persons haue there beene in times past that woulde faine haue gone currant for six shillings eight pence yet if they had beene brought to the ballance they would haue weighed too light by a great deale more than the common allowance of two graines but if they had bin tried by the touch we might well haue said All is not golde that glisters The title of Nobilitie to a good man is of great excellencie but to an ill man of no lesse infamie It is likely that good should come of good and vertue is most succeeding in noble blood and the worthinesse of honourable ancestors craueth a reuerend regard to be had in their posteritie Honourable Nobilitie is fittest to counsaile kings and to take vpon them the great affairs of the state· Our Noble men are inflamed with the desire of glorie and renowne and the inferiour sort doe thinke themselues most happie and blessed when they are gouerned by the wisedome and vertue of Noble personages that commonly manage their authoritie with magnificence for as it is witnessed in the Prouerbs Where righteous men are in authoritie the people reioyce but where the wicked beare rule the people sigh Honourable Nobilitie is then most fit to counsell a king and the care and studie of good Counsailors is still to endeuour those things that shall concerne the honour of God the preseruation of the Kings royall person and the furtheraunce of the good and benefite of the common-wealth and in the middest of their most weighty affaires not to leane too much to the pollicies of worldly wicked men that they impugne the wisedome and pollicie ordayned and decreed by the Almightie himselfe There is nothing more vnbefitting in a Counsailour than passion to be hastie to be angry to be cholericke for anger rage and fury haue neuer bin knowne to gouerne well Couetousnesse is the poyson that marreth all but Couetousnesse in a Counsailor is the mother of extortion of oppression of bribery alienating all compassion into mercilesse crueltie dishonouring the reputation euen of the greatest personages making them to be reputed amongst the base and miserable minded It teacheth to buy or sell all things for money and to neglect no manner of meanes that brings in gaine The Thebanes established a Lawe forbidding that no man shoulde bee admitted to the administration of any manner of gouernement in a common-wealth except hee had first left off buying and selling of retayling or transporting for the space of tenne yeares There is not a more excellent commendation that may be giuen to a Counsailor nor any thing better pleasing to God and man than to haue him compassionate of the poore oppressed suters that follow him giuing them dispatch with such conuenient expedition that their long and tedious suings be not more hurtfull vnto them than any wrongs they haue formerly indured Here leaving the Muses to their Helicon I yet once againe implore th' assistance of the heauenly Power that I might speake a little of Kings and Princes with that humble and dutifull reuerence that is appertaining to their greatnesse and but fit for me to meddle with As the Law when it was first giuen with thundring lightning and great terrors vnto the people from Mount Sinay so likewise when the children of Israel required a King he was first giuen with the like tempest of thunder which so feared the people that they cried vnto Samuel to pray for them that they might not die Here is to be noted the authoritie of a King for as the voice of the Law is terrible to the wicked euen so is the King for he is ordained to take vengeance and hath a sword to punish offence The Prince executeth not his owne authoritie but the iudgement of God and whosoeuer resisted the Anointed of the Lord resisteth God himselfe As God hath ordained Kings and Princes to beare souereigne authoritie vpon the earth so he hath dignified them with names and titles belonging to himselfe aswell to put them in minde of their owne duties towards God as also to stirre vp and continue the loue and obedience of their subiects towards themselues So that whether the King bee good or bad he is yet notwithstanding the gift of God and either the Ministers of his mercies or of his iudgements for if the Prince be euill he is ordained for a scourge to wicked and vnthankful people to punish their sinnes Subiects may in no wise charge their Princes with any crimes at their owne pleasures for the power of Kings commeth from God who holdeth the hearts of Princes in his owne hands and ruleth them according to his owne pleasure A King doth not administer his owne but the affaires of many obseruing duely those Lawes whereof he is both founder and ouerseer In mine opinion they are much ouerseene that will prescribe lawes and order of life to Princes who are Lords ouer Lawes and may inioine them to others Good Kings are to be wished for where they want but howsoeuer good or bad they must be obeyed for if Iupiter bee angrie hee must send a Storke to deuoure In the word of a King there is power and who shall say to his Prince What dost thou Princes may