Swoorde the wanton inquireth for a glasse And I knowe that in Bookes as in open fieldes euery man pursueth that game that he lyketh best a noble minde wil chase the Hart but fooles pick Dasies if they may find them Therfore if idle Drones assayle me let them know that I shewe no sporte for them my desire is to seeke out meate for manly stomackes I haue seene what Cankers shoote alofte where amorous toyes are dayly sowen He that troubleth the Springe where you shoulde drinke may be turnd to a Frog if Iuno frowne Such as flatter the Reader with vaine delightes beare the shape of a monster in their heartes and are to be fled as dangerous shelues Those stormes that forbid vs to shoot into harbor ar more to bee feared then those that discourage vs too hoyst our sayle and those discourses are worst of all that hinder our passage when we trauell home seeke for the ende in which we shoulde rest As I write not this for mine owne behoofe to iustifie that which I do my selfe of too spurne at other that haue gone before mee So I hope you will take it for a lawfull excuse that I write not so loosely as some desire I haue bin requested by some of my friendes to take longer time and encrease my volume wherein I perceiue they vnderstande not that the Countrieman casteth his seede very thin yet findeth his barnes to be filled by them That the spirite of man in the straightest Trumpet hath greatest sound blowne through a barrel makes no noyse But sith they had rather see their handes full of Paper then their heades full of knowledge I let them goe And trusting too the curtesie of you that are skilfull Gentlemen I haue performed my promise and discharged my handes giuen Phialo his pasporte and sent him to you Farewell Yours Stephan Gosson The Ephemerides of Phialo VARRO reporteth that they whiche did sacrifize to Hercules vsed continually before they began their Ceremonies to driue their dogs out of the citie And I think it necessary before I set downe the discourses of Phialo as the fruite of my trauell sacrificed heere vnto skilful Readers to whippe out those Doggs which haue barked more at mee for writinge the Schoole of Abuse then Cerberus did at Hercules for descending to Hell and haue laboured with the venom of their teeth to wound me deeper then that curst Curre which was the death of Licinius and the cause of a battaile wherein Hercules lost his brother Iphiclus It is not long since a friend of mine presented me with straunge newes out of Affrick requesting me earnestly to shape them an answere After I had vnfolded the Paper and found nothing within but guttes and garbage neither heart nor liuer nor anye good intrayles I called too minde the replie that Apelles made to a course Painter which brought him a couÌ„terfait of his own drawing requesting his iudgment in the work Truely quoth Apelles hadst thou not tolde me it had bin thine at the first blush I would haue iudged it to bee doone in haste And had not the writer himself which seÌ„t these newes into England reuealed his name to some of his friends by whoÌ„ I hearde it I would haue iudged such a Daw to bee hatcht in Barbary the tydinges that came to be scribled in â—ost CoÌ„modus the Emperor coÌ„ming to Rome in the face of the whole senate begaÌ„ with a graue couÌ„tenance to declame When euery man loked for some weighty matter touching the gouernmeÌ„t of the coÌ„mon wealth he fell to trifling told theÌ„ that riding abroad one day with his father who at that time was cast froÌ„ his horse himself alighted holy him out of the myre This Doctour of Affrike with a straunge kinde of style begins to write thus To his frinds the Plaiers to 〈◊〉 rare at the first like a perfect Orator he sittes down in his study lookes about for his bookes takes pen in his hand as manerly as he can breathes out this oracle from the threefootedstoole of Pythia Affrica semper aliquid apportat noui There is euer a new knack in a knaues hood or some kind of moÌ„ster to be sene in Affrik To which principle wheÌ„ he thinketh he hath giuen sufficient light by the ioyning togither of sundry beastes his frends gaping for some strange coÌ„ceit to bring to the stage finde him to dally for with a tale of a tub he slippeth down presently into a dirtie comparison of a dutch Mule an english mare that ingendred an Asse to cast his foale quickly with a deuoute prayer to God to send players few asses many auditors he growes to conclusion behauing himself in his learned Paraphrase like Megabizus who came into Apelles shop began to talk of his shadows til the painter reproued him in this maner Hadst thou kepte silence O Megabizus I woulde haue reuerenced thee for thy gay coate now the worst boy that grindeth my coulors wil laugh thee to scorne And I if this Geographer had stayed his pen within the compasse of Affrike would haue read him with patieÌ„ce for the couÌ„tries sake but now the least childe which is able to temper his ynke wil giue him a floute If Players get no better Atturnie to pleade their case I wil holde mee contented where the Hardest is harde too take Otes of yl debters in parte of payment Touching the frutefulnes of his Mule which is not agreeable vnto kinde because the coldenesse of seede killes the power of ingendering I coulde find him sporte by Philosophie if I were disposed to play with his nose or to caste any thinge but draffe to Swine But I intende not to aunswere him lest I kick with Cresiphon when my Mule winâ—eth As long as hee rayles he profites not as long as hee dotes hee hurtes not Let him say what he wil he shall not cut me Let him write what he please he shal not kill me and fauour him that list they shall not greeue me it is but kinde for a Cocke heade to breede a Combe and a rashe witte a rawe deuise Though the Mariner haue skill to gouerne his vessel it lyeth not in his cunning to calme the seas though the couÌ„triman know how to graffe an ympe his toile wil not alter the caste of the Crab Though my selfe haue learned to rule mine owne talke I can not snaffle the tounge of a Carper Notwithstanding the Sayler commeth safely to harbour though he be shaken The husbandman gathereth much pleasaunt fruite though his Wylding bee sower And I haue no doubte I shall please the wise though the malicious turne vpp their gall The same Solomon which forbiddes vs to aunsweare a foole in his follie lest we liken our selues vnto him chargeth vs sharpely to shewe him his faulte lest he seeme wise in his owne conceite Therefore I haue neither replyed to the writer of this Libel for loosing my time nor let him go scotfree for making him proude
