peace confirmed betweene wysedome and fortune Ioy. I am a great man with the kyng Reason Art thou greater then Lysimachus was with Alexander or Seianus with Tiberius the greatnesse and fall of both whom thou knowest although writers doo vary concernyng the fyrst of them I let passe others the story is long Ioy. I am welbeloued of my King. Reason It were better he knewe thee not and peraduenture more profitable that he hated thee for then thou shouldst auoyd the danger which now thou folowest Worse is the flatteryng voyce of the fouler when he calleth the foules into his net then the noyce of the ploughman that maketh them afrayde Ioy. My Kyng loueth me well Reason There are some of whom a man may doubt whether theyr loue be more dangerous then theyr hatred these are worse then serpentes in whom there is poyson myxt with medicine but in these men there is nothyng but pestilent or hurtful for whether they loue or hate the mischiefe is almost all one sauyng that theyr hate dryueeth away and theyr loue deteyneth And to be short there is nothyng more vnquiet and dangerous then the friendshyp of Princes vnlesse it were the gouernment of a kyngdome it selfe although I am not ignorant of that danger also which many haue wyshed for in vayne and often haue bought it ful deare and obteined it with great peryl such is the trade of men Thus one danger is procured by another one with many and with great the greatest A strange matter a great good thyng that commeth freely is contempned a greater euyl with great euylles is sought for Ioy. I hope that my Prince loueth me Reason That whiche thou hopest thynke what maner of thyng it is a brittle waueryng frayle foundation which the often falles of Princes do declare a cloudie troublesome and vnquiet aduauncement which the sorowful busie and dangerous lyfe of princes proueth to be true Take heede therefore where thou buyldest for lyke as the fortune of Princes so theyr wylles and lykyng also is alwayes vncertayne variable and inconstant although notwithstandyng yf these thynges were permanent there were no goodnesse in them but rather much hurt and euyl Ioy. I haue with great payne and danger deserued the loue of my King. Reason Oh how much more safely and easily myghtest thou haue purchased the fauour of the Kyng of all Kynges Of the abundaunce of friendes The L. Dialogue IOY I Abounde in frendshyp Reason It were strange that thou onely shouldest haue such plentie of that thing whereof al ether men haue such scarcitie that throughout al ages there are but verie fewe couples of frendes made mention of Ioy. I haue great plentie of friendship Reason Counterfeite friendshyppe perhaps for as for true friendshyp it is so rare a thyng that whoso in his long lyfe tyme coulde fynde one is counted to haue been a very diligent trauayler in such matters Ioy. I am fortunate for friendshyppe Reason Thou canst not knowe that vnlesse thou be infortunate in other thynges For this saying is true The fortunate man knoweth not whether he be loued or not Ioy. My friendshyps be assured Reason Then is thy aduersitie assured for this saying is also true An assured friende is tryed in tyme of aduersitie Ioy. I haue much friendshyp Reason Commit the iudgement hereof to experience not to report that lyeth in many thynges perhaps thou shalt fynde fewer then thou supposest Ioy. I haue to great plentie of friendshyp Reason Auoyde superfluitie in al thynges he that hath sufficient requyreth no more Ioy. I haue sufficient store of friendes Reason This neuer happened to the people of Rome whyle they were in theyr most floorishing state neither vnto any mortal creature as thou mayst reade in the most excellent Historician Ioy. I haue great store of friendshyp Reason I sayd erewhyle that they be eyther feigned or imperfect as the Philosophers hold opinion for that it may so happen that at one tyme thou mayest reioyce with one friende and be sory with another or yf debate chaunce to happen among them thou must needes breake thy fayth eyther with the one or with the other or with them all Ioy. I haue store of profitable and pleasant friendes Reason I perceiue thou speakest of the cōmon sort of friendshyp which notwithstandyng cannot be many at one tyme in that to requite the friendlynesse of many to lyue familiarly with a multitude is very difficult specially vnto hym whose mynde is busyed in the execution of some graue affaires and traueile of witte Ioy. I haue freendes that profite mee and delyght mee Reason It is but slender freendshyp whose foundation is eyther pleasure or profite for whyle these thynges remayne the freendshyppe shaketh and when they decay the freendshyppe fayleth This is not only possible but easie yea almost necessarie inasmuche as for the most these thynges doo followe eyther prosperitie or age and the comlynesse of youth then whiche there is nothyng more vncertayne But the freendshyppe whiche is established vppon vertue is immortall in that vertue it selfe is a stable and firme thyng and to vse Aristotles woordes a continuing thing for that it can not dye And therefore those whiche we haue loued in respect of honestie we loue them also when they are dead Ioy. I am deceyued but I haue faythfull freendes Reason Beware that thou be not deceyued and desire not to make experiment For it chaunceth often that looke whereof the conceite hath been pleasaunt the tryall hath been bitter and greeuous Ioy. I thynke I haue good freendes Reason Examine diligently wherevpon thou doest thynke so and specially how much thou thy selfe louest For there be some that loue not and yet thynke that they are beloued whiche is a great follie and a common errour among ryche men they thinke that loue may be bought for money which is only purchased by mutuall louing and liking A good minde is a most excellent thing it is not mooued with hearbes or charmes not with golde or precious stones no not with the swoorde or extremitie but is won by louing and gentle entreating Moreouer the amorous saying of Ecato the Greeke Philosopher is wel knowne which pleaseth wel Seneca and mee If thou wylt be loued sayth he loue thou Although this be many tymes in vayne so many so insearchable and deepe are the secret places of the hart and the mindes of some are so venemous discourteous and cancred that where they be much made of they disdaine and where they be loued they hate are not only contented to requite no good wil againe which is not incident to the most cruel wilde beastes but the more courteously they be dealt withal the more dogged they waxe And yf a man may beleue it by loue they are stirred to hatred which is the most dangerous greeuous euyll that euer in this lyfe mans simplicitie tasted Ioy. I thinke that I haue verie good friendes Reason This worde good is euermore the Epitheton that belongeth to
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
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
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
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
is reckoned amongest the woorkes of synguler perfection accordyng to the saying of the Scripture Whoso offendeth not in woorde be is a perfect man In whiche thyng yee are to to often deceyued And alas therewhyle that saying of the same Apostle is to much verified That no man tan tame the tongue beyng an vnquiet mischiefe Wherefore it thrusteth you foorth headlong dayly vnto lying whom afterwarde your owne sway pricketh forwarde and next after that a false opinion of the thynges draweth you farther For there be some who with theyr very looke or speache doo couer the vitiousnesse of theyr maners whiche thyng we haue hearde of in Alcibiades and haue seene in many There be some also that cloke theyr vertues with a contrary veyle whether it be by the nature of theyr countenance or the proper austeritie of their vsual speache or by some art or studie purposely employed contrary vnto that whiche the multitude commonly desyreth For as there are manye that haue faygned them selues good so haue there lykewyse been some founde who haue counterfeited them selues to be euyll whereby they might eyther auoyde the pestilent ayre of humane fauour or escape the hatefull burden of temporall goodes whiche thyng we reade of S. Ambrose Hereunto are adioyned loue and hatred anger and enuie hope and feare with sundry other secrete affections of the mynd among these many that are altogeather vnknowen vnto vs which are alwayes enimies vnto true iudgement Adde herevnto moreouer that the prayse of the lyuyng by the expresse woorde of God through the inconstancie of this mortal lyfe is hyndred of continuance howe muche more then discommendation Hereafter therefore become slowe to prayse but more slowe to disprayse for synce eache of them as I haue said is an euyll errour yet is the last woorst Sorow I haue erred in commendyng one vnwoorthie Reason By erryng men doo learne and often tymes one errour withstandeth many errours and whyle men are ashamed to haue erred once then doo they take heede that the lyke errour take not holde of them Thou hast praysed vnaduisedly refrayne thy tongue let this commoditie at leastwyse folowe this mischiefe Sorowe I am ashamed and repent me that I haue praysed an vnwoorthie person Reason Shame and repentance and sorowe are certayne ladders and degrees vnto amendement and saluation There are fewe that can attayne into the ryght way but by wandryng through many bie wayes and therefore we haue seene many who in theyr youth were seruantes vnto voluptuousnesse in theyr olde age to become friendes vnto vertue Of vnfaythfull friendes The .xxvij. Dialogue SOROWE I Complayne of friendes Reason What wyll he doo of his foes that complayneth of his friendes Sorowe I trye my friendes to be vnfaythfull Reason Thou speakest of an impossible matter But to thynke that they were thy friendes that were not in deede is not only not impossible but a common matter Sorowe My friendes are vnfaythful Reason All the worlde is ful of suche complayntes and as for friendshyppe and infidelitie they cannot agree Who so begynneth to be vnfaythful leaueth of to be a friende or rather whiche I woulde sooner beleeue was neuer any And forasmuche as all vertues are immortall and all feignyng transitorie fayth is not taken away but feygnyng Sorowe I fynde vntrustie friendes Reason These that are falsly counted thy friendes yf nowe they first begynne to disclose theyr trayterous hartes then mayest thou reioyce to behold the ende of thyne errour but take heede in the meane whyle that the infection of the disease take not holde on thee but whatsoeuer they be preserue thou the fayth of friendshyppe and although not in respect of the vndeserued yet for thyne owne sake that hast deserued be not infected with that plague whiche thou shalt do the more willyngly yf thou doo narrowly examine thy selfe howe muche thou art greeued with theyr vnfaythfulnesse And many tymes the hatred of vice hath been an earnest prouocation vnto vertue Sorowe Vndeseruedly haue I purchased the euyll wyll of my friendes Reason Citizens are odious fellowes odious coosyns odious wyues and husbandes odious brothers and sisters are odious and fynally the chyldren are odious vnto theyr parentes and the parents to theyr chyldren And to be short there is no kinrede nor degree of friendshyp whiche cannot be infected with hatred Only sincere friendshyppe is free from this mischiefe And betweene this and the other this is the difference that all the other although they haue hatred accompanying them doo notwithstandyng continue and reteyne theyr names but yf hatred be ioyned vnto this or yf loue departe from it it can continue no longer vnder the name of friendshippe for a friende can no more be hatefull then loue can be odious Sorowe I suffer false friendes Reason If there be any hope of them suffer them vntyll suche tyme as they become trustie and loue them hartily For many with theyr luke warme loue haue vtterly quenched friendshyppe or by small trustyng haue taught other distrustinesse But if so be thou doo not profite and all hope be layde a water then vse Catoes aduice who in those friendeshyppes whereof a man hath no lykyng wylleth hym by litle and litle to ryppe them and not sodaynely to breake them of least that a double great mischiefe befall thereof in that thou hast lost thy friendes and purchased enimies vnlesse peraduenture some more vrgent cause which wyll suffer no tarriaunce doo not permit thee to followe this discrete counsel whiche yf it happen it is to be counted among the greatest troubles of friendshyp but it must be borne with a valiant mynde as all other chaunces and place muste be geuen vnto necessitie and the tyme oveyed but this chaunce is scarce knowen vnto true friendship Of vnthankeful persons The .xxviij. Dialogue SOROWE I Fynde many vnthankefull whiche is a great vice Reason To disprayse ingratitude were a needelesse matter for all mens speache doo condemne it There neede no trauayle be taken in perswadyng that whereof all men are perswaded and the opinion therof most fyrmely grafted in them Some man placeth the chiefe felicitie and some whole felicitie in vertue only and some in neither but in pleasure the enimie of vertue There be some also whiche holde opinion that chastitie is the most beautifull ornament of this lyfe Other some there be that contemne this in them selues and in others they accounte it ridiculus or truely very harde and extreeme paynful whiche S. Augustine so excellent a man as he prooued afterwarde perceyued in hym selfe where as he sayth that S. Ambrose syngle lyfe seemed paynefull vnto hym whiche vnto some other hath not only seemed a tedious but also a damnable state of lyfe Hereof commeth that example of Plato who when he had long tyme lyued a single and chaste lyfe at the last it is read howe that he sacrificed vnto nature to make an attonement with her whom he thought he had greeuously offended by lyuyng in suche order It is strange that
