because I do knowe very learned and faythfull men there and herewithall it is but a lyttle Towne and the Uniuersytie but lately erected wherby the roote of euill hath hetherto had least skope and exercise hath béene and is the more streightly obserued Phylopaes And could you dyrect vs vnto any such faithfull Tutor that we myght be bolde to thinke our selues sure of their well doing and that they should not be suffred to run at large about wanton toyes and lewdnes Gnomaticus Truely I can tell you of two or three which are both faythful and carefull of their charge but to assure you in such sort as you require were verie hard to do sythens no Tutor can vse such vygilant industrie but that sometimes he may be deceiued neuerthelesse I know them to be carefull Phylocalus Well for my part I can be content to folow your aduise what thinke you neighbour Phylopaes Phylopaes I do lykwise agrée to as much as hath beene sayd Gnomaticus Well then marke yet a little furder myne entent I would thinke good that the yong men themselues should not knowe therof vntyll the Iorney were prepared and they redye to depart and my meaning is this in so doing you shall antyeypate all occasions that they might haue to conferre with lewde company who paraduenture would not spare to follow and accompany them wheresoeuer they go Phylocalus Surelie that is well considered and therfore neighbour I pray you geue streight charge vnto your seruant least he do bewray our entent herein Phylopaes Sirha do you heare not one worde for your lyfe of that which we haue here communed together Fidus. Sir I trust you haue neuer hetherto found me slacke to do that which I haue ben commaunded nor rash to dysclose any thing which I thought might dysplease you Phylocalus Well I pray you let vs go together vnto my house and there let vs more at large debate this matter Phylopaes Go we where best liketh you Actus tertij Scaena Sexta PHYLOMVSVS PHYLOTIMVS Phylomusus WOuld God now that I could mete with Phylotimus that vnto him I might recount what I haue done in the theame which our Master gaue vs earwhile for cōference is comfortable vnto schollers were it no more but to vse eache others aduise and opinion in such thinges as they shall vndertake and though in compiling of verses all company is combersome yet when the same are made and finished then is it a singuler comfort to haue a companion with whom as with thy selfe thou maist be bold to confer for iudgement And behold wher Phylotimus commeth in good time Phylotymus Phylomusus I haue finished the charge which our enstructer gaue vs in verse I would be glad to haue your opinion therein Phylomusus Hée telles the tale that I should haue told Phylotimus I pray you giue eare a while and I will reade vnto you what I haue done therin Phylomusus With right good will Phylotimus reade them I pray you Phylomusus Giue eare then but first I must thus much declare vnto you I haue no more but conueied in to verse the verie briefe which our Master deliuered vs in prose adding neither dilatations allegories nor examples and thus it is FEare God alwais whose might is most ioyn thy feare with loue Since ouer all his worthy workes his mercie standes aboue In him thou mayst likewise be bold to put thy trust alwaie Since he is iust and promyse kéepes his truth cannot decay Giue eare vnto his Ministers which do his worde professe Disdayne them not due reuerence their place deserues no lesse And loue them eke with hartie loue bicause they féede thee still With heauenly foode wheron thy soule his hungrie hart may fill Then next to God true honor giue to Gods anoynted king For he is Gods lieutenant here in euerie earthly thing his power comes from heauen aboue the which thou must obay And loue him since he doth protect thy life in peace alway To Magistrates in their degrées thou must like duties beare Loue honor and obedience since they betoken heare The maiestie and represent the king him selfe in place And beare his sword maintayn peace and déeme ech doutfull case Be thankefull to the countrey soyle wherein thou hast béene bred Defend it alwaies to the death therefore thy life is led And seeke by all thy skill and powre to do such deedes therin As may therto some profit yeld so shalt thou honor win To elders for their hoarie heares thou shalt do reuerence And loue them since they councell thée in euery good pretence Defend them eke bicause they be as feeble for their might As stout and strong in good aduice against the flesh to fight Thy father and thy mother both with other parents mo Thou shalt in honor still esteme for God commandeth so And loue them as they tendred thee in cradle and in kind Releiue their age if it haue neede for duety so doth bind Thus shalt thou beare thy self alwaies if thou wilt prosper wel And from thy selfe if thou desire all mischiefe to expell Thē kepe thy self both chast cléen in déed eke in thought Embrace the good leaue the bad for thou art dearely bought Thou art the Temple of the Lord which must be vndefilde More dere to him thē Tēples are which mortal mē do build And since he cast frō Tēple once which was but lime stone The biers and the sellers both bad them thence be gon How much more thē wil he require that thou shuldst kepe thy selfe Both cleane pure from fylthy sin much worse thē worldly Be holy thē kepe these words in mind both night day pelf For so be sure that god himself thy stagring steppes wil stay Finis quoth Philotimus Thus haue you now séene Philomusus my simple skill in poetry and I pray you tell me your opinion therein Phylomusus Surely Phylotimus I like your verses verie well for they are compendious and to be playne with you I haue lykewise framed a verse or poeme vpon the same matter marie I haue some what more dilated and enlarged euerie point but such as it is I will likewise craue your opinion therein Phylotimus With right good will I pray you reade them Phylomusus THe man that meanes by grace him selfe to guyde And so to lyue as God may least offende These lessons learne and let them neuer slide from out his mynde what euer he pretende Since God is greate and so omnipotent as nothing can withstand his mighty powre he must be fearde least if his wrath be bent we perishe all and wither lyke a flowre Yet with such feare we must him loue lykewise Synce he hath store of mercyes in his hand And more delights that Sinners shuld aryse then still to fall and neuermore to stand In him also we maye be bolde to trust In him we may put all our confidence For he is true and of his promise iust He neuer fayles