see howe his Medicine beganne too woorke Philotimo tolde him that Aesope maketh the Lion too chase the Harte but the Harte beeing swifter of foote quicly got out of the Lions sight and lodged him selfe in the thickest brakes the Lion following still mette with a sheepehearde of whome hee demaunded whether hee had seene the Harte or not the poore sheaphearde saide no and pointed too the thicket where the Hart lay Euen soo did hee like a timerous swaine for feare of Ieraldi whome hee knewe too bee pleasures deadly foe deny the delight he hath seene with his tongue and glaunsing deceitfully too Polyphile looke vpon Venus with his heart Wherin hee shewed him selfe a cunning sculler that rowes his Bote forwarde thoughe hee haue turned his face too the sterne And though hee spoke his pleasure againste pleasure withdrawing his heade from Gentlewomans lappes yet hee followed them backwards as the Bargemen in England that rowe vppe too London with theyr faces to Grauesende Trust me saide Ieraldi I haue seene children which beholding meate at the Table and durste not craue it for feare of the Rodde haue told theyr fathers they woulde eate none of that whiche was but a craftie kinde of begging And it may be that Phialo cryeth out against women because hee loues them but I doo nor beleeue it There is no cause why hee shoulde double before mee though I bee seuere I am no Lyon neyther deo I pursue wylde wantons too death but too amendment Notwithstanding where the roote is rotten the Stocke can neuer bee newe graffed It is a harde matter too make an olde Dogge receiue the Coller or too bryue that corruption out of the fleshe which is bredde in the bone Polyphile hath runne so long vntyed that I feare libertie hath eaten a hole in her heart and her stomacke will not suffer her now too bende Those qualities are seldome lost which are got by long practise and growne to a habite You are too preiudiciall sir sayde Polyphile where the husbandman seeeth many weedes hee taketh the Soyle too bee fruitefull if it bee tylled wheresoeuer you see any vices growe there is grounde for vertue if it bee laboured Forspeake me not I pray you I am not so bad as you report though I be woorse than I woulde I were if after this tyllage you finde mee barren or returne too my vomite then say that the roote of grace is cleane decayed and vertue in mee will neuer budde God hath appointed Mary a tyme too repent and Polyphile to forsake her wicked wayes Had I beene sooner dyeted I had beene sooner reclaimed sooner called I had sooner come I feele such a combate in my selfe such a terrour of the iust iudgement of GOD and suche a comforte agayne if I runne to him that I am constrayned heare too staye my selfe and resorte no more too the Epicures Table least surfeâ—ting sooner than I 〈…〉 I cast vp my meate the way that it came and licke vp my gall with a loathing stomacke Therefore I thanke you signior Ieraldi for your cost which prouided all this cheare for my sake you sit Philotimo for your company whose lookes were the fountaine of all this talke and you good Phialo whose Philosophie hath pulled me out of the iawes of death As long as I liue I acknowledge my selfe to bee your scholler and holde me your dettour which if you remaine any time in Venice you shall perceiue No more Polyphile that name I abhorre Theophile nowe newly christened by thee Ieraldi reioyced too heare these wordes and wished a Gospel on that mouth wherewith they arose and Ieraldi taking Philotimo aside requested him earnestly to procure some friendship for Phialo in the Courte that he might bee restored to Sienna againe Philotimo ready enough to doe that without entreatie desired Ieraldi to harbour Phialo till be hearde farther newes for the next day he entended to returne towards Ferara promised that it shoulde not be long ere he wrot ehym an answeare Ieraldi soone graunted soosmall a Boone whilest he discouered to Phialo theyr intent Philotimo stepped too Theophile too take his leaue in whose eyes hee perceiued the matter stande too seee good company breake so soone Stephan Gosson Coelotegitur qui non habet vrnam ¶ An Apologie of the Schoole of Abuse against Poets Pipers Players and their Excusers Seneca Vitia nostra quia amamus defendimus malumus excusare quà m excutere A Captaine that serued Cyrus being one day desirous to shewe his Prince sport in trayning his men deuided them al into twoo equall partes giuing bucklers and wasters to the one appointing nothing but cloddes of harde earth to the other When they were separated farre a sunder and a signe giuen to them both to fight the dirty Champions that stoode a loofe paulted the buckler bearers on the shinnes and the head receiuing no burâ— againe for the time bicause they kept them out of the others reache But when the battayle began to ioyne their turfes were too brittle towarde a blowe the sorest strypes lighted on their own shoulders Such is the skitmishe of our players who perceiuing the truthe to stand on my side as an armour of proofe and finding them selues vnappointed for the fielde keepe a farre off biting me in corners casting out libels which are but clay and