a crowne to their other feminine vertues as temperance modestie shamfastnesse chastitie zeale of honour Clemency Religion Taciturnity and the like For it becometh not a woman but for speciall cause to weare armour to exercise the feates of warre to apply her selfe to those actions which doe better befit a Senator or a Souldier then the tender and delicate nature of a woman Or Perhaps because men may certainely know that the heauens haue imparted a speciall raye of the first Fayre vnto women that whilest they with their tongues commend it as diuine and with their deedes deforme it they might endeauour to better them selues by the imitation thereof VVhy is the Beauty of women serued and adorned with the excellency of whatsoeuer things are Beautifull in the world Probleme 32. PEerhaps because the Beauty of a woman is the touchstone whereby al other Beautyes are tried the worthiest and most noble qualitie of the body the first Spheare of all corporall Beauty wherein are descried the greatest perfections of all other Beauties And therefore hence it is that all other things though most faire in their kinds by the iust lawe of Nature ought to do seruice and homage to that principall bodily Beauty which in their aspects countenances is adorned with those colours enlightned with those splendours endued with those graces which procure vnto theÌ„ honor admiration And therefore as being the Ladies of all other Beauties they adorne â—hemselues with the Beauty of the flowers the Rose the Violet and the Hiaâ—â—râ—th and a thousand colours deuises and sweete smelling odours with the inestimable riches of precious stones of Rubies Margarites Amatists Turkeys Pearles Diamonds Emraulds and a thousand the like Iewells of highest price They crowne themselues with golde and siluer decke themselues with pendants braselets Embroderinges chaines girdells rings and a thousand tires of sundry fassions They make a glorious shew with their feathers and fannes and pearles and silkes and crestes with their hanging sleeues their furres of Sable their garments of satine silke damaske veluet tinsell cloath of golde and a thousand the like So that as if they were the rulers and commaunders of all Beautyes they will haue the coulours of the heauens the light of the Planets the puritie of the Elements the strength of the mettalls the prise of precious stones the adours of flowers the varietie of fruits the ornaments of beastes the wit of a thousand arts the nouelties of as many inuentions and the broade Ocean of all manner of delights Or Perhaps because a woman being by nature gentle and of complection delicate as following her like desireth the things that are most noble most daintie delicate And from hence it likewise proceedeth that being by nature fearefull shee loueth her solitary house flyeth all vnhappy desasters as hauing little strength to resist them so that in euery thing she desireth ease and comfort and pleasure and recreations as daunsing musicke feastes Beautifull spectacles pleasant places houses richly hanged goodly Pallaces adorned with al kinde of costly furniture that may content the eye VVhy is the Beautie of women of such force that it many times ouercommeth the greatest personages of the world Probleme 33. PErhaps because the sense being too much fastned in that supreme humane Beauty doth not onely as if it gazed vpoÌ„ an obiect aboue his streÌ„gth remaine dazeled with the raies therof but reason it selfe is darkened the heart is fettered and the will by loue made a prisoner Or Perhaps because too much boldnesse in beholding the highest things being instigated thereunto by our corrupt appetite and the vnaduised counsell of our blinde sense which in the best sorte of men doth many times though not openly yet secreatly run riot doth carry euen the wisest and the strongest men that are to their vtter ruine let Salomon make good this truth vnto vs who amongest all the men of the world for wisdome wore the Diademe yet by this snate of Beauty was drawne to commit adultery Let Sampson auerre the same who being the strongest man that euer was was yet ouercome by the Beauty of Dalida Let Dauid proue it true who though hee were a man framed after Gods owne heart yet by one onely viewe of Bershaba he was inflamed with dishonest loue and feared not to commit both adultery and murder yea all histories both diuine and humaine ancient and moderne speake of thousands that haue beene famous in the world both for valure and wisdome who by gazing either too much or too vnaduisedly vpon these Beautiful obiects haue fallen into many dangerous and enormous sinnes VVhy doth the Beauty of a women being violated bring infamy and dishonour not onely to her selfe but to her whole family Probleme 34. PErhaps because the body being violated the minde is likewise corrupted and the first action in such a case by Election being infamous in the minde and from thence passing to the act of the body and so to the notice of the world both the election and the action being vnlawfull cannot but be likewise infamous and dishonorable So that the woman being totally dishonored both in body and minde she disperseth this her infamy euen to those that haue begotten her as if they that first gaue her her being gaue therwith her corruptions and the first occasion of this her infamy Or Perhaps because Beauty being not only for it selfe highly esteemed but also much more for those vertues that doe accompany it being robbed and spoyled of these excellent ornaments it remayneth naked both in prise and honour And forasmuch as by Election she fell into this folly notwithstanding she knewe that shee thereby should offend her whole stocke and Progeny it followeth that she likewise makes them partakers of her infamy Or Perhaps because that fayth which passeth betwixt a man and his wife being violated doth not onely offend the minde of those that breake it but the body also and not only both these but the posterity that shall arise out of so corrupte a seede and vnlawfull copulation and not onely that neather but forasmuch as the husbande and the wife are held to be one body and he one flesh and bloud with his progenitors they are not altogither cleare from this infamy VVhy is it the custome to hange Beautifull pictures in the chambers of those women that are with childe Probleme 35. PErhaps because those strang occurrents that in former times haue falâ—en out are an instruction to men in â—hese dayes to preuent the like euents For great women by contemplating â—nd gazing on serpents and Moores in â—heir chambers in the act of generation haue brought forth monstrous birthes â—n some figure and proportion like vnâ—o them By which strange euents men â—eing terrified to the ende they may preuent the like dangerous issues they hange their Chambers with Beauâ—ifull images and pictures Or Perhaps â—ecause the desire of parents to haue Beautifull children is so great for Beauty being powerfull to incline the hearts of
