And who is not content to depart out of an olde ruinous house What pleasure haue wee in this world which draweth neere to an end euery day which selleth vnto vs so deere those pleasures that wee receiue therein What other thing is this life but a perpetual battell and a sharpe skirmish wherein we are one while hurt with enuie another while with ambition and by and by with some other vice besides the suddaine onsets giuen vpon our bodies by a thousand sorts of diseases and fluds of aduersities vpō our spirits Who than will not say with S. Paul I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ Why do we daily pray that the kingdom of God should come if it be not for the desire which we ought to haue to see the fulfilling therof in the other life We haue a thousand testimonies in the scripture that the death of the body is a certaine way by which we passe into that true and eternal life and into our owne countrey Flesh and bloud saith Saint Paul cannot inherite the kingdom of God neither doth corruption inherite incorruption For this corruptible must put on incorruptiō and this mortali must put on immortalitie then shall bee fulfilled that which is written Death is swallowed vp in victory They that beleeue in Iesus Christ haue already ouercome death sin and hell And therefore contemning death they may say O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victory The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law but thanks be vnto God which hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. He which hath raised vp the Lord Iesus shall raise vs vp also Our conuersation is in heauen from whence also we looke for the sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able euen to subdue all things-vnto himselfe Ye are dead saith he to the Colossians and your life is hid with Iesus Christ in God When Christ which is our life shall appeere then shall ye also appeere with him in glory My brethren saith he to the Thessalonians I would not haue you ignorant concerning them which are a sleepe that ye sorow not euen as other which haue no hope For if we beleeue that Iesus is dead and is risen euen so them which sleepe in Iesus will God bring with him Iesus Christ saith he to the Hebrewes was partaker of flesh and bloud that is to say was truly man that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the deuill And that he might deliuer all them who for feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage God hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling as he saith to Timothie not according to our works but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen to vs through Christ Iesus before the world was but is now made manifest by the appeering of our Sauiour Iesus Christ who hath abolished death hath brought life immortalitie vnto light through the Gospel I am sure saith Iob that my redeemer liueth and he shall stand the last on the earth And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet shall I see God in my flesh Whom I my selfe shall see and mine eyes shall behold and none other for me Iesus Christ is our head and we are his members This head cannot be without his members neither can forsake them Where Christ is there shall we be also He that considereth diligently these places of Scripture and infinite others contained therein it cannot be but he should haue great ioy and comfort in his hart against all feare and horror of death And then comming to compare the miseries which neuer leaue this life with that vnspeakable happines and felicitie which eye hath not seene neyther eare hath heard neyther came into mans hart which God hath prepared in the second and eternall life for all faithfull beleeuers a christian will not onely passe ouer this mortall life with ease and without trouble but will euen contemne and make no account of it in respect of that which is immortall But to whome is death sweete if not to them that labour The poore hireling is well at ease when hee hath done his dayes woorke So death is alwayes sweete to the afflicted but to them that put their trust in wordly things the remembrance thereof is bitter Now then the children of God are not afrayd of death but as Cyprian writeth in an Epistle sent to the Martyrs of Christ hee that hath once ouercome death in his owne person doth daily ouercome him in his members so that we haue Iesus Christ not onely a beholder of our combates but also an assistant and fighter with vs. And by his grace abounding in the harts of the faithfull they are so much the more bent to meditate vpon the benefites of the future and eternall life as they see that they are inuironed with greater store of miseries in this fading and transitorie life Then comparing both togither they find nothing more easie than to finish sweetly their race and to value the one as litle as they account the other absolute in all felicitie Moreouer seeing heauen is our countrey what is the earth else but a passage in a strange land And bicause it is accursed vnto vs for sinne it is nothing else but the place of our banishment If our departure out of this world be an entrance to life what is this world but a sepulcher And to dwell heere what is it else but to be plunged in death If it be libertie to be deliuered out of this bodie what is this bodie but a prison And if it be our chiefe happines to enioie the presence of our God is it not a miserie not to enioie it Now vntill we go out of this world we shal be as it were separated from God Wherefore if this earthlie life be compared with the heauenlie no doubt but it may be contemned and accounted as it were doung True it is that we must not hate it but so far foorth as it keepeth vs in subiection to sinne And yet whilest we desire to see the ende of it we must not be carelesse to keepe our selues in it to the good pleasure of God that our longing may be far from all murmuring and impatiencie For our life is as a station wherein the Lord God hath placed vs that we should abide in it vntill he call vs backe againe Saint Paul indeed bewailed his estate bicause he was kept as it were bound in the prison of his body longer than he would groned with a burning desire vntill he was deliuered but withall to shew his obedience to the wil of God he protested that he was ready for both bicause he knew
the chiefest mens children amongst them being gone out of the citie vnder colour to 〈◊〉 his youth to walke and to exercise themselues along the wals deliuered them into the hands of this Romane Captaine saying vnto him that he might be well assured the Citizens would yeeld themselues to his deuotion for the safetie and libertie of that which was deerest vnto them But Camillus knowing this to be too vile and wicked a practise said to those that were with him that although men vsed great outrage and violence in warre yet among good men certaine lawes points of equitie were to be obserued For victorie was not so much to be desired as that it should be gotten and kept by such cursed and damnable meanes but a Generall ought to warre trusting to his owne vertue and not to the wickednes of others Then stripping the said schole maister and binding his hands behind him he deliuered him naked into the hands of his schollers and gaue to ech of them a bundle of rods that so they might carye him backe againe into the citie For which noble act the Citizens yeelded themselues to the Romanes saying that in preferring iustice before victorie they had taught them to choose rather to submit themselues vnto them than to retaine still their libertie confessing withall that they were ouercome more by their vertue than vanquished by their force and power So great power hath Magnanimitie that it doth not onely aduance Princes to the highest degree of honor but also abateth the hart of the puissant and warlike enemie and oftentimes procureth victorie without battell Truly we may draw an excellent doctrine out of these examples which make all those without excuse that spare nothing to attaine to the end of their intents and deuices making no difficultie at the destruction of innocents but exercising all kind of crueltie so they may ouerthrow their enemies by what meanes soeuer vsing commonly that saying of Lysander Admirall of the Lacedemonians that if the Lions skin will not suffice the Foxe his skin also is to be sewed on But let vs resolutely hold this that treason neuer findeth place in a noble hart no more than the bodie of a Foxe is not found in a Lions bodie Further it is notoriously 〈◊〉 that the Ancients striued to procure all good and profit to their enemies vsing clemencie and humanitie towards them when they had greater occasion and meanes to be reuenged of them Heereof we may alleadge good examples when we discourse heereafter particularly of those vertues that are proper to a noble minded man who ought to hate crueltie no lesse than treason We are therefore to looke vnto the last effect and sound proofe of Magnanimitie Generositie heere propounded by vs which we said consisted in the contempt of earthlie and humane goods Wherein truly resteth the very perfection of a Christian who lifteth vp his desires to his last and soueraigne Good in heauen Now because there