magnificent Science but amongst Pistolls and Pikes haue a Valour more brutish lesse considering and lesse wise They which haue exercised their forces onely in Plato his walke in the study haue a more soft spirit and which doth not seeme so vigorous against euill because experience assureth weaknes and is ordinarily seene among the blood and the sword it maketh the courages more cowardly and supporteth the most imbecill for as much as custome is another nature The contempt of death for them is by imagination in the aire not meeting as others doe among them that are hurt slaine and daily at blowes True it is that Socrates had married his spirit with his hand the greatnesse of his courage with his sword and his high imaginations with execution and proofe After he had meditated and layed the foundations of this faire Pyramides by the diuine Idea's of his vnderstanding and by that proud proiect which carried him away in his thought he put his hand to the worke Wee must not meruaile if by this band which is not common he brought forth no common thing Now I haue said that it is not at the Warre only that magnanimity is exercised a long imprisonment pouerty maladies the losse of friends and other accidents be proofes of a courage manly and oftentimes more assured then of death it selfe In the meane time a man must well consider what contempt of death is A man doth not feare death onely for the griefes that it brings vs which are soone passed but for the pleasure whereof it depriueth vs and for the delights of life which comes of follie ignorance and want of meditation That which ones leaues giues more paine then that which one feeles and whosoeuer would take away the apprehension of this bitternesse should but onely tast it The euill comes from the fantasie which hath most force where there is least reason Death is made so redoubtable because it takes from vs the ioyes of life and for that we are tied to that which doth least appertaine vnto vs. For feeble pleasures the long vse whereof should be odious vnto vs For lewd desires which haue found our tast sicke to the end to gaine yet some dayes and to haue a miserable delay and a shamefull respite a man would lengthen the parchment and deferre the matter so loath is a man to ariue All that proceeds from want of iudgement for as much as we haue lodged our Soueraigne good where it is not and that we seeke it for the most part by his contrary To haue then the contempt of death we must rather haue knowledge of the life that is truely worthy of man Neither could the lot of Africa nor Circes nor the Syrens nor all the attracting delights of the nymph Calypso retaine the wise Greeke His designes were more lofty he was tyed with more strong bonds the knowledge which he had of a greater blesse made him enter into an extraordinary disdaine of these vnworthy pleasures Contraries one neare the other doe shine most So the discourses of reason be cleare Lampes which shew the way in the darknes of our blindnes it is by them that we vnderstand what to follow and to take our resolution to doe that which doth most carry a man beyond man There is no Vertue that can lead through these thornes through these rugged rockes and through these fearefull solitarinesses to perfection but magnanimity Shee is without ignorance knowing all things hauing digested all doubts chased all clouds taken away all scruples by the faire and agreeable Theorique meditation which would haue beene vnfruitefull if it had not beene put in vse by this Queene of Vertues This heauenly Queene then hauing carried her intelligence vpon all that concerneth man and hauing sported her selfe through all this great Theatre of the world after shee had waighed â—ounded and calculated all Shee knew that well-doing was the highest point at which humane nature could ariue Glad of this knowledge and wholly transported with admiration of her owne diuine essence shee hath made choice of this golden sleece and there erected her conquests She is so resolued This is not all shee is gone into action Shee is in the conflict she remaines glittering with victorious glory ouer her enemies To this beginning a thousand difficulties are opposed to her designes Feeble nature in a traunce with feare so sensible open to all sorts of euills perfumed soft lasciuious pleasures couered with amber and muske with bodies without armes and legges with maymed shapes with sad goings in some ioyes and griefes pell-mell will violently pull the armes out of her hands Shee hath ouerthrowne all shee hath vanquished all shee remaines Mistresse of the field Let them cut slash burne let all the world come together to fall a man accompanied with this incomparable Vertue remaines without loosening stiffe and firme as marble Admirable rampier against misfortunes and most strange euents how diuine thou art faire Vertue seeing thou doest draw men from the gouernement of humanity how high and eleuated thou art seeing thou doest roote from the center of the earth the earth it selfe how strong thou art seeing thou doest giue the forces of Sampson to the imbecillity of humane nature which is weaknes it selfe how aboue humane thou art seeing thou doest make our senses leape ouer the barres of sense and how rare thou art seeing thou art so difficill If I did thinke to be exempt from the blame of presumption for enterprizing to speake of so high a subiect I would produce for an example a spirit wholly royall that is to say fully perfect Let a man behold it on all sides he will iudge it such as I desire it in this Discourse Sir You that are a man and aboue men as such an one giue me leaue to be so bold to speake of this Vertue which is admired and reuerenced in you with many others which haue adiudged you the prize aboue all Princes of the World As a man suffer me to speake of your Vertue As aboue men for that you are glittering with so many perfections aboue humane Pardon my presumption in consideration of the zeale which I haue to honour that which deserues it As a King permit me to speake the truth Let a man looke on all sides with the eyes of enuy and euill speaking that spares nothing and with the eyes of iudgement which doe waigh all things as is meet taking away those domestique sorceresses of Kings Courts flatterie and passion he shall see that the magnanimitie of our great Henry is incomparable and such as a man would desire in perfection The desire to make himselfe immortall by the renowne which preacheth the faire deedes after the Tombe hath not made him produce so many famous military acts For he that hath his vnderstanding as cleare as his courage heroicall knowes right well that Princes may make themselues so by a thousand other effects of Vertue Adrian Traiane Seuerus and many other the most famous Emperours
Estate You shall anew oblige France doe not frustrate it if it please you of the helpe which it expecteth from your Vertue in so faire an occasion You are inuited thereunto a man may say obliged seeing that you are one of the eyes of our great Monarch You shall get Honour in this affaire Faire actions ought to bee produced without designe of glorie in time to come But in doing for the Common good it is not vnlawfull to encrease the reputation of his Name Let your excellent spirit iudge if this action which is hoped for will not be a reliefe of all the others whereof France hath had a true feeling Whereupon I remaine MY LORD Your most humble and most obedient seruant CHEVALIER To the Nobility of FRANCE IT is long since this Discourse of Duells was made The Publication hath been hindred for important causes they cease now and here it is come into the light One of the occasions that brought it forth was the death of two Gentlemen of the Court who were killed in single Combate the 3. of Ianuary 1602. That rauished me with impatience to this worke They were both full of merit of Honour of reputation I lamented their losse especially of Sieur de VILLEMOR whom I knew whom I honoured for his vertue Hee feared God was courteous wise charitable adorned with all Christian Vertues especially with those which are altogether repugnant to the last act of his life The occasion of their Quarrell was feeble and very little sutable to so many faire qualities as all those of this time be Their ruine is to be lamented it is deplorable the Commonwealth hath lost thereby They were able to doe a great seruice by their Valour whereof they had rendred so many good testimonies in iust occasions Their courage was worthy to haue been reserued to some better seruice then that which rooted them vp Now my intention in this worke is altogether Christian without ostentation without vanity The end propounded is that it may serue It is indifferent to me whether it be pleasing or not That is not my reach If it be profitable to France it will be an vnspeakeable contentment vnto me it is my onely desire It was made for you I speake vnto you with all freenesse This shall testifie my zeale and my affection to your good Receiue it with a good heart if you thinke good I doe not regard your tast which is sicke but your profit There is nothing in all the world for this regard so rash so blinded so transported as the Nobility of