resteth only in conscience and vertue of the mynde For the memorye of wicked and sinful doinges excedeth al other tormentes The harte of the wicked as sayth the prophet fometh lyke the swellynge seas and their myndes are euer vexed with feareful visions because ther is no greater affliction then when their gyltye thoughtes do continually accuse their consciences As the poet sayth VVhose mynde most giltye is and harboreth cruell thought A secret scourge vvithin himselfe such sinful dedes haue vvrought And paynes more great he tastes vvhom vvhyp of conscience beates Then did Seditius euer fele or Radamantus freates VVithin thy breaste to beare thy griefe both night and day Thou hast at hand that vvytt to obtayn thy hidden vvoes bevvray Of Comforte the second Booke BEcause in the former booke wee haue discoursed copiouslye as coulde bee generallie of the comfortinge of all miseries the consideracion of euerye seuerall euyll seemed scantlye needefull seinge right reason wise counsel then our talke might suffice to remoue al sadnes out of the mynde of eeuerye wise man but for that it was oure purpose at the beginninge to consyder withoute affection and with righte iudgemente to speake diligentlye of euerye aduersitie that maye happen to men it seemed also more necessary for vs to doe the same because some woulde thinke those thinges which should be let passe to be left vntouched of purpose rather because they coulde not bee proued then because they were superfluous Moreouer this historye of euils hath both for varietie and for example no smal pleasure wherwith it may washe awaye from the readers that spotte of sadnes whiche is wont to be lefte of the sensible minde and also of nature it selfe in greate mishappes For oftentimes though reason comforte vs and teache vs that neitter mourninge is meete neither that ther is anye cause of mourninge yet the sad mynde of it selfe can not be merie whiche thinge where yf hapneth not seldome with out any aduersitie at al how muche moore lyke is it to be lefte behinde in them that pine with long wearynes not withstāding the verye wounde to bee cured Therfore that now we maye returne to oure purposed talke of al thinges that happen in mannes lyfe sorrowe and deathe bee moste bytter For to be bereft of the companye of oure moste dearlie beloued for euer and withoute hope is wonte to seeme a mooste cruell thinge vnto all men And deathe it selfe as saith the Philosopher of al terrible thinges is mooste extreame wherefore if anie thinge be able to shake a valiaunte and wise man doubtles that oughte to be the deathe of hym selfe and his moste neare frendes For whiche cause I perceiue excellente Poetes to haue mourned bothe for theirs and theimselues and also to haue fayned others mourninge for their freendes Amonge whome Papinius bewayleth his father sayinge Gyue vvyt and vvoful voyce O Syre let me my vvoes complayne For this the moone hath hyd her face and thrise come backe agayn Syth first I set me dovvne in slouth and sobbinge cheare No muse to comfort care An other in the same cause VVhat man can make a spring of teares to feede my gulfe of griefe Or vvho hath store of teares so great and far from al reliefe Pitye hath bereft my sight and hart hath cleft in tvvayne VVhich suffereth not my vvoes to sound my tong cannot complayn Such is my griefe But would to God this complaint were not that which is commonlye spoken of The weping of y heire is the weepinge is of one that laugheth vnder a vizer for so rarely is the tender loue toward the parentes wont to be found that none is lesse Yet admit it were such as these verses expresse Surely this booke shal be thought lesse nedeful in no parte then in comfortinge the sorrowe whiche chaunceth by the death of parentes For some examples ther be of brothers which haue slaine them selues for their brothers of parents for their children and of husbandes for their wiues but that loue of chyldren toward their parentes hath bene confyrmed almoste by no experience Where by it hapneth that the complaint of Catullus maye seeme rather as they say to come frome the hart For thus he bewayles his brother Loe novv my study stayde is for cruell death haue slaine My brother deare shal I pore vvretch in vvretched life remayne The only hope of all our house O death thou hast bereft me Myne earthly ioy this brother vvas none other ioy is left me Virgil counterfayteth a more bitter lamentatiō not without wrath and indignacion of the mynd in Mezentius lamenting his slayne sonne saying My countrye vvrought my vvoe my frendes dyd hate me all If death had tane my giltles soule no griefe had made me thrall Lo yet among you men I liue and styll enioy this lyght But long I may not so Yet how much more cruell sorow is fayned of the same poet in the mother bewayling her onlye sonne Eurialus for that shee both a widowe and an olde woman sawe him slaine cruellye in his ennemyes handes There truly he contayneth the womanly tendernes of harte in these wordes Your deadly darts O foes for pittye cast in mee VVith cruell svvorde before the rest let me destroyed bee Els thou Almightye God on me such mercye haue As that my vvretched head may rest vvithin myne earthly graue The slaughter of the sonne bewayled of y mother in my iudgemente coulde not be better described of the Poet. And Homer bringes in Achilles sorrowinge sore at the buriall of his frende Patroclus when he saide But him a carefull cloud did compasse rounde about And on his head vvith heauy hand the dust he poured out And after horriblye he cryed oute Yea so farre forth is the vehemencye of his sorrowe declared that his familiar frendes feared lest he should kill himselfe But another more moderately mourneth for his death and complayneth of destines when no fayned feare in others but his owne enforced him sayinge And in my greenest yeares vvhen youth hath hyest povver Shal this my spirite depart avvaye and death my corps deuoure The Gods I cannot guide their vvill vvee must obay VVhere destny dryues I yeld my selfe vvith vvilling mind alvvay But while I set forth the follies of others me thincke I haue framed a mourninge dittye and haue not only described but rather encreased heauye mourning Notwithstanding the very matter could not be vnfolded vnles I had also put to the iudgement of Poetes for that is the common peoples opinion not onelye because the Poets be carefull to speake those thinges which be populer and liked of the common sorte but also for that if otherwyse they would speake they could not whē they be so farre wyde from all studye of Philosophye For which cause also they be shut out of Plato his common weale And herein we must either condempne Plato if he banish them vniustly or the Poets if he do it iustlye Therefore surely the better opinion is that they be banished worthilye
