie somewhat comforted when they remember that some parte of their lyfe was pleasauntly passed Seinge then it is better to haue had bretheren to haue lyued in their company to haue sorrowed reioysed with theym and therfore art more happy then they that vttterlye haue had none at all who for all that do neither weepe nor lament But false imaginacion and opinion is the faulte hereof whereby thou thinckest that not onelye he but also thy selfe should for euer liue togethers of which hope worthylye deceiued vnworthilye thou mournest for thy brother what if in thy choyse yf were to liue brotherlesse or without one only brother who after fortie yeares should suruiue the Whether would thou haue a brother with such condicion or liue without Surely thou would haue him vnlesse to haue brethren thou thinke it euill But if to chose the brotherlesse lyfe then wouldst thou not complaine Yet hauing the better choyse thou doest What is the cause other then that now thou art vnprepared to disgeste thy brothers death but when the choyse was made thou were prepared Thus deathe therfore is not to bee blamed but in opinioÌ„ only it semeth intollerable and therein thou lamentest the commodities receiued as there is no necessety thou neuer thinkest But be it for the purpose that this thy Brother was good and loued the much which as men saye is not common In Brethren hard it is to fynde vnfayned loue Truely if thou haue regarde to dayly experience the most brothers be coÌ„bersome quarrelous â—â—â—â—ous discencious captious and disdaynefull The Poet was wonte therfore verye well to resemble brethren to the windes because they euer disagreed among them selues and lyued not lyke frends or fellowes but as those whom discorde did beste become Chain did fyrst shewe to Abel what brotherly loue would after be Then Iacob deceiued Esau committing his eleuen children into the seruitude of Ioseph his brother yea some of theim they ment to haue slayne forgetting not only pitty but also their common parentes and the innocency of their age After their daies Absolon killed Amnon his brother Abimelech the sonne of Gedeon murdered his threscore and ten brethren one only except No godlye lawe no holye Religion no feare of GOD from so wicked a deede could withholde hym Neyther are the examples of the Gentiles more mercifull Atreus hauinge murdered the three sonnes of Thiestes hys brother gaue hym theyr fleshe to eate spoyled hym of hys Kyngdome and rauished his wyfe Etheocles and Polynues Oedipi Simulus and Rhesus did likewyse one murther the other so did also Romulus and Remus Iugurtha was not contented onelye to kill his brethren Adherbales and Hiempsales but also before they dyed cutte all theyr fleshe from theyr bones Cambises hauinge one onelye brother called Smerdis a simple man and lyuinge in priuate lyfe by reason of a dreame was by him slaine So lighte a cause can cause a brother to seeke the life of a brother What did Antonius to Gâ—ta or Antipater the Macedonian Kynge Phrahates who wythoute cause slewe hys thyrtye bretherne and wyth theym Herodes hys father by whom in the place of Pacorus latelye deade hee was Crowned kinge The Queene of Tilaea toke for husband her brother Hiperio by whom she conceyued two children the one called Sol the other Luna throughe enuye killed Hiperio then caste Sol into the ryuer Eridanus and wyth sorrowe thereof dyed Luna Cleopatra also for women are not free from such wickednes to th ende she mighte more safely aspyre to the kingdome of Egipte flewe hee sister Arsinoes and her yonge brother of the age of fiftene yeares If I resighted euery mischiefe that brothers haue committed to brothers this booke coulde not contayne theym My selfe haue knowen one man twise giltye of his bretherns death another the
yeare before was beheaded for hauinge murdered thre of his brethren but the death of two was apparauntlye knowen There is no thruste for Falernus more greate then the desyre of wicked folke to committe crueltye in their owne kinsefolke Yea sometimes this wicked violence is put in proofe amonge kinsefolke of one name But amonge this sinnefull sorte thy brother is none Admitte hee be good of honest conditions modest and vertuous yet what canst thou loke for more at him then others for if thou seeke good will a frende can doe it if necessitye thy sonne must be preferred if pittye thy parentes are better if dutye thy fellowes are morefitte if flatterye thy seruauntes do it best Of all which nomber seinge thou paciently sufferest death the losse of thy brethren oughte not more impaciently to be borne And hereof a most euidente token maye be the greate constancye of the parentes at the death of theyr children the like loue of whom is neuer seene neyther amonge brethren nor amonge children towardes theyr parentes But thus thou doest saye I loued my brother dearelye honoured him trulye but did he likewyse loue thee Alexius was brother to Isaac king of Germanye and by him receyued as a companion in gouernment taken of the Turkes he redeemed him wyth great summes of money notwythstanding al which at his returne hee deposed Isaac from his kingdome put out his eyes and kepte him in continuall pryson Thou mayst boldlye sweare by GOD that thou loued and not be deceyued but how thou art beloued is harde to knowe Titus honoured Domitianus yet howe manye iniuryes did Domitianus do vnto Titus and as it is thought in the ende wyth poyson hee killed him What can be more perillous chiefelye where is greate inheritaunce thenne to commit the children to thy brothers tuition a thing almost impossible it is to loue trulye both the brother and his children or woulde thou haue thy brothers shoulde loue soe as they should forgette theyr children Who knoweth whether euill fortune shall rather take thy children or thy good brother from thee For hee lyuinge eyther wythoute perill thy children mighte not bee lefte voyde of angouerour or not without iniurye committed to others Call to memorye the example of Childebertus the Frenche kinge who by practise gotte from theyr mother Clothilda the two sonnes of hys brother and slewe them because the lawfull heyres of his brother lyuinge hee thoughte that quietlye hee could not possesse the whole kingdome Many there haue beene seene to commit more crueltye vppon theyr nephewes then this and common it is to take theyr patrimonyes from them but the occasions both of perill and iniurye are all at once remoued Lastlye this is to be noted that nature as it deuideth inheritance so doth it departe conditions amonge brethren If one be honest an other dishonest If one be noble of mind an other of base courage if one be industrious another is slouthfull If thou hate thy brother why lokest thou to be loued if thou loue him loue bindeth thy iudgemente And verye like it is that as in thee there is singuler honestye so in thy brother is no lesse dishonestye but thou seest it not occasion wanteth Thy brothers inheritaunce was well gotten howe well gotten naye rather wonne by deceit But admitte it be as be it cannot that thou knowe thy brother doth trulye loue thee thou arte childlesse hee hath children lefte behinde him accompte of them and let them bee in place of a brother in educatioÌ„ of them shal be greater charity and in keeping greater reuerence But if neyther thou nor he haue children and hee that dyed is thy onelye brother if thou adopt children they shall better serue then thy brothers Siluer is lost and gould is found But if this thou cannot do sooner then thou woulde yea against thy wyll thou thy selfe shal or long followe him and had he suruiued woulde percase skantlye haue wept one teare for thee and if so hee had done was hee not by so muche wyser then thy selfe If before him thou would not haue dyed why doest thou lameÌ„t that he is fyrst deade Other frendes do liue other kinsfolke and other companions Howe manye brothers and kinsfolke in Christ do liue as mortal men and do dailye pray for thee And thyne owne brother is alreadye gone to GOD arte thou sorrye that he hath gayned libertye and euerlastinge lyfe Thoâ—cation of euerye sorrowe is pacientlye to be borne notwithstaÌ„dinge the necessitye of na-nature the custome of others and the variable condition of worldlye thinges do woorke the contrarye Neyther can there come any greater griefe to men by death then to be berefte of children yet although the same doth happen to the whole nomber of any mans ofspringe and therewith all hope of other be remoued yet is his condition not such as deserueth eyther weeping sadnes or sorrowe And nowe let vs more deplye consider whether the life of him that is barren or of him that hath children is more happye The childles man hath onelye to lament that he hath no child to leaue behind him which if in respect of perpetuitie thou foolishlye hopest amonge so manye thousandes of men doest thou thincke thy posteritye should remayne though the world were neuer to ende But that the worlde doth ende besydes that the