as you say they haue yet should you haue first knowne our meaning and haue required satisfaction thereof before you should haue brought your armed troupes vpon our territories but you doe verie well declare you Gaules that you will neither send anie Embassadors nor will receiue anie at all but trusting in your forces you will make your wils a law how vniust soeuer they be As touching your demand whether we be your friends neuters or enemies wee answere that we will be such as you shall giue vs occasion to be for it seemeth they can hardlie be your friends that are neere vnto you wherfore although we should not allow that which the Fabij haue done yet may it bee a question whether they haue done amisse or no in resisting the common enemies of all Italie seeing that an hundred yeares since your ancestors leauing their naturall countrie came first and occupied the countrie of the Taurins afterwards that of the Insubrians then the limits of Tuscane and now without anie reason you would vsurpe the territories of the Clusians the which if they had granted you what assurance should they haue had that afterwards you would haue beene good friends or peaceable neighbours vnto them seeing that you are of opinion being strong men al things are due vnto you and that you can yeeld no other reason for your deeds then armes What is he that can bee assured of such kind of people which maketh vs to doubt that in time you would if you could occupie Rome and all Italie If you will be our friends â—ee that you doe not onlie withdraw your army from vs but also for our sakes surceasse your molesting of the Clusians and then knowing that our Embassadors haue offended you we shal make you a reasonable satisfaction assuring you that wee are sufficient to punish or chastise them withot putting you vnto the paines to doe it and if you shew your selues as in effect you haue begun to be our enemies the Fabij cannot bee culpable and it were better to employ them against you then to doe them anie hurt at your instance But what madnesse dooth incite you to come in such sort against vs You know well that if we had ben minded to send aid vnto the Clusians we would not haue sent three men onlie Wherefore we thinking you had ben our friends did send to intreat you not to hurt the Clusians but doing contrarie to our request the Embassadors thought you had ben our enemies and so consequentlie that they were bound to aid the Clusians When you haue withdrawne your armie from vs wee will dispute whether they did well or ill But so long as you talke thus armed wee may say that you haue no desire to haue vs your friends Of a truth they fought against our meaning yet neuer imagine you that for al the same we wil deliuer them vnto those which come vnto vs as enemies As for the anger of the gods it stretcheth not to those that defend their temples as we will doe moreouer we are bound to defend our countrie our wiues our children the sepulchers of our fathers if you wil offer to hurt them therefore as you doe protest our ouerthrow so doe we sweare your death if you once assault vs. For to be offended and to offend is all one and it is a most iust reason that those which seeke to vsurpe another mans lands should lose their owne liues Declamation 91. Of a yoong youth that made himselfe a Nunne to enioy one that he loued AT such time as the law was not so strict against those which by all the meanes they could sought to inioy the loue of Nunnes a yong youth came in the habite of a maiden into a Nunnerie and made himselfe a Nunne to obtaine his pleasure of one whom he loued in the same cloister after he had obtained his desire and remained there some time in great delight he was at last discouered wherevpon the bishop would haue constrained him to become a religious man of the same order which he had made profession of in the habite of a woman the youth appealed from the same sentence saying EVerie lawfull vow ought to be voluntarie wherefore you cannot constrain me to enter into religion against my will You say that I haue made a vow alreadie I referre it to your iudgement whether being a man I might become a Nunne If such a vow be lawfull then let me bee still a Nunne If it bee not lawfull then is it of no force and so consequentlie I am thereof freed or at the most to bee punished in such sort as by the law it shal be appointed if there be any law that maketh mention of the like fault and if there bee no law that maketh mention thereof it is a token that whatsoeuer I haue done is no crime for there is some law appointed for euerie fault for as lawes are made for the good of the Commonwealth eueÌ„ so those that offend them not are not punishable as for me I beleeue that I haue in no sort offended them hauing charitablie relieued her that had need of my helpe considering the frailenesse of my flesh which might haue induced her to doe worse then a thing incident to nature yea and to the great reproch of religion shee might haue found the meanes to flie away from the Nunnerie contrarie to her vow and promise likewise it is to bee considered that those faults if faults they may be called which are through loue committed are more excusable then punishable because they are done but for loue and to encrease humane generation besides that the most philosophers doe say that louers are fooles and others affirmed that they are blind what reason were it then to punish a foole or such a one whose vnderstanding is blind Who knoweth not that they are more worthie of pittie then punishment Nay who knowes not that loue hath alwaies his abiding in the noblest hearts and compelleth the most obstinat to follow him Furthermore the distance of places is not able to seperate that true loue which of long time hath ben imprinted in the hearts of louers for as he that doth loue feruentlie doth sildome or neuer forget it so ought youth to bee excused for doing but their kind for that which in matters of loue is lawfull for yoong men to doe is vnlawfull for old men to desire Wherfore it may be said that as vnhappie is it for a yoong man to be without loue as it is for an old man to be in loue and the more worthie the thing beloued is the more vehement is our desire therof therfore the desert of her whoÌ„ I loue hath brought me to this extremitie to counterfait a sex inferior vnto mine the which I would for no other thing haue done but hereby it appeareth that the louer liueth in the thing beloued and that he is dead in himselfe so that I was constrained to find out this inuention to approch
contrarie haue thereby gained immortall praise and glorie Likewise there is no doubt at all but that the fathers kindnesse ought to exceed all other loue following the example of our maker who leaueth not to exercise his mercy together with his iustice and that it is so he many times punisheth sinnes both in this world and in the world to come moreouer we must not thinke any father so cruell to hurt his sonne in the little finger without feeling the griefe thereof himselfe in the middest of his heart and therefore it is a meere folly to teach fathers how they ought to loue their children since nature who is the mistresse of all humane creatures instructeth them therein sufficiently and as it is most certain that princes or such as rule are aboue all others bounden to be vertuous and that they are constituted as guides and examples for all their subiects to follow so can it not also be denied but that seueritie of iustice is more requisit in them then any of the other vertues if vertues may be feperated and he which will well consider my deed without passion shall find all the foure principall vertues therein to be obserued For first of all I haue done iustice in putting him to death who was not onely the death of an innocent or at the least the same that caused the mother to suffer her child to die but also such a one who defrauded a poore woman of part of her liuing in that he paied her not for the same which she brought to sell for her reliefe My prudence was shewed in putting him to death without any commotion of the people and in terrifieng all others from offending as also to take from euery malefactor all hope to escape iust punishment for their misdeeds My temperance I declared in causing the offender to die by the shortest