into a newe And what other thing is the sepulchre but a castelle wherin we be closed agaynst the assautes of the lyfe Of trouth you ought more to couete to take that you find at your deth than the hurte of that you shal leue in your lyfe I demand of you what is it that dothe you most peyne in lesyng of the lyfe If you peyn your self for Helie Fabrice your wyfe bicause you leaue her yonge wery not yourself for she is wel thought on in Rome for any peryll of your lyfe And as soone as she knoweth it I am in certayne she wyll not wepe moche though you go your way Thā you ought not to wepe for leuyng of her These yonge damoysels maried to old men haue euer their eyes fixed in the deth of their husbandes And holly fasten their hartes on him that they think to mary with ageyn They wepe with their eies laughe in their hartis And thinke not contrary though she be an empresse and can not fynde an other emperour to be her husbande yet she wyll fynde some other man For if they be soo determyned they wyll change their robes of sylke for a gowne of clothe I dare well saye they more desyre a yonge sheparde than an olde emperour If you care for your chyldren whom ye muste leaue behind you I can not tell why you shuld do so For if your deth be displeasant to them moch more displeaseth them y t you liue so longe It is great pein to the child not to desire the deth of his father For if he be poore it is for feare how they shuld be mainteined if he be ryche thā bicause he shalbe his heire They synge you wepe you fere the deth wepe bicause you leaue your life Doo you not know y t after the night cometh the dewy mornyng after y t cometh the bright son after y e son comith a derk cloude and after ageyn cometh faire wether after that cometh lightnyng thonder than again clere aire Also I say that after infancy cometh childhode thā cometh youth age after that and so at laste cometh deth and after dethe fearefull hope of a sure lyfe Sir beleue me in one thyng The beginning the meane and the ende euery man hath Certainly if you had ben takē as the floure fro the herbe if you had ben cut grene fro the tree if you had ben graffed in primetyme if you had ben eaten in the sowernes of the vyne I meane if in the fyrste youthe whan lyfe was at the swetest if dethe had come and knocked at the gate ye shulde haue had cause to be sory but as nowe the walles are weake and redye to falle and the flowre wythered and the very putrified the speare full of mosse and canne not drawe the knyfe out of the shethe Herein you haue desired the worlde as if you had neuer knowen the worlde Lxii. yere you haue ben prisoner in the dongeon of the body now whan the shakles or gyues shuld be taken from you you complayne you lorde wold make newe of other newes He that thinketh it nat sufficient to lyue .lxii. yeres in this dethe or to dye in this lyfe he wyll not be contente with thre score thousande ¶ Auguste the Emperour sayde that after that men had lyued .l. yeres they ought to dye orels cause them selfe to be slayne bycause that vnto that tyme is the felycitie of man He that lyueth beyonde that tyme passeth his tyme in heuynesse in greuous aches deathe of his chylderne and losse of his goodes in importunities of his chyldren in lawe buryenge of his frendes susteynynge processe payinge of dettis and other infinyte trauayles So that it were better with his eies cloosed to abyde theym in his graue thanne with his eyes open to abyde theym in his lyfe dayes Certaynly it is a fortune of all fortunes and he is ryght priuie with the goddis that at .l. yere leaueth his lyfe For al the time that he liueth after is in decaying and neuer vpryght but rollyng relynge and redy to fall O Marc my dere lorde do you not know that by the same way that lyfe gothe cometh dethe It is .lxii. yere that ye haue soughte the one from the other And whan ye wente fro Rome where as you lefte your howse ye wente to Illirike where you lefte a great pestylence and nowe you are retourned into Hungarie Do you not knowe that as soone as you were borne to gouerne the erthe incontinent dethe issued out of his sepulchre to fynde your lyfe And if you haue honored ambassadours of the straunge kynges moche more ye oughte to honour deathe that cometh fro the goddis What lordshyp can be loste in this lyfe but you shal fynde greatter in the death Are you not remembred whan Vulcan my sonne in lawe poisoned me bicause he desyred my goodes more than my lyfe howe you my lorde for loue that you had to me gaue me comforte and counsell for the deth of my sorowfull youth and you sayd to me the goddis were cruell in kyllynge of them that be yonge and pitiefull whan they burie theym that be olde And also you sayde to me Comforte thy selfe Panutius For if thou dydst lyue to dye now than thou dyest to liue Therfore right high and myghty prince I saye to you as you sayde to me and I counsayle you as you counsayled me and that you gaue me I gyue you ageyne Fynally of this repynge take the best in worthe let the rest abide ¶ How themperour demanded to haue in writing al that the Secretarie had sayde Cap. xli ANd as of the contentynge of the wylle oftentymes procedeth helthe and ease of the body the emperour was wel satisfied with the wordes of Panutius whiche he eloquently vttered and with profounde counsell hardily and familyarly and in due tyme as a good frende Great cōpassion it is to them that wold die whā it is shewed them what they ought to do For of them that be about the bed somme robbe hym of his money somme serue hym welle some holde the place to be his heire some gape for gyftes some wepe for losynge of hym somme laugh for the gaynes they haue by his death and so in this maner the poore pacient hauyng many lokynge for their profyte hath no body to counsel hym We se dayly that seruātes whā they se the going out of the cādell of lyfe care not for the clēsing of their lordes vyces And therof cometh that as sone as he is deed streight way begynneth to stynke And so I say that the ende of his lyfe is the begynnynge of his infamy All they that were there as well the olde seruantes as the newe belongynge to themperour capitaynes of warre other were not a lyttell abashed of the sayenge of Panutius and they all allowed his sayinge and sayde he was worthy to haue the gouernaunce of thempire The good emperour all the season
THE GOLDEN BOKE OF MARCVS AVRELIVS EMPEROVR AND ELOQVENT ORATOVR ANNO. M.D.XXXVI THE TABLE OF the birthe and lynage of Marke Aurely Anthony emperour Cap. primo ¶ What maysters Marke Aurely had in his youthe cap. ii ¶ What sciences Marcus the emperour lerned And of a meruaylous letter that he sent to Polion capitulo iii. ¶ Howe for the wysedome of Marcus many wise menne floryshed in his tyme. capit iiii ¶ Of the emperour Marcus sonne named Verissimus capit v. ¶ What wyse and auncient men Marcus chose to instruct his sonne cap. vi ¶ Howe it chaunced to fyue wyse menne wherfore they were put out of the emperours house cap. vii ¶ Howe the emperour reasoned with the maysters that shulde lerne his sonne cap. viii ¶ Howe the maisters of princis ought to kepe them from vices cap. ix ¶ Howe the emperour Marcus nouryshed the princessis his doughters capit x. ¶ Howe Marcus the emperour did chose and proued his sonnes in lawe cap. xi ¶ What the emperour Marcus sayde to the father of a yonge manne that wolde mary one of his doughters capitulo xii ¶ Howe a sonne in lawe oughte to be well examined er he be accepted to his purpose ca. xiii ¶ Howe Marc the emperour fauoured al noble exercyses and hated trewandes and fooles cap. xiiii ¶ Of the good conuersation of this emperour Marcus Aurelius cap. xv ¶ Of the feast that the Romaynes kept to the god Iano in Rome and what chaunced to the sayd emperour there cap. xvi Howe Marcus the emperour aunswered a senatour in the senate capitulo xvii Howe the emperour Marcus deuyded the howres of the daye for the busynesses of thempire capitulo xviii The aunswere of Marke themperour whan Faustine his wyfe demaunded the key of his study capi xix The emperour reherseth the perylles of them that haunte women excessyuely capitul xx The emperours answere to Faustine