to the world by the ornaments of their mind and to excell one another by vertue and knowledge as they now covet to glitter in gold and silver and to exceed in vanitie of attires and gestures and where old men would give example of godlinesse temperance and modestie and 〈◊〉 their desires from worldly superfluities If Noblemen and Gentlemen would follow the manners of kings in times past who had 〈◊〉 care of their 〈◊〉 not thinking themselves kings by their apparell but by their mind differing from the common sort within not without One of the praises that the Emperor Commodâ—… gave to his father Marcus Aâ—…relius after his death was and that worthâ—…ly that others had made the common-wealth rich but his father had mâ—…de it vertuous others repaired walls but he reformed manners and one of the praises given to the Emperour Severus was that hee never beheld any man in Rome apparelled in filke or purple But to what time could â—…cans verses be more aptly applyed than to this Non â—…ro tectisve modus mensasque priores Aspernata fames There is no meane in gold or buildings proud Our fables skorne what former times allowed After the famous champion Starchater had reckoâ—… up the old manners of the antiquity and reprehended the deliciousnesse of the latter ages he conchâ—… Nunc reâ—…ens 〈◊〉 facies 〈◊〉 â—…mnia pressit New men new manners But admit that the mâ—… of other Nations which we so greatly desire to imâ—… be more agreeable with civilitie and their knowleâ—… of vertue likewise greater than were those of our foâ—…faters surely their ignorance of strangers vices 〈◊〉 more profitable to them than is now the 〈◊〉 of their manners and vertues to us And what made these great Princes and wise men of former ages so carefull to continue the old manners and simplicitie of habits of their forefathers but onely habits by their excellency of wisedome and vertue they 〈◊〉 which we find by experience that whe the and habits of other coâ—… were brought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their vices would also come with them and that when costlinesse and varietie of 〈◊〉 had gotten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men would be easily drawn to such a delight to 〈◊〉 forth their bodies with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they would have small regard to the ornaments of their minds for proofe whereof we need not go far to seek for examples But to returne againe to friâ—…ship where we left Gaine now adayes contracteth frieâ—…p which is no sooner discontinued but friendship is also dissolved Vertue and honestie neither beginneth nor continueth friendship but as the Poet truly saith Vulgus 〈◊〉 as utilitate probat Cura quid expediat prior est 〈◊〉 quid sit 〈◊〉 Et cum fortâ—… statque caditque 〈◊〉 Friendship the vulgar doe no further prise Than for their profit we doe first devise What 's gainefull before honeâ—… profits all And faith with fortune doth both rise and fall 〈◊〉 writing to his friend Atticus restraineth one friend to wish to another more than these three things to enjoy health to poâ—… honour and not to suffer necessitie But if I had such authoritie over my friends I would make some alteration and forbid them to wish one to another more than these three things to feare God to enjoy health and not to suffer necessity which were sufficient to bring them to the felicitie of both worlds Friendship was wont to extend but now what is more common in every mans month than friendship and honestie and what thing more rare and lesse in use Plato saith that friendship is given us by nature for a helpe to vertue and not for a companion of vice Dicearchus adviseth to make all men our well-willers if it be possible but onely good men our friends who are not obtained but by vertue Plutarch warneth men to take heede how they seeke for a swarme of friends lest they fall into a waspe-neast of enemies Pythagoras disswadeth men from joyning hands with every one All which counsell tendeth to this end to make us wary what kinde of men wee make choice of to bee our friends and that no friendship can bee perfect but between a few and those vertuous and honest men such as was betweene Ionathan and David and some others but such counsell is needlesse in this latter age when vertue is in declination men bee noâ—… so hasty to enter into faithfull friendship nor so forwardly in performing that they need raynes to draw them backe but spurres rather to pricke them forward The fable of the Beare could not bee more aptly applyed to any time than to these latter ages for the reprehending and setting forth of false friendship As two men were walking together in the fields that had professed faithfull friendship each to other there commeth oâ—… of the woods by chance a Beare towards them the one perceiving the Beare at hand leaveth his friend and climbeth up a tree to save himselfe the other seeing himselfe forsaken and left alone fell downe to the ground as though hee had been dead the Beare came running to devoure him that lay upon the ground and muzling about his mouth and 〈◊〉 finding that he breathed not for hee held his breath knowing that the property of a Beare is not to prey upon a dead carkasse the Beare departed and after the man was risen againe I pray thee quoth hee that was come downe from the tree what was that the Beare whispered in thine â—…are he willed me said the other to beware hereafter how I trusted such a false friend as thou art There need no such tryall of friends in these dayes a lesse matter than the fear of a Bear wil discover mens infidelity dissimulation And if men would consider how farre they are surmounted by brute beasts in perfect love friendship they should finde cause to be ashamed to see themselves inferiour to unreasonable creatures in things that appertaine to vertue honesty Report is made by credible authours that as king Pyrrhus marched with his Army hee hapned to passe by a dog that guarded the body of his master who lay dead upon the high way after the king had beheld awhile this pitifull spectacle he was advertised by some of the countrimen that the same was the 3d. day that the poor creature had not departed out of the place nor forsaken the dead corps without meat or drinke which moved the king to command the body to bee buried and the dog for his fidelity to be kept cherished caused an inquisition to be made of the murder but nothing could bee found It chanced that not long after the king was disposed to take muster of his whole Army that hee might see how they were furnished the dogge alwayes followed the king sad mute untill such time as they that killed his master past by then he flyeth upon them with a wonderfull violence fury as though he would teare them in peeces turning this way
this earthly body but above And Plato likeneth the soule when hee is in generation to men that dwell in a pestilent ayre and the soule that is without generation to them that dwell in a faire greene meadow And as they that dwell in an unwholesome countrey are for the most part sickely and few continue in their naturall health so the soule as long as it liveth in this elementary body as in a prison and both together in this world will be subject as it were to sicknesse that is to sinne to passions to corruption and uncleannesse For among so many men that are endued with a mind who useth it that is as Morney further saith in men how many beasts and among men what is more rare than a man And of these that use their minde how few use it well That is saith he in men how many Divels And if from among men beasts and divels should bee taken away what marvell is it that the Philosopher sought for a man at noone day with a lincke in the middest of a great assembly of men Some in condition resemble a Wolfe others a Foxe some a Swine others this or that kinde of Beast but few resemble a man in that hee is a man and more few in that hee is the image of God God created man to his owne glorie but as hee is now hee is continually a dishonour to God whereby it appeareth man is not now the same hee was at the beginning That hee is deprived of that high dignity and divine nature that was first given him That hee is fallen from being the Temple and habitation of God to bee the dungeon of sinne and wickednesse Which alteration of his estate and condition is not to bee imputed to God who is the author of all good and goodnesse it selfe but to his owne fault that would not persist in the same estate wherein God had placed him but would bee equall with his Creatour Whereby hee grievously offended God and procured his severe sentence and curse By meane whereof hee is not onely bereaved of those goodly gifts and ornaments which before by his contemplation and glorifying of God hee enjoyed at the full but hee is also become subject to those things which for his sake and use were created As Châ—…yfippus truly said Qudm falsò accusant superos stultèque queruntur Martales etenim nostrorum causa malorum Ipsi nos suâ—… sua quemque vecordia ladit How falsly and how foolishly doe men Accuse and rayle upon high powers when Wee all of our owne evils are the ground And each mans madnesse doth himselfe confound Order required that reason should obey God and our senses and desires should bee obedient to reason But now contrariwise the senses over-rule reason and desires lead our will the body commandeth the soule and the cart is before the horse So that wee must confesse wee bee most justly punished even by the same meanes by which our first parent committed the offence For as by his disobedience he rebelled against his Lord and Creator so by a just punishment the things which hee made to serve mans use rebell against him The defects of the soule and the motions wee seele of anger of lust and such like besides reason proceedeth not from our originall nature nor from our first creation but from the contagion of the flâ—…sh and enticements of the world being become corrupt and uncleane which is come upon our good nature as rust commeth upon iron And those things which be