the pyth of his pretence His Ministers and such as prech his word Because they be from him to teach vs sent We shuld to them giue eare with one accord And learne their lore which leads vs to repent All reuerence to them shal be but due As well because their office so requires As there with all because there doth ensue A iust rewarde to humble mennes desires And loue them eke with fast and faithfull loue Because they féed thy soule with heauenlie bread Which cannot moulde nor from thy mouth remoue Untill thou haue thy fill there on ysed Next God the king doth challeng second place And him we must both honor and obay Because he hath from God aboue his grace And is viceroy on earth to beare the sway Yet as with hart we shall him honor yeld And must obay what he commaunds with feare So loue him eke bicause he is our shield And doth protect our life in quiet here Lyke duties do to Magistrates belong Because they beare the sworde and represent The king him selfe righten euerie wrong And mainteine peace with all their whole entent Unto the soyle wherin we fostred were We must alwaies be thankeful children found And in defence therof we must not feare To venture life as we by birth be bound For to that ende our life to vs was lent And therewith all we ought the same t' aduaunce And do such déedes as may be pertment To profit it and eke our selues enhance The siluer heares of Elders euery where Clayme reuerence as due therto by right Their graue aduise and precepts which we feare Doth challeng loue the same for to requit Their weake estate when force is gon and past Doth craue defence of such as yet be strong Since they defend the force of fortunes blast From weakest wytts which harken to their song The parents they which brought vs vp in youth Must honord be since God commaundeth so And synce therby a gratious gyfte ensewth Euen longe to lyue in earth whereon we go They ought lykewise our harty loues to haue As they loued vs in cradle when we laye And brake their sleepes our sely lyfe to saue When of our selues we had no kind of stay And if they néede in age when strength is gone We ought reléeue the same with all our powre We should be gréeud when as wee heare them grone And whyle their wantes and helpe them euerie howre And he that thus can well direct his wayes And kéepe himsefe in chast and holy life Shall please the Lord shall prolong his â—â—ayes In quiet state protected still from stryfe Be holie thus and liue in good accord Since men one earth are Temples to the Lord Thus may you sée Phylotimus that one selfe same thing may be handled sundrie wayes and now I pray you tell me your opinion as I haue told you myne Phylotimus Surely Phylomusus your verses do please mee much better then mine owne and verie glad I am that wée haue eche of vs so well accomplished our dueties nothyng doubting but that our enstructer will also like the same accordingly now if you thinke good let vs go in and present the same when soeuer hée shall thynke good to demaund it Phylomusus With right good will go you on I wil folow The third Chorus THe Shed is great and greater then the show Which séemes to be betwéene the good and bad For euen as wéedes which fast by flowres do growe Although they be with comely collors clad Yet are they found but seldome swéete of smell So vices brag but vertue beares the Bell The prauncing stéede can seldome hold his flesh The hottest greyhound leaues the course at length The finest Silkes do séeld continue freshe The fattest men may fayle sometymes of strength Such déepe deceiptes in faire pretence are founde That vices lurke where vertue séemes t' abound A Spanish tricke it hath ben counted oft To séeme a thing yet not desire to be Like humble bées which fly all dayes aloft And tast the flowers that fairest are to sée But yet at euen when all thinges go to rest A foule cowe sharde shall then content them best Well yet such bées bycause they make great noise And are withall of sundry pleasaunt hewes Bee most estéemd alwayes by common voyce And honourd more then Bées of better thewes So men likewise which beare the brauest Showe Are held for best and crowched to full lowe But vertue she which dwelles in secret thought Makes good the séede what euer be the smell Though outward glose sometimes do séeme but nought Yet inward stuffe of vertue doth excell For like a stone most worthy to estéeme It loues to be much better then to séeme Phylautus héere and Phylosarchus eke Did séeme at first more forward then the rest But come to proofe and nowe they be to séeke Their brethren no we perfourme their duty best Thus good from badde appeares as day from night That one takes paine that other loues delight Finis Actus Tertij Actus quarti Scaena prima PHYLOPAES PHYLOCALVS GNOMATICVS Phylopaes I Haue for my parte set al thinges in redynesse for my Sonnes departure and if my neighbour haue done the lyke they shall departe immediatly but behold where he commeth how now sir What haue you done or dispatched Phylocalus Al thinges necessary for my Sonnes are in readynesse and you what haue you done Phylopaes Doubt you not of my diligence I am ready were it within this houre but I would be glad to talke with Maister Gnomaticus as well to vse his aduise as also to haue his letters of commendation vnto some faithfull Tutor at the Uniuersity and looke where he commeth in haste Gnomaticus Gentlemen I haue founde you both in good houre and I would wish you to dispatch the younge men your sonnes with all conuenient speede for the thing which you suspected is doubtlesse too true Phylocalus And how knowe you Gnomaticus I will tell you sir care while assoone as I departed from you I examined theÌ„ al concerning a taske which I had giuen them and that was to put in verse a briefe memoriall of the chiefe poyntes wherein I did enstruct them and I found that Phylomusus and Phylotimus whom I thought not so quicke of capacity as the other had done the same very well on that other side I founde Phylautus and Phylosarchus to haue done there in nothing of all and marueyling at their straunge and vnaccustomed slackenesse I searched them vppon such suspicion as I had conceyued and founde that Phylosarchus had spent the time in wryting of louing sonets and Phylautus had also made verses in praise of Marshiall feates and pollycies Phylocalus O God and haue you not punished them accordingly Gnomaticus As for that sir be you contented there is time for all thinges and presently in my iudgement
