according to the prouerbe The méeke Lambe sucketh the teates of his owne damme and of others also Guaz. I remember I haue read a sentence not muche different from that to wit that hée which speaketh gentelly to his neighbour receiueth of him a gentle answere and out of the breastes where hée searched milke bringeth out butter Annib. * Assure your selfe it is euen so But to be sure to reape this commoditie it is requisite that this gentle spéeche come from the heart and that it bée not intermingled with some fonde iesture and behauiour whiche may make it smell of flatterie and in stéede of loue purchase hate Like as some doe who by their continuall girning and shewing of their téethe make men doubt whether they honour them or laugh at them Guaz. It is a common saying that to smile vpon euerie man is rather a signe of a vayne minde then of a chéerefull countenance Annib. Nowe I will ioyne for a sister and companion to affabilitie an other vertue verie necessarie in Conuersation and it is that whiche not only with gentle woordes but with a certaine wittie and readie pleasantnesse delighteth wonderfully the hearers And as that is a signe of curtesie so this is a token of wit and is vsed no lesse in iesting merily with others then in taking iest patiently of others There are diuers sortes of this pleasauntnesse wherevppon both the Philosophers and Rhetoritians séeing howe auaileable it is to refreshe mindes ouercharged with melancholy and pensiue thoughtes howe acceptable in companie and howe conducible to health haue at large taught vs diuers wayes howe to attaine vnto it Guaz. I beléeue well that arte and studie may helpe something in it but in my iudgement it is nature that must woorke chiefely Whiche to bée true appeareth by many men of great wisedome and learning who in a pleasaunt matter haue no grace at all and contrariwise many ignorant men euen of the common sorte will handle a pleasaunt matter so finely that they will make Heraclitus him selfe laugh at it Annib. I graunt vnto you that according to the diuersitie of natures the actions of men are diuers and that it is harde for one to mooue delight in others without a certaine naturall liuelinesse of spirite But it is seldome séene that a man pleasauntly conceited is not also sharpely witted Which Gonella noteth saying That to playe the foole well it behooueth a man first to be wise But notwithstanding I am of opinion that a man solemne by nature may by vse get the habite of pleasauntnesse and I am sure you will not denie mée but that there are some in countenaunce and iesture verie graue and seuere who in companie are pleasaunt and merie beyonde all measure But it is better for a man not to alter his owne nature from grauitie then to vse mirth immodestlye For as the meane is commendable so the extreames are detestable and growe either to scurrilitie in vsing too licentious scoffing or els to inciuilitie in refusing all merie iesting * Guaz. Nowe for so muche as you haue shewen howe pleasauntnesse in companie delighteth and howe gentlenesse in spéeche maketh vs appeare what wée are and discouereth the affections of our friendly heartes whereby wée winne the good will of others I woulde gladly knowe of you if there bée any other way besides whiche will worke such laudable effectes Annib. Albeit by affabilitie onlye there is imprinted in mens heartes a good opinion of vs euen lyke as is in the waxe by the Seale or Signet yet wée must put too somewhat els whereby that print and impression may bee made to continue whereto is verie â—it and auayleable the vertue called modestie or rather that which we commonly call discretion Guaz. And wherein is that vertue to be vsed Annib. In euerie thing but chiefely in finding fault with others mens faultes And therefore it is to bee presupposed that GOD hath made man a companable creature that by meanes of Conuersation hée may both assist others and bée assisted him selfe as néede shall require Wherfore séeing no man on earth is indued with absolute perfection wee must not mocke at other mens imperfections least others likewise laugh at ours Guaz. You say verie true but doe you not knowe that as the Prouerbe is wée sée better a farre of then hard by vs and that at home wée sée no more then Moles but abroade as muche as Argus * and that we can spie a moate in anothers eye and not a beame in our own * But wherof thinke you this fault procéedeth Annib. Perchaunce of selfeloue which suffereth not a man to sée his imperfections Guaz. But mée thinkes suche a one séemeth to loue others better then him selfe for that hee leaueth to correct his owne faultes to amende other mens Annib. Hee shoulde in verie déede loue others better then him selfe if hee were mooued to séeke the amendment of other mens manners vppon charitie and loue but it is knowne too well that hée is stirred to it of a certaine presumption and desire to séeme more wise then others wherevppon I thinke the verie occasion why wée are so busie to finde faultes in others is that contrarie to the foresaide saying of Socrates wée take more pleasure to séeme then to bée and wée thinke we shewe not such wit in amending our owne faultes as in reprehending other mens But all those which will be such as they desire to séeme will be seuere reformers of them selues and they wil sooner spye their owne faultes then others Guaz. I woulde gladly haue you shewe particulerly which are the faultes of others wherein this discretion is to be vsed Annib. There are two sortes of faults the one of those which are not full ripe the other of those whiche are thorowe rotten I call the vnrype ones those whiche one is readie to commit and the rype ones those whiche are alreadie committed Wée must staye the committing of the first so muche as wée may for the other some are to bée excused some to bee blamed If then wée perceiue any in reasoning to bee driuen into so narowe a straite that hée can not easily get out of it without committing some absurditie either in wordes or in matter it shall bée our parte discréetely to preuent him And as one that stumbling at a stone is readie to fall downe readily to take holde of him and staye him vp not staying till hee fall to make the companie fall a laughing and him selfe to bée ashamed In dooing whereof wée assure him which speaketh of the good account wée make of him and giue him to vnderstande howe iealous wée are of his honour in suche sort that wée make him thereby verie friendly affectioned towardes vs whereas on the contrarie there is nothing that setteth him sooner in a rage and maketh him to alienate his good will from vs then to thinke him selfe had in contempt and to be flouted at Guaz. This contempt in my opinion is intollerable for that there is
in these ceremonies there are a thousand whom it be commeth so ill to vse them that it will make you sicke at the heart to sée it and you shall see some of them goe so vntowardly to woorke that coueting to bee courtlike they become plaine cartlike As I haue séene some talking with the Duke my maister and séeing him bare headed haue taken his arme with both their handes and made him put on his hat Annib. He should haue put it of againe to haue shewed that he was not bare in respect of them but because of the heate Guaz. But there was another behaued himselfe somewhat better who talking with the Duke being vncouered tooke his cap foorth of his hand and put it vppon his head So that I say againe that I can in no way away with these ceremonies which are no lesse vnseemely in worldly matters then they are conuenient in sacred and diuine thinges Annib. I sée not how those thinges can dislike you which commonly like all men Guaz. I thinke you mistake for I know many who professe them selues mortall enemies to those ceremonies Annib. Those same and beleeue me openly detest them but secretly desire them and if you well consider the matter thorowly with your selfe you shall knowe that ceremonies displease no bodie For this is certaine that they are doone in signe of honour and there is not hée who is not glad with all his hearte to bee honoured and who ought not to bée glad to honour another for so muche as according to the saying of the Philosopher hée whiche honoureth receiueth more honour then hee whiche is honoured for like vnto the Sunne the beames of honour by reflexion as it were doe shine backe againe vppon him And as hée whiche is ceremonious may bée thought to bée a dissembler so hée whiche is not so may bée taken to bée a clowne a rudesby or a contemner of others I will not say that they doe yll whiche pray you to vse no ceremonies in respect of them but I rather commende them For their very saying so is a certaine kinde of Ceremonie and behauiour whereby they goe about to couer their ambition and it is according to the fashion of Phisitions who for manner sake sometime refuse money with their mouth but take it with their hearte and finger it with their handes And as the sacred Ceremonies which are veide of superstition are not displeasant in Gods sight and stirre vp to deuotion the mindes of the ignorant people whiche are not come to the perfect knoweledge of Gods worde so these worldly ceremonies purchase vs the good will of our friendes and superiours to whom they are addressed and make vs knowne for ciuile people and from rude countrie loutes Guaz. Howe then must wée behaue our selues in Ceremonies Annib. Mary in such sort that he which vseth them bewray thereby the affection of his heart that the inward loue may bée knowne as well as the outwarde honour is séene otherwise ceremonies are lothsome vnto vs and shew that the hearte is faigned And on the other side it is the parte of him whiche receiueth these outwarde honours first modestly to refuse them shewing thereby that hée looketh not for them otherwise hée shall shewe to bée somewhat proude which is most hurtful in conuersation And besides you knowe well that your equall doth honour vnto you rather of curtesie then of dutie and when you shal