transported to Florence should be but waste and more then needes like a tall mans gowne cast ouer a dwarfe as also the manners of Florence shoulde be to pinchinge and straite for the Noble natures and mindes of the gētlemē of Naples And although the gētlemē of Venice vse great embracings and entertainementes amongst themselues and fawne without measure the one on the other by reasō of their offices degrees and fauours they looke to finde when they meete and assemble and choose their officers yet for all this it is not conuenient that the good men of Rouigo or the Citizens of Asolo should vse the lyke solēnities embraceings and entertainemēts one to another haueing no such kinde of cause amongst them Albeit all that same countrie if I bee not deceiued is faine a litle into these kinde of follies as ouer carelesse and apt inough by nature or rather learning those maners of Venice their Lady and Mistris because Euerie man gladly seeketh to tread the steps of his better although there be no reasō for it Moreouer we must haue a regarde to the time to the age and the condition of him to whom we vse these ceremonies and likewise respect our owne calling and with men of credite maintaine them but with men of small account cut them of cleane or at least abridge them as muche as wee may rather giue them a becke thē a due garde Which the courtiers in Rome can very well skill to doe But in some cases these Ceremonies be very combersome to a mans busines and very tedious as Couer your head sayes the Iudge that is busied with causes and is scanted of time to dispatche them And this fellow so full of these Ceremonies after a number of legges and shuflinge curtesis aunswers againe Sir I am very well thus But sayes the Iudge agayne Couer your head I say Yet this good fellow tourning twise or thrise to fro making lowe conges downe to the grounde with muche reuerence and humilitie aunswers him still I beseache your worship let me doe my duetie This busines and trouble lasteth so long so muche tune is trifled that the Iudge might very nere haue dispatched all his busines within that space Then although it be euery honest mans parte and the duety of euery meaner body to honour the Iudges and mē that be called to worship honour yet where time wyll not beare it it is a very troublesome thing to vse it and it must be eschewed or measured with reason Neyther be that self same Ceremonies semely for young mē respecting their Age that ould mē doe vse together Nor yet can it becom men of meane and base condition to vse the very same that gētlemē greate men may vse one to another And if wee marke it well we shall find that the greatest the best men mē of most valour doe not alwayes vse the most Ceremonies thē selues nor yet loue nor looke a mā should make many goodly curtsies vnto them as men that can ill spend their thoughts one matters so vaine Neither must handy crafts men nor mē of base condition buisie thē selues to much in ouer solemne Ceremonies to greate men and Lordes it is not lookt for in suche For they disdaine them more then allowe thē because it seemes that in such they seeke looke rather for obedience and duetie then honour And therefore it is a foule faulte in a seruaūt to offer his master his seruice for he coūts it his shame he thinks the seruāt doth make a doubt whether he is master or no as if it were not in him to imploy him cōmaūd him too These kinde of Ceremonies would be vsed frankely For VVhat a man dothe of duetie is taken for a debte and hee finds him selfe litle beholding to him that doth it But he that dothe more then he is bound to it seemes he parteth with somewhat and that makes men to loue him and to commende him for a liberall man And I remember mee well I haue hearde it sayde that a worthy Graeciā a greate versifier was euer wont to saye that He that could skill to entertaine men with a small aduenture made a greate gayne You shall then vse youre Ceremonies as the tailer shapes his garments rather to large then to litle but yet not so that hee cutteth one hose large inough to make a cloke And if thou doe vse in this point some litle gentle behauiour to suche as be meaner then thy selfe thou shalt be counted lowly And if thou doe asmuche to thy betters thou shalt bee sayde a Gētlemā well taught and courtious But hee that dothe her in to muche and is ouer lauishe shal be blamed as vaine and light and perhaps worse thought of too counted a busie body a fidging fellowe and in wise mens sight a flatterer which vice our elders haue called if I doe not forget me dowble diligence And there is no faulte in the worlde more to bee abhorred or that worsse beseemes a gentleman then this And this is the thirde maner of Ceremonies which simply procedeth of our owne will and not of custome Let vs thē remēber that Ceremonies as I haue alwayes sayd were not so necessarie by nature but a man might doe well inough without them As for example our coūtrie liued it is not long since in maner cleane without any But other mens diseases haue infected vs with these infirmities and many mo So that custome and vse obserued the rest that is more is but waste and such a sufferable leesing as if it be more in deede then is in vse it is not only vnsufferable but forbidden and so vppon the matter a cold and vnsauourie thing to noble mindes that cannot brouse vppon shrubbes and shewes And you shall vnderstand that trusting my owne skill but little in wryting this present treatise I thought good to consult with many and to take the Iudgement of better learned men then my selfe And this in my reading I finde There was a King they call him Oedipus being banished and driuen out of his countrie vppon what occasion I know not he fled to King Theseus at Athens the better to saue him selfe and his life from his enemies that mainely pursued him This Oedipus now comming before the presence of Theseus by good chaūce hearing his daughter speake whome he knew by her voice for he was blind and could not beholde her with his eyes he was so presently striken with ioy that not tarying to doe his allegeaūce and duetie to the King he did presētly embrace make much of his daughter before him his fatherly affection so led him and rulde him so But in the end finding his fault and better aduising him selfe of his doings he would needs excuse it to Theseus humbly prayd his grace to pardon his folly The good and wise King cut of his talke and bad him leaue his excuses and thus saide vnto him Comfort thy selfe Oedipus and
