lastly by the libertie of vices suffered in the Cytie That we ought rather to present before God the loue which we beare him then the seruices we doe to him LAzarus one of the notablest of Jerusalem a secret Disciple of Iesus Christ and brother to Martha and Mary being grieuously sicke his sisters wroate to Iesus Christ a letter conteining only these few words Lord he whom thou louest is sicke At the contemplation wherof Iesus Christ not without great contrariety of his folowers and no small perill to his person determined to goe and comfort the two desolate sisters and raise againe Lazarus amazing the world with a miracle right high and execellent And albeit the Pharises were in conspiracy agaynst him the Iewes troubled albeit his Apostles were in feare and his Disciples not well assured yet immediately after hée hadde considered of the Louing Wordes of the Letter hée forgatte all feare and tourned the pre-present view of so many perilles into an inwarde feruencie of zeale and loue And albeit in cases of peticion it can not be amisse to vse perswasions of deuotion at large Yet God knowing the qualetie and intention of the hart requires not so much copye of speach as humilytie of the Spiritte as appeareth by the manner of this Letter which neyther in the beginning nor in the ende nor in the matter conteyned but the wordes aforesayd giuing vs to vnderstand that hauing our loue once fixed in God it suffiseth to make vnto him onely a signe wythout troubling him wyth importunitie of words since such as bée true louers and practisers in the matter of loue ought more to thinke then speake Great is the difference béetwéene the loue which wée beare to Iesus Christ and that hée beareth to vs as is well prooued in the zeale of these two holy women who durst not communicate wyth Iesus Christ the loue that they bare him and much lesse the affeciton of their Brother onely they referred him to the loue which he bare vnto Lazarus saying Hee whom thou louest c. The better to make vs know that if the Lorde dyd not put in the Balance of our iustice some little peyse or wayght of his loue he would giue vs but a little séeing our loue is so small a thing The vayne louers of the Worlde haue this custome to reproche the affection they beare one to an other which much lesse that it is tollerable amongest the seruauntes of God séeing they ought to make so small accompt of their loue as not to demaunde any thing they pretende but by the meane and vertue of his loue For so high souereigne is the commaundement of the loue of God that onely in this mortall life we can not scarsely learne it and in the other world of ioyes fully accomplishe it Facti sumus vt immundi et omnes iusticiae nostrae sum quasi pannus c. Esay speaking of the multitude of his sinnes and his little merit speaking also in the person of sinners cryeth out The sinagogue and I are vncleane and great sinners and what good workes so euer we séeme to haue done after they come to be examined in the sight of God they beare suche staymes infection and corruption that wée finde our owne shame to present them afore him Wherein the Prophete hath great occasion to exclaime that al our desires and affections are fleshely and corrupt séeing that wyth the selfe same harte wherewyth wée ought to loue God wée loue also our Children our neyghbours and our Parentes Yea sometimes wee transferre that affection to our vnlawfull friendes séeking out of one moulde to drawe an apple of Golde and boollettes of earth But the loue which God beares vs is not of such frayle condition séeing as hath bene sayde he loues vs wyth the selfesame zeale he loues himselfe so inuoluing vs in his proper affection that as of himselfe hee is but one so hée hath but one selfe and infallible affection notwythstanding suche as hée fauoureth most hée followeth wyth a stronge zeale and the others wyth a loue not so feruent So that it is good wée stande at this resolution that when the Lords calles vs to accompt wée doe not recommende vnto him the seruices we haue done but rather to put him in remembrance of the great affection wée haue borne him For otherwayes if hée bestowe on vs one onely daye of lyfe it is sufficient for the hire and recompence of all our transitorie time Eme a me aurum ignitum vt locuples fiâ—s Sayth God to the Bishoppe of Laodecia as it is sette downe in the text of the Apocalips Thou which art poore and haste a desire to bee Riche J aduise thee to come and buye of the fyne Golde whiche I haue freshly purifyed and drawne out of the furnace and doe keepe it wythin my treasurie What meaneth this that the Lorde hath spoken that who wyll not renounce all that hée Possesseth canne not bée his Disciple and yet hee inuites vs to his shoppe to buye fyne Golde And albéeit hée Commaunde vs to buye any thing why muste it necessaryly bée Golde though the Ware wée buye bée Golde why ought it to bée so fyne and béeing so fyne wherefore perswades hée vs to buye it onely of him And comming to buye it of him why doth hee Sell it so flaming and Burning And although wée muste buye it Burning why hath hée not sette a Pryce and Weyght if of And séeing hée inuites men to buye it why doth hée not sette it out wyth more prayse and Commendation But suche are the gratious meanes and bountie of the Lorde the hée speakes not to vs as a Mayster to his Seruauntes but as a Brother vsinge the Nature and Phrase of a very famyliar and gracious friende By this wée haue to consider that by how muche Golde is a thing most estéemed beste béeloued and of all other Ryches wyth greatest importunitie desired by so much loue is the vertue that most delyghtes vs that aboue all other wée honour and that more then any other doth content vs For the harte that is inflamed wyth the loue of God makes a base Estimation of all the other Ryches and Treasures of the Worlde And of all the Particuler thinges vnder Heauen loue coulde not bée better resembled then to Golde nor Golde more Equaly Compared then to loue For a there is nothing how ryche so euer it bée which is not to bée bought wyth Golde so if loue bée the worker there is nothing so harde and difficult which by the operation of loue is not made easie and passible where by it foloweth that the hart which is wounded with loue takes his rest solace in seruice in reaposing takes paine and trauel And therfore he that loueth and makes difficulty to doe that he is commauÌ„ded searcheth excuse in things he is required that man deserueth not to be called a louer but a scorner such one hath no harte of Gold but a
suffer more separation and liberty they cannot expresse so great vertue and effect as in the lesser body whose littlenesse kéepes them better to their naturall properties and actions according to the iudgement of Homer who in his discription of Vlisses maks him of little stature but of much excellency of wit and of the contrary he sets forth Aaix with body members of great corpulency but very simple in minde and iudgment Where you aske me how it commeth to passe that for the most part peasantes pore men of the country get children wel accomplished wise and of the contrary to men of great wisdome and opinion succéede children that be Idyots and without iudgment I take it to procéed of this The simple man and he that followeth the toyle of his husbandry when he is in the exercise of generation thinkes of no other thing but of the pleasure in the act by which this séede is more perfect as hauing the full consent and force of all the spirites vitall animall and naturall the same breathing into his Chyldren mindes suttle and resolute But wyth the wyse men it is otherwayes For they hauing continuall exercise of minde kéepe their thoughtes in impression and contemplation of some particuler thinges eyther concerning honesty profite or matter of enterprise whereby as it is not possible that in the act of generation their natural séede should be accompanied wyth the forces of all the spirites and specially of the spirit animall which engendreth such cogitation in persons So of necessity to the children which they get are referred more imperfections then to others You would know why a stone a péece of Iron or other such like thing being thrown into the water sinketh forthwith to the bottome where of the contrary a péece of wood how great so euer it be swimmeth alwayes vpon the vpper face therof Tocuhing the property of the wood I think it may be referred to the litle holes that be in it which being full of wynd aire so hold it vp that his weight cannot work his naturall condition but stones Iron compounded of bodies more close heauy and suffering no conduit or place for the aire to enter of necessity sinke downe as hauing no impediments till they come to their ceinter To this may be adioyned the experience of suche as are drowned who the fyrste daye fall to the bottome but afterwarde remounte aboue the water For after the Bodye bée rotten the Weysande and all other concauyties are fylled wyth Wynde and ayre by whose propertye they are blowen vp and séene floate vppon the vpper most of the Water For thys cause there haue béene certayne Pyrates who vsed to cutte out the weysande of suche as they slue in the Sea to the ende their bodyes were not throwen vp agayne to the disclosing of their vile act By this reason also egges that are not broken or corrupt sincke fortwyth to the bottome being throwen into a ryuer Where such as are rotten floate vpon the water for that the humor that is within being corrupted makes place to an ayre that entreth which kéepeth the egges swimming You aske me how it happeneth that louers often times expresse in their vtter partes a passion of colde and sometimes a feruencie of heat séeming to suffer those same fits and motions which we see asscribed to Agues Touching this demaunde albeit you might be better satisfyed with your owne experience then with any resolution of me who haue alwayes professed the science of humanytie and not the study of folly Yet according to our method of naturall reason I may thus farre presume to your instruction that louers plunged in the passion and perplexities of loue their naturall heate wyth drawing to the inner partes leaueth the extremities of the body colde as depriued of all their hote substance the same conuerting them into mindes vncertaine tormented and traunced But when they are brought into hope of obteyning their naturall heate eftsones retorneth outwardly and disperseth through all the extreame partes of the body which by this refreshing of the bloud becomes red and of pleasaunt temperature For that cause it hath bene an vse amongest Paynters and grauers of Images to draw Cupid sometimes sad and sometime ioyfull giuing him withall the forme and proportion of a Chylde for that light loue is an affection great and vehement and yet lasteth not long Whereto the loue vertuous and honest is ioyned continuance and constancie as appeareth in the friendship betwéene friend and frende the affection of the Father to his Children and the obseruation betweene the husbande and his honest wyfe But touching vnlawfull loue as it bréedes oftentimes in peesons not well knowen one to another therfore hath no great stability and lesse continuance so the loue honest taking his greatest consideration of the merit qualety and vertue of the party remaynes alwayes moderate and temperate where the affection that dare not be iustified is full of violence fury and passion Where you would know wherupon it procéeds that louers are striken and made slaues bondmen at the only regard and sight of their Ladies I aunswere according to the opinion of some that as the true seate and testimony of loue consisteth in the eyes and no part of man more truly expresseth the inward affections of the body then the eyes so loue being a certayne affection and good will is naturally bred of a thing lyke to himselfe For such as loue search nothing but recompence of affection and by consequence the house and seat of affection which is the eyes by whose meane they are made certayne of the loue which remayneth wythin You aske me why louers passe most part of many nights with out power to sléepe you must consider that this great affection draweth the whole man to it so entāgleth him wyth confusion that he retayneth no contemplation of thinges necessary or profitable This affection is that selfesame loue who much lesse that he will suffer his subiectes to liue in rest séeing as a Canker hée encreaseth more and more to the confusion of all their delyghtes felycitie and contentment and therefore hée is place amongest the naturall diseases afflicting the tranquility of man There is also an other reason which is drawen from the cares and thoughtes which Louers haue For those malenchollyke contemplations mingled wyth passions of choller and heauinesse doe heate and dry vp the party Restrayning by that meanes his course of sléepe which proceedes of vapoures colde and moyst the same béeing also the cause why olde men wake more then the younyounger sort as béeing Conuerted into more colde and drought Where you demaund why Louers fall into great complayntes for small causes you must consider that béecause Louers aboue al other sorts of men are naturally suspicious and caryed into mutation for small thinges lyke litle Chyldren They are by that meane seldome wythout heauinesse and sorrow of harte and therefore so muche
