they shal remember they were subiectes to our Caesar for so much as I finde in old Histories that this linage of Marshalls of Nauarre is auncient generous and valyant And for my parte I doe firmely beléeue that the Marshall had rather serue Caesar his lord than folow the French king his master The good Scipio the Affricane did vse to say that al things in the warrs ought to be assayed before the sworde be drawne And surely he did speake most truely Bicause there is not in all this world so greate a victorie as that which is obtayned withoute bloud Cicero to writing to Atticus dothe saye and affirme that the deuise that vanquisheth the enimyes with counsell is of no lesse worthynesse than he that ouercommeth by the sworde Sylla Tyberius Caligula Nero neuer could but cōmaund kill and on the other side the good Augustus Titus and Traianus coulde not but pray and pardon in suche maner that they ouercame praying as the other fighting The good Surgion oughte to cure with swéete oyntments and the good Captaine with discrete persuasions For as for yron God rather made it to eare fieldes than to kill men Plutarch dothe saye that Scipio being at the siege of Numantia when they were importunate that he should besiege the Citie and destroy the Numantins answered I had rather conserue the life of one Roman than kill all those in Numantia If these words of Scipio were wel considered of the Captains of warre peraduenture they woulde leaue to bée soo rashe in hazardyng theyr armyes in so greate and many perils Wherof doth folow oftentimes that thinking to be reuenged of their enimies they execute vengeance of their owne proper bloud All this haue I sayde noble Constable to the ende that sith Caesar hath iustified the warre of Founterabie your noblenesse of your parte should also iustifie the same And the iustification whiche you haue to make is First persuade thē before you come to besiege them bicause it doth many times happen that the prayers of a friend may doe more than the sworde of the enimie Of the good Emperoure Theodosius the historie writers recount that vntill ten dayes were past after he had besieged any Citie he did not permit his souldiours to make warre neyther to misuse the neighbors therof Saying and proclayming euery daye that those tenne dayes space hée gaue them to the ende they shoulde profite themselues by his clemency before they should make proof of his power When the greate Alexander did sée the deade bodie of Darius and Iulius Caesar the heade of Pompeius and Marcus Marcellus Syracusa burne and the good Scipio Numantia destroyed They coulde not detaine their eyes from wéeping althoughe they were mortall enimies For if the tender hearted and noble mynded reioyce of the victorie they are grieued with others spoyle Beleeue me noble Constable that pitie and clemencie doe neuer blunt the launce in tyme of warre And on the other side the Captaine that is blouddie and reuenging eyther the enimies doe kill him or else his owne doe sell hym Iulius Caesar not vndeserued shall hold the supremacie amongst the Princes of the world and not bycause hée was more fayre stronger valyanter or more fortunate than the rest but for that without comparison muche more were the enimies hée pardoned than those he ouercame or killed We doe reade of that famous Captaine Narsetes that he did subdue the Frenche ouercame the Bactrians and did conquere and gouerne the Germains and with all thys dyd neuer gyue battayle to the enimies but hée wepte in the Temples the night before The kingdome wherein the Emperour Augustus moste delighted and ioyed was that of the Mauritanes whyche is nowe called the kyngdome of Marrewcos And the reason that he gaue for this was bycause all other kingdomes he got by the sword and this kingdome he obtained by entreatance If vnto my wordes it please you to giue credite trauayle that Founterabye maye bée yéelded rather by composition than by force For that in graue and doubtefull cases firste men oughte to profite themselues with their pollicie before they make proofe of Fortune All the rest that your Lordship dothe commaunde mee I will perfourme with greate good will Whiche is to witte that I praye vnto our God for your Lordships victorie And that hée giue vnto mée of hys glorie From the towne of Victoria the .xiij. of Ianuary .1522 A letter for Sir Antonie of Cuniga Priour of Saint Iohn in the which is said that although there be in a Gentleman to bee reprehended there ought not to be cause of reproch FAmous and moste valiaunt Captayne yesterday béeyng Sainct Luces day Lopes Osorius gaue mée a letter from your woorship made at the siege of Toledo And of a truthe I didde muche reioyce therein and no lesse estéeme the same to bée written of suche a hande and sente from suche a place For in the tyme of rebellion as nowe the Knyght ought not to write from his house resting but from the Campe fightyng The Priest oughte to boaste hymselfe of his studie the husbandman of his plough and the Knyght of his launce In suche wyse that in a good common wealth the priest prayeth the husbandman ploweth the Knight fighteth He is not to be accounted a knight that is extract of noble blud in power great in iewels rich in seruāts mighty for al these things in marchauntes is many times found and also of a Iewe many tymes obtained But that whiche maketh the Knight to be a perfect gentleman is to be measured in his words liberal in giuing sober in diet honest in lyuing tender in pardoning and valiant in fightyng Notwithstanding any one be noble in bloud and mightie in possessions yet if hee bée in his talke a babbler in eating a glutton in condition ambicious in conuersation malicious in getting couetous in trauells impatient and in fightyng a coward of such we shal rather say to haue more abilitie for a carle than for a Knight vilenesse sluggishnesse nigardship maliciousnesse lying and cowardnesse did neuer take repast with knighthoode For in the good knight although there may be founde wherewith to be reprehended there ought not to be conteyned wherfore to be reproued In our age there hath bin no tyme wherin the good knight mighte better shewe his ablenesse or to what ende hee is than at this instant bicause the King is out of his kingdom the Quéene is sicke the royall Counsell is fledde the people rebell the gouerners are in Camp and all the kingdome out of quiet nowe or neuer they ought to trauaile and die to appease the kingdome and euery man to serue his king The good Knight doth now turne his gloues into gantlets Mules into horsses his buskins into greues his hattes into Helmets his doublets into Harnesse his sylke into mayle his golde into yron his hunting into fighting In such wise that the valiant knight ought not to boaste himselfe
great trauelles that vnprofitable friends bring with them is that they come not to seeke vs to the end to doe what we wil but to perswade vs to doe what they will. It is great perill to haue enemies and also it is greate trauell to suffer some kind of friendes for to giue the whole hart to one is not much but how much lesse when amongst many it is reparted neyther my condition may beare it either within the greatnes of your estate may it be cōtained that we should loue after such sort neither in such maner to behaue ourselues for that there is no loue in this worlde so perfect as that which holdeth no scruple of intereste Your Lordship saith in your letter that you write not vnto me for that I am rich or mighty but because I am learned and vertuous And you instantly desire me that I write vnto you with mine owne hand some thing that maybe worthy to be vnderstood and plesaunt to be read To that which you say that you hold me to be wise to this I aunswere as Socrates did whiche is too wit that hée knew not any thing more certaine but in perceyuing that he did know nothing Very great was the Philosophie that Socrates did inclose in the aunswere for as the deuine Plato doth say the lesser part that we vnderstand not is much more than al that we know In all this world there is not the like infamie as a man to bée imputed ignorant either the like kind of praise as to bée called wise bycause in the wise death is very euil imployed and in the foole life is much worse bestowed The tirant Epimethes séeing the Philosoher Demosthenes wéep immeasurable teares for the death of a Philosopher demaunded for what cause hée wept so muche since it was a straunge thing for Philosophers to wéepe To this Demosthenes answered O Epimethes I do not wéepe bycause the Philosopher died but for that thou liuest and if thou knowest not I will giue thée to vnderstand which is that in the scholes of Athens we do more wéepe bycause the euill doe liue than for the death of the good Also your honour doth saye that you doe iudge me to be a man solitarie and vertuous might it please the diuine clemencie that in al this and much more you speake the truth bycause in case for one to be or not to bée vertuous I dare venter to speake that how muche sure it is to be and not too séeme to be so daungerous it is to seeme to be and not to be in déede Man is naturally variable in his appetites profoūd in hart mutable in his thoughts incōstant in his purposes indeterminable in his conclusions wherof we maye well gather that man is easie to knowe and very difficile to vnderstand Your excellencie giues me more honour in calling me wise and vertuous than I giue to intitle you Duke of Sesa Marques of Bitonto Prince of Guilache and aboue all great captaine For to my vertue and wisedome warres can giue no impeachment but your potencie and greatnes is subiect vnto fortune Your honour writeth vnto me that I certifie you of my opinion in that the king our master doth commaund now of new that you passe once more into Italy by occasion of the battell that the Frenchmen of late haue ouercome at Rauenna whiche in the worldes to come shall be so famous as it was now bloudie Vnto this answering your honour I saye that you haue great reason to doubt and vpon the same too vse counsell for if you do not accomplishe what you be commaunded the Kyng takes displeasure and if you doe what they entreat you you contend with fortune Two times your honour hath passed into Italy and twice woon the kyngdome of Naples in which two iorneyes you ouercame the battell of Garrellano and the battell of Chirinola and slewe the best people of the house of Fraunce And that which is most of all you brought to passe that the Spanish nation of all the world were feared and obtained vnto your selfe renoume of immortall memory This being true as it is it were no wisedome either suretie once more to returne thither to tempt fortune which with none doth shew hir self so malicious and double as with such as spend long time in the warres Hanniball a Prince of the Carthaginians not contented too haue ouercome the Romanes in those great and famous battailes of Trene Trasmene and Canna but as hée would alway force and wrestle with fortune he came to be ouercome of those which he many times had ouercome Those that haue to deale with fortune must entreate hir but not force hir they must heare hir but not beleue hir they must hope in hir but haue no confidence in hir they must serue hir but not anger hir they muste bée conuersant with hir but not tempt hir For that fortune is of so euill a condition that when shee fauneth she biteth when she is angred she woundeth In this iourney that they commaund your honour neither do I perswade you that you go either diswade you to tary Onely I say and affirme with this third passage into Italy you returne to put your life in perill and your fame in ballance In the two first conquests you obtaine honour with them that be present fame for the worldes to come riches for your children an estate for your successours reputation amongst straungers credit amongst your owne gladnes for your friends and grief vnto your enemies Finally you haue gotten for excellencie this renoume of great Captaine not only for these our times but also for the world to come Consider well what you leaue and what you take in hand for that it may rather be imputed for rashnes than for wisedome that in keping your house where al doth enuie you should depart where al men should be reuenged You ouercame the Turkes in Paflonia the Mores in Granada the Frenchmen in Chirinola the Picardes in Italy the Lombardes in Garellano I holde it to be doubted that as fortune hath not more nations to giue you to ouercome she will now leade you where you shall be ouercome The Dukes the Princes the Captaines and vnder Captaines against whom you haue fought eyther they be deade or else gone In suche sort that nowe against an other kinde of people you must deale and fyght I sayd it for that it may chaunce that fortune which then did fauour you now maye fauour them To accepte warres to gather people to order them and to giue battaile it belongeth vnto men but to giue victorie appertaineth only to god Titus Liuius saith that many times with greate ignomie the Romaines were ouercome at Furcas Caudinas in the ende by the counsell of the Consull Aemilius they changed that Cōsul which had the charge of that army where they were before that time ouercome were frō thence forward conquerours of their enimies Of