agaynst enimies then agaynst vices He that hateth another man fyrst geueth a wounde to his owne soule and next many tymes vnto his owne body For to much greedinesse to hurt and strike others hath layde foorth many vnaduised and naked vnto theyr enimies Thus euermore the first part of al mischiefes turneth vppon the aucthours thereof and some tyme the last part when many tymes he remayneth vnhurt agaynst whom the mischiefe was first prepared Sorowe Warres ryse agaynst me on euery syde Reason The people of Rome was neuer more famous and holy then when they were busied in many and great warres Their peace was the beginning of their mischiefe for with it entred flattering lasciuiousnesse a pestilent enimie vnto vertue Sorowe I haue great enmitie Reason Great enmitie many tymes hath been the beginnyng of great friendshyp Sorowe I haue enimies Reason Haue also trustinesse and mercifulnesse as for other matters whatsoeuer shal happen prouide that thou be theyr superiours in curtesie and vertue There is also right iustice to be vsed with a mans enimies with whom so behaue thy selfe that thou doubt not but that thou mayest be reconciled into friendshyp with them And know that this is more holsome counsell then was Biants who wylleth a man so to loue his friendes that he remember also that they may become his enimies whiche saying although it be commended of others yet neyther I nor Tullie doo lyke of it For in deede it is a very poyson in friendshyp wherefore in hatred a man ought to think on loue not in loue to thinke on hatred and truely Aristotles counsell in his Rethorickes is farre to be preferred before Byas aduice A man shoulde not as men commonly speake loue as though he shoulde hate but rather hate as though be shoulde loue Whereof Arislotle wrytyng reproueth Bias hymselfe and also his subtyle and malicious counsell Sorowe I haue enmities Reason But haue them agaynst thy wil let a louyng hart of peace dwell alwayes in thine armed breast and so goe to warre that thou mayst seeme to be constrayned thervnto least haply humanitie geue place vnto hatred or least thou studie more for reuenge then for glory or health Thou knowest that Hanibal was more hateful to the Romanes then was Pyrrhus when as both of them were enmities and Pyrrhus first inuaded Italy but not to the entent to destroy it vtterly as dyd Hannibal but only to requyre it We must conquere by all the meanes we can that in euery action true vertue may appeare so that it may seeme that nothyng els is sought for by war then honest peace Of occasion lost to reuenge The .xxxiij. Dialogue SOROWE I Haue lost my wyshed occasion to reuenge Reason From whom sinne is taken nothyng is taken but much is added for certayne thynges which men haue to be taken from them is a gayne but to withstand them that they may not be had at al is a greater vauntage Sorowe I haue lost the meanes to be reuenged Reason An happy losse to loose that whiche may hurt thee Sorowe I am prohibited of my hoped and wished reuenge Reason The chiefest point is to haue a minde not to doo euyl the next to be prohibited Sorowe I must of necessitie loose occasion of reuengement Reason If it be a notable kynde of reuenge not to haue a wyll to reuenge it is an excellent necessitie not to be suffered to reuenge It is the chiefest point willingly to embrace vertue the next to be constrayned therunto Sorowe I am sory that reuenge is taken from me Reason The tyme wyll come peechaunce shortly when thou mayest reioyce and that thou wouldest not wyshe that it had hapned otherwyse Many when they come by occasion vnto any thing at length they begyn to haue will vnto it and to loue it and theyr liking groweth vpon necessitie and when it beginneth to be a wyl it surceasseth to be a necessitie Sorowe I thought I could haue ben reuenged but I could not Reason Not to be able to doo euil is a great power this qualitie is proper vnto the almightie Sorowe Present reuenge is fallen away from me Reason Thinke that thou hast let fal a snake out of thy hand take heede that he creepe not into thine hand agayne There is nothyng so coutrary vnto a man as vngentlenesse By this he surceasseth to be a man whiche to be so the name it selfe declareth there is no sicknesse so contrary no not death it selfe For death hapneth by the course of nature but this far contrariwise To shew crueltie vnto a man is contrary vnto the nature of a man although it were deserued a man ought not to folowe the motion of a wounded mynd and by the remembrance of a priuate griefe to forgeat the instinct of the common nature Sorow I shall be sory for euer that I was restrayned from reuenge Reason Perhaps thou shalt reioyce for euer How often thinkest thou after enmitie layd a part and friendshyp concluded haue some abhorred theyr friendes in the middest of theyr embrasinges thus thinking with them selues this man I wished at the Deuyl and I lacked but litle of bryngyng my wicked desire to effect O happie chaunce to howe good a part hast thou conuerted my cruell meanyng Sorowe I cannot be suffered to wreake my iust wrath Reason A man shall scarce fynde iust anger forasmuche as it is written Mans anger woorketh not the righteousnesse of God and agayne it is said by an other Anger is a short madnesse It is best therefore not to be angrie at all and next not to reuenge but to bridle anger that it cary not away the mynde whyther as it is not seemely the thirde is not to be able to reuenge if thou wouldest Sorow I haue lost notable occasion to be reuenged Reason Pardon which is more notable is left vnto thee and also forgetfulnesse which is most notable of all The same made Iulius Caefar renowmed among all Princes Great innumerable were this worthie Emperours conquests his triumphes most glorious his excellencie in chiualrie incomparable his wyt most excellent his eloquence notable the nobilitie of his progenie the beautie of his personage the valure of his inuincible mynde surpassing but when thou hast heaped togeather all his commendations thou shalt finde nothyng in hym more excellent then his mercifulnesse and forgetfulnesse of offences which although it procured vnto hym the cause of his death so that the saying of Pacunius was iustly song at his buriall It was my fortune to saue some that there might some lyue to destroy me neuerthelesse since that he must of necessitie die in suche a cause death was in a maner to be wyshed Of the peoples hatred The .xxxiiij. Dialogue SOROWE THe people hate me Reason Then hast thou the ende of the multitudes fauour whereof I forewarned thee to wit hatred for loue Sorowe The people hate me without a cause Reason Thou woondrest that they hate thee without a cause who
before loued thee without discretion whereof this foloweth that whereas modestie is banished there soueraignitie must needes raigne Sorow The people hate me Reason This beast is prompt to iniurie and flowe to duetie the commons loue is lyght and theyr hatred heauie Sorowe The people is angrie with me Reason If they loue thee they wyl applaude thee but yf they be angry they wyl seeke thy destructiō wherin are two vnequal thyngs danger and hope Sorowe I am odious vnto the people Reason There is nothyng more forcible then the multitude of fooles whereas publique fury pricketh foorth the rage of euery priuate person and the rage of euery priuate person kindleth the publique franticknesse and one of them enforceth another And there is nothyng more dangerous then to fall into theyr handes whose wyll standeth for iustice headlong outrage for discretion Sorowe The people hate me Reason I woulde they had not loued thee no not knowen thee The loue of euyll persons endeth with hatred Both whiche are vncertayne and only ignorance safe Sorowe I am hated of the people Reason A malitious people ought eyther to be appeased or forsaken Of enuie passiuely The .xxxv. Dialogue SOROWE MAny doo enuie me Reason It is better to be enuied then pitied Sorow I am troubled with the enuie of my ilwillers Reason And who euer was friend vnto vertue that wanted that kinde of exercise Run ouer in thy thought al lands al ages peruse al histories and thou shalt scarce finde a man of any excellencie free from this pestilence I meane not now to enter any discourse the which may leade vs far away from our purpose but if thou remember any thing that euer thou hast read thou canst not be ignorant of many by whose felowshyp thou mayest not only conceiue comfort but also vaunt thy selfe Sorowe I am spyted at Reason Forsake honours and publique functions leaue of the occasion to be spoken of among the people for thy stately pace and proude retinue Sequester thy selfe as muche as thou canst from the eyes of many that are enuious neyther geue occasion vnto them to point at thee with the finger eyther for thy looke woorde or gesture The common people and malice dwell togeather in the streetes and so for the most part dooth all wickednesse Certayne enimies are by no meanes better escaped then by flight seeking corners Sorowe Malice foloweth after me although I flie and hide my selfe Reason Take away the cause of euyl and thou shalt take away al euyll it selfe Be measurable in thy ryches and whatsoeuer thou hast that by the excellent beautie and shewe thereof may enflame the minds of men and set their teeth one edge either cast it of or keepe it out of sight If thou haue any thyng whiche thou wylt not or canst not want vse it modestly that enuie whiche pryde hath prouoked humilitie wyll aswage There are also certayne effectuall remedies whiche doo soone extinguish it but they are woorse then the disease it selfe to wit misery and an infamous lyfe Concernyng one of whiche I haue sayde alredy that miserie only is without enuie And vnto the other appertayneth the saying of Socrates For when on a tyme Alcibiades demaunded by what meanes he might escape enuie Socrates answered Lyue sayde he as dyd Thersites whose lyfe yf thou knowe not thou maist reade it in the Iliades of Homer Truely a scoffyng and perfect Socratical answere for there is no wysedome to forsake vertue to eschew enuie and better it were to be Achilles with enuie then Thersites without it although it be also wel knowne that certayne excellent men to the intent to lyue at quiet haue for a tyme dissembled both theyr vertue wisedome Sorowe Many doo enuie me Reason Thou canst scarce escape enuy but by cowardice or miserie if thou escape it by any of these meanes thou shalt fall into contempt both whiche to be free from were a very harde matter Sorowe I am ouerborne with the hatred of many Reason There is as some say another meanes and way to treade enuie vnderfoote to wyt by excellent glory but this path is but litle tracted so that many that begynne to walke forwarde therein doo slyppe into that whiche they woulde eschewe Of Contempt The .xxxvj. Dialogue SOROWE BVt I am contemned Reason If it be iustly thou hast cause I confesse to be sory notwithstanding thou must suffer it but other wyse thou mayest laugh at it For there is nothyng more ridiculus nor that hapneth more commonly then for a wyse man to be contemned of mad men Sorowe I am contemned Reason Touchyng this one woorde some haue sayde that foure good thynges are signified thereby to contemne the worlde to contemne no man for a man to contemne hym selfe and that he is contemned of other of this last thou hast neede Sorow I am contemned of many Reason If it be of thy elders suffer it yf of thyne equalles beare with it The fyrst doo vse theyr aucthoritie for for the most part lesse thynges are contemned of the greater The other expose them selues to be contemned seeing by none other meanes they can become thy superiours they thynke to wyn it by this meanes As for thyne inferiours let them alone let them rage and regard not theyr contempt whiche shall redowne vnto theyr infamie and thy glory Thersites contemned Achilles of whom we spake before and so dyd Zoilus Homer and Antonius Augustus and Euangelus Virgil and Caluus Cicero And as we haue learned in the Gospel that whiche is greatest of all Herode beyng a most vyle and miserable man of all other contemned Christe our Sauiour But what dyd this contempt eyther hurt the contemned or auayle the contemners Sorow I am contemned and scorned Reason I knowe not what these laughyng games are or what conceyte is in the myndes of common iesters and so muche the more for that the cunnynger haue neede of the lesse cunnyng and the one of them scorneth at another Sorowe I am contemned of others Reason Examine thy selfe whether thou doo or hast contemned other This is the maner of you men to contemne and be contemned and one to prosecute another with mutuall hatred and contempte and yet you woulde be reuerenced of other and your selues reuerence no body you goe about to please GOD whose woorkes doo none of them please you as they ought to please concernyng whiche thyng our countreyman Cicero hath spoken ryght nobly yf any thyng may be spoken nobly in the name of the Goddes It canne not stande with reason sayth he forasmuche as one of vs contemneth and despiseth another that we shoulde requyre of the Goddes that they woulde loue vs and be friendly vnto vs. But muche more excellent is the saying of the Prophete Malachie Haue we not all one father hath not one GOD created vs Why then dooth euery one of you despise his brother Sorow It greeueth me that I am contemned Reason Although no man woulde be despised and many
