the end well propounded and yet men erre in the meanes to attaine vnto it and contrariwise it falleth out oftentimes that the meanes are good and the end propounded bad So that it is from this liuely and euer-flowing fountaine which is the cause of al good from whence we are to looke for the perfect knowledge of our dutie and the ends and meanes whereby to execute it to the glorie of God and to the good and profit of our like And from this generall vertue and fountaine of honestie and dutie fower riuers issue and spring called morall vertues namely Prudence which is as a guide to the rest and knoweth what is profitable for it selfe for others and for the common-wealth Temperance the mistres of modestie chastitie sobrietie and vigilancie and of all order and mediocritie in all things Fortitude which maketh a man constant patient couragious hardie and readie to enterprise high great profitable and holie things and Iustice which is the bond and preseruation of humane societie by giuing to euery one that which belongeth vnto him by keeping faith in things promised by succoring gladly the afflicted and by helping euery one according as abilitie serueth Which vertues are the true and certain goods of the soule whereby all actions are directed according to dutie as we shall speake particularly thereof heerafter In the meane while let vs enter into the examples of the ancients and see how exactly and inuiolably they obserued all points of dutie choosing rather to sacrifice their liues than to infringe and breake any of them much more contemning all other weaker occasions wherwith lewd and base-minded people suffer themselues to be easily corrupted And first touching the first point of dutie naturally imprinted in the soules of the greatest infidels which is to acknowledge some diuinitie with what zeale although inconsiderate and rash did the ancient heathens and pagans precisely obserue their paganisme euen to the sacrificing and cheerfull offering vp of their owne children to their gods as we read of the Carthaginians What say I their children yea oftentimes themselues whereof Calanus an Indian Gymnosophist serueth for a witnes who seeing himselfe old after he had offered sacrifice to the gods bad Alexander the Great farewell with whom he came to Babylon and tooke his leaue also of all his other friends Then lying along according to the custome of his countrie vpon a little pile of wood which he had prepared for that purpose he caused fire to be put vnto it and so burned himselfe for a burnt-offering to his gods not stirring at all but continuing with such a wonderfull constancie that Alexander who was present confessed himselfe to be vanquished of him in greatnes of hart and magnanimitie of courage Who will not admire the strict obseruation of the ancient religion of the Egyptians Graecians and Romans mooued with a desire of yeelding the dutie of their being to the honor of a diuine nature But for shortnes sake and not to wander farre from the subiect of our assemblie I passe it ouer with silence Heere I will onely alledge one notable example of the Iewes who were more zealous professors of their law than euer were any people Caius a Romane emperor sent Petronius into Syria with commandement to make war with the Iewes if they would not receiue his image into their temple Which when they refused to do Petronius said vnto them that then belike they would fight against Caesar not weighing his wealth or their owne weakenes and vnabilitie We will not fight quoth they but had rather die than turne from the lawes of our God And foorthwith casting themselues on the ground and offering their throtes they said that they were readie to receiue the blow In this estate as Iosephus reporteth it they remained for the space of fortie daies letting slip the time which then was of sowing their grounds Which caused Petronius to defer the execution of his charge and to send the declaration of these things vnto Caesar whose death rid the Iewes out of danger Now we are to consider with what burning affection the ancients imbraced common benefit and safetie seeking to profit all men according to the true dutie of a good man but especially their countrie in whose seruice they thought it great happines to lose their liues For truly besides the sweet affection which nature hath imprinted in our harts towards our countrie and the conformitie of humors which commonly is found in our bodies with that heauenly aire wher we haue our first breathing which seemeth to be a mutual and naturall obligation the reason of all humane right and the religion of diuine equitie besides the dutie of conscience bind all persons to serue the publike wealth of their countrie to the vttermost of their power and that so much the rather bicause that vnder it the life honor and goods of euery particular man are comprehended This reason caused Cato of Vtica a Consul and noble Romane to answer one of his friends who was come to giue him thanks for defending him in iudgement from a false accusation that he was to thanke the Common-wealth for whose loue onely he did spake and counselled all things This also made him to vndertake the sute for the office of Tribuneship of the people that he might resist the faction of Pompey by whom he saw Metellus set on worke to sue and seeke for the same office for the assurance of his affaires and strengthening of his league Now is the time quoth Cato to his friends wherein I must imploy and bestow the power of such an office and of so great authoritie as a strong medicine in time conuenient and vpon necessarie causes and either ouercome or die honorably in the defence of common libertie So likewise he opposed himselfe as much as he could against all nouelties and alteration of affaires betweene Caesar and Pompey And when the selfesame Pompey being desirous to win him to himselfe sought to bring it to passe by alliance and thereupon demanded two of his neeces in marriage one for himselfe and the other for his sonne Cato without any longer deliberation answered him presently as being netled that caried backe the message that he should returne to Pompey and tell him that Cato was not to be taken by the meanes of women Which was not bicause he would not haue him esteem greatly of his friendship which he should alwaies find in him to be more sure and certaine than any alliance by marriage so that he onely sought after and did things honest and iust but at this time he would not giue hostages at Pompeies pleasure against the Common-welth Afterward the affaires of Rome being brought to such necessitie through corruption of monie and by vnlawfull and forceable meanes in procuring publike places of authoritie many Senators being of opinion that Pompey was to be chosen sole and onely Consul Cato also was of the same mind saying that men ought
vehemencie those things which they had begun with a quiet spirit mind throwing down at one blow whatsoeuer they had builded with long labour But of thee ACHITOB we shall vnderstand the prayse and propertie of this vertue of Patience with the contrary effects thereof namelie Impatiencie Choler and Anger and the meanes to shunne and auoid them ACHITOB. Among all the ancients the Stoike Philosophers were most zealous and precise obseruers of all points concerning this vertue of patience which they grounded vpon the fatall cause of necessitie requiring such exactnes and perfection thereof in men that they would haue a noble hart to be no otherwise touched with aduersitie than with prosperitie nor with sorowful things than with ioyfull For this cause Aristo said that vertue onely was to be wished and therefore that it was all one to be sicke or sound poore or rich briefly that in all other humane and necessary vses of nature there was no more euil in one kind than in another Whereby it seemeth that these Philosophers delighted in painting out a picture of such patience as neuer was nor shal be among men except first they should be vnclothed of all humaine nature or become as blockish and sencelesse as a stone For so long as man remaineth in this life he cannot be void of affections and perturbations that draw the soule to care and to prouide for the body which continually crieth out against her for feare of griefe and of wanting that which belongeth vnto it But it is the dutie of a wise man to moderate all passions in such sort that in the end reason remaine mistresse Moreouer we say that vertue which is a habite of comelines and mediocritie in affections ought neither to be without hir motions nor yet too much subiect to passions For the abolishing of desire maketh the soule without motion without ioy euen in honest things as on the other side ouer vehement motions thereof altogether trouble hir and cause hir to be as it were beside hir selfe Further we seeke after the common practise of men not for that perfection which they wish for and whereunto they ought to aspire and we desire that affection should shew it selfe no otherwise in vertue than a little shadow of a hidden cloud or a line in a picture Therfore true patience which we ought to imbrace in all things not as compelled and of necessity but cheerfully and as resting in our welfare is a moderation tolerance of our euils which albeit we sigh vnder the heauie burthen of them clothe vs in the meane while with a spirituall ioy that striueth so well and mastreth in such sort the sence of nature which shunneth griefe that in the end it worketh in vs an affection of pietie godlinesse ioyned with a free cheerful mind vnder the yoke obedience of the iust rightfull will of God through a certain expectation of things promised and causeth vs to iudge impatiencie to be contumacie and rebellion to this diuine wil and sufficient of it selfe to make a man to be called wretched Patience saith Plato is a habite that consisteth in sustaining stoutly all labours and griefes for the loue of honestie The law saith that it is a very good thing to keep the tranquillitie of our spirit as much as may be in aduersities and not to complaine of that which is vncertaine bicause men know not whither that which is light vpon them be good or euil for them as also bicause sorow can not helpe that which is to come but rather hindreth the curing of the euill and lastly bicause there is nothing in humane matters wherof any great account is to be made But if I must needs support them my desire and labour is to do it nobly honestly and courageously It skilleth not what we endure but how we endure it And then doth patience preuail most when we know that whatsoeuer we haue done was executed of vs for godlines sake The conflict of Patience saith Euripides is such that the vanquished is better than the vanquisher And let vs not thinke that there is any calamitie which cannot be sustained by the nature of man armed with patience which is an inuincible tower Patience saith Cicero is a voluntarie and long suffring of labours calamities trauels and difficult matters for the loue of honestie and of vertue And when all things are ouerthrowen and counsaile wil do no more good there is but this one only remedy to beare patiently whatsoeuer shall come vpon vs. Patience serueth vs for a meane to attaine to great matters staying men from fainting in dangers and trauels By patience whatsoeuer is disordred may be brought againe to good order as that wise emperor Marcus Aurelius would giue vs to vnderstand when he sayd that patience had no lesse holpen him in the gouernmēt of his estate than knowledge Likewise it is for the most part followed of curtesie and gentlenes which make him well liked of that is adorned therewith and sooner draw good wil the cause of mens obedience then force or violence doth He that is slowe to anger saith the wise man is better than the mightie man and he that ruleth his owne mind is better than he that winneth a citie True patience loueth the afflictions which she suffreth causing him that possesseth hir to giue prayse to God in the midst of aduersities and to submit himself to his iudgement when he is pressed with diseases neither can pouertie keep him backe from cōmending highly his bountie and goodnes To be short as a pearle sheweth hir beautie euen in the midst of a puddle so a patient man causeth his vertue to appeere in al aduersities Moreouer this patience which we shew in aduersities mooueth those to compassion and pitie that see vs suffer Which thing as it greatly comforteth in affliction so oftentimes it causeth others to reape inestimable benefite when they behold vs to suffer vniustly For it serueth to awaken and to strengthen the weake in the knowledge of their duetie that they suffer not themselues to be deceiued with the poisonfull sweetnes of worldly goods and commodities In a word the vertue of patience is so necessarie for a good and happy life that no part or action of mans life can be guided to their proper end without hir And as she is a branch of Magnanimitie Fortitude and greatnes of courage so Impatiencie is a weakenes and imbecillitie of a base vile and contemptible nature wherin choler and in the end wrath are easily ingendred which are two very pernitious passions in the soule and differ nothing from furie as the elder Cato said but onely in this that they continue a lesse time and this a longer This is that which Possidonius teacheth vs saying that Anger is nothing else but a short furie Aristides called it the inflammation of blood and an alteration of the hart Cicero saith that that which the Latines
general end be to set an order and policie amongst vs and not dispute of their reason and cause as long as their iurisdiction extendeth not to our soules to lay vpon them a new rule of iustice Of the People and of their obedience due to the Magistrate and to the Law Chap. 56. AMANA WE haue hitherto seene that the preseruation of policies dependeth of the obseruation of the law that the soueraigne magistrate ruleth thereby and vseth it as a bond to reduce to vnitie and agreement all the citizens of one Common-wealth being vnlike in calling and liuing vnder his dominion at which marke euery good politike gouernor ought chiefly to aime Now my companions we are to intreat of this third part of a citie which maketh the politike body perfect and absolute namely of the people and of that obedience which they ought to yeeld to the magistrate and to the law ARAM. The whole Common-wealth fareth well or ill as all hir parts euen to the least are ruled and containe themselues within the compasse of their duetie For all of them togither make but one body whereof the magistrate is the head and the lawe the soule that giueth life vnto it Wherefore it is needefull that these should commaund and the other obey ACHITOB. Whatsoeuer profiteth the whole profiteth the part and that which is commodious to the part is also commodious to the whole and so contrarywise Wherefore to obey well which is necessarily required of the people is greatly auaileable to the whole political bodie Now let vs heare ASER handle this matter vnto vs more at large ASER. In euery discipline the beginning is commonly taken from the least partes thereof Grammer taketh his beginning from letters which are the least things in it Logike from the two least partes thereof namely the Nowne and the Verbe Geometrie from the point Arithmetick from Vnitie Musick from the Minnem and Sembrief which are likewise the least parts therof Therefore hauing seene that Policie is the order and life of the citie and that the citie is a multitude of citizens before we speak of the whole bodie of them we must as I think intreat first of a citizen who although he differ according to the diuersitie of common-wealths yet to take him properly may be said to be euery one that hath right to iudge in his citie hath a deliberatiue voyce in the generall or common councell thereof This definition of a citizen cannot fitly be applied to all citizens of all Common-wealths but only to those that are ruled popularly wherin they are all equall and gouerne themselues by assemblies in which euery one hath libertie to speake his aduise Some define a citizen to be he whose parents are citizens or els to be a free subiect holding of the soueraigntie of an other wherin they adde this word Free to distinguish him from slaues and strangers But generally we may say that whosoeuer may beare offices or magistracie in what forme of gouernment so euer is reputed taken for a citizen and such are all the naturall Frenchmen in this monarchie amongst whom there is not one how base soeuer he be that may not be made noble by vertue or that may not by skill and integritie of life attaine to the greatest estates of iustice of treasurie and of other publike charges This is not seen in all common-wealths For in the Seignorie of Venice it seemeth that none are truely citizens but the lordes and nobles who onely enioy the office of magistracie and may enter into the great councell after they haue attained the age of fiue and twentie yeeres As for the people they intermeddle not with any matter of gouernment this only excepted that they may be Secretaries and Chancellors as Contarenus reporteth The citie of Rome hauing many times sundry gouernments the appellation of a citizen was likewise diuers therein For as long as the first kings rules the common people were altogither excluded from publike honors offices But after when the regall power was changed into the gouernment of a certaine number of men chosen by suffrages and common voyces the people were admitted to magistracies and to the managing of affairs being present at the publike assemblie had in Mars his field which was distributed by tribes wardes companies and centuries to deliberate of the common estate to create magistrates and to decree new lawes where he was reputed for a citizen in deed that was a free man that had both house and tribe and possibilitie to attaine to honor enioying besides many other priuiledges and prerogatiues But when the soueraigntie came into the emperors hands those assemblies continued onely vnder Iulius and Octautus and after were abrogated by Tyberius and translated to the Senate and to the absolute power of the prince taking away al authoritie frō the people in publike matters Now to returne to our former assertion we say that all they are citizens to whom the gate that leadeth to the gouernment of the citie lieth open I mean the whole company of them that liue vnder the same lawes and soueraigne magistrates Such are all the subiects and naturall vassals of our king of whom the people and the nobilitie are the two orders or estates and of them is the estate of the church compounded which maketh one part of the common-wealth of France This self-same distinction of citizens is obserued almost throughout all Europe But besides this general diuisiō there are some more special in many common-welths as at Venice into the Gentlemen Burgesses Common people at Florence before it was brought in subiectiō to a Prince there were the greater sort the middle sort the vulgar or common sort of people And our ancient Gaules had the Druides the Horsemen the inferior people In Egypt were the Priests the Souldiors the Artificers And although Plato labored to make all the citizens of his common-welth equal in rights prerogatiues yet he diuided them into three estates into Gardes Souldiers and Labourers Whereupon we must necessarilie inferre this conclusion that there neuer was nor can be Common-wealth wherein the citizens were equall in all rights and prerogatiues but that some had more or lesse than others and yet so that wise Politikes haue carefully prouided that the meanest should haue no cause to complaine of their estate Moreouer the conueniencie and proportionable agreement of our French estates hath been the cause why this kingdome vntill this our infortunate age hath continued prospered so long amongst other kingdoms both of auncient and late times namely when Goodes Honours and publike charges were ordinarily distributed according to the condition of euery estate and their rightes and priuiledges preserued especially when it was carefully prouided that one estate should not grow too great aboue the other I meane that the nobilitie should not keep the people too much vnder and bring them to a
might refer all to the glorie of the diuine maiestie and to the profit and vtilitie as well of themselues as of their country And yet in the meane while these noble toward youths were not depriued of other exercises meete for them which as the diuine Plato saith are very profitable for this age and helpe much to quicken the spirits of yoong men and to make their bodies which are weake by nature more strong and apt to sustaine trauell as namely to ride horses to run at the ring to fight at barriers to applie themselues to all kind of weapons and to followe the chace of beasts All which exercises this wise and ancient Knight did intermingle with their earnest studies by way of recreation himselfe standing them in steade of a maister For in such exercises he was as fully furnished as is to be wished in a man of valure and actiuitie insomuch that he was more expert than many of our time who make no other profession Now this schoole hauing been continued for the space of sixe or seauen yeeres to the great profit of this nobilitie of Aniou the fower fathers on a day tooke their iournie to visite this good old man and to see their children And after the vsuall welcome which is betweene kinsfolks and friends they discoursed togither of the corruption which then was in all estates of France wherevpon they foresawe as they said some great storme at hand if euerie one did not put to his helping hand for the correction and reformation of them but chiefly the secular power authorised of God for this purpose They alledged for witnes of their saying many examples of ancient estates common-wealths and kingdoms which were fallen from the height of glorie and excellencie into a generall subuersion and ouerthrow by reason of vices raigning in them vnpunished And thus continuing their speech from one thing to another they fell in talke of the corrupt maners that might particularly be noted in all and those maintained by authoritie and with commendation insomuch that both great and smal endeuored to disguise vice with the name of vertue In fine they were of opinion to heare their children discourse heervpon that they might know and iudge whether they had profited so wel in the institution of good maners the rule of good life by folowing of vertue and by the knowledge of histories the patterne of the time past for the better ordering of the time present as their maister who was present at the discourses of these ancient gentlemen did assure them by intermingling the praises of his schollers in the midst of their graue talke and vaunting that they were well armed to resist the corruption of this age For truly vertue purchased and gotten by practise is of no lesse power against all contagion of wickednes than preseruatiues well compounded are of force in a plague time to preserue in good helth the inhabitants of a countrie and as heeretofore that famous physicion Hippocrates preserued his citie of Coos from a mortalitie that was generall throughout all Grecia by counselling his countrymen to kindle many fires in all publike places to the end thereby to purifie the aire euen so whosoeuer hath his soule possessed and his hart well armed with the brightnes and power of vertue he shal escape the dangers of corruption and eschew all contagion of euill maners But returning to the intent and desire of our good old men bicause they had small skil in the Latine tong they determined to haue their children discourse in their owne naturall toong of all matters that might serue for the instruction and reformation of euerie estate and calling in such order and method as themselues with their foresaid maister should thinke best For this purpose they had two howers in the morning granted vnto them wherein they should be heard and as much after dinner which was to each of them one hower in a day to speake in You may ghesse gentle readers whether this liuely youth did not bestow the rest of the day yea oftentimes the whole night vpon the well studying of that which they purposed to handle and with what cheerfulnes of hart and willingnes of mind they presented themselues before the honorable presence of their fathers who were so greatly delighted in hearing them that for the most part in stead of fower howers a day before mentioned they bestowed sixe or eight For after they had heard the two first discourse one morning they had not the patience to refer the rest of that matter vnto the afternoone when the other twain of their children should be heard but commonly commanded them presently to enter the lists and to proceed as being iealous ouer their glorie in regard of their companions In this commendable maner of passing their time they continued certaine daies But the sudden and sorrowfull newes of the last frantike returne of France into ciuill war brake vp their happie assemblie to the end that these noble youths betaking themselues to the seruice due to their prince and to the welfare and safetie of their countrie might make triall of their first feates of armes wherein they wanted neither readines nor valure of hart which being naturally in them was also increased by the knowledge of philosophie The studie whereof resembling as Plato saith to a separation of the soule from the bodie standeth wise men in stead of an exercise to die without feare when dutie requireth it and causeth them to esteeme of death as of the cause of the true and perfect good of the soule For which reason Socrates Xenophon Architas Thucidides Thales Epaminondas and a million of other famous men learned philosophers and historiographers hauing charge of armies neuer doubted or feared in any sort to offer themselues cheerfully vnto all perils and dangers when the question and contention was for publike benefit and safetie and in a iust war without which a wise man neuer ought to fight Yea I dare boldly say that the greatest and most famous exploits of warfare were atchieued for the most part by them and their like Which serued well for a spurre to our yoong Angeuins to cause them to vndertake this iournie with ioy and cheerfulnes of spirit being resolued to follow with all their might the examples of such great and notable personages as histories the treasurie of time did call to their remembrance When they were in the campe each of them according to his particular affection ranged himselfe vnder sundry cornets of great Lords and good captaines But as we said in the beginning after news of the peace proclaimed which was so greatly looked for and desired of all good men they labored foorthwith to meete togither knowing that their ioint-returne would be acceptable to their friends especially to that good olde-man by whome they were brought vp Moreouer they deliberated with themselues as soone as they were arriued at the old mans house to giue their fathers to vnderstand thereof to the end