now common unto us and brute beasts by the corruption of our nature wee are ashamed neverthelesse if wee bee seene to doe them When wee are angry if a man given to vertue and honesty come the while it stayeth it selfe presently as though vice durst not abide the sight of vertue And if a man bee eâ—…pied in the act of Venus though lawfull he will bee ashamed and blush as if his bloud laboured to hide and cover him By which Repentance following those affections nature doth sharpely admonish us beeing ashamed to doe like brute Beastes of the difference betweene us and them which shee would not doe if shee had beene created brutish from the beginning But contrariwise brute beastes forbeare not to follow their motions openly because it was their nature at the beginning wherein they continue Man onely of all other Creatures of the earth dâ—…lineth from his originall nature in whom alone all things are corrupted If wee commit any vicious act though secretly beeing alone our Conscience by and by sheweth it selfe to bee our companion and doth not onely witnesse against us but condemneth us and punisheth the fact For though the soule bee a spirituall â—…ffence such as the elements and bodily substances can doâ—… nothing against it and had it selfe in his owne power and was ruler and commander of the body which before the fall suffered nothing of the body yet the objects and filthinesse of the flesh environing and as it were cleaving to the soule doth corrupt and defile her as good Wine receiveth an evill taste of a fustie vessell For the bodie is inclosed within the Elements the bloud within the body the spirits within the bloud the soule within the spirits the minde within the soule and Hermes further addeth God within the minde Fire covered with ashes shineth not the Sunne hidden with a thicke blacke cloud casteth foorth lesse light so the Soule being drowned in moyst and foule matter receiveth a certaine myst which shadoweth and covereth the minde and darkeneth the light of reason This power that God gave to these things over the substance of the Soule besides his nature which otherwise of their own nature they could not have done argueth the greatnesse of the offence which man committed against God and his high justice in his punishment Our wisedome is ignorance our knowledge is vanity our godlinesse is hypocrisie our vertue is nothing but a cloke to cover our vice For if it were possible to see into a man how many salvage beasts should wee see lurking in a mans heart as in a forrest or thicke wood Our imagination and thoughts what are they but meere wickednesse and vanitie These evils we have received by propagation from our first parent Sentit adhuc proles quod commisere parentes The children are yet sensible of what their parents have committed For the sins we commit is a punishment of his offence And though they are come to us by Gods permission yet it is not to bee imputed to him as an author of it because hee could by his absolute power hinder and let evill For hee proponeth lawes to man with rewards and punishments Hee willeth him to embrace good and flye evill To the doing whereof hee denyeth not his grace without which wee can doe nothing nor refuseth our diligence and labour Here if we cease and give over the sin and negligence is attributed to man and not to God though
secrets to any speciall person for he used to say that when the people do understand that the Prince is counselled or directed by any one person such a one may bee with gifts and requests easily corrupted Philip de Comines saith that if any private man hath such favour and grace with the Prince that all others be compelled to feare and please him that man reigneth and enjoyeth the kingdome and provideth so carefully for his owne matters that hee neglecteth the affaires of the common-wealth And those Magistrates that beare chiefe rule in the common wealth under their Prince are thought to commit a fault when they give such especial credit to any of their servants or favorites as to suffer them to be the preferrers and solliciters of mens suits abusing thereby many times their credit with their master to the hindrance of right and justice to their owne gaine and his scandall wherein they might doe much better to heare suiters deliver their owne cause and let their servants or favorites meddle with their private affaires These two things may be observed in histories to be dangerous apparent signes notes of the ruine or alteration of a common-wealth the one when the riches wealth of the realme is gathered together into a few mens hands the rest live in want and extreame poverty the other when the Magistrates be covetous and justice corrupted and the people licentious and wicked and given to all manner of vice And there be three srnnes especially above all others noted by historians that bring danger and publike punishment and calamitic to kingdoms empires Vngodlinesse Injustice and Luxuriousnesse Vngodlinesse troubleth the Church Injustice the common-wealth Luxuriousnesse private families and the hurt in particular redoundeth to the whole The vices of private families enter into the common-wealth the vices of the cōmon-wealth into every mans house and the infection of them both corrupteth the Church As contrariwise If the ecclesiasticall discipline begin to decay the others fall with it for if godlinesse bee extinguished the love of honestie and vertue waxeth cold These vices delivered the Iewes to the Assyrians and the Greekes to the Turkes Iosephus reporteth that in his time the Iewes were growne so wicked that if the Romanes had not destroyed them without doubt either the earth would have opened and swallowed them up or else fire from heaven would have consumed them CHAP. III. Of Henry the third king of France The miseries that attend on the neglect of justice Venses presented to the Senate of Rome by king Boccas The rare continency of Romane Scipio and king Alexander the Great Examples of rare friendship in Damon and Pythias and in Ephenus and Everitus Foolish friendship in the two kings Hading and Hunding The treachery of Duke Valentine sonne to the Pope How dangerous it is for yong Gentlemen to travellinto Italy Marcus Aurelius Emperour Of the vices of Rome Ancient writers concerns friendship The ingratitude of men reproved in the histories of bruit beasts as Dogs Horses Oxen Lyons c. OUr owne age hath given us examples and experience of the dangers that the generality of vices and corruption of good manners and customes hath brought to a common-wealth and how necessarie it is for a Prince to be inquisitive and looke often into the manners of his ministers and subjects and to foresee in season that the corruption of a few members doe not infect the whole body of the common-wealth In the latter troubles of France in the reigne of Henry the third all the states by the kings appointment were assembled to reforme the disorders abuses and corruptions that were crept into all parts of the realme When they had reckoned up to the king in the assembly the generalitie of vices the disorders abuses and corruptions which had over-run all parts of France they set before his eyes with eloquent speech the evill bestowing of the ecclesiasticall functions upon persons unfit the ambition the covetousnesse the plurality of benefices the non-residencie the contempt of the law of God the luxuriousnesse and dissolutenesse of Bishops and principall Prelates except some few that jetted in great pompe up and downe his Court and in all other places with troopes of servants the most wicked and lewd in al the realme their houses sound not of Psalmes and songs to the honour of God but of barking of dogs and singing of birds and of all manner of dissolute voyces Then they shewed how their Noblemen Gentlemen were degenerate from their forefathers and what vices were now usuall amongst them and among the rest their swearings and blasphemies of the name of God whereas the oath of their forefathers was By the faith of a Gentleman which was done with reverence and in cases necessary and not oherwise And speaking more generally blasphemie say they is their mother tongue and ordinary with many Frenchmen Adulterie is to them a pastime Symonie is common merchandise The richer ignorant sort of the Realme finde place in the chiefe dignities men are knowne rather by their proud attire than by their vertue their knowledge or by their goodnesse Then come they to the overthrow of Iustice and the great abuse that was therein committed the delayes the subtilties and disguising of the truth that was there usuall the miserie of them that followed sutes by the subtiltie of the parties the little zeale and negligence of Iudges by so many delayes such prolongings whereby justice was not exercised but rather vexed and encombred and often troden under foote that the particular respect of many was the cause of these evils who laboured by this meanes to increase their estate to their posteritie Of these and the like things say they the King had appointed to be informed of his Iudges but his commandement was all one as if hee had not commanded for all was unprofitable and unfruitfull And this is the wickednesse of this time that the Iudges are bound to judge according to the Lawes as they have sworne and promised when they received their charge yet notwithstanding it is glorious to a great many Iudges in these dayes to say that they are not bound to judge according to the lawes written by the Lawyers but they will judge according to their owne braines whereof it followeth that as every one aboundeth in his owne sense so many heads so many opinions so many Courts so many sentences Hereof riseth the diversity of judgments in the like cases and in the selfe same matter by meane whereof the poore suters fall into infinite charges and immortall sutes Lawes seeme no other things than written papers Then proceeding to other disorders and abuses they came to the selling of offices and the power of judgment which was the cause that the more wicked sort was most honoured the most ignorant most esteemed that the stronger oppresseth without punishment the weaker that without scruple they sell that justice by retaile that was bought in grosse that
