and thy foote beyng vpon the very thresholde thou art sorowfully and vnwyllyngly plucked away and carefully thou lookest behynde thee I wot not wherefore whether forgettyng thy fylthynesse which thou leauest behynde thee or not beleeuyng the great good vnto whiche thou art goyng And truely yf as I sayde before whiche notable men haue also auerred this whiche you cal lyfe be death then it foloweth that the ende thereof whiche is death be lyfe Sorow I dye Reason Thy kyng setteth thee at libertie nowe the bandes and fetters are broken whiche it pleased your louyng father to make mortal and transitorie Whiche I knowing to be specially apperteyning vnto his mercie as Plotinus holdeth opinion and it is confirmed by your wryters I see not whereof thou hast cause to complayne Sorowe I dye Reason Thy kyng calleth thee an happie messenger But thus it is it commeth vnlooked for and vnluckely that happeneth vnto men agaynst their wylles Consent thereunto and then shalt thou begyn to perceyue howe wel thou art dealt withall Then shalt thou reputyng with thy selfe thy departure out of this prison the other euyles of this lyfe which thou fearest prophecying of the commodities whiche death bringeth after the manner of Socrates swan that coulde diuine of heauenly thynges to come and was therefore consecrated to Apollo die singing though not with thy voyce yet in thy minde And vnlesse whiche God forbid the heauie weight of thy sinnes not clensed nor forgiuen do ouermuch presse thee downe do thou that in thy minde which it is read that the emperour Vespasian did in bodie rise vp when thou art a dying and thinke it vnmeete to dye lying neither in this respect ascribe thou lesse vnto thee then he did to himselfe although thou be not a prince as he was For death respecteth no auctorytie it knoweth not princes from other men and is a notable meane to make al estates of one calling after this life There was nothing that Vespasian might doo but it is lawful for thee to do the lyke yea and I trust thou hast somewhat more of the grace of God then he had if thou do not refuse it not for that thou art better then he but because thou art more happie in respect of the free goodwyl loue of God who hath graunted to the litle ones and reuealed to the vnlearned those thynges whiche he denied to the mightie and hyd from the wyse Adde moreouer that it is more profitable and easie for thee to aryse For his endeuour requyred bodily strength which sicknesse weakeneth and death quite extinguisheth but thou hast neede of noneother then the strength of the minde which oftentymes encreaseth the neerer that death is at hand Sorow I dye Reason Why doest thou tremble in safetie and stumble in the playne and stay vpon the side of a sheluing downefall I wyl not here bryng into thy remembrance what the Philosophers do dispute in this poynt For there be many thynges which the troublesomnesse of hym that lyeth a dying and the shortnesse of the tyme wyl not suffer to be done and therefore it ought deepely to be engraffed and rooted in thy mynde whatsoeuer the auncient Philosophers haue disputed concernyng this matter For as they hold opinion rare prosperitie specially towardes a mans ende is able to make al remedies agaynst aduersitie and hard fortune voyde to no purpose but as touchyng those thynges whiche are alleaged agaynst death they be alwayes profitable and necessarie whiche no casual but the natural and inuincible necessitie of dying maketh to stande in ful force and effect Among diuers other truely Cicero gathereth together many sounde reasons and perswasions in the fyrst dayes disputation of his Tusculan questions whereof I made mention a litle before whiche vnlesse thou hast alreadie learned in times past I haue no leasure now to teach thee wherein he concludeth that whether he that dieth seeme to be in prosperitie or aduersitie neuerthelesse forasmuche as generally the whole state of mankynde is equally subiect to the dartes and insultes of Fortune it is to be supposed that by death he is not delyuered from good thynges whiche doubtlesse he shall fynde to be true whosoeuer shall geue hym selfe to the deepe consideration of worldly affayres Wherefore by death he findeth him selfe aduauntaged and not hyndered and thynking continually thereon when it commeth he maketh account thereof as of the messenger and seruant of his delyuerer and when he is once past it and looketh backe vpon it he beholdeth as it were out of a Windowe how he hath escaped the deceites of the worlde and the prison of this fleshe The very same sense doth Cicero followe in his disputation that whether the soule dye with the body or be translated to some other habitation that either there is no euyll at al or very much good in death Sharply truely among his owne Countreifolke at that time but among your Philosophers now adayes yea and your common people a thing nothing doubted of and truly I beleeue neither vnperswaded vnto Cicero himselfe of whom we haue so much spoken which opinion most frankly he hath declared in many and sundry places although he applied him selfe vnto the want of fayth in him with whom he communed or the distrustinesse of the time in which he liued But in few wordes thus perswade thy selfe that thy soule is immortal which not only the whole consent of your naâ—ion but also the most excellent of al the Philosophers do haue defended Repose no trust in the death of the soule whose nature is such that it cannot die and thinke not that there remaineth no euyl after death because there shal be no soule to suffer it But forasmuch as the creatour of the soule is gentle and louing and merciful he wyl not despise the woorke of his owne handes but wyl be neere vnto them that cal vpon him faithfully Vnto hym let your prayers vnto hym let your vowes be directed let the vttermost of your hope depend vpoÌ„ him let your last gaspe ende in callyng vpon his name Depart quickly feare nothing dame Nature that is the most louing mother of al other mothers hath made no horrible thing it is the errour of men and not the nature of the thing that ought to be prouided for that causeth death to seeme dreadful If thou harbour any great attempt in thine hart or go about any excellent high matter despise the base and low speeches deedes of the raskal multitude but haue them in admiration whom to imitate is the perfect path vnto true glorie Among our Countreymen truly of such as haue dyed merely and happily there are innumerable examples But yf we searche rather after such as are of more antiquitie we shal finde many that haue not onely taken their death valiantly but also hastened it which deede in Marcus Cato Marcus Cicero blameth Seneca commendeth as we sayd erewhile As for you ye lyke wel of neither but woorst of the
it be the Phenix agayne for he among byrdes weareth a chayne and is moreouer the only byrde of his kynde But the Parrat beyng a great saluter and specially of prynces nature hath playnly made hym as it were a flatterer whereby this Disticon or two verses are knowen I Parrat wyll learne other mens names of you But I haue learned this of my selfe to say hayle Caesar Ioy. I haue a most eloquent Pye. Reason When as eloquent men are very seldome found hast thou a most eloquent Pye I confesse it is a pratlyng byrde and a diligent saluter whereof commeth this saying I pratling Pye doo call thee my maister with a perfect voyce If thou sawest me not thou wouldest deny that I were a byrde Veryly there be strange thynges I know not whether as true reported concernyng the diligence and desire to learne of this byrde But this aboue the residue is scarce credible that yf she forget the woorde whiche she is taught she is very much vexed and greeued which griefe of mynde she bewrayeth by her secrete meditation and yf she chaunce to call the woorde to her remembrance then waxeth she woonderful meery But yf through hardnesse of the worde or weaknesse of her memorie she be throughly ouercome many times she dieth for sorow so that now the Poet Homers death is to be counted lesse strange yf so it be true Howbeit all Pyes are not of lyke aptnes to learne but those only which receiue theyr meate and name with mast and are commonly called mast Pies Ioy. I haue gotten a pleasant singyng Nightyngale Reason Plinie the second reporteth that there are Nightingales also and Starles founde that are apt to be taught the Greeke and Latine tongues and moreouer that in his tyme there was a Chrushe in Rome that dyd imitate the speache of a man the lyke whereof was knowne commonly of late of a Starle whom it hath been thy chaunce to heare and woonder at many tymes euen in Plinies Countrey speakyng orderly many woordes togeather poyntyng and pronouncyng them lyke a man For as touchyng the Parrat it is nowe so common a thyng that it is no more to be marueyled 〈◊〉 Howe often hast thou hearde hym playnly call for meate How often calling his Feeder by his name and the better to perswade hym flatteryng hym with sweetenesse of gestures and woordes How often laughyng in suche sorte that he hath caused the standers by to laugh that it was thought not to be the laughter of a byrde but of a very man Whiche although it be so yet al these beleeue me but specially the Nightingale woulde syng more pleasantly vppon theyr owne boughes then in your Cages sauyng that your lust lyketh of nothyng but that whiche you haue made your owne although nature haue made al thynges common Thus couetousnesse stretcheth beyonde her owne bondes and her owne name Ioy. I haue gotten togeather innumerable store of birdes Reason Although thou haue many yea though thou haue al yet I thynke thou wylt lacke the Phenix whether there be such a byrde or whether there be no such byrde or whether we beleeue that to be true which some haue written to wyt how that vpon the foure hundred yeere after the building of the citie this bird flue out of Arabia into Egypt and being taken there was brought to Rome and there at an assemblie was shewed vnto the people and at length as it is like yenough died which last thing those graue writers doubt not but it is false which notwithstanding are in some distrust of the first And therfore when thou hast al kinds of birdes yet shalt thou lacke the most woonderful and beautiful birde of al. Sorowfully and angerly I iest with thee why do ye alwaies reioyce like children in vaine pleasures And as Solomon sayth Yee litle babes how long wil ye loue infancie Turne at the length vnto my correction as he also sayth For these are his woordes whiche I speake vnto you and O ye blynde wretches suffer the byrdes to lyue in the wooddes to breede to feede to syng and wander abrode and stretche you foorth the wynges of your slouhtful myndes vnto heauen and lyft vp your selues from the grounde endeuour not to catche byrdes but to become byrdes And omittyng these matters whereof I am ashamed to speake yf thou haue any thyng wherein it is meete for a man to reioyce vtter it Of the woorthinesse of Marriage The Lxv. Dialogue IOY I Haue married a noble Wife Reason I had rather thou hadst at home not onely Pies and Parrattes but Owles and Shritches They woulde sing she wyll chyde they would tell thee somwhat she wyll doo thee nothing thou myghst cast them of but her thou canst not Ioy. I am adorned with a noble marriage Reason Thou art tyed with a fayre chayne from whence death only can delyuer thee Ioy. I am happie by meanes of a noble marriage Reason Thou were more happie if it were by a chast marriage and most happie by a single lyfe Ioy. I am beautified with a goodly marriage Reason The choyce of a wyfe is hard a foule one is loathed a fayre one is hardly kept by reason that there is perpetual warre betweene the beautie of the body and chastitie of the minde But if that do happen whiche is most rare and honestie be ioyned with beautie I wyl then reason more largely with thee Admit she haue all other ornamentes of a woman nobilitie wysedome ryches fruitefulnesse eloquence good name and fame good and commendable behauiour yet know thou this that with these pride is entred intermingled into thy house So that it is not without good cause that the Satyrical Poet sayeth That he had rather haue Venusin◠then Cornelia that was mother to the Gracchi and daughter to Scipio Africane that was proude of her fathers triumphes and glory Ioy. I haue chaunced vppon a noble and honest marriage Reason What sayest thou of the pride and disdayne Art thou ignoraunt of the maners of women Learne to serue learne to suffer learne to loose thy deerest friendes thou must attende thy wedlocke only A wyfe is a dangerous rocke and destruction to friendshyp imperious and gouernour of the husbandes affections Ioy. I haue married a Gentlewoman to my wyfe Reason An heauie burden and hard fetters to weerie thy shoulders and feete which sometyme were free Greeuous to be spoken more greeuous to be thought on but most greeuous to be suffered a ghest not for one day but for thy whole lyfe and perhaps an enimie hath entred vpon thy house voyde of defence So that as I haue sayde the hope of the auncient remedie of diuorce beyng taken away death onely must set the free Ioy. I haue married a welbeloued wife Reason Thou art deceyued she hath married thee thou liuedst to long at thine owne libertie thou hast taken a wyfe to be thy Mistresse a tormentour to her Chyldren in law an enuier of her Mother in lawe a yoake to thy Houshold a burden
