continuall trouble Now the foundation of all dueties here mentioned by vs of the husband towards the wife and of all others which daily communication may require is that true and vnfained loue that ought to be the vnseparable bond of euery good mariage We haue handled heretofore the great effects of friendship which if they be required among common friends no doubt but they are much more between those whom God nature the lawes and loue haue so straightly ioined togither Also let husbandes know that they ought to reuerence their wines more than any other person and perceiuing them to be wise and vertuous as they may make them if they be not altogither forlorne and corrupted let them neuer seeme to distrust them in any respect The Romanes when they returned from a voiage or from a farre countrey or onely out of the countrey into the citie if their wiues were at home they sent word before to giue them intelligence of their comming to the end they should not conceiue this opinion that they meant to deale craftily or maliciously with them Forasmuch therfore as loue and friendship is the fountain of euery good dutie of the husband towards his wife and that which as it were stealeth away and maketh the will of his half-partner to be wholy his owne let vs consider for the conclusion of our speech of some notable examples of great loue in the behalfe of men to the end we may be drawen on to loue and to honor them that are in the same place towards vs that the church is towards God which he so loued that he sent his only sonne to die for the redemption thereof Tiberius Gracchus a noble man of Rome finding two serpents in the chamber wherein he slept inquired for the meaning thereof by sooth-saying wherunto he gaue absolute credite Answer was made him that if he slue the male first he should die before his wife but if the female his wife before him As soone as he vnderstood therof he slue the male and within a litle while after he died Whereupon Historiographers doubt whether his wife Cornelia were more happy in finding a husband that loued hir so well than miserable in loosing him Baptista Fregosa maketh mention of a Neapolitane whose wife being taken on the sea coast by the Moores he presently cast himself after hir into the sea and following their foist besought thē to take him also Which they did so that both of them were brought before the king of Thunis to whom the vessail belonged who hearing the discourse of the fact and being moued with compassion ouer such perfect friendship deliuered them both Orpheus as the Poets write loued his wife so entirely that she dying on the wedding day he kept his loue inuiolable and would neuer set it vpon any other Ninus king of the Assyrians falling in loue with Semiramis the wife of Menon a vassaile of his besought him to let him haue hir to wife in recompence wherof he offred him his daughter in mariage But Menon bare such great loue towards hir that he would not yeeld therunto Wherupon the king being mooued with wrath and threatning to plucke out his eies and to take hir away by force as he did in deed Menon for very griefe sorow hung himselfe Periander king of Corinth loued his wife so tenderly that after she was dead he caused hir to be laid by him certaine daies Marcus Lepidus being driuen into banishment heard that his wife was maried to another whereupon he died for sorow When word was brought to Plautius Numidius a Romane Senator that his wife whom he loued as himselfe was dead he thrust himself into the bosome with a dagger whereof he died Sylanus a Romane slue himselfe after his wife whom he singularly loued was taken from him and giuen to Nero the Emperor Dominicus Catalusius prince of Lesbos loued his wife so wel that although she grew very leprous yet he neuer depriued hir therefore of his boord or bed We read of a great lord of Spaine called Roderigo Sarmiento that through griefe which he receiued for the losse of his wife he slept for a yeeres space in his clothes did neuer eate vpon a table cloth nor sate him downe in any chaire but afflicted himselfe diuersly Therefore let vs learne by our present discourse to loue our wiues perfectly yeelding due beneuolence vnto them and behauing our selues discretly towards thē without offending them or going beyond the boundes of our duetie And as nature mingleth vs togither by our bodies to the ende that taking part of the one and part of the other and putting all togither she may make that which commeth thereof common to both and that in such sort that neither partie can discerne or distinguish that which is proper to it selfe from that which belongeth to the other so let vs haue all things common togither euen our will affection and authoritie Neuerthelesse this must be done in such sort that as in one cup although there be as much or more water than wine yet we call it wine so in the authoritie of the wife the husbands name must be written as he that directeth the same But in the meane while let these wordes Mine and Thine be banished far from them vnlesse it be in this respect that according to the opinion of the Phisitians as blowes giuen on the left side are felt on the right so the wife must through compassion feele the harmes of hir husband and the husband much more those of his wife to the ende that as knots haue their strēgth by interlacing the ends one within another so the societie of mariage is preserued and strengthened when both parties affoord a mutuall affection of good will being assured that both togither shall be made heires of grace and life Of the dutie of a Wife towards hir Husband Chap. 48. AMANA NAture hauing honored woman with a gracious alluring of the eyes with a sweete speech with a beautifull countenance and modest behauior hath giuen hir great means to win the good liking and loue of hir husband if she be honest and shamefast as likewise she may easily deceiue man by offring him pleasure if she be wickedly minded This did Olympias wife to king Phillip know full well when she tooke the Thessalonian woman by the hand whom hir husband loued so well and by whom as they said he was charmed and bewitched But the Queene seeing hir so faire and of so good a grace and as hir speech declared a woman of a good house and well brought vp Away quoth she with all slander for I see wel that your charms are in your selfe And let vs not thinke that the power of a lawfull wedded wife is lesse if by taking all things vnto hir hir wealth hir nobilitie hir charmes and the whole web of Venus she studie by meeknes good behauiour and vertue to obtaine
townes which he held Antigonus contrarywise wrote to Seleucus that he would yeeld vp vnto him all the landes he had vnder his obedience and would also himselfe become his pledge if he would deliuer his father We may not here passe ouer with silence the rare example of daughter-like pietie with which all the painters in the world haue set foorth their science I meane of the daughter that gaue sucke to hir father who was condemned to die of that auncient and vsuall punishment of famine which neuer suffereth a sound man to passe the seuenth day The iailour espying this acte of pietie gaue notice thereof to the magistrates which beyng knowen to the people the daughter obtained pardon for hir fathers life Moreouer seeyng we must labour to obey and to please our parentes in all things it is certaine that no action gift or disposition in vs is more acceptable or contenteth them better than to see good-will and an assured and certaine friendship among brethren Which may easily be knowen by these contrary signes For if parents are offended when their children offer wrong to a seruant whom they loue and if hartie old men are grieued when no account is made of a dog or horse bred in their house and are vexed whē they see their children mocke despise those pastimes stories and other such like things which they somtime loued is it likely that they could patiently abide to see their children whom they loue best of all to hate one another to be always quarelling one with another to speake ill one of an other and in all their enterprises actions to be diuided and set one against another and to seeke to supplant and defeat each other I think no man will affirme it Therefore contrarywise we may iudge that those brethrē which loue and cherish one another which ioine togither in one bond of self-same wils studies affections that which nature had disioined separated in bodies lastly which haue all their talke exercises playes pastimes common amongst them they I say vndoubtedly giue occasion to their parents of a sweete and happy contentation in their old-age for this brotherly loue friendship For no father saith Plutarke euer loued learning honour or siluer so much as he did his children And therefore they neuer took so great pleasure to see their children good orators rich or placed in great offices and dignities as to see the loue one another To this purpose one rehearseth that Apollonida mother to king Eumenes and to three other of his brethren accounted hir selfe happy as she said and gaue great thanks to God not for hir riches or principalitie but bicause she saw hir three yonger sons as it were a gard to their elder brother who liued freely and most safelie in the middest of them with their swordes by their sides and their iauelins in their handes Contrarywise when king Xerxes perceiued that his sonne Ochus lay in waite for his brethren to put them to death he died for displeasure thereof Therefore Euripides sayd that warres betweene brethren are grieuous but most of all to their parents bicause he that hateth his brother and cannot abide to looke vpon him must needes also be offended with him that begate him and hir that bare him Whereas good children that loue one another for the loue of their parents are so much the more prouoked to loue and honour them saying and thinking alwayes with themselues that they are bound vnto them for manie causes but chiefly in regard of their brethren who are vnto them as precious pleasaunt and gracious an inheritaunce as any they could receiue from them This ment Homer to teache vs when he brought in Telemachus reckoning this amongst his calamities that Iupiter had ended the race of his father in him and had not giuen him a brother Let vs not then doubt but that this is a certaine demonstration to the parents that their childe loueth them when he loueth his brethren And this also serueth for as great an example and instruction to his children to loue one an other as any can be Therefore let vs vtterly banish awaye all hatred of our brethren which is both condemned by God who commendeth aboue all things concord vnto vs and also a naughtie nurse for the olde age of fathers and mothers and a worse for the yong yeeres of children And seeing we are about this matter of brotherly loue so precious and excellent whereunto now adayes men haue so small regard I thinke we ought to insist and stand longer vpon it and alleage some precepts and examples of auncient men whereby to confirme vs in it more and more First nature hath bred from our birth in regard of vs the beginning and occasion of this amitie and hath taken away from our iudgement all former motions to procure loue Therefore we must beware that we seeke not too exactly after the faults and imperfections one of another but couer beare with them bicause they are of our own blood knowing that no mans life can be sincere clean frō all vice so that we were better to support the domestical imperfectiōs of our brethrē thā to make trial of those that are in strangers That brother saith Plutark that warreth with his brother seeketh to procure a stranger to friend seemeth to me to cut off voluntarily a mēber of his owne flesh belonging to him that he may apply and fasten to that place one taken from another mans body We note also that nothing more preserueth the loue of brethren than to haue the same common friends For seueral familiaritie conuersation company keeping turneth aside alienateth them one from another bicause thereby they acquaint themselues with diuers natures and take pleasure in things that are contrary But there is a further matter in it For as tinne doth soder ioine togither broken copper by touching both ends of the broken pieces bicause it agreeth as well with the one as with the other so a common friend serueth to confirm to preserue to encrease to reunite their mutual friendship and good-wil when vpon light occasion somtimes it is as it were in danger of breaking Which is so much the more to be feared as it is certain that all enmitie breedeth within our soules a thousand passions that torment vs but especially that enmitie which a man beareth towards his brother as that which is most prodigious and against nature And as bodies that were once ioined togither if the glew or bande waxe loose may be reioined and glewed againe but if a naturall bodie breake or rent asunder it is hard to find any soder that is able to reunite and knit them well togither againe so those mutual friendships which we contract voluntarily with such as are not of kinne or allied vnto vs if peraduenture they fall asunder sometimes may easily be vndertaken againe but when brethren
their husbands Men must not dally with their wiues in the presence of others What houshold affaires are to be diuided between the man and the wife There must be but one head in a familie Loue the band of mariage a hu band must not distrust his wife Examples of the loue of husbands towards their wiues T. Gracchus The great loue of a Neapoliâ—ane towards his wife Orpheus Menon Periander M. Lepidus P. Numidius Sylanus Dominicus Catahusius Roderigo Sarmiento All things must be common between the husband and the wife The naturall gifts of women Eph. 5. 23. 24. Wiues must be subiect to their husbands It is an honor to a woman to obey hir husband A wife compared to a looking glasse Notable similitudes Euil wiues resembled to the moone An ouerthwarting wife maketh hir selfe odious How a wife must deale with hir cholerike husband A woman must not disclose hir husbands imperfections to any body Maried couples must not make two beds for any iarre between them When is the best time and place to pacifie strife between man and wife A woman must be free from all suspicion of incontinencie She must not loue to gad abroad or to be seene She must be modest in hir attire The true ornaments of a woman Certain tokens of an adulterous hart Shamefastnes is the best dowrie of a woman An excellent vse of looking glasses A woman must be silent and secret A woman must auoid silthie speeches and iestes A short summe of the ductie of a wife A woman must be desirous of knowledge Exercises vnseemly for women What great loue the law of nations requireth in a wife towards hir husband Examples of the great loue of women towards their husbands Hipsicrates Triara The wife of Ferdinando Goncales Zenobia Panthea Artemisia Iulia. Porcia Sulpitia Octauia Aria The manner of Seneca his death Paulina Hipparchia Pisca Pandoërus wife Camma Macrina Men are inferior to women in perfecton of loue The definition of Oeconomie and of Policie Euery head of a familie must prouide for his houshold 1. Tim. 5. 8. What maketh a house to be called good All good order in a house proceedeth from the head of the familie Where a housholder must begin to rule his house well The progresse of a familie before it come to perfection What a housholder must first looke vnto Goods are instruments tending to the maintenance of life Two sorts of goods What interest a father of a familie hath in his goods Two sorts of getting goods The end of arts sciences and trafficke Biting vsurie a detestable gain Why monie was first inuented and vsed * The question of interest hath waightie reasons on both sides An ancient law against vsurie The law Genutia forbad all vsurie Exod. 22. 25. Deut. 23. 19. The praise of husbandrie What good husbandrie is Of the Maisterlie part of a house Instructions touching the dutie of a maister towards his seruants The poore and rich are both created to one end Against rigorous maisters Two properties requisite in a maister Seruants must not be defrauded of their pay Of the Parentall part of a house The difference betweene commanding ouer a wife and ouer children The word Father is a kinglâ— and sacred title Youth is the seede-corne of the Common-wealth The giftes of nature are soone corrupted A father must be loued feared reuerenced of his children The office of a father resembled to building A child will learne better of his father than of any other M. Cato I. Caesar Augustus Noah Lot Iacob c. God commandeth fathers to instruct their children Prou. 23. 13. 14. 13. 24. Correction necessarie for children Ecclus. 30. 8. 9. 11. 12. Seueritie must be mingled with elemencie in the correcting of children The fathers life must be a mirrour of vertue to the child When fathers may be iustly charged with their childrens faults 1. Sam. 3. 13. The storie of a father appointed to execute his owne child A father must bring vp his children in mutuall loue Aelius Tubero Eph. 6. 9. Obed great Col. 3. Eph. 6. 2. Obedience to parents commanded of God Ecclus. 3. 4. 5. 1. Pet. 2. 18. Obedience to masters coÌ„manded of God Reuerence to parents placed next to the honor due to God A token of an Atheist A father is the image of God Ecclus. 3. 1. 2. c. The fist commandement only hath a speciall promise annex ed vnto it Eph. 6. 2. The law of Testaments to keep children in aâ—e Children might not the out their liueâ—â—es by way of action but of request The dutie of children towards their parents Humilitie towards parents most commendable The description of a disobedient childe The mother is no lesse to be honoured than the father The blessings and cursings of parents towards their children is of great waight Torquatus An example of great loue in a child towards his father An other of a daughter towards hir father Children can not please their parents better than to loue one another Apollonida Xerxes He that hateth his brother hateth his parents Telemachus The beginning of brotherly loue is in our natiuitie The benefite that commeth to brethren by hauing common friends Enmitie between brethren is prodigious vnnaturall It is a hard matter to reconcile brethren once fallen at variance How brethren must behaue themselues in the partition of lands goods Examples of brotherly loue Ariamenes Xerxes Antiochus Athenodorus Pittacus Great loue of a Persian woman towards hit brother Agrippa Scilurus left 80. sonnes behind him The dutie of seruants comprehended in soure points Col. 3. 22. 23. 24. Tit. 2. 9. 10. Examples of the loue of seruants towards their masters Eros the seruant of Antonius The seruant of Mauritius duke of Saxonie The chief foundation of a happy life A father of a familie must be most carefull to bring vp his youth A fit comparison The spring of corruptions in common-welths Lawes that constrained fathers to see to their children instructed The law Falcidia A woorthy act of Traian and Adrian Crates proclamation most necessary for these times Euil education corrupteth a good nature Euil education corrupteth a good nature Of the excellent education of children required by Plato Women with child must walk much Euery mother ought to nurse hir own child Of the bringing vp of infants From 3. yeeres From six yeeres Youth must be taught as it were in sport and not by compulsion A commendable end of Musicke Great care is to be taken in the choice of schole-maisters From the tenth yeere From the foureteenth yeere Hunting animage of warre Of the education of daughters Reasons why women may intermeddle with publike affaires Against ignorance in women Women must be able to giue a reason of their being Example of learned women Aretia Zenobia Cornelia Of the institution of youth according to Aristotle Two things to be respected in the institution of youth The end of all studies Aristotle appointed that children should learne foure things Of Grammer The
