owne designements All that are of the contrary part must needs be wicked and of contrarie conditions yea and they that speake anie good or descrie anie good thing in them are likewise suspected to be of their part Can it not possiblie be that a man honest in all things else or at least in some thing may follow a wicked person maintaine a wicked cause It is enough that passion enforce the will but that it cary likewise the iudgement and make that a foole this is too much It is the soueraigne and last part that should alwaies maintaine it owne authority and we must ingenuouslie and in good sooth acknowledge the good that is in our aduersaries and the euill that is in those whom wee follow The ground and foundation of the controuersie being laid aside we must keepe moderation and indifferency and out of the businesse it selfe banish all choler all discontent And thus we see the euils that this ouergreat affection to any thing whatsoeuer bringeth with it of all yea of goodnesse and wisedome it selfe a man may haue too much But for a rule heerein we must remember that the principle 12 An aduisement and most lawfull charge that we haue is in euery man the conduct and guide of himselfe The reason why we are here is that we should maintaine our selues in tranquillitie and libertie And to do this the best remedie is to lend our selues to others and to giue our selues to none but to our selues to take our affaires into our hands not to place them in our hearts to take businesse vpon vs but not incorporate them into vs to be diligent not passionate not to tie our selues but to a few but rather alwaies to reserue our selues vnto our selues This counsell condemneth not those offices due to the weale-publike to our friends our neighbour yea it is so farre from it that a wise man must be officious and charitable applie vnto himselfe the customes of other men and the world and the rather to do it he must contribute to publike societie those offices and duties which concerne him Qui sibi amicus est hunc omnibus scito esse amicum But I require a double moderation and discretion heerein the one that a man applie not himselfe to all that is presented vnto him but to that which is iust and necessarie and that is not hard to be done the other that it be without violence and trouble He must desire little and that little moderately busie himselfe little and that peaceably and in those charges that he vndertaketh employ his pase his speech his attentions his sweatings his meanes and if need be his blood his life but yet without vexation and passion keeping himselfe alwayes to himselfe in health and tranquillitie A man may performe his dutie sufficiently without this ardencie and this so great contention of will And they deceiue themselues very much that thinke that a businesse is not well done and there is no maner of affection if it be not done with tempest clamour and clatter for contrariwise it is that that hindreth and troubleth the good guide and conduct thereof as hath been said O how many men hazzard their liues euery day in those warres which no way concerne them and thrust themselues into the danger of that bartell the losse whereof doth no way trouble their sleepe and all to the end they may not faile in their dutie whilest there is another in his owne house that dares not enter the danger or looke the enemie in the face is more affected with the issue of that warre and hath his mind more troubled than the souldier that aduentureth his blood and life in the field Finally we must know how to distinguish and separate our selues from our publike charges euery one of vs playeth two parts two persons the one strange and apparent the other proper and essentiall we must discerne the skinne from the shirt An actiue man will performe his charge and yet withall not leaue to iudge of the follie vice deceit that is therein he will conforme himselfe to euery thing because the custome of his countrey requireth it it is profitable to the weale-publike the world liues so and therefore it must be done A man must serue and make vse of the world such as he findeth it in the meane time he must likewise consider it as a thing estranged from it selfe know how to keepe and carie himselfe apart and to communicate himselfe to his owne trustie good howsoeuer things fall out with himselfe CHAP. III. True and essentiall honestie the first and fundamentall part of wisdome HAuing prepared and disposed our scholar to wisdome by these precedent aduisements that is to say hauing purified and freed him from all euils and placed him in a good estate of a full and vniuersall libertie to the end he may haue a perfect view knowledge and power ouer all things which is the priuiledge of a wise and spirituall man spiritualis omnia dijudicat it is now time to giue him instructions and generall rules of wisdome The two first shall be as preambles and foundations whereof the first and principall is honestie or probitie It will not be perhaps any matter of difficultie to make good this proposition That honestie is the first principall and fundamentall part of wisdome for all whether in truth and good earnest or in outward shew for shame or feare to say the contrarie doe applaud it they alwayes honour it in the first place confessing themselues seruitours and affectionate followers thereof but it will cost me some labour to shew and perswade which is that true and essentiall probitie we heere require For that which is in authoritie and credit wherewith the whole world contenteth it selfe that which is only knowne sought for and possessed I alwaies except some few of the wiser is bastardly artificiall false and counterfeit First we know that many times we are lead pricked forward 2 Masques of honestie to vertue and honorable actions by wicked and condemned meanes by default naturall impotencie by passion and vice it selfe chastitie sobrietie temperancie may be in vs by reason of our corporall imbecillitie the contempt of the world patience in aduersitie constancie in danger proceede many times from want of apprehension and iudgement valor liberalitie iustice it selfe from ambition discretion prudence from feare from auarice And how many beautifull actions hath presumption and temeritie brought forth So that the actions of vertue are many times no other but masques they carie the outward countenance but they haue not the essence they may very well be termed vertuous in consideration of another and of the visage they cary outwardly and in publike but in truth and with the actor himselfe they are nothing so for it will appeare at the last that profit glorie custome and other the like strange causes haue induced him to do them Sometimes they arise from stupiditie and brutish sottishnes and therefore it is said
is a collection of all that a man hath seene heard and read in bookes that is to say of the excellent sayings and doings of great personages that haue beene of all nations Now the garner or store-house where this great prouision remaineth and is kept the treasurie of science and all acquired good is the memorie He that hath a good memorie the fault is his owne if he want knowledge because he hath the meane Wisdome is a sweet and regular managing of the soule He is wise that gouerneth himselfe in his desires thoughts opinions speeches actions with measure and proportion To be briefe and in a word wisdome is the rule of the soule and that which manageth this rule is the iudgement which seeth iudgeth esteemeth all things rangeth them as they ought giuing to euery thing that which belongs vnto it Let vs now see their differences and how much wisdome excels the other Science is a small and barraine good in respect of wisdome for it is not only not necessarie for of three parts of the world two and more haue made little vse thereof but it brings with it small profit and serues to little purpose 1. It is no way seruiceable to the life of a man How many people rich and poore great and small liue pleasantlie and happilie that haue neuer heard any speech of science There are many other things more commodious and seruiceable to the life of man and the maintenance of humane societie as honor glorie nobilitie dignitie which neuerthelesse are not necessarie 2. Neither is it seruiceable to things naturall which an ignorant sot may as well performe as he that hath best knowledge Nature is a sufficient mistrisse for that 3. Nor to honestie and to make vs better paucis est opus literis ad bonam mentem nay it rather hindreth it He that will marke it well shall find not only more honest people but also more excellent in all kind of vertue amongst those that know little than those that know most witnesse Rome which was more honest being young and ignorant than when it was old craftie and cunning Simplex illa aperta a virtus in obscuram solertem scientiam versa est Science serueth not for any thing but to inuent crafts subtleties artificiall cunning deuises and whatsoeuer is an enemie to innocencie which willinglie lodgeth with simplicitie and ignorance Atheisme errours sects and all the troubles of the world haue risen from the order of these men of arte knowledge The first temptation of the diuell saith the scripture and the beginning of all euill and the ruine of mankind was the opinion and the desire of knowledge Eritis sicut dij scientes bonum malum The Sirenes to deceiue and intrap Vlysses within their snares offered vnto him the gift of science and S. Paul aduiseth you all to take heed ne quis vos seducat per philosophiam One of the sufficients men of knowledge that euer was spake of Science as of a thing not Salomon in his Ecclesiast only vaine but hurtfull painfull and tedious To be briefe Science may make vs more humane and courteous but not more honest 4. Againe it serueth nothing to the sweetning of our life or the quitting vs of those euils that oppresse vs in the world but contrarily it increaseth and sharpneth them witnesse children and fooles simple and ignorant persons who measuring euery thing by the present taste run thorow them with the lesse griefe beare them with better content than men of greatest learning and knowledge Science anticipateth those euils that come vpon vs in such sort that they are sooner in the soule of man by knowledge than in nature The wiseman said that he that increaseth knowledge increaseth Ecclesiastes 1. 18. sorrow Ignorance is a more fit remedie against all euils iners malorum remedium ignorantia est From whence proceed those counsels of our friends Thinke not of it put it out of your head and memorie Is not this to cast vs into the armes of ignorance as into the best and safest sanctuarie that may be But this is but a mockerie for to remember and to forget is not in our power But they would do as Chirurgions vse to do who not knowing how to heale a wound yet set a good shew vpon it by allaying the paine and bringing it asleepe They that counsell men to kill themselues in their extreame and remedilesse euils do they not send a man to ignorance stupiditie insensibilitie Wisdome is a necessarie good and vniuersallie commodious for all things it gouerneth and ruleth all there is not any thing that can hide or quit it selfe of the iurisdiction or knowledge thereof It beareth sway euery where in peace in warre in publick in priuat It ruleth and moderateth euen the insolent behauiors of men their sports their daunces their banquets and is as a bridle vnto them To conclude there is nothing that ought not to be done discretlie and wisely and contrarily without wisdome all things fall into trouble and confusion Secondly Science is seruile base and mechanicall in respect of wisdome and a thing borowed with paine A learned man is like a crow deckt with the feathers that he hath stollen from other birds He maketh a great shew in the world but at the charge of another and he had need to vaile his bonnet often as a testimonie of that honor he giues to those from whom he hath borowed his arte A wise man is like him that liues vpon his owne reuenewes for wisdome is properly a mans owne it is a naturall good well tilled and laboured Thirdly the conditions are diuers the one more beautifull and more noble than the other Learning or Science is fierce presumptuous arrogant opinatiue indiscreet querulous scientia inflat 2. Science is talkatiue desirous to shew it selfe which neuerthelesse knowes not how to do any thing is not actiue but only fit to speake and to discourse wisdom acteth and gouerneth all Learning then and wisdome are things very different and wisdome of the two the more excellent more to be esteemed than science For it is necessarie profitable to all vniuersall actiue noble honest gracious cheerefull Science is particular vnnecessarie seldome profitable not actiue seruile mechanicall melancholicke opinatiue presumptuous We come now to the other point and that is that they are not alwaies together but contrarily almost alwaies separated 19 Learning and wisdome meete not together The naturall reason as hath been said is that their temperatures are contrarie For that of science and memorie is moist and that of wisdome and iudgement drie This also is signified vnto vs in that which happened to our first parents who as soone as they cast their eies vpon knowledge they presentlie desired it and so were robbed of that wisdome wherewithall they were indued from their beginning whereof we euery day see the like in common experience The most beautifull and florishing states Common-weales Empires ancient
two contrary fortunes prosperity and aduerfity as with two violent and mighty winds and finally that vile and base captiuity wherwith the spirit that is to say the iudgement and will is enthralled like a beast vnder the yoke of certaine locall and particular rules and opinions Now he must emancipate and free himselfe from these stockes and vniust subiections and bring his spirit into libertie restore himselfe to himselfe free vniuersall open seeing into all and wandring through the beautifull and vniuersall circuit of the world and of nature In commune genitus mundum vt vnam domum spectans toti se inferens mundo in omnes eius actus contemplationem suam mittens The place being thus trimmed and made ready the first foundations that are to be laid are a true honesty and to liue in such an estate and vocation whereunto a man is fit The principall parts wherwith he must raise assure and settle this building are first true piety whereby with a soule not astonished but setled pure free deuout a man contemplateth God the great soueraigne and absolute work-master of all things who can neither be seene nor knowen but yet he must be knowen adored worshipped serued with the whole heart from whom he is to hope for all maner of good and to feare no euill afterwards he must walke roundly in simplicity and truth according to the lawes and customes liue with a heart open both to the eies of God and the world Conscientiam suam aperiens semperque tanquam in publico viuens se magis veritus quà m alios Againe hee must keepe in himselfe and with others and generally in all things in his thoughts speeches designments actions a moderation the mother or nurse of tranquillity laying aside all pompe and vanity rule his desires content himselfe with a mediocrity and sufficiency quod sit esse velit nihilque malit reioice in his fortunes A tempest hath a great deale lesse force and doth lesse hurt when the sailes are taken downe than when they are hoised vp and laid open to the windes He must bee constant against whatsoeuer may wound or hurt him raise himselfe aboue and beyond all feare contemning all the blowes of fortuen of death holding it as the end of all euils and not the cause of any contemptor omnium quibus torquetur vitae supra omnia quae contingunt acciduntque eminens Imperturbatus intrepidus And so hold himselfe firme vnto himselfe agree with himselfe liue at ease without any paine or inward contention full of ioy of peace of comfort and content in himselfe Sapiens plenus gaudio hilaris placidus cum dijs ex pari viuit Sapientiae effectus gaudij aequalitas solus sapiens gaudet He must I say entertaine himselfe and continue content in himselfe which is the proper fruit and effect of wisdome Nisi sapienti sua non placent omnis stultitia laborat fastidio sui Non est beatus esse se qui non put at To conclude to this tranquillitie of spirit two things are necessarie innocencie and a good conscience this is the first and principall part which doth maruellously arme and confirme him with assurance but this is not alwaies sufficient in the force of the tempest as it is many times seene in diuers that are troubled and lost Erit tanta tribulatio vt seducantur iusti And therefore the other is likewise necessarie which is force and constancie of courage as likewise this alone were not sufficient for the force and resistance of the conscience is maruellous it makes vs to betray to accuse our selues for want of other witnesses it is as a thousand witnesses against vs. Occultum quatiens animo tortore flagellum It frameth an enditement condemneth executeth vs there is no closet close enough for wicked men saith Epicurus because they neuer can assure themselues to be hid their owne conscience alwaies discouering them to themselues Prima est haec vltio quod se iudice nemo nocens absoluitur So likewise neither a weake fearefull soule be it neuer so holy nor a strong and couragious if it be not sound pure can neuer enioy this so rich happie tranquillitie but he that hath them all worketh wonders as Socrates Epaminondas Cato Scipio of whom ther are three admirable exploits touching this subiect These two Romanes being publikely accused made their accusers to blush woon the Iudges and the whole assemblie being strucken with an admiration He had a heart too great by nature saith Titus Liuius of Scipio to know how to be faultie and to debase himselfe so much as to defend his owne innocencie FINIS OF WISDOME THE THIRD BOOKE Wherein are handled the particular aduisements of Wisdome by the foure morall vertues THE PREFACE FOrasmuch as our purpose in this Booke is by peecemeale to instruct vnto wisedome and to giue the particular aduisements after the generall handled in the Second Booke that we may the better hold a certaine course and order therein we haue thought that we cannot do better than to follow the foure mistris and morall vertues Prudence Iustice Fortitude and Temperance for in these soure almost all the duties of our life are comprehended Prudence is as a generall guide and conduct of the other vertues and of our whole life though properlie it be exercised in the affaires that belong thereunto Iustice concerneth the persons of men for it is to giue vnto euery one that which belongeth vnto him Fortitude and Temperance concerneth all accidents good and euill pleasant and painefull good and ill fortune Now in these three persons affaires and accidents is conteined all our life and humane condition and the trafficke of this world Of Prudence the first vertue CHAP. I. Of Prudence in generall PRudence is with reason put in the first rancke as the generall Queene superintendent and guide of all other vertues 1 The excellencie thereof auriga virtutum without which there is nothing good beautifull fit and decent it is the salt of our life the lustre the ornament the sauce or seasoning of our actions the square and rule of our affaires and in a word the Arte of our life as Physicke the arte of our health It is the knowledge and choice of those things we must 2 The definition either desire or flie it is the iust estimation triall of things it is the eye that seeth all that directeth and ordaineth all It consisteth in three things which are all of one ranke to consult and deliberate well to iudge and resolue well to conduct and execute well It is a vniuersall vertue for it extendeth it selfe generally to all humane things not only in grosse but by peecemeale to 3 It is vniuersall euery particular thing is as infinite as are the indiuiduals It is very difficult both by reason of the aforesaid infinitnes for the particulars are without knowledge as without 4 Difficult Senec. number si qua finiri non possunt
That is to say in the fourth place Counsell the great and principall point of this politique doctrine and so important that it is in a maner all in all It is the soule of the state and the spirit that giueth life motion and action to al the other parts and for that cause it is said that the managing of affaires consisteth in prudence Now it were to be wished that a prince had in himselfe counsell and prudence sufficient to gouerne and to prouide for all which is the first and highest degree of wisdome as hath beene said and if so it were the affaires would goe farre better Chap. 1. but this is rather to be wished than hoped for whether it be for want of a good nature or a good institution and it is almost impossible that one only head should be sufficiently furnished for so many matters Nequit princeps sua scientia cuncta complecti nec vnius mens tantae molis est capax A lone Tacit. man seeth and heareth but little Now kings haue neede of many eies and many eares and great burthens and great affaires haue neede of great helpes And therefore it is requisite that he prouide and furnish himselfe with good counsell and such men as know how to giue it for he whosoeuer hee be that will take all vpon himselfe is rather held to bee proud than discreet or wise A Prince then had neede of faithfull friends and seruitours to be his assistants quos assumat in partem curarum These are his true treasures and profitable instruments Tit. Liui. Tacit. of the state In the choice whereof hee should especially labour and imploy his whole iudgement to the end he may haue them good There are two sorts of them Plin. the one aide the prince with their dutie counsell and tongue and are called Counsellers the other serue him with their hands and actions and may be called Officers The first are farre more honourable for the two greatest philosophers say that it is a sacred and diuine thing well to deliberate and to giue good counsell Now Counsellers must be first faithfull that is to say in a word honest men Optimum quemque fidelissimum puto Secondly 17 The condition of good counsellers Fidelitie Plin. Sufficiencie they must be sufficient in this point that is to say skilfull in the state diuersly experimented and tried for difficulties and afflictions are excellent lessons and instructions mihi fortuna multis rebus ereptis vsum dedit bene suadendi And in a word they must be wise and prudent indifferent quicke and not ouer sharpe for such kind of men are too moueable nouandis quà m gerendis rebus aptiora ingenia illa ignea And that Curtius they may be such it is requisite that they bee old and ripe for besides that yong men by reason of the soft and delicate tendernesse of their age are easily deceiued they do as easily beleeue and receiue euery impression It is good that about Princes there be some wise some subtile but much more such as are wise who are required for honour and for all times the subtile only sometimes for necessitie Thirdly it is necessary that in proposing and giuing good and holesome counsell they carrie themselues freely and couragiously without flattery Liberty or ambiguity or disguisement not accommodating their language to the present state of the prince Ne cum fortuna potius principis loquantur quà m cum ipso but without sparing the Tacit. truth speake that which is fit and requisite For although liberty roundnesse of speech and fidelity hurt and offend for the time those against whom it opposeth it selfe yet afterwards it is reuerenced and esteemed In praesentia quibus risistis offendis deinde illis ipsis suspicitur laudaturque And fourthly constantly without yeelding varying and changing at euery meeting to please and follow the humour pleasure and passion of another but without opinatiue obstinacy and a spirit of contradiction which troubleth and hindereth all good deliberation he must sometimes change his opinion which is not inconstancy but prudence For a wise man marcheth not alwaies with one and the same pase although hee follow the same waie he changeth not but accommodateth himselfe Senec. non semper it vno gradu sed vna via non se mutat sed aptat As a good mariner ordereth his sailes according to the times and the winde it is necessary many times to turne and winde and to arriue to that place obliquely by fetching a compasse when he can not doe it directly and by a straight line Again a religious dexteritie to keepe secret the counsels and deliberations Silence of Princes is a thing verie necessarie in the managing of affaires res magnae sustineri nequeunt ab eo cui tacere graue est And it sufficeth not to bee secret but hee must not prie and Curtius search into the secrets of his Prince this is an ill and a dangerous thing exquirere abditos principis sensus illicitum anceps Tacit. yea he must be vnwilling and auoid all meanes to know them And these are the principall good conditions and qualities of a counseller as the euill which they must warily auoid are presumptuous confidence which maketh a man to deliberate and determine ouer boldly and obstinately for a The vices that counsellers must auoid Presumptuous confidence Tit. Liuius wise man in deliberating thinketh and rethinketh redoubting whatsoeuer may happen that he may be the bolder to execute Nam animus vereri qui scit scit tutò aggredi Contrarily the foole is hardie and violent in his deliberations but when he comes to the issue his nose fals a bleeding Consilia calida audacia prima specie laeta sunt tractâtu dura enentu tristia Secondly all passion of choler enuy hatred auarice concupiscence and all priuate and particular affection Passion the deadly poison of iudgement and all good vnderstanding priuatae res semper offecere officientque publicis consilijs pessimum veri affectus iudicij venenum sua cuique vtilitas Lastly precipitation Tacit. Precipitation Sec lib. 2. cap. 10. Tacit. an enemie to all good counsell and only fit to doe mischiefe And thus you see what maner of men good counsellers ought to be Now a prince must make choice of such as are good either by his owne knowledge and iudgement or if hee cannot so 18 The duty of the prince in abusing good counsellers doe by their reputation which doth seldome deceiue whereupon one of them said to his prince Hold vs for such as we are esteemed to be Nam singuli decipere decipipossunt nemo omnes neminem omnes fefellerunt And let him take heede that he chuse not his minions and fauorites courtiers flatterers slaues who shame their masters and betray them There is nothing more dangerous than the counsell of the cabinet And hauing chosen and found them he must wisely
4 Difficult and dangerous affaires PAGE 406 5 Coniurations PAGE 407 6 Treason PAGE 409 7 Popular commotions PAGE 410 8 Faction and confederacie PAGE 411 9 Sedition PAGE 412 10 Tyrannie and rebellion PAGE 414 11 Ciuill warres PAGE 415 12 Aduisements for particular persons touching the foresayd publike diuisions PAGE 416 13 Of priuate troubles and diuisions PAGE 419 Of Iustice the second vertue CHAP. 5 Of Iustice in generall PAGE 419 CHAP. 6 Of the Iustice and dutie of a man towards himselfe PAGE 422 Of the Iustice and dutie of a man towards man with an Aduertisement PAGE 428 The first part which is of the generall and common duties of all towards all and first CHAP. 7 Of Loue or friendship PAGE 429 CHAP. 8 Of Faith fidelitie treacherie secrecie PAGE 436 CHAP. 9 Veritie and free admonition PAGE 439 CHAP. 10 Of flattery lying and dissimulation PAGE 441 CHAP. 11 Of benefits obligation and thankefulnesse PAGE 446 The second part which concerneth the speciall duties of certeine men towards certeine men by certeine and speciall obligation The Preface PAGE 453 CHAP. 12 The dutie of married folke PAGE 454 CHAP. 13 Householde husbandrie PAGE 456 CHAP. 14 The duty of Parents and children PAGE 457 CHAP. 15 The duty of Masters and seruants PAGE 486 CHAP. 16 The duty of Soueraignes and subiects PAGE 488 CHAP. 17 The duty of Magistrates PAGE 491 CHAP. 18 The duty of great and small PAGE 497 Of Fortitude the third vertue Preface PAGE 498 CHAP. 19 Of Fortitude or valour in generall PAGE 499 Of Fortitude or valour in particular PAGE 503 CHAP. 20 The first part of outward euils PAGE 504 CHAP. 21 Of outward euils considered in their effects and fruits PAGE 509 Of outward euils in themselues and particularly An Aduertisement PAGE 510 CHAP. 22 Of Sicknesse and griefe PAGE 511 CHAP. 23 Of Captiuitie and imprisonment PAGE 513 CHAP. 24 Of Banishment and exile PAGE 515 CHAP. 25 Of Pouertie want losse of goods PAGE 516 CHAP. 26 Of Infamie PAGE 518 27 Of the losse of friends PAGE 519 CHAP. Of Death PAGE 520 The second part of inward euils c. The Preface PAGE 520 CHAP. 28 Against Feare PAGE 521 CHAP. 29 Against Sorrow PAGE 522 CHAP. 30 Against Compassion and mercy PAGE 523 CHAP. 31 Against Choler PAGE 524 CHAP. 32 Against Hatred PAGE 528 CHAP. 33 Against Enuie PAGE 528 CHAP. 34 Against Reuenge PAGE 529 CHAP. 35 Against Iealousie PAGE 530 Of Temperance the fourth vertue CHAP. 36 Of Temperance in generall PAGE 532 CHAP. 37 Of Prosperitie and counsell thereupon PAGE 533 CHAP. 38 Of Pleasure and aduice thereupon PAGE 534 CHAP. 39 Of Eating and drinking Abstinence and sobrietie PAGE 539 CHAP. 40 Of Riot and excesse in apparell and ornaments and of frugalitie PAGE 541 CHAP. 41 Carnall pleasure chastitie continencie PAGE 542 CHAP. 42 Of Glory and ambition PAGE 545 CHAP. 43 Of Temperancie in speech and of Eloquence PAGE 547 The end of the Table OF VVISDOME Three Books THE PREFACE VVhere the Name Subiect Purpose and Method of this VVorke is set downe with an Aduertisement to the Reader IT is required at the first entrie into 1 Of the word Wisdome this Worke that wee know what this Wisdome is and since it beareth that name and title how we purpose to speake thereof All men in generall at the first view of the simple word it selfe doe easily conceiue and imagine it to be some qualitie sufficiencie or habit not common or vulgar but excellent singular and eleuated aboue that which is common and ordinarie be it good or euill For it is taken and vsed though perhaps improperly in both kinds Sapientes sunt vt faciant mala and signifieth not Hierem. 4. Arist lib. 5. Metaphy properly a good and laudable qualitie but exquisite singular excellent in whatsoeuer it be And therefore we doe as well say A wise Tyrant Pirat Theefe as A wise King Pilot Captaine that is to say Sufficient prudent aduised not simply and vulgarly but excellently For there is opposite vnto Wisdome not onely follie which is an irregularitie or loosenesse of life and Wisdome a regularitie or moderation well measured and proportioned but also common basenesse and vulgar Simplicitie For Wisdome is high strong and excellent yea whether it be in good or euill it conteineth two things Sufficiencie that is Prouision or furnture for whatsoeuer is required and necessarie and that it be in some high degree of excellencie So that you see what the simpler sort imagine Wisdome to be at the first view and the simple sound of the word whereby they conclude That there are few wise men that they are rare as euery excellencie is and that to them by right it apperteineth to command and gouerne others that they are as Oracles from whence is that saying Beleeue others and referre thy selfe to the wise But well to define this thing and according to trueth and to distinguish it into his true parts all men know not neither are they of one accord nor is it easie for otherwise doe the common people otherwise the Philosophers otherwise the Diuines speake thereof These are the three floores and degrees of the world The two latter proceed by order and rules and precepts the former confusedly and very imperfectly Now then we may say That there are three sorts 2 The diuision of Wisdome and degrees of wisdome Diuine Humane Mundane which correspond vnto God Nature pure and entire Nature vitiated and corrupted Of all these sorts and euerie of them doe all these three orders of the world which before we speake of write and discourse euerie one according to his owne maner and fashion but properly and formally the common sort that is to say the world of worldly wisdome the Philosopher of humane the Diuine of diuine wisdome Worldly wisdome and of the three the more base 3 Worldly wisdome which is diuers according to the three great Captaines and Leaders of this inferiour world Opulencie Pleasure Glorie or rather Auarice Luxurie Ambition Quicquid est in mundo est concupiscentia oculorum 1. Iohn 3. concupiscentia carnis superbia vitae for which cause it is called by S. Iames Terrena Animalis Diabolica Iames 3. is reprooued by Philosophie and Diuinitie which pronounceth it follie before God Stultam fecit 1. Cor. 1. Deus sapientiam huius mundi Of this wisdome therefore we speake not in this Booke except it be to dispraise and condemne it Diuine wisdome and of the three the highest is defined 4 Diuine wisdome and handled by Philosophers and Diuines but somewhat diuersly As for the common or worldly wisdome I disdaine it and passe by whatsoeuer may be spoken thereof as prophane and too vnworthy in this Treatise to be read The Philosophers make it altogether Speculatiue saying That it is the knowledge of the principles first causes and highest power to iudge of all things euen of the most Souereigne which is God himselfe and
