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
the common succour and aide of all men and as much as in him lieth ouerthroweth humane societie For we cannot do all things our selues and therefore friendships are ioined togither that by mutuall duties one may profit another Now considering that all the aboue named things are both necessarie and also very hard and difficult to be obserued and kept in true friendship a man may easily iudge that this so excellent a sympathie and fellow feeling of two friends is very rare and not easily found and by a more forcible reason it followeth that it is altogither impossible that many such friends should be linked togither So that whosoeuer goeth about any such matter can neuer attaine to a certaine and durable friendship For it must needes follow that he which beginneth new friendship cannot but diminish and waxe faint in affection in regard of his former friendship wherein he was in a maner setled Yea how can he obserue all dutifull points of a stedfast friend as well in mutuall conuersation and communication of all things as in helping his friend in all his affaires if he haue many friends to looke vnto who may all stand in neede of him at one and the same time It is certaine that in seruing one he would be wanting to the other and peraduenture to both whilst he doubteth which to helpe first But there is yet a further matter in it Do we not take him for our enimie who is enimie to our friend It is most certainly so as the wise man Chilon very fitly signified so much to one who boasted that he had neuer a fo Then hast thou neuer a friend quoth Chilon seeing it is impossible by reason of the wickednes of men that two persons should liue in the world without enimies Whereupon Plutarke saith If thou seekest for a swarme of friends thou considerest not that thou fallest into a wasps neast of enimies Heereof it is that histories when they set before vs examples of true and excellent friendship make mention onely of two persons as of Ionathan and Dauid whose friendship could not be hindered by the wrath of the father of the one no not although he knew that his friend should raigne ouer him notwithstanding he were by inheritance to succeed next in the kingdome So we read of one Achilles and Patroclus of whom the one falsified his oth which was that he would neuer fight to the end he might reuenge the death of the other There was but one Orestes and Pylades both of them calling themselues by the name of Orestes who was condemned to die thereby to saue the life of his companion Neither was there any mo than one Ephenus and Eueritus and one Damon and Pythias two of which being condemned to die by Dionysius the tyrant of Siracusa had their pardon granted them by reason of the constancie and stabilitie of the friendship that was between them and their companions whereof they shewed this proofe The two condemned persons besought Dionysius to licence them to go vnto their countrie that they might take some order for their houshold affaires before they died The tyrant scorning at this asked them what pledges they would pawne for their returne Whereupon the two other friends willingly offered themselues for pledges and so six moneths space being granted they were set at libertie When the end of this time drew nie many mocked these poore cautions but they nothing astonished made answer that they were certaine and sure their friends would not in any case faile of their promise And indeede they arriued the last day that was granted vnto them Whereat the tyrant wondering forgaue the condemned parties and praied them to receiue him for a third man into their friendship So great force had vertue that it could pacifie choler and crueltie in his hart whose vertue consisted in nothing else but in vice We read of a letter written by Pisistratus prince of the Athenians seruing for a notable example of the force of friendship which oftentimes is greater than all consanguinitie For hauing intelligence that Thrasillus his nephew was of a conspiracie against him he wrote vnto him in these words Nephew Thrasillus thou shouldst haue called to remembrance not that I brought thee vp in my house that thou art come of my blood that I haue communicated my secrets with thee that I haue giuen thee my daughter to wife with the halfe of my goods but aboue all things that I loued thee as a friend Thou art become a traitor towards me which I would neuer haue suspected considering that I neuer deserued any such thing at thy hands And therefore I would gladly I had so much authoritie ouer my selfe that as I can shake off this alliance so I could also falsifie our friendship which I can neither do nor determine of my fidelitie saued For the consanguinitie that I haue with thee may be separated as being within the veines but the loue I beare thee cannot seeing it is within my hart A thousand other examples of couples ioined in friendship are to be found in hihistories In the meane while we haue to note that although we measure friendship heere by the number of two yet our meaning is not to exclude others altogither For we know that true charitie extendeth it selfe vnto euery one that we are bound to loue euen our enimies and to do good to all but yet amongst all we may choose one onely friend to loue and to be loued againe of him in perfection Neuertheles we must labour by a thousand good duties to get the good will of all men and in what place soeuer we be to follow the wise counsell of Polybius giuen to Scipio Africanus that he should neuer depart from the publike place of authoritie before he had gotten vnto himselfe some new friend and well willer This belongeth to them especially that haue wealth at wil and are in publike offices and fauored of the mightier sort and therefore are so much the more bound thereunto as also to take delight in doing good to manie not sparing any of their substance We haue famous examples heereof amongst the ancients That great Romane captaine and Consul Titus Flaminius who deliuered and freed all Graecia from bondage and twise in battell ranged discomfited Philip king of Macedonia is exceedingly commended of historiographers not onely bicause he was readie to pleasure euerie one but also bicause he tooke such delight therein that he would alwaies remaine well affected euen to those whom he had once pleasured as if himselfe had receiued the benefit insomuch that he was alwaies ready to do them more good Wherby he shewed himselfe truly zealous of vertue which is neuer set on work for the hope of any earthly recompence seeing the price and reward of a vertuous deed ought onely to be the doing thereof Therefore Cicero said very well that no Commonwealth can either with too little or too late recompence hir natiue countriman Now
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
desire of doing good to all Lastly let vs recompence double reward withoutreckoning those good turnes which we receiue of others rather fearing least we should be ouercome in beneficence than in worldly reputation and glorie The ende of the tenth daies worke THE ELEVENTH DAIES WORKE Of Liberalitie and of the vse of riches Chap. 41. ASER. DIuine Plato handling good and euill things saith That Prudence Temperance Fortitude Iustice are good things and that their contraries are euill namely want of Prudence Intemperance Cowardlines and Iniustice As for the goods of Fortune and of the bodie as riches glorie friends honor beautie health strength and dexteritie he calleth them meane or indifferent things which of themselues are neither good nor bad but become either the one or the other as they are vsed with prudence or abused by imprudence and want of discretion Nowe seeing we entred yesterday into those points that depend of Iustice I thin ke the sequele of our matter requireth of vs the handling of Liberalitie which is nothing else but an excellent vse of those meanes which God putteth into our handes for the succouring of many which vertue as Cicero saith is altogither ioined to Iustice and ought to be guided by moderation and reason Nowe my Companions I leaue the discourse of this matter to you AMANA The vnstable riches of earthly treasure as Agapetus wrote to Iustinianus imitate the course of the floating waters They abound for a little while to such as thinke they haue them and suddenly they returne backe againe and go to others but the treasure of Liberalitie and largesse onely abideth still with him that possesseth it ARAM. The habite of Liberalitie is a garment that neuer waxeth old and charitie towards the poore is an incorruptible ornament Diligence is sufficient to make a man rich when meanes are offered but nobility of mind is requisite in the bestowing of great riches vpon commendable things To this purpose Plato saith that a niggard sometime is not wicked but neuer good Now then ACHITOB instruct vs sufficiently in this goodly matter ACHITOB. Seeing Liberalitie is a vertue betweene these two vices Couetousnes and Prodigalitie and seeing the iudgement of reason ought to be the director and maister of giuing and of free Liberalitie that it be not abused in delights or fauour of the wicked but vsed with a prudent and ripe deliberation Where When and Asmuch as ought to be I am of opinion that we may not vnfitly appropriate the effects of this vertue of Liberalitie to the good vse of Riches which of themselues are not able to make a man better or more happy as we were before sufficiently taught but if they be ioined with the knowledge of true honestie and perfect goodnes they offer meanes vnto him whereby he may the better execute his good and honest inclinations to the profite and reliefe of all them that stand in neede Heereupon we must bestow onely whatsoeuer we haue more than necessarie first vpon them that are of our blood and kindred then vpon all indifferently that want our helpe And this is such an excellent and commendable deede that Aristotle and all the Peripatecians maintained this opinion that a happie life which consisteth in the perfect vse of vertue could not be in all respects absolute if it wanted the assistance of bodilie and externall goods which are as instruments to further a man in