shake off their owne errours by blaming other men and so they may assume their seruants foresights to their owne praise The good will of a Prince may easily be obtained but as quickly blowne forth againe with the wind of slaunder and therefore Cicero admonisheth to speake as reuerently of Kings and Princes as we do of the gods The office of a Prince serueth to suppresse tyrants and to vpholde the meanest subiect in his right against the greatest power that would oppresse him A Prince must heare the complaint of his Subiects if either the regard of his owne glorie or the estate of the publike weale be deare vnto him for that is the most absolute and behouefull thing appertaining to a Prince and is no lesse precious vnto him then is his Empire Most happie is that Prince and borne no doubt for the good of his Countrey that neglecteth not that speciall care toward his subiects A Prince to be iust in himselfe is honour to his person but to minister right to his wronged Subiects is a generall good to the whole Common wealth The office of a good King towards his people should be as a father toward his children but not as a Conquerour toward the vanquished As there is nothing more miserable to a Prince then to be compelled so there is nothing more rather to breake the heart of subiects then when he will not be intreated There is nothing more gratious in a Prince then mercie but yet ouermuch lenitie breedeth contempt The King that treadeth the steps of clemencie becommeth old and leaueth his inheritance to his posteritie but the Prince that gouerneth with rigour and crueltie is seldome set to liue long Thales being asked what rare thing he had
of ambition O how many others might I speake of that do labour with the mountaines to bring forth Mice that doe seeke to draw the Lions skin vpon Esops Asse and Hercules shooe vpon a childes foote but they doe well to sute the world with bookes according to the fashion for rude limping lines are best befitting a lame halting age writers are not so vaine but readers for the most part are iij. times more foolish For he that is but in a blew coate with a cognizance if he can but make curtesie after the new fashion and that his wit will but serue him to play with his Mistresse little dogge he dare take vpon him to censure any thing And these rash readers will make such expositions as the Authour himselfe neuer thought on and they will dispraise many things that they could neuer conceiue and they will praise againe what they neuer vnderstood Ignorance neuer spareth to commit Sacrilege these Paper monsters therfore are fittest to fill the dull conceits of the multitude with admiration amongst whom a strained stile is in better account then the best laboured lines Yea the Printer himselfe to make his booke the more vendible doth rather desire a glorious Title than a good Booke so that our new written Pamphlets of these times are not much vnlike to a poore Inne in a Countrey towne that is gorgiously set foorth with a glorious signe but being once entred into the house a man shall find but cold intertainment as well of homely lodging as of bad fare They are but resemblances to the Apples that are said to grow about Sodom which being pleasant to the eye doe vanish into smoke or into soot as soone as a man doth but put his teeth into them and like the small bells of the Choribantes that may make a little tingling noise but they are good for nothing but to trouble the braine To speake truly I haue many times beene deceiued with these flourishing Titles that I haue seene pasted vpon a Post for bestowing my mony in haste at my better leisure looking into the book and finding such slender stuffe I haue laughed at my owne folly but I haue yet made vse of them for what will not serue for one thing may well be imployed to another I learned that of the Lion who being aduised to discharge the Asse and the Hare as vnprofitable in his campe the one for his simplicitie the other for his timeritie aunswered that notwithstanding they were vnfitte for the fight yet he would make vse of them the one to serue for a Trumpetter the other to be imployed as a Purseuant And I neuer met with so vaine a book but that I could gather something out of it for mine owne instruction if it were but to blesse my selfe from his humour that writ it But let them go with their bookes they are but small faults they are good yet if it be but to set the Printers a worke that otherwise should be idle and I thinke they do little harme vnlesse amongst that sort of people that are themselues as vaine as the bookes but I will now wade into matter of some more importance not to detect any faultes that I know yet such as haue beene knowne in times past and therefore now good if they could be shunned As the bodie cannot guide it self without eies so a Common-wealth cannot be gouerned without Maiestrates but such as ought to bee cleare sighted for the bodie giueth more credite to the eie then it doth to the eare men are rather moued to one good example which they see with their owne