things are easie Ioy. I am assuredly determined to be reuenged Reason The worser part hath gotten the victory withstand it yet as long as thou canst and take away the conquest from it before it begin to vse it and raise vp gentlenes that lyeth troden vnderfoote remember that thou art a man many haue repented them of their reuenge but none of their mercy Ioy. I am reuenged Reason It had ben better for thee to haue been ouercome of thine enimie wrath hath ouercome hym that ouercame his enimie Of hope to VVinne The Cii Dialogue IOY I Hope for victorie in Warre Reason Hope in all thynges is deceytful but in warre most deceytful of al Nothing is done vpon premeditation but all thinges at vnwares Most skylfull and exercised in Martiall affayres was he that is reported to haue said that euentes are neuer lesse answerable to expectation then they are in warre Ioy. I hope for victorie Reason It were better to haue peace whiche is sayd to haue been a memorable speach of the same Captaynes Assured peace is better and safer then hoped victorie Ioy. I shal be conquerer in battayle Reason What if thou be vanquished This hope hath hastened many to destruction without hope of victorie No man goeth willingly into battaile Ioy. I shal haue the vpper hand in battaile Reason That is a worde of the Future tense For all hope is of that which is to come and thinges to come are alwayes doubtful Ioy. I shall returne conquerour out of battayle Reason O foolysh hope of men perhaps thou shalt returne neither conquerour nor conquered but thou promisest thy selfe returne and a passage through thy fooes to be made by the edge of the swoorde Ioy. I hope to be conquerour Reason There is one that hopeth the contrary and therefore it must needes be that both of you or one of you be deceyued For it may so chaunce that one of the Captaynes or both on eche side kyll one another whiche I thinke hath hapned often at other times and once whiche now I cal to remembraunce at Thebes in the last conflict betweene the wicked brethren and likewyse at Rome in the beginning after the expulsion of the kinges it is written the like euent chaunced insomuch as Brutus the Consul prosecuted the sonne of the proude king vnto the graue For when death commeth there is no victorie which being deferred notwithstanding thou knowest that some Armies haue departed out of the fielde at euen hande And therefore it is euident that both the Captaynes haue been defrauded of their hope of victorie But that one of them is lyke to be deceyued it is so common a matter and so dayly found true by experience as to goe to the battayle and how knowest thou whether thou art he that shalt be defrauded of the victorie concerning which thou flatterest thy selfe Ioy. I shal haue the vpperhand in warre Reason As the victorie is alwayes doubtfull so is it often greeuous and blooddy It is not gotten freely whiche is won by peryl of life that is deerely bought which is bought with blood more deerely whiche may cost death as the conquering part may loose their Captayne so although thy side ouercome thou mayest be vanquished What shall I say of the wickednesse that followe victories The vanquished fall not into so many miseries as doo the vanquishers into vices But if there be nothing more miserable then sinne and offences then is not the vanquished in that he is vanquished more wretched then the vanquisher but in this respect lesse wretched in that he is subiect to fewer mischiefes Ioy. I shal vanquish Reason To make short whether thou shalt vanquish or not or when thou hast vanquished whether it wyl prooue more for thy commoditie or otherwyse it is doubtfull Of Victorie The Ciii Dialogue IOY BVT I haue gotten the Vpperhande Reason Beware lest anger pride crueltie rage and madnesse get the vpper hand ouer thee These are the companions of victorie and the inuisible and horrible enimies of the victours of whom oftentimes the most famous conquerours haue been most shamefully vanquished Fortune doth not yet call thee to accompt there is betweene you a long and intricate reckoning she is an hard and wilful creditour with whom now thou hast great dealinges and it is her maner to require that which shee hath lent with great interest Ioy. I haue gotten the vpper hand in a great battayle Reason He that hath gotten the vpper hand in a battayle hath often been vanquished in continuance of warre Ioy. But I haue won Reason How often haue the Garthagiens how often the Frenchmen how often other nations had the better and how often haue the Romans been put to the woorst But the euentes of thinges are to be considered specially of suche as alter and can not stand styl Ioy. Verily I haue gotten the victorie Reason Although the end of warre were certayne yet the euent is doubtful and sorowe followeth myrth and myrth followeth sorowe Ioy. I haue gotten a great victorie Reason There is nothing so great but may be distinguished from that which is too much find it hath so fallen out that the winning side hath ben 〈◊〉 t◠shewe most woundes and most dead carkases It thou wilt no◠beleeue me aske Xerxes and Thermopilae Ioy. It was my chaunce to gayne a great victorie Reason A great victorie can not be gotten for a final price Concerning the greatest warre that euer was whereof the greatest Historician that euer was entreateth Fortune sayth he was so wariable and the conflict was so doubtful that they were most in daunger that had the victorie Ioy. I haue fully conquered Reason There is no complet victorie where there remaineth an armed enimie howbeit if thou suppresse one other wyl rise vp and there be certayne conquestes that may be tearmed the seede of warre so hatred cut downe with a weapon ryseth vp more thicke then before and souldiours returne with more courage into the fielde not in suche sort perhaps as somtime a stronge imagination brought vnto Cassius the representation of an enimie which he had slayne euen the very same day that he dyed with so hideous a countenaunce that the very resemblaunce of the dead man put to flight that most valiant Captayne that was not afearde of hym while he was alyue but rather so that many beyng restored for one with assured handes doo beare assured weapons agaynst those that seemed to haue had the victorie Ioy. I haue gotten the victorie and now am I carelesse without an enimie Reason Thou foole as long as there shal be men so long there shal be enimies Thou readest how that after so many triumphes conquering of the whole world the citie of Rome wanted not enimies hopest thou then to be without Perhaps if thou be quiet thou mayest want foes but neuer if thou fight Ioy. I am a conquerour Reason Take heede thou be not so in vayne victorie is profitable for them that knowe how to
lyke wel of the saying of a certaine good fellowe of whom S. Augustine maketh mention whom beyng in extremitie of sichnesse when as his freendes comforted hym saying that he should not dye of that disease he answered Though I shal neuer dye wel yet because I must dye once why shoulde I not dye nowe Sorowe I dye my businesse beyng vnperfected Reason If thou cal to minde those that haue been most famous for wisedome or other notable exploites the most part of them haue dyed leauyng theyr woorkes vnfinished vnto verie fewe it hath hapned in this lyfe to bryng to perfect ende theyr conceyued and vndertaken attemptes But thou since that after the common manner of men thou hast throwen thy selfe into these difficulties and that which is past can not be called agayne take holde of this onely way and meane eftsoones to aduaunce thy selfe not lamentably and vaynely to looke backe vpon many imperfecte thynges but manly to goe through with that onely which remayneth that is to say to dye well Of a Violent death The Cxxj. Dialogue SOROWE BUT I dye a violent death Reason Euery death is violent vnto thee yf thou dye vnwillyngly but yf thou dye wyllyngly there is no death violent Sorowe I dye a violent death Reason If the strength of life be taken away what skylleth it whether it be by an ague or by the swoord And so that thou depart freely what maketh it matter whether the doores of thy bodily dungeon do open alone or be broken open Sorow I dye violently Reason There are many kyndes of deathes and but one death only whiche whether it be violent or not it lyeth in his handes that dyeth the greater force ouercommeth the lesser and consent quite extinguisheth it A wyse man commeth thus instructed that looke what he cannot withstande he consenteth vnto it But perhaps thou wylt say doest thou counsel me then to consent vnto hym that kylleth me Verily some haue not onely consented vnto them but also geuen them thankes yea there was suche an one founde as wyllingly excused the ignorance of his murtherers and at the very giuing vp of the ghost prayed for them But I am not she that commaund thee to agree vnto the fact of the bloudie butcher or cruel executioner but only vnto the inuincible necessitie of destinie whiche who so obeyeth not willyngly shal be brought thereunto by force Sorowe I dye by myne enimies hande Reason What didest thou suppose then that thou couldest dye by thy freendes hande whiche cannot possibly happen but vnwittingly Sorowe I dye by mine enimies hande Reason So shalt thou escape thine enimies handes For whyle he pursueth his wrath he prouideth for thy libertie and abateth his owne power and hath aucthoritie ouer thee no longer Sorowe I perysh by the hande of myne enimie Reason It is better to peryshe vnder an vniust enimie then vnder a iust Prince For in the one the murtherer is culpable and in the other the murthered is not gyltlesse Sorow I am slayne by the hand of myne enimie Reason What doth it touche thee more with what hande then with what swoorde thou art dispatched We speake not of the hande but of the wounde Howbeit Pompeius in Lucane seemeth to wyshe that he might be slayne by Caesars owne hande as a comfort in his death and also in Statius Capaneus comforteth Ipseus and in Virgil Aeneas Lausus and Camilla Ornithus for that they wer slayne by their handes Sorow I dye by the swoord Reason This fortune is common vnto thee with the greatest men forasmuch as most part of the worthiest men that eyther haue lyued in most blessed estate in this world or are nowe most holy fainctes in the euerlastyng kyngdome haue dyed by the sworde whom al yf I would vndertake to rehearse I should play the part rather of a long historician then of a short admonisher Sorowe I peryshe by the swoord Reason Dyuers diuersly haue come to their ende some by the halter some by a fal some by the Lyons clawes some by the wilde boares teeth many haue wanted a swoord beyng desirous to haue ended their lyues with a weapon Sorowe I am slayne with a swoord Reason Howe knowest thou whether thou shouldest escape to fal into greater destruction and that this death whiche thou thinkest to be most miserable be the eschuyng of a greater miserie I tolde thee before howe that Plotinus who next vnto Plato was the seconde glory of Philosophie was strooken with a pestilent leprosie But I recited not vnto thee hoowe that Euripides who immediatly after Homer was the seconde light of Greece for poetrie was torne in peeces by dogges Lucretius who among your countrey Poetes was next to the chiefe of whom Virgil was not ashamed to borowe so muche as he dyd drinking of a slabbersauce confectioned amorous cup fel into a sickenesse and extreame madnesse and in the ende was enforced in dispatche hymselfe with a swoord for remedie Herod kyng of Iudea dyed beyng beset with an armie of foule and loathsome diseases so that the more compendious and short way of diyng might be by hym enuied at as doubtlesse I thinke it was Hadrian that was Emperour of Rome beyng ouercome with the payne and tediousnesse of his sickenesse was wylling if it had been lawful to shorten the extremitie of his greefe by dynt of swoord It is reported howe that in our age there was a great personage consumed by woormes that issued out of al the partes of his body and another in lyke manuer deuoured by myse Among so many mockeries and infirmities of mans body who is so weake that yf he might haue his choyce woulde not rather desire to dye by the swoorde Sorowe I peryshe by fire Reason Some that supposed the soule to be of a firie force and â—aturâ— haue thought that to be the most easiest kinde of death Sorowe I am consumed with fire Reason Thy body by this meanes beyng delyuered from the wormes wil not putrifie Sorowe I am euer whelmed in water Reason A feast for the fishes and for thy selfe a place of burial large cleere and notable And what maketh it matter whether thou render vp thine earthen carcase to the earth or to the sea Sorow I dye in the sea Reason Not where but howe a man dyeth maketh to the purpose euery where a man may dye wel and euerywhere yll It is not in the place but in the minde that maketh the death happie or wretched Sorowe I peryshe in the sea Reason I knowe that many are perswaded that it is miserable to be drowned in water for that the ethereal and burnyng spirite seemeth to be ouercome by his contrarie but as I sayde before the place maketh nothyng but it is the minde that maketh all vnto the miserie And therefore I lyke very wel of the answere of a certayne sayler I wot not what he was of whom when on a tyme one demaunded where his father dyed he answeared vpon the sea Then demaundyng farther the lyke