accept those honours as due vnto you and as of your inferiour you shall make him care but a little what reuerence hée sheweth vnto you To bée short wée must receiue honour at our friends handes rather as offered by them then looked for by vs and it is not amisse to follow the example of that discrete gentleman who after long strife betwéene him and certaine of his friendes who should first enter into the house saith You may nowe knowe well howe muche I am at your commaunde séeing I am ready to obey you in thinges which turn to my dishonor which said he entred in without strayning curtesie any longer Guaz. I allowe the reasons alleadged by you to maintaine Ceremonies but I will say vnto you that they ought to bée obserued rather amongest strangers then familiar friendes For if I bée not deceiued true friendship can away neither with Ceremonious wordes nor déedes Annib. I am in déede of your minde that from true friendship Ceremonies shoulde be taken But where at this day are those true friendes to bee found Know you not that according to the Philosopher Perfect friendshippe extendeth not towardes diuers persons but is restrained to the loue of one alone I knowe not who is your assured friende but I am sure that I haue not yet founde mine with whom I might vse suche open simple and frée behauiour as you meane For you must thinke it a harde matter to finde in the worlde two heartes which loue perfectly And though in token of true friendship you call your companion brother perchaunce hee shall haue no minde to tearme you so and to take that custome from you hée wyll call you Maister Guazzo And that you may not vse too familiar spéeche to him hée will speake to your worship in suche sorte that you shall bée faine to retyre one steppe backe and vse him rather Ceremoniously then louingly Of this common course of the world I gather that those with whom wee are conuersaunt being rather well willers then true friendes it is our partes to take héede of too broade and to familiar behauiour with them whereby wée may hazzarde to loose their good will and to followe the example of Flies which will not become tame amongst vs though they dayly dwell with vs eate of our cates when wée doe Guaz. I remaine satisfied of all that you haue spoken Nowe I consider with my selfe that this your discourse comprehendeth generall matters and agréeth to all sortes of persons And therefore I woulde bee glad that you shoulde declare particularly the meanes that euery one ought to obserue according to his estate and calling Annib. Wee haue already saide that it is a matter impossible to set downe particularly what euery one ought to doe in companie and therefore it shall suffice only to consider that the thinges afore spoken ought to bée common to all like as the stréetes the Churches the Fountaines and common Conduites are But as euery one indeuoureth to get and appropriate to him either house landes or moueables in like sort euery one in his order of life and conuersation ought to propose vnto him selfe speciall lawes and suche a kinde of behauiour as shall bée conuenient to his calling But to reape the right fruite of conuersation whiche consisteth chiefly in the good will of others it is necessary that wée knowe and learne not onely what belongeth to our selues but also howe to behaue our selues towardes others according to the difference of their estates for that it is our hap to come in companie somtime with the
of wine Guaz. Descend to the other example of children which flatter their parentes to get money or something els Annib. That if I be not deceiued requireth more déepe consideration and we must first vnderstande that some to get fauour vse to vphold and extoll whatsoeuer others shall say without gainsaying any thing some on the contrary fall to contention continually and crosse other mens sayinges and these two extréemes are naught betwéene which thereto lieth a way which those kéepe who * will neither altogether sooth neither altogether thwart but * in an honest sort knowe howe to allowe or disallowe the sayinges of others in time and place as it becommeth an honest man to doe Next wée must note that those who holde vp euerie ones yeas and nayes only to the intent to delight ought to be called iesters but when they doe it for their aduauntage they are without question flatterers And according to this distinction children which imbrace their parentes to get something from them are to be termed flatterers but in this case wée haue further to consider that children can not giue prayse or shewe loue to their parentes that may surmount their naturall and bounden duetie or that may be more then their parentes thinke they haue merited Guaz. Yea mary but it is a common saying That hée which maketh more of thee then hée was woont either hath coosoned thée alreadie or els goeth about to coosen thée And parentes are not so blinde but that they sée in this case the subtletie and craft of their children Annib. They doe not only perceiue it but also conceiue well of it and doe not count it craft as you doe but rather a thing commendable for that they sée their children therein to followe nature as their Mistresse which teacheth vs to humble our selues in our néede and to craue of others by déedes sounding foorth their prayse and setting foorth our affection towardes them and to know that hée which wil haue must aske and he which wil enter into the house must first knocke at the gate And albeit we ought at all times to giue prayses to our heauenly father yet wée are most stirred theretoo both with tongue and hearte when wée are desirous to obtaine any thing at his handes And to appease his wrath wée call him not iust but make mention of his clemency and mercy whereof wée stande in néede Whereof according to this consideration we may rightly conclude that suche manner of déedes ought not to runne vnder the name of flatterie and that infantes no nor children of discretion can not though they would vse flatterie towardes their parentes Which Pittacus one of the seuen wise men of Greece plainely shewed saying Neuer be afeard to bee counted a flatterer of thy father And touching the example of the poore which begge almes with glauering woordes I answere that necessitie hath no lawe and if to auoyde hunger in some countries theft bee suffered muche more ought flatterie to bee borne withall And besides I thinke that it is not properly to bée called flatterie for that a Flatterer doeth not vse openlye to shewe his néede but cunningly laboureth to mooue men to extende their liberalitie towardes him And by the selfe same reason I mainteine the cause of the Oratour who craueth openly of the Prince or Iudge that which hee desireth to obteine neither ought hee any more to bée blamed then hée which saith take heede to thy selfe for I meane to strike thée For as this same manifesteth his intent and giueth his aduersary leasure to prepare to defende himselfe so the Oratour entreth not into the fielde but that the iudge first knoweth the request hee is to make and bethinketh him of the meanes which shall bee vsed to sounde his opinion There remaineth nowe no more but the last example of louers who I am content to confesse vnto you are in déede no better then flatterers For a greater man then my selfe confesseth as much writing that if their beloued bée flat nosed they tearme her amiable if hauked they call her Princely if shée bée browne they count her manly if white heauenly But this is not to bée maruelled at séeing louers are both lawlesse and witlesse and that in their heartes as our Poet saith The senses beare the sway and reason is subdued And as the louer flattereth his Mistresse so she flattereth her selfe for that there is no woman so deformed who hearing herself called bewtiful beléeueth it not or at least thinketh not to bée estéemed for such of her louer And as the Crowe to giue credite and consent to the prayses which the Foxe gaue him let the pray fall foorth of his mouth so many vnfortunate women haue felt the euill which commeth of flatterie for that by the breath of prayses as a Feather in the wind they haue suffered themselues to be lifted so high that being not able there to sustaine them selues they haue falne to the grounde and in the fall haue giuen their honor such a foyle that of Mistresses they haue become seruantes Nowe touching that point of ciuilitie and curtesie where you say wee salute those who are our enimies I say that this sentence is most true that we must not take for Doues all that say Peace bee vnto you but those ought to bée termed dissemblers rather then flatterers Guaz. In my minde you giue diuers names to one selfe thing for so much as flatterie is neuer without faigning Annib. There is as muche difference betwéene those two as betwéene the generall and the speciall For it is true that hée which flattereth faigneth but not on the contrary And to explane it vnto you beholde a fencer who making at his enimies head striketh him on the legge or some where els you may well say that this fellowe dissembleth but not that hée flattereth And valiant Captaines also doe they not deceiue the enimie when they make a shewe to goe one way and then take another and are not victories wonne as wel by Stratagemes and policies of warre as by force of armes which kinde of counterfeiting is not blameable but rather commendable And not only amongst enimies but amongest friendes and acquaintance colourable dealing is tollerable in thinges which are not preiudiciall vnto them As if I bée requested to goe sée some Comedy or some Play or some such like thing that I haue no minde to goe thither I will make as though I were yll at ease or if I would not bée knowne by night I will disguyse my selfe in some sort You sée then that dissembling stretcheth to many things and to diuers endes and that flattery is more strict and conteined vnder dissimulacion as the speciall vnder his generall Wherefore I conclude that as it is not lawefull to dissemble in flattering for that it is not hurtfull to him towardes whom it is vsed so is it permitted neither can it bée saide to bée a faulte to dissemble without harme without intent to hurt another
