was founded in Europe the rich Carthage in Affricke and the hardy Rome in Italy the goodly Capua in Campaigne and the great Argentine in Germanie and the holy Helia in Palestine Thebes onely was the most renowmed of all the World For the Thebanes amongst all Nations were renowned as well for their riches as for their buildings and also because in their lawes and customes they had many notable and seuere things and all the men were seuere in their works although they would not bee knowne by their extreame doings Homer saith that the Thebanes had fiue customes wherein they were more extreame then any other Nation 1 The first was that the children drawing to fiue yeeres of age were marked in the forehead with a hot Iron because in what places soeuer they came they should be knowne for Thebanes by the marke 2 The second was that they should accustome their children to trauaile alwayes on soote And the occasion why they did this was because the Egyptians kept their beasts for their Gods and therefore whensoeuer they trauelled they neuer rid on horsebacke because they should not seeme to sit vpon their god 3 The third was that none of the Citizens of Thebes should marry with any of strāge nations but rather caused thē to mary parents with parents because the friendes marrying with friends they thought the friendship and loue should be more sure 4 The fourth custome was that no Thebane should in any wise make a house for himselfe to dwell in but first hee should make his graue wherein hee should bee buried ◠Mee thinketh that in this point the Thebanes were not too extreame nor excessiue but that they did like sage and wise men yea and by the law of verity I sweare that they were sager then wee are For if at least we did imploy our thought but two houres in the weeke to make our graue It is vnpossible but that wee should correct euery day our life 3 The fift custome was that all the boyes which were exceeding fayre in theyr face should be by them strangled in the cradell and all the gyrles which were extreame foule were by them killed and sacrificed to the Gods Saying that the Gods forgot themselues when they made the men fayre and the women foule For the man which is very fayre is but an vnperfect woman and the woman which is extreame foule is but a sauage and wilde beast The greatest God of the Thebanes was Isis who was a red bull nourished in the riuer of Nile and they had a custome that all those which had red haire immediate should be sacrifised The contrary they did to the beasts for sith their God was a Bull of tawny colour none durst bee so bold to kill any beasts of the same colour In such forme and maner that it was lawful to kill both men and women and not the brute beasts I doe not say this well done of the Thebanes to slay their children nor yet I do say that it was well done to sacrifise men and women which had red or tawny haire nor I thinke it a thing reasonable that they should doe reuerence to the beasts of that colour but I wonder why they should so much despise foule women and faire men sith all the world is peopled both with with faire and foule Then sith those barbarous liuing as they did vnder a false law did put him to death whom the gods had adorned with any beautie we then which are Christians by reason ought much lesse to esteeme the beauty of the body knowing that most commonly thereupon ensueth the vncleannesse of the soule Vnder the Christall stone lyeth oft-times a dangerous worme in the faire wall is nourished the venomous Coluler within the middle of the white tooth is ingendred great paine to the gummes in the finest cloth the moths do most hurt and the most fruitfull tree by wormes is soonest perished I meane that vnder the cleane bodyes and faire countenances are hid many and abominable vices Truly not onely to children which are not wise but to all other which are light and frayle beutie is nothing else but the mother of many vices and the hinderer of all vertues Let Princes and great Lords beleeue me which thinke to be fayre and well disposed that where there is great aboundance of corporall goods and graces there ought to be great bones of vertues to bee able to beare them For the most high trees by great winds are shaken I say that it is vanity to bee vaine glorious in any thing of this world be it neuer so perfit and also I say that it is a great vanitie to bee prowd of corporall beautie For among all the acceptable gifts that nature gaue to the mortals there is nothing more superfluous in man and lesse necessary then the beauty of the body For truly whether be we faire or foule we are nothing the better beloued of God neither thereby the more hated of men O blindnesse of the world O life which neuer liueth O death which neuer shall end I know not why man through the accident of this beauty should or durst take vpon him any vaine glory or presumption sith he knoweth that all the fairest and most perfitest of flesh must be sacrificed to the wormes in the graue And know also that all the propernesse of the members shall be forfeited to the hungrie wormes which are in the earth Let the great scorne the little as much as they will the fayre mocke the foule at their pleasure the whole disdaine the sicke the well made enuy the deformed the white hate the blacke and the Giants despise the Dwarfes yet in the ende all shall haue an ende Truly in my opinion the trees beare not the more fruit for that they are straight onely nor for being high neither for giuing great shadow nor for being beautifull nor yet for being great By this comparison I meane that though a noble and stout man be proper of person and noble of linage shadowing of fauor comely in countenance in renowne very high and in the commonwealth puissant that therefore he is not the better in this life For truely the common wealthes are not altered by the simple laborers which trauell in the fields but by the vicious men which take great ease in their liues Vnlesse I be deceiued the Swine and other beasts are fed vnder the Oakes with the Acornes and among the pricking briers and thorns the sweet Roses doe grow the sharpe Beech giueth vs the sauory chestnuts I meane that deformed and little creatures oft times are most profitable in the commonwealth For the litle and sharpe countenances are signes of valiant and stout hearts Let vs cease to speak of men which are fleshly being eftsoons rotten and gone and let vs talke of sumptuous buildings which are of stone which if we should goe to see what they were we may know the greatnesse and the height of them Then
against the Romaines who without cause or reason had conquered his Countrey Approouing mainifestly that through offending the Gods they had thus preuayled And the Oration is diuided into chapt 3. fol. 362. ch 4. fol 366. And ch 5. f 366 That Princes and Noble-men ought to be very circumspect in choyce of their Iudges and Officers because therein consisteth the benefite of the weale publique chapt 6. fol 373 Of a Letter which the Emperour Marcus Aurelius wrote to his friend Antigonus answering an other which hee sent him out of Scicile concerning the crueltie exercised by the Romaine Iudges The letter is diuided in chap 7. fol 379. cha 8. fol. 381. chap 9. fol. 385 chapt 10. fo 387 cha 11. fol. 391 An exhortation of the Authour vnto great Princes and Noble-men to embrace peace and to auoyde all occasions of warre chap 12 fol. 394 Of the commodities which ensue by peace declaring that diuers Princes vppon light occasions haue made cruell warres chap 13 fol. 397 The Emperour Marcus Aurelius wryteth to his friende Cornelius wherein hee describeth the discomodities which come by warres and the vanitie of Triumphes Chap 14 fol. 406 Marcus Aurelius proceedeth on further in his letter declaring the order which the Romains vsed in setting forth their men of warre And of the outragious villainyes which Captaines and Souldiours vse in warre chap 15 fo 408 The Emperours further pursuite in the same letter shewing what great dammages haue ensued by warre begun with strange and forraigne Realmes ch 16 fo 409 Ad admonition of the Author to Princes and great Lordes to the intent that the more they growe in yeares the more they stād bound to refrain frō vices ch 17. 415 That Princes whē they are aged should be temperate in eating sober in drinking modest in apparel aboue al things else true in their cōmunication ch 18. fo 418 Of a letter written by the Emperour M. Aurelius to Claudius Claudinus reprouing them being olde men because they liued ouer youthfully chap 19 fo 423 A prosecution of the Emperours letter perswading Claudius and Claudinus beeing now aged to giue no more credite to the world nor to any of his deceiptfull flatteries chap 20. fol 430 A further continuation of the Emperour in the same Letter approouing by good reasons that in regard aged persons will bee serued and honoured of younger people they ought therefore to be more vertuous and honest then they of younger degree chap 21. fol 433 The Emperours conclusion of his Letter shewing what perills those olde men liue in that dissolutely like young Children spend their dayes And he giueth wholesome councell vnto them for better means and remedy therof ch 22. 438 How Princes ought to take heede that they bee not noted guiltie of Auarice because the Couetous man is hated both of God and man ch 24 441 Great reasons to discommend the vices of couetous men ch 24 444 Of a letter which the Emperour Marcus Aurelius wrote to his friend Cincinnatus who being a Romaine Knight became a Marchaunt of Capua reproouing such Gentlemen as take vppon them the trade of Marchaundise contrarie to their owne vocation declaring what vertuous men ought to vse and the vices which they ought to shunne instructing also how to despise the vanities of the world And although a man bee neuer so wise yet hee shall haue neede of another mans councell ch 25. fol 447. c. 26. fo 449. c. 27. 451. A perswasion to Princes great Lords to shunne couetousnes and to become liberall bountifull which vertue should alwayes appertaine to a Royall personage chap 28 fol. 454 A perswasion to Gentlemen and such as follow Armes not to abase themselues for gaynes-sake in taking vpon them any vile office or function ch 29 458 Of a Letter which the Emperour wrote to his Neighbour Mercurius a Marchant of Samia instructing men in those daungers which ensue by traffique on the Seas and the couetousnes of them that Trauell by Land chap 30 461 The conclusion of the Emperours Letter reprouing Mercurius because he tooke thought for the losse of his goods Shewing him the nature of Fortune and conditions of couetous men ch 31 fol 464 That Princes and Noble-men ought to consider the miserie of mans nature And that brute Beasts are in some pointes reason excepted to bee preferred with men chapt 32. fol. 466 A further comparison of the miseryes of men with the liberty of beasts ch 33. 469 A letter of the Emperour M. Aurelius to Domitius a cittizen of Capua comforting him in his Exile being banished for a quarrell betweene him and an other about the running of a Horse Comfortable for such as haue bin in great fauour afterward falne into disgrace ch 34 fo 474 That princes and Noble men ought to be aduocates for widdowes fathers of Orphans and helpes to the comfortlesse chap. 35 479 That the troubles sorrowes and griefes of widdows are much greater then those of Widdowers wherefore Princes and Noble men ought to haue more compassion vpon such women then men ch 36 fol. 462 Of a letter which the Emperour Marcus Aurelius wrote to a Romane Lady named Lauinia comforting her in her husbands death ch 37 486 A perswasion to widdowes to depend onely vpon Gods will and exhorting them to liue honestly chap. 38 489 That Princes and Noble men ought to despise the world because there is nothing in it but plaine deceit ch 39 493 A vehement inuectiue against the deceites of the world with a further proofe by strong and weightie reasons perswading all men that liue in the world not to trust it or any thing therein verefied by a letter of the Emperour to his friend Torquatus chap. 40. 41. 42. fol. 498. 501. 504 Princes and Nobles ought not to beare with Iuglers Iesters parasites and cōmon players nor with any such kind of rascals and loyterers And of the Lawes which the Romanes made especially on that behalfe chap. 43 507 How some Iesters were punished by our graue Ancients and of the Iesters loyterers in our time chap 44. 510 Of a letter which the Emperour wrote to Lambartus his friend then Gouernour of Hellespont certifying him that hee had banished from Rome all fooles and loy terieg players a notable lesson for them that keepe counterfeit fooles in their houses chap. 45 514 Marcus Aurelius proceedeth on in his letter declaring how he found the Sepulchres in Hellespont of many learned philosophers whereunto he sent all those loiterers chap. 46 517 The Letters conclusion relating the cause and time why and when Iuglers Iesters were admitted into Rome ch 47. 520 How Princes and Noble men ought to remember that they are mortall and must die with notable consolations against the feare of death chap. 48. 522 Of the death of the Emperour Marcus Aurelius and how there are few friendes that dare speake the truth to sicke men chap. 40 527 Of the comfortable wordes which the Secretarie Panutius spake to the
infamy which worketh euil in his life truly he deserueth much more which trauelleth to bring that euill in vre after his death Eusebius seemeth to affirm that after Nimrod had destroied the realm of Chaldea by his plagues came to Italy with 8. sons built the of Camesa which afterwards in Saturnes time was called Valentia and in the time of Romulus it was called as it is at this present Rome And sith this thing was thus a man ought not to maruell that Rome in auncient time was possessed with Tyrants and with Tyrants beaten downe since by so so famous and renowmed tyrants it was founded For euen as Hierusalem was the daughter of the patient and the mansion of the quiet Kinges in Asia so was Rome the mother of proude Princes in Europe The Histories of the Gentiles which knew not the holy Scripture declare in an other sort the beginning of signorie and seruitude and when they came into the world for the Idolaters not onely did not know the Creator of the World but also they were ignorant of many things which beganne in the world They therfore say that the Tyrant Nimrod amongst the others had a sonne called Belus and that this Belus was the first that raigned in the land of Syria and that hee was the first that inuented warres on the earth and that hee set vp the first Monarche among the Assyrians and in the end hee dyed after hee had raigned 65. yeares in Asia and left the world in great wars The first Monarchie of the world was that of the Assyrians and continued 132. yeares The first King was Belus and the last King was Sardanapalus whome at that time when he was slain they found spinning with women hauing a Distaffe in his hand wherewith they vse to spinne and truly his vile death was too good for such a cowardly King For the Prince ought not to defend that with the Distaffe that his Predecessors had wonne with the sword As wee haue sayde Nimrod begat Belus who had to wife Semyramis which was the mother of Ninus which Ninus succeeded his Father in tyranny and in the Empire also and both the Mother and the Sonne not contented to bee tyrants inuented statues of new Gods For mans malice pursueth rather the euill which the wicked doe inuent then the good which vertuous men begin We would haue shewed you how the Grandfather and the Father the Mother and the Sonne were Idolaters and warlike to the end Princes and great Lords might see that they beganne their Empires more for that they were ambitious persons then for that they were good patient or vertuous men Albeit that Nimrod was the first that euer committed any tyranny and whether it bee true or not that Belus was the first that inuented warres and that Chodor Laormor was the first that inuented battels and that there bee others wherof the Writings make no mention euery man taking for himselfe and afterwards all together those vvere occasions of euil enough in the world to agree vnto those thinges Our inclination is greatly to bee blamed For those which haue credite for their euill are many and those which haue power to doe well are but very few CHAP. XXXI Of the golden age in times past and worldly misery which we haue at this present IN the first age and golden world all liued in peace each man tooke care for his owne landes euery one planted sowed their trees and corne euery one gathered his fruites and cut his vines knedde their bread and brought vp their children and finally all liued by their own proper sweate and trauell so that they all liued without the preiudice or hurt of any other O worldly malice O cursed and wicked world that thou neuer sufferest things to remaine in one estate and though I call thee cursed maruell not thereat for when wee are in most prosperity then thou with death persecutest vs most cruelly Without teares I say not that I will say that two thousand yeares of the World were past before we knew what the World meant God suffering it and worldly malice inuented it ploughes were turned into weapons oxen to horses goades vnto launces whips to arrowes slings to Crossebowes simplicity into malice trauell into idlenesse rest to paine peace to warre loue to hatted charity to cruelty iustice to tyranny profite to dammage almes to theft and aboue all Faith into Idolatry And finally the swet they had to profite in their owne goods they turned to bloud-shedding to the damage of the Common-wealth And herein the World sheweth it selfe to bee a world herein worldly-malice sheweth it selfe to bee malicious in so much as the one reioyceth and the other lamenteth the one reioyceth to stumble to the end that other may fall and breake their neckes the one reioyceth to bee poore to the end the other may not bee rich the one reioyceth to bee dispraysed to the end the other may not be honoured the one delighteth to bee sad to the end the other should not bee merry And to conclude wee are so wicked that wee banish the good from our owne house to the end the euill might enter in at the gates of an other man When the Creator created the whole World hee gaue to each thing immediately his place that is to say hee placed intelligence in the vppermost Heauen hee placed the starres in the Firmament the planets in the orbes the birdes in the ayre the earth on the Center the Fishes in the Water the Serpents in the hoales the beasts in the mountaines and to all in generall he gaue place to rest themselues in Now let Princes and great Lords bee vaine-glorious saying that they they are Lords of the earth for truly of all that is created God onely is the true Lord thereof because the miserable man for his part hath but the vse of the fruit for if wee thinke it reasonable that wee should enioy the profite of that which is created then were it more conuenient wee should acknowledge God to be the Lord thereof I doe not deny but confesse that God created all things to the end they should serue man vpon condition that man should serue God likewise but when the creature ryseth against God immediately the Creator resisteth against man For it is but reason that hee bee disobeyed who one onely commandement will not obey O what euill fortune hath the creature onely for disobeying the commandement of his Creator for if man had kept his commaundement in Paradise God had conserued to the World the signorie but the Creatures whom he created for his seruice are occasion to him of great troubles for the ingratitude of benefite heapeth great sorrow to the discreet heart It is great pity to behold the man that was in Paradise and that might haue been in Heauen and now to see him in the world and aboue all to bee interred in the entrals of the earth For in Terrestrial Paradise he was innocent and
and trauells considered wherein wee liue and the safetie wherein wee dye I say that it is more needefull to haue vertue and strength to liue then courage to dye The Authour hereof is Plutarch in his Apothegmes Wee cannot say but that Cato the Censor spake as a wise man since daylie we see shamefast and vertuous persons suffer hunger cold thyrst trauell pouerty inconuenience sorrows enmities and mishaps of the which things wee were better to see the ende in one day then to suffer them euery houre For it is lesse euill to suffer an honest death then to endure a miserable life Oh how small consideration haue men to thinke that they ought to dye but once Since the truth is that the day when wee are born and come inthis worlde is the beginning of our death and the last day is when we do cease to liue If death bee no other but an ending of life then reason perswadeth vs to thinke that our infancie dyeth our childhood dyeth our manhoode dyeth and our Age shall dye wherof we may consequently cōclude that we dye euery yeare euery day euery houre and euery moment So that thinking to leade a sure life we taste a new death I know not why men feare so much to dye since that from the time of their birth they seeke none other thing but death For time neuer wanteth for any man to dye neyther I knew any man that euer fayled of this way Seneca in an Epistle declareth that as a Romaine Woman lamented the death of a Childe of hers a Phylosopher saide vnto her Woman why bewaylest thou thy childe She aunswered I weepe because hee hath liued xxv yeares and I would he should haue liued till fiftie For amongst vs mothers wee loue our Children so hartily that we neuer cease to behold them nor yet ende to bewaile them Then the Phylosopher said Tell me I pray thee woman Why doest thou not complame of the Gods because they created not thy Sonne manie yeares before he was borne as well as thou complavnest that they haue not let him liue fiftie yeares Thou weepest that hee is deade so soone and thou dost not lament that he is borne so late I tell thee true Woman that as thou doest not lament for the one no more thou oughrest to bee sorrie for the other For without the determination of the Gods we cannot shorten death and much lesse lengthen our life So Plinie saide in an Epistle that the chiefest law which the Gods haue giuen vnto humane nature was that none shold haue perpactual life For with dis-ordinate desire to liue long wee should reioyce to goe out of this paine Two Phylosophers disputing before the great Emperor Theodose the one saide that it was good to procure death and the other likewise sayde it was a necessary thing to hate life The good Theodose taking him by the hand sayd All wee mortalles are so extreame in hating and louing that vnder the colour to loue and hate life wee leade an euill life For we suffer so many trauells for to preserue it that sometimes it were much better to loose it And further hee sayde Diuers vaine men are come into so great follyes that for feare of Death they procure to hasten death And hauiwg consideration to this me seemeth that wee ought not greatly to loue life nor with desperation to seeke Death For the strong and valiant men ought not to hate Life so long as it lasteth nor to bee displeased with death when hee commeth All commended that which the Emperour Theodose spake as Paulus Dyacon saith in his life Let euery man speake what he will and let the Phylosophers counsell what they lift in my poore iudgment hee alone shall receyue death without paine who long before is prepared to receyue the same For sudden death is not onely bitter vnto him which tasteth it but also it seareth him that hateth it Lactantius saide that in such sorte man ought to liue as if from hence an houre after he should dye For those men which will haue Death before their eyes it is vnpossible that they should giue place to vaine thoughts In my opinion and also by the aduise of Apuleius It is as much follie to flie from that which we cannot auoyd as to desire that wee can not attaine And this is only spoken for those that would flye the voyage of death which is necessarie and desire to come againe which is vnpossible Those that trauell by long wayes if they want any thing they borrow it of their companie If they haue forgotten ought they returne to seeke it at their lodging or else they write vnto their friends a letter But I am sorrie that if wee once dye they will not let vs returne again we cannot speake and they will not agree we shall write but such as they shall finde vs so shall wee bee iudged And that which is most fearfull of all the execution and sentence is giuen in one day Let Noble Princes and great Lords beleeue mee in this Let them not leaue that vndone til after their death which they may doe during their life And let them not trust in that they commaund but in that whiles they liue they doe Let them not trust in the workes of an other but in theyr owne good deedes For in the end one sigh shall be more worth then all the friendes of the world I counsell pray and exhort all wise and vertuous men and also my selfe with them that in such a sort wee liue that at the houre of death wee may say we liue For wee cannot say that wee liue when we liue not well For all that time which without profite wee shall liue shall be counted vnto vs for nothing CHAP. XLIX ¶ Of the death of Marcus Aurelius the Emperour and how there are fewe Friendes which dare say the truth to sicke men THe good Emperor Marcus Aurelius now beeing aged not onely for the yeares he had but also for the great trauells hee had in the warres endured It chaunced that in the xviii yeare of his Empire and lxxij yeares from the day of his birth and of the foundation of Rome fiue hundreth xliii beeing in the warre of Pannonie which at this time is called Hungaria besieging a famous cittie called Vendeliona suddenly a disease of the palsey tooke him which was such that hee lost his life and Rome her Prince the best of life that euer was borne therein Among the Heathen princes some had more force then he others possessed more riches then hee others were as aduenturous as hee and some haue knowne as much as hee but none hath bin of so excellent and vertuous a life nor so modest as hee For his life being examined to the vttermost ther are many princely vertues to follow and fewe vices to reproue The occasion of his death was that that in going one Night about his Campe suddenly the disease of the palsey tooke him in
ΑΡΧΟÎΤΟΡΟΛΟΓΙΟΠOR THE DIALL OF PRINCES CONTAINING THE GOLDEN AND FAMOVS BOOKE OF MARCVS AVRELIVS Sometime Emperour of Rome DECLARING What Excellency consisteth in a Prince that is a good Christian And what euils attend on him that is a cruell Tirant WRITTEN By the Reuerend Father in God DON ANTONIO of Gueuara Lord Bishop of Guadix Preacher and Chronicler to the late mighty Emperour CHARLES the fift First translated out of French by THOMAS NORTH Sonne to Sir EDWARD NORTH Lord NORTH of Kirthling And lately reperused and corrected from many grosse imperfections With addition of a Fourth Booke stiled by the Name of The fauoured Courtier LONDON Imprinted by Bernard Alsop dwelling by Saint Annes Church neere Aldersgate 1619. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE SIR HENRY MOVNTAGVE Knight Lord Chiefe Iustice of the Pleas Holden before his most Royall Maiestie c THe Emperour Traiane Right Honourable writing a Letter to the Senate of Rome concerning the weightie and carefull condition of Princes among many other matters vsed these wordes of himselfe I doe freely confesse vnto you that since I tasted the cares and trauels attending on this Imperiall dignitie I haue repented a thousand times that euer I did vndertake it because if it bee accounted Honour to enioy an Empire there consisteth farre greater paine and labour to order and gouerne it as it ought to be But beside what enuie doth hee expose himselfe to multitude of mislikes that hath the charge of gouerning others If hee be iust hee is branded with cruelry if mercifull hee is contemned if beautifull tearmed lauish and prodigall if hee hoorde vp money then basely couetous if inclined to peace then hee is a coward If full of courage proudly anbitious if discreetly graue surly and scornefull if affably courteous silly and simple if affecting solitude a dissembling hypocrite if addicted to mirth and pleasure then wantonly dissolute In the end of all te worthy Emperour thus concluded Although willingly I accepted this high office at the first yet sorrow hath since made mee shrinke vnder so brdensom a charge For the Sea and dignitie are thinges pleasing to looke â—n but very perillous to meddle withall I haue alledged his example worthie Lord because present vnto your gracious acceptance his ancient and famous Booke called The Diall of Princes wherein is at lige and amply set downe what care and respect awayteth on the liues of Prinâ—â—s and great persons for if they canot runne into the smallest errour but redoundeth to the hurt of many nor neglect their duty without other mens userie Then sayde the Philosopher well A Prince should not appropriate the Common-wealth to himselfe but shape himselfe wholy to the Common wealth And so much the rather because he standing accountable to no man in this Life ought to remember a farre stricter account before him that maketh no respect of Princes saue onely in this that they shall finde the Iudge the more seuere against them by how much they haue abused their place of eminencie as also their power and princely authority In the learned Discourses following set downe by that good Emperour Marcus Aurelius the honourable Argument of all this worke are three especiall duties and actions obserued necessarily required in an absolute and perfect Prince as namely In Ruling Iudging and Defending To rule by iust lawes and good Example To Iudge by Wisedome Prouidence and Iustice And Defend by valour care and vigilancy And this is that which the Spirit of God so often intimateth by the Prophet Ieremie â—ap 22. verse 3. To execute Iudgement and righteousnesse To deliuer the oppressed from the handes â—â— the oppressour Not to vexe the Stanger fatherlesse or Widdow Neyther to doe violence or shedde the innocent bloud Into infinite other famous presidents for Princes I could enter and set them downe expressely but that I know they are so frequent to your Honour both in reading and memorie that it were as lost labour as to hold a burning Taper in the bright Sunne at Noone-day and therefore these few shall suffice Nor doe I dedicate this vnto your graue and learned iudgement as a new labour of mine owne or as a worke neuer seene before because it hath already past diuers impressions albeit not in so exact a maner nor with the like paines as hath now bin bestowed vpon it from many absurde and grosse imperfections and yet not so cleanely purged as I could wish it were nor as it shall bee if euer it come to the Presse againe Wherefore I humbly entreate your Honour to accept it as it is and as an oblation of my loue vnfainedly to you which gladly would shew it selfe by any possible meanes as time hereafter may better enable me Til when I remain ready at your Honours seruice to the very vtmost of my best abilitie Your Honors in all duty A. M. A GENER ALL PROLOGVE VPON THE BOOKE ENTITVLED THE DYALL OF PRINCES WITH THE FAmous Booke of MARCVS AVRELIVS Compyled by the Reuerend Father in GOD the Lord ANTONY of GVEVARA Byshop of Guadix Confessor and Chronicler to Charles the fifth Emperour of Rome vnto whom and to all other Princes and Noble-personages this worke was directed APolonius Thianeus disputing with the schollers of Hiareas said that among all the affections of nature nothing is more naturall then the desire that all haue to preserue life Omitting the dispute of these great Phylosophers herein wee our selues hereof haue daily proofe that to liue men do trauell to liue byrds do flie fishes do swimme and to liue beasts do hide themselues for feare of death Finally I say there is no liuing creature so brutish that hath not a naturall desire to liue If many of the auncient Paynims so little regarde life that of their owne free willes they offered themselues death they did it not for that they despised life but because they thought that for their little regarding life wee would more highly esteem their fame For wee see men of hauty courages seeke rather to winne a long-during-Fame then to saue a short lasting-life How loth men are to die is easily seen by the great paines they take to liue For it is a naturall thing to all mortall men to leaue their liues with sorrowe and take their deaths with feare Admit that all doe taste this corporall death and that generally both good and euill doe die yet is there great difference between the death of the one and the death of the other If the good desire to liue it is onely for the greater desire they haue to do more good but if the euill desire to liue it is for that they would abuse the world longer For the children of vanity call no time good but onely that wherein they liue according to their owne desires I let you vnderstand that are at this present and you also that shall come heereafter that I direct my writings vnto those which embrace vertue and not vnto such as are borne away with vice GOD
whereby the good were fauoured and also institutions of grieuous paines wherewith the wicked were punished Although truely I had rather and it were better that the good should loue reason then feare the law I speake of those which leaue to doe euill workes for feare onely of falling into the punishments appoynted for euill doers For although men approue that which they do for the present yet God condemaeth that which they desire Seneca in an epistle hee wrote vnto his friende Lucille saide these wordes Thou writest vnto mee Lucille that those of Scicile haue carryed a great quantitie of Corne into Spaine and into Affrike the which was forbidden by a Romaine law and therefore they haue deserued most grieuous punishment Now because thou art vertuous Thou mayest teache mee to doe well and I that am olde will teach thee to say well and this is because that amongst wise and vertuous men it is enough to say that the Law commaundeth appoynteth and suffereth this thing but in as much as it is agreeing with reason For the crowne of the good is reason and the scourge of the wicked is the law The fourth thing that commonly through the worlde amongst all men was accepted was the Barbers And let no man take this thing in mockery For if they doe reade Plinie in the 59. chapter and the seuenth booke there they shall finde for a Trueth that in those former times the Romaines were in Rome 454. yeares without eyther powling or shauing the hâ—ires off the bearde of anie man Marcus Varro said that Publius 〈◊〉 was the first that brought the barbers from Scicilie to Rome But admit it were so or otherwise yet notwithstanding there was a great contention among the Romaines For they sayd they thought it a rash thing for a man to commit his life vnto the curtesie of another Dyonisius the Syracusian neuer trusted his Beard with any barbor but when his Daughters were very little they clipped his beard with sisers but after they became great hee would not put his trust in them to trimme his beard but hee himselfe did burne it with the shales of nuttes This Dyonisius Syracusan was demaunded why hee would not trust any Barbours with his beard He aunswered Because I know that there bee some which will giue more to the Barbor to take away my life then I will giue to trimme my beard Plinie in the seuenth booke sayeth that the great Scipio called Affrican and the Emperour Augustus were the first that caused them in Rome to shaue their beards And I thinke the end why Plinie spake these things was to exalt these two Princes which had as great courage to suffer the rasours to touch their throats as the one for to fight against Hanniball in Affricke and the other against Sextus Pompeius in Scicilie The fifte thing which commonly throgh the world was accepted were the Dyalls and clockes which the Romains wanted a long time For as Plinie and Marcus Varro say the Romaines were without clockes in Rome for the space of 595. yeares The curious Hystoriographers declare three manner of dyalls that were in old time that is to say Dyalls of the houres Dyalls of the Sunne and Dyalls of the Water The dyall of the Sunne Aneximenides Millesius inuented who was great Animandraes scholler The dyall of the water Scipio Nasica inuented the dyall of houres one of the Schollers of Thales the phylosopher inuented Now of all these Antiquities which were brought into Rome none of them were so acceptable to the Romaines as the Dyalls were whereby they measured the day by the houre For before they could not say we will rise at seuen of the clocke wee will dine at ten we will see one the other at twelue at one wee will doe that wee ought to doe But before they sayde after the Sunne is vp wee wil doe such a thing and before it goe downe wee will do that wee ought to doe The occasion of declaring vnto you these fiue antiquities in this preamble was to no other entent but to call my Booke the Diall of Princes The name of the Booke beeing new as it is may make the learning that is therin greatly to be esteemed God forbid that I should bee so bolde to say they haue been so long time in Spaine without dayes of learning as they were in Rome without the Diall of the Sunne the water and of the houres For that in Spaine haue beene alwaies men well learned in Sciences and very expert in the warres By great reason and of greater occasion the Princes ought to bee commended the knights the people their wits and the fertility of their Countrey but yet to all these goodnesse I haue seen many vnlearned bookes in Spaine which as broken Dials deserue to bee cast into the fire to bee forged anew I doe not speake it without a cause that many bookes deserue to bee broken and burnt For there are so many that without shame and honesty doe set forth bookes of loue of the world at this day as boldlie as if they taught them to despise and speake euill of the world It is pitty to see how many dayes and nights be consumed in reading vaine bookes that is to say Orson and Valentine the Court of Venus and the foure sonnes of Amon and diuers other vaine bookes by whose doctrine I dare boldly say they passe not the time but in perdition for they learne not how they ought to flye vice but rather what way they may with more pleasure embrace it This Diall of Princes is not of sand nor of the Sunne nor of the houres nor of the water but it is the Diall of Life For the other Dials serue to know what houre it is in the night and what houre it is of the day but this sheweth and teacheth vs how wee ought to occupie our minds and how to order our life The property of other Dials is to order things publike but the Nature of this dyal of Princes is to teach vs how to occupie our selues euerie houre and how to amend our life euery moment It little auaileth to keepe the dyalls well and to see thy Subiects dissolutely without any order to range in routes and dayly rayse debate and contention among themselues The End of the generall Prologue THE AVTHOVRS PROLOGVE SPEAKETH PARTICVLARLIE of the Booke called MARCVS AVRELIVS which he translated and dedicated to the Emperour CHARLES the fift THe greatest vanity that I finde in the world is that vaine men are not onely content to be vaine in their life but also procure to leaue a memory of their vanity after their death For it is so thought good vnto vaine and light men which serue the world in vain works that at the houre of death when they perceyue they can do no more and that they can no longer preuaile they offer themselues vnto death which now they see approch vpon them Many of the World are so fleshed in the World that
although it forsaketh them in deedes yet they will not forsake it in their desires And I durst sweare that if the World could grant them perpetuall life they would promise it alwayes to remaine in their customable folly O what a number of vaine men are aliue which haue neyther remembrance of God to serue him nor of his glorie to obey him nor of their conscience to make it cleane but like bruit beasts fellow and runne after their voluptuous pleasures The bruit beast is angry if a man keepe him too much in awe if he bee weary hee taketh his rest hee sleepeth when hee lifteth he eateth and drinketh when hee commeth vnto it and vnlesse hee be compelled hee doth nothing hee taketh no care for the common-wealth for he neither knoweth how to follow reason nor yet how to resist sensuality Therefore if a man at all times should eate when hee desireth reuenge himselfe when he is moued commit adulterie when hee is tempted drinke when he is thirsty sleep when he is drousie wee might more properly call such a one a beast nourished in the mountaines then a man brought vp in the common-wealth For him properly wee may call a mā that gouerneth himselfe like a man that is to say conformable vnto such things as reason willeth not where sensuality leadeth Let vs leaue these vaine men which are aliue and talke of them that bee dead against whom wee dare say that whiles they were in the world they followed the world and liued according to the same It is not to be maruelled at that since they were liuing in the world they were noted of some world point But seeing their vnhappy and wicked life is ended why will they then smell of the vanities of the World in their graues It is a great shame and dishonour for men of noble and stout hearts to see in one moment the end of our life and neuer to see the end of our solly Wee neyther reade heare nor see any thing more common then such men as bee most vnprofitable in the Common wealth and of life most reprobate to take vpon them most honour whiles they liue and to leaue behind them the greatest memory at their death What vanity can bee greater in the world then to esteeme the world which esteemeth no man to make no account of God who so greatly regardeth all men What greater folly can there bee in man then by much trauell to encrease his goods with vaine pleasures to loose his soule It is an olde plague in mans nature that many or the most part of men leaue the amendement of their life farre behind to set their honour the more before Suetonius Tranquillus in the first booke of the Emperours sayth that Iulius Caesar no further then in Spaine in the City of Cales now called Calis saw in the Temple the triumphes of Alexāder the great painted the which when hee had well viewed he sighed maruellous sore and being asked why hee did so hee answered What a wofull case am I in that am now of the age of thirty yeares and Alexander at the same yeeres had subdued the whole world and rested him in Babylon And I being as I am a Romane neuer did yet thing worthy of prayse in my life nor shall leaue any renowne of mee after my death Dion the Grecian in the second booke De audacia sayeth that the noble Drusius the Almaine vsed to visite the graues and tombes of the famous and renowmed which were buryed in Italie and did this alwayes especially at his going to warfare And it was asked why hee did so Hee answered I visit the sepulchers of Scipio and of diuers others which are dead before whom all the Earth trembled when they were aliue For in beholding their prosperous successe I did recouer both strength and stoutnesse He saith furthermore that it encourageth a man to fight against his enemyes remembring hee shall leaue of him a memory in time to come Cicero saith in his Rhethorike and also Plynie maketh mention of the same in an Epistle that there came from Thebes in Egipt a knight to Rome for no other purpose but only to see whether it were true or no that was reported of the notable things of Rome Whom Moecenas demanded what he perceyued of the Romaines and what he thought of Rome He answered The memory of the absent doth more content me then the glory of the present doth satisfie me And the reason of this is The desire which men haue to extoll the liuing to be equall vnto the dead maketh things so straunge in their life that they deserue immortal fame after their death The Romaines reioyced not a little to heare such wordes of a straungers mouth wherby he praised them which were departed and exalted them which yet liued Oh what a thing it is to consider the auncient heathens which neyther feared Hell nor hoped for Heauen and yet by remembrance of weaknes they tooke vnto them strength by cowardnes they were boldened throgh feare they became hardy of dangers they tooke encouragement of enemyes they made friends of pouertie they tooke patience of malice they learned experience Finally I say they denyed their owne willes and followed the'opinions of others only to leaue behind them a memorie with the dead and to haue a little honour with the dead Oh how many are they that trust the vnconstantnesse of Fortune onely to leaue some notable memorie behinde them Let vs call to minde some worthie examples whereby they may see that to be true which I haue spokē What made king Ninus to inuent such warres Queene Semiramis to make such buildings Vlisses the Grecian to sulke so many Seas king Alexander to conquere so many Lands Hercules the Thebane to set vp his Pillars where hee did Caius Casar the Romaine to giue 52. battells at his pleasure Cyrus King of Persia to ouercome both the Asiaes Hanniball the Carthaginian to make so cruell warres against the Romaines Pyrrhus king of the Epirotes to come down into Italie Attila King of the Hunnes to defie all Europe Truely they would not haue taken vpon them such daungerous enterprises onely vpon the wordes of them which were in those dayes present but because we should so esteem them that should come after Seeing then that wee bee men and the children of men it is not a little to bee maruelled at to see the diuersitie betweene the one and the other and what cowardnes there is in the hearts of some and contrarywise what courage in the stomackes of others For we see commonly now-adayes that if there bee tenne of stoute courages which are desirous with honour to dye there are ten thousands cowards which through shamefull pleasures seeke to prolong their life The man that is ambitious thinking him most happie who with much estimation can keepe his renowm and with little care regard his life And on the other side hee that will set by his life
Emperour at the houre of his death ch 50 531 A continuation of the Secretaries speeches admonishing all men to embrace death willingly vtterly to forsake the world and his alluring vanities c. 51. 534 The answer of the Emperour Marcus to his Secretary Panutiu declaring that he tooke no thought to forsake the world But all his sorrow was to leaue behinde him an vnhappy sonne to enherite the Empire chap. 52 588 The Emperours conclusion of the matter in question shewing that sundry yong Princes by being vicious haue vndone themselues and impouerished their Realmes chap. 53 541 Of the wordes which the Emperour Marcus Aurelius spake to his sonne Commodus at the houre of his death very necessary for all young Gentlemen to vnderstand chap. 54 545 Other wholesome counsels giuen by the Emperour to his sonne and aboue all to keepe wise and learned men about him to assist him with aduise in all his affaires chap. 55 550 The Emperours prosecution still in the same Argument with particular exhortations to his sonne well deseruing to bee engrauen in the hart of men ch 56 554 The good Emperour Marcus Aurelius concludeth both his purpose life And of the last words he spake to his son Commodus and the Table of Counsell he gaue him chap. 57 557 The fourth Booke The Prologue of the worke declaring what one true friend ought to do for another 563 A few precepts and counsels meet to be remembred by all such as are Princes familiars and affected Courtiers 572 The Argument of the Booke entituled The Fauoured Courtier declaring the entent of the whole worke 575 How it is more necessary for the Courtier abiding in Court to be of liuely spirit and audacitie then it is for the Souldier that goeth to serue in the warres c. 1. 592 Of Courtiers brawles quarrels with Harbingers for their ill lodgings c. 2. 592 How the Courtier should entreat his Host or master of the house where hee lodgeth chap. 3 589 What Courtier◠must do to win their Princes fauour chap. 4. 601 What manners and gestures do best become a Courtier when hee speaketh to his Prince ch 5. 607 How a Courtier should behaue himselfe both to know and to visite Noblemen and Gentlemen that are great with the Prince and continuing still in Court Chap. 6 612 What countenance and modesty becommeth a Courtier for his behauiour at the Princes or Noble mans table during the time of his meale ch 7 617 What company the Courtier should keepe and how he ought to apparrel him selfe chap. 8 624 In what manner the Courtier should serue and honour Ladies and Gentlewomen also how to satisfie and please the Vshers and Porters of the Kings house chap. 9 631 Of the great paines and trauels which the Courtier hath being toiled in suites of law And how he is to suffer and carrie himselfe with Iudges chap. 10 637 Of them that are affected in Court admonishing them to bee pacient in their troubles and that they bee not partiall in the affayres of the common wealth chap. 11 644 That Officers and such as are affected in Court should be very diligent carefull in dispatching the Princes affayres Common-wealth Also that in correcting and reforming of Seruants they ought to bee as circumspect and aduised Chap. 12 fol 649 That affected and esteemed Courtyers ought to be warie of beeing prowde and high-minded for lightly they neuer fall but onely by meanes of that detestable vice Chap 13 fol. 659 That it is not fit for Courtyers to be ouer-couetous if they mean to keepe themselues out of many troubles and dangers chap 14 fol. 670 That fauoured Courtyers should not trust ouer-much to their fauour and credit in Court nor to the prosperitie of their liues chap 15 fo 677 An admonition to such as are highly in fauour with Princes to take heede of the worlds deceyts learning both to liue and dye honourably and to leaue the Court before Age ouer take them chapter 16. fol. 684 What continencie ought to be in fauoured courtyers alwayes shunning the company of vnhonest women also to be carefull in the speedie dispatch of suters suing vnto them chap 17 fol. 691 That Nobles and affected of Princes should not exceede in superfluous fare nor bee ouer-sumptuous in their Dyet chapt 18. fol. 698 That courtiers fauored of Princes ought not to be dishonest of their Tongues nor enuious in their wordes chap. 19 fo 709 A comendation of Truth which professed courtyers ought to embrace And in no respect to be found defectiue in the contrarie reporting one thing for an other chap. 20. fo 718 Certaine other Letters written by M. Aurelius Of the huge Monster seene in Scicile in the time of M. Aurelius of the letters he wrote with bloud vpō a gate ch 1. 727 Of that which chaunced vnto Antigonus a cittizen of Rome in the time of Marcus Aurelius chap 2 fol 729 How M. Aurelius sought the wealth of his people how they loued him c. 3. 730 How at the intercession of manie sent by the Empresse the Emperour graunted his daughter Lucilla licence to sport herselfe at the Feasts chap 4 fo 732 Of the sharpe words which M. Aurelius spake to his wife his daughter c 5. 734 A letter sent by the Emperor M. Aurelius to Catullus Censorius concerning the newes then in Rome cha 6 740 M. Aurelius his letter written to the amourous Ladyes of Rome ch 7 747 A letter sent by M. Aurelius to his loue Boemia because shee desired to goe with him to the warres chap. 8 752 The answer of Boemia to the Emperor M. Aurelius expressing the great malice little patience in an euil womā c. 9 755 A letter of M. Aurelius to the Romaine Lady Macrine of whom beholding her at a window he became enamoured declaring what force the beautie of a faire Woman hath in a weake man ch 10 760 An other letter sent by him to the same Macrina expressing the firie flames which soonest consume gentle harts ch 11. 761 A letter sent by him to the lady Lauinia reprouing Loue to be naturall And affirming that the most part of Philosophers and wise-men haue beene ouercome by Loue chap 12 fol 763. The ende of the Table THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE DIALL OF PRINCES WITH the famous Booke of Marcus Aurelius wherein hee entreateth what excellency is in a Prince that is a good Christian and contrariwise what euils doe follow him that is a cruell Tyrant CHAP. I. Here the Author speaketh of the birth and lynage of the wise Philosopher and Emperour Marcus Aurelius And he putteth also at the beginning of this Booke three Chapterss wherein hee entreateth of the discourse of his life for by his Epistles and Doctrine the whole course of this present worke is approued AFter the death of the Emperour Antoninus Pius in the 695. years frō the foundatiō of Rome and in the 173. Olimpiade Fuluius Cato and Cneus Patroclus then being Consuls the fourth
graue countenance eloquenr in speech yet hee spake little stout in his affaires and diligent in his businesse in aduersities patient and a great enemie of the vicious temperate in eating drinking and a friend of religious persons so that they sayde hee resembled the Emperour Aurelius For after that the Emperour Marcus Aurelius dyed with whom the felicitie of the Roman Empire ended they euer vsed thēcefoorth in Rome to compare and liken the yong and new come Princes to the ancient Emperours their Anrecessors That is to say if the Prince were couragious they sayde hee was like Iulius Caesar if he were vertuous they sayde he was an other Octauian if he were fortunate that hee was Tiberius if hee were rash they say de he was Caligula if he were cruell they compared him to Nero if hee were mercifull they said he was like to Traian or Antoninus Pius if he were beaucifull they likened him to Titus if idle they compared him to Domitian if he were patient they called him Vespasius if he were temperate they likened him to Adrian if he were deuout to their gods then he seemed Aurelianus Finally he that was sage and vertuous they compared him to the good Marcus Aurelius This Emperour Valentinian was a good Christian and in all his affaires touching the Empire very wise and circumspect and yet he was noted for one thing verie much and that was that hee trusted and fauoured his seruants so much and was so led by his Friends that through their occasion they abusing his loue and credite there arose many dissentions amongst the people Seneca saide once vnto the Emperour Nero I will that thou vnderstand Lorde that there is no patience can suffer that two or three absolutely commaund all not for that they are most vertuous but for that they are most in fauour with thee O yee Noble Princes and great Lords if you were as I am I know not what you would doe but if I were as you bee I would behaue my selfe in such sorte to them of my house that they should be seruants to serue and obey mee and not to boast themselues to bee so farre in fauour as to commaund mee For that Prince is not sage that to content a fewe getteth the hatred of all The Emperour Valentinian dyed in the fiue and fiftie yeare of his byrth and the eleuenth yeare of his Empire languishing of a long sicknes that his vaynes were so dryed vppe that they could not drawe one drop of bloud out of his bodie And at the day of his Funeralles where the dead corps was greatly bewayled Saint Ambrose made an excellent Sermon in commendation of him For in those dayes when any Noble Prince departed that loued and succoured the Church all the holy Bishops met together at his buryall The two brethren beeing Emperours that is to say Valentinian and Valent through the desire of the Father in law of Gracian who was father to his wife and desirous to haue one of his daughters childrē chose Valentiniā to bring vp who had a sonne named Gracian which was created Emperor so young that as yet he had no beard And truly the Senate would not haue suffered it if the Father had not bin vertuous and the childe sage But the Senate would haue done this and more also for Valentinian because hee did deserue it well of the Romaine people For it is reason in distributing of the Offices That Princes haue more repsect to the deserts of the Fathers then to the tender age of the Children This young Gracian began to be so temperate and was so good a Christian in fauouring the Church that it was much quiet and great pleasure to the Romaine people to haue chosen him and greater ioy to the Father being aliue to haue begotten him so that he left for him after his death an immortall memorie of his life For the childe that is vertuous is alwayes the memorie of the Father after his death In the yeare of the Foundation of Rome a thousand an hundred thirtie and two the said Gracian the younger was created sole Heyre of the whole Empire his vnckle Valent and his Father being departed the world And after Gratian came to the Empire many Bishops which were banished in the time of his Vnckle Valent were restored to the Church againe and bannished all the sect of the Arrians out of his Region Truely he shewed himselfe to bee a very religious and Catholike Prince For there is no better iustice to confound humain malice then to establish the good in theyr estate In the first yeare of the raigne of Gracian Emperour all the Germanes and the Gothes rebelled against the Romane Empire for they would not onely not obey him but also they prepared an huge Army to inuade his Empire Imagining that sith Gracian was young hee neyther had the wit nor yet the boldnesse to resist them For where the Prince is young there oftentimes the people suffered much wrong and the Realme great misery Newes came to Rome how that the Gaules and Germaines were vp the Emperour Gracian wrote to all the Catholike Bishops that they should offer in their Churches great Sacrifices with prayers vnto God and in Rome likewise it was ordayned that generally processions should be had to the end Almighty God should moderate his ire against his people For good Christians first pacifie God with Prayers before they resist their enemies with weapons This good Prince shewed himselfe to be no lesse warlike in his outward affayres then a good Christian in his Religion for God giueth victories vnto Princes more through tears then through weapons These things thus finished and his affayres vnto God recommended the noble Emperour Gracian determined to march on and himselfe in person to giue the battell And truly as at the first hee shewed himselfe to bee a good Christian so now he declared himselfe to bee a valiant Emperour For it were a great infamy and dishonour that a Prince by negligence or cowardnes should lose that which his Predecessors by force of armes had gotten The army of the enemies exceeded farre the Romane army in number and when they met together in a place called Argentaria the Romaines being inferiour to their enemies in number were afraide For in the warres the great multitude of enemies and their puissant power maketh oft-times the desired victorie to be doubtful This thing seene of the Romanes and by them considered importunately they besought the Emperour not to charge the battell for they sayde hee had not men sufficient And herein they had reason For the sage Prince should not rashly hazard his person in the warre nor yet should lightly put his life in the hands of Fortune The Emperour Gracian not changing countenance nor stopping in his words to all the Knights which were about him answered in this wise CHAP. XXVI Of the godly Oration which the Emperour Gracian made to his Souldiers before hee gaue the battell VAliant
