to grow great The one to share what you have with the Poor and your Friends the other always to lay up for Old Age The on◠to be very Circumspect in talking the other to value your self much upon your Tongue The one to believe only in Christ the other to make it your business only to get Money If upon these Twelve Conditions My Lord you are willing to be a Roman much good may it do you but no doubt at the day of Judgment you will rather wish you had been a Plowman in Spain than Ambassador to the Holy See I will say no more but pray God to keep you and give both you and me an happy end Granada Iuly 20. 1525. LETTER XVIII To Doctor Micer Sumier Regent of Naples in Answer to several Moral Questions Magnificent SIR but Importunate Friend NEither is it Untrue nor am I Sorry for Saying and Affirming that as I make it my Business to Serve you you do nothing but Study to Plague me which is demonstrable in that you now send me a-new Questions never thought on nor I believe ever so much as heard of before Nevertheless I am of Opinion you do not so much Ask out of a desire to have 'em Answer'd as to try my Ability and therefore must tell you that on one hand your Letter caus'd me a great deal of Mirth and on the other no less Disquiet you being in some places extreamly Pleasant when in others extravagantly Curious I would not have you Proud because I say you are Curious since you do not fail to shew at the same time you have little else to do As it must be allow'd you are Prudent in most you say so it will as easily be granted you are over-capricious in what is said to you for should I take the same liberty as you have done no doubt you wôuld soon conclude I had either too much leisure or too little Judgment Nevertheless where you seem'd to Write but in Jest I am resolv'd to Answer you in good Earnest imitating herein the ancient Orators who were always wont to exert their Eloquence most where they found the least Occasion You first Ask me Sir How one Man shall do to know another so that he may either safely receive or carefully avoid him I Answer 4 ways By his Undertakings Productions Words and Companions For the Man that by Nature is Proud in Business Negligent in Words a Lyar and who keeps bad Company I am sure is neither fit to be Trusted nor proper to be Believ'd You Ask me How many things in this Life can have no Equal I Answer Four which are our Liberty Learning Health and Good Works For Liberty lightens the Heart Learning enriches the Mind Health preserves the Body and Virtue saves the Soul You Ask me What are those things that most easily deceive a Man and soonest ruin him I Answer Four Desire of having much Inclination to know much Over-experience of the World and too great Presumption of ones Abilities For too much Knowledge ends in Madness too great Wealth creates Pride Living long makes Men Negligent and Self-conceit renders 'em Unmindful of their Frailties You Ask me Sir What is to be requir'd in a good Judge I Answer Four Qualities That he hear with Patience Answer with Prudence Condemn with Justice and Execute with Mercy For he that is impatient in Hearing Foolish in Answering Partial in Sentencing and Cruel in Executing I am sure is rather fit to stand at the Bar to be Tried than sit on the Bench to Determine You Ask me What makes a Man Discreet in his Behaviour and Wise in his Words I Answer Four things Reading many Books Travelling many Kingdoms Suffering many Hardship and Managing great Affairs For to raise a Man to the true Estimation of Wisdom he must have seen the World been conversant in Books Undergone Troubles and Exercis'd no Ordinary Employments You Ask me What are those things a Man thinks himself frequently possess'd of and yet generally wants ' em I Answer they are Four Many Friends Much Knowledge Great Wisdom and Extraordinary Power For there is none so Great but may be Vanquish'd so Wise that do not sometimes Err so Knowing but are often Ignorant nor so Happy but have many Enemies Therefore we may well be said to have fewer Friends than we imagine To know less than we Fancy and in fine to have both our Power and even our Wisdom but very imperfect You Ask me Sir What frequently ruines a Man and from which he rarely recovers I Answer To Neglect his Business Forsake the Councel of a Faithful Friend To meddle with what he has nothing to do and lastly To spend more than his Income For he that is Negligent in what he Undertakes Rejects the Advice of his Wise Friend Concerns himself in anothers Affairs and Spends more than he has shall soon have a downfal and find no body to raise him You ask me what are those things a a Man would rather die than suffer I Answer in my Opinion they are Four Poverty in old Age Sickness in Prison Infamy after Honour and Banishment from his own Country For to be Poor when old Sick in Prison Infamous when Honour'd and Banish'd without hopes of return A Brave Man would sooner accept a Virtuous Death than such a Miferable Life You ask me Sir Who are those that both God Abhors and Man Abominates I Answer a Proud Beggar a Rich Miser an Old Leacher and Young Rakeshame For where Youth loses its Modesty Age its Chastity Riches its Charity and Poverty its Humility there can be no Virtue Cherish'd much less Practis'd You ask me Sir Who are those that may properly be said to have true Friends I Answer Four sorts of Men which are the Eloquent Liberal Powerful and good Natur'd For they who speak with a Grace give with a free Heart are wise in their Commands and Courteous in their Conversation shall live in every Bodies esteem and never want Friends You ask me What are the greatest troubles of this Life I Answer the Death of ones Children Loss of ones Estate Prosperity of ones Enemies and weakness of ones Friends For it must needs be a grear Torment to Bury a Child one has bred lose an Estate one has got be subject to an Enemy or have a Fool to ones Friend You ask me Sir What are those tryals wherein a Man commonly loses his Patience I Answer to Serve and not Please to Ask and not Receive to Give without Thanks and Hope without Success For a Mans endeavours to be ill Rewarded his Petitions Rejected his Debts with-held and Hopes Frustrated he may indeed Suffer but nevertheless can never prevail with his Tongue to conceal ' em You ask me Sir What are those things that sooner cease to be than care to be satisfied I Answer Four the Ears with Hearing Hands with Hoarding Tongue with Talking and Heart with Coveting For be a Man never so Old and Diseas'd his Ears are
two or three times over laying the Guinea's by themselves Crown-Pieces in one place and Broad Gold in another but of which they would not part with a single Piece either to save their Souls or relieve their Bodies It is the Priviledge of Old Men to be naturally Covetous Niggardly Penurious and Close and that not only in regard to their Neighbours but even to themselves which is plainly discernable in that they keep their best Cloaths to wear the worst sell their best Wine and drink the poorest and part with their best Wheat to eat the coursest so that they live poor to die rich and all that they labour'd to purchase whilst living is afterwards sold by Outcry It is the Priviledge of Old Men when call'd to Councel Weddings or at Church to take the upper end of the Table and propose first what they think proper to be Debated but still the mischief is that most are so very tedious in their Narrations and various in their Sayings that they rather exact Scorn and Contempt than Respect and Veneration It is the Priviledge of Old Men to Speak without being spoke to Answer without being Ask'd Give Advice without being Consulted Take any thing without being offer'd Go into any House without being sent for and sit down at Table without being invited which I happening once to reprove in a Friend of mine he answer'd Sir trouble not your self with matters of such small importance for you know well all Places are free to Honourable Age. It is the Priviledge of Old Men to be naturally Quarrelsom Passionate Melancholy ill Humour'd Jealous and hard to please and the reason is because through Age their Blood being cold Choler corrupted and Humours chang'd they take more Satisfaction in Quarrelling than Laughing It is the Priviledge of Old Men in long Winter-nights and Summer Holidays to sit down and tell what Countreys they have travelled through Wars been in Voyages made Dangers escap'd and Amours have had but yet they will never tell you how many years they are old or how long it is since those Passages happened but if you chance to mention any such thing they immediately turn the Discourse another way It is the Priviledge of Old Men to be always in Apothecaries Books often dealing with Physicians consulting old Women to be Skill'd in the Qualities of many Herbs to Understand Distilling of Waters Sunning of Bottles and to keep Pots of Physick in their Cupboards But notwithstanding all those of my Country which is the Mountains are much better acquainted with Vintners Buts than Apothecaries Books It is the Priviledge of Old Men to hate sower and love sweet things such as Dates of Oran Citron of Candia sweet Lemmons of the Canaries Marmelade of Portugal and Preserves of India yet I know some old Fellows so very healthy and robust that they 'l prefer a good Westphalia Ham to all the Sweetmeats in the Universe It is the Priviledge of Old Men to extol past Times and rail at present saying in their Youth they were acquainted with such and such who were Brave Resolute Generous Noble and Stout but now the World is so far degenerated that Men are all Cowards Niggards Lyars Misers and Knaves The cause of which Discontent is that being then in the heat of their Youth they liked every thing but now grown Aged nothing is pleasing to ' em It is the Priviledge of Old Men by Authority or through Necessity to wear a Fox-Skin on their Arms to dry up the Rheum and next their Head a Quilted Cap to suck up the Sweat Then to lie on a soft Feather-bed to keep 'em warn and wear at night a Linnen Wastcoat for fear they should be uncovered in Bed also a Scarlet one by day to please their Eyes and lastly a warm Stomacher to help Digestion It is the Priviledge of Old Men in Winter to put on as many pair of Stockings as they please Shoes with Cork and Hat in them and Galloshes over all They may also wear Woollen Leather and Fur Gloves all at once Nay they may at the same time wear Doublet Wastcoat Coat Surtout and Cloak and on their Heads a Cap Wig and Hat They may likewise lie on a Down Bed Quilts and Feather-bed and be covered with Blankets Rugs and as much Bedding as they please They may also lie in an Alcove Matted keep a Fire there and have their Bed well warm'd But still notwithstanding this the Wretches never cease coughing all night nor grunting all day It is the Priviledge of Old Men when they go to Bed to have their Shins scratch'd and Backs rubb'd and if it be a neat Old Fellow he sees his Breeches first well look'd and has his Legs stroak'd after which he cries to the Maid I pray thee Mary open the Bed and bring me a Dram. It is the Priviledge of Old Men when at home alone or awake in Bed they may think on their Youth past and all their old Acquaintance gone also how useless Age has made them and how little they are now to be valued The Memory of which often-times makes 'em Heavy and Melancholy because they see they must die without remedy and rot without redemption It is the Priviledge of Old Men to talk often with the Parson of the Parish about their Funeral and frequently consult their Lawyer concerning their Will But the Jest is there is hardly one hour in a day in which they do not alter their Resolution about being buried in this or that place and leaving what they have to this or that Body It is the Priviledge of Old Men to be known where-ever they come and heard where-ever they go that is by Coughing as they Walk dragging their Feet and many times by the Noise they make with their Cane but most commonly by muttering and scolding at their Men. It is the Priviledge of Old People to turn every Bit they eat a long time from one side of their Mouths to 'tother before they swallow it and to hold a Glass of Wine the mean while in their Hands so that their Throats being better at swallowing than Jaws at chewing their greatest comfort is to take two or three gulps with every Morsel for tho what they eat may be but ill chew'd yet then it must needs be well soak'd It is the Priviledge of Old Men to carry the Keys of their Money close in their Fobs and those of their Wine and Corn in their Pockets so that when they are to give out Corn to Grind or Money for usual Expences they frequently make the House ring and often spoil their Wives Dinners It is the Priviledge of Old Men to be peevish to those that ask how old they are and pleas'd with such as talk of their past Amours but the worst is they could even murder such as do not honour them for their years and yet are always angry with those that compute 'em so that they love the Respect due to them but conceal their Age
