tilled and manured bringeth forthe drye Mosse vnfruitefull wéedes none otherwise the desires and affections of man not grounded on Humilitie by the feare of God followe the lustes of the flesh and proude temptations of Satan whose false delightes at lēgth will presse them downe into the déepe pitte of perdition these bée the daungers least misdoubted in the aduentures of youth whiche in these dayes accompt it an aduantage to be famous in vice and a base mind or cowardly affection to liue by the stricte course and directe rule of vertues whereof héereafter wée shall discourse more at large But nowe must we talke of Humilitie whiche is euen the Lanterne of lighte that guydeth our féete into the way of peace the starre that leadeth vs to the house of true nobilitie and the first steppe of duties that rayseth oure mindes to the worthy déedes of vertue We sée the loftie flying Eagle whose large wings are vnable to exalte the weight of hir body from ground firste humbleth hirselfe wyth lowly stoupes whereby she recouereth greater strength to mount aloft into the Peripheries of the Ayre so must the mind of him that séekes to haue the full reward of Vertue be contente humbly to fulfill the charge of duties and by degrées to climbe the stately steppes of aduancement There bée some that blindly iudge the giftes of Fortune as vayne pompe and fonde pleasures of this world to be the soueraigne goodnesse and chiefe support of felicitie in so muche as this man carefully spendes the whole course of his life for encrease of wealthe another languishing in fonde desires oftentimes by sundrye diseases empayreth his owne health And some are dayly pampred with delicate meates and drowned in the wanton Seas of worldly pleasure And is he therefore happie that is riche no for wealth is subiecte vnto fortune But is he well pleased that hathe pleasure seldome for commonly swéete meate hathe sower sause and pleasaunte mirth is accompanyed with the trayne of lothsome sorrowes And doth he bath in blisse that lusteth in vnlawfull desires or rather offereth himselfe for a sacrifice to be consumed in Hell fires then Fortune maketh rich and poore and Nature giueth health and sicknesse beautie and deformitie but héerein consisteth no felicitie for neyther is he to be accompted riche that is neuer satisfyed nor happie whose stedfast mind in quiet possession of Vertues is not established A most quiet and peaceable estate is felicitie flowing with abundance of pleasures frée from bondage voyde of feare subiect to no maner of misfortune and sooner shall glad pouertie with a contented mind enioy the benefite of such heauenly treasure than all wordly pompe riotous delight whiche by no meanes can insinuate themselues to soiourne in the house of happie state and tranquilitie for this cause the valleys are commōly more fruteful than the Mountaines by reason that lying lowe and shrowded from the scorching heate of the Sunne they receiue more plentifully the droppes of deaw and naturall fatnesse that falleth downe from the tops of the Mountaines But there be found sundry branches of humilitie which spred themselues abrode as it were in defence of the trée that generally conteineth thē all And first receiuing chiefe sap from the roote of humilitie springeth out the true knowledge of duties than the which nothing is more commendable in youth nothing more profitable in a cōmon welth nothing more acceptable vnto God which thing M. Cicero the floure of eloquēt Philosophers full wisely considered when hée wrote those large instructions of Duties wherin ther is no sorts of mē whose expectation on the behalfe he hath not satisfyed for ther is the dutie towards our parēts the loue towardes their children liuely expressed the charge of Princes and obedience of subiects the feare of Magistrates and the execution of lawes and that comprehendeth all in one the most loyal loue and dutiful regard of our Coūtrey the cōmon parēt of vs all is there likewise most manifestly mētioned But we must rather holde with the doctrine of true Philosophie that the feare of God and true seruice of the diuine maiestie conteineth all other duties whiche spring from thence as from the Fountayne of Life as is aforesayde For if all power commeth from God and authoritie from aboue no doubt the Maiestie of a Prince is with al duties of humilitie to be honoured and the authoritie of a Magistrate by no meanes to be resisted We ought not in minde to conceyue an euill thought or sinister opinion of our Prince and gouernour muche lesse then Giantlike to rebell and consequently to make warres with the Gods but we should be like children affected towards their Parentes accompting theyr imperfections our plague their sinne oure shame and their fall our vtter confusion for as that member is nothing profitable but rather hurtfull to the body whiche by corruption is lame and vnperfect so that subiecte whose minde is drawen into sundrye practises of discord working the disquiet of a common peace and tranquility may iustly be cutte off as an vnprofitable part or cancker of a common wealth but whence commeth suche vnnaturall affection as the