according to his minde Wherevpon drawne by a soden and mutuall affection they gaue occasion eche to other to visite one another so often as conueniently they might And so great was the curtesie of the Phisition that not suffering my brother to take the paines to visite him hee came the nexte day and founde him at the Table but newe dyned After that withdrawing themselues into a little closet where I vse to haue a fewe small bookes rather for a shewe then for studie they there passed a great parte of the day which they continued the three nexte dayes following with many notable discourses which my brother to pleasure tooke recount vnto me in the euening following for that I thought them so well seasoned that they might long time bee preserued to the profite of posteritie euer since my brothers departure vntil this present I haue been gathering together their discourses which in effect were like to these which followe heere Guazzo Anniball I Greatly giue GOD thankes Maister Annibal for that hauing visited mée with a long and perchaunce a curelesse disease to cleanse my wretched soule of some wicked humour he ministreth also meanes vnto mée sometimes whereby I may passe away my euill with lesse annoy as this day I doubt not but I shall haue by meanes of your acceptable presence whereof I receiue more assistance and contentment than I am able to expresse Annib. I haue cause Maister Guazzo to thinke well of you for many causes but chiefly I féele my selfe forced thereto for that I sée you take your sicknesse of the hands of God most good and full of power from whom all thinges procéede and to shewe a Christian modestie in laying the fault on your selfe that certesse is a thought sutable to the crosse you beare on your breast But I will not héerefore commende you so much but that I must reprehende you a little and beare with mée if I speake plainely vnto you for that you call this your disease in a manner curelesse and séeme to distrust that hée which hath sent it you cannot likewise rid you of it Touching the opinion you haue of my presence I wil neither blame you nor praise you for it But you may assure your selfe that in steede of those signes of good will which I cannot shewe outwardly I beare you an inward affection in my heart readie prest to doe you seruice But I pray you make not strange to let me vnderstande your state not as a Phisition for that as nowe would stand you in small stéed but as a friend from whom you ought not to hide your mishaps Guaz. My brother hath alreadie promised me of you al that may bée looked for of a skilfull Phisition and singuler friende But for that I am to returne into Italy at a season more conuenient for the cure of those which are sick I ment to haue stayed till then to open vnto you my woundes and amongst the rest those of the heart which I féele oppressed with so great melancholie that in my fancy I had good reason to say that my euill is perhaps incurable séeing it hath wéeried to no purpose almost all the Phisitions of Paris and Fraunce Annib. Touching the infirmitie of the body in déed it is requisite of necessitie to stay till the Winter be past to heale it if vrgent necessitie constraine you not to vse more spéedie remedie but to the maladie of y e mind you ought at al times to apply apt remedies indeuouring so much as you may possibly to be méerie to tread vnder foote al irksome thoughts which molest you Guaz. I do verily as you aduise me willingly imploy all the time my bounden seruice will spare mée all the leisure I can get in some honest pleasure but for al that I cannot forget nor driue away my troublesome thoughts Annib. One that is sicke ought chiefly to consider the things that helpe him and the thinges that hurt him to the ende to eschewe the one and insue the other And therefore I should thinke it good you shoulde call to your remembrance such thinges as you haue founde by long experience to haue increased or diminished this your anguish of mind or melancholie as you please to terme it Guaz. I remember I haue plainly noted that the company of many is gréeuous vnto me and that contrariwise solitarinesse is a great comfort and ease of my trauels And though for the seruice of my Prince I must of force bée conuersant not only with other Gentlemen his seruants but also in the Cour to discourse and deale with diuers persons of diuers countries nations yet I do it against the heart I goe to it as the Torteise to the inchauntment for I féele it a great trauell to my minde to vnderstand other mens talk to frame fit answeres thereto and to obserue suche circumstances as the qualitie of the persons and mine owne honor require which is nothing els but paine and subiection But when I withdrawe my selfe into my lodging either to reade or write or to repose my self then I recouer my libertie and let loose the raines thereof in suche sorte that hauing not to yéeld account of it selfe to any it is altogether applied to my pleasure and comfort Annib. Doe you thinke to recouer your health in continuing long that solitarie life Guaz. I dare not say so Annib. It is now that I begin to feare least this maladie be perchaunce incurable Guaz. And I nowe begin to know by your words that you are that plaine felow you told me you were But if those which should put heart into me discourage mée how shall I bée able to comfort my selfe Annib. Goe too Gentleman take heart at grasse for your euill is easie to bée cured Guaz. You haue in your hands the weapons of Achilles with the which you both woūd heale but it must néeds be that of these two contrarie propositions the one be false Annib. Both the one and the other is true For all the Phisitions not only of Fraunce but of all Europe no not Esculapius himselfe by any medicine either simple or cōpound can without great difficultie giue you the least helpe in the world so long as you ceasse not as I sée you doe not to procéede in your doings contrarie to their prescription minde On the other side I can assure you aswell by that you haue told me as by certain signes which I begin to discrie in you that your euill is easie to bée cured for that the medicine is in your owne handes whereby in short time you may bée restored to your health And to speake héereof more plainely I must néedes tell you that to exempt your selfe out of this euill you must first giue your selfe to cut of the cause and originall thereof Guaz. Howe shall I cut it of if I know it not Annib. I will let you know it your euill commeth of the false imaginatiō you haue by meanes wherof like
doores to doe our businesse in dealing with men for feare of ill companie As if you were bounde from Padua to Venice you will not let slip oportunitie for that you will not imbarke your selfe in a vessell wherin there are sometime men women religious seculer Souldiours Courtiers Almans Frenchmen Spaniards Iewes and other of diuers nations and qualities And therefore wée must force our will and make it sometime content it selfe with that it liketh not whereof followeth a vertue of necessitie Touching this I will tell you that the place time haue sometime forced mee to be present rather with my bodie then minde in the companie of those persons which I could verie ill away withall as beeing altogether different from my manner of life and profession from whom neuerthelesse I could not withdrawe my selfe least I shoulde bée thought to take vpon mée either too muche grauitie or too litle courtesie And though at the first I was in my dumpes yet afterwarde I went away well pleased and ioyful séeing that I had so well framed my selfe to the humours of others and that I had got my selfe honestly away being verie well thought of by the companie when I was gone so likewise when you shall be acquainted with the course of the worlde and when by long vse you shal be brought to abide the companie of suche manner of people you shal perceiue that if it be not good for your health yet at least it shal not be hurtful Guaz. I plainly perceiue the vnderstanding you haue as well of thinges belonging to the vertue of the minde as the health of the bodie And for that I loue of life to heare such discourses I should bee verie glad if it might so please you wee might enter into argument which is more auaileable to mans state of solitarines or coÌ„uersation for I would be loth you should at any time teach mée to take a medicine which might procure health to my bodie and sicknesse to my minde which I could neuer finde in my heart to doe but had a great deale rather ende my dayes hardly in some desart Anniball There are certeine kindes of spectacles which make thinges shewe greater then they are so your courteous good will maketh you go beyond the trueth in the iudgement of my knowledge which commeth nothing néere to that you speake of and yet it is not so litle but it knoweth that the Gentleman which warneth and summoneth me to this combat is verie well appointed of weapons and courage Yet notwithstanding without loosing any more time in excusing my ignoraunce I am readie to heare most willingly wherevpon your opinion is grounded which séemeth to incline to solitarinesse to the intent to answere you not learnedly but according to the abilitie of my weake capacitie Guaz. Thinke not I beséech you that I enter into the lystes against you like a subtile Logitian for I neuer learned the places from whence argumentes are drawen and that which I say is rather of mine owne opinion then by any iudgement or learning but my desire is to giue you occasion to giue mée some light of knowledge being willing rather to vnderstande then to withstande for when you make answere to my demaundes I take so great pleasure in it that I may say with the Poet Dant Your resolutions doe me content so well That I delight as much to aske as if my selfe could tel