who although they returned both into their Countrey yet dyed they both farre from their Countrey Drusus in Germanie and Marcellinus in Baion And tell me nowe are thou prouder then Tarquinius or myghtier then Sylla Yet the fyrst of these dyed a bannished man at Cumae the other beyng a great Lorde gaue vp the ghost at Puteoli What shall I speake of men of meaner degree Augustus Caesar who was called Father of his Countrey dyed out of his Countrey at Nola in Campania Tyberius that was vnlyke in Manners but equall in Empire deceassed at Misenum in Campania Vespasian and Titus two most excellent Princes as it well became the father and the sonne dyed in one Village yet without of the Citie of Rome â–ª though not farre But â—raian being borne in the West part of the worlde dyed in the East Septimus Seuerus came but of a base parentage in Africa and had a proude Empire at Rome â–ª and was buried at Yorke in Englande Theodosius that was borne in Spayne and dyed at Millain Constantinople receyued whiche Citie also had in it before the founder thereof beyng of the same name but borne in another place What shall I neede to recite others Lycurgus who fledde from Sparta Creta receyued which long before had seene Kyng Saturne bannished out of his Kyngdome and flying from his sonne and hearde howe he hyd hym selfe in the confines of Italie and was there buried A poore graue of Bithynia couereth Hannibal the lyght of all Africa Theseus Themistocles and Solon the three Diamondes of all Athens were so scattered by Fortune that the fyrst was buried in Syria the seconde in Persis and the thyrde in Cyprus in farre vnfitte Graues for so woorthie Carcasses The day woulde sooner fayle mee then matter yf I shoulde stande to reporte euery example But my purpose was not to weerie thee with Histories but onely to instructe thee Sorowe I vnderstande thy meanyng and I confesse that all these and as many moe as thou canst recken dyed out of theyr Countreyes in deede but I denie that it was with their wylles but rather I suppose to theyr great greefe Reason Whereby speakest thou this but onely for that all fooles iudge other lyke them selues and thynke that to be impossible for others to doo which they them selues can not attayne to And perhappes thou hast hearkened to the olde prouerbe It is good to lyue abrode in strange Countries but yll to dye there when as in deede they are both good so that they be orderly doone with patient forbearyng and comlinesse but both euyl yf they be yll handled lamentably and without discretion I wyll tell thee that which thou wylt marueyll at and is quite repugnant to the olde prouerbe If there be any iust occasion to complayne of the cause I had rather impute the same to the lyuyng whom perhaps in some respect it may concerne then hym that lyeth a dying who hath now no regarde of any place seeyng that he is vpon departyng from all places Sorowe Somewhat thou moouest my minde neuerthelesse I am yet desirous to dye in my Countrey Reason The wyll of man vnlesse it be bridled by vertue and wysedome of it selfe is wylde and vnreclaymed And yf thou consider of the matter deepely thou wylt confesse that none of all this appertayneth vnto thee seeyng that thou thy selfe canst remayne heere no longer nor thy boanes retayne any sense after thy deceasse to discerne where thou myghtest haue lyen harder or softer and also vnto that place whyther thou departest which had been the shorter or easier way When Anaxagoras lay a dying in a farre forraine Countrey and his freendes demaunded of hym whether after his death he woulde be carried home into his owne natiue soyle he answeared very finely saying that it shoulde not neede and he added the cause why for that the way to Heauen is of lyke distaunce from all places Whiche answeare serueth as well for them that goe downe to Hell as for those that goe vp to Heauen Sorowe I woulde GOD I myght dye at home Reason If thou were there perhappes thou wouldest wyshe thy selfe in another place perswade thy selfe so Learne to doo that dying whiche thou oughtest to haue doone lyuyng An hard matter it is for you O ye mortall men to beare your selues vpryghtly ye are so dayntie and faultfyndyng euermore makyng none account of that whiche ye haue and alwayes iudging best of that whiche ye want Sorowe O that I myght dye at home Reason Peraduenture thou shouldest see many thynges there that woulde make thy death more greeuous vnto thee for whiche cause thynke that thou art remooued to the intent that all other cares beyng set apart thou myghtest onely thynke vpon GOD and thyne owne soule Of one that dyeth in Sinne. The Cxxvj. Dialogue SOROWE I Oye in sinne Reason This is neyther Natures nor Fortunes but thyne owne fault Sorowe I dye in sinne Reason Fyrst who enforced thee to commit sinne And next who forbydde thee to bewayle it when it was committed And last of all who letteth thee from repentyng though it be late fyrst For vnto the last gaspe the spirite and minde is free Sorowe Whyles I am dying I carrie my sinnes with mee Reason Beware thou doo not so lay downe that venemous and deadly carriage whyle thou hast tyme and there is one that wyll take it away and blotte it out accordyng as it is written and wyll cast it behynde his backe into the bottome of the Sea and wyll abandon it as farre from thee as the East is distant from the West If thou neglect this houre when it is once past it wyll neuer returne agayne Whith qualitie although it be common to all houres that alwayes they passe away and neuer returne yet many tymes that which hath been omitted in one houre may be perhappes recouered in another but yet the neglectyng of the last houre of a mans lyfe is irrecurable And therefore as some report it to be found in the secret disputations of the soule the errours of this lyfe are as it were softe falles vpon the playne grounde after which a man may soone ryse vp agayne but the sinne vnto death is compared vnto a greeuous fall from some hygh and craggie place after which it is not possible to aryse any more the hurt therein taken is so great that it can not be salued Wherefore helpe thy selfe nowe whyle thou mayest and call to remembraunce not onely what your owne writers say but also what Cicero counselleth who in his woorke de Diuinatione of Diuination disputing of those that are dying Doo thou cheefely quod he studie to winne commendation and thynke that they which haue lyued otherwyse then they ought doo most bitterly repent them of their sinnes What I pray thee coulde be vttered by any man more religiously or profitably yf so be that be followed which is commaunded and thou repent thee though it be late fyrst A difficult and dangerous matter it is truely to
Schoolemaister Eod. Of a notable Scholler Folio 104. Of a good Father Folio 105. Of a most Louing Mother Eod. Of Good Brethren and Louing and Fayre Systers Folio 106. Of a good Lorde Folio 107. Of the Clearenesse of the Ayre Folio 109. Of Fortunate Saylyng Eod. Of wyshed Arriuing at the Haune Folio 110. Of commyng foorth of Pryson Eod. Of a quiet State. Folio 111. Of Power Folio 113. Of Glorie Folio 114. Of Benefites bestowed vpon many Folio 115. Of Loue of the people Folio 116. Of Inuadyng a Tyrannie Folio 117. Of a Kyngdome and Empire Folio 119. Of a furnished Armie Folio 123. Of a wel apppoynted Nauie Folio 124. Of engyns and Artillarie Folio 125. Of Treasure layde vp in store Folio 126. Of Reuenge Eod. Of hope to Wynne Folio 129. Of Victorie Eod. Of the death of an Enemie Folio 130. Of hope of Peace Folio 131. Of peace and Truce Folio 132. Of the Popedome Folio 133. Of Happynesse Folio 134. Of good Hope Folio 136. Of expectation of Inheritance Folio 138. Of Alchimie Follo 139. Of the promises of wyse men and Soothsayers Folio 140. Of Glad tydynges Folio 143. Of Expectyng a mans sonne or farmer or wyfe Eod. Of Lookyng for better tymes Folio 145. Of the hoped comming of a Prynce Folio 146. Of hope of fame after Death Folio 147. Of Glory hoped for by buyldyng Folio 148. Of Glory hoped for by keepyng company 149. Of Manyfold hope Folio 150. Of hoped quietnesse of Mynde Eod. Of the hope of lyfe Euerlastyng Folio 151. The Table of the matters conteyned in the second Booke of this woorke OF the deformitie of the Bodye Folio 162. Of Weakenesse Folio 164. Of Sycknesse Folio 165. Of a base Countrey Eod. Of Basenesse of Stocke Folio 166. Of a shamefull Byrth Folio 169. Of Bondage Folio 171. Of Pouertie Folio 174. Of Damage susteyned Folio 175. Of Thynne fare Folio 178. Of Originall pouertie Folio 180. Of the heauie burden of many Chyldren Eod. Of Money lost Folio 183. Of Suertishyppe Folio 187. Of Losse of tyme Folio 188. Of Vnfortunate pâ—aâ—ing at Tables Folio 190. Of Her vnto whom one was assured iudged vnto another Eod. Of the losse of a mans Wyfe Folio 191. Of a Shrewyshe Wyfe Folio 193. Of the stealyng away of a mans Wyfe Folio 194. Of an vnchaste Wyfe Eod. Of a barren Wyfe Folio 197. Of an vnchaste Daughter Folio 198. Of Shame commyng from an other Folio 199. Of Infamie Folio 200. Of Shame procured by meanes of vnwoorthy commendation Folio 202. Of Vnthankfull Freendes Folio 203. Of Vnthankfull persons Folio 204. Of Euyll Seruauntes Folio 206. Of Fugitiue Seruauntes Folio 107. Of Importunate Neyghbours Folio 208. Of Enimies Folio 209. Of occasion lost to reuenge Folio 210. Of the peoples Hatred Folio 211. Of Enuie Passiuely Eod. Of Contempt Folio 212. Of Long expectyng a promised Rewarde Folio 213. Of Repulses Eod. Of an vniust Lorde Folio 215. Of an Vnlearned Schoolemaister Folio 216. Of an Vnapt and proude Scholer Folio 217. Of a Stepdame Folio 218. Of the hardnesse of a Father Eod. Of a stubburne Sonne Folio 220. Of a contentious Brother Folio 221. Of the Losse of a Father Folio 222. Of the Losse of a Mother Eod. Of the losse of a Sonne Eod. Of the miserable fal of a young Chylde Folio 224. Of A sonne that is founde to be another mans Eod. Of the losse of a Brother Folio 226. Of the death of a Freend Folio 227. Of the absence of Freendes Folio 228. Of greeuous Shyp wracke Folio 230. Of Burnyng Eod. Of Great labour and Trauayle Folio 231. Of A payneful Iourney Folio 232. Of One yeeres Barrennesse Folio 234. Of An euyl and proude Bayliffe Folio 235. Of Theft Folio 236. Of Robberies Folio 237. Of Coosynage and deceite Eod. Of A streyght and narrome dwellyng Folio 238. Of A Pryson Folio 239. Of Tormentes Folio 240. Of Vniust Iudgement Folio 241. Of Banyshment Folio 242. Of A mans countrey Besieged Folio 245. Of A mans countrey Destroyed Folio 246. Of the feare of loosyng in warre Folio 247. Of A foolyshe and rashe felowe in office Folio 248. Of an vndiscreete and hastie marshal of the Feelde Eod. Of vnfortunate successe in battayle Folio 249. Of Ciuile warre Folio 250. Of the disagreement of a waueryng mynde Folio 251. Of a doubtful State. Folio 253. Of Woundes receyued Eod. Of a kyng without a Sonne Folio 254 Of a kyngdome Lost Folio 255. Of Treason Folio 257. Of the losse of a Tyrannie Folio 258. Of Castles lost Folio 260. Of olde Age. Folio 262. Of the Gout Folio 267. Of Scabbes Folio 268. Of Watchyng Folio 269. Of the vnquietnesse of Dreames Eod. Of Importunate renowme Folio 270. Of Sorowe conceyued for the euyl manners of men Folio 272. Of Smal greefes of sundry thynges Folio 273. Of an Earthquake Folio 279. Of the plague farre and wyde ragyng Folio 280. Of Sadnesse and miserie Eod. Of the Toothache Folio 284. Of payne in the Legges Folio 285. Of Blyndnesse Folio 286. Of the losse of Hearyng Folio 289. Of the loathsomnesse of Lyfe Folio 290. Of Heauinesse of the body Folio 291. Of great dulnesse of wyt Eod. Of a slender and weake Memorie Folio 292. Of lacke of Eloquence Folio 293. Of Losse of the tongue and speeche Folio 294. Of want of Vertue Folio 296. Of Couetousnesse Folio 297. Of Enuie and Mallice Eod. Of Wrath. Folio 298. Of Gluttonie Folio 299. Of sluggishenesse of the Mynde Eod. Of Leâ—cherie Folio 300 Of Pryde Eod. Of Agues Folio 301. Of the 〈◊〉 e of the guttes and Traunce Folio 302. Of Sundry paynes and greefes of the whole body Folio 303. Of Madnesse Folio 309. Of Poyson Folio 310. Of the feare of death Folio 311. Of Voluntarie murtheryng a mans owne selfe Folio 315. Of Death Folio 319. Of Death before a mans tyme Folio 322. Of a violent Death Folio 324. Of a shameful Death Folio 326. Of a sodayne Death Folio 327. Of one that is sicke out of his owne Countrey Folio 328. Of one that dyeth out of his owne Countrey Eod. Of One that dyeth in sinne Folio 332. Of One dying that is careful what shal become of his inheritance and chyldren Folio 334. Of One dying that is careful what his wyfe wil do when he is dead Folio 335. Of One dying that is careful what wyll become of his countrey after his deceasse Folio 336. Of One that at his death is careful of his fame and good report Folio 337. Of One that dyeth without chyldren Folio 338. Of One dying that feareth to be throwen foorth vnburyed Folio 340. FINIS
I wyll not set agaynst thee godly poore soules halfe naked and stiffe with colde and scarce able to keepe of the winters bitternes with their simple mantles of Rugge I know well that sinfull wealth disdaineth holy pouertie And the same most rich man also of whom I spake yet whyle in our third disputation before this vsed consideratly to weare none other garment then home made suche as was spun and wrought by his wife and his sister and his daughter and his nices For this is also written of him Thus he that was lorde of al weeried a fewe women but such as were most neare of kin vnto him And thou perhaps being another mans seruant doest weerie nations that are a great way of from thee For thee the Fleminges spinne for thee they carde for thee they weaue for thee the Persians the Seres the Indians do ioyle for thee the Tyrian Murrey swimmeth or Purple fishe for thee the softe grains of Hispis hangeth vpon the shrubs for thee the sheepe of Brytaine looke whyte for thee the Indian Sandix looketh redde both Oceans sweate for thy sake but for Augustus only his wife and his daughter his sister and his nices do take payne Thus much is vertue decreased pride increased And since men haue délighted in the contrary the examples of modestie are waxed vile For in diet and apparell many contemning this great woorthy prince haue gone after the woorst as Caius the residue whose belly backe were neuer couered with ciuile nor manlike nor Romane nor truly humane but with mad and somtyme womanishe at another tyme diuine superfluous on euery syde and monstrous attyre Ioy. My garmentes are most exquisite Reason Costly apparell both by suspition of great diligence in trimming and settyng foorth the beautie dimisheth the grace and by the bryghtnesse thereof bewrayeth the blemishes of the deformed and styrreth vp the eyes of suche as passe by to beholde it And therefore a deformed man or woman can not hurt them selues by any meanes more then by couetyng to seeme fayre and wel fauoured The gallant apparell and braue settyng foorth of the body whiche is of purpose done to win fame by prouoketh laughter Ioy. I am decked foorth in most choyce colours Reason Nature cannot be surpassed by art And many times disdayning that she is prouoked by howe much the more greater force she is pressed and couered by so much the more she riseth vp and sheweth her selfe As for the natural deformities of this mortal body they can neither be altered with colours nor couered with odors but they make them either more euident to be seene or more doubtful to be suspected Ioy. I am caried away with the loue of precious variable attyre Reason Lay a dead carkase in a coffin of golde beset it rounde about with pearles and cloth of golde the more thou trimmest it the more horrible and vgly it is And to the intent thou mayest not be offended at that whiche I speake let vs seeke out the