thynges But as for them that goe downe into hel casting of al charitie it is to be entended that they hate both God and men and also al the workes of God and man. Of one that at his death is carefull of his fame and good report The Cxxx. Dialogue SOROWE WHAT wyll men speake of me when I am dead Reason An vnseasonable care thou shouldest haue prouided for this in thy youth for looke what a mans life is suche is his fame Sorowe What wyll they say of me Reason What shall I answeare thee other then that which the most learned and eloquent Marcus Cicero sayeth What other men shall speake of thee let them see to that them selues but they wyl speake notwithstanding howbeit all their talke is comprehended within the narrowe boundes of these regions which thou seest neyther was it euer continual of any but is extinguished by the death of men and forgetfulnesse of posteritie Sorow What wil they speake of me that shal be borne herafter Reason I would tel thee otherwyse then Cicero doeth yf I thought that any thing could be better vttered then is by him And what skilleth it sayth he if thou be spoken of by them that shal be borne hereafter seeing there nowe remayneth no fame of them that were borne before thee One thing he addeth moreouer which perhaps at that time was doubtful peraduenture false but now very sure most true without doubt Who sayth he were as many in number as you are now and truely better men to For who is he that doubteth but that there wyl neuer come so good men as there haue ben Thus al thinges waxe woorse woorse and tend euery day toward their final ruine A merueilous care then it is which thou hast to stande in feare of the speeches of those whom thou knowest not are thy youngers as not liuing in the same age with thee seeing thou now contemnest the iudgement and woordes of excellent men of thine owne time and acquaintance Sorow What fame shal there be of me when I am dead Reason Far better then while thou liuest when enuie once holdeth her peace For enuie and malice seldome last longer then a mans life and as vertue is the roote of glorie so is enuie the cutter downe of it and as the enuious hand being present hindreth the growth of it so when it is taken away it restoreth the encrease of true commendation And therfore vnto many as the entrance into their graues hath been a bar vnto enuie so hath it ben the beginning of great glorie Sorow Howe long wyl my fame continue Reason A long time perhaps as you call long But that all thinges may not only be long but also euerlasting vertue alone is able to bring that to passe and specially Iustice of which it is written The iust man shal be had in euerlasting memorie Which meaning also your countrey Poet expressed as wel as he could where he sayth But by mens deedes their fame to stretch that priuiledge vertue geues Sorow What fame shal I haue after my deceasse Reason What skilleth it what it be which shortly shal be forgotten or contemned What shall the breath of men apperteyne vnto thee when thou thy selfe shalt be without breath For one that breatheth to be nourished and delyghted with the winde and ayre it is no meruaill but for a dead man to be so it is a woonder Sorowe What shal be sayde of me when I am dead Reason No goodnesse be sure vnlesse thou haue deserued it but muche euyl peraduenture not merited and perhappes lytle or nothyng at all For in many thynges fame is a lyer but in the most a true reporter otherwyse it could not long continue For trueth is the foundation of continuance and as for a lye it is weake and transitorie Sorowe What fame shall I haue after my death Reason Suche as thy lyfe was before and at thy death Concernyng this matter therefore let the tyme to come but specially the tyme present looke to that And thus perswade thy selfe assuredly that what report and fame a man is woorthy to haue after his death it is no way better discerned then at his death when as in deede which is a strainge thyng to be spoken many that haue lyued all theyr tyme obscurely and without glorie death onely hath made famous Of one that dyeth without Children The Cxxxj. Dialogue SOROWE I Die without children Reason For that cause thou oughtest to die the more willingly and with the more expedition to goe foorth on thy iourney for that thou hast nothyng behinde thee to stay thee or cal thee backe The greatest greefe which they that lie a dying haue surceaseth in thee whiche riseth vpon the sorowe and compassion of leauing their children specially when they be young neede the asistance and counsel of their parentes being at those yeeres destitute of aduice subiect vnto iniuries many other casualties Sorow My children whom I wished hoped should haue liued after me are gone before me Reason Then hast thou some to whom thou art desirous to goe from whom thou art not willing to depart which is no smal comfort vnto thee Sorowe Bitter death constraineth me to dye without chyldren Reason If thou thinke this to be so miserable a matter what cause hast thou either to die now or heretofore to haue liued without children seeing there is such choise of young Gentlemen towardly youthes among whom thou maiest choose and adopt thee sonnes who perhaps wyl be more louing and obedient vnto thee then thine owne natural children descended of thy flesh blood for they come vnto thee by chaunce but these are elected out of many by exquisite iudgment The other were thy children before thou knewest them but these thou knewest chosest and louedst before thou madest them thy children And therefore the one sort of them wil wholy impute it to nature that they are thy children but the other to thy special good liking Whereby it hath hapned many times that the succession by adoption hath ben very fortunate vnto the heyres in which kind not only meane inheritances but also whole Empires haue ben committed in trust Thou knowest howe Iulius Caesar wanting issue adopted Augustus to be his sonne Augustus againe adopted Tyberius almost against his wyl And likewise afterward how Nerua adopted Vlpâ—us Traianus and he Elius Hadrianus be againe Antonius pius he likewise toke vnto him Marcus Aurelius to be his sonne which Marcus I would to God he had more happily adopted any other then vnluckely begotten his sonne Commodus commodious to none but discommodiouss to the whole world the only disgracing of so good a father one among a few of them that were no small shame reproch to the Romane Empire also a most apparent argument how much adoption is more fortunate then procreatioÌ„ For whereas the first princes had in order one after another raigned long time in happie
perceyue no sweetenesse in it For if it be sweete to hope it is also sweete to lacke that which a man would haue which who so wyll affirme to be true doubtlesse he wanteth the sense of taste Hope It is pleasant to hope Reason Then to hang in doubt to be affected vexed is hope of long punishment there is long hope nothing so much weerieth the mind nothing so much hasteneth old age And therfore the wise man often tearmeth lost hope vantage and reioyceth that he was deliuered from infinite desires and expectations of vayne thinges whereby he was enforced to take delight in his owne good thinges Hope Let fortune looke to the euent as for me I reioyce in hope Reason Take heede lest hereafter thou be sory in the thing it selfe and it repent thee that euer thou wishedst or hopedst or enioyedst thine hope Many whom hope long tormented while they lyued in doubt when it came to effect which they hoped were vtterly ouerthrowen many haue perished with the wished successes of their long hope whiche were very tedious but not late enough Hope None shal take hope from me Reason None shal take frō thee werisomnesse trouble of mind thou hast heard the old prouerbe It is a great payne to looke or hope for any thyng Hope The hopyng or lookyng for a good thyng is pleasant Reason But it is deceitful and doubtful and troublesome If thou deny this thou neuer hopedst for any thyng But the company is inestimable of those that deceiue them selues vnto whom whatsoeuer offereth it selfe there is nothyng without some effect towards that they haue in hand they refuse nothyng they deny them selues to none they are easily turned and quicke to geue credite I may say that it were a great argument of lightnesse and folly to embrace euery hope that a man shal meete withall and immediatly to repose hym selfe thereon as an assured good wherevnto all men of learnyng and experience are but slowe Hope In the meane whyle I haue a good hope Reason In the meane whyle thou sayest which wylbe vnto such tyme as it hath deceyned thee For this is your custome ye cast of hope agaynst your wyl and neuer forsake it vntyll it forsake you Yea many times when it forsaketh you it is strange to say howe agayne and agayne ye wyllyngly embrace it when it returneth and gooyng foorth to meete it assoone as ye haue layde holde on it ye forget how before it deceyued you and retayne it agayne furnished with newe craftes and lay it vp in the secrete closure of your hartes Hope I wyl not forsake my good hope vnto the last Reason What yf it forsake thee long before Wylt thou call it backe or folowe it or carry tyll it returne But goe to hope a Gods name since there is nothyng more pleasant vnto thee then to be deceiued It is not my meanyng to plucke thy hope from thee whiche so earnestly thou enterteynest only I admonyshe thee this much that it is no good hope which thou supposest It is no good hope that proposeth good to it selfe but that purposeth well The moste wycked persons may yea and commonly do hope for that which is good and therefore that is good hope in deede whiche is ryghtly conceyued of the true good he that hath this hope let hym holde it fast and not let her depart from hym in the ende but ioyne her other sisters vnto her to witte fayth and charitie This hope is pleasant sweete true and happy which neyther fayleth nor confoundeth him that hopeth but aduanceth hym vnto that which is best in the meane while maketh the minde cheereful