conversation as neere as thou mayst and let them goe under the name of welwillers rather than of friends except thou bee assured of their fidelity So shall not honestie bind thee to performe more to them to whom a common custome and the malignity of this time hath given a Supersedeas to discharge the duty of friendship then thou shalt see cause or they will performe to thee for in so great pennury of friends corruption of manners thy fortune must bee very good if thou chance upon a faithfull friend for in these daies men hold friendship by indenture And that thou maist bee better instructed in thy choice hearken to Guevarra his counsell to one that asked how one man may know another to the end he may be either accepted or eschewed First obserue what affaires he taketh in hand what works he doth what words he speaketh and what company he keepeth for the man that by nature is proud in his businesse negligent in his word a lyer and maketh choice of evill men for his companions deserves not to be embraced much lesse to be trusted for that in men in whom is laid no foundaton of vertue is no expectation of faith or honesty And one of the things saith he that men thinke they haue when they have them not is many friends yea say I one faithfull friend For by my experience if thou wilt beleeve me I know not any thing wherein thou maist sooner bee deceived Fortie yeares and more I may with some judgement remember the world in which little time I have found such a metamorphosis and alteration in mens minds and manners that if they should decline so fast from evill to worse after forty yeares more it will bee a hard matter any where to finde out a faithfull friend or an honest man For as the same Authour further saith that which one friend doth for another in these dayes is eyther to excuse or hide himselfe when there is neede of him being more ready to lend him his conscience than his money And hee that will compare the number that professe friendship unto him with them that have performed the true office and part of friends for one faithfull hee shall discover an hundred dissemblers Of such friends as they are most common so we may esteem it no smal felicity to be divided from them being more prodigall of their conscience than liberall of their goods or ready to performe any other duety of friendship Isocrates counselleth us to chuse that friend which hath beene faithfull to his former friends for he is like to prove constant in friendship and if thou wilt follow mine advice enter not into friendship with a covetous man for his mind is so possessed and overcome with the love of money and greedy desire to encrease his riches and possessions that there is no hope of performance eyther of friendship or honesty at his hands Plautus saith Vt cuique homini res parata est firmi anuci sunt Si res lassae labant itidem amici collabascunt As our substance is so are our friends if that faile they fall from us The minds and manners of men in these latter daies are much like to the manners used by the old Romanes when they triumphed the Romanes as they were very politike in all their government so did they well consider that there was no better meanes to excite their young men to vertue than by rewarding their noble acts with honour Therfore they had a custome when any Generall of their Armies had wonne any notable victorie to suffer him at his return to Rome to triumph which was done with very great pompe and solemnity and when the triumph was ended the triumpher had prepared a sumptuous feast and invited the chiefe men of the citie to supper and among the rest the Consuls also which were the principal Magistrates of Rome yet meaning nothing lesse than to have their company for they were no sooner returned to their houses but the Triumpher would send a messenger presently to desire the Consuls not to come to supper that there might be no man to whom he might give place So many invite men to their friendship with faire words and friendly offers when they meane nothing lesse that they may seeme to give place to none in humanity and courtesie but his back is no sooner turned but they revoke within themselves their friendly offers and are ready if they thinke he look for performance to forbid him to make triall of their friendship being done for forme and not with plaine meaning as the triumphers maner was This time seemeth to resemble that whereof Galen complaineth that he happened into a most wicked age in which hee thought them onely wise and of a sincere mind that having espyed the generall infidelity subtiltie dissimulation and dishonestie of men withdrew themselves speedily from the assemblies and companie of people as from a vehement storme and tempest into the safe port of a solitarie life which agreeth with the Poet Benê qui latuit benè vixit Hee lives well that lives warily There have bin times when he that knew most was esteemed best but now reputation growes not by knowledge nor is measured by the worthinesse of vertue but by the abundance of riches and possessions Heu Romae nunc sola pecunia regnat Alas now onely money reignes in Rome One of the things that Ecclesiasticus said grieved his heart was That men of understanding are not set by In time past learned men were sent for out of farre countries but now if they knocke at our doores we will not let them in Vnfruitfull pastimes and vaine toyes draweth our delights None was advanced to honour but such as deserved it but now none climbe so fast to high dignities as those that bee least worthy In that golden age no Senate or Councell was established but there was resident some excellent Philosopher but now in stead of them and of learned Divines who should supply their roomes among Christians are brought in some excellent Machiavellians as the meetest counsellers for this corrupt time Kings and Emperours were wont to be singularly learned and thought learning a great ornament to their dignitie Alexander the great and Iulius Caesar were wel learned and also the Emperour Adrian which Iulius in the middest of his campe would have his speare in his left hand and his pen in his right hand hee never unarmed himselfe but hee would presently fall to his booke The title of Philosopher was given to the Emperour Marcus Aurelius for his excellent learning who would say that hee would not leave the knowledge hee might learn in one houre for all the gold he possessed and I saith he receive more glorie of the bookes I have read and written than of the battels I have wonne and of the kingdomes which I have conquered Ptolomy King of Egypt and Hermes before him and of latter yeares Alphonsus
give over untill hee had run one course more and looking round about seeing almost none left he called Count Mongomery to him that was Captaine of his guard and commanded him to goe to the end of the Tilt but hee refusing to runne against him desired to be pardoned but the King his destinie drawing him strongly to his end would allow no excuse but putting the staffe in Mongomeries hand that killed him willed him to go to the end of the tilt hee would breake one staffe more before hee departed As they ran 〈◊〉 brake the staffe upon the King with a counterbuffe that the splinters ran into his eye and up toward his braine so as languishing a few daâ—…s he dyed Thus he that thought himselfe by the alliaâ—… of this mightie Prince to bee advanced to great glorie wherein by his new title he seemed to set his felicitie was taken away by the Captaine of his guard that was appointed for his defence in the beginning of his supposed happinesse Sâ—…ctransit transit gloria mundi This strange death of the Kings seemed to be fatall and was presaged before by Ganricus an Italian Astronomer who wrote to the King five yeares before that he had calculated his nativitie that the heavens threatned him in the yeare in which hee should be one and fortie a dangerous wound in the head by which hee should bee either striken blinde or dead both which came to passe therefore hee advised him that yeare to bew are of tilâ—…s tourneys such like pastimes Likewise Nostradamus told some of his friends secretly that the King would be in great danger of his life at the triumph which made them the more attentively behold the same to see the event There was also a child of sixe yeares old brought thither with his father to see the Iustes which boy as hee saw them run to breake their staves would alwaies cry out without ceasing They will kill the King they will kill the King But what danger soever followeth or what care or trouble is in comming by it there are very few examples of them that have refused honour and rule when they have had opportunitie meanes to attaine it But an infinite number of examples of them that by unlawfull means have sought rule to their owne destruction And no part of the world can afford more than the Romane Empire where within the space of one hundred yeares â—…n which were 〈◊〉 and thirteene 〈◊〉 there were but three that dyed in their beds by sicknesse all the 〈◊〉 suffred violent death In the Reign of Galienns there were 〈◊〉 that usurped the name of Emperour The Romanes had a custome to have certaine bands of choice men lodged without thâ—… wals of the Citie of Rome for the guard of their Emperours which they called Pretorian souldiers who by the negligence of some evill Emperours forgetting their old discipline grew so licentious that they used to kill such of their Emperours though they had beene beneficiall to them for whose defence they were appointed as went about to reforme their rapines and dissolute manners and advance others in their places For this hath been alwaies the manners of men to bee moved rather with the hope of a good turne to come than with the remembrance of a benefit already received and to depend rather upon them whose power and reputation they see doth increase than upon them that bee at the highest and have no possibilitie to climbe higher Pertinax was the sonne of a