THe goods of the body are Health Beauty Cheerfulnes 1 The praise of Health Srength Vigor a prompt readinesse and disposition but of all these Health is the first and passeth all the rest Health is the most beautifull and rich present that Nature can bestow vpon vs and aboue all other things to be preferred not only Science Nobility Riches but Wisdome it selfe which the austerest amongst the wise doe affirme It is the only thing that deserueth our whole imploiment yea our life it selfe to attaine vnto it for without it life is no life but a death vertue and wisdome grow weake and faint What comfort can all the wisdome of the world bring to the greatest man that is if he be thorowly stricken with an Apoplexie Doubtlesse there is nothing to be preferred before this bodily health but Honestie which is the health of the Soule Now it is common vnto vs with beasts yea many times it is greater and far more excellent in them than in vs and notwithstanding it be a gift of Nature gaudeant bene nati giuen in the first formation yet that which afterward followeth The milke Good gouernment which consisteth in sobrietie and moderate exercises lightnesse of heart and a continuall auoidance of all passions do preserue it much Griefe and sickenesse are the contraries vnto it which are the greatest if not the only euils that follow man whereof we shall speake hereafter But in the preseruation hereof beasts likewise simply following nature which hath giuen them health do farre exceed men they often times forgetting themselues though afterwards they pay dearly for it Next followeth Beautie a good of great account in the society 2 Beautie of men It is the first meane of reconciling or vniting one to another and it is very likely that the first distinction that hath beene of one man from another and the first consideration that giueth preheminence to one aboue another hath beene the aduantage of beauty It is likewise a powerfull quality there is none that surmounteth it in credit or that hath so great a part in the societie of men for there is none so barbarous none so resolute that hath not been beaten by it It presenteth it selfe vnto the view it seduceth and preoccupateth the iudgement it makes deepe impressions and presseth a man with great authority and therefore Socrates called it a short tyranny and Plato the priuiledge of Nature for it seemeth that he that carieth in his countenance the fauours of Nature imprinted in a rare and excellent beautie hath a kinde of lawfull power ouer vs and that we turning our eies towards him he likewise turneth our affections and enthrawleth them in despight of our selues Aristotle sayth that it apperteineth to those that are beautifull to command that they are venerable next to the gods themselues that there are none but such as are blinde but are touched with it Cyrus Alexander Caesar three great Commanders haue made great vse thereof in their greatest affaires yea Scipio the best of them all Faire and good are neere neighbours and are expressed by the selfe same words both in Greeke and in the Scriptures Many great Philosophers haue attained to their wisdome by the assistance of their beauty It is likewise considerable and much required in beasts themselues 3 The distinction of Beauty There are in Beauty diuers things to be considered That of men is properly the forme and feature of the bodie as for other beauties they belong vnto women There are two sorts of beauties the one setled which moueth not at all and it consisteth in the due proportion and colour of the members a body that is not swolne or puffed vp wherein the sinewes and veines appeare not from far nor the bones presse not the skin but full of bloud and spirits and in good state hauing the muscles eleuated the skin smooth the colour vermillion the other moueable which is called a good grace and is the true guiding or cariage of the motion of the members and aboue all the eyes The former beauty of it selfe is as it were dead this actiue and full of life There are beauties that are rude fierce sowre others that are sweet yea though they be fading Beauty is properly to be considered in the visage There 4 Of the visage is nothing more beautifull in man than his soule and in the body of man than his visage which is as it were the soule abreuiated that is the paterne or image of the soule that is her Escuchion with many quarters representing the collection of all her titles of honour planted and placed in the gate and forefront to the end that men may know that heere is her abode and her palace By the countenance it is that we know the person of a man and therefore arte which imitateth nature takes no care to represent the person of man but only to paint or carue the visage There are many speciall singularities in the visage of man which are not in beasts for to say the truth they haue no visage 5 Seuen singularities in the visage of man nor in the rest of the body of man As the number and diuersitie of the parts and formes of them in beasts there is neither chin nor cheeks nor forehead much lesse any forme or fashion of them Variety of colours as in the eye onely there is blacke white greene blew red crystaline Proportion for the senses are there double answering the one to the other and in such a maner that the greatnesse of the eye is the greatnesse of the mouth the largenesse of the forehead the length of the nose the length of the nose that of the chin and lips An admirable diuersitie of countenances and such that there are hardly found two faces in all respects like one another this is a chiefe point of workmanship which in no other thing can be found This variety is very profitable yea necessary for humane society first to know one another for infinite euils yea the dissipation of humane kinde must needs follow if a man should mistake himselfe by the semblance and similitude of diuers visages yea it would be a confusion worse than that of Babel A man would take his daughter for his sister for a stranger his enemy for his friend If our faces were all alike we should not discerne a man from a beast and if they were not all vnlike one another we could not know how to discerne a man from a man Besides it was an excellent arte of Nature to place in this part some secret that might giue contentment to one another thorow the whole world for by reason of this varietie of faces there is not a person that in some part is not beautifull The dignity and honour of it round figure forme vpright and eleuated on high naked and vncouered without haire feathers scales as in other creatures looking vp vnto heauen Grace sweetnesse a pleasant and decent comlinesse euen to the
giuing vp of a mans Soule and the rauishing of his will as hath beene shewed before To be briefe the visage is the throne of beautie and loue the seat of laughter and kissing two things very proper and agreeable vnto man the true and most significant symboles of amitie and good discretion Finally it is apt for all alterations to declare the inward motions and passions of the soule as Ioy Heauinesse Loue Hatred Enuie Malice Shame choler Iealousie so forth It is as the hand of a diall which noteth the houres and moments of time the wheeles and motions themselues being hid within And as the aire which receiueth all the colours changes of the time sheweth what the weather is so saith one the aire of a mans countenance Corpus animum tegit detegit in facie legitur homo The beauty of the face consisteth in a large square well 6 A description of the beautie of the face extended and cleere front eye-browes well ranged thin and subtile the eye well diuided cheerefull sparkling as for the colour I leaue it doubtfull the nose leane the mouth little the lips coraline the chinne short and dimpled the cheekes somewhat rising and in the middle the pleasant gelasin the eares round and well compact the whole countenance with a liuely tincture white and vermilion Neuerthelesse this description of Beauty is not generally receiued the opinions of Beauty are different according to the diuersity of nations With the Indians the greatest Beautie consisteth in that which we account the greatest deformitie that is in a tawny colour thicke and swollen lips a flat and large nose teeth spotted with blacke or red great eares and hanging a little low forehead dugs great and pendant to the end they may giue their little ones sucke ouer their shoulders and to attaine to this forme of beautie they vse all maner of arte But not to wander so farre in Spaine the chiefest beautie is leane and neatly compt in Italie fat corpulent and solid the soft and delicate and flattering please the one the strong vigorous fierce and commanding the other The Beauty of the body especially the visage should in 7 The beautie of the soule and body all reason demonstrate and witnesse the beauty of the soule which is a qualitie and rule of opinions and iudgements with a certaine stedfastnesse and constancie for there is nothing that hath a truer resemblance than the conformity and relation of the body to the spirit and when this is not wee must needs thinke that there is some accident that hath interrupted the ordinary course as it comes to passe and wee often times see it for the milke of the Nurse the first institution conuersation bring great alterations to the originall nature of the soule whether in good or euill Socrates confessed that the deformitie of his bodie did iustly accuse the naturall deformitie of his soule but that by industrie and institution he had corrected that of the soule This outward countenance is a weake and dangerous suretie but they that belie their owne physiognomie are rather to be punished than others because they falsifie and betray that good promise that Nature hath planted in their front and deceiue the world CHAP. VI. Of the vestments of the Bodie THere is great likelihood that the custome or fashion of Nakednesse is naturall going naked as yet continued in a great part of the world was the first and originall amongst men and that of couering and adorning the bodie with garments was artificiall and inuented to helpe and inlarge nature as they which by artificiall light goe about to increase the light of the day for Nature hauing sufficiently prouided for all other creatures a couering it is not to be beleeued that she hath handled man worse than the rest and left him only indigent and in such a state that he could not helpe himselfe without forren succours and therefore those reproches that are made against Nature as a stepmother are vniust If men from the beginning had beene clothed it is not likely that they would euer haue disrobed themselues and gone naked both in regard of their health which could not but be much offended with that change and shame it selfe and neuerthelesse it is done and obserued amongst many nations Neither can it be alledged that we clothe our selues either to couer our nakednesse or priuy parts or to defend vs against colde for these are the two reasons pretended for against heat there is no appearance of reason because Nature hath not taught vs that there is any thing in our nakednesse that we should be ashamed of it is we that by our owne fault and fale haue tolde it our selues Quis indicauit tibi quod nudus esses nisi quod ex ligno quod praeceperam tibi ne comederes comedisti and Nature hath already sufficiently hid them put them farre from our eies and couered them And therefore it is lesse needfull to couer those parts only as some doe in those countreys where they goe all naked and ordinarily are not couered for why should he that is the lord of all other creatures not daring to shew himselfe naked vnto the world hide himselfe vnder the spoiles of another nay adorne himselfe As for colde and other particular and locall necessities wee know that vnder the selfe same aire the selfe same heauen one goes naked another apparelled and we haue all the most delicate part vncouered and therefore a wandring person being asked How he could go so naked in Winter answered That our faces are alwayes naked and he was all face Yea many great personages haue euer gone with their heads vncouered Massinissa Caesar Hanibal Seuerus and many nations there are which go to the warres and fight all naked and the counsell that Plato giueth for the continuance of health is neuer to couer either head or feet And Varro sayth That when it was first ordained that men should vncouer their heads in the presence of the gods and of the magistrate that it was rather for healths sake and to harden themselues against the iniuries of the times than for reuerence Lastly the inuention of couers and houses against the iniuries of heauen and men is more ancient more naturall more vniuersall than of garments and common with many creatures but an industrious search for victuall more naturall than either Of the vse of garmens and aliment heereafter Lib. 3. c. 43. CHAP. VII Of the Soule in generall BEholde here a matter of all others most difficult handled The Preface and discoursed by the wisest of all Nations especially Egyptians Greeks Arabians and Latines by our latter Writers more shallowly as all other Philosophy but with great diuersitie of opinions according to the diuersitie of Nations Religions Professions without any certaine accord or resolution The generall knowledge and discourse thereof may be referred to these ten points The Definition Essence or Nature Faculties and Actions Vnitie or Pluralitie
similitude of military policy The Senses are the Sentinels of the Soule watching for the preseruation thereof and messengers or scouts to serue as ministers and instruments to the vnderstanding the soueraigne part of the Soule And for the better performance heereof they haue receiued power to apprehend the things to draw the formes and to embrace or reiect them according as they shall seeme agreeable or odious vnto their nature Now in exercising their charge they must bee content to know and to giue knowledge to others of what doth passe not enterprising to remoue greater forces lest by that meanes they put all into an alarum and confusion As in an army the Sentinels many times by want of the watch word and knowledge of the desseigne and purpose of the Captaine that commandeth may be deceiued and take for their succor their enemies disguised which come vnto them or for enemies those that come to succour So the Senses by not apprehending whatsoeuer is reason are many times deceiued by an appearance and take that for a friend which is our enemy And when vpon this thought and resolution not attending the commandement of reason they go about to remoue the power concupiscible and irascible they raise a sedition and tumult in our soules during which time reason is not heard nor the vnderstanding obeied 4 The distinction of the Passions according to their obiect and subiect By this time we see their regiments their rankes their generall kindes and speciall Euery passion is moued by the appearance and opinion either of what is good or what is ill If by that which is good and that the soule do simply so consider of it this motion is called Loue. If it be present and such whereof the Soule in it selfe taketh comfort it is called pleasure Of the concupiscible six and ioy if it be to come it is called desire if by that which is euill it is hate if it be present in our selues it is sorrow and griefe if in another it is pity if it bee to come it is feare And these which arise in vs by the obiect of an apparant euill which we abhor and flie from descend more deeply into our hearts and arise with greater difficulty And this is the first band of that seditious rowt which trouble the rest and quiet of our soules that is in the concupiscible part the effects whereof notwithstanding they are very dangerous yet they are not so violent as those that follow them for these first motions formed in this parte by the obiect which presenteth it selfe do passe incontinently into the irascible part that is to say into that compasse where the soule seeketh the meanes to obtaine or auoid that which seemeth vnto it either good or ill And then euen as a wheele that is alreadie in motion receiuing another motion by a new force turnes with farre greater speede so the Soule being already mooued by the first apprehension ioining a second endeuour to the first carrieth it selfe with farre more violence than before and is stirred vp by passions more puisant and difficult to be tamed inasmuch as they are doubled and now coupled to the former vniting themselues and backing the one the other by a In the irascible fiue mutuall consent for the first passions which are formed vpon an obiect of an appearing good entring into consideration of meanes whereby to obtain it stirre vp in vs either hope or despaire They that are formed vpon an obiect of an euill to come stirre vp in vs either feare or the contrarie which is audacitie of a present euill choler and courage which passions are strangely violent and wholly peruert the reason which they finde already shaken Thus you see the principall windes from whence arise the tempests of our Soule and the pit whereout they rise is nothing else but the opinion which commonly is false wandring vncertaine contrary to nature veritie reason certaintie that a man hath that the things that present themselues vnto vs are either good or ill for hauing conceiued them to be such we either folow them or with violence flie from them And these are our passions OF PASSIONS IN PARTICVLAR An Aduertisement WE wil entreat of their natures that we may thereby see their follies vanitie misery iniustice that foulnesse that is in them to the end we may know learne how iustly to hate them The counsell that is giuen for the auoidance of them is in the bookes following These are the two parts of Lib. 3. in the vertue of Fortitude Temperance physicke to shew the maladie and to giue the remedy It remaineth therefore that heere we first speake of all those that respect the appearing good which are loue and the kindes thereof desire hope despaire ioy and afterwards all those that respect the ill which are many choler hatred enuie iealousie reuenge crueltie feare sadnesse compassion CHAP. XIX Of Loue in generall THe first and chiefe mistresse of all the passions is Loue The distinction of loue and comparison which consisteth of diuers subiects and whereof there are diuers sorts and degrees There are three principall kinds vnto which all the rest are referred we speake of the vitious and passionate loue for of the vertuous which is Amitie Charitie Dilection we will speake in the vertue of Iustice Lib. 3. that is to say Ambition or Pride which is the loue of greatnesse and honour Couetousnesse the loue of riches and voluptuous or carnall loue Beholde heere the three gulfes and precipitate steepes from which few there are that can defend themselues the three plagues and infections of all that we haue in hand the minde bodie and goods the armories of those three captaine enemies of the health and quiet of mankinde the Diuell the flesh the world These are in truth three powers the most common and vniuersall passions and therefore the Apostle hath diuided into these three whatsoeuer is in the world Quicquid est in mundo est concupiscentia oculorum aut carnis aut superbia vitae Ambition as more spirituall so it is more high and noble than the others Voluptuous loue as more naturall and vniuersall for it is euen in beasts themselues where the rest are not so it is more violent and lesse vitious I say simply violent for sometimes Ambition excelles it but this is some particular maladie Couetousnesse of all the rest is the sickest and most sottish CHAP. XX. Of Ambition AMbition which is a thirst after honour and glorie a 1 The description gluttonous and excessiue desire of greatnesse is a sweet and pleasing passion which distilleth easily into generous spirits but is not without paine got forth againe We thinke it is our dueties to embrace what is good and amongst those good things we account of honour more than them all See heere the reason why with all our strength wee run vnto it An ambitious man will alwayes be the first he neuer lookes backward but
refusing and trampling glory vnder foot than in the desire and fruition thereof as Plato told Diogenes And ambition is neuer better caried better guided than by wandering and vnusuall wayes Ambition is a follie and a vanitie for it is as much as if a 10 It is a folly man should run to catch the smoake in stead of the light the shadow in stead of the bodie to fasten the contentment of his minde vpon the opinion of the vulgar sort voluntarily to renounce his owne libertie to follow the passions of others to enforce himselfe to displease himselfe for the pleasure of the beholders to let his owne affections depend vpon the eyes of another so farre foorth to loue vertue as may be to the liking of the common sort to doe good not for the loue of good but reputation This is to be like vnto vessels when they are pierced a man can draw nothing foorth before hee giue thm a vent Ambition hath no limits it is a gulfe that hath neither 11 It is insatiable brinke nor bottome it is that vacuitie which the Philosophers could neuer finde in Nature a fire which encreaseth by that nourishment that is giuen vnto it Wherein it truly paieth his master for ambition is only iust in this that it sufficeth for his owne punishment and is executioner to it selfe The wheele of Ixion is the motion of his desires which turne and returne vp and downe neuer giuing rest vnto his minde They that will flatter ambition say it is a seruant or helpe vnto vertue and a spurre to beautifull actions for it quitteth 12 The excuses of ambition vaine a man of all other sinnes and in the end of himselfe too and all for vertue but it is so farre from this that it hideth sometimes our vices but it takes them not away but it couereth or rather hatcheth them for a time vnder the deceitfull cinders of a malicious hypocrisie with hope to set them on fire altogether when they haue gotten authoritie sufficient to raigne publikely and with impietie Serpents lose not their venim though they be frozen with colde nor an ambitious man his vices though with a colde dissimulation hee couer them for when he is arriued to that pitch of height that he desired he then makes them feele what he is And though ambition quit a man of all other vices yet it neuer taketh away it selfe An ambitious man putteth himselfe foorth to great and honourable actions the profit whereof returneth to the publike good but yet he is neuer the better man that performes them because they are not the actions of vertue but of passion no though that saying be often in his mouth We are not borne for our selues but the weale publike The meanes men vse to mount themselues to high estate and their carriages in their states and charges when they are arriued thereunto do sufficiently shew what men they are and their owne consciences telles the most that follow that dance that howsoeuer the publike good be their outward colour yet their owne particular is that they intend Particular aduisements and remedies against this euill you shall finde Lib. 3. cap. 42. CHAP. XXI Of Couetousnesse and her counter-passion TO loue and affect riches is couetousnesse not only the 1 What it is loue and affection but also euery ouer-curious care and industrie about riches yea their dispensations themselues and libertie with art and too much attention procured haue a sent of couetousnesse for they are not woorthie an earnest care and attention The desire of goods and the pleasure we take in possessing 2 The force thereof of them is grounded only vpon opinion The immoderate desire to get riches is a gangreene in our soule which with a venimous heat consumeth our naturall affections to the end it might fill vs with virulent humours So soone as it is lodged in our hearts all honest and naturall affection which we owe either to our parents or friends or our selues vanisheth away All the rest in respect of our profit seemeth nothing yea we forget in the end and contemne our selues our bodies our mindes for this transitory trash and as the Prouerbe is We sell our horse to get vs hay Couetousnesse is the vile and base passion of vulgar fooles 3 The follie miserie of couetousnesse in fine points who account riches the principall good of man and feare pouertie as the greatest euill and not contenting themselues with necessarie meanes which are forbidden no man weigh that is good in a Goldsmiths ballance when nature hath taught vs to measure it by the ell of necessitie For what greater follie can there be than to adore that which Nature it selfe hath put vnder our feet and hidden in the bowels of the earth as vnworthy to be seene yea rather to be contemned and trampled vnder foot This is that that the only sinne of man hath torne out of the intrailes of the earth and brought vnto light to kill himselfe In lucem propter quae pugnaremus excutimus nonerube scimus summa apud nos haberi quae fuerunt ima terrarum Nature seemeth euen in the first birth of golde and wombe from whence it proceedeth after a sort to haue presaged the miserie of those that are in loue with it for it hath so ordered the matter that in those countreys where it groweth there growes with it neither grasse nor plant nor other thing that is woorth any thing as giuing vs to vnderstand thereby that in those mindes where the desire of this mettall growes there can not remaine so much as a sparke of true honour and vertue for what thing can be more base than for a man to disgrade and to make himselfe a seruant and a slaue to that which should be subiect vnto him Apud sapientem diuitiae sunt in seruitute apud stultum in imperio For a couetous man serues his riches not they him and he is sayd to haue goods as he hath a feuer which holdeth and tyranniseth ouer a man not he ouer it What thing more vile than to loue that which is not good neither can make a good man yea is common and in the possession of the most wicked of the world which many times peruert good maners but neuer amend them Without which so many wise men haue made themselues happy and by which many wicked men haue come to a miserable end To be briefe what thing more miserable than to binde the liuing vnto the dead as Mezentius did to the end their death might be languishing and the more cruell to tie the spirit to the excrement and scumme of the earth to pierce throw his owne soule with a thousand torments which this amourous passion of riches brings with it and to intangle himselfe with the ties and cords of this malignant thing as the Scripture calleth them which doth likewise terme them thornes and theeues which steale away the heart of man snares of the Diuell idolatrie and
whereby it draweth after it if it go not before many euils all worse than the action it selfe The charge riseth aboue the principall and this is to fish as it is sayd with threeds of golde and purple And all this is purely humane Beasts that follow simple nature are quit from all these troubles But the art of man on the one side sets a strait gard about it planteth at the gate shame to giue it a relish on the other side ô the cousinage of men it inflameth and sharpneth the desire it deuiseth remoueth troubleth turneth all topsie turuie to attaine vnto it witnesse Poetrie which sportteh not it selfe in any thing so much as in this subiect and findeth euery entrance vnto it to be better than by the gate and the lawfull way and followeth euery wandring way rather than the common way of marriage CHAP. XXIII Desires Concupiscence THere arise not so many billowes and waues in the sea as 1 The bottomlesse depth of desire desires in the heart of man it is a bottomlesse depth it is infinite diuers inconstant confused and irresolute yea many times horrible and detestable but ordinarily vaine and ridiculous in it owne desires But first it shall not be amisse to distinguish them Some 2 Their distinction Naturall necessarie lib. 2. cap. 6. are naturall and they are iust and lawfull they are likewise in beasts they haue their limits and bounds a man may see the end of them and liuing according to those there is no man a begger Of these shall be spoken heereafter more at large for to say the trueth these are not passions Others Not naturall are besides nature proceeding from our opinion and fantasie artificiall superfluous which we may for distinctions sake call Concupiscences or Lusts These are purely humane beasts know not what they are only man is immoderate in his appetites these are without limits without end and are naught els but confusion Desideria naturalia finita sunt ex falsa opinione nascentia vbi desinant non habent Nullus enim Seneca terminus falso est via eunti aliquid extremum est error immensus est And therefore liuing according to these there is no man can be rch and contented Of these it is properly that wee haue spoken in the beginning of this Chapter and that we farther intend in this matter of the passions It is for these that a man sweats and trauels ad superuacua sudatur that a man iourneyeth by sea and by land goeth to warre killes himselfe drownes betrayes loseth himselfe and therefore it was well sayd That concupiscence is the root of all euill Now it falleth out many times a iust punishment that when a man seeketh how to satisfie his desires and to glut himselfe with the goods and pleasures of Fortune he loseth and is depriued of those of Nature and therefore Diogenes hauing refused that money that Alexander offered him desired him to giue him that he had taken from him to go out of the Sunne CHAP. XXIIII Hope Despaire OVr desires and concupiscences gather heat and redouble their force by hope which inflameth with the soft and gentle aire thereof our foolish desires kindleth in our mindes a fire from whence ariseth a thicke smoake which blindeth our vnderstanding carrieth with it our thoughts holds them hanging in the clouds makes vs dreame waking So long as our hopes endure or desires endure with them it is a play-game wherewith Nature busieth our mindes Contrariwise when despaire is once lodged neere vs it tormenteth our soules in such sort with an opinion of neuer obteining that we desire that all businesse besides must yeeld vnto it And for the loue of that which wee thinke neuer to obteine wee lose euen the rest of whatsoeuer wee possesse This passion is like vnto little children who to be reuenged of him that hath taken one of their play-games from them cast the rest into the fire It is angry with it selfe and requireth of it selfe the punishment of it owne follie and infelicitie After those passions that respect the apparent good come we to those that respect the euill CHAP. XXV Of Choler CHoler is a foolish passion which putteth vs wholly out 1 The description of our selues and with seeking the meanes to withstand and beat backe the euill which it threatneth vs or hath already procured vs maketh the blood to boile in our hearts and stirreth vp furious vapors in our spirits which blinde vs and cast vs headlong to whatsoeuer may satisfie the desire which we haue of reuenge It is a short furie a way to madnesse by the prompt and readie impetuositie and violence thereof it carrieth and furmounteth all passions Repentina vis vniuersa eius est The causes that dispose and mooue vnto choler are first 2 The causes thereof weaknesse of spirit as we see by experience in women olde men infants scke men who are commonly more cholericke than others Inualidum omne natura quaerulum est A man deceiueth himselfe to thinke that there is courage where there is violence violent motions are like the endeuours of children and olde men who runne when they thinke to goe for there is nothing more weake than an immoderate motion and a great imbecillitie is it in a man to be cholericke Secondly the maladie of the minde whereby it is made ouer-tender to beare blowes as the vlcerate parts of the bodie where the sound being interessed therein are astonished and wounded with light matters Nusquam sine quaerela aegra tanguntur The losse of a penie or the omission of a gaine puts into choler a couetous man a laughter or glance of his wife stirres this passion in a iealous man Thirdly lust vaine nicenesse selfe-loue which makes a man anxious and angry puts him into choler for the least cause that may be Nulla res magis iracundiam alit quam luxuria This loue of trisles of a glasse a dogge a bird is a kinde of follie that troubleth vs much and stirres vp this cholericke passion in vs. Fourthly too much curiositie qui nimis inquirit seipsum inquietat This is to seeke occasions and out of the lightnesse of the heart to cast a man into choler not attending any cause thereof Saepe ad nos ira venit saepius nos ad illam Fiftly lightnesse in beleeuing what comes first to the eare But the principall and formall cause is an opinion of contempt and misusage either by word deed countenance These are the reasons whereby we pretend to iustifie our choler The signes and symptomes are very manifest and more than of any other passion and so strange that they alter and 3 The signes change the whole estate of man they transforme and disfigure him vt sit difficile vtrum magis detestabile vitium aut deforme Some of them are outward the face red and deformed the eyes firie the looks furious the eare deafe the mouth foaming the heart panting the pulse beating the