for that she sayd she was with chylde capit xxi How tidynges was brought to thēperour that the Mauritaynes wolde conquere great Brytayn cap. xxii What the emperour said to them of his courte in eschewinge ydelnes capit xxiii Of the peryllous lyuynge of them that haunte the courte continually capit xxiiii Howe themperour wold haue theym of his courte to lyue capitulo xxv Of a meruaylous and fearefull monster that was sene in Scicile and of his writynges cap. xxvi What befell to a citesen of Rome in the tyme of this emperour Marcus capi xxvii Of a great pestilēce that was in Italy in this emperours tyme. cap. xxviii Howe Marcus ansewred his physitions that wolde haue hym leaue his study cap. xxix Howe science ought to be in prnicis capi xxx What a villayne sayde to the Senatours of Rome in the presence of the emperour cap. xxxi Of dyuers other thynges that the vyllayn sayd before the senate capi xxxii Howe the emperour desyred the welthe of his people and the people his welthe cap. xxxiii Howe the emperour gaue Lucilla his doughter lycence to sporte her at his palays cap. xxxiiii What Marcus the emperour sayd to a Senatour as touchynge triumphes capit xxxv Of the great reproche that the emperour gaue to his wife Faustine and her doughter capit xxxvi Howe the emperour counsayled Faustyne to eschewe ylle occasions of her doughter cap. xxxvii What thought Marcus the emperour toke for the maryage of his doughters cap. xxxviii Of a sycknes wherof the emperour dyed of his age and where he dyed cap. xxxix The wordes of Panutius secretary to themperour at the houre of his dethe cap. xl Howe the emperour demaunded to haue in wrytynge all that the secretary had sayd cap. xli The answere of themperour to Panutius cap. xlii What the emperour sayd to the maysters of his sonne and to the rulers thempire cap. xliii Howe the emperour at the howre of his death sent for his sonne and declared to hym who shulde gouerne the empyre cap. xliiii What the emperour sayde to his sonne at the howre of his deathe cap. xlv Of other more partycular counsels gyuen by themperour to his sonne capit xlvi Of dyuers and particular recommendations whiche the emperour commaunded his sonne cap. xlvii Of the laste wordes that the emperour spake to his sonne and of the table that he gaue hym ca. xlviii A letter sent by Marcus Aurelius to Pyramon his speciall frende The fyrste ▪ letter A letter sent by Marcus the emperour to Cornelius of the trauayle of warre and vanitie of triumphe the .ii. letter To Torcatus beinge at Gayette in consolation of his banyshement The .iii. letter A letter to Domitius of Capue to comfort him in his banyshmente The .iiii. letter A letter sent fro themperour to Claudius Claudine his wyfe bycause they beinge olde liued as yonge personnes The fyfthe letter A letter sent from Marcus the emperour to Labinia a Romaine wydowe for to comforte her for the deathe of her housebande the .vi. letter A letter sente by Marke the emperour to Cyncinatus his frend bycause he beinge a gentilman became a marchant the .vii. letter A letter sent from Marc the emperour to Catulus censorius ▪ that was sorowfull for the death of his sonne Verissimus The .viii. letter A letter sent by Marc the emperour to Marcurino beynge at Sanny nowe called Benauent The .ix. letter A letter sent by Marc themperour to Antigonus comfortynge hym in a sorowefulle case the .x. letter A nother letter sente by Marc the Emperour to the same Antigonus ageynst cruell iudges The .xi. letter A letter sent by Marke to Lambert gouernour of the yle of Helespont whan he dyd banyshe the vacaboundes fro Rome the .xii. letter A letter sent by Marc the emperour to Catulus his special frende of the nouelties of Rome the .xiii. letter A letter sent by Marc thēperour to the amorous ladyes of Rome bycause they made a play of hym the .xiiii. letter A letter sente by Marke the emperour to Boemia a louer of his that wolde haue goone with hym to the warres The .xv. letter The aunswere to the emperours letter sente by Boemia The xvi letter A letter sente by Marke themperour to Matrine a yonge maiden of Rome of whome he was enamoured seynge her at a wyndowe The .xvii. letter A nother letter sent by Marke the emperour to the sayde gentyll woman Matryne The .xviii. letter A letter sent by Marke the emperour to Libia a fayre ladye Romayne The .xix. letter FINIS TABVLE LVCRECIA ROMANA THOMAS BERTHELETVS THE PROLOGVE AS the tyme is an inuenter of nouelties and a register certayne of thynges aunciente and at the ende tyme gyueth ende to that suffrethe ende The trouthe all onely amonge all thinges is priuileged in suche wyse that whanne the tyme semethe to haue broken her wynges than as immortall she taketh her force There is nothynge so entier but it diminisheth nor nothynge so hole but that is wery nor nothynge so strong but that it breaketh nor nothyng so wel kept but that it corrupteth
true it semeth by diuers excellent barons well lerned in diuers sciences that flourished in his tyme Iulius Capitolin recounteth of them as foloweth Alexander a greke Trasion Polyon Euticius Anius Macrion Caninius Crodiaticus Fornius Cornelius Apolonius Nius Sextus Cheronense Iunius Rasticus Claudius Maximus Cina Catulus Claudius Seuerus and the renowmed Diogenitus paynter and the well lerned lawyer Volusius Mecianus All these were in this emperours palays and residente in his persence And yet for all that he had dyuers other wise presons in Rome and abrode in Italy It was no meruail to se in those dayes the multitude of men that flourisshed in wisedome There was no father but if he had two sonnes he wolde set one of them to study and the other accordyng to the Romayne lawe shuld be sette to the warres And if this emperour wyst of any wyse yong man aboue al other he wolde fauour hym ¶ Of the emperour Marcus sonne named Verissimus Cap. v. THis emperour Marcus Aurelius hadde only two sonnes as Herodian saythe The greattest and eldest was called Comode and the yōgest was named Verissimus He was a fayre childe of person and right vertuous of liuing With his beautie he drewe to hym the eies of many and with his good inclinations he robbed the hartes of all men He was the hope of the people and the glorie of his fathers age And though the eldest was prince yet themperour determyned that the laste borne for his vertues shulde inherite as the eldest And he that was fyrst borne for his demerites shulde be disherited And as good desyres in the best tyme fayle often by vnhappy chance this emperour being of .lii. yeres of age and the sonne of .xvi. the glorie of Rome and hope of the father the lyfe of the sonne toke an ende And as moche was the deathe bewayled as the lyfe desyred It was great pytie for the senate by reason therof sawe not themperour nor the olde emperour for sorowe sawe not the senate of a longe space Rome was ryght heuy and the senate withdrewe them to the heighte of the capitoll dyuers dayes And as the mystes and wyndes cause the leaues to falle that were grene in sommer and the dedes of honour constrayne vs to forget the myshappes of fortune as a man of high lynage and of stronge courage thoughe that sorowe remayne in his harte and abydethe locked therin determynethe to clense the braunches of sorowes that is outward fayning ioy and myrthe outwardely kepynge the sorowe within so this Marcus the emperour as a man whose vine freseth and dyethe wherin he had al his hope contented him with that was lefte behynde Whan his dere sonne Verissimus was deed he sente for the prince Comode his onely inheritour whiche sythe the chylde his brother was deed entred not in to the palays And the emperour seynge the proude and outragious porte of his sonne Comode bedewed his eien with salte teares remembrynge the shame of the one and the dethe of the other The whiche perceyued by Faustyne his mother which loued hym moste entierly commaunded to haue her sonne awaye fro the presence of his father ¶ What wyse and auncient men Marcus chose to instructe his sonne Cap. vi THoughe that the harte of this emperour was occupied with the death of his chylde yet for all that he reysed his vnderstandyng to haue