to master them selues and so suppresse and moderate their affections and passions that by their good liues they may induce those that be subiect to them to vertue and godlinesse Chapter 4. Fol. 41. How that if the Prince desire to haue his Common welth to be well gouerned it is most meetest and necessarie that he him selfe obeye and obserue the lawes that by his good examples he may teache the vulgare and common people to do the like and liue in feare and obedience towardes him Chapter 5. Folio 48. Howe that a Prince for his better perfection in the ordering and directing of his life ought specially aboue all other things to be learned and also to haue continuall conference and Counsell with sage and wise men whiche shal be as the sinnewes and life wherby his Realme shall be sustained and maintained wherin also is made diuers and many discourses of the honour nd reuerence that Princes in the olde time haue borne towards learning and knowledge Chapter 6. Fol. 57. How that Kings and Princes ought chiefly and most principally to haue the state of christian Religion in greate reuerence and estimation and to shewe themselues louers of the same and that they ought also to be very diligent and carefull to punish the blasphemers and cōtemners therof and withal to purge their dominions and realmes of all heretikes and Sectaries for the which there is shewed many examples of erronious sectes together with the false doctrine of Mahomet his life and death and by what means and suttletie he hath suborned and seduced so many people and how many Emperours kings and princes after they had persecuted the faithfull of the Churche of God did not escape the sharp vengeance of his wrath but dyed in the ende of some shamefull and horrible death Chapter 7. Fol. 82. Howe that Princes ought to eschue and put away all furiousnesse and pryde and that they oughte not to truste to muche in their force and mightinesse with a declaration of the humaine miseries and to how many accidentes of misfortune our liues are subiect with also diuers examples howe manye descended of a meane and vnknowen bloud haue ben aduaunced to the estate of Kings Princes and Emperoures and how contrarywise many taking their originall of noble bloud and progenie when they were in the full complement of all prosperitie haue ben through their wicked and abhominable doings by the deuine permission shamefully ouerthrowen and driuen out of their kingdomes and dominions Chapter 8. Folio 106. How that clemencie and gentlenesse are vertues most meete and conuenable for Kings and Princes with many examples alleaged confirming the same Chapter 9. Folio 128. What Iustice is and what profite and commoditie the same bringeth to gouernement and how that without the vse thereof Kingdomes can not be called kingdomes but dennes and receptacles for theeues and robbers Chapter 10. Folio 142. How that crueltie and tyrannie are cheefe enemies to Justice where also is shewed wherin the good Prince differeth from the tyrannous Prince with sundry examples confirming the same gathered as well out of the Greeke as Latine Authors which will bring great pleasure and contentation too the Reader Chapter 11. Folio 147. A Treatise of Peace and Warre and the difference of the one from the other things necessarie to be red by Princes and magistrates that haue the gouernement of Realmes and Common wealthes Chapter 12. Fol. 155. How hurtfull incontinencie is to Princes and how that the same hathe ben the cause of the ruine and destruction of manye realmes and kingdomes with also a Treatise of the dignitie and excellencie of the honourable state of Matrimonie Chapter 13. Fol. 179. The ende of the Table Peter Bouaisteau to the Reader GEntle Reader thou shalte vnderstande that this presente Auctoure whose translatiō I prefer here vnto thee doth not folowe others of the Greekes and Latines that haue entreted of the like matter bicause they alway wryting any instructiōs for their Princes were accustomed to aduertize them how they ought to gouerne themselues in mariage and also to admonishe them that they shoulde flee from the companie of euill and wicked women and to be vigilant and careful to cleanse their dominions of all such infections as the onely things that tended to the vtter decay and ruine of them Neyther doth he make any mention here howe Princes ought to eschue wars and embrace peace a thing so necessarie as without the which Gouernement is altogether imperfect and maymed He hath likewyse omitted to exhorte Princes to bannish out of their Courtes al Flatterers and other such kinde of vermine that do nothing else but fyl their eares with vnnecessarie pleasures and delights whose exercise is onely to watche apte houres and tymes to feede them with toyes and fantasies wherin they do so well play their partes that in the ende they corrupte them although they be very good of nature and well inclined And if thou be curious to knowe the occasyon why the Authour hath suppressed and kept in silence in the discourse of thys Booke things so necessarie for Regimente seing he hath so wel entreated of the rest I can not tell any reson therfore other than as I suppose that he was preuented by death being in purpose if he had liued longer to haue performed those points And the cause that doth leade mee thus to be persuaded is for that there was founde of his doing after his decease one Booke of Geographie and another of Greeke Epigrams that were imperfect and vncorrected which are at this presente in the Kings Librarie to be sene And in place therof I am enboldned trusting vpon the good interpretation thou wilt make of these my labours to ioyne vnto it these three treatises beforenamed of mine owne inuention for the better and more perfect adourning of this worke assuring thee that I haue not so wel trusted in myne owne habilitie nor presumed of my selfe so much but that I haue vsed therin the ayde of certein famous Latin Authors and specially in the Treatise of Peace and Warre as thou mayest perceyue by the reading thereof And as touching the other two I haue perfourmed them rather by myne own labor and trauayle than by any other meanes which neuerthelesse are not to be condemned although as the Comicall Poete sayeth there is nothing presently there spoken that hath not bene sayd long before The fyrste Treatise which is agaynste Parasites and Flatterers thou mayest reade in my Prologue and that of the excellencie of Mariage and the other of Peace and Warre be the last two Chapters of this present Boke Besydes these things before named I haue gathered oute of many good Authoures by the persuasion of a friend of mine the life maners religion and death of that monster Mahomet and shewed by what meanes and subtiltie he did seduce and cary away with him so many people Al which things I praye thee fyrst reade wyth good deliberation before thou do iudge and then I
Persians the Meedes the Grekes nor of the Romanes who were called the Garramants and he béeing very ambitious of suche matters minded to visite them in his iourney and when he arriued in their Prouince he commaunded that the wysest and sagest amongs them should come and speake with him that he might vnderstande the maners customes and order of liuing of those people who séemed vnto him to be men farre estraunged from the fashions and dooings of the common vsage of other men whereof when the Garramants were aduertised without any more deliberation sent vnto hym presently an olde man frée and franke in words and stoute in his countenaunce and one that had neuer ben feared for the presence of any Prince Emperour or Monarche who béeing arriued afore him after that he had made his due reuerence began to beholde him with a Philosophers eye and knowing very well Alexanders humor that he was not come into their countrey for any other intente but to make him selfe Lorde and Prince thereof firing his countenaunce immoueable vppon his face lyke a man that had ben halfe in an extasie sayde to him Tell me I pray thee O thou Alexander what wouldest thou haue what is thy meaning what is thy will and purpose doest not thou sufficiently giue knowledge to the face of the whole world that thou arte possessed with an insatiate greedynesse and an inordinate couetousnesse which for a transitory ambition that vanisheth away as the smoke arte not afearde to pouerishe many to make thy selfe onely riche nor arte not ashamed of the complayntes and lamentations of the poore widows and of an infinite nuÌ„ber of wretched myserable people which thou hast dispossessed of their lands to make thy selfe vniuersall Monarche of the whole earth nor hast thou no regard of the effusion of the bloud of so many poore Innocents but thus with infamy to make thy name euerlasting and immortalize thy selfe for euer yet if thou couldest by thy cruel battels bloudie victories enioy the lyues of them which thou doest kill to increase prolong thyne owne lyfe as thou doest inherite their goods to augment thy renowne although it were wicked yet it were tollerable But to what purpose serueth it thée to take away their liues when thou thy selfe lookest euery houre that the Gods shall take thyne Oh Alexander yet if thy desire had any ende and that it were bordered and limitted as the kingdomes bee which thou doest conquere thou wouldest then giue some hope to the people of thy amendemente to come but know thou oh Alexander to what ende this will come vnto the Gods shall giue for a penaunce vnto thée and to all suche ambitious hearts as thine is which are neuer satisfied nor contented that assoone as death is ready to close vp your mouths and when you are at the last poynt of life you shall haue so great an vnquietnesse of conscience for those things which you haue so vniustly heaped gathered togithers that it shall be more gréeuous and harder for you to digest than if ye should suffer a thousand deathes togithers And so this old man hauing ended al his discourse stoode still immoueable for a space before Alexander aspecting some answere of him but Alexander féeling him selfe touched inwardly was tossed with many imaginations at the reasons of that wise sage philosopher and in such sort that this spirits were ouercome and vanquished not able to vtter the effect of his minde to make him any answere by reason whereof béeing confounded and condemned in him selfe for his enterprises he returned from thence immediately without hurting or any wayes annoying the Garramants The Emperour Tiberius a cruell man in all his doings was not moued when it was told him that many did murmure and speake euill of his cruelties and tyrannies but answered to them that perswaded him to bée reuenged vppon those that so murmured agaynst him that he coulde very well occupie him selfe otherwise and saide that mens tongues ought to be frée in a frée Citie Moyses that great law giuer of the Lorde hath lefte vs also maruellous testimonies of pacience modestie who although he was many times tormented vexed with his people yea euen that they were ready to stone him to death yet whatsoeuer assaults these sturdy people did make against him they could neuer driue him from his humilitie nor put him out of pacience but to the contrary he dyd by his continuall prayers which he made to the Lorde appease the malice and furie which they had vniustly conceyued agaynst him The Historiens doo wryte that two olde women dyd addresse them selues to a king and an Emperour the one to king Demetrius the other to the Emperor Adrianus praying theÌ„ instaÌ„tly that they might haue iustice ministred for a certen violence which one had don to them But these Princes being occupied with other affayres did aunswere them that they must for a time deferre the matter for that they could not intende it at that present whereat the women beeing gréeued sayd vnto theÌ„ that then they ought to giue vp their Empires to others for princes muste sayde they be at all times of the day ready to protect defende the afflicted and euer willing to render iustice and righte to eche one and with that charge yée doo receiue your dignities and kingdomes And yet notwithstanding al these words neither of these Princes were moued or angrie and they perceyuing the earnestnesse of these matrons began to smile and presently gaue them audience and did them iustice And Ioseph that great Patriarke beeing so cruelly handled at his brothers hands in stéede of reuenging him selfe he delyuered them from famine which did oppresse them so muche that they knew not where to haue any succour or helpe Denis the Tyraunt king of Siâ—ilia by force who hath borne a gret name of crueltie amongs others and a man hated almoste of all persons vsed neuer the lesse curtesie towards an old woman suche as foloweth As he was vppon a time aduertised that she prayed vnto the Gods dayly for hys long lyfe and health where to the contrary he knew that all the rest of the people wished his death and ouerthrow as the very pestilence of their common wealth did commaunde hir to be called before him and he dyd earnestly require hir to tell him for what cause she prayed so often to the Gods for his lyfe seeing that he knew very well that all the rest of the people desired his death This olde woman who knew not how to counterfeyte did discouer vnto him hir meaning therein and sayde My soueraigne Lorde when I was a yong woman this Prouince was gouerned with a cruell Tyraunt whose life was so noysome to me that I did continually wishe his death and to the ende my desire might take place I prayed hartely to the Gods in the Temple that they would deliuer the people from the bondage of that Tyraunt and that they would sende