no paine at all of the Dogge that Plutarch speaketh of which in a publike play vpon a scaffold counterfeited death drawing towards his end trembling afterwards growing stiffe and suffering himselfe to be caried foorth by little and little comming to himselfe and lifting vp his head counterfeited a new resurrection of so many apish imitations and strange tricks that the dogs of Players and Iuglers doe of the policies and inuentions wherewith beasts defend themselues against the assaults we make vpon them of the husbandrie and great prouidence of the Ant in laying abroad his graine to drie lest it take moisture and so corrupt in nipping the ends thereof that it grow not of the policie of the Bee where there is such diuersitie of offices and charges so firmly established To beat downe all this some doe maliciously attribute these things to a naturall seruile and forced inclination as if 7 An opposition of the naturall instinct beasts did performe their actions by a naturall necessitie like things inanimate as the stone falleth downward the fire mounteth vpward But besides that that can not be nor enter into our imagination for there must be a numbring of the parts comparison discourse by addition and diuision and consequents they likewise know not what this naturall inclination and instinct is they be words which they abuse to small purpose that they may not be deafe and mute altogether Againe this saying is retorted against them for it is beyond all comparison more noble honourable and resembleth more the Diuinitie to worke by nature than by art and apprentiship to be led and directed by the hand of God than by our owne regularly to act by a naturall and ineuitable condition than regularly by a rash and casuall libertie By this obiection of the naturall instinct they would likewise depriue them of instruction and discipline both actiue and passiue but experience giues them the lie for they doe both receiue it witnesse the Pie the Parret the Black-bird the Dogge the Horsse as hath beene said and they giue it witnesse the Nightingale and aboue all other the Elephant which excelleth all other beasts in docilitie and all kinde of discipline and sufficiencie As for this facultie of the spirit whereof man doth so much glorie which is to spiritualize things corporall and absent robbing them of all accidents to the end it might conceiue them after it owne maner nam intellectum est in intelligente ad modum intelligentis beasts themselues do the like The Horse accustomed to the warres sleeping in his stable trembleth and groaneth as if he were in the middest of the fight conceiueth the sound of the drumme the trumpet yea an armie it selfe The Hare in her sleepe panting lifteth vp her scut shaking her legs conceiueth a spirituall Hare Dogs that are kept for gard in their sleepe do snarre and sometimes barke outright imagining a stranger to be come To conclude this first point we must confesse that beasts doe reason haue the vse of discourse and iudgement but more weakly and imperfectly than man they are inferiour vnto men in this not because they haue no part therein at all they are inferiour vnto men as amongst men some are inferiour vnto others and euen so amongst beasts there is such a difference but yet there is a greater difference betweene men for as shall be said heereafter there is a greater distance betweene a man and a man than a man and a beast But for all this we must not heereby inferre a kinde of equalitie or paritie betwixt a beast and a man though as Aristotle sayth there are some men so weake and blockish that they differ from a beast only in figure and that the soule of a beast is immortall as that of a man or the soule of a man mortall as that of a beast for these are but malicious illations For besides that in this reasoning facultie man hath a verie great aduantage aboue beasts so hath the other faculties more high and wholly spirituall whereby he is sayd to be like vnto God himselfe and is capable of immortalitie wherein beasts haue no part and are signified by that vnderstanding which is more than a simple discourse Nolite fieri sicut equus mulus in quibus non est intellectus The other point which we are to speake of in this matter is that this preheminence and aduantage of vnderstanding and other spirituall faculties that man pretendeth is sold him at a deare rate and brings with it more hurt than good for it is the principall source of all those euils that oppresse him of vices passions maladies irresolution trouble despaire which beasts want by the want of this great aduantage witnesse the Hogge of Pyrrho which did eat his meat peaceably in the shippe in the middest of a great tempest when all the men were almost dead for feare It seemeth that these great parts of the soule haue beene denied vnto beasts or at leastwise lessened and giuen them more feeble for their great good and quiet and bestowed vpon man for his torment for it is long of them that he toileth and trauelleth tormenteth himselfe with what is past and that which is to come yea he imagineth apprehendeth and feareth those euils that are not nor euer shall be Beasts apprehend nothing that is ill vntill they feele it and being escaped they are presently in securitie and at peace So that we see that man is most miserable euen in that wherin he thought himselfe most happy whereby it seemeth that it had beene better for man not to haue beene indued and adorned with all those beautifull and celestiall armes since he turneth them against himselfe euen to his owne destruction And to say the trueth we see those that are most stupid and feeble of spirit liue at best content and feele not their euill accidents in so high a degree as those that are more spirituall Another aduantage that man pretendeth aboue beasts is a signorie and power of commanding which he thinketh hee 10 2. Signorie and command hath ouer beasts but besides that it is an aduantage that men themselues haue and exercise the one ouer the other this is not true For where is this command of man this obedience of the beasts It is a monster that was neuer seen yea men do more feare beasts than beasts them It is true that man hath a great preheminence ouer beasts vt praesit piscibus maris volatilibus coeli bestijs terrae And this by reason of his beautifull Gen. 1. and vpright forme of his wisdome and the prerogatiue of his spirit but not that hee should either command or they obey There is likewise another aduantage neere neighbour to 11. 3. Libertie this pretended by man which is a plaine libertie reproching beasts with their seruitude captiuitie subiection but this is to small purpose There is farre greater reason why man should reproch man witnesse those slaues not only made by force and
such as descend from them but also those that are voluntarie who either sell for money their libertie or giue it out of the lightnesse of their hearts or for some commoditie as the ancient fensers solde outright women to their mistresses souldiers to their captaines Now there is none of all this in beasts they neuer serue one another nor yeeld themselues to any seruitude either actiue or passiue either to serue or to be serued and are in euery thing more free than men And as man goeth to the chase taketh killeth eateth the beasts so is he taken killed eaten by them in his turne and more honourably too by maine strength not by wit and art as man doth and not only by them is he killed but by his companion by another man a thing base and dishonorable Beasts assemble not themselues in troops to go to kill to destroy to ransacke to inthrall another troope of their kinde as men do The fourth and greatest aduantage pretended by man is in vertue but of morall it is disputable I meane morall materially 12 4. Vertue by the outward action for formallie the moralitie good or euill vertue and vice can not be in a beast Kinde acknowledgement officious amitie fidelitie magnanimitie and many other vertues which consist in societie and conuersation are more liuely more expresse and constant than can be in the common sort of people Hircanus the dogge of Lysimachus continued vpon the bed of his dead master refusing all kinde of sustenance and afterwards cast himselfe into that fire wherein his master was burnt and there died with him The selfe same did another belonging to one Pyrrhus That dogge of wise Hesiodus discouered the murther of his master Another in like sort in the presence of King Pyrrhus and his whole armie Another which neuer ceased as Plutarch affirmeth going from citie to citie vntill that sacrilegious Robber of the Temple of Athens was apprehended and brought to iudgements That historie is famous of the lion that was host and nurse to Androdus the slaue and his Physitian which would not touch him being cast out vnto him which Appion affirmeth to haue seene at Rome An Elephant hauing in choler killed his gouernour repenting himselfe of it refused any longer to eat drinke or liue Contrariwise there is not a creature in the world more vniust vnthankfull traiterous perfidious lying and deceitfull than man Againe forasmuch as vertue consisteth in the moderation of our appetites and the bridling of our pleasures beasts are much more moderate therein than wee and doe better containe themselues within the limits of nature For they are not only not touched with vnnaturall superfluous and artificiall passions and desires which are all vitious and infinite as men who for the most part are plunged in them but also in the naturall as eating and drinking the acquaintance betwixt the male and the female they are farre more moderate and staied But that we may see which is the more vertuous or vitious a man or a beast and in good earnest to shame a man more than a beast let vs take the vertue most proper and agreeable vnto man that is as the word it selfe importeth humanity as the most strange and contrary vice is cruelty Now heerin beasts Humanity Cruelty haue aduantage enough euen to make men blush for shame They neuer assaile and seldome offend those of their kind maior serpentum ferarumque concordia quà m hominum They neuer fight but for great and iust causes as the defence and preseruation of their liues liberty and their little ones and that they doe with their naturall and open armes by their only force and valour and that one to one as in single combates and not in troupes nor by designements Their combates are short and soone ended vntill one of them be either wounded or yeeldeth and the combate ended the quarrell hatred and choler is likewise at an end But man hath no quarrell but against man for not only light vaine and friuolous causes but many times vniust with artificiall and traiterous armes by deceits and wicked meanes in troupe and assembly gathered by assignement and lastly his wars are long and neuer ended but with death and when he is able no longer to hurt yet the hatred and choler endureth The conclusion of this comparison is that vntruely and 12 The conclusion of this second consideration vainly doth man glorifie himselfe aboue beasts For if man haue in him something more than they as especially the viuacity of the spirit and vnderstanding and those great faculties of the soule so likewise in exchange is hee subiect to a thousand euils from which the beasts are freed inconstancie irresolution superstition a painfull care of things to come ambition auarice enuie curiositie detraction lying and a world of disordered appetites discontentments emulations This spirit wherewith man maketh himselfe so mery brings him a thousand inconueniences and then most when it is most stirred and enforced For it doth not only hurt the body trouble breake and weaken the bodily forces and functions but also it hurts and hindereth it selfe What casteth man into follie and madnesse but the sharpenesse agility and proper force of the spirit The most subtile follies and excellent lunacies proceede from the rarest and quickest agitations of the spirit as from greatest amities spring greatest enmities and from soundest healths mortall maladies Melancholie men saith Plato as they are more capeable of knowledge and wisedome so likewise of folly And hee that well marketh it shall finde that in those eleuations and salies of a free soule there is some mixture of folly for to say the truth these things are neere neighbours Touching a simple life and such as is according to nature beasts do farre exceede men they liue more freely securely 13 An exhortation moderately contentedly And that man is wise that considereth heereof and benefiteth himselfe by making them an instruction vnto himselfe which doing he frameth himselfe to innocencie simplicitie libertie and that naturall sweetnesse which shineth in beasts and is wholly altered and corrupteth in vs by our artificiall inuentions and vnbridled licentiousnesse abusing that wherein we say we excell them which is the spirit and iudgement And therefore God doth many times send vs to schoole to birds beasts themselues to the kite the grashopper the swallow the turtle the ant the ox the asse and diuers others Lastly we must remember that there is a kind of commerce betwixt beasts vs a certain relation mutuall obligation whereof there is no other reason but that they belong to one the same master and are of the same family that we are It is an vnworthy thing to tyrannise ouer them we owe iustice vnto men and pitie and gentlenesse to such other creatures as are capeable thereof The third Consideration of Man which is by his life CHAP. XXXV The estimation breuitie description of the life of man and the parts thereof IT is a
great and principall point of wisdome truly to know 1 Of the estimation and woorth of life how to esteeme of life to holde and preserue it to lose or to take it away to keepe and direct it as much as after such a maner as is fit there is not perhaps any thing wherein a man faileth more or is more hindred The vulgar vnlearned sot accounteth it a souereigne good and preferreth it aboue all things yea he will not sticke to redeeme and prolong it by all the delayes that may be vpon what conditions soeuer thinking it can neuer be bought too deare for it is all in all with him his motte is Vita nihil carius He esteemeth and loueth his life for the loue of it selfe he liues not but to liue It is no maruell if hee faile in all the rest if hee be wholly compounded of errours since from his very entrance and in this fundamentall point he mistakes himselfe so grosly It may be likewise with some lesse esteemed and more basely accounted of than it should either by reason of some insufficiencie in iudgement or a proud misknowledge thereof for falling into the hands of those that are good and wise it may be a profitable instrument both to themselues and others And I can not be of their opinion as it is simply taken that say it is best of all not to be at all and that the best is the shortest life optimum non nasci aut quà m citissimè aboleri And it is neither well nor wisely sayd What hurt or what matter had it beene if I had neuer beene A man may answer him with the like question Where had that good beene which is come and being not come had it not beene euill not to haue beene It is a kinde of euill that wanteth good whatsoeuer it be yea though not necessarie These extremities are too extreame and vitious though not equally but that seemes true that a wise man spake That life is such a good as a man would not take if he knew well what it were before he tooke it Vitam Seneca nemo acciperet si daretur scientibus It is well that men are within before they see the entrance and that they are carried hudwinckt into it Now when they are within some doe so cocker and flatter themselues therein that vpon what condition soeuer they will not go forth againe others do nothing but murmure and vex themselues but the wiser sort seeing it to be a market that is made without themselues for a man neither liues nor dies when and how he will and that though the way be rough and hard yet neuerthelesse it is not alwaies so without winsing or striuing and troubling any thing they accomodate themselues vnto it as they may and so passe their life in quietnesse making of necessitie a vertue which is a token of wisdome and industrie and so doing they liue as long as they should and not like fooles as long as they can For there is a time to liue and a time to die and a good death is farre better than an ill life A wise man liues no longer than See heereof lib. 2. ca. 11. that his life may be woorth more than his death for the longest life is not alwaies the better All men doe much complaine of the breuitie of the life of 2 Of the length and breuitie of life man not only the simple vulgar sort who wish it would neuer haue end but also which is more strange the greatest and wisest make it the principall ground of their complaints To say the truth the greatest part thereof being diuerted and otherwise employed there remaines little or nothing for it selfe for the time of our infancie olde age sleepe maladies of minde and bodie and many other times both vnprofitable and vnfit for any good being taken away that which remaineth is little or nothing at all Neuerthelesse without opposing the contrarie opinion to them that holde a short life to be a great good and gift of Nature their complaint seemeth to haue little equitie and reason and rather to proceed from malice For to what end serueth a long life Simplie to liue to breathe to eat to drinke to see this world for all this what needs so long time We haue seene knowen tasted all in a short space and knowing it to desire so long a time to practise it and still to reiterate the same thing to what end is it Who will not be satisfied nay wearied to do alwaies one and the same thing If it be not tedious and irkesome at the least it is superfluous it is a turning wheele where the same things come and go it is alwaies to begin where we end and to respinne the same webbe But perhaps they will say they desire a long life to learne and to profit the more and to proceed to a greater perfection of knowledge and vertue Alas good soules that wee are what should wee know or who should teach vs We employ but badly that little which is giuen vs not only in vanities and those things that yeeld vs no profit but in malice and sinne and then we crie out and complaine that we haue not enough giuen vnto vs. And to say the truth to what end serues so great store of knowledge and experience since in the end wee must leaue it and dislodge it and hauing dislodged it altogether forget and lose it all or know it better and otherwise But you will say that there are beasts that do triple and quadruple the life of man To omit those fables that are tolde heereof Be it so but yet there are a number that liue not a quarter of that time that man doth and few neither that liue out their time By what right or reason or priuiledge can man challenge a longer life than other creatures Is it because he doth better employ it in matters more high and more worthie life By this reason he should liue lesse time than all other creatures for there is none comparable to man in the ill emploiment of his life in wickednesse ingratitude intemperance and all maner of disorder and immodestie in maners as hath been shewed before in the comparison of man with beasts so that as I asked euen now to what end a long life serued now I aske what euils there would be in the world if the life of man were long What would he not enterprise since the shortnesse of life which cuts off his way and as they say interrupts his cast and the vncerteinty thereof which takes away all heart and courage can not stay him liuing as if he should liue euer On the one side he feareth perceiuing himselfe to be mortall but notwithstanding that hee can not bridle himselfe from not coueting hoping enterprising as if he were immortall Tanquam semper victuri viuitis nunquam vobis fragilitas vestra Seneca succurrit omnia tanquam mortales timetis tanquam immortales
pronounced with a pitifull voice yea with sighs and exclamations pierceth euen to the quicke as Oratours and Players and other that sell winde and smoake doe well know and practise And this winde catcheth and carrieth away many times men that are most constant and setled if they stand not vpon their gard so puissant is vanitie ouer men And not only light and little things doe shake and trouble vs but also lies and impostures euen those we know to be such a strange thing in such sort that we take pleasure to deceiue our selues in good earnest to feed our fantasies with tales with nothing ad fallendum nosmetipsos ingeniosissimi sumus witnesse they that weepe and afflict themselues hearing a relation or seeing a Tragedie which they know to be an inuention made for delight euen of those things that neuer were I could tell you of one that was so besotted that he died for one whom he knew to be foule olde deformed not because he loued her but because she was well painted and plastered or coloured with other impostures though he alwayes knew them to be such Let vs come from the particular vanitie of euery particular 6 Visitations and offices of courtesie man in his common life to see how much this vanitie is tied to the nature of man not onely as a priuate and personall vice What vanitie and losse of time is there in those visitations salutations congies and mutuall enterteinments those offices of courtesie orations ceremonies offers praises promises How many hyperbolicall speeches hypocrisies and impostures are there in the sight and knowledge of all both of those that giue them that receiue them that heare of them insomuch that it seemeth to be a match and market made together to mocke lie and deceiue one another And that which is woorth all the rest he that knowes that a man doth impudently lie vnto him must yet giue him thanks and he that knowes that when he lies he is not beleeued sets a bolde face vpon the matter attending and obseruing one the other who shall first begin or end when they could both be content they were both asunder What inconueniences doth man endure He faineth counterfeiteth disguiseth himselfe he endureth heat colde troubleth his rest afflicteth his life for those courtly vanities and leaueth his weightie affaires for the winde We are vaine at the charge of our owne ease yea of our health and of our life The accidents and the lighter things trample vnder foot the substance and the winde carrieth the bodie so much is man a slaue to vanitie and he that will do otherwise shall be held for a foole and a man that vnderstands not the world It is dexteritie well to play this Comedie and folly not to be vaine Being entred into speech and familiar discourse how many vaine and vnprofitable false fabulous tales are there not to say wicked and pernitious which are not of this count how many vaunts and vaine boastings Man desireth and delighteth to speake of himselfe and that which is his and if he thinke he haue either done or said or possesse any thing that is worthie estimation he is not at ease vntill he hath vttered it and made it knowen to others when a commoditie first commeth he entreth into an account thereof he valueth it he raiseth the price nay he will not seeme to attend his commoditie though he seeke it with industrie and then to heare what the speech of the people is abroad he thrusts himselfe into companie and it tickleth him at the heart to heare his happie successe spoken of and that men esteeme of him the more and of what hee esteemes But better to make knowen what credit and command this vanitie hath ouer the nature of man let vs call to minde that 7 Publike and vniuersall agitations the greatest alterations of the world the most generall and fearefull agitations of States and Empires armies battels murthers haue risen from light ridiculous and vaine causes witnesse the warres of Troy and Greece of Sylla and Marius Caesar and Pompey Augustus and Antonie The Poets signifie as much when they set all Greece and Asia on fire for an apple The first occasions and motiues arise of nothing afterwards they grow and increase a testimonie of the vanitie and follie of man Many times the accident doth more than the principall the lesser circumstances touch more to the quicke than the greatest nay the causes and subiects themselues The robe of Caesar troubled Rome more than his death did or those 22 stabs with a poignard that were giuen him Lastly the crowne and perfection of the vanitie of man is 8 Felicitie and contentment shewed in that which he most affecteth and seeks after he pleaseth himselfe and placeth his whole felicitie in those vaine and friuolous goods without which hee may well and commodiously liue and takes not that care that he should for the true and essentiall his chance is winde his whole good nothing but opinion and dreames wherein he is matchlesse God hath all good things in essence all euill in vnderstanding man quite contrarie possesseth his good things by fantasie his euill in essence Beasts content not nor feed themselues with opinions and fantasies but with that which is present palpable and in veritie Vanitie hath beene giuen vnto man as his proper part or condition he runnes he stirs he hunts vp and downe hee catcheth a shadow hee adoreth the winde he flies he dies and a mote at the last is the heire of his dayes worke Vanitati creatura subiecta est etiam nolens vniuersa vanitas omnis homo viuens CHAP. XXXVII Debillitie or Infirmitie BEholde heere the second head of this Consideration and humane knowledge for how should vanitie be other than fraile and feeble This weaknesse is confessed and proued by all that account many things easie to be vnderstood of all but is not taken to be such in those things it should as in such wherein a man seemeth to be most strong and least weake in desiring possessing and vsing those things that he hath and holdeth and in euery good and euill and to be short in such wherein he glorieth most wherein he thinketh to excell others and to be some thing These are the true testimonies of his weaknesse but we shall see this better apart First touching desire a man can not settle his contentment in any thing no not his owne desire and imagination It is 2 In desiring chusing not in our power to chuse that we should and whatsoeuer we haue desired or obteined it satisfies vs not but we go bleating after things vnknowen and to come because things present content vs not and wee more esteeme of things absent If one should put a man to his owne choise make him his owne caruer it is not in his power so to chuse as that he repent not his choise or which he will not adde vnto or take from or alter some way
or other for he desires that which he knowes not how to expresse and at the last nothing can content him but he is angrie and falleth out with himselfe The weaknesse of man doth more appeare and is greater 3 In possessing and vsing in the possession and vse of things and that diuers wayes first in that he can not make vse of any thing in it owne puritie and simple nature but he must disguise alter and corrupt them before he can accommodate them to his vse the elements mettals and all things els in their owne nature are not fit for vse Good things delights and pleasures can not be enioyed without some mixture of euill and discommoditie Medio de fonte leporum surgit amari aliquid quod in ipsis floribus angat The highest pleasure that is hath a sigh and a complaint to accompanie it and being come to perfection is but debilitie a deiection of the minde languishment An extreame and full contentment hath more moderate seueritie than wanton delight Ipsa foelicitas se nisi temperat premit and therefore it was well said of him That God selles vnto vs whatsoeuer good thing he sends vs that is to say That he giueth nothing vnto vs purely good but that we buy it at the scales with an addition of some euill to make vp weight So likewise sorrow is neuer pure without the alliance of some pleasure Labor voluptasque dissimillima natura societate quadam naturali inter se sunt iuncta est quaedam flere voluptas So all things in this world are mingled and compounded with their contraries those motions and wrinckles in the visage that serue to laugh serue to weepe as Painters teach vs and we see that the extreamitie of laughter is mingled with teares There is no good thing in vs that hath not some vitious tincture with it omnes iustitiae nostrae sunt tanquam pannus menstruatae as anon shal be shewed in his due place nor no euil without some good nullum sine authoramento malum est Miserie it selfe alwayes serues to some end for there is no euill without good no good in man without euill all is mingled and there is nothing pure in our hands Secondly whatsoeuer happeneth vnto vs we take and enioy with an ill hand our taste is vnresolued and vncertaine it knowes not how to hold and possesse any thing after a good maner and from thence sprang that vndetermined question of the souereigne good The better things many times in our hands by our infirmities vice insufficiencie are made woorse are corrupted become nothing are vnprofitable vnto vs yea sometimes hurtfull and contrary But humane imbecillitie is more richly displaied in good and euill in vertue and vice hence it is that man can not be 4 In good and euill when it seemes good vnto himselfe either wholly good or wholly wicked but he hath his weakenesse his impotencies in them both Touching vertue three points are to be considered the first is That it is not in the power of man to doe all good to put in practise all vertues insomuch that many vertues are incompatible and can not be together at least in one and the same subiect as filiall or maidenly continencie and viduall which are wholly different the married and vnmarried state the two second of widowhood and marriage being more painfull and busie and hauing more difficultie and vertue than the two first of virginitie and the vnmarried estate which haue more puritie grace and ease Virgo felicior vidua laboriosior in illa gratia in ista virtus coronatur that Tertull. constancie which is in pouertie want aduersitie and that which is in abundance and prosperitie patience in beggerie and liberalitie And this is more true in vices which are opposite one against the other The second point is That many times a man can not performe that which belongs to one vertue without the scandall and offence either of another vertue or of it selfe insomuch that they hinder one the other whereby it comes to passe that a man can not satisfie the one but at the charge of the other which wee must not attribute vnto vertue or thinke that the vertues crosse and contrary one another for they agree well enough but vnto the weakenesse of our humane condition all the sufficiencie and industrie thereof being so short and so feeble that it can not finde any certaine vniuersall and constant rule whereby to make an honest man and such order can not be taken but that the meanes to doe well doe many times hinder one the other Let vs take for example Charitie and Iustice if I encounter my father or my friend in the warres on the enemies part in iustice I ought to kill him but in charitie I should spare and saue him If a man be wounded to the death and past all remedie and that there remaineth nothing but a grieuous languishment it were a deed of charitie to make an end of him as he did that killed Saul at his earnest intreatie but this charitie is punished by iustice as he was by Dauid and that iustly Dauid being the minister of publike iustice not priuate charitie yea to be found neere vnto a man in such a case in a suspicious place and where there is doubt of the murderer although hee be there to performe some office of humanitie is very dangerous and the best thing that can happen vnto him is to be called into question and put to answer to that accident whereof he is innocent So that we see that iustice doth not only offend charitie but it hampereth and hindereth it selfe and therefore it was very well sayd and truly Summum ius summa iniuria The third point and the most notable is that a man is constrained many times to vse badde meanes for the better auoidance of some great euill or the execution of what is good in such sort that he must sometimes approoue as lawfull not onely those things that are not good but that are starke naught as if to be good it were necessarie to be somewhat wicked And this is seene in euery thing in Policie Iustice Veritie Religion In Policy how many euils are there permitted and publikly acted not only by conniuence or permission but also by 7 Policy the approbation of the lawes themselues as shall heereafter be said in his due place ex senatusconsultis plebescitis scelera exercentur To disburthen a State or Common-weale either of too great a number of people or of such as are inflamed with a desire of warres which the state like a body repleat with bad or abundant humours cannot beare it is the maner to send them elsewhere and to ease themselues at the charge or disease of another As the French Lombards Gothes Vandales Tartarians Turks haue beene accustomed to do To auoid a ciuill war it is the maner to entertaine a strange war To instruct others in the vertue of Temperance Lycurgus caused