and secretest maner of death that I could deuise thereby ridding him from the shame to be a spectacle vnto many And my fortitude was manifest in that I was able to ouercome the desire which I had to pardon him both the same and all other offences But in the end considering that the first princes are bound by their examples to stirre vp and prouoke their successors to execute iustice without partialitie I haue for that end sacrificed my will together with the life of my best beloued sonne because the euill customes of the former princes are turned into lawes by those which succeed them and those which are good are quite forgotten if they be not confirmed by verie memorable examples Therefore Saule did not amisse when hee would haue put his sonne Ionathas to death seeing law is to be administred vnto all alike for where exception of persons is respected there must needs corruption of iustice follow which marreth all for nothing can be permament which is corrupted True it is that he was my eldest sonne but being such a one as he was he neither ought to succeed me nor yet to liue any longer and accuse me no more of crueltie since to punish an euill doer is a deed of mercie for pittie without iustice is follie or rather iniquitie and the greater he is that offendeth the more seuere punishment he deserueth For the poore wretch or hee which is of base condition may excuse himselfe by his pouertie by want of instruction by ignorance by his lewd education and such other like reasons both vaine and friuolous but the offences of great personages is to bee attributed to nothing but to pride malice Neither is one death more shamefull then another but only that death where the partie is made a spectacle to the standers by for it is not the death but the offence that is shamefull And therefore in executing iustice I cannot be tearmed cruell vnto mine owne blood or my sonne nor vnto your Prince vnto the Kings daughter neither vnto our children for he not being such a one as hee ought to be was now no more to be regarded by any of vs but was no better then a thiefe and a murtherer Who is then so mad as to be called a grandfather father mother brother or a subiect to so vild a man Neither must these be the meanes to begin those good seruices that ought to be done vnto the crowne of France which was institituted and preserued hetherto by vertue It is a vaine thing to goe about to persuade fathers of the valor or worthinesse of their children seeing that for the most part they beleeue it more then is requisite and alwaies doe excuse their faults more then they ought of which sort I confesse my selfe haue beene one so long as there was any hope of amendment I assure you that a long time was my heart most greeuously perplexed before I could consent vnto the punishment death of my sonne But omitting all other circumstances I will shew you the reasons which moued me to put my sonne to death for the sonnes discredite must needes bee the fathers disgrace because they doe alwaies cocker their children but too much and therefore it was not without cause that the Romanes from whence all good lawes haue their beginning did giue vnto fathers all power ouer the life and death of their children knowing that without most iust occasion they would neuer put them to death No sonne could be more dear vnto me then mine eldest but equitie commandeth me to loue the Common wealth better which in no sort can be regarded when he which ruleth the same is not vertuous because none therein should be in safety if the prince were vicious My life and death is in the mercie of the kings Maiestie but to die I would not haue failed to doe that which I haue done being as we are mortall and death may only be delaied but not escaped Our life also is not to be measured by our years but by our deeds for he hath liued long inough who is by good men deemed most worthie of long life and he cannot die too soone who spendeth his life in wickednesse Wherefore it was no reason that my sonne should haue liued any longer and I would to God that so his reproch might die with him as I wish my renowne may liue after me Touching iudgement he which gouerneth the Commonwealth must needs be iudge in the same Such were the Dictators or Consuls amongst the Romanes and such at this day are kings and princes And Plato saith Happie is that countrie where Philosophers are kings and kings be Philosophers whereby it appeareth that rulers ought to bee iudges as you your selues doe confesse in saying that the king ought to haue iudged my son which indeed had ben reasonable if his Maiestie by his prerogatiue had not giuen me free authority in matter of iustice in such sort then as I am subiect to the iudgement of the king is my sonne subiect vnto mine and I am not to yeeld an account of my actions vnto any other then vnto his Maiestie
Likewise he knew that Numa Pompilius did more conserue and increase Rome by his religion and good lawes then Romulus did in the building thereof by his wars the which to speak truth are verie necessarie in euerie new gouernement but where the people doe honour their Prince and he is in loue and peace with his neighbours there warlike men are more dangerous then defensiue the which we may see by the Romanes who neuer were ouercome but by their own proper forces also the souldiors which were in the citie were the destruction of the same Therfore those princes do wel who haue the means to send such people to exercise their furie in strange countries for armes are alwaies hurtfull in a countrie vnlesse it be for the defence thereof You say that because you haue beene in the warres your neighbours and strangers will stand in feare of you better were it for you to bee beloued of them for euerie one desireth their death of whom they stand in dread I would haue followed you to the wars my selfe if you had gone thether by commandement or consent of your father vnto whom it was griefe enough to bee disobeied by his son without encreasing the same by the like offences of his nephew for if I had followed your course I should haue thought that I might haue giuen him iust cause to think me none of his subiect much lesse his kinsman God graunt that this your ingratitude caused him not to doubt whether you were his sonne or not Touching Pirrhus his answere was as wicked as the end of his life was wretched And Perseus was ouerthrowne onlie because he trusted in his forces prouoking by his presumption the Romanes against him You say that I deserue not the gouernement 〈◊〉 your father being farre more wise hath iudged me worthie and you vnfit I will no further answere to your assertions which do as much discouer your impudencie together with your contempt of God and good things as also the malice which aboundeth in you but will leaue you to your owne discretion and will onelie conclude thus that all those reasons aboue said and it may bee the least onelie more then al the rest ioined together haue incited your father to giue me that which I deserue and I praie you compel me not to take that frō you which of my own liberalitie I haue bestowed vpon you Touching that which I possesse I doe so much trust in the sacred Maiestie of the Emperour as I am assured that hee will maintaine me in my right who am his most humble most faithfull seruant Declamation 5. Of Spurius Seruilius who defended himselfe against the people being by them accused for his cowardly fighting at the hill of Janicola NOt long time after that the Kings were banished Rome and that the death of Tarquin the last king thereof was made manifest the Consuls and Senat began to grow more prowd and couetous then they were accustomed and the people being on the one side ouerburdened with taxes and on the other side ouerlaid with vsurie and imprisoned for debts they began to rise against the Senat in such sort that they being in armes vpon the holy mountaine they would in no wise be persuaded to depart before there was granted vnto them that they might haue two Tribuns for the people by meanes whereof their insolencie grew to that heigth that when they had not warre abroad they troubled the Senat at home intending t◠set new lawes abroch and amongst others the law called Agraria and on the other side the Senat resisting their demands in that behalfe they were cited