slave that was made free and being trained up in the warres through his vertue and valour hee obtained to the highest dignities in the Romane Empire and after Commodus the cruell Tyrant was slaine hee was made Emperour But after hee had reigned some three moneths to the great liking of the Senate and people of Rome the Pretorian souldiers finding his severitie not so fit for their purpose as the libertie they enjoyed by his Predecessour Commodus certaine of them conspired against him went armed through the Citie of Rome to his Palace with their halberds and swords drawne whereof the Emperour being advertised sent to the Captaine of the 〈◊〉 bands who brought him the first newes of Commodus death whereof he was the principall Author and cause of this mans election to the Imperiall crowne that hee would appease the souldiers but he was so farre from disswading them that hee rather allowed of the enterprise following the common course of tho world and as the Poet saith Dum fueris felix multos â—…merabis amicos Tempor a si fuerint nubila solus â—…ris Whilst happy thou hast many friends but try Them in foule weather and away they fly The Emperour thinking it not agreeable with the majestie of his estate nor answerable to his vertues and former valour by which hee was advanced to so many dignities to flye or hide himselfe as he was counselled hee came forth boldly to the souldiers hoping by his authoritie and majestie of his person to appease them And after hee had demanded of them the cause of their comming in this disordered sort My souldiers quoth he if you come to kill me you shall doe no great or valiant act nor a matter to me very grievous that am so striken in age and have gotten such honour and fame that death cannot much trouble me who am not ignorant that the life of man must have an end But take yee heed that it be not infamous to your selves first to lay hands upon your Emperour that hath done you no harme whose person is committed to your guard defence from all treason violence I may not flye that which the destinies have ordained neither that which you have determined But if this be my last day fatall houre I pray the immortal Gods that the vengeance of the innocent bloud which shall bee fhed of me fall not upon my mother Rome but that every one of you doe feele it in his person his house And though some of the souldiers when Pertinax came to the point to speak these words were moved with the authority and grave words of the good Emperour and were about to retire yet the rest that came after pursued their furious intent and especially one Tuncius seeing all men refusing to kill Pertinax he thrust a launce thorow the middest of his bodie with which wound Pertinax fell to the ground Which being done they cut off his head and put it on a launce and carried it through the streets of Rome and returned againe to their campe with the like speede as they came forth which they fortified and prepared themselves for defence fearing the 〈◊〉 of the people of whom Pertinax they knew was well beloved But after a day or two when they saw that none sought to revenge his death they gathered to them a more boldnesse and by a rare example the like wherof was never heard before the souldiers standing upon the walls of their
voyce O Solon Solon which when Cyrus heard marvelling at that 〈◊〉 cry asked what he meant in such wofull sort to redouble his voyce I lived quoth Croesus not long sithence in great prosperitie was accounted the richest king of the world and as Solon one of the sages of Greece my familiar friend came to visit mee I brought him into my Treasury and shewing him all my Riches I asked him whether hee thought that any adverse fortune could have any power upon mee that was so armed and fortified with Treasure against all accidents that might happen But Solon sharpely reprehending mee for my vaine speech answered that no man could bee accounted happy untill after his death whose counsell now seeing my selfe falne into this miserable estate commeth to my remembrance and maketh mee call upon his name Cyrus moved with compassion and by his example considering with himselfe the uncertaintie of humane matters and that Fortune never gave any man that power over others but shee threatned him with the like caused him to be taken from the fire and asked Croesus as he kneeled before him by whose perswasion he began this warre O Cyrus quoth hee thy prosperous fortune and my evill destiny brought mee to it chiefly encouraged to make this warre upon thee by the Grecians god For who is so madde that without such a principall author dare preferre warre before peace seeing that in peace the children use to bury their parents but in warre the parents bury their children Cyrus marvelling at his constancie and wisedome pardoned his life and used him ever after with great honour for his counsellor Croesus sent messengers with the chaines with which he was bound to Delphos to be dedicated to the god Apollo to expostulate with him for deceiving him and to aske if these were their rewards which had the gods in so great reverence Answer was made by the Oracle that whatsoever was fatall was inevitable to the gods themselves That Croesus was thus punished for the offence of his grandfather Gyges that slew Candaules king of the Lydians And as touching the Oracle that it was not to bee reproved for a lye having expressed his meaning in plaine termes that if Croesus by the greedie desire to enlarge his dominion would make warre upon the Persians he should destroy a great kingdom which was the kingdom of Lydia and it so came to passe Kings and Cities through riches have lost great dominion which they that have been poore have wonne by vertue The lamentation made by the Tragicall Poet under the person of Hecuba upon the ruine of Troy setteth forth not unaptly the uncertaintie of high estate and the miserie of them who are puffed up in pride through abundance of riches wherein they put their felicitie Quicunque regno fidit magna potens dominatur aula Animumque rebus creduluâ—… let is dedit Me â—…deat te Troia non unquam tulit Documenta fo rs majora quà m fragili loco Starent Superbs He that his confidence puts in a Crowne Or in his Palace potently doth frowne And takes in prosperous fortunes all his joy Let him but looke on thee and mee oh Troy Chance by no greater influence could declare In what a fickle state all proud things are This Gyges that the god as they called him spake of was subject to Candaules king of Lydia who having a wife of a wonderful beautie and favour thought himselfe to want something of the fulnesse of the pleasure hee tooke in her except some other might also bee an eye-witnesse and see the beautie and comelinesse of her person Gyges being one that he greatly favoured hee discovered his intent to him made him stand secretly behind a cloth in his bed chamber when the Queene came to bed that he might see her naked when she had stripped her selfe out of her clothes ready to go to bed having discovered those parts mistrusting nothing which modestie and shame would have kept secret Gyges sheweth himselfe to her whom when she had espied and perceived the treachery she was in a great agony and conceived a deadly displeasure against the king her husband And within few dayes after she called Gyges secretly to her and intimating to him the griefâ—… 〈◊〉 had taken by this shamefull practice of the king shee told him that either he must kill the king or suffer death himselfe If Gyges would kill her husband she would marrie him and make him King of Lydia Gyges whether for feare of his owne life or through an ambitious desire to raigne by the helpe of the Divell made a ring of that vertue that whensoever he put the seale to the palme of his hand hee should be invisible And aspiring to the kingdome of Lydia by meanes of the ring hee killed the King Candaules and all those whom he thought might bee any hinderance or obstacle to his purpose they falling downe dead but no man seeing who flew them and marryed the Queene and became King Crassus an exceeding rich Romane after the manner of rich men not content with that unmeasurable riches hee possessed but desirous of more procured himselfe to bee made generall of the Romanes army in the warres against the Parthians being then three score yeares old where he was overthrowne and slaine with his sonne and almost all the army of the Romanes And to give him the greater disgrace the Parthians caused his mouth to bee filled full of gold with these words Thou hast thirsted after gold now take thy fill This Crassus was used to say that no man was to bee accounted rich except hee could maintaine an army of men with his owne goods But the pride and presumptuousnesse engendâ—…ed by riches in the Heathens is not so much to bee marvelled at if wee consider the prncipall Prolates of the Christians from whom examples of humilitie and contempt of worldly wealth should proceed who have bin carried away from their profession by the infection of that disease Saint Bernard inveighing not without cause against the vaine and superfluous pompe of the Prelates in his time which grew by the abuse of their abundance of riches who were not so much corrupted as they have beene since painted them out in their right colours and complaineth thus There is quoth he an infamous and defiled sort of men that raigne in the whole body of the Church the Ministers of Iesus Christ serve Antichrist They jet up and downe in great honour and pompe with the Lords goods but they give no honour to the Lord. And that is the whores attire which ye see every day carried about Their saddles bridles and spurres be guilt the furniture of their feet is set out with more pride and pompe than the Temple of God Their spurs be better guilt than their Altars Hereof it commeth that their tables be so sumptuous and furnished with delicate meates their rich cupboords of plate from thence commeth their gluttony and drunkennesse and harmony