woulde fayne be feared yet is it muche more safe to be despised then feared And therefore that whiche Anneus Seneca sayth in a certayne Epistle It is as yl to be contemned as suspected I doo not alowe But I suppose rather that he sayde better in an other place That it is more daungerous to be feared then contemned And therefore learne by the auncient saying of the wyse that these three thyngs are to be auoyded of which we haue entreated in so many continuall discourses which although they be all euyll yet out of all doubt this last is the least although the vylest of them and yet euery one hath his peculiar remedie Hatred is appeased by curtesie enuie by modestie contempt by the friendshyppe of great personagies and also by honest practises and vertue There was none more contemtible at Rome then was Brutus at the begynnyng but afterwarde no man more hyghly esteemed of Atchiue then also some good and great enterprise by meanes whereof thou mayest not be contemned Of long expectyng a promised rewarde The .xxxvii. Dialogue SOROWE THe promises made vnto me be late in perfourmance Reason Why doest thou complayne of this alone whiche is common with all men Nothyng more debaseth a gyfte then an harde graunt and a slowe perfourmaunce But this is your manner you woulde receyue quickely and geue at leasure vnto the one you be nimble vnto the other vnwyllyng hastie vnto the one and to the other heauie Here is a double roote of ingratitude and a double cause of complayntes while some are greeued with tarience and other with to much speede Sorowe There be many thinges promised me but nothing performed Reason Great promisers ought to be smally trusted Mens vanitie is knowne their flatterie knowne their lying knowne Hath one man promised thee many thinges it is sufficient that he hath promised thee goe seeke another to perfourme them one man cannot do al thynges this promiser hath prouided that in the meane whyle thou shouldest loue hym Sorowe That is not perfourmed whiche was promised me Reason Of two sortes of couetousnesse more mightie is that whiche holdeth fast then that whiche craueth Sorowe O how many promises dyd suche a man make vnto me Reason Eyther he mocked thee or he was desyrous to be beloued for a tyme as I sayde erewhyle and perhappes whyle he promised thee many thynges he required some one thyng of thee whiche he thought to be well gotten for the price of a great lie for this vnderstand that they whiche are ryche in woordes are many tymes poore in deedes Sorowe O howe many thynges are promised me Reason If thou wilt credite me suche as promise many thynges thou shalt not credite Of Repulses The xxxviii Dialogu e SOROWE I Take it greeuously that I haue suffered a repulse Reason Wouldest thou then obteyne whatsoeuer thou desyrest so that nothyng shoulde be denyed thee take heede that this desyre of thine proceede not of intollerable pryde It behoued thee to haue thought on Pompeius the great a worthier then whom I knowe not yf euer there were any of whom notwithstandyng it is written that he would haue those thinges geuen him which also myght be denyed hym How many thinges do we know to haue been denyed to Emperours being most valiaunt and of high renowme and doest thou take a repulse or twayne so heauily To be short howe many thinges dooth God require dayly at mans hande yet lacketh God nothyng neyther doth he entreate vs for any thing Sorow I cannot quietly take a repulse Reason Why doest thou arrogate to thy selfe the libertie of askyng and takest from other aucthoritie of deniyng Is it because as often tymes it chaunseth that an vnreasonable request geueth occasion of a reasonable deniall Or is it because the repulse oftentymes was profitable to hym that craued to whom otherwyse it woulde haue been hurtful if he had obteyned Sorowe I suffer a repulse wrongfully Reason Yf thy repulse be wrongfull thy request was right and iuste reioyce then that the fault is an other mans rather then thine Sorowe I haue a repulse where I deserued it not Reason There are many that thinke they haue deserued much when in very deede they haue deserued nothyng From hence commeth the greefe of a repulse from hence proceed al complaynts wherewith al the world and the whole lyfe of man is filled Sorowe I suffer a shameful repulse Reason There is nothing shameful but a fault For what shame could that bring vnto thee that was not in thy power to perfourme Sorowe I haue a repulse where I thought to haue had none Reason Thought is vncertayne but thinges are certayne and to be vnable to denye that whiche is asked belongeth not to a free man but to a bond slaue and to be vnhable to abide a repulse is not the part of a citizen but of a Tirant Sorowe I haue a repulse of that thyng whiche I desyred and hoped for Reason Yf men shoulde obteyne whatsoeuer they hope for or desyre they shoulde be al goddes but thou to the ende thou mayest auoyde al displeasures and greefes taken by repulses learne to desyre possible and honest thynges and not to haue a mynde to obteyne whatsoeuer thy vnsaciable or foolyshe desyre lusteth for or vayne hope shal put in thy mynde Sorowe I was not onely repulsed but an vnwoorthier was preferred before me Reason How often do we see the vnwoorthie to be preferred before the woorthie and oftentymes the vnworthie to be iudged of as vnworthy as them selues beyng seuere iudges in other mens matters but in their owne case very fauorable There are many that wyll say they are vnwoorthy but there are fewe whiche thinke so in deede Sorowe I haue a repulse of a smal thyng Reason We do often tymes see small thinges denyed and great thynges willingly offered If the gyftes of fortune shal be recompensed with repulses the ballance wyl hang euen but you encrease those by indignation and diminishe the other by forgetfulnesse and dissimulation Sorowe I was woorthy as I suppose not to be repulsed Reason I graunt it be so but doost thou thinke that al thinges are graunted or denied accordyng to the woorthinesse of men I woulde it were so that the hope of rewarde myght make many moo good men and the feare of punishment make the fewer euyl But the case standeth not so for loue hatred hope desire secret affection haue mingled togeather disordred al thinges Wouldest thou haue fortune to chaunge her common condition to wardes thee only and not thou thy selfe to bende to wardes the common course of mans nature Sorowe Howe farre vnwoorthier then I am is my cosuter preferred Reason And Lucius Flaminius who for a notable crime had deserued present iudgement to be deposed from the order and dignitie of a Senatour was preferred before Scipio Nasica a man accounted to be most worthye aswel by the iudgement of the Senate as also by the whole voyce of the common people Howe was
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
good faculties in bandes but thou learnest to forget pacience Sorowe I am kept fast in pryson Reason Some within caues and dennes and some haue enclosed them selues within the circuit of walles choosing vnto them selues voluntarie imprisonment eyther for the loue of God or for hatred of the worlde or for loathsomnesse of the common multitude as dyd many holy fathers in the primitiue Churche Thou yf thou be not disposed that way desirest an end of thyne imprysonmēt stay a while eyther man wyl discharge thee or els death whiche caryeth a key of the pryson doore There is one manner of entrance but sundry sortes of departyng Some haue been let goe vpon pitie some by the course of lawe some through their owne innocencie some by negligence of the keepers some for money some by craft some by breaking prison or vndermining the walles and some haue escaped out of pryson by the freendly darkenesse of the nyght and also since the memory of your fathers some haue been set at libertie by earthquakes and ouerthrowing of the pryson and last of al they that coulde finde none other meanes haue been released from imprisonment by death And lykewyse no lesse dyuers haue been the euentes of them that haue escaped Marius delyuerie from pryson brought hym to the Consulshyp Iulius Caesars imprisonment among the pyrates transported hym to the Empire of the worlde In this age certayne haue passed from pryson to lordshyps and the cheynes whiche they haue shaken from them selues they haue layde vpon other Finally Regulus and Socrates and many moe were not extinguished in prison as it was thaught but rather by an honorable ende discharged out of pryson To conclude the pryson hath sent some vnto great glory some vnto notable fortune some to a kyngdome and many to heauen but al to the graue for it neuer receyued any whom it hath not agayne restored Of Tormentes The .lxv. Dialogue SOROW. I Am vniustly tormented Reason What wouldest thou nowe say if it were iustly For there is no torment greater then the torment of the conscience If this be vpryght contemne these outwarde thinges for thou hast a comforter within thee Sorowe I am tormented very vnwoorthily Reason Take compassion vpon thy tormentour he is more sharpely tormented then thou for although the world crye out agaynst thee yet know this that it is a lesse euil to suffer then to offer an imurie Sorowe I am tormented Reason A newe lamentation for an olde greefe wast thou neuer tormented before Among tormentes thou wast borne among tormentes thou hast lyued among tormentes thou shalt dye tell me now what newe thing is befallen thee The kindes of tormentes are changed but the tormentes them selues do not surceasse Examine the whole course of thy forepassed life recount what euer day thou passedst ouer without torment Perhaps thou mayst finde somthinges shadowed with false ioyes but al thinges full of true tormentes wherof if thou iudge exactly thou wilt confesse that there is no part of this life voyde Wherby it commeth to passe that some not without iust cause haue supposed this whole life to be a continual punishment But you neuerthelesse so demeane your selues as though these Philosophical speeches concerned you not they sticke in the enterance of your eares they pearce not into the closet of your mindes So that ye lament for euery small griefe of the bodie but as for the euerlastyng and deadly punishment of the minde ye do not feele it in the first ye are impacient but in the other without sense Sorow I am layde vpon the wheele Reason What skilleth it whether thou goe vp to the wheele or to the bed to be tormented The tormentours knot shal wring thee and put thee to payne but heare now one with the ague another with the gout another with a shrewysh wyfe another with his sonne another with his louer another with his ryches another with pouertie another by the Phisitions hand another with the schoolemaisters ferula another with a naughtie seruaunt another with a proude lorde another is vexed with an infinite hope and couetous desire another with feare that is more greeuous then any tormentour Search through the whole state of mankynde and thou shalt scarse finde one man that lyeth not vpon the wheele and beyng a thousand sundry sortes of tortures doo you feare none but those that are made of wood Sorowe I am tormented Reason In the middest of thy tormentes comfort thy selfe eyther with thyne innocencie or with iustice for if thou be vniustly tormented thou hast a cause to reioyce whereby thou hast purchased experience to thy selfe and others and also a certayne bryghtnesse is added vnto thy vertue the fame of handled and aduaunced thynges is more renowmed and spices the longer they be beaten the sweeter they smell and most excellent wares are set a loft to the viewe that they may be seene the better But yf thou be tormented deseruedly thou hast thy remedye in thy handes but clottered fylth is purged by fyre and difficultie and a desperate sicknesse muste haue a sharpe cure who so is weery of his disease wyl not refuse any bytter thyng and he that is sory for his synnes wyll not eschewe any punishment Sorow I am laide on the racke Reason If without desart thou hast a meane to despise the crueltie of another from an hygh But yf deseruedly when thou art plucked from the earth thou mayst the more euidently beholde thyne offence and that which thou art now sorowful for the committyng thou shalt not be grieued for the sufferyng of the punyshment Sorow I am tormented Reason Eyther thy vertue is tryed or thy vyce punyshed the one is often profitable the other alwayes expedient It is a good tryall for the ryghteous to suffer punyshment but there is nothyng woorse then to suffer the gyltie to escape vnpunished Sorowe I am tormented Reason Learne the way vnto patience and death Of vniust iudgement The Lxvj. Dialogue SOROWE I AM condemned by vniust iudgement Reason There haue been some ere nowe condemned by the sentence of one iudge or by the testimonie of a fewe witnesses who haue ben often tymes acquitted eyther by the voice of the common people or by theyr secrete iudgement or whiche is better by theyr owne conscience or whiche is best of al by Gods owne iudgement For the best appealyng is vnto the eternall iudgement seate of the most iust and hygh iudge and he it is that vseth to reuerse the false iudgementes of other by a wrytte of errour Sorowe I am condemned vniustly Reason As the vnryghteous are ouerthrowen by iustice so are the ryghteous by iniurie Then whereas is vniust condempnation there the partie condempned is innocent and there is no man so foolysh vnlesse he were starke mad that would haue this be contrarie and had rather be condemned iustly then vniustly There is none so feareful vnlesse he be too bad but had rather be condemned by an vnrighteous doome then acquitted
that remaine their faith is decaied the goodwil of men as that coÌ„mon maner is flyeth away with prosperitie so that thou art brought into a doubt which to bewaile first either the death of thy freends that are peryshed or the losse of their assurednesse that are liuing Now in the middest of these troubles there happened vnto thee a most desperate and dangerous sickenesse wherein thou wast brought so neare vnto death that when euery man supposed thou couldest not escape it was generally reported that thou wast dead Which sickenesse which pouertie which heape of troubles in that thou wast driuen out of thine owne countrey and farre from thine owne house in a strange lande and warre rounde about thee and thou on euerye syde oppressed gaue occasyon that in the meane whyle thou couldest haue no entercourse eyther of letters or conference with those thy frendes whiche eyther thy vertue had purchased or fortune had reserued There was no extremitie wantyng sauing imprisonment and death although we cannot say neyther that thou wast quite free from imprisonment whilest thy most faythful wyfe and al thy sonnes beyng part of thy bowelles and thy daughters also were taken prisoners by thine enimies and there was no comfort remayning vnto thee of so many chyldren Nâ—yther yet from death whilst thou thy selfe striuedst euery day with death and at that tyme also one of thy sonnes gaue vp his tender and giltlesse ghost in prison To be shorte we haue seene that fulfilled in thee whiche we reade of two most excellent personagies Caius Marius and the great Pompeius to wit that fortune hath seuerally expressed in thee and thy chyldren what good and euyl she is able to do and neuer mingle any prosperttie with aduersitie whose flatteries in tymes past although theu hast not casted so plentifully as many happie men haue done notwithstandyng thou hast abidden her threates and force of late dayes with so couragious and inuincible a mynde that in this respect thou hast geuen occasion vnto many who before hated thy name to loue thee and woonder at thee For vertue hath this propertie that it stirreth vp good men to loue it and astunnisheth the euyl Whiche propertie as it is common to euery vertue so is it peculier especially to fortitude whose tranquilitie and vprightnesse is the more acceptable and