obei to dispute to determine to teache to persuade to euery needfull purpose in a maÌ„s life Onlesse theself thing witnesse as much as I saie let me not be credited but incase bothe y â— boke speake for it self to my testimoniall I am able to adioyne princely peres wellbeknowne and well approued then shall bothe the worthynesse of the worke also the weyght of the authoritie winne credit assente Tullies duties when Cesar August us had redde ouer still standing on his feete as he againe deliuered them to his neuiew of whoÌ„ he had theÌ„ Eloquent quoth he was this man eloquent he was indeede one y t loued well his couÌ„trie Tullies duties had Seuerus the noble emperour in so greate price and reputation that of all the Romanes bokes to reade theÌ„ he thought him best apaide Tullies duties haue I knowne good clerks and well lerned meÌ„ beare aboute in theyr bosoÌ„mes layeng it full neare theyr herts y â— they woulde haue lodged in theyr heades and entirely louing Tullies heuenly coÌ„mepanie which waye so euer they went Tullies duties did Erasmê° the Roterodame so greatly commend y â— in making mention of them hee could not choose but breake forthe into thesâ—… wordes What wryteth an ethnike all this to ethnikes a profane man to the profane Yet in his preceptes of conuersation O lorde what an equitie what an holinesse what synceritie what verite How well dothe all togither accorde w t nature how is al framed eueÌ„ by good reasoÌ„ What a conscience requireth hee of such as gouern y t state How plainly sets he before our yies the maruailous the amiable beauty fulnesse of vertue How much how religiously yea how like a diuine dothe he teache of helping releeuing other men of getting and maynteyning of loue and frendship of the conteÌ„pt of those vanities for which the coÌ„moÌ„ sorte of Christen folke will eyther do or suffer they care not what Finally he deemeth them full worthy full meete both for schoolemasters in theyr scholes to reade vnto the youthe and also for olde men again and againe to vse and to peruse These richesse treasures of witt and wisdome as Cicero traÌ„sported oute of Greece into Italie so haue I fetched from thence conueied theÌ„ into England and haue caused also Marcus Tullius more thaÌ„ he could do wheÌ„ he was aliue to speake English Maruailous is the mater flowing the eloqueÌ„ce ryche the store of stuff full artificiall the enditing but how I in our maner of speche haue expressed the same the more the booke bee perused the better it may chauÌ„ce to appere None other traÌ„slatioÌ„ in our toug haue I seen but one which is of all men of any lerning so well liked y t thei repute it count it as none yet if ye list to coÌ„pare this soÌ„mwhat w t y â— nothing peraueÌ„ture this somwhat will seeme somwhat y â— more How be it looke what rule the Rhetorician giues in precept to bee obserued of an Oratour in telling of his tale that it bee short withoute ydle wordes that it be playn and w toute derk sense that it bee prouable and withoute anye swaruing from 〈◊〉 trouth the same rule should be vsed 〈◊〉 examining iudging of 〈◊〉 For if it be not as brief as the verie authors text requireth whatso is added to his perfite style shall appeare superfluous to serue rather to the making of soÌ„me paraphrase or commentarie Therto if it bee vttered w t ynkhorne termes not with vsuall words or if it be phrased w t wrasted or farrefetched fourmes of speche not fine but harsh not easye but harde nor naturall but violent it shall seeme to bee Then also in case it yeeld not the meaning of the author but eyther folowing fansie or misledde by errour forsakes the true pattern it can not bee approued for a faithfull sure interpretation which ought to be takeÌ„ for y â— greatest praise of all These points as I haue studied to ê‘fourme so where I haue not allwaies atteined vnto them I shall desire you geÌ„tle reader geÌ„tely to coÌ„sider bothe the excelence of the author who is a perfit oratour and also the greatnesse of y â— mater which is profounde philosophie Neuerthelesse such as bee exquisite in bothe the languages allredy may and that w t soÌ„me profit pleasure trye what I haue done what they can do all vnder one if layeng my traÌ„slatioÌ„ aparte they will set the latine before theÌ„ so assay theyr owne veine Eyther they shall like themselues the better when they conferre it with my poore workmaÌ„ship orels perchauÌ„ce conne me the more thank for attempting folowing accoÌ„plishing of this enterprise Be it so one hathe neyther the latine nor the english eloqueÌ„ce yet by the benefite of nature sythe a maÌ„ may do much namely if he therto adioyne vse exercise here is for him occasioÌ„ bothe to whet his wit also to fyle his touÌ„g For allthough an English maÌ„ hath his mother toung can talk apace as he lerned of his dame yet is it one thing to title tattle I wott not how or to chatter like a iaye an other to bestowe his