into familiaritie yea many tymes in theyr â—â—â—â—age But brethren before they be borne after they be borne are conuersant togeather in one house and are wrapped in the same clâ—utes and are of equall yeeres and of lyke maners So soone as they be borne they see one another are fed with the same meate vnder the same parentes are accustomed vnto the same felowes to the same pastimes to the same Schooles to the same Schoolemaisters and bryngers vp they grow vp togeather they w â—â— men togeather There is equalitie betweene them on euery syde and loue confirmed and established by many assured knottes and indissoluble linkes vnlesse some accidental causes doo breake them and the hardnesse of a rough minde doo infringe them whiche is so common a thyng that I knowe not whether there ought to be any loue greater then betweene brethren or any malice be more cankred or displeasure more deepe equalitie is alwayes so troublesome a thyng and mans minde so impacient of a match Ioy. I haue vertuous and godly brethren Reason Keepe them with lyke vertue and godlynesse Loue is a very daintie thyng make muche of it it is hardly gotten and easily lost Ioy. I haue good Sisters lykewise Reason An heauie burden but pleasant and almost the first trauel for young men wherin they may exercise themselues when they come to their owne libertie wherein they may win their first renowme of vertue and honestie Ioy. I haue good Sisters Reason See thou that they may haue a good Brother of thee and while thou liuest although your Father be dead let them not feele the want of him Ioy. My Sisters are very faire Reason Thou art keeper of a slipperie thing beware of deceipt when thou watchest most circumspectly let the troupes of suters that are about her awake thee It is an hard matter to preserue beautie where one man assaulteth what thinkest thou then where there be many The garde of chastitie ought to be by so muche more circumspect then of golde as it is more precious and not to be recouered Truly there is no meanes whereby a Virgins chastitie may better be preserued then by tymely marriage Ioy. I haue fayre Systers at home Reason Prouide that thou haue them not there long they woulde better furnyshe many houses Of a good lord The Lxxxv. Dialogue IOY I Haue a good Lorde Reason Whether thou hast hym or he haue thee thynke with thy selfe but this is the maner of speakyng for so you haue a Lorde as a man may say he hath a Scab or a Cough There be many thynges whiche the possessours haue agaynst theyr wylles those ryches be troublesome whiche a man can not shake of Ioy. I haue a good Lorde Reason Then hast thou lost thy libertie for no man can haue a Lorde and libertie at one tyme Now neyther thy Systers of whom thou spakest erwhile neyther thy Daughters neyther thy Sonnes wyues neyther thy Wyfe neyther thy Patrimonie neither thy lyfe are in safetie for in respect of the Lord whom thou hast thou hast left of to haue all other thynges at once Ioy. Chaunce hath offered vnto me and my countrey a good Lorde Reason These twayne are repugnant and quite contrary for yf he be good he is no Lord and if he be a Lorde he is not good specially if he would be called a Lord. Ioy. I haue a good Lord. Reason Parentes are good brethren and children may be good but friendes are alwayes good els are they not friendes howbeit for a Lord to be called good is a gentle lye or a pleasant flatterie Ioy. We haue a very good Lord. Reason Perhaps a good gouernour of the people and defendour of the Common wealth a more acceptable thyng then which can not be offred vnto God by man He is not onely not woorthy to be termed very good yea not so much as good but rather woorst of all who taketh away from his Citizens and Subiectes the best thyng that they haue to wit their libertie which is the cheefe and most speciall commoditie of this lyfe and for the fulfilling of one mans bottomlesse gulfe of couetousnesse whiche wyll neuer be glutted can willingly behold so many thousand wretches in miserie with drye eyes And yf iustice and mercie can not preuayle yet at leastwise shame and honestie must reuoke him from so heauie a spectacle although he be affable to be spoken withal faire spoken to perswade and lastly liberal vnto a fewe of the spoyles of many These are the meanes that Tyrantes doo vse whom men commonly call Lordes and are found to be Hangmen With these mistes they bleare mens eyes with these baites they couer their hookes and catche the credulous in their snares Ioy. I haue a mightie Lord. Reason There is one only in heauen who of his owne ryght hath called him selfe Lorde and commaundeth him selfe so to be called for Augustus Caesar that was lord of the earth prouided by proclamation that none should cal him lord The one is God of goddes the other Emperour ouer men The one mayntayned his Maiestie the other preserued his modestie Finally in this respect he sharply reprooued the people of Rome for thus it is written of him He alwayes abhorred the name of Lorde as a reproche and slaunder Which moderation also it is well knowen that his successour obserued although in all degrees he were farre inferiour vnto hym who though he were greedy of gouernement yet refrayned hym selfe from the title of Lordshyp and so keepyng as it were a middle course betweene ambition and modestie he was content to be a Lorde but not to be called so knowing that it was vniust which he desired and therefore desired so as he might auoyde the blemish of reproofe Harde proude and greeuous is the name of a Lord specially where is loue of libertie and shame of seruilitie Whose foootesteppes Alexander that was Emperour of Rome wyfely followyng woulde haue no man write vnto hym in any more lofue style and maner then to a priuate man As for the other Alexander that was kyng of Macedonie he woulde not onely be called Lorde but also God whom these pettie Theeues of our tyme followyng in lyke pride of minde scarce hauyng possessed by sinister meanes a towne or twayne wyll not onely be called Lordes but count it a shame to be reputed men and take it as an iniurie to be so tâ—armed Ioy. I haue a very good Lorde in deede Reason There is one very good Lorde in deede whom yf thou hast thy seruice is most honest and more happie then a kingdome Ioy. We haue a iust Lorde and 〈◊〉 very good King. Reason The Greekes make no difference betweene a King and a Tyrant accordyng vnto which signification our Poet speaking of a kyng sayeth It shal be vnto me some part of contentation to haue touched the Tyrantes right hand But among you onely the purpose and maner of gouernment maketh the difference so that he is truely to be tearmed a Kyng
PHISICKE against Fortune aswell prosperous as aduerse conteyned in two Bookes Whereby men are instructed with lyke in differencie to remedie theyr affections aswell in tyme of the bryght shynyng sunne of prosperitie as also of the foule lowryng stormes of aduersitie Expedient for all men but most necessary for such as be subiect to any not able insult of eyther extremitie Written in Latine by Frauncis Petrarch a most famous Poet and Oratour And now first Englished by Thomas Twyne At London printed by Richard watkyns An. Dom. 1579. To the right woorshypful Maister Richard Bertie Esquier c. quietnesse of Conscience health of Body continuance of Lyfe with encrease of worldly VVoorshyp PEtrarches remedies agaynst both Fortunes in Latine Right woorshipful were as it appeareth dedicated vnto Azo an honourable Gentleman of Italy Azo had good cause to enterteyne them thankefully for that being strangely wounded with aduersitie and cast downe from the dignitie of a Lorde to the state of a wretched forlorne man he myght receaue thereby no small comfort in his sorowes The same woorke now called Physicke agaynst Fortune in Englishe and intituled vnto your Woorshypful name who are no meane personage of this our Realme of Englande but in this respect farre exceeding the degree of Azo in that you haue gained surpassing prefermentes at the handes of Fortune is semblably presented vnto your fauourable acceptation Not that it is doubted the infirmitie of your minde any way to be such that you stand in neede of these or the lyke Medicines to mittigate the sugered Bankettes or sower sauces of eyther Fortune that is to say prosperitie or aduersitie Although whoso lyst to examine your right worsbypfull estate shall well perceyue thereby that yf your minde coulde be caried away by any of these two affections the same by lykelyhood should be it which is quite contrarie to that which troubled Azo since it hath pleased Fortune or GOD rather to blesse you with suche valure of Minde Vertue Godlynesse Wysedome Grauitie and Learnyng generally in all Faculties Good letters and Tongues as fewe or none the lyke farre and wyde to be founde in this our age Adde herevnto moreouer the commendable cumlinesse of your person with integritie of health and good constitution of bodie And lastly the accesse of a noble Duchesse to your Wyfe of an honourable Countesse to your Daughter of a Lorde apparant to your Sonne and Heyre besides large Reuenues and fayre Houses and which maketh not smally to the accomplyshment of worldly felicitie the fauour of a most vertuous and louing QVEENE and a most flourishyng Commonwealth to lyue in These albeit I confesse they be very great yet are they not suche but that your wisedome of it selfe is able to beare them with sufficient moderation and as in deede they be so to esteeme of them But rather in respect of these your rare giftes and the loue that you beare vnto learnyng and the fauourers thereof I haue been induced to exhibite the medicines of Petrarch against Fortune vnto you that as many of our Countreimen as shall haue occasion hereafter to reade or vse them may the more freendly accept them for your Woorshypfull name sake In consyderation whereof and lykewyse yf it shall please you not discontentedly to accept them at my handes I shall not onely thynke my trauell well requited but also in regarde of other benefites receyued acknowledge my selfe muche bounden vnto you and to remaine your Woorships euermore readie at commaundemente Thomas Twyne ⧠The Epistolare Preface of Francis Petrarch a most famous Poet and Oratour written vnto Azo concerning the Phisicke and remedies of both Fortunes aswell aduerse as prosperous WHEN I thinke vpon the affayres and fortunes of men their vncertaine and sudden chaunces and changes truely I finde nothyng almost more fraile nothing more vnquiet then the lyfe of man For I perceiue howe nature hath prouided well for all other liuing creatures by a woonderful kind of remedie to wit a certaine ignorance of them selues but in vs only she hath conuerted our memorie vnderstanding prouidence and moreouer the diuine giftes of our minde vnto our owne toyle and destruction For being alwayes subiect not onely vnto vayne and superfluous but also hurtfull and pestiferous cares we are both greeued with the present time and also vexed with the time past and that is to come so that we seeme to feare nothyng so muche as not to seeme at all tymes to be in miserie Our studie is so great whereby we heape together causes of miseries and nouryshmentes of sorowes whereby we make our lyfe whiche yf it were wel gouerned were the most happie pleasaunt thyng that we possesse a wretched and wofull toyle whose entraunce is blindnesse going forwarde toyle ende sorowe and the whole course errour Whiche he shall fynde to be so whosoeuer with diligent eye consydereth the whole race of his owne lyfe What day doo we passe ouer in rest and quietnesse or rather doo we not finde more painefull and troublesome then other What mornyng haue we euer passed so merie and pleasaunt that hath not been surprised with sorowe and heauinesse before night Of whiche euyll although a great cause doo rest in the thinges them selues neuerthelesse vnlesse our self-selfe loue deceyue vs a greater cause or to confesse the trueth the whole cause consisteth in our selues and to let passe all other thinges whereby we are troubled on euery syde what war and how perpetuall is it which we maintayne agaynst Fortune wherein Vertue only can make vs conquerours But willingly wittingly we reuolt from her We only being weaklinges vnarmed encounter a most fierce foe in vnequall fight whom she againe as lightly as thinges of nought tosseth vs vp and throweth vs downe turneth vs round about and plaieth with vs so that it were better for vs to be quite ouercome then continually to be had in skorne And what is the cause hereof but only our owne lightnes daintines for we seeme to be good for nothing els but to be tossed hither thither like a Tennise bal being creatures of very short life of infinite carefulnesse yet ignorant vnto what shoare to fal with our shyp or vnto what resolution to apply our mindes whose determination is alwayes to hang in doubt and besides the present euil alwayes to haue somewhat to greeue vs behind our backe before our eyes to make vs afeard Which thing hapneth vnto no creature besides man for vnto all other it is most perfect securitie to haue escaped that which is present But we in respect of our wit and the vnderstanding of our minde are in continual wrastling strife with an enemie as it were a three headed Cerberus So that it had ben almost better for vs to haue wanted reason since we turne the force of our heauenly nature against our selues for it were now an hard matter to resist subdue this euil being so deepely rooted through age custome Notwithstanding we