it is not with God as it is with Princes of the worlde which to make themselues feared do become Tyrantes but the goodnes of almighty God is such that he desireth no lesse to be loued then he deserueth to be feared and though his might and power be vniuersall and there with all his Ielousie great and his displeasure soon prouoked yet delighteth he not in the distruction of mankind but rather that a sinner should turne from his wickednes and liue Tully in his second booke de legibus saith that God being Lord of al things doth deserue best of mākind bicause he beholdeth what euery man is and with what deuotion he worshippeth the Gods and kéepeth an accompt aswell of the good as the badde whereby appeareth that the heathen confessed yet that the Gods were to be loued bycause they cared for mankind and truly that opinion is neither cōtrary to Gods word nor dissonant to naturall reason For wée sée by common experience that we loue them best of whom we are most fauoured haue receiued greatest benefits I meane hereby those that rule their doinges by reason for otherwyse wée sée dayly wicked men which forgetting their duty do least loue wher they haue most cause When I my selfe was a scholler in the Uniuersity I remember that I did often tymes defend in Schooles this proposition Ingratitudo tam versus Deos immortales quam apud homines peccatum maximum Ingratitude is the greatest faulte that may be either towards god or man Let vs cōsider the good eies of almighty God who first created vs to his owne Image and similitude indued vs with reason and knowledge preserued vs from innumerable perilles and prouided thinges necessary for our sustentation and to consider more inwardly the exceeding loue which he bare towardes mankinde he spared not his onely begotten Sonne but gaue him euen vnto the death of the crosse for our redemption Oh what minde were able to conceaue or what tongue able to vtter the loue and goodnes of almighty God towardes mankinde And since his loue towardes vs hath bene and yet doth continue infinite our loue should also be infinite to render him thanks for his goodnes But though the causes be infinite which might bind vs to loue GOD yet is there no cause greater then the manifolde mercyes which he hath shewed alwayes alwayes to mankind In the first age when iniquity kindled his wrath to destroy the whole world he yet vouchsafed to preserue Noe and his family Loue him then since he preserueth the good though it be but for his mercyes sake When the people of Israell prouoked him at sundry times he did yet at euery submission stay his hand from punishment Loue God then since he is ready to forgiue and though he pronounceth his Ielousie in the twentith of Exodus saying that he visiteth the sinns of the Fathers vppon the children vnto the third and fourth generation yet ther withal he addeth that he sheweth mercy vnto thousandes in them that loue him and kéepe his commaundementes Loue him then since his mercy is ouer all his works To conclude when his vnsearchable Maiestie by his diuine foresight did perceyue that by the very sentence of the Lawe we stoode all in state of condemnation he sent down his owne and only Sonne to be slaundered buffeted and crucified for our sinnes to the ende that all which beléeue in him should not perish but haue lfie euerlasting Loue God then since mercy is aboundant with him and he shall redéeme Israell from all his iniquities And héere vnto this feare and loue you must ioyne a sure trust and confidence The promises of mortall men are often times vncertaine and do fayle but the promises of the Almighty are vnfallible For the wordes of his mouth returne not voyd and without effect Tully in his offices doth vse great arte in declaration what sortes of promises are to be obserued and which may be broken But the diuine prouidence and foresight doth promise nothing but that which he will most assuredly performe When he promised vnto Abraham that Sara his wyfe should beare him a childe Sara laughed bycause she was then foure score ten yeres olde but the almighty remembred his couenant Trust in him then for his woords shall neuer fayle When he promised Moyses to conduct his people through the desertes they began to doubt and murmure saying would God that we had dyed in the land of Aegypt or in this wildernesse c. and the lord was angry but yet remembring his promise at the humble petition of Moyses he perfourmed it Trust in God therefore since no displeasure can make him alter his determination he perfourmed his holy promyse in Ismaell although we read not that he praied vnto God therefore I would not haue you think hereby that I condemne or contemne prayer since it is the very meane to talke with God but I meane thereby to proue that God is most iust and faithfull in all his promises and by repeticion I say Feare God for he is mighty loue God for he is mercifull and trust in God for he is faithfull iust Herewith all you must also learne to performe duty towardes the seruaunts and ministers of God For as you shall onely be saued by hym and by cleauing to him in all your actions so yet are hys ministers the meane instruments of your saluation and do as it were leade you by the hand through the waues of this world vnto eternall felicity vnto whom you shall owe three seueral duties that is to say Audience Reuerence and Loue The Children of Israell by harkening to Moyses and Aaron were not only enstructed and taught their dutyes but were as it were made at one with God when they had at any time purchased his heauy displeasure By harkning vnto Phyllip the Apostle the Enuch was conuerted By harkning vnto Peter Cornelius the captain was confirmed strengthned in the faith By harkning vnto Paule and Sylas Lidia and the gaylour of Phylippos were baptised the holy scriptures are full of examples to proue this proposition Harken you therfore vnto the ministers of God for they are sent to enstruct you so shall it also become you to do thē reuerence in al places remēbring that as he which sent them is in all thinges to be honoured so are they to be had in reuerence for their office sake Such was the zeale of Cornelius the Captaine that he fell downe prostrate at Peters féete when he entered into his house the which though Peter refused saying that he was also mortall yet did it signifie vnto vs that the ministers of God cannot bée too much reuerenced The Priestes in the olde Testament were exempt from tributes and impositions they were not constrained to go into the battaile they were prouided for sustenance and all thinges conuenient and the people were commaunded to do them reuerence Do you likewise reuerence vnto