freely to giue counsaile in that thing which concerneth the dutie of a good man or the charge wherunto we are called The sages vertuous men heretofore haue alwaies shewed themselues to be such in their free counsailes wise declarations as hereafter we may handle more largly In the meane time we may haue here Demaratus for an example of this commendable libertie of speech who comming from Corinth into Macedonia when Phillip was at variance with his wife with his son was demanded by the king whether the Graecians did agree wel among themselues Truly sir quoth he to him it becommeth you wel to inquire after the concord of the Athenians Peloponesians in the meane while to suffer your owne house to be ful of diuision and domesticall discord Diogenes also being gon to the camp of the same Phillip at the same time that he returned from making war against the Grecians being led before him the king asked him if he were not a spy Yes truely answered the philosopher I am a spy com hither to espy thy impudency folly who not constrained by any dost set downe as it were on a dicing boord in the hazard of one houre both thy kingdome life Demosthenes being demanded of the tirant Epemetes why he wept so bitterly for the death of a philosopher a cōpanion of his seeing it was a strang matter to see wisemē weepe yea altogither vnbeseeming their profession know said he to him that I weepe not for the death of this philosopher but bicause thou art aliue For I tel thee that in the Academies we are more sorrowfull for the life of the wicked than for the death of good men Let vs learne then by your present discourse that talke being the messenger of thought discloseth our maners a great deal more than the lines draughts of our face do And as that tree whose root is drie can haue no greene leaues so from a vicious and corrupted soule nothing but vile filthy speeches can proceede which a wise man ought wholy to shunne bicause to make small account of euill words leadeth a man by litle and little to dishonest deeds Let all vaine speech also be banished from vs and let vs take great heed that we neuer speake either in sport or earnest any one word that is not tru knowing that to be true in word is the beginning and foundation of a notable vertue Moreouer let vs know that truth is not onely betraied of those that speake falsely and maintaine a lie but also of those that dare not confesse and defende it publikely Let vs know that aboue all things we must dedicate our voice and speech to sing the praises of God remembring the saying of that holy man Gordius who as he was led to the place of punishment was exhorted by some to leaue his opinion and so saue his life To whom he answered that the toong ought to vtter nothing that is iniurious to the Creator thereof Lastly let vs know that we must refer euery word to the glory of his name and to the profit of our neighbors The end of the third daies worke THE FOVRTH DAIES WORKE Of Friendship and of a friend Chap. 13. ASER. MAn being a reasonable creature borne for ciuill societie to obserue lawes and iustice and to exercise in the world all duties of gentlenes and goodnes the fairest and most fruitfull seede that God hath infused and sowne in his soule and that draweth him to this ende is loue and charitie towards his like But as euerie action of mans life standeth in need to be guided by the vertue of Prudence whereof we discoursed yesterday so in truth she is verie necessarie in euerie good and vnfained friendship For this cause I thinke companions that we shall obserue the order of our discourses if we begin this daies worke with the handling of friendship and of the true and perfect dutie of a friend AMANA Nothing that seemeth to be profitable whether it be honor riches pleasure or whatsoeuer else is of this kinde ought to be preferred in any respect before friendship Yea a man is to make more account of friends as Socrates said then of any other mortall thing ARAM. Perfect friendship saith Aristotle is to loue our friend more for his benefit than for our owne and therefore a friend is alwaies profitable and necessary But he is greatly deceiued saith Homer that seeketh for a friend in the court and prooueth him at a feast But let vs heare ACHITOB discourse hereupon ACHITOB. Rare things are commonly most esteemed amongst men the more pretious they are of their owne nature so much the more are they had in request This we may very aptly apply to a friend seeing there is nothing so rare as one that is vnfained and stedfast neither any thing so excellent and perfect as he is if he be a good and prudent man And for this cause the philosophers accounted friendship to be the chiefest and most excellent good of fortune as being least of all subiect to hir and most necessarie for man But bicause the wickednes of men is so great in these daies that nothing is so sacred and holy which is not violated corrupted brought to confusion no maruell if men impudently abuse this name of a friend so much reuerenced in olde time that some take it to themselues being altogither vnwoorthie thereof and others as freely although to their losse and shame grant them this excellent title and esteeme them for such in truth towards them as they falsely vaunt themselues to be But that we be not deceiued with the greater number which is not alwaies the surest marke let vs briefly consider what friendship is what fruits spring from hir who may rightly challenge this title of a friend what maner of one we ought to choose how we must trie him before we take him for such a one then the meanes whereby to keepe him and lastly what mutuall dutie friends are to vse one towards another First we say with Socrates that true friendship cannot be framed but by the helpe and grace of God who draweth like to the loue of his like that euerie perfect friendship is to bee linked with the bond of charitie and ought to be referred to God as to our soueraigne good and cheefest friend and therefore that true friendship cannot be setled betweene the wicked who being at discord within themselues can haue no concorde and agreement one with another Moreouer there is to be found in friendship whatsoeuer men thinke woorthie to be desired as honestie glorie tranquillitie of minde and pleasure and consequently a happie life which cannot bee amongst the wicked Friendship is a communion of a perpetuall will the end whereof is fellowship of life and it is framed by the perfect habit of a long continued loue Whereby wee may perceiue that there is a difference betwixt loue and
Prince whereby it seemeth he thought that there was lesse to do in well ordering ruling and preseruing a great Empire once entirely gotten than in conquering the same And surely to speake truth there is nothing more difficult than to raigne well Moreouer it is better for a Prince to gouerne prudently and to rule according to his estate than to inuade possesse another mans countrie namely if he consider that God being so gratious vnto him as to bring innumerable persons vnder his obedience hath chiefly established him to keepe them in the knowledge and obseruation of true religion to rule them by good lawes to defend them by armes and in all things to be so carefull of their good that they may esteeme of him as of their father and sheepeheard Now seeing we haue summarily intreated of the education and institution of a prince vnder the charge of a teacher and gouernour let vs in this place my Companions consider of his office and dutie when he raigneth with full authoritie ouer his subsubiects ARAM. Forasmuch as integritie of religion and the good will of the people are two principall pillers vpon which the safetie of euery Estate standeth the king ought to procure the first being therefore appointed by God ouer so many millions of men and the second without doubt dependeth of the former which is the onely difference betweene a king and a tyrant who ruleth by constraint ACHITOB. In a king is seene the ordinance of God who is the author and preseruer of policies and of good order Therefore his feare and reason must neuer depart out of his mind to the end that seruing God he may profite all those that liue vnder his dominion But from thee ASER we looke for the discourse of this matter ASER. The seuen Sages of Grecia being inuited to a feast by Periander prince of Corinth were requested by him to enter into the discourse of the estate of great men Solon speaking first said That a soueraigne king or prince cannot any way procure greater glorie to himselfe than by making a popular Estate of his Monarchy that is to say by communicating his soueraigne authoritie with his subiects Bias speaking next said By submitting himselfe first of all to the lawes of his countrie Thalcs I account that Lord happie that attaineth to old age and dieth a naturall death Anacharsis If he be the onely wise man Cleobulus If he trust none of those that are about him Pittacus If he be able to preuatle so much that his subiects feare not him but for him Chilon A Prince must not set his mind vpon any transitorie or mortall thing but vpon that which is eternall and immortall Periander concluding vpon these opinions said that all these sentences seemed to him to disswade a man of good iudgement from desiring at any time to command ouer others The Emperour Traian writing to the Senate of Rome among other things vsed these very words I freely confesse vnto you that since I began to taste of the trauels and cares which this Imperiall Estate bringeth with it I haue repented me a thousand times that I tooke it vpon me For if there be great honor in hauing an Empire there is also very great paine and trauell in gouerning the same But ouer and besides to what enuie is he exposed and to how many mislikings is he subiect that hath others to gouerne If he be iust he is called cruell if pitifull he is despised if liberall he is thought to be prodigall if he laie vp monie he is taken for couetous if he be addicted to peace he is supposed to be a coward if he be courageous he is iudged ambitious if graue they will call him proud if affable and courteous he is termed simple if solitarie an hypocrite and if he be merrie they will say he is dissolute After many other speeches this good Emperour concluded that although he willingly accepted of his estate at the first yet he was very sorowful afterward that he had so great a charge bicause the sea and the Empire were two pleasant things to looke vpon but perilous to tast Diuine Plato wrote also that none was fit to gouerne an Empire and to be a Prince but he that commeth vnto it through constraint and against his will For whosoeuer desireth the charge of a Prince it must needes be that he is either a foole not knowing how dangerous and full of care the charge of a King is or if he be a wicked man that he mindeth nothing but how he may raigne to satisfie his pleasure and priuate profite to the great hurt of the Common-wealth or else if he be ignorant that he considereth not how heauie the burthen is which he taketh vpon him Therefore a wise Prince will not thinke himselfe the happier bicause he succeedeth in a greater Empire and kingdome but remember rather that he laieth so much the more care and paine vpon his shoulders and that he beginneth then to haue lesse leasure lesse rest and happines in passing away his time In other persons a fault is pardoned in youth and growing old they are suffered to take their ease But he that is Head of a Common-wealth bicause he is to trauell for all must be neyther yoong nor old For he can-not commit a fault how small soeuer it be without the hurt of many men nor yet rest from his dutie but it will turne to the miserie of his subiects This caused the Philosophers to say that a Prince ought not to dedicate the Common-wealth to himselfe but to addict himself to the Common-wealth and for the profit thereof alwaies to be diligent vertuous and wise so to gouerne his Empire that he may be able easily to giue a reason of his charge And bicause no man asketh an account of him in this life he ought to be so much the more stirred vp to demand a straighter reckoning of himselfe being assured that the time wil come and that speedily wherein he must yeeld it vp before him with whome there is no respect of Princes except in this that they shal haue the Iudge more rigorous against them that haue abused greater power and authority To begin therfore to handle the duty and office of a Prince first he must haue the lawe of God continually before his eies he must engraue it in his soule and meditate vpon the wordes and ordinances thereof all the dayes of his life desiring of God to graunt him the spirite of vnderstanding to conceiue them well and according to that diuine rule to direct all his intents and actions to the glorie of that great eternall and Almightye Kinge of Kinges aswell for the saluation of his owne soule which he ought to preferre before the rule of the whole worlde as for the good of those that are committed to his charge to gouerne teach and iudge them For it is moste certaine that of the knowledge of the truth in
Clemencie examples of great clemencie in princes 324. c. it preserueth the thrones of Princes 411 Common-wealth a sure token of a desperate common-wealth 407. 600. 690. the spring of corruption in Common-wealths 550. the description of a mixt common-wealth 583. how a corrupt common-wealth must bee corrected 699. when common-wealths begin to alter 717 the causes therof 739 Commandement the 5. commaundement onely hath a special promise annexed vnto it 538. there is a shew of commanding and obeying in all things 575 Comparisons 33. 38. 46. 47. 55. 64. 70. 105. 150. 176. 191. 212. 286. 338. 339. 343. 360. 371. 378. 383. 4â—6 446. 448. 487. 513. 550. 589 641. 687. Communitie Plato established a communitie of all things in his common-wealth 490 the confutation therof 491 Concupiscence the fruites of concupiscence 238 Conscience the force of conscience in the wicked 68. examples of tormented consciences 68 Constancie the wonderfull constancie of Socrates 348 Correction nâ—â—â—ssarie for children 534. the lawe Falcidia touching the correction of children 551 Councell what a councell is with the profite of it 677. of the councell of sundrie countreys 679. c Counsellors qualities requisite in counsellors of estate 687 Counsell good counsell for counsellors 155. and for princes 157 Countrey examples of the loue of heathen men towards their countrey 60. 98. c Couetousnesse is neuer satisfied 445. the fruites of couetousnes 446. examples of coueiousnes 449. what magistrates are best liked of couetous princes 456 Coward Agamemnon dispensed with a rich coward for going to warre 284. what vices proceed of cowardlines 285 Creation the end of the creation of al things 92. Creatures all creatures are sociable by nature 594 Curiositie against curiositie in knowledge 161. two kindes of curiositie 162. against curious inquirie into other mens imperfections 166. curious persons profite their enimies more than themselues 167. wittie answeres made to cuâ—ioâ—â— questions 169. curiositie in princes affairs perilous 168 Custome a notable custome of the Lacedemonians 150. custome in sinning is dangerous 69 D Death the feare of death doth not astonish the vertuous 60. what death Cesar thoght best 262. no man ought to hasten forward his death 293. what it is to feare death 294. the comfort of euery true Christian against death 805. Definition the definition of ambition 224. of anger 312. of a body 20. of charitie 321. of a citie 595. of a Citizen 605. of comelines 181. of confidence 300. of duty 94. of enuie 458. of fortune 468. of friendship 138. of a house 490. 492. of iealousie 505. of iustice 390. 391. of intemperancie 190. of iudgement 691. of liberalitie 435. of the law 596. of malice and craft 123. of man 13. of meekenes 321. of nature 172. of Oeconomie 523. of policie 523. of passion 30. of Philosophy 40. 390. of prudence 104. of patience 310. of pleasure 236. of sedition 705. of societie 480. of the soule 23. of temperance 181. of vertue 52. of vice 65. of wedlocke 480 Democraty the description of a Democraty with the sundry kinds of it 528 Desire the effects of desire 36 Diseases the end cause and remedie of bodily diseases 29. the cause of the diseases of the soule 33. the seede of diseases 211 Discipline the ancient warlike discipline of the Romanes 769. the corruption thereof in these daies 769 Discord all things are preserued by agreeing discords 19 Diuision of Citizens 606. of a Common-wealth 579. 583. of dutie 94. of a house 492. of iustice 393. of the law 596. of nature 171. of Philosophy 40. of passions 31. of speech 127. of the soule 23. of sciences 76 Dowries why the dowries of women haue alwaies had great priuiledges 486. Lycurgus forbad all dowries 493 Drinke the manner of drinking in old time 203. against excessiue drinking 204 Drunkennes hurtfull effects of drunkennes and gluttony 213. examples of drunkennes 214 Duarchy what a Duarchy is 617 Dutie wherein the dutie of man consisteth 12. dutie and profite are distinct thinges 429. the duty of a wise man 12. what duty we owe to God and what to our neighbour 94. fower riuers issue out of the fountaine of duty 96 E Eclipse Nicias feared an eclipse of the Moone 120 Education helpeth the defect of nature 175. examples therof 177. naughtie education corrupteth a good nature 551. how Plato would haue children brought vp 552. of the education of daughters 554 Emperours there were 73. Emperours of Rome within 100. yeeres 223. what this word Emperour importeth 624 End the proper end of all things 477 Enimy how one may reape benefite by his enimies 112. 383. why men are beholding to their enimies 379. the common behauiour of men towards their enimies 380 Enuy is a note of an ambitious man 225. the nature of enuie 457. the fruits of it 458. it hurteth enuious persons most 459. a good way to be reuenged on the enuious 464 Ephoryes why the Ephoryes were appointed in Lacedemonia 581 Equality two sorts of equalitie 737 Equity is alwaies one and the same to all people 601. the equity of the Morall law ought to be the end and rule of all lawes 602 Error the spring of all error 119 Estate euery Estate and policie consisteth of three parts 578. the opinion of Politicks touching a mixt Estate 625. examples of mixt Estates 626. what it is to hold the Estates 685. a rule of Estate 723. choise custome of seuen flourishing Estates 732. meanes to preserue an Estate 734 c. it is dangerous to an Estate to call in forraine succours 785 Euent wee must not iudge of enterprises by the euent 305. we must be prepared against all euents 306. the euent of all things is to be referred to the prouidence of God 42 Euill what we ought to call euill 63 Exercise what bodily exercise is meete for youth 557 Expences a good law e to cut off the occasions of idle expences 221 F Fables who delight most in reading of fables 462 Family there must be but one Head in a family 509. the progresse of a family before it come to perfection 525 Father why many fathers set not their children to schoole 72. the storie of a father appointed to execute his owne child 535 Fauour the punishment of one who solde his maisters fauour 411 Feare two kinds of feare 278. the feare of neighbour enimies is the safetie of a Common-wealth 279. good feare is ioined with the loue of God 280. examples of wary feare 280. a strange effect of feare in one night 284. examples of feare which is the defect of fortitude 281 Feast how wise men feasted one another in old time 202. Socrates feast 208 Fidelitie a description of fidelitie 414 Flatterie the common practise of flatterers 139. good counsell for Princes against flatterers 462 Flesh the works of the flesh 20 Foe he that hath no foe hath no friend 145. Looke Enimie Fortitude the woorkes of fortitude must bee grounded vpon equitie and iustice 251. it is a good
