Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	draw_v	iron_n	loadstone_n	1,525	5	13.0457	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

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

also cheastes chambers and storehouses And therefore I will nowe begin to beleeue that in the Pisane cōfines there is a castle which vnto them that saile vpon the sea seemeth to be not farre of that is become desolate by meanes of swarmes and aboundance of Emotes The like hereof also is reported to haue happened in the Vincentine confines And I am of opinion that it may be true in anie of them both or in anie other place whatsoeuer it hath so hapned a late that they haue not onelie driuen me out of my countrie house but well nigh out of my house in the citie insomuch that I was faine to vse the meane of fire and lime and at last to runne away And now I verie well beleeue Apuleius where he saith that there was a man eaten by them although there want of honie Neither doe I denie but that I do wonder what should be the cause that some haue proposed the Emote to be the patterne of carefulnesse concerning which matter some haue made long discourses cōmending their sparingnes and industrie Wel then if all carefulnes bee commendable perhappes this were a meete example for theeues and not for such as are willing to liue vpon their own without doing iniurie to an other It is a carefull creature in deed no man can denie it but wicked but vniust liuing by rapine industrious in nothing but that which is euill seruing to no good vse but bringing manifold discommodities and wearisomues why therefore they haue proposed this example and why they haue commended this litle beast Againe I say I maruel especiallie when they might haue vsed the exāple of the Bee which is a most industrious and prouident beast a creature that hurteth none but is profitable vnto many succouring it selfe others by it owne natural art and most noble trauell What should I nowe speake of the hurtful plentie and ranck increase of branches leaues of trees against which the wakeful husbandman giueth his diligent attendance lieth in waite being armed with his sharpe nailes the hedge brusher with his crooked hooke what of the burres briars and the yeerely returne of plants rootes which minister perpetual matter of strife and toyle what of the furious rage of shewres of raine and heapes of snowe and biting of frostes and the sharpnesse and violence of yce and the suddein violence of flooddes the vncertein encreases of streames which many times shake whole regions great peoples but especially the hedges and fences of the husbandmen who among so many mischiefes can scarse passe forth this earthlie life wherein they are euermore bending downe to the ground And to say somewhat concerning the discommodities and toyles of the delicate rich sort who hath not endured the mightie conflictes of birdes Also the crying of owles and schritches and the bootlesse watching of dogges all night barking against the Moone and cattes making their meetings vpon the tyles toppes of houses and the quiet silence disturbed with horrible outcries and troubling men with their hellishe clamour and whatsoeuer else maketh anie grieuous noyse in the darke Wherevnto may be added the croaking of frogges and toades in the night and the lamenting and threatenings of the swallowes in the morning so that a mā would thinke that Itys and Tereus him selfe were present For as touching the quietnes of birdes by day the squeeking grasshoppers the arrogant crowes and braying asses doe disturbe it and the bleating of cattell and the bellowing of Oxen and the vnwitten cackling of hennes without surceasing who sell their small egges for a great price But aboue al things is either the crying of swine or the commō clamour and laughter of fooles than which foolish thing there is nothing more foolish as saieth Catullus and the singing and merimentes of drunkardes than which nothing is more grieuous and the complaintes of such as are at variance and the iangling and scoulding of olde wiues and sometime the battailles some time the lamentation of children and of weddings either their vnquiet feastes or their daunsings and the merrie mournings of wiues who by craft do seeme to lament the death of their husbands and the vnfeigned howlings of parentes at the decease of their children adde herevnto the thronging and noise of the court of iudgement the altercations of Marchants and such as buie and sell at one side the