to things high and excellent Or Perhaps because Loue doth swiftly rooste her selfe in the hearts of Louers sometimes by a bare looke darting her selfe in as it were at the windowes sometimes with pleasant laughter vndermining somtimes with simple words assaylinge sometimes by a gracious and comlie carriage of the body and many wayes besids attempting the hearts of vnhiddy young men of whome shee maketh a large praye And therefore Loue is saide to haue many branches many netts many snares by which diuerse instâ—uments she diuersly hunteth nay forages and prayes vpon all natures taking some by delight some by commodity some by honesty some by grace some by the goodnes of nature others by the giftes of the minde some by hope some by courage and others by appearâ—ng goods Or Perhaps because wee may thereby vnderstand how swift the thoughts of those are which are in Loue who howe distante soeuer they are in place from that they Loue yet by their thoughts they are alwayes present attending and discoursing as it were with their best beloued VVhy with Bowe and arrowes Probleme 50. PErhaps because that as an arrow being shotte pierceth thorow the flesh into the bowells so Loue first by Beauty assayling the bodily part giueth afterwards a deadly wounde vnto the heart For Beauty first presenteth it selfe vnto the sense either to the eye or to the eare and afterwards to the â—easonable appetite and so first by Beautifull colours it delighteth the eye â—nd by the sweetnesse and eloquence of speeche the eare and from them â—he delight passeth vnto the minde the which consenting thereunto yeeldeth â—â— selfe to the force of Loue. Or Perhaps because as an arrowe pricketh and woundeth that body which it hitteth so Loue with her passions pricketh and gawleth the heart of him that loueth And yet this is no reason why Loue should therefore be accounted cruell because by these her goades shee maketh her Louers valiant hardy and vigilant pitifull patient bolde and constant against the inconstant violence of fortune whereas without these passions these vertues would die and languish Or Perhaps because as an arrowe being but parted from the Bowe doth neither hurt nor offend vntill it hit the marke whereat it was shott and then it woundeth and teares So likewise Loue in the beginning manifesteth not her passions vntill it bee setled in the heart and then it worketh strange and wonderful effects Or Perhaps because by carying armes offensiue wee should knowe that she is alwaies prepared to offend whomesoeuer shall goe aboute to wrong her For as euery creature is naturally armed with some thing to defend it selfe against outward violence So it was fit that Loue should not be altogither vnarmed VVhy Blind Probleme 51. PErhaps because it makes Louers blinde not knowing many times what losses and dangers and mischiefes they are thereby falling into For such is the force of Loue and it is strange that for the thing beloued they neglect their owne good feare not to expose their bodies to the edge of the sword deny vnto themselues whatsoeuer is profitable to themselues sleepe to their eyes quietnesse to their mindes rest to their members ease to â—heir bodies yea and more then all this they glorie in those inglorious attempts â—hose labors and sweatings and watchâ—ngs and freesings yea and wounds â—oo which for their Loues they haue â—ndergone and indured Or Perhaps â—ecause it seldome falleth out that he â—hat is a seruant vnto Loue doth knowe â—he imperfectioÌ„s of his loued obiect but â—ther couers them accoÌ„ptes them â—ertues For this is the property of Louers highly to esteeme of whatsoeuer belonges to that they Loue insomuch that they cannot endure that any man should oppugne their iudgements herein and from hence proceede many times those their resolute challenges and valorous defences Or Perhaps because Loue for the most parte respecteth not persons discerneth not the worth and merit of her Louers but as it is best pleasing to her selfe not respecting gentility or nobility or principalities or Beauty taketh delight to sollace her selfe amongest the baseste sorte of people and doth many times place them in the highest seates and therefore wee may reade and in our owne times haue obserued that great and mighty personages haue loued women of base estate and condicion and contrariwise some of lowest degree to haue dared to make Loue to the greatest and mightiest Princes of the world Or Perhaps to the end wee should knowe and vnderstand that earthly Loue being blinde is rather an imperfection then a perfection if by the light of vertue it be not enlighted And therefore it may bee that our ancestours did not vainely in paynting Loue blinde if they ment thereby wanton and vicious Loue because that is properly saide to be blinde which followeth blinde Sense which carieth a man to blinde desires blinde sinnes and the palpable darknesse of blacke infamy VVhy ruddy or high coloured Probleme 52. PErhaps because a liuely coulour being accompanied with an outward comely grace doth with greater force stirre vp and awaken Loue. For for no other cause would nature that in euery thing there should be accidental signes whereby the agents should be mooued to worke those effects which might be best pleasing vnto her And therefore when wee see a Beautifull face of a vermilion and sanguine complection adorned with a comely grace in the cariage therof we presently conclude that Beauty worthy of all Loue. Or Perhaps because Loue alwaies affecteth â—ife which the Sanguine red best expresseth as contrarily Palenes death for it is manifest that Loue was ordaâ—ned for generation wherein life consisteth yea the life of those that giue life vnto otheres I meane the begetters the race or ofspring of mans bodie being nothing else then a certaine patterne of the life of their fathers who for Loue euen out of the bones and bloud and flesh and all other their outward and inward powers beget the bones and the bloud and the flesh and the powers of their children And therefore no maruell if Loue be described to be a ruddie and cheerfull tutor and preseruer of life Or Perhaps because he that foloweth Loue maketh alwayes shew of a Cheerfull heart if he be not assayled by some inward passion and therefore we commonly see Loueâ—s I meane such as prosper and speede in their Loues full of spirit pleasant of countenaunce quick in their eyes eloquent of tongue and in their whole carriage full of ioye and comfort VVhy sometimes languishing Probleme 53. PErhaps by reason of the languishing faintnes of those that Loue who alwayes following with an ouer earnest desire that which they Loue in so much as euery day of absence seemeth an age doe many times in their solitarie chambers cast downe their â—weried members vpon their lothed beds filling the ayre with a thousand â—nterrupted sighes which may the lesse seeme strange becâ—use there is no artificer that dayly and hourely busieth his head and bendeth all his endeuors to â—he