eyes then a thousand wordes testified by reports and therefore whosoeuer he bee that commandeth from the highest to the lowest must winne his opinion from well doing and not by well saying It was not pronounced without great Mysterie where God commaunded in the booke of Deuteronomie that such as should aspire to the administration of publique gouernment should be wise and Noble Authoritie is the Touchstone whereby to trie the perfection of any mans vertue for in authoritie the vertuous doe manifest their goodnesse but the wicked will so much the sooner lay open their vice Couetous persons amongest all other are most pernitious to be admitted to administration of Iustice and the counsell that Iethro gaue to Moses amongst other things was that he should not giue any publique office of iustice vnto anie couetous person The most ignorant are euer aptest to beleeue that they are most worthy of the chiefest promotions and because they did neuer mannage any affaires of importance they know not what burthen and difficulties are therevnto incident how many haue sought to aduaunce themselues to beare rule and gouernment by their wealth which indeede is but the nurce of vice who once placed in authoritie haue made port sale both of Vertue and Iustice seeking still to enrich themselues by the ruines of the Common-wealth increasing as fast in their wickednesse as they did in their wealth Where the Magistrate is good the people are not lightly ill so that the goodnesse or ilnesse of the Common-wealth doth much consist in the Magistrate It is not then without great consideration that the multitude should pray for the Magistrate But hee that is honoured more for his power then he is for his puritie of life may speake as it were in the person of God This people honoureth me with their lippes but their heartes are farre from me It hath euer beene a thing detested amongest the multitude to see an vnworthie man that is either inclined to pride to couetousnesse to oppression or other such like to be aduaunced or so fauoured that he should sway at his owne pleasure without impeachment no man daring to examine his wrongs and oppressions such greefes haue turned to great inconuenience for preuention wherof the antiquitie haue vsed to banish those for certaine yeares that haue so aspired yea sometimes though they were not to bee charged with any publique crime or offence Aristophenes foreseeing this danger of greatnes what a meane it might proue whereby to attempt the vsurpation of tyrannie deuised a tragedie raysing Pericles from hell wherein he exhorted the Magistrate not to nourish a Lion in their Cities for if they fall to cherishing of him whilest hee was little they must of necessitie obey him when hee was growne great Where exceptions of persons are respected there iustice must needes bee corrupted And nothing can be permanent that is corrupted and therefore the greater he is that offendeth by so much the more deserueth to be punished and the more authoritie a Magistrate hath to commaund the lesse libertie he hath to offend It may be called a happie gouernment as Plato saith where the ambitious are not suffred to beare rule And it is no lesse pittifull againe where abuse is not redressed by the care of the Magistrate and where those that are oppressed dare not complain Authoritie is by
payeth them in the end with more grieuous punishment than that which is obiected to our eyes or that which is inflicted vpon the body But would you see one example of the secret iudgements of God Titus the Emperour had intelligence what Christ had prophecied of Ierusalem that one stone should not be left standing vpon an other see nowe the secret iudgementes of God that the same man that persecuted the Christians at Rome goeth now to Ierusalem to reuenge the death of Christ vppon the Iewes that had crucified him drawne heereunto without doubt by his owne passion but ouer-ruled by God to be the executioner of his Iustice who many times looseth the reines of bloud to runne vpon bloud drawing one sinne to doe execution on an other one murtherer to kill another one wicked Cittie to afflict another and one prowd nation to chase and persecute another For the seauen liberall Sciences Grammar Logicke Arithmetike and the rest if I should take vppon mee to speake in their commendations I might happen to speed as he did that would needs take vpon him to speake in the praise of Hercules and to that purpose had whetted the strength of his wit to haue made a long Oration But a Philosopher hearing this needelesse commendation very prettily interrupted him and asked him Whie who discommends Hercules and I doe thinke there is not a greater argument of folly then for a man to vndertake the praise of that which is more excellent of it selfe than any other commendation a man can render vnto it For those that are professours of the Artes if there be any that are of a contentious wrangling spirit they are vnto such a one like a sword in a madde mans handes more apt to doe hurt than good The Grammarian his subiect