lawes haue so determined also al famous Philosophers Aristotle except haue so agreed And if thy life be not coÌ„tinued for euer what is that to thee or if thy posteritye do alwayes remayne art thou for that respecte the happyer when the Paripatetians conclude that the seede of the father is no porcion of the childreÌ„ but y they are whollye ingendred of the mothers bloud Galenus thincketh y the vaynes the synowes and artires are onely made of the fathers seede al the rest of the mothers bloude howsoeuer it be no graund child is porcion of his graundfather So subtill is this pleasure of posteritye as in deede it maye be called nothing after a few yeares all memorye of great graundfathers is worne out who is he almost that euer knewe his great graundfather But on the contrary part to so smal a pleasure how great a care is ioyned hereof commeth perill of life charge in education feare of honger care in learning wantonnes in childhoode rashenes in youth contumacy disobedience disdaine All which in riche men and happye times are soe common as are accompted for necessarye euils Now what hope can be in posteritye when onely charge and feare commeth thereby People are opprest kinges make warres the Prince of Turkes with fyre and swoorde wasteth all vile seruitude of all euill the worst draweth on some yelde some are hidden in hookes on euery syde disorder euill men are not allowed good subiectes persecuted Dost thou then thinke that in times of such calamitye it is not care enoughe for thee to prouide for thy selfe but wil also be charged wyth an encreased burden of necessarye cares what caÌ„ bee more wicked then this oure
vnhappy excremeÌ„t which being lost in dreames as often it hapneth thou carest not at all but what matter is it howe it be lost I meruayle the lesse of Aristippus that disdayned his sonne so much as he cast him away Other likewise I heare distroyed them as Lauis did Oedipus Priamus Paris Neither do thou thinke this custome only of kinges obserued but also of priuat men which lawe by Romulus of infamous memorye and happy successe in Italy fyrst was ad nulled Hereupon were erected almose houses y children shoulde no more bee brought vp by wilde beastes But this perhappes thou wilt saye My sonne was now become lyke vnto me I had speÌ„t much mony care and payn vpon him and so was likely to haue ben noble but these coÌ„plaints were more meete for mothers because if thou lamentest thy losse of mony theÌ„ hadst thou more nede to be cured of thy couetise then comforted for losse of thy sonne And hereof be most assured that children do not take three maners and condicions of their Parentes and they will follow the condicions of none lesse then of theym which is the reason why the children of pore men are more lyke to their parents then the children of the rich because pore men are both fathers maisters of their childrens lyfe but rich men not so Whye shouldeste not thou then make an other mans childe thine For hee is moste lyke the in condicions that is of thine owne bringinge vp Quintilianus telleth how Alexander had certain imperfections of Lionida his Tutor which he kept styll beinge come to mans estate For though we eschewe the immitation of vices yet in vertues we seeke to folow them Therfore if he that is dead was loued for vertue we commend thy meaninge but yet O Lorde how pleasant how happy is that life where vnto from this obscure darckenesse thy sonne is gone yea how swete was that trauayle Neither do I thinke it nedeful to declare those ioyes pleasures which our soules hauing forsakeÌ„ these earthly pleasures do possesse for while the soule is loden with that heauy burden it coÌ„prehendeth immortall thinges with the mortall Scantly it can be expressed how much force dignitie and glorye the soule beinge at libertie hath For the conceiuyng and not the teachinge wherof all be it a man in this lyfe be neuer so excellent he is notwithstanding imperfect because he is onely a man complete that vnderstandeth which the soule beinge closed within the bodye cannot doe Therefore what meruaile is it that the soule so slowly and painfullye departeth froÌ„ the bodye Lykewise with greate labour and much difficulty a man is from his mother brought forth to thys vale of misery In consyderacion of all these the bitternes of sorowe for thy sonnes deathe should be the lesse wayinge the glory whych he now hath and the reputacion of his youth together with the weary abode hee made in hys mothers wombe Nature hath ordained that al greate encrease of felicitye is attayned through harde labour With the same reason shalt thou be coÌ„forted yf thy sonne be an infant and thyne only sonn I omytte to tel what hee maye hereafter be but now he hath hit the marke for which he was borne For is there any other end whereto we were born then death as the body for the soule and as sleaping for watching so was lyfe geuen vnto vs for death wherefore as sleape is necesary for all men some more and some lesse so is life for the Soules wherfore if thou want meane to get an other son then choose thou some other one of thine affinitie and bringe him vp in learning honest disciplyne hardly shalt thou fynd such a sonne made by hys parents If such a one by education thou makest thou gainest thanks of God whose children we al be of thy couÌ„try which is mother to al men Neither in dutye shalt thou fynde him inferior to other children It is not my meaning to wish the death of children but that paciently men should beare it neyther will I that the childe of an other shoulde be preferred before our owne but rather that thy sonne be so brought vp as he may deserue to be preferred before others yet if we consider succession we shall fynde that excellent Maisters haue hadd notable scholers noble fathers vyle children And to omit all others Socrates was not estemed of his sonnes but by Plato his scholer was praysed to the skies Did not Theophrastus commende Aristotle more then Nichomachus The auncient examples do showe that the scholars haue proued not only more worthy then sonnes but also more thankful what sonne was euer so fauourably to his father as would yelde him the glorye due to himselfe as Plato woulde haue done to Socrates Besydes that men of notable vertue haue not only wanted children but also neuer sought for any As Thales Zeno Plato Apeâ—les Diogenes Galenus Virgilius and Homer and to some they haue come as it were againste their willes as to Alexander and Iulius Caesar And no meruaile y noble men haue seldome vertuous children Surely I think for some great respects it commeth to passe that of some noble parents vile children should discend which was very well and pleasantlye witnessed of Spartianus whose wordes are these Remembring vvith my selfe O Dioclesian Augustus that almost none of these great men haue lefte any sonne very good or proffytable It appeareth then suffyciently that worthye men haue either died without children or haue bene without And fyrst let vs begin at Romulus he left no children Neither hadd Numa Pompilius any that could proffit the common weale What had Camillus were his children lyke him What had Scipio What had the two Catoes that were called the great Then what should I speake of Homer Demosthenes Virgilius Crispo Tâ—rentius Plautus with diuers others What of Caesar or Tullius to whome alone it had bene better to haue bene childelesse What of Augustus who though he had the choise of all could not adopt one good Traianus was also deceiued in the election of hys heyre But omitting adopted childreÌ„ let vs speake of babes begotten by Antonius pius and Marcus the goddes of the common wealth What man hadd bene more blessed then Marcus had hee not lefte behynde hym his heire Commodus Or who had ben more happy then Seuerus Septimius had he not gotten Bassianus What doe we learne other by these ensamples then that Children do not take theyr myndes of their Parentes but of God otherwise they should be like to theim Nor in dede we cannot call theym oures but children of God the common father and they ought to be imbraced for their vertue not vertue for theym which if men in worldly procedinges did marke they should be like to Gods and leade a blessed lyfe But nature hath labored somewhat to deceiue vs in the Loue of children that is to say y euery man do so much care of that as for that we fail not to forget y loue of