they were as publike protestations that he had deserued death and to be sacrificed as those beasts were without which there had neuer been any bloodie offerings or propitiatorie and expiatorie sacrifices Secondly because of the basenesse of the purpose and intent which was to thinke to appease flatter and gratifie God by the massacre and blood of beasts and of men Sanguine non colendus Deus quae enim ex trucidatione immerentium voluptas est It is true that God in those first ages yet the feeble infancie of the world and nature remaining simple did well accept of them at the hands of religious men euen for their deuotion or rather Christ his sake Respexit Dominus ad Abel ad munera eius taking in good part that which was done with an intent to honour and serue him and also afterwards the world being as yet in it apprentiship sub paedagogo was wholly seasoned in this opinion so vniuersall that it was almost thought naturall I touch not heere that particular mysterie of the religion of the Iewes who vsed them for figures that is a point that belongs to religion and with whom it was common to conuert that which was humane or naturall and corporall to a holy and sacred vse and to gather from thence a spirituall fruit But this was not because God tooke pleasure in them nor because it was by any reason in it selfe good witnesse the Prophets and the cleerest sighted amongst them who haue alwayes freely sayd Sivoluisses sacrificium dedissem vtique holocaustis non delectaberis sacrificium oblationem noluisti holocaustum pro peccato non postulasti non accipiam de domo tua vitulos c. and haue called backe and inuited the world to another sacrifice more high spirituall and woorthie the Diuinitie Sacrificium Deo spiritus aures autem perforasti mihi vt facerem voluntatem tuam legem tuam in medio cordis mei Immola Deo sacrificium laudis misericordiam volo non sacrificium At the last the sonne of God the Doctor of Truth being come to secure and free-denize the world did abolish them wholly which he had not done if it had beene a thing in it selfe and essentially good and that it had pleased his father for contrarily Pater non tales quaerit sed tales qui adorent in spiritu veritate And to say the trueth it is one of the goodliest effects and fruits of Christianitie after the abolition of Idoles And therefore Iulian the Emperour his capitall enemy as in despight of him offered more sacrifices than euer any other did in the world attempting to set them vp againe with idolatrie Wherefore let vs heere leaue them and let vs see those other principall parts of religion The Sacraments in a matter base and common bread and Sacraments wine and an outward action as base are they not testimonies of our pouertie and basenesse Repentance the vniuersall remendie Repentance of our maladies is a thing in it selfe shamefull feeble yea euill for to repent to be sorry to afflict the spirit is euil though by consequent it be good An oath what is it but a An oath symptome and shamefull marke of distrust infidelitie ignorance humane infirmitie both in him that requires it that giues it that ordaines it Quod amplius est a malo est See then how religion healeth our euils by meanes not only small and feeble our weaknesse so requiring stulta infirma mundi eligit Deus but such as by no meanes are of any value nor are good in themselues but good in that they serue and are employed against euill as medicines are they sprang from an ill cause yet they driue away ill they are good as gibbets and wheeles are in a Common-wealth as vomits and other discharges proceeding from ill causes are to the bodie to be briefe they are such good things as that it had beene farre better we had neuer had them and neuer had we had them if man had beene wise and preserued himselfe in that estate wherein God had placed him neither shall he haue them any more so soone as he is deliuered from this captiuitie and arriued to his perfection All this sheweth how great this humane weaknesse is to any 11 In euill thing that is good in Policie Iustice Veritie Religion towards God but that which is more strange is that this weaknesse is as great in what is euill for man though hee be willing to be wicked yet hee can not be wholly such but when he hath done his woorst there will be more to doe There is alwayes some remorse and fearefull consideration that mollifieth the will and maketh it relent and still reserueth something to be done which hath beene the cause of the ruine of many although perhaps they made it a proiect for their safetie This is imbecillitie and sottishnesse and from hence did arise that Prouerbe at their cost That a man must not play the foole by halfes A speech vttered with iudgement but that may haue both a good and an ill sense To say that a man when hee is once in must still proceed to woorse and woorse without any reseruation or respect it is a very pernitious doctrine and the Prouerbe saith well against it The shorter follies are the better But yet in some certaine cases the middle way is verie dangerous as when a man hath a strong enemie by the throat like one that holdeth a woolfe by the eares he must either win him altogether by courtesie or vtterly vndo him extinguish him which was alwayes the practise of the Romans and that very wisely among others concerning the Latines or Italians at the exhortation of Camillus Pacem in perpetuum parere vel seruiendo vel ignoscendo for in such a case to doe things by halfes is to lose all as the Samnites did who for want of putting in practise that counsell giuen them by an olde weather-beaten souldier concerning the Romans whom they had then enclosed and shut vp payd dearly for it aut conciltandus aut tollendus hostis The former course of courtesie is the more noble honourable and rather to be chosen and wee ought not come to the second but in extremities and then when the enemie is not capable of the first By this that hath beene said is shewed the extreame imbecillitie of man in good and euill and that good or euill which hee either doth or flieth is not purely and entirely good or euill so that it is not in his power to be wholly depriued of all good nor altogether wicked Let vs likewise note many other effects and testimonies of 12 Reprehensions and repulses humane weaknesse It is imbecillitie and pusillanimitie not to dare or not to be able to reprehend another or to be reprehended hee that is feeble or courageous in the one is so in the other Now it is a strange kinde of delicatenesse to depriue either himselfe or another of so
so high as when it is most deiected So that it must needs be miserable because to be happy it must be as it were lost and without it selfe This toucheth not in any sort the diuine disposition for God can to whom and when it pleaseth him reueale himselfe man in the meane time continuing setled in his sense and vnderstanding as the scripture makes mention of Moyses and diuers others 16 To conclude can there be a greater fault in iudgement than not to esteeme of iudgement not to exercise it and to preferre the memory and imagination or fantasie before it We see those great goodly and learned orations discourses lectures sermons bookes which are so much esteemed and admired written by men of greatest learning in this age I except some few what are they all but a heape and collection of allegations and the labours of other men a worke of memory and reading and a thing very easie being all culled and disposed to their hands and heereof are so many bookes composed with some few poynts handled with a good instruction or two a worke of imagination and heere is all This is many times a vanity and there appeareth not in it any sparke of iudgement or excellent vertue so likewise the authours themselues are many times weake and common in iudgement and in will corrupted how much better is it to heare a countrey swaine or a merchant talking in his counting-house discoursing of many goodly propositions and verities plainely and truely without arte or forme and giuing good and wholesome counsell out of a sound strong and solide iudgement In the will there are as many or rather more miseries and 11 Of the Will more miserable they are without number among which these following are some few of them 1 To be willing rather to seeme an honest man than to be and rather to be such to another than to himselfe 2 To be farre more ready and willing to reuenge an offence than to acknowledge a good turne in such sort that it is a corsiue to his heart to acknowledge pleasure and gaine to reuenge a proofe of a malignant nature gratia oneri est vltio in quaestu habetur 3 To be more apt to hate than to loue to slaunder than to commend to feede more willingly and with greater pleasure vpon the euill than the good of another to enlarge it more to display it more in his discourse and the exercise of his stile witnesse Lawyers Oratours and Poets who in reciting the good of any man are idle eloquent in euill The words inuentions figures to speake ill to scoffe are farre otherwise more rich more emphaticall and significant than to prayse or speake well 4 To flye from euill to doe what is good not properly for the good effect by naturall reason and for the loue of vertue but for some other strange consideration sometimes base and idle of gaine and profit vaine-glory hope feare of custome company and to be briefe not simply for himselfe and his duty but for some other outward occasion and circumstance all are honest men by occasion and accident And this is the reason why they are such vnequally diuersly not perpetually constantly vniformely 5 To loue him the lesse whom we haue offended and that because we haue offended him a strange thing and which proceedeth not alwayes from feare that he will take occasion to be reuenged for it may be he wisheth vs neuer the worse but it is because his presence doth accuse vs and brings to memory our fault and indiscretion And if the offendour loue not the offended the worse it is because the offence he committed was against his will for commonly he that hath a will to offend loues him the lesse whom he hath offended Chi offende mai non perdona He that offends neuer forgiues 6 As much may be sayd of him to whom we are much bound for courtesies receiued his presence is a burthen vnto vs he putteth vs in minde of our band and duty he reprocheth vnto vs our ingratitude and inabilities and we wish he were not so we were discharged of that duty Villaines by nature Quidam quo plus debent magis oderunt leue aes alienum debitorem facit graue inimicum 7 To take pleasure in the euill hurt and danger of another to greeue and repine at his good aduancement prosperitie I meane when it is without cause of hatred or priuate quarrell for it is another thing when it proceedeth from the ill desert of a man I speake heere of that common and naturall condition whereby without any particular malice men of indifferent honestie take pleasure to see others aduenture their fortunes at sea and are vexed to see them thriue better than themselues or that fortune should smile more vpon others than them and make themselues merry with the sorrow of another this is a token of a malitious seed in vs. To conclude that I may yet shew you how great our 12 The conclusion of these spirituall miseries misery is let me tell you that the world is replenished with three sorts of people who take vp much roome therein and carry a great sway both in number and reputation the superstitious formalists Pedanties who notwithstanding they are in diuers subiects iurisdictions and theaters the three principall religion life or conuersation and doctrine yet they are all of one stamp weake spirits ill borne or very ill instructed a very dangerous kind of people in iudgement and touched with a disease incurable It is lost labour to speake to these kind of people or to perswade them to change their minds for they account themselues the best and wisest in the world opinatiue obstinacie is there in his proper seate he that is once stricken and touched to the quick with any of these euils there is little hope of his recouery Who is there more sottish and withall more braine-sick and heady than these kind of people Two things there are that doe much hinder them as hath been spoken naturall imbecillitie and incapacitie and afterwards an anticipated opinion to do as well and better than others I do heere but name them and point them with the finger for afterwards in their places heere quoted their faults shall be shewed more at large The Superstitious iniurious to God and enemies to true religion couer themselues with the cloke of pietie zeale and 1 Superstitious See Lib. 2. Cap. 5. loue towards God euen to the punishing and tormenting of themselues more than is needfull thinking thereby to merit much and that God is not only pleased therewith but indebted vnto them for the rest What would you do to these kind of people If you tell them that they do more than they need and that they receiue things with the left hand in not vnderstanding them aright they will not beleeue you but tell you that their intent is good whereby they thinke to saue themselues and that they do it for deuotion Howsoeuer they
will not quit themselues of their gaine nor the satisfaction which they receiue which is to bind God vnto them The Formalists doe wholly tie themselues to an outward forme and fashion of life thinking to be quit of blame in the 2 Formalists pursuite of their passions and desires so they do nothing against the tenour of the lawes and omit none of their formalities See heere a miserable churle which hath ouerthrowne and brought to a desperate state many poore families but this hath fallen out by demaunding that which he thought to be his owne and that by way ofiustice Who then can affirme that he hath done ill O how many good works haue beene omitted how many euils committed vnder this cloake of formes which a man sees not And therefore it is very truly sayd That the extremitie of law is the extremitie of wrong and as well sayd God shield vs from Formalists The Pedantie or housholde schoole-master hauing with great study and paines filched from other mens writings their 3 Pedanties Lib. 3. cap. 13. learning they set it out to the view and to sale and with a questuous and mercinary ostentation they disgorge it and let it flie with the winde Are there any people in the world so sottish in their affaires more vnapt to euery thing and yet more presumptuous and obstinate In euery tongue and nation Pedante Clerke Master are words of reproch To doe any thing sottishly is to doe it like a Clerke These are a kinde of people that haue their memories stuffed with the wisdome of other men and haue none of their owne their iudgements willes consciences are neuer the better they are vnapt simple vnwise in such sort that it seemes that learning serues them for no other vse than to make them more fooles yea more arrogant pratlers they diminish or rather swallow vp their owne spirits and bastardize their vnderstanding but puffe vp their memorie Heere is that miserie seated which we now come to speake of and is the last of those of the vnderstanding CHAP. XL. 5. Presumption BEholde heere the last and leawdest line or liniament of this picture it is the other part of that description giuen by Plinie the plague of man and the nurse of false and erroneous opinions both publike and particular and yet a vice both naturall and originall in man Now this presumption must be considered diuersly and in all senses high low collaterall inward and outward in respect of God things high and celestiall in regard of things base as of beasts man his companion of himselfe and all may be reduced to these two To esteeme too much of himselfe and not to esteeme sufficiently of another Qui in se considebant aspernabantur alios A word or two of either Lue. 18. First in respect of God and it is a horrible thing all superstition 1 Presumption in regard of God and want in religion or false seruice of God proceedeth from this That we esteeme not enough of God we vnderstand him not and our opinions conceits and beliefs of the Diuinitie are not high and pure enough I meane not by this enough proportion answerable to the greatnesse of God which being infinite receiueth not any proportion for it is impossible in this respect to conceit or beleeue enough but I meane enough in respect of what we can and ought to doe We soare not high enough we doe not eleuate and sharpen sufficiently the point of our spirit when we enter into an imagination of the Diuinitie we ouer-basely conceit him our seruices are vnworthy his maiestie we deale with him after a baser maner than with other creatures we speake not only of his works but of his maiestie will iudgements with more confidence and boldnesse than we dare to doe of an earthly Prince or man of honour Many men there are that would scorn such kind of seruice and acknowledgement and would holde themselues to be abused and their honours in some sort violated if a man should speake of them or abuse their names in so base and abiect a maner We enterprise to leade God to flatter him to bend him to compound or condition with him that I may not say to braue threaten despight murmure against him Caesar willed his Pilot not to feare to hoise vp sailes and commit himselfe to the furie of the seas euen against destinie and the will of the heauens with this onely confidence That it was Caesar whom he carried Augustus See lib. 2. cap. 10. hauing beene beaten with a tempest at sea defied god Neptune and in the chiefest pompe of the Circean sports caused his image to be taken downe from where it was placed amongst the rest of the gods to be reuenged of him The Thracians when it thundereth and lighteneth shoot against heauen to bring God himselfe into order Xerxes scourged the sea and writ a bill of defiance against the hill Athos And one telleth of a Christian King a neere neighbour of ours See lib. 2. cap. 18. who hauing receiued a blow from God swore he would be reuenged and gaue commandement that for ten yeeres no See lib. 3. cap. 1. man should pray vnto him or speake of him Audax Iapeti genus Nil mortalibus arduum Coelum ipsum petimus stultitia neque Per nostrum patimur scelus Iracunda Iouem ponere fulmina But to leaue these strange extrauagancies all the common sort of people do they not plainly verifie that saying of Pliny That there is nothing more miserable and therewithall more glorious than man For on the one side he faineth loftie and rich opinions of the loue care and affection of God towards him as his minion and only beloued and in the meane time he returneth him no dutie or seruice worthie so great and louing a God How can a life so miserable and a seruice so negligent on the one side agree with an opinion and beliefe so glorious and so haughtie on the other This is at one and the same time to be an angel and a swine and this is that wherewith a great Philosopher reproched the Christians that there were no people more fierce glorious in their speech and in effect more dissolute effeminate and villanous It was an enemie that spake it perhaps to wrong and abuse vs but yet he spake but that which doth iustly touch all hypocrites It likewise seemeth vnto vs that we burthen and importune God the world and nature that they labour and trauell 2 In respect of Nature in our affayres they watch not but for vs and therefore we wonder and are astonished with those accidents that happen vnto vs and especially at our deaths Few there are that resolue and beleeue that it is their last houre and almost all do euen then suffer themselues to be mocked with vaine hopes This proceedeth from presumption we make too much of our selues and we thinke that the whole world hath great interest in our death
the bosome and lap of a woman or being spent about young children But is it not a goodly sight nay a great losse that he that is able for his wisdome and policie to gouerne the whole world should spend his time in the gouernment of a woman and a few children And therefore it was well answered by a great personage being sollicited to marry That he was borne to command men not a woman to counsell Kings and Princes not little children To all this a man may answere that the nature of man is 3 The answere to the aforesaid obiections Cap. 4. not capable of perfection or of any thing against which nothing may be obiected as hath elsewhere beene spoken The best and most expedient remedies that it hath are in some degree or other but sickly mingled with discommodities They are all but necessarie euils And this is the best that man could deuise for his preseruation and multiplication Some as Plato and others would more subtillie haue inuented meanes to haue auoided these thornie inconueniences but besides that they built castels in the aire that could not long continue in vse their inuentions likewise if they could haue been put in practise would not haue been without many discommodities and difficulties Man hath been the cause of them and hath himselfe brought them forth by his vice intemperancie and contrarie passions and we are not to accuse the state nor any other but man who knowes not well how to vse any thing Moreouer a man may say that by reason of these thornes and difficulties it is a schoole of vertue an apprentiship and a familiar and domesticall exercise and Socrates a doctor of wisdome did once say to such as hit him in the teeth with his wiues pettish frowardnes That he did thereby learne euen within his owne dores to be cōstant and patient euery where else and to thinke the crosses of fortune to be sweet and pleasant vnto him It is not to be denied but that he that can liue vnmaried doth best but yet for the honour of mariage a man may say that it was first instituted by God himselfe in Paradise before any other thing and that in the state of innocencie and perfection See heere foure commendations of mariage but the fourth passeth all the rest and is without replie Afterwards the Sonne of God approued it and honored it with his presence at the first miracle that he wrought and that miracle done in the fauour of that state of mariage and maried men yea he hath honored it with this priuiledge that it serueth for a figure of that great vnion of his with the Church and for that cause it is called a mysterie and great Without all doubt mariage is not a thing indifferent It is either wholly a great good or a great euill a great content or 4 Wholly good or wholly ill a great trouble a paradise or a hell It is either a sweet and pleasant way if the choice be good or a rough and dangerous march and a gauling burthensome tye if it be ill It is a bargaine where truly that is verified which is said Homo homini deus aut lupus Mariage is a worke that consisteth of many parts there must be a meeting of many qualities many considerations 5 A good mariage a rare good besides the parties maried For whatsoeuer a man say he marieth not only for himselfe his posteritie familie alliance and other meanes are of great importance and a greeuous burthen See heere the cause why so few good are found and because there are so few good found it is a token of the price and value thereof it is the condition of all great charges Royaltie is full of difficultie and few there are that exercise it well and happily And whereas we see many times that it falleth not out so luckely the reason thereof is the licentious libertie and vnbridled desire of the persons themselues and not in the state and institution of mariage and therefore it is commonly more commodious and better fitted in good simple and vulgar spirits where delicacie curiositie and idlenesse are lesse troublesome vnbridled humours and turbulent wauering minds are not fit for this state or degree Mariage is a step to wisdome a holie and inuiolable band an honorable match If the choyce be good and well ordered 6 A simple description and summary of mariage there is nothing in the world more beautifull It is a sweet societie of life full of constancie trust and an infinite number of profitable offices and mutuall obligations It is a fellowship not of loue but amitie For loue and amitie are as different as the burning sick heate of a feuer from the naturall heate of a sound bodie Mariage hath in it selfe amitie vtilitie iustice honor constancie a plaine pleasure but sound firme and more vniuersall Loue is grounded vpon pleasure only and it is more quicke piercing ardent Few mariages succeede well that haue their beginnings and progresse from beautie and amorous desires Mariage hath neede of foundations more solid and constant and we must walke more warily this boyling affection is worth nothing yea mariage hath a better conduct by a third hand Thus much is said summarily and simplie but more exactly to describe it we know that in Mariage there are two 7 A descriptiō more exact things essentiall vnto it and seeme contraries though indeed they be not that is to say an equalitie sociable and such as is betweene Peeres and an inequalitie that is to say superioritie and inferioritie The equalitie consisteth in an entire and perfect communication and communitie of all things soules wills bodies goods the fundamentall law of Mariage which in some places is extended euen to life and death in such sort that the husband being dead the wife must incontinently follow This is practised in some places by the publick lawes of the countries and many times with so ardent affection that many wiues belonging to one husband they contend and publicklie pleade for the honor to goe first to sleepe with their spouse that is their word alleaging for themselues the better to obtaine their suite and preferment heerein their good seruice that they were best beloued had the last kisse of their deceased husband and haue had children by him Et certamen habent lethi quae viua sequatur coniugium pudor est non licuisse mori Ardent victrices flammae pectora praebent Imponuntque suis ora perusta viris In other places it was obserued not by publicke lawes but priuate compacts and agreements of mariage as betwixt Marc. Antony and Cleopatra This equalitie doth likewise consist in that power which they haue in commune ouer their family whereby the wife is called the companion of her husband the mistris of the house and family as the husband the master and lord And their ioint authoritie ouer their family is compared to an Aristocracie The distinction of superioritie and inferioritie
consisteth in this that the husband hath power ouer the wife and the 8 Inequalitie wife is subiect to the husband This agreeth with all lawes and policies but yet more or lesse according to the diuersitie of them In all things the wife though she be far more noble and more rich yet is subiect to the husband This superioritie and inferioritie is naturall founded vpon the strength and sufficiencie of the one the weaknes and insufficiencie of the other The Diuines ground it vpon other reasons drawen from the Bible Man was first made by God alone and immediatly expresly for God his head and according to his image and perfect for nature doth always begin with things perfect The woman was made in the second place after man of the substance of man by occasion and for another thing mulier est vir occasionatus to serue as an aide and as a second to man who is her head and therefore imperfect And this is the difference by order of generation That of corruption and sinne proueth the same for the woman was the first in preuarication and by hir own weakenes and will did sinne man the second and by occasion of the woman the woman then the last in good and in generation and by occasion the first in euill and the occasion thereof is iustly subiect vnto man the first in good and last in euill This superioritie and power of the husband hath beene in some places such as that of the father ouer life and death as 9 The power of the husband Dion Halicar l. 2. Lib. 2. Lib. 6. bel Gal. with the Romans by the law of Romulus and the husband had power to kill his wife in foure cases Adulterie Suborning of children counterfeiting of false keyes and drinking of wine So likewise with the Greeks as Polybius and the ancient French as Caesar affirmeth the power of the husband was ouer the life and death of his wife Elswhere and there too afterwards this power was moderated but almost in all places the power of the husband and the subiection of the wife doth inferre thus much That the husband is master of the actions and vowes of his wife and may with words correct her and hold her to the stocks as for blowes they are vnworthy a woman of honour or honestie saith the Law and the wife is bound to holde the condition follow the qualitie countrey familie habitation and rancke of her husband she must accompanie and follow him in all things in his iourneys if need be his banishment his imprisonment yea a wandring person a vagabond a fugitiue The examples heereof are many and excellent of Sulpitia who followed her husband Lentulus being banished into Cicilie Erithrea her husband Phalaris Ipsicrates the wife of King Mithridate vanquished by Pompey who wandred thorow the world Some adde vnto this That wiues are to follow their husbands euen in the warres and into those prouinces whither the husband is sent with publike charge Neither can the wife bring any thing into question of law whether she be plaintiffe or defendant without Corn. Tacit the authority of her husband or of the Iudge if he refuse neither can she call her husband into iudgement without the permission of the Magistrate Marriage is not carried after one and the same fashion neither 10 The diuers rules of mariage hath it in euery place the same lawes and rules but according to the diuersitie of religions and countreys it hath rules either more easie or more streight according to the rules of Christianitie of all others the streightest marriage is more subiect and held more short There is nothing but the entrance left free the continuance is by constraint depending of some thing els than our owne willes Other nations and religions to make marriage more easie free and fertile haue receiued and practised Polygamie and repudiation libertie to take and leaue wiues they accuse Christianitie for taking away these two by which meanes amity and multiplication the principall ends of marriage are much preiudiced inasmuch as amitie is an enemie to all constraint and they doe better maintaine themselues in an honest libertie and multiplication is made by the woman as Nature doth richly make knowen vnto vs in wolues of whom the race is so fertile in the production of their yoong euen to the number of twelue or thirteene that they farre excell all other profitable creatures of these there are great numbers killed euery day by which meanes there are but few and they though of all others the most fertile yet by accident the most barren the reason is because of so great a number as they bring there is one only female which for the most part beareth not by reason of the multitude of males that concurre in the generation of which the greatest part die without fruit by the want of females So likewise we may see how much Polygamy helpeth to multiplication in those nations that receiue it Iewes Turks and other Barbarians who are able to raise forces of three or foure thousand fighting men fit for warres Contrariwise in Christendome there are many linked together in matrimony the one of which if not both are barren which being placed with others both the one and the other may happely leaue great posteritie behinde them But to speake more truly all his fertilitie consisteth in the fertilitie of one only woman Finally they obiect That this Christianlike restraint is the cause of many lasciuious pranks and adulteries To all which we may answer That Christianitie considereth not of marriage by reasons purely humane naturall temporall but it beholds it with another visage and weigheth it with reasons more high and noble as hath beene said Adde vnto this That experience sheweth in the greatest part of marriages that constraint increaseth amitie especially in simple and debonaire mindes who doe easily accommodate themselues where they finde themselues in such sort linked And as for lasciuious and wicked persons it is the immodestie of their maners that makes them such which no libertie can amend And to say the truth Adulteries are as common where Polygamie and repudiation are in force witnesse the Iewes and Dauid who for all the wiues that hee had could not defend himselfe from it and contrariwise they haue beene a long time vnknowen in policies well gouerned where there was neither Polygamie nor repudiation witnesse Sparta and Rome a long time after the foundation And therefore it is absurd to attribute it vnto religion which teacheth nothing but puritie and continencie The libertie of Polygamie which seemeth in some sort naturall 11 Polygamie diuers is caried diuersly according to the diuersitie of nations and policies In some all the wiues that belong to one husband liue in common and are equall in degree and so are their children In others there is one who is the principall and as the mistresse whose children inherit the goods honours and titles of the husband the rest