is but wordes teaching vs to bring the diuers partes of speach in one congruitie and to this purpose they doe many times tire and martire themselues more than needes Logicke teacheth how to sift out the troth from a number of falshoodes howe to frame an argument it setteth downe rules and precepts how to define distinguish diuide conclude and how to iudge and argue But there be too many that with this little mist of knowledge will seeke to peruert and deface all knowledge and sometimes by wresting the weapons of reason will mannage them to the confusion of Reason it selfe Rhetorike by her rules doth beautifie the speach with pollished words fine phrases and gratious colours whereby to stirre affections which is fitter to adorne a leasing than to set forth a serious troth which the Apostle well proueth where he saieth Christ sent me not to Baptize but to Preach and that not in wisdome of words lest the crosse of Christ might proue in vaine Which woordes the Apostle vsed to the end the Gentiles should not thinke his exhortation to be but a well cowched leasing such as their Orators were accustomed to perswade by the force of their Arte for those haue most neede of artificiall speeches who with pleasing words doe go about to couer dishonest deedes The country-man is more afraid of the serpent that lieth hidden in the grasse than of the wilde beast that feedeth openly on the mountaine The mariner is more endaungered by hidden shelues than knowne rockes and more perrill in a secret ambush than in a ranged battell A naked tale doth most truly set foorth a naked trueth and veritie then shines most brightly when she is in least brauery A good cause bringeth credite it needeth not the help of Art and to vse superfluous eloquence in a matter of sufficient excellencie is a greater shew of a pregnant wit than of a perfect wisedom yet eloquence is one of the greatest graces whereby the popular sort are best perswaded and thinke that a man hath much wisedome and knowledge if he can speake with great eloquence and hath a sweete tongue with pleasing wordes Aristotle writte with such slender ornament of wordes with such simple manner of deliuerance and with such obscuritie of stile but yet his Axiomes Problemes and all his sentences being opened they held such lineaments and proportions of rare admiration that some ignorant expositours would needes conclude that Aristotle had deliuered his writings in this sort but of sette purpose rendring this reason because hee would that his workes should passe with the greater authoritie he writ vnder Riddles They might haue saide the like by Plato who with no lesse harsh breuitie obscureth his reasons and many times darkeneth his writings by the ill placing of the parts of his tale but yet Cicero praising his eloquence saide That if Iupiter should haue spoken Greeke hee would haue spoken as Plato did Musicke hath his proceeding from the concordance and agreement of soundes I would I could praise it but halfe so well as I loue it but yet for all that for him that hath his head troubled with too many crochets I would rather wish to haue his cunning than his wit Arithmeticke proceedeth but from a vnite yet by addition multiplication and the rest of her partes it comprehendeth things that be infinite Geometry hath likewise his proceeding but from a pricke but the knowledge of it is excellent and serueth for diuerse purposes both for peace or warre But wee haue Geometritians in these dayes some that if they can but drawe three lines with a Compasse will vaunt themselues to haue as much cunning as euer had Euclides Astrologie for the Science it selfe it is a high mysterie Mary amongst the Professors there is great variety I will not speake of incertainty because there is one thing certaine which I my selfe can assure and that is whilest the Astrologian is calculating for others hee knowes not what is hanging ouer his owne head The Letters are the first instruments of the arts and Grammar Logicke and Rhetoricke are onely entries into the rest of the Sciences and may be called the Artes of well speaking Learning is the Ladder whereby to climbe to heauen it raiseth men from earthly vanities to the contemplation of things celestiall and diuine A man that is enlightned with knowledge grasps after vniuersalities and Science it is that stretches it selfe to the heauens it meditates of eternity and makes steppes whereby to ascend to the throne of Glorie A man without Learning is but an immortall beast he hath being with blocks life with plants and sence with beasts but as Aristotle saieth that the reasonable soule partaking of the same generall nature with the Angells is ashamed to behold her selfe placed in a body which hath but fellowship with beasts And as Socrates hath defined a man that is destitute of knowledge if hee be amongest the best hee may be saide to bee a man amongest beasts but amongst the learned the best you can repute of him is to be but a beast amongest men There is nothing then so much to be sought for as