of God were knowen by peace theÌ„ truly by the coÌ„trary things we may iudge who be the children of the Diuell And further his zeale was so much towards peace that he thoght it not sufficient only that he preached published pronounced peace in all the time of his beeing heere before his passion but being neare the anguish of death willing to recommende the same to his Apostles after his death as a thing that he moste chiefly delighted in did admonish them to loue one an other as he had loued them After he ioyned to it I giue you my peace I leaue you my peace Herken therfore O ye couetous men he left them not Castles townes fortresses nor other such vanities but onely peace What did he after the celebration of his holy Supper feeling then the most furious assaults of death did he not pray his father to kepe his disciples in his name that they might be one with him Beholde lo the testimonie of amitie and loue of Iesus Christ which did not onely pray his father they should bee in amitie and loue togithers but that they shoulde be also knit to him to shew vnto vs thereby the way of the euerlasting vnion and peace to come And yet not satisfied wyth this but he shewed him selfe to his Disciples after his tryumphant resurrection saluting them with the gracious salutation of peace when he sayd manifesting himself peace be amongs you And our Lorde nameth him selfe father of vs all he calleth vs his children he willeth vs to call one an other brethren Seeing then we haue the place of fraternitie togithers wherfore do wée so muche search the death one of vs of an other he nameth him selfe also the Shepheard and calleth vs his sheepe and who did euer see shéepe fight one with an other what shal rauening wolues do theÌ„ when that the shéepe shal pull in péeces and dismember one an other what ment he by this saying when he called him selfe the stocke of the vyne and named vs the stalkes and braunches of the same but onely to shew vs a very example of loue and concorde If therefore in one vyne the braunches shall combate one agaynst an other what monster shall that bée in the order of Nature and yet yée sée it dayly practised amongs men who bée so hungry of the bloud the one of the other that they seeme as though they would draw it out eueÌ„ to the last drop What ment S. Paule when he sayde that the Churche is none other thing but a body framed and composed of many members to cleaue to one head Iesus Chryst And who did euer sée one eye fight agaynst another one hande agaynst an other one foote agaynst an other for in all the frame of mans body although the parts thereof bée vnlike one to an other yet we sée in it a very harmonie concorde and peace And it is a thyng farre from all reason that the members should haue contention or stryfe togithers that are so ready to helpe and defende the one other by certayne mutual actions and that so diligently that if the eye be in any danger of hurt the liddes are ready to shet and close them incontinently to stande them in stéede as a helpe or defence And if the head bée in daunger of hurting the hande presenteth it selfe incontinently to serue as a buckler and a defender And further if the law of Iesus Christ doth commaund vs that we shal do good to theÌ„ that haue deserued euil towards vs and that wee shoulde pray for them that persecute vs what shall become of them that for a light offence or for a money matter do stir vp so many controuersies and variances Our Lord Iesus Chryst doth teach vs to liue as the birdes and foules of the ayre not to care for to morow and al to the intent he would driue vs from the vayne trust and confidence of this incertayne riches pul out of our harts the inordinate affection and desire thereof which is commonly the cause for the moste parte of all warres that is enterprised and for this cause Chryst sayth they that lament sorow and be put out of their possessions and suffer persecution for my sake be happy and blessed for theirs is the kingdome of heauen And I pray you good Christians what great testimonie of loue is it when he exhorteth vs that we should lay down our oblation that we bring to the temple call to our remembraunce if we haue any hatred or malice agaynst our neighbours to séeke first to be reconciled to them before wée offer it vp What token of loue is it when he would gather vs togythers to him as the Hen dothe hir chickens vnder hir wings Those men that bée so thirstie of the bloud of their neighbours bée not they the very Kytes that murther the chickens of Iesus Christ And note well with what sharpenesse he reproueth S. Peter when he woulde haue vniustly defended him béeing in hazarde of deathe But vngratefull wretches that wée are howe dare wée communicate the holy Supper of the Lorde togythers whych is a true Bankette of amytie and loue hauyng yet our handes embrued wyth the bloud of our neyghbours and how dare wee destroy them for whose healthe and conseruation the Lorde dyd suffer deathe howe dare wée bée so lyberall of their lyues and bloud seeyng that Iesus Chryste hathe shedde hys owne bloud to saue and redeeme them Oh abhominable thyng before God Oh stony hartes that yée haue not at the least so muche compassion of your christian brethren as the moste cruell and fierce beastes haue one of an other who as we haue said before do not exercise their rage and crueltie one agaynst an others if by chaunce they do they vse none other armour theÌ„ that nature hath giuen theÌ„ And they haue also a modestie in their fightings for after one of them is hurte they departe the one from the other but amongs men they neuer cease commonly in their combats till the soule be departed from the body And also if brute beasts do fight they fight but one agaynst one so that you shall neuer see ten bulles assayle other ten or twenâ—ie lions fight with other twentie lions as we see commonly fiftie thousand men ouerthrow other fiftie thousande in the fielde and that more is which is a thing greatly to our reprofes if brute beasts do combat or fight it is not for light causes and trifles but when hunger and famine dothe enforce them or if that any body goeth about to hurte their yong ones but men oftentimes for a very small cause eyther for a certayne vayne title or vpon the lustinesse or couragiousnesse of their harts will put them selues into the fielde and that done they are not ashamed in their prayers to call the Lorde their father euen when they goe to the slaughter of their brethren They desire his name may bee sanctified but what can more
astray wrapped and folded in al kinde of euil wickednesse answered to those shamelesse flatterers and sayd I do not mainteine these lerned men about me that ye tell me off for any loue I beare to them or for any accompt that I make of their knowledge and wisdome but I do it sayd he for that I would be praised and cōmended rather of them than any others So you may sée vnderstand hereby that although he neither loued vertue nor iustice yet alwayes he would eschue slander reproch aswel in his life time as after his death For the like cause Lacydes Syreneus was cōmaunded of King Attalus by his letters and also by his messangers to repaire to hys Court and promysed him great promotions with much fauour and good will in al his requests whervnto he would not consent but answered him that Philosophers were as pictures or images which did shew better far off than at hande Craterus the Emperor also did oftentimes intreate Diogenes to remaine with him to bée an aide and helper vnto him to gouerne his Empire in good order to whome he answered he loued better to bée fed with salte at Athens than to be with him in all pleasure delicatenesse fearing least hée would do with him as Nero did with his who put to death al his friendes bycause they should not admonishe him of his wickednesse nor that they shoulde bée witnesses of his myssedemeanours and to auoide this he gaue great gifts and rewardes to Aurelius Cotta ▪ and to Atherius Anthonius and retained them stil with him in al delicatenesse and plesure but that holy and vertuous man Seneca his maister in satisfaction of al his good exhortations and holy documentes which hée from time to time had giuen him hée caused to bée put into a baine of luke warm water and al the vaynes of his body to bée opened that hée might with bléeding die and so hée entreated that poore olde man And it was not without good cause that Darius did so much commend his friend Zopyrus who on a time holding in his hand a Pomegranade desired among other things to haue so many such like friends as Zopyrus was as there were kernelles conteined in the same and of good reason hée sayd it for hée shewed him self so affectioned to him being his Prince and Maister that hée spared not to cut his owne nose and eares and to mangle and disgrace all his face to bring Babylon into his subiection And Xerxes his sonne following therein his fathers good inclination was not in that respect much inferiour to him for in that great huge armie which he led into Grecia hée had with him one Damarathus who franckly and boldely did admonishe and reprooue him always of his disorders Creses vsed the councel of Solon Calisthenes the scholler of Aristotle shewed the way to Alexander Dyon and Plato to Dionise of Syracusa And therefore S. Hierome exhorteth al Princes that when they find a wise and faythful man they should kéepe him as their own hearts For the comfort of this our miserable life sayth hée is to haue one to whom wée may commit our selues to open our mindes and to communicate our affaires in secrete and vpon whome wée may repose and assure our selues in aduersitie and to bée vnto vs as a firme rock in all troubles and a reliefe among so many miseries and calamities with the which this oure carefull life is continually besieged I haue bene the more willing to bring forth these examples bycause there bée some whose eares bée so deintie that they cannot abide that any man though it bée with modestie shall reproue the euilles wherwith they are infected but howe would they then suffer the libertie of the scoffes the bitter tauntes and sharpe dealings euen to the quicke of the aunciente Comedies as well in Gréeke as in Latine that were made for the better destroying and pulling vppe by the rootes the wickednesse that did raigne in those dayes there And the Lorde God did not commaunde the Prophete that hée should onely plant and builde but that hée shoulde first pull vp by the rootes and make all ruine that hée might the better plant and builde afterwardes and that hée shoulde crie out with a loude voice like a Trumpet to the people not to pronounce or set forth their glorie but their iniquities and tel the house of Iacob their offences In like maner the Lorde our Sauiour Iesus Christ sayd vnto his Disciples speake openly that whiche I tell you in secrete and preach vpon the toppes of the houses that I haue sayd in your eares And the Lorde sayde also to Ezechiell that hée had gyuen his seruauntes a foreheade of Brasse and of harde stone that they shoulde no more feare to tell the people their offences than they haue bene ashamed to offende therefore sayde hée go and speake to them and say those things which I cōmaunde thée who I knowe will not regarde thy woordes yet I wil neuerthelesse thou shalt speak to them And to such manner of men as will not bée rebuked of their wickednesse openly there is no medicine more méete for their dyseases than the continuall reading of Bookes which do the office of Iudges and refourmers and giue them knoweledge of their offences And further if wée mark wel there are many other things that do sufficientely reproue and correcte vs of our offences for all our workes and actions serue as wytnesses of the same in our own consciences for there is no man so fond or so farre out of his common sense but alwayes knoweth whether hée doe well or euill For as Chrysostome sayeth wisely that when a man hath committed any notable crime it is most certayne that hée tasteth his condemnation in hys owne conscience and immediately after the offence done hée hath his conscience for an accuser for witnesse for iudge and for an executer which doth strike such remorse into his heart and bite him so rigorously that shee surmounteth the presence of a thousande witnesses shée toucheth him so néere shée vexeth and tormenteth him so cruelly that if all the Aungels in heauen and all the men in the worlde shoulde persuade hym of any thing hée doth wickedly to bée good iust yet he could not satisfie himselfe nor put from him the iudgement of hys own conscience which is wel proued by that which is written in Deuteronomie that euell men do tremble and quake at the fall of the leafe of a trée and that they are always euen as though their liues hung vpon a thréed Wherfore the Prophet Esay did not wryte without cause howe that euell men bée as the boyling of the seas which can not bee pacified as wée haue many examples therof in sundrie places of the scriptures and specially by Iudas and Caine who féeling such anguish and troubles in their sprites thought that their offences were greater than the mercie of
