eschewed Of Trauel CHAP. 8. AMongst all the trades of life practised in sundrye sorte since the beginning of the world there is none more auntient and agréeable vnto the Nature of man than Trauel For as the foule is bred to flye fish to swimme the worme to créep as naturally enclyned to that kind of motion So is man likewise addicted vnto labour and paines taking euen from the first daye of his birth vnto the last houre of his life And as birdes flye not all one waye but some to the hilles other into the fieldes and these vnto the water Euē so of diuerse men diuerse dispositions and not all inclyned to one conuersation and trade of liuing For what common wealth I pray ye can consist of one only Art and Societie or what realme so ryche what nation so fertile that néedeth no forraine help suggestion Surely none so absolute and perfect of it selfe but shall daylye bée forced to séeke out willingly embrace the commodities of others whyche howe can you attaine without Trauell Then if the good estate of euery common wealth depēdeth much vpon trauell no doubte the frequent vse thereof is no lesse worthy to bée allowed and maintayned than the greate and continuall commodities thereby gotten are gladly to be receyued and embraced The which trade we sée specially to be maintayned and practised by thrée sortes of men that is merchaunts Legates and aduenturers To declare the effectes of them al I thinke it not néedful for though the gaines of the Merchaunts is great yet I estéeme the cōmodities glory of the other to be greater bicause how much it excelleth bene viuere quà m viuere it is not vnknown to the learned Then sparing the Merchāts in their traffique now we wil return to the Legates aduenturers accompany thē only in this short discourse of Trauel whose studious minds in paineful trauel hath frō time to time aswell procured the quiet estate of this realme as with forraine treasure wonderfullye enriched the same These therfore be they which dayly hazard themselues their liues and all that they haue in the faithfull seruice of their Prince country which following the steps of famous Knights and valiaunt Counquerors account the wide circuite of the whole world their own natiue soile and finallye whiche for their ventrous actes and worthye mindes deserue to be written in the Bookes of euerlastyng memorie The noble charge of Embassage to bée of great waight and importaunce I note especially in these two points First by the dignitie of the person who for the moste part being out of the number of the most excellent wise and learned sorte is alwayes no lesse honourablye receyued and worthylye entertayned in the discharge of his Embassage Againe the moste auntient vse and inuiolate custome of libertie in all landes by the lawe of armes graunted vnto Legates and Ambassadors expresly sheweth the great power and dignitie of their charge and calling And firste I take witnesse of Herodotus whiche writing of the continuall warres betwéene the Gretians and Barbarians noteth for a wonder that shamefull fact of the Athenians which vpon a time did moste villanously murder the Legates of Darius But Xerxes shortly after pardoned their scouts being taken and condēned by the Marshall of the fielde which before hadde murdred his fathers Embassadors A notable example of Magnanimitie in a barbarous Prince which disdained the malice of his enimies And to speak of Trauel we haue heard that the auntient Pilgrims were wont to vse manye superstitious ceremonies but amongst them al I note thrée speciall points worthy and necessary to be vsed of all men And firste they had a guide to direct them secondly they hadde commonlye a staffe to staye them and lastlye they vsed to bathe their féete in the euening that they mighte we maye vse for a staffe to leane vnto in the daungers of Trauell For if Iupiter himselfe woulde vouchsafe to drawe vppe into Heauen some mortal wight meaning to shewe hym all the celestiall ioyes pleasures of the worlde in vaine were the fruition and sighte thereof vnto him sayth Cicero vnlesse he hadde some friende or other to whome he mighte imparte and disclose these highe profits and commodities aforesaid wherevnto alludeth also the Poet Iuuenall in this verse Sciretuum nihil est nisi te scire hoc sciat alter Then sith we are so naturally enclined to Societie and that no friendeshippe is to be compared to that which likenesse of nature and disposition hathe linked togither whiche causeth equall mindes to be affected either vnto other whereby the true knotte of friendshippe is knitte according vnto Pithagoras of one minde in two bodies it appeareth howe necessarie a thing is Societie and fellowshippe in Trauaile whiche Marcus Cicero hathe so fittely expressed in the persons of Caius Lelius and Publius Scipio Affricanus that you woulde thinke them alyue familiarlye talking wyth you touching the friendshippe betwéene them vsed whiche not onelye in house and harboure peace and warre prosperitie and aduersitie but euen in long Peregrination and Trauaile was all one And howe can the life of anye man be so solitarie that he is not constrained to delighte in mutuall loue and societie what is more