World beside peraduenture it is not folly to winne with the tears of the poore and comfortlesse widdowes so great and bloudy victories peraduenture it is no folly willingly to wet the earth with the bloud of Innocents onely to haue a vaine glorie in this World Thou thinkest it no folly peraduenture God hauing diuided the World into so many people that thou shouldest vsurpe them to thee alone O Alexander Alexander truly such workes proceede not from a creature nourished among men on the earth but rather of one that hath beene brought vp among the infernall Furies of Hell for wee are not bound to iudge men by the good nature they haue but by their good and euill works which they do The man is cursed if hee haue not been cursed hee shal be cursed that liueth to the preiudice of all others in this world present onely to be counted couragious stoute and hardie in time to come For the gods seldome suffered them to enioy that quietly in peace which they haue gotten vniustly in the warres I would aske thee what insolencie moued thee to reuolte against the lord K. Darius after whose death thou hast sought to conquer all the world and thus thou doest not as a King that is an inhertitor but as a tyrant that is an oppressor For him properly we cal a tirant that without iustice reason taketh that which is another mans Eyther thou searchest iustic or thou searchest peace or else thou searchest riches and our honor Thou searchest rest or els thou searchest fauour of thy frends or thou searchest vengeance of thine enemies But I sweare vnto thee Alex that thou shalt not find any of all these things if thou seekest by this meanes as thou hast begun For the sweet Sugar is not of the nature of the bitter gumbe How shall wee belieue thou searchest iustice sith against reason and iustice by Tiranny thou rulest al the earth how shal we belieue thou searchest peace sith thou causest them to pay tribute which receiue thee and those which resist thee thou handlest thē like enemies How can we belieue that thou searchest rest sith thou troublest all the world How can wee belieue thou searchest gentiles sith thou art the scourge and sword of humaine frailnes how can we belieue that thou searchest riches sith thine owne Treasures suffiseth thee not neyther that which by thee vāquished cōmeth into thy hands nor that which the conque rors offer thee How shall we belieue thou searchest profit to thy friēds sith that of thy old friends thou hast made new enemies I let thee vnderstand Alex that the greatest ought to teache the least the least to obey the greatst And Friendship is onely amongst equalls But thou sith thou sufferest none in the World to bee equall and like vnto thee looke not thou to haue any Friend in the world For Princes oftentimes by ingratitude loose faithfull Friends and by ambition winne mortall enemies How shall we belieue thou searchest reuēge of thine enemies sith thou takest more vengeance of thy selfe beeing aliue then thine enemyes would take of thee if they tooke thee prisoner though perchance in times past they vsed thy Father Philip euill and haue now disobeyed thee his Sonne It were farre better counsel for thee to make them thy Friends by gentlenes then to confirme them Enemyes by crueltie For the Noble and pitifull harts when they are reuenged of any make of themselues a butcherie Wee cannot with truth say that thy Trauells are well employde to winne such honor sith thy conuersation and life is so vnconstant For truely honour consisteth not in that Flatterers say but in that which Lords doe For the great Familiaritie of the wicked causeth the life to be suspected Honour is not gotten by liberall giuing of Treasours at his death but by spending it well in his life For it is a sufficient profe that the man which esteemeth renowme doth little regard Money and it is an apparant token that man who little esteemeth Money greatly regardeth his renowme A man winneth not honor by murdering Innocents but by destroying Tyrants for all the harmony of the good gouernment of princes is in the chastising of the euil rewarding the good Honour is not wonne in taking and snatching the goods of an other but in giuing and spending his owne For there is nothing that beautifieth the Maiestie of a Prince more then for to shew his noblenes in extending mercie and fauour vnto his subiects and giuing gifts and rewards to the vertuous And to conclude I will let thee know who hee is that winneth true honour in this life and also a perpetuall memorie after his death and that is not hee which leadeth his life in Warres but hee that taketh his death in peace O Alexander I see thou art young and that thou desirst honour wherefore I let thee vnderstand that there is no man farther from true honor then hee which greedily procureth and desireth the same For the ambitious men not obtaining what they desire remaine alwaies defamed and in winning and getting that which they search true honour notwithstanding will not follow them Belieue mee in one thing Alexander that the most truest honor ought through worthie deedes to bee deserued and by no meanes to bee procured For all the honour which by tyrannie is wonne in the ende by infamy is lost I am sorrie for thee Alexander For I see thou wantest Iustice since thou louest Tyrannie I see thou lackest peace because thou louest warre I see thou art not Rich because thou hast made all the world poore I see thou lackest rest because thou seekest contention and debate I see thou hast no honour because thou winnest it by infamie I see thou wantest friends because thou hast made them thine enemies Finally I see thou doest not reuenge thy selfe of thine enemyes because thou art as they wold be the scourge to thy selfe Then since it is so why art thou aliue in this World sith thou lackest vertues for the which life ought to be desired For truely that man which without his owne profite and to the dammage of an other leadeth his life by Iustice ought forthwith to lose his breath For there is nothing that sooner destroyeth the Weale publike then to permit vnprofitable men therein to liue Therefore speaking the truth you Lords and Princes are but poore I beleeue thou conquerest the World because thou knowest not thy superiour therein and besides that thou wilt take life from so many to the end that by their death thou mayest win renowne If cruell and warlike Princes as thou art should inherite the liues of them whom they slay to augment prolong their liues as they doe inherite goods to maintaine their pride although it were vnmeete then warre were tollerable But what profiteth the seruant to lose his life this day and his Masters death to bee differred but vntill the morrow O Alexander to be desirous to
ought to be friend to one and enemie to none Besides all this wee haue amongst vs great friendshippes good peace great loue much rest and aboue all wee holde our selues contented for it is better to enioy the quietnesse of the graue then to liue a discontented life Our Lawes are few but in our opinions they are good and are in seuen words onely included as here followeth Wee ordaine that our children make no more Lawes then wee their Fathers doe leaue vnto them for new Lawes maketh them to forget good and ancient customes We ordaine that our Successors shall haue no moe Gods then two of the which the one God shall bee for the life and the other for the death for one God well serued is more worth then many not regarded Wee ordaine that all bee apparrelled with one cloath and hosed of one sort and that the one haue no more apparrell then the other for the diuersity of garments engendreth folly among the people Wee ordaine that when any woman which is maried hath had three children that then shee bee separated from her husband for the aboundance of children causeth men to haue couetous hearts And if any woman hath brought forth any mo children then they should bee sacrificed vnto the Gods before her eyes We ordaine that all men and women speake the truth in all things and if any bee taken in a lye committing no other fault that immediately hee bee put to death for the same For one lyer is able to vndoe a whole multitude We ordaine that no woman liue aboue forty yeares and that the man liue vntil fifty and if they dye not before that time that then they be sacrificed to the Gods for it is a great occasion for men to bee vicious to thinke that they shall liue many yeares CHAP XXXV That Princes ought to consider for what cause they were made Princes and what Thales the Philosopher was of the 12. questions asked him and of his answere he made vnto them IT is a common and olde saying which many times by Aristotle the noble and vertuous Prince hath beene repeated That in the end all thinges are done to some purpose for there is no worke neyther good nor euil◠but he that doth it meaneth to some end If thou demaundest the Gardener to what end he watereth so oft his plants hee will answere thee it is to get some money for his hearbes If thou demaundest why the riuer runneth so swift a man will answere thee that it his to the end it should returne from whence it came If thou demaundest why the trees budde in the spring time they will answere to the end they may beare fruite in haruest If wee see a traueller passe the mountaines in the snow the riuers with perill the woods in feare to walke in extreame heate in Sommer to wander in the night time in the colde winter and if by chance a man doth aske one of them saying Friend whether goest thou wherefore takest thou such paines And hee aunswereth Truly sir I know no more then you to what end neyther can I tell why I take such paines I aske thee now what a wise man would answere to this innocent Traueller Truly hearing no more hee would iudge him to bee a foole for he is much infortunate that for all his trauell looketh for no reward Therefore to our matter a Prince which is begotten as an other man borne as an other man liueth as an other man dyeth as an other man And besides all this commaundeth all men if of such a one wee should demaund why God gaue him signiory and that he should answere hee knoweth not but that he was borne vnto it In such case let euery man iudge how vnworthy such a King is to haue such authority For it is vnpossible for a man to minister iustice vnlesse hee knew before what iustice meaneth Let Princes and noble men heare this word imprint it in their memory which is that when the liuing God determined to make Kings and Lords in this world hee did not ordaine them to eate more then others to drinke more then others to sleepe more then others to speake more thē others nor to reioyce more then others but hee created them vpon condition that sith he had made thē to commaund more then others they should be more iust in their liues thē others It is a thing most vniust and in the Common wealth very slaunderous to see with what authority a puissant man commandeth those that bee vertuous and with how much shame himselfe is bound to all vices I know not what Lord he is that dare punish his subiect for one onely offence committed seeing himselfe to deserue for euery deede to bee chastised For it is a monstrous thing that a blinde man should take vpon him to leade him that seeth They demaunded great Cato the Censor what a King ought to doe that he should be beloued feared and not despised he answered The good Prince should be compared to him that selleth Tryacle who if the poyson hurteth him not hee selleth bis Triacle well I mean therby that the punishment is takē in good part of the people which is not ministred by the vitious man For hee that maketh the Tryacle shall neuer bee credited vnlesse the proofe of his Triacle bee openly knowne and tryed I meane that the good life is none other then a fine Triacle to cure the Common-wealth And to whome is he more like which with his tongue blazeth vertues and imployeth his deedes to all vices then vnto the man who in the one hand holdeth poyson to take away life and in the other Triacle to resist death To the end that a Lord bee wholy obeyed it is necessary that all that he commaundeth bee obserued first in his owne person for no Lord can nor may withdraw himselfe from vertuous works This was the answere that Cato the Censor gaue which in mine opinion was spoken more like a Christian then any Romane When the true God came into the World he employed 30. yeares onely in workes and spent but two yeares and a halfe in teaching For mans heart is perswaded more with the worke hee seeketh then with the word which hee heareth Those therfore which are Lords let them learne and know of him which is the true Lord and also let Princes learne why they are Princes for he is not a Pylot which neuer sayled on the seas In mine opinion if a Prince will know why he is a Prince I would say to gouern well his people to command well and to maintaine all in iustice and this should not bee with words to make them afrayde neyther by works which should offend them but by sweet words which should encourage them and by the good workes that should edifie them for the noble and gentle heart cannot resist him that with a louing countenance commaundeth Those which will rule and make tame fierce and wilde beasts do
friend Pulio because that since Traian spake for Nero and that hee found in him some prayse I doe thinke no lesse of the tyrant Periander whom though for his euill works hee did wee doe condemne yet for his good words that he spake and for the good lawes which hee made wee doe prayse For in the man that is euill there is nothing more easier then to giue good counsell and there is nothing more harder then to work well Periander made diuers lawes for the Common wealth of the Corinthians whereof here following I wil declare some Wee ordaine and command that if any by multiplying of wordes kill another so that it were not by treason that hee bee not therefore condemned to dye but that they make him slaue perpetuall to the brother of him that is slaine or to the next of his kinne or friendes for a short death is a lesse paine then a long seruitude Wee ordaine and commaund that if any thiefe bee taken hee shall not dye but with a hote yron shall bee marked on the forehead to bee knowne for a theefe for to shamelesse men long infamy is more paine then a short life wee ordaine and commaund that the man or woman which to the preiudice of an other shall tell any lye shall for the space of a moneth carry a stone in their mouth for it is not meete that hee which is wont to lye should álwayes bee authorized for to speake Wee ordaine and commaund that euery man or woman that is a quarreller and seditious person in the common wealth bee with great reproach banished from the people for it is vnpossible that hee should be in fauour with the gods which is an enemy to his neighbor Wee ordaine and commaund that if there bee any in the Common wealth that haue receyued of an other a benefite and that afterwards it is proued he was vnthankefull that in such case they put him to death for the man that of benefites receyued is vnthankefull ought not to liue in the world among men Behold therefore my friend Pulio the antiquity which I declared vnto thee and how mercifull the Corinthians were to murtherers theeues and Pirates And contrary how seuere they were to vnthankefull people whom they commaunded forthwith to be put to death And truely in mine opinion the Corinthians had reason for there is nothing troubleth a wise man more then to see him vnthankefull to him whom heo hath shewed pleasure vnto I was willing to tell thee this history of Periander for non other cause but to the end thou shouldest see and know that for as much as I do greatly blame the vice of vnthankefulnes I will labour not to bee noted of the same For hee that reproueth vice is not noted to be vertuous but hee which vtterly flyeth it Count vpon this my word that I tell thee which thou shalt not thinke to bee fayned that though I bee the Romane Emperor I will be thy faithfull friend and will not fayle to bee thankeful towards thee For I esteeme it no lesse glory to know how to keep a friend by wisdome then to come to the estate of an Emperour by Phylosophy By the letter thou sentest thou requiredst me of one thing to answere thee for the which I am at my witts end For I had rather open my treasure to thy necessities then to open the books to answer to thy demands although it be to my cost I confesse thy request to be reasonable and thou deseruest worthy prayse for in the end it is more worth to know how to procure a secret of Antiquities past then to heape vp treasures for the necessities in time to come As the Philosopher maketh Philosophie his treasure of knowledge to liue in peace and to hope and to looke for death with honour so the couetous being such a one as hee is maketh his treasure of worldly goods for to keepe and preserue life in this world in perpetual warres and to end his life and take his death with infamy Herein I sweare vnto thee that one day employed in Philosophy is more worth then ten thousand which are spent in heaping riches For the life of a peaceable man is none other then a sweet peregrination and the life of seditious persons is none other but a long death Thou requirest me my friend Pulio that I write vnto thee wherein the Ancients in times past had their felicity know thou that their desires were so diuers that some dispraysed life others desired it some prolonged it others did shorten it som did not desire pleasure but trauels others in trauels did not seeke but pleasures that which variety did not proceede but of diuers ends for the tastes were diuers and sundry men desired to tast diuers meates By the immortall gods I swear vnto thee that this thy request maketh me muse of thy life to see that my Philosophy answereth thee not sufficiently therein For if thou aske to proue mee thou thinkest mee presumptuous if thou demaund in mirth thou countest mee to bee too light if thou demaundest it not in good earnest thou takest mee to bee simple if thou demaundest mee for to shew it thee be thou assured I am ready to learne it if thou demandest it for to know it I confesse I cannot teach it thee if thou demandest it because thou mayest be asked it be thou assured that none will bee satisfied with my answere and if perchance thou doest aske it because sleeping hast dreamed it seeing that now thou art awake thou oughtest not to beleeue a dreame for all that the fantasie in the night doth imagine the tong doth publish it in the morning O my friend Pulio I haue reason to complaine of thee for so much as thou doest not regard the authority of my person nor the credite of thy Philosophy wherefore I feare least they will iudge thee too curions in demaunding and mee too simple in answering all this notwithstanding I determine to answere thee not as I ought but as I can not according to the great thou demaundest but according to the little I know And partly I doe it to accomplish thy request and also to fulfill my desire And now I thinke that all which shal reade this letter will bee cruell Iudges of my ignorance Of the Philosopher Epicurius IN the Olimpiade 103. Serges being King of Perses and the cruell tyrant Lysander Captaine of the Peloponenses a famous battell was fought betweene the Athenians and Lysander vpon the great Riuer of Aegeon whereof Lysander had the victory and truly vnlesse the histories deceyue vs the Athenians took this conflict grieuously because the battell was lost more through negligence of their Captaines then through the great number of theyr enemies For truely many winne victories more through the cowardlinesse that some haue then for the hardinesse that others haue The Philosopher Epicurus at that time florished who was of a liuely wit but of a meane stature
cannot tell which of these two things were greater in him that is to say the profoundnesse of Knowledge that the Gods had giuen him or the cruell malice wherewith he persecuted his enemies For truely as Pithagoras saith Those which of men are most euill willed of the gods are best beloued This Philosopher Anacharsis then being as he was of Scithia which nation amongst the Romanes was esteemed Barbarous it chaunced that a malitious Romane sought to displease the Philosopher in wordes and truely hee was moued thereunto more through malice then thorow simplicity For the outwarde malitious words are a manifest token of the inward malitious hart This Romane therefore sayde to the Philosopher It is vnpossible Anacharsis that thou shouldest bee a Scithian borne for a man of such eloquence cannot bee of such a Barbarous Nation To whome Anacharsis answered Thou hast sayde well and herein I assent to thy wordes howbeit I doe not allow thy intention for as by reason thou mayest disprayse mee to bee of a barbarous Country and commend mee for a good life so I may iustly accuse thee of a wicked life and prayse thee of a good Country And herein bee thou Iudge of both which of vs two shall haue the most praise in the World to come neyther thou that art borne a Romane and leadest a barbarous life or I that am borne a Scythian and leade the life of a Romane For in the end in the Garden of this life I had rather bee a greene Apple-tree and beare fruit then to bee a drie Liban drawne on the ground After that Anacharsis had been in Rome a long time and in Greece hee determined for the loue of his Country now being aged to return home to Scythia whereof a brother of his named Cadmus was King who had the name of a King but in deede hee was a tyrant Since this good Philosopher sawe his brother exercise the workes of a Tyrant and seeing also the people so desolate hee determined to giue his brother the best counsell he could to ordayne lawes to the people and in good order to gouerne them which thing being seene of the Barbarous by the consent of them all as a man who inuented new deuises to liue in the World before them all openly was put to death For I will thou know O my friend Pulio that there is no greater token that the whole Common wealth is full of vice then when they kill or banish those which are vertuous therein so therefore as they led this Philosopher to death he sayd hee was vnwilling to take his death and loath to lose his life wherefore one sayde vnto him these wordes Tell me Anacharsis sith thou art a man so vertuous so sage and so olde me thinketh it should not grieue thee to leaue this miserable life For the vertuous man should desire the company of the vertuous men the which this world wanteth The Sage ought to desire to liue with other Sages whereof the world is destitute and the olde man ought little to esteeme the losse of his life since by true experience hee knoweth in what trauels he passed his dayes For truely it is a kind of folly for a man which hath trauelled and finished a dangerous and long iourney to lament to see himselfe now in the end thereof Anacharsis answered him Thou speakest very good words my friend and I would that thy life were as thy counsell is but it grieueth mee that in this conflict I haue neyther vnderstanding nor yet sense to taste not that I haue time enough to thanke thee For I let thee know that there is no tongue can expresse the griefe which a man feeleth when hee ought forthwith to dye I dye and as thou seest they kill me onely for that I am vertuous I feele nothing that tormenteth my heart so much as King Cadmus my brother doth for that I cannot bee reuenged For in my opinion the chiefe felicity of man consisteth in knowing and being able to reuenge the iniurie done without reason before a man doth end his life It is a commendable thing that the Philosopher pardon iniuries as the vertuous Philosophers haue accustomed to doe but it should bee also iust that the iniuries which wee forgiue the Gods should therewith bee charged to see reuengement For it is a hard thing to see a tyrant put a vertuous man to death and neuer to see the Tyrant to come to the like Mee thinketh my friend Pulio that this Philosopher put all his felicity in reuenging an iniurie during the like in this world Of the Sarmates THe Mount Caucasus as the Cosmographers say doth deuide in the middest great Asia the which beginneth in Indea and endeth in Scithia and according to the variety of the people which inhabite the villages hath this mount diuers names and those which dwell towards the Indians differ much from the others For the more the Countrey is full of mountaines so much the more the people are Barbarous Amongst all the other Cities which are adiacent vnto the same there is a kinde of people called Sarmates and that is the Countrey of Sarmatia which standeth vpon the riuer of Tanays There grow no vines in the Prouince because of the great colde and it is true that among all the Orientall nations there are no people which more desire Wine then they doe For the thing which wee lacke is commonly most desired These people of Sarmatia are good men of Warre though they are vnarmed they esteeme not much delicate meates nor sumptuous apparrell for all their felicity consisteth in knowing how they might fill themselues with Wine In the yeare of the foundation of Rome p 318. our auncient Fathers determined to wage battell against those people and other Barbabarous Nations and appointed a Consull called Lucius Pius And sith in that warres fortune was variable they made a Truce and afterwardes all their Captaines yeelded themselues and their country into the subiection of the Romane Empire onely because the Consull Lucius Pius in a banquet that hee made filled them with Wine Within this tombe Lucius Pius lyes That whilom was a Consull great in Rome And daunted eke as shame his slaunder cryes The Sarmates sterne not by Mauors his doome But by reproofe and shame of Romane armes He vanquisht hath not as the Romanes vse But as the bloudy tirants that with swarms Of huge deceites the fierce assaults refuse Not in the warres by biting weapons stroke But at the boorde with sweet delighting foode Not in the hazard fight he did them yoke But feeding all in rest he stole their blood Nor yet with mighty Mars in open field He rest their liues with sharpe ypersing speares But with the push of drunken Bacchus shield Home to hie Rome the triumph loe he beares The sacred Senate set this Epitaph here because all Romane Captaines should take example of him For the Maiesty of the Romanes consisteth not in vanquishing their enemies
in my life and for the gifts he sends mee now at my death For one friend can doe more to another then to offer him his person to depart with his proper goods Tell the king thy father that I maruell what hee should meane that I now beeing foure score yeares of age and haue walked all my life time naked in this world should now be laden with vestures and money since I must passe so great a gulfe in the Sea to go out of this world The Egyptians haue a custome to lighten the burden of their Camels when they passe the Desartes of Arabia which is much better then to ouercharge them I meane that he onely passeth without trauell the dangers of the life which banisheth frō him that thought of temporall goods of this world Thirdly thou shalt say to the King thy Father that from hence forth when any man will dye he doe not succour nor helpe him with Money Golde nor Riches but with good and ripe counsell For Golde will make him leaue his life with sorrow and good Counsell will moue him to take his death with patience The fifth king of the Macedonians was called Archelaus who they say to be the grandfather of king Philip father of the great Alexander This king boasteth himselfe to descend from Menelaus King of the Grecians and principall Captaine which was at the destruction of Troy This king Archelaus was a great friend to the Sages and amongst others there was a Poet with him called Euripides who at that time had no lesse glory in his kinde of Poetrie then Archelaus in his king dome being king of Macedonia For now a dayes we esteeme more the Sages for the bookes which they wrote then we do exalt kings for the Realms which they ruled or the battels which they ouercame The familiaritie which Euripides had with the king Archelaus was so great that in the Realme of Macedonie nothing was done but first it was examined by the hands of this Philosopher And as the simple and ignorant would not naturally be subiect to the Sage it chanced that one night Euripides was talking a long time with the King declaring vnto him the ancient Histories and when the poore Poet would depart to goe home to his house his enemies espyed him and let the hungrie dogges flie vpon him the which did not onely teare him in peeces but also eate him euery morsell So that the intrayles of the dogges were the wofull graue of the most miserable Poet. The King Archelaus being certified of this wofull case immediately as soone as they told him was so chafed that almost he was bereft of his senses And hereat maruell not at all For gentle hearts doe alter greatly when they are aduertised of any suddaine mishappe As the loue which the King had to Euripides in his life was much so likewise the sorow which he felt at his death was very great for he shed many teares from his eyes he cut the hairs off his head he rounded his beard hee changed his apparrell which he ware and aboue all he made as solemne a funerall to Euripides as if they had buried Vlisses And not contented with al these things he was neuer merry vntill such time he had done cruell execution of the malefactors for truely the iniury or death which is done vnto him whom wee loue is no other but as a bath and token of our owne good wills After iustice was executed of those homicides and that some of the bones all gnawne of the dogs were buried a Grecian Knight said vnto King Archelaus I let the know excellent king that all Macedonta is offended with thee because that for so small a losse thou hast shewed so great sorrow To whom king Archelaus aunswered Among Sages it is a thing sufficiently often tryed that noble hearts ought not to shew themselues sad for mishaps and sodaine chances for the king being sadde his Realme cannot and though it might it ought not shew it selfe merry I haue heard my father say once that Princes should neuer shed teares vnlesse it were for one of these causes 1 The first the Prince should bewaile the losse danger of his common wealth for the good Prince ought to pardon the iniuries done to his person but to reuenge the least act done to the Common-wealth he ought to hazard himselfe 2 The second the good Prince ought to lament if any man haue touched his honour in any wise for the prince which weepeth not drops of bloud for the things touching his honour deserueth to be buried quicke in his graue 3 The third the good Prince ought to bewayle those which can little and suffer much For the Prince which bewayleth not the calamities of the poore in vaine and without profit liueth on the earth 4 The fourth the good Prince ought to bewayle the glory and prosperity wherein the tyrants are For that Prince which with tyranny of the euill is not displeased with the hearts of the good is vnworthy to bee beloued 5 The fift the good Prince ought to bewayle the death of Wise men For to a Prince there can come no greater losse then when a wise man dyeth in his Common wealth These were the words which the King Archelaus answered the Grecian Knight who reproued him because he had wept for the death of Euirpides the Philosopher The ancient Historiographers can say no more of the estimation which the Philosophers and wise men had as well the Greekes as the Latines but I will tell you one thing worthy of noting It is well knowne through all the world that Scipio the Ethnicke was one of the worthiest that euer was in Rome for by his name and by his occasion Rome got such a memory as shall endure And this was not only for that he conquered Affricke but for the great worthinesse of his person Men ought not to esteeme a little these two giftes in one man that is to say to be happy and aduenturous For many of the Auncients in times past wanne glory by their swords and after lost it by their euill liues The Romane Historiographers say that the first that wrote in Heroicall meeter in the Latine tongue was Ennius the Poet the workes of whom was so esteemed of Scipio the Ethnick that when this aduenturous and so luckie Romane dyed he commaunded in his will and testament that they should hang the image of this Ennius the Poet ouer his graue By that the great Scipio did at his death wee may well coniecture how great a friend he was of Sages in his life since he had rather for his honour see the Statue of Ennius on his graue then the banner wherwith he wonne and conquered Affricke In the time of Pirrus which was King of the Epirotes and great enemy of the Romanes flourished a Philosopher named Cinas borne in Thessaly who as they say was the Disciple of Demosthenes The Historiographers at that time did so much
liue very circumspectly when they know they are conceyued with childe I should bee excused to speake of this matter since it is not my profession and that as yet I was neuer marryed but by that I haue read of some and by that I haue heard of others I will and dare be so bolde to say one word For the Sage oft times giueth better account of that he hath read then the simple doth of that hee hath proued This thing seemeth to bee true betweene the Physitian and the Patient For where the patient suffereth the euill hee oft times demaundeth the physitian what his sicknes is and where it holdeth him and what it is called and what remedie there is for his disease So the Physitian knoweth more by his science then the patient doth by his experience A man ought not to denie that the women and in especially great Ladies know not by experiēce how they are altered when they are quicke and the great paines they suffer when they are deliuered wee could not denie but that there is great danger in the one and great perill in the other but they shall neuer know frō whence all commeth and frō whence all proceedeth and what remedie is necessarie For there are manie which complaine of robberyes but yet they knowe not what the thieues are that haue robbed them First according to my iudgement opinion that which the woman quicke with childe ought to doe is that they go softly and quietly and that they eschue running eyther in comming or going for though she little esteem the health of her person yet shee ought greatly to regarde the life of the creature The more precious the liquor is and the more weaker the vessell is which containeth it so much the more they ought to feare the danger lest the liquor shead and the vessell breake I meane that the complexion of Women beeing with Childe is very delicate and that the soule of the creature is more pretious and therefore it ought with great diligence to be preserued For all the treasure of the Indies is not equall in value to that which the woman beareth in her bowells When a man planteth a vineyard forthwith he maketh a ditche or some Fence for it to the ende that Beastes should not crop it whiles it is young nor that Trauellers should gather the Grapes when they are ripe And if the Labourer doeth this thing for to get a little wine onely the which for the soule and bodie is not always profitable How much more circūspection ought the woman to haue to preserue her childe since she shall render an accosit to the Creator of her creature vnto the Church of a christian and vnto her Husband of a childe In mine opinion where the account at the houre of death is so streight it is requisite for her that in the time of her life she be very circumspect For GOD knoweth euery thing so well in our life that there is none that can beguile him in rendring his account at his death There is no wight can suffer nor hart dissemble to see a man haue his desire that is to say to haue his Wife great with chllde and ready to bring forth good fruite and afterwards to see the wofull Mother by or throgh some sudden accident perish the innocent babe not to be borne When the VVoman is healthfull and big with childe she is worthie of great reproach if eyther by running leaping or dauncing any mischaunce hap vnto her And truly the Husband hath great cause to lament this case For without doubt the Gardener feeleth great griefe in his heart when in the Prime-time the tree is loden with blossomes and yet by reason of some sharpe and bitter Frost it neuer beareth fruite It is not onely euill that women should runne and leape when they are bigge and great with childe but it is also dishonest specially for great Ladyes For alwayes women that are common dauncers are esteemed as light houswiues The Wiues in generall Princesses and great Ladyes in particular ought to goe temperately and to be modest in theyr mouings For the modest gate argueth discreetnesse in the person All women naturally desire to be honoured and reuerenced and touching that I let them know that there is nothing which in a commonwealth is more honour for a woman then to be wise and warie in speaking moderate and quiet in going For it is vnpossible but that the woman which is light in her going and malicious in her talking should bee despised and abhorred In the yeare of the Foundation of Rome 466. the Romaines sent Curius Dentatus to make warre against King Pyrrus who kept the citie of Tharent and did much harme to the people in Rome For the Romaines had a great courage to conquer strange Realmes and therefore they could haue no patience to suffer any stranger to inuade theirs This Curius Dentatus was he which in the end ouercame King Pyrrus and was the first that brought the Elephants to Rome in his triumphe wherfore the fiercenesse of those Beasts astonished the Romane people much for they weighed little the sight of the Kings loden with yrons but to see the Elephants as they did they wondred much Curius Dentatus had one onely Sister the which he entierly loued They were seuen children two of the which died in the warres and other three by pestilence So that there were none left him but that sister wherefore hee loued her with all his heart For the death of vnthrifty children is but as a watch for children vnprouided of fauors This sister of Curius Dentatus was marryed to a Roman Consull and was conceyued and gone 7. moneths with childe and the day that her brother Triumphed for ioy of her Brothers honour she leaped and daunced so much that in the same place shee was deliuered and so vnluckely that the Mother tooke her death and the Childe neuer liued wherevpon the feast of the Triumph ceased and the Father of the infant with sorrowe lost his speech For the heart which suddenly feeleth griefe incontinently loseth vnderstanding Tibullus the Grecian in the 3. booke De casibus Triumphi declareth the hystorie in good stile how and in what sorte it chaunced Nine yeares after that the Kings of Rome were banished for the rape that Tarquine did to the chaste Lucretia the Romaines created a dignitie which they called Dictatura and the Dictator that had this office was aboue all other Lord and chiefe For the Romaines perceyued that the Commonwealth could not be gouerned but by one head alone And because the Dictatour had so great authoritie as the Emperour hath at this present and to the end they shold not become Tyrants they prouided that the office of the Dictatorship should last no longer then vi moneths in the yeare the which past and expired they chose another Truely it was a good order that that office dured but 6. moneths For oft times Princes thinking
the proofe of this it needeth not books to read but onely our eyes to see how the brute Beasts for the most part when their females are bigge do not touch them nor yet the Females suffer them to be touched I meane that the Noble and high Estates ought to absent thēselues from their wiues carnally being great with childe and hee that in this case shall shewe himselfe most temperate shall of all men be deemed most vertuous I doe not speake this to the ende it should binde a man or that it were an offence then to vse the companie of his wife but vnto men that are vertuous I giue it as a counsell For some things ought to bee done of necessitie and others ought to be eschued for honestie Dyodorus Siculus saieth that in the Realme of Mauritania there were so few men and so many women that euery man had fiue wiues where there was a law among them that no man should marrie vnder three wiues furthermore they had a wonderfull and foolish custome that when any Husband died one of those women shuld cast herselfe quicke into the graue and be buried with him And if that within a moneth she did it not or that she dyed not by iustice shee was openly put to death saying that it is more honestie to bee in companie with her Husband in the graue then it is to be alone in her house In the Isles of Baleares the contrary is seene for there increase so many men and so few women that for one woman there was seuen men and so they had a custome especially amongst the poore that one woman should bee marryed with fiue men For the rich men sent to seeke for women in other strange Realmes wherfore then Merchants came heauie loaden with women as now they doe with marchandize to sell Vpon which occasion there was a custome in those Isles that for as much as there were so few women when any woman with childe drew neere the seuen monethes they were seperated from their husbands and shutte and locked vp in the Temples where they gaue them such things as were necessary for them of the common treasure For the ancients had their Gods in such veneration that they would not permit any person to eate that which he brought but of that which vnto the Gods of the Temple was offered At that time the Barbarous kept theit wiues locked in the Church because the Gods hauing them in their Temples should bee more mercifull vnto them in their deliuerie and also to cause them to auoyde the dangers at that time and besides that because they tooke it for a great villany that the women during that time should remaine with their husbands The famous and renowmed Philosopher Pulio in the fift Booke De moribus antiquorum said That in the Realme of Pannonia which now is Hungarie the women that were great with childe were so highly esteemed that when any went out of her house all those which mette with her were bound to returne backe with her and in such sort as wee at this present doe reuerence the holy Communion so did these Barbarous then the women with childe The women of Carthage being with childe when Carthage was Carthage had as great priuileges as now our Sanctuaries haue for the safegard of misdoers for in times past all such offenders as could enter into the house where a woman lay in child-bed should haue beene free from correction of Iustice As Fronto saith in his Booke of the Veneration of the Gods the Gallois Transalpins did not only honor reuerence the women with childe but also with much care and diligence watched her deliuery for it little auaileth the Shippe to haue passed safe the dangerous Seas if at the Shore she be cast away The case was in this sort that al the ancient Gentiles honored some gods in their Temples and kept other in their houses the which were called Lares and Penates and when any woman began to labour each neighbour brought his familiar god vnto her to present her with all because they thought that the more gods there were of so much more power they were to keepe her from perills Speaking like a Christian Truely those gods were of small value since they could not helpe the woman safely to be deliuered that was in trauaile CHAP. XII What the Philosopher Pisto was and of the Rules hee gaue concerning women with childe IN the time of Octauian the Emperour was a Philosopher called Pisto which was of the sect of Pithagoras and when Rome flourished he was very familiar with the Emperour Octauian and well beloued of all the people which ought not to be a little esteemed for he which of the Prince is most fauored commonly of the people is much hated This Emperour Octauian was a Prince very desirous of all vertuous things so that when he dined with his Captaines he spake of Warre when he supped with the Sages hee reasoned of the Sciences and he that vttered any dishonest or idle word in his presence hee alwaies afterward tooke him as his enemie This Pisto was very graue in waightie affaires very pleasant in slents and jests and oft times he was demanded many questions of the Emperour whereof the answeres of some according to the demands and questions here followeth The Emperour sayd to Pisto Of all these that liueth whom takest thou to be most Foole To whom the Philosopher answered In my opinion I take him to be most foole of whose word there commeth no profite for truely he is not so very a foole that flingeth stones into the winde as he that vttereth vaine words Tell me Pisto Whom ought wee of right to desire to speake whom of right to command to be silent He answered It is good when speech doth profite and good to keepe silence when speech is hurtfull for the one desiring to maintaine the good and the other to defend the euill warres begin throughout all the world Tell mee Pisto from what thing ought the fathers most to keepe their children He sayd In my opinion parents ought in nothing to watch so much as to keepe them from being vicious for the father ought rather to haue his sonne dye well then to liue euill Tell me Pisto What shall man do if hee be brought to this extremitie That if he speake truth hee condemneth himselfe and if hee make a lye he saueth himselfe The vertuous man said he ought rather to choose to be ouercome by truth then to ouercome by lyes for it is vnpossible that a man which is a lyer should continue long in prosperity Tell me Pisto What shall men do to obtaine rest He answered As I thinke the man cannot haue rest vnlesse he forsake worldly affayres for the men that are occupied with weightie affaires cannot be without great cares or alwaies accompanied of great troubles Tell me Pisto wherein a man sheweth himselfe to be most wise He answered
There is no greater proofe to know a wise man then if he be patient to suffer the ignorant for in suffering an iniurie the heart is more holpen by wisedome then by knowledge Tell mee Pisto What is that thing that the vertuous man may lawfully desire He answered All that is good so that it be not to the preiudice of any other may honestly be desired but in my opinion that onely ought to bee desired which openly without shame may bee demanded Tell me Pisto What shall men do with their wiues when they are great with childe to cause that the child in safetie may be deliuered He answered In the world there is nothing more perillous iben to haue the charge of a woman with childe for if the husband serue her hee hath paine and trauaile and if perchance hee doe not content her she is in danger In this case the wiues of Rome and their husbands also ought to be very diligent and to the things following more carefull the which I shew them more for counsell then for commandement for good counsell ought to haue as much authoritie in the vertuous as the commandement hath in the vicious Thou Octauian as thou art a mercifull and a pittifull Emperour and that thou keepest thy Neece Collucia great with childe I know thou desirest that shee had presently good and lucky deliuery and that shee were deliuered of her paine all the which thou shalt see if thou dost marke these things that I will shew thee heere following First the woman ought to beware of dancing leaping and running for leaping oftentimes maketh man to lose his speach and women with childe to lose their life wherefore it is not reason that the folly of the mother should bee permitted to put in hazzard the life of the child The second the woman being with childe ought to beware that shee be not so hardy to enter into Gardens where there is much fruit and that for eating too many shee bee not ill deliuered for it is no reason that the lycorousnes of the mother be punished with the death of the childe The third the woman with childe ought to beware of ouer hard lacing her selfe about the middle for many Romane Dames for to seeme proper doe weare their Gownes so straite that it is an occasion to kill their creatures which is a heynous matter that the young babe should lose his life because his mother should seeme pretty The fourth the women with childe ought to beware of eating in a great Banquet for oft times there commeth a suddaine deliuerance onely through eating without measure and it is not meete that for tasting a thing of little value the mother and the childe should both lose their liues The fift the woman being with child ought to beware that she giueth no eare to any sudden newes for shee is in more danger for hearing a thing that grieueth her then for suffering long sicknesse that payneth her and it were vniust that for knowing of a trifling matter the mother that is to be deliuered and the child that is to be borne should both in one moment perish The sixt the woman with childe ought to beware that she goe not by any meanes to any Feasts where there shall bee any great assembly of people for oft times the woman with childe seeing her to bee much thrust and prest being not able to say I am here may immediately dye in the place and it is not reason but an vniust thing that the woman for the desire to see the children of others should make of her owne Orphanes The seuenth the husband ought to beware that she being with childe bee not deneyd any honest thing that shee doth minde for ingranting her it cannot cost him much but in denying her hee may lose much and it would not bee iust that since in her bringing foorth she honoreth and increaseth the Common-wealth of Rome that Rome should condiscend that any woman with child should receiue any hurt or dishonour These bee the answeres that Pisto made the Emperour Octauian the which hee gaue as Rules to women with childe which being so kept I do assure you that the great Ladyes should deliuer themselues from many perils the husbands also should escape from many sorrowes Concluding therefore that which aboue all is spoken I say that Princesses and great Ladies when they are with childe ought to bee more warie and circumspect then other meane women for where man hopeth to haue most profit there ought he most to be carefull The Authour of this is Pulio in his third Booke De moribus antiquorū Sextus Cheronsnsis in his fift booke De legibus domesticis CHAP. XIII Of three Counsels which Lucius Seneca gaue vnto a Secretarie his friend who serued the Emperour Nero and how the Emperour Marcus Aurelius disposed all the houres of the day THe Emperour Nero had a Secretary called Emilius Varro the which being in Rome builded a sumptuous house ioyning vnto the Gate of Salaria whereunto hee inuited one day Lucius Seneca to a banquet to the end the house might bee more fortunate for the Romanes had a prophecie That according to the good or ill lucke of him that first entred into a new house so should it continually be luckie or vnluckie Lucius Seneca graunted to the request of his friend Emilius Varro and when they had well eaten they went both to see this new building shewing vnto Lucius Seneca all things at the last the Secretary sayd thus vnto Seneca Those betweene both are for Guests those Halles are for Merchants Suitors these Secrets are for Women those Chambers are for Knights those Galleries which are couered are to auoide the Sunne this lowest part here is for Horses the Sellers are for the Buttry in the end he shewed him the whole house for the furnishing whereof they lacked not one jot After the Secretarie Emilius Varro had shewed him all his house hee looked when his Guest Seneca would greatly praise and commend it but he as though hee knew nothing sayd vnto Emilius Varro as he went out of the dores Whose house is this Wherevnto Emilius answered How now Seneca canst thou not tell I haue employed all my goods in building this house and haue led thee all about to see it and I haue told thee that it is mine and yet dost thou aske me againe whose it is Lucius Seneca answered Thou hast shewed vs the house for strangers the house for sleues the house for women the house for horses and in all this house thou hast not shewed me one little part for thy selfe but that another man doth enter into it for if thou hast any interest therein they haue the best thereof which is the possession I account thee a wise man I doe account thee a man of vnderstanding and allso I know that with all thy heart thou art my friend and since I haue beene bidden to day by the it is but reason that