the prince his heyre ryght well brought vppe For certaynely princis bene suche whan they come to mans estate as they be brought vp in their tender youth The father than knowynge the frayle inclinations of his chylde not correspondent to the good gouernaunce of the empire as a good emperour sent ouer all Italye for the moste wysest persones in lernynge the moste famous of renowme and the mooste vertuous in dedes And as in dyuers thynges the infamye is greatter in the yll doinge by malyce than the faute of the trespassour by weakenes so in dyuers other thynges the common voyce is more than the secrete vertue For the whyche occasyon after the assemblynge of these wyse menne the emperour commaunded to examyne them and to be informed of the bloude of their predecessours of the appoyntement in all their thynges and of the treatie of their busynes and of the credence amonge their neyghbours and of the purenes of their lyues and grauitie of theyr persones and finally of their sciences what they coulde do and this to be done in an order The astrologiens in astronomie the musitiens in musyke the oratours in their arte of rhetorike and some in other sciences And this not in one daye but in many and not onely by informacyon of other but he wolde knowe hit by his owne propre experience Thus they were all examyned soo that there was none lefte behynde And as for perfecte knowlege of thynges wherin we haue great affection it behoueth to haue straunge aduyse clere vnderstandynge and propre experience so the emperour commanded to chose out of dyuers a fewe and out of fewe the wysest and of the wysest the moste experte moste worthy and moste auncient And accordyng to the vii artes lyberall there was assigned to euery science two maysters so that the prince was one and the maysters xiiii This renowme that the Emperour sente ouer all to haue maysters for his sonne the prince caused to come to hym moo wyse men from straunge countreys than of the marches and neyghbours of Rome The good emperour considerynge that it was no reason that suche as came to his seruice shulde returne myscontented some with ioyfull wordes some vpon certayne hope and some with giftes and presentes were dispatched soo that they were all pleased And if this doinge was renowmed by the reporte of the wise men it was no lesse vertuous by the wisedome and worthynes of the emperour to sende them home soo well content For he sent them away as well satisfied that were ouercome as they were cōtented that ouercam them And certaynly they had all reason for some bare the swete wordes and satisfienge of the father and somme aboode there charged with the enterprise of the sonne Yet the good emperour not being contented with this commanded that these maysters shoulde be lodged in his palayes and eate in his presence and acconpany his personne to se if theyr lyfe were conformable to their science and whether their plesant and wel couched wordes agreed in effect with theyr warkes It was a meruaylous thinge to se the study and thought that the emperour had to regard them as well in goynge as fedynge ¶ Howe it chaunced to fyue wyse men wherfore they were put out of the emperours house Cap. vii IN the month of Septembre the .xi. day therof in halowyng the feast of the Emperours natiuitie in the same house where as he was borne in the place of moūt Celio As a trewande and foole dothe lyke hym selfe and semblably as he is accustomed to doo And lyke as oone dothe the semblable thynges and customes that he
confused for by her introduction the matter was moued And howe this mariage failed the historiens write not whom we haue folowed in this werke How Marke themperour fauored al noble exercyses and hated trewandes and fooles ca. xiiii THe vertues of this good emperour and the knowlege of sciēces the worthines in armes and the purenes of his liuinge caused hym to be named amonge the famous men of Rome The gentel conuersatiō that he had with euery man made him to be renowmed amonge the worthyest of al the worlde The thinge most agreable without reprehencion of the greattest meane and least is that a lord and prynce of many be communicable and conuersaunt with many All the good werkes of good men may be condemned with the yll intentions of theym that be ylle But the good condicions haue such a priuilege that of yl the good is praysed and the good approueth the yll In a mans lyuynge there is none so great a vyce but by good cōuersation it is couered and hid And contrary wise no crime is secrete but with ylle conuersation at the tyme that it hurteth it is more openly knowen Of two extremities hit is not so greuous to the common welthe a man to be weake and faynt in secretenes of gentyll conuersation abrode as it is of hym that is secrete and is rude of yll conuersation openly Dyuers not being of good order and policie we haue sene cōuersant a gret whyle in Rome only for beinge well condicioned And many mo we haue sene that in a short whyle after they were put in office haue ben soo proude and hasty in theyr condicions that they haue ben depriued from theyr offyces And this we say bicause this good emperour was so ioyous of vysage soo amyable in his customes so louynge in his conuersation that lyghtly he wolde caste his armes aboute the necke and on the shulders of them and take them by the handes that had any thynge to do with hym The porters shoulde not lette them that wolde accompany hym in the palays nor his garde was not so hardy to put abacke such as wold speke with hym in the fieldes In all his ages he applyed to that that euery age gaue hym by nature He was a childe amonge children yonge amonge yonge folkes worldely with them that were worldly good felowe with good felowes a baron amonge barons hardy with hardy men and finally olde with olde menne He was wonte to saye whan any in his presence that were yonge and not welle taught in their language iested at the debilitie of age or olde men at the foly of youth Leaue them sith they leaue you Many tymes of wyse yonge men cometh olde foles And of yonge fooles customably cometh wise olde men Naturalyte at the laste maketh all thynge in kynde As of greatte debilitie we canne drawe but smalle strengthe by our naturalitie we may for a tyme resiste it but not vtterly mayster it I am sore abashed that somme wyll be soo lordely and valiant in vertues and so hygh mynded and yet wyll make vs beleue that they lyuinge in the flesshe and being of fleshe onely fele not the fleshe I can not tel if nature hath made other of an other nature than I am of or me of an other nature thanne other be For I beynge neuer so faste inclosed in the swete conuersation of philosophy yea in the beste tyme this false flesshe wolle calleatte the gate with his noughtye fleshe The more that we reyse and exalte vs with science and gette lyberties the more lower we doo putte the flesshe with her myseries Beleue me one thynge that if a tree beareth not in Prymetyme his flowers we hope not to haue the fruite in harueste type and a yonge man that hathe not passed his youthe with yonge people we haue noo hope that he shulde passe his age with olde men And as we may resyste our naturalitie and not cleane to for do it so those fathers erre that are so extremely affectioned to haue theyr chyldren to begynne as olde men whervpon it foloweth that they ende as yonge This emperour was soo wyse in all thynges that amonge them that were mery he was of great myrthe And in verities he was very veritable In his pastimes he was greattely temperate and a louer of musike specially in good voyce and instrumentes and soore displeased if he harde any discorde therin He passed moste of his youthe in lernynge of sciences Whan he came to mannes state he exercised feates of knyghthode he loued disciplyne and not of adulation He was apt and happye in armes but yet in rydinge of horses he hadde ofte tymes yll happe In his yonge age he delyted to play at the tennys and at the chesse in his aege He loued not these counterfaytyng players of farces and mummeries and yet lesse trewandes that bene natural fooles iuglers and gesters for pleasure The players and gesters suffred great