Orator than an Emperour Themistocles a noble captaine amongest the Greekes was as much commended for his learning and knowledge as for his valiantnesse although he was one of the most renoumed of all the Greekes Epamynondas likewise which was an other of the most excellent captaynes of the sayd Greekes was euer studious and geuen to learning And Methridates who by the space of .xl. yeares warred agaynst the Romans did not at any time abandon learning but had alwayes wyth hym certaine Philosophers and Orators with whom he dyd alwaies communicate his studies Paulus Emilius also conqueror of the king of the Persians was a man much giuen to study and was so zealous towardes the Athenians that hée gaue vnto them Metrodorus for to instruct their Chyldren and he himselfe not contented to spende all his whole life in learning but to the ende he would giue a testimonye to his posteritie how he had spent his lyfe did write manye profitable bookes for the world to come as Quintus Fabius the great Marcus Brutus Traianus Adrianus Marcus Antonius Marcus Aurelius Alcybiades Scipio Affricanus Lucius Brutus and manye other Romaynes and Greekes verye noble in armes and great louers of learning did the like And Haniball likewise a most excellent captaine although hée was of nature fierce sauage and greatly estraunged from al humanitie vnfaithfull and hated of God and man yet hée had alwaies the Greeke and the Latin tong in such estimation that he left vnto vs a booke in the Greeke tong written with hys own hand And Alphonsus king of Castel a most noble and learned Prince was so wel exercised in the science of Astronomy that euen at this day we do taste of the excellencie of his knowledge And surelye all these noble men left these monumentes as examples to their posteritie to follow Therefore I thinke there is no hart so faynt of feable that shall reade the famous déedes actes and prowesse of so manye valiant and noble men but wyll be kyndled and styrred vp with an ardent desire to follow and resemble them and set at nought this caducall lyfe which is but a moment to acquire and get this famous as it were euerlasting life whose actes after their death haue made them more glorious and shining than they were before in their life time Salomon that celestiall Orator declareth very well that all thinges to him was nothing worth in comparison of wisedome knowledge For when he had his choyse of the Lord to demaunde what he would he asked of him wisdome to iudge his people and to discerne the good from the euyll which he obtayned in such aboundance that he passed al the Kinges vpon the earth as well in wisedome as in discretion to iudge and gouerne his Subiectes and in such sort that by the fame and renoume of his wisedome he drew vnto hym those which were in the extreme partes of the world as the Quéene of Saba to visit him to behold his Maiesty to learne instructions and wisdome of him in which thing he hath attayned to the glory of his father Dauid who was so well indued with his celestiall wisedome that he persed and entred into the most highest misteries of heauen But now if we cannot perswade our Princes and Kinges by these so many examples of such a number of Emperours Kinges and Monarches to employ them selues to learnyng and knowledge yet for default and for a supply thereof wee wish they would at the least haue about them men of knowledge wisedome and vertue that may assist them by whose wisedome and counsell they maye the better decide all accidentes for there is nothing more pernicious to a kingdome than when the head and chiefe thereof wyll not permit the councell of the wyse or that hée wyll preferre hys owne head before any others leauing therein the doctrine that the wyse man geueth when he doth admonish vs that we should not trust to much in our own wisedome which is also confirmed by the Prophet Esay when hee sayth Wo be vnto them that are wyse in their own sight thinke them selues to haue vnderstanding as S. Paule also to the Romanes writeth that we must take good héede we thinke not our selues wyse in our own conceites For many Kynges and Princes haue mayntayned their Realmes in great honour and prosperitie by the wysedome and councell of sage and dyscrete persons that gouerned them As Phillip King of Mâ—cedonia had a Lieutenant called Antipater by whose wysedome and councell he obtayned many victories And when vpon a tyme as hee was at hys rest there came one who shewed hym that hys enimyes dyd approche and that hee should take héede and stande vpon hys defence least he were surprised He aunswered and sayd to hym let me take my rest and repose my selfe I pray thée for I know certaynly that my Lieutenant Antipater watcheth for me Declaring hereby the speciall affiance and great trust that he had in the conduction and great vigilancie of Antipater hauyng often tymes approued hys diligence in more perillous places Thus if the Father was happely ruled by the councell of Antipater hys sonne Alexander was no lesse by hys Ephestion who loued better the vertue and the noblenesse of hys Maister and also hys own reputation than he dyd all hys ryches Alexander vpon a time receiued letters being in Asia from hys Mother whom he had left as Regent in his kingdome wherein she did signifie vnto hym certayne treasons that one had deuised agaynst hym Assoone as he had read them he gaue them to Ephesteon and when he had perused them ouer Alexander tooke of a Ryng from hys finger wherein was his Seale and incontinentlye sealed vp the mouth of Ephesteon declaring thereby that he should kéepe secrete the contentes thereof such affiance had he in his fidelitie And it is a thyng almoste incredible to heare of the good wyll that Alexander bare towardes Ephesteon for when he heard of hys death he loued hym so dearely that all the pompes magnifices and ceremonies that he coulde any wayes inuent and deuise were employed at the Obsequies of his Ephestion for he bestowed al the oyntments swéete odours and baulmes that he coulde by anye meanes procure and caused hym to be couered wyth purple and other curious clothes as if he had bene some Prince or king Hée caused also a Sepulcher to be erected ouer him so curiously wrought wyth all excellencye of architecture decked and enriched with so many Images of gold and other precious thinges that as Plutarque and Theodorus write in the history of Alexander his funerals cost him aboue ten thousand talentes of gold And be not amased if Alexander magnifique in all his doynges bestowed so great charges on him for he did so much esteeme the faithfulnesse of thys his friend that he thought ther was none worthy to supply his place and accompted his friendship more deare to
did neuer desire eyther tenne Aiaxes or ten Diomedes knowing very well how greatly the good councell of Nestor did serue him to purpose and how much profite and commoditie it alwayes brought vnto hym in all his affaires to preuent anye thing present or to come when he did receiue the same and followed it Phillip of Macedonia father to Alexander did so muche bewaile the death of a deare friend of his called Hipparcus that he was almost dead with care And when his friendes did séeke to comfort him and to put him out of his minde alledging that it was time for him to dye considering his many yeares and that death was more necessary for him than lyfe if he had good regard of his old age it is true said he but certainly it is great griefe to me that I haue not recompensed his wholesome councels and the long and paynfull seruices which I haue receiued of him in tymes past wherefore perceiuing very well I cannot now acquite the same thys my vnthankefulnesse shall be a burthen to me and my honour for euer And now hauing brought forth by the testimonye of many prophane histories as well Greekes as Latines how necessarye it is for a Prince that wyll gouerne his people well to haue some wise and sage men about him by whose councell his Realme shall be better ruled and gouerned it nowe resteth to confirme the same by the testimonie of the holy and sacred Scriptures Moyses the great lawe geuer to the Hebrewes when hée complayned to the Lord his God that he could not gouerne such a multitude of people as he had considering the murmures and seditions that they continually raysed agaynst him he was commaunded by the Lord that he should choose out .lx. men which he knew to be most auncient wyse and of the greatest estimation and credite amongest the people and he shoulde leade the same to the gate of the Tabernacle of wytnes to the end they might assist and ayde him And after the Lord said vnto him that he would take of the spirit which he had giuen him and put vpon them that they should beare mutually togethers the charge of the people Lykewyse king Assuerus beyng contemned of the Quéene Vasti his wyfe would not punish her of his own authoritie but he gathered together the wisest and sagest of his Prouince after whose aduise he dyd determine of her fact Romulus the first founder of Rome knowing how difficult a thyng it was to rule the common wealth he ordayned an hundred Senatours of the most wyse and auncient men of Rome to helpe hym in the administration of hys common wealth Let therefore Kynges and Princes take it for a certayne truthe that for the conseruation of theyr mightynesse and the preseruation of their Realmes they must aboue all thynges deliberate and moderate all theyr doynges and enterprises wyth counsell and good aduise not runnyng headlong thereunto wythout all order and reason For there is nothing more enimy to Veritye Iustice and Equitie than ouermuche rashnesse Quintus Curtius in the lyfe of Alexander doth recount that as he vpon a tyme was sorrowing with him selfe that he had rashly passed certayne affayres whereof he dyd repent hym afterwardes he tooke in hand to intreate of Vertue amongest certaine of his seâ—â—untes that he was most affectionated vnto to whom afâ—â—r many exhortations and other documentes he declared that a Kyng ought to premeditate thrée times vpon euery thing that he shall doe before he put it in execution For when the Prince sayd he committeth any offence he must thinke he doth it in a Theatre where all the whole world shall sée hym and marke hym and that more is his offence and fault is almost incorrigible bicause it floweth spreadeth it self amongest al the people The wise man likewise desiring to represse those first and sodayne motions that are in men doth say in his Prouerbes that he which moueth his féete to fast often times stumbleth and doth with his ouermuche haste bring with hym repentance Afterwardes he addeth in his sayde Prouerbes My sonne do nothing without councell and then thou shalt not haue cause afierwardes to repent Beholde lo how by the lessons and instructions before sayde Kinges and Princes may gather that learning and knowledge are thinges very profitable and commodious for the dignitie