into familiaritie yea many tymes in theyr â—â—â—â—age But brethren before they be borne after they be borne are conuersant togeather in one house and are wrapped in the same clâ—utes and are of equall yeeres and of lyke maners So soone as they be borne they see one another are fed with the same meate vnder the same parentes are accustomed vnto the same felowes to the same pastimes to the same Schooles to the same Schoolemaisters and bryngers vp they grow vp togeather they w â—â— men togeather There is equalitie betweene them on euery syde and loue confirmed and established by many assured knottes and indissoluble linkes vnlesse some accidental causes doo breake them and the hardnesse of a rough minde doo infringe them whiche is so common a thyng that I knowe not whether there ought to be any loue greater then betweene brethren or any malice be more cankred or displeasure more deepe equalitie is alwayes so troublesome a thyng and mans minde so impacient of a match Ioy. I haue vertuous and godly brethren Reason Keepe them with lyke vertue and godlynesse Loue is a very daintie thyng make muche of it it is hardly gotten and easily lost Ioy. I haue good Sisters lykewise Reason An heauie burden but pleasant and almost the first trauel for young men wherin they may exercise themselues when they come to their owne libertie wherein they may win their first renowme of vertue and honestie Ioy. I haue good Sisters Reason See thou that they may haue a good Brother of thee and while thou liuest although your Father be dead let them not feele the want of him Ioy. My Sisters are very faire Reason Thou art keeper of a slipperie thing beware of deceipt when thou watchest most circumspectly let the troupes of suters that are about her awake thee It is an hard matter to preserue beautie where one man assaulteth what thinkest thou then where there be many The garde of chastitie ought to be by so muche more circumspect then of golde as it is more precious and not to be recouered Truly there is no meanes whereby a Virgins chastitie may better be preserued then by tymely marriage Ioy. I haue fayre Systers at home Reason Prouide that thou haue them not there long they woulde better furnyshe many houses Of a good lord The Lxxxv. Dialogue IOY I Haue a good Lorde Reason Whether thou hast hym or he haue thee thynke with thy selfe but this is the maner of speakyng for so you haue a Lorde as a man may say he hath a Scab or a Cough There be many thynges whiche the possessours haue agaynst theyr wylles those ryches be troublesome whiche a man can not shake of Ioy. I haue a good Lorde Reason Then hast thou lost thy libertie for no man can haue a Lorde and libertie at one tyme Now neyther thy Systers of whom thou spakest erwhile neyther thy Daughters neyther thy Sonnes wyues neyther thy Wyfe neyther thy Patrimonie neither thy lyfe are in safetie for in respect of the Lord whom thou hast thou hast left of to haue all other thynges at once Ioy. Chaunce hath offered vnto me and my countrey a good Lorde Reason These twayne are repugnant and quite contrary for yf he be good he is no Lord and if he be a Lorde he is not good specially if he would be called a Lord. Ioy. I haue a good Lord. Reason Parentes are good brethren and children may be good but friendes are alwayes good els are they not friendes howbeit for a Lord to be called good is a gentle lye or a pleasant flatterie Ioy. We haue a very good Lord. Reason Perhaps a good gouernour of the people and defendour of the Common wealth a more acceptable thyng then which can not be offred vnto God by man He is not onely not woorthy to be termed very good yea not so much as good but rather woorst of all who taketh away from his Citizens and Subiectes the best thyng that they haue to wit their libertie which is the cheefe and most speciall commoditie of this lyfe and for the fulfilling of one mans bottomlesse gulfe of couetousnesse whiche wyll neuer be glutted can willingly behold so many thousand wretches in miserie with drye eyes And yf iustice and mercie can not preuayle yet at leastwise shame and honestie must reuoke him from so heauie a spectacle although he be affable to be spoken withal faire spoken to perswade and lastly liberal vnto a fewe of the spoyles of many These are the meanes that Tyrantes doo vse whom men commonly call Lordes and are found to be Hangmen With these mistes they bleare mens eyes with these baites they couer their hookes and catche the credulous in their snares Ioy. I haue a mightie Lord. Reason There is one only in heauen who of his owne ryght hath called him selfe Lorde and commaundeth him selfe so to be called for Augustus Caesar that was lord of the earth prouided by proclamation that none should cal him lord The one is God of goddes the other Emperour ouer men The one mayntayned his Maiestie the other preserued his modestie Finally in this respect he sharply reprooued the people of Rome for thus it is written of him He alwayes abhorred the name of Lorde as a reproche and slaunder Which moderation also it is well knowen that his successour obserued although in all degrees he were farre inferiour vnto hym who though he were greedy of gouernement yet refrayned hym selfe from the title of Lordshyp and so keepyng as it were a middle course betweene ambition and modestie he was content to be a Lorde but not to be called so knowing that it was vniust which he desired and therefore desired so as he might auoyde the blemish of reproofe Harde proude and greeuous is the name of a Lord specially where is loue of libertie and shame of seruilitie Whose foootesteppes Alexander that was Emperour of Rome wyfely followyng woulde haue no man write vnto hym in any more lofue style and maner then to a priuate man As for the other Alexander that was kyng of Macedonie he woulde not onely be called Lorde but also God whom these pettie Theeues of our tyme followyng in lyke pride of minde scarce hauyng possessed by sinister meanes a towne or twayne wyll not onely be called Lordes but count it a shame to be reputed men and take it as an iniurie to be so tâ—armed Ioy. I haue a very good Lorde in deede Reason There is one very good Lorde in deede whom yf thou hast thy seruice is most honest and more happie then a kingdome Ioy. We haue a iust Lorde and 〈◊〉 very good King. Reason The Greekes make no difference betweene a King and a Tyrant accordyng vnto which signification our Poet speaking of a kyng sayeth It shal be vnto me some part of contentation to haue touched the Tyrantes right hand But among you onely the purpose and maner of gouernment maketh the difference so that he is truely to be tearmed a Kyng
as are certaine people vnder the South and North poles therefore among the Scithians as thou seest it is written there is no offence more greeuous then theft And the reason is this that if men there myght robbe freely among the woods what should remaine to the owner Sorowe Theeues steale my goodes Reason They would haue them be theirs and thou forbiddest not thynke therfore that thy necligence is punished and that by this losse thou art taught to keepe thine owne profitable matters are not taught for naught Sorowe Theeues doo very muche trouble me Reason Truely they are an importunate kynde of men worthyly hated of all that are vertuous not only as pestilent but also as vyle persons And knowe this that it proceedeth of none other then a great basenesse of mynde that any man is drawen vnto so vyle a wickednesse And therefore not without good cause Aurelius Alexander who was a young but a vertuous Prince fell so much in hatred of theeues that as Helius Lampridius writeth of hym if he had seene any such he had his fynger redy to plucke out one of his eyes Suche was his hatred agaynst those that were infamous for Theeuery that yf by chaunce he sawe any of them his spirite was so inuaded agaynst them that immediatly he was prouoked to vomite out choler his face being so enflamed that he coulde not speake a woord Truely a notable disdaine of a valiant mind and a shameful filthinesse in the theeues whiche was able so sodenly to moue the stomacke of so high and excellent a prynce vnto lothsomnesse and vomiting Yea moreouer when as on a tyme a certayne noble man being accused of theft at lengh through great fauour of certaine Ringes that were his freendes had obteyned to be sent foorth to warfaire and was immediatly taken with theft agayne for they that are geuen to that vice through custome are neuer able to leaue it Alexander demaunded of the kynges which had preferred hym what punishment there was for theeues in their countreyes Whereunto when they answeared hangyng he caused hym forthwith by theyr iudgment to be hanged Sorowe I am molested with theeues Reason Circumspection and diligent heede takyng are good remedies agaynst theeues but the best of al is pouertie As long as a man hath any thing that they do lyke of he can not wel escape their handes or eyes Wouldest thou be out of the feare of theeues be poore then Of robberies The .lxi. Dialogue SOROWE I Am spoyled by theeues Reason Although as I suppose it be written in the ciuile lawe that there is no theefe woorse then he that taketh away a thing by force yet notwithstanding priuie pilferers be woorse in my opinion These theeues do woorke by craft but those by open violence And therfore after the opinion of Cicero these are likened to foxes and those to Lions And moreouer these theeues do spoyle men of their goods but they leaue suspicion behinde them But to be robbed by good felowes suffiseth in a maner they leaue no suspicion behinde thē Sorow I haue fallen into the hands of theeues who haue left me naked Reason Iulius Caesar fel into the hands of theeues also by whom he was not onely spoyled but also taken prisoner and set at a great raunsome for his delyuerie euen he that was afterwarde lorde of al the world although the reuenge whiche shortly folowed comforted hym muche in this aduersitie whiche is no smal aswagement of iniuries Regulus that was so often a conquerour fel into the hands of his enimies who put him to a most cruel death to the great and greeuous losse and daunger of your whole Empire Likewise Valerianus the Emperour fel within the daunger of his enimies who to the great dispargement of the whole Empire constreyned hym to leade foorth his olde yeeres in most silthy and shameful seruitude Thou yf thou be nothyng but robbed geue thankes to fortune and the theeues that robbed thee for leauing vnto thee thy lyfe and libertie For theeues haue no greater benefite then that which Cicero maketh mention of in his Philippikes for that they can say they haue geuen them their lyues from whom they haue not taken them Take thou therefore this thy fortune in good part which is common vnto these notable personages and many other famous men whiche yf it were compared with theirs would appeare much more easie and to be wished and desire not to be more happie then they that are called the most happie of al men Of Coosinage and deceit The .lxii. Dialogue SOROW. I Am deceyued by coosiners Reason Doest thou marueyle at it I shoulde rather marueyle if by keeping company with men thou couldest escape vnhurt For what man is he that deceiueth not another Trustinesse is bannished and deceit beareth the soueraintie and is this the first tyme that thou hast consydered this Not with so great studie do the hunters lay suares for wylde beastes nor the foulers set ginnes to take byrdes as craftie coosyners seeke meanes to deceyue the simple Whiche if it were euer true now is it most true in this your age A man may poynt with the finger vnto maisters of craft and he is counted the wysest that is most cunning in deceyuing Wouldest thou therefore not be deceyued Dye then or auoyde the companye of men Sorow I am craftily circumuented whereas I neuer feared it Reason If thou haddest feared it perhappes thou haddest not been so easily deceyued and now think with thy selfe whether thou also euer deceyuedst any man For ye be al of you for the most part prone to deceyue and reason woulde thou shouldest take that with more indifferencie at another mans handes whiche thou thy selfe hast done before to another But you consider not what ye do to others and cannot abide that which others doo vnto you so that in al thynges ye be most vniuft iudges Sorow I haue suffered a losse through the deceite of my freende Reason Herein as in many thinges els thou art abused for in freendshyp there is no deceit And in this poynt also ye be commonly deceyued supposing them to be freendes that are not and by experiment ye easily fynde that freendshyp is a most inestimable holy thing so ouer curious ye are in trifles that by once banketting or communing togeather you get a freende whom so soone as you haue gotten ye loose hym yf that may be called lost whiche you neuer had And then afterward ye complayne that ye are deceyued by your freendes and bryng this slaunder vpon freendshyp that is giltlesse of any suche deede Sorow I am damnified by deceyte Reason It hath done many good that they haue been deceiued hereafter thou wylt be the waryer some by the losse of a small thyng haue auoyded the daunger of greater matters Sorowe A vyle coosiner hath deceyued me Reason Nay rather he hath awaked thee and sharpened thy wyt and hath taught thee to trust none but suche as thou hast tryed and persons of
a familer is a doubtful woorde For there is a familiar freende and a familiar enimie then whom a greater mischiefe is not among men Sorowe They haue betrayed me whom I trusted most Reason Seldome is he deceyued that neuer trusted The greater of power a man is the lesse trust shall he fynde and the more treacherie The myghtie man must trust moste and manie Whereby it falleth out that as it is a common thyng to all men so especially to Kynges to be betrayed and none so soone as they Priamus was betrayed by his owne subiectes so was Minos Nysus Oethes Agamemnon Alexander and before hym Darius all these were betrayed I say by suche as they put most affiance in Among the Romans Romulus Tarquinius Priscus Seruius Tullus African the lesser and Pompey the great and Iulius Caesar and a thousande moe eyther kinges or in dignitie hygher then kynges were betrayed in lyke maner And what doo I speake of suche as haue been betrayed as though nowe there were none suche to be founde Who is there whiche both in great and lyttle matters is not dayly betrayed yf he haue any dealynges with men Last of all Christe was betrayed and the Kyng of Heauen was not without the miserie of earthly kynges Sorowe Those whom I trusted haue betrayed me I am touched neerer with their treacherie then with mine owne discommodities Reason That is wel sayde and godly For so African also whom very latelie I mentiond as Cicero doth report sayth That not so muche the feare of death as the flatterie of his freendes dyd trouble hym And yet with neyther shouldest thou be too extreamely touched For inasmuche as it falleth out that the betrayer getteth gayne with the losse of credite and he that is betrayed damage with a good name choose whether thou wouldest haue of these twayne Sorow The traytor hath deceyued me Reason The greater hurt is not thyne but his He hath betrayed thee but hath cast away hym selfe he hath pricked thee but hath wounded hymselfe in spoylyng thee he hath slayne hym selfe For perchaunce from thee he hath plucked eyther thy kyngdome or thy wealth but from hym selfe hath he plucked his soule his fame the quietnesse of conscience and companie of al good men The Sunne shyneth not vpon a more wicked thyng then is a Traytor whose fylthynesse is suche that they whiche neede his crafte abhorre the craftesman and others whiche woulde be notorious in other sinnes shunne the shame of this impietie Sorowe I am betrayed Reason Happilie it wyl cause thee to beware against another tyme For so it falleth out Many admonished sometimes by lyght matters learne howe to deale more wyselie in greater affayres Of the losse of a Tyrannie The Lxxxj. Dialogue SOROWE I Haue lost my Tyrannie Reason If it be a gayning losse to haue lost a kyngdome how muche more profitable to haue lost a tyrannie For albeit as we sayde before speakyng of a king without a sonne all kyngdomes well nygh were gouerned by Tyrantes yet through continuance of tyme they haue gotten through and forgetfulnesse of men haue put on the bayle of iustice so that the vnryghteousnesse of a tyrannie and Tyrantes are odious nowe a dayes Sorowe I haue layde away my tyrannie Reason A burden to the Common weale greeuous to thy selfe dangerous to no good man profitable hurtfull to many odious vnto all men hast thou layde away Sorowe I haue put of a tyrannie Reason Be not naked put on ryghteousnesse modestie thryftinesse honestie godlynesse mercie and loue whiche are most goodlye ornamentes and may be atrayned