Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	answer_v	know_v	word_n	2,215	5	4.1186	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09530	Phisicke against fortune, aswell prosperous, as aduerse conteyned in two bookes. Whereby men are instructed, with lyke indifferencie to remedie theyr affections, aswell in tyme of the bryght shynyng sunne of prosperitie, as also of the foule lowryng stormes of aduersitie. Expedient for all men, but most necessary for such as be subiect to any notable insult of eyther extremitie. Written in Latine by Frauncis Petrarch, a most famous poet, and oratour. And now first Englished by Thomas Twyne.; De remediis utriusque fortunae. English	Petrarca, Francesco, 1304-1374.; Twyne, Thomas, 1543-1613.	1579 (1579)	STC 19809; ESTC S114602	539,184	716

wyshe and much more destitute of men then I woulde it were And therefore seeing there is nothing els to be expected at the handes of them that are nowe present but meare toyes and trifles yet yf there be any thyng alleaged by them whiche eyther they haue founde out them selues or borowed of the auncient wryters that may aswage thy greefe do not reiect it nor say as do the vnlearned this thou haddest out of the Philosophers For then wyl I answere thee with Cicero I thought thou wouldest haue sayde of whores and bawdes And to say the trueth where shoulde a man fishe or hunt but where fishes and wylde beastes are in the waters and wooddes Where is golde to be digged or precious stones to be gathered but where they growe For they are to be founde in the veines of the earth and vpon the shoares of the sea Where are marchandizes to be had but of merchantes Where pictures and images but of paynters and keruers And last of al where wylt thou expect Philosophical sawes but at the Philosophers handes Whiche although they lye hyd vp by them in their treasuries and were first founde out by them neuerthelesse the same are set open and expounded by other and that paraduenture more playnely or more pithily or more breefely or lastly disposed in some other order and methode promising lyke hope vnto al that heare them but bringing successe vnto fewe For such is the force of order and good ioyning as Horace very wel declareth in his Poeticalles that one matter being diuersly told representeth a greater grace vnto the mind of the hearer yea though it be a common thing that is told such noueltie may be added vnto that which is old and such light vnto that whiche is euident and suche beawtie vnto that whiche is fayre whiche I haue not nowe vttered as lackyng some other place more conuenient therevnto but because thou ministredst occasion at this present For I woulde not haue thee doo as it is the maner of blinde and ignorant pryde to disdayne vulgare and vsuall thynges whiche thou hast heard once and neuer vnderstoode Feare I yeelde vnto thee for I see that thou art very redie in these admonitions although far from effect to me wardes for I feare death yet neuerthelatter Reason There be certayne thynges in name and opinion of men greater then in effect certayne afarre of haue seemed terrible whiche at hande haue been ridiculous It were no wysedome to beleeue the vnexpert there is not one of these defamers of death that can speake any thyng to the purpose for being vnexpert he can learne nothing at all neyther can he be instructed in any matter by one that is vnexpert also Aske a question of a dead man he wyl answere nothyng and yet it is he that knoweth the trueth They wyl babble most that knowe death least and prophecie most vaynely of it wherein they haue least skyll Whereby it commeth to passe that by some death is made the most manifest thyng and of othersome the most hydden secret and this coniecturall case is diuersly tossed in suspition But in doubtfull matters it is good to cleaue to the best opinion and to holde that whiche shall make the minde rather merrie then dumpyshe Feare My soule feareth death Reason If in respect of it selfe that feare is vayne for that the soule is immortall But yf in respect of the bodye it is a thanklesse pittie to be careful of it enimie But if it feare to be dissolued it is to much in loue with it owne prison and bondes whiche were but a verie foolyshe affection Feare I am troubled with the feare of death Reason All fooles are afearde to dye and noe marueyle for all their felicitie is in theyr bodye whiche doubtlesse is by death extinguished And therefore not without cause good men are sorie to heare of theyr ende and heauie to beholde it For this is the nature of man that he can not lyue without desyre not to be vnhappie It becommeth a learned man who maketh no other accompt of his bodye then of a vyle Drudge and fylthie Carkasse whose dilligence and loue and hope and studie is wholy reposed vpon his minde to esteeme of the death of this bodye none otherwise then as of his departure in the morning out of