frendes may we say with this good théefe that they are out of the feare of God that they wander in their proper destruction that they are replenished with vices and doe not obserue one of Gods commaundements But by so much more wretched is our condition by how much one frende dare not warne an other for that all frendship now a dayes standes vpon these limits and tearmes not to correct one an other but rather to couer and dissemble and suffer communitie of euill It is a wonderful confusion to sée one sinner admonishe an other and a théefe to reproue a théefe and yet one Christian dare not rebuke an other no rather they will endure their vices then deuide themselues from their frendship Not to aduertise a frend of his honour or not to aduise him of his wealth may happen and is suffered but not to admonish him of that which concerneth his conscience is hatefull and ought not to be borne withall for that in thinges touching the honor of God we are bounde not to dissemble with our Father nor to yéelde consent to our dearest frende Nathan reproued Dauid Samuell rebuked Saule Micheas admonished Achab Helias reproued Jezabell S. John rebuked Herod and S. Paule reproued S. Peter not so much for hauing erred and fayled as for offending God the better to admonishe vs that him we ought to holde as enemie whom we know doth not loue God Nonne qui oderunt te inimici facti sunt mihi Oh great God of Jsraell sayth Dauid the greatest seruice that I haue done thée is that all my lyfe time I haue hated those that loued not thée eschewed such as folowed not thy lawes was a straunger to such as searched not thy precepts and will and none haue bene worse welcome to my companye then such as boare to thee no seruice I woulde the example of Dauid might be embraced now a dayes or that to christian frends were ioyned such propertie of affection so should there be no vice in mens frendship nor toleracion of wickednes for that if euill men were not supported by their frends iustice discipline woulde either spedely determine their liues or shame instruction leade them to amendment of manners great then was the charitie of this théefe to his companion the pitie not little which he had of Iesus Christ whereof as he defended the one and perswaded the other so his vertue concludes in good Authoritie that it is a true effect of our Christian pietye to yéelde compassion to such as are troubled and reduce him that is out of the Way After this good théefe was commited to God and confessed his sinnes to Iesus Christ and aunswered for him he began then to lift vp his voyce and say vnto him Domine memento mei dum veneris in regnum tuum wherein with iust reason he calles him Lorde for that it is resolute with God not to take pitie or mercie vpon vs if first we accknowledge not in him his diuinitie and therefore in the olde times whē God spake with the Hebrues he vsed commonly this phrase haec dicit Dominus c. The better to aduertise the nations and people of the earth that all kinges and Princes of this world are in all thinges no other thing but gouernours and deputies and to God alone belonges all souereigne and Supreame Potentacie In which respect it behoueth vs afore all thinges to confesse God to be Father and souereigne Lorde and to honour his blessed sonne by the name of Lorde and redéemer for that it is directly to repugne his ordinarie power to Pardon sinne in any man which doth not accknowledge in God predomination and Lordship Let vs therefore with the humilitie fayth and conformetie of this théefe say Domine memento mei For th s ought to be an office in our beléefe that if we confesse god to be sole ceator serue him as soueraigne Lorde he will not misknow vs as straungers specially if we acknowledge vs to apperteine vnto him The seconde worde of this théefes petition was Memento mei agréeing with the inuocation of Salomon Da mihi sedium tuarum aslis tricem sapientiam vt sciam quid acceptum sit coram te omni tēpore giue me O Lord partin thy wisedome to the end I may doe the thinges agréeable to thee and tending to my saluation notwithstanding that Salomon amongest all the kings of Jerusalem was most Peasible most Riche Renoumed and most Wise yet with all these Qualities he durst not demaunde of God but Wisedome and that not without great reason For albeit a man knoweth that which he wold haue yet he is ignorant in that which is necessary for him And as we liue in God more then in our selues that God loues vs aboue our proper affections so it is he that knoweth better thē our selues what we wold haue of him what we want is néedfull for vs for which cause this well aduised good christian théefe would aske no other thing but that the Lord would haue remembrance of him instructing vs by that that God bearing to vs such plentifull will affection ther is no great nede to trouble him with importunities but onely with a feruent hart put him in remembrance of those thinges we desire to haue saying Domine memento mei Lord that hast created me haue remembrance of me Lorde that hast Redéemed me forget me not and thou Lord in whom I beléeue be mindfull of me Vouchsafe Oh Lord to draw me to thy selfe Oh loue of my soule haue remembrance of me since thou hast formed me of earth and since thou hast breathed into me a soule made me man hast employed thy lyfe for me vouchsafe to be mindefull of me to the ende there be no spoyle made of my Soule yea since thou hast suffered thy Passon for me resisted so many Temptations and spilt so much of thy innocent bloud as satisfyed the Price of my vyle and wretched Sinnes I beséeche thée be myndefull of me Here is to be noted that this théefe in these humilities to God sayd not Lorde haue remembrance of my children my wyfe my frendes or my labors and trauels but sayde onely Lorde remember me aduising vs that in this worlde there is nothing which we ought to holde so deare as the reckoning of our conscience according to the expresse text of our sauiour to the mother and children of Zebeda Nescitis quid petatis because that afore they asked pardon for their sinnes they demaunded realmes and kingdomes and before they sought to purge the transgression of their soules they aspired to be set one of the right and the other of the left hande of Iesus Christ But the wise Chananite woman afore she sayde Filia mea male a demonio vexatur cryed Miserere mei sewing first for pardon for her selfe afore she sought the recouery of her daughter for that so good is the Lorde our God that if he loue not him that
to tell you what sorrow is Séeing it is an action due to my place and age to wéepe fast and praye but to you it apperteynes to daunce deuise tryffle Notwythstanding as I haue told you in short what a frende is so I will not sticke to fill vp the residue of your desire to debate briefly the nature of loue not that I would instruct you but to warne and aduise you hoping you will rather Loue as a Christian then as a Courtier Wherein I recommende vnto you chiefely to bée wise in your wordes discréete in your actions secret in your thoughtes particuler in your frendships modest in your behauiour and aboue all follow the instructions of your owne vertues and flée the example of such as draw to vice Yea haue more regarde to your selfe then to any other person since in the ende your vertues are sure of their rewarde for that God will preferre you to Mariage and put into the minde of the Prince to endue you wyth worthie Portion Take héede therefore you bée not lyght in lookes vayne in life lauishe of spéech nor a scoffer at men for that wyth Ladyes of these Conditions men of the Court take pleasure to deuise but none will haue fancie to Marie them So that the best dowrie to aduaunce the Mariage of a young Lady is when she bringes in her countenaunce myldnesse in her spéeche wisedome in her behauiour modestie and in her whole lyfe vertue For that there is no man what vayne and lyght affections soeuer hée haue but though hée take pleasure to sewe and serue a fayre Ladye yet in case of Maryage hée wyll séeke out Vertue and reiect Beautie But now to our purpose of Loue It is an opinion wyth you Ladyes of the Court that Loue and to bée a Louer consistes onely to be gaye in apparell to be set out in diuersitie of Coullers of Feathers to be pensiue to be passioned to solycite to beholde and often to entertaine his Lady wyth discourses of Loue Thinges no lesse vayne and light then most farre from the true propertie of loue Séeing of this qualetye is the good and true loue that to him that hath default of force it géeues him strength and in him that hath it alreadye it confirmes it further To him that is simple it géeues Quickenesse of spirite To him that hath want of Courage it géeues boldenesse and stomacke By it the Couetou◠man is made liberal and it sets open the Purse of the nigarde So that in the harte where he is entred he suffereth no imperfection nor inciuility but lifts their thoughts vp to high actions and searching that he loueth there are none perceiueth what he endureth when we cast our eye vpon a thing there is differenc to prayse it and to loue it ▪ for that the thing which we praise and loue not assone as it is commended it is forgotten but that which we loue truly wée laye vp in the the secret corner of our thoughtes we plant it in our will and bring it forth in the fruite of our memorie It stands always afore our eyes our eyes send it downe to the safe keeping of our harte Loue is beste knowne to the harte that loueth and he of himselfe onely feeles when he is content or miscontent fauoured or not fauoured suspected or trusted mery or sadde or in dispair or assured Yea his passions are not knowne to others if his affections be honest for that he will rather suffer in griefe then giue cause of offence estéeming his meritte so much the greater by how much his martirdome is painefull and his passion so muche the more worthie by how much his intention assureth his hope To instruct you in the signes of suche as loue truely you must obserue the behauiour of the parties when they depart one from another For it is no other thing the seperation of two frends then to deuide one hart into two moities the same moste commonly appearing at the time of leaue taking when in the one is disclosed want of wordes and in the other aboundaunce of teares you shall know likewise that loue that is accompanied with fastnesse when the partie enterpriseth great things and estéemeth little those of base importance loue alwaies enabling his subiects to high actions raising their thoughtes to great purposes Zo that the hart that loues lokes not to be commaunded but learns to win merit by preuention he offereth no excuse but is ready to execute he is not required to be liberall but finds out wherin he may be aceptable he suspectes not his mistres but takes all to the best he beleeues no report since he is assured of her vertue he is not importunate but makes his hope his felicitie if she but begin to like he puts wings to his affection yea he makes her the image of his thoughts liues wholy dedicated to her deuotion And therefore if he loue dearly hd liues in thought to please in care to offende in desire to suffer in feare to disclose and louing much he giues much thinking it no liberalitie if he refuse any thing since if he haue once giuen his wil and consent it is nothing to giue withal his abilitie and wealth and being possest by another he must think he hath nothing of his owne In like sort the true louer studies to be circumspect in behauiour estéeming it a swéet felicity to haue his thoughts delytes priuate he is modest in countenance the better to bleare the eyes of spies please the minde of his mistres And he is patient to suffer estéeming him not worthy of reward vnlesse he endure to the ende And where true loue is there wronges must be borne and no wordes deliuered to the dyshonour of his Lady By whom if any occasion be giuen yet he must alwayes haue this lesson that patience is a vertue and secret scilence doth best solicite since the true Trumpet of loue is not the Tongue that speaketh but the harte that sigheth Yea as the Tongue is restrayned from speaking but not the hearte from Louinge So I holde it better to loue wyth sewertie then to deceiue wyth swéetnesse since in the one is the vertue and bringes his rewarde and the other being the vice is sure of his Punnishement And so good Sister if any your Seruauntes in Courte iudge me a louer by this short discourse I haue written I praye you tell them that béeing a member of the worlde I haue a propertie in worldly actions and perhaps had bene as worldly as the best if Philosophie had not drawne me from the world To a Noble man in Consolation for the death of his Daughter in Law. THis hath bene alwayes a true obseruation from one time to an other that afore any great chaūce or accident there were forshewed certeine straunge and prodigious signes which as the Gentils interpreted according to their Superstitions so it belonges to vs Christians to take them as
Aduertisementes and warninges Séeing they are Messengers and Heraldes of God not to amaze and confounde vs but to warne and aduise vs he delyting more to sée our liues amended then to punishe vs according to our faults according to that comfortable text of Dauid Castigans castigauit me dominus sed morti non tradidit me So liberall is the mercie of God my Sauiour towardes me sayth he that albeit he hath threatened to strike me yet he hath not so much as touched me But comming somwhat more particulerly to your estate my purpose that late importunate trauell which you toke in the mariage of your sister your great heauy misfortune in the burning of your house castle the late disagréement and faction betwéene you and your bretherne and this lamentable death of the Marques your Daughter in lawe séeme to me to be thrée plagues most pitifull to heare gréeuous to endure deseruing no lesse compassion then the ten scourges wherewith Egipt was afflicted for that the one were thundered vpō a king tirant the other ministred to a christiā knight Yea the plagues of Egipt were dispersed thorow the whole land where your griefs are altogither within your hart by means wherof where afore you wer holdē but as a christiā you are now of a cōfessor made a martir not so much for the aduersities that are happened as for the patiēce you vse bearing those crosses according to vertue not as mā vnfortunate if you were persecuted as Noe was of the Idolators or as Ioseph by his Bretherne or as the good man Iob by his frends it could not be but very gréeuous though nothing daungerous For that as in the Palaice of Princes who is most Fauoured of the Prince is best estéemed of the People So in the house of God his preferment is greatest whom Christ doth most chastise since to none other ende are the Corrections hee géeues vs then to putte vs in Remembraunce and prepare vs to one pefection God suffered Tobyas to bée Blynde Susanna to suffer Sentence and Daniell to bée Imprisoned not for that hée would them ill but to erpresse the Loue hée bare them this béeinge one propertie in Gods Affection to Chastise those that hée Loueth and leaue others to their Destruction There is no greater Temptation then neuer to bée Tempted and no more sorer Punishement then of GOD neuer to bée Corrected since who receaueth no Afflictions in this Worlde beares a Signe that of GOD hée is muche forgotten Yea the Perplexityes wherewyth GOD vysiteth vs ought rather to bée called Aduertisementes then Punishementes For that they are Disciplines necessarye to our amendement and not Stumblinge Blockes to make vs fall further This made Dauyd say Omnes fluctus tuos induxisti super me All the trauelles and Daungers Oh Lorde which thou weart woont Indifferently to impart to many thou hast now reduced and retourned vppon mée onely Job hauing loste his Goodes his Cattell and his Children sayde and demaunded of GOD Haec sit mihi consolatio vt affligens me dolore no parcas Greater Consolation coulde not the Lorde sende mée in this Worlde then Punishing my faultes to spare no sortes of sorrowe vppon mée for that in a calamitie it is one comfort when men know the vtter most of their mishappes and that they can not bée Puninished further Mihi absit gloriari sayth