freely to giue counsaile in that thing which concerneth the dutie of a good man or the charge wherunto we are called The sages vertuous men heretofore haue alwaies shewed themselues to be such in their free counsailes wise declarations as hereafter we may handle more largly In the meane time we may haue here Demaratus for an example of this commendable libertie of speech who comming from Corinth into Macedonia when Phillip was at variance with his wife with his son was demanded by the king whether the Graecians did agree wel among themselues Truly sir quoth he to him it becommeth you wel to inquire after the concord of the Athenians Peloponesians in the meane while to suffer your owne house to be ful of diuision and domesticall discord Diogenes also being gon to the camp of the same Phillip at the same time that he returned from making war against the Grecians being led before him the king asked him if he were not a spy Yes truely answered the philosopher I am a spy com hither to espy thy impudency folly who not constrained by any dost set downe as it were on a dicing boord in the hazard of one houre both thy kingdome life Demosthenes being demanded of the tirant Epemetes why he wept so bitterly for the death of a philosopher a cōpanion of his seeing it was a strang matter to see wisemē weepe yea altogither vnbeseeming their profession know said he to him that I weepe not for the death of this philosopher but bicause thou art aliue For I tel thee that in the Academies we are more sorrowfull for the life of the wicked than for the death of good men Let vs learne then by your present discourse that talke being the messenger of thought discloseth our maners a great deal more than the lines draughts of our face do And as that tree whose root is drie can haue no greene leaues so from a vicious and corrupted soule nothing but vile filthy speeches can proceede which a wise man ought wholy to shunne bicause to make small account of euill words leadeth a man by litle and little to dishonest deeds Let all vaine speech also be banished from vs and let vs take great heed that we neuer speake either in sport or earnest any one word that is not tru knowing that to be true in word is the beginning and foundation of a notable vertue Moreouer let vs know that truth is not onely betraied of those that speake falsely and maintaine a lie but also of those that dare not confesse and defende it publikely Let vs know that aboue all things we must dedicate our voice and speech to sing the praises of God remembring the saying of that holy man Gordius who as he was led to the place of punishment was exhorted by some to leaue his opinion and so saue his life To whom he answered that the toong ought to vtter nothing that is iniurious to the Creator thereof Lastly let vs know that we must refer euery word to the glory of his name and to the profit of our neighbors The end of the third daies worke THE FOVRTH DAIES WORKE Of Friendship and of a friend Chap. 13. ASER. MAn being a reasonable creature borne for ciuill societie to obserue lawes and iustice and to exercise in the world all duties of gentlenes and goodnes the fairest and most fruitfull seede that God hath infused and sowne in his soule and that draweth him to this ende is loue and charitie towards his like But as euerie action of mans life standeth in need to be guided by the vertue of Prudence whereof we discoursed yesterday so in truth she is verie necessarie in euerie good and vnfained friendship For this cause I thinke companions that we shall obserue the order of our discourses if we begin this daies worke with the handling of friendship and of the true and perfect dutie of a friend AMANA Nothing that seemeth to be profitable whether it be honor riches pleasure or whatsoeuer else is of this kinde ought to be preferred in any respect before friendship Yea a man is to make more account of friends as Socrates said then of any other mortall thing ARAM. Perfect friendship saith Aristotle is to loue our friend more for his benefit than for our owne and therefore a friend is alwaies profitable and necessary But he is greatly deceiued saith Homer that seeketh for a friend in the court and prooueth him at a feast But let vs heare ACHITOB discourse hereupon ACHITOB. Rare things are commonly most esteemed amongst men the more pretious they are of their owne nature so much the more are they had in request This we may very aptly apply to a friend seeing there is nothing so rare as one that is vnfained and stedfast neither any thing so excellent and perfect as he is if he be a good and prudent man And for this cause the philosophers accounted friendship to be the chiefest and most excellent good of fortune as being least of all subiect to hir and most necessarie for man But bicause the wickednes of men is so great in these daies that nothing is so sacred and holy which is not violated corrupted brought to confusion no maruell if men impudently abuse this name of a friend so much reuerenced in olde time that some take it to themselues being altogither vnwoorthie thereof and others as freely although to their losse and shame grant them this excellent title and esteeme them for such in truth towards them as they falsely vaunt themselues to be But that we be not deceiued with the greater number which is not alwaies the surest marke let vs briefly consider what friendship is what fruits spring from hir who may rightly challenge this title of a friend what maner of one we ought to choose how we must trie him before we take him for such a one then the meanes whereby to keepe him and lastly what mutuall dutie friends are to vse one towards another First we say with Socrates that true friendship cannot be framed but by the helpe and grace of God who draweth like to the loue of his like that euerie perfect friendship is to bee linked with the bond of charitie and ought to be referred to God as to our soueraigne good and cheefest friend and therefore that true friendship cannot be setled betweene the wicked who being at discord within themselues can haue no concorde and agreement one with another Moreouer there is to be found in friendship whatsoeuer men thinke woorthie to be desired as honestie glorie tranquillitie of minde and pleasure and consequently a happie life which cannot bee amongst the wicked Friendship is a communion of a perpetuall will the end whereof is fellowship of life and it is framed by the perfect habit of a long continued loue Whereby wee may perceiue that there is a difference betwixt loue and friendship bicause loue is a desire of the thing loued and
the common succour and aide of all men and as much as in him lieth ouerthroweth humane societie For we cannot do all things our selues and therefore friendships are ioined togither that by mutuall duties one may profit another Now considering that all the aboue named things are both necessarie and also very hard and difficult to be obserued and kept in true friendship a man may easily iudge that this so excellent a sympathie and fellow feeling of two friends is very rare and not easily found and by a more forcible reason it followeth that it is altogither impossible that many such friends should be linked togither So that whosoeuer goeth about any such matter can neuer attaine to a certaine and durable friendship For it must needes follow that he which beginneth new friendship cannot but diminish and waxe faint in affection in regard of his former friendship wherein he was in a maner setled Yea how can he obserue all dutifull points of a stedfast friend as well in mutuall conuersation and communication of all things as in helping his friend in all his affaires if he haue many friends to looke vnto who may all stand in neede of him at one and the same time It is certaine that in seruing one he would be wanting to the other and peraduenture to both whilst he doubteth which to helpe first But there is yet a further matter in it Do we not take him for our enimie who is enimie to our friend It is most certainly so as the wise man Chilon very fitly signified so much to one who boasted that he had neuer a fo Then hast thou neuer a friend quoth Chilon seeing it is impossible by reason of the wickednes of men that two persons should liue in the world without enimies Whereupon Plutarke saith If thou seekest for a swarme of friends thou considerest not that thou fallest into a wasps neast of enimies Heereof it is that histories when they set before vs examples of true and excellent friendship make mention onely of two persons as of Ionathan and Dauid whose friendship could not be hindered by the wrath of the father of the one no not although he knew that his friend should raigne ouer him notwithstanding he were by inheritance to succeed next in the kingdome So we read of one Achilles and Patroclus of whom the one falsified his oth which was that he would neuer fight to the end he might reuenge the death of the other There was but one Orestes and Pylades both of them calling themselues by the name of Orestes who was condemned to die thereby to saue the life of his companion Neither was there any mo than one Ephenus and Eueritus and one Damon and Pythias two of which being condemned to die by Dionysius the tyrant of Siracusa had their pardon granted them by reason of the constancie and stabilitie of the friendship that was between them and their companions whereof they shewed this proofe The two condemned persons besought Dionysius to licence them to go vnto their countrie that they might take some order for their houshold affaires before they died The tyrant scorning at this asked them what pledges they would pawne for their returne Whereupon the two other friends willingly offered themselues for pledges and so six moneths space being granted they were set at libertie When the end of this time drew nie many mocked these poore cautions but they nothing astonished made answer that they were certaine and sure their friends would not in any case faile of their promise And indeede they arriued the last day that was granted vnto them Whereat the tyrant wondering forgaue the condemned parties and praied them to receiue him for a third man into their friendship So great force had vertue that it could pacifie choler and crueltie in his hart whose vertue consisted in nothing else but in vice We read of a letter written by Pisistratus prince of the Athenians seruing for a notable example of the force of friendship which oftentimes is greater than all consanguinitie For hauing intelligence that Thrasillus his nephew was of a conspiracie against him he wrote vnto him in these words Nephew Thrasillus thou shouldst haue called to remembrance not that I brought thee vp in my house that thou art come of my blood that I haue communicated my secrets with thee that I haue giuen thee my daughter to wife with the halfe of my goods but aboue all things that I loued thee as a friend Thou art become a traitor towards me which I would neuer haue suspected considering that I neuer deserued any such thing at thy hands And therefore I would gladly I had so much authoritie ouer my selfe that as I can shake off this alliance so I could also falsifie our friendship which I can neither do nor determine of my fidelitie saued For the consanguinitie that I haue with thee may be separated as being within the veines but the loue I beare thee cannot seeing it is within my hart A thousand other examples of couples ioined in friendship are to be found in hihistories In the meane while we haue to note that although we measure friendship heere by the number of two yet our meaning is not to exclude others altogither For we know that true charitie extendeth it selfe vnto euery one that we are bound to loue euen our enimies and to do good to all but yet amongst all we may choose one onely friend to loue and to be loued againe of him in perfection Neuertheles we must labour by a thousand good duties to get the good will of all men and in what place soeuer we be to follow the wise counsell of Polybius giuen to Scipio Africanus that he should neuer depart from the publike place of authoritie before he had gotten vnto himselfe some new friend and well willer This belongeth to them especially that haue wealth at wil and are in publike offices and fauored of the mightier sort and therefore are so much the more bound thereunto as also to take delight in doing good to manie not sparing any of their substance We haue famous examples heereof amongst the ancients That great Romane captaine and Consul Titus Flaminius who deliuered and freed all Graecia from bondage and twise in battell ranged discomfited Philip king of Macedonia is exceedingly commended of historiographers not onely bicause he was readie to pleasure euerie one but also bicause he tooke such delight therein that he would alwaies remaine well affected euen to those whom he had once pleasured as if himselfe had receiued the benefit insomuch that he was alwaies ready to do them more good Wherby he shewed himselfe truly zealous of vertue which is neuer set on work for the hope of any earthly recompence seeing the price and reward of a vertuous deed ought onely to be the doing thereof Therefore Cicero said very well that no Commonwealth can either with too little or too late recompence hir natiue countriman Now
aliue as after their death by refusing to ouer-liue them Queene Hipsicrates the wife of king Mithridates cōmeth first to mind who bare such loue towards hir husband that polling hir selfe for his sake although she was yong and very faire she acquainted hir selfe with the wearing of armour and rode with him to the war And when he was ouercome by Pompey she accompanied him in his flight through all Asia whereby she mollified the griefe and sorow which he receiued by his losse Triara wife to Lucius Vitellus brother to the emperour Vitellus seeyng hir husband in a daungerous battell thrust hir selfe amongst the souldiours to beare him company and to helpe him both in death and life and fought as well as the valiauntest amongst them When king Admetus his wife sawe hir husband very sicke and heard the answere of the oracle which was That he could not recouer except one of his best friendes died for him she slew hir selfe When the wife of Ferdinando Gonçales a prince of Italy knewe that hir husband was prisoner and in daunger of death she went to visite him and putting on his apparell abode in his place whilest he beyng clothed in hir garmentes saued him-selfe Zenobia Queene of Armenia seeing hir husband Radamisus flie from a battell and not beyng able to follow him bicause she was great with childe besought him to kill hir Which when he thought to haue done she was striken downe with the blowe of a sworde but being taken of the enimie and throughly healed Tyridates the king who had vanquished hir husband maried hir afterward for the great loue that was in hir The princesse Panthea loued hir husband Abradatus so well that when he died in Cyrus campe she slue hir selfe vpon his bodie Artemisia Queene of Caria for the great loue she bare to hir husband that was dead dranke all the ashes of his bodie meanyng thereby to be his sepulchre When Iulia the wife of Pompey sawe a gowne of hir husbande 's all bloodie wherewith he had offered some sacrifice she imagined that he was slayne and so died presently after When Porcia the wife of Brutus heard of hir husbandes death and perceiued that hir kinsfolkes tooke away all meanes of killing hir self she drew hote burning coles out of the fire and threw them into hir mouth which she closed so fast that shee was choked thereby Sulpitia beyng carefully restrained by hir mother Iulia from seeking hir husband Lentulus in Sicilia whither hee was banished shee went thither beyng apparelled like a slaue banishing hir selfe voluntarily rather than she would forsake hir husband Octauia sister to Augustus and wife to Antonius notwithstanding the iniurie that hir husband offered vnto hir in preferring before hir a Queene that was nothing so yong or faire as she bare such great loue towards him that setting aside al intreatie of hir brother she would neuer leaue hir husbands house but stil brought vp his children by his first mariage as carefully as if they had been hir owne Moreouer she sought by all means to reconcile those two emperors saying that it was an vnworthy thing that two so mightie princes the one for the euil intreatie of his sister the other bicause he was bewitched by a wicked woman should warre one against another As this vertuous princes had taken hir iourney as far as Athens where she ment to take shipping to seeke out hir husband being then in war with the Parthians bringing with hir souldiers mony furniture other munitions he sent hir word that she should passe no farther but stay for him at Rome This she performed and sent him all the aboue named things not seeming at all to be offended with him Wheras he in the mean while skorned hir sporting himself with Cleopatra in the sight and knowledge of all men and afterward delt worse with hir when the warre was begunne between him and Augustus For he sent a commandement to Octauia at Rome to go out of his house which she presently obeied albeit she would not therefore forsake any of hir husbands children but wept and bewailed hir mishap which had brought hir to be a principal cause of that ciuill warre Aria the wife of Cecinna followed in a little boate vnto Rome hir husband who was taken prisoner bicause he had borne armes against the emperour Claudius Being there condemned to die she would haue borne him companie but that hir sonne in lawe and hir daughter stayed hir When she sawe that she strake hir head so hard agaynst the wall that she fell downe amazed and beyng come to hir selfe agayne sayde vnto them You see that you can not hinder me from dying cruelly if ye stay mee from a more gentle death They being astonished at the fact and at hir words suffered hir to do what she would who then ran to the place where hir husband was and slewe hir selfe first after she had spoken thus courageously vnto him I am not Cecinna sorie for that which is done but bicause the race of thy life must end When Seneca was condemned to die by Nero and had libertie to chuse what kind of death he would he caused his veines to be opened in a bath His wife Paulina of hir owne accord did the like to hir self in the same bath mingling togither their blood for a greater vnion and coronation of their long and perfect loue Whereof Nero being aduertised presently commanded that hir veines should be stopt constraining hir thereby to liue a little longer in continuall griefe Hipparchia a very faire rich woman was so farre in loue with the Philosopher Crates who was hard-fauoured and poore that she maried him against all hir kinsfolks minde and followed him throughout all the countrie being poorely apparelled barefoote after the Cynick fashion Pisca seeing hir husband pine away daily through a great and strange discase which he had concealed from hir of long time hauing at the length knowledge thereof and perceiuing it to be incurable she was mooued with pitie for the euill which he suffered whom she loued better than hir selfe and therevpon counselled him with great courage to asswage his griefe by death and the better to stirre him vp thereunto she offered to beare him companie Whereunto hir husband agreeing they imbraced each other and cast themselues headlong into the sea from the top of a rocke The king of Persia taking prisoner the wife of Pandoërus whom he had vanquished and slaine would haue maried hir But she slew hir selfe after she had vttered these words God forbid that to be a Queene I should euer wed him that hath beene the murderer of my deere husband Pandoërus Camma a Greekish woman of the countrie of Galatia bare such loue to hir husband euen after his death that to be reuenged of a great Lorde called Synorix who had put hir husband to death that he might marrie hir she gently
otherwise thou shalt not be accounted a king but a tyrant c. I leaue the rest of the clauses in his Testament Moreouer liberalitie wel vsed as we haue els-where handled the same is a very comely ornament for a Prince Socrates said that it was the dutie of a good king to be beneficiall to his friends and of his enemies to make good friends to which purpose nothing will helpe him more than liberalitie Neither must he be only liberal but magnifical also and sumptuous prouided alwaies that of magnifical he become not prodigal which would soone make him an exactor and in the end a tyrant But a soueraigne Prince must especially haue an eie to this that the rewards of vertue due to woorthy men be preferred before all his gifts and good turnes and that he recompence such as haue deserued any thing before he giue to them that haue deserued nothing For an vngratefull Prince will hardly retaine an honourable and vertuous man any long time in his seruice Neither is the estimation of a reward and of a good-turne all one bicause a reward is giuen for desert and a benefite by grace Besides a Prince must be alwaies true and as good as his promise that men may giue greater credite to his bare word than to another mans oath For it ought to bee as an Oracle which looseth his dignitie when men haue conceiued such an euill opinion of him that he may not be beleeued vnles he sweare And if he pawne his faith at any time he must account it sacred and inuiolable bicause faith is the foundation and staie of iustice vpon which the estate of great men is grounded as we discoursed else-where That saying of Theopompus King of Sparta is also to be well noted by the Prince When a friende of his asked him how a king might keepe his kingdome in safetie he answered By granting libertie to his friends freely to tell him the truth He must take their aduice in doubfull matters that he may gouern his estate more assuredly waighing and iudging of their opinions with great prudence Neither must he thinke them his best seruants that praise all his sayings and dooings but those that with modestie reprooue his faults he must discerne wisely betweene them that cunningly flatter him and those that loue and serue him faithfully that wicked men may not be in greater credite with him than good men For this cause also he must carefully enquire after his houshold seruants and familiar friends that he may knowe them well bicause all other men will take him to be such a one as they are with whome he conuerseth ordinarily Osiris King of Egypt had for his Armes a Scepter with an eye in the toppe of it noting thereby the wisedome that ought to be in a king namely that it belongeth not to one that wandereth out of his way to direct others that seeth not to guide that knoweth nothing to teach and that will not obeye reason to command Likewise in all his actions he must vse reason as a heauenlie guide hauing chased away the perturbations of his soule and esteeme it a greater and more royall matter to command himselfe than others He must thinke that it is the true and proper office of a king not to submit him-selfe to his pleasures but to containe his owne affections rather than his subiects Further he must vse to take pleasure in those exercises which may procure him honour and cause him to appeere better to the worlde He must not seeke for reputation in vile things which men of base estate and naughtie behauior commonly practise but follow after vertue onely wherein wicked persons haue no part Let him remember alwaies that he is a King and therefore that he must striue to doe nothing vnwoorthie so high a dignitie but continue his memorie by valiant and noble acts This is that wherein one of the wise Interpreters knew wel how to instruct K. Ptolemy who demanded of him how he might behaue himselfe that neither idlenes nor pleasures might distract him It is said he in thine owne power as long as thou commandest ouer a great kingdome and hast so many great affaires to manage continually which will not suffer thee to distract thy mind vpon other matters If priuate men borne to vertue are willing many times to die that they may purchase honour much more ought kinges to doe those thinges which will procure them honour feare and estimation euery where during their life also through their brightnes shine a great while after their death Moreouer a prince must be warlike and skilfull in warfare prouiding carefully all things necessarie for warre and yet he must loue peace and vsurpe nothing that belongeth to another man contrary to right nor enter into warre but to repell violence in extreame necessitie Aboue all things he must feare ciuill dissentions as most pernitious to his Estate and take aduice prudently concerning the meanes wherby all occasions of their entrance may be taken from his people Heerein learning will helpe him well and the knowledge of histories which set before his eies the aduentures that haue befallen both small and great and cal to his remembrance the times past whereby he may better prouide for the time to come Vnto which if he adde the counsell of wise men as we haue already touched he shall knowe more perfectly whatsoeuer concerneth the good of his estate But aboue all he must knowe howe to make choice of men and not thinke them wise that dispute curiously of small things but those that speake very aptly of great matters Neither let him account those men best and worthiest of credite that haue gotten most authoritie but trie and indge them by their profitable works namely if he see that they giue him wise and free counsell according as occasions concurre and affaires require and then let him alwaies with speed execute those things which by their counsell he findeth good and necessary For the conclusion therefore of our present discourse we will comprehend the office and dutie of a good Prince in fewe words namely if he serue God in sinceritie and puritie of hart if he inquire diligently after the truth of his word and cause his subiects to liue thereafter if he prouide for their profit redresse their miseries and ease them of oppression exaction and polling If he be pliable to heare the requests complaints of the lest indifferent and moderate in answering them ready to distribute right to euery one by propounding reward for vertue and punishment for vice If he be prudent in his enterprises bold in his exploits modest in prosperitie cōstant in aduersitie stedfast in word wise in counsail briefly if he gouerne in such sort and raigne so well that all his subiects may haue what to imitate and straungers to commend The ende of the fifteenth daies worke THE SIXTEENTH DAIES WORKE Of a Councell and