royall and doth maruellously deck and adorne the same And likewyse they may learne in them not rashly and without aduisement to passe ouer their affaires but alwayes call vnto them wyse and sage councell to decide all their actions and doinges And now for conclusion for as much as we haue entreated of councell it is necessary that we do somewhat exhort them that they do very rare or seldome accept the councell of yong men and specially of such as haue bene delicately brought vp and that do rather followe most willinglye the swinge of their vnbridled wyls thaÌ„ the way of vertue And this is most chiefly recounted vnto vs by Aristotle Prince of the Philosophers who forbiddeth expresselye that they shall be made the chiefe or head of any Prouince or Councell for their counsell is to be suspected But to the contrary that the Prince shall alwayes haue about him suche as be stayed in age and sober in councell and that haue great experience in all thinges conioyned with integritye of lyfe and vertuous maners such as commonlye is founde in olde men which as S. Ierome writeth are féeble in all the powers of their bodyes but increased in wysedome and councell Which thing is wyselye taught also by Plato in hys Simpose where he sayth that although the corporall eyes begin to be weakened and léese their puissance and strength yet the eyes of the mynde do sée more clearer and be made more subtiller and sharper Aristotle in a certaine place demaunding a reason wherfore olde men bee commonlye more fearefull than young men aunswereth and sayth amongest other thinges that the great experience that they haue of the mischiefes past doth make them to be in such feare But such consideration cannot enter into the myndes of young men beyng lustye and whote in all theyr actions and doynges bicause they haue not yet proued the rigour of Tyme nor force of Fortune Plutarche that worthy Philosopher doth teache vs howe that a Citie is more happely gouerned by the councell of old men than by the force and strength of young men and antiquitie also hath attributed so much to number of yeares that if there ryse question to put any thing in execution of importance alwayes old men by common vsage allowed by Nature are preferred thereunto Titus Linius Prince of the Latine Historians doth write that when the Romaines had determined their punike warres they chose the most auncient of the people to make their Legates and Embassadors into Affrique And it is written in the booke of the Machabees that King Antiochus sent an auncient man
I dyd wishe in my heart my lyfe to haue bene lesse glorious so that my deathe mighte bée more honoured for a wicked deathe causeth greatly the lyfe to bée suspected and the happie ende and deathe dothe commonly excuse the wickednesse of the lyfe Nowe wée haue sufficiently manyfested and proued by many reasons and arguments and by sundrie Prophane Hystories how that Kings and Princes are subiect to all infirmities of nature and other accidents of fortune as heate colde hunger sickenesse sodayne death and suchâ— like chaunces as well as the moste vilest and simplest of any of their Subiects and that also they are all vnder one GOD one Lorde and Creator who will exalte the humble and méeke and bring low the fearce and proude and before whom we shall appeare at the latter day to bee countable for our lyues to receiue equally the rewarde of our offences and deserts It resteth now for vs folowing the accustomed maner to confirme the same by the examples of the holy and sacred Scripture in the which we haue many maruellous testimonies how the Lorde did ouerthrow the arrogancie and presumption of proude and hauty Princes Saule who was by the election of God the firste king of the Israelites for his greate pride was ouerthrowen Ozias was in the beginning of his reigne a good and vertuouse man and walked in the wayes and commaundements of the Lorde but when he was in prosperitie and had al things that he could wish and desire became sodenly so infected with pride and blinded with ambition that he tooke vppon him the office of the Highe Priest but for a recompence of his offence he was caste into a Leprosie and taken away aswell from the felowship of his people as the administration of his kingdome Holofernes the proude trusting to muche to the strength of his men at Armes and souldiers would striue agaynst God who shewing by his mightinesse that with the twinkeling of an eye he coulde ouerthrow him suffered Iudith to execute his vengeance and to cut off his head Amon that was so well beloued of king Assuerus that he had the chéefe office of honour vnder him in his Realme through his pride and crueltie going about by all the meanes he could to exterminate and destroy the people of Israell was by the permission of God in the ende hanged vpon the same gallowes that he had prepared for the innocent Mardocheus such are the iudgements of God that when he beholdeth out of his celestiall Throne our humayne state and séeth our great pride and insolencie he doth so chasten vs and pul vs down to the grounde that he maketh vs to be contemned euen of the moste basest sorte That wise king Salomon béeing one of the richest Princes vppon the earth knowing the hurte and damage that presumption and Pride bringeth to them that are infected with all dothe exhorte vs to eschue it and saythe The Lorde will pull downe proude Princes oute of their seates and will set the humble in their places which thing also his father king Dauid did alwayes acknowledge amongs other things saying I haue séene the wicked exalted and lifted vp as the Ceder of Libanus but when I passed by againe they appeared not I searched for them but I could not finde the place where they were If the Kings and mightie Princes of the earth would marke wel this varietie of Fortune and how shée is appliable to mutation who at an instant dooth exalte and lift vp one euen vnto the heauens and at a sodein pulleth downe an other from Scepter and crowne euen into a stinking and pestilent prison they would not be moued to looke so high as they doe Ecclesiasticus doothe witnesse vnto vs that the wise and poore infant is more woorthe than the auncient and foolishe king that knoweth not how to foresée things to come Zedechias the King and his sonne being besieged in Ierusalem by Nabuchodonozar were taken prisoner the towne and the temple burned and had his eyes pulled out of his hed his sonne killed in his presence And in the end him selfe died prysoner in Babilon Nowe to the contrarie that holy Patriarke Ioseph being prisoner loking for none other thing for a comforte to all his miseries but a shamefull deathe was at a sodaine made and ordained Prince and gouernor of all Egipt but to the ende our discourse shall be well beautified with Examples we will set forthe before your eyes many Emperors Kings and Princes that were vnknowne bothe of linage armes force and beginning that haue bene by the fauoure of fortune exalted to the rule of Realmes Kingdomes and Empires And for that the Romaines amongs all other nations haue left vnto their posteritie moste ample testimonie of their noblenesse and vertue we will begin with Tarquinius Priscus a man of a seruile estate his Father being a poore marchante of Corinthe banished and exiled oute of his Countrey and his mother a seruaunte was elected king of the Romaines did ordaine them newe lawes greatly augmented their puissance and shewed him selfe so woorthy a man in his doings that the people thought themselues very happie they had chosen suche a personage to be their king Seruus Tullius king also of the Romaines who did triumph .iij. times for his good successe obtained maruellous victories was the sonne of a poore seruaunt in respecte wherof he did alwayes beare the name of a seruaunt Arsarces king of the Parâ—hians was of so base a condition and meane birth that his beginning was neuer knowne at any time to his posteritie who being retired from the subiection of Alexander was the first that began any kingdom amongs the Parthians a people muche feared of the Romaines who for a perpetuall testimonie of their king would néedes be called Arsarcidias Antipater that succeeded in the realme of Macedome after Alexander was the sonne of a Iugler as Seneca dothe witnesse vnto vs Cambises that great king of the Persians was desceÌ„ded of a poore parentage And Darius the first king of the Persians was the sonne of a Carter Midas laboring and â—illing the earth was by the Greekes called from his husbandrie and made king Sostenes was made king of Macedonia although he was descended out of the most basest house of his prouince and notwithstanding many great Princes did couet the dominion therof yet neuerthelesse he was preferred before al others for his vertues Sibaris that was seruaunt to an Inne keeper had in maryage the sister of Cyrus and was made king of the Persians Thelophanes a Carter was chosen king of Lydia Tamberlen that great king of the Scythâ—ans in our time who named himselfe the scourge and wrathe of God by whome he woulde execute his vengeance was the sonne of a swineheard Mahomet that firste did driue Camels for his liuing became in the ende king of Arabic All which things and others being wel weighed and considered by that diuine Plato sayd there were fewe
Emperor Tiberius was stifeled with a pillowe and died amongs his owne seruaunts Nero that butcher and mortall enimie to humaine nature hiding himselfe in a ditche to eschue the iust ire and vengeance of the Romaines that did pursue him would haue killed him selfe but God did permit he shoulde finde him selfe so vnable that his strengthe did faile him to execute his sacrifice and was cōstrained therfore to require aide of others to aduaunce his deathe And thus with these smal numbre I could produce many other Princes Kings Emperors Monarches and other great Lords who hauing had as it were the winde in the poope and vsing with full saile the flatterings of Fortune that afterwardes turning her whéele vppon them fel into such miserie and wretchednesse that the memorie thereof is pitifull to rehearse For this cause Ephyston that was so well beloued of Alexander willing vppon a time of his great liberalitie to haue giuen to certaine of his fréendes the kingdome of Sydon they knowing it was an easie matter to receiued a kingdome but hard to rule the same did with a maruellous constancie of minde refuse it Wherat Ephyston being greatly astonied to sée them refuse willingly that which others did séeke fiersly by fire and swoord was moued to say Oh most happie nation which arte the firste that hathe learned that it is no lesse commendable to refuse a kingdome than to receyue it For if the ambitious man will measure with a iuste yarde and weighe with euen Ballances the pleasures and honoures with the cares and troubles of the minde that doothe accompanie a Crowne and an infinite numbre of perilles bisides as well domesticall as foraine he shoulde finde for one ounce of Honey tenne pounde of Wormewoorde wherefore the greate king Antiochus is greatly commended in the Histories amongs the Romains for when they had taken away from him the better parte of his Realme he sayde vnto them with an inuincible constancie O ye Romaines in leauing me so small a parte of my Realme and vsurping the moste greatest parte thereof as you doe you cause me to occupie my minde on other matters and you doe so muche the more disburthen me of the cares which did ordinarily enuiron my soule and held it besieged Valerius Maximus in his histories dothe rehearse that the firste time the Crowne was presented to the same king Antiochus before he wold put it vpon his head he did for a good space fal into contemplation afterwardes he cried oute with a loude voice and saide O Diademe more happie than noble If the moste parte of the Princes of the earthe woulde consider diligently the miseries and cares that doe accompanie them they woulde not be greatly willing to couet them but woulde rather disdaine to lift them from the earthe We haue as it were the like Example in the Histories of a Tirannous king who being on a time more pensiue and sadde than he was accustomed one of his Courtiers woulde gladly haue made him merrie and saide vnto him Wherfore arte thou so sorie and pensiue O king and séest thy Realme prosper and flourishe in all things But this Tirante feeling the anguishe of his sinnes in his heart answered nothing to him But afterwards caused a feast to be prepared of all sortes of delicate and delitious meates wiih such ornaments as were requisite