credite I woulde recite examples whereby to comfort thy heauie chaunce but that they are innumerable For who lyueth and is not deceyued What euer myscheefe befalleth to man is not so muche as one man suffereth by another And for that it is not possible nor needeful to recken al remember the historie of Caninius in what sort he was once coosined by Pytius at Siracuse Neuerthelesse Caninius hath wherewith to comfort him selfe for that being a knight of Rome he was deceiued by a stranger that was liuing when as Augustus Caesar that was Emperour of Rome was deluded by a meane ritizen that lay a dying The history is wel knowen how that a certayne man called Marius who through the freendship of the same Augustus had been aduaunced from the base estate of a common souldier vnto great honour and ryches was woont commonly to geue foorth in speeche that he would make him only his heire and leaue al his goodes vnto hym by whose meanes he had gotten al that he had whiche thing when as in woordes he had assured vnto the Emperour Augustus hym selfe the day before he dyed he gaue vp his deceitful ghost and at the length it was found howe that in al his wyl he had not once made mention of the Emperours name Truely he wel deserued to haue his dissemblyng carckase drawen with an hooke into the ryuer Tiber who at his very death was not afeard to deceyue his cheefe lorde and benefactour Of a streight and narow dwelling The .lxiii. Dialogue SOROWE I Owel to straightly Reason A narrowe house is profitable for many thinges and amongst other matters it is good agaynst theeues wherof thou complainedst erewhyle for that they can fynde no lurkyng corners in it as the contrary may be verified of large houses that they deceyue their owner and are conuenient for theeues I take an house to be litle or large according to the number of the inhabitantes and thou seemest now to thy selfe to dwel in to litle an house But how muche more narrowly doth thy soule dwel and howe muche more filchily among blood and matter and other loathsome substance and yet yf thou myghtest haue thy wyl thou wouldest neuer haue hym depart from thence Sorowe My house is narrowe Reason The house of claye doth not pynche the heauenly soule with the narrownesse thereof many tymes a lytle house hath been capable of great glory when as in the meane tyme a great house hath been replenished with great infamie The house conformeth not the minde but the minde conformeth the house and therefore as the blinde cottagies of the poore may be merry and vertuous so may the castles of princes and palaces of the ryche be sorowful and dishonest There is no house so narrow but the greatnesse of the tenant maketh it larger and meete to receyue a great ghest Sorowe My house is litle Reason Kyng Enanders litle palace receyued great Hercules Iulius Caesar that was afterwarde lorde of al the worlde was borne in a simple tenement Romulus and Remus that were the first founders of so great a citie were brought vp in a shepheards cottage Cato dwelled in no sumptuous house Diogenes soiourned in a rouling tub and Hilarion vnder a simple shead the holy fathers lead their lyues in caues vnder the ground and great Philosophers in litle gardeins mightie captaynes haue lyen in the open ayre and vnder poore tentes but Caius and Nero dwelled in gorgeous pallaces chose thee nowe with whiche of these thou haddest leeuest dwel Sorow I haue a narowe and homely and euil-fauoured house Reason The walles are able to keepe out theeues and the wynde and the tediousnesse of the people which is woorse then any of them both the roofe colde and heat sunneshyne and rayne as for the loftie towres they are dwellinges for foules of the ayre a large house serueth for pride a beautiful house for lasciuiousnesse a stoared house for couetousnesse but vertue thinketh scorne of no habitation vnlesse it be possessed with vices Sorow I dwell very narrowly Reason Wouldest thou that any house may seeme very large vnto thee Then thinke vpon the narrownesse of thy graue Of a prison The .lxiiii. Dialogue SOROW. I Am shut vp in an vnwoorthy pryson Reason Better is an vnwoorthy prison then vnwoorthy libertie and muche more better it is for a man vndeseruedly to suffer aduersitie for righteousnesse sake then through wickednesse to abound in prosperitie although those ought not to be tearmed euilles neyther nor these goodes but I speake as the common people speaketh who iudge payne to be the greatest euyl and pleasure the greatest good thing Sorow I am shut vp in prison Reason Who is not shut vp in prison or who departeth out of prison but when he dyeth This is thy destinye and the common destiny of al men why then should you commence peculier or newe complayntes For knowe this since the first day thou wast borne yea and before thou wast borne to thou wast inclosed in prison and hampered with fetters by his commaundement vnto whom al the compasse of heauen is a litle house and yf we wyl also beleeue the greatest Poet euen in a darke and blynd pryson The ende of whiche pryson yf thou desire to be plausible and fortunate thou shalt not abhorre the narrownesse thereof neyther punishmentes nor death nor what soeuer may befall vnto man vnto the pacient tollerating and contempt whereof vnlesse the mynde be prepared and armed at al poyntes in whatsoeuer fortune he wandreth in a verie perilous path Sorowe I am shut vp in a filthy and narrowe prison Reason There is no pryson more filthy none narrower then this pryson of the body wherein thou takest so great delight and from whiche thou fearest so muche to be dissolued Sorowe I am deteyned in an inconuenient pryson Reason Pryson hath delyuered many from instant daunger and the handes of their enimies Vnto many the very entry of their pryson hath stand in steade of a shielde and that whiche was profitable vnto them at their entryng in hath been hurtfull vnto them at their goyng out insomuche that beyng certified by the departure they haue confessed that to be profitable whiche they abhorred and that to be miserable whiche they wyshed Sorow I am holden in pryson Reason Howe knowest thou whether perhappes it be a pryson or rather as it is sayde a place of safe keeping Howe often hath eyther the enimies swoorde or pouertie more cruel then any foe consumed those that haue been loosed from pryson Howe often haue they repented of their escaping and their imprisonment which they complayned to be long haue they afterwarde lamented that it was not perpetuall we haue seene some that haue lyued in pryson sumptuously but so soone as they haue been set at libertie they haue finished their poore and wretched lyfe with a sorowful ende Sorowe I leade a miserable lyfe in pryson Reason Some haue written bookes in pryson but thou framest complayntes there Some haue learned