rattle on mine armour or tippe me on the shinnes without farther hurt But if they take vp my gloue and enter the Lyste set downe their opinion and subscribe their names I will gather in to them as faste as I can and teach them to know the weyght of my clubbe I vnderstand they are all in a fustian fume they runne to fro with a nettle in their noses and lashe out their heeles as they had caught the brimse which is a plaine token that the gawle is rubbed the canker toucht They haue eaten bulbief and threatned highly too put water in my woortes whensoeuer they catche me I hope it is but a coppy of their countenance Ad diâ—m fortasse minitantur Shrewde kyne shall haue shorte hornes If they be chafte they may be walke if they be rough they may bee calmde if they be hotte they may be coolde I am not so childishe to take euery bushe for a monster euery shadow for a bugge euery man for a deuill that daunceth in his coate The wynde blustereth about the hilles yet can not remoue them from their place The Sea beates vpon the rockes yet euery billowe tugges in vayne With thicke shotte the ayre is darkened yet neuer a bullet stickes in the Sunne They may wrastle with me and rore and rayle yet truth is steady cannot be stirde harde and cannot bee brooke with washe highe and cleere and cannot be hurt If I giue them a Pil to purge their humor they neuer leaue belking till it bee vp wherein you may perceiue what vnruly patientes I deale withall howe vnwilling they are to receiue remedy when their disease hath gotten the
disease growes when the mind greeues Therfore Crates the philosopher which was dogged of nature in al his rebukes as ouerthwart as Diogenes taunting bitterly when he sawe Demetrius Phalereus in his banishment liue porely at Thebes softned his speach gaue him faire words and friendly comfort smoothly disputing of the fruites of exile and approouing by reason that there could be no wretchednes in such a life Insomuch that Demetrius who fearing at the first to be vpbraided and looking for a peale that should not like him woulde haue shunned his company contrarye too his expectation finding suche sweetnesse in his talke reioyced greatly in his conference and began to be sorye that he met him no sooner But Euctus and Eulaeus the friendes of Persa when they saw him failed by the Romans and so ouerthrowne in the battaile at Pydna that he was forced to turne his backe rated checked him in the middest of his sorrowes till sobbing at the hearte for his yll fortune and mooued to wrath by the bitternesse of their rebukes as one ouerwhelmed with a double griefe he slew theÌ„ both And trust me Philotimo mourning here solitary for my fall seeing my selfe teinted where I shoulde bee anoynted burnt where I shoulde be balmed cutte where I should be closed I stand almost at vtter defiance with thy freendshippe and am presently ready as a man desperate little esteeming which end goeth forward to abandon thy company to forsake Venice to forsweare my country to sette the hares heade to the goose gybblettes and al that I haue at a mumme chaunce Better hadde it here for Euctus and Eulaeus by the example of Crates to geue heauie Persa a lenitiue in his ouerthrowe to asswage his griefe then a sharpe corosiue to augment his paine And a friendlier touch had it ben of thee perceiuing mee drounde in mine owne teares to streatch foorth thy handes too saue mee halfe deade then too thrust out thy tongue to kill me quicke Had they tolde Persa that Fortune ruleth in feates of armes and victorie in warre is euer vncertayne that Phillip at one pushe lost all Macedon Antiochus Asia the Carthaginians Lybia that Iulius Caesar when hee had subdued all Fraunce made a conqueste of Englande returned into Italy and triumphed in Rome was sâ—ayne in the Senate house among his freendes that Fortune is paynted with feete and winges because shee comes running and departes slying that this dayes glory was but a proppe to the Romanes to set them higher that too morrowe their fal might be the greater they had incouraged Persa too renue the battayle and kepte themselues harmelesse And I am perswaded that if thou hadst played the good Nurse which seing her childe catche a knocke steppes to it presently not with threatninges nor roddes nor rebukes but with gentle intreatie takes it vppe dandles it often in her lappe and with many a sweete songe rather giuing it a soft â—eate then a harde stripe lulles it a sleepe to ease the paine thou hadst cured my sorrowe quenched mine anger and woone me for euer to be thine Thou little considerest whether I fell wantonly by mine owne folly or was sudainly ouerturned by vnruly lubbers thou coÌ„demnest my leuitie not regarding my necessitie thou hast forgotten that he is forced to go whom the deuil driues that neede maketh euery man to trot If you haue not hearde of Chrysogono I meane not him which thrust Sextus Roscius out of his farmes in Ameria but him which defeated mee of my liuing in Sienna and droue thy poore Phialo out of Hetruria let this be sufficient to stopp thy mouth that it is hee whiche beeing an Abbote in Ferara cleane contrary too his profession because he is holy and to the othe hee tooke at the death of my father who trusted him farther then hee deserued enioyeth that by force whiche is none of his it is hee which shoulde ra-rather helpe then hurte rather giue than take rather feede then famish rather clothe the naked then strip them of all to the bare bones It is he which stuffing his bagges with the frutes of Learning alloweth not Philosophers to touche money but with a full â—orge commends fasting To be shorte Philolotimo it is euen hee which keepes that back that shoulde bee my maintenaunce in Sienna yet art thou so franticke to bid mee returne thyther againe in haste and followe my studie as if thou shouldest charge mee to fight without weapons climbe