Contrariwise too muche sleepe is the matter of vice and infamie which driueth many and throweth them headlong into perpetual sleepe For it nourisheth lust maketh the body heauie weakeneth the minde dulleth the wit diminisheth knowledge extinguisheth the memorie and breedeth forgetfulnes It is not without cause that wakeful and industrious persons are commended As for the sleepie we see not them praysed but puffed And therfore as some vs tearme sleepe death so other cal wakefulnesse life Take heede then of lyfe and death which thou choose It is best to wake which the wise do commend that the life may be the longer Ioy. I enioy a long vn interrupted sleepe Reason It is wel if it be not broken by pinching cares by couetousnes by ambition by feare by sorowe and by wicked loue but euyl if a mans sleepe be disturâ—ed by some care of dishonest stâ—die Truely while the people sleepe the prince waketh while the armie resteth the captaynes be vigilant which both experience declareth and Homers Ilias proueth to be true Vpon noble mindes vigilant cares do depende but such as are sober and hotsome It is credibly reported that Augustus Caesar of al Princes the greatest and best vsed but short sleepe and that also often interrupted And thou gloriest in the contrary Ioy. I sleepe profoundly Reason So do gluttons letchers wrathful persons togeather with bruite beastes but lyuing notwithstanding slâ—ggish persons and they that sleepe are only compared to the dead and as touching that part of tyme that happie men doo nothyng differ thereby from men in miserie thou knowest it to be a position of Philosophie Wherefore as that part is diligently to be eschewed whiche leaueth so small a difference of dreames onely betweene men and beastes so is the contrary to be pursued whiche offereth no hardnesse to them that are willing For yf in respect of a simple glory or small gaine both Warriours Merchauntes and Mariners do watch whole nightes abroade in the open ayre the one among ambushmentes of their enimies the other among the surgies and rockes more fierce then any enimie art not thou able to watche some part of the nyghtes in makyng prayers to God and among thy bookes for the true glory and a large gayne Ioy. Being weerie when I was awake I haue now wholly geuen my selfe to sleepe Reason Thus it is yee change not your copie ye deale in all matters after one maner and looke what thing God himselfe or nature or any art hath geuen you for recreation that ye turne to your owne shame and discommoditie â–ª your drinke to drunkennes your meate to surfeityng your leysure to sleepinesse your good health to voluptuousnesse your beautie to lasciuiousnesse your strength to iniuries your wit to deceitfulnesse your knowledge to pride your eloquence to harmfulnesse the brauerie of your houses and the apparell of your backes to pompousnesse and vayne ostentation your ryches to couetousnesse and riot your wiues and chyldren to feare and perpetual carefulnesse Goe nowe be astonished complayne of your fortune and lament your wickednesse of good thinges ye make euil of heauenly giftes ye make fetters and snares and chaines for your soule Ioy. I am delighted in pleasaunt sleepe Reason Not only Kinges Captaynes and Princes Philosophers Poetes Householders do watch vp and rise in the night which Aristotle sayeth to be auaylable for health for good husbandrie and philosophie but theeues also and pilferers and whiche is also more marueylous mad men and louers whom the remembraunce desire they haue to their trulles doth styrre forwarde and wylt not thou for the loue of vertue hate sleepe that is freende to vices and as Horace sayth excellently Seeyng theeues ryse in the nyght to kill true menne wilt not thou awake to preserue thy selfe Ye may be ashamed that filthie causes can so muche preuayle with you and most souereine can doo nothyng Ioy. I sleepe all nyght and no man troubleth mee Reason Aristotle seemeth whiche I haue touched before in this maner to deuide a mans lyfe attributing halfe to sleepe and halfe to waking And as touching the one halfe thereof he sayth that a vertuous mans lyfe differeth not from a fooles lyfe in whiche place he wyll haue he night to be vnderstoode for sleepe and the day for wakyng This I confesse is a good and true diuision for it equally deuideth tyme into the partes But if it be thus taken that the partes be of equal space truely there is an other great difference betweene them For there is no cogitation or discourse more sharpe or more deepe then the nyghtly no tyme more conuenient for studentes If he say that sleepe is the one halfe of our tyme it is a strange saying to come out of the mouth of so studious and learned a man God forbyd that a minde whiche is well instructed and geuen to studie shoulde sleepe halfe her tyme seeyng to some the fourth part and to voluptuous persons also the thyrde part is sufficient I would counsell a man to ryse in the nyght in euery part of the yeere God forbyd but that they which haue any great exployt in hande sleepe both the whole Winter and Summer nyghtes Howbeit it is sufficient perhappes to haue broken it once and as muche sleepe as is broken by watching so muche may be quickly supplyed yf neede so require by takyng a nappe after noone But the houres of the winter nyghters are often to be broken in them it were expedient to syng to studie to reade to write to thynke to contemplate by wit some new thing is to be deuised that which is wonne by studie is to be repeated in memorie Hearken also to S. Ierome wryting to Eustochius We must ryse sayth he twice or thrice a nyght and we must meditate on some part of Scripture whiche we haue learned without booke And at length when your eyes are weerie with this studie ye must eftsoones refreshe them with sleepe and beyng then recomforted with a lytle rest they must agayne be weeried with exercise lest that by sleeping all the night long and lying styl vpon the pillowe ye appeare to be as it were buried carkases By the often and coomely styrring of your selues declare that ye are alyue and geuen to vertue Of pleasaunt smelles The xxii Dialogue IOY I Am delited with sweete odours Reason These serue eyther for foode or apparrel concerning which thou hast hearde myne opinion Ioy. My studie is vpon sweete smelles Reason Of smelles some prouoke the appetite and some wantonnesse The desire of these incurreth the note of incontinencie especially yf it be vehement Others are desired for theyr owne sake The greedinesse of them is not reprooued of dishonestie but of folly Whereby it commeth that the smel of womens oyntmentes and of iunkets is more discommodable then the odour of flowres or apples The same reason is also in those pleasures whiche are receyued by the eares and eyes If euer thou hast applyed thy
And therefore Pompeius the great who deuised not only Weares but Empires also not improperly termed this Lucullus the Romane Xerxes that is to say a dygger away of hilles What shal I say of others The first that made Weares for Lampreis was one Curus I know not what he was for notwithstandyng al his Lampreys he is scarse yet knowen whereof he had such plentie that with sixe thousande of them he furnished Iulius Caesars triumphant supper This man had also his imitatours namely Hortentius the oratour of whom we spake before a man that neuer failed in folowyng an example of wantonnes and therefore it falleth out many tymes that your learnyng nothing abateth your madnesse but it neuer bringeth any thyng that a man may woonder at whylest they that haue attayned vnto learnyng thynke that it is lawful for them to doo euery thyng and arrogate muche vnto them selues whiche they durst not if they had not learnyng It is reported therefore that this man had a Weare at the shore of the Baiane coast whereas among other fyshes whiche he had he loued so dearely one certayne Lamprey that he mourned for him when he was dead Beholde a woorthy loue and meete to prouoke so graue a man to teares He that as it is read neyther bewayled the ciuil warres of his tyme nor the proscriptions and slaughter of the Citizens neyther yet woulde haue lamented the ouerthrowe at Cannas yf it had happened in his tyme dyd he weepe for the death of a Lamprey This lightnesse is so great that that whiche is of later dayes must needes be pardoned The age and sexe of Antonia maketh her follie more excusable who is reported not to haue wept for her Lamprey but while he was liuyng to haue decked him foorth with ringes and iewels of golde insomuche that the strangenesse of the sight caused many folkes to repaire to Paulos â–ª for that was the name of the vyllage lying in the Baiane confines There were also Weares of Wylkes and Perewincles and other vanities concernyng fyshes and specially the Pyke of Tibur whiche was taken betweene the two brydges But I haue spoken yenough of other mens errours in whiche the moe thou seest enwrapped the more diligent take thou heede least thou be snared in the lyke neyther doo I nowe forbydde thee the vse of fyshes but only the ouer muche care of vyle and vnnoble thynges Of Cages of byrdes and of speaking and singing byrdes The .lxiiii. Dialogue IOY I Haue shut vp sundry byrdes in a Cage Reason I leaue nowe to woonder at the prysons for fyshes There be some also prouided for byrdes whose dwellyng is the open ayre a more large and wyde countrey Gluttonie hath founde out huntyng it hath founde out fyshing it hath founde out haukyng and it is not sufficient to take them whom nature created free but they be also kept in prysons How muche more seemely and honest were it to enforce the belly to be contented with meates that may be easily gotten and to leaue the wylde beastes to the wooddes and the fyshes to the Sea and the foules to the ayre then to bestowe so much trauel vpon them that yf it were bestowed to catch vertues in this tyme by good studie hauing obteyned them for they wyl not flie away ye might haue planted them within the closet of your myndes from whence they could neyther escape away nor be purloyned Ioy. I haue fylled my Cage with byrdes Reason A thyng nothyng at al necessary and no lesse harde to be founde then difficult to be preserued auncient notwithstandyng whiche aboue a thousand and foure hundred yeeres since one Lelius surnamed Strabo fyrst deuised not that Lelius that was counted the wyse who yf he had founde out byrd cages had lost the tytle of wysedome There be some inuentions that seeme to be profitable and pleasant whiche notwithstandyng become not noble wyttes they that fyrst found out fyshpondes and hyrde Cages what other thyng dyd they respect then theyr bellyes whiche is farre from those that are studious in vertue Ioy. I haue fat Chrushes and Turtle dooâ—â—s in my Cage Reason But not slowe tormentours since thyne appetite beyng prouoked by so many enticements requireth the punyshment of a sicke stomacke Hast thou not hearde the saying of the Satyrical Poet This notwithstanding is a present Punishment when thou puttest of thy clothes being swelling full and cariest thy vndigested Peacocke with thee into the baine He speaketh there of a Peacocke It is a beautiful a famous foule but it is not he alone that pincheth the ouergreedfe panche The delyght of thy belly is but of short tast which in short tyme wil also turne to loathyng vnlesse it be moderated Rawnesse that is not easily disgested is a sicknesse that bryngeth long payne and many tymes death Goe thy wayes nowe and bragge of thy fat Thrushes Turtledooues Ioy. I haue speaking Choughes and Pyes Parrats Reason The Emperour Augustus takyng pleasure in the lyke gaue great summes of money for them that saluted hym conquerous and trimphant Caesar And when afterward there were many other such presented vnto him answered that he had yenough such saluters at home alredy laying there a measure to that vanitie sauyng that the last Crowe with his strange pastyme caused hym selfe to be bought more deare thou were the residue These histories are read in the Saturnalia But what in the naturall Historie of our neighbour of Verona This Crowe that was so docible vsyng to flie out of the Coblers shop where he was most diligently fedde and commyng abrode into the open streete woulde salute Tiberius Caesar and Drusus and Germanicus by name and the whole people of Rome with such admiration and loue of them all that when as a neighbour mooued eyther with enuie or anger had killed hym with great sorowe and griefe of almen the killer was first driuen out of those quarters and afterward stayne by the people and the Crowe with diligent exequies and solemne funeral was taken vp and buried O alwayes vnspeakable madnesse of the people In that citie there was a Crow wept for and buryed and he that kylled him beyng a Citizen of Rome was put to death in whiche Citie neyther Africane the greater had a Sepulchre neyther the lesse a reuenger for that on Gods name this Crowe as I haue sayde saluted the people but these men of whom I speake dyd not salute but procured safetie and glory to the people Thus the speach of Crowes is more acceptable then the vertue of valiant men Let any man nowe deny that it is safe for hym to agree to the peoples iudgement although who so is an vpryght considerer of thinges he wyl not marueyle at the publique contempt wherein worthy men are had since of these woonderers at Crowes and other pratling byrdes diuine voyces and heauenly Oracles are despised Ioy. I haue a faire Parrat Reason This bird forsooth aboue al the residue is notable for his golden chayne vnlesse