are but few that loue not themselues too much in those things that concerne the commodities of this life and fewer that seeke not after glorie honor as a recompence of their excellent deeds and that desire not riches earnestly to satisfie their pleasure in these three points also a noble minded man causeth his vertue to appeere more wonderfull bicause he doth not iudge thē to be a worthie reward for the same but rather altogether vnwoorthy the care of his soule for which principally he desireth to liue This is that which Cicero saith that it is not seemely that he should yeeld to couetousnes and concupiscence who could not be subdued by feare or that he should be ouercome by pleasure who hath resisted griefe but rather that these things ought to be shunned by all possible means togither with the desire of money seeing there is nothing more vile abiect than to loue riches nor more noble than to despise them This also is that which Plato saith that it belongeth to the duetie of a noble hart not onely to surmount feare but also to moderate his desires concupiscences especially when he hath libertie to vse them whither it be in the pleasure of the bodie or in the ambitious desire of vain glory honour and power In this sort then he that hath a right noble and worthie mind will no more waigh greatnes among men and estimation of the common sort than he doth griefe and pouertie but depending wholie vpon the wil of God contēting himself with his works wrought in him he will not that any good thing vpon earth can be taken from him And bicause he aspireth to those things that are best highest and most difficult he abideth free from all earthly care and griefe as being long before prepared for all dolors through the contempt of death which bringing an end to the greatest and most excessiue pangs serueth him for an entrance into eternall rest We haue already alleaged many examples of ancient men fit for this matter which now we speake of and the sequele of our treatises will furnish vs with mo when we shall come to intreat of riches and worldly wealth whereof we are to speake more at large But here we will propound Aristides onely to be imitated who was a woorthy man among the Athenians whose opinion was that a good citizen ought to be alwayes prepared alike to offer his body mind vnto the seruice of the common wealth without hope or expectation of any hired and mercenary reward either of money honor or glory And so with an vnspeakeable grauitie and constancie he kept himselfe always vpright in the seruice of his countrey in such sort that no honor done vnto him could cause him either to be puffed vp in hart or to be more earnest in imploying himselfe as it is the maner of some to do seruice according as they are recompenced neither could any repulse or deniall which he suffred abate his courage or trouble him or yet diminish and lessen his affection and desire to profit his common wealth Whereas now adayes we see that the most part of men with vs vpon a smal discontentment labor to make publike profite to serue their desires and passions in stead of giuing themselues to the good benefit of their countrey Now concluding our present discourse we learne that true and perfect Magnanimitie and Generositie is inuincible and inexpugnable bicause vpon this consideration that death is the common end of mans life and that happy passage to life euerlasting she despiseth it altogither and maketh lesse account thereof than of bondage and vice sustaining also with a great vnappalled hart most cruel torments not being mooued thereby to do any thing that may seem to proceed of the common weaknes and frailtie of mans nature Further we learne that this vertue maketh him that possesseth hir good gentle and curteous euen towards his greatest enimies against whom it suffereth him not to vse any couin
imbecillitie to be stirred vp to anger and to be troubled let vs follow that commandement of the Scripture Not to sinne in our anger neither to let the sunne go downe vpon our wrath least we shew our selues to haue lesse vertue and curtesie than the Ethnike Pythagorian Philosophers who albeit they were neither of kinne nor allied yet kept this custome inuiolable that if peraduenture they were entred into some contention and choler one against another before the sunne went downe they appointed a meeting where they imbraced and shooke hands one with another Further we haue carefully to auoyd all occasions which we know might induce and prouoke vs to choler As Cotis king of Thracia wisely behaued himselfe when one brought him a present of many goodly vessels curiously made and wrought but very brittle and easie to breake bicause they were of glasse After he had well recompenced the gift he brake them all for feare least through choler whereunto he knew himselfe subiect he should be mooued with wrath against any of his seruants that should breake them and so punish him too seuerely And of this matter we may also draw a good instructiō for all those that are placed in authoritie aboue others namely that they beware least they correct or punish any body in their choler but only when they are void of all vehement passions considering the fact in it selfe aduisedly and with quiet and setled sences knowing that as bodies seeme greater through a miste so doe faults through choler which for the most part carieth Princes headlong to commit execrable and cursed cruelties Among many examples we may note that of the emperor Theodosius who being mooued with anger against those of Thessalonica for a commotion which they made for staying his lieutenant sent his army thither with commādement that they should be vtterly rooted out whereupon fifteene thousand were slaine neither women nor children being spared Of which fault repenting him but too late he made a law afterward whereby he willed that the execution of his letters Patents and Commaundements should be held in suspence and deferred thirtie days after signification and knowledge of them namely when any were to be punished more rigorously than of custome he vsed Neither is it lesse dangerous in an estate that the administration of publike charges should be committed to such as suffer themselues to be ouer-ruled with wrath seeing there are not in a maner fewer matters which are to be winked at and dissembled than to be punished corrected And although Magistrates haue authoritie iust cause to punish vices yet haue they no licence to shew thēselues to be passionated But this being a matter of Policie let vs continue our morall instructions and note that which we read of Plato deseruing to be considered of here who being very angry with a seruaunt of his for a great fault committed by him and seeing Xenocrates to come towards him requested him if he were his friend to correct that seruant of his bicause at this present quoth he anger surmounteth my reason Whereby this wise Philosopher declared sufficiently that if the first motions are not at all in our power through the imperfection of our nature yet at the lest reason may serue for a bridle to hinder euery naughtie execution teaching vs likewise that we ought to vse and exercise our power and authoritie ouer others without any extreme passion Further that we may haue such imperfections in greater hatred we are to note that choler hath been the ouerthrow of many great men as it was of the emperor Aurelianus who was endued with notable vertues but otherwise easilie mooued to anger whose wrath was such that their death with whom he was displeased was the onely remedie to appease it For being one day incensed against Mnesteus his Secretarie he knowing his masters disposition for the safegard of his life deuised to write counterfaiting the emperors hand in a litle scroule the names of the principall captaines of his army putting himselfe in the number of those whom he had fully purposed to put to death and bearing it vnto them sayd that he saw this bill fall out of the emperours sleeue Whereat they being astonished and giuing credit thereunto resolued with themselues to preuent it and so falling vpon him slew him Moreouer it is well known to euery one that choler may greatly hurt health whereof men are for the most part desirous enough It was cause of the emperour Valentinians death who through crying out in his choler brake a veine in his neck From this vice proceedeth another detestable imperfection which is swearing a thing directly contrary to a wise mans life and condemned by the lawe both of God and man whereof we might easilie be cured by custome if first we destroied Impatiencie and Choler which prouoke blasphcmie The Romanes obserued an auncient decree which expresly commaunded that when yong men would sweare by the name of some God they should first go out of the house wherin they were Which was a commēdable mean both to retain keep them frō swearing lightly vpō the suddain also that they might haue good laisure space to bethink thēselues This would be very profitable for vs towards the correction of this vice the vnmeasurable licence whereof ought to be kept backe and chastised by some better meanes Yea it were very expedient and necessarie to renew and put in practise that law of good king S. Lewes that all blasphemers should be marked in the forehead with an hot iron yea punished with death if they would not be corrected otherwise Such contemners of the name of God ought to learne their lesson of Carilaüs the Ethnicke and Pagan who being demanded why the images of the Gods in Lacedemonia were armed to the end quoth he that men might feare to blaspheme the Gods knowing that they are armed to take reuengement Concluding therefore our present discourse let vs learne to decke our liues so well with patience which is so profitable and necessary to saluation and to a good and happie life that we be patient towards all men in all things to the end we may obey the will of God and reape the fruite of his promises as the end of patience is the expectation of things promised And let vs know that the learning and vertue of a man is knowne by patience and that he is to be accounted to haue lesse learning and vertue that hath lesse patience Further let vs learne that the office dutie of a prudent and noble minded man is to winke at many things that befall him to redresse other things to hold his peace at some things and to suffer much so that he follow reason alwaies and flie opinion Lastly we are to know that he which endureth euill patiently shall know also how afterward he may easily beare prosperitie and that euery christian offereth an
