his friendshyp who with so great trustinesse had honoured the friendshyp of his enimie so great is the beautie of vertue and friendshyp that we are delighted therwith euen in our enimies and enforceth a man to loue hym of whom he knoweth hymselfe to be hated Sorowe My most faythfull friende is dead Reason Thou muste bury hym in thy remembraunce where he may secretely remayne with thee and neuer dye altogeather Whom yf thou hast lost by any other meanes then by death then hast thou not lost a friende but a false opinion of friendshyp Of the absence of friendes The Liij Dialogue SOROWE I Am greeued for the absence of my friendes Reason It hapneth so many tymes but he that hath learned to take indifferently the death of his friende may somewhat more moderately beare his absence neither can the absence of a friende ouerthrow him whom the death of a friende could not ouerthrowe Sorowe My most deare friend is absent my right hand and my right eye Reason Though he were so absent that he woulde neuer returne yet woulde I say that there is nothing but a man ought to take it indifferently but he wyl come a gayne and thyne integritie shal be restored vnto thee Sorowe My frende is absent the one moitie of my selfe Reason Horace the poet tearmeth Virgil the one halfe of his soule whiche phrayse beyng afterward vsed of many is nowe growen into a prouerbe But if a freend be not naturally only but ciuilly also had in possession wherein doth absence hurte frendshyp but that wheresoeuer thou be he may sit walke talke and confer with thee in pleasant and serious matters For if ye sawe nothing else but what lyeth before your eyes and only the thinges that are present delited you then should your sight be very short and narrowe Sorow I am sorie for the absence of my sweete freende Reason But you vse rather to be sorie for the absence of beloued then sweete thinges Hearken now vnto that which wil scarce enter in the common peoples eares It is a strange case howe ticklish and loathsome somtime is the presence yea of mens dearest freendes manie times men are offended at a smal matter and those whom they loue berie wel or whose presence they earnestly desire not only their friendes but also their brethren or children for that perhapes they are some hindrance vnto their studies and businesse they had rather sometime that they were absent In their absence there is nothing bitter nothing that greeueth our desire but that they are away whiche notwithstandyng thou canst not deny to be pleasant Sorowe The absence of my belooued frende greeueth me Reason This is a common thing I confesse among women suche as loue after a womanish maner whose whole delite consisteth in the senses Notwithstandyng of these the poet spake where he saith He that is absent heareth and seeth another that is absent Which if it be so why should not also a freende see and heare his freende that is absent vnlesse peraduenture your eyes be more bright and cleare to beholde the visions of lasciuiousnesse then of vertue or els there is more honoure to be ascribed vnto mad then chast loue which besides honest and quicke thoughtes which no distance of place nor necessitie of force can restrayne to wander and be conuersant where soeuer it pleaseth them there is a prouision made by the benefite of sendyng letters then whiche I knowe not whether there be any presence more acceptable Marcus Cicero was in Rome whyles wryting vnto his brother Quintus Cicero who as deputie gouerned the countrey of Asia when I reade thy letters sayth be me thinkes I heare thee speake and when I wryte vnto thee me thinkes I talke with thee And anon exhortyng hym vnto the excellencie of glory he sayth that he hath founde it very effectuous in al his woorkes and deedes to imagine vnto hymselfe that his brother was present with hym I cannot tel whether he were at Athens or in some other place where Epicurus was present whyles wryting vnto his freende So behaue thy selfe in al matters sayth he as if Epicurus hym selfe beheld thee Truely Anneus Seneca was in Campania whiles by his letters communing with his freend that soiourned in Sicilia he exhorteth him to studie to dyne and walke with him which he coulde not do but in minde only and thervnto wanted neyther the assistance of the eyes nor of the eares nor of the handes nor of the feete Sorowe Myne eyes do greedily requyre myne absent freende Reason I cannot deny but that by absence there is some delite taken from the eies but nothing from the minde neyther from the eyes in a manner as I sayde before yf it be true freendshyp From hence it commeth that in the same Poet we reade commende this saying Pallas Enander they al stande before his eyes And Cicero hym selfe also in a certayne epistle sayth that he beareth not onely in his minde his freend Balbus who serued vnder Caesar in Fraunce but also in his eyes Sorowe My freende is absent Reason Sometyme a freende is not knowen vnlesse he be absent As in al other thinges so lykewyse in freendshyp great plentie dulleth the sense and scarcitie sharpneth it And yf the