without greate warrantize and this is by reason that youth hauing their libertie nouzeled so long in idlenesse are prone and apt to vice and wickednesse vtterly vndoing them selues thorough their owne wilfulnesse that impossible it is to bring them to any perfection as the olde saying manifestly affirmeth Naturam expellas furca licet vsque recurret That which is ingraffed by nature neither threatenings or any persuasion may alter And if it happen such one who hauing their libertie bée enterteined into seruice what offence so euer he commit to his maister he thinkes it greate scorne to be reformed be is of so vile dogged a nature and this is the cause so many are maisterlesse wherby it commeth to passe that seruices are purchased by money For a number hauing good qualities descended of honest parentage by their meanes are greatly hindered For what is the common saying amongst most men If a Seruingman repaire to a maide or widowe by way of marriage whereby to winne himselfe preferment but straightway they murmur amongest themselues backebiting him shamefully with flaunderous speaches calling him spend thrist A lamentable hearing that all Seruingmen for some lewde perfome sakes shoulde be condemned for this is most certeine that the least faulte a Seruingman comitteth is greatly remembred therefore it standeth them vppon to haue speciall regard to avoyde suspicion considering their credit is their chiefest riches which once being lost of the world they are forsaken An other kind of Seruingmen there is which professeth that life but vpon extremitie and that is the riche Farmours sonne who hearing the drumme sounde preparing to muster is meruellous fearefull to become a souldier lamenting heauily to his cockering mother to he a meanes for him he may not be pressed for saith he I am your onely dearling and to sée me miscarrie it would shorten your days for of this I am assured that if I goe on warfare I am neuer like to returne home againe to my fathers house for my fortune was reade me when I was a little one that I shoulde be shotte quite thorough with a gunne therefore honnie mother as you tender my safetie procure me a seruice that I may farrie at home Then the mother to saue the prettie soule séeketh out some present and in hast repaireth to some Gentleman of credit vppon request made forthwith is receiued thus for feare of his costerd becomes a Seruingman Then Gentlemen perceiuing they may haue seruantes Gratis without wages which will play the Seruingmen drudge in their businesse turne out olde seruitors to go pick dasies who farre from friends acquaintance béeing vnexperte of trade and occupation fall into desperation by meanes of pouertie So that hereby the Farmour maketh a rodde for his owne taile for it standeth by good reason that being once in aduersitie if they haue any sparke of manhood in them rather then they will want reliefe they will séeke to come by it by vnlawfull meanes And who will they lie in weight to robbe and be reuenged of but on such rich churles as were causes of their vndooing And thus they by their double diligence labour take suche paines that they créepe in such fauour with their maister who with their profitable seruice is so infected with couetousnesse that he hath no consideration of his olde seruants true and faithfull diligence who for their long seruice haue well deserued a iust recompense So that the Gentleman and the Yeoman aswell the one as the other haue brought seruices to a verie weake stay that a number at this day haue seruantes and giue them no wages and if they haue any one seruing him which wanteth liuing if he hath not some good qualitie in good faith of his maister he shal be litle regarded Therefore the estate of a seruingman is brought to this point that if he practise not some trade in his youth let him be assured to begge in his age as the prouerb manifestly affirmeth Qui antè non cauet post dolebit He that hath no care afore what mischiefes may afterward insue shall greately repent him Those which vppon such extremitie professe the life of Seruingmen may be properly called Sucklinges or otherwise Caterpillers for they hinder those which longe time haue serued not profiting them selues but wasting their substance So that hereby they thinke to eschewe one mischiefe but vndoubtedly they fall into a worser For they vse a kinde of diligence but to serue their owne turnes But as soone as the brunt is past they beginne to waxe lazie and take heart at grasse thinking with them selues What dizards are we hauing rich parentes and wealth enough to mainteine our calling to moyle toyle in such sort other of our fellowes hauing litle or nothing to take to carrie the countenance of Gentlemē we to liue thus like slaues Then labour is turned to loytering the nosegay in the hatt to an Ostrich fether his russet slapp to a french hose his buckled shooe to a Spanishe pumpe his sparing life to prodigalitie vntill of force they become souldiers for they créepe so déepe into the merchantes bookes and béecome such proper Billmen that in the ende their silkes sweates out all their reuenewes Thus they not content with their owne estates aspire to be Gentlemen by meanes of their fine array that they growe so lustie that they think scorne of their owne parents but it is commonly séene The forward trée beareth lesse fruite What auaileth the mariner to saile without his compasse What good doth a faire house wanting implementes of houshold What profiteth braue clothes in any person wanting witt and gouernement They may be aptly compared vnto a corrupt Carion in a golden cup let them decke themselues neuer so gaie want the chiefest ornament that is Wisedome in good faith they shal be but imbraced amongst the most sort of men for lucre or gaine and foothed for that they haue Therefore in my simple opinion I think it more credit for them to go in the fore ward amongst the number of yeomen then to come last in the number of Gentlemen being alwayes fearefull to challenge that title so that when all is gone from the countrie cart they came and to the London cart they must that they ring suche a peale that they drawe a yearde of cleane hempe besides the knott But nowe to come to the chiefe point and purpose which beautifieth a seruingman which is To be godly Nothing can prosper which we take in hand or goe about vnlesse we applie our minde to the seruice of God for him must we honour aboue all things eyther in heauen or earth beléeue in him onely to be our Sauiour aske for all good things of him alone We must be content not onely for the glorie of God to bestowe our goods but also our life if God so requireth to cleaue vnto him as the foundation of all goodnesse to looke