before the Tribuns and condemned sometimes into exile and otherwhiles great fines set vpon them by reason whereof some of them did voluntarily banish themselues before that iudgement was pronounced against them and others made themselues away by some kind of death before the pronunciation of the sentence amongst whom was Coriolanus who died in exile and Menemus the sonne of Agrippa who died with anger being condemned in 200 asses because in the time of his consulship he aided not the Fabians who were slaine at Cremera Afterwards Spurius Seruilius was accused that he was the cause that the Romans lost the batiaile at the foot of the mountaine Ianicola against the Tuscanes who defended himselfe courageously against the Tribuns saying after this maner NOt in vain did Plato say that the common people are like vnto the beast Polipus which hath many feet wanteth a head by reason whereof not seeing the way which he holdeth he ouerthroweth himselfe in like maner the ignorant people doe go on forward without anie consideration seeking their owne ouerthrow whilest they imagine to giue the Senate a fall and that which is worst of all they who ought to guide those blind men in a better course are such as by force would bring them into the bottomelesse pit of confusion or headlongdowne fall of rashnesse It is vnto you that I speak O you Tribuns yet no Tribuns but rather seducers of the poore people and scourges of the Common-wealth Surelie the Senat and people doe now receiue worthie punishment of their faults the one hauing desired the other hauing suffered you to be promoted to such authoritie Trulie worthie Agrippa did neuer doe other harme to the Commonwealth thinking to doe good then in appeasing the people with this cōdition that they should haue Tribuns appointed them as if at the length the people knowing the confusion of their weakenesse would not by the same meanes haue acknowledged their fault for without you they would haue vnderstood that the Senat executing right and iustice as it doth is inuincible as depending onlie vpon the lawes and the gods O Romans know you not that the kings haue honoured and in a manner submitted themselues vnto them And so long as they held that course they were like vnto the gods in honour and prosperitie but after that Tarquin the prowd would haue put downe the Senat he himselfe was exiled with perpetual shame to the confusion of all his posteritie O blessed people who then knowing what was needful for them did endeuour themselues to hold vp the Senat not suffering so much as that any kinsman or fauorer of the name of a king should remaine in Rome whervnto Collatin the rooter out of kings and one of the first Consuls who was banished onlie because he was by name a Tarquin was a witnesse they hauing no desire to suffer neither king nor Consull of his race Shall we then indure the tirannie of the Tribuns Doe you not say O you people that they would if it were possible abolish the Senat that they might afterwards tirannise ouer you for such is the manner of those who of nothing doe rise vnto some dignitie as through pride and ingratitude they doe make themselues intollerable which is to bee seene by these Tribuns who when they could not shew their pride ingratitude to Agrippa for the short
were two brethren the one excelling in learning the other in armes Sadoc by Astrologie foretold vnto his brother that if he maried withont the consent of al his brethrē that there should thereby happen a great mischiefe and dishonor vnto al their linage Gamaliel neglecting this aduice did marie in a strange country which done shortly after he brought his wife who was exceeding faire home into his owne countrie and obtaining of his brethren his part of the patrimonie left by his father he liued therevpon peaceably He being one day fallen sicke Sadoc visited him so long that he fell in loue with his faire sister in law and found such means as he inioyed her companie in a manner by force she declared the deed vnto her husband he both slew his brother Sadoc also another of his brethren who came to defend him Whervpon the other brethren and kinsmen being moued therewithall did accuse him to the iustice by these words THey truelie are in a miserable case who haue no freindes that may giue them instruction good counsell in there youth because that youth without the aduise of such as are graue and wise are like a fierce horse without a bridle who ouerthroweth both himself and his rider but far more vnhappie and worthie of all mishap is he that dispiseth good counsell and aboue all other they are most vnfortunat who through such contempt withour being thēselues in anie fault are partakers of such mischeife as therby doth happen as wee O righteous Iudges are who not onlie for such an error haue lost two of the best of our brethren but also are constrained through iust disdaine to demand the death of the third as vnworthie both to be accounted anie of our number and also such a one as deserueth to liue no longer in the world hauing cōmitted so execrable a sin as to murther his own brethren not that the fault inciteth vs to hate him but because the sorow for those whom he hath slaine prouoketh vs to require iustice as well to bridle by this example other such like insolent persons as also that the rest of our parentage may be rid from the fear of this murtherous man spotted with the blood of his brethren For it commonlie falleth out that such blood thirstie men as he is cannot refraine from shedding humane blood as it appeareth by Abimilech the Hebrue who slue seuentie of his brethren and by Absalon who hauing caused his brother Amon to be slaine would haue done the like vnto his father what shall I say of Ioab and others of the Iews These are the vertues which a man learneth in following the warres who being vsed to murther finding no enemies killeth his friends and afterwards his kindred and brethren as this hath done so did Romulus cause his brother to be slaine and Alexander killed his foster brother Clitus others his good friends and seruants Aso Epaminundas the Thebane Manlius Torquatus and Aulus Posthumius Tubero being Romans slew their sons more worthy to liue then they vnder the coulor of obseruing militarie discipline The like did Brutus being in exile and Cassius the Ensigne of Crassus saieng that their sonnes conspired against them the like did Artaxerxes Mnenon King of Persia Likewise the great Constantine caused his sonne and his brother in law to die without shewing a reason wherefore The King of Iotara slew all his sonnes except one because he should be his onely heire Authi Coelio Mithridates a noble warrior slew his mother brother and many of his children Herod put three of his children to death Finally this desire of murthering proceedeth from the vse thereof by the which Etheocles Polinices Tideus Polites Antiochus Aristobulus and an infinite number of others who after they had ben famous warriors became worse then hangmen but who will spare him that for so smal a hire or for a vaineglory to be accounted warlike hazardeth or rather selleth his owne life Yea and for the most part his soule which life he ought not to bestow but only for the safegard and defence of his countrie and familie how can they deserue to inioy life or to be accounted off amongst men who liue to no other end but to murther them and which doe not only delight in making of widdows and orphants but also would willingly make their own wiues and children in the like case though with the price of their liues for the great pleasure they haue to be accounted cruell such a one this our brother but vnworthie that name is and euer hath beene whereby we doe plainely perceiue that like as vertues are linked together so doe vices follow one another for from his youth he hath despised the good counsell both of all his kindred and also of his brother whom he hath afterwards slaine thorow the report of a woman and what woman Forsooth a stranger who being enamoured of a stranger and marrying with him cared not to forsake her countrie and kindred to follow him hether where it may be perceiuing that she was not sufficiently made of to her owne liking and especially of him who foresaw the mischiefe that should happen by her did accuse him vnto her husband knowing him to