the good and vertuous execution of his honest desires But we shewed heeretofore by good reason and according to the opinion of the Academicks and Stoicks that vertue onely is sufficient of it selfe to make a man liue happily and that his vertue cannot be either more honored or disgraced through the abundant hauing or not hauing of the goods of fortune and of the bodie seeing all other things receiue their glorie from vertue and are not able to adde any thereunto And therfore a poore vertuous man is not kept from any perfect vse of vertue no not of Liberalitie which consisteth not in wasting much wealth but in succouring the afflicted willingly and in helping euery one according to abilitie For this cause the poore womans mite was esteemed of God for a greater gift than were all the presents of the rich bicause they gaue of their abundance and she of that litle which she had In this manner then euery good man may iustly deserue the name of liberall neither may any man excuse himselfe for not practising liberalitie according to his abilitie But chiefly rich and mightie men are bound thereunto by that commandement giuen vnto them in the scripture to make them friends with the riches of iniquity They must take good heede that they passe not the bounds of this vertue of Liberalitie but strictly obserue those three points alreadie touched by me namely that they be liberall Where When and Asmuch as is requisite For when Princes bestow estates offices or monie vpon vnwoorthie persons they giue where and more than they ought And if in time of warre or calamities of their people they giue to flatterers dancers and ministers of their pleasures and consume much vpon feasts playes Turneis and Masks they spend when and where they ought not deseruing therby the name of prodigall men and louers of riot and superfluitie howsoeuer flattering courtiers labor to disguise such wastfull spendings with the name of largesse and liberalitie But such superfluous expences bring foorth effects contrary to the vertue and dutie of a king causing princes to leuie extraordinarie taxes and tributes vpon no iust necessitie which is wholy to ouerthrow the vse of liberalitie And this is done also by men of meaner calling when in their actions and expences they propound to themselues an other ende than good workes grounded vpon the loue of their neighbors according to charitie Cicero giueth vs a very good precept against the opinion of many in our time who giue out in speech that they are borne to do great things namely to practise liberalitie and being poore of worldly goods seeke to inrich themselues by vnlawfull and vniust meanes that they may bring to passe their loftie desires thinking afterwards through good-deeds and great liberalitie to make amends for that fault which they haue committed But as that father of Philosophie saith our goods and patrimonie must be iustly gotten not by dishonest and hateful gaine secondly we must profite as many as we can so that they be worthie thereof Moreouer a man may and ought to increase it by reason diligence and sparing but to maintaine liberalitie rather than to minister vnto lust voluptuousnes or heaping vp of treasures And yet now a daies these are the principall occasions for which riches are desired which as they increase so we will haue our traine augmented and our table to be answerable thereunto Then although ouer-great abundance remaine yet we exercise very coldly the true works of liberalitie which are to succor the needie But
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
If prudence and reason are most necessary in all parts of house-keeping their effects are well woorth the nothing and to be desired in this part of which we will now intreate For power and authoritie are of themselues too surlie and imperious in him that knoweth not how to represse them wisely yea they are easily turned into intollerable arrogancie if the bridle of reason restraine them not Therfore seeing we liue in a free countrie wherin the ancient absolute power of life death ouer slaues hath no place they to whome God hath granted this fauour to excell and to goe before others whether it be in gifts of nature or in graces of the soule or otherwise in the goods of Fortune they I say must in no wise contemn those that seeme to haue beene forgotten and stripped of all these good things Besides a father of a familie must consider that he ruleth not slaues but free persons Therfore he must vse their seruice although not franckly for nothing yet as that which commeth from a willing and free mind not dealing roughly with them vpon euery occasion but rather handling them gently as the creatures of God made after his image seeing the poorest man is created for the selfe same principall ende that the mightiest and richest is Aristotle granteth this that although a Maister is not bound in anie respect to his Vassaile so farre foorth as he is a Vassaile yet bicause slaues are men he is of opinion that all lawes of humanitie ought to be kept with them What then ought we to doe to such as submit themselues freely vnto vs to whome also we are vnited and linked by christian charitie as to brethren and inheritours of the same goods and promises And yet we see that maisters fall into bitter anger crie out offer outrage vse violence and lay handes of their seruants vpon small or no occasion at all as if they were vnreasonable creatures yea handling them woorse than they doe their brute beastes That this is true we see not one of them but he hath great care that his horses be well fed dailie looked vnto harnessed and decked Besides he taketh great heede that they be not tyred nor ouer-laboured but as for their seruants they neither spare nor comfort them one whit nor haue any respect to their ease and rest For mine owne part I thinke that such maisters deserue rather to be seazed vpon as mad men than admonished as sociable persons I wish therefore that euery maister of a house had these two properties in him namely that with all clemencie and meekenes he would vse the seruice obedience of them that are vnder him by considering of them with reason and by looking rather to the good affection and desert of his seruant than to the great and profitable seruice which he draweth from him The other point is that the maister vsing the sweate and seruice of his should not seeme to be displeased teastie or hard to content but rather alwaies shewe foorth a gentle kinde of fauour and curtesie or at least a seuere familiaritie seasoned with a cheerefull and merrie countenance Whosoeuer shewe themselues to be such men besides the glorie which they shall obtaine by being taken generally for gentle and curteous men their houshold seruants will loue them the more and will reuerence them as their fathers not standing in such awe and feare of them as men commonly doe of intollerable tyrants Moreouer as this assembly of a maister and of seruants tendeth as euery other societie also vnto some good end the maister hauing regard to that which concerneth him and his house and his seruants to the hope of profite and commoditie order must be taken that they which haue with all carefulnes discharged their dutie and yeelded that fidelitie and diligence that is requisite to their superiour be not defrauded of the price reward hire and desert of their trauels For if we thinke it great villanie to rob another man let vs esteeme it nothing lesse to keepe backe the fruite of life and to defraud the labours perils watchings and excessiue cares of our seruants in not recompencing them Therefore concerning this part of a house called the Maisterlie part we will note this that as the Ancients made their slaues free thereby to drawe from them voluntarie and vnconstrained seruice and to deliuer themselues of that feare and distrust which they alwaies had of their slaues accounting that prouerbe true As many enimies as slaues so ought we to bring vp and to nourish our hired and mercenary seruants which serue vs in these daies with a free and liberall kind of loue by dealing gratiously with them by perswading them with reason and by rewarding them liberally and this will induce them to serue honour and esteeme vs as if our weale and woe were wholy common with them The last part of the house remaineth nowe to be intreated of which is the perfection thereof and is called the Parentall part comprehending vnder it the Father and Mother or one of them with the children The head of a familie saith Aristotle commandeth ouer wife and children but ouer both as free persons and yet not after one and the same manner of commanding but ouer the wife according to gouernment vsed in a popular state and ouer the children royally or Prince-like This commandement ouer children is called royall bicause he that begetteth commandeth by loue and by the prerogatiue of age which is a kind of kinglie commanding Therefore Homer calleth Iupiter the father of Men and of the Gods that is king of all For a king must excell by nature and must be of the same kind as it is with the aged in respect of the yoonger sort and with him that begetteth in regard of his child ouer whome he ought to be as carefull as a king is ouer his subiectes Vnto this part of the house a Father of a familie must haue a carefull eye bicause heereuppon chiefly dependeth the honour and quietnes of his house and the discharge of his dutie towardes God and his countrie namely by making his children honest and of good conditions As the desire and pricke of nature sayth Dion driueth vs forward to beget children so is it a testimonie of true loue and charitie to bring them vppe and to intreate them after a free manner and to instruct them well Therefore a Father of a familie shall satisfie his dutie concerning this parte of a house by the good education and instruction of his children and by exercising them in vertue For manners and conditions are qualities imprinted in vs by longe tracte of tyme and vertues are gotten by custome care and diligence Heereafter we are to consider more amply and particularly of the instruction of youth and therefore at this time we will content our selues with the giuing of certaine generall precepts woorthie to be diligently obserued of euery good father of a familie towards