small regard on the other side the oathes of the sellers Adioine herevnto the sorrowful singing of the workmen to aswage their painfull trauel at the on side the vnpleasant Musick of such as beate toose wooll breake it smal with the teeth of the cardes on the other side the hollowe breathing of the smithes bellowes the sharpe sound of their hāmers whervnto may be added the winter night which with these trauels is deuided into equall partes so that there is no time free from vnquietnesse strife And to touche some deale the kinde of things insensible what hath the loadstone to do with iron or the diamond with the loadstone the cause of whose disagreement though it be secret yet is their disagreement manifest For the loadstone draweth iron but lay a Diamond by it and it will leaue to drawe or let go hold if it drewe before The vertue in them both is wonderfull either in that Nature hath giuen as it were hands and hooked nailes vnto an heauie and euilfauoured stone against a rough and stubburne mettal or whether she take them away vnto her selfe by meanes of the other stone that lyeth by which is not the end of the first strife but rather a newe strife Howbeit manie denie this last thing to be true and as for me hetherto I haue wanted occasion will to make experiment or proofe thereof and therefore I can affirme nothing But as for the first it is so well knowen that there is no neede to proue or auow it Howbeit hauing vndertaken a great work with a mightie courage in to short a time and to narrowe a space I doe nowe easilie perceiue that I carrie a greater desire than strength to the accomplishing therof Neither were it an easie matter for me or anie man else that should take this matter in hande sufficiently to discourse vpon euery point whereby it may appeare that al things cōsist by disagreement which whether they be great or small are verie wonderfull and strange although I haue not yet touched that which is greatest and to be accompted the most maruellous from the highest to the lowest of all Natures miracles but I will nowe touche it in fewe wordes The Echinus beeing but a small fishe of halfe a foote long stayeth a shippe bee it neuer so great when it is vnder sayle vppon the Sea or driuen foorth by oares being onelie able of all fisshes to quaile the force of the elementes and men by none other meanes than by cleauing to the timber of the shippe by none endeuour or strength in the worlde but

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

els shoulde I say vnto thee but the saying of Terence Those thinges whiche haue neyther reason nor measure in them thou canst neuer gouerne by aduice Notwithstandyng Senecas counsell is wel knowen concernyng this matter he wylleth a man to lyue familiarly gently courteously with his seruauntes But with what seruauntes To wyt with those with whom to lyue in familiaritie wyl not engender contempt He addeth moreouer that correction not of woordes but of stripes must be ministred namely vnto suche as are deafe and sluggishe and with a slowe pace contemne their maisters gentlenesse Moreouer that a maister ought to admit them vnto conference and company with hym in talke in counsel in feedyng But whom I pray you Forsooth the saucie foolyshe drunken vntrustie insolent which neyther can wel vtter their minde neyther can geue any good aduice and which behaue them selues slouenly at meate such as are carelesse of their maisters health lyfe liuing and good name but are very diligent pursuers of their owne gluttonie sensualitie But he peraduenture gaue this counsel for this cause for that he supposeth that to be true in a seruant which before he had spoken of a frend If thou trust hym thou shalt make hym faythful I suppose that thou doest not thynke that frendes are made of the best sort of men and seruantes of the woorst Truely if thou shouldest thinke a thousand yeere that a woolfe were a lambe yet should he be a lambe neuer the sooner Sorowe I am besieged with seruauntes what counsel wouldest thou geue me Reason Neuer seeke for that else where whiche is in thy selfe Thou shalt not be besieged longer then thou wylt thy selfe neyther should they now besiege thee but only as it happeneth in euil gouerned and vnquiet cities that one part of the minde like a faction of seditious citizens fauoureth the besiegers Wouldest thou be deliuered of this euyl Purge the state of thine owne minde Chastice thy seruauntes thou canst not neyther by this aduice of Seneca neyther by any others If