woulde I not haue parentes altogether precise or to seuâ—re in correction but let them wyth mildenesse â—orgyue light offences and remember that they themselues hâ—ue bene younge as the Phisition by minglinge bitter poysons with swéete liquor bringeth healthe to the body so the Father with sharpe rebukes seasoned with louing lookes causeth a redresse and amendement in his childe But if the Father be throughly angry vpon good occasion let him not continue his rage for I had rather he should be soone angry then harde to be pleased for when the sonne shall perceiâ—e that the Father hathe conceyued rather a hate then a heate againste him he becommeth desperate neyther regarding his fathers ire neither his owne duetie Some light faults let them dissemble as though they knewe them not séeing them let them not séeme to see them hearing them let them not seeme to heare We can easily forget the offences of our friendes be they neuer so great and shall wée not forgyue the escapes of our children be they neuer so small We beare ofâ—entimes with our seruaunts and shall we not somtimes with our sonnes the fairest Iennet is ruled as well with the wand as with the spurre the wildest childe is assoone corrected with a word as with a weapon If thy sonne be so stubborne obstinately to rebel against thee or so wilful to perseuer in his wickednes that neither for feare of punishmeÌ„t neither for hope of reward he is any way to be reclaimed then séeke out some marriage fit for his degree which is the surest bond of youth the stroÌ„gest chain to fetter affections that can be found Yet let his wife be such a one as is neither much more noble in birth or farre more richer in goodes but accordâ—ng to the wyse saying choose one euery way as néere as may bee equall in both for they that doe desire greate dowries doe rather marrye themselues to the wealth then to their wife But to retourne to the matter it is most requisite that Fathers both by their discréet counsaile and also their honest conuersation bée an ensample of imitation to their children that hee seeinge in their parentes as it were in a glasse the perâ—ection of manners they maye bée encouraged by their vpright liuinge to practise the lyke pietie for if a Father rebuke his childe of swearinge and hée himselfe a blasphemor doth he not sée that in detecting his sonnes vice he also noteth his owne If the father counsayle the sonne to refraine wine as most vnholesome and drincke himselfe immoderately doth hee not as well reproue his owne folly as rebuke hys sonnes Age alway ought to bée a myrror for youth for where olde age is impudent there certeinly youth must néeds bee shamelesse where the aged haue no respect of their honorable and graye haires there the younge gallauntes haue little regarde of their honest behauiour in one word to conclude al wher age is past grauitie there youth is past grace The sum of all wherewith I would haue my Ephaebus endued how I would haue him instructed shall briefly appeare in this following First that he be of honest parents nursed of his mother brought vp in such a place as is incorrupt both for the aire manners wyth such a person as is vndefiled of great zeale of profounde knowledge of absolute perfection that bee instructed in Philosophy whereby hée may atteyne learninge and haue in all sciences a smâ—ake whereby he maye readiâ—y dispute of any thing That his body be kept in his pure strength by honest exercise hys witte and memory by diligent study That he abandon all allurements of vice and continually enclyne to vertue which if it shall as it may come to passe then doe I hope that if euer Platoes common weale shall flourish that my Ephaebus shall be a Citizen that if Aristotle siâ—ed any happye man it will bée my childe if Tullye confesse anye to bee an absolute Orator it will be my young youth I am heere therefore gentlemen to exhort you that with all industry you apply your mindes to the studie of Philosophye that as you professe your selues students so you maye bee students that as you disdayne not the name of a scholler so you wil not be found voyde of the duetie of schollers let not your minds be carried away with vayn delyghts as with trauayling into far and straunge countryes where you shal see more wickednesse then learne vertue and witte Neyther with costlye attire of the new cutte the Dutch hatte the French hose the Spanish rapier the Italian hilte and I know not what Cast not your eyes on the beautie of woemen leaste ye cast away your heartes with folly let not that fonde loue wherewith youthe fatteth himselâ—e as fatte as a foole infect you for as a sinew béeing cut though it be healed there will alwayes remayne a scarâ—e or as fine lynnen stayned with blacke incke though it be washed neuer so often will haue an yron mowle so the minde once mangled or maymed with loue though it be neuer so well cured with reason or cooled by wisedome yet there will appeare a scar by the which one may gesse the minde hath bene pierced and a blemish whereby one maye iudge the hearte hathe bene stayned Refrayne from dyeing which was the onely cause that Pyrâ—us was striken to the hearte and from dauncing which was the meanes y lost Iohn Baptists head I am not hee that will disallow honest recreation although I detest the abuses I speake â—oldely vnto you bicause I my selfe know you what Athens hath bene what Athens is what Athens shal be I can gesse Let not euery Iune and Alehouse in Athens be as it were your chamber frequent not those ordinarie tables wher eyther for the desire of delycate cates or the méetinge of youthefull companions yée both spende your money vaynely and your time idly Imitate him in lyfe whom ye honour â—or his learning Aristotle who was neuer seene in the company of those that idelly bestowed their time There is nothing more swifter then time nothinge more sweeter we haue not as Seneca sayth lyttle tyme to lyue but wée léese much neyther haue wée a shorte lyfe by Nature but we make it shorter by naughtines our lyfe is long if we know how to vse it Followe Appelles that cunning and wise Painter which would lette no day passe ouer his heade without a lyne without some labour It was pretely sayde of Hesiodas lette vs indeauour by reason to excell beastes séeinge beastes by nature excell men although strickely taken it be not so for that man is endewed with a soule yet taken touching their perfection of sences in their kinde it is most certeine Doth not the Lyon for strengthe the Turtle for loue the Ante for labour excell man Doth not the Eagle sée cléerer the Uulter smell better the Mowle heare lyghtlyer lette vs therefore endeuour to excell in vertue seeing in qualyties of the body we are inferiour to
to intreate you and my authoritie lesse to commaund you yet my good-will in giuing you good counsaile should induce you to beléeue mée and my hoarie haires ambassadors of experience enforce you to follow mée for by howe much the more I am a straunger to you by so much the more you are beholdinge to mée hauing therefore opportunitie to vtter my minde I meane to bée importunate wyth you to followe my meaninge As thy birth doth shewe the expresse and liuely Image of gentle bloude so thy bringing vp séemeth to mée to bée a greate blotte to the linage of so noble a brute so that I am enforced to thincke that either thou dyddest want one to giue thée good instructions or that thy parentes made thée a wanton wyth to much cockeringe either they were too foolishe in vsinge no discipline or thou too frowarde in reiecting their doctrine eyther they willinge to haue thée idle or thou wylfull to bée ill employed Dyd they not remember that whiche no man ought to forgette that the tender youth of a childe is lyke the temperinge of newe waxe apte to receiue any forme Hée that wyll carry a Bull wyth Milo must vse to carrye him a Calfe also hée that coueteth to haue a straight trée muste not boowe hym béeinge a twigge The Potter fashioneth his claye when it is softe and the Sparrowe is taught to come when hée is younge As therefore the yron béeinge hotte receyueth any forme with the stroake of the Hammer and kéepeth it béeinge colde for euer so the tender witte of a childe if with diligence it bée instructed in youth wyll with industrye vse those qualities in hyâ— age They might also haue taken example of the wise husbandmen who in their fattest and most fertill grounde sowe Hempe before Wheate a grayne that dryeth vp the superfluous moysture and maketh the soyle more apte for corne Or of good Gardeiners who in their curious knottes mixe Hisoppe wyth Time as ayders the one to the growth of the other the one béeinge drye the other moyste or of cunning Painters who for the whiteâ—t woorke caste the blackest grounde to make the Picture more amiable If therefore thy Father had bene as wise an husbandman as hée was a fortunate husbande or thy Mother as good a huswyfe as shée was a happye wyfe if they had bene bothe as good Gardners to kéepe their knotte as they were grafters to brynge foorth such fruite or as cunninge Painters as they were happie parentes no doubte they had sowed Hempe before Wheate that is discipline before affaction they had set Hisoppe wyth Time that is manners wyth witte the one to ayde the other and to maâ—e thy dexteritie more they had caste a blacke grounde for their white woorke that is they had mixed threates wyth faire lookes But thinges past are paste callinge agayne it is to late to shutte the stable doore when the stéede is stolen The Troyans repented to late when their towne was spoiled Yet the remeÌ„braunce of thy former follies might bréede in thée a remorse of conscience and bée a remedy against further concupiscence But nowe to thy present tyme The Lacedemonians were wont to shewe their children dronken men and other wicked men that by séeinge theire filth they might shunne the lyke faulte and auoyde suche vices when they were at the lyke state The Persians to make theire youth abhorre gluttonie woulde paint an Epicure sléeping with meate in his mouthe most horribly ouerladen with wine that by the view of such monsterous sightes they might eschewe the meâ—nes of the like excesse The Parthians to cause their youthe to loath the alluringe traines of womens wyles and deciptfull entisementes had most curiously carued in their houses a younge man blinde besides whome was adioyned a woman so exquisite that in some mennes iudgement Pigmalions Image was not halfe so excellent hauing one hande in hys pocket as notinge their thefte and holdinge a knyfe in the other hande to cutte hys throate If the sight of such vglye shapes caused a loathinge of the like sinnes then my good Euphues consider their plight and beware of thyne owne perill Thou art héere in Naples a younge soiourner I an olde senior thou a straunger I a Citizen thou secure doubtinge no mishappe I sorrowfull dreadinge thy misfortune Héere mayste thou sée that which I sighe to sée dronken sottes wallowinge in euery house in euery chamber yea in euery channell héere maiste thou beholde that whiche I cannot wythout blushinge beholde nor wythoute blubbering vtter those whose bellies bée their Gods who offer their goodes as sacrifice to they re guttes who sléepe wyth meate in their mouthes wyth sinne in their heartes and wyth shame in their houses Héere yea héere Euphues maiste thou sée not the carued viâ—arde of a lewde woman but the incarnaâ—â— visage of a lasciuious wanton not the shaddowe of loue but the substaunce of luste My hearte melteth in droppes of bloude to sée a harlot with the one hande robbe so many cofers and wyth the other to rippe so many corses Thou arte héere amiddest the pykes betwéene Scilla and Caribdis readye if thou shunne Syrtes to sincke into Semphlagades Let the Lacedemonian the Persian the Parthian yea the Neapolitan cause thee rather to detest suche villanie at the sight and viewe of their vanitie Is it not farre better to abhorre sinnes by the remembraunce of others faultes then by repentaunce of thine owne follies Is not hée accompted moste wise whome other mens harmes dooe make moste warie But thou wylte happely saye that although there bée many thinges in Naples to bée iustlye condemned yet there are some thinges of necessitie to bée commended and as thy wyll doeth leane vnto the one so thy wytte woulde also embrace the other Alas Euphues by how much the more I loue the highe climbinge of thy capacitie by so muche the more I feare thy fall The fine christall is sooner crazed then the harde marble the gréenest Béeche burneth faster then the dryest Oke the fairest silke is soonest soyled and the swéetest wine tourneth to the sharpest vineger the pestilence doth most ryfest infect the cléerest complection and the Caterpiller cleaueth vnto the ripest fruite the most delicate wyt is allured with small enticement vnto vice and moste subiecte to yeldâ— vnto vanitie if therefore thou doe but harken to the Syrens thou wilte bée enamoured if thou haunte their houses and places thou shalt be enchaunted One droppe of poyson infecteth the whole tunne of Wine one leafe of Colliquintida marreth and spoyleth the whole potte of porredge one yron Mole defaceth the whole péece of lawne Descende into thine owne conscience and consider wyth thy selfe the greate difference betwéene staringe and starke blinde wit and wisdome loue and lust Bée merrye but with modestie be sober but not to sulloume bee valiaunt but not too venterous Let thy attyre bée comely but not costly thy dyet wholesome but not excessiue vse pastime as the woorde importeth to passe the tyme in
bow bicause I was easely entreated to lysten to your late discourse Or séeing mée as finely you glose to excell all other in beautie did you déeme that I would exceed all other in beastlynesse But yet I am not angry â—upheus but in an agony for who is shée that will not fret or fume with one that loueth hir if this loue to delude mee bée not dissembled It is that which causeth me most to feare not that my beautie is vnknown to my selfe but that commonly we poore wenches are deluded through lyght beliefe and ye men are naturally enclined craftely to leade your lyfe When the Foxe preacheth the Géese perishe The Crocodile shrowdeth greatest treason vnder most pitifull teares in a kissing mouth there lyeth a gallyng minde You haue made so large proffer of your seruice and so fayre promises of fidelytie that were I not ouer charie of mine honestie you would inueigle me to shake handes with chastitie But certes I will eyther leade a Uirgins lyfe in earth though I leade Apes in hell or els follow thée rather then thy giftes yet am I neither so precise to refuse thy proffer neither so péeuish to disdain thy good will So excellent alwayes are the giftes which are made acceptable by the vertue of the giuer I did at the firste entraunce discerne thy loue but yet dissemble it Thy wanton glaunces thy scalding sighes thy louing signes caused me to blush for shame and to looke wanne for feare least they should be perceiued of any These subtill shiftes these paynted practises if I were to be wonne woulde soone weane mee from the teate of Vesta to the toyes of Vâ—nus Besides this thy comly grace thy rare quallyties thy exquisite perfection were able to moue a minde halfe mortified to transgresse the bondes of maydenly modestie But God shielde Lucilla that thou shouldest be so carelesse of thine honour as to commit the state thereoff to a stranger Learne thou by me Euphues to dispise things that be amiable to forgoe delightfull practises beléeue mée it is pietie to abstayne from pleasure Thou arte not the first that hath solicited this sute but the first that goeth about to seduce mée neyther discernest thou more then other but darest more then any neyther hast thou more arte to discouer thy meaninge but more hearte to open thy minde But thou preferrest mée before thy landes thy lyuings thy lyfe thou offerest thy selfe a Sacrifice for my securitie thou proferest mée the whole and onelye soueâ—â—igntie of thy seruice Truely I were very cruell and harde hearted if I should not loue thée harde hearted albeit I am not but truely loue thée I cannot whome I doubte to be my louer Moreouer I haue not bene vsed to the court of Cupide wherin ther be more slights then there be Hares in Athon then Bées in Hybla then stars in Heauen Besides this the common people héere in Naples are not onelye both verye suspitious of other mens matters and manners but also very iealous ouer other mens children and maydens eyther therefore dissemble thy fancie or desist from thy folly But why shouldest thou desist from the one séeinge thou canst cunningly dissemble the other My father is nowe gone to Venice and as I am vncerteine of his retourne so am I not priuie to the cause of his trauayle But yet is he so from hence that he séethe me in his