partie that worketh the impression It was not then without good cause that the anciēts greatly esteemed the dignity of a General being ioined with prowes knowledge experience seeing the happy or vnhappy euents of warre ordinarily depend therof next to the chief cause proceeding frō God as we shewed yesterday what Titus Liuius wrote of the battel between the Romans the Latins For this reason Cimon a great mā of Athens said that he had rather haue an armie of Harts guided by a Lion than an armie of Lions hauing a Hart for their captaine Now if we desire to vnderstand in few words what maner of mē are most woorthy of such charges we may learne it by the answere that one of the wise Interpreters made to Ptolomie concerning this matter They said he that excell in prowesse and iustice and preferre the safetie of mens liues before victorie But to discourse more particularly of the dutie and office of the head of an armie Valerius Coruinus Generall of the Romans against the Samnites to whom he was redy to giue battell incouraged his souldiors to do well in few words and taught euery one how he should proceed to obtaine the place and degree of a captaine A man must consider well quoth he vnto them vnder whose conduction he entreth into battell whether vnder one that can cause himselfe to be heard as if hee were some goodly Oratour that hath a braue tongue but otherwise is a Nouice and vnskilfull in all points of warre or vnder such a one as hath skill himselfe to handle his weapon to marche first before the ensignes and to doe his duetie in the hottest of the fight I would not Souldiours that yee should follow my wordes but my deeds I set before you an example ioyned with instruction and discipline as he that hath gotten three Consulships with this arme not without exceeding prayse Hereby we learne that the ancient captaines and Heads of armies had this laudable custome to make Orations to their men of warre thereby to make them more courageous as appeereth in all histories both Greeke and Latin This fashion is now lost togither with the rest of warlike discipline at least wise there is no account made of it in France whereupon it commeth to passe that many great men are but badly followed and serued in warre For as he that standeth in neede of the faithfull seruice of men ought to winne them rather by gentlenesse and good turnes than by authoritie and rigour so he that would haue prompt and resolute souldiours for warre that hee may vse their seruice in tyme of neede must make much of them and allure them to his obedience by liberalitie and by good and gracious speeches For in truth they must be good friends and affectionate seruitours vnto a man that setting all excuses aside of which there is neuer any want are to fight for him they must neither be enuious at his prosperitie nor traiterous in his aduersitie And there is no doubt but that in a matter of great importaunce the graue exhortations of a Generall grounded vpon good reasons and examples greatly encourage and harten a whole armie in so much that it will make them as hardie as Lions that before were as fearefull as sheepe Moreouer if he that is esteemed and iudged to be valiaunt and noble-minded sheweth foorth effectes aunswerable thereunto he doubteth the courage and strength of his armie as contrarywise the least shew of cowardlinesse discouragement or astonishment shewed by him draweth after it the vtter ruine of his souldiours But to returne to the duetie and office of a good Captaine of an armie as the best worke that a man can doe is first to bee honest and vertuous and than to take order that himselfe and his familie may haue aboundantly all things necessarie for this life so euery wise and well aduised leader of men of warre must dispose and prepare himselfe to the same ende and foresee that nothing be wanting vnto them neither munitiōs of warre nor victuals He must not thinke to make new prouision when necessitie vrgeth him but euen than when he is best furnished he must bee carefull for the time to come Wherby taking away all occasiō of cōplaining from the souldior he shall be better beloued and obeyed and more feared and redoubted of his enimies To this purpose Cyrus said to his chiefe men of warre My friends I reioyce greatly that you and your men are contented that ye haue abundance of all things and that we haue wherewith to do good to euery one according to his vertue Notwithstanding we must consider what were the principall causes of these good things and if yee looke narowly ye shall find that watching trauell continuance in labor and diligence haue giuē vs these riches Therfore ye must shew your selues vertuous also hereafter holding this for certaine that ye shall obtaine great store of riches and contentation of mind by obedience constancie vertue sustaining of trauell and by courage in vertuous and perillous enterprises Moreouer a good captaine of an armie must be very carefull that he neuer suffer his host to be idle but cause his souldiors either to annoy the enimie or to doe themselues good It is a burthensome thing to nourish an idle body much more a whole family but especially an armie and not to keepe them occupied His meaning that warreth of necessitie or through ambition is to get or to keep that which is gotten and to proceed in such sort that he may in-rich and not impouerish his countrey Therfore both for conquering and for the maintenance and preseruation of that which is his owne already he must necessarily beware of vnprofitable expences and do all things for common commoditie So that who so euer would throughly put in practise these two points he had need to follow that custome which the ancient Romanes vsed namely at the beginning to make them short and terrible as we vse to say For entring into the field with great power and strength they dispatched their warre speedily within few dayes insomuch that all their iourneis made against the Latines Samnites Tuscans were ended some in six others in ten and the longest in twentie dayes And although afterward they were constrained to keep the fields a longer time by reason of the distance of places and countreys yet they did not therefore giue ouer the following of their first purpose but ended as soone as they could their enterprises of warre by quick battels according as place and time suffred True it is that a prudent captaine must be skilfull to take the enimie at aduantage but if it be so that he cannot the better and more vertuous man he thinks himselfe and those that follow him to be so much the more paines is required of him for his owne and their preseruation as men vse to keep safely those things which they account deerest and
learned True philosophy is to be found in the word of God How much we owe to good authors The chiefe foundation of al philosophie Necessarie points for a philosopher We must learne alwaies Against presumption and selfe liking A fit comparison Antisthenes an example of great loue to knowledge Plato How we may know whether we profit in philosophie A good way to ouercome great faults When we may be called Philosophers The perfection of Philosophie The contempt of worldly goods necessary in a Philosopher Crates Notable examples of loue to Philosophie Anaxagoras Democritus Euclide Philosophie only teacheth vs to know our chiefe good The true cause of ioy and tranquillitie in a Christian soule What this word Philosopher meaneth There were three chiefe sects of philosophers Who are happie and who vnhappie Worldlie goods are of no force Two sorts of goods Vertue is the effect of regeneration The definition of vertue Socrates called religion the greatest vertue The dutie of prudence The foundation and spring of all vertue Wherein humane happines consisteth The gifts and graces of God are diuers in men The excellencie and propertie of vertue Euerie thing is made profitable through vertue Vertue compared to a palme tree The reward of vertue in the life to come is of the free mercie of God Comparison of worldly goods with vertue Nothing hath power ouer vertue Vertue cannot be valued Why Plato in his works bringeth in Socrates speaking Wherein the happines and greatnes of a king consisteth What it was that procured to Alexander the surname of Great Examples of the force and effects of vertue in aduersitie Pelopidas Philocles A most constant death Anaxarchus A woonderfull magnanimitie A wise man dieth willingly The feare of death doth not astonish the vertuous Callicratides Themistocles loue to his countrie Age hath no power ouer vertue Agesilaus Vertue causeth kingdoms to florish Vertue is the onely honest profitable and pleasant good Anacharsis forsooke a kingdome that he might the better obtaine vertue Three things necessarie for the obtaining of vertue The knowledge of goodnes must go before the loue of it Vice is the onely euil of the soule What we ought to call euill Vertue is the health and vice the sicknes of the soule Vice is like a dropsie When we begin to hate vice The definition of vice The effects of vice Vice is of an endles stocke Although we are to hate vice with a perfect hatred yet we must not kill our selues to be 〈◊〉 of it The vicious man onely is a captiue Nothing more hurtfull than vice Vice ioined with authoritie is more hurtfull A good lesson for great men The propertie of the wicked The alteration of kingdoms commeth of vice Offences are neuer without paine How a man may haue continuall quietnes The force of conscience in the wicked Leuit. 26. 36. Esay 66. 