France Hee that doth not know it let him come see here the picture The designe is the ruine of soule body and goods the action is inconsiderate ambition the proportions impatience the lineaments rashnesse the shadowes false iudgement the shortnings presumption the liuely colours doe shine by furie and by despaire Take heede of it none haue so much hurt by it as you If you know it not I aduertise you of it They doe in euery place deride your frensies They which haue charges and gouernements are protected and play the Romanes with your furies doe as they doe be wise they fight not and yet haue neuer the lesse courage If you thinke to receiue Honour thereby to be the sooner Dukes and Peeres Officers of the Crowne Knights du St Esprit Embassadours or gouernours of places I tell you that you are very farre from your accompt you know not why you runne so lightly to death At what good leisure you are to precipitate your selues to so many mischeifes without receiuing any aduantage Honour or profit thereby either death the ruine of your houses or a perpetuall quarrell be the ordinary fruites which hang ouer your heads There is all the glory you haue thereby See if you bee not in great heate Though you bee not ashamed of your rages at the least pity the losse of your soules you cannot doe better To conclude imitate them which doe not fight you shall bee the more perfect God be with you To the Reader Courteous Reader there are some faults escaped this 〈◊〉 Booke thou art not to impute the cause thereof to 〈◊〉 Author whose care and diligence both in translating 〈◊〉 writing may iustly deserue commendations but rather 〈◊〉 the negligence in reading and correcting the Printeâ—… that time beeing drawne away by vrgent occasions frâ—â— his more vsuall diligence Thus hoping thy loue will me these faults as thou meetest with them in reading I 〈◊〉 Pag. 11. lin I. it is lost put out it p. 17. l. 4. for Parevine read Poiteâ—◠〈◊〉 l. 24. for prickings read pricking p. 29. l. 19. for fare read faire â—… l. 2 â—… for his read this p. 32. l. 12. for garden read great garden p. 35. l. for duely read daily p. 39. l. 18. for whose fraile read who is fraile p. 41. for haue read haue had p. 48 l. 25. for mention of read mention made of â—… l. 19. for none at all read not any ibid. i 22. for geate read goâ—…t p. 54. l. â—… and read that ibid. l. 16. for heart and read heart into p. 58 l. 20. for coâ—…read courages p. 68. l. 10. for the read his ibid. l 14. for is damnable read damnable p. 72. l. 15. for laire read fairer ibid. l. 27. for a throug read the thâ—… p. 73. l. 4. for would read should p. 7â—… l. 23. put out the. p. 81. l. 3. for him read thinking p. 94. l. 20. for phillip read fillip p. 118 l. 8. for workeman workewoman p. 120. l. 2. for to their read to all their p. 122 l. 13. for a serable read the miserable ibid for irresotions read irresolutions p. 12 â—… for this the hand read this hath the hand p. 124. l. â—… for and contempt read the contempt p. 126. l. 15. for inuite read inuitehim p 127. l. 17 for euill euills p 123. l 20. for pleasure read pleasures ibid l. 23. for oues read â—… p. 129. l. 27. for be cleare read be the cleate p. 136. l. 8. for toyling readâ—…iings â—…iings p. 1 38. l. 8. for her lustice read her Iudgement Iustice p. 143. l. 23 belonging read belongeth p. 147. l. 11. for daaw read draw p. 149. l. 5 they like read they likeit THE GHOSTS OF VILLEMOR and FONTAINES To the KING WOnder of the World Mars of Christendome Great Monarch whose invincible Heart neuer found Equall whose Arme is a Thunder-bolt his Diligence Lightnings his High Deedes Thunder-cracks that thunder which astonish Fortune You will haue no apprehension of our Shadowes seeing you neuer had any of Death it selfe amidst the horrour the terrour of Armes amongst the sulphure the most thicke smoakes of Canons and Harquebuzes These obscure apparances and these dimensions confusedly dilated will bring you no feare This is the second time that we doe appeare hauing quitted our repose to come to procure yours and by the meanes of our particular harmes to represent those of France in generall for
the good manners the conscience or the Honour of a Body it ought to be put in the first point If it bee honest and that it doth not regard these three heads we must laugh as others doe learne to talke or to be patient and he that is too weake shall take some refrigeratiue drugs or else he must depriue himselfe of the societie of men Let them that shall challenge be condemned to die and let their goods be confiscate They are a thousand times more punishable then those that are troubled beeing invenomed by the imagination of the offence For these there is some feeble shadow of excuse but none for the other whether they fight or no they be alwaies the principall instruments of the disaster The first motiues be not in the power of man whose fraile choller and blood doe soueraignly command him Being out of himselfe full of blindnesse he sweares his owne ruine and vses himselfe like a stranger as an enemie as being no more his owne but his furious passions and almost alwayes depending more of an others opinion then of his owne knowledge and least of all of reason He is for that time in some sort excusable Let men that are wronged or doe beleeue they are wronged vpon heate runne to their sword be possessed be transported with fury and goe about to hurt themselues that is humane and practised euery where But if they go to their death after they haue had time to digest their choller vpon cold blood against their own conscience knowing that they doe cuill that is deuillish and not practised in any place of the World but in this Realme From this let vs draw a consequence The parties offended are not without blame and without crime when they come to such effects lesse then ought they to be so who doe execute them not being wronged This consideration hath made that since the last Edict of Fountaine-blean no man hath fought with a second at least very few for they haue been ashamed to put in hazard the life of their friend without any occasion In fight it is necessary that the blood be troubled Now this is a beginning to take the Duell quite away the reason because that heretofore it would haue been suspected yea a shame to sight without a second So your Edict and the knowledge of this folly haue corrected this abuse The seconds then are taken away as a barbarous thing The conclusion of this speach is notable Euen as it hath been a custome not to employ a mans friend in a matter of iniustice and impietie so may a man accustome himselfe to demaund reason of wrongs as we haue said Time brings all order corrects all and mischiefes goe vp and downe by degrees Let euery seruant that shall carry a Bill or Challenge of defiance be hanged When they haue been ashamed to lead their friends into the Churchyard and to employ them they haue recourse to the bill of defiance If the remedie that wee propound be not sufficient there is no need to seeke any other Let them that shall fight in Duell be degraded from Nobility and them and their posteritie declared infamous let their houses bee rased and their goods confiscate They that shall die let them not be buried but drawne through the streetes and then cast vpon the lay-stall the common dunghill of a Towne There must be these strong sluces to stay the ouerflowing of these violent torrents For extreame mischiefes extreame remedies The example will bring feare to generous soules and apprehension of the ignominie for their name and for their houses will preuaile more with them then death So in a certaine towne of Greece the women transported with a deuillish madnesse did hang themselues so strangely that they knew not how to remedie it They deuised to make them be drawne after their death starke naked through the Towne This villanous and infamous spectacle stayed the despaire of others It were very fitting that Fencing were forbidden It is the mother of pride of rashnesse of vanity for them that haue more force or disposition then others or both and makes them with hope of grace more outragious and more insolent For ought else it is vnprofitable for a man is neuer helped therby in Combates in troupe either against strangers or his owne Yet it may bee vsed for an exercise as Tennis and such like and would doe no great hurt if the order which we propound were obserued It is well enough known what mischiefe this exercise hath brought The Fencers at Rome desperate men condemned men made the people sport with the losse of their liues These new Fencers make the enemies of the Estate merry and make the people of France to weepe They are full of winde and smoake with these great words to ward to shift away to enter to plunge or thrust farre into to incartade vpon the left foot to digge into to freeboote They thinke all the world are indebted to them Can there be any thing more weake more impertinent These Sir are directions that we thinke fit to smother quite this wicked monster if they be well obserued with denying of pardon and other lawes necessary which your Maiestie can much better establish assisted with the Officers of her Crowne and other Lords of her Counsell They that dwell