schoolemaister of loue sayth that intermission of loue is profitable vnto louers whose vniuersal pleasures consist in presence why should not the same also be auaile able vnto freendes whose whole delite is reposed in vertue and feeleth no discommoditie in absence since it is present in euery place Do not therefore geue ouer vnto desire but embrace thy freend in thy remembrance whom neither departure nor death it selfe can take from thee Sorowe I suffer greeuously the absence of my sweete freende Reason Suffer it onely and confirme the softer partes of thy minde with present vertue For this bitter absence whiche thou nowe bewaylest perhappes in time shal make thy freende more deare vnto thee and his presence more acceptable Of greeuous shypwracke The liiii Dialogue SOROW. I Haue been tossed in a greeuous shypwracke Reason Thou tellest me of the shypwracke on the sea but as for the wracke of the minde thou speakest nothing of it as though there were any more greeuous or common There is the tempest of desires and affections as if it were of contrarie blusteryng windes which when the sayles of your concupiscences and hope are hoised and spread bearing away the helme of the minde and leesing the ankers of constancie in the deepe sea driueth you about vnto al coastes and ouer al seas that wracke it was that draue thee into this Take away desire and thou shalt take away this sayling for the most part or at leastwise the danger therof the same driueth men not only into ships but miserably vpon rockes and death it selfe And therfore for the most part al that by their owne seking perish in the sea haue first perished in the minde and were first ouerwhelmed by the waues of
but be reprochful and ignominious for that it is contrarie to the commaundement of the most hygh Lorde agaynst whiche nothyng can be wel done Sorowe I had rather dye then to see the thynges that are lyke to happen shortly Reason It is not the part of a man not to be able with open eyes to behold both faces of fortune it is the part of a woman to turne away the eyes in feare What is the thyng that troubleth thee so muche that nothyng can helpe thee but death only Is it thine owne or thy freendes or perhaps the aduersitie of thine afflicted countrye As for the first two they are but gentle for fortune is not so strong but vertue is able to withstand it the thirde is godly but the loue thereof is fainte and slouthful For the bondage and captiuitie of a mans countrey and the gouernement thereof in manner of a Tirannie is rather to be repelled by death then auoyded by steppyng a side For the first is the part of a man but this tastest of womanyshe imbecillitie Whiche thyng notwithstandyng the same Seneca doth woonderfully extol in the death of Cato in that same his peculiar opinion whereof I spake erewhyle But Cicero thinkyng it sufficient to excuse him only abstaineth from commending him For he sayth that vnto Cato that was a man of such wonderful grauitie and perpetual constancie of nature it was better to dye then to looke the Tyrant in the face whom Brutus notwithstandyng behelde and thought it better to make hym away by kyllyng hym then by kyllyng hym selfe Whiche how wel or ill it was done I do not now dispute But so in deede he did As for Cicero whyle he excuseth Cato he forgetteth his owne more commendable opinion whiche long before he had set downe in his sixth booke De republica of a common-wealth whiche is after this manner folowyng whiles that he bringeth in Publius Scipio Affricanus the younger dreaming howe that he talked in heauen with his father and graundfather and hearyng them speake of the immortalitie of the soule and the felicitie of the other lyfe made hym desirous to dye and brought in his father by and by reprouing the same his fonde and vnprofitable desyre in these woordes It may not be so quoth he for vnlesse God whose churche al this is which thou beholdest doo loose thee out of these bondes of thy bodye thou canst haue none entrance hyther For men were created for this cause that they shoulde beholde the globe whiche thou seest in the middest of this temple whiche is called the earth Wherefore good sonne Publius both thou and also al vertuous men ought to keepe your selues within the custodie of this your bodye and not to depart out of the lyfe of man contrarie vnto his commaundement by whom that lyfe was geuen vnto you least happely ye seeme to forsake the vocation whereunto God hath called you Doo not these woordes of Cicero sufficiently reprooue Cato that is excused And truely yf thou were appoynted by some earthly Prynce or Captayne to keepe a place by defence of armes thou wouldest not dare to depart from thy charge without his lycence whiche yf thou shouldest doo doubtlesse he woulde take it in ill part Howe then woulde the heauenly Emperour take it thynkest thou vnto whom so muche the more obedience ought to be geuen by howe muche God is greater then man There was of late dayes one Stephanus Columnensis a gentleman of auncient vertue who yf lie had lyued had not onely been famous