thou hast occasion to cutt thy victuals but lay it on the cloth along by the trencher And if thou art asked a question aunswere him sagely with humble reuerence And so fourthly concerning diligence whiche may be aptly applyed to Painfulnesse We see no man can atteine to any riches without greate labour and diligence as to watch when other sléepe to trauell when other rest to worke when other play Howe many haue we daily séene raised from meane estate to rule and gouerne Cōmon weales and onely by their diligence Haue not diuerse by their industrie béene called to Princes Counsell Haue we not séene the Lawyers passe by degrées and determine causes in seate of Iustice The simple scholer hath thereby much profited The vnskilfull apprentice in time hath béene verie cunning in his trade and occupation By diligence we may quite alter our wicked liues and become Christians Lastly haue not many men seruing their lords and maisters béene rewarded with liuings thorough painefulnesse whereby they haue béen mainteined during their liues Therefore Lillie herein moste wisely affirmeth saying these wordes Nil tam difficile est quod non solertia vincat Nothing is so harde to learne but by diligence it is brought to passe Aristotle spent his youth verie riottously and Plato was no lesse addicted to delight in amorous verse Cato was olde before he learned Latine letters and yet became one of the greatest Oratours of his time These examples are sufficient to proue that by diligence any perfection may be atteined Let no man stand so much in his owne conceipt as to say I will do no more then my couenaunt requireth Or if thou art descended of a worshipfull stocke to growe in stomache by meanes of gentilitie Neyther if thou arte borne to any possessions to thincke it a scorne by meanes of thy riches For this hinders not so much thy selfe but doth rather minister yll counsell to a number and maketh them withdrawe their mindes from doing well and to followe lewde example For if thou be neuer so noble of birth if thou once become a seruaunt whatsoeuer thou do to thy maister aboue thy promise if it tende to his profite and commoditie is but thy bounden duetie Againe if such a one which doth his duetie farre beyond his couenaunt if for his labour he be not considered in good faith he serues a simple maister But be he assured although he finde no rewarde on earth his maister in heauen shall largely yeld him double recompense I neuer sawe as yet any in my life for too much diligence employed to their maisters that did euer want in their aged dayes but many the more is the pittie I do knowe for slacking their dueties vntrustie seruice haue beggered their maisters who with a iust plague for their labour haue béene rewarded according to their desertes whose estates at this present time are moste miserable to behold wandering as outcastes amongest the froth and scomme of vnhappie people What if thou diddest acquaint thy selfe to learne or practise all kinde of thinges touching the charge of housekéeping from the simple plowman vnto the superior seruaunt were this any disgrace to thy calling no certeinly but rather a commoditie for thou shalt gather therby greate knowledge and vnderstanding For what thing is more perfect then that which we learne by experience We may not thinke to liue alwayes in seruice but at the last to haue house and familie of our owne then the experience which we haue learned through our diligence shall instruct vs the better what belongeth to the duetie of our owne seruauntes And if so be thou art in credite with thy maister that it pleaseth him to make account of thée aboue the rest of thy fellowes be not therefore proude disdaine not thine inferiours for so shalt thou haue manie enimies but rather the more in credite the more courteous For courtesie is the only badge of a Gentleman and descendeth from nobilitie Again gentle communication and friendly countenaunce one to another expelleth all rancour and malice purchaseth many friendes Did not Antonius the lustie gallant preferre Cleopatra the blacke Aegyptian for her incōparable courtesie before all the blasing starres in the citie of Rome It is the onely pathway to praise and the brightnesse thereof is eclipsed by pride and arrogancie What is Honour Wealth Beautie or braue Attire without courtesie It is assuredly nothing else but a goodly gréene trée which florisheth with leaues and blossoms and bringeth foorth no fruite Some there are which will stande highly vppon their reputation for that they haue a reasonable portion to leane vnto and holdes it great scorne to associate them selues with their fellowes of inferiour calling being not of like abilitie some againe for their stocke and kindred Such persons as will growe hautie by meanes of their wealth being the giftes of Fortune which is vncerteine abuse the same And such which glorie in them selues by meanes of their greate aliaunce declare to be in them but méere foolishnesse Assure thy selfe of this that if thou arte alied to manie and yet hast but fews friendes what profiteth thée to boast of thy high birth For if thou hast neuer so many kinsmen and if thou doest not indeuour thy selfe some kinde of way to pleasure them their friendship towards thée in time of néede will become weake and verie slender and thou thy selfe little accompted of But perhaps if thou visitest them as a straunger muche welcome but if thou accompt it as thy home they will compare thée to a freshe water fishe which being kept long will sauour and become lothfome Euen so if thou burden thy friendes otherwise then a guest ought to do they will repine at thée Therefore neyther for birth or riches be not disdainfull but the more courteous if thou wilt be well thought of For haue we not read of Kings gouerning whole kingdomes and other Nobles with large reuenues liuing in all felicitie haue abandoned their countries and liued in moste miserable bondage Suche is the rewarde of those that growe proude and are vnthankful for that they haue For it is commonly séene that when Fortune smileth moste on any mortall wight then workes shée greatest deceipt As shée hath pleasure to raise meane persons to credite and dignitie so likewise taketh shée as great delight to throwe them downe into aduersitie Delight not to complaine of any of thy fellowes to currie fauour and disquiet thy maister but after a friendly manner vse gentle persuasions that if any of thy fellowes haue neglected his duetie tell him secreatly that it may be reformed At thy maisters table haue great care and diligence and especially at such time as there are many straungers Listen not to euery tale that at the boord is recited and if so be it minister occasion of laughter yet in any wise do thou refraine and kéepe silence Let thine eyes be fixed round about the table lest