varietie in the empire accordynge to the diuersitie of emperours Iulius Cesar susteyned theym Octauian his neuewe droue theym away Caligula called theym agayne Cruell Nero banyshed them Nerua made theym come agayne Good Traian banyshed them out of al Italy Anthony Pius brought theym in ageyne And by the handes of this good emperour Marcus Aurelius they ended And the occasion was the Romayns dyd celebrate with great ioye the .iiii. day of May the great feaste of the mother Berecynte mother of all the goddis The sacred priestes flamines diales wold haue brought thyther these mynstrelles iugglers and gesters for to reioyce the feaste and contrarye wyse the holy nunnes vestales wolde haue done the same so that variance felle betwene theym some with force and somme with resistence and some ranne thider in fauourynge of bothe parties and not a fewe to departe theym The cruell and greate noyse of slaughter amonge them was suche that it tourned the feaste to wepynges the pleasures into sorowes and theyr songes into waylynges This good emperour laboured to pease this furie of the people and to sette peace among the neybours of Rome Whan all was done he made curious diligence to serche out all the players iuglers and iestours of Rome and in all the circuite of Italy that they might be chastised and Rome delyuered of them And for example of all the worlde he sente theym to the gate of Hostie and commaunded to sette them in Galies and to banyshe them for euer into the yles of Hellispont whiche was accomplyshed as the emperour commaunded And fro that daye was neuer sene at Rome iugler nor iester as longe as the emperour lyued But it passed not two yeres after his deathe but they retourned whan his sonne hadde the rule And excepte the bokes doo lye there was in Rome greatter nombre of fooles than of wyse men ¶ Of the good conuersation of this emperour Marcus Aurelius Cap. xv WE haue sayd of the hatred that this emperour had to trewandes reuelers getters iuglers gesters and suche other
to be to passe his lyfe with honour and to take his deth with great vertue Ryght dere lorde I demande of you what prouffyte is it to the maryner to knowe the carde of the see and after to peryshe in a tourment or tempeste What prouffytte is it to a capitayne to speake moche of warre and after knowe not howe to gyue battayle What profyteth it to a knyght to haue a good horse and to falle in the strete What profyteth it one to teache an other the playne waye and hym selfe to wander asyde I saye what profyted it the force of your lyfe that you estemed soo lyttelle manye tymes seekynge your deathe And at this present howre that you haue founde deathe you wepe bycause it wyll take away your lyfe What thynges haue I written with myn owne hande beinge your Secretarye dyuysed by your hyghe and profounde vnderstandynge towchynge the stroke of deathe What thynge was it to se the letter that you sent Claudine vpon the deathe of her husbande what wrote you to Anthygone whan your sonne Verissimus dyed Wherin your vertue dydde consolate his heuynesse What highe thinges dyd I write in the boke that you sent to the Senate in the yere of the great pestylence comfortynge them after the great mortalitie passed therein you dydde shewe theym howe lyttell men shulde sette by deth what profyte foloweth therby And I haue seene and harde you blason dethe in your lyfe and nowe you wepe as thoughe you shulde lyue here styll Syth that the goddis cōmande it and your age requireth it your syckenes is the cause and nature permytteth it and fortune consenteth to it and is the fatall destenie of vs all than you muste nedes dye The trauayles that come of necessitie ought with a good courage to be abyden For the couragious feeleth not soo sore the harde strokes as the weake that falleth or he be foughten with You are but one man and nat two and ye ought to haue oone deathe and nat two Therfore why wolde ye for one lyfe haue two dethes enterrynge the body and sleinge the spirite with syghes After so many perylles of longe lyfe to take a sure porte wyll ye lyfte vp the sayles and entre ageyne into the swolowe of the see for to engloutte you In the see you haue chased the bulle and scaped his woodnes and nowe ye refuse to entre into the parke where you may surely slee hym You make assaute with vyctorie of your life and wyl dye atteynyng the deth you haue foughte .lxii. yeres in the campe of myserie and nowe you feare to entre into your sepulchre you haue got out of the busshes and thornes wherin you were closed and nowe at this howre you stomble in the faire way you haue had in certayne the domage of your death and now ye put in double the profyte of your death you ar entred into the campe of defyenge of the worlde and nowe you wolde tourne your backe whan it is tyme to putte your handes to armes Lxii. yere you haue foughte agaynste fortune and nowe you cloose your eies bycause fortune wyl strike you I say it bycause that willyngly you refuse this present dethe the whiche wyll cause vs to haue your lyfe passed suspect What do you high and mighty prince Why wepe you like a chyld why sigh you as one in dyspaire if you wepe bicause ye shal die why dyd you laugh so moche in your lyfetyme For of moche laughynge in the lyfe tyme cometh moche wepyng at the deth Wyl you do that you can not do and not be content with that you may do The grounde and pasture that is common you wolde ioyne to your owne the renowme of the common welthe you applyed to your owne heritage Of a subsidy or lone you wolde make your perpetuall ryghte I wylle shewe you who be deed All be deed and shall dye And amonge all other you wolde all onely lyue Wyll ye haue that of the goddis that they be goddis for That is bycause you are mortall that they make you immortall And you to haue that by priuilege which they haue by nature I that am but symple demaunde one thynge of you my lorde that are auncient and wyse whiche is the greattest or least welthe to dye well or lyue yll To lyue welle noo man can attayne certainely for hungre thirst solitarines persecution yll fortune sicknesses and disfauours This can be called no lyfe but rather a deth If an ancient man wolde make a shewe and booste of his lyfe from the tyme of his birthe to the layinge in his graue and the bodye to shewe all that it hath suffred by dolours and the harte to discouer all the strokes of fortune I thynke that the goddis wolde haue maruayle therof and men wolde be abashed therof that the body coude suffre soo moche and the harte beare it I holde the grekes wisest whiche wepe whan theyr children are borne and they synge whan an olde man dyeth but the Romaynes synge at the byrthe of theyr chyldren and wepe whan they dye olde Certaynly to laughe at the deth of them that die olde sith they dye to laugh and to wepe at the birth of chyldren sithe they are borne to wepe and that the lyfe abydeth the sentence of yl proueth well that the deathe is good Wyll you that I saye one veritie to you I haue alwayes seene that coūsell in the wysest man sonest faileth him Such as wolde gouerne al thinges by theyr opiniōs of necessitie in some or in the moste parte they do erre and fayle O Marc my dere lorde weene you that haue caused to burye soo many that some shulde not burye you in lykewise As you haue seene the ende of theyr dayes so other shal se the ende of your yeres Therfore me semeth it were better for you to dye and to go your waye to atteyne soo moche welthe than to scape and to lyue in so moche mysery If you fele deathe I haue no meruayle sythe you be a man But I meruayle that you do not dissimule it sythe you are dyscrete They that haue clere vnderstandynge feele many thynges at theyr harte that putteth them to peyne which they shewe not outwarde for the presumption of honour If al the poyson that is in a heuy hart were spred abrode in the weake flesshe by smalle greynes noo walles shulde suffyse vs to rubbe nor our nayles to scratche For certainly the deathe is but a playe wherin the player if he be apt aduentureth but lyttell to wynne moche and they that play may se wel that this is a wyly play and not a strōg And that also as well they lese that haue but a smal card not fearyng dethe as they that with a greatte carde loue long lyfe What thinge is deth but a trappe dore wherin the tent is closed in the whiche is solde all the miseries of our life This the goddis do change vs fro an olde filthy house
