which obserueth an other mans aduersity as a thing that may be fall vnto himselfe is already armed You will say I neuer thought that should haue happened vnto me And why not what riches is there that is not attēded on with pouerty What honour not waited on with disgrace what high aspiring without danger of a downe fall There is no estate but is subiect to change and that which happeneth to another may meete with thee It should be a long discourse and contrarie to our purpose if wee should recken all those whome fortune from the highest pitch of felicitie hath brought to the lowest step of miserie In such an alteracion varietie of matters if you do not thinke that all accidents may touch you you giue great power to aduersitie against your selfe which is wonderfully appeased by the wisedome of him that foreseeth it Surely our minds should be setled in farre greater quietnes if our actions did tend to those thinges that had a setled estate For hauing once attained it we shold at the least content our selues and reioyce in peace But for as much as all thinges in this world are transitorie and that there is nothing firme the remedie of hurt by our infirmitie is to foresee this not to afflict our selues with those things the possession of which is as disquiet as their search And therefore we ought so to affect them as thinges that may leaue vs and haue this foresighte that they do not first forsake vs. As it was once tould to ANAXAGORAS that his sonne was dead And hee answered I knew well that he was a man subiect to death We ought in like sort to be prepared against all chaunces My frende did not assist me in such a cause I knew that he was a man and so subiect to alteracion I enioyed a good wife yet was shee notwithstanding a woman He which in such sorte preuenteth the worst shall neuer be surprised at vnawares nor say as foolish men doe commonly I had not thought it To such the chaunces of fortune bring great affliction because they are not armed with wise foresight to support them A wise man in time of peace maketh prouision for warre Vlisses passed many dangers and labours and yet was he neuer afflicted with any thing but one trifle which surprised him on the suddain which was the death of a dog which hee loued well I may conclude with that which is commonly and truly sayd A man surprised is halfe conquered 4. Discourse Of the vocation of euery man IT happeneth oftentimes that many men considering not what they doe doe fall into a kinde of life painefull to beare more troublesome to leaue Which surely is a matter very intricate which had neede of great wisedome and no lesse patience and wherein especially they are to call vppon God for his assistance considering that in suche a necessitie patience and humility towards God is th' only remedy to ease our griefe Looke into the estate of Prisoners how painefull it is vnto them at the first to endure yrons about their legges but after they are a little accustomed vnto them necessitie instructeth them and vse maketh them carrie them with ease There is no kind of life so restrayned that hath not some comfort and refreshing And surely there is nothing wherein nature hath so much fauoured vs as that it hath caused vs to finde the remedie or lessening of our griefes in the patient enduring of them since man is borne subiect to all kinde of calamities We ought then to presuppose that we are all Prisoners of fortune who houldeth all men fettered and there is no other difference but this that some mens chaines are of golde others of yron We are all in one prison and they who hould others Captiues are prisoners themselues If honour troubleth thee riches vexeth other menne and if basenesse of birth afflicteth thee Nobility and greatnes tormenteth others a thousand fold more If thou art subiect to an other mans wil thou shalt see that he that commaundeth thee is Captiue to his owne being bondslaue to thousands of discōtentments and cares which thou perceiuest not To conclude if you looke narrowly into the matter you shall finde that the whole Life of man is nothing els but a kinde of bondag wherein euery one ought to frame himselfe in his calling and endeuour to content him selfe therein dissembling the euill he meeteth with and making vse of the good For there is no estate of life soe painefull wherin the patient mind findeth not some ease and contentment Albeit that art dexteritie be more necessarie in aduersity then prosperitie Industrie raiseth vp a familie in a small time And when crosses and encumbrances doe offer themselues wee ought then to shewe our vertue and dilligence putting our chiefest trust in God Ionas had good leasure in the whales belly to make his prayers vnto God which were not powred out in vain In like maner how harde and heauy soeuer any thinge is it may be eased and helped Limit alwaies your hope by the terme of your Life and iudge that many thinges though in their outward appearance they seeme different yet are they within very like in vanitie Enuye not