in this age but also in remembrance of al posteritie The same Stephanus beyng besieged by a mightie enimie of his vnto whom he was in power far vnequal committed the defence of one turret wherein there seemed to be most danger vnto one of his captaynes of whose trust he was assured This turret being vndermined and secretly shaken by the enimies so that it was in danger of fallyng when as the residue of the garison perceyuing so much forsooke it and perswaded hym also to come downe and prouide for his safety since it was bootelesse to tarrie but vnto him selfe very dangerous or rather present death I wyl not come downe sayde he vnlesse he cal me away who set me here Which being reported vnto Stephanus who also was very careful for the gentleman came running in bast to cal hym away the turret beyng shaken at the very foundation fel downe immediatly with great noyse Thus that trustie defendant was miserably slayne whom his lord and maister beyng scarcely able to finde out among the rubbishe and ruynes of the turret buryed hym with great sorowe and lamentation and whyle he lyued had a dutiful care ouer hym and in his common speeche alwayes aduaunced his fayth with worthy commendation What I meane by these wordes I thinke thou knowest Suche a keeper oughtest thou to be of thy body whiche is committed vnto thy keepyng by God as he was of his turret which was commended to his charge by his lorde and maister Notwithstandyng I am not ignorant howe that the death of Cato was muche commended by many of that age wherein he lyued and very glorious in the common opinion of men And that saying of Iulius Caesar is wel knowen who beyng conquerour and making hast vnto Vtica where Cato had slayne hym selfe and hearyng report of his death Cato quoth he enuyed my glory and I enuie his death Doubtlesse it seemed some excellent thyng whiche so great and glorious a personage enuied at Sorow Then what shoulde let me to folow the death of a wyse man that was enuied at by so great a person and excused and commended of the wyse and to eschewe the innumerable distresses of lyfe by a voluntarie death Truely I had rather dye Reason Beware that thou be not caryed away with the vayne hope of hynges For there be some inferiour in eloquence but superiour in sense whiche neyther commend nor excuse this death of Cato but sharpely reprehende it Among whom Sainct Augustine a most sharpe searcher after the truth disputeth that this was not the cause of the hastenyng of his owne death because he woulde not lyne vnder the empire of Caesar togeather with his sonne forasmuche as he hym selfe was the cause that his sonne fledde to Caesar and in hope of safetie submitted hymselfe to his mercy wherein he was not deceyued Whiche yf he had thought to haue been a shameful thyng would he not haue delyuered his sonne from it as wel as hym selfe eyther by poyson or by sword or by some other kynde of death whatsoeuer Seeing that Manlius Torquatus is commended for killyng his owne sonne for that he had geuen battel to his enimies and vanquished them but contrarie to his fathers commaundement Neyther can it be sayde that it is a more shameful thing to be conquerour ouer a proude enimie then to be subiect to an arrogant conquerour Why then dyd he thinke Caesar woorthy to graunt lyfe to his sonne who thought hym vnworthie
triumphant and martiall body after the tune and measure of instrumentes not wantonly mincing as it is nowe the maner to swim in dauncing far more effeminately then women but as the auncient men in fore tyme were wont at playes and festiuall tymes to daunce after a manlyke sort which shoulde no way impaire them if their enimies dyd behold them By whiche wordes what he thought then of his owne age may be perceiued But he was happie that he sawe not thyne And although he doo allowe of some large scope of dauncing and drinking saying that somtimes it is lawfull for a man to drynke tyll he be drunke whiche I merueill that so precise a disposition woulde graunt yet if thou wylt folowe faythfull counsell drynke wine sparyngly and abstayne from dauncing There be other more honest kindes of recreation wherewith thou mayest refresh thy loathsome and weeried minde But in all thynges this is the best counsell whiche he vttered last of all to be circumspect and take heede and whatsoeuer thou doest so to doo it as though thyne enimies behelde and marked thee It is muche more better to liue in suche sort that thyne enimies may woonder at thine abstynence and grauitie then that thy freendes shoulde excuse thy lasciuiousnesse That good fame is more noble when no man is able to obiect a true crime and dare not obiect a false then when a fault is obiected and purged Perfect vertue maketh the accuser afeard but that whiche is but meane prouoketh hym And as touching sobrietie I had rather thou were lyke Caesar whom his very enimies can not denie but that he was a man of lytle wine as Suetonius writeth then lyke Cato I meane not the auncient Cato Censorius of whose sobrietie we haue spoken before but the latter whom Seneca