Gods ministers in al places for it shal become you well So shall you also loue them bycause they preach the gospel of him which hath power to saue you If the sensual apetite of man be such as engeÌ„dreth affection towards the handmaide bicause she is of familiar coÌ„uersation with the Mistris or bréedeth loue towards them which are in office with Princes bycause they may also procure vs fauour how much more ought the mindes of men to be kindled with loue towardes the ministers of God which enstructs vs diligently minister vnto vs painfully and pray for vs faithfully yea how much are we bouÌ„d to loue them which by their holsome preceptes do make vs worthy through Gods mercy of his holy loue and fauour To conclude this chapter you shall feare God for his might loue him for his mercyes and trust in him for he is faithfull You shall also harken vnto his ministers bycause they are sent of God you shall do them reuerence because it becometh you and for their office sake and you shal loue them by cause they feede you with the breade of lyfe And this I thinke sufficient for explanation of this first chapter at this time Onaticus Sir I haue done as you commaunded and there is meate redy for your dinner if it please you that it be sette on the table Gnomaticus Well we wil then defer the rest of our labour vntill dinner be past go we togither for I thinke it tyme Phylosarcus We followe when it pleaseth you They depart Actus primi Scoena quinta LAMIA ECCHO PANDARINA and DICK DROOM Lamia COme on my good friendes for were not your frendly help I could rather content my self to be buryed in my flowing yeares then to liue in such a miserable and precise world as this is Oh what Superfinesse are we now grown vnto a gentlewoman may not now adaies séeme to speak to her frende at the dore passing by she may not looke at him in the window she may not kisse him if she méete him as a straunger nor receyue his letters or presentes but euery pratling minister will record it in the pulpit Eccho In déed faire Lady Lamia they are both too curious and too much suspicious for if they do but sée two in bedde togyther they will say that it was for to committe some wickednesse fye fye vpon such tongues Lamia Ha ha by my troth Eccho wel said but by your leaue let master minister tattle what he will for I will take my frendes present when it commeth and shall I tell you if I could haue bene contented to be so shutte vp from sight and spéech of such as like me I might haue liued gallantly and well prouided with my mother who though I say it is a good old Lady in Ualentia but when I sawe that I must weare my good apparell alwayes within doores and that I must passe ouer my meales without company I trussed vp my Jewelles in a casket and being accompanyed with my good Aunte here I bad Ualentinian farewell for I had rather make hard shifte to liue at lyberty then enioy great riches in such a kind of emprisonment Eccho A good Aunt in déede I would I had such an Uncle Pandarina Content your selfe niece it were now but folly to spend time in bootelesse complaints nor to lament the thing which may not be remedied you must rather learne the way that may maintaine your estate for beauty will not alwayes last and if you prouide not in youth you may be assured to begge in age take example at me I tell you I thought my halfepeny good siluer within these few yeares past and now no man estéemeth me vnlesse it be for counsell Dicke Counsell quoth you mary sir and good counsell is much worth now adayes Lamia I pray you Aunt since you are so good a councellour giue me some aduise how to behaue my selfe Pandarina As for that another time shall serue betwéen you and mée Eccho Why and shall I be cast vp for a hobler then I am sure I was neuer yet vntrusty to any of you both Dicke Well Ladyes and if you looke well vppon the matter I think that I am as worthy as one to be of counsell well I wot if any gentleman offer you the least parte of iniury then Dicke must be sent for to sweare out the matter Dicke must byde all brontes and therfore it were not amisse that he were of counsel in all your conferences Lamia By myne honesty Aunt to confesse a troth both these are our very approued fréendes therfore you may be bolde to speake your minde before them Pandarina Well content then I will tell you mine opinion you take not the way to liue you are too much subiect to your passion for if you chance to be acquainted with a gentleman that is in déed courtlike and of good desertes you become straight way more destrous of him then he is of you and so farre you dote vpon him that you do not only sequester your selfe from all other company but also you become so franke harted that you suffer him not to bestow vpon you any more then is necessary for present vse yea hassilwâ—d I pray you learne these thrée pointes of me to gouerne your steppes by First Trust no man how faire so euer he speake next Reject no man that hath ought how euil fauored so euer he be And lastely Loue no man longer then he geueth since lyberall gyfts are the glewe of euerduring loue Eccho O noble Dame why were not you mother of the maydes vnto the Quéene of Hungary by the fayth of a true Burgondyan you had wrong for you well deserud the place Dyck. I warrant you if the King our master had store of daughters such a matrone could not liue vnknowen but was it not therfore thinke you that ambassadours were sent this other day to the old Duchesse Lamia Well Aunt I were worthy of great reprehension if I would reiect the good documents of such a frende and if I haue heretofore done contrary impute it to my youth but be you sure that hereafter I will endeuour my selfe to follow your precepts Eccho And I fayre Lady will stande you in some stead to driue byrdes to the Net If I be not much deceyued I saw a frosty bearded scholemaster iustructing of four lusty young men erewhyle as we came in but if my iudgement do not fayle me I may chaunce to read some of them another lecture Dyck. Lush what needeth such open talke here in the streate let vs go to the Lady Pandarinaes house and there we may deuise at better commodity vpon these causes Lamia He speaketh reason let vs go Aunt for it is not meete that euery dancer heare our musike before the maskers be ready Pandarina Well I sayde so at the first but when you wyll let vs departe They depart to their howses The first Chorus WHen God ordeynd the restlesse life of man And made him thrall