originall of that name For this word carkas commeth of the Verbe cado which signifieth to fal Which being so why may not the body of a liuing man be so called aswel as of a dead For the one is alrepâ—â—â—â—â—â—on the other shal fal falleth continually Ioy. I haue 〈◊〉 sleâ—parel and made after the new fashion Reason I haue no time nor place now to lament detest this counterfeiting mockerie of outlandish attyre whiche this present frentike age hath brought in among you from the farthest partes of the world But both God man do vtterly abhor these deformed beastes in the shape of men whose mindes are brutish whose speech is the latin tongue whose apparel barbarous strainge whose heare is brayded frisled after that delicacy of women whose maners are hard vnciuil after the toughnes of boares at one side plainly bewraying the filthines of their bodies by the impudencie of their demeanure on the other side openly discoueryng the lightnes of their mindes by the wauering of the feathers in their top But whether the maisters that are so vigilant or the schollers that are so apt to learne deserue most to be hated it is to be doubted By whose deuises thou seest it is now come to passe that betweene Iesters and Dukes betweene honest Matrons and Harlottes there is in syght almost no difference at all Neyther doeth this mischiefe cease but it dayly increaseth and the madnesse is diuersly varied Of reste and quietnes The .xxi. Dialogue IOY REst and quietnesse from labours are happened vnto mee Reason Two most acceptable commodities of mans lyfe vnlesse immoderate vse haue made them most grieuous mischiefes whiche it hath wrought in many and hath procured as many plagues to the body as diseases to the minde swellyng to the one and rust to the other Ioy. I enioy most pleasaunt rest Reason Say rather that thou doest vse We can enioy nothing here but we vse many thynges thus sayth the holsomer doctrine Ioy. This quietnesse is very pleasaunt vnto mee Reason It skilleth muche what kinde of quietnesse the same is for there are two kindes of quietnesse One is busie whiche euen in very rest is doing somwhat and busie about honest affayres and this is very sweete The other is slouthful idle and geuen onely to sluggyshnes then which there is nothyng more loathsome or more lyke to the graue â–ª From the first 〈◊〉 many tymes spring great woorkes both profitable to the we snareâ—â— glorious to the auctours From the seconde commeth nothyng but inglorious flouth and sleepines The fyrst is meete for Philosophers but the second for sluggardes and suche as are geuen to their belly and sleepe where they may eate and sleepe their fyll without interruption Ioy. I enioy my wished rest Reason That rest whiche we must enioy shal neuer haue ende Consider therefore in what rest thou take delight Ioy. I haue founde wyshed rest Reason Wouldest thou say rest or lusking or sleepe whiche some Poetes call the kinseman and some the image of death and both very properly Ioy. I sleepe and take my rest Reason And many also that goe do rest in minde and many also that sit lie are troubled in mind And sleepe it selfe which is called the rest of al liuing thinges hath it owne secret griefes with many horrible and troublesome visions fantasies concerning which the holy man talking familiarly with God and being afflicted maketh his complaynt Ioy. I lye idly in my bed chamber Reason Which of these I pray thee thinkest thou rested more pleasantly eyther Vacia whiche lay sleeping at his Farme in the countrey or Scipio fighting against his enimies in Africa and Cato against serpentes and Regulus against both For there is neyther quietnes without ioy neither can there be any ioy without vertue Ioy. My toyles being past I refresh my selfe with pleasant sleepe Reason Toyle laboure are the matters of vertue glory who so reiecteth these reiecteth them also
Contrariwise too muche sleepe is the matter of vice and infamie which driueth many and throweth them headlong into perpetual sleepe For it nourisheth lust maketh the body heauie weakeneth the minde dulleth the wit diminisheth knowledge extinguisheth the memorie and breedeth forgetfulnes It is not without cause that wakeful and industrious persons are commended As for the sleepie we see not them praysed but puffed And therfore as some vs tearme sleepe death so other cal wakefulnesse life Take heede then of lyfe and death which thou choose It is best to wake which the wise do commend that the life may be the longer Ioy. I enioy a long vn interrupted sleepe Reason It is wel if it be not broken by pinching cares by couetousnes by ambition by feare by sorowe and by wicked loue but euyl if a mans sleepe be disturâ—ed by some care of dishonest stâ—die Truely while the people sleepe the prince waketh while the armie resteth the captaynes be vigilant which both experience declareth and Homers Ilias proueth to be true Vpon noble mindes vigilant cares do depende but such as are sober and hotsome It is credibly reported that Augustus Caesar of al Princes the greatest and best vsed but short sleepe and that also often interrupted And thou gloriest in the contrary Ioy. I sleepe profoundly Reason So do gluttons letchers wrathful persons togeather with bruite beastes but lyuing notwithstanding slâ—ggish persons and they that sleepe are only compared to the dead and as touching that part of tyme that happie men doo nothyng differ thereby from men in miserie thou knowest it to be a position of Philosophie Wherefore as that part is diligently to be eschewed whiche leaueth so small a difference of dreames onely betweene men and beastes so is the contrary to be pursued whiche offereth no hardnesse to them that are willing For yf in respect of a simple glory or small gaine both Warriours Merchauntes and Mariners do watch whole nightes abroade in the open ayre the one among ambushmentes of their enimies the other among the surgies and rockes more fierce then any enimie art not thou able to watche some part of the nyghtes in makyng prayers to God and among thy bookes for the true glory and a large gayne Ioy. Being weerie when I was awake I haue now wholly geuen my selfe to sleepe Reason Thus it is yee change not your copie ye deale in all matters after one maner and looke what thing God himselfe or nature or any art hath geuen you for recreation that ye turne to your owne shame and discommoditie â–ª your drinke to drunkennes your meate to surfeityng your leysure to sleepinesse your good health to voluptuousnesse your beautie to lasciuiousnesse your strength to iniuries your wit to deceitfulnesse your knowledge to pride your eloquence to harmfulnesse the brauerie of your houses and the apparell of your backes to pompousnesse and vayne ostentation your ryches to couetousnesse and riot your wiues and chyldren to feare and perpetual carefulnesse Goe nowe be astonished complayne of your fortune and lament your wickednesse of good thinges ye make euil of heauenly giftes ye make fetters and snares and chaines for your soule Ioy. I am delighted in pleasaunt sleepe Reason Not only Kinges Captaynes and Princes Philosophers Poetes Householders do watch vp and rise in the night which Aristotle sayeth to be auaylable for health for good husbandrie and philosophie but theeues also and pilferers and whiche is also more marueylous mad men and louers whom the remembraunce desire they haue to their trulles doth styrre forwarde and wylt not thou for the loue of vertue hate sleepe that is freende to vices and as Horace sayth excellently Seeyng theeues ryse in the nyght to kill true menne wilt not thou awake to preserue thy selfe Ye may be ashamed that filthie causes can so muche preuayle with you and most souereine can doo nothyng Ioy. I sleepe all nyght and no man troubleth mee Reason Aristotle seemeth whiche I haue touched before in this maner to deuide a mans lyfe attributing halfe to sleepe and halfe to waking And as touching the one halfe thereof he sayth that a vertuous mans lyfe differeth not from a fooles lyfe in whiche place he wyll haue he night to be vnderstoode for sleepe and the day for wakyng This I confesse is a good and true diuision for it equally deuideth tyme into the partes But if it be thus taken that the partes be of equal space truely there is an other great difference betweene them For there is no cogitation or discourse more sharpe or more deepe then the nyghtly no tyme more conuenient for studentes If he say that sleepe is the one halfe of our tyme it is a strange saying to come out of the mouth of so studious and learned a man God forbyd that a minde whiche is well instructed and geuen to studie shoulde sleepe halfe her tyme seeyng to some the fourth part and to voluptuous persons also the thyrde part is sufficient I would counsell a man to ryse in the nyght in euery part of the yeere God forbyd but that they which haue any great exployt in hande sleepe both the whole Winter and Summer nyghtes Howbeit it is sufficient perhappes to haue broken it once and as muche sleepe as is broken by watching so muche may be quickly supplyed yf neede so require by takyng a nappe after noone But the houres of the winter nyghters are often to be broken in them it were expedient to syng to studie to reade to write to thynke to contemplate by wit some new thing is to be deuised that which is wonne by studie is to be repeated in memorie Hearken also to S. Ierome wryting to Eustochius We must ryse sayth he twice or thrice a nyght and we must meditate on some part of Scripture whiche we haue learned without booke And at length when your eyes are weerie with this studie ye must eftsoones refreshe them with sleepe and beyng then recomforted with a lytle rest they must agayne be weeried with exercise lest that by sleeping all the night long and lying styl vpon the pillowe ye appeare to be as it were buried carkases By the often and coomely styrring of your selues declare that ye are alyue and geuen to vertue Of pleasaunt smelles The xxii Dialogue IOY I Am delited with sweete odours Reason These serue eyther for foode or apparrel concerning which thou hast hearde myne opinion Ioy. My studie is vpon sweete smelles Reason Of smelles some prouoke the appetite and some wantonnesse The desire of these incurreth the note of incontinencie especially yf it be vehement Others are desired for theyr owne sake The greedinesse of them is not reprooued of dishonestie but of folly Whereby it commeth that the smel of womens oyntmentes and of iunkets is more discommodable then the odour of flowres or apples The same reason is also in those pleasures whiche are receyued by the eares and eyes If euer thou hast applyed thy
the armes of his seruantes or vpon some other horse and carying his Physitions with hym he woulde goe visite his sicke horse twice or thrice euery day and sorowfully sighing woulde sit by hym and gently stroke him with his hand and comfort him with fayre speech To be short there was no kind of meanes by Physicke let passe vnassayed and nothing omitted that might relieue his sicke freend Perhaps posteritie wil cal this a tale howbeit it is true and knowen among a great people Thus this noble gentleman was as carefull for the good health of his horse as for his owne and lamented for his death as he had been his sonne Ioy. I delight to ride Reason It is profitable somtime and also an helpe to swiftnesse and a remedy for weerinesse and a token of nobilitie to ride vpon a goodly courser and to excel al theresidue not only by the head but also by the shoulders and to be higher then the other by the whole body Contrariwise a fierce horse is most troublesome many times hurtful to his maister If thou wouldest goe a iourney on foote thou hast no power nor space to rest thee therfore thou chosest rather to exchang the dustines on foote for the daunger on horsebacke And for this cause horses haue deliuered many from the middes of death and brought sundry also into extremitie of destruction or hurt them with falles or tumbled vpon them with their bodyes and so killed them Yea horses are not the least seede of warre Take away horses thou shalt take away forren inuasions of countreis and the greatest part of warlike destruction That as in natural Philosophie the question is mooued of windes and of Iulius Caesar in histories whether it were better the winde should blowe or not or that Caesar were borne or not The like question may also be demaunded concerning horses there are so many contrarie reasons on the contrary side And it was not without cause that Thessalia which first founde out the vse of horses and tamed them first coyned money of siluer and gold and first assayed to goe vpon the Sea in a shyp seemed to be the store house of Mars and for that also not once onely after so many hundred yeeres it was wette with plentie of valient blood Ioy. How much thinkest thou doth our poet delight me where he describeth the maners spirite and courage of a noble horse Reason And doeth not the saying of the Hebrue prophete make thee afrayd where he sayth At thy rebuke O God of Iacob haue they fallen asleepe that got vpon their horses Examine euery poinct not only that pleasant but also this rough saying Of hunting and hauking The .xxxii. Dialogue IOY BVT I am delighted in Dogges Reason Now I vnderstande the delight of a beardles youth who as Horace sayth Delighteth in horses and dogges and the pleasant greene feeldes But beware thou be not that which foloweth Apt to be plucked to vice and sharpe to them that tell thee thy fault A flowe prouider for profite lauishe of money proud couetous and redy to forsake that which thou hast loued I feare mee thou art suche an one since thou settest thy pleasure vpon such transitorie delightes Ioy. I am delighted with dogges and foules Reason This peece of madnesse was wantyng is it not sufficient for thee to gadde and wander abroade but meanest thou to flye also Ioy. Thou mockest me for I meane not to flye but I am delighted in the foules that flye Reason But they wyll flye away and contemne thy pleasure and not knowe thee and vnthankfully be deafe when thou callest them What shouldest thou do that wantest feathers seeyng thy pleasure is winged Imagine that they returned the taking of them