temperatly How much were this rule of lyuinge to attaine long life more delicate then to feede vppon fleshe and honye But in this age mē continue carefully in labours and care watching the halfe night baskinge in Venus bathe abyding in cloudye Regions and not in good ayre drinkinge boyled wynes do notwithstandinge complaine of short life And howsoeuer in deede oure liues be short it is opinion that doth make it so to appeare The people called Garamantes do not liue aboue fortye yeares I omit to speake of the Pigmeians as people rather fayned then in deede but wee if we dye before fyftye or threscore do thincke that iustlye we lament and yet who so dwelleth in those countryes do highly thanke God if he attayneth fortye yeares and thou lyuinge muche elder do neuerthelesse complayne Surelye euerye lyfe is long that is continued till death sith at the beginning the terme is destined and as sayth the Poet. In birth vvee breede our death our ende on first beginning hangeth Reade we not in holye Scripture that y nomber of dayes and monthes is appointed by God he hath set the terme which cannot be passed The lyfe of man therefore is ended wyth olde age for old age is the last part of life Olde age is also the necessitye of death wheresoeuer therefore death is necessary old age draweth neare Whoso dyeth in youth in this onelye is the more happye that he escapeth the discommoditye of old age will thou make life to seme long or short by comparison A kinde of beastes ther be called Ephemera which are made in the morning and before sonne settinge do dye If happelye they dye at noone theyr lyfe is called shorte but if they continue till nighte they accompte it longe and yet it exceedeth not twelue houres Wee maruaile at flees for theyr long life if they liue two Sommers and at flees that continue three monethes Yet whiche of these is thoughte any thinge towardes mans life we call dogges olde that passe a leuen yeares of age but a man passeth all these in longe lyuinge thoughe hee dyeth in youth But the life of mā must not be accompted longe or shorte in respecte of his yeares The life of all mortall men is but shorte because wyth death it shal be most certainlye ended It is vertue worthy actes that maketh the life longe and idlenes that shortneth thy dayes Alexander thoughe hee liued not aboue thirtye three yeares dyed an old man through the greatnes and nomber of his noble exploytes Argantonius hauinge lyued a hundreth and twentye yeares maye bee sayde to haue dyed in youth because besydes the rarenes of his age in all his life he neuer did anye thing that deserued memorye It ought also worthelye to be noted that for the most parte all notable men haue dyed in theyr youth Amonge the kinges none almoste continued to olde age Hercules Athilles Castor Pollux Aiax Iason Amonge the Poetes Lucanus Catullus Tibullus neyther was Vigill long liued neyther Demostenes nor Cicero howe true yea to true is the sayinge of the Poet. Their liues are short and age is rare vvhere life doth lacke good rule IVLIVS CAESAR Seuerus Alexander Probus Aurelianus Claudius the seconde of that name dyed in youth which men a I thincke liued the lesse the more honest they were because being deare to the Gods were the souer called vnto them Whervppon grew that saying from the Poetes whom Iupiter and Apollo do loue do neuer attaine to old age This is also to be noted that choise is to be loked for wher wil may anye wayes auayle but in thy power it is not to make thy life eyther more long or more shorte Yet if thou cā do it there is none offence at al but if thou cānot thou lamentest thy shortnes of life for no greater reason then thou may thy mortality And that care of thinges impossible is vayne onelye proper to fooles But admit thou maye continue thy life and become olde arte thou not therby the more vnhappye because thou losest that singuler commodity which by God almightye is gauen to men for the allaye of sorrow which is ignorance of time While wee continue yonge wee liue meerelye because wee imagine death is not at hande But how can olde menne thincke that death is farre awaye when alreadye they are entred the laste ende of life Howe true and worthye memorye is that sayinge of S. Austen A yonge manne maye soone dye but an olde manne cannot liue longe And yet no couse there is why thou should not be sorrye seing a yong mā maye also dye sone Syth th ende of life is vnknowē a yong man neuer ought to dispayre whether he laboureth of deadly diseases or be cast into cruell tormentes and prison The chaunces of mortal creatures do shew that men are subiect to law of nature and fortune so as withoute cause they loue certainties for most incertēties of al. But admit thou doest attaine to old age it selfe how manye euils commeth therby labour griefe ▪ sadnes losse of sences disdaine y which is almost worst of all as Caecilius doth well discribe therby thou shalte see they companye of all men eschewed vnwelcome are olde menne to their children vnwelcome to frendes disdayned of yonge men and odious to their owne familiars Theyr sences serue not theyr bodyes theyr bodyes obeye not theyr mindes they passe the nighte withoute sleepe and eate without all tast They lothe themselues how shoulde they be pleasant to others We reade that when Zeno Citieus could not dye with age he strāgled himselfe What dilligence and trauayle did Cicero take to perswade olde age to be pacientlye borne but if of it selfe it had beene good or as riches frends children and learning had apparance of good there shoulde haue beene not cause for him to haue taken such trauayle A mockerye it were to perswade that health or honour were pacientlye to be suffered and wee agree that olde age is sufferable but not to be wished for Howe manye olde men haue beene for whom it had beene better to haue died in youth Priamus for example not for myracle in historye is resited Not longe since Baccus Valor being olde and readye to take leaue of life before his eyes behelde his owne sonne beheaded a yonge man of singuler hope The next yeare before two other olde men I sawe that behelde the like fortune in theyr owne children Wherefore I wonder muche at the greate wysedome of Theramenes woo onelye escapinge when his house fell downe sayde before his frendes that reioysed for his life O fortune to what ende hast thou me preserued neyther did he aske in vaine for within fewe dayes after by the malyce of tyrantes he was taken and put to death Therfore such is the condition of men as althoughe beinge olde thou mighte returne to youth againe as the fable telleth of Aeson sayinge And as tvvise tvventye yeares bypast so novve my force I finde Myne aged yeares are vvorne
themselues into the water whych noyse whē the hares hard they studyed to know the cause fynding that for feare of them the frogs were fled chaunged their entent because the frogs more vnhappy than they sought notwithstandinge to preserue theyr lyues and by y meanes the hares haue tyl thys day bene preserued Surely the aduersity of others did neuer make my miseries seme the lesse but the necessyty of euyl whyche is knowen by other mens misaduentures hath geeuen me greate allay of my pryuate greues For when a man shal truly consyder hys myshaps to procede of natures necessytye and not iniuriouslye then wyl he yelde himselfe to suffer al vnlesse that altogether he bee voyde of iudgement symple and foolyshe A wyse man therfore foreseinge the necessyty of many my seryes and wel remembring the frailtye and instabilitye of euery condition of mankynde doth paciently loke for al sortes of mysaduentures when they come it is therfore mete he shew himselfe armed with fortitude least changed by reasō of their comming he may seme to forsake his honest determinacion or els be vnprouided It is also to be cōsydered that time is a medicine to all sorowes yt taketh away mourning it bredeth forgetfulnes of iniuries yt remoueth the memory of misaduentures and fynally bringeth forgetfulnes and disdaine of al sortes of calamities What man hath beene so impacient in fatherlye affection as doth take care for the death of his son thirty yeares synce departed or his goodes lost so long agoe Such is the condicion of tyme as fyrst it deminisheth som part of extreame sorow or ioye next it weareth awaye al feruency of affection and lastly doth clerely rote it out of memorye Therfore sith y couetise of time doth in the moste symple worke this effecte whye shouldst not thou do the same