without anye money onely with a wyllyng mynde garmentes they are for good men eyther vnknowen or abhorred of vngratious Tyrauntes who beyng bedecked with Pearles and Purple are altogeather naked in respecte of humanitie and vertue Sorowe My Citizens haue dryuen me out of my tyrannie Reason They haue taken vnto them theyr lybertie whiche was due vnto them and haue geuen thee thy lyfe whiche thou oughtest to haue loste for vsurpyng the same Thou owest thy lyfe vnto them who owe nought vnto thee but malice And thus vnkindly thou complaynest when reason woulde thou shouldest geue thankes But this is an olde wonte that he complayneth whiche hath doone the miurie and he whiche sustayned the same doth holde his peace Sorowe I am berefte of the tyrannie which along whyle I haue enioyed Reason They were thy subiectes whiche myght peraduenture better haue been thy gouernours Thou countest it an iniurie to haue thy long tyrannie to be cutte of when in very deede the ende of thy tyrannie is the begynnyng of theyr prosperitie and the entraunce of iustice the expulsion of iniurie And yf it were shamefull that many shoulde peryshe for the pleasure of one it shoulde be ioyfull to consyder but extreame impudencie to complayne that suche miserie is come to an ende Sorowe I am throwen downe from the tyrannie whiche I haue possessed this many yeeres Reason If thou haddest voluntarily come downe it had been better but yf thou haddest neuer assended thereunto it had been best of all Notwithstanding by any meanes to come downe it is good because it is expedient and iust and better is a forced equitie then a voluntarie crueltie Harken I pray thee how an vngodly Tyrant beyng in Hell exclaymeth vnto the tormented soules Learne to doo iustice when ye are warned Harken also vnto me alyue exhortyng the lyuing Learne to doo iustice though with compulsion Let not this my most necessarie and profitable admonition vttered in due tyme be contemned the other was out of tyme and made too late For in vayne is it to learne that whiche cannot be put in practise Asswage now your swellyng mindes and put away your proude and cruel desyres to raigne though not before yet now at the length after that you haue lost your aucthoritie ceasse to be Tyrantes and wyshe not that which ye cannot attaine Shew foorth thus much shame yf you cannot iustice that hauing changed your manners and put on a newe habite of the minde and made rycher through the losse of ryches the worlde may see that as muche as ye haue forgonne of goodes so muche ye haue gotten goodnesse Haue ye neuer hearde howe that not onely the Kyng of Kynges and Lorde of Lordes GOD Almightie from whence is all power both in Heauen and Earth dooth at his good pleasure both extende and restrayne his lyberall hande for causes iust alwayes though secrete sometyme but one earthly Kyng contrariwyse doth put downe another and one Tyrant oppresse another and one nation destroy another And neuer came this saying of the Prophets complaynyng vnto your eares He shall geather the captiuitie togeather lyke Sande and shall triumphe ouer the Kinges and laugh Tyrants out of countenaunce Frame your mindes to Fortune or accordyng to the diuine pleasure of Almightie GOD rather and take heede of that ridiculous and fylthy example of Dionisius of al Tyrants the most detestable of whom it is reported that beyng banyshed
softned mindes of men beginne lykewyse to growe proud and by enioying prosperitie to conceyue forgetfulnesse of their owne condition Neyther is it spoken without cause and vsed nowe among our countrey men as a prouerbe that it is an harde matter to beare prosperitie Neyther was it spoken by Horace vnaduisedly Learne to beare wel good fortune For he iudged it to be an hard matter and not knowen without diligent studie But Seneca very breefely discoursed of that part of fortune which seemed vnto hym to be most difficult and is doubtlesse at the first sight the more rough and hard of the twayne Whiche booke is commonly abrode in mens handes whereunto it is not my meaning to adde or detract any thyng at al both for that the woorke being wrytten by so great a wit disdayneth to come vnder our censure also being busied about mine owne affayres am not purposed to correcte or carpe other mens doinges But forasmuche as Vertue and Trueth are publique thinges there is no reason that the studie of antiquitie shoulde be any hindrance to the industrie of posteritie for whose cause we knowe that it was vndertaken to the ende we should thereby be styrred vp and holpen And therfore I purpose to entreate with thee somewhat concernyng the same matter that that whiche he dyd then for his freende Gallio I may nowe do in lyke sort for my freende Azo whiche I am determined so farre foorth to accomplishe as shal lye in this my busied and werie wyt to do and ouer and besides also to touche the other part whiche eyther of forgetfulnesse or purpose was by hym pretermitted I haue moreouer of set purpose mingled a fewe matters not touchyng the defectes of any fortune but the excellencie of vertues or vices whiche although they be besides the purpose yet are not vnlyke in effect seeme to be suche as are able to make mens mindes glad or sorowfull Wherein how I haue behaued my selfe thou shalt be iudge being mindeful of my businesse and the shortnesse of the tyme who with great admiration sawest the whole woorke begunne and ended in a very fewe dayes I only am iudge of the credite I haue endeuoured not to set downe whatsoeuer seemed best lykyng to my selfe but that myght be most profitable vnto thee and others whosoeuer els haply hath touched the same To be short the ende whiche I alwayes proposed to my selfe in this kynde of studie was not so muche the commendation of the wryter as the commoditie of the reader yf so be there may be any hoped for or receiued by me hauing a speciall respect hereunto that it should not be needeful for thee to tosse and turne ouer thy whole armorie at euery alarme and doubt of the enemie but rather to the entent thou myghtest haue in a redinesse agaynst euer mischeefe and hurtful good eyther fortune a short medicine but freendly confected for a double disease so that thou mayest alwayes haue at hande as they say in al places at al times as it were an effectual remedie conteyned in a litle boxe For as I haue said both Fortunes faces are to be feared but notwithstandyng both must be endured whereof the one hath neede of a bridle the other of comfort in the one the pride of the minde of men is to be repressed in the other their werinesse and greefe to be succoured and relieued Wherefore when I thought vpon this varietie and purposed with my selfe to wryte somewhat concernyng this argument not only thou camest into my minde woorthie of that gyft which both of vs may vse indifferently as sayeth Cicero but alonely moouedst me to wryte it not onely in woordes as beyng priuie of al mine enterprises whatsoeuer but also in deedes being of sufficient â—bilitie to perfourme them both For we knowe how that Fortune hath tormented many vpon the racke many she hath lulled asleepe in delites and many she hath swinged vp downe in her wheele neyther want we examples of such as clymbe nor of some that fal neyther am I ignorant that some haue been throwen downe from the top of high dignitie Howe many Emperours of Rome how many forren Princes being plucked out of their regal thrones eyther by their owne handes or the handes of their enimies haue been depriued both of their lyues Empires at one instant Shal we borowe al our examples of antiquitie since we our selues haue seene of late dayes some kynges taken prisoners and some slaine in battayl and some beheaded at home and which is most extreame of al some hanged by the necke some most shamefully mangled in peeces Thou art one vnto whom Nature hath geuen a princely hart but Fortune hath not geuen a kyngdome nor yet taken it away yet whom in other respectes she hath more diuersly tossed and turmoyled I suppose there is none to be found in our age For being sometyme in excellent good health and enioying very great strength of body it is strange to recount howe not many yeeres since to the great wonder of al that know thee being thrice geuen ouer by the Phisitions thrice thou reposedst thy life safetie in the onely helpe of the heauenly Phisition at the length wast by hym restored to thy former health but in such wise that thou hast vtterly lost thine accustomed strength of body with no lesse wonder of thy excellent dexteritie rare grauitie that thou who before time haddest most stroÌ„g valiant legges feete almost as hard as brasse art nowe growen so weake that thou must be lyfted vp to thy horse backe by thy seruantes or leanyng vpon their shoulders art scarcely able to tread vpon the ground Thy countrey almost at one tyme sawe thee both a lord and a banyshed man but so notwithstandyng that thou seemedst to be nothyng at all blemished by thy banishment There was neuer any almost of our countreymen that stoode in lyke fauour of noble men and princes and neuer any that susteyned lyke iniurie And whereas not long before they striued in shewyng thee tokens of curtesie afterward the same men consented in nothyng so muche as in conspyring and laying their heades together howe to procure thy destruction Of whom some sought meanes to take away thy lyfe who before tyme had honoured thee the space of many yeeres with golde and precious stones and many other large giftes duryng the tyme of thy prosperous and fauourable fortune and whiche is most greeuous of al to spoyle thee of thy freendes and clientes and thy whole familie by afflictyng them with sundry greeuous tormentes and strange kyndes of death But such as were of the more curteous sort inuaded thy great patrimony thy landes thy people thy houses thy townes insomuch as they that sawe thee not long before and perceyued how suddeinely thou wast fallen from great wealth into extreame pouertie wondred as it had been at some strange miracle of fortune Some of thy freendes as I haue said are perished in those
booties The vilest thynges whiche we reave to haue been there was golde precious stones and pearles Among many other thinges there was a great Guardeuiandes of Chest wherein was great store of treasures of all sortes and colours euery one consisting of seuerall kindes both cuppes of golde and garmentes and pictures Yea there was among other thynges a Moone of massy golde of a woonderfull weight and beddes of golde and sundry crownes and garâ—andes beset with great and whyte pearles Moreouer there was a mountaine of gold the fourme whereof was foure square al beset with Hartes and Lions and figures of sundry beastes and lyuyng creatures also with trees and all kyndes of fruites with glitteâ—ing pearles coueryng the golden branches of the trees upon the toppe of the mountaine Of the same substaunce also there was a clocke so cunningly wrought that the woorkemanshyp excelled the stuffe whiche continually mooued and turned about a right woonderfull and strange sight to suche as vse to admire vayne matters Ioy. With these thynges I am wonderfully delighted Reason Truely I thinke it well and I suppose that thou wouldest gladly haue beholden this Triumph and more greedily haue led it most greedyly haue possessed it whervnto the state of thy passionate mind persuadeth thee But beleue thou me these thinges which do so much delight the sight are alwaies hurtful to the bodie and soule And aâ— for him of whom we speake there was nothing that euer did more hurt his triumphant glory not the Thessalica day nor the Egyptian foyle For there he yeelded not wholy to fortune but here he yeelded wholy to vice There appeared the force and vnfaythfulnesse of another but here his owne frailtie and ambition And therefore there he lost his power and his lyfe but here he impayred the fame of his populare name and of his excellent modestie and his name of Pompeius the Great whiche he had wonne by his great trauell A strange matter to be tolde howe that he that was founde to be more victorious agaynst the Spamardes beyng a warlyke nation then agaynst the dastardly and faintharted Asians and this the more to be marueyled at in that duryng the tyme that he aboade in Asia he remayned perfecte and inuincible when as he bare hymselfe most vpryghtly and abstynently in the Temple of Hierusalem of all other the most rychest that euer was But at the last he was not able to withstande the force of vice neyther continued he as before he had alwayes been a singuler and one maner of man but beyng made as it were one of many was so captiuated and cast downe This was the effect of the glitteryng of the precious stones of the beautie of the pearles and of the weyght of the golde In like conflicte before Asia had ouercome Alexander but it is small victorie to winne hym that is ouercome by his owne vices and a great matter to ouercome the ouercommer of hymselfe After whom there was almost no captaine that could gouerne hymselfe vpryghtly among the pleasures of Asia whiche beyng transported ouer into the countrey of Latium dyd vanquysh you in your owne natiue soyle For yf ye wyll confesse the very trueth when ye had conquered all other nations your selues were conquered in the Asiane conquest Goe thy wayes nowe and make muche accompt of precious stones whiche are freendes to the eyes and enimies to the mynde and the vanquishers of valiant men Ioy. I take great pleasure in glitteryng precious stones Reason Some man is delyghted with them that are of sundry colours and some with the palenesse of other so that this appetite is diuers but the vanitie is one Thou hast hearde howe that in the iudgement of kyng Pyrrhus who made warre agaynst the Romanes the Achate was esteemed of all stones the most precious And nowe as prices of thynges doo alter it is of the least value wherein as the report goeth were represented the shapes of sundrie thynges as of beastes riuers forestes byrdes and wylde beastes not framed by the hande of any woorkeman but by the industrie of nature In this princely Iewell as Solinus tearmeth it were not ingrauen but naturally imprinted the portraitures of the nine Muses and Apollo the notable Musitian playing in the middest of them these spottes and markes of the stone so lynked one to another that within that space whiche was but very lytle euery Image and portraiture myght be discerned by it owne speciall notes as they were placed within the ring and for farther ornament the kynges name was also thereunto added For suche thynges as belong to great personages are the more esteemed But I pray you what good dyd this Achate vnto hym Dyd it make hym inuincible in battayle or saue hym from death or coulde it delyuer hym from the reioycyng of his enimies or from the stone whiche the hande of a woman threwe at hym What I say auayled it vnto Pyrrhus to haue hadde that stone or what hindred it Fabritius and Curius that they wanted it by which two valiaunt captaines he was vanquished and driuen out of Italy I dare affirme that neither of these twayne would so much yeelde in minde vnto him as to make exchange of their harde and rough helmet for his swoorde that was so beset with golde and pretious stones or for his kingly ring Thus valiant men despise all wanton effeminate thynges How should they couet the kynges ring who only vpon the confidence trust in vertue contemned the king himselfe his princely ryches and kingdome But you contrarywyse â–ª by distrust of minde woonder at euery thyng and couet them â–ª as yf they wâ—uld aduaunce you â—o felicitie and vertue onely is contemned There is also a more auncient report and fame of another precious stone whâ—che Polycrates kyng of the Samâ—â— possessed some say is was a Sardonix That stone among that most ryche princes treasure was counted the most precious and therefore he as one that had neuer in all his lyfe felt aâ—y aduersitie meanyng to appease â—he malice of subtile fortune whiche openly flattered him and priuily went about to ouerthrowe hym tooke shypping and launched foorth into the deepe Sea and with his owne hande threwe in his ring wherein was that ryche stone to the intent he myght once in his lyfe be sory perswading himselfe that he had craftily dealt with fortune if he recompenced so many ioyful good turnes with one sorowful mischance But she as being neyther easily deceyued nor pleased indifferently mingling good with euyll required yet a farther matter for so long a tyme of fauour but a short thyng mary very hard that he who in all his lyfe tyme seemed to hymselfe and others most fortunate shoulde at his death appeare and be most miserable by so many vices and punishmentes lyghtyng vppon one head and therefore refusing that whiche was offered O the daliance of fortune euen as though she had sent a fish on message to receyue the ring into his mouth this fishe was