lyght more conspicable among the troublesome turmoyles of fortune and darkenesse of terrible thinges For vnto me thou hast not onely heaped vp much new good wyl vpon the auntient loue whiche I bare towardes thee whiche I thought to haue been impossible but hast also conuerted my quill whiche made hast towardes another matter to wryte this woorke in tyme not purposed both that thou mightest beholde the countenance of thy mynde in my wrytinges as it were in a lookyng glasse and also if herein there were any thyng that seemed vnto thee nothyng fine but rather rude and barbarous and whiche in deede dyd not lyke thee that in this manner thou order and take it that yf it shal chaunce that fortune hereafter varrie with thee in any strange manner or deuice whereof she hath great plentie yea innumerable in store that thou be not troubled at al with any hope But being prouided for al chaunces and redye for what soeuer may happen thou mayest despyse both the sweete and the sower crying out most confidently these verses of Virgil agaynst them O virgin there is no newe or suddeyne shewe of troubles can aryse vnto me I haue forethought vpon al matters and forecast them alredie in my mynde Neyther am I ignorant that as in the bodyes of men so also in their mindes that are affected with sundry passions the medicines of woordes wyl seeme vnto many to be without effect Notwithstandyng I knowe wel enough that as the diseases of the minde are inuisible so are there remedies inuisible also For they that are seduced by false opinions must be remedied by true perswasions that they that fel by hearyng may also ryse by hearyng Moreouer who so wyllingly offereth vnto his freende beyng in neede that whiche he hath to releeue hym withal howe smal soeuer it be he hath fulfilled the duetie of perfect freendshyp For freendshyp weigheth the mynde and not the thing whiche though it be but smal yet may it be an argument of great good wyl For my part as I wyshe vnto thee al honour so haue I nothyng at this present more conuenient to geue thee whiche yf thou thinke to be of any force the commoditie of it whiche maketh euery thyng to be regarded shal sufficiently commend it But if thou perceyue it to be of no force notwithstandyng thy good wyl towardes me shal excuse it And thou shalt come to reade it as though those foure most famous and coosinne passions of the mynde to wyt hope or desire and ioy feare and sorowe whiche the two sisters prosperitie and aduersitie brought foorth at equal byrthes lay on eyther side most fiercely assaultyng the minde of man howebeit reason whiche gouerneth the cheefe castle maketh answere vnto them al and beyng furnished with her shielde and head peece by her meanes and proper force but specially being assisted with most myghtie power from heauen defendeth of the weapons of the throngyng enimies But I conceyue suche hope of thy wysedome that thou canst soone iudge whiche part wyl haue the victorie I wyl nowe holde thee no longer but to the ende thou mightest vnderstand my purpose it was needeful for me to wryte this epistle as it were an argument to the booke whiche yf thou cause to be set before the woorke consyder thou of these both that an ouerlong preface trouble not a short booke none otherwyse then an ouer great head burdeneth a lytle body For there is nothing wel fauoured without due measure and proportion of the partes ¶ Of floorishing yeeres The first Dialogue IOY REASON MY yeeres are floorishyng I shall yet lyue a long tyme. Reason Loe this is the first vaine hope of mortall men whiche hath alredy and wyll hereafter deceiue many thousandes Ioy. My yeeres are floorishing Reason A vayne ioy and a short whyle we be speakyng this flowre withereth Ioy. My age is sounde Reason Who wyl cal that sound whiche wanteth much and when that whiche remayneth is vncertayne Ioy. But there is a certaine prefixed terme and lawe of liuing Reason Who made that lawe or what is the prefixed time of lyfe Surely it is a very vnequl law that is not indifferent vnto al men yea rather it is so variable that there is nothing more vncertayne in the lyfe of man than the terme of mans lyfe Ioy. Howbeit there is some terme and measure of life which the wise men haue defined Reason To appoynt the terme of lyfe it is not in his power that receiueth it but in his that geueth it which is god And I vnderstande howe that hereby you meane the terme of threescore ten yeres or if nature be somwhat stronger fourescore
in meate as cattayle doo in theyr prouender and to make thy belly a place to set vp dishes of meate in and to take that office from the Binne Finally vnderstand this much that thou canst not long endure this life which thou so lykest loathsomnesse is next neyghbour to fulnesse and fastyng consumeth meate Hunger tasteth nothing but it is sweete and sauerie There is nothing so deintie which fulnesse maketh not vnpleasaunt and loathsome And euen those men which geue them selues to this delight confesse that it is encreased by appetite and seldome vsing and as al other pleasures are is rebated with plentie and often frequenting and many tymes conuerted to nothyng and into the contrarie Yea Epicurus hym selfe commended and obserued a thyn dyet as the only stay of his profession And that whiche honest men do ascribe to sobrietie modestie that dyd he ascribe vnto pleasure Whatsoeuer kynde of lyuyng thou choose thou must knowe that one path agreeth with diuers endes there is one kynde of dyet continually to be vsed and that thyn and moderate vnlesse sometyme perhaps seldome libertie vpon honest respect do geue a man licence without breache of sobrietie This kynde of dyet whereof I speake maketh men drye and strong and pleasaunt to beholde and in smell of body neyther greeuous to them selues nor to others Compare with these those which are moyst puffyng and blowyng shakyng stynkyng and to vse Tullies woordes compare with these those sweaters and belchers and then thou shalt perceyue what difference there is betwene sparyng and surfetyng and yf the vertue do not tel thee yet the very lookyng and countenaunce of the men wyl shewe which way the choyce wyl lye so that there is 〈◊〉 man so much a bondslaue to his belly but yf he weygh diligently the matter with hym selfe wyl preferre sobrietie far before excesse If thou contempne these thynges as light doest thou also contempne the diseases whiche spring hereof and death also Which although of it selfe it be to be contempned of noble and valiaunt courages happening naturally honestly or at least wyse not shamefully so is there nothyng more dishonourable or more to be eschewed then death to happen vpon a dishonest cause Dooest thou not heare what counsayle Ecclesiasticus geueth Be not greedie sayth he of euery kynde of dyshe neyther geue vp thy selfe vnto all maner of fare For in abundaunce of meate consisteth sicknesse and greedinesse prouoketh subuertion to the stomacke Many haue peryshed by surfetyng but who so vseth abstinence prolongeth his owne lyfe Ioy. I feede on deyntie and sundrie kindes of meates Reason If thou ouerloade thy Horse thou shalt ouerthrowe hym and yf thou feede hym to proude he wyll kycke thee The belly lykewyse is not to be trusted concernyng that wherewith it is charged It were not vnprofitable counsalye in checkyng all enticementes and pleasures but especially of the belly to consyder theyr endes Of Feastes The .xix. Dialogue IOY I Vaunte in feastes Reason Good fare apperteineth to pleasure but feastes to madnesse For what is it other than pompous frensie to cal togeather a great many ryche folkes into one place from theyr honest busines and to entertayne them with honourable weerinesse and to glut a number of bellies with delicate and hurtful meates for whom it had been better to haue been emptie or to haue been filled at theyr owne discretion wherein as perhaps thou shalt please one mans mouth so shalt thou displease the appetite of many For it is seldome seene that ghestes agree in diet and that is found to be true which the Poete sayth I haue three ghestes which seme vnto me almost to disagre requyring diuers meat with a greatly differing appetite what I geue what I geue not what geuest thou Flaccus or what dooest thou Vnlesse a man would geue them nothyng at all and leaue this care to them who haue no greater care Let them doo what they lyst which can doo nothyng els Now if three doo disagree what wyl an hundred or a thousand doo They wyl scarce depart at least wyse without secrete murmuryng This had an yll taste That had an il smell The other should haue been set downe first This came colde to the boarde That came out of season The other dyshe was set downe with a sorowful countenaunce This with an angrie looke That meate was rawe The other torne One wayter was to slowe This to hastie That felowe coulde not heare The other was stubburne One was to loude Another to sylent This seruant brought warme water to the table with vnwashed handes Another fylled small wyne to the boorde With these and suche lyke complayntes not only the Halles but the wayes doo resounde and the streetes also and not without cause For to what purpose is it so gently to solicite men with entreatie to dyne at thy house to what ende serueth that vnprofitable cost and superftuous labour and to bryng so great a troupe into one court but only to boast thy selfe among thy neyghbours and as it were thy selfe beyng on foote to make a voluptuous triumphe of thy banquettes The trumpets also and shaknes sounde foorth togeather so that it appeareth that al thyngs are prepared for pompe and nothyng for thriftinesse Imagine that the next day after one of the ghestes stoode in neede of so muche as the dyshe of meate was woorth which he ate he shal neuer be able to obteyne it of the maister of the feast For the feast was not made for the ghest but for hymselfe Whiche although vndoubtedly it be so notwithstandyng when drunken men sytte at the Table swearyng and affyrmyng any thyng vpon theyr othe they strike the meate saying these woordes I sweare say they by this our good loue and charitie whiche nowe we exercise togeather To whom it may be well answered Nay rather sweare by this your drunkennesse and surfet This were true charitie yf beyng fastyng and drie you would conuert that to the vse of the poore whiche now ye lauish out to your owne destruction then might ye not improperly sweare by your charitie Ye byd vnto your feastes the proude ryche men and ye shut out the poore hungrie sort thynkyng it a glorious matter to haue plentie of woorshypful gheastes And in this point besydes the opinion of the common people whiche is the fountayne of all errour ye haue an aucthour Beleeue me sayth Cicero it is ae seemely thyng for the houses of worshipfulmen to be open vnto worshipful ghestes In deede syr this is very good for them to be open to chose that can requite with the lyke but to be shut agaynst the needie For whiche matter we knowe that Lactantius perhaps not vnworthyly hath reprehended Cicero who hath also handled the same matter better in another place but in the same booke This sayth he is a great duetie as euery one hath most neede of helpe so especially to succour hym The contrary whereof is practised by most men for loke of whom they expect
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
by the fall of the Amphitheater twentie thousand men were slayne This is the commoditie and ende that the lookers on doo get Ioy. I beholde shewes with great pleasure Reason Eyther of faygned loue or true hatred The fyrst is not for a man to beholde the seconde not for a reasonable creature Who wyll wyllyngly receyue a dagger to his hart Who wyll powre more blood vpon an hotte wounde Who can waxe pale sooner then when he seeth death What delyght haue ye to goe to the schoole of crueltie Ye neede no scholemaisters ye learne euyll too fast of your selues Ye learne more of your selues at home then is needefull What if the maisters of mischiefe and the mystresse of errour the common multitude shoulde ioyne vnto this with redy wittes Many whom nature framed gentle haue learned crueltie by meanes of shewes and spectacles Mans minde whiche of it selfe is prone to vice is not to be pricked forward but brydled yf it be left to it selfe it hardly standeth yf it be dryuen foorth it runneth headlong There commeth in muche euyll at the eares but muche more at the eyes by those two open windowes death breaketh into the soule nothyng entreth more effectually into the memorie then that whiche commeth by seeyng thinges hearde doo lyghtly passe by the images of thynges which we haue seene sticke fast in vs whether we wyl or not and yet they enter not vnlesse we be wylling but verie seldome and they depart soone Whyther goest thou then What violence caryeth thee a way To be mery an houre and alwayes afterwarde to be sorie To see that once that thou wylt repent a thousande tymes â—hat euer thou sawest it To see a man slayne with a weapon or to be torne by the teeth and nayles of wylde beastes or some suche other syght as may trouble a man that is awake and terrifie hym when he is a sleepe I can not perceyue what pleasure is in it or rather what bitternesse and greefe is no in it and I can not discerne any greater argument of madnesse in you then in that bitter sweetenesse and vnpleasaunt delyght thrust you dayly forwarde to death enticyng you by miserable flatteries drowned as it were in a Stygian sleepe Ye obserue one order almost in al thynges Whatsoeuer ye desire whatsoeuer ye goe about whatsoeuer ye doo it is agaynst you Of Horses The .xxxi. Dialogue IOY I Take pleasure in a nimble Horse Reason A most fierce and vnquiet beast which sleepeth not and is neuer satisfied Ioy. I am destrous to ryde Horses Reason It is not muche more daungerous to sayle vppon the raging Sea then to ride vpon a fierce prauncer There is no beast more proude toward his maister neyther is this improperly gone for a prouerbe among horse breakers That an horse doeth twice euyll although be be at one tyme humble and at another proude Who beyng of suche strength and swiftnesse wyll suffer hym selfe for a lytle bile meate to be subiect to another to be tamed to be hampred to be haltred to be linked in chaines to be brydled to be shâ—oed with iron to haue nayles driuen through his hoofes to be spurred to beare an armed rider to abyde slauishe imprisonment and fiâ—thie seruitude On the other syde as though he were vntamed he behaueth