Saynt Paule Nisi in Cruce Domini Estéeming it no greater glorie then to endure troubles as by that meanes to come to communicate wyth the glorye of Christ It is good the LORD laye his hande vppon vs for that by it wée are ledde to humylitie and taught to enter into the consideration of our selues And the Rewarde and Recompence that God Mynistreth to suche as Obeye and serue him is to suffer them to bée Traueyled in Afflictions since hée knoweth that there is no better Passage to the Eternall Glorye and Felicyties of Heauen then to beare the Crosse of Trybulation here in Earth For through Exercise of Aduersitie menne béecome Humble and béeing often tryed they are the better Iustifyed as the Mettall that passeth thorough many Fiers ryseth more to his fynenesse and Perfection For my parte Sir albéeit I haue not the facultye of a Prophette nor the inspyration of an Apostle Yet I dare assure you that if in Patience you receaue all your perplexities you shall receaue your rewarde wyth others whom GOD hath made happye by Troubles béeing no other thinge the Trybulation of the Iuste then a warning of our faultes and an aduertisemente of that wée ought to doe Wherein speakyng more particulerly I saye that to bée Sorrowfull for the death of your Daughter you haue reason according to Fleshe and Bloude as well for the Opinion of her Vertue Beautie Age and Kyndred as in regarde of the deare affection you bare her But if you consider wythall your Office towardes GOD you haue to thinke that séeing hée hath so ordeyned the beste Sacrifyce you canne Offer is to reste satisfyed wyth his will Not to Murmure of that is done since of necessitie it must bée so nor debate wyth him why hée hath done it for that in his purposes is great Wisedome which in the ende bringes forth all thinges for our beste You must thinke Sir it is a voyage that must bée perfourmed by us all and béeing a Tribute so due hée is vnthankefull that payeth it with grudging Since for this debt wée are taken out of al Debtes and béeing cleared of all Bondes wée remayne for euer most happely layde vp in the Frée felicities of god It was a Lawe amongest the Lidians that the Father Burying his Sonne was not forth wyth comforted till the yeare was past as thinking it too soone to put consolation to so great sorrowes since the hearte that is but newely gréeued can not better bée comforted then to haue tyme to Lamente his losse For that as menne in Sorrowe féele their harmes more gréeuously then that at the firste they canne géeue place to Comfort So there canne bée no greater ease in the perplexities of Fortune then when they sée others Communicate in compassion wyth them This I saye for that where you may thinke I haue written this Letter too late you may wythall knowe that I dyd it rather of Industerie then of forgetfulnesse Wherein because the Experience of the Disposition of heartes heauely Loaden wyth Sorrowe made mée somewhat doubtfull whether out of hande I should comfort your gréene gréeues or deferre them vntill by time they were more apt to receaue Consolation I thought it not vn necessarye to suffer you to Waue in your heauynesse till your Teares somewhat ceassing your hearte might bée also reduced to Capacitie and Iudgement In cases so resolute as Death Menne are not to vse desperate Sorrowe since there is no Remedie to recouer the losse but rather to dissemble the chaunce by discression hauing more néede of Magnanimitie and great courage to
mind fashioned of Drosse and fylth Séeing that in the house of God and where his loue is in office there ought to bée no Excuse of thinges Required nor Denyall to doe that is commaunded Oh that God giues a great grace to that man on whom hee béestoweth a hearte of massiue and weightye Golde as of the contrarie wretchednesse is his portion whose hearte is vayne light and hollow agaynst such men the Prophet beares witnesse Cor eorū vanum est For that the harte is the furnace wherein are framed all our desires and passions and the fordge whereon are Beaten all our trauelles and actions God sayth then that that which hée selleth vnto vs is no other thing then gold enflamed that is Gold Purifyed and Burning Wherein is géeuen vs to know that from that instant that the Loue of God hath touched our heart it wyll alwayes burne it will alwayes praye it wyll alwayes sight and it wyll neuer cease to loue The loue of God beeinge of suche Qualetie that in what mynde so euer hée makes hys aboade hée wyll not suffer to remayne any ill wickednesse or idlenesse Golde enflamed is sewer the loue of the Lorde séeing that with his sparcklinge flames it kindleth our vnderstanding enflameth our harte warmeth our will and burneth to ashes our offences Yea at the heat of that fire the elect are warmed and the reprobat smothered but the zeale of the louers of the worlde is not Golde enflamed for that it is entangled wyth this propertie to Burne wythout warming and to make Weary wythout resting it scorcheth and not purifyeth it terryfyeth and not assureth and killeth wythout remedie The mettall which is solde in the shoppe of the worlde is not Golde but Leade is not substaunce but scumme yea it is rather drosse then Golde séeing that such as loue wyth the affection of the worlde are euen those that come out of it in the end most smeared and corrupted The loue which the Lorde selleth is not onely Gold enflamed but very well refined and proued The first profe passing in himselfe in the trée of the Crosse and receiued Confyrmation by the Martyrdome of Saynt Peter and others by whose passions and torments the loue of Iesus Christ was well ratified and approued Quando apostoli ibant à conspectu concilij quoniam digni habiti sunt pro nomine Jesu cōtumeliam pati Right worthely was approued within their hartes the loue of Christ séeing they went to their execution better contented and glad then all the Princes of the world when they go to receiue the crowne of a kingdome Right well was approued the loue of Iesus Christ within the hart of S. Paule when he sayd ego Paulus vinctus in domino holding him selfe more happie to be fettred in chaines for the loue of God then if he had bene raysed to the greatest principalitie of the earth Touching the loue of the world frayle and vaine wyth greater reason we may call it reproued then approued séeing one man loues not an other but for respect of interest and commoditie So that as the seruants of God loue him with all their power including no other reason then the consideration of his greatnes and mercie So worldly men loue one an other no longer nor no more then there is possibilitie of gaine and recompence and therefore deserueth to be called and affection reprobate for that it beares regard to the benefit and not to the matter In this part of the text we haue also to consider that the Lord willeth vs not to buy gold of any other then of him offring it to vs of him selfe both purified and burning and all to instruct vs that it is he only of whom we are to obtaine grace to loue him and loue to serue him Besides this gold of the loue of the Lord will not be communicated to vs for nothing least we should estéeme it little Neither is it to be sold to vs at a deare price to the end we refuse it not and much lesse will it bée prised because it is without value and estimation onely all that is required of vs is that we retribute vnto the Lord loue for loue and giue our affection in recompence and change of his And séeing our loue is ambicious and blind in worldly things and altogether caried to light and strange desires Let not that man thinke hée giues little who vnto Iesus Christ giues his whole hart And he since he selleth not to vs but loue sincere and holy let vs not in enterchange returne to him affections fained infected and doubtfull great is the zeale of Christ who being loue and the better to lead our affections he teacheth vs how to loue The Lord make vs as we ought to be to the end we may the better minister to his commaundements and seruice and séeing hée is the true Lord that hath made vs of earth and referred vs eftsones to the destinie of the earth and that we haue nothing to giue in exchange for his loue of gold but a small affection and that cankared and infected Let vs beséech him that our corrupt drosse may be made acceptable to him and his precious and purified gold become profitable to our saluation A short Letter partly in rebuke and partly in perswasion WHen the miserie of others wil not make you kéepe a meane with your fortune nor the experience of harmes past touch you in example and warning I sée no other safetie remayning then may be hoped for in a ship who tossed with many stormes séekes her securitie where the sea goeth most high and raging But being happie in friendes you liue carelesse of chances estéeming your selfe subiect to the sentence of Solomon that that which the euill man feareth shall assuredly happen vnto him I vnderstand by your messenger the state of your perplexitie together with the possibilitie of your perill if present pollicie be not vsed for the which I am so much the more sory by how much our frendship is auncient and so much the lesse carelesse by how much it ministreth interest to our common alliance Two qualities of such fast coniunction that nothing can dissolue them for that alliance is congealed in the bloud and friendship makes his knot in the hart as touching the regard of a friend I maruell I haue not heard of you thus long for that amongst friends when their persons are deuided the next office is to communicate by intelligence but remembring that forgetfulnes is a swéete error I haue long since cut of all expectation to heare front you specially since you haue dedicated your selfe to sanctuaries churchyardes and churches of refuge where I thinke you establish your resort not so much for deuocion and remorse as to giue cooller to some abuse and wrong Remember that to offend God and disobey iustice is an act so duly deseruing punishment that there is no doubt of the reuenge though not vppon the person of the imediat offender yet vppon
signes hée manifesteth by mouth that which hée loueth and by his teares makes declaration of his payne By which argument good Madam I say it can not bée but you beare no small affection to your litle Dogge séeing you mourne for him with so great apparance of sorowe The tongue publisheth nothing but our thoughts but in the teares is expressed the true propertie of our affection whereuppon it followeth that though in men and women bée found sometime a custome of fayned wordes yet it can not bee but their teares for the most part are true and simple And therfore it is a false testimonie against women to say that their teares bée alwayes fayned although in this they may dissemble when they wéepe for one thing to say it is for an other béeing a propertie very familiar with the most of them to haue two coollers to one meaning and as the saying is to beare two complexions in one face This I haue sayed for the defence of your sighes and in fauour of your teares which I thinke you haue shed with small deuocion although with very franke and good hart séeing according to the reapport you haue bene euer since trauailed with an Ague and exercised in those passions that kéepe you continually in your Bedde But to vse plainenes according to my profession I can not maruell so much at your teares as I am sory that so small a thing should make you to wéepe being a thing more vertuous to lament your sinnes then to be heauie for the losse of your litle puppie And I can not with patiēce beleue that being as you are both noble honorable therwithal reputed wise vertuous you haue bestowed your loue on a thing so vile base séeing that such are they that loue as is the thing that they loue For that so great is the force of loue that he that loueth suffreth conuersion into the thing which he loueth therfore to loue things reasonable belongs to the affectiōs of men but in louing things brute insensible we cannot but be made like vnto them Your friends here beare some shame that you haue chosen so base a subiect to gouern your affection not without reason do your enemies smile your friēds mourne at it for that it is contrary to the vertue and reputation of any either to fixe their eyes or occupie their thoughts but where the hart may be well employed and the loue gratified The best part of the body is the hart and the most precious iewell of the hart is the affection which if it bée not well employed the partie may esteme himselfe vnhappie for that in that man there can be possibilitie to liue well in whom is no proofe or meane of honest affection What propertie of loue shold you beare to your little puppie from who you could draw no other pleasure then to araye your garments with haires to make a noyse in your chamber when you would sléepe to fill you ful of flease and to be alwayes in feare to be stolne from you all which conclude against your wisedome for mourning for a thing so harmefull and of so base importance To loue a little dogge a Monkie a Parrot or other singing Bird is not ill nor dishonest if your affection be ioyned to this condicion not to followe them otherwayes then with your eyes to behold them and your eares to heare them not estéeming them worthy of other affection Séeing that of such thinges we may make our seruice and solace without ielousie to kéepe them or compassion to loase them Yea to make sorowe for such trifles excedes the limits of an honorable Lady is contrary to the office of a good Christian Wherein if I were the iudge afore whom should be debated the loue you beare to your little Dogge and the transgressions of your life sure I could not but laugh at the follie of the one and wéepe for the Offences of the other It is Written that the great Alexander buried his horse the Emperour Augustus his Parrot and Prince Heliogabalus made a graue for his Sparow at whose obsequies he prayed and caused the body to be embawmed If you had hard or read of these it may be by their example you would haue built a a tombe for your little Dogge although I accompt to worse purpose the teares you haue let fall for him then the sepulchers and ceremonies which those Pagans made for their dead beastes And so good Madame God giue you a spirite to wéepe for your sinnes and a mind to leaue of to mouone for thinges vaine and transitory To an olde Gentleman enamored of a young Ladie this letter toucheth the perplexities which amorous Dames giue to their seruants and friendes AFter so long scilence I wold some better occasion had bene giuen then to recontinue our auncient quarrell wherin is no expectation of other effect then hapneth by the Chirurgion when hée commeth to reaue in an olde wound which by how much more it hath discontinued the vse and seruice of plaesters by so much doth it bring payne to the patient suffring the new opening of his hurt And albeit amongest friendes there can not bée a more necessary action then to minister counsell the same being the first effect of that fayth and vertue which ought to be considered in the election of friendes Yet to some men it is hatefull to be counselled in thinges contrary to their will and affection esteming it better to dwell in the lust of their particular desires then to be warned euen as the miserable patient findes it swéeter to giue libertie to his wound then to suffer it to haue cure with a litle paine in the beginning But for my part hauing ioyned alwayes our long friendship an honest care of your weldoing I can not hold my selfe discharged in office if I debate not franckly the estate of your auncient abuses although there remaynes no expectation of other fruite then hapneth to the Chirurgion who comming to vncouer an olde wound long corrupted séemes griuous to his patient I perceiue by your letter you are falen into a practise of new loues which being a new hurt to your olde wound you séeme also to demaund a new remedie at my hand as though I had the facultie both to let bloud and close vp the vaine I would I were with you for that hauing libertie to communicate there may be many things spoken which are not conueniēt to be written But more do I wish that you would haue vsed me in an other office since for matters of loue you are not now in age to follow it and much lesse is it consonant to my grauetie to giue you counsell my habit my authoritie my place being all against it It is not to you and me to whom it belongeth to solicite in loue and much lesse are we subiects wherin he takes his delites grace recreation For that you being loden with yeres and I tied to my