that Numantine warre Caius Crispus Trebellius Pindarus Rufus Venustus Eskaurus Paulus Pilos Cincinatus and Drusius nine Consuls that were very famous and Captaines of much experience These nine Consuls being slaine with an infinite number of Romanes it happened in the twelfth yere of the siege of Numantia that a Romane Captaine named Cneius Fabricius did ordaine and capitulate with the Numantins that they and the Romanes for euermore should be friendes and in perpetual confederation And in the meane time while they sent aduertisement therof to Rome they confirmed a long truce But the Romanes vnderstaÌ„ding the whole order to be greatly to the honour of the Numantins and to the perpetuall infamie of the Romanes they commaunded the Consulles throte to bée cut and to prosecute the warres Then in the yere following which was the thirtenth of the siege the Romans did sende the Consull Scipio with a newe armie to Numantia the whiche being come the first thing he did was to deliuer the Campe from all maner men that were vnprofitable and women that were leude of disposition saying that in greate armies more hurte is done with prepared vices than with determined enimies A yere and seuen monethes was Scipio at the siege of Numantia all which time he neuer gaue battaile or skirmish but only gaue order that no succour might come at them or vitayles might enter to them When a certain Captaine demaunded of Scipio why he did not skirmish with those that came foorth neither fight with them within He made answer Numantia is so fortunate the Numantins so luckie that we must rather think their fortune to come to an end than hope to ouercome them Many times the Numantins did sallie to fight wyth the new Romaines and it hapned one daye that there passed betwixt them so bloudie a skirmishe that in an other place it might be counted for a battaile And in the end the Romanes receyued suche foyle that if the fortune of Scipio had not holpen that day the name of Rome had ended in Spaine Scipio considering the Numantins to encrease in pride and the Romaines to discourage aduised to retire his campe more than a myle from the citie bicause they should giue no attempt vpon the sodaine and to auoyde by the néernesse of the place the hurts that might happen But in the end the Numantins waÌ„ting vitayles and hauing lost many of their men did ordeyn amongst themselues and did make a vowe vnto their gods no day to breake their faste but with the fleshe of Romaines neither to drinke water or wyne before they had tasted and dronken the bloud of some enimie they had slayne A monstrous thyng then to sée as it is nowe to heare that euen so the Numantins euery daye went in chase of Romanes as hunters doe in hunting Coneys and with as great apetite they did eate and drinke the flesh and bloud of enimies as if it had bin shoulders and loynes of mutton Verie greate were the hurtes that euery day the Consul Scipio receiued in the stege bicause the Numantins like most fierce beastes with Romanes bloud imbrued did not fighte as enimies but as men desperate Among the Numantines hée was holden excused that tooke any Romane alyue and muche lesse to giue him a buriall For at the houre that anye were slaine they did take hym slay him quarter him and in the shambles did waigh him In suche wise that a Romane was more being dead than alyue and raunsomed Verie manie tymes Scipio was perswaded prayed and importunated of his captaines to raise his siege and to â—…urue to Rome but hée would neuer doe it neyther could in any wise abide to heare of it for at his comming out of Rome a Nigromantik priest did aduertise him that he should not dismay neither retyre from that conquest although in the same he shoulde passe immeasurable perilles bicause the goddes had determined that ende of the fortunate Numantia shoulde be the beginning of all his glorie Howe Scipio dyd take Numantia SCipio perceiuyng the Numantins not to be ouercome by prayers neyther by armes he caused to be made in compasse of the citie a stately ditche the which was in depth seueÌ„ fadoms and in bredth fiue in such sorte that to the discomfortable Numantins neither mighte there any vitayles enter that they mighte eate neither they come out with the enimies to fighte Many times did the Consull Scipio requeste the Numantines to commende themselues to the clemencie of Rome and that they shoulde credit and giue faithe vnto his words to which thyngs they made answere that since they had liued thrée hundred and thirtie eight yeres free they would not now die slaues Great cryes did the women giue within the citie greate clamoures did the Priestes make vnto their Gods with great and loude voyces did the men exclame vpon Scipio that he should lette them out to fight as men of worthynesse and not to kill them with hunger like wretches And said more thou oh Scpio being a yong man of Rome valiant and bolde considerest not what thou dost neyther do they counsel thée what thou oughtest to doe For to kéepe vs in as thou doest is but a pollicie of warre but if thou shouldest ouercome vs in battel it shold be for thée an immorall glorie But in the ende the Numantins séeing them selues so infamously and miserably inclosed and that now their vitayles fayled them the moste strongest did ioyne themselues together and killed al the old men children and women and did take all the riches of the Citie and of the temples and heaped them vp in the market place and gaue fire to all partes of the Citie and poysoned themselues in suche wise that the Temples the houses the riches and the persons of NumaÌ„tia ended all in one day A monstrous thing it was to sée that which the Numantins did while they were aliue and a thing no lesse fearefull whiche they dydde when they were a dying Bicause they left to Scipio neyther goods to spoile neyther man or woman of whom to triumph During the tyme that Numantia was besieged no Numantin entred into prison or to any Romane was prisoner but suffered death before he consented to yelde When the Consul Scipio did sée the Citie burne and entred the same founde all the Citizens dead and burned there came ouer his heart great heauines and out of his eyes he poured out many teares and sayde O righte happie Numantia whyche the goddes willed to haue an ende but not to bée ouercome Foure hundreth threescore and syxe yeares endured the prosperitie of the Citie of Nmantia For so manye yeares had passed since the foundation thereof by Numa Pompilius vntill it was destroyed by Scipio the Affricane In those old tymes there were thrée Cities verie enemies and rebelles to Rome that is to wit Helia in Asia Carthage in Africa and Numantia in Europa the whiche thrée were vtterly destroyed but by the
hath sent thée and that thou art a yong man my nephew and a Citizen of Rome The Emperour Tiberius writing vnto his brother germain said thus The Tēples be reuerenced the Gods be serued the Senate in peace the common wealth in prosperitie Rome in health Fortune gentle and the yeare fertile this is here in Italy the same we desire vnto thée in Asia Cicero writing vnto Cornelius sayeth thus Bée thou merry since I am not euill for likewise I shall reioyce if thou be well The diuine Plato writing from Athens vnto Dionysius the tirant saith thus To kill thy brother to demaund more tribute to force thy people to forget me thy friende and to take Photion as an enimie be workes of a tyrant The great Pompeius writing from the East vnto the Senate saith thus Conscript Fathers Damascus is taken Pentapolis is subiect Syria Colonia and Arabia is confederate and Palestina is ouercome The Consull Cneius Siluius writing newes of the battel of Pharsalia vnto Rome saith thus Caesar did ouercome Pompeius is dead Rufus is fled Cato killed himselfe the gouernement of Dictator is ended and the libertie lost Behold Sir the manner that the ancients vsed in writing to their peculiar friends which with their breuitie gaue vnto all men wherefore to be noted but we in neuer making an end giue large occasion to be corrected No more but that I pray the Lord to be your protector and giue me grace to serue him From Valiodolid the eight of October in the yere 1525. A letter vnto the Marques of Pescara wherein the Authour doth touch what a Captaine ought to be in the warres BEing with Caesar in Madrid the .xxij. of March I receiued a letter from your Lordship written the .xxx. of Ianuary and God be my witnesse that when I sawe and read it I would rather the date thereof had bin not from the siege of Marcellus but from the conquest of Ierusalem For if it were from Asia and not from France your iourney should be more famouse and magnified and of God much more accepted Titus Liuius reporteth of no small variance betwixt Mar. Marcellus and Quintus Fabius which did arise vpon the Cenfulships of the warres for that the good Mar. Marcellus would not be Captaine of the warre which was not very well iustified And Quintus Fabius did not accept to go to the warres were it not very daungerous The Romanes were in a maruelous vaine glory in that worlde when these twoo noble Princes were borne but in the ende muche more was the estimation of Marcus Marcellus for being iust than of Quint. Fab. for being valiaunt The Romanes were neuer so foyled or euer did incurre so muche dishonor in the warres of Asia either in Africa as they receiued at the siege of Numantia And this was not for defaulte of batterie eyther bicause the Citie was very strong but for that the Romanes had no reason to make them warre And the Numantines had iust cause to defend themselues Helie the Spartan doth say that onely the Emperour Traian was hee that neuer was ouercome in battell And the reason thereof was this that he did neuer take any warre in hand wherein he did not iustifie his cause The King of Pontus whiche was called Mithridates dyd wryte a certaine Letter vnto the Consull Silla being bente in warres moste cruelly the one against the other wherein was thus written I doe muche wonder of thée Consull Silla to take warre in hande in so straunge a lande as this of mine and that thou darest aduenture to deale with my great fortune since thou knowest shée neuer deceiued mée neither had acquaintance with thée To these woordes the Consull did answere Oh Mithridates I weighe it very little to holde warre farre from Romae since the Romanes haue fortune alwayes by them And if thou say that she did neuer fayle thée nor euer know mée thou shalt now sée how in vsing hir office she shall passe to mée and take hir leaue of thée And although it be not so I do neither feare thée or doubte hir for that I hope that the Goddes will do more for my iustice than for thée thy great fortune Many times the Emperoure Augustus vsed to say that warres to be good must be incommended vnto the Goddes accepted of Princes iustified of Philosophers and executed of Captaines Thus much I haue saide vnto your Lordship to this end that if your warre had bin vpon Ierusalem it were to be holden for iust but for that it is vpon Marsellius alway we hold it for scrupulous The kings hart is in the hand of God saith the diuine scripture If it be so who may attaine vnto this so great a secret whiche is to wéete that the Kings hart being in Gods hand he dare offend God which doth appeare most cleare in that we see no other thing but warres amongst the Christians and leaue the Moores to prosper and liue in rest This businesse to me is so difficulte that although I cā speak thereof I know not how to vnderstand it since all day wée sée no other thing but that God doth permitte by his secrete iudgements that the Churches where they prayse him be destroyed and throwen downe and the cursed remaine sound and frée where they do offend him Your Lordship is a Christian a good man at armes my neare kinseman and my speciall friend any of which things doth much binde me to féele your trauaile and to be gréeued with your perill I speake of trauell to the bodie bycause the Captaine that holdeth much of his honour ought to estéeme little of his life I say perill vnto the soule bicause amongst Christians there is no warre so iustified that in the same remayneth not some scruple Herein your Lordship shall sée that I desire to saue you in that I will not delite you with lies But only to say vnto you that which I do conceiue to the end that afterwards you may do what is méete If you know not wherunto you are bound I wish your Lordship to vnderstand it is that the Captaine generall do auoyde vniust wrongs correct blasphemers succour innocents chastise quarellers pay his armie defend the people auoyde all sackings and obserue fayth with the enemies Assure your selfe my Lord that there shall come a time in whiche you shall giue an accompt to God and also to the king not onely of what you haue done but likewise of that whereunto you haue consented Sir Iohn of Gueuara was your Grādfather and my cousin and he was one of the Gentlemen at armes that passed out of Spayne into Italy with the King Sir Alonso and there did helpe to get this kingdome of Naples and in recompence of his seruice hée made him Lorde greate Seneshall of the kingdome Of whiche you may gather howe muche your Lordship ought to trauell to leaue suche another renoume vnto your successours as hath bene left vnto you by your predecessors As