to sundry greenous cares The first borne griefe or Sorow that began To shew it self was this to saue from snares The pleasant pledge which God for vs prepares I meane the séede and ofspring that he giues To any wight which in this world here lyues Few see themselues but each man séeth his chylde Such care for them as care not for themselfe We care for them in youth when witte is wilde We care for them in age to gather pelf We care for them to kéepe them from the shelf Of such quicke sands as we our selues first founde When headdy will dyd sett our shippes on grounde The care which Christ dyd take to saue his sheepe Hath bene compard to fathers care on child And as the hen her harmles chicks can keepe From cruell kyte so must the father shylde His youthfull Sonnes that they be not beguylde By wicked world by fleshly foule desire Which serue the deuill with Fewell for his fire Fyrst parentes care to bring their children forth To breede them then to bring them vp in youth To match them eke with wightes of greatest worth To see them taught the trusty tracks of trueth To barre excesse from whence all sin ensueth And yet to geue enough for common néede Least lothsome lacke make vise for vertue breede Let shame of sinne thy Childrens bridle be And spurre them foorth with bounty wysely vsed That difference each man may plainly see Twéene parentes care and maisters bodes abused So Terence taught whose lore is not refused But yet where youth is prone to follow ill There spare the spurre and vse the brydell still Thus infinite the cares of Parentes are Some care to saue their children from myshappe Some care for welth and some for honours care Whereby their Sonnes may sitte in fortunes lappe Yet they which cram them so with worldly pappe And neuer care to geue them heauenly crommes Shall see them sterue when happe of hunger comes Said Socrates that man which careth more To leaue his chyld much good and rych of rent Then he for seeth to furnish him with store Of vertues welth which neuer can be spent Shall make him lyke the steed that styll is pent In stable close which may be fayre in sight But seldome serues such horse in field to fight So Xenophon his friend Dan Tully told And so do here Phylopaes and his pheare Phylocalus that selfe same lesson hold They rather loue to leaue their sonnes in feare Of God aboue then wealth to wallow heare Which godly care O God so deigne to blisse That men may sée how great thy glory is Finis Actus primus Actus Secundi Scoena prima GNOMATICVS PHYLAVTVS PHYLOMVSVS PHYLOSARCVS and PHYLOTIMVS Gnomaticus MY well beloued as tyme is the greatest treasure which man may here on earth receiue so let vs not leese time but rather séeke so to bestowe the same that profitte may thereof be gathered I will nowe return to enstruct you what dutyes you owe vnto the King whose place is next vnto Gods place in consideration of your duty And as I haue taught you thrée principall poyntes in seruice of God almighty so will I also conuey into thrée pointes as much as shal be necessary for this tradition for I feare least I haue bene ouer longe in my first deuision but I was drawne thervnto by the request which you made of your selues and therefore beare with me Phylotus Sir our desire is such to beare away perfectly your enstruction that your prolixity séemeth vnto vs very compendious Gnomaticus Well then to return vnto the matter you shall performe vnto the King thrée especial dutyes that is to say Honour Obediencae and Loue Hypodamus in his booke of a common welth saith that a kingdome is a thing compared to the imitation of gods power Diotogenes the scholler of Pytagoras in his booke of gouernment saith that a king representeth the figure of God amongst men Lykewise he sayth that as god excelleth the most perfect things of nature so the king excelleth amongst men and worldly matters so that he is to bee honored as the lieutenant of God here vpon earth both because he hath power of commaundement and chiefly because he representeth that heauenly King who is king of kinges and aboue all Kynges to be honoured Euen so is hee also to bee obayed in all seculer constitutions and pollitike prouisions This obedience doth consequently follow honoure as the shadow folowes the body for whatsoeuer he be that gyueth vnto his king that honor which to him apperteineth will no doubt lykewise obay him with all humilitie Erasmus teacheth in his Apothegmes that obediēce expelleth al seditiō maynteyneth concorde the which may also appeare by naturall reason and common experience neyther shall they euer become able to beare rule them selues whiche cannot bee content to obay the aucthoritie of others Wherfore it shal be most conuenient that you obay the King synce his aucthoritie is frō god as this obedience dependeth vpon the honour wherewith ye shall reuerence the King as Gods lieutenant so must you also ioyne therunto an vnfayned loue for as almightye God is to be loued because hee is mercifull so the King beeing apoynted by God muste be loued bycause he is thy pretector heere on earth Salamon sayth that the kings indignation is the messenger of death whereby I would frame myne argument from the contrarye that hee is to be loued least his indignation being iustly kindled thou bee not able to beare it Next vnto the king we are to consider the Magistrates which are appoynted for administration of iustice and pollityke gouerment these Magistrates must also bee honoured obeyed loued honored because they are the substituts of the king vnto whom all honour on earth apperteyneth obeyed because theyr office is appointed by the Kings aucthoritie and loued because they are the graue and expert personages which deuise lawes and constitutions for continuaunce of peace and tranquillitie The apostle Paule in his xiii. chapter of his Epistle to the Romaines teacheth playnely that Rulers beare not the sworde in vaine saying Let euerie soule be subiect vnto the higher powers for there is no power but of God Againe the ruler sayth he doth not beare the sworde in vayne Wherefore you must néedes be subiect not onelye for feare but also for conscience And Sanct Peter in hys fyrst Epistle and the seconde chapiter doth sufficientlie teach vs this point saying Submit your selfe vnto all manner ordinaunce of man for the Lordes sake whether it bee vnto the king as hauing the preheminence or vnto the rulers as vnto them that are sent of him for the punishment of euill dooers but for the laude of them that do well Whereby appeareth that the magistrates are not onely to be feared because they punysh offenders but also to be loued because they cherish the verteous and for conclusion of this poynt if you desire to be good men then learne to performe duety towardes all magistrates