euery liuing creature to loue that place where it tooke beginning The sauage beastes saith Cassiodorus loue woods and forests birds loue the ayre fishes the sea and riuers men loue the originall place of their birth and being in a worde both men and beastes loue those places where they purpose to liue and to continue long He that is more in loue saith Aristotle with his priuate profite than with publike wealth looseth the name of a good citizen and taketh vnto him the name of a wicked subiect Therfore euery one both great and small ought to dedicate all good gifts in them to the benefit of their country louing their fellow-subiects exercising their charges callings faithfully It is their dutie also manfully to defend the common-wealth against all forraine incursions and he that defendeth his countrey defendeth himselfe and his He that refuseth to die as Cicero saith in the defence of his countrey dieth togither with it which being ouerthrowen the inhabitants are therewithall destroyed No man therefore ought to feare daunger in defence of his countrey and it is better to die for many than with many They that die said Iustinian the emperour in the defence of their Common-wealth liue alwaies by glorie Therefore euery one ought to arme himselfe with manhood which is one kind of Heroicall fortitude as the morall Philosophers say that he may be seruiceable for the safegard of his countrey in time of need and of a iust war The nobilitie is the ornament of euery Common-wealth For commonly the nobles are of greater abilitie of better behauior more ciuill than the common people than artificers and men of base estate bicause they haue beene brought vp from their infancie in al ciuilitie and amongst men of honor Moreouer to haue a noble hart inuincible to resist the enimie great to exercise liberalitie curteous and honest in talk bold to execute gentle to forgiue are graces vertues proceeding from honestie which are not so commonly found among men of base condition as among those that come of good ancient stocks For this cause there was in Rome a law called prosapia that is to say the law of linage wherby it was ordained that they which descended from the race of the Fuluians Torquates Fabritians should haue the Consulship when it so fell out that the Senate disagreed about the election of Consuls In like maner they that came of Lycurgus in Lacedaemon of Cato in Vtica of Thucidides in Galatia were not onely priuiledged in their own Prouinces but also greatly honoured of all nations The defence and preseruation of the countrey belongeth chiefly to the nobles as they that haue greater vse and practise of weapons than the common people haue whom God nature haue subiected to them that they should be their defendors protectors In this sort then is the Common-wealth decked and adorned of the nobilitie by their means honored of neighbor-friends and feared of hir enimies Next it must be ordred profitably Where no order is there is all confusiō And therfore as a good father of a familie taketh order in his house and a Pilote in his ship so the magistrate must appoint an order in his citie common-wealth For all communitie is confusion if by order it be not brought to vnitie Order is the due disposition of all things The order of the heauens times seasons teacheth vs among other things the wisdom of the Creator who hath appointed all diuine celestiall and earthly things by a wonderful dispositiē Neither doth any thing make magistrates of common-welths more admired commended than the good order which they establish in them The end of all good order tendeth to profit as the end of confusion to losse and destruction And if profit be to be considered in any thing it is chiefly to be thought vpon in a politike body The more common generall a good thing is saith Aristotle so much the more is it to be esteemed aboue another Therefore if it be a good thing and cōmendable to appoint a profitable order in a house or ship it is a great deale better yea most excellent to order a Common-wealth profitably Last of all a Common-wealth must be gouerned prudently Gouernment presupposeth order bicause no man can rightly and duly gouerne without order Gouernement is a right disposition of those thinges of which a man taketh charge vpon him to bring them to a conuenient ende Euery Monarch Emperour King Prince Lord Magistrate Prelate Iudge and such like may bee called a Gouernour in whom wisedome patience and diligence are necessarilie required for the discharge of their dueties Neither may ignoraunce or any errour be receyued for sufficient excuse of him that hath taken vpon him a publike charge and much lesse if he required and sought for it himselfe Yea he may bee charged with the least fault especiallie when it concerneth the estate or some great matter wherein the Common-wealth hath interest For this cause wee sayd that the Common-wealth must bee gouerned with Prudence But Prudence sayth Aristotle presupposeth wisedome and is the right reason of thinges that are to bee done Without Prudence saith Xenophon wee can haue no vse at all of vertue For in the administration eyther of priuate or publique matters wee can come to no good ende without the direction of Prudence which teacheth vs to prouide for thinges to come to order thinges present and to call to minde thinges past Wee haue heretofore discoursed more at large both of that vertue and also of others requisite in euery magistrate for the faithfull execution of his charge Whereunto we wil adde this thing only that euery gouernor must remember that lordship empire kingdom maiestie dominion and power are rather heathen than christian wordes and that the empire of a christian prince is nothing else but a iust administration protection and meane to do good Therfore when he beholdeth an innumerable multitude of his subiectes he is to thinke that so many millions of men depend of his carefulnes not to do with them what pleaseth him but to labour and trauell to make them better than when he receiued them And in all things wherein the safetie of the common-wealth consisteth whether it be in preuenting the causes of change therein or in redressing seditions which trouble it he must always resolue with himselfe to bring his purpose to passe how difficult soeuer the way be releasing rather somewhat of the extremitie of right as Lucius Papinius said seeing the quietnes and safetie of the people is the chiefest and most vpright lawe among men that can be So that when the Common-wealth is in danger or in necessitie we must freely bestow vpon that bloud and name which is commō to vs with all the members of the politike body whatsoeuer cannot bee kept backe without violating that common kindred and the estate of the common-wealth So that if
the end well propounded and yet men erre in the meanes to attaine vnto it and contrariwise it falleth out oftentimes that the meanes are good and the end propounded bad So that it is from this liuely and euer-flowing fountaine which is the cause of al good from whence we are to looke for the perfect knowledge of our dutie and the ends and meanes whereby to execute it to the glorie of God and to the good and profit of our like And from this generall vertue and fountaine of honestie and dutie fower riuers issue and spring called morall vertues namely Prudence which is as a guide to the rest and knoweth what is profitable for it selfe for others and for the common-wealth Temperance the mistres of modestie chastitie sobrietie and vigilancie and of all order and mediocritie in all things Fortitude which maketh a man constant patient couragious hardie and readie to enterprise high great profitable and holie things and Iustice which is the bond and preseruation of humane societie by giuing to euery one that which belongeth vnto him by keeping faith in things promised by succoring gladly the afflicted and by helping euery one according as abilitie serueth Which vertues are the true and certain goods of the soule whereby all actions are directed according to dutie as we shall speake particularly thereof heerafter In the meane while let vs enter into the examples of the ancients and see how exactly and inuiolably they obserued all points of dutie choosing rather to sacrifice their liues than to infringe and breake any of them much more contemning all other weaker occasions wherwith lewd and base-minded people suffer themselues to be easily corrupted And first touching the first point of dutie naturally imprinted in the soules of the greatest infidels which is to acknowledge some diuinitie with what zeale although inconsiderate and rash did the ancient heathens and pagans precisely obserue their paganisme euen to the sacrificing and cheerfull offering vp of their owne children to their gods as we read of the Carthaginians What say I their children yea oftentimes themselues whereof Calanus an Indian Gymnosophist serueth for a witnes who seeing himselfe old after he had offered sacrifice to the gods bad Alexander the Great farewell with whom he came to Babylon and tooke his leaue also of all his other friends Then lying along according to the custome of his countrie vpon a little pile of wood which he had prepared for that purpose he caused fire to be put vnto it and so burned himselfe for a burnt-offering to his gods not stirring at all but continuing with such a wonderfull constancie that Alexander who was present confessed himselfe to be vanquished of him in greatnes of hart and magnanimitie of courage Who will not admire the strict obseruation of the ancient religion of the Egyptians Graecians and Romans mooued with a desire of yeelding the dutie of their being to the honor of a diuine nature But for shortnes sake and not to wander farre from the subiect of our assemblie I passe it ouer with silence Heere I will onely alledge one notable example of the Iewes who were more zealous professors of their law than euer were any people Caius a Romane emperor sent Petronius into Syria with commandement to make war with the Iewes if they would not receiue his image into their temple Which when they refused to do Petronius said vnto them that then belike they would fight against Caesar not weighing his wealth or their owne weakenes and vnabilitie We will not fight quoth they but had rather die than turne from the lawes of our God And foorthwith casting themselues on the ground and offering their throtes they said that they were readie to receiue the blow In this estate as Iosephus reporteth it they remained for the space of fortie daies letting slip the time which then was of sowing their grounds Which caused Petronius to defer the execution of his charge and to send the declaration of these things vnto Caesar whose death rid the Iewes out of danger Now we are to consider with what burning affection the ancients imbraced common benefit and safetie seeking to profit all men according to the true dutie of a good man but especially their countrie in whose seruice they thought it great happines to lose their liues For truly besides the sweet affection which nature hath imprinted in our harts towards our countrie and the conformitie of humors which commonly is found in our bodies with that heauenly aire wher we haue our first breathing which seemeth to be a mutual and naturall obligation the reason of all humane right and the religion of diuine equitie besides the dutie of conscience bind all persons to serue the publike wealth of their countrie to the vttermost of their power and that so much the rather bicause that vnder it the life honor and goods of euery particular man are comprehended This reason caused Cato of Vtica a Consul and noble Romane to answer one of his friends who was come to giue him thanks for defending him in iudgement from a false accusation that he was to thanke the Common-wealth for whose loue onely he did spake and counselled all things This also made him to vndertake the sute for the office of Tribuneship of the people that he might resist the faction of Pompey by whom he saw Metellus set on worke to sue and seeke for the same office for the assurance of his affaires and strengthening of his league Now is the time quoth Cato to his friends wherein I must imploy and bestow the power of such an office and of so great authoritie as a strong medicine in time conuenient and vpon necessarie causes and either ouercome or die honorably in the defence of common libertie So likewise he opposed himselfe as much as he could against all nouelties and alteration of affaires betweene Caesar and Pompey And when the selfesame Pompey being desirous to win him to himselfe sought to bring it to passe by alliance and thereupon demanded two of his neeces in marriage one for himselfe and the other for his sonne Cato without any longer deliberation answered him presently as being netled that caried backe the message that he should returne to Pompey and tell him that Cato was not to be taken by the meanes of women Which was not bicause he would not haue him esteem greatly of his friendship which he should alwaies find in him to be more sure and certaine than any alliance by marriage so that he onely sought after and did things honest and iust but at this time he would not giue hostages at Pompeies pleasure against the Common-welth Afterward the affaires of Rome being brought to such necessitie through corruption of monie and by vnlawfull and forceable meanes in procuring publike places of authoritie many Senators being of opinion that Pompey was to be chosen sole and onely Consul Cato also was of the same mind saying that men ought
a beginning of friendship but friendship is an inueterate and ancient loue wherein is more pleasure than desire To loue saith Cicero is nothing else but to be desirous to profit and pleasure another without hope of recompence For otherwise friendship would bee a meere merchandise whereas it ought to be as free as charitie Socrates also said that the end of friendship was that of two soules one should be made in will and affection and that none should loue himselfe better than his friend For there is a meane to be kept in all things except in conuersing with a friend in regard of whom this ought to be resolued vpon that he is either wholie to be forsaken or wholie to be trusted What shall I hide from my friend saith Homer or what letteth why I may not thinke my selfe alone when I am with him Whereby it appeereth vnto vs that a friend is a second selfe and that whosoeuer would take vpon him this title in regard of another he must transforme himselfe into his nature whom he purposeth to loue and that with a stedfast and setled mind to continue so for euer Heereupon one of the ancients speaking of him that loueth perfectly saith that he liueth in another mans bodie Friends therefore ought of necessitie to haue a coniunction and conformitie of maners of desires of passions of speech of studies of pleasures of inclinations of intermissions if they mind to professe perfect friendship Whereby we may easily ghesse that he which entertaineth many friends depriueth himselfe of the name of a true and stedfast friend bicause it is altogither vnpossible for a man to fashion himselfe to all patterns and to apply himselfe to all natures so diuers in euery one especially considering that he shall very hardly find himselfe like affected in all things to one alone Now after we haue found such a disposition and conformitie in him that offereth himselfe to bee our friend wee must enter further into the knowledge of him by sounding out the depth of his hart that wee may be certaine and sure of his good disposition For to see outwardly a resemblance of our maners and conditions in another is not sufficient to prooue them such in deede without dissimulation vnlesse they bee grounded vpon a good and vertuous nature which is simple vpright and vnfained For otherwise we see that many like to Proteus taking diuers shapes are so subtill that when they would currie fauour with any man to deceiue him they disguise themselues and for a while applie themselues to all his humors This is practised chiefly by flatterers towards great men who will counterfait rather than they will not imitate the naturall vice of the prince so that as soone as euer they see him laugh they betake themselues to laughing albeit they know not wherfore And namely wee reade that Alexander the great and Alphonsus king of Arragon hauing ech of them somewhat a wry necke this by nature the other through custome the flatterers and courtiers held their necks on the one side to counterfeit their imperfection To the ende therefore that the sugred poison of such fained friends deceiue vs not we must make choise of an honest prudent wise man for our friend whose fidelitie as Cicero saith integritie constancie and liberalitie are approoued of euerie one and whom we shall perceiue to be led and possessed with the same zeale to vertue that our selues are to the ende we may be aided and furthered by them in all good and laudable actions For as Plato saith friendship is giuen by nature for a helpe to vertue not for a companion of vices To this effect Pythagoras saith that it is not good to ioyne hands with euery one Dicearchus also would giue vs to vnderstand the same when he saith that we must make all men our well willers if it be possible but onely good men our friends who are not obtained but after a long time and that by vertue And as when we passe by a bramble or a burre that taketh hold of vs we cast it farre from vs but contrariwise seeke for the oliue and the grape so we ought to seeke after their friendship that deserue it whose minds haue sufficient matter in them to cause them to be loued but to forsake yea to reiect such as are vnwoorthy and vicious sensuall and disordred although they fawne vpon vs bicause their conuersation marreth and corrupteth euery good nature Therefore Bias said verie well that a wiseman receiueth not euerie one vnto his friendship Hauing thus chosen him whom we desire to entertaine for our friend laid the chiefe foundations of friendship vpon his agreement of manners with vs and vpon his good disposition which we may know by familiar conuersation with him and by diligent inquirie before wee can assure our selues or boast that we haue a true friend we must prooue his stedfastnes and constancie and not trust to offers and promises whereof men are verie prodigall now a daies But this is cleane contrarie to the dutie of a true friend whose propertie is to be sparing in speech and prodigall in deedes bicause great proffers are meete to be vsed towards strangers and good deeds towards true friends Now to proue a friend we must not stay vntill need and necessitie vrge vs least such triall be not onely vnprofitable and without fruit but also very hurtfull and dangerous vnto vs bicause at such a time as necessarily requireth friends we make trial of him who in truth is no such man But we are rather to gouerne our selues with prudence and foresight as we vse to do in the receipt of gold and siluer For before we haue need to imploy it we consider whether it be currant that we may be sure it will serue the turne when necessitie requireth To this purpose Theophrastus said that we ought to prooue strangers to loue them and not loue them to prooue them Therefore albeit the true and right triall of a friend is in aduersitie as of fine gold in a fornace yet that is to be vnderstood of him who is such a one indeede For if we should expect the first triall vpon our selues in time of certaine danger thereby to be assured and out of doubt if then he should faile vs it would bring vs in great perill so that we were better to trie him when we stand not in need requesting him notwithstanding as if we were vrged and stood in need of his helpe and assistance in a matter of importance If then he go forward with a sound zeale and readie affection we are assured of him against another time But if he stagger and do it coldly or turne away his face refuse it besides that we haue no hurt or hinderance we shall also gaine much by withdrawing such a friend gently and by little little from our table and from our prosperitie alwaies