abundance yet hee is never satisfied So as his riches and over-great plentie breeds him extreme penurie and maketh him leade a miserable life A Knight of Malta despising riches and delighting in a solitarie life caused this to bee written before his garden He is rich enough that needeth not bread Of power enough that is not compelled to serve Ye civill cares get ye farre from hence Sabbas Cast a solitarie man being content with himselfe doth dwel in these little secure gardens Whether he be poore or rich if thou be of an upright judgment consider Farewell The greatest wisedome saith one and felicitie in this world is to live quietly and deale in his owne matters rather than in other mens Then in both fortunes whether thou must doe or suffer to have regard rather to God than men and upon him only to depend To despise the world to despise none to despise himselfe to despise that he is despised these foure things saith one maketh a man happie Celius saith it is a great gladnesse and rejoycing to the soule when thou dost not oncumber thy selfe with the care of many things but art perswaded that thou mayst live quietly with a little and hast cast under thy feete the world and all the pompe thereof Take away luxuriousnesse and excesse of earing and drinking and the lusts of the slesh no man will seeke for riches Pope Alexander the fifth was so liberall to the poore that hee left nothing to himselfe whereupon hee would often take occasion to say merrily That he was a rich Bishop a poore Cardinall and a beggerly Pope God will not suffer him to live in lacke that is bountifull to the poor and useth mony to that end for which it was ordained The Emperour Tiberius Constantine spent upon the poore and other good uses great store of treasure which his Predecessor Iustinian had hoorded up Insomuch that the Empresse seeing his povertie blamed him greatly and laughed him to scorne for his exceeding great expences that were imployed to so good uses It chanced him on a time as he walked in his Palace to see at his feet a marble stone in forme of a crosse and because he thought it unfit that men should tread upon that stone which had the figure and forme of that upon which our Saviour suffered hee caused the stone to bee taken up under which there was another of like forme and under the same a third which being taken up hee found under it great store of treasure for the which he gave God great thankes and imployed it as before to relieve the necessitie of them that had need and lacke A covetous man falling grievously sicke and perceiving hee must dye and that hee could carry nothing with him into another world turned to his friends and kinsfolkes that were about him and said Take you example by me my deare friends to the end that in heaping up of riches you trouble not your selves more than honestie requireth For I that have spent all my time in scraping goods and treasure together must now leave this life and of so much land and costly apparell that I have I shall possesse nothing else but five foote of ground and one old sheete To this purpose serveth Ausonius epigram wherein Diogenes is fained to see the rich King Croesus among the dead and thus to mocke him for his great riches that then profited him nothing being in no better estate than Diogenes himselfe Effigiem Rex Craesetuam ditissime Regum Vidit apud manes Diogenes Cynicus Constitit ut que procul solito majore cachinno Concussus dixit quid tibi divitiae Nunc prosunt Regum Rex O ditissime cum sis Sicut ego solus me quoque pauperior Nam quaecunque habuâ—… mecum feâ—…o cum nihilipse Ex tantis tecum Crase fer as opibus Amongst the ghosts Diogenes beheld Thee Cresus of all Kings with most wealth swel'd All which he said and finding thee lesse proud Than â—…arst hee call'd to thee laughing aloud And said O Cresus richest once of Kings Speake to this place below what profit brings All thy late pompâ—… for ought that I now 〈◊〉 We are alike and thou as poore as I. I that alive had nothing brought my store And thou of all thy wealth canst shew no more Hee that loveth money saith Ecclesiastes will never bee satisfied with money and who so delighteth in riches shall have no profit thereof And what pleasure more hath hee that possesseth them saving that hee may looke upon them with his eyes A labouring man sleepeth sweetly whether it be little or much that hee eateth but the abundance of riches will not suffer him to sleep I have scene saith he riches kept to the hurt of him that hath them in possession For oftentimes they perish with his great miserie and trouble And it is a generall thing among men when God giveth man riches goods and honour so that hee wanteth nothing of all that his heart can desire and yet God giveth him not leave to enjoy the same but another spendeth them Vincentio Pestioni an Italian Gentleman being asked how old hee was answered that hee was in health And to another that asked how rich hee was he answered that he was not in debt As if hee should say that he is young enough that is in health and rich enough that is not in debt The rich man is compared to a Peacocke that climbeth up to the highest places as the rich man aspireth to honour and preheminence And as the Peacocke is decked with faire feathers and so delighteth to bee seene and to behold his taile that hee discovereth his filthy parts behinde So the rich man rejoyceth in his wealth and precious attire and delighteth in flatterie in pride and vaine glorie And whilest hee goeth about to shew his bodie well fed and set out with costly ornaments hee sheweth a brutish minde voyd of vertue and full of vice and vanitie The more saith Boccace that riches is had in estimation the more is vertue had in contempt This rule saith Plato will seldome faile that when the fathers have too much riches the sonnes have no vertue at all because betweene ease and superfluitie of riches vices and not vertue are wont to bee nourished A Philosopher said that the gods are so just in dividing their gifts that to whom they give contentation from them they take riches and to those they give riches they take from them contentation Anacâ—…con a Philosopher having received of King Polycrates the value of tenne thousand duckets for a gift entred into so many conceits and fantasies that hee passed three dayes and three nights without sleepe which sudden change and alteration put him in such a feare of some great evill to follow that hee carried forthwith the money to the King and told him that hee restored his gift to him againe because it did let him from sleepe Epictetus the Philosopher was wont to say
be dissolved wee repose great coÌ„fidence my welbeloved 〈◊〉 in your amity we rejoyce much in you because ye agree very well in opinion with us and that ye sâ—…eke and procure with diligence those things that bee ours alwayes defending and protecting whatsoever yee know to appertaine to our right Know ye therfore that ye are in great favour with our universality whose travell diligence we accept with many thankes because infinite number of soules by your service example and negligence in doing the work of God among the people are led away from the truth forsaken and broughtdaily captive to us by meanes whereof the power of our kingdome is greaâ—…ly increased Persever therefore in our friendship as faithfull and assured to us in the worke ye have begun we are ready for all things to recompence you with a reward worthy of you and agreeable to your service in the lowest parts of hell Fare ye well our blessing be with you for ever The Earle of Mascon not cóntenting himselfe with the title estate of his Earledome to increase his glory with some singularitie fell by Necromancy to be so familiarly acquainted with the Divell that as he sate at dinner with divers noblemen and others he was called by a man unknowne going downe he found a black horse which attended for him at his gate which carried him and the man suddenly up into the ayre three times very swiftly round about the city hee crying out most miserably helpe my Citizens helpe me in the sight and to the great admiration and terrour of all the people of whom he was never more seene This ambition and vaine-glory the Divell knoweth to be so offensive to God and enemy to the felicity of men that he leaveth nothing unpractised to stir up mens mindes to the desire thereof himselfe being alwayes ready at hand where he findeth a disposition meete for his purpose to assist them to work strange feats counterfeit miracles not to the destruction of them onely that are entred into his societie but to use theÌ„ as instruments to seduce many others and to divert them from the true service of God from whom onely commeth mans felicity to seeke helpe at his hands And to this purpose there is a strange historie of a Spanish woman of base parentage called Magdalen which happened in the yeare of grace one thousand five hundred forty five in the Citie of Cordube in Spaine When this Magdalen was yet scarcely five yeares old her friends made her a Nunne and though it was too rathe for those young yeares to know the wickednesse of the world yet such is the secret judgement of God it is reported that the Divell in the likenesse of a man blacke as an Ethiop appeared to this mayd who at the first being something affraid yet at last by flattering words and faire promises of such things as that old Serpent knew were meete to allure her tender yeares he found means to enter into familiar communication with her injoyning her straightly not to speake of this new acquaintance This yong mayden was of a singular capacitie and rare disposition by meanes whereof shee was greatly esteemed among the rest of the Nunnes both yong and old The divell having a meaning by her to deceive all Spaine seemed very provident by making choice of this towardly yong thing whom he thought so much the more meete for his purpose as she excelled the rest in sharpenesse of wit and ripenesse of judgement