enter into the Senate and to procure the causes of the people and in such businesse as did not like him he had authoritie to stand for the poore and to resist the Senators And for that the office of Tribune was alwaies against the Senate and thereby passed his life in perill it was a law made and capitulate by the Lawyers and Senators that what soeuer man or woman did violently prease to his person or vnto his garment to offend him publikely they cut off his head And be it knowne to your Maiestie that many Romane Princes did procure to be chosen Tribune of the people not for the interest they receiued by that dignitie but for the securitie they had with the same bycause not only they might not kill them either in their clothes so much as touch them The first Tribune that was in Rome was a certaine Romane named Rusticius a man of a very sincere life and merueilous zealous of his common wealth This Rusticuis was and this dignity created betwixt the first and the second Punick battails in the time that Silla and Marius did leade great bands in Rome and did spoile the common wealth Thus much the letters of the stampe would say This is the good Consull Rusticius the which was the first Tribune that was in the Empire of Rome Your Maiestie amongst these hath many other stāpes the whiche being easie and facile to reade and cleare to vnderstand I shall not néede to spende the time too expound them A certaine relation vnto Queene Germana declaring the life and lawes of the Philosopher Licurgus MOst high and serene Lady this Sunday past after I had preached before your highnesse the Sermon of the destruction of Ierusalem ye commaūded I should recite and also giue in writing who was that great Philosopher Licurgus whose life I praysed whose lawes I alledged In repayment of my trauell and to binde me the more vnto your seruice you commaunded I shoulde dine at your table and also gaue me a rich clocke for my studie For so small a matter as your highnesse doth commaund neither it needed ye should feast me either giue me so great rewards for that I attaine more honour and bountie in that ye commaund than your highnesse doth receiue seruice in the thing I shall accomplish To say the truth I had thought rather yée had slept in the sermon the curtains drawne but since ye cōmaund I shall recite that whiche I sayd of the Philosopher Licurgus it is a signe ye heard the whole Sermon and also noted the same And since it pleaseth your highnesse that the Ladies and dames that serue you and the gallants Courtiers that attend vpon you be present at this communicatiō that ye commaund them that they be not gibing either making of signes for they haue sworne to trouble me or to put me from my matter But cōming to the purpose it is to wit that in the first reignes of this world whē Sardanapalus reigned in Assiria Osias in Iury Tesplus in Macedonia Phocas amongst the Greekes Alchimus amongst the Latins Arthabanes amōgst the Aegyptians Licurgus was borne amōgst the Lacedemoniās This good Licurgus was iointly Philosopher and King King and Philosopher bicause in those Golden times either Philosophers did gouerne eyther else Gouernours did vse Philosophie Plutarche doth say of this Licurgus that he was low of stature pale of colour a friend of silence an enemie of vaine talke a man of small health of great vertue He was neuer noted of dishonestie he neuer troubled the common welth he did neuer reuēge iniury he did neuer thing against iustice either against any man did vse malicious wordes He was in féeding tēperate in drinking sober in giuing liberall in receiuing of consideration in sleeping short in his speache reposed in businesse affable in hearing patient prompt in expedition gentle in chastisement and benigne in pardoning Being a child was brought vp in Thebes being a yong mā he did studie in Athens and in the time of more yéeres he passed into the great India afterwards being old was king of the Lacedemonians which also were called Spartans which of nation were Greekes and of condicion very barbarous For excellencie it is recounted of him that they neuer saw him idle he neuer dranke wine neuer trauailed on horsebacke neuer chid with any man neuer did hurt to his enemies neither at any time was ingrate to his friends He himself wente to the temples he himself did offer the Sacrifices he himself did reade in scholes he himselfe did heare complaints he himself gaue sentēce in causes of the law he himself did cause to giue chastisement to offenders This Licurgus was of a valiant mind in warres of great deuise in time of perill certaine in things determined seuere with rebels in sodaine assaults of great readinesse affable with offenders a mortal enemie of vagabonds They say that this Philosopher did inuent the Olimpiades whiche were certaine playes vsed euery fourth yéere in the mountaine Olimpus to the ende that all shoulde giue themselues to studie or to learne some Art bicause in that assembly which there they vsed euery man made a proofe of his knowledge and the sprite that was giuen him Licurgus was the first that gaue lawes to the Spartans which afterwards were called Lacedemonians whiche is to vnderstand before Solon and Numa Pompilius And also it is written of him that he was the first that inuented in Greece to haue publique or cōmon houses founded at the charges of the common wealth also endewed where the sicke might be cured the poore refreshed Before the days of Licurgus the Lacedemonians were a people very absolute also dissolute for which cause the good Philosopher did passe immesurable trauels no lesse perils amongst thē before they would be gouerned by a King or liue vnder a law On a certaine day before al the people he tooke two little dogges new whelped the one of the which he fedde in his own house very faire fat the other he cōmanded to be brought vp in a countrey house with hunger to vse the fields These dogs being thus brought vp he cōmaunded thē to be brought to the market place in the presence of the whole multitude throwing before them a liue Hare a great péece of flesh presently the countrey dog ran after the Hare and the pampered dogge to the fleshe Then said Licurgus you are witnesses that these two dogges were whelpt in one day and in one howre in one place of one Syre Dam. And for that the one was brought vp in the field he ran after the Hare and the other that was brought vp in idlenesse ran to his meat Beléeue me ye Lacedemoniās be out of doubt that to proue good vertuous it importeth muche from the infancie to bée well gouerned and brought vp for we retaine much more of the customes wherwith we be bred
of his great Librarie but of his good armorie For the weale of the common wealth it is as necessarie that the knight doe arme as the priest reuest himselfe for as prayers do remoue sinnes euen so doth armour defende from enimies Sir I haue sayd all this to the ende you shall vnderstande there that we know here all that you do in your campe and also all that you do say Wherwith you ought not to be grieued sith euery man dothe praise your wisedome and magnifie your Fortune In the register of fame maruellous is the great Iudas Machabeus the whiche when he was counselled by his souldiours by flying to saue their liues euen at the instant to giue battaile sayd God neuer permit that we put our fame in suspitioÌ„ but that this day we die all here to kéepe our lawes to succour our brethren and not to liue de famed Great account doe the Gréeke writers make of their king Agiges the which vpon the point to giue battayle to the Licaonians when his souldiors began to say that the enimies were very many he made answere The Prince that will subdue many of necessitie must fight with many Anaxandridas Captaine of the Spartans béeing demaunded why those of his armie did rather endure themselues to be slaine than taken answered That it was a lawe amongst them much vsed rather to dye frée than lyue captiues The great Prince Bias holding warres with Iphicrates Kyng of the Athenians when hée happened to fall into the stale of his enemies and hys Souldiours beganne to crie what shall we doe he made aunswere That you make reporte to those that are aliue that I dye fyghtyng and I will say there to the dead that you scapte flying Leonidas the sonne of Anaxandridas and brother to Cleomenides fighting in a certayn battaile when his souldiours sayd the enemies dyd shoote arrowes so thick that the Sunne was couered He aunswered Then lette vs fighte in the shade Charrillus the fifte King after Licurgus béeing in warre with the Athenians when one of his Captaynes didde aske an other if hée dydde knowe what number the enemyes were Charrillus answered The valiant and noble mynded Captaynes ought neuer to enquyre of their enimies howe many they are but where they be The one is a signe of flying the other of fyghting Alcibiades a famous Captaine of the Athenians in the warres he held with the Lacedemonians when they of his campe sodenly made alarum with great cries that they were fallen into their enemies handes â—e valiant and feare not quod he we are not fallen into their handes but they into oures I thought good to recounte these fewe antiquities that it may be knowne to all that be presente and also notified to those that are absent that amongst these so glorious personages your noble worthinesse mighte be recounted for that they neyther did excéede you in their wordes they spake neither in their actes they did We haue here vnderstoode in what manner the armye of Toledo did make their salye to take away a great bootie that you were driuing to your Campe and many of your souldiours did not onely begin to flée but also gaue you counsell to saue your selfe by running away but you of your part as a man of muche courage and a Captaine of no lesse experience gaue onset amongst the enimies crying Here Gentlemen here shame shame victorie victorie if this daye wée ouercome we obtain that we desire and if we die we perform our duetie Oh woordes worthy to bée noted and right worthie vppon your tombe to be engrauen Since it is certain that you slew that day more thaÌ„ .vij. with your sword with your noblenes of mind ouercame more than seuen thousand Trogus Pompeius doth saye many tymes and in many places that the innumerable victories whiche the Romaines did obtain were not so much for that their armies were of such power but bicause their Captains were of experience And this may we verie well beléeue for we euery day sée that the happie successe of a battell is not so much attributed to the armie that fighteth as to the captain that ouercoÌ„meth The Assyrians doe muche glorie themselues of their captaine Belus The Persians of Syrus The Thebans of Hercules The Iewes of Machabeus The Grekes of Alcibyades The Troyans of Hector The Aegyptians of Osiges The Epirothians of Pyrhus The Romains of Scipio The Carthagians of Hanniball The Spaniardes of Viriato This noble man Viriato was naturall of