and in this place they talked with him that had businesse and truely it was a great policie for where as the Prince doth not sit the suitor alwaies abridgeth his talke And when the day began to waxe hot he went to the high Capitoll where all the Senate tarryed for him and from thence hee went to the Coliseo where the Ambassadours of the Prouinces were and there remained a great part of the day Afterwards he went to the Chappell of the Vestall Virgins and there he heard euery Nation by it selfe according to the order which was prescribed Hee did eate but one meale in the day and it was very late but he did eate well not of many and diuers sorts of meate but of few and good for the abundance of diuers strange meates breedeth sundry diseases They sawe him once a weeke goe through Rome and if hee went any more it was a wonder at the which time he was alwayes without company both of his owne and also of strangers to the entent all poore men might talke with him of their businesse or complaine of his Officers for it is vnpossible to reforme the Common-wealth if he which ought to remedie it be not informed of the iniuries done in the same He was so gentle in conuersation so pleasant in words so Noble amongst the Great so equall with the least so reasonable in that hee did aske so perfect in that he did worke so patient in iniuries so thankefull of benefites so good to the good and so seuere to the euill that all loued him for being good and all the euill feared him for being iust A man ought not little to esteeme the loue that the people bare to this so good a Prince and Noble Emperour for so much as the Romanes haue been thus that for the felicitie of their estate they offered to their Gods greater Sacrifice then they did in any other Prouinces And Sextus Cheronensis saith that the Romanes offered more Sacrifices to the Gods because they should lengthen the life of the Emperour then they did offer for the profite of the Common-wealth Truely their reason was good for the Prince that leadeth a good life is the heart of the Common-wealth But I doe not maruell that the Emperour was so well willed and beloued of the Romane Empire for he had neuer Porter to his Chamber but the two houres which hee remayned with his wife Faustine All this being past the good Emperour weat into his house into the secretst place hee had according to the counsell of Lucius Seneca the key whereof he alone had in his custodie and neuer trusted any man therewith vntill the houre of his death and then he gaue it to an olde ancient man called Pompeianus saying vnto him these words Thou knowest right well Pompeianus that thou being base I exalted thee to honour thou being poore I gaue thee riches thou being persecuted I drew thee to my Palace I being absent committed my whole honour to thy trust thou being olde I marryed thee with my daughter and doe presently giue thee this Key Behold that in giuing thee it I giue thee my heart and life for I will thou know that death grieueth mee not so much nor the losse of my wife and children as that I cannot carry my Bookes into the graue If the Gods had giuen mee the choyse I had rather choose to be in the graue inuironed with Bookes then to liue accompanied with fooles for if the dead doe read I take them to be aline but if the liuing doe not read I take them to be dead Vnder this key which I giue thee remayneth many Greeke Hebrew Latine and Romame Bookes and aboue all vnder this key remaineth all my paynes swet and trauells all my watchings and laboures where also thou shalt finde Bookes by mee compiled so that though the wormes of the earth doe eate my body yet men shall finde my heart whole amongst these Bookes Once againe I doe require thee and say that thou oughtest not a little to esteeme the key which I giue thee for wise men at the houre of their death alwayes recommend that which they best loue to them which in their liues they haue most loued I doe confesse that in my Studie thou shalt finde many things with mine owne hand written and well ordered and also I confesse that thou shalt finde many things by me left vnperfect In this case I thinke that though thou couldest not write them yet thou shalt worke them well notwithstanding and by these meanes thou shalt get reward of the Gods for working them Consider Pompeian that I haue beene thy Lord I haue beene thy Father-in-law I haue beene thy Father I haue beene thy Aduocate and aboue all that I haue beene thy speciall friend which is most of all for a man ought to esteeme more a faithfull friend then all the Parents of the world Therefore in the faith of that friendshippe I require that thou keepe this in memorie that euen as I haue recommended to others my Wife my Children my Goods and Riches So I doe leaue vnto thee in singuler recommendation my Honour for Princes leaue of themselues no greater memorie then by the good learning that they haue written I haue beene eighteene yeeres Emperour of Rome and it is threescore and three yeeres that I haue remayned in this wofull life during which time I haue ouercome many Battailes I haue slayne many Pyrates I haue exalted many good I haue punished many euill I haue wonne many Realmes and I haue destroyed many Tyrants but what shall I doe wofull man that I am sith all my companions which were witnesses with me of all these worthy feates shall be companions in the graue with the greedy wormes A thousand yeeres hence when those that are now aliue shall then be dead what is hee that shall say I saw Marcus Aurelius triumph ouer the Parthians I saw him make the buildings in Auentino I sawe him well beloued of the people I saw him father of the Orphanes I saw him the scourge of Tyrants Truely if all these things had not beene declared by my Bookes or of my friends the dead would neuer haue risen againe to haue declared them What is it for to see a Prince from the time he is borne vntill the time hee come to dye to see the pouertie he passeth the perills he endureth the euill that hee suffereth the shame that he dissembleth the friendshippe that hee fayneth the teares which hee sheddeth the sighes that hee fetcheth the promises that hee maketh and doth not endure for any other cause the miseries of this life but onely to leaue a memorie of him after his death There is no Prince in the world that desireth not to keepe a good house to keepe a good table to apparell himselfe richly and to pay those that serue him in his house but by this vaine honour they suffer the water to passe through their lippes not drinking thereof As
Husband bee vicious you restraine him immediately for you burden his heart with so manie thoughts that his bodie hath no delight to vse any pleasure Finally I say that if the husband be peaceable within short space you make him vnquiet for your paines are such so many and so continuall that there is no heart can wholly dissemble them nor Tongue that vtterly can keepe them secret Naturally women haue in all things the spirite of contradiction for so much as if the Husbands will speake they will holde their peace If he go forth they will tarrie at home if he will laugh they will weepe if hee will take pleasure they will vexe him If he be sorrowfull they will be merie If he desire peace they would haue war If he would eate they will fast if hee would fast they would eate If hee would sleepe they will watche and if hee will watche they will sleepe Finally I say that they are of so euill a condition that they loue all that we despise and despise all that we loue In mine opinion the men that are wise and will obtaine that which they desire of their wiues Let them not demaunde of them that which they would obtaine if they will come to obtaine their desire For vnto them which are diseased the letting of Bloud is most profitable when the veyne in the contrary side is opened It is no other thing to be let bloud in the cōtrary side but to ask of the woman with his mouth the contrarie of that which he desireth with his heart for otherwise neyther by faire words of his mouth nor by the bitter teares of his eyes he shal neuer obtaine that which his heart desireth I confesse Faustine it is a pleasant sport to behold the young babes and thou canst not denie mee but it is a cruell torment to endure the importunities of their Mothers Children now and then minister vnto vs occasions of pleasures but you that are theyr Mothers neuer doe any thing but that which turneth vs to trouble It is much pleasure to the Husband when he commeth home to finde the house cleane swept to find the Table couered and to finde the meate ready dressed this is to be vnderstood if all other things be well But what shall we say when he seeth the contrarie and that he findeth his children weeping his neighbours offended his Seruants troubled and aboue all when hee findeth his Wife brawling Truly it is better to the wofull Husband to goe his way fasting then to tarrie and eate at home with brawling I durst take vppon mee to cause that all marryed men would be content to forbeareal the pleasures of the Children with condition that they might be Free from the annoyance of the Mothers for in the ende the pleasures of the children endeth quickly with laughter but the griefes of the mothers endureth all their life with sorrow I haue seene one thing in Rome wherein I was neuer deceyued which is that though men commit great offences in this World yet God deferreth the punishment thereof vntill another But if for any womans pleasure we commit any faulte God permitteth that by the same woman in this world we shall suffer the paine There is no crueller enemy to to man nor more troublessome to liue withall then the woman is that hee keepeth in his house for if hee suffer her once to haue her owne will then let him be assured neuer after to bring her vnto obedience The young men of Rome follow the Ladies of Capua but they may well repent them For there was neuer man that haunted of any long time the company of womē but in the end to their procurement either by death or with infamie he was defaced For the Gods esteeme the Honour aboue all things and as they suffer the wickednesse of the euill men so wee see the sharpe punishments that they ordaine for them I am well assured Faustine of one thing and I do not speake it by heare say but because continually I haue prooued it and it is that the Husband which condiscendeth to all that the Wife desireth causeth his wife to do nothing of that her husband commaundeth For there is nothing that keepeth a woman more vnder obedience to her Husband then when oftētimes he denyeth with sharpe words her vnlawfull request In my opinion it is much crueltie of the barbarous to keepe as they doe theyr wiues like slaues but it is much more follie of the Romaines to keepe them as they doe like Ladies The flesh ought not to bee so leane that it be in eating drie nor yet so fatte that there be no leane but it would participate both of the fatte and of the leane to the intent it might giue the more nourishment I meane that the man of vnderstanding ought not to keepe his Wife so short that shee should seeme to be his seruant nor yet to giue her so much libertie that she becometh his Mistresse For the Husband that suffereth his Wife to commaund more then shee ought is the cause why hee himselfe afterwardes is not esteemed as he should be I Behold Faustine you women are in all things so extreame that for a little fauour you waxe proude and for a little displeasure you become great enemies There is no Woman that willingly can suffer to haue any superiour nor yet scarcely can endure to haue any equall for we see that you loue not the highest nor desire to be loued of the lowest For where the louers bee not equall there their loue cannot be perfect I knowe well Faustine that thou doest not vnderstand mee therefore harken what I doe tell thee more then thou thinkest and more then thou wouldest O what and how many women haue I seene in Rome the which thogh they had two thousand pound of Rent in their heads yet they had three thousand follyes in their heads and the worst of all is that oft times her Husband dyeth and she looseth her Rent yet for all that ceaseth not her follie Now listen Faustine and I wil tell thee more All women will speake and they will that others be silent All wil commaund and will not that they be commanded and they will that all be captiues to them All will gouerne and will not be gouerned Finally they all in this one thing agree and that is that they wil cherish them that they loue reuenge them of those that they hate Of that which before is said it may be gathered that they make Fooles and Slaues of the young and vaine men which followe them and persecute the Wise men as enemies that flye them For in the ende where they loue vs moste their loue may bee measured but where as they hate vs least their hate exceedeth reason In the Annales of Pompeius I remember I haue read and do note one thing worthie of knowledge that when Pompeius the Great passed first into Asia as by chaunce hee came by the
she seeth him who after her death ought to haue the charge of her affayres and businesse Concluding therefore that which aboue is spoken I say that which the great Plutarch saide from whom I haue drawn the most part of this chapter that the mother to bee a good Mother ought to haue and keepe her Childe in her armes to nourish him and afterwards when he shal be great she ought to haue him in her hart to helpe him For we see oft times great euills ensue to the Mother and to the Childe because she did not bring him vp her selfe and to put him to nourish to a straunge breast there commeth neither honour nor profite CHAP. XX. ¶ That Princesses great Ladyes ought to bee very circumspect in choosing of their Nurses Of seuen propertyes which a good Nurse should haue THose which ordayned Lawes for the people to liue were these Promotheans which gaue lawes to the Egyptians Solon Solinon to the Greekes Moyses to the Iewes Lycurgus to the Lacedemonians and Numa Pompilius to the Romains for before these Princes came their people were not gouerned by written lawes but by good auncient customes The intention of these Excellent Princes was not to giue lawes to their predecessors for they were now dead neyther they gaue theÌ„ onely for those which liued in their time being wicked but also for those which were to come whome they did prestippose would not be good For the more the World increaseth in yeares so much the more it is loaden with vices By this that I haue spoken I meane that if the Princesses and great Ladies euery one of them would Nourish their owne childe I neede not to giue them counsell But since I haue supposed that the women which shall be deliuered hereafter will be as proude and vaine-glorious as those which were in times past We will not let to declare here some Lawes and aduises how the Ladie ought to behaue her selfe with her Nurce and how the Nurce ought to content her selfe with the creature For it is but iust that if the mother be cruell and hardie to forsake the creature that she be sage pitifull and aduised to chose her Nurce If a man finde great treasure and afterwards care not how to keepe it but doeth commit into the hands of suspected persons truly we would call him a foole For that which naturally is beloued is alwayes of all best kept The Woman ought more wisely to keepe the treasure of her own bodie then the treasure of all the Earth if she had it And the Mother which doth the contrarie and that committeth her Childe to the custodie of a straunge Nurce not to her whome shee thinketh best but whom she findeth best cheape we will not call her a foolish beast for that name is too vnseemly out we will call her a sotte which is somewhat more honester One of the things that doth make vs most belieue that the ende of the world is at hand is to see the little loue which the mother doth beare to the childe being young and to see the want of loue which the Childe hath beare to his Mother being aged That which the childe doeth to the Father and Mother is the iust iudgement of God that euen as the Father would not nourish the child in his house being young so likewise that the sonne should not suffer the Father in his house he being olde Returning therefore to the matter that sith the woman doth determine to drie and shut vp the fountaines of milke which Nature hath giuen her shee ought to bee very diligent to search out a good nurse the which ought not only to content herselfe to haue her milke whole but also that shee be good of life For otherwise the childe shal not haue so much profite by the which hee sucketh as the nurse shall doe it harme if shee bee a woman of an euill life I doe aduise Princesses and great Dames that they watch diligently to knowe what their Nurses are before they commit their children to them for if such Nurses be euill and slaundered they are as Serpents which doe byte the Mother with their mouth and do sting the childe with her taile In my opinion it were lesse euill the Mother should suffer that her Childe should perish in deliuering it then for to keepe in her house an euill woman For the sorrow of the death of the Childe is forgotten and brought to nought in time but the slaunder of her house shall endure as long as shee liueth Sextus Cheronensis sayeth that the Emperor Marcus Aurelius commanded his Sonne to be brought vp of a woman the which was more faire theÌ„ vertuous And when the good Emperour was aduertised thereof he did not onely send her from his Pallace but also hee banished and exiled her from Rome swearing that if she had not nourished his Sonne with her pappes he would haue commaunded her to haue been torne in pieces with Beasts For the woman of an euill renowme may iustly bee condemned and put to death Princesses and great Ladyes ought not greatly to passe whether the nurses be faire or fowle For if the milke be sweete white and tender it little skilleth though the face of the Nurse be white or blacke Sextus Cheronensis saith in the booke of the nurture of children that euen as the black Earth is more fertile then is the white earth So likewise the Woman which is browne in countenance hath alwayes the most substantiall milke Paulus Dyaconus in his greatest Hystorie saieth that the Emperour Adocerus did Marrie himselfe with the daughter of another Emperour his predecessor called Zeno and the Empresse was called Arielna The which in bringing forth a Sonne had a woman of Hungarie maruellous faire to nourish it and the case succeeded in such sort that the Nurse for beeing faire had by the Emperor iij. children the one after the other and his wofull Wife neuer had any but the first alone A man ought to belieue that the Empresse Arielna did not only repent her selfe for taking into her house so faire a Nurse but also was sorry that euer shee had any at all sith the Ribalde thereby was Mistresse in the house and she remained without husband all her life I doe not say it for that there are not many foule women vicious nor yet because there are not many faire women vertuous but that Princesses and great Ladyes according to the qualities of their Husbands ought to bee profitable and tender Nurses to bring vp their Children For in this case there are some men of so weake a complexion that in seeing a little cleane water immediately they die to drinke thereof Let therefore this be the first counsell in choosing Nurses that the Nurse before shee enter into the house be examined if shee be honest and vertuous For it is a trysâ—e whether the Nurse be faire or foule but that she be of a good life and of an honest behauiour
our time and that wee hadde deserued to haue beene in their time although our time for being Christians is better they had saued vs from this trauell For they were so temperate in eating meates and so abstinent in drinking wines that they did not only refraine the drinking thereof but also they would not abide to smell it For it was counted a greater shame vnto a Romane Woman to drinke wine then to be diuorced from her Husband Dyonisius Alicarnaseus in his booke of the lawes of the Romaines said that Romulus was the first founder of Rome and that hee occupyed himselfe more in buylding faire Houses to amplifye Rome then in constituting Lawes for the gouernement of the Common-wealth But amongst fifteene Lawes which hee made the seuenth thereof was that no Romaine woman on paine of death should be so hardie to drinke wine within the walls of Rome The same Hystorian sayth that by the occasion of this Law the custome was in Rome that when any Romane Ladie would drinke wine or make any solemne feast she must needs goe out of Rome where euery one had theyr Gardens and dwelling place because the smel also of Wine was prohibited and forbidden women within the circuit of Rome If Plinie do not deceiue vs in his 24. booke of his natural historie it was an ancient custom in Rome that at each time that Parents met both men and women they did kisse the one the other in the face in token of peace and this ceremonie beganne first for that they would smell whether the woman had drunke any wine And if perchance she sauored of wine the Censor might haue bannished her from Rome And if her kinsman found her without Rome hee might freely without any daunger of law put her to death because within the Circuit and walles of Rome no priuate man by Iustice could put any Romaine to death as aboue is rehearsed Romulus was he which ordained the paine for Drunkardes and Ruptilius was hee which ordained the penaltie for Adulterers And betweene Romulus and Ruptilius there was xxxii yeares So that they ordyaned this streight Law for Drunkardes a long time before they did the law for adulterers For if a woman be a drunkard or Harlot truely they are both great faultes and I cannot tell whether of them is worst For being a harlot the woman loseth her name and for being a drunkarde shee loseth her fame and the Husband his goods Then if women for the honestie of their pesons onely are bound to bee temperate in eating and drinking the woman which nourisheth and giueth the Childe sucke ought to bee much more corrected and sober in this case For in her is concurrant not only the grauity of their own persons but the health and life also of the Creature which she nourisheth Therefore it is meete that the Nurse bee kept from wine since the honor of the one and the life of the other is in perill Sixtly the Princesses and great Ladyes ought to take heede that theyr Nurses be not gotten with child And the reason hereof is that in that time when the woman is with Childe her naturall course is stopped and that corruption is mingled with the pure bloud So that shee thinking to giue the childe milke to nourish it giueth it poyson to destroy it And nothing can bee more vniust then to put the childe which is alreadie borne and aliue in danger for that which is as yet vnborne and dead It is a wonderfull thing for a man that will curiously note and mark things to see the brute beasts that all the time they bring vp theyr little ones they will not consent to accompanie with the Males nor the males will follow the females And that which is most to hee noted it is to see what passeth betweene the Byrds for the she Sparrow will not suffer the Male in any wise to touch nor to come neere her vntill her little ones be great able to flie and much lesse to sit vpon any Egges to hatche them till the other be fled and gone Plutarch in the seuenth of his Regiment of Princes saith that Gneus Fuluius Couzin germaine of Pompeyus beeing Consull in Rome fell in loue with a young maidē of Capua being an orphā whether he fled for the plague This Mayden was called Sabina and when she was great with child by this Consull shee brought forth a daughter whom they called faire Drusia truely she was more commended for her beautie then shee was for her honestie For oft times it happeneth that the fayre and dishonest women leaue their Children so euill taught that of their Mothers they inherite little goods and much dishonour This Sabina therefore beeing deliuered as it was the custome of Rome she did with her own breasts nourish her daughter Drusia During the which time shee was gotten with childe by one of the Knights of this Consul to whome as to his Seruant hee had giuen her to keepe Wherefore when the Consull was heereof aduertised and that notwithstanding she gaue her daughter suck he commanded that the knight shold be immediatly beheaded his louer Sabina forthwith to be cast into a wel The day of Execution came that both these parties should suffer wherfore the wofull Sabina sent to beseech the Consull that it would please him before her death to giue her audience of one sole worde that shee would speake vnto him the which beeing come in the presence of them all shee said vnto him O Gneus Fuluius know thou that I did not call thee to the ende thou shouldest graunt me life but because I would not die before I had seene thy face though thou of thy selfe shouldest remember that as I am a frayle Woman and fell into sinne with thee in Capua so I might fall now as I haue done with another here in Rome For wee Women are so fraile in this case during the time of this our miserable life that none can keepe herselfe sure from the assaultes of the weake Flesh The Consull Gneus Fuluius to these words answered The Gods immortall know Sabina what griefe it is to my wofull hart that I of my secret offence should be an open scourge For greater honestie it is for men to hyde your frailnesse then openly to punish your offences But what wilt thou I should doe in this case considering the offence thou hast committed By the immortall Gods I sweare vnto thee and again I sweare that I had rather thou shouldest secretly haue procured the death of some man thē that openly in this wise thou shouldst haue slaunderd my house For thou knowest the true meaning of the common prouerbe in Rome It is better to die in honour then to liue in infamie And think not Sabina that I do condemne thee to die because thou forgotest thy Faith vnto my person and that thou gauest thy selfe vnto him which kept thee For since thou wert not my wife the liberty thou haddest
to come with me from Capua to Rome the selfesame thou hadst to goe with another from Rome to Capua It is an euill thing for vicious â—eâ— to reprooue the vices of others wherein themselues are faulty The cause why I condemn thee to dye is onely for the remembrance of the old Law the which commandeth that no nurse or woman giuing sucke should on paine of death be begotten with childe truly the Law is very iust For honest women do not suffer that in giuing her child sucke at her breast she shold hide another in her entrails These words passed between Gneus Fuluius the Consul and the Ladie Sabina of Capua Howbeit as Plutarche saith in that place the Consull had pitie vpon her and shewed her fauour banishing her vpon condition neuer to returne to Rome againe Cinna Catullus in the fourth booke of the xxij Consulls saith that Caius Fabricius was one of the most notable Consulles that euer was in Rome and was sore afflicted with diseases in his life onely because hee was nourished foure moneths with the milke of a Nurse being great with Childe and for feare of this they locked the nurse with the Childe in the Temple of the Vestall virgines where for the space of iij. yeares they were kept They demaunded the Consul why he did not nourish his children in his house He answered that children being nourished in the house it might bee an occasion that the Nurse should begotteÌ„ with child and so she should destroy the children with her corrupt milke and further giue me occasion to do iustice vpon her person wherefore keeping them so shut vp wee are occasion to preserue their life and also our children from perill Dyodorus Siculus in his librairy and Sextus Cheronensis saith in the life of Marc. Aurelius that in the Isles of Baleares there was a custom that the nurses of young children whether they were their owne or others should be seuered from their Husbands for the space of two yeares And the woman which at that time though it were by her husband were with child though they did not chasten her as an adulteresse yet euery man spake euill of her as of an offender During the time of these two yeares to the ende that the Husband should take no other wife they commanded that hee should take a concubine or that hee should buye a Slaue whose companie hee might vse as his wife for amongst these barbarous hee was honoured most that had two Wiues the one with child and the other not By these Examples aboue recited Princesses and great Ladyes may see what watch care they ought to take in choosing their Nurses that they be honest since of them dependeth not onely the health of their children but also the good fame of their houses The seueÌ„th condition is that Princesses and great ladies ought to see their nurses haue good conditions so that they be not troublesome proud harlots liars malicious nor flatterers for the viper hath not so much poyson as the woman which is euil coÌ„ditioned It little auaileth a man to take wine from a woman to entreate her to eate little and to withdrawe her from her husband if of her owne nature she be hatefull and euill mannered for it is not so great daÌ„ger vnto the child that the nurse be a drunkard or a glutton as it is if she be harmfull malitious If perchaunce the Nurse that nourisheth the child be euil conditioned truly she is euill troubled the house wherin she dwelleth euil coÌ„bred For such one doth importune the Lorde troubleth the Lady putteth in hazard the childe aboue all is not contented with her selfe Finally Fathers for giuing too much libertie to their nurses oft times are the causes of manie practises which they doe wherewith in the ende they are grieued with the death of their childreÌ„ which foloweth Amongst all these which I haue read I say that of the ancient Roman Princes of so good a Father as Drusius Germanicus was neuer came so wicked a son as Caligula was being the iiij Emp of Rome for the Hystoriographers were not satisfied to enrich the praise the excellencies of his Father neyther ceased they to blame and reprehend the infamies of his Sonne And they say that his naughtines proceedeth not of the mother which bare him but of the nurse which gaue him sucke For often times it chaunceth that the tree is green and good when it is planted and afterwardes it becometh drie and withered onely for being carryed into another place Dyon the Greeke in the second book of Caesars saieth that a cursed woman of Campania called Pressilla nourished and gaue suck vnto this wicked child Shee had against all nature of women her breasts as hayrie as the beardes of men and besides that in running a Horse handling her staffe shooting in the Crosse-bowe fewe young men in Rome were to bee compared vnto her It chaunced on a time that as shee was giuing sucke to Caligula for that shee was angrie shee tore in pieces a young child and with the bloud therof annoynted her breasts and so she made Caligula the young Childe to sucke together both bloud and milke The saide Dyon in his booke of the life of the Emperour Caligula saieth that the women of Campania whereof the saide Pressilla was had this custom that wheÌ„ they would giue their Teat to the childe first they did annointe the nipple with the bloud of a hedge-hog to the ende their children might be more fierce and cruell And so was this Caligula for hee was not contented to kill a man onely but also hee sucked the bloud that remained on his Sworde and licked it off with his tongue The excellent Poet Homer meaning to speake plainely of the crueltyes of Pyrrus saide in his Odisse of him such wordes Pyrrus was borne in Greece nourished in Archadie and brought vp with Tygers milke which is a cruell beast as if more plainely he had saide Pyrrus for being borne in Greece was Sage for that hee was brought vp in Archadie he was strong and couragious for to haue sucked Tygars milke he was very proud and cruell Hereof may be gathered that the great Grecian Pyrrus for wanting of good milke was ouercome with euill conditions The selfe same Hystorian Dyon saith in the life of Tiberius that hee was a great Drunkard And the cause hereof was that the Nurse did not onely drinke wine but also she weyned the childe with soppes dipped in Wine And without doubt the cursed Woman had done lesse euill if in the stead of milke she had giuen the child poyson without teaching it to drinke wine wherefore afterwardes he lost his renowne For truely the Romane Empire had lost little if Tiberius had dyed being a childe and it had wonne much if he had neuer knowne what drinking of Wine had meant I haue declared all that which before is mentioned to the intent that Princesses and great Ladyes might
thee my deare Friende Dedalus that more Money shall issue out of Rome to buye wine in Candia then buttes of the cold water of that countrey shall enter into Rome Againe thou sayest that in that countrey there is such aboundance of fruites and that thou thinkest thou shalt neuer be satisfied therewith To that I answer That thing which I best like is a winter fruite yet neyther seeing it nor eating it I can content my selfe For the country where Fruits abound in winter is neuer without feuers and sicknesses in Summer Octauian Augustus that Noble Emperour of famous memorie seeing that Rome in Summer was very much subiect to diseases gaue commaundement vpon grieuous penalties that the fruites of Salon should not enter into Rome to be solde And this is a maruellous thing that the Citie of Rome by this meanes did not only finde her selfe sound and whole but also the Physitians went out of Rome of their owne wills and affections For it is a great token that the people is healthfull when the Phisitians are poore Thou sayest that in that Countrey there are many Iugglers and Players To this I aunswer thee That theyr pastimes shall not bee vnto thee such and so pleasaunt as the griefs and displeasures thou shalt haue when they cunningly and craftily shall picke thy purse For most commonly Iugglers and plaiers make Playes and sportes in jeast but they will be payde in good earnest Furthermore thou sayest in that Countrey there is great aboundance of Vines and that the wine is sauourie to smell and very sweete and pleasaunt for theyr taste whereunto I answer That there shall not bee so manie vynes in the Fieldes as Drunkardes amongst the people For as thou knowest the day that I marryed Torpina my Niece my vnckle Getellius had but onely one vine tree and yet with the Wine that came thereof he made himselfe his household and all those that were at the marriage drunke That which I will say is not without weeping in the olde time Mars was the God moste honoured and esteemed being the God of Battells but now Bacchus which is God of wine is the most honoured serued and exalted For the time that a Romane was wont to employ in the Martial Camp to handle Warlike weapons now they consume in playing and drinking in the rauernes Titus Liuius in his Annales sayeth that those of Gallia Transalpina vnderstanding how that the Italians had planted many vines came to conquer the Countety So that if they had neuer planted vines in Italie the French-men had neuer destrolyed the Countrey The auncient Romaines which were prouided against all inconueniences considering that Wine was the cause of their destruction commaunded to destroy all the Vynes of the Empyre through the which pollicie they were deliuered from all the French-men for when the Warres were ended there remained not one French-man in all Italie when they knewe that there were no more Vynes therein Thou sayest that in that Countrey there are many Gentlemen and honorable Senators with whom thou talkest and passest away the time To this I answere that if it be true there are many idle men and also few true talkers For those men which haue spent their youth in the warres when they are aged doe not employe their time but in hearing newes and telling lyes Thou sayedst that there are very faire women in that countrey of gesture seemely and of their persons comely To this I answere That if there be many which be faire there are as manie which are dishonest For if the woman with her beautie hath not wisdome and honestie in her selfe she putteth her selfe in perill and her husband in much care Thou sayest that in that Countrey there are women which are Soothsayers Sorcerers and Enchantours the which do boast and vaunt themselues that they will heale Infants and that they can weyne them better then others can doe To this I answere that I would iudge it much better that Children should neuer be healed by the hands of such euill women For the profite that they doe by their experience openly is nothing in respect of the danger wherin they put the creatures by their Sorceries secretly Torquatus Laertius my Vnckle had a Daughter of a maruellous beautie the which because he had none other Childe was heyre of all his Patrimonie The case therefore was such that as the Daughter one day cryed and wept a little too much the Nurse which gaue her sucke to appease and still her thinking to giue her sorceries to cast her in a sleepe gaue her poyson which destroyed her So that when the teares of the innocent babe ceased then the cryes of the woefull mother beganne Calligula which was the sonne of the good Germanicus the great though amongst the Caesars hee was the fourth and amongst the Tyrants the first when in Rome they vsed to giue little scrowles written which they saide to bee of such vertue that they could heale all manner of Agues and diseases of young children hee gaue commaundement by the consent of the sacred Senate that whosoeuer eyther man or woman which should make them should immediately by iustice be put to death and that he which would buye them and carrie them about to sell or giue them through the citie of Rome should be whipt and bashed for euer Thy seruant Fronton hath told me newes that thou hast a Sonne borne whereof I am very glad and moreouer he saide that a woman of Sannia did nourishit and gaue it sucke the which as by an euill chaunce hath a spice of Sorcerie Now by the immortall Gods I do conjure thee and for the loue which I beare thee againe I most earnestly desire thee that immediatly thou put her away out of thy house and suffer not that so wicked a woman should eate Bread there one day For euery creature which is nourished by sorceries and Charmes shal eyther haue his life short or else Fortune shall be contrarie vnto him I let thee know my friend Dedalus that I haue not maruelled a little at many Romains the which doe permit and also procure that their Children should bee healed and cured with charmes and sorceries For my part I take it to bee a thing certaine that the men which by the will of God fall sicke shall neuer heale for any diligence that man can do And whereas children are sicke by euill humors or that they are not very healthful because the gods wil take life from them in this case if their disease proceed of any euill humour let them aske Physitions for naturall medicines And if their diseases come because the Gods are prouoked then let their Fathers appease the Gods with sacrifices For in the end it is vnpossible that the diseases of the heart should be healed by the meanes of any Medicines of the bodie Doe not maruell my Friend Dedalus if I haue spoken more in this article then in others that is to say to perswade
often times it chanceth that the wisedome of the good child doth remedy the folly of the wicked Father The Historians say that this Lelya Sabina had not onely a great grace in reading but also shee had much excellency in writing for she wrote many letters and orations with her own hand which her Father Lucius Sylla afterwards learned by hart and as he was indeed quicke of spirite so he vsed to recite them to the Senate alwayes for his purpose And let no man maruaile hereat for there are some of so grosse vnderstanding that that which they write and studie they can scarcely vtter others againe are of such liuely wits that of that onely which they haue heard it seemeth maruellous to heare with what eloquence they will talke Because Sylla had such and so excellent a daughter in his house hee was esteemed for a sage and wise councellour throughout all the Common wealth He was counted very absolute in executing strong in maintaining for right eloquent in speaking Finally of this came this ancient prouerbe which sayth Lucius Sylla gouerneth his own countrey with the eloquence of his tongue and is Lord of strange nations by the force of his sword What the great Plato hath beene and what great authority he hath had amongst his countrey men and amongst the strangers it is apparant for so much as the Greekes do acknowledge him of all other Phylosophers to be the Prince and likewise the Latines by one consent call him diuine And me thinketh that in doing this they doe no Phylosopher iniurie for as Plato in his life time had great modestie so truely in his writing hee exceeded mans capacitie An Historian called Hyzearchus declareth that Lasterna and Axiothea were two Greekes very well Iearned and amongst the Schollers of Plato chiefly renowmed The one was of so perfect a memory and the other of so high an vnderstanding that Plato oft times beeing in the chayre and these two not readie hee would not beginne to reade And being demaunded wherefore hee reade not his Lecture hee answered I will not reade for that there wanteth here vnderstanding to conceyue and also memory to retaine Meaning that Lasterna was absent that Axiothe was not yet come The wisedome of these two women ought to bee much since Plato without them would not vtter one word vnlesse they were present in his Schoole For Plato esteemed more the vnderstanding and memory of those two women alone then hee did the phylosophy of his other Schollers together Aristippus the phylosopher was Scholler to Socrates and of the most renowmed of Athens Hee had a daughter called Aretha the which was so well learned in Greeke and Latine letters that the common renowme sayd the soule of Socrates was entred into Aretha and the cause that mooued them to say this was because shee read and declared the doctrine of Socrates in such wise that it seemed to most men shee had rather write by hand then learne by studie Bocchas in the second booke of the prayse of women sayeth that this Aretha was so excellent a woman that shee did not only learne for her selfe but also to teach others and did not onely teach in diuers Schooles but also shee wrote many and sundrie bookes one especially in the prayse of Socrates an other of the manner of bringing vp children an other of the Warres of Athens an other of the tyrannicall force an other of the Common Wealth of Socrates an other of the infelicity of Women an other of the tillage of the Auncients an other of the Wonders of the Mount Olimpus an other of the vaine care of the Sepulchre an other of the care of the Antes an other of the Workemanshippe of the Bees in honey and shee wrote two others the one of the vanities of youth and the other of the miseries of age This woman did reade openly naturall and morall Phylosophy in the Schooles of Athens for the space of fiue and twenty yeares she made fortie bookes she had a hundred and ten Phylosophers to her Schollers shee dyed being at the age of seuentie and seuen yeares and the Athenians after her death engraued on her graue these words THe slysed stones within their bowels keepe Wise Aretha the great and onely wight That forceth enuie gentle teares to weepe For Greekes decay on whom the losse doth light The eye of Fame the heart of vertues life The head of Greece lyes here engraued loe More heauenly forme then had that heauenlie wife Which vnderminde the Phrigies toyes with woe Within the chest of her vnspotted mind Lay Thyrmas truth and eke her honest faith Within her hand as by the gods assignde Stoode Aristippus penne that vertue wayeth Within the dungeon of her body eke Imprisoned was wise Socrates his soule That liued so well and did so wisely speake That follies brest he could to wisodome toule Within her head so ouer heapt with wit Lay Homers tongue to staine the Poets arte Erst was the golden age not halfe so fit For Vertues Impes as when her life did part As Marcus Varro sayth the sects of the Philosophers were more then seuenty but in the end they were reduced into seuen and in the end they were brought into three sects chiefly That is to say Stoickes Peripatetickes and Pythagoriques Of these Pythagoriques Pythagoras was the Prince Hizearcus Annius Rusticus and Laertius with Eusebius and Boccas all affirme one thing whereunto I did not greatly giue credite which is that this Phylosopher Pithagoras had a sister not onely learned but if it bee lawfull to speake it excellently learned And they say that not she of Pythagoras but Pythagoras of her learned phylosophy And of a truth it is a matter whereof I was so greatly abashed that I cannot tell who could bee maister of such a woman since shee had Pythagoras the great phylosopher to her Scholler The name of the woman was Thecclea to whom Pythagoras her brother wrot and sent her a letter when hee read phylosophy at Rhodes and she at Samothracia doing the like The Epistle was thus CHAP. XXIX Of a Letter which Pythagoras sent to his sister Theoclea hee beeing in Rhodes and shee in Sam othracia reading both Philosophie PYthagoras thy brother and Disciple to thee Theoclea his sister health encrease of wisedome wisheth I haue read the book which thou diddest send mee of fortune and misfortune from the beginning to the end and now I know that thou art no lesse graue in making then gracious in teaching The which doth not chance very oft vnto vs which are men and much lesse as wee haue seene to you women For the Philosopher Aristippus was rude in speaking but profound in writing and Amenides was briefe in writing and eloquent in speaking Thou hast studyed and written in such sort that in learning that thou shewest thou seemest to haue read all the Philosophers and in the antiquities that thou doest declare it seemeth that thou hast seene all
the time past Wherin thou being a woman shewest thy selfe more then a woman because the nature of women is to cast their eyes onely in that that is present and to forget that is past They tell me that thou doest occupy thy selfe now in writing of our Country And truely in this case I cannot say but that you haue matter enough to write on For the warres and trauels of our times haue beene such and so great that I had rather reade them in bookes then to see them with my eyes And if it bee so as I suppose it is I beseech thee heartily and by the immortall Gods I coniure thee that in writing the affayres of thy Countrey thou doest vse thy penne discreetely I meane that thou doe not in this case blemish thy writing by putting therein any flattery or lesing For oft times Historiographers in blasing more then truth the giftes of their Countrey cause worthily to be suspected their writing Thou knowest very well how that in the battell past the Rhodians were ouercome and that ours remained victorious Mee thinketh thou shouldst not in this case greatly magnifie extoll or exalt ours because in the end they fought to reuenge their iuiury neyther thou oughtest to blame the Rhodians for they did not fight but in the ayde of Rome I speake this my sister because for to defend their owne women shew themselues Lyons and for to defend the things of another man men shew themselus chickens For in the end hee onely may bee counted strong the which defendeth not his owne house but which dyeth defending his and another mans I will not deny the naturall loue of my Country nor I will not deny but that I loue them that write and speake well thereof but mee thinketh it is not reason that they should disprayse the goodnesse and truth of other Countries nor that they should so highly commend the euill and vilenesse of their owne For there is not in the world this day so barren a realme but may bee commended for something therein nor there is so perfect a nation but in somthings may be reproued Thou canst not deny me but that amōgst thy brethren I am the eldest and thou canst not deny but that amongst all thy Disciples I am the youngest and since that for being thy Disciple I ought to obey thee thou likewise for that I am thy eldest brother oughtest to beleeue me By the faith of a people I doe counsell thee my sister that thou do trauell much to be profound in thy words vpright in thy life and honest of thy person and besides all this true in thy writing For I let thee vnderstand that if the body of the man without the soule is little regarded I sweare vnto thee that the mouth of a man without truth is much lesse esteemed CHAP. XXX The Authour followeth his purpose perswading Princesses and other Ladies to endeauour themselues to be wise as the women were in olde time THis therefore was the letter which Pythagoras sent to his sister Theoclea whereby is shewed the great humility of him and the hie eloquence of her Hierchus the Greeke and Plutarch also in the booke of the gouernement of Princes say that Pythagaras had not onely a sister which was called Theoclea of whom he learned so much Philosophy but also he had a daughter the wisedome and knowledge of whom surmounted her Aunt and was equall to her Father I thinke it no lesse incredible which is spoken of the daughter then that which is spoken of the Aunt which is that those of Athens did reioyce more to heare her speake in her house then for to heare Pythagoras reade in the Schoole And it ought to bee beleeued for the saying of the graue Authours on the one part and by that wee daily see on the other part For in the end it is more pleasure to heare a man tell mery tales hauing grace and comelynes in his words then to heare a graue man speake the truth with a rude and rough tongue I haue found in many writings what they haue spoken of Pythagoras and his Daughter but none telleth her name saue only in an Epistle that Phalaris the Tyrant wrote I found this worde written where hee saith Polychrata that was the Daughter of the Phylosopher Pythagoras was young and exceeding wise more faire then rich and was so much honoured for the puritie of her life and so highly esteemed for her pleasaunt Tongue that the word which shee spake spinning at her Distaffe was more esteemed then the Phylosophie that her Father read in the schoole And he saide more It is so great a pittie to see and heare that women at this present are so dishonest and in their tongues so malicious that I haue greater pleasure in the good renowme of one that is dead then in the infamie of all them which are aliue For a good woman is more worth with her distaffe spinning then a hundred euill Queenes with their royall Scepters reigning By the words which Phalaris said in his letter it seemed that this Daughter of Pythagoras was called Polichrate Pythagoras therefore made manie Commentaryes as well of his owne countrey as of strangers In the end he dyed in Mesopotamia where at the houre of his death hee spake vnto his Daughter Polichrate and saide these wordes I see my Daughter that the houre wherein I must ende my life approcheth The Gods gaue it mee and now they will take it from mee Nature gaue me byrth and now shee giueth me death the Earth gaue me the bodie and now it returneth to ashes The woefull Fatall destenyes gaue mee a little goods mingled with many trauells So that Daughter of al things which I enioyed here in this world I carrie none with mee For hauing all as I had it by the way of borrowing now at my death eache man taketh his owne I die ioyfully not for that I leaue thee rich but for that I leaue thee learned And in token of my tender heart I bequeathe vnto thee all my Bookes wherein thou shalt finde the treasure of all my trauells And I tell thee that that I giue thee is the riches gotten with mine owne sweate and not obtained to the preiudice of another For the loue I beare vnto thee Daughter I pray thee and by the immortall Gods I conjure thee that thou bee such and so good that although I die yet at the least thou mayst keepe my memorie For thou knowest well what Homer sayth speaking of Achilles and Pyrrhus That the good life of the Childe that is aliue keepeth the renowne of the Father which is dead These were the wordes which the Phylosopher spake to his daughter lying in his death bed And thogh perhaps hee spake not these wordes yet at the least this was the effect and meaning As the great Poet Mantuan sayth King Euander was father of the grant Pallas and he was a great friend of king Eneas he vaunted himselfe to
and so modest in life that of their family there was neuer found any cowardly man in the field nor any defamed woman in the twone They say of this linage of the Cornenelii among many other there were 4. singular and notable women among the which the chiefe was the mother of Graccht whose name was Cornelia and liued with more honor for the sciences shee read in Rome then for the conquests that her children had in Affrike Before her children were brought into the Empire they talked of none other thing but of their strength and hardinesse throughout the world and therefore a Romain one day asked this woman Cornelia wherof she tooke most vain glory to see her selfe mistresse of so many Disciples or mother of so valiant children The Lady Cornelia answered I doe esteeme the science more which I haue learned then the children which I haue brought forth For in the end the children keepe in honour the life but the Disciples continue the renowme after death And she sayd further I am assured that the Disciples daily wil waxe better and better and it may be that my children will waxe worse and worse The desires of young men are so variable that they dayly haue new inuentions With one accord all the writers doe greatly commend this woman Cornelia in especiall for being wise and honest and furthermore because she read Phylosophy in Rome openly And therefore after her death they set vp in Rome a statue ouer the gate Salaria whereupon there was grauen this Epigram This heape of earth Cornelle doth enclose Of wretched Gracches that loe the mother was Twise happy in the schollers that shee chose Vnhappy thrise in the of spring that shee has AMong the Latines Cicero was the Prince of al the Romane Rethorike and the chiefest with his pen enditing Epistles yet they say that he did not onely see the writings of this Cornelia but read them and did not onely reade them but also with the sentences thereof profited himselfe And hereof a man ought not to maruell for there is no man in the world so wise of himselfe but may further his doings with the aduise of an other Cicero so highly exalted these writings that he sayde in his Rethorike these or such other like words If the name of a woman had not not blemished Cornelia truly she deserued to be head of al Philosophers For I neuer saw so graue sentences proceede from so fraile flesh Since Cicero spake these words of Cornelia it cannot be but that the writings of such a woman in her time were verie liuelesse and of great reputation yet notwithstanding there is no memory of her but that an author for his purpose declareth an Epistle of this maner Sextus Cheronensis in his booke of the prayse of women reciteth the letter which shee sent to her children Shee remaining in Rome and they being at the wars in Affricke The Letter of Cornelia to her two sons Tiberius and Caius otherwise called Gracchi Cornelia the Romane that by the fathers side am of the Cornelii on the mother side of the Fabii to you my two sonnes Gracchii which are in the warres of Affricke such health to you I doe wish as a mother to her children ought to desire You haue vnderstoode right well my children how my father dyed I being but three yeares of age and that this 22. yeares I haue remained widdow and that this 20. yeares I haue read Rethorike in Rome It is 7. yeeres since I saw you and 12. yeares since your brethren my children dyed in the great plague You know 8. yeeres are past since I left my study and came to see you in Cicilia because you should not forsake the wars to come to see me in Rome for to mee could come no greater pain then to see you absent from the seruice of the Common wealth I desire my children to shew you how I haue passed my life in labour and trauell to the entent you should not desire to spende yours in rest and idlenes For to me that am in Rome there can want no troubles be yee assured that vnto you which are in the wars shall want no perils For in warres renowne is neuer solde but by weight or changed with losse of life The young Fabius sonne of my aunt the aged Fabia at the third Calends of March brought mee a letter the which you sent and truly it was more briefe then I would haue wished it for betweene so deere children and so louing a mother it is not suffered that the absence of your persons should be so farre and the letters which you write so briefe By those that goe from hence thither I alwaies doe send you commendations and of those that come from thence hither I doe enquire of newes Some say they haue seene you others tell mee they haue spoken with you so that with this my heart is somwhat quieted for between them that loue greatly it may bee endured that the fight be seldom so that the health be certaine I am sole I am a widdow I am aged and now all my kindred are dead I haue endured many trauels in Rome and the greatest of all is my children of your absence for the paine is greater to be voyd of assured friends then assault is dangerous of cruell enemies Since you are young and not very rich since you are hardie and brought vp in the trauels of Affricke I do not doubt but that you do desire to come to Rome to see know that now you are men which you haue seen when you were children for men doe not loue their Country so much for that it is good as they doeloue it for that it is naturall Beleeue me children there is no man liuing that hath seene or heard speake of Rome in times past but hath great griefe sorrow and pitty to see it at this present for as their hearts are pittifull and their eyes tender so they cannot behold that without great sorrow which in times past they haue seene in great glory O my children you shall know that Rome is greatly changed from that it was wont to be To reade that wee doe reade of it in times past and to see that which wee see of it now present wee must needs esteeme that which the Ancients haue written as a iest or else beleeue it but as a dreame There is no other thing now at Rome but to see iustice corrupted the common-weale oppressed lies blown abroad the truth kept vnder the Satyres silent the flatterers open mouthed the inflamed persons to bee Lords and the patient to be seruants and aboue all and worse then all to see the euill liue in rest and contented and the good troubled and displeased Forsake forsake my Children that City where the good haue occasion to weepe and the euill haue liberty to laugh I cannot tell what to say in this matter as I would say truly the Common weale is at this day such and