be the worlde At this houre thou art worldly and shalt be worldly and shalt be entreated as the worlde is accustomed to entreate theym that be worldly If thou knewest thy selfe and thy weakenesse yf thou knewest fortune and her mutation if thou kneweste the men and their malices if thou knewest the worlde and the flatteryng therof thou woldest reyse the fro the hande therof with honour and not be chastysed with infamye O howe we hope to sprede by fortune O how often withoute respecte vnwares we passe this lyfe O howe often we truste the bobaunce of this worlde and we trust therin as moche as though it neuer begyled man I say it not bicause I haue harde it sayde nor bycause I haue redde it in bokes but for we se it dayly with our eies somme decaye and lese their goodes other fall and loose their credence some falle in syght and leese their honour and other arise and lose theyr lyues and some thynke that all are free by pryuilege where as neuer none were pryuyleged O my frende Torcate of one thynge I am certayne and let euery man take it for a warnyng Men by whom we be borne be of so yll disposition and the worlde so fierse and cruel with whom we lyue and the glydynge serpente fortune so full of poyson that they hurte vs with their fete byte vs with their teethe and scratche vs with theyr nayles and swelle vs with their poyson soo that the passynge of the lyfe is no lesse than takynge of deathe And in case thou haste sene somme lyue longe without any falle of fortune thynke not it is well for it is not by good aduenture but the more his yll fortune The worlde is so malicious that if we take not hede to prepare against his wrinches it wyl ouerthrowe vs to our greatter losse and hurt Moche sooner dye they that ben helthful with the infirmities syckenes of few days than they that be weke with their lāgour of many yeres I say this bycause I hold it for most suretie that the myserable manne that maye not lyue without myseries shulde fele the peynes by lyttell and lyttell and not all at ones We eate diuers thinges by morsels which if we shulde eate hole wold choke vs. In lykewyse by dyuers dayes we suffre dyuers trauayles whiche al togyder wolde make an ende of vs in one day And than sythe the goddis wyll permytte that thy mysfortune shall fall and that the ryuer of thy decay ouerflowe her chanell where thou wenest to be most sure thou shalt be in greatest peryl we shall minister to the a syrope to thentent that thou lose not thy good renoume though thou haue loste thy goodis that be nought Telle me I praye the Torcate why complaynest thou as he that is sycke Why criest thou lyke a foole why syghest thou as a desperate man Why wepest thou as a chylde Thou haste gone an yll way and complaynest of thy reste Thou arte clothed to goo throughe bushes and thou sayest that thy gownes do teare Thou walkest amonge the stoones and arte sorye bycause thou fallest Thou hast leaned and thoughtest not to fal and fynally thou arte sette with the worlde and thynkeste to be free with heuen Wylte thou haue saufeconduite of Fortune that is ennemye to many She can not giue the naturalitie whiche is mother to all thynges I wyll axe the one thynge I put case the see hadde promysed the to be alway in suretie of her and the skye clere wether the sommer snowes and the wynter flowres It wyll not be of a suretie Torcate If nature canne not fulfylle this beinge thyn owne mother thinkest thou than that fortune wylle gyue it the whiche is thy vniuste stepmother Kepe this rule for certayne and neuer forget it that al natural courses are subiectes to mutation euery yere And all worldely folke that truste on fortune shall suffre eclyps euery moment And than sith naturall thynges can not be alwayes in one case of necessitie the goodis of Fortune muste peryshe sythe they be superfluitie Ryght vniuste shulde the ryghtwyse goddis be yf they had made perpetuall that whiche is domageable to so many Or that whiche is profitable to haue created it fallyble I wylle speake no more of thy prosperitie in tymes paste but nowe I wyll comme to the banyshement that thou suffrest presentely Suspecious fortune made a fayre at thy gate knowynge what she solde and thou wyste not what thou boughtest She made a dere bargayne and solde it dere to the she hathe gyuen the sowre for swete and the swete is tourned into sowrenesse for the she hath gyuen the yuell for good and hath tourned thy good to yl And finaly she hath begyled the at a iuste price not wenynge to the that she wold haue done the domage and though that she was malycious in sellynge to the thou were no lesse foolysshe in the byenge therof for the more there is in fortunes shoppe the more suspecte is the marchandyse O howe vnhappy be we for in that market is nothyng sold but lyes And she trusteth nothynge but vppon the pledges of our renoume and at laste wyll not be payde but with the shotte of our lyfe and that is the mooste greatteste and myscheuous wounde It is as openly knowē to euery man as to the that where as they thynke not to leese theyr wares false Fortune in that they purpose to theyr myshappe lyeth in awayte and is redy to bye theym Thou makest me very sore abasshed Torcate I haue reputed the ryghte wyse and vertuous and nowe I take the for a loste foole In good sothe whan I sawe the yonge in Gayette I iudged the worthy to gouerne Rome and nowe that thou art olde thou deseruest nothyng but to be cast in a galey as a sclaue O howe many thynges are there to knowe a man by There is not so hyghe a toppe of a hylle but it is troden with feete nor soo depe a see but it is sounded with leade And in a hundred yeres one manne can not attayne to knowe an other mannes harte Telle me I praye the what lokedste thou for of fortune after soo greatte welthe Lyuynge to the worlde thynke to be in the world The chyldren of vanite goo and walke soo longe that at laste theyr disordynate desyre canne not take fro the worlde their antike vilanyes and shamfulnes the whiche fortune dothe not with them that she hathe reysed vnto the skyes thynkeste than that she shal bowe with the to the loweste parties O fole Torcate thoughteste thou to passe the see without peryll to eate flesshe withoute bones To drynke wyne withoute lyes to walke in the wayes without fyndynge stones To bye wheate without chaffe In good soth if thou thoughtest to bye yl goodes without hindrance of thy good fame and to maynteyn thy good renome without losse of yl gotten goodes I wolde wytte of the what thou dydest hope to do sithe soo longe season thou haste
passeth in my thoughte than the shorte clothe doothe in a false weuers handes Ye haue strayned it on the tentours and drawen it on the perche for to to lengthen the lyfe If ye were made faire and clere cordwainers waxe and swete of sauour that ye myghte be drawen out at lengthe hit were welle doone but ye are but as fruyte of almondes semynge drie without and worme eaten within For the loue that I haue to you and for neyghbourheed that ye haue had with me I desire styll frendshyppe of you that lyke as I knewe you yonge and very yonge so to knowe you olde and very olde I say not that ye surmoūt in age but your wytte fayleth you O Claudius and Claudine I wylle ye knowe that to susteyne youthe and to deface age to length the lyfe and driue awaye dethe it is not in mennes handes that desyre hit it is the goddis that doo gyue it whiche accordinge to iustyce and our couetyse giueth vs lyfe by weighte and deathe without measure Ye may know that our nature is corruption of our body and our bodye is putrifaction of our wytte and our wytte is guyde to our soule and our soule is mother of our desyres and our desires are sleers of our youthe our youth token of our age and our age spye of our dethe and dethe the house of our lyfe wherinto youthe gothe on fote and from age we canne not flee on hors backe I wolde wyte a thinge