be as foolish and light of beliefe as prone vnto anger and murther How manie are there that doe themselues prouoke men vnto adultrie But when they see that they are refused by them they doe afterwards complaine that they would haue forced them The wife of Putiphar of Theseus and of others doe verie well witnesse the same what assurance haue we of the chastitie or goodnesse of this woman that she hath not done the like Hardly may a woman be forced which maketh anie resistance and if at the least she want strength to defend her selfe she cannot lacke a tongue nor a shrill voice to crie out being a thing so incident vnto their sex but although she had ben forced indeed was not the law sufficient to haue punished the same Should not we then haue ben as readie as we are now to accuse the offender But forasmuch as truth ingendreth hatred he hauing found an occasion as he thought to offer violence vnto his brother was in sooth very loth to lose the same consider then O you iudges if such faults be not rigorously punished that womē being naturally giuen to reuenge and men ouer easie to beleeue them will commit a thousand mischiefes Lastly it cannot be denied but that it is as great an iniustice to pardon an offender as to condemne an innocent that euen as iustice without mercie is crueltie so also is clemencie without Iustice iniquitie wherefore we are certaine that you will iudge rightly as the law commandeth and conscience and honor doth bind you The Answere of Gamaliel IN effect these my brethren if such they may be tearmed purchasing my death doe verie well shew that another mans misfortune is light vnto them which feele it not and euerie one preacheth patience and temperance
absurd then his request vnreasonable being very sure that he would neuer effect it and for answere vnto his friuolous assertions we will only say that the defendant had occasion to be vpon his house top and the father of the plantife had nothing to doe beneath or before the same not that the other neuerthelesse had anie desire to hurt him but is extreamelie sorrie for it neither is it likelie although he had borne him neuer so ill wil that he durst haue hazarded his owne life in that sort but he would rather haue thrown a tile at al aduentures and afterwards haue come downe on the other side saying that he did it not Lastlie the malice and enuie wherewith he would slander another is too apparent in himselfe Wherefore it may please you most mercifull lords to giue such iudgement as this your subiect being innocent may be preserued to doe his countrie some seruice Declamation 28. Of him that caused his wiues chastity to be tempted that thereby he might haue some cause to put her away A Certaine man caused his wiues chastitie to bee tempted by his seruant that was hoth faire and yoong who was many times so importunate with her that at the length her husband being hidden in the garden did heare how she promised vnto her fained louer that she would yeeld vnto his desire the first time that her said husband should ride into the countrie Wherevpon he accused her to be an adulteresse and would haue put her away saying NOt in vaine doth Salomon say that a vertuous woman is a crowne vnto her husband but she that behaueth her self dishonestly is a corruption in his bones Alasse I did suppose that I had had a vertuous wife but she proueth quite contrarie wherfore I am constrained to forsake her although the wife ought to be no other then the better part of the husband so long as she is knowne to be honest but if she be otherwise reason willeth him to make no longer account of her for marriage being a figure of God and his church it ought to be altogether pure and immaculat moreouer the man and the woman by this means ought to be as the soule and bodie which cannot be seperated but by death but finallie I know to my great discredit that he which taketh a wife is assured of a great danger seeing that mine without anie occasion hauing whatsoeuer a woman of her degree might desire hath giuen her selfe ouer vnto such a one as was euen but my seruant what should not then some noble or worthie man haue obtained at her hands if he had likewise tried her but she not being courted by anie other yeelded vnto the first as also because all lasciuious women do very well know that such men as liue without care are best able to satisfie their lust which is the onlie cause that they doe rather frequent the companie of Lackies and Monkes who are fed without anie care or cost of their own but what a foole am I to complaine and say that this is the first offence seeing that this perchance is not the hundreth man that hath obtained whatsoeuer he required of her for commonlie manie faults are committed before that one be espied but when one is disclosed it constraineth a man to be suspitious of many more and that woman may well be tearmed shamelesse which suffereth her tongue to promise the performance of such a villanie especiallie seeing those that are most impudent desire that men should thinke that they are not lightlie to be wone but that with much courting large offers and round rewards they are rather inforced to yeeld then vpon no consideration at all to promise a victorie I maruaile much why anie woman can for shame liue to shew her face when she her selfe by her owne tongue condemneth her reputation O an hundredfold miserable are they that for so fraile a solace doe buy a perpetuall sorrow but what goodnesse can there be in that woman which hath lost her chastetie The which was well knowne of Susanna Lucrece and the Grecian Hippo who did leape into the sea chusing there to die rather then she would lose her chastitie besides manie others who ought to serue for an example vnto our matrons but they had rather imitate Flora Thais and Lamia wherefore as they doe deserue to be heires of their vice so likewise ought they to inherite the same renoune as for me I am sure if I doe remaine anie longer with this woman that not onlie my goods and credit but also my bodie and soule shall be in danger of losing for such as are harlots do steale from their husbands to giue their companions and sometimes they make them their husbands murtherers at such a time when as soule and bodie do both perish together to preuent so great a mischiefe I speake to you my maisters that are her kinsmen I know not what your kinswoman was when you gaue her to me but I am verie sure that I redeliuer her vnto you a most dishonest woman wherefore I do but my dutie in putting her away seeing that Caesar did put away his wife because hee found Claudius in his house apparelled like a woman at such time as the women were about their sacrifice and not knowing whether hee meant to haue defiled his wife he only alleaged this for all his reason It behooueth saith he the wife of Caesar to be as free from suspition as she ought to be from fault receiue then your kinswoman charged with an euident crime The Answere of the kinsmen beginning at the end of the accusation O What a prowd fellow is this that would compare himselfe vnto Caesar O what a great credit he doth himselfe in thinking to discredit vs when he saith That he knoweth not what our kinswoman was when shee came vnto him but that he knoweth well how he restoreth her vnto vs worse then dishonest trulie he hath made a faire peece of worke in causing her to be tempted to make her seeme such a one in sooth that man which wil be a baud vnto his wife doth deserue as you doe to lose his goods life reputation and soule also We know well inough that the best part in a woman is her chastitie and how much they are to preferre it before all other graces so also you cannot denie but that the dishonesty consisteth in the deed and not in a word spoken without knowing to what intent what can you tell whether she promised him for feare least he would haue forced her seeing her alone Or because she wold cause you to know the vnfaithfulnesse of your seruant and by that means conserue both your credite and her owne Neither doe wee likewise denie that she hath made a promise vnto the first that courted her for being vertuous and so knowne there was neuer anie man that durst be so bold to aske her anie such matter as also your seruant durst not haue presumed if you your selfe had not