king of Macedonia after he receiued newes of three great and sundrie prosperities in one day to vtter this speech O fortune said he holding vp his hands towards heauen I pray thee send me for a counterbuffe some meane aduersitie Likewise after he had ouercome in battell the Athenians at Cherronesus and by this victorie obtained the Empire of Grecia he commanded a little Page to cry vnto him thrice a daye Philip remember that thou art a man so greatly did he feare least through arrogancie arising of his prosperitie he should commit anie thing that did not beseeme him The same thing did Archidamas the sonne of Agesilaus very well and wisely teach him to whome Philip after he was a Conqueror had written a very sharpe and rough letter If thou measurest thy shadow answered Archidamas thou shalt find that it is not waxen greater since thou didst ouercome The prosperitie which Cyrus Monarch of the Persians alwaies had in all his enterprises was the cause that trusting too much thereunto he would not giue eare to the counsell of Craesus when he disswaded him from that warre which he purposed to vndertake against Tomyris Queene of the Scythians which fell out hardly for him vsing these words Knowe that all worldly things haue a certaine course which doth not suffer them to end happily that haue alwaies had fortune prosperous which he might well speake by experience in him selfe But Cyrus hauing alreadie subdued all Asia part of Grecia the kingdome of Babylon with infinite other places and beholding his armie to consist of sixe score thousand men thought he could not be vanquished Whereupon giuing battell to Tomyris he lost his life togither with the renowne of so many goodlie victories being now ouercome by a woman his whole armie also being hewen in peeces And truly as one puffe of wind causeth the goodliest fruites which beautifie the whole Orchard to fall from the tree so a little disgrace a sudden mishap in one instant bringeth to nothing and pulleth downe the greatnes wealth and prosperitie of men And when we thinke to lay a sure foundation of prosperitie euen then is all changed and the order of our conceits peruerted turned into an vnlooked for disorder and confusion Now let vs come to consider particularly of the effects of aduersitie There are few folks if they be not destitute of all good iudgement that are ignorant and vnderstand not what belongeth to their dutie so long as prosperitie lasteth but fewe there are who in great ouerthwarts and shakings of fortune haue harts sufficiently staied to practise and imitate that which they commend and make account of or to flie from that which they mislike and reprehend Nay rather they are caried away and through custome of liuing at ease togither with frailtie and faintnes of hart they start aside and alter their first discourses This is that which Terence meaneth where he saith that when we are in good health we giue a great deale better counsaile to the diseased than we can take to our selues when we stande in neede thereof Notwithstanding he that is beaten downe and humbled by affliction easilie suffereth himselfe to bee directed gladlie receiueth and harkeneth to the aduice of good men and if there be any little seed of vertue in him it encreaseth daily whereas prosperitie would soone choke it And if he hath profited well in the studie of wisdome he doth as Bees do which draw the best and driest hony out of time although it be a very bitter herb So out of most troublesome Accidents he knoweth how to reape benefit and commoditie resoluing with himselfe and taking counsell according to the mishaps that light vpon him He doubteth not of this that it is the duetie of wise and vertuous men not onely to desire prosperitie in all things but also to indure aduersitie with constancie modestie He knoweth that as the fruition of prosperitie is for the most part full of sweetnesse when it is not abused so the constant suffring of aduersitie is always replenished and accompanied with great honour And such a one may truely be called noble and courageous yea he sheweth himselfe a great deale better to be so in deed whē he yeeldeth not nor fainteth in afflictions than if he were in prosperitie which puffing vp the harts of cowards and base minds causeth them somtimes to seem courageous when as they are lift vp by fortune into a high degree of honour and felicitie whereas in truth there is no such matter in them Craesus King of the Lydians beyng throwen from his estate made prisoner to Cyrus shewed greater vertue and generositie of hart at that time than he did all the while he enioied his great wealth through which being puffed vp with pride he would haue had Solon iudged him most happy For being vpon a block ready to be burned and both remembring and fitly applying to himselfe those wise discourses which he heard Solon make vnto him concerning the small assurance that we haue in worldly felicitie and how no man ought to be called happy before the houre of his death he resolued with himselfe to die constantly and cheerfully And calling to mind this benefit which he receiued by the means of that wise man whereupon he felt his soule filled with ioy he repeated aloud three times the name of Solon vsing no other words Whereof Cyrus asking the cause he vttered vnto him the selfe same discourses which touched the hart of this monarch in such sort that presently changing the ill will he bare to Craesus he fully restored him to the fruition of his kingdom and kept him neere vnto himself for one of his chiefe and principall counsailors The Romanes as Polibius saith neuer obserued their lawes more straightly neuer caused the discipline of warre to be kept more seuerely and were neuer so well aduised constant as after the Carthaginians had obtained of them the third victorie at the battell of Cannas And contrarywise there were nothing but part-takings and factions in Carthage lawes were neuer lesse esteemed magistrates neuer lesse regarded nor maners more corrupted than at that time But within a little while after they fell from the highest degree of their felicitie into vtter ruine and the Romanes restored their owne estate into greater glory than it was in before Vertue is always like to the Date tree For the more she is oppressed and burthened the higher she lifteth vp hir selfe and sheweth hir inuincible power and strength ouer which fortune can nothing preuaile And although aduersitie somewhat troubleth a vertuous man yet is it not able to alter his noble courage but remaining firme and constant he knoweth how to take all things as exercises of his vertue which as an ancient man said withereth and looseth hir vigor without aduersitie It is euidēt therfore that the effects of aduersitie are not so pernitious to a mā as those which prosperitie commonly bringeth