Reader if thou takest payns to read well to vnderstand better and which is best of all to follow the precepts instructions and examples which thou shalt find here as also if thou bringest hither a good will and cheerefull disposition voyd of all malicious enuy which at this day is commonly practised by most men of this our age who like to malicious Censorers busie themselues rather in seeking out what to bite at and to reprehend in other mens workes than to draw out and to commend that which is good or to assay to make them better Besides thou shalt haue somewhat to commend in the order of these discourses and in the maner of teaching which is in them For after the handling of that knowledge which is especially necessary for man all those vertues follow which he ought to imbrace and those vices which he is to shun Next he is instructed in that which concerneth house-keeping then in that which hath respect to estates and policies last of all how he may die well after he hath liued well As for the maner of teaching which is diligently obserued by these Academikes thou shalt see that first they prayse that vertue or disprayse that vice which they propound to themselues to discourse vpon that they may mooue and frame mens minds as well to hate the one as to desire the other Then they define that wherof they discourse that the end of the present subiect may be better knowen Afterward they giue precepts to find out the means wherby to attaine to that which is Good and to eschew the euil Lastly they adde examples which are liuely reasons and of great waight to mooue men with delight to embrace vertue and to flie vice Now if thou thinkest that too litle is spoken considering the goodly and large matter here propounded it is not bicause they knew not that the excellencie of euery thing put foorth here is so great and the reasons so aboundant that a man might well make a booke therofby it selfe as many learned men haue done but the chiefe scope and drift of these Inter-speakers was to discourse briefly of such things as are necessarily required in the institution of maners and of a happy life Neuerthelesse it may well be that that which thou findest not sufficiently folowed in one place may be learned in another if thou lookest vnto the end Moreouer they who are here named and who mind to retaine alwayes the name of disciples neuer purposed or presumed to set downe resolutions or to appoint lawes which are necessarily to be kept and may not be changed in any wise by those that are cleere-sighted according to the occurrence benefit of the estate of this Monarchie but grounding their counsels and instructions vpon the soundest and most approoued opinion of the writings of learned men both of auncient and late times and vpon such as drew neerest to the infallible rule of the holy scriptures according to the small measure of graces giuen them from aboue they haue left to euery one following therein the ancient schoole of the Academikes libertie to compare the motiues of the one side with the reasons on the other that the truth of all things might be diligently searched out and inquired after that none through any head-strong conceit should be wedded to priuate opinions and that afterward choise might be made of the best and of such as are most certain therby to order and rule all intents and actions and to referre them to the perpetuall glory of that great Lord of Hierarchies who is the onely cause and chiefe fountain of all Good contentation and happinesse Spe certa quid melius The Contents of the seuerall chapters of this Booke Chap. 1 Of Man Page 10 2 Of the body and soule 19 3 Of the diseases and passions of the body and soule and of the tranquillitie thereof 27 4 Of Philosophie 38 5 Of Vertue 51 6 Of Vice 63 7 Of Sciences of the studie of Letters and of Histories 72 8 Of the Spirit and of Memorie 83 9 Of Duetie and Honestie 92 10 Of Prudence 103 11 Of want of Prudence and of Ignorance of Malice and subtletie 115 12 Of Speech and Speaking 126 13 Of Friendship and of a Friend 136 14 Of Reprehension and Admonition 148 15 Of Curiositie and Noucitie 159 16 Of Nature and Education 170 17 Of Temperance 179 18 Of Intemperance and of Stupiditie or blockishnes 189 19 Of Sobrietie and Frugalitie 198 20 Of Superfluitie Sumptuousnesse Gluttonie and Wallowing in delights 209 21 Of Ambition 223 22 Of Voluptuousnes and Loosenesse of life 234 23 Of Glory Praise Honour and of Pride 245 24 Of Shame Shamefastnes and of Dishonor 256 25 Of Fortitude 265 26 Of Timorousnes Feare and Cowardlines and of Rashnes 277 27 Of Magnanimitie and Generositie 288 28 Of Hope 298 29 Of Patience and of Impatiencie of Choler and Wrath. 308 30 Of Meeknes Clemencie Mildnes Gentlenes and Humanitie 319 31 Of good and ill Hap. 328 32 Of Prosperitie and Aduersitie 338 33 Of Riches 350 34 Of Pouertie 358. 35 Of Idlenes Sloth and Gaming 367 36 Of an Enimie of Iniurie and of Reuenge 378 37 Of Iustice 390 38 Of Iniustice and of Seueritie 402 39 Of Fidelitie Forswearing and of Treason 413 40 Of Ingratitude 424 41 Of Liberalitie and of the vse of Riches 434 42 Of Couetousnes and of Prodigalitie 444 43 Of Enuie Hatred and Backbiting 457 44 Of Fortune 467 45 Of Mariage 478 46 Of a House and Familie and of the kinds of Mariage of certaine ancient customes obserued in mariage 484 47 Of the particular dutie of a Husband towards his wife 500 48 Of the dutie of a Wife towards hir Husband 513 49 Of the dutie of the Head of a familie in other partes of the house namely in the Parentall Masterly and Possessorie part 523 50 Of the dutie of children towards their Parents of the mutuall loue that ought to be among brethré of the dutie of seruants towards their masters 536 51 Of the Education and instruction of Children 549 52 Of the diuision of the ages of Man and of the offices and duties that are to be obserued in them 561 53 Of Policie and of sundry sorts of Gouernments 573 54 Of the soueraigne Magistrate and of his authoritie and office 584 55 Of the Lawe 593 56 Of the People and of their obedience due to the Magistrate and to the Lawe 603 57 Of a Monarchie or a Regall power 615 58 Of diuers kinds of Monarchies and of a Tiranny 627 59 Of the Education of a Prince in good maners and conditions 640 60 Of the office and dutie of a King 652 61 Of a Councell and of Counsellers of Estate 675 62 Of Iudgements and of Iudges 689 63 Of Seditions 703 64 Of the causes that breede the change corruption c. of Monarchies and Policies 716 65 Of the preseruations of Estates and Monarchies and of remedies to keepe them from sedition 730 66
mortall matter of as small continuance as a vessell of earth sinning without ceasing and endeuoring that that which is shut vp within it should please it Notwithstanding we ought not to neglect and contemne the woonderfull frame of this heauenly plant as Plato calleth it saying that the roote thereof is in the head drawing towards heauen seeing as in a little world we may behold therein the excellencie of the woonderful works of God and that in so great measure that the wisest and most eloquent men could neuer set them foorth sufficiently And if we cal to minde how by his almightie power he framed him at the first of a peece of earth we shall not neede to stand long heere to inquire and search out how he could be ingendred and fashioned in his mothers wombe how he receaued nourishment and life and lastly how he came into the light As for example how the sixe first daies after his conception he is nothing but milke the nine following blood twelue daies after flesh and howe in the eighteene next ensuing he is fashioned at what time the fruite beginneth to liue and to haue sence which is the fiue and fortieth day after he was conceaued These are secrets of nature which may seeme as incomprehensible and beyond the capacitie of man as his first creation For what greater maruell can there be than that of a little drop of mans seed there should be engendred bones sinewes vaines arteries similar and instrumentall partes skinne and flesh and that all these should be framed in that kinde figure and similitude which we daily see in men who are all created after that maner What neede we then to make an anatomy of all the chiefest partes of the body of man when as the consideration of the least of them which peraduenture may be found to be most necessarie will suffice to rauish vs with admiration What superfluous thing can be noted in the bodie What small parcell is there which the noblest part may want conueniently and which is not partaker of euerie euill disposition thereof What thing is there in the whole nature thereof which doth not satisfie that dutie verie profitably whereunto it is borne and appointed which mooueth not of it selfe which either doth suffereth or disposeth of it selfe otherwise than is most expedient and meet for it owne benefite and for the rest of the frame of man The progresse and growth thereof from day to day from houre to houre and that of all the parts together of this principall worke at one instant euen from the first houre of his being vntil his whole perfection are they not more heauenly than humane things What is more woonderfull vnder the cope of heauen than the coniunction and subiection of the naturall sences vnto the bodie I meane of the sight smelling hearing taste and touching whereby saith Plato the common sence which is as it were a generall receptacle conceaueth al outward things What an excellent propertie in man is it to voide from him a profitable superfluitie of his nourishment from whence the cause of the preseruation of mankinde proceedeth The articulate and distinct voice proper to him onely is it not woorthy of great maruell What greater secret of nature could rauish the minde of man more with admiration than amongst the infinite multitude of men in the world to consider the variety of their gestures and diuersity of their countenances that hauing al but one and the same forme yet not one almost resembleth another And when in so great varietie two are found resembling in all points one another as we read of some euen of sundry nations who haue been taken indifferently one for the other is it not a stranger matter How maruellous is it that all men hauing a toong wherewith they speake and sing yet we seldome see that the speaking and singing of one resembleth the speech and tune of another wherupon it commeth to passe that friends and familiars oftentimes acknowledge and vnderstand one another by their speech and voice before they see ech other Who will not admire this great secret in the hand of man that a hundred thousand writers may write the same thing with the same inke and like pen and that with three and twentie letters which haue each his owne figure and shape and yet the writings shall not resemble one another so but that euery writing may be knowne by his hand that wrote it Briefely what is there in the whole body of man that is not full of rare beautie This is sufficient for the matter in hand now let vs come to the soule which is much more noble and infused into the body by God the Creator without any vertue of the generatiue seed when as the parts of the body are alreadie framed and fashioned This alone can lead vs to the knowledge of God and of our selues or rather as Socrates said we shall neuer vnderstand perfectly what the soule is except we first know God and behold it in him as in a true glasse who onely can represent it vnto vs. Let vs then see what the soule is according to the sayings of the ancient Philosophers Thales Milesius one of the sages of Graecia who florished in Athens in the time of Achab king of Iuda was the first that defined the soule affirming it to be a nature alwaies moouing it selfe Pythagoras the light of his time and the first that tooke vnto himselfe the name of a Philosopher bicause all those who before him were addicted to the contemplation of the diuinity of the secrets of nature caused themselues to be called by the name of Mages and wisemen which he would not haue spoken of himselfe saying that this diuine and lofty title of Wise was proper to God onely and that it farre passed all humane ability I say this excellent man Pythagoras affirmed that the soule was a number moouing it selfe Plato saith that it is a spiritual substance moouing it selfe by harmonicall number Aristotle saith that the soule is the continuall act or moouing of a naturall and instrumentall bodie that may haue life Or else according to others it is the light of the substance and in perpetuall motion They diuiâ—e it likewise diuersely and make many parts therof The soule as Pythagoras said is compounded of vnderstanding knowledge opinion and sence from which things all knowledge and Arts proceed and of which man is called reasonable that is apt to discourse by reason Plato saith that there are three vertues in the soule belonging to knowledge and vnderstanding which for this cause are called cognitiue or knowing vertues namely reason vnderstanding and phantasie Vnto which three others are answerable appertaining to appetite namely Will whose office is to desire that which vnderstanding and reason propound vnto it Choler or Anger which followeth that that reason and phantasie offer vnto it and Concupiscence which apprehendeth whatsoeuer phantasie and
diuine nature Of the diseases and passions of the bodie and soule and of the tranquillitie thereof Chap. 3. ARAM. ONe of the ancient philosophers vsed to say that no liuing creature was worse to man than man himselfe bicause albeit he hath dominion ouer all things yet he cannot rule himselfe nor his desires Experience causeth vs but too much to knowe the truth of this saying For who can doubt in any sort heerof seeing blessed S. Paule himselfe confesseth that he did not the good thing which he would but the euill which he would not and that in his flesh there dwelt no goodnes So vndoubtedly we haue both bodie and soule compassed about with so many pernitious passions that it is very hard yea altogither vnpossible that what good thing soeuer is in vs should not faint and sinke vnder their heauie waight without a speciall and diuine grace ACHITOB. Truly this is no vaine speculation nor vnprofitable to man as also for a man to know that he is as it were tied in this world to all vncertaine things which he being mortall by nature cannot any way shun and auoid without the helpe of God He which is in health expecteth sicknes he that is sicke health Doth any one desire in his mind any thing Before he enioyeth it his desire is often changed into another In a word no man abideth still in one and the same estate And therfore Plato calleth man a mutable creature as if he meant to say that he is easily altered and changed ASER. The change which this diuine philosopher meant if I be not deceiued hath relation principally to the conditions of the soule which being filled with infinite perturbations fastened in the midst of it with the naile of pleasure and griefe is carried away with inconstancie and vncertaintie into a streame of troublesome passions which if they be not cut off and maistred by reason draw a man into vtter destruction But giue vs to vnderstand AMANA more at large of these passions of the soule and of the way to remedie them and if you thinke good you may speake somewhat of those of the bodie AMANA Amongst the innumerable euils which the desire of pleasure and feare of griefe ingrauen in the most secret parts of our soule by our first corruption bring to man this is the greatest and most pernitious that they make sensible things more euident and plaine vnto him than things intelligible and constraine the vnderstanding to iudge more by passion than by reason For vsing through the sence oâ— pleasure or trauell to attend to the erronious vncertaine and mutable nature of the bodie as to that which is subsisting and subiect to sight he remaineth blind and looseth all knowledge of that which truly is and subsisteth namely of the light of the soule which is diuine and immortall Moreouer applying himselfe wholie to the sensuall and vnreasonable will which is that part of the soule that proceedeth of the corruption thereof he laboureth with all his might to quench and choke that weake instinct of the soule which aspireth vnto the true Good from whence she perceiueth hir selfe to haue fallen And this he doth with such force and power that if God strengthen not the soule and reason the diuine guide accompanie hir not without doubt she yeeldeth to such mightie enimies and then as we haue said staying himselfe wholy in things subiect to sight he appeereth too carefull and curious in seeking to decke that which belongeth to the bodie but as for the soule wherof all humane felicitie dependeth bicause she is inuisible and not seene of him it is the lest of his cares to furnish hir with that which she seeketh and desireth and which is necessarie for hir Wherupon in the end it commeth to passe that the lest ouerthwarts and discommodities of his flesh seeme very greeuous and burthensome to a man but as for the incurable diseases which ouerwhelme his soule he doth not so much as feele them Now to the end we may vnderstand more particularly that which is heer propounded vnto vs we will handle in order and as briefly as we may this matter being very large the diseases and passions of the bodie and soule with the remedie which we are to desire and seeke after And first we will speake a word of the diseases of the bodie next of the naturall and necessarie passions thereof albeit we will intreat of the passions of the soule as of our chiefe matter subiect Concerning the maladies and euill dispositions of the bodie one Hippocrates one Galen nay infinite others skilfull in physicke are not able to describe them exactly much lesse prescribe certaine and sure remedies But seeing it is not my purpose or profession to stay long heere neither yet necessarily belonging to the cause of our assemblie I will content my selfe to speake these few words by the way that we ought to take euerie bodily infirmitie as a fatherly chastisement of our sins and as a necessarie meane to awaken vs to warne vs of our dutie and to keep vs in awe Besides one principall cause of all bodilie diseases proceedeth ordinarily from vices which are the proper inheritance of man and with which we defile our selues continually Therefore if we heale our soules we may cure our selues of the most of them and as for others which come by defect of nature or by some other hidden cause we haue the counsell and helpe of physicions whom willingly and diligently we seeke after There are besides these certaine naturall and necessarie passions in the body properly belonging vnto it euen from the first creation therof which are not to be condemned neither can be taken away but with the abolishing of mans nature as the desire of drinking eating sleeping such like which onlie by the direction of reason are to be freed from all superfluitie But it standeth otherwise with the diseases and passions of the soule deriued from our first corruption and driuen forward by sinne being plentifull and rich which without comparison are far more dangerous than those of the bodie more hard to be perceiued knowen more headstrong and vneasie to cure and which is worse man is very slothfull in seeking out a remedie for them And for the most part thinking that he hath found some remedie through want of skill and ignorance he falleth into a worse estate than he was in before and as we commonly say from a gentle ague into a pestilent and burning feuer But first we will generally define this word Passion according to the opinion of those philosophers who were endewed with greatest light Passion is euerie naturall and actuall motion in the soule This motion is of two sorts the one weake good and holie aspiring and reioicing in that which is truly good the other verie strong euill and pernitious coueting with a disordered desire and delighting with an immoderate ioy in a good falsly so imagined The
no man can fall into this feare least he should not becom vertuous except he be very desirous to be so indeed and none can haue this desire except reason guided with heauenly light and doing her dutie in him had wrought the same but reason thus qualified must needs be an enimy to all perturbations Thus we see that no man through feare of not being vertuous is ouertaken with perturbations The like may be saide of sorrow For albeit a man be greeued bicause he is not vertuous yet his minde is not excessiuely disquieted seeing this desire is neuer in him but when reason commandeth according to hir diuine nature by causing vs to knowe our selues Whereby we perceiue that perturbations neuer arise in vs for that which is the true good of the soule but onely for that which fooles do falsely call good and which the philosophers call the goods of the bodie and of fortune But these being naturally subiect to corruption and as we haue alreadie said inseparably accompanied with vehement desire vnbrideled ioy feare and griefe as we shall see more at large when we handle them hereafter are vnwoorthy to be cared for by the immortall soule neither may or ought they to be called goods bicause they are possessed much lesse euils when they are wanting If we be thus perswaded we shall be masters ouer all perturbations not esteeming that which is mortall and fraile woorthy to be either wished for or delighted in Hereof it will come to passe that our soule and spirit shall be quiet and reason which knoweth how discerne good from euill wil deale with vs as a good husbandman and vine dresser dealeth with his tree and vine when he cutteth off the dead branches and vnprofitable twigs to the end that all noisome sap and moisture may be taken away And thus shall we be taught to desire and do that which we ought and euery contrarie inclination shall be weakened not taking effects and the soule shall fulfill hir dutie in commanding absolutely ouer all the prouocations of the flesh and in quenching them so foone as they do appeere For as they that haue healthful bodies saith Epictetus easily indure both cold and heate so they that haue a staied and setled soule haue the dominion ouer anger griefe ioy and all their other affections Then shall we liue happily not being terrified with any feare nor vexing our spirits with any longing or tedious desires nor being tormented with any lustes and disordred affections and lastly not suffering our selues being drunken with sugred poison to be ouer come and bound vnder the yoke of pleasure This shall we learne by the studie of Philosophie which is a certaine remedie and a sound medicine for euery vice and passion and is able to inrich and cloath vs with reason which is such a beautifull perfect and profitable ornament Of Philosophie Chap. 4. AMANA THe life of man said Pythagoras is like to that generall assemblie of Graecia at the Olimpyan games where manie carried with glorie and ambition presented themselues at those exercises that they might beare away the crowne and prize otehrs led with couetousnes came thither to traffike selling and buying merchandise and a third sort of men more praise worthie and noble came thither also who sought not after vaineglorie or couetousnes but carefully marked whatsoeuer was done in that assemblie that they might reape profit and commoditie thereby So men comming into this world as into a faire or mart some giue themselues to ambition and vaineglorie others to couetousnes and to heape vp treasure But they that are of a more diuine nature sequestring themselues from worldlie affaires meditate vpon heauenlie things and thereupon fasten the scope of their intents desires and wils Diuine Plato ioining action with contemplation in a happie and perfect life saith that next to the glorie of God we must haue regard to do that which is profitable for the Common-wealth Which excellent opinions of these two philosophers are comprehended vnder this onely word of practising philosophie and that art which giueth vs the precepts thereof is called philosophie whose worke and effect as Seneca Neroes schoolmaister said very well is to find out and to knowe the truth both of diuine and humane things Iustice pietie religion yea the whole companie of vertues neuer depart from hir She teacheth vs to adore and serue God and to loue men ARAM. Surely philosophie is the mother and continuall spring of all good knowledge For she teacheth vs to knowe good and euill she prouoketh vs by the vprightnes of reason to flie this thing to do that causing vs to liue as wise and prudent men ioyfull and contented in euery estate whereupon ariseth the sound rest of the spirit Moreouer the excellencie of this knowledge as Plato saith is so great that it is but one and the same thing to be a king a gouernor of a Common-wealth and a philosopher bicause the roiall ciuill and philosophicall arts are compounded of the same matter namelie of iustice and prudence ACHITOB. Philosophie cannot sufficiently be praised seeing that whosoeuer obeieth hir may passe his daies without tediousnes For the true scope thereof is to seeke to glorifie God in his woonderfull works and to teach a man how to liue well and to helpe his neighbor Which perfection cannot be attained vnto without a speciall and heauenlie grace and that after the knowledge of the sountaine from whence all goodnes commeth And this hath beene the cause as I thinke why so many great philosophers knowing certainly wherein the true and perfect felicitie of man liuing in this world consisted namely in the tranquillitie of the soule and labouring continually to roote out or at least to weaken al the perturbations therof by the vprightnes of reason and to engraffe vertue therein yet could neuer perfectly enjoy this souerigne good which they so much desired bicause they were ignorant of the fountaine from whence it proceeded which is the grace and mercie of our God in his beloued sonne And albeit their life was maruellously quiet and void of many vices yet it standeth vs in hand if we be Christians in deed to lead without comparison a more happy contented and excellent life and to exercise philosophie according to that true wisedome which our Lord Iesus Christ teacheth vs. But I thinke ASER is prepared to speake of this matter and to discourse thereof more at large vnto vs. Let vs harken then what he will say ASER. That which presently offereth it selfe to bee handled requireth truely a farre better spirit than mine Notwithstanding that I seeme not to shun those lists into which we entered willingly I purpose according to my weake iudgement to tell you first what philosophie is what good commeth vnto vs by it the meanes to learne it and to profit thereby how a man may know he hath it and how he must shew foorth the fruits thereof and lastly how we