our selues our couÌ„try of god and that which is most our childreÌ„ al. So dotingly we do loue our children as we seme rather to hate theÌ„ â–ª We bring theÌ„ vp not in vertue but in iniury not in learning but in lusting not in feare of god but in desire of ryches not to liue long but to the performance of foule delites yet was it not nature y made this default of folish care of imoderate loue to whoÌ„ she gaue a certain modest desire of honger thirst to euery creature so far as was nedeful Yet though imperfection of mynd only man without honger eateth drinketh without thirst without necessity doth vse euery sorte of delighte And in like sort doth he loue his children so much as not only he suffereth them but for them the fathers wil also do euil and attempt al wickednes and thincketh them of his owne makinge But assuredly they are not but â—ee the woorkes of God who gaue them minde lyfe forme force maners wit and encrease And of these the Father made nothinge Then leaue I saye to lament for that is none of thyne hee that made yt hath called it agayne vnto hym to whose Commaundemente yt is boothe iuste and Godlye it shoulde obaye And if thou desyre to knowe whether this Loue bee Naturall or like vnto other desires an imperfection of mind Beholde other lyuing thinges who after education do neuer knowe their owne no nor loue them But if this were a gift of Nature it shold by reason of pitye and necessity rather be in children towardes their parents then in parentes towardes their children which example Nature as it semeth did not forget in brute beastes for among birdes the Stork Among four foted beasts the Dormouse doth feede his aged parents But after the first educatioÌ„ of loue borne to their parents no sinne is extant but men by study as it were doth passe other liuing things through the imperfectioÌ„ of mind esteming himselfe to much The pitie of brute beastes cometh altogether when both of education loue th end is one duringe which time the old beastes be weaker labersome leane careful and miseserable as to all men it doth appeare Surelye it seemeth a great madnes to torment thy mind coÌ„tinually with this nedeles care of posteritie for besydes that this desyre is neither reasonable nor necessary some man may iustlye meruaile why it is so common but the answere there vnto is not douted of If fyrst thou doest show me the cause why so many men became couetous ireful and subiecte to desyres of lust And all these besides they be vices not naturall nor reasonable are also dishonest Yet thonly loue of children after educatioÌ„ though it procedeth neither of nature nor reason yet is yt honest But I haue perhaps in so apparaÌ„t firme matter for wise men spoken more then was requisite And haue vsed reasons true though subtil and shorte Therfore let vs come to longer speache arguments more playne lest I seme not so muche to proue as to deceiue thy son therfore being dead consider fyrste whether hee was well reported or accompted wicked For manye times the son of a good father is seene to proue an euil man by reasoÌ„ the homely vices are hardlier discouered then y externall besydes that loue byndeth iudgemente Wherof a fable is come forth how the Cuckovv in old tyme for her young birdes contended in singinge with the Nightingale and hers appointing the asse to be their Iudge whose sentence was y he knew not which of them did synge most swetly but wel he was assured the Cuckovves did most playnlye and distinctly pronounce their notes So the children of euery one are not only best loued but also the euyll by the euyll are most allowed of In which cases as we haue also sene meÌ„ of right good iudgement mete it is that we should not only lameÌ„t but also reioyse And in auÌ„cieÌ„t time they did much more then this for both Manlius Torquatus agaynst his son Deciê° Silanê° pronouÌ„ced so cruel a seÌ„tence as with a cord he hanged himself And M. Scaurus finding his sonne among others fleinge being only giltye of feare did force him to returne to his enemies be slaine Lykewise a woman of Lacedemon killed her son for his slouth and returning from the wars of whom this noble verse was written Thou dastard knight Damatrion thy mother here haue slayne That doest both her and Spartayn bloud vvith covverdice distayne Such and more wicked sonnes being bereft of lyfe do thereby sease to offend their parents kinsfolke yea are also themselues saued froÌ„ greater infamy Some sonnes haue not forborne to coÌ„spyre the death of their fathers As Blandenius Zesides who slewe his mother and Euander that at the perswasion of his mother Nicostrata murdered his owne father and for that cause was banished Italye Such moÌ„sters as they are being left aliue are causes of many euils so Paris was the subuersioÌ„ of both Priamus house country notwithstaÌ„ding wheÌ„ he dyed Priamus weped So folish are mens cares that they wishe they wot not what excellinge as they think the Gods in wisdome reproue those that in their ignorance shall procure their good For if thy son were wise honest godly noblye mynded hauing hope of children that may support thyne vnweldiage What is wanting in the graund children if none be a fond thyng it was to hope that he would not nor could not do But how soeuer it be greater is y dauÌ„ger of them that are worse then death then hope of those he hath to proue better And misery vilety shame continuall griefe and disdain are al more euyl then death deathe is common to all men but these to fewe who also are all subiect to death Were it not better by dyinge to preuent all these iniuries then to haue thy desyre so dearlye bought For necessarye it is that who so wyll lyue old must suffer many euils Ther is almost no mortal creature liuing long but at somtimes before he dieth doth hate his life wherto put the saying of y Poet. Although vnvveldyage vvhen lyfe doth vveare avvay None other ill did bring vvithall but that as men do say By liuinge long ful oft vve see vvich vvee vvould not behold Truly if such desyre thou haue of children if thy sonne died thou beinge olde thy time to follow is next if in thy youth then hast thou hope enoughe to haue more Finally Sorowe is a womanishe thinge and not fytte for men Therfore the Licians were wont to constrayne mourners to weare womens garmentes to th ende their garment might agree with the mynd And surely not without occasion because among all people the more vile they be the more beastly they lament As women fyrste next children then barrennous men the greatest nomber of whom be effeminate Contrariwise meÌ„ the more valiaunt they bee the more they oppresse their griefe and soâ—er driue their Sorow away This sort of Sorrowe goeth
payns as for emulacion in vertue What is by thensample of Abraham vppon Isaaâ— shewed other then that men shoulde so loue their children as in them to put no truste at all but euer to honour God so as we may forget oure chyldren and such are worthy great reward For whiche his carefull obedience he is made father of many nacions neither shall his seede at any time decay This was a greater argumente of courage then that of Brutus for hee murdered the gyltlesse lefte the children of others his heires the other in sleinge became childles Hee by the handes of an other commaunded his enemies to be slayne thys man murdered those that obeyed But let vs returne to ensamples of sufferaunce and a shame it were that Women shoulde for fortitude exceede men Among whom what may be sayd of Tomyris queene of Mesageta who hauing her sonne slayne in battayle where in her enemye Cirus also dyed without teares made great feastes the hole army lykewise slayn â–ª Also Cornelia mother to the Gracchi of a great number of sonnes hauing onlye C. and T. lefte yet when they were in a time of sedicion most cruelly slayn besides calling only to memory their father their own worthy actes did not otherwise make any shew of sorow Argilion y mother of Brasidas the Lacedemonian kyng hearinge her son was slayn dyd neither mourn nor lament but asked if nobly worthely he dyed Gyrtias likewise a womaÌ„ of Lacedemon when her son was broughte home almost dead and his frendes lamented she sayd Non Silebitis inquaÌ„ declaring of what bloud he was desceÌ„ded she said one body hath ouerthroweÌ„ other in fight yet after being recouered growen to mans state was slayne in battayl which being told vnto his mother she answered saying was it not expedient y goinge to the wars he should â—â—ea others or be slaine himselfe but more wyllinglye I receyue knowledge of a death worthy of mee his predecessours then if in slouth and idlenes hee had liued One other womaÌ„ more valiantly bare the death of her sonne promissing in the fyeld sayinge let cowardes complayne for I wyll wythoute teares and meerelye burye my sonne And a nother a woman also of Lacedemon hauing lost in warres her fyue sonnes standing vppon the walles of Sparta and listinge for the euente of the battayle when she sawe a man comming asked what was done he thinking she had asked of her sonnes aunsweared they are all deade whereat the woman offended sayde it is not that ill lucke I aske but how speedes our couÌ„try then he telling y the victorye was gotten by the Lacedemonians the woman sayd wyth al good wyl I receyue knowledge of my sonnes slaughter In olde time such was the nobilitye of minde both in men and women aswell for courage as counsell But now enoughe or rather as I thinke to much haue bene sayd aswel of them as also appertayneth to deth It is not therefore needefull to speake of frendes kinsefolke or wyues seinge of them the