yong actiue the ordinarie view of so many accidents and spectacles libertie and conuersation without arte a manly fashion of life without ceremonie the varietie of diuers actions a couragious harmonie of warlike musike which entertaines vs and stirres our blood our eares our soule those warlike commotions which rauish vs with their horror and feare that confused tempest of sounds and cries that fearefull ordering of so many thousands of men with so much furie ardour and courage But on the other side a man may say that the arte and experience of vndoing one another of killing ruinating destroying 2 The dispraise our owne proper kinde seemes to be vnnaturall and to proceed from an alienation of our sense and vnderstanding it is a great testimonie of our weaknesse and imperfection and it is not found in beasts themselues in whom the image of nature continueth farre more entire What follie what rage is it to make such commotions to torment so many people to runne thorow so many dangers and hazzards both by sea and land for a thing so vncertaine and doubtfull as the issue of warre to runne with such greedinesse and fiercenesse after death which is easily found euery where and without hope of sepulture to kill those he hates not nor euer saw But whence proceedeth this great furie and ardor for it is not for any offence committed What frensie and madnesse is this for a man to abandon his owne bodie his time his rest his life his libertie and to leaue it to the mercie of another to expose himselfe to the losse of his owne members and to that which is a thousand times worse than death fire and sword to be troden to be pinched with hot iron to be cut to be torne in pieces broken and put to the gallies for euer And all this to serue the passion of another for a cause which a man knowes not to be iust and which is commonly vniust for warres are commonly vniust and for him whom a man knowes not who takes so little care for him that fights for him that he will be content to mount vpon his dead bodie to helpe his owne stature that he may see the farther I speake not heere of the dutie of subiects towards their Prince and countrey but of voluntaries and mercenarie souldiers The fift and last distinction and difference of men drawen from the fauors and disfauors of Nature and Fortune THE PREFACE THis last distinction and difference is apparent enough and sufficiently knowen and hath many members and considerations but may all be reduced to two heads which a man may call with the vulgar sort Felicitie or good fortune and Infelicitie or ill fortune Greatnesse or littlenesse To Felicitie and greatnesse belong health beautie and the other goods of the bodie libertie nobilitie honor dignitie science riches credit friends To Infelicitie or littlenesse belong all the contraries which are priuations of the other good things From these things doth arise a very great difference because a man is happie in one of these or in two or in three and not in the rest and that more or lesse by infinite degrees few or none at all are happie or vnhappie in them all He that hath the greatest part of these goods and especially three Nobilitie Dignitie or Authoritie and riches is accounted great he that hath not any of these three little But many haue but one or two and are accounted midlings betwixt the great and the little We must speake a little of them all Of Health beautie and other naturall goods of the bodie Chap. 11. hath been spoken before as likewise of their contraries Chap. 6. Sicknesse Griefe CHAP. LVIII Of Libertie and Seruitude LIbertie is accounted by some a souereigne good and Seruitude an extreame euill insomuch that many haue chosen rather to die a cruell death than to be made slaues or to see either the publike good or their owne priuate indangered But of this there may be too much and of these too manie as of all other things There is a twofolde libertie the true which is of the minde or spirit and is in the power of euery one and can not be taken away nor indamaged by another nor by Fortune it selfe contrariwise the seruitude of the spirit is the most miserable of all others to serue our owne affections to suffer our selues to be deuoured by our owne passions to be led by opinions ô pitifull captiuitie The corporall libertie is a good greatly to be esteemed but subiect to Fortune and it is neither iust nor reasonable if it be not by reason of some other circumstance that it should be preferred before life it selfe as some of the ancients haue done who haue rather made choice of death than to lose it and it was accounted a great vertue in them so great an euill was seruitude thought to be Seruitus obedientia est fracti animi abiecti arbitrio carentis suo Many great and wise men haue serued Regulus Valerianus Plato Diogenes euen those that were wicked and yet dishonoured not their owne condition but continued in effect and truth more free than their masters CHAP. LIX Nobilitie NObilitie is a qualitie euery where not common but honourable brought in and established with great reason and for publike vtilitie It is diuers diuersly taken and vnderstood and according to diuers nations and iudgements it hath diuers kindes According The description of nobilitie to the generall and common opinion and custome it is a qualitie of a race or stocke Aristotle saith that it is the antiquitie of a race and of riches Plutarch calleth it the vertue of a race 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaning thereby a certaine habit and qualitie continued in the linage What this qualitie or vertue is all are not wholly of one accord sauing in this that it is profitable to the weale-publike For to some and the greater part this qualitie is militarie to others it is politike literarie of those that are wise palatine of the officers of the Prince But the militarie hath the aduantage aboue the rest for besides the seruice which it yeeldeth to the weale-publike as the rest do it is painfull laborious dangerous whereby it is accounted more worthy and commendable So hath it caried with vs by excellencie the honourable title of Valour There must then according to this opinion be two things in true and perfect nobilitie profession of this vertue and qualitie profitable to the common-weale which is as the forme and the race as the subiect and matter that is to say a long continuance of this qualitie by many degrees and races and time out of mind whereby they are called in our language Gentlemen that is to say of a race house familie carying of long time the same name and the same profession For he is truely and entirely noble who maketh a singular profession of publick vertue seruing his Prince and Countrie and being descended of parents and ancestors
that haue done the same There are some that separate these two and thinke that one of them sufficeth to true nobilitie that is either only vertue 3 the distinction and qualitie without any consideration of race or ancestors This is a personall and acquired nobilitie considered with rigour it is rude that one come from the house of a Butcher or Vintner should be held for noble whatsoeuer seruice he hath done for the Common-weale Neuerthelesse this opinion hath place in many nations namely with the Turks contemners of ancient nobilitie and esteeming of no other but personall and actuall militarie valour or only antiquitie of race without profession of the qualitie this is in the bloud and purely naturall If a man should compare these two simple and imperfect nobilities together that which is purely naturall to iudge aright 4 Naturall nobilitie it is the lesse though many out of their vanitie haue thought otherwise The naturall is another mans qualitie and not his owne genus proauos quae non fecimus ipsi vix ea nostra puto nemo vixit in gloriam nostram nec quod ante nos fuit nostrum est And what greater follie can there be than to glorie in that which is not his owne This honor may light vpon a vitious man a knaue and one in himself a true villaine It is also vnprofitable to another for it communicateth not with any man neither is any man bettered by it as science iustice goodnes beautie riches do They that haue nothing else commendable in them but this nobilitie of flesh and bloud make much of it they haue it alwaies in their mouthes it makes their cheekes swell and their hearts too they will be sure to manage that little good that they haue it is the marke by which they are knowne and a token that they haue nothing else in them because they rest themselues whollie vpon that But this is vanitie for all their glorie springeth from fraile instruments ab vtero conceptu partu and is buried vnder the toombe of their ancestors As offenders being pursued haue recourse to altars and the sepulchers of the dead and in former times to the statues of Emperours so these men being destitute of all merit and subiect of true honor haue recourse to the memorie and armories of their ancestors What good is it to a blind man that his parents haue beene well sighted or to him that stammereth that his Grandfather was eloquent and yet these kind of people are commonly glorious high minded contemners of others Contemptor animus superbia commune nobilitatis malum Salust The personall and acquired honor hath conditions altogether contrarie and very good It is proper to the possessor 5 Acquired and personall honor thereof it is alwaies a worthie subiect and profitable to others Againe a man may say that it is more ancient and more rare than the naturall for by it the naturall began and in a word that is true honor which consisteth in good and profitable effects not in dreames and imagination vaine and vnprofitable and proceedeth from the spirit not the bloud which is the same in noble men that is in others Quis generosus ad virtutem à natura bene compositus animus facit nobilem cui ex quacunque conditione supra fortunam licet surgere Senec. But they are both oftentimes and verie willinglie together and so they make a perfect honor The naturall is a way 6 Naturall and acquired and occasion to the personall for things do easily returne to their first nature and beginning As the naturall hath taken his beginning and essence from the personall so it leadeth and conducteth his to it fortes creantur fortibus hoc vnum in nobilitate bonum vt nobilibus imposita necessitudo videatur ne à maiorum virtute degenerent To know that a man is sprung from honorable ancestors and such as haue deserued well of the Common-weale is a strong obligation and spurre to the honorable exploits of vertue It is a foule thing to degenerate and to belie a mans owne race The nobilitie that is giuen by the bountie and letters patent of the Prince if it haue no other reason it is shamefull and rather dishonorable than honorable It is an nobilitie in parchment bought with siluer or fauor and not by bloud as it ought If it be giuen for merit and notable seruices it is personall and acquired as hath beene said CHAP. LX. Of Honor. SOme say but not so well that honor is the prise and recompence of vertue or not so ill an acknowledgement of 1 The description of honor vertue or a prerogatiue of a good opinion and afterwards of an outward dutie towards vertue It is a priuiledge that draweth his principall essence from vertue Others haue called it the shadow of vertue which sometimes followeth sometimes goeth before it as the shadow the bodie But to speake truly it is the rumor of a beautifull and vertuous action which reboundeth from our soules to the view of the world and by reflexion into our selues bringeth vnto vs a testimonie of that which others beleeue of vs which turneth to a great contentment of mind Honor is so much esteemed and sought for by all that to attaine thereunto a man enterpriseth endureth contemneth whatsoeuer besides yea life it selfe neuerthelesse it is a matter of small and slender moment vncertaine a stranger and as it were separated in the aire from him that is honored for it doth not only not enter into him nor is inward and essentiall vnto him but it doth not so much as touch him being for the most part either dead or absent and who feeleth nothing but setleth it selfe and stayeth without at the gate sticks in the name which receiueth and carieth all the honors and dishonours praises and dispraises whereby a man is said to haue either a good name or a bad All the good or euill that a man can say of Caesar is caried by his name Now the name is nothing of the nature and substance of the thing it is only the image which presenteth it the marke which distinguisheth it from others a summarie which conteineth it in a small volume mounteth it and carieth it whole and entire the meane to enioy it and to vse it for without the names there would be nothing but confusion the vse of things would be lost the world would decay as the historie of the tower of Babell doth richly teach vs to be breefe the stickler and middle of the essence of the thing and the honor or dishonor thereof for it is that that toucheth the thing it selfe and receiueth all the good or ill that is spoken Now honor before it ariue to the name of the thing it goes a course almost circular like the Sunne performed and perfected in three principall sites or places the action or worke the heart the tongue for it begins and is conceiued as in the
that wisdome and sottish simplicitie do meete in one and the same point touching the bearing and suffering of humane actions It is then very dangerous to iudge of the probitie or improbitie of a man by his actions we must sound him within from what foundation these motions doe arise wicked men performe many times many good and excellent actions and both good and euill preserue themselues alike from doing euill oderunt peccare boni mali To discouer therefore and to know which is the true Honestie we must not stay in the outward action that is but the signe the simplest token and many times a cloke and maske to couer villanie we must penetrate into the inward part and know the motiue which causeth the strings to play which is the soule and the life that giueth motion to all It is that whereby we must iudge it is that wherein euery man should prouide to be good and entire and that which we seeke That honestie which is commonly accounted true and so much preached and commended of the world whereof they 3 Vulgar honestie and according to the stile of the world make expresse profession who haue the title and publike reputation to be men of honestie and setled constancie is scholasticall and pedanticall seruant to the lawes enforced by hope and feare acquired learned and practised out of a submission too a consideration of the religion lawes customes commaunds of superiors other mens examples subiect to prescript formes effeminate fearefull and troubled with scruples and doubts sunt quibus innocentia nisi metu non placet which is not only in respect of the world diuers and variable according to the diuersitie of religions lawes examples formes for the iurisdictions changing the motions must likewise alter but also in it selfe vnequall wauering deambulatorie according to the accesse recesse and successe of the affaires the occasions which are presented the persons with whom a man hath to do as a ship driuen with the winds and the oares is caried away with an vnequall tottering pase with many blowes blasts and billows To be breefe these are honest men by accident and occasion by outward and strange euents and not in veritie and essence they vnderstand it not and therefore it is easie to discouer them and to conuince them by shaking of a little their bridle and sounding them somewhat nearer but aboue all by that inequalitie and diuersitie which is found in them for in one and the same action they will giue diuers iudgements and cary themselues altogether after a diuers fashion going sometimes a slow pase sometimes running a maine gallop This vnequall diuersitie proceedeth from this that the outward occasions which moue and stirre them do either puffe them vp multiplie and increase them or make them luke-warme and deiect them more or lesse like accidents quae recipiunt magis minus Now that true honestie which I require in him that will be wise is free manly and generous pleasant and cheerefull equall 4 The description of true honestie vniforme and constant which marcheth with a stayed pase stately and hawtie going alwaies his owne way neither looking on this side or behind him without staying or altering his pase or gate for the wind the times the occasions which are changed but that is not I meane in iudgement and will that is in the soule where honestie resideth and hath it seate For outward actions especiallie the publike haue another iurisdiction as shall be said in his place This honestie I will describe in this place giuing you first to vnderstand that following the designment of this booke declared in the Preface I speake of humane honestie and wisdome as it is humane whereby a man is called an honest man and a wise and not of Christian though in the end I may chaunce to speake a word or two thereof The iurisdiction of this honestie is Nature which bindeth 5 Nature enioyneth honestie euery man to be and to make himselfe such as he ought that is to say to conforme and rule himselfe according vnto it Nature is together both a mistris which enioyneth and commaundeth honestie and a law and instruction which teacheth it vnto vs. As touching the first there is a naturall obligation inward and vniuersall in euery man to be honest iust vpright following the intention of his author and maker A man ought not to attend or seeke any other cause obligation instinct or motiue of this honestie and he can neuer know how to haue a more iust and lawfull more powerfull more ancient it is altogether as soone as himselfe borne with himselfe Euery man should be or should desire to be an honest man because he is a man and he that takes no care to be such is a monster renounceth himselfe belieth destroyeth himselfe by right he is no more a man and in effect should desist to be a man It is necessarie that honestie grow in him by himselfe that is to say by that inward instinct which God hath put in him and not from any other outward and strange cause any occasion or induction A man will not out of a iust and regular will any thing that is depraued or corrupt or other than it owne nature requireth it implieth a contradiction to desire or accept a thing and nothing to care whether it be worth the caring for a man would haue all his parts good and sound his bodie his head his eies his iudgement his memorie yea his hose and shooes and why will he not like wise haue his will and his conscience good that is to say be whollie good and sound I will therefore that he be good and haue his will firme and resolued to equity and honesty for the loue of himselfe and because he is a man knowing that he can be no other without the renouncing and destruction of himselfe and so his honesty shall be proper inward essentiall euen as his owne essence is vnto him and he vnto himselfe It must not then be for any outward consideration and proceeding from without whatsoeuer it bee for such a cause being accidentall and outward may happen to faile grow weake and alter and consequently all that honesty that is grounded thereupon must doe the like If he be an honest man for honour or reputation or other recompence being in a solitary place where he hath no hope to be knowen hee either ceaseth to be honest or putteth it in practise very coldly and negligently If for feare of the lawes magistrates punishments if he can deceiue the lawes circumuent the iudges auoid or disprooue the proofes and hide himselfe from the knowledge of another there is an end of his honesty And this honestie is but fraile occasioned accidentall and miserable and yet it is that which is in authoritie and vse no man knowes of any other there is not an honest man but such as is enforced or inuited by some cause or occasion nemo gratis bonus est Now
obtaine and possesse his owne good and his owne end Sapientia est in naturam conuerti eò restitui vnde publicus error expulerit Ab illa non deerr are ad illius legem exemplumque formari sapientia est Men are naturallie good and follow not euill but for profit or pleasure and therefore law-makers to induce them to follow their naturall and good inclination and not to enforce their wils haue proposed two contrarie things punishment and reward Doubtlesse Nature in euery one of vs is sufficient and a sweet Mistris and rule to all things if we will hearken vnto 8 As a good and sufficiēt mistris hir employ and awaken hir and wee need not seeke elsewhere nor begge of Arte and the Sciences the meanes the remedies and the rules which we haue need of Euery one of vs if he will may liue at his pleasure of his owne To liue content and happie a man neede not be wise a courtier nor so actiue all this sufficiencie that is beyond the common and naturall is vaine and superfluous yea it bringeth more euill with it than good We see ignorant people idiots and simple men leade their liues more sweetly and cheerefully resist the assaults of death of want of sorrow more constantly and contentedly than the wisest men and most actiue And if a man marke it well he shall finde among persants and other poore people examples of patience constancie equanimitie more pure than all those that are taught in Schooles they follow simplie the reason and conduct of nature they trauell quietly and contentedly in their affaires not enflaming or eleuating themselues and consequently more soundly Others mount themselues vpon their great horses play the light horsemen bandie themselues one against the other keepe their braines alwaies in worke and agitation A great master and admirable doctor in nature was Socrates as Aristotle in arte and science Socrates by simple and naturall discourses by vulgar similitudes and inductions speaking like a country swaine did furnish vs with precepts and rules of good life and remedies against all euils so substantiall and strong that all the arte and science of the world could not deuise better or the like But we doe not only not hearken vnto it beleeue and follow 9 We alter it wholly By violence it according to the counsell of the wise but also not to speake of those monsters who by the violence of their vices inordinate and peruerse delights and pleasures suffocate and extinguish as much as in them lieth the light mortifie the seed thereof we endeuour to auoid it we suffer it to sleepe and to cease louing better to begge elsewhere our first rudiments to runne to studie and arte than to content our selues By arte with that which is bred within vs. We haue a busie troublesome spirit which offereth it selfe to rule and gouerne in all things and which carrieth it selfe after our owne willes disguiseth changeth and troubleth all will adde inuent alter and can not stay it selfe in home-borne simplicitie it thinketh nothing good wherein there is not craft and subtiltie simplex illa aperta virtus in obscuram solertem scientiam versa est And it is a vice common amongst vs not to account of any thing that is in vs we esteeme only of that which is bought which is costly and is brought from farre we preferre arte before nature we shut the windowes at highnoone and light candles This fault and follie proceedeth from another that is that we esteeme not of things according to their true and essentiall value but according to the shew and report How many are there more scrupulous and exact in those things that belong to the positiue and municipall law than the naturall Truly almost all yea euen in the ceremoniall and law of ciuilitie which we haue framed to our selues in respect By ceremonis whereof we disdaine and are ashamed of nature We speake little we make a faire shew and carefully keepe a decorum or decencie and make no difficultie to goe directly against nature dutie conscience So that the shadow is more vnto vs than the bodie the root the countenance more than the substance and sound veritie That we may not offend a ceremonie we couer and hide things naturall we dare not name and we blush at the sound of things which we doe in no sort feare to do both lawfull and vnlawfull We dare not speake that which is permitted to doe we dare not directly to name our owne proper members and yet we feare not to employ them in all maner of wickednesse we pronounce speake and do without feare and without shame wicked things and such as are against nature and reason forsweare betray assaile kill deceiue and we blush to speake of things good naturall necessarie iust and lawfull There is not a husband which is not more ashamed to embrace his wife in the open view of the world than to kill lie assaile nor a woman that will not rather vtter any wickednesse in the world than name that wherein she taketh most delight and may lawfullie doe Euen to treasons and murders they tie themselues to the lawes of a ceremonie and there fasten their deuoires A strange thing that iniustice should complaine of inciuility malice of indiscretion The act of a ceremonie doth it not preuaile against nature The ceremonie forbiddeth vs to expresse naturall things and lawfull and we giue credit therevnto Nature and reason forbiddeth vs things vnlawfull and no man beleeues it A man sends his conscience to the brothell-house and keeps his outward countenance in order All this is monstrous and the like is not found amongst beasts I will not for all this say as I perceiue malice doth already mutter that ceremonie and decencie ought not carefully be kept which is the salt and seasoning of our actions and conuersations Amo verecundiam in ea ornatus vitae Cicer. vis decori But I say to them as our Sauiour to men of the like spirit O hypocritae excelantes culicem camelum deglutientes Matth. 23. qui minima curatis grauiora spernitis Haec oportet primùm facere tum illa non omittere From this generall and vniuersall alteration and corruption 10 In such sort that it is no more knowen in man it is come to passe that there is nothing of Nature knowen in vs. If we must say what the lawes thereof are and how many they are we are much hindred The ensigne marke of a naturall law is the vniuersitie of approbation for that which Nature shall haue truly ordemed for vs we with a common consent shall follow without doubting and not only euery nation but euery particular person Now there is not any thing in the world which is not denied and contradicted not by one nation but by diuers and there is not any thing so strange and vnnaturall in the opinion of diuers which is not approued and authorised in
crosses as a man would haue thought them their vtter ouerthrow and vndoing haue beene raised by the selfesame meanes to the highest pitch of their owne desires and contrariwise without that infelicitie had still remained vnder hatches as that great Athenian Captaine knew well when hee said perier amus nisi perijssemus A very excellent example heere of was Ioseph the sonne of Iacob It is true that these are blowes from heauen but the vertue and wisedome of man serueth as a proper instrument from whence came that wise saying of the Sages To make of necessitie a vertue It is a very good husbandrie and the first propertie of a wise man to draw good from euill to handle his affaires with such dexteritie and so to winne the winde and to set the bias that of that which is ill he may make good vse and better his owne condition Afflictions and aduersities proceede from three causes 10 It hath three causes and three effects which are the three authors workers of our punishments sinne the first inuentor which hath brought them into nature the anger and iustice of God which setteth them aworke as his Commissaries and executioners the policie of the world troubled and changed by sinne wherein as a generall reuolt and cruill tumult things not being in their due places and not doing their office all euils do spring and arise as in a body the disiointing of the members the dislocation of the bones bringeth great paine and much vnquietnesse These three are not fauourable vnto vs the first is to be hated of all as our enemie the second to be feared as terrible the third to be auoided as an imposture That a man may the better defend and quit himselfe from all three there is no better way than to vse their owne proper armes wherewith they punish vs as Dauid cut off Goliahs head with his owne sword making of necessity a vertue profit of paine and affliction turning them against themselues Affliction is the true fruit or science of sinne being well taken is the death and ruine thereof and it doth that to the author therof which the viper doth to his damme that brought him foorth It is the oile of the Scorpion which healeth his owne sting to the end it may perish by it owne inuention perijt arte sua patimur quia peccauimus patimur vt non peccemus It is the file of the soule which scoureth purifieth and clenseth it from all sinne And consequently it appeaseth the anger of God and freeth vs from the prisons and bands of Iustice to bring vs into the faire and cleare sun-shine of grace and mercy Finally it weaneth vs from the world it plucketh vs from the dug and maketh vs distaste with the bitternesse thereof like wormwood vpon the teat of the nurse the sweet milke and food of this deceitfull world A great and principall meane for a man to carrie himselfe well in aduersitie is to be an honest man A vertuous man 11 A generall aduice is more peaceable in aduersitie than a vitious in prosperitie like those that haue a feuer who feele and find more harme and violence in the heat and cold thereof and in the extreamitie of their fittes than such as are sound in the heat and cold of Summer and Winter And euen so they that haue their consciences sicke are much more tormented than they that are sound that are honest men For hauing the inward part whole and healthfull they can no way bee endamaged by the outward especially opposing against it a good courage Aduersities are of two sorts some are true and naturall as 12 An aduice more speciall sicknesse griefes losse of those things we loue others are false and fained either by a common or particular opinion and not in veritie That it is so man hath his spirit and body as much at command as before they hapned To these kind of men only this one word That which thou complainest of is neither painfull nor troublesome but thou makest it such and makest thy selfe to beleeue it As touching the true and naturall the more prompt and popular and more sound opinions are the more naturall and 13 Naturall more iust First we must remember that a man indureth nothing against the humane and naturall law since euen at the To endure is naturall and humane birth of man all these things are annexed and giuen as ordinarie In whatsoeuer doth afflict vs let vs consider two things the nature of that that hapneth vnto vs and that which is in our selues and vsing things according to nature we can receiue no tediousnesse or offence thereby For offence is a maladie of the soule contrarie to nature and therefore should by no meanes come neere vnto vs. There is not any accident in the world which may happen vnto vs wherein nature hath not prepared an aptnesse in vs to receiue it and to turne it to our contentment There is no maner of life so strait that hath not some solace and recreation There is no prison so strong and darke that giues not place to a song sometimes to comfort a prisoner Ionas had leasure to make his prayers vnto God euen in the bellie of the Whale and was heard It is a fauor of nature that it findeth a remedie and ease vnto our euils in the bearing of them it being so that man is borne to be subiect to all sorts of miseries omnia ad quae gemimus quae expauescimus tributa vitaesunt Secondly we must remember that there is only the lesser part of man subiect to fortune we haue the principall in our 14 It toucheth but the lesser part of man owne power and it cannot be ouercome without our owne consent Fortune may make a man poore sick afflicted but not vitious dissolute deiected it cannot take from vs probitie courage vertue Afterwards we must come to fidelitie reason iustice Many times a man complaineth vniustlie for though he be sometimes 15 It is not against reason and iustice surprised with some ill accident yet he is more often with a good and so the one must recompence the other And if a man consider well thereof he shall find more reason to content himselfe with his good fortunes than to complaine of his bad and as we turne our eyes from those things that offend vs and delight to cast them vpon greene and pleasant colours so must we diuert our thoughts from heauie and melancholike occurrents and applie them to those that are pleasant and pleasing vnto vs. But we are malicious resembling cupping-glasses which draw the corrupt bloud and leaue the good like a couetous man who selleth the best wine and drinks the worst like little children from whom if you take away one of their play-games in a furie they cast away all the rest For if any misfortune happen vnto vs we torment our selues and forget all the rest that may any way comfort vs yea some there are