time namely loue testified by obedience which we may comprehend vnder this onely word of Dutie called by the philosophers the welspring of all vertuous and laudable actions and the foundation of honestie Therefore I propound this matter to you companions to be discoursed vpon AMANA The dutie of a good man consisteth in his good behauiour towards the chiefe and onely end of his being compounded of these two things the glorie of his Creator and the loue of his neighbour But the last vndoubtedly dependeth of the first For without the feare of God men wil neuer preserue equitie and loue amongst themselues as contrariwise the honoring of his maiestie teacheth them to liue vprightly one with another ARAM. We ought not to assure or fortifie our selues with any other bulworke than to do to counsell and to vtter al good and honest things according to dutie wherunto we are called by nature not onely for our selues but also for the benefit and profit of many Therefore of thee ACHITOB we shall vnderstand more at large what Dutie and Honestie is ACHITOB. No treatise in philosophie saith Cicero is so necessarie as that of Office and Dutie forasmuch as no part of mans life whether it be in publike or priuate affaires or in what action soeuer it be either ought or may be destitute therof For therein consisteth all honestie of life and if it be neglected all infamie And albeit most part of the ancient philosophers comprehended duty and honestie vnder vertue affirming them to be one and the same thing yet following the opinion of that great orator and philosopher who hath handled morall philosophie in very good order we may distinguish them after this sort saying that dutie is the end whereunto vertue tendeth namely when in all our actions we obserue honestie and comlines In which distinction we see neuertheles such a coniunction of these three things Vertue Dutie and Honestie that the one is the end of the other the perfection thereof consisting in all three togither Dutie then is that which bindeth the soule cheerfully and willingly without force or constraint to giue to euery one that which belongeth vnto him honor to whom honor reuerence to whom reuerence tribute to whom tribute and succor to whom succor belongeth This dutie is diuided into two generall kinds the one is that which appertaineth to the perfect and souereigne good the other concerneth the preseruation and safetie of the common societie of men and consisteth in morall precepts according to which the behauior of al sorts of life may be squared As touching the first no doubt but all men are beholding and bound vnto God both for their being and preseruation thereof as also for that abundance of goods necessarie for this life which he powreth forth most liberally both on the good and on the bad Moreouer Christians are further tied and bound vnto him for the certaine hope of their saluation in his eternall sonne For all which things he asketh nothing of vs but loue and good-will testified by honor reuerence and seruice according to his holie ordinance euery one after the measure of gifts and graces which he hath from aboue knowing that more is to be required of him to whom more is giuen This obedience being grounded vpon that rule of perfect righteousnes which is giuen vnto vs in the law of God is the mother and preseruer of all vertues yea the beginning and roote of al goodnes The other part of dutie which respecteth our neighbor and whereof we are chiefly to intreat in this our Academie is nothing but charity loue of our like as of our selues which is greatly recommended vnto vs in the scripture as being very requisit vnto salúation This is that dutie whereby we are bound not to do any thing against publike lawes equitie and profit but to be alwaies constant in the perfect exercise and vse of vertue by doing honest and seemely things for their owne sakes and not of necessitie and constraint We are not onely borne saith Cicero for our selues but our countrie parents and friends both will and ought to reape some commoditie by our birth For whatsoeuer is vpon earth was created for men and they for themselues that one might aide and helpe another So that if we will follow nature we must imploy our goods trauell and industrie and whatsoeuer else is in our power in the behalfe of common commoditie and in the preseruation of humane societie yea that man liueth most happily who as little as may be liueth to himselfe And on the other side no man liueth more disorderedly than he that liueth to himselfe and thinketh on nothing but his owne profit This is that dutie which requireth that for the safetie of our parents friends and countrie we should offer our selues to all perils not respecting our owne profit or commoditie Neither ought we to esteeme any thing iust and profitable except honestie which are so linked togither as the philosophers say that they can no more be separated than whitenes and cold from snow and heate and light from fire So that if any man be perswaded that the rule of honestie and profit is not one and the same he will neuer be without fraud or wickednes For thinking thus with himselfe this indeed is honest but that is profitable for me he will not feare to breake and rent a sunder all equitie ordained and appointed either by diuine or humane lawes And this diuision is the fountaine of all vice falshood and mischiefe A good man saith Plato may not slander steale or lie for his owne commoditie Is there any thing then in this world of so great value any treasure so pretious that ought to cause vs to loose the name of vertuous and iust We ought rather to turne profit towards honestie and that in such sort that howsoeuer the words seeme to differ one from another yet we should make them but one thing Moreouer the same diuine philosopher saith that the true beautie of the soule which is honestie is nothing else but the brightnes of that perfect and chiefe good that appeereth in those things which may be knowen by the eies eares and mind whereby it is caused to returne towards the Idea and paterne of goodnes Wherby this excellent man meaneth no other thing than to giue vs to vnderstand that whatsoeuer goodnes and honestie is in vs commeth from God as from the fountaine thereof vnto which by the same vertue it returneth leading the soule with it to liue eternally Besides from him and by him commeth the beginning and proceeding of our good works yea it is he that maketh vs to go forward according to true dutie which consisteth in these two points first that the intention and end of our actions be rightly framed secondly that the like meanes to attaine to that end be found out For these two things may agree or disagree one from another as we see sometimes
vertuous deedes it ought rather to be called the chiefest euil forasmuch as he that sinneth through ignorance is more excusable than the malitious who sinneth wittingly And for defence of my saying besides the authoritie of the scripture I haue Plato who saith that Science without the knowledge and practise of that which is good is very pernitious But let vs harken to AMANA who will discourse vnto vs more at large of these two vices want of discretion and malice or subtiltie AMANA All vertue being in the midst of two vices the one of them is cleane contrarie vnto it and the other being more dangerous seeketh to couer it selfe with hir name and it is called of the philosopher a false follower of vertue For this cause they placed want of prudence which vice is in the defect at the right hand of prudence and at the left hand Malice or Craft which is the excesse and causeth a man to sinne not through ignorance but by deceit and subtiltie and that vnder the name of Prudence First then let vs consider of want of prudence or vnskilfulnes and of the effects thereof in the soule Vnskilfulnes proceeding or rather being the same thing that ignorance is causeth a man as Aristotle saith to iudge euil of things to deliberate worse not to know how to take the aduantage of present good things but to conceiue ill of those things that are good and honest in mans life And as Prudence is the knowledge of that which ought to be done or left vndone so vnskilfulnes is the ignorance of those selfe same things and is alwaies followed of incontinencie of want of ciuilitie and of forgetfulnes Briefly want of prudence is so contagious and pestilent a thing in the mind of man that all other infirmities of the spirit wherewithall it is commonly molested and all euill actions seeme to proceed from the same And truly wheresoeuer it is there neither God can be truly honored and serued nor vice auoided nor any action either publike or priuate can be orderly and according to dutie executed For as a weake and diseased sight cannot behold the light of the sunne so an vnskilfull soule cannot know the truth Vnskilfulnes causeth a man to fall into seueritie when he thinks to exercise iustice If he would be liberall he becommeth prodigall If he thinketh to auoid superfluitie he falleth into couetousnes If he haue any apprehension of the diuine nature he consumeth his soule with a confused feare through superstition If his mind cannot conceiue that there is a most happy and blessed nature forthwith he iudgeth that there is none at all and thus guided by ignorance all his desires and inclinations tend to wretchednes and miserie Moreouer Plato saith that ignorance taketh away the sight of the mind from those that are tainted therewith as blindnes taketh away the sight of corporall eies from those that lacke their sight And further he testifieth that the ignorant mind is vile and wretched and that it is more expedient not to liue at all than to liue in ignorance But if we giue credit to Cicero he onely liueth indeed and possesseth a soule who setling himselfe to some good matter seeketh after renowme by some notable fact or by some good art It is good saith Socrates to leaue off altogither the vse of that thing wherof we haue no skill to vse it well And so for those that know not how to vse their eies eares and whole bodie it were more profitable neither to see heare or helpe themselues any way with their bodie In like maner it were better for him that knoweth not how to use his soule to haue none at all than to liue And if he must needs liue being borne he should be happier in the estate of a slaue than of a free man The speech of this wise philosopher expoundeth it selfe sufficiently as tending to no other end than to giue vs to vnderstand that it is better not to be yea neuer to haue been borne than through ignorance to follow vice and further that it is more dangerous when a man may freely do so without feare of any greater than himselfe For as droonkennes engendreth rage and madnes so saith Aristotle ignorance ioined with power begetteth insolencie and furie And it is all one as Plato saith to place an ignorant man in authoritie as to lay a great burden vpon the shoulders of a man halfe dead through weakenes All these things make me iudge an ignorant man to be I will not onely say like an image or blocke of wood but in a maner nothing differing from brute beasts This caused the ancients to vse this saying that Euery ignorant man was euill And Terence going yet further saith that The earth beareth nothing worse than an ignorant man And in truth what mischiefs do we not see to come of ignorance If a man be of a meane or base estate it maketh him good for nothing fearfull superstitious vnprofitable needie vnciuill slothfull and vnfit to euery good thing If he be mightie and rich besides that he may fall into the said miseries through the same imperfection he will so much the sooner become arrogant cruell rash talkatiue couetous vnconstant giuen to voluptuousnes and vniust In a word the more meanes he shall haue to exercise vices the richer in them will he grow to be through ignorance and so not being able to gouerne himselfe he must needs be vnwoorthie to intermeddle at all either in politicall or Oeconomicall gouernment If an ignorant man possesse any great benefit or felicitie he can neuer know so much before he hath lost it againe Moreouer this mischiefe followeth him that he can neuer make his profit of any good counsell bicause of the presumption of his owne opinion which he alwaies thinketh better than any other yea he supposeth that nothing can be well done except he put to his helping hand For as Menander saith nothing is so rash as ignorance And the more that an ignorant man is lift vp vnto some excellencie of dignitie or riches the more vnsufferable he is as one that knoweth not how to vse them so that he is puffed vp with pride aboue measure and not content with his estate but driuen with ambition he presumeth oftentimes to vndertake things against all reason and equitie And contrariwise if fortune change he abaseth himselfe out of measure shewing nothing but abiection of mind inconstancy and impatiencie and that with so great trouble and disquietnes of spirit that oftentimes he is wholie besides himselfe Now these are but small fruits of ignorance namely to make a man importunate to cause him to stay another that hath great affaires saying that he hath many things to communicate vnto him when in truth they will do him but small pleasure to desire one that hath lost his suite to bestow a dinner vpon him promising to tell him a way how he may recouer it againe to speake ill
driueth away round about hir the darknes and obscuritie of passions She is saith Socrates the wholesomest vertue of all For she preserueth both publikely and priuately humane societie she lifteth vp the soule miserably throwen downe in vice and restoreth hir againe into hir place Temperance saith Plato is a mutuall consent of the parts of the soule from whence springeth continencie causing all disordered and vnbrideled desires to take reason for a rule and direction Temperance saith Cicero is the mother of all dutie and honestie It is the propertie of iustice not to violate the right of another man and of Temperance not so much as to offend him In Temperance a man may behold modestie with the priuation of euery perturbation in the soule as also away how to frame al things according to that which is decent or seemely which the Latins call Decorum being a conueniencie meet for the excellencie of man and that wherein his nature differeth from other liuing creatures For as bodily beautie mooueth and reioiceth the eies by reason of the goodly and seemely composition of all the members wherin all the parts with a certaine grace agree togither so this decencie which is honestie and seemelines shining in mans life by his good order constancie and moderation both in deed and word mooueth and draweth the harts of those amongst whom we liue This vertue then of temperance is a stedfast and moderate rule of reason ouer concupiscence and ouer other vehement motions of the mind But she commandeth cheefly ouer those two perturbations of the soule grounded vpon the opinion of good I meane Vnbridled desire and vnmeasurable ioie whereof heertofore we made mention Thus we see that no man can find out any thing that is so excellent and wonderfull as temperance the guide and gouernor of the soule which bicause of hir exceeding great light cannot be hid in darknes which compelleth vs to follow reason bringeth peace to our minds and mollifieth them as it were by concord and agreement She serueth for a bridle to restraine all pleasures and in the midst of them maketh man good and vertuous She serueth for a knife to cut off all superfluous vaine and vnnecessarie desires as well of the soule as of the bodie and is as it were a rule directing naturall and necessarie desires by fit choice of times and by temperate vse of mediocritie Wherefore we may say that this vertue of temperance comprehendeth in it all the other vertues that through hir a harmonie concordance and coniunction of them all is made that she ministreth vnto them all occasions of beginning and being begun confirmeth them by a firme and stedfast safetie Breefly temperance as Plato saith is a generall surname of those vertues whereby a man moderateth his owne affections and frameth his gesture and behauiour in such sort that no effeminate or loose maners no clownish or vnciuil fashions are seene in him O saith Euripides how is temperance to be esteemed which is the cause of such great glorie and honor amongst men This vertue is diuided into fower principal parts into Continencie Clemencie Modestie and Order Continencie is that part whereby concupiscence and desire are gouerned by counsell and reason Clemencie is that whereby the minds of men rashly caried away with the hatred of any one and with desire to hurt him are kept backe by gentlenes Modestie is that whereby honest shame and bashfulnes purchaseth good and due deserued renowne Order is a disposition of all things in their conuenient place All these vertues are vndoubtedly ioined with temperance and consist as well in action as in the discoursing of the mind For by ioining a certaine mediocritie and order vnto those things that belong to this life we preserue honestie and dutie Euerie vertue saith Iamblicus a notable man despiseth whatsoeuer is fraile mortall and momentanie but temperance more than the rest bicause she contemneth and through chastitie beateth downe all those delights and pleasures whereby the soule as Plato saith is fastened vnto the bodie as it were with a naile Therefore if temperance rooteth out whatsoeuer she findeth vnperfect and subiect to perturbations how shal she not therewithall make vs perfect This is the meaning of that which the poets would giue vs to vnderstand vnder that fained fable of Bellerophon who being aided by modestie put to death that Chimaera and all other cruel and sauage monsters But as long as the immoderate force of our affections raigneth in vs it suffereth not men to be men but draweth them to the il fauoured nature of beasts void of reason Contrariwise this holie moderation whereby pleasures are contained within certaine bounds preserueth families togither and cities and which is more draweth vs in some sort neere to the diuine nature Thus we see that she is the foundation and ornament of all good things If we should endeuor to rehearse heere al those excellent praises which philosophers giue to this vertue of temperance bicause of hir worthie effects and wholesome fruits which she bringeth foorth in the soule we were not able to performe it although we should bestow this whole daies worke about it But bicause in the sequele of our discourses as well in the handling of vices as of vertues we may consider further how necessary temperance is and what profit it bringeth to the whole life of man we will content our selues to learne of Plato that temperance is the piller of fortitude the helmet and shield against luxuriousnes the keeper and guide of the eies the preseruer of good will the rasor of euill thoughts the corrector of vntamed desires an enimie to the disordered will of the soule that it shunneth naturall desires hindereth dishonest actions breedeth continencie mollifieth mens harts and giueth reason for a rule in all things Now let vs note out amongst the ancients some examples of the force and greatnes of this vertue of temperance which hath made many excellent men worthie of eternall renowme Scipio Africanus generall of the Romanes at the taking of the citie of Carthage had a yoong damsell to his prisoner of rare and excellent beautie And when he vnderstood of what great calling she came and how hir parents not long before had betrothed hir to a great Lord of Spaine he commanded that he should be sent for and restored hir vnto him without abusing hir in any respect although he was in the flowre of his age and had free and soueraigne authoritie Moreouer he gaue for a dowrie with hir the monie that was brought vnto him for hir ransome An act no doubt of great continencie in a victorious captaine towards his captiue whereof Aulus Gellius ioining it with that which we read of Alexander the great maketh this question whether of the twaine behaued himselfe more vertuously For Alexander hauing vanquished in battell king Darius and retaining as prisoner his wife which excelled al the dames of Asia in beautie and