that by framing in her a 〈◊〉 of religion holinesse which hath beene alwayes accounted the onely meanes to deceive the world hee might at last bring his purpose to effect When she was come to twelve yeares old the Divell became a suter to her for marriage promising her that for the space of thirty yeares or I know not how many more he would advance her to such estimation of holinesse throughout all Spaine that shee should match or excell in glory reputation all that at any time have bin most famous in that kind of matter The desire of glory pierced so deepely into her tender affection that she seemed to consent And as they used to passe the time pleasantly together in secret the Divel would send his servant in her very likenesse to supply her roome in the Church and to do all things that was for her to do The Divell when shee was not imployed in attending upon divine service was accustomed to bring her news of all things that were done in the whole world Which when she declared to them that favoured her it greatly increased the opinion of her holinesse by meanes whereof shee was accounted a Prophetesse And rather than her yeares required shee was by a generall consent of the whole company of Nunnes chosen Abbesse It was commonly known that at such times as the Nunnes did usually receive the Sacrament the Priest should ever lacke one of the consecrated cakes which was secretly brought by her angell to Magdalen as she sate in the quire among the rest of the Nunnes which shee would shew as 〈◊〉 held it in her mouth to the standers by for a miracle It is also reported that in the time of Masse when the elevation was a wall that was betweene her and the quire would open that shee might see and be seene And likewise at such solemne festivall dayes as the Nunnes used to leade the Abbesse shee would by a strange miracle in the sight of all men somtime cause her selfe to be lifted up from the ground into the ayre three cubits or more sometime she would be seene to beare a naked young child representing Iesus newly borne with such other vaine devices to make the festivall day the more holy By these frvolous illusions and juggling casts of the Divell shee grew in such reputation that shee received letters from the Pope the Emperour and the nobility of Spaine wherein they commended themselves and their important affaires to her most holy prayers They would also use her advice in matters of very great weight as though she had beene a Prophetesse that could foresee things to come as it manifestly appeared afterward when her wickednesse was discovered by the letters of the greatest Princes of Christendome that were found about her written to that effect Divers noble women also would not have their children newly born wrapped in their swadling bands untill they had beene handled and consecrated by this womans hands In all this while among so many notable and learned men there was not one that could find these fraudulent toyes of the divell Such was the darkenesse and blindnesse of that time At last God of his unspeakable goodnes would suffer this treacherous hypocrisie no longer to be hidden For after she had thus abused the world neere about thirty yeers she began to fall into repentance and discovered her detestable practices to the visitours and contrary to all expectation confessed her wicked fact This news seemed wonderfull
for widowes a plaister for the grieved a staste for the blinde and a father to all Marcus Aurclius finding fault with the evill choice that is made many times of Magistrats and Iudges demandeth whereof springeth the scandall of the people and infamy of the Prince and the danger to Iustice The cause is sayth hee the order now adayes by which all things goe out of order the favourites importuning the Prince and the Prince not refusing they deceiving him and he suffering himselfe to be deceived They preferre their friends to offices in recompence of their friendship sometime their servants in recompence of their service as though they provided offices for men not men for offices So that few offices remaine for the vertuous that are given him onely because he is vertuous But the office of Iustice ought not to be given to him that procureth it but to him that best deserveth it And Hurault saith that a Prince shold take heed that hee bestow not two offices or moe upon one man for in so doing he bereaveth himselfe of the means to recompence many and is not so well served as otherwise he should be for as Alexander Severus was wont to say it is a hard matter that he which hath two charges at once should be able to use them to his owne honour and his masters profit The way likewise to attaine to honour is stopped to others that are meete men and sufficient when one occupieth the place and honour of many The like care a Prince should take that the offices which he giveth may come ◅eely to him upon whom hee bestoweth them and that no persons take any money or gift for their helpes or furtherance to the obtaining of those offices for hee that buyeth an office must sell the administration of it and this discommodity also commeth of it that men will be discouraged to seeke and follow vertue when they sh◅l see that advancement is not obtained by vertue but by money And a Prince should foresee that hee place very good men in offices for such men as Princes place in authority such they are taken themselves to be therfore a Prince should informe himselfe by secret intelligence as also by common fame of sufficient men upon whom to bestow his offices and rather make his owne choice than preferre men at the suite of his favorites It is an ancient pestilence saith one in the Courts of Princes that when the Prince is disposed to beare affection or to honour any person forthwith they murmur and joyne together to disgrace and persecute him for up steps envie on the one side and detraction on the other two old Courtiers and sworne enemies to vertue who never leave to sollicite and importune the Prince untill they have wrought him out of his favour And yet were it more commendable and behoovefull for a Prince saith one after good deliberation and advised resolution to be constant in his determination and not to be removed nor altered with words Gregorie Tholos saith that Princes commit a fault when they give offices of rule for favour love or recompence unadvisedly without due examination of their sufficiencie for they should remember that they are called to the government of the common-wealth not for themselves or for their friends or favorites but rather for the profit of others that bee committed to their governement and therefore in an evill choice they are in danger of a double punishment when they shall come to answere their doings before God both for that they of whom they made choice have behaved themselves evilly and for that they gave them power to do evill Yet they may neverthelesse bestow honour and riches upon their friends and favorites but so farre forth as the right of the common-wealth remaine whole and take no harme thereby S. Lewes the French King by his testament ordained that his son should see good lawes observed and to make choice of wise Counsellers and of ripe yeares and that no money should be taken to make Officers for men should not obtaine offices by money by ambition nor by favour that he do justice indifferently to all by which kings do reigne and not beleeve too soone That his sevrants be wise peaceable not covetous backbiters nor quarrellers Q. Curtius saith a Prince ought to bestow more care cost in getting a wise Counsellor than in conquests Alexander Severus Adriā others Emperors of Rome would cal to their councell not their favorites but men learned grave experienced of a good conscience Princes should not esteeme men by their riches state but by their vertue and conversation One asked Trajan the Emperour how hee made so good a choice of counsellers friends he answered that his good hap came hereof that he chose them neither covetous men nor lyers for they in whom covetousnes or lying hath any place cannot love perfectly And the French king Charles 8 would often say to his friends or favorits that he made choice of them for the opinion hee had that they were of the honester sort and such as in whom he might put his trust fearing but one fault in thē that they will suffer themselves to be overcome with covetousnes wherunto they may be easily allured tempted by means of the credit they have with him but if he should understand that for gaine they should command any unjust thing or not honest they should lose his favor for ever They that be in favor saith one with Princes abuse the Prince when they name or prefer to offices and dignities and government such as be of their faction and at their command not such as be worthy but such as will be instruments to serve their turne such as they may freely cōmand as their creatures dependants dare not gainesay them wherof ensueth often many inconveniences And therefore Princes ought to be very circumspect and so to handle the matter that they who be chosen to offices of government dignities depend immediatly upon them not upon others that they may have free men to their officers and magistrates that are bound beholding to none but to them A Prince sayth one should bee sure to make choice of very good counsellers of approved life māners such as God commanded Moses to make choice of and they shold be saith he faithful wise true speakers not flatterers constāt godly secret such as know the minds of the subjects state of the country of good yeres that have tasted of both fortunes and are more apt to execute than to innovate matters chosen not by sute nor by private but by publike commendation and such as bee not headstrong and obstinate in defence of their opinion free from passions and affections and not desirous of gaine Good Counsellors make a good and happie principalitie and wisedome and counsell is better than force as it was sayd in times past of the Romanes Romanus sedendo