neuer more perilous then when they doo delyght but many times a most sharpe ende followeth such sweetenesse Ioy. I loue and am beloued Reason If it were so what is it other then a double knotte a neere linke a greeuous daunger I shoulde thynke the better of thee yf thou diddest loue onely and thou were not beloued agayne although the facilitie and difficultie of loue be a lyke hurtfull as some say in that the minde is taken with facilitie and striueth with difficultie Notwithstandyng I am of opinion that there is nothing that procureth loue more then to be loued and on the other side nothyng more deterreth a man or woman from louing then to knowe that he or she is not beloued neyther shall be loued Howbeit the blinde and greedie minde of the louer wyll not easily beleeue it who is one of that sort whereof it is written That they whiche be in loue deuise them selues dreames Ioy. I loue with pleasure Reason He that knoweth not in how yll case he is is without sense and he that reioyceth in his misery is madde Ioy. I confesse that it is pleasant vnto me to loue Reason I had rather it were hateful and grieuous vnto thee that thou myghtest be more redy to eschewe euyll and more neare to the hope of health but now the delyght noorysheth the disease and he refuseth to be whole that taketh pleasure in beyng sicke Ioy. Let euery man doo as hym lyst as for me it is my desire to loue Reason As men commonly vnderstand and speake but vnto me it seemeth seruile and base and a thyng which dooth effeminate and weaken the most valiant men I wyl tel thee that whiche euery man knoweth there is no man but wyll woonder at it when he heareth it the remembrance of great matters is so wonderful yea to them that doo not knowe them But to the ende that I may not recite all whiche I thynke neyther to be necessarie nor possible call to thy remembrance out of two most flooryshyng nations only two most excellent Captaynes Iulius Caesar beyng conquerer in Fraunce Germanie Britanie Spayne Italie Thessalia and Egypt agayne shortly after in Armenia Pontus Africa last of al againe in Spayne like to haue the vpper hande in the myddes of so many conquestes he hym selfe was conquered at Alexandria by princely loue Hannibal being conquerer at Ticinium Trebeia Trasimenus Cannas and at length to be ouercome in his owne countrey fyrst was ouercome at Salapia a Citie of Apulia and that the matter myght be more haynous he humbled hym selfe to the loue of an Harloâ— Howe great seemeth the force of this mischiefe vnto thee whiche by so smal assault coulde inuade so stout mindes and so valient hartes and with so brittle bandes hamper so swyft feete and so strong armes I let passe fables and olde tales howe Iupiter was transfourmed into beastes and Mars caught in a ridiculus net and Hercules spinning his stint vpon the distaffe moreouer Leander in the surgies of the sea Biblis by teares Procrys by her husbandes dart Pyramus by his owne weapon and Hyphis peryshyng by the Haulter and whiche is more certayne and more credible the Grecian Captaines fyghtyng for loue Troy burnyng with knowne fyre Without all these and a thousande suche lyke those two captaynes whom I spake of before are sufficient to prooue our purpose eyther for the greatnesse of theyr names or for the trueth of the Historie Ioy. I loue what wyll you say of hatred yf you condemne loue Reason As thou takest them I condemne them both neyther wyll I cal any thyng good therefore because it is contrary to euyl For two extremities that are contrary one to the other and of equal distaunce from the meane that is to say the vertue are both euyl Ioy. Then it is euyl to loue Reason That I confesse Ioy. But I fynde nothyng better then this euyl Reason I thynke wel as thy iudgement now standeth but thyne opinion concernyng matters is affectionate and blinded Ioy. Let them hate that lyst I wyl loue Reason I may wel terme hatred and loue thyngs indifferent For as it is lyke prayse woorthy to hate vyce and to loue vertue euen so both the hatyng of vyce and louyng of vertue are alyke to be condemned To be short thou shalt scarce finde any thyng whiche of it selfe deserueth eyther prayse or disprayse but that by meanes of some smal addition prayse and disprayse do come one into anothers place and therfore take heede what thou louest Ioy. What should I loue but that which other do loue Reason Al men loue not one thyng There haue ben some that haue loued God so feruently that for this loues sake they counted it a vauntage to leese them selues and theyr lyues Others there haue ben who not lookyng so hygh haue doone the lyke only for vertue or theyr countreyes sake I would name these but that they were innumerable Ioy. I was neuer in heauen neyther haue I at any tyme seene vertue but I loue the thinges that can be seene Reason If thou loue nothing but that which may be seene then louest thou no excellent thyng yea thou doest directly agaynst the most common commaundement Loue not the things that are seene but the thinges that are not seene For the thinges that are seene are temporal and the things that are not seene are eternal But you beyng blynde in mynd and geuen only to your eyes are far vnmeete not only to loue but to vnderstand or thinke vpon any eternal thing but ye folow those things that shal perish with you couering your filthy affections with an vnhonest cloke ye terme letchery loue whom ye worship and accordyng to the liberue of your speach ye make hym a God to the end he may excuse your shame which the heauen can scarce abide to couer For what doth God commaunde to be doone that is euil Goe your waies then and build Aulters to your God and offer incense vnto hym he wil carrie you to heauen nay rather the God of heauen will throw both him and you dawne into hel togeather Ioy. You turne the pleasures of youth into slaunder I loue and therfore beare with me Reason If pardon be to be asked of hym that is hurt then forgeue thy selfe for thou hurtest none but thy selfe and ah poore wretch among what rockes dooest thou dryue thy slender boate Ioy. I take pleasure in liuing so and I know not what should forbyd me Reason It is a miserable thyng to sin more miserable to be delyghted in sinne most miserable to excuse loue sinne and then is the matter absolute when as to the studie of pleasure a certayne opinion of honestie is adioyned Ioy. I loue neyther can or wyl I do other Reason Thou mightest yf thou wouldest perhaps hereafter thou wylt wyshe thou hadst For thus it happeneth in many matters but specially in this sicknesse that the same remedy whiche vertue hath long time assaied in
vayne continuance of tyme hath brought to effect Ioy. There is no tyme shal see me otherwise then louing Reason Goe to then play reioyce in thy mad sleepe thou shalt weepe when thou awakest Ioy. I wyl not weepe but sing comfort my selfe with verses after the maner of louers Reason This is a point wherof much may be spoken seeyng thou leadest me vnto it I wyl stay vpon it Among many other thinges I confesse that the madnes of louers is wonderful not only amoÌ„g the common people among whom by custome growyng into nature al madnes is excusable but also among the best learned in both tongues For it is euident that the Greeke Poets yours likewise haue writâ—en plausible somewhat of others loue much of their owne haue gained the glory of eloquence in that wherin they deserued the blot of reproche Amongst the Grecians â—appâ—â—o was the most to be borne withal whose age sexe lightnes of mind might wel excuse a wench but what shal we say to Anacrâ—oâ— Alâ—aeus who were both of theÌ„ not only famous poets but also valiant men renowmed in their coÌ„mon wealches for theyr woorthy deedes or what shall we say to your Poetes Ouid. Catullus Propertius Tibullus who haue written almost none other thyng then loue Howbeit why should I blame the Poetes vnto whom there is graunted more libertie in wrytyng and not rather the Philosophers which are the gouernours and leaders of lyfe In whiche respect thou maiest also reioyce that there was muche more grauitie in yours then in the Greeke Philosophers For among yours thou shalt scarcely fynde one that hath not only not committed any such follie but also laughed at it and condempned But among them a man would woonder not only at the common sort of them but also at the Stoikes whiche are the most precise sect of Philosophers yea Plato hym selfe whom we knowe to haue been in this errour The Stoikes wyl haue a wyse man to loue and truely yf they can agree vppon the kynde of loue they are not deceyued For as I haue sayde a wyse man wil loue GOD and his neighbour and vertue and wysedome and his countrey and his parentes and his chyldren and his brethren and his friendes and yf he be a perfect wyse man he wyll loue also his enimies not for theyr owne sakes I confesse but for his sake that so commaundeth Among al these thynges I pray thee what place is there lefte for beautie For thus we reade it defined in Ciceroes Tusculane questions That loue is an indeuour to make friendshyp in respest of beautie But who is so blind that seeth not what this beautie meaneth And therefore Cicero aptly demaundeth this question What loue of friendship is this sayth he Why wyll not any loue an euyl fauoured young man neither a wel fauoured olde woman forsooth age and fauour are here specially respected which are the foundations of this friendship whiche by a more honest name is rather called friendship then lust or sensualitie but what in deede it is it may be easily perceiued by open sound eyes And therfore the matter commeth to this issue that if there be any loue in al the world without careful or vnhonest desire without sighings and burning grief the same is graunted to a wyse man it must be without al maner lust or lasciuiousnes as the same Cicero sayth and without al vexation and trouble of mind which of wyse men are specially to be auoyded For as the appearance of thynges may be couered by speach so can not the trueth of them be changed and we speake now of none other then the libidinous and sensual loue which cannot possibly be without many of these and other great euyls And thus much concerning the Stoikes Now I come to Plato who is called the prince yea the God of Philosophers And although there be great contention among many in this poynt notwithstandyng in euery controuersie we must stand to the iudgement of the auncient and better sort and not of the greater number Plato I say this great Philosopher that I may speake if by the licence of so woorthy a man hath written much more licentiously concernyng his filthy loues although to a true philosopher in deede there is no lust that is not filthy and not to be alowed then becommeth the name and grauitie of Plato to haue written He hath written notwithstanding and for which I am the more sory his works be extant neyther was he ashamed of the blot of so renowmed fame nor the iudgement of posteritie the force of this passion of his mynde and the sweetnesse of his stile which pricked foorth his pen so far ouercommyng his care and feare in this behalfe whiche he had now so abundantly in this filthie and shameful argument that a man may sooner discerne the beames of the Platonicke wit in the wrytinges of the Epicures then of the folowers of Plato And this I perceyue to haue been the cause that many forsooke theyr wrytynges which they myght eyther more honestly not haue written at al or more wysely haue suppressed and also as I gesse wylbe the cause heareafter that many wil do the lyke but I haue now touched the chiefest Thus haue I sayde somewhat concernyng the reprehension of this madnesse and much more also may be sayde and for remedy therof not a litle For as touchyng the comfort in this sicknesse whereof thou speakest whiche thou imaginest to come by verses let Horâ—ces short verse demaunde be vnto thee in steede of an answere Doest thou thinke that by these verses thy paines vexations and greeuous cares may be driuen out of thy minde By speaking singing loue is noorished and kyndled not quenched and assuaged so that those songes and verses of which thou speakest do not heale but hurt thy woundes Ioy. By your aduertisment experince I now begin to beleeue you and therfore setting other things apart conuert your stile yf it please you vnto remedies Reason Many in fortymes haue gone about to get these togeather among whom Ouid the great Phisition loued better the sicknesse then the health whose medicines as may be seene are some chyldish some filthy or without effect Others also haue written among whom hath Cicero shortly effectually To be short among al that I haue chosen and liked these are in few changyng of place whiche as it is sometyme holsome for the body so is it also for the diseased minde diligent eschewing of al thynges whereby the countenance of the beloued may be brought into remembrance also busiyng of the minde and eftsoones conuertyng it vnto new cares and troubles wherby the foote steppes of the former disease may be vtterly extynguished earnest and continual thynkyng how shameful how sorowful how miserable and lastly how short how slipperie and how smal a thing it is that is sought for by so many dangers and troubles how much more easily and commodiously it might otherwyse eyther
Father The Lxxxii Dialogue IOY I Haue a good Father Reason Acknowledge then thy good for it is but short Ioy. I haue a very good Father Reason He wyll procure griefe vnto thee or thou vnto hym Ioy. I haue a most tender Father Reason If the order of nature be obserued great heauinesse remayneth vnto thee for inheritaunce but yf the order be peruerted the lyke abydeth hym Ioy. I haue a Father yet Reason Vse him with diligence this is a frayle pleasantnesse and thy Father is an old man. Ioy. I haue an olde man to my Father Reason There is now no place for lingring make haste to gather the last fruite as it were from a ruinous tree Keepe him companie as much as thou canst see him diligently as yf he were immediatly departyng but heare him more willingly and lay vp his last aduertisementes in thy careful minde and when thou goest from him leaue him furnished with necessaries as yf thou were goyng a farre iourney The tyme wyll come thou shalt lacke his counsell and shalt seeke him and not fynde hym at home Ioy. I haue an extreame olde man to my Father Reason Make haste to shewe the last duetifulnesse of vertue towardes hym whyle there is tyme yf thou omit any thyng now thou wylt alwayes be sorie Ioy. I haue a vertuous Father Reason Then hast thou suche an one as desireth to dye before thee and feareth to lyue after thee Ioy. I haue a very good Father Reason Thou shalt not knowe what he was before thou want hym and for whom thou wylt lament when thou hast lost hym Of a most louing Mother The Lxxxiii Dialogue IOY I Haue a most louing Mother Reason But thou art vnto her a continual feare and carefulnesse Ioy. I haue a most louing Mother Reason The Fathers loue is greatest but the Mothers loue is most vehement and both their loues are such and so great that the affection of the childe vnlesse it be very rare can scarce counteruayle it Notwithstanding the contention betweene the Parentes and the Children in shewing loue and duetie one towardes another is commendable and vertuous let them haue the victorie vpon whom the fountaine of heauenly charitie is most abundantly powred But hytherto the Parentes haue the vpper hand neyther is yet the duetifulnesse of the Chyldren or their reuerence towardes their elders and progenitours suche that it may minister iust cause that we shoulde thinke it woulde be otherwyse but if it shoulde chaunce so to happen besides expectation there were no sight in the earth that coulde be deuised more acceptable vnto the heauens Ioy. I haue a verie good Mother Reason Be thou at leastwise a good childe vnto