plentye is greate the conditions vncerteyne and the necessitye little yea the cares and disquiet of wyues doe almost counteruayle the sorrow of theyr deathes And though wyues were not shrewed nor combersome yet can no man at anye time long want a wyfe syth one may be taken after an other And albeit that wyues were all good all frends faythfull and all kinsefolke kynde yet seinge the death of a brother a sonne and a father is pacientlye to bee borne a follye it were to lament them or call suche doubtles matters in question But rather resolue wyth thy selfe that death is the end of euill to fooles and to wyse men the beginning of all good And as sayth Menander VVhom God doth loue in youth he dyes FINIS Of Comforte the thirde Booke MVche longer then was determined more at large haue I discoursed that kynde of comforte which to sorrowe death doth appertayne not onlye because I thincke y occasion of griefe whiche groweth eyther of pryuaâ—e death or losse of frendes is little or lightlye borne but also that in these dayes men do so much desyre riches auctoritye as till death doth euen at hand drawe on they take no care at all Eche man in imagination alloweth himselfe longe tyme of life disdayning death as a thing not knowen in this but an other worlde But ryches and present authoritye are on euerye syde soughte for as ioyes which hee euerlastynge â–ª Yet not contented with â–ª this they also reproue condemne and despyse the quyet lyfe of such as are not with like madnes delighted For the chiefest care suche men do take is that of al other most wyse and happye neyther of which in iudgement of those that disdayne them can be allowed Then when these wealthy men perceiue that the others are not greatly greeued forthwith they fal to hate and persecution So as although men could willinglye suffer theyr bace estate yet beinge driuen into any kinde of necessity or calamity straight wayes they lament and complaine so as by confession of them for great desyre of riches the rich men are allowed of and praysed for the wysest sort of men But seinge the estate of tyme and worldly procedinges are not euer alike wee meane not to speake muche of that calamitye which these ambicious men do thincke y greatest but of that miserye whych may so trulye be called for suche kinde of men do labour to continue after death and glorye in theyr owne happines As the Poet wryting vpon the tombe of a certayne happye man sayde Vpon my corps poure forth thy vvyne O frend that comes this vvay And on my tombe vvith pleasant hand thy precious spices laye No gulfe of griefe my graue shal be but springe of lasting blis I am not dead but changd my life lo such my fortune is My former ioyes are not decayd but as they vvere before If ought or nought I beare in minde yet blest for euermore O merye man howe aptlye hath hee nothinge sayde for this presumption to continue felicitye after death is a thinge altogether vaine and forsaken of the very authors thereof For well we see that after death the glorye of ryches doth in short space decay Not onely because great nombers do daylye aspyre to this prayse but also riches it selfe deserueth no glorye at all And amonge so manye thousaÌ„d thousands as in theyr time was famouslye rich yet few of them haue come to our knowledge Gilias Cressus Mydas Pythius Meander Erictonius Sysiphus Tantalus Of the Romaynes that had beene bonde men Amphion Menecrates Heron Demetrius Pallas Calistus Narcisus Of Frenchmen Drusus Caecilius Sylla Lucullus Liuius M Crassus Of Kinges Salamon and Ptolomeus were all reported for notable ryche But Gylias became famous for liberalitye Cresus and Crassus for theyr misfortune Sylla Lucullus for theyr victoryes Mydas through Silenus The Romaynes that had bene bonde men by the abuse and riot of Rome Salamon for wysedome Tantalus for wicked lyfe Meander
and Pythius for theyr bountye to the Persian kinges C. Caelius for his Testament Ptolomeus for princely maiesty Erictonius and Sysiphus throughe Poets libertye L. Drusus for hys magnificence So as none almost for onely riches gayned glory although they were such meÌ„ as might easylier attaine to fame for vertue then so greate riches To what vse that after death riches should serue no manne knoweth nor can imagine And although that after death they did yelde glorye to thee and vse to others yet the same is to thee nothing at all Rather ought thou remember to passe in to those partyes whether thou can carrye nothinge besydes thy vertue and vyces of mynde When soeuer therefore thou shal dye wyll come to memory not thy ryches but thy sinnefull offences not thine honour or auctoritye but thy hope and fayth of Saluation For at that instant I omit thy former myseryes all thinges shal be subuerted and to thy sighte the hole worlde shal be turned to the first Chaos And as the land doth seeme to moue in y sight of such as sayle in the ship yet in deede doth not but it is the shippe that remoueth and not the land so in the houre of death shal the whole world seeme to be subuerted wheÌ„ thou shalte for euer take leaue of earthlye life neuer againe to see thy worldlye frendes nor thy riches wherein thou so much delighted Therefore if after death thou hopest of anye lyfe why doest thou not coÌ„sume thy tyme in vertue or if none yet why seekest thou not thyne owne quyet syth for other lyfe thou lokest not nor hopest to returne againe to this But happilye it maye be sayde that this sorrow is sweete as it is to rubbe a soore A pleasure it is to be riche to gouerne to be praysed and to oppresse others this is the vttermost marke of mans felicitye O foolishe imagination but let that passe so thou disproue not others of sounder opynion Yet if wythout offence I maye so do let me aske why men lyke vnto children do builde houses that wil by and by fall downe whye doe they vainlye trauayle not onely in bodye but also in minde Yet let vs a whyle conuert our speach to other matter for I am enforced many wayes to degresse from our purpose and let vs fyrst declare why my former booke became so longe and therewythall shewe that for all calamityes if any seeme intollerable there is one remedye It was therefore wyth greate diligence approued y death is not to be nombred amonge the euils for seynge the meane to come therevnto is open to all men none but such as willinglye are can iustlye be called vnhappye Tiberius suruayinge his prysoâ—ers was asked by one of them howe sone hee shoulde dye aunswered â–ª I am not as yet reconsyled vnto thee A true aunswere surely in respect of the matter but tyraÌ„nous if y consyder the meaning And this was one other cause why my last booke was the loÌ„ger For against al sortes of myseryes thre special remedyes we haue Death Wysedome and Fortune They are coÌ„monly constrayned to vse y helpe of death that cannot take commoditye of the other too being fallen into those calamities which seeme the greatest Wherefore Damidas the Lacedemonian seemed discretelye to aunsweare one saying vnto hym that vnlesse the Lacedemonians were reconsyled to Philippus they shoulde be in greate hazarde for at that tyme the Lacedemonians were the kinges ennemyes who had wonne Peloponesus O cowardly man quoth Damidas what can be intollerable to vs if we feare not to die In lyke maner a boye of Lacedemon being taken by Antigonus and solde in seruices meeete for free men did willinglye yelde himselfe to take paines but when he was employed to vile works and amonge y rest to emptye vrinals he refused to do it For which wheÌ„ his master did sore threateÌ„ him he forthw t climed vppon the toppe of the house and sayde now shalte thou knowe whom thou hast boughte and therewithall cast himselfe downe headlonge So Crassus beynge taken prysoner and fearinge dishonour with his ryding rod he strake oute the eye of a barbarous souldiour who moued with ire forthwyth did slea hym A common experience it was in the old time by willing death to eschewe long or shamefull kinds of dyinge And if I should write the names onelye of such as in the raignes of Nero Caligula and Tâ—berius did willingly kill themselues the historye would be to longe or if I rehersed the nomber no manne woulde beleue mee Nowe whilst wee speake of these voluntarye deathes it commeth to memorye that not longe since in the Cittye of Venis there lyued a certayne Apoticarye he for some great offence being coÌ„dempned to dye desyred to speake wyth his brother who in kissing hym deliuered certaine poyson which he broughte in his mouth closed within a nut shel by force whereof after a fewe houres he dyed whereby he saued himselfe from longer sorrow and eschewed the reproche of dishonourable death We reade y some men to auoyde extreame sickenes haue voluntarily ended their liues of which nomber was Pomponius Atticus a famous man extremelye tormeÌ„ted wyth a greuous disease at length fynding some rest pyned himselfe for not falling into his former paynes In lyke maner dyed Corellius Rufus to auoyde the paynes of the