thou list to amende thy selfe no man can forbyd thee Abandon pompe cast of pryde and so shalt thou eyther driue away the hateful troupe of thy seruauntes or els abate it Sorowe I am besieged with many seruauntes Reason It is well yf noyse and vaine glory be onely expected but yf seruiceablenesse or pleasure there is nothyng woorse Seruauntes although they be good whiche a man may accompt a strange thyng yet there be fewe of them that do good seruice They fal togeather by the eates amongest them selues they murmure they contend one of them lookyng to an others hands in the meane while some one of them sittyng idelly fouldeth and rubbeth his handes thynking it a great woorshyp to beare the countenance of a maister and promisyng al thynges thinketh nothyng better then to be idle Of suche we speake nowe who through a false profession pursuyng the delite of their idle bellie do embase themselues vnto humble seruice not onely voluntarily but also importunatly They are an innumerable company but of a vile condition who being so many artes and occupations as there are haue betaken them selues to the basest namely suche whom not their owne wyl but the force of another and their owne chaunce and seruice hath drawen foorth And contrarywyse as of the other sort the number is smaller so is there vertue more plētiful theyr trustinesse more approued For it is one thyng to serue willingly another thing to be cōstrained These therfore being mindful of their calling to the intent they may beare them selues indifferently in al estates neither lose their vertue togeather with their lybertie that whiche they do vnwyllyngly sometyme they do it faythfully whiche they are neuer able to do whom sleepe their bellie their throte and greedie desyre being euyl guides haue ledde foorth to seruice wherein it is no marueyle yf they folowe and obey their leaders and do that whiche whyle they ensued they haue taken vpon them the base title of seruitude But contrariwyse they that haue had no suche thyng to folowe ensuing the steppes of nature and fortune doo many tymes beyng seruauntes make resemblance as if they were free men And yf he ment those speeches of suche perhappes I myght harken vnto Seneca with vnoffended eares Sorowe Many seruauntes possesse my house Reason Then hast thou muche stryfe muche contention and many conflyctes in euery matter New faultes shal be euery day obiected and purged and thou must syt as a iudge betweene them Of a maister being made a iudge thou shalt neuer a whit be the more able to expell contention out of thine house howbeit thou mayest the contenders Sorowe I am besieged with seruauntes without whom I cannot lyue and what shal I then doo Reason If the matter be so farre proceeded with thee that thou darest not remayne alone without thine enimies prouide for thy selfe by the scarcitie and basenesse of them Abandon the fairer the brauer and craftier sorte of them abandon suche from thy retinne as delyte them selues in their beautie wit or familie Among fewe and those dul and rude thou shalt lyue more safely not for that they be better but for that they be not so bolde whom like as serpentes in wynter the restrayned plenty of their poyson and the droupyng of their vile slouthfulnesse hath ouercome and repressed Finally this is the conclusion that that which is only or especially to be expected in a seruaunt is fayth and trustinesse If in this respecte thou prefer hym any deale beleeue me thou shalt bye that smal pleasure whatsoeuer it be with great encrease and vantage of other vices for that faithfulnesse is verie rare to be found but the next kinde of remedie is fewnesse of them of which I haue spoken and also their basenesse which is not muche better then the other but bryngeth lesse boldnesse Of fugityue seruauntes The .xxx. Dialogue SOROWE MY seruauntes are gone Reason Whose presence was greeuous their departure ought to be acceptable There is nothyng almost that displeaseth a man whose contrarie doth not delyte hym Sorowe My seruantes are gone Reason O that they would returne and that thou couldest beholde with thine eyes that whiche thou hast seene in thy minde howe many vices hange vpon them howe many kyndes of wickednesse of deceites of lying artes of mischeefes of rauines and theftes And what shouldest thou do other then abhorre their companie shut thy doores against them and hartily reioyce that thy house is so happyly rydde of so heauie burdens Sorowe My seruauntes are gone away altogeather Reason And togeather with them al greeuous cares troublesome heauinesse and perpetual feare Thinke with thy selfe how many bellies thou haddest to fyll howe many backes to clothe howe many wandryng feete to shoe howe many limie fingers to wash and then thou wylt say that thou art deliuered of a great charge Sorowe My seruauntes are runne away Reason And with them also hatred agaynst their maister and contempt and