the Cities and Countries were overwhelmed with murders and robberies unpunished that there was no order in governement neither respect to the law nor love to vertue and that a licentiousnesse addicted to all evill is spread throughout all the realme Now said they if you will turne from you the ruines that are prepared you must degrade and discharge a number aswell of your Prelates as of your civill Magistrates that are now established in your high Courts and punish them severely that have abused themselves in their callings and offices otherwise you cannot preserve your estate Then make inquirie in all parts where good and honest men doe dwell and replenish your counsell with them and God will bee there among them God is alwaies at hand with the just man and will rather bring to effect your enterprises by their hands whom he blesseth than by the subtill devices of prophane wise men whose labour he curseth it is very true that good men are not seene to walke in troopes by great companies yet let the torrent of corrupt manners bee never so violent the world was never nor will bee without some number of men of excellent vertue How many heroicall courages replenished with a holy magnanimitie and with an incredible valour be in the state of the Nobilitie and Gentilitie not these villanous blasphemous Nobilitie and Gentilitie but that which loves and feares God that never saw your Court but remaine in their houses without being imployed which kinde of men if they were imployed in your service would in a few moneths reforme all the ruines and disorders of the state But these men are not knowne but of God and of some good men King Boccas presented to the Senate of Rome these verses among others in reprehension of some disorders that were dangerous to a Common-wealth Wo be to that Kingdome where all be such that neither the good are knowne among the evill nor the evill among the good Woe be to that Realme where the poore be suffered to be proud and the rich to be tyrants Woe be to that Realme where so great vices be committed openly which in some other Countries they would feare to commit secretly But to returne to the Heathens And what an example of continencie or rather temperance for Plutarch saith Continencie is no vertue but the way to vertue that is temperance was shewed by Scipio being Generall of the Romanes Armie in Spaine when in the slower of his youth certaine beautifull young women of the Nobilitie were taken Prisoners and brought to him among the which there was a young virgin that was contract unto a Prince of the Countrey of Luccio of such a singular beautie and favour that whither soever shee went she drew all mens eyes to behold her Scipio committed her and the rest to safe custody with straight charge that no dishonour should bee offered them and sent for the parents and husband of this young virgin and after some comfortable words used to them hee restored the virgin to her husband undefiled in the same sort hee received her for the which he told him he would looke for none other satisfaction but that hee would bee a friend to the people of Rome And when her parents offered him a great summe of money in gold which they had brought for her ransome desiring him earnestly to accept it and affirming that they should take the receiving of that money for as great a pleasure as the restoring of their daughter Scipio seeing their importunacie told them hee would accept it and commanded them to lay downe the gold at his feete and calling the young Prince hee gave him this gold with his wife for her dower over and besides that which her parents had promised to give him The young man returned into his Countrey with his wife and gold in great joy and published every where as he went that there was a yong man come into Spain like unto the gods that overcame all with Armes with Courtesie and Liberalitie and within few dayes after to shew himselfe gratefull hee returned to Scipio with one thousand foure hundred horse Alexander the Great when hee had taken Darius mother and his wife prisoners a woman of singular beautie with divers other faire young virgins attending upon them was of that continency that he would not be allured by their beauties though in the flourishing time of his youth to offer them any dishonour but caused them to be kept safe from all violence and honourably used according to their estate The same Alexander having appointed on a time some woman to be brought to him after hee had looked long for her when she came to his bed side hee asked her why shee had tarried so long because quoth she I could no sooner steale from my husband when Alexander heard that shee was a married woman hee sent her presently away untouched because hee would not commit adultery Where shall we find such scrupulosity of conscience or respect of honestie among Christians that know the greatnesse of that sin and perill thereof as was in that heathen Monarch that commanded almost all the world and was subject to the controlment of no man and did forbeare onely for vertues sake It is true that the Poet saith Non facile invenies multis è millibus unum Virtutem pretium qui putet esse sui Mongst many thousands to finde one t is hard Who vertue makes the price of his reward Dionysius the elder hearing that his sonne who was to succeed him in his kingdome had committed adultery with a mans wife rebuked him sharply askt whether ever hee heard of any such act done by him No marvell quoth hee for you had not a king to your father No more wilt thou said Dionysius have a King to thy son if thou leave not these maners The tyrant thought his sonne worthy to be dis-inherited for committing adultery which now is an ordinary matter and accounted a pastime and play of the better sort Agapete said to Iustinian you are now rightly a King seeing that you can rule and governe your delights by wearing on your head the Diademe of temperance for it is a very great and princely vertue to rule himselfe and to beware of his affections the enticements of pleasures of fraud and of flatteries And where is there to bee found that faith and perfection of friendship a necessarie vertue and to bee imbraced of all men among us Christians in whom charity and love ought to abound as was betweene Damon and Pythias and divers other heathens Damon and Pythias were joyned together in such perfect friendship that when Dionysius the tyrant had determined to put one of them to death yet having obtained of Disnysius licence to go home for a time to set his things in order before hee should dye upon condition that his fellow should remaine with him to dye the death appointed to him if hee brake his day the
In Rome maids and wives were forbidden to drinke wine and men to buy muske amber or any perfuming smells where it was as ordinary to punish them that did use perfumes as women that were found drunkards The Emperour Vespasian having his pen in his hand ready to signe a dispatch which hee had given a Roman knight and feeling him smell of perfume he not only revoked his grant but with many threats banished him out of his presence Bene olet qui nihil olet Non bene â—…let qui bene samper â—…let Best she doth smell that sents of no perfume She worst that to smell sweetly doth presume But now wives and maides will not onely accompany men in their carowsing but men in perfumes labour to exceede women and be more carefull to smell sweet than to live well And what can be more lothsome than for a man to have his garments perfumed with sweete favours and himselfe polluted with stinking vices and foule conditions The luxuriousnesse used in feasts and garments is a signe of a sicke common-wealth and when men have wasted all their owne they seeke to bee master of other mens many of which things chiefely come to passe by evill examples worse followed brought from forreine countries and lache peradventure of sufficient reprehension by those whose charge is publikely to rebuke and cry out upon the generality of vices never more used But it happeneth to many of these men now adayes as it doth to him that commeth into the sight of a Wolfe whose propertie is to take away his voyce where of came a common proverbe Lupus est in fabula when some thing is spoken that every man may not heare But now it may be sayd of many of this sort LucruÌ„est in fabula for the desire of gaine and promotion maketh them hoâ—…rse and draw in their voyce when they should reprehend 〈◊〉 lest they offend And in truth the generality of all manner of vice is so crept into almost all estates that a man may more safely and with lesse blame live viciously than reprehend vice Among other vertues which the Heathens carefully observed they used great modestie and temperance in their manner of life and had worldly pompe and vanitie in contempt as things repugnant to felicity When the elder Catâ—… was sent by the Romanes to governe Spaine he was attended upon but with three servants the coverlet of his bed was goat-skinnes hee contented himselfe with the same wine and meat that the â—…riners provided for themselves which kind of life by his accustomed frugalitie was as pleasant unto him as all the pompe and delicates used by the great estates of other ages The Romanes sent messengers to Colatiâ—…s to come to Rome to take upon him the government of the Romane Empire whom they found sowing of corn in the fields this man after he had overthrown his enemies and wonne a great victory for which he triumphed after the manner of the Romanes yeelded up his office and returned to his plough againe This man saith Valerius Maximus may bee a comfort to poore men but much more hee may teach rich men how unnecessarie a thing the carefull getting of riches is to the obtaining of sound praise and felicity hee might also have said Regulus making wars in Affrica after he had won many victories