gaine which he hath made after so manie extortions Is not he miserablie dead by the means of his most familiar friends And those were his heires which were not so much as anie thing a kinne vnto him who did spend his treasure and goods in destroieng one another the which should make you wise O you Athenians and cause you to surceasse this follie to saie that you are quit hauing receiued your bond from one who hath taken it from vs by force and who for this deed and other such like did shamefullie die as he deserued moreouer it is not likelie that he was sent from the gods to subdue vs but true it is that by their permission wee were by him vniustlie tirannised ouer and for our sinnes hee was as a scourge of the Gods but their anger ceasing hee perished also But who did euer see that a debtor ought to bee the iudge of his creditors actions as you would bee of ours Seeing that you are vtterlie blinded with passion for whilst you accuse vs of pride and couetousnes you doe not consider that your selues are guiltie of treason and theft because you haue cleaued vnto the capitall enemie of Greece and for the same cause you will detaine from vs that which we did lend vnto you in your greatest need concerning that which you speake of Time as being the minister of the gods it maie bee the same gods of whom you speake in mockerie will so bring it to passe as time shall compell you shortlie not onlie to satisfie vs but also to become more miserable then euer you were when you shall intreat for our aid the which now you doe ingratefullie forget In like sort you must not alleage that you haue paied your obligation vnto Alexander for wee know verie well that you neuer had lesse means to doe it then at that time and although you should trulie haue paid it yet were it of no import nor anie satisfaction vnto vs for you neither ought it vnto him nor had hee anie letter of attorney from vs to receiue it hee might then verie well deliuer you your obligation but yet he could not forgiue you the debt whereunto he had no right at all determine then you Athenians to satisfie vs by faire means if you will not haue vs to imploie both our owne and our friends forces together with the helpe of the gods the iust iudges of your iniquities Declamation 34. Of him that is in trouble for accusing a man of crime for which he is committed to prison and there dieth A Man accuseth another for an offence the partie accused dieth in prison whilest the informations are in making the accuser cannot sufficiently prooue his accusation Wherevpon the kindred of the accused doe require to haue the accuser punished with such punishment as the crime deserued wherwith he accused the other And they say TRulie the weakenesse of man is such as euerie one esteemeth his owne miserie more great and lamentable then he doth another mans but what is he which can saie that we passe the bounds of reason when we saie that this our kinsman deceassed is worthie to be greatlie lamented And that he which is the cause of his death deserueth most seuere punishment seeing that he hath not onlie abridged his daies but that which is worse hath endeuoured to cause him to die most shamefullie especiallie to the great preiudice of his poore familie and all his linage and his purpose hath not failed in anie sort seeing that the poore man is dead in prison although he neuer once deserued to come into the same And it is not to be thought a smal matter to imprison a man seeing that in Athens those which died in prison could neuer be buried in the sepulchre of their ancestors as if they would thereby inferre that they which died in such a place might stain the tombes of those that died with honor and reputation of vertue and the same custome is yet vsed in sundrie most famous citties as amongst others at Paris the chiefe cittie of France where they doe obserue this law that he which but for debt onlie passeth the wicket of a prison shall neuer after be capable of anie office or other publicke promotion how much more then for suspition of crime There is nothing more apparent then that this poore man seeing himselfe in such disgrace died euen for verie greefe the wicked wretch that hath accused him is yet liuing in health but let vs see what likelihood there is in his accusation seeing that yet after the death of the accused he cannot proue his saieng I maie therefore now saie that he could not be suffered to alleage anie reasons for his own defence neither might take anie acceptions against the witnesses nor yet be allowed openlie to prooue his innocencie but with the least suspition that might be he should haue ben constrained to abide the sentence of condemnation Be you assured O you righteous Iudges That this accusation proceedeth by the instigation of diuers malicious persons who if need had ben would likewise haue serued for witnesses against him but their malice or ill will ending by the death of this miserable man they doe also forsake this vngracious fellow in his greatest need Such is the iust iudgement of God that the wicked doe oftentimes perish euen by their owne wickednesse but for all that their offence is not anie whit diminished neither is this poore dead man alone but his distressed widdow children and all his kindred vnto whom he was a true friend anie lot the lesse harmed wherfore it maie well be said that this lewd forger of vntroths hath murthered both this man here and ouerthrowne the others yea and some are yet likelie to die for want of his life that now is dead I meane the poore children and the miserable widdow Then what gibet what sword what halter what wheele or what torments are sufficient to punish thorowlie this execrable wretch which is the cause of so manie mischiefes For first he hath gone about to prosecute his death and next he hath indeuoured to defame him alas he is dead and reputed for infamous by those which haue heard his accusation and not afterwards knowne his innocencie but manie seeing him no more will yet thinke that there was fauour shewed him in causing him to die in prison as a malefactor vnlesse this abhominable fellow as a publicke spectacle doe not possesse the same place whereunto he pretended by his false accusation to bring the innocent consider then you iust Iudges as well the miserie of the dead and his allies as the execrable iniquitie of the false accuser and doe you gaine as much fauor at the hands of God and praise in the world by your iust iudgement as he hath gotten sin and infamie by his wickednesse The Answere of the accuser THere is nothing more true then that I haue iustlie accused him whom I know not by what death he is depriued of
they haue done vnto mee but yet ought not I to lose that which the law hath allotted mee if Democritus bee praised of many for pulling out his eies that hee might the better wade in the contemplation of Naturall Philosophie why should I be blamed although I had voluntarily suffered mine eies to be plucked forth that I might the better abstaine from vices Take it then which way you list I ought not to be denied the tenne ounces of gold seeing that I am a Cittizen and haue lost my sight either by force or willingly Declamation 67. Of the forsaken sonne who first would and could not and afterward might and would not returne vnto his father A Man forsaketh or disheriteth his son who went vnto the warres and returned home a conqueror wherefore he demandeth for his reward of the Commonwealth that his father might bee compelled to receiue him into fauour againe But the father being vnwilling to bee compelled to receiue his sonne defended himselfe so well that he was no more vrged therevnto Yet because he was very desirous to haue his sonne againe without being constrained but rather that his sonne might acknowledge it meerely to bee his beneuolence he went also vnto the wars and returning with conquest requesteth for his reward that his sonne might returne vnto him and if he refused that he should be inforced to come home againe and obeying his father receiue his inheritance the son would not Wherevpon the father summoned him to the law and in the presence of the iudges said thus MY victorie is more famous then thine for after that thou hadst vanquished wee had yet cause of further warre but my conquest was the vtter ouerthrow of our enemies the end of all our