to thy self and loke what benefyte time in short space should geue the the same may thou throughe fortitude learninge modesty and good example geue vnto thy selfe Perswade thy selfe that thy displeasant dayes bee neare passed and hope that better hap is at hande Call to memory how many worthy men haue vndeseruingly cruelly by fortune bene cast downe and patiently suffered her most extreme disgrace There is nothing more requisite in a wyse man then modesty to suffer both fortunes For who so knoweth not how to do in prosperitye forgetteth hee is mortall there is no greater argumente of wisedome then when a man doth that presentlye which others by benefyte of time haue learned Be not therfore burdenouse to thy selfe though thou art chaunced into this shadow of calamitye yet cast not thy selfe downe into very misfortune Thinke assuredlye that some bee free frome euerye euyl and that tyme bringethe wyth all the moste certayne and sure consolacion Not that we haue all ready spoken of but that which Auerroes other philosophers haue written When soberlye thou consyder that the lyfe of manne compared to the eternall worlde is not a moment and in that short tyme al to be vayne incertaine and by assured lawe of nature shorte so as it makethe no matter at all what a one thou haste beene or shalte bee And when wythe my selfe I ymagine of this matter I remember that whiche in bookes of common fables wee reade where some are fayned riche men some mightye kinges and some so stronge as for strengthe surpassed Hercules what difference there should be betwixte these fayned men and Caesar or Pompey tyll this daye I coulde neuer learne vnlesse that eyther for oure learninge an historye is made differente from a fable or that we haue consideration of soules that lyue for euer For otherwise when thou shalte no more bee it skillethe not at all what thou haste beene Onlye Follie of man hathe founde oute this inuention that we should perswade oure selues to be happy or vnhappye not onelye in this worlde but also after in the opinion of others Some I see mooste carefull that after deathe they maye leaue behynde theim riches or fame And entysed withe suche desire Herostratus burned the Temple of Diana ▪ that thereby thoughe for wicked doinge hee might gaine eternal fame But who was this Herostratus by what father begotten or of what mother was hee borne In what countrye dyd hee dwell what was hys parson or whiche waies did hee lyue what doe we knowe hereby other then either to knowe nothinge or a fayned man And admitte thou gayne this desired glorie what shall it auaile thee after three hundrethe yeares whether thou were happie or vnhappie And if no glorie bee within fiftie yeares after deathe what difference shal bee betwixte a kinge and a Carle Betwixte Lucullus and Irus betwixte Xenophon and Cleon betwixte flaues and fremen betwixte happie and vnhappie But least perhappes thou lyue in doubte that time doth styll abyde and the course of heauens be staide or that the lyfe of man dothe not of necessitie and speedelye decaie beholde that one stone where in was graued three Faces a Childes a Mans and an Olde mans So sodeine are the chaunges and so nere as the Poet doth not vnfytlie call our age Fleinge Consider what nomber of yeares since the beginninge of the worlde and thyne age haue passed so shalte thou learne that no shaddowe more swiftelye fadethe awaie Imagine assuredlye that all tyme were passed and so shall perceiue that all wyll retourne to nothynge Not vnlike to theym that wythe certayne Hope of deliuerye remayne in Prison whoe thoughe in misfortune yet doe but lyttle lament chieflye if they be of valiant mynde So men that in this troublesome lyfe syth they looke for and abyde one equality in respect of death I cā not conceiue why happy folke should not bee more sorowful then those that be vnhappye For if euen now it were proclaymed as it was in the time of Licurgus that al lands goods should equalye amonge al sortes of men be deuided whether doest thou thinke that beggers or riche men would be moste sory Surelye I thinke no man thinketh the rich men would reioyce and the porer sort be sorye If therfore law of lyfe is so equalye made as there is none that can auoyde I see no cause but that euery man here lyuing in misery ought willyngly to embrace the benefite of so iust a decree What care I praye thee shalt thou haue two hundred yeares hence whether thou dyed hauinge children or childelesse olde or younge rich or pore bounde man or free in thy bed or on the gallowes or whether in aucthority or without honor thou lyued or dyed But follye hath broughte in these opinions by which we onely become happye or vnhappy Because follye enduseth forgetfulnes of reason it maketh Pigmeans to seeme Gyantes somtimes oure euyls somtimes oure good it cloketh it multiplyeth it maketh them obscure it cloketh it encreaseth darkneth hideth euen as it pleaseth of vs determineth But if in this lyfe ther be any thing good or euill or any differēte of pleasure or sadnesse the same
at the handes of a gentlewoman in Padoa wyth poyson procured his owne death One other in oure Cittye hauinge sustayned losse by the pryce of corne willinglye hanged himselfe One other and hee also of our Nation finding he could not with commoditye paye his dettes threw himselfe into a water and so drowned I my selfe did see a womaÌ„ who for verye sorrow that she had committed adultrye askinge God forgiuenes for her offence sodenlye dranke poyson Cleopatra although she might haue liued in honor yet because she would not be caried about in tryumphe caused a Serpent to bite her bodye thereof willingly dyed Porcia the daughter of Cato and wyfe to Brutus in honest life farre eâ—celling Cleopatra hearing that her husband was slayne didde eate burninge Coales and thereof died For cause more iust dyed Democles a Boy of notable beauty in Athens He being by the king watched when he should enter naked into a bath and knowing the king ment to abuse him caste himselfe into the bottome of the whot water and so presently dyed The death of Lucretia is wel knowen who violently bereft of hir honor sticked hir selfe The wante of successe and not will was cause that Alexander the greate escaped voluntarie death for hauing in dronken mode stain his frend Clitus he would presently in the house haue murdered himselfe from whiche doinge in space of three daies both by force sute he could scaÌ„tly be entreated to refrayn and afterwards being at y siege of Sudracarus a citie in India he leaped from the wall into the towne of purpose to dye For by meane therof he did both fal farre and alone among his enemies but fortune woulde not permit that successe he desired This booke would not receiue the nuÌ„ber of ensamples of such as for feare loue griefe anger other occasions of no waight haue sought theyr owne deathes Besides whom we reade of hole legions that haue offered themselues to apparant destruction As they did that were with Leonida against the PersiaÌ„s and fought nere vnto Thermopile What woulde these people haue aduentured for great cause or if death were a great euyl that vpon so light occasion did not refuse to dye From whiche determinacion no respect of age sexe or honor could feare them But I se what thou wilt say death I doe not feare for as it is not euill so is it necessarye and to feare that is of necessitye were vaine cowerdlye and hurtefull Yet woulde I dye easelye and olde suche a death as Augustus desired and did obtaine For by lyuinge olde I shall not onelye gaine a longer life but also a more easyer death Aristoteles in his Booke De Respiratione thincketh that verye olde men