to be reclaim'd by Hellebore than a Jest. No more but God keep you and give me Grace to serve Him Burgos Febr. 8. 1524. LETTER IV. To the Magistrate Nunnio Tellio concerning the Qualifications of a True Friend Honour'd SIR tho Unadvis'd Young Man HAving read your Letter over and over I found in it many things worthy to be Answer'd and more to be blam'd for considering what you write and how you write it is impossible but you should weary your Pen and tire out your Reason You ought not only to have regard what but to whom you Address your self for Men of Quality and Slaves are not to be accosted after the same manner too much haste and negligence for the most part savouring of Disrespect Take it for granted Sir the Reader 's Authority is very much lessen'd by the Writers Assurance and therefore I would advise you for the future to sit down and consider what you are to say and how you shall express it before you begin your Letter for an Absurdity if it be folly to speak it will be much greater to write it Never begin any Letter of importance till you have first made a rough Draught of your Design for otherwise you will write what will certainly be laughed at and request what will as surely be rejected Sir you say you desire me for your Lord yet have chosen me for your Friend but I must tell you there is so great difference between these two Offices that were you sensible of it you would neither ask the one nor think of the other at the same time for where a Friend is engag'd at liberty a Lord is taken thro necessity a Friend serves a Lord requires Service a Friend gives a Lord takes a Friend endures a Lord blusters a Friend is silent where a Lord condemns and lastly a Friend Pardons when a Lord Revenges So that this being true I hold it impossible they should ever agree together you to be my Vassal and I to be your Friend In making me your Lord you must serve follow obey and fear me all which are both prejudicial to Liberty and Enemies of Repose so that you must often feel disquiet and likewise cause me some trouble It may also happen where I command you as a Lord you may think to obey me as a Friend and so believe your self justified where I am disappointed and wrong'd To ask me likewise to be your Friend is to require the greatest Slavery imaginable for I am thereby oblig'd to be yours all my life lâ—ng for true Friendship cannot be such where the Person belov'd does not continue the same with the Lover Friends are to be so absolutely united that they are to have but one Tongue to talk with the same Feet to waâ—k with and but one Heart to produce inseparaâ—le Affections in a manner that one Lise supports and one Death ends ' em It is very strange for one Friend to tell another He won't do such a thing or he cannot when the Laws of true Friendship oblige him to give all he has and do all he can In a Friends House ought neither to be Weights nor Measures Bonds nor Bills Property nor Thievry for there we may enter without knocking and take without asking He ties himself up very strictly that enters the Lists of Friendship for in such Case he has neither power to denâ— nor leave to excuse I cannot take him for my Friend or even a good Neighbour that when he gives does it by Weight and Measure and sometimes when I ask refuses me for where is the reason that he should not partake of my Wants who is the only Object of my best Wishes Seneca in his Book De Ira says A Wise Man ought to have but one Friend and likewise must take care he have no Enemies Which was well advis'd since Enemies are dangerous and too many Friends troublesome for the Rules of Friendship are so very nice that where many pretend few are able to perform ' em A True Friend's Motto is that He would sooner suffer for our Honour than be reliev'd by our Fault The Philosopher Mimus said He had a greater regard to the Love in his Friends Heels than Grief in his own Heart Also true Friends are oblig'd to have the same sense of anothers Misfortunes as they have of their own and at the same time are not only to be sensible but also assisting in a Remedy for otherwise where they accept their Tears they will have reason to complain of their Stinginess or Neglect The Philosopher Eschines being ask'd What was the greatest trouble of this Life answer'd To lose what one Wins and part from what one Likes Which was happily spoken for in the one a Man loses his pains and in the other his pleasure It is another priviledge of Friendship that we resent a Wrong done to a Friend in the same degree as to our selves for no sooner can he be afflicted than we are to be disquieted We ought to make choice of such as are Discreet to Advise and Powerful to Defend for if they want Discretion we shall need Councel in â—rosperity and if Power Relief in Adversity so that even amidst our Pleasures we may as well be lost as in our greatest Troubles ruin'd Great occasion has every Man for a true Friend who may assist when present and defend him when absent insomuch that he that has met with such a one may well boast himself possess'd of the greatest Treasure upon Earth for he is to Relieve him with his Estate Councel him with his Prudence Defend him by his Power and Correct him when he does amiss so that it is both his Duty and our Happiness to keep us from falling when staggering as to lift us up when down It is also requir'd in a true Friend to be both Discreet and Secret for if he be a Fool he is not to be endur'd and if a Babler may soon ruin us Our Estate Person Conscience or Life may be entrusted with a Relation Acquaintance or Neighbour but our Secrets must only be confided to a Friend It also comes under the Rules of Friendship not only to conceal all one hears but also to be silent of all one sees For Men have ever valued themselves upon holding their peace when they generally repent of too much talking Never must one Friend flatter another for the more we love the more we are oblig'd to Favour Defend Counsel and Correct Also never reproach for Benefits done but be satisfied with our bare trouble for a Reward for the Heart is never more at ease than when it has discharg'd it self honourably to a Friend Also in a dangerous Distemper we must not always expect a Friend should ask our assistance for oftentimes he may grieve long before he cares to complain Virtue has sometimes Friends and Prosperity is never without 'em but be they what they will they are both known in Adversity for where the better sort follow Virtue
and Immunities which are That they meet not in Churches but their own Houses do not speak ill of the Poor but Rich do not assist but hinder do not give but take do not Pray but Rail do not watch their Enemies but Friends and in fine who have liberty continually to defame but never to deal fairly Though this be a troublesom Brotherhood yet it is a sign of very ill Fortune not to be admitted of it for it is a plain case A Man must be very unhappy whom no body ever car'd to Envy Plutarch in his Aâ—othegms speaking of the Famous Grecian General Themistocles says that being once ask'd Why he was so Melancholy He answer'd I am Melancholy because being Two and twenty years of Age I cannot think I have yet done any thing deserving Memory since I find no Man in Athens envies me Ancient Authors relate the first Tyrant of Sicily was Herion the second Celon the third Dionysius Siracusanus the fourth Dionysius the younger the fifth Taxillus the sixth Brudanus and seventh Hermocrates of which Seven the Sicilians do to this day as heavily complain as the Grecians formerly boasted of their Seven Wise Men. Nevertheless the last of which Tyrants Hermocrates lying on his Death-bed is recorded to have thus said to his Son My last Words to you Son are That you never be envious but rather endeavour to perform Actions worthy to be envied These Words did not at all savour of a Tyrant but on the contrary expressed great Prudence for thereby he not only charged him to be Virtuous but also forbad him being Malicious I told you at the beginning of this Letter that allowing you had Provocation yet you had not sufficient Reason to be afflicted or discourag'd for it is a much lesser evil to suffer good actions to be censur'd than to forbear doing well There is little of moment to write from hence but only to let you know as you have Slanderers with you so here also are plenty of ill Tongues insomuch that some are so very virulent they neither spare God nor their King I have twice spoke to the Cardinal of Tortosa about your Business and if I be not mistaken he is to the full as forgetful as I have been all along careful We that live at Court content our selves with doing what is in our power where we cannot obtain what is in our will God keep you and give me Grace to serve him Valladolid Oct. 26. 