pleasaunte than to haue so faythfull a friende to whom thou maiste committe secreates as safely as to thy selfe who in wrath doeth equally reioice and in pouertie lament with thée But here I doe not meane the common Familiaritie and good fellowshyppe whyche is pretended nowe amongest diuers nor of the naturall affection of brothers and kinsfolkes whiche euen nowe as in Ouides dayes Fratrum quoque gratia rara est But I meane the true and vertuous knotte of faithfull friendshippe as is aforesaide The force whereof doth chiefly appeare in this that of so many kindes of Societies which Nature hathe procured it is onelye so stricte and rare that it cannot be well possest of manye but fewe in number and that is two at the moste of whiche sorte were Alexander and Ephestion Titus and Gisippus Pilades and Orestes Damon and Pithias Phocion and Nicocles wyth Publius Scipio and Caius Lelius aforesaid whose liues were so deare of the one vnto the other that for the most parte they contended whose death should first celebrate their louing fame and memorie supposing their glorious death to be better than vnhappie life with losse of friendshippe Such is the force of Loue that it vanquisheth tirants conquereth the malice of the enuious and reconcileth mortall foes vnto perfect loue and amitie insomuche that they are worthily saide to take the lighte of the Sunne oute of the worlde whiche exclude friendshippe from the life of men And surely this so good a vertue is rather to bée perswaded by example of life than subtilty resoning Although I cannot omit the great prudence of Virgil who considering that as friendshippe is alwaies necessarie and neuer oute of season so in trauaile moste requisite faineth vnto Aeneas in his long trauels
a towarde youth is vndone his preferment farre of and here by his folly hath a very good furtheraunce For suche as they are suche shall hée be both for conuersation of lyfe and estimation To auoyde suche mischiefe therefore I woulde counsayle him at the first to frequent the company of suche as are modest and wyse to séeke the felowshyp of those that are learned and so by litle and little to insinuate hym selfe into the countenaunce of the best whose estate is stedfastlye grounded on the rocke of Princely fauour neyther must he bluntlye at the first be roundyng with olde Courteours whiche wyll not rashelye admytte younge babes into theyr bosomes but content hym selfe wyth the companye of the inferiours whose fellowshyp is commendable Some are of greater experience by reason of continuall affayres other haue traueyled to learne the languages and manners of straunge countreys some at home doe studie pleasaunt hystoryes and haue a goodlye gyfte of eloquence and other by byrth are not onelye Noble but in conuersation of lyfe and countenance very comely with such men ought he first to acquainte him selfe for these and suche lyke excelling the common sort are best worthy to be estéemed not that the rest of meaner wittes should be reiected but that the best ought chiefly to be folowed And as one Swallow brings not in sommer as it is in the prouerbe so the strength of one onely vertue is not sufficient to knytte the stedfast knot of true friendshyp nor one good condition inough to seale the perfect bandes of amitie but the lykenes of mindes and similitudes of maners for the most part maketh true friendes but to what ende is this shall we make a friende of euery slight companion No sir but herein is the difference expressed betwéene societie and friendship namely that this requireth present shewes of familiaritie but the other by longer tract of tyme is grounded and by chaunge of fortune best tryed and made manifest And in choice of felowship he that féedes his eyes with outward shows of brauery more thā his mynd is fixed in the cōtemplation of inward beautie may chaunce while others clime the steps of worthye Fame so shrewd himself in the darke shadowes of reproch for Al is not golde that glysters but sometimes vnder the lookes of loue lurketh the cruel plague of despight vnder the floures of swéete fauour lyes hidde the Serpent of deadly displeasure In trust is treason and to conclude in felowship oftimes is found moste wicked and deceitefull falseshood Of Talke and communication CHAP. 3. SPeach is a comfortable gift amongst all other creatures graunted by the prouidence of God only vnto mankind whereby we are taught to vnderstande the meaning of good and euil For the tong is an interpreter of the mind and according to the opinion of some Philosophers it is the greatest difference betweene vs and vnreasonable creatures that we excel them in talke and communication Socrates had a child of noble birth brought vnto him by gentle instruction to be imboldned for he was of nature bashful vnto whom sayde Socrates euen at his first comming speake child that I may know thée meaning that speache discouereth the good or ill conditions of the minde But if Socrates himself were aliue in these dayes he might perhaps by that plains principle be very cunningly deceyued for why the times alas are chaunged and with the times the maners of men are altered their hartes are hardened with