the feare of the next maister woorketh that effect vnto whom in this respect he feareth to be discredited and suspected while he may iudge the lyke euil condâ—â—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 â—ym towardes hym selfe By meanes 〈◊〉 which thynges vnlesâ—◠〈…〉 blinded their eies men might euidently perceiue how mâ—◠〈…〉 â—â—ter it were to be without al such seruantes and seruice 〈…〉 haue seruantes round about me Reason Vnder the 〈…〉 seruantes indeede as I haue said most cruel and wicked emâ—◠〈◊〉 are conteined yet pride wil not suffer you to liue without thâ—◠〈◊〉 â–ª And in this poynt as in many other poore wretches ye 〈…〉 in your owne harme In this respect ye cheifly 〈…〉 for this ye wander by Sea and lande for this yeâ—◠〈…〉 â—â—ther and cast abrâ—de golde to the ende that the hande of your enemies may growe euery day greater and stronger Bâ—◠〈◊〉 is it not so Is not the company of the rych generally of 〈◊〉 â—â—ther opinion Many tymes a man shal see a well goueâ—â—â—d familie of a reasonable callyng to be inferiour vnto the most 〈◊〉 and gorgeous Courtes of the Persians and Lydians almost 〈◊〉 none other thyng yea rather farre to surpasse them in most 〈◊〉 â—â—tere sauyng that those Courtes doo feede moe and more 〈◊〉 â—â—ly Ioy. I haue a great troupe of seruantes wayâ—ing vpâ—on me Reason Nay rather vrgyng thee and treadyng thee vnder foote and leadyng thee bound in ratlyng chaynes so 〈◊〉 may wel be sayde to thee What hast thou doone wreâ—◠〈◊〉 thou shouldest neede so many keepers to garde â—hee Ioy 〈…〉 seruantes gard â—â—e on euery syde Reason Thou hast 〈…〉 of flyght and therefore not of escaping with lyfe To 〈…〉 â—ernly delighted with a mans owne harme is a point of desperat madnesse And therefore in this respect pouertie is to be wyshed and loued in that it deliuereth a man from al the discommodities which ryches do bryng but specially from the craftes and weerisomenesse of seruantes Of the magnificencie and beautifulnesse of houses The .xxxiiii. Dialogue IOY I Haue a gorgeous House Reason What shal I say other then that saying of Tullie The house is to be furnished with dignitie and not altogeather to be sought of the house neyther oâ—â—châ—â—â—â—â—â—â—ner seke credite by the house but the house by the 〈◊〉 Ioy. I haue agâ—â—oâ—y house Reason Why art 〈◊〉 â—â—oud thereof It is the workemans praise and not thine 〈◊〉 I dwel in a most beautifull house Reason Where 〈…〉 may lye hyd where thou mayest wander where thy serâ—â—â—â—es may ryot where the people may tarry where the Paraâ—â—â—â— may hunger a wyde place capable of much weerysomnes 〈…〉 I dwel in a great house Reason Of cities and houâ—â—◠〈…〉 lyke for he that dwelleth in a wyde place dwelâ—◠〈…〉 â—â—or to the happie lyfe it skilleth not how wide but 〈◊〉 meeryly thou lyuest Oftentimes in Kinges Palaces dwel â—â—â—â—â—e and griefe and in poore mens cottages quietnesse and 〈…〉 the largenesse and beautie of the house were the chiefâ—â—â—utter the art of buylding were the most worthie art of al oâ—â— â–ª Ioy. I dwel in a princely house Reason As though 〈◊〉 place coulde driue away cares and sicknesses or that death 〈◊〉 â—â—th a Ladder to climbe vp to the toppes of Towres Dyd 〈◊〉 â—â—ullus Hostiâ—ius abide in his Court when he was stroken 〈◊〉 â—â—ghtning fâ—â—â— heauen And was not also Targuimus 〈…〉 in his Court when he was slaine To be briefe Targuiâ—â—â—â—â—â—perbus was also in his court when he was driuen out of 〈◊〉 â—â—ngdome There is no place inaccessible to daungers no 〈◊〉 â—â—ut agaynst death Ioy. My dwellyng is myne owne 〈…〉 Reason Nay thou hast but a short tyme of dwelâ—â—â—â—e the day of thy departyng is at hand thou imaginest thy selfe to be a Citizen and thou art but a stranger and dwellest but for a rent There wil come one that wil thrust thee naked out of doores Ioy. I haue a gorgeous and beautifull house Reason When thou art departed from hence thou shalt haue a darke and narrowe one but if thou do vprightly consider of thy house it is but obscure and narowe and decaying and euery day woorse able then other to stand vpright continually fayling and foreshewing it owne fall which neither is far of from vtter ruine neyther can delite a valiant tenant as an house but greue him as a prison where he wâ—â—â—â—e loath to stay but desirous to be discharged Goe 〈◊〉 â—â—â—yes â—owe and vaunt of other mens houses or of thyne owne prison Of stronge defenced Castles The xxxv Dialogue IOY I Dwell in a most strong Castle Reason There is some commoditie in houses but much more euil in Castles Houses defend men from heate and wynde and rayne but these cast stormes of carefulnesse into the mindes of the possessours and bryng cares and dread to his political securitie Ioy. I haue a Fortresse enclosed with very strong walles Reason Hast thou forgotten the Spartane saying who to his frâ—â—nde that shewed hym the walles of his countrey answered If you haue made these for women it is wel but yf for men it is shameful Ioy I haue a most strong holde Reason What other thyng was it then your impaciencie and your