neere the violent fall of waters from the riuer Nile doe not heare the noyse and the wife of the Tyrant of Syracusa perceiued not the default of her husband the one is an effect of custome the other of ignorance And a pernitious habite for want of iudgement hath made the French deafe and obstructed without reason without sence like frantickes like them that haue the Lethargie not willing to vnderstand not able to comprehend the deplorable estate that vanity hath brought them vnto The Frenchmen be worse then the Heathen in time past They sacrificed euery yeare to their gods some humane creature these doe sacrifice many euery day to their blindnes and to their furies which they hold for their god They did it to appease their anger these doe it to kindle it more They did it for the conseruation of the publique these for the ruine of it They are more sauage then the sauages of America They eate men but they are either strangers or their enemies these kill themselues among themselues kinred neighbours friends conuersing together and then are eaten by confiscations and mulcts They doe it not knowing the mischiefe these doe it knowing and reproouing it They doe it vpon some cause these doe it for the winde for a shadow for imagination They that doe wickednesse hide themselues seeke darkenes and the French committing execrable murthers for which there is neither Diuine nor Humane ground doe runne vpon the Theatre in the sight of the Sunne before the house of the Flower de Luce to sacrifice themselues to the end that the wicked fact being more manifest more exemplary may be more scandalous and consequently lesse
rich with that which groweth in her owne territory her rents doe suffice her to operate according to her flight although in certaine things she may haue need of Fortune Yet I doe not say that she is in perfection or that she may be for then a man should put off his humanity and that were to seeke a Valour in the aire as the Commonwealth of Plato or the perfect Oratour of Cicero But I say that the first and principall end of him that doth vertuously ought to be an action simple and purely vertuous That should be the end of it Let not the first intention of him that goeth to an exploit of danger knowing it well be the hope of immortality but let him goe thereto although he should know that that effect would remaine in the graue that his birth and death should be both at a time that he should haue his reward with the wormes and sad silence let him not forbeare to doe well because it is his duty Among the heathen they were perswaded that they ought to die for the Commonwealth and that that voluntary sacrifice of their liues for the publique which they did in a moment brought vnto them a perpetuall sacrifice among men who put such men in the ranke of the gods It was not onely a prouocation it was a furious transportation a desperate madnes which rapt them to all sorts of dangers by the hope of immortality It was a sweete vsury So Curtius cast himselfe into the fearefull gulph of Rome to make the inundation cease which following the answer of the Oracle could not be stayed but by that meanes So Sceuola went into the Campe of Porsena to kill him thinking by the death of this King to make the Romanes victorious So Horace who was called one eyed since that remarkeable effect stayed alone vpon the bridge of the town of Rome and sustained the violent assault of enemies with astonishment of all So the three twin-brothers did fight against three puissant Frenchmen to decide the difference betweene them and the people of Rome by the mutuall consent of both armies It was the hope to make themselues immortall by a famous renowne It was the statues and temples of Honour which were promised them that caused in them the contempt of death If a man should haue come and said to the first poore Romane Knight When thou shalt be cast into this horrible gulph which threateneth all thy towne with shipwracke there shall be no more remembrance of thee thou shalt haue no other oblation but those of thy selfe and thy horse And thou Sceuola thou deceiuest thy selfe to thinke that the Romanes doe erect statues and altars to thy Vertue Horace if thou diest to defend thy Country the earth the common Sepulture or Tiber shall be thy proud monuments and the only trumpets of thy glory You twin-brothers who runne to death for the Commonwealth of Rome all the Laurells that shall remaine vnto you shall be the complaints of your kinred and the teares of your wiues It is to be presumed that Curtius vpon the brimme of that fearefull gulph would haue giuen a musroll to his horse The second beeing ready to roote out this barbarous Kings soule from his body would haue told him the secret in his care so farre would he haue been from puting his hand in the fire with so incredible a constancy The third would not haue lost his eye as he did he would haue bin troubled with a phillip as a man would say not caring otherwise for the iournall of Land which he should haue had in recompence of so admirable a prowesse He would haue cast himselfe at the beginning into the water all whole as he did at the end all peirced with blowes The three brothers would haue all eadged their wiues their children and the vnmeasurable greatnesse of those French-bodies to be exempt from fightings or rather would haue faigned themselues sicke But the desire to make themselues as gods to posterity made them hazard their liues by a foolish hope and a vaine opinion of immortality It was then a false Valour In that case the Honourable desire to serue the Commonwealth should onely haue put them forward the desire to doe well and not to get a famous name after death or recompence after victory Yet notwithstanding that is the least imperfect Valour which is built vpon the beleife of a perpetuall renowne a worke of faire laudable hope and worthy of reward because of the example and of the profit that may come thereby to Commonwealths The Turkes who are so couragious and make no account of their liues doe not deserue by this meanes in any fashion whatsoeuer the name of Valiant because they hazard themselues vpon the hope that they haue to tast the agreeable delights which are promised them in that pleasant Paradise of Mahomet They be workes of faith the strong wings of a false perswasion that hath so charmed them and hauing plucked out the eyes of their soule doe couer also the eyes of their body to make a bloody sacrifice of all Should they haue the apples and the faire maides of the Alcoron taken from them they would haue much more affection to life then now they haue of brutish resolution to death If the desire to gaine glory and to perpetuate a mans name doe not deserue a perfect praise comming alone in consideration much lesse is the effect which proceedeth from a desperate necessity worthy of Honour The banished men at Antwerp beeing but sixe thousand did wonders because they knew well that by the military Lawes of Spaine they should neuer finde mercy with their Prince no more then the English with the Spaniards at Sea who for that cause haue recourse to the cruell element of fire But if pardon might be for the one and courtesie for the other it is to be supposed they would not make so good reckoning of their skins There be a thousand considerations in this deed which would be too long to deduce of which we must waigh some onely Ambition Loue and Couetousnes doe produce great effects cheifely Ambition at the Courts of great ones It is furie that carrieth away the soule that troubleth the braine that bewitcheth a strange Magitian which ouerthroweth all and sometimes giues the lyons courage to Harts To enter into credit to be honoured and esteemed of great Ones and likewise of the Prince to attaine to gouernements There be some that doe despise death and oftentimes these three causes that I haue named doe concurre to end the tragedy the sooner All these effects be false Valours because they be forced and if not altogether at the least somewhat like those of pyoners It ariueth also vnto them as to those that play vpon Theaters who haue the headbands royall and the clubbe of Hercules but this is neither so heauie nor so massy as that of this great mans was neither doe these Purple-robes and these Scepters make them Kings that doe weare