upon the Carthaginians and understood that for his good service the Romanes prorogued his government for another yeare he wrote to the Consuls that his bailiffe of husbandry which was but of seven acres of ground that he had in the country was dead by meanes whereof his hired servant had taken away the things that belonged to his plough and was gone away and therefore hee desired them that one might bee sent to supply his place lest his husbandry being neglected hee should not have wherewith to maintaine his wife and children which when the Consuls had delivered to the Senate they appointed a new bay liffe to manure his land and provided for his wife children and caused those things which he had lost to be payd for out of the common treasure Cincinatus likewise being made by the Romanes Dictator which was the highest dignity in the Romane Empire an office never used but in great necessity was by them that were sent for him found at plough in the fields understanding the matter hee caused his wife to fetch his gowne and shaking off the dust from his garments he went with them presently into the city without any more curiosity where hee was received by the Senate with great honour Contempta tempore sape crescit gloria and after he had overthrowne his enemies and brought all things into good order which was done in twentie dayes he gave over his office This man likewise had but seven acres of ground to live by whereof three he lost which hee had laid in pledge for his friend and payde out of this little land a fine for his sonne for want of appearance at a day appointed and yet with the foure acres left he maintained himself and his familie and for his vertue and worthinesse was made Dictator Hee would now thinke saith valerius that hee wanted elbowe roome whose house should containe no greater circuit than Cincinnatus demaines These men set their felicitie in vertue and not in riches nor in honour and glorie and yet both followed them In this time the worthinesse of men was measured by their vertue and not by their riches and honourable estate which was the causes the Romanes made so many notable conquests of sundry nations to the great enlarging of their dominion They that follow vertue as their guide shall have fortune for their companion Anaxarchus the Philosopher shewed a notable example of magnanimity when by the commandement of Nerâ—… hee was taken prisoner that he might reveale a certaine conspiracie made against him as hee was ledde towards him for the same purpose hee bit off his tongue and spit it in the 〈◊〉 face knowing that by torture he should bee compelled to discover the rest These men though they beleeved as heathens they doe the workes of Christians but we beleeve as Christians and doe the works of heathens and if wee exceede them in curiositie of attyres and formalitie of manners they went beyond us in good life and conversation Let the brave men and jolly fellowes of these dayes that glister in gold and silver and thinke themselves graced by their tragicall habits and gestures as the onely paragons of the world and them that are wondered at and accounted happy by their great traines and troopes of followers and them that set their felicitie in dainty and delicate meates and spend whole dayes and nights in banquetting and quaffing let these men I say leave to â—…latter themselves and with an upright judgment indifferently examine themselves by these men and compare Catoes vertues and the rest with their vanities these mens frugalitie and modestie with their excesse and
perfection So wee say that the operation or worke of the sight is more perfect than the operations of all other senses because it commeth from a power more perfect and is more pure and subtill And the art of a blacke Smith is lesse perfect than that of a gold Smith because the matter whereupon he worketh as his subject which is iron is lesse perfect than the matter which is gold upon which the gold smith worketh so the operations of the understanding proceeding from the most perfect power of al other working upon an object most perfect which is substances abstract and divine must needes bee the most perfect operation which is nothing else but the contemplation of divine substances But the operations of the senses are not pure but are mixt with paine or lacke as to eate endureth no longer than we suffer the paine of hunger or have neede of meate so that the pleasure of eating is joyned with the paine of hunger and likewise of all the other senses The operations also of a civill life are not pure and simple as are the operations of the understanding which is a power voyde of all matter but they are full of perturbations troubles and affections farre from the delight and quietnesse of a contemplative life For all our operations and actions and likewise the exercise of morall vertues are full of travell and wearinesse the troubles and unquietnesse of the warres wherein men exercise fortitude is known to all men likewise the endlesse labours both of body and minde that is in governement in a common-wealth by exercising justice liberalitie prudence temperance and other vertues is apparent and all our travels and labours whether it be in warres or peace is to enjoy quietnesse As one said every motion is to rest and if we see a man withdraw himself from publike affaires and from medling with worldly matters to a private and quiet life all say with one voice that man is happy that leadeth a secure and quiet life free from worldly cares and troublous affaires of the Common-wealth by which we confesse that we judge a peaceable and quiet life to be the end of all our travels so that the felicity of man seemeth in our owne judgement to consist in a quiet life free from worldly cares and troubles and forasmuch then as such quietnesse is in no kind of life to be found but in a contemplative life then in must rest the felicity of man after the Philosophers The contemplative or studious life also is not onely to be preferred before the active and civill life by the excellency of the subject whereupon it worketh that is divine things the vacancie of worldly cares troubles but also that it is of such condition that fortune hath no power over it as it hath over other states of life A small provision serveth his necessitie hee is free from all feare of losse of goods and from any great care of keeping that he hath because his riches is in his minde he carrieth all his goods about with him and is content with himselfe And therefore say they a wise man that giveth himselfe to contemplation though he be placed in a most solitarie place or wildernesse yet hee is happy by reason of the excellencie of his minde which is occupied in despising humane matters as base things and in beholding divine things as the Poet saith Felices animâ—… quibus bac cognascere primum Inque domus super as scandere cura fuit Blest they who these things did both know love Whoselove was with the gods to dwell above But because a civill life requireth continuall action mans felicitie cannot consist in contemplation except there should be one felicity of a private man and another of a Common-wealth And therefore after Varrâ—… mans felicitie so long as he liveth in this world doth neither consist in rest nor in action but rather in a mixture of both together if there must bee one felicitie of a common-wealth and of a private man for the minde cannot throughly have the fruition of perfect contemplation untill it be separated from the body And Aristotle saith that as a horse is borne to runne an oxe to till the ground and a dogge to hunt so a man is borne to two things to understand to do For that nothing might bee wanting to the excellencie of the minde of man by which we resemble God the great Creator of all things he placed man as the end of the whole frame of the world in this goodly great Theatre not only as an inhabitour of the lower part of the world under the Moone to make one entire Common-wealth with the rest of his kind like to that heavenly principality above but as a certaine spectator also of divine things who by comparing things past with things present might foresee things to come and know and love by his word and worke the glorie of his parent And when he should ascend up to him hee should joyne himselfe to God and conforme all the harmonie of his gifts to his goodnesse and glory which by two manner of wayes is brought to passe when he helpeth and maintaineth his fellows and brethren according to his calling by the rule of Gods laws and magnifieth God in continuall contemplation by prayers and thanks-giving Therfore that the minde being fallen into the prison of the body might raise it selfe up againe as it were by certaine degrees to perpetuall light In man there is from the body a continual ascending by the spirit to the inward soule In the world where with we are environed from the elements and compound things by the Aethereall substance to heaven In mans common-wealth from kingdomes and cities to the due order of the whole course of nature from hence to the incorporate world and God himself as the first example and patterne of all justice and truth For besides the incorporate world that is above all the rest of which all the others depend there are three bodily worlds coupled together one with another as it were with a chaine of gold the greater the lesse and mans common-wealth betweene them both and the contemplative life is to bee preferred before the active life in this that it resembleth God more neare than the other because it is occupied in the operations of the minde and understanding God being understanding it selfe Now if the contemplation or studious life of the Philosophers which they bestowed in the knowledge of God by his workes and by their reason and understanding were imployed to the knowledge of God by the testimony of his holy Scripture and by faith then may it more rightly bee said that the contemplative life is more perfect than the active life But Christian contemplation properly isto be exercised in afflictions and to feele motions of the spirit and not to be studious only that resembleth rather an active life which afflictions and spirituall motions may as wel be in him