pryde and couetousnesse that made you haue neede of Castles Howe muche better were it to lyue indifferently with men and to lyue vpon the playne and tylled lande in quietnesse and there to take the pleasant sleepe then to enclose thy selfe within rough and craggy rockes houlyng with nightly watches and through thyne owne miserie to make thyselfe suspected and hated of al men Hast thou forgotten what Publicola dyd who although he were one of the chiefe of those that deliuered the Citie of Rome from subiection to the kynges perceyuing neuerthelesse that the people suspected hym by reason of the situation of his house to the ende he might discharge him self of that false suspicion he pluckt his house downe from the hill Ioy. I haue an impregnable Castle Reason Hast thou not heard the olde prouerbe There is no place so impregnable into which an Asse laden with golde can not enter A strong Castle prouoketh not hyndreth besieging The Castle Tarpeian resisted a whyle the insult of the Senones and so dyd Tarentine of the Carthagiens vntyll in due tyme they were both succoured Camilius relieued this last and the other Fabius But was Hannibal able to defende both Castles of Locris No truely nor Ilion it selfe nor Byrsa coulde be defended nor Corinth whiche of auncient tyme had the fâ—â—â—â—â—f â—â—egnable notwithstandyng Mumius the conquere◠〈…〉 Was not the Castle Praenestine a more strong and better fortified then which I know not whether euer there were any about threescore and ten yeeres since by that great enimie because he coulde not by force yet by flattery and false promises taken and rased whiche at length rose vp agayne beyng shaken and weakened as it were by a long continual feuer To be short there is nothyng inuincible nothing safe agaynst the craft
this saying of Seneca is well knowen Eloquence sayth he is a great and manifolde matter and was neuer so fauourable to any that it hapned wholly vnto hym he is happie enough that hath atteined to some one part therof This by what men and what maner witnesses he prooueth it to be true thou hast hearde whiche beyng so let these numbers of professours whiche are almost matche to the common multitude both in rudenesse and multitude consyder with them selues what they doo and whereabout they goe whiche are not contented with one part nor with one Art but without discretion inuade them all O woonderfull confidence and presumption but it is now common Ioy. What wyll you nowe say concernyng the professions of Phisicke and Lawe Reason Let thy patientes and clientes make aunsweare to this What dyd euer these titles auayle them to the health of their body or gaining of their causes Perhappes they haue procured thy profite for this cause ye hunt after artes and the titles of artes to the intent that what is wanting in learnyng may be supplied in degrees and apparell and that the saying of the Satyrical Poet may beverified The Scarlet and the Iewelles beset with Amethistes doo sell the Lawyer Which thyng woulde appeare to be true yea yf the auncient Rethoricians returned agayne into the worlde for no man woulde geue vnto Cicero two hundred crownes vnlesse he woare on his fynger a great ryng of golde To be short let this he vnto thee the summe of all that hath been spoken of to wyt that there be some men of rare disposition whose studies are sound and honest the endes whereof are trueth and vertue This is the knowledge of thynges and the amendment of manners and either the ornament of this mortall lyfe or the entrance to the eternall As for the rablement of the residue whereof the number is great some of them hunt after glorie some a glittering but a vaine rewarde but to the greater sort the onely respect of money is their ende which is not onely a smal reward but also a filthy and not woorthie the trauaile nor match to the toyle of a gentle minde in al these respectes as I haue sayde the title and apparel is not to be contemned for it is effectuall vnto that whereunto it is appoynted for why the mindes and iudgementes almost of al mortal men specially of the common multitude whiche are destitute of this meane are deluded with shadowes Most matters are gouerned by opinion But for them that are geuen to vertue to glory in titles is not only strange and dissonant but also as Iiudge impossible Ioy. I professe many thynges Reason It were better to doo one good deede then to promyse many And men were in good case yf so be they were suche as they professe them selues to be Of the Tytles of businesse and affayres The .xlvii. Dialogue IOY I AM the Kynges Procurer Reason Then art thou the peoples enimie Ioy. I am the Procurer of the Exchequer Reason Then art thou the common wealthes enimie Ioy. I folow the Kyngs busynesse Reason It is painful for a man to folowe his owne busynesse What is it then thynkest thou for hym to folow another mans specially theyrs that are of myght whom to please is perpetual seruitude to displease danger heauy lookes and punyshment redy for a small offence Ioy. I folow the kyngs busynesse Reason Thou hast an accompt to yeelde to an hard iudge which thou shalt scarce be able to make euen with the spoyle of al thy goodes with hate of thy selfe and greeuous offence Ioy. I solicite the kynges busines Reason Take heede least while thy solliciting is difficult thyne accompt be yet harder and so inextricable that as we haue seene it chaunce in many it entrap thy patrimonie fame and lyfe Ioy. I am the kynges Procurer Reason Thou must needes displease many and last of all thine owne Lord and Maister and whiche is most dangerous GOD hym selfe and for the kynges small commoditie the great discommodities of the Realme and exceedyng damages of the people must be dissembled or procured Ioy. I am made the Kynges Procurer Reason So soone as euer this odious office began to touche the thresholde of thyne house euen that day thou beganst to leaue to lyue for thy selfe from