wordes wiselye orderly pleasauntly pythiely Such as haue english meatly well but a smatteriÌ„g or small taste in y â— latine which noumber is great among the scholars of this realme may hereby fail into such acquayntaunce and familiaritie with this most excellent latine man that neither shall his deuise seme hard nor his art obscure nor his style straunge I dare well saye if this worke happe into a good students hand hee will not think it ynough to runne ouer it once as we fare with trifles and toyes but aduisediy and with good leasure thre or foure or fiue times he will reade it and reade it and reade it againe first by the principall points by the definitioÌ„s and the diuisions to see what is treated how farreforthe in what order and with what varietie then to mark the precepts reasons conclusions commoÌ„ places after vnto the sayd places to referre all the stories with the verses poeticall finally as well in the english as the latine to weygh well properties of wordes fashions of phrases and the ornaments of bothe Moreouer many clerks haue I knowne eare this which could conceiue vnderstand full well whose toung neuerthelesse in vtterauÌ„ce and vse of speche was in a maner maymed yea and soÌ„me that could also speake latine redyly and wellfauordly who to haue done as much in our language to haue haÌ„deled thesame mater would haue bene half blaÌ„k What neede mo wordes I desire my tranail none otherwise to be taken in worthe than the diligent peruser shall in effect fynde frute therof Now therfore good reader fare you well and remember how vnfyt as Aristotle sayeth and vnprofitable hearers of morall science yongmen be as long as eyther they folow their youthly affections or do
sayde wherein resteth discretion temperance Which foure though they be linked and taÌ„gled together yet certain seuerall kyndes of duties doe growe out of euery one of them as out of that braunche that first was descriued wherein we place wysdome prudence issues the searchyng and trying out of trouth and this is the very proper worke of that vertue For whoso thorowseeth moste what in euerye case is truest and who most wittily and redily is able both to see giue the reasoÌ„ he worthilie is wont to bee reputed the wittiest and the wisest Wherefore to this vertue trouth is appointed as the mater wherupon to worke and wherin to bee occupied But to the other three vertues are assigned necessities to get and kepe those thinges wherby the trade of mannes life is mainteined to the inteÌ„t the felowship and neighbourhod of men bee preserued and the worthinesse and greatnesse of corage may shine abrode not onelie in augmenting of substaunce and procuring of commodities bothe to him and his but also much more in despising of the same But order and stedfastnes measure keping such like haue to doâ—… in y â— kiÌ„de wherunto must be ioined a certein doing and not onelie an ernest occupieng of the witte For applieng a certein mean order to such thinges as be medled with in maÌ„nes life we shall obserue bothe honestie and comlinesse Now of those fowre places wherinto we haue diuided the nature strength of honestie y â— same first y ◠〈◊〉 in knowledge of trouth toucheth maÌ„ns kinde nerest of all For we be all drawne led to a desire of knowledge science wherin to passe other we think it a goodlye mater but to slide to erre to bee ignorauÌ„t to be deceiued we count it both euil dishonest In this kinde of vertue which is bothe natural honest two fauts must â—…e auoided one that we take not thinges we know not as though we knew theÌ„ rashlie assent to theÌ„ Which fault whoso wil eschâ—…w all certes ought to bee willing must emploie to the coÌ„sidering of maters both leasure and diligence An other fault there is that some bestowe ouer greate studie and to much trauaile in derk and difficult things and thesame nothing necessarie Which faultes auoided whatsoeuer labor and diligence shall bee spent in honest thinges and worthie of knowledge thesame of right shall bee coÌ„mended as in Astrologie we haue herd what Caius Sulpitius was in Geometrie we knewe what Sertus Pompeius could doe many in Logik mo in the ciuil lawe which sciences bee all occupied in tracing out the trouth with y â— studie wherof to be drawen from trauailyng in maters it is againste dutie For vertues holle praise consisteth in doyng from which yet oftentymes ther is had a restyng while and there be graunted many recourses agayne vnto studie yea and the musyng of the mynde that neuer ceaseth may continue vs in the studies of contemplation euen without our trauail But let euery thought mouing of the minde be occupied eyther in taking of aduisement aboute honest maters perteining to the good and blisfull life orels in studies of science and knowledge And thus haue we spoken of the first fountaine of dutie But of the other three vertues remaining that kinde extendeth fardest wherin is conteined the