contrarywise he made him Consull the next yeere Whereat his familiar friends wondring and disswading him from it My meaning is quoth he to them that he should one day remember this good turne Let vs also propound to kings and princes that sentence of Titus the emperor who making a feast one day with a cheerful countenance to the contentation of euery one in the ende of the banquet strake himselfe on the brest at the table and fetched a great sigh withall Wherupon his fauorites demanding the cause why I cannot quoth he keepe my selfe from sighing and complaining when I call to mind that this great honor which I haue dependeth vpon the will of fortune that my estates and dignities are as it were in sequestration and my life as it were laid in pawne pledged vnto me Let the saying of that good prince Philip king of Macedonia be well noted of great men who on a day falling all along in that place where wrestling was exercised and beholding the fashion of his body printed in the dust Good Lord quoth he how little ground must we haue by nature and yet we desire all the habitable world According to his example let vs all humble our selues in the acknowledgement of our imbecillitie and poore humain estate and let vs moderate our vnruly affections through the contempt of those things which worldly men desire and seeke after iudging them an vnwoorthy reward for vertue Let euery one of vs content himself with his estate and calling so that it tendeth to the right end namely to his glory that gaue it vnto vs and to the benefit and profit of his creatures and let all be done according to that measure of graces which he shall bestow vpon vs. Of Voluptuousnes and Lecherie Chap. 22. ACHITOB AMong those faults which men commit being led with desire and pleasure that is naturally in them we noted a little before luxuriousnes and whoredome But bicause we then reserued it to a more ample handling of Voluptuousnes and of a lustfull life which is the chiefe worke therof whose desire and contentation is in lecherie to the end we may the better discouer that sugred poison which lurketh vnder these detestable vices I am of opinion that we must begin to enter into this large field so fruitfull for thornes and thistles which to sicke eyes many tymes seeme faire blossoms of some goodly fruits propounding to the sight of euery one the nature and effects of the tyrannical power of pleasure a mortall enemie to the raigne of Vertue ASER. Pleasure saith Plato is the hooke of all euils bicause men are taken thereby as fish by a hooke For it quencheth the light of the soule hindreth all good counsell and through inticements turneth men aside from the way of vertue throwing them downe headlong into the gulfe of confusion which is luxuriousnes and whoredom a most wicked abominable vice aboue all others wherby all vertue is hurt and offended AMANA He that is giuen to pleasure saith Cicero iudgeth all things not according to reason but according to sence esteeming that best which most delighteth him so that he easily suffreth himselfe to be kindled with the burning fire of luxuriousnes which is hurtfull to euerie age and extinguisheth old age But let vs heare ARAM vpon this matter ARAM. It is no new opinion that many iudging according to their sensualitie and being altogither ignorant of the true nature and immortality of the soule haue placed their soueraigne Good in pleasure and in the enioying of those things which most of all tickle the sences Aristippus and all the Cyrinaiks Epicurus Metrodorus Chrysippus and many others who falsly tooke vnto themselues the name of Philosophers laboured to prooue it by many arguments cloking their wickednes with graue and loftie words saying that none could perfectly attaine to pleasure except he were vertuous and wise But that which Cicero alleadgeth against them is sufficient to discouer the maske of their impudencie and to conuince them of lying namely that we must not simply looke to mens sayings but consider whether they agree in their opinions For how is it possible that he which placeth his chiefe Good in the pleasure of the bodie and in neuer-feeling griefe should make account of or imbrace vertue which is an enimie to delights and pleasures and commandeth vs rather to suffer a cruell and dolorous death than to start aside against dutie It is certaine that he which placeth his chiefe Good in pleasure hath no regard to do any thing but for his priuate profit Whereby he declareth sufficiently that he careth not at all for vertue especially iustice which commandeth nothing so much as to leaue our owne particular pleasure and profit and to imbrace though with our perill losse the publike welfare Moreouer how could he be couragious if he thought that grief were the extreamest and greatest euill or temperate supposing pleasure to be perfect felicitie Besides what can be more vnbeseeming man appointed for all great and excellent things than to take that for his chiefe Good whereof brute beastes haue better part than we and to leaue the care of that which is diuine and immortal in vs to attend to that which is mortall and subiect to corruption But these erronious and false opinions being contrarie to themselues are so absurd and full of blockish ignorance that we neede not here loose much time in confuting them and conuincing them of lies Notwithstanding it being so common a thing with men to imbrace pleasure as the principall end of their actions bicause naturally they desire pleasure and shun griefe it will be easie for vs to shew that ignorance only guideth them when being depriued of the knowledge of that Good which is to be wished for and is pleasant and acceptable they seeke after through an euill choice the greatest mischiefe of all I meane pleasure vnseparably followed of griefe which men labour most of all to eschew Let vs then see what pleasure is and what fruites she bringeth with hir Voluptuousnes or pleasure saith Cicero is properly called that delight which mooueth and tickleth our sences which slideth and slippeth away and for the most part leaueth behind it occasions rather of repentance than of calling it again to remembrance For many through wicked and vnnecessarie pleasure haue fallen intogreat diseases receiued great losses and suffred many reproches It alwaies saith Plato bringeth damage and losse to man ingendring in his mind sorow sottishnes forgetfulnes of prudence and insolencie Wheresoeuer sweete is saith Antipho there presently followeth sowre For voluptuousnes neuer goeth alone but is alwaies accompanied with sorow and griefe Pleasure saith Plutark resolueth mens bodies mollifieng them daily through delights the continuall vse of which mortifieth their vigor and dissolueth their strength from whence abundance of diseases proceedeth so that a man may see in youth the beginnings of the weakenes of old age Voluptuousnes is a
slain by the womans husband whome he abused Roderigo king of Spaine was depriued of his kingdome and life by the Sarrasins who were called in by an earle named Iulian that he might be auenged of his king who had forced his daughter Galeatius Maria Duke of Millan being at masse was slaine by a Citizen who stroke him into the stomack with a dagger faining that he would haue spoken with him The chiefe cause heerof was for a suspition which he had conceiued that this Prince intertained his wife In the time of Philip the faire king of France two knights that were brothers named d'Aunoy were flaied aliue for their whoredomes committed with a Queene of Nauarre and with the Countesse of March daughter to the Countie of Burgundie which twaine also were condemned to perpetuall prison Not long since Peter Lewes Duke of Placentia was murdred for his incests and incredible whoredoms Among other things it is written of him that he forced Cosmes Chers bishop of Valentia whome he caused to be held by his men and after poisoned him least he should haue accused him to the Emperour Also not long ago the cities of Almendine Delmedine were cut off from the kingdome of Fez and brought vnder obedience to the Portingales bicause a yoong woman was taken away by force from hir husband by the Gouernor of them who was afterwards slaine Abusahid also king of Fez was murdered with sixe of his children by his Secretarie whose wife he had abused This is set downe by Leon in the description of Africke In our time and euen amongst vs too many such examples of the pernitious fruits of whoredom haue fallen out Neuertheles it beareth such sway in this desolate France that they are accounted the gallantest men who are the greatest pillers of whoredome Yea the greater sort that ought to be paterns of chastitie to others are bold in the practise thereof thinking to couer their shame to cloke and disguise their whoredome with the maske of vertue accounting it a point of glorie and honor to be the chiefest and most expert in that schoole But let vs know that this visard is but to make them altogither without excuse before him from whom nothing can be hidden and who abhorreth all maliciousnes and shameles impudencie wherwith whoremongers set forth their face And seeing that he whose mercie is endles supplieth the want and infirmitie of his creatures this vice of whoredome is without all colour of excuse before him bicause he hath giuen vs a holie and honourable remedie against it which is mariage permitted to euery one but yet despised of all whoremongers to their ruine and eternall confusion And if they were not wholly blinded through continuance in vice the scourges of ciuill warre of heresie of famine and of rebellion which Fraunce at this day suffereth would be more than enough to vnseele their eies that they might acknowledge the wrath of the Almightie readie to destroy them both bodie and soule Therefore let vs that are better instructed by our Academie learne of Socrates that a wise man ought to passe by pleasures as by the Syrens if he long to attaine to vertue his most happie countrey and dwelling place And for a good helpe heerunto let vs take the counsell of Epictetus saying When thy spirite is drawne with some desire of pleasure beware thou tumble not into some downefall and meditate a litle considering diligently that after thou hast beene ouercome of pleasure there remaineth nothing but repentance and thy hatred against thy selfe Where as if thou abstainest a stedfast and assured ioy possesseth thy hart which wholy driueth away sorow Thus let vs endeuor to decke our selues with puritie chastitie and vprightnes hating in such sort voluptuousnes and lecherie the deere and costlie pleasure whereof passeth away as the winde and leaueth behind it a shamefull remembrance that following the will of our law-maker we shun all dissolutenes tending that way whether it be immodest garments vnchast gestures and countenances or vile and filthie words which may induce others to euill Let vs remember in good time what Archelaus a Greek Philosopher said to a yoong man clothed with superfluous apparell that it was all one in what part soeuer of his bodie he declared his vnchastnes and that it was euermore to be condemned But aboue all things let that diuine sentence sound without ceasing in our eares that no whoremonger hath any inheritance in the kingdome of Iesus Christ And if being naturally giuen to loue pleasure and to feare griefe we would delight our soule with a ioy that is both profitable and pleasant let vs lift it vp in the meditation of those vnspeakeable and endles riches which are promised vnto it in that happie immortalitie and so we shall weaken and make fruitles that desire of worldlie pleasure which is borne togither with vs. Of glorie praise honor and of pride Chap. 23. ARAM. MEn hauing their eies couered with ignorance vse commonly to say that he hath a great loftie and noble mind who aspireth to honors estats riches and other worldlie vanities Albeit truly if we narrowly looke vnto the end wherefore they direct their intents and actions that way we shall see nothing els in them but a desire of vaine-glorie praise thereby to feede their pride and naturall passions which are so pernitious in the soule that if they be not ruled by temperance and mediocritie and grounded vpon vertue which is the fountain of honor they will bring foorth very dangerous effects cleane contrary to mens desires ACHITOB. They saith Seneca that would make choice of a happy life must not follow the fashion maner of life vsed by the multitude and greatest part of men but such a one as is altogither contrary therunto And this we shall do if we despise the glory honor praise and pride of the world and iudge nothing woorthy to be cared for of vs but onely vertue which is able to bring vs to the fulnesse of true glory and of euerlasting felicitie ASER. The glory saith Pindarus that a man taketh to see himselfe in honor and credite maketh pains to seeme pleasant and trauell tollerable It is the propertie of a stone saith Cicero not to haue any feeling of the difference that is betweene praise and dispraise but it belongeth to a wise man not to be so mooued with all these things as that they should cause him to draw backe from duetie Let vs thā heare AMANA discourse more at large of the matter which is here propounded vnto vs. AMANA Most certain it is that commonly nothing affecteth a man more than the coueting of glory of praise and of honor whereof he is by nature desirous But as all the passions and diseases of the soule are for the most part folowed with those inconueniences which men pretend most of all to eschew so oftentimes they that glaunce at honor as if
desperate case Briefly to speake in a word Fortitude is the cause that neither for feare nor danger we turne aside from the path waie of vertue and iustice neither yet repent vs of well doing for any torment And thus it belongeth properly to this vertue to command chiefly ouer these two perturbations grounded vpon the opinion of euill namely Feare and Griefe as before we saw that Temperance exerciseth hir power ouer vnbrideled desire excessiue ioy Furthermore bicause they that naturally haue greater stomacks and more excellent spirits are desirous and greedie of honors power and glorie and seeing that an excessiue desire to rule and to excel others commonly groweth with the greatnes of the hart it is necessarie that this vnrulie affection should be moderated by the contempt of such things as are common to all men by nature And this also is a propertie belonging to this vertue of Fortitude which desiring the greatest and best things despiseth those that are base and abiect aspiring to celestiall and eternall things shunneth humane mortall things and iudgeth honors riches and worldlie goods an vnwoorthie recompence for his valiant acts Which is the who cause that whosoeuer hath this vertue of Fortitude perfectly if so great happines could be among mortall wights he remaineth free from all perturbations of the soule to enioy a blessed tranquillitie which togither with constancie procureth vnto him dignitie and reputation For this cause Cicero teacheth vs that they which giue themselues to the gouernment of affaires ought at least asmuch as Philosophers to make light account of temporall goods from whence proceedeth all the rest of our mindes yea they ought to striue to that end with greater care and labor than Philosophers do bicause it is easier for a Philosopher so to doe his life being lesse subiect to Fortune standing in lesse need of worldly Goods than doth that of Politicks And if any mishap befall them it toucheth the Philosopher a great deale lesse But whether it be in war or in ruling a Common-wealth or in the gouernment of a house there are alwaies means enough to exercise the works of Fortitude many times this vertue is most necessarie in things that seeme to be of smallest account Besides that honesty which we seeke after is perfected by the forces of the soule of which euery one hath great need not by those of the bodie I will not say that the firme knitting togither of the members and the good disposition of nature to sustaine manfully the iniuries of wether al kind of paine trauel without sicknes is not a good helpe towards the execution of noble enterprises only I say that it is not so necessarie but that many being troubled with a thousand ill dispositions in their persons especially such as were placed in offices of Captaines and Conductors of armies haue executed infinite great and glorious exploits surmounting all weakenes of their bodies through the magnanimitie of their hart Yea oftentimes they haue as it were constrained their bodies to change their nature that they might be made fit to execure whatsouer their wise spirite iudged to belong to dutie Was there euer any Captaine among the Romanes greater than Iulius Caesar Yet was he of a weake and tender complexion subiect to great head-aches and visited somtimes with the falling sicknes But in steed of vsing the weaknes of his bodie for a cloke to liue nicely and delicately he tooke the labors for warre for a fit medicine to cure the vntowardnes of his bodie fighting against his disease with continuall labor and exercise liuing soberly and lying for the most part in the open aire which made him to be so much the more admired and loued of his souldiers As it may appeere by that which is reported of him that being one daye by reason of great storme and tempest greatly vrged with want of lodging in a plaine where there was but one little cottage belonging to a Peasant which had but one chamber he commanded that Oppius one of his Captaines who was il at ease should be lodged there as for himselfe he laye abroad with the rest saying that the most honorable places were to be appointed for the greatest and the most necessarie for such as were most diseased What shall we say of those who being impotent in some part of their members did notwithstanding not diminish in any sort but augment the glorie of their doings Marcus Sergius a Romane Captaine hauing lost his right hand in a battell practised so well with the left hand that afterward in an armie he chalenged foure of his enimies one after another and ouercame them such force hath a good hart that it can doe more in one onely little member than a man well made and fashioned in all points that hath but a cowardly hart We might heere alleadge infinite examples whereof histories are full of all those effects which we said were brought foorth by the vertue of Fortitude in noble minds but we will content our selues to touch certaine generals that were of notable and politike prowes and valure and constant in their resolutions aswell for shortnes sake as also bicause heereafter we shall haue further occasion to bring others in sight when we handle more at large the parts and branches that proceed from this happie stalke of Fortitude Fabius the Greatest commeth first to my remembrance to prooue that the resolution of a courageous hart grounded vpon knowledge and the discourse of reason is firme and immutable This Captaine of the Romane armie being sent into the field to resist the furie and violence of Hannibal who being Captaine of the Carthaginians was entred into Italy with great force determined for the publike welfare and necessitie to delay and prolong the warre and not to hazard a battell but with great aduantage Whereupon certaine told him that his owne men called him Hannibals schoolemaister and that he was iested at with many other opprobrious speeches as one that had small valure and courage in him and therfore they counselled him to fight to the end he might not incurre any more such reprehensions and obloquies I should be quoth he againe to them a greater Coward than now I am thought to be if I should forsake my deliberation necessarie for the common welfare and safetie for feare of their girding speeches and bolts of mockerie and obey those to the ruine of my countrey whom I ought to command And in deed afterward he gaue great tokens of his vnspeakeable valure being sent with three hundred men onely to encounter with the said Hannibal and seeing that he must of necessitie fight for the safetie of the Common-wealth after all his men were slaine and himselfe hurt to death he rushed against Hannibal with so great violence and force of courage that he tooke from him the diademe or frontlet which he had about his head and died with that about him Pompey who by
placed With such speeches he fought vnto the death Will wee haue other examples of woonderfull prowes and courage Iudas Macchabeus after many victories obtained by him against the Lieutenants of Antiochus and against those of Demetrius was set vpon and assailed with two and twentie thousand men others say two and thirty thousand hauing himselfe but eight hundred or a thousand with him And being counselled to retire into some place of safetie God forbid quoth he that the Sunne should see me turne my backe towards mine enemies I had rather die than staine the glorie which I haue gotten by vertue with an ignomintous and shamefull flight In this resolute perswasion he greatly weakened his enemies and yet died more through wearisomnes than of blowes or woundes which he had receiued in fight Leonides king of Sparta hauing with him but three hundred naturall Lacedemonians fought and put to flight at the strait of Thermopylis three hundred thousand Persians but he and all his died of the woundes which they receiued in that fight Lucius Dentatus a Romane was endued with such Fortitude and Generositie that one writeth of him that he was in sixe skore battels and skirmishes and eight times came away Conquerour from fighting hand to hand that he had receiued of his Captaines by waye of rewarde and in token of his valure eighteene launces twentie bards for horses foure skore and three bracelets and sixe and thirtie crownes and lastly that by his meanes nine Emperours triumphed in Rome Eumenus a Macedonian Captaine hauing beene put to the woorst by Antigonus retired into a strong hold where being besieged and brought to parly through necessitie of victuals and munition it was signified vnto him from his enemie that reason would he should come and speake with him vnder his faith and promise without Hostages seeing he was both greater and stronger But Eumenus made him this answer that he would neuer thinke any man greater than himselfe as long as he had his sword in his owne power And therefore demanding of him no woorse conditions than as one that thought himselfe to be his equall he sailed foorth vpon his enemies with such valure and courage that he saued himselfe out of their handes and afterward greatly troubled Antigonus Aristomenes the Messanian being taken by the Lacedemonians and deliuered fast bound to two souldiers to be kept he drew neere to a fire and burned asunder his bands with a litle of his flesh afterward comming suddenly vpon his keepers he slew them both and saued himselfe Lysimachus being cast to a Lion by Alexander bicause he gaue to Calisthenes the prisoner that poison wherewith he killed himselfe fought with it and stretching foorth his arme and hand all armed into his throte he tooke hold of his toong and strangled him Whereupon the Monarch euer after greatly esteemed and honoured him By this small number out of infinite examples which I could heere mention we see the great and woonderfull effects of this vertue of Fortitude which are no lesse in euerye part thereof touched in our discourse as heereafter I hope we shall declare at large Wherefore we may well say that this vertue is very necessarie to liue well and happily and to lead vs to the end of our being which is to referre both our life and death to the onely exercise of dutie and honestie that by it we enioy the true rest of the soule which is nothing else as Cicero saith than a peaceable sweete and acceptable constancie which vndoubtedly alwaies followeth Fortitude being crowned with these two inestimable rewardes the contempt of griefe and of death whereby we forsake that which is mortall that we may imbrace heauenlie thinges in the hope and certaine expectation of that happie immortalitie Of Timorousnes Feare and Cowardlines and of Rashnes Chap. 26. ACHITOB WE may call to remembrance that saying of Plato before mentioned that a temperate man not indued with the vertue of Fortitude falleth easilie into cowardlines basenes of mind which is the defect of that vertue which euen now we described and likewise that a strong and valiant man without the direction of Prudence and Temperance is easily caried away with temeritie and boldnes which is the excesse of the same vertue Which two vices are so hurtfull in the soule that he which is infected with them holdeth much more of the nature of a beast than of that essence wherein he was created Let vs then consider what these imperfections are that through the horror of that infamie which followeth them we may be more zealous to follow that which is decent and honest ASER. We must take good heede saith Cicero least through feare of peril we commit any thing that may iustly argue vs to be timorous and fearfull But withall we must beware that we offer not our selues vnto dangers without cause than which nothing is more foolish and blame-woorthie AMANA It is not seemely for a man saith Plato to commit any cowardly act to auoid perill Temeritie also setteth foorth it selfe with courage and contempt of dangers but vnaduisedly and to no purpose But let vs heare ARAM who will handle this matter more at large ARAM. Albeit there is no greater disgrace than to be iustly reproched with a cowardly and faint hart especially for youth to be called effeminate yet is that feare good which turneth vs away from dishonest things and maketh man staied and wel aduised This is the cause why the Ancients speaking of feare made it twofold the one good necessarie the other euill and hurtfull The first which they grounded vpon a good discourse of reason iudgement was so esteemed and honored of them that in the citie of Sparta which for armes arts flourished most among the Grecians there was a temple dedicated consecrated to this feare which as they affirmed better maintained and preserued the estate of Common-wealthes than any other thing whatsoeuer bicause thereby man was led to stand more in awe of blame reproch dishonor than of death or griefe Which thing maketh him both apter readier to vndertake to execute all vertuous laudable matters whensoeuer good iust occasion shall be offred also more staied against euerie rash vniust enterprise that might procure dammage to the common-wealth And this was the occasion of that Prouerbe Feare alwaies accompanieth shame Another reason alleadged by these wise men whie they honoured in such sort this fained goddesse was bicause to doubt and feare nothing was more hurtfull to Common-wealths than their verie neighbour enimies the feare of whome was their safetie and assurance The other naughtie and pernicious feare standeth of two kinds The first beeing destitute of all good reason and assured iudgement is that which we call Cowardlines and Pusillanimitie alwaies followed of these two perturbations of the soule Feare and Sadnes and is the defect of the vertue of Fortitude which wee purpose