the prouince of Lusitania the which is now called Portingale In his youth he was first a shepeherd afterwarde a ploughman and then a robber and in fine made Emperour and of his countrey only defendour The writers of Rome themselues doe recount of this valiant Captaine Viriato that in fiftéene yeares that the Romaines helde warre with hym they coulde neuer kill take eyther foyle hym When they founde him inuincible and not to be ouercome in battaile they ordeyned treason to kill him with poyson Sir I thought good to bring this Historie in remembraÌ„ce to the ende that in this ciuill warre that we the Gentlemen hold with the Communers that you shew your self an other new Machabeus amongst the Hebrues and an other newe Viriato amongst the Spaniards To the end that our enimies may haue what to say and your friends what to prayse But to let the conclusion bée that you ceasse not to trauell as you haue a noble mynde to giue aduenture vpon your enimies that you may also resist al vices for men of valiantnesse as your worship is fewe vices are sufficient to darken many victories As concerning the reste that M. Hernando of Vega did commend vnto mée of your part wich is to wit that since you haue doone notably in the warres it maye bée remembred in the Chronicles Sir holde your selfe for happie that if your launce shall be such as was Achilles my pen shall be suche as that of Homere From Medina of Ruisseca the .18 of Februarie 1522. A Letter to the Earle of Myranda wherin is expounded that text of Christ whych sayth My yoke is sweete c. MOste famous and right noble Lorde and Master of the house to Caesar your honoure requireth by youre Letter that I should send vnto you the exposition of that text of Christe whiche sayeth My yoke is sweete and my burden is lyght the whiche you heard me preache the other day before his maiestie in the sermon of all saincts and that you delighted not a little to heare it and no lesse desire to haue the same in writing Also you write it shall not be muche for me to take the payne to send the exposition thereof for that you came to visite me when I was Warden of Soria in suche wise that if I would not performe your request of courtesie you would demaund it by iustice I will not denie but that visitation was to me no smal pleasure and consolatioÌ„ for that the
whiche we may gather for our purpose that chaunging the Captaines of the warres ioyntly therwith fortune doth alter In one self kingdome with one self people vnder one king in one ground and vpon one selfe quarell or demaunde hope you not that Fortune will alwayes be faithfull For in the place where she hath vsed to be moste fauourable it is hir deuise by the same meanes to shewe hir crueltie Rodrigo of Viuero did say vnto me that your honour was not a little gréeued to sée that your departure was prolonged and that the Kyng for this present helde it in suspense And further he sayd vnto me that you held it for so great displeasure that if it were with an other that were your equal you would demaund it at his hand as an iniurie To heare this I do maruell am not a little but muche offended for I holde him not for a good beaste that when they lade him wil stand stock still and when they vnlade him will yerke out behind Since the soule goeth charged with sinnes the hearte with thoughts the spirit with temptations and the body with trauels it is much conuenient for vs that if maye not altogether discharge oure selues of this burden at the least that in some parte we lighten the same Your honour is not so yong a man but that the more part of your life is past and since the lyfe goeth consuming and death approching in my iudgement it should be better counsell for you to occupie your selfe in bewayling your old sins than of newe to shed the bloud of enimies It is nowe time rather to wéepe than to fight to withdraw youre selfe than to vse libertie to make a reckoning with God more than with the king to accomplish with the soule and not with honour to call vpon God and not to prouoke with enemies to distribute your owne and not to take from others to conserue peace and not to inuent warres And if in this case your lordship will not beléeue me from hence forward I diuine that then you shall begin to féele it when you may not remedie the same Your honour deceyueth your self or else I know not what to say for that I sée you flée that you should procure which is quietnesse and you procure that which you should flée which is disquietnesse For there is no man in this world more vnfortunate than he that did neuer experiment what thing it is to be reposed Those that haue trauailed throughout diuers landes and haue had exprience of diuers fortunes the thing that they most desire in this lyfe is with honoure to sée themselues returned to their countrey Of which it may be inferred that it is great temeritie that you alone wil rather go to die amongst strangers than to liue with honor amongst your own Vntil men haue gotten necessarie to eate yea vntill they haue obteined also some surplusage also to giue in my iudgement they ought not much to be blamed although they wander through out diuers kingdomes and put themselues in great perilles For he is as muche worthie reprehension that doth not procure that whiche is necessarie as he that ceasseth not to prouide that which is superfluous After a man hath found that which he hath sought for and also perchaunce it hath happened him better than he thought of if after he be retired vnto his house in great quietnesse will returne to rubbe againe with the world I dare be bold to speake it that such a one eyther lacketh wit or else fortune will be to him vnhappie The diuine Plato doth saye in his bookes of common wealth that Fortune is more contrary vnto that man that he doth not suffer to enioye that which he hath than vnto him to whome he denieth what he craueth I doe beseche and also aduise your honour that after you haue red this sentence that you turne againe and againe too read the same for in my iudgement this sentence of Plato is very true and very profound and also vsed of many For almost we sée it by dayly experience that many men can obtaine fame honour quietnesse riches and haue not the meane afterward to enioye them Iulius Caesar was he that nature endued with most grace◠and to whom Fortune did giue most victories and with all this great Pompey did say of him that hée had great hardinesse to ouercome any battaile but that afterwardes he did not vnderstand how to enioy the victory If in the great renoumed battail of Canas Hanniball had knowen how to enioy the conquest he neuer afterwards in the fields of Carthage by Scipio the Aphrican had bin ouercome Your Honour may take it as it pleaseth you and vnderstand thereof as it may like you to cōmaund but in my iudgement he is not so cruell an enemie that hurles his darte at me in the warres as he that comes to driue mée from my house Cōformable to that which I haue said I do say that since we can not flée from cares and trauelles yet at the least that we procure to auoid some displeasures thereof For without comparison much more be the offences that wée seeke vnto our selues than be brought vnto vs by our enemies I will say no more in this letter but that the Gentleman Rodrigo of Viuero and I haue talked some things worthie the vnderstanding and perillous to be writtē I commend them with trust vnto his noblenes here he shal relate them vnto your excellencie there No more but our Lord be your protector and vnto me giue grace to serue him From Medina del Campo the .viij. of Ianuarie .1512 A letter to sir Enrique Enriques wherin the Authour doth answer to many gracious demaundes RIght magnificent and my olde frend Valdiuia your solicitour gaue mée a Letter the whiche séemeth verie well to be written with youre owne hande for that it helde fewe lynes and many blottes As God made you a Knight if he had made you a Scriuener you woulde haue bene more handsome to colour Cordouan skinnes than to haue written proces Sir alwayes frame if you shall write any Letter to bée sente that the lynes bée ryght the Letters close the reasons deuided the letter legible the paper cleane the folding equall the closyng smoothe and the seale cléere for it a lawe of Courte in that whiche is written the wysedome is vttered and in the manner of writyng good manner is knowne In the letter that was giuen mée were contayned many demaundes vnder verie fewe woordes And for that with one Turquois wée both will make but one shewe The case shall be thus to euery demaunde I will answere onely one word First you aske me wherfore I came to the Courte to this I answere that I came not willingly but constrained of necessitie for the contention betwixte me and the Churche of Toledo my comming was expedient to cléere my selfe and to withdraw the lawe Also you demaund of me what I doe in
this punishment must not be suche that it appeare that they take some great vengeance for be a man neuer so brute without comparison he dothe more féele the hate that they shewe than the chastisements which they giue The whip the staffe the sworde the punishment that is giuen to the fleshe although it be gréeuous yet it soon passeth but the iniurious worde the heart neuer forgetteth For a man to be in power and authoritie and to refraine his anger it is not an humaine vertue but heroicall and diuine For in this world there is not a more high or excellent kind of triumph than a man to triumph ouer his owne heart Socrates the Philosopher holding his dagger in his hād to strike one of his seruantes the same alreadie lifted vp sayde remēbring my self that I am a philosopher that at this present I am angrie I wil not giue thée thy deserued chastisemente O example for certayne worthie to bée noted and muche more to be imbraced and followed Of whiche wée may gather that duryng the tyme that ire hathe vs in possession we ought not to dare to speake and muche lesse anye man to chastise Licurgus the Philosopher commaunded those that gouerned his common wealth that all euill and dishonest things they shoulde condemne and chastise but yet by no means abhorre the malefactor saying that there could not be amongst the people a more gréeuous plague than a iudge that woulde make hymselfe dronke with furie There be few that follow this counsell and verie manie that do the contrarie for now a days there is none that is angred with the offence but with the offender For my part and also for those that shall it is a great trauayle to trafike or deale with furious impacient and men of euill suffering For that they are importable to serue and of conuersation very perillous Since I haue said what thing is ire and the hurtes that are doone by ire nowe let vs say what remedies may be giuen against ire For my meaning is not to teache you to be angrye but to bée paciente I dare auouche that it is a great remedie agaynst ire when a man is angred to refrayne the tongue and to deferre vengeaunce vntill an other tyme For that many tymes a man doth say and promise béeing in choler thinges the whiche afterwardes he woulde not shoulde haue once passed hys thoughtes With the yrefull we must not be importunate to entreate a pardon no not from the foote to the hand but only to desire that vengeance be deferred For during furie there is no accompte to bée made that the iniuried will pardon excepte he bée quieted with the man that is furious and in choler for any one to séeke to bring him to agreement or to iustice eyther it is lacke of witte or diligence more than néedeth For the ire that is muche inflamed and the heart that is kindled with furye neyther doth admit consolation or is ouercome with reason I doe aduise and readuise the man that presumes to be wise that he take not in hand to contend with him that is inflamed with yre For if he faile to follow counsell herein when he scapeth best he shal eyther haue his honour reuiled or his head broken Although a man be a frēd vnto him that is offended he doth him more profite to let him alone than to speake vnto him or help him For at the instant he hath more néede of a bit to bridle him than a spur to quicken hym With the man that is in a rage it is more néede to vse skill than to deale by force For although he were angred at the sodain the pacifying of him must be at leisure Plutarch in the bookes of his cōmon wealth doth counsell the Emperoure Traiane that hée bée paciente in his trauayles mylde in his affayres and of muche suffering amongest the furious affirming and