the farthest parts of the world and finally he is made like to God whose propertie is to do good to euery man and forgiue sinners That vvise men leaue not a certayne gayne for an vncertayne although it be muche greater WHen a fisher had taken in the sea a little fishe he went about to persuade the fisher to giue him libertie saying I am nowe so little that I shall doo thée little gooâ— but if thou do let me go I shall growe and so thou shalte haue more profite of me To whom the fisher sayde I were a very foole if I shoulde leaue that gayne which I haue presently in my hands although it be little for the hope of the gayne to come albeit it were very great And he added this saying of Terence Ego spem praetio non emo Hovve muche Gods helpe can do in humane things and contrarivvise hovv much Gods vvrath doth hurt ATlanta of the Ilande Scyros béeing a very fayre mayden and swiftest of foote baing wowed of many louers in way of maryage made a lawe that he that woulde haue hir shoulde runne with hir and if he ouercame hir she shoulde be his wyfe and béeing ouercome he should suffer death The which thing was attempted of many but all had the foyle and so they loste their liues It chaunced that Hyppomenes séeing on a time suche a wonderful beautie was kindled with the loue of hir in suche sorte that he was determined to gette hir by way of the cruell lawe But hauing well bethought him of his enterprise he wente afterwards like a wise man to aske counsell of Venus Who courteously gaue vnto him thrée apples of golde out of the garden of the Hesperides and taught him how he should vse them So he beeing entred in his course the mayden Atlanta ran swiftly before him Wherefore Hippomenes according as Venus had taught him cast one of the thrée apples vpon the grounde whervpon the maiden waxing very desirous for that brightnesse stouped downe to take it vp but forthwith thorow hir swiftnesse she ouertooke him and ran paste him Then Hippomenes caste downe the second that was fairer and goodlier than the first so that the mayden also more desirous to haue it lost so much time to take it vp that the louer making hast toke a little vauntage which she being swift soone recouered Notwithstanding he séeing hir almost at the ende of the course cast with good courage the thirde apple vppon the grounde much fairer than both the other of the which the damsell being so muche the more desirous with stedfast hope to ouertake and outrun hir louer stouped down to take it But in the mean season Hippomenes running apace ouerpassed hir and was at the marke before hir In this wyse he béeing conquerour ioyfully obtained the faire Atlanta to be his wife Wherfore he not being able to endure the loue hée bare hir in carying hir into his countreye brought her into the holy wood of Cibel mother of the gods there without reuerence of the place had to do with hir Wherwith Cibele being offended turned them both into Lions and sette them as it is also séene to drawe hir charyot VVhen vve must dine and suppe according to Diogenes the Cynike DIogenes the Cynike béeing asked of a certaine frende of his what tyme was beste for a man to dyne and suppe he aunswered He that is riche when he will and he that is poore when he may That vvise men make a iest of superstition A Citizen of Rome rysing in a morning founde that his shoes were gnawne with myse in the night which thing séeming to him monstrous taking it to be a naughtie signe token weÌ„t incontineÌ„tly sore dismayd to find Cato when he had founde him with great heauinesse he asked him what so strange and maruelous a thing betokened To whom Cato laughing answerd It is no maruel brother that the myse hath gnawne thy shoes it had ben a maruel if thy shoes had gnawne myse That foolishe and impertinent tauntes are soone vvrested against the taunters CAius Lelius being a very noble man born it happened that a man basely borne quarelling with him sayd vnto him Thou arte vnworthy of thy auncestours and thou sayd Lelius art worthy of thy now liuing pareÌ„ts That a mans counsell ought timely to be thought vpon contrarivvise a vvomans sodayne DEmocritus the Philosopher sayth that in councelles there is nothing worse than spéedinesse for that is full of errours wherof soone ensueth repentaunce And Bias of the same profession of Philosophie in like maner sayde that counsell had two great enimies to wit spedinesse and anger And Ariosto to this purpose sayth Th'vnthought counsels of women be better Than them which are of studie proceeded For this gifte alone to them is proper Emong so many from heauen bestovved But may that mischiefe of men be redrest Which ripe aduise doth timely not auayle Where vve to ponder oft in minde do fayle Sometimes is study great and labour prest That vaynglorie is oftentimes reputed for follie A Knight of Milan a vayne and boasting man came to Florence in ambassage and when amoÌ„g other his vanities he vsed braggingly to change oftentimes the chaine he did weare at his neck Niccolo Niccolini a man learned and ready maruelling at his fashions and despising suche great boasting sayd One chayne is inoughe for other fooles but this mans follie is such that he néedeth many That vayne ceremonies do little differ from vayne lyes MAster Giouanni della Casa sayd that this worde cirimonie that is ceremonies is straunge in the Tuscan tong for that the ancient Tuscanes knewe it not and therefore they could not giue it any name And he sayd moreouer that impertinent ceremonies do ordinarily little differ for their vanitie from lyes and that sometime they be not onely lyes vayne flatteries but wickednesse and treason bicause by the meanes of them men do not only flatter and deceiue but ofteÌ„times murder and betray their neighbour That euery man ought to speake of his ovvne and not of an other mans profession HAnniball of Carthage béeing come as a banished man to Ephesus to king Antiochus was vpoÌ„ a day requested of his frieÌ„ds to go to heare Phormio an excelleÌ„t Peripaâ—eâ—ike who discoursing many houres of the office of a captain and of the arte of warre very â—loquently contented his hearers maruellously Wherefore Hanniball béeyng asked of them howe he liked so worthy a man he smylyng aunswered I haue séene in my tyme many old men dote but I neuer saw none that doted more than Phormio doth That God hath appoynted to euery man his office and that he doth not allovv that men should go beside it VEnus being beaten of Diomedes woulde with weapon bée reuenged but Iupiter calling hir sayd Daughter myne thy office is not to be occupied in warlyke affaires but about women and louers Wherfore attend about loue kisses embracings and pleasures And as for warlike affaires Mars and Minerua
thy vessell brake it and the oyle ran oute so that I haue forgotten thée but doubte not an other time I will restore it thée That in aduersitie true frendes are discerned from fayned CIcero sayde that lyke as the swallowes apppeare in sommer and in winter are not séene so fayned fréendes in tyme of prosperitie shew themselues and in aduersitie absent themselues And Ennius sententiously to the same purpose sayth Amicus certus in re incerta cernitur In doubtfull matters he is tryde A frende that faythfull dothe abyde And Ouide lykewyse herevppon wrote after this sort Tempore felici multi numerantur amici Dum fortuna perit nullus amicus erit When welth abounds then many frendes we nuÌ„ber may When goodes decay then frendes do flee away And Ariosto notably sayth Alcun non puo saper da chi sia amato Quando felice in su la la ruota siede Pere che ha i veri finti amici allato Che monstran tutis vna mede sima fede Se poi si cangia in tristo il lieto stato Volta la turba adulatrice il piede Et quel che di euor ama riman forte Et ama suo Signor dopo la morte No man can tell who loues him in his mynde When happie he doth sitte vpon the wheele For that he fayned frendes and true doth fynde By him in whome he one selfe faith doth feele If louringly once fortune looke behinde The flattring flocke then turneth backe the heele And he that loues with hart will neuer waue And loues his lorde when he is layde in graue VVhat great faithfulnesse a chaste vvoman beareth to hir husbande ARmenia a noble woman and of excellent beautie comming from a great feast that king Cyrus made was demaunded of hir husbande by the way howe she lyked the beautie of Cyrus which was suche as all men maruelled at she answered chastly after this sort Husbande to tell you the truth as long as I was there I did not once looke vp therfore I can not tell you howe fayre or foule Cyrus or the other be That controuersie in lavve is the losse of of tyme money and frendes TWo kinsmen fell at variance for a matter in which eche of them claymed a propretie after variance they went to law and after law to open contention whiche is proprely to say to open warre Then one of them wyser than the other called his fellow asyde and in effect vsed these wordes vnto him saying Kynsman first this I put thée in mynde of that it is not honest that couetousnes shold separate vs when as Nature hath ioyned vs togither Moreouer you muste vnderstande that al controuersies in law are no lesse doutful than warre Euery man may at his pleasure begin to striue but when he liste he can not ende Our variance is for thrée hundreth crownes if that we go to lawe we shal spend halfe so much more vpon Notaries proctors aduocates Iudges and in making of frendes we must needes attend flatter trauaile to and fro wearie our selues neuer be quiet and fynally when I recouer my sute by iudgement the losse wil be greater than the gayne Is it not better kinsman that we here agrée among our selues and that wée deuide betwéene vs the money that we shold giue to these gréedie persons Graunt me one moytie of your chalenge and I will graunte you the moytie of myne In so dooing we shal obey nature we will be in hazarde and shall auoyde infinite troubles But where as also you wyll not yelde to any thing I yelde to the whole for I had rather that this money should remayn to you than come to these théeues Wherevpon the aduersarie béeing moued as well for the reasons as the curtesie of his kinsman yéelded to him willingly and wysely agréed among themselues Philosophers make but a trifle of Fortune ASclepiades the philosopher fallyng blynde by chaunce was nothyng at all sorie but rather iesting merryly sayde I haue made a good hande for before I went alone and now I goe with companie A mans vertue is esteemed euen of the enimie MEtellus surnamed for his victories Macedonicus when he heard that Scipio Africanus was dead althoughe he were his mortall ennimie he went foorth of his house sore gréeued and miscontent and comming into the market place many tymes hée horribly cryed saying Run my citizens run for the walles of our citie are fallen downe That debtes ordinarily