dyed not onelye withoute payne but also withoute anye feelinge of deathe because the heate of their bodyes was quenched whiche maye appeare by this example If thou goe aboute to drawe a tothe that is not loose thou feelest great paine but if of it selfe it were loose before withoute anye griefe at all it commeth awaye Euen so greene youthe wyth extreeme paine do yelde to death but olde folke in dying feele no griefe almost at al As the tragicall Poet sayth In slomber svveete the aged sprite departeth How can it be other theÌ„ that death is greuous to yonge men when as sleepe against nature is offensiue Oft times it happeneth that such as vppon custome seeke sleepe at vntimelye houres become thereby drye pyned and slouthfull so as in steede of delight they get disease Theophrastus beinge readye to dye thoughe he were an olde maÌ„ complayned of Nature because she had ordayned so longe life in Staggs Rauens al most vnprofitable beastes and to maÌ„ being the most noble wysest creature allowed so shorte a terme to 〈◊〉 in What may they say then that dye in y flower of theyr youth haue they not iust cause to lament Surely no. But here the reason why nature hath not among other creatures made man of longest lyfe and then that he that dyeth in youth doth suffer nothing more greuous then they that lyue old For fyrst it is doubted of manye and chiefelye of Aristotle whether anye creature the Elephant excepte doth liue more longe then man Because he maketh no mentioÌ„ either of the Phenixe the Crow the Rauen or the Stagge nor affirmeth them to be of longest life But let vs confesse that whiche is imputed in Virgill though it doth little importe to the matter where he speaking of men sayth A life more longe nyne times the cacklinge Crovve doth lyue But confessing with Aristotle that y Elephante doth liue more longe then man why neede we coÌ„tende whether man be of one or more creatures in longe lyuinge excelled Omittinge also that the holye Scripture affyrmeth lyfe more long to man then other lyuinge creatures let vs now dispute that that alreadye is taken in hande that is to say for what cause some beasts be of longer life then maÌ„ The reason is this seinge all creatures are made eyther for the vse or honour of man â–ª they were framed accordinge to the descretion of Nature at which time she made theyr minds as wel for their bodyes as theyr bodyes for their mindes were therefore made simple with fewe instruments as plaine thinges to enduer longe But the bodye of man being made onely for his minde neded many more instrumentes to th ende that the vnderstanding might the more fitlye do his office Therfore although Nature hath made for man the best proportion of bodye yet could she not geue therevnto the longest lyfe by reason of exceeding concauities and subtilnes of the members which if they were great besides that we should be al Giants they woulde bee troublesome eche one to other Which is wel proued in y no creature hath so infinite members or part of meÌ„bers which were of necessity made smal slender to y end they might the rather be fit to yeld so the breath an instrumeÌ„t of the soule became y more subtil Wherfore nature hath not in this behalfe omitted any parte of her duty â–ª but rather with such dilligence helped our life as for the length thereof wee haue no cause to complaine which is nowe wel proued in y people of India latest founde where men liue commonlye a hundreth and thirty yeres because there the ayre is good and the people without cares But wee coÌ„tinuing incares riot vntimely labour chosing ayre for profit not health yea altogether forgetting the length of life wee cast oure selues into extreame sickenes discoÌ„modities of body and preseÌ„t death without cause accusing nature for the shortnes of oure liues Howe muche better were it to know which way to vse the benefit of nature if so deare pleasaÌ„t a thing thou doest accompt this life what is y cause that Philosophers and Hermits haue liued so verye long yet theyr to great stinens and earnest contemplacion hindered their health vnlesse it were because they liued voide of care and
leaue to lament The pitye of Parentes Brethren and Children both beginne and is as it were borne with theym â–ª Yet how many haue bene thereby hindered hereafter shal be declared But now to the matter what I praye you canne be moore vnprofitable among mortall Men or lesse certaine of ende then Sorrow whiche proffiteth not others and hurteth him that doeth lament I maruaile not therfore at the Thrasians and Casions though at the deathe of their Neighboure they reioyse and make good Cheare because they knowe theym deliuered of all worldlye woe and hope they are gâ—one to Felicitie So coÌ„trary wise they waile and wepe when any childe is born for that from most pleasaunt Quiet it is come into this troublesome Life whiche Custome a Cittizen of oures as I haue harde didde folowe who dying desyred that with musicke 〈◊〉 he might be 〈…〉 burial Yet know I not whether his desyre was performed But as touching sorow it can not be reproued syth men do lamente that that can not be eschewed and that which doth saue them from al other inconuenients yea while they bewayle the good of others they forget their owne miseries What is so vayne as either to lament nothinge if after Death be no Sence or if any bee to make them sorye that loue theym or be laughed to scorn if they contempne theym Truelye if we fynde faulte withe theym that doe weepe befoore theyr Louers not being beloued agayn wherby growethe no good but the declaration of their Follye how muche moore art thou to be blamed if thou thincke no Sence remayneth or doest thou accordinge to the fashion of Fablers and yet they beleeued there were Spirites by weping hope to call backe any to Lyfe as Orpheus did Euridice Alas doest thou thinke that if sorrow had bene eyther of necessitye or proffite that Nature whyche hathe geeuen to liuinge creatures Knowledge of so manie artes so manifolde circumspection and so sundrye customes as to fyghte for their younge to cherishe the olde in venerye to obserue affinitie wedlocke and reuenge that amonge the rest she would haue forgotten Sorrow Besides man there is no Creature after it bee broughte foorth that dothe lament the Deathe of an other thoughe we see one Pysmyre doth burye another yet Nature lefte nothinge vndone that for the necessitye of anye Creature was to be required but in education Sorrowe was necessarye leaste the youge should forget their Parentes and distroye their kinde The wise and discrete makers of Lawes haue lykewise wythe a certayne Godlye meane respectinge popular Follye and proffite appoynted shorte termes for men to mourne in Lycurgus commaunded that aboue eleuen days no man shoulde lament or seeme to mourne Solon did clearly take away all Solempnities of Sorrowe as wepinge Cryinge and Tearinge Who doubteth but if Lawes had bene made only for common people and not wisemen But that mourninge should haue bene clearly taken awaye yea rather thereof no mencion made at al because they woulde haue imagined Wyse men to haue needed none admonition as diuers of themselues we haue seene to doe But now perticularlye let vs proceede whensoeuer one Kinseman bewaylethe the Deathe of an other let hym tell me truely whether he had rather haue dyed himselfe or not For thus it must needes come to passe that the Children doe dye before the Parentes or the Parentes before the Chyldren or els altogethers as though they were all destroyed by subuersyon of one House But to perrishe all together is holden for mooste Calamitye and greateste Mysfortune If thou desyre to haue dyed fyrste