without ladders mounte without wings Hast thou not reade that Ex nihilo nihil fit Nothing doeth lye in childbed of Nyfles How wouldest thou then haue me to apply my Booke when the meane as I tolde thee is taken away Philotimo beholding his friende wistly the more he delighted in his talk the more he lameÌ„ted the losse of his time and woondring at the pithynesse of his speech which in al his conference neuer vsed a waste worde egged him on to a farther discourse in this maner I remember Phialo that Plato giueth hartie thanks to Nature for making him rather a reasonable creature then a brute beast a man then a woman an Athenien then a Theban and chiefely for giuing him life in the time of Socrates Whose example hath humbled me often before God with duetiful thankes to his diuine maiestie for fashioning of me to his owne likenesse giuing me a mind to conceiue and a toung to speake when he might haue made me a dumbe beast for making me rather a man then a woman that is a Lord then a slaue an Athenien than a Theban a Tuscan rather then a rude Bergamaske and last of all for yeelding patte of thy studyes to mee whiche like a young Socrates applyest all thy knowledge too reforming of manners Therefore as thou haste already begun approuing me by strong argumentes to be both brainsicke and vnskilfull in my proceedings for dealing so roughly with thee at such an il time go forwards good Phialo and shewe mee aswell what I ought to follow in rebuking my freend as thou hast declared what I shall flye that through mine owne ignoraunce I offend no more I neuer resorted to thee yet since our first acquaintance but ere I departed I carried some lessons awaye woorth the noting Not so sir quoth Phialo It is hard to draw water in a dry soile or fishe out any skil from an emptie pond Socrates affirmeth himself to know nothing trust me I se no reasoÌ„ why Plato which is accomted a great Philosopher and a searcher of wisedome shoulde reioyce so muche to liue in his time which was not able too teach him any more then he knewe If he iudge the person more luckie then the man was learned or thinke it sufficient to vertue to haue beene a student in those dayes he little considereth that Alcibiades and Critias were both Scholers too Socrates yet the one a Traytour the other a Tyrant It is not the place wee are borne in that maketh vs learned nor the name of our
own request and my charges daunsed attendaunce certaine daies at the Court without thankes At the laste remembring with my self what Antigonus saide to a good scholer with preseÌ„ted him a PaÌ„phlee in praise of iustice Thou art vnwise to giue me a boke of iustice wheÌ„ thou seest me delight in sacking of Cities I began to surmise that the sauce which I made was too sharp for his dyet and the hearbes which I brought too strong for his nose Therfore as closly as I coulo I came to Venice not once resorting Philotimo vnto thee nor any maÌ„ else which I know in Ferara my hap was so bad my heart so big Courtiers were wont in olde time to reioyce in these Epithites And were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men bountiful valiant mercifull and mightie In so much that me seeing Archestratus in great pouertie write much and get nothing told him that if he had liued in Alexanders time for euery line in his booke he would haue giuen him a kingdom Among all the notable praises of Sylla I find it set downe that he was so liberall that he alwayes rather desired to giue then to take and if he had receiued a present of a friend as a pledge of goodwil he thought it due deâ—â— til the value were returned with aduantage Peraduenture the Courtiers of Ferara haue learned of Tully that to giue any thing of their owne pulleth somwhat away from the mayne stake and draweth the spring of liberalitie drye by which meanes bounty stoppes the passage of liberalitie like the Pellican which is sayd in succouring her young to wound herselfe and the Adder that giueth life to her broode by her owne death For the more they let out and distribute abrode the lesse they haue in their Coafers at home Therefore practizing with Tullie to giue that continually which they giue willingly they put their handes in their purses and pul out nothing Yet the same Cicero in the name of Theophrastus commendes Hospitalitie thinking it very plausible in great men to set their doores open to gay guestes to entertaine forraine Princes very sumptuously and reward them richely by which they confirme their own safetie increace the number of their friends and fil their Chestes higher with a priuy gaine Following the countriemans custome in this which doungeth his grounde franckly casteth his seed in the furrowes to haue it restored in haruest with Vsurie This is it which Cicero sayth wee should giue of our owne to them that are fit And what are they but such as are able to make vs amendes wherein he neither regardeth the nature of bountie nor knowes what belongeth to a benefite For he is not liberall that giueth to take because liberalitie consisteth in giuing much and receiuing little neither may that rightly bee tearmed a benefite which at any time is returned again Thus Cicero measuring a Courteris liberalitie by priuate commodity like a blind Philosopher gropes at high noone and treads awry I haue reade of an herbe which is called Eryngium and some writers affirme that if any Goate chaunce to take vp a leafe of the same in her mouth presently her selfe and all the whole heard as they were inchaunted doth stand stil not mouing one foote either forwarde or backwarde till the Heardman himselfe come and pull it away And I thinke that some doating Philosopher which ledde the Daunce hath caught this Eryngium betwene his teeth and bewitched the whole rabble of them that followed with whom Tullie himselfe standes in a traunce not knowing which way to turn him in moral vertues