felowshippe of men amonge them selues and as it wer the enterpartening of mannes life Whereof there bee twoo partes iustice is one in the which is the greatest brightnes of vertue wherof good men beare their name and to this is ioyned bountiefulnesse which same we may terme either gentlenesse or liberalitie But the principall dutie of iustice is that no man hurt an other onlesse he be prouoked by wronge the next that he vse thinges coÌ„mon as coÌ„mon and thinges priuate as his owne How beit by nature thinges priuate be none but either by auÌ„cient possessioÌ„ as of theirs who in old time cam into waste grouÌ„ds or by victorie as of theirs who got thinges in warre or by lawe couenant condition or lotte Whereof it coÌ„mes to passe that the grounde Arpinas is couÌ„ted the ArpinatiaÌ„s the ground Tusculane the Tusculanians And after thys sorte is the pointing out of priuate possessioÌ„s Wherupon seeing there is made a mans owne of euerie one of those thinges which by nature wer coÌ„mon let euery one enioy that to euery one is befallen More thaÌ„ that if any man wyl couet to himselfe he shall breake the lawe of mannes felowship But bicause as it is notablie writteÌ„ of Plato we be borne not for our selues alone but somedeal of our birth our couÌ„trey somedeal our parentes somedeal our frendes do claime and as liketh the Stoikes whatsoeuer is bredde vpon erth all to the vse of man is created but man for mannes owne cause is begotten that they amoÌ„g themselues one may help an other herein we be bounde to folowe nature our leader and to sette abrode that may serue for coÌ„mon commodities by enterchauÌ„ge of duties in giuing taking and also by arts by trauail by riches to knitte the felowship of man with man But faithfulnesse is the foundation of iustice which is in worde and couenaunt a trouth and stedfastnesse Wherupon though this shall seeme to some perchauÌ„ce ouer-hard yet let vs be bolde to folowe the Stoiks which heedfullie serche oute froÌ„ wheÌ„ce wordes be fetched let vs think that it is called faithfulnesse because it is fullfilled which was faithed CoÌ„trariwise ther be two kindes of iniustice One of such as offer it an other of those who though they be able do not defend wronge from theÌ„ to whoÌ„ it is offered For whoso vniustâ—…ie doth make assaulte vpoÌ„ anie man either stirred by choler or anie passion he seemeth as with violence to kill his felowe whoso defeÌ„deth not nor withstaÌ„deth iniuriâ—… if he be able is as farre in fault as if he should forsake his parents his frendes or his countrey And in deede those iniuries that 〈◊〉 done of purpose to hurt do oftentimes arise of feare when he who inteÌ„deth to hurt an other is afraide that onlesse he do it to the other he may himself be touched with some discommoditie And for the moste parte manie men take occasion to do wronge of inteÌ„t to comepasse those thiÌ„ges that they haue coueted in which kiÌ„de of vice couetousnes most largelie sheweth herself Notwithstanding riches be coueted bothe for necessarie vses of the life also to enioye pleasures But in those in whome there is a greater corage coueting of money hath an yie to power and ablenesse of pleasuring as of late Marcus Crassus denied any substaunce to be greate inough for him that in a common weale wolde be a prince while he were not able with his reuenue to maintein an armie SuÌ„ptuous furnitures doo also delite
succour and withstaÌ„d he would leaue sett aside all those studies yea though he thought he wer able to nomber the sterres or to measure the huge comepasse of y â— worlde the same man also would doo as much in his parents and in his frendes cause and perell By which thinges it is gathered y â— before y â— studies duties of knowledge the duties of iustice ar to bee preferred which doo belonge to y â— profit of men than the which a maÌ„ ought to holde nothing derer Also they who haue spent theyr holle life and studie in knowledge of thiges haue not yet withdrawne themselues froÌ„ helping to increase mennes profits and commodities For they also haue enstructed many to make theÌ„ the better citiezens and the more profitable in theyr commonweales as Lysis the Pythagorean scholed the Lhebane Epaminondas Plato taught DioÌ„ the Syracusian and many other many mo and whatsoeuer we ourself brought to the commonweale if any thing we haue brought we caÌ„me to it enfourmed by teachers and furnished with lexning And they not onely while they liue and bee present do schoole and teache the studentesof lerning but after their death also by their monuments of lerning they â—…o thesame For they haue not ouâ—…passed one pointe y â— coÌ„cerneth lawes custoÌ„es â—… the commonwelth knowledge so as they may seeme to haue employed their quiet studies to our common affairâ—…s Thus they being themselues giuen to the studies of lerning wisdoÌ„e do chiefly bestowe theyr wisdome prudence and vnderstanding to