those who are aduaunced to a higher calling then your selfe For many times it falleth out that that which we deeme height is a downefall And to say the troth those who haue liued contented haue not alwaies made the best Election But they who haue had the skill to carrye themselues prudently in the Estate which they haue chosen taking that which was euill pacientlie and seeking to better that which fell out crosslie Whervpon Plato compared the life of man vnto Dice plaie wherein he which casteth ought alwaies endeuour to winne and yet content himselfe with his chaunce Seeing that good euill is not in our power that we may notwithstanding take our fortune patientlie thank God that worse which might haue befell did not happen vnto vs. Those men that are of a slender capacitie yf fortune once blow with a prosperous gale vpon them are so transported with ioye that they know not what they doe and no man is able to conuerse with them and in aduersity they are so astonied and so sad that they are altogether beaten downe They are all like sicke persons full of anguish who can neither endure colde nor heate The Philosopher THEODORVS was wont to say that he gaue words vnto his hearers with the right hand and that he receiued them with the left So doe manye often times who take that Fortune with the left hand which is giuen them with the right It were farre better wiselie to immitate Bees who out of Tyme a sower and dry hearbe doe drawe sauorie and sweete Honny Wee ought in like manner out of this hard and painefull life to trie out that which is good and cast away that which is euill or at the least hide it Yea they who are exercised
the meanes somtimes to be at his owne leisure The grounde how fertile soe euer it be if it stil remaine vntilled be commeth barren in a smale tyme. Continuall labour maketh the mynde weake and wearie euen as to doe nothinge and to liue altogether at ease maketh it dull and heauy Recreation oughte to bee vnto vs as our sleepe which strengthneth vs giueth vs breath to retorne afterwardes more freelie to our labour But if wee did alwaies sleepe it shoulde bee a kinde of death and not sleepe They who in times past established lawes ordeyned certeine festiuall daies in the yeare that men night be as it were constrained to rest from their busines to sporte themselues after their laboures Yea in former age many worthy persons did appoint certaine howers for their recreation Asinius Pollio a greate Orator neuer tooke so great busines vppon him that he did not allot vnto himselfe the two last howers of the day to refresh himselfe during the which he would not so much as read the letters hee receiued from hys friends least they might bring him some new thought and care We read of others who laboured till noone bestowed the rest of the day in matters of no great moment The candles that are giuen out to those that serue in court do seeme to limit the tyme of rest and laboure There was a decree in the Senate of Roome which forbad that no newe matter shoulde be propounded the two last howers of the daye Moreouer when a man is ouer wearied with important affaires it is a greate strengthning and refreshing vnto hym to sorace himself in some open large place which seemeth to put as it were new life into him To conclude wee ought to delight in change according to the time and to take heed that we nourish not our minde ouer soft and daintily For in as much as of it selfe it hath great forces so that it bee kept awake and exercised It is not meete that wee let it languish and become weake For if once wee come to be impatient and tender all things are displeasing vnto vs meate goeth against our stomacke hunger gnaweth the belly sleepe displeaseth vs watching tormenteth vs and like vnto a sicke person wee still seeke after newe fangles Such daintinesse hath been the occasion that many haue not been able to endure not so much as those thinges which of necessitie they must vse in this life as sitting sleeping rising waking dyning supping apparelling thēselues putting of their garmentes and such like thinges which wee must dayly doe but haue rather let themselues pyne away and dye so greeuous a thing it was vnto them to begyn the same thinges agayne euerye day Such persons growe to such extreamities that they knowe not how to gouerne and nourishe their mind and keepe it still in strength and courage that it may bee acquainted with all things tast all thinges and disgest all thinges For in this matter there is the like and the same reason and proportion betweene the minde and the body And here hence it commeth that you shall see some men so tender that the least noise in the world disquieteth them And the ringing euen of a little bell doth anger them For like as vnto a fainte and diseazed body so it happeneth vnto a weake languishing spirite that whatsoeuer toucheth it payneth it 7. Discourse Of the choice of frendes FOrasmuch as necessarilie the life of man hath neede of friendes the aide of company for it shold be