that ruleth with iustice and equitie But who so sitting in the hygh seate of princely dignitie is not a diligent looker to the profite of the Common wealth but rather a procurer of his owne priuate lust or eyther seekyng after rapine or imagining reuenge pursueth his owne wilfulnesse or wrathfulnesse and geueth hym selfe vp to the outragious and vnbrydled motions of his minde the same is a slaue vnto euyl maisters and no kyng although he appeare in more maiestie then the residue and beare the Regal scepter in his hand and vaunt hym selfe in his Purple and princely apparrell but is rather a Theefe that is risen vnto dignitie by vexing the Commons or troubling the people and is set in that place to the intent that exercising his crueltie with a more free scourge proouing some and tempting other troublyng and molestyng all beyng hym selfe ignoraunt and followyng his owne passions notwithstandyng by the ordinaunce of hym that turneth euyl to good purpose although with wycked and vniust handes yet executeth he the iust iudgement of God euen as a blooddie tormentor putteth in execution the vpryght sentence of a righteous Iudge Ioy. My countrye hath a iust and godly Kyng Reason A rare treasure and a most happie state of the Common wealth vnlesse the present ioy procuring feare of that whiche is to come diminished the felicitie by causing a change to be suspected and the wantyng of that whiche is lost whiche shortly after is lyke to heape vp togeather future miseries were remayning in mens mindes that knowe the condicions of humane thynges and Fortunes slypperie wheele which suffereth no prosperous thing to continue long Custome asswageth the feelyng of that whiche is euyll and vnaccustomed thynges cast a man downe so that some haue sayde that it is best to be alwayes in aduersitie which they would not haue sayd yf prosperitie would alwayes endure Ioy. We haue a iust and mercyful Prince Reason Wyshe to dye whyle he liueth that thou mayest not lament the alteration of the state For seldome dooeth one good Prince succeede another but ofttymes after an euyl commeth a worse and most tymes after a worse the worst of all Of the clearenesse of the Ayre The lxxxvi Dialogue IOY THe aire is cleere and pleasant Reason Who can nowe iustly say of you that your heauenly minde is addicted to the earth For ye hang it vp now in the ayre and ye bestowe your loue vpon the Element then which there is none more vnconstant Ioy. The ayre is cleere and caulme Reason If thou stay awhile thou shalt quickly see it cloudy and troublesome that thou wylt thynke thy selfe to be vnder another heauen Ioy. The ayre is cleere and calme Reason How much rather would I wish that thy minde were cleere and calme that cleerenesse and constant tranquilitie were profitable whiche neyther cloudes could couer nor windes trouble Ioy. The ayre is cleere Reason Euery cleere thyng is not by and by the best for we reade that cloudie prouinces are more holsome then the cleere and in this respect the West part of the worlde is preferred before the East Ioy. This bright ayre delighteth me Reason To take delyght in the creation and handy works of God it is not forbidden so that the whole delight of the mind be conuerted vnto God who is the fountaine of al goodnes and the eternal Creator of al thynges be praysed in these thynges which are temporal otherwise hearken what is written If saith Iob I beheld the Sun in his brightnes and the Moone when she shyned cleere and my bart reioyced in secret and I kissed my hand with my mouth which is a very haynous offence and a deniyng of the most hygh God. Ioy. The ayre is very cleere I would it might alwaies continue so Reason Thou art not able not only to abide it so still but also not any long whyle The alteration of tyme is worthily cōmended to be very commodious of many but specially of Cicero Ioy. The ayre is very cleere I would it might not be changed Reason Thou knowest not how soone this cleerenes wil bring weerisomnesse There is nothing so pleasant which continual frequentyng the same maketh not loathsome There is no medicine more effectuall agaynst all tediousnesse of this lyfe then varietie of tyme and place With this mans lyfe is nooryshed and fed and as S. Augustine sayth He that cannot be fylled with the qualitie of thinges at leastwyse may be glutted with varietie Of fortunate sayling The .lxxxvii. Dialogue IOY I Sayle prosperously Reason I perceiue the matter Neptune layeth snares for thee Ioy. The Sea hath shewed it selfe calme vnto me Reason A deceitful calmenesse and as I may terme it a bayte for shypwracke For yf the sea were alwayes rough no man would venture vpon it Ioy. The Sea is pleasant and sweete vnto mee Reason It is a suspitious sweetnesse theeues flatterynges are threatninges This face of the Sea wyl sodainly change so that thou wilt litle thinke it to be the same but being colde for feare with the strangenesse of the sight wylt seeke and say Where is that Sea whiche I praysed erewhyle from whence come these so many and horrible Mountaines of water from whence this roaring of the hougy waues and these boysterous billowes which with threatnyng froath ryse vp to the cloudes None know but those that haue proued what the Sea is and howe outragious a beast and what mooued the Poet to call it a Monster For there is nothyng more monstrous in the whole world nothing more vntrustie or inconstant nothing so often transfourmed so dangerously or sodainely finally nothyng more quiet while it resteth or more vnmerciful when it is troubled Ioy. The Sea is now calme and quiet Reason The earth it selfe sinketh and openeth and doest thou attribute firmenesse to the Sea as if thou dissembledst thy senses trust it not to tempt fortune oftentymes is meere madnesse Ioy. At least wyse I haue now sayled prosperously Reason There is no sauage beast that falleth into the snare but he feeleth some sweetnesse before Ioy. I haue sayled prosperously Reason Wicked persons also sayle prosperously and godly men commit shypwracke Ioy. I haue sayled happily Reason Beleeue me yf thou continue thou shalt sayle vnhappyly Of wisshed arryuyng at the Hauen The .lxxxviii. Dialogue IOY I Am now come to the Hauen nowe I sytte vpon the Shore Reason Many perish in the Hauen moe vpon the Shore thou hast exchanged the kynde but not eschewed the danger Ioy. I am come to land Reason Thus thou sayest as though the dangers of the land were eyther lesse or fewer then of the sea although they be more secret Did not he esteeme them both alike who somtime by the one and somtime by the other had ben greatly distressed vpon them both Neyther is it without cause that the same poore searcher of waters in Statius when he died commended the Winters and South wynde and the better dangers of the experimented Seas Ioy. I am vppon
perceyue no sweetenesse in it For if it be sweete to hope it is also sweete to lacke that which a man would haue which who so wyll affirme to be true doubtlesse he wanteth the sense of taste Hope It is pleasant to hope Reason Then to hang in doubt to be affected vexed is hope of long punishment there is long hope nothing so much weerieth the mind nothing so much hasteneth old age And therfore the wise man often tearmeth lost hope vantage and reioyceth that he was deliuered from infinite desires and expectations of vayne thinges whereby he was enforced to take delight in his owne good thinges Hope Let fortune looke to the euent as for me I reioyce in hope Reason Take heede lest hereafter thou be sory in the thing it selfe and it repent thee that euer thou wishedst or hopedst or enioyedst thine hope Many whom hope long tormented while they lyued in doubt when it came to effect which they hoped were vtterly ouerthrowen many haue perished with the wished successes of their long hope whiche were very tedious but not late enough Hope None shal take hope from me Reason None shal take frō thee werisomnesse trouble of mind thou hast heard the old prouerbe It is a great payne to looke or hope for any thyng Hope The hopyng or lookyng for a good thyng is pleasant Reason But it is deceitful and doubtful and troublesome If thou deny this thou neuer hopedst for any thyng But the company is inestimable of those that deceiue them selues vnto whom whatsoeuer offereth it selfe there is nothyng without some effect towards that they haue in hand they refuse nothyng they deny them selues to none they are easily turned and quicke to geue credite I may say that it were a great argument of lightnesse and folly to embrace euery hope that a man shal meete withall and immediatly to repose hym selfe thereon as an assured good wherevnto all men of learnyng and experience are but slowe Hope In the meane whyle I haue a good hope Reason In the meane whyle thou sayest which wylbe vnto such tyme as it hath deceyned thee For this is your custome ye cast of hope agaynst your wyl and neuer forsake it vntyll it forsake you Yea many times when it forsaketh you it is strange to say howe agayne and agayne ye wyllyngly embrace it when it returneth and gooyng foorth to meete it assoone as ye haue layde holde on it ye forget how before it deceyued you and retayne it agayne furnished with newe craftes and lay it vp in the secrete closure of your hartes Hope I wyl not forsake my good hope vnto the last Reason What yf it forsake thee long before Wylt thou call it backe or folowe it or carry tyll it returne But goe to hope a Gods name since there is nothyng more pleasant vnto thee then to be deceiued It is not my meanyng to plucke thy hope from thee whiche so earnestly thou enterteynest only I admonyshe thee this much that it is no good hope which thou supposest It is no good hope that proposeth good to it selfe but that purposeth well The moste wycked persons may yea and commonly do hope for that which is good and therefore that is good hope in deede whiche is ryghtly conceyued of the true good he that hath this hope let hym holde it fast and not let her depart from hym in the ende but ioyne her other sisters vnto her to witte fayth and charitie This hope is pleasant sweete true and happy which neyther fayleth nor confoundeth him that hopeth but aduanceth hym vnto that which is best in the meane while maketh the minde cheereful with the remembraunce of the good that is hoped for But you as hopyng for the true good which ye haue yll deserued or callyng euyll thynges by the name of good are in conclusion deceyued and therefore your expectation is sorowfull before it come and more sorowfull when it is come Hope Myne vnderstandyng is humane and I speake of those thynges which men cal good Reason Heretofore there hath been long contention among the learned about this name which doth yet continue and wyl doo for euer to the worldes ende some makyng but one good thing and contrariwyse other some many Hope Let vs leaue these matters to the Philosophers as for mee I hope for those thynges whiche the common people call good Reason Thou hopest then for thine owne euyl which eyther wyll vexe thee with deferryng or ouerpresse thee with the desired burden Admit that al thynges goe well with thee apparteining to the body that thou hast prepared power against thine enimie and as touchyng Fortune that thou hast borne the yoke of an vnconstant and vnmilde Ladye and that many of these thynges may be conuerted to the affliction and destruction of the minde forasmuche as the thynges that delyght the minde doo oftentymes hurt it Hope I haue cast the anker of good hope and I wyll not remooue Reason But Saylers vse many tymes when a tempest ryseth to cut their Cable and loose theyr Anker if they can not weigh him vp and to depart without him for it hapneth not alwayes so as in the calmenesse of the Sea we reade in the poet The Anker helde fast the Shyppes with an assured tooth so lykewyse in great troubles and raginges of the Sea wherein the Anker doth not holde them fast but rather stayeth them and endangereth them often with castyng away none otherwyse verily in the stormes and tempestes of worldly affayres setled and tough hope hath drawen many into destruction who yf they had cut of and caste away theyr hope might haue safely escaped Therefore the Anker of hope must be oftentymes weighed vp or yf it holde too harde be broken of And yf that can not be it must euen be quite cut away and left behinde vnder the waters and flooddes of affayres to the ende thou mayest safely conueyth the free barke of thy lyfe through the direction of foresyght into the hauen of safetie Hope I hope wel Reason In well hopyng and yll hauyng mans lyfe passeth away Of expectation of Inheritaunce The Cx. Dialogue HOPE I Looke for the inheritaunce of an olde man that hath no chyldren Reason Thou saydst erwhyle that thou wast in quiet take heede thou be not found contrary to thy selfe for hopyng or lookyng for any commoditie quietnesse of minde can neuer dwell togeather there is no loathsomnesse in this life more greeuous then this expectation Hope I expect the inheritaunce of an olde man. Reason But thou knowest not what he also expecteth for this is a general madnesse among men that almost euery man hopeth not onely to lyue longer then those that are of his owne yeeres but also that are younger Men are vnwilling to thynke on their owne death but gladly on other mens when as in deede it were more profitable for them to doo the contrarie Hope I hope for an olde mans inheritaunce Reason How if he
vnto Heauen it selfe A bondman can not serue in warfare vnder man but he may serue GOD the wages of whose seruice in warfare is to reigne The seruaunt of GOD is Kyng ouer all men felowe with Angelles a terrour to Deuylles The seruaunt of GOD may also be seruaunt to man and thus worldly seruice is no hunderaunce to the heauenly felicitie Sorowe I am a Seruaunt Reason If thou hast alwayes been so custome may asswage thy griefe If not hope that thou mayest one day not be that whiche some tyme thou wast not Sorowe I am a seruaunt Reason If thou hope for an ende of thy miserie let thy hope diminishe thy sorowe But yf thou despayre let patience mitigate it and heape not one mischiefe vppon another neyther vexe thy selfe to no purpose willingly and wittingly whiche were the greatest poynt of follie that is incident to the lyfe of man But a man must not despayre for when all thynges be wantyng death wyll come at the length who in despite of thy Maister wyll loose thee and set thee at libertie Of pouertie The .viii. Dialogue SOROWE I Am oppressed with pouertie that I can not ryse Reason Pouertie hath many tymes perswaded modestie to an vnwyllyng mynde and that whiche Philosophie hath attempted in vayne this hath brought to passe Sorowe Pouertie besiegeth myne entrie Reason Shee besiegeth it not but keepeth it neyther is this a strange and vnaccustomable thyng for in tymes past shee preserued the Citie of Rome many hundred yeeres For among the tentes of sober and carefull pouertie flouthfull wantonnesse sluggyshe sleepe and weake and effeminate vices doo entre Sorowe Pouertie hath inuaded my house Reason I aduertise thee to meete her willingly receyuyng and embracyng her with vnfolded armes and a cheareful countenance And though at the fyrst encounter she appeare some deale sharpe and bytter and not without cause to be compared vnto a wayfaryng man and one that is armed at all poyntes for that her commyng is speedie and threatnyng notwithstandyng when she is once receyued into familiaritie she wyll be a gheast nothing sumptuous but quiet and gentle Sorowe Pouertie rappeth at my doore Reason Open then vnto her speedily before that by sudden force she breake the barres and pluckyng the doore from the hookes she enter in lyke a conquerour For as she is very greeuous vnto those that withstand her so is she very pleasant vnto them that geue her place Sorowe Pouertie hath broken vp my house Reason Shee is a passyng diligent watcher agaynst Theeues and Pleasures whiche are woorse then theeues agaynst the girdes and absurd iudgementes of the common people and also agaynst the infamie of couetousnesse or prodigalitie whiche seldome sitteth in any other place then the entries of the ryche From these euylles can thy house by no meanes be better preserued then yf pouertie guard it And euen as yf a man be franke yet yf he reserue any thyng to him selfe he is commonly tearmed couetous so yf he be poore he shal be counted greedie to haue It is the maner of neere neighbours to enuie at wealth to pitie pouertie The one they desyre and disprayse the other they commende and abhorre Sorowe Pouertie hath possessed my house Reason Now shal there be no place with thee for pryde nor for enuie nor for notable losses nor for the feare of losses nor for a thousand kindes of suspitions nor for deceite nor for surfect and loathsomnesse nor for the Gout that is a