thencefoorth thy libertie thy quietnesse and pleasure are departed In steede of these are seruitude payne businesse feare sorowe trouble and bytyng cares come in place nowe art thou not a lyue although thou breath for the lyfe of such as are busie is death who beyng al of them in misery yet are they in most miserable case whiche are busied in other mens matters specially in the affayres of Kynges Tyrantes and great personages Ioy. I am a Iudge Reason Iudge so as though thou shouldest foorthwith be iudged by another There is one iudge of all men and one incorrupt iudgement seate Before this shal all ye mortall men appeare what neede ye then to haue the skyn of the false iudge nayled vppon the iudgement seate or to haue any barbarous admonition to doo iustice Euery Iudge sytteth in that seate where if false iudgement shal be geuen neyther money nor fauour nor false wytnesses nor sinister entreatynges nor vayne threates nor eloquent Patrones shall auayle hym Ioy. I am one of the Consuls of my countrey Reason A very difficult glory It is a rare matter so to geue counsayle that thou mayest at once both profite and please that there may be trueth in woorde fayth in counsel scilence in that whiche is committed sweetnesse in speache fortune shall gouerne the euent and the euent shall purchase credite to the counsayle Ioy. I am gouernour of a Citie Reason Thou leadest an vnbridled beast and as Horace tearmeth it that hath many heades with a small twyne and gouernest a great shyppe alone that is tossed with hugie waues A litle house is hardly guyded how difficult therefore it is to gouerne a whole Citie see thou Hadst thou so great neede of trouble or so litle at home that thou hast vndertaken the publique Yea moreouer it is not only an office of difficultie but also a vyle function insomuche as the Satyrycal Poet tearmeth the gouernour of a Citie a Stewarde or Baylyffe notyng therby the state of these tymes If then he were a Baylife or Husbandman what is he now other then a Woodryfe or Woodman At that tyme Rome began to be a vyllage and nowe it is a Wood. Ioy. I am a President of a Prouince Reason Beyng condempned vnto an honorable exile thou hast exchaunged priuate quietnesse for forraigne carefulnesse looke for no rest or pleasure The state of Presidentes is bytter and troublesome they are forbydden playes and feastes vppon holy dayes theyr doores are shut agaynst gyftes and open to contentions theyr houses are voyde of pastymes and ful of complayntes and chydynges what so euer is a mysse whatsoeuer out of order or out of square throughout the whole Prouince there
but weake and thou mayest also sing to thy selfe this verse of Virgil The destinies shall onely shewe hym to the earth but not suffer hym to liue longer Ioy. I reioyce in my young Chyld Reason Reioyce so as yf thou shouldest be sory eyther for that as I haue said it may chaunce he may die or which is much more greeuous and hapneth very often of a most pleasant chylde become a most vnthankefull and disobedient young man. Ioy. I ioy much in my young chylde Reason There is no husband man so foolysh that wyl reioyce much in the flowre the fruite is to be looked for and then he ought to reioyce moderatly In the mean while tempestes hayle and blastinges are to be feared and the ioy must be moderated with dreade Of the excellent fauour of Chyldren The Lxxii Dialogue IOY MY Children fauour is excellent Reason If thou haue learned by mine instruction not to regarde thine owne fauour then thou knowest how much thou hast to esteeme of anothers Ioy. The fauour of my children is great Reason A thing verie dangerous for the male kinde but much more for the female For beautie and chastitie dwel seldome togeather they wyl not and againe if they would they can not seeing al humane thinges especially honestie can yf or kept in safetie now adayes chiefely if it be ioyned with an excellent beautie There be some whose beautie is enuied at but that enuie keepeth it selfe within it owne boundes some are sory some angry with their beautie as much as may be possible many haue waxed olde continuing vndefiled among the hatred of many some haue shewed perpetual and vnquenchable tyrannie How many saylers do passe euery day vpon the calme sea how many Merchantes do trauayle through the desartes with their wares safe neither Pyrate meeteth with the one nor the Theefe with the other But what beautiful woman canst thou name vnto me that hath not been assayed Although she be chast she shal be tempted and ouercome What womans minde is able to resist so many corrupters The scaling ladders of sugred woordes are set to the walles the engines of giftes are planted and the secret moynes of deceites are cast vp vnder the grounde If these meanes wyll not serue then force is violently offered If thou require proofe call to thy remembraunce the most famous rauishmentes Beautie hath tempted many and caused many to be tempted some it hath ouerthrowen and driuen them into wickednesse or to death Among the Hebrues Ioseph was an example of vehement temptation but the prouidence of God turned the danger into glory Among the Grecians Hippolytus and Bellerophon and among you Spurina to the ende she woulde not be tempted defaced her selfe with her owne hands Among the fyrst was no Thamar among the seconde was not the Greekish Penelope among the thyrde was not the Romane Lucretia safe Finally among all sortes the most part haue been commonly eyther tempted or ouerthrowen These be the fruites of this transitorie and brittle beautie whiche many tymes haue not onely ouerthrowen whole houses but great Cities and mightie Kyngdomes Thou knowest histories Truely yf Helen had not been so beautifull Troy had stoode safe yf Lucretia had not been so fayre the Romane kingdome had not ben so soone ouerthrowen yf Virginea had not ben so beautiful the auctoritie of the ten men had not so soone fayled neyther Appius Claudius beyng