then become more worthy beeing made fit to serue their Prince and Countrey they root themselues out from the breast thereof rashly cruelly detestably Men dare marry no more and they which haue children will not vouchsafe to bring them vp carefully as they were wont to make them capable to serue you They dare send them no more to your Court that is the Scylla and Charybdis where they perish miserably the Altar where they be sacrificed continually the mournefull Schoole where they find death instead of learning ability to defend the life of the Prince for the maintenance of the Estate France soyled with the blood of her owne children a furious parricide all horrible with wounds crieth out casteth her selfe at your feet tearing her haire and craues mercy of you will you deny it to your Subiects to your seruants hauing been so franke of it to your enemies Then are you well grounded Sir The Pardons which your Maiestie doth so often giue or to speake more properly which are snatched from you by such importunitie bee against the Lawes of GOD and Men against the vniuersall order of Kingdomes and Common-weales Wee say so often and not without cause that is too well knowne Wee will adde in so great a quantitie For in one day onely in the voyage of Savoy your Maiestie dispatched sixscore which is monstrous It is not simply to tollerate the euill but to approoue nourish and command it All Diuines with a generall accord and consent doe say that they which die in these miserable combates are damned a fearefull sentence and yet true Your selfe doe say Sir and promise that you will make lawes you doe make them and renew the old ones but to what end serue they if they be not obserued There be many springs which play vpon this worke many that haue the honour to approach your Maiesty doe detest quarrells in word and afterwards oftentimes are the cause of them taxing them that they doe thinke are not valiant we say are valiant for these follies for these friensies extreame friensies Is there any thing so ridiculous as the subiect of quarrells But alas there is nothing so deplorable as their euents Here is a strange mistery This iniustice is acknowledged and condemned of the most part and yet if a Gentleman doe not go to Duel he is despised he is reproached If he goes and escapes the iron he falls vpon the penne he must passe through iustice What a perplexitie is this What shall become of this miserable man He hath cut off one head and out of that arised seauen others Such a man is much troubled There is yet more and that is that although they know your Maiestie will take order for it and doe make edicts yet the report runnes that your Maiestie doe blame them which doe not fight This is it that prickes most The Iudgements of Kings be Oracles they excite the furics of Orestes no patience but it is lost no consideration retained What is all this light and darkenesse hot and cold The mischeife is that vpon the rocks of these contrarieties many doe rush and are miserably lost There is not any in the world that knowes what Honour and Valour is like you Sir none that makes them better vnderstood better tasted by discourse not any that for his owne particular hath so well practised them nor so exactly obserued and so diligently and gloriously acquired the first ranke and none that makes them lesse obserued and practised by others in these times You must of necessitie know the efficient cause of so many disasters And this it is the two rare peices so exquisite and so precious whereof we come to speake Honour and Valour By the one your Nobility will get the other which beeing euill vnderstood doth bring so much desolation by the meanes of Valour so ill knowne and so brutishly practised All the world knowes that the number of your trophies doe exceed the number of your years They are excellent tokens of the greatnes of your courage which hath made you put downe the statues of Caesar by so many great exploites There is nothing that your Maiesty can better vnderstand then these two points whereof it hath rendred so famous testimonies such extraordinary proofes It belongs then to your Maiesty to reforme the disorder caused by them since it knowes them so perfectly You haue both will and power the one from your clemencie and iustice the other from your Authoritie Your Maiestie is mooued thereunto by the knowledge of these iniust acts inuited pressed and as it were reproached by these fit subiects Your inimitable clemencie hath produced inimitable effects but who doubts of that which hath made you the most famous Prince of the world and of that which hath saued this Estate hauing made you expose your life so often and so freely for the conseruation thereof In the meane time here is a bloody disorder which continueth and encreaseth daily By dispersing these clouds which will obscure the brightnesse of your glory bought with so many hazardes you shall conserue and augment that which you haue worthily gained The continuance and perseuerance in doing well be the sinewes and reflexions of reputation It is that which mooues it it is that which encreaseth it And the Tombe onely ought to bee the last line of vertuous actions what can be imagined more exquisite more triumphant Let vs see the errour of men of this time rashnes put on by all the most brutish passions concupiscence vanity pride reuenge enuic and other furies naturall to men they call courage these are the lime and sand but the workeman and subtill Architect is the euill spirit That this is true doe but consider that euen they who hardly doe beleeue a Paradise who are so well pleased in the world not knowing any other and haue such occasion to abide in it doe cast away themselues without cause against their owne knowledge against their iudgement depriuing themselues of the world with the blindnesses whereof they are strooke as with the falling sicknes And how by a loose vanity by friuolous considerations without reason without foundation It is a high secret we must returne to that which we haue said that it is the euill spirit which forgeth all these miseries Doe we not also see these killers early or late end their dayes with a violent death Blood is in the ende expiated by blood sinne punished by the same sinne It is strange that making the delights of the earth their heauen respiring nothing but all sorts of pleasures not testifying in their fashions in their speach in their effects any apprehension of the estate of soules after this fraile life we say the most part are notwithstanding so forward so resolute to hazard that which they hold so deare But if they doe beleeue a more happy life after this mortall iudge what their end is what their iudgement to quit their part thereof so without purpose Some say there is great
stale Supporting our selues then with the reasons of the world we say to them which had rather be beasts then men that such combates are not only against the Lawes of God but against all Humane lawes not onely of Christians but of Infidells which are now or euer haue been Assyrians Egyptians Persians Medes Greeks Romanes and French We goe further and maintaine that this confession that that which they doe is euill according to God is not only impious and execrable for Christianitie but is also agreeable to the auncient Romane heathen who had mystically made two Temples the one of Honour the other of Vertue with such industry that they could not enter into the Temple of Honour but by this last Now among them the principall the highest and most triumphant Vertue was the reuerence of their gods Is not this then a blasphemy worthy of all sorts of punishments For the consideration of God beeing taken away may there be had any Vertue among men It is as if a man should boast of his soundnesse and confesse himselfe a leper From all this doth arise a necessary consequent That true Honour cannot subsist without Vertue which is his sprout his root his body as the other his branches his flowers and his fruit Our pitifull accident deserues to be culled out by particularities Enuy reuenge and other loose passions whereof we haue spoken in the beginning naturall to man and borne in his owne Territorie were not the principall organes of our mischiefe There was no enuy we were neither companions nor neighbours neither were wee acquainted desire of reuenge there could not be choler must be first exhaled there were blowes giuen on both sides What is it then I his effect is worthy to bee digested We were both of vs peaceable shunning quarrels detesting them bearing both of vs a perpetuall remorse a worme of conscience for those we had formerly had knowing the euill we had done and repenting of it Yet for all that a choller not of set purpose but by chance-medley hath caused our death How By the consideration of Lawes of a false Honour against our knowledge against our conscience It is then this weake imagination that hath depriued vs of the light Here is the great secret which vpholdeth so many calamities The circumstance following is to bee considered The play at Tennis makes a man impatient and rash an ordinary choller should be excused almost in all persons in such exercises We should also pardon a choller which is vsuall with all them that be wronged or that doe perswade themselues they are so The one thought he had iudged well the other beleeued the contrary the one in passion with the play the other though without passion yet deceiued it may be by his eare This was accordable The foundation thereof was so feeble It was for a thing of nothing Let vs examine this A third which should haue brought a plaister brought a sword This is the second piece of our misfortune Which concludes That the office of Challengers is a most wicked and damnable introduction Our choller met with this fatall commoditie without which we had presently bin at peace For this first motiō it is most common they doe vse it euery where They be miserable characters and imperfect seales of humane weaknes But this being appeased and the first brunt qualified to haue a third which should haue brought water to cast brimstone into the fire