do take a mans sleepe from him WHen a Romaine knighte was deade it was found that he owed more than fiue hundred thousande Ducates the which thing in his lyfe tyme hée had with a merye chéere kept very close Afterward his goods came to be solde and among the rest of his housholde stuffe Cesar Augustus coÌ„maunded that his bed should be bought for him saying that it would serue to make one sléepe seeing hée that was so farre in debt could sleepe thervpon That vvise men thinke it a folie to endeuor to come to highnesse and honour THe Erle Maria Mathevv Boiardo a verye wyse man reprouing a cosyn of his that inconueniently went out of the Duke of Milans wages to goe serue the kyng of Naples who made him greate profers greater promises sayd vnto him Ye wretched wightes that neuer sleepe in rest Ye that desire to clymbe to high degree That with so many griefes and sorrowes prest Do you turne backe to honours fickle glee Meanes must be sought to haue your sore redrest For that your wiâ—es from you berefte we see And well you â—oe not knowe what you woulde haue For then you would your selues from follies saue The man that is auaunced to high degree oftentimes forgetteth both his frendes and himselfe ONe Benedetto of the Albizi a familie so called went to reioyce with his friend for the good fortune happened to him whiche frend of his was to the dignitie of a Cardinal promoted But the Cardinall being swolne and puffed vp with pride for that degrée making as though he knew him not he asked him what he was Whervpon Benedetro a noble yong man and a stout being displeased changed foorthwith his purpose for the whiche hée came and sayd And it please you my Lorde I am come for our frendships sake to lament with you your fortune or rather blyndnesse that hath brought you to this degrée for such as you be as soon as you clymbe vp to the like honour as this is you lose so much your sight your hearing and the other senses that you doo not onely forgette youre selues but youre frendes also The follie of a prince the displeasure of a vvoman and the vnfaythfulnesse of a frend vvhat disorder they brede CAndaules king of Lydia had a very faire wyfe for whose beautie he thorough ioye waxed foolish and it was not inough for him to prayse hir to all men and discouer to all men the secrets that he vsed with hir in wedlocke but also woulde haue witnesse therof so he shewed hir on a
daye thorowe a clefte bare naked withoute hir knowledge to his dearest fréend Ligus Who séeing so fayre a thing was so farre in loue with hir that hée thought of nothing else but howe he mighte obtayne hir eyther by loue or force The woman on the other syde perceyuing hir husbands dooings by his spéeche and that he had lastly shewed hir to Ligus in that sort thought that shée was betrayde and that the Kyng woulde participate with other his delightes whervpon she tooke so great anger that forthwith she was at the commaundement of Ligus and consented to the death of hir husbaÌ„d and gaue hir selfe to the murdring adulterer togither with the kingdome That three thyngs chaunge the nature of man ARistotle sayde that thou shalte sée thrée things if thou doe marke them well that cause the Nature and condytion of a man to chaunge that is Lordship a woman and wyne That the â—uttleties and deceytes of Cortizans or rather vvhoores are great and not to seeke A French gentleman béeing in Rome went on an euening to lye wyth a Cortizan the whiche in the nyght taking occasion vntyed a piece of a chaine of golde which he had The next mornyng he putting it about his necke he founde that where it was woonte to come foure tymes aboute it would nowe come but thrée and a halfe Then the Cortizan comming before hym looked vppon hym wyth shewe and countenaunce of meruayle and sayde thus Sir doo you féele any griefe as me thinkes you doo and the woman sayde moreouer I can not tell whether you haue taken any colde bycause your head is waxed great and your face swolne and in speaking this she put a glasse in his hand of that sorte whiche maketh things appeare greater and larger than they are The Frencheman lookyng in a glasse and séeing so greate an alteration of his heade he stedfastely beléeued that his head was swoln and had taken some straunge disease wherevpon being very sorowful and maruelling no more at his chain wore it on that fashion afterwarde wofully telling his fréends of that swelling of his hed That businesse requireth the ovvners countenance and not deputiship CAto oftentimes said that the countenance of the owner helpeth much more than deputiship meaning that euery man ought to be presente in dooing of his things and not absent to commit them to other So a Persian béeing demaunded what was the best thyng to fatten a horsse he aunswered the owners eye And an Africane being demauÌ„ded what doong was the beste to fatten the grounde he aunswered the owners footsteps both signifying the presence Likewise the Poet Ennius to this purpose sayd If thou bee wyse weygh still in mynde This precept not to looke that friende Or kinsman doo for thee any way When thou thy selfe mayst do and say That beautie is a heauenly gift and grace of the auncients in diuers sorts praised and esteemed SOcrates called beautie a tyrannie of shorte tyme Plato a priuiledge of nature Theophrastus a secrete decayte Theocritus a delectable damage Carneades a solitarie kingdom Domitius sayd that there was nothing more acceptable Aristotle affirmeth that beautie is more woorthe than all the letters of commendation Homere sayd that it was a glorious gifte of nature and Ouide alluding to him calleth it a grace of God That the vvickednesse of gouernours doth oftentymes cause that the people rebell against the prince BAttus of Dalmatia béeing demaunded of Tyberius for what cause he rebelled so many tymes and had made so great a slaughter of the Romains he answered You your self Cesar be the cause for you appoynte not for your flocke shepherdes for kéepers but rauenous wolues Wherfore Plato diuinely sayeth that we ought to be very circumspect and take great héed how the gouernors and commissaries or Lieutenants of cities and countreyes be broughte vp and accustomed to the ende that lyke hungrie dogs they become not wolues and deuoure the flocke A notable vvay to knovv the qualitie of a man PAlingenius sayeth that who so euer will knowe of what qualitie a man is let him consider what maner frends he hath for nature doth willingly accompanie hir lyke the Florentine sayeth for a prouerbe Jddio fa gli huomini s'appaiouo that is GOD maketh men and they be séen And Cicero in the person of Cato sayth Pares cum paribus facillimè congregantur And in an other place he writeth Mores dispares disparia studia sequuntur That stoute men and true Christians dye for the faith vvith incredible constancie MAcedonius Theodolus and Tatianus béeing both Bishops and martyrs were in the tyme of Iuliane the Emperoure rosted for the faith vppon a grediron So they hauing fire vnderneth them that burned cruelly Macedonius turned to the iudge smyling sayd Oh if thou take pleasure to eate maus fleshe turne the other side to to the end thou mayst finde vs well broyled and seasoned That in this life are tvvo states to be desired the one of Princes the other of fooles SEneca sayd that in this worlde there must néedes be borne a king or a foole A king to be able to reuenge wrongs and to be able to correcte and chastise mens vices A foole for not to acknowlege offences and not to thinke of any thing To breake faith and promise is a thing detestable and greuously to be punished MErcurie delighting among other things in thefte in strife and robberies had stollen Apollos kine whiche none sawe but one man called Battus to whome Mercurie gaue one with condition that he shuld conceale the thefte Afterward to make triall of his fayth he turning himselfe into the lykenesse of Apollo came vnto hym and promysed hym a Bull yf he coulde tell hym of his kyne Battus blynded with the gayne discouered them Whervppon Mercurie being displeased turned him into a stone which of the ancients is called Index lapis parius lapis Heraclius lapis Lydius and Coticula in Englishe a touchestone Hovve ill fortune may be more easily endured THales Milesius béeing asked in what maner a man might more easily abide aduersitie he answered he shall endure it if he sée his enimies in worse estate than himself And the noble Alamanno sayth to this purpose The man vnhappie hath two coÌ„forts true laid vp in store The one is to recall to minde the tyme he liued before In greeater griefe the other is also to haue in mynde If in the vvorlde in worse estate he doth an other finde VVith vvhat suttletie greate princes ought to reigne after the opinion of Homer LEvves the eleuenth King of Fraunce had as it is very well knowne great warre and muche to do with the lordes and barons of his realme among whiche the Constable was also his aduersarie albeit secretly But afterwarde when that the king had ouercome all these lordes the Constable who as I say was not manifestly discouered sent to excuse him selfe to the King shewing that he had ben always loyall and trustie to him and to haue doone his
to mocke him sayd Ho sirra on horsebacke what is the Canna worth this is a mesure of 4. Flemish elles now the Florentine perceiuing himself to be pricked lifting vp foorthwith his horse tayle readily answered enter in héere into the shop and I will sell thée good cheape These tvvo vvords mine and thine marre the vvorlde POlitiane sayde that God had giuen water to euery thing liuing in the water so all the earth without any diuision to euery earthly thing but that man is the vnhappiest of all other liuing creatures he requireth that he alone mighte beare rule ouer the whole world and herewith are broughte into the worlde two words to wit mine and thine which are the occasion of al mens strife And therefore Pythagoras the Philosopher ordeyned that all things shoulde be coÌ„mon among friends Plato enacted the same betwéene the Citizens of his new publike weale others haue gon about to bring this in among al meÌ„ That vile counsels are to be despised of noble and vvorthy men ARistodemus was thoughte to be a cookes sonne notwithstanding came in greate fauour with king Antigonâ—â— and on a time he went about to persuade him to abate his expenses and to vse lesse liberalitie than he ordinarily vsed But the noble king smiling sayde to him worthily O Aristodemus these words of thine smell of the kitchin That the vertue of curtesie is had in price euen of murderers and that it maketh them gentle and pitiful MAster Alexander of Siena a liberall gentleman and a benefactour to al men riding a iorney fell in the hands of murdering theeues the which besetting him would haue slayne him but one of them knowing him cryed out incontinently alas kill him