mennes commodities For thesame cause also it is better to vtter plentyfully so it bee discreetlie than withoute eloquence to conceiue neuer so wittyly bicause ones conceite serueth onely within it self whereas eloquence gettes within her reache those with whome wee ar ioyned in common felowshippe And as swarmes of bees doe cluster togither not to this end to make combes but beeing swarming by kinde they worke their combes so men much more than they by nature swarming doe vse their conning of doyng and deuising Therfore onlesse thatsame vertue which consisteth in defending meÌ„ that is to saye the felowshippe of maÌ„kinde dothe meete w t the knowledge of thinges it may seeme a verie bare and alonewandering knowledge and likewise greatnesse of corage seuered from common feloushippe and neybourhod of men muste needcs bee a certein sauagenesse and beastly crueltie So it falles oute that the accomepanieng coÌ„mon felowship of men farre surmountes the studie of knowledge Neither is it true which is sayd of some that this common knott and felouship is hadde emong meÌ„ euen for necessite of life bicause w toute other we might not gett bring to passe those thinges y â— nature dooth desire and that if all thinges wer fownde vs euen by the grace of god as they saie which appertein to food furniture of life then would euerie one of a good witt all bysinesse laide aside settle himself holly in knowledge and scieÌ„ce But that is not so For he woulde bothe flee solitarinesse and choose a coÌ„panion of studie bothe teache lerne bothe heare speake Wherfore all dutie which auaileth to mainteine neybourhod felowship of men is to be preferred aboue y â— dutie which consisteth in knowledge science This question perauenture may be well moued whether this coÌ„mon felouship which is moste of all agreable to nature bee also alwayes to bee preferred before meane and measure keping I think not so For ther bee soÌ„me thinges partlie so filthy partly so haynous that a wise man woulde not do them no not to saue his couÌ„trie Uerie many such Possidonius hath gathered togither but somme of theÌ„ so fowle and so filthie that euen to be spoken they seeme shamefull Those therfore ought noman to take in haÌ„d for the commonweales cause nother woulde the common-weale for her sake haue them enterprised But this mater standes in better case for that ther caÌ„ befall no time y â— the commonweale shoulde neede to haue a wiseman doo any of them Wherfore let this be concluded in choise of duties that such kinde of duties most excell as concerne the felouâ—…ippe of menne For aduised doing will folowe knowledge and wisdome So it comes to passe that to doe aduisedly is more worthe than wisely to deuise And herof thus farre For this place is plainlie inough sett oute that it is not hard in serching oute of dutie to perceiue emong them all which afore other is to bee preferred Yet euen in commoÌ„ felowship ther be degrees of duties wherby may be knowne what one is aboue the other so as the first duties be due to the godds immortall the secoÌ„de to our countrie the third to our parents and so forthe by degrees the rest to the rest Of the which maters briefly debated may be gathered how meÌ„ ar wonte not onely to doute whether a thing be honest or dishonest but also twoo honest thinges layed before them whether is the honester This pointe as I sayd before is ouerslipped by Panetius But now to the residue let vs procede ¶ MARCVS TVLLIVS 〈◊〉 seconde booke of duties to Marcus his sonne AFter what sorte duties should be taken oute of honestie sonne Marke and froÌ„ euerie kinde of vertue I suppose it sufficientlie declared in my former boke It folowes y t we go forward w t these kindes of duties which belonge to power to riches to y â— furniture of maÌ„ns life to the pleintie of those thinges y â— men do occupie Wherin I said it is sought bothe what is profitable what vnprofitable also of profitable thinges which is the more profitable or which the moste profitable Of the which I will entre to speake if I shall saye a worde or twoo before of my purpose and meaning For though our bookes haue stirred vp manie meÌ„ to y â— studie not onlie of reading but also of writing yet other while I feare leste y â— name of philosophie bee hatefull to soÌ„me good meÌ„ that they maruail I beâ—…owe in it so much trauail time In deede as longe as the weale was gouerned by them to whome she had coÌ„mitted herself I did emploie all my care study vpoÌ„ it But wheÌ„ one maÌ„ kept al in thraldome ther was no place at all for couÌ„sell authoritie I besides had for gone my coÌ„panioÌ„s of preseruing y â— state who had been singuler meÌ„ neither I gaue myself to greeues wher w t I should haue been wasted onlesse I had resisted theÌ„ nor again to pleasures vnseemlie for a lerned maÌ„ And would god y â— coÌ„monweale had stoode in y â— state wherin it begaÌ„ had not light vpon men who wer not so desirous of altering as ouerthrowing of thinges For first as we wer wonte to doo wheÌ„ y â— coÌ„moÌ„weale was staÌ„ding we would take more labour in