absence Knowest thou not Euphues that kinges haue long armes rulers large reches neither let this comfort thée that at his departure he deputed thée in Philautus place Although my face cause him to mistrust my loyaltie yet my fayth enforceth him to giue mée this lybertie though he be suspitious of my fayre hew yet is he sâ—cure of my â—irme honestie But alas Euphues what truth can there be found in a trauayler what stay in a stranger whose words bodyes both watch but â—or a winde whose féete are euer fleeting whose fayth plighted on the shoare is tourned to periurie when they hoiste saile Who more trayterous to Phillis then Demophoon yet he a trauailer Who more periured to Dido then Aeneas and he a stranger both these Quéenes both they Caytiffes Who more false to Arâ—adâ—e then â—heseus yet he a sayler Who more fickle to Medea then Iason yet he a starter both these daughters to great Princes both they vnfaythfull of promisses Is it then lykely that â—uphues will be faithfull to Lucilla béeing in Naples but a soiourner I haue not yet forgotten the inuectiue I can no otherwise terme it which thou madest against beautie saying it was a deceiptfull bayte with a deadly hooke a swéete poyson in a paynted potte Canst thou then be so vnwise to swallow the bayte which will bréede thy bane To swill the drinke that will expire thy date To desire the wight that will worke thy death But it may bée that with the Scorpion thou canst féede on the earth or with the Quaile and Roebucke be fatte with poyson or with beautie lyue in all brauerie I feare me thou hast the stone Contineus about thee which is named of the contrarye that thoughe thou pretende faithe in thy words thou deuisest fraude in thy heart that though thou seeme to prefer loue thou art inflamed with lust And what for that Though thou haue eaten the séedâ—s of Rockatte which breede incontinencie yet haue I chewed the leafe Cresse which mayteineth modestie Though thou beare in thy bosâ—me the hearbe Araxa most noisome to virginitie yet haue I the stone that groweth in the mounte Tmolus the vpholder of chastitie You may gentleman accompte me for a colde Prophet thus hastely to deuine of your disposition pardon mée Euphues if in loue I cast beyonde the Moone which bringeth vs women to endlesse moane Although I my selfe were neuer burnt whereby I should dread the fire yet the scorching of others in the flames of fancie warneth me to beware Though I as yet neuer tryed any faithles wherby I should be fearefull yet haue I read of many that haue bene periured which causeth me to be carefull though I am able to coÌ„uince none by proofe yet am I enforced to suspect one vppon probabilyties Alas we silly soules which haue neyther witte to decypher the wyles of men nor wisedome to dissemble our affection neyther crafte to trayne in young louers neither courage to withstande their encounters neyther discretion to discerne their dubling neither hard hearts to reiâ—ct their complaynts wée I say are soone enticed béeing by nature simple and easily entangled béeinge apte to receiue the impression of loue But alas it is both common and lamentable to beholde simplicitie intrapped by subtilytie and those that haue most might to be infected with most mallice The Spider weaueth a fine webbe to hang the Fly the Wolfe weareth a faire face to deuoure the Lambe the Merlin striketh at the Partridge the Eagle often snappeth at the Fly men are alwayes laying baytes for women which are the weaker vessells but as yet I
nourisher of wantonnesse Had it not bene better for thée to haue eaten salt with the Philosophers in Greece then sugar with the courtiers of Italy But behold the course of youth which alwayes inclyneth to pleasure I forsooke mine olde companions to search for new friends I reiected the graue and fatherly counsayle of Eubulus to follow the brainesicke humor of mine owne will. I addicted my selfe wholy to the seruice of women to spende my lyfe in the lappes of Ladyes my lands in maintenance of brauerie my witte in the vanities of idle Sonnets I had thought that women had bene as we men that is true faithfull zealous constant but I perceiue they be rather woe vnto men by their falshood gelousie inconstancie I was halfe perswaded that they were made of the perfection of men would be comforters but now I sée they haue tasted of the infection of the Serpent and will be corasiues The Phisition saythe it is daungerous to minister Phisicke vnto the patient that hath a colde stomacke and a hotte lyuer least in giuing warmth to the one he inflame the other so verely it is harde to deale with a woman whose wordes séeme feruent whose heart is congealed into harde yce least trusting their outwarde talke he be betraied with their inwarde trechery I will to Athens ther to tosse my bookes no more in Naples to lyue with faire lookes I will so frame my selfe as al youth héereafter shal rather reioice to se mine amendmeÌ„t then be animated to follow my former lyfe Philosophie Phisicke Diuinitie shal be my studie O the hidden secrets of Nature the expresse image of morall vertues the equall ballaunce of Iustice the medicines to heale all diseases how they beginne to delyght me The Axiomaes of Aristotle the Maxinis of Iustinian the Aphorismes of Galen haue sodaynelye made such a breache into my minde that I séeme onely to desire them which did onely earst detest them Iâ— witte be employed in the honest study of learning what thing so pretious as witte if in the idle trade of loue what thing more pestilent then witte The proofe of late hath bene verefied in me whome nature hath endued with a lyttle witte which I haue abused with an obstinate will most true it is that the thing the better it is the greater is the abuse and that ther is nothing but through the mallice of man may be abused Doth not the fire an element so necessarie that without it man cannot lyue as well burne the house as burne in the house if it be abused Doth not Treacle as wel poyson as helpe if it be taken out of time Doth not wine if it be immoderately taken kill the stomacke enflame the lyuer murther the droncken Doth not Phisicke destroy if it be not well tempred Doth not law accuse if it be not ryghtly interpreted Doth not diuinitie condemne if it be not faythfully construed Is not poyson taken out of the Honnysuckle by the Spider venime out of the Rose by the Canker dunge out of the Maple trée by the Scorpion Euen so the greatest wickednesse is drawne out of the greatest wit if it bée abused by will or entangled with the world or inueig-with women But séeinge I sée mine owne impietie I wyll endeuoure my selfe to amende all that is paste and to be a myrrour of godlynes héereafter The Rose though a lyttle it be eaten with the Canker yet béeing distilled yéeldeth swéete water the yron thoughe fretted with the ruste yet béeing burnte in the fire shyneth brighter and witte although it hath bene eaten with the canker of his owne conceite and fretted with the rust of vaine loue yet beeinge purified in the still of wisedome and tryed in the fire of zeale will shine bright and smell swéete in the nosethrilles of all young nouises As therefore I gaue a farewell to Lucilla a farewell to Naples a farewell to woemen so now doe I giue a farewell to the worlde meaning rather to macerate my selfe with melancholye then pine in follye rather choosinge to dye in my studye amiddest my bookes then to courte it in Italy in the company of Ladyes It happened immediatly Ferardo to retourne home who hearing this straunge euent was not a lyttle amazed and was nowe more readye to exhorte Lucilla from the loue of Curio then before to the lykinge of Philautus Therefore in all haste with watryâ— eyes and a wofull heart began on this manner to reason with his daughter Lucilla daughter I am ashamed to call thée séeing thou hast neyther care of thy fathers tender affection nor of thine owne credite what sprite hath enchaunted thy spirite that euery minute thou alterest thy minde I had thought that my hoary haires should haue found comforte by thy golden lockes and my rotten age greate ease by thy rype yeares But alas I sée in thée neyther witte to order thy doinges neyther will to frame thy selfe to discretion neither the nature of a child neyther the nurture of a mayden neyther I cannot without teares speake it any regarde of thine honour neyther any care of thine honestie I am nowe enforced to remember thy mothers deathe who I thincke was a Prophetesse in hir lyfe for oftentimes shée woulâ—e saye that thou haddest more beautie then was conuenient for one that shoulde bée honeste and more câ—ckering then was méete for one that shoulde bée a Matrone Woulde I had neuer lyued to bée so olde or thou to bée so obstinate eyther woulde I had dyed in my youthe in the courte or thou in thy cradle I woulde to God that eyther Iâ— had neuer bene borne or thou neuer bredde Is this the comfort that the parent reapeth for all his care Is obstinacie payed for obedience stubbernnesse rendred for duetie mallitious desperatenesse for filiall feare I perceiue now that the wiâ—e Paynter saw more then the foolish parent can who paynted loue going downeward saying it might well descend but ascende it coulde neuer Danaus whome they reporte to bée the father of fiftie children had amonge them all but one that disobeyed him in a thinge most dishonest but I that am father to one more then I would be although one be all haue that one most disobedient to me in a request lawfull and reasonable If Danaus séeing but one of his daughters without awe became himselfe without mercie what shall Ferardo doe in this case who hath one and all most vnnaturall to him in a most iust cause Shall Curio enioy the fruite of my trauailes possesse the benefite of my labours enherit the patrimony of mine auncestors who hath neither wisedome to increase theÌ„ nor wit to kéepe theÌ„ wilt thou Lucilla bestow thy self on such an one as hath neither comlines in his body nor knowledge in his minde nor credite in his countrey Oh I would thou haddest eyther bene euer faithfull to Philautus or neuer faithlesse to Euphues or would thou wouldest be more fickle to Curio As thy beautie hath made thée blaze of Italy so will thy
carry two faces in one hood couer thy â—laming fancie with fained ashes shew thy selfe sounde when thou art rotten lette thy hew be merrye when thy heart is melancholy beare a pleasaunt countenaunce with a pyned conscience a paynted sheathe wiâ—h a leaden dagger Thus dissembling thy griefe thou maist recure tâ—y disease Loue crepeth in by stealth and by stealth â—lydeth away If she breake promise with thée in the nighte or absent hir selfe in the daye seeme thou carelesse and then will she be carefull if thou languish then will she bée lauish of hir honour yea of the other straunge beast hir honestie Stande thou on thy panâ—ussles and shée will vayle bonnet lye thou aloofe and she will ceaze on the lure if thou passe by hir dore and be called backe either seeme deafe and not to heare or desperate and not to care Fly the places the parlâ—urs the portalles wherein thou hast bene conuersaunt with thy Lady yea Philautus shunne the streete where Lucilla doth dwell least the sighte of hir window renew the summe of thy sorrow Yet although I woulde haue thée precise in kéeping these precepts yet woulde I haue thee to auoyde sollytarinesse that bréedes melancholy melancholy madnesse madnesse mischiefe and vtter desolation haue euer some faithfull pheere with whome thou mayst communicate thy couÌ„cells sâ—me Pilades to encourage Orestes some Damon to release Pithias some Scipio to recure Laelius Phillis in wandringe the woodes hanged hir selfe Aâ—â—archus forsakinge companye spoyled himselfe with his own bookin Biarus a Romaine more wise theÌ„ fortunate béeing alone destroyed himselfe with a potsherd Beware solitarines But although I would haue thée vse companye for thy recreation yet woulde I haue thée alwaies to leaue the company of those that accoÌ„pany thy Lady yea if she haue any iewel of thine in hir custody rather loofe it then go for it least in sâ—â—king to recouer a trifle thou renewe thine olde trouble Be not curious to curlle thy haire nor carefull to be neate in thine apparell bée not prodigal of thy golde nor precise in thy goinge bée not like the Englishman whiche preferreth euery straunge fashion before the vse of his countrey bée thou dissolute least thy Lady thincke thée foolish in framing thy selfe to euery fashion for hir sake Beléeue not their othes solemne protestations their exorcismes coniurations their tears which they haue at commaundement their alluring lookes their treading on the toe their vnsauerie toyes Let euery one loath his Ladye and bée ashamed to bée hir seruaunt It is riches and ease that nourisheth affection it is play wine and wantonnesse that féedeth a louer as fat as a foole refraine from all such meates as shall prouoke thine appetite to lust and all such meanes as may allure thy minde to folly Take cleere water for stronge wine browne bread for fine manchet béefe and brewys for Quailes Partridge for ease labour for pleasure paine for surâ—etting hunger for sleepe watching for the fellowshippe of Ladyes the companie of Philosophers If thou saye to mée Phisition heale thy selfe I aunswere that I am méetly well purged of that disease and yet was I neuer more willing to cure my selfe then to comfort my friend And séeing the cause that made in mée so colde a deuotion shoulde make in thée also as frosen a desire I hope thou wilt be as ready to prouide a salue as thou wast hastie in séeking a sore And yet Philautus I woulde not that all women shoulde take pepper in the nose in that I haue disclosed the legerdemaines of a fewe for well I knowe none will winch excepte she bée gawlded neither any bée offended vnlesse shee be guiltie Therefore I earnestly desire thée that thou shewe this cooling carde to none except thou shew also this my defence to them all For although I waye nothing the ill will of light huswiues yet woulde I bée loath to loose the good will of honest matrones Thus beeing ready to goe to Athens and readie there to entertaine thée whensouer thou shalte repayre thether I bidde thée farewell and flye women ¶ Thine euer Euphues ¶ To the graue Matrones and honest Maydens of Italy GEntlewomen bicause I would neither bée mistaken of purpose neyther misconstrued of mallice least either the simple should suspect me of folly or the subtill condemne me of blasphemye against the noble sexe of women I thought good that this my faythe shoulde be set downe to finde fauour with the one and confute the cauils of the other Beléeue me gentlewomen although I haue ben bolde to inuay agayne many yet am I not so brutish to enuy them all though I seeme not so gamesome as Aristippus to play with Lais yet am I not so dogged as Diogenes to abhorre all Ladyes neither would I you should thincke me so foolish although of late I haue bene very fantasticall that for the light behauiour of a fewe I shoulde call in question the demeanour of all I know that as ther hath bene an vnchast Helen in Greece so there hath bene also a chast Penelope as there hath bene a prodigious Pasiphae so there hath bene a godly Theocrita though many haue desired to be beloued as Iupiter loued Alâ—maena yet some haue wished to be embraced as Phrigius embraced Pieria as ther hath raigned a wicked Iesabel so hath there ruled a deuoute Debora though many haue bene as fickle as Lucilla yet hath there many bene as faithful as Lucretia Whatsoeuer therfore I haue spoken of the spléene against the slights and subtilties of women I hope ther is none wil mislike it if she be honest neither care I if any doe if shée be an harlot The sowre crab hath the shewe of an apple as well as the swéet pyppin the black Rauen the shape of a birde as well as the white Swanne the lewde wight the name of a woman as wel as the honest Matrone There is great difference betwéene the standing puddle and the running streame yet both water great ods betwéene the Adamant and the Pommice yet both stones a great-distinction to be put betwéene Vitrem and the Christall yet both glasse greate contrarietie betwéene Lais and Lucretia yet both women Séeing therfore one maye loue the cléere Conduit water though he loath the muddie ditch and weare the precious Diamonde though he dispise the ragged bricke I thincke one may also with safe conscience reuerence the modest sex of honest maydens though he forsweare the lewde sort of vnchast minions Vlysses though he detested Calipso with hir sugered voice yet he imbraced Penelope with hir rude distaffe Though Euphues abhorre the beautie of Lucilla yet wil he not absteine from the company of a graue maiden Though the teares of the Hart be salt yet the tears of the Bore be swéet though the teares of some women be counterfaite to deceiue yet the tears of many be curraÌ„t to try their loue I for my part wil honour those alwaies that be honest worship theÌ„ in my life