For sometime hee exhorteth vs too haue greater regarde to our gayne than our honour to a glosing bountie then a true liberalitie And sometime agayne he teacheth vs all too bee single hearted which is for our honour not to pretende one thing and performe an other which is hypocriste Therefore let vs bring out the trueth as a skilfull heardman to teare this enchaunted Hearbe from his mouth Lactantius deuideth the office of iustice into two parts the one ioyned with God which is religion the other linked to man and that is curtesie The firste I will handle when I shall see occasion the last falleth so full into my handes and so sitte for my purpose that it may not be rashely ouerskipped For GOD which hath geuen to brute beasts both strength and weapons too defende themselues bard them of reason but sending man naked and weake into the worlde he lightened his minde with the Lampe of knowledge planting suche inwarde remorse in his hearte that seeing the image of himselfe in another acknowledging presently his owne weakenesse and deepely considering that wee haue all one maker GOD one Father Adam one Nurse the earth he shoulde loue him vnfaignedly embrace him with curtesie frankely streatch out his hande to succeour him and sette foote by foote vnto death to defende him Hee that performeth not this which Nature exacteth and duetie challengeth is rather too bee helde for a beaste then a man because he sheweth not the loue of the hearte the affect of the minde the touche of conscience the force of pietie the fruite of that curtesie which GOD hath engrassed onely in man Therefore Tullie flatlie reprooueth himselfe when hee sayeth that Man obeying but Nature canne neuer bee hurtefull vnto man But too see another oppressed and not too succour him is too hurte him too perceyue him in neede and not too geeue him releefe is too denie it him to finde him in danger and not to saue him is to kill him Aristotle and all Philosophers euer dreamed that men at the first raunging the woodes for their foode as beastes for a pray hauing neither speeche nor conference nor company togither but cloathing their bodies with the leaues of Trees couching their heades in Caues of the Earth perceiuing their neighbours torne many tymes and deuoured with beastes they whiche escaped the daunger ranne vnto other crauing succour by signes Thus gathered togither they profered to speake inuented names for euery thinge and so grewe to societie Yet seeing themselues although they were many vnable to withstande the assaulte of deuouring beastes because they were naked they consulted togither too builde them vppe walles to inuiron themselues with greater suretie and to reste in the night with more securitie Othersome are perswaded that it was not the crueltie of beastes nor the perill of their liues nor the death of their fellowes nor the feare of themselues that drew them togither but the hate of that solitarie life and desire of companie the lyking that eche one conceiued of the other the loue and friendship that passed betwixt them the want of abilitie the will to profite the likenes of Sexe and the care to multiply ioyned handes and heartes in perpetuall amitie If we bee borne to loue to like and to helpe one an other it is our duetie too knowe one an other and
heretofore none durst tel you your fault I am forced at this time to shewe it my selfe you regarde not your selfe you wearie your minde with many cares and weare your bodie with infinite labours neuer resting by day nor sleeping by night for our sakes These kinde of people in short time are able to make great men forget them selues Therefore it shal be good for Courtiers to sifâ—e them thorowly to distinguishe them cunningly and last of all willingly to shake them off Maximus Tyrius blaseth their Properties in three points In Vse in End in Affect of the mynde In Vse they are altogether vnprofitable like the Ape which beeing vnable to keepe the house as a dogge to drawe as the Oxe to carie as the Horse is driuen by gesture to mooue delight As by fetching a friske or twoo ouer the chaine or imitating that which they see in vs to procure laughter Such a fellowe was Antiphon whom Dionysius slewe and Timagines whome Caesar banished the Court For neither of them both applied their mynde to giue counsell but behaued them selues like common Iesters seeking onely to make those Princes merie Vnskilfull Painters when they caÌ„not expresse the beautie of things botche it out with wrinckles wartes and store of freckles And flatterers wheÌ„ they cannot perfourme the office of a freende huddle it vp with ridiculous gesture The Ende of their studie is to profite them selues No vermine breede where they finde no warmth no Vultures stoope where they smell no pray no flies swarme where they see no flesh no Pilgrime creepes where there is no crosse no Parasite lurkes where hee findes no gaine In Affect of the mynde they are wonderfull hypocrites hauing a coÌ„tinual coÌ„bat a pitcht feeld betwixt their wordes and their thoughtes their tongues their hearts many times exercising the wrastlers craft who boweth his bodie to catch other on the hip or the Fencers qualitie which counterfeites a kinde of lying open to take his aduersarie at more aduauntage Such affirme all those vices which they see in other to be in them selues like vnto them that tame wilde beastes frame their behauiour to euery thing that they perceiue them do til by little and little they bring them close to their owne bente Mardonius the Captaine flattered Xerxes so long that hee caused all Asia to take armour couered the seas with aboundance of shippes by which the king tooke a very great ouerthrowe was driuen by flight to saue him selfe and the Sycophant was one of the first that was slayne they which giue so much credit to flatterers make them selues no better than brasen pottes bee they neuer