pleading than in writing afterward in verie writing we would not putt the thiges y ◠we doo now but our pleadings as we haue doone diuers times But whē y ◠cōmonweale in which all my care studie trauail was wonte to be bestowed was none a◅ all verilie those la◅ierlie Senatehouse lerninges were husht But seeing my minde could not ◅hoose but bee dooing hauing bene occupied in those studies from the beginning of my yonge age I thought sorowes might be putte awaie most honestlie if I returned miself to philosophie Wherunto when being yong I had giuē much time to lerne it after that I began to attend honours and betooke miself holle to the commonweale so much leasure was left for philosophie as remained of the times spēt about my frendes and the commōweales causes And y ◠was all bestowed in reading for writīg I had no time In our most miseries ther◅re we seme to haue gotten this so great a cōmoditie that wee might put those maters in writing which were not sufficientlie knowne to our men yet wer most worthie of knowledge For what is ther in faith more wish full than wisdom what more excellent what to a mā more worthe what for a man more honorable They then who doo desire this bee named philosophers neither is philosophie ought els if if ye will tell y ◠meanīg of y ◠worde but y ◠studie of wisdom And wisdō as it is defined of aūcient philosophers is y ◠sciēce of heuēlie world lie things of the causes wherby these things be vpholdē And whoso dispraiseth y ◠studie therof I wotte not verilie what ther may bee y ◠he wold deme praisworthie For whether y ◠delitīg of y ◠minde be sought quietīg of cares what may be cōpared w t their studies who alwaies gather sōmewhat y ◠tēdeth auaileth well wealfullie to liue or if the waie of stedfastnes vertue bee sought either this is the art or ther is none at all wherby wee may attein them To vphold ther is no art of the greatest things seeing none of the leste be without art it is a token of mē speaking with small aduisemēt and erring in the greatest maters But if ther bee anie science of vertue where shall it bee sought when you bee gone frō this kinde of lerning But these things ar wont to be more exactly discoursed when we exhort men to philosophie which in deede we haue done in an other booke But at this present onelie it was to be declared of vs why we gotte vs chieflie to this studie when we were bereft of our commonwelth offices But it is gainsaid vs and that of skilfull and lerned mē demaūding whether we seme to doo constantlie inough who allthough we holde y t nothing can be surelie knowne yet both we ar wont to dispute of other maters at this same time we prosecute precepts of dutie To whō I wold our opiniō wer wellknowne Forwe ar not thei whose mīde wādereth in errour hath not at all what to folowe For what a minde sholde this be or rather what a life wher y ◠meane not onely of disputīg but also of liuing is ◅aken clene awai But as other who do say sōme thīgs be certein sōme vncertein so we dissēting frō thē do saie again sōme things be proouable sōme vnproouable What is ther then that should let me to folow those things which to me doo seeme proouable which cōtrariwise to disproue to voide the presumptiō of affirming and to flee rashnesse which disagreeth from wisdome moste of all But by our men ther is disputing agaīst all things bicause this same thing y ◠is proouable can not shine for the except ther should bee a conference of reasons expressed vpon bothe sides But these maters as I suppose bee diligētlie inough made plain in our Academiks But allthough my Cicero you bee exercised in the moste auncient and moste noble philosophie Cratippus being your author a mā ful like vnto those who haue teemed these notable thīgs yet I wold not these of ours very nere vnto yours to you should be vnknowne But now let vs go on to our purpose Seeing then fiue waies bee setts out of treating vpon dutie wherof twoo do pertein vnto cōmelinesse and honestie other twoo belong to the commodities of a mannes life to aboundance power riches the fift dothe serue to the iudgement of choosing if euer those which I spake of should seeme to striue togither the parte touching honestie is made an ende of which trulie I desire to bee veriewell knowne to you But this wherof we treate now is the veriesame that is called profitable In the which term custome failing hath swarued out of the waie and by litle and litle is brought to this point that it wolde seuer profitable from honest and woulde make sommething honest which should not be profitable and sōmething profitable which sholde not bee honest than the which no greater daunger could bee brought to mannes life Philosophers surelie of verie greate authoritie doo grauelie no doute honestlie in imaginatiō