so great a law maker among the Romanes beyng vanquished with lust had lost his fame at the barre and his lyfe in prison Finally there haue been innumerable who if they had not been so fayre as they were there shoulde not haue been so many that beyng forced and deceyued haue fallen out of the castle of chastitie into so great reproches and ruine of their soules and therefore vtter what good effectes thou hast founde in beautie that they may be compared with their contraries Ioy. My Chylde is passing beautifull Reason This beautie hauing enflamed the lust of one called Messalina choose whiche thou haddest rather of these twayne eyther to deny and so to be slayne at the louers commaundement eyther to agree and to perysh by Claudius swoorde Thus at one side by chastitie death is purchased by adulterie there is nothing but only a litle deferring of death procured and this is the effect of this noble and excellent beautie In this therefore as in al other thinges the mediocritie is commendable and if any of the extremities were to be wished beautie is more delectable but deformitie is more safe Ioy. I haue a most beautifull Daughter Reason Be careful of treason and beware of force Doest thou thinke that there is but one Iason or one Theseus or one Paris Yes there be a thousand To haue a Daughter is a care and trouble if she haue beautie there is feare which thou canst not auoyde but by death or olde age for by marrying her into another house thou shalt but translate thy feare and not extinguishe it Ioy. I triumphe and reioyce in the singular heautie of my Children Reason For young folke to glorie and reioyce in theyr beautie it is a vayne thyng but common but for an olde man to reioyce in the beautie of his Chyldren whiche vnlesse he doated he woulde perceyue to be full of vanitie or subiecte to daungers it is more follie and next coosen to madnesse Ioy. My Chyld hath an heauenly beautie Reason Thou hast read I thinke the foure and twentie booke of Homers Iliades where Priamus speaking of his sonne Hector He seemed not sayeth he to haue ben the sonne of a mortal man but of a god This sayd Priamus but Achilles shewed that he was the sonne of a mortall man and not of a God and remember thou likewise that this heauenly beautie of thy chylde whereof thou speakest may be taken away and blemished and so long as it continueth whatsoeuer accompt be made of it it is but an vncertayne thyng Howbeit the immoderate loue of fathers whiche is enimie to vpryght iudgement bringeth foorth these errours and trifles Ioy. I haue a passyng fayre Daughter Reason If nothyng els chaunce thy house must be most sumptuous Of the valiencie and magnanimitie of a Sonne The Lxxiii Dialogue IOY I Haue a valient Sonne Reason The more valient he is the more it behoueth thee to be fearefull For Fortune layeth more dangers vpon none then those that contemne her that is to say Valient men And not without good cause for other men hyde them selues and seeke to auoyde her force but these lay themselues open to her furie Recall forepassed ages to memorie and thou shalt perceyue in a maner all the most valient men consumed by violent death Ioy. My Sonnes valiencie is exceedyng great Reason Fortitude is a most excellent vertue but accompanied with sundry chaunces and therefore see thou haue alwayes teares and a coffin in a redinesse Death is at hande to all men but nearest to the valient Ioy. My Sonne is a most
moles heapes of stones rubbish throwen into the rough and deepe sea hard rockes cut in sunder plaine fieldes throwen vp into hilles toppes of hilles made leauel with plaine fieldes to the one earth added from the other earth taken away and that so suddenly that the strangnesse of the wonder was nothyng inferiour to the violence done vnto nature to wit when death was the rewarde of delaying the woorke by which meanes hauing within one yeeres space consumed the great treasure of his predecessour Tiberius and all the riches of the whole Empire he was driuen to extreame pouertie and most shameful rapine Among these thinges I do not recken how that he had determined in his minde to make a cut through Isthmus the hyl of Corinth which although it woulde haue ben a woorke of great charges yet had it been profitable for sea faring men whereby the two seas had been made one and they that had passed from Brundusium to Athens or Chalcis or Byzantium shoulde haue auoyded the great crooke of Achaia Next followeth Nero matche and superiour vnto him in madnesse whose disordinate expences had no measure specially in building wherein he surpassed all prodigal fooles and him selfe also He was not more â—â—â—â—ful in any other thing then in this and therfore I wyll touch on◠〈…〉 numerable follies He buyided an house which reached froâ— the hyl 〈…〉 vnto â—sguiline and stretched also ouer a greâ—â—â—â—â—art of the citie so that not vnwoorthily among the tauntes reproches wherwith the people with most free indignation girded hym home this also was cast against him All Rome shal be one house ye Romanes depart ye to the Vehi yf so be that this house doo not also streatch vnto the Vehi This house he commaunded to be called the golden house not vnfitly declaring the price by the name For the house was seeled and knotted with precious stones and of such height that at the entraunce 〈◊〉 of stoode a Colossus an hundred and twentie foote high Within was a Gallerie and Hal seeled about with pendentes of Golde Iuorie and vpon the top deuises of strange workemanshyp with motions after the maner of heauen by litle and litle of their owne accord turning about day and nyght without intermission Also a Ponde like the Sea adorned round about vppon the shoare with buyldinges after the maner of a Citie Moreouer fieldes and pastures and vineyardes and woods replenished with al kindes of liuing thinges The middest of this house as far as could be coniectured was that place which is coÌ„monly called