gheast among the ryche all whiche being shut out of doores reste quietnesse and vertue shall haue larger entertaynement with thee who shall haue the more roomth the lesse that thy wealth is Sorowe Hard pouertie hath entred my house Reason I knowe what thou meanest ryches shoulde haue entred more pleasantly but pouertie more safely There are no riches before whom securitie is not to be preferred For when all thynges whatsoeuer men doo or desyre are directed vnto felicitie surely it may consist without ryches but not without securitie Sorowe I haue been long tyme oppressed with importunate pouertie Reason As no importable thyng can long be borne so is there no short thyng difficult But thou wylt say this is hard examine it with ryches doest thou make more accompt of golde then of vertue Hast thou not learned among the Paradoxes of the Stoâ—kes That onely a wyse man is ryche Or perhappes hast thou read it and not regarded it Whiche thyng most readers doo to the ende to talke more finely not to lyue more vertuously applying nothyng vnto honestie but referryng all to knowledge and eloquence then whiche nothyng is more vayne Of Domage sustayned The .ix. Dialogue SOROWE CRuell Fortune hath bereft me of all my ryches Reason Shee hath done thee no iniurie for she hath taken but her owne but this is an auncient and common vnthankefulnesse to forget what was geuen you and to remember what is taken away And therefore your thankes are fewe and colde and your complaintes many and feruent Sorowe Fierce Fortune hath taken also away the things that are necessary for liuing Reason No man can take away the thyngs that are necessarie forasmuche as nothyng is cruely to be called necessarie without whiche a man may lyue wel I say lyue wel not voluptuously not insolently or gorgiously but wysely but soberly but honestly wherein Fortune be she neuer so proud shal confesse that she hath no right And truely although desire of hauing is not satisfied with al the golde that is in the worlde and all the pompe of precious stones and plentie of all maner of thinges notwithstanding natural necessitie is contented with verie litle that may be gotten by some lyght meanes of the tongue or exercise of the hand thus vertue is pleased with a verie litle vice with nothing Sorowe Couetous Fortune denyeth me necessarie foode and apparrell Reason Thou must get it then some where els Vertue is more liberal then Fortune for she denieth a man nothyng but whiche wyll hurt yf it be graunted and doo good yf it be forbydden shee taketh away nothyng but which wyl hurt to haue it and is profitable to loose it shee deferreth nothyng shee commaundeth nothyng shee plucketh not backe her hande shee frowneth not shee looketh not strangly shee despiseth no man she forsaketh no man shee deceyueth no man shee chafeth not shee rageth not shee changeth not shee is alwayes one and euery where but that the more she is tasted of the sweeter shee seemeth and the neerer shee is beholden the fayrer euery day then other shee appeareth That thou mayest therefore be ryche in deede let nothyng carrie thee away from this affliction or repell thee although it doo exercise and molest thee the fyrst entraunce vnto it is harde as for the residue it is redie pleasant and easie For when thou art once come vnto it thou shalt not feele pouertie Sorowe Fortune hath spoyled mee of all my goodes Reason Thou supposest amisse this mischiefe is commune
all whiche only vertue is opposed Sorowe I haue a dishonest wyfe Reason Notable and excellent chastitie hath made certayne matrones to arrogant She feareth nothyng who is gyltie to her selfe of nothing And therfore that discōmoditie bringeth this benefite with it that she wyl begin now hereafter to be lesse saucie and insolent For a giltie conscience abateth the swelling pride of a womans minde and commonly she that knoweth that she hath trode her shoe awrye wil be afterwarde the more seruiceable to her husband Sorowe I haue a wanton wife Reason Thou must not wonder at that if she be faire if she be foule thou needest not care for it Sorow My wife is incontinent Reason When a man bryngeth a fayre wyfe into his house he ought also to remember the saying of the Satiryke Poet Beautie and honestie do seldome dwel to geather but yf she be a foule slut and do so abuse her selfe thou mayest reioyce that thou hast founde so iuste a cause to be diuorsed from her Sorowe My wyfe hath cōmitted adulterie Reason Adulterie many tymes hapneth vpon ouerhastie desire of marriage and often tymes also it is the punyshment of another mans adulterie and the more iust if it be of many Recount with thy selfe whether thou euer diddest that vnto another whereby thou mayest thynke this worthily doone vnto thee It is an vniust and an vnreasonable complaint to be grieued to suffer that which thy selfe hast doone and the morall lawe wylleth to looke for that at another mans handes whiche thou hast doone to another and to do that vnto another whiche thou wouldest haue hym doo vnto thee truely it is so excellent a lawe that the Heathen haue commended it beyng ledde therevnto by the indifferencie and grauitie of the saying But the licentiousnesse of humane wantonnesse beyng the repealer of al holsome lawes dooth vtterly confounde al ryght and wrong And thus then it hapneth that adulterers sometyme do meete togeather who when they haue defiled theyr neyghbours wyues yet can they not abyde theyr owne wiues so much as once to be seene in open streate and yf they perceiue that any man dooth but looke vppon them they wil immediatly be redy to runne mad for iclousie So seuere vnto others so partial vnto him selfe so vndiscrete a considerer of matters is euery particuler man. Sorowe My wife hath broken her wyfely fidelitie towards me Reason See that thou breake not the same not only vnto other married men but also vnto thine owne wyfe For there be some that requyre that of theyr wyues whiche they them selues doo not performe excusyng theyr wantonnes vnder the title of dalliance punishing the same in others most seuerely as a most grieuous offence who in geuyng all libertie to them selues deny al things vnto other Most vnequal judges who beyng them selues vnchaste do geue sentence against incontinencie in others and them selues will doo what they luste without controulment and are caried away after vncertayne and wandering venerie as if they were subiect to no lawe If the poore wife doo but looke a litle awrye she is straight waies accused of whoordome as though their husbandes were theyr maisters and not theyr husbandes and they not theyr wyues and fellowes in the house and familie both of GOD and man but were rather their handmaydens taken prysoners in battayle or bought for money and as though thy wyfe ought thee more seruice or fidelitie then thou her for there ought to be lyke duetie equal loue and mutual fidelitie in marriage I excuse not wyues but I accuse husbands and put them in the greatest part of the blame And many times the husbande is an example and procurer of his wyfe vnto folly and many tymes there hath rysen the begynning of the mischief where ought to haue been the remedie although shamefastnesse be the proper ornament of a woman and wysedome and constancie the peculiar commendacion of a man And therefore all folly and lightnesse of mynde is by so muche the more foule in aman then in a woman by howe muche grauitie is the more requyred in a man. Sorowe I am heauie for my wyues whoredome Reason A common sorowe an auncient iniurie and no lesse frequented For alas I speake it with bitter griefe Mariage is not more commonly vsed then is whoredome and to speake in fewe woordes it is a thyng as one sayeth whiche can neyther be suffered nor prohibited for that honestie forbiddeth the one and letcherie the other Dooest thou looke then to haue thyne only woman wholy to thy selfe whiche thyng coulde neuer happen no not to the most cruel Tyrantes that euer were nor to the moste mightie Princes that euer raigned not in thyne age only but in any heretofore I omit late examples least haply I offende some that are lyuyng at this present it were better to stryke Hercules then a Clowne of the Countrey neyther wyl I touche al auncient examples but spare the good name and estimation of the moste dread and noble men But thou knowest them well and although they say nothyng yet represse thou thy mournyng or els peruse the Citie searche neere hande among thy neyghbours and at eche hande thou shalt find plentie that eyther lament the losse of theyr good name and the abandoned fidelitie of theyr marryage bed or that contrary to theyr opinion are laughed to scorne of the common people These thyngs are ordinarie not only to be heard with eares but also to be seene with eyes whereof thou shalt not mysse in what part soeuer of the world thou trauaylest Howbeit the greater the examples be the greater is the comfort Thynke vppon those Kynges and Lordes of the worlde whom thou hast seene and then call to mynde those of whom thou hast read or hearde of by report Looke vpon the fable of Kyng Arthure and the Hitories of other consyder of Olympias that was wyfe vnto Philip and Cleopatra to Ptolomeê and Clytemnestra to Agamemnon and Helen to Menelaus and Pasiphè to Minos Phaedra to Theseus neyther woulde I haue thee to thynke that the citie of Rome whiche in olde tyme was as it were the Temple of shamefastnesse and honestie is free from this mischiefe Cal to mynde Metella whiche was wyfe to that Sylla who yf he had knowne of his wyfes whoordome whiche was commonly spoken of not only at Rome and ouer al Italie but also at Athens and ouer all Greece veryly I suppose he woulde not haue vsurped the name of happie whiche apparteyned nothyng vnto hym Next vnto her thynke vppon Iulia the wyfe of Agrippa whom on the one syde the woorthynesse of her husbande on the other the Maiestie of her father ought to haue stayed from wickednesse and also her daughter nothing vnlyke the mother eyther in name or lasciuiousnesse and lykemyse Iulia the wyfe of Seuerus who folowed theyr steppes both in lyfe and fortune an vnluckie name I thynke for the preseruation of honestie What shall I say of Domicia the wyfe of Domician
els shoulde I say vnto thee but the saying of Terence Those thinges whiche haue neyther reason nor measure in them thou canst neuer gouerne by aduice Notwithstandyng Senecas counsell is wel knowen concernyng this matter he wylleth a man to lyue familiarly gently courteously with his seruauntes But with what seruauntes To wyt with those with whom to lyue in familiaritie wyl not engender contempt He addeth moreouer that correction not of woordes but of stripes must be ministred namely vnto suche as are deafe and sluggishe and with a slowe pace contemne their maisters gentlenesse Moreouer that a maister ought to admit them vnto conference and company with hym in talke in counsel in feedyng But whom I pray you Forsooth the saucie foolyshe drunken vntrustie insolent which neyther can wel vtter their minde neyther can geue any good aduice and which behaue them selues slouenly at meate such as are carelesse of their maisters health lyfe liuing and good name but are very diligent pursuers of their owne gluttonie sensualitie But he peraduenture gaue this counsel for this cause for that he supposeth that to be true in a seruant which before he had spoken of a frend If thou trust hym thou shalt make hym faythful I suppose that thou doest not thynke that frendes are made of the best sort of men and seruantes of the woorst Truely if thou shouldest thinke a thousand yeere that a woolfe were a lambe yet should he be a lambe neuer the sooner Sorowe I am besieged with seruauntes what counsel wouldest thou geue me Reason Neuer seeke for that else where whiche is in thy selfe Thou shalt not be besieged longer then thou wylt thy selfe neyther should they now besiege thee but only as it happeneth in euil gouerned and vnquiet cities that one part of the minde like a faction of seditious citizens fauoureth the besiegers Wouldest thou be deliuered of this euyl Purge the state of thine owne minde Chastice thy seruauntes thou canst not neyther by this aduice of Seneca neyther by any others If thou list to amende thy selfe no man can forbyd thee Abandon pompe cast of pryde and so shalt thou eyther driue away the hateful troupe of thy seruauntes or els abate it Sorowe I am besieged with many seruauntes Reason It is well yf noyse and vaine glory be onely expected but yf seruiceablenesse or pleasure there is nothyng woorse Seruauntes although they be good whiche a man may accompt a strange thyng yet there be fewe of them that do good seruice They fal togeather by the eates amongest them selues they murmure they contend one of them lookyng to an others hands in the meane while some one of them sittyng idelly fouldeth and rubbeth his handes thynking it a great woorshyp to beare the countenance of a maister and promisyng al thynges thinketh nothyng better then to be idle Of suche we speake nowe who through a false profession pursuyng the delite of their idle bellie do embase themselues vnto humble seruice not onely voluntarily but also importunatly They are an innumerable company but of a vile condition who being so many artes and occupations as there are haue betaken them selues to the basest namely suche whom not their owne wyl but the force of another and their owne chaunce and seruice hath drawen foorth And contrarywyse as of the other sort the number is smaller so is there vertue more plētiful theyr trustinesse more approued For it is one thyng to serue willingly another thing to be cōstrained These therfore being mindful of their calling to the intent they may beare them selues indifferently in al estates neither lose their vertue togeather with their lybertie that whiche they do vnwyllyngly sometyme they do it faythfully whiche they are neuer able to do whom sleepe their bellie their throte and greedie desyre being euyl guides haue ledde foorth to seruice wherein it is no marueyle yf they folowe and obey their leaders and do that whiche whyle they ensued they haue taken vpon them the base title of seruitude But contrariwyse they that haue had no suche thyng to folowe ensuing the steppes of nature and fortune doo many tymes beyng seruauntes make resemblance as if they were free men And yf he ment those speeches of suche perhappes I myght harken vnto Seneca with vnoffended eares Sorowe Many seruauntes possesse my house Reason Then hast thou muche stryfe muche contention and many conflyctes in euery matter New faultes shal be euery day obiected and purged and thou must syt as a iudge betweene them Of a maister being made a iudge thou shalt neuer a whit be the more able to expell contention out of thine house howbeit thou mayest the contenders Sorowe I am besieged with seruauntes without whom I cannot lyue and what shal I then doo Reason If the matter be so farre proceeded with thee that thou darest not remayne alone without thine enimies prouide for thy selfe by the scarcitie and basenesse of them Abandon the fairer the brauer and craftier sorte of them abandon suche from thy retinne as delyte them selues in their beautie wit or familie Among fewe and those dul and rude thou shalt lyue more safely not for that they be better but for that they be not so bolde whom like as serpentes in wynter the restrayned plenty of their poyson and the droupyng of their vile slouthfulnesse hath ouercome and repressed Finally this is the conclusion that that which is only or especially to be expected in a seruaunt is fayth and trustinesse If in this respecte thou prefer hym any deale beleeue me thou shalt bye that smal pleasure whatsoeuer it be with great encrease and vantage of other vices for that faithfulnesse is verie rare to be found but the next kinde of remedie is fewnesse of them of which I haue spoken and also their basenesse which is not muche better then the other but bryngeth lesse boldnesse Of fugityue seruauntes The .xxx. Dialogue SOROWE MY seruauntes are gone Reason Whose presence was greeuous their departure ought to be acceptable There is nothyng almost that displeaseth a man whose contrarie doth not delyte hym Sorowe My seruantes are gone Reason O that they would returne and that thou couldest beholde with thine eyes that whiche thou hast seene in thy minde howe many vices hange vpon them howe many kyndes of wickednesse of deceites of lying artes of mischeefes of rauines and theftes And what shouldest thou do other then abhorre their companie shut thy doores against them and hartily reioyce that thy house is so happyly rydde of so heauie burdens Sorowe My seruauntes are gone away altogeather Reason And togeather with them al greeuous cares troublesome heauinesse and perpetual feare Thinke with thy selfe how many bellies thou haddest to fyll howe many backes to clothe howe many wandryng feete to shoe howe many limie fingers to wash and then thou wylt say that thou art deliuered of a great charge Sorowe My seruauntes are runne away Reason And with them also hatred agaynst their maister and contempt and