Annib. I attribute all that to your curtesie Nowe I will tell you touching this matter that if we will doe our diligent endeuour to searche out the effectes of solitarinesse and Conuersation howe many sortes there are of them and howe they are to be vnderstood wée shall soone be agreed and we shall not néede to imploy much time in reasoning of the matter Wherevpon I would haue vs differ a litle suspend these seuerall pointes and first intreate of this matter in generall that thereby I may haue occasion to enioy longer your delightfull and discréete communication But I will not forget as one that tendreth your health to put you in remembrance that it is not good for your sickly bodie to occupie your minde ouer earnestly in considering the matter ouer déepely for oftentimes the desire of gainsaying and to haue the vpper hande in reasoning doth inflame distemper and distroy the bodie And thereof come oftentimes reumes whiâ—h deceiue many Phisitions and make them iudge that they procéede of contrarie causes Wherefore I aduise you for your health and mine also not to bée too earnest in this discourse and so I shall with more ease be able to answere you Guaz. I am not sir any of those vainglorious persons which contende earnestly to the intent to be counted more braue fellowes then other I will vtter plainly those things which I remember to haue heard heretofore of the learned and which shall be put into my head by the spirite of reason referring afterward the whole to your sound perfect iudgement Annib. I am verie glad our discourses are rather familiar and pleasaunt then affected and graue and I protest for my parte many tymes as occasion shall serue to let you heare Prouerbes which verie Artificers haue in their mouth and comptes which are vsed to bée â—old by the fire side both for that I naturally liue by suche foode and also to giue you occasion to doe the like and thereby to haue an eye as well to the health of the bodie as the minde Guaz. I promise to imitate you so much as I may and to fall nowe to the skirmishe I say first that to climbe to the true seruice of God and the enioying of those heauenly incomprehensible and eternall benefites which he hath promised to his faithfull the desartes al by places and solitarie are the right ladders And contrariwise companies are nought els but hookes and tonges which withdrawing vs by force out of the course of our good thoughtes set vs in the way of distruction for that this life béeing full of suspitions deceites lasciuiousnesse periuries detractions enuy oppressions violences and other innumerable mischiefes a man can not turne his eyes aside but that he shal be forced to beholde some euil thing or other which entereth and insinuateth it selfe by a broade way vnto the heart where afterwarde are planted those venimous graftes which growe to the destruction of the soule The which neuer happeneth to the solitarie who being safe from all inticements intanglinges and surprises being altogether out of loue with the worlde is whollie raised vp to the contemplation of his originall and happie state Likewise whosoeuer will obteine Gods assistance by his prayers must abandon companies and withdrawe him selfe to his chamber for so God expresly commaundeth and therefore it is no meruell if hée were so well pleased with the deuout workes wrought especially in the wildernesse by the first fathers Abraham Isaac Iacob Moses Helias and Ieremie neither ought the example of our first father to way any lesser with
hath béen no such enemie to good company but that these wordes haue escaped forth of his mouth Had I beene with her But that he hath frequented Courts and entred into amitie with many Princes and Gentlemen I speake not of Hierosme Vida for that not so much in respect of the workes hée hath written being gotten alone by himselfe as for the learning hee shewed by word of mouth in publike counsaile and for that hée had long time vsed the Court of Rome and by his déedes giuen other good example to doe well he hath gotten not onely the myter vnder which hée hath a great while gouerned the flocke committed vnto him but besides hath wonne the credite of a Prelate worthy of a higher degrée Moreouer that hée exalteth the solitary life to the intent to shewe his great wit in debasing it afterwards with diuers and inuincible reasons amongst the which he affirmeth that all beasts so soone as they are deliuered from their damme get vpon their féet and are able to stand a high alon which nature woulde not graunt to man who so soone as hée is borne néedeth the assistance and support of others If that reason bée not sufficient hée addeth that the same nature hath giuen speeche to man not to the ende to speake to himselfe which were to no purpose but to the ende it might stande in steede towardes other And you sée that the tongue serueth vs to teache to demaunde to conferre to traffike to counsaile to correct to dispute to iudge and to expresse the affection of our hearte meanes whereby men come to loue one another and to linke themselues together And hée concludeth at the end that a man can not attaine to any science if it bée not taught him by some other You sée then Gentleman that conuersation is not onely profitable but moreouer necessary to the perfection of man who must confesse that hee is lyke the Bée which cannot liue alone And therefore according to the graue opinion of the Stoikes we must thinke that as all thinges vppon the earth are made for the vse of man so man is created for the vse of man to the intent that following nature as their guide and Mistres they haue to succour one another to communicate together common profites in giuing and receiuing vniting and binding themselues together by artes occupations and faculties so that hee may repute himselfe an vnfortunate man which hath not the meanes by conuersation to purchase his owne profite and other mens a punishement inflicted by the lawes on some offendors for a kinde of torment For there is no greater affliction then to liue amongst men and to bée depriued of the ayde and companie of men And to ende my talke there is héere on earth no pleasure to bee receiued without companie which made Architas Tarentinus to say that if any might by Gods permission ascend to heauen and there beholde the nature of the world and the beautie of the starres that sight woulde bée no great delight vnto him if hee had not some or other to whom he might impart it and tel what he sawe * You may perceiue then heereby that neither aire fire nor water affoorde vs more aide in al our néeds then conuersation doth But if perchaunce al these things be not sufficient to prooue this matter vnto you I am redy to bring you touching this many other reasons so substantiall as these already rehearsed Guaz. I am forced to say with the Poet. Neither yea neither nay can I resolue flatly to say For notwithstanding I féele my selfe greafly comforted with your gentle discourse yet there sticke in my stomacke some doubts which make me say vnto you that as the stepmother by extreeme hatred discerneth not the vertues of her sonne in law the mother by excessiue loue on the contrary side knoweth not the imperfections of her own sonne so you likewise shew your selfe to be surprised with the same passions to find fault with solitarinesse commend conuersatioÌ„ for so much as you haue not told the good which 〈◊〉 of y e solitary life nor the euill which commeth of conuersation Wherefore to manifest and discouer that which you kéepe secret I say vnto you that my meaning was not to defende and commend those persons who moued either by some sodaine toy which taketh them in the head or of some melancholy humor rather then of any good minde doe altogether withdrawe themselues into solitary places and take no keepe to knowe what wée doe in the worlde but I amount them for dead or at least for men which are good neither for themselues nor other and being not willing to put in practise their vertue to their owne profite nor to teache it to others which stande in nâ—ede of it I vse to compare them to the Foxe who had rather 〈◊〉 and breake his tayle against the ground to 〈◊〉 profit then to giue a little of it to the Ape to couer his priuy parts Likewise I neuer meant to deny but that in haunting the companie of men a man may doe woorkes acceptable to GOD my opinion was and is yet that to the perfection of man which if I bée not deceiued consisteth chiefly in knowledge solitarinesse is more auayleable then conuersation And for proofe thereof you sée howe those which busie themselues in the affaires of the worlde are for the most parte without learning and contrariwise those which couet to get learning seeke it not in publike places amongest a multitude of men but in their studies priuie Chambers Neither is it to purpose to say that some learned waxe sots and fooles in company for that this foolishnesse is estéemed to bée so onely by the vulgar sorte who séeing them vnskilful howe to make courtesie after the newe fashion howe to set the cappe aside howe to daunce in measure and kéepe time with the musike and howe to stoute another finely according to the common fashion laugheth them to scorne and maketh small reckoning of them But for all that they are fauoured and honoured amongst other learned men who take for plainnesse of manners and gentlenesse of minde that which the common soâ—te calleth foolishnesse Nowe let vs turne the leafe I pray you and set one of these scoffers in the middest of a compaâ—â— of learned men and you shall sée him straightway either to bée stroke dumbe to his shame or else to speake to his dishonour like as hee who being by chaunce amongest certaine learned men which reasoned of the excellency of Poets pricked forwarde by his owne ambitious ignorance interrupted their talke saying that without any more contention Horace was to bée preferred before all other Poets for that Petrarch was of that opinion and had already preferred him before Homer and Virgil and beeing required to bring foorth that opinion of Petrarch hée answered foorthwith If Virgil and Homer had seene Horace alone gainst all Tuscane Wherevpon they fell to laughing more hartily then the schollers