Colosseum whose ruines do yet at this day astonish the beholders and the more to augment the wonder of the matter all these thinges were in the very middes of Rome So that notwithstanding he seemed to him selfe not only not to haue exceeded but not yet to haue answeared the greatnesse that ought to be in an Emperours house insomuch as when he dedicated the house he made no greater wonder at it but said this much onely Nowe at length I begin to dwell lyke a man. I omit these trifles that he neuer ware one garment twice that he neuer went iourney with lesse then a thousande Charrets that his Mules were shod with shooes of siluer that he fished with a golden Net that his roapes cordes were made of sine Purple silke with many suche other matters exceeding credite and breedyng tediousnesse But who wyl not wonder at these thinges that readeth of them but more wonder if he beheld them the remnantes and tokens whereof remayne to this day The Fishponde that was begun from the bridge Misenus and should haue reached to the â—ake Auernus compassed and couered with wonderful galleries and the dytch that was cast from Auernus to Hâ—stia◠〈◊〉 so long distance of way and through so many sâ—â—lles wâ—â—â—e bringing the sea into it and sayling in it without the accidentes â—â—â—t happen on the sea he might auoyde both the toyle of traueyling by lande and the weerisomnesse of faring by water the length whereof as now the inhabitantes of those quarters doo accompt it is well knowne vnto al men but as Tranguillus reckneth is an hundred threescore mile the breadth was such that two Gallies might meete and one not touch nor hinder another Which woorke if he 〈◊〉 finished he had beggered al Italy and the whole Common wealth but that death onely prouided a remedie for so great mischiefes of the world After him followeth Aurelius Verus who that I may let passe other thinges made suche a supper that yf he woulde haue made the lyke dynner I knowe not whether the Romane wealth would haue ben sufficient Whiche thing when his brother Marcus Aurelius vnderstoode beyng as great a friend to modestie as this was enimie is reported to haue lamented taking compassion vpon the Common wealth and the Empire decaying I leaue others for these are too many and I knowe that there be some of you that wyll thinke these examples to be longer then neede and the remedies shorter then promise But sometime it delighteth a learned man or one that loueth learning and honestie to heare the madnesse of fooles whiche may be a warning for him to followe the contrarie and with al myght and mayne to eschew the lyke All these thynges tende to this ende that thou mayest recompt with thy selfe what it is wherein thou hopest to haue treasure answerable to thy charges For as good husbandrie and modestie require no great treasures so neyther treasures nor whole empires are sufficient for prodigalitie and riotousnesse And this cause hath not onely constrayned men of meane callyng but almost all Princes those I meane that haue followed the vayne of these latter times of necessitie to fall to rapine and extortion whiche hath geuen occasion vnto many of an hastened and miserable death Ioy. Are not so many Cities sufficient to beare one mans charges â–ª Reason Let these aunsweare thee of whom I haue spoken so muche and others innumerable whom the lyke plague hath brought to lyke confusion To conclude this most deepe denne of expences that I may so tearme it lyke as that gapyng pitte of Curtius in olde tyme can not be filled with any ryches but may be restrayned by vertue and specially by modestie Wherein it auayleth to remember that it is others goodes which thou wastest and in this poynt also it is profitable to cal often to minde the saying of the Emperour Hadriane which as it is read he was wont many times to repeate in his speaches vnto the people in the Senat That he would so gouerne the Common wealth as knowing that it was the peoples commoditie and not his owne A fytte saying for so worthy a Prince Ioy. I reigne and reuenge is mine Reason Truely it is not thine for he lieth not that sayd Reuenge is mine And verily if thou be a true King nothing is lesse thine then reuenge and nothing more then mercifulnesse I coulde wyshe that nature had denyed
eyther from thy holynesse of lyfe or worthinesse of thy desartes or singularitie of thy written woorkes A rare kinde of honour these praiers and courteous kind of gowned Gentlemen which walke in their Silkes and glitter in their precious Stones and Iewels and are poynted at by the people are knowen no longer then they can speake or a litle longer An hard case that all this brauerie and pompe this shewe of knowledge these thunderyng speeches shoulde so soodenly vanishe away into a thinne smoake an hard case I confesse but true it is in deede for they haue ministred none occasion of any testimonie of their due prayse but onely of ambition lucre or slouthfulnesse Hope I shal haue fame after my death Reason Fame neuer profited the dead but hath oftentimes hurt the liuing For what was it other that procured the destruction of Cicero and Demosthenes then their surpassing fame of learnyng The lyke also may be sayde of Socrates and Zeno and infinite other who are all knowen For what was it that gaue occasion to the Athenians to murther Androgeuâ— that was sonne to king Gnosius but onely the fame of his wit and learning What brought the chosen men as they tearme them of the great shyp Argos who in deede were very Theeues vnto Oetes king of Colchos but only the fame of his ryches For what els may we thinke to be signified by that famous golden fleece of the Ram but great riches diuersly dispersed wherewithall beastly rich men and suche as are destitute of the true ryches are plentifully endued lyke as Sheepe that are clad with their fleeces Hope I shal be famous Reason Admit thou be what great matter conceyuest thou thereof Fame perhaps were