her remember that thou was first a burden and coyle vnto her and afterwarde a most bitter payne and lastly a continuall trouble and ielous carefulnesse Thinke on her wombe that bare thee and her breastes that gaue thee sucke how many sleepes and how many meales or pleasures thou hast broken her of by thy crying What feare and sorowe thou hast procured her by thy chaunces and sometymes also perhaps perilous pleasures Many tymes as the feare of chyldrens death hath enforced the wretched Mothers to ende their lyues so also hath the ioy of their lyfe This last poynt appeared playnely that day wherein they that remayned after the slaughter at Thrasimenus beyng dispersed returned safe to their friendes and when two Mothers who thought no lesse but that their sonnes were slayne in the battayle sawe them notwithstanding come agayne in safetie not being able to susteine the force of so sodayne a ioy they dyed presently So that by this and suche lyke examples it is truely verified that amongst men there is no greater ingratitude then that which is shewed agaynst the Mother Ioy. My Mother is yet lyuing an olde woman Reason As often as thou lookest vpon her and beholdest the earth also thinke from whence thou commest and whyther thou shalt out of how narrowe a place thou camest and into how narrowe an one thou shalt depart to witteout of the wombe of thyne owne Mother into the bowelles of the Earth that is mother of al thinges Among all the thinges therefore which between these twaine do delight and busie the minde drawe backe the raynes of pryde and couetousnesse Of good Brethren and louing and fayre Sisters The Lxxxiiii Dialogue IOY I Haue louyng Brethren Reason A rare matter for parentes for the most part doo alwayes loue but brethren most commonly doo hate and despise one another And therefore the trueth cryeth out by the mouth of the Poet Ouid That seldome is loue sounde among brethren whereas there is noted the wickednesse and vndutifulnesse of brethren children and almost al sortes of men exceptyng parentes Ioy. I haue very good Brethren Reason Truely I woonder at it it is enough that they be good for most tymes they be euyll and the worst of all other and so much worse then open enimies by how much there is lesse heede to be taken of domestical treacherie How great the loue of brethren is that I may not bryng to lyght them that are vnknowen nor offende them that are present the most famous couples the Micenian the Thebane and the Romane brethren doo declare which infamie why it shoulde more redounde vnto one citie then to the whole worlde I see no cause Beholde the first brethren that were in the worlde one was slayne by the hand of the other and yet hast thou not heard a most horrible mischiefe to tell for Phraates king of the Parthians of whom I spake before beside his most detestable parricide in murdering at one time his owne father and natural sonne we reade how he slue moreouer his thirtie brethren not fearyng by so foule a massacre and bloodshed to establish his yl gottten kingdome and vtterly to extinguishe al feare of competitours Ioy. My Brethren are good Reason I suppose you haue not yet deuided your inheritaunce for then your malice wylbreake foorth Golde is tryed by fyre and so is the minde by golde That agreement whiche seemeth to be great is oftentymes ouerthrowen by a litle golde Ioy. I haue louyng Brethren Reason Perhaps thy single lyfe or lacke of children causeth them to loue thee Thy marrying wyl discouer them but hauing of chyldren more better when they shal perceyue them selues depriued of the hope of succession whiche hope hath caused the most impatient to suffer muche Ioy. I haue brethren that loue me most deerely Reason It ought to be so vnlesse malice or feare or couetousnesse or immoderate desire to haue which whyle it coueteth to be satisfied quite forgetting the lawe both of God and man doo hinder it How great so euer the loue be betweene the parentes and the chyldren yet are the maners and conuersation diuers which although the parentes doo perceiue quickly yet do they acknoledge it too late Although fathers loue their chyldren at the fyrst yet it is long are they receyue them
part of them through the fault of the geuers or receyuers are lost and cast away and that way vnto loue is more easie short and streight whiche I shewed thee before to wit to attayne vnto loue by leuyng in whiche while thou goest forwarde yf thou win the true name of a beneficiall person it shall make thee famous and beloued aboue expectation Ioy. I haue bestowed many and great benefites Reason Not what but how and with what minde thynges be doone both God and man doo respect great thinges are many tymes odious and meane thynges acceptable but aboue all the very naked hart only is accepted in the sacrifice and gyft of the poore Of loue of the people The .xciiii. Dialogue IOY THE people loue me Reason Stay awhyle and anone they wyll hate thee Ioy. The people loue me Reason Make no great hast the ende is not yet come for as one day so is the whole lyfe described by the ende Ioy. I am beloued of the people Reason Who was of them better beloued then the Scipioes then Camillus then Rutilius and Metellus What shall I speake of Themistocles or Milciades or of his sonne Cymon or Aristides What of Theseus of Solon of Hannibal or of Lycurgus These Citizens I say although they were neuer so dearely and neuer so short tyme beloued of their people notwithstandyng their endes are all knowen and this loue turned eyther into contempt or into hatred and requitall vnwoorthy of their desartes trauell at home and abroade accusation death exile imprisonment Ioy. Most part of the people loue me Reason The woorser sort then for there are but fewe good and it is knowen that the loue of euyll men is purchased by euyll meanes For yf a certayne similitude and lykenesse procure friendshyp as the wyse holde opinion thynke of thy selfe what thou art in that most of the people doo loue thee Ioy. The people loue me Reason A fayre Wynters weather Sommers ayre calmenesse of the Sea the Moones state and loue of the people yf all these were compared togeather for inconstancie the last shal beare the bell Ioy. The people honour me Reason With theyr lyps I thynke but theyr hart is far from thee for it is not more true vnto thee then to god The people doth seldome any thyng wyllyngly but raise tumultes and vprores Ioy. The people feare me Reason They wyl not doo so long For it soone decayeth that is not grounded vpon assured iudgement Ioy. The peoples good wyll is feruent towardes mee Reason Of an hot beginning many times commeth a warme middle and a cold end which may be seene in nothing sooner then in the good wil of the people Ioy. The people prayse me Reason The prayse of fooles is counted infamie among the learned Ioy. The people haue me in admiration Reason After some smal alteration they wyll despise thee for alwayes they holde one of the extremities but neuer the meane as fearyng hym whom they so account of for an enimie Ioy. The people doo reuerence Reason I woulde marueyle yf thou couldest prosper vnder so attendyng attenders Ioy. The people haue a good opinion of me Reason They vse to iudge on both sydes without discretion and therfore the verdict of the common people among true iudges is an argument of the contrary Ioy. The people esteeme wel of me Reason The estimation and iudgement of mad men is suspected of sounde wyttes I had rather the people knew thee not then so lyked of thee Ioy. The people speake much of me Reason And thou therfore art ouer credulus and carryed away with the populare ayre which although thou knowest to haue happened sometyme vnto great men yet is the vanitie neuer awhyt the lesse to reioyce in a slender and vncertayne state Ioy. The people haue me in admiration Reason And I also woonder at thee that thou ascribest this any deale to thy glory Ioy. The people loue me Reason This is no prayse to thee but thy fortune it is the peoples manner oftentymes to loue the vnworthy but from them many tymes they receyue a most woorthy reward of theyr vnworthy loue Of inuadyng a Tirranny The xcv Dialogue IOY I Haue inuaded a Tyrranny ouer my countrey men Reason Thou hast wel requited thy foolysh louers They aduaunced thee more then reason required and thou hast throwne them downe vnder the yoke of vniust seruitude Ioy. I haue taken vpon me a Tyrrannie Reason Thou hast depriued others of theyr libertie thy selfe of securitie and both of your rest Ioy. I haue obteyned a Tyrranny Reason A state of vndoubted trauayle of an vncertaine euent but for the most part infortunate I wyl not refer thee vnto auncient and forreine Histories What was the end of Alexander Phaeraeus what of Dionysius of Syracusae what of Phalaris of Agrigentum what of Anno the Carthagien what of Elearchus of Heraclea what of Aristotinus Ephirensis what of Nabis the Lacedemonian and lastly of Hipparchus the Athenian whose death purchased immortal fame to his murtherers Neyther wyl I send thee to new and domestical examples Cassius and Melius Manlius Citizens of Rome Catuline also and the Gracchi Apuleius not Tyrantes but affectyng a tirranny who were espied in theyr wycked attempts hyndred of theyr purpose and suppressed And lastly not vnto those who beyng greater not better cloked theyr cruel and vniust tyrrannie with the colour of a iust Empire namely Caius and Nero Domitianus and Commodus Bassianus and the residue of that crue who were Princes only in name and had both Tirantes mindes and Tirantes endes but I wyl rather refer thee vnto other whom in the remembrance of your fathers and grandfathers yea also of this present age this your region hath seene These that I may not weery thee with them that are farre of I would haue thee to consyder and behold and thou shalt see that the common and vsual ende of Tyrantes is eyther by swoorde or poyson and thou wylt confesse that the saying of the Saterical Poet is true Fewe Kinges and Tirants dye without murder and woundes or of a drye death without bloodshed Ioy. I possesse a tyrranny ouer my Citizens Reason A booty and slaughter house to fyl thy selfe with gold and with blood to gither with the gold lyke an hungry Crow and like the greedy Horsleach which wyll not let go the skyn tyll he be full of blood But with what countenance or what conscience doest thou either shead that blood which to preserue yf thou were a man thou shouldest wyllingly shed thine owne blood or extortest gold from thy Citizens to geue it vnto thy cruel tormentors spoiling them whom thou shouldest feede with thy ryches and enryching those from whom as thou readest thou shouldest by al meanes extort so smally are the examples and preceptes of your Elders regarded But this is one most vyle discommoditie in the lyfe of Tyrantes that they stand alwayes in feare of them whom they shoulde trust trust them that haue no
generation For when ye haue once obtayned that whiche ye hoped for then doo ye agayne cast foorth your hope abrode to another thyng and from thence to another so that to morowe is alwayes better then to day and future thynges better lyked then present There are some vnto whom nothyng is more pleasant then to lyue in hope who woulde not haue theyr hope of the thynges they hope for to be altred by any euentes vnto whom what shoulde I wyshe other then that puttyng of all thynges tyll to morowe and tyme to come and in the meane whyle spoylyng them selues of all theyr goodes they may waxe olde among theyr vayne hopes whereby at length they may vnderstande that they hoped to none effect and lookyng backwarde into theyr forepassed lyfe they may perceyue that they sought for that elswhere which they had of them selues Hope I hope for peace and quietnesse of mynde Reason A great part of humane affayres are shadowes and a great part of men are fedde with winde and take pleasure in dreames O how many doo goe foorth to euerlastyng labours and warres with this hope Of the hope of lyfe euerlastyng The Cxxii Dialogue HOPE I Hope for the lyfe euerlastyng Reason There is no hope more excellent more beautifull more holie so that it be not blynde and headlong For there be some men who by alwayes dooyng euyll doo notwithstandyng hope for good then whiche nothyng canne be more foolyshe Hope I hope for the euerlastyng lyfe Reason Suche is the consanguinitie and lynkyng togeather of vertues as the Philosophers doo dispute that who so hath one vertue must needes haue all whereof it foloweth that who so wanteth one vertue wanteth all whiche yf it be true in the morall vertues what may we iudge of the Theologicall And therefore yf thou haue hope thou must needes also haue fayth and charitie But yf one of these be wantyng it is no longer hope but rashe presumption Hope I hope for the lyfe euerlastyng Reason Thou hopest for a good or rather a most excellent thyng and therefore see thou that that good whiche thou dooest thou doo it well There be some that doo good thynges euyll and he is no lesse an vpryght deemer of thynges that consydereth as well howe as what shall be and is doone and dooeth as well weygh the Aduerbes as the Nownes and Verbes Hope I hope for the euerlastyng lyfe Reason Not the heauenly Powers onely but also the earthly Lordes doo loue to be hoped of but by whom truely by those of whom they knowe them selues to be beloued or els perhappes that some tyme were odious and rebellious and beyng desyrous to be receyued into fauour haue flyen vnto mercie and forgeuenesse Hope I hope for the lyfe euerlastyng Reason Amende thy temporall lyfe for that leadeth to the eternall Hope I hope for the euerlastyng lyfe Reason This is the onely hope of all men whiche yf thou conceyue a ryght it wyll make and alredie it dooeth make thee an happie man. Hope I hope for the lyfe euerlastyng Reason Fyrst thou must hope for mercie and afterwarde for lyfe and soberly and modestly for both Hope It is the euerlastyng lyfe that I hope for Reason O happie man yf this thy hope fayle thee not Deo gratiae Thus endeth the fyrst Booke The Epistolare Preface of Frauncis Petrarche a most famous Poet and Oratour into the second booke of his woorke of Physicke against Fortune wherein he disputeth of Aduersitie OF all the thinges wherein I euer toke delight either in reading or hearing there is nothing