1520. LETTER XVI To Don John de Moncada Describing Anger and Extolling Patience Much Esteem'd and Magnificent SIR IF you think I answer your Letters late lay the blame on Palomeque your Servant who is lame the Horse you gave him limps the way is long the Weather bad and I am very busie though I get little by it But however if he spends much time in coming and returning the chief reason as I suppose is that he is in Love and if so you might well imagine how much more intent he would be in gratifying the Affections of his Heart than expediting the Letters in his Pocket If you will believe me never trust Men in love for they do not so much care to employ themselves in carrying as writing Letters watching their Mistresses serenading climbing Walls and gazing at Windows I shall be oblig'd to answer yours more briefly I fancy than you expect and yet at the same time more largely than I can conveniently afford being at present engag'd to give my Vote at the Inquisition Preach at Court and Write every day the Emperor's Chronicle so that where I abound in Business I am very much abridg'd of leisure I swear I much rather envy the time many idle Courtiers mispend than the Riches they enjoy But to come to the purpose I protest on the Word of a Friend I have been as much concern'd at your Misfortunes as if they had been my own for as Chilo the Philosopher was wont to say we are not only to remedy our Friends Disasters but also to bewail ' em Agesilaus the Grecian being ask'd why he lamented more the loss of his Friends than death of his Children said I do not deplore the want of a Wife loss of Goods and death of Children because they are only parts of me but grieve the death of a Friend as he is my other self This I say Sir because since I cannot be present to condole you nor have power here to relieve you I am at least resolv'd to write something to comfort you for sometimes the Pen of a Friend is no less lenitive than the Sword of an Enemy offensive To advise you not to resent what you have so great cause to be concern'd at would give occasion for me to be thought unmannerly as for you to be accounted Mad Therefore my Councel in this case is that you resent as a Man and bear like a Christian. The best remedy were to let fall wrongs of Honour where they are done by those on whom we ought not to be reveng'd If under these Misfortunes you will rather act like a Christian than Gentleman you will not so much regard who offends you as lift up your Heart to God that suffers it and before whom you will find your self so very criminal that all you can endure is nothing in respect of what you have deserv'd You must also consider the Afflictions God permits to fall upon us are not designed to destroy but only try us for none are enroll'd in his Book but such as are fit for Sufferings when on the contrary none are entred on the Worldly Records but those that are addicted to Pleasure You desire me to describe and give a definition of Anger to try whether by those means you can Master the indignation you have conceiv'd It is very requisite to know what this Passion is and to endeavour to curb it accordingly for in truth oftentimes it is much safer to put up a wrong than revenge it Aristides says Anger is nothing but heat of Blood and a commotion of the Heart Possidonius that it is only a short fit of Madness Cicero that what the Romans call Anger the Grecians term'd desire of Revenge Eschines that Anger is rais'd by steem of the Gall and heat of the Heart Macrobius that there is a great deal of difference between Anger and Passion for that Anger proceeds from Provocation and Passion from ill Nature Plato that the fault did not lie so much in Anger as the cause of it Laertius that when the Punishment is greater than the Crime it is Revenge and not Zeal of Iustice but on the contrary the Crime exceeding the Punishment it is no more Revenge but Iustice. Plutarch says the Priviledges of Anger are not to believe Friends to be violent in Action have the Cheeks red make use of the Hands let loose the Tongue speak Maliciously fly out upon slight Occasions and lastly to hear no Reason Solon Salaminus being ask'd Who might properly be said to be in
these Conditions requifite in one that is to give Advice as no doubt they are we may boldly infer Counselling is a thing frequently Pactis'd but very rarely understood An unfortunate Man comes to ask Advice of his Friend on which perhaps his Life Fortune Honour or Conscience depends yet this Friend without either stirring from his place or making the least reflexion as positively directs what he is to do as if he had found it in the Bible I mention this Sir because sometimes you are angry and fret incessantly if I do not immediately answer your Letters and solve your Doubts As to what you write about Marcus Aurelius all I can answer is that I long since translated and presented it to the Emperor tho not perfect from whom soon after Laxao stole it The Queen got it from Laxao Tumbas from the Queen Donna Aldonza from Tumbas and your Lordship from Donna Aldonza so that you have all except his Majesty unjustly possest the Fruits of my Labour The News at Court is Secretary Cobos is made a Favourite the Governor of Bresa says nothing Laxao Mutters the Admiral Writes the Duke of Vejar Hoards the Marquis de Pliego Games the Marquis de Villafranca Bustles Count de Osorno Serves Count Siruela Prays Count de Buendia Sighs Gutierre Quixada Exercises and the Magistrate Ronquillo Lashes No more but God Bless you and give me Grace to serve Him Madrid Ian. 6. 15â—4 LETTER XXIV To the same wherein is hinted that a wise Man ought not to trust a Woman with any Secret occasion'd by Communicating a Letter of the Authors Very Illustrious Lord and good Constable DON Diego de Mendoza gave me your Lordship 's Yesterday written with your own Hand and sealed with your own Seal but I could heartily wish you were as careful in concealing mine as I am prudent in laying up your Letters for I know not whether by your Fate or my Misfortune I scarce ever write any thing but what all your Family soon knows As I am pleas'd the World should be acquainted I am your Friend so I am likewise concern'd to have any Secret of mine disclos'd and that chiefly where it is any matter of moment for when once your Wife and Children come to understand you advise with me in your most important affairs they will grievously complain against me if I do not always direct you to their advantage My Lady Dutchess lately signified to me some distaste saying I opposed the business of her House of Tovarle but which notwithstanding your Lordship knows I neither so much as spoke or thought of and I hope you will be my security that I value my self much more upon perswading Men to be Generous and Vertuous than by intermedling with their Estates You know my Lord whenever you come to confession or ask my Councel I always tell you a Gentleman is oblig'd to pay what he owes and distribute what he has and that it is both requisite to use conscience in Paying and to be Prudent in Giving If any thing more passes between us it is below your Grandeur and little suiting with my Authority to suffer it to be reveal'd for matters of so great consequence and which require so much secrecy tho' we cannot altogetâ—er prevent Surmises we may at least take care they be not throughly known Your letting fall some Words or dropping some Letter of mine must needs be the cause my Lady Dutchess was so offended and I do not at all wonder she should for neither understanding your Words nor my Language she might well fly into a passion till undeceiv'd Believe me my Lord Constable you must never trust Women with secrets for they will discover any thing only to gain a better reputation with the World I look upon those Husbands less Fools that hide money from their Wives than that trust them with Secrets for in Money they only hazard their Fortune but with Secrets they liâ—ewise venture their Honour The Consul Quintus Furius discover'd all Catilines Conspiracy to Fulvia Torquata a Roman Lady who told it to a Friend of hers and so from Hand to Hand it soon came to be known to all the City whereby Quintus Furius quickly lost his Life and Catiline both Life and Reputation Hence you may collect it is not only unfit to trust that Sex with matters of high concern but also to discourse of 'em in their hearing for as it is no advantage to them to know so it may be a great prejudice to their Husbands to have 'em known It is not to be thought much less said that all Women are a-like in this particular for many it is well known are Discreet Modest Virtuous and Close and some Husbands so very Weak and Foolish that it were much safer to trust the Women than such Men Yet without wronging the Ladies that are Discreet and can keep Councel to speak in general I affirm they are for the most part much fitter to Breed and Educate Children than to be confided in To conclude I warn you for the future not to talk before any Man much less Woman of those things we have debated and agreed upon lest it may both occasion you Trouble and me Disgrace There is nothing at present new at Court only that I am a little angry at what you did and something astonished at what your Dutchess writ Wherefore I beseech you as my Lord and command you as my God-son that you reconcile me speedily to your Lady or instantly discharge me your Family No more but God preserve you and give me Grace to serve Him Valladolid Aug. 8. 1526. LETTER XXV To the same containing many Pleasan and Profitable Remarks on Nobility of Birth Stature of Body Long Prayers and Tedious Sermons as likewise hinting the Brevity us'd by the Ancients in Writing Very Illustrious Sir I Received your Lordship's Letter of the 30th of September on the 4th of October in this City of Valladolid and considering the great distance betwixt us and short time it was on the way I am of opinion had it been a Trout it had come fresh enough Pyrrhus K. of Epirus was the first that invented Posts wherein he was so extraordinary diligent that having 3 Armies on Foot at a time in three several Countries and he residing at Tarentum News was brought him from Rome in a Day from France in Two Germany in Three and Asia in Five so that his Messengers seemed rather to Fly than Ride The Heart of Man is so very fond of Novelties that the more strange and new the thing it apprehends the more pleased and delighted it is for as all that is old nauseates so what is new still provokes our Appetites the more You that are Great have this advantage over Inferiors that you can soon write to what place you please and hear from thence almost as speedily But nevertheless I believe sometimes it so falls out that what is brought in three Days you would not care to have heard in