that for small losses terme themselues vnfortunate in all things and forget that they euer receiued any good in such sort that an ounce of aduersitie brings them more hartie griefe then ten thousand of prosperitie pleasure or delight We must likewise cast our eyes vpon those that are of a 16 It is little in comparison far worse condition than our selues who would thinke themselues happie if they were in our place Cum tibi displiceat rerum fortuna tuarum Alterius specta quo sis discrimine peior It were good and necessarie that these complainers did practise the saying and aduice of a wiseman that if all the euils that men suffer should be compared with the blessings they enioy the diuision being equallie made they may see by the ouerplus of that good they enioy the iniustice of their complaint After all these opinions we may conclude that there are two great remedies against all euils and aduersities which may be reduced almost to one Custome for the vulgar and baser sort and meditation for the wiser Both of them haue their force from time the common and strongest salue against all euils but the wise take it before hand this is foresight and the feeble and vulgar sort after hand That Custome preuaileth much it doth plainly appeare in that those things that are most tedious and offensiue are made thereby easie and pleasing Natura calamitatum mollimentum consuetudinem inuenit Slaues weepe when they enter into the gallies and before three months be ended they sing They that haue not beene accustomed to the sea are afeard though it be at the calmest when they wey anckor whereas the mariners laugh in the middest of a tempest The wife groweth desperate at the death of hir husband and before a yeare be expired she loues another Time and Custome brings all things to passe that which offendeth vs is the noueltie of that which happeneth vnto vs omnia nouitate grauiora sunt Meditation performeth the same office with wise men and by the force thereof things are made familiar and ordinarie 18 Foresight or prouidence quae alij diu patiendo leuia faciunt sapiens leuia facit diu cogitando Hee considereth exactly the nature of all things that may offend him and presenteth vnto himselfe whatsoeuer may happen vnto him most grieuous and insupportable as sicknesse pouerty exile iniuries and examineth in them all that which is according to nature or contrary to it For foresight or prouidence is a great remedy against all euils which cannot bring any great alteration or change hapning to a man that attendeth them whereas contrarily they wound and hurt him greatly that suffereth himselfe to bee surprised by them Meditation and discourse is that which giueth the true temper to the soule prepareth it confirmeth it against all assaults makes it hard steely impenetrable against whatsoeuer would wound or hurt it Sudden accidents how great soeuer can giue no great blow to him that keepes himselfe vpon his guard and is alwaies readie to receiue them praemeditati mali mollis ictus venit quicquid expectatum est diu leuiùs accidit Now to attaine this foresight we must first know that nature hath placed vs heere as in a thorny and slipppery place that that which is happened vnto another may also light vpon vs that that which hangeth ouer all may fall vpon euery one of vs and that in all the affaires that wee vndertake wee premeditate the inconueniences and euill encounters which may happen vnto vs to the end wee bee not surprised vnawares O how much are wee deceiued and how little iudgement haue we when wee thinke that that which hapneth to others cannot likewise fall vpon vs When wee will not bee wary and prouident for feare lest wee should bee thought fearefull Contrariwise if wee take knowledge of things as reason would haue vs we would rather wonder that so few crosses happen vnto vs and that those accidents that follow vs so neare haue staied so long before they catch vs and hauing caught vs how they should handle vs so mildly He that taketh heede and considereth the aduersitie of another as a thing that may happen vnto himselfe before it shall happen is sufficiently armed We must thinke of all and expect the worst they are fooles and ill aduised that say I had not thought it It is an old saying that he that is suddenly surprised is halfe beaten and he that is warned is halfe armed nay is two against one A wise man in time of peace makes his preparation for warre A good mariner before hee goe foorth of the hauen makes prouision of what is necessarie to resist the violence of a tempest it is too late to prouide against an euill when it is already come In whatsoeuer we are prepared before hand wee finde our selues apt and admirable what difficultie soeuer it haue and contrariwise there is not any thing so easie that doth not hurt and hinder vs if wee bee but nouelists therein Id videndum ne quid inopinaium sit nobis quia omnia nouitate grauiora sunt Doubtlesse it seemeth that if we were so prouident as we should and may be we should wonder at nothing That which thou sawest before it came is hapned vnto thee why then wonderest thou Let vs then take a course that accidents doe not surprise vs let vs euer stand vpon our gard and foresee what is to come Animus aduersus omnia firmandus vt dicere possimus non vlla laborum O virgo noua mi facies inopináue surgit Omnia percepi atque animo mecum ipse peregi Tu hodie ista denuntias ego semper denuntiaui mihi hominem paraui ad humana CHAP. VIII To obey and obserue the Lawes Customes and Ceremonies of the Country how and in what sense EVen as a sauage and vntamed beast will not suffer himselfe to be taken led and handled by man but either flieth 1 The beginning institution and authoritie of the lawes and hideth himselfe from him or armeth himselfe against him and with furie assaulteth him if he approch neere vnto him in such sort that a man must vse force mingled with Art and subtiltie to take and tame him So follie will not be handled by reason or wisedome but striueth and stirreth against it and addeth follie vnto follie and therefore it must bee taken and led like a wilde beast that which a man is to a beast a wise man is to a foole astonished feared and kept short that with the more ease it may be instructed and won Now the proper meane or helpe thereunto is a great authoritie a thundring power and grauitie which may dazell it with the splendor of his lightning Sola authoritas est quae cogit stultos vt ad sapientiam festinent In a popular fight or sedition August if some great wise ancient and vertuous personage come in presence that hath wonne the publike reputation of honour and vertue presently
vs in such sort that it maketh vs beleeue that what is without the bounds thereof is without the bounds of reason and there is nothing good and iust but what it approueth ratione non componimur Senec. sed consuetudine abducimur honestius putamus quod frequentius recti apud nos locum tenet error vbi publicus factus This is tolerable with idiots and the vulgar sort who wanting sufficiencie to looke into the depth of things to trie and to iudge do well to hold and settle themselues to that which is commonlie held and receiued but to wise men who play another part it is a base thing to suffer themselues to be caried with customes Now the aduice which I heere giue vnto him that would be wise is to keepe and obserue both in word and deede the 7 An aduice lawes customes which he findeth established in the countrie where he is and in like maner to respect and obey the magistrates and all superiors but alwaies with a noble spirit and after a generous maner and not seruilely pedanticallie superstitiously and withall not taking offence nor lightly condemning other strange lawes and customes but freely and soundly iudging and examining the one and the other as hath been said and not binding his iudgement and beleefe but vnto reason only Heereof a word or two In the first place according to all the wisest the rule of rules and the generall law of lawes is to follow and obserue 1 Lawes and customes are to be obserued the lawes and customes of the countrie where he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 auoyding carefullie all singularitie and strange extrauagant particularitie different from the common and ordinarie for whatsoeuer it be it alwaies hurteth and woundeth another is suspected of follie hypocrisie ambitious passion though perhaps it proceede from a sicke and weake soule Non conturbabit sapiens publicos mores nec populum in se nouitate vitae conuertet We must alwaies walke vnder the couert of the lawes customes superiours without disputation or tergiuersation without vndertaking sometimes to dispence with the lawes sometimes like a frugall seruant to enhaunce the price But that it be which is the second rule out of a good mind and after a good maner nobly and wisely neither for the loue 2 Not for their iustice and equity nor feare of them nor for the iustice or equitie that is in them nor for feare of that punishment that may follow for not obeiing them to be briefe not of superstition nor constrained scrupulous fearefull seruitude eadem quae populus sed non eodem modo nec eodem proposito faciet sapiens but freely and simply for publike reuerence and for their authoritie Lawes and customes are maintained in credit not because they are iust and good but because they are lawes and customes this is the mysticall foundation of their authoritie they haue no other and so is it with superiours because they are superiours quia supra Cathedram sedent not because they are vertuous and honest quae faciunt nolite facere Hee that obeyeth them for any other cause obeyeth them not because hee should this is an euill and a dangerous subiect it is not true obedience which must be pure and simple vnde vocatur depositio discretionis mera executio abnegatio sui Now to goe about to measure one obedience by the iustice and goodnesse of lawes and superiours were by submitting them to our iudgement to serue them with processe and to call our obedience into doubt and disputation and consequently the state and the policie according to the inconstancie and diuersitie of iudgements How many vniust and strange lawes are there in the world not only in the particular iudgements of men but of vniuersall reason wherewith the world hath liued a long time in continuall peace and rest with as great satisfaction as if they had beene very iust and reasonable And he that should goe about to change or mend them would be accounted an enemie to the weale-publike and neuer bee admitted The nature of man doth accommodate it selfe to all with the times and hauing once caught his fish it is an act of hostilitie to goe about to alter any thing we must leaue the world where it is these trouble-houses and newfangled spirits vnder a pretext of reformation marre all All change and alteration of lawes beleefes customes and Against innouatours obseruances is very dangerous and yeeldeth alwaies more euill than good it bringeth with it certaine and present euils for a good that is vncertaine and to come Innouatours haue alwaies glorious and plausible titles but they are but the more suspected and they cannot escape the note of ambitious presumption in that they thinke to see more cleerely than others and that to establish their opinions the state policie peace and publike quiet must be turned topsy turuy I will not say for all this that hath beene said before that 3 Strange things are not lightly to be condemned we must absolutely obey all lawes all commandements of superiours for such as a man knoweth euidently to be either against God or nature hee is not to obey and yet not to rebell and to trouble the state how he should gouerne himselfe in such a case shall be taught heereafter in the obedience due vnto princes for to say the truth this inconuenience and infelicitie is rather and more common in the commandements of princes than in the lawes neither is it sufficient to obey the lawes and superiours because of their worth and merrit nor seruilely and for feare as the common and prophane sort doe but a wise man doth nothing by force or feare soli hoc sapienti contingit vt nil faciat inuitus recta sequitur gaudet officio he doth that which he should and keepes the lawes not for feare of them but for the loue of himselfe being iealous of his dutie he hath not to doe with the lawes to doe well that is that wherein he differeth from the common sort who cannot do well nor know what they ought to do without lawes at iusto sapienti non est lex posita By right a wise man is aboue the lawes but in outward and publike effect he is their voluntarie and free obedient subiect In the third place thereof it is an act of lightnesse and iniurious presumption yea a testimonie of weakenesse and insufficiencie to condemne that which agreeth not with the law and custome of his countrie This proceedeth either from want of leasure or sufficiencie to consider the reasons and grounds of others this is to wrong and shame his owne iudgement whereby he is enforced many times to recant and not to remember that the nature of man is capable of all things It is to suffer the eie of his spirit to be hood winked and brought asleepe by a long custome and prescription to haue power ouer iudgement Finally it is the office of a generous spirit and
the taking The first fault yoong men and forward hot-spurres commit who for want of patience giue no leasure to time and the heauens to do any thing for them they runne but they catch nothing The second heauie lazie dull spirited men do commonly fall into To know the occasion and to take it a man must haue his spirit valiant and vigilant and likewise patient he must foresee it watch attend it see it comming and prepare for it and so take it iust at that instant when it is readie The seuenth aduice is well to cary himselfe with these two masters superintendants of the affaires of the world which 7 Industrie and Fortune are industrie or vertue and fortune It is an ancient question which of these two hath most credit force and authoritie for it is out of all doubt that both haue and it is clearely false that one only doth all and the other nothing It were perhaps to be wished that it were true and that one only had the whole empire the businesse would go the better a man would wholly attend that whereby it would be the more easie the difficultie is to ioyne them together and to attend them both Commonly they that settle themselues vnto the one contemne the other the yonger and bolder sort respect and trust to fortune hoping much good from it and many times by them it worketh great matters in somuch that it seemes to fauour them the more ancient and stayed trust to their industrie and these of the two haue the more reason If we should compare them and chuse one of the two industrie is the more honest the more certaine glorious for though fortune be contrarie to it and shall make all industrie diligence vaine yet neuerthelesse there remaineth great contentment in that a man hath not kept holy day hath performed his office or dutie hath caried himselfe like a man of courage They that follow the other part are in danger to attend in vaine and though perhaps things succeed according to their owne desires yet they want that honor and glory that the former hath Now the aduice of wisdome is not wholly and so much to settle our selues to the one that we contemne and exclude the other for they haue both a good part yea many times they help and do mutually attend one the other A wise man then must cary himselfe with them both but yet vnequally for the aduantage and preheminence must be giuen as hath beene said to vertue industrie virtute duce comite fortuna This aduice likewise is required to keepe discretion which seasoneth and giueth a taste or relish to all things this is not a particular qualitie but common which mingleth it selfe in all Indiscretion marreth all and taketh away the grace from the best actions whether it be to doe good to another for all gratifications are not well bestowed vpon all sorts of people or to excuse himselfe for inconsiderate excuses serue for accusations or to play the part of an honest and curteous man for a man may exceede and degenerate into rusticitie or whether it be to offer or to accept CHAP. XI To keepe himselfe alwaies ready for death a fruit of wisedome THe day of death is the master day and iudge of all other 1 The day of death daies the triall and touchstone of all the actions of our life Then doe we make our greatest assay and gather the whole fruit of all our studies He that iudgeth of the life of a man must looke how he carried himselfe at his death for the end crowneth the worke and a good death honoureth a mans whole life as an euill defameth and dishonoureth it A man cannot well iudge of any without wronging of him before hee hath plaied the last act of his Comedie which is without all doubt the most difficult Epaminondas one of the wise men of Greece being demanded whom of three men he esteemed most himselfe Chabrias or Iphicrates answered We must first see all three die before we resolue that question the reason is because in all the rest a man may be masked but in this last part it is to no purpose to dissemble Nam verae voces tum demum pectore ab imo Eijciuntur eripitur persona manet res Fortune from farre seemeth to watch and lie in wait for vs against this last day as a day long since named and appointed to shew her power and in a moment to ouerthrow all that wee haue built and gathered together in many yeers and to make vs crie out with Laberius Nimirum hac die vna plùs vixi mihi quà m viuendum fuit And so was it well and wisely said of Solon to Croesus Ante obitum nemo beatus It is an excellent thing to learne to die it is the studie of wisedome which aimeth wholly at this end hee hath not 2 To know how to die spent his life ill that hath learned to die well and hee hath lost his whole time that knowes not well how to end it Malè viuet quisquis nesciet bene mori non frustra nascitur qui bene Senec. moritur nec inutiliter vixit qui foeliciter desijt Mori tota vita discendum est praecipuum ex vitae officijs est Hee shootes not well that lookes not on the marke and he cannot liue well that hath not an eie to his death To be briefe the science of dying is the science of libertie the way to feare nothing to liue well contentedly and peaceably without this knowledge there is no more pleasure in life than in the fruition of that thing which a man feareth alwaies to lose First and aboue all we must endeuour that our sinnes die before our selues Secondly that we be alwaies ready and prepared for death O what an excellent thing is it for a man to end his life before his death in such sort that at that houre he haue no other thing to doe but to die that hee haue no more neede of any thing not of time not of himselfe but sweetly and contentedly departeth this life saying Vixi quem dederat cursum fortuna peregi Thirdly wee must endeuour that our death be voluntarie for to die well is to die willingly It seemeth that a man may carry himselfe in death fiue diuers waies He may feare and flie it as a very great euill attend 4 A fiue fold maner of carriage in death it sweetly and patiently as a thing naturall ineuitable reasonable contemne it as a thing indifferent and of no great importance desire and seeke after it as the only hauen of rest from all the torments of this life yea a very great gaine giue it to himselfe by taking away his owne life Of these fiue the three middlemost are good befitting a good and setled soule although diuersly and in a different condition of life the two extreames are vitious and out of weakenesse though it be with diuers visages A
word or two of them all The first is not approued by men of vnderstanding though by the greater part it be practised a testimonie of great weaknesse 5 To feare death Against these kinde of men and for your better comfort either against your owne death or the death of another thus much briefly There is not a thing that men feare more or haue more in horrour than death neuerthelesse there is not a thing where there is lesse occasion or matter of feare or that contrarily yeeldeth greater reasons to perswade vs with resolution to accept of it And therefore we must say that it is a meere opinion and a vulgar errour that hath woon the world thus to thinke of it Wee giue too much credit to the It is opinion inconsiderate vulgar sort who tell vs That it is a very great euill and to little credit to wisedome it selfe which teacheth vs that it is a freedome from all euils and the hauen of life Neuer did a present death do hurt to any man and some that haue made triall and partly knew what it is complaine not of it and if death be counted an euill it is of all the euils the only that doth no harme that hath no euill in it it is the imagination only of death before it come that maketh vs to feare it when it is come It is then but opinion not verity and it is truely where opinion bandeth it selfe most against reason and goeth about to deface it in vs with the maske of death there cannot be any reason to feare it because no man knowes what it is that hee should feare it for why or how should a man feare that he knoweth not And therefore wisely said he that of all others was accounted the wisest that to feare death is to make shew of greater vnderstanding and sufficiency than can be in a man by seeming to know that that no man knoweth and what he spake he practised himselfe for being sollicited at his death by his friends to pleade before the Iudges for his iustification and for his life this oration he made vnto them My masters and friends if I should plead for my life and desire you that I may not die I doubt I may speak against my selfe and desire my owne losse and hinderance because I know not what it is to die nor what good or ill there is in death they that feare to die presume to know it as for my selfe I am vtterly ignorant what it is or what is done in the other world perhaps death is a thing indifferent perhaps a good thing and to be desired Those things that I know to be euill as to offend my neighbour I flie and auoid those that I know not to be euill as death I cannot feare And therefore I commit my selfe vnto your selues and because I cannot know whether it is more expedient for me to die or not to dy determine you thereof as you shall thinke good For a man to torment himselfe with the feare of death it is 6 It is weaknes first great weaknesse and cowardlinesse There is not a woman that in few daies is not appeased and content with the death yea the most painefull that may be either of her husband or her child And why should not reason and wisdome do that in an houre at an instant as we haue a thousand examples which time performeth in a foole in the weakest sex What vse is there of wisdome and constancie in man to what end serue they if they speed him not in a good action if he can do no more with their help than a foole with his follie From this weaknes it is that the most part of men dying cannot resolue themselues that it is their last houre and there is not any thing where this deceitfull hope doth more busie man which it may be doth likewise proceed from this that we account our death a great matter and that all things haue an interest in vs and at our death must suffer with vs so much do we esteeme our selues Againe a man sheweth himselfe heerein vniust for if death be a good thing as it is why doth he feare it If an euill thing 7 Iniustice why doth he make it worse and adde vnto death euill vpon euill sorrow and griefe where there is none like him that being robbed of a part of his goods by the enemie casteth the rest into the sea to let men know how little he is greeued with his losses Finally to feare death is for a man to be an enemy to himselfe 8 To be enemy to his owne life and to his owne life for he can neuer liue at ease and contentedlie that feareth to dye That man is only a free man which feareth not death and contrarily life is but a slauery if it were not made free by death For death is the only stay of our libertie the common and readie receptacle of all euils It is then a miserie and miserable are all that do it to trouble our life with the care and feare of death and our death with the care of life But to say the truth what complaints and murmuring would there be against nature if death were not if we should haue continued heere will we nill we with and against our owne wils doubtlesse men would haue cursed nature for it Imagin with thy selfe how much more insupportable and painefull a durable life would haue beene then a life with a condition to leaue it Chiron refused immortalitie being informed of the conditions therof by the god of Time Saturne his father Doubtlesse death is a very beautifull and rich inuention of nature optimum naturae inuentum nusquam satis laudatum and a very proper and profitable necessarie to many things If it were quite taken from vs we should desire it more than now we feare it yea thirst after it more than life it selfe such a remedie is it against so many euils such a meane to so many goods What were it on the other side if there were not mingled with death some little bitternesse doubtlesse men would runne vnto it with great desire and indiscretion To keepe therefore a moderation that is that men might neither loue life too much nor flie it feare death nor runne after it both of them sweetnes and sharpnes are therein tempered together The remedie that the vulgar sort do giue heerein is too simple and that is neuer to thinke or speake thereof Besides 10 Remedies not to feare death that such a kind of carelesnes cannot lodge in the head of a man of vnderstanding it would likewise at the last cost him deere for death comming vnawares and vnexpected what torments outcryes furies and dispaires are there commonlie seene Wisdome aduiseth much better that is to attend and expect death with a constant foot and to encounter it and the better to do this it giueth vs contrarie counsell to the vulgar sort that is to haue it
certaine to all and equallity is the first part of equity omnes eodem cogimur omnium versatur vrna serius ocyus sors exitura c. The third is the part of a valiant and generous minde which is practised with reason in a publike eleuated difficult 16 To contemne death is good if it be for a thing that deserues it and busie condition of life where there are many things to be preferred before life and for which a man should not doubt to die In such a case howsoeuer matters go a man must more account thereof than of his life which is placed vpon the stage and scaffold of this world hee must runne his race with resolution that he may giue a lustre to his other actions and performe those things that are profitable and exemplary Hee must lay downe his life and let it runne his fortune He that knoweth not how to contemne death shall neuer not only performe any thing of worth but he exposeth himselfe to diuers dangers for whilest he goeth about to keepe his life safe and sure hee laieth open and hazardeth his deuoire his honour his vertue and honestie The contempt of death is that which produceth the boldest and most honourable exploits whether in good or euill Hee that feareth not to die feares nothing he doth whatsoeuer he will hee makes him-himselfe a master both of his owne life and of anothers the contempt of death is the true and liuely source of all the beautifull and generous actions of men from hence are deriued the braue resolutions and free speeches of vertue vttered by so many great personages Fluidius Priscus whom the Emperour Vespasian had commanded not to come to the senat or comming to speake as he would haue him answered That as he was a Senator it was fit he should be at the Senate and if being there he were required to giue his aduice he would speake freely that which his conscience commaunded him Being threatned by the same man that if he spake he should die Did I euer tell you saith he that I was immortall Do you what you will and I will do what I ought It is in your power to put me vniustlie to death and in me to die constantlie The Lacedemonians being threatned much hard dealing if they did not speedily yeeld themselues to Philip the father of Alexander who was entred into their countrie with a great power one for the rest answered What hard dealing can they suffer that feare not to die And being told by the same Philip that he would breake and hinder all their designments What say they will he likewise hinder vs from dying Another being asked by what meanes a man may liue free answered By contemning death And another youth being taken and sold for a slaue said to him that bought him Thou shalt see what thou hast bought I were a foole to liue a slaue whilest I may be free and whilest he spake cast himself down from the top of the house A wise man said vnto another deliberating with himselfe how he might take away his life to free himselfe from an euil that at that time pressed him sore Thou doest not deliberate of any great matter it is no great thing to liue thy slaues thy beasts do liue but it is a great matter to die honestlie wisely constantly To conclude and crowne this article our religion hath not had a more firme and assured foundation and wherein the authour thereof hath more insisted than the contempt of this life But many there are that make a shew of contemning death when they feare it Many there are that care not to be dead yea they wish they were dead but it greeueth them to die Emori nolo sed me esse mortuum nihili astimo Many deliberate in their health and soundest iudgements to suffer death with constancie nay to murther themselues a part played by many for which end Heliogabalus made many sumptuous preparations but being come to the point some wer terrified by the bleeding of their nose as Lucius Domitius who repented that he had poysoned himselfe Others haue turned away their eyes and their thoughts as if they would steale vpon it swallowing it downe insensiblie as men take pilles according to that saying of Caesar that the best death was the shortest and of Plinie that a short death was the happiest houre of a mans life Now no man can be said to be resolute to die that feareth to confront it and to suffer with his eyes open as Socrates did who had thirtie whole daies to ruminate and to digest the sentence of his death which he did without any passion or alteration yea without any shew of endeuor mildly and cheerfullie Pomponius Atticus Tullius Marcellinus Romans Cleantes the Philosopher all three almost after one maner for hauing assayed to die by abstinence hoping thereby to quit themselues of those maladies that did torment them but finding themselues rather cured thereby neuerthelesse they would not desist till they had ended that they went about taking pleasure by little and little to pine away and to consider the course and progresse of death Otho and Cato hauing prepared all things fit for their death vpon the very point of the execution setled themselues to sleepe and slept profoundly being no more astonished at death than at any other ordinarie and light accident The fourth is the part of a valiant and resolute mind practised in former times by great and holie personages and that 17 To desire death in two cases the one the more naturall and lawfull is a painfull and troublesome life or an apprehension of a far worse death To be briefe a miserable estate which a man cannot remedie This is to desire death as the retrait and only hauen from the torments of this life the soueraigne good of nature the only stay and pillar of our libertie It is imbecillitie to yeeld vnto euils but it is follie to nourish them It is a good time to die when to liue is rather a burthen than a blessing and there is more ill in life than good for to preserue our life to increase our torment is against nature There are some that say that we should desire to die to auoid those pleasures that are according to nature how much more then to flie those miseries that are against nature There are many things in life farre worse than death for which we should rather die and not liue at all than liue And therefore the Lacedemonians being cruelly threatned by Antipater if they yeelded not to his demaund answered If thou threaten vs with any thing that is worse than death death shall be welcome vnto vs. And the wisest were woont to say That a wise man liueth as long as he should not so long as he can death being more at his commaund and in his power than life Life hath but one entrance and that too dependeth vpon the will of another Our death dependeth on our