lackest one of the instrumentes to get hatred acknowledge the benefites of nature whiche instrument as it hath taken from thee a great power ouer doubeful suters so hath it taken no smal prerogatiue of fortune from thy selfe for many haue perished through eloquence If thou doubt of this aske of the princes of both eloquence for as touchyng the briefer sort of Oratours al histories are full that for this cause they haue peryshed in euery place Among whom he is most nearest vnto danger that is most excellent of fame and best knowen There are some vnto whom the obscurenesse of their name hath been the castle of their defence But admit that they whiche are eloquent be out of danger yet neuer want they trauayle In al the worlde there is nothing so vayne for whiche so many labours so long watchynges are willyngly vndertaken this flickering breath so exerciseth mens mindes as though there were some vertue in their wordes Sorow I haue no eloquence Reason But thou hast much securitie whiche perhappes thou shouldest not haue yf thou hadst muche eloquence for many had lyued more safely in their lyfe yf so be they had lyued not so eminent in fame Sorow I haue no eloquence at al. Reason Then see that thou haue some wyt some innocencie some vertue For eloquence belongeth but to a fewe persons but vertue vnto al. Let not the notable rarenesse of Poetes or of Orators which is more geason drawe thee away yea rather beholde howe sodenly I change my mynde yf rarenesse allure thee folowe this for it is the way vnto it It is a beauie case that as there is nothyng more better then vertue so there is nothyng more rare Eloquence it selfe whiche I sayde belongeth vnto fewe is muche more frequented then vertue so standeth the case that that whiche al may vse al doo neglect and that whiche very fewe can atteyne vnto all men desire all men do practise Sorow I am voyde of wordes Reason Apply thy mind vnto deedes For in toordes there is breath labour and speeche and in deedes quietnesse vertue and felicitie Sorow I cannot speake Reason Many that knowe lytle in a matter wyl take muche vpon them Set a foole on horsebacke or one that hath no skyl to ryde and thou shalt haue muche a do to get hym downe a gayne let shame at the length put thee to silence yf nothyng els wyl cause thee to holde thy peace and though thou knowest not howe to speake that other may heare thee yet learne to heare other men when they do speake There is no lesse cunning to hold a mans peace then to speake although to be silent it be a more safe and easie matter Sorow I cannot expresse that whiche is in my hart Reason If thou haue a good vnderstandyng and art endued with an high magnifical sense of the mynde and haue not thereunto a pleasant voyce and reedie tongue be contented Assaye not often to do that which hath but euyl successe with thee What is there then to be done Vse that good whiche thou hast not onely indifferently but also merily leaue that vnto another man whiche is another mans and spende not thy speeche nor weery not thy tongue in vayne Suffer I say other men to speake vnderstand thou forsomuch as there is a more secrete and delicate pleasure in the meditation of the minde then in the vtterance of the tongue beyng both of longer continuance also hauing in it more quietnesse lesse enuie Sorowe Shame restrayneth me from speaking before many Reason It is wel knowen that this hath chaunced vnto men of great estimation for want of audacitie not by the default eyther of that tongue or wyt That which thou refusest to speake before many do it before a few in the presence of one although I confesse that the open speeches be most famous yet canst thou not deny but that priuat talke is more sweete If thou canst not do so neyther then returne to thy selfe common with thy selfe as I haue admonished thee before awake that domestical talking cōpanion for he is alwaies presēt with thee he wil not lye in wayte for thee he wyl not mocke thee he wil not enuie thee he wyl not loath thee he wil not looke for any exact or laboursome eloquence of thee he is pleased with familiar talke and