with the remembraunce of the good that is hoped for But you as hopyng for the true good which ye haue yll deserued or callyng euyll thynges by the name of good are in conclusion deceyued and therefore your expectation is sorowfull before it come and more sorowfull when it is come Hope Myne vnderstandyng is humane and I speake of those thynges which men cal good Reason Heretofore there hath been long contention among the learned about this name which doth yet continue and wyl doo for euer to the worldes ende some makyng but one good thing and contrariwyse other some many Hope Let vs leaue these matters to the Philosophers as for mee I hope for those thynges whiche the common people call good Reason Thou hopest then for thine owne euyl which eyther wyll vexe thee with deferryng or ouerpresse thee with the desired burden Admit that al thynges goe well with thee apparteining to the body that thou hast prepared power against thine enimie and as touchyng Fortune that thou hast borne the yoke of an vnconstant and vnmilde Ladye and that many of these thynges may be conuerted to the affliction and destruction of the minde forasmuche as the thynges that delyght the minde doo oftentymes hurt it Hope I haue cast the anker of good hope and I wyll not remooue Reason But Saylers vse many tymes when a tempest ryseth to cut their Cable and loose theyr Anker if they can not weigh him vp and to depart without him for it hapneth not alwayes so as in the calmenesse of the Sea we reade in the poet The Anker helde fast the Shyppes with an assured tooth so lykewyse in great troubles and raginges of the Sea wherein the Anker doth not holde them fast but rather stayeth them and endangereth them often with castyng away none otherwyse verily in the stormes and tempestes of worldly affayres setled and tough hope hath drawen many into destruction who yf they had cut of and caste away theyr hope might haue safely escaped Therefore the Anker of hope must be oftentymes weighed vp or yf it holde too harde be broken of And yf that can not be it must euen be quite cut away and left behinde vnder the waters and flooddes of affayres to the ende thou mayest safely conueyth the free barke of thy lyfe through the direction of foresyght into the hauen of safetie Hope I hope wel Reason In well hopyng and yll hauyng mans lyfe passeth away Of expectation of Inheritaunce The Cx. Dialogue HOPE I Looke for the inheritaunce of an olde man that hath no chyldren Reason Thou saydst erwhyle that thou wast in quiet take heede thou be not found contrary to thy selfe for hopyng or lookyng for any commoditie quietnesse of minde can neuer dwell togeather there is no loathsomnesse in this life more greeuous then this expectation Hope I expect the inheritaunce of an olde man. Reason But thou knowest not what he also expecteth for this is a general madnesse among men that almost euery man hopeth not onely to lyue longer then those that are of his owne yeeres but also that are younger Men are vnwilling to thynke on their owne death but gladly on other mens when as in deede it were more profitable for them to doo the contrarie Hope I hope for an olde mans inheritaunce Reason How if he
also hope for thyne One of you must needes be deceyued How many olde men may there be found that looke for the death of young men And truely there is none so olde but he may lyue one yeere longer and none so young but he may dye to day Hope I hope for the inheritaunce of a chyldlesse olde man. Reason Thy sonne may better hope for it A more likely hope hath deceyued a younger Hope The inheritaunce of a childlesse olde man shal fal vnto me Reason How knowest thou whether thyne shall fall vnto hym Claudius succeeded Caius and Galba Nero and Nerua Domitian and Pertinax Commodus and the lyfe of a man is ful of suche successions Hope I tarie for the inheritaunce of a childlesse olde man. Reason Whom cannot he deceyue of them that are willing to be deceyned that hath deceiued him whom he woulde not willingly haue deceiued Whom may not he suruine that hath suruiued his owne sonne Hope A childlesse olde man hath alredy in writing appoynted me his heyre Reason Hath he engrauen it in tables of Diamond from whence thou canst not be blotted out Dooest thou not knowe vpon howe light occasions olde men do alter their wylles Many haue mislyked of that at the very ende of theyr lyues whiche before they lyked well of all theyr lyfe tyme. Hope A chyldlesse olde man wyll haue me be his heyre Reason But it may chaunce that hereafter he wyl not For there is nothyng that a riche chyldlesse olde man taketh in worse part then to see his goodes loued and him selfe not regarded for then al is marred Hope I am promised the inheritaunce of a chyldlesse olde man. Reason I could wyshe there were that vpryghtnesse and trust in men that they would neuer promise any thyng but that whiche is honest and would also perfourme that which they haue promised But now there is neither measure in promising nor regarde of breache of promise whiche men thynke they may most lawfully doo in inheritaunce and bestowyng possessions And for this cause the lawes call the willes of Testatours whyle they lyue walkyng Wylles I wyll not trouble thee with examples the thyng is well knowen Thou hast read I take it vnto whom in hath hapned that not only they were promised the inheritaunce of the lyuyng but also receyued kysses and ringes and the last embracinges of the partie whiche lay a dying whiche vnto them was an vndoubted token of succession when as in the meane whyle there were other heyres appoynted and no mention at all made of them in the Wyll thus bolde is vnfaythfulnesse euen in the middes of death Doest thou thynke then that thou art free from the deceites of them that are alyue when as thou readest in what sort great and noble personagies haue been deluoed by the craftes of them that haue lyen a dying And not to stay vpon many The most honourable Gentleman Lucius Lucullus suffered some tyme this kynde of mocke and reproche and also a greater state then he was Augustus the Emperour An horrible and most strange delyght in deceyuyng which wyll not forsake the miserable and wretched soules no not in the very poynt of death but this is your maner and thou reposest thy trust vpon a promised inheritaunce whereof thou mayest be disappoynted both by the longer lyfe and shorter fayth of the testatour although yf these doo thee no harme he may haue most iust cause to change his purpose to wit an heyre of his owne and young issue borne to an old man For Cato begate a chylde when he was aboue fourescore yeeres old and Masinissa when he was more neere to ninetie The lyke also happeneth now adayes vnto your olde men who I woulde they were as lyke vnto those anncient fathers in strength of mynde as they are to force of engendryng whiche beyng so truely the lawfull heyre hyndreth the intruder and cutteth of his foolyshe hope Hope I am named Heyre in an olde mans Testament Reason But perhappes he is yet lyuyng and lyke to lyue As for the Testamentes and Wylles they are made in the lyfe time and confirmed in the death thou thynkest vpon the Carcas and Buriall and Wolfe may be weeried with expectation and hunger Hope An Inheritaunce shall come directly vnto mee Reason As the Testatour so also is the inheritaunce subiect to casualties that a man can not alwayes haue that heyre whiche he woulde and an inheritaunce many tymes is nothyng but a vayne name yea sundrie tymes a small inheritaunce is very deerely bought when a man maketh hym selfe seruiceable and subiect to a tatter olde foole and vseth flattering wordes vnmeete for a man Surely there is no commoditie to be compared with the losse of honestie and that whiche is decent Hope The Inheritaunce shall fall vnto me without contradiction of Lawe or Fortune Reason Whereby knowest thou that seeyng that saying of the most auntient and wyse Father Marcus Cato is true I haue heard oftentymes sayth he that many thynges may happen betweene the mouth and the morsell But admitie nothyng happen betweene but that thyne expected inheritaunce fall vnto thee it wyll not tarrie with thee but departe from thee to others Worldly goodes are roullyng and money men say is of purpose made rounde that it may alwayes be runnyng Thou hast gotten an inheritaunce for thy successour thou beyng perhappes sadde for hym that wyll reioyce thou beyng carefull for hym that is negligent and looke howe thou hast hoped of another so wyll other hope of thee Of Alchimie The Cxi Dialogue HOPE I Hope for good successe in Alchimie Reason It is strange thou should est hope for that which neuer hapned effectually to thy selfe nor to any man els yf report go that it euer hapned to any man that report was made by suche as it was expedient to beleeue them Hope I hope for good successe in Alchimie Reason What successe meanest thou other then smoke ashes sweate sighes woordes deceit and shame These are the successes of Alchimie wherely we neuer sawe any poore man aduaunced to ritches but many ryche men fall into pouertie And yet ye haue no regarde hereof so sweete a thyng it is to hope and be deceyued wherevnto ye be pricked foorth by couetousnesse and dryuen headlong through madnesse that ye thinke that to be true whiche you hope for and false whiche you see Thou hast seene some that in other matters are wyse yet in this behalfe to be madde and some very ryche men vtterly consumed with this vanitie and whyle they couet to become rycher and gape after filthie lucre to consume theyr wel gotten goodes and hauyng spent all theyr reuenue in vnprofitable expences at length to haue wanted verie necessaries and other some forsakyng the Citie wherein they dwelt haue passed foorth the residue of theyr lyues in sorowe and heauinesse beyng able to thynke vpon nothyng els but Bellowes Tongues and Coales and beyng able to abyde to keepe companie with none but of theyr owne disposition