fruit more liked by how much it is incorporate in the vertues and name of an excellent patron In which respect knowing that there shines in your Ladiship a vertue of learning and iudgement as doth the pearle in the gold that your mind is diuinely enclined to the coÌ„templation of vertuous studies I beseech you let this be admitted amongest the publike monumeÌ„ts of your vertue though farre vnworthy of your noble desire yet beeing couered with the winges of your authoritie and name it may bee holden so much the more perfect and plawsible by how much it is an imp grafted in the soyle of your greatnes and enritched with the golde of your name and vertues Referring the faultes rather to the infirmitie of my skil and knowledge then to my desire and will which is wholly dedicated to the seruice of your right honorable Father and his house At my chamber in the Blacke Friers in London the fourth of February 1575. Your honours humbly to dispose and commaund Geffray Fenton The contents of euery perticuler Chapter TO the gouernour Angulo doclaring many good doctrines with other consolations to such as are widowers fol. 1 To Sir Peter Giron banished into Oran comforting such as liue in exile 4 To Don Frederique of Porting all Archbishop of Saragoce and Viceroy of Catholiogne wherein the author commends to him a letter of the Emperour M. Aurelius 11 To the Duke of Alua contayning an exposition of a text of the Apostle with other antiquities 14 To Don Fardinando do Toledo to whom are expounded two authorities of Scripture and the custome of the Egiptians in the death of their friends 17 A discourse before the Emperour Charles the fifth wherein is handled the pardon that Christ demaunded of his father for his enemies 19 To what purpose or ententions tended all the speeches of Iesus Christ 20 That when Christ gaue pardon he left nothing to forgeue 22 That God was wont to be called the God of vengeance and now is he named the father of mercy 24 A discourse afore the Emperour wherein is touched the conuersion of the good theefe 27 The good theefe hauing no other thing to offer to god offred him his hart and his tongue 32 How wickedly the euill theefe spake hanging on the crosse 35 The good theefe rebuked his fellow hanging on the crosse 37 A discourse expounding this text of the Psalme Irascimini nolite peccare 42 For such as enter into religion 47 An other discourse tending to religion 49 Instructions still tending to men entred religion 52 This discourse was vttered in the presence of a noble Lady at her churching 53 A discourse in the presence of a great assembly of noble Ladies of the good and euill that the tongue doth 55 A letter to a great learned maÌ„ answering to certaine demaunds 62 Demaundes and aunsweres 62 Touching the warre which a man makes against himselfe 65 Plutarch to the Emperour Traian a letter tending to instruct Princes newly raysed to principalities 68 The Emperour Traian writeth to his teacher Plutarch debating that albeit a good man may be banished yet he is not for that dishonored 70 The Emperour Traian writing to the Senate of Rome discloseth the trauels of Princes in their gouernements 71 The Senate of Rome writeth to Traian their Emperour partly to aunswere to some particulers of his former letters and with all expressing documeÌ„ts necessary to the instructioÌ„ of a Prince 75 Of the great reuerence giuen in times past to auncient men with certaine priuileges appertaining to old age 77 To a noble personage touching the difference betwene the friendship of men and loue of God. 79 In this letter is debated the difference betwene a seruaunt and a friend 81 A letter to a noble personage wherein is debated why God afflicts good men 83 The author vnder termes to reproue his friend that had charged him to haue taken out of his chamber a Pomander speaketh iustly against such persons as delite to be perfumed 85 A letter to a perticuler friend rebuking all such as offer outrage or iniurie to any that are new by conuerted to the faith of Christ calling them infidels or miscreants or by any other name of reproch 88 A letter to a nobleman touching familiarly how inconuenient it is for a man maried to haue a womaÌ„ friend besides his wife 90 A treatise of the resurrection of Iesus Christ together with an exposition of the fifth article of the Creede that he discended into hell and rose againe the third day 93 Touching the resurrection of Christ 101 Certaine meditations and considerations vppon the resurrection of Iesus Christ 103 Certaine testimonies of Pagan authors seruing to approue christian religion written in forme of a letter to a noble man. 107 The Originall of tiranny and Idolatrie together with the punishments of tirants and Idolators how Abraham was chosen chief of the Hebrewes 112 The author aunswereth a congratulation sent to him vppon the gift of a Bishopricke 117 There are no greater riches then honour nor pouertie more intollerable then infamie 120 The author modestly reprehendeth his friend for not yeelding to his request 124 A letter aduertising Parents not to be carelesse in the education of their children and that a man of honestie and vertue ought not to suffer ill resort or leude demeanor in his house 126 The author writeth to his sister seruing in the Court partly hee instructeth her how to liue in Court and partly satisfieth her request vnder a short discription of loue 127 To a noble man in consolation for the death of his daughter in law 130 A discourse written to a great Princesse of the vertues and life of the noble Queene of Zenobia 133 Touching diseases and the discommodities which old age bringeth 135 One friend writeth to another of the rage of enuie and the nature thereof 138 One friend rebuketh another for that of a gentlemaÌ„ he is become a marchant this letter tendeth to the rebuke of couetousnes 141 A letter in consolation declaring the discommodities of Anger the benefites of pacience 145 A discourse of the ages of mans life 150 A continuing of the discourse begon wherein is brought in an other opinion 153 VVhich of the opinions is most worthy 154 The conclusion of this discourse wherein the author is resolued that there be but three ages 156 Considerations for Iudges criminall expressed in a familiar letter from one friend to another wherein is vsed a necessarie authoritie of a Philosopher 167 A discourse of the antiquities of Corinth with an exposition of the prouerbe Non cuiuis contigit adire Corinthum 160 That we ought rather to present before God the loue which wee beare him then the seruices we do to him 162 A short letter partly in rebuke and partly in persuasion 165 A letter to a daintie Lady faâ—â—e sicke for the death of hir little Dogge 657 To an old gentleman enamored of a young Lady this letter toucheth the perplexities which
Father of fayth The good THEEFE hauing no other thing to offer to God offered him his hart and his tongue SAint Paule hauing séene the great secrets of god of which it belongeth not to man to speake being asked what we ought to do to please God Aunswered Commendat vobis Deus charitatem suam the chiefest thing saith he which God recommends vnto you is charitie which consisteth in this that you loue him as he loueth you which you shall more easely accomplish if you loue your Christian neighbour not so much for that he loueth you as for that he loueth and deliteth in god Wherein the Apostle doth not so expressely say that God recommends vnto vs his fayth his hope his patience his chastitie and his humilitie But aboue all things he enioyneth vs to haue charitie as therby to giue vs to vnderstand that that man that deliteth truly in God can not be reproued of any vice For what can be lacking to him that wanteth not charitie as also who wanteth charitie is imperfect in all other vertues Let the charitable man and he that delites to be pitifull be assured that God will alwayes lend him his hand to the end he decrease not in fayth loase not his hope defile not his chastetie dispise not humilitie nor forget patience For afore the tribunall and iudgement seat of God is neuer vsed crueltie to him the on earth hath exercised charitie si charitatem nō habeo factus sum sicut sonās aut cimbalē tynniens saith the Apostle though I speake sayth he as an Angell and all other vertues except charitie were familiar with me yet I should be but as a Bell that calleth the people to seruice yet entreth not therein it selfe The man then that is not charitable but taketh delite in his rigor is no way worthy of the name of a Christian and much lesse deserueth to be called friend because that in the hart wherein is not lodged charitie shall neuer be found fidelitie If we aske the scripture what thing charitie is we shal find by many texts that it is a vertue drawing to none other effect then to loue God for himselfe and our neighbour for the loue of God Wherevppon the loue of God and the feare of God ought alwayes so to be coupled within the harts of the iust that wee neuer ought to feare God only to the end he preserue vs from hell nor loue him altogether in this respect that he graunt vs Paradise but we ought both to loue and feare him because he is the Supreame and Soueraigne good and on whome doth depende and come all felicitie If men loue one an other it is eyther for benefites all readie receaued or for hope of good tournes to come But in the house of GOD there is no Sufferance nor Custome of suche affections For suche is the nature measure and proportion of Gods goodnesse towardes vs that the respect and intention of our zeale ought not to consist onely for that he is all in al for vs but because the greatnesse of his goodnesse deserueth it by which occasion the Prophete cryed oftentimes Paratum con meum the better to instruct vs that his hart was not onely ready to loue the creator but also to beare affection to the creature That man is ignorant in charitie who estemeth himselfe to loue God and hath no care of his neighbour and lesse is he a follower of charitie that is reputed to beare affection to his neyghbour and loueth not God since that all our Christian charitie consistes in this to doe seruice to Iesus Christ and worke some Good or benefite to our neighbour For the Lorde beares such a zeale to the Christian soule that in louing vs he will be onely and singuler and when we loue him he will be accompanied the same being contrary to the loue of the worlde with whom it is not suffered to haue the hart deuided into many partes but in the diuine loue and holy affection of the Lorde we are required to loue Iesus Christ and haue care ouer our neyghbour specially if he be a christian for otherwayes we ought to wish vnto him good eschew his conuersatiō This discourse haue I brought in to expresse testifie the wonderfull charitie which the good théefe had on the crosse who in the perplexitie of death in a small moment of time gaue good declaration of the affection he boare to Iesus Christ right published the zeale he had to saue his companion the wicked théefe Besides he was not without feruent desire to reléeue his sauiour of the paines he suffered which he wel testified in the seruice he did to him For dissembled loue is shewed in the propertie of spéech where the true frendship affection is expressed in the seruice gifts that are ministred the same appearing for the most part amongst our vaine worldlinges with whom swéet alluring words are familiar but the office effect of seruice are most commonly forgotten where in déede whose loue is chast ioyned with the holy loue of god there their mouthes kepe seilence their hands minister distributiō Cain offered to God fruits of the earth Abell brought firstlings of the fattest of his flocke Noe presented Muttons Abraham gaue Pigions Melchisedech brought Bread and Wyne Moyses Insence Dauid Golde Siluer Jeptha sacrificed his Daughter Annas Samuell his sonne All which offeringes presented by those holy personages beare great reckoning are much to be accompted of But farre more worthy was the seruice sacrifice of this théefe for that where they offered to God things apperteining to their houses he presented to the Lord his proper hart wherein he discouered a difference betwéene the oblation of things that we haue neare vs and to make an offering of our selues Therefore let no man maruell why I debate so much in prayse of this théefe For if I be asked what it was that he offered I may estsoones make a question what it was that he kept for himselfe When one man geueth to another his proper being ▪ doth he not geue by consequence his will and habilitie This théefe gaue not to God his eyes for the they were cloased vp shut he gaue him not Golde nor siluer hauing lost all by the iustice of his offēce he could not compart with him his cloths being riffeled by the executioners he offered him not his hāds féete for that the one were nailed the other bound And much lesse could he communicate with him his body for that it was crucified onely he offered that which he had remayning which was his hart wherwith he beleued his tongue by the which he confessed him to be god So that as he testified his fayth affection towards God with all that he had in his power so we haue to thinke that if there had remayned in him any propertie of more precious or greater thinges he would