take vpon it the guardianship protection of the bodie So farre should it be from seruing the bodie which is the most base vniust shamefull and burthensome seruitude that is that it should assist counsell it and be as a husband vnto it So that it oweth thereunto care not seruice It must handle it as a lord not as a tyrant nourish it not pamper it giuing it to vnderstand that it liueth not for it but that it cannot liue heere below without it This is an instruction to the workeman to know how to vse and make vse of his instruments And it is likewise no small aduantage to a man to know how to vse his bodie and to make it a fit instrument for the exercise of vertue Finallie the bodie is preserued in good estate by moderate nourishment and orderly exercise How the spirit must haue a part and beare it companie in those pleasures that belong vnto it hath been said before and shall heereafter be set downe in the vertue of temperance Touching goods and the dutie of euery man in this case there are many and diuers offices for to gather riches to keep them to husband them to employ them to yeeld vnto them all that is fit are different sciences One is wise in the one of them that in the other vnderstandeth nothing neither is it fit he should The acquisition of riches hath more parts than the rest The employment is more glorious and ambitious The preseruation and custodie which is proper to the woman is the arbour to couer them These are two extremities alike vitious to loue and affect riches to hate and reiect them By riches I vnderstand that which is more than enough and more than is needfull A wise man will do neither of both according to that wish and praier of Salomon Giue me neither riches nor pouertie but he will hold them in their place esteeming them as they are a thing of it selfe indifferent matter of good and euill and to many good things commodious The euils and miseries that follow the affecting and hating of them haue been spoken of before Now in fiue words we set downe a rule touching a mediocritie therein 1. To desire them but not to loue them sapiens non amat diuitias sed mauult As a little man and weake of bodie would willinglie be higher and stronger but this his desire is without care or paine vnto himselfe seeking that without passion which nature desireth and fortune knoweth not how to take from him 2. And much lesse to seeke them at the cost and dammage of another or by arte and bad and base meanes to the end no man should complaine or enuie his gaines 3. When they come vpon him entring at an honest gate not to reiect them but cheerfullie to accept them and to receiue them into his house not his heart into his possession not his loue as being vnworthie thereof 4. When he possesseth them to employ them honestlie and discreetlie to the good of other men that their departure may at the least be as honest as their entrance 5. If they happen to depart without leaue be lost or stollen from him that he be not sorrowfull but that he suffer them to depart with themselues without any thing of his si diuitiae effluxerint non auferent nisi semetipsas To conclude he deserueth not to be accepted of God and is vnworthie his loue and the profession of vertue that makes account of the riches of this world Aude hospes contemnere te quoque dignum singe deo Of the iustice and dutie of man towards man An aduertisment THis dutie is great and hath many parts we will reduce them to two great ones In the first we will place the generall simple and common duties required in all and euery one towards all and euery one whether in heart word or deed which are amitie faith veritie and free admonition good deeds humanitie liberalitie acknowledgement or thankfulnes In the second shall be the speciall duties required for some speciall and expresse reason and obligation betweene certaine persons as betweene a man and his wife parents and children masters and seruants princes and subiects magistrates the great and powerfull and the lesse The first part which is of the generall and common duties of all towards all and first CHAP. VII Of loue or friendship AMitie is a sacred flame kindled in our breasts first by nature and hath expressed it first heate betweene the husband 1 The description and the wife parents and children brothers and sisters and afterwards growing cold hath recouered heate by arte and the inuention of alliances companies fraternities colleges and communities But forasmuch as in all this being diuided into many parts it was weakned and mingled with other profitable pleasant considerations to the end it might restrengthen it selfe and grow more feruent it hath recollected it selfe and vnited it owne forces into a narrower roome betwixt two true friends And this is perfect amitie which is so much more feruent and spirituall than other by how much the heart is hotter than the liuer and the bloud than the vaines Amitie is the soule and life of the world more necessarie say the wise than fire and water amicitia necessitudo amici necessary it is the summe the staffe the salt of our life for without it all is darknes and there is no ioy no stay no taste of life amicitia iustitiae consors naturae vinculum ciuitatis praefidium senectutis solatium vitae humanae portus ea omnia constant discordia cadunt And we must not thinke that friendship 3 How necessary to the weale-pub is profitable and delightfull to priuat men only for it is more commodious to the weale-publike it is the true nursing mother of humane societie the preseruer of states and policies Neither is it suspected nor displeaseth any but tyrants and monsters not because they honor not it in their hearts but because they cannot be of that number for only friendship sufficeth to preserue the world And if it were euery where in force there would be no need of a law which hath not been ordained but as a help and as a second remedie for want of friendship to the end it might enforce and constraine by the authoritie thereof that which for loue and friendship should be freelie and voluntarie but howsoeuer the law taketh place farre below friendship For friendship ruleth the heart the tongue the hand the will and the effects the law cannot prouide but for that which is without This is the reason why Aristotle said That good law-makers haue euer had more care of friendship than of iustice And because the law and iustice do many times lose their credit the third remedie and least of all hath been in armes and force altogether contrarie to the former which is friendship Thus we see by degrees the three meanes of publike gouerment But loue or friendship is worth more than the
from a friendlie hand from those whom a man is inclined to loue without this occasion and contrarily it is a griefe to be obliged vnto him whom a man likes not and to whom he would not willingly be indebted Such benefits also are welcome that come from the hand of him that is any way bound to the receiuer for heere is a kind of iustice and they bind lesse Those good deeds that are done in necessities and great extremities carie with them a greater force they make a man forget all iniuries and offences past if there were any and binde more strongly as contrarilie the deniall in such a case is very iniurious and makes a man forget all benefits past Such benefits likewise as may be requited with the like are more gladly receiued than their contraries which ingender a kind of hate for he that findeth himselfe wholly bound without any power or possibility of repaiment as often as he seeth his benefactour hee thinkes hee sees a testimony of his inabilitie or ingratitude and it is irksome to his heart There are some benefits the more honest and gratious they are the more burthensome are they to the receiuer if he be a man of credit as they that tie the conscience and the will for they lock faster keepe a man in his right memorie and some feare of forgetfulnesse and failing his promise A man is a safer prisoner vnder his word than vnder locke and keie It is better to be tied by ciuill and publicke bands than by the law of honestie and conscience two notaries are better than one I trust your word and your faith and conscience heere is more honour done to the receiuer but yet constraint fastneth solliciteth and presseth much more and heere is more safety to the lender and a man carrieth himselfe more carelesly because he doubteth not but that the law and those outward ties will awaken him when the time shall serue Where there is constraint the will is more loose where there is lesse constraint the will hath lesse libertie quod me ius coget vix a voluntate impetrem From a benefit proceeds an obligation and from it a benefit 16 Obligation the mother and daughter of a benefit or good turne and so it is both the child and the father the effect and the cause and there is a twofold obligation actiue and passiue Parents princes and superiours by the dutie of their charge are bound to do good vnto those that are committed and commended vnto them either by law or by nature and generally all men that haue means are bound to releeue those that are in want or anie affliction whatsoeuer by the command of nature Behold heere the first obligation afterwards from benefits or good turnes whether they be due and sprining from this first obligation or free and pure merits ariseth the second obligation and discharge whereby the receiuers are bound to an acknowledgement and thankfull requitall All this is signified by Hesiodus who hath made the Graces three in number holding each other by the hands The first obligation is discharged by the good offices of euerie one that is in anie charge which shall presentlie be discoursed 17 The first obligation and mother of in the second part which concerneth particular duties but yet this obligation is strengthened and weakned and lesned accidentallie by the conditions and actions of those that are the receiuers For their offences ingratitudes and vnworthinesse doe in a maner discharge those that are bound to haue care of them and a man may almost say as much of their naturall defects too A man may iustly with lesse affection loue that child that kinsman that subiect that is not onelie wicked and vnworthie but foule misshapen crooked vnfortunate ill borne God himselfe hath abated him much from their naturall price and estimation but yet a man must in this abatement of affection keepe a iustice and a moderation for this concerneth not the helpes and succors of necessitie and those offices that are due by publike reason but onlie that attention and affection which is in the inward obligation The second obligation which ariseth from benefits is that 18 The second obligation which is thankfulnes which we are to handle concerning which we must at this time set down some rules 1. the law of dutifull acknowledgement thankfulnesse is naturall witnesse beasts themselues not only priuat and domesticall but cruell and sauage among whom there are many excellent examples of this acknowledgement as of the Lion towards the Roman slaue Officia etiam ferae sentiunt Secondly it is a certaine act of vertue and a testimony of a good mind and therefore it is more to be esteemed than bountie or benefit which many times proceeds from abundance from power loue of a mans proper interest and very seldome from pure vertue whereas thankfulnesse springeth alwaies from a good heart and therefore howsoeuer the benefit may be more to be desired yet kinde acknowledgement is farre more commendable Thirdly it is an easie thing yea a pleasant and that is in the power of euery man There is nothing more easie than to doe according to nature nothing more pleasing than to be free from bands and to be at liberty By that which hath beene spoken it is easie to see how base and vilanous a vice forgetfulnesse and ingratitude is 19 Of ingratitude how vnpleasing and odious vnto all men Dixeris maledicta cuncta cum ingratum hominem dixeris It is against nature and therefore Plato speaking of his disciple Aristotle calleth him an vngratefull mule It is likewise without all excuse and cannot come but from a wicked nature graue vitium intolerabile quod dissociat homines Reuenge which followeth an iniury Senec. as ingratitude a good turne is much more strong and pressing for an iniurie inforceth more than a benefit altius iniuriae quà m merita descendunt it is a very violent passion but yet nothing so base so deformed a vice as ingratitude It is like those euils that a man hath that are not dangerous but yet are more grieuous and painful than they that are mortall In reuenge there is some shew of iustice and a man hides not himselfe to worke his will therein but in ingratitude there is nothing but base dishonesty and shame Thankefulnesse or acknowledgement that it may be such 20 Rules of thankfulnes as it should bee must haue these conditions First hee must gratiously receiue a benefit with an amiable and cheerefull visage and speech qui gratè beneficium accepit primam eius pensionem soluit Secondly he must neuer forget it Ingratissimus Senec. omnium qui oblitus nusquam enim gratus fieri potest cut totum beneficium elapsum est The third office is to publish it ingenui Idem pudoris est fateri per quos profecerimus haec quasi merces authoris As a man hath found the heart and the hand of another
said and for feare as Aristotle saith lest prouoking hir desires too wantonlie the pleasure thereof make hir to exceed the bounds of reason and the care of health for too hot and too frequent a pleasure altereth the seed and hindereth generation On the other side to the end she be not ouer-languishing barraine and subiect to other diseases he must offer himselfe vnto hir though seldome Solon saith thrise in a month but there can no certaine law or rule be giuen heereof Plutar. in Solone The doctrine of houshould husbandrie doth willinglie follow and is annexed vnto mariage CHAP. XIII Houshold Husbandrie 1 HOushold husbandrie is an excellent iust and profitable occupation It is a happie thing saith Plato for a man to goe through his priuat affaires without iniustice There is nothing more beautifull than a houshold well and peaceably gouerned 2 It is a profession which is not difficult for he that is capable of any thing else is not vncapable of this but yet it is carefull and painefull and troublesome by reason of the multitude of affaires which though they be small and of no great importance yet forasmuch as they are common frequent and neuer at an end they do much annoy and wearie a man Domesticall thornes prick because they are ordinarie but if they come from the principall persons of the familie they gaule and exulcerate and grow remedilesse 3 It is a great happines and a fit meane to liue at ease to haue one whom a man may trust and vpon whom he may repose himselfe which that he may the better do he must choose one that is true and loyall and afterwards bind him to do well by that trust and confidence he putteth in him habita fides ipsam obligat fidem multi fallere docuerunt dum timent falli alijs ius peccandi suspicando dederunt 4 The principall precepts and counsels that belong to frugalitie or good husbandrie are these 1. To buy and sell all things at the best times and seasons that is when they are best and best cheape 2. To take good heed lest the goods in the house bee spoiled or miscarrie bee either lost or caried away This doth especiallie belong to the woman to whom Aristotle giues this authoritie and care 3. To prouide first and principallie for these three necessitie cleanlinesse order and againe if there be meanes some aduise to prouide for these three too but the wiser sort wish no great paines to bee taken therein non ampliter sed munditer conuinium plus salis quà m sumptus abundance pompe and preparation exquisite and rich fashion The contrary is many times practised in good housen where you shall haue beds garnished with silke embrodered with gold and but one simple couerlid in winter which were a commoditie farre more necessarie And so of the rest 4. To rule and moderate his charge which is done by taking away superfluities yet prouiding for necessitie and that which is fit and beseeming A ducket in a mans purse will doe a man more honour and honestie than tenne prodigallie spent saith one Againe but this requires industrie and good sufficiencie to make a great shew with a little charge and aboue all not to suffer the expence to grow aboue the receit and the income 5. To haue a care and an eie ouer all the vigilancie and presence of the master saith the prouerbe fatteth the horse and the land And in any case the master and mistrisse must take a care to conceale their ignorance and insufficiencie in the affaires of the house and much more their carelesnesse making a shew as if they attended and thought of nothing else For if officers and seruants haue an opinion that their masters looke not vnto them they may chance to make his haire grow through his hood CHAP. XIIII The duty of Parents and children THe dutie of parents and children is reciprocall and reciprocallie naturall if that of children be more strait that of parents is more ancient parents being the first authours and cause and more important to a common-weale for to people a state and to furnish it with honestmen and good citizens the culture and good nourishment of youth is necessarie which is the seed of a common-wealth And there comes not so much euill to a weale-publike by the ingratitude of children towards their parents as by the carelesnesse of parents in the instruction of their children and therefore with great reason in Lacedemon and other good politike states there was a punishment and a penaltie laid vpon the parents when the children were ill conditioned And Plato was wont to say that he knew not in what a man should bee more carefull and diligent than to make a good sonne And Crates cried out in choler To what end doe men take so much care in heaping vp goods and so little care of those to whom they shall leaue them It is as much as if a man should take care of his shoo and not of his foot What should hee do with riches that is not wise and knowes not how to vse them It is like a rich and beautifull saddle vpon a iades backe Parents then are doubly obliged to this duty both because they are their children and because they are the tender plants and hope of the Common-weale This is to till his owne land together with that of the weale-publicke Now this office or dutie hath foure successiue parts according to those foure goods or benefits that a child ought to receiue 2 The diuision of the office of parents successiuely from his parents life nourishment instruction communication The first regardeth the time when the infant is in the wombe vntill his comming into the world inclusiuelie the second the time of his infancie in his cradle vntill hee know how to goe and to speake the third all his youth this part must be handled more at large and more seriously the fourth concerneth their affection communication and cariage towards their children now come to mans estate touching their goods thoughts designments The first which regardeth the generation and fruit in the wombe is not accounted of and obserued with such diligence 3 The first part the office of parents as it ought although it haue as much part in the good or euill of a child as well of their bodies as their soules as their education and instruction after they are borne and come to some growth This is that that giueth the subsistence the temper and temperature the nature the other is artificiall and acquired and if there be a fault committed in this first part the second and third can hardly repaire it no more than a fault in the first concoction of the stomacke cannot bee mended in the second nor third We men go vnaduisedlie and headlong to this copulation only prouoked thereunto by pleasure and a desire to disburthen our selues of that which tickleth and presseth vs thereunto if a conception happen thereby it is
they can robbe from other men they suffer their owne proper good to fall to the ground and neuer put it in practise They on the other side that studie not hauing no recourse vnto another take a care to husband their naturall gifts and so prooue many times the better the more wise and resolute though lesse learned lesse gainers lesse glorious One there is that hath said as much though otherwise and more briefly That learning marreth weake wits and spirits perfecteth the strong and naturall Now hearken to that counsell that I giue heereupon A man must not giue himselfe to the gathering and keeping 22 Good discipline the opinions and knowledges of another to the end he may afterwards make report of them or vse them for shew or ostentation or some base and mercenary profit but he must vse them so as that he may make them his owne He must not onely lodge them in his minde but incorporate and transubstantiate them into himselfe He must not onely water his minde with the deaw of knowledge but he must make it essentially better wise strong good couragious otherwise to what end serueth studie Non paranda nobis solùm sed fruenda sapientia est He must not doe as it is the maner of those that make garlands who picke heere and there whole flowers and so carry them away to make nose-gaies and afterwards presents heape together out of that booke and out of this booke many good things to make a faire and a goodly shew to others but he must do as bees vse to do who carie not away the flowers but settle themselues vpon them like a hen that couereth hir chicken and draweth from them their spirit force vertue quintessence and nourishing themselues turne them into their owne substance and afterwards make good and sweet honie which is all their owne and it is no more either thyme or sweet mariarom So must a man gather from bookes the marrow and spirit neuer enthrawling himselfe so much as to retaine the words by heart as many vse to do much lesse the place the booke the chapter that is a sottish and vaine superstition and vanitie and makes him lose the principall and hauing sucked and drawne the good feed his mind therewith informe his iudgement instruct and direct his conscience and his opinions rectifie his will and in a word frame vnto himselfe a worke wholly his owne that is to say an honest man wise aduised resolute Non ad pompam nec ad speciem nec vt nomine magnifico sequi otium velis sed quo Tacit. firmior aduersus fortuita rempublicam capessas And heereunto the choice of sciences is necessarie Those that I commend aboue all others and that best serue to that 23 2 The second aduice touching the choice of sciences end which I propose and whereof I am to speake are naturall and morall which teach vs to liue and to liue well nature and vertue that which we are and that which we should be vnder the morall are comprehended the Politicks Economicks Histories All the rest are vaine and frothie and we are not to dwell vpon them but to take them as passing by This end of the instruction of youth and comparison of learning and wisdome hath held me too long by reason of 24 3 The means to learne the contestation Let vs now proceede to the other parts and aduisements of this instruction The meanes of instructions are diuers especiallie of two sorts the one by word that is to By word of mouth say by precepts instructions and lectures or else by conference with honest and able men filing and refining our wits against theirs as iron is cleansed and beautified by the file This meanes and maner is very pleasing and agreeable to nature The other by action that is example which is gotten not 25 By example only from good men by imitation and similitude but also wicked by disagreement in opinions For some there are that learne better by the opposition and horror of that euill they see in another It is a speciall vse of Iustice to condemne one that he may serue for an example vnto others And old Cato was wont to say That wise men may learne more of fooles than fooles of wise men The Lacedemonians the better to disswade their children from drunkennesse made their seruants drunken before their faces to the end that seeing how horrible a spectacle a drunken man was they should the rather detest it Now this second meanes or maner by example teacheth vs with more ease and more delight To learne by precepts A comparison of these two is a long way because it is a painefull thing to vnderstand well and vnderstanding to retaine well and retaining to vse and practise well And hardlie can we promise our selues to reape that fruit which they promise vnto vs. But example and imitation teach vs aboue the worke or action it selfe inuite vs with much more ardour and promise vnto vs that glorie which we learne to imitate The seed that is cast into the earth draweth vnto it selfe in the end the qualitie of that earth whereunto it is transported and becomes like vnto that which doth there naturallie grow So the spirits and maners of men conforme themselues to those with whom they commonlie conuerse Now these two maners of profiting by speech and by example 26 From the liuing are likewise twofold for they are drawne from excellent personages either liuing by their sensible and outward frequentation and conference or dead by the reading of their bookes The first that is the commerce with the liuing is more liuely and more naturall it is a fruitfull exercise of life which was much in vse amongst the ancients yea the Greeks themselues but it is casuall depending on another and rare It is a difficult matter to meete with such people and more difficult to make vse of them And this is practised either by keeping home or by trauelling visiting strange countries not to be fed with vanities as the most do but to carie with them the knowledge and consideration especiallie of the humours and customes of those nations This is a profitable exercise the bodie is neither idle nor tyred with labour for this moderate agitation keepes a man in breath the mind is in continuall exercise by marking things knowen and new There is not a better schoole to forme the life of man than to see the diuersitie of so many other liues and to taste a perperuall varietie of the formes of our nature The other commerce with the dead by the benefit of their bookes is more sure and more neere vnto vs more constant 27 From the dead by bookes and lesse chargeable He that knowes how to make vse of them receiueth thereby great pleasure great comfort It dischargeth vs of the burthen of a tedious idlenesse it withdraweth vs from fond imaginations and other outward things that vex and trouble vs
penalties and punishments that the religion be neither changed troubled nor innouated This is a thing that highly redoundeth to his honour and securitie for all doe reuerence and more willingly obey and more slowly attempt or enterprise any thing against him whom they see feareth God and beleeue to be in his protection and safegard vna custodia pietas pium virum Mercur. Trism nec malus genius nec fatum deuincit Deus enim eripit eum ab omni malo And also to the good of the state for as all the wisest haue said Religion is the band and cement of humane societie The Prince ought also to be subiect and inuiolablie to obserue 2 To obserue the lawes of superiors and cause to be obserued the lawes of God and nature which are not to be dispensed with and he that infringeth them is not only accounted a tyrant but a monster Concerning the people he ought first to keepe his couenants 3 To keepe his promise and promises be it with subiects or others with whom he is interessed or hath to do This equitie is both naturall and vniuersall God himselfe keepeth his promise Moreouer the prince is the pledge and formall warrant of the law and those mutuall bargaines of his subiects He ought then aboue all to keepe his faith there being nothing more odious in a prince than breach of promise and periurie and therefore it was well said that a man ought to put it among those casuall cases if the prince do abiure or reuoke his promise and that the contrarie is not to be presumed Yea he ought to obserue those promises and bargaines of his predecessors especiallie if he be their heire or if they be for the benefit and welfare of the common-wealth Also he may relieue himselfe of his vnreasonable contracts and promises vnaduisedlie made euen as for the selfe-same causes priuat men are releeued by the benefit of the prince He ought also to remember that although he be aboue the law I meane the ciuill and humane as the Creator is aboue 4 To obserue the lawes the creature for the law is the worke of the prince and which he may change and abrogate at his pleasure it is the proper right of the soueraigntie neuerthelesse though it be in force and authoritie he ought to keepe it to liue to conuerse and iudge according vnto it and it would be a dishonor and a very euill example to contradict it and as it were falsifie it Great Augustus hauing done something against the law by his owne proper acte would needs die for griefe Lycurgus Agesilaus Seleucus haue left three notable examples in this point and to their cost Thirdly the prince oweth iustice to all his subiects and he ought to measure his puissance and power by the rule of 5 To do iustice iustice This is the proper vertue of a prince trulie royall and princelike whereof it was rightlie said by an old man to king Philip that delayed him iustice saying he had no leisure That he should then desist leaue off to be king But Demetriu sped not so well who was dispossest of his realme by his subiects for casting from a bridge into the riuer many of their petitions without answere or doing them iustice Finally the prince ought to loue cherish to be vigilant and carefull of his state as the husband of the wife the father of 6 To take care and affect the common good his children the shepheard of his flock hauing alwaies before his eies the profit and quiet of his subiects The prosperitie and welfare of the state is the end and contentment of a good prince vt respub opibus firma copijs locuples gloria ampla virtute Senec. honesta sit The prince that tieth himselfe to himselfe abuseth himselfe for he is not his owne man neither is the state his but he is the states He is a Lord not to domineere but to defend Cui non ciuium seruitus tradita sed tutela to attend to watch to the end his vigilance may secure his sleeping subiects his trauell may giue them rest his prouidence may maintaine their prosperitie his industrie may continue their delights his businesse their leisure their vacation and that all his subiects may vnderstand and know that he is as much for them as he is aboue them To be such and to discharge his dutie well he ought to demeane and carie himselfe as hath bin said at large in the second and third chapter of this booke that is to say to furnish himselfe of good counsell of treasure and sufficient strength within his state to fortifie himselfe with alliance and forraine friends to be readie and to command both in peace and war by this meanes he may be both loued and feared And to conteine all in a few words he must loue God aboue all things be aduised in his enterprises valiant in attempts faithfull and firme in his word wise in counsell carefull of his subiects helpfull to his friends terrible to his enemies pitifull to the afflicted gentle and curteous to good people seuere to the wicked and iust and vpright towards all The dutie of subiects consisteth in three points to yeeld due honor to their princes as to those that carie the image of 9 The dutie of subiects God ordeined and established by him therfore they are most wicked who detract or slaunder such were the seed of Cham and Chanaan 2. To be obedient vnder which is conteined Exod. 12. many duties as to goe to the warres to pay tributes and imposts imposed vpon them by their authoritie 3. To wish them all prosperitie and happinesse and to pray for them But the question is Whether a man ought to yeeld these 10 Whether it be lawfull to lay violēt hands vpon the person of a tyrant A double tyrant The entrāce three duties generallie to all princes if they be wicked or tyrants This controuersie cannot be decided in a word and therefore wee must distinguish The prince is a tyrant and wicked either in the entrance or execution of his gouernmēt If in the entrance that is to say that he treacherouslie inuadeth and by his owne force and powerfull authoritie gaines the soueraigntie without any right be he otherwise good or euill for this cause he ought to be accounted a tyrant without all doubt we ought to resist him either by way of iustice if there be opportunitie place or by surprise and the Grecians saith Cicero ordeined in former times rewards and honors for those that deliuered the common-wealth from seruitude and oppression Neither can it be said to be a resisting of the prince either by iustice or surprise since he is neither receiued nor acknowledged to be a prince If in the execution that is to say that his entrance be rightfull 2 In the execution three waies and iust but that he carieth himselfe imperiouslie cruellie wickedlie and according to the