goute But oure Lawes do not permit any maÌ„ to procure his owne death and for good reason For that nothing shoulde be intollerable to a Christian man onelye extreame tormente which the Lawe doth not allowe yet by law is permitted Now let vs proue y besydes this intollerable sorrow and y not altogether except there is nothing that can make a maÌ„ discouraged and that all men beinge wyse are equallye happie and vnhappy So as I may thincke with Socrates that if all mens cares and euilles were by one assente layde togethers on one heape and equallye deuided to euerye man alike after wee had seene the greatnes of others greeues we would choose to take vppon vs our owne rather then to abyde the chaunce in deuision because eche man knoweth his owne euils and is ignorant how great the greeues of others be which is the reason why ech maÌ„ thinketh himselfe most vnhappy In discourse whereof two thinges may be obiected the one y this booke can onely profite those that be learned and also withoute this the learned by readinge of Cicero chiefelye his bookes De Finibus bonorum his Tusculane questions his Paradox and De Senectute Plutarchus Petrarchus Boetius with diuers others shal finde no small remedye in all calamities And how shal the simple and vnlearned sorte as is the most part of the people and many gentlemen also take profite of this booke So as in comfortinge the learned I shal seeme presumptuous and for y vnlearned superfluous But I neede not feare to be herein accused because as at the beginninge I 〈…〉 other bookes were made for others â—se but this onelye for my selfe
seing among men of meane possessions wee see these practises dailye put in vre it is no maruaile to heare that fathers haue spoyled theyr sonnes sonnes haue slaine theyr fathers and brothers haue sought the life of brothers onlye to inherite worldlye kingdomes So as the sayinge of the Poet is well verifyed That fayth did neuer long in Princes court abide But to what ende serueth the power of mens riches yea though it be well gotten what pleasure doest thou take to haue aboute the nomber of seruauntes and companions what secrete foes arte thou forced to keepe chaunging libertye for ambition For a rich man in deede is none other then a Peripatitian god that is to say confyned by lawes a seruaunt yea an improfitable seruaunt O foolishe imagination of man to yelde hymselfe to so manye labours to muse on so manye cares to attempte so manye mischiefes that looseth so manye pleasant dayes onelye to make his son riche Not vnlike the Moyles which fatte and fayre are without vse of sence constrayned to serue in yoakes obeye the bitte yea sometimes do suffer iniurye of the poore flees But the children of poore men beinge wyse vertuous and stronge haue libertye to walke at will disbordened of all kindes of care Being attayned to rype yeres they hunt they fish they hauke they play wander wher they thincke best Is not this liberty to be preferred before K. Cresus riches But among such as haue by inheritance come to great riches the most of them haue consumed all Neyther can I thincke y couetise fathers on theyr death beddes do feele greater tortormente then to remember y those riches which wyth long labour they haue gotteÌ„ shal be by theyr prodigall sonnes in short space coÌ„sumed on strompets dycinge paracites and flatterers of court I my selfe haue seene a man whose father and graÌ„dfather in fiftye yeares had gotten to the value of a thousande poundes all whiche hee consumed in lesse then three yeares The sonne of Ruinus hauinge receyued from his father a rich inheritance fel into such a fransye as he lost both lyfe and gooddes Howe manye wayes are lawes offended howe manye rebellions happen how many treasons whereinto such as liue in meane fortune do seldome fall Besydes this who hath not a greedy heyre a sonne a brother or a brothers sonne y wyll not wyth one farthinge redeeme thee Yet suche is the madnes of men as wyth losse of theyr owne quiete they labour to make them riche Therefore seinge riches doth procure neyther glorye nor felicitye to oure selues or oure posteritye there is nothinge worse thenne not hauinge riches to desyre them or go about to gette them But seinge weâ— meane not to perswade any thing Rethoricallye but rather according to the Philosophers examine whatsoeuer maye on eyther syde be obiected mee thinckes it may be sayde that euerye man seeketh riches but no man wysheth for pouertye Which reason albeit by diuers argumentes maye be refuted and happly truly yet in this worke ther is nothing more allowed of then y simplicity of minde so as reason shoulde not proceede of will but rather that Will should follow Reason To returne therefore to oure purpose I say y whatsoeuer is by any creature required either for coÌ„modity or necessity y same creatures do naturally desyre them In which desyres brute beastes directed onelye by naturall sence do not transgresse the lawe of necessitye But man hauinge libertye of sence reason to perswade with himselfe doth eate drinke sleepe more then eyther commoditye or necessity doth requyre So as though eating drinking sleeping be things natural yet superfluously takeÌ„ do work effects coÌ„trary to nature In like maner are riches to be desired not in abundance but so much as suffyceth to liue whatsoeuer is requyred more is not onely not good but also contrarye to nature And how can that be good which is contrary to nature This exceding desyre of riches doth not therefore procede of imperfection of nature Al men naturally do desyre riches as meate or drinke not because excesse of them is naturall but because in them somwhat is natural that is to saye so muche as suffiseth wherew t to liue Which sufficiently we get either by industrie as those that are learned in artes or by reuenue as gentlemeÌ„ or by consent as fryers or by deuotion of others as Courtiers beggers As therfore without eating drinking we cannot liue so is it lawful to desyre riches For to haue nothing nor know which way to get is coÌ„trary to nature And yet as saciety dronkennes be not onely euil but also vnpleasant so is also riches and auctority But notwithstanding it may be obiected that those coÌ„modityes which poore men are partakers of as labor exercise industry pacience abstinence may be enioyed by them that be rich and the choyse of both being in the riche man he shoulld be the more happye For if willinglye wee wante pleasures in wanting them is eyther none euill or iustly cannot so be called Yet whosoeuer thus thincketh doth greatlye erre Because a man being brought vppe in delicacye his minde becommeth effeminate his bodye tender and vnfit to suffer trauaile Nature accustomed to sondry meates do make dilicate digestion And if any man so brought vp do chaunge his diet to poore mens fare he shortly becommeth diseased full of obstructions and subiecte to consumption Or if they fall to trauaile eyther by coÌ„pulsion or for ambitioÌ„ they grow vnhealthy sicke of agewes and in short space die If any of these fine eaters do applye themselues to earnest studye they commonly dye in youth as did Ioannes Picus Mirandola A thinge impossible it is that a man borne to great riches should become in learninge excellent vnlesse at the first he liued a poore life or in his youth fell into some frensye But contrarywyse in the prayse of pouertye it may be sayde as Dionisius sayd to Aristippus y poore men did begge of the riche seeke theyr houses and liue of theyr lyberalitye Yet if thou respecte the necessity of thinges it shall appeare that the necessitye of poore meÌ„ is greater for the riche then the necessity of y riche for the poore The rich man needeth a Phisitian a barbar a mulyteâ—â— a plowman a cooke which of them needeth a riche man Notwythstanding the ambitious mindes of men doe make suche to seeme to gouerne ouer poore men Also the emulation in worldly glory do make poore men seeme to haue more neede of the rich thenne the riche of them Yet if wee respected onelye necessitye then shoulde the riche haue more occasion to seeke oute the poore then they to seeke for theim Neyther can anye man doubte but that riche men do dailye for necessitye vse the industrye of the poore And if the riche mans goodes be needeful for the poore mans vse it is scarcelye once in they care Also the riche onelye for riches do gaine reputacion and in that