¶ EVPHVES THE ANATOMY OF WYT Very pleasant for all Gentlemen to reade and most necessary to remember wherin are contained the delights that Wyt followeth in his youth by the pleasauntnesse of Loue and the happynesse he reapeth in age by the perfectnesse of Wisedome ¶ By Iohn Lylly Master of Arte. Oxon. ¶ Imprinted at London for Gabriell Cawood dwelling in Paules Churchyarde ¶ To the right honorable my very good â—ord and Mâ—ster Sir William West Knight Lord Delawaâ—e Iohn Lyly wissheth long lyfe with encrease of honour PARATIVS drawing the counterfaite of Helen right honorable made the attier of hiâ— head loose who being demaunded why he dyd so he aunswered she was loose Vulcan was painted curiously yet with a polt foote Venus cuÌ„ningly yet with hir Mole Alexander hauing a Skar in his cheeke helde his finger vpon it that Appelles might not paint it Appelles painted him with his singer cleauing to his face why quod Alexander I layde my finger on my Skarre bicause I would not haue tâ—â—â— see it yea sayd Appelles and I drew it there bâ—cause none els should perceiue it â—or if thy singer had bene away either thy Skarre would haue ben seene or my aâ—te mislyked whereby I gather that in all perfect woâ—kes aswell the fault as the face is to be sâ—owen The sairest Leopard is sette downe with his spots the swetest Rose with his prickles the finest Veluet with his bracke Seing then that in euery counterfaite as well the blemish as the bewtie is coloured I hope I shal not incur the displeasure of the wise in that in the discourse of Euphues I haue aswel touched the vanities of his loue as the vertues of his lyfe The Persians who aboue all their Kings most honored Cyrus caused him to be engrauen aswel with his hoked nose as his high forehead He that loued Homer best concealed not his â—lattering he that praised Alexander most bewrayed his quaffing Demonydes must haue a crooked shooe for his wry foote Damocles a smoth gloue for his streight haÌ„d For as euery Paynter that shadoweth a man in all parts giueth euery peece his iust proporcion so he that disciphereth the qualities of the mynde ought aswell to shew euery humor in his kinde as the other doth euery part in his colour The Surgion that maketh the Anatomy sheweth aswel the muscles in the heele as the vaines of the hart If then the fiâ—st sight of Euphues shal seeme to light to be read of the wise or to foolish to be regarded of the learned they ought not to impute it to the iniquitie of the author but to the necessitie of the history Euphues beginneth with loue as allured by wyt but endeth not with lust as bereft of wisedome He wooeth women prouoked by youth but weddeth not himselfe to wantonnesse as pricked by pleasure I haue set down the follies of his wit without breach of modestie the sparks of his wisedome without suspicion of dishonestie And certes I thinke ther be mo speaches which for grauitie wil mislyke the foolish then vnsemely termes which for vanitie may offeÌ„d the wise Which discourse right Honorable I hope you wil the rather pardon for the rudenes in that it is the first protect it the more willingly if it offend in that it shal be the laste It may be that fine wits wil descant vpon him that hauing no wit goeth about to make the Anatomy of wit And certeinly their iesting in my mynd is tollerable For if the butcher should take vpon him to cut the Anatomy of a man bicause he hath skil in opening an Oxe he would proue himself a Calfe or if the Horselech would adueÌ„ture to minister a Potion to a sick patieÌ„t in that he hath knowledge to giue a drench to a diseased Horse he would make himselfe an Asse The Shomaker must not go aboue his latchet nor the hedger meddle with anye thing but his bill It is vnsemely for the Paynter to feather a shaft or the Fletcher to handle the pensill All which thinges make most against me in that a foole hath intruded himselfe to discourse of wit. But as I was willing to commit the fault so am I content to make amendes Howsoeuer the case standeth I looke for no prayse for my labour but pardon for my good will it is the greatest rewarde that I dare aske and the least that they can offer I desire no more I deserue no lesse Though the stile nothing delight the dayntie eare of the curious sifter yet wil the matter recreate the minde of the courteous Reader The varietie of the one wil abate the harshnes of the other Thinges of greatest profit are sette foorth with least price When the Wyne is neete there needeth no Iuie-bush The right Coral needeth no colouring Where the matter it selfe bringeth credit the man with his glose winneth smal commendation It it therfore me thinketh a greater show of a pregnant wit then perfect wisedome in a thing of sufficieÌ„t excellencie to vse superfluous eloquence We coÌ„monly see that a black ground doth best beseme a white counterfeit And Venus according to the iudgemeÌ„t of Mars was then most amyable when she sate close by Vulcanus If these thinges be true which experience tryeth that a naked tale doth most truely set foorth the naked truth that where the countenaunce is faire ther neede no colours that paynting is meter for ragged walls theÌ„ fine Marble that veritie then shineth most bâ—ight wheÌ„ she is in least brauery I shal satisfie myne own mynde though I cannot feede their humors which greatly â—eke after those that sift the finest meale beare the whitest mouthes It is a world to see how English men desire to heare finer speach then the language will allow to eate finer bread then is made of Wheat to weare finer cloth then is wrought of Woll But I let passe their finenesse which can no way excuse my folly If your Lordship shal accept my good wil which I alwaies desired I will patieÌ„tly beare the il wil of the malicious which I neuer deserued Thus committing this simple Pamphlet to your Lordships patronage your Honour to the Almighties protection â—or the preseruation of the which aâ— most bounden I will praye continually I ende Your Lordships seruaunt to commaund I. Lyly To the Gentlemen Readers I Was driuen into a quandaâ—ie Gentlemen whether I might send this my Pamphlet to the Printer or to the pedler I thought it to bad for the presse to good for the packe But seing my folly in writing to be as great as others I was willing my fortune should be as ill as any mans We commonly see the booke that at Christmas lyeth bound on the Stacioners stall at Easter to be broken in the Haberdasshers shop which sith it is the order of proceding I am content this winter to haue my doings read for a toye that in sommer they may be ready for trash It is not straunge when as the greatest
did beleeue thée that so soone I dyd loue thée and I hope thou wilt the rather loue me in that I did beléeue thée After many embracings protestations one to an other they walked to dinner where they wanted neither meate neither Musicke neither any other pastime hauing banqueted to digest their swéet confections they daunced all the afternoone they vsed not onely one boord but one bedde one booke if so be it they thought not one to many Their friendship augmented euery day insomuch that the one could not refraine the company of the other one minute all things went in coÌ„mon betwéene them which all men accompted coÌ„mendable Philautus being a towne borne childe both for his owne continuance the great countenaunce whiche his Father had whyle he liued crepte into credite with Don Ferardo one of the chiefe gouernours of the citie who although he had a courtly crewe of gentlewomen soiourning in his pallace yet his daughter heire to his whole reuenews stained the beautie of them all whose modest bashfulnesse caused the other to looke wanne for enuie whose lillye cheekes dyed with a Uermillion redde made the rest to blushe at hir beautie For as the finest Rubie stayneth the coulour of the rest that bée in place or as the Sunne dimmeth the Moone that she cannot bee discerned so this gallant gyrle more faire then fortunate and yet more fortunate then faithfull eclipsed the beautie of them all and chaunged their coulours Unto hir had Philautus accesse who wanne hir by right of loue and shoulde haue worne hir by right of lawe had not Euphues by strauâ—ge destenie broken the bondes of marriage and forbidden the banes of Matrimonie It happened that Don Ferardo had occasion to go to Venice about certein his own affaires leauing his daughter the onely steward of his houshoulde who spared not to feast Philautus hir friend with al kindes of delights delicates reseruing onely hir honestie as the chiefe stay of hir honour Hir father being gon she sent for hir friend to supper who came not as he was accustomed solitarily alone but accompanied with his friende Euphues The Gentlewoman whether it were for nycenesse or for niggardnesse of curtesie gaue hym suche a colde welcome that he repented that he was come Euphues thoughe hée knewe himselfe worthy euery way to haue a good countenaunce yet coulde hée not perceiue hir willinge any way to lende hym a friendly looke At the last supper béeing readye to come in Philautus sayde vnto hir Gentlewoman I was the bolder to bringe my shadowe with mée meaning Euphues knowing that he should be the better welcome for my sake vnto whome the gentilwoman replyed Syr as I neuer when I sawe you thought that you came without your shadow so now I cannot a lyttle meruaile to sée you so ouershot in bringing a new shadow with you Euphues though he perceiued hir coy nippe séemed not to care for it but taking hir by the hand sayd Fayre Lady seing the shade doth often shilde your beautie from the parching Sunne I hope you will the better estéeme of the shadowe and by so much the lesse it ought to be offenciue by how much the lesse it is able to offende you and by so much the more you ought to lyke it by how much the more you vse to lye in it Well gentleman aunswered Lucilla in arguing of the shadowe we forgoe the substance pleaseth it you therefore to sit downe to supper And so they all sate downe but Euphues fed of one dish which euer stoode before him the beautie of Lucilla Héere Euphues at the firste sight was so kyndled with desyre that almost he was lyke to burn to coales Supper being ended the order was in Naples that the gentlewomen would desire to heare some discourse either concerning loue or learning And although Philautus was requested yet he posted it ouer to Euphues whome he knew most fit for that purpose Euphues being thus tyed to the stake by their importunate intreatie began as followeth He that worst may is alwaye enforced to holde the candell the weakest must still to the wall where none will the Diuell himselfe must beare the crosse But were it not gentlewomen that your lyste standes for lawe I would borrow so muche leaue as to resigne myne office to one of you whose experience in loue hath made you learned and whose learning hath made you so louely for me to entreate of the one being a nouise or to discourse of the other being a trewant I may wel make you weary but neuer the wyser and giue you occasion rather to laugh at my rashnesse then to lyke my reasons Yet I care the lesse to excuse my boldnesse to you who were the cause of my blyndenesse And since I am at myne owne choyce eyther to talke of loue or of learning I had rather for this tyme be déemed an vnthrift in reiecting profit then a Stoicke in renouncing pleasure It hath bene a question often disputed but neuer determined whether the qualities of the mynde or the composition of the man cause women most to lyke or whether beautie or witte moue men most to loue Certes by how much the more the mynde is to be preferred before the body by so much the more the graces of the one are to be preferred before the gifts of the other which if it be so that the contemplation of the inwarde qualitie ought to be respected more then the view of the outward beautie then doubtlesse women eyther doe or should loue those best whose vertue is best not measuring the deformed man with the reformed mynde The foule Toade hathe a fayre stoane in his head the fine goulde is founde in the filthy earth the swéete kernell lyeth in the hard shell Uertue is harbored in the heart of him that most men estéeme misshapen contrarywise if we respect more the outward shape then the inwarde habit good God into how many mischiefes doe we fall into what blyndenesse are we ledde Doe we not commonly sée that in paynted pottes is hidden the deadlyest poyson that in the gréenest grasse is the greatest Serpent in the cléerest water the vglyest Toade Doth not experience teach vs that in the most curious Sepuâ—chre are enclosed rotten bones That the Cypresse trée beareth a fayre leafe but no fruite That the Estridge carryeth fayre fethers but rancke flesh How franticke are those louers which are carryed away with the gaye glistering of the fine face the beautie wherof is parched with the Sommers blase chipped with the winters blast which is of so short continuance that it fadeth before one perceiue it florishe of so small profit that it poysoneth those that possesse it of so little value with the wyse that they accompt it a delicate bayte with a deadly hooke a sweete Panther with a deuouring paunch a sower poyson in a siluer potte Here I colde enter into discourse of such fyne dames as being in loue with theyr owne lookes make suche course accompt
of theyr passionate louers for coÌ„monly if they be adorned with beautie they be so straight laced and made so high in the insteppe that they disdaine them most that most desyre them It is a worlde to sée the doating of theyr louers and theyr dealing with them the reuealing of whose subtil traines would cause me to shead teares you gentlewomen to shut your modest eares Pardon me gentlewomen if I vnfold euery wyle shew euery wrinckle of womens disposition Two thinges do they cause their seruants to vow vnto them secrecie soueraigntie the one to conceale their entising sleights by the other to assure themselues of their onely seruice Again but ho there if I shold haue waded any further sownded the depth of their deceipt I should either haue procured your displeasure or incurred the suspition of frawd eyther armed you to practise the like subteltie or accused my self of periury But I mean not to offend your chast mynds with the rehersal of their vnchast manners whose eares I perceiue to glowe and heartes to be gréeued at that which I haue already vttered not that amongest you there be any such but that in your sexe ther should be any such Let not geÌ„tlewomeÌ„ therfore make to much of their paynted sheathe lette them not be so curyous in theyr owne conceite or so currishe to theyr loyall louers When the blacke crowes foote shall appeare in theyr eye or the blacke Oxe treade on their foote when their beautie shall be lyke the blasted Rose theyr wealth wasted their bodies worne theyr faces wrinckled their fyngers crooked who will lyke of them in their age who loued none in their youth If you will be cherished when you be olde be curteous while you be young if you looke for comfort in your hoary haires be not coye when you haue your golden lockes if you would be embraced in the wayning of your brauery be not squeymish in the waxing of your beautie if you desyre to be kept lyke the Roses when they haue loste theyr coulour smell swéete as the Rose doth in the bud if you would be tasted for olde wyne be in the mouth a pleasant Grape so shall you be cherished for your curtesie comforted for your honestie embraced for your amitie so shall you be preserued with the swéete Rose and droncke with the pleasant wyne Thus farre I am bolde gentlewomen to counsell those that be coye that they weaue not the webbe of theyr owne woe nor spin the thréed of their owne thraldome by their owne ouerthwartnesse And seing we are euen in the bowells of loue it shall not be amisse to examine whether man or woman be sonest allured whether be most constant the male or the female And in this poynt I meane not to be myne owne caruer least I should séeme eyther to picke a thanke with men or a quarrel with women If therfore it might stande with your pleasure Mistres Lucilla to giue your censure I would take the contrary for sure I am though your iudgement be sounde yet affection will shadow it Lucilla seing his pretence thought to take aduauntage of his large profer vnto whome she sayde Gentleman in myne opinion Women are to be wonne with euery wynde in whose sex ther is neither force to withstande the assaults of loue neither constancie to remaine faythfull And bicause your discourse hathe hetherto bredde delight I am loth to hinder you in the sequele of your deuises Euphues perceiuing himselfe to be taken napping answered as