not for he is a rare man he dothe pleasure to all men and hath done me a hundred good turns For the which wordes his fellowes béeing moued with pitie did not onely refrayne to kill him but altogither kepte him company kill he was out of daunger wherfore Ariosto nobly sayde Studifi ogniun giouar altrâ—â— che rade Volte il ben far senza il suo premio sia E s' è pur senza al men non te n' accade Morte nè danno nè ignominia ria Chi nuoce altrui tardi o per tempo cade Il debito à scontar che non s' oblia Dice il prouerbio ch' à trouar si vanno Gli huomini spesso e i monti fermi stanno That is Let one man seeke an other to sustayne For selde a good turne is without his meede And though it be without yet no names stayne Nor hurte nor death may thy destruction breede Late or betime he that dothe other payne Doth pay his debt that in the harte doth heede The prouerbe sayth that men do go their way Oftetimes to finde and the hilles do firmely stay That the ignoraunt sell their labours dearer than the learned THere was not many yere past a citizen in Florence who although he was a Doctour of the lawe yet he had no great learning and consequently little to do Vpon a time when he was entertayned in a matter in lawe asked for his counsayle and paynes xxv Ducats How so sayde his client master Mark of the A sini an excellent good doctour who I haue entertayned in the same matter was contented with sixe Crownes and you will haue aboue fiue and twentie And no maruayle sayde the Doctour that he is contented with so little for he hathe dayly one matter or other in hande but as for me I haue nothing to doe but three or foure times a yere That the ignorant lavvyer is like to necessitie vvhich hath no lavve ONe Laurence Gualterotti béeing asked of one of his friends touching the sufficiencie of the foresayde Florentine Doctour he sayd that he was like to néede howe answered his friende without lawe sayde he alludâ—ng pleasantly to this prouerbe that Néede hath no Lawe That the honor of euery man dependeth of his ovvne deedes not of others vvordes OEdipus béeing banished out of hys countrey wente to Athens to king Theseus his friende to the ende to saue his lyfe which his ennimies sought for And when he was come in Theseus presence hearing a daughter of his speake knewe hir by the voyce and bicause he was blinde stayed not to salute Theseus any otherwise but rather as a father was mindefull onely to comfort and cherishe his childe And by and by remembring himselfe went about to excuse him selfe to Theseus and to aske him pardoÌ„ Wherfore the good and wise king brake off his words and sayde to him be of good chéere Oedipus for I honour not my life with the words of other but with my déedes Many excellent meanes to keepe the minde quiet DIogenes admonisheth vs to set foorthe agaynst Fortune the constancie of the minde agaynst the lawes nature agaynst the senses reason saying that by these thrée ways mens tranquilitie quiet is preserued That youth had neede of good bringing vp to the ende to bring foorth good fruite in age CIprian sayth that euen as of a trée that hath not blossomed no fruite can be gathered so of a mans age in whose youth hath bene no good discipline no good fruite can be receyued And he added moreouer that if in youth there be no obedience there will neuer be in age any good discipline A singular meane to constrayne euery man vvhosoeuer he be not to refuse a present WHen Alexander the greate had giuen fiftie talents to the Philosopher Xenocrates the Philosopher refused them saying that he had no néede of them Wherefore Alexander sayd to him and haue you no friend that you stande in néede of Oh all the riches of Darius are not sufficient for me to giue my friends and knowe not you howe to bestow fiftie Talents among yours what Philosophie is this That enuy follovveth glory ARistomenus saythe that euen as a man which goeth in the sunne is of necessitie accompanied with his shadow so he that walketh in the way of glory is likewise followed of others enuy and sayde moreouer that miserie alone did not bréede enuy A parable shevving that malmsey is good at all times of ones meale PIouano Arloto a Florentine was a pleasaunt companion and a wittie fellow who went vpon a time to dinner to Fraunces Dini a worshipfull citizen of Florence and when he was set at the table Fraunces sayde vnto him Piouano I haue malmesey shal we haue it before dinner or after To whome Piouano answered in a parable saying The blessed Marie was a virgine before hir deliuerie in hir deliuerie and after hir deliuerie Wherfore Fraunces vnderstanding him would haue nothing dronke but malmesey all dynner while VVhy the head vvaxeth hoare before the beard PIouano béeing demaunded for what cause the head came hoare before the beard aunswered bycause the heares of the head were twenty yeares elder than the beard He is more miserable that commeth vnder the povver of vvicked people than he that
broken painted the same afterward more easly and readily Thē Maximilian asked of Durer how it cam to passe that his cole brake not Durer smiling aunswered Most mercifull Emperour I wold not that your imperiall maiestie could painte so cunningly as I as who should say I haue exercised my selfe in this thing and this is my vocation your maiestie hath waightier affaires and an other vocation according to the common prouerbe Aliud est sceptrū aliud plectrū that is the scepteris one thing and the harp an other plectrum is properly an instrument wherwith men played on the harpe or dulcimers for hurting of their fingers with the former example this may agrée Leontinus the byshop saide to Constantine the Emperoure desirous to reason many things of Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Emperour thou being ordained for one thing dost an other Of the vvell bringing vp of Children THere is more regard to be had of the wel bringing vp of children than of anye riches They which do otherwise séeme to me very like to them which prouide shooes and passe not for the féete whereas they are inuented for the sauing of them Wherefore that aunciente Crates climbyng vppon the highest part of the citie wisely thought good to exclame Whither whither runne ye my countrey men is it méete that you shoulde thus be chieflye busied in gettyng of riches and not to be carefull and passe vpon them for whom they are gotten Beleue mée the parents cannot leaue their children a better inheritaunce than if they shoulde be well brought vp and trayned in vertue euen frō their youth this patrimonye abideth wyth them for euer neither can it be destroyed by the stormes of fortune As a horse vntamed although good by nature is not apt for those commodities which are required of him so thou canst not get the frute of vertue of a man vnlearned although he be wittie The like said Durer A man vnlearned is as it were a lookyng glasse not polished VVhat labours are greatest and pleasantest AChilles being demaunded of Aiax which were the greatest laboures that he had sustained aunswered them which he toke for his friendes And when he procéeded to aske which were the pleasantest laboures that he had sustained Achilles answered againe the same signifying that he whiche is noble in déede burneth with a certain great desire to helpe his friende Foure things required in feastes BAchilides sayth that there are foure things required in a feast 1. a measurable preparation of meate and drinke 2. pleasant communication 3. true good will of the feasters 4. good wine wherwith olde men are chiefly delighted And an other sayth that one ought not to drinke aboue two draughts at a feast for healthes sake That Christians being taken prisoners by Christians ought to be mercifully intreated THe Emperour Charles the fift when the king of Fraunce was taken and he Lorde ouer him méeting him embraced him frendly saying Mon frer en ' aye peur car tes affaires se portè bien that is Brother myne be of good cheare for all shal be well and he delte brotherly with him VVatchfulnesse and carefull diligence becommeth a Magistrate HOmer in the seconde booke of his Iliades hath two notable verses méete to be remembred not onely of Princes but of all other Magistrates and be these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which verses Frederick Duke of Saxonie thought worthy to be written with his own hand and to haue them in his chamber being by him translated into Latine wyth these woordes Non decet principē virū dormire totā noctem Cui populi gubernacula commissa sunt à cuius cura pendent ingentia rerum momenta that is A Prince for many that prouydes ought not to sleepe all nyght Who charge hath of the people and on whome great cares doe light The originall of the Electourship THe originall of the Electorship of the princes of Germanie tooke beginnyng of the Persians For as to their king were princes ioyned so to the Emperours of Germanie the Electours or Choosers are ioyned which do make vp the head counsell for the Romaine Empire If wée will consider aright to the Persian king were ioyned the Ephori For in their handes laye the chiefest power to choose take and put downe the king So it is the chiefest power and authoritie of the Electours which oftentymes haue remoued out of the Empire beasts and tyrants This state of Electours hathe defended Germanie and hath borne rule and kept quietnes these fiue hundreth yeares The tokens of a vvell framed common vvealth WHen king Ferdinando was at Norinberge he asked of the chiefe Aldermen of the citie howe they gouerned so greate a multitude they answered Most soueraigne King with faire woordes and cruell punishmentes It is a verie wise answere of a wittie mā For so ought Empires to be framed the gouernours to answere all men gently but in punishing to vse seueritie A description of three chiefe vocations in this life IN the Courte Basile this verse is founde written in golden letters Tu supplex ora tu protege tuque labora that is Praye thou vppon thy knees defende thou and laboure thou In this verse thrée chiefe vocations of this life are set forthe The Ecclesiasticall state the politique state and the state of the subiectes The picture of a good magistrate among the auncientes THe Emperours of Germanie among the auncientes were painted after this sorte holding in one hand a booke and in the other a sword Wherby antiquitie signified that Emperours ought to be furnished with the skill of lawes and weapons For the sworde without lawe is tirannie This picture was thus set forthe for the benefite of yong Emperours rulers that they mighte be admonished of the chiefest parts of gouernment The modest aunsvvere of Charles the fifth touching his prayses WHen the Emperour Charles the fifth was very honorably receiued into Paris by the french King and with so great a triumphe as neuer in anye place was made hym afterward one of the kings counsailours pronounced before him a long and very graue oration wherin he made rehersall of many vertues and noble actes of the Emperour to all these things he answered briefly and very modestly that he lyked the oration bycause he had put him in mind what manner of man he ought to be Three things necessarye for euery Magistrate WHen Augustus sente Germanicus into Asia hée wyshed hym thrée things the vertue of Alexander the good will of men that Pompey had thyrdly he added I wish thée my fortune signifying that the exploites and victories won by him were gouerned by God The order of Charles the fifth his counsell THe Emperour Charles the fifth called not aboue foure or fiue to counsell euery of which he commaunded to tell his opinion Afterwarde he considered which were the best opinions and reasoned of euery one of them he did not forthwith conclude but deferred till an other time