almost more firmelie setled or more deepelie imprinted or that more often commeth into my remembrance than the saying of Heraclitus That all things are made by disagrement For in deede it is so and almost all things in the worlde doe testifie that it is so The Starres moue against the swift firmament the elementes of contrarie qualities striue one against another the earth trembleth the seas flowe the land shaketh the fires crackle and the windes be at perpetuall conflict among themselues on time contendeth against another time euerie thing against another thing and all things against vs the Spring is moyst the Sommer drie Haruest pleasant and Winter sharpe and this which is called chaunge and alteration is in verie deede strife and disagreement These things therefore vpon which we dwell by which wee liue and are nourished which flatter vs with so manie enticements notwithstanding howe terrible they are when they begin once to be angrie the earthquakes and most vehement whirlewindes shipwrackes and burnings raging vpon the earth or in the aire doe sufficientlie declare With what violence doeth haill fall What force is there in stormes and tempestes What ratling of thunder what rage of lightning what furie and feruencie of the waues what bellowing of the Sea what roaring of flooddes what excursion of riuers what course recourse and concourse of cloudes The sea it selfe besides the manifest and forcible rage of windes and secret swelling of the flooddes which come by vncerteine turnes hath also certeine and determined times of ebbes and flooddes in manie other places but most euidentlie in the West Which thing whilest the secret cause of the manifest motion is sought after hath raised no lesse contention in the scooles of the Philosophers than in the sea of the floodes Yea moreouer there is no liuing creature without warre Fishes wilde beastes foules serpentes men one kinde of these persecuteth another none of these are at quiet The Lion followeth the woolfe the woolfe the dogge the dogge the Hare with vnquencheable hatred There is also a more couragious kinde of dogges which vseth not onelie to fight with woolfes but also to hunt Lions Leopardes wilde Bores such like cruell beastes And of certein their courage is so noble and valiant their stomacke so haughtie that they contemne Beares wilde Bores and vouchsafe to set vpon onlie Elephantes and Lions The like whereof there was one sent vnto king Alexander and for that he contemned such small game his other qualities not being knowen was therefore not regarded but as we read slaine at his commaundement Then was there afterwardes another sent vnto him who proued accordinglie whom the King loued entierlie and tooke exceeding delight in him But touching the loue of dogges towardes men vnto whom they are reported to be most friendlie yet howe great their loue is in deede vnlesse hope of vittailes do get their good-will besides their biting and vnspeakable barking not onlie the fable of Acteon but Euripides also truelie proueth their tearing and renting of men in pieces The subtiltie of the Fox among manie other beastes is notable Certeine fishermen carrying fish to the towne to the market which in the sommer time most willingly they do by night vpon a time found a fox lying in the high way as if she had bene dead whom they taking vp meaning to vncase her at their leasure to saue the skin threwe her vpon their
not the like among all which in a manner either pray or hatred breedeth contention Yea moreouer though these cease yet disagreement ceaseth not For let vs see what hartburning there is in loue what disagreement in marriage howe manie complaintes what suspicion among louers what sighes what paines what contention betweene maisters and seruantes who are nothing the lesse enimies one to another for that they are housholde foes betwene whom there is neuer anie peace to be hoped for but that which is procured either by death or pouertie I will not speake of contention betweene brethren whose agreement to be verie rare the trueth it selfe witnesseth by the mouth of that Famous Poet Ouid neither of the disagreement betweene parentes and their children whereof the Poeme of the same Poet maketh mention But as touching the loue of parents whose good will is most tender towardes their children yet how great their indignation is it is euident whilest they loue them that are good and lament their case that are euill and thus in a manner they hate while they loue hartilie And as touching the most neere and deare bande of the name of brother and father wee see it sometime to bee without loue and not seldome ioyned with hatred I will come to the holie name of friendshippe which being called in Latine Amicitia is deriued from the word Amo whiche signifieth to Loue so that it can neither consist neither bee vnderstoode without loue Nowe among friendes although there be agreement in the wordes and endes yet in the way and in their actes what disagreement and contrarietie of opinions and counsels is there so that Ciceroes diffinition can scarce stand vpright For admit there be good will and loue betweene friendes notwithstanding the consent of all diuine and humane thinges wherewith he maketh his diffinition complete is wanting What then shall a man hope for in hatred For there is hatred in loue and warre in peace and agreement in discention which I will proue to be so by those things which are daily before our eies Beholde the wilde beastes who being inuincible by the sword are tamed by almightie loue Encline thy minde and marke with what noyse and murmure the shee Lions Tygres and shee Beares do come vnto that which of them selues they doe most willinglie and thou wilt thinke that they do it not with desire but by compulsion Some wilde beastes while they engender do make a great noise and schritching and some keepe a sturre with their swift and sharpe talantes Nowe if we will giue credit vnto that which certein great men do write of the nature of the viper howe much contrarietie is there how great discord when as the male viper vpon an vnbridled howbeit naturall sweetnesse pleasure putteth his head into the femal vipers mouth then she being prouoked with a furious heat of lust biteth it of But when this widowe viper being by this meanes brought great with young approcheth vnto the time of her deliuerie by the multitude of her heauie yong ones which nowe make haste to come foorth as it were to reuenge their fathers death is by them torne in pieces Thus the first coupling of these two wormes aswell by their generation as bringing foorth of young is vnfortunate vnto the whole kinde and is founde to bee pestiferous and deadlie whilest the engendring slayeth the male vipers and the bringing foorth the female Consider the orders of Bees in their hiues what thronging together what noise what warres not onely with their neighboures but among themselues what domestical conflictes and discensions is there among them Beholde the neastes and houses of Pigeons that most simple birde and as some write that hath no gall with what battelles and disquietnesse with what clamour and outcries I pray you do they passe foorth their life thou wouldest thinke thou were in some barbarous and vninstructed campe thou shalt perceiue them to be so vnquiet both day and night I omitte their inuasions one of another yea that verie paire that haue seuerally coupled themselues in the bande of mutuall societie and pleasure and for that cause are dedicated vnto Venus with what complaintes are they carried foorth vnto their desire how often doth the cocke goe about the hen and oftentimes the louer forcibly persecuteth his louer with his winges and bill I will referre thee vnto the most safest kinde whereof as the matter is not lesse so is it also lesse notorious and lesse painfull to bee founde What craft and subtiltie then what wakefull diligence doth the spider vse in taking of simple and poore flies in her copwebbe what nettes doeth she set vp for her deceit and rapine what the Moath ouer the cloth what the rot ouer the poast what the litle wormes which daye and night not without weerisomnesse and with a certeine blunt and hollowe noise do fret through the bowelles of beames especiallie of those in felling whereof the diligent obseruation of the Moone and seasons hath not bene obserued Which common discommoditie as it reigneth our the smokie cottagies of the simple husbandmen so doth it also ouer the golden pendents of princes pallaces temples churches and altars neither spareth it also the sacred richesse of Philosophers the boordes of bookes parchementes and papers Wherevnto also I will adde this much that vnlesse there were prouision made by pitch and tarre and a litle burning withall manie times it is the cause of the daunger of shipwracke or of shipwracke it selfe yea they haue entred into the sea eaten through the plankes of shippes and haue procured great troubles to the vnaduised Againe what doeth the grassehopper vnto herbes the caterpiller vnto corne or the wilde geese to the ripe fruites and graine or the poore sparrowe or the crane that translateth his dwelling and other importunate kindes of foules Whereof commeth that saying of the Poet Virgil in his Georgikes whereat I was wont to meruel but nowe I wonder nothing at all howe foules are fraide by noyse making For nowe vnto him that shall happen to dwell in anie place in the countrie in Italie this one thing is begonne to be one of the manifold sommer anoyances For so am I my self continually troubled from morning to night with the falling of foules the ratling of stones and crying out of the husbandmen Moreouer what doeth the mildeawe to the vintage the blast to the herbes the canker to the leaues and the moule to the rootes To be short the weeuill to the barnes floores and the Emot which maketh prouision against old age come as the Poet saith what toyle and vnrest is there in that poore litle creature that whilest she prouideth for her owne winter shee troubleth our sommer I should be verie slowe to beleeue other herein but I my selfe know by experience with how much not only weerisomnesse but losse also that dustie swarme and which by their hastie marching doe euermore declare their feare do not onlie spoyle and forrey the fieldes but
and louers of money ye seeme to be waxed deafe vnto holsome admonition and counsell whatsoeuer hath been sayde by vertuous and learned men specially agaynst this poynt of humane madnesse Thou hast heard your Satyrike Poet protesting For he that woulde be ryche and soone be rych and vnto these woordes he addeth But what reuerence of lawes what feare or shame is there euer in the couetous man that desireth hastely to be ryche This sayeing the wyse man among the Hebrewes compriseth in fewe woordes Who so sayth he maketh haste to be ryche can not be without blame Thou hast heard also another Countreyman of yours whether he were a Satyricall or Lyricall Poet saying It is neyther house nor lande not heapes of siluer nor golde that are able to expell Feuers out of the owners diseysed bodie nor cares out of his minde The selfe same thyng this strange wyse man comprehended in fewe woordes saying Richesse doo not helpe in the day of vengeaunce But he tolde moreouer what woulde helpe Righteousnesse sayth he shall delyuer a man from death Since therefore the money whiche thou lamentest to be lost in tyme of greatest necessitie can not profite the bodye nor mynde I marueyle eyther why it shoulde so muche be wyshed for when it is gone or loued when it is present With these and suche other thynges your Oratour beyng mooued There is no signe so euident of a base and vile minde sayth he as to loue ryches But the Ecclesiastike Oratour There is nothyng sayth he more wicked then a couetous person nothing more vniust then to loue money And the aucthoritie of very many that agree in this matter from whiche there is almost none that dissent is of suche multitude and grauitie that the common peoples errour striueth to no purpose against the iudgement of the wyse And therefore as there is none more vniust so is there no desyre more ardent then the desyre of money as beyng a thyng vpon whiche men are perswaded that all thinges depende that can be wyshed for But contrariwyse the voyces of the best learned men cry out experience and trueth crieth out the multitude of auncient and new examples crieth out that great masses of money are profitable to none but haue been pernitious to many are gotten with sinne and toyle kept with feare and carefulnesse and lost with complaint and heauinesse Let the louers of money declare eyther what falshood is in these woordes or goodnesse in theyr ryches And to the ende that a thyng so much commended may be vprightly considered let euery man cal vnto his remembrance whatsoeuer he hath seene or read perfectly and sincerely concerning this matter setting apart al regard of the common peoples clamour and the glittering of the mettalles And for that all men haue not had the lyke occasion to see and trie let those thynges be called to mynde whiche are set downe in wrytyng by famous auctours whiche the learned myght alwayes reade and heare at their pleasure And is it not well knowen that money brought in newe and vnaccustomed manners and that effeminate rychesse by meanes of hatefull riotousnesse dyd peruert whose ages that before lyued most commendably And that rychesse adioyned with couetousnesse and ouerflowing pleasures through sensualitie and lasciuiousnesse brought in the desire to ouerthrowe and destroy all whiche both by wryting and effect hath often been founde to be true That the couetous man is alwayes in neede That iron is hurtful but golde more hurtfull That the wicked thyrst of golde d th enforce mens mindes vnto any mischiefe and that the spirites are weakened onely with the sight of money Is not golde able to passe through a garison of armed men and to breake stones more forcibly then a thunderbolt and dooeth not hereof spryng treason both agaynst honestie and lyfe By a golden showre of rayne Danaès virginitie was expugned and lykewyse there was one cause of the ouerthrowe of the Greeke Poet Amphiareus and his couetous wife to wit the fatall golde which being wel contemned by Argia Eriphila yll wished for and yll gotten