of men and loue of God. THe great Philosopher Eschinus in a famous inuectiue against his mortal enemie Demosthenes vseth these wordes it belongeth to the Demosthenes according to the estimation which thou makest of thy wisedome to be resolute in thy enterprises true in thy promises wel aduised in thy counsels and righteous in all that thou doest all which fall out contrarie in thy behauiour and actions for that oftentimes thou art séene to do thinges which thou oughtest not and no lesse often art heard to speake that which thou thinkest not These wordes spoken by the Philosopher to the reproch of his enemie deserue to be applied to all men for that there are none that can worthely challenge the true merit and imputation of wisemen if they expresse not as great modestie in their spéech as equitie in their workes it is a iust thing that euery one take héede to that he doth and be well aduised in what he sayth since amongest noble mindes more easely is satisfied an actuall wrong done against their persons then an iniurious word vttered to the preiudice of their honour alwayes esteming that the blowe of a sword hurtes but the flesh but a word suggested to infamie offendeth the reputation This I say sir vppon the occasion of your letter charging me eftsones to repeat my late discourse vttered in the presence of the Emperour vppon this theame that it is very hurtfull to haue Christ to our enemie and a thing no lesse daungerous to haue man our friend If in your opinion I speake any thing which was not well studied and considered vppon you do wrong to the grauetie of my profession since it is my custome neuer to pronounce wordes of such deuine and high subiect but euen with the same attention and deuocion wherewith I would confesse my selfe to God accompting it withall to too great a fault to publish any thing which might bréede scrupull in your Lordship or murmure in so excellent an auditorie But now to our purpose wherein I confirme eftsones that if it be euill to haue the creator to our enemie it can not be lesse daungerous to haue to our friend the creature And if there be no necessitie to employ the Phisition and our friend but in times daungerous and doutfull it can not but be to men a most assured counsell rather to eschew perils then to entreate friendes since friends being of the world their friendship hath also his corruption of the world in whom is more confusion then continuance of thinges I do not say it is euill to haue friends but that it is daungerous and painefull for that the mightie thy friend is of estate by so much is thy daunger the greater to proue him and thy care no lesse to obserue and kéepe him séeing specially great friendship is not knowne but in extreme necessitie Many and many are there now a dayes who would abstaine from many haynous and hurtfull faultes if they had not confidence in the fauour and reskew of their friends which being a braunch of impunitie can not but bring perill to a common weale where the due course sinceritie of iustice is stopped by the corruption of perticuler fauour This is one maner of election of friendes amongest men that méeting by chaunce or cōmoning together or eating at one table they suppose from the instant a perpetuall friendship to be established betwene them which in good certaintie truth can not be so for that in times of necessitie and trial there is no more proofe or effect of such friends thē betwene the Crowe and the Kyte of whom when it hapneth to the one to be bare of fethers the other aunswereth that to him is no more then sufficeth him to flie That which one friend doth for an other in these times is eyther to excuse or conseale himselfe when there is néede of him being more ready to lend him his conscience then his money that is eyther to go with him to the reuenge of an enemie or to perfourme some exployt of vice or at least to serue his turne with some false testimonie Which sort of friendes as they are most common and least rare so let all men esteme it no small felicitie to be deuided from them séeing they are more prodigall of their conscience then liberall of their goods Who waigheth with the number of friends that are professed to hint how many haue ministred the true office and qualitie of frendes to giue succours to his necessities for one that he hath founde faythfull I doubt not but he shall be hable to disclose an hundreth dessemblers In which respect I sayd not without great reason that it was great perill to a man not to be consociate with a frende honest firme and vertuous since for no greaten cause then the action of a common reuerence and ciuilytie they are readie to require our goodds to loane commaunde the vse and seruice of our house and not sticke to bring our conscience in doubt occasions that many times mooue men to disclaime neighbourhoodes and frendships which they had begone in great good wil and deuotion But right blessed and holy is the frendshippe of Iesus Christ wherein can be no scrupull nor daunger For that in recompence of the affection he beares vs he neyther demaundes our goodes nor trobleth our conscience his frendship is alwayes assured for that it is wel established it is certeine since he neuer forgets vs it is not fayned since it correctes our conscience it is iust for that it suffereth nothing vnreasonable it is righteous since in it hée doth communicate to vs his grace and it is most riche and plentiful as by whose meane he geues vs his glory So that he onely may and ought to be called a frende holy a frende iust faythfull profitable and perpetual For that the frends that he takes he lookes not if they riche and much lesse estéemes it to dishonor if they be pore he chuseth for his frend whom he lyketh and after he haue once called him he neuer forbeareth to loue and lyke him He looketh not whether he be mightie or impotent faire or deformed or whether his condition be frée or bonde No he makes not so great reckoning of the seruices we doe him as of the loue which we beare to him Jn charitate perpetua delexite The loue saith Iesus Christ by his Prophete where with Christ loueth vs is not feyned nor transitorie but reteyneth always one perpetuall setled stability as appeareth most truely in this that by the meane of his grace we are made agréeable to him afore we are able to doe any thing to deserue to be his frends Such is the perpetuall perfection of his charitie that the loue that he bears vs being his owne the profit that comes of it apperteyns to vs pretending no other thing in the loue which he beares to all Creatures then to make séene his souereigne bountie employed on our behalfes in most highe
and worthie Charitie the same being well expressed in the day of his Passion when neyther the tormentes of his bodie nor the wickednesse of his People could restraine the course of his great loue wherewith he Prayed for such as Crucifyed him and pardone those that offended him Yea he prayed not onely for his Apostles and Disciples but also for all the faythfull that beléeued in him and loued his Father with whom as he was one selfe thing in Diuinitie so he prayed to his Father that all such as beléeued might be in him one body misticall through Charitie Great was the loue of Iesus Christ in the wordes of his petition to his Father séeing that albeit we were not then borne no nor our farre auncient Fathers yet he besought his Father in great feruencie for the estate of all his Church euen no lesse then for those that dyd communicate with him in the Supper So that as he dyed for all so he prayed for all By which we haue good reason to beléeue that séeing be remembred vs afore we came into the world he will also kepe care ouer such as are employed in his seruice If Christ had not loued vs with that Charitie and prayed for vs in such feruencie of zeale what had become of vs Sure if there be in the Church of God at this present any obedience patience charitie humilitie or any abstinence or continencie it ought all to be atributed to that loue which Christ expressed in the prayer that he commended to his Father for vs Redéeming with his bloud our disfauour and with his praier he restored vs eftsoones to an estate of Grace and reconcilement To loue those that are present and such as are absent to beare affection to the Quicke and remember such as are Dead happeneth often is naturall but to loue such as are to come and not yet borne is a zeale that neuer was hearde of but in the person of our Redéemer who prayeth for such as liue wickedly and loueth good men although they are not yet borne In worldly thinges so straight is the copulation and vnitie betwéene lyfe and death loue and hate him that doth affect and the thing affected that al takes end together and in one houre But to the frendship that Iesus Christ beares vs belonges an other qualetie for that his loue tooke beginning afore the foundation of the world and will not ende no not at the day of iudgement In this Letter is debated the difference betweene a seruaunt and a frende FInding in your last Letter more matter worthie of rebuke then méete to be answered I am bolde to geue you this Councel that in causes of importance the Penne is not to bée vsed afore the matter be wel debated lest others take occasion to iudge of your domges and your selfe be denied of that you demaunde This is also to bee obserued in speaking to any personage of estate wyth whom we ought not to Communicate but with feare reuerence and modestie By your Letter you wishe me to be your Mayster and withall would chuse me to be your frende Two estates no lesse different in qualitie then incompatible in one person and most vnlyke in office for that a frende is chosen by wil and a Mayster is taken by necessitie A frende will consider but a Mayster must be serued A frende geues of liberalitie but a Lorde demaundes by authoritie a Mayster hath libertie to be Angrie but it belonges to a frende to suffer And a frende pardoneth but a Mayster punisheth So that the comparison béeing so different it cannot be possible that being your Master I should beare vnto you the due respects of a frende since if I be your Mayster you are bounde to serue me feare me follow me and obey me Offices preiudiciall to the prerogatiues of a frende and against the laws of that libertie and frée souereignetie which the hart of man desireth To require me with such rashenesse to be your frende is sure to demaunde of me the most precious Iewell I haue in the worlde For to be your frende is to binde me to loue you all my lyfe deuiding my hart into youres and making you euen an other moytie with my selfe true frendship being none other thing then an vnfayned consent of will and affections and a transportation of two hartes into one bodie And therefore two frendes if they will loue and liue in the true obseruations of frendship ought to speak but wyth one Tongue and loue with one harte yea they ought to Communicate together in one substance and rate of lyfe and not grudge to suffer in common one perculier and singuler death Amongest frendes what is suffered of the one ought not to be intollerable to the other and albeit their thoughtes be proper to themselues yet their persons their goodes and fortunes ought alwayes to be common One frende ought not to say to an other I will not or I cannot since it is principall priueleadge in frendship to finde nothing impossible Therefore who ioynes in frendship with an other bindes himselfe not to denie the thing that he demaundes nor to vse excuse in any thing that his frende requires him to doe since in this consistes the full office of frendship to owe to our frendes euen our selues and all that we haue By the Councell of Seneka the wise and discréete man ought to admitte but one frende forséeing withall as neare as he can to haue no enemie at all For sayth he if there be daūger in enemies there can be no suretie in the multitude of frendes since in respect of their nomber they bréede difference of consent and will with varietie of condicions and where is no conformitie of manners there can be no perfection in frendship So straight is the rule of frendship that of many that professe liberall affection there are fewe that performe it being an office perticuler to the Children of vanitie to haue readie tongues to promise and slowe handes to performe True frendes are bounde to féele the aduersities of their frendes with no lesse affection then if they had proper interest in them yea it belonges to them to minister remedie to their necessities and geue comfort to their miseries estéeming it to apperteine to their dutie to communicate in all the fortunes of their frendes The same agréeing with the resolution of Eschinus the Philosopher who being asked what was the greatest perplexitie of this lyfe aunswered that to loase thinges which we haue got with paine and to be deuided from that which we loue are the greatest afflictions that can trauell a humaine minde The frende whom we chuse ought aboue all other thinges to be discréete to the ende he may Councell vs and of habilitie and wealth the better to administer to our necessities and lackes For other wayes if he beare no aduise and iudgement wée shall want Councell to gouerne our prosperitie and if he be pore what meane is there to