owner of to morowe prolong not the time but liue meryly to day That the nature of man is vvauering and troubled vvith diuers passions THe noble Laurence Medices being in a very good company and deuising togither touching the natural things of man this man said one thing and that man an other wherfore he being requested to say his opinion he declared it curteously without any study in this maner Teme spera rallegrasi contrista Ben mille volte in di nostra natura Spesso il mal la falieta il ben l'attrista Spera il suo danno del ben ha paura Tanto ha'l viuer mortal corta la vista Al fin van'è ogni pensier cura that is A thousand times a day our nature is in hope and feare In mirth in sadnesse too and many times a heauie chear The good in hir doth work thâ—'ll doth eke hir merie make She hopes hir hurt losse for the good doth fearefull quake Our mortall life doth still but little see And at the end our thoughtes and cares vaine bee That Fooles cannot stand quiet WHen Solon was in companie and helde his peace according to his woonte there was a presumptuous fellowe that sayd to him that he spake nothing bycause he was a foole To whome Solon without otherwise altring himselfe answered wisely saying That ther was neuer fouÌ„d a foole that could stand quiet That abstinence is the defendresse of vertue SOcrates in Plato sayde that he that desireth to loue vertue as muche as he ought to loue his countrie loueth aboue al things abstineÌ„ce and fléeth will and appetite as Mermaides Epictetus the Philosopher comprehendeth the whole sum of Philosophie in these two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is beare and forbeare in the first he admonisheth vs that we should endure aduersitie with a stout courage in the seconde that we shoulde absteyne from will and appetite VVhat is the best and the vvorste parte in man ANacarsis the Philosopher béeing demaunded what was the best and worst parte in man answered the tong The same Philosopher was wont to saye that it was better to slyde with the féete than with the tong That Princes ought to see iustice kept CAmbyses a moste seuere Kyng caused a iudge although his very frend to be skinned who iudged accordyng as hée was brybed and not according as reason requyred and causing the iudgement seate to be couered wyth his skynne made afterwarde the sonne of him béeing dead to sitte vppon it in iudgement The same prince aboue his owne royall seate had in great letters of gold these verses written in effect The Kyng with greate rygoure oughte heede to take That Iudges the lavve do lame neuer make For if she bende and wreath aside hir face Both honestie and reason lose their place That true Nobilitie is deryued from Vertue POpe Vrbane the fourthe a Frenche man borne was of a base linage but very well learned and eloquente wherefore vppon a tyme the Kyng of Spayne vpbraydyng hym wyth his fathers vnnoblenesse hée aunswered hym after thys manner It is no vertue to bée borne noble but to doo noblye as I haue done is vertue and nobilitie The same Byshop giue fréely for nothyng all offices and benefices saying that he that buyeth an office muste néedes sell it That he is yong that is in health and riche that is not in dette VIncentio Pescioni a wyse and a pleasant Italian Gentleman trauayled in good companie and they chanced to reason among themselues on a tyme of age And he béeing asked howe many yeares olde hée was he aunswered that he was in health He being asked of an other howe riche hée was he answered that hée was not in det declaring that hée was yong inough that is in health and riche in déede that is not in det That good counsell doth ouercome an armie and that one errour causeth great ruine EVripides spake oftentymes this sentence woorthye of remembrance that in warre one counsell alone ouercommeth euery kinde of armie So contrarywyse an errour bringeth bothe thée and thyne to ruine Socrates comprehended in the same sentence not onely warre but all mannes lyfe And the moste noble Boiardo very trimly hath written héerevpon Sautamente si suol spesso vsare Questo nobil prouerbio fra la gente Che si bisogna molto ben guardare Dal primo errore inconueniente E sempre mai con l'arco teso stare Sempre mai esser cauto prudente Diligente suegliato accorto attento Ch'un disordin che nasca ne fa cento This prouerbe is wysely much wont to be vsed Emong the people that we ought to be heedfull Of the first errour and faulte not yet committed And always with bowe bent in hand to stand watchful Warie wyse diligent prudent and aduised That one growing misorder brede not an hundred That by meanes of suttle and pretie iesting men somtimes auoyde both damage and shame ONe Francesco de Semiuara was put in prison bicause he had playde awaye his substance at dyce for the which he beyng sorowfull sayd This Maior putteth me in pryson bicause I haue played myne own what wold he doo if I had playde his The Maior hearing this pleasant saying caused him to be taken out of prison and forgaue him That it is more miserable to be borne than buried THe people of Thrace were wont to wéepe bitterly when their children were borne But when they were dead they accompanied them to their graue singing laughyng The whiche custome Euripides approueth in these verses saying The yong borne childe with teares bewaile we ought As he that is to greate miseries brought But he being dead and from troubles at rest For his short lyfe we ought to make a feast And carry him laughing vnto the graue That neyther for frendship neyther for any other thing vve ought to do things dishonest PVblius Rutilius a noble and seuere yong man refused a certain dishonest demaunde of a frende of his whervpon he béeing angry sayde vnto him And what néede I thy frendship then if thou do not for me that whiche I require thée But what néede I of thine answered Publius if I should do for thée things dishonest That in matters of lyfe and death a man ought not to put him selfe rashly into any mans handes THe moste noble Alcibiades béeing cited in Sicile by the Atheniens to purge himselfe of a mortall punishement woulde not appeare Wherfore a Sicilian sayde to him What bée you in doubt of your chieftayns I wil not in this case aunswered Alcibiades truste to my mothers iudgement what doo I knowe whether shée wil take the black for the white or no That the fashion of the nose doth sufficiently declare the nature of a man THe Persians loued bending noses whiche the Gréekes call Grypi and they loued them so bycause Cyrus whome they loued aboue all other their kings had a nose of that fashion But there be two sortes of Grypi
maruelling at so great a summe were sorie that they put it into his handes shewing him that Donatello a man so excellent asked but fiftie to do it Lastly they béeing not able to agrée among themselues they remitted the matter to Donatello who by by gaue iudgement that the counsellors shuld pay Iohn thréescore ten crounes Then the Counsellers being moued remembring that he himself would haue ben contented to doe it for fiftie Donatello courteously sayd It is true and I was wel contented bicause I myght haue doone this image béeyng the workeman I am in lesse than a moneth but this poore man that scarsly can be my scholer hath ben about it aboue six months Hereby at one instant he wittyly reuenged himself of the iniurie receyued of the counsellors and reproued the other for insufficiencie and worthyly praysed himselfe for his vertue That some are sorovvfull for things that make other ioyfull ONe of Perugia was sorowfull and wepte miserably bycause his wyfe hanged hir selfe on a Figtrée To whome a neyghbor of his whispering in his eare sayd Frend how is it possible that in so great prosperitie thou fyndest teares to wéepe Giue me I praye thée a graffe of that Figtrée for I wold plant him in my gardeÌ„ to sée what my wyfe can do That subtiltie vsed in season is sometymes an incredible helpe THere was in Andwerpe an excellent aduocate which had takeÌ„ in hand to defende as the manner is a man of a most wycked life when he was before the Iudges he sayde to the iusticer who taketh parte agaynst the persons arrained and who also was desirous to haue that fellowe hanged Sir be you content that I defend this honest man I am coÌ„tent sayd the Iusticer Then the aduocate turning to the Iudges sayd Marke Sirs this maÌ„ ought not to be haÌ„ged for the Malgraue himselfe such is the title of the Iusticer that hath accused him and that soughte for his life hath consented that he is an honest maÌ„ and honest men as you knowe are not hanged VVhy fortune is blynde foolishe and foule THe Philosophers say that fortune is blind foolishe and soule Blynde bycause she séeth not where she throweth hir selfe Foolishe for that she is variable vncertain vnconstant Foule for that she is wicked gréedye and dishonest Wherefore the moste learned Alciate to this purpose sayth When yong Octauian had woon Brutus in the fielde Before he kild himself with sword imbrude with blod He cryed maynly now doth haplesse vertue yeelde Vanquisht alone by gredie fortune naught and wood That the common people doe bevvraye themselues bothe by their deedes and vvordes WHen vpon a tyme a ioyfull feaste was to bée made in Florence for some good newes a woollen weauer intending to haue himselfe knowne and to appeare honourably after his maner at the sightes and playes caryed foorth his wyues clothes to the intent to lende them to some vse His wyfe makyng muche a doe for this the husbande sayd Hold thy peace thou wayward woman for to doe my selfe honour Chiasso is a stinking lane in Florence I will not onely sende out thy cloathes but also put thée in Chiaslo The Bay tree hath diuers and noble vertues and significations THe Bay trée is consecrate to Apollo bycause hée running after Daphnis a verye fayre damsel of whom he was enamored she through feare recommended hir selfe to Iupiter and hée for pitie tourned hir into a Baye trée Whervppon