because he seeth that those benefits and graces which doe leade men to the happinesse of this life will be to some an hinderance to the true felicitie of the heauenly life and therefore he taketh from them the occasions wherewith they may offend him and leadeth them in the exercise of such things as stand them most in stead to serue him For the Lord saith Justin Martyr wil not honour his children with worldly happinesse for a reward of godlinesse for those things which bee subiect vnto corruption cannot bee a recompence to good men for their vertue When God sendeth aduersitie it is to exercise vs if hee afflict vs with pouertie it is to make vs to deserue better when hee blesseth vs with plentie so much the more ought wee to giue him thankes doe him seruice yeeld him praise and glory and obedience if hee chastise vs with sickenesse or any other way wee ought to thinke his meaning is to amend and make vs better for God for the most part suffereth aduersities to vse their force against such as are most strong not to tempt them aboue their power but through exercise the better to confirme them If we obeyed God as becommeth vs it is certaine that things should bee ruled here after such fashion as we should be contented Well then let vs admit that all those good things before spoken of which engender felicitie meet together in very few or none at all yet neuerthelesse let vs pray to God to bestow vpō vs so many of them as it shal please him to thinke meet for vs and vse our endeuour to passe our time in such felicity as is agreeable with our humane condition which as we said before is improperly called felicity or at least with as little infelicitie as may be But if his pleasure be otherwise then to beare his crosses patiently alwayes looking vp to the true felicity For he that falleth into a ditch and cryeth God helpe without employing those meanes which he hath giuen him for his help may lie there long before he come forth therfore we must vse those means which God hath giuē vs. He hath endued vs with reason to iudge of those things that be subiect to our sences and as a necessary meanes by which we should sustaine and gouerne this corporall life By this reason wee are taught to discerne betweene good and euill betweene vertue and vice Reason sheweth vs felicitie and what it is to be happie but our stubborne and vnruly affections will not be obedient to the iudgement of reason sithence our nature did degenerate being corrupted by originall sinne Therefore Gods grace must assist vs otherwise our endeuour is nothing for in this so great imbecillitie of nature and by the subtill practices of the diuell who lieth in waite to hinder and peruert our good intents and purposes our power and forces are very little so as wee be no otherwise able of our selues to doe those things which are requisite to the attaining of felicitie then as a body that is made weake with long sicknesse is able to go who is by and by weary and if any chance to thrust him euer so little he falleth to the ground so our strength and force is often ouercome with the vehemencie of our affections and often ouerthrowne by the subtiltie of the diuell Yet neuerthelesse we must not desist nor be discouraged but vse our indeuour and force such as it is and call to God to supply our defects with his grace Our principall consideration and care must be daily to praise and glorifie God to meditate often vpon him and to be thankfull for all his benefits which is our proper action and end in this mortall life as hath beene said and the means to bring vs to the ioyes of heauen which is our greatest good and beatitude or true felicitie Then how to passe thorow this vale of miserie and troublous life as plaine and smooth a way and with light burthen as our endeuour can finde and God will permit I liken a quiet life and meane estate voyd of worldly cares to a plaine way and that which is interrupted with greedy desire and hunting after riches and honours and reputation with such like perturbations to a rough and vneuen way full of hils and stones and they that possesse them to be laden with a great burthen and therefore trauell painfully in respect of the other to the end of their iourney To bring this to passe we must purifie and cleanse our minds from our corrupt and vncleane affections that we may be the better able to see and desire those things which be good indeed and auoid those things that be good in shew onely wherein morall vertues are very necessary for by them our vnruly affections and vnprofitable desires are bridled or suppressed or at least moderated which are the chiefe cause of an vnhappy life They mooue mens desires to pleasures to riches to honour and glory which hath beene shewed before by many examples and sayings of wise men to be the cause of infelicity they stirre vp pride enuy hatred malice desire of reuenge feare and such like perturbations and vnquietnesse of the mind and will neuer suffer the soule or mind to be in quiet and rest which is contrary to felicity and a happy life which consisteth not in fleshly pleasures nor in the abundance of riches or possessions nor in principality or power but in a contented and quiet mind void of sorrow and feare which cannot be obtained without Gods speciall grace and gift and his assistance to our endeauours The counsell which King Dauid gaue to his sonne in his death-bed is meete to be followed of all men Thou Salomon my sonne know the God of thy father and serue him with a perfect heart and willing mind for the Lord searcheth euery mans heart and vnderstandeth all the thoughts of mens minds If thou seeke him thou shalt find him but if thou forsake him hee will cast thee off for euer And Tobit gaue this counsell among other things to his sonne My sonne set our Lord God alwaies before thine eyes and let not thy will be set to sinne or to transgresse the commandements of God doe vprightly all thy life long and follow not the wayes of vnrighteousnesse for if thou deale truly thy doings shall prosperously succeed to thee and to all them which liue iustly Blesse thy Lord God alway and desire of him that thy wayes may be made straight and that all thy counsels and purposes may prosper And if thou desire to know whether thou be happy or not examine thy selfe whether thou be glad merrily disposed of a quiet conscience without feare of worldly things and content with thine estate whether thou be neuer pensiue or melancholike for the lacke or losse of any worldly thing whether no hope in gaping for any thing to come troubleth thy mind whether day and night thy mind be pleased and in
king of Arragon who would say that he had rather lose his pearles and precious stones than any book And divers other Kings Emperors were excellently learned among which number I account by a rare example the noble Queene of England my gracious Soveraigne The Mathematicallsciences were had in such estimation for their excellencie that none might study them but Kings that they might excell others as well in worthinesse and singularitie of knowledge as in dignity of estate but now Kings children bee brought up in Machiavels schoole â—…s an Authour sufficient for their instruction Hee that will compare this time with that of former ages shall find a wonderfull Metamorphosis in mens minds and manners Vertue was never lesse in use and vice did never more abound the truth was never more knowne and never lesse regarded never better taught and never worse followed men were never lesse idle and never worse occupied worldly 〈◊〉 were never more carefully sought for and heavenly 〈◊〉 â—…ever lesse effectually thought of Men were never moâ—… religious in words and never more prophane iâ—…deeds The divell never bestirred himselfe with more dilligence to allure men to all manner of vice and men were never more negligent to make resistance nor more ready to further his labour and though hee cannot stop the utterance of the word yet hee prevaileth in that which is next to it to hinder his bringing forth of condigne fruits It happeneth to us as it did to Tantalus that though the water ranne by his mouth yet none would enter in to quench his thirst so the sound of Gods word beateth continually against our eares but it entereth not in to coole the heate of the wicked motions of our inordinate desires and to quench our thirst after worldly vanities In every place is talke of divinitie even among them that know not what belongeth to humanity Many are with their tongues blazers and talkers of vertue but all their other members they suffer to administer to vice Few men are so covetous of their owne good fame and honour as they are greedy of other mens goods and envious of others vertue Most men seeme to hate pride and yet few follow humility all condemne dissolutenesse and yet who is continent All blame intemperancie â—…nd yet none lives in order All praise patience and yet who resisteth the sweet passion of revenge He that possesseth much oppresseth him that hath little and hee that hath but little envyeth him that hath much Wee condemne Papists for their superstition confidence in their good works and we blame Puritanes for their affected singularitie and formall precisenesse and in the meane time that we may be unlike the one in grossenesse and not much resemble the other in precisenesse we neither have sufficient regard to the true devout service of God and to Christian charity nor sufficiently shew the zeale of true Christians to the sincerity of religion and least of all expresse it in our lives and conversations as though godlinesse consisted in a theoricall kinde of beleeving without any respect to the exercise of Christian charitie and vertue And when we go about to shake off the clogges wherewith our consciences are burdened by superstition to enjoy the true and Christian libertie wee fall into such a licentiousnesse