and ability to exercise her works it cannot but greeue with it when sorrowes affflict it or contraries any way deforme it and therefore no maruell if the sorrowes of the body are communicated vnto the minde Or Perhaps because the reasonable soule for the time is tyed and vnited to the body dependeth vpon it as vpon her organe or instrument to exercise her natural powers for the inward discerning faculties in their operations depend vpō the outward discerning powers which do carry the sensible kindes to the inward sēses wherby it cometh to passe that the body being martyred consequētly the senses altered which in that masse of the body are conteyned they present those corporall kindes or species very imperfectly to the inward powers and therefore remaine likewise in their workes very confused and impotent whereby followeth that griefe and heauinesse of heart and affection of the minde which euery man findeth in himselfe by the passions and sufferings of the body Or Perhaps because in the composition of man there is a kinde of order or marshalling of the powers among themselues which hath the similitude or resemblance of a Monarchy all the parts in due place and order obeying the Empire and commaund of the first moouing power which is the will And therefore if the body and euery member thereof be well disposed to their worke it is all to doe seruice vnto the will and if by the power and puissance of the bodily forces it come to passe that any thing be acted worthy comendations worthy a crowne the honour is the willes which gaue in charge to the handes and other partes of the body to attempt so honorable an enterprise And so likewise if it come to passe that the hand cannot worke the foote cannot go the eye is dazeled the eare obserueth not and all the members of the body be weake and the whole body languishing it is a token that the Monarchy of the will is depriued of that traine of the vniuersall powers which shewed themselues so prompt and ready at her seruice and commaund And therefore no maruell if the minde be sorry for the griefe of the body because she seeth by the ill disposition thereof a greate part of her glory extinguished Or Perhaps because the minde by a kinde of foreknowledge seeth that the griefes of the body are but as precedent forerunners to the ruine and corruption of the whole by which ruine there followeth the seperation of the soule from the body which is so much more greeuous then any other by howe much the minde of all other substantiall formes is the more noble and this griefe contineweth so much the longer by how much longer it hath bin vnited vnto the body and therefore the minde seeing the naturall strength of the body by the extremity of griefe to decay and fearing a future ruine of all is many times opressed nay ouerwhelmed with melancholy and griefe The like may likewise be sayde of the griefes and sorrowes of the minde which the body doth so participate as if they were proper vnto it self For the body seing his naturall force the exercise of his powers his action and life to be placed in his Forme from which it taketh his beeing powers operations name and distinction it is no maruell the minde being Melancholike and full of heauinesse and griefe if the body likewise doe decay and languish For the soule being separated the eye seeth not the hand mooueth not the tongue speaketh not the eare harkneth not the foote goeth not the shoulder susteyneth not and the whole body as vnapt to do any thing like an earthly burthen falleth to the earth VVhy are the griefes of the body more sensible and violent in softe and delicate bodies as of women honorable personages then of those that are strong and valiant Probleme 102. PErhap◠because the senses by how much more pure noble they are by so much the more excellently doe they apprehend those sensible kinds obiects that belong vnto thē Now the flesh being the organe or instrument of the sense of Feeling and that Organe in noble men their bodies being framed of purer bloud by reason of a purer diet in women by reason of a their thin delicate skin and excellent temperature of body most pure and noble it could not otherwise be but that womē noble men should more sensibly and strongly feele the bitternesse of any bodily griefe Which may likewise appeare in the Oxe and the Asse who stir more slowly with the pricke of the goad or spur then either the dog or the horse because they abounding with a nature very earthly melancholike receiue not the blowe with that feeling griefe that the dogge or the horse doth being beastes of a more noble and generous nature Or Perhaps because noble men being much giuen to the commodities of Nature and women to the delights of Bacchus and the wanton alluring pleasures of Venus they passe they whole time in ioy and pleasant recreations in so much that if it fall out that they are inforced eyther by chaunce or defect of Nature or violence to suffer any griefe of body they are farre more afflicted with it then men of baser estate conditiō who besides that they haue bodies eyther by nature or education of a harder temper consequently are lesse apt to feele the griefe and vexations of the body they are cōmonly accustomed to much variety of misfortunes and to suffer the discommodities of nature and the iniuries of all times VVhy are the griefes of the minde farre greater then those of the Body Probleme 103. PErhaps because the iudgement of the reasonable or intellectiue part is more perfect as hauing knowledge of causes remote and neare at hand then that of the sense which manye times erreth about his present sensible obiect whereby that griefe which the sense feeleth by the alteration of the bodily partes is ioyned to the confused iudgement of his owne passion doth only grieue without reason discourse but reason which seeketh all thinges by subtilty of wit vnderstandeth and iudgeth all things with equity and iustice doth not so much consider the offence of the sense as the iniury of that hand that offereth it the iniquity of that minde the vnhappy chaunce blind fury or whatsoeuer besides that offēdeth Or Perhaps because the sorrowes and griefs of the soule haue a more potent and effectuall obiect in their martyrdomes then the sense hath For the griefes of the body do many times proceede from those things that are contrary to nature from the violent assaults of bruit beasts from humane chaunces and the like which vse to change and alter the body but the sorrowes of the minde from those great and strange occurrents that happen eyther to our selues or to any thing that is ours especially from iniuries losse of honour or goods death of friends iniust persecution of mighty Princes treachery of friends iniust iudgments losse of children senses