yeeres and there you appoynt the ende vnto whiche who so doth attayne theyr lyfe is but payne and trauayle vnlesse he aduaunce your hope a litle further who sayth The dayes of a mans lyfe are many tymes an hundred yeeres vnto which age how few do attayne we see but admit that it happened vnto al which happeneth but to fewe notwithstandyng I pray you howe muche is it Ioy. Very much truely For the lyfe of young men is more assured and farther of from olde age and so from death Reason Thou art deceiued for although there be nothing safe to a man notwithstandyng that is the most daungerous part of his lyfe whiche to muche carelesnesse maketh vnaduised There is nothyng neerer to other then death is to lyfe when they seeme to be farthest a sunder then are they neerest togeather alwayes the one passeth away and the other draweth nygh whyther soeuer ye flee away death is at hande and hangeth ouer your heades Ioy and Hope Wel at the leastwyse youth is now present and olde age is absent Reason Nothyng is more flytting then youth nothyng more deceyuable then olde age Youth stayeth not but in delightyng she slyppeth away olde age immediatly folowyng after softly in darkenesse and silence striketh men at vnwares and when she is thought to be farre of then standeth she at the doore Ioy. My age is in rysing Reason Thou trustest to a most deceitfull thing This rysing is a goyng downe this short lyfe this vnstable tyme stealeth away yea without makyng any noyse with the feete euen whyle we sleepe and make merie And O that this swiftnesse of tyme and shortnesse of lyfe were as well knowen in the beginning as it is in the ende whiche to those that enter seemeth infinite and nothyng when they goe out and are scarce so many minutes as they appeared to be hundredes of yeeres So then at length deceypt is knowen when it can not be auoyded whereby it commeth that many tymes counsell is geuen in vayne vnto those yeeres they are both vnbeleeuyng and vnskylfull disdainefull of anothers counsell and wantyng of their owne And therefore there is nothyng that discouereth the errours of youth although they be innumerable and greeuous and yet notwithstandyng hyd and vnknowen to those that committed them better then olde age doth and layeth them foorth before their eyes who sometyme dissembled them and winked at them Neither doo ye sooner perceyue what ye ought to be then ye be made that whiche ye woulde be and then ye can possibly be none other then ye be But yf there were any that coulde vnderstande these thynges in tyme or by hym selfe or beleeue when he is taught surely hym woulde I accompt a woorthy and happie youth among many thousandes he shoulde not passe his lyfe through so many difficulties whose onely course lyeth safe and straight through vertue Ioy. Myne age is nothyng spent Reason Howe is that vnspent whiche since the tyme it first beganne is euery day wasted and whyle it is geuen is also taken away by very small portions For Heauen turneth about with perpetuall motion minutes consume houres and houres the day That day thrusteth foorth another and that the next day folowyng and there is neuer any ceassyng So doo monethes passe away so yeeres and so dooth an whole age make hast and runne and as Cicero sayeth fleeth away And as Virgil sayth It neuer waggeth the swifte winges So lykewyse they that fare by Sea they are caried away in the shyppe and feele not howe and many tymes are at their viage ende before they be ware Ioy and Hope An age that beginneth is far from the ende Reason Within the space of a short lyfe nothyng is farre of Ioy and Hope But there is no part farther from the ende then is the beginnyng Reason None in deede but this shoulde be truely sayde yf all men lyued lyke space of time Howbeit euen the very fyrst age falleth sundrie wayes into death whereby it chaunceth many tymes that he that seemed farthest of is nearest his ende Ioy and Hope Truely I am of a most floorishing age Reason Although fewe do marke it yet there is some change wrought since we beganne to speake and in the drawyng foorth of euery sillable there is some part of lyfe passed away and some peece of transitorie flowre of youth decayed And I pray you what hath this deyntie and gallaunt young man more then that rough and riueled olde man besides this short and transitorie flowre whiche fadeth euery day wherein what shoulde be so pleasaunt and delectable I doo not finde since he knoweth that almost sooner then a man can speake it he shall hym selfe be suche an one as this olde man nowe is or els is mad yf he knowe it not vnlesse of twayne whiche are led togeto be put to death he is to be accompted the happier whiche is commaunded last to lay downe his necke vppon the blocke to be cut of who truely seemeth vnto me in a maner in the more miserable state for the deferryng of the death Howbeit the condition of these men and of the other of whom I spake before is not all one insomuche as this man may haue some entreatie or meanes made for hym in the meane whyle to escape his fellowes execution and to lyue Onely death can preuent a young man that he shall not lyue vnto olde age To be short there consisteth no great felicitie in a small processe of tyme and vnto loftie mindes there is nothyng that is short accompted acceptable Awake ye that sleepe it is now tyme open your dimme and slumbring eyes Accustome your selues at length to thynke vpon eternal thinges to loue them and to desire them and therewithal also to contemne transitorie thinges Learne to depart from them willingly which can not continue with you long and to forsake them in hart before by them ye be forsaken Ioy and Hope My yeers are stable and greene Reason They lye whiche say that there is some age I knowe not which stable There is nothyng more swift then tyme and tyme is the charret of al ages to carrie them away in And doest thou then imagine that it is permanent O vanitie there is nothyng durable for euen at this present thou art violently drawen away c. Of the goodly beautie of the body The seconde Dialogue Ioy. THE beautie of my body is goodly Reason It is no more permanent then the tyme that commeth with it with whiche also it flitteth away Stay the tyme if thou canst and so perhaps thou mayest stay beautie Ioy. The beautie of my body is singuler Reason Thou restest vpon a brittle foundation The body it selfe passeth away like a shadow and doest thou thinke that a transitorie accident of the body wyll continue Accidentes may perishe the subiect remaynyng but when the body perisheth they must needes decay And among all the qualities whiche passe away with this mortall body there is none swyfter then beautie whiche
vse it to vse it I say not as Maharbal gaue counsayle to Hanibal but as Hanno that was a better man gaue counsayle to his Common wealth For truely Peace is the best vse and fruite of victorie neyther are iust warres taken in hande for any other ende then for peace Ioy. Victorie is on my syde Reason Beware she flee not away for she hath winges Of the death of an Enimie The Ciiii. Dialogue IOY I AM glad of myne Enimies death Reason To hope for any thing by the death of an enimie and to reioyce in any mans death perhaps is permitted to hym that is immortal yf any suche may be founde but to hope for the death of another man whiche may fyrst happen to thy selfe or to reioyce that that is befallen to thyne Enimie whiche needes must happen to thy selfe is a foolyshe hope and a vayne ioy Ioy. I reioyce in myne Enimies death Reason Some other ere it be long wyll reioyce in thine Ioy. I am glad that mine Enimie is dead Reason If ye were mindful of your owne estate one man would neuer reioyce in the death of another When I pray thee was it euer seene that when two went togeather to execution the one conceiued any pleasure in the others death knowing that himselfe must goe to the same pot but doth not rather lament beholding his owne death in his fellowe Ioy. I haue conceyued delyght in mine Enimies death Reason How often thinkest thou haue mens deathes that haue been desired greeued the desirers and they haue in vayne begun to wishe for their liues who before wyshed not in vayne for their deathes when as they begin once to vnderstand that they haue wished to their owne destructioÌ„ But your affections are hastie Whatsoeuer ye wishe to haue ye wish it vehemently as it is written Iulius Caesar sayde of Marcus Brutus Yea rather ye wyshe it too muche and your earnest desyre can suffer no tariaunce And therefore whatsoeuer ye woulde haue ye wyll haue it presently whereof proceede not onely vngodly wyshes but also poysonynges and murthers and whatsoeuer one man can imagine against another beyng the most hurtfull creature towarde his owne kinde â–ª Ye wysh for many thynges whiche yf ye tooke aduise of reason ye would stand in feare of when they are accomplished and the varieue of your wishes is an argument of your euyl choyce neyther doeth your rashnesse returne to that whiche is right vntyll your â—â—olythe affections are checked with haplesse successe Ioy. I am glad of mine enimies death Reason If thine enimie were but of smal fame and reputation to reioyce in his death is shameful and to be sorie superfluous but yf he were noble and famous it is meete and decent to be sorie though not for the man yet for vertues sake whiche euery day hath fewer places to harbour in Sodyd Metellus Macedonicus bewayle the death of the younger Scipio Africane and Caesar the death of Pompeâ— and Alexander the death of Darius Ioy. I recioyce in the death of my Foe Reason How canst thou reioyce in his death whom thou art commaunded to loue not as thine enimie but as thy neighboure being the worke of the same woorkeman Ioy. I am gladde of myne enimies death Reason Perhaps thou hearest not or regardest not the most holsome and knowen counsel of the Wyse man Reioyce not sayth he in the death of thine enimie knowyng that we shall all dye And wyl we notwithstandyng be glad Doubtlesse this counsayle or precept is holsome Of hope of Peace The Cv. Dialogue HOPE I Hope for Peace Reason It is better to keepe peace then to hope for it It is the part of a foole to neglect thynges certayne and