brake vp his house and began the occasion of horrible wickednesse Is it not most truely and properly sayde that false and transitorie ryches can neyther perfourme that which they promise neyther quenche the thyrst of the minde but encrease it neyther dryue away cares but bring them nor relieue necessities but encrease them And that The loue of money encreaseth as muche as the money it selfe encreaseth And likewyse this saying may be added Money maketh no man ryche but rather contrariwyse there is no man in whom it hath not engendred a greater desire of it And no lesse this Care followeth money as it encreaseth and greater hunger of it And agayne To them that aske many thynges many thynges are wantyng and likewyse They that possesse muche doo lacke muche Finally that whatsoeuer they be they are not permanent and continuyng as beyng reposed in the handes of Fortune subiect euermore vnto variable chaunces and at leastwyse to be lost by death For when the ryche man sleepeth he shall carie nothyng away with hym yf he open his eyes he shall fynde nothyng and yet he can not leaue that nothyng to whom he woulde for why Man passeth away in an Image and vaynely troubling hym selfe he heapeth vp ryches together and knoweth not for whom he shall gather them Whyle these and a thousande suche lyke sayinges of wyse and learned men doo in suche sort sounde about our eares notwithstandyng infinite desire to haue hath made you deafe so that the rych men of this worlde are in vayne admonished not to be too hyghly wyse nor to trust in the vncertainetie of ryches but in the liuing GOD who geueth all thing plenteously to enioy them to do good and to become ryche in good woorkes for they that would be ryche namely in these ryches that are commonly wyshed for fall into temptation and snares of the Deuyll and many vnprofitable and hurtfull lustes that drench men in death and destruction For couetousnesse is the roote of all mischieues This counsayler wyll they more harken vnto then they wyll heare hym that sayeth Trust not in wickednesse neyther couet after rapine yf ryches doo abounde set not thy hart vpon them Neither him more then his sonne saying Whoso trusteth in his ryches shall come to destruction And agayne not more then all these hym that is aboue all whose heauenly doctrine can not be contemned but of mad and frantike persons who truely calleth ryches and the companions of ryches pleasures and cares by the name of thornes whiche choake the seede of holsome woordes this spake he in whose mouth was founde no guyle The lyuely trueth I say spake this and dooest thou thynke that he founde any fayth vpon the earth Surely none at all or but very litle And that whiche he tearmeth thornes the worlde calleth chiefe sweetnesse and pleasure And where as one saith that pearles and precious stones and vnprofitable gold
are the matter of al mischiefe they thinke them to be the cause of al goodnesse and doo all auie seeke after them as the cheifest good and aboue al other thynges And now therefore in the streetes of cities and townes proclamation is made not mockingly O Citizens citizens ye must first seeke for money and for vertue after money And this saying also of another Sell thy soule for gayne traffique and peruse ouer al partes of the worlde Thus the great gyft of God that is not yet vnderstoode but pouertie that is the great reproche sent of GOD commaundeth to do and to suffer whatsoeuer a man lust And that is euery day founde true whiche another sayth You ryches whiche are the most vyle thyng of all other you haue raysed a contention For who is he I pray you at this day that for a rewarde at conuenient oportunitie beyng layde before hym wyll not violate all equitie beheade Polydorus and by force enioy his golde Bryng louyng brethren or friendly friendes togeather to an assembly feast or any maner of meetyng and shortly after let discorde cast among them I say not an whole but a peece of a golden Apple for with these weapons she was woont to trye the quarrell but now with swoordes serious and triflyng matters are debated And lyke as there is nothyng gotten with more wickednesse then golde so to speake to my purpose there is nothyng loste with more heauinesse For synne whiche is a present destruction to the soule is contemned and the next to that which is losse of good name is not regarded and losse of tyme is esteemed as a lyght matter The losse of brethren is slenderly lamented of parentes more slenderly and of wyues moste slenderly and many tymes is taken most ioyfully only the losse of ryches moste grieuously And this saying is verie true Lost money is bewayled with true teares But we haue sayde muche of that whereof we can neuer say yenough but neuer a litle or alwayes to litle is sayde for by talkyng with obstinate myndes concernyng the loue of money there is nothyng els purchased by teachyng of them but hatred and contempt for whatsoeuer gainsayeth the common errours is reputed madde or counterfeite Sorowe I haue lost money Reason Thou art awaked thou dyddest but dreame only that thou waste ryche Sorowe My money whiche I loued is gone Reason It is neyther the loue nor hatred of money that I commende but the studie of good husbandrie and the eschewyng of couetousnesse For as it is the part of a base mynde to loue it so not to be able to susteyne it is the imperfection of a weake spirite that hath smal stay in it selfe and is afrayde to be subiect vnto money Valient is he sayeth Anneus Seneca that vseth earthen vesselles as he would doo syluer and no lesse coragious is be that vseth syluer as he would doo earthen vesselles that thou mayest vnderstand that whether it be vyce or vertue it is not in the thynges but in the myndes It is not the hater nor louer of money but the contemner of it when it is absent and the good Stewarde and vser of it when it is present whom thou muste counte to be a woorthie personage This saying dyd Tullie wryte from my mouth For when he hadde sayd that the loue of ryches apparteyned vnto a vyle and base mynde he added And there is nothyng more honest and magnifical then to contemne money yf thou haue it not and yf thou haue it to vse it beneficially and liberally In a playne matter I vse euident witnesses and I woulde to GOD that I and they coulde be beleeeued then shoulde not mankynde in eache respect and in all matters be so deafe and vnbeleeuyng The vnsatiable toylyng of men theyr greedinesse to seeke and theyr searching through all landes and Seas doo prooue that couetousnesse and the loue and desyre of ryches haue proclaymed open warre not only agaynst vertues but also against lyfe Sorowe I haue lost a great summe of money Reason A great and harde and grieuous weight and also the office of a Keeper as I sayd before for the proude desire to haue of Lordes and owners hath made you Keepers commaundyng you to doo and suffer all thynges only to the ende that money may be gotten and hoorded vppe And so that whiche was fyrst inuented to serue mens vses and necessities is conuerted to theyr feare and carefulnesse To be grieued and vexed and with dread to beholde the burnyng of other mens houses to stande in doubt of the treachery of Theeues and the runnyng away of seruantes neyther to doo good vnto a mans selfe nor to other but only to hang your noses ouer your gold whiche serueth you to no purpose these be your ryches Sorowe Some body I knowe not who hath taken away my money whiche I had at home Reason Truely it is vyle transitorie and not a mans owne whiche may be stolne or taken away by force Sorowe I cannot fynde my money whiche I sealed vp in my bagges Reason I wyll tell thee a storie that is not very olde There was not long since in Italie a certayne noble and woorthie Gentleman ryche in auncient possessions but rycher in vertues howbeit not so in money who in such sort gouerned his money whiche he hadde as one that had learned to be the Lorde and disposer not the keeper thereof he hadde a sonne that was his eldest who was very apte and industrious in affayres apparteynyng to the iudiciall Court and ciuile controuersies insomuche that through diligence and sparyng he hadde gotten togeather great ryches and an huge masse of golde and it was a strange matter to behold in the auncient father youthly bountifulnesse and in the young sonne aged niggishnesse His father often times exhorted hym not to defraude him selfe of that which was his owne not to forget to haue regard of godlinesse and of his estimation neyther that in respect of gold he should be carelesse of his honour and honestie of his duetie and right which nature required at his hande and finally that he would so dispose and conforme him selfe that with his riches he might at last helpe him selfe his olde mother his young brethren and kynsfolke and the poore to whiche ende ryches were gotten and not to be watched and warded and as it were to be a cōtinual punishment to the owners Thus spake his father oftentimes vnto him But the old prouerbe is true It is a vayne labour to tell a tale to one that is deafe or a couetous person Nowe it hapned not long tyme after that this young man was sent abrode about affayres of the common wealth and with certayne speciall and choyce men trauayled about businesse vnto the Pope of Rome and when he was departed his father immediatly takyng the occasion makyng new keyes vnto the doores of his chamber and cheast entred in and tooke away the Treasure out of that lurkyng Den whereas it lay and profited no body
all whiche only vertue is opposed Sorowe I haue a dishonest wyfe Reason Notable and excellent chastitie hath made certayne matrones to arrogant She feareth nothyng who is gyltie to her selfe of nothing And therfore that discōmoditie bringeth this benefite with it that she wyl begin now hereafter to be lesse saucie and insolent For a giltie conscience abateth the swelling pride of a womans minde and commonly she that knoweth that she hath trode her shoe awrye wil be afterwarde the more seruiceable to her husband Sorowe I haue a wanton wife Reason Thou must not wonder at that if she be faire if she be foule thou needest not care for it Sorow My wife is incontinent Reason When a man bryngeth a fayre wyfe into his house he ought also to remember the saying of the Satiryke Poet Beautie and honestie do seldome dwel to geather but yf she be a foule slut and do so abuse her selfe thou mayest reioyce that thou hast founde so iuste a cause to be diuorsed from her Sorowe My wyfe hath cōmitted adulterie Reason Adulterie many tymes hapneth vpon ouerhastie desire of marriage and often tymes also it is the punyshment of another mans adulterie and the more iust if it be of many Recount with thy selfe whether thou euer diddest that vnto another whereby thou mayest thynke this worthily doone vnto thee It is an vniust and an vnreasonable complaint to be grieued to suffer that which thy selfe hast doone and the morall lawe wylleth to looke for that at another mans handes whiche thou hast doone to another and to do that vnto another whiche thou wouldest haue hym doo vnto thee truely it is so excellent a lawe that the Heathen haue commended it beyng ledde therevnto by the indifferencie and grauitie of the saying But the licentiousnesse of humane wantonnesse beyng the repealer of al holsome lawes dooth vtterly confounde al ryght and wrong And thus then it hapneth that adulterers sometyme do meete togeather who when they haue defiled theyr neyghbours wyues yet can they not abyde theyr owne wiues so much as once to be seene in open streate and yf they perceiue that any man dooth but looke vppon them they wil immediatly be redy to runne mad for iclousie So seuere vnto others so partial vnto him selfe so vndiscrete a considerer of matters is euery particuler man. Sorowe My wife hath broken her wyfely fidelitie towards me Reason See that thou breake not the same not only vnto other married men but also vnto thine owne wyfe For there be some that requyre that of theyr wyues whiche they them selues doo not performe excusyng theyr wantonnes vnder the title of dalliance punishing the same in others most seuerely as a most grieuous offence who in geuyng all libertie to them selues deny al things vnto other Most vnequal judges who beyng them selues vnchaste do geue sentence against incontinencie in others and them selues will doo what they luste without controulment and are caried away after vncertayne and wandering venerie as if they were subiect to no lawe If the poore wife doo but looke a litle awrye she is straight waies accused of whoordome as though their husbandes were theyr maisters and not theyr husbandes and they not theyr wyues and fellowes in the house and familie both of GOD and man but were rather their handmaydens taken prysoners in battayle or bought for money and as though thy wyfe ought thee more seruice or fidelitie then thou her for there ought to be lyke duetie equal loue and mutual fidelitie in marriage I excuse not wyues but I accuse husbands and put them in the greatest part of the blame And many times the husbande is an example and procurer of his wyfe vnto folly and many tymes there hath rysen the begynning of the mischief where ought to haue been the remedie although shamefastnesse be the proper ornament of a woman and wysedome and constancie the peculiar commendacion of a man And therefore all folly and lightnesse of mynde is by so muche the more foule in aman then in a woman by howe muche grauitie is the more requyred in a man. Sorowe I am heauie for my wyues whoredome Reason A common sorowe an auncient iniurie and no lesse frequented For alas I speake it with bitter griefe Mariage is not more commonly vsed then is whoredome and to speake in fewe woordes it is a thyng as one sayeth whiche can neyther be suffered nor prohibited for that honestie forbiddeth the one and letcherie the other Dooest thou looke then to haue thyne only woman wholy to thy selfe whiche thyng coulde neuer happen no not to the most cruel Tyrantes that euer were nor to the moste mightie Princes that euer raigned not in thyne age only but in any heretofore I omit late examples least haply I offende some that are lyuyng at this present it were better to stryke Hercules then a Clowne of the Countrey neyther wyl I touche al auncient examples but spare the good name and estimation of the moste dread and noble men But thou knowest them well and although they say nothyng yet represse thou thy mournyng or els peruse the Citie searche neere hande among thy neyghbours and at eche hande thou shalt find plentie that eyther lament the losse of theyr good name and the abandoned fidelitie of theyr marryage bed or that contrary to theyr opinion are laughed to scorne of the common people These thyngs are ordinarie not only to be heard with eares but also to be seene with eyes whereof thou shalt not mysse in what part soeuer of the world thou trauaylest Howbeit the greater the examples be the greater is the comfort Thynke vppon those Kynges and Lordes of the worlde whom thou hast seene and then call to mynde those of whom thou hast read or hearde of by report Looke vpon the fable of Kyng Arthure and the Hitories of other consyder of Olympias that was wyfe vnto Philip and Cleopatra to Ptolomeê and Clytemnestra to Agamemnon and Helen to Menelaus and Pasiphè to Minos Phaedra to Theseus neyther woulde I haue thee to thynke that the citie of Rome whiche in olde tyme was as it were the Temple of shamefastnesse and honestie is free from this mischiefe Cal to mynde Metella whiche was wyfe to that Sylla who yf he had knowne of his wyfes whoordome whiche was commonly spoken of not only at Rome and ouer al Italie but also at Athens and ouer all Greece veryly I suppose he woulde not haue vsurped the name of happie whiche apparteyned nothyng vnto hym Next vnto her thynke vppon Iulia the wyfe of Agrippa whom on the one syde the woorthynesse of her husbande on the other the Maiestie of her father ought to haue stayed from wickednesse and also her daughter nothing vnlyke the mother eyther in name or lasciuiousnesse and lykemyse Iulia the wyfe of Seuerus who folowed theyr steppes both in lyfe and fortune an vnluckie name I thynke for the preseruation of honestie What shall I say of Domicia the wyfe of Domician