would be hurtfull thou wouldest cal againe and forgetting thy more profitable affaires loose thy time Agayne looking backe and castyng thine eyes vp to the cloudes after thy foolyshe byrde perhappes thou wilt weepe as though there were no necessarie woorke to be doone in this lyfe by reason of the pleasure whiche you fynde by your idlenesse and slouth ye glorie in that ye are slaues to your byrdes Nature hath geuen you two handes with the one ye rule the bird the other you trouble with crooked talentes So being idle on al sides being come lame with desire to flie to the end ye may not seme to do any thing with great noyse ye ryse before day and sodeinly run out of the doores as though the enimies were at the threshold all the day after ye run about the pondes and waters wooddes and bushes filling the ayre with sundry outcries and euil fauoured houlinges And in this pastime ye spende your breath whiche is meete for some greater matter with whiche spirite your forefathers made their enimies afearde in battayle and in peace mainteyned iustice At nyght when ye come home as though ye had atchiued some great enterprice yet syt within doores declaryng howe well that byrde flue and how well this byrde hath endued his meate how many feathers of the trayne and how many of the winges are remaning or lost Is not this all your skyll is not this your loue is not this your felicitie and is not this al whiche ye requite to God your Creatour to your countrey that bredde you to your parentes that be gate you to your freendes that loue you to wit your Spathaukes or your Hernshawes skimming in the ayre and some peece of a torne foule and swet and dust and your nyghtly storie of your lost day Vnto this ye be alwayes valient and vnweeried and vnto earnest businesse weake and daintie Liuies stories and Tullies orations and the holy Scriptures ye condenme as ouerlong whereof ye may be ashamed Who can heare this with vnoffended eares Who wyll beare with you being borne to other thinges to lyue in these delites yf ye lyue in these doynges Ioy. I take pleasure in Spanyels and Haukes Reason We haue heard of many princes and noble men whereof some were wont to take delight in horses and many in dogges insomuche that Adrian the Emperour erected monumentes not for horses only as those of whom we made mention before but for dogges also And moreouer buylded a citie in the same place where in prosperous hunting he had slayne a shee Beare with his owne hand vsed many tyme to kyl a Lion but neuer that he made any tombe for a byrde or foule For which cause some say that Virgil mocked Marcillus that was nephue to Augustus in that he seemed to take pleasure in them when he was a young man. Ioy. I delight muche in huntyng Reason This exercise was peculiar sometime to the Latines but nowe to the Frenchmen whiche experience teacheth to be true and wherof some of theyr owne writers do boast Wherefore to speake nothyng of those kinges whose whole lyfe was perpetual huntyng the chiefest kyng of them all whensoeuer he had any rest from battayle excercysyng hym selfe in dayly huntyng at length when
to thy Kitchen a payne to thy Store-house a charge to thy Coffer an ornament to thy Hal a shewe for thy Windowe in the day and an vnquietnesse for thy Chamber in the nyght Ioy. I haue gotten a most louing wyfe Reason In the steede of loue which thou knowest not ielousie suspition and complaintes are come vpon thee thou hast continual warres at home euen in the middes of pleasures and pastyme disagreement wyll spryng thou shalt be safe neyther at boorde nor at bed thou shalt finde no tyme voyde of stryfe at midnight ye shall be togeather by the eares Ioy. I haue obtayned a wished marriage Reason Marriage with a wyfe and peace with a diuorce Ioy. I haue a wyfe whom I please exceedingly Reason Peraduenture it were better for thee to displease her then should she not trouble and consume thee with louing but suffer thee to muse on thy matters and to folowe thy businesse and to take thy naturall sleepe Whereas now in pleasing thy wyfe thou thinkest vpon nothing that may please thy selfe but vpon her only she challengeth thee wholy to her selfe and yet thou alone art not sufficient for her If vpon occasion thou wouldest go any whither she wyll say thou runnest away and seekest causes to depart from her yf thou do any thyng she wyll say thou forgettest her yf thou muse vpon any matter she wyl say thou art angrie with her yf thou abstayne from meate she wyll say her prouision pleaseth thee not yf thou take thy rest she wyll say thou hast weeried thy selfe with playing the game of loue with other And therefore in being pleasant to thy wyfe thou must needes be vnprofitable to thy selfe and others Ioy. I haue a wife whom I loue ardently Reason It were better to loue her chastly vertuously soberly and modestly for what is ardent loue other then the burnyng of the minde whiche while it flameth what place can there be for modestie for coniugale reuerence tranquillitie and quietnesse Doth thy wyfe loue theée ardently Vnlesse she perceyue that thou loue her agayne her loue wyll waxe colde and she wyll turne her goodwyll into hatred but yf thou wylt match her in loue thou must needes burne lykewyse and geue thy selfe ouer only to thy louer and be the wakeful husband of a ielous wife some tyme with fayre woordes and sometyme with complaintes and feigned accusations thou must be awaked troubled in the night yf peraduenture thou haue wantonly east thine eye aside or laughed hartily with one that hath laughed or saluted thy neighbours wyfe or commended the beautie of another woman or returned home late at nyght or finally shalt doo or say any thing whereby thou mayest be suspected of the breache of loue which if it may be called a lyfe then knowe not I what is to be tearmed death And this is my opinion concernyng your ardent loue Ioy. I haue a perpetuall companion of my Bedde Reason And also a perpetuall banishment of sleepe The sleepe of the wedded bedde is rare and small where there is sometyme pleasure sometime chyding and neuer quietnesse Ioy. I haue a most faythful wyfe Reason I deny not but there haue been some faythfull euen to the death And truely to a man that hath chosen this kinde of lyfe a good and faythful wyfe is a great treasure yet the multitude of the contrarie sort is greater for that many woorthie men haue perished through their wiues tretcherie I omit the cruel and blooddie marriage of Danaus that infamous night and miserable slaughter of so many young men togeather Not this they of whom we spake erewhyle not graue Agamemnon not Deiphobus the Phrygian can deny and among your countrey folke Scipio Africane the younger and lastly of latter tyme not kyng Alboinus whose blood stayned the bankes of the fayre riuer Athesis whiche was shed there by his vnchaste and cruell wyfe Ioy. I haue met with a noble chast gentle humble obedient vertuous and faythfull wyfe Reason Thou art a notable fouler thou hast founde a whyte Crowe and yet there is no man that thynketh he hath founde a blacke one Of a fayre VVyfe The Lxvi Dialogue IOY I Haue chaunced vpon a faire Wife Reason Thou hast gotten an hard prouince be watchful I haue sayd alredie that it is an hard thing to keepe that which is desired of many Ioy. My wiues beautie is excellent Reason The beautie of the body as many thynges els reioyceth commonly in the lyke and hateth vnlykelynesse and inequalitie If therefore thou thy selfe be of lyke beautie thou shalt be busied if not thou shalt be contemned both which are greeuous Ioy. My wiues beautie is great Reason Her pride is as great for there is nothing that so much puffeth vp the mind and maketh proude Ioy. My wiues beautie is passing great Reason Take heede that her chastitie be not as small The Satyrical Poet hath a pretie saying It is seldome to see beautie and honestie to agree Whiche admit they be togeather yet who can abide the insolencie of behauiour and dayly contempt Ioy. My wyfe is passing fayre Reason Then hast thou at home a sumptuous Idole a painful thou shalt dayly see strange and newe fashions and dayly disguâ—sing of the body to see howe wel euery thing becommeth and an inuentyng head to deuise euery way Now terme the losse of thy patrimonie a gayne Ioy. I haue a most beautiful wyfe Reason Thou hast a contentious Idole and a proude whiche beyng assotted thou mayest woorshyp whiche beyng rauished thou mayest woonder at honour and depende wholly vpon her submit thy necke to her yoke and reposing thy selfe onely in the beautie of thy wyfe cast away from thee all other cares and thyne owne libertie And as I sayde erewhyle beware thou prayse none but her turne not thine eyes from her face waxe not faynt in speakyng her fayre be not lesse fonde then thou wast woont to be whatsoeuer thou mislikest in her it is treason al wisedome in thee is forsaken of her Finally liue at thy wyues commaundement obserue the becking of thy Mistresse as a Drudge and not as an Husband Do this yf thou thinke it so great a matter to embrace thy fayre bedfellowe to enioy her smooth skin for a litle while to beget chyldren vpon a whyte wombe as it were to take choyce apples out of a fayre vessell Ioy. I haue a beautiful wyfe Reason A sweete poyson golden fetters an honourable seruitude Ioy. I take pleasure in my wyues beautie Reason A vayne and short pleasure There is nothyng more frayle then beautie specially a womans Who so loueth his wyfe for her beauties sake wyll soone hate her Of a fruitefull and eloquent VVyfe The Lxvii Dialogue IOY I Haue a fruitefull wyfe Reason She wyll bryng thee foorth many cares and many troubles A barren wyfe is but one trouble in an house but a fruitefull wyfe is many Thou knowest the saying of the Comical Poet I married a wyfe what miserie
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
there shal be no end of contention punishment neither shal weapons or lyghtnings ceasse Spare therfore be mercyful and moderate thy mind Do thou so vnto a man as thou wouldst haue another man yea God hym selfe do vnto thee Impudent is he that desireth pardon of his lord and maister and denieth the same to his felow seruant The Doctor Ecclesiasticus cryeth out disdaynyngly One man keepeth anger in store agaynst another and doeth he seeke for pardon at Gods handes He taketh no compassion vpon a man that is lyke to hym selfe and yet he prayeth for his owne sinnes Ioy. I do no iniury but reuenge Reason What skilleth it whether thou offend first or last It is not indifferent to mislyke that in another which thou lykest in thy selfe Wylt thou vse that crueltie which thou condemnest in thyne enimie and be lyke hym in manners whom thou art vulyke in mynde and folow that thy selfe which is worst in hym Ioy. I wyl and it is lawful for me to be reuenged Reason Thou oughtest neyther to haue a wyll neyther is it permitted by any lawe for although defence be lawful yet reuengement is forbydden it is written He that wylbe reuenged shal finde reuengement from god And againe as I sayd before Vengeance is mine and I wyl repay when I see good sayth the Lorde Tarry thou for that tyme let him reuenge thy quarrel who is Lord both of the offendour and the offended It is common among one lords seruants for one to know another yf thou haue any sparke of good nature in thee if thou haue any care to attayne to perfection rather wish than pray that he do not reuenge so shalt thou turne thine enemies offence to thine owne commoditie Ioy. I minde to be reuenged Reason Geue space to thyne anger geue tyme to thy determination bridle thyne affection put it of deferre the time eyther it wil slake or waxe colde One short houre appeaseth the raging sea Ioy. I wil bee reuenged Reason By one deede thou shalt offend manye one iniurye hath oftentymes made innumerable enimies Ioy. I wil be reuenged Reason Thou wylt hurt thy selfe more then thyne enimie Perhaps thou mayest destroy his body or riches but thou shalt cast away thyne owne soule and estimation Ioy. I wyll be reuenged Reason How often hath an iniurie been doubled by studie of reuengement Many times it hath been dangerous for him that hath been iniured to dissemble his only remedy yea many tymes to haue made complaint or but by a secrete becke to pretende that he susteyneth iniurie Ioy. I may destroy myne enimie Reason It is better to get a friend then to take away an enimie but to do both at once is best which is by no meanes more easily accomplished then by forgeuyng when thou mayest be reuenged The fittest instrument to take away an enimie is lenitie wherin if credite might haue ben geuen to the auncient and wise Herennius neyther had the late conquerous armie of the Samnites abode the Romane yoke nor the general Pontius with the residue first suffered the yoke and afterwarde alone the axe Ioy. I am much prouoked and mooued to reuenge Reason Resist that prouocation with godly thoughtes and al maner examples that may enclyne thy mynde to lenitie and specially by recomptyng the shortnesse frailtie of this lyfe for it seemeth vnto Seneca with whom I agree the most effectual remedie in his booke of the appeasyng of anger with whom accordeth the Doctour of whom I spake erewhyle For what meant he other where he sayth Remember the last thyngs and leaue of enmitie Doubtles this for there is nothyng that noorysheth enmitie more then forgetfulnesse of a mans state and condition For this man whose death thou so much thirstest be assured that without doubt he shal dye and that quickly perhaps to day and peraduenture although thou thynke it not thou mayest dye before hym Stay awhyle and moderate thy self that shal come to passe which thou desirest and that which thou fearest Howbeit the death which thou preparest for thine enimie is in making redy for him not by thy procurement What auayleth it to hasten the course of the swyft destinie and to embrue thy handes that shal dye with the blood of hym that shall dye It is not only a wicked part but also a needelesse matter agreeyng to thyne vngodlynesse to hasten the tyme that commeth apace which yf thou wouldest neuer so fayne thou canst by no meanes prolōg or defer how much more were it for thy quietnes honesty that he whole sound thou drie