24. Examples of tormented consciences in the wicked A wise man is ashamed to attend before himselfe Why God deferreth his vengeance vpon the wicked Custome in sinning is dangerous How we should fortifie our selues against vice The humanitie of Pythagoras euen towards brute beasts An excellent comparison teaching vs not to suffer any vnlawfull thing We must neuer harken to the heralds of vice How vice deceiueth men The prudence of the serpent Why Diogenes asked his almes of images The speeches of ignorant men touching the studie of sciences Why many fathers set not their children to schoole Man was created to vnderstand and to do The benefits which come by knowledge The proper worke of the spirit of man It is long ere men without knowledge become good magistrates The praise of wisedome The diuision of sciences Grammer Rhetorick Logick Physick Metaphysick Mathematick and the parts thereof as Arithmetick Geometry Cosmography Geography Astronomy Musicke Poetry Those sciences are first to be learned that are most necessarie What kinde of knowledge is especially required in a philosopher Anacharsis letter to Craesus touching the studies of Graecia The praise and prosite of 〈◊〉 How a man may become happie Wherein kings ought most to exercise themselues The saving of Philip at the birth of Alexander Alexanders letter to Aristotle His loue to learning Iulius Caesar Xenophon Nicias Archimedes Socrates conclusion drawen out of 24. howers contemplation Charles 4. Robert king of Sicilia Ptolemie Philadelphus Charlemaine Francis 1. Antisthenes saying touching a flute plaier The modestic of Socrates touching his owne skill Quicke wits commonly want memorie Psal 102. 26. It is very hard for a man to know himselfe Socrates opinion concerning man The soule is 〈◊〉 man Socrates answer touching his burâ—all Periander Empedocles Of the generation of the soule The soule is diuided into the spirit and the flesh The spirit of the godlie both by creation and regeneration is enimie to vice The fight betweene the spirit and the flesh Rom. 8 7. What we are being left to our selves The difference betweene the 〈◊〉 and the spirit The three parts of the spirit Of Memorie Mithridates Frederick Genusbey P. Crassus From whence iudgement proceedeth Iulius Caesar Seneca A good â—se of memorie Reasons why quick est wits haue woorâ—t memories and conâ—â—â—wise 1. Cor. 12. Rom. 8. 1. The end of the creation of all things What homage we owe to God Which is the cheefe end of our being What â—uâ—ie is The diuision of dutie What dutie we owe to God and therefore Obedience to Gods law is the mother of all vertues What our dutie towards our neighbour is Man created for man Profit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be separated from honestie Two things requisite in euerie good worke Fower riuers issue out of the fountaine of dutie Examples of the zeale of the ancients in the seruice of there god Calanus The zeale of the Iewes to their law Of the loue which a man oweth to his countrie Cato of Vtica In what case a good man may sue for an office Metellus Lycurgus Marcus Otho The couragious mind of a soldier A notable example against ciuill war Codrus M. Curtius Dutie and honestie are to be propounded in all our actions Ecclus. 1. 18. Ecclus. 1. 23. What prunence is The effects of the vertue of prudence The difference betweene science and prudence Prudence compared to the sight Prudence hath three eies The praise-worthy effects of prudence The coniunction of all the vertues Of the prudence of Alexander Of the prudence of Pulius Caesar Caesar noted two faults in Pompey Agesilaus The losse of a captâ—â—â—e is commonly cause of the ruine of an amâ—e The prudence of Solon The prudence of Lycurgus Phocion The prudence of Demosthenes in defending the innocencie of a poore woman How a prudent man may reape benefit by his enimies and by mishaps Anaxagoras The prudent foresight of 〈◊〉 The prudence of Scipio in answering to an vniust accusation Emilius Scaurus The sports of prudent men Pleasant sayings ful of doctrine A prudent man doth not ouerlightly beleeue any thing How none can be hurt but by himselfe Vertuous actions are to
Of the Harmonie and agreement that ought to be in the dissimilitude or vnlike callings of subiects by reason of the duty and office of euery estate 743 67 Of Peace and of Warre 754 68 Of the ancient Discipline and order of Warre 764 69 Of the office and duty of a Generall 772 70 Of the choise of Souldiors of the maner how to exhort them to fight and how victory is to be vsed 783 71 Of a happie Life 794 72 Of Death 804 THE FIRST DAIES WORKE of this Academie with the cause of their assemblie WHen GOD by his infinite and vnspeakable goodnes beholding with a fatherly bountifull and pitifull eie our poore France which most cruel against it selfe seemed to run amain most furiously to throw it self headlong into the center of some bottomlesse gulfe had sent from heauen the wished-for newes of peace in the midst of ciuill and domesticall armies which a man might say were of purpose prepared for the finall ouerthrow of this French Monarchie that hath florished so long time sparing by his heauenlie grace and fauor and that in despite of them the bloud of those men who held foorth their right hand to cut off the left among manie who touched with the loue of their countrie and with true zeale to pietie reioiced at this so well liking and healthfull newes fower yong gentlemen of Aniou who came togither to serue their Prince and to sacrifice their liues if need required for the welfare and safetie of the Common wealth were none of the last that sought out one another and met togither to testifie ech to other as their mutuall kindred and sworne frendship did inuite them the ioy which filled their souls arising of so happie and vnlooked for successe and alteration of affaires to the end also that they might giue glorie and praise to him who for the benefit of his knoweth wel how to take order euen in those things which according to the iudgement of men are desperate and past recouery And that which gaue them greater occasion to reioice for this peace and so diligently to seeke out one another was this bicause contratie to hope they saw the meanes offered them to returne home and to continue an exercise that greatly pleased them which not long before the last fal of France into troubles they had happily begun Now to let you readers vnderstand what this exercise was these fower gentlemen being of kin and neere neighbors and in a maner of one age were by the care and prudence of their fathers brought vp and nourished togither from their yoong yeeres in the studie of good letters in the house of an ancient wise gentleman of great calling who was the principall stocke and roote of these fruitfull buds This man by reason of his manifold experience and long abode in strange countries knew that the common corruption of French youth of it selfe inclined to pleasure proceeded chiefly from the ouer great licence and excessiue libertie granted vnto them in the Vniuersities of this Realme as well through the fault and negligence of the gouernors and tutors in them as also bicause of the euill gouernment of the townes at this day He knew also that they were no lesse abused who thinking to auoide this dangerous downe-fall at home did send their children to studie abroad amongst strangers where the traffike and merchandise of mischiefs is more common and easie to be made bicause they feare not that newes will presently or so speedily be caried to their parents as if they were neere vnto them Oh how well woorthie of eternall praise is the prudence of this gentleman bringing to my remembrance Eteocles one of the most noble Ephories of Lacedemonia who freely answered Antipater asking fiftie pledges that he would not giue him children least if they were brought vp farre from their fathers they should change the ancient custome of liuing vsed in their owne countrie and become vicious but of olde men and women he would giue him double the number if he would haue them Wherevpon being threatened by this king if he speedily sent him not of the youth we care not quoth he for threatenings For if thou command vs to do things that are more greeuous than death we will rather choose death so carefull were the men of old time that the dressing and trimming of these yoong plants should not be out of their presence But let vs go on with our matter This good and notable old man hauing spent the greater part of his yeeres in the seruice of two kings and of his country and for many good causes withdrawen himselfe to his house thought that to content his mind which alwaies delighted in honest and vertuous things he could not bring greater profit to the Monarchie of France than to lay open a way and meane to preserue and keepe youth from such a pernicious and cancred corruption by offering himselfe for example to all fathers and shewing them the way to haue a more carefull eie in the instruction of their children and not so lightly to commit them to the discipline of vices by the hands of mercenarie and hired strangers And this was begun vpon these fower yoong gentlemen whom he tooke to his owne house by the consent of their parents offering himselfe to the vttermost of his power to helpe their gentle nature which appeered in them woorthie their ancestors by training it vp first in the feare of God as being the beginning of al wisedome secondly in humane learning and knowledge which are necessarie helps to liue well and happily to the benefit of the societie of men To this end after that he himselfe had shewed them the first grounds of true wisedome and of al things necessarie for their saluation according to the measure of grace giuen him from aboue and as their age could conceiue them he labored earnestly to haue in his house some man of great learning and wel reported of for his good life and conuersation vnto whom he committed the instruction of this yoong Nobilitie Who behaued himselfe so wel in his charge that not greatly staying himselfe in the long degrees of learning which being ordinarie and vsuall in our French Colledges are often more tedious besides losse of time than profitable to youth after he had indifferently taught his schollers the Latine toong and some smackering of the Greeke he propounded for the chiefe part and portion of their studies the morall philosophie of aucient Sages and wise men togither with the vnderstanding searching out of histories which are the light of life therein following the intent and will both of him that set him on worke and also of the parents of this Nobilitie who desired to see their children not great Orators suttle Logitians learned Lawiers or curious Mathematicians but onely sufficiently taught in the doctrine of good liuing following the traces and steps of vertue by the knowledge of things past from the first ages vntill this present that they