possesse that gift And for my part I confesse vnto you I haue not bestowed muche studie about those pointes But if your pleasure be that we shal roaue at them perchaunce we shall come neare the marke of the Authours of Rethorike Guaz. Euen as it shall please you Annib. I consider first of all that the first part of action consisteth in the voice which ought to measure it forces and to moderate it selfe in suche sort that though it straine it selfe somewhat yet it offend not the eares by a rawe and harshe sownde like as of stringes of instrumentes when they breake or when they are yll striken Guaz. To say the trueth that is the pronuntiation of the most part of our Monferins and muche more of those of Piemount who with the shrilnesse of their wordes goe thorow ones eares Annib. Yet wée must take héede we speake not so softly that we can scarce be heard Guaz. That is the voyce of Hypocrites and our holy Ankers who séeme to speake with the mouth of death Annib. Nexte wée must take héede to bring forth our woordes distinctly and to separate the sillables mary in suche sorte that wée set not foorth euerie letter as litle children doe when they learne to reade which is a verie vnpleasant hearing Guaz. The people of Verona and Venice séeme to erre in that Annib. But on the other side it is not méete to vtterous wordes in suche hast that like meate in the mouth of one almost starued they bée swallowed downe without chewing Guaz It is vsed of the Genowayes and those of Corâ—a Annib. And therefore it is necessarie to vse a meane that the pronuntiation be neither too swift nor too flow But we must take héede aboue all thinges that the last sillables be heard plainly least we fall into the fault of some who suffer the last letters to die betwéene their téeth Like as he who for feare to say amisse durst bring foorth neither Tempum nor Tempus but Tempt and therefore wée must speake freely without supping vp our woordes and bringing them but halfe foorth Guaz. Louers commonly vse such vncertaine and broken spéeches Annib. We must likewise take héede we speake not out of the throate like one that hath some meate in his mouth which is too hotte or els is almost choaked with the reume Guaz. This is the imperfection of the Florentines and those of Luqua who haue their throates full of aspirations Annib. Some others offende as muche who opening their mouth too muche fill it with winde and make the woordes resowne within as an Eccho doeth in Caues and hollowe places Guaz. As I think that is the natural custome of those of Mantua and Cremona wherin those of Naples also kéepe them company Annib. Lastly the voyce must be neither fainte like one that is sicke or like a begger neither shrill nor loud like a crier or like a schoolemaister which doeth dictate or rehearse to his scholers some theame or epistle For it would be saide as it was saide to one If thou singest thou singest yll if thou readest thou singest Guaz. I doe not thinke for all that you woulde haue vs in speaking vse alwayes one tune and measure Annib. No verily for the pleasure of spéech so wel as of Musicke procéedeth of the chaunge of the voyce yea to ende this talke I woulde haue you know that as we sometimes stande sometimes walke sometimes sit without continuing long in either of them so the change of the voice * like an instrument of diuers strings * is verie acceptable and easeth both the hearer and the speaker and yet we must sée that this change be made with discretion in time place according to the qualitie of the woordes and the diuersitie of the sentences and sayinges Guaz. As far as I sée you haue nothing els to say touching this action Annib. No more touching the voyce but there is an other parte which perteineth to the iesture whereof perchaunce it were better to say nothing then speake too litle for that there belong vnto it so many circumstances that for my part I am not able to rehearse them Guaz. It is muche in my opinion to kéepe a certaine maiestie in the iesture which speaketh as it were by vsing silence and constraineth as it were by way of commaundement the hearers to haue it in admiration and reuerence Annib. Yet herein is required such a moderation that a man with too litle be not immoueable like an image neither with too much too busie like an Ape and as the one stirring no parte thinking to get the opinion of grauitie incurreth the suspition of folly and is taken for a feigned person brought in to speake hauing of him selfe no life so the other by the libertie of his iestures thinking to vse a plausible kinde of curtesie whereby to winne fauour speaketh a playerlike kinde of lightnesse whereby hée getteth discommendation I will not in this place aduise him that speaketh to holde his head vpright to take héede of licking or byting the lippes and to sée the woordes agrée to the iesture as the daunce doeth to the sowne of the instrument neither likewise doe I thinke it méete to admonishe the hearer to take héede of rude lowtishe lookes of wrying the bodie aside of too set a grauitie in lookes of too sower a countenaunce of gazing about him of whispering in any others eare of laughing without occasion of gaping too wide of shewing him selfe gréeued at the speakers wordes and of all those thinges whereby you may either amaze him that speaketh or els séeme to bée wearie of his talke I will not I say speake of these thinges for I should but make a recitall of Galatee and those bookes whiche the morall Philosophers and Rhetoritians haue written vppon this matter These are thinges whiche are learned not so muche by readyng as by vsing company for when an other speaketh wée marke what liketh and what disliketh and by that wée knowe what we ought to auoyde and what to followe as when wee our selues speake and that wee sée some of the hearers litle attentiue or some other way to vse some yll behauiour wée learne by his inciuilitie how we ought to behaue our selues in hearing others It shall suffice then to say for this time that touching this action wee must frame all the bodie in suche sort that it séeme neither to bée of one whole immooueable lumpe neither yet to bee altogether loosely disioynted Guaz. That is wée must imitate those which neither Saintlike are too ceremonious neither Iugglerlike are too quicke and too full of action Annib. Iust. But aboue all it behooueth him which by his action is willing to mooue an ether to féele first some motions in him selfe and to drawe foorth the affections of his heart in suche sort that the hearers séeing them shew without the eyes may be mooued by the verie countenance of him that speaketh Guaz. This same in my iudgement is one of the best
and necessariest aduertisementes which you haue hythervnto giuen for that the ende of the speaker being to stirre vp the affections of others hée ought to take paine in it And it can not be that you shoulde bée sorowfull for my mishap if while I recount it vnto you you perceiue not me to be sorowfull Neither can I possibly wring the teares from your eyes vnlesse I first wipe them from mine owne To be short one thing can not giue to an other that which it selfe hath not And I say againe that this is a notable precept whereby you put mée in minde of some persons whom I knowe happily indowed with this gift And amongest other my Lorde the most reuerend Archbishop of Thurin Seigneur Hierosme de la Rouere who by his learning eloquence good conuersation and godly life began euen from his infancie to make all men haue him in admiration and to bée very well thought of in all companies hée commeth in and yet hée is become so expert in this action which you haue proposed that not only by his swéete filed graue and distinct words but also by the windowes of his eyes by the clearenesse of his countenance and by the séemelynesse of his gestures hée doeth so open within his commendable affections that on the one side and the other hée carryeth away mens heartes whither it pleaseth him Annib. You sée then that the inwarde action ought to Goe before the outwarde so that the sounde of the wordes and the motions of the body bée thrust forwarde by the affections of the hearte * And of all this our discourse wée may gather this that there is aswell eloquence of body as of mind and that many are counted elequent for some or for only one part of Rethorike which is iustified by the example of Apuleius who was iudged most eloquent for his countenance gesture and comely moouing of the body with the which good partes hée more allured his auditours then with copie of wordes It is saide further that Hortensius tooke more paines in trimming vp his body then in framing of his speache so that it was doubtfull whether men ranne rather to beholde him then to heare him So great agréement is there betwéene the words and the countenance and the countenance and the wordes * Now for somuch as wée haue saide and concluded as muche as is sufficient touching the tongue it is requisite wée come to those partes which consist in manners and as hytherto wée haue intreated of the bewtie of golde nowe wée must consider of the value of it Guaz. You haue in few wordes so well satisfyed mée touching Action that nowe you make mée desirous to heare some other point touching talke And as that which you haue hether vnto said concerneth only the pronuntiation of wordes and the gestures of the body so I woulde bée very glad it might now please you to speake of those points which apperteine to the ornament and bewtifiyng of speach which discourse wyll not excéede the capacitie of men of meane vnderstanding Annib. I haue already tolde you that wée must not climbe vp that great trée to gather the fruites which are on the top of it for that we shall haue much to do to get thither and fewe there bée that will bée able to followe vs and