of Hercules by Deïanira and many other miserable euents procured chiefly by womē plentifully declared in histories Neither do they forget the saying of Hipponactus That of one mariage only two good dayes are to be hoped for namely the mariage day and the day of the wiues deth They say that the wedding day according to Alexandreïdes speech is the beginning of many euils that in no estate fortune sheweth hir self more in constant lesse faithful in performing hir promise thā in mariage as Polyhistor saith bicause there is not one to be found wherin there is not some deceit or some occasion of complaint giuen to the man They say as Philemon said That a wife is a necessary and perpetual euil to hir husband that as Diphilus sayd nothing is hardlier found in all the world than a good wife Wherunto that old prouerbe agreeth that a good wife a good mule and a good goate are three naughtie beasts The answer also made by a noble Romane is not forgotten of these scuere Censorers of women to whom when some of his acquaintance and friends said that he had great cause to hold himself happie and contented bicause he had a wife that was faire rich and come of noble parentage he shewed them his foote saying My friends you see that my shoe is very new faire and well made but none of you can tell whereabout it pincheth me Likewise the saying of Alphonsus king of Arragon is alleaged by them that blame mariage namely that if a mā would see a perfect and wel agreeing mariage the husband must be deafe and the wife blind that he may not heare his wiues brawling nor she see hir husbands faults He that trusteth to a woman said Hesiodus is as safe as he that hangeth by the leaues of a tree in the ende of Autumne when the leaues begin to fall I remember yet three things which I haue heard vttered in contempt of mariage the saying of a mery conceited man the deed of another and the answer of a good fellow that was in talk of a certaine mariage They haue reason quoth the first who say that when a yong man is to be maried he must be arrested For truly I thinke we should flie vp to heauen if this arrest kept vs not backe The second hearing this preached that whosoeuer will be saued must beare his crosse ran to his wife laid hir vpon his necke Thirdly when one said to a good fellow that he should tary vntill his sonne were wise before he maried him Be not deceiued my friend quoth he to him for if he once grow to be wise he wil neuer marry These such like reasons are cōmonly alleaged by them that mislike mariage But now marke what we say to the contrary First we haue to consider the beginning and antiquitie of mariage the place where it was instituted and who was the Author thereof and that in the time of innocencie of which things we haue alreadie spoken Moreouer we must remember that the heauenly worde honoured with his presence and set foorth a wedding feast with a miracle euen with the first which he wrought in this world Can any thing then be found more holie than that which the holy of holies the father and creator of all things hath established honored and consecrated with his presence But what greater equitie can we vse thā to leaue to our successors that which we hold of our predecessors By wedlocke copulation we came into the world and by the same we must leaue others behind vs to continue that propagatiō which hath endured frō our ancestors vnto vs. Can there be any greater want of consideration than to seeke to flie from that as prophane which God hath taken for holy as euill which he hath reputed good As detestable which he esteemeth holy Is there any greater inhumanitie than to reiect the fountain of humanitie Is there any greater ingratitude thā to deny to those that are to come that which we hold of thē that are past When God created woman not of the slime of the earth as he did mā but of his bone did he not shew thereby that he should haue nothing faster cleauing neerer ioyning or surer glued to him than his wife especially when he added these words that it was not good for man to be alone as though he had sayd that his life would be miserable irksom vnpleasant if he had not giuen him a wife for a faithful companion How dare we say that we know better what is meet for vs than he that made vs knew all our life before we came out of the bowels of our mother then he that honoured the bond of matrimonie so far as to say that a man shal leaue his father mother and cleaue to his wife Is there any thing more holy than that honor which we owe to them that haue begotten vs And yet the fidelitie of wedlock is preferred before fatherly and motherly honour that it should be kept preserued euen to the last gaspe of life Further we see how the spirit of God speaking by his prophet honoreth mariage so far as to vse it for a similitude and representation of that holy sacred vnitie which he hath with his church What could any mā say more to extoll the dignitie therof That which God hath begun only death endeth what God hath conioined death only separateth what God hath made sure man cannot shake what he hath established man cannot abolish Oh what how great is the dignitie preheminence prerogatiue of mariage Again do we not see how it hath been continued throughout all ages past vntill this present receiued approued of all nations both Hebrews Greeks Latins Barbarians so that there is no nation vnder the cope of heauen how barbarous soeuer it be far from ciuilitie which sheweth not great ioy delight at wedding feasts Besides who shal defend common-welths without armor and weapons and who shal weare armour if men be wanting If that be not supplied by generation which through death necessarily endeth how can the linage and race of mankind endure The lawes of the Romans who were the patern of vertue to all nations with rigor punished such as would not marry forbidding thē all publike dignities depriuing them of those which they had obtained And to inuite them the rather to marry they appointed priuiledges for thē that had children so that he was most benefited and preferred to publike honors that had most children Whē Augustus Caesar was Censor inquirie was made by his authoritie of a Roman knight that had broken the law and would not marry wherupon he should haue been punished but that he prooued that he had been father of 3. children The same Augustus being come to the empire desirous to correct the detestable vnclennes of his subiects to compel them to
the small and so consequently no agreement Besides this is out of doubt that all the subiects of an Estate stand in neede of a law as of a light to guide them in the darkenes of humane actions especially it is necessarie for the terrifieng of the wicked who might pretend some true cause of their ignorance or some probable colour of their wickednes or at least some shew why they should escape the punishment which is not imprinted in our hartes as things forbidden by nature Neuertheles it is not the law that maketh a right gouernment but vpright iustice and the equal distribution therof which ought to be surer ingrauen in the mindes of good kings and princes than in tables of stone And it is to small purpose to multiply Edicts and Decrees if they be not seuerely obserued yea the first signe that a man may haue of the losse of an estate is when there appeereth an vnbrideled licence and a facilitie in dispensing with good statuts and when new decrees are daily consulted of And if the estate be already troubled the heaping vp of lawes vpon lawes is no lesse dangerous for it than a multitude of medicines in a weake stomacke whereas contrarywise new introductions and abuses are then especially to be taken away and things brought backe againe to their first and ancient forme Histories teach vs that when edicts and decrees were most of all multiplied then did tiranny gather greatest strength As it fell out vnder the tyrant Caligula who published decrees of al sorts both good and bad and those written in so small a letter that men could not read them to the end that he might thereby snare those that were ignoraunt His successour Claudius made twentie edicts in one day and yet tirannie was neuer so cruell nor men more wicked than at that time Therefore let the lawes and good ordinances of an estate be inuiolable straightly kept not subiect to dispensation not fauourable to great men but common and equall to all and then shall the bond of ciuill societie bee surely tied Now where as I said that all nations haue libertie to prescribe and frame ciuill lawes for themselues my meaning was not to approoue certaine barbarous beastly lawes receiued of some people as those lawes which alowed theeues a certain reward which permitted the company of men and women indifferently and innumerable others more dishonest which are not onely voyd of all iustice but euen of all humanitie But these two things must be kept inuiolably in all lawes namely The ordinance of the law the equitie of it vpon the reason wherof the ordinance is grouuded Equitie is alwayes one and the same to all people bicause it is naturall Therefore all the lawes in the world of what matter soeuer they are must meete in the same equitie Concerning the ordinance of the law bicause it is ioyned with circumstances no inconueniēce letteth but that it may de diuers among sundry nations prouided alwayes that they all tend a-like to the same marke of equitie Now seeyng the diuine law which we call morall is nothing else but a testimonie of the law of nature and of the conscience that is imprinted in all mens hartes no doubt but this equitie whereof we now speake is wholy declared and comprehended therein Therefore it is meete that this equitie onely should be the white rule and end of all lawes For as S. Augustine saith in his booke of the citie of God euery law that beareth not the image of the diuine lawe is a vaine censure And iustice is the end of euery law wel established which is the cause why S. Paul so greatly extolleth the vigor of the lawe calling it the bond of perfection Those lawes then which are squared out by this heauenly rule which tend to this ende and are limited out by this measure ought to be receiued and followed cheerfully albeit they differ from the Mosaicall law or otherwise one from another For many haue