wisely obseruing that this friendship be simplie forsaken and no enmitie vndertaken For it is not good or seemly to quarrell with him with whom we haue liued familiarly Moreouer we must note heere that triall is to be made in an honest not in a wicked matter For we must not do as we read that Alcibiades did who being desirous to knowe whether he had so many friends as he thought he had called them vpon a day one after another into a darke place and shewed vnto them an image of a dead bodie saying that it was a man whom he had killed and requesting them to helpe to carie it away But amongst them all he found none except Callias that would harken thereunto This kind of proouing a friend maketh vs vnwoorthie of such a name and occasioneth euery good man to withdraw himselfe from our friendship If we do all things saith Cicero both good and bad for our friends such friendship may more truly be called a conspiracie of euill men than a confederacie of good men But as we haue said we must gaine another mans friendship by vertue and not by vice as also trie a friend in iust and reasonable causes as if we be oppressed vniustly if affliction and aduersitie follow hard at our heeles if need or any other humāne accident betide vs into which the best men commonly fall After we are sure that we haue a friend which truly is very great riches there is nothing that we ought to desire more than to preserue and keepe him And first the mutuall opinion which ought to be in euerie friend of the vertue of his companion serueth very much for this matter For as Cicero saith The opinion of vertue is the fountaine of friendship and it is proper to vertue to win mens harts to draw them vnto it selfe and to preserue their friendship Next the coniunction of maners and wils keepeth backe all riot and contentions when as the will and mind of the one shall no sooner be declared but the other presently putteth to his helping hand to bring it to passe Thirdly we are to obserue this first law of friendship inuiolably not to require our friend to do any thing that is not iust or not in his power to performe but to content our selues with the vse and seruice of that which he hath without further seeking his hinderance after the example of the industrious and painfull bee which draweth honie out of flowers and hurteth not the fruit Aboue all things we must hold this for a generall rule which we haue alreadie touched that true and perfect friendship ought to be free as charitie is from whence she hath hir beginning I meane that it ought to exercise it selfe not for hire or recompence but onely for his loue who is beloued of vs. For the one is proper to a friend the other sauoreth of a hireling True it is that friends in these daies are like to crowes which fly not but towards those places where there is some thing to feed vpon euen so they commonly visit not mens houses except it be for profit neither reuerence a friend longer than they see him in prosperitie or may reape some commoditie by him But we must shun such parasites who are but saluting and table friends Moreouer we must reioice and delight in the companie and conuersation of our friend as in that wherein the sweetest and most pleasant fruit of friendship consisteth And for want of this benefit friends must often communicate togither by letters thereby to shew that they liue in remembrance one of another For by the letter of a true friend the spirit is refreshed the eies delighted friendship confirmed and the mind contented Besides we must haue our vertues spirits prosperitie yea acquaintance and all common togither and nothing secret or hidden Lastly we must yeeld to our friend all duties and seruices of sincere friendship and that in all honest and profitable things according to right iustice which are the bounds and limits of an holie loue desiring the like of him towards vs. Aboue all things his affliction or aduersitie and all iniurie offered him ought to be common to vs with him wherein we are to assist and helpe him with all succor and sweet consolation which is as souereigne and fit a remedie as can be applied vnto him especially when good doctrine is ioined with our speech Heerof Phalereus confessed very well that he had good experience when he was banished from his kingdome saying that his meeting with Crates the wise man had taken from him all care and thought of his miserie And if friendship can greatly diminish the greefe that commeth by aduersitie no doubt but it can adde as much grace and pleasure to prosperitie We may effect all dutie whatsoeuer we owe to our friend by succouring him with fower things namely with our person with our goods with comfort and with counsell Which we may also comprehend vnder these two duties of releeuing the necessitie of our friend and of comforting him in his tribulation Now bicause what perfection soeuer is in our friend as likewise in our selues it cannot be but there will be alwaies some imperfection mingled therewith mens doings being neuer without some euill we must not presume to be able to build such a perfect friendship as shall be void and free of all vice And therefore we must gently support and beare with all wants and discommodities of our friend and oftentimes frame our selues to many passions so they be not directly contrarie to vertue but such as proceed from the imbecillitie and frailtie of nature common with vs. Neuertheles against such imperfections we must in time conuenient and to purpose vse free and gentle admonitions which are so necessarie in friendship and worthie of such consideration that in my opinion we shall do well to make a seuerall discourse thereof Now if it come so to passe that some displeasure or iar happen betweene vs then is the time wherin we ought most of all to studie and labour how we may do some profitable or honorable thing to our friend and not harken to slanderous toongs which watch for some small and light occasion to powre out the poison of discord thereby to rent and breake a sunder our good and sure friendship To such parasites and scrap-gatherers at free-cost feasts who seeke for nothing but their own gain by the disagreement of others we must neuer giue eare but driue them as far from vs as they thinke to come neer vs. And to the end we may be the better affected and disposed heerunto we must often call to remembrance what benefit and happines commeth to such men as are linked togither by true and vnfained friendship as namely in those affaires at which we cannot be present our selues the fidelitie of a friend supplieth our place From whence we will draw this conclusion that he which violateth friendship setteth himselfe against
speech whereat one of the inhabitants suddenly stood vp and pronounced the word aright as he should haue vttered it For this correction quoth Demetrius I giue thee besides fiue thousand measures of wheat The example of good Traian writing to his maister Plutarke ought especially to be imitated of great men I aduertise thee quoth he that hence forward I will not vse thy seruice to any other thing than to counsell me what I ought to do and to tel me of those faults wherinto I may fall For if Rome take me for a defender of hir Common-welth I make account of thee as of the beholder of my life And therefore if at any time I seeme vnto thee not well pleased when thou reprehendest me I pray thee maister not to take it in ill part For at such a time my griefe shall not be for the admonition thou vsest towards me but for the shame I shall haue bicause I offended Philoxenus the poet may also serue for a witnes of free correction void of all flatterie in regard of great men For when Dionysius prince of Syracusa sent vnto him a tragedie of his owne making that he should read and correct it he sent it backe againe vnto him all rased and blotted from the beginning to the end bicause he found it in no respect worthie to be published Neither doth antiquitie onely affoord vs such examples of bold reprehension by word of mouth vsed by wise men in old time but there hath been also in our ages woorthie examples of base and contemptible men yet full of good learning For profe heer of may serue that quip which not long since a peasant gaue vnto an Archbishop of Cullen who was well accompanied with armed men according to the custome of Almaigne This countrie-fellow beginning to laugh and being demanded by the prelate the cause therof I laugh quoth he vnto him at S. Peter prince of prelates bicause he liued and died in pouertie to leaue his successors rich The Archbishop being touched therewith and desirous to cleere himselfe replied that He went with such a companie as he was a Duke Wherat the peasant laughing more than before said I would gladly know Sir of you where you thinke the Archbishop should be if that Duke of whom you speake were in hell Neither may we omit the answer which a poore Franciscan Frier made to Pope Sixtus the fourth who from the same order being come to that great dignitie shewed him his great wealth and riches saying Frier I cannot say as S. Peter did I haue neither gold nor siluer No truly answered the Franciscan no more can you say as he said to the impotent and sicke of the palsie Arise and walke Now concluding our present discourse we learne that free reprehension and gentle admonition grounded vpon reason and truth and applied fitly are of such vertue and efficacie with men but especially with a friend that nothing is more necessarie or healthfull in true and perfect friendship and therefore ought to be ioined inseparably therewith according to that saying of the wise man that Open rubuke is better than secret loue and that The wounds made by a louer are faithfull but the kisses of him that hateth dangerous In the meane time we must as S. Paule saith restore those that fall with the spirit of meeknes considering our selues and neuer betraie the truth for feare of the mightier sort Of Curiositie and Noueltie Chap. 15. ARAM. MAn hauing by nature imprinted in his soule an affected and earnest inclination to his soueraigne good is drawen as it were by force to search it out in euerie thing which he esteemeth faire and good in this world And from hence proceed all those his affections which carrie him hither and thither causing him to reioice in and to desire greatly all varietie and noueltie But the ignorance of things and imperfection of reason which abounde in him bicause of his corruption make him for the most part to labour and take delight in euill rather than in goodnes if he be not by other means called to the knowledge of the truth which ought to be the principal and most woorthy obiect of our minds esteeming all other knowledge vaine and vnprofitable being compared to this which is so great and diuine And in this respect curiositie tending to vnderstanding albeit in many things it be verie hurtfull especially being left vnto it selfe is also verie profitable and necessary when it is directed and guided by the grace of God to the best end Wherefore I thinke my companions that it will not be vnprofitable if in this matter we discourse of these two things Curiositie and Noueltie which seeme to proceed from one and the same fountain and about which the vertue of prudence sheweth great and woorthy effects ACHITOB. Curiositie indeed desireth in part to know and learne much which cannot be condemned Neuertheles we must wisely beware that we imploy it not vpon euil and vile things but rather testifie alwaies that we are of a graue and contented nature which is enemie to all noueltie and to superfluous things that are without profite ASER. Noueltie causeth vs through error of iudgement to esteeme those things wherewith we are not acquainted greater and more to our liking and so to buy them dearer than better things that are common and familiar It is the verie guide of the curious causing them to contemne their owne climate and to hazard what good thing soeuer they haue to possesse that which belongeth to others But let vs heare AMANA who will handle this matter more at large AMANA Amongst those learned precepts belonging to good life which were written in the temple of Apollo in Graecia this was in the second place Nothing too much Solon said Nothing more than enough Pittacus Do all things by a mediocritie These sayings are verie short and of one matter but yet comprehend all prudence necessarie for the gouerning of mans life aswell for the preseruation of the tranquillitie of the soule and of the spiritual gifts therof as of all humane goods called by the philosophers the Goods of the bodie and of fortune The ancients being desirous to make vs vnderstand this the better propounded vnto vs euerie vertue betweene two vices teaching vs thereby that we cannot decline neuer so little either to the right hand or to the left but we step aside from the right way of vertue which is our onely true good and that al difference betweene good and bad consisteth in a certaine moderation and mediocrity which Cicero calleth the best of all things If men had from the beginning contained themselues within the limits of these diuine precepts it is certaine they would not so lightly haue abandoned the simplicitie and first modestie of their nature to feed their minds with a vaine curiositie and searching out of things supernaturall and incomprehensible to the sence and vnderstanding of man Which things the
acceptable sacrifice to God when he yeeldeth vnto him dailie thanks in the midst of infinite troubles and vexations which benefit will worke in vs the vtter ouerthrow of all impatience choler and wrath sworne enemies to all reason and vertue Of Meekenes Clemeneie Mildnes Gentlenes and Humanitie Chap. 30. ACHITOB A Philosopher in a great assemblie of people taking a lanterne and a candle lighted at midday and going into an high place in all their sight was demanded what he ment to do with all I seeke said he for a man but can see none no not one And truly it is a very rare and excellent thing to find one that in deed is a Man which is as much to say as courteous or made of meekenes and gentlenes for which cause Plato calleth him a ciuill creature and sociable by nature Now therefore let vs vnderstand of you my companions what woorthy effects this vertue of meekenes bringeth foorth in man ASER. Mercie said Plato ought no more to be taken away from the nature of man than the altar out of the Temple And euery noble hart ought to be so courteous and gratious that he be reuerenced more than feared of his neighbors AMANA There is no nation so barbarous which loueth not meekenes curtesie beneuolence and a thankfull soule and contrariwise which hateth and contemneth not proud wicked cruell and vngratefull persons But it belongeth to thee ARAM to discourse of this matter vnto vs. ARAM. Sinne hauing depriued man of the perfection of graces wherewith the image of God in him had inriched and beautified him namely with perfect goodnes and holye righteousnes there remained nothing in his soule but a weake desire to aspire to that soueraigne Good of which she felt hir selfe spoiled For further confirmation whereof this incomparable beautie of the visible shape of the bodie was left vnto him to the end that in this principall worke as in a rich picture he might find large matter to mooue him to contemplate and to admire the excellencie and greatnes of his Creator who is able to set him againe in his former glorie and brightnes By means of this knowledge a man feeleth himselfe effectually mooued and touched with the loue of his like imprinted in euery nature which desireth vsually to shew foorth the effects thereof to the profite of many if it be not wholy depraued and accursed This loue ought to be so much the greater more perfect in man by how much the neerer he approcheth to the vnderstanding of the incomprehensible secrets of the diuinitie For what thing ought more to stirre vs vp and to mooue vs with zeale to do good to our neighbours than the consideration both of their creation after the image of God whereunto we owe all honor loue obedience and also of their roestablishment into the same image by his pure grace mercie besides the contemplation of the excellent composition and building of this frame of man These things being well considered in our minds whom shall we take for our enemie for a stranger as contemptible vnwoorthy and of no account seeing this brightnes and grace of God shineth in euery one and especially in those whom the world despiseth Moreouer when we know by his word that Man is substituted of God in his place that we should acknowledge towards him the inestimable benefits which we haue and daily receiue from the helpe and goodnesse of our common Father who promiseth to accept as done to himselfe what good thing soeuer we procure to his creatures so that it be done with a gladsome and cheerfull countenance and with a sweete and curteous kind of beneficence void of arrogancie contumelie or reproch shal any thing stay vs from exercising towards euery one all duties of humanitie We read in Macrobius that long sithence there was a Temple in Athens dedicated to Mercie into which none was suffered to enter except he were beneficiall and helpfull and then also with licence from the Senate In so much that through a desire which the people had to haue accesse into it they studied earnestly to exercise workes of pitie and pietie Yea the greatest reproch which an Athenian could vtter to his neighbor was to hit him in the teeth that he was neuer in the Academie of the Philosophers nor in the Temple of Mercie girding him by this only reproch with two shamefull things the one of ignorance and want of prudence the other of crueltie inhumanitie Now if among those of olde time the onely naturall seede of the loue of their like which also is seen in beasts was so strong and powerfull that it brought forth in them notwithstanding they were destitute of the heauenly light fruites woorthy of perpetuall memorie as they that had nothing in greater estimation than to shew themselues meeke gentle curteous helpfull and gratious towards others euen towards their enemies What ought they to do that say they are all members of that one head who recommendeth so expresly vnto them meeknes mildnes gentlenes grace clemencie mercy good-will compassion and euery good affection towards their neighbor All which things are cōprehended vnder this only sacred word of Charitie which is the indissoluble band of God with vs whereby we are inflamed with the loue of him for that which we owe vnto him and thereby also are induced to loue our neighbours for the loue of God But let vs consider how the ancients hauing but the shadow of this perfect Charitie praysed esteemed this vertue of Meeknes from which they knew how to draw so many good commodities for the profite and succour of euery one that after we may note here certain woorthy examples to stirre vs vp so much the more vnto our dutie Meeknes saith Plato is a vertue that belongeth to the courageous part of the soule whereby we are hardly mooued to anger Hir office and dutie is to be able to support and endure patiently those crimes that are layd vpon hir not to suffer hir selfe to be hastily caried to reuenge nor to be too easily stirred to wrath but to make him that possesseth hir mild gratious and of a stayed and setled mind Meeknes and gentlenes as he sayth else-where is that vertue whereby a man easily appeaseth the motions and instigations of the soule caused by choler and it standeth him in stead of a moderate temperāce of the spirit decking him with mildnes curtesie which draweth vnto him the loue of strangers and good seruice of his owne Whereby it appeereth that whosoeuer is mild and courteous to others receiueth much more profit and honor than those whome he honoreth They are not to be credited saith Cicero who say that a man must vse crueltie towards his enemies esteeming that to be an act proper to a noble and courageous man For nothing is more commendable or woorthie a great and excellent man than meekenes and clemencie It seemeth also that liberalitie beneficence iustice