SPANISH LETTERS Historical Satyrical and Moral Of the FAMOUS Don Antonio de Guevara BISHOP of Mondonedo Chief Minister of State and Historiographer Royal to the Emperor Charles V. Written by way of Essay on different Subjects and every where intermixt with both Raillerie and Gallantry Recommended by Sir Roger L'Estrange and made English from the best Original by Mr. Savage Menos fuera LONDON Printed for A. Roper at the Black-Boy over-against St. Dunstans Church in Fleetstreet and F. Saunders in the New-Exchange in the Straâ—d TO The Right Honourable ARNOLD Earl of Albemarle Viscount Bury Baron of Ashford in England and Baron Keppel in Holland Master of His Majesty's Robes c. My LORD PRoductions of the Brain like the Noble Fruit of the Vine have always had the Fortune to be Coveted and Desir'd Yet how Rich and Generous soever the Crop the Stock it Sprang from could never have arriv'd at sufficient Strength to sustain its own Weight and Erect it self had not Art found out Means to supply its Wants of Nature by reclining it on and propping it up with Trunks of abler Plants So likewise the Generosity of the Great in all Ages has afforded comfortable Support to the Humble Self-dejected Writer without which he must have continued a poor Groveling Reptile expos'd to the Insults and Tramplings of Ignorance and Barbarity My LORD 'T is the Sense of this Necessity has so often given Persons of highest Rank and Merit the Trouble of this Nature and whiâ—h I must needs own has wholly directed me in this Address Your Lordship could not reasonably expect to lie hid after having been so Publickly and Honourably Pointed out and Distinguish'd even by the Wisest as well as Bravest Prince that ever fill'd our Throne Nor that the Muses should any longer forbear giving publick Testimony of their Satisfaction in the Advancement of Virtue and Merit Permit me therefore My Lord to Congratulate both you and the Nation in the Happy Choice of our most Auspicious Sovereign who has singled you out for a Title which receives as much Lustre from your Person as your Lordship derives from it The World may Envy but can never Blame me for this early Endeavour to Plant my self in so Rich a Soil as your Lordship's Favour where I may enjoy the Warmth of the Reflected Beam's of that Sun whose happy Influence not only ours but even the greater Part of the European World Rejoyce and Flourish under It was the Happiness of our Learned Author whose Version is humbly offered to your Lordship to be Favourite and Chief Minister to the greatest Heroe as well as Prince of his Time and in that Right My Lord he seems very naturally to have a Claim to your Lordship's Protection in whose Power it is to Introduce him to a Greater Heroe than any that Age could boast of A Prince whose happy Influence makes Virtue spring so fast at home and whose Prudence takes care to transplant Merit so from abroad that like the most curious Plants both Honour and Illustrate our Island Among these your Lordship must needs be acknowledged the First and Most Deserving even by those who envy your Fortune whilst the Impartial of which I am proud to profess my self one with Ioy Applaud and wish a long Continuance of it I am My LORD Your Lordship 's most Humbly Obedient And Faithfully Devoted Servant IOHN SAVAGE CORRIGENDA IN the greatest part of the Impression Page 1. Messeur for Messer p. 13. l. 22. Reber for Remember p. 14. near the bottom Antarxerxes for Artaxerxes p. 47. l. ult alwasy for always p. 131. l. 30. of left out p. 139. l. 15. consulted left out c. which the Intelligent Reader may easily reconcile there being 't is hop'd but few remaining Spanish Letters LETTER I. To Messer Perepollastre an Italian the Author's Friend in which he proves how ridiculous a thing it is for a Man to be Powder'd and Perfum'd Suspicious SIR but my very good Friend IN the time of Quintus Fabius then Master of the Knights Two Noble Romans fought upon a set Challenge and the one having cut off the others Arm the Conqueror thus spoke to the Vanquish'd Unsay what you have hitherto Pretended and Retract what you have impos'd upon me or my cruel Sword shall silence your Unlucky Tongue To which the Wounded Person immediately Replied You speak rather like my Mortal Enemy than a Roman Knight since you think I have not a greater Regard to my Honour than my Life for tho my Arm fail me to fight yet my Heart still encourages me to die in Vindication of a good Name I have brought this ancient Example Sir as a Paralel to put you in mind of what I am almost asham'd to Express That you Swore and Forswore your self about a Perfum'd Wash-ball which you thought you had left in my Chamber and which you would needs have me either to have stolen or to have conceal'd or protected the Thief And here you did not content your self with telling me the same thing over and over but were also pleas'd to write me a Scandalous Letter endicted I suppose by your Judgment as it was sign'd by your own Hand The Contents whereof were as full of unjust Reproaches as they were void of Breeding and good Manners Several Friends of yours as also Neighbours of mine have frequently inform'd me you went Murmuring and Complaining to every Body about the Black Wash-ball affirming that in my Chamber you left it and in my Trust you lost it so that by your Letter you Challenge me and by your Tongue Reproach me But with the aforesaid Roman I must tell you you neither speak like a Friend nor treat me like a Christian since you have a greater regard to a trifling Wash-ball than my Honour Sir upon this Occasion I have neither determin'd to take notice of your Reproaches nor to Answer your Letter with Heat for I value my self much more upon the Habit I wear than the Unspotted Race from whence I descend because I am well assur'd at the general day of Account it will not be so much Enquir'd into whether I behav'd my self like a Gentleman as if I liv'd like a Christian. The Arms that I do or would always fight with are these viz. The Headpiece of Patience Shield of Hope Sword of Abstinence Gauntlets of Charity and Breastplate of Humility with which I dare die and without which I will never live But still providing in this Case I am unwilling to revenge the Affront offer'd me yet it is not just you exclude me from giving my Opinion of it which I intend to do here with all the Candour imaginable and the least or no Reflection Whatever Men do rashly or unadvisedly in this Bad World proceeds from small Prudence and a superfluous Hope for Passionate People ought rather to encline to what Reason persuades than what Anger advises Seneca in his first Book De Ira says that 't is almost needless to give Councel
to an Angry Person for we know he has neither Ears to receive nor Heart to digest wholsome Instructions but what is yet worst of all the Words we only use to appease prove oftentimes means to fire him the more because by them we do as it were bring into his Memory the source of his Disorder I speak this to you Sir that for the future you may neither be a trouble to your Friends nor a scandal to your self for you and I both know that one Blot many times stains a whole Generation A Vulgar Person 's Crime ends with himself when a Gentlemans extends to all his Family It clouds the past calls in question the present and corrupts the Blood of all that are to come The Abbot Casiano relates that a Holy Monk of Scythia having been much Abus'd in Words and Actions by Pagans and Ill Men and at length being ask'd What Profit he got by his Christ The Good Man immediately answer'd Is it not Profit enough that I am able to withstand your injurious Actions and Pardon your Reviling Words O Noble Expression and worthy to be engraven in the Hearts of Men in indelible Characters since it teaches us the true value of Patience and how useful it is to Human Life How is he to be Esteem'd that Patience does not Govern What can he pretend to that can't endure Reproaches How does he live that wants the use of Patience Of all the Moral Virtues this is what we have occasion for every Moment so many and sudden Misfortunes happening in our Lives that to Suffer and Endure are almost of the same Necessity as to Eat and Drink Now if I had not been accustom'd more than you to bear with Injuries and put the best Construction upon Words at the same time you writ me such reviling Language and accus'd me falsly of so great a Crime I might have presently Answer'd your Bloody Challenge or sent some Body to have broke your Head and that as well to punish your Rashness as to vindicate my own Innocence What belongs to War the King is to determine What to the Commonwealth the Law What to Conscience the Confessor What to ones Estate Justice but what to ones Honour the Sword can only decide For if it be just Sinners Repent it would not be unjust that false Witnesses should be Punish'd But however remembring I am a Christian and no Pagan a Regular Priest and no Secular a Gentleman and no Yeoman I had much rather forget an Injury than Revenge it For as Alexander the Great was wont to say A Man had need of more Courage to Pardon a Friend than to kill him If you had pleas'd to slander me with Stealing a handsom Parrot a good Mousing Cat a Thrush that could Talk or Canary Bird that could Sing perhaps I had been Guilty and not Angry and you found to be no Lyar because these are Trifles I often ask of my Friends and if they won't give 'em I steal 'em But to steal a Wash-Ball good God! sure 't was what was never in my thoughts and a perfum'd one too as I understand yours to be Why if I had stolen it I could never have carried it away or at least given it to any body and that either out of regard to my Conscience or my Modesty To wear Scents and Pride one self in Perfumes although it be no great Sin yet it is a superfluous Charge and it would be much more commendable for so accomplish'd a Gentleman as you to value himself upon the Blood he lost in the Wars of Africk rather than the Musk and Civet he bought at Medina As all Women naturally have some unpleasing Scents they alone may be allow'd to smell well tho not to live ill for if their Manners don't exceed their Civet Bags they cannot properly be said to be Well-bred Let your Wash ball be never so well scented a F t will outsmell it for as good Fame travels rarely farther than a Kingdom Ill goes all over the World Be a Woman Married a Widow Maid or Girl she should live very reserv'd and take more than ordinary care of her Honour for it would be a great Folly nay next to perfect Madness to have her Cloaths smell of Perfumes when her Manners stink of a Whore I have travell'd many Kingdoms and liv'd in many Courts yet never saw that Woman that did not Marry for Perfumes or some such foolery and yet I have seen a great many Divorc'd for ill Customs and the reason is plain because no body asks whether a Woman be sweet or not but all whether she be Rich and Vertuous Let us now leave the Women and return to the Men to whom all the Philosophers nay Aristotle himself forbid Perfumes under severe Penalties councelling 'em moreover with moving Words not to Prink themselves up with Odours and Ointments condemning all that did it not only for Vain but Senceless Rome was 300 years without either Spices to eat or Scents to smell but after they grew weak in War they grew strong in Vice from whence we may infer that had there been no idle People in the World there had been no Vicâ—ous Livy Macrobius Salust and Tully begin and never cease to Curse and Lament the conquest of Asia by Rome for if the Persians and Medians were overcome by the Roman Arms the Romans were likewise conquer'd by their Vices and Effeminacies To make Sumptuous Funerals Wear rich Rings Use Arromaticks in Eating Drink Wine with Ice and Carry Perfumes for Scent says Cicero in a Letter to Atticus These are the 5 Vices presented us by the Asians in revenge of their Cities we had taken and their Blood we had spilt Greater damage had Rome by Asia then Asia by Rome for those Countreys the Romans had of theirs they presently lost but on the contrary their Vices are still like to stick close by ' em Escaurus a Grave Censor once in Rome said one day in the Senate 'T is my Opinion and Vote Conscrib'd Fathers that we should fit out no more Fleets to conquer Asia since you know where we kill but few of them they cause most of us to perish by their ill Customs and Habits introduced among us He that goes to the Wars to fight or into the Field to labour takes more care to maintain his Family honestly than to smell of precious Ointments from whence we may conclude that Idle and ill busied Persons take care to smell well but are careless of living so In the 320 th year after the building of Rome the Senate prohibited the Women to drink Wine and the Men to buy Perfumes so that it was an equal Penalty for the one to busie themselves in Smelling as for the other to be found Drinking Which Law were it now in force I am of Opinion there would scarce one day escape in which some Woman would not be Arraign'd for tho I will not say flatly They drink now as much as ever yet I am