and innocent then that both of you blooddy thou shouldest depart hence hurtful and wicked Ioy. I am muche prouoked to reuenge Reason Beware thou yeelde not but set agaynst this prouocation the remembraunce of suche men as haue been not only mercyfull vnto theyr enimies but also fauourable and beneficiall and on the contrary side laye them before thine eyes who hauyng hewed theyr enimies in peeces and yet proceedyng to farther outrage haue wreaked theyr crueltie vpon senselesse carkases Then choose with thy self whom thou haddest rather be lyke and confer not only theyr deedes but theyr woordes also For there resteth no smal part of crueltie in the woordes Cruel is the foote more cruel the hand but of al most cruel is the tongue Many tymes that crueltie of the minde which the hand could not match the tongue hath surpassed As of crueltie so of mercyfulnesse the tongue is the best wytnesse Therfore let that saying of Hadriane of whom I made mention not long since and also of Tiberius sound in thine eare of whom it is written that when he heard that one that was accused called Carmilius had preuented his owne death he cried out aloud saying Carmilius hath escaped my handes O cruel voyce and if it may be so tearmed more cruell then the aucthour of the voyce What ordinarie punishment did he looke for at his handes whom he escaped being in prison by procuring his owne death with his owne handes Beholde therfore two persons of one calling but of dyuers myndes who vsed the selfe same worde but in sundry significations The one said vnto his enimie that was present Thou hast escaped my handes the other of his enimie that was absent Thou hast escaped my handes The one pardoned his enimies lyfe the other enuyed his enimies death Choose whiche of these twayne thou wyll haue reported of thee eyther the mercyfull saying of that good Prynce or the blooddy voyce of that cruel butcher And I am not ignorant that it is an easyer matter to commaunde these thynges to be doone then to do them and I know also what may be obiected against them to wyt That it is an harder matter to be mylde in the iniuries that are offered to hym selfe then to another hard it is I confesse but good And thou thy selfe canst not deny but that euery vertue consisteth in that which is good difficult vnto them that loue vertue al
a strange wayfaring man a woonderfull runner which in this stonye and difficult path art happy being tossed among so manie thousand dangers not knowing wherin thou art heere happy which as I suppose neuer any man was nor neuer shal be for who was euer happy in miserie Therfore there is none happy before he passe out of this vale of miserie Among al the men in the world there are twayne counted happy of whiche the most especiall is Quintus Metellus both by writers and common report reputed happy Neuerthelesse although the name of happynesse be very large and amply taken I knowe it is taken from hym by certayne precise wryters by reason of most grieuous iniuries whiche he susteyned and to encrease the griefe at the handes of a vyle person Nowe the false felicitie of other is euydent Scilla was only called happie notwithstandyng the haynousnesse of his lyfe death do prooue that he was vnfortunate Although Alexander of Macedonie and Iulius Caesar had most prosperous fortune yet theyr lyues were euer vnquiet and troublesome and therefore were not happy for they both had violent deathes the one in middle course of his warres the other after his conquest sodaynly the one perished by poyson the other by weapon The Martiall felicitie of the Scipioes in the one is by his vnwoorthy exile in the other by his shameful and vnreuenged death diminished It were ouerlong to recount euery ones fortune and therefore I come to the last Only Augustus the Emperour seemed almost vnto al men to be happy both for the excellency of his Monarchie continuance of peace length of his lyfe and pleasant ende thereof and which exceedeth all perpetual tranquilitie of minde and manners who wyl deny that he was most happy But they that haue applyed themselues to searche after the trueth wyll not graunt that he was happy For the inwarde state of his domesticall lyfe hyndred his outward glory and the change of his fortune much altered his want of natural and Male issue the vntymely death of his Adoptyues and Nephues and the vntowardnesse of some of them more woorse then death Moreouer the treason and secrete practises of certayne most vyle persons and often conspiracies of his owne kynsfolke agaynst hym the common whoredomes of his most dearely beloued and only daughter Neece finally an heyre that was none of his owne and a successour that he lyked not of whom he chose rather of necessitie then of iudgement beyng vnworthy of such an Emperour and Empire If then none of these were happy eyther shew me some other happy man with whom thou mayest be happy or els be thou happy alone or els at length encline thine eare to the truer opinion accordyng to the purport wherof I say agayne that there is no man happy before his death Ioy. I am happy in minde Reason I know what felicitie thou meanest eyther therefore thou art happy in thyne owne errour as one sayth which happinesse as I haue sayde is misery or els by the vertue of thy mynde which is no perfect felicitie although it be the way vnto it Last of all when I examine euery thyng with my selfe I cannot deny but that I am enforced to woonder what maner of felicitie it shoulde be whiche some doo dreame of and promyse vnto others being in many other matters very sharpe and wyse but in this most blynde For whether that there be required vnto felicitie an heape of all honoures and those neuer to fayle but to continue permanent and howe many thynges are wantyng to a man that foloweth this trade of lyfe euery one can iudge in hym selfe knowyng those things which he hath how vncertayne and transitorie they be or whether as other suppose the same be accomplyshed in vertue truely they that gouerne them selues accordyng to vertue whom these men account happy and whom I also confesse to come neerest to felicitie endure continually most cruel conflictes of temptations within them selues lying alwaies open vnto many and grieuous perils are neuer in securitie before theyr death which whether they know or know not they are alyke to be reputed wretched For there is no felicitie with errour and none without securitie Ioy. I seeme vnto my selfe to be happy Reason Thou haft alredy an answere for yf errour coulde make a man happy most men shoulde be happy therfore thy felicitie is false and very short It neuer happened vnto any to reioyce long in an errour trueth only is sounde and substancial As for errour it is a slender and vayne thyng whiche betweene the handes of them that embrace it fadeth away as a smoke or shadowe But a time wyl come which shal dryue away shadowes and discouer false ioyes and bryng them to lyght and make humane felicitie to be discerned from dreames And therfore make enquiry of al these men of whom I last made mention which of them seemed happy to them selues or to other and lykewyse where they be now and in what state they remaine what also they thinke of that their short felicitie though them selues holde theyr peace the trueth wyll speake and beare witnesse that they that were accounted happy were in deede most wretched Of good Hope The Cix Dialogue Hope HOwe soeuer the worlde goeth no man shal take hope fromme Reason In deede no man is able to take it from thee but she wyll take away her selfe by litle and litle and wasteth away beyng often deluded with vnlooked for euentes Hope I hope for many thinges Reason Thou must needes also stande in feare of many thinges for hope dwelleth no where without feare Hope I hope for some good Reason Then thou fearest some euil for as hope is opposite to feare so dooth it spring out of a contrary fountayne and it must needes be that looke what thou beginnest to hope for the contrary thou must as necessarily feare Hope I hope for prosperous thinges Reason But yet vncertaine in hope wherof to neglect the things that thou art assured of is assured madnesse for he that hopeth for that which he hath not forgetteth that which he hath Hope I am not forbidden to hope for the better Reason What if thou hope for difficult impossible matters that wil neuer come to passe What if those things which thou hopest for are bad yea very euil thou imaginest them to be better then they are Hope I delight to liue in hope Reason Say more truely to die in hope for whyle men thinke vpon future things the present passe away they that loke a far of see not what is vnder their eyes they that hope to liue to morow liue not to day for that is not yet come whose beginning is hoped for So then forasmuch as al hope is the loking for a good thing that is absent it followeth that he that hopeth in that respect that he hopeth suffreth some euyl Hope It is a sweete thing to hope Reason Truely I heare many say so but I can
onelie by nature Which thing although it be written in the workes of learned and famous authours yet should it be counted in the number of things incredible if so bee perhaps it were written of the Indian or Scythian Ocean had not rather happened that in our seas this wonder had bin knowen to the Romane Emperours The cause of the stay was founde by this meanes in that when an whole fleete of shippes was setting forth one of them stoode stil as if she had lien at anker not stirring a whit out of her place Then some that were expert being lette downe into the sea easilie perceiued the trueth and there was founde cleauing fast to the bottome of the rudder a litle fishe like a snaile whiche was brought away and presented to the prince who disdained that so little a creature should be of so great power but speciallie wondred at this one thing that when it was receiued into the shippe it had no longer power to worke that effect which it did when it cleaued to the outside But as touching that other kinde of straunge thing truelie I had rather keepe silence than absolutely to auerre it the fame whereof I knowe not howe true it is but surelie it is newe and for that cause the more to bee doubted of The thing is this That about the Indian sea there is a certeine birde of an incredible bignesse whom our countriemen call a Roche which is able and accustomed to take vp not onelie a man but also an whole shippe in her beake and to flie away with it into the cloudes and so procureth a terrible death to the wretched people hanging in the aire See therefore howe great the force of couetousnesse is which not being able to deter the followers thereof from sayling neither by manie other perilles neither by this most cruell daunger maketh them a pray that are so greedie of pray And nowe also to bring some inuisible things to my purpose in what commixtion of contraries consisteth wished temperature among whiche there is a conioyning of repugnant cōtraries for the bringing foorth of the middle vertue By meanes of whiche differences and by what disagreement of voyces doe men atteine vnto true Musical concord Finallie examine whatsoeuer there is runne through in thy minde al the heauen the earth the sea there is like contention in the toppe of the skie and the bottom of the sea and there is strife in the deepe riftes of the earth aswell as in the woddes fieldes and aswell is there perpetuall disagreement in the desertes of sandes as in the streetes of cities And now lest through varietie of matter I wander from my purpose I say nothing that at the verie beginning of the world there was a battel fought in the highest of heauen betweene the ethereal spirites and some are of opinion also that they fight yet at this day in this region of the darke and mistie aire I say nothing howe that in the same heauenly conflict the angels that were vanquished beeing nowe become inferiour to their conquerours whilest they endeuour to be reuenged vpon vs mortall men that inhabite the earth they haue procured vnto vs an immortall warre of sundrie temptations with an hard and doubtfull businesse And that I may gather together into one summe al things whatsoeuer hauing sense or without sense from the vppermost toppe of heauen as I haue said vnto the lowermost centre of the earth and from the chiefest angell to the basest and least worme I omitte to speake howe there is continuall and euerlasting strife betweene them Man him selfe the lord gouernour of all liuing creatures who onely by the rule of reason seemeth able to guide in tranquillitie this course of life and this swelling and troublesome sea with what continuall strife is he tossed not onelie with other thinges but also with him selfe wherof I will speake anon But now I will intreat of the first for there is no mischiefe that one man worketh not against another to admit that all other harmes by what meanes soeuer they happen whether by nature or fortune yet being cōpared with these do seeme but light discommodities Which if I would discipher at large which I would not willingly do and it is far from my purpose both al the whole sceane of humane actions were to be opened al the historie of life to be perused But it shal be sufficient for me to say thus much for if there had ben neuer any other warres in all the world but the warres of the Romanes there had bin warres strife ynough Adde moreouer the disagrement of opinions the indissoluble knottes and intrications of matters who is able to reckon vp the varietie of sectes or contention of Philosophers The warres of kings nations are at rest but the Philosophers are not at agreement and they cōtend about a matter that when it beginneth to be the ones it surceasseth to be the others These men contend for the trueth which euery one of them cannot haue on his side this strife neither could the maiestie of the purchased veritie neither Carneades the Academike a carefull seeker after the Philosophicall quietnesse though in vaine euer be able to appease Insomuch that Anneus Seneca seemeth vnto me not vnfitly to haue writen where he cōpareth the clocks dials with Philosophers for the like discord that is found among thē Which howe true it is whosoeuer applieth his mind to Philosophers his eares to the clocks may wel perceiue neither is the doctrine of other Artisants in more tranquillitie what cōtentions are there amōg Grāmarians not yet decided what cōflicts among Rhetoricians what alterations among Logicians Finally what discord in all artes what clamour among Lawiers who how wel they agree the cōtinuāce of their causes doth shew Of the agrement of Physitians let their patients be iudge For that life which they haue pronounced to bee short by their contentions they haue made most short Moreouer what deformitie and what disagreement of opinions is there in the holie rites of the Church and Religion not so much in the woordes of the learned as in the weapons of the armed and more often tried in the fielde than discussed in the scooles Thus being but one trueth in all matters vnto which as saith Aristotle al things are agreeable yet the opinion of them is verie dissonant cōtrarie that it troubleth the professours of the truth What shall I say of the cōmon life and affaires of men That there are scarce two in a citie that do agree both manie things else but especiallie the great diuersitie of their houses apparell doeth declare For whosoeuer succeeded anie man in an house were hee neuer so riche and good an husband that hath not neuerthelesse chaunged manie things in it so that looke what one man had a desire to builde another hath a pleasure to plucke downe witnesse hereof may be the often changing of windowes damming vp of doores and