warres and the assurance of our Commonwealth But although it had not ben so yet what art thou who begot thee but I Say that I haue not made thee worthie to return home vnto me yet these eies these hāds this bodie these feet which thou hast haddest thou thē from anie other then me The courage wisedome yea and this stoutnesse which thou now shewest takest not thou the same from my nature For if a villaine had begotten thee thou shouldest be like vnto him as for example the Eagle engendereth not a doue nor doth a lion beget a hare wherefore one of these two must be granted either that I am worthie of reward or that I am vnworthie to haue anie at all If I bee worthie then my reward is that thou returne home againe If I deserue none restore vnto mee all those aboue rehearsed graces which thou holdest of me Thou wilt say I could not obtain the same reward which thou demandest in saying so thou wilt but renue the quarrell for which I did renounce thee which is that thou wouldst neuer acknowledge the preheminence that in al things I ought to haue ouer thee but if thou shouldest be beleeued thou wouldst take vpon thee the authoritie of thy father and yet thou knowest not how to loue me so well as a son O my child thou knowest not what it is to bee a father I would giue thee that which thou hast especiallie required for thy reward Thou maiest say I will not be at your discretion to bee cast off some other time when you list in saying so a man may iudge that thou desirest to giue me the like occasion Doest thou not know that a father neuer forsaketh his sonne without feeling far greater griefe then doth he which is forsaken But comming againe vnto both our deserts I haue behaued my selfe more valiantly in the wars from whence although the aged are especially exempted yet haue I ben therein imploied therefore it is a question whether thou hast ben a conqueror or no thou hast exercised thine age but I haue ouercome mine age thou hast made war but I haue finished the warre I did not onlie fight valiantlie my self but by my aged manhood did greatlie animate the courages of yoong men therefore it may be said that I deserued a double reward be thou then the recompence of my valor I haue foughten being old I haue aduentured that litle blood which I had left me to gain thee Alasse how farre besides our selues are we both twaine seeing that when wee are requested then we doe refuse being refused we would with all our hearts enioy that which wee are denied I had not so soone renounced thee but I did as speedilie desire to reuoke thee if I had not ben assured that thou wouldest neuer acknowledge anie good turne to come from me but doest not thou compell me to bee suspitious whē thou wilt not return vnto thy fathers house vnlesse it be by thine own authoritie or after a boasting manner Consider only how much more honorable it is for thee to return at mine instance then at thine own The Answere YOu are not to augment your victorie to the preiudice of mine in doing whereof you wrong your selfe and so much the rather by how much you confesse that the valor of men redoundeth to the glorie of those that ingendered them so as in like sort the vicious sonne can bee no other then a reproch to his father and mother wherefore it was said that Agrippina was worthie of that cruell death which she had onely because she brought forth so vild a sonne as Nero. Also it cannot bee died that my victorie was lesse famous then yours which by mine became the more easie because he is easilie vanquished which hath been once ouercome But setting all this apart because vnto the iudges I would not bee so troublesome as you haue beene tedious I will onelie say thus much that of a free man I desire not to become a bondman in as much as none can constraine a valiant man vnto anie thing against his mind and seeing that you haue renounced me I am no more your sonne but if you deeme mee so either there is no reason to reward you with that which you affirm to bee your owne or els it is more reason that my victorie which was the first should first rewarded by my return vnto you and afterwards demand what you think best for the recompence of yours Declamation 68. Of a maiden who being rauished did first require her rauisher for her husband and afterwards requested his death THe law is so that a maid being rauished may either demand to be married vnto the rauisher without bringing him anie marriage good at all or els she may cause him to die Wherevpon it happened that a yoong maiden being rauished accused him that rauished her and required him for her husband but he denied the fact and affirmed that hee neuer knew the maiden yet shee found the means to prooue him guiltie and hauing conuinced him thereof shee would not then marie with him but sued that he might die Against the which he pleaded thus THou canst make thy choice but once and the rather because I doe not yet know whether
we either giue anie credit therevnto or effect the same least in thinking to obey them we doe disobey them What proofe haue you that Diana requireth the death of my daughter saue onlie the word of an old man who either doteth or it may be would haue this honour that at his bare word the warlike and inuincible Grecians ouercome with superstition haue sacrificed the noblest and worthiest maid of all Greece And neuer alleage that the gods desire the best things for sacrifice for that is meant onlie by brute beasts but as for humane creatures they doe preserue them witnesse the old age of Nestor and others Neither did there euer anie great good proceed of too much superstition which dooth much differ from true religion because the one alwaies tendeth vnto that which is good and the other vnto that which is bad If Diana require her death shee may find her well inough where she is without dishonoring me by the deliuerie of her Which in sooth were a trecherous part What certaintie or assurance will Chalcas giue that the seas shall bee calme by the death of my daughter Durst he gage his head that so it shall be and although he would so doe is those few years which an old man may liue to bee compared vnto the youth of a Princesse who by her progenie will be able to illustrate all the world To kill our owne children is not the way to combate Priam and the rest of the Barbarians I wil not faile in anie sort from the dutie of a good Generall no not in spending mine owne life but my daughters that will I not giue no more then you your selfe would doe if one should likewise demaund your Hermione as well as my Iphiginia I will not in anie sort accuse either Vlisses or Achilles but I doe excuse my daughter who is no way culpable of the forced or voluntarie adulterie of her aunt The same reason which commandeth mee to be couragious doth also forbid me to be cruell but what crueltie can be more vild then to kill an innocent virgin And how much more execrable is it for a man to kill his owne daughter I did at the first promise her as well to auoid publicke sedition in our armie as also to haue leisure thereby to laue my daughter for I hoped that you your selfe and they altogether deliberatlie considering the crueltie of the fact would at the last confesse with me the same to be altogether tyrannicall and vnlawfull for the gods doe neuer fauour such vniust acts To conclude so long as the breath remaineth in my bodie I will neuer consent vnto the death of my daughter for it is sufficient inough that we do leaue our houses forsake our wiues abandon our children and freelie vndertake this iournie no lesse painfull then perrillous to our persons without suffering our daughters to be sacrificed or offered vp to recouer that which you haue negligentlie lost and know no other reason why And I cannot beleeue that anie amongst so manie worthie mē should be desirous or would willinglie behold such a detestable deed but onlie you who thinke to encrease your owne house by the ouerthrow of mine Declamation 86. Of him that hauing taken vp and fostered two yong vnknowne orphants did maime them because he might the better beg with them THe law forbiddeth that no man should either hurt or hinder the Commonwealth in any sort Wherevpon it happened that a man found two infants who through their parents pouertie were laid abroad and left vnto the mercie of the