countries as the histories of most nations in the world declare vnto vs and namely of the Germaines who in the time of Tacitus had neither law nor religion nor knowledge nor forme of commonwealth whereas now they giue place to no nation for good institution in all things Let vs not then be discouraged or faint by knowing our naturall imperfections seeing that through labor and diligence we may recouer that which is wanting but happie is that man and singularly beloued of God to whom both good birth and like bringing vp are granted together It followeth now to discourse particulerly of the maner of good education and instruction of youth but this will come in more fitely when we shall intreat of Oeconomy And yet seeing we are in the discourse of mans nature I thinke it wil not be from the purpose nor without profite if to make vs more seuere censurers of our owne faults we note that although our behauior be cheefely known by the effects as a tree by the fruit yet many times a mans naturall inclinatiō is better perceiued in a light matter as in a word in a pastime or in some other free and priuate busines wherein vertue or vice ingrauen in the soule may be sooner espied than in greater actions and works done publikely bicause in these matters shame or constraint commonly cause men to vse dissimulation Howbeit this also is true that the more power and authoritie a man hath when he may alleadge his owne will for all reason the inward affection of his hart is then best discouered For such an vnbrideled licence mooueth all euen to the verie depth and bottome of his passions and causeth all those secret vices that are hidden in his soule to be fullie and euidently seene Whereupon it followeth that great and noble men ought aboue all others to learne vertue and to studie to liue well especially seeing they haue all those requisite helps and commodities through want of which most men are hindred from attaining thereunto Let vs therefore learne by our present discourse to knowe that the nature of all men by reason of the corruption of sin is so depraued corrupted and vnperfect that euen the best men amongst many imperfections carry about them some enuie ielousy emulation and contention against some or other and rather against their verie friends This did Demas a noble man and greatly conuersant in matters of estate declare vnto the councel in the citie of Chio after a ciuill dissention wherin he had followed that part which ouercame For he perswaded those of his side not to banish all their aduersaries out of the city but to leaue some of them after they had taken from them all meanes of doing more harme least quoth he vnto them we begin to quarrel with our friends hauing no more enemies to contende withall For this cause we must fortifie our selues with vnderstanding and knowledge through labor and studie of good letters that we may restraine and represse so many pernitious motions mingled togither in our soules Let vs know moreouer that seeing our nature is assaulted and prouoked by a vehement inclination to do any thing whatsoeuer it is a very hard matter to withdrawe and keepe it backe by any force no not by the strength or feare of any lawes if in due conuenient time we frame not within it a habite of vertue hauing first wished to be well borne But howsoeuer it be let vs endeuor to be well borne through custome and exercise in vertue which will be vnto vs as it were another nature vsing the meanes of good education and instruction in wisedome whereby our soules shal be made conquerors ouer all hurtfull passions and our minds moderate and staied that in all our doings sayings and thoughts we passe not the bounds of the dutie of a vertuous man The ende of the fourth daies worke THE FIFT DAIES WORKE Of Temperance Chap. 17. ASER. THe diuine excellencie of the order of the equall wonderful constācie of the parts of the world aswell in the goodly and temperate moderation of the seasons of the yeere as in the mutuall coniunctiō of the elements obeying altogither with a perfect harmonie the gratious and soueraigne gouernment of their creator was the cause that Pythagoras first called all the compasse of this vniuersal frame by this name of World which without such an excellent disposition would be but disorder a world of confusion For this word world signifieth asmuch as Ornament or a well disposed order of things Nowe as a constant and temperate order is the foundation thereof so the ground-worke and preseruation of mans happie life for whom all things were made is the vertue of temperance which conteineth the desires and inclinations of the soule within the compasse of mediocritie and moderateth all actions whatsoeuer For this cause hauing hitherto according to our iudgment sufficiently discoursed of the first riuer of the fountaine of honestie I thinke we ought to set downe here in the second place although it be contrarie to the opinion of manie philosophers this vertue of Temperance saying with Socrates that she is the ground-worke and foundation of all vertues AMANA As a man cannot be temperate if first he be not prudent bicause euerie vertuous action proceedeth of knowledge so no man can be strong and valiant if he be not first temperate bicause he that hath a noble and great courage without moderation will attempt a thousand euils and mischeefes and will soone grow to be rash and headie Likewise iustice cannot be had without temperance seeing it is the cheefe point of a iust man to haue his soule free from perturbations Which cannot be done except he be temperate whose proper subiect the soule is ARAM. Heroicall vertue saith Plato is made perfect by the mixture and ioyning together of Temperance and fortitude which being separated will at length become vices For a temperate man that is not couragious easily waxeth to be a coward and faintharted and a noble hart not temperate becommeth rash and presumptuous Let vs then heare ACHITOB discourse of this Temperance so excellent and necessarie a vertue ACHITOB. Agapetus a man of great skill writing to the emperor Iustinian amongst other things had this saying We say that thou art truly and rightly both emperor and king so long as thou canst command and master thy desires and pleasures and art beset and decked with the crowne of Temperance and clothed with the purple robe of Iustice For other principalities end by death whereas this kingdome abideth for euer yea others are manie times the cause of perdition to the soule but this procureth a certaine and an assured safetie When we haue considered well of the woorthie effects and fruits of this vertue of temperance no doubt but we will subscribe to this wise mans opinion and to as many as haue written of the praises and roialties of that vertue Temperance saith thagoras is that light which
consequently the bond and preseruatiue of humane societie But if we being well instructed by the spirite of wisedome feede the hungrie giue drinke to the thirsty lodge them that want harbour and clothe the naked sowing in this manner by the works of pietie that talent which is committed to our keeping we shall reape abundantly in heauen the permanent riches treasures of eternall life Of Couetousnes and of Prodigalitie Chap. 42. ACHITOB IF that diuiue rule of Cicero were aswell written in our hart as he desired to haue it setled in his sonne that onely that thing is to be iudged profitable which is not wicked and that nothing of that nature should seeme profitable we should not behold amongst vs so many cursed acts as are daily committed through the vnbrideled desire of the goods of this world For that which most of all troubleth men is when they thinke that the sin which they purpose to practise is but small in respect of the gaine thereby craftily separating profite from honestie and so suffering themselues to be ouercome of couetousnes which is the defect of liberalitie whereof we discoursed euen now whose excesse also is Prodigalitie of which two vices we are now to intreat ASER. Every one that coueteth treasures said Anacharsis one of the wise men of Graecia is hardly capable of good coūsell and instruction For the couetous man commonly murmureth at that which God permitteth and nature doth so that he will sooner take vpon him to correct God than to amend his life AMANA It is a hard matter said Socrates for a man to bridle his desire but he that addeth riches therunto is mad For couetousnes neither for shame of the world nor feare of death will not represse or moderate it self But it belongeth to thee ARAM to instruct vs in that which is here propounded ARAM. Since the greedie desire of heaping vp gold and siluer entred in amongst men with the possession of riches couetousnesse folowed and with the vse of them pleasures and delights whereupon they began to saile in a dangerous sea of all vices which hath so ouerflowen in this age of ours that there are very few towers how high so euer seated but it hath gone vp a great deale aboue them For this cause I see no reason why men should esteeme so much or iudge it such a happy thing to haue much goodly land many great houses and huge summes of readie money seeing all this doth not teach them not to be caried away with passions for riches and seeing the possession of them in that maner procureth not a contentation void of the desire of them but rather inflameth vs to desire them more through an insatiable couetousnes which is such a pouerty of the soul that no worldly goods can remedie the same For it is the nature of this vice to make a man poore all his life time that he may find him self rich only at his death Moreouer it is a desire that hath this thing proper and peculiar to it selfe to resist and to refuse to be satisfied whereas all other desires helpe forward the same and seeke to content those that serue thē Couetousnesse saith Aristotle is a vice of the soule whereby a man desireth to haue from all partes without reason and vniustly with-holdeth that which belongeth to another It is sparing and skantie in giuing but excessiue in receiuing The Poet Lucretius calleth it a blind