hymselfe as yf he were free and doeâ—h euery thyng as yf he were his maisters enimie When he shoulde runne he regardeth not the spurre When he shoulde stay he taketh the bridle betweene his teeth When he should snort he is asleepe When he shoulde lye in secrete he snorteth This is that plyant beaste whiche some tearme trustie and faythfull whereof fables doo report so many goodly matters callyng hym commonly a noble a princely an excellent an honourable beast woorthie to be bought at a great price and kept with great diligence Nay rather it is a beast whose weerisomnesse yf it be compared with his seruiceablenesse no wyse man wyll buye hym no good husbande wyll feede hym a beast that is impacient both of rest and labour with the one he is proude with the other he is tyred with the one a fierce beast with the other a dull iade at one tyme bolde at another tyme fearefull at one tyme flying at another tyme fallyng at one tyme startlyng at a flie or a shadowe at another tyme dispising his maister and dyuers wayes drawing hym into daunger Who can sufficiently discribe his stubbernnesse the daunger of his teeth and his heeles his neighing and his impaciencie of his sitter and rider For truely looke howe many conditions there be of horses so many dangers are there of the horsemen Ioy. I haue great delight in horses Reason I shoulde wonder the more at thee vnlesse I remembred some great men bent also to the lyke studie to to folyshly Who hath not heard that Alexander king of Macedonie erected a tombe for his horse which he loued and named a citie after his horses name But the coutage and heate of minde wrought no woonderfull thyng in hym whyle he liued There was more stomacke in Augustus although lesse follie for he buylded not a tombe for his horse but he made a graue whiche thing notwithstanding was vnmeete for his wit and grauitie For whether Iulius Caesars monstrous horse were by him or any other consecrated with a statue of marble before the temple of Venus it may be doubted Antonius Verus who came after in yeeres and glory but in riches and imperiall name was but litle inferiour that I may omit to tell what fare and what furniture he ordeined for his horse which he loued immoderately truely he caused a statue of gold to be made lyke hym whyle he was alyue and when he was dead a sepulture to be buylded that we might be the more greeued at it in Vaticanum among so many holy bones as were there buried to be buried This is scarce credible but true notwithstanding The Poet thinkyng on this and suche lyke thinges maketh the soules of such men to be delighted with horses in hell And yet this vanitie is neuer awhit the lesse but the greater whiche is able to allure so great mindes vnto it But that no man shall thynke that this was some auncient folly only and not at this day raigning let him call to minde one dwelling not far of and not long since who is yet lyuing and not very olde and dwelling here in Italy among you whose name it shall not be needefull for me to vtter a man highly in fortunes fauour and of no small wit and iudgement a man otherwise of great courage and policie whensoeuer he hath occasion to vtter himselfe or hath any weightie affaires in hande who notwithstanding when his horse whiche he loued was sicke layde him vpon a bed of silke and a golden pillowe vnder his head and while he hym selfe being bound and not able to stirre by appoyntment of his Phisitions for the gout was gouerned by their orders neuerthelesse being either borne in
not the blemishes of kynges and although they feare them in presence yet priuily they vse their libertie they hisse in dennes and barke in darkenesse and sende foorth doubtfull voyces to the cloudes they disperse sharpe verses in the streetes they clappe vp papers vppon statues they speake by signes they crye out in silence they threaten with their eyes and strike with their tongues Thus oftentymes great infamie groweth vppon small causes and vile dye tearmes vppon honourable names If this coulde happen to so great a Prince what may priuate men hope for who ought to embrace mediocritie and abandon superfluitle Ioy. I take pleasure in vesselles of Corinth Reason If thy breast were shut vp against errour and thyne eyes agaynst bryghtnesse it myght easily appeare vnto thee howe muche Potters vessels are to be preferred before Corinthian and howe muche more easie to be gotten pleasant to be vsed safe to be kept and fyt to be employed both about diuine and humane vses And truely as touchyng securitie yf this note of the Emperour Augustus be true they whiche were proscribed and condempned should haue lyued in greater safetie yf they had been without Corinthian vesselles And as touchyng diuine seruice that God is as mercyful vnto men when he is worshypped with potters vessels it is not doubtful vnto me nor vnto Seneca But concerning humane vse although it be certayne that Tuberoes earchen vessels by blinde voyces or scrutinie did hurt theyr maister as a great rebuke and slaunder among the people and thereby he had repulse in the Pretorshyp in the iudgement of Valerius Maximus who doth popularly excuse this deede of the people they seemed vnwoorthy of such a publique function How be it I am of opinion in this poynt with Seneca who commendeth very much of them for they are most agreable to the auncient sparyngnesse and the manners of the Romanes by whiche as the pryuate familie of a modest housholder so ought also the honest common wealth of a wel gouerned Citie to be guyded that brydlyng theyr steppes they may keepe the boundes of a wel ordred and peaceable state vpon the earth And therefore yf Helius Tubero in brynging foorth his earthen vessels before the Chappel of Iupiter whereby he consecrated his frugalitie and sobrietie and as Seneca sayeth His pouertie in the Capitol dyd offende the eyes of the wanton people it was not the fault of the good Citizen but of the tyme for then al thynges be gan to declyne from the auncient strayghtnesse to this effeminate delicatenesse whiche fyrst began to wonder at and fall in loue with cuppes and dyshes of golde and of precious stone platters engrauen about the brym with braunches and â—oures Saltes with knottes and vynes round about vessels with tunnyng Iuie and suche lyke deuises whiche Galienus the Emperour sent vnto Claudius that shoulde be Emperour after hym Diuers other kyndes of madnesse also whiche are attributed to magnificencie but last of al nowe in these dayes not only running yuie or vyne braunches or other curious braunches but also the whole woods themselues with theyr in habitantes as all kyndes of trees and wylde beastes and foules mens faces and whatsoeuer the eye hath seene or the eare heard or the mind imagined are of long continuance nowe expressed and engrauen in gold and precious stone of which we haue entreated a litle before To be short pride so much encreaseth that gold waxeth vile Not long since these Corinthian vessels which thou praysest were not regarded and contempt which myght haue ben praysed concerning the true estimation of vyle thyngs is now made discommendable by the false admiration of worthy thyngs Ioy. But I am now in loue with Corinthian vessels Reason Corinth which was burned with your fyrebrands hath brent you agayne with her flanâ—e and hath reuenged the rasing of her walles vpon your myndes And this is no strange thing for oftentymes when ye haue ben the conquerers in forraigne wars ye haue also ben ouercome by forraigne vices Euen after this maner Scipio Asiaticus Manilius Volsio the conquerers of Asia did ouerthrow you with the Asian pleasures with beds of purple garments of gold and exquisite furniture for houshold and which is most vyle with banquets cookes so did Pompeius Magnus ouercome you with pearles and precious stones and Mummius with painted tables Corinthian vessels whyle your captaines triumphed ouer your enimies and your enimies triumphed ouer your affections Ioy. I am enamored with the vse of Corinthian vessels Reason The Corinthian or golden vessels make the meate neuer a whit the better neither the Samian the worse for this desire of yours riseth not from the qualitie of the things but from the sicknesse of your minds or rather is it selfe a sicknes of the mind which to the end thou mayest the better cure and so waxe whole in steede of the care for so many vnprofitable vessels take one most profitable holsome care vpon thee that â—hou maiest know how to possesse thyne owne vessell in honour and holynesse as it is wrytten not in the passion and desire of hauyng Of store of Bookes The .xliii. Dialogue IOY I Haue great store of bookes Reason The occasioÌ„ to speake of them is ministred in conuenient time For as some get bookes for learning sake so do some others for pleasure boastyng There be other some also which do furnish their chambers with this kinde of stuffe which was inuented to furnish the mynd withal and vse them in none other sort then they do theyr Corinthian vessels or theyr painted tables and images suche other lyke wherof we entreated last There be some also which vnder the colour of bookes do satisfie theyr couetousnesse these be the worst sort of men which esteeme not the true prices of bookes as they are in deede but as they may sel them A vyle plague and lately growne and whiche seemeth but newly to haue crept in among the practises of the richer sort wherby there is growne one instrument and art of concupiscence more Ioy. I haue great plentie of bookes Reason A painful but a pleasant burden a delectable distraction of the mind Ioy. I haue a marueilous multitude of bookes Reason Thou hast therewithal also great plentie of traueyl and scarcitie of quietnesse thy wit must be busied this way and that way and thy memorie be troubled with this matter that matter What wouldest thou haue me say Bookes haue brought some men to knowledge some to madnes whilst they draw out of them more then they can disgest As fulnes sometime hurteth the stomack more then huÌ„ger so fareth it with wits and as of meates so lykewyse of bookes the vse ought to be limitted according to the qualitie of him that vseth theÌ„ In al thinges that which is to litle for one is to much for another And therfore a wise man seeketh not plentie but sufficiencie in al thynges For the one of these is many times
to thy Kitchen a payne to thy Store-house a charge to thy Coffer an ornament to thy Hal a shewe for thy Windowe in the day and an vnquietnesse for thy Chamber in the nyght Ioy. I haue gotten a most louing wyfe Reason In the steede of loue which thou knowest not ielousie suspition and complaintes are come vpon thee thou hast continual warres at home euen in the middes of pleasures and pastyme disagreement wyll spryng thou shalt be safe neyther at boorde nor at bed thou shalt finde no tyme voyde of stryfe at midnight ye shall be togeather by the eares Ioy. I haue obtayned a wished marriage Reason Marriage with a wyfe and peace with a diuorce Ioy. I haue a wyfe whom I please exceedingly Reason Peraduenture it were better for thee to displease her then should she not trouble and consume thee with louing but suffer thee to muse on thy matters and to folowe thy businesse and to take thy naturall sleepe Whereas now in pleasing thy wyfe thou thinkest vpon nothing that may please thy selfe but vpon her only she challengeth thee wholy to her selfe and yet thou alone art not sufficient for her If vpon occasion thou wouldest go any whither she wyll say thou runnest away and seekest causes to depart from her yf thou do any thyng she wyll say thou forgettest her yf thou muse vpon any matter she wyl say thou art angrie with her yf thou abstayne from meate she wyll say her prouision pleaseth thee not yf thou take thy rest she wyll say thou hast weeried thy selfe with playing the game of loue with other And therefore in being pleasant to thy wyfe thou must needes be vnprofitable to thy selfe and others Ioy. I haue a wife whom I loue ardently Reason It were better to loue her chastly vertuously soberly and modestly for what is ardent loue other then the burnyng of the minde whiche while it flameth what place can there be for modestie for coniugale reuerence tranquillitie and quietnesse Doth thy wyfe loue theée ardently Vnlesse she perceyue that thou loue her agayne her loue wyll waxe colde and she wyll turne her goodwyll into hatred but yf thou wylt match her in loue thou must needes burne lykewyse and geue thy selfe ouer only to thy louer and be the wakeful husband of a ielous wife some tyme with fayre woordes and sometyme with complaintes and feigned accusations thou must be awaked troubled in the night yf peraduenture thou haue wantonly east thine eye aside or laughed hartily with one that hath laughed or saluted thy neighbours wyfe or commended the beautie of another woman or returned home late at nyght or finally shalt doo or say any thing whereby thou mayest be suspected of the breache of loue which if it may be called a lyfe then knowe not I what is to be tearmed death And this is my opinion concernyng your ardent loue Ioy. I haue a perpetuall companion of my Bedde Reason And also a perpetuall banishment of sleepe The sleepe of the wedded bedde is rare and small where there is sometyme pleasure sometime chyding and neuer quietnesse Ioy. I haue a most faythful wyfe Reason I deny not but there haue been some faythfull euen to the death And truely to a man that hath chosen this kinde of lyfe a good and faythful wyfe is a great treasure yet the multitude of the contrarie sort is greater for that many woorthie men haue perished through their wiues tretcherie I omit the cruel and blooddie marriage of Danaus that infamous night and miserable slaughter of so many young men togeather Not this they of whom we spake erewhyle not graue Agamemnon not Deiphobus the Phrygian can deny and among your countrey folke Scipio Africane the younger and lastly of latter tyme not kyng Alboinus whose blood stayned the bankes of the fayre riuer Athesis whiche was shed there by his vnchaste and cruell wyfe Ioy. I haue met with a noble chast gentle humble obedient vertuous and faythfull wyfe Reason Thou art a notable fouler thou hast founde a whyte Crowe and yet there is no man that thynketh he hath founde a blacke one Of a fayre VVyfe The Lxvi Dialogue IOY I Haue chaunced vpon a faire Wife Reason Thou hast gotten an hard prouince be watchful I haue sayd alredie that it is an hard thing to keepe that