thereby thou doest not onlye peruert the course of Nature but also incurre one of these two that eyther Death is euyll and therefore offendeth lesse in thy Parentes then thy selfe or els good And therefore for Pittyes sake to bee wished fyrste to fall vppon theym For euery man studieth to eschew Euyll chiefly to him selfe And Good is most commonly wished to those we accompte dearest or to those that for Pitties sake we honoure and reuerence What is that thou mournest for in theym because they are deliuered of Old age Or doeste thou lament that in others which in thy selfe thou thinckest ought paciently to be suffered Or wilt thou weepe not vnlyke the Old woman that complayued her barren Lyfe Vpon a time there happened a certayne Olde Woman to come beggine to the Gate askinge almose and therewithall alledged she was without Father or mother with which tale at the first somewhat amased one good felow standinge by asked what age she was of Wherunto she answered an olde woman of moore then seuenty yeares foorthwith we changed our cheare to laughter although we toke great pity of the olde woman beinge of so greate age yet no meruail was her losse of parents Therfore haue good regard lest while thou wepe thou moue not others to laugh what wouldst thou do if according to an old custome vsed by the citizens of India in the ysland of Coius that old men being past Threescoore yeares of age shoulde of the Citty bee caried in Triumphe and so in sight be slayne Because after that age they beynge vnprofitable their Deathes in respecte of the wante of Corne maye greatly proffyte the common wealth This Lawe all be it it be in deede cruell yet euerye Lawe dooth promyse some commoditie to the common weale Which I see the Claspians haue doone For that Region beinge plentifull of Menne and of Corne scarse Their custome is after their Parentes be passed Threescore and ten yeares to shutte theym vppe and so wythe Honger to kyll theym whiche vse as it is to cruell Barbarouse and of no brutishe Beaste vsed So Deathe naturall beinge come to oure Parentes oughte pacientlye to bee borne and thincke them to haue passed the whoole course of Miserye and vs to remayne and abyde the Troublesome assaulte of Earthely cares Yea and the rather for that they dyed when Olde age made theym combersome to the Common weale and to theymselues by Lyfe displeasaunte Doest thou thincke the olde menne of Babilon were wonte willinglye to yelde theymselues to Deathe but because they acknowledged that Death of olde folkes was moore proffitable to the Common weale then Lyfe And admytte thyne Auncestoure be not olde because to lameÌ„t Death in Olde age were woorse then the Follye of Melitides but Younge Strong Proffitable for his Familye necessary for counsayle and so in his beste luste taken away Thou wilt not lewdlye saye within thy selfe Why taryed he so longe as one dydde who boasted himselfe to be of our house of Cardani This young Man his Father then dyinge in the presence of all Men Daunced and beinge tolde by his familyer Frendes that he was dead sayd al to late but the wicked wretch or one yeare passed was iustly plagued for after a longe consumption he dyed and fulfilled that sayinge of Moyses Honour thy father and thy mother that thou mayest liue long vppon the earth which I see the Gentiles also do For Homer in his
Eliades doth affirme those to liue short liues that do not render their parentes that due rewarde of education Such is the counsell of true dealing and surelye these vnnatural mindes procedes from some deuill otherwyse they coulde not be giltye of so greate a mischiefe The nature of man is diuelishe and so wicked as it woulde destroye all parentes neyther can it gouerne it selfe neyther doth it contayne in it selfe any curtesye by meane whereof necessarilye in shorte space it must be consumed But as it is the part of an vngracious sonne to hate the lyfe of his parentes so it is y part of a wise sonne pacieÌ„tly to take theyr deathes and to turne the same to his coÌ„moditye according to then sample of the good Phisitions who hauinge medecins wil not vse poyson yet hauing venome at hande after longe tryall of other thinges will rather then faile by venome cure diseases So the wyse man by well and discrete vsing of euill doth make the same good As first commeth to memorye the gouernment of household the ensample of wysedome and the desyre of glorye in all which the reuerence and respecte towardes the father doth chiefely hinder thee or altogether let thee The authoritye of fathers contayneth in it somewhat more then seruice and hindereth the execution of great thinges be it in warres learning or administration of the common wealth for all thinges hauinge euil successe are imputed to the sonne and al good to the father whom if hee loueth he cannot dissemble it though he deserued it not or if he loue him not it shal be called his default or want of dutye And the examples of them that willingly haue geuen place to their sonnes in glorye are so fewe as the honour that Antiocus did to his sonne Demetrius maye be taken as a myracle The euente of worldly procedings haue also made proofe of this opynion because al such as haue become excellent eyther in armes learninge or ciuil gouernmente were of those whose fathers in youth were taken awaye as Iulius Caesar Octauius Augustus Alcibiades Cicero Galenus Aristoteles yea what had Alexander beene if Phillippus had liued but one foure yeares longer for had Phillippus ended the warres wyth Darius being victorious he had gayned the whole glorye or if he had been victoryed hee coulde not haue left to Alexander meane and power of happye procedinge As therefore to cowards and men of no vertue the timelye death of the father hath euer brought hinderaunce So to noble minds it is occasion whereby to shewe themselues as they be This muste also be set before oure eyes that both life and death be the giftes of God and do euermore depende vppon his prouidence Therefore whosoeuer reproueth lyfe or death doth in sylence disalowe complayne of the deuine Iudgement because both the one and the other is meete and profitable And chiefelye if thou offende or did not loue them thou ought not to lamente for hauinge lost them thou hated Or if thou lamente otherwise it must be because towardes them thou were vnnatural But nowe thou arte safe so as thou can neyther be appeached of impiety if thou hast not before procured their harmes nor after be thought vnfrendly sith against thy wil or by mishap thou cannot offend How much better had it beene for Priamus that Hector and Politus had dyed before him who founde himselfe so greuouslye perplexed with theyr miserable chauÌ„ces as he disdayned his owne lyfe Was not Hector more happye in death for Astianax theÌ„ Priamus because to auoyde the sight of Priamê° misery he sought his owne death and so by dying left hym miserable All these were the actes of good parentes but of thother howe many haue bene whom though to hate were vngodlye yet to loue them is not necessarye Some haue taken away the common parent as did Clitemnestra who hauing killed Agamemnon was herselfe betrayed by Orestes her coÌ„mon sonne So Almenon murdered his mother Eryphiles for hauinge coÌ„sented to y death of his father Amphiarus These examples are common neither is it necessarye to loue such parents for notwithstanding by them wee haue our being yet against their willes as it seemeth we kepe it because they sought the destructioÌ„ of them of whoÌ„ wee came Therfore Licophron killed Periandrus his father for beinge chiefe auctor of his mothers death would neither take regard of his fame neither speake vnto