in this sort defendeth for drunkennesse obiected agaynst him that Catoes lyfe was such that a man may better obiect an honest crime agaynst hym then a dishonest â–ª But concernyng that whereof nowe we entreat I had rather thou shouldest not daunce at all then to daunce as Scipio dyd But yf thy mynde force thee vnto that whiche I woulde not haue thâ—â— doo I woulde wyshe thee to imitate these captaynes that yf that sayeing of the Lyrike Poet haue fully perswaded thee At one tyme we must drynke and at another daunce Drynke wine so as Cato dranke and daunce so as Scipio daunced Of playing with the Ball. The .xxv. Dialogue IOY I Am delighted also with playing at the Ball. Reason Loe there is another foolysh occasion of crying and leapyng Ioy. I am desirous to play at the ball Reason It seemeth that ye hate rest ye seeke toyle labour euery way which I would they were comely For if this play be vndertaken for exercise sake which I pray you is better for a man to weerie himselfe with a furious throwing and striking wherein nothing can be kept in the minde or els with moderate walking wherein is both profitable moouing of the body and honest stirring of the minde Whiche maner certaine of the Philosophers did make so proper to themselues that the most famous sect tooke name thereof Haddest thou rather folowe Dionysius of Syracuse then Aristotle of Stagyrite Forasmuche as we haue heard that the Philosopher vsed to take delight in studious walking and the Tyrant in this troublesome game howbeit I wil not deny but that modest mindes haue sometime been delighted with this pleasure For Quintus Mutius Scaenola the Southsayer coulde play very cunningly at it and Augustus the Emperour after that he had ended the ciuile warres from exercises of the feelde betooke hym selfe to the bal also Marcus Aurelius Antomuâ— as it is written of him played very wel at tennise Notwithstanding although the first of these were very well seene in the lawe both of God and man and the other also were learned and both were good princes yet doo I not lyke any thyng the better of this hastie and clamorous game For al vehement motion specially if it be ioyned with outerie and clamour is vnsitting for an honest wit. Of playing at Dice and Lottes The xxvi Dialogue IOY I Am delighted with playing at dice and lottes Reason In the one of these games is losse in the other folly yet it is reported that Scenola frequented them both that which is yet higher that Augustus the Emperour vsed the one Yet notwithstanding that this first chose these to be a recreation to hym selfe from the ceremonies of the Goddes the lawes of men in the knowledge whereof he excelled and Augustus from the cares of his great Empire which he gouerned long and wel now and then to refresh himselfe from his ioyle I wyl not commend the like in thee For great and learned men haue certaine strange peculier appetites which if thou imitate aswel in maners as in doctrine thou mayst sone fal for al things are not worthy to be praised which are praysed Ioy. I take pleasure in playing at Tables Reason Who would not be delighted to throw forth a couple or more of squared bones with certaine numbers marked vpon euery side and looke whiche way they runne that way to direct the fingers to place the round Tablemen in order A glorious exercise which is lyke to deserue a famous name with a triumphant chariot renoumed dayes Ioy. I delight moreouer to play at Lottes Reason O chyldishe desyre O lost tyme O superfluous cares O most vayne outcries foolyshe ioyes ridiculus anger for olde doating men to stande gaping ouer a payre of tables and a fewe rouling peeces of wood by stealth robbing and falling in whereof that game was in olde time called Ludus latruncularis whereat there was an Ape that plaied as Plinie writeth Doest thou maruel at it Why it is a peculier play for an Ape to geather togeather the stones counters or tablemen and to cast them abroade to throwe them agaynst the wall hastely to cast foorth the handes and to plucke them in againe to insult ouer his aduersarie to threaten him with grinning teeth to be angry to contende to chafe and sometime as Horace sayth to scrath the head to gnaw the nayles and briefely to doo al thing that may prouoke the lookers on to laughter And doo ye omit any one of these or in your gaming let passe any one kinde of madnesse Are ye not in suche wyse tormented and vexed as though the good estate of your selues or of the commonwealth were in hazarde There be many I suppose which might haue ouercome their enimies in battayle yf they had ben as diligent to furnish their souldiours in the fielde as they haue been no place their Boxen or Iuorie table men in order Scarse shall you fynde any man more earnestly bent to any thyng then to this foolysh practise But this is a generall rule in the kingdome of sollie that looke what thing is least profitable thereof is conceiued most delight and pleasure Ioy. I am delighted with dice