to embrace doubtfull hope Hope I hope for peace Reason Thou shouldest haue kept her more narrowly neyther suffered her to depart whom thou now hopest for What yf thine impatience haue brought thee vnto this Hope that thou myghtest choose to be vexed with hoping for that whiche thou myghtest haue vsed by enioying Hope I hope for peace Reason Hope of peace hath destroyed many and calamitie vnlooked for followyng hoped peace hath ouercome and oppressed the vnskilfull sleepy whom it could not haue harmed if it had found expert Hope I hope for peace Reason Why doest thou hope so long for that whiche is in thy hand to attayne vnto It is seldome seene but they do finde peace that are in deede willing effectually to seeke it but those to whom the name of peace is sweete peace it selfe is sowre and therefore they that seeke for peace withstand peace Peace hath foure enimies dwelling among you to wit couetousnesse enuie anger pride these if you sende away into euerlasting exile your peace shal be euerlasting Hope I am in assured hope of peace Reason Betweene hope of peace peace it selfe many thinges do happen a light worde and a smal gesture hath many times disturbed compounded peace yea the very treaties and parlees of peace are often broken of by dent of swoord and hope of peace sharpneth the mindes and aggrauateth warres euen so may a man tearme the treatie of friendship which commeth to none effect the whetstone and sharpning of hatred Hope There is talke of peace there shal be peace Reason There is often talke of peace to no purpose many times dangerously haue the captaines of the Frenchmen and Carthagiens entreated of peace when as Camillus surprised the one and Scipio the other Hope After warre is ended peace shal be confirmed Reason How muche better were it that it were confirmed before the beginning of war how many mischiefes and losse of mens liues might be by seasonable peace preuented But you like wilful and truently children can neuer learne wisedome without whipping In peace ye seeke after warre and in warre ye seeke after peace and neuer begin to know or loue peace but when ye are afflicted with warre then as ye lament that ye haue lost peace so anon when it is restored vnto you with like lightnesse ye contemne it vntyll that hauing lost it once or twice ye are taught not to contemne your owne commodities and to couet your owne harmes finally not to be mad nor foolysh whereof ye may be ashamed before ye haue obtayned it Ye must haue one thing tolde you often and it suffiseth not to haue heard but ye must often see and trye I wyll speake more playnely ye must be beaten often before you can learne any thing Hope Peace wil follow warre Reason It had ben better it had gone before and stopped the course of warre there is no such madnesse as in hope of remedy willingly to receyue a wounde Formentations are helpes and not causes of woundes It is naturall for hym that is sicke to wyshe for health but for one that is whole to wysh for sicknes in hope of health is madnesse Hope We shal haue peace Reason Peace many times procureth hurtful alterations to Cities Countreis which although of
tidinges when thou art awake Hope I saw good hap in sleepe Reason But thou shalt finde il hap when thou awakest Hope I was an happy man in my rest Reason But thou shalt be wretched in thy trauayle For many tymes â—reames signifie nothing and many tymes the contrary Hope True thynges are often seene in dreames Reason But how more often false The lyke iudgement is to he geuen of this and all such other kyndes of vanities one thyng happenyng true by chaunce purchaseth credite to a great many of false and mens myndes gapyng after that whiche is to come taketh no regarde of that whiche is past Hope The Diuinours promyse me many thyngs Reason I do not much wonder at these impostours and deceyuers who accordyng to theyr maner do lyue by theyr practise but I marueyle more at you that you subiect your lyues soules and wittes vnto theyr bellies and therfore take hede what perswasion thou holdest â—â—r yf thou wylt folowe mine aduyce thou shalt expect with a quiet and vpryght mynde not what the Starres but what the Creatour and gouernour of the Starres hath determined concernyng thee feruently woorkyng somethyng euery day whereby thou mayst be founde the more woorthy of his loue Concernyng the euentes let it not once enter into thy mynde to mooue any of them vnto whom the trueth is lesse knowne then to thy selfe Finally thus perswade thy selfe that it is an harde matter for men to knowe what it is to come and that it is not lawful for them yf it were expedient nor expedient yf it were lawfull Of glad tidings The. Cxiii Dialogue HOPE I Haue heard glad tydyngs Reason Beleeue not fame she is a lyar Hope Many tel me glad newes Reason It is better sometyme to beleeue one then many Hope That cannot be altogeather false which so many messengers doo report Reason The maner of common report is wel knowne which is to mingle lies with trueth A great many of lyes are seasoned with a few true tales for no body wyl beleeue hym that which al lyes Hope The first aucthour of the rumor is a credâ—â—le person Reason But there is no man contented to report only as much as he hath hearde or seene it is nothyng worth vnlesse that euery one adde some thyng of his owne to that which he hath heard or seene which when many haue done a man shal perceiue how one lye hath been heaped vpon another so that this mischiefe going from hande to hande hath encreased in mens handes as it was going and which the most excellent poet sayeth It floorisheth by moouyng and getteth strength by going Hope Hytherto the report is very ioyful Reason What yf it flatter thee that it may strike thee Many times after ioyful rumors folow woful massacres this for the more part is the manner of fortune to promyse hope that she may wound the deeper and she annoynteth her cruel weapon with the sweetnesse of some glad tidynges wherewith she purposeth to cut the throate of hym that reioyceth Which thyng forasmuche as the learned and wyse do vnderstande they are nothyng mooued with flatteryng reportes but remayne vnmooueable recountyng with them selues either that it is contrary or that this rumour that semeth so acceptable may be chaunged into the contrary Hope I am delighted in a ioyful rumour Reason Stay a whyle tyl thou knowe whether it be certayne and if it so fall out yet is it a shame for a manly courage to be moued with euery smal rumour though they be true but most shameful with those that are false Many haue ben ashamed that they haue reioyced and the remembrance of theyr false ioy hath augmented theyr true griefe Of expecting a mans sonne or Farmer or wyfe The Cxiiii Dialogue Hope I Hope for my sonnes returne Reason Thou hopest for a careful ioy and a neare sorow Hope I hope to see my friend agayne Reason Thou hopest for a sweete thyng but deceiueable mens affayres tremble vpon a brittle foundation perhaps he whom thou now lookest for is dead which thou maist proue yf thou liue There are a thousand kindes of impedimens one that is common to al that is death Hope I trust to enioy the desired sight of my friend Reason These two are almost alwayes ioyned togeather to wyshe and to hope but by sundry casualties they be dayly separated Howe many may we thynke were there in Rome that with very desirous myndes expected the returne of the last Marcus Marcellus But contrarywyse his most cruel foe attended his commyng in the myddes of the way whose furious sauagenesse was more mightie then was the mercyfulnesse of the conquerour that reuoked his aduersarie from exyle And therfore Caesar at the request of the Senate coulde pardon Marcellus but Marcellus Client coulde not sustayne any greater griefe then that he shoulde enioy that benefite from Caesar Hope I hope to see my friende and I expect him hauyng no enimie to hinder his commyng Reason What man is he that hath not an enimie and albeit he haue no priuate enimie yet is there any without publique fooes I meane theeues and murderers who mooued with couetousnesse haue proclaymed open war agaynst mankynde But imagine there chaunced some such good constellation that this mischiefe were banyshed out of the worlde notwithstandyng who shal defend Wagons and Horses from ouerthrowyng ryuers and streames from ouerflowyng brydges and houses from fallyng tempestes on Sea and lande from rysyng Adde moreouer the incursion of fierce and wylde beastes and venomous vermyne by meanes of whiche Dicaearchus a most curious searcher of such matters sheweth that not only certaine particuler men but also whole generations of men haue ben destroyed And in summe looke how many chaunces there be in humane affaires wherof there is no certaine number so many enimies are there of mankinde which may I say not slacke thy hope but extinguysh it And though nothyng els doo happen yet death of whom I spake erwhile whether men go or stande is alwaies at their elbowe and perhaps more neere to them that ryde and traueile vppon the way by howe muche theyr iourney and riding and changyng of place seemeth to be subiect to more kindes of casualties Hope I hope for my friendes returne after the prosperous dispatching of his businesse Reason How gloriously prosperously Drusus Nero that was sonne in law to Augustus behaued him self and accomplished his affaires that he was beloued of his enimies that he had vanquyshed so that they dyd almost adore hym as a God whose wonderfull affection towards the memoriall of hym euen to this present day I suppose thou mightest perceiue yf euer thou were conuersant among the states of Germanie Truely he atchiued such exploites wherof he might woorthily vaunt him the whiche appeareth yet remayning to this day ingrauen in certayne Romane stones wherof some of the first sillables are defaced and throwen downe by misfortune in these verses At the departing of the Rhine I inuaded the land and wasted