slaye fast ynoughe Now you shall vnderstād there was in Verona a bishop a wise mā a learned of a singular good wit by nature whose name was Giouāni Matheo Giberti Amōgst many good parts that were in him he was very courtious liberall to all gentlemen noble men that came vnto him doing thē all that honor he could in his house not with ouer much pompe and cost but with conuenient entertainement and measure such as besemed well a man of the Clergie It chaunced in his time a noble gentleman called Count Richard passing that way to spend a fewe dayes with the Bishop and his householde together which was thoroughly furnished with honest gentlemē and very well learned And bycause they found him a Noble gentleman courteous and well beseene in all good behauiour they praysed him muche and made muche of him saue that one vnmanerly fashion they muche misliked in him When the Byshop was aduertised of it consulting with some of his familiars about it as he was a wise man in all his doings straite they cōcluded it should be necessary to let the Count haue knowledge of it albeit they feared they should offend him Upon this the Count taking his leaue and redy to ryde away the next morning the Byshop called one of his seruants vnto him a man of good discretion and gaue him in charge to take his horse to beare the Count company some parte of his waye And when he sawe his time after an honest sorte to tell him that which they had determined betwene them selues The same gentleman that had this charge was a man well strooken in yeares very lerned and meruailous pleasaunt wel spoken comely and had muche frequented in his time the Courtes of greate Princes who was perhaps and is called Galateo at whose request and councell I first tooke in hand to set forth this present treatise Ryding with the Count he found him plesaunt talke ynoughe and passing frō one matter to another whē he thought it tyme to returne to Verona in taking leaue at parting with a gentle cherefull countenaunce he vsed this speache vnto him Syr Count my Lorde yealdeth you many thanks for the honour you haue done him in that it hath pleased you to vouchesafe his poore house and that he may not be vnthankfull for this your greate courtesie shevved vnto him he hath geuen me in charge that I must leaue a present vvith you in his behalfe and he sends it vnto vnto you vvith earnest request that you please to take it in good vvorthe and this is the gift You are a goodly gentleman and the best manered man my Lorde hath euer seene So that very heedefully beholding your behauiours and particularly considering them all hee findeth no one that is not very comely and comendable only one vnsemely trycke alone excepted vvhich you make vvith your lippes and your mouth together feeding at your meate vvith a certaine straunge noyes vnpleasaunt to all men that heare it This my Lord willed me to tell you and prayes you to endeuour your selfe to leaue it and vvithall to accept in levve of a beter present this louing admonition and councell of his for he is sure there is none in the vvorlde would make you the like present The Count that neuer wyst of his fault till now hearing himselfe reproued chaunged his countenance a little but as a mā full of stomacke ynough taking hart at grasse he said Tell your Lorde that yf all the gifts that men vvont to geue eche other vvere such as his men should be muche more riche then they are And for his greate courtesie and liberalitie to mee geue him many thanks I pray you and let him be sure I will not fayle from henceforthe to mend my fault and God be vvith you Now what shal we thinke this Bishop his modest and honest company about him would say if they sawe these whome wee see other while like swyne with their snouts in the washe all begroined neuer lyft vp their heads nor looke vp and muche lesse keepe their hands from the meate and with both their cheeks blowne as if they should sound a trumpet or blowe the fyer not eate but rauon whoe besmearing their hāds almost vp to their elbowes so bedawbe that napkyns that the cloathes in the places of easement be other while cleaner And to mend these slouenly maners be not ashamed many tymes with these filthy napkyns to wype awaye the sweat that trickleth and falleth downe their browes their face and their necke they be such greedy guts in their feeding and otherwhile to when it comes vppon them spare not to snot their sniueld nose vppon them Truly these beastly behauiours and fashions deserue not alone to be thrust out of this noble bishops house that was so pure and cleane but to be throughly banished all places where any honest men should com Let a man then take hede hee doe not begrease his fyngers so deepe that he befyle the napkins to much for it is an yll sight to see it neither is it good maner to rubbe your gresie fingers vppō the bread you must eate The seruaunts that bee appointed to waite vppon the table must not in any wise scratche and rubbe their heades nor any parte els in the sight of their Lorde Master nor thrust their hāds in any those partes of their body that be couered no not so muche as make any proffer as some careles fellowes doo holding their hands in their bosome or cast vnder the flappes of their coates behind them But they must beare them abroade without any suspicion and keepe them in any case washt cleane without any spot of durt vppon them And they that cary the dyshes or reache the cup must beware at that time they doe not spit coughe or neese for in such doings Suspiciō is as greate and offendeth asmuche as the very deede it selfe and therefore seruants must forsee they geue no cause to Maisters to suspect For that which might chaunce anoyeth asmuche as if it had chaunced indeede And if thou do roaste any fruite or make a toaste at the fyer thou must not blowe of the ashes if there be any for it is an old saying that vvinde vvas neuer vvithout water But thou must lyghtly stryke it vppō the the plate or after some suche sorte or other beate of the ashes Thou shalt not offer thy hādkerchiefe to any mā to vse it albeit it be very cleane washed for he to whome thou doest offer it can not perhaps awaye with it and may be to curious to take it When a man talketh with one it is no good maner to come so neere that he must needes breathe in his face for there be many that can not abyde to feele the ayer of another mans breathe albeit there come no yll fauour from him These and lyke fashions be very vnsemely and would be eschewed because their senses with