you And Sainct Paule in the sixt chapiter of his Epistle to the Ephesians sayth Chyldren obay your Parents in the Lord for that is right and wellpleasing to the Lorde As he testifieth in the thirde chapiter to the Colossianes you shall loue them also because you are engendred of their owne fleshe bloud as also you may not forget your Mothers paines in bearing of you you muste alwaies meditate in your minde fyrst the cares which they haue had to preserue you from bodily perils in the cradell from daunger of dampnation by Godly education from néede and hunger by administring things necessarie and from vtter destruction by vigillant foresight Godly care all these with infinit other things considered you shall finde your selues bounden by manyfolde occasions to loue your Parentes and to be assistant vnto them in the necessities of their age For well sayd that Poet which affirmed that children were tenderly swadled in their cradels to the ende they mighte susteyne their aged Parentes and supplie their wantes Meruelous is the nature of the Storke which féedeth the damme in age of whom it selfe receiued nouriture béeing young in the neast Tully in his booke of the answers of sothsayers sayth that nature in the beginning hath made an accord betwéene vs and our Parents so that it were damnable not to cherish them And to conclude ther is nothing that can worse become a comon welth then to sée the youth florish in prosperity which suffer their parents to perish for lack of any cōmodity Now that I haue rehearsed vnto you asmuche as I thinke requisit for the enstruction of your dueties fyrst towardes god and his ministers next to the Kyng and his Magistrates thirdely to your countrey and the Elders thereof and lastly towardes your Parentes it shall not be amisse that you remember of your selfe how you are the Temple of God kéepe your selues holy therefore in your conuersation and vndefiled for if our sauiour Christ did rigorously rebuke and expell the buyers sellers out of the outward Temple how muche more will hée punishe them which pollute and defile the inwarde Temple of their bodies and geue ouer their delight to concupiscence and vanities thus may you for breuitie remember that you 1 Feare God because he is mightie 2 Loue God because he is mercifull 3 Trust in God because he is iust 1 Heare his ministers because they are sent to enstrust you 2 Do reuerence vnto them because of their office 3 Loue them because they feede you with heuenly bread 1 Honor the King because he is Gods lieutenant 2 Obay him because his power is from aboue 3 Loue him because he is thy protector 1 Honor hys Magistrates because they represent his person 2 Obay them because they haue their aucthoritie from him 3 Loue them because they mainteine peace 1 Be thankefull to thy countrey that hath bredde thee 2 Defende it because thou art borne to that ende and 3 Profytte it because thou shalt thereby gayne honour 1 Reuerence thy elders for their grey heares 2 Loue them because they councell thee and 3 Defend them because they are feeble 1 Honor your Parentes because God commandeth so 2 Loue them bycause they tendred you and 3 Releeue them because it is your duety Lastly forget not your selues neyther make any lesse account of your selues then to be the Temple of God whiche you ought to keepe holy and vndefiled I myghte stand in dilatacion hereof with many moe examples and aucthorities but I trust these being well remembred shall suffyce and now I will leaue you for a time beséeching allmyghty God to guyde and kéepe you now euer So be it Gnomaticus goeth out Actus secundi Scaena secunda PHYLAVTVS PHYLOMVSVS PHYLOSARCVS PHYLOTIMVS and ONATICVS Phylautus AH sirha I sée wel the olde prouerbe is true which saith so many men so many mindes this order of teaching is farre contrary to all other that euer I haue heard shal I tell you it hath in it neither head nor foote Phylomusus Truly brother it hath in it great reason vertue and though it be at the first vnpleasant in comparison to Terences Commedies and such like yet ought we to haue good regarde therunto since it teacheth in effect the summe of our duties Phylotimus Yea and that very compendiously Phylosarchus Surely I am of Phylautus opinion for who is ignorant that God is to be feared aboue all things or who knoweth not that the Kinge is appointed of God to rule here on earth Phylautus Is there any man so of understanding that he knoweth not that in all countreys elders must or will be reuerenced and sée we not daily that all parents challenge obedience and loue Phylosarchus Yes and more to for some parentes are neuer contented what dutie soeuer the childe performeth they forget what they once were themselues But to the purpose I looked for some excellent matter at this newe Schoolemasters handes if this be all that he can say to vs I would for my part that we were in some Uniuersitie for here we shall but loose our time I haue in effect all this geare without booke already Phylautus And I lacke not much of it Onaticus commeth in Onaticus Well sayd young gentlemen it is a good hearing when young men are so toward and much ease is it for the teacher when he findeth scollers of quicke capacity Philotimus Surely I am not yet so forwarde neither can I vaunt that eyther I haue it without booke or do sufficiently beare away the same in such order as I woulde Phylomusus For my parte I beséech God that I may with all my whole vnderstanding bee able to beare away that which our Master hath deliuered vnto vs and that I may so emprinte the same in my memorie that in all my lyfe I maye make it a glasse wherein I may beholde my duetie wherefore Phylotimus if you so thinke good you and I will go aparte and medytate the same to our selues to the end we may be the perfecter therein when our enstructor shall examine vs Phylotimus Contented let vs go where you will They go apart Phylosarchus Let them go like a couple of blockheads I would we two were at some Uniuersitie and then let them do what they list Phylautus Euen so would I for at the Uniuersitie we should heare other maner of teaching There be lectures daily read of all the liberall sciences of all languages and of all morall discourses Furthermore at the Uniuersitie we should haue choyse company of gallant young gentlemen with whom we might acquaint our selues and passe some times in recreation yea shall I tell you if a man list to play the good fellow and be mery sometymes hée shall not want there as I haue heard that wyll accompanie him Phylosarchus And what Uniuersitie do you suppose we shall be sent vnto Phylautus I thinke vnto Doway for that is néerest Phylosarchus Haue you béene in Doway at any time