wée ought to thinke our selues wel that wée haue reached with our handes those fewe leaues and flowers which hang ouer our head And for that the chiefest vertue is to abstaine from vice I first admonishe him which taketh pleasure in ciuile conuersation to eschewe all things which make the talke lesse delightfull to the hearers as to vse more briefenesse then is requisite for the plain setting foorth of the matter hée hath vndertaken to speake of which troubleth much the hearers For as if they were iuditially to examine an offendour they shall bee driuen by continuall demaundes forcibly to wring foorth of his mouth those things which to explane the matter throughly hée ought to vtter without asking But on the other side hée must not vse superfluous wordes nor bée tedious to his hearers with long Prefaces and other impertinent circumstances besides the matter whiche sheweth him a vaine trifler without iudgement and maketh him nothing acceptable to his Auditors Guaz. By many wordes many imperfections are discouered and as a wise man saide If to haue the tongue still walking and iabbering were a signe of wisedome the Swallowes might verily bée saide to bée more sage then vs. Annib. * Therevpon it is that the lawmaker being asked why hée ordeined so fewe lawes for the Lacedemonians Answered that a fewe lawes were enough for those that vsed but fewe wordes * But those which vse varietie and intreate of diuers matters though they vse many wordes yet they weary not their hearers so much as those doe who according to the Prouerbe Make of the flie an Elephant and of a matter of nothing along tale * which Agesilaus finding fault with saide hée liked not of that Shoomaker which made a great shooe for a little foote * There are many other imperfections of speache which I will not rehearse for that hée whiche giueth attentiue eare shall bée well able to discerne and knowe them in him who speaketh yll I will say that amongest other faultes there is one common to the most part of men who by negligence vse to repeate some one worde verie often and some there are who speaking by the mouth of another rehearse often this sayth hée which is very vnséemely Another at the beginning of euery sentence commeth in with nowe Syr and some there are who when they will not or can not signifie thinges by their proper names in stéede thereof say what shal I call it Guaz. The first faulte of these last rehearsed is very vnséemely for him which speaketh but much more for him which writeth and I haue noted that many hauing some speciall affection to some woorde or to some manner of speache haue sowed it in a thousande places and in euery leafe of their booke coulde not refraine from continuall repetition of the same wordes or phrases of speache And therefore there are whiche say the writinges of Bembo woulde haue better grace if these wordes Paeuentenole fortuneuole and suche like were not so often inserted in them whiche gaue occasion to the Cardinall Farnese to say iestingly as hee behelde a house at Bologne built with many windowes Questa casa secundo il Bembo é molto fenestreuole Annib. Wée must in our talke take héede of those faultes and others suche like other aduertisementes which I can at this time giue touching the commendable pointes in talke are that euery one indeuour to expresse the thinges whereof hée speaketh so plainely that hée maketh them séene and touched as it were with the finger vsing wordes proper significant and of efficacie Guaz. I count him most happy which hath that grace and I knowe some Gentlemen so meruellous in that point that they
haue letten their Portis fall out of their handes at the sight of women Annib. If I bée not of the order of that Philosopher neither am I of the disorder and lightnesse of those who are in loue with euery one they looke on and haue so litle hold of them selues that they will bee lost in the lookes of a woman and are no more to bée séene in them selues Yea their folly is so great that if a woman shewe but a merry countenance make some signe by chaunce or vse any other iesture they apply it all to themselues as done in their fauour and filled with a thousande vaine pleasures and oftentimes make court to suche a one whose minde is farre of both from them and their purpose Guaz. And this is also a fault of women who are commonly saide to be like death for that they followe those who flie them and flie those which séeke them Annib. Honest women flie in déede those which follow them dishonestly Yea and the vnhonest flie too though they suffer themselues soone to be ouertaken But you shall neuer finde woman so shamelesse but that shée thinketh it a fault to followe others and will be first sued to her selfe So that y e fault is not as you say in the woman but in the man But you seeme to be a verie rebell against women Guaz. I am no rebell vnto them for that I neuer promised or swore faith or fealtie vnto them But howe can a man loue them that are called women of the woe and hurt they bring to men Anniball And why not of the woe and hurt they driue from men which is confirmed by God him selfe who saith he made them for a helpe and comfort to man Guaz. What to helpe to consume a man as the Poet saide Lesbia doeth sucke the purse and bodie drie to buy loue so deere is most extreeme follie Annib. That is not the Conuersation that wée are to speake of and it séemed verie straunge to mée that you béeing a Courtier shoulde professe your selfe suche an enemy to women Guaz. Pardon mée I pray you I mistooke you then for so soone as you began to speake of the Conuersation of women I thought you had ment of those with whom men trie their manhood withall in amorous incounters For I thinke that those which make profession of the life ought to learne the meanes howe to trafike together in suche sort that they may liue long time together in loue and liking And touching women of honestie and reputation you know well that it is my part not only to reuerence them but to maintaine and defende their honour and good name both with word and with sword Yea though dutie did not constraine me to do it yet affection should cary me to it hauing béen alwayes most desirous of their fauour Annib. We can not sauing our honour speake of the Conuersation which you meane and in my fancy it is our partes rather to ouerthrow it then to build it vp as a thing vnworthy of the ciuil Conuersation And to the ende you remaine no longer in suspence I woulde haue you with mée thinke this that the nature of man is inclined to nothing more then to y e loue of womeÌ„ But that we may not be deceiued we must know that there is one Venus in heauen and another in earth the latter is the mother of wanton loue the other of honest affection Wanton loue is nothing els but a passion which blindeth the vnderstanding peruerteth the minde confoundeth the memory wasteth the goods weakeneth the body withereth youth killeth age which is the bréeder of vices an inhabiter in idle and empty heads which is a thing without reason without order without any stay a fault proper to fooles and which is the abridger of mans libertie Guaz. It appeareth you are well acquainted with our Boccace séeing you remember so well his sayings wheretoo may be added that of the Poet I see the thing I doe the trueth which to my cost I know no whit doth me deceiue yet loue so rules the rost that who so foloweth it no vertue folow shall for vnto lewdnesse to vice it doeth him daily call Annib. For conclusion so soone as this loue hath taken roote in the heart in the same instant are lost goods honestie renoume vertue yea body â—oule And therfore al those who are folowers of this foÌ„d brutish loue are to be admitted only into the company of incontinent and naughtie women For they are not worthie the presence and entertainment of the honest vertuous Next foloweth the heauenly loue which being inamoured with the beauties of the minde is the cause of much good and of many commendable effectes For it maketh men affable discréete curteous painfull pacient valiant and as a braue writer hath alredie saide It taketh from men all rude and clownishe behauiour it maketh them familiar in companye pleasaunte at the Table amiable euerye waye It is the chiefe bringer in of mercy and banisher of crueltie it bréedeth friendship and driueth away hatred it is it whiche maketh a man friendly liberall desirous to doe well and loth to doe yll it is a wise guide in our trauayles in our desires and in our woordes to conclude it is the most perfect ornament of mans life And truely if you marke the order of feastes playes and merie méetinges of friendes you will say that all those assemblyes are colde and nothing delightfull if there bée no women at them For as men in their presence plucke vp their spirites and indeuour by woordes iestures and all other wayes to giue them to vnderstande howe desirous they are of their fauour and good will so you ought to thinke the obiect béeing out of their eyes they will become carelesse mannerlesse and lesse readie to commendable enterprises To bée shorte women are they whiche kéepe men waking and in continuall exercise yea I thinke there is no man so lazy and drouzy but that he will open his eyes when hee heareth talke of women And so soone as hée spyeth comming a farre of her whom hée hath placed most néere to his heart I warrant you he setteth his ruffes hée turneth his Cappe and feather the right way hée pulleth vp his cloake about his shoulders hée standeth a tiptoe hée sheweth a ioyfull and smyling countenaunce and hée séemeth to be become a newe man that hée may bee more acceptable to the sight of his mistresse in whose presence hée chaungeth colour and looketh pale by reason that his heart abandoneth his bodie to followe her béeing drawne as it were by it owne image Guaz. Women doe the verie same who I warrant you woulde not be so fine so trimmed and tricked vp so amiable euery way but of a desire to please men Annib. You sée then that this loue is no lesse mutuall then honest Guaz. Yea but if this loue were so honest as you make it you shoulde not sée men shewe them selues more affectionate