swearing that many mo thyngs bée cured by tyme than framed and agréed by reason Betwixt noble personages wée haue séene greate quarelles whiche passions and furies mighte not be stayed by entreataunce of friends threatning of enemies giftes of money neyther yet with wearinesse of trauayles And after that tyme hath had his course and calling them to remembrance haue agréed amongst themselues without the request of any friende to talke therin Finally I say that when a friende doth sée the choler of his friende inflamed if hée will doe him good lette hym caste on water with temperaunce to coole hym and not wood wyth furie to burne him I sir Iohn haue enlarged this Letter muche more than I thoughte and also more than I desyred but that youre excéedyng payne and sorrowes haue made my penne discourteous to suffer vse silence and dissemble and let the tyme passe and somewhat forget the matter For if I bée not deceyued you shall sée the fire that they made at your gates burne in their entrayles Salomon the Hebrew sayde that the wise man hathe his tongue in his hearte and he that is a foole and furious hath his heart in his tongue Agis the Greeke sayd that the foolish man is grieued with that whiche he doth suffer and boastes himselfe of that whiche he hath spoken And the wyse is gréeued with that whiche he hath spoken and boasteth himselfe of that he doth suffer Nowe or neuer it is néedfull that you profyte your selfe of your science and wisedome For it is a spice of no small foolishnesse to knowe to cure others and not to remedie your selfe I am not forgetful that when my sister the Lady Francis died in Mexia hir towre you did write mée so many and so good thinges that they were sufficient to lyghten me of the payne althoughe not altogether of the sorrowe And sir I saye it for this cause that it shall bée greately to youre owne purpose to take some grapes of the same vine As concerning the reste I haue no more to write vnto you but that the credite whiche youre seruaunte broughte with youre letter in that hée shoulde say vnto mée the selfe same credite my letter doth giue him in that whiche he shal answere From Toledo the .vj. of Aprill 1523. A letter vnto Sir Ierome Vique in whiche is treated how great libertie is much hurtfull RIght magnificent and Caesars Embassadour I being in Granado the xx of Iuly receiued a letter from your worship And considering it came so farre as it is from Valentia to Granado he hath made good spéed vppon the waye since he departed from thence the Saterday and came hither the Monday Comming as you come from so straunge a coūtrey as is Rome and hauing passed so daungerous a Sea as is the gulfe of Narbona I will not demaund if you came safe But giue God thankes for that you are come aliue I wishe if it please the Lord that you come from Italy so sound in bodie and so perfect in soule as when you parted from Spaine for in new countreyes
Emperour Traiane did vse to say men that possesse noble heartes and blushing vysages ought neuer to beginne that whiche lyeth not in their handes to performe for otherwyse they shall leaue with great shame that they beganne with great hope Sir you doe well knowe that all those that you leade in your campe against the king be théeues murtherers blasphemers and seditious Commoners all whiche as they are a base people and men of handicrafte you haue to intreate them but not to force them suffer but not to chastise to pray but not to commaunde to flatter but not to threaten for they followe you not to remedie things amisse but to rob the goods that others haue in possession That daye that the king shall enter into Castile that day that you shal lose any battell and also that daye that you haue not to paye the men of warre then shall you sée howe they will trudge from you without takyng any leaue and also make a secrete sale of you Sir haue compassion of your age so tender and of youre bloud so vndefiled of your parentage so honorable of youre house so auncient of your condition so good of your abilitie so â—ntier and of your youth so euill imployed all which things you haue vnfauourly infected and also in a maner mortifyed If you will beléeue me and giue credite vnto my wordes incommende your selfe vnto God leaue this enterprise turne vnto the king goe vnto the Gouernours and shake handes with these commoners Forasmuche as the king is pitifull and all men desire your remedie and welfare hée woulde much more accept your comming to serue with the rest than to haue raised this war against him Let not the deuil deceiue you either any vaine or fantasticall imagination hinder you to performe the same neither to conceiue that they haue to charge you with vnstablenesse in that you haue enterprised either as a traitor for that you haue taken in haÌ„d bicause in al the histories of this world they be acompted loyal that serue their king and such as rebell be called disloyall traitors Also if a GeÌ„tleman be reproued for slouthfulnesse he riseth more early and vseth more diligence if they call him babbler he kéepeth silence if they accuse him for a glutton he vseth temperance if they charge him as an adulterer he abstayneth if they burden him to be furious he suffereth if they impute him to be ambicious he abaseth if they name him a sinner he amendeth but if they call him by the name of a traytor there is no water that may wash or make it cleane either any excuse that may excuse it Neyther is the King so muche offended or the kingdome so much altered or affaires so aforehand nor the Gouernours of so hard disposition but that you maye be reduced and finde time very conuenient to serue the King. The which if you woulde performe I promise you by the faith of a Christian and do sweare vnto you by the lawe of an honest man that amending this wrong my penne shall change his stile Montauan maister of your house and I haue communed in secrete things of greate importaunce and since he did herein credit me it shal not be amisse that you beleue him there and if you will not I washe my handes of all your faulte and from hence forwarde doe take my leaue of your friendship No more but that with the faith and credit that I haue receiued your letter with the verie same it may please you to receyue this of myne From Medina del camop the eight day of Marche in the yeare of our Lorde .1521 A letter vnto a Gentleman and secrete friend to the Author wherin he doth aduise and reprehende him for his wretched couetousnesse MAgnificent and couetous GeÌ„leman the good Emperor Titus that was son to Vaspasian and brother to Domitian was of himself so vertuous of al the Romane Empire so welbeloued that at the tyme of his death they did engraue these words vpoÌ„ his sepulcher Delitiae moriuÌ„tur generis humani which is to say To daye is dead in Rome that did reioyce all mankynd Of this good Emperor Titus is read in Suetonius that being at supper on a time with many Princes of the empire other Embassadors of diuers kingdoms sodeinly gaue a great sigh sayd Diem amisimus amici as if he should say more cléere Let not this day be accompted amongst the days of my lyfe bicause this day I haue not performed any bountie neither giuen any reward Plutarke doth report of Alexander the great that when many Philosophers had disputed in his presence wherein consisteth the good happe of this lyfe hée made answere Beléeue me friends and be out of doubt that in all this worlde there is not equall delighte or lyke pleasure as to haue wherwith to be liberall and not wherefore to chastise Also it is said of Theopontus the Thebane who béeing a Captayne of men of warre a souldioure craued of him some péece of money to buye breade and hauing none to giue pulled of his shoes saying If I had better I would giue thée better but in the meane while take these shoes of myne for that I haue no money for it is more iust that I goe barefoot than thou an hungred Dionysius the tyrant entring vpon a certain day into his sonnes chamber and séeing there many iewels of siluer and gold sayde Sonne I did not giue these riches to the end thou shouldest kéepe them but bicause thou shouldst giue and imparte them For there is no man in this world of more power than the giuing and liberall man for with his giuing he conserueth his frends and maketh teÌ„der his enimies I haue made this discourse to vtter a certaine thyng vnto you which if you were in Castile as you are in Andolozia my penne should neuer haue written vnto you but my toung should haue spoken it into your eare for our assured friendes notwithstanding wée haue licence to blame them yet we may not vse our libertie to defame them Some of Andolozia hath told me here and some of your frendes haue written me from thence that your delite excéedeth to farre in hoording vp of money and no lesse enimie with the spendyng therof Of which déede and disposition I am not a little grieued also muche ashamed bicause honor auarice be so contrarie and in such contention and defiance that they neuer dwell in one person neither at any time had any affinitie All vicious men in this life haue some tast in their vices except it be the miserable and most vnfortunate couetous nigard which is tormeÌ„ted with that which others do possesse takes no tast in that whiche he hath The painfull trauell of the couetous nigarde is that always he walketh suspicious and in feare that the raging flouds carrie awaye his Milles that the hierd eate vp his meades that hunters steale his game and
subtill in witte of valiant hart and fortunate in exployt of war as he manifested most puisantly by obtayning more honour than any other in the Campe whereby he grew in dayly reputation amongst his owne companions and more fearefull than the Wolfe is to the Shéepe to the hearts of his enemies which hanging the times of these warres caused the Emperour Heraclius to fauoure him aboue all others The warres ended and licence giuen for all the straungers to departe he sent the Saracyns away discontented and not wel payed which moued them and their generall Mahomet to rayse mutine and coniuration in suche wyse that they assayled Palestina whyche before they had subdued and inuaded the countreys of Aegypt Damas the two Syrias Pentapolis and Antioch without resistaunce of any person Here also you must vnderstande that Mahomet was by his father a Gentile and by his mother a Iewe whyche is the cause why he was fostred in Iudea He held one Sergius which was infected with the heresies of Arius and Nestor a very ambitious man for his especiall friende By whome Mahomet vnderstanding well what honour and reuerence the Saracyns yeelded vnto him and accompting him selfe their head and chiefe determined to become their King lawegiuer to the end as King to be reputed and for lawmaker to be worshipped And as thys moÌ„ster Mahomet had a GeÌ„tile to his father a Iew to his mother and a Christian Heretique to his chiefe friend and instructer so each of them vsed their seueral lawes out of whiche thrée he determined to elect one to satisfye or more properly speaking to delude all nations Thus this miscreant nothing regarding the soules health nor due reformation of the common state but thristing after the renoune of a Prince during life and the fame of their lawgiuer after death instituted and published a sect or rather a rabble of abhominable preceptes and detestable counsells thereby to chaunge the vertuous and therewith to delight the vicious and wicked In the yeare 630. Heraclitus inferred and began his warres against the Persians and in the yeare 632. the warres ended In that yeare 632. Mahomet by conquest subdued the greatest part of Asia and in the yeare 636. he gaue his lawes to the Saracyns his countrymen the which he first brought into Arabia Petrosa not by preaching in worde but murdering with sword The gouernment of the East thus resting it chaunced in the yeare 642. that an infinite number of barbarous people passing by the stréetes of the mountaynes Caucasus to inuade that part of Asia Minor that bordereeh on Asia Maior whose comming brought good successe to the Nations adioyning These people by discent were of thrée mighty rude countries that is of the Scithians now called Persia of the PanoniaÌ„s now named Hungaria and of the Escaines nowe called Denmarcia whiche barbarians departed foorth of their natiue soyle as it is iudged constrayned with penurie and want of victualls as also with the Ciuill warres which they had amongst themselues For being without a gouernour they liued by robbing and pilling