beyng offended with the difficultie of them he commaunded his scholemaister to teache hym the same more playnely But what answeared he These thynges sayde he are a lyke difficult vnto al men whiche he spake to this ende to beate from him all hope of his Princes prerogatyue And truely it is so in deede for as concernyng the disposition of mans wit fortune hath nothyng to deale therin and who so desireth to be learned and wyse let him quite forgeat that he is of power and aucthoritie Sorow I haue an ignorant and a hygh mynded schollar Reason Thou saylest agaynst the wynde and the tyde hale in the sayles and goe to shore Sorowe I haue an obstinate and a frowarde schollar Reason Thou dooest not only dygge the sande but also nooryshest vp a Serpent and tyllest a venemous plante yea and teachest an enimie Sorowe I teach a slyffenecked schollar Reason Thou syngest in a deaffe mans eare but so the worlde goeth and some are delyghted in great noyses and some in quiet silence The greatest sway in all dooynges dooth custome alwayes beare Marke howe styll the Fysher is and howe loude the Hunter and the Scholemaister louder then he yea then the Raunger of a Foreste Sorowe I haue gotten an harde harted schollar Reason Thou mayest oftentymes reclayme the head of a Beare sooner then of a man What wouldest thou more It is set downe in a fable how that the Wooolfe the Foxe went to schole togeather and the Elephants haue ben learned it is no old wyues tale but a natural historie And so it may chaunce that this thy scholler by studie may alter mollyfie nature In my iudgment the lyfe of a shepheard and of a scholemaister seemeth almost all one it is marueyle but that both of them will be manered according to their liuing The one of them guideth beasts the other boyes Of a Stepdame The .xlij. Dialogue SOROWE I Haue a Stepdame Reason Then thou hast a father also Thus goeth the course of mans lyfe that meery thyngs are myxt with sorowfull sowre with sweete and I wyshe that sweete and sowre beyng thus equally mixt togeather dwelled not here amongst vs. Sorowe I haue an vniust stepdame Reason Thou vsest Virgils terme very aptly but how much the more vniuste she is to thee so muche the more labour thou to be iuster then she Sorowe I haue a very proude stepdame Reason It is the propertie of a woman to be proude and therefore of a stepdame yf two causes doo engender one effect there is no cause why thou shoulde be amazed but that thou shouldest suffer and therein thou shalt shewe thyne owne selfe both a good naturall sonne and also a good sonne in lawe Sorowe I haue a very proude stepdame Reason Pryde is ouercome by no meanes better then by lowlynesse Sorow I cannot abyde my stepdame Reason But thou must suffer thy father Yf thou loue hym wel thou shalt the better abide her Sorowe I haue a wicked an importunate stepdame Reason Be thou duetiful pacient towardes her thou owest loue vnto thy father pacience towards a woman reuerence to thy stepdame Sorow I haue a malapert stepdame Reason Do not commit that her malapertnes be greater thē thy duetifulnes There is nothing hard nothing difficult vnto duetifulnesse the same aduanceth men vnto God plucketh downe god vnto men As often as thy stepdame shal be in her outrage thynke not on her but on thy father Sorow I haue an iniurious stepdame Reason Womens iniuries are better requited with cōtempt then with reuenge Sorow I suffer a greeuous stepdame Reason Thou sayest well I suffer For to faynt and not to be able to suffer a foolyshe simple woman is not the part of a man. Sorow My stepdame hateth me Reason Loue thou her and it is Gods commaundement that we shoulde loue our enimes but to loue that thou shouldest be loued agayne is the counsayle of the Heathen Philosophers Sorowe My stepdame hateth me Reason It may suffise thee if she loue thy father and it is not the duetie of a sonne to hate her that loueth his father but if she hate hym whom dooth she not hate For and yf she loue another man more then her husbande see that thou be not he Sorowe My stepdame hateth me ouer muche Reason Perhaps the hate of thy stepdame is lesse hurtfull then her exceeding loue Dooest thou know the Historie of Phaedra and Hippolitus Truely that hatred whiche thou oughtest not to reuenge ought eyther to be pacified or auoyded or suffered for there is none other meanes Complaintes oftentymes doo encrease hatred Of the hardnesse of a Father The .xliij. Dialogue SOROWE I Suffer an harde father Reason The hardnesse of a father is many tymes profitable for the sonne cocklyng is alwayes to be condemned ▪ and the tongue is not only to be vsed but also there must be no spare of the rod as the learned haue geuen counsayle And by these twaine is al the direction of young wits ordered which yf they be vsed in vayne then to greater griefes we must geue stronger medicines as banishment and imprisonment yea and moreouer according to the order of the olde Romanes extreame punishment and death which not only Consuls Captaines vnto whom publique aucthoritie gaue iurisdiction ouer al men but also those priuate auntient seuere fathers vnto whō only theyr countrey gaue them power ouer their children haue most extreamely executed as we reade in histories among whom the seueritie of Cassius Fuluius is most specially renowmed Goe thou thy wayes now and cal thy father that is to gentle an harde father Sorow I suffer an harde father Reason What maner of sonne thinkest thou did he suffer of thee when thou wast a chylde and lykewyse afterwardes when thou wast a young man This is an harde thyng to perswade them in that doo very muche please them selues But beleeue me there is nothing more payneful then to suffer the vnruly manners of that age Sorowe I suffer an harde father Reason What if thou be an harde sonne Harde thynges by harde thyngs are more effectuously mollified and often times the scarre of a gentle Surgion is more euyll fauoured Sorowe I haue an harde father Reason If he be a true father in deede he loueth thee and yf he loue thee he thynketh vpon the thynges that may profite thee and not flatter thee Sorowe I haue an extreame harde father Reason Those thynges that seeme very harde vnto thee perhappes seeme profitable vnto hym whose iudgement is more certayne and affection more incorrupt Youth measureth nothyng but that whiche lyeth before theyr eyes ryper age foreseeth many thynges Sorowe I haue a very harde father Reason See that thou be not harde vnto hym so that whylest he resisteth thy shame thou disquiet his lyfe with thyne vnthrifcie demeanure Sorowe My father is very hard Reason He that neclecteth the good estate of his sonne the same is to be counted an harde father
vertue be not in thy sonne yet loue hym because he is thy sonne yf not for that cause then for that he is a man Lastly yf there be no cause at all why thou shouldest loue hym them pittie hym As seueritie belongeth to a father euen so dooth compassion Sorow I haue a sonne of a moste wicked lyfe Reason An vnlucky burden and so much the heauier that as long as it is to be suffered it cannot be quite cast away suffer and as thou mayst amend it so shalt thou either cure thy sonne or at the least play the part of a father but this thou oughtest to do of duetie and wyshe the other Sorowe My sonne is very vngodly vncurteous and vnreasonable Reason If wantonnesse and pleasure be once growen vnto knauery and myscheefe then is there a venomous beast to be driuen out a doores neyther must we regard where but what is borne and sprung vp for you nouryshe vp birdes bread in the wylde wooddes and ye kyl scorpions brought vp at home in the house Sorow I haue a very wicked sonne Reason It is the part of a wyse man to put a way daungerous thinges before they do any harme at al. Let not the shadow of godlynesse deceyue thee no godlinesse is due vnto an vngodly person A man may sometyme finde where it is a kynde of crueltie to be godly but whyle there remayneth the least sparke of hope alwayes enclyne thy selfe vnto mercy and remember that thou art a father and not a iudge and see thou forget not here that notable saying of Terence For a great fault a litle punishment is sufficient of a father Of a contentious brother The .xlv. Dilalogue SOROW. I Haue a contentious brother Reason And what of hym then hath he not thee an agreeyng brother for brotherly agreement whiche ought of twayne to make but one is deuided in twayne so that you are made not diuers only but quite contraryes a greeuous mischeefe surely but an auncient which both the worlde and the head of the worlde had in the begynnyng For the infamie of the citie of Rome is auncient but that of the world is of more antiquitie to wyt that it was embrued with the blood of brethren Therefore that which thou seest betweene al cooples of brethren yea when there was but one coople only in the world hast no cause to be amased at it now among so many thousandes Sorowe I haue a very contentious brother at home Reason Doest thou marueyle that to be in a greate house whiche hath been in the narowe roome of one mothers wombe where as in time past which was a shadow of a greater misery we reade of brothers that were not onely among them selues contentious but also togeather by the eares Is it any strange thing then that men being armed shoulde do that whiche they that are vnborne are wont to doo Sorowe I fynde no fauour with my brother Reason Thou oughtest rather to haue learned this long before in the schooles than to haue found it true in effect at home thinges that are foreseene are neyther complained of nor woondred at Sorowe I haue an odious and contentious brother Reason As for the most part there is no loue more tender then the loue of brethren so when it beginneth there is no hatred more vehement no enuie more vnquenchable Thus equalitie inciteth and enflameth their mindes when as the shame of geuing place and the desyre of superioritie is by so much the more feruent the more that the remembrance of their infancie togeather or what so euer els may seeme to engender goodwyl when as they be once digressed from the ryght way may procure hatred and disliking betweene them in this respect therefore the hart burnyng of a rebellious nature may be very wel reclaimed namely by curtesie gentlenesse For there is no nature almost so rough and vnciuile whom at length true continuall humilitie in woordes and vnfeigned and gentle dealing in al matters wil not ouercome and molifie If thou finde this to be voyde and without force or that peraduenture thou thy selfe canst not enforce thy minde hereunto whereby he may be honestly and profitably constreyned then before that the matter breake foorth vnto vtter destruction thou must vse the last and extreame remedie the roote of the mischeefe must be plucked vp and comunitie remoued which is the mother of discorde wherein thou must demeane thy selfe so curteously that looke howe muche thou yeeldest of thy right so much thou shalt perceiue to be added vnto thy vertue and fame The sharpe prickes of impious proud desire are by nothing better rebated then by vertuous and curteous liberalitie That gold is good whereby the peace of familie and brotherly loue is purchased It is a very auncient and no lesse true saying That these two pronownes myne and thyne are great cause of warres and disagreement whiche yf they were taken away from out of the life of man out of doubt men should liue muche more quietly Of the losse of a father The .xlvi. Dialogue SOROWE I Haue last my father Reason It is meete that him whom thou complainedst of while he was present with thee thou seeke him when he is absent and yet not finde him There is nothing more iust then in vaine to wysh for the aucthoritie which thou hast contemned Sorowe I haue lost a good father Reason It is wel that he hath left a good sonne behinde hym reioyce for the good olde mans sake vnto whom at length that hath hapned which he alwayes wyshed for who leauing thee in safetie is departed hym selfe out of this worlde Sorowe I haue lost a louing father Reason A good sonne standeth in dread of the chaunces of fortune for none other cause then that any calamitie befallyng vnto hym myght strike his fathers mind with sorowfulnesse but nowe thou shalt lyue more at quiet at thine owne peril only he shal not any more be greeued with rumours of thee thine aduersitie shal not breake him thy sicknesse shal not weaken him thy death shal not kyl him Sorow I haue lost a most louing father Reason Thou must nowe begin to care for other for he that was woont to care for thee is gone That tendernesse that was showed ouer thee repaye thou vnto another it is seldome repayed vnto whom it is due Sorowe Poore wretche I haue lost a louing father Reason If thou knowe the reason and nature of loue tendernesse comfort thy chaunce by remembrance of the time past Thou diddest reuerence thy father and as long as thou couldest thou shewdst thy selfe alwayes duetiful vnto hym thy father is departed but thy duetifulnesse lyueth otherwyse I confesse thou haddest cause to be heauie continually Sorowe My father by dying hath forsaken me Reason Take in good part the common course of nature he is first gone that first came into the world neyther hath he forsaken thee but is gone before thee Sorowe I haue lost my father Reason Thou knowest