not onely vnderstande howe to hope for prosperous times but how to deeme of the sorowfull if thou looke vpon thine owne age whiche euery day waxeth more heauie then other as it is described by the Poet and founde in most olde men And truely yf thou cast thyne eyes backwarde and begyn to recount and consyder thine owne yeeres thou wylt also therewithal begin to despayre of that whiche thou hopest There is no cause why thou shouldest hope for alteration of the course of the world The tymes that folowe are not better but I feare me rather the worse And what is the cause I pray thee but onely because men waxe woorse and woorse whiche certayne notable men haue foretolde should be so and the effect plainly declareth but that you men vppon good hope do euermore conceiue some great opinion of your noble and modest youth from whiche opinion I am farre of for my minde can not prognosticate nor foresee any good to ensue at al euery thing is so prone vnto vice and vntowardnesse Hope The times are euyl but better shal ensue Reason Euery age hath complained of the maners that haue been then sayth Seneca And I adde that euery age had cause in deede whereof to complayne shal haue hereafter to the worldes end Hope I hope for a better time Reason There is one way vnto that wherby yf thou attaine to a better state thou wylt then hope for no farther matter Frame vnto thy selfe a merier mind which thou canst not do without vertue when thou hast so done al things shal be merrie fortunate and nothing vnprosperous or sorowful Hope I looke for a better tyme. Reason If it chaunce to come which is doubtfull verily as that approcheth thou drawest away How muche were it better to vse well the tyme present rather then carefully to expect that whiche perchaunce eyther wyll not come at all or thou shalt neuer lyue to see Of the hoped commyng of a Prince The Cxvi Dialogue HOPE I Hope for a Princes comming Reason As many things are feared which were rather to be wished so many are wished whiche were rather to be feared on both sides there is great want of iudgement Hope I hope for the Princes commyng Reason How much more seemely were it to hope for libertie for truely he that hopeth for a Lord or a Maister hopeth for his owne seruitude Hope I hope that the Prince wyll come Reason Thou hopest also for the common mischiefe whiche commeth with him But the tyme hath been when Princes haue hoped for their kingdomes and the people haue hoped for their Prince but now the kingdome is a burden to the Prince and the Prince a plague to the people Hope I and the common wealth doo hope that the Prince wyll come Reason What thou alone dooest hope for thou knowest best thy selfe wherein also thou mayest easily be deceyued but as for the hope of the Common wealth it is but foolyshe For what man vnlesse he were mad woulde hope for or desire that whiche he hath so often times experimented to be hurtful Hope I hope that the Prince wyll come Reason And he wyll bryng with hym sundry stirres and tumultes alterations of Cities hurtfull nouelties famine pestilence warres discorde al these at once or euery one of them seuerally vse commonly to come with Princes now a dayes If thou lyke of these thynges then hope for the Princes commyng but yf none of these be fearefull notwithstandyng the very name of an Empire is ful of reporâ—es and rumours deuoyde of al goodnesse and only founded vpon the shadowe of antiquitie Hope I hope that the Prince wyll come Reason But I woulde haue thee wyse and circumspect that as often as thou hearest of his comming thou imagine that thou hearest the voyce of some thunder that goeth before lyghtnyng nor begynne not to hope but rather to feare yf so be one of them must needes fayle For to feare aduersitie although it be repugnant to vertue yet is it agreeable to nature but to hope for euyll is contrary to nature and vertue Hope I hope that the prince wyll be heere shortly Reason When thou seest hym present imagine that thou beholdest an vnfortunate starre to the Common wealth and concernyng this matter take aduice of thyne owne memorie or demaunde of thy Parentes or of thy Grandfathers or great Grandfathers and thou shalt finde it to be so as I say whiche thyng declare thou also to thy chyldren posteritie least they also lyke fooles hope for the Princes commyng I pray thee tel mee when dyd euer the small Beastes hope for the Lyons comming or the lesser Foules for the Eagles Pardon me if I tel that trueth Man is a most foolyshe creature and alwayes most desirous of his owne harme other haue neede of a bayte to take them withall and man is caught onely with rumour of fame Of hope of Fame after death The Cxvii Dialogue HOPE I Hope for Fame after my death for my desartes Reason Many hope that they deserue fame when they rather deserue infamie and lyke traueylers that wander out of their way when they thynke they goe ryght foorth then goe they backewarde Hope I am famous in my lyfe tyme and I hope to be more famous after my death Reason This is true I confesse in some insomuche as Anneus Seneca in a certaine Epistle profecieth that he shoulde he beloued of posteritie and Statius Papinius sayth that he hath prepared a redie path for the present fame vnto his woorke among posteritie and lykewyse the Poet Ouid foretold of the eternitie of his name to come and that he shoulde be read by the mouth of the people and lyue by fame throughout all ages and truely none of these are deceyued But how many thynkest thou haue there been that haue hoped the lyke but their hope hath fayled them Many perhappes haue thought as much and haue written but haue not found that which they promised to them selues Hope If I be famous whyle I lyue why should I not be more famous after my death Reason For that it is an accustomable and common experience that many that haue been famous and noble in their life time after their death haue become obscure and vnknowen Dooest thou wonder at it The cause is manifest which is a certaine affabilitie neate pleasant speach a fawning countenance a friendly looke gentle greeting benefites bestowed vpon neighbours defending of clientes hospitalitie towardes strangers courtesie towardes al men These and suche lyke do purchase fâ—me to them that are lyuing but so sone as they are dead they continue no longer vnlesse perhaps as long as they remaine that knewe them whiche how short a time it is thou seest for how should thinges continue that are not grounded vpon a sure foundation It is the course of nature that the thinges that are weakely established and slenderly encreased do soone decay And therefore that thy fame may be durable it must proceede
not the like among all which in a manner either pray or hatred breedeth contention Yea moreouer though these cease yet disagreement ceaseth not For let vs see what hartburning there is in loue what disagreement in marriage howe manie complaintes what suspicion among louers what sighes what paines what contention betweene maisters and seruantes who are nothing the lesse enimies one to another for that they are housholde foes betwene whom there is neuer anie peace to be hoped for but that which is procured either by death or pouertie I will not speake of contention betweene brethren whose agreement to be verie rare the trueth it selfe witnesseth by the mouth of that Famous Poet Ouid neither of the disagreement betweene parentes and their children whereof the Poeme of the same Poet maketh mention But as touching the loue of parents whose good will is most tender towardes their children yet how great their indignation is it is euident whilest they loue them that are good and lament their case that are euill and thus in a manner they hate while they loue hartilie And as touching the most neere and deare bande of the name of brother and father wee see it sometime to bee without loue and not seldome ioyned with hatred I will come to the holie name of friendshippe which being called in Latine Amicitia is deriued from the word Amo whiche signifieth to Loue so that it can neither consist neither bee vnderstoode without loue Nowe among friendes although there be agreement in the wordes and endes yet in the way and in their actes what disagreement and contrarietie of opinions and counsels is there so that Ciceroes diffinition can scarce stand vpright For admit there be good will and loue betweene friendes notwithstanding the consent of all diuine and humane thinges wherewith he maketh his diffinition complete is wanting What then shall a man hope for in hatred For there is hatred in loue and warre in peace and agreement in discention which I will proue to be so by those things which are daily before our eies Beholde the wilde beastes who being inuincible by the sword are tamed by almightie loue Encline thy minde and marke with what noyse and murmure the shee Lions Tygres and shee Beares do come vnto that which of them selues they doe most willinglie and thou wilt thinke that they do it not with desire but by compulsion Some wilde beastes while they engender do make a great noise and schritching and some keepe a sturre with their swift and sharpe talantes Nowe if we will giue credit vnto that which certein great men do write of the nature of the viper howe much contrarietie is there how great discord when as the male viper vpon an vnbridled howbeit naturall sweetnesse pleasure putteth his head into the femal vipers mouth then she being prouoked with a furious heat of lust biteth it of But when this widowe viper being by this meanes brought great with young approcheth vnto the time of her deliuerie by the multitude of her heauie yong ones which nowe make haste to come foorth as it were to reuenge their fathers death is by them torne in pieces Thus the first coupling of these two wormes aswell by their generation as bringing foorth of young is vnfortunate vnto the whole kinde and is founde to bee pestiferous and deadlie whilest the engendring slayeth the male vipers and the bringing foorth the female Consider the orders of Bees in their hiues what thronging together what noise what warres not onely with their neighboures but among themselues what domestical