sonder these three cōfused kindes For whatsoeuer is iust they also iudge thesame to bee profitable and likewise whatso is honest they take thesame to bee iust wherof is concluded that whatsoeuer is honest y ◠same is profitable The which thing who smallie foresee they oftētimes hauing in admiration suttlewitted mē craftie do repute their wylinesse for wisdom Whose errour must be takē awaie and their holle opinion is frō that to be brou◅ht vnto this hope that by honest counsell and good dedes not by guile craftiness thei vnder stand thēselues in possibilitie to attein such things as they would Sōme things then which appertein to the mainteinaūce of mānes life be liueless as golde siluer as those which ar gottē out of y ◠earth as other of thesame sort sōme be liuing and feeling which haue their motiōs appetites to things And sōme of thē be voide of reason sōme haue the vse of reason Uoide of reason be horses oxen and other catel bees by whose worke sōmewhat is made for mannes vse life But of those tha◅◅aue vse of reason two kindes ther bee put one of goddes an other of men Deuotion and holiness will make the godds fauorable But next of all and after the godds men to men maie bee moste profitable And again ther is thesame diuisiō of those things which annoie and hurte But bicause men do not think y ◠godds do harm these excepted they suppose men to men to doe most hurt or profit For the moste parte of thosesame which we called liuelesse be the effects of mannes work neither we should haue them except hande and craft had bene put therto neither w eout mennes seruice we should vse thē For neither
looked too maniewaies if this bee not suffered that possessioners loze their owne nor detters gain other mennes For nothing more stronglie preserueth a commonweale thaÌ„ faithfulnesse which can bee none at all excepte ther bee of necessitie a payment of things loned For neuer more earnestlie it was gone about thaÌ„ wheÌ„ I was Consul that there should be no paiments The mater was attempted with speare and shield by euerie sorte and degree of menne whom in such wise I withstoode y â— this so great a mischief was rooted out of the commonweale Neuer was there more derte nother better nor easlier payed For when hope of defrauding was taken awaie necessitie of paymeÌ„t folowed But this our conquerour now verilie conquered hath commepassed those thinges which he purposed wheras now he is neuer awhit the beâ—…ter So greate was his desire to do 〈◊〉 y t euen the verie dooing of noughtinesse delited him although he had no occasion They then who shall vpholde the coÌ„monweale must kepe them awaie from this maner of large gifts that to somme they bee giuen and from other they bee taken and speciallie must giue their diligence that by equitie of lawe and iudgement euerieman may holde his â—…wne and neither the poorer sorte for their smaâ—…l abilitie bee deceiued by couine nor enuie may hinder y â— riche either to keepe or recouer their owne moreouer by what meanes soeuer they can either in warre or peace lette them enlarge the commonweale with dominion lande and custome These be the deeds of noble men these wer practised amonge our aunceters these kindes of duties whoso folowe shall with verie great profit to the common-weale gette themselues both great fauour and glorie But in these precepts of profit Antipater of Tyre the Stoik who alate dyed at Athenes thinks that two precepts be ouerscaped of Panetius tendering of helth and prouision of money Which things I suppose to haue bene ouerpassed by the noble philosopher bicause they wer light maters yet without dout they be profitable But helth is preserued by knowledge of ones owne bodie markiÌ„g those things which ar wont either to do good or harme by a stayedness bothe in all a maÌ„nes diet apparail for cherishing of the bodie also in forbearing pleasures lastlie by their conning to whose science these things pertein But a mannes substance must be gotten by those things which bee farre from dishonestie and must be saued by diligence and honest sparing and by thosesame meanes also it must bee encreased XenophoÌ„ the Socratian hath gone thorowe these things verie handsomelie in y e boke which is entitled Economicus the which wee turned oute of greeke into latine when we wer at the same age in a maner as you ar now But coÌ„paring of profits bicause this fourt place was ouerpassed by Panetius is ofteÌ„times necessarie For bothe â—…he gifts of the bodie ar wonte to bee compared w t fortunes gifts also fortunes gifts with the bodies gifts those of y â— bodie one with an other those that fortune giues likewise one with an other The bodies gifts bee compared w t fortunes after this sort that ye had rather bee in helth than bee 〈◊〉 fortunes gifts bee compared with the bodies in this wise that you had rather bee riche than of verie greate strength of bodie Those of the bodie bee compared