of things delightfull Fury and a thousand the like vnbridled affections whereby they many times fall into great and vnauoydable dangers they are inforced to the ende they may free themselues from those perilous chaunces to gather heart and spirit and courage to sustayne and incounter whatsoeuer shall happen vnto them OF ANGER VVhy would Nature giue Anger vnto all liuing Creatures Probleme 116. PErhaps because by such meanes the Cholericke humour easily awakening those forces that in our quietter moods are fallen a sleepe and stirring â—hem forward against those dangers â—hat shall any way incounter them â—hey might arme themselues with a deâ—ence answerable to those dangers â—hat doe assayle them For if a dogge â—eing assaulted by any other beast â—ere not caried by the violence of this Anger to his owne defence he would â—either shew that courage that he doth â—â— his fight nor indure the combat â—ut rather loose his owne life And â— horse so magnanimous a beast at the â—â—und of the trumpet would neuer be so â—eady and hardy to assayle the enimies quadrons if he were not spurred forward by the force of this affectioÌ„ which by the great concurse of bloud about the heart inflameth the spirits and ministreth new vigour vnto the members Or Perhaps because there is no Nature vnder the heauens that hath not some contrarie and opposite nature vnto it as the water to the fire the Lambe to the Wolfe the Wolfe to the Dogge and the like haue all other creatures From which contrarietie of Natures there ariseth plentifull occasion of wrongs and violences to the vtter ruine of one another and therefore it was necessary to the conseruation of euery particular Nature that it be furnished with the strength and vigour of this angry affection whereby such offences might bee remoued as shall any way assaile or encounter it And therefore we see that nature hath not onely giuen this potent affection to this necessary end but hath likewise furnished euery creature with outward armes for his better defence as with hornes tuskes teeth beakes tallants heeles prickles poyson and a thousand the like forces both to offend their assailants and to defend themselues And if shee haue giuen none of these yet she hath giuen flight swiftnesse of running agilitie of body to succour themselues for in vaine had that force of courage beene which Anger ministreth against a present iniurie if it were not for that assistance that it hath from those outward armes wherby Anger being kindled in the brest of any creature he becommeth hardy and bolde to defend and offend to enter combate with his aduersary to beat downe his forces to wound to teare to kill whatsoeuer shall make resistance or seeke to offend him VVhy is Anger in the brest of men easily turned into a sinne Probleme 117. PErhaps because such is the propertie of humane affections that they are alwayes ingendred with some alteration of the body as it plainely appeareth in Sorrow which afflicteth the sense in Feare which maketh pale the countenance in bashfulnesse which adorneth the face with a chaste and crimsin hew in Delight which disperseth the spirits through all the members and in euery other affection more or lesse sensibly from whence it followeth that those affections that do most change and alter the body doe likewise most distemper the minde which in many operations doth communicate with it and therefore Anger by reason of the great store of bloud which gathereth if selfe to the fountaine of life ingendereth a strange kind of commotion throughout the whole body and consequently a great perturbation and distemperature in the mind or reasonable part and therefore it is no maruell if a man that is Angry be vnfit for counsell which requireth a speciall and principall vse of reason And therefore it is wisely said that Anger is blind because it maketh men blind in their iudgment and common discourse whereby it comes to passe that Anger doth sildome times conteine it selfe within the bounds of vertue because furie and blind desire of reuenge causeth defence to passe into offence and offence to iniury and iniurie to iniustice and iniustice to vice Or Perhaps because the arme of Anger is too heauie and with too great a violence presseth downe his patient and of a helpe is made a hinderance and by exceeding his iust measure of a vertue is made a sinne and therefore from hence proceed those many graue and wise aduertisements of ancient Philosophers which are as a bridle to this rash and inconsiderate affection which with such celeritie depriueth vs of all wisdome and counsell and vse of reason which taketh away all light of vnderstanding robbeth the will of that wise choise which deserueth commendations and bringeth greater danger to the minde of man then all the other affections VVhy is the Anger of Princes and great gouernours commendable Probleme 118. PErhaps because by office and right it apperteineth vnto them to chastise and punish the wrongs and misdemeanours of those their subiects which by violating the law take from a peaceable estate all felicity therefore that anger is much coÌ„meÌ„ded in their brests which according to the law giueth condigne punishment to the wicked therefore they carry the Scepter in their hands as alwayes seeming to threaten wicked men Or Perhaps because the Anger of Princes which hath his beginning from zeale and publike benefit is not directed by those furies of particular persons who are moued to anger for their priuate benefit but hauing alwayes before their eyes the true end which is publike felicitie a good beyond measure esteemed of all noble and generous hearts it cannot but be commendable in them so it passe not the rigour of iustice in so much that those iudges that in hearing causes and censuring controuersies betwixt party and party are nothing moued with such iust affection deserue rather blame then commendations Or Perhaps because great Princes are wonte to represent as the heads of their people the publike person of their states and therefore when a wrong is offered to any priuate person it is offered to a member of the Prince whereby it standeth him vpon to withstand and reuenge such iniuries wherevnto he is moued by the violation of those lawes which he hath established and by Anger stirred vp to execute iustice eyther against the goods or persons of the offenders which so long as he doth according to equitie and iustice cannot but increase his honour and reputation Or Perhaps because the actions of princes being subiect to the view and censure of common people are alwayes accompanied with a gracious kinde of decencie and reason which conferreth much to the confirmation of their estates and therefore their anger for priuate offences is farre from furie and alwayes tempered with that grauitie which best befitteth their royall persons VVhy do many exercise their Anger against themselues Probleme 119. PErhaps because they doing that they should not doe many times finde and feele that