child to wish the destruction of his parēt wherof riseth such furious rage in the subiect to rebell against his Prince what moueth such desperat madnesse in the Citizē to betray his own natiue Countrey cōmeth it not of Pride couetousnes or enuie and what are these cruel tygres or despitefull mōsters that so vexe the minds of vnhappie men or whēce haue such cursed vices their beginning surely from nature partly which enclineth to the worst nourished by false emulation confirmed with euill custome for as Vergill sayeth Alitur vitium crescitque tegendo Vice is nourished and encreaseth by cloaking Wée must therefore withstand the beginnings of such mischiefs least peraduēture lingring delayes bring vntimely repētāce For sooner is the gréene woūd healed and perfectly closed vp by the Surgeō thā an old griefe which by cōtinuāce is festered in the body can be soundly cured so shal the tender capacities of youth by good gouernemente wholesome instructions bée sooner trained to the perfection of vertue than the malapert affections and obstinate desires of riper yeares from the lewd practice of vice he restreyned according to the Prouerbe That is bredde by the bone will neuer out the flesh And surely the most necessarie practise of good education is with manye other most profitable commodities of the cōmon wealth at this time too lightly regarded And is it not a scornefull thing the a man should teach his Horse the manedge carere or his hanke to fetch the lofty turnes abouehead or hound to follow the suite of a striken Déere and leaue his child in the floure of youth eyther subiect to mischiefs for want of good gouernement or that is worse wasted in the felowship of such vnthrifies as happily shall encourage hym for want of better grace maintenance to
frée till you be able to restraine youre affections For howe can he enioy the commodities of Peace whiche delighteth in the practise of discord If he be frée that is subiecte to feare or happy that pines in sorrowes or quiet that burneth in wrath thē is he at libertie which overruled by his affections but it is farre otherwise and therefore in my iudgement he is frée from libertie and inferiour to bondage Therefore if we woulde be crowned with euerlasting fame if we séeke pleasantly to liue and honorably to dye to rule with power and to be feared with fauour and lastely to be like vnto the Goddes themselues we muste be liberall in reward of dueties and bountifull in due consideration of deserts The Emperour 〈◊〉 was so bountiful in rewards toward his subiects that he wold suffer no day to passe wherein he had not diuersly performed sūdry déeds of charitie What a Princely rewarde was giuen to Virgil by the noble Octauia the mother of Marcellus for a few lines writtēd in worthy praise of hir sonne howe mindful was that highe renowned King Alexander of his friendly gouernors whiche in the conquest of Persia commaunded a riche cheste which conteined chiefe parte of the spoile to be reserued for Homer These were the vertues of the Gréekes and Romanes which cōmitted their names of the Booke of eternall memorie Furthermore there be comely graces aswell in gesture as other behauiour to be noted in a Courteour and it behoueth him much that daily standeth in the face of his Prince and chiefe royaltie of the Realme to be modest in his lookes and verye circumspecte of behauioure Heliodorus or at leaste the friendlye translatour of hys workes resembling Theagines vnto the valiaunt Achilles both in stature and al other outward comely proportions of the body maketh them equall but for his countenaunce whiche discloseth the modestie of the minde he preferred Theagines before the other in that he was more humbly disposed and farre more courteous of speach for whiche he gyueth him a singular commendation And to saye trueth what is the comelinesse of personage without good manners surely it may be likened to the Painters image wherin is much arte no sēse most curious workmanship little vnderstanding But in gesture behauiour there are as many shameful vices to be eschued as there be comely graces to be followed for I would not wish a yong man to counterfet such grauitie that he become a Drawlatche nor a double curtesie maker which is scornful nor a ceremonious cap giuer to al men for that is ridiculous so that he must be neither shéepish nor yet past shame that will séeke to aduance himselfe to credite by good maners modest behauior There be some whiche loue rather to set their lookes in a Glasse than learne to sit comely in the saddle another stalkes in the stréets as we say like one that would steale Cranes another beares the countenance of a Lion perhaps whose courage is not worth a Léeke this wily fellowe shewes euerye man hys sword which hath bin the death of so many frogs in Ireland and other tels the wonders of strange countries therein vseth the liberties of a Trauailer and lastely some are euer exclayming on their stepmothers fortune and whine at the sorrowes of Aduersitie But these in my iudgement had rather choose Follie for their playfellowe and companion than the haue Vertue their guide safeconduct vnto wisedome There is