many desired but by few well executed And although it were knowne that our Sauiour Christ was accused by false testimonie yet those that sat in iudgement would rather condemne iustice then displease the wicked Iniurie and oppression vsed by those that haue beene in authoritie haue turned to Commotions Rebellions and Reuolts and there is no broile more noysome and hurtfull to any weale publike then that which falleth out betweene the Magistrates and the Commons about gouernment for if we should aduisedly call to minde Hystories of Antiquitie it would appeare that there hath not been any gouernment so happily founded which hath not beene shaken againe through dissention and discord rising and falling out betweene those of ancient Nobilitie and the meanest sort of the rascall and peeuish people The pollitike gouernement of the Switzers was changed by a generall mutiny of the multitude who for the tyranny of their Princes and Magistrates freed themselues by murdring all that took vpon them either the dignitie or title of a Gentleman The multitude of the people the greatest part of them are ignorant of the best things they are euermore desirous of chaunge hating still what is present amongst whome the counsaile of the wise were neuer heard without daunger neither can there be any thing profitably ordain'd by the confused fury of the multitude And although popular loue be light yet their hatred is heauie and it little auailes to haue walles and fortresses where the heartes of the people are estranged Dionisius the Tirant being guarded with many armed Souldiers was asked by Plato why he had committed so many offences that he should be so imprisoned with so many squadrons The feare conceiued by subiects hath bin cause of mutation and the feare of the Spanish Inquisition was the first cause of Netherlands reuoult subiects haue reason to fear that are kept in fear without reason and he that is feared of many is hated of many and he had need to haue a large winde that will saile against the Tide Aristotle thinkes that the common good of the multitude is rather to be preferred than the priuate profite of some few And yet he wisheth rather to abolish the humorous passions of the multitude than to fauour it And Diogenes seeing the people to throng out of church doore preased as fast against them to get in and hauing once entred he said It was the part of wisemen to be alwayes contrary to the multitude The vulgar people through their dull wittes and brutish nature can not perceiue what is profitable either to themselues or to their country but the noble minde is not only the worker of present profite but also through great foresight preuents imminent daunger Furthermore the common people haue no taste nor feeling of honor and renowne neither in the defence of their countrey or of any corage or hardinesse of stomacke where on the other side the noble bloud is inflamed with renowne abhorreth dastardly cowardlinesse and in defence of a common profite attempteth great and dangerous enterprises but it is necessitie that maketh more wise men amongest the multitude than any other doctrine that reason can perswade It hath been questioned whether that gouernment be better where there is a naughtie Prince good ministers vnder him or where the Prince is good and the Magistrates euill Marius Maximus leaneth to the first and a pillar of Philosophie hath set downe this for a Maxime how that common-wealth is best and most assured where the Prince is ill conditioned rather than that where the Ministers are corrupt and badly disposed But there be many other of great authoritie that will in no wise consent when former experience hath so many times taught that euill men be oftener corrected by a good Prince than an euill Prince amended by good men but this is certain there can be no worse gouernement than that that is managed by opinion Seditious estates with their owne deuises false friendes with their owne swordes and rebellious commons with their own snares are ouerthrown Either Riches or Pouertie when they are in extreamitie doe bring the Common wealth to ruine for excesse is euer vnassured and in daunger to be shaken Amongst many eares in a well gouerned common-wealth there hath beene great respect had to these idle begging people whose libertie of running about hath produced many inconueniences sometimes in the time of sickenesse they haue spread the infection by their licentious libertie of gadding from place to place othersome againe vnder the pretence of begging haue searched out the secrets of Citties and Townes haue layed them open to an ennemy haue poysoned waters and haue sometimes fired Citties as the citty of Tire and other Citties in Fraunce haue well experienced and it is strange that here in our Country we haue so long escaped these practises when such multitudes of sturdy rogues haue bin suffered so ordinarily to passe by two by three by foure yea sometimes by sixe and more in a company vnder the pretence of begging Souldiors that neuer crossed the Seas the most of them to come where seruice