Methridates who for her husbands sake causing her head to be polled and framing her selfe to ride and weare armure like a maÌ„ accompanied him valiantly faithfully patieÌ„tly in al his troubles perils which gaue Methridates wonderfull coÌ„fort in his aduersitie gaue the world to vnderstand that there is nothing so troublesome greeuous but that the two hearts of the husband and the wife lincked togither are abâ—e to support it And therefore when the husbandes are afflicted with any infirmity either of mind or body let the wiues bee ready both in word and deed to comfort and to attend them whereby they shall see their loue and affection will growe more feruent and faithfull For conclusion the husband and the wyfe muste count all thinges common betweene them hauing nothing of their owne in particulâ—r no not so much as the body it selfe and laying aside pryde they must cheerefully set their handes to chose thinges that are to be done about y e house beloÌ„ging to their calling to striue in well doing one to ouercome another whereof will growe such conteÌ„ted quietnesse as will happily prolong their liues to old age and by the bond of loue concorde they shal giue their children an example to liue in vnitie one with an other and their seruauntes to agree together in the dispatche of their businesse and discharge of their duties Guaz. For so much as you haue made mention of children I should like well y t from henceforth according to our determination you come to speake of the conuersation betweene y e parents the children for I think it a matter very expedieÌ„t to set down y e orders which they ought to obserue in conuersing togither for y e euen amongst theÌ„ there is not for y e most part found that good agreemeÌ„t and y e discrete dealing which ought to be that the world is now come to this passe y t the child is no sooner come to any vnderstanding but that he beginneth to cast in his head of his fathers death as a little childe riding behind his father sayde simply vnto him Father when you are dead I shal ride in the Saddle yea there are many great knauish children which wish and worke the death of their fathers whereof I know not well to whom to impute the fault either to the fathers which keepe not their children in such awe neyther bring them vp in such sorte as they ought to do or to the children who know not how much they are beholding to their fathers Annib. And which of theÌ„ in the end rather conclude you to be in the fault Guaz. Marye the Childe who can not bring an action agaynst his father though he do him neuer so great wrong Annib. Why sayd you not but now that the child often times knoweth not his duty to his father Guaz. Yes mary did I. Annib. To whom wil you giue the charge to make the child know and vnderstand that duty Guaz. To the Father Annib. Then reuoke your first sentence and conclude that the fault is in the father who ought to haue infourmed him in his duty Guaz. If the father giue his sonne good lessons he will not hearken vnto them what can he doe more if the Father offereth instructions with the right hand the childe receiueth them with the left hand what fault is the Father in Annib. If the father in time teach him to vse his right haÌ„d he will neuer grow to be left handed but it is no marueile if hauing suffered him to vse that ill custome a long tyme he cannot afterwardes take it from him And therefore hee ought to accuse his owne negligence for that he hath deferred till euening to giue him â—hose instructions whiche hee should haue giuen him earlye in the morning at the Sunne rysing euen together as it were with the milke of y e Nurse not considering that in tender mindes as it were in waxe a man may make what impression he lift Guaz. I know not how you can excuse the children who after the father hath nourished and brought them vp carefully vnder the charge of learned men and instructed them in the faith of Christ in the end run astray and liuing lewdlye bring foorth fruite vnworthy their good bringing vp Annib. That happeneth very sieldome though it do happen yet for al y t the fathers are not discharged of the care ouer them which God himselfe hath inioyned them to Guaz. I marueile not so much y t a child vertuously brought vp sometime falleth out naught or if therevpon afterwardes ariseth discord betwene his father him for y e vnlikenesse of manners may be the cause of it but I count it strange as it were agaynst nature y t both y e father y e sonne being both honest men and for their good dealing wel spoken of by all men it shal often fall out that they cannot agree together in the house but liue in continuall strife and dissention and agreeing well in publike affayres still disagree about househould matters whereof I could bring you many examples Annib. You sayd but erewhile that the child ought not to commence an action agaynst the father if you will stand to that sentence you must needes confesse that the sonne how honest soeuer he be doth not honestly when he withstandeth his father and conformeth not himselfe to his pleasure Guaz. I auow and make good that the sonne ought to suffer the father to commaunde ouer him and that hee ought to obay him without any resistaunce but that their conuersation may frame the better I thinke it necessarye to appointe to the father how he ought to proceed in his fatherly iurisdiction y t he exceede not y e bonds of reason and giue not his sonne cause if not to oppose himselfe against his pleasure yet to find fault w t him in his hart to think himself ill delt withal by him by means wherof he waxeth cold faint in y e loue reuerence which he ought to beare to his father Annib. I can neuer forget y e vndoubted saying y e fewe children are like the father that many of them are worse and y e those which are better are very rare thin sowed I would haue vs first therfore serch out y e cause why so fewe children resemble the father answere to y e hope he coÌ„ceiueth of theÌ„ whereof ariseth disagreement betweene them by y t meane we shal better vnderstaÌ„d what their conuersatioÌ„ ought to be Guaz. With all my hart Annib. First it is to be considered that children bring smal or no comfort vnto their parents if nature fortune bee not well tempered in them Guaz. How so Annib. As a fruitful graine sowed in a soyle vnfit for it bringeth forth no increase so a child which is naturally giueÌ„ to learning shal neuer do well if he be giuen to warfare so much it importeth to finde out in the beginning
and reuerently wayting vpon him to be ready at the holding vp of his fynger to execute his commaundementes they thereby take example to doe their duetye lykewyse and not to bee inferioure in obedyence to Seruauntes and Straungers and besides indeuour to be like in deedes to their Father that they maye in tyme to come receiue the lyke reuerence of their Seruauntes as they see their father doeth of his for the Father which giueth an ill example to the chylde in tyme shall be had in contempte by the Chylde and abandoned of him so that he shall neyther receyue succoure of him in his latter dayes nor in his last day that last duty to cloase vp his eyes Besides the father by liuing disorderly and dishonestly manye tymes make a hande of those goods whiche the children shoulde liue by Guaz. That agreeth with this Children many tymes are made for to weepe By reason of the ill rule their fathers did keepe Annib. Yea there are some cases wherein the seelye Infantes which haue not offended are punished for their Fathers faulte And thinking to my selfe that lawe to be too rigorous I asked one daye Mayster Frauncis Beccio the occasion whiche mooued the Emperour Iustinian to sette downe any such seuere lawe and amongest a greate manye reasons which hee aleaged vnto mee this was the cheefe That the Father naturallye fearing the ill of his Children more then of himselfe will the better keepe himself from cōmitting suche offences whereof his children shall beare the punishment whereby we may know that the ill life of the father bringeth to the Children both loffe and shame and that he must not perswade him that it is ynough to giue his children good counsayle vnlesse his deedes bee agreeable thereto for the children respecte not so muche that which the father sayth as that which he doth like as the Crauish somtime did Who his mother telling him that it was very vnseemely for him to go arsewarde as hee die aunswered Doe you leade mee the waye otherwyse and you shall see I will followe you And therefore hee that desyreth to amende his Children muste fyrst amende hymself and by the example of piety charity iustice other vertues make them charitable iust and vertuous and when he shall walke vpright by himselfe hee maye boldlye take vp others for haulting lyke as Dionisius sometyme didde who taking his sonne in a faulte sayde vnto him Haste thou euer seene mee commit the lyke faulte No sayth his Sonne you had no king to your father whereto he replyed Neyther shalt thou haue a king to thy sonne as it fell out in deede for in the ende for his crueltye and Tyranny he was driuen out of his kingdome and was constrayned by necessitie to go rouing vp and downe vntill hee founde meanes to teache children and keepe a schoole Let vs nowe passe to the other occasions of the infortunate conuersation betweene the father and the chylde whereof there are two which now come in my mynd the one is when the father is more then a mother the other when he is more then a father Guaz. Howe meane you that he should be more then a mother Annib. When he is so blinded that he seeth not the imperfections of his childe or if hee see them yet is readye to commende them or to excuse them in such sorte that if his sonne be haughty or harebrained he termeth him couragious if he be base minded he counteth him modest if a prating boye hee will haue him on Gods name to be an Orator and