hurts we haue by our enemies are causes to decrease our goodes the vices of our children bring losse and spoyle to our honour And where it may happen that an honest man may not receyne a blowe of his ennemie once in his lyfe the enormities of his owne children are sufficient to make him dye euery hower So that the perplexities wée haue sometimes by straungers are disgested as thinges happeninge by straungers as the wound that is outwarde may gréeue but not perishe the intrales But the displeasures passing in our house pearse déeper and as a martyr languishe the harte euen to death And therefore by howe much the Father beareth pittie to hys wicked Sonne by so much hee vseth extreame cruelty againste himselfe yea that day wherein he ministreth not correction to his Sonne that daye doth he iustice of hys proper person and sendes his renowne to question The Romaynes had a Lawe called Faelcidia by which the first offence of the Childe was pardoned the Seconde punnished and for the third he was banished which Law if it were eftsones reduced to practise in these tymes wée should not sée so many youth runne hedlong into vices nor so many Fathers suffer blame for their negligence But because Fathers doe not chastise and mothers too muche suffer the childe takes boldnesse in vice leauinge to the Parentes occasion to lament but no lybertye of remedie Where you wryte to me that you are old that your infirmityes make you weary as though you liued to longe I wishe you not to reckon your age so much by the nomber of yeares you haue lyued as by the many trauelles you haue endured For that to sensuallitie to liue a hundred yeares séemes but a short time and to the harte that is heauie and sorrowfull the lyfe of a hundreth momentes is too long and wearie It must not suffize you to séeme to bée olde but you must bée so in déede séeing he onely may bée called olde who puttes ende to his olde vices For little doth it profite to haue your head Graye and your Face Wrinckled if your lyfe follow younge customes and your minde Féede vppon Greene desyres the same béeing the cause why Olde men weakened wyth vice and Sinne are Subiecte to feare Death and to dye soone béeing wyth nothing so ill contented as to bée deuided from their vices The Author writeth to his Sister seruing in Court Partly hée instructes her how to liue in Court and partly satisfyeth her request vnder a short Discription of Loue. WEighing wyth the nature of the place where you are the qualetie of the affection I beare to you I dout whether it were better to vse playnesse according to good meaning or dissemble and so leaue you better contented For by the office of nature I cannot but warne you and yet to the place where you are nothing is lesse acceptable then to be instructed the Court béeing a place that sometimes couereth or séeth not the faultes in their frendes or else takes all thinges to blame and findes nothing in their foes that they may lyke But béeing my Sister I will vse my authoritie though not to please you yet to perswade you and acquite my selfe béeing farre from my profession to deale in matters of loue I that haue vndertaken the direction of consciences And albeit my other trauels priuat exercise make me very insufficiēt to debate with you to your ful satisfactiō yet taking the opportunity as it is I had rather put my imperfectiō vpōiudgment then leaue you not instructed hoping you wil no lesse answer for mine honor then for your sake you sée mée readie to hazarde it to Question Where you write to me that he that presented you wyth your laste Iewell was your frende and Louer I denye it since there is difference béetwéene him that Loues and one that is a Friende For a friende doth alwayes Loue but he that Loues is not alwayes a friende Which may bée well prooued in your Ladyes of the court For that in Seruice and Amarous deuotion you haue many that Serue you Follow you and desire you who may rather bée called your Louers then your Friendes since they intende no other thing then the practise of pleasure being as voyde of intent of mariage as they are of vertue Yea hauing not the Spirite to iudge of honest Loue nor true intention to follow it they bring oftentimes dishonor to their Ladyes whose simplicitie for the most parte falles into Slaunder by the Sutletie and malice of their Seruauntes Suche one I feare is hée that hath béestowed the Iewell vppon you which then you may best discerne when you finde him to Promise much and perfourme little assuring you that then hée vseth the Sleyght of the Fowler who wyth a Swéete Call bringes the Byrde to his Nette and deceaues her to her Destruction Consider therefore the place where you are the Race that you come of and what you pretende The Courte giues you Libertie to doe muche ill and little Instruction too Follow that is good And if you Stande not Faste vppon those Vertues you Learned in the House of your father the place it selfe will infect and change you since frequentation drawes into one felowship societie of Estate things that of themselues are different remēber also that to such as desire to be vertuous the house of the Prince is a schole house for their better instruction and a place helping to their aduauncement Wherein if any miscarie the falt may be more in their proper negligence then in the will of the Prince since to maydes of honor seruing in Court it is a greater aduauncement to be maried by the fauor consent of the Prince then by the patrimonies or portion which their parentes can leaue them I haue oftentimes written vnto you that if deuotion and conscience leade some women into Religion vertue and good name rayse others to preferment in court Therefore I aduise you lay not vp great confidence in your beautie much lesse presume vpon the greatnesse of your race For in Court for one Gentleman that makes loue to your persones you shall find twenty that spend the whole day to iudge of your liues since beautie without vertue and high kindred wythout good conditions is no other thing then as a goodly gréene Trée that florisheth with leaues and blossomes and brings forth no fruite or as a stately carued Image which men take great pleasure to beholde but are gréeued when they finde it dead and without qualitie You and the other Ladies your companions would haue me write what loue is wherein it consistes and what be the fignes and tokens of true loue estéeming me a man of studie and an auncient Courtier This office I might better tourne vppon your selues for that your beauties standing in the eyes of men leading them to sue to serue to solicit and to loue you mée thinkes it belonges to you to set downe the discription of loue and to me
profession in you is expressed too great debilitie and in me no lesse want of libertie Beleue not that your loue is true loue but rather sorow not ioy but perplexitie not delite but torment not cōtentmēt but griefe not honest recreation but very confusion Séeing that in him that is a louer must be looked for youth libertie and liberalitie Straw that is rotten and become doung is better to fat land then to lay vppon a house and in a bodie broken and aged is more vse and seruice of sorowe and infirmities then possibilitie to suffer beare passion and solicit in loue For that to Cupid and Venus are not acceptable any sortes of people but young men to serue them such as are liberall to spare for no cost patient to endure discréete to speake secret to conceale faythful to deserue and constant to continue to the end It is a miserie to be poore and proude to be reuengefull and dare not strike to be sicke and farre from succour to be subiect to our enemies and lastly to suffer perill of life without refuge But for an old man to bée in loue is the greatest wretchednes that can trauell the life of man For the pooreman sometimes findeth pitie but the old louer standes alwayes reiected The coward finds friends to beare out his quarrels but the amorous old man liues alwaies persecuted with passiōs He that is sick liues vnder the climate of Gods prouidence where the amorous old man is abandoned of all succour He that is subiect to his enemies is not sometimes without his seasons of consolation and quiet where to the old louer is no time of truce nor hope of reconcilement Lastly there is no peril of life so desperate which may not be forséene or suffred where the estate of the amorous old man is ioyned alwayes to daūger He is alwayes vexed with scornes of his Lady defaced by his neighbours robbed of his seruants and seruiceable euen to the seasons and appoyntments of Bawdes who are not without their pouders whose propertie is to trouble his sléepe on the night and kéepe him ielouse on the day leading his minde in Ague fits sometimes hot and sometimes colde sometimes glad and sometimes sorowfull someiimes doubtfull and sometimes assured and alwaies in expectation but neuer satisfied By meane wherof I hold al the faculties and sciences of the world possible to be learned but the trade to loue which Salomon was too ignorant to write and Ouid not hable to set down in rule precept For that it onely is a doctrine that ought to be drawne out of the schole of the hart and guided by true and perfect discretion There is nothing that more requireth gouernement then the practise of loue séeing that in cases of hunger thirst cold heat and all other naturall influences they may be referred to Passions sensible only to the body But the follies and faultes that are done in loue the hart is subiect to suffer féele and bewayle them since loue more then all other thinges naturall retayneth alwayes this propertie to exercise tirannie chiefely against the hartes of his subiects The better to establish stabilitie assurāce constancie it behoueth such as do loue to be equal For if she be young he old if he be priuate and she a wanderer if she a nigard he prodigall If he ciuill and she rude if she discréete and he foolish if lastly he loue and she hate There is no doubt but vnperfect loues will resolue into iarres contencions and continuall disquiets For that where is not conformitie of condicion there can bee no contented loue no more then where is no true faith can be no true operatiō of good life and maners It is impossible to an old man and a louer to be without sorow or suspicion For that ielousie is ioyned to loue as the Briare is to the Rose and passion followeth olde age as the shadowe doth the man Why should then a man of your age containing more then thréescore yeres plucked with aches and pinched with the goute séeke the company of a young faire and amorous Lady who wil studie more to plume vpon you then to please you esteming you for no other vse then to minister to her wants giue cooller to hir lightnes protect her abuses For being not able to please hir eye you must perfourme her prodigalities and being impotent to delite her your office must be to suffer an other to supplie that which you are not hable to satisfie Why desire you the company of a friend séeing betwene you and her can passe no other communitie or conuersatiō then to read Ridles dreames and tell tales complayning that of the day you haue no stomacke to meate and on the night you do nothing but accompt the houres and exercise hateful to women a custome intollerable such as haue bene enured to men of better complexion Why séeke you a friend séeing you haue no power to entertaine her no patiēce to endure her nor age to possesse her For that amōgst women this is infallibly obserued that if their friend bée poore they disdaine him if he be waspish they séeke to vex him further and being old they scorne their age and séeke their recompence of others What fruite looke you to drawe from a friend séeing you are not hable to tell her in order the passions you endure for her nor the felicities you wish to her Al women for the most part enclining to this glorie to heare of the torments of their friendes and to sée their seruants labour to be seruiceable How can you desire the societie of a friend séeing if you write not to her on the day you are sure to find her froward at night and bestowing no present vppon her she will retorne recompence to your discontentment For being not courted with songes and letters to extoll her beautie and not visited with presents to please her ambicion Oh it were more safe to beholde a Cockatrice then hope for pitie in her face Why desire you a friend séeing you must denie her nothing shée demaundes nor mislike with any displeasure shée doth to you For women béeing denied not considering their owne vnworthinesse conster it to the despite of the partie for whom they prepare reuenge And if you make not their displeasure your felicitie they will charge you with want of loue and affront you with toyes to your perpetuall disquiet Why kéepe you a friend to whom you must not minister according to your port and hauiour but according to her follie and ambicion For a friend marcenarie in loue is not subiect to allowance and much lesse regards the proporcion of him that entertayneth her but béeing compounded vppon insatiable humors shée is neuer satisfied till shée sée him vtterly spoyled Why require you a friend séeing you must not fayle to thanke her for the fauours you receiue and hold it a dutie to beare her displeasures For in them though there bée but litle merit
yet they looke for great recompence and if they doe nothing but vex you yet you must iudge all to the best and take nothing to blame Why seeke you a friend séeing when shée flattreth you most it is not to content you but vnder this intencion to drawe something from you For women to worke their desires can tourne them selues into so many subtelties and sugred humilities as the Camelion into coollers or the iugler into straunge deuises to deceiue the beholders And if you haue a friend you must enforce your selfe to laugh euen when the dollors of your Goute prouokes you most to crie And afore you haue had ful possessiō of her shée will cast you vp loden with sorrowe care ielousie and all other troublesome infirmities and for recompence ioyne her selfe to an other with whom shée will laugh to sée you poore impotent deceiued and spoyled And therefore to one of your age and subiection to sicknesse it were better to delite in the conuersation of some honest companion to cherish and recreate you then in the companie of a young Ladie to make your dayes troublesome Samocratius Nigidius and Ouid haue written many volumes of the remedie of loue wherein they rather taught remedie to others then found any them selues for that they all thrée died in persecution not for the abuses they committed at Rome but for the loues they practised at Capua Let them say what they will and surmise that best may please their fancie but according to experience the best remedie in loue is to eschew conuersation and auoyd occasion for that of many that follow him there are fewe frée from his bondage where such as abandon him liue alwayes in libertie Take héede therefore you dwell not long in that temptation séeing it is not conuenient for your soule your bodie your honour nor profite of your house assuring you that more shall you hasten your death by the perplexities of your Mistresse then by the torment or dollor of the Goute And so I pray you kéepe me still in your fauour and commaund mée alwayes as your owne A Letter aunswering certaine particular requests from the Court and that it is not conuenient to visite often those women whose husbands be absent IT is written in praise of the liberalitie of Alexander the great that one Byance a poore souldiour of his asking some small porcion for the mariage of his daughter he gaue him a Citie rich and populous The greatnes of the gift so farre excéeded the capacitie of the poore souldiour that the desired Alexander eftsones to consider better what he gaue and to whom he gaue it For sayth he it may be your greatnes takes me for an other then I am or at least vnderstands not what I demaund To whom the king aunswered Take what I giue thée and be contented since if thou be Byance that askest I am Alexander that giueth In like sort the great Quéene Cleopatra albeit shée was of