any thing thither I will repayre to your house Phylopaes I pray thée do for peraduenture I wil wryte by thée Nuntius exit O God neighbour how vnhappie were wée to send your lewd seruaunt Ambidexter with our Sonnes My Sonne writeth vnto me that his brother Phylautus your Sonne Phylosarchus are seldome from the Bordelles or Tauerns and that Ambidexter is their companion and meaneth to tary there with them and to retourn no more Phylocalus My Sonne wryteth so in effect but hée séemeth to doubt least they prepare themselues to abandon the Uniuersity and to go gadding about the world a little for he writeth that they stay on hope that Eccho certaine other of his companions will shortly be with them othermyse they had bene gone long sithens Of himselfe I haue good newes for he wryteth vnto me that the Palsegraue hath written vnto the chauncellour of the uniuersity for a secretary and that he standeth in clection Phylopaes And my Sonne Phylomusus is entered into the ministrie and hath preached in the Uniuersity and meaneth shortly to go vnto Geneua such comfort we haue yet vnto our calamity But as euery mischief is most easely cured and redressed in the beginning so if you will followe my counsell we will immediatly dispatch Fidus unto them who shall both aprehend Ambidexter and cause him to be punnished and shall also staye our two wandring Somes and bring them home vnto vs Phylocalus I like your councell well and for the loue of God let it be put in execution immediatly for in such cases nothing is so requisite as expedition Phylopaes Holde Fidus take these twenty crownes and get thee away with all spéede possible take post horses from place to place and if they should chaunce to be gone from Doway before thou come yet followe them and neuer cease vntill thou haue founde them and bring them home vnto vs Phylocalus Fidus spare for no cost and holde thée there are twenty crownes more if néede require Fidus Well Sir you shall sée that no diligence shall want in me to recouer them Will it please you to commaund me any other seruice Phylopaes No but God send thée good successe Fidus departeth In the meane time neighbour let vs go see what is done for the staying of Eccho that we may yet preuent all mischeefe as much as in vs lyeth Phylocalus I lyke you well your witte is very good vppon a sodaine but beholde where maister Gnomaticus commeth by him we shall partly vnderstand what is done Actus quinti Scaena tertia GNOMATICVS PHYLOPAES PHYLOCALVS Gnomaticus GEntlemen I haue sought you round about the Town this geare is in maner dispatched Eccho is apprehended with his traine and all Phylopaes Wel that is some comfort yet to our heauy hartes Gnomaticus Why haue you any cause of heauinesse Tell me I pray you Sir what meane you to stand thus amased Phylocalus My neighbour and I haue receyued newes which are both sorowful and comfortable Our two elder Sonnes by the lewde assistance of my seruaunt whom I sent with them do bestowe their time very wantonly in Doway and do determine as séemeth to be gone from thence very shortly Gnomaticus To be gon whether in Gods name Phylocalus Nay that hee knoweth to seeke aduenfures abrode in the world by all lykelyhoode and they stay but for the comming of Eccho and his companyons Gnomaticus Wel as for their coming thanked be god it is preuented wel eneugh but I pray you Sir tell me how know you this to be certeynly so Phylocalus Why we haue receiued letters from our other two Sonnes holde you here is mine you may read it He deliuereth him the letter How now neighbour what muse you your wittes were good erewhile vpon the sodayne plucke vp your spirits you shall see by Gods grace Fidus will bring vs good newes Phylopaes Oh neighbour I am not able to expresse the sorowes which my heart conceiueth alas the goods of the world although they be gotten with great trauaile and kept with great care yet the losse of them doth neuer torment a wise man since the same deuice or brayne that coulde contriue the gathering of them is able againe to renew the like but the misgouernmēt of a mans children or to sée them cast away by lacke of grace or for lacke of vigilant foresight that onely is vnto the wysest mynde an vnmedicinable wounde Oh that my harte is not able to beare nor to abide the furious assaults of this misfortune He sowneth Phylocalus What man stand vp and take a mans harte vnto you Gnomaticus What Sir for the loue of God do not take the matter thus heauily by his grace you shall haue no such cause your neighbour here hath cause of comfort for I perceiue that his Sonne hath so well spent his time and so well profited at his booke that he standeth in election to bee Secretarie vnto Palsegraue Phylocalus Yea and his Sonne Phylomusus is also become a famous preacher meaneth shortly to go vnto Geneua Gnomaticus Wel then ech of you hath some cause of cōfort yet and by the grace of God you shall see that the rest will fal out better then you looke for but if it should not you must yet arme your selfe with pacience and giue god thankes in all thinges since he can send tribulations and vexations when pleaseth him and can also send comfort when seemeth mete to his deuine maiestie but what haue you done for the preuenting hereof Philocalus Mary we haue dispatched my neighbours seruant Fidus to stay both them and Ambidexter that the one may be punished in example of all others and that the other may also be brydled from their hedstrong race which they meane to run Gnomaticus Ambidexter Why what hath he doone Phylocalus Do you not marke the letter it séemeth that his onelie leudenes hath ministred matter vnto their misbehauiour for he is their lodes mate companiō in all places and hath setled himselfe with them meaning neuer more to turne vnto me Gnomaticus Surely Phylocalus you were not well aduised to sēd such a fellow with your Sonnes I pray god he haue deliuered my letters faythfullie for I dyd yet neuer receaue answere of them By whome receaued you these letters Phylocalus By a carrier which trauayleth wéekely to Doway Gnomaticus And had hee no letters for me Phylocalus Surely I cannot tell for I was so glad when I founde in his role letters to mee and my neighbour that I sought no furder for any other but you shall soone finde hym out if you aske for the Carryer of Doway Gnomaticus Well by your leaue then I will goe séeke hym for I long sore to haue answere of my letters Philocalus You shall do well and in meane tyme my neighbour and I will go vnto his house for I perceiue he is not well Actus quinti Scaena quarta SEVERVS the MARGRAVE with his officers and ECCHO Seuerus COme on sirha what acquaintance haue you with