which is desired of many Ioy. My wiues beautie is excellent Reason The beautie of the body as many thynges els reioyceth commonly in the lyke and hateth vnlykelynesse and inequalitie If therefore thou thy selfe be of lyke beautie thou shalt be busied if not thou shalt be contemned both which are greeuous Ioy. My wiues beautie is great Reason Her pride is as great for there is nothing that so much puffeth vp the mind and maketh proude Ioy. My wiues beautie is passing great Reason Take heede that her chastitie be not as small The Satyrical Poet hath a pretie saying It is seldome to see beautie and honestie to agree Whiche admit they be togeather yet who can abide the insolencie of behauiour and dayly contempt Ioy. My wyfe is passing fayre Reason Then hast thou at home a sumptuous Idole a painful thou shalt dayly see strange and newe fashions and dayly disguâ—sing of the body to see howe wel euery thing becommeth and an inuentyng head to deuise euery way Now terme the losse of thy patrimonie a gayne Ioy. I haue a most beautiful wyfe Reason Thou hast a contentious Idole and a proude whiche beyng assotted thou mayest woorshyp whiche beyng rauished thou mayest woonder at honour and depende wholly vpon her submit thy necke to her yoke and reposing thy selfe onely in the beautie of thy wyfe cast away from thee all other cares and thyne owne libertie And as I sayde erewhyle beware thou prayse none but her turne not thine eyes from her face waxe not faynt in speakyng her fayre be not lesse fonde then thou wast woont to be whatsoeuer thou mislikest in her it is treason al wisedome in thee is forsaken of her Finally liue at thy wyues commaundement obserue the becking of thy Mistresse as a Drudge and not as an Husband Do this yf thou thinke it so great a matter to embrace thy fayre bedfellowe to enioy her smooth skin for a litle while to beget chyldren vpon a whyte wombe as it were to take choyce apples out of a fayre vessell Ioy. I haue a beautiful wyfe Reason A sweete poyson golden fetters an honourable seruitude Ioy. I take pleasure in my wyues beautie Reason A vayne and short pleasure There is nothyng more frayle then beautie specially a womans Who so loueth his wyfe for her beauties sake wyll soone hate her Of a fruitefull and eloquent VVyfe The Lxvii Dialogue IOY I Haue a fruitefull wyfe Reason She wyll bryng thee foorth many cares and many troubles A barren wyfe is but one trouble in an house but a fruitefull wyfe is many Thou knowest the saying of the Comical Poet I married a wyfe what miserie
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
and very brauely apparelled hym selfe therewith and his wyfe and his chyldren and all his familie He bought hym selfe also goodly Horses Place and gorgeous housholde stuffe and lastly a very fayre house and large but nothing trim which he enlarged with new buildinges and furnished it with most beautiful pictures and al other implementes which a gentlemans estate and a plentiful lyfe required moreouer he gaue much a way to the poore And as for the bagges in which his sonnes gold had been he filled them ful of sande and grauell of the ryuer and sealyng them vp safely leaft them where he found them and made euery thyng fast and so departed All these thinges were doone in short tyme for that the good olde man hadde a willing minde and the monie also was in a redinesse Nowe when the sonne was returned home his brethren went foorth to meete hym at the sight of whom he was suddeinly amazed woonderyng at their apparel and other furniture whiche was farre altered from that is was woont to be Wherevppon he demaunded of them where they hadde so fayre garmentes and those goodly Horses Who ioyfully and in chyldyshe simplicitie answered that al was my Lorde theyr fathers and that he had many moe fayre Horses at home in his Stable And moreouer that theyr father and mother were sumptuously apparrelled and hadde great store of Princely garmentes Wherefore he beganne more and more to woonder at euery thyng From thence proceedyng when he came within his fathers house he scarce knewe his Parentes nor so muche as the very walles of the house whereat beyng not in a simple admiration but rather distracted in mynde and as it were in a traunce he went hastily vnto his Coffer where when he sawe nothyng chaunged vnto outwarde appearaunce he some deale contented his mynde for that present And because that the presence and hast whiche his Collegenesse made to depart woulde not permit hym to make farther delay he suddaynely opened his Coffer wherein beholdyng his bagges fast shutte and stuffed ful as they were woont to be he forced no more but so departed Shortly after when as his publique function was fynished he came home and gooyng into his chamber shut the doore vnto him and opened his Coffer and searched his bagges and findyng his golde to be turned into sande he made a loude outcrie His father came runnyng hastily and What is the matter sonne quoth he that thou cryest out and weepest O father sayth he I haue lost my money whiche with so muche watchyng labour and trauayle I had gotten togeather and layde vppe in these bagges and I am robbed thereof euen in your house Howe art thou robbed answered his father Doo I not see thy bagges stroutyng full But O father sayde he weepyng it is sande and not money and with that he opened the bagges and shewed it vnto his father Then answered the olde man with a countenance nothyng chaunged What skilleth it sonne to thee whether they be full of sande or money A notable saying truely and proceedyng from a singular iudgement For vnto many money is vnprofitable and without vse and dooeth them none other good but fylleth a roome and occupieth theyr myndes and among moste men it is wickedly vsed and but among very fewe employed to good purposes Sorowe I haue loste my money whiche I loued Reason Thou art released of a fylthy loue For the loue of money is couetousnesse The lesse thou louest it the lesse thou shalt desyre it For the saying of the Satiryke Poet is founde by experience to be true That he wysheth least for money that hath least money and the losse of that is to be wyshed yea yf it were some great good thyng vnto whiche a greater mischiefe is inseparably ioyned Sorowe I haue loste my sweete succour and stay of my lyfe Reason How knowest thou whether it woulde haue been a bytter destruction or not Many moe haue peryshed by meanes of ryches then of pouertie Of Suretishyp The .xiiii. Dialogue SOROWE I AM molested with Suretishyppe Reason Thou complaynedst erewhyle of the losse of thy money and nowe thou complaynest of the castyng of it away Hast thou not by wyllyng enteryng into bandes throwne away thy money This is a common madnesse among the greater sort of people by meanes whereof a man may soone loose both his money and his friende Sorow I haue geuen my fayth and troth for another Reason Thou shalt breake it for thy selfe and to thyne owne hynderaunce and losse shalt learne how pleasaunt a thyng it is to owe nothyng and lyue out of pryson and fetters Sorowe I haue geuen my woorde in assurance for my friende Reason Hence foorth geue vnto thy poore friendes golde syluer Wyne Oyle Corne Cloath Houses Farmes counsell and comfort finally deuide all that thou hast among them only keepe vnto thy selfe thy sweete libertie whiche thou shalt neuer geue to nor for any other Sorowe I haue geuen my woorde for another and the day of payment is come Reason Dyddest thou not knowe that it woulde come or dyddest thou not hope to lyue so long or at least thyne heyre whom thou hast wrapped in voluntarie bandes But it happeneth well that the punyshment of the errour falleth vppon his pate that committed the errour But I knowe that it was the deferryng that deceyued thee The meane tyme betweene the day of promyse and the day of payement you measure vaynely in your mynde whiche as other tymes doo doo seeme long but when they be once past appeere to haue been very short For away flye the houres the dayes the nyghtes weekes monethes yeeres cyrcuites of seuen yeeres ages and whatsoeuer seemeth to be farthest of is euen at hande Insomuche as that whiche you nowe beholde amazed within the compasse of a fewe monethes yf your eyes were open you shoulde cleerely discerne through many ages but you as yf you hadde the tyme at your commaundement and it were not gouerned by it owne nature imagine that your prefixed tyme wyll neuer come nor the dayes passe away and in this hope as it were with closed eyes passyng ouer the headlong downefall yee seeme vnto your selues to be pleasaunt and courteous in woordes vndertakyng for others as though these woordes and priuate promyses woulde not soone come abrode to lyght and bryng great trouble and hurly burly with them Sorowe I am become Suretie for my friende Reason Thou knowest that a mannes friendes want yf his friende haue wherewithall must be with present supply releeued But doo not thou encomber thy selfe neyther promyse any thyng agaynst to morowe which thyng I woulde not speake yf there coulde none other shyft be made then by promysing For to what purpose is it to promyse If thou canst not perfourme thou dooest foolyshly if thou canst thou dooest superfluously But you are moste couetous of the thinges and moste lauishe of your promyses as though in deede those promyses dyd not require the thynges them selues But if thou aunsweare me that at
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
not a miserable but an honest cause not of exile but of absence hatefull to the wycked and gratefull to the vertuous Pythagoras voluntarily forsooke Samos and Solon Athens and Lycurgus Lacedemon and Scipio Rome Sorowe I am condemned vnto exile Reason Many haue wonne credite by theyr banishment not fewe there are whom some sharpe storme and iniurie of fortune hath made knowne and notable and what letteth thee but that thou mayest be reckoned in the number of them who haue gayned singuler fame by sufferyng troubles euen as by knocking Flintes together fire is engendred Sorowe I am driuen into exile Reason In histories thou shalt perceiue that thou hast notable companions in this accident whose most honourable felowshyp may not only deminish the feeling of the griefe but also bring forgetfulnesse Camillus was no lesse regarded in his banishment then if he had taried at home as famous an exiled person as he was woorthie Citizen who had brought into the Capital house of Rome victories and triumphes no lesse renowmed for iustice then famous for felicitie and being shortly after driuen into banishment in reuenge of the iniurie whiche he receiued he saued his vnthankfull Countrey from destruction It is not easie I confesse to finde suche another example of so notable a banished personage howbeit Rutilius and Metellus were so smally greeued with their banishment that when Rutilius was sent for home by hym whose commaundement not to obey was present death rather choosing banishment he refused to returne eyther to the entent he would not in any respect disobey the Senates decree and the lawes of his Countrey though they were vniust or els for doubt he might haply be banished agayne But Metellus returned with the very same countenaunce wherewith he departed into exile Vnto these may Marcellus be added euen the same younger Marcellus that hapned in the tyme of the last ciuile warre who beyng dryuen out of his countrey reteined not only his auncient constancie and studie of liberall sciences but also applied them more earnestly then before and beyng free from publique cares with such feruencie pursued the beautifying of his minde onely that he seemed rather to haue been sent to the schooles of Vertue then into banishment which being much more eminent in Cicero was by the woorthynesse of his woorkes and his great learning made the more famous whereby he found no smal comfort not only in banishment but also in pryson Sorow I suffer banishment Reason A short banishment wyll soone restore thee to thy Countrey but a long banishment wil purchase thee another Countrey so that they shal be banished from thee that woulde haue banished thee from them which is now alredy accomplished yf thou haue respect to the nature of the thinges and not to the opinions of men For that is a very base minde that is so bounde to one sillie corner of the earth that whatsoeuer is out of that it thinketh it banishment whoso bewayleth his exile is farre from that loftinesse of mynde whiche was in hym vnto whom the whole worlde seemed to be a strayght prison Socrates beyng demaunded what Countreyman he was answeared I was borne in the world A ryght Socratical answere some other peraduenture in that case woulde haue answeared that he was an Athenian but Socrates Countrey was that which is lykewyse all mens to wit the worlde not only this part which you commonly cal the worlde whiche in deede is but the lowest part of the worlde but Heauen it selfe which is more truely tearmed by that name That is the Countrey whervnto you are appoynted vnto whiche if your minde doo aspire it wyll acknowledge it selfe to be a stranger and banished in whatsoeuer part of the earth it remayne For who wyl call that his Countrey where he dwelleth but for a very short tyme But that is truely to be called a mans Countrey where he may dwell continually in rest and quietnesse seeke for this vppon earth and I suppose thy seeking wil be in vaine According to the law of nature as it was geuen vnto men and the limittes thereof prescribed whilest you liue here euery lande is your Countrey wherein whoso maketh himselfe a banished man is not so sicke in effect as diseased in minde We haue not here any perpetual Citie of abode as sayth the Apostle S. Paul. Euery land is the natiue Countrey vnto a valient man sayth Ouid the Poet. To a man euery Countrey is his natural soyle sayth Statius With these speeches I would haue thee armed whereby thou mightest be alwayes one man and eyther neuer or euer be in thine owne Countrey Sorowe I am commaunded to go into banishment Reason Goe willingly then it shall be but a trauayle and no banishment and remember that banishment hath ben vnto some in steede of a departure and vnto other some in steede of a returne and there be some also that are neuer in woorse case then when they be in their owne Countrey Sorow I am enforcedly dryuen into banishment Reason In couetyng to do that which thou art enforced thou shalt seeme not to be constrayned All violence is ouercome by patience and that surceaseth to be violence whiche is suffered willingly Sorowe I must needes goe into exile Reason See thou do willingly which thou must els do nillingly and suffer al thyng meryly that thou seeme to suffer nothyng heauily so shalt thou escape the force of necessitie and al the Adamantine nayles chaines that are ascribed thervnto and the loathsomnesse and vexation thereof But you couet impossible thinges and flee from the necessarie but both in vayne Sorow I goe into banishment Reason Perhaps into rest and peraduenture vnder pretence of false miserie lurketh true felicitie at leastwise thou shalt now be safe from enuie make haste and take holdfast of glory that is entermedled with securitie There is nothyng sweeter then honest and safe lurkyng with whiche no streetes of Cities are comparable Sorowe I am dryuen out of my Countrey Reason Beyng dryuen away of the woorst insinuate thy selfe into the companie of the best sorte and make it euident by good proofes that thy Countrey was vnwoorthie of thee and not thou of thy Countrey Let it perceyue what it hath lost and knowe thou howe that thou hast lost nothyng Let the euyll Citizens want the weerisomnesse and also the hatred and suspicion of thy presence and let the good prosecute thine absence with loue and desire and with their eyes and mindes folow after thy departure Let them be sorie for that thou hast forsaken them and be thou gladde for that thou art departed with companie and thinke not vpon thy returne neither desire to be with them that desire to be without thee and finally be not sorie that another hath done that vnto thee whiche thou oughtest to haue done thy selfe thou oughtest to haue geuen place to the enuie of the people and therefore to auoyde the same thou willingly wentest into exile Of this deuice I was the