drynke and haue the the more aman hath and drynketh and the causes of al dangers it plucketh vp by the rootes Your ryches are ful of deceitfulnesse and feare they feare cuppes aswell as swoordes and dishes no lesse then dartes there is neyther your table nor your house nor your chamber nor your bed voyd of danger Al thynges about you are vncertayne and suspitious and threaten vnto men present death as Virgil speaketh in a tempest and may be verified of you in a calme and al this is long of your sweete ryches whiche ye loue so entirely As for pouertie sauing that it is slaundrously reported of by the common people and for the very name odious vnto them al thynges are safe in it and yf euer the vayne glorious desire to be magnified by the multitude shoulde fayle altogeather pleasant sweete quiet and be wyshed But learne at length you earthly creatures to eate and drynke in glassen and earthen vessels yf ye wyl eate and drynke in safetie for poyson is mingled in cuppes of gold and precious stone O couetousnesse how farre wylt thou proceede Yea poyson is in loue with gold and precious stones agaynst whiche most wretched plague neyther the electuarie of Mithridates kyng of Pontus nor of any other be he neuer so cunnyng is more effectual then is pouertie Sorowe I haue drunken poyson death swymmeth nowe in my entrailes Reason When thou hast once perswaded thy selfe that thou must dye whiche al men must needes determine that remember them selues to be mortal what skylleth it whether thou dye by thirsting or drynkyng or whether imbrued with thine owne blood or with wyne In this kynde of death thou shalt haue great personages that haue been drynkyng fellowes with thee of this confection to wyt Alexander Hannibal Philippomenes Mithridates Claudius hym selfe Theramenes and Socrates Of the feare of death The .cxvii. Dialogue FEARE I Feare to dye Reason Herein thou oughtest not to feare but to muse which musing of thyne yf it began nowe first in thee then hath it not growen vp with thee from thine infancie But if it come vpon thee but by fittes and is not continuall then hast thou lyued vnwysely For this most excellent and profitable aduice of the Poet Horace ought most firmely to be engraffed within the very marrowe of thy bones Betweene hope and care and betweene feare anger thynke euery day to be the last that thou shalt lyue that thou mayst be such an one as he speaketh of in an other place He shal leade his lyfe merily and vnder his owne gouernement who is able to say euery day I haue lyued Let to morowe be fayre or foule whyle I am busie I do not care And this forsooth is that whiche the Philosophers do so muche commend to lyue the forepassed lyfe whereof I haue spoken in an other place Feare I feare to dye Reason Thou shouldest haue feared also to be borne to lyue The entrance into lyfe is the begynning of death and lyfe it selfe is the passedge to death or rather more truely a very death in deede By lyuing eyther thou wentest towardes death or rather accordyng to the iudgement of the wyse thou beganst euery houre to dye Why shouldest thou then be afeard of death yf death haue eyther dayly accompanied thy lyfe or of necessitie do folowe it The first of these the learned only do vnderstand the other the common people do perceyue for what soeuer was borne dyeth and what soeuer dyeth was borne Feare I am afearde to dye Reason Fearest thou to dye that art a reasonable mortal creature as the Philosophers do diffine thee But yf thou were veryly the first I suppose thou wouldest not feare the second for that these two natures beyng ioyned in one do fully accomplysh the substance of man to wyt reason and death The one concerneth the soule the other the body but want of reason hath brought in the feare of death Feare I feare death Reason Nothyng ought to be feared which the necessitie of nature importeth Who so hateth or feareth the thinges that are naturall must needes hate or feare nature it selfe Vnlesse perhaps it be lawful to commend and embrace the one part thereof and to condemne and despise the other then whiche there is nothyng more insolent not only in men towardes GOD but also in one man towardes another And therefore eyther thou wholy receyuest or reiectest thy freende least yf thou reape that only whiche is sweete thou seeme to be a partial iudge and louer of friendshyp Feare I abhorre death Reason If there be any euyl in death the same is encreased by the feare of death But yf there be no euyl in death the feare thereof is a great euyl and it is a great follie for a man to procure or encrease his owne harme Feare I detest the very name of death Reason The infirmitie of mankynde hath made the name of death infamous But yf men had any courage of minde they would no more feare death then they woulde al other thynges that come by course of nature And why shouldest thou more feare to die then to be borne to growe vp to hunger to thirst to wake to sleepe Wherof this last is so lyke death that some haue termed it the cousin and some the image of death And that thou mayest not cal this manner of speeche eyther a poetical colour and a Philosophical quirke Iesus Chryst the truth it selfe called the death of his freend a sleepe and art thou afeard to do that once wherin thou takest pleasure euerie day This inconstancie do the learned woonder at and also reprooue Feare These thinges are common and vsuall among the Philosophers and bring delite while they are heard but when they leaue soundyng feare returneth Reason Nay rather it remayneth for if it were once gonne it would not returne agayne and moreouer there is a certayne feare of death naturally ingraffed within the hartes of the common multitude But it is a shame for a learned man to haue the feelyng but of the vulgare sort whom it becommeth as I sayd erewhyle not to folowe the steppes of the greater part but of a fewe And concernyng that whiche thou speakest of Philosophers I muche merueyle that since you learne the preceptes of saylyng of saylers and of husbandrie of husbandmen and also of warfare of warriours ye refuse to take aduice how to direct your lyfe of the Philosophers And seeing you aske counsel of Phisitious for the cure of your bodyes why do you not resort also to Philosophers for the saluing of your mindes who if they be true Philosophers in deede they are both Phisitions of your mindes and the instructours of this lyfe But yf they be counterfeites and puffed vp onely with the bare name of Philosophie they are not only not to be sought vnto for counsel but to be auayded then whom there is nothing more importunate nothing more absurde of whom this age is muche more ful then I coulde
determined to doo violence vnto my selfe Reason At one tyme to feare a thyng and at another to wyshe for it this is al the constancie that you haue Erwhyle womanishly thou fearedst death and now vnmanly thou seekest the same tel me I pray thee what sudden chaunce hath chainged thy mind Feare I am enforced to do violence vnto my selfe Reason If thou be enforced then is it not voluntarie violence although it be sayd that a constrained wyll is a wyll yet truely it is no free wyl neither that wyl which properly taketh the name à volendo of willing But I would fayne know by whom thou art enforced Whoso is vnwilling may haue violent handes layde vpon hym but thou canst doo thy selfe no violence vnlesse thou were willing thereunto Feare There are great causes that enforce me to be willing to die Reason They be great in deede I coufesse yf they enforce thee but they coulde not enforce thee yf thou were a man But there is nothyng so weake that it can not ouerthrowe the delicacie of your mindes and hearken now whether I can not directly gheasse these causes anger disdaine impatiencie a certayne kynde of furie agaynst a mans owne selfe and the forgetfulnesse of his owne estate For yf thou dyddest remember that thou were a man thou wouldest also knowe that thou oughtest to take all worldly chaunces in good part and not for the hatred of one small euyll or rather no euyll at all to be willyng to fal into the greatest euyll of all Feare By reason of extreame miserie I am constrayned to lay violent handes vpon my selfe Reason It is not extreame miserie neither are they the greatest euylles that oppresse thee but this is the most extreame of al other which now enrageth thee to wit desperation agaynst which onely when as all other euylles haue their peculiar remedies there is no medicine that can preuayle And which be these that thou callest exâ—reame euylles but onely labour perhaps and trouble and pouerâ—ie For these are they whereof the Poet Virgil intreateth saying These without cause procured their owne death and hating this lyght powred out their owne soules Of whose too late repentance he addeth immediatly Howe glad woulde they now be returnyng into this worlde agayne to abyde pouertie and suffer all troubles and aduersitie Are these so great euyls whereof the fyrst all good and vertuous men endured with a valiant and indifferent minde and some more ouer dyd wyllingly choose it and thereby became glorious and riche in the euerlastyng riches That the worlde is meete for men we reade in Salust and that man was made for that intent we finde it written in the holy and afflicted good old man But you beyng of al creatures the most vnquiet yf thinges fal not out according to your couetous desyre or letcherous lust ye thynke that ye haue iust cause to kyll your selues So delicate and hastie headlong is your lasciuiousnesse that vpon the least cause that may be ye are not onely angrie with Fortune but also with your selues farther â—icking against GOD hymselfe ye scoure your blasphemousâ—â—â—ithes agaynst him as though euery thing wherein your Lord and God fulfylleth not your minde were an haynous iniurie agaynst you Feare I am so oppressed with great euylles that to choose A woulde dye Reason For the loathsomnesse of thy lyfe perhaps which is a familiar fault among all fooles For vnto the wyse euery kynde of lyfe is pleasant the happie lyfe they accept willingly the miserable lyfe they indure patiently and although in the thinges themselues they take final comforâ— yet are they delyghted in the exercise of patience for there is nothing more acceptable nor more sâ—â—eâ—e then veritie The same is that which asswageth greefes amendeth what is anusse moâ—â—fieth that whiche is harde mitâ—igateth thâ—ir whiche is sharpe siâ—â—otheth that whiche is rough and lâ—uellech that whiche is vneâ—â—en In consyderation hereof complainte or 〈◊〉 and hastie headlongnesse hath an ende and to be breefe there is nothing more glorious nor quiet then a wyse mans lyfe As for these teares and greefes of the minde these cloudes and troublesome stormes whiche driue the barke of this lyfe vpon the rockes they spryng from follie onely Feare Impaciencie of sicknes maketh me desirous to dye Reason Thy desyre is fond and proude Let the Lorde alone to dispose of thy bodye accordyng to his owne determination and good pleasure Wylt thou looke to haue more aucthoritie ouer thine owne buyldyng whereof thou hast made neyther Timber nor Stone and wherein there is nothing thine but only the buylding and wylt thou not geue lykewyse sembleable libertie vnto the Lorde and maker of all the worlde who in the same hath not onely created the spirite the fleshe the blood and the bones but also heauen the earth the seas and all thynges that are therein of nothyng Say not within thy selfe My bodye is greeuously tormented with payne For thou hast receyued no dominion euer thy bodye but onely a vse thereof for a certayne short tyme Thynkest thou thy selfe to be Lorde and Maister ouer this thyne house of Clay Verily thou art but a stranger he that made all is Lorde of all Sorowe With exceeding payne I am constrayned to be desyrous to die Reason Perhaps this payne is layde vpon thee for thine experience whiche yf it be troublesome and greeuous vnto thee then may it be profitable but yf intollerable then can it not long continue Attende the commaimdement of the Lorde that detayneth thee and answeare when thou art called and not before Thy daye is appoynted whiche possibly thou canst not preuent nor yet prolong Howheit many haue preuented it in deede and goyng about to auoyde a smal short greefe haue cast them selues headlong intoirreuocable euerlasting tormentes This opinion hath had great defenders Fyrst Anneus Seneca who so constantly and often falleth into the mentionyng thereof insomuche that it seemeth vnto me that he feared least it shoulde not appeare to be his â—â—bâ—e and maketh me sometyme to wonder bowe so cruell aâ— opinion coulde enter into the hart of so woorthie a man And to â—et that passe whiche it were too long to recite in a certayne Epistle vnto Lucilius If sayth he the bodye be vnfytte for the ordinarie and conuenient actions â–ª why shoulde not a man set the greened soule at libertie And immedialy after a fewe woordes betweene I wyl leape quoth he out of this rotten and ruinous buyldyng But O Seneca thou sayest not wel and with one euyl saying hast disgraced a great many good sayinges For thou oughtest to abyde and not to depart let thy buyldyng fal downe that thou be driuen out of doores before thou depart Sorowe I cannot suffer the thynges that are lyke to happen vnto me I had rather dye Reason Perhaps for some death whiche shal be inflicted vpon thee by an enimie whiche beyng valiantly vndertaken can not be shameful but voluntarily procured by thine owne hand cannot