so large of moulde or weightie of metal they are easily borne about by the eares It were better for thee Philotimo in thy courting to ryde a rough Colte without a bridle than sweete lippes with a soft saddle the one if thou sitte not fast will not spare to caste thee but teache thee the better to looke to thy self the other whatsoeuer thou doest will neuer molest thee but bloster thee vp in thine owne follie Alexander was angrie with Crisson for giuing him leaue to outrunne him in course One told Menedemus that he was highly commended by Alexinus But Menedemus answered that he did euer dispraise Alexinus Antistâ—â—â—us Hercules charged his sonnes not to beleeue such as they sawâ— too busie in lifting them vp I will not denie that Vertue by prayse is deeper rooted but flatterers come as little at vertue as they can The minde is deuided into two partes the one is partaker of reason which enclineth to vertue and leanes to wisedome the other is â—ue fellowe vnto Sense which cleaues vnto vice and loues to be rickled This parte is euermore scratcht by flatterers who stand with their handes full of fuell to encrease our fier are ready with their mouth to blowe the coles they creepe so farre into your bosome by priuie enâ—â—â—â—hing that I may compare theÌ„ to queasie meates if you keepe them in your stomake they make you surfeite if you cast them vp they streine euery string of the heart at departure Therefore resist them Philotimo at the first if you perceiue them to beginne with commendation of your qualities to currie fauour tel them with Pindarus that thou hast already rewarded their trauell because thy life doth not make them lyars The last and chiefest thing which I iudge to bee necessarie in Courtiers is religion which I shewed thee by Lactantius to be the first thing that is required in the office of Iustice And Iustice is the piller of Princes Courtes But Foxius agreeing with Aristotle affirmeth Religion to bee the mother of Iustice and all other vertues So that neither true iustice may stande without religion nor religion without iustice The name which the Greekes haue giuen to religion sheweth it to be the right worship of God If this bee corrupted Iustice perisheth And if Iustice shrinke this goes to the wall Therefore al Philosophers going about too decipher a good common wealth beginne with religion acknowledging a diuine nature chiefly to bee worshipped Alexander made no warres against straungers for the riches of India the dainties of Media the wyne of Chalidon or the fishes of Hyrcanie but to bring al nations to the obedience of his lawes and worship of his Gods. Ptolomaeus Philadelphus a learned Prince thought Religion so necessarie in his Court and countrey that hee entertained the seuentie Interpreters with great curtesie which were sent vnto him from Eleazar the high priest and after they had instructed him seuentie dayes hee returned them backe with riche rewardes But bicause these were Heathens which neuer came nere the marke though they desired to cleaue the pinne I will goe more roundly to worke and bring God himself to pleade his owne cause Princes are the Images of God are called gods in sundrie places of the scriptures that they might execute his wil vpon the earth Al honour all power al pessessioÌ„ all authoritie is the gift of God it is his worke that Princes rule and their courtes flourish Therefore Dauid willeth theÌ„ al to kisse the begotten sonne of God which is to embrace religion and throwe them selues down at the feete of Christ It is impossible for the henne to forsake her chicken or the mother the childe of her owne wombe yet if the one or the other bee so vnnaturall too leaue their owne God will neuer forget his In token whereof hee hath promised by the mouth of his prophet to make princes the fathers of his Churche and their courtes the verie nurceries of religion Paule exhorting Timothe to pray for kings and great men that we may liue quietly and godly vnder them seemes by those wordes to attribute the patronage of the Gospell to the court If God doe shine brightest in his ministers whose tongues are the trumpettes of his will to treade downe them dishonoreth him to stoppe their mouthes
darkenes In so much that when our Readers haue opened to vs the thing that wee doubted we saye that they haue giuen vs a great light when any thing passeth our capacitie we say it is intricate darke and obscure Thus if a Man be light his mynde light learning light and if it bee necessarie that Simile semper appetat simile like reioyce euermore in his like what can be more naturall than the brightest myndes to borrowe most light the greatest Courtiers to prooue best Clerkes Thou hast rightly required them to bee liberall bicause the bountie of the Courts is the Sunneshine of knowledge without which Philosophers wyther away Thou desirest thē farther to abādon flatterers which like vnto moothes eate such holes in their garmēts as cānot be seene till the nappe of their cloth bee worne away Last of all thou thinkest it necessarie next vnto God for Courtiers with authoritie in statutes and armour in field to mainteine the libertie of religion confirming thy purpose by holy scriptures wherein thou shewest the practice of a good Captain which furnisheth the rerewarde with his best souldiers to renue the fight when the first retire and knitte vp the skirmishe with a canuazado What is so common in this worlde as breath to the liuing graues to the dead Sea to the Sayler Shore to his wrack Then what sharper punishmēt than this could the Romans deuise for such as had wilfully murdered their parentes to enclose them quicke in a lethern sacke and cast them into the Riuer Tiber So they liue while they may that they draw no cōfortable spirit frō the heauēs so they die that the earth disdaineth to couer their carcase so they floate that they touch no water so