vntruth theyr affections grounded on falseshood and their smoth tongs are filed with swéete phrases of dissembling flatterie Where is that mā to be founde whose wordes and déedes are indifferent where doeth he liue whose friendship is faithful nay rather who liues that doeth not learne to be disloyall and what is the cause of such and so great mischiefes sure the abuse and vile disordering of sundry good giftes of god Let vs consider for example that especiall gift swéete abounding knowledge of eloquence which hath bene heretofore by the learned touching the reconciliatiō of princes and true establishing of peace worthyly employed and nowe it is in the brewing of discorde and mouing of hateful warres most wickedly practised It hath bene heretofore in deuising holesome Lawes for the maintenaunce of a common wealth seriously applyed and now it is in defesaunce of right too commonlye set abroche It hath bene heretofore in the praise of vertues exercise plentifully bestowed and now it is in the maintenaunce of vice and cunning enticementes of follie I loth to speake to shamefullye scornefullye and too licentiously abused What feare to speake truely what libertye to lye falsely what shame to talke wyselye what prayse to speake fondely what paine to bée plaine what pleasure to dissemble finallye what slouth to commende and what haste and diligence to slaunder is now commōly practised amongst men that euen to liue is nothing else but to dissemble And herein the secrete prouidence of God is wonderfull whyche vnto euerye good gifte hath added some inconuenience bicause we should not be surprised with pompe of pride of anye time We sée the brighte sunne beames whiche giueth gladsome lighte ouer all the world and yet scortcheth the gréen grasse and is hurtfull still to beholde likewise the swéete floure yéeldes honny to the prettye Bée and giues poyson to the lothsome spyder none otherwise is it with vs touching necessarie vse of the tong which vnto some beyng wel vsed and discretely gouerned is the cause of highe prefermente and to others lewdely practised and licentiouslye abused it is verily the sharpe instrument of mischiefe And it were better for a man openly to be hurte with swordes than secretely to be woūded with euil words There be many vertues expressed in discrete talke and wyse communication but amongest them al there is none that commendeth a Courtier so much as the carefull héede he taketh in the praise or dispraise of any mā for neyther is a friend in the Court hastily to be commended nor an open enimye secretely to be slaundered And as I woulde wishe all men busilye to prayse none so I woulde haue no man bitterly to backbyte any It is the duetie of a Magistrate to enter into iudgement of manners and not the part of a priuate subiecte to note anye man with opprobrious words for his euill behauiour not that vice is not in al places and at all times to be detested but that faultes and offences by eche man are not to be reproued for of little medling commeth greate roste and of licentious talke oft times ensueth much vnquietnesse And sith the best mā in some thing may deserue blame it is moste requisite that one man should bear with anothers imperfections and rather charitablye to admonishe than maliciouslye to reproue another mans offēce The next Vertue that bringeth infinite commodities vnto the well disposed minde is in concealing of secrets I mean such counsayles in any respect as are committed of trust vnto any man It is
peraduenture maye rule suche rage and counsayle ouercome suche youthfull fansies But from thence escaping the daunger of Scilla hée is nowe throwne headlong vppon the dreadfull rockes of Charibdis he is growne from youth to manhoode naye rather he is come from ioye to greife from pleasure to paine and from myrth to mischiefe before the wanton desires of youthe molested him but nowe the wilfull déedes of manhoode doe dayly assaulte him before the pleasure of luste enticed him to follye but nowe the rage of wrathe can prouoke him to mischiefe Lastly he was then rauished with the ioyes of heauen but nowe he is haunted with furies of Hell. For in in this age he is chiefely subiect to pride vexed with wrath and puft or rather poysoned with ambitiō Againe when the naturall heate of lustie youthfull blonde by diminiyshing séemes to moderate suche outragious furies to qualitie suche affections and to asswage all suche wylfull desyres Euen then commes the Image of deathe I meane olde age so crooked so lame so deformed so lothsome fraught with such care and ouerladē with such infirmities that a man would wishe rather nowe to dye liuing than to lyue longer in such a plight pyning for besides all these plagues and tedious annoyes it is most commonly accompanyed with suche a diuelishe companion that fainteth hys weake bodie for want of sustenaunce disquieteth his testie minde for lacke of reste and in the end like and euil guide that leads a blinde man into the ditche it closeth vp his eyes in endlesse sorrowes and most miserable calamities And this is the same couetousnesse which hath bin euer accounted the roote of all mischiefes So that wée sée by the whole course