him nor suffer him selfe to be spoken vnto But how much more wicked be they the seeke the death of theyr owne sonnes of whom the ensamples are not so few as happelye thou thinkest Mithridates murthered some of his owne sonnes and had hee not wanted power hee woulde not haue lefte one of his children on liue Theseus was also causelesse the cause of Hippolitus death and as they saye Medea cut her owne childreÌ„ in peeces Of more certentye the same is tolde of Catelina who to th ende he might be maryed a new with poyson killed his owne sonne almost a maÌ„ Matheus Duke of that Carthaginenses haÌ„ged his owne sonne Carthalus returning froÌ„ victory only because meetinge his father theÌ„ in exile he was appareled in purple wyth the badge of victorye Should any other sonne of hys suruiuing him weepe or lament the death of so cruel a father nay rather a malicious beast Yet how muche more vile was the acte of Laodices wyfe of Axioratus kinge of Capodacia who hauing by that husband sixe sonnes with poyson murthered fiue intendinge also to kill the sixt yongest of all had it not by the pollicy of kinsefolke bene preueÌ„ted What beast doth liue so hard harted as can beare the crueltye of such a mother Cattes and Connyes by reason of theyr excedyng great lust do deuoure theyr yong newly brought forth but other mothers among al the brutish kinde to destroye theyr owne yonge I neuer redde nor thoughe written it were hardlye I durst beleue Wyth like bestialitye of minde did Euergetes Ptolomeus murther the two children he gotte vpon hys sister Cleopatra the one of good yeares thother verye yonge Of these and such lyke parentes to bewayle the death how great a folly were it I my selfe haue seene and so haue manye others a gentlewomen that to enioye vnlawfull loue wythin xv dayes wyth a sword slewe her owne husband poysoned her owne sonne and before theyr buriall was maryed to her newe loue But nowe I see what thou wouldest saye I mourne not for the death of suchan auncetor but for one that was iuste good godlye and that dearelye did loue mee but howe doest thou know whether hereafter he wil be such a one stil for all such as killed theyr wyues or children were at the first also good yet grewe to this madnesse after many yeares which sheweth that theyr wickednes eyther came with time or els thoccasion grewe by time Therefore there is nothinge so vniuersallye incertaine as the loue towardes children brethren wyues kinsefolke frendes maisters Craft couereth many things so doth base fortune occasion
and wysedome all which when age groweth on like vnto stares in the tree are encreased and detected So olde age beinge come sometimes in respecte of power but more often in regarde of follye and vtilitye olde men do for necessitye vse the helpe counsel of theÌ„ they loue not and onlye because of theyr owne debilitye which saueth the giltles children from many misaduentures at theyr hands for whom they liue continuallye a most miserable lyfe Others do disherit theyr children others consume theyr patrimonye and some seeke newe wyues breeding the sorrowe that stepmothers most coÌ„monlye make The iniurye of euerye of whiche ioyned wyth the combersomnes and seueritye of age is encreased And to conclude with one example of a wise man amonge all those fooles let that of Cato Câ—nsorinus a man of excellent witre suffice thee he hauing a sonne of good yeares fell first to aduoutry and after marying a moste defamed woman thereby clearlye discredited the reputation of wisedome and former life yea besydes all this ordayned the Nephewe of Clieus to be Coheyre wyth his sonne at that tyme Preator in Rome Why should I then neede to resyte Lysander Tiberius and the reste of those olde Monsters that in age were not onelye wicked but also withoute Mercye when the integritie and Romaine wisedome through defaulte of age was worne away Therfore seinge the number of manye brethren breedeth pouertye where great abundaunce wâ—teth impossible it is that any of theym canne doe great things It must then be confesses that y â— â—â—athe of the father ought much to be lament 〈…〉 sorrowed not at all Much lesse ought the death of Brothers to make a man sorrowfull it menne woulde rightly waye thinges as they are And fyrst it must be considered which is also to be thoughte of in the losse of children when alone without brethren thou be born whether thou wilt lamente because they were not borne Truly syth I see no man so to do I hardly thinke that any will saye it is worthye weepinge to bee borne with brethren â–ª or if being a childe 〈…〉 dyuers brethren wilt thou now renew the sorow of their death which I know also thou wiâ—t not because we loue not y we know not but we lameÌ„t for them we loue If then thou think neither those that are not borne nor those that are worthy to be mourned for how much lesse the other that were borne and lyued a good tyme For if to haue brethren it be euyll then to loose them is a pleasure But if it bee good seinge in all good thinges it is better to haue hadde some thinge then nothinge who doubteth But these that liued some reasonable yeares if they dye are lesse to bee sorowed for then those that neuer were borne nor knowen Such is the condicion of euilles that what soeuer is euerlasting is most displeasaunt and in al such some rest is thought pleasaunt In a tyme of famine is it not better to haue two Loaues then no bread at all After long labour is not rest he it neuer so little better then none Dothe not one dayes libertie refreshe a man well that lyeth continually in prison Are not suche as liue in miserie somewhat comforted when they remember that some parte of their lyfe was pleasauntly passed Seinge then it is better to haue had bretheren to haue lyued in their company to haue sorrowed reioysed with theym and therfore art more happy then they that vttterlye haue had none at all who for all that do neither weepe nor lament But false imaginacion and opinion is the faulte hereof whereby thou thinckest that not onelye he but also thy selfe should for euer liue togethers of which hope worthylye deceiued vnworthilye thou mournest for thy brother what if in thy choyse yf were to liue brotherlesse or without one only brother who after fortie yeares should suruiue the Whether would thou haue a brother with such condicion or liue without Surely thou would haue him vnlesse to haue brethren thou thinke it euill But if to chose the brotherlesse lyfe then wouldst thou not complaine Yet hauing the better choyse thou doest What is the cause other then that now thou art vnprepared to disgeste thy brothers death but when the choyse was made thou were prepared Thus deathe therfore is not to bee blamed but in opinioÌ„ only it semeth intollerable and therein thou lamentest the commodities receiued as there is no necessety thou neuer thinkest But be it for the purpose that this thy Brother was good and loued the much which as men saye is not common In Brethren hard it is to fynde vnfayned loue Truely if thou haue regarde to dayly experience the most brothers be coÌ„bersome quarrelous â—â—â—â—ous discencious captious and disdaynefull The Poet was wonte therfore verye well to resemble brethren to the windes because they euer disagreed among them selues and lyued not lyke frends or fellowes but as those whom discorde did beste become Chain did fyrst shewe to Abel what brotherly loue would after be Then Iacob deceiued Esau committing his eleuen children into the seruitude of Ioseph his brother yea some of theim they ment to haue slayne forgetting not only pitty but also their common parentes and the innocency of their age After their daies Absolon