of you what fynde ye in this lyfe wherfore dothe lyfe content you after .lxxx. yeres of age eyther ye haue ben good or yl if ye haue bene good and vertuous ye shal not reioyce you with yll goddis if ye haue benne yll ▪ than as well desire dethe to thentente ye shulde be no more yll orels iustly ye might be slayn by iustice For he y t hath ben yll tyll .lx. yeres of age in him there is no hope of amendmente Whan the couragious great Pompeie and Caius Cesar were ennemies and beinge in cruell ciuil battailes Rome was infamed and them self lost The annales shew that suche as came in fauour of Iulius Cesar cam out of the west and the succours of Pompeie out of the easte among other there came certayne people out of Barbarie dwellyng amonge the mountayns Riffees toward Inde Their custome was whan they came to thage of .l. yeres to make great fyres and brenne them selfe quicke in sacrifyce to theyr goddis and the same daye the parentes and chyldren wolde make great feastes and eate of the flesshe halfe brente and drynke wyne with the ashes of the bones This was sene with the eies of Pompei bicause that som accomplyshed the yeres of fyftye in the campe O golden worlde wherin were suche men O happy people that in all the worldes to come hath left such a memorie of them They dispised the worlde and forgatte them selfe What strokes gaue they to fortune What delytes for the fleshe and howe lyttell sette they by theyr lyues and yet more to set so small store by deathe O what bridel was this for the vicious and what hope for the vertuous what confusion for them that loued this lyfe and what ensaumple not to feare dethe haue they left vs And sith they dispised their owne propre lyfe it is then to be thoughte that they dyed not to thentent to take other mens goodes to thynke that our lyfe neuer shall haue ende therfore our couetyse neuer hath ende O glorious people and .x. M. tymes blessed that lefte theyr sensualitie and vanquyshed theyr natural wyll beleue not that ye se but gyue faythe to that ye neuer sawe as they that se nothyng go agaynst the fatal destenies who goethe agaynste the waye of fortune gyue a wrynche to the lyfe robbe the body at the dethe wynne honour of the goddis not that they shulde length your lyfe but to take the reste of the lyfe Archagatus surgien and Anthonius the phisitien and Esculapius the father of medicines I thynke wanne but lyttell in that lande Who commaunded these Barbariens to take sirope in the mornyng and to take pylles at night and to refreshe them with mylke to take clere barly to annoynt theyr lyuers to daye to be lette blode and to morowe to take a purgation to eate one thing and to absteyn fro many thinges Than me thinke that they beynge of .l. yere of aege and you of lxxx at the leaste shulde be egall with them in wysedome And if ye wyll not take deth in good worth yet at the leest amende the yll lyfe I remembre well of a long tyme that Fabricius our neybour wylled vs to beware of a mockerie the whiche if it be not broken there shall folowe great dysshonour And sith he shewed me soo good a lesson I wyll paye you with the same money I wyll shewe it you if ye poore aged folkes doo not knowe it ye be suche that your eyes are bleared your noses droppynge your heares whyte your herynge dulle your tongue faulterynge your tethe waggynge your face wrincled your fete swollen your shuldres croked and your stomake distempered finally if the graues coude speake they myght ryghtfully calle for you to come and inhabite in them Of trouthe it is great compassion to beholde yonge ignoraunce that open theyr eies to knowe the infortunes of this lyfe whan it is tyme to close them and to entre into the graue And therof cometh that it is in vayne to giue counsaile to vain yong peple For youth is without experiēce of that it doth is suspect of that it hereth wyl not beleue that is said and disprayseth other mens coūsel is ryght pore of their owne And therfore I saye Claudius and Claudyne my frendes I fynde without comparison none so ylle an ignorance of goodnes that holdethe these yonge personnes as is the obstinacy of these aged personnes in yll The diffinition of yll is a manne not to knowe that he oughte to knowe yet it is wors to haue the knowlege of wysedome and to lyue lyke a brute beaste O ye olde goutye people ye forgette your selfe and renne in poste after the lyfe and ye neuer regarde whatte shall falle tyll ye be suche as ye wolde not and without power to retourne backe herof cometh that ye lacke of lyfe ye wyll supplye it with foly Than awake ye that be slombringe haue no force to slepe open your slepy eies and accustome you to do well Take that is nedeful for you and fynally appoynt you betimes with dethe or he make execution of your lyfe Lii yeres I haue knowen them of the worlde yet I could neuer know none so olde nor so putrifyed in their membres but that their hartes were hole to thynke vnhappynesse and their tongues hole to make lyes Take hede ye poore olde persons me thynke syth somer is paste ye haste forward with the tyme and if ye tary a small season yet ye make haaste to take lodgynge
the straungers Wylt thou take away the liuynge fro hym that gyueth vs liuing take away the deth fro him that taketh away our lyfe wilt thou to them that be mouers and strangers giue moderation fro them that be sobre take away their rest Thou wylt gyue to them that take awaye fro vs and take fro them that gyue vs delyuer them that be condemned and condempne innocentes Thou wylt be tyraunt to the common welth and not defender of thy countreye Than sithe to all this he aduentureth hym that leaueth dedes of armes and becometh a marchaunte I studye soore what hath meued the to leaue chiualrye wherin thou haste had great honour and nowe to take on the an offyce wherby foloweth so moche shame and rebuke Surely I thynke in the none other excuse but that thou art olde and canst not clymbe the mountaynes and nowe thou syttest stylle and robbest the playnes To olde men olde malady whan outwarde force fayleth theym than forthwith they arme them with malyce inwarde I saye it by the soore couetous persons as thou act now One thynge I wyll say thou haste taken an office wherby all thy felowes haue robbed in dyuers days thou shalt gyue accompte therof in one howre ye and after the tyme shall come that thou shalt lese all in a moment For the goddis permyt that one shall be a chastysement of dyuers and longe tyme chastyseth all Howe is it my frende Cyncinate that in the howse of thy father Cyncinate were speares and not writynges hangynge I haue sene his halle full of armure not of fardels and portall and gates ful of knightes not marchantis Certaynly there haue I sene the scole of noblenes and not as it is now the denne of theues O Cincinate cursed be so vilayn an office the marchātis lyue porely to dye ryche let vs say ageyn cursed be it bycause the couetyse of one that is yll wold be accomplished to the preiudice of many that be good I wyll not hurte the by thy predecessours but I wyl aduertise the of thy miserie and of thy successours If thou thynkest y t thy vertue shulde holde to the ende of the worlde as the worlde holdeth to the as hit semeth by thy white heares holde me excused of the trauayle in perswadynge the to here me How be it it is reson that the gate of so great a cause be knocked at with the hāmer of som warnyng to bring it to good reson of necessitie it must passe the myll and to make clere the vnderstandyng from tyme to tyme of very nede there requireth counsell Dyuers times wise men fayle bycause they wold faile but if the thinges be of suche qualitie that wysedom suffiseth not to assure them than it is nedefull that his wyll be vntyed and his vnderstandyng dissolued and his owne propre opinion voyd than incontynent to take a threde to the aduyse of an other Take good hede Cincinate where as the foūdations be not wel edified the buildinges ar in peryl The dongeon of this world wherin the children of vanite do abyde is founded on the sande For let it be neuer so sumptuous yet a lyttell blaste of wynde wyll cause it to shake and a lyttell heate of prosperitie wyll open it and