was I speake not this to the annihilating of charitie which God knows is too colde already when those that are poore and needie indeede growne decrepite with age with impotencie with sickenesse with griefe and are not pittyed but suffered to lie in the open streetes pining away without any reliefe But it is no great reproach to see a poore man that hath spent his bloud in the defence of his Country that is able to bring good Testimonie of his honest seruice and beeing returned home hurt maimed lamed dismembred and should be suffered to crouch to creepe to begge and to intreate for a peece of bread and almost no body to giue it him Well God be thanked of amendment they say there is better order taken and there is great hope it will be as well executed I will not speake of Faults committed amongst Officers that in times past for the most part by seeming haue been transported into priuate gaine for if Princes themselues did aduisedly considder how much it would redownd aswel to their own commoditie as to the benefite of their subiects to looke to these Horse-leaches that haue suckt their own gaine by the ruines of Princes and the wrack of commonwealths they would become as vigilant as Vespasian who in the beginning of his gouernement gaue the greatest Offices and Dignities of Rome to those that were especially noted for oppression and wrong And when he was asked why he did so seeing authoritie giuen to the wicked was a meane to make them worse He answered that he serued his turne with such Officers as with spunges which when they hadde drunke their fill were then fittest to be pressed That gouernment must needs be happie where places of office and authoritie were giuen to such men as knew how to execute them as they ought and vnhappy againe haue
those Commonwealths euer prooued where those haue beene preferred that were better skilled in taking than in executing Alexander Seuerus both punished and deposed as many as had bought their offices saying they solde deerer by retale than they bought in the grosse I will not say that it is preiudiciall vnto the Common-wealth that Offices should be bought and solde for money But this is true that Princes ought to bee very circumspect by whom they are mannaged because being to continue in the same during their liues the holders are the lesse subiect to correction And being bought and sold for money they are the more subiect to corruption Offices that were wont to be painfull toiles for men of honestie and care to be heedefull of are now become gainfull spoiles executed by those that endeuour their owne commoditie exacting their owne gaine by the spoile both of Prince and Countrie But in that Common-wealth where Officers are made to do their dueties and no more than appertaineth to iustice and right they will giue as much to be rid of an Office as they will doe now to buy an Office Pollicie is a speciall parte of gouernement and the state and pollicie of the time is not for priuate men to deale withall and Pollicie that is legittimate first begotten by Wit and then fostered by Honestie is not to be neglected but that which more respecteth profit than it doth the soueraigne Pollicie prescribed by Gods lawe is it which the Apostle speaketh of The wisedome of the fiesh is enmitie to God He dooth not say an enemy for an enemy might be reconciled but enmity it selfe can neuer be reconciled and therefore he addeth further The wisedome of the flesh is death And although the name of Pollicie at the first sight doth carry a great and glorious shew yet being estranged from that Pollicie before spoken of commanded by God it doth not reach vnto that perfection of true christian gouernement that many haue seemed to perswade The drift of worldly Policie is to do litle good but to the end to doe a great deale of harme for Pollicie and Profite haue euer marched arme in arme in one ranke and how many Princes haue bin abused yea and sometimes dishonoured vnder those plausible pretences Profite being diuorced from Honestie begetteth but a bastardly progenie and it is a very dangerous doctrine to teach that Profite may be separated from honestie when there is nothing profitable vnlesse it be honest He therefore that maketh diuision betweene profite and honestie peruerteth Nature and hee seeketh but his owne shame that seeketh but his owne profite All Policie therefore is to be reiected that tendeth not to publique profite or that preferreth the vaine policies of men before the infallible policie reuealed in the worde of God for these Polititians for the most part doe neuer consider that the principal things that do bring miseries and disorders to whole Countries Kingdoms are such offences as are counted directly against the Maiestie of God Looke into histories and you shall find no states-men more pestilent to a Common-wealth then these Polititians that squared out their gouernment by the rules of their owne wits Looke into the two Catoes the one with his frantique accusations disturbing the whole Common-wealth of Rome and the other going