of life and dissolutenesse of manners that the Poets saying may be aptly applyed to many Dum stulti vitant vitia in contraria currunt Whilst fooles shunne vices they run into contraries Some hold that God may be better served in â—…eir â—…ber than in the Church others preâ—… a 〈◊〉 or a barne before any of them both Thus doâ—… 〈◊〉 old Serpent labour 〈◊〉 sow division in mens minâ—…s and manners to 〈◊〉 â—…nour of true religion that whilst the Magistrates bee occupied in reforming these new schismes the professed enemie to the Gospel may multiply and encrease his flocke under hand But in the middest of this generall wickednesse and depravation of manners being almost as we may conjecture at the highest this comfort remaineth to the well-minded that the day of deliverance cannot be farre off When Dionysius at the time that Christ was crucified beheld with admiration the Sunne eclipsed contrary to nature the Moone being at the full and opposite to the Sunne he pronouneed these words Either the God of nature suffereth now or else the whole frame of the world shal be dissolved And as Dionysius divined rightly in the one so may he do in the other that wil behold the generalitie of all maner of vice and wickednesse of this time contrary to the nature of Christianity and opposite to the word of God which was never more plentifully taught and boldly pronounce that this generall and unnaturall eclipse of Christian manners doth presage the destruction of the world to be at hand Hee that will looke into the manners of this time shall he not find cause with trembling and feare to thinke that the time is at hand that the Prophet Ionas spake of to the Ninivites There be yet forty dayes and the world shall be destroyed but our hearts be so hardened with worldly desires that wee will beleeve nothing that feedeth not our humours and is not plausible to our inclinations And nothing is more dangerous to a Christian than to accustome himselfe to harden his conscience For in such unhappy people there is no will to be amended nor meanes to be remedied The Affricans had a Prophecie that when the Romans sent an Armie into Affrica Mundus cum tota sua prole periret the signification of which words is The world with all his issue shall perish which made them thinke that the world with all the people should be destroyed But afterward the Romanes sent an Army thither under the conduct of a Generall whose name was Mundus who in battell with his sonnes were slaine by the Affricanes and fulfilled the effect of the Prophecie and discovered the illusion of the Divell But these Heathens were not so easie to be deludâ—…d by the Divell as we are hard to bee perswaded by the true Prophets of God and Preachers of his word that the destruction of the world cannot bee farre off for the mindes and manners of men are so transformed and changed and declineth daily from evill to worse that if the men of former ages were to walke againe a while upon the earth they would thinke that this world were not the same which before it was but rather another substitute in his place Horace found this fault in his time that the age of their parents was worse than that of their grandfathers and themselves more wicked than their fathers and their children would be more vicious than they And as wee are worse than our fathers so our posterity is like to be worse than wee be if vice bee not now at the highest and the world almost at an end The Poets observed diligently and with great consideration the mutations of
fall our knowledge being turned into ignoâ—…nce though wee have some fight of our end and beatitude yet we are notable about selves to attaine to it And as the cause of our misery is our separation from God so our felicity is to be joyned with God againe And seeing the same which was the soveraigne good of the firstman is also 〈◊〉 which by his revolt from God he lost from himselfe and from his posterity and the way to recover the same is to reâ—… to God â—…ine Let us see whether God of his great meâ—…y hath not left us some meanes by which we may be 〈◊〉 the right way to him againe whether 〈◊〉 doth â—…each forth his fatherly hand to us thorough the clouds and 〈◊〉 to call and draw us to him though like bastards and rebels we be altogether unworthy of his favour and mercy All men acknowledge one God the parent and Creator of mankind that hee made the world for man of nothing and that he governeth both the world man by his providence Then must it needs follow that obedience is due to the Father faith and invocation and all manner of duty belongeth to so bountifull a Lord and governour And seeing man is by nature immortall hee ought with all his mind to aspire to immortall things And because by sinne he is fallen from God and from himselfe he ought to aske pardon that hee may pacifie the wrath of God which he purchased by his pride and love of himselfe It is requisite therefore that hee acknowledge his frailty and misery that hee may with all humility submit himselfe to God And what betoken all these things but that there is one God one man one religion that is a duty of man toward God a reconciliation of the degenerate children to their father of the rebellious subjects to their Lord whose favour we lost by our fall For all the exercises of religion proceed hereof that men know God made and ruleth the world that man is immortall that he fell by transgression out of Gods favour that created him to worship and glorifie God which is his end and soveragne good And 〈◊〉 commeth all our sacrifices our adorations our ceremonies our singing of Psalmes and â—…hankesgiving and such like So that religion which is a reconciliation to God is the way that 〈◊〉 us to out felicity and Summum bonum or sovâ—…raigne good But not every religion but the true religion by which God is rightly served as he himselfe hath appointed and not as is grounded upon the inventions and phantasticall devices of men For the Heathens and 〈◊〉 and barbarous people have their severall religion of their owne invention some adoring the Sunne some the Moone others the first thing they meet in the morning some a red cloth hanging at the end of a long staffe others images of men and other creatures For there is no people so brutish or voide of humanity but by instinct of nature he knoweth there is a divine power above man whereupon he grooâ—…deth some religion The ancient wise men and Philosophers highly exalted religion above all things as the onely way to lead them to the soveraigne good which is God Plato saith the beatitude of man is to be made like God that is if hee bee just and holy which must come by godlinesse and the love of God which is the greatest vertue among men And Aristotle saith that in godlinesse all our felicity consisteth And 〈◊〉 saith If wee be of any judgement what shall wee doe but continually worship God sing Psalmes and give thankes unto him whether we digge or plough the ground whether wee labour or rest Simplicius saith He can doe nothing diligently how necessary soever it bee that is â—…othfull and negligent in the service of God Religion saith Hierâ—…cles is the chiefe and leader of all vertues which is referred to Gods cause to which all other vertues have relation as to their end For vertues are not vertues if they swerve from religion and godlinesse Fortitude referred to any other thing than to godlinesse falleth into temerity or rashnesse prudence into fraud and subtilty and so like wise of the rest But all other religions saving the true religion doe lead men to the brinke of hell or at least shew them Paradise afarre off but betweene them and it is a great deepe gulfe over which no man is able to passe nor all the world is able to fill it up yet there must needs be a passage over somwhere for the end of man is certaine to bee joyned with God And that he may be joyned with him in heaven it is requisite that he be reconciled to him in earth And the onely way to be reconciled is that God pay our debts and untill they be payd he doth not absolve us That therefore is the onely true religion that leadeth us directly to that passage by whose conduction we find out the right way over it which onely leadeth us to the end of religion that is mans salvation for true religion is the right way to reconcile us to God whereof ensueth the salvation of man And that the true religion may be discerned from those that bee the inventions of men it hath three markes by which it is made apparent But first this foundation must be taken for certaine and immoveable as laid upon a rocke that true religion is a rule of the worshipping of God by which man is reconciled and tyed to God for his owne salvation This salvation of man is his beatitude his beatitude is to be joyned with God For neither the world nor any thing in it maketh a man happy or blessed but God onely that made man maketh him happy And seeing it is manifest that he and no other must bee worshipped in the earth that will make us happy or blessed in heaven what religion soever though it shew to be very singular and very holy diverteth and draweth our minds and prayers from the Creator to the creature is idolatry and wickednesse And what religion shall perswade us to seeke our soveraigne good and beatitude any other where than with him that is onely good and the only author of good is not only vanity and erroneous but it leadeth out of the way to kill and throweth down head long to destroy And though they have offerings and thankesgiving sacrifices prayers and other observances they are vaine and blasphemous if we attribute that to a creature how excellent soever he be which we received of God and desire pardon of creatures for the sinnes and offences wee commit against the Creator Let this therefore be the first marke of true religion that it doth direct us and our prayers and advocations to one God the Creator of heaven and earth who only searcheth mens hearts with which hee will bee chiefly worshipped But this is not sufficient to worship the true God but he must bee rightly worshipped But who is so