a lyttell rayne of aduersitie wyll diuide it and within a short while or space whan we least take hede it wyll fall all flatte on y e erth If the pyllers be of syluer and benches of gold and though the benchers be kynges and continue a thousand yere and rule into the entrayles of the erthe yet they can fynde no stedfaste rocke nor mountayne wherin to cloose the goodes of their predecessours and their estates perpetuall The goddis immortall haue made all thinges communicable to men mortall excepte immortalitie and therfore they be called immortall bicause they neuer dye we be called mortall and faylyng bycause we al take an ende Howe stronge so euer the walles be yet great age causeth it to fall to ruine Two thinges semeth to be free the whiche fortune can not set abacke nor the tyme cause to be forgotten they be these The good or yll renoume amonge men and the peyne or rewarde that they that be good or yll haue of the goddis O my frende Cyncinate thus acheueth the persones but the goddis neuer What grene or rype or rotten holdeth any season the fruyte of the tree floured I esteme it nothynge bycause it muste die by nature Howe be it dyuers tymes in leaues and flowers we beare the froste of some malady or the blaste of some enuious myshap Longe is the webbe in makyng but it that is made in many days is cut asonder in a moment Semblably it is a piteous thing to see a man dye with so great trauayle and to be sette in the state of honour and afterwarde we regardynge neyther the one nor the other and yet we se it perish And without any memory of any thing abydynge O my frende Cyncinate for the loue betwene vs I pray the and by the immortal goddis I coniure the beleue not the worlde the whiche vnder the colour of a lyttell golde hydeth moche fylthynesse and vnder colour of trouthe chaungeth vs into a. M. lyes and for a short delyte gyueth vs a. M. displeasures To them whom it sheweth moste loue it begyleth with greattest tromperies to whom the worlde gyueth moste goodes it procureth most domages to them that serueth it with mockeries hit rewardeth with true recompences and to them that loue it truly it gyueth them goodes of mockeries finally whan we slepe mooste surest it waketh vs with greatte perylle What wylte thou say than of the worlde shewe me One thynge I wyll telle the and me thynke thou shuldeste not forgette it and that is we ought not to beleue the vayne vanities that we se with our eies rather than the greatte meruayles that we here with our eres One thing I haue regarded and by longe experience I haue knowen it that but a fewe howses paynted nor stalles raised vp we haue sene in Rome but of a small tyme they take no thoughte for the walles but they haue cruelle enmities with theyr neyghbours and great anoy of their heyres and importunate shame of their frendes and double malyce of their ennemies and enuious profite in the senate somtyme to put a gouernour out of possession they set foure in honor and finally all that with great thought haue be gathered for their childe whom they loue wel with great rest sometyme an other heire enioyeth it of whom they thynke leest It is a iuste sentence that suche as begyle diuers with yll dedes in their lyfe shuld be begiled of their vayn thoughtes at their deth Cruell shulde the goddis be and ryghte greuous for men to suffre that the ylle that hath gathered for one heire in the p̄iudice of dyuers that be good shuld enioye it many yeres Me thinke it shulde be a
that I shulde say but that one ought to haue enuy of his deth compassioÌ„ of my life bicause in dienge he lyueth in lyuinge I die In yl fortunes in case of lyfe in y e subtyl aduersities of fortune where as her gyles profiteth but lyttell and her strength lesse I thinke the beste remedy is to fele it as a man and dissimule it as discrete and wise If all thynges as they be felte at harte shulde be shewed outwarde with the tonge I thynke that the wyndes shoulde breake the harte with sighinges and water all the erthe with wepynge O if the corporall eies sawe the hurt of the hart with a true wound I swere to the there they shuld se more of a droppe of bloudde sweatynge within thanne all the wepynge that is made out warde There is no comparyson of the great dolours of the bodye to the leest peyne that the spirite feleth For all trauayle of the body menne may fynde some remedy but if the heuy harte speke it is not harde if it wepe it is not sene if it complayne hit is not beleued What shall the poore harte do Abhorre the lyfe wherwith it dieth and desire deth wherwith it liueth The high vertues amonge noble vertuous people consystethe not al only to suffre the passions of the body but also to dissimule them of the sowle They be suche that alter the humours and shewe hit not outwarde They brynge a feuer without alterynge the of poulce They alter the stomake They make vs to knele to the erthe to suffer the water vp to the mouth to take death with out leauynge of the lyfe And fynally they lengthe our lyfe to thentente that we shulde haue the more trauaylle and denyethe vs our sepulture to thentente that we shulde not reste vs. But consideringe If I be troubled with tribulations as well am I lette with consolations For euer I haue either desyre of the one or werynes of the other I take this remedye to dissimule with the tongue and to wepe with the eyes â–ª and to â—ele it with my harte I passe my lyfe as he that hopethe to lese all that he hathe and neuer to recouer that is lost I say this â–ª though ye se me not now make funerall wepynges and waylynges as I dyd at the deth of my sonne yet thynke not but it doth brenne my hart so that with the inwarde greatte heate is consumed the humyditie of the eies outwarde for it brennethe all my spyrites inwarde Thou mayste knowe what an honourable father suffrethe to lese a good chylde In all thynges the goddes be lyberall excepte in gyuynge vs vertuous chyldren Where there is aboundaunce of great estates there is greattest scarsitie of good inheritours It is a great hurte to here and greatter to see howe these fathers clyme to haue ryches and to see their chyldren discende to haue vycyousenes To se the fathers honour theyr chyldren and the chyldren to infame theyr fathers yea and the fathers to gyue rest to theyr chyldren and the children to gyue trouble to their olde fathers yea and sometyme the fathers dye for sorowe that theyr children dye so soone and we se the chyldren wepe bycause theyr fathers dye soo late What shulde I saye more but that the honour and riches that the fathers haue procured with great thought the chyldren lose with lyttell care I am certayne of one thynge that the fathers may gather ryches with strength and crafte to susteyne theyr chyldren but the goddis wyll not haue durable that that is begon with euyll intention and is founded to the preiudice of other and is possessed with an euyll heire And though the heuy destenies of the fader permit that the riches be left to their childreÌ„ to serue them in all their vyces for their pastyme at last according to their merites the goddis wyll that the heire heritage shulde peryshe Marke what I say I hadde two sonnes Comode the prince Verissimus the yonger is dead that was greatest in vertue Alway I imagined that while the good lyued I shuld be pore now that the yl remaineth I thynke to be ryche I shall shewe the why the goddis ar so pitieful that to a pore father they neuer giue yl chyld to a riche father they neuer giue a good child And as in al prosperite alway there falleth some sinister fortune either soone or late so therwith fortune doth arme apparel vs wherin she seeth we shal fal to our greattest hurt And therfore the goddis permit that the couetous faders in gaderyng with great trauayle shuld die with that hurt to leue their riches to their vicious childreÌ„ yll implied I wepe as moch for my child y t the goddis haue left me as for him y t they haue taken fro me For the small estimation of hym y t liueth maketh immortal memory of him y t is deed The yl rest coÌ„uersation of them that liue cause vs to sigh for the company of them that be deed The yll is alwaye desired for his ilnes to