to haue a third which should haue serued as a barre to be a furtherer of the mischiefe to haue a third which should haue bin the rampier to be the key to open the gates of death being not wronged neither hauing any part in the accident it surpasseth all the impieties of the heathen This blindnes is followed with an other A man dares not hinder his friend for feare to doe him wrong to what end will a man reserue the testimonies of a good will to what faire occasion But all these edifices built vpon foundations of error and vanity what can they be but pure folly They say We must not iudge of right or wrong by the euents They are most commonly as letters sealed vp for the spirit of man notwithstanding in this the iudgement of God is very manifest There is a man charitable discreete sincere in all his actions in a word the very modell of all Christian vertues The generall blindnesse as a throng in a faire of insolent people thrusts him forward and carries him to the combate against his intent and desire he himselfe blames and condemnes his owne action Heauen sees his heart a man would thinke that such an one would carry away the victory There is he destroyed there rooted out from amongst men as the most depraued Ye curious folkes that goe diuing into the Centre of most profound secrets seeke not the cause any where els but in the Iustice of God who hateth and detesteth these wicked ambitions Our example should make the haires of all them that are possessed with diuells to stand vpright who cast themselues vpon death so desperately This lightning should dazle astonish and ouerthrow the eies the hearts and the designes of the most enraged For seeing that the best doe die there what should they expect whole life is wholly infected with malice and impurity God said to Dauid Thou shalt not build my Temple thou art a man of blood Strangers oh great King some yeares since do accuse the Kings of France to be such because they doe suffer these accursed combates They speake it aloud in publique they aggrauate this tolleration some pittying it some laughing at it These iudgements these motiues cannot be preuented but by taking the cause from the effect Be pleased then to efface and root out this opprobry this scandall disperse these fearefull Comets hanging and flaming with horrour ouer the heads of your subiects and threatning your Estate with totall ruine There is not any that hath so much hurt by these mortall exhalations as your Maiesty So shall she surpasse her Predecessors in good and holy policy as she hath done in greatnes of courage and in happy successe There had need be a speedy remedy and order giuen to haue the Gouernours of Prouinces the Kings Lieftenants the Seneshalls and others to strangle these infernall Hydra's This pestilentiall feauer doth runne through all the Prouinces of the Realme It is a contagious malady but it is ordinarily most violent in Guyenne They fight there tenne against tenne twenty against twenty as if they were in the strength of the warre They force them which be at peace in their houses to be of the match as if they were iniured and wronged in their Honour The Arabians are more like Christians then these people Who did euer see in the life of a conquering Monarch victorious absolute in an age full of vigour and in a time of peace men to make such combates The consequence is great for this prouince This Bulwarke so neare a
most Iust the Ballance to the most Valiant the Sword To whom may this Discourse of Valour be more lawfully dedicated then to your Maiestie Kings and People giue Her place They all with one consent doe giue Her this advantage without enuie knowing that Shee hath well deserued it It was dedicated to your Maiestie eleven yeares since since which time there hath not one yeare passed but I haue giuen your Maiestie some thing and you haue not giuen me any thing This disproportion did put me backe your Maiestie hauing done me the honour to say often That I was one of the olde seruants of her house and an honest man At this second Edition I would addresse it to some other I looked among Srangers among 〈◊〉 In the ende I found it behooued not to change the North. Strangers doe atttribute this glory vnto You to bee the perfect modell of Valour Your owne doe confesse that that which they know of this excellent Vertue hath been learned vnder the lightnings and invincible force of your Armes they bee Triumphes vnto them to haue profited in so famous a Schoole So I doe cansecrate it to your Maiestie for the second time The Worlds eyes are vpon your Maiestie for Valour The World lookes vpon you for Iustice Men doe attend to see how your Maiestie will effect the solemne Oath you made to take away the horrible confusion of Quarrels They hope for the execution of it and then the complaint which I make for my particular whereof I doe attribute the cause rather to my selfe then to your inclination absolutely Royall and Heroicall and that which Christendom makes for the generall shall be effaced by the most rare Trophy that euer was erected to any Prince of the earth Euen as you are the Greatest I pray God prosper your Maiestie for euer remayning SIR Your most humble most obedient and most faithfull subiect and seruant CHEVALIER A DISCOVRSE of VALOVR THe Ignorance of the Time is the first cause of all Mischiefes It is admired because it pleaseth followed as a Law a testimonie of the brutishnesse of the Age entertained by obstinacie an infallible argument of her continuance as also of the blindnes of soules To driue away the false appearance of Vertue and to bring in the true knowledge of it to please ones selfe with that which is only worthy of admiration to resolue to a firmenesse of the knowledge which wholly lighteneth the vnderstanding were very hard in a time wherein violence onely raigneth with hypocrisie wherein that aboue all is perfect which contents the weake and wherein error is defended by passion onely and reuerenced as an Oracle Yet we must not forbeare to take away the vayle to shew the way and to giue light to these darkenesses For him that doth enterprise it there can nothing happen worse For the others they that wil not vnblindfold themselues nor enter into a good course nor follow the true ship-lanterne though they remaine confused though they goe astray though they fall through this darkenesse yet will it be a pleasure to them whose soueraigne good is blindnes and error Among all the false opinions that haue slid into vs and that this beast without eies Ignorance hath brought in with so much authoritie there is not any one either more remarkeable or more important then this that they haue now of Valour of this Vertue the Queene of Vertues of this stable basis of soules of this rampier from mischiefes of this scourge of fortune of this contempt of death There is nothing more common amongst vs then these words of Valiant and Valour so many people are honoured with this venerable title and so few deserue it This is the Philosophers stone which men seeke no more But which hath been found by many thousands If this conquest be so easie let faire soules firme and full of iudgement speake their opinion thereof when I shall haue traced out the ground-plot of it There be three necessary pillars to this Vertue and builded with such symmetrie and proportion that if you take but one of them away you shall haue ruine in stead of building For her accomplishment and entire perfection the pieces required be comprised in this diuine number wherewith heauen is so well pleased they be matter forme compasse and the rule of this excellent Pallace of Wonders There be three principles necessary to the action of all Vertues and more particularly to this then to all the rest that is to say knowledge will and habitude Magnanimity greatnes of courage or Valour as men doe commonly call it hath for her subiect things which bring feare that is her iurisdiction there is the extent of her dominion He then that goeth in danger must first know it or else the effect that followeth shall be a worke of Fortune or of rashnes Will comes after which is the first issue of our affections and of our designes The third part is Habitude that is to say an action done many times These circumstances must be waighed to see in what principally consisteth a Vertue so diuine Knowledge which is the eye of the vnderstanding as this is of the soule this radiant light is first required as the guide which sheweth the way and the iust Sunne-dyall which conducteth by the true way with certaine knowledge Ignorance of the perill makes an infinite number hazard by want of Iudgement and experience that happneth to young men that are transported with passion who giue themselues no time to consider of that they enterprise It commeth also to others for that they doe not comprehend how hot a businesse it is Let vs leaue the first branch to represent the second in all the parts It is requisite that he that goeth to a danger which he knoweth which he hath well waighed that he doe it willingly and not be forced thereunto by any strange and forraine cause that no other consideration but onely the vertuous action doe put him forward Then Will the beginner of our actions comes after Knowledge This inflaming of our soule this violent loue to laudable things this first wheele which turneth all the parts of the soule it must be simple and pure not mooued but of it selfe It must not enterprise vpō that which is out of her gouernement that is it must follow that which is most perfect It must containe it selfe within her owne bounds and iurisdiction Vertue onely must be her sacred and inuiolable Law she knowes no other way but that If the intention to make a mans selfe immortall by renowne if desperate necessity if the defence of his life and of his liberty if the hope of gaine if loue if iealousie if ambition if despaire if obstinacy if enuie if the presence of the Prince and other forraigne causes doe make a man goe into a perillous action this is no action purely vertuous and worthy of praise Now Vertue is content with her selfe she hath all at her owne home she borroweth not is infinitely