the purity of their manners and conuersation to preserue it in her chiefe flower that so it may be made a spurre to vertuous honourable attempts and not a snare to entangle the liberty of vertue Or Perhaps to the end that if they should not finde that exquisite Beauty in themselues which they saw in others they should endeuour to awaken themselues to all honourable exercises and by their inward vertues supply their outward defects Or Perhaps that they might thereby learne to follow the discipline of truth which as a glasse whatsoeuer presenteth it selfe before it without respect of degree or qualitie of any person sheweth openly either the Beauty or deformity thereof so they knowing in whatsoeuer person the Beauty of vertue they should commend it or the deformity of Sin they should reprehend it For there is nothing more hurtfull and daungerous to an noble mind theÌ„ a lye in the opeÌ„ field of truth VVhy doe Princes and women of honourable birth proue for the most part fayrer both in body and mind then women of baser condition Probleme 29. PErhaps because their delicate and exquisite diet both in their meates drinks make their bloud more pure their vitall spirits more liuely their coÌ„plection more Beautifull and their nature more noble so that passing their time without interruption of any troublesome or disorderly molestations they become by their high thoughts and honourable imaginations both Beautifull and gentle in aspect about other women of inferiour condition who by reason of their base estate taking a contrary course in whatsoeuer belongeth vnto their life they participate contrary effects And forasmuch as the inward powers of the minde do depend vpon the excellencie of their actions bodily organs and much more the wit vpon the complection of the body and these bodily parts being in women of high linage most exquisitly perfect it must necessarily follow that euen by nature they proue admirable in the gifts of the minde wherby it cometh to passe that we doe not admire so much the singular Beauty of their bodies as their gratious cariage their sweete speach their diuine iudgmeÌ„t their chast thoughts Beautified with a strange kind of maiesty in al their actions Or perhaps because their education being euen froÌ„ their infancie vnder a discipline more noble excelleÌ„t to omit the generous bloud of their parents from whom they descend the pure milke which they draw froÌ„ the dugs of women of a most temperate constitution they cannot in common iudgment but proue admirable in the world VVhy doe faire women preuaile much in obtayning grace and fauour with Princes Probleme 30. PErhaps because it seldome comes to passe that women that excell in Beauty doe not likewise excell in the sweete deliuery of their speech which doth so much the more inflame the heart of man by how much the more they haue commonly ioyned therevnto a pleasing cariage and heauenly grace in the other parts of the body which deseruedly winneth vnto them so much fauour especially with men of highest state and condition who by their nobilitie are made more facill and gentle that whatsoeuer the cause be they thinke they haue sinned against the rule of Iustice if they condiscend not to their desires Or Perhaps because by a beautifull face bedewed with teares trickling downe her cheekes and accompanied with amorous flames of honest and chaste loue the greatest Princes without any other supplication vttered by the tongue euen out of the generositie of their owne hearts made to pitty doe feele themselues to be wounded with the darte of true clemencie and commiseration and therefore doe endeauour in what possibly they may though perhaps not in all to satisfie their desires and to giue comfort to that appaled countenance which hath lost the colour though not the Beautie Or perhaps because women adorned with such a qualitie doe either loue or hate beyond measure so much the more by how much they are higher in estate and condition And therefore if their supplication be for loue and fauour they assaile with those darts that are most effectuall to moue vnto pitty and clemencie and to make a breach into the will and affection of the hearer As the miserie of their present estates their greatnesse â—n former times their little desert of â—hese their miserable fortunes the danger that is yet behinde both of their honours and their fortunes the great confidence that they haue euer had in his Crowne and Scepter as hauing no other friend vnder heauen to whom â—hey may lay open their griefes lastly â—heir promises of all manner of bands of thankfulnesse and recompence that may be made I omit their teares their interrupted sighes and all other their passionate actions and cariage of the body whereby they so hide and couer their arte that they binde and ensnare and as it were violently inforce the hearer But if for hatred they haue made themselues suppliants they change their tune and betake themselues to new artes new protestations new desires of Iustice accompanied with a fyerie tongue which clearely layeth open the iniurie that they haue receiued the troubles they vniustly suffer to conclude what with their modest blushings their iust zeale of honour their honest requests their scalding teares the greatest personages are soonest perswaded to do their pleasure to grant their desires Or Perhaps because womeÌ„ being by nature fall of pitty compassion and soonest moued to a feeling commiseration of the miseries of other men they are worthy of the like pitty compassion when in the like case of misery they are suppliants to other meÌ„ Or Perhaps because the inuisyble Beauty of the minde adorning the outward semblance with I know not what diuine grace doth inuisybly wound the hearts of great Princes with a sweet kinde of violence stirreth vp their wils to grant vnto them whatsoeuer they shall demaund VVhy is onely the Beautie of women amongst all other Beauties named praised and esteemed Probleme 31. PErhaps because Beauty is the onely ornament of women their onely dowerye their diuine gift their riche pledge and their highest glory therfore no other creature may iustly chalâ—enge it but by speciall priuiledge Or â—erhaps because notwithstanding Beauty may be giuen to a young child a towardly youth a handsome man an honorable knight a venerable old man a magnanimious Prince neuerthelesse man being borne vnto labour their coÌ„mendations must not take roote from â—he simple gift of nature but the childe 〈◊〉 commended for his towardlines the â—outh for his dexterity readinesse in â—erformance the man for his wisdome 〈◊〉 matters of importance the knight â—or his valour in dangerous seruices the â—ld man for his sufficiencie in giuing â—ounsell and the Prince for his iustice Or Perhaps because women are not to glorie in any other gift then in the liberality and bounty of nature who hath adorned them with so precious a quality that they might preserue it as