denied some amongst vs are yet of that opinion that no Common-wealth can be well iustly instituted and ordained if leauing the policie of Moses it be gouerned by the common lawes of other nations which is so absurd a thing and would be the cause of so great confusion in the policies of the world that there needeth no great store of arguments to prooue it vaine and friuolous Moreouer by that distinction of the law which we haue already set downe in our discourse it appeereth sufficiently that the opinion of these doters is grounded vpon a meere ignoraunce of the will of God The lawe of God forbiddeth stealing and diuers paines and punishments are appointed for the same in the policie of the Iewes according to the kind time and place of the theft The ancientest lawes of other nations punished theeues by causing thē to restore double that which they had stolne Those lawes which folowed made a distinction betweene open and secret theft others vsed banishment and some death The lawe of God forbiddeth false witnes-bearing which was punished amongst the Iewes with the same punishment that the partie falsely accused should haue incurred if he had been found guiltie In some other countries there was no punishment for it but publike ignominie and shame and in some also the gibbet Brieflie all the lawes in the world with one common consent how different soeuer they be tend to one and the same ende pronouncing sentence of condemnation against those crimes that are condemned by the eternall lawe of God onely they agree not in equalitie of punishment which is neither necessarie nor expedient There is some suche countrey that woulde speedily become desolate through murders and robberies if it did not exercise horrible grieuous punishments vpon the offenders in those crimes There falleth out some such time as requireth increase of punishments Some such natiō there is that standeth in need of some grieuous correction to be appointed for some special vice wherunto otherwise it would be more giuē than other nations He that should be offended at this diuersitie which is most meete to maintain the obseruation of the law of God would he not be thought to haue a malicious mind and to enuy publike benefite and quietnes For the conclusion of our present speech let vs learne that ciuil lawes and ordinances depend only of the soueraigne ruler that he may change them according to the occurrence and benefit of state affaires Let vs learn that all lawes must be referred to the infallible rule of the iustice and will of God and to the common profit of ciuil societie that he which commaundeth vs to obey magistrates not only for feare of punishment but also for conscience sake requireth of vs such obedience to their lawes and ordinances so that he is accursed that infringeth or contemneth them Therfore we must voluntarily submit our selues vnto them so that their
children of Fraunce or to prouide for the gouernement of the kingdome or for other matters The kinges sate amongst them and were Presidentes except at one assemblie wherein was debated the noblest cause that euer was namelie to whome the kingdome of Fraunce belonged after the death of Charles the faire whether to his cosin Phillip de Valois or to Edward king of England his brother in lawe King Phillip was not President not beyng at that time king and besides a partie No doubt but the people receiue great benefit by this assemblie of estates For this good commeth vnto them that they may drawe neere to the kings person to make their complaints vnto him to present him their requests and to obtaine remedie and necessary prouision for redresse Whereby we may easily iudge that many who haue written of the duetie of magistrates and such like treatises are greatly deceiued in maintaining this That the estates of the people are aboue the prince which laieth open a gappe to the rebellions of subiects against their soueraign so that this opinion can haue no reason or good ground to leane vpon For if this were true the commō-wealth would not be a kingdom or monarchy but a pure Aristocratie as we haue declared heretofore Yea what shew of reason is there to maintaine this error seeing euery one in particular al in general bowe their knees before the king vse humbly requests supplications which his maiestie receiueth or reiecteth as it seemeth best vnto him But in this case we except a king that is captiue beside himself or in his infancie For that which is thē decreed by the estates is authorized as from the soueraign power of the prince Moreouer we may see what great good commeth to the king by the assemblie of his estates in the first speech which master Michael de l' Hospital Chauncellor of France made at the last assemblie of estates at Orleans Where he confuteth at large their opinion that say that the king after a sort diminisheth his power by taking aduise and counsell of his subiects seeing he is not bound so to doe as also that he maketh himselfe too familiar with them which breedeth contempt and abaseth his roiall dignitie But we may aunswere them as Theopompus king of Sparta did his wife who obiected this vnto him by way of reproch that by bringing in the Ephories and minglyng their gouernement with his he would leaue his authoritie and power lesse to his children than hee receiued it from his predecessours Nay said this Prince vnto hir I will leaue it greater bicause it shall be more assured The Emperour Aurelius sayd as much to his mother bicause hee freely heard euery one Besides as we see that in any great perill of sea or fire kindled to the daunger of publike profite no mans seruice or succour is reiected how base soeuer his calling is so it cannot but be profitable for the Estate when it is threatned with ruine and the affaires therof are of greatest importance to receiue the counsell of all that haue interest therein laying the opinions in the balance rather than the persons from whom they come And hereby the soueraigne maiestie and prudence of a Prince is knowen when he hath both power and skill to waigh and to iudge of their aduice that giue him counsel and to conclude with the soundest not the greatest side But to go forward with that which remaineth let so many as haue this honour to be ordinarie counsellors to Princes remember the saying of Solon the wise That they are not called thither to please and to speake to their liking but to vtter the truth and to giue them good counsell for common safetie that they must bring with them for an assured and certaine foundation of their conference about state-affaires a good intent mooued with reason and iudgement to profite him not with passions or desires of vain-glory of couetousnesse of emulation of any other imperfection that leadeth them to their priuate profite that they must at the entrie of the councell chamber vnclothe themselues of fauour towardes some of hatred towardes others and of ambition in themselues and aime at no other marke than at the honour of God and safetie of the Common-wealth To this ende they must necessarilie be furnished with wisedome iustice and loyaltie As for skill and knowledge although it be requisite in counsellors of estate namely the knowledge of the lawes of histories and of the estate of Common-wealths yet sound iudgement integritie and prudence are much more necessarie Aboue all things they must hold nothing of other Princes and Seignories that may binde them to their seruice And yet now a dayes to receiue a pension of them is so common a matter but very pernitious in any estate that it is growen to a custome Agesilaus would not so much as receiue a letter which the king of Persia wrote vnto him but sayd to his messenger that if the king were friend to the Lacedemonians he need not write particularly to him bicause he would also remaine his friend but if he were their enimie neyther letter nor any thing else should make him for his part otherwise affected To bee short let counsellors of estate learne of Plutarch that it is necessarie for them to be free from all passions and affections bicause in giuing of counsell the mind hath most force towards that wherunto the will is most enclined As for feare danger or threatnings they must neuer stay them from doyng their duetie but let them constantly propound and maintaine that which they iudge to be good and profitable for the Common-wealth We read that the Thasiens making warre with great vehemencie against the Athenians published a decree that whosoeuer counselled or spake at any time of concluding a peace between them should die the death Within a while after one of the citizens considering what great hurt his countrey receiued by that warre came one day into the assembly of the people with a halter about his necke and cried with a loud voyce that he was come thither to deliuer the Common-wealth by his death that they should put him to death when they would and that for his part he gaue them counsell to abrogate that law and to make peace which was done and he pardoned Considius a Romane Senatour would neuer be from the Senate no not when Caesar ruled all by violence and did what pleased him and when none of the other Senatours came any more through feare of his force And when Caesar asked him how he durst be there alone to stand against him bicause quoth he my age taketh all feare from me For hauing from hence forward such a short time to liue in I am not greatly carefull to saue my life If kings did correct all those that giue them ill counsell as Solyman did one of his Bassaes who was his kinsman they would not so readily