in flattering thus himselfe hee frameth in his imagination the best childe in the worlde with the whiche blindnesse the fathers of one onlye childe are for the moste part stroken I must needes in this place mention vnto you a youth of fyfteene or sixteene yeares of age of a readye witte but otherwise vicious dissolute and lewde of life by the fault of the father and mother who are so farre from correcting him that they dare not so muche as threaten him nor saye anye worde to him whiche maye displease him And I remember when he was fyue or sixe yeres olde if anye tolde them that they muste rebuke him for some faulte whiche he hadde done they would excuse him by and by saying hee was not yet of age to knowe his fault And beeing seuen or eyghte yeeres olde they woulde neuer beate hym nor threaten him doubting leaste through great feare and perturbation of the spirites his blood shoulde bee chaufed and inflamed whereby hee mighte bee cast into an ague No at tenne yeeres old they thought not good to trouble or molest him aleaging that strypes and threates mighte pull downe his courage too muche and take from hym his Noble stomache And though nowe for his naughtye conditions hee bee hated of the whole Towne yet they leaue not to excuse hym styll saying hee must fyrst growe and then after bee wyse and that within these fewe dayes they will sende hym to Schoole where hee shall learne witte I looke nowe when hee shall bee of age to bee hanged on the Gallowes to heare him before the people to laye the fault on his Father and mother and iustlye to curse their foolishe loue and shamefull cockering and sufferaunce attempting as once one didde to teare their Noase or their eares of with his teeth Guaz. Thereby it is seene that a chylde though of neuer so good a witte yet beeing ill broughte vp prooueth too bad but I looked you woulde haue tolde that in the ende hee hadde beaten his Father to make him amendes or that hee had driuen him out of the house as the Serpent was by the Irchin for to giue a childe so greate libertye is to putte weapons into his hand whiche often tymes hee vseth agaynste his parentes but this greate cockering and compassion is proper to the mother who commonlye bringeth vp her chyldren with more tender affection then discretion And there are few to bee seene at this daye whiche by the example of the Spartane women haue the heartes to saye to theire children in deliuering them a Tergate Come no more in my sighte but eyther with this retourning victoryous from the field or vppon this being brought dead out of the fielde but rather goe about to withstand the honourable thoughtes and enterprises of their children and woulde haue them both in countenaunce and conditions like to women Annib. It is a hard matter for a mother to be fond of her children and wise both together Guaz. But the right loue is to beate and correcte them when they shall deserue it and as the Poet sayth The rod doth not make lesse the mothers loue Annib. If the excesse of loue be to be blamed in the mother much more is it to be reproued in the father whose part it is to examine and correct his childrens faultes assuring himselfe that the only way to spyll them is to bee too fond and tender ouer them Guaz. But whiche are those fathers
they make all the house to shake not knowing that as the Poet sayth Great force lies hid in gentle Soueraigntie And therefore let Maysters to take heede of contrarying this saying I will not like a Lyon eyther dysorder thy househoulde seruauntes or oppresse thy subiects Now when the Mayster knoweth he hath gotten the loue the fidelity and the sufficiency of his seruant hee must bee carefull â—â— any wise to keepe that whiche he hath gotten whereto there is nothing of more efficacy then to vse him courteously ayding hym in hys troubles visiting hym in hys sicknesse and bestowing on hym when occasion shall serue that whiche shall cost the Mayster little and pleasure the seruant much who thinketh himselfe nothing beholding to hys Mayster for the wages whiche hee hath for his trauayle but onelye for that which he shall vppon his courtesy liberallye bestowe vpon him And that Mayster is greatly deceyued which thinketh that his seruaunt whether he bee a Gentleman or not serueth him onely for wages withoute hope of other recompense And therefore let him not forget to rewarde the good Seruaunt and keepe him alwayes aboute him as a precious thing remembring that the seruaunte is in a certayne sorte one part of the mayster and that there is nothing in this life more necessary then a good Seruaunte Wherevpon it is written if thou haue a trusty seruaunt let him be vnto thee as thine owne soule Lette not the mayster take scorne to heare his reasons sometimes to consult with him and to gouerne himselfe according to his faythfull aduise for that there haue been founde Seruauntes who haue more aduaunced and profyted their maysters house then his Brothers or Children haue To conclude the maister ought to vse his seruaunt familiarlye remembring to intreate his inferiours as hee woulde bee intreated by his Superioures which hauing regard vnto hee will alwayes flye that detestable vice of ingratitude and according as hee shall increase in habilitye hee will aduaunce the state of his Seruaunt besides his promised hyre not faile to recompence liberally according to his power the long and faythfull seruice which he hath done him Guaz. You haue as far as I see by one selfe meane instructed both the maister the seruant yet I should thinke it not amisse that the seruant had some speciall charge giuen him Annib. I giue in charge to the seruant to learne the meaning of this old prouerbe It is a hard matter to make a bed for a dogge for as a man cannot tell on which side hee will lye when he goeth turning round being ready to lye downe so a seruant cannot tell what seruice he may do acceptable and agreable to his maister being for the most hart variable and diuers And therefore the maister being of so delicate a nature hee muste determyne wyth hymselfe to take anye payne in seruice and yet all will be scarse ynough to contene him but he must take heed of falling into the common errour of seruauntes who like a new broome whiche sweepeth the house cleane serue diligentlye at the first but after growe slouthfull That is not the waye to gette fauour for not hee which beginneth wel is worthy of recompense but he which perseuereth in wel doing And the seruaunt must thinke that his mayster will looke that he should rather heate then coole himselfe in seruice Let the seruaunte also conforme all his thoughtes and doinges to the will and pleasure of his Mayster and to tye the Asse as they say where his maister will haue him tyed without any contradiction for there is nothing that spites a man more then to see him who is bounde vnto him and who ought to obay him to make resistaunce against him That he goe not about to creepe in credite with his mayster by flattery or hipocrisie but to serue and obaye him with an vnfaigned hart for by faygned words men gather an argument of faythlesse deedes whereby his mayster beginneth to suspect him to thinke that he had more neede be ouerlooked then instructed but in any wise lette him not forget to doe his faythfull and true intent not for feare but for duties sake like as a good wise fellow answered to one who sayd vnto him If I take thee to my seruice wilt thou be an honest man Yea sayd he though you take me not And for that all seruice is ill bestowed which is not well accepted and that there is no greater greefe then to serue and not to please when after certayne proofe he seeth that he cannot frame himselfe to his maysters fancy let him seeke to depart from him rather with his good will then his ill And when he seeth that he is in his maisters bookes let him there holde him saying in his heart Happy is he who serueth the happy and not seeke chaunge remembring that the rolling stone getteth no mosse To be short let there be no want fouÌ„d in him of loue of reuerence of faithfulnesse of diligence of warinesse of readinesse of secretnesse lette him not accounte of his owne life being in his maysters seruice and lette him perswade with himselfe eyther as the prouerbe is To serue like a hinde or runne away like a hart Guaz. It now commeth in my head that we haue not ordered our matters as we should haue done for that wee haue spoken of the conuersation of priuate maisters with the basest sort of seruauntes whereas wee shoulde fyrst haue spoken of the Conuersation betweene the Prince and the Courtyer Annib. We fayd yesterday that Princes had no neede of our instructions and therefore it is not needefull to prescribe vnto them any orders how to entertayne their traine for they behaue themselues in their courtes honourablye peacibly and quietly they iniury not their seruaunts either in wordes or deedes neyther are those disorders to be seene in Princes Courtes as are commonlye in pryuate houses to be â—reeft they are euery way faultlesse Guaz. Seing you are so loth whatsoeuer the matter bee to set down any fourme of coÌ„uersatioÌ„ to princes yet would it might please you to prescribe some order at least to their seruants that our discourse may be no way defectuous Annib. Besides that it is now late and that I am called away to other businesse you know we are eased of this labour by him who with his learned penne hath most perfectly fourmed the Courtier Guaz. That Gentleman by the excellencye of that worke hath no doubt won to himselfe immortall fame neyther hath he omitted any thing belonging to the duty of a right courtyer but for all that I would it might please you to obserue the order of a diligent Phisition who besides the receytes of other Phisitions wil be sure to minister to his Patient somwhat of himselfe Annib. I will not stick to giue you two receites if one be not ynough And for that it were to doe wrong to gentlemen to propose vnto them those simple common things to witte the loue fidelitie diligence