killed Amnon his brother Abimelech the sonne of Gedeon murdered his threscore and ten brethren one only except No godlye lawe no holye Religion no feare of GOD from so wicked a deede could withholde hym Neyther are the examples of the Gentiles more mercifull Atreus hauinge murdered the three sonnes of Thiestes hys brother gaue hym theyr fleshe to eate spoyled hym of hys Kyngdome and rauished his wyfe Etheocles and Polynues Oedipi Simulus and Rhesus did likewyse one murther the other so did also Romulus and Remus Iugurtha was not contented onelye to kill his brethren Adherbales and Hiempsales but also before they dyed cutte all theyr fleshe from theyr bones Cambises hauinge one onelye brother called Smerdis a simple man and lyuinge in priuate lyfe by reason of a dreame was by him slaine So lighte a cause can cause a brother to seeke the life of a brother What did Antonius to Gâ—ta or Antipater the Macedonian Kynge Phrahates who wythoute cause slewe hys thyrtye bretherne and wyth theym Herodes hys father by whom in the place of Pacorus latelye deade hee was Crowned kinge The Queene of Tilaea toke for husband her brother Hiperio by whom she conceyued two children the one called Sol the other Luna throughe enuye killed Hiperio then caste Sol into the ryuer Eridanus and wyth sorrowe thereof dyed Luna Cleopatra also for women are not free from such wickednes to th ende she mighte more safely aspyre to the kingdome of Egipte flewe hee sister Arsinoes and her yonge brother of the age of fiftene yeares If I resighted euery mischiefe that brothers haue committed to brothers this booke coulde not contayne theym My selfe haue knowen one man twise giltye of his bretherns death another the
yeare before was beheaded for hauinge murdered thre of his brethren but the death of two was apparauntlye knowen There is no thruste for Falernus more greate then the desyre of wicked folke to committe crueltye in their owne kinsefolke Yea sometimes this wicked violence is put in proofe amonge kinsefolke of one name But amonge this sinnefull sorte thy brother is none Admitte hee be good of honest conditions modest and vertuous yet what canst thou loke for more at him then others for if thou seeke good will a frende can doe it if necessitye thy sonne must be preferred if pittye thy parentes are better if dutye thy fellowes are morefitte if flatterye thy seruauntes do it best Of all which nomber seinge thou paciently sufferest death the losse of thy brethren oughte not more impaciently to be borne And hereof a most euidente token maye be the greate constancye of the parentes at the death of theyr children the like loue of whom is neuer seene neyther amonge brethren nor amonge children towardes theyr parentes But thus thou doest saye I loued my brother dearelye honoured him trulye but did he likewyse loue thee Alexius was brother to Isaac king of Germanye and by him receyued as a companion in gouernment taken of the Turkes he redeemed him wyth great summes of money notwythstanding al which at his returne hee deposed Isaac from his kingdome put out his eyes and kepte him in continuall pryson Thou mayst boldlye sweare by GOD that thou loued and not be deceyued but how thou art beloued is harde to knowe Titus honoured Domitianus yet howe manye iniuryes did Domitianus do vnto Titus and as it is thought in the ende wyth poyson hee killed him What can be more perillous chiefelye where is greate inheritaunce thenne to commit the children to thy brothers tuition a thing almost impossible it is to loue trulye both the brother and his children or woulde thou haue thy brothers shoulde loue soe as they should forgette theyr children Who knoweth whether euill fortune shall rather take thy children or thy good brother from thee For hee lyuinge eyther wythoute perill thy children mighte not bee lefte voyde of angouerour or not without iniurye committed to others Call to memorye the example of Childebertus the Frenche kinge who by practise gotte from theyr mother Clothilda the two sonnes of hys brother and slewe them because the lawfull heyres of his brother lyuinge hee thoughte that quietlye hee could not possesse the whole kingdome Many there haue beene seene to commit more crueltye vppon theyr nephewes then this and common it is to take theyr patrimonyes from them but the occasions both of perill and iniurye are all at once remoued Lastlye this is to be noted that nature as it deuideth inheritance so doth it departe conditions amonge brethren If one be honest an other dishonest If one be noble of mind an other of base courage if one be industrious another is slouthfull If thou hate thy brother why lokest thou to be loued if thou loue him loue bindeth thy iudgemente And verye like it is that as in thee there is singuler honestye so in thy brother is no lesse dishonestye but thou seest it not occasion wanteth Thy brothers inheritaunce was well gotten howe well gotten naye rather wonne by deceit But admitte it be as be it cannot that thou knowe thy brother doth trulye loue thee thou arte childlesse hee hath children lefte behinde him accompte of them and let them bee in place of a brother in educatioÌ„ of them shal be greater charity and in keeping greater reuerence But if neyther thou nor he haue children and hee that dyed is thy onelye brother if thou adopt children they shall better serue then thy brothers Siluer is lost and gould is found But if this thou cannot do sooner then thou woulde yea against thy wyll thou thy selfe shal or long followe him and had he suruiued woulde percase skantlye haue wept one teare for thee and if so hee had done was hee not by so muche wyser then thy selfe If before him thou would not haue dyed why doest thou lameÌ„t that he is fyrst deade Other frendes do liue other kinsfolke and other companions Howe manye brothers and kinsfolke in Christ do liue as mortal men and do dailye pray for thee And thyne owne brother is alreadye gone to GOD arte thou sorrye that he hath gayned libertye and euerlastinge lyfe Thoâ—cation of euerye sorrowe is pacientlye to be borne notwithstaÌ„dinge the necessitye of na-nature the custome of others and the variable condition of worldlye thinges do woorke the contrarye Neyther can there come any greater griefe to men by death then to be berefte of children yet although the same doth happen to the whole nomber of any mans ofspringe and therewith all hope of other be remoued yet is his condition not such as deserueth eyther weeping sadnes or sorrowe And nowe let vs more deplye consider whether the life of him that is barren or of him that hath children is more happye The childles man hath onelye to lament that he hath no child to leaue behind him which if in respect of perpetuitie thou foolishlye hopest amonge so manye thousandes of men doest thou thincke thy posteritye should remayne though the world were neuer to ende But that the worlde doth ende besydes that the lawes haue so determined also al famous Philosophers Aristotle except haue so agreed And if thy life be not coÌ„tinued for euer what is that to thee or if thy posteritye do alwayes remayne art thou for that respecte the happyer when the Paripatetians conclude that the seede of the father is no porcion of the childreÌ„ but y they are whollye ingendred of the mothers bloud Galenus thincketh y the vaynes the synowes and artires are onely made of the fathers seede al the rest of the mothers bloude howsoeuer it be no graund child is porcion of his graundfather So subtill is this pleasure of posteritye as in deede it maye be called nothing after a few yeares all memorye of great graundfathers is worne out who is he almost that euer knewe his great graundfather But on the contrary part to so smal a pleasure how great a care is ioyned hereof commeth perill of life charge in education feare of honger care in learning wantonnes in childhoode rashenes in youth contumacy disobedience disdaine All which in riche men and happye times are soe common as are accompted for necessarye euils Now what hope can be in posteritye when onely charge and feare commeth thereby People are opprest kinges make warres the Prince of Turkes with fyre and swoorde wasteth all vile seruitude of all euill the worst draweth on some yelde some are hidden in hookes on euery syde disorder euill men are not allowed good subiectes persecuted Dost thou then thinke that in times of such calamitye it is not care enoughe for thee to prouide for thy selfe but wil also be charged wyth an encreased burden of necessarye cares what caÌ„ bee more wicked then this oure