wise men made more often then in banishmente Ouidius Naso beinge in exile wrote his bookes De tristibus De ponto in Ibin Triumphus Caesaris and De piscibus So as it seemeth that in eight yeares exile he performed more then in those fyftye and foure which before he had liued in Rome Plato wrote the greatest parte of his bookes whyle he lyued from his owne countrye For when Socrates dyed hee was aboute the age of twenty and seuen yeares Truly whosoeuer lyueth in his owne naturall countrye an industrious lyfe doth gayne greate enuye and y more if he be basely borne Where was Chryste worse entreated then in Nazereth beinge there borne yet hated disdayned afflicted and at length in Ierusalem slayn So it seemeth true and that no mā can be a Prophete in his owne countrye Thus we see that exile is not onely good but also glorious chieflie to a wise and learned manne Neyther ought any to mislyke of that which hath forthered many Would God all men knew how profytable a thinge it is to trauayle and chieflye for such as dwell in those countries where riches do rule as Lawe power take place of Order or Tyrannye in any sort is put in practyse Wherfore I saye that exile is neyther euyll nor to be nombred amonge those thinges which haue of euyll any resemblance But exile doth not so much offend these as iniuryes do torment others affirmynge withe the Lacedemonians that who so receiueth one iniury doth occasion an other But who euer thincketh iniuries ought to be reuenged doth greatlye erre For in so doinge no ende of iniuryinge can be taken when one iniury reuengeth another Who so offereth the fyrst must he not reuēge the seconde Hee therefore doth mooste well that offereth the fyrste iniury and nexte to hym he that seketh reuenge deserueth blame because the third iniurye of necessity must folowe And how can he paciently suffer wronge that vnprouoked willingly offered the fyrst iniury What can therfore be bette then to refrayne from doing iniuries and call to memorye the sayinges of Plato that a wise man dyfferethe as far from a common person as a common person from a chylde For children do reuenge euery iniury yea thoughe against the iniuryous wyll it be offered most lyke vnto Beastes vppon whose tayles yf thoughe vnwares thou treade sodenly they byte without consydering whether wyllingly thou did it or not But farre otherwyse oughte Menne to reuenge those iniuries which willingly are offred If then a wise mā do not reuenge those wrongs which by mishap do happen vnto him is he not therin more worthy then the common person voyde of all wisedome how muche were it better to obserue that deuine precept Michi vindictam et ego retribuam That wise men haue so done no man doubteth Amongs whom we reade that Socrates beinge stricken vppon the Shynnes and aduised by his frendes to seeke reuenge aunswered If an asse haue stricken me shal I therfore be so foolishe as to call him in question And when Xantippe hys wyfe in a rage toke his cloake from his shoulders hys frēdes perswadinge him to reuenge he sayde thys is done only to occasyon you to looke vpon vs saye here is Xantippe and here is Socrates Diogenes receyuinge a blowe sayde Nesciebam quādo michi cum galea è domo sit pro deundum Crates also beinge striken on the face by Nicodromo Citaredo made none other reuenge but wrote Nicodromo his name vpon the place he was stricken and in that sorte shewed to the hole cittye the iniury offred vnto him because to offer iniury without cause is a greater reproche then to receiue it The one by offringe wronge sheweth himselfe plainly wicked an euylle man the other is giltye of nothinge mysdone When it was tolde to Antistines that Plato had spoken euyll of him he made this answere It is the parte of a prince to heare euyll when hee doth best But Plato beinge tolde that Zenocrates did slaunder him said fyrst he could not beleue it and after better proofe aunswered sayinge I can not thinke he would haue thus spoken withoute cause What could haue beene sayde more wiselye or more safelye A christian kinge stricken on the right cheke ought to turn the left And S. Paule sayth that if thou do good to those that speake euyll of the thou heapest burning coales vpon their heades There is nothinge more wicked then ingratitude nor more cruel then to oppresse innocentes either of which faults he committeth that offereth iniury to his benefactors Let vs now follow the law of Nature and consider when anye iniury is offered whether safely or withe perill the came may be doone For what can bee moore foolishe then to seeke reuenge when safelye it can not bee perfourmed So did Pausanias reuenge himselfe vpon Philippus but for his laboure was hanged So did Andreas Lampugnanus wreake his ire vpon Galeazeus Sforsa but thereby he wrought the distruction of himself his son his brother besydes many discomodities of his country But how many haue bene punished put to death before they had performed their intent to reuenge as were those that conspyred the murder of Phaleris that wrought treason against Nero. The multitude of ensamples doe make mee leaue them vntouched Who doth therfore beinge neuer so symple cōmend the peryl that reuenge bringeth which though performed doth more hynder thee then him to whom it is offered and somtime before performance doth vndoe both the and thine Is then reuenge good when safely it maye bee executed Surely at no time Because the pleasure of reuenge is when there in a man may declare courage and magnanimity of mynde And as the Poet sayth Shevve not thy force on yeldinge foes let proud men be opprest Me thinckes therfore that Aristides deserued praise For when Cleomines had sayd a man must do good to frendes and euyll to Foes Aristides turned the wordes sayinge A man must do good to his frendes and seeke the reconsiliacion of his foes The glory gotten by forgeuing of foes whō thou may oppresse is greater then the pleasure of reuenge The man y doth good for euyll is lyke vnto god For he that defendeth and doth well to all menne doth most nearelye folowe god And howe great a sygne of noble mynde it is to forbeare reuenge y auncient examples doe beare witnes wherein Iulius Caesar gayned so great prayse as no man more Hee hauing ouerthrowen Pompeius and his army Commaunded that none shoulde bee hurte that were not present in the fyelde agaynst him He spared M Mercellus his mortall enemy He sett at lyberty Petreius the chieftaine of his foes Afranius Vero Korfinius L. Lentulus L. Domitius He tooke mercye vppon the Sonne of Cato a notable Enemye Hee touched not Sextus Pompeius the younger Sonne of the great Pompeius at whose death hee weeped He pardoned Ligarius at the suite of hys Freendes and Bretheren thoughe hee were an apparaunte offender and many waies gyltie He spared
by the Athenienses condempned to death his Friendes askinge what he woulde haue sayde to his sonne aunswered tell him that in any wise he forget this iniury here offered vnto me Aristides also vniustly remayning in exile prayd the Gods that the Athenienses might bee so happye as neuer after to thinke vppon him Also calle to thy consyderacion that against all Iniuries three Remedyes there are that is to saye Reuenge Oblyuion and disdayne Of whiche three who doubteth but Dysdayne is bothe the beste and mooste assured Because disdayne through the courage of mynd wherwith it is accompanied is not lyke vnto obliuiō ioyned with reproche neither perilous in respect of new iniuries as is a reuenge which bringeth therwith boothe peryll and repentaunce and in the meane tyme the desyre of offending doth not molest thee but arte there in moste lyke vnto god For suche as contempne iniuryes are mooste happye and lykeste to God and suche men they are or must bee that would become happye For seeinge no man lyueth free from iniuries and the greater in auctoritye he be the more followed with slaunder euyll report iniury it is expedient that euery man doe determyne himselfe to beare them Neyther is it lawfull for anye mortall man to vse reuenge Who hath bene more slaundred thē kinges and emperours whose power is greatest Whoe or what is of greater force then God and Nature and yet they delighte not in Reuenge Shall man then be lyke vnto Beares pursuynge the Bees seeke for reuenge God forbydde For although we might in lyfe reuenge all Iniuryes what good were that after Deathe or what care should wee then haue of iniuryes It is all one whether with sufferance of Iniurye or not after Death wee be remembred Who so therfore liuing seemed to contempne iniuryes by death he is free from the peryll whych Reuenge might cast hym in to Wherfore there is nothynge better then an inuysyble mynde whyche lyke vnto a man placed on the toppe of an highe Tower in dysdayne castynge downe stones vpon the heades of hys Ennemyes doth make lyght of all Iniuryes and as yt were dysdayne them For as women for lacke of magnanimity can not beare offences so men as they are men may take what Reuenge they thinke best Then make thy choyse whych of them thou wilte bee lyke But happely thou wilt saye some worthy men haue bene reuenged For Caesar commaunded Faustus Silla and Affranius to be slaine Lykewise Antonius reuenged him selfe vpon Cicero and Alexander vpō Calistines carying him abrode when his Eyes were putte oute and in the end shutte him vppe into a caue with a Dogge But alas good manne thys was no Reuenge though some saye that Antonius beinge of Mynde moore abiecte then a Woman didde lyke vnto his other doinges committe this acte and therefore had an ende aunswerable to his deseruinge But as for the other they