for the celebration of such a great feast This done he caused a naked sweard to be hāged and tied with a thred ouer the place where he should sit and called for this Courtier and commaunded him very straightly to sit him self in that place which was prepared for him This miserable mā being thus set had no will either to eate or drinke but was alwayes afraid of death and that the sweard should fall and kil him This tirant deliting to sée him put in such feare said vnto him Behold loe the very true purtraict of my royal dignitie behold the prosperities and plesures that my estate is subiect vnto behold also the iuste occasion of my continuall heauinesse and sorowe In all which examples before rehersed we say for a full resolution that althoughe all things be subiect to mutation after the common law and course of nature yet there is not one thing more mutable and subiect to change thā Princes and kings are bicause that fortune doth most willingly take hold of such as be of an high estate and touch to triumph ouer their spoiles Wherfore those that be called to such honor and dignitie ought so to direct their actes and dooings that they may be alwayes found readie when the Lord and God shall call for them The ninthe Chapter Hovv that clemencie and gentelnesse are vertues moste meete and conuenable for Kings and Princes vvith many examples alleaged confirming the same FOr the better garnishing the Prince with suche things as are moste méetest for his Maiestie and dignitie we desire as is said in the Chapter before he should be indued with modestie and temperācie to serue him as meanes to season all hys actions and doings Least that being at any time ouercome with extremitie of choler he shoulde be ouer rashe and quicke in his iudgements in the execution wherof it is to be wished he should rather be more prompt to remit the cryme that without discretion before the matter be well considered and wayed to punish the offender for commonly sodayne determinations do bring with them suche boyling and sorowfull repentance that it maketh vs to desire that same death to our selues that we oftentimes procure to others As we reade of Alexander the great being on a time in a maruelous furie caused Cletus one of his beste beloued to be slayne the death of whom did heape such gréefe and anguish in his heart that after reason had ouercome his furie he would haue murthered him selfe with his owne hands for a satisfaction of his offence But for as muche as we will referre these matters to the Chapter where shall be intreated how muche crueltie is enimie to Princes we will cease to procéede any further therein and intreate of clemencie gentlenesse and mildenesse which are requisite for Princes and be things of so maruellous an efficacie to winne the harts of their subiects that there is nothing that doth more prouoke the people to loue them and honour them than meekenesse and gentlenesse nor by which meanes they may more frankly make requeste to them of any thing without repulse or deniall to be made therein Cicero in his Academicall questions doth persuade all Princes rather to communicate with the poore than the riche for sayth he they can not learne any thing of the riche but to be couetous to augment their estates and dignities and to maynteyne them selues in all pleasure and delicatenesse but with the poore sayth he they shal learne to be pityfull and mercyfull For pouertie is none other thing but a Schole of clemencie and pitie The Emperour Traianus is greatly
commended among the Hystorians bicause vppon a time he stayed his whole armie and him selfe dyd descende off hys horse to vnderstande the complaynts of a poore wretched and miserable woman The Parthians a people very curious in obseruing the customs of antiquitie did so much desire this gentlenesse and mekenesse to be in their Princes as Homer writeth that they dyd vpon a time depriue one of their Princes from the administration of the Realme bycause that he went to the mariage of a noble man a great Ruler and within certayne dayes after beeing required to the mariage of a poore man he refused to doo the like The maner of liuing of the kings of the Persians is reproued condemned of many for that they vse to kéepe them selues close and secrete within their Pallaces not shewing them selues to the people but once or twice in the yere and all to the ende that not yéelding them selues to talk or to bée familiar with the people they should haue thē in the more greater admiration and honour The Emperour Antonius was called Pius bicause he was pitiful and gracious to all sortes of people and namely for that he did vse a maruellous charitie in the behalfe of widows and Orphanes for he commaunded the porter of his gates and that with great charge that he should know the poore before the riche that they mighte bee firste brought to him to haue audience of their sutes And this good Emperour pronounced openly before all people that they that doo contemne the poore and needy let them not thinke to be obeyed of the riche The Historians write in the life of Claudianus the Emperour that he was so treatable and gentle and did so muche incline him selfe towards the sutes of the poore that he thought it did not suffise him onely to giue them audience and to restore them agayne to their right if they were iniured by any man but farther he would giue them also counsell in their aduersities and troubles which thing he dyd practise in the behalfe of a poore afflicted widow who as she did vpon a time present hir self before him to require iustice béeing altogither ouercomee with carefulnesse and wéeping this gentle Emperour after he had accorded hir request béeing moued with a maruellous naturall compassion did wipe hir face with his owne handkercher wheras many of his gentlemen did maruell amongs which one of them sayd to him that he did too muche abase him selfe and he had done a thing that was far vnmete for the maiestie of an Emperour But he answered wisely that it was not sufficient for a Prince onely to doo right and iustice to his Subiects but also to exercise the office of humanitie towards thē when the cause so requireth for oftentimes sayd he the Subiects when they departe from the Prince with his good countenance and gentle words it contenteth their minds better than the benefite of the cause that they haue receiued at his hands by equitie and Iustice And this is it that that great king Salomon dothe teache and exhorte vs vnto where he sayth that gentle and pleasaunt words doth asswage the yre as rygorous and cruell words doo stirre vp furie and as he sayth in another place that gentle spéeche getteth many frends and appeaseth the enimie The tenne Tribes of Jsraell made them selues strangers and refused the subiection of Roboam the son of Salomon that was their king for the rigorous answer he made to them at such time as they required him that the tribute should be diminished when he sayde to them the least of my fingers is more heauyer than the greatest of my fathers if he haue made your yoke heauy to you I will make it heauier and if he scourged you with small roddes I will chasten you with whippes And for suche a like barbarous and rough spéeche chaunced the diuision betwene Juda Jsraell when Dauid made his force agaynst them for that Naball through his chorlish aunswere stirred him to anger but to the contrary Abygail his wyfe by meanes of hir curteous and gentle words did appease him We finde also in the Greeke Histories that a Philosopher very liberall frée in words wrote an Epistle to Phalaris the Tyrante in the which he accused him of his dissolute life and amongs other things that he moste touched he reproued him bitterly for that he was disobedient to the Gods in that he killed the priests and ruinated the temples and bycause he was so vnwilling to be moued or sued vnto for the poore mens causes and dyd refuse their petitions and requests The good Tyraunt hauing red this accusation without any further deliberation made this aunswere as it foloweth They that say that I doo not obey the Gods say truely for if I should obserue all those things that the Gods doo commaunde me to doo I should doo few of those things that man requireth me to doo Secondly where you say I beare no reuerence nor honor to the Churches that is bicause I know the gods make more account of a good and pure heart than of many Churches al to bedecked with gold siluer As touching the Priests you say I put them to death in déede I haue done it thinking to make a good sacrifice of them to the Gods for they were so dissolute and so farre out of order in all their actions and dooings that in stéede of honoring the Gods they were rather a slaunder vnto them And as touching the laste whereof thou doest accuse me that is to haue stopped my mouth and eares from the petitions requests of the poore those that haue sayde that vnto thee haue greatly lyed vppon me for I haue alwayes shewed my selfe frank and open to widowes and Orphanes and to suche kinde of afflicted people and haue alwayes had my eares open to suche requests as they haue made to me Here you may see this wretched Tyraunt enimie both to God and man loued better to be charged with these other vices than to graunt to the last the which he estéemed to be more greeuous and notable than the others The Lorde our God willing to instruct all Princes and other pastours by what meanes they ought to gouerne their flocke dothe reproue by the Prophet Ezechiell the ouermuche straytnesse that they doo vse towards their Subiects when he sayde vnto them Yee doe commaunde them by force and power Likewise S. Peter a man that commendeth greatly humilitie doth admonish all Pastours not to be ouer feuere towards their people but that they shoulde rule them as the true shepheard doth his flocke Alexander the great vsed suche kinde of facilitie and gentlenesse of spéeche to those that had to doo with him that euen to suche as dyd reproue him of his vices he would hearken and giue eare for when he departed out of Asia to conquere the Indians he vnderstoode that there was one other Nation which was neuer yet conquered neither of the
wanteth great number of Pleaders and Suters without all measure who in these dayes do consume the moste parte of their age to deuoure the bloud and substance one of an other Now doo you marke this pityfull spectacle search further and visite the moste notablest Cities in the world where the Citizens bee enuironed with one wall ruled and gouerned with one law and as it were sayling in one shippe and bee likewise in common perill of lyfe and death yet alwayes amongs many thousands of families whereof the common wealth is formed yée shall with muche payne finde one that is without some discorde or dissention Will you searche further and sée what is done in Mariage where fortune is common the house common the bed common the children common and that more is where there is so great a coÌ„munitie of the bodies that there séemeth two to be transformed into one yet wickednesse doth so preuayle that scarse amongs an infinit number yée shall hardely finde one that dothe not offende in some one thing or an other for commonly either the husbande complaineth of the wife the wife is gréeued with the husbande or the children with the father mother and can not agrée one with an other Let vs leaue mariage and speak of learned men bicause that learning science should take away from man al affection and shold so well reforme euill maners that suche as do professe the same giue their minds wholly vnto it should become heauenly godly and maruellous before the eyes of the worlde But oh insupportable griefe if yée will marke with an attentiue mind you shall finde that warre is open amongs them not bloudy warres but certaynly vngentle and cruell warres for one Schole striueth agaynst an other the Vltramontanes with the Citramontanes the Rethoritians with the Logitians the Perypatetians with the Ptoniens and for the moste parte all the controuersies and tragedies are not grounded but on tryfles and things of small value and yet of suche ridiculous contentions their colour dothe so ryse and inflame them that although they fighte not with Launces and other Engins of warre yet they spare not to pursue one an other with suche fiercenesse and to gyue suche blowes with the stroke of a penne that the markes thereof shall appeare to their posteritie and leaueth their renoumes so well paynted and set out that the ages folowing shall beare wytnesse thereof And yet thys is not all that I haue sayde vnto