and that which maketh vp the heape of all these griefes from the vnkindnesse of those that in the middest of them do abandon vs. Which occasions of sorrow of how great importance they are the weakest iudgment may easily conceiue Or Perhaps because the remedies for the griefes of the minde are not so easily found as those of the body and therefore we see that a Chirurgian or a Phisician many times with a small plaster healeth a deepe wound whereas the griefe of the mind by no manner of means can be so much as comforted much lesse throughly cured And therfore hence it is that these griefes beeing remedilesse they that should endeuor to cure them are soone discomforted and by surceasing their comfortes increase the malady Or Perhaps because the griefes of the body be they neuer so great in time are cured or at the leastwise lessened but in the griefes of the minde the length of time doth rather euery daye discouer our greater losses consequently doth rather encrease our greater griefes then any way mittigate the fiersnes of them Whereby we see that that losse which hath happened eyther by shipwracke or other casualty to any family doth euery day grow greater in the future posterity insomuch that we neuer behold men subiect to such miseries but they drawe from vs a speciall kind of compassion and commiseration But especially that deepe wound of infamye which killeth the ciuill life and many times the vitall too pierceth like a sharpe razor euen to the inward closets of the heart and can neuer bee remoued So that we see that the causes of this inward griefe of the minde are strong and mighty and the remedies eyther none at all or verye fewe and slender and therefore it sufficiently appeareth that the griefes of the minde are far greater then those which pearce no farther then the outward sense VVhy are great Princes commonly afflicted with the griefes of the mind and men of baser condition with those of the body Probleme 104. PErhaps because princely priuiledge or the dignity of dominion and soueraignty carrieth with it plenty of all those things which especially procure the health and welfare of the body As to liue in howses holesomely situated to vse a dainty and delicate diet to drinke pure wines to take their repasts at dewe times to cloath themselues according to the seasons of the yeare to apply themselues to those exercises that are not ouer-violent which altogether with a iust temperance and moderatiō of their whole life maintaine the health and prosperity of the body In so much that they are seldome or neuer assayled with the griefes of the body by any accident of Nature and much lesse by the hand of their enemy their strength and powers being so farre from fearing any such force as that they alwayes strike a feare and terror into the hearts of others But men of meaner state and condition that haue scarce a cottage to couer their heads much lesse Lordships and rich reuenewes to maintaine their state are enforced to dwell where they may to feede vpon such as they haue yea many times to kill hunger with that which kills thē Neither can they obserue howres of repast nor vse the benefit of seasons but are constrained to laye open themselues to all manner of inconueniences and to will that which their owne necessityes require And that which is more they are enforced by their businesse and many occasions to vndergo labours insupportable whereby it commeth to passe that men of base condition are commonly assayled with grieuous diseases and a thousand paynes and aches of the body and by reason of their slēder ability are subiect to contempt and the many oppressions of the mightye But contrariwise Princes and great personages as hauing the prerogatiue of blood the greatnesse of honour and state the height of fortune are verye much afflicted with the griefes of the minde whether it be because the least wrongs that may be to thē seeme great or because feares suspitiōs more then any other affectiō affright them or because the disobedience of subiects or enuye of their competitors inflame thē or because hatred and malice doth many times macerate them or whatsoeuer be the occasions they are alwaies assayled with much variety of passion whereas men of low degree who neyther haue their estates so entyre not those offices which by the greatnes and grauity of their businesse presse downe those with heauinesse and griefe that beare them after their labours are ended passe their houres dayes in peace and tranquillity sleepe soundly without molestations are freed from the enuye of others as possessing nothing that another should enuy Anger deuoures them not but all brawles and contentions with a word or a blow are concluded and ended Feare afflicts them not because they want the many occasions of iealousies suspitions lastly their owne affections and desires consume and spend them not because they neuer passe those bounds that they may not easily be obtayned and therefore they are little disquieted with the griefes and vexatiō of the mind Or Perhaps because the little liberty of great princes makes them continent and therefore healthful of body and the great freedome of inferiour persons makes them licentious and intemperate and therefore subiect to the griefes of the body So likewise this debarment of liberty and too frequent retyrings of great personages as they are an occasion of bodily health so they bring many passions and torments and melancholike discontents vnto the minde which then worke their force with greatest violence when their thoughts may wander without disturbance Which falleth not out with cōmon persons who by reason of their liberty go forth of their lodgings delight themselues with variety of fights and company passe away the time in pleasant discourse sometimes with one sometimes with another whereby hee quitteth himselfe of his worldly cares and discontents and either grieues not at all or mittigates that little that hee hath VVhy are the griefes of women in labour of all other bodily griefes the greatest Probleme 105. PErhaps because women being willing with their labours to giue life and light vnto their children they cannot doe it but by passing the darke gates of death by those grieuous and bitter torments they endure in their labours for to speake Philosophically the generation of the one must be the corruption of the other Or Perhaps because the parts of the Matrice being enlarged and the gate of Nature being opened beyond the wonted bounds there is a kinde of commotion or distortion made of all the other parts answerable vnto it from whence arise those fierce and bitter sorrowes which threaten death it selfe for wee all know how great that alteration is which we feele in the dislocation of any one member or bone which troubleth the whole minde and tormenteth the whole body the parts thereof being in such sort tyed and intangled together in an excellent order that from the