it whatsoeuer is carued vnto thee For it may be thought thou doest disdaine it or grunt at thy caruer Now to drink all out euery mā which is a fashiō as litle in vse amōgst vs as the terme it selfe is barbarous straūge I meane lck bring you is sure a foule thing of it selfe in our countrie so coldly accepted yet that we must not go about to bring it in for a fashiō If a man doe quaffe or carrouse vnto you you may honestly say nay to pledge him geueing him thanke confesse your weakenesse that you are not able to beare it or else to doe him a pleasure you may for curtesie taste it and thē set downe the cup to them that will and charge your selfe no further And although this Ick bring you as I haue heard many learned men say hath beene an auncient custome in Greece and that the Graecians doe muche commend a goodman of that time Socrates by name for that hee sat out one whole night long drinking a vie with another good man Aristophanes and yet the next morning in the breake of the daye without any rest vppon his drinking made suche a cunning Geometricall Instrument that there was no maner of faulte to be found in the same And albeit they say besides this that Euen as it makes a man bould and hardy to thrust him selfe venterously otherwhile in to daungerous perils of life so likewise it brings a man in to good temper and fashion to enure him selfe otherwhile with the daūgers of things not euer chauncing And bycause the drinking of wine after this sorte in a vie in such excesse and waste is a shrewde assault to trie the strength of him that quaffes so lustily these Graecians would haue vs to vse it for a certaine proofe of our strength and constancie and to enure vs the better to resist and master all maner of strong temptations All this notwithstanding I am of a cōtrary mind and I doe thinke all their reasons to fond and to foolishe But we see that Learned men haue suche art and cunning to persuade and such filed wordes to serue their turne that wrong doth carry the cause away and Reason cannot preuaile And therefore let vs giue them no credite in this point And what can I tell if they haue a secret drift herein to excuse and couer the fault of their countrey that is corrupt with this vice But it is daungerous perchaunce for a man to reproue them for it least asmuch happen to him as chaunced to Socrates him selfe for his ouer lauish controuling and checking of euery mans fault For he was so spited of all men for it that many articles of heresies other foule faultes were put vp against him and he cōdemned to die in the end allthough they were false For in truthe he was a very good man a Chatholike respecting the Religion of their false Idolatrie But suer in that he drunke so muche wine that same nyght he deserued no praise in the worlde For the hoggshead was able to holde receiue a great deale more then his companion and hee were able to take if that may get any praise And though it did him no harme that was more the goodnes of his strong braine thē the continencie of a sober man And let the Chronicles talke what they list of this matter I giue God thankes that amongest many the Plagues that haue creapt ouer the Alpes to infect vs hitherto this worst of all the rest is not come ouer that vve should take a pleasure and praise to be drunke Neither shall I euer beleue that a man can learne to be temperate of suche a Mayster as vvine and drounkennes The Stewarde of a Noble mans house may not be so bolde to inuite straungers vppon his owne head and set them downe at his Lorde Maysters table And there is none that is wise will be intreated to it at his request alone But otherwhile the seruaunts of the house be so inalepert and saucie that they will take vppō them more then their Maister of which things wee speake in this place more by chaunce then that the order we haue taken from the beginning doth so require it A man must not vncase him selfe in the presence of any assembly For it is a slouenly sight in place where honest men be met together of good conditiō and calling And it may chaunce he doth vncouer those parts of his bodie which work him shame rebuke to shewe thē besides that it maketh other mē abashed to looke vpō thē Againe I wold haue no mā to combe his head nor washe his hāds before mē For such things would be done alone in your chamber and not abrode without it be I say to washe your hands when you sit downe to the table For there it shall doe well to washe them in sight although you haue no neede that they with whome you feede may assure them selues you haue done it A man must not come forthe with his kercheif or quaife one his head nor yet stroke vp his hosen vppon his legges in company Some men there be that haue a pride or a vse to drawe their mouthes a little awry or twinckle vp their eye to blow vp their cheekes and to puffe and to make with their countenaunce sundrie such like foolishe and ilfauoured faces and gestures I councell men to leaue them cleane For Pallas her selfe the Goddesse as I haue hearde sōevvise mē say tooke once a greate pleasure to soūd the flute the cornet therin she vvas verie cūning It chaūst her on day soūding her Cornet for her plesure ouer a fontain she spide her selfe in the vvater and vvhē she beheld those strāge gestures she must nedes make vvith her mouth as she plaid she vvas so much ashāed of it that she brake the cornet in peces cast it away truely she did but well for it is no instrumēt for a vvoman to vse And it becomes men as ill if they be not of that base conditiō and calling that they must make it a gaine an art to liue vppon it And looke what I speake concerning the vnseemely gestures of the countenance and face concerneth likewise all the partes and members of man For it is an ill sight to lill out the tounge to stroke your bearde much vp and downe as many doe vse to doe to rubbe your hands together to sighe to sorrowe to tremble or strike your selfe which is also a fashiō with some to reatche and stretche your selfe so retching to cry out after a nice maner Alas Alas like a coūtry cloune that should rouse him selfe in his couche And he that makes a noyse with his mouth in a token of wonder and other while of cōtempte and disdaine counterfeteth an ilfauoured grace And Counterfet things differ not muche from truethes A man must leaue those foolishe maner of laughings groase