within it hot bathes cold many other wonderfull things which argueth the monstrous largenesse and sumptuousnesse of the house and the outragious minde of the maker whereof to avoyde profixitie I will surcease further to speake Besides the inestimable expence of this house and many other buildings hee was as sumptuous in his apparell and unmeasurably wastefull in all things wherein he tooke any delight When for his pastime hee would walke by the sea or rivers to see fish taken the threeds of his nets must bee of gold and the lines of excellent filke When he went out of Rome which was often besides an infinite number of followers he had never lesse than a thousand chariots of mules for his provision wonderfull costly furnished and those that drave them apparelled in cloth of silver and gold and silke in all extremitie of charge even to the shooes of the mules which were of silver His pastimes feastes and gifts which he bestowed upon the people were of such ineestimable charge that it surmounteth all imagination at such vanities the Poet might well cry out O curas hominum O quantum est in rebus inane Oh Mens vaine cares How great 's their vanitie Hee was in all things given to please his senses and above all the rest of his abominable vices extremely addicted to the pleasure of women and to lecherie which because it will abhorre all modest eares I will forbeare to recite and draw towards his end which was as miserable and shamefull as his life was dissolute and beastly His tyrannous and licentious life was become so odious to all men that divers of his Lievtenants in sundry Countreyes revolted against him at one time The Senate likewise by common consent determined to forsake him and to deny him their obedience Which things being known unto him hee beganne to despaire and to be utterly out of hope to be able to make head against them And as a guiltie conscience easily falleth into extreame feare and desperation so hee supposing the time was at hand in which hee must suffer condigne punishment for his lewd life like a man almost franticke rent his clothes beat his head against the walls and would receive no couasell nor comfort After some pawse that he was come to himselfe he tooke a boxe of gold wherein he had put poyson and walked into his gardens where hee deliberated with himselfe what course were best for him to take to escape from this imminent mischiefe But as Guiceiâ—…rdin saith Nibil difficilius viract pocest quam fatum adversus imminentia impendentia malanullum valet remedium There is nothing more difficult to be avoyded than fate and against imminent and impendent mischiefe there is no remedy Sometimes hee thought best to flie to some forraine Prince sometimes to yeeld himselfe to some of them that were comming against him and to desire mercy other-while to shew himselfe openly to the people arrayed in base apparell like an abject and to desire pardon for his wicked life past and if they would not suffer him any longer to bee Emperour yet that they would give him the governement of Egypt And to this purpose there was found among his writings after his death an excellent Oration Notwithstanding he durst not put this device in practice fearing to bee slaine of the people who were now all in an uproare Thus having passed that day and part of the night in this perplexitie and feare tossed up and downe betweene hope and despaire hee withdrew him into a Chamber though with very small rest determining the next day to follow that course which then should fall into his head And after a little sleepe about midnight newes was brought him that the bandes of souldiers that guarded his Palace had forsaken him This newes so much amazed him that hee sent presently for some of his best friends but as in such cases faithfull friends are no whereto be found neither did Nero deserve it so had hee no good answer from any of them And therefore with a few of his servants covered with the darkenesse of the night hee wear in person to divers of their houses but the doores would not bee opened nor any answer made him Thus hee that a little before was feared and adored of all the world returned with sorrow in contempt and feare of every man And when hee came to his Palace againe hee found it risted and all his goods stolen away even to his boxe of poyson which hee had reserved for his last refuge Which when he saw he despaimed altogether of life and was desirous of death and calling a gladiator prayed him to kill him which when hee and others also refused he cryed out saying Thus now he had no friend nor enemy and in a fury ready to cast himselfe into the River of Tiber he asked of some few that were with him where hee might hide himselfe untill he might bee advised who were best to doe whereupon a servant of his undertooke to convay him forth of the Citie in the night and with much feare and trauaile hee brought him to a house toure miles from Rome where he cast himselfe upon a simple bed and being hungry and thirsty there was nothing to bee had but a little browne bread and water The bread he refused the water he dranke in wonderfull sorrow and feare to see himselfe in that place Whilest Nero was thus occupied as soone as it was day the Senace caused his flight to hee published and by common consent hee was adjudged an enemy on his Countray and condenâ—…ed to death and men fem to seeke and to execute him Which heavie newes being brought him and perswaded by his followers to kill himselfe hee tooke two daggers in his hands and fâ—…lt whether the points were tharpe enough as though hee meant to doe the act but being timorous and reprehended of the standers by of cowardize hee desired one of them first to kill himselfe by whose example he might bee the better taught to follow But they refusing so to instruct him gave him leave to be his own carver and hearing the noyse of the horsemen that were sent by the Senate to kill him seeing no remedie hee thrust his dagger into his throate and so with the helpe of one of them that were present slew himselfe whose vgly countenance representing his monstrous conditions was terrible to the beholders This was the miserable end of this monster and enemie of mankinde in the flower of his youth whose felicitie was set upon all manner of pleasures and voluptuousnesse by whose example men may learne to follow the Poets counsell Non tibi quod liceat sed quid fecisse decebit Occurras mentemque domet respectus honesti Give not thy lawlesse will the reine but serve The decent meane and Vertue 's rules ne're swerve CHAP. II. The incomparable Ryots of Vitellins a Romane Emperour Of Peter de Ruere a Cardinall And of
Muleasses King of Tunis c. Against voracitie and immoderate Drinking instanced by sundry Histories Divers Motives perswading into Abstinence and Temperance With the singular profit arising from thence With Examples and Histories to shat purpose c. 〈◊〉 another Emperour of Rome was among divers other his notorious vices so luxuriously given that at one supper he was served with two thousand fishes of divers kindes and seven thousand flying foules who was afterward drawne throughthe streets with a halter about his neck shamefully putto death But what shall wee wonder at Emperours prodigalities when of later yeares a simple Franciscan Frier Peter de Ruere after hee had attained to the dignitie of Cardinall by the favour of the Pope his kinsman hee spent in two years in which he lived at Rome in feasts and banquets two hundred thousand Crownes besides his debts which were as much more In our time Muleasses King of Tunis was so drpwned in pleasures that being expelled from his Kingdome for whoredome after his returne from Germanie being denyed of ayd hee sought of the Eraperoue Charles the fifth he spent an hundred Crownes upon the dressing of a peacocke for his owne mouth And that hee might with more pleasure heare musicke hee used to cover his eyes But the judgement of God fell upon him for his sonne or brother dispossessed him of his Kingdome provided him a remedic that his sight should be no longer annoyance to his hearing causing his eyes to be put out with a burning hot iron He that is given to please his senses and delighteth in the excesse of eating drinking may as Salust saith bee called Animal for hee is unworthy the name of a man For wherin can a manmore resemble brute beasts degenerate from his Angelicall nature than to serve his belly and his senses But if our predecessors exceeded us in superfluitie of meats wee can compare and goe beyond them in drinking and quaffing There bee carowsets that wll match Nero and Vitellius and Heliâ—…gabalus if they were living in that facultie Vahappie are they and farre from felicitie that think it a glorious thing to coâ—…tend for the superioritie in carowsing and to carry away the victory in such a Bacchandian combate which pestiferous disease beginneth so to creepe into our Nation by the infection of our neighbours that if it be not piâ—…bmed by outboritie or lawes it is to bee fearedlest it will grow to bee habituall and take such roote that it will bee on possible to bee removed and so consequently that they which last received itwill goe beyond them from whom they first had it For the imitation of evill alwayes exceedâ—… the example King Edgar so much detested this vice of Drunkennesse that hee fet an order that no men should drinke beyond a certâ—… ring made round about the glasles cups of purpose for a marke Anacharsis saith that the first draught is to quench the thirst the second for nourishment the third for pleasure the fourth for madnesse Augustine Lurchcimer renorteth a strange Historie of three quaffers in Germany in the yeare one thousand five hundred fortie nine these three companions were in such a â—…ollity after they had taken in their cups according to the brâ—…ish manner of that Countrey that with a coale they paiâ—…d the divell in the wall and dranke freely to him and talked to him as though hee had been present The next morning they were found strangled and dead