recouering any victuals were taken from them To whome they made this onely answer that forasmuch as they had liued for the space of 338. yeeres in freedom they would not die slaues in any sort Whereupon such as were most valiant assembled togither and slew those that were most growne in yeeres with women and children Then they tooke all the riches of the citie and of the temples and brought it into the midst of a great hall and setting fire to all quarters of the citie each of them tooke the speediest poison they could find so that the temples houses riches and people of Numantia ended all in one day leauing to Scipio neither riches to spoile neither man or woman to triumph withal For during the whole time wherin their citie was besieged not one Numantine yeelded himselfe prisoner to any Romane but slew himselfe rather than he would yeeld Which Magnanimitie caused Scipio to bewaile the desolation of such a people in these words O happie Numantia which the Gods had decreed should once end but neuer be vanquished Now albeit these examples and infinite other like to these are set foorth vnto vs by Historiographers as testimonies of an excellent Magnanimitie whereby they would teach vs both to be neuer discouraged for the most tedious trauels and irkesome miseries of mans life and also to stand so little in awe of death that for feare thereof much lesse for any other torment or griefe we neuer commit any thing vnbeseeming a noble hart yet notwithstanding no man that feareth God and is willing to obey him ought to forget himselfe so much as to hasten forward the end of his daies for any occasion whatsoeuer This did Socrates knowe very well when he said that we must not suffer our soule to depart from the Sentinell wherein she is placed in this bodie without the leaue of hir Captaine and that so waightie a matter as death ought not as Plato saith to be in mans power But if it be offred vnto vs by the will of God then with a magnanimious hart void of al starting aside in any thing against dutie we must set free this passage being staied and assuredly grounded vpon that consolation which neuer forsaketh a good conscience not onely through the expectation of a naked and simple humane glorie which most of the Heathen propounded to themselues but of that life which abideth for euer following therein the constancie of Alcibiades a great Captaine of Grecia who hearing the sentence of his condemnation to death pronounced said It is I that leaue the Athenians condemned to die and not they me For I go to seeke the Gods where I shall be immortall but they shall remaine still amongst men who are all subiect to death Socrates also hauing a capitall accusation laid against him wrongfully directed his speech to the Iudges and said vnto them that his accusers by their false depositions might wel cause him to die but hurt him they could not adding further that he woulde neuer leaue his profession of Philosophie for feare of death I â—m per swaded quoth he in Plato that this my opinion is very good namely that euery one ought to abide constantly in that place and trade of life which either he hath chosen himselfe or is appointed him by his superior that he must account that for the best and hazard himselfe therein to all dangers without feare either of death or of any other thing whatsoeuer And therfore I should erre greatly if obeying the Generall of warre which ye appointed vnto me in Potidaea Amphipolis and Delos and abiding in that place wherein he set me without feare of death I should now for feare of death or of any other thing forsake that rancke wherein God hath placed me and would haue me remaine in as I alwaies beleeued thought namely that I should liue a student in Philosophie correcting mine owne and other mens vices Now if I should do otherwise I might iustly be accused for calling my selfe a wise man not being so indeed seeing to feare death is to thinke that to be which is not But neither I nor any other man ought to do all that we may either in iudgement or in warre to the end to auoid death For it is very certaine that he who would in time of battell cast downe his armour and flie away might by that meane auoid death and the like is to be vnderstood in al dangers perils if he were not afraid of infamie But consider O countreymen that it is no very hard matter to auoid death but farre more difficult to eschew wickednes and the shame therof which are a great deale swifier of foote than that is O speech woorthie of eternal praise and such a one as instructeth a Christian notably in a great and noble resolution namely to run the race of his short daies in that vocation wherunto God hath called him and that in the midst of tortures torments all agonies of death From which whilest we expect a happie passage we ought to be no more destitute of an apt remedie in all those things which according to the world are most irkesome and desperate but sustaine them with like constancie and woorthines not departing from the tranquillitie and rest of our soules which is a more noble act than to hasten forward the end of our daies that we may be deliuered of them But howsoeuer it be let vs alwaies preferre a vertuous and honest death before any kind of life be it neuer so pleasant And seeing that one and the same passage is prepared aswell for the coward as the couragious it being decreed that all men must once die the louers of vertue shall do well to reape to themselues some honor of common necessity and to depart out of this life with such a comfort Now to come to the second commendable effect of this vertue of Magnanimity wherof Heroical men were so prodigall heeretofore for the benefit and safetie of their enemies we can bring no better testimonie than the courteous fact of Fabritius the Romane Consul towards Pyrrhus who warred against him and whose Physition wrote vnto him that he offered himselfe to murder his maister by poison and so to end their strife without danger But Fabritius sent the letter vnto him and signified withall that he had made a bad choice of friends aswell as of enemies bicause he made warre with vpright good men and trusted such as were disloiall and wicked whereof he thought good to let him vnderstand not so much to gratifie him as least the accident of his death should procure blame to the Romanes as if they had sought or consented to end the warre by meanes of treason not being able to obtaine their purpose by their vertue Camillus a Romane Dictator is no lesse to be commended for that which he did during the siege of the citie of the Fallerians For he that was Schoolemaister to
conquering the same whereof he reaped no other benefit but onely a vaine name and glorie of small continuance in his life time which procured him the enuie and hatred of his countreymen so that he was murdred with 23. blowes of the sword on his bodie after he had ouerliued Pompey who was vanquished by him foure yeeres onely or little more Histories are full of sundrie such alterations which commonly follow them that are not content with their estate from whence wise men and of good iudgement may drawe this instruction to limit their thoughts and desires For as Diodorus the Athenian said these two things are very hurtfull to men Hope and Loue of which the one leadeth and the other accompanieth them the one seeketh out the meanes to execute their thoughts and the other persuadeth them with good successe And although these two things are not seene with the eie yet are they mightier than visible punishments Heerof came that old prouerb that proud men fat themselues with vaine hope which by little and little choaketh them as naughtie fat doth mans bodie And if we be willing to keepe our selues from so dangerous a downefall let vs cure our soules of all hurtfull hope and let reason and dutie as we haue alreadie said lead and limit all our affections and enterprises considering wisely their beginning namely that we ground them vpon right and equitie only knowing that they ought not to be iudged of by the euent and end of them which oftentimes seeme to fauor vniust coūsels and doings And this offreth some colour occasion to the wicked to prosecute their dealings hauing no care of violating right and iustice But how soeuer it be a miserable end bringeth them an ouer late repentance Neither let vs perswade our selues that the issue of our imaginations and enterprises although they be well grounded shall certainly fall out according to our meaning for this is that hope which greatly hurteth and most of all troubleth men but let vs know that as in al things which grow there is alwaies some corruption mingled in them it being necessarie that all mortall seedes should presently be partakers of the cause of death so from the same fountaine ill hap floweth vnto vs in great measure yea sooner and more abundantly than good successe Which thing Homer willing to giue vs to vnderstand fained that there were two vessels at the entrie of the great Olympus the one being full of honie the other of gall of which two mingled togither Iupiter causeth all men to drinke And Plutark saith that men can neuer purely and simply enioy the ease of any great prosperitie but whether it be fortune or the enuie of destinie or else the naturall necessitie of earthlie things there ease is alwaies intermingled in their life time with euill among the good yea in the like mishap that which is woorse surmounteth the better All these things being considered of vs they will make vs more aduised and staied in all our counsels and deuises in such sort affected and prepared with true prudence fortitude and magnanimitie that whatsoeuer hapneth vnto vs we shall not be troubled or further mooued but receiue it as hauing long before expected and looked for it This doth Seneca very learnedly teach vs saying that we ought not to be astonished or maruell at vnlooked for chances that light vpon vs but prepare and conforme our harts to all euents that may come vnto vs premeditating and thinking aforehand that we are borne to suffer and that nothing commeth to passe which ought not to be Destinie saith he leadeth those that are consenting draweth gain-sayers by force Neither ought we through doubt of that which is to come to neglect good heroicall and farre remooued hopes of excellent things hauing thus grounded them as we haue said For wise and famous personages desirous of honor and glorie were alwaies of opinion that they ought to be intertained and kept in a sound and setled resolution of the mind bicause of the varietie of accidents which daily happen contrary to the common opinions of men wherein experience teacheth vs that according to the direction of a good spirite and the good successe that followeth and accompanieth it whatsoeuer concerneth the managing of worldlie affairs is changed and turneth about with the moouing of fortune if it be lawfull for vs vnder this Heathen word to vnderstand the ordinance of God Therefore to ende our present discourse we will note this that first we are to defend our selues by the grace of God with that happie and certaine hope which can neuer deceiue or confound any being a certaine guide to keepe vs in this long and tedious pilgrimage from going astray out of the way of saluation Secondly from this the prop staie and comfort of mans life against all miseries and calamities will flow and issue Thirdly and lastly we shall be stirred vp to all great and noble works for the good and common profit of euery one referring the euents of them to the woonderfull counsell of the prouidence of God and receiuing them as iust good and profitable The ende of the seuenth daies worke THE EIGHT DAIES WORKE Of Patience and of Impatiencie of Choler and Wrath. Chap. 29. ASER. IF vertue consisteth in hard matters if that which commeth neerest to the diuine nature and is most vneasie and least of all vsed of all men better beseemeth a valiant and noble minded man than any other thing whatsoeuer no doubt but patience is the very same thing whereof the Scripture teacheth vs that God is the author and that he putteth it in dailie practise among his creatures deferring the full punishment of their faults by expecting their repentance Further this vertue so much resembleth Fortitude wherof we discoursed yesterday that we may say with Cicero that Fortitude is borne of hir or els with hir seeing there is nothing so great and burthensome which she can not easilie sustaine and ouercome euen the violentest most common passions of mans nature as impatiencie choler and anger which commonly procure the vtter ruine of the soule Therefore let vs my Companions begin our daies worke with the handling of the effects of this great vertue of Patience and of the vices that are cleane contrarie vnto it AMANA Patience saith Plautus is a remedie for all griefes Endure patiently and blame not that which thou canst not auoid For he that is able to suffer well ouercommeth But this vertue is so rarely found among men that moe will offer themselues to death than abide griefe patiently Neuertheles it is the point of a wise man saith Horace to set a good face vpon that which must needes be done ARAM. By patience saith Cicero we must seeke after that which we cannot obtaine by fauour and if we endure all the inconuenience will turne to our profite But learned men whilest they resist not their perturbations trouble and ouerturne with a suddain
acceptable sacrifice to God when he yeeldeth vnto him dailie thanks in the midst of infinite troubles and vexations which benefit will worke in vs the vtter ouerthrow of all impatience choler and wrath sworne enemies to all reason and vertue Of Meekenes Clemeneie Mildnes Gentlenes and Humanitie Chap. 30. ACHITOB A Philosopher in a great assemblie of people taking a lanterne and a candle lighted at midday and going into an high place in all their sight was demanded what he ment to do with all I seeke said he for a man but can see none no not one And truly it is a very rare and excellent thing to find one that in deed is a Man which is as much to say as courteous or made of meekenes and gentlenes for which cause Plato calleth him a ciuill creature and sociable by nature Now therefore let vs vnderstand of you my companions what woorthy effects this vertue of meekenes bringeth foorth in man ASER. Mercie said Plato ought no more to be taken away from the nature of man than the altar out of the Temple And euery noble hart ought to be so courteous and gratious that he be reuerenced more than feared of his neighbors AMANA There is no nation so barbarous which loueth not meekenes curtesie beneuolence and a thankfull soule and contrariwise which hateth and contemneth not proud wicked cruell and vngratefull persons But it belongeth to thee ARAM to discourse of this matter vnto vs. ARAM. Sinne hauing depriued man of the perfection of graces wherewith the image of God in him had inriched and beautified him namely with perfect goodnes and holye righteousnes there remained nothing in his soule but a weake desire to aspire to that soueraigne Good of which she felt hir selfe spoiled For further confirmation whereof this incomparable beautie of the visible shape of the bodie was left vnto him to the end that in this principall worke as in a rich picture he might find large matter to mooue him to contemplate and to admire the excellencie and greatnes of his Creator who is able to set him againe in his former glorie and brightnes By means of this knowledge a man feeleth himselfe effectually mooued and touched with the loue of his like imprinted in euery nature which desireth vsually to shew foorth the effects thereof to the profite of many if it be not wholy depraued and accursed This loue ought to be so much the greater more perfect in man by how much the neerer he approcheth to the vnderstanding of the incomprehensible secrets of the diuinitie For what thing ought more to stirre vs vp and to mooue vs with zeale to do good to our neighbours than the consideration both of their creation after the image of God whereunto we owe all honor loue obedience and also of their roestablishment into the same image by his pure grace mercie besides the contemplation of the excellent composition and building of this frame of man These things being well considered in our minds whom shall we take for our enemie for a stranger as contemptible vnwoorthy and of no account seeing this brightnes and grace of God shineth in euery one and especially in those whom the world despiseth Moreouer when we know by his word that Man is substituted of God in his place that we should acknowledge towards him the inestimable benefits which we haue and daily receiue from the helpe and goodnesse of our common Father who promiseth to accept as done to himselfe what good thing soeuer we procure to his creatures so that it be done with a gladsome and cheerfull countenance and with a sweete and curteous kind of beneficence void of arrogancie contumelie or reproch shal any thing stay vs from exercising towards euery one all duties of humanitie We read in Macrobius that long sithence there was a Temple in Athens dedicated to Mercie into which none was suffered to enter except he were beneficiall and helpfull and then also with licence from the Senate In so much that through a desire which the people had to haue accesse into it they studied earnestly to exercise workes of pitie and pietie Yea the greatest reproch which an Athenian could vtter to his neighbor was to hit him in the teeth that he was neuer in the Academie of the Philosophers nor in the Temple of Mercie girding him by this only reproch with two shamefull things the one of ignorance and want of prudence the other of crueltie inhumanitie Now if among those of olde time the onely naturall seede of the loue of their like which also is seen in beasts was so strong and powerfull that it brought forth in them notwithstanding they were destitute of the heauenly light fruites woorthy of perpetuall memorie as they that had nothing in greater estimation than to shew themselues meeke gentle curteous helpfull and gratious towards others euen towards their enemies What ought they to do that say they are all members of that one head who recommendeth so expresly vnto them meeknes mildnes gentlenes grace clemencie mercy good-will compassion and euery good affection towards their neighbor All which things are cōprehended vnder this only sacred word of Charitie which is the indissoluble band of God with vs whereby we are inflamed with the loue of him for that which we owe vnto him and thereby also are induced to loue our neighbours for the loue of God But let vs consider how the ancients hauing but the shadow of this perfect Charitie praysed esteemed this vertue of Meeknes from which they knew how to draw so many good commodities for the profite and succour of euery one that after we may note here certain woorthy examples to stirre vs vp so much the more vnto our dutie Meeknes saith Plato is a vertue that belongeth to the courageous part of the soule whereby we are hardly mooued to anger Hir office and dutie is to be able to support and endure patiently those crimes that are layd vpon hir not to suffer hir selfe to be hastily caried to reuenge nor to be too easily stirred to wrath but to make him that possesseth hir mild gratious and of a stayed and setled mind Meeknes and gentlenes as he sayth else-where is that vertue whereby a man easily appeaseth the motions and instigations of the soule caused by choler and it standeth him in stead of a moderate temperāce of the spirit decking him with mildnes curtesie which draweth vnto him the loue of strangers and good seruice of his owne Whereby it appeereth that whosoeuer is mild and courteous to others receiueth much more profit and honor than those whome he honoreth They are not to be credited saith Cicero who say that a man must vse crueltie towards his enemies esteeming that to be an act proper to a noble and courageous man For nothing is more commendable or woorthie a great and excellent man than meekenes and clemencie It seemeth also that liberalitie beneficence iustice
denied him at the first when he became a suter vnto hir but after in processe of time she consented thervnto When they were come to the Temple of Diana to solemnize the mariage before the aultar she powred forth a little of that drinke which she had prepared in a cup and drinking part thereof she gaue the residue to Synorix to drinke The liquor was made of water honie and poison mingled togither When she saw that he had drunke all she fetched a great and loud grone and vsing reuerence towards the Goddesse sayd vnto hir I call thee to witnes that I haue not ouer-liued Sinatus my husband for any other intent than to see this daie neither haue I enioyed any good or pleasure in all this time wherein I haue since liued but only in hope that one daie I should be able to reuenge his death which being nowe perfourmed by me I goe cheerefully and with ioy vnto my husband But as for thee most wicked man quoth she to Synorix take order now that thy friends and kinsfolkes in steede of a wedding bed prepare a buriall for thee And so within a little while after both of them ended their daies Macrina the wife of Torquatus loued hir husband so feruently and was so sorowfull for his absence that for one yeeres space wherein he was gone vpon a voyage she neuer went out of hir house nor looked out of hir windowe We read that many women of Lacedemonia when their husbands were condemned to die for conspiring against their countrie came one euening clothed in blacke to the prison vnder colour to take their finall farewell of them and changing their apparell they couered their husbands with their vailes who went out and left their wiues in their place which sustaining the punishment due to others were beheaded contrarie to humanitie not without great patience shewed on their behalfe Histories are plentifull in shewing the great loue of women towards their husbands Yea I will not be afraid to speake it men are farre inferior vnto them in perfection of loue Wherefore we will conclude that it is easier for them to be dutifull to their husbands whome as we haue alreadie sayd if they loue esteeme and honour no doubt but they are the chiefe cause of all peace and concord in their families and of the prosperous successe of their houshold affaires to the quietnes and contentation of their happie life and to the immortall praise and honour of their good name The ende of the twelfth dates worke THE THIRTEENTH DAIES WORKE Of the dutie of the Head of a familie in other parts of the house namely in the Parentall Maisterlie and Possessorie part Chap. 49. ASER. IT is not without great shew of reason which many Philosophers maintaine that the Oeconomicall science that is to say the art of ruling a house well is one of the chiefest partes of policie which is the art of skilfull gouerning a great multitude of men The reason is bicause a Towne or Citie is nothing else but an assemblie of manie families and houses togither which will be verie harde for one onelie man to order well and iustlie if he knowe not howe to set that order in his familie which is necessarie and to guide it with sound reason and true prudence Moreouer when families are well gouerned no doubt but it goeth well with the Common-wealth as we see that the whole bodie is in good helth when euery seueral member doth his dutie Nowe that we haue considered particularly of that which concerneth the first and principall part of a house and of the mutuall dutie of the husband and wife I thinke my Companions we are to beginne this daies worke with instructing our selues in that which the head of a familie ought to keepe and obserue in other parts of his house mētioned before by vs namely his children seruants and possessions seeing we are taught by the Apostle that he which prouideth not for his owne and namely for them of his houshold denieth the faith and is woorse than an Infidell AMANA Euery house must be ruled by the eldest as by a king who by nature commandeth ouer euery part of the house and they obey him for the good preseruation thereof ARAM. Euery man by right saith Homer hath rule ouer his wife and children and he is not woorthy to haue any that wanteth sufficient vertue and prudence to gouerne them well Go to then ACHITOB let vs learne of thee what belongeth to the parts of a house now mentioned by vs. ACHITOB. Anacharsis one of the wise men of Grecia said that a house is not to be called good bicause it is well built and of good stuffe but men must iudge thereof by that which is within which belongeth to the house as namely by the children wife seruants with whome being wise and well qualified if the father of a familie communicateth and imparteth of that which he hath whether it be in the bottome of a caue or vnder the shade of a bough he may be said to dwell in a good and happie house Therefore it is no small happines and felicitie for them that are called to the gouernment of a familie when they see it wise and well nurtured in euery part But as nerues and sinewes being the instruments of sence and motion proceede and are deriued from the head which by them infuseth into all parts of the bodie the Animal spirite without which the bodie could not exercise any naturall function of sence and moouing so the parts of a house commonly receiue the habite of manners and conditions from the father of a family as from the head therof but then especially when he is prudent and wise and imploieth his care diligence and industrie thereupon Therefore a good housholder must beginne the right gouernment of his house at himself by letting his houshold see that he is prudent chast sober peaceable but chiefly religious and godly as also by bringing foorth plentifull fruits of his dutie towards those that are vnder his charge For as the anger and threatnings of the head of a familie astonisheth his children and seruants so his good workes harteneth them on to do well Now bicause there is varietie of houses whose difference is commonly taken from the goods and abilitie of men which abound to some and are wanting to others I will propound heere as my purpose and meaning was before a meane house in all pointes perfect and as we vse to say neither poore nor rich from which notwithstanding both great and small may draw instruction for their gouernment We haue alreadie seene that a house is diuided into foure partes whereof the coniugall or wedlocke part hath beene alreadie handled by vs. Now we must consider of the other three I meane of the Parentall Maisterlie and Possessorie parts And I thinke it will be best to follow that order which is most vsuall in the perfection and progresse of