some vnpleasant and noysome lodging Feare I can not choose but feare death Reason Thou mayest refuse to feare the departure out of this lyfe yf thou canst hope or wyshe for the entrance into an other For hereof it is that the same feare ryseth And although there be commonly diuers causes alleaged of the feare of this departure neuerthelesse they vanishe away when the hope of that other life is laide before the eyes Feare I dread death Reason The dread thereof is specially engendred by the lacke of meditating thereon and the sudden necessitie of dying whiche in a learned and wyse man is most shameful but specially in an olde man whose whole course and order of lyfe yf he be learned and wyse indeede ought to be a continuall meditation of death Whiche if it seemed so vnto the auntient Philosophie what may it nowe appeare vnto your new deuotion which is the hygh Philosophie and the true wisedome Consider the maner of them that are commaunded vpon a sudden to goe some far iourney how sadde and careful they are to make vp their carriage and how they complaine at their departure and in a maner repine that they had no longer warning before so that as soone as their backes are turned they thinke vpon necessaries which they haue forgotten and are discontented therewith Now there is no way longer then to dye none harder as they say none more noysome for Theeues none more obscure none more suspicious nor more vncertaine which though it wanted al these yet is it vnreturneable By meanes whereof ye ought to be the more diligent least haply ye forgette any thing for that when ye are once departed from hence ye can no longer doo as they that occupie other trades or vndertake whatsoeuer other iourney that is to say commit suche thynges by their letters or messengers vnto their freendes to see vnto as they them selues haue left forgotten For ye are not able to sende any message backe nor to stay in the place where ye were nor to returne agayne Ye must needes goe hence it is not possible for you to returne ye must needes goe thyther Souldiers from whence it is not needefull that ye come backe agayne Thus in Seneca sayde the Romane Captayne to his men and thus also sayth your Captayne to you And therefore seeyng ye must needes depart and come no more and that the necessitie of your iourney is very certayne but the houre of death vncertayne this is your onely remedie to be alwayes readie in mind to answere when ye are called and to obey when ye are commaunded and when all thinges are disposed in good order at your Captaines fyrst

writing without choise or discretion and they that destroy all haue assured rewardes And this is not so much the fault of the writers which accordyng to the common custome of men do seeke after gayne as of studentes and those that are put in trust with publique gouerment who neuer had any care of such matter hauing forgotten what Constantinus gaue in charge to Eusebius of Palestine to wit that none should write bookes but such as were of skill and wel seene in the studie of antiquitie and very expert in the Art wherin they wryte Ioy. I haue good store of bookes Reason What yf thy mynde be not capable Dooest thou remember Sabinus in Seneca howe he vaunteth in the skyll of his seruantes What difference is there betweene thee and hym but that thou art the more foole and both of you bragge of that whiche is anothers he of his seruantes which in deede were his owne and thou of the learnyng of thy bookes whiche apparteyneth nothyng vnto thee There be some that wyl seeme to knowe what so euer is wrytten in theyr bookes at home and when there is mention made of any matter of learnyng that booke sayth he is in my studie supposyng that that were as muche to say as it is here also in my breast and so with a proude looke they say no more A ridiculus kynde of people Ioy. I haue abundaunce of bookes Reason Howe much rather had I that thou dyddest abounde in wyt and eloquence and learnyng and specially in innocencie and vertue Howbeit these thynges are not to be solde for money as bookes are and yf they were I knowe not whether they shoulde fynde so many buyers as those bookes doo Those furnysh the walles these the mynd whiche forasmuche as they are not seene with the eyes men regard them not But truely yf store of bookes made men learned or good then they that are the rychest men myght be the best and learnedst men the contrary wherof we see commonly Ioy. I haue bookes whiche are meanes and helpes to learnyng Reason Take heede that they be not rather impedimentes For as great multitudes of souldyers haue been vnto some an hynderaunce of wynnyng so plentie of bookes haue ben a let vnto some of learnyng and of store as it chaunceth commeth scarcitie but yf it be so that a man haue them they are not to be cast away but layde asyde and the best are to be vsed and diligent heede to be taken least perhaps they whiche