friendshyp whiche though it be not named by the tongue yet is it alwayes vnderstoode in the minde And yf thou wylt speake it short say friendes and there withall thou shalt say good Ioy. I thinke I haue friendes Reason Beware thou be not falsly perswaded lest haply experience make thee one day beleeue otherwyse To searche the deapth of the minde it lyeth not in mans power and now adayes ye geat friendes at the Wine and prooue them with your teares and that is last whiche shoulde haue been first Ioy. As the worlde standeth nowe with me I haue many friendes Reason Thou meanest I thynke prosperitie For thus it falleth out for the more part that although all fortune haue neede of friendes yet they haue greatest stoare of friendes that haue lesse neede of all other thynges And thus alwayes scarcitie followeth scarcitie and plentie wayteth vppon plentie When neede and pouertie commeth on then they decrease or rather to speake more truely friendshyp at that tyme is descried Who were friendes to thee and who to thy prosperitie it wyll appears when prosperitie departeth Thy friendes wyll followe thee and her friendes wyll goe after her Thyne wyll be the better but hers wyll be the greater companie Thou must not marueile yf when the Caske is drawne drye they depart whiche came only for the sweetnesse of the wine for aduersitie dryueth away a dissembler and the dregges a drynker Ioy. I seeme to haue an innumerable sort of friendes Reason It is well sayde I seeme Whereuppon ryseth this thine opinion seyng that true friendshyp among all men is rare and thyne thou sayest are innumerable For thou must thus first perswade thy selfe that there is no friendshyp but among good men and then hereby thou mayest the more certainly coniecture in thy minde I say not howe many true friendes thou hast but howe many there be in the number of all mankynde when thou shalt begynne to number howe many good men there be Ioy. I haue very many friendes Reason Many acquaintaunce say and yet howe truely thou shalt say so it is in doubt For there is no liuing thyng no wares more difficult to be knowen then man. Ioy. I haue many friendes Reason Companions perhappes or ghestes These wyl not fayle thee vnlesse thy cheare doo fayle As for friendes there be alwayes fewe or none at all and many tymes whiche is most iniurious a householde enimie possesseth the name of a friende and vnder colour of feigned good wyl there lurketh domestical treason Ioy. I haue moe friendes then neede Reason It is very necessarie and especially to be regarded of all that are in auctoritie that among so many lyes of flatterers there may be one that hare and wyll speake the trueth in whiche respect an enimie is farre more profitable then a friende Ioy. I haue many friendes Reason Beleeue mee thou hast neede of many And this worlde woulde be farre more holy vermous and quiet yf there were as many friendes as there are so accompted Ioy. I haue a friende Reason That is muche For there is nothyng more deare nor more rare then a friende Of Friendes not knowen but by report The. Li. Dialogue IOY PResent report hath purchased vnto mee absent friendes Reason This happeneth many times that report maketh not only those that a man knoweth not but also very enimies to be friendes Report made Masinissa knowen to Scipio so that he that was wont to be the leader of all the Carthagien horfemen agaynst the Romanes became afterwarde General of the Romane horsemen agaynst the Carthagiens and gatte him not only the hartes of his priuate enimies but also of theeues and Pyrates whiche are the common enimies of all the worlde For the glory and excellencie of his name drew◠them vnto hym vpon whom whyle he remayned in exile at Linthern they came lorcibly rushyng in so that at the first sight they appeared terrible But when they perceyued them selues to be suspected laying aside their threamynges and settyng apart their weapons sendyng away their guarde they conformed them selues to vnaccustomed mildnesse and onely the chiefe of the theeues came vnto hym to the intent to woorshyp hym as a God and his house as a most holy Churche They weeried his victorious ryght hande with many kysses and hung vp their gyftes in the porche of his house as the custome was in those dayes to offer them vppon the aulters of the Goddes accomptyng it in steede of a great gayne that they had seene hym and reioycyng as yf they had seene an heauenly vision they departed wonderfully coutented This hapned vnto Scipio but seeke for suche another and where I pray thee wylt thou finde hym How be it it may happen also vnto others and the excellencie of a mans fame may winne hym the freendshyppe of one that is absent for I doo not deny but that report beareth great sway in the worlde Notwithstandyng is it not muche to be feared lest that as one sayth Presence doo diminishe the report Howe many haue there been whom absent men haue woondred at and contemned them when they haue seene them before theyr face Mans iudgement is a tender thyng and is easily turned Ioy. Report hath wonne mee freendes beyonde the Alpes and beyonde the Seas Reason All your dooynges are almost of lyke fondnesse and vanitie