amorous life yet otherwayes she exercised great liberalities neuer giuing to any man so litle which was not sufficient to relieue his present wantes and kéepe him from miserie all the rest of his life These two examples I haue vsed sir to publish your liberalitie that sending to you for a small thing you retorned my messenger so loden with rewardes that the world may sée that if I haue the pouertie of Byance in you is expressed the liberalitie of Alexander And by the testimonie of this letter all men may approue my demaund and giue commendation to your bountie séeing I shewed no ambicion in my request nor you expressed want of liberalitie in your recompence You write ty mée to aduertise you how the Lady Angelo my neighbour and your Aunt doth since the departure of her husband I haue not séene her nor meane to go to her vnlesse she send for me For that to women whose husbandes are absent albeit we are bound to aide them yet we haue no licence to visite them often A wife béeing the dearest of the two thinges according to the common saying which we ought not to lend nor commit to the trust of any other Lucresse liuing priuate during the absence of her husband fell by force into the rape of Tarquinius by which vile act Rome suffred sclaunder the warres brake vp Lucresse killed her selfe and Tarquine was destroyed So that to the wiues of our friends it is sufficient to minister to their wantes if they haue néede or protect them if there be cause of oppression without visiting them often and much lesse to entertayne discourse with them Séeing the malice of men is so great and the honour of women so delicate that in often resort the world takes occasion to rayse brutes and their husbande 's not without aduauntage to bée discontented I haue spoken to the Chauncellor about your businesse wherein though you preuayle not to your desire yet there shal be no fault in my solicitation In him that hath businesse in Court ought neuer to bée want of patience nor too great confidence or trust For that in Court rewardes goe not by merit but by affection and the successe of sutes is more led by Fortune then by wisedome In Court wée sée many reasonable causes that bée iust and indifferent reuersed euen when they are at poynt to bée resolued and others of no expectation or hope of ende to bée dispatched to the liking of the partie So that in Court let no man reappose confidence in the fauour of an other and much lesse dispayre if to his sute bée ioyned delaye or deniall I haue often delt with the Coronell to receiue your Nephew for his Liefetenant and béeing so often denied I take it for a discharge no more to trouble him For it is a hard thing to a liberall minde and a shamefast face to bée a suter to him in whom is no merit to bée entreated but specially when hée tourneth our importunitie to his glory and makes vs ashamed of our request In which respect there is nothing in this worlde which I holde more deare then that which is bought by sute and request séeing that more doth that man giue which for one hower employeth the shame of his face then another that for any other thing shall giue all his goodes the same agréeing with the opinion of Plato that as great is the contentment which a good harte taketh in giuing as it is gréefe to him that entreteth and is denyed For that in giuing the one buyeth the libertie of an other and in receiuing the other puttes in subiection himselfe and all that he hath Touching the money you sent me for your books I haue retourned it againe by the bearer praying you to thinke that the pleasure which one friende doth for an other ought not to be payed wyth ready money but wyth retribution of equall recompence or value And by sending to me so little money so farre of the world may thinke that eyther you suffer want of
to offende and dwell in sinne and wickednesse yet in fewe men is founde a disposition to pardon iniuries but in fewer is expressed a will to expresse their proper error For that to fall and erre is a thing humaine to repent comes of God but to continue in euill cannot but be of the Deuill Men complayne of the earth for that it is vnfruitfull and of the Sea saying it is daungerous they mislyke the Ayre because it is corrupt they crye out of fortune by reason of her inconstancie they grudge agaynst their frends when they are founde vnfaythfull and crye out of the time that slips away so fast those men for the most part as they complayne more by custome then vpon any cause so albeit there is no maâ— which in true examination is not the instrument of his proper harme yet we hear none complaine against themselues But as one not couning at Dice blames not himselfe that vnderstandeth not the Game but the Dice that runne not as he would haue them So forbearing to discende into conference and examination of our secret faltes we murmure agaynst that we féele and search not out the occasion of our torment to the end to remoue the furie of the affliction For if we would draw in to view and consideration our abuses past and weygh in one balaunce aswell the faltes we haue done as the punishments wée féele we should confesse that God toucheth vs but wyth a mylde iustice and spareth to visit vs according to the heauinesse of our desertes Yea if this regard were familyar with men who would not forbeare to murmure and beginne to make warre agaynst himselfe as béeing the authour of his owne harmes But because this text of Job complayning That he makes warre agaynst himselfe is of importance and conteyneth misterie wée haue to gather that he meaneth not here the warre of one kingdome agaynst an other nor Ciuill warre of towne against towne and much lesse the warre of singuler combat of man agaynst man But sayth he this warre that I make is against my selfe no man assalting nor offending me A warre sure of all others moste dangerous to take in haÌ„d of no lesse difficultie to manage for that in this warre who is victor remaines vanquished he that is ouercome carieth the victorie This warre is called Viscerall for that it is bred begon in the hart dissolueth takes ende in the hart where the Arrowes be the teares we shed the Cannon shotte be the sighes we vtter and who retyreth most to sorrow and heauinesse in this warre hath most knowledge and experience In this warre fyght together loue and feare swéetnesse and bitternesse abstinence and epicuritie robberie and almes reason and sensualitie slouth and diligence anger and patience couetousnes and liberalitie and forgiuenesse reuenge So that in this wretched warre we fight not accompanied but alone not in publike but in secret not in Camp but in our conscience not with the sworde but with thoughtes and remorse and not agaynst enemies but euen against our selues this war is not séene with the eye but felt alas in the harte yea and if we will vaunt to be victors we must suffer ourselues to be vanquished In this warre haue bene dissolued and determined all the good and vertuous men that haue bene in the worlde to this present who by so much haue bene more agréeable to God by how much they were contrarie to theÌ„selues For in the subduing or victorie which is betwéene sensualitie and reason lyeth our destruction or Saluation It is a thing worthie of wonder and admiration that Job hauing séene the spoyle and hauocke of his goodes hearde of the sodeine death of his Children his bodie reduced to a deformitie with Botches himselfe layde on a Dunghil where wormes had libertie to gnaw his flesh his frendes disdayning him his wyfe vexing him And yet he neuer murmured so much agaynst all these heauie perplexities and fortunes as he complayned agaynst himselfe crying Loe I am made grieuous to my selfe Of this warre and against himselfe dyd the Apostle complayne in these wordes In faelix homo quis me liberabit de corpore martis huius Oh wretched and miserable man that I am when shal I sée my selfe frée from my selfe that I may doe that I would and not to be compelled as I am now to will that which I cannot Oh how often doe I féele my selfe tyed and fettered sayth S. Augustin not with chaines of Iron but with the corde of mine owne sensualities So that resolued wholy into teares I complaine not of another but against my selfe for that giuing to the enemie my quarrell I did against my will. With this agréeth Anselmus in his holy meditations saying Oh infelicitie of men I J know not what to doe nor what to say For being contrarie to my selfe though I haue libertie to complaine yet doe I put no order to my faultes béeing made gréeuous euen to my selfe The passions of this warre were also felt of the holy man S. Barnaâ—d Oh swéete Lord sayth he I am so gréeuous to my selfe that hunger weakeneth me eating wearieth me colde restraineth me heate anoyeth me care makes me heauie and companie is importunate to me and that which I finde most harde and intollerable is that nothing contents me being with my selfe much discontented S. Hierom also séemed to communicate in this agonie saying J cannot denie but that J am made greeuous to my selfe Since as Sathan solicites and my flesh consenteth so my sensualitie desireth to haue honors to get riches to purchase fauor I would gouerne all be of great power and estéeme of no man yea in the matter of commaundement and authoritie I would be alone and singuler and wholy exempt from trauell But so gréeuous am I to my selfe that though I deuide my selfe from men because they shall not trouble me though I flie from Sathan for that he shall not deceiue me though I renounce riches to the ende they corrupt me not and dispise honors for that they shal not make me proude yet I finde my selfe from one day to an other to deminishe in vertue and more to bée swallowed vp in the golphes of the worlde I haue inferred the testimonies of these holy personages the better to warne vs sinners that as they complayned of themselues not without reason so we should not repose confidence in our selues by presumption For the wiseman ought not to be so suspicious of any as of himselfe We are made gréeuous to our selues For that if the Prince owe vs displeasure we may forsake the Realme If the iudge be against vs we may chalenge him and refuse him And if our neighbour be troublesom to vs our helpe is to deuide vs from his neighbourhood But if we be enemies to our selues it is impossible to flie from our selues We are gréeuous to our selues for that in one hart and in one selfe house we must locke vp and kepe loue and
hatred contentment and displeasure prosperitie and aduersitie consent and deniall and hope and dispaire So that we trust our selues to much baing of our selues deceiued We are made gréeuous to our selues since aswell daye as night we are vnresolute what we ought to chuze or refuze what we should loue or hate what we are bounde to flee or folow what belonges to vs to giue or to kepe wherein we ought to speake or to holde our peace and whether we should suffer or reuenge wherein in the ende we finde our selues vnhappie in all thinges sauing that euen in our infelicities we are happie We are gréeuous to our selues since all the delights of this lyfe displease vs wearye vs and tourne to our discontentment and yet being wearie to liue we would in no wise die Yea though we absteine somtine from sinne it is not for want of will but because we cannot as men that are tyred haue no facultie to goe further We are made gréeuous against our selues for that if we be sicke it coms thorow our owne surfeit disorder If we be pore it is because we liue idly And if we be punished by the maiestrate it is for that we haue offended the lawes So that in none is so iust cause of complaint against any as in man against himselfe for that al the trauels perplexities infirmities that trauellour fraile bodies our selues doe bréede them and for the most part we goe out and search them For in geuing libertie to our eyes to beholde thinges vaine in suffering our tongue to tell vntruthes in yéelding our eares to heare flatteryes and our hart to loue thinges that we ought not I saye if there be in vs any member that absteines from sinne it is not through any resistance that we make but for feare of some punishement Then if it be true that we rayse war against our selues wyth whom shall we haue true peace If we worke our owne afflictions in whom shall we finde comfort to whom shall we not be hurtfull if we be enemies to our selues And against whom may we make complaint seing of our selues we receiue the iniuries There is in vs no hope or expectation of profite to others when we are hurtful instruments against our selues Oh wretched infelicitie of man to whom there are none so furious and raging enemies as his proper desires who on the one side holde him in feare and on the other giue him courage and hart Sure we ought to be gréeuous against our selues when wée remember the great welth we haue and the little good we doe with it when we conferre our time lost with the euill example we haue expressed Yea when we measure the benefites we haue receiued with our ingratitude our readinesse to sinne with our slownesse to amende the ill that we haue done with the good we might haue done we ought I say in true conference and consideratien of these thinges to be ashamed to liue and haue great feare to die PLVTARKE writeth to the Emperour TRAIAN being lately his Disciple and now raysed to the Empire A Letter tending to instruct Princes newly raysed to principalities RIght excellent Prince Albeit the long experience I haue had of the moderation of your will together with what disposition you haue alwayes affected estates and dignities Yet I haue neuer knowne you subiect to those desires which for the most part gouerne most mē that is to aspire to kingdoms and principallities A man to forbeare to winne and purchase honor is out of the limittes of wisedome but not to giue libertie to the hart to desire it is sure a vertue more diuine then huntaine For that man doth enough who restraineth the action that his handes haue power to execute and maketh his desires equall with thinges honest indifferent and reasonable Wherein with iust cause may I say thy Empire is happie since thou hast done Actes to deserue it and vsed no corrupt industrie to purchase it For dignities apperteining properlie to vertue vertue of her selfe transferreth them to those men to whom her selfe is conioyned There haue bene many Emperours who haue not bene so much honored for the estates they haue had as for the merite of their vertues by the which they haue bene raysed vnto them For the honor of a man consistes not so much in the present office he hath as in the vertues and merittes which followed his lyfe afore So that it is to offices that men geue new honor where to the personage belonges nothing but paine and charge And therefore remembring for mine owne part that I haue