avvay I feele my youthful minde Yet who art thou so madde or greedye of lyfe as would take vpon thee such a condition wherin there is nothinge but sicknes cares contempte peril lothsomnes and sorrow So as I see not for what reason thou seekest to liue And if in lustye youth when strengthe sences beautye wit auctoritye were all in thee thou were notwithstanding oftentimes wearye of life what shalt thou doe at this age when thou hearest thy selfe called olde wretche and dootinge olde foole death doth neuer come so muche to sone to a yonge man as to late to them that be olde But if feare of deadlye paines do offende thee sicknes resembleth death and in sicknes by little and little the life is taken awaye Or art thou loth to dye alone Be of good cheare thou shalt finde more deade then are left aliue and those also shall or longe followe As the Poet sayth For eyther soone or late in order as men saye The vvretched flocke of vvordly folke to death do take their vvay Neyther doth GOD suffer any to deferre his destined tune The destines do driue all men and remayne as lawe for euer they are y happyer sort that are sonest dispatched of paynes And as amonge condempned folke the Lawe executeth those first that haue least offended to th ende that the greate offenders shoulde beholde the terror of death Euen so God doth first take those away whom hee loueth because they shall not be lokers on but messengers sente before vnlesse in consideration of profitte eyther to theyr frendes or the worlde hee suffereth such menne to tarrye more longe To conclude then seing in thinges that be euil there is nothinge more greuous then dailye and certaine expectatiō old age when it commeth hauinge in it both the one and the other doth force a manne to wyshe that in his youth hee had dyed I my selfe beinge a childe doe remember mine owne mother Clara Michera then a yonge woman was notwithstanding wonte to wishe that in her infancye she dyed beinge growen to greater age for euer more she continued y speach I asked the cause whye shee soe sayde where vnto this she aunsweared Loe now I know I shall dye and that with greater perill besydes that in the meane time who so doth marke it well shall see there is nothing that doth not bring with it greater griefe then pleasure because pleasure beinge passed doe chaunge to sorrowe And that deseruingly What is it in this life that can delighte dailye trouble to apparell and vnapparell thy selfe hunger thyrste sleepe not so plentiful nor quiet as dead mē haue heate in Sommer colde in Winter disorder of time terrour of warres controlemente of parentes cares of wedlocke studye for children slouthe of seruaunts contention of sutes and that whiche is moste of all the condition of time wherein honestye is disdayned as follye and crafte is honoured as Wysedome Artisans for theyr cunning not accompted of but for apparaūce and opinion of people preferred So as it is necessarye eyther to displease God or els to liue amonge men in miserye oppressed and disdayned I omitte all euils onely that which is cōmon to dead men is not euil all other thinges which wee do not accompte euil are worse then those which deade men suffer It is nowe requisite that somewhat be sayde of the diuersityes of death hytherto it hath beene deferred because they are many of diuers men thoughte worthy consideration For death doth seeme greuous to yong men both for that it is painful for that minde to leaue the body dishonourable and certen al which in common iudgement are ioyned to gethers And some cowardlye yonge men haue beene compelled to dye a knowen death but syth I see diuers of the common people pacientlye enough do take their deaths I know no cause why other should be greatly comforted considering that not the maner of death but the qualitye of the offence maketh death dishonorable For if thou respect only the maner of death thou shalt find that the greatest nomber of men put to vile death were those that antiquity prayseth and our age doe honour notwithstanding they fel into the handes of Tirantes in whose power it was to appointe the time and maner of death though innocencye be in them that suffer Neither can a publike death bee dishonorable if his life so dyinge be voide of foule vice because publike death without offence is not onely a signe but also a triall of vertue We fynde in the new law how Christ did first gayne the glorye of innocent death and after him followed innumerable martirs and prophets and the moore good and holy they were the more cruelly forced to dye Esayas cut with yron by commaundement of king Manasses Hieremias by the people stoned to death Iohn Baptist beheaded and fynally manie other cruelly murdered neither was the fortune of other Good menne muche better at the handes of heathen Kinges and in their Citties for Zeno Eleates when quietly he might haue liued in his house he conspired against the Tirant Nearcluis but his entent was discouered and he hanged yet at his deathe he perswaded the people to stone the Tyraunt to death When Lysymachus the kinge threatned Theodorus Cyreneus to hang him he answered thus what matter is it whether on the earth or hanging high my carkcas do stinke When Socrates myghte with sylence haue escaped death being condēpned only in a pecuniall paine did prouoke them y dyd condempne him to procure his death And when his wife Zantippe complained that vniustly he suffered he aunswered An mallet iuste senciens non esse malum preter culpam The dishonour therfore is not in dyinge but in the cause of death which procedeth of thine own euill doinge But as for paines youth and certaine knowledge of dying they add none encrease of grief to death nor make it moore greuous because the knowledge of that is not euill cannot be euil after and onely death after torments is most pleasant And torments either they can not be great or not long Christe for ensample to al men died that for ensample it might remaine Besides this seldome shalt thou finde any innocēt to dye of great torment no scantly once vnlesse it be at chaunge of lawes when innocentes are forced to suffer the insolency of nocentes as in hystories it appeareth most rarely is also founde example of violency in giltlesse men yf wilfulnes be not the cause for such as so murder good men do seme to do it of very will. But how easy a thinge death is eyther publike or by sword examples do beare witnes When Iulius Caesar was in the murdering and felte the daggers of diuers men stubbed into his body he sought neither to saue himselfe nor cryed for helpe but falling kept hidden his secrete partes Such memory hee had of comlines notwithstanding his woundes and readynes to yeld vppe his ghost And as Lucanus saith his sonne in lawe in such sort dyed He