and buried under the gallowes I remember a pretty experiment prastised by the Emperour Charles the fifth upon a drunkard As this Emperour on a time entred into Gaunt there lay a 〈◊〉 fellow worth wast the streetes as though hee had beene dead who lest the horsemen should ride over him was drawn out of the way by the legs and could by no meanes be waâ—…ed which when the Emperour saw he caused him to be taken up carried home to his Palace and used as he had appointed He was brought into a faire chamber hanged with costly arrasse his clothes taken off and laid in a 〈◊〉 bed meet for the Emperour himselfe He continued in sleep untill the next day almost noone When he awaked and had lyen wondring a while to see himselfe in such a place and divers brave gentlemen attending upon him they took him out of the bed and apparelled him like a Prince in very costly garments and all this was done with very great silence on every side When hee was ready there was a table set furnished with very dainty meats he set in a chaire to eat attended upon with brave Courtiers served as if the Emperour had been present the cupboard full of gold plate and divers sorts of wines When he saw such preparation made for him he left any longer to wonder and thought it not good to examine the matter any further but took his fortune as it came and fell to his meate His wayters with great reverence and duety observed diligently his nods and becks which were his fignes to call for that he lacked for words he used none As he thus sate in his majestie eating and drinking he tooke in his cups so freely that he fell fast a sleep againe as he sate in his chaire His attendants stripped him out of his fresh apparel arrayed him with his own ragges againe and carried him to the place where they found him where he lay sleeping untill the next day After he was awakened and fet into the company of his acquaintance being asked where he had been he answered that he had been asleep and had the pleasantest dreame that ever he had in his life and told them all that passed thinking that it had been nothing but a dreame The like peradvenâ—…e would happen to the carowsers of these dayes if they would clense their minds from this notorious vice of excessive quaffing even to drunkennesse and somtimes to death and consider that God hath made them creatures after his own image they would thinke or for shame wish that the time they had in that sort spent had been but a dreame But black is no deformitie among the Moores A long inveterate custome hath made that vice familiar and turned it into manners S. Paul saith Non in ebrietatibus neque in impudicitiis nec in contentionibus sed induinoins Iesum Christum Passe not your time in drunkennesse neither in chambering nor in contentions but put on Iesus Christ. Olaus Magnus maketh report of a beast in the North part of Suetia called a Ierffe whose propertie is when he hath killed his prey or found some carkasse hee devoureth so much and never leaveth feeding untill his belly bee puffed up and strowteth like a bag-pipe then not being able to hold any more hee goeth presently between two narrow trees and straineth out backward that which hee hath eaten and so being made emptie returneth againe to the carkasse and filleth himselfe as
luxuriousnesse these mens temperance with their licentiousnesse the simplicitie of habits and finglenesse of their life that governed kingdomes and triumphed over nations with the pompe and pride of this age and with their lascivious maners and effiminate attyres that passe their time in courting and carowsing These things duly considered our gallants must needes let fall their peacocks tayles and wish that some of Argus eyes were restored into their heads whereby they might bee more provident and better able to discerne betweene the others vertues and their vanities that diverteth them from felicitie who then would exclaim upon the iniquity of this time that will yeeld them no examples to follow And those men that bee so carefull to beautifie their bodies with brave attires leaving their minds soyled with foule vices and they that aspire to honourable places without vertue seeme to mee to bee like them that wash their face with faire water and wipe it with a dish-clout There was a Persian called Teribarus who so greatly delighted in brave attire that on a time having apparelled himselfe in very costly garments more meete for a Prince than for him set out with pearle and precious stones and divers kindes of jewels and furniture such as women use to attire themselves withall thinking thereby to encrease his reputation above the rest the King Artaâ—…erxes had no sooner espyed him but he fell into a great laughter and turning to him said Wee give thee leave as an effeminate man to use womens delights and as a mad-man to weare Princes apparel as if he should have said that to hunt ambiciously after honor and reputation after the custome of many is rather worthy of laughter than of anger and that it is a kinde of madnesse to aspire to honour and reputation by any other way than by vertue which rather flyeth away than followeth after them that seeke for it Divitum prapatentum feda mollities malorum â—…mnium fomes scaturigo Many 〈◊〉 advanced to estimation and honourable estate through their great riches and possessions and other by favour without merit that were but yesterday of no account and of base parentage but very few rise to honour by the worthinesse of their vertue And such men being so suddenly exalted doe many times as snailes do when winter is past who feeling the heate of the sunne thrust out their necke and hornes out of their shell in a stately sort and are fearefull to little children even so many of these new men that lurâ—…ed obscurely and lived without reputation and verâ—…e finding themselves advanced suddenly to high and unlooked for estate abusing the favour of the Prince carry up their heads aloft grow proud and look bigge as though they would be terrible to all the world Asperius nihil est humili cum surgit in altum None looke so bigge as beggars being rais'd One marvelleth that seeing men are called men and live by their mind and not by their outward forme that they are so carefull to decke their bodies and so negligent to adorne their mindes Where great care is had saith Cato to decke the body there is great carelesnesse and litle regard of vertue If Diogenes were now living he must have a torch to seeke for a man at noone dayes for he would hardly finde such a man as hee looked for with a candle But to returne from whence I digressed By the exercise of these and the like vertues the Heathen thought they might attaine to felicitie for to live according to nature they thought was sufficient to live happily because by nature wee have an inclination to vertue though not made perfect without exercise but they knew not how our nature was corrupted by the fall of our first parent by which wee can doe nothing that good is without Gods holy spirit neither can fortune give us any helpe to it avaine name among the Heathens given to those effects whereof they knew not the cause proceeding by the providence of God There was found engraven in a precious stone called Topaze these words in old Romane letters Natura deficit Nature fayles Fortuna mutatâ—… Fortune changes Deus omnia cernit God seeth all things Which words against the Philosophers that thought the way to felicity to bee to live according to nature whereto they would have the helpe of fortune may be thus applyed by the defect of nature by the muâ—…abilitie of fortune without the providence of God no man can attaine to felicitie For our nature being degenerate from his first perfection and estate to wickednesse and corruption and fortune as they call it being variable and uncertaine void of all constancy we have no means to come to felicitie without Gods providence grace and to thinke that a man may bee able to attaine to it by his wisedome is extreme arrogancie and meere folly Patrarke saith To beleeve that thou art wise is the first degree to foolishnesse the next is to professe it By this which hath beene said it appeareth that the felicitie of man consisteth not in the action of morall vertue as the Philosophers would for that is not his end but the end of man is the glory of God to know and worship him which is also his proper action for unstable and uncertaine are all humane matters not onely in the minds and actions of private men but in Monarchies also and kingdomes to day they flourish and seeme to be in great securitie to morrow they decline and fall into thraldome and miserie another time they returne againe to their former estate thus continually prosecuting their periods even as the heavens that goe round alwaies moving and in circular sort returning where they beganne so by vertue they are raised up on high and by vice following as it were by a necessary succession they are throwne downe againe Virtutum soboles pax est at copia pacis Vbertas luxum peperit luxuriabeâ—… Bello pauperies sata The off spring of vertues peace plenty and increase Which are the fertile issue of long peace Beget excesse excesse begets hostility And war the parent is of poverty And thus it fareth with the condition of men that adversitie springeth of poverty and prosperity of adversitie But though the Philosophers exalted so highly morall vertues and the actions and operations of a civill life as that wherein the felicitie of man consisteth yet they preferred a contemplative life before it as a thing wherein was a more perfect felicitie excelling all other operations and actions of man and bringing him to a most perfect and exact felicitie and beatitude for all operations or workes receive their perfection from the powers and faculties from whence they proceede and from the subject whereupon they worke so as the perfection of the power or faculty that worketh and of the subject upon which it worketh maketh the operation or worke more or lesse perfect as the power and subject hath in them more or lesse