of humain life that a manne is the chiefest enemye vnto himselfe And oftentimes it commeth to passe that where a man soweth pleasure he reapeth paine where he pretendeth loue he findeth hate and wherein he séemes to offende others least he priuilye hurteth himself most And this is manifestly proued by the example of Self loue and surquedry A swéete vice and deceiteful affection is that fansie which the Philosophers haue called Philautia and so naturall a disease in déed that neyther Prince nor Péere highe nor lowe rich nor poore wise nor foolish weak nor strong faire nor deformed no not the learned Philosophers themselues were all able to withstand And me thinkes I heare Nature thus reasoning with my selfe Is it possible for a man to liue that loues not himselfe best but that is contrarie to my lawes which haue giuen to euerye one an especial charge and prouident care to nourish himselfe and that thou mayst easilye perceyue this to be true beholde I gaue thée eares to heare eyes to sée tongue to speake reason to vnderstande féete to goe handes to féede and defend thy self and generally care to maintayne the good estate of life These things are graūted by kind and canst thou vndkindlye séeke to abuse them more to the profit of others than to thine own benefit no not if thou wouldest for I can compell thée to the contrarie but thou takest more delight in the beautie of another I graunt so thy neyghbours field is more fruitful and his cattell beare more bountifull vdders and what fares she the worse for that whiche féedes ofte vpon the same and thinkes hir owne birdes fayrest So can I sée them wéepe when I laughe mourne when I reioice sicke when I am whole poore when I am riche naked when I am clothed imprisoned when I am frée and harbourlesse when I am housed and wherein can this be hurteful vnto me whiche féele not an other mans griefe knowe not his wante nor beare not his passion but what if I did shoulde I supporte hys néede and waste mine owne wealth that were folly shoulde I sette hym frée to lose mine owne libertie that were more vaine and generally shoulde I succoure him relieue and cure his disease to hinder me to grieue me and increase mine own maladies that were euen little better than madnesse No I am nearest vnto my selfe and therefore no man can iustly blame me to prefer mine owne safetie before the commodities of an other and I may perhaps commend him wel and like hir bette but I will euer loue my selfe beste To these obiections of nature or rather false perswasions of Diuellishe disposition reason doeth modestlye replye by the aucthoritye of trueth in this manner Howe long wilte thou abuse the patience of diuine power Oh thou frowarde and peruerse humaine Nature how long shall thy proude lookes prouoke the dreadefull wrath of the heauens canst thou safely chalenge the name title of a goddesse and yet still practise to rebell againste the Lawes and ordinaunces of the Goddes or wilte thou looke to be called the mother of mankinde and wilt not submit thy selfe to the rules of reason doth not the dreadfull iudgement of the one feare thée from sinne nor the friendly perswasions of the other moue to imbrace vertue But consider what thou art of thy selfe yet at the length I beséeche thée haste thou anye strength substaunce beautie reason or vnderstandyng whyche is not giuen thée from aboue A naked life in déede we receiue at thy handes and what auayleth that vnto vs without good conditions nay were it not better to be vnfed than vntaught and neuer borne than broughte vp to destruction Thou vauntest of life but canst thou make vs frée from deathe thou talkest of beautie but cāst thou teach vs to auoyde the smart of luste thou braggest of strength but canst thou warrant vs to w stand sicknesse no nor any meanes thou canst sée to make vs thy childrē happie For as he is not called fortunat which is poore and deformed so they are not accompted happye which are onely rich and beautifull But thou wilt saye perhappes that Nature is desirous of knowledge whiche is the grounde worke and foundation of Wisdome And it is true that a man is naturally inclined to the practise of skill and experience of cunning For in his youth hée voluntarilye learneth to speake then he practiseth to dispute and perswade hée learneth to delighte with soundes hée is taught to number anye summes hée measureth the grounde by proportions and ruleth the stars with vnderstanding And what profiteth a man to compasse al the worlde by witte and destroy himselfe for want of wisdome for as life without learning is vnpleasant so learning without Wisdome is vnprofitable To what ende serued the déepe knowledge of Aristotle whiche vertuously instructed others and yet desperately shortned hys owne life what aualyed the profounde skil of Archimedes whiche loste his Citie besiedged by Marcellus and was himselfe then drawing out of circles by a messenger sodainely put to death And what gained Plato by his learning whiche was shamfully reproued of ambition likewise of the rest Narcissus was faire and beautifull but his vnhappye fauour was the cause of his destruction and lastly Hercules and Sampson were strong but not