desire of goods And it mightily hindereth the light of the soule causing the couetous man to be neuer contented but the more he hath the more to desire and wish for The medicine which he seeketh namely gold and siluer encreaseth his disease as water doth the dropsie and the obtaining thereof is alwaies vnto him the beginning of the desire of hauing He is a Tantalus in hell who between water and meat dieth of hunger Now it is very sure that to such as are wise and of sound iudgement nature hath limited certaine bounds of wealth which are traced out vpon a certaine Center and vpon the circumference of their necessitie But couetousnesse working cleane contrary effects in the spirit of fooles carieth away the naturall desire of necessarie things to a disordinate appetite of such things as are full of danger rare and hard to be gotten And which is worse compelling the auaritious to procure them with great payne and trauell it forbiddeth him to enioy them and stirring vp his desire depriueth him of the pleasure Stratonicus mocked in olde ryme the superfluitie of the Rhodians saying that they builded as if they were immortall and rushed into the kitchin as if they had but a little while to liue But couetous men scrape togither like great and mightie men and spend like mechanicall and handy-craftesmen They indure labour in procuryng but want the pleasure of enioying They are like Mules that carie great burthens of golde and siluer on their backes and yet eate but hay They enioy neyther rest nor libertie which are most precious and most desired of a wise man but liue alwayes in disquietnesse being seruauntes and slaues to their richesse Their greatest miserie is that to encrease and keepe their wealth they care neither for equitie or iustice they contemne all lawes both diuine and humane and all threatnings and punishmentes annexed vnto them they liue without friendship and charitie and lay holde of nothyng but gayne When they are placed in authoritie and power aboue others they condemne the innocent iustifie the guiltie and finde alwayes some cleanly cloke and colour of taking and of excusing as they thinke their corruption and briberie making no difference betweene duetie and profite Wherfore we may well say in a word That couetousnes is the roote of all euill For what mischiefs are not procured through this vice From whence proceed quarels strifes suites hatred and enuie theftes pollings sackings warres murders and poisonings but from hence God is forgotten our neighbour hated and many times the sonne forgiueth not his father neither the brother his brother nor the subiect his Lord for the desire of gaine In a worde there is no kind of crueltie that couetousnesse putteth not in practise It causeth hired and wilfull murders O execrable impietie to be well thought of amongst vs. It causeth men to breake their faith giuen to violate all friendship to betray their countrey It causeth subiectes to rebell against their princes gouernours and magistrates when not able to beare their insatiable desires nor their exactions and intollerable subsidies they breake foorth into publike and open sedition which troubleth common tranquillitie whereupon the bodie politike is changed or for the most part vtterly ouerthrowen Moreouer the excesse of the vertue of liberalitie which is prodigalitie may be ioyned to couetousnesse and than there is no kind of vice but raigneth with all licence in that soule that hath these two guestes lodged togither And bicause it is a thing that
authoritie and credite reioyce them most that stande least in feare of their contraries For when a man seeketh after any of them with an ouer-burning desire whereby also too great a feare of loosing them is imprinted in him the pleasure which he hath by enioying the same is verie weake and vnstable much like to a flame blowen vp and downe with the winde But as for the power of fortune saith the same Philosopher it bringeth downe those men that of their owne nature are cowards fearefull and of small courage Neither must we attribute cowardlines to misfortune nor valure and prudence to fortune who is not able to make a man great without vertue For what good will weapons doe a man without experience riches without liberalitie victorie without bountie and clemencie fighting without valure and boldnesse briefly all fortunes goods without knowledge how to vse them well Let vs learne also that it is too great blockishnesse to attribute the cause of the change of monarchies common-wealths estates of battels lost and generally of all casuall mishaps both generall and particular to certaine second causes one while accusing the ambition of some the ignorance or negligence of others the small courage want of money of men or of munitions But we must looke higher and turne towardes him who vseth such meanes in the execution of his wonderfull counsell when he mindeth to chastise and to punish men for their offences Example hereof we haue in those great monarchies of Babylon of Persia and of Graecia whose markes are no more to be seene than the pathe of a ship in the water or way of a bird flying in the aire And yet they were ouerthrowen and vanquished by such as had a thousand times lesse humane force and chiefe sinewes of warre as treasure men munition and other furniture than their monarches and emperours had who abounded euery way But God purposed to punish their pride and iniquitie Let vs therefore stand in awe not of the goddesse fortune which is but the dreame of man and cannot as Cicero saith greatly hurt him that iudgeth hope grounded vpon vertue more firme than that which is built vpon hir forces but let vs feare him who directeth and disposeth in wisdome all things created to their proper end which is the glorie of his name and saluation of his elect albeit the order which he obserueth the cause reason and necessitie of them are for the most part hid in his secret counsell and cannot be comprehended by the sense of man And yet not so hid but that we ought prudently to consider of those means which he offreth vnto vs for our vse after we haue endeuoured to mitigate and to appease his wrath and anger through the amendment of our life and haue called for aide and helpe of him in all our enterprises grounded by reason vpon dutie The ende of the eleuenth daies worke THE TWELFTH DAIES WORKE Of Mariage Chap. 45. ASER. IT is greate perfection as Seneca writeth for a man to take in hand and desire to obtain but one only thing But no man is one and the same except a wise man all other men are of diuers formes Who knoweth not with how great disquietnes the mind of man is set on fire with what lightnes it is caried hither thither and with what ambition and desire it is stirred vp to take holde of many sundry thinges at once Notwithstanding we must diligently marke how the heauenly wisdome hath made a distinction of estates and kindes of life amongst men from the beginning appointing that of Adams two first children the one should be a husbandman the other a sheepheard Since that the selfe same prouidence hath alwayes commaunded that euery one of vs should looke vnto his calling in all the actions of his life accounting therof as of a station assigned vnto vs by his maiestie and as of a perpetuall rule whereby we must direct the ende of our intents and following the will of God striue to continue such men to the ende of our dayes as we once purposed with our selues to be For we may assure our selues that there is no worke so small and contemptible which doth not shine and appeere precious before the heauenly throne if we do it in faith according to our calling and giue glory to the Eternall for our whole condition and state of life Nowe we know that after God had created man by his almightie power and vnspeakable goodnesse to make him partaker of his glory and to rule ouer the earth the sea and all things contained in them he gaue him presently the woman for a faithfull companion and sweete solace to his life and for the preseruation of his kinde instituting and sanctifying mariage from that tyme forward Therefore I thinke my companions that we ought to handle this first bicause it is the first calling of man most common and most honorable to the end that we may as we sayd yesterday begin to apply the actions and practise of the vertues of which we haue hitherto intreated to estates and conditions of life whereunto eche of vs may be called AMANA If we could saith Plato behold with bodily eyes the beautie that honestie hath in hir we would be farre in loue with hir but she is to be seen onely with the eyes of the minde And truely with the same eyes we may behold it in mariage if we consider narowly the honestie of the coupled life when it is in euery respect absolute than the holy bond whereof the earth hath nothing more beautifull or honest ARAM. Mariage as the scripture saith is honorable among all and the bed vndefiled He that findeth a wife findeth a good thing and receiueth fauour of the Lord. Therefore of thee ACHITOB we desire to vnderstand more at large what thou hast learned concerning this matter discussed with so many contrary opinions both old and new ACHITOB. Nature hauing brought vs foorth to liue in societie and not alone like to brute beasts it must needes be saith Aristotle that he which liueth solitarily is either a very beast or more than a man Now a societie is an assemblie and agreement of many in one seeking after some good thing that is profitable pleasant and honest atleast that seemeth to be so or else labouring to flie from and to eschew some euill Euery societie respecteth the maintenance and preseruation of Monarchies Kingdomes and Common-wealths But bicause no one whole and generall thing can be knowne as the Philosophers say except the parts thereof be first knowne it agreeth very fitly with the cause of our meeting togither and is also very necessarie for vs to learne what the societie of wedlocke is which being the seminarie and preseruation of all societies is nothing else but a communion of life betweene the husband and the wife extending it selfe to all the parts that belong to their house of which we