about ouer-wisely to protect it did vtterly subuert it yea and Cicero with all his eloquence was as troublesome amongst the Romanes as Demosthenes was amongst the Athenians There be many other of these great polititians which might be named that with their peeuish disciplines haue disturbed the quiet of states so that in mine opinion there is not a more pestilent thing then this plague of policy which diuides it selfe from the policie prescribed by the rule of Gods word When the humour of preferring our countrie before any other thing was had in request there was no man so meane but if he could endeuour his Countries good his reputation was aduanced and his wisdom was not suffered to go away emptie-fisted then men might speake freely so they spake truly but after the Polititian he that hath but a Mammon for his God and Machiuell for his ghostly father had once gotten the mannaging of Common-wealth affaires they haue so prohibited this libertie of free speaking for their Country with their prescription of Quod supra nos nihil ad nos that the meanes whereby the Romanes the Grecians many other florishing estates wrought their greatest woonders in aduauncing their Common-wealths were long sithence taken away vnder the colour of Policie and pregnancie of wit We are priuileged by our Country and vnder the ensignes of her authoritie it is not onely lawfull for vs to spend our liues but it is like behoueful to vndertake any thing that may be for her safetie and the good of our Prince Curtius for the good of his common-wealth leaped into the Gulfe Sceuola burned his hand because he missed the killing of Porcenna Horatius fought against the whole armie of the Tuscans whilest the Bridge was broken behind his backe But these dayes are past for many that did then striue who should exceed in Vertue do now contend how the one might excell the other in Vice and that feruencie of zeale that we should beare to God to our Prince and to our Countrey it is growne cold and it is conuerted to this olde Adage Euerie man for himselfe and God for vs all as they would haue it but I say If euerie man be for himselfe the Diuell for vs all for so we shall find it I must here craue your gentle patience that you would please to giue me leaue to Lie a little and yet a little time would hardly serue my turne for if I should lie but according to the truth I meane if I should tell all that is reported a whole Resme of Paper would not suffice my little wit to set it downe at large but if they be lies they shall cost you no money you shall haue them cheape inough in conscience I will not aske with the Lawier for euerie lie a Fee no keepe your money till you haue need of Lawiers helpe For mine owne part I haue had little to doe amongst Lawiers but for those few that I do know and haue had to deale withall I dare protest them to be Gentlemen of that honest life and conuersation euerie way as there is no exceptions to bee taken against them The Text that I haue now taken in hand is to speake of Faults The innocencie then of those that be good must not be a shelter to those that be bad and all the ill that I haue to speake is but by report but Report is a lier and let him be so still A man for all that may tell a lie by report I wil proue it I hope the Lawiers themselues will vpholde the cause that are driuen in their proceedings at the Bar to vent a great number of lies but as
Dauncer Oh for a Pipe of Tobacco The soueraintie of Tobacco Three sorts of Bavvdes One to the Vsurer The drunkard as precious to the Vintner as the vnthrift to the Vsurer Such Vintners do know their owne dishonestie Well worth a good liuerie Shamelesse Panders Drunkard Fruites of drunkennesse Epicure Couetousnes I am sorie for this experience A necessarie caueat A counterfeit Souldiour Easie to know the roare of a Lion from the bray of an Asse Lying and slaundering The reputation of a liar Patience Pride dangerous in all estates Prosperity begetteth pride Aduersitie more pretious to the soule than prosperitie Vertue neuer tried but in aduersitie Pouertie not greatly cloied with friends The frendship of this time What requird in friendship The Pope hath suspended vertue from Rome The Papist of more expedition than the Alcumist Table-talke Matters of small worth Husbandmen Well gotten goodes The rich mans ioy is but vanitie A guiltie conscience The woolfe that could measure his conscience A good conscience Honestie like to die Liberalitie An exercise aptly rewarded The Amorist The miserie of an Amorist that hath a coy Mistresse Loue sir reuetence More haire ouer her brows then would serue three or foure honest women The worst part shall be her soule What we call loue True loue in deede The loue of Christ Loue must be diuine Womens faults Report of no authoritie whereby to censure women An harlot hath more friends than an honest woman Frine the Curtesan of Thebes A vaine question by a great Philosopher Mariage commaunded by God Marriages in these dayes hovv they are made A foolish father The fruites of our Marriages A great error