one from another euermore driuing the weakest to the worst Whereat Mahomet astonied at this their arriuall and séeing the Scithes and Paenonians dayly more and more to endamage Asia and to become so stout as to furnish themselues with places of defence he determined with a mighty power of Saracyns to encounter them This thing dismayed the Barbarians and caused them to assemble togither where they chose one Trangolipique for their general a man in warres much fortunate and in peace most vicious Now the warres of the Scithians and Saracyns grew so hote so long and so cruell that in thrée yeares and a halfe was soughten sixe mightie and bluddy battells wherein Fortune declared hir mutabilitie for to the Saracyns she was vnfriendly and to the Scithians nothing fauorable sometimes gyuing victory to the one side one day and tryumph to the other side on the next day Which the Scithians well noting and perceyuing that their number was muche decreased by meanes of those warres and also the Saracyns beholding the presente spoyle of their countrâ—… â–ª they agréed amongst themselues vppon Articles ensuing to continue friends for euer that is that the Scithes shoulde receyue the lawe of Mahomet and that the Saracyns should giue them that countrey to inhabite Whyche accordingly tooke effect and was concluded in the yeare 647. that the Saracyns and Turks became friends and confederates and from that time forwarde did wholly submit themselues to the obedience of Mahomet taking him for king and vowing fidelitie to his lawes Strabo Plynie Pomponius Mela and Gelaton whiche haue described all countries in the worlde make little accompte of Turkie before suche time as the Scythes beganne to inhabite the same who in the end became so strong and the Great Turk and Turquy so famous as at this day it is reputed one of the most renowmed Empyres in the world How the loue of Mahomet entred Africa VNderstand you that in the yeare 698. a puissant Pirat named Abeuchapeta passed from Asia into Africa leading with him 70. Galleys and 100. other vessels furnished for his exployte with which he pilled pirased such as he met withall by Seas and did also many times much hurt on the firme land This Abeuchapeta was a man valiant hardie and rich and a Saracyne obseruing the law of Mahomet of whome the Arabian Historiographers reporte that he neuer sacked anye Towne that would submit theÌ„selues to him nor raunsomed to libertie any persone that he had taken prisoner This companion for so hencefoorth will I terme him vnderstanding that in the Realme of the Moores otherwise called the countrie of Mauritania and now called the kingdome of Marrucos were extreme cruell and ciuill warres he determined to hasten thither with his fléete and to establish himselfe Lorde of all who passing the straites Giberaltare and being arriued vpon firme lande immediately practised to acquaint himselfe with one of the chéefe bands of the Moores by which policie in short time he obtayned afterward to be chéefe of the Realme and compelled them secretly to accept and obserue the Mahometicall lawes and religion by killing some and banishing others Whereby it came to passe that such as this coÌ„panion brought thither with him and the subdued inhabitantes of Marrucos were the first in Africa that togythers imbraced the lawes of Mahomet who as before time were alwayes called Moores do still at this presente and euer after continue the name of Moores or Morisques so that the inhabitants of Thunies whych be those of Tunis and the Numidians whiche are the people of Fesse and the Maurentines which are the people of Marrucos be al generally tearmed by the name of Moores though the countries do much differ in scituatioÌ„ This then is the resolution of your letter and the aunswere to youre demaunde that the name Saracyns was first found in Arabia where Mahomet was borne the name Turkes inuented in Asia where Mahomet remayned and
easily make themselues Lordes of all Spaine A letter vnto the Admirall Sir Frederirk wherein the Auctor doth touche the maner that in olde time was vsed on their sepulchers and the Epitaphes that were placed vpon the same GLorious Admiral curious Lord neither doth it profite mée to bée angrie eyther to hold my peace to exclame or complayne neither yet to cease to make answere but that alwayes I must continue in combate with your letters as also with your messengers for absoluing your doubts It is but .15 dayes since I answered your letter and not a month since I absolued a certaine doubt I am determined with my selfe not to answere you to any letter neither to declare you any doubt vntill the counsell of Saratan haue considered therof and they of Villaunblalo do determine and iudge therein To performe wherin you request mée to execute the case which you cōmaūd me I may not deny vnto your Lordship that I haue not séene much heard passed also reade muche but ioyntly herewith your honor hath to consider that I am now become old wearied also tired go ladē with greate afaires which be of necessity but your doubts procéede of will. I haue sayde also written vnto your honor many times as you are but of little bodie haue that minde so generous noble it should be much to your ease that you Alonso Espinel made exchange which is to wit that he should lend you some more body wherin that hart of yours might be conteined and you bestow on him some more heart for that grosse and so vnweldy a bodie Cōsidering the great dulnes of Alonso Espinel and the excéeding spirite liuelinesse of your honor I do not thinke to be deceiued to vouche that your Lordship is a soule without a body that he is a body without a soule One thing doth yet comfort me which is that as your Lordshippe nowe groweth old and I also both olde sickly we shall not much write eche to other and much lesse vse mutuall visitation bicause as the diuine Plato sayd that yong men at times die sodenly but olde men may not liue long Little or muche or muche or little may it please the king of heauen that that which we lyue we may liue to his seruice for that we haue no accompte to make what we lyue but howe we lyue Leauing aparte both your iestes and my complaintes I my Lorde from hence foorth am determined to answere your letters with all breuitie as also to declare vnto you all your doubts for as Horace the Poet sayth it appertaineth to wise men to shewe a willing minde in that wherein necessitie constreyneth Cōming to the purpose your honor cōmādeth me to write vnto you the maner which they vsed in old time to make their sepulchers the fashion which they obserued in placing their Epitaphes for as it séemeth you meane to take order for your sepulture to deuise for the inuention of your Epitaph From hencefoorth I say and diuine that all those which shall sée my answere vnto your demaunde will maruell also as it may chance to laugh for that I shal be forced in this place to relate histories very straunge and customes neuer heard off Plinie in the beginning of his seuēth booke reciting the great miseries wherwith man is borne the immesurable trauels wherin he liueth sayeth thus Amongs all the beasts that nature hath brought foorth only man crepeth onely man is ambitious man onely is proude couetous and superstitious only desireth long life maketh a sepulture wherin to be buried moste truely Plinie spake greate troth bicause all other beasts neither riches doth make proude neither pouerty doth make sad neither care to lay vp in store neither trauell to gather togither neither wéepe whē they be borne neither grow sad when they shall dye but only trauell for liuing without carefulnesse where to be buried Onely the foolishe man is he which fetcheth marble from Gene Alabastre from Venice porphire from Candie bone of Gelofe and Iuory of Guinea for no greater purpose than to build a stately chappell and to erect a sumptuous sepulcher where to bury his bones the wormes to gnaw his intrailes I do not disalow eyther reproue but the rather I admit prayse to build good churches to erect great Chappell 's to endue with good doctrines to paint faire stories and to make rich ornaments but ioyntly therewith I say that I hold it for more safe that a man trauell and payne himselfe to leade a good life than make a rich Sepulture Oh how many poore men which are buried in Churchyards whose soules reioyce and rest in heauen and how many which be buried in sumptuous and stately Sepulchres whose soules be tormēted in Hell. On that night which Troy was burned Aeneas intreating his father Anchises to depart the Citie to the end he should not want a Sepulchre the old man aunswered Facilis iactura Sepulchri as if he had sayd There is no lesse griefe vnto manne than to want a Sepulchre The King Anchises sayde well in that he spake since we sée the liuing man complayne of the biting of a flye and of a flea that doth offend him but of a man that is dead we neuer heare any complaynt for any lacke of ringing or want of sumptuous buriall If Homer and Pisistratus do not deceyue vs The Cithes were the people that with most pomp did burie their dead and in most reuerence did hold their Sepulchres Zenophon the Thebane sayth That the Cithes fléeing before Darius he sent word to knowe how farre they woulde runne they aunswered we Cithes make no great accompt to lose our houses our fieldes neither oure children neyther yet our selues in respect of offence to the Sepulchres of our forfathers vnto the which whē thou shalte approche oh King Darius there shalte thou sée and know in how much more we estéeme the bones of the dead than the life of the liuing The Salaminos buried their dead their backs turned against the Agarens whiche were their mortall enimies In such wise that their enemitie endured not onely in time of life but also when they were dead The Massagedas at the time of death of any man or womā they drew foorth all the bloud in their vaynes and that day all the kindred being assembled did drinke the bloud and afterwards did burie the body The Hircans did washe the bodies of the dead with wine and did anoynt the same with a precious oyle and after the parents had bewayled and buried the dead they kept that oyle to eate and that wine to drinke The Caspians in finishing the last breath were cast into the fire and the asshes of the bones being gathered into a vessell did afterwards drinke them in wine in suche wise that the entrayles of the liuing was the Sepulchre of the dead The Cithes held for
so great merit for their worthy vertues Wherevnto Lucius coulde say no other thing but kissing the right hande of Scipio besought the immortall Gods to remunerate the great goodnesse and passing courtesie he had vsed vnto him confessing his great want of abilitie for the recompence of so great a bountie And after returning vnto the parents of the sayd Damsell rendering their daughter without any raunsome They most instantly besought him that it might please him to accept the gold whiche they had brought for hir raunsome in token and as a pledge of their amitie and dutifull affection Scipio being pressed of them did accept the same and placing it at his feete in the presence of them all called Lucius and sayd behold Lucius I giue thée this gold which thy father and mother in law haue presented me as a gift vnto the marriage of thy wife besides that which before was appoynted thée Take and refuse it not for my sake and as a token for remembrance of sound friendship in time to come Then Lucius and his father and mother in lawe receiuing the Damsell and the golde did take their leaue of Scipio and retired into their countrie publishing in all places wher they past most greatest praise of Scipio and the Romaine people Very shortly after Lucius came to séeke Scipio with fourtéene hundreth horse to attend and assist the Romaynes After which time Scipio departed from Carthage to Tarzacone to giue order for the warres in effect to chace and expulse the Carthaginians out of Spayne My Lorde beholde here my opinion as touching youre demaund and if your honor or the gouernor be not of the same opinion which is that if Marhaball were not the first Carthaginian that entred Spayne and that the great Scipio the African did not take sack and subuert new Carthage I will say no more but that if Titus Liuius were aliue he would giue you suche a cōbat with the Camp of his Decades that he would throughly giue you to vnderstand of your wrong information Of newes there is no other but that his Maiestie is in health and twice a wéeke goeth to the