bicause it nourished the Iewish Church in the reuerence of God and yet was distinct from true pietie in like maner albeit their Iudiciall law tended to no other ende than to the preseruation of the selfe same charitie that is commanded in the Morall law yet it had a distinct propertie which was not expresly declared in the commandement of charitie As therefore the ceremonies were abrogated and true religion and pietie I meane Christian substituted in place of the Iudaicll law so the Iudiciarie lawes were cancelled abolished without violating in any sort the dutie of charitie So that all nations haue libertie to make for themselues such lawes as they shall thinke expedient for them called of vs ciuill lawes which must be squared according to the eternall rule of charitie and differing onely in forme they must all haue one end commanding alwaies honest vertuous things and contrariwise forbidding those that are dishonest and vitious Nowe of these ciuill lawes there are two chiefe kindes amongst vs The first consisteth in lawes that are ratified established vpon which euery Monarchie and publike gouernment is first grounded and hath his beginning which ought not in any wise to be infringed or changed such are those which we call the lawes of the French-men namely the Salicke law established by Pharamond who was the first that tooke vpon him the name of king ouer them Such lawes also are annexed and vnited to the crowne and therefore the Prince cannot so abrogate them but that his successor may disanull whatsoeuer he hath done in preiudice of them much lesse are subiects permitted to attempt any such matter Yea all those that go about it seeke nothing but to mooue sedition in the estate and to cause subiects to reuolt from their superiours As for the other ciuill lawes as constitutions ordinaunces edicts and customes which haue beene made and receiued according to the condition and circumstaunce of times and places they are in the power of the soueraigne Prince to change and to correct them as occasion shall serue And yet in the general and particular customes of this Realme none haue beene commonly chaunged but after the lawefull assemblie of the three generall Estates of France or else of the particular Estates of euery Prouince not as if the king were necessarily bound to stand to their aduice or might not do contrary to that which they demand if naturall reason and iustice stand with his will And then whatsoeuer it pleaseth him to like or dislike to command or forbid is held for a law an edict and decree and euery subiect is bound to obey it But to speake generally of the lawes of an Estate the changing and gain-saying of them is a very pernitious plague in euery Common-wealth This ancient rule and Maxime of wise Politicks is well woorth the marking That nothing is to be changed in the lawes of a Common-wealth which hath a long time preserued it selfe in good estate what apparant profite soeuer a man may pretend And for this cause in the popular gouernment of the Romanes vnder Publius Philo the Dictator that Athenian edict was receiued and past by force of lawe whereby it was not lawfull for any to present a request to the people without the aduice of the Senate But there was a farre more strict and seuere decree amongest the Locrians For it was to this effect as Demosthenes rehearseth it that euery Citizen that was desirous to bring in a newe lawe should come and declare it publikely before the people with a halter about his necke to the end that if his newe lawe was not thought meete to be receiued and very profitable for the Common-wealth he might presently be strangled as a woorthie reward for his rashnes In euery societie sayth Aristotle that is well instituted and ordained by lawes great care is to be taken that no part of the lawe although neuer so little be diminished or changed yea most heede is to be had of that which is done by little and little For if resistance be not then made it falleth out in the Common-wealth as in the diseased bodie of a man wherein the disease if speedie remedie be not vsed in the beginning thereof increaseth by little and little and that which might easily haue beene cured through negligence is made incurable Men neuer beginne sayed Paulus Aemilius the Romane Consul to alter and chang the estate of a Common-wealth by making their first entrance with some notorious resisting of the lawes And therefore we must thinke that the preseruation of the principall foundations of a politike Estate is left at randon when men neglect the care of keeping diligentlye the constitutions thereof howe light or of small importance soeuer they seeme to be For seeing the lawe is the sure foundation of euery ciuill societie if that fayle it must needes be that the whole politicall building will fall to ruine Therefore Bias the wise sayd that the Estate of that Common-wealth is happie wherein all the inhabitants feare the lawe as a seuere Tyrant For then whatsoeuer it requireth is vndoubtedly perfourmed After the lawe is once established and approoued saith Isidorus we must not iudge of it but iudge according vnto it That is the beste policie sayde Chilon one of the Sages of Graecia where the people hearken more to the lawes than to the Oratours This also was the cause that Pausanias the Lacedemonian made this aunswere to one who demaunded of him why it was not lawefull in their countrie to alter any of their auncient lawes The reason is quoth he bicause the lawes must bee Mistresses ouer men and not men Maysters ouer the lawes Moreouer the antiquitie and profite of lawes are so euident that it is needeles to make any long discourse thereof heere Moses was the first lawe-maker of the Hebrewes Mercurius Trismegistus of the Egyptians Phoroneus the Kinge of the Graecians Solon of the Athenians Lycurgus of the Lacedemonians Anacharsis of the Scythians Numa Pompilius of the Romanes Ten notable men were chosen by the Senate and people of Rome to translate and to expound the lawes of the twelue tables We haue already declared how Pharamond made ours The greatest and best part of the lawes of Germanie was established by Charles the great Emperour and king of France And so all regions haue had diuers lawmakers according to the condition and circumstance of time place and countrie True it is that before the publishing of the law of God there was no law-maker of whome we haue any knowledge and surely not so much as one word of a law is to be found in all the works of Homer or Orpheus or of any before Moses But Princes iudged and commanded all thinges by their soueraigne power which kind of gouernment being more tyrannicall than kingly could not be of any continuance or assurance bicause there was no bond to knit the great with
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
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
being desirous to procure the benefit and ease of the Common-wealth would serue himselfe for this sacrifice And so it came to passe for presently this gulfe closed vp to the great astonishment of all the people How shal we thinke that these and so many others as histories set before our eies who haue freely offered their liues for the safetie of many and chose rather to vndertake any danger than to turne aside in any thing from that which they knew to be the dutie of a good man how I say shall we thinke that they would haue fainted or yeelded through the enticements of honor grace fauor riches whereby the greatnes of their courage limited onely with the bounds of right and iustice might haue beene weakened But hoping that the sequele of our discourses will furnish vs with more ample testimonies both of this and of all the other parts of dutie which respect euery particular action and fearing least I haue been somewhat too long in the examples alreadie alledged we will conclude our present matter with this generall instruction that vnto what estate qualitie or condition soeuer men are called they ought to propound to themselues in all their actions Dutie and Honestie searching for them in the holie scriptures and in the precepts of good life conformable thereunto which are left vnto vs by the ancient Sages and wise philosophers to this end that being wel instructed in true pietie we may first of all giue honor and glorie to God and then be beneficiall helpfull and profitable to his creatures These graces we may by the direction and blessing of God draw out of those fower riuers which proceed and flow from this generall vertue and fountaine of Honestie of which we are to discourse particularly heerafter namely of Prudence Temperance Fortitude and Iustice which are those morall vertues whereby all good and vertuous actions are brought to passe Of Prudence Chap. 10. ACHITOB THere is one only wise souereign Creator of al things the almighty strong and terrible who sitteth vpō his throne frō whom commeth al wisedom which alwaies hath been and is for euer with him and which he hath powred out vpon all works and vpon all flesh according to his liberalitie and giueth hir abundantly to them that loue him She teacheth the doctrine of God and causeth vs to choose his works She decketh vs with prudence iustice and courage giuing vs the knowledge of the time past and iudgement of that which is to come The multitude of those which are endued with these gifts graces are the gard of the world and a prudent king is the assurance of his people The sequele therfore of our speech leadeth vs to the handling of Prudence the first riuer of the fountaine of Dutie ASER. Wisedome raineth downe knowledge and wise vnderstanding and bringeth to honor those that possesse hir Of hir therefore we are to seeke for true Prudence a necessarie guide to all our actions but we must hate the prudence of the flesh which is follie before God and maketh all the thoughts of the wise of this world to become vaine and foolish Moreouer Cicero saith that no man can be prudent but he must be good AMANA O how learnedly hath Socrates taught vs to know and marke this true and heauenly Prudence proceeding from the loue and feare of the highest from that earthlie Prudence which is full of darknes when he saith that Prudence is the generall vertue the princesse and guide of morall vertues