so woful that each wise man without comparison would haue greater pleasure to bee in the wars of Affricke then in the peace at Rome For in the good war a man seeth of whom he should take heed but in the euill peace no man knoweth whom to trust Therefore my children since you are naturall of Rome I will tell you what Rome is at this present I let you know that the Vestall virgins are now dissolute the honour of the gods is forgotten the profite of the Common weale no man secketh of the exercise of chiualrie there is no memory for the orphanes and widdowes there is no man doth answer to minister iustice they haue no regard and the dissolute vices of the youth are without measure Finally Rome that in times past was a receite of all the good and vertuous is now made a denne of all theeues and vitious I feare me I feare me lest our mother Rome in short time will haue some sudden and great fall for both men and Cities that fal from the top of their felicitie purchase greater infamie with those that shal come after then the glory that they haue had of them that be past Peraduenture my children you desire to see the walles and buildings of Rome for those things which children see first in their youth the same they loue and keepe alwayes in memory vntill their age As the auncient buildings of Rome are destroied and the few that are now built So would I you should lose your earnest affection to come to see them For indeede the noble hearts are ashamed to see that thing amisse which they cannot remedie Do not thinke my children though Rome be made worse in manners that therefore it is diminished in buildings For I let you vnderstand if you know it not that if a wall doth decay there is no man that doth repayre it If a house fall there is no man that will rayse it vppe againe If a streete bee foule there is no man that will make it cleane If the Riuer carry away any bridge there is no man that will set it vp againe If any Antiquity decay there is no man that will amend it If any wood be cut there is no man that wil keepe it If the Trees waxe olde there is no man that will plant them a new If the pauement of the streetes bee broken there is no man that will laye it againe Finally there is nothing in Rome at this day so euill handled as those things which by the common voyces are ordered These things my children though I doe greatly lament as it is reason yet you ought little to esteeme them all but this all onely ought to bee esteemed and with droppes of bloud to be lamented That now in Rome when the buildings in many places fall downe the vices all wholy together are raysed vp O wofull mother Rome since that in thee the more the wals decay the more the vices encrease Peraduenture my children since you are in those frontiers of Africke you desire to see your parents here in Rome And there at I maruell not for the loue which our naturall Country doth giue the strange country cannot take away All those which come from those parties doe bring vs no other certaine newes but of the multitude of those which die and are slaine in Affricke therefore since you send vs such news from thence looke not that we should send you any other then the like from hence for death hath such authority that it killeth the armed in the warres and slayeth the quiet in peace I let you know that Licia your sister is dead Drusio your vnckle is dead Torquatus your neighbour is dead His wise our cosen and her 3. daughters are dead Fabius your great friend is dead Euander and his children are dead Bibulus which read for me in the chaire the last yeare is also dead Finally there are so many and so good with all that be dead that it is a great shame and pitty to see at this present so many euil as do liue know ye my children that all these and many others which ye left aliue full high in Rome are now become wormes meat full low vnder the earth and death also doth summon me vnto the graue If you my children did consider what shall become of you hereafter truely you will thinke it better to weepe a thousand yeares with the dead then to laugh one houre with those that be aliue Remembring that I bare yee in great paine and haue nourished you in great trauel that yee came of my proper entrailes I would haue you as children about me for the comfort and consolation of my paines but in the end beholding the prowesses of these that are past that bindeth their heires I am content to suffer so long absēce your persons onely to the end you may gette honour in chiualrie for I had rather heare tell you should liue like knights in Affricke then to see you vtterly lost here in Rome My children as you are in the wars of Affricke so I doubt not but that you desire to see the pleasurs of Rome for there is no man in this world so happy but at his neighbours prosperity had som enuy enuy not the vicious neyther desire to bee among vices for truly vices are of such condition that they bring not with thē so much pleasure as they leaue sorrow behind them for the true delight is not in pleasure which suddenly vanisheth but in the truth which euer remaineth I thanke the gods for all these things first for that they made me wise and not foolish for to a woman it is a smal matter to be called so fraile that indeed she bee not foolish The second I thank the gods because in all times of my troubles they haue giuen me patience to endure them for the man onely in this life may be called vnhappie to whom the gods in his troubles giueth not patiēce The 3. I thanke the gods for that those 65. years which I haue liued I neuer hitherto was defamed For the Woman by no reason can complaine of her fortune if in none of her troubles shee hath lost her honour The fourth I thanke the Gods that in this fortie yeares I haue liued in Rome and remained widow there was neuer man nor woman that contended with mee For since we women little profite the commonwealth it is but reason that shee which with euill demeanors hath passed her life should by iustice receiue her death The fifth I giue the Gods thankes that they gaue me children the which are better contented to suffer the trauells of Affrike then to enioy the pleasures of Rome Doe not count me my Children for so vnlouing a Mother that I would not haue you alwaies before mine eyes but considering that many good mens children haue been lost onely for being brought vp in the excessiue pleasures of Rome I doe content my selfe with your absence For
the man that desireth perpetuall renon me though hee bee not banished hee ought to absent himselfe from his Natiue countrey My deare childrē I most earnestly desire you that alwayes you accompanie your selues with the good with the most Auncients and with those which are graue and most expert in counsell and with those that haue most seene the world and doe not vnderstand most of the world by those that haue seene most countreys For the ripe councell proceedeth not from the man that hath trauelled in many Countreys but from him that hath selt himselfe in many daungers Since the nature of the Countrey my Children doth knocke with the hāmer at the heart of man I feare that if you come and see your friends and parents you shall alwayes line in care pensiuenes and being pensiue you shall alwayes liue euill contented and you shall not do that which becometh Romane knights to do And you not being valiaunt knights your enemyes shall alwayes reioyce ouer you and your desires shal neuer take effect for of those men which are carefull and heauy proceedeth alwaies seruices vnworthie I desire you heartily and by this present letter I counsell you that you will not in any wise seeke to come to Rome For as I haue saide you shall know few of those that did know you for eyther they are dead or banished poor or sick aged or come to nought sad or euill contented So that sithence you are not able to remedie their griefes it is best you should not come hither to see their troubles For no man cōmeth to Rome but to weepe with the liuing or to sigh for thē that be dead Truly my children I know not what pleasure is in Rome that shold cause any good man to come hither and to forsake Affrike for if there you haue any enemies here you shal want friends If you haue the Sword that pierceth the body we haue the tōgue here that destroyeth the renowme If you be vexed with the Thieues of Affrike wee are wounded with the traytours flatterers and lyars of Italie If you lacke rest we haue here too much trouble Finally seeing that I doe see in Rome and hearing that which I doe heare of Affrike I cōmend your warre and abhorre your peace If you doe greatly esteem that which I haue said esteem much more that which I shall say which is that wee alwayes heare that you are conquerors of the Affricanes and you shall heare alwayes that we are conquered by vices Therefore if am a true mother I had rather see you win a perpetuall memory among strangers then to liue with infamie at home in your countrey Peraduenture with hope that you shallenioy some goods you will offer to take occasion to come to Rome When this thing shall come to your minds remember my Children that your father being aliue had not much and that vnto your Mother beeing a widow many things wanted And remember that your father bequeathed you nothing but weapons and knowe that from mee you shalll enherite nothing but Bookes For I had rather leaue my Children good doctrine whereby they may liue then euill Riches whereby they may perish I am not rich nor I neuer trauelled to bee rich and the cause was that I saw many mens children vndone only through the hope they had to inherit their parents goods and afterward went a hunting after vices For they seldome times do any worthy feates which in theyr Youth inherite great Treasures This thing therefore beeing true as it is indeede I doe not say onely that I would watch and toyle as many do to get riches and treasures but also if I had treasor before I would giue them vnto you I would as the Phylosopher did cast them into the fire For I had rather haue my children poore and vertuous in Affricke then rich and vicious in Rome You knowe very well my Children that there was among the Tharentines a Law well obserued that the Sonnes should not inherit any thing of the fathers but weapons to fight and that the Daughters should inherite the goods for to marry thēselues withall Truely this Law was very iust for the Sonne that hath alwaies respect to the inheritance will not haue to his Father any great confidence For hee ought to bee called a valiant Romain Knight that with his life hath wonne and by his sword hath gotten Riches Since you are in straunge Realmes I pray you heartily that you be eonuersant with the good as good brethren remembring alwayes that you were my children and that I gaue you both sucke of mine owne proper breasts And the day that I shall heare of your disagreement the same day shall be the end of my life For the discord in one city of parents doth more harme then a whole armie of enemies It is good for you my Children to liue in loue and concord together but it is more requisite to keepe you with the Romain knights The which with you and you with them if you doe not loue together in the warres you shall neuer haue the vpper hand of your enemies For in great Armies the discords that arise amongst them do more harme then the enemies do against whom they fight I thinke well my children that you would be very desirous to know of my estate that is to say whether I am in health whether I am sicke whether I am poore whether I am pleased or whether I am discontented In this case I knowe not why you should desire to knowe it since you ought to presuppose that according to the troubles which I haue passed the miseries which with mine eyes I haue seen I am filled with this world For wise men after fifty yeares and vpwardes ought rather to applie theyr mindes how to receyue death then to seeke for pleasures how to prolong life When mans Flesh is weake it alwayes desireth to bee well kept euen vnto the graue And as I am of flesh and Bone so I do feele the troubles of the world as all mortall men doe But for all this doe not thinke that to bee poore or sicke is the greatest miserie neither thinke that to bee whole and rich is the chiefest felicity for there is none other felicitie of the old fathers but for to see their children vertuous In my opinion it is an honor to the coūtry that the fathers haue such children which will take profit with their counsell and contrariwise that the children haue such fathers which can giue it them For the childe is happy that hath a wise father and more happie is the father that hath not a foolish son I doe write oft times vnto you my children but there is a law that none be so hardy to write to men of war in the field except first they inrowle the letters in the Senate Therefore since I write vnto you more letters then they would they do send lesse then I desire Though this law be painefull to
as hee sayeth that I haue disinherited him and abiected him from my heritage hee beeing begotten of my body hereunto I answere That I haue not disinherited my sonne but I haue disinherited his pleasure to the entent hee shall not enioy my trauell for there can bee nothing more vniust then that the young and vicious sonne should take his pleasure of the swet and droppes of the aged father The sonne replyed to his Father and sayde I confesse I haue offended my Father and also I confesse that I haue liued in pleasures yet if I may speake the truth though I were disobedient and euill my Father ought to beare the blame and if for this cause hee doeth dishenherite mee I thinke hee doth me great iniurie for the father that instructeth not his son in vertue in his youth wrongfully disinheriteth him though he be disobedient in his age The Father againe replyeth and sayeth It is true my sonne that I brought thee vp too wantonly in thy youth but thou knowest well that I haue taught thee sundry times and besides that I did correct thee when thou camest to some discretion And if in thy youth I did not instruct thee in learning it was for that thou in thy tender age diddest want vnderstanding but after that thou hadst age to vnderstand discretion to receyue and strength to exercise it I beganne to punish thee to teache thee and to instruct thee For where no vnderstanding is in the child there in vaine they teach doctrine Since thou art old quoth the sonne and I young since thou art my Father and I thy sonne for that thou hast white hayres on thy beard and I none at all it is but reason that thou be belieued and I condemned For in this world wee see oft times that the small authoritie of the person maketh him to loose his great iustice I graunt thee my Father that when I was a childe thou diddest cause mee to learne to reade but thou wilt not denie that if I did commit any faulte thou wouldst neuer agree I should be punished And hereof it came that thou suffering me to do what I would in my Youth haue bin disobedient to thee euer since in my age And I say vnto thee further that if in this case I haue offended truely mee thinketh thou canst not bee excused for the fathers in the youth of their children ought not onely to teach them to dispute of vertues what vertue is but they ought to inforce thē to be vertuous in deed For it is a good token when Youth before they knowe vices haue been accustomed to practise vertues Both partyes then diligently heard the good Phylosopher Solon Solinon speake these words I giue iudgement that the Father of this childe be not buryed after his death and I commaund that the Sonne because in his youth hee hath not obeyed his Father who is olde should be disinherited whilest the Father liueth from all his substance on such condition that after his death his sonnes should inherite the Heritage and so returne to the heyres of the Sonne and liue of the Father For it were vniust that the innocencie of the Sonne should be condemned for the offence of the Father I do commaund also that all the goods be committed vnto some faithfull person to the end they may giue the Father meat and drinke during his life and to make a graue for the Sonne after his death I haue not without a cause giuen such iudgement the which comprehendeth life and death For the Gods will not that for one pleasure the punishment bee double but that wee chastise and punish the one in the life taking from him his honour and goods and that wee punish others after their death taking from them memorie and buryall Truely the sentence which the Philosopher gaue was very graue and would to GOD wee had him for a iudge of this world presently For I sweare that hee should finde manie Children now a dayes for to disinherite and moe Fathers to punish For I cannot tell which is greater The shame of the children to disobey their Fathers or the negligence of the Fathers in bringing vp their children Sextus Cheronens in the second book of the sayings of the Philosophers declareth that a Citizen of Athens saide vnto Dyogenes the Phylosopher these wordes Tell mee Dyogenes What shall I doe to be in the fauour of the Gods and not in the hatred of men For oft times amongst you Phylosophers I haue hearde say that there is a great difference between that that the gods will and that which men loue Dyogenes answered Thou speakest more then thou oughtest to speake that the Gods will one thing and men another for the Gods are but as a center of mercy and men are but as a denne of malice if thou wilt enioy rest in thy dayes and keepe thy life pure and cleane thou must obserue these three things The first honour thy Gods deuoutely for the man which doeth not serue and honour the Gods in all his enterprises hee shall be vnfortunate The second bee very diligent to bring vp thy children well for the man hath no enemie so troublesome as his owne sonne if hee bee not well brought vp The third thing bee thankefull to thy good benefactors and friends for the Oracle of Apollo sayth that the man who is vnthankefull of all the world shall be abhorred And I tell thee further my friend that of these three things the most profitable though it be more troublesome is for a man to teach and bring vp his children well This therefore was the answere that the Philosopher Diogenes made to the demaund of the Citizen It is great pitty and griefe to see a young childe how the bloud doth stirre him to see how the flesh doth prouoke him to accomplish his desire to see sensuality goe before and he himselfe to come behind to see the malitious World to watch him to see how the Diuell doth tempte him to see how vices binde him and in all that which is spoken to see how the Father is negligent as if hee had no children whereas in deede the olde man by the fewe vertues he hath had in his Youth may easily knowe the infirmityes and vices wherewith his Sonne is incompassed If the expert had neuer beene ignorant if the Fathers had neuer beene children if the vertuous had neuer been vicious if the fine wittes had neuer been deceiued it were no maruell if the Fathers were negligent in teaching their children For the little experience excuseth men of great offences but since thou art my Father and that first thou wert a Sonne since thou art old and hast bin young and besides all this since that pride hath inflamed thee lechery hath burned thee wrath hath wounded thee Negligence hath hindred thee Couetousnes hath blinded thee Glotonie surfetted thee Tell mee cruell Father since so many vices haue reigned in thee why hast thou not an
haue more then others that therfore you should bee more honoured then all the which truly is not so For if presently you will not open your eyes and confesse your owne errors you shall see that wheras you auant your selues to be Lords of strange Countries you shall find yourselus made slaues with your own proper goods Gather as much as you will let them doe all you doe commaund them yet as I thinke it little auaileth to haue Plebeians houses with goods and contrariwise the hearts to bee possessed with couetousnesse for the riches which are gotten with couetousnesse and are kept with Auarice do take away the good name from the possessor and do nothing auaile to maintaine his life It cannot bee suffered many dayes and much lesse hidde many yeares that one man should be counted both for rich among the rich for honoured among the honorable for it is vnpossible that hee which is a great louer of temporall goods should be a friend of his good name O if the couetous men were of their owne honour as greedy as they are of the goods of another desirous I sweare vnto you by the immortall Gods that the little worme or moth of couetousnes would not gnaw the rest of their life nor the canker of infamie should destroy their good name after their death Hearken yee Romanes hearken what I wil say and I beseech the gods that you may vnderstand it for other wise I should loose my labour and yee others should take no fruit of my wordes I see that all the World hateth pride and yet there is none that will follow humanity Euery man condemneth adultery and yet I see no man that liueth chaste Euerie man curseth excesse I see no man liue temperately Euery man prayseth patience and I see no man that will suffer Euery man blameth sloth and I see no man but those that are idle Euery man blameth auarice and yet euery man robbeth One thing I say and not without teares in this Senate openly I do declare it which is that with the tongue euery man prayseth vertue and yet they themselues with al their lims are seruants vnto vices Doe not thinke that I say this onely for the Romanes which bee in Illyria but for the Senators which I see here in the Senate All you Romanes in your deuises about your Armes haue this for your word Romanorum est debellare superbos et parcere subiectos Truely you should better haue sayde Romanorum est spoliare innocentes et reddere subiectos For you Romanes are but destroyers of the people that bee peaceable and robbers of the swette and labours of strangers CHAP. IIII. The villaine argueth against the Romaines which without cause or reason conquered their Countrey and proued manifestly that they thorow offending of their Gods were vanquished of the Romanes I Aske ye Romanes what occasion yee haue that are brought vp nigh to the riuer of Tiber against vs that liue in peace nigh to the riuer of Danuby Peraduenture you haue seene vs friends to your foes or else wee haue shewed our selues your enemies peraduenture you haue heard say that forsaking our owne land wee should goe conquere forraine realmes peraduenture you haue beene aduertised that wee rebelling against our own Lords shold become obedient to the cruell Barbarians peraduenture yee haue sent vs some Ambassadour to desire vs to be your friends or else there came some from vs to Rome to defie you as our enemies peraduenture some King dyed in our realme which by his Testament made you heyres vnto our Realme whereby you clayme your Title and seeke to make vs your subiects peraduenture by some ancient law or custome yee haue found that the noble and worthy Germany of necessity is subiect to the proude people of Rome peraduenture wee haue destroyed your Armies wee haue wasted your fields sacked your Cities spoyled your subiects or fauoured your enemies so that to reuenge these iniuries yee should destroy our land If wee had bin your neighbours or you ours it had been no maruell though one should haue destroyed the other For it chaunceth oftentimes that through controuersie of a little peece of ground tedious warres betweene people arise Of a truth none of these thinges which I haue named hath chaunced betweene ye Romains and vs Germains For in Germany wee felte your tyranny as soone as wee heard of your renowne If yee bee grieued with that I haue sayde I pray you bee not offended with that I will say which is that the name of Romanes and the cruelty of tyrants arriued together in one day vpon our people And what more to say I know not Romanes of the litle care the Gods doe take and of the great audacitie that men haue For I see that hee which possesseth much doth oppresse him which hath but little and he that hath but little wayeth not him that hath much So disordered couetousnesse striueth with secret malice and secret malice giueth place to open theft open robbery no man resisteth and thereof commeth that the couetousnesse of a malitious man is accomplished to the preiudice of a whole state Hearken yee Romanes hearken by the Immortall Gods I doe coniure you giue care to that I will say which is consider well what you haue done for the good wordes bee in vaine or else men must haue an end the world in time must needes fall or else the world shall be no world Fortune must needs make sure the pinne of the wheele or else that shall bee seene which neuer was seene which is that which in eight yeares ye haue wonne yee shall within eight dayes lose For nothing can bee more iust since yee by force haue made your selues tyrants then the Gods by iustice should make you slaues And doe not thinke you Romanes though you haue subdued Germany and bee Lords thereof that it was by any warlike industry for ye are no more warlike no more couragious nor more hardy ne yet more valiant then wee Germaines but since through our offences wee haue prouoked the Gods to wrath they for the punishment of our disordinate vices ordained that ye should be a cruel plague and scourge to our persons Do not take your selues to be strong neither repute vs to bee so weake that if the Gods at that time had fauoured the one part as much as the other it might perchance haue happened yee should not haue enioyed the spoyle For to say the truth yee wanne not the victory through the force of weapons that you brought from Rome but through the infinite vices which yee found in Germany Therefore since wee were not ouercome for being cowards neyther for being weake nor yet for beeing fearefull but onely for being wicked and not hauing the Gods fauourable vnto vs what hope yee Romanes to become of you beeing as you are vicious and hauing the Gods angrie with you Doe nor thinke Romanes to be the more victorious for that ye assemble
hands Notwithstanding all this you you must know that in the warre you must first often hazard your life and afterwards to the discretion of such tongues commit your honour Our folly is so foolish and the desires of men so vaine that more for one vaine word then for any profite wee desire rather to get vaine glory with traue then to seeke a good life with rest And therefore willingly wee offer our liues now to great trauell and paine onely that among vaine men hereafter we may haue a name I sweare by the immortall Gods vnto thee my Cornelius that the day of my triumph whereas to the seeming of all those of this world I went triumphing in the chariot openly yet I ensure thee my heart wept secretly Such is the vanitie of men that thogh of reason wee be admonished called and compelled yet if we flie from her and contrarie though wee be rebuked euill handeled and dispised of the world yet we will serue it If I bee not deceyued it is the prosperitie of Foolish men and want of good iudgements that cause the men to enter into others Houses by force rather then to be desirous to be quiet in their owne with a good will I meane that wee should in following vertue sooner bee vertuous then in haunting vices be vicious for speaking the truth men which in all and for all desire to please the world must needes offer themselues to great trauell and care Oh Rome Rome cursed be thy folly and cursed be he that in thee brought vp so much pride and be he cursed of men and hated of Gods which in thee hath inuented such pompe For very fewe are they that worthily vnto it haue attained but infinite are they which through it haue perished What greater vanitie or what equall lightnes can bee then that a Romaine captaine because hee hath conquered Kingdomes troubled quyet men destroyed citties beaten downe castles robbed the poore enriched tyrants caried away treasors shed much bloud made infinite widowes and taken many Noble mens liues should be afterwardes with great triumph of Rome receyued in recompence of all this damage Wilt thou now that I tell thee a greater follie which aboue al other is greatest I let thee know infinite are they that dye in the wars and one only carieth away the glorie thereof So that these wofull and miserable men thogh for their carkas they haue not a graue yet one captaine goeth triumphing alone through Rome By the immortall Gods I sweare vnto thee and let this passe secretly as between friends that the day of my triumph when I was in my triumphant chariot beholding the miserable captiues loden with yrons and other men carrying infinite treasours which wee had euill gotten and to see the carefull widowes weepe for the death of theyr Husbandes and remembred so many noble Romans that lost their liues in Affrike thogh I seemed to reioice outwardly yet I ensure thee I did weepe drops of bloud inwardly For he is no man borne in the worlde but rather a Furie bred vp in hell among the Furies that can at the sorrowes of another take any pleasure I know not in this case what reputation the Prince or Captaine should make of himselfe that commeth from the Warres and desireth to enter into Rome For if hee thinke as it is reason on the wounds he hath in his bodie or the Treasors which he hath wasted on the places that he hath burnt on the perills that he hath escaped on the iniuryes which hee hath receiued the multitudes of men which vniustly are slaine the Friends which hee hath lost the enemies which he hath goten the litle rest that he hath enjoyed and the great trauels that he hath suffered in such case I say that such a one with sorowful sighs ought to lamēt with bitter teares ought to be receiued In this case of triumphing I neither commend the Assyrians nor enuie the Persians nor am content with the Macedonians nor allowe the Caldeans nor content me with the Greekes I curse the Troians and condemne the Cathagenians because that they proceeded not acording to the zeale of iustice but rather of the rage of pride to set vp triumphes endamaged their countries and left an occasion to vndoe vs. O cursed Rome cursed thou hast beene cursed thou art and cursed thou shalt be For if the fatall destenies doe not lye vnto mee and my iudgement deceiue me not and fortune fasten not the naile they shall see of thee Rome in time to come that which we others presently see of the Realmes past Thou oughtest for to know that as thou by tyranny hast made thy selfe Lady of Lords so by iustice thou shalt returne to bee the seruant of seruants O vnhappy Rome and vnhappy againe I returne to call thee Tell mee I pray thee why art thou at this day so dear of Marchandize so cheape of folly where are the ancient fathers which builded thee and with their vertues honored thee in whose stead presently thou magnifyest so manie tirants which with their vices deface thee Where are all those noble and vertuous Batons which thou hast nourished in whose stead thou hast now so many vicious and vagabonds Where are those which for thy liberty did shed their bloud in whose stead now thou hast those that to bring thee into subiection haue lost their life Where are thy valiant Captaines which with such great trauell did endeauour themselues to defend the walls from enemies in whose stead haue succeeded those that haue plucked them down and peopled them with vices and vicious where are thy great priests they which did alwayes pray in the temples in whose stead haue succeeded those that know not but to defile the churches and with their wickednesse to moue the gods to wrath where are those so many Philosophers and Oratours which with their counsell gouernd thee in whose stead haue now succeeded so many simple and ignorant which with their malice doe vndoe thee O Rome all those Auncients haue forsaken thee and wee succeeded those which now are new if thou knewest truely the vertue of them and diddest consider the lightnesse of vs the day that they ended their life the selfe same day not one stone in thee should haue beene lefte vpon another And so those fields should haue sauoured of the bones of the vertuous which now stinke of the bodies of the vicious Peraduenture thou art more auncient then Babylon more beautifull then Hierusalem more rich then Carthage more strōg then Troy more in circuite then Corinth more pleasāt then Tirus more fertile then Constantinople more high then Camena more inuincible then Aquileta more priuiledged then Gādes more enuironed with Towers then Capua and more flourishing then Cantabria We see that all those notable Cities perished for all their vertuous defenders and thinkest thou for to remaine being replenished with so much vice and peopled with so many vitious O my mother
Triumphes they went before in the Temples they did sit downe they spake to the Senate before all others they had their garments furred they might eate alone in secret and by their onely word they were credited as witnesses Finally I say that in all thinges they serued them and in nothing they annoied them After the people of Rome beganne warre with Asia they forsooke all their good Romane customes immediately And the occasion hereof was that since they had no men to sustaine the Common-wealth by reason of the great multitude of people which died in the warre they ordained that all the young men should marry the young maides the widdows the free and the bond and that the honour which had beene done vntill that time vnto the olde men from henceforth should bee done vnto the maried men though they were yong So that the most honoured in Rome was hee not of most yeares but he that had most children This Law was made a little before the first battell of Carthage And the custome that the married men were more honoured then the old endured vntil the time of the Emperour Augustus which was such a friend of Antiquities that hee renued all the walles of Rome with new stone and renued all the auncient customes of the Common-wealth Lycurgus in the lawes which he gaue to the Lacedemonians ordayned that the young men passing by the olde should doe them great reuerence and when the old men did speake then the younger should be silent And hee ordained also that if any olde man by casualtie did lose his goods and came into extreame pouertie then hee should be sustained of the Common wealth and that in such sustentation they should haue respect not onely to succour him for to sustain him but further to giue him to liue competently Plutarch in his Apothegmes declareth that Cato the Censor visiting the corners of Rome found an olde man sitting at his dore weeping and shedding many teares from his eyes And Cato the Censour demanding him why he was so euill handled and wherefore hee wept so bitterly the good olde man answered him O Cato the Gods beeing the only Comforters comfort thee in all thy tribulations since thou art ready to comfort mee at this wofull houre As well as thou knowest that the consolations of the Heart are more necessarie then the physicke of the bodie the which being applyed sometimes doeth heale and an other time they do harme Behold my scabby hands my swollen legs my mouth without Teeth my peeled Face my white beard and my balde head for thou beeing as thou art discreete shouldest be excused to aske mee why I weepe For men of my Age though they weepe not for the little they feele yet they ought to weep for the ouermuch they liue The man which is loaden with teares tormented with diseases pursued with Enemies forgotten of his friends visited with mishaps and with euill will and pouertie I know not why he demandeth long life For there can be no sharper reuengement of vices which wee commit then to giue vs long life Though now I am aged I was young and if any young man should doe me any iniurie truely I would not desire the Gods to take away his life but that they would rather prolong his life For it is great pittie to heare the man which hath liued long recount the troubles which he hath endured Know thou Cato if thou doest not know it that I haue liued 77. yeares and in this time I haue buryed my Father my Grand-father two Aunts and fiue vncles After that I had buryed 9. Systers and 11. Bretheren I haue buryed afterwards two lawfull wiues and fiue bond-women which I haue had as my lemmans I haue buryed also 14. children and 7. marryed daughters and therewith not contented I haue buryed 37. Nephewes and 15. Nieces and that which grieueth me most of all is that I haue buryed two good friendes of mine One of the which remayned in Capua and the other which remained was resident heere at Rome The death of whome hath grieued me more then all those of my alyance and parētage For in the world there is no like losse to that where a man looseth him whom entierly he loueth and of whome also hee is deerely beloued The fatall Destenyes ought to content themselues to haue annoyed my house with so many misfortunes But all this and aboue all this they haue left me a wicked nephewe which shall be mine heyre and they haue left vnto me that all my life I shall lament Oh Cato for that thou owest to the Common-wealth I doe desire thee and by the immortal Gods I doe conjure thee that since thou art a vertuous Romane and Censor of the people that thou prouide for one of these two things that is to say that this my nephew doe serue me or else ordeyne that I dye forthwith For it is a great crueltie that those doe pursue mee which are aliue since it is now fourtie yeares that I ceased not to bewayle the dead Cato beeing well informed of that the olde man had tolde him and since he found all that true which he spake he called vnto his presence the young Nephewe and sayde vnto him these wordes If thou wert such a Childe as thou oughtest to bee thou shouldest excuse mee of paine and thy selfe of trauell But since it is not so I pray thee take paciently that which I shall commaund thee and bee thou wel assured that I will not commaund thee any thing but that which shal be correspondent to Iustice For the vicious younglings as thou art ought to be more ashamed of the vnbrideled youthfulnesse they haue committed then for all the punishments which is giuen vnto them First I commaund thou bee whipt because thou art become so disobedient and troublesome to thy Graundfather Secondly I commaunde that thou bee banished the limites of Rome because thou art a vicious young man Thirdly I commaund that of all the goods which thou hast enherited thou shalt bee disinherited because thou doest not obey thy Graundfather And the cause why I giue such seuere sentence is to the ende that from henceforth the young shall not disobey the Aged and also that those which haue inherited great treasours shall not thinke that men should permit them to bee more vicious then others Phalaris the Tyraunt writing to a Friende of his which was very aged saide these words the which seemed rather spoken of a Phylosopher then of a tyrant I haue maruelled at thee and am offended with thee my friend 〈◊〉 to know as I doe that in yeares thou art very aged and in workes very young and also it grieueth mee that thou hast lost the credit of knowledge in the Schooles It grieueth me more that through thee the priuiledges should bee lost which the olde men haue accustomed to haue in Greece that is to say that all the thieues all the periured and all the murtherers were
I haue read and another time I desire my friends to giue mee good counsell and for no other end I doe it then to attaine to that I haue spoken and to know that I will say I reading Rethorike in Rhodes Adrian my lord maintaining me there knowing that I was two and thirty years of age it hapned in the Spring time I found my selfe solitarily and soluarinesse with liberty smelled the world and smelling it I knew it and know-it I followed it and following it I attained it attayning vnto it therunto I ioyned my selfe and ioyning my selfe therewith I proued it and in prouing it I tasted it and in tasting it mee thought it bitter and in finding it bitter I hated it and hating it I left it and leauing it is returned and being returned I receyued it againe Finally the world inuiting mee and I not resisting it two and fiftie yeares wee did eate our bread together and in one house wee haue alwayes remayned wilt thou know after what sort the world and I doe liue in one house together or better for to say in one heart remayne Harken then and in one word I will tell it thee When I saw the world braue I serued him when hee saw me sad hee flattered mee when I saw him wealthy I asked him when hee saw mee merry hee begulled mee when I desired any thing hee holpe me to attaine to it and afterwards when the same I best enioyed then hee tooke it from me when hee saw me not pleased he visited me when hee saw mee he forgot me when he saw mee ouerthrowne hee gaue mee his hand to releeue mee when he saw me exalted hee tripped me againe to ouerthrow me Finally when I thinke that I haue somewhat in the world I finde that all that I haue is a burthen If this which I haue spoken of the world bee any thing more is that a great deale which yet of my selfe I will say which is that without doubt my folly is greater then his malice since I am beguiled so oft and yet alwayes I follow the deceyuer O world world thou hast such moods and fashions in thy proceeding that thou leadest vs all to perdition Of one thing I maruell much whereof I cannot bee satisfied Which is since that we may go vpon the bridge and yet without any gaine wee doe wade through the water and where as the shallow is sure wee seeke to runne into the gulfe and where the way is drie wee goe into the plash where wee may eate wholesome meates to nourish the life wee receyue poyson to hasten death we seeke to destroy our selues whereas wee may bee without danger Finally I say without profite wee commit a fault though wee see with our eyes the paine to follow Wise men ought circumspectly to see what they do to examine that they speake to proue that they take in hand for to beware whose company they vse and aboue all to know whom they trust For our iudgement is so corrupt that to beguile vs one is inough and to make vs not to bee deceyued tenne thousand would not suffice They haue so great care of vs I doe meane the world to be guile vs and the flesh to flatter vs that the high way being as it is narrow the pathway daungerous and full of prickes the iourney is long and the life short our bodies are neuer but loden with vices and our hearts are full of sorrows and cares I haue wondered at diuers things in this World but that which astonieth mee most is that those which be good we make them beleeue they are euill and those which are euill wee perswade others to beleeue that they are good So that wee shoote at the white of vertues and hit the butte of vices I will confesse one thing the which beeing disclosed I know that infamy will follow mee but peraduenture some vertuous man will maruell at it that is that in those two and fifty yeeres of my life I haue proued al the vices of this world for no other entent but for to proue if there bee any thing where in mans malice might be satisfied And afterwards all well considered all examined and all proued I finde that the more I eate the more I dye for hunger the more I drinke the greater thirst I haue the more I rest the more I am broken the more I sleepe the more drousier I am the more I haue the more I couet the more I desire the more I am tormented the more I procure the lesse I attaine Finally I neuer had so greate paine through want but afterwards I had more trouble with excesse it is a great folly to thinke that as long as a man liueth in this flesh that he can satisfie the flesh for at the last cast shee may take from vs our life but wee others cannot take from her her disordinate couetousnesse if men did speake with the Gods or that the Gods were conuersant with men the first thing that I would aske them should bee why they haue appointed an end to our wofull dayes and will not giue vs an end of our wicked desires O cruell Gods what is it you doe or what doe you suffer vs it is certaine that wee shall not passe one good day of life onely but in tasting this and that life consumeth O intollerable life of man wherein there are such malices from the which wee ought to beware and such perils to fall in and also so many things to consider that then both shee and wee doe ende to know our selues when the houre of death approcheth Let those know that know not that the World taketh our will and wee others like ignorants cannot deny it him and afterwardes hauing power of our will doth constraine vs to that which wee would not so that many times wee would doe vertuous workes and for that wee are now put into the Worlds hands wee dare not do it The World vseth another subtilty with vs and to the end we should not striue with it it prayseth the times past because wee should liue according to the time present And the World sayeth further that if wee others employ our forces in his vices he giueth vs licence that wee haue a good desire of vertue O would to God in my dayes I might see that the care which the Worlde hath to preserue vs the Worldlings would take it to withdraw them from his vices I sweare that the Gods should then haue more seruants and the World and the flesh should not haue so many slaues CHAP. XXI The Emperour proceedeth in his Letter and proueth by good reasons that sith the aged persons will bee serued and honoured of the young they ought to be more vertuous and honest then the young I Haue spoken all this before rehearsed for occasion of you Claude and Claudine the which at 60 and 10 yeeres will not keepe out the prison of the world You I say which haue
a perpetuall memorie What contempt of world what forgetfulnesse of himselfe what stroke of fortune what whippe for the flesh what little regard of life O what bridle for the vertuous O what confusion for those that loue life O how great example haue they left vs not to feare death Sithens those here haue willingly despised their owne liues it is not to be thought that they dyed to take the goods of others neither yet to thinke that our life should neuer haue end nor our couetousnesse in like manner O glorious people and ten thousand fold happy that the proper sensuality being forsaken haue ouercom the naturall appetite to desire to liue not beleeuing in that they saw and that hauing faith in that they neuer saw they striued with the fatall Destenies By the way they assaulted fortune they changed life for death they offered the body to death and aboue all haue wonne honour with the Gods not for that they shoulde hasten death but because they should take away that which is superfluous of life Archagent a Surgeon of Rome and Anthonius Musus a Physition of the Emperour Augustus and Esculapius father of the Phisicke should get little money in that Countrie Hee that then should haue sent to the barbarous to haue done as the Romanes at that time did that is to say to take sirrops in the mornings pils at night to drinke milke in the morning to annoint themselues with gromeâ—seed to bee let bloud to day and purged to morrow to eate of one thing and to abstaine from many a man ought to thinke that hee which willingly seeketh death will not giue money to lengthen life CHAP. XXII The Emperour concludeth his letter and shewed what perils those olde men liue in which dissolutely like young children passe their dayes and giueth vnto them wholesome counsell for the remedy thereof BVt returning to thee Claude and to thee Claudine me thinketh that these barbarous men beeing fifty yeares of age and you others hauing aboue threescore and tenne it should be iust that sithence you were elder in yeares you were equall in vertue and though as they you wil not accept death patiently yet at the least you ought to amend your euill liues willingly I doe remember that it is many yeares sithens that Fabritius the young sonne of Fabritius the olde had ordayned to haue deceiued mee of the which if you had not told me great inconueniences had happned and sithens that you did me so great a benefite I would now requite you the same with another the like For amongst friends there is no equal benefite then to deceiue the deceyuer I let you know if you do not know it that you are poore aged folks your eyes are sunke into your heads the nostrels are shut the haires are white the hearing is lost the tongue faultereth the teeth fall the face is wrinkled the feete swolne and the stomacke cold Finally I say that if the graue could speake as vnto his Subiects by iustice he might commaund you to inhabite his house It is great pitty of the yong men and of their youthfull ignorance for then vnto such their eies are not opened to know the mishaps of this miserable life when cruell death doth end their dayes and adiorneth them to the graue Plato in his booke of the Common wealth sayde that in vaine wee giue good counsels to fond and light young men for youth is without experience of that it knoweth suspitious of that it heareth incredible of that is tolde him despising the counsell of an other and very poore of his own For so much as this is true that I tell you Claude and Claudine that without comparison the ignorance which the young haue of the good is not so much but the obstination which the olde hath in the euill is more For the mortall Gods many times doe dissemble with a thousand offences commited by ignorance but they neuer forgiue the offence perpetrated by malice O Claude and Claudine I doe not maruell that you doe forget the gods as you doe which created you and your Fathers which begot you and your parents which haue loued you and your friends which haue honoured you but that which I most maruell at is that you forget your selues For you neuer consider what you ought to bee vntill such time as you bee there where you would not bee and that without power to returne backe againe Awake awake since you are drowned in your dreames open your eyes since you sleepe so much accustome your selues to trauels sithence you are vagabonds learne that which behoueth you since now you are olde I meane that in time conuenient you agree with death before he make execution of life Fifty two yeeres haue I knowne the things of the world and yet I neuer saw a Woman so aged thorough yeares nor old man with members so feeble that for want of strength could not if they list doe good nor yet for the same occasion should leaue to bee euill if they list to be euill It is a maruellous thing to see and worthy to note that all the corporall members of Man waxeth old but the inward hart and the outward tongue For the heart is alwayes giuen to inuent euills and the tongue is alwayes able to tell Lyes Mine opinion is that the pleasaunt Summer beeing past you should prepare your selues for the vntemperate winter which is at hand And if you haue but fewe dayes to continue you should make hast to take vp your lodging I meane that sith you haue passed the dayes of your life with trauell you should prepare your selues against the night of death to be in the hauen of rest Let mockeryes passe as mockeries and accept trueth as truth that is to say that it were a very iust thing and also for your honour necessarie that all shose which in times past haue seen you young and foolish should now in your age see you graue and sage For there is nothing that so much forgetteth the lightnesse and follyes of youth as doth grauity and constancie in Age. When the Knight runneth his carriere they blame him not for that the Horses mane is not finely combed but at the end of his race he shold see his horse amended and looked vnto What greater confusion can be to any person or greater slaunder to our mother Rome then to see that which now a dayes therein we see That is to say that the old which can scarcely creepe through the streetes to beholde the playes and games as young men which search for nought else but onely pompe and vanitie It grieueth mee to speake it but I am much more ashamed to see that the olde Romaines do daylie cause the white haires to be plucked out of their heads because they would not seeme old to make their beard small to seem yong wearing their hosen very close their shyrts open before the gowne of the Senatour embrodered the Romane signe richly enamelled the