followeth ¶ Mistres Lucilla if you speake as you thincke these gentlewomen present haue lyttle cause to thanke you if you cause me to coÌ„mend women my tale wil be accoÌ„pted a méere triâ—le your words the plain truth Yet knowing promise to be debt I wyll paye it with performance And I would the gentlemen here present wer as ready to credit my proofe as the gentlewomen are willing to heare their own prayses or I as able to ouercome as Mistres Lucilla would be coÌ„tent to be ouerthrown how so euer the matter shall fall out I am of the surer syde for if my reasons be weake then is our sexe stronge if forcyble then your iudgement féeble if I fynde truth on my syde I hope I shall for my wages win the good will of women if I want proofe then gentlewomen of necessitie you must yelde to men But to the matter Touching the yelding to loue albeit theyr hartes séeme tender yet they harden them lyke the stone of Sicilia the which the more it is beaten the harder it is for being framed as it were of the perfection of men they be frée from all such cogitations as may any way prouoke them to vncleanenesse insomuch as they abhorre the light loue of youth which is grounded vpon lust dissolued vpon euery light occasion When they sée the folly of men turne to fury their delight to doting theyr affection to frensie when they sée them as it were pyne in pleasure and to waxe pale through theyr owne péeuishnesse their sutes their seruice theyr letters theyr labors their loues theyr lyues seeme to them so odious that they harden theyr hartes against such concupiscence to the ende they might coÌ„uert them from rashnesse to reason from such lewde disposition to honest discretion hereoff it commeth that men accuse women of crueltie bâ—cause they themselues want ciuilitie they accompt them full of wyles in not yelding to their wickednesse faythlesse for resisting their fylthinesse But I had almost forgot my selfe you shall pardon mée Mistresse Lucilla for this time if this abruptly I finish my discourse it is neyther for want of good wil or lacke of proofe but that I feele in my selfe such alteration that I can scarcely vtter one word ah Eupheus Euphues The gentlewomen were strooke into such a quandarie with this sodayne chaunge that they all chaunged coulour But Euphues taking Philautus by the hande and giuing the gentlewomen thanckes for their patience and his repast badde them all fare-well and went immediatly to his chamber But Lucilla who now began to frie in the flames of loue all the company béeing departed to their lodgings entred into these termes and contrarieties Ah wretched wench Lucilla how art thou perplexed what a doubtfull fight dost thou féele betwixt faith and fancie hope feare conscience and concupiscence O my Euphues lyttle dost thou know the sodayne sorrow that I sustayne for thy swéete sake Whose witte hath bewitched me whose rare qualyties haue depriued me of mine olde qualytie whose courteous behauiour without curiositie whose comely feature without fault whose fyled speach without fraude hath wrapped me in this misfortune And canst thou Lucilla be so light of loue in forsaking Philâ—utus to flye to Euphues canst thou prefer a straunger before thy countryman A starter before thy companion Why Euphues doth perhappes desyre my loue but Philautus hath deserued it Why Euphues feature is worthy as good as I But Philautus his fayth is worthy a
the nettle tenderly is soonest sloung that the Fly which plaieth with the fire is singed in the flame that he y dallieth with women is drawen to his woe And as y Adamant draweth the heauy yron the harp that fléet Dolphin so beauty allureth the chast minde to loue the wisest wit to lust The example whereof I would it were no lesse profitable theÌ„ the experieÌ„ce to me is like to be perilous The vine wattered with wine is soone withered the blossom in the fattest grouÌ„d is quickly blasted the Goat that fatter she is the lesse fertil she is yea man the more wittie he is the lesse happy he is So it is Philautus for why should I conceale it froÌ„ thée of whoÌ„ I am to take counsaile that since my last first being with thée at the house of Ferardo I haue felt such a furious battaile in mine own body as if it be not speadely repressed by pollicie it wil carry my minde the grauÌ„d captain in this fight into endles captiuitie Ah Liuia Liuia thy courtly grace without coynes thy blazing beauty without blemish thy curteous demeanour without curiosity thy swéet speach sauoured with wit thy comly mirth tempered with modesty thy chast looks yet louely thy sharp taunts yet pleasant haue giuen me such a checke that sure I am at the next view of thy vertues I shall take thée mate And taking it not of a pawn but of a prince the losse is to be accompted the lesse And though they be coÌ„monly in a great choler that receiue the mate yet would I willingly take euery minute x. mates to enioy Liuia for my louing mate Doubtlesse if euer she hir self haue ben scorched with the flames of desire she will be ready to quench the coales with courtesie in an other if euer shé◠haue ben attached of loue she will rescue him that is drenched in desire if euer she haue ben taken with the â—eâ—â—â—â—r of fancie she wil help his ague who by a quotidiaÌ„ fit is conuerted into phrensie Neither can there bée vnder so delicate a hew lodged deceite neither in so beautifull a mould a malicious minde True it is that the disposition of the minde followeth the composition of the body how theÌ„ can she be in minde any way imperfect who in body is perfect euery way â— I know my successe wil be good but I know not how to haue acceâ—se to my goddesse neither do I want courage to discouer my loue to my frieÌ„d but some colour to cloak my coÌ„ming to the house of Ferardo for if they be in Naples as ieolous as they be in the other parts of Italy then it behoueth me to walke circuÌ„spectly to forge some cause for mine ofteÌ„ coÌ„ming If therfore Philautus thou canst fet but this fether to mine arrow thou shalt sée me shoot so néere that thou wilt accoÌ„pt me for a cunning Archerâ— And verily if I had not loued thée wel I wold haue swalowed mine own sorrow in sileÌ„ce knowing that in loue nothing is so dauÌ„gerous as to perticipate the means therof to an other the two may kéep couÌ„sel if one be away I am therfore enforced perforce to challenge that courtesie at thy handes which earst thou diddest promise with thy heart the perfourmaunce whereof shall binde mée to Philautus and proue thée faithfull to Euphues Philautus thincking all to bée golde that glistered and all to bée gospell that Euphues vttered aunswered his forged gloase with this friendly cloase In that thou hast made me priuie to thy pourpose I will not conceale my practise in that thou crauest my aide assure thy selfe I wil be the finger next the thumbe insomuch as thou shalt neuer repent thée of the one or the other Concerning Liuia though shée bée faire yet is shée not so amiable as my Lucilla whose seruaunt I haue bene the tearme of thrée yeares but least comparisons shoulde seeme odious chiefly where both the parties be without comparison I will omit that and séeing that wée had both rather be talking wyth them then tatling of them wée will immediatly goe to them And truely Euphues I am not a little gladde that I shall haue thée not onely a comfort in my life but also a companion in my loue As thou hast bene wise in thy choice so I hope thou shalt bée fortunate in thy chaunce Liuia is a wench of more witte then beautie Lucilla of more beautie then witte both of more honestye then honoure and yet both of suche honoure as in all Naples there is not one in birthe to bée compared wyth any of them both Howe much therefore haue wée to reioyce in our choice Touchinge our accesse bée thou secure I will flappe Ferardo in the mouth with some conceyte and fill his olde heade so full of newe fables that thou shalt rather bée earnestly entreated to repaire to his house then euyll entreated to leaue it As olde men are very suspitious to mistruste euerye thinge so are they verye credulous to beléeue any thinge the blinde man doth eate many a Fly yea but sayd Euphues take héede my Philautus that thou thy selfe swallow not a gudgen which woord Philautus did not marke vntill he had almost digested it But said Euphues let vs goe deuoutly to the shrine of our Saincts there to offer our deuotion to the which Euphues consented willingly smiling to himselfe to see how he had brought Philautus into a fooles Paradise Héere you may sée gentlemen the falshood in felowship the fraude in friendship the painted sheth with the leaden dagger the faire woords that make fooles faine but I will not trouble you with superfluous addition vnto whom I feare mee I haue bene tedious with the bare discourse of this rude historie Philautus and Euphues repaired to the house of Ferardo where they found Mistres Lucilla and Liuia accompanied with other gentlewomen neither béeing idle nor well employed but playing at cardes But when Lucilla beheld Euphues she could scarcely containe hir selfe from embracing him had not womanly shamefastnesse and Philautus his presence stayed hir wisdome Euphues on the other side was fallen into such a trance that he had not the power either to succour himselfe or salute the gentlewomen At the last Lucilla began as one that best might be bolde on this manner Gentlemen although your longe absence gaue mée occasion to thincke that you disliked your late entertainment yet your comming at the last hath cut off my former suspition And by so much the more you are welcome by how much the more you were wished for But you gentleman taking Euphues by the hande were the rather wished for for that your discourse being left vnperfect caused vs all to long as women are wont for things that like them to haue an ende thereoff Unto whom Philautus replyed as followeth Mistres Lucilla thoughe your courtesie made vs nothing to doubt of our welcome yet modestye caused vs to pinch courtesie who shoulde first come as for my friende I thincke hée
was neuer wished for héere so earnestly of any as of hymselfe whether it might bée to renewe his talke or to recant his sayinges I cannot tell But whilest hée was yet speakinge Ferardo entered whome they all duetifully welcomed home who rounding Philautus in the care desired hym to accompany him immediatly without farther pausinge protesting it shoulde bée as well for his preferment as for his owne profite Philautus consentinge Ferardo sayd to his daughter Lucilla the vrgent affaires I haue in hande wyll scarce suffer mée to tarrye wyth you one houre yet my retourne I hope will bée so short that my absence shall not bréede thy sorrowe In the meane season I commit all thinges into thy custody wishing thée to vse thy accustomable courtesie And séeinge I must take Philautus wyth mée I will bée so bolde to craue you gentleman his friende to supplye his roome desiring you to take this hastye warninge for a hartye welcome and so to spende this time of mine absence in honest mirth And thus I leaue you Philautus knewe well the cause of this sodayne departure which was to redéeme certeine landes that were morgaged in his Fathers time to the vse of Ferardo who on that condition had before time promysed him his daughter in marriage But retourne wée to Euphues Euphues was supprised with such increadible ioye at this straunge euent that hée had almost sounded for séeing his coryuall to be departed and Ferardo to gyue him so friendly entertainment doubted not in time to get the good wyll of Lucilla Whome findinge in place conuenient without company with a bolde courage and comely gesture he began to aâ—â—ay hir in this sort Gentlewoman my acquaintaunce béeing so little I am afraide my credâ—te will bee lesse for that they commonly are soonest beleeued that are bâ—st belâ—ued and they liked best whome we haue knowne longest neuerthelesse the noble minde suspecteth no guile wythout cause neither condemneth any wight wythout proofe hauing therefore notise of your heroycall heart I am the better perswaded of my good hap So it is Lucilla that coÌ„ming to Naples but to fetch fire as the by word is not to make my place of abode I haue founde such flames that I can neither quench them wyth the water of free will neyther coole them wyth wisedome For as the Hoppe the poale béeing neuer so hye groweth to the ende or as the drye Béeche kindled at the roote neuer leaueth vntill it come to the toppe or as one droppe of poyson disperseth it selfe into euerye vaine so affection hauinge caught holde of my hearte and the sparkles of loue kindled my liuer wyll sodeinely thoughe secretlye flame vp into my heade and spreade it selfe into euerye sinewe It is your beautie pardon my abrupte boldenesse Ladye that hath taken euery part of mée prisoner and brought me to this déepe distresse but séeinge women when one praiseth them for their desertes deeme that hée flattereth them to obteine his desire I am héere present to yelde my selfe to such tryall as your courtesie in this behalfe shall require Yet will you coÌ„monly obiect this to such as serue you sterue to winne your good wil that hot loue is soone colde that the Bauin though it bourne bright is but a blaze that scaldinge water if it stande a while tourneth almost to yse that pepper â—hough it be hot in the mouth is colde in the mawe that the faith of men though it frye in their woordes it fréeseth in theire works Which things Lucilla albeit they be sufficient to reproue the lightnesse of some one yet can it not conuince euery one of lewdenes neither ought the constancie of all to be brought in question through the subtiltie of a fewe For although the worme entereth almost into euery woode yet he eateth not the Ceder trée Though the stone Cylindrus at euery thunder clappe rowle from the hill yet the pure sâ—éeke stone mounteth at the noyse though the rust fret the hardest stéele yet doth it not eate into the Emeraulde though Polypus chaunge his hew yet the Salamander kéepeth his coulour though Proteus transforme himselfe into euery shape yet Pygmalion retaineth his olde forme though Aeneas were to fickle to Dido yet Troylus was to faithfull to Craessida thoughe others séeme counterfaite in their déedes yet Lucilla perswade your selfe that Euphues will bée alwayes curraunt in his dealinges But as the true golde is tryed by the touch the pure flinte by the stroke of the yron so the loyall heart of the faithfull louer is knowen by the tryall of his Lady of the which tryall Lucilla if you shall accompte Euphues worthy assure your selfe hée wyll bée as readie to offer himselfe a sacrifice for your swéet sake as your selfe shall bée willinge to employe hym in your seruice Neyther doth hee desire to bée trusted any way vntill he shall be tried euery way neither doth hée craue credite at the first but a good countenaunce til time his desire shall be made manifest by hys desertes Thus not blynded by lyght affection but dazeled with your rare perfection and boldened by your excéeding courtesie I haue vnfolded mine entire loue desiring you hauing so good leasure to giue so friendly an aunswere as I may receiue comforte and you commendacion Lucilla although she were contented to heare this desired discourse yet did shee seeme to bee somewhat displeased And truely I know not whether it bée peculyar to that sex to dissemble with those whome they most desire or whether by craft they haue learned outwardely to loath that which inwardely they most loue yet wisely did she cast this in hir head that if she should yéelde at the first assault he woulde thinke hir a lyght huswife if she should reiect him sâ—ornefully a very haggard minding therefore that hâ— shoulde neyther take holde of hir promise neyther vnkindenesse of hir precisenesse she fedde him indifferently with hope and dispayre reason and affection lyfe and death Yet in the ende arguing wittilly vpon certeine questions they fell to suche agréement as poore Philautus woulde not haue agréed vnto if hée had bene present yet alwayes kéepinge the body vndefiled And thus shée replyed GEntleman as you may suspecte me of Idelnesse in giuing eare to your talke so may you conuince me of lyghtenesse in answering such toyes certes as you haue made mine eares glowe at the rehearsall of your loue so haue you galled my hart with the remembrance of your folly Though you came to Naples as a straunger yet were you welcome to my fathers house as a friend And can you then so much transgresse the bounds of honour I will not say of honestie as to solicite a sute more sharpe to me then deathe I haue hetherto God bethancked liued wythout suspition of lewdenesse and shall I nowe incurre the daunger of sensuall lybertie What hope can you haue to obtayne my loue seeing yet I coulde neuer affoord you a good looke Doe you therefore thinke me easely entised to the bent of your