them At the Court neare the shining lights of the world there be foolish and blinde soules which doe swell mooue lift themselues vp and beeing thrust forward with vanity so naturall to man and so familiar at the Courts of Princes doe enterprise with hazard See what the desire is to be greater then others and to go before them not in laudable and vertuous actions but rather in dignities Marke this chace to pride Ambition and enuie be the weake ladders by which some doe ascend to reputation This is to take Honour by a Scalado Sometimes the ladder breakes and so they escape it there are they in a litter for euer an vndoubted testimony of a base and artificious soule resembling the woman that in old time gaue the Oracles beeing animated by the deuill she prophesied and as as soone as he had forsaken her the gate was shut against her for things to come It is a deuillish Valour which doth neither mooue nor breath but by the most blinde and furious passions If by these wayes beeing raised on high they can catch Honour and some gouernement according to their minde they make knots like reeds they rest themselues beginne to play Doctors with the furred gowne and cast themselues vpon discourse saying That there is a time to get a time to keep the thing gotten that a man must play the good husband and not be alwayes thus that they know that the excellent aeconomie of a generous and noble soule is to be alwayes prepared in the duty of a man of honesty and Honour which cannot be iustly reiected of any age of any quality nor of any ranke There be no letters of Chancery can helpe therein Loue also doth admirably whet the courage it doth animate it and while the feuer continues it putteth on violently the fit beeing past there remaines nothing but a shadow Paris loosing himselfe with contemplation of the rare beauties of his Helen admiring so many meruailous things in this cheife worke so soone as she representeth vnto him the reputation of Menelaus the highnes of his courage shewing him thereby that generous women are not friends of cowards enterpriseth a combate against him The sweete words that loue and beauty made slide downe from her lippes happy Arabia that respired nothing but heauenly Manna slid into his soule with such force that he found himselfe wholly mooued quite altered and returning as from a swound resolueth to make himselfe worthy of the loue of so faire a Mistris to assault this excellent champion He thinkes long to be at handy blowes remembers no more Cipres powder nor the curling iron for his haire hee hath nothing in his vnderstanding but the ruine of his enemy he burieth him already by hope he giueth him the mortall blow rids himselfe at one time of a troublesome man and getteth for euer a pleasing she-friend This inspiration of Loue beeing vanished away and the fumes of the altar of Venus beeing past he remembers himselfe of his Helen not to be pleasing vnto her and to make himselfe worthy of so rare a possession but indeed to make himselfe sure of her He hath recourse to flight and hath great need to be couered with the cloud of Venus in which he sheweth that the Carpet-Knights are not such friends of the sword as of perfumes This is a false Valour that makes this spruce adoe to assault one of the strongest and most redoubted men in the world He gained no Honour thereby because the feare of death had more power ouer him then either the desire of immortalizing his name or the consideration of his duty Iealousie and Enuie which be two deuillish instruments haue no lesse power and there haue beene some found who thrust on by their rages haue done miracles The couetousnes of all times hath held a great ranke among men and more in this corrupt age then euer it did It hath shewed notable effects in times past and doth dayly produce extraordinary ones Notwithstanding there is not any of sound iudgement that doth call the actions of such as are mastered with these monsters of vice Valour Despaire hath also a great share thereof and the desire to die whether it commeth of Loue or of any other malady corporall or spirituall from which a man cannot bee deliuered The example of the Souldier of Cyrus is as notable as well knowne Neare that same great King who made the second Monarchy whom the heauen had enriched with so many graces who was accompanied with so many vertues whose lustre was both the wonder and astonishment of the World There was a simple Souldiour who amongst all was remarked to haue an vndauntable courage and to be so resolute in the most dangerous encounters that it seemed he was a Faerie like Achilles so as the opinion to be invulnerable made him contemne the hazard The admiration of this so rare a Valour gaue a desire to this great Monarch to enquire more particularly of this man whom he found to bee afflicted with a strange maladie whereof hee made him to be dressed so carefully that in the end he was healed After that he was neuer seen to hazard himselfe as he vsed before he was not the man he was wont to be Cyrus asking him the reason he answered That he that caused him to bee healed was the onely cause thereof and confessed vnto him that the maladie which he had before was so insupportable that to rid himselfe of it he sought his end in that manner The health of his body made his spirit sicke He ranne after a common euill to shun a thousand extraordinary he sought one death to ridde himselfe of many It was despaire which proceedeth onely from weakenesse You shal not see any of these vulgar spirits and which are not debonaire but at the first griefe grow faint and desire their last ende to be deliuered thereof So there be a thousand passions which do animate and doe not doubt but outward things doe serue thereunto Flutes were in vse amongst the auncient Lacedemonians when they went to fight as at this day trumpets and drummes but without doubt it is more for courages which are not firme and for irresolute spirits then for the generous which haue no need of sauce to get them a stomacke Amongst all that mooueth so much the presence of great Ones and chiefely of the Prince is one He that is aduanced vpon the Theatre abutted neere the Sunne and the Starres illuminated with the great lights of the Kingdom though he were a pusillanimious Adon he would become a Roger a Larke there would play the Eagle a Hare the Lyon especially when there is a magnanimious King such an one as Ours the light of all Christian Princes the admirable and inimitable example of Valour a thundring tempest in combates whose heart is so high that no mortal thing can shake it He that shall come before so excellent a Prince that shall be seen of Iupiter and shall not be as hardie
be but shadowes idols and fantasies There be a thousand examples in histories of the obstinacie of the Iewes This great Towne of Paris would furnish out one not onely extraordinary but fearefull They be hellish rages bringing forth prodigious effects which for that respect are neither laudable nor immitable because they are without Vertue A thousand Aposted-manslayers haue despised death and knowing well that they could neuer escape yet haue not forborne to execute their designes They be in the Chronicles for an example of abhomination and not of imitation But Iudith and Debora who did hazard themselues for their people whose ende was good and holy haue left their memory glorious with as much astonishment at the greatnesse of their courage as a laudable enuie to follow them in so laudable a careere There is yet a moouing cause which is called Emulation which may be defined a desire to doe better then others or in despight of others Emulation is the leauen of all faire deeds if it be married with the feare to faile as we haue already said It is the heauenly seed of Actions truely worthy of praise and of perpetuall memory It is the sacreed seed which thrusts out the Palmes the Laurells and the Cedars but for that it was not well ruled nor vnderstood it hath often been an instrument of shame and ruine Alarum of the most sleepie quick-siluer of young and old rauishment of the most vnmanly If thy beauty were not painted if thy Nectar were not poysoned if thou wert not gisguised and apparelled with borrowed garments how excellent shouldest thou be Diuine Princesse liuely