one with an other thus that good helth bee preferred before pleasure streÌ„gth before swâ—…ftnesse But fortunes gifts be coÌ„pared togither this way that glorie bee esteemed before riches and â—…itietribute before the countreys Of the which kinde of comparison is 〈◊〉 â—…aying of Cato the oldemanâ—… of whom when it 〈◊〉 demanÌ„ded what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a mannes substaunce he made answer To fede well what the seconde To fede sufficientlie well what y â— third To clothe well what the fourte To plow and when he who had mooued the question had said What to leÌ„d vpoÌ„ vsurie then What is it quoth Cato to kill a maÌ„ Wherupon of manie other things it ought to bee gathered y â— comparisons of profits ar wont to be made and that this is veriewell adioyned for the fourt point of serching out of duties But of this holle mater of gettiÌ„g money of bestowing thesame also of vsing it farre better it is disputed by certein honest meÌ„ sitting at the middle Iane than of anie philosophers in anie schoole Yet ar they to bee knowne and of them in this boke wee haue treated The rest will we prosecute hereafter MARCVS TVLlius Ciceroes third booke of duties to Marcus his sonne THesame Publius Scipio sonne Mark who the first Africanus was named would commoÌ„lie saie as Cato hath written who was in a maner his like in yeres That he was neuer more leasurelesse thaÌ„ whaÌ„ he was leasurefull and neuer lesse alone than whan he was all alone A noble sayeng surelie and meete for a worthie and wise man which declareth that he bothe in his leasure was wont to muse of maters to bee done and also in his solitarinesse to debate them with himself so as he was nothing ydle at anie time and sometime neded not the coÌ„munication of other And so these two things leasure and solitarinesse which bring a dulnesse vpon other made him y â— quicker I wold wish that we likewise might trulie saie the verie same But allthough by 〈◊〉 we ar not able to attein so great excelence of witte yet doutelesse in desire we comme verie nere him For bothe by wicked warre and power being put of from commonweale maters and iudiciall causes we take our quiet leasure for that cause leauing the citie and walking abrode in the countrie oftentimes we be alone But neither this leasure is to be compared with Africanus leasure nor this solitarinesse with that of his For he ceasing from the goodlie ministration of the commonweale tooke himself leasure otherwhile and from the prease and resorte of men now and than into a solitarie place as into a hauen withdrewe himself But our leasure commes not of desire of rest but for lacke of hysinesse For seeing the Senate is deposed and iudgementes abolished what is ther that either in courte or in place of plea meete for vs wee may do Therfore we who in the greatest assemble and in the yies of the citiezens sommetime haue liued now â—…leeing the sight of the wicked with whom all places swarme do withdrawe ourselues as much as wee may and ar oftentimes alone But bicause thus we haue herd of lerned men y â— not onelie we ought of euils to choose the leste but also if ther wer anie goodnesse in them to pike it out therfore bothe I enioye quietnesse not such ywis as he ought to haue who once procured quietnesse to the holle citie and also do not suffer that solitarinesse to wax ydle
the Stoikes call the meane duties and those be commoÌ„ duties and do spread farre which manie attein bothe by goodnesse of witte and by going forward in learning But that which they call Râ—…etum is the perfite and absolute dutie â—… as they also saye it hathe all his partes neither can happen to anie but a wiseman And wheÌ„ any thing is done wherin the meane duties may appeare it seemeth to be fullie perfite bicause the coÌ„mon people al moste vnderstaÌ„deth not at all what it waÌ„teth of perfite but as farre as they vnderstaÌ„d they think nothing is left vndone And wher as it commonlie chauÌ„ceth in meeters paintinges in other thinges mo y â— the vnâ—…kilfull be delited praise those thinges y â— ar not to be praised for y â— cause I beleue they do so y â— in those ther is soÌ„me good grace y â— catcheth the ignoraunt who in deede be not able to discern what fault is in euerie thing And therfore wheÌ„ they be taught of the skilful they soone fal froÌ„ their opinion The Stoiks then say y â— these duties wherupoÌ„ in theâ—…e â—…okes we treate be as who saieth certein second sorts of honestie not proper onelie to the wise but coÌ„mon also to all maner of men Therfore all be allured with these in whome ther is a forwardnesse of vertue And when the twoo Decii or y â— two Scipioes be vouched for maÌ„lie meÌ„ orels when Fabritius or Aristides be alledged as iust neither of them for manlinesse nor of these for 〈◊〉 the example is brought as of perfite wisemen For none of these in such sorte is wise as in this place we will haue a wise