internall the one proceedeth from without it is called by diuers names aduersitie affliction iniurie vnhappinesse euill and sinister accidents The other is inward in the mind but caused by that which is outward These are hatefull and hurtfull passions of feare sadnesse choler and diuers others We must speake of them both prescribe meanes and remedies to ouercome suppresse and rule them These are the arguments and counsels of our vertue fortitude and valour It consisteth then heere of two parts the one of euils or ill accidents the other of passions which proceed thereof The generall aduice against all good and euill fortune hath beene declared before we will speake heere more specially and particularly thereof CHAP. XX. The first part of outward euils VVE will consider these outward euils three waies in 1 The distinction and comparison of euils by their causes their causes which shall be declared in this chapter afterward in their effects lastly in themselues distinctly and particularly euery kinde of them And we will giue aduice and meanes in them all by vertue to be armed against them The cause of euill and hatefull accidents which happen to vs all are either common and generall when at the same instant they concerne many as pestilence famine warre tyranny And these euils are for the most part scourges sent of God and from heauen or at least the proper and neerest cause thereof we cannot easily know Or particulars and those that are knowne that is to say by the meanes of another And so there are two sorts of euils publike and priuate Now the common euils that is to say proceeding of a publike cause though they concerne euery one in particular are in diuers kinds more or lesse grieuous weightie and dangerous than the priuate whose causes are knowne More grieuous for they come by flockes and troopes they assaile more violently with greater stirre of vehemencie and furie they haue a greater concurse and traine they are more tempestuous they bring foorth greater disorder and confusion Lesse grieuous because generalitie and communitie seemeth to mitigate and lessen euery mans euill It is a kinde of comfort not to be alone in miserie it is thought to be rather a common vnhappinesse where the course of the world and the cause is naturall than personall affliction And indeed those wrongs which a man doth vs torment vs more wound vs to the quicke and much more alter vs. Both these two haue their remedies and comforts Against publicke euils a man ought to consider from whom and by whom they are sent and to marke their cause 2 The aduice against publicke euils Prouidence Destinie It is God his prouidence from whence commeth and dependeth an absolute necessitie which gouerneth and ruleth all whereunto all things are subiect His prouidence and destinie or necessitie are not to say the truth two distinct laws in essence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither are they one The diuersitie is only in the consideration and different reason Now to murmure and to be grieued at the contrarie is first of all such impietie as the like is not elsewhere found for all things doe quietlie obey man only torments himselfe And againe it is a folly because it is vaine and to no purpose If a man will not follow this soueraigne and absolute mistris willinglie it shall cary all by force ad hoc sacramentum adacti sumus ferre mortalia nec perturbari ijs quae vitare nostrae potestatis non est in regno nati sumus deo parere libertas est Desine fata deûm flecti sperare querendo There is no better remedie than to applie our willes to the will thereof and according to the aduice of wisdome to make a vertue of necessitie Non est aliud effugium necessitatis quà m velle quod ipsa cogat In seeking to contend or dispute against it we doe but sharpen and stirre the euill Laeto animo ferre quicquid acciderit quasi tibi volueris accidere debuisses enim velle si scisses ex decreto Dei fieri Besides we shall better profit our selues we shall do that which we ought to do which is to follow our generall and soueraigne who hath so ordeined it Optimum pati quod emendare non possis deum quo authore cuncta proueniunt sine murmuratione comitari Malus miles est qui imperatorem gemens sequitur And without contestation to allow for good whatsoeuer he will It is magnanimitie of courage to yeeld vnto him Magnus animus qui se Deo tradidit It is effeminacie and dastardlines to murmure or complaine pusillus degener qui obluctatur de ordine mundi male existimat emendare mauult Deum quà m se Against those priuat euils which do proceed from the act of another and which pierce vs more we ought first well to 3 The distinction Of priuat euils distinguish them lest we mistake them There is displeasure there is offence We often conceiue ill of another who notwithstanding hath not offended vs neither in deed nor will as when he hath either demaunded or refused any thing with reason but yet was then hurtfull vnto vs for such causes it is too great simplicitie to be offended since that they are not offences Now there are two sorts of offences the one crosseth our affaires against equitie this is to wrong vs the others are applied to the person who is contemned by it and handled otherwise than it ought be it in deed or in word These are more grieuous and harder to be indured than any other kind of affliction The first and generall aduice against all these sorts of euils is to be firme and resolute not to suffer himselfe to be lead by 4 The aduice against them in generall common opinion but without passion to consider of what weight and importance things are according to veritie and reason The world suffereth it selfe to be perswaded and lead by impression How many are there that make lesse account to receiue a great wound than a little blow more account of a word than of death To be briefe all is measured by opinion and opinion offendeth more than the euill and our impatience hurts vs more than those of whom wee complaine The other more particular counsels and remedies are drawne first from our selues and this is that we must first 5 Particular aduisements drawne from our selues looke into These pretended offences may arise of our owne defects and weaknesse This might be a follic grounded vpon some defect in our owne person which any one in derision would counterfait It is follie to greeue and vex himselfe for that which proceedeth not from his owne fault The way to preuent others in their scoffes is first to speake and to let them know that you know as much as they can tell you if it be that the iniurie hath taken his beginning by our default and that we haue giuen the occasion of this abuse why should we be offended
such is the course of the world so it changeth and so it is accommodated Vir sapiens nihil indignetur sibi accidere sciat que illa ipsa quibus laedi videtur ad conseruationem vniuersi pertinere ex his esse quae cursum mundi officiumque consummant 2 Particular effects diuers The particular effects are diuers according to the diuers spirits states of those that receiue them For they exercise the good relieue and amend the fallen punish the wicked Of euery one a word for heereof wee haue spoken elsewhere 1. Lib. of the three verities cap 11. These outward euils are in those that are good a very profitable exercise and an excellent schoole wherein as Wrestlers and Fencers Mariners in a tempest Souldiers in dangers Philosophers in their Academies and all other sorts of people in the serious exercise of their profession they are instructed made and formed vnto vertue constancie valour the victorie of the world and of fortune They learne to knowe themselues to make triall of themselues and they see the measure of their valour the vttermost of their strength how farre they may promise or hope of themselues and then they encourage and strengthen themselues to what is best accustome and harden themselues to all become resolute and inuincible whereas contrarily the long calme of prosperitie mollifieth them and maketh them wanton and effeminate And therefore Demetrius was wont to say That there were no people more miserable than they that had neuer felt any crosses or afflictions that had neuer beene miserable calling their life a dead sea These outward euils to such as are offenders are a bridle to stay them that they stumble not or a gentle correction 3 Medicine and chastisment and fatherly rod after the fall to put them in remembrance of themselues to the end they make not a second reuolt They are a kinde of letting bloud and medicine or preseruatiue to diuert faults and offences or a purgation to voide and purifie them To the wicked and forlorne they are a punishment a sickle 4 Punishment to cut them off and to take them away or to afflict them with a long and miserable languishment And these are their wholsome and necessarie effects for which these outward euils are not onely to be esteemed of and quietly taken with patience and in good part as the exploits of diuine iustice but are to be embraced as tokens and instruments of the care of the loue and prouidence of God and men are to make a profitable vse of them following the purpose and intention of him who sendeth and disposeth them as pleaseth him Of outward euils in themselues and particularly AN ADVERTISEMENT ALl these euils which are many and diuers are priuations of their contrarie good as likewise the name and nature of euill doth signifie And therefore as many heads as there are of good so many are there of euils which may all be reduced and comprehended in the number of seauen sicknesse griefe I include these two in one captiuitie banishment want infamie losse of friends death which are the priuations of health libertie home-dwelling meanes or maintenance honors friends life whereof hath beene spoken before In the first booke at large We will heere inquire into the proper and particular remedies and medicines against these seuen heads of euils and that briefly without discourse CHAP. XXII Of Sickenesse and griefe WE haue said before that griefe is the greatest and to say the truth the onely essentiall euill which is most felt and hath least remedies Neuerthelesse behold some few that regard the reason iustice vtilitie imitation and resemblance with the greatest and most excellent It is a common necessitie to indure there is no reason that for our sakes a miracle should be wrought or that a man should be offended if that happen vnto him that may happen vnto euery man It is also a naturall thing we are borne thereunto and to desire to be exempted from it is iniustice we must quietly endure the lawes of our owne condition We are made to be old to be weake to grieue to be sicke and therefore we must learne to suffer that which we cannot auoid If it be long it is light and moderate and therefore a shame to complaine of it if it be violent it is short and speedily ends either it selfe or the patient which comes all to one end Confide summus non habet tempus dolor Si grauis breuis Si longus leuis And againe it is the body that endureth it is not our selues that are offended for the offence diminisheth the excellencie and perfection of the thing and sicknesse or griefe is so far from diminishing that contrarily it serueth for a subiect and an occasion of a commendable patience much more than health doth And where there is more occasion of commendation there is not lesse occasion of good If the body be the instrument of the spirit who will complaine when the instrument is imploied in the seruice of that whereunto it is destinated The body is made to serue the soule if the soule should afflict it selfe for any thing that hapneth to the bodie the soule should serue the body Were not that man ouer delicate curious that would cry out and afflict himself because some one or other had spoiled his apparell some thorne had taken hold of it or some man passing by had torne it Some base broker perhaps would be aggrieued therewith that would willingly make a commoditie thereof But a man of abilitie and reputation would rather laugh at it and account it as nothing in respect of that state and abundance that God hath bestowed on him Now this body is but a borrowed garment to make our spirits for a time to appeare vpon this lowe and troublesome stage of which onely we should make account and procure the honour and peace thereof For from whence commeth it that a man suffereth griefe with such impatiencie It is because he accustometh not himselfe to seeke his content in his soule non assuerunt animo esse contenti nimium illis cum corpore fuit Men haue too great a commerce with their bodies And it seemeth that griefe groweth proud seeing vs to tremble vnder the power thereof It teacheth vs to distaste that which we must needs leaue and to vnwinde our selues from the vanity and deceit of this world an excellent peece of seruice The ioy and pleasure we receiue by the recouerie of our health after that our griefe or sicknesse hath taken his course is a strange enlightning vnto vs in such sort that it should seeme that nature hath giuen sicknesse for the greater honor and seruice of our pleasure and delight Now then if the griefe be indifferent the patience shall be easie if it be great the glory shall be as great if it seeme ouer-hard let vs accuse our delicacie and nicenesse and if there be but few that can indure it let vs
place and to liue in another Our mother might haue lay en in elsewhere and it is a chance that we are borne heere or there Againe all Countries bring foorth and nourish men and furnish them with whatsoeuer is necessarie All countries haue kindred nature hath knit vs all together in bloud and in charitie All haue friends there is no more to to but to make friends and to win them by vertue and wisdome Euery land is a wise mans countrie or rather no land is his particular countrie For it were to wrong himselfe and it were weaknesse and basenesse of heart to thinke to cary himselfe as a stranger in any place He must alwaies vse his owne right and libertie and liue in all places as with himselfe and vpon his owne omnes terras tanquam suas videre suas tanquam omnium Moreouer what change or discommoditie doth the diuersitie of the place bring with it Do we not alwaies cary about 3 Vertue vs one and the same spirit and vertue Who can forbid saith Brutus a banished man to cary with him his vertues The spirit and vertue of a man is not shut vp in any place but it is euery where equallie and indifferentlie An honest man is a citizen of the world free cheerfull and content in all places alwaies within himselfe in his owne quarter and euer one and the same though his case or scabberd be remoued and caried hither and thither animus sacer aternus vbique est dijs cognatus omni mundo auo par A man in euery place is in his own countrie where he is well Now for a man to be well it dependeth not vpon the place but himselfe How many are there that for diuers considerations haue willinglie banished themselues How many others banished 4 Examples by the violence of another being afterwards called home haue refused to returne and haue found their exile not only tollerable but pleasant and delightfull yea neuer thought they liued vntill the time of their banishment as those noble Romans Rutilius Marcellus How many others haue beene led by the hand of good fortune out of their countrie that they may grow great and puissant in a strange land CHAP. XXV Of Pouertie want losse of goods THis complaint is of the vulgar and miserable sottish sort 1 Pouertie two-fold of people who place their soueraigne good in the goods of fortune and thinke that pouertie is a very great euill But to shew what it is you must know that there is a two-fold pouertie the one extreame which is the want of things necessarie 1. Want of things necessarie and requisit vnto nature This doth seldome or neuer happen to any man nature being so iust and hauing formed vs in such a fashion that few things are necessarie and those few are not wanting but are found euery where parabile est quod natura defiderat expositum yea in such a sufficiencie as being moderatly vsed may suffice the condition of euery one Ad manum est quod sat est If we will liue according to nature and reason the desire and rule thereof we shall alwaies find that which is sufficient If we will liue according to opinion whilest we liue we shall neuer find it Si ad naturam viues nunquam eris pauper si ad opinionem nunquam diues exiguum natura desiderat opinio immensum And therefore a man that hath an arte or science to stick vnto yea that hath but his armes at will is it possible he should either feare or complaine of pouertie The other is the want of things that are more than sufficient 2 2. Want of things superfluous required for pomp pleasure and delicacie This is a kind of mediocritie and frugallitie and to say the truth it is that which we feare to lose our riches our moueables not to haue our bed soft enough our diet well drest to be depriued of these commodities and in a word it is delicatenesse that holdeth vs this is our true maladie Now this complaint is vniust for such pouertie is rather to be desired than feared and therefore the wise man asked it of God mendicitatem nec diuitias Prouer. 30. sed necessaria It is farre more iust more rich more peaceable and certaine than abundance which a man so much desireth More iust for man came naked nemo nascitur diues The praise of sufficiencie and he returneth naked out of this world Can a man tearme that truly his that he neither bringeth nor carieth with him The goods of this world they are as the moueables of an Inne We are not to be discontented so long as we are heere that we haue need of them More rich It is a large segnorie a kingdome magnae diuitiae lege naturae composita paupertas magnus 1. Timot. 6. quaestus pietas cum sufficientia More peaceable and assured it feareth nothing and can defend it selfe against the enemies thereof etiam in obsessa via paupertas pax est A small body that may couer and gather it selfe vnder a buckler is in better safetie than a great which lieth open vnto euery blow It is neuer subiect to great losses nor charges of great labour and burthen And therefore they that are in such an estate are alwaies more cheerfull and comfortable for they neither haue so much care nor feare such tempests Such kind of pouertie is free cheerfull assured it maketh vs truly masters of our owne liues whereof the affaires complaints contentions that do necessarilie accompanie riches cary away the better part Alas what goods are those from whence proceed all our euils That are the cause of all those iniuries that we indure that makes vs slaues trouble the quiet of our soules bring with them so many iealousies suspicions feares frights desires He that vexeth himselfe for the losse of these goods is a miserable man for together with his goods he loseth his spirit too The life of poore men is like vnto those that saile neere the shore that of the rich like to those that cast themselues into the maine Ocean These cannot attaine to land though they desire nothing more but they must attend the wind and the tide the other come aboord passe and repasse as often as they will Finally wee must endeuour to imitate those great and generous personages that haue made themselues merrie with such kinde of losses yea haue made aduantage of them and thanked God for them as Zenon after his shipwracke Fabricius Seranus Curius It should seeme that pouertie is some excellent and diuine thing since it agreeth with the gods who are imagined to be naked since the wisest haue embraced it or at least haue endured it with great contentment And to conclude in a word with such as are not ouer passionate it is commendable with others insupportable CHAP. XXVI Of Infamie THis affliction is of diuers kinds If it be losse of honors and dignities it is rather a
gaine than a losse Dignities are but honorable seruitudes whereby a man by giuing himselfe to the weale-publike is depriued of himselfe Honors are but the torches of enuie iealousie and in the end exile pouertie If a man shall call to minde the historie of all antiquitie he shall finde that all they that haue liued and haue caried themselues woorthily and vertuously haue ended their course either by exile or poison or some other violent death witnesse among the Greekes Aristides Themistocles Phocion Socrates amongst the Romans Camillus Scipio Cicero Papinian among the Hebrues the Prophets In such sort that it should seeme to be the liuerie of the more honest men for it is the ordinarie recompence of a publike state to such kinde of people And therefore a man of a gallant and generous spirit should contemne it and make small account thereof for he dishonoureth himselfe and shewes how little he hath profited in the studie of wisdome that regardeth in any respect the censures reports and speeches of the people be they good or euill CHAP. XXVII Of the losse of Friends I Heere comprehend parents children and whatsoeuer is neere and deere vnto a man First wee must know vpon what this pretended complaint or affliction is grounded whether vpon the interest or good of our friends or our owne Vpon that of our friends I doubt we shall say yea to that but yet we must not be too credulous to beleeue it It is an ambitious faining of pietie whereby we make a shew of sorrow and griefe for the hurt of another or the hindrance of the weale-publike but if wee shall withdraw the vaile of dissimulation and sound it to the quicke we shall finde that it is our owne particular good that is hid therein that toucheth vs neerest Wee complaine that our owne candle burneth and is consumed or at least is in some danger This is rather a kinde of enuie than true pietie for that which we so much complaine of touching the losse of our friends their absence their distance from vs is their true and great good moerere hoc euentum inuidi magis quà m amici est The true vse of death is to make an end of our miseries If God had made our life more miserable he had made it longer And therefore to say the truth it is vpon our owne good that this complaint and affliction is grounded now that becommeth vs not it is a kind of iniurie to be grieued with the rest and quiet of those that loue vs because we our selues are hurt thereby Suis incommodis angi non amicum sed seipsum amantis est Againe there is a good remedie for this which fortune can not take from vs and that is that suruiuing our friends we haue meanes to make new friends Friendship as it is one of the greatest blessings of our life so it is most easily gotten God makes men and men make friends Hee that wanteth not vertue shall neuer want friends It is the instrument wherewith they are made and wherewith when he hath lost his old he makes new If fortune haue taken away our friends let vs endeuour to make newe by this meanes wee shall not lose them but multiply them Of death VVE haue spoken heereof so much at large and in all respects in the eleuenth and last chapter of the second booke that there remaineth not any thing else to be spoken and therefore to that place I referre the Reader The second part of inward euils tedious and troublesome passions THE PREFACE FRom all these aboue named euils there spring and arise in vs diuers passions and cruell affections for these being taken and considered simply as they are they breed feare which apprehendeth euils as yet to come sorrow for present euils and if they be in another pitie and compassion Being considered as comming and procured by the act of another they stirre vp in vs the passions of choler hatred enuie iealousie despite reuenge and all those that procure displeasure or make vs to looke vpon another with an enuious eie Now this vertue of fortitude and valour consisteth in the gouernment and receit of these euils according to reason in the resolute and couragious cariage of a man and the keeping of himselfe free and cleere from all passions that spring thereof But because they subsist not but by these euils if by the meanes and help of so many aduisements and remedies before deliuered a man can vanquish and contemne them all there can be no more place left vnto these passions And this is the true meane to free himselfe and to come to the end as the best way to put out a fire is to withdraw the fuell that giues it nourishment Neuerthelesse wee will yet adde some particular counsels against these passions though they haue bin in such sort before deciphered that it is a matter of no difficultie to bring them into hatred and detestation CHAP. XXVIII Against Feare LEt no man attend euils before they come because it may be they will neuer come our feares are as likely to deceiue vs as our hopes and it may be that those times that we thinke will bring most affliction with them may bring greatest comfort How many vnexpected aduentures may happen that may defend a man from that blow we feare Lightning is put by with the winde of a mans hatte and the fortunes of the greatest states with accidents of small moment The turne of a wheele mounteth him that was of lowest degree to the highest step of honour and many times it falleth out that wee are preserued by that which we thought would haue beene our ouerthrow There is nothing so easily deceiued as humane foresight That which it hopeth it wanteth that which it feareth vanisheth that which it expecteth hapneth not God hath his counsell by himselfe That which man determineth after one maner he resolueth after another Let vs not therefore make our selues vnfortunate before our time nay when perhaps we are neuer likely to be so Time to come which deceiueth so many will likewise deceiue vs as soone in our feares as in our hopes It is a maxime commonly receiued in Physicke that in sharp maladies the predictions are neuer certaine and euen so is it in the most furious threatnings of fortune so long as there is life there is hope for hope continues as long in the body as the soule quamdiu spiro spero But forasmuch as this feare proceedeth not alwaies from the disposition of nature but many times from an ouer delicate education for by the want of exercise and continuall trauell and labour euen from our youth we many times apprehend things without reason we must by a long practise accustome our selues vnto that which may most terrifie vs present vnto our selues the most fearefull dangers that may light vpon vs and with cheerefulnesse of heart attempt sometimes casuall aduentures the better to trie our courage to preuent euill occurrents and to sease vpon
the fourth vertue CHAP. XXXVI Of Temperancie in generall TEmperancie is taken two waies generallie for a moderation and sweet temper in all things And so it is not a speciall 1 Temperancie two-fold Generall vertue but generall and common the seasoning sauce of all the rest and it is perpetuallie required especiallie in those affaires where there is controuersie and contestation troubles and diuisions For the preseruation thereof there is no better way than to be free from particular phantasies and opinions and simple to hold himselfe to his owne deuoire All lawfull intentions or opinions are temperate choler hatred are inferior to dutie and to iustice and serue only those that tie not themselues to their dutie by simple reason Speciallie for a bridle and rule in things pleasant delightfull 2 Speciall which tickle our senses and naturall appetites Habena voluptatis inter libidinem stuporem naturae posita cuius duae partes verecundia in fuga turpium honestas in obseruatione decori We will heere take it more at large for a rule and dutie in all prosperitie as fortitude is the rule in all aduersitie and it shall be the bridle as fortitude the spurre With these two we shall tame this brutish sauage vntoward part of our passions which is in vs and we shall carry our selues well and wisely in all fortunes accidents which is a high point of wisdome Temperancie then hath for the subiect and generall obiect thereof all prosperitie pleasant and plausible things but especiallie 3 The description of temperancie and properlie pleasure whereof it is the razor and the rule the razor to cut off strange and vitious superfluities the rule of that which is naturall and necessarie Voluptatibus imperat alias odit abigit alias dispensat ad sanum modum redigit nec vnquam ad illas propter illas venit scit optimum esse modum cupitorum non quantum velis sed quantum debeas This is the authoritie and power of reason ouer concupiscence and violent affections which carrie our willes to delights and pleasures It is the bridle of our soule and the proper instrument to cleare those boyling tempests which arise in vs by the heate and intemperancie of our bloud that the soule may be alwaies kept one and appliant vnto reason that it applie not it selfe to sensible obiects but that it rather accommodate them vnto it selfe and make them serue it By this we weane our soule from the sweet milke of the pleasures of this world and we make it capable of a more solid and soueraigne nourishment It is a rule that sweetlie accommodateth all things vnto nature to necessitie simplicitie facilitie health constancie These are things that goe willinglie together and they are the measures and bounds of wisdome as contrarily arte lust and superfluitie varietie and multiplicitie difficultie maladie and delicatenesse keepe companie together following intemperancie and follie Simplici cura constant necessaria in delitijs laboratur Ad parata nati sumus nos omnia nobis difficilia facilium fastidio fecimus CHAP. XXXVII Of Prosperitie and counsell thereupon THat prosperitie which sweetly falles vpon vs by the common course and ordinarie custome of the world or by our own wisdome and discreet cariage is farre more firme and assured and lesse enuied than that which commeth from heauen with fame and renowne beyond and against the opinion of all and the hope euen of him that receiueth these bounties Prosperitie is very dangerous whatsoeuer there is that is vaine and light in the soule of man is raised and caried with the first fauorable winde There is nothing that makes a man so much to lose and forget himselfe as great prosperitie as corne lodgeth by too great abundance and boughs ouercharged with fruit breake asunder and therefore it is necessarie that a man looke to himselfe and take heed as if he went in a slipperie place and especiallie of insolencie pride and presumption There be some that swimme in a shallow water and with the least fauour of fortune are puffed vp forget themselues become insupportable which is the true picture of follie From thence it commeth that there is not any thing more fraile and that is of lesse continuance than an ill aduised prosperitie which commonly changeth great and ioyfull occurrents into heauy and lamentable and fortune of a louing mother is turned into a cruell step-dame Now the best counsell that I can giue to a man to carrie himselfe heerein is not to esteeme too much of all sorts of prosperitie and good fortunes and in any sort not to desire them If they shall happen to come out of their good grace and fauour to receiue them willingly and cheerefully but as things strange and no way necessarie but such as without which a man may passe his life and therefore there is no reason he should make account of them or thinke himselfe the woorse or better man for them Non est tuum fortuna quod fecit tuum Qui tutam vitam agere volet ista viscata beneficia deuitet nil dignum putare quod speres Quid dignum habet fortuna quod concupiscas CHAP. XXXVIII Of Pleasure and aduice thereupon PLeasure is an apprehension and sense of that which is agreeable to nature it is a pleasant motion and tickling The description and distinction of pleasure as contrarilie griefe or sorrow is vnwelcome and vnpleasing to the senses neuerthelesse they that place it in the highest degree and make it the soueraigne good as the Epicures take it not so but for a priuation of euill and displeasure in a word Indolence According to their opinion the not hauing of any euill is the happiest estate that man can hope for in this life Nimium boni est cui nihil est mali This is as a mid-way or neutralitie betwixt pleasure taken in the first and common sense and griefe it is as sometime the bosome of Abraham was said to be betwixt paradise and the hell of the damned This is a sweete and peaceable state and setling a true constant and staied pleasure which resembleth in some sort the tranquillitie of the soule accounted by Philosophers the chiefe and soueraigne good the other first kinde of pleasure is actiue and in motion And so there should be three estates the two extreame opposites Griefe and Pleasure which are not stable nor durable and both of them sickly and that in the middle stable firme sound wherunto the Epicures gaue the name of pleasure as indeed it is in regard of griefe and sorrow making it the chiefe and soueraigne good This is that which hath so much defamed their schoole as Seneca hath ingenuously acknowledged and said that their euill was in the title and words not in the substance hauing neuer had either doctrine or life more sober temperate and enemie to wickednesse and vice than theirs And it is not altogether without reason that they called this Indolence and peaceable state