nothing doth cast forth more liuely marks and beames of a wonderful diuinitie than husbandry For most of other arts were inuented long time after man was created of God and augmented since by the industrie of many Onely husbandry gaue sufficient testimonie of it self of the incomprehensible power of God when presently after the creation of the elements there came out of the bowels of the earth all kinds of herbes and plants garnished with their proper vertues for the seruice commoditie of man Man himself also by a diuine and natural instinct hath been from the beginning more enclined and disposed to the tillage of the earth than to any other studie vocation whatsoeuer as we read of our first fathers who commonly called themselues Laborers of the earth and feeders of cattell Husbandry and the countrey life were so much commended esteemed of the auncients that many of them haue written sundry bookes therof in Greek Latin and many monarchs haue heretofore left their great palaces contemned their purple robes and diademes that they might giue themselues to the manuring of countrey cōmodities Cyrus was neuer better pleased and contented than whē he might be dressing of some goodly piece of ground and setting of a certaine number of trees checker-wise Dioclesian forsook the scepter of his empire that he might with-draw himselfe into the fields and trim with his owne hands trees graffs seuerall plots of ground and gardens Besides in husbandry and the countrey life profite aboundeth with pleasure and gaine with delight As for profite it is very euident For a good husbandman is alwais prouided of bread wine flesh fruit wood and other Aliments And concerning pleasure it is incredible to one that hath skill and will to consider of the maruels of nature besides a thousand delights with exercises as pleasaunt and profitable for his health as can be And that benefit which is most excellent and chiefest of all I meane tranquillitie of mind may more easily bee obtained by the Muses darlings and louers of knowledge in the midst of the open fields and pleasaunt sound of waters than amongst the noise of suites dissentions wherwith cities are replenished It belongeth to the dutie of labourers to liue in their simplicitie and to do their endeuor in tilling the fields For the performing hereof they stand in need of 3. things of skill to know the nature of the soile and the seasons of sowing and gathering of will to be diligent and carefull to continue in their countrey labour and lastly of abilitie to prouide oxen horses cattell other instruments of husbandrie By this discourse therefore we may see what things are most requisite and necessarie for the institution of a happy common-wealth and that no man is so industrious wittie or prudent that of himselfe without the helpe of another he can liue without societie and minister to himselfe all necessary things For this cause the fellowship of many togither was found out that by teaching iudging defending giuing taking changing seruing and communicating their works and exercises one with an other they might liue well and commodiously togither Which thing will vndoubtedly come to passe in euery Common-wealth when euery one walking in his vocation directeth his will and worke to the seruice of God his prince and countrey Of Peace and of Warre Chap. 67. ARAM. IVstinian the Emperor in the Preface of his Institutions saith That it is necessarie for the imperial maiesty to haue respect to two times namely of peace and of warre that it may be prouided against all euents either of the one or the other Lawes and good politike statutes are necessary for it in time of peace that the Prouinces may be quietly gouerned but in time of warre it must alwayes haue armour readie and couenient forces to helpe friends to resist enimies and to containe disobedient subiectes within compasse Nowe hauing hitherto intreated of that policie which chiefly respecteth the tyme of peace we must hereafter my companions referre to our discourses that small knowledge which we haue of warlike discipline And first I thinke we must oppose these times of peace and warre one agaynst the other and consider of their cleane contrary effectes that we may bee so much the more easily ledde and perswaded to desire and procure that which is best and most profitable for euery estate and monarchie Therefore I propounde vnto you this matter to discourse vpon ACHITOB. If it be possible as much as in you is saith the Apostle haue peace with all men and let the peace of God rule in your hartes to the which ye are called in one body For truely without peace all riches is but pouertie all mirth but mourning all life but death But no man can perfectly know the benefit of peace that hath had no triall of the burthen of warre ASER. If ye walke in my ordinaunces saith the eternall God I will send peace in the land but if ye will not obey me but despise mine ordinaunces I will send a sword vpon you that shall auenge the quarell of my couenaunt and ye shall be deliuered into the hand of the enimie Now let vs heare AMANA discourse vpon that which is here propounded vnto vs. AMANA Lycurgus entring into the gouernement of the Lacedemonians and finding their Estate greatly corrupted determined with himselfe to change their whole Policie For he thought that if he should onely make some particular lawes and ordinances it would doe no more good than a slender medicine would profit a corrupt bodie full of many diseases before order were taken for the purging resoluing and consuming of the euill humors that a new forme and rule of life might afterward be prescribed His enterprise although great and difficult yet fell out very well and his lawes were receiued approoued of the people after a little force and feare wherwith at first they were restrained But this law-maker referred all his lawes to warre and to victorie and kept his subiects in continuall exercise of Armes not suffering them to learne any other science or handi-craft vnto which he appointed the Ilotes onely who were men brought in subiection by the right of warre Whereby Lycurgus seemeth to haue beene of this mind that force ought to be mistres in all worldly matters and that other things serue to no purpose if they want Armes which by a certaine right of warre that shall alwaies continue amongst men bring in subiection to Conquerours the persons goods of those whome they ouercome It seemeth also he thought that there was neuer any true peace amongst men but onely in name and that all Princes and people liue in continuall distrust one of another and doe nothing else for the most part but watch how to surprize each other as Plutark elegantly setteth it out notwithstanding all leagues and goodly agreements that passe betweene them Numa Pompilius second king of
of confidence Our hope must be grounded vpon the grace of God Of vaine hope Who are soonest throwen downe with aduersitie Wencelaüs The diuision of hope Of the true and infallible hope Of earthly hope Speeches vnbeseeming a wise man The fruit of hope Our life would be insupportable without hope Cineas talke with I'yrrhus concerning his great hope Pyrrhus compared to a Dice-plaier Caesar was led continually with new hope Two things hurtfull to men We must not judge of enterprises by the euent Ill hap is more common than good Seneca aduiseth vs to prepare our selues to all cuents What the author vnderstandeth by the word Fortune Rom. 15. 5. Exod. 34. 6. Patience a salue for all sores Of the Stoicall patience Vertue is neither without affection nor subiect to affections Of true patience The definition of patience The fruits of patience Prou. 16. 32. Of impatiencie choler and wrath The definition of anger Who are most giuen to impatiencie and choler Aristotle contrary in opinion to the Stoicks How impatiencie and choler may be cured What the wicked iudge of patience Leuit. 19. 18. Deut. 32. 35. Whereof choler is bred A good way to remedie choler The counsaile that Athenodorus gaue to Augustus Eph. 4. 26. A notable custome of the Pythagorians Cotis brake his glasses to auoyd occasion of wrath Magistrates ought not to punish any in their choler As Theodosius did Plato refused to correct his seruant in his anger Aurelianus anger was the cause of his death Valentinian in his anger brake a veine and died thereof Against the infamous vice of swearing A notable decree of the Romanes S. Lewes his law against swearing Carilaüs 1. Thes 5. 14. Heb. 10. 