for admit the pillers be of gold the beames of siluer and that those which ioyne them bee kings those which build them noble in that mining they consume a 1000. yeares before they can haue it out of the ground or that they can come to the bottomes I sweare vnto them that they shall finde no stedy rocke nor liuely mountain where they may build their house sure nor to cause their memory to bee perpetuall The immortall Gods haue participated all things to the mortal men immortality onely reserued therefore they are called immortall for so much as they neuer dye and wee others are called mortall because dayly we vanish away O my friēd Cincinnatus men haue an end thou thinkest the Gods neuer ought to ende Now greene now ripe now rotten fruit is seuered from this life from the tree of the miserable flesh and esteem this as nothing for so much as this is naturall But oftentimes in the leafe or flower of youth the frost of some disease or the perill of some mishap doth take vs away so that when wee thinke to be aliue in the morning we we are dead in the night It is a tedious and long worke to weaue a cloth yet whē in many daies it is wouen in one moment it is cut I meane that it is much folly to see a man with what toyle hee enricheth himselfe and into what perill he putteth himself to win a state of honour and afterwards when wee thinke litle we see him perish in his estate leauing of him no memory O my friend Cincinnatus for the loue that is betweene vs I desire thee and by the immortall Gods I do coniure thee that thou giue no credit to the world which hath this condition to hide much copper vnder little gold vnder the colour of one truth hee telleth vs a thousand lyes and with one short pleasure he mingleth tenne thousand displeasures He beguileth those to whom he pretendeth most loue and procureth great damages to them to whom he giueth most goods hee recompenseth them greatly which serue him in iest and to those which truly loue him he giueth mockes for goods Finally I say that when wee sleepe most sure he waketh vs with greatest perill Eyther thou knowest the world with his deceit or not if thou knowest him not why dost thou serue him if thou dost know him why dost thou follow him Tell mee I pray thee wouldest not thou take the theefe for a foole which would buy the rope wherewith hee should bee hanged and the murtherer that would make the sword wherewith hee should bee beheaded and the robber by the hie-way that would shew the well wherein hee should be cast and the traytor that should offer himselfe in place for to be quartered the rebel that shold disclose himselfe to be stoned Then I swear vnto thee that thou art much more a foole which knowest the world and will follow it and serue it One thing I will tell thee which is such that thou neuer oughtest to forget it that is to say that we haue great need of faith not to beleeue the vanities which we see then to beleeue the great malice which with our eares we heare I returne to aduise thee to read and consider this word which I haue spoken for it is a sentence of profound mistery Doest thou thinke Cincinnatus that Rich men haue little care to get great riches I let thee know that the goods of this world are of such condition that before the poore man doth locke vp in his chests an 100. crownes hee feeleth a thousand griefes and cares in his heart Our predecessors haue seen it we see it presently our successors shall see it that the money which wee haue gotten is in a certaine number but the cares and trauels which it bringeth are infinit We haue few painted houses and few noble estates in Rome that within a litle time haue not great cares in theyr hearts cruell enmityes with their neighbours much euill will of theyr heyres disordinate importunities of their frends perilous malices of their Enemies and aboue all in the Senate they haue innumerable proces and oft times to locke vp a little good in their chests they make tenne thousand blots in their honour Oh how manie haue I knowne in Rome to whom it hath chaunced that all that they haue gotten in Rome to leaue vnto their best beloued Childe another heyre with little care of whom they thought not hath enioyed it There can bee nothing more iust then that all those which haue beguyled others with deceyte in their life should bee found deceyued in their vaine imaginations after theyr death Iniurious should the Gods be if in all the euils that the euill propound to doe they should giue them time and place to accomplish the same But the gods are so iust and wise that they dissemble with the euill to the ende they should beginne and follow the things according to theyr owne wills and fantasies and afterwardes at their best time they cut off their liues to leaue them in greater torment The Gods should bee very cruell and to them it should bee great griefe to suffer that that which the euill haue gathred to the preiudice of many good they shold enioy in peace many yeres Mee thinketh it great follie to knowe that we are borne weeping and to see that wee dye sighing and yet for all this wee dare liue laughing I would aske of the world and his worldlings sithens that we enter into the world weeping and go out of the world sighing why wee should liue laughing For the rule to measure all parts ought to be equall Oh Cincinnatus who hath beguyled thee to the ende that for one bottle of water of the Sea of this worlde for thy pleasure thou wilt blister thy hand with the rope of cares and bruse thy bodie in the anckor of troubles and aboue all to aduenture thine own honour for a glasse of water of another man By the faith of a good man I sweare vnto thee that for all that great quantitie of Water thou drawest for that great deale of money thou hast thou remainest as much deade for thyrste drinking of that water as when thou wert without water in the cup. Consider nowe thy yeares if my counsell thou wilt accept thou shalt demaund death of the Gods to rest thee as a vertuous man and not riches to liue as a Foole. With the teares of mine eyes I haue bewayled manie in Rome when I saw them depart out of this worlde and thee I haue bewayled and do bewaile my friend Cincinnatus with drops of bloud to see the return into the world The credite thou hadst in the Senate the bloud of thy predecessours my Friendship the authoritie of thy person the honour of thy parentage the slaunder of thy Common-wealth ought to withdraw thee from so great couetousnesse Oh poore Cincinnatus consider the white honored haires which
profound which the Philosopher spake and great reason had the king to esteeme it so much For if wee doe prepare our selues to consider whereof wee are and what we shall be that is to say That wee are of earth and that we shall returne to earth We would not cease to weepe nor sigh One of the greatest vanities which I finde among the children of vanity is that they employ themselues to consider the influences of the starres the nature of the Planets the motion of the heauens and they will not coÌ„sider themselues of which consideration they should take some profite For man giuing his mind to thinke on strange things commeth to forget his owne proper Oh if we would consider the corruption whereof wee are made the filth whereof wee are engendred the infinit trauell wherewith we are born the long tediousnes wherewith we are nourished the great necessities and suspitions wherein wee liue and aboue all the perill wherein wee dye I sweare and affirme that in such consideration wee finde a thousand occasions to wish death and not one to desire life The children of vanity are occupyed many yeares in the Schooles to learne Rethorike they exercise themselues in Philosophy they heare Aristotle they learne Homere without booke they study Cicero they are occupied in Xenophon they hearken Titus Liuius they forget not Aulus Gelius and they know Ouid yet for all this I say that we cannot say that the man knoweth little which doth know himselfe Eschines the Philosopher sayde well that it is not the least but the chiefest part of Philosophy to know man and wherefore he was made for if man would deepely consider what man is he should finde more things in him which would moue him for to humble himselfe then to stirre him to be proud If we doe behold it without passion and if we doe examine it with reason I know not what there is in man O miserable and fraile nature of man the which taken by it selfe is little worth and compared with an other thing is much lesse For man seeth in brute beastes many things which hee doth enuy and the beasts doe see much more in men whereon if they had reason they would haue compassion The excellencie of the soule layde aside and the hope which we haue of eternall life if man doe compare the captiuity of men to the liberty of beasts with reason we may see that the beasts doe liue a peaceable life and that which men doe lead is but a long death If we prepare our selues to consider from the time that both man and beast come into this world vntill such time as they both dye and in how many thinges the beasts are better then men with reason we may say that nature like a pittifull mother hath shewed her selfe to beasts and that she doth handle vs an vniust stepmother Let vs beginne therefore to declare more particularly the originall of the one and the beginning of the other and wee shall see how much better the brute beasts are endowed and how the miserable men are disinherited CHAP. XXXIII The Author followeth his purpose and excellently compareth the misery of men with the liberty of beasts WE ought deeply to consider that no wilde nor tame beast is so long before hee come to his shape as the miserable man is who with corruption of bloud and vile matter is nine moneths hid in the wombe of his mother Wee see the beast when shee is great if neede require doth labour all exercises of husbandrie so that shee is as ready to labour when she is great as if shee were empty The contrary hapneth to women which when they are big with child are weary with going trobled to be laid they ride in Chariots through the market places they eate little they brooke not that they haue eaten they hate that which is profitable and loue that which doth them harme Finally a woman with childe is contented with nothing and shee fretteth and vexeth with her selfe Sithence therefore it is truâ—â—hat we are noysome and troubleâ—â—â—e to our mothers when 〈◊〉 beare vs in theyr wombes why doe we not giue them some safe conduct when they are in deliuering O miserable state of maÌ„ since the brute beasts are borne without destroying their mothers but the miserable men before they are born are troublesome and carefull and in the time of their birth are both perillous to themselues and dangerous to their mothers which seemeth to be very manifest for the preparation that man maketh when he wil die the selfe same ought the woman to doe when shee is ready to bee deliuered Wee must also consider that though birdes haue but two feete they can goe moue and runne immediately when it commeth foorth but when man is borne hee cannot goe nor moue and much lesse runne So that a Popingey ought more to bee esteemed which hath no hands then the man which hath both hands and feet That which they do to the little babe is not but a prognostication of that which he ought to suffer in the progresse of his life that is to say That as they are not contented for to put the euill doer in prison but they lode his hands with yrons and set his feete in the stockes so in like manner to the miserable man when hee entreth into the Chaâ—ter of his life immediately they binde both his hands and his feete and lay him in the Cradell So that the innocent babe is first bound and rolled before hee bee embraced or haue sucke of the mother We must note also that the houre wherein the beast is brought foorth though it know not the Sier which begate it at the least it knoweth the damme which brought it forth which is apparant for so much as if the mother haue milke the youngling forthwith doth seeke her teates and if perchaunce the haue no milke they goe afterwards to 〈◊〉 themselues vnder her wings Of the miserable man it is not so but the day that hee is borne he knoweth not the Nurse that giueth him sucke neyther the Father which hath begotten him the mother which hath borne him nor yet the Mid-wife which hath receyued him moreouer hee cannot see with his eies heare with his eares nor iudge with the taste and knoweth neyther what it is to touch or smell so that wee see him to whome the Seigniory ouer all brute beasts and other things that are created partayneth to bee borne the most vnable of all other creatures We must consider also that thogh the beast be neuer so little yet it can seeke for the teates of his mother to sucke or to wander in the fieldes to feede or to scrape the dunghilles to eate or else it goeth to the fountains and riuers to drinke and that he learneth not by the discourse of time or that any other beast hath taught it but as soone as it is borne so soone doth it know what thing is necessarie for
it The miserable man is not born with so many present commodities he cannot eate drinke nor goe make himself ready aske nor yet complain and that which is more hee knoweth not scarsely how to sucke for the mothers oft times would giue to their children if they could the bloud of their heart and yet they cannot cause them to take the milke of their brests O great misery of mans nature forsomuch as the brute beasts as soone as they are come forth of their mothers wombe can know and seeke but when it is offred vnto man he cannot know it We must note also that to brute beasts nature hath giuen cloathing wherewith they may keepe themselus from the heate of Sommer and defend themselues from the colde of Winter which is manifest for that to Lambes and sheepe she hath giuen wooll to birdes feathers to hogges bristles to horses hayre to fishes scales and to snailes shels Finally I say there is no beast which hath neede with his hands to make any garment nor yet to borrow it of another Of all this the miserable man is depriued who is borne all naked and dyeth all naked not carrying with him one onely garment and if in the time of his life he will vse any garment hee must demaund of the beasts both leather and wooll thereunto he must also put his whole labour and industry I would aske Princes and great Lords if when they are borne they bring with them any apparrell and when they dye if they carry with them any treasure To this I answere no but they dye as they are borne as well the rich as the poore and the poore as the rich And admit that in this life fortune doth make difference betweene vs in estates yet nature in time of our birth and death doth make vs all equall We must also thinke and consider that for so much as nature hath prouided the beasts of garments shee hath hath also taken from them the care of what they ought to eate for there is no beast that doth eyther plow sow or labour but doth content her selfe and passeth her life eyther with the flyes of the ayre with the Corne that shee findeth in the high-wayes with the hearbes in the fieldes with the Ants of the Earth with the grapes of the vine or with the fruites which are fallen Finally I say that without care all beasts take their rest as if the day following they should haue no neede to eate Oh what a great benefite should GOD doe to the miserable man if he had taken from him the trauell to apparrell himselfe and the care to search for things to eate But what shall the poore miserable man doe that before he eateth hee must tyll sow hee must reape and thresh the Corne hee must cleanse it grinde it paste it and bake it and it cannot bee prouided without care of minde nor be done without the proper sweate of the browes And if perchaunce any man did prouide for himselfe with the sweate of others yet shall hee liue with his owne offences Also in other things the silly beasts doe excell vs For in the Flowers in the leaues in the hearbes in the straw in the Oates in the bread in the flesh or in the fruits which they eate or in the waters which they drinke they feele no paine although it be not sweet nor take no displeasure thogh theyr meates be not sauorie Finally such as Nature hath prouided them without disguysing or making themselus better they are contēted to eate Man could loose nothing if in this point he agreed with beasts but I am very sorrie that there are many vicious and prowd men vnto whom nothing wanteth eyther to apparell or eate but they haue too much to maintaine themselues and herewith not contented they are such Drunkards to taste of diuers wines and such Epicures to eate of sundry sorts of meates that oft times they spend more to dresse them then they did cost the buying Now when the Beasts are brought foorth they haue knowledge both of that that is profitable and also of that which is hurtfull for them For we see this that the sheep doth fly the wolfe the catte flieth the dogge the ratte flieth the catte and the chicken the kyte so that the beasts in opening the eyes doe immediately knowe the friendes whom they ought to followe and the Enemies whome they ought to flye To the miserable man was vtterly denyed this so great priuiledge For in the worlde there hath bin many beastly men who haue not onely attayned that which they ought to know whiles they liued but also euen as like beasts they passed their dayes in this life so they were infamed at the time of their death Oh miserable creatures that we are which liue in this wicked world For wee know not what is hurtfull for vs what we ought to eate from what we ought to abstaine nor yet whom wee should hate wee doe not agree with those whome wee ought to loue wee know not in whome to put our trust from whom we ought to flie nor what it is we ought to choose nor yet what wee ought to forsake Finally I say that when wee thinke oft times to enter into a sure Hauen within three steps afterwards wee fall headlong into the deepe Sea Wee ought also to consider that both to wilde and tame beasts nature hath ginen arms or weaponsto defend themselues and to assault their enemyes as it appeareth For that to byrds shee hath giuen wings to the Harts swifte feete to the Elephants tuskes to the Serpents scales to the Eagles tallons to the Fawkon a beake to the Lyons teeth to the Bulles hornes and to the Beares pawes Finally I say that she hath giuen to the Foxes subtiltie to know how to hyde themselues in the Earth and to the Fishes little finnes how to swimme in the water Admit that the wretched men haue few enemyes yet in this they are none otherwise priuiledged then the beasts for we see without teares it cannot be told that the beasts which for the seruice of Man were created with the selfe same beasts men are now a dayes troubled and offended And to the ende it seeme not wee should talke of pleasure let euery man bethinke with himselfe what it is that we suffer with the Beasts of this life For the Lyons doe feare vs the Wolues deuoure our sheep the dogges do byte vs the Cats scratche vs the Beare doeth teare vs the Serpents poyson vs the Bulls hurt vs with their hornes the Byrds doe ouerflye vs the Rats doe trouble vs the spyders doe annoy vs and the worste of all is that a little Flye sucketh our bloud in the day and the poore Flea doth hynder and let vs from sleeping in the night Oh poore and miserable man who for to sustaine this wretched life is enforced to begge all things that he needeth of the Beasts For the beasts do giue him wooll the
beasts doe drawe him water the beasts doe carrie him from place to place the beasts doe plough the Lande and carryeth the corne into their barnes Finally I say that if the man receyue any good hee hath not wherewith to make recompence and if they doe him any euill hee hath nought but the tongue to reuenge Wee must note also that though a man loade a beast with strypes beate her and driue her by the fowle wayes though hee take her meate from her yea though her younglings dye yet for none of all these she is sad or sorrowfull and much lesse doth weepe and though she should weep she can not For beasts little esteme their life and much lesse feare death It is not so of the vnhappy and wretched man which cānot but bewaile the vnthankfulnesse of theyr friendes the death of their Children the wants which they haue of necessaries the cases of aduersitie which doe succeed them the false witnes which is brought against them and a thousand calamityes which doe torment their hearts Finally I say that the greatest comforts that men haue in this life is to make a riuer of water with the teares of their Eyes Let vs enquire of Princes and great Lordes what they can doe when they are borne whether they can speake as Orators if they can runne as Postes if they can gouern themselues as kings if they can fight as men of Warre if they can labour as labourers if they can worke as masons if they knowe to teach as maisters These litle children would answer that they are not onely ignorant of all that wee demaund of them but also that they cannot vnderstand it Let vs returne to aske them what it is that they knowe since they know nothing of that we haue demaunded them They will answer that they can doe no other thing but weepe at their byrth and sorrow at theyr death Though all those which saile in this so perillous Sea doe reioyce and take pleasure and seeme to sleepe soundly yet at the last there cometh the winde of aduersitie which maketh them all know their follies For if I be not deceiued and if I know any thing of this world those which I haue seene at the time of their birth take ship weeping I doubt whether they will take Land in the graue laughing Oh vnhappy life I should say rather death which the mortalls take for life wherein afterwards we must spend and consume a great time to learne all Artes Sciences and offices and yet notwithstanding that whereof we are ignorant is much more then that which wee knowe Wee forget the greatest part saue only that of weeping which no man needeth to learne for wee are borne and liue weeping and vntill this present wee haue seene none to die in ioy Wee must note also that the beasts doe liue and dye with the inclinations wherwith they were borne that is to say that the Wolfe followeth the sheepe and not the birdes the hound followeth the hares and not the rattes the sparrow flyeth at the birdes and not at the fish the spider eateth the flyes and not the herbes Finally I say that if wee let the beast search his meate quietly we shall not see him giuen to any other thing The contrary of all this hapneth to men the which though nature hath created feeble yet Gods intention was not they should bee malitious but I am sorry since they cannot auoyd debility that they turne it into malice The presumption which they haue to bee good they turne to pride and the desire they haue to be innocent they turne into enuy The fury which they should take against malice they turne into anger and the liberality they ought to haue with the good they conuert into auarice The necessity they haue to eate they turne into gluttonie and the care they ought to haue of their conscience they turne into negligence Finally I say that the more strength beasts haue the more they serue and the lesse men are worth so much the more thankes haue they of God The innocency of the brute beastes considered and the malice of the malitious men marked without comparison the company of the brute beast is lesse hurtfull then the conuersation of euill men For in the end if hee bee conuersant with a beast yee haue not but to beware of her but if yee bee in company with a man there is nothing wherin yee ought to trust him Wee must note also that it was neyther seene or read that there was any beast that took care for the graue but the beasts being dead some were torne in peeces with Lions other dismembred by the bears others gnawn with dogs other remain in the fields other are eaten of men and other by the Ants. Finally the entrailes of the one are the graues of others It is not so of the miserable man the which consumeth no small treasure to make his Tombe which is the most vainest thing that is in this miserable life for there is no greater vanity nor lightnes in man then to be esteemed for his goodly and sumptuous sepulture and little to weigh a good Life I will sweare that at this day all the dead doe sweare that they care little if their bodies be buried in the deepe Seas or in the golden Tombes or that the cruell beasts haue eaten thē or that they remaine in the fieldes without a graue so that their soules may be among the celestiall Companies Speaking after the Lawe of a Christian I durst say that it profiteth little the body to be among the painted and carued stones when the miserable soule is burning in the fierie flames of hell O miserable creatures haue not wee sufficient wherewith to seeke in this life to procure to trauell to accomplish to sigh and also what to bewayle without hauing such care anguish to know where they shall bee buried Is there any man so vaine that hee dooth not care that other men should condemne his euil life so that they praise his rich tombe To those that are liuing I speake and say of those that are dead that if a man gaue them leaue to returne into the World they would bee occupied more to correct their excesse and offences then to adiourne and repayre their graues and tombes though they haue found them fallen downe I cannot tell what to say more in this case but to admonish men that it is a great folly to make any great account of the graues CHAP. XXXIIII The Emperour Marcus Aurelius writeth this letter to Domitius a Citizen of Capua to comfort him in his exile beeing banished for a quarrell betwixt him and another about the running of a horse very comfortable to those that haue beene in fauour and now fallen in disgrace MArke the Romane Emperour borne at Mount Celio to thee Domitius of Capua wisheth health and consolation from the gods the onely Comforters The bitter Winter in these partes haue raysed bosterous winds and
which we are ignorant we haue no paine to attaine vnto them and lesse griefe also to lose them My intention to tell thee this was because that I knew that which I would not haue knowne and haue heard that which I would not haue heard that is to say that the dayes and troubles of Claudinus thy husband are ended and now thy sorrowes Lauinia his wife doe beginne It is now a good while that I haue known of the death of the good Claudinus my friend and thy husband though I did dissemble it And by the God Mars I sweare vnto thee that it was not for that I would not bewaile him but because I would not discomfort thee For it were extreame cruelty that shee which was so comfortlesse and sorrowfull for the absence of so long time should bee killed with my hand through the knowledge of the death of her so desired husband It were too vnkind and vnseemely a thing that shee of whom I haue receyued so many good works should receiue of me so euill newes The auncients of Carthage held for an inuiolable Law that if the Father did tell the death of his sonne or the sonne the death of the Father or the woman the death of her husband or the husband the death of his wife or any other semblable wofull and lamentable death that he should bee cast into the prison among them which were condemned to die It seemed to those of Carthage that he which sayde vnto another that his brother kinsman or friend was dead immediately they should kill him or hee ought to dye or at the least hee should neuer bee seene in his presence If in this case the Law of the Carthaginians was inst then I ought to be excused though I haue not told this heauie newes For as oft as we see him who hath brought vs any euill tidinges our sorrowes by his sight is renewed againe Since Claudinus thy Husband dyed I haue not had one houre of rest for to passe the time away for feare least such woefull and sorrowfull newes should come to thy knowledge But now that I know that thou knowest it I feele double paine For now I feele his death my care and thy want of consolation and the dammage by his death shall followe the Romaine Empire Thou hast lost a noble Romaine valiaunt in bloud moderate in prosperities pacient in aduersities couragious in daungers diligent in affaires wise in counsels faithful to his friends subtill and wary of his Enemyes a louer of the common-wealth and very honest in his person and aboue all and wherof I haue most enuie is that hee neuer offended man in his life nor hurt any with his tongue We finde seldome times so many vertues assembled in one man For saying the truth if a man doe narrowly examine the vices of manie which presume to be very vertuous I sweare that he should finde more to reproue then to praise Since thou hast lost so good a Husband and I so faithfull a Friend wee are bound thou to bewaile so great a losse and I to sigh for so good a companion And this I do not desire for Claudine who now resteth among the Gods but for vs others which remaine in daunger of so many euills For the dead doe rest as in the sure Hauen and we others doe faile as yet in raging Sea O thou heauy heart how doe I see thee betweene the Bell and the clappers that is to say that thou wantest the companie of the good and art enuironned with the flocke of euill For the which occasion I doubt often times whether I may first bewaile the euill which liue or the good which are dead because in the ende the euill men do offend vs more which we finde then doth the good men which we loose It is a great pittie to see the good and vertuous men dye but I take it to be more sorrow to see the euill and vitious men liue As the diuine Plato sayeth the gods to kill the good which serue them and to giue long life to the euill which offend them is a mysterie so profound that daily wee doe lament it and yet wee can neuer attayne to the secretes thereof Tell me I pray thee Lauinia knowest thou not now that the Gods are so mercifull with whom we go when we dye and that men are so wicked with whom we be whiles we liue that as the euill were borne to dye so the good dye to liue For the good man though hee dye liueth and the euill man though he liue dyeth I sweare vnto thee by the Mother Berecynthia and so the God Iupiter do preserue mee that I speake not this which I will speake fainedly which is that considering the rest that the dead haue with the Gods and seeing the sorrowes and troubles wee haue here with the liuing I say and affirme once againe that they haue greater compassion of our life then wee others haue of their death Though the death of men were as the death of beasts that is to say that ther were no Furyes nor diuels which should torment the euill and that the Gods should not rewarde the good yet wee ought to be comforted to see our friends die if it were for no other but to see them deliuered from the thraldome of this world The pleasure that the Pilot hath to bee in sure Hauen the glorie that the captaine hath to see the day of victorie the rest that the Traueller hath to see his journey ended the contentation that the workeman hath to see his work come to perfection all the same haue the dead seeing themselues out of this miserable life If men were borne alway to liue it were reason to lament them when we see them dye but since it is true that they are borne to dye I would say since needes dye wee must that wee ought not to lament those which dye quickly but those which liue long I am assured that Clandine thy Husband remembring that which in this life hee hath passed and suffered and seeing the rest that hee hath in the other though the Gods would make him Emperour of Rome he would not be one day out of his graue For returning to the worlde hee should dye againe but being with the Gods hee hopeth to liue perpetually Ladie Lauinia most earnestly I desire thee so vchemently not to pierce the heauens with thy so heauie sighes nor yet to wette the earth with thy so bitter teares since thou knowest that Claudine thy husband is in place where there is no sorrowe but mirth where there is no paine but rest where hee weepeth not but laugheth where hee sigheth not but singeth where he hath no sorrowes but pleasures where hee feareth not cruell death but enioyeth perpetuall life Since therefore this is true it is but reason the widdow appease her anguish considering that her husband endureth no paine Oftentimes with my selfe I haue thought what the Wddowes ought to imagine
when they see themselues in such cares and distresse And after my count made I finde that they ought not to thinke of the companie past nor wofull sollitarines wherein they are presently and much lesse they ought to thinke on the pleasures of this world but rather to remember the rest in the world to come For the true widdowe ought to haue her conuersation among the liuing and her desire to be with the dead If till this present thou hadst paine and trouble to looke for thy Husband to come home haue thou now ioy that hee looketh for thee in Heauen wherein I sweare vnto thee that thou shalt be better vsed of the Gods then he was here of men For in this world wee know not what glorie meaneth and there they know not what paines are Licinius and Posthumius thy vnkles tolde mee that thou art so sorrowfull that thou wilt receiue no comfort but in this case I thinke not that thou bewailest so much for Claudinus that alone doest thinke thou hast lost him For since wee did reioyce together in his life wee are bound to weepe together at his death The heauie and sorrowfull hearts in this worlde feele no greater griefe then to see others reioyce at their sorrowes And the contrary heereof is that the wofull and afflicted heart feeleth no greater ioy nor rest in extream mishappes of Fortune then to thinke that others haue sorrow and griefe of their paine When I am heauie and comfortles I greatly ioy to haue my friend by me and my heart doth tell me that what I feele hee feeleth So that all which my Friend with his eyes doeth bewayle and all that which of my griefes he feeleth the more wherewith hee burdeneth himselfe and the more thereof he dischargeth me The Emperour Octauian Augustus the Hystories say on the riuer of Danuby found a kinde of people which had this straunge custome that with eyes was neuer seene nor in bookes at any time neuer read which was that two Friendes assembled and went to the aulters of the Temples and there one friend confederate with another so that theyr hearts were marryed as man and wife are marryed touching their bodies swearing and promising there to the gods neuer to weepe nor to take sorrow for any mishappe that shold come to their persons So that my friend should come to lament and remedy my troubles as if they had bin his owne and I should lament and remedie his as if they had bin mine Oh glorious world O age most happie O people of eternall memorie wherein men are so geentle friends so faithfull that theyr owne trauells they forgot and the sorrows of strangers they bewayled O Rome without Rome O time euill spent O time to vs others euill employed O wretches that alwaies are carelesse now a dayes the stomacke and intrailes are so seuered from the good and the hearts so ioyned with the euill that men forgetting themselus to be men become more cruell then beasts I labour to giue thee life and thou seekest to procure my death Thou weepest to see mee laugh and I laugh to see thee weepe I procure that thou doe not mount and thou seekest that I might fall Finally without the profite of anie wee cast our selues away and without gaine we doe reioyce to ende our liues By the faith of a good man I sweare vnto thee Lady Lauinia that if thy remedy were in my handes as thy griefe is in my heart I would not be sorrie for thy sorrowes neyther thou so tormented for the death of thy husband But alas though I miserable man haue the heart to feele thy anguish yet I want the power to remedie thy sorrowes CHAP. XXXVIII ¶ The Emperor proceedeth in his letter and perswadeth widdows to put theyr willes to the will of God and exhorteth them to liue honestly SInce thy remedie my desire cannot be accomplished because it is a thing vnpossible to receiue speake with the dead and not hauing power mee thinkes that thou and I should referre it to the Gods who can giue much better then wee can aske O Ladie Lauinia I desire thee earnestly and as a Friend I counsell and admonish thee and with all my heart I require thee that thou esteeme that for well done which the Gods haue done that thou conforme thy selfe to the will of the Gods and that thou will nought else but as the Gods will For they onely knowe they erre not wherfore they haue assaulted thy husband with so sudden death and vnto thee his wife haue lent so long life The Gods beeing as they are so mighty and so sage what is hee that can be iudge of their profound iudgements The Gods knowe right well those which serue them and those which offend them those which loue them and those which hate them those that praise them and those that blaspheme them those that yeelde them thanks and those which are vnthankefull And I tell thee further that oftentimes the Gods are serued more with them which are buryed in the graues then with those which goe weeping through the Temples Wilt thou now enter into account with the Gods thou oughtst to note and consider that they haue left thee Children to comfort thy selfe they haue left thee goods wherewith thou mayest auoyde pouertie they haue left thee Friends by whome thou shalt be fauoured they haue left thee parents of whom thou art beloued they haue left thee a good name for to be esteemed and health wherewith thou mayest liue Finally I say that small is that which the Gods take from vs in respect of that they leaue vs. After one sort we ought to behaue our selues with men and after another wee ought to serue the Gods For to men sometimes it is requisite to shew a countenance for to humble them but to the Gods it is necessary to lye flat on the grounde with thy stomacke to honour them And if the Oracle of Apollo doe not deceyue vs the Gods are sooner with humilitie wherewith wee worship them appeased then with presumptuous Sacrifices which wee offer vnto them contented Since thou art widdow Lady Lauinia and art a wise and vertuous Woman beseech the Gods to preserue thy children to defend thy renowme and not to seuer thy Friendes from thee and that thou scatter not thy goods to preserue thy person in health and aboue all to bee in theyr fauour Thou canst not winne nor loose so much in all thy life as the Gods can giue or take from thee in one houre Would to GOD the widow knew how little shee winneth among men and how much she loseth among the Gods when shee is not pacient in aduersitie For impatience oftentimes prouoketh the Gods to wrath We see it in mans bodie by experience that there are sundrie diseases which are not cured with wordes spoken but with the hearbs therevnto applyed And in other diseases the contrary is seene which are not cured with costly medicines
but with comfortable wordes The ende of this comparison tendeth to this effect that all the afflicted harts should know that somtimes the the hart is more comforted with one benefite which they doe then with an hundred words which they speake And at an other time the sorrowfull hart is more lightned with one worde of his friendes mouth then with all the seruice of others in the worlde Oh wretch that I am for as in the one and in the other I am destitute So in all I do want For considering thy greatnes and weyghing my little knowledge I see my selfe very vnable For that to comfort thee I want science and for to helpe thee I want riches But I cease not to haue great sorrow if sorrow in payment may be receyued That which with my person I can doe neyther with paper or iuke I will requite For the man which with word only comforteth in effect being able to remedy declareth himselfe to haue beene a fayned Friend in times past and sheweth that a man ought not to take him for a faithfull friend in time to come That which the Romaines with the widdowes of Rome haue accustomed to doe I will not presently doe with rhee Lady Lauinia that is to say that thy Husband being dead all goe to visite the Widdow all comfort the widdow and within a few dayes after if the wofull widdow haue neede of any smal fauor with the Senate they withdraw themselues together as if they had neuer knowne her Husband nor seene her The renowme of Romaine widdowes is very dayntie For of their honestie or dishonestie dependeth the good renowme of their person the honour of their parents the credite of their childreÌ„ and the memory of the dead For this therfore it is healthfull counsell for wise men to speake few words to widowes and to doe infinite good works What auaileth it wofull widowes to haue their Cofers filled with letters and promises and their eares stuffed with words and flatteries If hitherto thou hast taken mee for thy neighbour and parent of thy husband I beseech thee henceforth that thou take mee for a husband in loue for father in counsell for brother in seruice and for aduocate in the Senate And all this so truly shall be accomplished that I hope thou wilt say that which in many I haue lost in Marcus Aurelius alone I haue found I know well as thou doost in like maner that when the hearts with sorrowes are ouerwhelmed the spirits are vexed and troubled the memory is dulled the flesh doth tremble the spirit doth change and reason is withdrawne And since that presently sorrow and care in thy house doe remaine let the gods forsake me if I abandon thee let them forget mee if I remember thee not But as Claudine remained thine wholly till the houre of death so Marcus Aurelius will euermore be thine during his life Since I loue thee so entirely and thou trustest me so faithfully and that thou with sorrowes art so replenished and my heart with care so oppressed let vs admit that thou Lady Lauinia hast the aucthority to command me in thy affaires and I licence to counsell aduertise thee of things touching thy honour and person For oftentimes the widowes haue more neede of a meane remedy then of a good counsell I earnestly desire thee to leaue the lamentation of the Romane widowes that is to know to shut the gates to teare their haires to cut their garments to goe bare legged to paint the visage to eate solitarily to weepe on the graues to chide her Chamberlaines to poure out water with teares to put Acornes on the graues and to bite their nailes with the teeth For these things and such other semblable lightnesse behooueth not the grauity of Romane Matrons either to see them or else to know them Since there is no extremity but therein vice is annexed I let thee know Lady Lauinia if thou bee ignorant thereof that the widowes which are so extreame doe torment themselues doe trouble their friends do offend the gods do forsake theirs in the end they profit not the dead and to the enuious people they giue occasion to talke I would thinke and me seemeth that the women which are Matrons and widowes ought to take vpon them such garment and estate the day that the gods take life from their husbands as they entend to weare during their life What auaileth it that a widow bee one moneth shut vp in her house and that afterwards within a yeare she is met in euery place of Rome what auaileth it that for few dayes she hideth her selfe from her parents and friends and afterwards shee is found the first at the theaters what profiteth it that widowes at the first doe mourne and goe euill attired and afterwards they dispute and complaine of the beauty of the Romane wiues what forceth it that widowes for a certaine time doe keepe their gates shut and afterwards their houses are more frequented then others What skilleth it that a man see the widowes weepe much for their husbands and afterwards they see them laugh more for their pastimes Finally I say that it little auaileth the woman to seeme to suffer much openly for the death of her husband if secretly she hath another husband already found For the vertuous and honest widow immediatly as she seeth another man aliue she renueth her sorrow for her husband that is dead I will shew thee Lady Lauinia a thing that befell in Rome to the end thou thinke not I talke at pleasure In the olde time in Rome there was a noble worthy Romane Lady wife of the noble Marcus Marcellus whose came was Fuluia And it happened so that this woman seeing her husband buried in the field of Mars for the great priese she had she scratched her face shee ruffled her haire shee tore her gowne and fell downe to the earth in a sound by the reason whereof two Senatours kept her in their armes to the end she should torment her selfe no more To whom Gneus â—lâ—uius the Censour said Let Fuluia goe out of your hands she will this day doe all the penance of widowes Speaking the truth I know not whether this Romane spake with the Oracle or that hee were a Diuine but I am â—ssured that all hee spake came to paile For that this Fuluia was the wise of so excellent a Romane as that good Marcus Marceilus was I would that so vnlucky a chance had not happened vnto her which was that whiles the bones of her husband were a burning she agreed to be married to another and which was more to one of the Senatours that lifted her vp by the armes she gaue her hand as a Romane to a Romane in token of a faithfull marriage The case was so abhominable that of all men it was dispraised that were present and gaue occasion that they neuer credite widowes afterwards I doe not speake it Lady Lauinia for that I
in his flatteries since wee doe know that one day we shall see our selues depriued thereof and that which is more he vseth such craft and subtilty with the one and with the other that in olde men whome reason would should not be vicious hee the more to torment their persons hath kindled a greater fire in their hearts so that this malicious world putteth into olde riches a new couetousnesse and in the aged engendreth cruell auarice and that in that time when it is out of time Wee ought greatly to consider how by the world we are deceiued but much more we ought to take heede that we be not by it destroyed For whereas we thinke to be in open liberty hee keepeth vs secret in prison Wee thinke we are whole and he giueth vs sicknesse Wee thinke wee haue all things yet we haue nothing Wee thinke that for many yeares long shall be our life when that at euery corner we are assaulted of death We thinke that it counteth vs for men that bee wise when hee keepeth vs bound like vnto fooles Wee thinke that it encreaseth our good when that in deede it burdeneth our conscience Finally I say that by the way where we thinke to continue our renowne and life we loose without recouery both life and fame O filthy world that when thou doest receiue vs thou dost cast vs off when thou dost assemble vs thou dost seperate vs when thou seemest to reioyce vs thou makest vs sad when thou pleasest vs how thou displeasest vs when thou exaltest vs how thou humblest vs and when thou doest chastise vs how thou reioycest Finally I say that thou hast thy drinkes so impoysoned that wee are without thee with thee and hauing the thiefe within the house wee goe out of the dores to seeke him Though men be diuers in gestures yet much more are they variable in their appetites And sith the world hath experience of so many yeares it hath appetites prepared for all kinde of people For the presumptuous he procureth honours to the auaricious he procureth riches and to those which are gluttons hee presenteth diuers meates The fleshly he blindeth with women and the negligent he letteth rest and the end why he doth all these things is that after he hath fed them as flesh he casteth vpon them the nets of all vices Note Princes and great Lords note noble men though a Prince doe see himselfe Lord of all the world hee ought to thinke that of no value is the seignory vnlesse he himselfe be vertuous For little it profiteth that he be Lord of the vicious which is himselfe the seruant of all vices Many say that the world doth beguile them and other say that they haue no power against the world To whom we may answere That if at the first temptations wee would haue resisted the world it is vnpossible that so oftentimes it durst assault vs. For of our small resistance commeth his so great audacity I cannot tell if I shall dissemble I shall hold my peace or whether I shall say that I would say since it greeueth my heart so much onely to thinke of it For I feele my eyes readier to lament it then my fingers able to write it It is so that euery man suffereth himselfe to be gouerned so of the world as if God were not in heauen and he had not promised to bee a good Christian here in earth For all that he will wee will that which he followeth wee follow and that which hee chooseth wee choose And that which is greatest sorrow of all if wee doe refraine our selues from aduersity it is not for that of our owne nature wee would cease from it but because the world will not command vs to doe it Little is that which I haue spoken in respect of that I will speake which is that the world hath made vs now so ready to his law that from one houre to another it changeth the whole state of this life So that to day he maketh vs hate that which yesterday we loued he maketh vs complaine of that which we commended hee maketh vs to bee ofended now with that which before we did desire hee maketh vs to haue mortall enemies of those which before were our speciall friends Finally I say that the world maketh vs to loue that in our life which afterwards wee bewaile at the houre of death If the world did giue vnto his minions any perfect and accomplished thing it were somewhat that for a time a man should remaine in the seruice of his house But since that in the world all things are granted not during life but as lending which ought to bee rendred the day following I know not what man is so very a foole that in the world doth hope for any perpetuall thing For all that he giueth hee giueth with such condition that they shall render it vnto him when hee shall demaund it and not at the discretion of him that doth possesse it Peraduenture the world can giue vs perpetuall life I say certainly no. For in the sweetest time of all our life then sodainly we are assaulted of cruell death Peraduenture the world can giue vs temporal goods in aboundance I say certainly no. For no man at any time had so much riches but that which hee wanted was more then that hee possessed Peraduenture the world can giue vs perpetuall ioy I say certainly no. For exempting those dayes which wee haue to lament and also the houres which we haue to sight there remaineth not for vs one moment to laugh Peraduenture he can giue vs perpetuall health I say certainly no. For to men of long life without comparison the diseases are more which they suffer then the yeares are which they liue Peraduenture the world can giue vs perpetuall rest I say certainly no. For if the dayes be fewe wherein we see the elements without cloudes fewer are the houres which wee feele our hearts without cares Therefore since that in this miserable world there is no health perpetuall nor life perpetuall nor riches perpetuall nor ioy perpetuall I would knowe what it is that the worldlings would of the world since they know that it hath no good thing to giue them but onely by lending or by vsurie If it be vsurie there is no gaine of money but rather returne with restitution of vices O children of vanity O maisters of lightnesse since it is so that ye now determine to followe and serue the world looke not of the world to haue any thing but things of the world In it is nothing but pride enuie leacherie hate ire blasphemy auarice and folly And if ye aske if he haue in his gouernance any vertuous thing hee will answere you that hee doth neuer sell such merchandize in his shop Let no man thinke that the world can giue vs that which it hath nor for it selfe And if wee will chaunge any thing with it and it with vs hee is so subtill to sell
no lesse doe they trauell which goe alwayes in the plaine way then those which mount on the sharpe craggy mountaine According to that I haue gathered of thy letter mee seemeth that when we hope most rest greatest trauel hath succeeded to thee And hereof I doe not maruell nor thou oughtest not be offended for as experience teacheth vs when the trees haue the blossoms then they are most subiect to the frost and when glasses are drawne out of the furnace they breake The Captaines hauing won the victorie doe die When they will put the key in the dore the house doth fall The Pirates perish within the kenning of land By that I haue spoken I meane that when wee thinke to haue made peace with fortune then shee hath a new demaund ready forged All new changes of Fortune causeth all wayes new paine to the person but often times it is cause of more great fortresse for the tree beareth not so much fruit where it first grew as there where againe it is planted and the sauours are more odoriferous when they are most chafed I meane that men of high thoughts the more they are wrapped in the frownings of Fortune the more valiant and stout they shew themselues The man vtterly is foolish or hath great want of vnderstanding who hopeth at any time to haue perfect rest imagining that the World will giue no assault vpon him but that the time shall come wherein hee shall bee without care and feare This miserable life is of such condition that dayly our yeares doe diminish and our troubles encrease O Torquatus by the immortall Gods I doe desire thee and in the faith of a friend I doe require thee thou being borne in the world nourishing thy selfe in the world liuing in the world being conuersant in the world being a child of the world and following the world what didst thou hope of the world but things of the world Peraduenture thou alone wilt eate the flesh without bones giue battell without perill trauell without paine and sayle by the sea without daunger I meane that â—s vnpossible for mortall men to liue in the world vnlesse they will become subiect to the sorrowes of the world The world hath alwayes been the world and now the world shall be after vs and as a world shall handle the worldlings The wise men and those which of their estates are carefull are not contented to see nor superficialy to know the things but rather waigh them profoundly I say this because if thou knewest thy debelity and knewest fortune and her chaunge if thou knewest the men and their malices if thou knewest the world and his flatteries thou shouldest winne no little honour where as otherwise thou mayes chance to get infamie Wee are now come to so great folly that wee will not serue the Gods which haue created vs nor abstaine from the World which persecuteth vs And the best is that hee not willing vs but rather reiecting vs we say that of our owne willes wee will loue and serue him and yet knowing that those which longest haue serued the world do goe out of his house most bitterly lamenting Oftentimes I stay for to thinke that according to the multitude of men which follow the world beeing alwayes euill handled of the World if the World did pray them as hee doth annoye them if hee did comfort them as he doth torment them if he kept them as he banisheth them if he exalted them as he abuseth them of he receyued them as he expelleth them if he did continue them as he consumeth them I thinke that the Gods should not be honoured in heauen nor the temples worshipped in the earth O Torquatus my friend that which I will now say of thee thou mayest say of mee that is to say how much wee put our confidence in fortune how lewdly wee passe our dayes and how much wee are â—inded in the world yet for all that we credite his word as much as though hee had neuer mocked any CHAP. XLII Marcus Aurelius goeth on with his Letter and by strong and high reasons perswadeth all that line in the world not to trust the world nor any thing therein TEl l mee I pray thee Torquatus what wilt thou hear more What wilt thou see more and what wilt thou know more to know the world seeing how vntill this present thou hast beene handled of the world thou demaundest rest and he hath giuen thee trouble thou demaundest honour and he hath giuen thee infamie Thou demaundest riches and he hath giuen thee pouerty thou demaundest ioy and hee hath giuen thee sorrow Thou demaundest to be his and hee hath giuen thee his hand Thou demandest life and hee hath giuen thee death Therefore if it be true that the world hath handled thee in this wise why doest thou weepe to returne againe to his wicked house O filthy worlde how farre art thou from iust and how farre ought they to bee from thee which desire to be iust For naturally thou art a friend of nouelties and enemie of vertues One of the Lessons which the world readeth to his children is this that to be true worldlings they should not bee very true The which experience plainely sheweth vs for the man which medleth much with the world leaueth alwayes suspition of him that hee is not true The World is an Ambassadour of the euill a scourge of the good chiefest of vices a tyrant of the vertuous a breaker of peace a friend of warre a sweete water of vices the gawle of the vertuous a defendor of lyes an inuentor of nouelties a trauellour of the ignorant a hammer for the malitious a table of gluttons and a furnace of concupiscence Finally it is the perill of Charibdes where the harts doe perish and the danger of Scylla where the thoughts doe waste Presuppose that these he the conditions of the world The truth is that if there bee any worldling who complayneth to be euill content with the world shall he therefore chaunge his stile Truly no and the reason is that if perchaunce one worldling should goe out the house of the world there are x. thousand vanityes at his Gate I know not what wise man will liue in the World with such conditions since the vices wherewith wee doe reioyce our selues are very fewe in respect of the torments which we suffer I say not that we doe heare it by heare-say and reade them in bookes but wee see with our owne eyes the one to consume and wast the goods others by misfortune to fall and lose their credite others to fall and loose their honour and others to loose their life and all these miseryes seene yet neuertheles euery man thinketh to be free by priuiledge where there is none priuiledged Oh my deare Friend Torquatus of one thing I assure thee which is that the men which are born of women are so euill a generation and so cruell is the world wherein we liue and Fortune