assembly The Emperesse also is in health and this hote weather féedeth very little Thys other night from Ciuile they broughte a paquet of letters vnto his maiestie wherein he was aduertised of ten shippes from Peru to be arriued in the hauen of Ciuill with twenty Millions of gold whereof there were eight for his maiestie and twelue for other particular persons Diego of Acunia the bearer hereof shall farther make report of all that passeth here at court No more but God haue you in his kéeping and giue me grace to serue him From Toledo the 22. of Iuly 1537. A disputatiō and discourse holdē against the Iewes of Rome wherin is declared notable authorities of the sacred Scripture ALiama Horranda which is to say honorable troupe of Inis I remayne with the long disputation past so wéery and my head so distempred with your cries that if it were not for the seruice of my Lorde Iesus Christe and for the zeale of youre soules the profession of a deuine as also for the honor of my law which I confesse soundly beleeue you shoulde be assured that I would neither dispute with you any more or enter at any time into your Sinagogue for that as touching your cōuersion ye are too too much obstinate and in the maner of disputation extremely opiniatiue Neyther vnto you eyther yet vnto me doth it apertayne that the difficulties or opinions which eyther of vs defendeth shuld be verefied with offensiue armes much lesse with iniurious words assuring that at the Scholes where I haue studied and of the masters of whome I haue learned he was not esteemed wise that cried strongly but could performe and speake very well And since we debate not vppon any matter of your goodes much lesse is my comming for the same or any suche purpose but only for the verifying of the sacred Scripture I pray you for the loue of God interrupt not my reasons but heare me with patience vntill I haue finished my tale for al you of this Sinagogue hold for custome that if any word be spokē againste your tast or liking forthwith ye begin to garboile cry brable Therefore heare me and I will heare you speake or else I will speake giue eare vnto me or else I wil hearken vnto you suffer me and I shall endure and suffer you since we talke confer and dispute of matters so high and deuine it is good reason that such difficulties and so great mysteries should be disputed after the manner of wise men and not crying as fooles considering that the wisedome of the wise is knowen by his talke and his prudence in the modestie which he vseth in his speech I haue sayd all this for that in the disputation which wee haue had betwixt vs eight days past ye did not only impugne and speake against both the authorities which I alleadged of the holy Prophet Esay and of King Dauid but also ioyning your fistes to my eyes ye charged me with the lie iniuriously and threatning If ye shuld say that I am a great sinner a dasterd dull and simple I confesse the same But to saye that is false whiche I alledged or erroneous whiche I defended I vtterly appeale and denie for my good Lord Iesus Christ of his mercy either coulde or woulde fayle me therin But comming to the purpose me thinketh to commit no iniurie to bring foorth and alleage the passages of the holy Bible and therewithall of the holy Prophet Dauid and a king amongst you best beloued and of Esay the Prophet of you most esteemed The whiche haue sayde and prophecied of the ignorance which ye should haue from the which I beséech God to drawe you and with his grace to enspire you for certaynely I haue compassion to consider youre greate infamie hauing in times past aboue all nations receyued most fauour of God. Scrutati sunt iniquitates defecerunt scrutantes scrutinio The royal Prophet Dauid sayd speaking of the doctors of your lawe as if he would say the ministers of the lawe be set to interprete and declare the sacred scripture from the which they haue not drawen but falshood and malice But now honorable Inis I pray you to say of whome doth your Prophete here speake And tell me what they be that dare falsifye the sacred scripture to the ende we may vnderstand to shun them or else as Heretiques to burne them For as the diuine Plato sayde he ought to be accused of high treason that falsely doth interprete the law If ye will saye that the Gentiles Scrutati sunt iniquitates which is to say That they haue euill interpretated the law I answere that you speake vniustly and raise a false testimonie against them for the princes of the heathen haue more gloried and giuen themselues vnto the warres than to the
of what estate or condition so euer they were should not be admitted to estate or any office of Magistrat and that those presentlie which were placed in any offices should be remoued and counted infamed and some were put to death for example Further they appointed that the goodes of the Byshops and Prelates Christians shoulde be declared to be consticate and for fayted The Christian bond man could not be manumitted or enfranchised And these Lawes were published through the confines of the Empyre Besides the which constitucions the poore miserable Christians were otherwise most wickedly intreated and receiued diuers outragious iniuries diuers being enforced to dye cruellye and with much shame And in some prouinces where they were blinded with affections perticular occasions which the Deuil guided by the permission of the diuine God they vsed many cruelties and incredible horriblenesse towardes the Christians as in Frigia Suria Egipt and diuers other countreys for some were broyled and scorched in lyfe and others had theyr fleshe carded as though it had béene well or flaxe which poore Christian creatures after suche burning and torments were throwen into straite prison in great féeblenesse and yet honest and constant in the faith they were hanged naked by the féete to prolong theyr deathes the more with shame and dishonesty And by that meanes endured double torment of some they cut of the noose the eares the fingers the handes and the féete and onely left them theyr eyes to behold their miserie and to encrease their griefe and paine they tare some alyue quite in the middest tying one legge to a great arme of a Trée bended with force and the other legge to another trée crooked in the same manner Afterward letting the same Trées to returne into his naturall place for to cleaue the body in sunder So others they vsed this cruelty that they pricked sharpe néedles and great thornes betwéene the nayles of the fleshe and the handes which be the most sensible and tenderest partes of al the body Some other men were beaten with rounde balles and pellets of Leade and Tynne In conclusion they were enforced to endure and sustaine the most cruell tormentes which might bée deuised by the Deuilles pollicie And this slaughter of the Christians was excéeding great during this persecution The eleuenth and last persecution generally of the Church was enduring the gouernment of the Emperor Iulianus which was an Idolater Sacrificer to the Deuill Which Emperour studied by al meanes he might to persecute the christian church Who likewise to attaine the effect of his purposed deuise dyd vse a singuler vnaccustomed subtiltie by the which vnder cloked collor of shadowed curtesie benignitie he did enféeble the Christiā religion as much as he could giuing them alwaies yet to vnderstand that he was soft gentle by nature not cruel rigorous This new inuēcion in persecuting the Church was subtilly found out by him as I think bicause he had séen by experiēce did vnderstand that the blood of the martirs did cause the christiā religion to spring more frutefully And therfore he determined to worke procéede contrary to the other Emperors his prodecessors had performed that is to say to draw the christiās vnto his Idolatrous worshipping by aduancement of estats offices dignities as witnesseth Ruffinus S. Hierom Casiodorus so that hereby he caused diuers ambicious couetous persōs to denie christianity to folow Idolatry by means of the estates offices which they had giuē them This was the greatest wound that euer the Church receiued for diuers Christians by the meanes of this inuencion remooued theyr faith but in the ende when the Emperor Iulian perceyued that these deuises serued to small ende to his entent although he made them not to léese their lyues neyther dyd violentlye constraine their consciences Yet he published diuers hurtfull edictes against the Christians and verye vitious for Christianitie First he commaunded that no Christian might obtaine any degrée in Schoole kéepe Lecture or reade in any arte or science whatsoeuer neyther that hée might be admitted to studdie vnlesse he dyd worship the Idols The which he dyd to the ende that the Christians banished from the knowledge of learning should be brought to Idolatrie or that they should els remaine fooles and ignorant Ideots and so by continuance that none should be able to preache the Euangelie Also he ordained that no Christian shoulde be admitted to any estate office or dignitie of Magistrate eyther in warre or peace In conclusion this monster searched out all the wayes to rayse battaile against Iesus Christ without shaedding humaine blood which was the right deuise of the Deuill to depriue the blessed Martyrs from the glorye and crowne which they should haue obtained for theyr martyrdome Behold the first most notable persecutions which the church millitant sustained since which time there hath béen many other in euery seuerall place but they were of small importaunce in respect of these before sayde Touching the rest because I am wéery of writing this long letter that my pen can do me no more seruice therin I say nothing else but this that I wyl more redéelie employ my selfe towards the Countie of Osarno for the affaires of Vasco lopes which you haue recōmended vnto my fauor as soone as the sayd Coūtie may attend the same for he kéepeth his bed at this instant laboreth gréeuously of the Gowte The Lord haue you in his kéeping giue mée grace to serue him From Valiodolid the .15 of Iune Anno. 1541. What they gaue in olde tune in reward for good newes God will not but that we gratifie the good thing we receyue In the wars more than in other things fortune vseth doublenesse There is no sacrifice more accepted than to pardon an enimie The man that is feared hath neede to feare It is more sure to forget an iniurie than to reuenge it Fewe good wordes are to be vsed with Princes How in the old tyme they called their Kings In the olde time to bee a king was no dignitie but an office He that knoweth not to gouern deserueth not to reigne Amongst the Romaines a Priest was called a king In old times they did not boast themselues with vaine titles The office of the Edil was the maister of ceremonies in triumphs and theatres How the name of Emperour was first found out The beste office is to bee holden by the best man. It is more worthy to deserue honoure than to hold it The ingrate Prince is vnfortunate What conditions a good king shoulde haue The good king doth forget his owne iniuries and doth chastise the offences to God. In palace more is spoyled than spent The disordinate expences of the mightie is to bring necessitie The secrete is to be remitted to God but the publik offence to be chastised The good king ought to impart his goodes but not his conscience Princes are more viewed and more accused than