may feede my cattayle and I my selfe wyll resolue thee in this matter Then he answeared that it was impossible But she sendyng for such Noble men and Gentlemen as dwelt neere hande and causyng hym to geue his woorde for the perfourmance of his promyse helde vppe her young sonne in her armes and Is this my chylde in deede myne sayde she And when they all answeared yea she stretched foorth her armes and delyuered hym vnto her husbande and heere sayde she take hym I geue hym thee freely and nowe be assured that he is thyne Then al that stoode by brake foorth in laughter and gaue iudgemente on the womans syde and condemned the husbande by all theyr verdictes Such contentions and lamentations are thereto often among men they be hastie to marriage yea slipperie and headlong you thynke you shall neuer see the day wherein you shal be husbandes that is to say men as though otherwyse you shoulde neuer be men Then beyng resolued in ioyes or to speake more truely in madnesse the fyrst dayes of your marriage you spende in reuel route feastyng and daunsing among your weddyng solemnities with pastimes and songes and minstrelles and the residue of your lyfe you spende in suspition and braulyng In both you are to blame For neyther ought you in suche sorte to loue so doubtful a thyng neyther to abhorre so inseparable a thyng nor to hate so louely a thyng and by deceiptfull coniectures so to confounde the moste sacred lawes of the diuine and humane house and dissolue the moste entyre bondes of this lyfe Sorowe Yea my wyfe her selfe hath confessed that he is none of myne Reason Thou tellest me this as yf it were some syngular matter but it is common some confesse so muche whyle they are lyuing and some when they lye a dying among whom some haue wylled to haue it imparted vnto theyr husbandes after theyr departure Sorowe Myne owne wyfe hath conâ—essed vnto me that he is 〈…〉 my sonne Reason Olimpias that was wyfe vnto the renowmed kyng Phillip of Macedonie confessed as muche vnto her husbande whiche myght haue tended vnto the destruction of her valiant sonne and yet we reade neyther of teares nor sighes nor complayntes among them all Nowe hearken to a meery tale but not vnfyt for our purpose Not far from the Ocean Sea shore whiche lyeth right ouer agaynst Britaine not very many yeeres agoe report goeth that there was a certayne poore woman fayre and well fauoured but a notable Harlot who had twelue small chyldren by as many seuerall men one of them but a yeere elder then other But beyng sicke when she perceyued that the houre of her death was come she caused her husband to be called vnto her and this is no tyme sayde she nowe to dissemble any longer there is none of all these chyldren thyne but the eldest only for the first yeere that we were married I lyued honestly It chaunced that at the same time al the children sate on the ground about the fire eating according to the maner of the countrey At which woordes the good man was amazed and the children also that hearde their mothers communication whose fathers she reckoned al by name as they were in order of yeeres Which thyng the youngest of them all hearyng who was then but three yeeres olde immediatly layde downe his bread which was in his ryght hande and the Rape roote whiche he had in his left vppon the grounde besyde hym and tremblyng with feare and holdyng vp his handes after the maner of them that pray Now good mother quoth he geue me a good father And when in the ende of her speache she had tolde who was father to the youngest to wit a certayne famous ryche man takyng vp his bread and meate agayne in his hand That is well sayde he I haue a good father Of the losse of a brother The Lj. Dialogue SOROWE I Haue loste my brother Reason Yet I heare no cause why thou shouldest be very sory For Ouid sayth to true that there is seldome agreement betweene brethren Sorowe I haue lost my brother Reason It may be that thou hast at once lost both a brother and an housholde enimie Loe see then what thou hast lost an yll thyng couered with a good name Sorowe I haue lost a brother Reason Perhappes thou hast lost hym that hath wyshed thee lost and that alwayes resisted thyne attemptes Brothers hatred hath hyndred many from the entraunce vnto great commendation Sorowe I haue lost a brother Reason Thou hast lost peraduenture an heauie yoke as oftentymes we haue seene it fal out vnto the tender yeeres of thy chyldren thou hast lost also the enuier of thy lyfe the hynderer of thy glory and also which is euident the partner of thy patrimonie Sorow But I haue lost a vertuous and louyng brother Reason But a mortall one Vertue is no defence to the body but an ornament to the mynde and a procurer of immortall glory but as for the body she cannot exempt it from the power of death but rather thrusteth it forwarde many tymes thereunto before due tyme but yf he be left vnto nature good and had doo perysh a lyke and most commonly we see the best men weakest and the woorst long lyued but none immortall Sorowe I haue lost a good and gloryous brother Reason If thy brother be dead the glory vertue soule remaineth in safetie which only excepted death consumeth and destroyeth all other worldly thinges with lyke violence These therfore embrace thou as yf they were so many sonnes of thy brother with these immortal good things requite the mortal euil but if he haue sonnes liuing vnfeigned duetifulnes shal make them thine Sorowe I haue lost a good brother Reason Thou shouldest haue employed hym diligently which if thou diddest necligently his death is not to be blamed but thyne owne slouthfulnes Death hath exercised his power but thou hast slacked thyne oportunitie Sorow Death hath deceiued me for I thought not that he woulde haue died so soone Reason All thinges that happen vnto them that are vnwillyng seeme to come quickly but if they be wished for they come but slowly Sorowe I scarce thought that he could haue died Reason Vehement loue beareth with it selfe in al things and promiseth it selfe euery thyng vnpleasant thoughtes whatsoeuer is noysome vnto cast it escheweth insomuche as whosoeuer is in loue imagineth vnto hym selfe that his pleasures are in a maner euerlastyng thou since thou knewest that thy brother was borne oughtest also to knowe that he was mortall and therefore yf thou bewayle his tymely death as some sodaine matter thou art much deceyued but if as it were vntymely thou wast in a wrong opinion Sorowe I knewe that he was mortall but I thought not vpon his death Reason Vnwysely doone but this is your dissimulation beyng mortall ye thynke neuer to dye when as you may chaunce to dye euery day and needes you muste dye one day Yea rather it is the
good faculties in bandes but thou learnest to forget pacience Sorowe I am kept fast in pryson Reason Some within caues and dennes and some haue enclosed them selues within the circuit of walles choosing vnto them selues voluntarie imprisonment eyther for the loue of God or for hatred of the worlde or for loathsomnesse of the common multitude as dyd many holy fathers in the primitiue Churche Thou yf thou be not disposed that way desirest an end of thyne imprysonmēt stay a while eyther man wyl discharge thee or els death whiche caryeth a key of the pryson doore There is one manner of entrance but sundry sortes of departyng Some haue been let goe vpon pitie some by the course of lawe some through their owne innocencie some by negligence of the keepers some for money some by craft some by breaking prison or vndermining the walles and some haue escaped out of pryson by the freendly darkenesse of the nyght and also since the memory of your fathers some haue been set at libertie by earthquakes and ouerthrowing of the pryson and last of al they that coulde finde none other meanes haue been released from imprisonment by death And lykewyse no lesse dyuers haue been the euentes of them that haue escaped Marius delyuerie from pryson brought hym to the Consulshyp Iulius Caesars imprisonment among the pyrates transported hym to the Empire of the worlde In this age certayne haue passed from pryson to lordshyps and the cheynes whiche they haue shaken from them selues they haue layde vpon other Finally Regulus and Socrates and many moe were not extinguished in prison as it was thaught but rather by an honorable ende discharged out of pryson To conclude the pryson hath sent some vnto great glory some vnto notable fortune some to a kyngdome and many to heauen but al to the graue for it neuer receyued any whom it hath not agayne restored Of Tormentes The .lxv. Dialogue SOROW. I Am vniustly tormented Reason What wouldest thou nowe say if it were iustly For there is no torment greater then the torment of the conscience If this be vpryght contemne these outwarde thinges for thou hast a comforter within thee Sorowe I am tormented very vnwoorthily Reason Take compassion vpon thy tormentour he is more sharpely tormented then thou for although the world crye out agaynst thee yet know this that it is a lesse euil to suffer then to offer an imurie Sorowe I am tormented Reason A newe lamentation for an olde greefe wast thou neuer tormented before Among tormentes thou wast borne among tormentes thou hast lyued among tormentes thou shalt dye tell me now what newe thing is befallen thee The kindes of tormentes are changed but the tormentes them selues do not surceasse Examine the whole course of thy forepassed life recount what euer day thou passedst ouer without torment Perhaps thou mayst finde somthinges shadowed with false ioyes but al thinges full of true tormentes wherof if thou iudge exactly thou wilt confesse that there is no part of this life voyde Wherby it commeth to passe that some not without iust cause haue supposed this whole life to be a continual punishment But you neuerthelesse so demeane your selues as though these Philosophical speeches concerned you not they sticke in the enterance of your eares they pearce not into the closet of your mindes So that ye lament for euery small griefe of the bodie but as for the euerlastyng and deadly punishment of the minde ye do not feele it in the first ye are impacient but in the other without sense Sorow I am layde vpon the wheele Reason What skilleth it whether thou goe vp to the wheele or to the bed to be tormented The tormentours knot shal wring thee and put thee to payne but heare now one with the ague another with the gout another with a shrewysh wyfe another with his sonne another with his louer another with his ryches another with pouertie another by the Phisitions hand another with the schoolemaisters ferula another with a naughtie seruaunt another with a proude lorde another is vexed with an infinite hope and couetous desire another with feare that is more greeuous then any tormentour Search through the whole state of mankynde and thou shalt scarse finde one man that lyeth not vpon the wheele and beyng a thousand sundry sortes of tortures doo you feare none but those that are made of wood Sorowe I am tormented Reason In the middest of thy tormentes comfort thy selfe eyther with thyne innocencie or with iustice for if thou be vniustly tormented thou hast a cause to reioyce whereby thou hast purchased experience to thy selfe and others and also a certayne bryghtnesse is added vnto thy vertue the fame of handled and aduaunced thynges is more renowmed and spices the longer they be beaten the sweeter they smell and most excellent wares are set a loft to the viewe that they may be seene the better But yf thou be tormented deseruedly thou hast thy remedye in thy handes but clottered fylth is purged by fyre and difficultie and a desperate sicknesse muste haue a sharpe cure who so is weery of his disease wyl not refuse any bytter thyng and he that is sory for his synnes wyll not eschewe any punishment Sorow I am laide on the racke Reason If without desart thou hast a meane to despise the crueltie of another from an hygh But yf deseruedly when thou art plucked from the earth thou mayst the more euidently beholde thyne offence and that which thou art now sorowful for the committyng thou shalt not be grieued for the sufferyng of the punyshment Sorow I am tormented Reason Eyther thy vertue is tryed or thy vyce punyshed the one is often profitable the other alwayes expedient It is a good tryall for the ryghteous to suffer punyshment but there is nothyng woorse then to suffer the gyltie to escape vnpunished Sorowe I am tormented Reason Learne the way vnto patience and death Of vniust iudgement The Lxvj. Dialogue SOROWE I AM condemned by vniust iudgement Reason There haue been some ere nowe condemned by the sentence of one iudge or by the testimonie of a fewe witnesses who haue ben often tymes acquitted eyther by the voice of the common people or by theyr secrete iudgement or whiche is better by theyr owne conscience or whiche is best of al by Gods owne iudgement For the best appealyng is vnto the eternall iudgement seate of the most iust and hygh iudge and he it is that vseth to reuerse the false iudgementes of other by a wrytte of errour Sorowe I am condemned vniustly Reason As the vnryghteous are ouerthrowen by iustice so are the ryghteous by iniurie Then whereas is vniust condempnation there the partie condempned is innocent and there is no man so foolysh vnlesse he were starke mad that would haue this be contrarie and had rather be condemned iustly then vniustly There is none so feareful vnlesse he be too bad but had rather be condemned by an vnrighteous doome then acquitted
young men is called bitter and is bitter in deede contrary vnto this bitternesse is ripenesse which being commended in Apples and al mauer fruites is most commendable in man Not that I am ignorant that many fruites do wither before they waxe ripe but that is not the fault of the age but the peruâ—rsenesse of nature not of all but of many I meane in men who beyng borne to that whiche is good doo stoutely endeuour to the contrarie And therefore yf there be any droppe of noble iuyce in thee thou oughtest now to be ripe and withour all feare to attende vntyll the hand of the mower cutte thee downe to the ground That is not death whiche thou fearest but the ende of troubles and begynnyng of lyfe not death I say but an hard ende of lyfe whereunto fewe arriue in a calme tyde but all for the most part naked weepyng and wrecked on the sea In the middes of thyne olde age takyng in hand an easie vtage towardes thine ende thou shalt be brought by a prosperous gale through the troublesome surges of worldly affayres into the calme porte of securitie Now is it tyme for thee to run a ground and moare vp thy weerie barke vppon the shore and whyther so euer thou turnest thee to thynke vpon thine ende This shalt thou fynde more profitable for thee then as fooles vse to doo to blame good age and nature which is a most gracious mother Of the Gout The Lxxxiiij Dialogue SOROWE I Am vexed with the loathsome Gout Reason Knowest thou not the nature of old age It commeth not alone but most tymes bryngeth an armie of diseases and sicknesses with it Sorowe I am greeued with the paynefull gout Reason Thou art troubled in the extreamest and most vile partes of thy body what if it were neere thy hart or head Sorowe The gout so greeueth me that I cannot goe Reason The wandering minde of man needeth to be restrayned with a bridle One man is kept vnder by pouertie another by imprisonment another by sicknesse Fortune playing with thee hampereth thee by the feete This is not the gout but rather fetters and therefore learne to stand styll Sorowe The gout maketh me vnfyt for affayres Reason Vnfyt I thinke in deede to run to leape to daunce to play at tennice doest thou thinke that thou wast borne vnto these pastimes But yf thou be so ignorant know this that thou wast horne vnto greater matters whiche thou mayest very wel accomplysh if thy head do not ake nor thy hart be sicke Thou mayest applie the studie of the liberall sciences ensue godlinesse and vertue keepe floelitie and iustice contemne this frayle body and the transitorie worlde hate vices loue vertues honour freendshyp helpe thy Countrey by counsell and aduice These are the dueties of a good man and herein what can fetters hynder thee Sorowe I am weakned with the gout Reason Perhaps thy disease wyl not suffer thee to fight agaynst thyne enimies but it wyl against vices which is as paineful and common as warre And what knowe we whether this bodily payne agaynst whiche thou fightest be layde vppon thee for the exercise of thy minde Sorowe I can not stand vpon my feete Reason See then what hope thou hast to conceiue