enterrupted speeches yea ofttimes when thou hast said much he is contented that thou hold thy peace Learne thou to content thy selfe with his presence only who taketh no regard how but what thou speakest or rather what thou wouldest speake Learne to build vp a most honest theater euen in the middest of thine hart Learne not to seeke after the pompe and glory of men but of the trueth and to reioyce oftetimes without any noyse of the people and let modestie despyse that whiche perfect eloquence doth most tymes cleane extinguishe To be short learne not to lyue to the shewe learne not to speake with pryde then the whiche there is no greater mischeefe in the whole lyfe of man to be founde Sorowe I haue an impediment in my speeche Reason Doest thou lament that thou hast some thyng lyke as Moyses had beyng so woorthy a man as he was and so familiar with God But yf thou looke into old hystories or marke the examples of latter tyme and in these dayes howe many good men shalt thou finde that had impedimentes in their speeche and howe many wycked that were very eloquent So are there very fewe vnto whom both these haue happened to wit singuler eloquence and excellent vertue Of losse of the tongue and speeche The .ciii. Dialogue SOROWE WHat sayest thou that I haue lost both my tongue my speeche also Reason What if thou haue founde securicie rest How many doth the tongue beate downe and ouerthrowe that are gyltlesse of doing any harme It is a foolyshe pleasure but truely very common of some that would seeme to haue done that whiche they neyther do nor can doo He lyed that sayde he had stayne the kyng of the Israelites and his sonne and yet being innocent of the deede was punished for his lye when he had escaped the danger of the battel How great labour it is to speake to answere to faigne to lye to smooth vp wordes to wey sentences to bethynke howe and what to speake and sweetely to beate the ayre for so they desire a voyce and after what sort thou oughtest to moue not ouly thy tongue but also thy whole body for euen vnto this poynt there is one part of Rethorique doth reache howe when thou musest thou must looke downe on the grounde whiche hande and also whether thou must thrust it foorth with whiche foote thou must stampe on the ground Is not thinkest thou this finenesse troublesome inough and to take the paynes to learne some indifferent sight in musicke that thou mayest thereby sound thy woordes the more sweetly is it not in very deede

for that they cannot sinke into all mens mindes and truely vnto those that wyl geue no credite to them they can do no pleasure Sorowe Alas I am tormented and thou disputest Reason This thy sorow must needes be long or vehement and therfore requireth eyther easie or short pacience Sorowe Alas alas I am cruelly vexed Reason If thy payne be extreame then must it needes be short and therfore lament no more for it must needes eyther goe away from thee or set thee packing set thy doores wyde open for eyther lybertie and remember in the meane whyle that it is a valiant and manly thing to beare humane chaunces with indifferencie Sorowe It is a goodly matter I graunt in woordes to speake it but truely I thinke to do it impossible Reason It is not the impossibilitie of the thynges but the dayntinesse of men that causeth innumerable to forsake vertue and wyl cause many hereafter whyles euery harde thing is refused as impossible Thus vertue perysheth whose subiect is a certayne difficultie but that whiche is honest Sorow We be men and no goddes and poore dying bodyes are not able to abyde the force of payne Reason That mens bodyes are frayle I cannot deny but yet not so frayle but that they haue strength enough to beare al aduersitie were it not that the infirmitie of your myndes were muche greater This is it whiche forceth out of men vnseemely houlynges and womanish and effeminate voyces For I pray thee why shouldest thou thinke that impossible for a man to doo whiche thou seest that in olde tymes men coulde doo and dyd also Sorowe Alas I am nowe called away agaynt vnto hystories and in the very middest of the paynes of my greefe beyng scarse myndeful of my selfe I am reuoked vnto the remembrance of auncient examples Reason Doth not then the remembrance of most excellent men who valiantly susteyned the lyke bryng great ease and comfort in al aduersitie Sorow I know it wel but thou canst alleage vnto me but fewe whom I may imitate thy aduise is glorious but to high for man and aboue his capacitie Reason