hande to serue thy turne in steede of a ryght Thou remembrest howe Attilius one of Caesars souldiers in the Massilian warre helde with his left hande the enimies shyp tyl he was drowned when his ryght hande was cut of Sorowe I haue lost both mine handes Reason Where fortune hath most libertie there greatest vertue is to be showen The power of fortune may be withstoode by the prowesse of vertue Which if thou hast thou art valient though thou haue neuer an hande Cal vnto thy mind Ciniger the Athenian who when both handes were cut of after the Marathonian battayle beyng a great argument of his inuincible courage held fast his enimies shyp with his teeth as wel as he could whiche battayle was the immortal fact of captayne Melciades Neyther do thou forget that Souldier of Cannas who reuenged himselfe on his enimie with his teeth when his handes were maymed For beyng in his armes depriued of the vse of his handes he bit of his eares and marred the fashion of his face afore he would let goe and so dyed as he thought gloriously These are examples of cruel mindes but the remedies whiche nowe I prescribe are more comfortable and meete for milde mindes And that is remember thy body is a frayle and mortal thyng and speedyly also wyl forsake thee when thou art wounded or otherwyse troubled in body be not moued neyther maruayle thereat but hauing lost the ministry of thyne outwarde limmes conuert thy selfe into the inmost corners of thy soule there shalt thou finde some great thing to be sayde and done and that thou needest neyther handes nor tongue to helpe thee Sorow I am deformed with woundes Reason I sayde eare whyle that yf the quarrel were good the wounde is faire whiche is gotten by fight and the face is not deformed with filthy woundes but adorned with glorious markes Neyther are they scarres but starres nor woundes but signes of vertue fixed in the face Cesius Scena a captayne of an hundred in Caesars armie a man of a woonderful courage but of no vpryghtnesse otherwise was had in such admiration among his enimies that they not onely kissed his woundes wherwith he was torne and cut through a thousande fold in respect of his valientnesse only but also conueied his weapons and armor into the temples of their Gods as most excellent ornamentes and reliques If he beyng a wicked man was so honored in what price are they to be had who are aswel vertuous as valiant Sorow I am extreamely weake through my woundes Reason Heale ye wretches those woundes which wyl sticke by you for euer yf in tyme they be not healed Let earth looke to them which shall both couer and consume them yea and make crooked bodyes which it receiueth strayght when it restoreth them agayne Sorowe I am maymed being so wounded in this and in that parte Reason Thou stryuest about partes but thou shalt forgoe the whole Of a kyng without a sonne The .lxxviii. Dialogue SOROWE I Haue a kyngdome but I lacke a sonne Reason Hast thou not cares enough through the burden of thy kyngdome except thou haue the charge of a sonne also The heauier your burden is the lyghter your hart and sweete it seemeth to you when ye lye downe with your loade There is no publike wayght so heauie as a kyngdome nor no priuate charge more waightie though none so deare as a sonne Sorow I lacke a sonne to whom I may leaue my kyngdome Reason Leaue to thy subiectes libertie nothing is better for them to haue nor meeter for thee to geue There haue been some whiche in their lyfe tyme and yet not without successours haue thought hereupon as Hiero Siracusan and Augustus Caesar Howe much better is it to do well vnto many when thou mayest then yl vnto one And what is sweeter yea better then to lyue in freedome What woorser yea more daungerous then to be a kyng Sorowe I lacke a sonne to be heire of my kyngdome Reason Thou lackest matter to continue a tyrannie For what els are kyngdomes but auncient tyrannies Tyme maketh not that to be good whiche by nature is euyll Adde hereunto that good fathers commonly haue vngracious chyldren to succeede them Examples hereof may be Hierome of Sicile and Iugurth Tyrant of Numidia whereof the one through ambition the other through trecherie both to their destruction violated the auncient amitie whiche their forefathers had many yeeres kept religiously with the Romans Hast thou not a sonne Then thou hast not hym which shal ouerthrowe that whiche thou hast done thou hast a people whiche wyl loue thee honoure thee remember thee and alwayes thanke thee for theyr libertie Thinke that God hath delt more graciously with thee eyther in takyng away or denying thee a sonne then in geuing thee a kyngdome Sorowe I am a kyng without a sonne Reason Nowe raigne more vertuously and freely many tymes the loue of chyldren draweth away the minde from the loue of iustice Thou hast redde how in the great Ilande Taxrobane which lyeth farre beyonde India within the East Oceane directly opposite to England the kyng is chosen by the consent of the people and they take vnto them the best man among al to be their kyng neyther blood nor good fauour nor profite but only goodnesse bryngeth to preferment Truely an holy and blessed election Wouldeto God it were vsed in these partes of the worlde then shoulde not yl succeede the good nor the woorst the wicked then shoulde not wickednesse and pride come from parentes to theyr chyldren in al posterities as it doth And though the best and most vpryght man with one consent of al be chosen yet is he neuer allowed for kyng except he be both an olde man and without chyldren least eyther the heate of youth or the loue of chyldren carrie hym away from the executyng of iustice So that he whiche hath a sonne is neuer chosen and after he is created kyng if he beget one he is immediatly remoued from his princely aucthoritie For the wyse men of that countrey thynke it impossible that one man should haue a diligent care both of his kyngdome and of his chyldren Of a kyngdome lost The .lxxix. Dialogue SOROW. MY kyngdome is gone Reason Nowe it is a kynde of comfort to be without a sonne Sorowe I am cast out of my kyngdome Reason A good fal thou sattest in a slypperie place and now beyng on the plaine and beholdyng the perilous height behinde thy backe thou wylt see howe that descendyng from the throne of royaltie thou art aduaunced to the rest of a priuate lyfe And if there can be no pleasure nor happinesse without securitie thou shalt perceyue that somewhat more pleasant and happie is the lyfe thou nowe leadest then whiche thou dyddest heretofore Sorow I am driuen from my kyngdome Reason Thanke hym which was cause thereof an harde thyng for the eare to heare peraduenture but surely comfortable to the mind it is that I byd thee For
fortune that they myght seeme to be vnmindfull of their Empire and ryches and conquestes and so many and great commodities and yet to remember that they were men for whom in this lyfe to looke or hope for perfect and sounde felicitie is but a meere madnesse To mingle the sweete with the sowre is a peculiar medicine agaynst the gout and a common remedie agaynst all diseases which thou shalt fynde to be very effectuall and wylt confesse to be good and vertuous counsayle if thou followe the aduice of that godly olde man who once attayned vnto great prosperitie and afterwarde tasted extreame aduersitie who by meanes of the benefites which he receyued at Gods handes learned to take all affliction in good part although that same hand can neyther make nor geue any euyl but he had only a respect vnto the common opinion of men Sorow The gout keepeth me downe in my bedde as yf I were bounde with knottes that can neuer be vndoone Reason Whyle thou lyes thy minde may stande vp and suruey the whole heauen earth and sea Of Scabbes The Lxxxv. Dialogue SOROWE I Am greeued with paynefull Scabbes Reason I maruel now no longer if thou take in yl part those that be greefes only seeing thou also bewailest that wherewith there is some sweetenesse mingled Sorow I am vexed with the greeuous scab Reason Some say that it is holsome to be scabbed But for that I wyl not cal so woful a thyng by so good a name I tearme it a token of health or the way leading to health It is but a gentle thing for that it is not long in comming foorth whose issuing is somtime ioyned with no small tickling Sorow The dry scab molesteth me Reason Thou needest now no clock nor watch for the same wyl awake thee in the night and cal thee vp vnto thy necessarie honest affayres For there is none so slouthful whom the payneful scab wyl not styr vp and make wakeful Sorow I am vexed with scabbes Reason A base disease but which hath a noble cure labour paine heate bathes watching diet these are medicines against scabbes If these wyl do no good thou must flee to the remedie of pacience which in al diseases is the most profitable salue Sorowe I am troubled with the paynefull and fylthie scab Reason I denie neither of them And whereas Publius sayd that the sore feete of one that had the Gout were a paynefull rest so on my woorde mayest thou say that a payre of scabbed handes are a greeuous businesse But what wylt thou say to this The loathsommer the disease is the comlier is the patience And how yf out of a small discommoditie thou reape great profite This is one of the thinges that especially engender a contempt of this body then whiche is nothing more necessarie for mankind Sorow I am al ouer infected with scabbes Reason That thou art al scabbed I thinke it be too true and I stande in great feare thereof But perhaps this is more then thou wouldest haue sayd For thou meanest it of thy whole body but there is an other kind of inuisible scabbe in your mindes to wit couetousnesse and sensualitie and a certaine vehement uching to reuenge and complaine which the more it is scratched the more it rageth This itche ye neyther feele or craue to haue cured so muche is your care lesse ouer your soules then ouery our bodyes Of watching The .lxxxvi. Dialogue SOROW. I Cannot sleepe Reason Watch then and reioyce that the ryme of thy lyfe is prolonged For betweene sleepe and death there is small difference but that the one lasteth but for a tyme the other is perpetual And therefore I cannot tel whether it be not sayde properly enough that sleepe is a short death and death a long and euerlasting sleepe Sorowe I haue lost my sleepe Reason It must be prouoked agayne not by force but by fayre meanss If thou thinke to procure it it wyl not be constrained Goe some other way to woorke geue rest to thyne head and trouble not thy minde with cares and it wyll come vnlooked for when the minde is loose and the body weerie sleepe wyl came stealyng on Sorowe My sleepes are often broken of Reason Do as it is sayde Augustus Caesar was woont to do when thou wakest out of sleepe haue some about thee to renue it agayne by readyng or tellyng of tales But if it be long of earnest and vrgent cares lay them aside and sleepe wyl come of whiche sort of cares Virgil speaketh where he sayth that good cares do breake sweete sleepes Sorowe I can take no rest in sleepe Reason Neyther shalt thou then be terrified with dreadfuldreames nor surprised with suddeyne feare in the night And although Aristotle hold opinion that the visions whiche wyse men see in their sleepe be good true in deede it is Neuerthelesse the one of these who was nothing inferiour vnto hym in wit but of greater aucchorine the other in al respectes his equal in holinesse and pacience whom I mentioned erewhyle endured great extremitie and trouble in their dreames What others haue fealt and suffered euery one is priute vnto hymselfe and can cal his owne bed to wytnesse of the illusions and troubles whiche he hath susteynâ—d Truely the one of these was woont in his latter dayes to be terrified in his dreames as it is wrytten of hym The other I made mention of not long since where I entreated of rest and quietnesse who among other troubles of this lyfe complayneth of his suddayne frightyng in sleepe and the terrour of his visions and drcames Sorowe I slepe not so wel as I was woont Reason Then thou lyuest longer then thou wast woont for thus the learned say that as sleepe is death so watchyng is lyfe Sorow Sickenesse hath dryuen away my sleepe Reason Then health wyl bryng it agayne Sorowe Loue hath bannished my sleepe Reason Thou speakest one thing twyse For loue is a sickenesse and the greatest sickenesse that is Sorowe Feare hath bannished away my sleepe Reason Securitie wyl reuoake it Sorow Olde age hath taken away my sleepe Reason Death approchyng wyl restore it Of the vnquietnesse of dreames The .lxxxvii. Dialogue SOROW. I Am disquieted with dreames Reason If that be true whiche a certayne wyse man sayth that dreames doo folow great cares whiche is also confirmed by your wryters then cut of the cause of the mischeefe abandon cares and dreames wyl vanish away To what purpose serue your manyfold cares whiche are to none effect in so short a lyfe whereof in the begynnyng I promised to entreate and to declare that it is bootlesse to forment it and make it troublesome and through your owne follie to disquiet your rest with dreadâ—full dreames Wyl ye ouercome gods prouidence with your owne counsel and do ye not perceyue howe your madnesse and cousultations of that tyme whiche is not onely beyond your iudgement but also your knowledge are laughed at from an high Neyther