conflictes and discensions is there among them Beholde the neastes and houses of Pigeons that most simple birde and as some write that hath no gall with what battelles and disquietnesse with what clamour and outcries I pray you do they passe foorth their life thou wouldest thinke thou were in some barbarous and vninstructed campe thou shalt perceiue them to be so vnquiet both day and night I omitte their inuasions one of another yea that verie paire that haue seuerally coupled themselues in the bande of mutuall societie and pleasure and for that cause are dedicated vnto Venus with what complaintes are they carried foorth vnto their desire how often doth the cocke goe about the hen and oftentimes the louer forcibly persecuteth his louer with his winges and bill I will referre thee vnto the most safest kinde whereof as the matter is not lesse so is it also lesse notorious and lesse painfull to bee founde What craft and subtiltie then what wakefull diligence doth the spider vse in taking of simple and poore flies in her copwebbe what nettes doeth she set vp for her deceit and rapine what the Moath ouer the cloth what the rot ouer the poast what the litle wormes which daye and night not without weerisomnesse and with a certeine blunt and hollowe noise do fret through the bowelles of beames especiallie of those in felling whereof the diligent obseruation of the Moone and seasons hath not bene obserued Which common discommoditie as it reigneth our the smokie cottagies of the simple husbandmen so doth it also ouer the golden pendents of princes pallaces temples churches and altars neither spareth it also the sacred richesse of Philosophers the boordes of bookes parchementes and papers Wherevnto also I will adde this much that vnlesse there were prouision made by pitch and tarre and a litle burning withall manie times it is the cause of the daunger of shipwracke or of shipwracke it selfe yea they haue entred into the sea eaten through the plankes of shippes and haue procured great troubles to the vnaduised Againe what doeth the grassehopper vnto herbes the caterpiller vnto corne or the wilde geese to the ripe fruites and graine or the poore sparrowe or the crane that translateth his dwelling and other importunate kindes of foules Whereof commeth that saying of the Poet Virgil in his Georgikes whereat I was wont to meruel but nowe I wonder nothing at all howe foules are fraide by noyse making For nowe vnto him that shall happen to dwell in anie place in the countrie in Italie this one thing is begonne to be one of the manifold sommer anoyances For so am I my self continually troubled from morning to night with the falling of foules the ratling of stones and crying out of the husbandmen Moreouer what doeth the mildeawe to the vintage the blast to the herbes the canker to the leaues and the moule to the rootes To be short the weeuill to the barnes floores and the Emot which maketh prouision against old age come as the Poet saith what toyle and vnrest is there in that poore litle creature that whilest she prouideth for her owne winter shee troubleth our sommer I should be verie slowe to beleeue other herein but I my selfe know by experience with how much not only weerisomnesse but losse also that dustie swarme and which by their hastie marching doe euermore declare their feare do not onlie spoyle and forrey the fieldes but
not what it is to leese a father vnlesse thou haddest had a sonne Of the losse of a mother The xlvii Dialogue SOROWE I Haue lost my mother Reason Thou hast yet another mother whom thou canst not leese if thou wouldest from the first thou camest and vnto this thou shalt returne The first gaue thee houséromth the space of a few monethes the other shal giue thee lodging the space of many yeeres The one of these gaue thee thy body the other shal take it away Sorowe My most milde mother is dead Reason But a most hard mother remayneth who wyl keepe thee and thy mother whom thou bewailest in one besome in whose wombe she shal rest with thee and as we beleeue bryng you both foorth agayne at the last day Sorowe My good mother hath forsaken me Reason She made hast fearyng to be forsaken and likely it is that her death was acceptable vnto her because she would not see thine prouiding for her securitie in that whiche alwayes she most feared Sorowe My good mother is dead Reason She is happily dead thou being a lyue whiche beyng otherwyse such are the affections of women she would haue died in sorowful lamentation Sorowe My mother is dead Reason Shee must haue died and thou also neyther canst thou complaine of death nor of the order therof Of the losse of a sonne The xlviii Dialogue SOROW. BUt I haue lost my sonne Reason Say rather and better I haue sent hym before me for thou shalt folowe hym quickely and perhappes to day and howe know we whether this same houre There is no trust in lyfe since there is so great certentie in death shalt folowe hym sayde I Nay rather thou doest folowe hym I woulde haue sayde for thou folowest hym continually it is not permitted vnto a man at any tyme to stay his course in this lyfe but euermore he steppeth foorth one step vnto death a strange matter to be spoken whether he be bound or at libertie sicke or whole walkyng or sitting awake or sleepyng he is caryed foorth toward his ende much after the manner of them that sayle in a shyp or sitte and ride in a wagon and are carried foorth a pace Sorowe I am greeued with the lacke of my sonne whom I haue lost Reason Qiuet thy minde for thou shalt finde hym whom thou desirest ere it be long not to be able to suffer the want of a short tyme is the part of a childe or a woman for vnto a man there is no short thing difficult Thou knowest I thinke by what woordes Socrates in Plato and Cato and Lelius in Cicero do comfort suche desires and wantes Although men surpasse in vertue and glory yet in this hope do some farre surpasse other Thou knowest moreouer of what minde Paulus Emilius Cato hym selfe Pericles and Zenophon that was scholer vnto Socrates and scholefelowe with Plato and his equal and other innumerable were for the death of their chyldren neyther art thou ignorant howe he that was both a prophet and a king wept for his chylde whyle it was sicke but not when it was dead thinkyng that to lament and weepe for thinges vnrecouerable is rather a poynt of vayne madnesse then of true affection Among the number of whiche manly examples the Spartane woman shuffeleth her selfe whose name is not set downe by wryters nor her saying semblably commended who hearyng that her sonne was slayne in battayle therfore sayd she did I beare hym that he shoulde not be afrayd to dye for his countrey The vertue of Linia and the elder Cornelia is nothyng inferiour vnto this but their names muche more famous of whom the first layde downe her mournyng so soone as her sonne of most honourable byrth and that was lyke to haue aspired vnto the hyghest degree of Empire was once layd into the ground but neuer left of the remembrance of hym The other hauing lost many chyldren yea al that she had whereof some she behelde slayne by the people and lying abrode vnburyed when as other women accordyng to the manner of that sexe rued her state and pitifully weepyng bewaled her woful case she answeared that she was not infortunate but happie for that she had borne such sonnes A woorthy woman that was not surprised with the present miserie but counted her selfe happie for that whiche was past who contrary to the common opinion and custome of them that are in miserie comforted herselfe with her forepassed felicitie and the remembrance of her prosperitie wherin shee had somtime liued and tooke it indifferently although she had then lost it for that cause only was woorthie to haue bad good children Now she being a woman remained wholy not once touched with the greeuous and sharp woundes of fortune and thou beeyng a man art ouerthrowne by one only doest thou lament so childishly Sorow I haue lost my sonne Reason If he were a duetiful sonne there is no cause to feare his estate for he is well But yf he were wicked thou art rydde of one that counted vpon thy death and encreased the infirmities of thine olde age Sorowe I haue lost my sonne Reason If he were vertuous reioyce that thou haddest hym but yf he were vnthryfty be glad that thou hast lost hym and in eyther case acknowledge the benefite of nature eyther for geuing thee suche a one or for takyng hym a way Sorowe Death hath taken away my sonne before his tyme. Reason That is not done before due tyme whiche may be done at al tymes Death hath directe entrances into al ages but into youth innumerable Sorowe I haue remayned without a sonne Reason And without trouble and feare Now hast thou none for whose cause thou shalt spend the nyghtes without sleepe and the dayes in care for whose sake thou shalt enter into long and inextricable hope that shall thinke vpon thy hory heares and wryncles examine thy lyuing fynde fault with thine expences and blame the staying of thy death thou art in securitie and quietnesse on euery side both which are a great commoditie although it be made more bitter by the name of death Sorowe I am cast downe by the geeuous death of my sonne Reason Hast thou not hearde what Anaragoras sayth Hast thou forgotten that thou begattest a mortal creature Or doest thou perhappes lament that he is gone before that should haue folowed And although the lyfe of man in many other thinges be disordinate and out of course yet death keepeth his ordinarie custome crooked olde men stagger and young men make hast and chyldren runne headlong infantes at their first entrance into lyfe are drawen to their ende one man more slowly another more speedily one more ripely another more vntimely but euery man must die this is the conclusion of al. And in whatsoeuer age of this lyfe a man die be it gently or sharpely he hasteth vnto death Sorowe I weepe for the death of my sonne Reason If thou wouldest haue wept at his death thou shouldest also