to the priuileged men nor againe attributed geuen without a scorne to them that were no such priuileged persones So at this daie wee must more freely vse those titles and the other significations of honour like to those titles bycause Custome the mightiest Lorde hathe largely therewith priuileged men of our time This vse and custome though so fayre and gallant without is altogether vaine within and consisteth in semblance without effect in wordes without meaning But this notwithstanding it is not lawful for vs to chaunge it but rather bycause it is not our fault but the fault of our tyme wee are bounde to followe it but yet wee must discretely doe it So that wee are to noate that Ceremonies are vsed eyther for a Profit or for a Vanitie or for a Duetie And euery lye that is told for a mans priuate profit is a deceite a sinne and a dishonest parte for in what so euer it bee A man can neuer honestly lye And this is a common fault with flatterers that counterfet them selues to be our friendes and apply them selues euer to our desiers what soeuer they be not bycause wee would haue it so but to the ende wee should doe them some pleasure for it And this is not to please vs but to deceiue vs And albeit this kind of fault be peraduenture by reason of custome sufferable yet notwithstanding bycause of it selfe it is fowle and hurtefull it yll becomes a gentle man to doe it For it is no honestie to seeke a pleasure by the hurt of another And if lyes and false flatteries may bee termed Ceremonies as I haue sayde before so oft as we vse them for respect of our gain profit so oft wee doe hazard our good name and credite so that this consideration alone myght moue vs well to leaue all Ceremonies and vse them no more It resteth now that I speake of those that bee done of Dutie and of those that be done of a Vainesse As touching the first VVe must not leaue them vndone in any wise For he that faileth to doe them dothe not onely displease but doth a wrong to him to whome they be due And many times it chaunceth the men come to daggers drawing euē for this occasion alone that one man hath not done the other that worship and honour vppon the way that he ought For to saye a trueth The power of custome is great of much force as I said and would be taken for a lawe in these cases And that is the cause we say You to euery one that is not a man of very base calling and in suche kinde of speach wee yealde such a one no maner of courtesie of our owne But if wee say Thou to suche a one then wee disgrace him and offer him outrage and wronge and by suche speach seeme to make no better reconing of him then of a knaue and a clowne And although the tymes past and other countryes haue vsed other maners let vs yet keepe our selues to our owne And let not vs dispute the matter which is the better oftwaine For wee must obserue not those that we Iudge in our owne conceits to be good but suche as be currant by custome vsed in our owne tyme as lawes which we be bound to keepe thoughe they be not all of the best tyll suche tyme as the magistrates the Prince or they that haue power to amēd them haue chaunged them to better So that It behoues vs hedefully to marke the doings and speache wherewith daily practise and custome wonteth to receaue salute name in our owne country all sortes and kinds of people and in all our familiar communicatiō with men let vs vse the same And notwithstanding the Admerall as peraduēture the maner of his time was suche in his talke with Peter the King of Aragon did many times Thou him Let vs yet saye to our King Your maiestie and your highnes aswell in speache as in writing And if they haue followed the vse of their time then let not vs breake the fashions of ours And these doe I call Duetifull Ceremonies bycause they proceede not as we would or of our free willes but are layde vppō vs by the Lawes I meane Common custome And in suche things as carry no euill meaning in them but rather some face of courtesie reason would and commaundeth vve shoulde rather obserue common Custome then dispute and lay the lawe for them And albeit to kisse in shewe of reuerence of very right appertayneth to the reliques of Saints and there holy matters yet if it bee the maner of your country at parting to say Signori Io vi bascio la mano Or Io son vostro seruidore Or els vostro schiauo in catena you must not disdaine it more then other But In farewelles and writings you must salute and take leaue not as reason but as custome will haue you and not as mē wont in times past or should doe but as men vseat this day for it is a chorlishe maner to say VVhat greate gentleman is he I pray you that I must master him Or is he becom master parson that I must kisse his hands for he that is wont to be Sird and likewise Sirreth other may thinke you disdaine him and vse some outrage vnto him when you call him to his face by his bare name and giue him no addition And these termes of Seignory seruice duetye and such other like vnto these as I haue sayde haue lost a greate parte of their harshnes and as hearbes lōg steepte in the water are sweetened and made softe and tender by reason of muche speache in mens mouthes and cōtinuall vse to speake them So that we must not abhorre thē as some rude and rusticall fellowes full of foolishe simplicitie doe that would fayne beginne the letters we write to Kinges and Emperours after this sort vz. Yf thou and thy children be in healthe it is well I am also in healthe saying that suche was the beginning of the letters the Latins did write to the magistrates of Rome If men should liue by their measure and go backe to those fashions and maners our first fathers dyd vse the worlde thē by litle and litle would come so about that we should feede vppon acornes againe And in these Duetifull Ceremonies there be also certain rules and precepts we must obserue that wee may not bee touched with Vainesse and Pride And first of all wee must consider the country where wee doe liue For all customes be not currant a lyke in all countreys And peraduenture that which they vse in Naples which is a Citye replenished with gentlemen of good houses and Lordes of greate power were not so fitte for Florens and Luke Which are inhabited for the most part with Merchāts and plaine gentlemē without any Prince Marques or Barone amongest them So that the braue and Lordelike manners of the gentlemē of Naples