could neuer heare man by such snares to intrappe man For true it is that men themseleus haue by vse obserued that it must be a hard winter when one Wolfe eateth an other I haue read that the Bull being tyed to the Figge trée loseth his strength that the whole heard of Deare stande at the gaze if they smell a swéete apple that the Dolphin by the sound of Musicke is brought to the shore And then no meruaile it is that if the fierce Bull be tamed with the Figge tree if that women beeing as weake as shéepe be ouercome with a Figge if the wilde Deare be caughte with an apple that the tame Damzell is wonne with a blossome if the fleete Dolphin be allured with harmony that women be entangled with the melodie of mens speach fayre promises and solemne protestations But follye it were for mée to marke their mischiefes sith I am neyther able neyther they willynge to amende their manners it becommeth mée rather to shew what our sexe should doe then to open what yours doth And seeing I cannot by reason restrayne your importunate sute I will by rigour done on my selfe cause you to refraine the meanes I would to God Ferardo were in this poynte lyke to Lysander which would not suffer his daughters to weare gorgeous apparell saying it would rather make them common then comely I would it were in Naples a law which was a custome in Aegypt that woemen should alwayes go barefoote to the intent they might kéepe themselues alwayes at home that they shoulde be euer lyke to the Snaile which hath euer his house on his head I meane so to mortifie my selfe that in stead of silkes I will weare sackecloth for Owches and Bracelettes Léere and Caddys for the Lute vse the Distaffe for the Penne the Néedle for louers Sonettes Dauids Psalmes But yet I am not so senceles altogether to reiect your seruice which if I were certeinly assured to procéed of a simple minde it shold not receiue so simple a reward And what greater triall can I haue of thy simplicitie truth theÌ„ thine owne requeste which desireth a triall I but in the coldest flinte there is hotte fire the Bée that hath hoâ—â—y in hir mouth hath a sting in hir tayle the trée that beareth the swéetest fruite hath a sower sappe yea the wordes of men though they séeme smoothe as oyle yet their heartes are as crooked as the stalke of Iuie I woulde not Euphues that thou shouldest condemne me of rigour in that I séeke to asswage thy follye by reason but take this by the way that although as yet I am disposed to lyke of none yet whensoeuer I shall loue any I will not forget thée in the meane season accompt me thy friend for thy foe I will neuer be Euphues was brought into a greate quandarie and as it were a colde shiuering to heare this newe kinde of kindenesse such swéete meate such sower sauce such faire wordes such faint promises such hotte loue such colde desire such certayne hope such sodaine chaunge and stoode lyke one that had looked on Medusaes heade and so had bene tourned into a stone Lucilla séeing him in this pitifull plight and fearing he would take stande if the lure were not cast out toke him by the hand and wringing him softely with a smiling countenaunce began thus to comfort him Mée thinkes Euphues chaungeing so your couloure vpon the sodaine you will soone chaunge your coppie is your minde on your meat a penny for your thought Mistresse quod he if you would buy all my thoughts at that price I shoulde neuer be wearye of thinking but séeinge it is too déere reade it and take it for nothing It séemes to me sayd she that you are in some browne study what coulours you mighte best weare for your Ladye In déede Lucilla you leuell shrewdly at my thought by the ayme of your owne imagination for you haue giuen vnto me a true loues knotte wrought of chaungeable silke and you déeme mée that I am deuisinge howe I mighte haue my coulours chaungeable also that they mighte agrée But lette this with such toyes and deuises passe if it please you to commaund me any seruice I am héere ready to attende your leasure No seruice Euphues but that you kéepe silence vntill I haue vttered my minde and secrecie when I haue vnfolded my meaning If I should offende in the one I were to bold if in the other too beastly Well then Euphues sayd shée so it is that for the hope that I conceiue of thy loyaltie and the happy successe that is lyke to ensue of this our loue I am content to yeelde thée the place in my heart which thou desirest and deseruest aboue all other which consent in me if it may any wayes bréede thy contentation sure I am that it will euery way worke my comforte But as eyther thou tenderest mine honour or thine owne safetie vse such secrecie in this matter that my father haue no incklyng héereoff before I haue framed his minde fitte for our purpose And though women haue small force to ouercome men by reason yet haue they good Fortune to vndermine them by pollycie The softe droppes of raine pearce the hard Marble many strokes ouerthrow the tallest Oke a silly woman in time may make such a breach into a mans hearte as hir teares may enter without resistaunce then doubt not but I will so vndermine mine olde father as quickly I will enioy my new friend Tush Philautus was liked for fashion sake but neuer loued for fancie sake this I vow by the fayth of a Uirgin and by the loue I beare thée for greater bands to confirme my vowe I haue not that my father shall sooner martir me in the fire then marry me to Philautus No no Euphues thou onely hast wonne me by loue and shalt only weare me by law I force not Philautus his fury so I may haue Euphues his friendship neither will I prefer his possessions before thy person neyther estéeme better of his lands then of thy loue Ferardo shall sooner disherite me of my patrimony then dishonour me in breaking my promise it is not his great mannors but thy good manners that shall make my marriage In token of which my sincere affection I giue thée my hande in pawne and my heart for euer to be thy Lucilla Unto whome Euphues aunswered on this manner If my tongue were able to vtter the ioyes that my heart hath conceiued I feare me though I be wel beloued yet I shoulde hardlye bée beléeued Ah my Lucilla howe much am I bounde to thée whiche preferrest mine vnworthinesse before thy Fathers wrath my happinesse before thine owne misfortune my loue before thine owne lyfe howe might I excell thée in courtesie whome no mortall creature can excéede in constancie I finde it nowe for a setled truth which earst I accompted for a vaine talke that the Purple dye will neuer staine that the pure Cyuet will neuer loose his sauour
therefore euer reserued I héere on my knées forsweare Philautus for my husband althoughe I accept him for my friende and séeing I shall hardly bée induced euer to match with any I beséeche you if by your Fatherly loue I shall bée compelled that I may match wyth such a one as both I may loue and you may like Ferardo béeing a graue and wise Gentleman although he were throughly angry yet he dissembled his fury to the ende he might by craft discouer hir fancie and whispering Philautus in the eare who stood as though he had a Flea in his eare desired him to kéepe silence vntil he had vndermined hir by subtiltie which Philautus hauing graunted Ferardo began to sift his daughter with this deuice Lucilla thy coulour sheweth thée to be in a greate choler and thy hot woords bewray thy heauy wrath but bée patient séeinge all my talke was onelye to trye thée I am neyther so vnnaturall to wreaste thee against thine owne will neyther so malytious to wedde thée to any agaynste thine owne likinge for well I knowe what iarres what ielousie what sâ—riefe what stormes ensue where the matche is made rather by the compulsion of the parents then by consent of the parties neyther doe I like thée the lesse in that thou lykest Philautus so little neyther can Philautus loue thée the worse in that thou louest thy selfe so well wishinge rather to stande to thy chaunce then to the choyse of any other But this gryueth mée most that thou art almost vowed to the vayne order of the vestall virgins despisinge or at the least not desiring the sacred bandes of Iuno hir bedde If thy Mother had bene of that minde when shée was a mayden thou haddest not nowe bene borne to bée of this minde to bée a virginne Waye wyth thy selfe what slender profile they bring to the common wealth what sleight pleasure to themselues what greate griefe to theire parentes which ioye most in their ofspringe and desire moste to enioye the noble and blessed name of a graundfather Thou knowest that the tallest Ashe is cut downe for fuell bycause it beareth no good fruite that the Cowe that gyues no mylke is brought to the slaughter that the Drone that gathereth no honny is contemned that the woman that maketh hyr selfe barren by not marryinge is accompted amonge the Grecian Ladyes worse then a carryon as Homere reporteth Therefore Lucilla if thou haue any care to bee a comforte to mye hoarye haires or a commodityâ— to thy common weale frame thy selfe to that honourable estate of matrimonye whiche was sanctified in Paradise allowed of the Patriarches hallowed of the olde Prophetes and commended of all persons If thou lyke any bée not ashamed to tell it mée whiche onely am to exhorte thée yea and as much as in mee lyeth to commaunde thée to loue one If hée bée base thy bloude wyll make hym noble if beggerlye thy goodes shall make hym wealthy if a straunger thy fréedome may enfraunchise hym if hée bée younge he is the more fitter to be thy pheare if he be olde the lyker to thine aged Father For I had rather thou shouldest leade a lyfe to thine owne lykeinge in earthe then to thy greate tormentes leade Apes in Hell. Be bolde therefore to make me partner of thy desire whiche will be partaker of thy dysease yea and a furtherer of thy delights as farre as either my friendes or my landes or my life will stretch Lucilla perceiuinge the drifte of the olde Foxe hir Father wayed with hir selfe what was beste to be done at the laste not wayinge hir Fathers yll wyll but encouraged by loue shaped hym an aunswere whiche pleased Ferardo but â— little and pinched Philautus on the parsons side on thys manner ¶ Déere Father Ferardo althoughe I sée the bayte you laye to catche me yet I am content to swallowe the hooke neyther are you more desirous to take me nappinge then I willinge to confesse my meaninge So it is that loue hath as well inueigled me as others which make it as straunge as I. Neyther doe I loue hym so meanely that I should be ashamed of his name neyther is hys personage so meane that I shoulde loue hym shamefullye It is Euphues that lately arryued heere at Naples that hath battered the bulwarke of my breste and shall shortly enter as conquerour into my bosome What his wealth is I neither know it nor waye itâ— what his wit is all Naples doth knowe it and wonder at it neyther haue I bene curious to enquire of his progenitors for that I knowe so noble a minde could take no Originall but from a noble man for as no birde can looke againe the Sunne but those that bée bredde of the Eagle neyther any Hawke soare so hie as the broode of the Hobbie so no wight can haue suche excellent qualities excepte hée descend of a noble race neyther be of so highe capacitie vnlesse hée issue of a high progenie And I hope Philautus wyll not bée my foe séeinge I haue chosen his déere friende neither you Father bée displeased in that Philautus is displaced You néede not muse that I shoulde so sodeinely bée intangled loue giues no reason of choice neither will it suffer anye repulse Mirha was enamoured of hir naturall Father Biblis of hir brother Phaedra of hir sonne in lawe If nature can no way resist the fury of affection howe should it be stayed by wisdome Ferardo interrupting hir in the middle of hyr discourse although he were moued with inward grudge yet he wisely repressed his anger knowing that sharpe wordes would but sharpen hir froward wil and thus answered hir briefly Lucilla as I am not presently to graunt my good will so meane I not to reprehende thy choyce yet wisdome wylleth mee to pawse vntill I haue called what maye happen to my remembraunce and warneth thee to bée circumspecte leaste thy rashe conceyte bringe a sharpe repentaunce As for you Philautus I woulde not haue you dispaire séeinge a woman dothe oftentimes chaunge hir desire Unto whome Philautus in fewe woordes made aunswere Certeinely Ferardo I take the lesse griefe in that I sée hir so greedy after Euphues and by so much the more I am content to leaue my sute by how much the more she séemeth to disdayne my seruice but as for hope bicause I woulde not by any meanes tast one dramme thereoff I will abiure all places of hir abode and loath hir company whose countenaunce I haue so much loued as for Euphues and there staying his speache hée flange out of the dores and repairing to his lodginge vttered these words Ah most dissembling wretch Euphues O counterfayte companion couldest thou vnder the shewe of a stedfast friende cloake the mallice of a mortall foe vnder the coulour of simplicitie shrowd the Image of deceit Is thy Liuia tourned to my Lucilla thy loue to my louer thy deuotion to my Sainct Is this the curtesie of Athens the cauillyng of schollers the craft of Grecians Couldest
lyke by my compasse then shalt thou see the troubles féele the torments which thou hast already thrown into the harts and eyes of others Thus hoping shortly to sée thée as hopelesse as my selfe is haplesse I wish my wish were as effectually ended as it is heartely looked for And so I leaue thée Thine once Philautus Philautus dispatching a messenger with this letter spéedely to Euphues went into the fields to walke ther eyther to digeste his choler or chew vppon his melancholy But Euphues hauing reade the contents was well content setting his talke at naughte and aunswering his taunts in these gibing tearmes I Remember Philautus how valyauntly Aiax boasted in the feats of armes yet Vlysses bare away the armour and it may be that though thou crake of thine own courage thou mayst easely lose the conquest Dost thou thinke Euphues such a dastarde that he is not able to withstande thy courage or such a dullarde that he cannot descry thy crafte Alas good soule It fareth with thée as with the Henne which when the Puttocke hath caught hir Chicken beginneth to cackle and thou hauing lost thy louer beginnest to prattle Tush Philautus I am in this poynt of Euripides his minde who thinkes it lawfull for the desire of a kingdome to transgresse the bounds of honestie and for the loue of a Lady to violate and breake the bands of amitie The friendshippe betweene man and man as it is common so is it of course betwéene man and woman as it is seldome so is it sincere the one procéedeth of the similitude of manners the other of the sinceritio of the heart if thou haddest learned the first poynt of hauking thou wouldst haue learned to haue held frst or the first noat of Deskant thou wouldest haue kept thy sol fa. to thy selfe But thou canst blame me no more of folly in leauing thee to loue Lucilla then thou mayst reproue him of foolishnesse that hauing a Sparrowe in his hande letteth hir go to catch the Phesaunt or him of vnskilfulnesse that seeing the Heron leaueth to leauell his shoot at the Stockedoue or that woman of coynesse that hauing a deade Rose in hir bosome throweth it away to gather the fresh Uiolette Loue knoweth no lawes Did not Iupiter transforme himselfe into the shape of Amphitrio to imbrace Alâ—maena Into the forme of a Swan to enioye Laeda Into a Bull to beguyle â—o Into a showre of golde to winne Danae Did not Neptune chaunge himselfe into a Heyfer a Ramme a Floude a Dolphin onelye for the loue of those he lusted after Did not Apollo conuerte himselfe into a Shepheard into a Birde into a Lyon for the desire he had to heale hys disease If the Gods thoughte no scorne to become beastes to obtayne their best beloued shall Euphues be so nyce in chaunging his coppie to gayne his Lady No no he that cannot dissemble in loue is not worthy to liue I am of this minde that both might and mallice deceite and treacherie all periurie anye impietie may lawfully be committed in loue which is lawlesse In that thou arguest Lucilla of lyghtnesse thy will hangs in the lyghte of thy witte Dost thou not know that the weake stomacke if it be cloyed with one dyet doth soone surfeâ— That the clownes Garlike cannot ease the courâ—iers disease so well as the pure Treacle that farre fette and deare bought is good for Ladies That Euphues being a more dayntie morsell then Philautus oughte better to be accepted Tush Philautus sette thy heart at rest for thy happe willeth thée to giue ouer all hope both of my friendship and hir loue as â—or reuenge thou arte not so able to lende a blowe as I toward