in Parents A good lawe As Knights grow poore Ladies grow prowde Vnduetifull children Diuinitie The demi-gods of these latter dayes that dare take in hand to warre against doctrine Disagreement among cleargy-men The authority of the ministerie Of Philosophie Philosophie could neuer find out God Fabeling of this Philosopher No matter to wonder at Affinitie betweene Art and Nature Nature what it is An vnfit answer by Aristotle We ascribe many things to blinde Fortune that doe belong vnto God himselfe That would bereaue God of his prouidence An excellent answer of Euclides A notable example of gods iudgements Seauen liberall Sciences Grammar Logicke Rhetoricke drawes mens mindes to one selfe opinion Better to couer a leasing than to sette foorth a truth Trueth best naked Musicke Arithmetike Geometrie Astrologie The Letter Learning in generall He is but a beast that knoweth no more thē what is common to beasts Men for their excellencie in learning accounted gods What gods the Romanes haue worshipped Rome full of gods Learning the riches of the minde Learning poorely requited Historiographers flatterers Many worthy fictions feined by Poets Many excellent Poets at this time the worth of their owne workes their best cōmendation Bastard poets A number of vaine and foolish bookes Poets turned Parasites As foolish readers as there be of Poets A good title better than a good booke Euerie thing may be imploied to vse Foolish books good to set Printers a worke Doing better then saying A couetous Magistrate most pernitious They haue more ambition pride whereby to gouerne then wisedome or policie wherewith to gouerne Luxurious magistrates are the cause of commotions The mutinie of the Switzers It is a tickle state that is founded on the multitude whose good opinion is woonne with what they see and lost again with what they heare The good of the multitude especially to be preferred Nobilitie best to rule A good prince will suffer no power vnder him to oppres Opinion is a barre it still cleaueth to the mighty A most especiall thing to be regarded How many Princes haue felt the smart of this A fine policie vsed by Vespasian The time was Offices boght and sold· The pollicie of the estate not to be medled with Pollicie that is more for profit thē honestie The pollicies of men must giue place to the pollicies of God Euery man borne for his Countrey Where honor is taken from desert there vertue is taken from men They be as of other professions good and bad The Law intendes to giue euery man his right There is but one right and that is suppressed with many wrongs Iohn a Nokes and Iohn a Stile Not a Saint in heauen medicinable to end controuersies Many worthy men professors of the law Many lawes a signe of many faults Many lawes commodious to the prince Warre a grieuous plague The fruits of warre Souldiors must serue the Prince A iust warre Ciuill warres most miserable The motiues that draws on ciuill warre There was neuer yet any kingdome free from the practise of ambitious heades that lay in ambush for a Crowne The knowlege of warrs most necessarie Vnskilful men fitter to furnish a funeral then to maintaine a fight Souldiors are full of faults This sparing of princes doth most hurt themselues A souldiors best reward is ingratitude The want of pay the cause of much mischiefe A prince can not want souldiors All chosen souldiors Good to be warriors but not warre louers Peace the nurse of all iniquitie After Rome began to discontinue her warres vice forgat not to reenter into custome The ill more in number than the good Dissimulation in the time of Peace wors than warre Truces many times patched vp the cause of many insuing dangers A Prouerb truely approued A Princes Court Court flattterie A noble mans nod a banket for a foole Such saints such reliques These beging Courtiers that are spying out of suites to the hurting of the common-wealth Goods ill goten will sticke to the soule Princes fauorites Nobilitie fittest for a princes Court Danger and honor doe follow one an other wisedome and modestie second them They chase from them the professors of vertue That greatnes to be commended that consisteth in goodnesse Prou. 29. Nobilitie fittest to counsel kings Vnfit for counsellors A law amōgst the Thebans An excellent vertue in a Counsellor Kings the great ministers of God Kings and Princes must be obeyed The prerogatiue of princes The office of a King Wherin princes are most deceiued Of what princes haue least store Comparison betweene a good prince and a bad A King must not be vnnished of treasure Warres not to be mainteined with emptie coffers Many examples in the Scriptures to warrant it A necessarie consideration for princes Subiects must not resist Kings haue need of great priuileges Chamber counsellers that are still buzzing in the eares of Princes The blessednesse of the time present The crueltie of one man towards an other We are afraid to do well Ill feasting with God The distemperature of our own humors The miserie of man Our reputation but as it pleaseth the foolish people