vse their common name Thais is a Harlot And as Boccace declared the power of whores and boyes For if he had termed the males by their beastly occupation as he termed the women his talke would haue byn foule shamefull And withall A man must not alone bevvare of vnhonest and filthie talke but also of that vvhiche is base and vile and especially vvhere a man talketh discourseth of greate and highe matters And for this Cause perchaunce woorthely some blame our Beattice sayeing To passe throughe Lethes floud the highest Fates vvould blott Yf man mighte taste the Viandes suche as there dooe fall by Lott And not pay firste a due repentaunce for his scott For in my conceite these base wordes that come out of the Tauernes bee verie vncomely for suche aworthy discourse And when a man hathe like occasion to speake of the Sunne it shall not be good to call it The Candell or the Lampe of the world bycause such woordes do put vs in minde of the Oyle the stuffe of the kitchyn Neyther should a man that is well aduised say that Saincte Dominicke was Il Drudo della Theologia Nor yet talke that the glorious Sainctes haue spoken suche base and vile woordes As for Example to say And leaue to scratche whereas the scabs of sinne breake out For they sauour of the dregges the filth of the cōmō people as euery man may easily see Againe in your long large discourses you must haue that like cōsideratiōs cares some more that which you may more cōmodiously learne of your Maisters that teache you that arte that is commonly called Rhetorike And amongest other things You must accustome your selfe to vse suche gentle and courtious speache to men and so sweete that it may haue no maner of bitter taste And you shall rather say I cannot tell how to say it Thē say you ar deceiued Or it is not true Or you know it not For it is a courteous and friendly parte to excuse a mans faulte euen in that very thing wherein you know how to blame him And withall it doth well to make the proper and peculiar fault of your friend indifferent and common to you both and first to take one piece to your selfe and then after to blame and reproue him for it VVee were deceiued and failed muche we forgot our selues yesterday to doe so Although suche negligence errour or what soeuer it be be altogether his fault and not yours And Restagnone forgat him selfe muche when he saide to his companions If your wordes doe not lie For A man should not bring another mannes faithe and honestie in question and doubte But if a man promise you any thing and doe not performe it it shall not doe well for you to say vnto him You haue lost your credite with mee without some necessarie cause doe driue you to say so as to saue your owne credite and honestie But you shall rather say You could not do it Or you did not remember to doe it Thē you haue cleane forgotten mee For these kinde of speaches haue some prickles stinges of Complaint Anger and Choler So that suche as vse them selues to speake suche churlishe and fuinishe woordes are taken for sharpe and sower fellowes men doe asmuche shunne their acquaintāce as to thrust them selues vppon thornes and thistles And bycause I knowe som of this naughtie cōditiō qualitie I meane some that be so hastie and greedy to speake that they take not the sense with them but ouer passe it and runne before it as the grehound that doth not pinche by ouershooting his game therfore I will not spare to tell you that which may be thought needeles to touche as a thing to well knowen and that is that You shall neuer speake before you haue first considered laide the plot in your minde what it is you haue to saie For in so doing your talke shal be well deliuered and not borne before the time I trust straungers will easily beare with this worde if at least they vouchsafe to read these trifles of mine And if you doe not skorne my preceptes it shall neuer chaunce you to say vvelcome Maister Agostino to such a one whose name is Agnolo or Bernardo And you shal neuer need to say Tell me your name Nor say againe I saide not well Nor Lorde vvhat doe I call him Nor to hack and to stutter long together to finde out a worde Maister Arrigo no Master Arabico Tushe what doe I call him I should say Maister Agabito These fonde foolish behauiours fashions paine a man as much to heare thē as to be drawne and haled with cordes The voyce would be neither hoarse nor shrill And vvhen you laugh and sporte in any sorte you must not crye out and criche like the Pullye of a well nor yet speake in your yavvning I knowe well it is not in vs to geue our selues a ready tongue or perfect voyce at our owne will and pleasure Hee that doth stutter or is hoarse let him not alwayes bable and gabbe and keepe a courte alone let him rather a mend the defect of his tounge with silence and hearinge and withall if hee can with studie diminishe the fault of Nature It is an yll noyse to heare a man rayse his voyce highe lyke to a common Cryer And yet I would not haue him speake so lowe and softly that he that harkens shall not heare him And if he be not heard at the first time he speaketh he must speake the next time somewhat plainer but yet not yoape out aloude that he make not men thinke he is woode and angry with them for hee shall doe but well to rehearse that againe he hath spoken that men may vnderstand what he said Four wordes would be disposed euen as the common vse of speache doth require and not vnsorted disordered and scattered cōfusedly as many be woont to doe vppon a brauery whose maner of talke is more like a Scriuener me thinke that readeth in his mother tounge the Indēture he hath written before in latine then a man that reasoneth or talketh in his Naturall language as this for example They drawe by sent of false and fained steps of truth Or if a man should preposterously place his wordes thus Those times did blossomes geue before their time of soothe Which maner of speache may be otherwhile allowed in versifiers but it is vtterly forbidden in common talke And it behoues a mā not onely to shūne this versifying maner of speache in his familiar and common discourse or talke but likewise eschewe the pompe brauery affectation that may be suffered and allowed to inriche an Oration spoken in a publike place Otherwise mē that doe heare it will but spyte it and laughe him to scorne for it Albeit perchaunce a Sermon may shewe a greater cunning and arte then common talke But Euerie thing must haue his time and place