36. This word Man is in Latin Hâ—mo froÌ„ whence is deriued humâ—nitas which signifieth curte fie or gentlenes No nation voyd of curtesie Reasons to mooue vs to loue our neighbours A Temple dedicated to Mercie What Charitie is The definition and effects of Meekenes A medioeritie must be kept betweene mildnes and crueltie Philip a Prince of a good and mild nature Antigonus Oh that Princes would consider this Alexander A commendable combat Bessus cruelly put to death for killing Darius Iulius Caesar M. Aurelius Dion All priuate reuenge commeth of frailtie Lycurgus Lewes the 12. Henry the 2. The Stoicks The Epicures Wherein good and ill hap consist Who is happie in Socrates iudgement Who is happie The cause why Amasis forfooke his alliance with Policrates An ordin arie imperfection in man A meane to auoid the â—â—â—re of our 〈◊〉 An other imperfection Notable opinions of good and ill hap Solon sayd that happines consisted in a good life and death The doctrine of Socrates and of the papists is all one touching the hope of eternall life The common opinion of men concerning happines and vnhappines Whereat Apollonius maruelled most Notable reasons to shew that no worldly thing can be called good and that happines cannot be perfected by any such thing Wherein true happines consisteth Who are vnhappy The happinesse of man commeth from within him Our life compared to table-play Alexander and Crates opposed one against an other Agamemnon Where we must seeke for true happines Who is happie in this world A pretie comparison A similitude A similitude Common effects of the fraile nature of man Prosperity more hurtfull than aduersitie Plato was requested by the Cyrenians to giue them lawes Good counsell for those that are in prosperitie Alexander Iulius Caesar Pompey A wise foresight of Sylla An excellent oration of P. Aemilius to his souldiers M. Aurelius Philip king of Macedonia Archidamas Cyrus The instabilitie of humane things The common effects of aduersitie The fruits of the study of Philosophie Craesus The Romanes were wise and constant in aduersitie The propertie of Vertue oppressed The wonderful constancie of Socrates P. Rutilus Q. Metellus Diogenes Socrates tooke the whole world for his countrey The fruits of riches Of the nature qualitie and effects of riches Riches of them selue are the good gifts of God but the euils wrought for or by theÌ„ come froÌ„ the corrupt nature of man The Poets fained Pluto to be the God of riches appointing Hell for his kingdome The euill disposition of the mind is the true cause of the hurt that commeth by riches From whence happines and contentation commeth Great madnes in coueting monie Examples of the contempt of riches M. Curius Phocion Philopaemen Cimon Anacreon Xenocrates Socrates Fiue Doubles in France make a peny of our coine Lycurgus abrogated the vse of gold and siluer coine Luke 16. 13. 1. Tim. 6. 9. Luke 12. 16. What riches we ought to treasure vp The chief cause why riches are so earnestly desired Against those that think poore men lesse happy than the rich A pretie comparison Matth. 19. 21. 23. No comparison between worldlie and heauenlie treasures The fruits of pouertie An excellent defence for pouertie Examples to shew that pouertie was more esteemed of than riches Zeno. Diogenes Cleanthes Menedemus Asclepiades Pythagoras kept a spare diet Philoxenus Who ought to be esteemed poore Diogenes supposed Alexander to be poorer than himself A friend is to wish 3 things to his friend What pouertie is odious Aristides Where the fulnesse of riches is to be sought Griefe pleasure the causes of all passions in men Idlenes is the mother nurse of all vice Idlenes is against nature Scipio was neuer idle To what end we must studie Philosophie Pythagoras precept against Idlenes Notable examples of the redresse of Idlenes Claudius Adrianus Scipio Nasica The Ephoryes of Lacedemonia Gelon A similitude Sweat is placed before vertue Prouerb 24. 30. 31. Idlenes decaieth the health of the body No man ought to hide his life Of gaming and of the effects thereof Chilon refused to make a league with dicers The occasion that mooued the Lydians to inuent games Alphonsus decree against play How we may recreate our selues Of perseuerance An excellent precept of Phocylides Examples against idlenes An excellent comparison How politicall knowledge must be preserued The fruits of idlenes The end of our life Matth. 10. 22. Matth. 12. 36. A pretie comparison Good friends or sharp enimies are necessarily required to a happy life Why men are beholding to their enimies How men behaue theÌ„selues now adays towards their enimies Murder forbidden A notable sentence Leuit. 24. 17. Psal 9. 9. 16. Matth. 5. 10. To suffer iniurie patiently is a badge of a most absolute vertue A commendable kind of reuenge Good counsaile of Seneca We must do nothing in choler An apt similltu le How a man may profit by the backbiting of his enimies The best kind of reueng How many wayes a maÌ„ may receiue iniurie Men must not take the law into their owne hands although it be not rightly executed Of the offence done to honor The excuse of quarrellers Socrates void of reuenge We must not be mooued with mocks Ptolemaeus How a man may repulse a mocke Cato
of the soule not of the body 266. the parts of fortitude 267. examples of fortitude 273. c. Fortune what is to be vnderstoode by this worde fortune 307. howe wee may vse these words of fortune and chance 469. the opinions of Philosophers touching fortune 470. the description of fortune 470. examples of hir contrary effects 472 France one euident cause of the present ruine of France 163. the miserable estate of France 408. one cause thereof 607. the happie gouernment of France 635. two causes of the present diuisions in France 716 Friend and Friendship the difference between friendship and loue 138. what things are requisite in friendship 139. the chiefe cause and end of all true friendship 138. friendship must be free 142. three things necessarie in friendship 148. examples of true friendship 145. what manner of man we must chuse for our friend 140. howe we must prooue a true friend and shake off a false 141. how we must beare with the imperfections of our friend 144. G Gaming the effects of gaming 374 what mooued the Lydians to inuent games 374. Alphonsus decree against gaming 375 Generall a good lesson for a Generall 292 properties requisite in a Generall 300 Glorie how ielousie of glorie is tollerable with examples thereof 251. c. examples of the contempt of glorie 254 Gluttonie the fruits of gluttonie 213. examples thereof 214 God all things are present with God 407. he ordereth casuall things necessarily 468 he is the Idaea of al good 42 Goods the nature of worldly goods 37. two sorts of goods 52. 526. two waies to get goods 526 Grace effects of Gods grace in the regenerate 18 Grammar the commodities of grammar 556 Griefe a meane how to beare griefe patiently 331 H Happines all men naturally desire happines 31. who are happie and who vnhappie 51. what it is to liue happily 38. 54. how we must make choice of a happie life 246. wherein good or ill hap consisteth 330. notable opinions of good and ill hap 332 wherein true happines consisteth 334 Hatred how far a man may hate the wicked 387. the difference between hatred and enuie 459. the bounds of a good mans hatred 463. Histories the praise and profit of histories 79 Homage what homage we ow to God 93 Honor how a man may seeke for honor 232. examples of the contempt of honor 233. the first step to honor 247 Hope hope must be grounded vpon the grace of God 300. two kinds of hope 301. the fruit of hope 302. hope and feare are the foundation of vertue 561 House a house consisteth of liuing stones 489 smal iarres must be auoided in a house 501 Hunting is an image of war 554 Husbands how they ought to loue their wiues 501. a husband must neuer beate his wife 504. he must neither chide nor fawne vpon his wife before others 507. examples of the loue of husbands towards their wiues 510. Husbandrie the praise of husbandrie 528. 752. the antiquitie of husbandrie 752 I Idlenes it is the mother and nurse of all vice 369. Pythagoras precept against idlenes 370. examples against idlenes 377 Ignorance ignorance of our selues the cause of much euill 12. pernitious effects of ignorance 117. 118. common effects of ignorance 119. Impatiencie who are most giuen to impatiencie and choler 312. how it may be cured 313. Impost a commendable kind of impost 220 Impudencie the description of impudencie 428. Incontinencie the difference betweene an incontinent and an intemperate man 190. Socrates disputation against incontinencie 238 Infants how infants are to be brought vp 552 Ingratitude meanes to keepe vs from ingratitude 432. it was the cause of mans fal 425 great men are soonest touched with ingratitude 428. examples against it 430 Innocencie is a tower of brasse against slanderers 466 Iniurie how manie waies a man may receiue iniurie 384 Iniustice the fruits of it in the wicked 403. it is a generall vice 404. the effects of it 405. how many kinds there are of iniustice 404 Intemperance the companions of intemperance 192. what predominant passions are in it 189. exaÌ„ples of intemperance 193 c. Ioie examples of some that died of ioie 36 Iudgement from whence iudgement proceedeth 89. the iudgement of the best not of the most is to be preferred 249. iudgements are the sinewes of an estate 690 Iudges how the Egyptians painted iudges 394. a corrupt manor of making iudges 701 Iustice the fruits of iustice 390. the ground of all iustice 391. examples of the loue of iustice 395. how the abuse of it may be remedied 399. the deniall of iustice is dangerous 408. 