too ouerhard a matter too seuere to haue the minde alwaies bent vnto busines and it shoulde bee a thinge more greeuous to beare to enioye no person with whome we might take some recreation I find that wee are ouer negligent in the choise of them In my opinion we ought to take great heede to make choise of such as are of a milde conuersatiō who of themselues deserue to beloued and accompanyed There is nothing that bringeth so much contentmēt and recreation to mans mind as faithfull friendshippe For it is a singuler pleasure to finde one framed with such a milde minde to whome thou may so bouldlye disclose thy secret thoughtes whose councell maye giue you aduise whose mirth may exempt you from sadnesse and whose presence maye lessen your paine Wherefore it behooueth to make election of such friends as are exempt of Couetousnes and vice For Vice like vnto fier taketh hould of that which approcheth neere vnto it So that wee ought to doe as they are wont in time of plague or pestilelnce seperate those that are sound from such as are sicke leaste diseaze infection do grow by putting them together Yet herein I would not haue you to be ouer-scrupulous for seing that it is impossible to finde such as are absolutelie perfect wee ought to hould those in accompt as good who haue least imperfections in them You ought aboue all things to shunne such as are of a sad disposition who are still complayning and still dispayring yea albeit they did loue you well and were faithfull vnto you For it is a thing that woulde greatly trouble vs to haue such a friend who is alwaies pensiue and readie to sigh vppon euery occasion Seing that Friendship and companie is to ease vs of our care It were not fit to vse the familiaritie of such a one who in stead of reioycing and lessening your griefes should put you into vaine feares and apprehensions 8. Discourse Of Dissembling IT is a greate trouble and disquiet of minde to many men to seeme others in shew then they are in deed and a great torment still to haue an eye vnto them selues for feare least they should be discouered As often as men looke vpon thē so often do they imagine to be espied and in the end it hapneth that they lay open themselues against their will The care they haue to hide their naturall disposition is a hell vnto thē and to be discouered a confusion There is no such pleasure as to liue according to a mans own nature And a beit there be some danger to be lesse esteamed if it happē we be knowne Notwithstanding it were better to bee somewhat lesse set by and to liue openly then to take such care to disguise our selues cunningly albeit that there ought to bee me diocritie vsed in both For there is a great difference betweene liuing freely and negligently Which that you may the better vnderstand nature hath endued vs with two qualities The one generall which is that it made vs reasonable creatures and capable of discourse to vtter our conceipte wherein wee surpasse brute beasts the other particuler to euery one as to be inclined to grauitie to mirth to melancholynes or to any other humor Herein wee ought to follow our naturall inclination so that it bee not deformed or vitious as if a man were subiect to laugh ouer much it were conueniēt and necessarie to straine himselfe to correct this imperfection But in those
all other thinges which cannot be amended we ought to commaund our selues in such sorte that they cause vs not to abhor the companye of menne but rather geue vs occasion to looke more narrowly to our selues to the end we be not of the number of those who forget the duetie of a wise man and that the faultes thou dost reprehend in other men cause not others lykewise to note thee for them It were better to hould with Democritus then with Heraclitus Heraclitus bewayled the faultes of menne at the which DEMOCRITVS laughed To the one it seemed meere myserie to the other meere folly Soe likewise yt is better forvs when wee cannot amende that which is amisse by dissemblinge to appease it And surelye yt is farre much more humanytye to laugh at the common lyfe of menne then to weepe therat Yet shall you doe best of all concerninge the vices of other menne and the faultes which are publiquelie committed or done yf you keepe a mediocritye yf you neither make a iest of thē nor greeue ouermuch at them it beeing a miserable thinge so to afflict our selues for other mennes faultes that wee doe pine away with sorow and an inhumane pastime to make a laughing stocke or a scorne of them Now there are some that are not vexed nor troubled with these matters yet can they not beare with the imperfection of their friendes nay euen their enemies faultes doe greeue them Honor wrongs tollerating of menns humors tormenteth them The importunitie of their friendes the bad disposition of their seruantes and moste familliar acquaintance afflicteth them as we most cōmonly see it fall out dayly How much far better is it to haue patience in those matters sith that a man reapeth suche smale profit in