confirm'd the Bitch bites full as hard as the Dog Further as to Perfumes Suetonius in his Tenth Book of the Caesars tells you that Vespatian being about to confirm a benefit to one of his Courtiers and smelling a very sweet scent about him he immediately threw away his Pen and tore his Paper and with an angry Countenance thus Reprimanded him I Recall my Grant and get thee out of my Presence for by the Immortal Gods I had rather thou shouldst smell of Onyons and Garlick than of those Effeminate Unguents Plucius a Roman Lord when proscrib'd by the Triumvirate was found out in the Salernian Caves not by his Footsteps but the Train of Odours he left behind him so that having otherwise clearly escap'd his Enemies he was meerly betray'd by his Scents Hanibal the Carthaginian having been in his youth a Prince of great Courage and Conduct yet in his old Age the Ladies of Capua and Unguents of Asia weakned him so in Body and so enervated the vigour of his Mind that from thence forward he was neither able to gain a Town nor get a Battle Aulus Gellius relates that the Roman Senate being in debate what Captain to send against Pannonoa and the Vote coming to Cato the Censor he said Of the Two you propose I am against my young Kinsman Pulius because I never yet saw him come wounded from the Wars but have often seen him go smelling to a Perfum'd Handkerchief about the City Fourteen years were the Romans besieging the Great Numantia in Spain and never could take it till at length Scipio came afresh and sent great Bribes into the City to employ their Gluttony busie their Whores and burn Perfumes and then they took it in a trice and destroy'd it as quickly Licurgus in his Laws commanded the Lacedemonians under severe Penalties neither to buy or sell Perfumes of Precious Ointments except for Offerings in their Temples or Physick for their Sick From these and many more Examples might be brought it appears that Men have always been forbid Odours and Scents for speaking truth there is but little Pleasure got by 'em when on the contrary a great deal of Reputation to be lost And I must tell you moreover this is a very costly Vice for it not only occasions pains in the Head but also a Vacuum in the Purse What causes me a great deal of Mirth sometimes I might better say Disquiet is to see many vain fluttering young Fellows buy Perfum'd Gloves of 10 Ducats a Pair for their Mistresses yet have not the Heart to give a Crape Gown to a Sister or Poor Relation Whence it comes to pass that in a Mad Man's House Fancy rules the Roast whilst Reason turns the Spit If Men would be Advis'd by me I would take care they should smell well without Sweets for nothing under the Heavens has a more Odoriferous Savour than a clear and Unblemish'd Name Let me conclude therefore with this Truth That a good Christian is the Sweet Ointment a good Conscience the rich Amber and a good Life the choicest Wash-ball which I 'll assure you I would only steal or carry about me No more but that God Bless you and give me Grace to serve Him Vâ—lladolid Decemb. 6. 1520. LETTER II. To Doctor Melgar a Physician in which are handled the Good and Harm occasioned by his Profession together with the Progress and several Interruptions of that Art as also the Author's Thoughts of it from its first Original Honour'd Doctor and Imperial Physician YOurs I Receiv'd together with the Recipe enclos'd and you may hereby satisfie your self or be inform'd by your Boy that I have dispatch'd your business with the President according to desire So that as you have dealt by me like a Physician I have treated you as a Friend Now which of us has done better you in Physicking me or I in Soliciting your Assair all good Men may judge for I 'll assure you at the very same time I got your Order Signed I was very sensibly Afflicted with the Gout Sir I procur'd the Herbs and Roots and bruiz'd and drank 'em according to Order but better regard may God have to your Soul than they brought relief to my pains for they not only fir'd my Liver but also benum'd my Stomach And I must tell you plainly in this Distemper you have been so far from performing a Cure that you have done me a great deal of injury and every time the Cold of my Stomach obâ—iges me to Beâ—ch I presently resolve never to have any more to do with Doctor Melgar since he couâ—d noâ— distinguish a Malady above from one below for I did not desire you to purge the Humours but rid me of my Pains not being able to Guess why you should Punish my Stomach when all the Pain lay in my great Toe I once consulted Doctor Soto about a Sciatica in my Hip and he prescrib'd a Blister on my Ears but which only occasion'd all the Court to laugh and my poor Souses to suffer Another time I had recourse to Doctor Carthagena in Alcala about the same Distemper and he order'd me Cow-turds Rats-dung Nettle-leaves Rose-buds and fri'd Scorpions to make a Plaister and apply to the part afflicted but all the good I got was that it did not suffer me to sleep one wink in Three Nights and yet I paid the Apothecary above Six Reals for making it Whereupon for the future I utterly renounce any Man's Friendship that shall advise me to the Aphorisms of Hypocrates Maxims of Avicenna Experiments of Ficinus Treatises of Racis and Recipes of Erophilus providing in any of their Writings there be the least mention made of this Cursed Plaister which as it suffer'd me not to sleep or be at rest so I not only tore it off immediately but also instantly buried it for as on the the one hand it burnt me on the other it almost struck me down with its stench I remember in Burgos about 20 years since Doctor Soto cur'd me of an intermitting Feaver but withal made me eat so much Sellery and Barley and drink so great quantity of Endive Water that for a time I was quite depriv'd of the use of my Pallat nay more could scarce smell Some few Years afterwards happening to visit the same Doctor when sick at Tordesillas I observ'd he Eat an Orange and Drank a cup of good Canary at the very time his hot fit came upon him which I not only wondered but was very much offended at since he treated me after another-guess manner Whereupon forcing a smile I thus accosted him Tell me I beseech you good Doctor What is the reason you Cure your self of your Feaver with Wine of St. Martin and me of mine by Endive Water To which he readily replied with a great deal of Assurance You must know Mr. Guevara our great Master Hypocrates under penalty of his displeasure Commanded us his Successors to recover our own healths with the Iuice of the Grape when he
not want where-withal to Eat you may stand in need of nothing to Pray As for what you write about the Monastéry do you Importune GOD as my Friend and I 'll Solicite Caesar as yours No more but God keep you always under his Sacred Protection Valladolid Ian. 7 1535. LETTER VI. To a particular Friend of the Author's Advising him not to be Covetous and Griping illustrated with severe Reflections on that Vice Much Esteem'd tho Covetous SIR THE good Emperor Titus Son of Vespatian and Brother of Domitian was so vâ—â—y well belov'd throughout the whole Roman Empire that when he died these Words were engrav'd on his Tomb Deliciae Moriuntur Generis Humani The Comfort and Delight of Mankind is Deceas'd Of which Excellent Person it is related by Suetonius that being once at Supper with divers Princes and Ambassadors he all of a sudden fetch'd a deep sigh and cry'd out Diem Amisimus Amici which he might have made clearer by saying Let not this day be reckon'd amongst the rest of my Life since I have done no manner of good in it Also Plutarch writes of Alexander the Great that many Philosophers disputing in his Presence about the Happiness of Human Life he deliver'd his Opinion thus Believe me Friends and do not doubt it the greatest Pleasure in this World is having wherewithall to give and wanting a Heart to Punish Likewise the same Author tells you of Theopompus the Theban that being ask'd by a Soldier for Subsistence and not having any Money he gave him the very Shoes off from his Feet saying If I had any thing better thou shouldst have it but having not be contented with these for the present and I will take care for thy Pay for I think it much more just that I should go Unshod than thou Unfed Dionysius the Tyrant coming one day into his Son's Chamber and seeing great Treasure every where heap'd up reprimanded him severely in this manner Son I gave you not these Riches to hoard but distribute there being no Person so Potent as the Liberal and Generous for he thereby both preserves his Friends and gains the good will of his Enemies Sir I have made use of these several Examples to hint something of moment to you which had you been in Castile as you are in Andaluzia I had not writ but whisper'd in your Ear for tho we may have liberty to correct our Friends yet we are by no means to scandalize ' em Some Andalusians have acquainted me here and others inform'd me from your parts that you are lately grown very Covetous and Griping both which I 'll Assure you have not only Afflicted but extreamly Affronted me for Covetousness and Honour are so very Incompatible that they never reside in one Person or ever come under one Roof All other wicked People have their pleasures in Vice except the Miser only who grieves for what others possess yet will not enjoy what he has of his own The Curse of a Covetous Man is that he is always jealous his Tenants won't pay him his Cattle can't eat Stubble that Hunters will break down his Hedges or Thieves rob his House and yet he can never wish to keep his Money safer from any one than he does from himself The Miser's chiefest delight is in weighing his Gold counting his Silver selling his Wine storing his Granary starving his Family and Multiplying his Cattle nay his greatest glory is to Get and not Spend Ask and not Give Lend and never Borrow with design to Repay But still he is not to be envy'd for his plagues are much greater when you ask him a Farthing for Matches a Penny for Small Beer a Half-penny for Pot-herbs Twopence for Oyl and as much for Sallet for then he will soon fill the House with Clamour and give his Wife and Children to the Devil for the sake of a little Mammon No common Bounty does God bestow upon such as are generous for could the Miser once taste of their Satisfaction in giving he would scarce ever after retain Necessaries for himself The generous Person cannot possibly give more than will be given him for whatever Favours he bestows he is still sure to have his Liberty to himself Also he is Lord where ever he lives and Master where ever he comes for being assur'd of a Noble Return no Person will ever deny him any Request When it fares quite contrary with the Miser whom none care to talk to deal with or come near he having always his House Nasty Stockins out at Heels Cloaths greasy no Company nor any thing either to Eat or Drink How can he be expected to relieve another's Misfortunes who won't keep the Water out of his own Shoes How can he be suppos'd to give Alms that regards not his own Wants Who can think he will Entertain Strangers freely who starves his own Flesh and Blood How can the Poor expect Wood from him that stifles himself with Muck Or why should they hope to have any of his Corn when he designs none of it for his own Use Who dares be Friend to a Covetous Man when he is so great an Enemy to himself How many People do we see daily to whom God has given Ability to get Riches Discretion to Preserve 'em Wisdom to Protect 'em Life to Possess 'em but not a Heart to Enjoy 'em so that having it in their power to become Masters of another's Wealth they are nevertheless Slaves to their own How much better were an honest Poverty than such cursed Avarice since the Poor can be contented with little when the Rich won't be satisfied with much What greater Plague can happen to any Man than to desire what others possess yet to want what he has in his own power What can he be said to enjoy that does not enjoy himself The Miser has his Eyes always busied on his Vines he is Planting his Hands on his Money he is receiving his Tongue on his Factors he is trusting his Feet on his Cattle he is Visiting his time on his Snares he is preparing his Ears on his Accounts he is taking his Body on his Bargains he is making and his Heart on his Treasure he is hoarding so that whilst he thus neglects himself he may well be said to have the least share of himself Whilst Covetous Men have not the Heart to relieve or entertain their Friends can it be expected they should afford any thing to themselves No certainly for they 'l think all such Expences as ill bestow'd as Money upon Thieves that Rob ' em 'T is false to say a Miser is rich since he has not possession of Wealth but rather that of him He having only the trouble of getting danger of keeping plague of defending and torment of paying out and if it were not for very shame I believe he would sooner content himself with Bread and Onyons than rob his Purse of a single Farthing The Covetous Person 's condition is not so good as the Potters