woulde profyte in tyme may hynder out of season Ioy. I haue many and sundry bookes Reason The diuersitie of wayes many tymes deceyueth the trauayler and he that want assuredly in one path was in doubt when he came to a crosse way and the incertentie of three or foure wayes meetyng togeather is farre more great and so it happeneth often tymes that he that hath read one booke with effect hath opened and turned ouer many without profyte There be many thynges burdensome to them that learne but to the learned few woordes do suffice to much is hurtful vnto both but with strong shoulders it is to be borne vp Ioy. I haue gotten togeather a great many of excellent bookes Reason There is no man that I can nowe cal to remembraunce that was famous for his multitude of bookes besides the Kyng of Egypt of whom I spake before which honourable name he wan not so much by the number of his bookes as by his worthie transtation of certayne of them Doubtlesse a marueylous woorke of so many wittes vnlesse the wyt of one that came afterwarde had been a greater wonder but yf thou seeke glory by bookes thou must take another course for thou must not haue them only but know them neyther are they to be committed to the Library but to memorie and not to be shut vp in the ful studie otherwise no man shal be more glorious then the publique librarie or his owne studie Ioy. I haue many notable bookes Reason Thou hast many tyed in chaines who if they could breake away and speake they woulde bring thee to the iudgment of a priuate prison then wyl they priuily weepe and that for sundry thynges but specially for this one thyng for that one couetous person many tymes hath plentie of those which many that are studious do want Of the fame of writers The .xliiii. Dialogue IOY YEA what say you vnto it that I write bookes my selfe Reason A publique disease contagious and incurable Euery man taketh vpon hym the office of writing which belongeth but to fewe and one that is sicke of this disease infecteth many It is an easie matter to enuie and harde to imitate so that the number of the sicke encreaseth dayly and the strength also of the sycknesse waxeth more myghtie euery day moe doo wryte euery day woorse by reason that it is an easyer matter to folow then to ouertake Very proper and approued and founde true by experience is the saying of the wyse man of the Hebrues There is no ende of wrytyng bookes Ioy. I doo write Reason I woulde wyshe that men coulde keepe them selues within their boundes and that an order amongst all thynges were obserued whiche by the rashnesse of men is confounded They should write that haue skyll and are able and other reade and heare But nowe is it no small pleasure to the minde to vnderstande vnlesse the proud hand make haste also to pen and paper and whosoeuer doth vnderstand or thynke that he vnderstandeth some smal peece of a booke thinketh he hym selfe meete by and by to write bookes I woulde that this one saying of our countrey man Cicero in the very beginning of his Tusculane questions were engrauen in your memories so that it myght be knowen vnto all that are in high degree and place of lyght and knowledge It may be sayth he that a man may meane well but yet is not able eloquently to vtter that whiche be meaneth It foloweth also But for a man to commit his meanyng and thought to writing that is not able well to dispose and set it foorth in comly order neyther by any meanes to delyght the Reader is the part of one rashly abusing both his leasure and learning These woordes of Cicero are most true but this abuse is nowe growen so common that euery man taketh that to be sayde to hymselfe whiche sometyme was to that most holy banished man who wrote suche matter as he had learned out of the verie fountayne of trueth and not out of the dryed puddles sayde and oftentimes repeated this woorde Write Whiche commaundement al contemners of al preceptes doo obey for all doo write And yf as I haue sayd there be so great danger in those that write other mens bookes what shall we thynke of them that write their owne and them that be newe Whereby they bring into the worlde doubtful and damnable artes and opinions or that which is the least mischiefe that they commit they weerie men with theyr rude

