loue wher of frendlye loue or Frendship is named is the chiefest cause that fastneth goodwil together For profite is oftentimes gotten euen at their handes who vnder the couÌ„terfeit shew of Frendship are sought vnto as the time serueth are wayted vpoÌ„ at an inche But in Frendshippe there is no glauering no dissemblinge what soeuer is in it the same is true and voluntarye Wherfore me thinkes Frendship had his first beginning rather of nature theÌ„ of imbecillitye of castinge ones phansie towards another with a certaine feeling of Loue rather then by considering how much profit might eniue therupon The which surely what maner of thing it is maye euen in certeine Beastes bee perceiued which for a certen time so teÌ„derlye loue their young ones and bee again so loued of them that their feeling therof easely appeareth which thing in man is much more euident First by that deare loue that is betweene Children Parentes which cannot without detestable bill anye bee disseuered Secondarilye when as there is a like feelinge of Loue againe as when wee haue found one with whose Manners and Nature wee well agree because to oure owne thinckinge wee espye in him as it were a certeine Lighte of Honestie and vertue For nothinge is more louelye and amiable then Vertue nothinge that more allureth men to loue one another Insomuche that for Vertue and honestie we doe after a sort loue euen them whom wee neuer saw Who is hee that doeth not with a certen singuler Loue and Goodwyll towardes the parties vse the remembrauÌ„ce of C. Fabritius and M. Curius whom notwithstanding hee neuer saw Who againe dothe not hate Tarquinius the proude Sp. Cassius and Sp. Melius Wee stroue for the Empire in Italye with two Capitaines Pyrrhus and Hannibal and yet from the one of them because of his honest name wee did not altogether estraunge oure hartes The other for his crueltie this Citie of oures will for euer deteste Nowe if the force of Honestye bee so greate that wee loue the same yea in those whom wee neuer sawe and whiche is more euen in oure Enemies what meruayle is it if mennes hartes bee mooued when they seeme to perceiue and see Vertue and goodnesse in them with whom they maye bee ioyned in acquaintaunce and coÌ„uersation Albeit Loue is confirmed by benefites receiued by Goodwyll approued and by acquaintaunce adioyned All whiche thinges beinge layed together to that firste motion of mannes mynde and Loue there is enkindled a wonderfull greatenesse of Goodwyll and Freendlynesse Whiche if anye doe thincke to proceede and come of Imbecillitye as thoughe it shoulde bee but to serue euerye mannestourne thereby to gette the thynge whyche hee desireth suche men surelye doe make a verye base and as a man shoulde saye no Gentleman-like race vnto Freendeshyppe if they woulde haue it to descende and haue his beginning from needines and want Which thing if it were so then as euery man felt himselfe of smallest abilitie so should he bee most fittest for Frendship which thing is farre otherwise For as euery man trusteth moste to himselfe as euerye man is with vertue and wisedome so singulerlye furnished that hee standeth not in neede of anye other and thincketh that al which is his resteth in himselfe so in seeking and mainteining Frendship doth he especially surmount For what Had Aphricanus any neede of me Neuer a whit surely And I neither of him But I throughe a certeine admiration that I had of his vertue loued him and againe he for some opinion perchaunce that hee conceiued of my maners phansied mee and our dayly coÌ„uersation together encreased our goodwilles But although many and greate commodities ensued thereof yet did not the causes of our loue one to the other issue from any hope of suche thinges For as wee bee bountifull and liberal not of purpose to get thanckes therefore for wee do not lay out our benefites to vsurye but are by nature enclineable to lyberalitie so likewise do we thincke that Freendship is to be desired of men not ledde thereto with hope of rewarde but because all the fruicte thereof resteth in very loue itselfe Wee farre disagree