minding to deale in publike affaires gathered all his friends togither and told them that he renounced discharged himself of all their friendship bicause friendship many times caused men to yeeld and to step aside from their good and right purposes in matters of iudgement True it is that when we haue none but good men to our friends who are mooued and possessed with the same zeale to vertue that we are as before was mentioned we shall neuer fall into these inconueniences The example of Aristides the Athenian his loue vnto Iustice is woorthie of speciall remembrance For calling into the law an enimie of his after he had set downe his accusation the Iudges were so mooued against the accused party for the impietie of the fact in controuersie that they would haue condemned him vnheard so greatly did they trust to the honestie of the accuser that he had set downe nothing but the very truth But Aristides who for his great and rare vertue had before deserued the surname of Iust went with the accused partie and cast himselfe at the Iudges feete beseeching them that he might be heard to iustifie and to defend himselfe according as the lawes commanded Further one writeth of him that when he was vpon a time Iudge betweene two parties that pleaded before him one of them said my aduersarie hath done thee great wrong Aristides But he foorthwith interrupting his talke made this answer My friend declare only whether he hath wronged thee For I am heere to do thee right and not my selfe shewing thereby that Iustice ought to be executed without any priuate passion reuenge or choler wherewithall many at this day are ouercome Iunius Brutus Consul of Rome condemned his two sonnes Titus Tiberius to be beheaded being conuicted for conspiring the reentrie of Tarquinius race vnto the kingdome of Rome from whence they had been vanquished for wickednes and whoredome Truely a notable example and cleane contrarie to those that are fauourers and accepters of persons Phocion refused to helpe his sonne in law Charillus in iudgement being accused for taking certaine monie vniustly saying vnto him that he had made him his Allie in all iust and reasonable matters onely Alexander the Great vsed this commendable custome as he sate in place of Iustice to heare criminall causes pleaded that whilest the accuser declared his accusation he stopped one of his eares with his hand to the end he might keepe it pure vpright not admitting thereinto as he gaue them to vnderstand any preiudicate or false impression that so he might heare the accused partie speake in his own defence and iustification Truely an example meete for kings and princes that they should not lightly beleeue slaunderers nor giue sentence of execution presently vpō their report and perswasion bicause they ought not to take pleasure or to glut themselues as it were with some pleasant pastime in the corrections and punishments of men which is the propertie of a tyrant Neither ought they after the punishment is inflicted to repent them thereof which is a token of ignorance and basenesse of mind but Iustice must see execution done when reason and iudgement require and that without either griefe or pleasure Augustus Caesar knowing that Asprenas a very familiar friend of his was accused in iudgement and fearing that if he went to the place where the matter was to be heard he should offer wrong to Iustice as also that if he went not he should seeme to abandon his friend as iudging him culpable he asked counsail of the Senate with whom he resolued to be present at the iudgement of his friend but to speake nothing bicause in so doing he should neither do him wrong nor violate iustice Agesilaus king of Lacedemonia deserued likewise great praise for this vertue albeit he were a very assured friend to his friend and of a gentle nature readie to imploy himselfe in the behalfe of all them that stood in need of him Neuerthelesse when a friend of his contended with him about a matter which he desired to obtaine of this prince saying that he had made him a promise thereof If the thing quoth he be iust I haue promised it but if it be vniust I haue not promised but onely spoken it He vsed also to say that he esteemed Iustice as chiefe of all the vertues and that valure was of no valew if it were not ioined therwith yea would be needlesse if all men were iust And when certaine men who were sent vnto him to conferre about some agreement said one day vnto him that the great King would haue it so wherein quoth he vnto them is he greater than I if he be not more iust Whereby he iudged verie well that the difference between a great and a little king ought to be taken from iustice as from a kingly measure and rule according vnto which they ought to gouerne their subiects seeing they were at the first established to do iustice as Herodotus speaking of the Medes and Cicero of the Romanes make mentiō This is that which a poore old woman signified to Phillip king of Macedonia when she came to him to haue hir complaint heard To whom when the king made answer that he had no leasure at that time to heare hir she cried with a loud and cleere voyce Be not then king Whereupon this meeke prince by which name he said he had rather be called for a long time than by the name of Lord for a little while was so touched at the hart with the consideration of his dutie that he returned presently into his pallace where setting aside al other affaires he gaue himselfe many daies to heare all their cōplaints and requests that would come before him beginning first with the said poore woman Another time being ouertaken with sleepe and not well hearing the iustification and defence of one Machetas he condemned him in a certaine summe Whereupon the said partie cried out aloud that he appealed to Phillip after he should be throughly awake Which being noted by the said Prince he would needes heare him againe and afterward declared him not guiltie paying notwithstanding with his own money that summe wherein he had before condemned him that so he might keepe inuiolable the authoritie of his sentence The emperor Traian is iustly commended of Historiographers bicause he alighted from his horse as he was going to warre only to heare the complaint which a poore woman was about to make vnto him And truely nothing doth so properly belong vnto or is so well beseeming a prince of a good and gentle nature as the practise and exercise of Iustice Therefore when the Hebrews asked a king of Samuel they added this To iudge vs like all nations Yea these heads which had the soueraigntie ouer thē before were only in the nature of Iudges It is Iustice only which through the grace of God causeth kingdoms monarchies to flourish
honestie shamefastnes She ware a iewell hanging by a riben about hir necke to signifie that she was bound and put in subiection to hir husband She presented also to hir husband water in one hand and fire in the other Which some interprete thus that as the communication of mans life consisteth chiefly in the vse of these two elements of fire water so there cannot be any fellowship more familiar or neerer linked togither than that of the husband and the wife Now bicause fire and water signifie communication others haue thus vnderstood it that as fire and water are cleane contraries aswell in the first as in the second qualities so are man and wife the one being hot and dry of the nature of fire and the other cold and moist of the nature of water which contrarieties being ioined togither make a harmonie temperature of loue Againe some would haue the dissentions murmurings complaints that are often in mariages signified therby wherin laughter is not without weeping nor rest without labor nor sweete without sower according to the nature of all earthly things in which we cannot taste honie without gall nor sugar without Aloes Many other ceremonies were vsed of the Ancients which for breuity sake as also bicause there is smal instruction in them I omit for this present Therefore to conclude our discourse we learne that the name of a house doth not onely signifie the wals and roofe of a building but that it ought to be taken for a familie gathered togither to communicate one with another in all necessities We learne also that in euery mariage we ought to haue regard to the ordinance and institution of God and to those politike lawes vnder which we liue to the ende we trouble not common tranquillitie that we must auoide all disparitie of goods of houses of age and especially of nature and manners Let vs not suffer our selues to be caried away with any foolish passion but looke chiefly to this that vnder a gratious honest behauiour may shine foorth cleare and euident steps of an vpright and sincere soule void of dissimulation saying with the Wise man Fauour is deceitfull and beautie is vanitie but a woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised We must also rid our wedding assemblies of all dissolutenes of all kind of allurements to voluptuousnes and nicenes that they may rather seeme to be schooles of honour and chastitie than of intemperancie and loosenes If we lay such foundations in mariages no doubt but God will blesse them and make them happie and prosperous to the glorie of his name and to the quietnes and contentation of vs all Of the particular dutie of a husband towards his wife Chap. 47. ARAM. AS Phisitions stand more in feare of feauers engendred of hid causes gathered togither by little and little of a long time than of those which proceed of very apparant causes so the smal iarres and daily quarrelings of maried folkes being vnknowne to strangers and drawing by litle and little to an incurable hardnes do more separate them one from another than any other cause whatsoeuer Therefore it is necessary that all the rootes of such naughty sprigs should be cut off and all occasions eschewed which might prouoke one another to the least and lightest anger that may be The industrie of the man ought to aime especially at this being called to the honorable estate of Head of a familie looking diligently that he performe such dutie towards hir who is so straightly linked vnto him that such dissentions neuer take their beginning through his default Let vs then my Companions take occasion of this subiect to be better instructed in the dutie of a husband towards his wife ACHITOB. Reioice sayth the Wise man with the wife of thy youth Let hir be as the louing Hinde and pleasant Roe let hir breastes satisfie thee at all times and delight in hir loue continually For why shouldest thou delight in a strange woman or imbrace the bosome of a stranger For the waies of man are before the eyes of the Lorde and he pondereth all his pathes ASER. Husbands sayth S. Paule loue your wiues euen as Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it So ought men to loue their wiues as their owne bodies he that loueth his wife loueth himselfe But it belongeth to thee AMANA to handle vs this point at large AMANA Gorgias an excellent Orator commended of Cicero in many places exhorted the Graecians long since to peace and concord by an oration of woonderfull arte Which when he had ended one Melanthus stoode vp before all the companie that was present and sayd My Lordes behold Gorgias who by his eloquent oration exhorteth vs that are in number infinite to concord and yet he cannot playe the Oratour so well as to cause his wife and hir chamber-maide to liue quietly with him in his house wherein there are but they three For ye shall daily see them at strife and continuall dissention Therefore my Lordes I thinke it great rashnes in him to exhort vs to concord when he cannot haue it himselfe in his priuate house And truly besides the vnspeakeable torment that is ioined with such riots ianglings and controuersies in a house it is a shamefull offence when they are knowne to strangers The Ancients had a priuate and houshold God whome they called the God Lar which we may translate into our language the God of the Harth He was had in such veneration that if any man withdrewe himselfe to the harth and house of his deadlie enimie his enimie durst not offer him anie violence as long as he was there the harth being vnto him a sanctuarie and place of immunitie For so we read of Themistocles that being banished from Athens and pursued by some that would haue layed violent handes vpon him he fled to the Harth of his deadlie enimie who for that cause durst not strike him nor offer him any iniurie This Harth was dedicated and consecrated to the Goddesse Vesta and was placed where the chiefe fire of the house was made Nowe I pray you if it were prohibited and accounted an vniust thing for a man to quarrell to iniurie or to offer violence euen to his vtter enimie beeing fled to his Harth howe infamous an acte thinke you and vnwoorthie the nature of man did these men iudge it to be to offer any violence to them that were of the same Harth but chiefly to the wife who is a principall person belonging to the bed table Harth yea to the whole house of the husband and is called by the lawe a companion both of the diuine and humane house At this daie we commonly obserue this not to offend in any sort those that come to see vs and if we haue any occasion of quarrelling it shall not be shewed as long as they are in our house if we haue any care not to be
hir husbands loue Goe to then let vs see if we can giue the wife some instructions touching this matter how she may keep hir self within the limites of hir dutie towards hir husband ARAM. As the Church is in subiection to Christ euen so saith the Scripture let the wiues be to their husbands in euery thing For the husband is the wiues head euen as Christ is the head of the Church ACHITOB. Wiues must be modest wise chaste keepers at home louers of their husbands and subiect vnto them But it belongeth to thee ASER to be now vnto them in stead of a schoole-master ASER. When kings and princes honor Philosophers and learned men it is certaine that they honor thēselues but philosophers that court it and become seruants to riches are not thereby honoured We may say as much of wiues For whē they submit themselues to their husbands they are praised but if they will become mistresses ouer them it beseemeth them as ill as it doth such as yeeld to that subiection and both of them reape more shame thā honor thereby Therefore those women that make choice of effeminate husbands delight in commanding them are like to such as had rather guide the blind than follow the wise and cleare-sighted So that if a wife loue esteeme and honor hir husband I thinke that all honest dutie will flow from thence to their common contentation comfort to the benefit quietnes and honour of the whole familie I meane if she loue him as hir self and esteem and honour him as hir neerest lord A wise woman ought to thinke that hir husbands maners are the lawes of hir life which if they be good she is wholy to folow but if they be bad she must patiently beare with them For as a looking glasse serueth to no purpose although it be gilt and decked with precious stones if it doth not liuely represent his face that looketh into it so a woman is not to be liked albeit she haue store of goods if hir life be not thereafter and hir behauior conditions be not conformable to hir husbands If a looking glasse represent a sadde and mourning countenance to one that is ioyful and mery or contrarywise a smiling face to him that is sorowfull it is a false glasse and worth nothing So is she a bad wife and vnreasonable which frowneth when hir husband is desirous to be mery with hir to take some honest recreation or contrarywise which laugheth and sporteth hir selfe when she seeth him full of busines and greatly troubled For the one is a token of hir froward disposition the other that she despiseth the affections of hir husband And as lines and superficiall partes as the Geometricians say mooue not of themselues but as the bodies mooue wherein they are so a wife must haue no proper and peculiar passion or affection to hir self but must be partaker of the pastimes affaires thoughts laughters of hir husband The farther the Moone is from the Sun the cleerer it is and shineth so much the more and contrarywise it hath lesse light is obscuved the more as it commeth neerer therunto so euil women deale with their husbands when they loue not their presence For in their absence you shall see them as iocund and frolick as may be but when they are with their husbands and at home then are they sorowful pensiue Moreouer a wife must not trust too much either to hir wealth or to the nobilitie of hir race or to hir beautie but to that which setteth neerest hir husbands hart that is to hir behauior maners and conuersation taking order that these things be not hard troublesom or irksom to hir husband euery day but such as please him and agree with his conditions For the troublesome conuersation of a wife that alwais iarreth in the end maketh euen hir honest behauior odious as hir ouer-great pinching niggardlines causeth hir sparing good huswiferie to become hateful As this custom was obserued amongst the Persians that when their enimies came rushing vpon thē with great clamors they receiued them with silence contrarywise if they were set vpon with silence they made head against them with opē mouth so discreet womē hold their peace when their husbands cry out with choler contrarywise if they vtter not a word they labor to appease and pacifie them with their comfortable speeches A wise womā that loueth hir husband as becōmeth hir somtime tollerateth dissembleth an euil intreatie trusting so much to hir cōstancie vertue that by continuing in hir dutie she is able to bring him back again to his She must gouerne hir selfe so discreetly that neither hir neighbours nor other of hir familiar friends be made acquainted in any sort with hir complaints grieuances For by discouering them either she shal make hir self a laughing stock to others or els giue occasion to the enimies of hir honor to prouoke sollicit hir to naughtines And if any one knowing the imperfections of hir husband vnder this pretence of seeing hir hardly delt withal perswade hir to decline frō hir duty she must answer him after the example of king Phillip who being wronged by the Graecians intreated them curteously what then would my husband do vnto me if I begin to hate him to offer him iniury If she perceiue that any womā of hir acquaintance laboreth by hir talke either to sow or to increase some domestical dissentiō she may wisely say with hir self In what case would this woman that seketh to make me iealous desire rather to see me thā maliciously to play the ill huswife with my husband to forsake my house mariage bed whereupon it may be she would gladly take my place Thus a discreet woman wil giue smal eare much lesse giue place to the light speeches fained promises of such disturbers of domestical peace Neither will she admit nourish those vain sottish opinions which commonly busie the minds of such womē as are ruled gouerned onely by passions but containing hir desires through reason within a cōuenient compasse the confidence which she hath in hir husbands vertue wil breed perfect ease to hir soule by taking frō hir all doubting occasion of complaining Now vpō this discourse we giue this note by the way that whē any displeasure falleth out betweene maried folks they must haue a special regard then that they make not two beds For by this mean their anger will indune the lesser while Also they must shun al occasions of quarelling in bed For as a great bellied woman redy to lie down euen feeling the pangs of hir trauell said to those that willed hir to lie down vpon the bed How can the bed cure me of this euil which came vnto me vpon the bed so those quarels iniuries wrath choler that are bred within the bed can hardly be appeased healed
at any other time or place But to cōtinue our matter of the duty of a wife she must neuer suffer any to enter into hir husbands house without his expres commandement or licēce For euery honest wife ought to fear that which is cōmonly spoken of the losenes of women labor as much as may be to cōuince those slanderers of lying who know no other song than to speak of their incōtinencie Caesar said That a womā must not only be free frō that fault but also frō al suspicion therof which was the cause why he put away his own wife And seing it is the duty of an honest womā to take vpon hir the care ouerfight of houshold affaires she must keep at home and not loue to gad abroad or be desirous of meetings but so farre foorth as hir husband would haue hir do so The greatest vertue of a woman said Euboïdes is not to be known but of hir husband and hir praise said Argeus in a strange mouth is nothing else but a secret blame A wife ought to be modest in hir garmēts and ornaments of hir body and not vse such sumptuous apparel as the law or custom of the countrey permitteth bicause neither rich works of gold nor precious attire nor bodily beautie make not a woman so praise-woorthy as hir modestie doth which consisteth in deeds words coūtenance apparel That is an ornament said the Philosopher Crates that adorneth that thing adorneth a woman which marketh hir more honourable And this is not done by iewels of gold emeralds precious stones or purple garments but by euery thing that causeth hir to be accounted honest wise humble chaste Those womē that curiously prick vp themselues inrich their bodies with ornaments ful of pompe make men more dissolute inclined to loosenes especially when they make great window-works before their dugs giue licence to their eyes to wander gaze about Wheras contrarywise a wise womā through hir honest behauior togither with hir lowly setled look leadeth so many as cast their eies vpō hir to continencie and chastitie But a discouered dug a naked brest frisled locks paintings perfumes especially a rouling eie a lasciuious vnchast look are the fore-rūners of adultery He that wil not credit me let him read Tibullus Propertius Ouid who are of the same opinion It may well be sayd of such women whose number is too great amongst vs that they haue lost all shame albeit the best dowrie the best inheritaunce and most precious iewell which a woman can haue is to be shamefast Yea the fortresse and defence that nature hath giuen to a woman for the preseruation of hir reputation chastitie and honour is shame whereof whensoeuer she maketh no account she is vndone for euer Socrates vsed to counsell those young men that behelde them-selues in lookyng glasses if they were harde fauoured to correct their deformitie with vertue by making themselues vertuous and if they were faire not to blot their beautie with vice In like maner it were very good that when the maried wife holdeth hir looking glasse in hir hand she would speake thus to hir selfe if she be foule what then should become of me if I were also wicked And if she be faire how shall this be accounted of if I continue honest and wise For if a hard fauoured woman be loued for hir good behauiour and honest conditions it is greater honour vnto hir than if it were for beautie Moreouer a woman must haue a speciall care to be silent and to speake as seldome as she may vnlesse it be to hir husband or at his bidding reseruing household wantes and affaires secret to hir selfe and not publish them abroad Thus doing if any euill any reproch or dishonour come to the house through any of them that are within it the fault will be hir husbands and not hirs Likewise a woman that respecteth hir honour ought to be ashamed to vtter any dishonest speeches floutes iests and no lesse ashamed to giue eare vnto them For if she once giue hir self to gibing they that laughed at some litle word of hirs wil afterward mock the author therof seeing the honor of womē is such a nice charie thing that it is not lawful for thē so much as to thinke much lesse to speake of many things which men may freely both talke of put in practise Therfore those dames that mind to preserue their grauitie must be silent not only in vnlawful but euen in necessary matters vnles it be very requisite that they should speake of them To be short that woman that is borne to vertue and purposeth to performe hir dutie towards hir husband must please him in all honest things and in such as draw neerest to his inclination she must loue him intirely and esteeme of him aboue all others she must be patient and know how to winke at and to beare with many things done by him she must be prudent to gouerne hir house skilful in huswifrie to preserue hir goods careful to bring vp hir children faire-spoken and curteous to hir neighbors plētiful in honorable works a friend to honest company and a very great enimie to the lightnesse of youth Moreouer she must bestow as much time as she can steale from domesticall affaires in the studie of notable sayings and of the morall sentences of auncient Sages and good men And it were a seemely and honorable thing to heare a woman speake to hir husband in this sort Husband you are my teacher my gouernour and master in Philosophie and in the knowledge of most excellent and heauenly sciences For by such honest occupations women are withdrawen and turned aside from other vnworthy exercises whereunto we see them so apt and inclined now a daies which maketh them very offensiue as plaies dancing masking hunting and discharging of harquebuzes with such other dealings very vnmeete for their sexe Whereas if in lieu of all these things a wife would embrace the loue of knowledge so far foorth as hir wit and leasure require as hir husband shall like of she should be partaker not only of the floures and songs but also of the fruits which the Muses bring foorth and bestow vpon them that loue letters and Philosophie which will greatly helpe hir towards the leading of a happy life with hir husband Now considering that loue is alwayes the wel-spring of euery good dutie especially between those that are linked togither by mariage which ought to be so great in regard of the wife that the ciuill law and law of nations will haue a woman folow hir husband although he haue neither fire nor place to resort vnto or be banished and driuen from place to place let vs here call to remembrance some notable examples of the great loue that hath been in vertuous women towards their husbandes as well when they were