a meane and mediocritie in all thinges whiche he that can indifferentlye obserue hathe attained euen to the full perfection of Vertue It commendeth a Courteour likewise to bée generallye séene and experienced in many thinges for the knowledge of all thinges is profitable but the abuse of anye thing is vncomely I haue knowen very wise men which traueling by chance in the company of mean Artificers would not thinke scorne to talke but take delight to discourse with suche euen of the vilest trades that are to be necessarily vsed in a common wealth Swéete honny is not gathered out of one onelye flower nor learning is had out of one booke nor Wisedom likewise is attayned by the practise of one Vertue alone And wée muste learne also to frame oure speache and behauiour according to the place and company not to talk with Priests of loue nor with Ladies of religion not to discourse with childrē of wars nor with Princes of trifles neither in a tragicall misfortune to be too muche daunted with fear nor in a sodain felicitie too farre surprised with delight And in any discourse we must remember to inferre duties by desert mirth with measure and pleasure by commodities for according to the Poet Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit vtile dulci. To conclude in al our actions expeditions we must prefer the steadfast counsaile of aduised policie before the rash enterprise of malaperte boldenesse It is better to deserue euerlasting fame with noble Fabius which saued his country by delays than to perishe with shamefull Callicratides which lost a goodly fléete of the Lacedemonians with ouermuch hast We sée the lingring snaile by tract of time doth softly climing reach to the toy of stately Towers there quietly sits without danger where the fierce capitain with hot assaults bloudy skirmishe at laste perhappes winnes the strongest fort which he cā not kéepe without double charge and deadlye perill And surelye the cunning to kéepe is no lesse cōmendable than the courage to obtayne And thus he that will rule must learne to be obedient he that will liue quietly muste of force restraine his affections and hée that would be knowen to be a gentleman must alwayes vse good conditions Of Selfe loue and surquidrie CHAP. 5. I Can not easily condiscende to the opinion of those whiche affirme that a man cannot in any wise doe himselfe wrong but I am rather induced by reason to beléeue that a man can hurte no man so muche as hée plagueth himselfe For if we consider the miserable estate of mankinde subiecte to such and so many fearefull daungers and sodaine alterations in the whole course of his life we shall finde that in steade of one iniurie done is another man he bringeth mountaines of care heapes of sorrowes vpon his owne head And to omitte all childish sorrowes when he commeth from his crade first into riper yeres of discreation good God howe violently is he drawen by swéete alluring luste into the lothsome practise of follye what care vexeth him within what feare doth compasse him aboute what pleasures in hope what sorrowes in dispaire what flames of desire and what colde floudes of disdaine and finallye what rockes of repulse doe breake the billow waues of his wauering minde in so muche as tenne thousande times in a daye to ende this careful strife he calles for deathe to cutte the line asunder of this his lucklesse life And yet perhaps by tract of time he is taughte to leaue such toyes reason
able to withstande the force of shamefull death And thus you sée to vaine vitious nature the proude blossomes of your vntimelye fruit soone withered the strength of youre aucthoritie soone decayed and the beautie of your countenaunce soonest of all to be fledde forlorne and defaced And surelye if a man woulde but consider eyther the imperfections of nature the innumerable sorrowes of thys lyfe or the inuincible force of death no doubt hée shoulde be as earnestlye persuaded to folowe the rule of ryght and séeke out the secretes of wysedome as hée was first allured to swéete sinne and violentlye drawen into the schoole of follye But alas those which are in hell knowe not the ioyes of heauen and what hope of victorie is left to them that are alreadie conquered O strong selfe Loue and pestilent force of pryde what homicyde parricyde or what murthers haste thou not committed What flamyng fyres what warres yea what mischiefe haste thou not attempted Thou hast killed Princes poysoned Kynges and murthered most famous Emperours By thée strong Castles are rased townes spoyled Cities wasted and by thée countreys are lefte desolate And whither can the force of thy ragyng furie bée nowe further extended Thou haste vanquisshed men and wylt thou nowe exercyse thy tyrannye vpon brute beastes And woulde to GOD we myght all bée so well excused Thou haste wonne the whole worlde but doest thou meane to laye siege to the heauens or giue battyle vnto the Gods But remember thy Champion Lucifer what rewarde had hée for hys proude attempte Call to mynde the presumptuous buildynges of Nembroth and what successe had hée in hys enterpryse And forget not the proude Knyght Companius whiche being