festivall time to make some pastime to the people in their Theatres among which this was one to cast slave and condemned men to wilde beasts to be devoured And as for this purpose they used to cause wilde beasts to be taken in the deserts so it chanced that this Lyon amongst others was taken by hunters and sent to Rome about that time that Titus the Emperour returned from the warres and had determined to shew some of these pastimes to the people of Rome and as the Emperour and the people sate beholding these matters in the Theatre this Lyon was brought in place and after he had cruelly rent in peeces certaine prisoners that were cast in to him this poore slave was also throwne into the place to be dismembred and devoured as the rest were but as the Lyon ran towards him to teare him in peeces he knew the man and laid downe his â—…ares and wagged his taile fawning upon him like a dog with all the kindnesâ—…e he could use Then the poor slave that looked to bee devoured and was almost dead for very feare at the fight of the Lyon gathered his spirits to him knowing him to be the same Lyon with whom he lived in the cave and renuing old acquaintance stroked the Lyon gently with his hand upon the backe and made as much of him as hee could After the slave and the Lyon had thus courteously entertained each other to the great admiration of the Emperor and all the people whose minds were diversly drawne to see so strange a thing some saying the Lyon was enchanted others alledging other causes according to the inclination of their conceits the Emperour called the man to him whom the Lyon followed like a dog asked him how this strange matter should come to passe the slave told him all the manner of it as hath been said whereupon 〈◊〉 the petition of all the people the Emperour pardoned him and gave him the Lyon who waited upon him whithersoever he went CHAP. IIII. The gratitude of an Eagle and of a Dolphin of a Roman Censâ—…r and his Host. The rare modesty of Cato sent to governe Spaine of Collatinus of Regulus of Cincinnatus the Dictator c. Pride derided in Teribarus the Peâ—…sian The Contemplative life preferred before the Civill Illustrated both by the authority of 〈◊〉 astiâ—…ns Philosophers and other later examples THe like examples of love and friendship hath beene found in fowles of the aire and that which is more strange in fishes of the sea Philarchus reporteth a historie of a boy that had a great pleasure in birds among the rest he tooke a singular delight in a young Eagle that was given him which he fed and cherished very carefully and cured him also being sicke and when the Eagle was fully growne and had lived a good time with this boy he shewed many signes of mutuall love to him for when the boy happened to fall sick the Eagle would continually sit by him when he slept the Eagle would also sleepe when he waked the Eagle would wake and when he would not â—…ate the Eagle would abstaine from meat And afterward when the boy was dead and carried forth upon a hearse the Eagle followed and when he was burned the Eagle flew into the fire Aelian writeth of a singular love of a Dolphin towards a boy this boy being very faire used with his companions to play by the sea side and to wash themselves in the water and practise to swim A Dolphin fell into great liking with this boy above the rest used very familiarly to swim by him side by side the boy though at the first he feared the Dolphin grew by custome so familiar with him that they would contend together in swimming each by other and sometimes the boy would get upon his backe and ride upon the fish as though hee had beene a horse insomuch that the Dolphin would carry him a great way into the sea and bring him to land againe in the sight of all the people of the citie adjoyning wherin they took great pleasure it chanced at last that the boy lying with his belly close to the Dolphins backe the sharpe pricke which those fishes have rising out of the middest of his backe ran into the boyes belly and killed him The Dolphin perceiving by the weight of the boy and by the bloud which stained the water that he was dead swam speedily with all his force to land and there laid down the dead boy and for sorrow died presently by him These examples may make many men seeme more brute than beasts that performe things appertaining to vertue more effectually by the instinct of nature onely than they do by nature and reason joyned together Many will use honesty so long as it serveth their turne to be honest but when to be honest will no longer serve their turne then farewell honesty In this generall confusion of things and depravation of manners wee may say with the wise man Quos fugiam scâ—…d quos sequar non video whom to avoyd I know but whom to follow I see not Examples of vertue in these corrupt dayes are so rare that he which will seeke for a faithfull friend or a man endued with vertue and honesty must bee dâ—…iven to seeke for him as one sought a good man by the report of Marcus Aurelius The Emperour Marcus Aurelius maketh report of a custome among the ancient Romans to send once or twice every yeare their Censors into the countries under their dominions to see how the lawes were executed and how justice was done One of these Censors comming to a towne in Italy commanded his host of the Inne where hee lodged to call the good men of the towne unto him that he might understand by them how justice was ministred This man being wiser peradventure than the Censor goeth with his message into the Churches to the graves and sepulchers of such as in their life time were of most estimation among the people for their vertue and were dead many yeares before and calling every man aloud by his name het old them the Censor commanded them to come to him and returned home againe The Censor looking long for their comming asked his hoste whether he had done as he commanded him who answering him that hee had done it the Censor willed him to goe againe and hasten them away and to shew them of his tarrying The hoste goeth againe to the Churches and to the tombes and graves and with a loud voyce calleth them as hee did before and returneth to his house againe the Censor waxing angry for their long tarrying sent for his hoste and enquired of him the cause and who they were to whom hee had spoken You commanded me saith he to warne the good men of the towneto come to you the pestilence and civill wars hath consumed long since all our good men so that I was driven to goe to the graves and sepulchers of the dead none
whether it bee of poverty of heate of cold of whippes of stripes even before he can utter his conceit what other messenger or better t◅ouchman can he have of his miseries then his weepings cryings and sighes when hee hath disgested so many evils and come to bee seven yeeres old hee must presently have tutors and masters to instruct him in learning when hee is further growne and become a young man hee must haue reformers and masters more severe and sterne the better to tame and accustome the heate of these young folkes to labours that being done haire beginneth to cover his face and then he is come to be a man and yet this is the time that hee entreth into his trouble and vnquietnesse of minde Then he must frequent publike places he must haunt companies that be as touch-stones to know both good and euill If he be honourably descended from any Noble house he must take vpon him a thousand enterprises in the warres offer himselfe to an infinite number of perils hazard his life shead his blood to die in the bed of honour otherwise hee shall be accounted a carpet knight an effeminate man and had in contempt If he be of base condition and called to the exercise of handicraft hee must then also runne into a thousand labours trauels and perturbations both of bodie and minde hee must labour day and night to get wherewith to liue with the sweate of his browes and for the most part howsoeuer he imploy his labour and diligence hee can hardly provide for his necessitie But let us runne over briefely some of the principall estates or trades of life and see what opinion is holden of them and proue whether we can find any that are content with their estate but rather hath sometime or other found fault with it and hath beene weary thereof and wished for some other which is so farre from felicity that it ought rather to be accounted miserie Let vs beginne with sea-faring men who be in continuall perill both day and night their habitation is as a prison their manner of life is not much vnlike to the same they are alwaies as vagarants in continual exile for the most part without rest tossed vp and down with the wind and weather in danger of ◅ockes and to bee buried in fishes bellies Byas one of the sages of Greece doubted whether he should account these kinde of men among the dead or among the hu◅g and Anacharsis said that there was but two or three fingers breadth betweene them and their death meaning the thicknesse of the boords And though some become Masters of many shippes and are accounted happy by reason of their riches that way gotten yet that happinesse is not much to be regarded that hangeth vpon ropes And if we looke into the life of husbandmen which at the first sight seemeth pleasant quiet simple without guile and happy and such as Patriarkes and Prophets have made choise of as that which hath in it least fraud deceit and also great Emperours have forsaken their stately Palaces their Pompe and Dominion to give themselves to the planting of gardens and orchards yet he that will looke throughly into the matter shall find that among these roses there be many thornes for whē God cast man out of Paradise hee sent him abroad as an exile saying The earth shall be cursed for thy sake thou shalt eate thereof with travell all the dayes of thy life for it shall bring forth thornes and thistles and thou shalt eate the hearbes of the earth with the