of the residue of the buyldyng when thou perceiuest the very foundation to be so weake watche and take heede that the fall oppresse thee not at vnwares make redy thy packes and prepare thy selfe to flight Sorow I am marueilously troubled with the gout Reason This disease as it is commonly reported vseth to accompany rych men Loe thou hast an other remedy be of good comfort for either the sweetenes of thy riches shal asswage the sharpnes of thy griefe or the bitternes of thy pouertie driue it away and so thou shalt eyther find comfort or an ende If these faile thee that wyl come at length which shall not deceiue thee which is also the ende of al troubles aduersiue Sorow I am oppressed with the paine of my feete Reason If thou wylt haue remedy thou must eyther be poore in deede or at least wise liue poorely Pouerty which is the true purifiyng of mens bodies as some say hath deliuered many from this infirmitie and some haue been cured by frugality or sparing whiche by an other tearme I may cal voluÌ„tary or fained or imagined pouerty Thou hast seene some cured by perpetual abstinence from wine Thus it hapneth that payne with payne and one nayle is driuen out with an other as sayth the olde Prouerbe There is no payneful malady cured without payne And moreouer yf thou wylt be at one with this sicknesse many other thou must proclaime open warre not only against wine but also venerie But what doo I I promised remedies for the mind not for the body yet notwithstanding I suppose I haue taught thee the only cure of this disease If thou like it vse it yf not the vse of fomentations otherwyse framed wyll not deceyue thee For pacience is the most effectuall and present and many tymes the only remedie in aduersitie Sorow The paine of the gout hath made me crooked Reason Then art thou vnable to goe and lesse meete to take payne but not vnfitte to doo other thinges not onely apparteyning to thy priuate householde but also concernyng the Common wealth yea if neede so require of a Kingdome or Empire Wherfore this onely saying of Septimus Seuerus Emperour of Rome is very famous and notable who beyng an olde man and muche subiect to the gout when he had bewrayed the conspiracie of the nobilitie that woulde haue made his sonne Emperour whyle he was yet lyuing the aucthours of this sedition and also his some beyng apprehended and standing all dismayde trembling shaking before his seate looking for nothing but present death Seuerus lyfting vp his hand to his head At length quoth he Ye shal vnderstand that it is my head and not my feete that do gouerne Sorowe I am marueylously poore wretch tormented with the gout Reason Do not be wayle only the greefe and sharpnes of thynges but if there haue any pleasure or sweetenesse hapned vnto thee by them thinke vpon it whereby thou mayest comfort thy selfe in this aduersitie Among all the euyll conditions of the common multitude this is not the least that as they are whining and impatient in aduersitie so are they forgetful and vnthankfull in prosperitie then which there is nothing more iniurious For why for example sake who is able with indifferent eares eyther to heare the Emperour Seuerus of whom we spake erwhyle complayne of his gout or Domitian of his baldnesse whiche he tooke very greeuously or Augustus when he was olde of the weakenesse of his left eye or Iulius Caesar of his feare in the night season and troublesome dreames or to be short other very happie honourable men in such sort complayning of one default of nature or other yf a man may so tearme it or iniurie of
fortune that they myght seeme to be vnmindfull of their Empire and ryches and conquestes and so many and great commodities and yet to remember that they were men for whom in this lyfe to looke or hope for perfect and sounde felicitie is but a meere madnesse To mingle the sweete with the sowre is a peculiar medicine agaynst the gout and a common remedie agaynst all diseases which thou shalt fynde to be very effectuall and wylt confesse to be good and vertuous counsayle if thou followe the aduice of that godly olde man who once attayned vnto great prosperitie and afterwarde tasted extreame aduersitie who by meanes of the benefites which he receyued at Gods handes learned to take all affliction in good part although that same hand can neyther make nor geue any euyl but he had only a respect vnto the common opinion of men Sorow The gout keepeth me downe in my bedde as yf I were bounde with knottes that can neuer be vndoone Reason Whyle thou lyes thy minde may stande vp and suruey the whole heauen earth and sea Of Scabbes The Lxxxv. Dialogue SOROWE I Am greeued with paynefull Scabbes Reason I maruel now no longer if thou take in yl part those that be greefes only seeing thou also bewailest that wherewith there is some sweetenesse mingled Sorow I am vexed with the greeuous scab Reason Some say that it is holsome to be scabbed But for that I wyl not cal so woful a thyng by so good a name I tearme it a token of health or the way leading to health It is but a gentle thing for that it is not long in comming foorth whose issuing is somtime ioyned with no small tickling Sorow The dry scab molesteth me Reason Thou needest now no clock nor watch for the same wyl awake thee in the night and cal thee vp vnto thy necessarie honest affayres For there is none so slouthful whom the payneful scab wyl not styr vp and make wakeful Sorow I am vexed with scabbes Reason A base disease but which hath a noble cure labour paine heate bathes watching diet these are medicines against scabbes If these wyl do no good thou must flee to the remedie of pacience which in al diseases is the most profitable salue Sorowe I am troubled with the paynefull and fylthie scab Reason I denie neither of them And whereas Publius sayd that the sore feete of one that had the Gout were a paynefull rest so on my woorde mayest thou say that a payre of scabbed handes are a greeuous businesse But what wylt thou say to this The loathsommer the disease is the comlier is the patience And how yf out of a small discommoditie thou reape great profite This is one of the thinges that especially engender a contempt of this body then whiche is nothing more necessarie for mankind Sorow I am al ouer infected with scabbes Reason That thou art al scabbed I thinke it be too true and I stande in great feare thereof But perhaps this is more then thou wouldest haue sayd For thou meanest it of thy whole body but there is an other kind of inuisible scabbe in your mindes to wit couetousnesse and sensualitie and a certaine vehement uching to reuenge and complaine which the more it is scratched the more it rageth This itche ye neyther feele or craue to haue cured so muche is your care lesse ouer your soules then ouery our bodyes Of watching The .lxxxvi. Dialogue SOROW. I Cannot sleepe Reason Watch then and reioyce that the ryme of thy lyfe is prolonged For betweene sleepe and death there is small difference but that the one lasteth but for a tyme the other is perpetual And therefore I cannot tel whether it be not sayde properly enough that sleepe is a short death and death a long and euerlasting sleepe Sorowe I haue lost my sleepe Reason It must be prouoked agayne not by force but by fayre meanss If thou thinke to procure it it wyl not be constrained Goe some other way to woorke geue rest to thyne head and trouble not thy minde with cares and it wyll come vnlooked for when the minde is loose and the body weerie sleepe wyl came stealyng on Sorowe My sleepes are often broken of Reason Do as it is sayde Augustus Caesar was woont to do when thou wakest out of sleepe haue some about thee to renue it agayne by readyng or tellyng of tales But if it be long of earnest and vrgent cares lay them aside and sleepe wyl come of whiche sort of cares Virgil speaketh where he sayth that good cares do breake sweete sleepes Sorowe I can take no rest in sleepe Reason Neyther shalt thou then be terrified with dreadfuldreames nor surprised with suddeyne feare in the night And although Aristotle hold opinion that the visions whiche wyse men see in their sleepe be good true in deede it is Neuerthelesse the one of these who was nothing inferiour vnto hym in wit but of greater aucchorine the other in al respectes his equal in holinesse and pacience whom I mentioned erewhyle endured great extremitie and trouble in their dreames What others haue fealt and suffered euery one is priute vnto hymselfe and can cal his owne bed to wytnesse of the illusions and troubles whiche he hath susteynâ—d Truely the one of these was woont in his latter dayes to be terrified in his dreames as it is wrytten of hym The other I made mention of not long since where I entreated of rest and quietnesse who among other troubles of this lyfe complayneth of his suddayne frightyng in sleepe and the terrour of his visions and drcames Sorowe I slepe not so wel as I was woont Reason Then thou lyuest longer then thou wast woont for thus the learned say that as sleepe is death so watchyng is lyfe Sorow Sickenesse hath dryuen away my sleepe Reason Then health wyl bryng it agayne Sorowe Loue hath bannished my sleepe Reason Thou speakest one thing twyse For loue is a sickenesse and the greatest sickenesse that is Sorowe Feare hath bannished away my sleepe Reason Securitie wyl reuoake it Sorow Olde age hath taken away my sleepe Reason Death approchyng wyl restore it Of the vnquietnesse of dreames The .lxxxvii. Dialogue SOROW. I Am disquieted with dreames Reason If that be true whiche a certayne wyse man sayth that dreames doo folow great cares whiche is also confirmed by your wryters then cut of the cause of the mischeefe abandon cares and dreames wyl vanish away To what purpose serue your manyfold cares whiche are to none effect in so short a lyfe whereof in the begynnyng I promised to entreate and to declare that it is bootlesse to forment it and make it troublesome and through your owne follie to disquiet your rest with dreadâ—full dreames Wyl ye ouercome gods prouidence with your owne counsel and do ye not perceyue howe your madnesse and cousultations of that tyme whiche is not onely beyond your iudgement but also your knowledge are laughed at from an high Neyther
far from the vttermost confines of Spaine vnto the cytie of Rome Lastly hast thou not heard howe that the holy fathers were resorted vnto as farre as the innermost and feareful dennes of the wyldernesse by the Romane Emperours I speake nothyng of Solomon but rather demaund what visitations any famous man euer wanted Freendes and acquaintance are delighted with mutuall communication and talke togeather and strangers are recreated only with the sight and beholdyng one another For the presence of noble and renowmed men is a pleasant and delectable thyng the whiche none tasteth but he that enioyeth it this do not thou call payneful but I graunt it to be difficult marie therewithal to be also glorious Sorow I am worne and consumed away with renowme Reason If thou wylt cast away this fame vertue also is forsaken from whose roote it spryngeth But yt thou wylt not do so then is it needfull that thou beare this burthen with a patient mind vnto the which many could neuer aspire with al their study cost and charges al their life long And thou peraduenture hast attayued thervnto Suffer therfore thy selfe to be seene of those that would not desire to see thee vnlesse they did loue thee thy good name Sorowe Many bring me into renowme euery where euen vnto my greefe and loathsomnes Reason What then haddest thou rather to be despised and counted an abiect Sorow Innumerable men do honour me euen vnto my great payne and greefe Reason Acknowledge then the gyft of God he doth honour thee to the ende he might both prouoke thee to honour hym and also that it myght repent thee that at any tyme thou dishonouredst hym For al honour and euery good thyng what soeuer is done of man to man is of God. Sorow Immoderate honour and continual visitation is a very troublesome thyng Reason I graunt this also but loue and reuerence whiche are the rootes of this trouble are very sweete and pleasant yf thou wylt apply the tast of thy minde vnto these they wyl beginne to sauour wel whiche nowe do thus disquiete thee Temper therefore the bitter with the sweete and not in this only but in al thynges whatsoeuer this present lyfe bryngeth wherein thou shalt not easily fynde honye wherewith gal is not myngled and more often the bitter exceedeth the sweete in quantitie Sorowe I am weeried with to muche renowme Reason That truely often tymes hapneth whereof we haue also knowen that woorthy and diuine Vespasian triumphing to haue complayned when as he was greeued with the solemnitie of the glorious shewes blaming hym selfe whiche had so baynely desired a triumph in his olde age whiche was neyther due to hym nor of his auncetours hoped for And although renowme it selfe be not to be wyshed for of it owne nature yet it is to be borne withal and loued the causes whereof are vertue and industry neyther are those to be forsaken at any tyme to the ende thou mayest want this for honest labour is a thyng muche more glorious then sluggysh rest and quietnesse Sorow I am muche offended with those that salute me by the way Reason Thou hast the Philisopher Crispus a partaker also of this greefe Nay rather whom canst thou finde at al besides those that take pleasure and delight in the common blastes and flatteries of the people as the Poet Maro speaketh Yet that noble man hath complayned hereof I beleue for that he sawe how the common and sudden salutation of the peopâ—â— did trouble his mynde beyng alwayes most earnestly geuen to studie for suche a one he is reported to haue been and as he hym selfe saith was therwith welnigh brought to his death But there is nothing whereof thou shouldest now complayne that whiche thou diddest wysh for hath hapned vnto thee that is that thou mightest be knowen vnto the common people otherwyse thou shouldest not lye so open to the meetinges of those that salute thee Thou mightest haue hydden thy selfe thou mightest haue taken thy rest thou mightest haue reioyced and delighted thy selfe in thyne owne bosome as they say the which some do define to be the best kinde of lyfe But you would faine be knowen famous in great cities and therwithal be both idel free quiet which is nothyng els then to wiâ—h that ye might remayne vnmooueable in a ship in the greate tempest waues of the sea Lastly it is the part of a proud arrogant person not to be able to suffer paciently the speech of his freendes that reuerence obey him seeing that the reproches of your enimies are to be suffered paciently Of sorowe conceyued for the euyl maners of men The .lxxxix. Dialogue SOROWE I Am sorie for the euâ—l maners and conditions of men Reason If tâ—â—u be moued with loue towâ—rdes them I prayse thee but yf with anger and indignation I prayse thee not For what apparteyneth it vnto thee what other men manners are so that thou thy selfe be good Doest thou nowe first of all perceyue the conditions of the common people Or els doest thou thinke that thy lyfe hath prouided to lytle businesse for thee vnlâ—sse thou haue a care ouer the lyues of other men and so thou take that in hande whiche neyther art nor nature hath been able at any tyme to bryng to passe wherein thou mayest hope for nothyng but paynes and greefes Yet these haue been the studies cares of certaine philosophers of whom one going foorth into the common assemblyes dyd alwayes weepe and the other on the contrarie part euermore laughed at mens manners and neyther of them without a cause howbeit that whiche the one dyd tasted of compassion and godlynesse and that whiche the other dyd of pryde and insolencie Sorow Who can abyde these vnruly and deceitfull dispositions and qualities of men Reason I had rather that thou shouldest be dishonested by force thou wouldest then abyde them if it were necessary Thou that canst not suffer others to be deformed and out of order yet suffer them to be apparelled as it pleaseth them and be thou apparelled as it liketh thee best and so thou shalt well reuenge thy selfe For honest qualâ—tyes do no lesse offend wanton eyes then vnhonest behauiour the sober and modest beholders Let them therefore ioyne pleasure with their affayres but mingle thou honestie with thy matters The lyght is no where more acceptable then in darkenesse and vertue in no place bryghter then amongst vices Why therefore doest thou complayne seeing other mens filthinesse shal increase thy coomlinesse Sorowe Who can endure paciently these diseases of mans minde and cheefely these that are enuious Reason Leaue the enuious men to them selues thou needest require none other formentor for them for they sufficiently afflict them selues both with theyr owne aduersitie and are consumed away with others prosperitie Men ought not therefore to pittie those that faynt and languyshe of theyr owne free wyll seeyng the diseases of the mynde are not so infectious as those of the bodye for