world Wherefore he tooke them and fostering them vp in his owne house he did wryth and breake the ioints of their armes and legs in such sort as hee quite maimed and lamed them to the end that by begging with them he might gaine the money Which being knowne he was taken and accused to bee offensiue and hurtfull vnto the Commonwealth And his accuser said in this sort ALasse how miserable are these infants who haue found one that hath beene much more cruell then he or she that cast them forth Seeing that with the price of their members they are forced to paie for their bringing vp or to say more trulie to satisfie the greedie couetousnes of him that faineth to be their fosterer for if hee had not done it for couetousnesse the verie name of orphants might haue suffised to haue obtained a reliefe both for them and their fosterfather If those that through anger or malice doe wound or kill a man are punished What punishment is not this mischeeuous wretch worthie of who hath done far worse in making these poore infants for euer miserable Wherein hee hath shewed himselfe much more vnnaturall then the brute beasts if it bee true as Histories report that in such a necessitie Cirus Whilom King of Persia was nourished by a Bitch and Remus and Romulus first founders and Kings of Rome by a shee wolfe O neuer hard of crueltie when the lame and impotent are constrained to get his liuing that is whole and sound who hath not onelie made them vnprofitable but odious and burthenous vnto the Common-wealth For they serue to no other end then to increase the famine therein and also in the day of battaile to discourage the hearts of most valiant by their lamentable cries and complaints in like sort it may so happen that some womā with child may dreame of thē in such sort as with the verie fright thereof she may bring forth the like cripples All that which this lewd fellow can alleage is that if he had not beene these infants had died with hunger It may bee no For how manie others might haue found them that both would haue cherished and brought them vp for the profite of the Commonwealth How manie such as they haue become famous warriors yea and Kings Whereof Cirus and the two foresaid Romans are sufficient examples but this vngracious man hath cut off the tongues of some to the end that without speaking they might be more importunate in crauing seeing then O Iudges that you are pittifull towards cuerie one particularlie extend your mercie towards these twaine here together he is aboue all other most cruell who vnder the coulor of mercie doth most mischiefe these poore children are carried about to feasts and publicke assemblies to beg their almes where beholding the soundnesse and nimblenesse of others their sorrow is the more in seeing themselues maimed other orphants or castawaies that are sound are not altogether hopelesse to find their Parents againe or to be knowne by them but these wretches can neuer be knowne because they were not such when they were left of them Finallie it may be alleaged that it was the greatest mischiefe that could happen vnto these twaine to be found and brought vp by this bad man who is the cause of their perpetuall miserie The beggers Answere HE cannot be tearmed cruell who hath ben more pittifull vnto these infants then their owne father or mother
may say that I speake with small respect vnto my lord but we protest that from henceforth we will neuer so account him and if wee cannot obtaine from the King the hoped remedie of our due reparation we make a vow that we our children parents kindred alies friends and whosoeuer els dependeth vpon vs will rather goe dwell amongst the Scithians or anie other more cruell nation then we will remain any longer vnder the gouernment of a man so infamous The earles Answere THe same Iustice mercie and Maiestie of the King which you imploy against me shall yeeld mee reason against all you and shall in my behalfe punish you for your no lesse vain then outragious and vnreuerent speeches wherefore I doe not refuse the iudgement of his Maiestie although the matter concerneth his highnes nothing at all in as much as those whom you speak of were no Gentlemen but robbers and theeues and for such haue I punished them and if anie would know why I did it not after the vsuall manner as there shall no reasons be wanting so am I not bound to tell them vnto anie but vnto such as it shall please my selfe therfore I will only say that they being in that sort put to death their ingrateful kindred towards me haue receiued lesse dishonour thereby then if they had beene made a publike spectacle to the people Likewise the nobilitie of Flanders are become so insolent as they stand in no aw at all of Iustice wherefore this Iustice no lesse suddaine then iust will make them to bethinke themselues twice before they will commit the like offence againe Moreouer you were resolued to saue them either by intreaties or otherwise therefore I desired to take away all occasion to ad vnto their death not onlie yours but also other mens destructions for he may be tearmed wise and vertuous which by one smal mischiefe can eschew farre greater mischances but he that dooth neuer so great good vnto the ingratefull receiueth nothing but hate and reproch for his reward euen so hath it happened to me herein If you who say that you are noble did know what nobilitie is and wherein it consisteth you would say that these robbers were no Gentlemen seeing that gentilitie cannot be grounded but only vpon vertue and as thereby the base borne attaine to nobilitie euen so he which continueth not therein loseth that nobilitie which his father hath left him to the intent that hee should bee vertuous for nothing is more pernicious in a Commonwealth then he who dooth falselie vsurpe the title of Nobility I do demand of you whether the sonne of a good musition may inherit his fathers cunning renoume chieflie to be a good musition without learning and thorowly exercising of musicke It seemeth not if then in an art of so small consequence a man cannot attaine vnto the fame or facultie of his father without he be the same in effect although it should not preiudice the Commonwealth in any sort how then can they inherit nobility who make no proofe therof by vertue by the which our ancestors haue gained it If nobility came but by descent it would be no lesse weake then of small continuance considering the multitude of those that die in the wars but vertue which doth thereby nobilitate others doth still maintain the same I haue then caused these villains to die secretly for the respect I had vnto their kindred who desired to remaine noble in following vertue for those which doe swarue from it a man may rightly say that nobility doth end in them and they which follow it cannot chuse but be noble indeed the which Cicero knew very well how to applie when Claudius said vnto him that he was no gentleman Truly said he in me doth the nobilitie of my race begin to bud as in you the gentrie of your stocke is alreadie blasted And since that I being so exceedingly bound vnto vertue as God hath made me by birth more noble and greater then any other of my countrie I haue done but my dutie in executing good speedie and short Iustice for Iustice surely is not the least kind of vertue and not to execute Iustice were cruelty wherefore I am not cruell much lesse a coward neither doe they speake the truth which doe say that I am an enemie to gentlemen or that I fear them but I am indeed an enemie to the vicious and I fear least they should hurt the good or that they should be corrupted by them now haue I been their executioner or hangman as you affirme but they themselues according to their deserts haue ben the butchers of their owne liues and were it otherwise yet is he rather a hangman which robbeth or killeth an honest man thē is he which executeth malefactors This Spanish pittie proceedeth of no other cause but onely for that they would not execute those which are of their profession yet to betray or murther good men they are nothing scrupulous The Prince of a countrie cannot shew anie better example then in performing Iustice the which I haue done And know you that the Iudges are not necessary but where the Prince is not present for proofe whereof Salomon himselfe iudged causes yet