in opinion from them whiche after the manner of bruite Beastes doe referre al thinges to Pleasure Sensualitie And no meruayle For why They that haue abased caste al their cogitations vpon a thing so vile and contemptible cannot haue anye regarde to any high noble and heauenly thinge Wherefore let vs set aside suche maner of persons from this talke and let vs vnderstand that the feelinge of Loue and perfecte goodwill is engendred by Nature with hauinge some significatioÌ„ or proofe of honestye Whiche honestye they that desire and seeke after applye themselues and draw neerer thereunto that they may enioy both the companye and also the maners of him whom they haue begon to loue and that they may be Mates and alike in Loue readier to doe a good turne then to seeke for anye And let this bee an honest kinde of strife betweene them Thus shal verye great commodities bee taken of Freendship and the firste beginninge thereof beinge of Nature and not of Imbecillitie shall bee bothe waightier and truer For if Profite shoulde fasten and knitt Freendshyppe then the same beinge chaunged shoulde dissolue and lewse it agayne But beecause Nature cannot be chaunged therfore true Freendshyppes are euerlastinge Thus you see the beeginninge of Freendshyppe excepte peraduenture there bee some thinge elles that you would demaunde SCAE. Naye Laelius I praye you proceede in your matter for as for him heere that is my younger I dare vpon myne owne warrant aunswere FAN In deede you say wel wherfore let vs heare further LAELIVS GEeue eare then Gentlemen to those things whiche manye times and often haue beene reasoned betweene mee and Scipio concerninge Freendeshyppe Howbeit his sayinge was that nothing was harder then for Freendeshyppe to continue vnto the laste houre of Death For hee woulde saye that it oftentimes happened eyther that one and the selfe same thinge shoulde not be expediente for bothe parties or elles that they woulde not alwayes bee of one mynde in matters of the common wealthe Hee woulde also saye that mennes maners did often chaunge somtimes by the worlde goinge awrye somtymes by growinge forwarde in age And of these thinges hee woulde bringe an Example by a comparison made of Boyes age because the hoattest loue that Children had was oftentimes determined and ended at the age when theire voyces câ—aunge And albeit they continued it till the age of their Adolescencye yet hee sayde that their Freendshyppe was oftentimes broken of eyther throughe some contention or by reason of Ryotte or some other profite because both of theÌ„ could not obteyn one selfe thinge Insomuch that if anye of them by longer time continued in Frendshippe yet that they often times iarred if they happened to sue for Preferrement and Dignitye And further hee sayde that
frendes doe many times burst out partely vpon the freendes themselues and partly vpon straungers but y infamie discredite redoundeth to their Freendes Such Frendshippes ther fore must be salued by lesse vsinge theire company and as I haue hearde Cato say muste by little and little be cleanlye shifted of rather then bluntly and grossely brokeÌ„ vnlesse there be so apparant euidence of some such vnsufferable iniurye that we can neither with honestie neither credite neyther any way possible otherâ—â—se choose but presently to make an alienation and disseueraunce But if there bee a certaine chaunge in them of manners and disposition as commonly hapneth or if there chaunce any farring or variaunce in some pointe touching the CoÌ„mon wealth for I speake now as I said a litle before not of wisemens â–ª FreÌ„dships but of vulgar aâ—ities we must beware least Frendship seeme not onely to be layde asyde but Enemitie and mallice rather to be taken vp For there is not a more dishonest thing then to be at warre with him with whoÌ„ afore time thou hast lyued familiarlie Scipio for my sake as ye know vntwined himselfe from the Freendeshippe of Q. Pompeius and by reason of the Dissention that was in the Common Wealth was cleane aliened from our Fellowe in office Metellus Hee did both these discretely by