whereof is extant eyther in the bookes of histories or yet ryfe in the mindes of men that sawe them when as long sence vpon one and the selfe same day both the citie of Rhodes was shaken with an horrible earthquake and also newe Ilandes rose vp from the bottom of the sea and moreouer twelue auncient cities in Asia were ouerthrowen and some also swallowed vp into the earth After that the same mischiefe raged also in Achaia and Macedonia and last of all in Campania the most bewtiful part I say not of Italy only but also of al the world much about Senecas time who maketh mention therof among his naturall questions when as by the same most cruell outrage Herculaneum and the Pompeâ—j which are most famous cities of those quarters yea and Naples it selfe was not a litle molested as thou mayest reade Shall I prosecute all examples touching this matter Truely that were an infinite woorke Of late dayes thou mightest haue seene the Alpes which reach vnto the cloudes and deuide Italy from Garmanie who as Virgil saith do neuer mooue to stirre and quake and in many places to be ouerthrowne and immediatly after the queene of al cities greeuously shaken euen to the vtter subuerting of the towers and churches therof and also some layde flat with the ground And not long after this as it were for a continuance of the miserie it is wel knowne how that the best and most fertile part of al Germany namely the whole valley of the Rhine was shaken and vpon the shoare therof standing the citie of Basile and also castles and fortresses to the number of foure score and vpwarde vtterly ouerthrowen Truely an horrible matter were it not that death were the most terrible of al terrible thynges Who so hath learned not to feare that wyll feare nothyng as the Poet Horace sayeth excellently well If al the worlde shoulde fall though the peeces thereof strake hym he woulde not be a fearde For what skilleth it whether a litle stone fall vpon thee and brayne thee or the most mightie mountayne Apeninus crushe thee to death so thou be slayne by any of them or the whole worlde breake and fall vpon thee seeing there is but death in neyther Vnlesse perhaps some wyl count that death to be the more honorable whiche is procured by the greater instrument Wherefore to conclude this is the summe of myne aduice forasmuch as we haue also set downe some remedies agaynst lyghtnyng and all other mischeefes are releeued eyther by resistyng or geuing place vnto them and it falleth out contrariwyse in this that neyther flyght auayleth neyther wyt nor force can preuayle it were good aboue al thynges to lay away the feare of death whiche onely maketh al thynges dreadeful whiche thyng to do I confesse is very harde in deede to speake but yet not impossible to doo And forasmuch as there is no tyme nor place free from this heauie chaunce men ought to prepare and arme their myndes with al patience agaynst whatsoeuer may happen eyther by course of nature or by fortune at al tymes and places whiche cannot possibly be done vnlesse there be also adioyned the loue of vertue and feare of vice To conclude seeing that not only the heauens are in continuall motion and the elementes threaten you round about but also the earth vppon which you treade which also was hoped to be without al danger and a most assured rampire is sometime shaken deceiueth and putteth in feare her inhabitantes I exhort you to flee with your mindes vp to heauen and among al these shakinges and quakinges of thinges and men to repose al your hope in him who looketh downe vpon the earth and maketh it to quake of whom it is writen I am the Lorde and I am not changed Whosoeuer fasteneth vpon him the footestepes of a deuout minde is safe and sound and shal neuer be moued himselfe nor stand in feare of any earthquake Feare I cannot choose but be mooued and feared with earthquakes Reason Canst thou remoone al thy hope and mynde from the earth Do so and thou shalt lyue out of feare and stand vpryght whether that shake or fal For to repose assured trust in a quaking and vnconstant thyng is a great follie Of the plague farre and wide raging The .xcii. Dialogue FEARE I Am afrayde of the plague which rageth farre and wyde Reason In this also is nothyng els but the feare of death whiche being cast of thou hast purchased perfect securitie whiche feare ought not onely to be layde downe of valiant mindes but also neuer be admitted for what is lesse the part of a man then to feare common thynges Feare I am afeard of the plague Reason Forasmuch as thou must needes dye what shalt thou loose or gayne by dying of the plague but that thou shalt dye with more company but if thou escape that thy life be the sweeter vnto thee since that thou art deliuered out of so great a danger if so be it be danger and not nature to dye for the plague sweepeth not away al whiche if it had been so there should none haue escaped this last great plague a more sorer then which there was neuer any since the begynnyng of the worlde But many escaped who it had been better they had dyed whereof it commeth that as thou now seest the worlde is pestred with these kyndes of dregges as it was woont to be whiche neuer any plague nor death is able to consume they are so clodded and baken Feare I feare the plague Reason Say rather as the trueth is thou fearest death wherof for that I see thee so prone vnto complaintes I purpose to entreate before I make an ende of this booke For this only exepted wherefore shouldest thou abhor the name of the plague seeing as I haue sayd it is rather a kinde of comfort to die with many Feare I stand in dread of the plague Reason If it be a certayne kynde of loue and charitie towardes mankynde that draweth thee hereunto I haue cause to commend thee for there is nothing more besettyng a man then to take compassion vpon the miseries of men But if it be for thine owne sake onely I may iustly blame thee for wherein can the plague hurt thee that art a mortal man but to bryng thee to that whereunto thou must needes come vnlesse perhaps thou count this among the discommodities thereof not to be solemly mourned for whiche hapneth vnto them that dye so and thou count them more happie who are recited by Virgil to assend most bewayled of their freendes vp into heauen Of sadnesse and miserie The .xciii. Dialogue SOROW. I Am sad Reason A man must consider for what cause he is sad or merie These as many thynges els may be tearmed indifferent matters whiche vpon smal occasion may be made good or bad For sadnesse for sinne is good so that it ioyne not handes priuily with desperation and ioy for vertue and the remembrance of
wretched carckase In this case what wyl thy talke auayle me Reason Very muche truely yf thou reiect it not for it wyl discouer thee vnto thy selfe who seing al thynges yet seest not thy selfe It wyl also cause thee to remember that this thy poore carckase is made of the earth so mortal not ayreal and eternal Neither oughtest thou to maruayle or take in yll part yf corruption enter vpon her owne earth and the substance of man depart vnto it owne natural place yf also the minde and most excellent matter whereof man consisteth vnlesse they rebell be disposed and directed vnto felicitie is and euerlastyng perpetuitie and the viler substance subiect to death and capable of al kinde of miserie Therefore whether it be the leprosse or falling sickenesse or whatsoeuer can happen more loathsome or greeuous then any of these thou must thinke assuredly that there is no more fallen vpon this vessel of miserie then that whiche the potter that made it appoynted vnto it from the begynnyng agaynst whom the vessels of Clay are warned not to murmur although he haue made some of them to honour and some to dishonour but all frayle and mortall Sorowe Shall I then by thyne aduice beare this leaprosie without murmur or complaint Reason Yea truely by myne aduice and counsell to whom yf thou canst proue that thy murmur and complaintes doo any whyt profite thee or asswage thy greefe then wyll I change myne opinion and suffer thee or rather exhort thee to doo them both But yf repinyng and complaintes be nothyng els but an encreasing of the mischiefe what shall it auayle thee to heape the sicknesse of the minde vpon the infirmitie of the bodye and by lamentyng to make thy selfe more miserable and hym more sharpe agaynst thee who beholdeth the trauelles of men from an hygh and consydereth theyr patience to requite it with remedie or rewarde Is it a small comfort agaynst all plagues and afflictions of the bodye or because thou bewaylest this one by name agaynst this also to knowe that the leprosie is an infirmitie of the skinne and colour not of the good estate or integritie of the senses and limmes as we knowe S. Augustine holdeth opinion and naturall Philosophers doo not gaynesay But admit that it pearce the skinne and tearyng the fleshe enter into the verie intrailes as we read it dyd vnto Plotinus the great Platonike Truely into the soule it can not enter vnlesse it selfe consent thereto whiche beyng in good health it wyll no more regarde the outwarde shape and looke of the bodye then wyll a sounde and healthfull ghest be mooued to see the outwarde walles of his Inne where he lodgeth to pyll and be rough by reason of winde and weather Yea moreouer the leprosie taketh hym that is infected therewith from among the common people and continuall conuersation with suche men whose companie to auoyde they ought to refuse no paynes whatsoeuer nor to craue ayde therevnto of any whosoeuer but to be short in brynging the bodye into great lothsomnesse it delyuereth the minde of as muche altogether Sorowe Alas howe shoulde I beleeue one that prayseth the vilest thinges Reason They are not the diseases of the bodye but the vices of the minde whiche are the vilest thynges neyther doo I therefore prayse the leprosie because I commende equanimitie and patience and I exhort thee also not to take in so yll part and so lamentably thy priuate hap in humane affayres seeyng that it is common vnto thee with the mightie Emperour and great Philosopher Constantinus and Plotinus of whom we talked erewhile And last of all it is conuenient for thee to lay before thyne eyes howe that the Lorde hateth not the Leprosie but sinne yea the very same Lorde that is Iudge both of men and angelles of whom it is written The euyll dooer shall not dwell neere vnto thee nor the vnrighteous stande before thyne eyes Yet dyd be not neuerthelesse abhorre nor flee from the Leprous but frequented their houses and kept companie with them at feastes and banqueties Sorowe Thou ouercommest me with woordes and payne in deedes wherein I geue no credite vnto the triflyng of Philosophers but to mine owne senses and what they tell me I knowe wel enough Reason Fyrst the grauitie of the whole bodye of Philosophie is not ouerthrowen in respect of the triflinges as thou truely tearmest them of certayne Philosophers whiche in deede I can not excuse nor denie whiche Philosophie both in this whereof we now entreate as also in many other thynges is onely the vndoubted rampire in earth of a troubled minde And lastly there is nothing more absurd among them that loue me then for them to seeke after the trueth by the deceiuable iudgement of the senses for the trueth ought not be sought by the senses but by wit and studie Sorowe Alas why doest thou vexe me and adde weerinesse vnto my paine Gene me rather some remedie for neyther thou not yet Philosophie her selfe as much as she maketh for thee shal euer constraine me to confesse that I feele no that which I feele in deede Reason The delicate and loothing patient must some time be obeyed and now then he must be suffered to vse that which of it selfe being hurtfull becommeth profitable by meanes of his longing for it And so am I content like wyse to suffer that if sicknes if punishment if offence if affliction be euylles of the body which of the Stoikes seeme to be called discommodities that the paine which riseth thereof may appeare to be and to be ryghtly called euyl and yf thou wylt haue it so a great euyll to but yet suche an euyll as may be ouercome by vertue and that I may no longer stande in contention of the woorde our freende Cicero shall reconcile vs well together For I doo not denie sayth he but that paine is paine in deede for els why shoulde Fortitude be required but I say that it is ouercome by patience yf so be patience be any thyng at all but yf it be nothyng to what ende are we garnished with Philosophie or why are we made glorious with her name Thus much sayth Cicero Muche more also in the same place is by hym diuinely set downe agaynst this inconuenience or mischiefe in the seconde dayes disputation of his Tusculane questions comprehendyng the discourses of fiue dayes in equall number of bookes whiche place I thought good to poynt out vnto thee for that it is very effectuall vnto that whereof thou standest now in neede especially patience and courage of minde which beyng empayred and lost false opinions of the common multitude creepe in and lamentations vnmeete for men breake foorth Sorow Now thou layest thine hand neerer my greefe teaching me where I may finde those thinges which vnto me being in this case wyl I trust be better and more conuenient then the brutishe and stonie opinions of the Stoikes although also in trustyng I distrust For whiles beyng greedy of remedie I
determined to doo violence vnto my selfe Reason At one tyme to feare a thyng and at another to wyshe for it this is al the constancie that you haue Erwhyle womanishly thou fearedst death and now vnmanly thou seekest the same tel me I pray thee what sudden chaunce hath chainged thy mind Feare I am enforced to do violence vnto my selfe Reason If thou be enforced then is it not voluntarie violence although it be sayd that a constrained wyll is a wyll yet truely it is no free wyl neither that wyl which properly taketh the name à volendo of willing But I would fayne know by whom thou art enforced Whoso is vnwilling may haue violent handes layde vpon hym but thou canst doo thy selfe no violence vnlesse thou were willing thereunto Feare There are great causes that enforce me to be willing to die Reason They be great in deede I coufesse yf they enforce thee but they coulde not enforce thee yf thou were a man But there is nothyng so weake that it can not ouerthrowe the delicacie of your mindes and hearken now whether I can not directly gheasse these causes anger disdaine impatiencie a certayne kynde of furie agaynst a mans owne selfe and the forgetfulnesse of his owne estate For yf thou dyddest remember that thou were a man thou wouldest also knowe that thou oughtest to take all worldly chaunces in good part and not for the hatred of one small euyll or rather no euyll at all to be willyng to fal into the greatest euyll of all Feare By reason of extreame miserie I am constrayned to lay violent handes vpon my selfe Reason It is not extreame miserie neither are they the greatest euylles that oppresse thee but this is the most extreame of al other which now enrageth thee to wit desperation agaynst which onely when as all other euylles haue their peculiar remedies there is no medicine that can preuayle And which be these that thou callest exâ—reame euylles but onely labour perhaps and trouble and pouerâ—ie For these are they whereof the Poet Virgil intreateth saying These without cause procured their owne death and hating this lyght powred out their owne soules Of whose too late repentance he addeth immediatly Howe glad woulde they now be returnyng into this worlde agayne to abyde pouertie and suffer all troubles and aduersitie Are these so great euyls whereof the fyrst all good and vertuous men endured with a valiant and indifferent minde and some more ouer dyd wyllingly choose it and thereby became glorious and riche in the euerlastyng riches That the worlde is meete for men we reade in Salust and that man was made for that intent we finde it written in the holy and afflicted good old man But you beyng of al creatures the most vnquiet yf thinges fal not out according to your couetous desyre or letcherous lust ye thynke that ye haue iust cause to kyll your selues So delicate and hastie headlong is your lasciuiousnesse that vpon the least cause that may be ye are not onely angrie with Fortune but also with your selues farther â—icking against GOD hymselfe ye scoure your blasphemousâ—â—â—ithes agaynst him as though euery thing wherein your Lord and God fulfylleth not your minde were an haynous iniurie agaynst you Feare I am so oppressed with great euylles that to choose A woulde dye Reason For the loathsomnesse of thy lyfe perhaps which is a familiar fault