658. the springs of all corruptions of iustice 697. iustice distributed into seuen parts 746 K Knowledge the knowledge of God and of our selues must be linked togither 12. the end of the knowledge of our selues 16. the benefits that come by knowledge 74 King wherein the greatnes of a king consisisteth 57. wherein kings ought to exercise themselues most 80. the true ornaments of a king 180. the difference betweene a great and a little king 398. what power the kings of Lacedaemonia had â—80 good precepts for kings 648. a king must be skilfull by reason and not by vse 648. the first and principall dutie of a king is to haue the law of God before his eies 655. he must begin reformation at himselfe and his court 656. the summe of the dutie of a king 674 Kingdome what causeth kingdoms to flourish 399 of the originall of kingdoms 586. their alteration commeth through vice 67 they florish through vertue 61. Of the antiquitie of a kingdome 623. the dangerous estate of an electiue kingdom vpoÌ„ the death of the prince 633. what kingdoms are electiue 634 L Law what ciuill lawes may not be changed 597. the end of all lawes 603. change of lawes in a well setled estate is dangerous 598. what the law of nature is 596. the ancient law-makers 599. what maner of lawes are to be established in the Commonwealth 657. Learning examples of ancient men that gaue themselues to learning 570. examples of great loue to learning 81 Letter Anacharsis letter to Craesus 78 Alexanders to Aristotle 80. Caesars to Rome Octauianus to his nephew Platoes to Dionysius Pompeies to the senate 132. Pisistratus to his nephew 146. Traians to Plutarke 157. 233. Traians to the senate 654. 707. Macrines to the senate of Rome 747. Aurelius to a tribune 768 Liberalitie a poore man may be liberal 436. the lawes of liberalitie 440. examples of liberalitie 441 Loue loue is the first foundation of euery holie marriage 530 Life mans life compared to the Olympian assemblies 38. one cause of the long life of our elders 198. Senecaes opinion of the shortnes of our life 211. our life compared to table-play 335. no man ought to hide his life 373. the end of our life 377. three things necessarie for the life of man 750. wherein a happie life consisteth 804 Lying lying in a prince is most odious 417
M Magistrate of the name of magistrate 587. good counsell for magistrates 588. the dutie of the magistrate consisteth in three things 590. what maner of then magistrates ought to be 399. 593. the titles of a good magistrate 610 Magnanimitie magnanimitie consisteth in three things 289. woonderfull magnanimitie 59. three effects of magnanimitie 290. examples thereof 295. 296 Malice the malice of Nero and Tyberius 124 Man the prerogatiues of men aboue other creatures 594. the maner of mans conception and fashioning 21. the end of his being 13. 73. 95. three things necessarie for the perfection of man 173. common effects of mans fraile nature 339. the dutie of a man at the perfection of his age 570 Marriage the author antiquitie and ends of marriage 482. reasons against marriage 482 the defence of marriage 484. motiues to marriage 488. fower kinds of marriage 492. the best time and place to pacifie strife betweene married couples 515. at what age men and women ought to marrie 495 Maske against masks and mummeries 214 Maister what properties are requisite in a maister 528. 530 Mediocritie mediocritie must be vsed in all actions 160 Mecknes the effects of meeknes 321. examples of meeke princes 323 Memorie the praise of memorie 88. examples of good memories 89. reasons why quickest wits haue best memories and contrariwise 90 Mercie who were forbidden to enter into the temple of mercie 320 Mind base minds stand in great fear of death and griefe 283 Mirth how mirth is commendable 464 Mocking how a man may repulse a mocke 386. examples thereof 387. Monarchy what a monarchy is 579. 617. the law of nature leadeth vs to a monarchy 615 reasons against a monarchie 617. the commodities of a monarchie 622. monarchies haue continued longest 625. what agreement the French monarchie hath with euerie good policie 626. Fiue kinds of monarchies 628. how the first monarchie came vp 629 Monie why monie was first inuented 527 Mother the mother is no lesse to be honored than the father 540. euerie mother ought to nurse hir owne child 552 Murder a cruel murder of a gentlewoman hir houshold 450 Musicke a commendable end of musicke 553. when musicke is most conuenient 202 Mysterie how far we may search into heauenly mysteries 41 N Nature the diuision of nature 171. the corruption therof 173 Negligence two sorts of negligence 725 Neighbor reasons to mooue vs to loue our neighbors 320 Nobilitie what nobilitie is with the sundrie kinds of it 747. nobilitie is the ornament of a common-wealth 740 Number the number of seuen accounted a perfect number 563 O Obedience to Gods law is the mother of all vertues 94 Offences are neuer without paine 67 Office in what case a good man may sue for an office 98. 700. the inconuenience that commeth by setting offices to sale 400 Old-age when old-age beginneth 571. to whom it is not greeuous 572 Officers the statute of S. Lewes concerning the election of officers 702 Oligarchie what an Oligarchie is and how it changeth into a tyrannie 581. reasons against an Oligarchie 621 Oration Otans oration for a popular regiment 618. Megabyses oration for an Aristocratie 619. Darius oration for a monarchie 621. Coruinus oration to his soldiers 784. the benefit of making orations to soldiers 775. Cyrus oration to his captaine 776 Order what order is 740 P Painting the vse of painting 557 Parliament the present estate of the parliament of France 695 Pastors wherein the office of true pastors consisteth 745 Passions the passions of the soule are head-strong 35. the scope of our passions 32. pleasure and griese are the cause of passions 28. naturall passions not to be condemned 30 Patience the fruits of patience 310. what the wicked account of patience 314 Peace the discommodities of a long peace 756. the effects of peace 758 People the diuision of the people into three orders or estates 606 Periurie examples of gods iudgements vpon periured persons 420. 423 Perturbations from whence the perturbations of the soule proceede 31. the original nature and effects of perturbations 33 Philosophy howe we may knowe whether we profit in Philosophy 47. the fruits that follow the studie of it 346. examples of loue to Philosophy 48. what diuine Philosophy is 40. the chiefe foundation of all Philosophy 45. the perfection of Philosophy 48 Philosopher necessary points for a Philosopher 45. what this word Philosopher importeth 51. what kind of knowledge is chiefly required in a Philosopher 78. Philosophers ought to be conuersant with Princes 155 Plaies hurtfull effects of plaies 216 Pleaders against prating pleaders 129 Pleasure pleasure is the end of superfluitie 210. what Philosophers placed their chiefe Good in pleasure 235. the fruits of pleasure 236 Policies a meane to preserue policies 401. what policie is and from whence the word is deriued 577. no people without some policie 576 Pouerty why poore men are not lesse happye than the rich 359 the fruits of pouertie 361 pouertie pleadeth for it selfe 362. what pouerty is odious 366. a good law for the poore 438 Power ciuill power ought to maintaine the worship of God 578. two kindes of publike power 609 Praise a good man may sometime praise him selfe 250 Pride the effects of pride 250. examples of pride punished 254 Prince the loose life of Princes is dangerous for their Estates 242. c. a good consideration for Princes 324. it is dangerous for Princes to aduance wickedmen 343. the promise of a Prince is tied with a double bond 417. howe farre Princes are subiect to lawes 595. wherin their absolute power consisteth 596. when a Prince may deny the request of his three Estats 598. obedience is due to vniust Princes aswell as to iust 611. a child prince is a token of Gods wrath 620. it is not lawful for any to kil his Prince although he be a tyrant 639. when a Prince may best be corrected 643. two properties requisite in him that teacheth a Prince 644. howe a yoong Prince must be taught 645. excellent titles of a good Prince 650. Looke more in chap. 59. 60. Prodigalitie how prodigalitie and couetousnes may be in one subiect 447 Profite profit must not be separated from honestie 95 Promise whither a forced promise is to bee kept 414. no promise ought to bee made against dutie 415. we must keepe promise with our enimie 416. examples of promise-keeping 418 Prosperitie effects of 100 great prosperitie in common-wealths 281. more hurtfull than aduersitie 340. examples of some that were ouerthrowen by prosperitie 342. of others that were not puft vp with it 343. c Prudence the effects of prudence 104. 106. prudence hath three eies 105. examples of prudence 108. c. a prudent man is not ouer-light of belief 114 Q Quarel the common excuse of quarellers 385 Quietnes how a man may haue continuall quietnesse 67 R Rashnes the effects of rashnes 285 Reason the errour of the Philosophers touching the strength of reason 24. there is a double reason in man