denied him at the first when he became a suter vnto hir but after in processe of time she consented thervnto When they were come to the Temple of Diana to solemnize the mariage before the aultar she powred forth a little of that drinke which she had prepared in a cup and drinking part thereof she gaue the residue to Synorix to drinke The liquor was made of water honie and poison mingled togither When she saw that he had drunke all she fetched a great and loud grone and vsing reuerence towards the Goddesse sayd vnto hir I call thee to witnes that I haue not ouer-liued Sinatus my husband for any other intent than to see this daie neither haue I enioyed any good or pleasure in all this time wherein I haue since liued but only in hope that one daie I should be able to reuenge his death which being nowe perfourmed by me I goe cheerefully and with ioy vnto my husband But as for thee most wicked man quoth she to Synorix take order now that thy friends and kinsfolkes in steede of a wedding bed prepare a buriall for thee And so within a little while after both of them ended their daies Macrina the wife of Torquatus loued hir husband so feruently and was so sorowfull for his absence that for one yeeres space wherein he was gone vpon a voyage she neuer went out of hir house nor looked out of hir windowe We read that many women of Lacedemonia when their husbands were condemned to die for conspiring against their countrie came one euening clothed in blacke to the prison vnder colour to take their finall farewell of them and changing their apparell they couered their husbands with their vailes who went out and left their wiues in their place which sustaining the punishment due to others were beheaded contrarie to humanitie not without great patience shewed on their behalfe Histories are plentifull in shewing the great loue of women towards their husbands Yea I will not be afraid to speake it men are farre inferior vnto them in perfection of loue Wherefore we will conclude that it is easier for them to be dutifull to their husbands whome as we haue alreadie sayd if they loue esteeme and honour no doubt but they are the chiefe cause of all peace and concord in their families and of the prosperous successe of their houshold affaires to the quietnes and contentation of their happie life and to the immortall praise and honour of their good name The ende of the twelfth dates worke THE THIRTEENTH DAIES WORKE Of the dutie of the Head of a familie in other parts of the house namely in the Parentall Maisterlie and Possessorie part Chap. 49. ASER. IT is not without great shew of reason which many Philosophers maintaine that the Oeconomicall science that is to say the art of ruling a house well is one of the chiefest partes of policie which is the art of skilfull gouerning a great multitude of men The reason is bicause a Towne or Citie is nothing else but an assemblie of manie families and houses togither which will be verie harde for one onelie man to order well and iustlie if he knowe not howe to set that order in his familie which is necessarie and to guide it with sound reason and true prudence Moreouer when families are well gouerned no doubt but it goeth well with the Common-wealth as we see that the whole bodie is in good helth when euery seueral member doth his dutie Nowe that we haue considered particularly of that which concerneth the first and principall part of a house and of the mutuall dutie of the husband and wife I thinke my Companions we are to beginne this daies worke with instructing our selues in that which the head of a familie ought to keepe and obserue in other parts of his house mētioned before by vs namely his children seruants and possessions seeing we are taught by the Apostle that he which prouideth not for his owne and namely for them of his houshold denieth the faith and is woorse than an Infidell AMANA Euery house must be ruled by the eldest as by a king who by nature commandeth ouer euery part of the house and they obey him for the good preseruation thereof ARAM. Euery man by right saith Homer hath rule ouer his wife and children and he is not woorthy to haue any that wanteth sufficient vertue and prudence to gouerne them well Go to then ACHITOB let vs learne of thee what belongeth to the parts of a house now mentioned by vs. ACHITOB. Anacharsis one of the wise men of Grecia said that a house is not to be called good bicause it is well built and of good stuffe but men must iudge thereof by that which is within which belongeth to the house as namely by the children wife seruants with whome being wise and well qualified if the father of a familie communicateth and imparteth of that which he hath whether it be in the bottome of a caue or vnder the shade of a bough he may be said to dwell in a good and happie house Therefore it is no small happines and felicitie for them that are called to the gouernment of a familie when they see it wise and well nurtured in euery part But as nerues and sinewes being the instruments of sence and motion proceede and are deriued from the head which by them infuseth into all parts of the bodie the Animal spirite without which the bodie could not exercise any naturall function of sence and moouing so the parts of a house commonly receiue the habite of manners and conditions from the father of a family as from the head therof but then especially when he is prudent and wise and imploieth his care diligence and industrie thereupon Therefore a good housholder must beginne the right gouernment of his house at himself by letting his houshold see that he is prudent chast sober peaceable but chiefly religious and godly as also by bringing foorth plentifull fruits of his dutie towards those that are vnder his charge For as the anger and threatnings of the head of a familie astonisheth his children and seruants so his good workes harteneth them on to do well Now bicause there is varietie of houses whose difference is commonly taken from the goods and abilitie of men which abound to some and are wanting to others I will propound heere as my purpose and meaning was before a meane house in all pointes perfect and as we vse to say neither poore nor rich from which notwithstanding both great and small may draw instruction for their gouernment We haue alreadie seene that a house is diuided into foure partes whereof the coniugall or wedlocke part hath beene alreadie handled by vs. Now we must consider of the other three I meane of the Parentall Maisterlie and Possessorie parts And I thinke it will be best to follow that order which is most vsuall in the perfection and progresse of
courage so much as to reprooue their slaues onely so far off are they that they can frankly chide their children And which is woorst of al by their naughty life they are vnto them in steed of maisters counsellors of il-doing For where old men are shameles there it must needs be that yoong men become impudent graceles Fathers therfore must striue to do whatsoeuer their dutie requireth that their children may waxe wise and well qualified This we may comprehend in fewe words namely if they bring them vp wel in their infancy let them haue due correction in their youth Which two things being neglected of fathers the faults of their children are for the most part iustly imputed vnto them Hely the Priest was not punished for any sin which himselfe had committed but bicause he winked at the sins of his children We read in the storie of the Heluetians or Switzers of the iudgement of a tyrant condemned to death where order was taken that the execution thereof should be done by the father who was the cause of his euill education that he might come to his death by the author of his life and that the father might in some sort be punished for his negligence vsed towards his child Moreouer they that haue many children must be passing careful to bring them vp in mutuall friendship causing them to giue each to other that honor and duty vnto which nature bindeth them and sharpely chastising those that in any respect offend therin The Ephoryes of Lacedemonia long since cōdēned a notable citizen in a very great sum when they vnderstood that he suffred two of his childrē to quarel togither The best meane which I find to auoid so great an euill is to loue and intreat them all alike and to accustom them to giue honour dutie and obedience one to another according to their degrees of age They must remoue from them al partialities and not suffer them to haue any thing seueral or diuided one from another that as it were in one hart and will all things may be common amongst them Example heerof was that good father of a familie Aelius Tubero who had sixteene children of his owne bodie all of them maried and dwelling all in one house with their children and liuing with him in all peace and concord For the conclusion therefore of our present discourse we learne that a father of a familie must begin the gouernment of his house with himselfe and become an example to his of all honestie vertue That he must not neglect the care of prouiding goods necessarie meanes for the maintenance of his familie remembring alwaies that in nothing he go beyond the bounds of that seemelines and decencie which dutie hath limited prescribed vnto him That he ought to loue to intreat his seruants curteously putting away threatnings as it is said in the Scripture and knowing that both their and his maister is in heauen with whom there is no respect of persons And for the last point that it belongeth to his dutie to bring vp his children in the holie instruction and information of the Lord not prouoking them to wrath that God may be glorified and he their father may reioice in the presence of his friends and that his countrie generally may receiue benefit profit and commoditie Of the dutie of children towards their parents of the mutuall loue that ought to be among brethren of the dutie of seruants towards their maisters Chap. 50. ACHITOB VPon a day when one said in the hearing of Theopompus king of Sparta that the estate of that citie was preserued in such flourishing maner bicause the kings knew how to command wel the prince replied that it was not so much for that cause as bicause the citizens knew how to obey well And to speake the truth to obey wel as also the vertue of commanding is a great vertue and proceedeth from a nature which being noble of it selfe is holpen by good education Therefore Aristotle said that it was necessarie that he which obeieth should be vertuous as wel as he that commandeth Now seeing we haue intreated of the dutie of a father and head of a familie exercising his office vpon all the parts of his house let vs now consider of the dutie and obedience that is requisite in seruaunts and children and of the mutuall and reciprocall amitie which ought to be betweene brethren desirous to preserue the bond of Oeconomical societie in a happie estate ASER. Children saith the Scripture obey your parents in all things for that is well pleasing vnto the Lord Honor thy father and mother which is the first commaundement with promise that it may be well with thee and that thou mayest liue long on earth AMANA Who so honoreth his father his sinnes shall be forgiuen him and he shall abstaine from them and shall haue his daily desires And he that honoureth his mother is like one that gathereth treasure And you seruaunts be subiect to your masters with all feare not onely to the good and curteous but also to the froward Let vs then heare ARAM discourse more at large of that which is here propounded vnto vs. ARAM. Nature saith Plutark and the law which preserueth nature haue giuen the first place of reuerence and honor after God vnto the father and mother and men can not do any seruice more acceptable to God than graciously and louingly to pay to their parents that begot thē and to them that brought them vp the vsurie of new and olde graces which they haue lent them as contrarywise there is no signe of an Atheist more certaine than for a man to set light by and to offend his parents The father is the true image of the great and soueraigne God the vniuersall father of all things as Proclus the Academike said Yea the child holdeth his life of the father next after God and whatsoeuer else he hath in this world Therfore a man is forbidden to hurt others but it is accounted great impietie and sacriledge for a man not to shew himselfe ready to doe and to speake all things I will not say whereby they can receiue no displeasure but wherby they may not receiue pleasure And in deed one of the greatest good turnes that we can do to those of whom we are descended is not to make them sad Which cannot possibly be done if God the leader and guide to all knowledge disposeth not the mind to all honest things The children of wisdome are the Church of the righteous and their ofspring is obedience and loue Children heare the iudgement of your father and do thereafter that you may be safe For the Lord will haue the father honored of the children and hath confirmed the authoritie of the mother ouer the children He that honoureth his father shall haue ioy of his owne children and when he maketh his prayer he shall
are to be vsed in seruice but onely how a great number may be had And many times he that is knowen to be a bold murderer and giuen ouer to all wickednesse shall be preferred to an office before an honest man and which is more we despise our owne countrey-men whome the welfare of our countrey concerneth as well as our selues and rather trust strangers and hirelings who seeke nothing but destruction so that we our selues also bewaile but too late the mischiefes that haue light vpon vs. For this cause I propound vnto you my companions to discourse vpon the election and choise which is to be considered of in taking such men of war to whom a man may safely commit himself if you thinke good you may speak somwhat also of the maner of exhortatioÌ„ to fight vsed by the ancients bicause I touched it by the way in my former discourse lastly how victory ought to bee vsed which commonly followeth good order and discipline of war wherof we haue hitherto discoursed ASER. Forasmuch as the chiefe force of an armie consisteth in the sincere and constant good will of the souldiors towards him for whom they fight it is not to be sought for else-where than in his owne naturall subiects to whome prosperitie and good successe is common with the Prince AMANA My friends quoth Cyrus to his men of war I haue chosen you not bicause I haue had proofe heretofore of your manhood but bicause from my yong yeeres I haue known you ready to doe those things which we in this countrey account honest and to eschew all dishonestie This cannot be truely said of strangers neuer seen before who come out of their countrey to inrich themselues with the ouerthrow of their neighbours But it belongeth to thee ARAM to handle this matter here propounded vnto vs. ARAM. If we consider diligently of the causes from whence came the ruine of the Romane Empire we shall find that those meanes which the wisest Emperors inuented for the safetie and preseruation thereof turned in the end to the destruction of it First the ordinary armies placed by Augustus neere to Rome in the borders of his estate ouerthrew many of his successors euen the empire it self which they would sometimes set to sale deliuer vp to him that gaue most for it Next the translation of the empire which Constantine the great made from Rome to BizantiuÌ„ afterward called by his name Constantinople therby to make it more sure against the Persians other people of Asia greatly hastned forward the ouerthrow of the same For when he caried thither the chief strength and wealth of Rome diuided the empire into the East and West â—e weakned it very much so that the West was first destroyed and then the East which if they had continued vnited and knit togither might for a long time and in a maner for euer haue resisted all inuasions Thirdly when the Emperours thought to strengthen themselues with strange hired forrain power called to their succour as namely the Gothes thereby weakening their owne forces and naturall strength of the Empire they put ere they were aware Rome and Italy and consequently the other Prouinces into the hands of the Barbarians Yea we find that the greatest calamities that euer happened to Common-wealths diuided was when the Citizens were seuered among themselues and called in strangers to helpe them who vsing often to goe that way at the last made themselues maisters ouer them The Germanes called by the Sequani to their succour against those of Autun compelled them to deliuer halfe their land vnto them and at length they drooue away all the naturall people of the countrie and became Lordes of the greatest part of the Gaules territorie But not to go so farre off it is high time for vs to grow wise by our owne perill The factions of the houses of Orleans and of Burgundy called in the Englishmen into France who by this meane sette such footing therein that they possessed a great part therof a long time after What lacked in our time why the Frenchmen blinded caried away with partialities and God grant they may throughly knowe it did not bring their countrie to that extremitie of miseries as to submit it to the seruice and slauerie of a strange yoke vnder the colour of begging helpe at their handes What letted why there was not plaied among vs of vs and by vs the cruellest most sorrowfull tragedie that euer was when men came hither from all quarters to behold the sight Would not a man haue thought that both great and small had wittingly purposed to ouer-throw the goodliest most noble kingdome of the world and themselues withall and so in the end haue shamefully lost the glorie and renowne which their Ancestors had woorthily gotten for them Now if any good hap hath turned this tempest from vs against our wils at the least let vs call to mind the danger whereinto we had willingly cast our selues and let vs not forget the admonition that was giuen vs by those barbarous fellowes whose Captaines and Counsellors asked vs why we called them in when a little before their departure out of this kingdome they were complained vnto for the extorsions and cruelties which their men practised What thinke you said they is the intent and purpose of our men in following vs but to enrich themselues with your ouerthrow Agree among your selues and neuer call vs more except ye minde to taste of that which shall be woorse But let vs enter into the particular consideration of the perill and hurt that commeth by forraine and mercenarie souldiours that we may knowe whome wee ought rather to vse The armes where-with a Prince defendeth his Countrie are either his owne or hired of strangers or sent to his succour by some Prince his friend or else mingled of both togither They that maintaine that it is necessarie for the prosperitie and preseruation of euerie happie Common-wealth not to vse forraine helpe say that hired force and succour of strangers is woorth nothing but rather dangerous and that if a Prince thinke to ground the assurance of his Estate vpon forraine force he cannot safely doe it For they agree not easily togither they doe all for profite and will be neither well ordered nor obedient On the other side they are not ouer-faithfull they are all in their brauerie amonge friendes but hartlesse amonge enimies They neither feare God nor are faithfull to men The reason heereof is this bicause no loue nor anye other occasion holdeth them but paie and hope of spoyle Which is no sufficient cause to mooue them to die willingly in his seruice whose subiects they are not and whose ruine they desire rather than his increase The last destruction of Italy came by no other thing than bicause it trusted a longe time to forraine and hyred forces which brought some thinges to passe for some men