you for if yée will searche further euen into the inwarde parte of man who is a liuing Creature composed of many péeces and partes you shall finde that he hath no greater enimie than his owne selfe for he combateth continually with him selfe reason fighteth agaynst the affections the affections against concupiscence charitie draweth him one way and sensualitie an other way so that couetousnesse ambition the diuell the world and the flesh be all camped within his body make open warres vppon him Ought not wée now to blush for shame béeing suche as we are to presume to name our selues Christians when wée differ so farre from Iesus Chryst our Captayne and Chieftayne for marke the order of his comming and ye shall finde when he descended from heuen out of the bosome of his father to take our humanity vpon him to reconcile vs to our god he chose his quiet time when al Realmes Empires were at peace to accomplish his legation vpon the earth Which thing the prophet Esay seing it long before did prophecie of his comming saying one people shal not lift them selues agaynst an other nor battayles shall not bée exercised And Dauid in the Psalmist dothe confirme the lyke speaking of the comming of Iesus Chryst and sayde Iustice shall be exalted in these dayes and peace shall bée plenty Beholde lo how Dauid and Esay stirred by the spirite of God shewing vs the comming of Chryst into the earth did not promise vs a gouernor or conqueror of coÌ„mon wealthes as a warrior or a triumpher but a prince of peace which he doth also coÌ„firme in an other place wheÌ„ he said that his place was made in peace he said not in fortresses tentes or pauillions but in peace And marke S. Paule who of a man of muche vnquietnesse and cruell life was made quiet and gentle how he preferreth charitie which is none other thing but peace tranquillitie aboue all other Celestiall giftes as in many places he nameth charitie the God of peace But let vs note well how the Lorde God abhorred and had in hatred Warriours and such as make ready Marchaundise of humaine bloud when that he would not haue Dauid to buyld his Temple although he sayde he had founde a man according to his hearts desire and that bycause onely he was polluted with those that he had kylled in the warres but he would that it should bee Salomon hys sonne which is as muche to say in the Hebrue tongue as peace and yet it was by the commaundement of God alwayes that Dauid did take in hande all his battels But now if the warres enterprised by the commaundement of God dothe pollute and defile man how shall wée render accounte of those warres which we enterprise to make of malice enuie and ambition If a good king hath ben accounted to bee polluted for shedding the bloud of Infidels and Ethenikâ—â— shall not we bee countable for shedding of so much christian bloud as is dayly vppon the earth which hath ben bought so deare by so great and excellent price as by the bloud of the sonne of God Oh you Christian Princes consider well the beginning of the reigne of Iesus Chryst who is the very true purtracte and figure of yours the continuation and the issue thereof and yée shall perceiue that at his birth the Angels sounded not the warres nor they did not publishe triumphes victories and braueries but onely the peace exalted by the Prophetes desired by the Apostles and commended vnto vs of the Lorde Further Iesus Chryst being growen into mans yeres what dyd he teache exhorte and expresse to his Disciples by so many his Parables and Documents but onely peace saying vnto them peace bée to you and did commaunde them also to doo the like when he sayde if yee enter into any house yee shall say peace bee vppon this hoâ—se who tasting very well of his holy doctrine in the prefaces of their Epistles wish always peace vnto them to whom they write as S. Paule dothe to the Romanes Corinthians Ephesians and Hebrues And Chryst for a further confirmation therof sayde vnto his Apostles doo you vnderstande how yée shall bee knowen to be my disciples if yee haue peace and loue among you yee shal be knowen to be mine Behold lo the armour of Iesus Christ and of his beholde I say his Egles his Lions his signes and markes by the which he would haue his knowen and discerned from others Thus if the children
one hyre one paine hauing one enimy whiche is Sathan all subiect to passions equall to receiue death Now that I haue sufficiently intreated of peace and warres the commodities of the one the incoueniences of the other I wil shew you also how by what meanes ye may win and enioy peace There is no medicine more mete to eschue warres discord then to flée from insatiate ambition loue of ourselues desire to reueÌ„ge and rule whiche is the very spring and fountaine from whence floweth al occasions of strife and debate as the Prophet Esay saith Cursed be you that ioyne house with house land with lande thinke you to dwel vppon the earth alone This is also verifyed by Moyseâ— gods minister when he sheweth to the people that their sins are the cause of the warres where he saith If ye do not obey my coÌ„maundements but do contemn my iudgements preceptes I wyl set my face agaynst you and you shal fal béefore your enemyes and they that hate you shall reigne ouer you and yée shall flee when no manne shall followe you I will sende a swoorde vppon you whyche shall be a reuenger of my Testamentes that yée haue broken and violated and yée shall bée giuen in praye to youre enemyes As the holy Prophete doothe confyrme in an other place where he saythe If my people had hearkned vnto mée and that Jsrael had walked in my ways I wold haue humbled their enimies before them and I would haue layd my hand vpon them that they should haue ben ouerthrowne Note a little how the Lorde hath afflicted his people by warres to chasten them for their sinnes and wickednesse specially for the vice of idolatrie Somtimes by the Madianites somtims by the Chananites sometime by the Philistians other sometime by the Ammonâ—â—â—s and other people their neighbors Which thing Iosua did pronosticate to them but how cruelly were they plagued by the king of Assyrians and broughte into seruitude and al bicause they did forsake the Lord their God and worshipped the calues of Ieroboam howe were the people of Iuda plaged by Nabuchodonosor bicause they coÌ„mitted idolatrie as Ieremie the Prophet did prophecie to them Ye must not therfore maruell as the Prophet Oseas sayth yf blood séeke blood seeing that fraude hatred couetousnesse and fornication raigneth vpon the earth Wée sée at the eye how the hande of God is not abbreuiated we sée how that he shooteth off the arrowes of his wrath ageynst vs hée stretcheth foorth his hande as the Prophete sayeth and stryketh vs in his furie bycause oure greate offences doo stirre and prouoke hym dayely theretoo Lette vs therefore chaunge oure lyues and tourne to goodnesse Lette vs drawe oure féete from crooked wayes and hee wyll appease his wrathe For hée is gentle euen in his anger as the Prophete Ioell doothe wryte Tourne you too the Lorde of Hostes sayeth Zachary and he will tourne too you Hearken howe Ieremie the holy Prophete doothe exalte and magnifye the mercye of the Lorde Thou haste sayeth hée commytted whooredome wyth many naughtie women yet turne to mée and I will receiue thée wée haue all committed fylthynesse wyth the fleshe the Diuell and the Worlde and yet alwayes the Lorde is ready to stretche oute hys hande too vs this is the father of mercie consolation The people of Israell as the scriptures testifie haue ben very prompt to commit al euil and for punishment the Lord did always render theÌ„ into the hands and seruitude of others to punish them But alwayes when they repented he sente them one to deliuer theÌ„ out of the yoke and seruitude to restore them to the first state and libertie The people of Iuda after that they had remained a long time for their abhominable sinnes in the seruitude and bondage of Babilon the Lorde in the ende moued with pitie restored them to their former felicitie Dauid being driuen to fight by his sonne Absolon fled bare footed and bare headed all discomforted with sorowe through the deserts yet was he through his humilitie restored to his kingdom again The harts of Kings and Princes be in the hands of the Lord he wil turne them what way it pleaseth him sayth the wise man And all these examples which we haue produced heere before tende to none other ende but to declare to the people that all the warres and persecutions that come vppon them happen not by chance but they procéede from the secrete iudgementes of God who dothe permit them to the entent he woulde punishe their offences in the which they are greatly buried He suffereth that they shal be wakened from their delites and pleasures by the scourge of warre which he stirreth vp against them by their neighbors as S. Austen saithe in Ciuitate Dei. And as for you Ministers of the Church and such as make profession to preach the woorde of God I would wishe you shuld bend your selues altogither to speake against warres and barke and crie out all with one open voice againste the same and let your pulpets and all other your publike places sounde of none other thing but of peace and exhorte all Princes continually to concorde and vnion Oh how beautifull sayth the Prophet be the féete of them that preache Peace And S. Paule also exhorteth vs to pray for Kings and Princes that the Lorde will suffer them to ende the course of their liues in peace As likewise the Jewes being in Babylon with Ieconias king of Iuda did wryte to their brethren that were at Jerusalem that they shuld pray for Nabuchodonozor king of Babilon for his sonne Balthazar that they mighte liue in peace with them and finde grace before them And further Ieremie enspired with the holy ghost did instruct the Jewes that were in bondage at Babilon that they shuld pray for the Citie that they were in to the end that it being in peace they also mighte enioy the same You see loe how the Lord wold that his people shuld pray for the Ethnikes that were without God without law Howe much more are we bouÌ„d of duetie to pray for Christian Princes And aboue all things we muste take good héede that we put not the oyl into the fire to make it flame as did that miserable Achitophel that stirred Absolon against his father who in the end receiued a shamefull deathe in satisfaction of his offence As likewise the priest Abiather bicause he coÌ„sented to such wicked couÌ„sel was put out of his sacerdotal dignity Nowe I will conuerte my spéeche to you Monarches Emperoures Kings and Princes and others being in authoritie of whom the pore people do depend You I say that are their soules and their heads enter into your selues and be not caryed away with your owne affections be such towards your subiectes as the faithful fathers of the houshold are towardes their children following the Counsel of that