sweat of thy browes thou shalt eate thy bread vntill thou returne to the earth againe from whence thou camest and who hath more experience of that the Lord spake then those poore soules who after they have laboured in the fields day after day tilled sowed their ground endured the rigour of the heat and cold and sweat as it were water and blood in the middest of their hope to gather the fruites of their travell there happeneth vnseasonable weather ouermuch plentie or want of raine frost and snowe mildewes and such like Some lose their cattell other suffer spoile of their corne and all that they have long travelled for in a moment by men of warre even as they are labouring in the fields so that in place of comfort and rest he returneth home sorrowing where he findeth his wife and children weeping and lamenting for feare of famine so that this kind of life is full of trouble and vnquietnes alwaies in feare of some thing or other But let vs leaue the husbandmen in their labours and see what goodnes is in the trafficke of merchandize this trade of life if we looke into it superficially will seeme to bee exempt from all manner of miserie and vnhappinesse and to promise quietnesse and ease because of riches wherein it aboundeth a trade invented for the necessity of our life which many wise men as Thales Solon Hippocrates and others haue exercised and which nourisheth amitie and loue betweene Princes transporting their commodities from one countrey to another yet notwithstanding that trade cānot so be disguised with faire shewes but it will easily appeare to him that will enter further into the view of the matter how full of vnquietnesse and troubles their life is as the Poet saith Impiger extremos currit mercator ad Indos Per mare pauperiem fugiens per saxa per ignes To how many dangers they are continually subiect either in their own persons or in the losse of their goods both by sea and by land by tempests by pyrates and theeues and how great a part of their life many of them spend in strange countries differing nothing from exiles sauing that their banishments are voluntary and all this through an excessive desire of gaine which maketh them leave the pleasure and comfort of their wives and children of their friends and native countrey and what craft an epytheton peculiar to them in time past but now growne more generall and deceit is vsed of many of that trade their owne countrey proverbe seemeth to discover That there needeth nothing but to turne their backe to God a fewe yeeres and a little to inlarge the entrie into their conscience to make themselves rich and to overcome fortune But we will passe over many things that bee written and may bee said of them conclude with the words of Saint Augustine and Saint Augustine That it is hard for them to please God or duly and rightly to repent them of their sinnes But let us leave the Marchants in their accounts and see what happinesse is in the men of Warre who thinke themselves to exceede all others in worthinesse and honourable estate and therefore have this epytheton aptly given them Gloriosi milites glorious souldiers and yet not he saith one which leadeth his life in the warres but he that endeth his life well in peace winneth both honour in this life and also
From whence derive you your kinde From heaven What parents did beget you Measure did beget me sincere faith brought me forth Why is one of your eares open the other shut One is open to just persons the other is deafe to the wicked Why doth your right hand beare a sword and the left a ballance This doth weigh causes the other strikes the guilty Why goe ye alone Because there is small store of good men these ages bring forth few Fabritios Why go ye so poorely apparelled No man will desire exceeding great riches that coveteth alwaies to be a very just man Apollonius noting the corruption of Magistrates government having travelled over all Asia Affrica Europe said that of 2. things whereat he marvelled most in all the world the first was that he alwaies saw the proud man coÌ„mand the huÌ„ble the quarrellous the quiet the tyrant the just the cruell the pittifull the coward the hardy the ignorant the skilfull the greatest theeves hang the innoceÌ„t In these daies saith Mar. Aurelius in Italy they that rob openly be call'd Masters or Lords and they that steale secretly be call'd theeves One wisheth there were no greater theeves in the world then those that rob the goods of rich men Cato said Theeves of private theft lived in fetters irons but publike theeves lived in gold and purple The old Egiptians used to paint their magistrats blindfolded without hands meaning that a Iudge or Magistrate must know no kin nor friend froÌ„ a stranger without hands because he must receive no bribes or rewards And this was no unapt device to paint in a table 30. Iudges without hands and the President onely looking vpon the image of truth that hanged at his neck The Ariopagites vsed to heare no causes but in the darke nights that the Iudges might haue respect to the words that were spoken not to the persons that spake iosaphats speech to Iudges should be noted Looke what ye doe for ye exercise not the iudgement of men but of God and whatsoeuer ye shall iudge wil redound to your selues Chuse out of all the people men vertuous that feare God thâ—…t loue the truth and hate covetousnes and make them Iudges Ecclesiasticus giueth this counsell Blame no man before thou haue inquired the matter vnderstand first and then reforme righteously giue no sentence before thou haue heard the cause neither interrupt men in the midst of their tales There be foure things necessary in a Iudge to heare patiently to answer wisely to iudge vprightly and execute mercifully Iudges and Magistrates saith one should not imploy their study to get friends to maintaine their estate proudly but rather to read books to iudge mens causes vprightly The good Magistrate should take the authority of his office which the Prince giueth him for accessary and his good life for principall that the vprightnesse of his iustice and the sharpenesse which the wicked feele in the execution thereof should be so tempered by his discretion that all may hold authority by the syncerity of his life Aristotle requireth three things to be in all good Iudges and Magistrates Vertue and Iustice a loue to the present estate and a sufficiency to exercise those duties that are required in their office Now let vs looke a little into the estate of Couniers who seeme to challenge a peculiar interest in happinesse in respect of their easie and delicate life and reputation aboue others being neere the well head from whence their â—…elicity springeth for the estate of Princes they thinke to be perfect felicity These men for the most part have a speciall regard to please their sences and be more carefull to decke their bodies then to garnish their minds Nescis quale tegat splendida vita malum Thou knowest not what mischiefe a smooth life covers They set more by formalitie of manners then by substance of matter so they shew to be such as they would be they care not though they be not such as they should be Many of these men make it their felicity to passe their time lasciuiously in courting young Damosels as though they were borne as Boccas saith of himselfe por l'amore delle donne but in the kingdome of pleasure vertue cannot consist others that cannot have that favour of the Prince they look for insinuate themselues into the favour of some of them that be most in favour and receiue holy water at the second hand him they follow his beckes and countenance they obserue when he is merry they laugh when he is angrie they are sad what he alloweth they affirme what he liketh not they dispraise Et hoâ—…a summa putant aliena viuere quadra And thus they continue with him so long as the wind bloweth in the poope but if fortune begin to frowne vpon him they depend they find some reasonable cause for saving their credit if they thinke not the common custome a sufficient warrant to leaue him and follow some other Thus for riches and reputation they 〈◊〉 sell their liberty so precious a thing of instemiable price and transforme their nature into his whom they desire to please otherwise they must fall short of that they looke for The happinesse of these men differeth as much from felicitie as a darke dungeon differeth from the cleere light of the Sun and this is incident to those great estates that are so followed that many of them who to salute them take their hattes from their heads wish that his head were taken from his shoulders and that bow their knee to do him reuerence wish his legge broken that they might carrie him to his graue Alfonsus king of Arragon sayling vpon the sea froÌ„ Sicilia beheld certaine fowle soaring about his Galley and looking for meat of the marriners and when he had cast them meat he obserued how greedily they contended for it euer as they had gotten their prey away they would flie and returne no more Some of my Courtiers quoth the King turning to his company are like these chattering birds for as soone as they haue gotten any office or reward at my hands that they gape after and contend for one with another they flie away and returne not againe vntill necessitie compell them to sue for more Gueuarra to his friend that asked him how he imployed his time answered thus According to the fashion of our Courtiers beare euil-will blaspheme loyter lie prattle and curse and oft time we may more truly say wee lose it then imploy it and to another demaund with whom hee was most conuersant in that Court hee answered that the Court and people there of were grapes of so euill a soyle that we who goe in the same and from our childhood be brought vp therein study not with whom to bee conuersant but in discouering of whom to beware with much paine we haue time to defend vs from our enemies and will you that we occupie our selues in seeking new