aboundantly good but he that is euyll is also a foole and vnlearned although in booke learnyng he be the most skylfull vnder the Sunne Sorow My hearing fayleth Reason It is well that this chaunced not vnto thee before thou receauedst thy fayth whiche is gotten specially by hearyng whiche fayth nowe thou possessest Whereof complaynest thou nowe or what seekest thou more If thou hearest not the singyng of men nor of byrdes then encline thyne harte vnto heauenly songues and applye thyne inwarde eare to GOD wardes Sorowe I heare not Reason Then thynke and speake to thy selfe If I heare not what men say eyther to me or of me I shall heare what the Lorde GOD sayth vnto me They oft tymes talke of discorde but he euer speaketh of peace Sorowe I heare nothyng at all Reason Many beyng very desirous of silence haue been weeried with long iourneys and trauayle to the entent that in some secret places and bye wayes they myght finde that whiche they sought for That whiche is paynefully sought for by others thou hast it with thee in euery place wheresoeuer thou goest Nowe learne to vse thyne owne commoditie and remembring the noyses and tumultes that are past begynne at the last to be delyghted with silence Of the lothsomnesse of lyfe The XCviij Dialogue SOROWE I Am wonderfull weery of my lyfe Reason A mischiefe sprynging out of the premisses then whiche I know not whether there be any othermore daungerous for it is most greeuous of it selfe and the next neyghbour and redie way to desperation Agaynst whiche mischiefe by name there hath been order taken in your Churches to pray for assistaunce vnto the blessed Sainctes of heauen who beyng discharged of this earthly weerisomnesse and bandes of the bodye doo now rest in the ioyes of heauen in euerlastyng felicitie I doubt not truely but that some of them are at rest in deede but as for those your prayers vnto them I compt them vayne and foolyshe Sorowe I am compassed about with muche lothsomnesse of lyfe Reason All thynges that are lothsome ought to be abandoned with gladsome thoughtes with good hope with the comfort of freendes with readyng of bookes with varietie of honest delyghtes and pleasaunt exercises and expellyng of sluggishnesse but especially bâ— pacience in all thynges and long sufferyng whiche is inuincible Ye ought not to preuent the naturall ende of your lyfe eyther for the hatred of the present state or the desire of the future neither to be breefe for any feare or hope whatsoeuer whiche certayne fooles and miserable wretches haue doone who whyle they haue sought meanes to auoyde pouertie the troubles of this lyfe and paynes temporall haue fallen into eternall Let our countreyman Cicero speake what he lyft who in his booke of Offices excuseth the death of the latter Cato Let Seneca say what he wil who woonderfully extolleth and commendeth the same and also disputeth in many places howe that in certayne cases a man may violently destroy hym selfe But the other opinion of Cicero is muche more true and commendable wherein he sayth That both thou and all godly men ought to retayne theyr soules within the prison of theyr bodyes neyther to depart out of this humane lyfe without his commaundement by whom it was geuen least haply ye shoulde seeme to refuse the callyng whereunto he hath assigned you Yea moreouer thynke that this was spoken vnto thee from heauen to witte that vnlesse God whose temple is all this whiche thou beholdest shall discharge thee out of the wardes of this bodye thou canst haue no entraunce hyther And to conclude take heede lest that through any weerisomnesse of this lyfe thou so thynke of death at any tyme that thou suppose it lawfull to thee to hasten it or so esteeme of any ioye that it be able at any tyme to ouerthrowe thy heedelesse mynde vppon a sodden Of heauinesse of the bodye The XCix. Dialogue SOROWE I AM heauie of bodye Reason Thou mightest complaine hereof yf thou haddest been borne to flye lyke a byrde and not rather as a man vnto manhood Sorowe My body is heauie and vnwyldie Reason Leaue this complaynte to Roscius and Aesope Thou yf thou canst neyther bende thy selfe rounde in a lytle compasse or slyde downe out of the toppe of the ayre by a rope what matter is it Walke thou soberly with honest men contemne gesticulation and dauncyng whiche belongeth to players As grauitie becommeth a wyse man in all his deedes and woordes so also is it conuenient that he vse it in his gate with great modestie Sorowe I haue a heauie body Reason This heauinesse was wont to be one of the companions of olde age lest haply he that had lost the fyrst shoulde exclude the seconde although many tymes this heauinesse be founde not to be so muche the companion of olde age as of nature whereof it commeth that we see young men dull and heauie and olde men quicke and nimble But oftentymes vnder a heauie bodye is contayned a lyght minde and vnder a lyght bodye abydeth a heauie minde but yf a certayne proportion and equalitie both of bodye and minde doo meete together that is not to be despised Sorowe The weyght of my bodye is exceedyng great Reason Though inuisible yet no lesse is the weyght of the mynde and firmenesse thereof set the one agaynst the other and there shal be nothing heauie Sorowe I am drowned with the weyght of my bodye Reason Fleete then agayne by the lyghtnesse of thy mynde and dryue it away and in laboryng studie takyng in hande many and harde matters both to the exercise of thy mynde and bodye and the banishyng of all pleasures Dryue away idlenesse procure thy selfe businesse despise lustes bate slouthfulnesse loue carefulnesse caste away tendernesse followe hardnes haue a delyght in difficult thynges and with continuall persistaunce vse thy selfe to moderate diet in meate and drynke and to short and carefull sleepe litle sittyng and seldome lying Sorowe I am payned with the weyght and greatnesse of my body Reason Another is troubled with the contrary some with one thing and some with another No man leadeth his lyfe without traueyle but euery man knoweth his owne and eyther despiseth or is ignorant of an others griefe Sorow My body is much growen vnto mole Reason If mans name for that he is a mortal creature be deriued from the woord Elumus which signifieth the earth the must man needes be oppressed with muche earth Notwithstandyng his earthly nature cannot so ouerwhelme the heauenly but that it wyll aryse vnlesse it shewe it selfe deafe to vertue and quicke of beleefe vnto euyl perswadyng pleasure Sorowe A heauie bodye oppresseth my soule Reason Plucke vp thy mynde and with great endeuoure sustayne this greeuous burden and thynke with thy selfe that heauenly myndes doo oftentymes breake foorth out of the burden of the bodyly mole and attayne vnto woonderfull hyghnesse Sorowe I am ouerborne with the burden of my bodye Reason Although nature cannot be ouercome
fal from God for that he forsaketh hym that made hym and forasmuche as pryde is the beginnyng of al sinne Thou knowest al other thynges which being diligently weighed thou shalt perceyue howe foule a monster a proude man is Of Agues The .cxii. Dialogue SOROWE I Burne with Agues Reason This heat wyl ende in processe of tyme or els with colde whiche euer of the twayne it be it is well Sorow I am greeued with agues Reason All this motion agaynst nature is of more vehemencie then continuance and of these twayne it alwayes doth the one eyther it clenseth the body or setteth the soule at libertie Sorowe I am holden with Agues Reason Stay a whyle thou shalt not long be holden for eyther thou shalt soone be discharged thereof or set at libertie and eyther of them is very good Sorowe I am sicke of an Ague Reason Thou shalt be at quiet anon nature striueth with death attend the ende of the battayle for the houre draweth nygh which shal eyther free thee from thy sickensse or discharge thee from al. Sorow I burne with the Ague Reason It is lesse harme for the bodye to burne then the foule whereof thou madest thy last seuen complayntes and howe yf the scortching of the one be medicinable for the other Finally how much more better is it by a short cast of the euyles of this present lyfe to be put in mynde of the euerlastyng punishment to the ende that men may study to auoyde infinite bitternesse who so greeuously susteyne the sharpenesse of a fewe houres and by these troubles learne to flye them from whiche neyther the Phisition nor herbes nor the critical day nor death can delyuer them Sorowe I trye with the Feuer Reason The woormes meate is rosted suffer thy selfe to be burned for other for whom other meates haue been so often tymes burned and take aduisement of the punishment Many euyles haue stoode in steede of remedies a smal greefe in the present tyme hath often geuen men occasion to prouide for greater to come and that whiche was paineful becommeth profitable Happie is that short burnyng whiche is the cause of eternal ioy Sorowe I am molested with the Ague Reason Nowe shalt thou be an vpryght iudge of prosperous health For you men beyng an vnthankeful generation cannot acknowledg the giftes of God vnlesse they be lost or surceasse Sorow I am sore vexed with a greiuous ague Reason Ye cannot long continue togither No man can burne long For either thou wilt shortly forsake thine ague or else thine ague wil leaue thee Of the payne of the guttes and Traunce The .cxiii Dialogue SOROWE I Suffer the payne of the guttes Reason Begyn to hope for there can happen now nothing more greeuous vnto thee For lyke as it is the begynning of sorowe to come to the vttermost degree of pleasure so lykewyse the extremitie of sorowe must needes be the begynning of pleasure This is the lawe of contraries that the one spryngeth from the ende of the other Sorowe I am tormented with the Iliake passion Reason It is I confesse an hard kynde of comfort that a man can suffer nothing more bitter Sorowe I am vexed with the Iliake passion Reason Who so is sorie and feareth is in wretched case but feare which is the one halfe of miserie is taken from thee on euery side for whereof I pray thee neede he to be afeard who