seeking to amend them We ought to make this account that such menne as take pleasure to doe wronge are like vnto dogs who are borne to barke Wee oughte to attribute that to their ill nature wherewith all they are daylye sufficientlye tormented with continuall care which gnaweth their bad conscience But if you take occasion to stumble at all the euill which may happely bee in those that are about you you are vtterlye lost For if eyther the vices of other men or of those that belong vnto you do once come to take houldt of you and to caste you downe you will woonder how all their importunities and griefes will like an ouer-flowing water with a full course runne into your bosome as a mightie deepe Sea And without doubt wee shoulde shew our selues foolishly tender alwaies to afflict our selues if those with whom wee liue doe not looke vnto vs soe carefully as we desire The excessiue loue that wee doe beare vnto our selues doth oftētimes deceiue vs and the dayntines of our own estate is the cause that we cannot beare with the negligence of our seruantes Confidering not that many tymes they cannot nor know not how to doe better We doe expect that they should haue all perfections in them and we our selues commit a thowsand faultes yea and many tymes wee storme against our seruantes when our own bad condicions or the buisines we are about doth make vs froward and do lay the fault on them who cannot remedie it Another matter often-tymes doth disquiet vs and that is when we affecte any thinge ouer much and soe fall to quarell with our friendes about it For there was neuer perfecte friendship betwene whom there is continuallie a certaine emulation to obtaine the vpper hand Yf you doe make triall and by continuall exercise accustome to applye your selfe to tyme and to persons you shall easily gouern those with whom you liue purge those humours which you blame in them And if some times it seemeth impossible for you to beare with thē thinke it proceedeth through your owne fault and weakenesse Sith the number of those are infinite whoe haue conuersed and borne with men of like disposition For as sicke menne are woont to saie that they are out of tast that all meates are bitter imagining the fault to be in the meate or in the Cooke and vet when they see those that are in health eate thereof and disgest it well they knowe then that the imperfections proceedeth from themselues So in like manner as often as you call to minde that there are many others who willingly do suffer those angrie humors you will then confesse that the fault commeth from your selfe If the froward conditions of a wife doe displease you seeke if it be possible to appease her by faire meanes and by reason whiche if you cannot yet let wisedome teach you to beare them patiently and to dissemble that you cannot amend otherwise of your house you will make a prison of your ease a torment and of your honour a common song Expect not wisedome in your children which is propper to ould age sith that they are borne young which age bringeth many things with it which if you will on the suddaine seeke to make perfect you doo but bring disquietnes to your selfe And if in young trees you are contented that they only bring foorth leaues why then doe you looke for fruit of your children before it be time He which expecteth that which cannot be laboureth for that which he shall neuer haue The best is to nourish and instruct them dilligently without ouer-much beating or chiding if they make a faulte which by you would be taught with loue how they should amend 16. Discourse Of Iniuries Wronges and Disgraces There are some menne who can beare patientlye all maner of afflictions but they cannot indure an Iniury or disgrace the which notwithstanding commeth to passe rather because they are so perswaded of the matter then that it is soe indeede Concerning this pointe it will help you much if you can take this resolucion with your selfe to exempt your selfe from the common opinion and consider those things without passion which do disgrace a manne For by that meanes you shall see if there be any reason to take the matter soe hotlye as you doe There is a kinde of disgrace which wee do call wrong and that is when wee are greately crossed in our buysines against equitie there is likewise an other sorte which is called a Disgrace and that is when in our own person we are otherwise handled then is beseeming whether it be by word or deed Touching both the which you are to vnderstande that an honest manne is not subiect to receiue a wrong I meane not hereby that he shall haue noe iniury at all offered hym For there is nothing so holy but there are some boulde sacriligious hands that will enterprise to touch Albeit there are many whose tounges handes are not otherwise imployed but to violate the honor of God and to pollute and robbe his most holy and blessed Temples though that honest menne are not any thing at all the lesse assured and albeit that they ayme at them yet can they not hitte them For