it neyther more venterous to challenge the combatte then I valyaunt to aunswer the quarrel As Lucilla was caught by frawde so shall she be kept by force and as thou wast too simple to espye my crafte so I thinke thou wilt be too weake to withstande my câ—urage but if thy reuenge stande onely vppon thy wish thou shalt neuer lyue to sée my woe or to haue thy wil and so farewell Euphues This letter beinge dispatched Euphues sent it and Philautus read it who disdayning those proud termes disdayned also to aunswere them being ready to ride with Ferardo Euphues hauing for a space absented himselfe from the house of Ferardo bicause he was at home longed sore to sée Lucilla which now opportunitie offered vnto him Ferardo being gone agayne to Venice with Philautus but in his absence one Curio a gentleman of Naples of lyttle wealth and lesse witte haunted Lucilla hir company so enchaunted hir that Euphues was also cast off with Philautus which thing being vnknowne to Euphues caused him the sooner to make his repaire to the presence of his Lady whom he finding in hir muses began pleasauntly to salute in this manner Mistresse Lucilla although my long abâ—ence might bréede your iust anger for the louers desire nothing so much as ofâ—en méeting yet I hope my presence will dissolue yâ—ur choler â—or the louers are soone pleasâ—d when of their wishes they be fully possessed My absence is the rather to be excused in that your father hath ben alwaies at home whose frownes séemed to threaten my ill fortune and my presence at this present the better to bée accepted in that I haue made suche spéedye repayre to your presence Unto whom Lucilla aunswered with this glyeke Truely Euphues you haue miste the cushion for I was neyther angrie with your longe absence neyther am I well pleased at your presence the one gaue me rather a good hope héereafter neuer to sée you the other giueth me a greater occasion to abhorre you Euphues being nipped on the head with a pale countenaunce as though his soule had forsaken his body replyed as followeth If this sodayne change Lucilla procéede of any desert of mine I am héere not only to aunswere the fact but also to make amends for my faulte if of any new motion or minde to forsake your new friend I am rather to lament your inconstancie then reuenge it but I hope that such hot loue cannot be so soone colde neyther such sure faith be rewarded with so sodeyne forgetfulnesse Lucilla not ashamed to confesse hir folly aunswered him with this fâ—umpe Sir whether your deserts or my desire haue wrought this chaunge it will boote you lyttle to know neyther doe I craue amends neyther feare reuenge as for feruent loue you knowe there is no fire so hotte but it is quenched with water neyther affection so strong but is weakened with reason letâ—e this suffice thee that thou know I care not for thée In deede sayd Euphues to know the cause of your alteration would boote me lyttle seeing the effect taketh such force I haue hearde that women eyther loue entirely or hate deadly and séeing you haue put me out of doubt of the one I must needes perswade my selfe of the other This chaunge will cause Philautus to laugh me
to scorne double thy lightnesse in â—â—â—ning so often Such was the hope that I conceiued of thy constancie that I spared not iâ— al places to blaze thy loialtie but now my rash conceite will proue me a lyer and thée a light huswife Nay sayd Lucilla nowe shalt not thou laugh Philautus to scorne séeing you haue both druncke of one cup in miserie Euphues it is a great comfort to haue a companion I doubt not but that you wil both conspire against me to worke some mischiefe although I nothing feare your mallice whosoeuer accompteth you a lyar for praising me may also déeme you a letcher for being enamoured of me and whosoeuer iudgeth mée light in forsaking of you may thincke thee as lewde in louing of me for thou that thoughtest it lawfull to deceiue thy friende must take no scorne to be deceiued of thy foe Then I perceiue Lucilla sayd he that I was made thy stale and Philautus thy laughinge stocke whose friendship I must confesse in déede I haue refused to obteine thy fauour and sithens an other hath won that we both haue lost I am content for my part neyther ought I to be grieued seing thou art fickle Certes Euphues said Lucilla you spend your winde in wast for your welcome is but small your chere is like to be lesse fancie giueth no reason of his chaunge neither wil be coÌ„trolled for any choice this is therfore to warne you that from hencefoorth you neither sollicite this suite neither offer any way your seruice I haue chosen one I must néeds confesse neither to be compared to Philautus in wealth nor to thée in wit neither in birth to the worst of you both I thinck God gaue it me for a iust plague for renouncing Philautus choosing thée and sithens I am an ensample to all women of lightnesse I am lyke also to be a myrrour to them all of vnhappinesse which ill lucke I must take by so much the more patiently by howe much the more I acknowledge my selfe to haue deserued it worthely Well Lucilla aunswered Euphues this case bréedeth my sorrowe the more in that it is so sodeine and by so much the more I lament it by howe muche the lesse I looked for it In that my welcome is so colde and my chéere so simple it nothing toucheth me séeinge your furye is so hotte and my misfortune so greate that I am neither wyllinge to receiue it nor you to bestowe it if tract of time or want of tryall had caused this Metamorphosis my griefe had bene more tollerable and your fléetinge more excusable but comming in a moment vndeserued vnlooked for vnthoughte off it encreaseth my sorrowe and thy shame Euphues quoth shée you make a longe haruest for a little corne and angle for the fishe that is already caught Curio yea Curio is he that hath my loue at his pleasure and shall also haue my life at his commaundement and although you déeme him vnworthy to enioye that which earst you accompted no wight worthy to embrace yet séeinge I estéeme him more worth then any he is to be reputed as chiefe The Wolfe chooseth him for hir make that hath or doth endure most trauaile for hir sake Venus was content to take the black Smith with his powlt foot Cornelia here in Naples disdained not to loue a rude Miller As for chaunging did not Helen the pearle of Greece thy countriwoman first take Menelaus then Theseus and last of all Paris if brute beastes giue vs ensamples that those are most to be lyked of whome we are best beloued or if the Princesse of beautye Venus and hir heyres Helen and Cornelia shewe that our affection standeth on our free wyll then am I rather to bee excused then accused Therefore good Euphues bée as merrye as you maye bée for time maye so tourne that once agayne you maye bée Nay Lucilla sayd he my haruest shall cease séeing others haue reaped my corne as for anglinge for the fishe that is alreadye caught that were but méere folly But in my minde if you bée a fishe you are either an Ele which as soone as one hathe holde of hir taile will slippe out of his hand or else a Mynnowe which will be nibbling at euery baite but neuer biting But what fishe soeuer you bée you haue made both mée and Philautus to swallow a Gudgen If Curio bée the person I would neither wishe thée a greater plague nor him a deadlyer poyson I for my part thincke him worthy of thée and thou vnworthy of him for although hée bée in bodye deformed in minde foolishe an innocent borne a begger by misfortune yet doth hée deserue a better then thy selfe whose corrupt manners haue staynde thy heauenly hewe whose light behauiour hath dimmed the lightes of thy beautie whose vnconstant mynde hath betrayed the innocencie of so many a Gentleman And in that you bringe in the example of a beast to confirme your folly you shewe therein your beastly disposition which is readie to followe suche beastlinesse But Venus played false and what for that séeinge hir lightnesse serueth for an example I woulde wishe thou mightest trye hir punishment for a reward that béeing openly taken in an yron net al the world might iudge whether thou be fish or flesh and certes in my minde no angle will holde thee it must be a net Cornelia loued a Miller and thou a miser can hir folly excuse thy fault Helen of Greece my countriewoman borne but thine by profession chaunged and rechaunged at hir pleasure I graunte Shall the lewdenesse of others animate thée in thy lightnesse why then dost thou not haunt the stewes bicause Lais frequented them why doest thou not loue a Bull séeing Pasiphae loued one why art thou not enamoured of thy father knowing that Mirha was so incensed these are set down that we viewing their incontinencie should flye the like impudencie not follow the like excesse neither can they excuse thée of any inconstancie Merrie I will be as I may but if I may héereafter as thou meanest I will not and therefore farewell Lucilla the most inconstant that euer was nursed in Naples farewell Naples the most cursed towne in all Italy and women all farewell Euphues hauing thus gyuen hir his last farewell yet beeing solitary began a fresh to recount his sorrow on this manner Ah Euphues into what a quandarie art thou brought in what sodeine misfortune art thou wrapped it is like to fare with thée as with the Eagle which dyeth neither for age nor with sickenesse but wyth famine for although thy stomacke hunger yet thy heart will not suffer thée to eate And why shouldest thou torment thy selfe for one in whome is neyther fayth nor feruencie O the counterfaite loue of women Oh inconstant sex I haue lost Philautus I haue lost Lucilla I haue lost that which I shall hardlye finde againe a faythfull friende A foolishe Euphues why diddest thou leaue Athens the nourse of wisdome to inhabite Naples the
Euphues is as colde as a clock though he be a Cocke of the game yet Euphues is content to bée crauen and crye creeke though Curio bée olde huddle and twange ipse hée yet Euphues had rather shrinke in the weeting then wast in the wearing I knowe Curio to be stéele to the backe standerd bearer in Venus campe sworne to the crewe true to the crowne knight marshall to Cupid and heire apparaunt to his kingdome But by that time that he hath eaten but one bushell of salt wyth Lucilla he shall taste tenne quarters of sorrow in his loue then shall he finde for euerye pynte of honnye a gallon of gall for euerye dramme of pleasure an ounce of payne for euery inche of mirth an ell of moane And yet Philautus if there be any man in despayre to obtayne his purpose or so obstinate in his opinion that hauing lost his fredome by solly would also lose his lyfe for loue lette him repaire hether and hée shall reape suche profite as will eyther quenche his flames or asswage his furye eyther cause him to renounce his Ladye as most pernicious or redéeme his lybertie as most pretious Come therefore to me all ye louers that haue bene deceiued by fancie the glasse of pestilence or deluded by woemen the gate to perdition be as earnest to séeke a medicine as you wer eager to runne into a mischiefe the earth bringeth forth as well Endyue to delyght the people as Hâ—mlocke to endaunger the patient as well the Rose to distill as the Nettle to sting as well the Bée to giue honny as the Spider to yéeld poyson If my lewde lyfe Gentlemen haue giuen you offence lette my good counsayle make amendes if by my folly any be alluâ—ed to lust let them by my repentaunce be drawne to continencie Achilles speare could as well heale as hurte the Scorpion though he sting yet hée stints the paine though the hearb Nerius poyson the Sheepe yet is a remedie to man agaynst poyson though I haue infected some by example yet I hope I shall comforte many by repentaunce Whatsoeuer I speake to men the same also I speke to women I meane not to runne with the Hare and holde with the Hounde to carrye fire in the one hande and water in the other neyther to flatter men as altogether faultlesse neyther to fall out with woemen as altogether guyltie for as I am not minded to picke a thancke with the one so am I not determined to picke a quarrell with the other if women be not peruerse they shall reape profite by remedye of pleasure If Phillis were now to take counsayle shée would not be so foolish to hang hir selfe neyther Dido so fonde to dye for Aeneas neyther Pasiphae so monstrous to loue a Bull nor Phedra so vnnaturall to be enamoured of hir sonne This is therefore to admonish all young Impes and nouises in loue not to blow the coales of fancie wyth desire but to quench them with disdayne When loue tickleth thee decline it lest it stiâ—fle thée rather fast then surfette rather starue then striue to excéede Though the beginning of loue bring delyght the ende bringeth destruction For as the first draught of wine doth comfort the stomacke the seconde inflame the lyuer the thirde fume into the heade so the first sippe of loue is pleasaunt the seconde perilous the thirde pestilent If thou perceiue thy selfe to be entised with their wanton glaunces or allured with their wicked guyles eyther enchauÌ„ted with their beautie or enamoured with their brauerie enter with thy selfe into this meditation What shall I gayne if I obtayne my purpose nay rather what shall I loose in winning my pleasure If my Lady yeelde to be my louer is it not lykely she will bée an others lemman and if she be a modest matrone my labour is lost This therfore remayneth that eyther I must pine in cares or perish with curses If she be chaste then is she coy if lyght then is shée impudent if a graue Matrone who can woe hir if a lewde minion who woulde wedde hir if one of the Uestall Uirgins they haue vowed virginitie if one of Venus courte they haue vowed dishonestie If I loue one that is fayre it will kindle gelousie if one that is fowle it will conuerte me into phrensie If fertile to beare children my care is increased if barren my curse is augmented If honest I shall feare hir death if immodest I shall be weary of hir lyfe To what ende then shall I lyue in loue séeing alwayes it is a lyfe more to be feared then death for all my time wasted in sighes and worne in sobbes for all my treasure spente on Iewells and spilte in iollyâ—â—e what recompence shall I reape besides repentaunce What other rewarde shall I haue then reproch What other solace then endles shame But happely thou wilt say if I refuse their courtesie I shal be accoÌ„pted a Mecocke a Milkesoppe taunted and retaunted with check and checkemate flowted and reflowted with intollerable glée Alas fonde foole arte thou so pinned to theire sléeues that thou regardest more their babble then thine owne blisse more their fruÌ„pes then thine own welfare Wilt thou resemble the kinde Spaniell which the more he is beaten the fonder he is or the foolish Eiesse which will neuer away Dost thou not knowe that woemen déeme none valyaunt vnlesse he be too venturous That they accompte one a bastarde if he be not desperate a pinche penny if he be not prodigall if silente a sotte if full of wordes a foole Peruersly do they alwayes thinck of their louers and talke of them scornfully iudging all to be clownes which be no courtiers and all to be pinglers that be not coursers Seing therefore the very blossome of loue is sower the budde cannot be swéete In time preuent daunger least vntimelye thou runne into a thousande perrills Searche the wounde while it is gréene to late commeth the salue when the sore fesâ—ereth and the medicine bringeth dubble care when the maladye is past cure Beware of delayes What lesse then the grayne of Mustarde séede in time almost what thing is greater then the stalke thereoff The slender twigge groweth to a stately tree and that which with the hand might easely haue bene pulled vpp will hardly with the are be hewen downe The least sparke if it bee not quenched will burst into a flame the least Moth in time rateth the thickest clothe and I haue reade that in a shorte space there was a Towne in Spayne vndermiâ—ed with Câ—nuyes in Theslalâ—â— with Mowles with Fregges in Fraunce in Africa with Flyes If these silly Wormes in tracte of time ouerthrowe so statelye Townes how much more will loue which creepeth secretly into the minde as the rust doth into the yron and is not perceiued consume the body yea and consound the soule Defer not from houre to day from day to month from month to yeare and alwayes remayne in misery He that to day is not willyng will to