from that tyme forwarde Phoebus tooke some of the braunches to trim his harpe and weareth them alwayes about his forhead And also it is consecrate to him for that he is the god of diuination bicause that if one put the leaues therof vnder the head of an other that sléepeth it maketh him to dream of true things And the bay trée euer groweth gréen like vnto vertue which is always gréen And alone among all other trées is safe from lightning as vertue alone is safe from enuie And it is called Laurell of laude and so in old tyme it was called by reason that the auncient Gréekes and afterward the Romains did with maruellous prayse trimme the temples of those conquerors that did enriche or defend the weale publike euen as they also trimmed those Poets which excellently did sette foorth the vertues of other Wherefore the famous Petrarcha whiche was called to so greate honour at Rome sayth Le corone de flori alle donzelle Quelle d'alloro a' Cesari e poeti Si danno e gli ornan come l'cielle le stelle The crownes of floures of virgins pure are worne But them of bayes the Cesars heades adorne The same also are vnto Poets giuen Trimming the temples as the starrâ—â— do heauen Hovv one may receyue commoditie euen of his enimies ANtisthenes sayd other attribute it to Xenophon that a man oughte to marke that which his enimies say for they be the fyrste that knowe his errours And he added that as the good Phisitian taketh some remedies euen of serpents so ought the wyse man take some profite euen of his enimies That Fortune for the continual turning of hir vvhele suffreth no maÌ„ in the highest degree to rest in quiet PEter of Albizâ— being in so great worship in Florence that he surpassed all other citizens of long tyme bothe for authoritie and prosperitie it hapned that he makyng a goodly banket to many of his friendes there was sente to him a bolle of siluer full of confites and among them lay hidden a nayle The whiche nayle laye afterwarde vncouered and being séene of all the feasters it was interpreted that hée was put in remembraunce that hée stayed the whéele of Fortune bycause she hauing broughte him to the highest it coulde not be but that if she continued to make hir wonted compasse she wold turne him downe to the bottom The which interpretation was first verified by his ruine and afterwarde by his violent death Wherfore wisely sayth Solon that none can be called happie vntill he happily die That craftie men do couer vices vnder diuers colours WHen the Philosopher Aristippus was blamed bycause he lyued too sumptuously he sayd pleasauntly I beleue that it is no ill for if it were offence men would not do as they do in the celebration of the feasts of the gods That an vniust Iudge giues sentence on his side that giueth him the greatest bribe ONe of Pistoia béeing called to be an arbitoure betwene two that were at variaÌ„ce toke of the one a vessell of oyle with promisse to gyue sentence wyth fauoure The other knowyng of this incoÌ„tinently sent him home to his house a very fatte hogge desiring hym that he would be fauorable Wherupon the good iudge gaue sentence on his side that gaue the hogge Which his aduersarie vnderstanding ran foorthwith towards him and was sorowfull for the trust he had of him and for the reward he sent him the iudge pulling him aside sayd Vnderstande brother that there came into my house a hogge whiche fynding
That the deceytes of some vvomen tovvards their husbands are great and greuous WHen Henry the eyghte reigned there was in London a gentlewoman poore in goods but riche in beautie and very wanton She had twelue sonnes the first was hir husbands the residue other mens Nowe she falling grieuously sick and waxing worse and woorse was sodeynly in daunger of deathe Wherefore vpon a tyme she causing hir husband to be called to hir sayd vnto him William so was he called I must nowe mocke thée no longer vnderstande that of all these sonnes there is none thine but the eldest bicause I was true to thée but the first yeare The husbande was astonyed and all those children whiche by chaunce sate there aboute the fyre eatyng were at a staye The mother followed hir purpose and began to recken vp in order their fathers Whiche the yongest hearyng Oh myghtie nature not aboue foure yeares olde whiche had breade in one hande and chéese in the other layd down his meate and holding vp bothe his handes togither in trembling wise turned to hir and sayd Oh my deare mamme giue me I praye you a good father The woman commyng to hys father named a famous and a riche man Wherefore the boy béeing very mery and taking his meate agayne sayde I am in very good case séeing that I haue suche a father A shrevvd and pleasant rebuke of Diogenes tovvardes a vvanton yong man A Yong man very wantonly attired asked Diogenes concerning some matter who sayde to him I am not to answer thée except thou first lift vp thy clothes before to the end that I maye sée whether thou be a male or a female before I tell thée myne opinion That ouermuch talke is very troublesome to the hearers APollonius blaming ouermuche speaking sayde If these lothsome babblers did receyue so great griefe in their long discourses as they giue to other they would speake lesse A suttle crueltie but tyrannous and monstrous CAligula the Emperoure was a moste cruell monster who when a sicke man lefte him some thing by his will and afterwarde dyed not of that disease to the intent he myght be sure to haue his bequest caused him wickedly to be slayne saying that he had made a mocke of lyfe séeing that hée hadde lefte an heire behinde him Wherfore Plaurus sayth very well Man to man is no man but a Wolfe That prosperitie and aduersitie chaungeth commonly the nature of men ONe Robert of Pandolfo Pandolphini resoning of the prosperitie aduersitie of mē and how these made them much to change in nature and condition suttlely affirmed that it was no maruell For the comming from one state to an other sayd he is euen as if one woulde goe from one countrey to an other where of necessitie wée muste sende an other heire That a lyar is not beleeued vvhen he telleth the truth ARistotle being demaunded what lyers got in telling their vain leasings aunswered nothing else but that when they tel the truth they are not beléeued The customes of Princes are diuers according to the diuersities of their natures POpe Nicolas the third of the Orsini a man learned and very well manered banished out of Rome aduocates proctours notaries and that lyke generation saying that they liued by poore mennes bloud But Martin the fourth his successour caused them to returne agayn as soone as he was made Pope saying prouerbially that they were good men to drawe water to his mill VVhen a man of all other liuing creatures is the best and vvhen the vvorste ARistotle sayd that it is a priuiledge of nature that the Lyon is not cruel to the Lion not the Leopard to the Leopard not the Tiger to the tiger not finally the Dragon to the dragon vse violence but that euery kynd of brute beasts doth peaceably assemble togither and fyght against other kinde of lyuing creatures vnlike to them Only man sayde he moreouer doth persecute mā so that he alone of al other creatures in his kinde cannot lyue in safetie Wherfore Aristotle to this purpose prudently sayd that euen as a man when he is ruled by reason is of all other liuing creatures the best so when he is not ruled thereby is of all the worst That vnreasonable demaundes deserue foolish aunsvveres PLautius pleading and crying out in a certain controuersie asked Cestius with a loud voyce for what cause a glasse falling downe shoulde breake and not a spunge To whome Cestius accordinglye aunsweared and for for what cause doe thrushes flye hygher than boates That many persons doe foolishly and to be mocked that abate their age ONe in the pesence of Cicero sayd that hée was thirtie yeares olde Cicero answered it is true for it is more than twelue yeares past since I hearde him speake it And to an other that to the ende he might seeme yong rehersed many follies of his age hée sayde When we studied logike togither thou wast not borne That pouertie maketh a man safe euen amidst murtherers HIlation of Athens was extremely poore and méeting théeues in a wood chaunged nothing at all but laughing sayd You are deceyued wherefore they asking him why hée laughed and wherefore he was not afrayde as other were he answered bicause I am naked I am not afrayde That husbandes oughte to giue credite to theyr vviues that their children be their ovvne BArnarde Amidei was sorrowfull bycause it was reported that his onely sonne was not his but an other mans wherefore Petrarche his friende pleasantly reproued hym saying Thou oughtest rather beléeue thy wife than an other bicause that she knoweth it better than any other And to this purpose I will tell you a pleasant tale It is not long agone since there was at Siena a noble man whiche had a very faire wyfe but somewhat suspected of vnchastitie So they hauing one onely sonne it chaunced that the mother had him one daye in hir armes and played wyth him wherefore the father séeing him looked now on him now on hir sighing in such sorte that the woman asked him why he sighed I wold spend said he sighing afresh the moytie of that I haue to knowe certainly that thys chyld were myne as thou knowest that hée is thyne To so straunge a saying the woman without chaunging hir countenaunce answered You néede not pay so muche if you will giue mée the value of a thousande ducates I will certifie you The husbande thynking it impossible to bée certified promised largely Wherefore certaine of their kinsfolke being called to be iudges and the case béeing tolde them the wyfe tooke the chylde in hir armes and turning vnto hir husbande sayde Sir you confesse that this little infante is myne is it not true I do cōfesse it sayd he but what of this Then she reaching hym foorth to hym added moreouer Holde héere for I wil gyue him to thée Now be you sure that he is yours The kynsfolke béeing very wel satisfied with laughter commended greatly the wyse woman and worthyly condemned the man