this affection in whatsoeuer imminent danger that may bring eyther griefe or death with it though the avoydance thereof seeme neuer so hard yet with trembling of the members and beating of the heart and losse of sight and faltering of the tongue and disorderly gronings and gast countenance as much as in them lyeth they helpe themselues to auoid the fierce cruelty thereof Or perhap because an iminent danger beeing foreseene feare by the very conceipt and apprehension thereof maketh so strong an impression in the imagination that the danger beeing auoyded they neuer afterwards forget to flye eschewe the like which wee may obserue in the Asse who if hee chance to fall into a ditch where he hath made some proofe of perill vnto himselfe his danger past is an instruction vnto him to auoide the like to come and as much as in him lyeth hee will not come neere the place So likewise if a Dogge bee stricken by a man in such sorte that it sticke by him he euer afterwards feareth and flyeth his presence neyther will hee bee wonne by all the flattering alluring speeches that may be vsed to trust him any more which proceedeth from the remembrance of what is past and the Feare of that which may be to come So that we see that Feare helpeth the basest creatures euen the asse himselfe much more man who is furnished with the rarest excellencies of all the affections For by Naturall Feare he flyeth auoydeth the iniury of times of tempest of famines of pestilence and the like miseries that vsually fall out in the world and all this by that industrie and diligence that proceedeth from Feare By ciuil Feare he flyeth those punishments that the lawes impose which concerne either the losse of â—onour or of the goods of fortune or of the person it selfe and this by that careful obseruance of Iustice which Feare stirreth vp By supernaturall Feare he flyeth eternall death and damnation and that by the Loue of God and his neighbours So that by the first Feare he saueth his body by the second his honour by the third his Soule and therefore no man can deny but that Feare is necessarie nay beneficiall in Nature because it doth not onely instruct but preserue too VVhy doe Louers alwayes feare Probleme 113. PErhaps because it is the property of louers to be alwayes vigilant ouer that they loue and of Sentinelles that watch and guarde alwayes to Feare and therefore louers being imployed in the same kinde are subiect to the same passion Or Perhaps because they that loue do not so much Feare least that good which they loue be taken away by other louers which kinde of Feare men call ielowsye as least any euill or hard mischaunce should befall it or that they should be any way inferior in vertue to those that emulate them in their loues Or Perhaps because Feare is a certaine kinde of prouidence And therefore we see that fathers who are strongly mooued by the excellency of that Feare which is full of amorous zeale by such affection are stirred to prouide against whatsoeuer dangers shal any way threaten their children And therefore wise and prouident Nature would that Louers should be in continuall Feare of that they Loue to the ende that at euery neede they may prouide for their necessityes For Feare is as a spurre to make men fly what dangers soeuer generall or particular and especially in reasonable creatures Or Perhaps because humane loue being alwayes full of the swelling inflamation of some affection for neuer was the sea of loue free from the furious windes of such like cares Nature would that the hearts of louers should alwayes be accompained with Feare for the perfection not corruption therof for by Feare euill is foreseene danger auoyded things necessary are acquired and vertue increased OF BOLDNES OR COVRAGE VVhy hath Nature giuen Courage Probleme 114. PErhaps because that Courage which we see in al creatures is the strength or bulwarke of nature which then with much honour appeareth in euery particular kinde when they cannot attaine without speciall danger their purposed end For then they arme themselues with new forces and with all their powers abandoning all feares they make strange and incredible proofes of their strength and courage runne through all dangers beate downe all forces which if they should not doe they could neuer attayne that ende which is compassed with so many dangers so many difficulties for loue and desire are not sufficient as being both imployed about those things that bring only pleasure ease and delight with them without danger much lesse doth hope suffice which hopeth onely that which is simply good nor Feare which flyeth and dares not incounter a danger And therfore courage which is the fortresse which nature hath giuen to her workes was most necessary amongest other affections to serue the irascible part Or Perhaps because euery agent willeth his end as his good but many being by nature weâ—ke seeing some difficultie in the end are comforted by hope but finding not only difficulty but danger too if by this other affection of Boldnesse and Courage they were not strengthned they would neuer stirre farther to attayne their desired end For such and so greate are dangers many times that men are hardly stirred vp by this affectioÌ„ to vndergo them And therefore we reade of one only Horatius in all Rome that durst oppose himselfe against the Thuscane armies of one only Curtius that cast himselfe into the firy gulfe to free his country of one onely Mutius that passing to his enimies camp durst in the middest thereof assault the person of the king of onely three Horatij that committed their liues to the danger of a single combat to quit their countrie of their enimies forces Of one onely Caesar that durst commit his body to the mercylesse seas in the dead time of winter and that to fight with his enemie So that to the atchieuing of dangerous enterprises an vndaunted courage is alwayes necessary VVhy are yong men commonly bold and couragious Probleme 115. PErhaps because young men abound with much bloud heate by the vigor of Nature and consequently with much vitall spirits Whereby they are made strong and hardy in vndergoing dangerous enterprises insomuch that neither fearing death nor the dangers thereof euery thing to their ardency seemes casye Or Perhaps because young men are commonly ambitious and caried with a feruent zeale and desire of honour whereby being spurred forward there is not any enterprise so difficult or dangerous which can strike feare into them or they dare not vndertake Or Perhaps because being strangely possessed of an opinion of that shame and dishonour which feare and cowardly dastardlines bringes with it they will rather chuse to lose their liues with honour then liue with infamy Or Perhaps because young men by reason of the multitude of those affections which abound in them and those the most headlong and dangerous as Anger a feruent desire