at last they are driuen by tide to the shore that they are not suffered to rest on the sande but are robbed of all these benefites at once And what is so necessary in the Courte as learning to gouernment regarde too friendship Wealth too Nobilitie Religion too authoritie Then tell mee Philotimo what greater plague can bee powred on Courtiers for killing theyr parents by despising theyr lawes and loathing theyr Preceptes then so too rule when they liste that they borrowe no aduice from the toppe of knowledge soo too bury themselues in the depths of Securitie that neuer a true friende maye come at their Coffin so to swimme in abundaunce that they feele no store and in the ende so strangely to strike with the Swoorde that it neuer bee grounded on the worde of GOD but to be spoyled of all these ornamentes at once The firste corrupted with ignoraunce the other with flattery the next with greedinesse the last with the want of the true woorshippe of god These reasons inforce me too agree with you Phialo but me thinkes Syr Philotimo standeth in a Traunce as though hee were blasted with chaunge of weather Philotimo smyling told hym againe that hee was not blasted for hee neuer knewe Philaoes breath too bee so stormie but was rather amazed at his craft which according to his owne preceptes in the Method of rebuking coulde touch him so neare and drawe no bloode Aristotle sayth that the Tyrrhaeni when theyr seruauntes offended accustomed to beate them to the sound of Instruments that the pleasure of the one myght helpe too mitigate the payne of the other And Phialo quoth hee hath whypped mee so pleasantly that I am sory my punishmente was no longer Whereat all three laughed hartily and perceyuing Dinner brought in too breake of theyr talke they fell too theyr victualles After they had dyned Ieraldi accompanied the two Gentlemen into the Citie too shew Philotimo the Gallies that were then newly rigged and launched ready too encounter the Turke Thus takyng theyr Gundolet they passed for pleasure too and fro the streetes where with wōderful content Philotimo behelde the brauery of the Citie so long with his eyes that Fancy slypt downe in too the Corners of his hearte For at a glimse hee espied suche a Sunne aloft as dazeled his eyes with the blaze of her light Therefore pulling his hat somewhat ouer his forehead endeuouring closely to steale a looke hee began too turne his head at one side and roule vp his eyes too the Windowe againe Ieraldi quickly perceiuing the bente of his Bowe and notying the Leuell descried his marke geuyng priuie aduertisement of the same too Phialo Both of them cunningly dissembled the matter for a while and were very well pleased too see the Hauke flye wherein I marueile whether was greater the delight of them that sprong suche a Partridge without Spaniels or the daunger of him that soared so high with winges of wexe At the last Ieraldi seeing his feathers to scortch so faste that the smoke arose cast out the lure to make him stoope And catching Philotimo by the sleeue asked him howe the maner of their building pleased his eye So wel quoth Philotimo that in my opinion the cunningest workmen in Italie may trusse vp their tooles and though they thinke well of their painted sheathes bee glad too come hither for a patterne Were this Citie the Towne of Ephesus I woulde iudge yonder Pallace for the beautie brightnesse of the same to bee the chiefe Temple of Diana I cannot blame you saide Phialo you haue taken the paterne of such a frame as Art may imitate but neuer be able to expresse Therefore I pray you remember the speach your selfe vsed to mee concerning this place take heede that to proue your woordes true you make not your selfe an open President Venus the Goddesse of this Citie was bredde in the Sea and beates a Froth close vp your eyes and gaze no more you know not what trouble suche Comets threaten Oh sir answered Philotimo Himeraeus the Poet did write against Helen but at last he was glad too recant his sayings Anacreon for one discourtesie to Cleobulus in his childhood requited him with a thousande good woordes when hee grew too age How much is Venus fairer then Helen comelier then Cleobulus whose goddeship if rashly I haue blasphemed neither the Presents of Oracles nor the treasure of Ganges nor the horses of Troy nor the Virgines of Lesbia nor the reuenues of my lande nor the iewelles of my Chest nor the offering of my blood but onely the tongue that hath wounded her credite can appease her anger Therfore sith I haue not subscribed I will reuoke ex nudo pacto non oritur actio bare woordes are no lawful bargaines Dissemble not with your friendes quoth Ieraldi Poeticall fictions will not beate out your folly nor the querkes of the law excuse such Apostasie before god Signiora Polyphile whom you behelde is daughter vnto a deare friende of mine if her behauiour were answerable to her beautie or her life to her face she might be a Paragon for a greater person She is properly learned she hath a smoothe tongue and shee is very suttle in disputation I haue often assayed too winne