the Lord shal smite him or his day shall come to die or he shall descend into battel and perish The Lord keepe me from laying my hand vpon the Lords annointed This word is directed to vs all it ought to teach vs not to sift out the life of our soueraign prince but to content our selues with this knowledge that by the wil of God he is established set in an estate that is ful of an inuiolable maiestie Moreouer we read in Iosephus that the holiest men that euer were among the Hebrewes called Essaei that is to say true practisers of the lawe of God maintained this that soueraigne princes whatsoeuer they were ought to be inuiolable to their subiectes as they that were sacred and sent of God Neither is there any thing more vsuall in all the holy scriptures than the prohibition to kill or to seeke the life or honour not onely of the prince but also of inferiour magistrates although saith the scripture they be wicked And it is said in Exodus Thou shalt not raile vpon the iudges neither speake euill of the ruler of thy people Now if he that doth so is guiltie of treason both against the diuine and humane maiestie what punishment is sufficient for him that seeketh after their life According to mens lawes not onely that subiect is guiltie of high treason that hath killed his soueraigne prince but he also that attempted it that gaue counsell that consented to it that thought it Yea he that was neuer preuented nor taken in the maner in this point of the soueraigne the law accounteth him as condemned alreadie and iudgeth him culpable of death that thought once in times past to haue seazed vpon the life of his prince notwithstanding any repentance that folowed And truly there was a gentleman of Normandie who confessed to a Franciscan frier that he once minded to haue killed king Francis the first but repented him of that euill thought The frier gaue him absolution but yet afterward told the king thereof who sent the gentleman to the parliament of Paris there to be tried where he was by common consent condemned to die and after executed Amongst the Macedonians there was a law that condemned to death fiue of their next kinsfolks that were conuicted of conspiracie against their prince We see then the straight obligation wherby we are bound vnto our princes both by diuine and humane right Wherfore if it so fall out that we are cruelly vexed by a prince voyd of humanitie or els polled and burthened with exactions by one that is couetous or prodigall or despised and ill defended by a carelesse prince yea afflicted for true pietie by a sacrilegious and vnbeleeuing soueraigne or otherwise most vniustly and cruelly intreated first let vs call to mind our offences committed against God which vndoubtedly he correcteth by such scourges Secondly let vs thinke thus with our selues that it belongeth not to vs to remedie such euils being permitted onely to call vpon God for helpe in whose hands are the harts of kings and alterations of kingdoms It is God who as Dauid saith sitteth among the gods that shal iudge them at whose onely looke all those kings and iudges of the earth shall fall and be confounded who haue not kissed his sonne Iesus Christ but haue decreed vniust lawes to oppresse the poore in iudgement and to scatter the lawfull right of the weake that they may praie vpon the widowes and poll the orphans Thus let all people learne that it is their duetie aboue all things to beware of contemning or violating the authoritie of their superiours which ought to be full of maiestie vnto them seeing it is confirmed by God with so many sentences and testimonies yea although it be in the hands of most vnwoorthy persons who by their wickednes make it odious as much as in them lieth and contemptible Moreouer they must learne that they must obey their lawes and ordinances and take nothing in hand that is against the priuiledges and marks of soueraigntie Then shall we be most happy if we consecrate our soules to God only and dedicate our bodies liues and goods to the seruice of our prince The ende of the fourteenth daies worke THE FIFTEENTH DAIES WORKE Of a Monarchie or a Regall power Chap. 57. ASER. WHen we began yesterday to intreat of the sundry kinds of estates and gouernments that haue been in force amongst men and of the excellencie or deformitie of them we reserued to a further consideration the monarchie or kingly power vnder which we liue in France This forme of regiment by the common consent of the woorthiest philosophers and most excellent men hath been always taken for the best happiest and most assured common-wealth of all others as that wherein all the lawes of nature guide vs whether we looke to this little world which hath but one bodie and ouer al the members one only head of which the wil motion and sense depend or whether we take this great world which hath but one soueraigne God whether we cast vp our eyes to heauen we shall see but one sunne or looke but vpon these sociable creatures belowe we see that they cannot abide the rule of many amongst them But I leaue to you my Companions the discourse of this matter AMANA Among all creatures both with and without life we alwais find one that hath the preheminence aboue the rest of his kind Among al reasonable creatures Man among beasts the Lion is taken for chiefe among birds the Eagle among graine wheate among drinks wine among spices baulme among all mettals gold among al the elements the fire By which natural demonstrations we may iudge that the kingly and monarchicall gouernment draweth neerest to nature of all others ARAM. The principalitie of one alone is more conformable and more significant to represent the diuine ineffable principalitie of God who alone ruleth al things than the power of many ouer a politicall body Notwithstanding there hath been many notable men that haue iudged a monarchie not to be the best forme of gouernment that may be among men But it is your duetie ACHITOB to handle vs this matter ACHITOB. This controuersie hath always been very great among those that haue intreated of the formes of policies and gouernments of estates namely whether it be more agreeable to nature and more profitable for mankind to liue vnder the rule of one alone than of many neither side wanting arguments to prooue their opinion Now although it be but a vaine occupation for priuate men who haue no authoritie to ordain publike matters to dispute which is the best estate of policie and a greater point of rashnesse to determine therof simply seeing the chiefest thing consisteth in circumstances yet to content curious mindes and to make them more willing to beare that yoke vnto which both diuine humane nature and equitie hath subiected them I purpose here to waigh
he hinder publike benefit and hurt the estate it is not to be called right any longer as Appius Claudius said speaking of the authoritie of the Tribunes among the people of Rome And it is a point of true and naturall prudence sometime to giue place to the times but to necessitie always A good Pilote neuer opposeth himselfe wilfully against a tempest but striketh saile and keepeth himselfe still then waighing his anchors he floteth safely vpon the waues which not long before were swollen and lift vp to drowne him If a man striue against a tempest and against heauen doth he not euen blindfold cast himselfe downe headlong and as it were desperately seeke his owne destruction Now if all these things hetherto mentioned by vs be diligently obserued there is no doubt God prospering all but that the preseruation of Estates and Monarchies with good remedies to keepe them from trouble and sedition will follow after Of the Harmonie and agreement that ought to be in the dissimilitude or vnlike callings of subiects by reason of the duetie and office of euery estate Chap. 66. ACHITOB WE saw before my companions that a citie or ciuill company is nothing else but a multitude of men vnlike in estates or conditions which communicate togither in one place their artes occupations workes and exercises that they may liue the better are obedient to the same lawes and magistrates We learned also that of such a dissimilitude an harmonicall agreement ariseth by due proportion of one towards another in their diuers orders estates euen as the harmonie in musicke consisteth of vnequall voyces or sounds agreeing equally togither I am of opinion therefore that to prouoke euery one particularly to seeke after and to practise this apt agreement we are to consider seuerally of all the principall partes that are in a politike body well ordered and to handle the seuerall dutie and office of euery one of them But I leaue the discourse of this matter to you ASER. As there is but one Lord one faith one Baptisme one God and father of all which is aboue all and through all and in vs all so all that beleeue in him ought to be one and to haue but one hart and one soule euery one referring his giftes and graces to the exercise of perfect charitie AMANA Oh how happy a thing is it to see one flock guided vnder one God and one king in one religion and policie Although they be many mēbers yet they make but one bodie of which euery one hath a like care But let vs heare ARAM discourse at large vpō that which is here propounded vnto vs. ARAM. As we see that in the body of this vniuersall frame there is as the Philosophers say matter forme priuation simplicitie mixture substaunce quantitie action and passion and that the whole world being compounded of vnlike elements of earth water ayre and fire is notwithstanding preserued by an Analogie and proportion which they haue togither and as we see in a mans body head hands feete eyes nose eares in a house the husband wife children master seruaunts in a politike body magistrates nobles common people artificers and that euery body mingled with heate cold drie and moyst is preserued by the same reason of analogie and proportion which they haue togither So is it in euery common-wealth well appointed and ordred which consisting of many and sundry subiects is maintained by their vnitie being brought to be of one consent wil and to communicate their works artes and exercises together for common benefit profit For euery one is best in his own arte neither can all men do all things And if it be a very hard matter to bee excellent in any one vocation it is impossible to excel in al to exercise them duly Now we say that sixe things are necessarily required to frame a happy citie ciuil societie namely sacrifices iudgements armes riches artes and Aliments vnto which sixe things and works six sortes of men are answerable Pastors magistrates nobles burgesses artificers and husbandmen Therfore to begin the particular handling of the dutie office of these callings and that as briefly as I can we are first to note that neuer any nation in all the world was so barbarous or so farre estranged from ciuilitie that did not acknowledge and adore some diuine nature and vse some kind of sacrifices and so consequently that had not some priests to exercise them some proper ceremonies Aristotle in his Politikes saith expresly that it is a necessary thing to haue priests in euery city to take care of the worship of the gods and of sacrifices Euery worke that we do saith Augustine to be ioyned neerer to God by a holy societie is a sacrifice There are three general sorts of sacrifices the first is the sacrifice of the soule which we offer to God by contrition deuotion contemplation and prayer the second is of the body which we offer to God by fasting abstinence or by suffring martyrdom to maintain his law iustice and truth The third sacrifice is of outward goods whē we offer them vnto him in the works of charitie according to his holy ordinance So that if sacrifices and priests always took place among the Barbarians much more careful ought they to be to maintaine this diuine mysterie that adore and perfectly know God And as men haue liued vnder three lawes the law of Nature the written law and the law of Grace so there were sacrifices and priests vnder euery one of them Melchizedech liued vnder the law of Nature Aaron vnder the written lawe and vnder the law of Grace vnder which we liue at this present Iesus Christ that great and eternall Priest and Sacrificer who hath offered himselfe a sacrifice for our redemption and hath left vs his disciples and Apostles and their successours to be our pastors in the guiding of our soules vnder his Testament and new couenaunt which is the infallible rule of his holy and iust will Therefore let them that boast that they are called of God to such an excellent charge looke to discharge themselues faithfully by teaching the truth and leading a life agreeable to their doctrine Otherwise if they sit in the chaire of pestilence as Dauid speaketh let them looke for a horrible iudgement of God vpō their soules when he shall say vnto them by way of reproch that in this world they sate in their pōtificall seates as the Scribes and Pharisies did long since in the chaire of Moses Their watchmen saith Esay speaking of euil pastors are all blinde they haue no knowledge they are dumbe dogs they cannot barke they lie and sleepe and delight in sleeping These greedie dogs can neuer haue enough these sheep-heards cannot vnderstand for they all looke to their owne way euery one for his aduantage for his owne purpose But contrarywise A Pastor saith Saint Paule must be
vnreprooueable as Gods steward not frowarde not angry not giuen to wine no striker not giuen to filthie lucre but harberous one that loueth goodnesse wise righteous holy temperate holding fast the faithfull worde according to doctrine that he also may be able to exhort with wholesome doctrine and improoue them that say against it Feede the flocke of Christ which dependeth vppon you saith Saint Peter caring for it not by constraint but willingly not for filthie lucre but of a ready minde not as though yee were lordes ouer Gods heritage but that ye may be ensamples to the flocke Therefore if Pastors preach the Gospell giue example of good life by their workes fight against the enimies of the truth with the weapons of charitie prayers perswasions testimonies of the holy scripture if they remooue from them couetousnesse pride dissolutenesse and superfluitie of expences and walke in this sort in their vocation the first place of honour is due to them amongst men and a greater and vnspeakable prepared for them in heauen The second thing that is necessarie in euery Common-wealth and citie are iudgements and consequently magistrates to execute them But bicause we discoursed at large of this matter before we will not stand long vpon it but comprehend in few wordes the whole duetie and office of a good magistrate which consisteth in foure things In taking nothing vniustly from any body in giuing to euery one his owne in despising his owne profit and in preseruing publike profite He performeth these duties perfectly by the distribution of iustice into seuen partes by procuring that God may be worshipped that reuerence be giuen to superiours that concord be amongst equals that discipline bee vsed towards inferiours patience towardes enimies mercy towards the poore and that integritie of life proceede from himselfe Nowe let vs consider of Armes and of Nobles Armes as Varro saith are all warlike instrumentes seruing both to set vpon our enimies and to defend our selues from their assaultes and enterprises They are necessarie in a Common-wealth and citie for these three causes to resist the outward force of enimies and to keepe them in feare to represse naughtie citizens both by compelling them to obey magistrates and lawes and by punishing the guiltie and last of all to defend the libertie of subiects The exercise and vse of armes warres and battels hath from all antiquitie been committed to the noble men Nobilitie as Aristotle saith is a glittering excellencie proceeding from auncestors and an honour that commeth from an auncient linage and stocke Or according to Boetius Seuerinus nobilitie is a prayse that proceedeth from the deserts of our Elders and forefathers Many make three kindes of Nobilitie one that is bred of vertue and of excellent deedes the second that proceedeth from the knowledge of honest disciplines and true sciences and the third that commeth from the scutchions and armes of our auncestors or from riches But to speake truely there is no right Nobilitie but that which springeth of vertue and good conditions For as he is a thiefe that stealeth and he vniust that doth vniustly so he is a vile and base person that dealeth vilanously He boasteth in vaine of his great linage and seeketh to be esteemed for the nobilitie and vertue of his auncestours that hath no goodnesse in him nor commendable qualitic of his owne to ioine with those of his predecessors Let no man please himselfe too much saith Agapetus in the nobilitie of his ancestors for all men haue dung for their stock from whence they come both they that are pricked vp in purple and fine linnen they that are afflicted with pouertie and sicknesse as well they that are decked with crownes as they that lie naked vpon the strawe Let vs not therfore brag of our earthly race but let vs glory in the integritie of maners Although vice be in one that commeth of noble bloud yet is it always lothsome and infamous yea it doth so much the more appeere shameful odious as it is ioyned with greater nobilitie But vertue is the very liuely colour ornament of nobilitie and causeth it to be honored for loue of it selfe only All kings and princes saith Plato came of slaues and all slaues of kings What profite is there saith Macrine the Emperour writing to the Senate of Rome in nobilitie if the hart of a prince be not replenished with bountie and gentlenes towards his subiectes The goods of fortune come oftentimes to the vnwoorthie but the vertue of the soule always maketh a man woorthie of the greatest praise Nobilitie riches and such like come from without a man are subiect to corruption but iustice bountie and other vertues are not only wonderfull bicause they come from the soule but procure also to him that hath them vseth them vertuously a perfection of all felicitie Yea it is far better and more commendable in a man to leaue to his posteritie a good beginning of nobilitie by vertue than to defame by villanie wicked behauior that praise which he hath receiued frō his predecessors Therefore we ought not to be puft vp with pride bicause we come of a great race seeing that honour belongeth more to our progenitors thā to vs if we be not noble by our owne vertue Is not one God as Malachie saith father of vs all He made the first kings of a poore base stock to teach vs that men ought not through arrogancie vaine boasting of their nobilitie esteeme themselues better than others but so far forth only as his holy gifts and graces are more abundantly in them Saule was chosen king as he was seeking his fathers asses Dauid whē he was a sheepheard and the yongest of his brethren The brier and the rose came of one and the same roote so noble-men and vile persons came of one masse and lumpe The brier is reiected bicause it pricketh the rose for hir good smel is esteemed and held in mens hands So he that maketh himselfe vile through vice ought to be reiected and he that is odoriferous and smelleth sweetly by good vertues and noble actions ought to bee esteemed honoured and accounted noble of what race stocke soeuer he commeth True it is that ancient nobilitie ioined with excellent vertue is very commendable among men especially in euery monarchie wel established of which the nobilitie is the chiefest pillar being appointed by God and approoued by the law of man for their fidelitie towardes their kings and defence of their subiects wherein the true dutie and office of noble-men consisteth Riches are the fourth thing necessary in euery common-welth and consequently citizens who commonly possesse them and are setled from all antiquitie in towns hauing rents reuenues and possessions and being as it were the strong pillars of cities and of the whole political body Cicero saith that riches are the sinews of battels For as the whole body