mynded nothinge lesse then Reuenge for the respecte of their doinges was securitye whiche in lyke case by oure Lawes is sufferable For if Afframus had gotten libertye hee woulde neyther haue kepte Promise nor lyued in quiet Also Faustus Silla was by Lawe giltie Pompeius freende and for his fathers Tyrannye odious to the people of Rome So as beinge a necessary Friende for Pompeius he could not haue lyued in quiet But if he had for the Mallice borne to his Father beene slayne the same shoulde rather haue beene doone vppon Cato who as was well knowen after that Caesar conquered the Germaines did perswade y Senate to haue him deliuered into the Enemies Handes because hee had foughte contrarye to the truce taken But Sylla when easly he mighte haue slayne him he woulde not So Alexander beinge setled in his Empyre amonge the barbarous People did not condempne Calistines for Mallyce but Securitye because throughe hys woordes hee coulde hardelye keepe the Persians And the Macedonians beganne to disdayne hym Full well knewe Antonius that if Cicero hadde escaped hee woulde neuer haue lyued in quyet because beinge all readye once Pardoned hee notwithstandinge didde followe hym wyth Hate vnreconsiliable and if the Death of CICERO had beene soughte for Reuenge eyther a lyue he might haue beene tormented and kepte or elles executed wyth more crueltye It commeth also to mynd that Iniuries haue not a little proffyted Some menne and therfore Ouidius saythe A vvronge somvvhiles vve see doth helpe the vvronged vvight It happeneth ofte tymes that wee take Compassion of theym wee loue not eyther for the malice wee beare theym that offered the Iniurye or throughe beliefe that the Iniured is condempned rather by power of hys Enemye then his own offence And by suche meanes it is well knowen that many haue escaped great peryll Amonge whiche nomber Valerius Maximus tellethe howe Gabinius throughe the Sclaunder of Sisenna and Flauius for the Iniurie of Valerius were delyuered and Cotta onelye for suspicion of wronge founde the same fauoure In which cases if none iniurye had beene no hope had remayned It is also to be consydered that the occasions of Sclaunders are so common as nothynge more The People doe backebyte the learned the Learned dysdayne the vnlearned the Iuste doe condempne the wicked the Wycked do laugh to Scorne those that bee good the Mightye doe Enuye the Mightye agaynste whome they prouoke Seruaunts and Subiects by sclaunderous Speache Robberye Practise and vntrewe dealynge Were it not better with noble mynde to disdayne all Iniuries then thus continuallye to liue tormented in minde Lucius Murena was praysed because he tooke Cato vnder his Gowne and saued him from Deathe that not longe before had accused him Publius Pulcher beinge by the three Lentuli accused of inceste did notwithstandinge afterwardes saue one of them from perrill Marcellus being haynously accused by the Siculi did not only forgeue them but also receiued theim into his owne tuition So Menedemus bestowed manye Benefytes vppon Alexinus of whome he had bene great lye iniured How wisely sayd S. Gregorius that who so can not beare iniurye dothe shewe by hys impacience that he is not good The kinge Archelaus when vpon a time one caste water vpon him beinge perswaded by his frendes to reuenge answered saying I know he would not haue cast yt vpon me but some other By which answer he saued y offender frō hurt him self from the importunity of his friendes A notable example remayneth in memorye of the seruaunte of Antius Restio who beinge longe time kepte in prison and by his maisters commaundemente ofte times burned with hot yrons yet afterwards folowing him in the triūphe triumuiral did notwithstanding all their iniuries saue himself frō peryl when comodiously he might haue bene reuēged also rewarded Such wisdome hath not only bene performed by priuate men but also by hole Citties For Dionisius the yonger bothe at the playes of Corinthus and also before hee was sente into exile might haue beene by them of Syracusa slayne whome befoore tyme hee hadde mooste Tyrannouslye vsed But they with disdayne didde lette him
as did Melissus a Gramarian of Spoleta Surelye it is a goodlye pleasure to eate at other mens tables Would God it were as honest And doest thou thincke the fauorites of Princes are other then seruauntes whom ambition hath deceiued besydes which theyr estate is more perillous and more vnhappye Neyther is seruitude anye hinderaunce to glorye for Plato Xenocrates Calcedonius Diogenes Phedrus Epitetus and Esopus the fabler did al liue in seruitude Besides them diuers Gramarians Sibonius Aphroditius Taberius Crotes Antonius Gnipho Phosius the excellent player and Manlius in Astronomye a singuler Poet. What shoulde I saye of riches and shall I agayne resight thoâ—e monsters of the Romayne pleasure Drusilanus and Menecrates yea the seates of Kinges haue beene by bondemen possessed Tullius one of the aunciente kinges was a bondman And so was Oedipus and other The kinges of Syria and Palestina in our age chosen out of this sorte of men But let riches rule and beare the sway yet let vs resight knowen examples of manye such as seruitude and the patronage of a good maister haue aduaunsed for the vertue of the maister dependeth much vppon the wysedome of the seruaunt And some seruauntes haue not onlye gayned libertye but also deserued to become heyres to theyr masters Neyther shalt thou finde vppon the aunciente monumentes more recordes of loue of wyues children and brethrene then ensamples of seruauntes deuotion towards maysters and maisters towardes them The lyke perswatioÌ„ may make for thy comfort if thou liue wythout glorye which kinde of life is the more tollerable if thou remayne in seruitude whereinto Vlysses as Plato sayth being werye of hys former life did willingly cast himselfe Ther is no happines y can happeÌ„ to maÌ„ greater theÌ„ eyther not to desyre glorye or not to haue it Who so doth the one liueth in great quietnes of mynd the other enioyeth gret security For is y glory of this world other theÌ„ a swete poysoÌ„ for meÌ„ wherof if thou taste thou becomest blinde senceles Herevpon groweth vain labour peril care which way to kepe get frends authority riches Enuye also like vnto a shadow inseperable doth follow glory which in a moment fadeth awaye and the rest of thy life the more vnpleasant How many worthy meÌ„ haue geuen the glorye of theyr owne deserts to others Socrates being victorious in battaile gaue al the honour prayse and rewarde to Alchibiades But who can therein excell Plato he commeÌ„ded for his learning did yelde all the prayse to those y had taught him as Socrates Tymeus and Permenides Surelye there is no greater glorye then the contempte of honour Who so is not ambitious getteth no glorye why seekest thou that y to haue thou ought not if thou be ambitious thou accusest thy selfe and yet ambition were no vyce if glorye myghte lawfully be desyred I cannot resight the nomber of all suche as haue honoured vertue and yet contempned the prayse And yet in deede euen at this daye also who so lyuinge vertuouslye doth lurke may be called good happye What doth the ambitious man gayne other then set to sale al â–ª his imperfections And whoso euer doth marke it well shal finde that euery man hath more defects then customes worthy commendation To preuent the peril of this condeÌ„pnation there is no way so sure as to lurke and liue vnknowen The like coÌ„modity bringeth ignoraunce wherof notwythstanding many do complaine Who so seeketh knowledge findeth care and laboure as the Prophete sayth I tell not that Paule hath preached that this worldly wysedom is ennemye to god Let vs consider what is commonly gayned by learning profite is disdayned the soule hazarded the body consumed thy children substaÌ„ce neglected The learned do get great enuy shortneth his lyfe and all for knowledge or rather to be thoughte to knowe For arte thou more wyse then Socrates Plato or Aristoteles Socrates did glorye that hee knewe nothinge Plato doubted of manye thinges Aristotiles speaketh so obscurelye as one woulde thincke he knewe little Alasse how many haue bene hindered with being thought learned Amonge the rest y small knowledge of myne haue bene to my disaduantage for thereby I haue bene oftentimes reiected euill handled oppressed and would God that eyther I had bene such a one as they thought me or that they had thought me such a one as in deede I was Hereof grew against me so many vndeserued euill reportes al which I disdayned perswading my selfe that one maÌ„ excelled an other in that he was better Like vnto al other things doth that opinion of learning brede slauÌ„der diuers other incoÌ„uenients as we see by AlexaÌ„der Achillino Tiberio of Bononia Petrus Leo Marcus Antonius of Verona For Achillinus was poysoned Petrus Leo cast hedlonge into a ponde Tiberius Antonius occasioned to shorteÌ„ theyr owne lyues So we finde that this wysedome is accompanyed