men Further they adde to it that if wée woulde tame and make familiar any brute beaste as Beares and Lyons and suche like they will soner yéelde them selues to bée handled and tamed by women than men Cato béeing of Nature very seuere in all things did so muche honour and beare reuerence towards women that he made a law that if any man should lay hands violently on any woman he should bée punished with the like punishment as if he had violated the Images of the Gods. And is there any man so barbarous or so farre estraunged from humanitie that knoweth not that this our lyfe can not taste any contentation without the company and felowshyppe of a woman who dothe putte away through hir comfortablenesse the troubles and vexations that come onely to vexe our heats and that in suche sorte as it séemeth she was sente vnto vs from heauen for the comforting of our infirmities And Salomon in his Cantike as it were acknowledging a thing I can not tell what of the blessednesse in the woman willing to describe thereby a mysterie of Diuine and hautie things would haue couered the same vnder the pleasaunt vayle of loue fayning a maruellous loue of a young marryed man towards his Espouse I would alleage here many other in the aduauncement and prayse of woman as how Iesus Chryste after he was rysen from deathe hys will was that women should haue this preheminence before men in that he would bée firste séene to them and that they shoulde bée the firste trumpet of hys Resurrection and that also they shoulde neuer be the occasion that any errour should be brought to the Church of God as many men haue ben and man also betrayed solde bought condemned and crucified Chryst and women cleane contrary to them did what they could to saue and preserue his life as it is manyfest to vs by the wyfe of Pilate But I am determined now in this Treatise héere not to speake any more of their worthynesse and dignities whereof if thou be desirous to vnderstande further thou mayst rede Plutarche in his particular treatise that he hath made in their commendations and Boccas S. Iohn Chrysostome vpon the homilie of the headding of S. Iohn Baptist S. Hierome vpon the explication of the .xviij. Psalme in the Bookes of the Nuptiall lawes of Mounsier Tiraquean counseller in the Court of Parliament and in many other Latin authors which I do omit at this present for prolixitie and also in the booke of Cristian de Pise a yong gentlewoman one that was very well learned both in the Greke and Latin who hath most liuely searched out those things that tend to the commendation of the feminine sexe and answered to all such obiections as any man coulde say agaynst them as any other author that I haue red that entreated of the lyke matter as thou mayest sée in one great tome that she hathe written of the same And as for my parte the reasons that hath moued me to rehearse these few things of their cōmendations mentioned before doth not tende to any other ende but to induce men which haue giuen them selues vp to their wanton lustes to marry séeing that it is the chiefe remedie that our Lorde God hath giuen to man for a consolation and ease of his infirmitie and besides mariage is a thing so necessarie for man that it is the onely conseruator and preseruer of our beginning which Iesus Chryst in token that he would haue it highly honored being bidden to a mariage did enriche it and beautifie it with the first miracle that euer he did vpon the earth Therfore what thing is more holy than mariage whych the soueraygne Author of all things hath ordayned sanctified and hallowed What is more iuste and reasonable than to render to our posteritie that we haue receiued of our anceters This Lord is not a Solon or a Licurgus but he is the onely Monarche of heauen and earth by whose mouth the same hath ben sanctified and who after that he had created man of the slyme of the earth foreséeing hys myserie if he shoulde dwell alone wylling to comforte him in some thyng gaue vnto him an ayder and companion which he drew out of his owne proper flesh and side giuing him to vnderstande thereby that there was nothing vpon the earth that ought to be more deare to him nor that he should be more bound vnto than to the woman not leauing him with this his first benefite and grace but also when he had washed the earth that was defiled with the wickednesse of man with that great abundaunce of water the firste law that he established was he should encrease and multiply to replenish the earth a thing which coulde not be well accomplished but by the benefite of marriage which afterwards he did confirme more firmly when he sayd that a man shall leaue both father and mother and cleaue to his wyfe and companion But what maketh the dignitie and excellencie of mariage more commendable than the coniunction of the diuine Nature with the humanitie a thing dreadfull not onely to the Angels but also to the wycked spirites which surely is to vs a testimonie most certayne and true of the loue that the Lord God doth beare towards his church of the whiche he calleth him selfe husbande and hir the spouse wherefore S. Paule sayth it is a great Sacrament the mariage of Iesus Chryst and his Church and if in all the order of Nature there had ben any coniunction more holy or if there had ben any amitie more religious than mariage truely the Apostle would haue produced the fame therof in the behalfe of Iesus Chryst and his church The auncient Hebrues had mariage in suche honor and reuerence that the new married men were alwayes the first yere exempted from the warres although the Citie and common wealth wherein they dwelte were in great danger The Romane lawes had in suche hatred the contemners of Mariage that they did exempt those that would not marry from all publike honour and gouernements as to the contrary they dyd honour and gratifie with some liberalitie those that with any children dyd encrease the common wealth Licurgus the law giuer to the Athenians and a great frende to humanitie dyd make lawes wherein it was ordeyned that all those that did disdayne to marry in the sommer time should be banished frō all publike playes and pastimes and for a perpetuall infamy should bee constrayned in the wynter to go all naked through the market Will you know in what reuerence antiquitie hath had mariage the Grekes dyd always banish for ten yeres the violators of the Matrimoniall honour the Hebrues and the Barbarians dyd punish it with the paynes of death the auncient law of Moyses dyd stone the offendors therin to death The Romanes great preferrers of chastitie by their first lawes did permitte the husbande without any kinde of processe to kill him that should be apprehended in
comforte vs and maketh vs to disgeste the more easily the incommoditie of our carefulnesse if wée goe to the warres she alwayes beholdeth vs with the eyes of hir minde and dothe honour vs and desire vs béeing absent and séemeth as though she were transformed into our selues if wée bée vppon our returne she receyueth vs and entertayneth vs with all the delicates and daynties she can deuise in suche maner that if wée should say the truthe it séemeth certaynly that the woman should bée a gyfte and comforte sente from heauen aswell to assuage the heate and lustinesse of our youthe as for a comforte and laste refuge of our age And where Nature can not giue vs but one father and one mother marriage doth present vnto vs many children who doo reuerence and honour vs and wée holde them as deare vnto vs as our owne fleshe who when they are yong and little ones doe with their pratlings in learning to speake and others their toyes and fantasies giue vs such pleasure and contentation of minde that it seemeth nature hathe giuen them to vs as things to deceiue the time and to passe ouer parte of this our miserable liues If we be asséeged with olde age a thing that is common to all men they doe comfort and relieue vs therein vntill death come and then they render vs to the earthe from whence we came they be our bones our fleshe and our bloud and séeing them we behold and sée our owne selues who do make the memorie of vs neuer to die and do as it were make vs immortall And further they do procreate and engender others after vs as do twigges that are cut off from any trée and grafted vppon an other bring forthe the like Some nice persons will allow very well of mariage that it is holy commendable and profitable for the conseruation of our liues so farre foorthe as it be well accomplished in all pointes and that nothing goe a wrie but if it chance the woman to be vnhonest the children vnhappie and out of order with suche other incommodities which oftentimes accompanie the marriage what rage what furie what Roses among thornes what Worm wood with Honey what pleasantnesse mixed with bitternesse is there then say they But I do fully answere such nice Gentlemen that be so curious in their affections so delicate in their pleasures and that thinke nothing well excepte it be seasoned with the sauce of their owne appetites that such Eclipses and infirmities that continually folow in mariage doe not procéede of the cause of marriage it selfe but often times of mannes naughtinesse according to the olde Prouerbe whiche sayth an euill man maketh an euill woman which Cato a very seuere man in al his doings but yet iust and right in this dothe confirme saying that it is a more harder thing to finde a good husbande than a good Senator Bicause that the most part of women that are become vitious are commonly infected and made naughte by the wanton liues and euill examples of their husbands who ought to be as lampes that should shine vnto them by the well ordring their manners For if they be spotted or defiled with any maner of vice or crime it is very contagious and dangerous for their wiues Behold loe how often times we doe accuse matrimonie that is pure and neate in it selfe which if it had a tung and coulde speake wold complaine of vs Petrark a great reuerencer of chastitie in his Dialogue of the remedie of aduerse fortune wryteth that it is very seldome seene a wanton husband to haue a chaste wife as contrary a wise and chast husband an vnchaste wife which thing Plutarch confirmeth in his connubial precepts when he saythe that the husbands that is giuen to be common and that giueth himself in pray to other womē he setteth an ensigne and marke at his gates to conuey others to do the like to his owne wife S. Augustine that greate Father of the Churche in his Booke De ciuitate Dei exhorteth men to be the same to their wiues that they woulde haue their wiues to be to them if you desire sayth he to haue your wiues modest chaste and sobre you which are the heades and chéefe must giue the first testimonie and example in your selues and yet he concludeth that very hardely any chaste man shall bridle a vicious and an impudente woman or a wise and discrete man a foolishe woman bicause oftentimes God dothe punishe the one of them by the other which lesson Seneca the moste vertuous of the Ethnicke Philosophers did not forgette to haue in remembrance when he wrote to Lucillus who prayed him he woulde teache him to make a drinke and the certaine receipte therof without any poyson therein which should haue vertue to cause him to be beloued of his wife without vsing any sorcerie or inchantment Wilt thou be beloued and honored of thy wife sayd he loue hir and intreate hir courteously and gently for I doe assure thée there is neither charme sorcerie nor any other medicine more méete or apt to win hir than to vse such measure of loue towardes hir as thou doest couette to receiue of hir againe Notwithstanding al these aucthorities afore rehersed yet I am well assured that many wil not be satisfied nor answered in those things for there are some that stand so much in their owne foolishnesse that thinke they shall win themselues great fame to inuey against mariage who for the better proofe of their mater wil alleage many wicked marriage and vnluckie matches greatly displeasing God wherin ther hath ben foūd some women so dissolute so far out of order in their liues that they haue not thought it inough to violate and breake the matrimoniall honor but also as women rooted in all mischeefe haue poisoned killed murthered their owne husbands yea and embrued their handes in the bloud of their naturall children a thing so detestable that the Historiographers haue had in horror and greatly feared to put the same in wryting But I will desire suche curious gentlemen that folow the nature of Serpents turning all that they touche into venime that they will put in ballance against these monstruous marriages whiche they speake of an infinite numbre of other mariages so wel matched accomplished in al things that it séemed that heauen nature did take great paine to frame them for a testimonie of their worthinesse and that in suche sorte that neither death nor time it selfe that putteth all things in forgetfulnesse cannot take away the memorie of them amongs mē As for example the loue of Alcestes with hir companion the loue of Iules with his Pompey Parcia with Cato Artemisia with hir spouse Hipsicrates with the great king Mithridates and many others rehearsed in the holy Scriptures which haue bene so ioyfull to them that they haue not onely triumphed and reioyced in the sorowe and tormentes hapning vnto them for the same but euen in deathe it selfe