somewhat yf knowledge were ioyned with it as it often hapneth in the liuing but wyll it auayle thee any thyng to be praysed of them whiche knowe thee not yf they see thee I pray thee tell me yf thou shouldest see Homer and Achilles yf Virgil and Augustus shoulde they not passe by vnknowen although their names be neuer so well knowen and famous Beleeue me your hopes are for the more part vayne in two respectes the one in that the thinges that ye hope for come not to passe the other in that if they do come to passe yet doo they not perfourme that whiche they promised For why for the most al humane thinges consist more in hope then in effect Cast away therfore this vayne hope fonde desyres and contemnyng of earthly thinges learne at length to wyshe and hope for heauenly thynges Of Glorie hoped for by buyldyng The Cxviii Dialogue HOPE I Hope for Glorie by buyldyng Reason I knewe not so much before that glory was wonne out of Lime and Sande and Timber and Stone but I supposed it had only been gotten by atchiuing of valient deedes and exercise of vertue Hope I purchase Glorie vnto my selfe by buyldyng Reason But it is a frayle and transitorie Glorie Whatsoeuer is made by mans hande is eyther ouerthrowen by mans hande or fayleth of it selfe in continuance of tyme For long tyme hath verie long and strong handes there is none of all your woorkes that canne withstande olde age Wherefore when these thynges shall fall whereon this thy Glorie is founded it must needes be that it fall also If haply thou beleeue not beholde the thinges that are of antiquitie whereof thou canst not be ignoraunt Where is now that proude tower of Ilium in Troy Where is Byrsa of Carthage Where are the tower and walles of Babylon It is now an habitation of Serpentes and wilde beastes I speake nowe of the auncient Citie of Babylon As for the neerer and newe Babylon it standeth yet and is in case to be soone destroyed yf you were men To be short where are those seuen notable woorkes whiche the Greeke writers haue so muche celebrated And to come vnto more later tymes Where I pray thee is Neroes golden house which how much it weeried the woorkemen imagine thou it weerieth nowe the readers of it whiche house with other outragies and follies in buildyng wherein he exceeded al other brought hym to pouertie and enforced hym to rapine Where are Dioclesians warme Fountaynes and Antonius Bayne and Marius cymbrum and Seuerus Septizonium and also his Senerian warme Welles And briefely to conclude where is Augustus Market place and the house of Mars the reuenger and of thundryng Iupiter in the Capitol and the Temple of Apollo in the Palace Where is also his Gallerie and Librarie both Greeke and Latine likewyse his other Gallerie and large Treasance which were buylded and dedicated in the names of Gaius and Lucius his two Nephues and the thyrde Gallerie of his wyfe Liuia and his Syster Octauia and Marcellus Theatre Where are all the notable peeces of woorke whiche sundrie noble men buy ded in many places of the Citie with so great payne and excessiue charges at the commaundement and instance of the same Prince Merius Philippus house of Hercules and the Muses Lucius Cornificius house of Diana and Asinius Pollioes Court of Libertie and Munacius Pancus house of Saturne Cornelius Balbus Theatre and Statilius Taurus Amphitheater Ouer and aboue these the innumerable woorkes of Marcus Agrippa And not to touche euery thyng where are all the vaine and ouerriotous Palaces of Princes and Emperours Seeke in bookes and thou shalt finde their names but seeke all the Citie of Rome ouer and thou shalt eyther finde nothyng at all or a fewe remnantes remainyng of so many great woorkes and therefore thou knowest what thou mayest hope of thyne owne Truely vnlesse that Augustus who was chiefe of al hadde left somethyng behynde hym besydes buyldynges his glory had long synce fallen to the grounde and not only the Temples of the Goddes which he prepared fell downe vppon those that buylded them but other places also in the same Citie at this day haue some of them fallen downe some trembled and shaken and nowe they can scarse stande alone and beare theyr owne burden except one only whiche is the Temple of Pantheon made by Agrippa Beleeue me glory that must continue requyreth other foundations then are made of Stone Hope I seeke for glory by buyldyng Reason Seeke it where it is thou shalt neuer fynde a thing where it is not true glory consisteth not in walles nor stones There are I confesse commonly iudgementes and estimations of thynges geuen foorth in whiche respect glory is sayde to be gotten three wayes by doyng some notable deede so that good aucthours may condingly wryte of thee or by writyng some excellent woorke whiche posteritie may reade and woonder at or by buyldyng some syngulare peece of woorke whiche yf it be so yet this last is the least and of the other the most transitorie Hope I leaue behynde me woorkes of buyldyng wherein I vaunt when I am dying and hope to gayne glory among posteritie Reason Augustus the Emperour of whom I spake vaunted that he had left the citie of Marble