VVhat kynde of men are most noble DIogenes béeing demaunded who were the noblest men in the worlde he aunswered Those whych despise riches glory pleasures and fynally lyfe And whiche ouercome the thinges contrary to these To wit pouertye infamie grief and death enduring them with an vnconquerable courage And Socrates béeing demaunded what Nobilitie was he aunswered temperance of the mynd and body That it belongeth to a Princes magnanimitie to forgiue offences receyued in baser Fortune BY reason that king Charles the eight dyed wythoute heyres males the Croune of Fraunce came by succession to Lewes Duke of Orliens Now when some of his fauourers had maliciously put hym in remembraunnce that the tyme was come to reuenge the miseries that were doone him when he was duke he answered with a valiant courage That it belonged not to the duke of Orliens that the king of Fraunce shoulde reuenge his wrathe and grudge That the diuine maiestie is a thing to men incomprehensible SImonides the Philosopher béeing asked of Hiero the tyrant what maner thing GOD was tooke one days respite to make answer the nexte daye he tooke two days afterwarde foure days so doubling the tyme. In the ende Hiero asked him for what cause hée made no answere but stil asked longer tyme. Bicause the more I thinke vpon this sayd Simonides the darker I finde the thing and the more I confounde my selfe therin And the most percing Dant wysely sayth Matto è chi spera che nostra ragione Possa transcurrer l'infinita via Che tiene vna sustantia in tre persone State contenti humana gente al quia Che se potuto baneste veder tutto Mestier non era partorior Maria. that is He is vnwyse that thynkes his witte so sure That it maye ouerrunne the endlesse way Which holdes in persons three one substance pure With things belowe O men contented stay And yf you had ben able all to see Then Mary needed not deliuered bee That a mans goodnesse appeareth in euery fortune ONe Amerigo Zati intending to buy a slaue in Constantinople sayde to him If I buye thee wilte thou be honest and althoughe you buy me not answered he I will be honest That the maliciousnesse of mans nature hath nede of matter to vvork vpon ONodemus Chius hauing ouercome a certain conspiracie was counselled by them that tooke his part to banishe all his aduersaries out of the Citie But he wysely aunswered I shall saue my selfe very well as I am for if all my enimies goe awaye and matter sayle to exercise the spitefulnesse of mans nature discorde and debate woulde soone aryse among our frendes That some kynde of follies are pleasant and delectable ONe Atheus became so madde that he told all men that he was the owner of all the ships that belonged to Pireus So when they came home withoute asking whether anye made a good voyage or not with maruellous ioy he assembled them togither lykewise wheÌ„ they departed with infinite remembraunces and lessons he licenced them Wherfore wheÌ„ afterwarde by the diligence of his kinsfolke and frendes he was healed of that humoure by good Physitions he pleasantly sayd Doutlesse my freendes you haue me slayne Sith you haue taken from me all pleasure In dravving me by force from so svveete an errour That it is moste profitable in the state of vvedlocke seldome to gather the frutes of matrimonie LIcurgus béeing demaunded for what cause he forbad by his lawes that the husbande should not sléepe with the wife but wold that the one and the other should spende most part of the day and night with their equals that they should not but now and then and priuily come togither he aunswered for thrée causes first bicause they should be the lustier not vsing carnal copulation superfluously Secondly bycause loue betwene them should be always fresh and liuely Thirdly bicause their children shoulde be the stronger Salomon sayeth that there be three soueraigne goods of Matrimonie concorde fayth and ofspring That vvisedome and experience is more to be required in a captayn than strength and outvvarde shevve of body WHen a Captain was to be chosen in Athens for some greate enterprise the rulers brought to Isocrates and Timotheus one Charetes a strong and lustie man but vnskilfull and rashe saying Suche a personage is fit to be a captaine No by God he shall not sayd Timotheus but he shal bear the captains cloake and harneis bycause he oughte to bée made a captain that séeth very well that whiche hée hathe béefore hym and that whyche he hathe behynde hym And Epaminondas of Thebeâ— seing a gret armie without a captain that is without a valiant generall sayd Oh what a greate beast is there here without a head And Chabrias of Athens after Erasmus others attribute this to others to lyke purpose sayde that sentence woorthie of remembraunce That an hoste of hartes is more to be feared that is ruled by a Lion than an host of Lions ruled by an Hart. That the victorie and luckynesse of the armie do depend of the captiaines vertue and manhood THe Numantines very warlike men being discomfited put to flighte by Scipio Emilianus their elders reprouing them for theyr cowardnesse said Are not these the same Romain shéepe that we before this haue so many tymes ouercome vanquished To whom one of the yong men aunswered It is true that they be the same shéepe but they haue chaunged their shepherde That it is a detestable and a foul thing to suffer gold to beare rule in euery thyng PRopertius detesting the great couetousnesse that raigned in his tyme setteth it foorthe effectually in this sort saying Novve this may vvell be called a vvorlde of golde Bicause thervvith all things are bought and solde For golde thou shalt be lou'de and set alofte For gold thou shalt a vertuous man be thought For golde is loue and honoure also gotten For gold is faith for golde the lavves are broken And Alamanno describing the very same infirmitie of our tymes sayth J gran perigli â—lung hi error d'Vlysse Scilla Cyclopi Harpie Syrte Syrene Di cui per mille gia si disse scrisse Son quasi nulla a gran trauagli pene C'hoggi parte maggior del mondo cieco Sol per oro acquistar qua giu ' sostiene Vlysses daungers great and vvandrings long The Scyls the Cyclops the Syrtes and Marmaydes song Of vvhich a thousande earst did speake and fayne As none are to the trauayles great and payne That now most parte of this blinde world and vayne Doth here belowe in getting golde sustayne That liberalitie and clemencie are the best instruments to rule POntanus said that they which desire to rule ought to haue two things in minde the one to be liberall the other to be gentle Bicause that Prince sayth he which vseth liberalitie and gentlenesse maketh his enimies his friends the vnfaythfull faythfull he purchaseth other friends he winneth loue and fauour euen of the inhabitaunts of
Dionysius the tyrant was put in an yron cage lyke a wylde and cruell beast But first his nose and eares were cut of an eye and al his téeth pulled out and his forhead marked with a hot yron Thus dayly the executioners tormentyng him in the syghte of the people made hym liue and dye Wherevppon certayne fréendes of hys vpon a tyme aduysed hym that hée ceassyng to eate and drynke shoulde giue place to so greate infirmitie and â—nd hys lyfe But he not yet astonyed answered A man ought alwayes to hope well as long as he hath lyfe which as the most learned Erasmus sayde may bée an example to those whiche through euery misfortune will furiously run to the halter That men of a readie vvitte do easyly ridde themselues of vnreasonable demaundes SEruius Geminus going on a daye to visite Lucius Mallius a moste excellent paynter and séeyng hys chyldren verye deformed coulde not refrayn but sayd that he maruelâ—ed excedingly that he made so faire pictures and so foule children To whome Mallius redily aunswered saying maruell not Seruius for I make pictures in the day and children in the night That a man ought not to seeke reuenge and ought to dispise all temporall thinges MArsilius Ficinus sayd that patience is so muche to be praysed as impatience to be dispraysed that a wise man oughte not to be moued with the voice of the people which crieth reueÌ„gement reuengemeÌ„t bycause the people is a beast with many féet without a head He sayd moreouer that he which hath a noble stomacke ought to dispise things of short continuance and that all Temporall things are but for a while of the whiche the time passed wil be no more the time to come is not yet and the present time is as it were indiuisible bycause it beginneth and endeth at one instaÌ„t That vvine ought to be vvatered PLato warneth vs that for the helth of body and mynde we should temper Bacchus as a drunken God with the Nimphes as sober Goddesses the whiche Meleager confirmeth with his Epigram thus interpreted The Nimphes did Bacchus wash when he a boy had lepte Out of the fire vvith ashes foule vvho yet vvas couered kepte Wherfore a friende vnto the Nimphes is Bacchus vvood But he like is to fire except thou lay his burning mood And Propertius trimly sayth Vino forma perit vino corrumpitur aetas That is By vvine beautie fadeth and grace is defaced That to haue many enimies is lesse daungerous than to haue one alone A Certayne man perceyuing that he had through his wickednesse hurt a thousand persons both in good name and substaunce was wont also boastingly to say that there was no greater safetie than to haue infinite enimies bicause one looketh that the other should be reuenged and so none séeketh of them to reuenge But take heede sayde he of one enimie alone That the loue of the people is a thing of all other most vnconstant MAster Francis Petrarcha touching the vnconstancie of the people sayde thus faire wether of the spring the mornings swéete winde of sommer caulms of the sea the state of the Moone the loue of the people if they be compared togither the palme and the price of mutabilitie shall be giuen to the last Fitte meanes to come soone to a Monarchie ALexander the great béeing demaunded by what meanes he had in so short space gotten the gouernement of so great a worlde he answered with counsell with eloquence and with warlike discipline That a man can not excuse his faults in ascribing them to destinie ZEno of Cittium finding that one of hys slaues had played the théefe commaunded that he shoulde be hanged wherevpon the slaue excusing him selfe and saying that he ought to be pardoned bicause it was not his fault but destinie that he was a théefe Zeno answered and thy destinie is to be hanged and so he sent him to punishment That money letteth sleepe ANacreon the Philosopher hauing receyued for a gifte of Policrates prince of the Samians the value of tenne thousande Duckattes entred into so great thoughts and fantasies that he passed three daies thrée nights without sléepe wherefore he béeing afrayde with that sodayne change and with so great a discommoditie caried by and by the money to the king saying that he restored it agayne bicause it let him from sléepe The description of a man after Aristotle ARistotle béeing asked what man was he aunswered the example of weaknesse the pray of time the play of Fortune the Image of vnconstancie the subiecte of Enuy the stuffe of worldly calamitie the residue choller and flegme That the pollicy of a valiaunt Captayne is of great effecte and force in vvarre AVrelian the Emperoure going with an armie to the citie of â—iana found the gates shut and the inhabitauntes in defence therof wherfore he beeing sore displeased sayd If I enter into this citie I will not leaue one dog aliue The souldiers hering these words and waxing very coragious by reason of the bootie