and that wherein the knowledge of our souereigne good and of the end of our being consisteth as also the choice of those waies wherby we may come vnto it But let vs heare ARAM discourse more largely of the great woorthie and wonderfull effects of this rich vertue ARAM. All the life of men expressing a worthie end of their being consisteth in contemplation and action For knowing that the thoughts of all mortall men are vnstable and their inuentions vncertaine bicause the bodie and the affections thereof oppresse the soule and cast downe the spirit loden with care they lift vp their harts towards the brightnes of the eternall light who of his meere grace prepareth their soules lighteneth their vnderstandings and directeth their paths to the knowledge of that true and perfect Idea of Good from whence Prudence floweth that she may gouerne their actions according to Gods will and to the profit of humane societie Therefore it is from knowledge and reason gotten in the studie of wisedome by the grace of God from whence the vertue of Prudence proceedeth which is that rule of all the actions of man whereby through good and sage aduice he discerneth and chooseth good from bad that which is profitable from the contrarie to the end he may shun the one and practise the other This is that which Aristotle saith that the office of Prudence consisteth in skill to consult and to choose to the end to execute that which vertue commandeth namely Honestie and decencie and that for no other respect than for the loue thereof And therfore wise men haue put a difference betweene Science and Prudence saying that Science is a dead knowledge of things which of it selfe cannot change the will in such sort that it may imbrace and follow the knowen good or auoid the euill which is euident in wicked men endued with knowledge But Prudence is a beame proceeding from that true sunne which doth not only illuminate and lighten the vnderstanding but also warmeth and kindleth the affection This vertue saith Bias one of the Sages of Graecia is amongst the rest of the vertues as the sight is amongst the fiue senses of mans bodie thereby giuing vs to vnderstand that as the eie of al the other senses is most beautifull subtill and pearcing so the vertue of Prudence by hir quicke and cleere light directeth and conducteth al vertues in their good and commendable operations It is by hir that man is alwaies clothed with a milde and setled disposition whereof he standeth no lesse in need than a ship floating on the sea doth of the presence of a pilot that he may prudently vndertake wisely execute whatsoeuer he knoweth to be good after mature deliberation and consideration of all the circumstances of the fact Morall philosophers attributed three eies to this vertue of Prudence namely Memorie Vnderstanding and Prouidence which three things Cicero calleth the parts of Prudence With the first she beholdeth the time past with the second the time present with the third the time to come Moreouer a prudent and wise man by the consideration of things past and of that which hath followed since iudgeth of that which in the like case may fall out in the time following And after long deliberation he expecteth the times waigheth the dangers and knoweth the occasions and then yeelding now and then to the times but alwaies to necessitie so it be not against dutie he boldly setteth
his hand to the worke For this cause Isocrates said that a prudent man ought to remember things past to vse things present and to foresee things to come A prudent man saith Demosthenes accounteth it a point of follie to say when a thing is com to passe Who would haue thought it could haue beene Now Prudence is apparant in him that possesseth hir first by the rule and gouernment of his person whether it be in things within him as in his maners and conditions or in outward things concerning his bodie as in sobrietie of diet comely intertainment good house-keeping commendable vse of his substance and riches Of which perfections and other praise-worthie effects that flow from Prudence vnder the name of sundrie vertues we are to intreat particularly heerafter as also how a prudent man being adorned with them may first become a good Oeconomist that is a gouernor and father of a familie and after attaine to that great vertue of politicall knowledge which is the art of skilfull gouerning ruling a multitude of men And then although he doubt not but that it is an act of Prudence to know what is good and profitable for the Common-wealth yet that he may knowe howe to execute that office with a perfect and absolute vertue he seeketh for all occasions to profit the same and vnto what place of authoritie soeuer he be called he alwaies sheweth foorth dutifull effects of a good man He neuer giueth or taketh but good counsel and alwaies vttereth the same freely He is able saith Plato to discerne the good from the bad He helpeth innocencie and correcteth malice He is not astonished for any feare nor altereth his mind for dispraise or commendation he is not discouraged through violence or false accusations neither is pressed downe with sorrow or puffed vp with prosperitie And as one not ignorant of the vncertaintie of worldly things he abideth constant in all changes and like to himselfe knowing how to choose the lesse euill in all inconueniences as the better He sheweth himselfe valiant in all things He is maister of his pleasures knoweth how to command himselfe He can reape profit by most sinister accidents yea by his greatest enimies and yet hurt them not The conuersation of the prudent is alwaies healthfull and profitable His quips his laughters his sports are not without some fruit hauing in them a certaine power to correct and moue those that do amisse He beleeueth not saith Heraclitus any thing lightly but is a seuere examiner of the truth To be short Prudence causeth a man to refer all his actions both priuate and publike to the best end which is to serue God and to profit his neighbor This did Socrates teach very well saying that All the desires and inclinations of our soule guided by prudence tende to happines Wherin we may note the indissoluble coniunction of all the morall vertues of which no one can be had perfectly but with hir companions albeit ech of them haue hir particular proper dutie But prudence is especially necessarie in them all as it will yet better appeere in the further handling therof albeit the effects hereunder mentioned of this first vertue being narrowly considered may giue vs sufficient proofe thereof Now to incite and stir vs vp to imbrace it with greater zeale and affection and to seeke after all meanes of obtaining it either by good instruction or by long vse of things let vs call to mind certaine examples of the ancients thereby to marke what woonderful fruits this vertue of Prudence hath brought foorth in them If we consider all the heroicall facts of the worthiest captaines and generals of armies that euer were we shall finde that they brought them to passe more by prudence than by any other force and meane Which thing Alexander the great and first Monarke of the Graecians knowing very well whensoeuer any speech or comparison was made before him of Vertue or Science he alwaies had this verse of Homer in his mouth In counsell wise and valiant in the fight as if he would haue said that of all vertues Prudence was most prince-like and that prowesse was practised by meanes thereof And indeed he being richly endued therwith vndertooke the conquest of the Persian empire yea of all the world when he had but thirtie thousand footemen and fower thousand horsemen with monie and victuals to furnish them onely for thirtie daies But what The meanes wherunto he trusted was Prudence followed of Patience Valure and Temperancie wherewith the studie of philosophy had furnished him for his voiage In this iourney he did not onely in two battailes ouerthrowe Darius monarke of the Persians who had aboue twelue hundred thousand men but also brought vnder subiection fifteene sundry nations and tooke fiue thousand cities and townes and laboured to put in reall execution practise that forme of gouernment of estate which was so greatly esteemed of Zeno the Stoick philosopher tended in effect to this end that all men generally might liue togither not being diuided by townes peoples and nations nor separated by particuler lawes rightes customes but that we should take all men for our countrimen and fellow citizens that as there is but one world so there might be but one kinde of life Thus did this prudent and vertuous monarck giue out that he was sent from heauen to be a common refourmer gouernour and reconcilour of the whole world so that he imploied all his might to reduce and bring to ciuilitie barbarous kings to plant Graecian cities that they might liue ciuilly amongst the vntamed and sauage nations and established euery where lawes and a peaceable kinde of life euen amongst vnbrideled people who neuer heard word spoken either of peace or lawes Those whom he could not assemble together by perswasion of reason he constrained by force of armes so that he caused them all to drinke as ye would say in the same cup of loue friendship by intermingling their liues maners mariages and fashions of liuing He commanded that al men liuing should account the whole habitable earth for their country and his campe for their castle and tower of defence and that all good men should be of kin one to another and the wicked onely strangers Moreouer he willed that the Graecian and Barbarian should no more be distinguied by their garments but that the Graecian should be knowne and discerned by vertue and the Barbarian by vice accounting all vertuous men Graecians and all vicious men Barbarians Therefore Plutark said very well that they who were tamed and brought vnder his yoke were a great deale more happie than those that escaped his power bicause these men had none to cause them to leaue of from liuing miserablic and the other were compelled by the conqueror to liue happily Whereby he deserued no lesse the name of a great philosopher than did Pythagoras Socrates and others who although they wrote nothing yet were so called