For what commoditie or profite shalt thou reape by hym of whom thou wast neuer seene nor neuer shalt be seene and whom thou neuer sawest nor neuer art lyke to see your vices also doo make your present freendshippes vnprofitable and vntrustie although to say the trueth they be no true freendshyppes in deede but are only so rearmed What mayest thou hope then of these thy freendshyppes Beholde the Comicall Poet sayeth that Courtesie winneth freendes but truely true freendes in deede are scarce obtayned with great and manifolde courtesies and thou thynkest that thou hast gotten a freende with a fewe woordes and those possible none of thyne owne thou art too ful of hope Ioy. Report hath brought me a freende from the farthest part of the worlde Reason A contrary report wyll also take hym away from thee and so muche the more easily by howe muche mens eares are more commonly open to euyll then good reportes Ioy. Fame hath gotten me a good freende Reason How knowest thou how good he is whom thou neuer sawest seeyng that thou knowest not all this whyle what they be whom thou speakest vnto dayly and art conuersant withal Your óuer quicknesse of beleefe oftentymes deceyueth you ye soone beleeue that whiche you woulde haue Ye geue muche credite to lying fame Thou hopest that thou seest his minde whose face thou neuer yet sawest notwithstanding that there be so many secret couertes and hydden places in the hartes of those that are very wel acquainted It is an hard matter to knowe a freende but in great aduersitie and it is more difficult to knowe him then to get hym For perhappes he may be gotten some time with
trust nor trueth at al and all this mischiefe happeneth on the one syde for that iniuries are offered to them that haue not deserued on the other for that benefites are bestowed vppon the vnwoorthy so that the whole course of thyngs beyng confounded through disorder enimies are made friendes and Citizens are made enimies Ioy. I am the Tyrant of my countrey Reason Couldest thou fynde in thy hart to be so yf thou remembredst that it were thyne owne countrey If the representation of your common mother came into thy mynde thou wouldest neuer in suche sort teare thy brethren with whom thou hast been brought vp in thy chyldehood and also in ryper yeeres hast enioyed the same ayre the same waters the same religion the same holydayes the same playes and delightes with what mynde canst thou insult and reignâ—â—ouer them and reioyce when they weepe Lastly with what impudencie â—â—ooest thou lyue in that Citie wherein thou knowest thy lyfe to he hated of all men thy death wyshed of all sortes where thou art assured there is none that woulde not haue thee destroyed as a most cruell Wolfe in a gentle flocke Ioy. I haue vndertaken a Tyrrannie Reason If thou compare the present tyme with the tyme past thou shalt perceyue howe miserable a clogge thou hast layd vpon thy shoulders thou lyuedst somtime a safe quiet life but now henceforward vnlesse thou ioyne madnesse to mischiefe thou shalt passe no day nor nyght without feare and trouble of minde eate no meate without suspition take no sleepe without dread whyle thou beholdest on euerie side the swoord hanging ouer thy head which Dionysius is reported not vnfitly to haue shewed vnto a certaine friend of his that wondred at his wealth and aucthoritie who was a tyrant in deede but a most graue considerer of the state of tyrranny Ioy. I haue purchased a tyranny by the swoorde Reason If thou haue gotten it by the swoorde thou must keepe it by the swoord and perhaps loose it by the swoord Thou hast wonne woorthy ryches in deede to be odious and fearefull vnto all men and that whiche foloweth therof to be continually a feareful burden to thy selfe But to admit there were no danger which in some Cities and countreys the nature of the people beareth sufficiently beyng apt to seruilitie and obedience yet when beyng out of feare and danger thou shalt call to mynde what Laberius a Knyght of Rome sayde vnto hym that was the fyrst founder of this whiche nowe hath the name of a iust Empire Needes sayth he must he feare many of whom many stande in feare The reason of which saying is that whiche Ouid aleageth For euerie man wisheth him dead whom he feareth which was first alleaged by Ennius where he sayth They hate whom they feare eche man wysheth hym dead whom he feareth But yf all feare and danger doo ceasse whiche hath happened vnto some Tyrantes theyr boldnesse beyng nooryshed by publique calamities or the experimented dastardes of theyr Citizens yet is it not a shame for thee to gouerne those vnto whom it were more meete thou were theyr vnderlyng besydes thy iniurious force which is the worst thyng of alâ—â— â–ª Ioy. I haue put on a tyrranny Reason Thou hast put of all humanitie and iustice and chosen a troublesome and blooddy lyfe or els truely a doubtful death Vnhappy man whose death only thy countrey which hare thee and brought thee vp dooeth continually hope for Is not he in sufficient wofull case whom al men would haue to be in woful case And