made an excéeding great inuasion so that Heraclemeon a citizen béeing afrayde for feare and for money betrayed his countrey When Aurelian was entred into the citie he caused Heraclemeon the traytour alone to be slayne Nowe the souldiours demaunding the sacke and spoyle of the citie for so muche as it séemed to them that the Emperour had promised it he who ment not so made them aunswere I sayde that I would not leaue one dogge aliue in this citie wherefore kill if you thinke good all the dogs that are here That enuy hurteth asvvell priuately as publikely ANtisthenes the Philosopher sayde that a man oughte principally to take héede of the enuie of his friends and of the wyles of his enimies and added hereto that euen as corne is purged from cockle and an armie knaues so ought the publike weale be purged from the enuious And the learned Palingenius agaynst this accursed plague of enuie sayth thus A monster vile is enuy doubtlesse ay A cruell plague a sharpe assayling griefe She vertue persecutes the good she rentes She spitefully backbites the vpright man She pardon none doth giue to friend nor kin And if she may due honor from him takes That in euery state or degree of men vertue is necessarie and moste profitable SOcrates béeing demaunded which liuing creature in the worlde séemed to him fayrest he sayde the man that is beautified with vertue Alexander the great was wont to say that he had lieffer to excell all men in vertue than in rule Democritus sayde some attribute it to Socrates that the rootes of vertue are bitter but the fruite very swéete and good for euery thing Aristotle commaunded that this moste noble vertue should be embraced with more feruentnesse than the louer embraceth his loue or mistresse bicause sayth he vertue is necessarie for yong men delectable to olde men profitable to the poore an ornament to the riche a glorie to the happie a solace to the vnhappie she lightneth nobilitie and ennobleth
was placed in one of the moste frequented stréetes of Rome asked almes with these words saying Yée that passe by gyue poore Bellisarius a farthing for Gods sake who for his vertue was renoumed and for enuie of others is made blinde To this myserie Fortune brought so greate a man Wherfore Petrarcha sayd very well Fortune doth neuer begin for a little When man a sport and mocking flocke is made That humain creatures do receiue diuers qualities and giftes of the Planets DIuers philosophers disputing togither of that whiche an humain creature receiued from the influence of the Planets grewe to this opinion that man of Saturne had his vnderstanding of Iupiter strength of Mars the mynde of the Sun vertue of Venus mouing of Mercurie sharpnesse of wit of the Moone the nature of generation The Physitions say that man in his creation receiueth of the Sunne the Spirite of the Moone the body of Mars the bloud of Mercurie the wit of Iupiter desire of Venus pleasure and of Saturne moysture The riche man compared to the Peacocke IVno is the goddesse of riches kingdomes to the whiche Goddesse the Pecocke is giuen to signifie that the conditions of ryche men are lyke the nature of the peacocke for asmuch as he euer climbeth vppon the roofs houses and vpoÌ„ the highest buyldings so the ryche man always séeketh for degrées of honour and preeminence and if they be not giuen him he taketh them The Pecock skreaketh and cryeth so the riche man lifteth vp his voyce and setteth oute his loftynesse of mynde The Peacocke is decked with fayre feathers he taketh delight to be séene and so is desirous to shew and behold his eyed taile that he discouereth his filthie partes behind so the rich man is stored with purple and riches and delyteth in flatterie in pride and in vaine glorie And whilest he goeth about to shewe hys bodie well trimmed well fedde nice perfumed he sheweth a brutish minde voyde of vertue full of foly and all vanitie That a mans vvordes are the image of his mynde SOlon sayde that wordes are the image of the déedes nay rather of the life of a man and that in a glasse the fashion of the body is not séene better set foorth than in speach the forme of the mynde And Socrates alluding so that opinion when a chylde was sent him by one of his fréendes bicause he sawe him examined him somwhat in that which he thought best sayd speake if thou wylte that I may knowe thee VVhat thing the people is PLato sayd that the people is a great beast lyke a huge giaunt according to whose appetite things are called iust fair and good and contrarywise vniust foule and naughte and not as they are in deede That vvine ought to be drunk moderately ANacharsis the Philosopher sayde that the vine didde beare thrée grapes the fyrst of pleasure the seconde of drunkennesse and the thirde of griefe The same philosopher being asked howe a man myght kéepe himself from drunkennesse answered Haue alwayes in mynde the lothsome fashions of drunkardes That iealousie bringeth foorth vvicked effectes A Certain old man of Paris called Claude hadde to wife a very faire and wise yong woman with whome he was maruellously in loue but he was so iealous that setting al other businesse aside he suffered hir neuer to be out of his sight and to Churche and euery where he folowed hir and watched hir so that the woman thinking with hir selfe that she receyued great wroÌ„g as she did in déede waxed very angrie and was determined notwithstanding so great watch to doe to him that he deserued and that which she in my iudgemeÌ„t would neuer haue done if he had bene a reasonable man So she casting hir eye vppon a goodly yong man appoynted him by meanes of a trustie mayde of hies to please hir desire as often as might be for the doing wherof the yong woman helde this maner She vsed from tyme to tyme to take occasion at night to fall out with hir husbande wherfore the quarel hâ—nging still she went to bed murmuring and lowring where when hir husbande came they held their peace til the morning Vppon which occasion of not speaking one to an other the wyfe afterwarde when it was time made the mayde fayre and softly to come and lye with hir husbande and she merily went into an other chamber to take delight with hir louer These are the fruites that ielousie bringeth foorth Wherefore Ariosto sayde very well Che dolce pin che piu ginconda stato Saria di qual d'an amoroso core Che viuer piu felice piu beato Che ritrouarsi in seruitù a' amore Se l'huom non fusse semper stiâ—olato Da quel sospetto rie da quel timare Da quel furor da quellae frenosia Da quella rabbia detta gelosia That is What better state vvhat more â—blent with blisse Shall be than his whose heart in loue is wrapt What life more happie and more blessed is Than to be founde in bonde of loue intrapt If man were not still prickt and led amisse With that mistrust with that fonde feare of his With that furie with that doting frensie With that wilde woodnesse termed ielosie A singuler example of continencie XEnocrates the scholer of Plato was a yong man of maruellous contineÌ„cie in so much that when Phrina a very fayre harlotte had made hir boast and layd a wager that she was able to allure him to lye with hir he was brought to hir bedde but in no wise for any prouocation or arte of loue which she pleasantly vsed she could moue him to yeeld vnto hir flickering enticements Wherfore these yong men that had layde the wager with hir asked hir for their gotten money but she readily answered them saying that she had spoken of a man and not of an Image That loue hath no lavve and maketh one thing seeme for an other MAster Levves Alamanni was in the company of honest yong men deuising togither of loue and one Peter of Gagliano sayde that he greatly maruelled to sée sometimes suche diuers likings in loue and that it séemed to him vnpossible that one shoulde be in loue with a foule woman an other with an olde woman this man with a cortesan common to euery man and that man euen with one that he hateth To whom Alamanno turning himselfe courteously sayde Chi vuol dar legge all'amoroso nodo Non sa ben qual si sia la sua natura L'un d'una cosa to dell'altra godo Chi lo spirto ama Chi solla figura Chi deletta la vista chi l'udire Chi s'foga ogni desir solo in seruire that is Who so appoynteth lawes vnto the louing â—inor What is his nature he well knoweth not One liketh this and I an other thinke most fit This man the shape and that man loues the vvit Some man great pleasure takes to see and some to heare Some man to serue doth
of destruction And addeth moreouer that as the smoke which shadoweth the eyes letteth one to sée that whiche a man hath before his féete so anger darkneth reason in the heade and that goodnesse which the mynde with the wit shall easly obtayne being obscured thorow anger it can not in any wise obtayne Chilo sayd that one ought to ouercome anger aboue all things for that she hurteth more than any ennimie adding moreouer that it is more manhoode to vanquish hir than any ennimie Wherefore the diuine Petrarcha to this purpose sayth Jra è brieue furor chi no'l frena E furor luago che'l suo possessore Spesso à vergogna tal'hur mena à morte Ire is furie short and vnto him a furie long Which letteth hir the bridle haue that now and then among The angrie man to shame she brings and sometimes vnto death And Ariosto héere vpon sayth Quando vincer da l'impeto da la ira Si lascia la ragion nè si defende Et che'l cieco furor sì inuanzi ira O mano o lingua che gli amici offende Se beu dipoi si piange fospira Non è per questo che l'erro s'emende Whan reason by rage and yre is suffred Vanquisht to be and is not defended And that the blynde fury rules the top sayle O hande O tongue that friendes hath offended And although afterwarde thou weepe and wayle Yet for all this the fault is not mended That Princes commonly vvil haue no admonition WHat a daungerous thing it is to admonishe certaine Princes of their vices shall be declared by the example following Vpon a tyme Cambyses king of Scithiae Persia asked Presaspius his Secretarie what the Persians sayde of him The Secretarie answered that they gretly commended him notwithstanding that he séemed to them to be ouermuche giuen to wine Wherewith Cambyses béeing cruelly angrie sayde I wil Presaspius that we sée whether they lye or tell truth thou séest there thy Sonne at the gate if I hitte him in the heart with this arrowe it shal appeare without doubt that the Persians do lye if I hit him not they may be beléeued And he leusing the bowe that he had in his hande did strike the yong man in the breast and the arrowe passed ful thorow the myddle of his heart Whiche when that cruell Prince had séene being very ioyful in iest sayde What sayst thou now Presaspius dost not thou thinke that these thy Persians haue made a lye But tel me also I pray thée who euer sawest thou better than I To whom that poore man fore abashed and now