couer then the riches which groweth thereon If thou hast not lost the sence of smelling as that Isle doth sauour vnto mee of Sages so doth Rome stinke of fooles For for the time it is lesse paine to endure the stinke of the beast then to heare the words of a foole When the wars of Asia were ended I returned home by that Isle wherein I visited all the liuing people and all the graues of the dead Phylosophers And for a truth I tell thee Lambert that that iourney was very troublesome vnto mee for herein my person endured much paine on the land I suffered diuers daungers and on the Sea I saw my selfe in sundrie perills In the citie of Corinthe where thou art resident at this present in the middest of the Market-place thou shalt find the graue of the phylosopher Panimio to whome the straight friendship auayled little which he had with Ouide but the enmitie greatly endammaged him which hee had with Augustus the Emperour Two myles from Theadfonte at the foote of the mountaines Arpines thou shalt finde the graue of the famous Oratour Armeno who was by the Consul Scylla vniustly banished And of trueth as heere was much bloud lost because Scylla should not enter into Rome so there were not fewe teares shedde in Italie for the banishment of this learned Phylosopher In the gate of Argonauta harde by the water on the top of a high Rocke thou shalt finde the bones of Celliodorus the philosopher who obserued all the auncient lawes and was a great enemy of those which brought in new customes and statutes This good Phylosopher was banished in the prosperity and furie of the Marians not for the euils they found in him but for the vices hee reproued in them In the fields Heliny there was a great tombe within the which were the bones of Selleno the phylosopher who was as well learned in the vii Liberall-arts as if hee himselfe had first inuented them And hee was banished by the Emperour Nero for because he perswaded this cruell Emperour to bee mercifull and pittifull In the fieldes Helini out of the Woods towardes the west parte thou shalt finde the graue of the phylosopher Vulturnus a man in Astrologie profoundly learned which little auayled him in the time of his banishment For hee was banished by Marcus Antonius not for that Marcus Antonius would haue banished him for hee was not offended by him but because his loue Qu. Cleopatra hated him as her mortall enemie For Women of an euill life doe commonly reuenge their angrie hearts with the death of their especiall friends Diuers other Tombes in that isle I saw the names whereof though in wryting I haue them yet at this present I cannot call them to memorie Well by the faith of an honest man I sweare vnto thee that thou shalt finde all true which I haue tolde thee Now I tell thee Lambert that I visiting those graues theyr Disciples did not beare them greater obedience when thee were aliue then I did reuerence now they are dead And it is true also that in al that time mine eyes were as much wet with teares as their bones were couered with earth These worthy and learned Phylosophers were not banished for any mischiefes by their persons committed nor for any slaunders they had done in the common-wealths but because the deeds of our fathers deserued that they should be taken from their companie and we their children were not worthie to haue the bones of such famous and renowmed Sages in our custodie I cannot tell if the enuie I haue to that isle bee greater or the pittie I haue of this miserable Rome for the one is immortall by the graues of the dead and the other is defamed with the bad life of the liuing I desire thee hartily as a friend and doe commaund thee as a seruant that thou keepe the Priuiledges which I gaue to that Isle without breaking any one For it is very iust that such cities peopled with such dead should be priuiledged of the liuing By this Centurion thou shalt knowe all things which are chaunced amongst the prisoners For if I should wryte vnto thee all the whole matter as it was done I ensure thee vnto mee it would be much paine to wryte it and vnto thee great trouble to read it It suffiseth presently to say that the day of the great solemnitie of the Mother Berecynthia a slaunder arose in Rome by the occasion of these Iesters Scoffers Loyterers and by the faith of a good man I sweare vnto thee that the bloud which was shead through the places surmoūted the wine which was drunk at the Feast And thinke not that which I say to be little that the bloud which was shedde surmounted the wine that was drunke For as thou now knowest the Cittizens are come to so great follie that he which was on that day most drunk they sayde that hee had offered vnto the Gods greatest sacrifices I am yet afrayde to remember the crueltyes which that day I saw with mine owne eyes But I am much more ashamed of that which they talke of vs in straunge Realmes For the Noble and worthie hearts doe not account it so much to receyue a great wound as to take it of a cowardly man There is great difference betweene the Nettes wherewith they vse to take Byrdes and no lesse is there betweene the hookes wherewith they take Fish I meane that the knife which cutteth the Flesh differeth much from the knife which hurteth the heart For the hurts of the bodie with Surgeons helpe may bee healed but the Gods onely are the physitions of the perills of the heart I behelde and saw Rome which was neuer vanquyshed by valiaunt men at that day ouercome by loyterers Rome which could neuer bee won by those of Carthage is now wonne by Iesters Players and Vacabonds Rome which triumphed of all the Realmes is now vanquished of the loyterers Iesters and idle persons Finally wee saw that Rome which in times past gaue lawes to the barbarous is now become the slaue of fooles In this case I haue beene so troubled that I cannot tell what to say and lesse what I write vnto thee One thing comforteth me that since Rome and her Romanes doe not reioyce themselues but with fooles that shee and her children be not punished but by the hands of fooles I thinke not that in this case the Gods do any wrong if Rome which laughed thorough mockery at the players doe weepe one day with the loyterers in good earnest Thou mightst demaund me Lambert since wee other Princes are bound to maintaine equall iustice with all wherefore wee doe dissemble many offences which others haue done in earnest and yet wee will not pardon those Iesters since al that they haue inuented was for mirth and pastime I promise thee though their offences were great indeed yet I doe not banish thē so much for the bloud they haue shed as for the good
his arme so that from thence forwards hee could not put on his gowne nor draw his sword and much lesse carrie a staffe The good Empreour being so loaden with yeres and no lesse with cares the sharpe Winter approching more and more great aboundance of water and snow fell about the Tents so that another disease fell vpon him called Litargie the which thing much abated his courage and in his Hoast caused great sorrow For he was so beloued of all as if they had been his owne Children After that he had proued all medicines and remedyes that could bee found and all other things which vnto so great and mightie Princes were accustomed to be done he perceyued in the end that all remedie was past And the reason heereof was because his sicknes was exceeding vehement and hee himselfe very aged the Ayre vnwhol-some and aboue all because sorrowes and cares oppressed his hart Without doubt greater is the disease that proceedeth of sorrowe then that which proceedeth of the Feuer quartaine And thereof fensueth that more easily is hee cured which of corrupt humours is full then hee which with profound thoughts is oppressed The Emperour then beeing sicke in his chamber and in such sort that hee could not exercise the feates of armes as his men ranne out of their Campe to skyrmish and the Hungarians in like manner to defend the fight on both sides was so cruell through the great effusion of bloud that neither the Hungarians had cause to reioyce nor yet the Romaines to be merrie Vnderstanding the euill order of his and especially that v. of his Captaines were slaine in the conflict and that he for his disease could not bee there in person such sorrows pierced his hart that although he desired forthwith to haue dyed yet hee remained 2. dayes and 3. nights without that hee would see light or speak vnto any man of his So that the heat was much the rest was small the sighes were continuall and the thyrst very great the meate little and the sleepe lesse and aboue all his face wrinckled and his lips very blacke Sometimes he cast vp his eyes and at other times he wrong his hands alwayes hee was silent and continually hee sighed His tongue was swollen that hee could not spit and his eyes very hollow with weeping So that it was a great pittie to see his death and no lesse compassion to see the confusion of his pallace and the hinderance of the warre Many valiant captains many noble Romaines many faithfull seruants and many old friends at all these heauines were present But none of them durst speake to the Emperour Marke partly for that they tooke him to be so sage that they knewe not what counsell to giue him and partely for that they were so sorrowful that they could not refraine their heauie teares For the louing and true Friendes in their life ought to bee beloued and at theyr death to be bewailed Great compassion ought men to haue of those which dye not for that we see them dye but because there are none that telleth them what they ought to doe Noble Princes and great Lords are in greater perill when they dye then the Plebeyans For the counseller dare not tell vnto his Lorde at the houre of death that which hee knoweth and much lesse will tell him how he ought to die and what things hee ought to discharge whiles hee is aliue Manie goe to visite the sicke that I would to GOD they went some other where And the cause heereof is that they see the sicke mans eyes hollowe the flesh dryed the armes without flesh the colour enflamed the ague continuall the paine great the tongue swollen nature consumed and besides all this the house destroyed and yet they say vnto the sicke man Be of good cheere I warrant you you shall liue As young men naturallie desire to liue and as death to all olde men is dreadfull so though they see themselues in that distresse yet they refuse no Medecines as though there were great hope of life And therof ensueth oftentimes that the miserable creatures depart the worlde without confessing vnto GOD and making restitutions vnto men Oh if those which doe this knewe what euill they doe For to take away my goods to trouble my person to blernish my good name to slaunder my parentage and to reproue my life these works are of cruell enemies but to bee occasion to lose my soule it is the works of the diuell of hell Certainly hee is a Diuell which deceyueth the sicke with flatteryes and that in steed to helpe him to dye well putteth him in vain-hope of long life Herein hee that sayeth it winneth little and he that beleeueth it aduentureth much To mortall men it is more meete to giue counselles to reform their consciences with the truth then to hazard their houses with lyes With our friends wee are ashamelesse in their life and also bashfull at their death The which ought ought not to be so For if our Fathers were not dead and that wee did not daylie see these that are present die mee thinketh it were a shame and also a feare to say to the sicke that hee alone should die But since thou knowest as well as he and he knoweth as well as thou that all doe trauell in this perillous iourney what shame hast thou to say vnto thy friend that hee is now at the last point If the dead should now reuiue how would they complain of their friends And this for no other cause but for that they would not giue them good counsell at their death For if the sicke man bee my Friend and that I see peraduenture he will dye Why shall not I counsell him to prepare himselfe to dye Certainly oftentimes we see by experience that those which are prepared and are ready for to dye doe escape and those which thinke to liue doe perish What should they doe which goe to visite the sicke perswade them that they make their Testaments that they confesse their sinnes that they discharge their conscience that they receyue the Communion and that they do reconcile themselues to their enemies Certainely all these things charge not the launce of death nor cut not the threed of life I neuer saw blindenesse so blinde nor ignorance so ignorant as to be ashamed to counsell the sicke that they are bound to do when they are whole As we haue sayd here aboue Princes and great Lords are those aboue all others that liue and dye most abusedly And the onely cause in this that as their Seruants haue no hearts to perswade them when they are merrie so haue they no audacity to tell them truth when they are in perill For such seruants care little so that their masters bequeath them any thing in their willes whether they die well or liue euill O what miserie and pitie is it to see a Prince a Lord a gentleman and a rich person die if they haue no
faithfull friend about them to helpe them to passe that paine And not without a cause I say that he ought to be a faithfull friend For many in our life do gape after our goods few at our deaths are sory for our offences The wise and sage men before nature compelleth them to die of their owne will ought to die That is to say that before they see themselues in the pangs of death they haue their consciences ready prepared For if we count him a foole which wil passe the sea without a ship truely we will not count him wise which taketh his death without any preparation before What losest a wisest man to haue his will well ordained in what aduenuenture of honour is any man before death to reconcile himselfe to his enemies and to those whom he hath borne hate and malice What loseth he of his credite who in his life time restoreth that which at his death they will command him to render wherein may a man shew himselfe to bee more wise then when willingly hee hath discharged that which afterwards by processe they will take from him O how many Princes and great Lords are there which onely not for spending one day about their testament haue caused their children and heires all the dayes of their life to bee in trauerse in the Law So that they supposing to haue left their children wealthy haue not left them but for Atturneyes and Counsellers of the law The true and vnfained Christian ought euery morning so to dispose his goods and correct life as if he shold dye the same night And at night in like manner he ought to commit himselfe to GOD as if he hoped for no life vntill morning For to say the truth to sustaine life there are infinite trauels but to meete with death there is but one way If they will credite my wordes I would coūsell no man in such estate to liue that for any thing in the worlde he should vndoe himselfe The Riche and the poore the great and the smal the Gentlemen and the Plebeyans all say and sweare that of death they are exceeding fearefull To whome I say and affirm that he alone feareth death in whome we see amendment of life Princes and great Lords ought also to be perfect to ende before they ende to dye before they die and to be mortified before they bee mortified If they doe this with themselues they shall as easily leaue their life as if they channged from one house to another For the most parte of men delight to talke with leysure to drinke with leysure to eate with leysure and to sleepe with leysure but they die in haste Not without cause I say they die in haste since wee see them receiue the sacrament of the Supper of the Lord in haste male their willes by force and with speede to confesse and receyue So that they take it and demaund it so late and so without reason that often times they haue loste their Sences and are readie to giue vp the spirite when they bring it vnto them What auaileth the Ship-master after the ship is sunke what doe weapons after the battell is lost What auaileth pleasures after men are dead By this which I haue spoken I will demaund what it auayleth the sicke being heauie with sleepe and berefte of their sences to call for Confessors vnto whome they confesse their sinnes Euill shall hee bee confessed which hath no vnderstanding to repent himselfe What auaileth it to call the confessor to vnderstand the secrets of his Conscience when the sicke man hath lost his speech Let vs not deceyue our selues saying in our age we will amend hereafter and make restitution at our death For in mine opinion it is not the poynt of wise men nor of good Christiās to desire so much time to offend and they will not espie any to amend Would to GOD that the third parte of the precious time which men occupie in sinne were employed about the meditations of Death and the cares which they haue to accomplish their Fleshly lusts were spent in bewayling their filthie sinnes I am very sorrie with my heart that they so wickedly spend and passe their-life in vices and pleasures as if there were no GOD vnto whom they shold render account for their offences All worldlings willingly doe sinne vpon a vaine hope onely in Age to amend and at death to repent But I would demaund him that in this hope sinned what certainty he hath in age of amendment and what assurance he hath to haue long warning before hee die Since we see by experience there are moe in number which dye young then olde it is no reason wee should commit so many sinnes in one day as that wee should haue cause to lament afterwards all the rest of our life And afterwards to bewayle the sins of our long life we desire no more but one space of an houre Considering the the Omnipotencie of the Diuine mercie it sufficeth yea and I say that the space of an houreis to much to repent vs of our wicked life but I would counsel all since the sinner for to repent taketh but one houre that that be not the last houre For the sighes and repentance which proceed from the bottome of the heart penetrate the high Heauens but those which come of necessity doeth not pierce the bare seeling of the House I allow and commende that those which visit◠the sick do counsell them to examin their consciences to receiue the Communion to pray vnto GOD to forgiue their enemyes and to recommend themselues to the deuoute prayers of the people and to repent them of their sinnes Finally I say that it is very good to doe all this But yet I say it is better to haue done it before For the diligent and careful Pyrate prepareth for the Tempest when the Sea is calme Hee that deepely would consider how little the goods of this life are to be esteemed Let him go to see a rich man when hee dyeth and what he doeth in his bed And he shall finde that the wife demandeth of the poore husband her dowrie the Daughter the third parte the other the fifth the childe the preheminence of age the Sonne in law his Marriage the physition his duetie the Slaue his libertie the Seruaunts their wages the creditours their debtes and the worst of all is that none of those that ought to inherite his goods will giue him one glasse of water Those that shall heare or read this ought to consider that that which they haue seene done at the death of their neighbours the same shall come vnto them when they shall be sicke at the poynt of death For so soone as the Rich shutteth his eyes forthwith there is great strife betweene the children for his goods And this strife is not to vnburthen his soule but which of them shall inherite most of his possessions In this case I will not my pen trauell any
further since both rich and poore doe daylie see the experience hereof And in thigs verie manifest it sufficeth onely for wise men to be put in memorie without wasting any more time to perswade them Now the Emperor Marcus Aurelius had a secretarie verie wise vertuous through whose hands the affaires of the Empire passed And when this secretarie saw his Lord and Master so sicke and almost at the houre of death and that none of his parents or friends durst speake vnto him he plainly determined to doe his dutie wherein hee shewed verie well the profound knowledge hee had in wisedome and the great good wil he bare to his Lord. This Secretary was called Panutius the vertues and life of whom Sextus Cheronensis in the life of Marcus Aurelius declareth CHAP. L. Of the Comfortable words which the Secretary Panutius spake to the Emperour Marcus Aurelius at the houre of his death O My Lord and Master mytongue cannot keepe silence mine eyes cannot refraine from bitter teares nor my heart leaue from fetching sighs nor yet reason can vse his duty For my bloud boyleth my sinews are dried my powers be open my heart doth faint and my spirit is troubled And the occasion of all this is to see that the wholesome counsels which thou giuest to others ether thou canst not or will not take for thy selfe I see thee die my Lord and I die for that I cannot remedy thee For if the gods would haue granted me my request for the lengthning of thy life one day I would giue willingly my whole life Whither the sorrow bee true or fayned it needeth not I declare vnto thee with wordes since thou mayest manifestly discerne it by my countenance For mine eyes with teares are wet and my heart with sighes is very heauie I feele much the want of thy companie I feele much the dammage which of thy death to the whole commonwealth shall ensue I feele much thy sorrowe which in thy pallace shall remaine I feele much for that Rome this day is vndone but that which aboue all things doth most torment my heart is to haue seene thee liue as wise and now to see thee dye as simple Tell me I pray thee my Lord why do men learne the Greeke tongue trauell to vnderstand the Hebrew sweate in the Latine chaunge so many Maisters turne so many bookes and in studie consume so much money and so many yeares if it were not to knowe how to passe life with honor and take death with patience The end why men ought to studie is to learne to liue well For there is no truer science in man then to know how to order his life well What profiteth it me to know much if thereby I take no profite what profiteth me to know straunge Languages if I refrain nor my tongue from other mens matters what profiteth it to studie many bookes if I studie not but to begyule my friendes what profiteth it to know the influence of the starres and the course of the Elements if I cannot keepe my selfe from vices Finally I say that it little auayleth to to bee a master of the Sage if secretly hee bee reported to bee a follower of fooles The chiefe of all Phylosophie consisteth to serue GOD and not to offend men I aske thee most Noble Prince what auaileth it the Pilot to know the Arte of Sayling and after in a Tempest by negligence to perish What auaileth it the valiaunt Captaine to talke much of Warres and afterwards he knoweth not how to giue the Battell What auayleth it the guyde to tell the nearest way and afterwards in the middest to loose himselfe All this which I haue spoken is saide for thee my Lord For what auayleth it that thou beeing in health shouldest sigh for death since now when hee doeth approche thou weepest because thou wouldest not leaue life One of the things wherein the wise man sheweth his wisdome is to know how to loue and how to hate For it is great lightnes I should rather say follie to day to loue him whome yesterday we hated and to morrowe to slaunder him whom this day wee honoured What Prince so high or what Plebeyan so base hath there been or in the world shall euer be the which hath so little as thou regarded life and so highly commended death What things haue I written beeing thy Secretarie with mine owne hand to diuers Prouinces of the world where thou speakest so much good of death that sometimes thou madest mee to hate life What was it to see that letter which thou wrotest vnto the noble Romaine Claudinaes widdowe comforting her of the death of her Husband which dyed in the warres Wherein shee aunswered that she thought her trouble comfort to deserue that thou shouldst write her such a Letter What a pittifull and sundry letter hast thou written to Antigonus on the death of thy childe Verissimus thy sonne so much desired Whose death thou tookest so that thou exceedest the limits of Phylosophie but in the ende with thy princely vertues thou didst qualifie thy woful sorows What Sentences so profound what wordes so well couched didst thou write in that booke intituled The remedy of the sorrowfull the which thou didst send from the warre of Asia to the Senatours of Rome and that was to comfort them after a sore plague And how much profite hath thy doctrine done since with what new kinde of consolation hast thou comforted Helius Fabatus the Sensour when his son was drowned in the riuer where I do remember that when we entred into his house we found him weeping and when wee went from thence wee lest him laughing I doe remember that when thou wentst to visite Gneus Rusticus in his last disease thou didst speake to him so effectuously that with the vehemency of thy words thou madest the teares to runne downe his cheekes And I demanding him the occasions of his lamentations he said The Emperor my Lord hath told me so much euils that I haue won and of so much good that I haue lost that I weepe I weepe not for life which is short but for death which is long The man whom aboue all thou hast loued was Torquatus whom thou didst obey as thy father and seruedst as thy master This thy faithfull friend being readie to die and desiring yet to liue thou sendest to offer sacrifices to the gods not for that they should graunt himselfe but that they should hasten his death Herewith I being astonied thy noblenesse to so satisfie my ignorance sayd vnto mee in secret these wordes Maruell not Panutius to see me offer sacrifices to hasten my friends death and not to prolong his life for there is nothing that the faithfull friend ought so much to desire to true friend as to see him ridde from the trauels of the earth and to enioy the pleasures of heauen Why thinkest thou most noble Prince that I reduce all these things to thy memory but for to
demaund thee how it is possible that I which haue heard thee speake so well of death doe presently see thee so vnwilling to leaue life since the gods commaund it thy age willeth it thy disease doth cause it thy feeble nature doth permit it the sinfull Rome doth deserue it and the sickle fortune agreeth that for our great miserie thou shouldest die Why therefore sighest thou so much for to die The trauels which of necessitie must needes come with stout heart ought to be receiued The cowardly heart falleth before hee is beaten downe but the stout and valiant stomacke in greatest perill recouereth most strength Thou art one man and not two thou owest one death to the gods and not two Why wilt thou therefore being but one pay for two and for one onely life take two deaths I meane that before thou endest life thou diest for pure sorrow After that thou hast sayled and in the sayling thou hast passed such perill when the gods doe render thee in the safe Hauen once againe thou wilt runne into the raging Sea where thou scapest the victorie of life and thou dyest with the ambushments of death Threescore and two yeeres hast thou fought in the Field and neuer turned thy backe and fearest thou now beeing enclosed in the Graue Hast thou not passed the pykes and bryers wherein thou hast beene enclosed and now thou tremblest being in the sure way Thou knowest what dammage it is long to liue and now thou doubtest of the profit of death which ensueth It is now many yeeres since death and thou haue beene at defyance as mortall enemies and now to lay thy hands on thy Weapons thou flyest and turnest thy backe Threescore and two yeeres are past since thou wert bent against fortune and now thou closest thy eyes when thou oughtest ouer her to triumph By that I haue told thee I meane that since wee doe not see thee take death willingly at this present we do suspect that thy life hath not in times past beene very good For the man which hath no desire to appeare before the gods it is a token he is loaden with vices What meanest thou most noble Prince why weepest thou as an infant and complainest as a man in despaire If thou weepest because thou dyest I answer thee that thou laughest as much when thou liuedst For of too much laughing in the life proceedeth much wayling at the death Who hath alwaies for his heritage appropriated the places being in the common wealth The vnconstancy of the minde who shall bee so hardy to make steadie I meane that all are dead all die all shall die among all wilt thou alone liue Wilt thou obtaine of the gods that which maketh them gods That is to say that they make thee immortall as thēselues Wilt thou alone haue by priuiledge that which the gods haue by nature My youth demandeth thy age what thing is best or to say better which is lesse euill to die well or to liue euill I doubt that any man may attaine to the meanes to liue well according to the continuall and variable troubles and vexations which daily we haue accustomed to carrie betweene our hands alwayes suffering hunger cold thirst care displeasures temptations persecutions euill fortunes ouerthrowes and diseases This cannot be called life but a long death and with reason wee will call this life death since a thousand times we hate life If an ancient man did make a shew of his life from time he is come out of the intrailes of his mother vntill the time hee entreth into the bowels of the earth and that body would declare al the sorrowes that he hath passed and the heart discouer all the ouerthrows of fortune which he hath suffered I imagine the gods would maruell and men would wonder at the body which hath endured so much and the heart which hath so greatly dissembled I take the Greeks to be more wise which weepe when their children bee borne and laugh when the aged dye then the Romanes which sing when their children are borne and weepe when the olde men die Wee haue much reason to laugh when the olde men die since they dy to laugh and with great reason wee ought to weepe when the children are borne since they are borne to weepe CHAP. LI. Panutius the Secretarie continueth his exhortation admonishing all men willingly to accept death vtterly to forsake the world and all his vanities SInce life is now condemned for euill there remaineth nought else but to approoue death to be good Oh if it pleased the immortall gods that as I oftentimes haue heard the disputation of this matter so now that thou couldest therewith profite But I am sorry that to the Sage and wise man counsell sometimes or for the most part wanteth None ought to cleaue much to his owne opinion but sometimes he should follow the counsell of the third person For the man which in all things will follow his owne aduise ought well to be assured that in all or the most part hee shall erre O my Lord Marke sith thou art sage liuely of spirit of great experience and ancient didst not thou thinke that as thou hadst buried many so likewise some should burie thee What imaginations were thine to thinke that seeing the ende of their dayes others should not see the end of thy yeares Since thou diest rich honorably accompanied olde and aboue all seeing thou diest in the seruice of the commonwealth why fearest thou to enter into thy graue Thou hast alwaies beene a friend as much to know things past as those which were hid and kept secret Since thou hast prooued what honours and dishonours deserue riches and pouertie prosperitie and aduersitie ioy and sorrow loue and fear vices and pleasures mee seemeth that nothing remaineth to know but that it is necessarie to know what death is And also I sweare vnto thee most noble Lord that thou shalt learne more in one houre what death is then in an hundred yeares what life meaneth Since thou art good and presumest to be good and hast liued as good is it better that thou die and goe with so many good then that thou scape and liue amongst so many euill That thou feelest death I maruell nothing at all for thou art a man but I doe maruell that thou dissemblest it not since thou art discreet Many things doe the sage men feele which inwardly doe oppresse their heart but outwardly they dissemble them for the more honour If all the poyson which in the sorrowfull heart is wrapped were in small peeces in the feeble flesh scattered then the wals would not suffice to rubbbe neither the nayles to scratch vs. What other thing is death but a trap or doore wherewith to shut the shop wherein all the miserie of this wofull life are vendible What wrong or preiudice doe the gods vnto vs when they call vs before them but from an old decayd house to change
vs to a new builded Pallace And what other thing is the graue but a strong fort wherin we shut our selues from the assaults of life and broyles of fortune Truely wee ought to bee more desirous of that wee finde in death then of that wee haue in life If Helia Fabricia thy wife doe greeue thee for that thou leauest her yong doe not care for shee presently hath little care of the perill wherein thy life dependeth And in the end when she shall know of thy death shee will be nothing greeued Trouble not thy selfe for that she is left a widdow for yong women as shee is which are married to olde men as thou when their husbands die they haue their eyes on that they can robbe and their hearts on them whom they desire to marrie And speaking with due respect when with their eyes they outwardly seeme most for to bewayle then with their hearts inwardly doe they most reioyce Deceiue not thy selfe in thinkeing that the Empresse thy wife is yong and that she shall finde none other Emperor with whom again she may marrie For such and the like will change the cloth of gold for gownes of skinnes I meane that they would rather the young shepheard in the field then the olde Emperour in his royall pallace If thov takest sorrow for the children whom thou leauest I know not why thou shouldst do so For truely if it greeue thee now for that thou diest they are more displeased for that thou liuest The sonne that desireth not the death of his father may be counted the onely Phenix of this world for if the father bee poore he wisheth him dead for that he is not maintained and if hee rich he desireth his death to enherite the sooner Since therefore it is true as indeed it is it seemeth not wisedome that they sing and thou weepe If it greeue thee to leaue these goodly pallaces and these sumptuous buildings deceiue not thy selfe therein For by the god Iupiter I sweare vnto thee that since that death doth finish thee at the end of threescore and two yeeres time shall consume these sumptuous buildings in lesse then 40. If it greeue thee to forsake the company of thy friends and neighbors for them also take as little thought since for thee they will not take any at all For amongst the other compassions that they ought to haue of the dead this is true that scarcely they are buried but of their friends and neighbours they are forgotten If thou takest greatest thought for that thou wilt not die as the other Emperours of Rome are dead me seemeth that thou oughtest also to cast this sorrow from thee for thou knowest right well that Rome hath accustomed to bee so vnthankefull to those which serue her that the great Scipio also would not be buried therein If it greeue thee to die to leaue so great a Seignory as to leaue the Empire I cannot thinke that such vanity be in thy head for temperate and reposed men when they escape from semblable offices doe not thinke that they lose honour but that they be free of a trouble some charge Therefore if none of all these things moue thee to desire life what should let thee that throgh thy gates enter not death it greeueth men to dy for one of these two things either for the loue of those they leaue behinde them or for feare of that they hope Since therefore there is nothing in this life worthy of loue nor any thing in death why we should feare why doe men feare to die According to the heauy fighes thou fetchest the bitter teares thou sheddest and according also to that great paine thou shewest for my part I thinke that the thing in thy thought most forgotten was that the gods should commaund thee to pay this debt For admit that all thinke that their life shall end yet no man thinketh that death wil come so soon For that men think neuer to die they neuer begin their faults to amend so that both life and fault haue end in the graue together Knowest not thou most noble Prince that the long night commeth the middest morning Doest thou not know that after the moist morning there cometh the cleare Sun Knowest not thou that after the cleare Sun commeth the cloudy Element Doest thou not know that after the darke myst there commeth extreme heate And after the heate commeth the horrible thunders and after the thunders the sodaine lightnings and after the perilious lightnings commeth the terrible haile Finally I say that after the tempestuous and troublesome time commonly commeth cleare and faire weather The order that time hath to make himselfe cruell and gentle the selfe same ought men to haue to liue and die For after the infancy commeth childhood after childhood commeth youth after youth commeth age and after age commeth the feareful death Finally after that feareful death commeth the sure life Oftentimes I haue read and of thee not seldome heard that the gods onely which had no beginning shall haue also no ending Therefore mee thinketh most noble Prince that sage men ought not to desire to liue long Formen which desire to liue much either it is for that they haue not felt the trauels past because they haue bene fooles or for that they desire more time to giue themselues to vices Thou mightest not complaine of that since they haue not cut thee in the flower of the herbe nor taken thee greene from the tree nor cut thee in the spring tide and much lesse eate thee eager before thou wert ripe By that I haue spoken I meane if death had called thee when thy life was sweetest though thou hadst not had reason to haue complayned yet thou mightest haue desired to haue altered it For it is a greater griefe to say vnto a yong man that he must die and forsake the world What is this my Lord now that the wall is decaied ready to fall the flower is an hered the grape doth rot the teeth are loose the gowne is worne the lance is blunt the knife is dull and dost thou desire to returne into the world as if thou hadst neuer knowne the world These threescore and two yeeres thou hast liued in the proportion of this body and wilt thou now that the yron fetters haue rot thy legges desire yet to lengthen thy daies in this so wofull prison They that will not be contented to liue threescore yeeres and fiue in this death or to die in this life will not desire to liue threescore thousand yeeres The Emperour Augustus Octauian saide That alter men had liued fiftie yeeres either of their owne will they ought to dye or else by force they should cause themselues to bee killed For at that time all those which haue any humaine felicitie are at the best Those which liue aboue that age passe their daies in grieuous torments As in the death of children in the losse of goods and importunitie of
valiant but all these giftes are but meanes to make them vicious And in such case if the Fathers would bee gouerned by my counsell I would rather desire that members should want in them then that vices should abound Of the most fairest children which are borne in the Empire my sonne Commodus the Prince is one But I would to the immortall Gods that in face hee resemble the blackest of Ethiope and in manners the greatest Philosopher of Greece For the glory of the Father is not nor ought not to bee in that his child is fayre of complexion and handsome of person but that in his life hee bee very vpright Wee will not call him a pittifull Father but a great enemy who exalteth forth his child for that he is faire and doth not correct him though hee be vicious I durst say that the father which hath a child endued with many goodly gifts and that hee doth employ them all to vices such a child ought not to bee borne in the world and if perchance he were borne hee ought immediately to be buried CHAP. LIII The Emperour Marcus Aurelius concludeth his matter and sheweth that sondry young Princes for being vicious haue vndone themselues and empouerished their Realms O What great pitty is it to see how the father buyeth his child of the gods with sighes how the mother deliuers thē with pain how they both nourish them with trauels how they watch to sustain them how they labour to remedy them afterwards they haue so rebelled and be so vicious that the miserable Fathers oftentimes do die not for age but for the griefes wherewith their children torment them I doe remember that the Prince Commodus my sonne beeing young and I aged as I am with great paines we kept him from vices but I feare that after my death hee will hate vertues I remember many yong Princes which of his age haue inherited th' Empire of Rome who haue bin of so wicked a life that they haue deserued to loose both honour and life I remember Dennys the famous tyraunt of Scycile of whom is saide that as great reward hee gaue to those that inuented vices as our Mother Rome did to those which cōquered realms Such worke could not be but of a tyraunt to take them for most familiar which are most vicious I remember foure young Princes which gouerned the Empyre but not with such valiauntnes as the great Alexander that is to say Alexander Antiochus Syluius and Ptholomeus vnto whom for their vanity and lightnes as they called Alexander the Great Emperour in Greece so likewise do they call these young men tyrants in Asia Very happie was Alexander in life and they vnhappy after his death For all that which with glorious triumphs hee wanne with vile vices they lost So that Alexander deuided betweene them foure the worlde and afterwards it came into the handes of moe then foure hundreth I doe remember that king Antigonus little esteemed that which cost his Lorde Alexander much Hee was so light in the behauiour of his person and so defamed in the affayres of the Common-wealth that for mockerie and contempt in the steed of a crown of golde hee bare a garland in the steed of a scepter hee carryed nettles in his hand and of this sort and manner he sate to iudge among his counsellors vsed to talke with strangers This yong Prince doth offend me much for the lightnes he committed but much more I maruell at the grauitie of the Sages of Greece which suffered him It is but meete hee be partaker of the paine which condescended to the faulte I do remember Caligula the fourth Emperor of Rome who was so young and foolish that I doubt of these two things which was greatest in his time That is to say The disobedience that the people bare to their Lorde or the hate which the Lord bare to his people For that vnhappie creature was so disordered in his manners that if all the Romaines had not watched to take life from him hee would haue watched to take life from them This Caligula wore a brooche of gold in his cap wherein were written these wordes Vtinam omnis populus vnam precise ceruicem haberet vt vno ictu omnes necarem Which is to say would to God all the people had but one necke to the ende I might kill them all at a stroke I remember the Emperour Tiberius th'adoptiue sonne of the good Caesar Augustus which was called Augustus because hee greatly augmented the Empyre But the good Emperor did not so much augment the state of his Common-wealth during his life as Tyberius did diminish it after his death The hate and malice which the Romain people bare to Tiberius in his life was manifestly discouered after the time of his death For the day that Tyberius dyed or better to say when they killed him the Romaine people made great processions and the Senators offered great presents in the temples and the priests gaue great Sacrifices to their Gods and all to the end their gods shold not receiue the soule of this Tyraunt amongst them but that they would sende it to be kept among the Furyes of hell I remember Patrocles 2. K. of Corinth inherited the realm at xxii yeres of his age who was so disordred of his flesh so indiscret in his doings so couetous of goods such a coward of his person that wher his father had possessed the Realm 40. yeres the sonne did not possesse it thirtie moneths I remember Tarquine the prowde who though among eight Knights of Rome was the last and comlyest of gesture valiaunt in Armes Noblest of bloud and in giuing most liberall yet he employed all his gifts and grace◠which the Gods had giuen him euill For hee employed his beautie to ryot and his forces to tyrannie For through the treason villanie which hee committed with the Romaine Lucretia he did not only lose the realme and flying saued his life but also for euer was banished and all his Linage likewise I remember the cruell Emperour Nero who liued inherited and dyed young and not without a cause I say that hee liued and dyed young For in him was graffed the stocke of the noble worthie Caesars and in him was renued the memory of those tyrants To whom thinkest thou Panutius this Tyrant would haue giuen life since he with his owne hand gaue his Mother her death Tell mee I pray thee who thinkest thou hath made that cursed heart who slewe his Mother out of whose wombe he came opened the breasts which gaue him sucke Shedde the bloud wher of he was born Tore the armes in which hee was carryed saw the entrails wherin he was formed The day that the Emperour Nero slewe his mother an Orator said in the Senate Iure interficienda erat Agrippina qua tale portentum peperit in populo Romano Which is to say iustly deserued Agrippina to bee put to death which brought forth
offer therin the sacrifice accustomed For wee doe not this honour to the substance wherewith the Temples are made but to the gods to whome they are consecrated I commend vnto thee the veneration of Priests I pray thee though they be couetous auaritious dissolute vnpatient negligent and vitious yet that they bee not dishonoured for to vs others it appertaineth not to iudge of the life they lead as men but wee must consider that they are mediators between the gods and vs. Behold my sonne that to serue the Gods honour the Temples and reuerence the Priests it is not a thing voluntary but verie necessarie for Princes For so long endured the glorie of the Greekes as they were worshippers of their goods and carefull of their temples The vnhappy realm of Carthage was nothing more cowardly nor lesse rich then that of the Romanes but in the ende of the Romaines they were ouercome because they were great louers of their treasures and little worshippers of their Temples I commend vnto thee my sonne Helia thy stepmother and remember though she be not thy mother yet shee hath beene my wife That which to thy mother Faustine thou oughtest for bringing thee into the world the selfe same thou oughtest to Helia for the good entertainement she hath shewed thee And indeed oftentimes I beeing offended with thee shee maintained thee and caused me to forget so that shee by her good wordes did winne againe that which thou by thy euill workes didst lose Thou shalt haue my curse if thou vsest her euill and thou shalt fall into the ire of the Gods if thou agreest that other doe not vse her well For all the damage which shee shall feele shall not bee but for the inconuenience of my death and iniury of thy person For her Dowrie I leaue her the tributes of Hestia and the Orchards of Vulcanus which I haue made to bee planted for her recreation Be thou not so hardy to take them from her for in taking them from her thou shalt shew thy wickednes and in leauing them her thy obedience and in giuing her more thy bounty and liberality Remember my sonne that shee is a Romane woman young and a widdow and of the house of Traiane my Lord that shee is thy mother adoptatiue and my naturall wife and aboue all for that I leaue her recommended vnto thee I commend vnto thee my sons in law whom I will thou vse as parents and friends And beware that thou be not of those which are brethren in words and cousins in workes Bee thou assured that I haue willed so much good to my daughters that the best which were in all the Countries I haue chosen for their persons And they haue beene so good that if in giuing them my daughters they were my sonnes in law in loue I loued them as children I commend vnto thee my sisters and daughters whom I leaue thee all married not with strange Kings but with naturall Senators So that all dwell in Rome where they may doe thee seruices and thou mayest giue them rewards and gifts Thy sisters haue greatly inherited the beauty of thy mother Faustine and haue taken little nature of their Father Marke But I sweare vnto thee that I haue giuen them such husbands and to their husbands such and so profitable counsailes that they would rather lose their life then agree to any thing touching their dishonour Vse thy sisters in such fort that they be not out of fauour for that their aged Father is dead and that they become not proud for to see their brother Emperour Women are of a very tender condition for of small occasion they doe complaine and of lesse they waxe proud Thou shalt keepe them and preserue them after my death as I did in my life For otherwise their conuersation to the people shall bee very noysome and to thee very importunate I commende vnto thee Lipula thy youngest sister which is inclosed within the Virgine Vestals who was daughter of thy mother Faustine whom so dearely I haue loued in life and whose death I haue bewailed vntill my death Euery yeere I gaue to thy sister sixe thousand sexterces for her necessities and indeeed I had married her also if shee had not fallen into the fire and burnt her face For though she were my last I loued her with all my heart All haue esteemed her fall into the fire for euill lucke but I doe count that euill lucke for good fortune For her face was not so burned with coales as her rerenowne suffered perill among euill tongues I sweare vnto thee my sonne that for the seruice of the gods and for the renowne of men she is more sure in the temple with the Vestall Virgins then thou art in the Senate with thy Senators I suppose now that at the end of the iourney shee shall find her selfe better to be enclosed then thou at liberty I leaue vnto her in the prouince of Lucania euery yeare sixe thousand sexterces trauell to augment them for her and not to diminish them I commend vnto thee Drusia the Roman widdow who hath a processe in the Senate For in the times of the commotions past her husband was banished and proclaymed Traytor I haue great pitty of so noble and worthy a widdow for it is now three monethes since shee hath put vp her complaint for the great warres I could not shew her iustice Thou shalt finde my sonne that in 35. yeares I haue gouerned in Rome I neuer agreed that any widow should haue any sute before me aboue eight dayes Be carefull to fauour and dispatch the orphans and widdows for the needy widdow in what place soeuer they be do incur into great danger Not without cause I aduertise thee that thou trauell to dispatch thē so soone as thou mayest and to administer iustice vnto them for throgh the prolonging of beautifull womens suites their honour and credite is diminished so that their businesse being prolonged they shall not recouer so much of their goods as they shall lose of their renowme I commend vnto thee my sonne my olde seruants which with my yong yeeres and my cruell wars with my great necessities with the cumbrance of my body and my long disease haue had great trouble and as faithful seruants oftentimes to ease me haue annoyed themselues It is conuenient since I haue profited of their life that they should not lose by my death Of one thing I assure thee that though my body remaine with the worms in the graue yet before the gods I will remember them And herein thou shalt shew thy selfe to be a good child whē thou shalt recompence those which haue serued thy Father well All Princes which shall do iustice shall get enemies in the execution thereof And sith it is done by the hands of those which are neere him the more familiar they are with the Prince the more are they hated of the people all in generall doe loue
wee now at this present doe also aduise them to take heede that they doe not accept and take all that is offered and presented although they may lawfully doe it For if hee be not wise in commaunding and moderate in taking a day might come that hee should see himselfe in such extremity that he should be inforced to call his Friends not to counsell him but rather to helpe and succour him It is true that it is a naturall thing for a Courtyer that hath twenty crowns in his purse to desire suddenly to multiplie it to an 100. from a 100. to 200. from 200. to a 1000. from a thousand to 2000. and from 2000 to an hundred thousand So that this poore wretched creature is so blinded in couetousnes that hee knoweth not nor feeleth not that as this Auarice continually increaseth and augmenteth in him so his life daily diminisheth and decreaseth besides that that euery man mocks and scorns him that thinketh The true contentation consisteth in commanding of Money and in the facultie of possessing much riches For to say truly it is not so but rather disordinate riches troubleth and grieueth the true contentation of men and awaketh in them daily a more appetite of Couetousnes We haue seen many Courtiers rich and beloued but none indeede that euer was contented or wearyed with commaunding but rather his life should faile him then Couetousnes Oh how many haue I seene in the Court whose legges nor feete haue bin able to carry them nor their bodie strong enough to stand alone nor their hands able to write nor their sight hath serued them to see to reade nor their teeth for to speake nor their iawes to eate nor their eares to heare nor their memory to trauell in any suite or matter yet haue not their tongue fayled them to require presents and giftes of the Prince neyther deepe and fine wit to practise in Court for his most auaile and vantage So incurable is the disease and plague of auarice that hee that is sicke of that infirmity can not bee healed neyther with pouerty nor yet bee remedied with riches Since this contagious maladie and apparant daunger is now so commonly knowne and that it is crepte into Courtiers and such as are in high fauour and great authoritie by reason of this vile sinne of auarice I would counsell him rather to apply himselfe to bee well thought of and esteemed then to endeauour to haue enough Also Queene Semiramis was wife to king Belius and mother of king Ninus and although by nature shee was made a woman yet had shee a heart neuer otherwise but valiant and Noble For after shee was widdow shee made her selfe Lord by force of armes of the great India and conquered all Asia and in her life time caused a goodly tombe to bee made where she would lye after her death and about the which she caused to bee grauen in golden Letters these words Who longs to swell with masse of shining golde And craue to catch such wealth as fewe possesse This stately Tombe let him in hast vnfolde Where endlesse heapes of hatefull coyne do rest Many dayes and kinges raignes past before any durst open this Sepulchre vntill the comming of the great Cyrus who commaunded it to be opened And being reported to him by those that had the charge to seeke the treasure that they had sought to the bottomlesse pit and Worldes end but treasure they could find none nor any other thing saue a stone wher in were grauen these words Ah haplesse Knight whose high distracted mind By follies play abused was so much That secret tombes the carcasse could none binde But thou wouldst reaue them vp for to be rich Plutarch and also Herodotus which haue both written this history of Semiramis doe shew and affirme that Queen Semiramis got great honour by this iest and King Cyrus great shame and dishonour If Courtiers that are rich thinke and beleeue that for that they haue money inough and at their will that therefore they should be farre from all troubles and miseries they are deceyned For if the poore soule toyle and hale his body to get him onely that he needeth much more dooth the rich man torment and burne his heart till hee be resolued which way to spende that superfluitie he hath Iesu what a thing is it to see a rich man how bee tormenteth himselfe night and day imagining and deuising with himselfe whether hee shall with the mony that is left buy leases milles or houser anuities vines or cloth lands tenemēts or pastures or some thing in see or whether he shal enrich his sonne with the thirds or fifts and after all these vaine thoughts Gods will is for to strike him with death suddenly not onely before he hath determined how hee should lay out or spend this money but also before he hath made his will I haue many times tolde it to my friends yea and preached it to them in the Pulpit and written it also in my bookes that it is farre greater trouble to spend the goods of this world well and as they ought to be spent then it is to get them For they are gotten with swette and spent with cares Hee that hath no more then hee needeth it is hee that knoweth well how to parte from them and to spend them but he that hath aboundance and more then needfull doth neuer resolue what hee should doe Whereof followeth many times that those which in his life time were enemies to him shall happen to bee heyres after his death of all the goods and money he hath It is a most sure and certaine custome among mortall men that commonly those that are rich while they are aliue spend more money vainely in thinges they would not and that they haue no pleasure in and wherein they would lest lay it out and after their death they leaue the most part of their inheritance to those whom they loued least for it hapneth many times that the sonne which hee loueth worst enheriteth his goods that sonne which hee loued best and made most of remaineth poore Therfore continuing still our matter I say that I know not the cause why the fauoured of the Court desire to bee so rich couetous and insatiable sith they alone haue to gette the goods where afterwardes to spende them they haue need of the counsell and aduise of many Let not those also that are in fauour with the Prince make too great a shew openly of their riches but if they haue aboundance let them keepe it secret For if their lurking enemies know not what they haue the worst they can doe they can but murmur but if they see it once they will neuer leaue till they haue accused him To see a Courtier builde sumptuous houses to furnish them with wonderfull and rich hangings to vse excesse and prodigality in their meates to haue their cupbordes maruellously decked with cups and pots of golde and siluer to