it Oh Mecenas that we see None with their owne estates contented be Whether their choice or chance hath giuen thē free But still in others praise the contrary He answereth himselfe afterward with an apt prouerbe Optat ephippia bos piger optat arare caballus The Oxe the saddle doth allure The Horse doth wish to prooue the plower But he that liueth contentedly desireth no more then that he hath nor would exchange his estate with any man but whether any such man may be found in this vale of miserie whose pleasing and contented life is not interrupted with some displeasures ouerthwart accidents may greatly be doubted Homer duly considering the miseries of this life and the instability of humane matters fained that there were two vessels at the entry of the great Olympus the one being full of honey the other full of gall of which two mingled together Iupiter causeth all men to drinke Whereby his meaning is to giue vs to vnderstand that there is no life so sweete or pleasant but hath in it some bitternesse which agreeth with his opinion that saith God doth mingle bitternesse with worldly felicity that we might seeke another felicity in whose sweetnesse there is no deceit And Plutark saith Men can neuer simply and sincerely enioy the quietnesse of any great prosperity but whether it be Fortune or the enuie of destiny or else the naturall necessity of worldly things their quietnesse is alwaies during their life intermingled with euill among the good yea and that which is worst the euill surmounteth the good for this life hath in it much aloes but very little honey The consideration whereof mooued Philip King of Macedon when he had three messengers brought him good newes at one time two of victories the third of the birth of his sonne to desire the gods that they would mitigate the enuie of Fortune with the moderation of some meane chance because he knew that some sorrow would alwayes follow good tydings The instability and vncertainty of worldly prosperity moued Amasis King of Egypt to giue this counsell to Policrates King of Samos This Policrates in all his actions was so fortunate and liued continually in such prosperity that Amasis with whom he was ioyned in a perfect league of friendship fearing some great euill hap according to the ordinary course of this world to hang ouer his head wrote thus vnto him Amasis saith thus to Policrates It pleaseth me well to heare that all things fall out so happily with my friend yet your great prosperity liketh me not knowing how enuious a name it is but for my part I had rather that both mine owne matters and also their 's that be deare to me should sometimes go prosperously sometime otherwise and to passe my time after the variety of fortune then in all things to haue good successe Follow therfore my counsell and doe thus against prosperity Consider with your selfe what thing ye haue that ye most esteeme and which being lost would most grieue you which when ye haue found cast it away so as it may neuer come to the hands of men againe and if then there shall be no alteration in your good fortune temper it sometime in this sort as I haue told you When Policrates had read this letter he determined to follow his friends counsell and examining with himselfe what thing he had that of all other was most deare to him which being lost would most grieue him he found that the same was a Ring of great value which he had in very great estimation he putteth this ring vpon his finger and goeth into a ship and after he was in the middest of the sea he let his ring fal as though it were vnawares thinking in that sort craftily to beguile fortune and returned home againe sorrowfull as it seemed for his great losse After fiue or sixe dayes it chanced a fisher to take a great fish which for the rarenesse of him he presented to Policrates and as the fish was opened to be dressed the ring was found in his belly and brought to the King Which when Amasis vnderstood perceiuing that it was not possible for one man to diuert from another the euill destiny that hangeth ouer him nor that Policrates could haue any good end whom Fortune had so exceedingly fauoured all his life he sent a Herald to Samos to signifie to him that he would breake the league of friendship with him lest Policrates falling into some great misfortune which he feared might be to him the cause of sorrow and griefe being his friend It chanced not long after that Policrates made warre vpon the Persians by whom he was taken and depriued of his kingdome and shamefully hanged vpon the top of an high hill this miserable end followed his great and long prosperitie A notable example of the instabilitie of mans estate whereunto he seemed to be strongly drawne by an ineuitable destinie for no intreatie of his friends nor cuill signes and tokens going before neither the dreame of his daughter that presaged his vnfortunate successe could disswade him from that iourney Shee dreamed that shee saw her father aloft in the aire and that hee was washed of Iupiter and anointed of the Sunne all which came to passe for as he hanged in the aire he was washed with raine that fell from aboue and was anointed with his owne grease by the heat of the Sun that drew out his sweat The prosperous life and miserable end of Policrates confirmeth the opinion of Solon that no man can be accounted happy before his death For to ◅udge them happie that are aliue among the dangers of so many alterations whereunto they are subiect is all one as if a man should appoint beforehand a reward of the victory to him that is yet fighting being vncertaine whether it will fall on his side Which agreeth with Pythagoras that said We ought to choose the best life and saue our selues from the blasts of Fortune as the Galley is safe from the winds in the Sea That riches in this mortall life are weake Ankers glorie weake and the strong body also feeble So offices honours and all such things saith he are weake and vnconstant and the sure and strong Ankers are Wisedome Magnanimitie Fortitude and Vertue which cannot bee ouerthrowne with any tempest all other things hee accounteth foolishnesse dreames and winde Seeing therefore there is no life in this world to be found that is voyd of calamities but pleasures and delights are intermingled with sorrow and griefe ease and quietnesse with paines and troubles so as no man leadeth continually a contented and pleasing life but either in the beginning or end of his race or in the midst thereof hee findeth some alteration and suffereth something that discontenteth him and desireth amendment of his estate wee must bee driuen to seeke felicitie in the midst among troubles and calamities and call him happie that feeleth least of
moderate shall the more easily find the right way to the true felicity S. Bafill saith that men are wicked and vnthankfull neuer content with that they haue alwayes seeking for that they haue not sad and sorrowfull for not obtaining the slaue his liberty the vnnobleman nobility the noble riches the rich Lordship the Lord a kingdom the King a monarchy the Empire of the whole World The Philosopher vsed to say that as a man who is inuited by his frieÌ„d to a feast taketh of that which is set before him is contented so ought we to take and content our selues with that God giueth vs. For if it bee against good manners to aske of that friend for Partridges or Quailes or other dainty meats and drinkes then that which he hath prouided for him much more is it against equity and reason to aske of Almighty God this or that thing more then he giueth vs especially of his Maiesty that knoweth better what we need and is meete for vs then we know our selues Socrates was vsed to say that they which desired of God gold or siluer or such like their demands were not vnlike to them that desired to play at dice or such like things the euent and end whereof is vncertaine The things which are commorly called the goods of fortune and of nature though they be of themselues good because they were created and giuen of God yet they neither bring commodity nor praise but to them that vse them well and therefore they that desire those things of God ought also to desire the right vse of them that they may bee commodious and comfortable to them for they that torment themselues in getting goods and are vexed with ouer-great care in keeping them and vnquieted with griefe and sorrowe for the losing of them to them goods are not good so as wee desire many times the things that are not profitable but hurtfull to vs because the vse of things proceedeth not from our iudgement but from the will of God Learne therefore to content thy selfe with thine estate and that which God giueth thee and behold aduisedly what the things bee that driue men almost into madnesse for the desire and lacke of them and thou shalt perceiue that their losse and lacke is not hurtfull but the opinion we hold of them No man feeleth their want but only thinketh that he lacketh them Thou hast little money so hast thou also thereby the lesse care and trouble thou hast little credit and reputation and thereby the lesse enuie The next way to riches and reputation is to contemne them but if that seeme to thee ouer-hard liue so as though thou didst not contemne all things but rather as though thou didst giue other men leaue to haue them and if thou wilt beleeue Seneca the safest way to felicity is to despise externe things and to bee content with that which is honest and to thinke them happy whom we call most vnhappy Hope and Feare raise great tempests in mens mindes which ioyne together to vexe mâ—…n more then infelicity it selfe for by gaping with vnquiet mindes after things to come they cannot quietly enioy things present and the feare of not obtaining that they hope for tormenteth their mindes more grieuously then any euill that can happen which is contrary to felicity that requireth a quiet and contented minde Some couet riches others aspire to honour all desire to liue in a prosperous estate and few or none