vnto vs that are wise and industrious that employ themselues in honourable seruices both for their priuate and the publike good that refuse no labours to quitte vs from dangers it is iust and honourable ciuill and religious too that in the ruine of their declining fortunes and vndeserued miseries wee should expresse this affection of compassion and with teares of pittie and offices of humanity and a fellowlike feeling euen in the bowels of mercy and commiseration condole nay suffer with them for we cannot but know how welcome and oportune these comfortes are which are ministred in the losse of children death of Parents shipwracke of fortunes weakinesse of Senses decay of strength eyther of the minde or of the body losse of friendes and when in the multitude of our merits and good deseruings we bee robbed of that honour which iustice and the common applause of the people doth put vpon vs Or Perhaps to the end that men afflicted with miseries especially by the inconstant course of humane things made miserable should not by the multitude of their afflictions dispayre of helpe and comfort but satisfie themselues with the compassion of iust men the releefe of their friends the condolings of the common people and so euery feare euery inconuenience euery calamity and hard fortune should be recomforted by the offices of compassion VVhy are women and old men most pitifull Probleme 124. PErhaps because benigne Nature hath giuen vnto women a more benigne heart which may partly appeare by their more delicate soft and amiable complections and therfore the actions of women are neuer cruell except some speciall wrongs vrge them vnto it for we seldome or neuer see them to embrew their hands in the blood of any to delight in armes or the clattering of armour but meeke and gentle willing to pardon iniuries content with slight and slender chastisements and alwayes pittifull whereas contrariwise men are commonly hard harted not easily perswaded to forgiue greedy of reuenge swifte to shed blood no way enclyning to that compassion whereunto women are by reason of their more humane and pittifull Natures So likewise old men beeing such as haue passed diuers fortunes and experience hath taught howe grieuous the losse of things most deare is what the worth of vertue the prise of honour the force of misery the falshod of friends is seeing honest and ingenious men that deserue honour and rewarde rewarded with the losse of fortunes and miseries both of body and mind they cannot but with a fellow-like feeling condole their losses and afflictions to which compassion young men are little disposed by reason of the little experience they haue in the changes and chaunces of this world but are rather giuen by the feruour and heate of their bloud to implacable furyes little considering their owne good much lesse that of other men whereby it commeth to passe that either they know not or doe seldome put in practise this compassionate passion Or Perhaps because women are little accustomed to cruell and lamentable spectacles as the firing of houses ruinating of Citties murthering of innocents and the like extremities of fortune because they seldome go forth of their owne houses and therefore the very report of these things strikes a terrour into their heartes and a bare disgrace without any farther dāmage stirreth vp compassion in them whereas men on the other side by the dayly custome of the world and the greatnes of their heartes forget these greater miseries and no calamity seeming new to them and they fearing none they knowe not how to pitty other men But olde men by experience knowing the heauy and bitter blowes of mortall miseries cannot so soone forget them but rather calling to minde their owne forepassed calamities they cannot but pitty those that imitate them in the deare experience of the like fortunes which young men hauing not yet tasted knowe not how to commiserate VVhy are they that are angry or in misery not merciful Probleme 125. PErhaps because they that are inflamed with Anger being wholy giuen to reuenge which admitteth no pitty and hauing forgotten all kinde of compassion apply themselues onely to cruelty and are seldome satisfied without bloud yea being blind and confounded with the fury of this passion they care not how farre they proceede in their slaughters and butcheries harkening to no submission no entreaties of their aduersaries but so much the rather embrew their handes in the bloud of their enimies as if it were absurd that any pitty should appeare in the acts and execution of reuenge So likewise they that are in miserie and want ability at their owne pleasures to free themselues from it attending only their owne proper euill which much afflicteth them and little remembring bring the losses and crosses of other men they growe not so pittifull towards themselues as pittiles nay cruell towards other men Or Perhaps because they that are angry being depriued by the fury of that affection of that reason which ruleth and directeth euery vertue they either cannot or know not how to performe any vertuous act much lesse keepe their affectons within bounds And they that are subiect to any crosse or affliction doe first pitty their owne miseries as being next vnto themselues and in this selfe compassion they are so much busied that they forget those troubles and inconueniences that other men no way inferior vnto them in their fortunes doindure OF EMVLATION Why hath Nature giuen to man Emulation Probleme 126. PErhaps to the end that euen from his infancy he should delight to follow being spurred on by the desire of glorie those interprises that depend vpon wisdom valour iustice and all other morall habits that are any way assistant either to priuate or publicke felicity And therefore we see children euen from their tender yeares the vse of reason being scarce awaked in them to imitate those things which in the day time out of their little experience they see acted by others and in such sorte they please themselues in them that neither with threatnings nor stripes they will be disswaded or be made to forget them but with new meanes and a thousand artes and inuentions they indeuour to imitate those things which they haue obserued to be done by a skilful hand therfore hence it is that we see them imitate hunting with their runnings cries counterfeit voyces and snares and tramells and the like apish imitations Hence it is that seeing the ordering of great armies skirmishes fightes and other military exercises they inforce themselues as much as in them lyeth to imitate them by making weapons of woode and canes and other matter and ensignes painted and adorned according to their childish manner Hence it is that we see them counterfeite grauity in their paces audacity in in their countenances brauery in their bodies with their swordes by their sides their poynardes prepared their gunnes on their shoulders with drum and trumpet incountring one another discharging their peeces making shew with