morrowe bée more wilfull But alas it is no lesse common then lamentable to beholde the tottering estate of louers who thinke by delayes to preuente daungers with oyle to quench fire with smoke to cleare the eye sight They slatter themselues with a faynting farewell deferring euer vntill to morrow when as their morrow doth alwayes encrese their sorrow Lette neyther their amyable countenances neyther their painted protestacions neyther their deceitfull premises allure thée to delaâ—es Thinke this with thy selfe that the swéete songes of Calipso were subtill snares to entice Vlysses that the Crabbe then catcheth the Oyster when the Sunne shineth that Hiena when she speaketh lyke a man deuiseth most mischiefe the women when they be most pleasaunt pretend most trecherie Follow Alexander which hearing the commendation and singular comelynesse of the wife of Darius so couragiously withstood the assaultes of fancie that hée would not so much as take a viewe of hir beautie Imitate Cyrus a king indued with such continencie that he loathed to looke on the heauenly hewe of Panthea and when Araspus tolde him that she excelled all mortall wightes in amiable shewe by so much the more sayde Cyrus I ought to absteine from hir sight for if I follow thy counsayle in going to hir it maye bee I shall desire to continue with hir and by my lyght affection neglect my serious affaires Learne of Romulus to refraine from wine be it neuer so delicate of Agesilaus to despise costly apparell be it neuer so curious of Diogenes to detest women bee they neuer so comely Hée that toucheth pitche shall be defiled the sore eye infecteth the sounde the societie with women breedeth securitie in the soule and maketh all the sences sencelesse Moreouer take this counsaile as an article of thy Créede which I meane to sollow as the chiefe argument of my faith that idlenes is the onely nourse and nourisher of sensual appetite the sole maintenance of youthfull affection the first shaft that Cupide shooteth into the hot liuer of a héedlesse louer I woulde to God I were not able to finde this for a truth by mine owne tryall I would the example of others idlenesse had caused me rather to auoid the fault then experience of mine owne folly Howe dissolute haue I bene in striuing against good counsayle howe resolute in standing in mine owne conceite howe forwarde to wickednesse howe frowarde to wisedome howe wanton with too much cockeringe howe waywarde in hearing correction Neyther was I much vnlike these Abbate lubbers in my lyfe though farre vnlike them in beliefe which laboured till they were colde eat til they sweate and lay in bed till their boanes aked Héereof commeth it gentlemen that loue creepeth into the minde by priuie crafte and kéepeth his holde by maine courage The man béeing idle the minde is apte to all vncleanenesse the minde being voide of exercise the man is voide of honestie Doth not the rust fret the hardest yron if it bee not vsed Doth not the Moath eate the finest garment if it bée not worne Doth not Mosse growe on the smothest stone if it be not stirred Doth not impietie infect the wisest wit if it be giuen to idlenesse Is not the standinge water sooner frosen then the running streame Is not he that sitteth more subiect to sleepe then he that walketh Doth not common experience make this common vnto vs that the fattest grounde bringeth foorth nothing but wéedes if it be not well tilled That the sharpest wit enclineth onely to wickednesse if bée not exercised Is it not true which Seneca reporteth that as to much bendinge breaketh the bowe so to much remission spoyleth the minde Besides this immoderate sleepe immodest play vnsatiable swilling of wine doth so weaken the sences and bewitch the soule that before we feele the motion of loue wée are resolued into lust Eschewe idlenesse my Philautus so shalt thou easily vnbende the bowe and quenche the brandes of Cupide Loue giues place to laboure laboure and thou shalt neuer loue Cupide is a crâ—ftie childe following those aâ—â—an ynche that studye pleasure and flyinge those swyftlye that take paines Bende thy minde to the lawe whereby thou mayst haue vnderstanding of olde and auncient customes defende thy clientes enriche thy cofers and carry credite in thy Countrey If lawe séeme loathsome vnto thée searche the secretes of phisicke whereby thou maist know the hidden natures of hearbes whereby thou maiste gather profite to thy purse and pleasure to thy minde What can be more exquisite in humaine affaires then for euery feuer bée it neuer so hot for euery palsey be it neuer so colde for euery infection be it neuer so straunge to giue a remedy The olde verse standeth as yet in his olde vertue That Galen gyueth goods Iustinian honors If thou bee so nice that thou canst no waye brooke the practise of Phisicke or so vnwise that thou wilt not beate thy braynes about the institutes of the lawe conferre all thy study all thy time all thy treasure to the attayning of the sacred and sincere knowledge of diuinitie by this maist thou bridle thine incontinencie raine thine affections resâ—rayne thy lust Héere shalt thou beholde as it were in a glasse that all the glorye of man is as the grasse that all thinges vnder heauen are but vaine that our lyfe is but a shadowe a warfare a pilgrimage a vapor a bubble a blast of such shortnesse that Dauid sayth it is but a spanne longe of such sharpenesse that Iob noteth it replenished with all miseries of suche vncerteintie that we are no sooner borne but wée are subiecte to death the one foote no sooner on the grounde but the other ready to slippe into the graue Heere shalt thou finde ease for thy burden of sinne comforte for the conscience pined wyth vanitie mercy for thine offences by the martirdome of thy swéete Sauiour By this thou shalt be able to instruct those that be weake to confute those that bée obstinate to confounde those that be erronious to confirme the faythfull to comfort the desperate to cutte off the presumptious to saue thine owne soule by thy sure faith and edifie the hearts of many by thy sound doctrine If this séeme to straight a dyet for thy straininge disease or to holy a profession for so hollow a person then employ thy selfe to martial feats to iusts to turnayes yea to al tormeÌ„ts rather then to loiter in loue spend thy life in the laps of Ladyes what more monstrous can there be then to sée a younge man abuse those giftes to his owne shame which God hath giuen him for his owne preferment What greater inâ—amye then to conferre the sharpe wit to the making of lewde Sonnets to the idolatrous worshipping of their Ladies to the vaine delights of fancie to all kinde of vice as it were against kinde course of nature Is it not folly to shewe wit to women which are neither able nor willinge to receyue fruite thereoff Doest thou not knowe
father and tranquilitie to the minde of the childe to haue that lybertie which both nature law and reason hath sette downe The guyltie conscience of a father that hath troden awry causeth him to thinkâ— and suspect that his father also went not right wherby his owne behauiour is as it were a witnesse of his owne basenesse Euen as those that come of a noble progenie boast of their gentrye Héerevppon it came that Diophantus Themistocles his sonne woulde often and that openly saye in a great multitude that what soeuer he shoulde séeme to request of the Athenians he should be sure also to obtayne for â—ayth hée what soeuer I will that wil my mother and what my mother sayth my father sootheth and what my father desireth that the Athenians will graunt most willingly The bolde courage of the Lacedemonians is to be praysed which sette a fine on the heade of Archidamius their king for that he had married a woman of a small personage saying he minded to begette Quéenes not Kinges to succeede him Lette vs not omitte that which our Auncestours were wonâ— precisely to kéepe that men shoulde either bée sober or drincke little wine that woulde haue sober and discrete children for that the fact of the father woulde bée figured in the infant Diogenes therefore séeing a younge man either ouercome with drincke or bereued of hys wits cryed with a lowde voice youth youth thou hadst a dronken Father And thus muche for procreation nowe howe the life shoulde bée ledde I will shewe briefly ¶ Howe the life of a younge man should be lead THere are thrée thinges whiche cause perfection in man Nature Reason Use. Reason I call discipline Use exercise if any one of these braunches want certâ—iâ—â—ly the trée of vertue must néedes wither For 〈◊〉 without discipline is of small force and discipline without Nature more féeble if exercise or study be voide of any of these it auayleth nothing For as in tilling of the grounde and husbandry there is first chosen a fertil soyle then a cunning sower then good séede euen so must wée compare Nature to the fatée earthe the expert husbandman to the Schoolemaister the faculties and sciences to the pure séedes If this order had not bene in our predecessors Pithagoras Socrates Plato and whosoeuer was renowmed in Greece for the glorie of wisdome they had neuer bene eternished for wise men neither cannonished as it were for Saincts amonge those that studye sciences It is therefore a most euident signe of Gods singuler fauour towardes him that is endued with all these qualities without the least of the which man is most miserable But if there be any one that déemeth wit not necessary to the obtayninge of wisedome after hée hath gotten the waye to vertue by industrye and exercise hée is anâ—heriticke in my opinion touching the true faith of learning for if Nature playeâ— not hir parte in vayne is laboure and as I sayd before if study bée not imployed in vayne is Natureâ— Sloth tourneth the â—edge of wit Study sharpenâ—th the minde a thing be it neuer â—o easie is hard to the idle a thinge bee it neuer so hard is easie to the wit wel employed And most plainely we may see in many thinges the efficacie of industry and laboure The little drops of rayne pearceth harde Marble yron wyth often handlinge is worne to nothinge Besides this industry sheweth hir selfe in other thinges the fertill soyle if it bée neuer tilled doth waxe barren and that which is most noble by nature is made most vyle by negligence What trée if it bée not topped beareth any fruite What vine if it bée not proyned bringeth foorth grapes is not the strength of the body tourned to weakenesse throughe too muche 〈◊〉 were not Milo his armes brawnefallen for want of wrastlinge moreouer by labour the fierce Unicorne is tamed the wyldest Fawlcon is reclaymed the greatest bulwarke is sacked It was well aunswered of that man of Thessalie who béeinge demaunded who amonge the Thessalians were reputed moste vyle those sayd hée that liue at quyet and ease neuer gyuing themselues to marciall affayres but what should one vse many woordes in a thinge already proued It is custome vse and exercise that bringe a younge man to vertue and vertue to his perfection Lycurgus the lawegiuer of the Sparthans dyd nourish two whelpes both of one syre and one damme But after a sundry manner for the one hée framed to hunte the other to lye alwaies in the chymneys end at the porredge pot afterwarde callinge the Lacedemonians into one assemblye hée sayde to the attayninge of vertue yée Lacedemonians education industry and exercise is the most noblest meanes the truth of the which I wyll make manifest vnto you by tryall then brynginge foorth the whelpes and settinge downe there a potte and a hare the one ranne at the hare the other to the porredge potte the Lacedemonians scarce vnderstandinge this mistery hée sayde both these bée of one syre and one damme but you sée howe education altereth nature ¶ Of the education of youth IT is most necessarie and most naturall in myne opinion that the mother of the childe bée also the nurse both for the entire loue shée beareth to the babe and the great desire she hath to haue it well nourished for is there any one more meete to bring vp the infant then she that bore it or will any be so carefull for it as shee that bredde it for as the throbbes and throwes in chyldbirth wrought hir payne so the smilinge countenaunce of the infant increaseth hir pleasure the hyred nurse is not vnlike to the hyred saruaunt which not for good will but for gayne not for loue of the man but the desire of the money accomplisheth hys dayes worke Moreouer Nature in thys poynte enforceth the mother to nurse hir owne childe which hath gyuen vnto euerye beast mylke to succour hyr owne and mée thincketh Nature to be a most prouident foreséer and prouider for the same which hath giuen vnto a woman two pappes that if shée shoulde conceiue two shée might haue wherewith also to nourishe twaine and that by sucking of the mothers brestes there might bee a greater loue bothe of the mother towardes the childe and the childe towardes the mother which is very likely to come to passe for we sée commonly those that eate and drincke and liue together to be more zealous one to the other then those that méete seldome is not the name of a mother most swéet If it bée why is halfe that title bestowed on a woman which neuer felte the paines in conceyuing neyther can conceiue the lyke pleasure in nursinge as the mother doth Is the earthe called the mother of all thinges onely bicause it bringeth foorth No but bicause it nourisheth those thinges that springe out of it whatsoeuer is bredde in the sea is fed in the sea no plant no trée no hearbe commeth out of the ground that is not moystened and as it were
inherite them A good and discreete scholemayster should be such an one as Phaenix was the instructor of Achilles whome Pelleus as Homer reporteth appoynted to that ende that he should be vnto Achilles not onely a teacher of learning but an example of good lyuinge But that is most principally to be looked for and most dilygently to be foreséene that such tutours bée sought out for the education of a young childe whose lyfe hath neuer bene stayned with dishonestie whose good name hath neuer bene called vnto question whose manners hath bene irreprehensible before the worlde As husbandmen hedge in their trées so shoulde good scholemaysters with good manners hedge in the wit and disposition of the scholler whereby the blossoms of learning may the sooner encrese to a bud Many parents are in this to be misliked which hauing neyther tryall of his honestie nor experience of his learning to whome they committe the childe to bée taught without any déepe or due consideration put them to one eyther ignoraunt or obstinate the which if they themselues shall doe of ignoraunce the folly cannot bee eâ—cused if of obstinacie their lewdenesse is to bée abhorred Some fathers are ouâ—rcâ—me with the flatterie of those fooles which professe outwardly greate knowledge and shew a certeyne kinde of dissembling sinceritie in their lyfe others at the entreating of their familyar friendes are content to commit their sonnes to one without â—yther substaunce of honestie or shadowe of learning By which their vndisâ—râ—te dealing they are lyke these â—icke men whiche reiect the expert and cunning Phisition and at the request of their â—â—iendes admit the héedelesse practiser which dauâ—gereth the patient and bringeth the bodye to his bane Or not vnâ—yke vnto those whiche at the instaunt and importunate suite of their acquaintaunce refuse a cunninge Pylot and choose an vnsâ—ilfull Marriner whiche hazardeth the shippe and themselues in the calmest sea Good God can there bée any that hath the name of a Father which wyll estâ—eme more the fancie of his friende then the nurture of his sonne It was not in vayne that Crates would often say that if it were lawfull euen in the market place hee would crye out Whether runne you Fathers which haue all your carke and caâ—e to multiplye your wealth nothing regardinge your chyldren vnto whome you must leaue all In thys they resemble him which is very curious about the shooe and hath no care of the foote Besides this there bée many fathers so inflamed with the loue of wealth that they bée as it were incensed with hate againste their childreâ— which Aristippus séeinge in an olde miser did partly note it this olde miser askinge of Aristippus what hée would take to teach and bringe vp hys sonne hée aunswered a thousand groates a thousand groates God sheild aunswered this olde huddle I haue two seruauntes of that price Unto whome hée made aunswere thou shalt haue two seruants and one sonne and whether wilt thou sell Is it not absurde to haue so great a care of the right hande of the childe to cutte his meate that if he handle his knife in the leaâ—t hand we rebuke him seuerely and to bée secure of his nurture in discipline and learning But what doe happen vnto those parentes that bringe vp theire children lyke wantons When their sonnes shall growe to mans estate disdayninge nowe to bée corrected stoborne to obeye gyuing themselues to vaine pleasures and vnseemely pastimes then with the foolishe trowans they beginne to waxe wise and to repent them of theire former follye when their sonnes shall insumate themselues in the companye of flatterers a kinde of men more perrillous to youthe then any kinde