this saying of Seneca is well knowen Eloquence sayth he is a great and manifolde matter and was neuer so fauourable to any that it hapned wholly vnto hym he is happie enough that hath atteined to some one part therof This by what men and what maner witnesses he prooueth it to be true thou hast hearde whiche beyng so let these numbers of professours whiche are almost matche to the common multitude both in rudenesse and multitude consyder with them selues what they doo and whereabout they goe whiche are not contented with one part nor with one Art but without discretion inuade them all O woonderfull confidence and presumption but it is now common Ioy. What wyll you nowe say concernyng the professions of Phisicke and Lawe Reason Let thy patientes and clientes make aunsweare to this What dyd euer these titles auayle them to the health of their body or gaining of their causes Perhappes they haue procured thy profite for this cause ye hunt after artes and the titles of artes to the intent that what is wanting in learnyng may be supplied in degrees and apparell and that the saying of the Satyrical Poet may beverified The Scarlet and the Iewelles beset with Amethistes doo sell the Lawyer Which thyng woulde appeare to be true yea yf the auncient Rethoricians returned agayne into the worlde for no man woulde geue vnto Cicero two hundred crownes vnlesse he woare on his fynger a great ryng of golde To be short let this he vnto thee the summe of all that hath been spoken of to wyt that there be some men of rare disposition whose studies are sound and honest the endes whereof are trueth and vertue This is the knowledge of thynges and the amendment of manners and either the ornament of this mortall lyfe or the entrance to the eternall As for the rablement of the residue whereof the number is great some of them hunt after glorie some a glittering but a vaine rewarde but to the greater sort the onely respect of money is their ende which is not onely a smal reward but also a filthy and not woorthie the trauaile nor match to the toyle of a gentle minde in al these respectes as I haue sayde the title and apparel is not to be contemned for it is effectuall vnto that whereunto it is appoynted for why the mindes and iudgementes almost of al mortal men specially of the common multitude whiche are destitute of this meane are deluded with shadowes Most matters are gouerned by opinion But for them that are geuen to vertue to glory in titles is not only strange and dissonant but also as Iiudge impossible Ioy. I professe many thynges Reason It were better to doo one good deede then to promyse many And men were in good case yf so be they were suche as they professe them selues to be Of the Tytles of businesse and affayres The .xlvii. Dialogue IOY I AM the Kynges Procurer Reason Then art thou the peoples enimie Ioy. I am the Procurer of the Exchequer Reason Then art thou the common wealthes enimie Ioy. I folow the Kyngs busynesse Reason It is painful for a man to folowe his owne busynesse What is it then thynkest thou for hym to folow another mans specially theyrs that are of myght whom to please is perpetual seruitude to displease danger heauy lookes and punyshment redy for a small offence Ioy. I folow the kyngs busynesse Reason Thou hast an accompt to yeelde to an hard iudge which thou shalt scarce be able to make euen with the spoyle of al thy goodes with hate of thy selfe and greeuous offence Ioy. I solicite the kynges busines Reason Take heede least while thy solliciting is difficult thyne accompt be yet harder and so inextricable that as we haue seene it chaunce in many it entrap thy patrimonie fame and lyfe Ioy. I am the kynges Procurer Reason Thou must needes displease many and last of all thine owne Lord and Maister and whiche is most dangerous GOD hym selfe and for the kynges small commoditie the great discommodities of the Realme and exceedyng damages of the people must be dissembled or procured Ioy. I am made the Kynges Procurer Reason So soone as euer this odious office began to touche the thresholde of thyne house euen that day thou beganst to leaue to lyue for thy selfe from thencefoorth thy libertie thy quietnesse and pleasure are departed In steede of these are seruitude payne businesse feare sorowe trouble and bytyng cares come in place nowe art thou not a lyue although thou breath for the lyfe of such as are busie is death who beyng al of them in misery yet are they in most miserable case whiche are busied in other mens matters specially in the affayres of Kynges Tyrantes and great personages Ioy. I am a Iudge Reason Iudge so as though thou shouldest foorthwith be iudged by another There is one iudge of all men and one incorrupt iudgement seate Before this shal all ye mortall men appeare what neede ye then to haue the skyn of the false iudge nayled vppon the iudgement seate or to haue any barbarous admonition to doo iustice Euery Iudge sytteth in that seate where if false iudgement shal be geuen neyther money nor fauour nor false wytnesses nor sinister entreatynges nor vayne threates nor eloquent Patrones shall auayle hym Ioy. I am one of the Consuls of my countrey Reason A very difficult glory It is a rare matter so to geue counsayle that thou mayest at once both profite and please that there may be trueth in woorde fayth in counsel scilence in that whiche is committed sweetnesse in speache fortune shall gouerne the euent and the euent shall purchase credite to the counsayle Ioy. I am gouernour of a Citie Reason Thou leadest an vnbridled beast