is not he most wretched who cannot possible be so wretched but is worthy to be more wretched Ioy. I possesse the chiefest place among my Citizens Reason Thou possessest a tyrranny ouer thy Citizens thou hast placed thyne house vpon sande thy bed in the bryers thy seate vpon a downefal thy pouertie in rapynes and thyne enuie in miseries Of a Kyngdome and Empire The .xcvi. Dialogue IOY BEholde I am a Kyng by right Reason That cannot be long vnknowne for what the difference is betweene a Kyng and a Tirant I haue declared alredy And what auayleth it for thee to be called a Kyng yf thou be a Tirant The safetie of a King and kingdome consisteth not in a glorious name but in true iustice I deeme it lesse euyl for thee to refourme the gouernment that thou hast gotten and afterward so to behaue thy selfe that thou maiest appeare to be a true King then by tyrannical vexation to spoyle the kyngdome wherunto thou commest by right wherin thou lawfully succeedest thy father for there belongeth more true prayse vnto the proceedyng and end then to the begynning of thynges Ioy. I am a kyng Reason It were better and more quiet to lyue vnder a good King then to be a King thy selfe Ioy. I haue ascended into the Regal seate of the kyngdome Reason A conspicuous place and obiect vnto al mens eyes and therfore dangerous for slouthfulnes and paynful and difficult for vertue For a good Kyng is a publique seruant Ioy. I am aduaunced to the Regal throne of a kyngdome Reason To the end thou mayest seeme woorthy forget thy selfe and thyne owne affayres thynke vpon thy people and the commom wealth the day fyrst that thou wast made a Kyng thou beganst to dye to thy selfe and to lyue for other and which is the hardest case of al for vnthankful and vniust considerers of thy trauayle Ioy. I am come to a kyngdome Reason Perhaps thou mayest get there some transitorie glory but no quietnesse at all Ioy. I reigne vprightly Reason Thou doest well and a most acceptable thing vnto god And knowe this that thou seruest suche as are alwayes repynyng and ful of complayntes and that wyll scarce geue thee thankes before thy death There is seldome any Kyng so good but the people loue hym better that shall succeede who when he is come the other is wyshed for agayne These are the manners of the common people to hate the thynges that are present to desyre the thynges that are to come and to prayse the thynges that are past Howe then should complayntes ceasse yf euery good thyng that is present doo stynke and nothyng pleaseth but that whiche grieueth whether it be alredy past or hoped for Ioy. I haue gotten the Scepter and Diademe Reason Gloryous fetters and a noble miserie which yf all men throughly knewe trust me two woulde not so often stryue for one seate but there would be more kyngdomes then Kynges Ioy. I weare the princely robes Reason It is not the outward apparrel but the inwarde furniture and princely mynde that maketh a Kyng Alexander the Emperour of Rome was woont to say that Empyre and gouerment consisted in vertue and not in sumptuousnesse Ioy. I am aduaunced to a kyngdome Reason Now is the state of the subiectes vncertayne whether they be happie in that kind of happines which is imagined to be heare or in miserie For a vertuous king is the felicitie of a transitorie kingdome
Vasinius preferred before Cato an obscure man before a most commendable senatour and that not onely by the verdit of the people his frendes and his enimies also but also in the whole volume that Cicero wrote what sayst thou in this case euen that they are greeuous not new thynges that thou sufferest Sorow I hoped for muche I deserue not a litle Reason I tolde thee euen nowe that thou shouldest deserue muche and yet al thynges are not geuen through desertes Do we not see that to whom a thyng is once denyed yet the same perhappes is graunted within a whyle after to the selfe same man which thyng happened to the same Scipio of whom I speake For constant vertue manye tymes breaketh the force of repulses To this beare wytnesse Emilius Paulus Metellus Macedonicus Lucius Numius who tooke al of them a repulse for the Consulshyp and the selfe same men afterwarde were adorned with most noble dignitie and triumphes and of whom before they were had in contempte to the same citizens afterwarde they were a spectable and surely they had neuer atteyned vnto those honours yf they had endeuoured to lament with greefe the repulses of the people rather then to ouercome the same with valiauntnesse of vertue Although Lucius Sylla who in the ende being styrred vp to eiuil dissention stayned his name with open crueltie but neuerthelesse was a most noble and renowmed Citizen had taken the repulse not onely of the Consulshyp but also of the Pretorshyp afterwarde he atteyned to the hyghest dignitie in the common wealth insomuche that he coulde not onely hym selfe procure the Pretorshyps Consulshyps and Empires but also bestowe them on other A repulse ought not to take away hope but to geue it to styrre vp careful diligence and vertue whiche be it neuer so sharpe