manne taken nor Marcus Cato and Caius Lelius who wer counted and called wise were perfite wise menne no nor those seuen sages of 〈◊〉 but by the often vsing of the meane coÌ„mon duties they bore a certein semblaunce and showe of wisemeÌ„ Wherfore neither it is lawful that the thing which in deede is honest be compared with the contrarietie of y â— profitable neither y â— which coÌ„monlie we call honest and which is exercised of them who will haue themselues good meÌ„ to be counted with commodities at any time is to be compared and as well that honestie which falleth into our vnderstanding is of vs to be mainteined and kept as that is of the wise which properlie is called indeede is honestie For otherwise it caÌ„ not be holden on if ther be atteined any proceeding to vertue But this wee say by them who by keeping of duties ar esteemed for good men But who do measure all things by profits and commodities and will not the same to be ouerweyed with honestie these ar wonte in aduisemeÌ„t taking to coÌ„pare honestie with it which they recken profitable good men vse not so to do Therfore I think Panetius wheÌ„ he said meÌ„ ar wonte in this coÌ„parison to dout ment the veriesame that he spake that meÌ„ onelie ar wonte but not y t they must needes For not onelie to iudge the thing that seemeth profitable more worthe thaÌ„ that which is honest but also to compare these togither in them to cast doutes a verie fowle shame it is What is it then that manie times is wonte to bring a doutefulnesse and seemeth meete to be considered I suppose it is if at anie time ther befall a doutfullness what maner of thing it is wherof consideration is taken For often by the time it coÌ„mes to passe that it which for the moste parte is wonte to be counted dishonest is founde not to be dishonest For exaÌ„ples sake let ther be put soÌ„me case that more largelie extendeth What greater mischief can ther be than one to kill not onelie a man but also his familiar Hathe he then giltied himself of murder who hathe slaine a tyraunt all wer he his familiar To y â— people of Rome doutlesse it seemeth not so who of all worthie deedes esteemeth that the noblest With them therfore profite passed honestie yea rather honestie folowed after profit Therfore that withoute anie errour we may be able to iudge if euer y t which we cal profitable shall seem to striue w t it which is known for honest a certein rule is to be appointed which if we will folowe in the coÌ„parison of things from dutie we shall neuer swarue And this rule shall be moste agreeable with the trade doctrine of the Stoiks which verilie in these bookes wee therfore folowe bicause although of the auncieÌ„t Academiks and our Peripatetiks who were once all one w t the Academiks those things which be honest be preferred before such as seeme profitable yet these more goodlily be disputed of y â— Stoiks to whoÌ„ whatso is honest y â— same seemeth profitable nothing semes profitable which is not honest thaÌ„ it is of those who recken soÌ„mewhat to be honest and not profitable or sommewhat profitable and not honest But to vs our Academia giues great libertie y t whatsoeuer moste proueable â—…oÌ„mes in place thesame by our prerogatiue wee may lawfully defeÌ„d But I return to y â— rule To pull awaie then anie thing from an other and a maÌ„ to encrease his commoditie with an other maÌ„s discommoditie it is more against nature than death than pouertie thaÌ„ paine and other things which may happen either to the bodie or to the outward state For first of all it takes awaie the conuersation felowship of men For if we shall be so disposed that euerie man for his owne coÌ„moditie spoile wrong an other that felowship of mankinde which is most according to nature must needes be broken As if euerie parte of y t bodie should haue this imagination to think it might be strong if it had conueyed to itself the strength of the next limmes of force it should folowe that the holle bodie should be weakened perish euenso if euerieone of vs catche to himself the coÌ„modities of other and pulleth from eche maÌ„ what he can for his owne profites sake y â— felowship and coÌ„mon companie of men must needes be ouerthrowne For it is sufferable and nature not against it that euerieman be more willing for himself than for an other man to get whatso perteineth to the vse of his life This doutlesse nature doth not suffer that with the spoile of other we encrease our riches substauÌ„ce and welth And not onely it is ordeined by nature that is to witte by the vniuersall lawe of nations but also in like maner by the lawes of people wherby in euerie citie the commonwelth is vpholden that it shoulde not be lawfull for a mannes owne profits sake to hurt an other For the lawes tend to this and this they meane that y â— felowship of citiezens be in safetie which whoso riue a soÌ„der those with death bannishment prisonmeÌ„t and penalties they