paterne of warre but that it did helpe him greatly to iudge of the nature and seate of those places which he frequented in his countreys And bicause all landes are like in some things the perfect knowledge of one countrey which often vse of hunting bringeth may helpe one to iudge well of an other Publius Decius Tribune of the souldioures in the armie which Cornelius the Consull led against the Samnites beholding the Romane host brought into a valley where they might easily be enclosed of the enimies went to the Consull and sayd Doe you marke O Cornelius the toppe of this mountaine aboue our enimie It is the fortresse of our hope and safetie if we make haste to take it seeyng the blind Samnites haue forsaken it We see then how profitable yea how necessarie it is for a captaine to know the beyng and nature of countreys which helpeth a mā much in that principall point touched before by me namely to compel his enimies to fight when he perceiueth that he is the stronger and hath the aduantage of them if he be the weaker to keep himself from such places where he may be cōpelled therunto This is that wherby Caius Marius who was sixe times Consull got the renowne to be one of the greatest captains in his time For although he were Generall of many armies and fought three great battels yet was he so warie in all his enterprises that hee neuer gaue his enimies occasion to set vpon him and to force him to fight And that was a notable aunswere which he made to the Generall of his enimies who willed him to come out of his campe to battell if he were such a great captain as men reported him to be Not so quoth he but if thou art the great captaine compell me to it whether I will or no. This is one thing also wherein the Head of an armie must be very vigilant that all secrecies be closely kept among the captaines of his host For great affaires neuer haue good successe when they are discouered before they take effect To this purpose Suetonius saith that no man euer heard Iulius Caesar say To morrow we will do that and to day this thing but we will doe this nowe and as for to morrow we will consider what is then to be done And Plutarke saith in his treatise of Policie that Lucius Metellus beyng demaunded by a Captaine of his when hee would giue battell sayde If I were sure that my shirte knew the least thought in my hart I woulde presently burne it and neuer weare any other Therefore affaires of warre may be handled and debated of by many but the resolution of them must be done secretly and knowen of few men otherwise they would be sooner disclosed and published than concluded Notwithstanding it is very necessarie that the General should oftentymes call a councell so that it be of expert and ancient men and of such as are prudent and voyde of rashnesse But in all cases of necessitie a man must not stand long in seeking for reason but suddenly set vpon them For many tymes sundry captaines haue vndone themselues in warres vpon no other occasion but bicause they lingred in taking counsel when they should without losse of tyme haue wrought some notable enterprise Moreouer for the instruction and patterne of the dutie and office of a good Head and captaine of an armie we can alleage none more woorthy to be imitated than Cato of Vtica a Consul of Rome who had the guiding of a legion when he first tooke charge vpon him For from that tyme forward he thought that it was not roial or magnificall to be vertuous alone being but one body therfore he studied to make all that were vnder his charge like himselfe Which that he might bring to passe he took not frō them the feare of his authoritie but added reason thereunto shewing and teaching them their dutie in euery point and always ioyning to his exhortations reward for those that did well and punishment for such as did euill So that it was hard to say whether he had made them more apt for peace or for warre more valiant or more iust bicause they were so stout and eger against their enimies and so gentle and gracious to their friends so feareful to do euil and so ready to obtaine honor The vertue of Pompey is also worthy to be followed of euery great captain f or the temperance that was in him for his skil in armes eloquence in speech fidelitie in word as also bicause he was to be spoken with and so louingly entertained euery one And if with these things the example of the same Cato be followed in his prudent liberalitie and diuision of the spoils and riches of the enimies that captaine that so behaueth himself shal deserue eternal praise and please all those that follow him For when this vertuous captaine had taken many townes in Spaine he neuer reserued more for himselfe than what he did eate and drinke there He deliuered to euery one of his souldiors a pound waight of siluer saying that it was better that many should returne to their houses from the warre with siluer than a few with gold and as for the captains he sayd that during their charges and gouernements they should not grow and increase in any thing but in honor and glory For the conclusion therefore of our speech we note that a Generall of an army desirous to bee obeyed which is necessarie must behaue himselfe so that his souldiors may thinke him woorthy to prouide and care for their necessary affaires Which thing will come to passe when they see that he is courageous carefull that he keepeth his place and the maiestie of his degree well that he punisheth offenders and laboureth not his men in vaine but is liberall and performeth his promises made vnto them Of the choice of Souldiors of the maner how to exhort them to fight and how victory is to be vsed Chap. 70. ACHITOB A Gamemnon generall Captaine of the Graecians before Troy speaking of Achilles and being grieued bicause he refused to succour them hauing been offended by him sayd That a man beloued of God is in the place of many men in a campe and far better than a whole company that is vnruly and cannot be gouerned but with great paine and care This reason was the cause that good men heretofore were greatly honored in war and much sought after by great captaines bicause they were very religious and vndertooke nothing before they had prayed to their gods and offered sacrifices after the maner of their countrey Also after they had done some great exploite they were not slouthful to giue thē thanks by offrings and hymnes song to their praise But all these good considerations haue no more place amongst vs than the rest of their warlike discipline principally in that no regard is had what maner of men
commoditie thereof A notable law for the common instruction of children Of Gymnastick or bodilie exercise The end of Musicke The vse of painning Fower things to be vsed in the institution of youth Instruction which consisteth in six precepts 1. The first precept The first thing that youth must learne is to worship God We can do nothing without the grace of God 2. The second precept Youth must not glorie in transitoric goods Nor in bodilie beautie The fruits of true knowledge and vertue 3. The third precept The common diseases of youth Modestie is the best remedie for them 4 The fourth precept hath fower branches 5. The fift precept 6 The sixt precept Of admonition Of promises Youth is to be drawne on with the promises of eternall life Of praises and threatnings Hope and feare are the foundation of vertue Adolescencie is the age betweene 14. 28 Place and time are to be considered in all things All kind of behauior not conuenient in all ages Of the diuision of the ages of man The number of seuen accounted a perfect number Of the climactericall yeere of 63. The whole age of man diuided into six parts Of Infaucie Of Childhood * He meaneth not common naturall infirmities but malitious offences Two things requisite in a Schoolemaister skill and bonestie of life The benefit that commeth by good Schoolemaisters A strang custom vsed by the children of Rome The reason oâ— this word Iuuentus Of adolescencie The fruits of adolescencie being left to it self Aurelius exhortation to his sonnes gouernours Concupiscence raigneth most in Adolescencie Who are to be accounted free Knowledge and iudgement are the gard of adolescencie Catoes sonne banished for breaking an earthen pot And Cinnaes sonne for gathering fruite without leaue How the Romanes taught their yoong men to forsake the follies of their first age The dutie of yoong men A moderate youth maketh a happie old age Examples of vertuous young men Alexander a paterne of vertue in his youth Bucephalus Alexanders horse Pompey Papyrius Of 〈◊〉 maâ—s estate The dutie of a man at the perfection of his age Clitomachus M. Aurelius Solon learned to the hower of his death Socrates learned musick being old T. Varro and M. Cato learned Greeke when they were old Iulianus Alphonsus Of old-age Psal 90. 10. Prudence is the ornament of old age What Senate is and froÌ„ whence it came What vse is to be made of a white beard Epaminondas salutation vsed to men according to their ages Cato What breedeth authoritie in a man Sophocles To whom old age is not grieuous The soule is not subiect to mans iurisdiction Gal. 3. 18. Col. 3. 11. Gal. 5. 1. 13. Rom. 13. 1. 2. All power is of God The beginning and preseruation of policies is from God Of commanding and obeying Policie is the bond of all societie There is shew of commanding and obeying in all things As in harmonie The superior part of the world ruleth the inferior The Sunne is king and the Moone Queene among the starres The Moone ruleth ouer all moistures The Fire and Aire chiefe among the elements The Eagle Lion whale and pike ouer their kinds No people without all policie Diuine iustice humane policie always linked togither Religion is the foundation of all estates The auncieâ—â— law makers established then ordinance through the means of religion Religion the greatest means of inlarging the Roman empire What Policie is and from whence the word is deriued The diuers significations of this word Policy Of the end of policie Ciuil ordinance ought to maintaine the worship of God Euery estate coÌ„sisteth of 3. parts of the magistrate the law and the people When common-wealths are right and when corrupt The good or euil estate of coÌ„mon wealths dependeth of the magistrates next vnder God The diuision of common-welths in generall The subdiuision of them Of a monarchie Of a tirannie Of an Aristocratie and what it signifieth The Lacedemonian estate was an excellent paterne of this gouernment Why the Senate of Lacedemonia was first instituted What power the kings of Lademonia had The policie of Polydorus and Theopompus to get the power out of the peoples hands Why the Ephories were appointed in Lacedemoniâ— Of an Oligarchâ— How an Oligarchie is changed into a tirannie with examples thereof Of a Timocraty * His meaning is that it is ruled by some lawes taken from ccb of these Of a Democratie Fiue kinds therof according to Aristotle in his 4. booke of Politi ca. 4. Athens a Democratical estate Of a mixt kinde of common-wealth Examples hereof The perfectest distinction of common-wealths There is difference between the estate and the gouernment of a common-wealth Examples of the popular estate Of the Aristocraticall Of the Monarchicall What right is The foundation of euery estate is the soueraigntie therof Euery estate coÌ„sisteth of 3. parts The magistrate is the image of God The wisest must rule Why God distributeth his gifts diuersly to diuers men A well gouerned familie resembleth the kingly regiment Gen. 10. 10. Of the originall of kingdoms Cicero his opinion therein What soueraigntie is A little king asmuch a Soueraigne as the greatest Monarch Of the name of Magistrate The Dictator of Rome was called Magister populi The calling of Magistrates prooued to be lawfull Psal 82. 6. Iohn 10 35. 2. Chron. 19. 6. Prou. 8. 15. 16. The calling of the Magistrate is most holie He is the minister of Gods iustice Good counsell for Magistrats The Magistrate compared to the hart of a liuing creature And to a Carpenters rule The Magistrate is in the Common wealth that which reason is in the soule The example of the Magistrate is the best way to teach the people Whereunto the Prince is bound aswell as his subiect The dutie of the Magistrate consisteth in three things The art Royall Philosophicall and Politicall is all one Who is most woorthie of soueraigne authoritie Why there are so few vertuous Princes Wherin the dutie of the chiefe Magistrate consisteth Why the sword is put into the Magistrates hand Ier. 22. 3. What is meant by this precept Do Iudgement and Iustice Prou. 16. 12. 20. 8. 26. Prou. 25. 4. 5. He that suffreth euill is culpable aswell as he that committeth it Seueritie and clemencie are to be linked togither in a Magistrate Ciuilitie and grauitie must be ioined both togither in a Magistrate The dutie of the Magistrate Al motions contained vnder one and all causes vnder the first The law is the blood and bond of the Common-wealth The law is the spirite and soule of the common-wealth All creatures are sociable by nature The prerogatiues of men aboue other creatures What a citie is The diuers ends of the three good Common-wealths A king must line vnder a law albeit he be not subiect to the lawe The marke of a soueraigne Wisd 6. 3. How far Princes are subiect to lawes Wherein the absolute power of Princes consisteth The definition of the law The diuision
cruell beast making men hir slaues and chaining them as Sophocles saith with diamond chaines She is so much the more odious by how much the more she hideth hir venom putting vpon hir the garment of good liking betraying vertue and killing a man euen when she flattereth him When pleasures come saith Erasmus they flatter vs with a disguised visage and when they depart they leaue vs full of sorow and sadnes Which Xenophon very wittily deuised vnder the name of Hercules saying that as he went one day into the fields in a certaine threefold high-way he met Vertue and Vice both of them being in the shape and apparell of women Vice being clothed in a stately delicate gorgeous and lasciuious gowne with a smiling painted and coloured countenance which did woonderfull allure by reason of the sweetnes and flourishing beautie that seemed to be in it offred her selfe suddenly vnto the said Hercules saying that if he would follow hir she would cause him to lead his whole life in delight and pleasure But Vertue with a sorowfull leane and dismaied face and clad with a long and plaine robe without any decking of hir speech vsed these words If thou wilt come to me Hercules thou shalt be indued not with bodilie ornaments nor with vading and vanishing beautie but with certaine other riches which are more worth and indure for euer For whosoeuer beleeueth me forsaking that which seemeth faire cleauing to those things which outwardly appeere austere and hard he receiueth in the end an eternall felicitie Let vs vncloth voluptuous men saith Plutark and consider their doings They are drunkards whoremongers sluggish in all waightie matters neglecting the benefit of the Common-wealth of their parents and of their friends But of all kind of voluptuousnes Lecherie is most defiled filthy vile and pernitious whereof especially we are now to discourse being properly called of the Philosophers a furious passion which corrupteth the sence of man and a burning fire that consumeth him All vnmeasurable pleasure which men take by their fiue sences is vile and dishonest but the Grecians after a speciall manner called those men incontinent and immoderate who exceeded in tasting and touching And Hippocrates said that he supposed copulation to be a part of that foule disease which we call the Epilepsie or falling sicknes And truly there is nothing more certaine than that immoderate vse of the venereous act spoileth beautie defileth the bodie drieth it vp and causeth it to stinke maketh the face pale wanne or yellow weakneth the members and ioints ingendreth Sciaticke goutes collick passions griefes of the stomacke giddines of the head or dimnes of sight the leprosie and pocks It shortneth life taketh away the vnderstanding darkeneth the memorie and as the Prophet Osey saith taketh away the hart Moreouer how odious all whoredome ought to be vnto vs so that it be not so much as once named amongst vs the onely curse that is laid vpon it of God ought sufficiently to persuade vs seeing thereby he condemneth it both with temporall and with eternall death But we haue besides many goodlie sentences and notable examples of Ethnicks and Pagans and namely of the iust punishment which for the most part followed this detestable vice hard at the heeles and which ought to stir vs vp to hate it and to flie from it with all our might especially when adulterie is ioined therwith which is when the sacred knot of mariage is violated and broken Concupiscence saith Aristotle changeth mens bodies and breedeth madnes in their soules The end thereof is luxuriousnes from whence proceede a thousand wrongs violences incests murders poisonings and innumerable other impieties Is it not then a signe of great loosenes and basenes of mind for a man to subiect himselfe to carnall concupiscences which are disordered desires contrarie to reason and whose office and practise is to chuse euill for good Let vs heere giue eare to Socrates disputation with Enthydemus being very fit for our present matter Tell me O Euthydemus doest thou thinke that libertie is a good great and profitable possession whether it belongeth either to a man or to a citie Verie great Therefore whosoeuer serueth the pleasures and vnbrideled desires of the bodie so that for loue of them he cannot execute that which he knoweth to be very good Doest thou thinke that he is free No. It may be thou iudgest it a thing woorthy a free man to be able to put in practise whatsoeuer he taketh to be good and contrarywise to be hindred from so doing to be seruile and slauish So it is Thou beleeuest then that no incontinent men are free Yea truly and that iustly Thinkest thou that incontinent men are hindred frō doing that which is honest or compelled to commit vicious things I thinke they are as much compelled to do the one as hindered from practising the other But what maisters doest thou thinke them to be who forbid well doing and constraine men to embrace euill In good truth very wicked And doest thou not thinke that bondage of all others most troublesome when one serueth most wicked and naughtie maisters Yea. Then incontinent men are of all others most miserable of what estate or condition soeuer they be Besides he that neuer thinketh vpon goodnes but seeketh by all means to fulfill his vntamed desires of pleasure and lust hath no more vse of reason than beasts haue This wise Philosopher teacheth vs sufficiently how hurtfull and pernitious a thing it is to suffer the desires of the flesh to raigne in vs considering that they draw vs vehemently to the practise of them to our owne destruction especially whoredom which bringeth with it all kind of mischiefe dissolueth and weakneth the body and offendeth all the vertues and goods of the soule Through hir it commeth that men abase themselues so lowe as to submit both their bodies and soules to the inconstant will and vnrulie desire of a foolish woman For we see some men so bewitched with a harlot that if neede be and she commaund it they will hazard their honour and credit and oftentimes make themselues an example to a whole country vpon an open scaffold And then they labor to couer their folly with this goodly name of Loue which is better termed of Euripides by the name of Furie madnes in men For true good loue which is the fountain of friēdship is alwais grounded vpō vertue tendeth to that ende but this slipperie and loose loue is a desire founded vpon the opinion of a Good which in deede is a most pernitious euil And if adulterie follow vp̄ it which according to Aristotle is a curious inquirie after another mans loue the vice is two fold more detestable and wicked bicause that he which committeth it seeketh against all dutie of nature to take away another mans honor and reputatiō spoileth him of that which he accounteth most precious namely of the loue and
friendship of his wife breaketh the peace of a house causeth the wife to loose hir soule who otherwise peraduenture would not haue yeelded if he had not corrupted hir In a word it is the cause of infinite miseries offences which we daily see come to passe Amongthe Auncients this vice was so odious that it was narowly sought out and chasticed with very grieuous punishments In so much that Iulius Caesar caused one of his captains to be beheaded bicause he had dishonoured the mistresse of the house where he lodged not staying vntill one accused him and without any complaint made vnto him by hir husband There was a law among the Locrians established by Zaleucus which condemned all those that were conuicted of this vice of adulterie to haue their eyes puld out This lawe was afterward so well kept that his sonne being taken with the fact and all the people intreating for him Zaleucus would neuer suffer the punishment to be any thing lessened And yet to satisfie their importunitie in some sort he caused one of his own and another of his sonnes eyes to be plucked out chusing rather to beare halfe the punishment allotted for the offence than that it should remaine vnpunished the law violated Augustus Caesar made the law Iulia intituled of Adulteries wherein is declared how processe ought to proceed against those that are attainted of it and how such as are conuicted thereof are to be punished euen to permit the father to kill his daughter being taken in the fact with the adulterer After that Fabius Fabritius was slain by his wife through trecherie to the ende that she might haue greater libertie to commit adulterie one of his yonger sons whē he came to age slew his mother with the adulterer was absolued therof by the Senate We read also that the lest punishment vsed by the Egyptians against adulterers was to cut off the womās nose the priuy parts of the man Briefly we shall find that in all nations where honor and ciuilitie is neuer so little regarded this vice of adulterie hath been grieuously punished and greatly hated of all noble minds Herein the example of Alexander is woorthy to be remembred who when a woman was brought vnto him one euening demanded of hir why she came so late to whom she answered that she stayed vntill hir husband was gone to bed Which he no sooner heard but he sent hir away being very angry with his men bicause they had almost caused him to commit adultery He would not so much as touch his friends Concubine although he loued hir and he tooke on wonderfully with Cassander bicause he would by force kisse a minstrels maid So farre off was he from beyng willing to suffer his courtiers to force any wiues or daughters of his subiects or to induce them to suborne any for him But contrary wise we see now adayes that they are most esteemed of great men whose skill is greatest in corrupting of women Antonius Venereus duke of Venice may be vnto them an example worthy to be folowed who caused his owne sonne to die in prison bicause he had rauished a maid But let vs note a litle the eye witnesses of Gods wrath who neuer or very seldome suffreth whoredome to go without present payment meete for such peruerse wickednes The reading of holy Scriptures doth furnish vs with notable examples in the death of foure and twentie thousands Israelites for whoredome in the punishment of the same sinne committed by Dauid with the death of more than threescore thousand men in Israel in the punishment of the same sinne in Salomon vpon his sonne who was depriued of ten parts of his kingdome in the ouerthrow of the Cities of Sodomah and Gomorrah and in many other places Whē Sathan seeketh for a readie way to cause men to fall he commonly vseth whoredom When Balaam taught Balaac that subtill practise to cause the Israelites to commit idolatrie it was by meanes of the faire women of his countrey thereby to cause them to fall into the wrath and indignation of God Concerning histories written by men the number of examples of Gods wrath vpon whoremongers is infinite of which we will heere alleadge some making mention of violent punishments and of the depriuation and subuersion of flourishing estates which haue proceeded from the same cause of whoredome And truly it is more dangerous for a Prince in regard of his estate than any other vice yea than crueltie it selfe For crueltie maketh men fearefull and striketh a terror in the subiects but whoredome draweth with it hatred and contempt of the Prince bicause euery one iudgeth an effeminate man vnwoorthie to command a whole people Tarquinius king of Rome for his loftines surnamed the proud was depriued of his kingdome bicause of the violence which one of his sonnes offered to Lucretia a Romane Ladie And although he gathered togither great forces thinking thereby to reenter into his estate yet he could neuer attaine therunto Since which time the name of a king hath beene so odious among the Romanes that they would neuer suffer any to beare that title amongst them but from that time forward changed the gouernment of a Monarchie into a Democraty or popular estate abolishing all lawes appertaining to a king In place of which they sent to the Athenians for Solons lawes which afterward were obserued by the Romanes and called the lawes of the twelue Tables Appius Claudius one of those ten that had all authoritie in the gouernment of the Romane estate bicause he would haue rauished Virginia daughter to Virginius a Citizen of Rome who slew hir to saue hir honor was banished with all his companions in that office and their manner of gouernment changed into the authoritie of Consuls What was like to haue befallen that mightie Caesar after he had conquered France Almaigne England Spaine Italy and Pompey himselfe but a shamefull death by reason of a foolish loue which caused him to go into Alexandria in disguised apparell to enioy Cleopatra where an Eunuch and a child had almost slaine him if he had not cast himselfe from a high tower into the sea and so saued himselfe by swimming to his campe vnder the gallies of his enimies Teundezillus king of Spaine was for committing violent adulterie with a ladie of a noble house depriued both of life and kingdom Marcus Antonius Caracalla Emperour being caried away with intemperate lust maried his mother in law and within a while after he lost both his empire and life Childericus the first of that name king of France after he had raigned a long time was driuen out of his kingdome for his whoredome Iohn Countie of Arminack maried one of his owne sisters and being therefore excommunicated of the Church was depriued of his estate and life by the Emperor Charlemaigne Rodoaldus king of Lumbardy being taken in adultery was