hopeth for death whereof aboue al thynges men stande most in dreade Sorowe I am martyred with the payne in the guâ—tes Reason Whyle thou lyuest learne to dye and that which must be done but once assay thou to do often then at length thou shalt do that more safely once whiche thou hast assayed to do so often for that whiche thou doest then shal be no strange thyng to thee The payne in the guttes is muche lyke vnto death sauing that death is shorter and easier so that he that can beare that payne valiantly vnlesse some other feare come betweene and alter the case shal much more valiantly endure death Sorowe I am torne in peeces by the iliacke passion Reason The vehemencie of the payne promiseth an ende for there is no man long a dying Sorow Yea the very payne driueth me into a sounde Reason The long paynes of feauers thou passest ouer with one breathyng Sorowe I feele howe I am fallen into a traunce Reason A man shall scarce perceyue when it is comming for it commeth sodenly and when it is come it presently depriueth the vnderstandyng of all force Sorowe I begynne to faint Reason O happie art thou that shalt passe ouer so assured and hard a thyng without sense Sorowe I fall oft tymes into a traunce Reason Thou returnest often from death to lyfe Sorowe I fal very often into a deadly traunce Reason Thou canst not fal into that twyce For none dyeth more then once and whiche shoulde be the best kynde of death there was somtyme disputation among certayne learned and notable men at whiche was Iulius Caesar in presence for empire and learnyng a most excellent personage who also in his latter tyme as some wryte of hym vsed many tymes to faynt suddeynly which question he in this manner determined concludyng that a suddeine and vnlooked for death was of al the most commodious Whiche opinion although vnto godlynesse and true religion it seeme very harde notwithstandyng euery one that wyse is but specially godly and studious of true religion ought so to lyue that nothyng may befal vnto hym soddenly and vnlooked for and yf any suche thyng happen to the minde that the soddennesse thereof hurt it not but profite also the body Of sundry paynes and greefes of the whole body The .cxiiii. Dialogue SOROWE I Am greeued in al partes of my body Reason If thy minde whiche is the gheast of the body be not greeued nor troubled it is wel whatsoeuer hapneth vnto the poore cottage thereof shal redownde I hope vnto the safetie of it Sorowe I am vexed in al my body whiche is a greeuous payne Reason The Stoikes say that among al humane thynges only vertue is good And although others be of another opinion yet this is the more true and manly as seemeth vnto me and many moe whereof it foloweth that whatsoeuer is contrarie hereunto is a vice whereby it commeth to passe that although the payne of the body be most greeuous yet it is not euyll Sorow Alas poore wretch how I am tormented and thou disputest and al are but philosophical fables Reason Thou shewest thy selfe to be a wretche if it were but in this poynt only for that thou callest the rules of mans lyfe fables Sorow These thynges are plausible in the schooles and famous in bookes but they are not able to enter into the racke or to clymbe vp into the beddes of the sicke they be spoken and wrytten more easily then practised Reason Yes truely they be profitable agaynst payne and sicknesse and death but not vnto al
wyshe and much more destitute of men then I woulde it were And therefore seeing there is nothing els to be expected at the handes of them that are nowe present but meare toyes and trifles yet yf there be any thyng alleaged by them whiche eyther they haue founde out them selues or borowed of the auncient wryters that may aswage thy greefe do not reiect it nor say as do the vnlearned this thou haddest out of the Philosophers For then wyl I answere thee with Cicero I thought thou wouldest haue sayde of whores and bawdes And to say the trueth where shoulde a man fishe or hunt but where fishes and wylde beastes are in the waters and wooddes Where is golde to be digged or precious stones to be gathered but where they growe For they are to be founde in the veines of the earth and vpon the shoares of the sea Where are marchandizes to be had but of merchantes Where pictures and images but of paynters and keruers And last of al where wylt thou expect Philosophical sawes but at the Philosophers handes Whiche although they lye hyd vp by them in their treasuries and were first founde out by them neuerthelesse the same are set open and expounded by other and that paraduenture more playnely or more pithily or more breefely or lastly disposed in some other order and methode promising lyke hope vnto al that heare them but bringing successe vnto fewe For such is the force of order and good ioyning as Horace very wel declareth in his Poeticalles that one matter being diuersly told representeth a greater grace vnto the mind of the hearer yea though it be a common thing that is told such noueltie may be added vnto that which is old and such light vnto that whiche is euident and suche beawtie vnto that whiche is fayre whiche I haue not nowe vttered as lackyng some other place more conuenient therevnto but because thou ministredst occasion at this present For I woulde not haue thee doo as it is the maner of blinde and ignorant pryde to disdayne vulgare and vsuall thynges whiche thou hast heard once and neuer vnderstoode Feare I yeelde vnto thee for I see that thou art very redie in these admonitions although far from effect to me wardes for I feare death yet neuerthelatter Reason There be certayne thynges in name and opinion of men greater then in effect certayne afarre of haue seemed terrible whiche at hande haue been ridiculous It were no wysedome to beleeue the vnexpert there is not one of these defamers of death that can speake any thyng to the purpose for being vnexpert he can learne nothing at all neyther can he be instructed in any matter by one that is vnexpert also Aske a question of a dead man he wyl answere nothyng and yet it is he that knoweth the trueth They wyl babble most that knowe death least and prophecie most vaynely of it wherein they haue least skyll Whereby it commeth to passe that by some death is made the most manifest thyng and of othersome the most hydden secret and this coniecturall case is diuersly tossed in suspition But in doubtfull matters it is good to cleaue to the best opinion and to holde that whiche shall make the minde rather merrie then dumpyshe Feare My soule feareth death Reason If in respect of it selfe that feare is vayne for that the soule is immortall But yf in respect of the bodye it is a thanklesse pittie to be careful of it enimie But if it feare to be dissolued it is to much in loue with it owne prison and bondes whiche were but a verie foolyshe affection Feare I am troubled with the feare of death Reason All fooles are afearde to dye and noe marueyle for all their felicitie is in theyr bodye whiche doubtlesse is by death extinguished And therefore not without cause good men are sorie to heare of theyr ende and heauie to beholde it For this is the nature of man that he can not lyue without desyre not to be vnhappie It becommeth a learned man who maketh no other accompt of his bodye then of a vyle Drudge and fylthie Carkasse whose dilligence and loue and hope and studie is wholy reposed vpon his minde to esteeme of the death of this bodye none otherwise then as of his departure in the morning out of some vnpleasant and noysome lodging Feare I can not choose but feare death Reason Thou mayest refuse to feare the departure out of this lyfe yf thou canst hope or wyshe for the entrance into an other For hereof it is that the same feare ryseth And although there be commonly diuers causes alleaged of the feare of this departure neuerthelesse they vanishe away when the hope of that other life is laide before the eyes Feare I dread death Reason The dread thereof is specially engendred by the lacke of meditating thereon and the sudden necessitie of dying whiche in a learned and wyse man is most shameful but specially in an olde man whose whole course and order of lyfe yf he be learned and wyse indeede ought to be a continuall meditation of death Whiche if it seemed so vnto the auntient Philosophie what may it nowe appeare vnto your new deuotion which is the hygh Philosophie and the true wisedome Consider the maner of them that are commaunded vpon a sudden to goe some far iourney how sadde and careful they are to make vp their carriage and how they complaine at their departure and in a maner repine that they had no longer warning before so that as soone as their backes are turned they thinke vpon necessaries which they haue forgotten and are discontented therewith Now there is no way longer then to dye none harder as they say none more noysome for Theeues none more obscure none more suspicious nor more vncertaine which though it wanted al these yet is it vnreturneable By meanes whereof ye ought to be the more diligent least haply ye forgette any thing for that when ye are once departed from hence ye can no longer doo as they that occupie other trades or vndertake whatsoeuer other iourney that is to say commit suche thynges by their letters or messengers vnto their freendes to see vnto as they them selues haue left forgotten For ye are not able to sende any message backe nor to stay in the place where ye were nor to returne agayne Ye must needes goe hence it is not possible for you to returne ye must needes goe thyther Souldiers from whence it is not needefull that ye come backe agayne Thus in Seneca sayde the Romane Captayne to his men and thus also sayth your Captayne to you And therefore seeyng ye must needes depart and come no more and that the necessitie of your iourney is very certayne but the houre of death vncertayne this is your onely remedie to be alwayes readie in mind to answere when ye are called and to obey when ye are commaunded and when all thinges are disposed in good order at your Captaines fyrst