at Court we are not to Hope upon any Merit nor Despair upon any Defect I would not have you think I say this to be excus'd from serving you but rather that you may not be disturb'd when disappointed nor concern'd if your Business goes amiss for where Matters of Honour require the greatest Grief our Estate may be prejudic'd with more indifference No more but God preserve you and give me Grace to serve Him Burgos Ian. 30 1523. LETTER X. To Don Hernando de Toledo Concerning what the Egyptians were wont to do for their Dead Friends Magnificent and Discreet SIR IF my Answer to yours be short impute the fault wholly to my Cursed Gout which as it suffers me neither to Walk nor Sleep has also absolutely deprived me of the Use of my Fingers nay more has left me nothing sound in my Body except my Heart wherewith I Sigh and my Tongue with which I Complain Our common Compliment to one another when we meet is How do you do How do you find your self How have you done a great while and the like all which are highly commendable and never to be forgot for he that has a Real to spend and Health to enjoy has neither cause to be afflicted nor reason to be offended Your noble Brother my Lord Duke of Alva came the other day to visit me and afterwards sent me a precious Ointment for which I pray God both to preserve his Person and Enlarge his Fortune since his Unction gave me a great deal of Ease and his Presence afforded me no less Comfort Sir I give you abundance of Thanks for the Letter you sent and the Money you order'd me altho it be true that where you design'd it to buy Books the greater part must be expended on Doctors and Apothecaries Moreover your Bounty has been so very liberal upon this Occasion that you have not only enabled me to pay my Debts and cure my Ailments but also furnish'd me wherewithall to regale my self when well wherefore I cannot but Promise that in me your Family shall never want a faithful Friend nor your Vertues a lowd Herald You say Sir that having heard me Preach the other day before the Emperor in his Chapel You now desire I would repeat with my Pen what I then utter'd with my Tongue which I will endeavour to comply with tho it be both contrary to my custom and repugnant to my inclination The Text was in the 19th of Levitâ—câ—s the 27th and 28th Verses where God Commands the Israelites neither to round the corners of their Heads nor Mar the Points of their Beards To make any Cuttings in their Flesh nor Print any Marks upon it on account of the Dead For the clearing of which Command it is to be understood the Children of Israel liv'd so long in Egypt that they contracted mâ—ny ill Habits from those People who were all naturally Negromancers Magicians Wizards and Aâ—tâ—ologers Of all Nations none we read of made so much ado about their Dead as the Egyptians who whenever a Friend died always shew'd hâ—m far more respect than while he liv'd insâ—much that if a Father lost a Son a Son a Father or one Friend was depriv'd of another they us'd to shave off half their Hair as a Hieroglyphick to demonstrate they had parted with half of themselves And therefore 't was God commanded the Israelites neither to shave their Heads nor mar their Beards and this that they might not become like the Egyptians Also the Egyptian Women when their Husbands Children or Relations died were wont to tear their Flesh and flaw their Faces with their Nails and therefore 't was God forbid his People disfiguring themselves that they might not be like to them Likewise the lesser Priests at the Funerals of the greater were accustom'd to mark their Flesh with red hot Irons either on their Hands Arms or Breasts to the end that whenever they beheld those Scars they might immediately be dispos'd to lament their Loss In like mâ—nner they had a Custom that whenever a King or Prince died all his Officers were instantly oblig'd to lash themselves with Knivâ—s in some visibâ—e part of their Body insomuch tâ—at he who was observ'd to have most Wounds was always look'd upon to bâ— the greatest Mourner And hence it is that God forbad the Israelites both Marking and Cutting their Flesh all which Ceremonies being iâ— themselves superstitious and no doubt invented by the Devil for that they were not only a damage to the Living but also no advantage to the Dead Gods Prohibiting these and many things more in the old Law such as Not to Plow with an Ox and an Ass Not to Sow Wheat or Barley in the same Ground Not to Couple an Ass and a Mare Not to Wear Linnen and Woollen and the like let no Man think were frivolous and trifling but on the contrary highly Mysterious for these Ceremonies being customary among the Egyptians God would by no means have his People to make use of ' em Nevertheless we must not hereby understand that he forbad 'em lamenting their Dead after another manner since shaving their Heads flawing their Faces marking their Limbs and wounding their Bodies was wholly in their Power to do or let alone when a Decent Sorrow for the loss of a Friend was not possible to be avoided As a Man is to be known by his Heart so God made him with a Heart that is gave him liberty to be sad and forbad him not to Complain the Heart of Man being in it self tender and not able to part with any thing it loves without Concern Moreover Experience teaches us every day even in Brutes that take away one and the other will be sure to mourn which is demonstrable in that the Lyon roars Wolf howls Cow lows Sheep bleats Hog grunts Dog Barks and Cat Mews either for the absence or death of their Companions or Young We being therefore of a far superior condition why may not we be allow'd to shed Tears and lament over the Graves of our Friends Mimus the Philosopher was wont to say A Man dy'd as often as he saw his Friend buried which was true in that being but one while they liv'd it is iust they should continue the same when one dy'd This Sir is what I preach'd to his Majesty in his Chapel which if inferior to what I then utter'd I hope you 'l excuse on account of my Gout for if I have not now the use of my Hands to Eat how can it be expected I should take any great pleasure to Write No more but God Bless you and give me Grace to serve Him Burgos March 6. 1523. LETTER XI To Dr. Coronel his familiar Friend in Answer to some Demands Good DOCTOR YOur Servant brought me Orders lately to take care of your Business with the Chancellor which I immediately set about and have so far succeeded in that he professes himself ready to do any thing for your Good as I to continue
always the same Zeal for your Service The rest of your Letter I will Answer briefly and succinctly as possible According to desire I was to wait on Captain Cerrato to make Interest for your Nephew to be his Servant but found him so cold both in once and twice going that I had no farther mind to occasion his Affronts For Faciem frigois ejus quis sustinebit Who is able to endure the Indifference of his Looks Generous Minds and Bashful Countenances resent a Denial much more where the Person deserves not to be ask'd than when they themselves pretend not to merit his Consent since he may boast of the Honour where they must blush with the Shame Nothing is dearer bought than what a Man must beg for since he gives more that wrecks his Modesty but for a minuit than that purchases any thing with his whole Estate As great said the Divine Plato as is the Satisfaction in Giving so extraordinary is the Torture we endure in Asking for where we give we purchase another's Liberty and when receive lose our own The Books you left I have got bound but the Money you sent for that purpose I herewith return you and my reason is because a Friend's Charge or Trouble must never be otherwise gratified than by his Correspondent's Acceptance Friendship founded upon Interest commonly ends with want When among true Friends there is neither bounds to be put to their Service nor limits to their Expence Your sending the Three and twenty Reals gives me occasion to think that either your Fraternal Affection fails or that you believe my Liberality lessens You write me word you desire to know how the Affair goes between me and the Abbot of Compludo to which I answer that it is no common Vexation to have to do with such as can never hold their peace nor ever be at quiet Men who are loose in their Tongues and turbulent in their Lives for the most part ruin the Country where they reside and torment themselves into the Bargain Nothing equals a Man's torturing himself for where we cannot live easie in this World we may at worst live satisfied I say this Sir because our Lord Abbot in this Affair behaves himself something like a wild Colt that stands still to be loaded and kicks when his Burthen is off There are a sort of Men that are not only ignorant how to avoid troubles but also run in the very Mouths of ' em There are many likewise require more care to keep at rest than would be necessary to make others work As to what you say Sir of Francis Mercado I have no more to answer than that where he lost his Person Family and Estate we in him are depriv'd both of a sweet Conversation and obliging Behaviour Also that I believe we are more concern'd for his Worth than he for his Loss And were it now in my power to Relieve him as it was formerly my Charge to Advise him I would soon make him as sensible of my Friendship as I am without him of my solitude As to what you farther require I intend next opportunity to convince you that it is neither in your Power to Write nor Ask any thing in vain No more but God keep you and preserve me Medina May 8. 