extremely doubting of himselfe answered God is not able to make one better than you That through crafte and vvarinesse a man is othervvhile deliuered out of danger A French man challenged a Geneuaise into the fielde bycause he did beare his recognisaunce in his shielde But the Geneuoise hauing readily bethought him of a iest sayde And for what cause finally dost thou cal me hyther to fight bycause I pretend answered the Frenche man that this cognisaunce discendeth from my auncestours and that thou hast vsurped it The Geneuoise asked what his cognisance was the French man answered that it was an Oxe head then said the Geneuoise we néed not fight for this bycause that my armes is a Cowes heade Hovve mans life is encombred and full of trouble and hovv pleasant and quiet ISocrates the Oratoure sayde that our life entangled with fortune is like to a greate violent floude to wit troublous myrie hard to passe ouer swift roaring during but for a while Contrariwise the life giuen to vertue saithe he is like to a noble fountaine whose water is cleare pure and vntroubled méete to be dronke swéete to folkes agréeable apte for nourishment frutefull and void of all corruption and naughtinesse That the sight of friends doth chear vp them that are in heauinesse as the sight of the Phisitions the diseased PHilomenes the Philosopher sayde that as the diseased séeing the Phisition come be cheared vp and comforted so they that are in heauinesse seing their friende come recouer courage and take comfort but that the frieÌ„d is muche more for the sadnesse of his neighbour than the Phisition is for sicknesse and therefore addeth moreouer that men in aduersitie ought to haue recourse of their friendes And Ausonius worthily confirmeth it saying Tristia cuncta exuperans aut animo aut amico In sadnesse all things ouercome with courage or thy friende That couetousnesse blindeth men HErmon was to couetous as Lucilius testifieth that when he dreamed that he had spent certaine money he strangled himselfe through excéeding sorrowe Dimarchus Phidon was like wise so couetous that being desperate for a certain losse receyued he would not hang himselfe for spending of thrée halfe pence to buy himselfe a halter seeking death better cheap And Hermocrates was through extreme auarice accompanied with so greate follie that dying lefte himself heire of al his goods Wherefore wisely sayth Bias that couetousnesse is the Metropolis that is the mother citie or chiefe Sea of mannes follie and wickednesse A vvarie ansvvere impertinent to the demaunde A Iewe béeing asked whether he woulde take vp a thousand Ducates if he founde them on the Saboth daye aunswered This is not the Saboth day and the money is not heere That mans doings on the one side are vvorthy of laughter and on the other of vveeping HEraclitus and Democritus were two most famous Philosophers the one considering the follies of meÌ„ did euer laugh the other coÌ„sidering their miseries did always wéepe Wherevpon one in the Gréeke tong made this Epigramme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The which that great learned man Alciate desirous to shewe that mans lyfe still waxed worse and worse hath playnely and pleasantly translated into his Italian tong after this manner Piu dell'vsato Heraclito ti veggio Pianger gli affanni dell'humana vita Perche ella se ne va di mal in peggio E la miseria homai fatta è infimâ—ae Te Democrito ancor piu rider veggio Che non soleui la tua man in'additta Che le pazzie son maggiori in tanto Che non è pari il riso meno il pianto that is Thee Herachte I see more than thy wont is The troubles of this humane life bewaile Bycause shee goes from yll to worse amisse And endlesse nowe doth miserie not faile Thee Democrite also laugh I more to see Than thou arte wont thy hande doth point to mee That follies are farre greater in so much That laughter failes and eyes their teares do grutch That a vvife to some is a very heauie burtheÌ„ WHen there was risen a great tempest on the Sea the master of the ship commaunded all men to caste the heauiest things into the water Wherefore a maried man incontinently cast in his wife saying that he had nothing more heauie than shée That vvith vvittie
all the residue Lette me sayde Phocion be still suche a one as he thinketh mée now to be and let him not goe about to corrupt me with money So he refused that money of the king knowing it to be full of craft and deceyte for his countrey That men although they be old and miserable desire for all that to liue A Poore olde manne caryed from the wood a bundle of stickes and beyng weary of that miserable lyfe fell down to the ground and as desperate called for death who forthwith appearing asked hym what he woulde haue To whom the oldeman seeyng hir so horrible by and by repented him and sayde I pray thée helpe mée to laye vp this bundle vpon my shoulders An example vvorthie of remembrance of loue tovvardes ones countrey WHEN there was in Rome an excéeding greate dearth of corne Pompey the great was declared purueyoure but in effect as lorde of the sea and lande he went to Sicilia to Affricke and Sardinia and gathering togither with a great borrow great plentie of corne made all the haste he coulde to retourne to Rome with the firste But the weather béeing contrarie and a tempeste appearing the Mariners vtterly refused to goe to sea with so great danger Wherfore Pompey first taking shipping caused the sayles to be hoyssed vp and spreade saying Necessitie constrayneth vs to sayle but no necessitie constrayneth vs to liue That giftes please God and men QVintus Fabius Maximus hauyng intelliligence that one Marsus his souldior a very worthie and skilfull man in the arte of warre was secretely in practise to consent to his enimies caused him to be called vnto him without shewe of knowing any thing or of hauing any suspition of him was sorie with himself he neuer asked any thing of him saying Why askest thou not wilte thou alwayes hold me for thy detter Afterward he giuing him a very faire and couragious horse and money and shewyng him many curtesies in the warre bounde him vnto him and made him moste faithfull Wherfore Ouide truely sayde Munera crede mihi placant hominesque deosque that is Both Gods and men beleeue me giftes do please That he vvhich hath chiefe authoritie vnder a Prince and is sodainly aduaunced to honour most commonly is subiect to enuie WHen the lord Cromwel a man of great wisedome was in greatest prosperitie and exercised his authoritie as some say verie arrogantly and proudely chiefly againste the nobles there was one of them who to shew him that he ought not to make himself equall with them and that he came in the tempeste of enuie and therfore shoulde perishe caused vpon a nyght these wittie Verses of Alciate to be fastened to his dore Crebbe la zuccatà tanta altezza ch'ella Aun ' altissimo Pin passò le cima E mentrè abbraccia in questa parte en questae Irami suoi superba oltre ogni stima Jl pino ride a lei cosi fauella Breue è la gloria tua perche non prima Verrà il verno di neui vt ghiaccio cinto Ch'ogni vigor in te sara estinto The Gourde did growe to suche a heyght that she Did of a loftie Pyne the toppe surpasse And whylest she beyonde all measure proude Did twinde hir twigs on this side and on that The Pine did laugh and to hir thus gan say Short is thy glorie for no sooner shall The winter come with frost and snowe yfraight But all thy strength in thee shall be extinct A meete ansvvere for spitefull speche WHen a man of most wicked life caste Diogenes in the téeth that he had béen in times past a forger of false money he answered saying I knowe that the time hath béene when I was suche a one as thou arte nowe but suche a one as I am nowe thou wilt neuer be That the arrogancie of some presumptuous persons is oftentimes scorned by the promptnesse of an other MAister Frauncis Pescioni and a certaine Gréeke discoursed togither of dyuers things and in processe of talke they fell in disputation and in disputing they pricked one an other so that the Gréeke arrogantly sayde With whom speake you thinke you know you not that I am a Gréeke and that out of Greece came all vertues Inferryng that of the Gréekes in time past other nations had taken them But Pescione who considered the presente state of that prouince answered wittily saying you say truth that al vertues came oute of Greece for it is not séene there remaineth any one at this day That fathers ought to make accompt of their children according to their desertes not othervvyse THe Philosopher Aristippus when he was reproued of some of his frends bycause he had refused cast off one that was his owne naturall sonne sayd vnto them What know you not also that sweate and lyce are engendred of vs and notwithstanding as things filthie and vnprofitable they are abhorred and cast away So ought we to do with children when they deserue it as myne for hys wickednesse doth greatly deserue And Marcus Antonius the Emperor and Philosopher when he was asked at the poynte of death of the standers by to whom he would commend his sonne sayd First to God almightie and afterward to you if he be worthie The same Emperour when he saw at that present time his fréends and seruantes wéepe sayde And why wéepe you and are not rather sorowfull for death common as well to you and to all miserable men as to mée VVomens counsell sometimes is much vvorth WHen certaine conspirators of Forli had slayne Earle Hierome their prince taken prisoners his sonnes and the Countesse Catherine his wife lawfull inheretrix of the state they toke and held the Citie with force But forasmuche as the Castle was kepte for the Prince and the Captaine not mynded to yelde it they thought that without it they had nothing at all preuailed whervpon the worthie Countesse quickly taking in hand a most noble exployt promised that if they would let hir enter in she woulde cause if foorthwith to be giuen ouer leauing for the performance of hir promyse hir sonnes for hostages Then after they were agréed the woman went into the Castle and came by and by to the walles reprouing the conspiratoures with moste sharpe wordes for the death of hir husbande and threatning them with all kindes of punishment Wherfore they taking hir sonnes and a knyfe in hande made as thoughe they woulde kill them in hir presence if she kept not promise with them But the couragious Countesse without changing hir coūtenance immediatly taking vp hir clothes before with fierce looke sayd vnto them And doe not you think that you play the fooles bycause I haue fourmes to make other so that they late espying their faulte lefte behynde them those hir sonnes and in hast as it seemed best to them sled out of the citie That couetousnesse is a thyng monstrous and pestiferous BOiardo when he sawe a neyghbour of his a verie riche man broughte thorough