Why sayest thou aboue mans capacitie Seeing they are not the reasons and examples of goddes but of men which I lay before thee Sorow Of men in deede I graunt mary but of fewe whose rarenesse is such as almost they are none at al and I can see but smal difference betweene the Phenix and Chimera but I folowe them whiche say that Chimera is nothyng for among some it is an hyl in Sicil Reason As though that the Phenix were layde before thee to immitate and not almost an whole armie of men who the rarer they be founde so muche the more woorthy they are whom thou shouldest couet to be lyke whosoeuer neglecteth to folowe rare men shal neuer be rare man hym selfe Sorow I perceiue how thou wouldest haue me be one of a fewe but I am one of many Reason I had rather almost that thou were no body then to be one of many I cannot determine whether it were better not to be at al then to be a foole for to be one of the greatest number and to be a foole is al one Sorow I knowe that there is nothyng woorse then not to be at al. Reason Thou knowest not howe yll it is to be somewhat nor to be what thou oughtest to be Sorowe Thou speakest this although that must needes happen to al which by chaunce befalleth vnto one which thou wouldest haue to be applyed vnto al. Reason Thou sayest yll to happen for veriue commeth not by happe but altogeather by deliberation and election and is gotten not by chaunce but by studie Neyther do I drawe that vnto al which chaunce hath geuen vnto fewe but that whiche vertue hath geuen to many do I drawe vnto one being wylling to drawe it to all but I am weeried euen in one Sorowe But al men cannot doo all thinges Reason That this is not only a poetical but also a shepheardly speech I knowe very wel but I woulde that thou shouldest haue a power or a wyl to do that whiche al cannot do whiche nowe thou canst and I desyre that thou wouldest haue a wyl to doo it Sorowe Alas why doest thou disquiet me poore wretch is it not sufficient that I am vexed with payne Reason I goe about rather to procure thy quyetnesse to take away this torment from thee which I shal be neuer able to do alone vnlesse thou set to thine helping hande Sorowe Phy phy what is that which thou sayest that I am able to doo Can I otherwyse choose then feele the payne whiche I feele or deny that to be euyl which in deede I fynd to be very yll Reason The first I wyl not requyre at thy handes for nature gaynesayeth it the second that I may not obteyne it is not nature nor trueth but onely errour that withstandeth Sorowe Out alas to what purpose serue these foolyshe discourses which you cal philosophical I know certainely that payne is no infirmitie of the mind but of the body I knowe that paine is anotheer thing from falshood to be in paine one thyng to steale another these thinges that thou maiest teathe me no new matter yea though thou adde nothing vnto them are of thē selues I know a great euil also that paine is of it selfe euil I know wel enough the meanes way how to know which thing to be so I do not want but rather how to suffer or most of al to driue it away For I know very wel I woulde I knewe not so much what payne is Reason And I know also that payne is a bitter thing cruel horrible sower sharpe contrarie to nature odious to the senses but whiche notwithstandyng may not onely be made sweete by the assistance of vertue as Epicurus sayde dissendyng from hym selfe but also be lenified and rebated and also the greater vehemencie thereof if the minde be armed with true vertue eyther be fealt more tollerably or in a manner not be fealt at al. Sorowe Armed or vnarmed I sustayne most cruell payne and professe that it is a very euyl thyng Reason I woulde wyshe rather to heare some other profession of thee Sorow If we be agayne called backe vnto plausible and fayre thynges magnifical woordes do delyte the eares but true speeches the mynde and what yf the bodily greefe be greater then the pacience of the minde Reason What yf there be no delites nor greefes of the body nor afflictions whatsoeuer ouerth wharting that are comparable to the strength of the minde What yf in all conflictes yf so be that it wyllingly gaue not ouer but with al force and vnfeinedly resisted the aduersarie it alwayes had the vpper hande and departed the conquerour Sorow What yf it happen that vnto the intollerablenesse of the payne there ve added some farther greefe as filthinesse loathsomenesse and shame of the disease What yf the foule leprosie haue inuaded the corrupt and