a thyng yet it aswageth it and yf it happen that it doth not so yet it is not therefore to be forsaken least it shoulde seeme that it is embraced onely for it owne sake and it owne ende To be shorte these men haue valiauntly susteyned their repulses but Pub. Rutilius hearyng of his brothers repulse whiche he had susteyned in suing for the Consulshyp soddenly fel downe dead Choose thee now whether of these thou haddest rather folowe Of an vniust Lorde The .xxxix. Dialogue SOROW. THe common wealth suffereth an vniuste lorde Reason Perhappes it hath deserued it and that kynde of myscheefe is a due punishment for the other and we see seuere iudges exercise iustice as wel in hel as els where and although it standeth for a reason yet sometymes it maketh hast that is verified whiche is wrytten There is a God that iudgeth men on earth There be some of opinion that deuyls are made of men thorow their dayly licentious offendyng and libertie in sinnyng whiche thyng is tollerablye spoken for that the likelihood of wicked dispositions doth cause it wherein a wicked man and suche a one as continually perseuereth in wickednesse is almost equall with the deuyl To whiche opinion if it be alowed this saying wyl wel agree That thorowe gods iustice one deuyl oppresseth an other In whiche case of al other this is most miserable that it happeneth often tymes that the giltlesse are punished among the wicked And that saying of Flaccus falleth out many tymes to true and to often That many tymes the opportunitie that is necglectd in punishyng the adulterer doth bryng the innocent into daunger whiche thyng without doubt although vnknowen to vs yet is it done not without the secret iustice of God. Sorowe We suffer a cruel Lord. Reason Crueltie truely is an euill thing and quite agaynst the nature of man but it is profitable agaynst vice and vnto the vnbrideled people abrydel and feare proceedyng from al sides and it is more expedient for them to feare that knowe not howe to loue howe soeuer the case stand There is no lorde so cruel but that pleasure the companion and daughter of prosperitie is more cruel then he Nothyng can be worse for euyl doers then carelesnesse and libertie He that feareth nothyng is nighest to destruction Sorowe The vnfortunate people suffereth an vniust lorde Reason Beleeue me there is no man amongst al the common people more miserable then a Tyrant Whiche thing yf thou doubt of beholde Dionisius he being a wycked man yet not vnlearned what opinion he had of hym selfe and of his owne tyrannye the hanging vp of the sworde with the poynte thereof ouer his frendes head doth openly declare The hystorie is commonly knowen The people standeth in feare of the Tiraunt and the Tiraunt of the people and in such sorte one standeth in feare of the other to their great greefe In this poynt it differeth that the miserie of the people dooth appeare but of the Tiraunt lyeth closely hydden Notwithstandyng the wounde that is couered with a purple roabe pincheth euen as sore Neyther do fetâ—ers of golde greeue a man any lesse then fetters of Iron And as his misery may consiste in filthynesse and smokynesse so euen in brauery and banketryng it is included The garment of a Tiraunt on the outside is golde but yf thou turne it thou shalt fynde al the inner side ful of sharpe prickelles So thou mayest perceiue that Tirants do not altogeather in theyr raging scape scotte free or that the oppression of the people is vnreuenged Sorow We haue a very vnmerciful lorde Reason Lordes would not be so plentiful neyther rule rage so wyde abrode vnlesse the people were madde and that euery citizen did not regarde their priuate more then the common wealth pleasure more then glory money more then libertie lyfe more then vertue Sorowe Our seruile contrey suffereth one lord Reason Not one lorde but thirtie lordes at once did that noble mother of lawes Athens suffer which was the seconde light of al Greece Sorowe Our countrey hath one lorde Reason Yea but Roome had many For who hath not hearde of the Caligulas the Neroes and Domitians the Commodoes Heliogabales Bascianes and Calienes and that I may not recken vp al the shames of the Emvire the Maximini and the haters of al godlinesse the Iulianâ— and Deciâ— Assiria suffered Sardanapalus Persis Syrus Greece Menander and Asia suffered some that were called kynges who were in deede very cruel tyrauntes and vnmerciful Dionisians Sicilia suffered Phalaris Lacedemon abode Cleomenis Agathocles and Nanides whom also the Argi did suffer and therewith also the womanyshe couetousnesse of his wyfe who surpassyng her husbande inscrapyng togeather shewed great tyrannye in her kinde after a strange sorte But whyther do I proceede who is able to recken vp eyther the newe or the olde Tyrauntes who in these dayes are so many in number and haue taken so deepe roote that what with their ryches and power of the people of the one syde and their maners and mad bedlemnes on the other syde they can neyther be numbred nor rooted out Neyther neede you to thinke that seruitude is turned