gouerned thy youth and instructed thy witte with good learning I cannot but reioyce as much in thy excellent vertues as in thy supreame Fortune alluding to my selfe no small happinesse that in my time Rome hath a Lorde euen he that hath bene my Disciple Principalities of tiranie are got by force susteyned by Arms which as I haue always knowne to be far from thy nature cōdition so hast thou now to remēber that thou oughtest to doe nothing to bring thée into the opinion suspition of men For as the Empire is discended vnto thée with the voyce and consent of all men so it belonges to thée to enterteyne it with due iustice towardes all sortes Wherein if thou béest thankefull to the great God patient in chaunces and fortunes carefull in daungers mylde to thy People and affable to straungers not gréedie of riches nor a louer of thy proper desires the burden of thy place will be easie thy renoume perpetuall and all common weales and Posterities made happie by thy example I aduize thée with great reason not to be a follower of thy proper desires for that there can be no worse gouernement then that which is managed by Opinion onely Since he that Administreth in a Common Weale ought to liue in Feare of all but much more of himselfe for that much more is he Subiect to fayle and Erre following his will and fancie then if hée Followed the Direction of his well aduized Councell assuring thée that too auoyde Infamie too thy selfe and preiudice to thy People thou oughtest first to applie Correction to thy selfe afore thou Minister Discipline to others Therefore it were good that now that thou commaundest thou shouldest expresse thy selfe such one as when thou wast commaunded For other wayes little would it serue thée by thy vertues to haue deserued the Empire if afterwardes thy want of gouernement made thée vnworthie to vse it since it is more worthy to deserue honor thē to possesse it To atteine to honor is a worke humaine but to preserue it is a grace diuine And therefore thou hast to take héede that though thou art a Souereigne Prince yet thou hast no priueleadge to be in all thinges an absolute Lorde For amongst men there is no authoritie so supreame which hath not God to be iudge ouer them and men to be beholders of what they doe In which respect now
more manifested in the harte and tongue then by any other member of the body Signes and testimonies of a good christian Mans freÌ„dship is mainteined by supportation of vices 2. Kings 12. 2. Kings 20. Psal. 138. Sap. 9. Psal. 144. Psal. 4. Nothing is more sweete then passion of reuenge Office of the deuil the world and the fleshe Vaunters of sinne Psal. 118. Discription of a furious man. That which in a priuate man is but naturall anger in a magistrate may be called rage and furie Good aduise Touching a Chapter proâ—â—â—â—â—all thre sortes of people called to religion VVe must acknowledge Christ for our fayth for our redemption for our doctrine psal 24. Cant. 8. It is a dutie in disciples of Christ rather too doe then to speake Troublesom properties anexed to rithe Rich men brede most euills in the world Riches the ministers of vices Psal. 36. The souerigne dutie of mortal folkes is the solace of their life All thinges desire to liue and are loath too dye 2. Cor. 4. To pardon and forgiue is a thing proper to God. VVe offende God more too thinke him too be without mercie then in anye other transgrssion Esay 14. 4. Kinges 18. In no estate is it seemely to be byting in worde VVho can not flatter is esteemed eyther malicious or proud VVe offend not more in anye other member then in the tongue Sanguis tuus sit super caput tuum 2. King. 1. Juueni virum secundum cor meum God loues vs with the â—ame measure where with wee serue him The conclusion Eamus cum fiducia ad thronum graciae eius How to know a good man. VVhat thinges are most precious and yet not too be bought for money VVhat thinges soonest deceiue man. Foure thinges necessarie too a iudge Foure thinges necessarie to instruct the behauiour of man. Foure thinges which though we thinke wee haue yet wee haue them not Thinges wherein a man doth the sonest vndo himselfe and is most slowly recouered VVhat be the thinges which a man woulde not willinglie endure Foure thinges which God abhorreth are abhominable to man. Foure qualities necessary too a frende Foure thinges that most trouble a man. Foure thinges which soonest disclose mens impatience Foure thinges seldome satisfied Foure thinges which men can not chuse but feele and are lesse able to conceale Foure thinges in a man most praise worthie VVho they be that most readely get frendes and as easelye loase them Foure condicions of a seruant Foure desires of VVomen Foure obseruatitions to be vsed in giuing Foure necessary qualities in a Prince helping to maintein his reputation Foure thinges which a gentleman had most neede too take heede of And whereof hee is most noted Foure qualeties incident too a mayd to winne her renoume Factus sum mihi met ipsi grauis To repent coms of God. In conquering sensuallitie wee get the victorie of our saluatioÌ„ A VVise man ought too bee suspicious of himselfe Vertue rayseth vertuous men It is more worthy too deserue honor then too possesse it No prince but his behauiouris published Princes ought not to measure thinges by reporte but by equitie of concience That is vnlawfull which is got by vnlawfull meanes Such as giue councell to princes should be free from passions VVhat councelors Princes ought to chuse By the miserie of vnfortunate men others are warned to take heede Princes to common weales are the same that God is too sinners God hath authoritie too dispose all thinges by the same power where with he created them of nothing Due iustice for a wicked man. Princes subict to many perplexities Perplexities of Princes All seruitude is miserable The respect of a Prince in his election That king can not Reigne in suretie who prouides not too haue god serued Vertue consists more in works then in wordes It is better some time to dissemble an iniurie then to reuenge it VVhere vertue doth raise to honour there GOD failes not to establish the dignitie There is no benefite by lawes if they bee not executed It is too late to learne to liue when we are at point to die Old age a sicknesse incurable It is dauÌ„geours too haue great frendes A frend chosen by will a master taken by necessitie Offices of a friend VVe owe to our frendes al that we haue only we ought to haue but one frende The frend whoÌ„ we chuse ought to be wise and welthie Two thinges that proue the malice of the world to be infinite A friend must be doscreete and secret Benefites comming by tribulation True magnanimitie heareth al fortunes No man miserable but he that esteemes himselfe so Aboue all other mortall vertues patience is most necessarie The good woman will rather haue her vertues shine then her garmentes smel of muske Not to doe ill is the office of an innocent Counsels in the choyse of a wife No maÌ„ agreeth with the coÌ„dicion of his fortune Man and woman differing in creatioÌ„ must also differ in coÌ„dicion Infirmities in mariage Being once maried all men ought to be perticular to their wiues A great cause of vnkindnes of the wife against her husband No worse thing to tempt a wife then the ill example of her husband The Ladder or degrees whereby Christ discended from heaueÌ„ Esay 35. Iere. 1â— Iohn 1. Psal. 18. Psal. 68. The vision and consolation of the auncient fathers God hath no necessitie of any thing Heb. 1. Our absolution depends vppon the condemnation of Christ Osee 13. 1. Cor. 11. Psal. 15. Rom. 1. Math. 2â— Rom 7. Idolatri tooke his beginnig of infideliti Abraham chosen chiefe of the people of God. Persecutions are necessary for our felicities In aduersities riche men must giue remedie and wise men minister comfort Liuing in the flesh it is harde to suffise the desiers of the flesh Riches are ready instruments to vanitie The needy man can neues haue to great contentment Respectes of a gouernour It is more worthy to be called vertuous then noble or reuerent In aduersities it is one comfort to knowe the vttermost mishap VVomen rather desire libertie then knowe how to vse it Honor the true reward of vertue The man of honour neuer dieth Prou. 22. That tale importes small truth whose reporter is of no credit 1. Cor. 4. Actes 1 Good examples drawe more to perfection then speache Commodities comming by men of honour and vertue Gen. 4â— Riches to be got by industry and fortune to be gouerned by wisdome Iob. 1â— Ther is no losse in this life but the losse of good name The infamouâ— man not to beâ— trusted Psal. 139. Ill renoume is accompanied with ill conscience Esa. 17 figure God oftentimes takes away our honor for our offences He is a Tirant that is not appeased by teares There can not be a more high reueng then to forgiue an iniurie For the vices of the Childe the Father deserues rebuke The Father ought not to suffer his children to be dissolute He onely is olde that
puts ende to his olde corruptions VVarninges for a Lady seruing in Courte VVhat true loue is Loue bredes mani vertues Properties in a tâ—ue louer VVho is not afflicted beares a signe that of god he is much forgotten Psal. 81. Iob. 6. In miserie it is one comfort to knovv the vtter most of our mishaps Thorough exercise of aduersities men are made humble To the most afflictions be but warninges The hart that is newely greeued takes his beste comfort when hee hath time to lament his losse Ezechiell 222. Vertues in the Queene Zenobia Description of Zenobia Aurelius the Emperour of Rome writeth to the Queene of Zenobia The answere of Queene Zenobia to the Emperours letter There can be no necessitie of pardon where is no fault committed The successe of warres followeth the innocencie of the quarell That comfort is vaine that takes not away the griefe The fruites of old age are infirmities griefe and sorowe Olde age like a drie vessell Old age no other thing then the example of sorow and care Olde men forvvard in will but weake in action It is none other thing to commauÌ„d the body then first to conquere the affections Suâ—fets and other innituities in old men The greatest feare that olde men haue is to die The lyfe of maÌ„ but a buble of water Old age the coÌ„sumption of the life of man. Differences betvvene our olde age and youth Enuie an enemie to vertue Enuie a branch of iniustice A poeticall example of an inuious man and a couetous maÌ„ Enuie a vice most auncient Enuie beares more malice to the vertues of men then to their goods The best remedie against enuie is to forbear to be vertuous It is hard to auoyd the eyes of the enuious maÌ„ Enuie denieth to giue renoum to such as are dead Custome of the enâ—ious 〈◊〉 Vertue hath no neede of praise Means to wake a man be called good Many thinges are of that qualetie that the wisedome of man suffizeth not to assure them God hath communicated all thinges to men sauing immortalitie Good and ill renoume liue euer Deceits of the vvorlde Gods iustice goeth by measure The prodigall sonne scornes at the sighes of the couetous Eather He is not riche that possesseth much Couetousnesse makes the horders to be hated and liberalitye dravves loue to the spender Honour couetousnesse of themselues contrary Perplexities of the couetous man. Dispraises in the couetous nigarde Pouertie more excelent then Couetousnesse Euery new mutation of mind bringes with it a new care He is wise that feeleth his trauels by little little All naturall thinges are subiect to chaunge In many iniuries ther is more securitie to disseÌ„ble a wrong then to reunge it Euery reuenge ministreth occasions of further crueltie VVhat anger is Discriptions of an angry man. No greater triumph then too conquer affections Repentance the very stipend effect of malice VVhere is no capacitie of councell there perswasions are in vaine Time reformes more thinges then reason Time hath power to moderate passions Infancie Puerilitie 2. Cor. 6. Gene. 8. Mans estate Youth Psal. 89 Infantia Puerilitas Adolescentia Inuentus Olde age There can be no amitie vvher is no vertue The magistrate ought too doe nothing of dishonor Science and experieÌ„ce the two principal pillors that vphold coÌ„mon weales No Rebellion excusable That pardon is wicked which bringes with it the hazard of a countrey Siciphus a great robber Ecce quem amas infirmatur Exod. Psalme 5. It is not conuenient to visite often an other maÌ„s wife in the absence of her husband The vertue of patience The vertue of constancie Magnanimitie Benignitie or softnes of hart Long suffering Humilitie The vertue of force Aduersity is no other thing theÌ„ the rewarde of some dishonest act 1. Cor. 7. why men bear greater bodies then women The fire and the aire incorruptible The earth and the water subiect to corruption VVhy men shyuer are colde after they be deliuered of their vrine VVhy men warming them sodaynly feele a greefe or ache in their finger-endes VVhy women lust after strang thinges when they are newly conceiued VVhy women and Eunukes haue a shirle voyce why little men are most wise vvhy poore men get children better accomplished theÌ„ others Difference beetweene the qualetie of a stoane wood throwen into the water whereof comes the alteration of louers why louers are striken by the onely sight of their Ladies VVhy Louers sleepe not a nightes VVhy Louess complaine for small causes VVhy Louers lose speache in the presence of their Ladyes VVhy Louers are shamfast to diclose their affections VVhy Louerr discern not the falts of their frends VVhy men be hoarse after they haue slept Signes and tokens of death in a sicke man. The originall of Saturne Iupiter Iuno borne both at a bourthen Neptune his name disguised Pluto borne Saturne taught the people of Italy the toile of the earth Iupiter maryed his sister Iuno Iupiter worshiped as a God How Neptune and Pluto had their names Disclosing of the transformation of Iupiter The vanity of the Pagans touching their gods Flora a publike curtisaÌ„ honored as a God. The philsophers acknowleged god The faith of perticuler Philosophers Poets touching the omnipotencie of God. Promotheus the first that shewed to the Egiptians a forme of ciuill lyfe Proper fictions of the Poets for many thinges To exact recoÌ„pence is an vpbreading of benefits receiued Ambicion the nourse of couetousnesse The oracion of the sauage man God raiseth one murderer agaiÌ„st an other No offeÌ„ce with out his punishment A reuenge infallible for such as rauishe the goods of an other VVher the conscience is not quiet the residue of the man is nothing but martirdome Of the wicked gaine of fathers comes iust losse of their children A publike fault must not suffer a secret punishment ¶ Imprinted at London by Henry Middelton for Rafe Newbery dwelling in Fleetestreat a litle aboue the Conduit Anno. 1575.