authoritie without any bitternesse or offence of mynde to eyther partye Wherfore we must take no smal beede firste that no dissention nor fallinge oute amonge Freendes doe happen but if any such thing do happen that Freendshyppe maye seeme rather by little and little to goe out and quenche of itselfe then sodeinly and rashely to bee choaked and put out Wee must also beware that Frendshippe turne not into greate hatred out of which chydinges raylinges and reproachfull tearmes are engendred which notwithstanding if they bee any thynge tolerable must be borne withal And this honor is to be attributed to old Frendshippe that the fault is alway in him that doth not in him that suffereth wrong Now of all these vices and discommodities there is one caueat or Prouiso to bee considered whiche is that wee neither beginne to loue too soone ne yet the vnworthye For they bee worthye of Frendshippe in whom there is good cause why they should be loued It is a rare thing for surely al excellent things are rare theris nothiÌ„g harder then to finde a thing which in euery respect in his kinde is throughlye perfect But many ther be which neither know any thiÌ„g that is good in this world sauing that which is gainfull and lyke Beastes they loue those Freendes most of whom they hope to receiue most profite And therefore they doe lacke that most goodly most natural FreÌ„dship which is of itselfe for itselfe to bee desired sought neyther do they showe in themselues any example howe greate and of what sort the force of this Frendship is For euerye man loueth himselfe not to th ende to exact any rewarde of hymselfe for his tender loue towardes hymselfe but because euery man is beare vnto himselfe Which thinge if it bee not semblably vsed in Frendshippe there caÌ„ neuer be found any true freend For he is a freend which is as it were an other himselfe Nowe if these thinges appeare so euident in Beastes Birdes Cattall Fyshes Swyne and other Creatures both tame and wilde that they haue a loue to their owne selues for this is naturallye engraffed in all lyuinge Creatures and also that they desire luste after some other of the same kind wherof they themselues be to company withall and that with a certaine longing desire and likenesse of humane loue how muche more is the same apparaunt in Man by nature who both tenderlye loueth himselfe and getteth an other to whom hee may so francklye impart his mynde as thoughe of two hee woulde make in a maner but one But most men peeuishlye I will not say impudeÌ„tly would haue such freÌ„des as they them selues cannot bee such things do they looke for to haue at their freendes handes as they themselues do not yelde and geeue vnto them But it is fitte that he himselfe should first be a good man and then afterwards to seeke for another like himselfe In such maner of persons maye that Stability of Frendship which ere while wee reasoned vpon be confirmed when as men ioyned together with goodwil shall first rule and maister those sensuall lustes and affections whereunto others do serue and obaye and when they shall delighte in Iustice and equitie and the one to vndertake and attempt al things for the other neuer the one to request any thinge of the other but that which shal be honest and right shall not onelye louinglye agree together and loue one an other but also as it were reuereÌ„t lye feare stand in awe one of an other For hee that taketh awaye reuerent awe from Frendship taketh awaye the greatest Ornament that is in it They therfore nozzle theÌ„selues with a very pernicious error which thinke that in Frendshippe the gate is set wide open freelye to pursue all licentious lusts and lewdenesse For Freendshippe is geeuen by Nature to bee an ayde to Vertue and not a Compagnion to vices that sith Vertue being solitarye alone could not reache to those thinges which are moste excellente yet beinge combined and cowpled with an other she mighte attaigne thereto which felowshippe if eyther it bee or hath beene or hereafter shall happeÌ„ to bee betweene any I say their felowship coÌ„pany is to be accouÌ„ted for the