1523. LETTER XII To Don Pedro Giron in which the Author gives some hints of the Antients manner of Writing but Chiefly consisting of Iocular Reflections on a bad Scribe SIR VIlloria your Servant and Sollicitor gave me a Letter of yours here in Burgos Writ at Ossuna the 14th of August which thô it was dispatched in that Month came not hither till the 15th of November so that I find your Letters are so Discreet and Provident as to see the Harvest in and Vintage over before they set out But were it hung Beef as it was a Letter it had had time sufficient to be well seasoned and leisure enough to hang in the Smoak Hereafter do not suffer the Letters you are to send and the Daughters you are to Marry to grow stale for in my Country we keep nothing so but the Bacon we are to Eat and the Wine we are to Drink Much shorter way is it between Ossuna and Burgos than Rome and Constantinople and yet the Emperor Augustus order'd all his Lieutenants in the East that if they did not within Twenty Days from the Date receive his Letters they should afterwards take no notice of them giving for reason that during that interval something else might intervene which might wholly require things to be otherwise disposed Tiberius also unless his Dispatches from Asia came in Twenty from Euroâ—e in Fifteen from Africk in Ten from the Coast of Illrium in Five and from all parts of Italy in three days would neither Read nor give any Credit to ' em From henceforward therefore you must agree with your Letters beforehand that they make more hast or they will never be receiv'd at the Emperor's Court for to deal Ingeniously with you had they been Timber of the Woods of Soria as they were Epistles from Ossuna I will answer for it they had been so well season'd before they came hither they had been fit for nothing but Doors and Window-shutters Tho' I receive many Letters together I presently know yours from all the rest and that because they are always rumpled like a Rag râ—sty as Bacon Moth eaten like Cloth and Sweaty as an old Wastcoat and what is yet more there needs no strength nor force to tear them in opening because the Seals are already loose and Wax generally broken Philostratus in the life of Apollonius Thianeus says it was a custom among the Ypimeans to date their Letters on the outside by the Superscription to the end that if they were fresh they should be Read but if stale be Torn Nay were you an Ypimean as you are a Christian you might be assured of a Hundred Letters you Write Ninety Eight would be torn to pieces nay I question also whether the other two would be Read But being granted your Letter was stale can we say the Hand was either good or legible No so far from that I swear per Sacra numina it rather look'd like Mosaic work than any Gentleman 's Writing so that if the Tutor who had the care of your Youth had not better instructed you how to Live than your Master to Write your Life had been as offensive to God as your Writing was to me For I must tell you plainly if you do not know it already much rather had I uncipher Characters than Read your Letters Writing was first invented and improved by degrees for as Strabo De situ Orbis has it Men first writ upon Ashes then on Barks of Trees then upon Stones Laurel-leaves Sheets of Lead Vellom and last of all upon Paper It is also to be observed that in Stone they writ with Steel on Leaves with Pensils on Ashes with their Fingers on Barks with pointed Knives on Vellom
Wrath answer'd Only he who valued not losing his Friends nor creating new Enemies After what so many and grave Philsophers have left upon this Subject I can only add That it is easie to write of no way difficult to persuade copious to preach upon fit to advise upon but extreamly hard to curb We may reasonably exclaim against Vice in general but much more may be said upon Anger for that does not only deprive us of our Reason but also renders us odious to all the World To moderate Anger is a great Virtue but to lay it quite aside is much more safe because it is easier to resist what is evil than totally to cast it off At first we have power to admit or reject many hurtful things but having once admitted 'em if Reason stands not our Friend they will undoubtedly keep their ground and plead possession Anger is of that perverse temper that wherever we have once resign'd our will it afterwards enforces us to what we would not We blame not those who have the administration of Government so much for being slack or severe as shewing too much Passion in their Proceedings for tho they have Authority to Punish yet they have no Liberty to express their Anger It is but reasonable those who transgress should be chastis'd but still the Penalty must not look like revenge for be a Man never so brutish he is ever more sensible of Malice shew'd him than of the greatest Punishment can be inflicted on him A Lash or Blow of a Hand or Cudgel which all light upon the Flesh tho they smart yet soon wear off but an abusive Word immediately sinks into the Heart and is scarce ever forgot To have a power of bridling ones Anger is not a Human but Heroic and Divine Virtue for certainly no Victory is so great as that which a Man obtains over himself Socrates the Philosopher having lifted up his Hand to strike a Servant held it in that posture and cry'd Because I consider I am a Philosopher and am now angry I do not punish thee as thou deservest An Example worthy to be remembred and much more to be imitated and from whence we may infer that whilst Anger is predominant we must not offer to speak much less chastise The Law-giver Licurgus order'd those who had the Government of the Common-wealth to condemn and punish all they found evil and pernicious Nevertheless they were by no means to hate Offenders affirming there was no Plague so destructive as a Judge whose Reason was drown'd in Passion Very few follow this Advice at present and many practise the contrary for now a-days no body is angry with Sin but the Sinners It must needs be a great trouble to any who have to do with furious and impatient Men for they are both insupportable to those that serve and dangerous to such as are their Familiars Now I have told you what Anger is and the ill Consequences thereof let us see what Remedies may be prescrib'd against it for my design here is not to teach you how to be angry but rather how to be appeas'd I am of Opinion one great Remedy against Anger were to bridle the Tongue when in a Passion and put off Revenge till another time for an angry Person oftentimes does says and threatens what he afterwards could wish with all his Heart he had never thought on We ought not immediately to importune a Man in Passion to forgive an Injury but first pray him to respite his Revenge for as long as the heat lasts we can never expect he will Pronounce a Pardon It is either thro' want of Sense or over-diligence we endeavour to reduce a Man in Fury to Equity and Justice for Passion when high and a Heart when enrag'd will neither receive Comfort nor give ear to Reason I do again and again charge and advise every Man of Sence not to be too busie with Persons in Wrath for if they do the best they must expect to come off with will be either some reproachful Language or a broken Head Tho a Man be Friend to him that is Angry yet it is better to let him alone than speak or offer to assist him for at that time he has more need of a Bridle to hold him in than Spur to set him forward More Art than Force is requir'd to deal with one in Passion for tho his Anger swell'd all of a sudden he must nevertheless be appeas'd by degrees Plutarch in his Commonwealth advises the Emperor Trajan to be patient in Sufferings easie in Business and calm towards Furious Men assuring him Time settles many things which Prudence cannot We have seen great Animosities between Mighty Men which could not be reconcil'd or appeas'd by interposition of Friends threats of Enemies presents of Money or multiplicity of Sufferings and yet in process of time when each had thought better on it they have been made up alone among themselves In fine I say that where a Man sees his Friend in Fury he must rather throw Water to quench than Fuel to heighten his Passion Sir I have stretch'd out this Letter much longer than either I design'd or desir'd but your great Sorrow and Afflictions I must confess made me the more free of my Pen. Endure say nothing take no notice let a little time pass and the business be somewhat forgot and I am much mistaken if you will not see that same Fire rage in their Bowels which they cast into your House Solomon the Wise says A Prudent Man has his Tongue in his Heart when an Angry Person has his Heart in his Tongue Agis the Grecian was wont to say A Mad Man was troubled for what he suffer'd and valu'd himsâ—lf upon what â—e said but â—he Wise Man was sorry for what he said and proud of what he suffer'd Now or never make use of your Learning Prudence and Judgment for I 'll Assure it is no small Weakness to know how to cure others and yet neglect to apply a Remedy to ones self I have not forgot when my Sister Donna Francisca died at Torre Mexia you sent me such wholesome Advice as suffic'd to ease my Grief tho not wholly to eradicate the Memory of my Loss I must now therefore put you in mind hereof since it is but reasonable you should reap some of the Fruit you had so plentifully sowed in my Ground I have no more at present as to any other particular but that I give the same power to your Servant to Answer as you gave him to Inform me God Bless you and give me Grace to serve Him Toledo Apr. 6. 1526. LETTER XVII To the Ambassador Don Geronimo Vique shewing the ill Effects of over-much Liberty Very Magnificent Lord and Imperial Ambassador I Received yours here in Granada this 20th of Iuly and must needs say it made good haste to arrive so soon from Valencia being sent but on Saturday and reaching hither Monday night Since you come from so remote