and as Horace tearmeth it that hath many heades with a small twyne and gouernest a great shyppe alone that is tossed with hugie waues A litle house is hardly guyded how difficult therefore it is to gouerne a whole Citie see thou Hadst thou so great neede of trouble or so litle at home that thou hast vndertaken the publique Yea moreouer it is not only an office of difficultie but also a vyle function insomuche as the Satyrycal Poet tearmeth the gouernour of a Citie a Stewarde or Baylyffe notyng therby the state of these tymes If then he were a Baylife or Husbandman what is he now other then a Woodryfe or Woodman At that tyme Rome began to be a vyllage and nowe it is a Wood. Ioy. I am a President of a Prouince Reason Beyng condempned vnto an honorable exile thou hast exchaunged priuate quietnesse for forraigne carefulnesse looke for no rest or pleasure The state of Presidentes is bytter and troublesome they are forbydden playes and feastes vppon holy dayes theyr doores are shut agaynst gyftes and open to contentions theyr houses are voyde of pastymes and ful of complayntes and chydynges what so euer is a mysse whatsoeuer out of order or out of square throughout the whole Prouince there

couetousnes before that they were drenched in the surgies of the sea For desire commeth seldome without headlong hastinesse and that which it wil haue it wil haue it presently al tariance and the companions therof costlinesse it hateth the same is the redie way vnto destruction and the first cause of often shypwracke Sorowe I am discomforted by a great shypwracke Reason Thou hast learned to pray vnto God to make vowes and promise many thynges of whiche although feare was the cause yet since thou art arryued agayne on the lande acknowledge thou that fayth was the cause God is not mocked skot free he hateth the breakers of their faithful promises Sorowe I haue suffered a foule shypwracke Reason None complayne of shypwracke but they that haue escaped it Reioyce therefore that thou art safe and more expert The remembrance of dangers past is commonly delectable as contrariwyse the memory of forepassed prosperitie is greeuous But howe muche wouldst thou haue esteemed in foretymes to haue seene the Triton goddes of the sea and the mountaines of water foming the waues vp to heauen swelling the monsters of the sea swimming Thou hast now some feareful tales to tel in the winter nightes by the fire side to make folke a fearde withall and to holde thyne amazed family in admiration Nowe therefore thou knowest what is a poetical tempest and that feare whiche thou wouldest scarce beleeue is certaynely knowen vnto thee whiche thou hast now wel gained eyther by the feare of death or losse of goodes Sorow I haue been in a dangerous shypwracke Reason There is nothyng learned without trauayle this if thou be wyse shal be a perpetual lesson vnto thee that heareafter thou neuer perswade thy selfe to commit thy lyfe vnto the windes Sorowe I haue suffered a woful shypwracke Reason If this be the first take heede thou fal not into the seconde if it be the second then holde thy peace For proper is the saying of Publius the wryter of scoffes He wickedly accuseth Neptune that committeth shipwracke the seconde tyme. Sorow I haue scarse escaped in a terrible shypwracke Reason I can not see why it shoulde be more terrible to dye in the sea then vpon the lande seeing men must needes dye vpon the one of them or why it were better to feede wormes then to be baite for fyshes but forasmuche as thou hast escaped beware that thou commit not agayne thy lyfe to a broken oare or a rotten boorde Since thou art an earthly creature learne to keepe the earth and rather to affect heauen then the sea Of Burnyng The .lv. Dialogue SOROW. I Haue scarce escaped out of a burning fire Reason Doest thou then drawe it vnto the iniurie of fortune that thou hast escaped Let Alcibiades be moued who could not escape out of the hot burning of his enimies howbeit although thou haue preuented the earthly yet who is able to gainestād the burninges that come from heauen Let the Romane kyng Tullus Hostilius and the Romane Emprour Charus answeare me whereof the one was consumed with fyre from heauen in the pallace at Rome and the other in his tentes neare vnto the ryuer Tigris if we may credite common histories Sorowe Hauing lost al my goodes I haue escaped naked out of the fyre Reason Whom I pray thee would eyther Kias as al men say or Stilbon as Seneca wyl haue it haue spoken suche a woorde who when his countrey was on fyre being demaunded or rather reprooued for that he conueighed none of his goods out of the flame as other of his neighbours did answeared in this manner Al my goodes sayd he I carrie with me Woorthily truely whether it were the one or both of them that spake it although suche kinde of speeches do alwayes sound most excellently out of the mouth of the first aucthour of