know how to vse it as Petrarke rightly saith with other Authors Many are tormented with aduersity and others know not how to vse prosperity which caused Flaccus to say Bene ferre magnam disce fortunam Learne how to carry a great fortune well For all desire great estate and high dignities but very few know how they ought to behaue themselues in them And this may seeme strange that many can with a constant minde and vpright Iudgement beare losse pouerty imprisonment exile punishment painefull diseases and death it selfe and few can beare with the like minde and iudgement riches possessions honour power or dominion and so much the more miserable is their case as they can neither suffer the disease nor endure the remedy Saint Paul giueth counsell that wee should vse the world as though wee did not vse it so should wee vse honour riches and such like things as though wee did not vse them and though it bee a hard matter to doe as wee ought and to haue that is meete and to attaine to the meane yet wee must endeuour not to depart farre from the meane and if wee cannot reach to the best things yet let vs holde those that haue in them least euill following Aristotles counsell that wee ought to wish for a prosperous winde to bring vs to the meane but because that happeneth seldome or neuer yet wee must not omit the other kinde of nauigation that is the winde failing to rowe our ship with oares and so vse our endeuour to attaine to the meane which to our purpose may be thus applied If we want the meanes either by the defects of nature or of Fortunes fauour as we vse to speake to leade a happy life wee must endeuour to supply the same defects with labour and industry For Alexander the great was vsed to say that labour and industry is of a princely dignity but idlenesse and sluggishnesse of a seruile condition And Salomon saith The Soule of an idle man is alwayes in desires which bring with them many impediments to felicity It is not vnseemely for good and vertuous men to wish that the best things may happen to them but they must beare whatsoeuer chance so shall they deserue the name of vertuous men as one saith Euenta quisquis rectè fcrt mortalium Mihi modestus is vidctur optimus He that all mortall chances can disgest I 'le count him modest and of men the best To foresee that no euill happen is the part of a wise man and of a stout man to beare them if they happen and no lesse wisdome is it to haue no confidence in the world for that as Gâ—…arra hath rightly espied it hath a custome to hide vnder a little gold a great deale of drosse vnder a resemblance of truth it leads vs in many deceâ—…ts and to our very few and short delights it ioyneth infinite griefes and displeasures vnto whom it sheweth most fauour in him is most perill of destruction for that the allurements of the world be but baites to beguile such as bite them and who serues the world in disdaine and mockery findes his recompence most iâ—…st and true where to him that loues indeed it ministreth reward of scorne and when wee thinke our estate best established euen then we are neerest our ouerthrowe and ruine But it is hard for a young man to be wise and for an old man to be happy Solon calleth him happy who being meanely possessed with exteme things
Of E◅vy Hatred and Contempt Of Prudence Silence Bashfulnesse Who are the happiest men in this world Not those which outwardly appeare such Wholesome Counsell and necessary Instructions to attaine to that felicity of true friendship And the distinguishing of Friends and Kinsfolkes The great difference betwixt these lat◅er Times and the former Of learned Emperours The true and direct way to enjoy Happinesse c. THe inferiour state of men likewise is not excluded from felicity for though they want much of the superfluities of great estates yet they have sufficient wherewith to be contented and to leade a happy life and are not so much subject to the inconstancy of Fortune As they exceede these in dominion and possessions in wealth and sensuall pleasures in honour and reputation so have they more cares and unquietnesse of minde and live in greater feare and perill For so ◅ath God disposed of these worldly matters joyning troubles and unquietnesse with high dignities and riches security and quietnesse with poverty and low estate He liveth more cheerefully upon whō Fortune never smiled than he whom she hath forsaken Alexander severus was used to say There is no kind of mis-hap so unfortunate as for a mā to call to remembrance that in times past he had beene fortunate Adversity never dismayed any but such as prosperity deceived He is more happy to whom honours riches and worldly pompe is superfluous than they that have the fruition of them at the full All these which we call good things wherein wee seeme to take a singular and sound but indeed a deceiptfull and false pleasure as riches reputation authority rule and such like which mens vaine and greedy desires have in so great admiration are possessed with paine and beheld with envy And to them that are so adorned or rather burdened they threaten more evill than they promised good And those estates that are betweene these extremities have also their meanes to attaine to felicity but with so much the more difficulty as they exceede or defect from the meane For the extremities of estates specially the highest are more subject to those things that are hinderance to felicitie than the meane estates And therefore they require Gods graces in greater measure a mind fortified with many vertues to make resistance to the things that are offensive to happy life And yet there is no estate but is subject to troubles and unquietnesse Pontanus reckoneth up some of the troubles of this life in an Epitaph made for his friend thus Doe you aske me what be the sawces of this life labour sorrow sickenesse mourning to serve proud masters to beare the yoke of superstition to bury those that bee deare to us to see the ruine of our country for the troubles of a wife I never felt Seeing then there is no estate excluded from felicity and that there are more incumbrances and impediments to happinesse in some estates than in others it shall bee requisite for him that would live happily to content himselfe with that estate that hath in it least difficulty in the attaining of felicity and not to aspire to high dignities and great possessions neither to hunt after credit and reputation the immoderat desire wherof I observe generally to be a great hindrance to felicity but rather to thinke a reputation of vertue and honesty sufficient to a happy life Better is a good name saith the wise man than much riches and better to have renown among the good sort than to bee Lord over the whole world there being no such riches under heaven as to be well thought of among men And therefore nothing ought to be so deare to us as good fame being the true only reward of vertue all other things being the gifts of Fortune And nothing in this miserable life can rightly be called losse but when wee lose good fame And because in seeking for felicity there must be a respect had to civility which consisteth in decency of habits and manners it shall be good for him that meaneth to preferre vertue before vanity to follow Seneca his counsell Temperetur vita inter bonos more 's publicos Temper thy life sayth he betweene good manners those that be commonly used For it is one thing to live after the common custome of men and another to live as thou oughtest Covet not to win estimation by trimming up thy selfe in disguised habits new fangled fashions nor by wrying thy body with tragical gestures Frierly ducks and such like Italian and Spanish tricks and tuckes which are but fantasticall toyes and the invention of idle heads for honesty is of small estimation with him that is over-curious and carefull in decking his body Nor yet bee over-rusticall as though thou didst condemne all things saving that thy selfe allowest but be modest in attire and temperate in dyet and use a mean observing decency Adorned thy mind with vertue learning that men may rather esteem thee for the gifts ornaments of thy mind honest cōversation than the brave attire of thy body formality of manners Curious neatnesse is meete for women but labour for men for he that passeth his youth vainely maketh his old age odious but that time being well spent hee gathereth to himselfe the fruits of credite and authority in his latter age as a Germane Poet sayth Qualiter in teneris adolescens vixerit annis Talem prabebit c◅rva senecta senem Such as in youth thou striv'st to bee Such age in age shall render thee We are no lesse beholding to them from whom wee had good education and instruction than to them from whom wee had our being for good inclinations are many times corrupted by vicious conversation Neither wonder at these kind of things now in use after the common custome nor yet despise them but give every one leave to use his owne manners and laugh in thy fleeve Thou art nothing the worse though the gallants thinke thee rude because in all things thou doest not imitate them Let it suffice thee that thou knowest thy selfe and the office of a man and many of their formall manners to be vaine ridiculous and fantastical If the manners used in times past were good then they are not evill now A common custome maketh things more familiar but not Good The wise Emperor Augustus Caesar foreseeing the inconvenience that ordinarily ensueth the alteration of outward habits and manners sayd in a great assembly of the Romanes En palliati cives behold our cloaked Cittizens a thing not then used but if he lived in this corrupt age hee would say En Tragaedi Thrust not thy selfe into offices and charge for credit sake nor yet for gaine nor incumber thy selfe over much with worldly affaires they bring with them troubles and unquietnesse rather than happinesse He is not least happy that is most free from worldly cares Obtundunt siquidem curarum pondera sensus for The