reelinge nor gather vp our feet without falling Take heed signoria how you stande and whether you walke There are but twoo pathes layde open before vs the one smooth and broade ouerspred with the beautie of many flowres watred with the deawe of sundry springes sounding delight with varietie of byrds glimmering with the bright beames of the sunne and this is pleasure which we ought not too followe for ambling to the Diuel the other narrowe and craggie harde and lothsome darke and terrible and this is trouble whom we should not feare bicause he driues vs too heauen on a trotting horse Demetrius contrary to your opinion thought none in the world so miserable as those that had neuer fasted of any 〈◊〉 A good father neuer suffereth his sonne to bee idle but exercyseth his body in labour his mind in 〈…〉 layeth the greatest waight vpon those wits that hee lyketh best because hee is sure they are able too beare it God is a father and a Schoolemaister vnto vs if hee haue not traueled your bodie too make you sweate nor reade you long Lectures to busie your wittes It is a playne case and a stronge argumente that hee neither loues you as a Father nor lykes you as a Mayster nor accountes you his childe nor makes you his Scholer Non est molle virtutis documentum Vertue can sleepe without a pillowe Scaeuola soughte for his ioy by fire Fabritius by pouertie Rutilius by exile Regulus by torments Socrates by poyson Cato by death They whiche inhabite the colde Countryes finde delight in the frozen Snowe pursue the wilde beastes for foode in the Mountaynes and chalke vppe their lodging in that place where nighte compels them They regarde no pouertie for they liue no barer then they were borne they force no sorrowe for if it bee longe custome in them hath made it lighte if it he shorte they soone forget it they flye no death for either in that they end their toyle or enter into a better life they despise Fortune for she cannot robbe them that haue naught too loose and no weapon she hath can wounde the mind If you thinke these people in misery because they rowse not their bodyes in Beddes of Downe they surfeite not with our daintyes of Italy but with Hippolytus followe Dianas chase you are out of your wittes Ouid in the person of Phoebus to Phaeton appointeth away for vs to trace before we can bring our selues to rest in which I reade of no pleasure at all The first is steepe vvhich scarse vvith freshest 〈◊〉 My steedes doe climbe the middle standes aloft From whence vvhen I both seats and land beholde I shake and tremble in my troubled brest The last doth fal and needes a straighter bit And such as in my vvaâ—rie couch beneath Lost bedlong dovvne I come dame Thetis dreedes Such is the path that we are willed to treade so bolte vpright that the hottest youth findeth his hands full inough too scale it the top so high when we are vp that we shiuer to see what daÌ„ger we haue past and our heads are gyddie with looking downe The laste so deepe that if we slip we breake our neckes and neuer leaue rolling till we drop in to the graue In youth we had neede of props because we mount in middle age when we are aloft our pleasure is dasht with a great feare â–ª perceiuing so many dangers behinde vs which we haue escaped so many before vs which are to come In gray heares we beginne to drop and euery foote wee stirre is a steepe too death Beside the steepe rise tickle hight perillous downfall of our passage there are many monsters in our way Thy feete shall treade vpon the horned Bul. The Tropikes and the ghostly Lyons head Thus finde wee not in any parte of our life one spare place too wring in a little pleasure Howe happy is the life of them that ouercome The beste Sayler is knowne in sorest stormes the brauest Souldier in greatest perill the purest Golde in hottest fire the blessedst people in deepest trouble The house is not builte til the Timber be hewed nor happynesse woonne till we be hackt Flatter not your selfe in the ioyes of this worlde which are Fancyes hookes to catche fooles Vlisses bounde himselfe too the mast that he might sayle beyonde them you muste girde vp your loynes or wrastle til you sweate before you can carry the prize away Rich Coblers haue blacke Thumbes good Carpenters harde handes Thriftie Playsterers dirtie clothes profounde Studentes pale faces fatte Schollers thinne cheekes Difficilia quae pulchra wee obtayne no true pleasures without paine They that will haue the Nut must breake the shell that will eate the Apple must climb the tree that wil come too the Myne must dig the Earth that will trauell the Sea muste passe the sand that wil conquer their foes must fight the fielde that will gett the goale muste runne the race that will weare a Crowne muste wynne the same The seede of the Lorde and the Corne of his Haruest suffereth all weathers in open fielde and when it is growne too perfect rypenesse it is cut with the Syth beaten with the Flayle tostt with the Fanne brused with the Stone parcht with the heate of a Fiery Ouen Thousandes are the pikes that must be passed before wee can enter the gates of rest Isaack was dearely beloued of GOD yet many tymes vexed driuen out of Chanaan with hunger troubled with his neighbours barde of his water greeued with the discorde of his sonnes and the violence offered vnto his wife The children of GOD hung vp theyr Harpes on the VVillow trees sate downe and wepte at the waters of Babylon Many are the examples that I might alleadge out of the Scripture too shewe you that GOD bryngeth none vntoo hym by pleasure but whips them with sorrowe tyll theyr heartes grone that when they haue rensed their couche with teares the smoke of theyr sighes might arise vppe lyke Frankensence into his nostthriles Consider Signiora that you were not made sodaynly by the running attilâ— of little Moates in the ayre but fashioned out with the handes of god By which you may knowe as I haue tolde you already that you are not your owne but his that framed you yf you be not your owne deny your selfe yf you be Gods flie vnto him cast of the wanton desires of this life seeke for no pleasure in these dayes if you wish to auoid torment in the worlde too come Lasie people pine to death rewarde is theirs that labour harde Yf you striue with this body and maister sinne encounter the Deuill and win the fielde charge your foe stoutly and holde vp your swoorde to the later gaspe you shall finde suche grace suche mercy such pleasure such ioy as neither eye hath seene nor eare hath hearde nor fleshe hathe felte nor thought conceiued nor Phialoes tongue is able too rehearse When Phialo had thus ended his talke and beheld Polyphile to