a familer is a doubtful woorde For there is a familiar freende and a familiar enimie then whom a greater mischiefe is not among men Sorowe They haue betrayed me whom I trusted most Reason Seldome is he deceyued that neuer trusted The greater of power a man is the lesse trust shall he fynde and the more treacherie The myghtie man must trust moste and manie Whereby it falleth out that as it is a common thyng to all men so especially to Kynges to be betrayed and none so soone as they Priamus was betrayed by his owne subiectes so was Minos Nysus Oethes Agamemnon Alexander and before hym Darius all these were betrayed I say by suche as they put most affiance in Among the Romans Romulus Tarquinius Priscus Seruius Tullus African the lesser and Pompey the great and Iulius Caesar and a thousande moe eyther kinges or in dignitie hygher then kynges were betrayed in lyke maner And what doo I speake of suche as haue been betrayed as though nowe there were none suche to be founde Who is there whiche both in great and lyttle matters is not dayly betrayed yf he haue any dealynges with men Last of all Christe was betrayed and the Kyng of Heauen was not without the miserie of earthly kynges Sorowe Those whom I trusted haue betrayed me I am touched neerer with their treacherie then with mine owne discommodities Reason That is wel sayde and godly For so African also whom very latelie I mentiond as Cicero doth report sayth That not so muche the feare of death as the flatterie of his freendes dyd trouble hym And yet with neyther shouldest thou be too extreamely touched For inasmuche as it falleth out that the betrayer getteth gayne with the losse of credite and he that is betrayed damage with a good name choose whether thou wouldest haue of these twayne Sorow The traytor hath deceyued me Reason The greater hurt is not thyne but his He hath betrayed thee but hath cast away hym selfe he hath pricked thee but hath wounded hymselfe in spoylyng thee he hath slayne hym selfe For perchaunce from thee he hath plucked eyther thy kyngdome or thy wealth but from hym selfe hath he plucked his soule his fame the quietnesse of conscience and companie of al good men The Sunne shyneth not vpon a more wicked thyng then is a Traytor whose fylthynesse is suche that they whiche neede his crafte abhorre the craftesman and others whiche woulde be notorious in other sinnes shunne the shame of this impietie Sorowe I am betrayed Reason Happilie it wyl cause thee to beware against another tyme For so it falleth out Many admonished sometimes by lyght matters learne howe to deale more wyselie in greater affayres Of the losse of a Tyrannie The Lxxxj. Dialogue SOROWE I Haue lost my Tyrannie Reason If it be a gayning losse to haue lost a kyngdome how muche more profitable to haue lost a tyrannie For albeit as we sayde before speakyng of a king without a sonne all kyngdomes well nygh were gouerned by Tyrantes yet through continuance of tyme they haue gotten through and forgetfulnesse of men haue put on the bayle of iustice so that the vnryghteousnesse of a tyrannie and Tyrantes are odious nowe a dayes Sorowe I haue layde away my tyrannie Reason A burden to the Common weale greeuous to thy selfe dangerous to no good man profitable hurtfull to many odious vnto all men hast thou layde away Sorowe I haue put of a tyrannie Reason Be not naked put on ryghteousnesse modestie thryftinesse honestie godlynesse mercie and loue whiche are most goodlye ornamentes and may be atrayned without anye money onely with a wyllyng mynde garmentes they are for good men eyther vnknowen or abhorred of vngratious Tyrauntes who beyng bedecked with Pearles and Purple are altogeather naked in respecte of humanitie and vertue Sorowe My Citizens haue dryuen me out of my tyrannie Reason They haue taken vnto them theyr lybertie whiche was due vnto them and haue geuen thee thy lyfe whiche thou oughtest to haue loste for vsurpyng the same Thou owest thy lyfe vnto them who owe nought vnto thee but malice And thus vnkindly thou complaynest when reason woulde thou shouldest geue thankes But this is an olde wonte that he complayneth whiche hath doone the miurie and he whiche sustayned the same doth holde his peace Sorowe I am berefte of the tyrannie which along whyle I haue enioyed Reason They were thy subiectes whiche myght peraduenture better haue been thy gouernours Thou countest it an iniurie to haue thy long tyrannie to be cutte of when in very deede the ende of thy tyrannie is the begynnyng of theyr prosperitie and the entraunce of iustice the expulsion of iniurie And yf it were shamefull that many shoulde peryshe for the pleasure of one it shoulde be ioyfull to consyder but extreame impudencie to complayne that suche miserie is come to an ende Sorowe I am throwen downe from the tyrannie whiche I haue possessed this many yeeres Reason If thou haddest voluntarily come downe it had been better but yf thou haddest neuer assended thereunto it had been best of all Notwithstanding by any meanes to come downe it is good because it is expedient and iust and better is a forced equitie then a voluntarie crueltie Harken I pray thee how an vngodly Tyrant beyng in Hell exclaymeth vnto the tormented soules Learne to doo iustice when ye are warned Harken also vnto me alyue exhortyng the lyuing Learne to doo iustice though with compulsion Let not this my most necessarie and profitable admonition vttered in due tyme be contemned the other was out of tyme and made too late For in vayne is it to learne that whiche cannot be put in practise Asswage now your swellyng mindes and put away your proude and cruel desyres to raigne though not before yet now at the length after that you haue lost your aucthoritie ceasse to be Tyrantes and wyshe not that which ye cannot attaine Shew foorth thus much shame yf you cannot iustice that hauing changed your manners and put on a newe habite of the minde and made rycher through the losse of ryches the worlde may see that as muche as ye haue forgonne of goodes so muche ye haue gotten goodnesse Haue ye neuer hearde howe that not onely the Kyng of Kynges and Lorde of Lordes GOD Almightie from whence is all power both in Heauen and Earth dooth at his good pleasure both extende and restrayne his lyberall hande for causes iust alwayes though secrete sometyme but one earthly Kyng contrariwyse doth put downe another and one Tyrant oppresse another and one nation destroy another And neuer came this saying of the Prophets complaynyng vnto your eares He shall geather the captiuitie togeather lyke Sande and shall triumphe ouer the Kinges and laugh Tyrants out of countenaunce Frame your mindes to Fortune or accordyng to the diuine pleasure of Almightie GOD rather and take heede of that ridiculous and fylthy example of Dionisius of al Tyrants the most detestable of whom it is reported that beyng banyshed
quietnesse and dye in peace neyther imbrewed with blood nor drenched in poyson Of Castles lost The Lxxxij Dialogue SOROWE MY strong Castles are taken from me Reason Tyl now some seede of tyrannie remayned which is vtterly gon thy Castles beyng lost It is not enough to cutte of a poysoned bough vnlesse it be plucked vp by the roote He that trusteth to his Towers reasseth not to be a Tyraunt Sorowe My Castle on the Hyll is taken from me Reason In all places Castles are the fetters of freedome but on Hylles they are after a sort as Cloudes out of whiche your pryde may rattle and thunder downe vpon your Subiectes therefore to be spoyled of these is no lamentable thyng but rather to be wyshed For among those thynges whiche the common people call goodes some thynges there are wherewith good and modest mindes also woulde be detayned and prycked vnto vnlawfulnesse Whiche motions yf thou canst not withstande with the assistaunce of vertue it were better to be without the causes of euyls then by hauing suche thynges to be allured vnto wickednesse Sorowe I haue lost a most strong castle Reason Thou callest it most strong but the euent proueth it to be but weake But to speake as it is in deede thou hast lost a thyng for vse vayne for keeping troublesome vnprofitable for thy selfe and to al thy neyghbours hurtful Nowe shalt thou begyn both to sleepe quietly thy selfe and to suffer others to take their rest by thee Sorow My safe Toure is ouerthrowen Reason Howe that coulde be safe whiche is destroyed thynke with your selfe But I wyl shewe thee a wel fenced and most safe Castle and yet it hath neyther wal nor turret nor troublesome prouision of thynges wouldest thou lyue safely Then lyue verteously for nothyng is more safe then vertue And to lyue wel I count not to lyue proudely daintyly galantly but iustly soberly and modestly Thou hast neede neyther Castle nor Towre whiche make thee not secure and quiet but careful terrible and troublesome And what pleasure is it to be feared and not to be loued Neuer heardest thou of that saying of Laberius common in euery mans mouth Needes must be feare many of whom many stande in feare This did he vtter agaynst Iulius Caesar but more ryghtly may it be spoken agaynst others both inferiour to hym for power and more horrible for their crueltie I see nothyng why so many shoulde desire to be feared For gratis no man is feared For both he standes in feare hymselfe and more dangerous is it for one to feare many then for many to be afraid of one It it not better that none do feare thee and thou no bodie then for many to feare thee and thou many For these thynges cannot be seuered and alwayes by feare is engendred feare Wouldest thou haue a reason hereof Ouid the Poet geueth it thee Whom a man doth feare sayth he he woulde haue come to destruction and Ennius before his tyme sayde Whom men doo feare they hate whom any doth hate he wysheth to be destroyed Many feared thee in thy Castle and so dyddest thou feare many But thou wylt say whom dyd I feare But who is he that feareth not al men when he begynneth to be feared especially them whiche feare hym For Cicero folowyng Ennius Doth saye They which wil be feared of them whom they should feare must needes be in great feare I many tymes repeate one thing for so doth the matter requyre I should neyther do ye marke being blynde in this as in other thynges that whyle ye contende to be aboue al ye are vnder al. What is more vile then feare So al your endeuour endeth on the contrarie part Sorow I haue lost my Castle whiche I loued so wel Reason Loue another whiche thou shalt not leese Wal thy minde about with good intentions thy lyte with good actions Place prudence and fortitude before thy gates iustice and modestie in the turrets humanitie and clemencie about vpon the walles set faith hope and charitie in the middes of the castle let prouidence be planted on the top of the hiest towre a good name in the circuite of God and men embrace loue banyshe feare reuerence the woorthy ouerpasse the rest without eyther honoring or abhorring them so neyther shalt thou feare any nor any feare thee and more safely shalt thou lyue in the house of humilitie then in the towre of glory This Castle wyl none inuade this wyl none neyther can they bereaue thee of by this shalt thou drawe the wicked to admiration the good to loue and to imitation O howe easie a matter were it to leade a quiet and good lyfe yf ye woulde not disquiet and make the same troublesome both to the destruction of your selues and others For al that ye do is to the ouerthrowe of your selues and your neighbours And tell me to what ende serue these your Castles but to the disquietyng of your selues and others that neyther you at any tyme can be quiet but that also lyke spiders that lay wayte for flyes ye may insulte ouer them whiche passe by you All other creatures content them selues with their caues and nestes man alone then whom nothing is more proude nor feareful seeketh Castles and buyldeth bulwarkes Of olde age The .lxxxiii. Dialogue SOROWE I Am waxen olde Reason Thou desirest to lyue and yet art sorie that thou hast lyued is not this the matter Sorowe I am olde Reason Thou wentest euery day forward and art thou amazed that thou art nowe come to thy wayes ende It had been more strange yf thou haddest neuer come to the place whyther thou wast alwayes goyng Sorow I am olde Reason Howe can it be otherwyfe but that by lyuing thou must waxe olde and by going forward thou must goe on a good way Diddest thou thinke that thyne age woulde goe backewarde Tyme as it is swyft and tarreth not so is it also irreuocable Sorow I am become an olde man very soone Reason I tolde thee that tyme passeth a way and nowe thou begynnest to beleeue it It is strange to heare not onely what difference there is betweene the opinions of diuers men but also of one man onely The young man when he thinketh vpon his age to come iudgeth it very long whiche the olde man when he looketh backe into it thinketh to haue been very short Thynges to come seeme alwayes longer then the present beyng eyther in deede as short or shorter whiche the nearer they drawe to an ende the more vehement alwayes natural motion groweth to be Sorowe I am olde Reason Thou mayest reioyce yf thou art not waxen olde among vices or yf thou art amended nowe at the last for then thine olde age is good and profitable and no small argument of Gods fauour towardes thee Thou remembrest the communication whiche Caesar had with the olde Egyptian and prooueth by his olde age that he had not lyued vnthankeful to the goddes Sorowe I am become an old man. Reason A