haue spoken all this while For it is a harder matter a greate deale to knowe whē a man faulteth in these then when he faulteth in them Bycause It is easie much vve see to feele then to vnderstande But yet it may chaunce otherwhile that euen that which offendeth the senses may also offend the minde thoughe not altogether after one sorte as I haue told you before shewing you that A man must apparell him selfe according to the fashions that other men vse that it may not be thought he doth reproue and correct their doings The which thing offendeth most men that seeke to be commended And the wisest mē that be mislike it too For the garments of the olde world haue lost their date for men of this age and this season to weare And it is suche an ill shapen sight to see a man clad with other mens cloathes that a man would weene there would be a fray betwene the doublet the hose their cloathes doe sit vppon them so vnto wardly So that many of those matters I haue spoken of allredy or peraduēture all might be aptly rehersed here again forasmuch as this measure I speake of here is not obserued in these thīgs nor the time nor the place nor the worke nor the worker accorded fitted together so well as it should be For mens minds and fansies doe like it take a pleasure and delight in those things But I thought it good to apply speake these matters rather vnder the badge as it were of the Senses and desires then properly assigne them to the minde that a man may the more easily perceiue them bycause It is a naturall thinge for euerie man to feele and desire but euery man cannot so generally vnderstand and especially that whiche we call bewtie gallantnes or entertainement It is not inoughe for a man to doe things that be good but hee must also haue a care hee doe them with a good grace And a good grace is nothing els but suche a maner of light as I may call it as shineth in the aptnes of things set in good order and wel disposed one with another and perfectly knit and vnited together VVithout which proportion and measure euen that which is good is not faire the fairenes it self is not plesaunt And as meates though they be good sauourie will giue men no minde to eate thē if they haue no pleasaunt relish and taste So fares it with the maners of men other while althoughe in them selues in no respect they be ill but foolishe a little and fond if a man doe not season them with a certaine sweetenes which you call as I take it Grace and Comlines So that euery vice of it selfe without any further matter to helpe it it cannot be chosen must needes offend a man For Vices be things so foule and filthie that honest and modest mindes will greeue to see their shamefull effects And therefore it shall behoue them that seeke to be well thought of with their familiar acquaintāce aboue all things els to eschewe vices and especially those that be foulest and worst as Leachery Couetousnes Crueltie and other Of which some be beastly as Drunkennes and Gluttonie some vncleane as Leacherie other some horrible as Murther and such other all which for them selues and for the very naughtines that is properly in them al all men eschewe more or lesse But as earst I said generally al as thīgs of greate disorder make a man misliked muche of all men But bycause I haue not taken vppon me to shew vnto you mēs sinnes but their Errors it shal be no parte of my charge at this time to entreate of the Nature of vices vertues but onely of the seemely vnseemely fashions and maners wee vse one with another One of the which vnseemely fashions was that Coūt Richard did vse of which I tould you before Which as vnseemely and vnfitting with those other his good and faire maners hee had besides that same worthie Bishop as a skilfull and cunning Mayster in musicke will eaeasily here a note out of Tune had quickly founde out It shal be then necessarie for gentlemen and men of good behauiour to haue a regard to this measure I speake of in going in standing in sitting in gesture in porte in apparell in talke in silence in rest and in action For a man must not apparell him selfe like a woman that the Attire may not be of one sorte and the person of another as I doe see it in some that weare their heads their beards curled with bodkins and haue their face and their necks their hands so starchte and painted that it were to muche for a girle nay harlot that makes a merchādize of it and sets her selfe to the sale Hou must smell neither of sweete nor of sower for a gentleman would not sauour nastily like a begger nor yet should a man carry a sauour and sent about him like a harlot or whoore I doe not by this forbid but you may very well vse some sweete smelles of sweete waters Your apparell must be shaped according to the fashion of the time and your calling for the causes I haue shewed you before For VVe must not take vppon vs to alter customes at our will. For time doth beget them and time doth also weare them out Euery mā may applie those fashiōs that be in common vse the moste to his owne aduantage that he can For if perchaunce your legges be very long and men vse but short garments you may vse a meane not to long nor to short And if your legges be to small to greate or crooked make not your hosen of to light and garishe a colour that it may not call men to looke and to gawre vppō your deformitie Thou must weare no garment that shall be to light or ouermuche daubde with garding that mē may not say thou hast Ganymedes hosen or wearest Cupides doublet But whatsoeuer it be thou wearest let it be fit and well made for thy bodie least thou seme to braue it in another mans cloathes But with all thou must in any case respect thy condition or estate For A man of the Clergie must not be attired like a Souldier nor a Souldier goe like a Player When Castruccio was in Rome with Lodouico Bauero at a greate Pompe and triumphe who was both Duke of Lucca and Pistoia and Count of Palazzo and Senatour of Rome this Castruccio being Lorde greate Mayster of the saide Lodouico Bauero his househoulde for his brauery made him a coate of crimsin vppon the brest wherof there was this deuise in letters of Golde It is euen as God will. And vppon the backe behinde And it shall be as God will. I beleeue you thinke this garment would haue become Castruccio his Trumpeter better then it could become him And although Kings be free frō checke and may doe what they list Yet I could neuer commend King