no other but the King can iudge me As for Flaminius he put a condemned man to death vpon pleasure onely to content an harlot but I haue executed foure to obserue Iustice But for any seruice that they might haue done for the King a man may as well say the like of all other theeues for such people can easilie assemble a great number of such worthlesse lewd fellows as they are Likewise it is not a small mischiefe that prodigalitie is wrongfully held for liberalitie as if the prodigall did not commit a thousand mischiefes to get wherewith to performe their follies as these foure did who by their prodigality became theeues Wherefore it may be affirmed that they and such as would maintaine them are those that esteeme vice to be vertue and villaines to be Gentlemen As for the small respect that you haue vsed in slandering me it is therein that I may shew my clemencie for it is true Magnanimitie to pardon great faults especially when none is offended therby by only he which pardoneth the same as I doe not only pardon you but also doe further beseech the King not to punish you because it may bee at your owne choice either to remaine in your countrie or to forsake the same not for that I care for such subiects as you are which disdaine me to be their lord but because I would not against my custome shew my selfe rigorous towards those who being ouercome by passiō do but offend me in words the rather because they which speake more then they should doe thereby but procure their owne shame And to conclude there is no reason that you should be beleeued concerning the dead But it may please the Kings Maiestie to bee better informed vpon this matter if it
Colleagues as being equall with them in authoritie But who can denie that I had not the power and that I did not command him not to fight during my absence The yoong Torquatus was iudged to die by his father onelie for hazarding his owne person and you would excuse Fabius who by his rashnesse did indanger all the campe yea the whole Commonwealth for the more you prise his victorie the more is the danger apparent wherevnto he brought the Commonwealth If such faults may bee borne withall who will not henceforth sticke to runne from his Ensigne Who will haue care to come when he is commanded Wherefore shall not the souldiour fight against his captaines will when the maister of the horse hath not onlie foughteÌ„ contrarie to the commandement of the Dictator but also in contempt of his authoritie hath burned the enemies and did not once aduertise him of anie thing thereof after the deed But hath indeuoured to animate the souldiours to defend him against the Dictator and afterwards did by force escape from the Lictor and would not obey anie summons but fled vnto Rome stirring vp the People Tribunes and Patricians to fauour him I know not what els to say sauing that manifest tyrannie excepted there could not a more hainous crime haue ben committed So that to conclude I will say that you may by force saue him from death but as for me I declare and protest that I neither will nor may acquite him Know that at these words all the people began to intreat the Dictator for his life wherefore without pardoning the fault he frankly gaue him vnto the people Declamation 98. Of the disherited sonne who claimed to haue his inheritance againe of the heires of him vnto whom his father had giuen them A Certaine man disherited his sonne vpon a iust cause and gaue his lands vnto another man who lying dead sick said that he would haue the inheritance which was giuen him to return to the disherited son WhervpoÌ„ some few daies after he died before the notarie which he had sent for was come so as although there was nothing left in writing yet did not there want witnesses to testifie for the said sonne who demanded his inheritance saying WHo is he so ignorant which will beleeue that my father would euer haue disheÌ„rited mee in good earnest but that he rather made this deceassed man to promise that hee should restore my land vnto me after a certaine time for the kindnes of fathers doth alwaies exceed the malice of the children because that naturall loue is more readie to descend then to ascend as well for the instabilitie of youth as for the constancy that remaineth in age who knoweth doth well remember that hee hath done amisse in his youth and like as God naturallie loueth man farre more then man loueth him the which is knowne by his deuine bountie towards vs and our ingratitude towards him so the father may well be angrie with his son but what show soeuer he maketh therof yet can he not hate him for it should be contrarie to the law of nature who wil then imagine that my father being by nature mild and courteous towards all men could euer haue ben so cruell against his owne sonne All these reasons abouesaid are most manifest but were it so that my father had absolutely giuen away his possessions and mine inheritance vnto this dead man yet did he before his death restore the same againe vnto me being either in conscience or kindnesse mooued therevnto but had hee not more reason and libertie to giue it to me theÌ„ my father had to take it from me You say that nothing appeareth in writing for what end shold writings serue without witnesses Doe we not know that the paper endureth all things and the parchment much more wherefore the word of the testator and the authoritie of the witnesses is sufficient What if the Notarie after he had made the Will were dead must we not then haue had our recourse vnto witnesses Wherefore seeing the notary did not come time inough it may be because some of you staied him shal not the witnesse of such persons as are worthie to be beleeued serue the turne who did heare the deceassed man say that he would haue the said land to returne vnto me and for that effect did he send for the Notarie It is at the end of the life that a man doth chieflie seek to discharge his conscience and then or els neuer is the truth spoken wherefore it is most euident that this inheritance doth infalliblie appertaine vnto me and therefore I do demand to haue the same by friendship and if so it may not be then must I request it by Iustice The Answere YOur father is not the first that hath disherited his sonne it may be because he was more honest then you and there is no likelihood and lesse certaintie that hee hath caused this man to restore vnto you the inheritance but if it bee so as you say then prooue it for there is no reason to credit your words being such an one as you haue compelled your father to doe that which you cannot beleeue yet to prooue that this is so the effect maketh mention Wee beleeue that your fathers clemencie was great which it may be was the chiefest cause why hee desired to depriue you of all meanes to become anie more vicious for some such as you are doe liue better when they are poore then when they are rich wherefore you father in this was desirous to imitate our God who doth all things for the best although our nature is so corrupt as wee cannot comprehend the same Likewise wee must consider that the father is not easilie brought to hate his sonne but when he is inforced therevnto then is he more hard to be intreated or reconciled then a stranger the more slow men are to become angrie the more great and terrible is their wrath when it happâ—eth euen so hath it beene with your father whom you affirme to bee naturallie mild and courteous thinke then what violence he did vnto himself before he had taken this irreuocable resolution against you So that your reasons seeme verie friuolous and chieflie when you say that this deceassed man being prouoked by the foresaid reasons or by his owne conscience hath restored vnto you those lands and goods which your father gaue vnto him his conscience could not be burdened seeing that nothing can bee more trulie gotten then that which commeth by gift likewise therein he should but alter the meaning of your father and his benefactor for it is verie likely that he did giue those goods vnto him and his heires why then should he seeke to defraud them to giue it vnto such a one who by his owne father was iudged vnworthie thereof His ingratitude thereby would bee too manifest but had he therin ben so aduised yet hath not the effect therof insued whether it were Gods doing or his