among all fooles For vnto the wyse euery kynde of lyfe is pleasant the happie lyfe they accept willingly the miserable lyfe they indure patiently and although in the thinges themselues they take final comforâ— yet are they delyghted in the exercise of patience for there is nothing more acceptable nor more sâ—â—eâ—e then veritie The same is that which asswageth greefes amendeth what is anusse moâ—â—fieth that whiche is harde mitâ—igateth thâ—ir whiche is sharpe siâ—â—otheth that whiche is rough and lâ—uellech that whiche is vneâ—â—en In consyderation hereof complainte or 〈◊〉 and hastie headlongnesse hath an ende and to be breefe there is nothing more glorious nor quiet then a wyse mans lyfe As for these teares and greefes of the minde these cloudes and troublesome stormes whiche driue the barke of this lyfe vpon the rockes they spryng from follie onely Feare Impaciencie of sicknes maketh me desirous to dye Reason Thy desyre is fond and proude Let the Lorde alone to dispose of thy bodye accordyng to his owne determination and good pleasure Wylt thou looke to haue more aucthoritie ouer thine owne buyldyng whereof thou hast made neyther Timber nor Stone and wherein there is nothing thine but only the buylding and wylt thou not geue lykewyse sembleable libertie vnto the Lorde and maker of all the worlde who in the same hath not onely created the spirite the fleshe the blood and the bones but also heauen the earth the seas and all thynges that are therein of nothyng Say not within thy selfe My bodye is greeuously tormented with payne For thou hast receyued no dominion euer thy bodye but onely a vse thereof for a certayne short tyme Thynkest thou thy selfe to be Lorde and Maister ouer this thyne house of Clay Verily thou art but a stranger he that made all is Lorde of all Sorowe With exceeding payne I am constrayned to be desyrous to die Reason Perhaps this payne is layde vpon thee for thine experience whiche yf it be troublesome and greeuous vnto thee then may it be profitable but yf intollerable then can it not long continue Attende the commaimdement of the Lorde that detayneth thee and answeare when thou art called and not before Thy daye is appoynted whiche possibly thou canst not preuent nor yet prolong Howheit many haue preuented it in deede and goyng about to auoyde a smal short greefe haue cast them selues headlong intoirreuocable euerlasting tormentes This opinion hath had great defenders Fyrst Anneus Seneca who so constantly and often falleth into the mentionyng thereof insomuche that it seemeth vnto me that he feared least it shoulde not appeare to be his â—â—bâ—e and maketh me sometyme to wonder bowe so cruell aâ— opinion coulde enter into the hart of so woorthie a man And to â—et that passe whiche it were too long to recite in a certayne Epistle vnto Lucilius If sayth he the bodye be vnfytte for the ordinarie and conuenient actions â–ª why shoulde not a man set the greened soule at libertie And immedialy after a fewe woordes betweene I wyl leape quoth he out of this rotten and ruinous buyldyng But O Seneca thou sayest not wel and with one euyl saying hast disgraced a great many good sayinges For thou oughtest to abyde and not to depart let thy buyldyng fal downe that thou be driuen out of doores before thou depart Sorowe I cannot suffer the thynges that are lyke to happen vnto me I had rather dye Reason Perhaps for some death whiche shal be inflicted vpon thee by an enimie whiche beyng valiantly vndertaken can not be shameful but voluntarily procured by thine owne hand cannot
wyshe and much more destitute of men then I woulde it were And therefore seeing there is nothing els to be expected at the handes of them that are nowe present but meare toyes and trifles yet yf there be any thyng alleaged by them whiche eyther they haue founde out them selues or borowed of the auncient wryters that may aswage thy greefe do not reiect it nor say as do the vnlearned this thou haddest out of the Philosophers For then wyl I answere thee with Cicero I thought thou wouldest haue sayde of whores and bawdes And to say the trueth where shoulde a man fishe or hunt but where fishes and wylde beastes are in the waters and wooddes Where is golde to be digged or precious stones to be gathered but where they growe For they are to be founde in the veines of the earth and vpon the shoares of the sea Where are marchandizes to be had but of merchantes Where pictures and images but of paynters and keruers And last of al where wylt thou expect Philosophical sawes but at the Philosophers handes Whiche although they lye hyd vp by them in their treasuries and were first founde out by them neuerthelesse the same are set open and expounded by other and that paraduenture more playnely or more pithily or more breefely or lastly disposed in some other order and methode promising lyke hope vnto al that heare them but bringing successe vnto fewe For such is the force of order and good ioyning as Horace very wel declareth in his Poeticalles that one matter being diuersly told representeth a greater grace vnto the mind of the hearer yea though it be a common thing that is told such noueltie may be added vnto that which is old and such light vnto that whiche is euident and suche beawtie vnto that whiche is fayre whiche I haue not nowe vttered as lackyng some other place more conuenient therevnto but because thou ministredst occasion at this present For I woulde not haue thee doo as it is the maner of blinde and ignorant pryde to disdayne vulgare and vsuall thynges whiche thou hast heard once and neuer vnderstoode Feare I yeelde vnto thee for I see that thou art very redie in these admonitions although far from effect to me wardes for I feare death yet neuerthelatter Reason There be certayne thynges in name and opinion of men greater then in effect certayne afarre of haue seemed terrible whiche at hande haue been ridiculous It were no wysedome to beleeue the vnexpert there is not one of these defamers of death that can speake any thyng to the purpose for being vnexpert he can learne nothing at all neyther can he be instructed in any matter by one that is vnexpert also Aske a question of a dead man he wyl answere nothyng and yet it is he that knoweth the trueth They wyl babble most that knowe death least and prophecie most vaynely of it wherein they haue least skyll Whereby it commeth to passe that by some death is made the most manifest thyng and of othersome the most hydden secret and this coniecturall case is diuersly tossed in suspition But in doubtfull matters it is good to cleaue to the best opinion and to holde that whiche shall make the minde rather merrie then dumpyshe Feare My soule feareth death Reason If in respect of it selfe that feare is vayne for that the soule is immortall But yf in respect of the bodye it is a thanklesse pittie to be careful of it enimie But if it feare to be dissolued it is to much in loue with it owne prison and bondes whiche were but a verie foolyshe affection Feare I am troubled with the feare of death Reason All fooles are afearde to dye and noe marueyle for all their felicitie is in theyr bodye whiche doubtlesse is by death extinguished And therefore not without cause good men are sorie to heare of theyr ende and heauie to beholde it For this is the nature of man that he can not lyue without desyre not to be vnhappie It becommeth a learned man who maketh no other accompt of his bodye then of a vyle Drudge and fylthie Carkasse whose dilligence and loue and hope and studie is wholy reposed vpon his minde to esteeme of the death of this bodye none otherwise then as of his departure in the morning out of some vnpleasant and noysome lodging Feare I can not choose but feare death Reason Thou mayest refuse to feare the departure out of this lyfe yf thou canst hope or wyshe for the entrance into an other For hereof it is that the same feare ryseth And although there be commonly diuers causes alleaged of the feare of this departure neuerthelesse they vanishe away when the hope of that other life is laide before the eyes Feare I dread death Reason The dread thereof is specially engendred by the lacke of meditating thereon and the sudden necessitie of dying whiche in a learned and wyse man is most shameful but specially in an olde man whose whole course and order of lyfe yf he be learned and wyse indeede ought to be a continuall meditation of death Whiche if it seemed so vnto the auntient Philosophie what may it nowe appeare vnto your new deuotion which is the hygh Philosophie and the true wisedome Consider the maner of them that are commaunded vpon a sudden to goe some far iourney how sadde and careful they are to make vp their carriage and how they complaine at their departure and in a maner repine that they had no longer warning before so that as soone as their backes are turned they thinke vpon necessaries which they haue forgotten and are discontented therewith Now there is no way longer then to dye none harder as they say none more noysome for Theeues none more obscure none more suspicious nor more vncertaine which though it wanted al these yet is it vnreturneable By meanes whereof ye ought to be the more diligent least haply ye forgette any thing for that when ye are once departed from hence ye can no longer doo as they that occupie other trades or vndertake whatsoeuer other iourney that is to say commit suche thynges by their letters or messengers vnto their freendes to see vnto as they them selues haue left forgotten For ye are not able to sende any message backe nor to stay in the place where ye were nor to returne agayne Ye must needes goe hence it is not possible for you to returne ye must needes goe thyther Souldiers from whence it is not needefull that ye come backe agayne Thus in Seneca sayde the Romane Captayne to his men and thus also sayth your Captayne to you And therefore seeyng ye must needes depart and come no more and that the necessitie of your iourney is very certayne but the houre of death vncertayne this is your onely remedie to be alwayes readie in mind to answere when ye are called and to obey when ye are commaunded and when all thinges are disposed in good order at your Captaines fyrst
commaundement to goe foorth on you iourney couragiously which ye must needes take in hand eyther willingly or in spite of your beardes This mee thinketh should very muche abate your feare and payne of death and make you not onely carelesse but also desyrous to depart hence Otherwyse yf ye be vnprouided and take no regarde the same may befall vnto you whiche Cicero once truely in his Epistles prophecied vnto his freende Brutus Ye shal be suddenly oppressed beleeue me freende Brutus quoth he vnlesse ye foresee and make prouision And so truely it hapneth in deede I say vnto all that vse no forecast in that which is lyke to happen vnto them hereafter And seeyng prouidence in all thinges is very necessarie yet is it specially to be regarded in those thynges whiche can be done no more but once wherein one errour sufficeth for wheresoeuer the foote slyppeth there is an ende Sorowe Now doo I verie muche abhorre death Reason Thynges deepely rooted are not easily plucked vp I knowe well as I sayde that the feare of death is engraffed within the mindes and senses of men specially of the vulgar sort As for the Philosophers they account death neyther good nor bad for that they recken it a thyng of it selfe neyther to be wyshed nor feared but number it among thynges indifferent whiche in respect of those that enioy them some tyme they tearme good and some tyme euyll Which thyng I perceyue well to be lyked of one of your religion who sayde that the death of sinners was euyll but of the Saintes and vertuous men most precious Sorowe I feare death I hate death Reason From whence this feare and hatred of death commeth vnto men verily I shoulde muche merueyle were it not that I knewe the daintinesse of your mindes whereby ye nouryshe and encrease this and suche lyke degenerate kindes of feare Dooest thou not perceyue howe that the greater part of men are afearde of the very name of death Whiche what is it other then to abhorre your owne nature and to hate that whiche ye are borne to be then whiche there is nothyng more vayne among men nor more vnthankefull towardes god Howe many are there whiche with greefe doo heare that name whiche ought alwayes to beate vppon the inner eare Without the whiche there is no man that can thinke vppon him selfe for what should he thinke him selfe to be other then a mortal creature As often as a man turneth backe into the consideration of him selfe doth not the name of death presently come into his minde But ye abhor that as though death would force in at the eare and ye turne away your mindes striue to forget that which wyl by and by compel the most vnwilling of you al to haue it in remembrance For loe ye refuse to thinke vpon death which not long after ye must of necessitie both thinke vpon also suffer the insult whereof would a great deale the more easely be borne yf it were thought vpon before but now that both of them are brought to a narrowe poynt together the one of them exasperateth the other For euery thing that is vnthought on sudden shaketh the soule It is as much follie to couet a thing in vaine as to be desirous to auoyde that which thou canst not they are both of them the more foolish by how much it had ben the more hurtful that thou haddest obteyned that which thou desirest But there is nothing more hurtful amongst al the mischiefes of this worlde then to forget GOD a mans owne selfe and death which three thynges are so vnited and knytte together that they may hardly be plucked asunder but ye wyll seeme to be mindfull of your selues and vnmindfull both of your begynnyng and ending Thou mayest marke them that vpon some occasion set all thinges in order in theyr houses howe there is scarce any that dare say when I am dead but yf I dye as though that were in doubt then the which there is nothyng more certayne Neyther is this saying If I dye plainely pronounced but rather yf any thyng happen vnto me otherwyse then well whiche what I pray thee can it other be then the selfe same thyng that hath hapned vnto all men or shall happen both vnto them that are nowe alyue or that shall be borne hereafter Vnto whom as there hath hapned sundrie kindes of lyfe so shall there lykwyse befall diuers kindes of death but one necessitie of dying The same doest thou couet to escape whiche neyther thy Fathers neyther the Kinges of nations coulde euer escape nor euer shal Deceiue your selues as much as ye lyst euen so shall it happen vnto you as it doth vnto them that winke against the stroke of their enimies weapon as though they should not feele the danger which they see not ye shal be stroken ye shal dye ye shall feele it but whether it shal happen vnto you eyther blinde or seeing it lyeth in your handes Therefore desire to dye well which thing also vnlesse ye doo lyue well is in vaine Wysh therefore I say and endeuour your selues and doo what lyeth in you commit that whiche remayneth vnto him who vnto those whom he brought into this lyfe of his owne accorde not being therevnto required wyll not stretch foorth his handes when they depart out of it agayne vnlesse he be called on and desyred Wyshe not not to dye for it is not onely an impudent and an arrogant but also an vnfruitfull and a vayne desyre Accustome your selues O ye mortall men vnto the lawes of nature and yeelde your neckes to that yoke which can not be auoyded And yf ye loue your selues loue that whiche ye are borne not because ye woulde that ye had not been borne for it is not meete that Nature shoulde obey you but you her Feare I haue long assayed in vayne to cast away the feare of death Reason I muse thou shouldest so long assay a matter wherevnto thyne owne voluntarie thinking ought to bring thee To thinke so much vpon so small a danger is a great shame if so be it may be called a danger or not rather an ende of all dangers to dye a great shame I say it is for a man so long to continue in the feare of so small and peeuishe a peryll and so many yeeres to lyue in feare and suspense for the euent of breathing one poore houre But wouldest thou haue the most present remedie agaynst this euyll and be delyuered from the perpetuall feare of death Then lyue well a vertuous lyfe despiseth death and many tymes desireth it and to be short it is the ende of all terrible thynges For labour payne sorowe aduersitie infamie imprisonment exile losse warre bondage lacke of chyldren pouertie oldeage sicknesse death all these vnto men of valure are nothyng els then the schoole of Experience and the feelde of Repentaunce and the exercise place of Glorie Of Voluntarie murthering a mans owne selfe The Cxviij Dialogue FEARE I AM
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