never tir'd with Novelties his Hands with scraping up Riches his Tongue with uttering Vanities nor his Heart with desiring Superfluities You ask me What a Man is neither able to Conceal nor Dissemble I Answer Love Grief Riches and Ill-will For Love is discover'd by Sighs Grief bursts out in Complaints Riches appear in the Countenance and Hatred shows its self in the Eyes You ask me Sir what may easily be lost and yet can never be Recover'd I Answer Four things Virginity Time a Stone cast and a Word spoken You ask me What a Man has most reason to value himself upon I Answer Being a good Christian sincere in his Actions Patiént in his Sufferings and Secret in his Intentions You ask me Who are those that most readily get Friends and most easily lose ' em I Answer Rich Men Young Men Powerful People and Favourites For How soon do the Rich grow Contemptible when Poor the Youth when Old the Potent Person when he loses his Power and Courtier when his Prince withdraws his Favour You ask How many are the qualities requir'd in a Servant I Answer Four To be Diligent Patient Faithful and True For he that is willing to learn what he knows not can suffer when Rebuk'd discharges his Trust honestly and makes use of no falsity Let a Master make much of such a Servant and that Servant never doubt Preferment You ask me What the more a Woman desires the less she is contented I Answer fine Cloaths Beauty Freedom and Credit For above all things she loves to be well drest Esteems her self Handsom Longs to go where she Lists and would have every Body believe what she says You ask Sir What a Man must have regard to before he parts with a Benefit I Answer to the Thing Person Reason and Time For he must consider the thing that he may not be Niggardly The Person that he may Relieve or Refuse according to Merit The Reason that he may Exercise his Charity and the time that he may not be tardy in Necessity You Ask me What are the best Qualities in a Prince I Answer Four Courage to Suffer Generosity to Give Justice to Reward and Clemency to Pardon All other Imperfections are the easier born with where there can be found in him Mercy Justice Liberality and Patience You Ask me What a Gentleman ought most to avoid and which soonest brands him I Answer Covetousness Cowardise Lies and Injustice You Ask me likewise What Properties a Virgin must have to get a good Repute I Answer Four To be Handsom Honest an Enemy to Liberty and Despiser of Bawds Thus Sir are all your Demands Answer'd and where I have not happen'd to come up to your Expectations I hope you 'l at least Accept of my Endeavours No more but God keep you and give me Grace to Serve him Valencia Oct. 11. 1528. LETTER XIX To the Governor Don Lewis Bravo occasioned by his falling in Love in his old Age being a familiar Satyr on such fruitless attempts as likewise a serious warning to all Old Men not to go beyond their strength Noble but Inconsiderate Sir TO Stile you Noble or right Noble Virtuous or right Virtuous Magnificent or very Magnificent were doing you a palpable wrong without the least Honour since at the Age you are of joyn'd with the Life you lead there appears neither Nobility in your Person nor Modesty in your Manners The Letter you sent plainly shows it was product of your own Brain and work of your own Hand since it is thereby demonstrable how little account you make of Honour and at the same time how void you are of Shame If you did not deceive me and your Brother spoke truth you wanted then but two Months of Sixty three allowing first-Fruits to the Bishop of Cordoua and all the Tithes to the Parson of your Parish It were but reasonable therefore to expect at so great Age you should at length have recover'd your Wits and come to your self But such is the obstinacy of hardned sinners they still run on to the end of their Lives before they think of mending I am oblig'd to say this Sir tho ' not so much troubled at what you write as that you give me cause to answer it after an ungrateful manner for since you treat of a subject so Mal a propos I may well think my self at liberty to answer with severity To come to the point then I must tell you it seems to me a meer jest that being a Christian Divine Preacher Priest Religious Person and even the strictest of St. Francis's Order you should now talk to me of Love and even enroll me among the Gallants For where I grant it my duty to hear your confession I do not think my self at all oblig'd to guide you in your Amours You writ me one particular you ought have been asham'd to propose since I cannot but blush to answer it and that is that at Seventy Years of Age you are now fallen deeply in Love and moreover would needs have me to send you a Love-Letter for your Mistress as well to perswade her to yield to your desires as to suspend her Duty to God for a while Sir in the mean time since I am not acquainted with your Mistress nor so much as know who she is I should be very glad if you would communicate to her this Letter which being carefully read and rightly understood I need not doubt being reveng'd on your imprudence your being inform'd of your folly and she convinc'd of your madness But lest I be thought all this while in Jest it is high time my Pen should freely tell you my thâ—ughts on the whole matter At your Age it is great falshood to say you Love since you cannot so properly now be term'd Amorous as decrepit a Gallant as Leacher Pleasing as Doating At your Age you should rather observe theNine-a-Clock Bell to go to Bed than four-a-Clock Chimes i' th' Morning to go home at At your Age perhaps you may Love but it is ridiculous to say you are belov'd since the wretch you Court gives not ear to you for the sake of your Person but is wholly enamour'd on your Fortune At your Age all you can say becomâ—s a Jest for where Women entertain Young Men for Pleasure they only give old ones the hearing to laugh at At your Age you are unfit to write Songs Serenade climb Walls make a figure in the Streets or quarrel in the Dark and yet Vain and Conceited Women will not only think to be Courted and well paid in private but also expect to be Gallanted and Defended in Publick At your Age it is not proper to wear thin Shoes a Hat high-cock'd a streight Coat large Steenkirk and your Mistresses Favours and yet these sort of Animals will not barely require a Man should write wit but also be veâ—y Beauish in his Dress At your Age it is impossible to endure the continual Importunities of asking and everlasting
Carthaginians of Hannibal and the Spaniards of Viriatus This Viriatus was a Native of the Province of Lusitania now Portugal in his youth he was first a Shepherd then Farmer then Highwayman afterwards a General and the best and greatest Defender of his Country that ever was The Roman Authors themselves confess that in Fifteen years he maintain'd War against 'em they could neither kill take nor defeat him whereupon being unable to subdue him by Force they at length contriv'd to destroy him by Poison I thought convenient My Lord Prior to put you in mind of this Piece of History that in this Civil War we are engag'd in you may prove as a new Machabeus among the Hebrews and a second Viriatus among the Spaniards and that as our Enemies may have Matter to relate we likewise may have a General to commend Let the conclusion be therefore that you labour to withstand Vice manfully as you have hitherto couragiously oppos'd Our Enemies for but a few blots in Persons so remarkable as your Lordship will alone Eclipse the Glory of many Victories As to what Don Ferdinando de Vega recommended to me in your behalf That since you signaliz'd your self so eminently in War you might not be forgot in my Chronicle assure your Illustrious Lordship that if your Sword prove equal to that of Achilles my Pen shall endeavour to be like that of Homer No more but God Bless you and give me Grace to serve Him Medina de Rio seco Febr. 18. 1522. LETTER XXIII To Don Ignigo de Velasco Constable of Castile shewing that Anger and Passion ought never to be permitted to reign in the Heart of a Man of Honour condemning communicating Letters Instructing how and when to Advise And lastly Writing some Iocose News from Court Very Illustrious Lord and Compassionate Constable I Have reason to say of your Lordship what the Holy Ghost did of the Synagogue Curavimus Babyloniam non est curata Ergo relinquamus illam We have taken care of Babylon and she would not be healed therefore let us leave her I say this my Lord because it is a pleasant Jest when having desired you would not let my Lady Dutchess know one word of what I writ you not only presently shew'd her my Letter but were also pleas'd to make sport with it Nevertheless I think I am even with you in that particular for I immediately communicated yours to the Earl of Nassau so that if mine serv'd to divert you yours was as good as a Play among the Flemings Portugueses Germans and Spaniards It was very proper the Dutchess should ridicule my reflecting on her Sex for I have reason to commend her Discretion where I must needs blame your Rashness For the future I beg your Lordship not to make so much trial of the worth of my Letters but having once read you would either tear or burn them for otherwise some Persons may happen to hear or see 'em who not being over-wise or good natur'd may wrest that to my prejudice which was design'd both for their and your Advantage But to say no more of this you tell me for my sake you are willing to be reconcil'd to that Gentleman which I value equally as if you had pardon'd me the Affront being so much my Friends Friend that I place to my own account whatever service is done either for him or his Family Besides granting my Request you perform'd but your Duty for Princes and great Men are to be so far from doing wrong to others that they must not so much as revenge Injuries to themselves for you well know what in Inferiors is term'd Rage in great Persons is accounted Pride and farther what among those is esteem'd a just Punishment among these is reckon'd but Revenge Every time you compare your Nobility and Conscience together you will be pleas'd at the Wrongs you have forgiven and be troubled for the Injuries you have reveng'd To pardon Offences is a great Satisfaction when desire of Revenge carries along with it a heavy Discontent I mean that sometimes a Man striving to revenge some small Affront comes off with great shame There are Injuries of that nature they must not only not be reveng'd but also not be so much as own'd for Honour is so nice that when-ever a Man confesses an Affront receiv'd he is thereby presently oblig'd to answer it The Consul Mamilius once asking Iulius Caesar What he most valued himself upon and whereof the memory was most dear to him Caesar replied I swear by the Immortal Gods I deserve Honour on no greater account nor am so much pleas'd on any as pardoning those that wrong me and rewarding such as serve me A Sentence worthy of praise grateful to hear and fit to imitate for tho Iulius Caesar believ'd like a Heathen yet he acted as a Christian When on the contrary we believe as Christians but act like Pagans It is not without reason I say we believe as Christians and live like Pagans for the malice of Man is now come to that height that many would forgive their Enemies but dare not for fear of their Friends for as soon as one mentions forgiving they presently ascribe the cause rather to Cowardise than Conscience But let every one say what he pleases in this Affair your Lordship has acquitted your self both like a good Christian towards God and a good Friend towards me and what more can be requir'd in this World than to be faithful to ones Maker and true to ones Friend My Lord as to the Memorial you sent containing some Cases of Conscience as likewise several Points relating to your Estate I will look over it at leisure and answer it with deliberation for I must always endeavour so to give Advice as no Scruple may afterwards remain on my Conscience He that asks Councel must be quick and diligent otherwise it sometimes happens Affairs are so far gone and in such desperate plight that there is more need of Violence to redress than Prudence to Preserve ' em But who gives advice is to take a quite contrary method that is be very Prudent and very Slow for Counsel not given with deliberation is for the most part soon followed by repentance Plato Writing to Origas the Grecian has these Words My Friend Origas you write me to advise you how to behave your self in Lycaonia and yet on the other hand press for a speedy answer both which tho you dare ask yet I must tell you I cannot grant for I 'll assure you I study much more where I am to Counsel my Friends than when I am to Read to the Philosophers Counsel is to be ask'd and given by a Man of sound Judgment well Read who has seen much had Experience in the like Case that is not concern'd lest Malice sway him nor self-interested lest Covetousness pervert him in short I say a modest and generous Person must bestow his Money on his Friends frankly but his Counsel maturely Allowing