light of soules but thou art quite changed and through the ignorance of men more of an other then of thy selfe The feare of failing must accompany this moouing Into which whosoeuer will narrowly looke will iudge that the good will to doe better then others hath beene the Viper which beeing borne doth deuoure that which did beget it Emulation the efficient cause of Vertue hath deuoured her part hath destroied Vertue it selfe they haue put to this drinke venemous ingredients they haue troubled the cleare spring they haue couered with a cloud a faire Sun Emulation should giue a desire to a man to doe perfectly well according to Vertue so as no man may doe better at least in will with knowledge of the cause and onely because it must be so and not because others doe it Although he onely should remaine in this action that no other should trauell with this winde that no other should run at this tilt moreouer that there should no aduantage come to him thereby either of greatnes or profit yet notwithstanding let him not leaue to seeke it with as much passion and vehemency This shining flame of Vertue hath beene spoiled by ignorance and by pride deuillish serpent so naturall to man this first resort of sinne this father of death which hath mingled all the cards Enuie is entred with it into this Prouince these monsters haue foraged all Men runne into hazards they goe thereunto hanging downe their heads they precipitate themselues thereby beeing not able to serue the Common-wealth carried with rage they find nothing too hot to exceed others they would haue wings or feet of wind as Achilles had To him that asketh to what this transport tendeth euery one will say masking his intention that it is a desire to doe well Vice neuer accuseth it selfe See the end which iudgeth of all It was against a wall at the shadow of smoakes of the Canon and of the Harquebuzes in a place where they could not annoy the enemies where the hazard was all of rash men to the detriment of the Prince and of the Common-wealth From whence come these stormes It is pride it is ambition violent passions which do beare such fruit The desire to see a mans selfe in greater esteeme by fooles thinking that therein consisteth the true glory and the point of Honour Valour is no foole she regardeth the beginning the middest and the end This faire triangle is the rule of her motions and steps she knoweth the danger she goes thereto by the good way her end is to profit her King or her Countrie in doing her duty Shee mockes at them that makes themselues be peirced for pleasure without beeing able to be profitable shee saith that they haue too much blood which they drew in old time from the Romane souldier that had beene rash shee vaunts that shee will sell her selfe very deare that they shall not haue her cheape and that her Cypres trees shall not be alone nor without fruite If these furious courages as I haue said were corrected by iudgement they would be without doubt fit for all high and hard executions They doe imploy themselues most commonly in that which is least necessary and this gallant and actiue humour is vnfitly lost with actions which are neither faire nor profitable These are the principall outward causes which doe thrust the soules guide the eies carry the hands to great executions and makes them see false actions of Vertue There remaineth one and the mother of all the artificiall Valours It is the Honour the Lanterne of the ship the Pilot and the Port. I say the appearing Honour and not the true Honour The appearing or vulgar Honour is by force to content others the true Honour is voluntary to content ones selfe the one will onely shunne blame and reproach the other leades to dangers not only not to faile but to doe well the one lets himselfe be drawne thereunto by feare of reproach or else by this so martiall a zeale of a Gentleman the other runnes thereunto by a laudable and gallant will to profit the Commonwealth and to doe vertuously In which there is a notable difference But if a man could read within their hearts there be many that doe runne the fortune of their life defending their bodies that would haue no will to be at such banquets if they were not afraid that they should be afterwards made blush with shame When such people doe light vpon so hot worke how they loose their iudgement how they goe all astray how their heart doth pant and their blood is all icie They should make imprecations in their soule against that heretique which inuented these faire titles of duty and Vertue Such men should be dispensed withall for wearing of swords seeing they be so ill fitting thereunto and Kings and Common-wealths should also be dispensed with for not giuing them any aduantage aboue other men In which notwithstanding it must be considered that there is a difference of those and the like actions of Vertue as of white to black and of the day to the night He that is pricked forward only with a desire not to fall into reproach and infamy doth a laudable act with some little beame of Vertue and a feeble colour The life whereof is kept by the apprehension of the blame These be soules halfe lightened There be many that doe thus
by the quality of the blood so rare a treasure know thou art an Heretique This sparkling Planet of Mars doth not influe vigour enough The fowre elementary qualities doe not know what it is to go to blowes they hate them the bloud cannot vnderstand so high a lesson quite contrary to his beeing This apprentiship doth come from elsewhere It is true as I haue said that there bee some soules better disposed to Vertue then others and likewise some bodies more fit to receiue the faire influences of the soule Yet for all that all men generally and naturally doe feare death It is a grieuous thing to forsake this pleasing light of the day and to goe with wormes whatsoeuer is imagined This default comes from sin this weakenesse hath drawne from thence her beginning It brought death which is irkesome to man because it was not so at the first creation Without going any higher in Theologie I will follow my point The feare of death mans perpetuall Hostesse whose efficient cause matter and forme be within the bones the blood and the arteries is a miserable worker of all the irresotions which doe ariue for this subiect Feare to die the hereditary maladie the domesticall weakenes the naturall falling-sickenesse to man is the beginner of all infirmities to them that doe not thinke to liue well Now to liue well a man must cast his eyes vpon his carriage he must thinke of the end he must meditate vpon this common and last passage of men It was all the Philosophy of the Auncients which in truth is a good part of perfection though not the principall To meditate vpon death to imagine that after this short and painefull life there is an eternall and blessed life is to enter into the way of Vertue though not to goe to the ende This answereth to that diuine sentence Know thy selfe represent thy selfe that thou art a cleare beame of God that thy house is heauen that the diuine essences doe pertaine to thee of proximitie that thou art a passenger in this miserable life that Vertue is the onely image whereof thou must bee an Idolater and which must wholly gouerne thee These considerations doe open the barre to faire actions but the gate is yet shut This Vertue is excellent without doubt which prepareth the soules to good lifteth vp thy vnderstanding to all high worthy things It is not enough for all that To command a mans selfe is more then all that The other hath the tongue this the hand one the word the other the effect the one prepareth the soule to the diet the other is the diet it selfe the one mooues humours the other purges them the one guides the other executes To conclude the one beginneth the other endeth the work To know a mans selfe answereth to the meditation of death to command a mans selfe answereth to the contempt of death The auncients made their Philosophy and loue of wisdome meditation of death only whereas they should haue said that it was the meditation and contempt both together For these two be sister-germanes and inseparable to conduct to the sacred Temple of Sapience But what is this attracting brightnes what is this charmious figure what is this diuine ladder which when in hath inlightened by the discourse of reason and by the knowledge of our selues and burned by the pleasing flames of the loue of it doth make vs enter into heauen It is Magnanimitie which is the contempt of death What is the end of it to doe alwaies well If they aske what Temples what Sacrifices shee desireth She will answer that shee is all that that she hath all in her selfe If they doe presse her to tell what mooueth her she will say That it is onely her affection to cary her selfe in all things vertuously Why she doth not feare death Because she feareth her selfe more Why she doth not desire the conuersation of life so sweete Because to liue without Vertue is to be dead without any hope to liue againe Let them question her euery manner of way she shall be as ready and wise to answer as firme and couragious to resist Now as you see to know a mans selfe goeth not so forward as to command a mans selfe