valiaunt and fortunate in warres had suche confidence in hys courage and suche faythfull truste in hys owne strength that hée scorned at those whiche after victorie obteyned dyd vse anye ceremonyes in worshipping of their Goddes callyng it a cowardlye affection that fearefullye craued helpe and supporte of shadowes but hée was sodainly consumed with fyre from heauen beyng in the forefronte of the battayle at the siege of Thebes These thynges considered maye soone coole the hote courage of pryde and moste horryble conceiptes of Surquedrye But the close affection of selfe Loue is more couertlye crepte into the opinions of men whiche thinke them selues by nature bounde and not forbydden by diuyne lawes to make muche of them selues And God forbyd but that eche man shoulde haue a prouident care to profite hime selfe But yet are wée taught by the commaundements of GOD to loue another equallye as our selues wée are instructed by the recorde of holye scriptures that all our actions ought to be done to the glorie of GOD And wée maye learne by prophane wryters that wée are not borne vnto our selues but that partlye our parentes partlye friendes partlye chyldren partlye kynsefolke and chiefelye our natyue countreye doeth chalenge a pryncypall duetie wherin the charitable loue and affection of vs all is ioyntly comprehended And this is more plainly perceyued by the comfortable vertue of societe without the which the life of man were naked tedious and vnpleasaunt For what auayleth it vnto a man to be the monarche of the whole worlde if he haue not subiects to gouerne if hée haue not a wyfe to increase his ofspryng if he haue not chyldren to honour and defende hym and lastly if he haue not friendes to reioyce with hym in prosperitie and to comfort hym in aduersitie Yea if hée be not happie straight wayes that hath all these things howe vnhappie is he then that wanteth so many goodly commodities And by this meanes a proude man is to bée thought most infortunate For when he begins to take an opinion of him selfe euen then is he first mislyked of others Where hée fawnes he is feared where he loues hée is suspected where he fauours most he is lest regarded Agayne when he frownes he is forsaken when hée laughes he is enuyed and when hée mournes hée is left desolate But hée is warye and wyse hée wyll trust none neyther shall he be trusted of anye hée is proude bycause hée is ryche but hée is poore in that hée is proude hée is strong in power but he is weake in wysedome hée is comelye in proportion but hée is deformed in condition Waye these thynges togyther in the true ballaunce of reason and you shall perceyue the wayght of sinne and heauie burthen of mischiefe able to sinke the strongest the comeliest and the proudest man alyue into the deadlye pytte of destruction Dionisius was wyse and yet hée beguyled hym selfe for hée was shamefullye murthered by the consent of hys wyfe Brennus was valiaunt yet coulde not withstande the wrath of the Gods. And Tarquinius was proude but pryde was the cause of this foule destruction And these be the fruites of selfe Loue Surquedrie But cease O cruell Kyng cease nowe at length thys thy ragyng tyrannye forbeare to vexe the myndes of innocentes with pryde and drowne no more vnhappie soules in the seas of selfe Loue and Surquedrie And yet why doe I thus gentlye entreate with a Tyrant why doe I pleade for peace with the chief authour of discorde And whye doe I call hym Kyng which is the father of mischiefe and mortall enemye to mankynde euer since the begynnyng of the worlde Euen hym I meane whyche brought the fyrst care and calamityes vnto Adam by the taste of an Apple For it is none but hée whiche couertly séekes by false prouocations to bryng vs vnto mischiefe It is hée that settes the spitefull plantes of pryde and hée that sowes the moste hatefull séede of dissention But hée nameth hym selfe the Prince of the Worlde howe shall wée than séeke to confounde hym Naye but hée is the Father of lyes and therefore we wyll not belieue hym hée is but a shadowe and why shoulde wée then feare him he triumpheth ouer worldlings lyke a Lyon but resist him stoutlye and hée vanisheth into nothyng Wylt thou learne to withstande the temptations of Sathan Then you must faithfully cleaue to the promyse of God whiche will not suffer the righteous to be cōfounded But thou canst not be righteous of thy selfe nor faythfull without humilitie nor humble without charitie For these vertues are vnyted and can not bée separated So that hée whiche woulde haue the fauour of the diuine Maiestie must néedes indeuour hym selfe to resist the strength and power of our vniversal enemye Neyther is it too late at any tyme to resorte vnto goodnesse nor too tymelye to preuent mischiefes Wée must vse no procrastinations and delayes to be vertuous For hee that is not readye to thinke well to daye will be more vnlikely to doe good on the morrowe And it is not enough to thinke ill of none but wée must in that we may doe good vnto all yea euen vnto our enemyes for thus are wée taught to doe good for euyl which are the fruites of perfect charitie Much lesse then ought we to disdayne