then we would knowe a good way how we shall neuer be vanquished we must not trust to our armour or force but alwaies call vpon God to direct our counsels for the best By this also we shall be perswaded to vse victorie mildly seeing it is the propertie of valiant men to be gentle and gratious ready to forgiue and to haue compassion of them that suffer and indure affliction There is no true victorie as Marcus Aurelius wrote to Popilion Captaine of the Parthians but that which carieth with it some clemencie so that a rigorous and cruell man may not in reason be called victorious And it is most true that to ouercome is humane but the action of pardoning is diuine As touching the sacking and ouerthrow of townes taken in warre carefull heede saith Cicero must be taken that nothing be done rashly or cruelly For it is the propertie of a noble hart to punish such onely as are most guiltie and the authors of euil and to saue the multitude Briefly to obserue in all thinges whatsoeuer is right and honest to be valiant and gentle to be an enimie to those that doe vniustly fauourable to the afflicted seuere to quarrellers and full of equitie to suppliants are those praise-woorthie qualities for which Alexander Iulius Casar Scipio Hannibal Cyrus and many other both Greeke and Romane Captaines are most commended who ought to be imitated in the arte of warre by all excellent men Of a happie Life Chap. 71. ARAM. WE haue hitherto discoursed my Companions of vertues vices for which the life of man is praised or dispraised in all Estats and conditions whereunto the varietie of maners and inclinations to sundry studies and works cal men and make them fit Wherin we haue chiefly followed the ends and bounds of honestie equitie propounded by Moral Philosophers from whence they draw particular duties and all actions of vertue vsing a very commendable and excellent order disposition Now seeing we are come to the end of the cause of our assemblie as we began it with the true Christian knowledge of the creation of man and of the end of his being vnknowne to so many great personages in the world who are lightened only with humane sciences which are but darkenes in regard of that heauenly light the eternal word of God that guideth the soules of the beleeuers I think that we ought also to end and breake vp this our meeting togither with the maner of a happie life and death according to those endes that are propounded vnto vs by the infallible rule of all vertue and truth which if they be not so subtilly set downe and disputed as the Philosophy of the Ancients is yet at the least they are without comparison better and more certaine Go to then let vs heare you discourse first of a happie life ACHITOB. Blessed are they saith the Prophet that dwell in the house of God and that euermore praise him hauing his waies in their harts He will giue them grace and glory and will with-hold no good thing from them that walke vprightly ASER. What happier life can we require than that which S. Iohn calleth eternal life namely to know one only true God Iesus Christ whō he hath sent But it belongeth to thee AMANA to feede our spirits with this excellent subiect AMANA Although the spirite of God teaching his iust and holy will by a doctrine that is simple and void of all vaine shew of wordes hath not alwaies obserued and kept so strictly such a certaine order and methode to prepare and to direct their liues that shall beleeue in him as the Philosophers did who affected the greatest shew outwardly that they could thereby to make manifest the sharpnes of their wit the greatnes of their humane vnderstanding yet may we easily gather out of this diuine doctrine which doth more deface all glittering shew and beauty of humane sciences than the Sun excelleth darkenes a most excellent order teaching vs to frame a happie life according to the mould paterne of true heauenly vertue This order consisteth of two parts the one imprinting in our harts the loue of iustice the other giuing vnto vs a certaine rule that will not suffer vs to wander hither thither nor to slip aside in the framing of our life Concerning the first point the Scripture is full of very good reasons to encline our harts to loue that Good which in deed is to be desired I meane perfect righteousnes With what foundation could it begin better than by admonishing vs to be sanctified bicause our God is holy Whereunto the reason is added that although we were gone astray as sheepe scattered dispersed in the Labyrinth of this world yet he hath gathered vs togither to ioine vs to himselfe When we heare mention made of the coniunction of god with vs we must remember that the bond thereof is holines and that we must direct our steps thither as to the end of our calling that we may be transformed into the true image of God which through sinne was defaced in the first man consequently in vs. Moreouer to mooue vs the more to embrace that only true God the spirit of God teacheth vs that as he hath reconciled vs vnto himselfe in his son Iesus Christ so he hath appointed him to be vnto vs an example and paterne vnto which wee must conforme our selues This heauenly worde also taketh occasion to exhort vs thereunto in infinite places drawing his reasons from all the benefits of God and from all the parts of our saluation As when it is saide That seeing God hath giuen himselfe to be our Father wee are to be accused of notable ingratitude if wee behaue not our selues as his children Seeing Iesus Christ hath clensed vs by the washing of his blood and hath communicated this purification vnto vs by baptisme there is no reason why we should defile our selues with new filthines Seeing he hath ioined ingrafted vs into his body we must carefully looke that we defile not our selues in any sort being members of his body Seeing he that is our Head is gone vp to heauen we must lay aside all earthly affections and aspire with all our hart to that heauenly life Seeing the holy Ghost hath consecrated vs to be the temples of God we must labour and striue that the glorie of God may be exalted in vs and beware that we receiue no pollution Seeing our soules and bodies are fore appointed to enioye that immortalitie of the kingdome of heauen and the incorruptible Crowne of God his glorie we must endeuour to keepe both the one and the other pure and vnspotted vntill the day of the Lord. Behold surely good grounds meete to frame and institute a happie life by and to mooue a Christian to bring foorth the effectes of such an excellent and woorthie title throught the loue
of righteousnes hauing this marke alwaies before his eies to direct all his actions thereunto namely to aspire to that perfection which God commandeth From which although the affections of our flesh seeke to separate vs and the difficulties are great so that it is impossible for vs to attaine perfectly thereunto in this mortall prison yet let vs not leaue of to followe that waye which we haue once begunne looking to our marke in puritie vprightnes and simplicitie and striuing to come to our ende vntill wee perfectly see that soueraigne goodnes when hauing put off the infirmitie of our fleshe and being made partakers of that goodnes in full measure we shall be receiued of God into his heauenlie kingdome Let vs nowe come to the seconde point Although the lawe of God comprised in ten Commandements and those ten also contained onely in two hath a most excellent methode and well ordered disposition whereby to direct our life to make it happy yet it hath pleased our good Maister his eternall sonne to frame them that are his by an exquisite doctrine according to that rule which he had giuen vnto them in his lawe The beginning of that way which he taketh is after this sort namely to teach them that it is the dutie of euery faithful man to offer his body a liuely holy and acceptable sacrifice to God wherin consisteth the chiefest point of that seruice which we owe vnto him Thē he goeth on to exhort vs that we would not fashion our selues to this world but be changed by the renewing of our mind that we may prooue what is the good will of God That is no small reason to say that we must consecrate and dedicate our selues to God that from hence forward we should neither thinke speake meditate or doe any thing but to his glorie For it is not lawefull to applye any thing that is consecrated to a prophane vse Nowe if we be not our owne but belong to the Lorde we may thereby see both how to auoid errour and whither wee must direct all the parts of our life namely to the rule of his holie and iust will Let vs not propound to our selues this ende to seeke after that which is expedient for vs according to the flesh Let vs forget our selues as much as may be and all things that are about vs. We are the Lordes let vs liue and die to him and let his will and wisedome gouerne all our actions Let all the parts of our life be referred to him as to their onely ende and let all our humane reason yeeld and retire that the holie Ghost may haue place in vs and that our reason may be subiect to his direction to the ende we may no more liue of our selues but hauing Iesus Christ to liue and raigne within vs. I liue saith Saint Paule yet not I nowe but Christ liueth in me Truly he that hath Iesus Christ liuing in him and that liueth in Iesus Christ liueth no more in himselfe and careth least for him-selfe For if all true loue hath such force within the hart where it is placed that it careth not for itselfe but delighteth in and is altogither partaker of the thinge that it loueth howe much stronger shall the heauenlie loue be to with-drawe all our affections from the earth vnto the things of the spirite O good Iesus O loue of my soule saith S. Augustine as often as loue beginneth in mee it endeth with hatred in thee but when it beginneth in thee I come to the hatred of my selfe so that the scope of thy loue is nothing else but dislike of our selues Therefore our Sauiour said to his Disciples that if any man would followe him he should forsake himselfe Moreouer after the hart of man is once possessed with this deniall of himselfe first all pride hastines and ostentation are banished out of the soule next couetousnes intemperance superfluitie desire of honour and of all delights with the rest of those vices that are engendred through the loue of our selues Contrariwise where the deniall of our selues raigneth not there is man giuen ouer to all kind of villanie without shame or blushing or if any shewe of vertue appeere in his actions it is corrupted before God through a wicked desire of glorie Most of our imperfections proceede from the loue of our selues which hindreth vs from discharging our duty towards God and towards our neighbors according to charity Charitie is nothing else but to loue God for himself our neighbour for his sake I say to loue God bicause he is the soueraigne good bicause the greatnes of his goodnes deserueth it to loue our neighbours bicause the image of God shineth in them whome he hath substituted in his place that we should acknowledge towardes them the benefits which he hath bestowed vpon vs. And who is able to performe those duties that S. Paule requireth in charitie vnlesse he hath renounced himselfe that he may seeke nothing but the profite of his neighbour Loue saith hee suffereth long it is bountifull it enuieth not it doth not boast it selfe it is not puffed vp it disdaineth not it seeketh not hir owne things it is not prouoked to anger and so forth If that onely saying were there that we must not seeke our owne profite it should be of no small force with our nature which draweth vs so much to the loue of our selues that we forget what wee owe to our neighbours But if we would faithfully discharge this dutie let vs whilest we do good and exercise the offices of humanitie remember this rule That we are Stewards of all that God hath giuen vnto vs wherby we may help our neighbour and that one day wee shall giue account howe wee haue executed our charge limited vnto vs in the practise of charitie by a true and sound affection of friendship Which thing wil haue place amongst vs when we take vpon vs their persons that stand in neede of succour when we pitie their miserie as if we felt and sustained it when we are touched with the same affection of mercie to help them that is in vs to helpe our selues As for that which onely concerneth our dutie towards God the deniall of our selues will make vs patient and meeke And when our affections pricke vs forward to seeke how we may liue in rest and ease the Scripture alwaies bringeth vs backe to this that resigning our selues and all that we haue into the hands of god we should submit the desires of our hart to him that he may tame them and bring them vnder his yoke We are led with a furious kind of intemperance with an vnbrideled lust in desiring credite and honour in seeking after power and might in heaping vp of riches and in gathering togither whatsoeuer we iudge meete for pompe and magnificence On the other side we maruellously feare and hate pouertie basenes and ignominie flie
be ioined with knowledge What want of prudence is The pernitious effects of ignorance All ignorant men are euill The effects of ignorance both in rich poore Common effects of ignorance The spring of all errors The reasons which mooued the heathen to beleeue that there was a diuinitie Nicias feared an eclipse of the moone Caligula and Domitian Otho 1. Anaxagoras saying against the superstitious feare of celestiall signes Cleander a traitor to Commodus his Lord. The hase mind of Perses being ouercome of Emilius What malice and craft are Vertuous men seeke after honest not secret things Satan the father of malice and subtiltie The malice of Nero. Tiberius Math. 10. 16. We must not denie or hide our ignorance Math. 12. 35. Pro. 17. 27. 28. 1. Per. 3. 10. A double speech or reason How speech is framed Words are the shadow of works The foundation and scope of all speech Of Laconicall speech A pretie saying of Pittacus Of graue and eloquent speech Against prating pleaders The toong is the best and woorst thing that is Isocrates appointed two times of speaking Apelles speech to a Persian lord How great men ought to speake Apelles speech to a shoomaker Alexander gaue money to a poet to hold his peace Nothing ought to be written without great deliberation Notable and pithy letters of ancient men A good precept for speaking The praise of silence Hyperides Examples of mischiefes caused by the intemperancie of the toong Of concealing a secret Examples of the commendable freedome of speech The constancie of Gordius Prudence requisite in a friend No outward thing is to be preferred before friendship Nothing more rare or excellent than a friend The principall cause and end of all true friendship What friendship is The difference betwixt friendship and loue What things are requisite in friendship The common practise of flatterers What maner of man we must choose for our friend How we must prooue a friend How we must shake off a false friend How Alcibiades tried his friends The meanes to keepe a friend Friendship must be free Phalereus How many waies we owe dutie to our friend How we must beare with the imperfections of our friend Against the plurality of friends He that hath neuer a fo hath neuer a friend The best and most excellent friendship is betweene one couple Pisistratus letter 〈◊〉 his nephew Titus Flaminius Nothing better than to liue with a vertuous man Three things necessarie in friendship Man is mutable One of the greatest fruits reaped in friendship A notable custome of the Lacedemonians A friend compared to a musitioÌ„ Agesilaus How we must vse reprehension Time bringeth as many things to good order as reason doth We must correct in our selues those faults which we reprehend in others Sundry instructions how to admonish wisely Reprehension is the beginning of good life Solons good aduice for counsailors to princes Philosophers ought to be conuersant with princes Solons counsell giuen to Craesus Why Plato went into Sicilia to Dionysius Arrogancie dwelleth in the end with solitarines Notable counsell for princes Demetrius Traians letter to Plutarke How Philoxenus corrected Dionysius tragedie The free gird of a peasant giuen to an Archbishop The like giuen to Pope Sixtus the 4. by a Frier Prou. 27.5 Gal. 6. r. Mediocritie must be vsed in all actions The difference of good and bad consisteth in mediocritie Against curiositie in knowledge A notable saying of Socrates The death of Aristotle and Plinie through too much curiositie The burning of Aetna Two generall kinds of curiositie Against the curiositie of seeing strange nations One euident cause of the ruin of Fraunce Lycurgus for-bad traffick with strangers Fiue vices brought out of Asia by the Romanes Why Fabius would neuer go on the water Plato and Apollonius were great trauellerâ— Of curiositie in seeking to know other mens imperfections The curious are more profitable to their enimies than to themselues Curiositie in princes affaires is perilous How we must cure curiositie Examples against curiositie Against lightnes of beleefe Faults whereinto curious men commonly fall Wittie answers made to curious questions Rom. 12. 3. Natural vertues according to the Philosophers who had no knowledge of mans fall The diuision of nature What nature is The propertie and light of nature The corruption of nature Three things neceâ—â—arie for the perfection of 〈◊〉 The difference between philosophers and the common people Three things coâ—curâ—e in perfect vertue The defect of nature is holpen by good education The weaknes of our naturall inclination to goodnes A similitude Lvcurgus example of two dogs Socrates and Themistocles were by nature vicious but by education vertuous The Germaines much changed by institution A mans naturall inclination may be espied in a small matter Great men ought especially to learne vertue The Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsed by Pythagoras and translated of the Latins Mâ—ndus and of vs World signifieth a comely order No vertue can be without temperance The true marks and ornaments of a king What temperanceis What Decorum or comelines iâ— The definition of temperance What passions are ruled by temperance Fower parts of temperance The commendation of temperance Woonderfull examples of temperance Scipio Africanus Alexander Cyrus Architas Xenocrates Isaeus C. Gracchus Antigonus Pompeius F. Sforce The temperance of Pompey against ambition Pittacus Pedaretus Scipio Torquatus Fabritius Aimaeus Amurathes Charles 5. Soüs Lysimachus Cato Rodolphus Socrates Predominant passions in intemperance Some sinnes are punishments of other sinnes Rom. 1. What intemperance is The difference betweene an incontinent and an intemperate man A fit similitude The companions of intemperance Intemperate men resemble mad folks Heliogabalus Nero. Commodus Caligula Proculus Chilpericus 1. Xerxes Epicurus Sardanapalus Antonius Boleslaus 2. Adrian Iohannes a Casa The Temple of Diana was burnt by Erostratus Or Stupiditie Luke 13. 27. The cause of the long life of our Elders and of the shortnes of ours Dionysius a monster and why The sobrietie of old time and corruption of ours compared togither Sobrietie preserueth health There is more pleasure of the creatures in sobrietie than in superfluitie The belly is an vnthankfull beast The counsell of Epictetus concerning eating How wise men in old time feasted one another Against vaine delights in feasts The bellie a feeding beast When musicke is most conuenient The custome of the Egyptians at bankets The custome of the Lacedemonians The manner of drinking in old time The sobrietie of Alexander Against excessiue drinking Cyrus Porus. Phaotes Alphousus Agesilaus Good cheere keepeth baâ—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on â—â—â—peius M. Cate. Epaminondas C. Fabritius Scipio Masinissa Mithridates Hannibal Vespasianus Daniel Iohn Baptist. Maxentius Socrates feast Darius in his thirst iudged puddle water to be good drinke Tokens of the wrath of God The chiefest cause of destruction to Common-wealths is excesse in delights Pleasure the end of superfluitie Of the delicate life The seed of diseases Of the shortnes of mans life The soule of gluttons
man must vse his own subiectes in warre Three causes from whence proceeded the ruine of the Romane empire The diuision of the empire weakened the same Dangerous to an Estate to call in forraine succours As appeereth by the Sequani By the Frenchmen The end that forraine souldiours propound to themselues Reasons why forraine force is woorth nothing The cause of the last destruction of Italy The discommoditie of bringing in hired Captaines Dangerous for a Prince to call in a Potentate to succour him Examples of the change of Estats by meanes of forraine succour Charles the fift bound by oath not to bring any forraine souldiors into Germany Charles 7. made decrees for French souldiors What inconueniences France is fallen into by hiring Switzers Francis 1. established seuen legions of footmen How a Prince may vse the succours of his Allies How a Captain should exhort his souldiors How victory is to be vsed Examples of such as knew not how to vse victorie wisely and to take opportunitie offered The Tyrians besieged and subdued by Alexander It is not good to fight with desperate men Iohn king of France taken by the Englishment Gaston de Foix. Small armies that ouercame great Victorie commeth only from God Valiant men are full of compassion No true victorie without clemencie Ringleaders of euill are to be punished and the multitude to be pardoned Humane sciences are but darkenes in regard of the word of God Psal 84. 4. 5. 11. Iohn 17. 3. Of the loue of righteousnes Leuit. 19. 2. 1. Pet. 1. 15. 16. Holines is the end of our calling Christ is a paterne of righteousnes vnto vs. Malach. 1. 6. Eph. 5. 26. 30. Col. 3. 1. 2. 1. Cor. 6. 19. 1. Thes 5 9. We must alwaies striue to come to perfection What the dutie of euery faithful man is Rom. 12. 1. 2. What it is to consecrate our selues to God Gal. 2. 20. True loue of God breedeth in vs a dislike of ourselues Matth. 16. 24. Fruits of the deniall of our selues Selfe loue is the cause of the most of our imperfections The definition of charitie 1. Cor. 13. 4. The effect of true charitie towards our neighbour The naturall inclination of men Corruptible things are no sufficient recompence for vertuous men Rom. 8. 28. Matth. 16. 24. 25. Rom. 8. 17. How God teacheth vs to know the vanitie of this life We must not hate the blessings of this life Psal 44. 22. The comfort of the godly in the midst of troubles Math. 25. 34. Isai 25. 8. Apoc. 7. 17. The summe of our dutie towards God The true vse of temporal things Wherein a happy life consisteth Gen. 2. 17. Rom. 6. 23. Rom. 5. 21. Temporal death is the way that leadeth the godly from bondage to blessednesse Heb. 9. 27. Ecclus 7. 36. The comsort of euery true christian against death Rom. 8. 22. Against Atheists and Epicures that deny the immortalitie of the soule Plato prooueth that there is a iudgement to come and a second life How good men are discerned from the wicked The afflictions of the godly in this world prooue a second life Three kinds of death Apoc. 20. 6. Why the faithfull ought to desire death What the life of man is Phil. 1. 23. 1. Cor. 15. 50. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 2. Cor. 4. 14. Phil. 3. 20. 21. Col. 3. 3. 4. 1. Thes 4. 13. 14. Heb. 2 14. 15. 2. Tim. 1. 9. 10. Iob 19. 25. 26. 27. Iohn 12. 17. 1. Cor. 2. 9. Who they be that feare not death A comparison betweene this life and that which is eternall Phil. 1. 23. Titus 2. 13. Luke 21. 28. How death can not hurt Psal 116. 15. A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPALL MATTERS CONTAINED IN THIS ACADEMIE A ADmonition sundrie instructions how to admonish wisely Pag. 153 Aduersitie who are soonest thrown downe with aduersitie 301. the cōmon effects thereof 345. the Romanes were wisest and most constant in aduersitie 347. examples of constancie in aduersitie 348 Adulterie the miserable effects of adulterie 240. the punishment of adulterers among the Egyptians 241. Zaleucus law and the law of Iulia against it 240. testimonies of Gods wrath against it 241 Age hath no power ouer vertue 61. the diuision of the ages of man 563-564 Ambition two kindes of ambition 224. the cause of ambitious desires 225. the effects of ambition 224. 229. examples of mê void of ambition 186. ambition breedeth sedition 225. ambitious men full of selfe-prayse 226. examples of ambitious men 227. c. they cannot be good counsellours to Princes 231 Anger the crueltie of Theodosius committed in his anger 316. Valentinian brake a veine in his anger 317 Apparell against excesse in apparell 219. examples of sobrietie in apparel 219 Archbishop the free gird of a Pesant giuen to an Archbishop 158. the Archbishop of Magdeburg brake his neck in dancing 216 Armes Armie the exercise of armes must alwayes continue 762. the auncient order of the Romane armie 766 Arrogancie dwelleth in the ends with solitarines 157 Aristocratie the description of an Aristocratie 579. the estate of Lacedemonia was Aristocraticall 580 Artes and Artificers the necessitie of artes and artificers in a common-wealth 750. artificers of one science ought not to dwell all togither 751 Authors how much we owe to good authors 45 Authoritie what authoritie a prince hath ouer his subiects 670 B Backbiting the prudence of Dionysius in punishing two backbiters 388. when backbiting hurteth most 460 Bankets the custome of the Egyptians and Lacedemonians at bankets 203 Beard what vse is to bee made of a white beard 572 Belly the belly an vnthankefull and feeding beast 201. 202. it hath no eares 212 Birth the follie of birth-gazers 42 Biting what biting of beasts is most dangerous 460 Body the wonderfull coniunction of the body and soule of man 19. the conceptiō framing and excellencie of the body 21 Brother he that hateth his brother hateth his parents 542. the benefite that brethren receiue by hauing common friends 544. examples of brotherly loue 545 C Calling callings were distinct from the beginning 478. sixe sundry callings necessary in euery common-wealth 744. holinesse is the end of our calling 795 Captaine the losse of a captaine commonly causeth the ruine of an armie III. how captaines were punished if they offended 768. a captaine must not offend twise in warre 773. what captains are woorthiest of their charge 784. the captains of an armie must be very secret 781. two faults to be eschewed of euery captaine 778. how a captain should exhort his souldiors 790 Cheere good cheere keepeth base mindes in subiection 206 Children must loue feare reuerence their father 533. the dutie of children towardes their parents 541. examples of the loue of children towards their parents 541 Choler whereof choler is bred 314. how the Pythagorians resisted choler 315. magistrates ought to punish none in their choler 316 Citie what Citie seemed to Clcobulus best guided 264 Citizens who are truly citizens 606