attainmeÌ„t of Natures chiefe goodnes the best and happiest that can be This very felowship I say is it wherin are all those things which men doe account worthy to be desired as Honesty Glory TraÌ„quillity of mynd pleasantnesse so that where these bee there is the lyfe happye and without these it cannot bee happy Which thing being the greatest and the best thing that can be if wee bee desirous to obteyne wee must applye our selues to vertue without the which we neyther can attaigne to Freendshippe ne any thing else that is to be desired For who soeuer despising Vertue do think theÌ„selues to haue frendes do then perceiue their owne errour when any waighty plunge of necessitye driueth theÌ„ to try theÌ„ And therfore for it is a thing often to be repeated a man oughte to loue when hee hath iudged not to iudge when hee hath loued But wheras we be in many things much punished for negligence yet namely specially in chosing regarding our freendes For we go preposterously to worke contrary to the aduise of the old prouerbe we ouerthwartly doe vndoe labour against the grain For being enwrapped too fro with busines either through som long familiarity acquaintaunce or els through some kindenesse curtesies we sodeÌ„ly in the middest of our course breake of our Frendship
in the vvorld called also Taurus A ryuer in India viij miles ouer in the narrovvest place xx in the brodeest an 100. foote diepe in the shalovvest place Worldlye fame renovvne glorye is but vanytye and to no purpose A ful and complete yere after Plato The diepe consideration of heauen heauenly ioyes easelye dravveth a godlye man from the loue of this vvorlde True honor muste be gotten by vertue onelye Honor is a spirite to noble mindes A man is his Mynd The mind ruleth and directeth the bodye Best cares that aman can nexte after God employe his minde vnto Voluptuous liuers The Table A ACcusation 29. Acquaintaunce nevv and olde 30. Adolescencie 47. 55. 59. 61. 62. 63. 69. 75. 77 80 81. 82. 83. 84. Adulterye 65. 101. Affection 102. must be brydeled 104. 113. 116. Agamemnon 60. Age. 61 Agreement 42. Al thinges returne to that vvhereof they had their first beginning 87. Ambition a greate plague to perfect Frendshyppe 26. 113. Anger 109. Antipodes 129. Antonius 109. 114. Apollo 3. 85. Apparell 119. Appius Claudius beinge old and blinde had a noble courage 53. A perfect paterne of a noble Gentleman and vvorthye householder 63. Archytas Tarentinus 37. 64. Argantonius liued 120 yeares 81. Astronomie 70. Athenians 68. Atticus vvhy so named 45. Auncientnes in familiaritie 30. Augur 78. Aucthority the chiefest ornament of Oldage 77. 79. 119. B BAnishement 99. dreadefull and terrible to vvhom 100. Banished man vvho 108. Banquetting moderately vsed cōmendable 67 Baibilles 112. Baudrie 103. Benefites confirme loue and Frendshippe 14 Best dvvelling for Oldage 78. Bias one of the vij vvise Sages 26. 96. Blosius his desperate aunsvvere 17. Bodye the prison or gaole of the Soule 85. 124 the vvardhouse of the soule 125. Bona Dea her temple 108. Bondslaue to Vices 109. Bondslaue vvho 110 111. 112. Bondage vvhat it is properlye ibid. Boundes of Frendship 17. 25. Briberye 73 117. Brutus 87. 96. Budde 72. Buildinges sumptuous 95. 111. C Coecilius 62. Care of ech noble and vvorthye man. 20. after a sort incident to Vertue 21. 22. Care rather to lyue vvel then long 81. Carinae a streate or Rovve of houses in Rome 120. Carthage conquered by Scipio 54. 122. Catadupa 128. Cattall 96. Cato Called vvyse vvhy 34. 47. his vvise sayinge 38. learned the Greeke tongue in his old age 46. 57. 63. his sundrye Offices and seruice in the common vvealth 54. 64. a perfect Stoicke 91. 97. Caucasus 129. Cethegus 113. Chaffe 101. Children in frendship nevv fangled fickle 16. Choyse of frendes 26. 27. 28. 36. Chydinge 34. 38. vvhen and hovv to be vsed ibid. 39. 42. Circles of the coelestiall motions 125. Citye 105. 106. 107. 124. Citizen 105. 