with many discommodityes Howe much better had it beene for these learned men to haue liued by some craft or industrye what man haue thou knowen both learned and fortunate yea whom hath not learninge hindered Socrates was slayne Anaxagoras kept in pryson Plato soulde and put in perill of hys heade Aristotiles sente into exile where eyther willingly or not greatlye against his wyl he dyed Demetrius Phalerius banished and condempned Demostenes poisoned himselfe Easimes sent to exile and so was Solon Licurgus depryued of hys eyes and after banished wyth manye perils of lyfe Ioannes Scotus stabbed in wyth daggers by y handes of his companions Cicero betrayed and slayne Varro coÌ„fyned and who was not molested and disdained Budeus a notable man of oure age did also iustlye complaine what and how many persecutions did Erasmus suffer were the Prophetes and wyse meÌ„ in the lawe of Moyses more happye surelye no. The cause is learning which who so hath not let him not desyre it who already hath it must thinke to haue boughte a iewell of great pryse and kepte wyth more care and perill But to much haue we spoken of these matters for fewe or none shalte thou finde that complayne of ignoraunce seinge willingly they deceyue themselues Now as touching sorrowe it selfe which worthely seemeth intollerable Let vs consider it commeth chiefely of three causes that is to say of sicknes folly or enforcemeÌ„t How soeuer it be or whatsoeuer griefe we feele eyther it is not great or not long and seldome it happeneth to honest men but if it doe must of necessitye be endured Whosoeuer falleth into sicknes either willingly or agaynst his will would he not be ashamed that womeÌ„ should excell hym in pacience and sufferaunce of griefe for women in bearing of children do endure most extreeme paynes yet notwithstanding do not refrayne the company of men suche as be barren do not desyre any thinge so muche as to haue children The griefe which women suffer in childing is of all other the greatest and nearest to death yea many of such griefe do dye in deede No gout no ache
no collicke or other tormente is comparable to this paynes Notwithstandinge how great soeuer they be they leaue not to liue in delight and as wonte they were approue the ioyes of Venus short wythout the desyre of well doinge There is no griefe so great that a resolute minde will yelde vnto Possidonius the Philosopher extremely sicke sayde vnto Pompeius beinge come to visite hym y the greatnes of pains should neuer make him coÌ„fesse that sickenes was euill Neyther in deede can that be euyll which is wythoute vs therefore the griefe of the body if it do not ouercomour minde cannot be sayd to be ours How wel did that seruaunt whych â—â—ue Asdruball declare it For hee beinge greuouslye tormented for the murder of hys maister did notwythstandinge in countenaunce shewe the ioye he felt for hauing reuenged the iniurye of his maister I remember that when Antonius Cribellus was condempned by publike assent to be torne in peeces in preparinge himselfe to bee executed sayde that there was no torment so greate as coulde cause him coÌ„fesse the companions of his offence yet affyrminge there were suche but hee would neuer bewray them What marueile was it then though Pompeius so manfully helde hys finger to be burned in the candell before the kynge Genthius seyng that thereby the kyng myghte perceyue there was no hope to wreste out any intelligence at the Embassadours hands With like pacience did Sceuola burne his hande before the kinge Porcenna Neyther haue there wanted women y haue deserued such glorye The mother of Hircanus the Iewe beinge offended by Ptolomeus her sonne in lawe wylled Hircanus not to leaue of his enterpryse but rather reuenge the death of hys father whom Ptolomeus had slayne Epicharis Liberta more noble then many men for no torment could be coÌ„strayned to confesse her offences or her companioÌ„s in offendinge Quintilia a little personage suspected for the conspiracye agaynst Caligula being racked wyth great torment confessed nothinge whereby she was set at libertye as giltlesse and receyued reward as innocent What shoulde I speake of Barbara Agatha a Christian wyth dyuers other vyrgins the nomber of whom is hardly to be beleued and theyr constancye so marueylous as they seemed not onelye paciently to haue suffered tormentes but also to haue wyshed for theim But this vertue procedeth of oure Christianitye Let vs returne to naturall reasons Ther is no rest so welcome as that which followeth great trauayle nor death soe muche desyred as where sickenes hath beene moste extreame The ende therefore of all griefe eyther by recouerye or death is pleasaunte It is also to be consydered that all suche as suffer great tormentes being perswaded of the immortalitye of soules oughte thereby thoughe none other reason were to be comforted And suche as beleeue of none other lyfe are sure that death is y ende of all myseryes Therefore if thy griefe groweth vppon deserte deseruinglye thou oughte to beare it for thereby thou doest decrease thy griefe and saue thy minde from due tormente neyther oughtest thou to punish thy body and minde both at one time seinge thy soule is afterwardes to receyue his chastisemente The same or more profytable reason maye bee made for sickenes then sorrowe for what can be intollerable in sickenes if sorrowe be awaye yea hardlye it can be thought howe manye commodityes it bringeth In sicknes wee learne howe we bee howe frayle the condition of life is howe incertayne and subiecte to the power of others Thereby wee are taughte to be mindefull of an other lyfe and that we oughte not to doe that to an other which we wold not haue don to our selues Therefore wee become more temperate and continente yea to some sicknes haue beene cause of longe lyfe amendemente of fame and encrease of vertue If sickenes were not a man shoulde become more harde harted then the Tiger and more cruell then the Lionesse Macrobius thincketh that sickenes doth more often happen to those whom God loueth then those whom hee hateth Seneca supposed that hee is most vnhappy that neuer feeleth aduersity and that hee is most myserable that is most happye Saint Paule sayth whom God loueth him hee chasteneth The nature of man is vnbridled and were it not like wheate well sifted woulde become as sauage as the wilde beastes When the soule loueth the bodye then is it more noble and perfite because then it commeth to hys owne nature beinge vnbourdened of the bodye which hindered the sight and perfite knowledge It is therfore the lesse maruaile that those that be most weake of body and of shortest lyfe be of best indgemente and moste apte to knowe No man hath all giftes if thou haue stoore of vertues of y mynde thou arte of necessity the more sicke of bodye Then whether wouldest thou rather haue a stronge bodye and a witte lyke vnto beastes or a weake bodye wyth an excellente sprighte Some brutishe beastes there are also as muche or more subiecte to sickenes as menne as the Lyon and Goate for whiche cause those that doe vse to sell Goates do not warrant them for sound as they doe other cattell but as Varro sayth this daye hee is well and drincketh and lyke enoughe hee maye so continue And albeit these beastes be neuer but sicke yet wantinge reason doe playe and take disporte But man to hys owne sorrowe is partaker of reason whereby hee calleth to consyderation his myseryes Yet is it worthely to be noted that seeldome times we see honest men troubled with outward greeues and those that be temperate are not often offended with inward miseries But some men do thincke deafnes and blyndnes more intollerable then Sicknes though the same seemeth lyttle to hinder the felicitye of man. Homerus beinge blynde excelled all the Poetes both Latyne and Greeke Tymolion beinge blynd gouerned the people of Syracusa Appius Claudius brake the dishonorable peace whiche the Romaynes had taken with Pirrus and therin declared he sawe more then all others hauinge eyes Hannibal hauinge one only eye conquered almost all Italy and excelled all captaynes both Carthaginences Romaines Scipio onlye reserued Iohn kinge of Beemia was also blynde yet a valiant and wise captayne He knowinge him selfe ouermatched wyth the power of his enemies manfully didde charge them to the ende that if he could not get the vyctorye yet he would not be accompted cowardlye One blynde man not long before our age was so cunninge in musicke as excelled all other in those dayes and was therfore greatly esteemed and by princes enriched The blinde man hathe also hys delightes as banquettinge venery musicke and learning and if he were not so borne he is blind but some part of his lyfe He may also se dreaming and therfore Aristoteles sayth that the vertue of seinge resteth not in the eyes but in the brayne because if the sight were in the eye then the eyes beinge put out the man in dreame should se nothing as doth he that was blinde borne But if a manne