also cheastes chambers and storehouses And therefore I will nowe begin to beleeue that in the Pisane cōfines there is a castle which vnto them that saile vpon the sea seemeth to be not farre of that is become desolate by meanes of swarmes and aboundance of Emotes The like hereof also is reported to haue happened in the Vincentine confines And I am of opinion that it may be true in anie of them both or in anie other place whatsoeuer it hath so hapned a late that they haue not onelie driuen me out of my countrie house but well nigh out of my house in the citie insomuch that I was faine to vse the meane of fire and lime and at last to runne away And now I verie well beleeue Apuleius where he saith that there was a man eaten by them although there want of honie Neither doe I denie but that I do wonder what should be the cause that some haue proposed the Emote to be the patterne of carefulnesse concerning which matter some haue made long discourses cōmending their sparingnes and industrie Wel then if all carefulnes bee commendable perhappes this were a meete example for theeues and not for such as are willing to liue vpon their own without doing iniurie to an other It is a carefull creature in deed no man can denie it but wicked but vniust liuing by rapine industrious in nothing but that which is euill seruing to no good vse but bringing manifold discommodities and wearisomues why therefore they haue proposed this example and why they haue commended this litle beast Againe I say I maruel especiallie when they might haue vsed the exāple of the Bee which is a most industrious and prouident beast a creature that hurteth none but is profitable vnto many succouring it selfe others by it owne natural art and most noble trauell What should I nowe speake of the hurtful plentie and ranck increase of branches leaues of trees against which the wakeful husbandman giueth his diligent attendance lieth in waite being armed with his sharpe nailes the hedge brusher with his crooked hooke what of the burres briars and the yeerely returne of plants rootes which minister perpetual matter of strife and toyle what of the furious rage of shewres of raine and heapes of snowe and biting of frostes and the sharpnesse and violence of yce and the suddein violence of flooddes the vncertein encreases of streames which many times shake whole regions great peoples but especially the hedges and fences of the husbandmen who among so many mischiefes can scarse passe forth this earthlie life wherein they are euermore bending downe to the ground And to say somewhat concerning the discommodities and toyles of the delicate rich sort who hath not endured the mightie conflictes of birdes Also the crying of owles and schritches and the bootlesse watching of dogges all night barking against the Moone and cattes making their meetings vpon the tyles toppes of houses and the quiet silence disturbed with horrible outcries and troubling men with their hellishe clamour and whatsoeuer else maketh anie grieuous noyse in the darke Wherevnto may be added the croaking of frogges and toades in the night and the lamenting and threatenings of the swallowes in the morning so that a mā would thinke that Itys and Tereus him selfe were present For as touching the quietnes of birdes by day the squeeking grasshoppers the arrogant crowes and braying asses doe disturbe it and the bleating of cattell and the bellowing of Oxen and the vnwitten cackling of hennes without surceasing who sell their small egges for a great price But aboue al things is either the crying of swine or the commō clamour and laughter of fooles than which foolish thing there is nothing more foolish as saieth Catullus and the singing and merimentes of drunkardes than which nothing is more grieuous and the complaintes of such as are at variance and the iangling and scoulding of olde wiues and sometime the battailles some time the lamentation of children and of weddings either their vnquiet feastes or their daunsings and the merrie mournings of wiues who by craft do seeme to lament the death of their husbands and the vnfeigned howlings of parentes at the decease of their children adde herevnto the thronging and noise of the court of iudgement the altercations of Marchants and such as buie and sell at one side the small regard on the other side the oathes of the sellers Adioine herevnto the sorrowful singing of the workmen to aswage their painfull trauel at the on side the vnpleasant Musick of such as beate toose wooll breake it smal with the teeth of the cardes on the other side the hollowe breathing of the smithes bellowes the sharpe sound of their hāmers whervnto may be added the winter night which with these trauels is deuided into equall partes so that there is no time free from vnquietnesse strife And to touche some deale the kinde of things insensible what hath the loadstone to do with iron or the diamond with the loadstone the cause of whose disagreement though it be secret yet is their disagreement manifest For the loadstone draweth iron but lay a Diamond by it and it will leaue to drawe or let go hold if it drewe before The vertue in them both is wonderfull either in that Nature hath giuen as it were hands and hooked nailes vnto an heauie and euilfauoured stone against a rough and stubburne mettal or whether she take them away vnto her selfe by meanes of the other stone that lyeth by which is not the end of the first strife but rather a newe strife Howbeit manie denie this last thing to be true and as for me hetherto I haue wanted occasion will to make experiment or proofe thereof and therefore I can affirme nothing But as for the first it is so well knowen that there is no neede to proue or auow it Howbeit hauing vndertaken a great work with a mightie courage in to short a time and to narrowe a space I doe nowe easilie perceiue that I carrie a greater desire than strength to the accomplishing therof Neither were it an easie matter for me or anie man else that should take this matter in hande sufficiently to discourse vpon euery point whereby it may appeare that al things cōsist by disagreement which whether they be great or small are verie wonderfull and strange although I haue not yet touched that which is greatest and to be accompted the most maruellous from the highest to the lowest of all Natures miracles but I will nowe touche it in fewe wordes The Echinus beeing but a small fishe of halfe a foote long stayeth a shippe bee it neuer so great when it is vnder sayle vppon the Sea or driuen foorth by oares being onelie able of all fisshes to quaile the force of the elementes and men by none other meanes than by cleauing to the timber of the shippe by none endeuour or strength in the worlde but