redde certaine Comedies of Terence certaine Epistles of Tully and some parte of Uirgill we were also entred into our greeke grammer Gnomaticus Surely it séemeth you haue not hytherto lost your time and the order of your enstruction hath bene such that you might presently be able to take further procéedinges in an Uniuersiry so that it should be vnto me but labour lost to stand still vpon those pointes since it seemeth that you haue bin therein perfectly grounded neuerthelesse wée will continue the exercise of the same and wée will therevnto ioyne such holesome preceptes as may become a rule and Squire wherby the rest of your lyfe and actions may be guyded For alchough Tully in his booke of dewtyes doth teach sundry vertuouse preceptes and out of Terence may also be gathered many morall enstructions amongst the rest of his wanton discourses yet the true christian must direct his steppes by the infallible rule of Gods woord from whence as from the hedde spring he is to drawe the whole course of his lyfe I would not haue you thinke hereby that I do holde in contempt the bookes which you haue redde heretofore but wée will by Gods grace take in assistance such and so many of them as may seeme consonant to the holy scriptures and so ioyning the one with the other we shal be the better able to bring our worke vnto perfectiō Sirha go you to my lodging cause in the meane tyme both bedding and dyet to be prouided for these young men that I may sée them vsed according to my charge in euery respect Onaticus Well Sir it shal be done with dilligence Gnomaticus Now let vs in the holy name of God begin and he for his mercy geue me grace to vtter and you to disgest such holesome lessons as may be for the saluatiō of your soules the comfort of your lyfe and the profitte of your Countrey You shall well vnderstand my well beloued schollers that as God is the author of all goodnesse so is it requisite that in all traditions and Morall preceptes we begin firste to consider of him to regard his maiestie and search the soueraigne poyntes of his Godhead The Heathen Philosophers although they had not the light to vnderstand perfect trueth were yet all of them astonyed at the incomprehensible maiesty and power of God some of them thought the ayre to be God some other the earth some the infinitenesse of things some one thing some another whose opinions I shall passe ouer as thinges vnméete to be much thought of but by the way the opinion of Plato is not vnworthy here to bee recited vnto you who taught plainely that god was omnipotent by whom the world was made and al thinges therein created and brought vnto such perfection as they be in Xenophon affirmed that the true God was inuisible and that therefore we ought not enquire what or what maner of thing God is Aristo the Stoicke affirmed lykewyse that God was incomprehensible To conclude Simonides being demaunded what God was required one dayes respect to answer and then being again demaunded the same question he required two dayes respet at the third apointment of his answere he came required thrée dayes and being demaunded wherefore he did so breake his apointments and require alwayes further time he aunswered that the more déepely that he did consider the matter the more infinite he found it and therefore remained alwaies astonyed what to answere and always craued further time Truly to leaue the heathen opinions and to come vnto the very touchestone I thinke it not amisse if we content our selues to thinke that God is omnipotent and yet his power vnsearchable and his goodnes vnspeakable And to be briefe I wil deliuer vnto you the summe of your dutyes in foure Chapters the first chapiter shal be of God and his ministers the second of the King and his Officers the third shall conteyne the duties that you owe vnto your Countrey and the Elders thereof and lastly you shal be put in remembraunce of your dutyes towardes your Parentes and what you ought to be of your selues In these soure chapters I trust by Gods help to enclude as much as shal be necessary for the perfect gouernment of a true Christian Phylomus Sir wée beseech you that for as much as this order of teaching is both very compendious also much different from the lectures which haue bene redde vnto vs you will therefore vouchsafe to stand somwhat the more vppon euery point to the end that aswell your meaning may be perspicuous as also that we may the better beare away the same and not onely learne it without the booke but also engraue it in our mindes Gnomaticus Your request is reasonable and it shal be by mée as readyly graunted as it hath bene by you necessarily required Your first chapter and lesson shall then be that in all your actions you haue an especiall eye and regard to almighty God and in that consideration I commend vnto your memory first God himselfe and secondarily his ministers As touching your duties vnto God him self although they be infinite yet shall we sufficiently conteine them in thrée especiall poynts to be perfourmed that is to say Feare Loue Trust And first to begin with feare it shal be necessary and aboue all thinges your bounden duty to feare God and his omnipoten power Linus that auncient Poet wryteth that with God all thinges are easie to be accomplished and nothing is vnpossible Tully in his Oration Pro Roscio amerino saith that the commodityes which wée vse the light which we enioy and the breath which we haue and drawe are giuen and bestowed vppon vs by God then if with God all thinges be possible according to Linus he is to be feared sithens the least part of his displeasure being prouoked the greatest part of his will is to him right easie to accomplish and if we haue our light our lyfe and all commodities of his gift as Cicero affirmeth then is hée to be feared least with the facillity of his omnipotency he take away as fast as he gaue or turne light into darknes life into death and cōmodities into discōmodities I might recite you many heathen authorities but it is most néedlesse since the very word of God himself is most plaine in this behalfe and yet I haue here set downe these fewe because they are not repugnant to holy Scriptures Wée finde written in the xx. chapter of Exodus that God is a Ielous God and doth visit the sinnes of the Fathers vppon the children vnto the third and fourth generation Feare him then for he is most mightie Againe who shall defend me saith the Psalmist vntill thine anger be past Feare God then since against his power no defence preuayleth Again both the heauens and the earth obay the voice of his mouth Feare him then for althinges are subiect vnto his mighty power And yet with this feare you must also ioyne loue for