them but omitting the aucthour the trueth of the saying is commonly perceiued For the true goodes in deede remayne within and cannot be taken from the owner whyle he lyueth neyther when he is dead For they cleaue fast to the soule whyther as neyther the ryght hand of fortune nor of death is able to reache Thou being safe and sounde lamentest that thou hast lost certayne thynges whiche if they had been thine in deede out of doubt they had been safe with thee this day For beleeue me true goods doo not peryshe Golde is not more precious then vertue nor so good as it although it be not consumed but purged by the fyre Sorowe A great fire hath blasted me Reason There was one Caeculus I knowe not who that sought the fame of diuinitie by fyre In Virgil a flame of fire taking hold of Iulus haire gaue the first hope to their doubtful health And for that Seruius head burned light with fire it was no poetical but an historical abodyng of a kingdome It is wel knowen that the founders of the Empire of Rome escaped out of the flame of troy To be short the scriptures declare that Helias dyed by fyre and that the Lorde hym selfe appeared in a flame of fyre so that it is not for nought that bonefires are a token of myrth and reioycing in your cities whiche now is a cause of thy heauinesse Sorowe My house is suddenly consumed with fyre Reason Yea the temple of Diana at Ephesus was in olde tyme set on fyre a goodlier peece of woorke then whiche that age neuer sawe And also the temple of Hierusalem that was dedicated vnto the lorde of heauen was burnt the verie enemies pitiyng it that set it on fire likewise in this our age the laterane castel for beautie the flowre of the world was twice consumed with fire an euident plaine token of Gods wrath in my iudgment no strange matter I confesse but terryble And last of al to say nothing of litle cities fire hath often touched Saguntum and Numantia and Corinth and other innumerable yea and Rome it selfe was brought almost vnto vtter destruction And Carthage once and Troy was twice destroyed with fire Cities haue been burned and we beleeue that the whole worlde shal be one day brought to nought by fire And doest thou then complaine that it dare take hold on thy house that shal consume both heauen and earth Sorowe I had much a doo to escape out of the fyre Reason Thou hast escaped then and art thou sorie for it vnlesse thou haddest escaped thou haddest helde thy peace but now being a lyue and ashes thou lamentest that ashes is extinguished Of great laboure and traueyle The .lvi Dialogue SOROWE I Am weeried with great labour Reason There is no glorie without difficultie Al vertue dwelleth on hygh not easily to be atteyned the passage thereunto is cragged rough and ful of stones Sorowe I am ouerweerie with traueyle Reason Traueyle is the ground of vertue and rest of pleasures there is nothing commendable nothing excellent without traueyle and therefore laboure was the foundation of Hercules prayse By nothing is Vlisses better knowen

of his graundfather and great graundfather great great graundfather receiuing the same answere concernyng them al at length he inferred and art not thou afearde then quoth he to goe to sea The sayler answeared dissemblingly I pray thee quoth he tell me also where thy father dyed In his bed answeared the other And where lykewyse thy graundfather Euen he sayde the ocher and my great grandfather and great great grandfather and al my auncetours dyed in their beddes The sayler answeared art not thou then afeard quoth he to goe into thy bed Trimly answeared truely and somewhat more then saylerlyke Concernyng the death therefore let nature looke to that whiche made men mortal and as touchyng the kynde of death the place and tyme let fortune vse her discretion Sorow I dye by poyson Reason I tolde thee whilere what notable companions thou hast herein whereas I entreated of this matter onely The swoord is a princely death but most of al poyson And to conclude it is a very ridiculus matter when thou hast determined of the death to be carefull of the instrumentes Of a shameful death The .cxxii. Dialogue SOROWE BUt my death is shameful Reason It is not the kynde nor qualitie of the death but the cause of the punishment that maketh it shameful Sorow I dye reprochefully Reason No good man dyeth yll no euyl man well It is not the pompe of buryal nor the attendance and waiting of seruantes and officers nor the ryche garmentes nor the spoyles of the enimies nor the shieldes and swoordes turned downe and dragged after nor the whole family mournyng for their maister nor the howlynges and outcryes of the common people nor the wyfe drenched in teares nor the chyldren with duetiful compassion resolued in sorowe nor the cheefe mourner who soeuer he be holdyng downe his head and walkyng before the corpes attired in blacke and wofully be dewing his face with stoare of bitter teares