of beastes When they shall haunt harlottes frequent tauerns bée curious in their attyre costly in their dyet carelesse in their behauiouâ— when they shall eyther bée common dâ—cers wyth gamesters eyther wanton dallyers with Ladyes eyther spende all their thrift on wine or all their wealth on women then the Father curseth his owne securitieâ— and lamenteth to late his childes mysfortune then the one accuseth his Syre as it were of mallice that hee woulde not bringe him vppe in learninge and himselfe of mischiefe that hée gaue not his minde to good letters If these youthes had bene trained vp in the companye of any Philosopher they would neuer haue bene so disolute in theyr lyfe or so resolute in their owne conceites It is good nurture that leadeth to vertue and discréete demeanour that playneth the pathe to felicity If one haue either the giâ—tes of Fortune as greate riches or of nature as seemely personage hée is to bée dispised in respect of learning To be a noble man it is most excellent but that is our auncestors as Vlysses sayde to Aiax as for our nobilitie our stocke our kindred and whatsoeuer wée our selues haue not done I â—earcely accompt ours Richesse are precious but Fortune ruleth the rost which oftentimes taketh away all from them that haue much and gyueth them more that had nothinge glorye is a thinge worthy to bee followed but as it is gotten wyth greate trauayle so is it lost in a small time Beautie is suche a thing as wée commonly preferre before all thinges yet it fadeth before we perceyue it to florishe health is that which all men desire yet euer subiect to any disease strength is to bee wyshed for yet is it eyther abated wyth an ague or taken away wâ—th age whosoeuer therefore boasteâ—h of force is to too beastly seâ—ing hée is in that qualitie not to bée compared wyth beastes as the Lyon the Bull the Eâ—ephant It is verâ—ue yea vertue gentlemen that maketh gentlemen that maketh the poore rich the base borne noble the subiect a soueraigne the deformed beautifull the sicke whole the weake strong the most myserable most happy There are two principall and peculier gyftes in the nature of man knowledge and reason the one commaundeth the other obeyeth these thinges neyther the whirlinge wheele of Fortune can chaunge neyther the deceitefull cauillinge of worldlinges seperate neyther sicknesse abate neither age abolish It is onely knowledge which worne with yeares waxeth younge and when all thinges are cutte awaye wyth the cycle of time knowledge florisheth so highe that time cannot reach it warre taketh all things with it euen as the whirlepoole yet must it leaue learninge behinde it wherefore it was wiselye aunswered in my opinion of Stilpo the Philosopher for when Demetrius wonne the Citie and made it euen to the grounde leauinge nothinge standing hée demaunded of Stilpo whether hee had lost any thinge of his in this great spoyle vnto whome he aunswered no verilye for warre getteth no spoyle of vertue Unto the like sence may the answere of Socrates be applyed wheÌ„ Gorgias asked him whether he déemed the Persian kinge happy or not I knowe not sayd he how much vertue or discipline he hath for happines doth not consist in the gifts of fortune but in grace of vertue But as there is nothing
studye the rule hée shall beare maye bée directed and by his gouernment his studye maye bée increased in this manner dyd Pericles deale in ciuill affayres after this sort dyd Architas Tarentine Dion the Syracusian the Thebane Epiminides gouerne their cities For the exercise of the bodye it is necessary also somewhat bée added that is that the childe shoulde be at such times permitted to recreate himselfe when his minde is ouercome wyth studie least dullinge himselfe wyth ouermuche industry hée become vnfit afterwarde to conceiue readyly besides this it will cause an apte composition and that naturall strength that it before retayned A good composition of the body laieth a good foundation of olde age for as in the fayre Sommer we prepare all thinges necessary for the cold Winter so good manners in youth and lawfull exercises be as it were victuals and nourishmentes for age yet are their labours and pastimes so to bee tempered that they weaken not their bodyes more by playe then otherwyse they shoulde haue done by studyâ— and so to be vsed that they addict not themselues more to the exercise of the limmes then the following of learning the greatest enemies to discipline as Plato recompteth are labours sléepe It is also requisite that hee bée expert in marciall affayres in shooting in darting that he hawke and hunt for his honest pastime and recreation and if after these pastimes hée shall seeme secure nothinge regardinge his bookes I would not haue him scourged with stripes but threatned with words not dulled with blowes like seruaunts the which the more they are beaten the better they beare it and the lesse they care for it for children of good disposition are eitheâ— incited by praise to goe forwarde or shamed by dispraise to commit the like offence those of obstinate blockish behauiour are neither with words to be perswaded neither with stripes to be corrected They must now be tauÌ„ted with sharp rebukes straight wayes admonished with faire wordes nowe threatned a paiment by and by promised a reward dealt withall as nurses doe with the babes whom after they haue made to cry they profer the teate but diligeÌ„t héede must be taken that he be not praised aboue measure least standing to much in his owne conceite he become also obstinate in his owne opinions I haue knowen many fathers whose great loue towards their sonnes hath bene the cause in time that they loued them not for when they see a sharpe witte in their sonne to conceiue for the desire they haue that hée shoulde out runne his fellowes they loaden him with continuall exercise which is the onely cause that hée sincketh vnder his burden and giueth ouer in the playne fielde Plants are nurrished with lyttle rayne yet drowned with much euen so the minde with indifferent labour wareth more perfect with much studie it is made fruitelesse We must consider that all our lyfe is deuided into remission and stâ—dye As there is watchinge so is there sléepe as there is warre so is there peace as there is Winter so is there Sommer as there be many working dayes so is there also many holydayes if I may speake all in one worde ease is the sauce of labour which is playnely to be seene not onely in lyuing thinges but also in things without lyfe We vnbende the bowe that wée maye the better bende him wee vnloose the harpe that we may the sooner tune him the body is kept in health aswell with fasting as eating the minde healed with ease aswell as with labour those parents are in minde to be mislyked which committe the whole care of their childe to the custody of a hirelyng neyther askinge neither knowing how their children profite in lerning For if the father were desirous to examine his sonne in that which he hath learned the mayster woulde bée more carefull what he did teach But séeinge the father carelesse what they learne he is also secure what he teacheth that notable saying of the Horsekéeper maye heere be applyed which sayde nothinge did so fatte the horse as the eye of the king Moreouer I woulde haue the memorye of children continually to be exercised which is the greatest furtheraunce to learninge that can be For this cause they fayned in their olde fables memory to be the mother of perfection Children are to be chastised if they shal vse any filthy or vnséemly talke for as Democrates sayth the worde is the shadowe of the worke they must be courteous in their behauiour lowely in their speach not disdayning their cock mates or refrayning their company they must not lyue wantonly neyther speake impudently neyther angry without cause neyther quarrellous without choler A young man beeing peruerse in nature proude in words and manners gaue Socrates a spurne who béeing moued by his fellowes to giue him an other If sayd Socrates an â—sse had kicked me woulde you also haue me to kicke him againe the greatest wisedome in Socrates in compressing his anger is worthy great commendacion Architas Tarentine retourning from warre and finding his grounde ouergrowen with wéedes and tourned vp with Mowles â—ent for his Farmour vnto whome hee sayde If I were not angrye I woulde make thée repent thy ill husbandry Plato hauing a seruaunt whose blisse was in fillyng of his belly seeinge him on a time idle and vnhonest in behauiour sayd out of my sighte for I am incensed with anger Althoughe these ensamples be harde to imitate yet shoulde euery man do his endeuour to represse that hot and heady humor which he is by nature subiecte vnto To be silent and discreete in companye thoughe manye thinke it a thing of no great wayghte or importaunce yet is it most requisite for a young man and most necessary for my Ephaebus It neuer hath bene hurtefull to any to holde his peace to speake damage to manye what so is kept in sileÌ„ce is husht but whatsoeuer is babbled out cannot agayne be recalled We maye sée the cunning and curious worke of Nature which hath barred and hedged nothing in so stronglye as the tongue with two rowes of téeth therewith two lyppes besides she hath placed it farre from the hearte that it shoulde not vtter that which the hearte had conceiued this also shoulde cause vs to be silente séeinge those that vse much talke though they speake truely are neuer beléeued Wyne therefore is to be refrayned which is termed to be the glasse of the minde and it is an olde Prâ—uerbe Whatsoeuer is in the heart of the sober man is in the mouth of the drunckarde Bias holding his tongue at a feast was tearmed there of a tatler to bee a foole who sayde is there any wise man that can holde his tongue amidst the wine vnto whome Bias aunswered there is no foole that can A certeyne gentleman heere in Athens inuited the Kings Legates to a costly and sumptuous â—east where also he assembled many Philosophers and talking of diuers matters both of the common weale and learning
playne bluntnesse all Iustice iniquytie all eloquence barbarisme all beautie deformytye I wyll spend all the remainder of my lyfe in studying the olde testament wherein is prefigured the comming of my sauiour and the newe testament wherein my Christ doth suffer for my sinnes and is crucified for my redemption whose bitter agonies shoulde cast euery good Christian into a shieueringe ague to remember his anguishe whose sweatinge of water and bloud should cause euery deuoute and zealous Catholique to shedde teares of repentaunce in remembraunce of his tormentes Euphues hauing discoursed this wyth himselfe dyd immediatly abandon all lyght companye all the dysputations in schooles all Philosophy and gaue hymselfe to the touchstone of holinesse in diuinitie accomptinge all other thinges as most vyle and contemptible ¶ Euphues to the Gentlemen schollers in Athens THe MerchaÌ„t that trauaileth for gaine the husbandman that toyleth for encrese the Lawyer that pleadeth for golde the craftes man that seeketh to liue by his labour all these after they haue fatted themselues with sufficient either take their ease or lesse paine theÌ„ they were accustomed Hippomanes ceased to runne when he had gotten the goale Hercules to labour when he had obtained the victorie Mercurie to pipe when he had cast Argus in a slumber Euery action hath his ende and then wée leaue to sweate when wée haue founde the swéete The Ant though shée toyle in Sommer yet in Winter she leaueth to trauayle The Bée though she delight to sucke the fayre flower yet is she at laste cloyed wyth honny The Spider that weaueth the finest thréede ceaseth at the last when she hath finished hir web But in the action and study of the minde gentlemen it is farre otherwise for he that tasteth the swéete of learninge endureth all the sower of labour Hée that séeketh the depth of knowledge is as it were in a Laborinth in which the farther he goeth the farther he is from the end or like the bird in the limebush which the more she striueth to get out the faster she sticketh in And certeinly it may be said of learning as it was famed of Nectar the drinck of the Gods the which the more it was dronck the more it would ouerflow the brâ—mme of the cup neither is it farre vnlike the stone that groweth in the riuer of Caria the whiche the more it is cutte the more it encreaseth And it fareth with him y followeth it as with him that hath the dropsie who the more he drincketh the more he thirsteth Therefore in my minde the student is at lesse ease then the Oxe that draweth or the Asse that carrieth his burthen who neither at the boord when others eate is voide of labour neither in his bed when others sléepe is without meditation But as in manuary craftes though they bée all good yet that is accompted most noble that is most necessary so in the actions and studies of the minde although they be all worthy yet that deserueth greatest praise which bringeth greatest profit And so we commonly do make best accompt of that which doth vs most good We estéeme better of the Phisition that ministreth the potion then of the Apoticarie that selleth the drugges Howe much more ought we with all diligence studye and industry spende our short pilgrimage in the séeking out of our saluation Uaine is Philosophye vaine is Phisicke vaine is Law vaine is all Learning wythout the tast of diuine knowledge I was determined to write notes of Philosophy which had bene to feede you fat wyth follye yet that I might séeme neyther idle neyther you euill imployed I haue héere set downe a briefe discourse which of late I haue had wyth an hereticke which kept mée from idlenesse and maye if you reade it deterre you from heresie It was wyth an Atheyst a man in opinion monstrous yet tractable to be perswaded By thys shall you sée thâ— absurde dotage of hym that thincketh there is no God or an vnsufficient God yet héere shall you finde the summe of faith which iustifyeth onely in Christ the weakenesse of the law the strengthe of the Gospell and the knowledge of Gods will. Héere shall yee finde hope if ye be in dispaire comfort if ye be distressed if ye thirst drincke meate if ye hunger if ye feare Moses who sayth without you fulfill the law you shall perish Beholde Christ which sayth I haue ouercommen the lawe And that in these desperate dayes wherein so many sectes are sowen and in the wayning of the world wherein so many false Christes are come you mighte haue a certeyntie of your saluation I meane to sette downe the towchestone wherevnto euerye one oughte to trust and by the which euerye one shoulde try himselfe which if you followe I doubte not but that as you haue proued learned Philosophers you will also procéede excellent diuines which God graunt ¶ EVPHVES AND ATHEOS ATheos I am gladde Euphues that I haue founde thée at leasure partly that we might be merry and partly that I mighte bée perswaded in a thinge that much troubleth my conscience It is concerning god There bée manye that are of this minde that there is a God whom they tearme the creator of all things a God whom they call the sonne the redéemer of the worlde a God whome they name the holy Ghost the worker of all thinges the comforter the spirite and yet are they of this opinion also that they be but one God coequall in power coeternal incomprehensible yet a Trinitie in person I for my parte although I am not so credulous to beleeue their curious opinions yet am I desirous to heare the reasons that should driue them into such fonde and frenticke imaginations For as I know nothing to be so absurde which some of the Philosophers haue not defended so thinke I nothing so erronious which some of our Catholickes haue not maynteyned If there were as diuers dreame a God that would reuenge the oppression of the widdowes and fatherlesse that would rewarde the zeale of the mercifull pittie the poore and paâ—don the penitent then woulde the people eyther stande in greater awe or owe more loue towards their God. I remember Tullye disputinge of the nature of Gods bringeth Dionisius as a scoffer of such vayne and deuised Deities who séeinge Aesculapius with a longe bearde of golde and Apollo his father beardelesse played the Barbar and shaued if from him saying it was not decent that the sonne shoulde haue a bearde and the father none Seeing also Iupiter with an ornament of golde tooke it from him iesting thus In Summer this aray is too heauie in Winter too colde héere I leaue one of wollen both warmer for the colde and lyghter for the heat He comming also into the Temple wher certeyne of the gods with golden giftes stretched out their handes tooke them all away saying Who will bee so madde as to refuse thinges so gentlye offâ—red Dost thou not sée Euphues what small accompt hée made of their gods