and enuied at hym that he should graunt lyfe vnto hymselfe And to conclude he findeth that only enuie was the cause of his death whiche Caesar hym selfe did not dissemble as we sayde erewhyle For what coulde he other feare or why could he not abyde hym to be his prince by whom not long before he was banyshed the senate and committed to pryson So that he that slue not hym selfe in so great and present an iniurie why shoulde he nowe slaye hym selfe for a vayne feare or false opinion of pryde or crueltie What terror was there expressed in Caesars face that he shoulde seeke to auoyde the same by death who not only of all men but of al Tirantes and Prynces was the most gently and mercifull For although Cato had neuer seene any more myghtie yet truely in that age had he seene many more cruel but truely neuer sawe he any more merciful And therefore ryghtly sayeth another excellent wryter famous both for credite and eloquence It seemeth vnto me sayth he that Cato sought an occasion to dye not so muche to escape Caesars handes as to folowe the decrees of the Stoykes whom he immitated and by some notable deede to leaue his name famous vnto posterytie What harme woulde haue happened vnto him if he had lyued I do not perceyue For suche was the clemencie of Caius Caesar that in the greatest heate of the ciuile warres he would seeme to do nothing els but to deserue wel of the common wealth prouiding alwayes for the safetie of Cicero and Cato Loe behold another cause of his death beside enuie to wit a vayne follie both which were farre vnwoorthy of the person of Cato and yet neyther of them sufficient to preuent a mans owne death Sorowe I had rather dye then lyue thus Reason Howe knowest thou whether this lyfe whiche seemeth greeuous vnto thee be desired of many or enuied of the most But your impatiencye maketh all thynges more greeuous Sorow I desire to dye Reason As from the feareful to force the feare of death so to wreast from the desperate the hatred of lyfe is a hard matter Neuerthelesse this is the effect of our remedie to beare this lyfe with indifferencie and to looke for death valiantly Of Death The .cxix. Dialogue SOROWE I Dye Reason Now thou art come to the last cast nowe canst thou neyther feare death nor wyshe for it of both whiche thou hast alredie wearied me in many discourses next before written Hereafter thou shalt neyther be in sorowe nor in paine neyther be subiect to the defaultes of the body nor minde neyther shalt thou be wearied with the tediousnesse of any thing nor with sickenesse nor with olde age nor with deceites of men nor with the varietie of fortune al whiche yf they be euyl then is the ende of euyl good Not long since thou complaynedst of al these and nowe thou findest fault with the ende of them beware that thou seeme not iniurious for beyng sory for the begynning of a thing and the endyng of the same Sorowe I dye Reason Thou shalt walke the way of thy fathers or rather the broade and worne way of thy predicessors haddest thou rather that there shoulde happen vnto thee some peculiar accident I wote not what Goe forward on thy way thou needest not be a frayde of goyng amisse thou hast so many leaders and companions of thy iourney Sorowe Alas I dye Reason If there be any that hath cause to weepe when he dyeth he ought to be ashamed to haue laughed when he lyued knowyng that he had cause at hand and alwayes hanging ouer his head ful soone to make hym weepe whose laughter doubtlesse was not farre disioyned from weeping Sorowe I dye Reason He is not to be suffred that be waileth the estate of his owne kynde Thou shouldest not dye vnlesse thou were mortal But if thou be sorie because thou art mortal thou hast no cause to complayne when thou surceasest to be that which thou wast agaynst thy wyl Thou shouldest haue lamented at the begynnyng when thou beganst to be that whiche thou wouldest not but now thou oughtest to reioyce for that thou begynnest to be immortal Sorowe I dye Reason Al these that lately stoode about thy bed and moreouer al that euer thou hast seene or heard or read of and as many as euer thou wast able to knowe since thou wast borne as many as euer heretofore haue seene this lyght or shal hereafter be borne in al the worlde and to the worldes ende either haue or shal passe through this iorney Beholde in thy minde as wel as thou canst the long troupes of them that are gone before or of those that shal folowe hereafter and also the number not small of thy companions and coequales in yeeres who dye with thee euen at this presente and then I thinke thou wylt be ashamed to bewayle a common case with thy pryuate complayntes when as among so many thou shalt not finde one whom thou mayest enuie at Sorowe I dye Reason This is to be impassible and to goe about to shake of the yoake both of fortune and death a double great good whiche no prosperitie can geue vnto any lyuing creature Thinke with thy selfe howe many and howe great cares howe many paynefull traueyles there were remayning yet vnto thee yf thou lyuedst I say not an infinite lyfe but the space of a thousand yeeres when as there is alotted vnto thee a lyfe but onely of one dayes space wherein yf thou make an indifferent estimation thou shalt perceyue the toyles and wearisomenesse of this short transitorie and vncertayne lyfe and also thine owne greefes and vexations whiche thou hast susteyned Sorow I dye Reason In suche forte ye bewayle death as though lyfe were some great matter whiche yf it were then were the flyes and emmotes and spyders partakers of the same If lyfe were alwayes a commoditie then were death euermore a discommoditie whiche sometyme is founde to be a great benefite when as it delyuereth the soule from intollerable euyles or dischargeth or els preserueth the soule from sinne that is to come whiche is the greatest euyl of all But as vertue is onely a great thyng among you so yf this lyfe be considered by it selfe as it is it is the stoare house of innumerable miseries for the shuttyng vp whereof whoso is sorowfull the same taketh it not well that euyles doo surcease and hateth quyetnesse and he that coueteth the same it must needes be that he couet the ende of a payneful and troublesome lyfe Then yf there be noneother ende of toyles and euyles why doest thou weepe for it That day is nowe at hande which yf it were prolongued thou wouldest wyshe for it and perhaps suche is the worlde the power of fortune so great and her chaunces so variable that thou hast oftentymes alredie wished for it Sorowe I dye Reason Nay rather thou departest out of an earthly and transitorie house vnto the heauenly and euerlastyng habitation
deferre the tyme which hath deceyued very many who wittingly and willingly put of the clensing of their soules which can not be doone too speedily from day to day and alwayes adiourne it vnto their latter tyme in which beyng suddenly taken short and amazed with the neerenesse of death they leaue all vndoone whatsoeuer they determined Concernyng which matter forasmuche as your writers haue sayde very muche it shall not be impertinent to heare what the Poet Virgil sayeth who is an externall witnesse with what woordes he reprooueth this slouthfulnesse and negligence in repentance which to come foorth of his mouth is woonderfull whereas among the infernal Spirites he bryngeth in hym to be a Iudge whose vpryghtnesse and equitie is verie famous Who as he sayeth Examineth the Ghostes and punisheth them and constrayneth them to confesse their deceiptes and also if there be any such that whyle they lyued vpon the earth reioyced in vaine thefte differred to repent them thereof vntil they dyed which was too late And albeit this be so dangerous as I haue declared notwithstanding there is nothing more perilous then Despaire neither hath the enimie of your saluation founde out any thing more hurtfull to your good estate For al other mischeefes are asswaged by their peculiar remedies but of al eulles this is the greatest and last of all whiche yf it take holde of the soule when it is departyng then is there no place left for recouerie The same therefore alwayes but specially in the ende ought most earnestly be resisted for that then it vseth to vrge most sharpely And nowe there is no tyme left for thee wherein by staggeryng or trifling thou reiect wholesome counsel concernyng thy saluation From this let no feare dryue thee nor the shame and sorowe of differringe withholde thee it is better to awake late at nyght then not at al and what soeuer is ill differed is woorse omitted Sorowe I dye without al hope Reason Thou sayest yll rather plucke vp hope agayne and lay it to thy hart and embrace it coll it and keepe it with the armes of thy soule Sorowe My sinne is exceedyng great Reason Nâ—mans sinne can be so great but Gods mercie is muche greater Sorow Who is able to forgeue so many sinnes Reason Who thinkest thou but he onely at whom his enimies woonderyng contended among themselues and demaunded Who is this that forgeueth sinnes also Sorow Who is able to merite forgeuenesse of so great sinnes Reason None truely can deserue nor neuer deserued neuerthelesse it hath freely been geuen to many and shal be geuen hereafter so that it be craued by fayth and reuerence There were some that went about to perswade Constantinus the Emperour that there was no forgiuenesse of great sinnes But that this doctrine is false it appeareth not onely by your wryters among whom the remission of sinnes by baptisme and repentance is wel knowen but also the lyke report though false was amonge the Pagans towardes the curyng of whose diseases that medicine was then without effect for that the heauenly Phisition was not yet come And therefore vnlesse the soule coulde haue been clensed from sinne and the iniquitie thereof washed away that same most greeuous sinner at the first and afterward most gooly man had prayed ful oft in vayne Sorow The remembrance of my sinne cutteth of my hope Reason The remembrance of sinne ought to bryng sorowe and repentance into the mynde but not take away hope But ye are to muche in extremities on al sides In sinne burnyng after sinne key colde In sinning ye reioyce and in remembryng sinne ye despayre Many euerywhere offend in hope of pardon and on the otherside not fewe when they haue sinned despayre of forgiuenesse and both fortes are deceiued And I woulde geue them counsel for the first sort at the begynnyng to abandon that hurtful hope and for the second to reteine fruitefull assurednesse Sorowe Death dryueth me foorth headlong that am laden with sinnes what shal I do Reason What other then that whiche thou shouldest haue done ere this That is to say with speede laye downe thine vnhappie burden whereof beyng lyghtened thou shalt goe playnely and not runne headlong Thou shalt goe I say not stouping nor stumblyng but with vpryght and steadie steppes and a good hope Goe to then deferre no longer tyme nor distrust not for there is one yf thou do hartily entreathym that wyl take it from thy shoulders and hath taken away heauier then this vnto whom there is nothyng heauie nor difficult And although that long delay do want excuse yet late amendement deserueth commendation for that it is better to amend late then neuer Be of good cheare and plucke vp thy hart a fewe godly and feruent teares haue called many backe euen from hel gates He standeth freendly at thy beddes heade who not onely answeared the infected that he would clense hym but also commaunded hym that had been buried foure dayes to ryse out of his graue And nowe lykewyse he attendeth to see yf thou wylt be cleered and raysed vp agayne beyng as louing and mercyfull at this present as he was then and also as myghtie as euer he was It lyeth yet in thy power in what state thou wylt dye thou mayest yet depart without sinne not that thou haddest none but that henceforward it shal not be imputed vnto thee And although that Plinius the younger holde opinion that ouer sinnes that are past God hath no power at all but onely to make them be forgotten neuerthelesse he hath also the myght to take them a way whiche that most curious man dyd not perceyue And therefore although that whiche is done cannot be vndone agayne neuerthelesse the sinne that sprang by the doyng may be in suche sort taken away that it remayne no longer so that it come to passe accordyng as it is wrytten Sinne shal be sought for and not be founde Not that the power of man is suche that he can lose hymselfe from the bandes of sinne but in that vnto the godly and wel disposed wyl of man and his coutrite heart the present asistance of God is neuer wanting Of one dying that is careful what shalbecome of his inheritance and children The Cxxvii Dialogue FEARE WHat shal I hope of mine inheritance and chyldren Reason Thyne inheritance shal haue owners and thy chyldren their fortune Feare What shal become of my great ryches Reason Thynke not that thine heire wyl thynke them to great There were neuer any ryches so great but they seemed to lytle in some respect But concernyng these let her looke vnto them who tumbleth and tosseth your goodes whiche ye esteeme so deerly hyther and thyther most vncertaynely Feare What wyl my chyldren doo Reason When their earthly father hath forsaken them the heauenly father wil receyue then into his protection who wyl not leaue them as thou doest nor make them Orphanes and fatherlesse chyldren But he wyl nouryshe and instruct them from their youth so that they