nor lastly the oratour or preacher in commendation of hym that is to be buryed nor the golden images and pictures wherewith to furnyshe the sepulcher nor the titles and stiles of hym that is dead whiche beyng engrauen in marble shal lyue vntyl suche tyme as though it be long first death also consume the stones themselues but it is vertue and the famous report of hym that hath deserued well and needeth not the brute of the common multitude but whiche sheweth it selfe in it owne maiestie and not whiche the headelong and blynde fauour of men but rather a long continuance in doing wel and an innocent lyfe hath procured and also the defence of trueth and iustice vndertaken euen to the death and moreouer a valiant minde and notable bouldnesse euen in the middes and thickest of deathes sharpest threatninges that maketh the death honest and honourable Agaynst which most honourable death what place remayneth there for reproch Or howe can he die shamefully that dyeth in such manner yea though there be prepared agaynst the body in slauish sore whippes roddes tormentes halters axes yea high gallowetrees wheeles set vpon the toppes of postes cartes with wild horses to teare the limmes of the body insunder adde moreouer fire fagot gridirons set vpon glowyng coales and caudrons sweatyng with hot scaldyng oyle the sharpe teeth of cruel wylde beastes whetted with hunger and lastly hookes and other engins to drag withal the mangled carcases about the streetes or whatsoeuer other villanie or reproche may be deuised or the lyuing or deade body be put vnto the death I say may happely seeme cruel but shameful it cannot be but rather many tymes the crueller it is the more glorious it is And therefore neyther the outward preparance for execution nor the thronging of the people nor the trumpets nor the terrible lookes of the hangmen and tormentours nor the wrathful voyce of the Tirant are any thing to the purpose But turne thee into thy selfe there seeke and awake thy selfe and with al the force of thy mynde that remayneth arme thy selfe agaynst the present extremitie withdrawe thyne eares from the odious noyse turne away thine eyes from the pompe and preparation for the execution and secretly gather togeather thy spirites and comfort thy soule within thee and examine the thinges themselues and not their shadowes And yf thou be able with ful sight to beholde death in the face I suppose thou shalt feare neyther swoord nor axe nor halter nor poysoned cuppes nor the hangmen dropping with goare blood for why it is a vayne thyng when thou contemnest thine enimie to be afeard of his furniture or ensignes Sorowe I am condemned to a shameful death Reason It hapneth many-tymes that the accuser is infamous and the wytnesses dishonest and the iudge obscure and the partie accused very noble and often the death is commonly accounted reprochful and he that dyeth honourable and glorious And to speake nothyng of any other for that there haue been to many suche alreadie and to much vnwoorthy of that ende what death was there euer more shameful then the death of the crosse Vpon whiche the most excellent and glorious lyght both of heauen and earth was hanged to the ende that thenceforth no state or condition of men whatsoeuer shoulde iudge it to be reprocheful And forasmuche as there is nothyng higher then the highest in this example onely I make an ende Vertue alone is able to make any kinde of death honest and there is no death that can blemishe vertue Of a suddayne death The .cxxiii. Dialogue SOROWE BVt I dye to suddeynly Reason It is not long since yf I forget not my selfe that thou sayest thou wast olde I meruayle then howe there can be any death suddayne to an olde man who vnlesse he doate or be mad hath death euermore before his eyes For since there is this wholsome counsel geuen to al ages that they perswade themselues that euery day is the last that they shall lyue it is most specially conuenient for olde age to thynke euery houre the last of their lyfe And not only not to hearken vnto that which is wrytten by Cicero There is no man so olde that thinketh not to lyue one yeere longer but not so muche vnto that which Seneca sayeth one day longer Sorow I dye suddaynly Reason In this case what shal I answere thee other then repeate that which that most mightie personage no lesse in wyt then great in fortune answeared scarse one whole day when he disputed thereof before his death as prophecying of the trueth thereof by reason of the neerenesse of the experience Who pronounced that a suddayne and vnprouided death was most to be wyshed Whiche iudgement seemeth to be dissonant from that religion whiche teacheth to pray with bowed knees vnto GOD euery day to be delyuered from this kynde of death Neyther do I lyke of this opinion where there is otherwyse choyse and libertie but thou must in other manner perswade thyselfe for I say not that it is