And all this commeth onely because one sort of people followeth an other but one reason seldome followeth another If wee fall if we stumble if wee be sicke if we breake our face are we sure that seruing as we do the world that the world will recure and remedie vs No sure it is not so For the remedy the world is wont to giue to our troubles is euer notwithstanding greater trouble then the first so that they are like vnto Searing-yrons that burne the flesh and heale not the wound For the world is full of guile and deceyte and subtill to deceiue but very slowe to giue vs remedy And this we see plainly For if it perswade vs to reuenge any iniury receyued it doeth it onely in reuenging of that to make vs receiue a thousand other iniuries And if sometimes wee thinke wee receiue some comfort of the world of our paines and troubles of the body if afterwardes ouer-lodeth our mindes with a Sea of thoughts and cogitations So that this accursed and flattering world maketh vs belieue perswadeth vs the right and perfite way and in the end we are cast vnwares into the Nets of all wickednes priuily layde to ensnare vs. How great soeuer a man bee in fauor with the king how noble of bloud how fine of wit and how warie soeuer hee be let euery man bee assured that practiseth in the world he shall in the ende be deceyued by him For hee costeth vs very deere and wee sell our selues to him good cheape I tolde you but little to tell you we solde our selues good cheape for I should haue saide better in saying we haue giuen out selues in preye wholly to him without receiuing any other recompence And in deede they are very fewe and rare that haue any reward of him and infinit are they that serue him without any other recompence more then an ydle foolish and vaine-hope Oh Trayterous Worlde in how short a time doest thou receyue vs and afterwardes with a glimce of an Eye suddenly doest put vs from thee thou gladdest and makest vs sorrowfull thou callest vs to honour and abasest vs thou punishest vs and doest vs a thousand pleasures And finally I say thou doest make vs so vile and poysonest vs with thy vile labourers that without thee wee are yet euer with thee and that that grieues vs worst of all is that hauing the Thiefe in the house we goe out of the house to giue him place and make him owner When the world knoweth one once that is prowd and presumptuous he procureth him honour to another that is couetous riches to another that is a glutton good meats to an other that is carnall the commoditie of womeÌ„ to another that is idle quyet and ease and all this doth the Trayterous Worlde to the ende that after as Fish whom hee hath fed hee may laye the net of sinne vpon vs to catch vs in If we would resist the first temptations the World offreth vs it is impossible hee durst so many times assaulte vs. For to say truely by our small and weake resistance increaseth his ouer-great audacitie I would these Louers of this worlde would but tell me a little what 〈◊〉 or what Hope they can hope of him Why they should suffer so manie eâ—cumbers broyles and troubles as they doe To thinke the Worlde can giue vs perpetuall life it is a mockery and extreame madnes to hope of it For we see when life is most deare to vs and that we are lothest to leaue the world then arriueth Death in an vnhappie houre to swallow vs vp to depriue vs of all this our worldly felicitie To hope that the World will giue vs assured Myrth euen this is also a madnes For the dayes excepted we must lament and the houres allottod out to complaine alas we shal see but a small surplus of Time left to laughe and be mertie I can say no more but exhort euery man to looke well about him what he doth and that he be aduised what hee thinketh For when we thinke and belieue wee haue made peace with Fortune euen then is she in battel against vs. And I doe assuredly belieue that that I now prepare my selfe to speake euen presently shall be read of manie but obserued of few and that is that I haue seene those come out of their owne proper houses mourning and lamenting that had spent and consumed all their time in laughing and making good cheere seruing this miserable world which is but only a giuer of all euils a ruine of the good a heap of sinne a tyraunt of vertues a traitor of peace and warre a sweet water of errors a riuer of vices a persecutor of the vertuous a combe of lyes a deuiser of nouelties a graue of the ignorant a cloake of the wicked an ouen of lechery and finally a Charibdis where all good and noble hearts doe perish and a Sylla where all Noble desires and thoughts are cast away together For it is most certaine that this Worlding that is not content with this World and that leaueth his first estate and that taketh vpon him a new manner of life and chaungeth from house to house and from Countrey to Countrey hee shall neuer notwithstanding content himselfe nor quiet his mind And the cause hereof is that if a Worlding depart out of his house neuer to come againe into it there are yet at hand immediatly other ten licentious persons that do but watch to enter into his house Speaking more particularly I say that in the Court of Princes they account them happy and fortunate that be in fauour with the Prince that haue great affairs in Court that bee rich and of power that be serued and honoured of euerie man and that take place goe before euery man So that it may be said that the common people doe not cal those fortunate that deserue to be fortunat but onely those that haue enough But the auncient Philosophers were not of this mind and much lesse are the wise vertuous men at this day For we see that in the Court of Princes many lacke fauor rather then life others lacke both fauour and life together and others not onely their life and fauour but also their goods and faculties So that all that their fauour and credite haue giuen them in many yeares and by sundry griefes and troubles they come afterwardes to lose them euen vpon a suddain and in short time I graunt notwithstanding that it is a great honour profite and furtherance for the Courtier to bee in his Princes fauour but neuerthelesse hee cannot deny me but that it is a dangerous thing also For naturally a great familiarity bringeth also a great enuy with it sith the beloued of the Princes is commonly euill willed of the Common weale And that which is most daungerous is that to obtain the fauor of his Prince hee must so behaue himselfe that his seruice must bee more rare better and exquisite
his euill hap hath made her his enemie which heretofore hee so entirely loued For any man that esteemeth his honour and reputation doth rather feare the euill tongue of such a woman then the sword of his enemy For an honest man to striue and contend with a woman of such quality is eueÌ„ as much as if hee would take vpon him to wash an asses head Therefore hee may not seeme to make account of those iniuries done him or euill words shee hath spoken of him For women naturally desire to enioy the person they loue without let or interruption of any and to pursue to the death those they hate I would wish therefore the fauoured of Princes and such as haue office and dignity in the court that they beware they incurre not into such like errors For it is not fitting that men of honour and such as are great about the Prince should seeme to haue more liberty in vice then any other neyther for any respect ought the beloued of the Prince to dare to keepe company much lesse to haue friendshippe with any such common and defamed women sith the least euill that can come to them they cannot be auoided But at the least hee must charge his conscience trouble his friends waste his goods consume his person and lose his good fame ioining withall these also his concubine to bee his mortall enemy For there is no woman liuing that hath any measure in louing nor end in hating Oh how warily ought all men to liue and specially we that are in the Court of Princes for many women vnder the colour of their authority and office go ofttimes to seeke them in their Chambers not onely as humble suiters to solicite their causes but also liberally to offer them their persons and so by colour to conclude their practises and deuises So that the decision and coÌ„clusion of proces which they faine to solicite shall not goe with him that demaunds there goods of them but rather with him that desires but their persons to spoyle them of theyr honour Now the Princes officers must seeke to be pure and cleane from al these practises of these commoÌ„ strumpets much more from those that are suters to them and haue matters before them For they should highly offend God and commit great treason to the king if they should sende those Women from them that sued vnto them rather dishonored and defamed then honestly dispatched of their businesse And therefore he bindeth himselfe to a maruellous inconuenience that falleth in loue with a woman suter for euen from that instant hee hath receiued of her the sweet delights of loue euen at the present hee bindeth himself to dispatch her quickly and to end all her suites and not without great griefe I speake these words There are many women that come to the Court of Princes to make vnreasonable and dishonest sutes which in the end notwithstanding obtaine their desire And not for any right or reason they haue to it saue onely they haue obtained it through the fauour and credite they haue wonne of the fauoured Courtier or of one of his beloued So as wee see it happen many times that the vniust furnication made her suit iust and reasonable I should lye and doe my selfe wrong me thinkes if I should passe ouer with silence a thing that hapned in the Emperours Court touching this matter in the which I went one day to one of the princes chiefe officers and best beloued of him to solicit a matter of importaÌ„ce which an hostes of mine should haue before him And so this fauoured Courtier and great Officer after hee had hearde of men the whole discourse of the matter for full resolution of the same hee asked mee if shee were yong and fayre and I aunswered him that shee was reasonable fayre and of good fauour Well then sayth he bid her come to mee and I will doe the best I can to dispatch her matter with speede for I will assure you of this that there neuer came fayre woman to my handes but shee had her businesse quickly dispatcht at my hands I haue knowne also many women in the Court so dishonest that not contented to follow their owne matters would also deale with others affayres and gaine in feliciting theyr causes so that they with theyr fine wordes and franke offer of their persons obtayned that which many times to men of honour and great authority was denyed Therefore these great Officers fauoured of Princes ought to haue great respect not onely in the conuersation they haue with these Women but also in the honest order they ought to obserue in hearing their causes And that to bee done in such sort that whatsoeuer they say vnto them may bee secret prouided also the place where they speake with them bee open for other Suiters in like case CHAP. XVIII That the Nobles and Beloued of Princes exceede not in superfluous fare and that they bee not too sumptuous in their meates A notable Chapter for those that vse too much delicacy and superfluitie THe greatest care regard that Nature laide vpon her selfe was that men could not liue without sustinance so that so long as wee see a man eate yea if it were a thousande yeares wee might bee bolde to say that hee is certainely aliue And hee hath not alone layde this burden vpon men but on bruite beasts also For wee see by experience that some feedeth on the grasse in the fieldes some liues in the ayre eating flyes others vpon the wormes in carring others with that they finde vnder the water And finally each beast liueth of other and afterwardes the wormes feede of vs all And not onely reasonable men and brute beasts liue by eating but the trees are nourished thereby and wee see it thus that they in stead of meate receiue into them for nutriture the heate of the Sunne the temperature of the ayre the moisture of the earth any dewe of heauen so that the sustenance for men is called meate and that of plants and trees increase This beeing true therefore that wee haue spoken we must needes confesse that to liue wee must eate and yet withall wee must vnderstand that the sin of gluttony consisteth not in that that wee eate for necessity but only in that that is eaten with a disordinate appetite and desire And sure now a dayes men vse not to eate to content nature but to please their licorous and dainty mouthes Hee that giueth him selfe ouer to the desire of the throate doth not onely offend his stomacke and distemper his body but hurteth also his conscience for all gluttons and drunkards are the children or the brothers of sinne And I speake but little to say that the mouth and sinne are câ—sin Germanes together for by their effects and operations me thinketh them so knit and combined together as the Father and the Sonne Sith burning Leacherie acknowledgeth none other for her mother but onely the infatiable and gurmand throate And
the sinner our Sauiour Iesus Christ is our onely meane and Mediatour being called vpon by the Priest euen so betwixt the king and his Subiects that are suiters to his Maiesty those that are in fauour with the prince are mediators for them Now therefore if these Priestes bee double in their wordes and dissemblers in that they speake how shall the sinnes of the one be pardoned the businesse of the other dispatched Oh wofull and vnhappy sinner that putteth his sinnes into the hands of a naughty and wicked Priest and likewise vnfortunate and miserable is the poore suiter that comitteth his affaires to the trust dispatch of a lying and dissembling Officer There are many officers in princes Courts that tell the poore suiters still they will dispatch them but when it commeth to the push to followe the matter all his faire words are then but winde and indeede they make an arte of it to speake all men faire to promise much and to performe nothing weening with their sweete flattering wordes to winne the hearts and good wills of all little regarding the great expence and losse of time of the poor suter much lesse also respecting their owne honour honesties and credite Sure it were lesse dishonour for them to bee counted rough and churlish then to be bruted for Lyers and breakers of their promise The officer of the Princes pallace that is a dissembler and a Lyer in his words and doings hee may for a time maintaine his suites and goe through with his matters but in the ende his trecheries perceiued himselfe his fautor and all his dealings lye in the dust and are vtterly ouerthrowne Oh how many haue I seene rise in Courte of nothing to great matters and offices and this not through their painefull seruice but altogether by meanes of their deceipt and flatteries they vsed not exalted also for theyr merites but onely by a subtill meanes and pollicie they had to drawe water to their Mill nor for any good conscience they had but onely for theyr great diligence vsed in their practises And all this not without the preiudice of others but rather to the great hurt and vtter vndoing and ruine of theyr Neighbour and not for any bountie they had to giue liberally but a greedy and couetous a desire to get not for any needefull businesse but to haue those that are superfluous and not for to relieue the poore and needie but onely to satisfie their insatiable apetites and in fine their account cast wee haue seene after theyr death their goods confiscated their seruants dispersed and gon away and their Children vtterly vndone So that in briefe there was no more memorie of them in this world and GOD graunt also that in the other life their soules were not for euerdamned Courtyers may easilie with their fauour and credite attaine vnto great possessions as the Iudges may also in robbing the counsellers in pleading and maintaining naughtie causes the captaines in powling the Prince of the Souldyers wages the Merchaunts in their false weights and measures and their Brokers in telling lyes out of all measure But in the end of their journy pilgrimage they may be assured that the soules of the Fathers shall not only be damned in hell but the goods shall bee taken from their Children And also that that is truely and iustly gotten by the honest industry and trauell of the man with a good zeale and holie intent and to a good and iust ende it is written that it shall bee of long continuance by the good permission of GOD prayers of the people it shall also prosper and increase For the true gotten goods atchieued by the sweat and labour of man GOD doth alwayes prosper and augment And therefore continuing our matter I say that the princes officers ought to determine with themselues to bee vpright in all their actions and doings and aboue all true iust of their words which so performing they shall be sure to be beloued of all not alone of them that passe vnder their Lee but euen also of those whom they haue denyed fauour And also they need not to beafraid to speak boldly in all places where they come besides that they shal be reuerenced of all men Where to the contrarie if he be a lyer a babbler dissembler there are few that wil feare them much lesse loue them and least of all do them reuerence or honour And although wee cannot denie but that these officers of the Courte and other men of authoritie be wayted vpon visited accompanyed reuerenced and honoured of diuerse sortes of men yet it were a follie for vs to belieue that their traine and attendaunts doe them all that honour and reuerence for any desire they haue to doe them any seruice but only they vse all that curtesy and capping to get themselus their suites quickly dispatched And this to be true we see it daily by experience For when these suters haue at chiued their suite and desyre they doe not onely leaue off and giue ouer to accompanie him and to attend vpon him but moreouer they get them home without eyther thanking of him or once taking their leaue of him If all those that haue Function or Office of estate or dignitie hauing charge of the dispatch of great and weightie matters beeing also Lyers and dissemblers in their doings knew the yll reports that goe of them and how they condemn their corrupt and naughtic consciences me thinketh it impossible if they bee not altogether gracelesse but they must needs eyther change condition and estate or else quite giue vp their rooms and offices For they are in euery mans mouth called Bablers liers dissemblers traitors perjurers miserable auaricious and vicious And yet a worser thing then all this and that is whilest they liue a thousand complain of them and after they are dead and buried they take vp their bones out of the graue to hang them vp vpon a gibbet For thus saith the olde prouerbe Such life such ende So as we may say that to these officers aboue recited resteth nothing but only these goodly titles And herevnto we may adde also that Officers of like conditions to them need not to haue any to accuse them neyther yet to punish them For a time will come one day that they will plunge themselues so deepe into a Sea of troubles that it cannot be chosen but they must needs at last drown and vtterly perish or at the least bee driuen into the hauen of their greatest Enemyes so that they shall carrie the burden of their owne wickednes and bee condignely chastised with their owne follie Therefore I pray all those that shall read these writings of mine for to obserue them in their heart and imprint them well in minde beeing a matter of such Moralitie and wisdome that it can hardly be vnderstood of anie but of such as first haue had some proofe thereof Helius Sparthianus writeth that there was somtimes a
his Captaine and Captiues for his Entring and the people of Rome made as great preparation for to receyue him It was a maruellous thing for to see what people came forth of Rome to meete him and what infinit number were at Salon to behold him They that were at Salon had their eyes there and their hearts at Rome and they that were at Rome had their hearts at Salon in such sort that their hearts dazeled with that they saw and their heartes also reioyced for that they hoped to see For there is no greater torment to the heart then when it is deferred from that which it greatly desired CHAP. IIII. How at the intercession of many which the Empresse had sent The Emperour graunted his daughter Lucilla license to sport her selfe at the feasts YOu shal vnderstand that the Romanes vsed alwayes in the moneth of Ianuary to permit that their Emperours should triumph And it chāced that at that time when they prepared for the triumph Faustine the Empresse caused diuers noble Barrons to demaund licence of the Emperour that her daughter might come from her mistresse where shee was taught to the feasts Her name was Lucilla who was elder then the prince Comodus her brother Shee had a goodly iesture she was well made in the body and deerely beloued of her mother whom shee resembled not onely in beauty but also in liuing Though the request seemed to be reasonable and those that made it his Counsellours and great about him and thogh him whom they asked was the father and she that demaunded it was the mother and shee for whom this request was made was the daughter yet the Emperour would not graunt it but halfe against his will Faustine when shee had obtained licence was exceeding glad so soon as shee might possible shee brought her daughter home vnto the Pallace And when the day of the great Feast and solemne triumph came the young Damosell perceyuing her selfe at large without any Gouernour trusting in the Innocency of her selfe esteemed not the malice of any other man but reioyced with those that reioyced talked with them that talked beheld thē that beheld her and shee thought because shee meant euill to no man that no man willed euill to her In those dayes it was as great an offence for a maide of Rome to laugh in the company of men as it was for a woman of Grecia to be taken in adultery with a Priest So greatly was the honesty at that time of the Romane Matrones regarded and the lightnes of the maydens was so detested that they gaue more sharper punishment for one offence done openly then for two which were committed in secret Amongst all other things from these seuen the Romane Matrones did maruellously refraine that is to say from talking much at feasts from greedie eating among strangers From drinking wine whiles they were whole from talking in secret with any man from lifting vp their eyes in the Temples from gazing much out at the windows and from wandring abroad without their husbands for the woman that was apprehended in any of these things was alwayes after counted as one defamed There are many things suffered in persons of mean estate which cannot be endured in those of higher degree For Ladies of high renowne cannot keepe the reputation of their estates vnlesse they are maruellous circumspect in all their doings All thinges that degenerate from their kind deserue blame but the dishonest woman meriteth infamy If Ladies will be counted Ladies indeed let them know how much they excell others in riches so much lesse license haue they then other to goe gadding in the streetes For of a surety the aboundance of their riches and the liberty of the persons should not bee a spur to prouoke them to gad abroad but rather a bridle to keepe them within All this is spoken for this cause that Lucilla as a mayde tender and young and Faustine her mother as one not very old sometimes on foot and sometimes riding sometimes openly and now and then secrerly sometimes with company and at other times alone sometimes by day and oft times by night vsed to foote the streetes of Rome to view the fields of Vulcane to sport them by the riuer of Tyber to gather the fruites in the Orchardes of Saturne to suppe at the conduites of Nero and such other vagaries they vsed The which thinges though their age did desire and their idlenes allure them vnto yet the grauity which Ladies ought to haue should withdraw them from it I will speake one thing to the ende that other Ladies and Gentlewomen may take warning thereby which is that I cannot tell which was greater eyther the small discretion which moued Faustine and Lucilla to wander in such sort about the streetes or the audacity that euill men tooke thereby to talke of their persons and doubt of their honesties The keeping of women in their houses is like vnto a bridle to holde still euill mens tongues The woman that is a strayer abroad putteth her good name in much danger Of truth it were better for a woman neuer to be borne then to liue with an euill name Among all the families of the Ancient Romanes that of the Cornelians was counted most fortunate for among the men there was neuer any found a coward nor among the women any that was defamed The Historiographers say that there was one woman of that linage onely for beeing light in her behauiour was by the handes of her owne parents executed and put to death Surely it was well done of the Romanes to the intent that the lightnesse of one woman alone should not defame the whole family Where as is noblenesse and honesty there the matters that touch the honour ought not to tarry whiles they bee remedied by iustice but from that man or woman which among all hath lost his good name from the number of the liuing he ought also to be taken It is not sufficient for one to himselfe to be good but it is requisite that hee giue no occasion to others to iudge him to be euill All the losses of temporall goods that chance vnto men in this life ought not to be compared with a little blemish of a mans good name The man that hazardeth for a trifle his good name in this world shal at a būdred shootes scarsly shoote one right And contrariwise that man that hath lost his honesty and that esteemeth not the reputation of his person truly from him we shall neuer see any good thing proceed Now the Emperour like vnto a wise shippe-master fearing after the great calmes some tempestuous storme seeing the lightnesse of his Daughter and vanitie of the Mother I meane in the time of this great mirth and gladnesse feared least any infamy should ensue vnto these two Ladies And for a surety hee doubted not without a cause for it is an infallible rule of enuious Fortune for to giue vs in many yeares a little prosperity to the
if they will pretend any lightnes burie them quicke death ought to be giuen to an euill Daughter in steade of a dowrie for gyftes giue her wormes and for her house a graue Take heed Faustine if you will haue much ioy of your daughter take from her all the occasions wherby she shall be euil To vnderset a house behoueth diuers proppes and if the principalls be taken away it will fall downe I say you women are so fraile that with keepers with great paine they can keepe themselues and for a small occasion they will lose altogether Oh how many euill hath there bin not for that they would be so but because they followed such occasions the which they ought to haue eschewed It is at my pleasure to enter into this battel but yet it is not in my power to attaine the victorie it is for mee to enter into the Sea yet it lyeth not in my hands to escape the perill it is in the hands of a woman to enter into the occasion and after that shee is therin it is not in her power to escape from euill nor to deliuer her from tongues Peraduenture Faustine thou wilt say vnto mee none can speake to your daughter Lucilla vnlesse thou hearest it nor see her but thou seest him nor conuey her but thou knowest where nor make any appoyntment without thy consent and yet thou knowest that those which will her euill seeke with their tongues to dishonour her and those that with their heartes loue her speake only in their harts Wee loue in young bloud in the spring time and flourishing youth is a poyson that forthwith spreadeth into euery vaine it is an herbe that entreth into the entrailes a swouning that incontinently mortifieth all the members and a pestilence that slaieth the hearts and finally it maketh an end of all vertues I know not what I say but I feele that which I would say for I would neuer blaze loue with my tongue except I were sore wounded therewith in my heart Ouid sayeth in his booke of the art of loue Loue is I wot not what it it commeth I know not from whence who sent it I wot not it engendreth I know not how it is satisfied I know not wherewith it is self and I know not how oft it slayeth I know not wherefore and finally without breaking the flesh outwardly loue taketh roote and molesteth the heart inwardly I know not what Ouid meaneth hereby but I know when he sayde these words he was as farre banished from himselfe as I am at this time from my selfe O Faustine they that loue together vtter the secrets of their hearts by diuers wayes and in sleeping they reason and speake by signes they vnderstand each other The many wordes outwardly declare small loue inwardly and the seruent inward loue keepeth silence outward The entrailes within embraced with loue cause the tongue outward to be mute hee that passeth his life in loue ought to keepe his mouth close And to the entent that you shall not thinke that I speake Fables I will prooue this by auncient histeries we find anciently that in the yeare cclxx after the foundation of Rome Etrasco a young Romane that was dumbe and Verona a fayre Lady of the Latines which was dumb also These two saw each other on the mount Celio at the Feastes and there fell in loue together and their hearts were as sore fixed and entangled in Loue as their tongnes were tyed from speech It was a maruellous thing to see then and fearefull to note now that this young Lady came from Salon to Rome and he went from Rome to Salon sundry times by the space of 30. yeares without the knowledge of any person and neuer spake together It chanced at the last that the husbande of the Lady Verona dyed and the wife of Etrasco also and then they discouered their loue and treated a marriage betweene them And these two dumbe persons had issue a sonne of whom descended the noble lynage of our Scipions which were more famous in the seates of Armes then their Father and mother were troubled for want of words Then Faustine marke this thing it had little auayled to haue cut out the tongues of the two dumbe persons to haue remedied their loue and not to haue cut our their hearts And I shall tell you of Masinissa a worthy knight of Numidie and Sophonissa a famous Lady of Carthage all onely by one sight as they saw each other on a Ladder hee declareth his desire vnto her and she knowing his lust breaking the ores of feare and lifting vp the anchors of shame raysed incontinent the sayles of their hearts and with the shippes of their persons they ioyned each to other heere wee may see how the first sight of their eyes the knowledge of their persons the consent of their hearts the copulation of their bodies the decay of their estates and the losse of their names in one day in one houre in one moment and in one steppe of a Ladder were lost What will you that I say more to this purpose Doe you not know what Helen the Greeke and Paris the Troian of two straunge Nations and of farre Countries with the one onely sight in a Temple their willes were so knitte together that hee tooke her as his Captiue and shee abode his prisoner In Paris appeared but small sorce and in Helene but small resistance so that in a manner those two yong persons the one procuring to vainquish and the other in suffering to bee vanquished Paris was the causer of his Fathers destruction and both of their own deaths losse and damage to both their Realmes and slaunder to all the world All this loue grew of one onely sight When great King Alexander would haue giuen Battell to the Amazones the queene captaine of them no lesse faire then strong and vertuous came to a Riuers-side and the space of an houre each of them beheld the other with their eyes without vttering of any worde And when they returned to theyr Tents their fiercenes was turned into sweete amorous words When Pyrrus the faithfull defender of the Tharrentines and renowmed king of the Epyrotes was in Italie he came into Naples and had not beene there but one day but hee was enamoured of a faire lady named Gemelicia of a high linage and greatly esteemed for her beautie and the very same day she was gotten with childe and shamed throughout all Italie and cast out of the cittie and after that she was deliuered of childe she was slaine by one of her owne bretheren Also queene Cleopatra in the Prouince of Bythinia in the wood Sechin made a goodly banket to Marcus Anthonius her Louer and though shee was not very honest of her selfe yet had shee with her chast women And thus the Banket endured a great parte of the night Now the wood being thicke young damzels were not so wily to hide thē but the yōg men Romains found them so that of
earth there abode certaine peeces of earth which cleaued together and the Sunne comming to them created many wilde beasts amongst whom was found the first woman Note Ladies it was necessary that the floude Nilus should breake out so that the first woman might bee made of earth All creatures are nourished and bred in the entrailes of their mothers except the Woman which was bredd without a mother And it seemeth most true that without mothers you were borne for without rule yee liue and with order yee die Truely hee that taketh vpon him a great thing hath many cares in his minde much to muse vpon needeth much counsell needeth long experience and ought to chuse amongst many women that thinketh to rule the onely wife by reason Bee the beasts neuer so wilde at length the Lion is ruled by his keeper the Bull is enclosed in his Parke the Horse ruled by the bridell the little hooke catcheth the fish the Oxe contented to yeelde to the yoake onelie a woman is a beast which will neuer bee tamed she neuer loseth her boldnesse of commaunding nor by any bridle will bee commaunded The Gods haue made men as men and beasts as beasts and mans vnderstanding very high and his strength of great force yet there is nothing be it of neuer so great strength and power that can escape a woman eyther with sleight or might But I say vnto you amourous Ladies there is neyther spurre can make you goe reine that can holde you backe bridle that can refrayne you neyther fish-hooke nor Nette that can take you and to conclude there is no Law can subdue you nor shame restraine you nor feare abash you nor chasticement can amende you O to what great perill and danger putteth bee himselfe vnto that thinketh to rule and correct you For if you take an opinion the whole world cannot remoue who warneth you of any thing yee neuer beleeue him If they giue you good counsell you take it not if one threaten you you straight complaine If one pray you then are you proude if they reioyce not in you then are you spitefull If one doe forbeare you then are you bolde if one chastice you straight you become serpents Finally a Woman will neuer forget an iniury not bee thankefull for a benefite receyued Now a dayes the most simplest of all Women will sweare that they doe know lesse then they doe But I doe sweare which of them that knoweth least knoweth more euill then all men and of a truth the wisest man shall faile in their wisedome Will yee know my Ladies how little you vnderstand and how much you bee ignorant that is in maters of great importance yee determine rashly as if you had studyed on it a thousand yeares if any resist your counsell you holde him for a mortall enemie Hardie is that woman that dare giue counsell to a a man and hee more bolde that taketh it of a woman but I returne and say that hee is a foole which taketh it and hee is a foole that asketh it but he is most foole that fulfilleth it My opinion is that he which wil not stūble amongst such hard stones nor pricke himselfe amongst such thorns nor sting him with so many Nettles let him harken what I say and doe as he shal see speak well and worke euill In promising avow much but in performing accomplish little Finally allow your words and condemne your counsells If wee could demaund of famous men which are dead how they liked in their life time the counsells of Women I am sure they would not rise againe to belieue them nor to be reuiued to heare them How was that famous King Philip with Olympia Paris with Helene Alexander with Rosana Aeneas with Dido Hercules with Deyanira Hannibal with Tamira Antonie with Cleopatra Iulius with Domitian Nero with Agrippina And if you will belieue what they suffered with them aske of me vnhappie man what I suffer amongst you Oh ye Women when I remember that I was borne of you I loathe my mylife and thinking how I liue with you I wish and desire my death For there is no such death or torment as to haue to doe with you and on the contrarie no such life as to flye away from you It is a common saying among Women that men be very vnthankfull because we were bred in your entrailes Wee order you as seruants Ye say for that ye brought vs forth with perill nourished vs with trauell it is reason that wee should alwayes employ vs to serue you I haue bethoght me diuers times with my selfe from whence the desires that man hath vnto Women commeth There are no Eyes but ought to weepe no heart but should breake nor spirite but ought to waile to see a wise man lost by a foolish woman The foolish Louer passeth the day time to content his eye and the dark-night hee spendeth in tormenting of himselfe with fond thoughts one day in hearing tydings another day in doing seruices Sometimes in liking the darkenesse and somtimes in loathing of the light being in company and solitary liueth And finally the poore Louer may that he will not and would that he may not Moreouer the counsel of his friends auayleth him nothing nor the infamy of his enemies not the losse of goods and the aduenture of honour the loosing of his life nor the seeking of his death neyther comming neer nor flying farre nor seeing with his eyes nor hearing with his eares nor tasting with his mouth nor feeling with his hand and to conclude to get victorie hee is alwayes at strife and warre with himselfe Then I would ye louers knew from whence your Loue doeth come it is thus The entrailes whereof we are bredde be Flesh the breasts that we sucked are flesh the armes wherein we be fastued bee of flesh the thoughtes which wee thinke be fleshly the works which wee doe are fleshly the men with whom wee liue are of flesh and the wonder for whom we dye are flesh By which occasion commeth the reuerting of our flesh to flesh manie free hearted are entangled with these snares of Loue. It seemeth well my Ladyes that yee were engendred in puddles as before is mentioned of the Egyptians the puddles haue no cleare waters to drinke nor fruite to bee eaten nor Fish to bee taken nor yet shippe to sayle in My meaning is that in your liues ye be filthy and your persons without shame in aduersity weake and feeble in prosperity full of deceit and guile false in your words and deceitfull in your doings in hating without measure in loue extreame in giftes couetous in taking vnshamefast and finally I say yee are the ground of feare in whom the Wise men finde perill and the simple men suffer iniury In you the wise men holde theyr renowne slaundered and the simple men their life in penury Let vs omit the opinion of the Egyptians and come to the Greekes which say that in the deserts of Arabia
knowest well Camilla not being content with thy owne Countrey folke thou haddest such resorte and haunt of strangers to thee that thou canst speake all languages I will marke them that haue marked mee hurt them that haue hurted mee persecute them that haue persecuted mee defame them that haue slaundered mee all other my penne pardoneth for that they pardoned me in their play Because my letter begunne with that ye did to my person therefore I will end it with that it knoweth of your good names And thus I conclude that a man may escape from all dangers in shunning them but from women there is no way but to flye from them Thus I end and beseech the gods that I may see of you that which you would see of mee and sith yee bee louers I counsell you as you haue sent mee the play in a mockery euen so receyue my aunswere Marke now the Rhodian to the amorous Ladies of Rome CHAP. VIII Of a Letter sent by Marcus Aurelius to his loue Boemia for that shee desired to goe with him to the warres MArcus the Romane Pretor beeing in the warres of Dacia sendeth health to his louing Boemia remayning in the pleasures of Rome Escaping from a cruell battell thy fewe lines I read and vnderstood thy large information I let thee know thou hast astonied me more then mine enemies haue feared me and taking thy letter in my hands the herbe of malice entred into my heart When I temper my body with the delights I thinke my heart free from the venome of thy amours sith I of my will and thou for want of power hath giuen vs to bee free of our pleasures I thinke as well to make a diuorce of our sorrowes But yee bee such yea such I say as are the banishments of loue and the treasure of griefes The loue of you all ought to bee digested with pilles but the passion of one of you will not bee oppressed with all the rubarbe in Alexandria Yee shew your selues cruell to pardon an enemie and euer lightly you change your friendes I haue curiously made search whilest delight gouerned my youth yet could I neuer see in a woman stedfastnesse nor reason in their loue nor end in their hate The present wantonnesse quarrelleth with my youth passed because thou seest not in me the auncient good will towardes thee nor the present seruice And certainely hearing thy accusation and not my iustification thou mightest pay me as iustly with death as I pay thee with forgetfulnesse The which forgetfulnesse ought to bee as straunge in him that serueth as ingratitude in the Lady that is serued thinkest thou that I haue forgotten the law of Venus when I commaunded that the curious Louers should exercise their strength in chiualry and occupy their hearts in loue and more it willeth a man to weare his clothes cleanly their feet right their bodies constant their voyce soft and humble demure and modest of cheare they ought to haue eyes open alwayes looking vp to the Windowes and their hearts ready to flye into the aire For a truth my friend Boemia hee is a grosse louer that hath his will in captiuity and his iudgment free The iudgment is of no value where the will is in thraldome This I say that thou mayest know though my age hath left the exercise yet my vnderstanding hath not forgot the art Thou complaynest because I giue my selfe vnto much quiet and that I haue forgotten thee I will not deny the truth the day of my forgetting maketh thee priuie of my thoughts And reason the Ouerseer declareth that it is not requisite for my grauitie to permit I should loue nor in thy age to suffer to be beloued The world doth dissemble many things in youth which in age meriteth grieuous corrections The wanton toyes of youth proceed of ignorance but the villanies done in age grow of malice When I walked in the nights I ietted the streetes I sang ballades I gazed to the Windowes I played on the Gitiornes I scaled the walles I wakened the youth Thinkest thou that I win what I did in my youth but sithence I see my selfe bereaued of all my wonted wanton toyes and polished with so many white hayres cladde with so many sorrowes eyther I thinke now I was not then or else I dreame now not knowing the way I stray in nor seeing that stony way ready to stumble in Vnwittingly I haue fallen into the stayres not foreseeing the Whirlepoole guidelesse I entred in the rashnesse of my youth I lost mee for the which I aske pardon And nowe that I am out of the bryers thou woldest haue me further in then euer I was Now that I cannot take the purgations thou offerest to mee the sirropes I haue awaked all night and now thou giuest me a fresh alarum By our auncient friendshippe I pray thee and by the Gods I coniure thee that sithence my heart is rebell to thy will that thy doubtfull will doe suffer and let alone my will out of doubt And because thou shouldest not thinke any ingratitude in my white hayres as I may in thy young wanton person I will that wee account that wee haue gotten and that wee hope to get Tell mee what commeth of these vaine pleasures the time euill spent the fame in way of perdition the goods consumed the credite lost the gods offended the vertuous slaundered from whence wee gette the names of bruit beasts and surnames of shame Such bee yee and others Thou writest in thy Letter how thou wouldest willingly leaue Rome come to see mee in the Warres of Dacia Considering thy folly I laugh but knowing thy boldnesse I beleeue thee And when I thinke on this I turne to my bosome and peruse thy seale doubting whether the Letter were thine or not The veines of my heart doe chaunge my colour doth turne imagining that eyther shame hath vtterly forsaken thee or els grauitie hath wholly abandoned mee for such lightnes should not be beleeued but of the like persons Thou knowest well he that doth euil deserueth punishment sooner then hee that doth infamy I would aske thee whether thou wilt goe thou sufferedst to be cut as a sower grape and now thou wouldest bee sold for good wine thou camest in with Cheries and yet wouldest remaine as quinces Wee haue eaten thee in blossomes and thou wilt bee like the fruite the nuttes bee pleasant but the shelles bee hard By dung thou wert made ripe in thy youth and thou thinkest to bee in still Thou art nought else but rotten And if thou bee rotten thou art to bee abhorred Thou art not content with forty yeares which thou hast whereof 25. thou diddest passe in taste like to sweet wine that is solde or like the Melons that bee ripe and mellow Art not thou that Boemia which lacketh two teeth before are not thine eyes sunken into thy head thy hayres whiter the flesh wrinckled and thy hand perished with the gowt and one rib marred with
a white it is no marell though I shotte at thee with the arrowes of mine eyes at the butte of thy beautie with thy rowling Eyes with thy browes bent well coloured Face incarnate Teeth ruddie lips courled hayre handes set with Rings cloathed with a thousand manner of colours hauing purses full of sweete sauours the Bracelettes and Eare-rings full of pearles and precious-stones Tell me what this meaneth The most that I can thinke of this is sith you shewe vs your bodyes openly yee would wee should know your desires in secret And if it be so as I belieue it is it seemeth to me Lady Macrine thou oughtest to loue him that liketh thee to enform him that seeketh thee to aunswere him that calleth thee to feele him that feeleth thee and to vnderstand him that vnderstandeth thee And sith thou vnderstandest me I do vnderstand thee and vnderstand that thou knowest not I doe well remember as I went by the street solitarily to see two theeues put to death mine eyes glauncing saw thee at a window on whom dependeth all my desires More iustice thou doest to mee then I to the Theeues For I beeing at iustice thou hast iusticed the iustice and none dare payne thee The gallowes is not so cruell to them which neuer knew but doing euill as thou art to mee which neuer thought other but onely to serue thee They suffer but one death and thou makest mee suffer a thousand They in one day and one houre ende their liues and I eache minute doe feele the pangs of death They dyed guyltie but I innocently They died openly and I in secrete What wilt thou that I say more vnto thee They wept for that they dyed and I weepe daily teares of bloud from my heart for that I liue This is the difference their torments spreadeth abroade through all their bodie and I keep mine together in my hart O cruell Macrine I know not what iustice this is that they kill men for robbing and stealing from manie and suffer women to liue which steale mens hearts If they take the liues from them that picke purses why then doe they suffer Ladyes which robbe our entrails By thy Noblenes I pray thee and by the Goddesse Venus I Conjure thee eyther satisfie my desire or restore me to my heart which thou hast robbed from me I would thou shouldst know Lady Macrine the cleare intention of my heart rather then this Letter written with my hand If my happe were so good as thy Loue would permit me to speak with thee I would hope by sight and speech to winne that which I am in suspect by my Letter to loose The reason whereof is because thou shalt reade my rude reasons in this letter and if thou sawest me thou shouldest see the bitter teares which I wold offer to thee in this my vnhappy life Oh that my mouth could publish my cruell paines as my heart feeleth them I sweare vnto thee Lady Macrine that my woefull plaintes would styrre vppe thy small care and as thy beautie hath made thee thyne owne so the true knowledge of thy griefes should make thee mine I desire thou wouldest regarde the beginning and therewith note the ende For of truth the same day that thou imprisonedst my hart at the window in the dungeon of my desires I had no lesse weaknesse to ouercome then thou haddest strength to enforce me and greater was thy power to take me from my selfe then my reason was to put mee from thee Now ladie Macrine I doe not aske other mercie of thee but that we may declare our mindes together But in this case what wilt thou I say vnto thee but that thou hast so much power ouer mee and I so little of my liberty that though I would not my heart must needes bee thine and that beeing thine thou wilt shew thy selfe to be mine And sith it may not be but that my life must bee condemned in thy seruice bee thou as sure of my Faith as I am doubtfull of thy good-will For I shall haue a greater honour to be lost for thy sake then to win any other Treasure I haue no more to say vnto thee now but that thou haue respect to my perdition and to drawe life out of my death and turne my teares to ioye And because I holde my Faith and will neuer despaire in thy hope I send thee x. little rings of gold with x. rings of Alexandria and by the immortall Gods I conjure thee that when thou puttest them on thy fingers thou receyuest my Loue into thy heart Marcus thy Louer wrote this with his owne hand CHAP. XI ¶ Of an other Letter which the Emperour sent to the Ladie Macrine wherein hee expresseth the Fiery-flames which soonest consume the gentle-hearts MArke thy neighbour at Rome to thee Macrine his sweete enemie I call thee Sweete for it is iust I dye for thee and enemy because thou ceassest not to kill me I cannot tell how it is but sith the feast of Ianus hitherto I haue written three letters vnto thee in the answer wherof I would haue been contented to haue receiued but two from thee If I would serue thee thou wilt not bee serued If I speak to thee thou wilt not answer me If I behold thee thou wilt not looke at mee if I call thee thou will not answer me if I visite thee thou wilt not see me if I write vnto thee thou wilt make no answer And the worst of all is if others do shew thee of my griefs thou takest it as a mockerie Oh that I had so much knowledge where to complaine to thee as thou hast power to ease my plaint then my wisdome should be no lesse praised amongst the wise then thy beautie among the fooles I beseech thee hartily not to haue respect to the rudenes of my reasons but regard the faith of my teares which I offer to thee as a witnes of my will I know not what profite may come by my harme nor what gayne of my losse thou mayest hope to haue nor what surety of my perill thou maist attaine nor what pleasure of my paine thou mayest haue I had aunswere by my messenger that without reading my Letters with thine own hands thou didst rent them in peeces it ought to suffice to thinke how manie persons are tormented If it had pleased you Ladie Macrine to haue read these few lines you should haue perceyued how I am inwardly tormented Yee women be very extreame and for the misaduenture of one man a woman will complaine of all men in generall So yee all shew crueltie for one particular cause openly yee pardon all mens liues and secretly ye procure death to all I account it nothing Ladie Macrine that thou hast done but I lament that which thou causest thy Neighbour Valerius to say to me One thing I would thou shouldest remember and not forget That is Sith my libertie is so small and thy power so great that beeing wholly mine am turned