the rest The conditions of a good king Princes ought so to recreate themselues that thereof ryse none offence Princes ought to limite their recreations In the auncient times yron was vsed in coyne It is to be noted that all lawes are reduced from three lawes Seuen maner of auncient lawes Lawes onely for Romane Senators The lawes for warre they vsed in Rome The first that made lawes for warres The procurer of the people was most priuiledged in Rome We receiue liberalitie from the Prince when he commaundeth to serue Note the great vertues of the Philosopher Licurgus Of him that brought vp one dog fat in idlenesse and in the house the other in the field To be good it doth much profite to be well brought vp A notable proclamation daily made A right worthy search Bathes and oyntmēts forbidden The authoritie of old men The disobedient sonne both chastised and disinherited A friend by fraternitie New inuentiō and the inuentors banished An honour vsed to the dead that valiantly died in the warres Gentlemen may commen but not cōtend For what causes a Gentleman may be inflamed with choler Helia is nowe Ierusalē and Byzantio is Constantinople Numantia was named of Numa Pompilius The Numantins in the warres did rather die than flee Rome was enuious of the fortune of Numantia Nine Consulles were slaine at the siege of Numantia The good Captaine ought rather loose his life than make an infamous truce In the warres vice doth more hurt thā the enimies The Numātines did eate the fleshe of the Romains To fight with a desparate man is no small perill The noble minded had rather die free than lyue a slaue The Numantines did kill their wiues and children No Numantine taken prisoner The continuance of the prosperitie of Numantia In the warres it importeth dot to write with an euill pen. More is spent to maynteyne opinion than to defende reason No excuse may excuse the losse of a battayle A iust warre is loste by an vniust captaine An euill lyfe doth come to make repayment in one day The more noble victorie is that which is obtayned by counsel thā by the sword Iron was made to eare fields and not to kill men We ought rather to make tryall by perswasion than by sworde The bloudie Captain doth finishe his days with an euill ende Iulius Cesar pardoned more enimies than he kilde It is more loued that is obteyned by request than by the sworde In tyme of warre it besemeth not a knighte to write from his house Note the right conditions of a right gētleman Is a gentleman a fault is tolerable if it be not vile The good knight hath in possessiō more armour than bookes Iudas Machabeus had rather lose his his lyfe than his fame To cōmaund many wil cost muche Note the wordes of a valiant captain To demaunde how many not where the enimies be is a signe of fear Words wordthy to be engraued on his tombe Of more value is the noble mynded expert captain than a greate armie Who was the valiāt Viriato captain of Spayne Viriato was inuincible in the warres Fewe vices are sufficiente to darken many victories Note what is due betwixte friendes Ingratitude seldom or neuer pardoned The grace that is giuen in preaching is seldome giuen in writing The hearte is more moued hearing the word of God than by reading The old lawe gaue punishment to the euill but no glorie to the good Vntill Christ none proclaymed rest For what cause Christe saide my yoke is sweete and my burden is light The propertie of a faithfull louer Perfect loue endureth all trauell Christ did not commaund vs to doe that whiche he did not first experimēt himself The worlde doth more chastise than pardon but in the house of God more pardoned than chastised In all the lawes of the world vices be permitted Christes lawes excepted The Lawe of christ is sharp vnto the wicked but easie and light to the vertuouse Daughters are to be married before they grow old The Ipineās did write the date of their letters with the superscriptiō With what paper they were wont to write Note the inck of old time Famouse eloquence of the Auctor in a base matter Notable exāples of cōtinēcie in Princes Catiline a tyrant of Rome It ought not to be written that cannot be written The inuētion of the A.B.C. The rentes of great Lords ought to be agreeable to their titles Gamsters at dice play them selues to nothing Postes in old time made great speede Euill newes neuer cōmeth to late The auctor reporteth of his linage of Gueuara To descend of a noble bloud prouoketh to be vertuous The auncient and noble Linages in Rome were much esteemed In Rome they bare no office that descended of traitours The properties of a man born of a good linage A note of the Giants of the old time The differēce betwixt the great and litle men Of a little Frier of the Abbay of Guysando Little thinges giue more offence than profite A sise is obserued in nothing but in sermōs More grauitie is required in writing thā in talking Note the breuitie of ancient writing Twoo Romane Captaines would two manner of warres The warres against Numantia was vmust The nature of warres that is to be holden iust Warres betwixt christiās dependeth of the secretes God. Eight condicions meete to be performed by a captaine generall of the warres The good knight ought to imitate his good predecessors He is not to be intituled a knight that is rich but vertuous In the talke of warres not that I haue heard but that I haue scene is most commendable for a gentleman The armes of a knight are giuen him to fight and not to behold Age and abilitie be mothers of good counsell The generous and noble mind dothe more feare to flie than to abide In soden perils it needeth not to vse lōg and delayed counsels A fort ought to be the sepulchre of the defendant If many be married they are not fewe that be repentant No married man may liue without trauell That man is miserable that is maried vnto a foolish woman Worship is not blemished by answering of a letter A Prince did write vnto a bitmaker A noble Romane did write vnto a plough man. No man is so euill in whom there is not somwhat to be praysed Negligence presumptiō be two things that loseth friends Euill nurture is hurtfull in all estates Where is money there is dispatch God doth many times bring things to passe rather by the weake thā by the strong Amongst .xij. sonnes the yongest was most excellent To lacke friends is perillous And some friends be tedious We ought rather to bewaile the life of the wicked than the death of the iust A man is to be knowne but not to be vnderstood The battell of Rauenna for euermore shall be renoumed Lesse in the warres than many other thing we haue to beleue fortune With great eloquence the aucthor declareth the nature of
band in Spayne in time past A right notable rule A necessary rule for these our dayes A rule for modestie of apparell A rule for erection of curtesie and good maner Rules for the obseruyng of peace Rules for the obseruing of peace Rules for the exercise of armes They should assaile each other The nobleminde of the maker of this rule is to be noted Things to be noted A gracious confession of Cicero A notable example to be imbraced Hastie counsell breedeth repentance Worthy to be admitted a counsellour Short newes from the court The conditions of Italy A plaine aduertisement Notable conditions in a Iudge May descend but not fall Excellent graces in a iudge A friēdly perswasion Skilful eloquence Why the kings of Castile be called Catholiques The ouer-names of renoumed kings The yere the day the month and hour that Spaine was lost Spaine lost in eight months and hardly recouered in eight hundred yeares To the end cold in winter neither heate in somer shold hinder residents The first inuētiō of the title Catholike Contrary salutations in respect of his birth and maners A sufficiente cause to forget olde acquaintance Assured notes of old acquaintance The issue of vnhonest loue The conditions of men apt for loue A louer in possession of threescore and three yeares A chief cause of courtizans loue The authors of remedies for loue and the frute they reaped therof The beginners of quarels do sometyme catche a wipe Contrarye congratulations in respect of his functiō and maners The lykelyhode of a notable combat A lewde office for an old bishop Prelates for the bodie Doubtfull to be answered A Bishoppe vtterly voyde of a scrupulous conscience A bishop fighting for a bishoprike An Abbot fighting for a bishoprike The prelate lost his Catelina A tinage is an earthen can vsed in Spain of no litle syse to holde their wine Repugnancie in respect of estate and maners The conditiō of tyrants The office of a Bishop A Bishop practiseth his houshold not to pray but to skirmish Armour vsed to wrong purpose A wrong meane to obtayne fame A sclaunderous fraternitie Difficult to content Vaine promises A quent of Maruedis which be 6. for a penny amount 2500 Dukats Repugnancie of speech in respect of noble bloud and want of iudgement A friuolous deuise Notable qualities euill imployed In rebellon vse to pardon the poore and to behead the Captaines Perswasions of a perfect friend An eloquence rarely vsed Rebelles of Spayne Euill guydes not to be followed An eloquent persuasion The wordes of a very frende Repugnancie in speeche in respect of birth and maners A famous speache of an heathen prince A magnificēt answere of a pagan king An exceeding humanitie of a generall to a poore souldior An excellente counsell to make enimies tender and to conserue frendes The couetous man defendeth his goodes from himselfe The liberall and noble minded is Lorde of his neighbour The vile conditions of the couetous Slaues to their owne goodes Wāting that which he possesseth Two kayes to his cofer but two C. in his hart The whole life of the niggard is spent in penance The fruites of couetousnesse Notable conditions of the captain Narsetes I cruell commandement A sharpe answere His penne is constrained to make combat Loyaltie and treason fight not with wordes but with swordes Famouse women Vngodly sciences A religiu◠theft An eloquent perswasion The auhors of Rebellion Hard shiftes An vntoward change A miserable state A wrong deuise to maintaine a common wealth Mischiefe for a medicine Large offers Pithyly perswaded A sharp reprehension A friendly aduise Cruell prayers The authors of Phisicke A tale tolde in iest beleued in earnest Great trauailes that physik hath past Phisick hath wandred many countreys Phisicke vtterly decayed the space four hūdred yeres Rules to be noted The place whereas Ipochras was borne and other famous men The diligence of Ipochras Phisitions banished out of all Greece Another hundred yeares phisick banished out of Greece An exceeding reward The first phisition that cured for mony Phisick banisht another C. yeares In foure hūdreth yeares Rome reserued no Phisitions Nero brought from Greece vices and phisitiōs Phisitions banished by Titus the Emperour Cato an enemy of Phisitions Nota The causes of praise of phisicke The rule and Lordship of the Phisition A law amōgst the Gothes A sentence of Ipochras The Emperour Adrians opinion of Phisitions A notable reward in the place of punishment Valiant phisitions The authors opinion of Phisicke Anciēt lawes for the maried The conditions of the hapily maried A note for the maried A graue sentence of Plato The trauels of the maried man. Equalitie betwixt the maried very necessary Housholde enimies A caueat for Parents A knitting of harts before striking of handes Loue cometh rūning and retorneth flying In old tyme the fathers blessing preferred before hope of inheritance Want of shamefastnes in womē most hurtfull The safetie of womens reputation The cause of domesticall Combatts Suspition no small enimy to womens liues The honoure of the husbād dependeth on the wife A notorious example of a Greeke A furio◅ woman is compared to the hill Ethna An euill kind a measuring Malice finds many faultes Commodities following a pacient wife The dwelling rather of foles than friends A time for the husbande to seeke hys wittes Forget not to make choyce to harboure such guests Causes rather of pitie than of enuy To be noted Good counsel Aduertisements worth the folowing To be cōsidered An euill maner of cōferēce The wiues complaynt Froward out of measure A counsell to be imbraced The office of the husband and of the wife Rather trotting than spinning Causes of spitefull patience No small offence to God. The wife and sword must not be lent A foolish fashion to take vp dust Necessary exercises for the maried wife Idlenesse and chastitie are greatenimies The workes of an huswife A friendly warning to al mothers A Mareuedy is the sixt part of a peny The originall of the Turks The first Saracyns This Mahomet was borne in Arabia issued of the line of Ismaell and of a base place he being an Orphant was sold to a great Marchant his master dyed he married his wydow he was instructed in false doctrine by a Moonke named Sergius a fugitiue from Constantinople he afterwards chalenged and the people attributed certaine deuine veneration vnto him whych the vnlearned Barbarians were prompt to beleeue so as whē by force of the falling sicknesse he fel he feyned to the people that he could not endure the brightnesse of the Angell Gabriell whome he affirmed to celebrate with him the secrets of the highest with many suche abhominable errours and such like abuses he abused the people Othoman Orchanees Amurathes Solyman and Baiazeth Mahomet sonne to Amurathes Mahomet first of the race of Othomās that tooke on him the name of Greate Turke and Emperor To this Baiazeth succeded Selim which poysoned his father bicause he liued ouerlong and to Selim succeded Soliman