far from the vttermost confines of Spaine vnto the cytie of Rome Lastly hast thou not heard howe that the holy fathers were resorted vnto as farre as the innermost and feareful dennes of the wyldernesse by the Romane Emperours I speake nothyng of Solomon but rather demaund what visitations any famous man euer wanted Freendes and acquaintance are delighted with mutuall communication and talke togeather and strangers are recreated only with the sight and beholdyng one another For the presence of noble and renowmed men is a pleasant and delectable thyng the whiche none tasteth but he that enioyeth it this do not thou call payneful but I graunt it to be difficult marie therewithal to be also glorious Sorow I am worne and consumed away with renowme Reason If thou wylt cast away this fame vertue also is forsaken from whose roote it spryngeth But yt thou wylt not do so then is it needfull that thou beare this burthen with a patient mind vnto the which many could neuer aspire with al their study cost and charges al their life long And thou peraduenture hast attayued thervnto Suffer therfore thy selfe to be seene of those that would not desire to see thee vnlesse they did loue thee thy good name Sorowe Many bring me into renowme euery where euen vnto my greefe and loathsomnes Reason What then haddest thou rather to be despised and counted an abiect Sorow Innumerable men do honour me euen vnto my great payne and greefe Reason Acknowledge then the gyft of God he doth honour thee to the ende he might both prouoke thee to honour hym and also that it myght repent thee that at any tyme thou dishonouredst hym For al honour and euery good thyng what soeuer is done of man to man is of God. Sorow Immoderate honour and continual visitation is a very troublesome thyng Reason I graunt this also but loue and reuerence whiche are the rootes of this trouble are very sweete and pleasant yf thou wylt apply the tast of thy minde vnto these they wyl beginne to sauour wel whiche nowe do thus disquiete thee Temper therefore the bitter with the sweete and not in this only but in al thynges whatsoeuer this present lyfe bryngeth wherein thou shalt not easily fynde honye wherewith gal is not myngled and more often the bitter exceedeth the sweete in quantitie Sorowe I am weeried with to muche renowme Reason That truely often tymes hapneth whereof we haue also knowen that woorthy and diuine Vespasian triumphing to haue complayned when as he was greeued with the solemnitie of the glorious shewes blaming hym selfe whiche had so baynely desired a triumph in his olde age whiche was neyther due to hym nor of his auncetours hoped for And although renowme it selfe be not to be wyshed for of it owne nature yet it is to be borne withal and loued the causes whereof are vertue and industry neyther are those to be forsaken at any tyme to the ende thou mayest want this for honest labour is a thyng muche more glorious then sluggysh rest and quietnesse Sorow I am muche offended with those that salute me by the way Reason Thou hast the Philisopher Crispus a partaker also of this greefe Nay rather whom canst thou finde at al besides those that take pleasure and delight in the common blastes and flatteries of the people as the Poet Maro speaketh Yet that noble man hath complayned hereof I beleue for that he sawe how the common and sudden salutation of the peopâ—â— did trouble his mynde beyng alwayes most earnestly geuen to studie for suche a one he is reported to haue been and as he hym selfe saith was therwith welnigh brought to his death But there is nothing whereof thou shouldest now complayne that whiche thou diddest wysh for hath hapned vnto thee that is that thou mightest be knowen vnto the common people otherwyse thou shouldest not lye so open to the meetinges of those that salute thee Thou mightest haue hydden thy selfe thou mightest haue taken thy rest thou mightest haue reioyced and delighted thy selfe in thyne owne bosome as they say the which some do define to be the best kinde of lyfe But you would faine be knowen famous in great cities and therwithal be both idel free quiet which is nothyng els then to wiâ—h that ye might remayne vnmooueable in a ship in the greate tempest waues of the sea Lastly it is the part of a proud arrogant person not to be able to suffer paciently the speech of his freendes that reuerence obey him seeing that the reproches of your enimies are to be suffered paciently Of sorowe conceyued for the euyl maners of men The .lxxxix. Dialogue SOROWE I Am sorie for the euâ—l maners and conditions of men Reason If tâ—â—u be moued with loue towâ—rdes them I prayse thee but yf with anger and indignation I prayse thee not For what apparteyneth it vnto thee what other men manners are so that thou thy selfe be good Doest thou nowe first of all perceyue the conditions of the common people Or els doest thou thinke that thy lyfe hath prouided to lytle businesse for thee vnlâ—sse thou haue a care ouer the lyues of other men and so thou take that in hande whiche neyther art nor nature hath been able at any tyme to bryng to passe wherein thou mayest hope for nothyng but paynes and greefes Yet these haue been the studies cares of certaine philosophers of whom one going foorth into the common assemblyes dyd alwayes weepe and the other on the contrarie part euermore laughed at mens manners and neyther of them without a cause howbeit that whiche the one dyd tasted of compassion and godlynesse and that whiche the other dyd of pryde and insolencie Sorow Who can abyde these vnruly and deceitfull dispositions and qualities of men Reason I had rather that thou shouldest be dishonested by force thou wouldest then abyde them if it were necessary Thou that canst not suffer others to be deformed and out of order yet suffer them to be apparelled as it pleaseth them and be thou apparelled as it liketh thee best and so thou shalt well reuenge thy selfe For honest qualâ—tyes do no lesse offend wanton eyes then vnhonest behauiour the sober and modest beholders Let them therefore ioyne pleasure with their affayres but mingle thou honestie with thy matters The lyght is no where more acceptable then in darkenesse and vertue in no place bryghter then amongst vices Why therefore doest thou complayne seeing other mens filthinesse shal increase thy coomlinesse Sorowe Who can endure paciently these diseases of mans minde and cheefely these that are enuious Reason Leaue the enuious men to them selues thou needest require none other formentor for them for they sufficiently afflict them selues both with theyr owne aduersitie and are consumed away with others prosperitie Men ought not therefore to pittie those that faynt and languyshe of theyr owne free wyll seeyng the diseases of the mynde are not so infectious as those of the bodye for
wherein yf there be lesse credite to be geuen to poetical report yet remember that whiche is more assured and fresher in memorie whiche beyng done in thy tyme thou myghtest haue seene it with thyne owne eyes to wyt howe Iohn kyng of Boheme beyng sonne vnto one kyng of the Romanes and father to another who raigned immediatly one after the other had alwaies weake eyes and at the latter ende of his age fell blynde Now since the warre which was betweene the King of France whose part he toke and the King of England are more then 42. yeeres when as being in that most sharpe conflicte in which both the Princes were in person and vnderstanding that the woorse beganne to fall on the side whereof he was he called vnto his captayne with a loud voyce sayeng Direct me quickly towards that part of the armie where the kyng of our enimies standeth and the greatest force of his whole armie Whiche when they sorowfully and fearefully had done settyng spurres to his horse he pricked thyther with al his force whyther as they that had eyes durst not folowe hym that was blynde not scarse with their sight Whereas encounteryng the most valiant front of his enimies fighting not onely valiantly but also terribly he was there flayne they that ouercame hym both wondryng at his valure and commendyng his manhood I tell you of a thyng knowen vnto all men and which except it be wrytten is lyke to peryshe through obliuion And I pray you what dyd it hinder the glory and renowme of this valiant gentelman that he lacked his sight but that whom vertue and nature had made woonderfull blyndnesse shoulde make men to be amased at hym Sorowe I am blynde Reason I wyl beginne to iest vnlesse thou leaue complayning for what els coulde blyndnesse bryng vnto thee yf so be thy strength remayne then that whiche Asclepiades beyng blynde sayth of hym selfe to wyt that thou walke with one boye waytyng on thee more then thou wast woont Of the losse of hearyng The XCvij Dialogue SOROWE I Haue lost my hearyng Reason Beholde thou hast one passage for tediousnesse stopped Many thynges that are tedious are drawen in at the eyes and many at the eares and many lothsome thynges pearce into the minde by both wayes for the auoydyng whereof blindnesse and deafenesse are to be desired a lyke Notwithstanding these haue their discommodities as almost al other mortal thynges neither doo I denie but that there is some painefulnesse in them but more daintie then pacience and not comparable to vertue Where what the proportion is betweene these discommodities it is no easie maâ—ter to gâ—eâ—sse sauing that the fyrst is more dangerous and this other more ridiculus For they that are thicke listed seeme inâ—â— maner to be out of their wittes but they that are blinde are reputed more miserable and therefore we saugh at the deafe and pittie the blinde but a wyse man contemneth both and weigheth not what other thinke but what the thing is in deede Sorowe I haue lost my hearyng Reason Then hast thou escaped flatterers whysperyng and slaunderers gyrdes a farre differyng but a lyke euyll sauyng that it is somewhat more manlye to geue care vnto foule speache then vnto flatterie For in the one so metyme is a mediume in the other is alwayes poyson Wherefore the fyrst cureth often by bytyng but this enfecteth alwayes by tyckelyng and truely woorse is faigned loue then open hatred Sorowe I haue lost my hearyng Reason Now that Arte whiche is reported to haue auayled Vlisses eyther nature or some chaunce hath geuen vnto thee in that thou hast safely passed the singyng of the Sirenes with deafe eares whereby thou oughtest to accompt thy selfe happie For howe many daungers that wayes myght haue passed into thy minde Howe many errours and finally howe many troubles myght haue entred into thy head Sorowe I haue lost my hearyng Reason I beleeue thou shalt not heare the Nyghtingale neyther the harpe nor any other kynde of instrument Nay that more is thou shalt not heare the braying of Asses the gruntyng of Swine the howlyng of Wolfes the barkyng of Dogges the rooryng of Beares the ragyng of Lions the crying of Chyldren the chyding of olde Wyues and last of all that whiche is woorse then all these the immoderate loude laughing of Fooles and their vnmeasurable weepinges and outcries and the sound of their most confused voyces then the which there can not possibly a more vnpleasant noyse be heard Sorow I lacke my hearyng Reason Thou art deliuered from manifolde deceytes Men are deceyued by nothing more often then by woordes and a deafe man is out of al daunger thereof Sorow My eares are waxen dull Reason That part of the bodye is a dangerous part and especially to Princes who thereby beyng puffed vp with the vayne blastes of flatterers doo burst manie tymes therewith to their vtter destruction to the no small laughter of the whole people Sorowe My hearyng is dull Reason If thou be restrayned from talkyng with other then talke with thy selfe being mindfull of the saying of Tully He that can talke with him selfe hath no neede of communication with an other Although a dumbe man also may talke with other to witte by readyng and writyng For he that readeth talketh with his auncetours and he that wryteth speaketh to his posteritie Moreouer he that readeth the bookes of heauenly Philosophie heareth GOD speake vnto hym and he that prayeth speaketh vnto god In both these kindes of communication there is no neede eyther of tongue or eares but onely of eyes and fingers and a deuout minde Herein therefore as in many other thinges els let vs embrace the counsell of our countrey man Cicero to the entent that as the blinde may comfort himselfe with the vse of his eares so may the deafe with the helpe of his eyes Thou therfore yf thou canst not heare men speake reade the bookes which men haue written and wryte thou bookes whiche other men may reade beholde moreouer the heauen the earth and seas and lyue in silence in contemplation of the creator of them all Herevnto this thy deafenesse wyll not hynder thee but perhappes auayle thee much Sorow My hearing fayleth me Reason By what tunes of numbers Diapente or Diapason consisteth or by what other proportions they are handled by the Musitians a deafe man may vnderstande well enough And although he haue not with his eares the tune of mans voyce or the melodie of the Vialles or Organnes but vnderstande well in his minde the reason of them doubtlesse he wyll preferre the delyght of his minde before the pleasure of his eares Imagine that he doo not knowe these musicall proportions and that a deafe man be vnskylfull in Musicke yet yf he knowe the proportions of Vertue and exercise hym selfe in them it is well herein his deafenesse wyll not hurt hym For it is muche better to be good then to be learned and yf a man be aboundantly learned and wyse he is