Our father that we are all brethren and that for any worldly or transitory dignitie we ought not to contemne the common sorte of people Socrates one of the moste wisest Philosophers that euer Grece did bring foorth sayth that amongst other familiar vices that are in Nobilitie they haue one in especiall which dothe greatly blemish their noblenesse and dignitie it is sayth he a certayne vayne opinion and loue that they haue of them selues and of the glory borowed of their auncesters with the which béeing blinded and forgetful of them selues they despise and hate the common people by whom the moste parte of the famouse Cities vpon the earth were made and buylded and by their labour and diligence maynteyned and conserued and none but the Nobilitie only doth triumphe in the glory thereof And Iesus Christe the Sauiour and Redeemer of all men dothe very well declare in S. Mathew in what contempt he hathe those that doo so muche vsurpe the glory and fame of their auncesters or suche as will seeme to chalenge to them selues the worthinesse and prayse of their foreelders When the Iewes dyd glory them selues to bee the children of Abraham he sayde vnto them doo not call your selues the children of Abraham doo you not know that I haue power to rayse vp children to Abraham of these stones if ye bée the children of Abraham doo the works of Abraham Afterwards he addeth to this ye are of the Diuell your father and you doo the works of him S. Paule the true dispenser of the doctrine of his master in his Epistle to the Romanes vpon the same matter sayth all those that be called Jsraelites be not Israelites nor all those that be of the séede of Abraham be not Abrahams children inferring by this saying that all those that bée discended of a noble bloud be not therefore noble excepte they bée the folowers of the vertues of them of whom they take their Originall Phalaris the firste Tyrant of the Agrygentinos a wicked man and yet alwayes a great louer of learning béeing on a tyme demaunded of one of his moste familiars what his opinion was of the worthinesse of this noblenesse which is so common amongs men answered I sée it is no straunge thing sayd he that all men doo glory of their Nobilitie and birthe but I say to you there is no true Noblenesse but onely vertue for all other things are giuen of Fortune for sayth he the moste abiecte in all the worlde beeing a vertuous man is as noble as the moste puissaunt and mightie Monarche vpon the whole earth Diogenes that Ethnike Philosopher beeing vrged by his frends to tell them faythfully who they were that he thought to be moste noble amongs men answered and sayde those that contemne richesse eschue glory refuse pleasure despise this worldly life and those that do embrace pouertie eschue shame refuse no trauell and labour and desire death bée moste noble S. Chrysostome vppon the Homilie of S. Mathew by many testimonies of the Scriptures proueth that this which they call noblenesse is none other thing but a vayne name receiued amongs men of antiquitie and a sounde voyde of power whose strengthe and puissance shall appeare to be of no value in the day of Iudgement But forasmuche sayth he as the terme and ende of all things is not yet come let all noble men in the meane whyle take this wholsome Medicine for a remedie and helpe the better to kill and suppresse this vayne glory and ambition that dothe thus vexe theâ— continually that when God sendeth vs from heauen any furious warres any execrable famine or contagiouâ—â—â—â—â—â—ileâ—ce this noblenesse dothe vanishe away for then wâ—â—s iâ—â—iffâ—rently tast all alike of these visitations for the sickenesse doth as soone take the one as the other the poore is not then knoweÌ„ from the noble for afflictions be common to all according to the course of nature and the rich noble and moste welthiest be for the most part the firste that be assaulted And let them marke well and contemplate these things folowing and they shal finde that all the glory of their auncesters is vanished away as the smoke For where is now that great Tyrant Alexander whose ambition was so greate that he thought the victorie of one world was not sufficieÌ„t for him Where is that great king Xerxes who ouerflowed the seas with so great a number of his shippes where is that inuincible Hanniball who by arte did cut the mountayns and by maruelous trauell made them passable and where is Paulus Emilius Iulius Caesar Pompeius and an infinite number of others Grekes Romanes what remayneth now to them of their auncient fame dignitie but onely a common talke amongs men notwithstanding their actes are reduced to histories and left to their posteritie without the which the memorie of them should haue remayned buried with their body as thogh they had neuer ben And I pray you what is become of these their preciouse bodies so adorned decked with purple possessed with swéete smelling Diademes enriched with preciouse stones and golde worke and suche other kynde of vanities but euen bones and duste and wormes made the inheritors of their glory whose lyues and states were so subiecte to mutabilitie that when they thought themselues past al dangers in good securitie of them selues settled in all quietnesse and felicitie euen then was the very houre and time that they dyd ariue into the coast of all myscheefe and accidents of fortune as for example Hercules after he had passed so many daungers and perils of the Seas was in the ende founde dead betwéene the armes of hys louer Laomedon and dyed not in the great warres of Troy but was murthered in hys owne house And Alexander the great died not in conquering the whole worlde but a lyttle poyson made an ende of hys lyfe The coragiouse Caius Caesar dyd escape two and fiftie notable battels and when he thought him selfe at moste reste and quietnesse he was kylled in the Senate Asclepius brother to Pompeius perished not in sayling as a Pyrate vpon the Seas the space of two and twentie yeres togithers but was drouned drawing water out of a lyttle ponde And Drusius in all the tyme that he was in vanquishing the Parthians was not slayne but in receyuing hys tryumphe for the same sitting in a Charyote a Tyle fell vppon hys head and kylled him The tenne valyaunte Captaynes whiche Scipio ledde wyth hym into Aphrica that were so happie and fortunate in al battelles were not slayne in the warres but after their returne making their pastime vppon a bridge and dallying one with an other were all drowned in the water And with these few examples I coulde bring foorth an infinite number of others Oh vnhappie and curssed chauÌ„ce after so good fortune oh ignominious fame after so muche glory and renoume I assure you sayth that good Emperour Marcus Aurelius that when I was an old man
adultery with his wife wherein they did consider the iuste gréefe of the husbande to sée his wife defiled Truely a law very seuere and strayte for we are not permitted to vse suche violence to them that would kill our owne persons as if a man would say the offence were more greater to violate the wife of any man than to take away from him his owne proper lyfe which is a certayne testimonie and true argument to let vs vnderstande how excellent and precious a thing marriage is which béeing polluted and violated is pourged by the effusion of mans bloud and aucthorised thervnto by Iustice But why doo we repose our selues so muche vppon the testimonie of the lawes written séeing that we haue the very proper law of nature to confyrme the same which is not written in any Table of Brasse or mettall but in grauen and printed in the inwarde partes of our hearts whervnto if wée doo not obey and giue place wée shall seeme so muche vnworthy the name of good Citizens as we thereby deserue not to bée called men For if it bée as the Stoikes doo say very subtilly in disputation that to liue well is none other thing but to folow the course of Nature what is more agreable to Nature than mariage what is more conformable to the nature not onely of man but also of al other beasts thā to cōserue their kind in their béeing it is then a thing very ignomious to man and deserueth great infamy to sée beastes that are without reason to obey to the lawes of Nature and he onely breake it and striue agaynst it and we if we will marke well with Iudgement shall finde in all the workes of Nature a certayne printe Image and purtracte of marriage And Plinie the great searcher of the secretes of Nature doth write in his naturall Hystorie that there are many trées and Plantes whereof there is bothe the Male and the Female which of a very instinction of nature and a secret and mutuall loue that is amongs them do loue one an other and take strength and encrease of the one with the other in such sorte that if the male should not alwayes spred the bowes and braunches of the female as it were by a naturall embracing the females should become barren would beare no fruite The Philosophers write also the like of many precious stones which are so well tied confederate togithers by the strayte bonde of nature that if ye separate the male from the female they can not exercise nor worke their naturall operations And do wée not sée how that the heauen in his continuall motion hath the earth in subiection as a wife and companion which he maketh fruitfull fertill in all things by his strenght and influence doing therin the office of a faythfull spouse and husbande And thus if we should folow an infinite number of suche like examples which nature doth represent in hir works we might make a great volume therof but we haue brought foorth these few to shew you as it were at the eye that by the ayde solace comfort fauor of this matrimoniall societie all things are mainteined conserued continued as to the contrary if men were restrayned frō the same al things shold be destroyed made ruinate and decayed and there is not at this day any nation vnder the face of the heauens so cruell barbarous or so far estraunged from humanitie that dothe not reuerence honor mariage The Thracians Sarmates Indians Greke and Latinis yea euen those that dwell in the extreme parts of the world do receiue it honor it commend it and that onely bicause that nature the father and mother of all things knowing our necessitie therin hath determined it and engrauen it in our harts yea it is of such force that it taketh place not onely amongs the Turtles Doues who are of nature amorous but further it vrgeth and constrayneth the most furious cruel beasts vpon the earth to obey thervnto The Lions be louing gentle to their females the Beares and Elephants do not onely loue them but are subiecte withall to that extremitie which we call gelousie The Tygers fight combate for the defence of their yong Faunes The Asses which be of nature melancolie be so earnest defenders of their yong ones that the philosophers write they will passe through the fire to defend and succour them and as that man therfore is not to bée estemed a good laborer that doth onely content him selfe to continue and preserue the tées which he hath found planted by his aunceters except he also endeuer him selfe to plante others to serue his posteritie So in lyke maner he is not to be iudged a good and profitable Citizen that dothe thinke the people that are in the common wealthe where he inhabiteth to be a number sufficient excepte he doo enforce him selfe to augment and encrease the same for the tyme to come and to yéelde to hys posteritie by Nature that which he hath receyued of hys Aunceters And also if we will enter into our selues and iudge indifferently of things what shall wée finde in this caducall and transitorie worlde more meeter for man than a woman what is there more pleasaunt and profitable to mans contentation béeing subiecte to many myseries and calamities than to communicate dayly at his owne libertie and pleasure and that with mutuall good wyll with his faythfull wyfe the kéeper of all hys secretes and faythfull treasourer of all hys passions and sorrowes and as touchyng other humayne frendeshippes for the moste parte they bée full of guyles dyssimulations and periuries and oftentymes when Fortunes dothe frowne vppon vs suche friendes become lyke vnto Swallowes which take their flight in the winter and if it happen a man to finde a faythfull frende oftetimes the frendship dothe not continue betwéene them tyll deathe for mens natures are so diuers that commonly they embrace a new frende and leaue the olde but the frendship and loue of Matrimonie is not broken or infected by any Hypocrisie or dissimulation nor is neuer taken away nor extincte by the furious assaults of aduerse fortune but it continueth euen vnto the graue yea oftentimes it endureth for euer But what more greater testimonie of feruent amitie can there bée than to leaue the father and mother brother and sister and generally all the race she is descended off yea and euen to become enimie to hir selfe to folow his husbande whom she honoreth and loueth and haue all other things in misliking and depende wholly of him If wée bée riche she kéepeth our goods if wée bée poore she employeth all hir force and indeuor that Nature hath giuen hir to enriche vs if wée bée in prosperitie our felicities are doubled in hir to sée hir partaker of our wealths if wée bée in aduersitie she comforteth assisteth and serueth vs if wée will remayne solitarie in our houses she then dothe continue with vs to