107. Clavvbackes and dissēbling frendes vvorse thē playne enemies 38. hovv they may be knovven and discerned 39. Cleanthes 56. Cleopatra 110. Clovvnish life vvithout frendes yrkesome and vnpleasaunt 25. Coffers stuffed vvith mony maketh not the rich man but a contented Mynde 116. Comforting cheering of distressed frendes 26 Cōmon vvealthes vpholden by graue oldmen vveakened by yong youthful officers 55. 80. Cōmunitie of al things among frendes 27. Comparison 79. 82. Conscience 100. Conscience of vertuous Lyfe comfortable 49. Consenting to the request of frends against the vveale of our country vnlavvful 20. Conspiracy against the cōmon vvealth vvith al extremitie to be punished 20. vvhence it procedeth 64. Constancie 4. 28. 29. 42. 85. 99. 102. 106. Contented life rych 115. 120. Contention 16. Continuance of frendship ibid. Coriolanus moued vvith the vnkindenes of his Countrye vvarred against it and last of al killed himselfe 17. 20. Cornelius Gallus an Auncient excellente Astronomer 70. Corynthian vvorkes 97. 111. 112. Coruncanus 8. 18. 53. 58. 66. Courage 98. Couetousnesse a plague to Frendship 16. in old men 79. euer needy and neuer satisfied 96. 120. in the old time abhorred 96. 110. Counsaylours graue vvyse the stayes of common vvealthes 53. Crassus 114. vvhom he accoumpted rich 116. his shiftes to get monye 117. Currours 74. Curteous maners 29. Custome 30. Custome of such strict and vertuous lyfe as vvas in the old time novv cleane gone 19. Custome of the Pythagoreans to debate call into remembraunce euery Eueninge al thinges sayd done or heard the day before 63. Cybele Lady great Mother of the Gods. 67. Cyneas 66. Cyrus 75. a prince vertuous and fortunate 76. 86 87. D DAnaus 116. Death 7. not to bee feared 80. 83. not to bee bevvayled ibid. spareth no age ibid. houre and time thereof vncertayne 80. 83. the Hauen of rest 82. 99. Feare thereof causeth a troubled and vnquiet mynde 83. despised euen of common persons 84. desired of the Godly and feared of the vvicked 88. terrible to vvhom 100. must not bee hastened before the appointed time 125. Death of frendes greuous 4. Decius 66. 84. 97. Delightes in husbandry 71. 73. Delightes peculier to euery seueral age 84. Democritus 56. Departure of frendes one from another 32. 33. Desire of honour 113. Destenie 123. Dictator vvhat officer he vvas 74. Diet of the Bodye and mynde resembled to a Lampe 62. Difference betvveene the povvers of the bodye and of the mynde ibid. Digginge 72. Dignitie of the mynde and Soule 65. Diligence preposterous 27. 38. Diogenes Stoicus 56. Discorde 11. Dishonesty 109. Dishonest point to fal out vvith him that hath beene an old familier frend 33. Dissimulation 29. 39. Dotage 63. Dreames 122. Drudge 113. Drudgerye ibid. Dunginge of Land. 72. E EArth round lyke a Ball. 125. 126. lovveste lūpish and vnmoueable 127. hovv it is habitable 129. Earthly matters contrary to heauenly 85. Echion a cunning Paynter 112. Eloquence 92. Empedocles opinion that the vvorld al thinges consisted of Frendship 11. End of lyuing best 82. Enemie 108. Ennius 10. 44. 50. 52 83. 122. Epicures opinion of Frendshippe 20. repose all felicitie in pleasure 66. Epitaphe 55. 77. Equalitye in frendshippe 30. 31. Equalite of faultes 103. Euery man meddle vvith no more then hee can vvel compasse 61. Euery age hath his proper season ibid. Excuse for doinge ill to pleasure our frende not allovvable 18. Exercises for youngmen 75. Exercises for old men ibid. Exercises of vvytte 63. Exile 108. Expenses moderate a greate reuenue 119. F FAbius praysed 50. 51. 53. Fabritius 8. 13. 53. 66. 97. 118. Face vvrinckled not the cause of aucthoritie credite 77. Faythfulnesse 28. 99. Fame of vvorthy men neuer dyeth 43. 107. Familiaritie 30. Faultes in oldage hovv to be redressed 62. Faultes in maners 79. Feare is Bondage 113. 114. Feare of death vvhat it causeth 83. Feastinge 67. Fee. 120. Felovvshippes 35. Fishpond 112. Firmament 127. Flattry dissembling vvorse then open enmity 29. getteth frendes novv adayes 38. to be eschevved ibid. the greatest plague to truefrēd shippe 39. vvhich kinde of it is moste hurtfull ibid. vvho are moste hurt thereby vvho lysten most thereto 41. of a litle maketh a great deale ibid. Slyly done most carefully to bee taken heede