of the soule not of the body 266. the parts of fortitude 267. examples of fortitude 273. c. Fortune what is to be vnderstoode by this worde fortune 307. howe wee may vse these words of fortune and chance 469. the opinions of Philosophers touching fortune 470. the description of fortune 470. examples of hir contrary effects 472 France one euident cause of the present ruine of France 163. the miserable estate of France 408. one cause thereof 607. the happie gouernment of France 635. two causes of the present diuisions in France 716 Friend and Friendship the difference between friendship and loue 138. what things are requisite in friendship 139. the chiefe cause and end of all true friendship 138. friendship must be free 142. three things necessarie in friendship 148. examples of true friendship 145. what manner of man we must chuse for our friend 140. howe we must prooue a true friend and shake off a false 141. how we must beare with the imperfections of our friend 144. G Gaming the effects of gaming 374 what mooued the Lydians to inuent games 374. Alphonsus decree against gaming 375 Generall a good lesson for a Generall 292 properties requisite in a Generall 300 Glorie how ielousie of glorie is tollerable with examples thereof 251. c. examples of the contempt of glorie 254 Gluttonie the fruits of gluttonie 213. examples thereof 214 God all things are present with God 407. he ordereth casuall things necessarily 468 he is the Idaea of al good 42 Goods the nature of worldly goods 37. two sorts of goods 52. 526. two waies to get goods 526 Grace effects of Gods grace in the regenerate 18 Grammar the commodities of grammar 556 Griefe a meane how to beare griefe patiently 331 H Happines all men naturally desire happines 31. who are happie and who vnhappie 51. what it is to liue happily 38. 54. how we must make choice of a happie life 246. wherein good or ill hap consisteth 330. notable opinions of good and ill hap 332 wherein true happines consisteth 334 Hatred how far a man may hate the wicked 387. the difference between hatred and enuie 459. the bounds of a good mans hatred 463. Histories the praise and profit of histories 79 Homage what homage we ow to God 93 Honor how a man may seeke for honor 232. examples of the contempt of honor 233. the first step to honor 247 Hope hope must be grounded vpon the grace of God 300. two kinds of hope 301. the fruit of hope 302. hope and feare are the foundation of vertue 561 House a house consisteth of liuing stones 489 smal iarres must be auoided in a house 501 Hunting is an image of war 554 Husbands how they ought to loue their wiues 501. a husband must neuer beate his wife 504. he must neither chide nor fawne vpon his wife before others 507. examples of the loue of husbands towards their wiues 510. Husbandrie the praise of husbandrie 528. 752. the antiquitie of husbandrie 752 I Idlenes it is the mother and nurse of all vice 369. Pythagoras precept against idlenes 370. examples against idlenes 377 Ignorance ignorance of our selues the cause of much euill 12. pernitious effects of ignorance 117. 118. common effects of ignorance 119. Impatiencie who are most giuen to impatiencie and choler 312. how it may be cured 313. Impost a commendable kind of impost 220 Impudencie the description of impudencie 428. Incontinencie the difference betweene an incontinent and an intemperate man 190. Socrates disputation against incontinencie 238 Infants how infants are to be brought vp 552 Ingratitude meanes to keepe vs from ingratitude 432. it was the cause of mans fal 425 great men are soonest touched with ingratitude 428. examples against it 430 Innocencie is a tower of brasse against slanderers 466 Iniurie how manie waies a man may receiue iniurie 384 Iniustice the fruits of it in the wicked 403. it is a generall vice 404. the effects of it 405. how many kinds there are of iniustice 404 Intemperance the companions of intemperance 192. what predominant passions are in it 189. exaÌ„ples of intemperance 193 c. Ioie examples of some that died of ioie 36 Iudgement from whence iudgement proceedeth 89. the iudgement of the best not of the most is to be preferred 249. iudgements are the sinewes of an estate 690 Iudges how the Egyptians painted iudges 394. a corrupt manor of making iudges 701 Iustice the fruits of iustice 390. the ground of all iustice 391. examples of the loue of iustice 395. how the abuse of it may be remedied 399. the deniall of iustice is dangerous 408. 658. the springs of all corruptions of iustice 697. iustice distributed into seuen parts 746 K Knowledge the knowledge of God and of our selues must be linked togither 12. the end of the knowledge of our selues 16. the benefits that come by knowledge 74 King wherein the greatnes of a king consisisteth 57. wherein kings ought to exercise themselues most 80. the true ornaments of a king 180. the difference betweene a great and a little king 398. what power the kings of Lacedaemonia had â—80 good precepts for kings 648. a king must be skilfull by reason and not by vse 648. the first and principall dutie of a king is to haue the law of God before his eies 655. he must begin reformation at himselfe and his court 656. the summe of the dutie of a king 674 Kingdome what causeth kingdoms to flourish 399 of the originall of kingdoms 586. their alteration commeth through vice 67 they florish through vertue 61. Of the antiquitie of a kingdome 623. the dangerous estate of an electiue kingdom vpoÌ„ the death of the prince 633. what kingdoms are electiue 634 L Law what ciuill lawes may not be changed 597. the end of all lawes 603. change of lawes in a well setled estate is dangerous 598. what the law of nature is 596. the ancient law-makers 599. what maner of lawes are to be established in the Commonwealth 657. Learning examples of ancient men that gaue themselues to learning 570. examples of great loue to learning 81 Letter Anacharsis letter to Craesus 78 Alexanders to Aristotle 80. Caesars to Rome Octauianus to his nephew Platoes to Dionysius Pompeies to the senate 132. Pisistratus to his nephew 146. Traians to Plutarke 157. 233. Traians to the senate 654. 707. Macrines to the senate of Rome 747. Aurelius to a tribune 768 Liberalitie a poore man may be liberal 436. the lawes of liberalitie 440. examples of liberalitie 441 Loue loue is the first foundation of euery holie marriage 530 Life mans life compared to the Olympian assemblies 38. one cause of the long life of our elders 198. Senecaes opinion of the shortnes of our life 211. our life compared to table-play 335. no man ought to hide his life 373. the end of our life 377. three things necessarie for the life of man 750. wherein a happie life consisteth 804 Lying lying in a prince is most odious 417
side if we acquaint our selues and take delight in enuying the welfare of our enimies we shall do the like many times to our friends as we see experience thereof in many at this day who are so touched with this vice that they reioice at the euil which happeneth to their wel-willers and to such as are the occasion of their good preferment But if we be desirous to discharge our duetie towards our neighbours for whose profite we are borne let vs seeke to practise that sentence of Cicero that an honest man good citizen neuer ought to be moued with hatred or enuy vpō supposed crimes no not towards his enimy wishing to die rather thā to offend against Iustice which is an vtter enimie to that vice This also will be a good helpe and meane to keepe vs from backbiting if we eschew al kind of scoffing which as Theophrastus saith is nothing else but a close and coloured reproofe of some fault which by little and little inureth him that mocketh to back bite another openly and vntruly This great imperfection of gibing is very familiar amongst vs although it be as vnseemely for an honorable personage as some other more infamous vice But to the end we may haue better occasion to keepe vs from it let vs know that many times a man is more mooued with a gibing gird than with an iniurie bicause this latter proceedeth commonly from the vehemencie of sudden choler euen against his will that vttereth it but the other is more taken to hart as that which seemeth to come from a setled wil and purpose to offer wrong and from a voluntarie malitiousnes without any necessitie If we be disposed to be merie as sometimes opportunitie place and persons inuite vs thereunto let it be done with a good grace and without offence to any Now although enuie and backbiting by reason of their pernitious effects are so odious to all honorable and vertuous personages yet no other reuenge is to be sought or desired than that punishment which followeth and groweth with the vice it selfe which neuer suffereth him that is touched therewith to enioy any rest in his soule as we haue already learned Neither is there any great care to be had for the matter seeing enuious persons and backbiters are no waies able to bite the deserts of good men But if we would haue their punishment augmented and doubled there is no better way than to studie so much the more to do well as we see them labor more earnestly to enuie and to condemne our dealings For as the Sunne being directly ouer the top of any thing whatsoeuer if it leaue any shadow at all yet is it but short and little bicause the light thereof is dispersed round about the same so the excellencie of vertue glorie honor in the end constraineth the venemous toong to drinke and to swallow downe hir owne poison not daring to bring it againe in sight whereby enuie and blame are as it were wholy extinguished and vnable to hurt good men any more This reason caused Phillip king of Macedonia to make this answere to certaine who told him that the Graecians spake ill of him behind his backe notwithstanding he did them much good and therefore willed him to chastice them What would they do then quoth this noble and gentle Prince if we should doe them any harme But they make me become a better man For I striue dailie both in my wordes and deedes to prooue them lyars And another time as his friendes counselled him to put to death or to banish a Gentleman of Macedonia who continued in slandering him he would not doe either of both saying that it was no sufficient cause to condemne him to death and as for banishing him he sayd that it was a great deale better if he stirred not out of Macedonia where all men knewe that he lyed than if he went amongst strangers to speake ill of him who bicause they knewe him not well might peraduenture admit his slander as true Whereby this vertuous Prince at one tyme shewed foorth the effectes of three excellent vertues first of Clemencie in that hee would not put him to death of whome he had receiued great iniurie then of Magnanimitie in contemning iniurie and lastly of woonderfull Prudence in that he did not banish him And in deede he was of such a gentle nature that he would neuer punish them that gaue him an euill report but rather tooke away the occasion thereof as heeretofore we haue in part mentioned it And for a greater testimonie of the goodnes of this Monarch the answere he made to them that counselled him to destroy the citie of Athens deserueth well to be heere set downe I doe all thinges quoth he to them for glorie how then should I destroy Athens which by reason of learning is the Theater of glorie The example of Demetrius Phalerius a Prince of immortall renowne serueth fitly to teach vs what small account we are to make of the dealings of enuious men so farre ought we to be from caring either for their dooings or sayings When word was brought to this Prince that the Athenians mooued with enuie against him had broken downe those three hundred images which were before erected in their streete of Ariopagus to his honour and thereupon was prouoked by his Councel to be reuenged of them he said The Athenians may well throw downe my images but they are not able to abase my vertues for whose sake my images were heeretofore erected for a publike spectacle And truely those actes of Princes which being done in their life time are woorthie of memorie may serue them for an euerlasting monument and not Images Tombs made with mens hands which length of time besides a thousand other accidents may bring to pouder Neither are they depriued of the same glorie that liue vnder the gouernment of great men when according to their places and callings they direct their actions to the benefite and safetie of the Common-wealth For whensoeuer enuie laboureth to hurt them with supposed crimes their innocencie as Horace saith will be vnto them in place of an inexpugnable tower of brasse so that being assured of that they neede not stand in any feare of the cruell teeth of slanderers Therefore Socrates being reprooued by Hermogenes bicause he did not once dreame of defending himselfe when he was accused made this answere I haue dreamed of that all my life time by striuing to liue well To conclude then our present discourse let vs learne to vncloath our hartes of all enuie and hatred which procure so many turbulent and hurtfull passions in the soule and ouerthrowe all that charitie and loue which we ought to beare towards euery one Let vs feare this sentence pronounced by the holie spirite that whosoeuer hateth his brother is a man slayer And if we see that vice and imperfections raigne in our like let vs hate their
euill manners and loue the welfare of their soules by endeuouring to bring them backe againe into the path way of vertue vntill we see that all hope of remedie is taken away by reason of their long setled habite and continuance in vice for then we are to shunne altogither the hurtfull conuersation of such forlorne men Let vs take heede that wee please not our selues in detracting and backbiting or in speaking rashly of any without aduisement taken of whome to whome and what we speake Let vs not be giuen to lying or to harken to slanderers but following the counsell of the Scripture let vs laye aside all malitiousnes and all guile and dissimulation and enuie and all euill speaking and as newe borne babes desire the milke of vnderstanding which we may as it were boast that we haue in the true and right knowledge of Iustice which is to render to God that which is due to him according to pietie and to our neighbours whatsoeuer belongeth to them according to the dutie of charitie which is gentle not easily prouoked to anger nor enuious nor reioycing in iniquitie but alwaies in the truth Of Fortune Chap. 44. AMANA IF I bee not deceiued my Companions wee haue hitherto sufficientlye discoursed of the foure Morall vertues being riuers that flowe from the fountaine of dutie and honestie as also of all the partes that belong vnto them and of their contrarie vices Therefore from hence foorth we are to make choice of some other matter and to applie that which we might haue learned in the discourses of our Morall Philosophie vnto Estates charges and conditions of life whereunto euerie one of vs may be called during this life yea let vs assaie to giue aduice and councell to superiours according to the measure of our iudgement But bicause as I thinke the entrie to so high a matter requireth some leasure to thinke vppon it I am of opinion that we were best to deferre this point vntill the next dayes worke and in the meane tyme for the spendinge of the reste of this after-noone looke out some matter subiect apt and fit to recreate our spirites withall which bicause naturally they delight in varietie and diuersitie of thinges cannot haue a more conuenient matter than to make sport with the diuers and sundrie effects of Fortune which according to the saying of the Ancients is very constant in hir inconstancie Further let vs consider howe we may vse this word of Fortune which is so common amongst vs and not abuse it ARAM. To him saith Cicero whose hope reason and cogitation dependeth of Fortune nothing can be so certaine or assured vnto him that he may perswade himselfe it will abide by him no not one day But he is most happie that is of himselfe sufficient in euery respect and that placeth the hope of all his affaires in himselfe in regard of men ACHITOB. I am she sayth Vertue speaking in Mantuan that surmounteth Fortune and the scourge that punisheth sinnes Vice and Vertue sayth Plutark haue no maisters to rule ouer them and they are very blind who calling Fortune blinde suffer themselues to be guided and ledde by hir But we must learne of thee ASER what we are to thinke of this counterfet Goddesse ASER. If we are perswaded that he who is Iustice it selfe and the essentiall truth maketh Princes contemptible as it is said in the Scripture and causeth them to erre in desert places out of the way raising vp the poore out of miserie and making him families like a flocke of sheepe there is no doubt but that Fortune being an Epicurian worde rather than an Heathenish is nothing else but a fayned deuice of mans spirite and an imagination without truth vpon which as Plutarke sayth a man can not settle his iudgement nor yet comprehend it by the discourse of reason So that we must confesse that all things are guided gouerned by the prouidence of God who knoweth and ordereth casuall thinges necessarily Which albeit we easily cōfesse with the mouth as also that prosperitie and aduersitie depend onely of the will of God yet we may daily note in many of vs effects cleane contrarie to the worde in that when we deliberate about our affayres we presently cast our eie vpon humane meanes to come to the ende of them although they are but second causes casting behind our backes that helpe which is from aboue And when we want the blessing of God through his anger and iust indignation which we care not to appease and so for the most part stumble vpon the cleane contrarie of all our platformes and goodly enterprises then we accuse not our ignorance and ingratitude towardes his Maiestie but the vnfortunate mishap and chance of humane thinges which through the common error of men we attribute to Fortune Nowe knowing that we liue and mooue and haue our being in God onely that his mysteries are great and woonderfull and such that if we should go about to sound the bottom of them it were all one as if we sought to pearce the heauens after the manner of the Giants set foorth vnto vs by the Poets that our way is not in our power and that of our selues we cannot direct our steps that it is the Lorde that offereth a man into his handes who vnwittingly killeth him with the heade of his Axe slipt from the helue that lots cast at aduenture fall out according to his iudgement and that generally all things are done by the ordinance of God I say knowing all these things yet bicause the order reason ende and necessitie of those thinges which are so strange vncertaine and mutable in the world are for the most part hidden in the counsell of God and cannot be comprehended by the opinion and reach of man we may well call them casuall and chancing in respect of our selues The like we may both conceiue of all future euents holding them in suspence bicause they may fall out either of the one or the other side and yet being resolued of this that nothing shall come to passe which God hath not ordained and also note them out by this worde Fortune not attributing thereunto any power ouer the inconstancie and continuall alteration of humane things especially seeing they are so changeable that it would be a verye hard matter speaking after the manner of men to comprehend them vnder a more proper and fit word The definition also which the Ancients gaue of Fortune is very agreeable to the effect of the thing signified and of that wherof we haue daily experience namely that there is no other final end of chang alteration in man than that of his being Plato saith that Fortune is an accidentall cause a consequence in those things which proceed from the counsell of man Aristotle saith that Fortune is a casuall accidental cause in things which being purposely done for some certaine end haue no apparant cause