of Cresus The liberal mind of Cresus The answer of the Philosopher Anacharsis Wherein consisteth true phylosophy How little the phylosophers desire riches Certaine points required to be performed by the physopher The description of Phalaris The speech 〈…〉 The frailtie of the flesh Couetousnes the ouer throw of Iustice What princes ought to doe Two things requisite in euery man The letter of Phalaris Cruelty wel rewarded The praise of Alexander the great The prayse of Alexander the Great The saying of Diogines The saying of Alexander Two notable things of K. Philip of Macedonie The prayse of Ptolome Alexander vnhappy in his death Pholosophers onely reioyce in pouertie A custome among the Egyptians The miserable death of Euripdes The worthy saying of Archelaus A saying worthy obseruation Sentences of Cinna No loue comparable to that of man and wife Fiue things follow marriage The loue of the Father to the child The saying of Solon A third coÌ„modity of Marriage What inconenience so loueth them that are not maryed in the feare of the Lord. The fourth commodity belonging to mariage The worthie sayings of Lycurgus The prayse of marriage The cares incident to maâ—â—age No man content with his owne estate Marriage the cause of loue and amitie Mariage a meanes of Peace betweene God and man What is required of euery vertuous Prince A law among the Tharentines A law among the Athenians A worthie saying of Socrates The spech of Cimonius A beastly custome in old time in England An ancient custome among the Romains A law among the Cymbrians The law of the Armenians A custome among the Hungarians The custom of the Scythians Good counsell for all sorts of women Women bound to loue their Husbands The tongue cause of debate The loue of women towards theyr Husbands The praise of Women The Law amongst the Lidians The loue of Sinoris Comma How good women ought to behaue themselues The death of Sinoris and Camma Good couÌ„sell for women The great dangers women sustaine The custome of the Achaians The Law of the Parthians The Law of the Lideans Women weake of nature The foolish opinion of some women A propertie of a wise discreete Husband Good counsell for Women The saying of 〈…〉 The office of the Husband and dutie of the wife The law of Lycurgus The propertie of good Houswifes What inconuenience coÌ„meth by gadding abroad The commendations of Lucretia The praises of the wiues of Numidia Where loue wanteth discord resteth A propertie of a good woman The quality of naughty House-wiues The Follie of man How the man childe ought to be brought vp How womeÌ„ ought to carry themselues in the time they goe with childe The desire of Women Tibullus de casibus triumphi The first Dictator in Rome The first rebell in Rome An auncient custome vsed by the Ladyes in Rome The first victorie the Romaines obtained by Sea The death of Sophia Titus Liuius The mutabilitie of Fortune The death of Ypolita The dangsâ— of women with childe A good warning for women with childe Aristotle de Animalibus The propertie of a good Husband Reasonable Creatures may take example by the vnreasonable A custome among the Mauritanians A custome in Hungary The false opinion of the Heathen The Commendation of the Emperour Octauian The saying of Pisto How good counsell ought to be regarded What is required of women with child Pulio de moribus antiq Lucius Seneca his counsell How vertuous Princes ought to be How the Emperour Marcus Aurclius spent his time A custome among the Romanes The speech of Marcus Aurelius at his death Rome destroyed by the Gothes The importunity of the Empresse A law a-among the Romane What euill commeth by the tong What is required in a Woman The Emperours answere What is required of euery Man What hurt commeth by not gouerning the tongue Crosses incident to Marriage What women naturally are inclined vnto Women can not endure to haue superiours Annales of Pompeyus A Law among the Barbarians The frailty of man The cause why men ought to endeauor to be vertuous How wee ought to to spend our time Reason leadeth to vertue Sensualitie to vice What dangers are incident to men by following women Women neuer contented Women coÌ„pared to golden pilles The speech of Drusio What inconuenience follow those that are discontented in marriage How euery man woman ought to behaue themselues What hurte cometh by misgouerning the tongue How marryed folkes ought to carry themselues Rules for euery man to followe that meanes to liue in peace Women extreame in their demands A froward Woman described Rome in ancient times rich in vertues Fiue things granted to the Matrones of Rome The commendation of a vertuous woman The Epitaph of Macrine Foure things which women naturally desire Women bound by Gods Law to giue her children sucke The example of dumb creatures may teach women to bring vp their owne children Arist de Animal The description of children in their infancie What loue women ought to beare their children The reward of the Roman Captain The speech of Scipio the AffricaÌ„ What dutie is required betweene the Parents and the childe The eruelty of Nero towards his Mother The reason that may moue women to giue their children sucke A custome of Asia The saying of Iunius Rustious How men and women ought to be stow theyr time What profit cometh to Women by giuing their childreÌ„ suck How women ought to spend the time about theyr children Pleasures that women may take in their children The lawes of the Auncients What care Women ought to haue of their children A good example for women A good example for all sorts of women What inconuenieÌ„ce cometh by changing Nurses Arist de secret secretorum How children ought to be nourished and brought vp Good counsell for one that would liue long Aristot De Animalib What Dyet Nurses ought to vse An example of the women of Thrace Women giuing sucke ought to abstaine from wine WomeÌ„ prohibited to drink wine in former times 〈…〉 The speech of Sabina The answer of the Consull Fuluius Wherefore the Consull would not haue his children nourished in his house What is required in euery good Nurse The description of Pressilla What is required of a Nurse for bringing vp of children What is required of a good Captaine How Alexander gouerned his armie A custome among the Persians What time it requisite for a man to eate Strabo de situ Orbis What order the Auncients vsed concerning marriage The custome of the Chaldeans How long women ought to giue their children sucke Questions demanded by the Philosopher Arethus When Rome flourished How circumspect a man ought to bee to speake the truth What property belongeth to the goute What inconuenieÌ„ce commeth by eating too much fruit What hurt commeth by Iugglers and players Titus Liuius The pollicy of the auncient Romaines God the onely Physitian The mutabilitie of mans life What difference there is betweene man and beast Ioseph de bello
described Cares that are incident to them that hoorde vp riches Deceyuers neuer go vnpunished either in this life or the other A good counsell to reframe froÌ„ couetousnes Couetousnes alwayes accursed A saying of Pisistratus the Tyrant The opinioÌ„ of the Philosopher Lido concerning a couetous man A custome among the Lumbards worthy to be noted and followed Couetousnes in great personages a greater blemish theÌ„ in the poore The safetie of Princes consists in the loue of his subiects A Question lemau ded of great Alaxander his answere An olde prouerbe A worthy â—aying of the Emperour Seuerus The prayse of King Ptolomeus A wise saying of King Ptolomeus A worthy saying of Titus the Emperour A worthy saying of great Alex to king Darius A worthy saying of Phocion the phylosopher Great difference betweene the ancieÌ„t warriours these of our times An ancient custome among the Romanes A Letter of the Emperour to Mercurius What profiteth it a man to couet much since his day â—s are so short Riches neuer letteth man be in quiet Socrates teacheth vs how to esteeme the goods of this world The conclusion of the Emperours letter shewing the nature of couetous men A superscriptio written ouer the gates of the King of Lacedemonia The vices of Rome and Alexandria layd open What it is that couetous men doe long for in this life The tyranny of Mydas described The answere of the Oracle concerning the life of King Mydas Conference betweene Mydas and the Philosopher Silenus The speech of the Philosopher Silenus A worthy thing to bee considered of among Christians A worthy saying of Eschynes the Philosopher Beasts more prouicent in their kinde then man The miserable estate of man in his infancy Nature of men and beasts compared both together The cares troubles that followe man in this life Man of all other creatures subiect to dangers Brute beasts an instrument to punish man Malitious men worse then brure beasts We ought not to regard where our dead corpes are enterred A Letter of the Emperour to a banished man When good orders were obserued in Rome The time when good orders were broken in Rome The reason that Domitius was banished A worthy speech of Seneca to his mother Albina How little wee ought to regard the flatteries of forune Alexaander the great after his so many conquests dyed by poyson How quickly sodaine death ouertaketh many men How carefull men ought to be to liue wel A worthy example of an AtheniaÌ„ King A good custome among the ancient Romanes A rebuke of a frieÌ„d more acceptable then the slattring words of foes The pittifulnes of the Emperour Claudius The speech â—t King Alexander to king Darius Wherefore the worthie Anthoninus was renowm d. A worthy saying of the Emp worthy to be followed How accessarie it is for a wife to be in her owne house A custome vsed by widdowes in ancient times What a coÌ„fort a good husband is to a woman The care that Worldlings haue Sorrowes that women haue in bringing vp their children A saying of Seneca Troubles and cares incident to Widdowes 〈…〉 An ancient Law amoÌ„g the Carthagenians The life vertues of Claudinus described How little this life is to bee respected How little we ought to esteeme of this life MeÌ„ in their kinde more cruell then beasts The prosecutioÌ„ of the Emperours letter to widowes The dutie that euery Christian â—â—eth to God A custome vsed by the Romains in visiting widdowes A custome vsed among the Romane widowes An admonition of the Emperour to widowes to leaue off mourning 〈…〉 What punishment ought to be inflicted vpon a widow of light behauiour The opinion of sundry Philosophers of the description of the world 〈…〉 The deceitfulnes of the world layd open A worthy saying of K. SalomoÌ„ Nothing in this worlde but vanitie The vaine hope of the worldly minded man The speech of the Emp Traian The answer of Plutarch How little we ought to esteeme the flatteries of the world The inconstancie of the world How the world deceiueth sinfull men The vaine opinion of the worldly minded meÌ„ How suddeÌ„ly Death assaulteth vs comfor◠〈…〉 if the Emp Marc Aur. How a true friend is to be knowne The loue of Marcus Aurelius to his friend The considerations that euery man ought to haue A worthy saying of Plato No man in safety to long as hee liueth in this world The Emperour perswedeth meÌ„ to trust in the world What the world is compared vnto How malicious vnconstaÌ„t the world is Fortune Nature two contrary enemyes Doe what thou canst at last the world will deceyue thee Examples of the vncoÌ„stancy of the world Plutarch commendeth the Lacedemonians in obseruing their lawes A saying of Plutarch The laws of Plutarche Wherfore the Romans esteemed Fencers An ancient custome among the Romaines The reason wherefore the RomaÌ„s allowed Iesters Allowance giuen by the Romans to Iuglers The difference betweene Roscio the Iester and Cicero A good and ancient Law amoÌ„g the Lacedemonians Punishment infflicted by Augustus vpon a Iester An other worthy sentence of the Emperour Augustus The vanity of men in maintaining Iesters such idle persons How necessarie it is to bee beneficiall to the poore How hatefull Iesters and loyterers ought to be in a Common-wealth A custome vsed by the Romanes worthy to be vsed of euery Nation The cause wherefore the Emperour wrote this letter The Emperour bewayleth the folly of the Romanes Such company as meÌ„ haunt the same shall they shew in their life To what sorts of people men ought to giue to eate The Emp coÌ„mendeth the isle of Helespont How reuerently the Sages were esteemed in former time The noble minded respect antiquities What vnloked for mischiefes arise at such meetings The reason wherefore the Emperour banished fooles and loyterers The reward a poore Philosopher had for speaking truth Idlenes the mother of all vices The folly of fooles ought to be contemned of the wise The great riches of two Parasites The property of Iuglers A true patterne for good and vertuous children Death the best gift that can be giuen to mortall men How little we ought to esteeme of Death Comforts against the feare of death A Question of Plato demaunded of Socrates A question demanded of Cato his answer A worthie sentence of Seneca A sentence of Plinie A worthie speech of the Emp Theodose None ought to procrastinate or deny their amendment A great discouragemeÌ„t to loâ—e so worthie a personage Extreame sorrows oppressed the good Emp M Aur. Men ought to prouide a cleare conscience to depart this life c. Good counsell against the feare of death Wise men prepare theÌ„selues before death Death terrible to all men Repentance not to be omitted What care is had to inherit transitory goods The worthy secretary Panurius his speech The reason why men studie is to learne to liue well Stedfastnes of minde is commendable The words of a wise man workes strange effects How loath great
men are to die Too much merriment in life breedeth woe in death A custome of the Grecians and Romains Wise men do outwardly dissemble inward griefes The custoÌ„e of many widowes There are two things that grieue men at their death The same order that Time keepeth man ought to follow This transitory life not worth the desiring Man neuer happy till death The trauell of death is harder then all the trauell of life The cause why men feare death He giues best counsel to the sorrowfull that is himselfe likewise tormented The occasion why Aurelius tooke his death heauily Children brought vp in liberty wantonnes easily fals into vices It is perillous to be adorned with naturall giftes to want requisite vertues What parents should glory of in their children Many yong vicious princes in Rome The cruell inscription in Coligulaes brooch The cruelty of Nero to his Mother They seldome mend that are vicious in youth The difference betweene the poore and the rich in death Vicious children by an ancient law disinherited Fiue things that oppressed Marcus Aurelius heart The counsell of the Emperour to his sonne Comodus What words cannot doe treason will The sinnes of a populous Cittie not to be numbred As vice intangleth the vicious so vertue cleaneth to the vertuous Disobedience of children is their vndoing Ripe counsell proceedeth from the aged The pastime that Princes should seeke Princes are to accompanie Ancient men All young men are not light nor all olde men sage Princes that rule many must take counsell of many Weighty affayres are to be dispatched by counsell Whose couÌ„sell is to be refused The marks of an vndiscreet prince or ruler It is more perillous to iniure the dead then the liuing The duty of a thankefull child Ministers are to bee honoured of all men A good admonition for children how to vse their stepmothers Women are of a tender condition Princes that doe iustice doe get enemies in the execution thereof The Emperour here concludeth his speech and endeth his life Death altereth all things Deferring of the punishment is not the pardoning of the fault The wisedome of God in disposing his gifts A Table of good counsell The painefull iourney the Philosophers booke to viâ—â—t good â—en The properties of a true friende What Loue is A remarkeable saying of Zenocrates Great eate is to bee had in choosing a friend The saying of Seneca touching frindship Good workes doe maruellously cheare the heart The times past better then the times present A question demaunded by the Emperour Augustus of Virgil and his answere Sinne is not so pleasaot in the committing as it is likesome in the remembraÌ„ce Good counsell for all men especially for Courtiets Christians are in all things to be prefered before all others What the Author or wryter of books should ayme at A wise man reserueth some time for his profite and recreation Leâ—rned men greatly honored in times past The letter of K. Phili to Aristol at the birth of his sonne Alexander The benefite that accreweth by companying with wise men They are oft times most known that least seeke acquaintaÌ„ce No misery comparable to that of the Courtier Why this name Court was adhibited to the Pallace of Princes It is more difficult to bee a Courtier then a religious person Many a Courtier spends his time all The life of aâ— Courtier an open penance The Courtier is abridged of his liberty An honest hart is more greeued to shew his misery then to suffer it The Courtyer subiect to much trouble What epences the Courtier is at The misery that Courtiers are subiect vnto How Courtyers ought to order their expences The trouble courtyers haue with Friends The griefe of thâ— courtyer that caÌ„not pleasure his friend The mishaps of the Court are more then the fauors The Courtier wanteth many things hee would haue Few purchase fauor in the court A speech of Lucullus and may well bee applyed to euery Courtier Courtiers are rather grieued then relieued with the princely pompes of the Court. The particular troubles of theÌ„ which follow the Court. The Ambition of the Courtyers Many rather glory to be right Courtiers tken good Christians The Courtyer of least calling proues most troublesom All Courtiers subiectto the authority of the Harbingers How a courtyer may make the Harbinget his friend How the Harbinger is to appoint his lodgings The Courtier must entrear his host well where hee lyeth â—ow the Courtier may make his host beholden to him It is necessary for Courtiers to keepe quiet seruants The Courtier is to commaund his seruants courteously to aske of his Host all needfull things Too many women about the Court. The care the Courtier ought to haue of his Apparell How the Courtier is to demeane himselfe at his departure from his lodging The troble of him that is in fauour in the court is great Want of audacity hinders good fortunes The reason why fortune rayseth some and throweth down others The course he must take that would bee in his Princes fauour The saying of Dionisius to Plato other Philosophers that came to visite him Backbyting is a kinde of treason especialâ—y against princes The law of A drian the Emperour againest sedicious persons Good seruice demaÌ„ds recompence though the tongue bee silent Things to be eschewed of him that would speake with the King In what sort the Courtier is to demand recompeuce of the prince The Courtier shoulde not be obstinate How princes are to be spoken to if they be in an error How the Courtier must demean himselfe when his Prince sporteth before him Where wise men are best known What disposition should be in a Princes Iester He that will come to fauour in the Court must be acquainted with all the Courtiers in the Court. A Prince hath alwais some fauourite The inconueniences that follow the needles reasoning of that the King allowes Betweene words spokeÌ„ the inteÌ„t with which they were spoken is great difference It is best for the Courtier to bee 〈◊〉 friendshippe with all if can possible There is no man but giues more credit to one then another Wherein true visitation of our betters or friends consisteth The indiscretion of some that are visited The discretion the Courtyer is to vse in his curtesie One gyft in necessitie is better then a thousand words Two things which a maÌ„ should not trust any with A custome wherein the Courtier may lauish hia reputation When a wise man may put himselfe in perill How hee that is biddeÌ„ to a feast may purchase thaÌ„kâ— of the bidder To what ende wee should desire riches Many not 〈◊〉 to serue God as their own bellies How he is welcome that is a common runner to other mens Tables How he is to demeane himself that will visite noble means Table Many loue to haue their cheere and attendance commended Wine tempered with water bringth 2. commodities No man ought to complaine of want at anothers table What talke should bee vsed at the
Table To whose table it is best for a feast hanter to resort Ill company loseth a mans credit Wherefore Noblemen Knights GentlemeÌ„s sonnes are sent to the Court. With whom the young Courtier should accompanie himselfe What vices the young Courtyer should eschew A meane ought to be vsed in apparell Whence new fashions in apparrell proceede Who may bee rightly termed a Courtier A good order for it 〈◊〉 great noties There is almost no end of a womans talke Where the Courtier should spare and spend How the Courtiers seruant should bee apparrelled A good caueat for Courtiers The custome of many iudges Contention for place in accompanying a noble man A point of â—ood manâ—â—s to bee obserued in â—aring or â—eaking to â—ur superiours Hee is ill taught that listneth to other men speaking in secret What the propertie of courtly Mistresses is The nature of women in hating or louing to man The friendship of a wise man doth not so much good as a fooles displeasur doth hurt Diuers and sundry sorts of Courtiers The heauie happe of those that are in Sutes of Law What misery the poore Clyents Suters are subiect vnto What torments are incident to those that haue sutes in law A Iudge not to trust too much to his memory The weake knowledge of some Counsellers The Lawyers Physitians to be compared together How the poore 〈◊〉 should demeane himselfe when he commeth before the Iudge How euery wise and prudent Courtier should behaue himselfe The Courtiers paines insupportable A worthy saying of Seneca Kindred are not alwayes friends Great seruitude and trouble to liue in the Court. A lesson for him that meaneth to be a Courties By what meanes affaires are dispatched How the seruants and Officers of the Court must be entreated The intollerable exaction of a Secretaries Clerke Some suiters dye but their suites neuer haue end The fauoured of the court ought to bee easily spoken with What persons should be chosen for gouernors The cruelty of Rhehoboam and his punishment Pride was the ouerthrow of Pompey many other Princes Pride the ruine and decay of all things The speech of Anacharses the Philosopher to Alexander The fauourites of princes ought to beware of pride The fauourites of princes ought to beware of complaints A worthy speech of Agathocles K of Scicilia Pride of all other faults inexcusable The lawes of Lycurgus King of the Lacedemonians A Law amongst the Tuscans worthy to be obserued A worthy saying of Plutarch He that will be a Courtyer must shun couetousnes A good caueat for young Courtiors The couetous desire of some Courtiers An Epitaph of Queene Semiramis The covetousnes of King Cyrus rewarded with deceite Who knoweth who shall enioy his riches after his death An Epitaph of Cato written ouer his gate The speech of Philip K. of Macedonie The vncertaintie of this worlds felicitie Examples of many Fauourites of Princes that haue come to vntimely ends A worthy saying of Euripides the Philosopher The fauourites of the Court compared â—o a game at Tables A Diseourse betwixt Fortune the Consul Seuerius How suddenly the fauours of princes change A worthie saying of Plato A worthy saving of Seneca A true saying of Socrates The speech of king Agesilaus The follie of olde Courtiers The foolish opinion of an olde Courtier A worthy saying of Plutarch A good Caueat for Courtiers 〈…〉 In what veneration the ancients held them that were continent A worthy sentence and worthy to be engrauen in euery mans heart The sinnes of the flesh goeth beyond all other Plutark de Repub. It is impossible that the Courtier that liueth disordinately should continue in faÌ„uour with the Prince Courtiers must beware of dishonest women What daÌ„ger followeth the courtier that keepeth leawd women The painefull trauel and industry of Saint Paul A worthy speech of Socrates the phylosopher A worthy saying of the diuine Plato Another sentence of Plato 〈…〉 The Author continueth his speech concerning the abuse of feasts Fearefull examples of those that haue made riotous feasts Wholsome lawes of the Romains against gluttonie A Law made by Iulius Caesar King Philip noted of drunkennes How carefull a man ought to be to bridle his tongue Anaxagoras his opinion concerning the tongue Plutarch reciteth a Law vsed among the Lidians What punishment by a Law of the Lidians was due to him that would defame his neighbour A speech of King Darius What behauiour belongeth to a Courtier A wise saying of Acaticus the Philosopher A speech of Pythagoras The Courtyer ought to be a tâ—ue Secretarie A worthy answere of Anasillus No seruaÌ„t so hurfull as hee that reuealeth his maisters secrets The sentence of Denis vpoÌ„ Byas a Courtyre Courtiers ought to keepe their secrets from women Pamphylus reported neuer to haue tolde a true tale A worthy speech of the Emperour 〈◊〉 in concerning lyers How hatefull and odious a Lyer ought to be esteemed among men Wee ought not to belieue one that sweareth much Priests ought not to distemble nor be double in their words
noble courages Of Antisthenes the Philosopher ANtisthenes the Philosopher put al his felicity in renowne after his death For sayeth hee there is no losse but of life that flitteth without fame For the Wise man needeth not feare to die so he leaue a memory of his vertuous life behinde him Of Sophocles the Philosopher SOphocles had al his ioy in hauing children which should possesse the inheritance of their Father saying that the graft of him that hath no children surmounteth aboue all other sorrowes for the greatest felicity in this life is to haue honour riches and afterwardes to leaue children which shall inherite them Of Euripides the Philosopher Euripides the Philosopher had all his ioy in keeping a fayre woman saying his tongue with wordes could not expresse the griefe which the hart endureth that is accombred with a foule woman therefore of of truth hee which hapneth of a good vertuous woman ought of right in his life to desire no more pleasure Of Palemon the Philosopher PAlemon put the felicity of men in eloquenee saying and swearing that the man that cannot reason of all things is not so like a reasonable man as he is a brute beast for according to the opinions of many there is no greater felicity in this wretched world then to be a man of a pleasant tongue and of an honest life Of Themistocles the Philosopher THemistocles put all his felicity in discending from a Noble lynage saying that the man which is come of a meane stocke is not bound to make of a renowmed fame for truly the vertues and prowesses of them that are past are not but an example to moue them to take great enterprises which are present Of Aristides the Philosopher ARistides the Philosopher put all his felicity in keeping temporal goods saying that the man which hath not wherwith to eate nor to sustaine his life it were better coūsell for him of his free will to goe into the graue then to do any other thing For he onely shall bee called happy in this world who hath no neede to enter into an other mans house Of Heraclitus the Philosopher HEraclitus put al his felicity in heaping vp treasure saying that the prodigall man the more begetteth the more he spendeth but he hath the respect of a wise man who can keep a secret treasure for the necessitie to come Thou hast now sufficiently vnderstood my friend Pulio that 7. moneths since I haue been taken with the feuer quartaine and I sweare vnto thee by the immortall Gods that at this present instant writing vnto thee my hand shaketh which is an euident token that the colde doth take mee wherefore I am constrained to conclude this matter which thou demaundest mee although not according to my desire For amongst true friendes though the workes doe cease wherewith they serue yet therefore the inward parts ought not to quaile wherwith they loue If thou doest aske mee my friend Pulio what I thinke of all that is aboue spoken and to which of those I doe sticke I answere thee That in this World I doe not graunt any to bee happy and if there be any the gods haue them with them because on the one side chosing the plaine and drye way without clay and on the other side all stony and myerie wee may rather call this life the precipitation of the euill then the safegard of the good I will speake but one word onely but marke well what thereby I meane which is that amongst the mishaps of fortune wee dare say that there is no felicitie in the World And hee onely is happy from whom wisdome hath plucked enuious aduersity and that afterwards is brought by wisedome to the highest felicitie And though I would I cannot endure any longer but that the immortall Gods haue thee in their custody and that they preserue vs from euill fortune Sith thou art retired now vnto Bethinie I know well thou wouldest I should write thee some newes from Rome and at this present there are none but that the Carpentines and Lusitaines are in great strife dissention in Spaine I receiued letters how that the barbarous were quiet though the Host that was in Ilium were in good case yet notwithstanding the Army is somwhat fearefull and timorous For in all the coast and borders there hath beene a great plague Pardon me my friend Pulio for that I am so sickly that yet I am not come to my selfe for the feuer quartane is so cruel a disease that he which hath it contenteth himselfe with nothing neyther taketh pleasure in any thing I send thee two of the best horses that can be found in al Spaine and also I send thee two cups of gold of the richest that can bee found in Alexandria And by the law of a good man I sweare vnto thee that I desire to send thee two or three howers of those which trouble mee in my feuer quartane My wife Faustine saluteth thee and of her part and mine also to Cassia thy olde mother and noble Widdow we haue commended Marcus the Romane Emperour with his own hand writeth this and againe commendeth him vnto his deere friend Pulio CHAP. XLI That Princes and great Lords ought not to esteeme themselues for being fayre and well proportioned IN the time that Ioshua triumphed amongst the Hebrewes and that Dardanus passed from great Greece to Samotratia and when the sons of Egenor were seeking their sister Europe and in the time that Siculus raigned in Scicil in great Asia in the realme of Egypt was builded a great City called Thebes the which K. Busiris built of whom Diodorus Siculus at large mentioneth Plinie in the 36. Chapter of his naturall history and Homer in the second of his Iliades Statius in al the booke of his Thebiade doe declare great maruels of this City of Thebes which thing ought greatly to bee esteemed for a man ought not to thinke that fayned which so excellent authours haue written For a truth they say that Thebes was in circuit forty miles and that the walles were thirty stades hie and in bredth sixe They say also that the City had a hundred gates very sumptuous and strong and in euery gate two hundred Horsemen watched Through the midst of Thebes passed a great riuer the which by milles and fish did greately profite the City When Thebes was in his prosperity they say that there was two hundred thousand fires and besides all this all the Kings of Egypt were buried in that place As Strabo sayeth De situ orbis when Thebes was destroyed with enemies they found therein seuenty seuen Tombes of Kings which had bin buried there And here is to bee noted that all those tombes were of vertuous kings for among the Aegyptians it was a law inuiolable that the King which had beene wicked in his life should not bee buried after his death Before the noble and worthy Numantia
in adulterie And that he would neuer graunt his voyce nor bee in place where they committed any charge in the warres to a man that had not a lawfull wife I say therefore that if the Gentiles and Infidels esteemed Marriage so much and despised the deedes of the adulterers so greatly much more true Christians should be in this case warie and circumspect For the gentiles feared nothing but onely infamy but all true Christians ought to feare both infamie and also paine Since that of necessitie mans seede must increase and that wee see men suffer themselues to bee ouercome with the flesh it were much better that they should maintaine a good Houshold and liue vprightly with a wife then to waste theyr goods and burden theyr conscience with a Concubine For it is oftentimes seene that that which a Gentleman consumeth abrode vpon an Harlot with shame would keepe his Wife and Children at home with honestie The third commoditie of Marryage is the laudable and louing companie the which is or ought to bee betweene them that are Matryed The anciēt Philophers defining what Man was saide That hee was a creature the which by nature was sociable communicable reasonable wherof it followeth that the man beeing solitarie and close in his conditions cannot bee in his stomacke but enuious We that are men loue the good inclination and doe also commend the same in beasts for all that the sedicious man and the resty horse eate wee thinke it euill spent A sad man a sole man a man shut in and solitary what profite can hee doe to the people For if euery man should be locked vp in his house the Common-wealth should forthwith perish My intention is to speake against the Vacabonds which without taking vpon them any craft or facultie passe the age of fortie of fiftie yeares and would not nor will not marrie yet because they would be vicious all the daies of their life It is a great shame and conscience to many men that neuer determine with themselues to take vpon them any estate neyther to bee Marryed chaste secular or Ecclesiasticall but as the corke vpon the water they swimme whether their Sensualitie leadeth them One of the most laudable and holy companyes which is in this life is the companie of the Man and the Woman in especiallie if the woman bee vertuous For the noble and vertuous wife withdraweth all the sorowes from the heart of her Husband and accomplisheth his desires whereby he liueth at rest When the wife is vertuous and the husband wise wee ought to belieue that betweene them two is the true loue For the one not being suspect with the other and hauing childrē in the midst it is vnpossible but that they should liue in concord For all that I haue read seene I would say that if the mā the wife doe liue quietly together a man may not only cal them good maried folks but also holy persons for to speake the truth the yoke of matrimony is so great that it cannot be accomplished without much merite The contrarie ought and may be said of those which are euill marryed whom we will not call a companie of Saintes but rather a companie of diuells For the wise that hath an euill husband may say shee hath a diuell in her house and the Husband that hath an euill Wife let him make account that hee hath a Hell it selfe in his house For the euill wiues are worse then infernall Furies Because in hell there are none tormented but the euill onely but the euill woman tormenteth both the good and the euill Concluding therefore this matter I say also and affirme that betwixt the Husband and the wife which are wel married is the true and very loue and they onely and no others may be called perfit and perpetuall friends The other Parents and Friendes if they do loue and praise vs in our presence they hate and despise vs in our absence If they giue vs faire words they beare vs euill hearts Finallie they loue vs in our prosperitie and forsake vs in our aduersitie but it is not so amongst the Noble and vertuous married persons For they loue both within and without the house in prosperity and in aduersitie in pouertie and in riches in absence and in presence seeing themselues merrie and perceyuing themselues sad and if they doe it not truely they ought to doe it For when the Husband is troubled in his foote the wife ought to be grieued at her heart The fourth commoditie of Marriage is that the men and women marryed haue more authoritie and grauitie then the others The lawes which were made in olde time in the fauour Marriage were manie and diuers For Capharoneus in the lawes that hee gaue to the Egyptians cōmanded and ordained vpon grieuous paines that the man that was not maryed should not haue any office of gouernment in the Common-wealth And he saide further that hee that hath not learned to gouern his house can euil gouerne a common-wealth According to the Lawes that hee gaue to the Athenians hee perswaded all those of the Common-wealth to marry themselues voluntarily but to the heads and Captaines which gouerne the affaires of warre hee commaunded to marrie of necessitie saying That to men which are lecherous God seldome giueth victoryes Lycurgus the renowmed gouernor and giuer of the lawes to the Lacedemonians commaunded that all Captaines of the armyes and the Priestes of the temples should bee marryed saying That the sacrifices of Marryed men were more acceptable to the Gods then those of any other As Plinie saith in an Epistle that hee sent to Falconius his friend rebuking him for that hee was not marryed where he declareth that the Romaines in olde time had a law that the Dictatour and the Pretor the Censour and the Questour and all the Knights should of necessity be marryed For the man that hath not a wife and children Legitimate in his house cannot haue nor hold great authoritie in the Common-wealth Plutarche in the booke that he made of the praise of Marriage saith that the Priests of the Romaines did not agree to them that were vnmarryed to come and sit downe in the temples so that the young-Maydens prayed without at the Church dore and the young men prayed on theyr knees in the Temple onely the marryed men were permitted to sit or stand Plynie in an Epistle that hee wrote to Fabarus his father in law saith that the Emperor Augustus had a custom that he neuer suffered any yong man in his presence to sitte nor permitted any man Marryed to tell his tale on foote Plutarch in the booke that hee made in the praise of women saieth that since the Realme of Corinth was peopled more with Batchelours then with Marryed men they ordayned amongst them that the man or woman that had not bene marryed and also that had not kept Children and House if they liued after a certaine age after theyr
deaths should not be buryed CHAP. II. ¶ The Authour following his purpose declareth that by meanes of Marryage many mortall enemies haue beene made good and perfite Friends BY sundrie examples that we haue declared and by all that which remaineth to declare a man may knowe well enough of what excellencie Matrimonie is not onely for the charge of Conscience but also for the things touching honour for to say the truth the men that in the Common-wealth are married giue small occasion to bee slaundered and haue more cause to be honourd VVe cannot deny but that Matrimony is trouble some and chargeable to them that be marryed for two causes The one is in bringing vp their children and the other in suffering the importunities of their Mothers Yet in fine we cannot deny but that the good and vertuous wife is shee that setteth a stay in the house and keepeth her husband in estimation in the Common-wealth for in the publike affayres they giue more faith and credite vnto those that are charged with children then vnto others that are loaden with yeeres The fifth commoditie that ensueth Matrimony is the peace and reconciliations that are made betweene the enemies by meanes of Marriage Men in this age are so couetous so importune and malicious that there are very few but haue enemies wherby groweth contention and debate for by our weaknesse we fall daily into a thousand occasions of enmities and scarcely wee can finde one to bring vs againe into friendship Considering what men desire what things they procure and whereunto they aspire I maruell not that they haue so few friends but I much muse that they haue no more enemies For in things of weight they marke not who haue beene their friends they consider not they are their neighbours neyther they regard that they are Christians but their conscience laid a part and honestie set a side euery man seeketh for himselfe and his own affayres though it bee to the preiudice of all his neighbours What friendshippe can there bee amongst proud men since the one will goe before and the other disdayneth to come behinde What friendshippe can there bee amongst enuious men since the one purchaseth the other possesseth VVhat loue can there be between two couetous men since the one dare not spend the other is neuer satisfied to hourd heap vp For all that we can read see goe and trauell for all that we may do we shall neuer see nor heare tell of men that haue lacked enemies for either they be vicious or vertuous If they be euil and vicious they are alwaies hated of the good and if they be good vertuous they are continually persecuted of the euill Many of the ancient Philosophers spent a great part of their time and lost much of their goods to search for remedies and meanes to reconcile them that were at debate contention and to make them by gentlenes good friends louers Some said that it was good profitable to forget the enmities for a time for many things are pardoned in time which by reasō could neuer take end Others said that for to appease the enemies it was good to offer mony because mony doth not only breake the feminate tender hearts but also the hard and craggy rocks others said that the best remedy was to set good men to bee mediators between them in especially if they were sage wise men for the honest faces and stout hearts are ashamed whē they are proserred mony the good do humble thēselues by intreaty These means wel considered and the remedies wel sought out to make friends there are none so ready and so true as Marriage for the marriage done Sacramentally is of such and so great excellency that betweene some it causeth perfect friendshippe and betweene others it appeaseth great iniuries During the time that Iulius Caesar kept him elfe as father-in-law to the great Pompeius and that Pompeius held himselfe his sonne in law there was neuer euill will nor quarells betweene them but after that Pompeius was diuorced from the house of Caesar hatred enuy and enmities engendred betweene them in such sort that they contended in such and so cruell warres that Pompeius against his will lost his head and also Iulius Caesar shortned his life When those that dwelled in Rome rauished and robbed the daughters of the Sabines i◠after they had not changed their counsell and of theeues to become husbands without doubt the Romans bad beene all destroyed for the Sabines had made an oath to aduenture both their goods and their liues for to reuenge the iniuries done vnto them their daughters and wiues but by the meanes of Marriage they were conferred in great amitie and loue For the Romanes receiued in marriage the daughters of the Sabines whome before they had rauished Greater enmitie there cannot be then that of God towards men through the sin of Adam notwithstanding there neuer was nor neuer shall be greater friendship then that which was made by the godly marriage and for greater authoritie to confirme marriage the Sonne of God would that his Mother should be marryed and afterward hee himselfe was present at a Mariage where hee turned the Water into Wine though now adayes the euill maried men doe turne the wine into water He doth not speake here of Religious persons nor men of the Church neither of those which are closed in deuout places for those fleeing the occasions of the world and choosing the wayes lesse dangerous haue offered their soules to GOD and with their bodies haue done him acceptable Sacrifices for there is difference betweene the Religion of Christ and the sinfull Sinagogue of the Iewes for they offered Kidds and Muttons but heere are not offered but teares and sighs Leauing therefore all those secrets apart which men ought to leaue to God I say and affirme that it is a holy and commendable counsell to vse his profite with the Sacrament of Marriage the which though it bee taken of all voluntarily yet Princes and great Lords ought to take it necessarily For that Prince that hath no wife nor children shall haue in his Realme much grudging and displeasure Plutarch in the Booke hee made of Marriage sayth that amongst the Lidians there was a law well obserued and kept that of necessitie their Kings and Gouernours should be marryed and they had such respect to this thing and were so circumspect in this matter that if a Prince dyed and left his Heyre an infant they would not suffer him to gouerne the Realme vntill he were married And they greatly lamented the day of the departing of their Queene out of this life for with her death the gouernment ceased the Royall authoritie remayned voyde and the Common-wealth without gouernment so long time as the King deferred to take another wife and so they were sometimes without King or gouernment For Princes are or ought to be the mirrour and example of all to
apparrelled like Priests Haman was also very familiar with the King Assuerus and although all those of his Realme did him great seruice and that strangers had him in great veneration and did honor him maruellously yet was there a glorious Mardocheus that would neuer do him reuerence nor once put off his cappe to him by reason whereof this Haman that was in so great fauour commaunded a gybbet of fifty yardes high to bee set vppe for Mardocheus whom hee would haue hanged on that gibbet to be reuenged on him for the iniury he had done him But the Diuine wil of God was such and fortune did permit it that on the same Gallowes Hamon thought to haue put Mardocheus to death on the selfe same himselfe was hanged Themistocles and Aristides were 2. famous men among the Greekes and because they were both great Princes and Philosophers and had in great reputation of all those that knew them there was such a secret emulation and ambition betweene them the one to raigne ouer the other that both aspiring each to commaund other there followed great disorders and oppressions of the subiects of their Common-Weale Wherefore Themistocles moued with pitty and compassion of so great a Tirant which for their sakes their Common weale endured one day in the Market place before all his people with a loude voyce hee spake these words Know you O you people of Athens that if you doe not lay handes on my exceeding presumption and on the ouer great ambition of Aristides that our Gods will bee offended the temples will fall down to the hard foundation our treasures will bee consumed our selues destroyed and our common weales brought to vtter ruine and decay Therefore once againe good people I say bridle these our inordinate and vnspeakeable affections betime lest the reines layde in our neckes be runne too farre O golden wordes of a Prince and worthie eternall fame Lucanus also when hee would reproue the pride and presumption of the Romane Princes sayde that Pompey the great could neuer abide to haue any for his companion or equall with him within Rome And Iulius Caesar also wold neuer suffer that there should bee any greater in the Worlde then himselfe And therefore to discourse a little of this abominable and horrible vice of pride we haue not without great reason layde before you these approued examples before wee beginne to reproue it For in al things the examples wee shew you are wont to moue vs more then the reasons we seeme to tell you of For that which I haue seene for that I haue read and for that I haue heard say also of others I am most assured and resolued therof that by the onely cause of this wicked sinne of pride proceedeth the ruine and vtter decay of all our greatest things and affayres of this life for by all other sinnes a man may indeede discend and decline from his degree and state of honour and estimation but by this onely sinne hee cannot chuse but hee must fall downe flat to the ground They finde out the middest and center of the earth the depth of the sea and the highest toppes of Riphey Mountaines the end of the great mount Caucasus and the beginning of the great floud Nile and only the little heart of man touching desire to rule and commaund can neuer finde ende The insatiable couetousnesse is such that it cannot bee contented with the things wee haue but onely with those wee repute of lesse price Likewise Ambition pride to commaund cannot bee contained within boundes but onely by obeying For neuer no vice can haue end if hee that haue it doe not leaue it and banish it from him After Alexander the Great had conquered all Asia and had subdued the great India he was one day reproued of the great Philosopher Anacharses who tolde him these words Sith thou art now O Alexander Lord of the earth why doest thou weary thy selfe so much in thy affayres as no paine seemeth troublesome to thee To whom Alexander answered Thou hast tolde mee many times Anacharses that besides this world there are also three others And if it bee so as thou sayest how great a reproach and infamy it were to me that being three other worlds I should bee Lord but onely of one Therefore I doe dayly sacrifice to the Gods that though they take mee out of the life of this World yet at least they will not deny mee of so glorious a conquest I confesse that the Scriptures excepted I haue no wordes so rise in memorie as these whereby may easily be perceyued that for to quiet and to content a proud and haughty heart the seigniorie of the whole World is not yet sufficient and how ended the pride of this glorious prince euen thus Hee that hoped for to conquere and to bee Lorde of three other Worldes did not rule this one onely aboue three yeares Wee may boldly say this and sweare it and may also plainely proue it to any that desire to see it that he wanteth both wit and knowledge that taketh vppon him to bee proud and presumptuous For the more hee looketh into himselfe and reconsidereth and considereth his state and calling and what he is hee shall finde in him a thousande occasions fitte to humble him but neuer a one onely to make him proude and naughty How great rich mighty noble and worthy soeuer the person be euery time that wee happen to see him and that we haue no acquaintance of him And that we desire to know what hee is wee doe not aske of what Element of what Sea of what Fire of what Planet of what Climat of what Sunne of what Moone nor of what ayre but onely of what Countrey hee is of and where he was born For wee are all of the earth wee liue in the earth and in the end wee haue to turne into the earth as to our naturall thing If the Planets and the beasts could helpe vs with the Instrument and benefite of the tongue they would take from vs the occasions of vaine glory For the starres woulde say that they were created in the firmament the Sunne in the Heauens the birdes in the ayre the Salamander in the fire and the fish in the water but onely the vnhappy man was made of earth and created in the earth So that in that respect wee cannot glory to haue other kinsfolke neerer to vs then are the wormes the flyes and horse-flyes If a man did consider wel what he were hee would assertaine vs that the fire burns him water drowns him the earth wearies him the ayre troubles him the heate grieues him the colde hurtes him and the day is troublesome to him the night sorrowfull hunger and thirst makes him suffer meate and drinke filles him his enemies dayly follow him and his friendes forget him So that the time a man hath to liue in this wretched world cannot be counted a life but rather a long death The first day wee
see one borne the selfe same we may make reckoning that he beginnes to dye and although that person liued amongst vs a hundred yeares after in this world wee should not say therefore that he liued a long time but onely that he tarried a great time to dye Therefore that person that hath his life tyed to so many tributes I cannot deuise or thinke with my selfe why or wherfore he should be proud But now returning againe to our purpose let vs say exhort the seruants and familiars of Princes that they take heede they bee not proude and presumptuous For it seldome hapneth that the fauoured of Kinges and Princes fall out of fauour and credite for that they haue or can doe much nor for that they craue and desire much but for that they are too bold and presume too much For in the Court of Kings and Princes there is nothing more hurtfull and lesse profitable then pride presumption For oft times the ouerweening of the Courtier and the foolish vaine pride and reputation he hath of himselfe bringes him to bee in the Princes disgrace and makes the people also to be offended and angry with him For till this day wee neuer saw nor heard tell of any that euer got into the Princes fauour and credite for that he was proude and high minded but onely for that hee hath shewed himselfe an humble obedient courteous louing and a faithfull seruant I would bee of this minde that the Courtier that seeth hee is receyued into fauour in the Princes Courte should euer waxe better in seruing well then grow worse in presuming too much And I dare boldly say affirm that it is a meere point of Follie by his pride and rashnesse to loose all that in one day that by great good Fortune hee hath attained vnto in many yeares And though that the Fauoured Courtyer subiect possible to his Fantasticall humour be somtimes ouercome with choler or carnall desire drawne with auarice and addicted to the gorge enuironned with enuie plunged in slouth and ydlenes or some other vice and imperfection it shall not skill much neyther be any great wonder since all mankinde is subiect to those passions and neyther the Prince nor the Commonweale will reckon much of that For of all these faultes and vices there can come no greater hurte vnto him saue only that the common people would murmure against him But his pride and Peacockes glorie once knowne and espied euery man casteth his eyes vppon him to beholde his Princely gate and curseth him in word and deede Therefore let a man bee in as great fauour as hee can deuise to be as worthy Noble Rich and of as great power and authority as hee desireth to be I neuer saw any ill in all my life if with all these vertues hee were prowde and high-minded but in the ende he was persecuted of manie and hated and enuyed of all For those that are in greatest fauor about the Prince haue secret enemies enough to hinder theyr credite although they doe not purchase nowe to accuse them of their pride and presumption And as we are taught by experience the burning coale cannot onely be kept aliue except it bee couered with the hote ymbers thereon I meane that the fauour of the Prince cannot bee long maintained without good bringing vppe and ciuill manners gentle conuersation and Familiaritie The great men of authoritie about the Prince runne eftsoones into great and many dangers and this happeneth because they would not bee reproued in any thing whatsoeuer they doe much lesse heare any words that should displease them neyther can they abide to be tolde of their faultes much lesse suffer to bee corrected for them Neyther doe they suffer willingly to be counselled in any thing be it of neuer so great weight importance neyther would they haue any companion with them in fauour with the Prince but they desire to be both on the right hand of the Prince and on the left still they onely would be the fauored of the prince and none other aspyring to gouerne them in all theyr doings and to bee thought and reputed the sole and onely rulers of the affayres of the prince and his common-weale and to be belieued in all things of the prince and to be obeyed also of the common-people Those therefore that are continually resident in the Courts of princes and that haue the chiefest roomes and Offices in the Court let them well consider and keepe in memorie this one word which I will tell them And that is this as followeth That the first day they take vppon them to bee superintendents and gouernors of the Common-weale euen in the selfe-same day they shall put in hazard their honour fauour and credit how great soeuer they be For with great difficulty are the least things the prince himselfe comandeth executed or done in his Realme or Common-weale and therefore may the fauored of the Court see how much more hard it is for him to rule as sole and absolute Lord the affaires of the Realme and to be obeyed in the Commonweal since the King himselfe cannot doe it by his Regall authoritie And therfore the lesse he shall desire to meddle with the affaires of the people the more shall he liue in quiet and contented For naturally the common people are so vnstable and vncertaine in their doings vnthankefull of benefites receyued and so ingratefull of a good turne done them that the beloued of the Court or any other person in fauour with the Prince can neuer doe any thing for the people be it neuer so well but they will speake ill and mislike of him and find fault with some of his doings It is impossible that those that will commaund many thinges in the Court of Princes should alwayes doe their things so but they should somtime tread awry And admit their faultes bee but light and of small moment yet they may bee assured there will be enough that will both open them to the common weale and tell them also secretly to the Prince alone For those that seeke to diuorce the fauored of the Court from the Prince doe not complaine or finde fault for that they are more in fauour with the Prince then others but they will shew they take it in ill part they haue more authority and commaund then others in the Common-weale Saying that by meane of their place and authority and vnder colour of good zeale to minister iustice they giue commonly foule and iniurious words farre vnfit for the authority of the person and worthinesse of the place so that it cannot be otherwise chosen but that continuing this disorder they must needes make the king suspect them and besides that bring a discorde betwixt the king and those that hee fauoureth and make him maruellously offended with them For in the end Princes would alwayes be serued and obeyed but not ruled and commanded And it is a most true saying Ouer-much familiaritie breedeth contempt which