so it must be said that to meditate vpon death is not so much as to despise it Many doe know their own infirmities they haue euen drawne the very picture of them with all the liuely colours there wants nothing They know that they are subiect to a thousand loose passions they resolue to combate these domesticall enemies they prepare themselues thereunto and euen in the very instant that they are ready to come to handy-blowes they do as Dolon did in Homer who cast away his Buckler in the cheife time of the skirmish or like to him who after hee had made proud marches cries out against his follies I see the best and like it and doe follow the worst It is cowardize they haue not force enough to resist hauing but one feeble obscure sparke of Vertue which hath not the power to heate though it giue light They which commaund themselues doe shewe that they haue beene longer exercised in this faire Academy that they haue beene vpon the iusting or fencing place that they haue wrestled against the prodiges of vice and throwne them to the ground which makes them worthy of praise and to haue their names graued in letters of gold in the holy Temple of Honour This then answereth to the contempt of death which cannot bee familiar with a man but by Valour which doth not consist onely in marshall actions neither is enclosed with those walles alone because there bee a thousand other instruments of this cruell enemy of nature besides those of warre Socrates who swallowed hemlocke did as much contemne death as Alexander in the middest of his combates The one was as it were transported with marshall fury and the other was no more mooued seeing his death prepared then if they had come to inuite to runne at the playes of Olympus The one was almost out of himselfe with choller the other was altogether in himselfe and quite out of the frailty of man through a firme and constant resolution to this last step Both of them did it through greatnesse of courage Valour was in them both all the worke was hers Notwithstanding the one of them was inflamed with the ardour of young blood with ambition and with the desire to make himselfe venerable to posterity the other was not stupide nor insensible but he had a constant coldnes a firme resolution with discourse iudgement and meditation hauing no other end but manfully to resist fortune and death without beeing thrust on by consideration of worldly vanities Wherein is to be noted that these latter parts be euen as necessary as the others and that the great and vnheard of effects of Vertue doe proceede cheifely from the vnderstanding and intelligence Truely they which haue not learned this
which is neither foolish nor quarrelsome which intruth cannot suffer an iniurie but doth well waigh it before shee be prouoked which hath no pride and will not take any aduantage vpon another but by worthy actions which is neither a swaggerer nor contemptuous Because shee contents her selfe with effects and mockes at the rest If these two defaults were cut off what great persons would France bring forth What excellent pollitiques What worthy Captaines Our King is happy to haue so many faire lights to lighten this Estate so many vnmooueable vaults to sustaine it so many strong bastions to defend it And you Nobility how you are fauoured of heauen to haue such a Head so shining with a thousand Sunnes of Honour and so couered with Crownes of glory It is the greatnesse of Kings to haue neare them a multitude of persons famous by excellent markes The glory of Iupiter had beene small if he had raigned ouer the Cyclops the Centaures and the Satyres onely The inuincible Mars the venerable Saturne and those other gods made his Empire redoubtable One Lyon had rather obey another then to haue no commandement but ouer the Foynes of Alexandria and the Apes of the great Caire If any man thinke that I doe set out an imaginary Vertue and which cannot be in man in that fashion that I describe it but by diuine inspiration let him know if he please that extraordinary actions also doe not come but from heauen In truth I confesse it is very hard in this so peruerse a time wherein the foundations of all Vertues be turned topsie-turuie But let a man behold the auncient Romanes the Lacedemonians and the Athenians they shall there marke out Scipio's Epaminondase's and Aristide's who haue had this Vertue of Magnanimity with all the conditions and circumstances alleadged Why shall not the Frenchmen be as capable seeing they haue inherited by their great Vertues to those of the auncients I will not speak of Charlemayne and of the worthies During the raigne of King Francis the 1. how many notable and admirable personages did honour France In that time there was the most magnificent and triumphant Colledge of Honour that was vnder the heauens to make Vertue be beloued to daaw a man from the Centre and to make him a demy-god among men It was the order of the King This temple of glory and of Vertue was so sacred that at that time there were found in all the Realme but thirteene that were worthy to enter therein It is another discourse which I will leaue for this time and will say only that this high excellent and diuine mother of Vertues Magnanimity may be acquired by discourse and by vse and that a man may make himselfe capable of it Ignorance for that it knowes her not in all her parts is one of the strongest barres that doth hinder the laudable designes of them which doe aspire to effects which doe drawe out of the mire and out of the ordinary high-way Pride mingles it selfe there among with other defects which doe strangle the fairest actions at their birth and makes abortiues thereof instead of perfect formes The most part haue an opinion that it must be so others are perswaded thereunto because they are brought vp in that errour A long custome hath made them so sicke of the Lethargie It is but want of curiositie to seeke out wherein lyeth cheifely the point which raiseth a man most high If that were very exactly waighed one should roote out all the euill rootes one should cut off all the rotten branches one should cleanse this faire tree of life which makes a man despise death beate fortune and time to the ground and triumph ouer all humane things There is nothing impossible to a generous spirit If it bee guided by a solide iudgement it will alwayes choose the best All the circumstances aboue-said are to be neerely considered in this Vertue so rare and dificill that her name is prophaned which I will paint out as it ought and may be and as it must be apprehended Let them then that are in the heate of the skirmish couered with blood earth and smoake pressed of all sides thrust strooke and peirced say in their consciences how they doe there how they like let them sound themselues let them not flatter nor pardon themselues any fault let them behold themselues in all their looks if their hearts remaine assured firme and without feare if they keepe their iudgement if they be neither transported with furie nor rage if all their steps bee compassed according to the time the occasion and the place if the eye doe accompany the hand the hand the foote the vnderstanding and the courage all three without doubt they may be called Gentle companions These be good testimonies but yet a man may reiect them if they be not accompanied with other proofes If the desire of Vertue onely and the consideration of the seruice of the Prince of the good of the Commonwealth of the protection of the weake or other very iust causes doe leade them to these tragicke feasts they are worthy of Laurell But if they haue many times rendred such proofes and that the end be altogether for the faire action and neither ignorance ambition nor vanities haue part in the worke they must Crowne them with palme and consecrate statues vnto them Let not them that haue not yet attained the third step of this faire ladder by which men do climbe to immortality be out of heart and let them know that the discourse of reason meditation and experience will bring vnto them with the time if they will imploy their vnderstanding and take paines therein that which the first haue acquired Let others that shall haue but some weake tract of this faire table and simple mouldes of so rare a building reuerence the first honour the second and endeauour to imitate them or make their vowes to some other Saint that may be more fauourable vnto them Also let not the first thinke that there bee certaine regular limits in doing well Let them beleeue that Vertue neuer waxeth old to the end that their last act may answer to the former Let not them that doe second the Vertue of the most excellent be rauished with ioy for that they haue giuen some good testimony of their Valour neither let them be reiected because they haue not in perfection the ornaments of others Let not the last despaire in this rough roade because they know themselues a little hindred therein So the most vertuous following their way shall continue to the ende which Crownes the worke the others shall endeauour with the time to succeed them in faire actions as in will and knowledge And the last shall change their designes by despaire or their condition by their amendment FINIS