be deed the good alway meriteth to haue his deth bewailed I say my frend Catulus I thought to haue lost my wit whaÌ„ I saw my son Verissime dye but I toke comfort ayen for either he of me or I of him must se the ende CoÌ„sidering that the goddis dyd but lend him to me gaue him not how they be inheriters I to haue y e vse of the fruit For al thing is mesured by the iust wyll of the goddes not by our disordinate wyls appetites I thinke whaÌ„ they toke away from me my chylde I restored hym to an other not that they haue taken myn But sith it is the wyll of the goddis to gyue rest to the good childe and hurte the father bycause he is yll I yelde thankes to them for the seasone that they haue suffered me to enioye his lyfe And for the pacyence that I haue taken for his deth I desire them to mytigate therwith the chastisement of their yre And I desyre syth they haue taken away the lyfe from this chylde to cause good customes to be in the prince myne other sonne I knowe what heuynesse thou haste take in Rome for my sorowe I pray to the goddis to sende the ioye of thy chylderne and that I maye rewarde the with some toye for that thou haste wept for my peyne My wife Faustine saluteth the and thou woldest haue coÌ„passyon to se her For she wepeth with her eies and sygheth with her harte and with her handes hurteth her selfe and curseth with her tonge She eateth nothynge on the daye nor slepeth in the nyght She loueth darkenes and abhorreth lyght and therof I haue no meruayle for it is reasone that for that was nourished in her entrayles she shulde fele sorowe in the same And the loue of the mother is soo stronge though her chylde be deed and layde in sepulture yet
had ben tyed there tyll nowe And nowe ye amorous ladyes haue written to me a letter by Fuluius Fabritius wherof I receiued no peyn but as an amorous man from the handes of ladyes I take it as a mockerie And to thentente that I shulde haue no tyme for to thynke theron ye sende to wyt a question of me that is if I haue founde in my writynges wherof by whom where whan what and howe the fyrste women were made And bycause my complexion is to take mockes for mockynges and syth ye demaunde it I shall shewe it you and your frendes and myne and specially Fuluius your messager hath desired me therto There is nothyng wherof I complayne but I wyll holde my peace saue to your letter and demaunde I wyll answere And sith there hath ben none for to aske the question I protest that to none other but to you amorous women of Rome I sende myn answere And if any other honest lady wyll take the demaunde of you it is a token that she hathe enuy of the office that ye be of Certaynly if any lady sheweth her selfe annoyed with your peyne openly fro hensforthe I condempne her that she kepe no faut that she knoweth in secrete They that be on the stage fere not the roringe of the bulle and he that is in a dongeon feareth not the shotte of artillerie I wyl saye a woman of good lyfe feareth no man with an yll tongue The good Matrones may kepe me for their perpetuall seruant and they that be yll for their chiefe ennemie Nowe to answere the question to knowe werof the fyrst women were made I say that accordynge to the dyuersitie of nations that be in the worlde dyuers opynions I fynde in this case The Egiptiens saye that whan the flode of Nyle ranne abrode and watred the erth there abode certayne pieces of erthe cleuynge to gether lyke greace and thanne the heate commynge in them created many wyld beastes and so amonge them was founde the fyrste woman Note ye ladies that it was necessarie that the flode of Nyle shuld flowe ouer his brimmes that the first woman myghte be made on the erthe All creatures are bredde in the entrailes of their mothers excepte the woman that was bredde without a mother And this semeth true that without mothers ye were borne bicause without rule ye lyue without order ye dye Verily he putteth him selfe to many trauayles and hath many wyles to fynde and many times to thynke and to aske many succours and to abyde many yeres and to chuse amonge many women that wyll rule one onely wyfe by reason Be the beastes neuer soo cruelle and fierce at the laste the lyon is ledde of his keper without any bande The bulle is closed in the parke the brydell ruleth the hors a lyttell hooke catcheth the fyshe and the wolfe suffreth to be tyed onely a woman is a beast vnable to be tamed and neuer leseth her boldnes for any thīg that is commaunded her nor the bridell for not being cōmanded The goddis haue made men as men and beestis as beastis and the humayne vnderstandynge very high and his strength of a great power but yet is there no mā be he neuer so high that shal scape the woman lyghtly nor defende hym be he neuer so stronge But I saye to you my ladies There is no spurres that can make you goo nor raynes that can holde you nor brydelle that can refrayne you nor angle or net that can take you and fynally there is no law can subdue you nor shame refrain you nor feare abasshe you nor chastysemente amende you O to what an yll aduenture putteth he hym selfe that thynkethe to rule and correcte you For if ye take an opynion in hande all the worlde shall not drawe you from it yf a man telle or warne you of any thynge ye wylle neuer beleue hym If one gyue you good counsell ye wyll not take it if one threaten you anone ye complayne if one flatter you thā ye waxe proude if one reioyce not in you ye are spitefull if one forbeare you it maketh you bolde if ye be chastysed ye tourne to serpentes Fynally a woman wyll neuer forgyue any iniurie nor gyue thanke for any good dede Nowe adayes the moste symple of all women I sweare wyll sweare that she knoweth lesse than she dothe and of trouthe the mooste wysest mans wytte shall fayle in their reasons and yet the wysest of theym swarueth frome all wysedom Wyll ye know my ladyes howe lytle ye knowe and howe moche ye be ignorant That is ye determyne sodenly in harde thynges of grauitie as if ye had studied for it a. M. yeres and if any gaynesay you ye take hym as a mortall enmy Hardy is that woman that dare gyue counsell to a man but he is more hardier that taketh it of a woman But I say he is a fole that taketh it and he more foole that asketh it and he is moche more folyshe that fulfylleth it Myn opinion is that he y t wyll not falle amonge so many stones nor pricke him amonge so many thornes nor blyster hym amonge soo many nettyls lette hym here what I wyll say and doo as ye shall see speake welle and worke yll In promysinge promyse moche In fulfyllyng fulfyll nothynge and fynallye allowe your wordes and condemne your counselles If one shulde demande nowe adayes of dyuers ryght renoumed personnes that benne deed howe they dydde with the counselle of women whan they lyued I am sure they wold not haue rysen than to beleue them nor at this houre to be reuyued agayne to here them Howe was kyng Philip of Macedon with Olympias Parys with Helayne Alexander with Rosane Eneas with Dydo Hercules with Deyanira Hanyball with Thamyra Nero with Agrippine And if ye wyl not beleue what they suffred with them demande of me howe I do amonge other O ye women I remembryng that I am borne of one of you abhorre my lyfe and I thinkyng that I lyue with you desyre deathe For there is none other deathe as to treate with you and no better lyfe than to flee fro you It is a common sayinge amonge women that we men be vnkynde bycause we beinge borne in your entrayles do entreate you as bond women and seruantis and ye say syth ye beare vs with peryll and nourisshe vs with trauayle that it were conuenient and iust that we always shulde be occupied in your seruyces Oftentymes I haue studied why men desyre women so moche There is no eyes but they oughte to wepe no harte but it shoulde breake no spirite but it shulde be sorowfull to se a wyse mā loste by a foolyshe woman The foolyshe louer passeth the day to satisfie his syght the darke nyghte to tomble with vayne thoughtes one day heryng tidynges an other day he offereth seruice one tyme louynge darkenes an other tyme he hateth lyght he dyeth with company and lyueth solytarie and finally the poore foolyshe louer